Not just Mommy and Daddy

It wasn’t until I started watching The Cosby Show with my kids that I realized how much time Cliff and Claire Huxtable spend in bed. Most of the early episodes end with the two reflecting on the day and cuddling under the sheets. At first, I was a bit uncomfortable watching it with the boys…it was a glimpse into the secret life of mommies and daddies. Until, I realized...that’s the point! We are more than just mommies and daddies…we are also husbands and wives and our kids need to respect and appreciate that relationship as well.

Growing up, I always knew that my parents loved me and I also knew that they loved each other. They were not married long before they had children, but I knew that their relationship as husband and wife was separate and distinct from their role of mommy and daddy. They had some ups and downs, but they worked hard to work through things and today they celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. I am grateful for the role models they have been for me! Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

Season 3 Episode 62

In this episode, Claire is away at Hillman College and Rudy decides to send her a letter. She is frustrated when Vanessa continually criticizes her writing style and insists upon teaching her the “proper” way to write a letter.

Like Vanessa, it is sometimes difficult for me to work with my kids and let them learn how to do things their own way. I am so often tempted to teach them how to do it the “proper” way. In their school, they have to do periodic home projects that require research and visuals and SOME family involvement. It is often difficult for me to step back and let them take charge. I have been known to run off to the craft store while they are in school and bring home materials for my great idea. I have to be careful to hide my disappointment when it does not match their plan. So far, they have always completed their projects on time and received positive feedback. It may not be according to my plan, but then again I guess I am not the student.

Fact or Fiction?

Have you seen the email that is circulating? It claims that you can cook an egg (or popcorn) just by placing it between two activated cell phones. All you need are one egg, two cell phones, and 65 minutes to call from one phone to the other. Fact or fiction?

Are you kidding me? I don’t want to sound snippy…consider this a public service announcement…but I receive all kinds of goofy emails like this each week. Most of them are easily identified and proven false using http://www.snopes.com/. According to snopes.com, the egg/cell phone email is based on a spoof article that was published in 2000. Unfortunately, people have missed the spoof part and latched onto it as truth.

I recently received a tug-at-your-heartstrings email that I checked on snopes.com. The email originally started circulating in 2003 and contains a picture that was taken in 1999. According to the website, the picture is legitimate, but very little of the information in the email is true. Now, I love a good story, but not when it is presented as truth yet contains blatant lies. I also don’t like it when it pushes a political agenda – even if I agree with it – and it is deceptive.

Next time, you are tempted to forward an email, check it against http://www.snopes.com/ first. Your recipients will appreciate it!

Now that I got that off my chest, I feel better. Maybe I will address “chain emails” another time…

Season 3 Episode 57

In this episode, Vanessa is accused of being a “stuck-up rich girl” after two girls from the pep squad visit her home. She believes that she would be better off socially if her family were poor.

Cliff: (to Vanessa): Your mother and I are rich. YOU have nothing!

In terms of possessions, Cliff is correct…Vanessa is not rich. She has not earned anything and everything she has has been given to her by her parents.

Clair: Vanessa, you are rich, because you have got a family that loves you!

In terms of quality of life, Claire is correct…Vanessa is rich. She has two parents, siblings, and grandparents who love her very much.

We try to teach our boys that wealth cannot be measured solely in terms of things. You can have lots of nice things and go to lots of nice places, but if you are not surrounded by love and if you do not share with others, your life is not rich.

Loser Mom of the Year

While searching a parenting magazine for good examples of "Mommy looks," I read an article that made me realize that, with or without a Mommy look, I am destined to be a loser parent. It listed all of the things parents could do to prepare their students for the new school year. Our school started TODAY and I had not done any of them!

• Get all of the neighborhood children together for a week full of fun activities…We live in downtown Chicago and we don’t even know most of our neighbors!
• Collect pictures of your summer fun…I still have not organized the pictures from our Disney vacation last Spring!
• Start putting the kids to bed earlier each night…Two nights before school started, my boys stayed up until 10:30 PM to watch a re-broadcast of Oprah featuring David Cassidy (aka Keith Partridge) and the kids from The Cosby Show. (There are SO many things wrong with that scenario.)

Just as I was putting away my magazine, I saw a small article that made me feel much better. Doctors are finding that children are suffering from a Vitamin D deficiency all because of their conscientious parents. I was relieved to find that MY children will not be suffering from any such problem…they were not slathered with sunscreen all summer (thus receiving the benefits of direct sunlight) and they were not breastfed exclusively (thus receiving the benefits of Vitamin D in formula). PHEW! Dodged a bullet on that one! Almost thought I was going to have to start cooking more fruits and vegetables. :)

The Mommy Look

One thing I have always envied is the way Claire Huxtable could stop a train with her “look.” Her kids knew when they were in trouble when they saw “the look.” I have no such look…I asked my kids. They said they can tell in my “tone.” I don’t know if that is my shrill tone – when I am losing my patience – or my maniacal tone – when I am losing my mind…either way, I would prefer a look.

I asked the boys to help me develop a look. I tried different ways…none resulted in the desired effect. They just laughed harder. (It’s a tough crowd.) They tried a couple on for size, but they only looked scared, confused or constipated. I am not going to give up…I think that this is a skill that I should master and I will be a better parent as a result.

Season 3 Episode 56

In this episode, Theo and his friend, Cockroach, decide that they want to learn how to fly. Even though she is not fond of the idea, Claire gives him permission to take flying lessons…she wants to encourage him in his dreams. Ultimately, Theo and Cockroach decide that becoming pilots is impractical since they will not have any free time as they will be working so much to pay for their lessons.

All kids have dreams and we need to be prepared to encourage them. I appreciate four things that Cliff and Claire did when Theo wanted to take flying lessons…

1. They did not immediately say no…they discussed his interest and agreed to consider it. How often do we have a knee-jerk reaction and say no when our children ask to try something new? Especially if it is inconvenient or expensive…or if it is the third request in three days. Like Claire, we should commit to encourage their dreams.
2. Once they learned more about it, they discussed the challenges…costs, time commitment, safety concerns, and so. Including our kids in this discussion can be a great learning opportunity…it gives them a chance to weigh the pros and cons. Counting the cost is a life skill that will serve them well as they grow.
3. After they agreed to allow Theo to move forward, they held him responsible for his pursuit. For example, he had to get a job to pay for the lessons. They were careful that Theo’s dream did not become their dream. How often do we step in, take over and facilitate or manipulate the dream? When pursuing a dream, a child needs to be held responsible and invest in the dream.
4. In the end, when Theo reconsidered his dream, Cliff and Claire did not say “I told you so.” Because of the decision-making process they had gone through, they respected his decision and moved on.

At the Ballpark

Does it get much better than this?

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

On Friday PM, we went to a Pirates/Brewers game in Milwaukee to celebrate a big accomplishment of Son #1. We had an awesome time! We had great seats…just two rows off the field along the 1st baseline. We were right by the ball girl and she gave my boys each a baseball to take home. After the 7th inning, we were able to move into the front row…it was great! The Pirates lost – which disappointed Son #1 – but there were a lot of fireworks so everyone was happy.

Son #2 and I stood in line to get an autograph from Seth McClung. He was a little surprised to see a boy with a White Sox jersey and a Brewer hat…Son #2 has split loyalties. The ball girl also asked Prince Fielder to come over and sign autographs by our seats…he signed the inside of Son #2’s Brewer hat. Son #1 had to sneak in and lay low with his Pirate jersey…apparently, Prince does not like to sign for the opposing team’s fans.

It was a big memory night!

Season 3 Episode 54

In this episode, Vanessa breaks a family rule…no makeup before the age of fifteen. Once Claire gets over her initial anger, she explains the importance of family rules.

In Matthew 22, Jesus is talking to a crowd and a Pharisee asks him, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment (or rule) in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40

This is the foundation for our family rules…especially if you consider that the definition of “neighbor” includes family members. Beyond this, there are rules that we have to help the kids get through each day…

• There are rules that provide BALANCE – You can’t play video games all day…there are limits. – and rules that are for their HEALTH – You need to eat more fruits and vegetables than Oreos.
• There are rules for SAFETY – Look both ways when crossing the street before you reach the middle of the street. – and rules that teach RESPONSIBILITY – You have to do your chores before you can have access to any electronics.
• There are rules that teach LIFE SKILLS – Homework must be completed – neatly and accurately - before playing with friends. - and rules that teach MANNERS – You should always say “please” and “thank-you”…even to family members.
• Finally, there are rules that teach kids to follow the LAW – You cannot take anything without paying for it and it is still wrong even if you don’t get caught!

We need to set the foundation with our children as Jesus taught the crowd…we need to first teach our children to love the Lord and then their “neighbors.” Once the foundation is established, our children will more open and able to comply with the other rules.

My Head Hurts!

I get migraines. For the past 15 years, at least twice a month, I will get a migraine. I take a daily medication to try and limit my migraines and I have a medication that I can take if a headache should break through. If all else fails, I have pain killers to help me deal with the pain. It is the pits! I can only hope that menopause comes quickly and brings some relief.

I worry sometimes about the impact that my headaches have on my boys. Do they ever feel angry or bitter? I try my best to keep things as normal as possible, but there are times when I just have to lie down or plans have to be cancelled/postponed. I worry that perhaps they are left with the impression that women are weak…in a house with three boys and a girl, it is pretty obvious that only Mommy gets headaches. We have tried to explain that this is a challenge that Mommy faces and we all need to cooperate…for the most part, they are empathetic and rise to the occasion.

Migraines stink! But I know it could be so much worse. I am grateful that my headaches are only temporary and, most times, only affect me 4 days a month. I hope that my boys are learning patience from this experience and how to be caregivers in their own ways.

Sometimes I can get discouraged when I get a migraine. It really messes up my plans! My grandma had a friend who wrote poetry. There was one poem that seems to apply to these days…if only I could remember.

I needed the quiet, so He took me aside,
Into the shadows where we could confide;
Away from the bustle, where all the day long
I hurried and worried, when active and strong.
I needed the quiet, though at first I rebelled,
But gently, so gently, my cross He upheld,
And whispered so sweetly of spiritual things,
Though weakened in body, my spirit took wings.

To heights never dreamed of when active and gay,
He loved me so greatly, He drew me away.
I needed the quiet, no prison my bed
But a beautiful valley of blessing instead,
A place to grow richer, in Jesus to hide,
I needed the quiet, so He drew me aside.

--Alice Hansche Mortenson

Season 3 Episode 51

In “Food for Thought,” the central theme is healthy eating. A friend of Cliff and Claire recently had a heart attack and Claire is concerned about Cliff’s eating habits.

The other morning, the boys got up before us and watched tv. Son #2 got hungry and helped himself to a bag of mini Oreos. I asked him to consider three other – more healthy - choices that he could have made. He came up with applesauce, mandarin oranges and cereal. Good job! “And I guess I shouldn’t have had the Chip Ahoy cookies either.” What a stinker!

Star Wars Returns

It has started again! Star Wars fever has invaded our home! With the opening of the new animated Star Wars movie, my boys have gone Star Wars crazy all over again. Today, I had five young Jedis with their light sabres in my front yard batting to save the universe.

On Sunday PM, after receiving their allowances, the boys wanted to go to Target (where else?) to check out all of the new Star Wars action figures. A very nice looking young man came into the section. He appeared to be in his mid-20’s and well dressed…outwardly, he looked like a grad student or a stockbroker. He did not look strange in any way…he did not breathe heavily like Darth Vader nor wear a long brown robe like a Jedi knight. I figured he was there to purchase a gift for a nephew or something. He said to the boys…”I hope that Stars Wars does not take over your life like it has mine.” This should have been my first warning that perhaps something was amiss and the boys had that “stranger danger” look on their face. He proceeded to roll up his sleeve and show us a tattoo…apparently, it was some Star Wars symbol. The boys were now looking at him like he was a freak and I was speechless. He proceeded to pull up his shirt and show us a tattoo on his upper back. Son #1 ran to the end of the aisle and Son #2 told him that the symbol was not from Star Wars...I think the words “you big freaky man” were implied in his statement. I just wanted him to go away before he decided to show us any other body art he may have on other parts of his body. The only thing I could come up with is…”I guess I should be glad that my boys are only interested in action figures.” At that point, I would have promised to buy my boys any action figures they wanted just to get out of the store!

When we got to the car, I thought it was a good idea to debrief the situation with the boys…

• Regarding the whole concept of stranger danger…even though we were in Target (the happiest place on earth), it is still not a good idea to talk to strangers. Mommy was being polite, but the boys did a good job of staying away from the stranger.
• Never, under any circumstances are the boys to get Star Wars body art. Perhaps, when they are 18 they can think about it, but they will have to weigh it against the wrath of their father and any impact it may have on future inheritances.
• Most importantly, in my mind, it is never appropriate to lift your shirt in public…it just is not polite.

May the force be with you!

The Countdown

We have officially turned the corner…we are getting ready for school to begin. The boys are starting to get tired of me and each other and I am definitely getting ready for them to be gone for awhile. It kind of creeped up on us…we were all getting along fine and then BANG! Nothing seemed to go right…their messes seemed a bit messier and irritations seemed more irritating. My well of patience has run dry. Only 8 days! We will go visit their classrooms one day and then their classes begin the next. After I drop them off, I am going to celebrate with a cup of Starbucks coffee and a leisurely trip to Target. Yippee!

Mamma Mia!

I went to see the movie, “Mamma Mia!,” last week with my mom. Overall, it was a fun movie and I had two observations…

• Meryl Streep is amazing. I can only hope to look that good in spandex when I am her age…I wish I could look that good in spandex today.
• Pierce Brosnan…WHY??? Who told him it was a good idea to sing? Totally destroyed by Remington Steele fantasy.

We came home from the movie and the boys were watching the Olympics with their Papa. Son #2 announces, “Mommy! We are watching the Benji Olympics!” We got out a map the next day so they he could learn that Beijing is in China.

Season 2 Episode 48

(Clair explains the Mega Woman dolls to Cliff)
Clair: There’s a whole family of them. There's "Mega Girl," "Mega Boy," she's married to "Mega Man" and they all drive around all day in "The Mega Mobile."

In this episode, Rudy is performing chores and saving her money to purchase a doll that she just has to have…Mega Woman.

First, it was Rescue Heroes. We just had to have all things Rescue Heroes. As the boys got older, we moved on to Star Wars. Video games, Legos, action figures, books…it never seemed to end. After a brief detour into the land of Hot Wheels and Speed Racer, we have entered the Indiana Jones era. I wonder what will be next?

P.S. At the Farm

Today, my boys reminded me of another character building experience at the farm. One little boy needed to go to the bathroom. The farmer gave him two options…a porta-potty behind the barn or he could pee in the channel behind the cows. My boys were horrified! If they were afraid to stand in front of the cows avoiding the gigantic cow tongues, could you imagine them trying to pee behind a bunch of cows? The farmer told us that each cows poops at least 100 pounds per day. My boys would have suffered at any cost to avoid such an experience. Needless to say, we all raced to the bathroom when we got home!

A Day at the Farm

Today we went on a tour of a working farm. They had lots of animals and many acres of crop land. The boys and I are definitely city folk! It was pitiful.

We started in the cow barn where the boys convinced me to let a newborn calf suck on my finger. After capturing it on film, I immediately ran to the hand sanitizer. We then went to see the milking cows. The boys and I were plastered to the wall to stay as far as we could from the far-reaching cow tongues. Their drool was disgusting! None of us took advantage of the milking photo op.

At the goat pen, all of the children were given corn to feed the goats and sheep. Rather than hold their hands still and risk the animals licking their hands, my boys pelted the animals with the food. Their father would have been so proud.

When the tour was over, the farmer offered us a dozen eggs. I just could not bring myself to take them…it just did not seem right. I know that eggs start at the farm with the chicken and all, but I find it so much more comforting knowing that my eggs have travelled miles by truck, have been manhandled by a store stock boy and have been scanned by the store clerk.

We really enjoyed our visit to the farm. It made us appreciate what farmers do and realize that we are not meant to be farmers.

Season 2 Episode 46

Theo: Dad, can I have an advance on my allowance?
Cliff: I'm sorry son, you're already backed up to your 50th birthday.

In this episode, Cliff and Claire decide to teach Theo a lesson about the "real world." Everyone is tired of loaning him money and they want him to understand that he won’t be able to borrow so easily in the real world. They turn the house in the “Real World Apartment Building” and Theo has to pay rent, buy his furniture, pay for his food and so on. In the end, Theo learns his lesson.

At Sports Camp, the boys went on a field trip to a White Sox game. They had to take money with them to purchase lunch and/or souvenirs. I gave $20 to each boy with the instruction that they were to eat first…they could spend the change on something special. I was really curious to see how this would work out.

• Son #1 spent all of his money on food. This was totally unexpected. Frugal by nature, I thought he would come home with a pocket of change.
• Son #2 had a light lunch and spent the rest on team baseball cards. Again, totally unexpected…I really thought he would go for a foam finger and eat when he got home.

Both boys were shocked by how expensive everything was at the ballpark. I asked them to consider how much money Daddy and Mommy spend every time we go anywhere. Nothing is free and it adds up quickly. Welcome to the real world!

Season 2 Episode 45

In this episode, Cliff attempts to teach Rudy how to ride a two-wheeled bicycle…with no success. Claire takes over and Rudy masters it quickly.

This summer, I have been working with Son #2 to ride a two-wheeled bicycle. What a challenge! I believe that he would be content to use training wheels indefinitely. He is a stubborn son of a gun. I know it is not worth fighting him on this…as long as he does not really want to experience two-wheeled freedom, he will remain committed to training wheels. One day, he will wake up and realize that training wheels are not cool and that will be it…good bye training wheels! It worked with potty training; I suspect it will work with this too.

Season 2 Episode 44

In this episode, Claire and Denise participate in a pottery class while Cliff and a co-worker plan an annual benefit for the hospital. The co-worker is having problems with his daughter – she is in rehab for the third time - and becomes emotional when he observes Cliff and Claire’s relationship with Denise. He encourages Cliff to always appreciate his family.

When our children are young, we have more control over their choices. Even when they make “bad choices,” the consequences usually involve a few tears, a band-aid or a broken toy. As our children get older, we have increasingly less control and their “bad choices” have increasingly more serious consequences…poor grades, loss of friends, drug addiction, unwanted pregnancy, DUI, and so on. “Bad choices” are not always a reflection of bad parenting. We can do all of the right things and sometimes our kids will do the wrong thing. What can we do? Build trust when they are young, surround them in prayer, stay relevant with their interests, remain informed about their friends, keep in contact with their teachers, listen rather than lecture…and appreciate them daily.

Season 2 Episode 41

Rudy: Theo! Knock knock!
Theo: No!
Rudy: No who?
Theo: No way!!

In this episode, as a secondary storyline, Rudy is irritating everyone with her knock-knock jokes. They all want her to stop.

Son #2 loves jokes and riddles. He has a joke book by his bed and reads it before he falls asleep. In the morning, at breakfast, he will say, “Hey Mommy! I have a joke for you!” Sometimes they are funny…sometimes not so much. It does not matter…I love his jokes and his sense of humor.

Final Score

Baseball Caps 3 Water Bottles 2

Sports Camp ended this week and my boys had a wonderful time. Son #1 made it through the three weeks without a black eye and without losing anything. Son #2 lost three baseball caps and two water bottles. The funny thing is that I am not sure he believes he really lost them…he knew exactly where they were. When I would ask where his cap was, he would logically respond…in lost and found. They can hardly wait for next year!

M.Y.O.B.

Son #1 has worn a weekly medication patch on his arm since he has been about six years old. Recently, he has become a bit self-conscious about it. At sports camp, in the locker room, a boy asked him why he had a bandage on his arm. Son #1 was not sure how to respond…he did not know the boy well enough to disclose his health history. I told him that he could have said he was trying to quit smoking or that the patch covered his prison tattoos. No one is going to mess with my kid!

Pride Cometh Before the Storm

I have been convicted of my pride this week. Recently, I have been so proud of my kids. We have been having such a great summer and they have been getting along so well.

During a storm on Monday PM, there were approximately 90,000 lightning strikes – or an average of 800 per minute. According to the August 6th Chicago Tribune, it usually takes 6 months to record that number of lightning strikes. I felt so small and so powerless.

Recently, I have been so proud of my Chicago house. I have used the past three weeks to get everything in order and ready for school to start. Everything was set for us to go on vacation for two weeks.

I woke up on Tuesday AM to discover that my basement had flooded during the storm. Now, my house smells of wet, icky carpet and I have had to spend two days sorting through wet toys and boxes. The carpet is destroyed.

I don’t like to be humbled, but, from time to time, I need to be reminded of my pride and God’s grace and power.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalms 19:1

Season 2 Episode 36

In this episode, Theo is mortified when his math teacher is invited to the Huxtable house for dinner. He is concerned that she is hand-delivering a poor test result. As it turns out, she is seeking the OB service of Dr. Huxtable and Theo received a B+ on his test.

I am amused by my boys’ assumptions about their teachers. In Kindergarten, Son #2 believed that his teacher lived at the school 24 x 7…never mind, that he never saw a bed or a dresser for clothes. Son #1 was surprised to see one of his teachers driving a Jeep…apparently, teachers must only drive sturdy, reliable four-door cars in his mind. We were in Target once and ran into Son #2’s teacher. A few rows later, Son #2 started to misbehave…Son #1 proceeded to report the poor behavior to the teacher. I guess Teacher trumps Mommy in Target. Sometimes, I wish I could bring a teacher home...

#$&@(^*!

Language has been a recent topic of discussion in our house. My boys are starting to realize that there are worse words out there than “shut-up” and “stupid.” We have identified that there are words that dishonor God and words that dishonor other people. There are also words that are impolite. Words that dishonor God and other people are usually pretty clear…we do not want to use them in our family. (However, they may slip out from time to time when Mommy is driving in traffic and/or drops something.) Impolite words, however, are not so black and white. It is not easy to teach discretion and we cannot monitor and/or criticize every word that pops out of their mouths...we need to carefully choose our battles.

The other day, Son #1 came home from sports camp and said, "I suck at baseball." It was a new word that he had learned at camp and he was trying it on for size. While I would have preferred that he had chosen a different describing word, it really does not fall into the dishonoring category. In my opinion, it is more of an impolite word. On the scale of 1 to 10, I am not sure where I would put it. Would I want him to say it to Grandma or in Sunday School? No. With his friends? Maybe. Is this a battle that I am willing to fight with him? Probably not. In the end, I decided to let it go...sometimes the best course of action is inaction.

Season 2 Episode 35

This was a great episode! Denise has a friend with a relatively minor medical problem, but she is afraid to tell her parents. Denise sets up an appointment for her friend and asks Cliff to treat her. Cliff and Claire are alarmed by this and schedule a family meeting to assure the kids that they can turn to their parents in any situation. They insist that they will not angry as long as the kids tell the truth.

I hope that my boys know that they can come to us in any situation. I am not sure that I can promise that I will never get angry…but it is a worthy goal. I know that we build the foundation for this level of communication now when they are young. If we fail to earn their trust now, there is no way they will turn to us when they are 16.

One question that I have...there is a saying that goes, "small kids, small problems...big kids, big problems." It sure seems like small kids have a lot of small problems. They add up during the day and can be very exhausting. I wonder how the math works out? Do two small problems equal one big problem? Do the number of problems slow down each day as the child ages? Perhaps we should assign a daily quota based on size and ability and skills of the parent...it would make things a bit more manageable.

Two Working Parents

I find it interesting that The Cosby Show emphasizes that the Huxtables have two working parents…Cliff is a doctor and Claire is an attorney. However, with five children, they never have any outside help…not even a babysitter. In the first few seasons, Claire is often seen going to the office, but Cliff always seems to be home when the kids need someone. In later seasons, Claire seems to go into the office less and less and is always available to the children.

It could just be me, but doesn’t this send a contradictory message? They say it is good for both parents to work, but they are not living it. But let’s be honest…is it possible to manage five children and a career without help?

I have been on maternity leave since the birth of Son #1 in 1997. I am not sure when or if I will ever officially return to the workforce. At first, I stayed home so that I could be with my boys as they developed in the early years. Then, I stayed home when they started school because things got so crazy…juggling homework, therapy, music lessons, field trips, and so on. I wanted to get all of the house stuff done while they were in school so we could enjoy family projects and have fun on the weekends. As Son #1 moves into the teenage years, I am afraid to go back to work now. I want to know what is going on in his life and I need to be available to him…to help with homework, friends, and challenges. I am grateful that I have the option of staying home…I would not miss this season for anything!

Season 2 Episode 34

This was first episode where the made-up word "zrbtt" was used by Rudy to mean the kind of "wet, sloppy kiss" or raspberry that the Huxtables gave each other. I love “zrbtts”! I am so glad that my boys have finally learned the proper usage of this word and the proper technique.