Would you like some whine with that?

As I write this, the most beautiful snow I have ever seen is falling in Cleveland. When I go out for a smoke it tickles the tip of my nose and falls softly on my coat. It's so fluffy it looks fake. I think it has snowed every day we've been here, but since I haven't had anywhere I have to be there's none of the anxiety or disappointment that usually goes along with snowstorms in my everyday life.

Yesterday we went to A Christmas Story House, which is about 20 minutes from here. It was really fun to see the actual house and neighborhood featured in the movie. I tried to get a leg lamp for LilCherie, but they were sold out of the small ones and I figured LilCherie wouldn't really want to make a spot for a bigger one in her house. But I do plan to make some ornaments next year featuring photos of me, J., and a grumpy Bubba standing next to the leg lamp that's on display in the house.

After that we went downtown to Westside Market, a kind of open-air market for produce along with an old-style warehouse full of kiosks where local vendors sell meat, cheese, pastries, and other goodies. I always get something delectable there, but the raw meat smell makes me wanna hurl, so luckily it was a pretty quick trip just long enough for Tingle to get three pounds of smokies, which are these long, thin beef stick-like things. Ewww. She did share half with her dad, though, so it's not as bad as it sounds. Then we went on to Hard Rock Cafe, because my husband is fascinated with all things memorabilia.

The entire afternoon was a little stressful, with all the people and getting in and out of the car, etc. Bubba has been a little off his game this trip, probably just because of all the new people, places, sleeping arrangements, schedule disruptions. All in all, he's really been good--I mean, imagine what it would be like if your whole world just turned upside down and you had no idea why and no control over it at all. In that light, he's been doing really well--happily playing with all the toys Tingle and her hubby have on hand, watching DVDs, playing with the kitties, givingh hugs and saying "mease" and "tank-you." That said, there have been some really challenging moments.

On Friday we went to the Museum of Natural History with Tingle and her hubby, along with her brother and her nephew D., who is seven months older than Bubba. They were so cute together looking at the "dy-so-bows" -- holding hands, chasing each other around, playfully battling each other with chopsticks at the Mongolian grill where we ate lunch. We broke up for naps then went back to their house so the boys could play together and so I could see Tingle's new nephew, F., who was just born last week.

Bubba, coming off of a long and apparently deep nap, awoke in a foul mood. He did rally by the time we were at Tingle's relatives' house, but man, the whole time we were there I was on referee patrol because Bubba was doing his Whine and "MINE!" routine basically non-stop. To make matters worse, D. was behaving perfectly, letting Bubba have his way, trying to share his toys, trying to engage Bubba in play, which had the effect of making me feel like Bubba was even brattier. We had time-outs and meltdowns during the hour and a half we were there until finally we called it a day and came home.

I know two-year-olds are two-year-olds and this is just the way they are, but jeez, it really feels like it's a big report card for you as the parent and you've gotten a big ol' "F." When we got home I chewed up a clonazepam like it was a SweetTart and just rode it out. Cripes.

The funny thing is, while I was over at Tingle's brother's house, while I was holding that little 11-day-old baby and watching him nurse, I had an almost irresistable and overwhelming urge to procreate yet again. I mean, I missed it almost physically. "Yearn" would be an appropriate word--even as I'm yelling at the kid I already have to share the red car. My mind is so totally fucked up sometimes!

Luckily today was a stay-at-home day so we all got a chance to chill out a bit. We've been relaxed and easygoing and it's been very restorative. The guys went to Best Buy (again) this afternoon and Tingle and I snuggled on the big bed with Bubba and we were all lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of the Island of Sodor on the DVD player. After Bubba went to sleep, we played some dominoes, ate junk food and had some side-splitting laugh attacks. A great way to end the day.

I'm sad that tomorrow is our last full day here. The time seems to have gone so quickly. I may be speaking too soon, since we still have the drive home to tackle, but getting here was so easy (from a Bubba viewpoint, not the speeding ticket and snow) that I feel much more positive about making the trip again, so hopefully we'll get back here more often than we have.

That's the update on Cleveland...I'm still wide awake and the rest of the house is asleep, so I might have another post in me yet tonight. We'll see what happens.