February: So Short, Yet Soooo Loooong

Dark, gloomy and cold February has never been one of my favorite months. She's bleak and boring and seems to drag on forever, despite her fewer than normal days on the calendar.

I'm guessing even the Romans were a bit tired of February's drearyness and figured that by shortening it up to a tiny little 28 days (with the bonus "leap!" every four years), we'd be able to move on with Spring so much faster. Oh, if only we could just hit the "fast foreman" button, as our kids like to call it, on the entire month of February and start the revival of Spring and her beauty of new growth and rebirth that comes in March.

Poor Max is really not digging this particular February. We just returned from urgent care where they confirmed his second ear infection of the month and he is now on his third round of antibiotics with a prescription date beginning in month 2/2009. He's a fevery, whiny and cranky little guy who needs lots of cuddles and loves and assurances. Right now he is snuggled up on our bed napping. Yes, you read that correctly. Max is NAPPING! Napping! For the second day in a row, the child who never ever would nap as a baby without a Barnum and Bailey type production involving the entire four-book volume set of Curious George stories, a giant burrito wrap to house his flailing arms and legs, and 6 disc concert medley of lullabies and yoga music, has gently fallen asleep on his own.

Maybe those hibernating bears are onto something. Next year I might recommend just sleeping through the 28 days.

Mine?

The boys worked very hard this week to show the Valentine love to their friends at preschool.


Max carefully cut out nearly 35 hearts for both his class and his brother's class.


What Sam lacks in fine motor skills, he more than makes up for in enthusiasm for his brother's mad skizzor skillz.



"Give me a 'V'!"



It would not surprise me in the least if I were to discover 34 new gray hairs this week. The fact that 34 happens to be exactly the same number of Valentine's cards that needed to leave the house this week may or may not be coincidental.

Pet Shop Boy

Max has discovered a recession-proof business and I'm encouraging him to hash out the details in a business plan. Right now, he's really in more of the pre-planning stages where we act out what's going to happen when his retail shop goes live. I'm sure Sam Walton's mother or Donald Trump's did the same thing with their kids.

We've been playing "International Pet Store", because domestic retail is just too limiting for his clientele. The young proprietor artfully displays his stuffed animals throughout the living room, sorting them by category, and then invites me into his shop.

Yesterday, I scored a great deal on an Orca whale for a buck and he even threw in the fish that I'd need to feed it for free. I couldn't get out of there without a Mama horse and her baby colt, and he suggested that I go next door to the feed store to get her some oats. Then, because he understands service, he offered to get the feed for me and even loaded it into my truck.

But here's where I think his business will really succeed: As he walked me to my truck he gave me a 100% guarantee that none of my pets will ever die.

I'm looking forward to investing in this kid and expect phenomenal returns, with or without an economic stimulus package.

You're Kidding, Right?

Please smack me around at tell me this isn't really happening today.


Please tell me these aren't really MY children in MY yard.


Please tell me that isn't MY driveway that will soon need to be shoveled in order for me to leave the house today.


Tell me that THIS kid isn't totally getsited.


This one, too!

Please tell me that you'll be stopping by with a snow shovel and a margarita or three. Brownies wouldn't be a bad idea, either. We'll be here...