Not back, Fully anyway.

I just thought I would update everyone super quick-like.

My mom was here last week, and her visit couldn't have been better timed. I needed some serious mommy-hug-healing. It worked.

Thanks mom. Love you, and miss you.

After a year of asking I finally got a referral for Kieran to see an ENT back in May. At this point he's had 15 ear infections. I spent another 2 weeks on the phone trying to get him an appt. earlier than August.

At his appt. today the doctor called Kenny's PCM and (I guess) bitched him out. Apparently I was right and #8 at 18 months should have seen a referral.

He figured Kenny couldn't possibly have hearing loss due to his gargantuan vocabulary and great speech. After a typmanic screen they determined that his eardrums were flat. If they don't vibrate - you can't hear. Kieran is currently suffering from hearing loss.

His surgery is scheduled for Monday. Seriously, what was supposed to be a consult turned into a pre-admit appt. This doctor is an answered prayer. He's wasting no time fixing my baby.

His hearing loss should resolve with the implant of tubes.

I'm still trying to gather my strength and fully recover. It's been a fun couple of months...

I'll try to hop back in the saddle and get a post up a day. No promises though.

The Adventure Ended? When?

I had a conversation with a lady the other day. It blew my mind - and went something like this:

Lady: You look too young to have two kids.

Me: I'm pretty young but, I like it this way. Obviously not too young to have kids - as I HAVE them.

Lady: That's sad. You still had so many years of adventures ahead of you. Don't you feel sad about all the things in life you're missing?

Me: Uhm, I don't really think I'm missing much. I had a ton of adventures before kids, and I'm still having plenty. I just have to pack diapers now.

Lady: You couldn't possibly know what an adventure is. You're too young.

Me: Well, they say ignorance is bliss...

Ok, first off - Hubband and I started having kids much sooner than we anticipated. But, no big deal. We're here and we wouldn't turn back the clock if we could.

This lady was 37. Her kid was 3. She is pregnant again.

I see nothing wrong with this, except she tells me she's tired and can't keep up with one and is worried about the chaos 2 will bring.

When I am 37 - B-rox will be 17, Kenny 15.

I feel tired a lot, but I know that I have more energy now and can bounce back more quickly than I will be able to at 37. Fact of life: getting old is hard on the body.

My early forties will see an empty nest, and more money to have more childless adventures with.

However, it did get me thinking. I had a lot of pre-baby good times. I've also had many post-baby good times.

So, I compiled a list. (Of a few things I consider "adventures")

Pre-baby Adventures:

*Spent a month backpacking. Seeing only the 6 people in my group for that entire month.

*Ate lobster for Thanksgiving dinner. On the beach. In Mexico.

*Rafted several rivers. (And not on commercial tours)

*Been rock climbing - on real rocks.

*Hiked the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion Canyon

*Spent a birthday in Las Vegas.

*Visited 29 of the 50 United States. And have the keychains to prove it.

*Summited four peaks.

*Vacationed on a houseboat.

Post-baby Adventures:

*Took my first trip to Orlando, Florida. To see Disney world. My first Disney park trip EVER.

*Saw Niagra falls and rode the Maid of the Mist.

*Ran my first half-marathon

*Learned to see everyday through new eyes. Christmas, Easter, and other holidays and events haven't seemed this bright since I was a kid.

*Moved three thousand miles away from my mommy.

*Taught my kids to puddle stomp. Don't think that's an adventure? Try ever going near a puddle again and staying dry.

*Bought a house, chose my own paint colors, decorated and made it a home.

Adventures yet to be completed: But still have time for because I'm *young*.

*See Ireland, Greece, New Zealand, Antarctica, Africa and Alaska. Just to name a few...

*Take the boys backpacking.

*Build a house with a tower, and at the top of the tower is a library. With a ladder like the one in "Beauty and the Beast".

*See the christening of a ship

*Take a bike trip through Napa Valley Vineyards. (Hint Mark: Ten year anniversary)

*Get my nursing degree.

*Do a medical mission somewhere. Anywhere will do - as long as I'm serving others.

*Compete in a triathalon

*Spend a week in New York City seeing Broadway, ballets and SHOPPING!

The thing is - I never felt like my life ended. It changed. Massively changed. But it's never felt over. I don't know how you can look at your kids and think "Well, gee Willis. I guess this is it".

I get less sleep, and spontaneity usually means springing for Red Robin instead of McDonalds, but that's part of the adventure right?

I love my kids and the best adventure of all is waking up to their adorable faces every morning. Whether I appreciate the time they choose to do so, or not.

Extension.

I have to beg for an extension to my blogging sabbatical.

This month I have had a son's lungs shut down.

The other son has had three ear infections - making 13 (or 14 - depending on how you count) total.

I was sick during that. So sick Mark had to take sick leave for me.

Then we saw a light at the end of the tunnel.

Some fat dude sat in the way of it.

I have pink eye.

Braxton has pink eye and an allergy/mild virus issue.

I'm sure Kieran will have pink eye here in the next day or two.

I'm just so stinking exhausted.

I'm sorry folks, I need a little more time than two weeks to recover apparently.

Sabbatical.

I'm tired.

I won't be blogging for a while, because I'm tired.

Bear with me and check back in about two weeks, because I won't be blogging, because I'm tired.

When I come back, rejuvinated and not tired, expect the following posts:

Mother's day with 27 preschoolers and kindergarteners.

When houses get messy.

Mark's Toy, and how I often feel like destroying it. (A tie in to the "when houses get messy".)

Until then, goodnight. Because I'm tired.

I so most definitely stole this from rants from mommyland

I love you, Mom.

I think you rock.

Even if your feet are little,

and don't fit in a normal sock.

It was me and you for many years

You taught me mucho,

and wiped my tears

The best part was you did it with gusto! (horrible rhyme, sue me)

You enabled a strong addiction

The smell of shoes I can't resist

Because of this my marriage sees friction

But never once did you say "desist"

You taught me to cook and clean

amidst much protestation

To sit up straight and not be mean

You'd smack my head without hesitation

Your hugs I miss most often

The love you gave was unwavering

You didn't sleep inside a coffin

I think that's cool. (seriously, nothing rhymes with unwavering)

This poem is horrible

But it's the best I can do

I didn't want to be smorrible

Or all gushy on you.

I love you tons Mom,

and am Thankful everyday

'Cuz you da' bomb

In. Every. Single. Way.

Happy Mother's day. To my Mom, My gramma and My Mother in Law. You are all fabulous ladies, and my life would be much less awesome without you.

The Blog Hop

So, I got on this bandwagon a few days late. You can thank the petri-dish I call preschool for that one. I have a stockpile of drugs now, and can type most of the things I want to say. With minimal spelling errors! *high five*

Anyway, this is my little bio for the blog hop put on by the Wife at Riding the Roller Coaster. Such a great idea! She's probably gorgeous, too. Some girls just have all the luck...

I'm Mommy McD. As myself, I'm not that interesting. Add my husband, A Naval Reactors Nuclear Engineer and my two trolls, B-rox and Kenny - my life becomes a circus. That's what I write about here. Sometimes, I like to add a little of what's on my mind. On the days that I can find it anyway...

We live in the greater DC area and minus the traffic, smog and living 3,000 miles away from family - we kind of like it. My husband's job here is pretty much classified out the wang, so I'll sum it up by saying he does black-ops for nerds.

We met at Oregon State University, where he volun-told me for swim team. Our meet cute? Not so cute. It went something like this:

Hubband (who wasn't hubband then, he was nerdy boy in glasses): "Hey, Holding! You're a female! Want to join my swim team?"

Me (who was thinner, but didn't have as many shoes): "Gee, thanks for noticing - and no. I don't. Have a nice day."

Later that day:

Gunny (who happened to be a scary SOB): "Hey, Holding! I hear you joined the swim team! Good job, way to be involved."

Me (now, very confused as I was pretty sure I had said no...): "Uhm, I'm pretty sure I said no."

Gunny (remember - scary SOB): "Too late now, you're on the list."

I got all scrunchy faced on hubband the first few workouts - just so that he knew I wasn't happy.

It didn't work. I fell in love (with a boy in a speedo - we're going to last fo-evah folks.) and married him.

Then we had our first son, B-rox. Who is now four, and scaring me with his intellect. His favorite superhero is Thor, because they both have "long, yellow hair".

23 months later, we had our other son, Kenny. Who is now two, and the exact same size as his older brother. His favorite superhero is "Hulk Smash". Probably, because at two - smashing things is fun.

Now, me. I am a stay at home mom, which means I don't stay at home very much. I love to run for fun, and subject my family to torture - otherwise known as sitting in front of the camera.

I was born and raised in Oregon. So, after that statement I'll answer a few questions I know are brimming in your head:

Yes, I love to eat granola.

Yes, I love recycling

Yes, I love the rain

Yes, I love trees

No, I didn't know what smog really was until I moved to the east coast.

No, the "mountains" on the east coast aren't really mountains. They're hills.

Yes, I shave my legs.

Yes, I love shoes.

Alright, you probably, actually, didn't care about those last two...

That's about it for now... If you want to know more, come on back!

I live.

So, I'm alive. Thanks to a really nice doctor last night, I have my own stockpile of drugs to help me stop sounding like an 80 smoker lady.

It's hawt.

The boys. They're fine. Thankfully.

Braxton returned to school just in time to see the butterflies come out of their chrysalis', and is pretty sure the coolest thing that's ever happened to him is the get well cards his class sent him.

Being sick and tired, I cried over every single one. Until Braxton stopped letting me read them.

"Mom, you can't read them if you're going to cry. Because that's silly."

This Mother's day, I really wish I were with my mom. I see a skype session in my future.

Miss you mom.

I wrote all that just so I could put "Miss you mom" in my blog. I'm *such* a dedicated daughter.