Pop Fridge

It's been one of those days where routines and rituals haven't gotten out of bed yet. And since its already after lunch, a "normal" day probably isn't going to happen today.

It's blowing snow and wind outside up to 50 mph so that means my roofing husband is staying on the ground today. Actually, he's staying indoors and taking a vacation. And when he takes a vacation, then I think I should too.

If only the kids would think so though.

After brunch (we skipped breakfast altogether and had it for an early lunch instead) Landon sat in his high chair dissecting marshmallows. He'd take the tiny pieces and stuff them up his right nostril. After pulling a whole string of them out I made sure he blew his nose into a kleenex for good measure. I could see a white glob way up there (about where the nostril enters the head) and I really don't want to find out what marshmallows can do to a little guy's brain. The glob came out thankfully.

Toby and I had just been talking over our meal about what a genius Landon is. I think he was listening and decided today would be a good day to stuff his nose with marshmallows.

After cleaning him up, Janae was wailing on the floor with blood trickling out one corner of her mouth. I grabbed her and dashed to the bathroom and wiped it off. No poking or prying would indicate where the blood was coming from. I think she just poked herself or bit her lip or something. She's still alive and doing fine so I'm not too worried. She was playing with her brother for about 2 minutes so that explains a lot.

As I sat down at my computer just now, Landon asked for his bag of crayons -- what's left of them. Janae was sucking on one last night (unbeknownst to me) and promptly dissolved a bright violet pink crayon in her mouth. The quanity in the bag seems to be dwindling and now I know where it's going. At least she doesn't get them stuck up her nose.

So, I handed him his bag only to have him take it and hand it back. I closed the bag and gave it to him. He took it and handed it back. I opened the bag and set it on the floor behind me. He took it this time and kept it.

Toby just asked me if crayons are the greatest idea for Landon. I think they are because it keeps him occupied and out of trouble. Toby then asked about him marking on the walls but so far Landon just sets them on my desk, then on a table, then on the floor and then across the room to the shelves then back on the file cabinet. I've noticed his favorite place to play with them is on Toby's pop fridge.

Yes, Pop Fridge.

We just finished our new office and of all things that had to be in here was a fridge for Toby's pop. Now I'll no longer hear the endearing, "Hun, can you grab me another pop," from my dear husband.

Most women probably wouldn't like it if their hubby took advantage of them and always made them get up and go get the old man a can of pop but I've always liked it. Even when I was big and pregnant and could barely waddle anywhere, Toby would ask me to get him a pop. And I'd happily do it.

Now he can just swivel around in his chair and swing the little door open and grab a pop. The only way I know he ever wanted a pop is by the sound of the closing fridge door. By then it's too late to get it for him.

I told him before he moved it in here that I would fill a cooler full of pop every morning for him and set it in the office. He just shrugged his shoulders and went back to his book.

It's nice to be needed and to be a helpmeet to my husband but the stupid fridge is taking my place. He's living like a bachelor again. His mom tells me that when he was single, he actually bought this little fridge and kept pop in it right next to his desk. I used to ask what happened with that idea but smiled to myself that I knew why he didn't need it anymore: he has me.

In our vows, I remember saying something like "forsaking all others..." and I wonder how Toby would like it if I bought a fancy little machine to do all our yard work and he wouldn't be able to impress me with his own abilities and do the task knowing how proud I'd be of him. With this machine, I could have it all done for him by the time he got home from work, but he'd be out one whole chance of impressing me and showing me that he loved me enough to mow the lawn.

And he'd have that much more time to sit around and read books and drink pop.

Even when we're on "vacation" like today, it's nice for me to have a purpose and goal in life by getting Toby a pop. Not today. I have all this extra time to blog about him now. (it's my way of getting back at him.)

The other day, I put several sippy cups of juice for Landon in the fridge. I figured that I could somehow incorporate this fridge into our family by involving our son into it. You know, kind of a father/son thing. At least that way it would be serving more of a purpose and not a breach between my son's mother and father.

I was glad to see him playing with his crayons on it today. The little white fridge is getting marked up with blues, pinks and greens but that's what makes it look less bachelorish. Not that there's anything wrong with being bachelorish -- I did marry a bachelor, you know -- it's just more warming to have this cold, white bachelor box becoming a more family friendly item.

Our vacations will be more relaxing for both of us. He won't have to ask for a pop and I won't have to get it for him. I hate to say "have to get it for him" because I really did like to get to get it for him.

Relaxing or not, I liked our old vacations better.