eatthefrostingfirst

Facebook keeps nagging me to "like" Children's Hospital Boston. I have a few mutual friends who are a "fan" of their facebook page so why not jump on the band wagon? I refuse. Sure, it's a place my son spent 3 months of his life. And yes, it has a few amazing doctors who I owe much gratitute too. But a fan? No. When oldest was in the NICU I wrote a letter to the president upon discharge. Topics like lack of communication were first on my list. Since then, they havent earned my respect back. Issues such as long waiting times, poor customer service and oh yea, the valet driving my car away as I was still unbuckeling youngest out of his car seat at the age of two. Yesterday was no different. Oldest was scheduled for a few minor procedures. The whole surgery should have been an hour and I expected to be home an hour after that. 12:15 arrival time for a 1:45 surgery. Do the math. 90 minutes of sit around and wait. I know the drill though. They want you there ea

I never thought parenthood would go something like this: "There is no hissing allowed. Next person who hisses gets a time out" "If you copy your brother one more time I will turn this car around and we will not go to the bath store" "Yes. You need to have two more bites of chicken and three more bites of carrot. No you cannot do one bite of carrot and one of chicken" "But mommy I'm full and I need to save room for my ice cream" "Shush" "Stop hitting your brother" "Stop pinching your brother" "Stop annoying your brother" "Stop touching your brother's things after he asked you not to" "Did you hear your brother just ask you not to touch his toy?" "Stop touching the toy" "Stop touching the toy"

Why is the first place I lose weight is in my boob(s) and the first place I gain is in my behind. 21 days until school starts. Not like I'm counting or anything Traveling when your kids are older is so much more enjoyable Youngest is starting to monitor my diet coke intake. I wish he would monitor my calorie intake I need to make more time to read. And to exercise. And to breathe when my kids are driving me insane I cant help but sing out loud when I hear songs from "Free to be you and Me" Mother's had way less to worry about when I was growing up. Kids didnt wear helmets, there were no nut free tables or constant random kidnappings. I'm tempted to bubble up my boys till they're 20 I cant wait till my kids are old enough to kill their own spiders

James Oseland, Editor in Chief of "Saveur" Magazine and occasional guest judge on my beloved TOP CHEF show, wrote an article on five foods he is ashamed to admit he loves. Got me thinking so, here are mine 1) Sunkist Orange Soda . It's so sweet it's almost disgusting but something about a bottle of orange soda brings me back to my childhood. Youngest also has a love of the stuff (although he's not as picky and doesn't know the difference between sunkist and crush. Trust me, I do!) 2) Fluff . Another food that brings me back to my elementary school days. Peanut Butter and Fluff sandwich (apparently people call these fluffernutters. My brother and I call them simply what they are. Peanut Butter and Fluff) My Mom would make these for me on sunbeam bread. Now I just like a spoonful right out of the jar. 3) McDonald's French Fries. Really, need I say more? I manage to sneak a few out of my sons happy meal without him looking. He isn't a great sharer. Fran

Oldest wanted a 1000 piece, police station, lego set for his birthday. Was happy for him to have it. Until I realized that it meant I would need to put together the 1000 piece lego set. For three consecutive days and a total of approximately 9 hours, I have sat on a hard wooden floor with two young boys asking when I will be done. Sure they helped If by help you mean handing me a piece and putting it on and then trying to put on the second piece and having the structure fall. Yes, then; they helped . Sadly, every 20-30 minutes I would need to take a break. Not a mental break; but a physical one. I would need to stretch. 42 and I could barely pick myself up off the floor. Shoulder still recovering from surgery, two degenerative discs in my back and the sound of my right knee cracking. 42 going on 72. Yet, project is complete and if I do say so, I deserve a huge pat on the back. I did well! 1000 piece lego set not only comes with the process of building but with the process of RE-BUILDI

I had been at Brigham and Women's hospital for 6 weeks. Inpatient. Lying in bed; leaking amniotic fluid daily Holding out for a miracle that my two boys would survive. Dr High Risk asked me if I wanted to hold on if only one would survive. My answer was simple. Yes. And so I did. And I tell this story so many times because I feel as if it was only yesterday that Zachary Jonathan Stern entered the world at 8:14PM; not uttering a sound. I knew his condition was serious and that he would not survive. Jared Matthew; 2lbs; 9oz came out shrieking. He was a fighter from the start; extubating himself from the ventilator tubing three times before even entering the NICU. I was told the stubborn ones survive. And so, I celebrate my second born son's seventh birthday with many, many mixed emotions. Each year, I cry a few tears for the loss of his twin. I then get enveloped in a hug or lost in his toothless smile and thank god for the miracle that I have. Despite all odds (seriously, all o