No Phone Zone

I get it now. I’ve been hearing the messages for a while now, I just did not think it was realistic. I NEED to multitask. I don’t have time to just drive to and from work. I need to also be on a conference call, having a chat with someone on my team, venting with one of my peers or talking to my mom without the kids acting crazy.

A little over a year ago we were getting ready to have one of Pete’s former co-workers and her family over for dinner and a play date. I remember Pete sitting on the couch reading an e-mail from Laurie. She had to cancel because her mom was struck by a car and killed. Later we found out her mom was out for a walk and the driver of the car, a teenager, was texting while driving. Laurie’s mom was her best friend and I’ve seen her Facebook posts and read her blog over the last year. It has been heartbreaking to see what she has gone through. I watched that British PSA on You Tube last year about the texting girls and thought that it was a good thing I don’t text and drive (knowing full well that phone conversations are also distracting.)

Laurie has focused her energies on becoming an advocate against distracted driving. What she said made sense. Every time I took a call while driving I thought about her, but did it anyway because that media call could not wait, I was on a long, boring drive to Fargo or, really, because if the phone rings you answer it.

On the Today Show this morning they compared the distracted driving campaign to early efforts for drunk driving and seatbelt laws when it finally clicked. I would never consider driving drunk or without my seat belt but have made countless excuse why I cannot possibly shut the phone off while driving. Ever since I became a mom I have felt this obligation to do everything in my power to stay alive for my kids. I’m committed to regular exercise; I eat healthy foods (on most days) and am determined to get my BMI back to the healthy range. My days of dumb risks are over. I don’t ride on motorcycles and I wear my helmet when I ride my bike. I say a prayer every time I get on an airplane or start on a long car ride that I will get home safely to my kids.

So I’m going to do it. Yes, I feel lame for getting on board with Oprah, but I will make my car a No Phone Zone. It is not going to be easy since old habits are hard to break. It is going to take planning – figuring out directions BEFORE I start on a trip instead of calling someone. Pulling over to use the phone if it is unavoidable. Planning my week so that I don’t have to take calls in the car.

I may be late for some calls or miss some media opportunities but I cannot imagine living with the guilt if I cause someone else’s death because I just have to take a call. And hopefully I increase the chance that I’ll be around for my kids. That is motivation enough.

A Holiday Break Measured in Bodily Fluids

It is official. I am getting old and turning into a mom. When I look back at my holiday break the things that stand out are not the parties, shopping for myself or days I slept in (ha!). The things that stand out (aside from Christmas morning and quality time with the kids) were the many bodily fluids we encountered.

On Christmas Eve we had family over for some food, drinks and games. The kids were off playing while the rest of us chatted. After a while Wynne came to the dining room and I asked if she could check on Emmett. (Not a good sign when you have not heard from a two-year-old in a few minutes.) She came back and said "he pooped in his underwear and is taking a bath".

Pete was the first responder to the scene and shooed me away so I would not get sick. I did catch a glimpse of a naked little boy standing in a dry tub and well as tell-tale skid marks in various locations throughout the bathroom -- on the toilet seat, tub, floor, step stool (?). Poor kid did not want to ask for help. You can understand why we use a lot of bleach in our house.

We also seem to have had a large number of overnight accidents in our house -- we should really get some more sheets for the kids' beds. While I was doing laundry I decided to change the sheets on my bed and Emmett asked me "mom, why you tinkle in your sheets?" I quickly corrected him and said I was just washing them because it was time to change them and he said "no - you tinkle in your sheets. But it's OK." thanks, kid.

Early on New Year's Day (3:30 am) we heard Emmett crying at the top of his stairs. He told Pete that he "spilled". Pete took a look at him, thinking he spilled his water and brought him back up to bed in the dark. As he was tucking Emmett back in the smell hit him -- Emmett had not spilled, he threw up. Poor kid did not know how to describe what happened. I got up at this point and we changed his sheets and PJs and put him back in bed. He threw up again. He seemed like he was better and Wynne was having a coughing fit so Pete gave her medicine while I put Emmett back to bed with new sheets and new jammies. Bad idea. A few minutes later he was at the top of the stairs again, crying (do we not learn?!?!?). I picked him up just in time for him to puke down my back and on the stairs. We learned after that and set him up near our bedroom and gave him a bucket in case he could not make it to the toilet. He used it a few more times and then really took a shine to it. Every time he coughed he used the bucket.

By the next day he was not throwing up and was fascinated with the toilet and his bucket - he kept running to the toilet so he could cough in it.

Wynne kept things interesting by having several bloody noses, usually gushing and in the middle of the night (she insists she is only "scratching" her nose, not picking it. Hmmmm.)

All in all, it was a good break. We had a nice Christmas, I did some organizing, tackled the sewing pile, learned to cross-country ski and did LOTS of laundry. I feel a little bad that I am looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. It is very unlikley that I will be puked on at the office.