Sunday Sound Out

From Chicago, the city that experiences blizzards, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions (just making sure you're paying attention) in the same week, it's Sunday Sound Out starring your host who is made entirely of Legos, Dawn Meehan.

What is the name on Brooklyn's cake? I know she has a nickname but can't think of what it is? Oata? (and can't remember the story behind that?) :)
Yeah, it's Oata. The kids call her that. I can't for the life of me, remember how it started though. I asked her if she wanted me to write Brooklyn or Oata on the cake and she said Oata. They have all had goofy nicknames over the years. For the longest time, Lexi called Austin Barney. She just couldn't say Austin. (Lexi had some big-time speech problems and spoke Lexinese until she was 3 1/2.)

Oh and I have a question, usually how long does it take for your family to finish the HUGE cake you made?
The leftover cake sits on the kitchen counter and every time one of the kids walks by, they stick their fingers in it and eat a glob of icing. I actually don't even like cake. So, basically, the cake sits there until I can't take the icing crumbs on the counters and floors anymore, and then I throw it away.

I'm curious, how do you get your signature at the bottom of your blogs?
I signed a piece of paper, scanned it, and sent it to my web designer. And now, it just shows up whenever I write a post!

I hate to ask, but how did you do the manuscript? Couldn't you just print another copy at home.
I suppose so, but it would've taken me much longer to do it myself and would've probably cost $20 in paper and ink. Besides, if I hadn't gone to Kinkos to get it copied, I wouldn't have seen the Mel Gibson look-alike. By-the-way, he didn't appreciate it when I told him I loved him in Lethal Weapon. I may have freaked him out a bit, in fact.

So you didn't type it [manuscript] on your computer? You can save it like 50 ways that way.....
Well, see, this is how it worked. I typed it on my computer. I saved it. I sent it to my editor. She printed it out and made some changes in pencil to the hard copy. She sent it to the copy editor who made some changes in a different color pencil to the hard copy. They sent it back to me. I made some changes in my spiffy green pencil to the same hard copy. Soooo, I could have Kinkos copy the manuscript and be totally done in 5 minutes, or I could spend 2 1/2 years, looking back and forth between my document and the hard copy, while noting all the various changes and incorporating them in my document. I opted to have Kinkos copy it.
Get all that? Doesn't it make you want to run out and buy the book? :D

I'm a long time reader, but never comment.
Well, why not? Don't you know we bloggers love comments? We live for that kind of stuff. We're basically insecure and need dozens of strangers telling us that we're smart, funny, observant, awesome, and have shiny hair and skinny butts. Okay, well maybe the last two aren't necessary (or even true).

I'm surprised TLC's "Dirty Jobs" hasn't done an episode on the job of "Mommy" - it's the dirtiest job by far!
No kidding! I've thought that myself! Think Mike Rowe could handle being a mommy?

What a good kid Savannah is! That is one awesome daughter and sister!
Yeah, she's a keeper!

I totally get this vomit scenario. And have you had swine flu? One of the hallmarks seemed to be the kids complaining that their eyes hurt.
All 6 kids had swine flu this fall. It was fun. And by fun, I mean completely NOT FUN! Brooklyn always complains about her eyes hurting when she gets a fever. It's her "thing".

Where does one find a friend who would be willing to come over and clean THAT up? Wow, are you ever blessed!
I am blessed several times over! My sister Deb, once cleaned up after Austin when he had rotavirus and I was 48 months pregnant with Savannah. It was awful! She stepped in and cleaned everything like it was a piece of cake. I'll spare you the details of the hideousness. But she didn't even have kids at the time and she handled it way better than I ever could have!
Then my friend Karen cleaned up a huge pukefest when Jackson had rotavirus and I was 39 months pregnant with Lexington. I tried to clean him up, but ended up vomiting way more than he did to begin with. Karen stepped in and cleaned him up while I continued to cover the parking lot in technicolor splatters.
And last week, my friend Eric came by and offered to clean up barf for me.
Hmmm, you'd almost think that "vomit tolerance" was a prerequisite to being my friend.

Do you have a title for the new book yet??
Yes, yes I do! It's You'll Lose the Baby Weight and Other Lies About Pregnancy and Childbirth

You are hilarious!
I know this isn't a question, but I felt the need to include it here. Although, I don't think I'm hilarious so much as it's just funny to read about someone stepping in barf, I guess.

I love the title of this post. Was that an intentional Friends reference? (You know, since all the episode titles start with "The one...")
Yes, and stayed tuned for tomorrow's post - The One with All the Snowboarding

Oh, this never-ending illness thing. We're playing the same game over here, and it looks as though Round 14 is on, as of this morning. Alex is all wheezy and Max is coughing.
How wrong is it that I wondered how Justin was after reading this? If you know what I'm talking about here, then you may just watch a little too much kid tv also.

Wait - you're scared to eat because of the vomit germs but Savannah's taking possibly germ-infested cookies to the poor kid who's in hospital? Nooooooooo......
We only sneezed on them two or three times. Four tops.

Im sorry Dawn but I think your kids vomit more than any other kids on earth!
Nah, it just seems that way because I have so many. Think about it - if each kid threw up once a year, I'd have someone barfing every other month.

does the school not inform the kids which dances are formal and which ones aren't? it seems odd that austin wouldn't be aware of this.
Y chromosome


And speaking of the dance, Austin had a great time! He said he was really glad he went and he even danced. :) I'd love to post a picture of him with his totally cute date, but I didn't ask for permission to do that. She's beautiful and she wore a really pretty dress. She and Austin matched and looked very nice together. After her mom and I embarrassed both kids by taking a thousand pictures, they left for the dance.

About 15 minutes later, I got a call from Austin that he forgot his ID at home. He called from her phone because apparently he forgot his phone as well. I ran his ID up to the school and came back home, opened the fridge to get some pop, and saw the corsage sitting there! Ugh! I tried calling his date's cell phone to tell Austin that I'd drop the flowers off if he wanted to meet me at the front door. (I wasn't about to go inside and search for him for fear he'd actually die of supreme embarrassment.)Unfortunately, no one answered the phone, so I just ran the flowers out to the car when they dropped off Austin after the dance.

I think I need to work on Austin's gentlemanly behavior though. He didn't open the door for his date. I guess that's not too bad as long as he didn't say anything like, "Hey babe, get me some punch, will ya?" while they were at the dance. Still...

Anyway, here's a picture that he gave his okay to post.