The Silver Whining

Babies Are Overrated

JackieMacD — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:02:00 +0000

Who hasn’t had that moment now and again when you look back and feel a pang of sadness (or at the very least nostalgia), wondering “where has my baby gone?”

I definitely do at times. But getting on the plane to Boston last week… definitely wasn’t one of those times. For the first time in over five years, I walked on the plane carrying a purse. A PURSE. That’s it. Granted it was filled with electronics Jeff deemed necessary for me to have on my person, and random items the kids got bored of carrying as we unloaded them onto the security conveyor belt… But it was a freedom I hadn’t enjoyed in a very, very long time.

And it got even better.

The boys decided that in addition to carrying their own backpacks, they also loved being “helpers.” They each grabbed a full-size suitcase, dragging it through the airport and up to the ticket counter. It never even occurred to me that there would come a time they would actually HELP. It’s invigorating, I tell ya!

Tell me: was there a time you found yourself equally grateful your babies were growing up?

Gone Fishin’

JackieMacD — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:16:00 +0000

It’s been a while since I posted.

I have nothing to give you but excuses…
We were working on the kitchen non-stop.
We had family in town.
I was juggling projects.
I went back to kindergarten and now have homework four nights a week.
I was planning a birthday.
My computer has issues.
I was working even more to pay for kitchen that cost MUCH more than insurance payment.
I caught something and felt yucky.
We went on vacation to Boston to see my family.
We had a baptism for Lucy.
Instead of seeing the sites, I saw the inside of an ambulance and I am now writing this from the ICU at Boston Children’s Hospital. Brady is here with pneumonia and low oxygen levels.

All of it’s true. I miss you guys. I have thoughts in my head that I’m dying to put out there. But I’m feeling an exhaustion inside and out that I can’t put into words. Please don’t stop checking in. But to give me a chance to catch my breath, I’ll be featuring the posts of some very generous guest writers. You’ll love them. And if you’d like to be among those guest bloggers, just leave a comment here.

Talk to you soon. xo

Bringing in the Birthday with a Bang!

JackieMacD — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:41:00 +0000

It just occurred to me recently that I’ve had this blog going for over two years. When I started, Jacob had just turned 3 and Brady wasn’t even 2. And while Lucy had already been born, she was a peanut, just a few months old and beginning the journey to our family.

It’s been nice recently looking back to past posts, remembering moments that have faded in my memory. Remember this from Brady’s second birthday? Couldn’t you just eat his cheeks? And then there was this one from his third bday. Hard to believe another year has flown by.

I have to say, I think it was his fourth birthday that really will keep him smiling. Because this year, we learned that instead of throwing big parties or spending lots of money on what we guess the kids would like… we’d do something that we know they’d be into. Stay tuned, I have lots of photos of the big event.

In the meantime, I’ll give you three guesses what Grandma and Papa bought the birthday boy. The only downside is that it didn’t include ear plugs. Not for the loud banging, but the fighting that occurs when everyone wants a turn at the same time.

Wordless Wednesday

JackieMacD — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:24:00 +0000

Just One More Reason To Avoid Walmart

JackieMacD — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:20:00 +0000

Have I ever shared my disgust for all things Walmart? I’ll admit it began when I walked up and down the aisles reading things like “cheese graders” and “irragation” on the printed signs (true story). My disdain continued the day a checker called my son a “little chunker.” (I’m of the belief that you don’t comment on a stranger’s weight, regardless of age.)

But really, the reason I avoid that place is because each and every time I have made the mistake of going there, I’ve either walked out, abandoning my full cart, or deeply regretted my decision to get out of the car. It’s all about the bad service, products — or both (remember the tire incident of 2009?) Walmart joined and remains on the list of businesses I refuse to deal with, right up there with American Airlines, Chase Bank, and — as soon as I can get the iPhone through another carrier and drop them like they drop all my calls — AT&T.

But enough of my whining… what happened at a Walmart in Arizona makes my stomach turn. When a family brought photos of their little ones in the tub to be developed, one overzealous employee reported them to police for child pornography. THEY CALLED THE POLICE ON THEM. What happened to the parents? They lost their kids FOR A MONTH (this is where you try to even fathom losing your kids for a month), mom was suspended from her job for an entire year, and both parents were registered as sex offenders. SEX OFFENDERS. Even the judge thought the photos were harmless, yet the lives of this family has been altered irrevocably.

While I would hope that I wouldn’t bring pics like that to Walmart, mostly to keep them out of the creepy hands of the employees there, I think we all could gasp in unison thinking about what other innocent acts could get us in a heap of trouble. Not that we would ever admit to taking a photo of a baby tush or adorable rolls of chunkiness now. Their case has instilled a whole new fear in parents.

To see the other side, I can only imagine that clerk thought he was doing the right thing, protecting children. But some people don’t think. And others then have to suffer for a lifetime because of it.

What do you think of the case? Will this keep you from taking innocent kid pics or are you against that in the first place?

Do You Remember?

JackieMacD — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:21:00 +0000

I’ve always been a fan of Earth, Wind & Fire’s catchy tune, September. But two years ago, the song became a kind of anthem for us; the back drop of our overwhelming elation, emotion and eagerness to meet the little girl who would become our daughter.

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

September 21, 2007
The day we saw Lucy’s face (via photographs) for the very first time. I remember the meeting at our adoption agency like it happened last week. We arrived to hear about a potential match, so determined to be logical, refusing to see her photo until we had all the facts and could make an educated decision. We wanted to be sure we considered everything, making the right choice for her and our boys. We thought that if we had seen her photo, all reasoning would go out the window and we wouldn’t be able to think clearly.

We were half right.

After seeing her photo, there was no way we could even consider that she wasn’t our little girl. She looked exactly the way I had imagined her. But it was actually hours before, when we got the initial call, that we knew there was no turning back. I can vividly recall standing in the hallway on the 10th floor of my office building (the same floor I was on when Jeff proposed), listening to the story of the girl I was positive was our daughter. As soon as I hung up the phone with our agency, I called Jeff and blurted “they found our daughter!” The photo turned out to just be confirmation that it was, in fact, our Lucy.

Two years later, Lucy’s been home with us for a tiny bit longer than we waited for her. She’s funny, smart, and has a zest for life that I’ve never seen in another human being — ever. She’s electricity and we’re just trying to keep up with the power bill.

The Snoozin’ Snacker: Still At It

JackieMacD — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:59:00 +0000

Quite a while ago, Brady was a two-year-old who could be lulled to sleep just by eating pizza (and skipping his nap). In fact, he got a little famous for it, even featured on Ellen DeGeneres!

Today, just days away from his 4th birthday… nothing’s changed, minus the daytime talk show fame.

Note to self: Carry video camera at all times. How else can your children support you through their funny antics?

Mentioning the Unmentionables

JackieMacD — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:17:00 +0000

As I hurried through Target, attempting to pick up things we need without even glancing at the hundreds of things we don’t that catch my eye, a certain boy’s attention was caught — stopping him in his tracks.

“Ohhh those are coooool,” he says, as he simulates a high-five all the way down the racks and racks of ladies wear.

“Do you know what those are,” I asked. Remember his mom hasn’t worn one in the three years post-surgery.

“Yeah?” he kind of states and questions at the same time, kind of unsure that they are, in fact, for what he thinks they are.

“What are they?” (I couldn’t help myself, now I was just curious.)

“They’re for mermaids!”

Sure, little man. They’re for mermaids. Now let’s just hope you don’t learn the real answer ’til you’re married and in your 30s. Mama’s not ready for that talk.

Medical Advice, Direct to Your Door

JackieMacD — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:38:00 +0000

I love Facebook. You might even say I’m borderline addicted. It’s fun to catch up on new and old friends, see pics and chat with family. I love it so much, I wrote THIS post, which received a couple of chuckles (probably because it’s so true).

But one thing that I could do without on FB is the ads. From the perfect fat-burning berries to another one that keeps popping up telling me to go back to school (noooo thank you). But none of them get to me like the one for the DNA breast cancer kit. Take it from me, if you think you may have a genetic mutation that gives you a higher risk for cancer, call a genetic counselor right away. Do NOT order a kit online — even if it is on sale — to determine whether your health is at risk. What’s next, online pap smears? Some things are better left to the medical community, people.

This is today’s public service announcement.

In the News: Guatemalan Children Abducted, Given Up for Adoption

JackieMacD — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:12:00 +0000

When I stumbled across this story on CNN this morning, about how the Guatemalan army would steal children from their parents and hand them over to a government agency to be “sold” to families, my heart sank.

It’s unimaginable what these children, their parents — some of whom were killed in the process — and now their adoptive parents have suffered through. If someone were to tell me that Lucy was living with us due to horrific, illegal and immoral circumstances, I wouldn’t even know what to think or feel. The international adoption process is emotional, difficult and life-altering already, and that’s if it goes perfectly.

I have no little gems to write here, or any interesting thoughts up my sleeve. I just wanted to express my profound sadness and sympathy for everyone involved.