Four-Letter Word Friday

Today is a definite T.G.I.F. day after a long week. It is a relief that the weekend is about here. And although outwardly I may complain that the sunny 60-degree weather we're about to get here over the next few days is unwanted because I want winter weather, in reality I'll be a happy camper to get outside this weekend and enjoy the sunshine.

On the Amy front, her doctor appointment this week went very well. For the last few visits she has been in and out like a trip to a fast-food restaurant.

"Baby still in there?" Check.
"Not currently in labor?" Check.
"See you next week. Do you want fries?"

Amy actually took exception to my comment in an earlier post that she is at the "incredibly uncomfortable" stage of pregnancy. On the contrary, she says, she is not uncomfortable. She just gets tired easily. I stand corrected. Maybe I just look at that huge protruding belly and think, "Wow, that must really be uncomfortable trying to stay upright" and transfer my impression to her.

One thing for sure is that Amy is a very light sleeper at this stage. Maybe it's the mother's body gearing up for the light sleeping that inevitably accompanies a new baby. Amy lets me know on occasional nights that I am snoring and thus keeping her awake. I blame it on Tucker and then fall back asleep. One night this week she even tried to make conversation in the middle of the night when I got up.

"Oh, you're up too? I've been up since 2:00a.m. What do you want to talk about?"

I could only utter a sympathetic grunt as I walked into the wall on the way to the bathroom. Overall though Amy is doing really, really well at this stage and is playing the waiting game like a pro.

Then there are the boys. Next week Owen & Gus start attending preschool five days a week from the three-day schedule they have been on since August. This will undoubtedly be a change for them. But we feel that it will be a positive thing for them to get the increased learning experience and for us to have a little more time to devote to the coming life change.

Lately the boys have picked up an undesirable piece of speech. Apparently we parents -- more likely yours truly -- have not been as careful around them with the vocabulary as we should have been. The boys have taken note. Playing at their train table recently, one of the trains fell off the track crashing into the floor and made a mess.

"Oh dammit!" barked Owen.
Gus immediately followed suit, "Dammit!"

The boys then tried to outdo each other, repeating their new word over and over again as loud as they could. Amy looked at each other with wide eyes in shock. Then immediately we turned away from them and tried with all our might to contain our laughter. Laughing is of course the worst thing we could do. If the boys saw us laughing we would be guaranteed that their new word would be in constant repetition and they would keep it up until they got that positive reaction.

Another time this week Amy was cleaning Gus up after he had an accident in his pants. Owen walked in to the bathroom and surveyed the scene.

"What happened Mom?"
"Gus pooped in his pants, Owen."
"Ahhhhh, dammit Gus!"

I suppose we just have to cross our fingers that the newfound joy the boys get in repeating curse words is short-lived and hope that it happens at home instead of at school or church. And we have to keep the kids away from me while I'm watching the UK games on television.

I do have to hand it to them though for using the word in the right context.

Finally, a big congratulatory cheers goes out to our friends Dave O and Julie who are expecting baby #1 in June. It will be the first girl to be born into an Orthober family full of sons and grandsons. And good luck to Dave in persuading a reluctant Julie to name their daughter Wesley Woodyard Orthober in honor of the Kentucky football player. This UK fan is pulling for you.

Have a great weekend -- cheers!