Trying to find a sliver of humor to Martha's series unfortunate events of 2011

Without a doubt, it has been a rough year. We have not, however, lost our sense of humor about it all. Let's say it's a coping mechanism for us. After all is said and done, laughter is the best medicine.

March
Spring brought me such a NOT nice surprise. To say that I loathe bugs, insects, any creepy crawly things is an huge understatement. I kid you not when I say that one day I completely lost control and found myself yelling at the top of my lungs to some invading insects, "This.. is.. MY.. HOUSE!!!!!! This included some stomping, like a child throwing a fit. We called pest control. Problem solved.

May
I spent Mother's Day weekend in the hospital with a really bad kidney infection. I ended up with a roomie that reminded me of a Chatty Cathy doll. Really. She could not.. stop.. talking. Oh- and she kind of looked like her, too.

June
I had a really bad reaction to poison ivy, oak, and sumac. A friend said that it happened to her several times in her youth. I had just finished parking my car (from having been to the ER) and was walking home with Liam when she said that her reaction to poison ivy was so bad she looked and felt like the "swamp thing", with all the oozing and everything in the heat of summer. Despite the severe swelling and my own oozing face, I managed to laughed out loud. Some people that passed us by at the exact moment I laughed, gave me such an alarming look. There I was, no doubt looking indeed like a monster and laughing out loud, too. Yep, I must have been just as scary as the "swamp thing."

So, I was on some strong meds for the inflammation and whatnot, that made me really dizzy. Exactly a week later, I tripped over some slippers and fell flat on my coccis bone, very nearly braking it. It was quite a trip, too. I started from one end of the living room and ended up falling in the dining room. When I think about that fall now, even I laugh out loud. If it would have been caught on tape, it definitely would have made it on AFV.

August
A freak hailstorm shattered the rear window of my car. It happened only in this area. Manhattan apparently experienced bright sunny skies during our hailstorm.
Bill: "Maybe you should have ran out there and moved the car to a safer location, like the underpass of the LI expressway."
Me: "I thought about it, but considering the hail was the size of golf balls and baseballs, we would have gotten hurt. Don't you think?"
Bill: "Well, you guys could have worn the bicycle helmets."
Now picture us, with bicycle helmets running out into the hailstorm as everyone was running away from it.
Um... no.

Lastly, the hurricane called Irene that put a tree on our house. Bill and I called several tree removal companies for estimates. We had to make sure they were licensed and insured. During the selection process, he said we should forget about this one particular company because he thought they were "shady". Then, I said that I was "leaning" towards another company anyway. We both turned to look at each other and suddenly started laughing, only my laughter ended up in bawling. Two days later, one of our neighbors came over to ask us why that tree was "still sitting on our house". My immediate thought was, lady- please don't make me scream in your face. We explained that we were scheduled for the removal on that Thursday because all the tree removal companies were booked solid. I guess we needed to call a tree removal company the moment the tree fell on the house. She also told us that she thought we should all "chip" in and remove all of the trees from that abandoned property next door. Hurricane season is not over and heavens forbid another one of those trees should fall onto mine or our any of the neighbors' houses... "knock on wood".

One of my favorite websites, Scouting NY, did a post on what New Yorkers would consume as Irene passed over New York City. I seriously could not stop laughing. Apparently, New Yorkers refuse to accept the possibility of the power ever going out. Why didn't I think about taking photos of our empty supermarket shelves? It really was a comedic sight. People planned to hunker down as if a blizzard would be hitting us instead of a hurricane. We are not used to monster hurricanes up here in the northeast. Some thought of having fun with it, like Super Bowl weekend. Even I get it.

So this is the list of Martha's series unfortunate events of 2011. I seriously hope I won't have to add to it. If I do, I might have to ask the reader/s (if any) to vote at the end of the year on the one considered worst.

Hey, humor me, I have got to laugh to keep from crying. Sure, there is a subtle (or maybe not so subtle) hint of cynicism, but I have to find some humor in it all somehow.

Friday Fun

While mama gets everything ready for the usual Friday afternoon summer BBQ, my boys play with their "light sabers" out in the backyard. Our little Padawan is getting pretty good. It's hard to tell which one is the master and the apprentice. What's even funnier is that whenever either of them start to feel cornered, they do the "force", meaning they put their hand out in front of them in a claw-like manner and then the other person is suppose to writhe in pain. It's a Star Wars thing. Very entertaining, though. They do sometimes play with their sponge swords. You know, to give daddy a break. ;)

Behold the battle!

What a charmer!

My 4 year old little Liam hums a ballad every time he comes over to kiss mommy. Which ballad you ask? None other than the ballad from Star Wars, you know, Princess Leia's theme. Indeed, what a little charmer! I totally didn't see this coming.

On the playful side

I leave my camera unattended and this is what happens. From what I gather, they took pictures of each other.

The sinister look

The look I get when they really want a snack before dinner.

Best smiles ever!

I think I will call these "like father, like son." (Sigh.) How I love my boys! I hope they will always be best buddies.

Babies

Lest I forget to document yet another funny memory with my little boy.....

Another comical moment at the hotel (which daddy missed because he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow) was when we turned on the TV to watch a little bit before bedtime. We caught a preview for a movie called "Babies". This conversation ensued:

"Let's buy a baby, Mama."

"Oh really? Where should we buy one?" Thinking he was just referring to a baby doll.

"Maybe at ToysRUs, Mama, but not a toy baby." Holy moley! You mean a real one?! I tried to keep it cool.

"You mean a real one, sweetie?"

"Yes, Mama." Think fast. Think fast.

"Well, sometimes people adopt (new word for him) babies and that is expensive." Whew! I thought that would make him think for a little bit and then drop the subject.

"Then, let's make one!" Say what?! 

"Well, Liam, you can't make one because you are too little and you're not married, but Mama and Daddy can make one."

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea." -Then, he rolled over and went to sleep. 

Oh, boy, Daddy and I have a lot of thinking to do.

Imitation

One day, after dropping off Welita at her apartment, I hear coming from the back seat what seems to be Liam imitating my mother, all the while letting out the most joyful belly laughs I have heard from anyone in a really long time. I quickly turn around and see this:

Welita forgot her hat in our car and Liam got hold of it. What a sight! I just had to pull over and take a couple of quick photos. I would have to agree with the old saying: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." (Charles Caleb Colton )

I love your laughter, my sweet boy. May you always have a great sense of humor.

Thanks! Merci! Grazie! Gracias! Danke!

I find that I always have to remind Liam to say "please" and "thank you". Today, I had the food coop shift at childcare. It was a pretty easy day and the shift was done before we knew it. For once, Liam decided to stay at childcare while I did some shopping. Oh, happy day! After I was done with my care-free shopping and had creatively packed up all of my groceries, I went to pick him up. He was so ready to get out of there and so was I. As we walked over to our car, I talked to him about all the great food I bought for our sweet little family. After each and every item, he would give me a very enthusiastic "thank you!" So sweet!

Then, at home, Liam asked me for a cold drink. As I was pouring it, he said, "I'm going to say 'thank you', mama." I couldn't help but let out a little giggle. He looked at me, straight-faced, and asked, "What's the matter mama?" to which I said, "You make me so very happy." He gave me one of his sweetest smiles and then left with his drink in hand...without saying "thank you."

Handsy

What to do with those hands when he is on daddy's shoulders.....

No

Nope

Okay

Better

In the end, Daddy just grabs the bull by the horns, so to speak, and just grabs our son's hands.

(A hot, muggy stroll through Sheep's Meadow in Central Park on June 5, 2010.)

On the playful side

Recently, Liam has taken to calling me "honey" instead of "mama", especially when he has done something he knows I will not like. This time it was a little different. Here is two-year old Liam's fun little play on these two words.

Liam: Mama?

Me: Yes, Liam.

L: Oh, Mama!

M: Yes, baby!

L: Honey?

M: (no answer)

L: Honey??!!

M: Yes, honey!

L: Ohhhhh, maaaaaaama!!!!

M: Ohhhhh, baaaaaaby!!!!!


This repartee went on for five times in a row. Funnier still, I tried to initiate the same exchange the next day and he looked at me like I had two heads. He honestly couldn't remember.

Liam, my darling, this is one of many special moments locked away in my heart. Here's to many more!

On the playful side

One night when I was around eight months pregnant or so, I decided I wanted to turn over from lying on my left to the right. No easy task, but after all the grunting as I swung around and the re-adjusting of my pillow, I finally settled into a somewhat comfortable position. After a long period of stillness, this happened:

Bill: Could you please lay still, honey. I was finally drifting off to sleep.

Me: I am lying still.

Bill: No, you just bumped me.

Me: It wasn't me. It was the baby.

Bill: Was not!

Me: (Laughing on the inside)

Me: He was kicking your butt!

This last comment, of course, was followed by a burst of laughter from Bill and me.