SickER.

Hazel's bug turned into a full-blown ear infection, which kept her up until 2 this morning. After hours of crying and moaning and tossing and turning, we finally just got her out of bed and plunked her down in front of Noggin (24 hours! YAY!), while we dealt with the confusing maze that is our new insurance company. When push came to shove, the best they could do for us was call in a prescription for ear drops that we could pick up at the 24 hour pharmacy at 4 a.m. We passed. Hazel finally fell asleep, thankfully, and we got her checked out this morning.

The cold that I caught mutated into a nasty sinus infection while I was caring for Hazel in the wee hours. Have you ever had a sinus infection? This one's the first for me, and holy shit, I hope it's the last. The pain! The congestion! It feels like a 300 pound man is sitting on my head. I was treated for that this morning, as well as shiny new case of bronchitis! I truly don't think I have ever been this sick. It's nas-ty.

Will you pray for me, if you believe in such things? Because with two sick kids and a beast of an infection myself, I'm not sure how we're going to make it through the afternoon.

The Post in Which I Get All Political and Self-Serving

I've been asked to contribute to MOMocrats, the moms-for-Edwards website. I'm proud and happy to be part of such a great cause, working with brilliant and articulate women who have a lot to say. Check us out!

I truly believed that John Edwards would be a different kind of president - the kind who does what he says, says what he means, and means to get this country moving in the right direction. I am crushed that he has stepped aside, though I knew from the beginning that I was backing an underdog. But one of the positive things to come out of John Edwards' campaign suspension is my renewed zeal for getting the person who can do the most for our country elected. Which is why my post "The Feminist Vote - Why Hillary Rodham Clinton Won't Get Mine" is live for the world to see.

I was an early Obama supporter, until I started paying close attention to John Edwards' message. Everything he said made perfect sense to me, but most especially his commitment to end poverty and the corporate takeover of our government, and reengage with the global community on a cooperative level. I hope that Barak Obama takes notice of the chords that John Edwards struck with the people of this country, those of us who really do want things to change. And I hope he makes good on his promises, like I know Edwards would have. We'll see.

Sick

Hazel came into our bed at 3:00 in the morning, burning with fever. I dosed her with Tylenol, cuddled her for a few minutes, then carried her back to her top bunk, where she tossed and turned and hacked with a cough that came out of nowhere. She was perfectly fine all day yesterday.

Poor Hazel. She seems to get every little bug that goes around, and always has. Her immune system is challenged, I think (it runs in her family). Mike has been good enough to agree to make a Whole Foods run before heading to work - we need O.J., kids Emergen-C, those fabulous vitamin/zinc lollipops and tranquilizers (for me. I WISH.)

It's gonna be a long, grey day.

You Want To Know How I Know My Kids' Brains Have Been Disneyfied?

Because as I was getting out of the shower a few days ago, Hazel asked:

"Mom... how come Tinkerbell's boobs point up... and yours... don't?"

Um, because I nursed you and your sister for almost two years - each!?

Yeah. You're welcome.

Christmas Past

And it passed so quickly, and with so much fanfare and hullaballoo, that when it came time to take down the tree, the stockings, the lights and the decorations, we cried! It was that much fun. (Look at those happy girls!)

This year was the first year that both girls were really excited about the holiday. Hazel really "got it," and was very excited about making and giving presents to friends and family. She asked thoughtful questions about the meaning of Christmas and Chanukkah and Kwanzaa, and pointed out - very astutely - that they are all basically about being thankful for life as we know it. Can I just say that I love that she knows what Kwanzaa is?

As usual the girls raked in the booty, but this year, Mike and I made the conscious decision to get them gifts that they could play with together. They got art supplies, a rockin' new kite, a playhouse for the backyard, board games, and a few assorted other goodies, including a new dress and pair of tights for each girl. We opened presents, had breakfast, and then passed the rest of the day with friends, where a giant potluck dinner and basement karaoke party were lwhat made the holiday one of our most memorable as a family.

We rang in the new year in SoCal, which is always a good time. The time for us to move down there is drawing near, I think. Each time we go down there, it's harder to leave. We have such a great thing going on here, it's hard to even imagine leaving... and yet, the magnetic draw of family is pulling us in a different direction. Who knows what 2008 will bring?

Holiday Thoughts

I spent yesterday afternoon shopping for Christmas presents online, and all I can say is "what did we ever do before Amazon?" Good lord, it was easy. No crowds, no lines, no confusion; just type, click, buy. Almost pleasant, actually, as far as shopping goes.

When I was done, I took a few minutes to bask in the glow of being able to buy exactly what I wanted for the girls and our family, without worrying about whether or not we could afford it. I didn't get extravagant - our Christmas gifts are pretty low-key - but the very act of buying things always reminds me of how blessed we are to be able to buy non-essentials comfortably. It is a luxury that I am aware of, and grateful for.

In that spirit, I am trying to be mindful of balancing all the girls' talk about receiving presents with talk about giving wholeheartedly, and being thankful for the many good things we already have in our lives. My local hair salon is doing a toy drive, and this Saturday Hazel and I will be taking a Dora sleeping bag in for a little girl who requested it for Christmas. Then we'll be taking a trip to Second Harvest food bank to make a donation there, and finally, we'll be taking some toys and clothes to the local women's shelter. I wish I was better about making donations and spending time at our local food bank and shelter year-round; we do it occasionally, maybe two or three times each year, but still... if I was the kind of person who made New Year's resolutions, making more time for giving back to our community would be mine this year.

I went ahead and made a "wish list" for myself as I was finishing up my online shopping yesterday, but it occurred to me later in the day, as I was putting away the week's groceries, that what I already have is more than enough: a home, a full fridge, a healthy and happy family - and more! No box under the tree can compete with that.

Violet in the Bathroom

V: "When I grow up I want to be a mama."

Mike: "Maybe you could be a German teacher."

V: "Maybe I could be a Hello Kitty teacher!"

Hey, it's as good a place as any to plan for the future. With her rampant use of toilet paper and excessive flushing, she's certainly not cut out for environmentalism or plumbing, so it's good she's exploring other options.