I'll admit it. I kind of enjoy those days past when I should've gone grocery shopping because it really encourages creativity.
It started Monday night when I realized that I didn't want to cook anything in the freezer and had no meat thawed. I pulled out a package of tofu, a can of black beans, some salsa, torillas, and shredded cheese and made some vegetarian soft tacos.
Alec took a bite of the taco and looked inside at the cubed tofu. "What the heck is that? Tofu?! I didn't know we even had tofu."
"Is it ok?"
"Well, it could really use some ground beef," he said, as he gobbled the 2 tacos on his plate and went looking for seconds.
I'd saved about half the can of black beans and half the tofu package. So last night for dinner (because Lauren talked me into McDonald's on Tuesday night) I made chili with black beans, adding to it some red beans, onions, and green pepper, and stuffed some potato skins with it.
Warming the leftover chili and scooped out potato in a skillet, I added 3 eggs and some cheese and made us a Mexican frittata for lunch.
Tonight I plan to cook a stir fry with the leftover tofu, green beans, carrots, and green peppers, and serve it over some brown rice.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
When things get too serious
...pull out a Meme!
1. Who was your first prom date?
When I was 14, I met a boy at an airport through a program called NACEL, and no, I no longer remember what it stands for, but it was a foreign exchange program which brought French and Spanish students to the United States, and sent American students to France and Spain. About a year later, a mutual acquaintance, Carolyn put us back in touch. We went out with Carolyn and his best friend Peter, and he asked me to his prom. We went as a group.
1. Who was your first prom date?
When I was 14, I met a boy at an airport through a program called NACEL, and no, I no longer remember what it stands for, but it was a foreign exchange program which brought French and Spanish students to the United States, and sent American students to France and Spain. About a year later, a mutual acquaintance, Carolyn put us back in touch. We went out with Carolyn and his best friend Peter, and he asked me to his prom. We went as a group.
2. Who was your first roommate?
My first and only roommate was Marcie. We lived together freshman year at Emerson. She was from Oregon and a journalism major.
3. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk the first time?
During parent's weekend at Emerson, I consumed copious amounts of wine at a very nice restaurant with my dad. He figured at 18, I knew how to drink. We spent the rest of the evening in my dorm room until I stopped throwing up what was probably an expensive Italian dinner. My boyfriend called and yelled at my father because we'd agreed not to drink. My roommate Marcie got pissed because Dad smoked in the room.
4. What was your first job?
I started babysitting neighborhood kids when I was 11. When I turned 16, my mom got me a job at the nursing home she worked at as a dietary aide. Looking back, that was a really amazing experience...most of my contemporaries worked at Friendly's or The Gap, but I really learned a lot about life in those 2 years. I had a second job working as a receptionist, first at a driving school, and then at the nursing home.
5. What was your first car?
A Dodge 400 convertible that belonged to Aunt Diane. I loved that car. I particularly liked driving around on breezy summer nights with the top down, listening to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here.
6. When did you go to your first funeral?
My grandfather died when I was 15. Although it wasn't unexpected - he had lung cancer - he went very quickly, and it was very sad.
7. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown?
I was 17, about a month shy of my 18th birthday when I went to college in Boston. Incidently, I went to the same college as my dad did, and I met my husband there.
8. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs Allen. She hated me. Seriously, hated me. She would snip at me at any opportunity. We had a reading area in our classroom that was furnished with milk crates. The kids used to turn them right-side-up and sit in them like buckets during reading time. When I did it, she walked over and hissed, "You are behaving inappropriately". It was reading time, so you know, the entire classroom heard.
9. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane?
This is a little vague in my mind. I think it was a trip to Fort Lauderdale with my mom, my brothers, and Aunt Kelly to visit her husband's grandparents. I was about 10.
10. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with?
It was probably with Camy, Chris, and Pete. And it was probably to do something geeky like play Encore! or do a crossword puzzle.
11. Who was your first Best Friend and are you still friends?
Robin was my best friend in 5th grade. We were no longer really friends in middle school because we fell into different crowds. She had some problems in high school, and ended up falling a year behind...but I never knew why. I haven't seen her since high school.
12. Where was your first sleepover?
Lynn had a sleepover party when we were 6. I remember thinking that was the coolest thing.
13. Who is the first person you call when you have a problem?
My husband.
14. Whose wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or groomsmen?
I was a bridesmaid in my friend Mandie's wedding. She got married about 6 months after I did. It was a really cool experience because both their families were so warm and welcoming, and although I attended alone because we couldn't afford a plane ticket for Alec, I had a really great time.
15. What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Either use the toilet or brush my teeth.
16. What was the first concert you ever went to?
I went to see Sting at the Hartford Civic Center with my friend Michelle when I was in 7th grade. She won the tickets on a radio station.
17. First tattoo or piercing?
I'm assuming ears don't count - but that was done when I was 5. Otherwise, I don't have any tattoos or piercings. The idea of getting either never appealed to me. I commented to a friend recently that it surprised me that after a 15 year hiatus from school, 18-year-olds are still tattooed and pierced. I would've figured that style would change.
18. First celebrity crush?
James Paul McCartney. And yes, I still swoon.
19. Age of first real kiss?
Oh, you know this already. Ira, when I was 12, thus establishing my type.
20. First crush?
Tommy. I had a major crush on him in 7th grade, and we were good friends through high school. He had a killer sense of humor and a really mysterious dark side I never fully understood. He's the only other person who ever called me Princess, though he certainly never meant it as a term of endearment. He taught me to laugh at myself, to appreciate the Boston Pops, and to enjoy slapstick humor. We were best friends through out high school, and whenever someone dumped me he'd declare "I always thought he was an a-hole!" Shortly after I moved in with Alec, he moved in with a guy. I still occasionally hear from him - he called me after he got married, and again after he got divorced.
21. First REAL love?
Chris. And wow did I love that boy. We dated for about a year, and most of it I was a junior in high school, and he a freshman in college. We broke up right before my junior prom, which was fitting since our first date was his senior prom. The girl he dated after me became his wife, and they came to our wedding. He found me on the internet shortly after they divorced, when I was working at the ISP. We got together for lunch. He still had the same long blond hair, but he was much different from the boy I knew as a teenager. He's a programmer and has published books about his flavor of programming.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
It just isn't all hearts and rainbows
Lauren has been saying "I don't want to see Poppy any more" for about a week now. When we ask her why, she said she didn't want to talk about it. It seemed, dear readers, that it probably wasn't something to make a big deal about. When she said later "I wish Nanny would make Poppy move out of the house", and that set off some alarms for us, but again, she said she didn't want to talk about it. Beyond saying that we would listen to her and not get mad at her, there isn't much else to say.
Now, Poppy isn't the most patient man. I've heard him push her to speak properly or to mind her manners. His methods of doing so aren't my style - I think he can be a little harsh - but I don't disagree with the message. Certainly if she's staying at his house and he has a problem with her not saying please and thank you, as a 4 year old is apt to forget, he's entitled to point that out to her.
Today she said, "I don't want to see Poppy any more."
I replied quickly, "You've said that a few times now, Lauren. Please help me understand why."
She said, "He told me many times to shut up. He is very mean to me. The only person he is ever nice to is Nanny."
My brain began misfiring in about 10 directions. First off, it doesn't ring true of Morty. Like I said, he can be a little harsh in his grandparenting, but I've never personally experienced him being mean. Second of all, we recently had a conversation about a teacher at daycare saying shut up to someone. It got our attention...so maybe this is just a way to get attention?
Anyway, I replied, "That must have made you feel sad," because in my automatronic parenting brain I am supposed to arm her with language.
"Yes. It did make me feel sad."
"I'm sorry you felt sad. Thank you for telling me that."
Not quite a half hour later, I've turned on Pinky Dinky Doo, and I am feeding Lindsay. When she turns to me and says, "Let's play a game."
"Ok. We have time for a game before dinner. What do you want to play?"
"Doctor."
Oh sweet Jesus. "Uh. I'm sorry, Lauren. I don't know how to play that game."
"Well, one person lies on the bed and pretends to be the patient, and the other pretends to be the doctor."
"Ok, and then what?"
She is laughing now. "Well, the person pretending to be the doctor has to examine the person pretending to be the patient."
"Does the doctor look in the patient's mouth?"
"Mama, this is only pretend!"
"Ok. But does the doctor look in the patient's mouth?"
"Yes."
"And in her nose?"
More laughing. "Yes!"
"And in her ears?"
"The doctor looks all over the patient's body."
"Oh."
"It's a pretend game." she says again, laughing.
"Well, ok." I said. "Who were you playing with?"
"Isabella."
"And she was the doctor or the patient?"
"She was pretending to be the doctor, and I was pretending to be the patient..."
"Oh oh. Well that sounds fine, as long as if she looks somewhere that makes you uncomfortable you can tell her 'No' and you stop pretending. Or if you're pretending to be the doctor, and the person says 'No', you stop pretending."
Help me, folks. I am so parenting without a license.
Now, Poppy isn't the most patient man. I've heard him push her to speak properly or to mind her manners. His methods of doing so aren't my style - I think he can be a little harsh - but I don't disagree with the message. Certainly if she's staying at his house and he has a problem with her not saying please and thank you, as a 4 year old is apt to forget, he's entitled to point that out to her.
Today she said, "I don't want to see Poppy any more."
I replied quickly, "You've said that a few times now, Lauren. Please help me understand why."
She said, "He told me many times to shut up. He is very mean to me. The only person he is ever nice to is Nanny."
My brain began misfiring in about 10 directions. First off, it doesn't ring true of Morty. Like I said, he can be a little harsh in his grandparenting, but I've never personally experienced him being mean. Second of all, we recently had a conversation about a teacher at daycare saying shut up to someone. It got our attention...so maybe this is just a way to get attention?
Anyway, I replied, "That must have made you feel sad," because in my automatronic parenting brain I am supposed to arm her with language.
"Yes. It did make me feel sad."
"I'm sorry you felt sad. Thank you for telling me that."
Not quite a half hour later, I've turned on Pinky Dinky Doo, and I am feeding Lindsay. When she turns to me and says, "Let's play a game."
"Ok. We have time for a game before dinner. What do you want to play?"
"Doctor."
Oh sweet Jesus. "Uh. I'm sorry, Lauren. I don't know how to play that game."
"Well, one person lies on the bed and pretends to be the patient, and the other pretends to be the doctor."
"Ok, and then what?"
She is laughing now. "Well, the person pretending to be the doctor has to examine the person pretending to be the patient."
"Does the doctor look in the patient's mouth?"
"Mama, this is only pretend!"
"Ok. But does the doctor look in the patient's mouth?"
"Yes."
"And in her nose?"
More laughing. "Yes!"
"And in her ears?"
"The doctor looks all over the patient's body."
"Oh."
"It's a pretend game." she says again, laughing.
"Well, ok." I said. "Who were you playing with?"
"Isabella."
"And she was the doctor or the patient?"
"She was pretending to be the doctor, and I was pretending to be the patient..."
"Oh oh. Well that sounds fine, as long as if she looks somewhere that makes you uncomfortable you can tell her 'No' and you stop pretending. Or if you're pretending to be the doctor, and the person says 'No', you stop pretending."
Help me, folks. I am so parenting without a license.
Hands
I noticed this morning that Lauren no longer has those pudgy little toddler hands and dimpled wrists. Her hands are slim, smooth, and cool to the touch. She climbed in my bed this morning at 7:30 to give me a hug, and entwined her fingers with mine.
Lindsay woke at 8, just as Lauren and I finished brushing our teeth and making the beds. When I picked up the cooing, gurgling Lin, she put her open hand on my shoulder - round, dimpled, and warm.
What a couple of cuties...
Lindsay woke at 8, just as Lauren and I finished brushing our teeth and making the beds. When I picked up the cooing, gurgling Lin, she put her open hand on my shoulder - round, dimpled, and warm.
What a couple of cuties...
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Two cute
Our nighttime routine is we three take a bath together. Lindsay gets washed up first, and then Lauren. When Lauren is done washing, Lindsay and I get out so Lauren can play for 10 minutes. Lindsay gets a baby massage with lavendar baby lotion and jammied up.
Then Lauren gets out and gets jammied up. She brushes her teeth, and has her fluoride.
Depending on the time, we then read between 1 and 4 stories of Lauren's choosing. Since she recently received a dozen Dr Seuss books from Scholastic, often it's one of those. Tonight it was Eric Carle's The Grumpy Ladybug, then 2 Dr Seuss books: The Cat in the Hat and Horton Hears a Who.
By the time the Wickersham family were trying to rope up Horton and put him in a cage, both girls were snoozing. I finished the book and tucked Lindsay into her crib, then came back in to Lauren's room to turn off her light and on her fan. Besides the excitement with the 3 police cruisers, the fire chief, and one lone engine at our house, our day was pretty quiet, but apparently enough to tucker those girls right out.
Then Lauren gets out and gets jammied up. She brushes her teeth, and has her fluoride.
Depending on the time, we then read between 1 and 4 stories of Lauren's choosing. Since she recently received a dozen Dr Seuss books from Scholastic, often it's one of those. Tonight it was Eric Carle's The Grumpy Ladybug, then 2 Dr Seuss books: The Cat in the Hat and Horton Hears a Who.
By the time the Wickersham family were trying to rope up Horton and put him in a cage, both girls were snoozing. I finished the book and tucked Lindsay into her crib, then came back in to Lauren's room to turn off her light and on her fan. Besides the excitement with the 3 police cruisers, the fire chief, and one lone engine at our house, our day was pretty quiet, but apparently enough to tucker those girls right out.
Excuse me, it's pronounced Dooo-mas
We had a visit today from the very fast and diligent HPPD today after Lady Epiphany aka Mrs Dumbass ran the dishwasher. I threw an empty pitcher of iced tea in there without checking to see if the tea bags were out of it. During the dry cycle, one of them started smoldering on the heating coil.
I went into the kitchen to look for smoke, and realized it was the running dishwasher. I turned it off, grabbed my kids and my cellphone and stepped outside to call 911. Verizon emergency was much better at getting me connected to the local dispatch than either of our previous carriers, however, I did have the advantage of knowing what town I was in at the time and being able to provide a street address.
Three police cruisers arrived about 2 minutes after I was connected to their dispatch. The fire chief followed, but at that point, the police officers had located the smokey teabag and took it out of the house with a pair of kitchen tongs.
So the whole escapade took about 15 minutes and fortunately, none of my immediate neighbors were home so they didn't get to see the spectacle.
I went into the kitchen to look for smoke, and realized it was the running dishwasher. I turned it off, grabbed my kids and my cellphone and stepped outside to call 911. Verizon emergency was much better at getting me connected to the local dispatch than either of our previous carriers, however, I did have the advantage of knowing what town I was in at the time and being able to provide a street address.
Three police cruisers arrived about 2 minutes after I was connected to their dispatch. The fire chief followed, but at that point, the police officers had located the smokey teabag and took it out of the house with a pair of kitchen tongs.
So the whole escapade took about 15 minutes and fortunately, none of my immediate neighbors were home so they didn't get to see the spectacle.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Ouch
I came across a blog today called Trainwreck. It's a space where they evaluate other blogs to determine if the blogger's life is a...well, train wreck. You can go there to nominate other people's blogs.
A lot of the mommy/infertility bloggers seem to be fodder for this site, probably because outside-looking-in the concept of mommyblogging is mind numbing. Reading about a woman going through her 20th round of invitro fertilization and her 15th pregnancy is at best heartbreaking. It certainly makes me wonder sometimes how these women continue to do it.
The site is, as advertised, so compelling you can't seem to stop reading it. But then, as Delphi aptly and often points out:
A lot of the mommy/infertility bloggers seem to be fodder for this site, probably because outside-looking-in the concept of mommyblogging is mind numbing. Reading about a woman going through her 20th round of invitro fertilization and her 15th pregnancy is at best heartbreaking. It certainly makes me wonder sometimes how these women continue to do it.
The site is, as advertised, so compelling you can't seem to stop reading it. But then, as Delphi aptly and often points out:
We aren't very nice people.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
So tired of John Mark
Why is it we always call killers by their full names? I bet his mom was always yelling John Mark Karr, stop touching Mommy's pantyhose! John Mark Karr, if you say that again, I will wash your mouth out with soap!
Isn't there another news story besides the one about Karr? There's got to be a hurricane, an election, or even a small plane crash...
Isn't there another news story besides the one about Karr? There's got to be a hurricane, an election, or even a small plane crash...
Adoration
Lauren is Lindsay's favorite person by far. Whenever she sees Lauren, she smiles and squeals.
Today at bedtime, Lauren was singing a song, and Lindsay tried to sing along.
Today at bedtime, Lauren was singing a song, and Lindsay tried to sing along.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Torn
I am glad I spent Tuesday reviewing the few remaining open courses. I printed myself a little crib sheet with 4 potential Saturday classes, and 3 Tuesday/Thursday evening classes.
I learned how to register, and what courses comprise the general requirements. I felt pretty confident in the classes I'd preselected even without meeting with an academic advisor, and though a little daunted by the 120 credits needed to earn to graduate from University College or the newly merged School of Arts and Sciences depending on how I choose my credits.
After the registration workshop, I went to the basement of the Student Center to register for 2 courses. I learned I could drop the second without being charged until September 11, and it made more sense to do that then to try and register for a second course late. The tables in the dining area were packed with freshmen and transfer students, many with their parents, pouring over the course catalog and schedule of classes to form their request, only to wait in line to discover that all of the courses were closed. Since I had done some advance research, I registered in 5 minutes flat, and received my clearance to get my student ID.
I've been going back and forth about whether to take just the Saturday course, which is Psychology 101, or to take a second course on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Intro to Art History. It's considerably more money, particularly when you factor in that it's a 7:40 PM class, so I will need Jessica to arrive at 7 so that I can take the Rutgers bus to the College Avenue campus since there aren't any parking spaces available on that campus. It puts considerably more pressure on me to balance the 2 courses, work, and the kids, particularly since Alec's travel schedule won't let up until late October.
But the other part of it is, I'm excited about this. I really want to take the 2 classes - the idea is exciting to me. I feel ready, which is amazing to me because I was still pretty unsure of what I was doing when I applied.
I learned how to register, and what courses comprise the general requirements. I felt pretty confident in the classes I'd preselected even without meeting with an academic advisor, and though a little daunted by the 120 credits needed to earn to graduate from University College or the newly merged School of Arts and Sciences depending on how I choose my credits.
After the registration workshop, I went to the basement of the Student Center to register for 2 courses. I learned I could drop the second without being charged until September 11, and it made more sense to do that then to try and register for a second course late. The tables in the dining area were packed with freshmen and transfer students, many with their parents, pouring over the course catalog and schedule of classes to form their request, only to wait in line to discover that all of the courses were closed. Since I had done some advance research, I registered in 5 minutes flat, and received my clearance to get my student ID.
I've been going back and forth about whether to take just the Saturday course, which is Psychology 101, or to take a second course on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Intro to Art History. It's considerably more money, particularly when you factor in that it's a 7:40 PM class, so I will need Jessica to arrive at 7 so that I can take the Rutgers bus to the College Avenue campus since there aren't any parking spaces available on that campus. It puts considerably more pressure on me to balance the 2 courses, work, and the kids, particularly since Alec's travel schedule won't let up until late October.But the other part of it is, I'm excited about this. I really want to take the 2 classes - the idea is exciting to me. I feel ready, which is amazing to me because I was still pretty unsure of what I was doing when I applied.
Abandon hope gets a make over
Hey, Lady Epiphany here. I am just about to leave for student orientation at Rutgers. I'll let you know how it goes. I am a little nervous about the fact that I am nearly 15 years older than my fellow classmates.
I finally got the beta template working. Fancy, eh?
I finally got the beta template working. Fancy, eh?
Friday, August 25, 2006
Good morning
The sleep deprivation has risen to a brutal crescendo these days. Sentence formation in both the written and spoken word has declined to nearly unintelligible gibberish.
But still when I hear those cries at 6 AM, like every morning, I get up and feed the little smiler. This morning, Lauren had snuck into our bed in the middle of the night, so I found her lying between us with one arm thrown over her toussled head. When Lindsay saw her sleeping sister, she squealed and waved her arms. The early morning reunion once Lauren woke up was very sweet.
"Goo goo be bada. Uh huh." said Lindsay, smiling.
"Hi, little sis. I love you." Lauren replied sleepily.
But still when I hear those cries at 6 AM, like every morning, I get up and feed the little smiler. This morning, Lauren had snuck into our bed in the middle of the night, so I found her lying between us with one arm thrown over her toussled head. When Lindsay saw her sleeping sister, she squealed and waved her arms. The early morning reunion once Lauren woke up was very sweet.
"Goo goo be bada. Uh huh." said Lindsay, smiling.
"Hi, little sis. I love you." Lauren replied sleepily.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Determination
Lauren, August 2006My beautiful Lauren,
In the 1440 days we've shared together, my daughter, you have taught me more about determination than any other person in my life. I can be strong-willed and stubborn, yet it pales in comparison to you digging your heels in and insisting you're right. You're usually not, little girl, but some day you will be and I hope you know that same conviction then.
Today when we arrived at daycare, 4 of your friends were playing house. Linnea invited you to play while the others feigned sleep, and told you you had to be the baby. You tossed your head back, stamped your feet, and replied tersely, "Gawd, I am SO sick of this. I do not want to be the baby. Some one else has to be the baby."
How I admire you. When I was a little girl, I would've swallowed that lump in my throat and said, "OK, Linnea."
You're starting to piece together this crazy world we live in. That people and things die hasn't eluded you. When we were so worried about telling you about those little tetra in your fish tank that just didn't make the transition from the fish store to your little 10 gallon tank, you merely said, "Fish die". Today you asked me about my grandfather, and I told you he died when I was a teenager of lung cancer, you replied, "My Grandpa Arthur died too".
You're an amazing person, Lauren. I love you.
Love,
Mom
N-O spells no
Lauren has learned to spell a couple of words in the past week. She apparently learned to spell no at Nanny's house when she stayed overnight 3 weeks ago. I can't really imagine what the application of that was, however, its result is that every time she sees a traffic sign with "No" on it, she says "N-O spells no". And I usually say, "Yes. And that sign says 'No parking when road is snow covered' or 'No left turn'." She has learned her left from her right with the practice of talking about it every time we put on her sneakers, and so now she recognizes that an arrow to the left inside a red circle with a slash through it means 'No left turn'.
After a couple of days ruminating over a particularly annoying email from everyone's favorite stepmom-in-law, I finally managed to say no in a firm, but polite reply. I received a call from her today. She actually did not bring up the event in question that I said no to attending in a firm, but polite way, which was what I expected. But complained about the last line of the email where I refused to let Lauren stay at her house the weekend preceding my birthday because that was when we planned to celebrate as a family.
Says she, "I can't believe your stinkin' (not the actual word used) birthday is that weekend. And why your kids have to be there for it is just beyond me...and..."
"I was here first." I said simply.
"Well, there is no need to get snippy."
N-o spells no, I thought. But said, "No, you're right. I'm sorry if I seemed snippy."
After a couple of days ruminating over a particularly annoying email from everyone's favorite stepmom-in-law, I finally managed to say no in a firm, but polite reply. I received a call from her today. She actually did not bring up the event in question that I said no to attending in a firm, but polite way, which was what I expected. But complained about the last line of the email where I refused to let Lauren stay at her house the weekend preceding my birthday because that was when we planned to celebrate as a family.
Says she, "I can't believe your stinkin' (not the actual word used) birthday is that weekend. And why your kids have to be there for it is just beyond me...and..."
"I was here first." I said simply.
"Well, there is no need to get snippy."
N-o spells no, I thought. But said, "No, you're right. I'm sorry if I seemed snippy."
Overheard at Friendly's
Just like in The Brady Bunch, I am the forgotten middle child. The eldest child is much prettier than I am. The youngest child has a lisp.An 8-year-old girl while waiting for her ice cream
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Aspiring actress
Lauren was in her first play today. It was called Caps for Sale, and she was a monkey. Here the monkeys are doing some sort of modern dance that involved a lot of jumping. They are wearing caps.
Lauren, August 2006
Lindsay at 13 1/2 weeks, August 2006
Lauren, August 2006Little sis Lindsay is just a monkey.
Lindsay at 13 1/2 weeks, August 2006Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Elusive rules
I don't know how many of you watch Family Guy, but it's the sort of show I will turn on if I happen to be flipping through the channels when it's on, but I won't go out of my way to watch. Last night's episode featured a great line from Stewie Griffin:
I spent a while trying to feed her a bottle today that I had made after she fell asleep at her 6 AM feeding. Bottles of milk can remain at room temperature for surprising amounts of time, often in the cool of the house for 10-12 hours. I was surprised she wasn't drinking it, and seemed to be fussing to nurse, which is a little backwards for Lindsay - usually she decides she doesn't want to work at nursing and demands the bottle. After we arrived home from dropping Lauren off at daycare, she was asleep, so I pumped and stashed that bottle in the fridge. She woke up about 20 minutes later, hungry. I realized after about 10 minutes feeding her that the bottle's nipple must've closed up. I switched it out and she drank the entire 4 ounce bottle in about 5 minutes flat. Wow. I am not very smart.
After she ate, I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out her fussy, which seems to always be Please put me down and leave me alone now. I find this one hard because Lauren didn't have this particular fuss. When Alec called me on my way home from hanging out in the city with friends on Saturday because he had an inconsolable Lindsay, the first thing I asked was did he try putting her down and walking away. He seemed surprised at the suggestion. She's screaming her head off, and you put her down?? Not so surprisingly, he set her in the swing, she immediately found her thumb and fell asleep.
Woman, why do you insist on taking me everywhere you go?It made me think of poor little Lindsay, whose language consists exclusively of impressive babble, getting dragged around to the bank, the coffee shop, daycare, and the car dealership. She's becoming a bit more tolerant of the car these days, except when she's hungry or bored.
I spent a while trying to feed her a bottle today that I had made after she fell asleep at her 6 AM feeding. Bottles of milk can remain at room temperature for surprising amounts of time, often in the cool of the house for 10-12 hours. I was surprised she wasn't drinking it, and seemed to be fussing to nurse, which is a little backwards for Lindsay - usually she decides she doesn't want to work at nursing and demands the bottle. After we arrived home from dropping Lauren off at daycare, she was asleep, so I pumped and stashed that bottle in the fridge. She woke up about 20 minutes later, hungry. I realized after about 10 minutes feeding her that the bottle's nipple must've closed up. I switched it out and she drank the entire 4 ounce bottle in about 5 minutes flat. Wow. I am not very smart.
After she ate, I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out her fussy, which seems to always be Please put me down and leave me alone now. I find this one hard because Lauren didn't have this particular fuss. When Alec called me on my way home from hanging out in the city with friends on Saturday because he had an inconsolable Lindsay, the first thing I asked was did he try putting her down and walking away. He seemed surprised at the suggestion. She's screaming her head off, and you put her down?? Not so surprisingly, he set her in the swing, she immediately found her thumb and fell asleep.
Monday, August 21, 2006
200
Would you believe this is the 200th post to Abandon Hope?! By popular demand, here are another 100 random things about moi (this time, with pictures):
101. I got married on Saturday, June 1, 1996, at noon in Boston, MA.
June 1, 1996
102. We talked about going on a cruise to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.
103. When we found out we were expecting our 2nd child mid June 2006, we didn't plan a trip.
104. Our daughter Lindsay was born on Sunday, May 21, 2006.
May 21, 2006
105. When Lauren met Lindsay, her first comment was "When am I going to have a baby brother?"
106. She also told us she wanted to name her baby brother Grampie.
107. We began calling her Lauren in utero, when we found out she was a girl at 18 weeks.
Lauren at 18 weeks in utero, April 2002
108. Before that, I was calling the baby "he".
109. I always knew Lindsay was a girl.
110. We began calling her Lindsay after an ultrasound at 20 weeks.
Lindsay at 20 weeks in utero, January 2006
111. I have had more than 25 ultrasounds.
112. I knew Lauren would be born on September 10 at the beginning of my pregnancy.
September 10, 2002
113. Her due date was September 26.
114. Lauren's first word was clock.
115. As a baby, she was fascinated by the grandfather clock at my mom's house. She would point at it until someone picked her up and carried her to look at it. When she learned to walk, she would toddle up next to it every 15 minutes so she could hear it chime.
116. Lauren started eating baby food at 5 months old.
Lauren at 5 months, February 2003
117. I sent monthly postcards of baby Lauren to our family and friends.
118. Once she was a year old, I began just sending them out for holidays.
Lauren at 15 months, December 2003
119. I stopped sending them because a certain member of my husband's family always complained about them. Either one got lost in the mail to some completely devastated family member. Occasionally the pictures got muddled when they were processed. Or she disliked the picture.
120. Yet another example of a bad apple.
121. Although I have many great photos of Lauren, I still haven't made a photo album or scrapbook.
Lauren at 6 weeks, October 2002
122. I've never been a crafty person.
123. I hadn't thought about learning to knit until I realized that all of my friends seem to be making these beautiful gifts.
124. I am looking forward to learning how to sew. I am planning to make throw pillow cases for my living room, and curtains for the girls' rooms.
125. It depressed me to learn that the Pottery Barn pillows cost $25 each, and to outfit both girls' rooms with curtains would be nearly $600.
126. One of the biggest adjustments to having 2 kids has been the increase in laundry.
127. I do a load of laundry every day.
128. I actually enjoy ironing. My mother and grandmother both claim to also.
June 1993 in our Boston apartment
129. Four days after our wedding, we packed a truck and set off for Green Bay, WI.
130. It took us 3 days from moving out of our apartment on Columbus Avenue, to moving into our duplex on Wildflower Row.
131. We decided on our drive that the state animal of Pennsylvania is the deer carcass.
132. Driving through Ohio was really boring.
133. The first night in Wisconsin was spent in a hotel in Port Washington, which is just outside of Milwaukee. About a 100 miles from Green Bay.
134. Our first holiday in Wisconsin was Thanksgiving, which we spent with Kristy who managed the bagel shop I worked at and her boyfriend Tom who was about 30 years her senior, and looked remarkably like Donald Sutherland.
135. Our hang out place was called Jake's. They served pizza with slices of fresh garlic on it.
136. After about 2 months, completely bored by the local cuisine, we began buying cookbooks to learn how to cook Thai, Chinese, and Mexican foods.
137. Recently after moving to Wildflower Row, we received a brochure about the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Society) retreat. They boasted early morning prayer and 2 new shooting ranges.
138. I worked with a woman named Billie at the bagel shop who was a born again Christian. Whenever I said something that bothered her she would say she was going to pray for me.
139. The bagel shop was owned by a man named Richard. He was originally from Long Island. He's the only person I've worked for who genuinely didn't like me.
In our DePere apartment, summer 1998
140. When I changed jobs to work at Cyberstreet, he made no secret of not liking the owners. He said cryptically, "Well, I hope you're happy there."
141. The cafe was owned by Mike and Lynn. Mike was quite possibly the most enigmatic person I've met.
142. About a year after I started there, Mike and Lynn rather suddenly decided to close the restaurant and move away.
143. We moved to New York 2 weeks after the restaurant closed.
144. Alec got a job at Pace University in Lower Manhattan over the phone, and called Century 21 and rented us an apartment in Yonkers. Sybil scouted out the apartment and said that the carpeting made her sad, but it was indeed on a bus line and the commute into Midtown was only about a half hour.
145. My grandmother flew up to Green Bay and rode in the car with me, and our 2 cats.
Seamus and baby Shannon at the Green Bay duplex, spring 1997
146. She made fun of me for alternately praying and swearing as I weaved through rush hour traffic outside of Chicago trying to follow Alec in the truck.
147. We didn't have cell phones then.
148. It's hard for me to picture not having a cell phone now.
149. I wish I could take better pictures. I love looking at well composed photography, but I can't create it.
150. I have terrible luck in airports. When they first started doing "random searches" after 9/11, I always was the one standing around in my stockings with my suitcase being rifled through.
151. A coworker of mine didn't believe me and flew with me once LaGuardia to Logan. After her bags were searched in both airports, she never flew with me again.
152. Another coworker and I flew from LaGuardia to Miami together, and she heeded my warning to go through security a few people away from me.
153. At a meeting in Las Vegas, she asked a random man sitting at the bar if he would marry our single coworker friend.
154. He said yes.
155. I miss my biweekly manicure and pedicure.
156. When I worked, I used to get a half hour massage every week.
157. I can't remember the last time I got a massage.
158. It was probably on the cruise we took in January.
Royal Carribean Jewel of the Seas, January 2006
159. I wish my family also went on the cruises. They would be a lot more fun.
160. I hope some day we'll be able to take family vacations together with all our kids.
161. As a kid, we took some vacations in Lake George, NY.
162. There were a lot of amusement parks there. My dad took us on all of the rides.
163. I found out as an adult that my dad really doesn't like roller coasters.
164. That made him a whole lot cooler in my estimation.
Daddy Crocket, Christmas 2001
165. I took horseback riding lessons as a kid for about a month. I was mostly terrified of the horse.
166. My cousin Cher rode competitively.
167. We went horseback riding at a ranch in Belize when we were there in January 2002. It was a beautiful ride through the rainforest, and then we took a boat ride on the Amazon.
With Strawberry in Belize, January 2002
168. My husband is a lot of fun to travel with. He's a very savvy traveler, but not good at reading maps.
169. Fortunately, I am better at reading maps and have a good sense of direction.
170. Unfortunately, I get very stressed out in airports (see number 150).
171. We started traveling with Lauren when she was 9 months old.
On the way back from Miami, June 2003
172. She has traveled to Florida 3 times, and Chicago and Hawaii once.
173. The trip out to Hawaii was horrendous. Lauren had a stomach flu. About 24 hours before we traveled, she threw up for 8 hours, and then had diarrhea for 5 days.
At LaGuardia airport, February 2004
174. I changed Lauren's clothes 5 times on the flight from LaGuardia to LAX. I had to change my own clothes twice.
175. Fortunately, she fell asleep on the flight from Los Angeles to Kauai.
176. Otherwise, she had a very nice time in Hawaii.
In the convertible, February 2004
177. Lindsay hasn't flown yet.
178. We are discussing visiting Alec's mom in Hawaii next winter. Hopefully Lindsay's tummy fussiness will have subsided by then.
179. Dr Queen of Sheba said that it should get better once she eats solid food. The AAP recommends that breastfed babies start foods at 6 months.
180. Lauren had an umbilical hernia as a baby.
Lauren at 8 months, May 2003
181. Her navel is still a tiny bit herniated.
182. My bellybutton never popped out while I was pregnant. It got pushed out as far as being even with my tummy.
In Grand Cayman, January 2006
183. I always thought "outie" bellybuttons on preggos is really cute.
184. I think women who claim to love being pregnant are insane. I just complained constantly to anyone who would listen.
185. Before kids, we went out several times a week and regularly got together with our friends.
With Rebecca and Shannon, July 2001
186. For a reason probably alcohol related, this was supposed to be a "dirty" picture of the three of us on Sybil's bed. Rebecca and I are both touching Shannon's hips.
187. Shannon and her husband Dolph just had their first child, Shawn, on Friday. They live in Dallas now.
188. Our friends Lisa and Jeremiah had their second child, Sarah, a few weeks ago. They live near Atlanta.
189. Although we tried to keep up with going out to dinner once a month, it really just hasn't been a regular thing since 2001.
With Sarah, Sybil, and Rebecca, December 2001
190. That's a lot of black even if it was New Year's Eve in New York City!
191. When we moved to New York in 1998, we went out to dinner at a different restaurant every month, first by the letter of the alphabet for the ethnity (eg, A for Afghani, B for Brazil, C for Cuban) and then when we finished that in about 2 years, we went to a restaurant in each neighborhood (eg, Upper East Side, Tribeca). Sybil mostly chose the restaurants because she knows more about restaurants in New York City than anyone I've ever met, including people who've lived there decades longer.
192. When I was 14, I spent about half a summer living in France.
193. I learned how to read tarot cards there.
194. I lost an antique box that contained 8 decks of cards in our last move.
195. I still have a small carved tarot box that my coworkers from Modern bought me when I left. I used to read their cards all the time.
October 2002
196. At the 2 jobs I had after that, I only read cards for a couple of people. My friend Zeus (whose actual name was Jesus) at the ISP was one. I read cards for a few of the women I worked with at the agency.
197. I often lose touch with work friends after leaving a job. It becomes hard to find things to talk about when you no longer have a common 40 hours a week.
198. I am not in touch with anyone who went to my high school.
199. I have not attended my high school renunions. Next year will be my 15th.
200. And there you have it! You've learned a total of 200 random facts about me.
101. I got married on Saturday, June 1, 1996, at noon in Boston, MA.
June 1, 1996103. When we found out we were expecting our 2nd child mid June 2006, we didn't plan a trip.
104. Our daughter Lindsay was born on Sunday, May 21, 2006.
May 21, 2006105. When Lauren met Lindsay, her first comment was "When am I going to have a baby brother?"
106. She also told us she wanted to name her baby brother Grampie.
107. We began calling her Lauren in utero, when we found out she was a girl at 18 weeks.
109. I always knew Lindsay was a girl.
110. We began calling her Lindsay after an ultrasound at 20 weeks.
111. I have had more than 25 ultrasounds.
112. I knew Lauren would be born on September 10 at the beginning of my pregnancy.
September 10, 2002114. Lauren's first word was clock.
115. As a baby, she was fascinated by the grandfather clock at my mom's house. She would point at it until someone picked her up and carried her to look at it. When she learned to walk, she would toddle up next to it every 15 minutes so she could hear it chime.
116. Lauren started eating baby food at 5 months old.
117. I sent monthly postcards of baby Lauren to our family and friends.
118. Once she was a year old, I began just sending them out for holidays.
119. I stopped sending them because a certain member of my husband's family always complained about them. Either one got lost in the mail to some completely devastated family member. Occasionally the pictures got muddled when they were processed. Or she disliked the picture.
120. Yet another example of a bad apple.
121. Although I have many great photos of Lauren, I still haven't made a photo album or scrapbook.
122. I've never been a crafty person.
124. I am looking forward to learning how to sew. I am planning to make throw pillow cases for my living room, and curtains for the girls' rooms.
125. It depressed me to learn that the Pottery Barn pillows cost $25 each, and to outfit both girls' rooms with curtains would be nearly $600.
126. One of the biggest adjustments to having 2 kids has been the increase in laundry.
127. I do a load of laundry every day.
128. I actually enjoy ironing. My mother and grandmother both claim to also.
June 1993 in our Boston apartment130. It took us 3 days from moving out of our apartment on Columbus Avenue, to moving into our duplex on Wildflower Row.
131. We decided on our drive that the state animal of Pennsylvania is the deer carcass.
132. Driving through Ohio was really boring.
133. The first night in Wisconsin was spent in a hotel in Port Washington, which is just outside of Milwaukee. About a 100 miles from Green Bay.
134. Our first holiday in Wisconsin was Thanksgiving, which we spent with Kristy who managed the bagel shop I worked at and her boyfriend Tom who was about 30 years her senior, and looked remarkably like Donald Sutherland.
135. Our hang out place was called Jake's. They served pizza with slices of fresh garlic on it.
136. After about 2 months, completely bored by the local cuisine, we began buying cookbooks to learn how to cook Thai, Chinese, and Mexican foods.
137. Recently after moving to Wildflower Row, we received a brochure about the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Society) retreat. They boasted early morning prayer and 2 new shooting ranges.
138. I worked with a woman named Billie at the bagel shop who was a born again Christian. Whenever I said something that bothered her she would say she was going to pray for me.
139. The bagel shop was owned by a man named Richard. He was originally from Long Island. He's the only person I've worked for who genuinely didn't like me.
140. When I changed jobs to work at Cyberstreet, he made no secret of not liking the owners. He said cryptically, "Well, I hope you're happy there."
141. The cafe was owned by Mike and Lynn. Mike was quite possibly the most enigmatic person I've met.
142. About a year after I started there, Mike and Lynn rather suddenly decided to close the restaurant and move away.
143. We moved to New York 2 weeks after the restaurant closed.
144. Alec got a job at Pace University in Lower Manhattan over the phone, and called Century 21 and rented us an apartment in Yonkers. Sybil scouted out the apartment and said that the carpeting made her sad, but it was indeed on a bus line and the commute into Midtown was only about a half hour.
145. My grandmother flew up to Green Bay and rode in the car with me, and our 2 cats.
147. We didn't have cell phones then.
148. It's hard for me to picture not having a cell phone now.
149. I wish I could take better pictures. I love looking at well composed photography, but I can't create it.
150. I have terrible luck in airports. When they first started doing "random searches" after 9/11, I always was the one standing around in my stockings with my suitcase being rifled through.
151. A coworker of mine didn't believe me and flew with me once LaGuardia to Logan. After her bags were searched in both airports, she never flew with me again.
152. Another coworker and I flew from LaGuardia to Miami together, and she heeded my warning to go through security a few people away from me.
153. At a meeting in Las Vegas, she asked a random man sitting at the bar if he would marry our single coworker friend.
154. He said yes.
155. I miss my biweekly manicure and pedicure.
156. When I worked, I used to get a half hour massage every week.
157. I can't remember the last time I got a massage.
158. It was probably on the cruise we took in January.
160. I hope some day we'll be able to take family vacations together with all our kids.
161. As a kid, we took some vacations in Lake George, NY.
162. There were a lot of amusement parks there. My dad took us on all of the rides.
163. I found out as an adult that my dad really doesn't like roller coasters.
164. That made him a whole lot cooler in my estimation.
Daddy Crocket, Christmas 2001165. I took horseback riding lessons as a kid for about a month. I was mostly terrified of the horse.
166. My cousin Cher rode competitively.
167. We went horseback riding at a ranch in Belize when we were there in January 2002. It was a beautiful ride through the rainforest, and then we took a boat ride on the Amazon.
168. My husband is a lot of fun to travel with. He's a very savvy traveler, but not good at reading maps.
169. Fortunately, I am better at reading maps and have a good sense of direction.
170. Unfortunately, I get very stressed out in airports (see number 150).
171. We started traveling with Lauren when she was 9 months old.
172. She has traveled to Florida 3 times, and Chicago and Hawaii once.
173. The trip out to Hawaii was horrendous. Lauren had a stomach flu. About 24 hours before we traveled, she threw up for 8 hours, and then had diarrhea for 5 days.
174. I changed Lauren's clothes 5 times on the flight from LaGuardia to LAX. I had to change my own clothes twice.
175. Fortunately, she fell asleep on the flight from Los Angeles to Kauai.
176. Otherwise, she had a very nice time in Hawaii.
177. Lindsay hasn't flown yet.
178. We are discussing visiting Alec's mom in Hawaii next winter. Hopefully Lindsay's tummy fussiness will have subsided by then.
179. Dr Queen of Sheba said that it should get better once she eats solid food. The AAP recommends that breastfed babies start foods at 6 months.
180. Lauren had an umbilical hernia as a baby.
181. Her navel is still a tiny bit herniated.
182. My bellybutton never popped out while I was pregnant. It got pushed out as far as being even with my tummy.
183. I always thought "outie" bellybuttons on preggos is really cute.
184. I think women who claim to love being pregnant are insane. I just complained constantly to anyone who would listen.
185. Before kids, we went out several times a week and regularly got together with our friends.
186. For a reason probably alcohol related, this was supposed to be a "dirty" picture of the three of us on Sybil's bed. Rebecca and I are both touching Shannon's hips.
187. Shannon and her husband Dolph just had their first child, Shawn, on Friday. They live in Dallas now.
188. Our friends Lisa and Jeremiah had their second child, Sarah, a few weeks ago. They live near Atlanta.
189. Although we tried to keep up with going out to dinner once a month, it really just hasn't been a regular thing since 2001.
190. That's a lot of black even if it was New Year's Eve in New York City!
191. When we moved to New York in 1998, we went out to dinner at a different restaurant every month, first by the letter of the alphabet for the ethnity (eg, A for Afghani, B for Brazil, C for Cuban) and then when we finished that in about 2 years, we went to a restaurant in each neighborhood (eg, Upper East Side, Tribeca). Sybil mostly chose the restaurants because she knows more about restaurants in New York City than anyone I've ever met, including people who've lived there decades longer.
192. When I was 14, I spent about half a summer living in France.
193. I learned how to read tarot cards there.
194. I lost an antique box that contained 8 decks of cards in our last move.
195. I still have a small carved tarot box that my coworkers from Modern bought me when I left. I used to read their cards all the time.
196. At the 2 jobs I had after that, I only read cards for a couple of people. My friend Zeus (whose actual name was Jesus) at the ISP was one. I read cards for a few of the women I worked with at the agency.
197. I often lose touch with work friends after leaving a job. It becomes hard to find things to talk about when you no longer have a common 40 hours a week.
198. I am not in touch with anyone who went to my high school.
199. I have not attended my high school renunions. Next year will be my 15th.
200. And there you have it! You've learned a total of 200 random facts about me.
Backwards
I'm a little confused by the modern rules concerning addressing people.
At the pediatrician's office, I call the doctor Dr Lastname, and he calls me Mrs Stoll. This makes sense to me. But if he called me Heather, would I still be expected to call him Dr Lastname, or then do I call him Robert?
I wrote a short email to my daughter's principal. She had signed her letter "Nancy". I addressed mine "Dear Nancy" and finished it "Kind regards, Heather". Her first email started "Dear Heather" and concluded "Sincerely, Nancy". I had a question she couldn't answer without clearing it with the school board. Her second email was "Dear Mrs Stoll" and "Sincerely, Principal Lastname". Um wha? Does that simply mean she was now bcc-ing the school board and therefore it was an official correspondence?
It seemed backwards.
At the pediatrician's office, I call the doctor Dr Lastname, and he calls me Mrs Stoll. This makes sense to me. But if he called me Heather, would I still be expected to call him Dr Lastname, or then do I call him Robert?
I wrote a short email to my daughter's principal. She had signed her letter "Nancy". I addressed mine "Dear Nancy" and finished it "Kind regards, Heather". Her first email started "Dear Heather" and concluded "Sincerely, Nancy". I had a question she couldn't answer without clearing it with the school board. Her second email was "Dear Mrs Stoll" and "Sincerely, Principal Lastname". Um wha? Does that simply mean she was now bcc-ing the school board and therefore it was an official correspondence?
It seemed backwards.
Not again
My car is in the shop again. Brakes and alignment. Tommy the mechanic just called to tell me it's not going to be done until tomorrow.
I hate cars.
I hate cars.
Very sad state
I was very excited about the new customizer tools from Blogger, that is, until I managed to make some choices in my new template that broke my blog and took it off the internet for a while. Finally, after a couple of hours of downtime, I reverted the template back to the original and it seems to be working ok.
Reason Enough got a pretty major facelift. I'm sooo jealous.
Reason Enough got a pretty major facelift. I'm sooo jealous.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Survived the Mommy guilt
I know. I know. If you don't have kids, these posts seem really sad.
I survived the day out with friends in the City. I got to see Michelle's very lovely upper East side apartment, and then we ventured up to Sybil's in Inwood to learn how to make pillows from Rebecca. We drank sangria and dished, but pillows got made. Michelle and Sybil knitted. We had a delicious (if leisurely) dinner at The New Leaf Cafe in Fort Tryon Park, and I drove home. Perhaps a little too late, and a little too tired, but definitely talked out.
I felt those twinges of Mommy guilt over 12 whole hours away from my girls as we walked the mile or so from Sybil's apartment to New Leaf at 6 PM, Michelle realized her cell phone had several messages from her mom in progressive levels of panic throughout the day because Michelle hadn't returned her original call at 10 AM. Michelle said, "I am still out, Mom. I will call you when I get home later..." She rolled her eyes and explained, "If I don't talk to her the morning after I go out, she becomes convinced I didn't make it home. She says she was about to call the police."
Even when I first left home for college, my mom never called more than once a week. Fifteen years ago, most people didn't have cell phones, so she had no real expectation of being able to get a hold of me at any time of day. She didn't seem to worry about the worst happening if I was too busy over a few days to return a phone call when I was 18. Certainly by the time I was 25 and living in New York, even if she called my cell phone and I didn't answer it, she didn't get alarmed.
But if Marlene leaves a message on my cell phone at 6 PM, and I haven't returned it by 8 PM, she gets panicked and either calls back (and leaves a nearly hysterical message if I don't answer a second time), or she will call Alec and ask him if I'm okay. Now, most of you who know me understand my feeling about phones. Phones are MY tool. If I am too busy to answer the phone, I simply don't. If I am upstairs with the girls and leave the phone on the desk, if it rings, I let it go to voice mail. I don't drop what I'm doing to run for it. So, if you know my schedule, when alone with the girls, 6 PM is time to make dinner, 8 PM is bathtime, story, and then bed for Lauren. Despite the many times I've explained this to Marlene, if I don't return a message within a couple of hours, it is apparent to her certainly some sort of horrible accident has occurred and everyone is in the hospital.
I think I am more like my own mother who doesn't sit around imaging some sort of catastrophe, but even so, I said to Michelle, "If I ever tell you a story in 20 years about how I was about to call the police because Lauren didn't call me back, give me a shove."
I survived the day out with friends in the City. I got to see Michelle's very lovely upper East side apartment, and then we ventured up to Sybil's in Inwood to learn how to make pillows from Rebecca. We drank sangria and dished, but pillows got made. Michelle and Sybil knitted. We had a delicious (if leisurely) dinner at The New Leaf Cafe in Fort Tryon Park, and I drove home. Perhaps a little too late, and a little too tired, but definitely talked out.
I felt those twinges of Mommy guilt over 12 whole hours away from my girls as we walked the mile or so from Sybil's apartment to New Leaf at 6 PM, Michelle realized her cell phone had several messages from her mom in progressive levels of panic throughout the day because Michelle hadn't returned her original call at 10 AM. Michelle said, "I am still out, Mom. I will call you when I get home later..." She rolled her eyes and explained, "If I don't talk to her the morning after I go out, she becomes convinced I didn't make it home. She says she was about to call the police."
Even when I first left home for college, my mom never called more than once a week. Fifteen years ago, most people didn't have cell phones, so she had no real expectation of being able to get a hold of me at any time of day. She didn't seem to worry about the worst happening if I was too busy over a few days to return a phone call when I was 18. Certainly by the time I was 25 and living in New York, even if she called my cell phone and I didn't answer it, she didn't get alarmed.
But if Marlene leaves a message on my cell phone at 6 PM, and I haven't returned it by 8 PM, she gets panicked and either calls back (and leaves a nearly hysterical message if I don't answer a second time), or she will call Alec and ask him if I'm okay. Now, most of you who know me understand my feeling about phones. Phones are MY tool. If I am too busy to answer the phone, I simply don't. If I am upstairs with the girls and leave the phone on the desk, if it rings, I let it go to voice mail. I don't drop what I'm doing to run for it. So, if you know my schedule, when alone with the girls, 6 PM is time to make dinner, 8 PM is bathtime, story, and then bed for Lauren. Despite the many times I've explained this to Marlene, if I don't return a message within a couple of hours, it is apparent to her certainly some sort of horrible accident has occurred and everyone is in the hospital.
I think I am more like my own mother who doesn't sit around imaging some sort of catastrophe, but even so, I said to Michelle, "If I ever tell you a story in 20 years about how I was about to call the police because Lauren didn't call me back, give me a shove."
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Addicted
As I get ready to spend the day with my friends in the City, I realize I am completely addicted to my baby.
We've gone out for dinner a couple of times, and I've left her with Karen at least once. But that was just a couple of hours. Spending the entire day away from her admittedly makes me pretty anxious. The idea of being away from her overnight practically makes me hyperventilate.
I had this affliction with Lauren in the beginning, and I know it passes.
We've gone out for dinner a couple of times, and I've left her with Karen at least once. But that was just a couple of hours. Spending the entire day away from her admittedly makes me pretty anxious. The idea of being away from her overnight practically makes me hyperventilate.
I had this affliction with Lauren in the beginning, and I know it passes.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Ahhh
Never underestimate the therapeutic value of coffee with a friend after a particularly hard week.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Well, hello there, stranger
This picture was taken in 1994 in Fort Lauderdale. Isn't he a cutie?My husband has been in Miami since Monday morning. This is just after having returned from a 3-day trip late last Thursday evening. It seems like he's never here and I miss him lots.
The photos from early in our relationship when we were poor students living in Boston. Vacations were always really sweet then though because his grandpa lived in Fort Lauderdale and would pay to fly us down there, and his mom was out on Martha's Vineyard and would pay for the bus fare and ferry. So at our poorest, back when we ate ramen noodles and macaroni (well, not together), and our big dates were grocery shopping at Star Market in the Pru and doing laundry at the laundromat at the corner of Newberry and Exeter Street, we wintered in Florida and summered on the Vineyard.
What a couple of brats we were!
Lindsay at 3 months
...weighs 11 pounds, 2.2 ounces and is 22 inches tall.
At the moment, she is not pleased to have gotten 2 vaccinations today. Poor little.
At the moment, she is not pleased to have gotten 2 vaccinations today. Poor little.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Married bliss tip #57
When you're on a business trip, don't point out to your wife that you really really must get to sleep because it's after midnight and you have to be down in the hotel lobby at 8 AM. The next feeding is at approximately 4:30 AM, honey. When someone calls you at 7:30 AM to roll out of bed into a quiet, hot shower, they will probably bring up a cup of coffee. Maybe even a scrambled egg, a couple slices of toast, and some cantalope with strawberries. If I'm lucky, the baby won't spit up half her feeding on my shoulder.
Oh, right. I'm not lucky.
Oh, right. I'm not lucky.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
In the blink of an eye
Since I've had kids, there is the occasional news story that makes me weepy.
Lindsay was up at about 10 minutes to 5 AM. CBS airs its evening news program from primetime at that hour, and then begins airing the early morning news at 5. Yes, Alec is away. Yes, as usual, the kids are on a sleep strike.
And then there was this news stories was about this terrible accident on the Jersey Turnpike yesterday involving several cars and an 18-wheeler hauling bricks. There were several people killed when the driver of the semi slammed on his brakes, struck the median and careened out of control into another truck, a sedan, and then an SUV. What caught my attention was the story of the Christmas family who were driving back from their vacation. Only 4-year-old Theresa survived the accident. Her parents were both killed instantly. Rescue workers struggled in vain to free her baby sister from her carseat.
I blinked back tears thinking about this little 4-year-old now alone in the world. Would she remember her parents? Her little sister? Her life before everything changed?
Although we talked to my brother Ben years ago about how we wanted him to take care of our then potential kids if something happened to us, we've never had a discussion since. It's just one of those details that you're just too busy to get to. Of course it's important to us that our girls would be with our families, and would maintain their relationships with their uncles, aunt, and grandparents.
I am glad I keep a blog...at least my girls would some day get to know my warped sense of humor and grimace over the silly stories I told about them. Something beyond the few pictures of me...something to connect to. Something to show them how very much I love them.
Those families are in my thoughts...
Lindsay was up at about 10 minutes to 5 AM. CBS airs its evening news program from primetime at that hour, and then begins airing the early morning news at 5. Yes, Alec is away. Yes, as usual, the kids are on a sleep strike.
And then there was this news stories was about this terrible accident on the Jersey Turnpike yesterday involving several cars and an 18-wheeler hauling bricks. There were several people killed when the driver of the semi slammed on his brakes, struck the median and careened out of control into another truck, a sedan, and then an SUV. What caught my attention was the story of the Christmas family who were driving back from their vacation. Only 4-year-old Theresa survived the accident. Her parents were both killed instantly. Rescue workers struggled in vain to free her baby sister from her carseat.
I blinked back tears thinking about this little 4-year-old now alone in the world. Would she remember her parents? Her little sister? Her life before everything changed?Although we talked to my brother Ben years ago about how we wanted him to take care of our then potential kids if something happened to us, we've never had a discussion since. It's just one of those details that you're just too busy to get to. Of course it's important to us that our girls would be with our families, and would maintain their relationships with their uncles, aunt, and grandparents.
I am glad I keep a blog...at least my girls would some day get to know my warped sense of humor and grimace over the silly stories I told about them. Something beyond the few pictures of me...something to connect to. Something to show them how very much I love them.
Those families are in my thoughts...
Monday, August 14, 2006
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Overheard in the tub
The farmer in the Dell
The farmer in the Dell
Hi ho the dairy-O
The farmer in the Dell
The farmer takes a shower
The farmer takes a shower
Hi ho the dairy-O
The farmer takes a shower
Saturday, August 12, 2006
The little lion roared
Lauren is staying with her Poppy and Nanny this weekend. We spend all week looking forward to a little quiet time, and then spend the entire time she's gone talking about how much we miss her.We managed to venture out early this morning to some garage sales, and then realized what we really need to do is have a garage sale, not buy stuff at one. So we both got our hair cut, and we came home and lugged all of our sellable stuff into the sun porch. We didn't manage to sort through our books yet or Lauren's toys, because it is the sort of task that after a couple of hours, you're completely exhausted.
We're trying to stay up long enough for Jess to arrive to watch Lindsay so we can enjoy our dinner at Nova Terra in New Brunswick. I'm glad we weren't planning dinner and a movie tonight, because I don't think we'd make it.
Lauren is due to return tomorrow morning at 11 AM.
Friday, August 11, 2006
If I don't have a good answer, maybe I will just make one up
I've noticed recently that people ask the same strange questions. Particularly family seem emotionally invested in the answers. I think this is strange.
As you know, Lindsay exclusively drinks milk. Sometimes she prefers to drink milk in a bottle. I usually don't offer the bottle first unless I've just fed her or just pumped. There is occasion when I just give her a bottle because it's less complicated than going somewhere I feel comfortable in a semi-disrobed state.
Inevitably someone asks whether I am supplementing with formula, and I will tell them I don't. The next question is always, well what's in the bottle?
At the pediatrician's office, on one of my tired, annoyed days I replied, "Peanut butter."
Peanut butter, for those who don't have school aged kids, is pretty much the napalm of the baby set. Karen will tell you that she quite often gets flyers sent home with her boys that Peanut butter kills! One day I was dropping Lauren off at daycare, and 3 of the workers were surrounding a 5-year-old boy who pulled a Kit Kat out of his pocket. They instructed him to drop it and kick it toward them, picked it up with long tongs and threw it away. They dragged the garbage can out to the curb.
Today I was asked what I'm going back to school to study. Considering that I am taking one or two classes this semester and have 2 years worth of classes before I get to declare a major, I haven't given it serious thought yet. So, I tried to explain this today to Alec's uncle who said, rather abruptly, "You really should have a plan before you go to school."
Well, really. Yeah, that worked so well for me last time.
I think I may start telling people my deep-seeded interest in forensics has led me to pursue a career in forensic pathology.
As you know, Lindsay exclusively drinks milk. Sometimes she prefers to drink milk in a bottle. I usually don't offer the bottle first unless I've just fed her or just pumped. There is occasion when I just give her a bottle because it's less complicated than going somewhere I feel comfortable in a semi-disrobed state.
Inevitably someone asks whether I am supplementing with formula, and I will tell them I don't. The next question is always, well what's in the bottle?
At the pediatrician's office, on one of my tired, annoyed days I replied, "Peanut butter."
Peanut butter, for those who don't have school aged kids, is pretty much the napalm of the baby set. Karen will tell you that she quite often gets flyers sent home with her boys that Peanut butter kills! One day I was dropping Lauren off at daycare, and 3 of the workers were surrounding a 5-year-old boy who pulled a Kit Kat out of his pocket. They instructed him to drop it and kick it toward them, picked it up with long tongs and threw it away. They dragged the garbage can out to the curb.
Today I was asked what I'm going back to school to study. Considering that I am taking one or two classes this semester and have 2 years worth of classes before I get to declare a major, I haven't given it serious thought yet. So, I tried to explain this today to Alec's uncle who said, rather abruptly, "You really should have a plan before you go to school."
Well, really. Yeah, that worked so well for me last time.
I think I may start telling people my deep-seeded interest in forensics has led me to pursue a career in forensic pathology.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Poker, anyone?
The pink kitty purse was named Poker. Notwithstanding that's an odd name for a pet...
Today, Lauren held up a drawing on a pink sheet of paper with large circles drawn in green crayon.
"Is it a face?"
"No, Mommy. It's frogs."
"Oh, sure. Green frogs."
"Yep. Playing poker."
Today, Lauren held up a drawing on a pink sheet of paper with large circles drawn in green crayon.
"Is it a face?"
"No, Mommy. It's frogs."
"Oh, sure. Green frogs."
"Yep. Playing poker."
Bad mommy
We continue our bad mommy theme this week, where Lauren and I discuss that it's time for her to get herself dressed and undressed. Everytime we have this conversation, it leads many tears and much screaming.
Finally today, after the megatantrum, I helped her get dressed. But I will admit, I was annoyed with the precious little urchin. I dressed her in matching clothes because I knew that would rile up her Virgo sense of style. When she gave me a dirty look for making her look like Barney the Dinosaur, I replied, "Well, maybe next time you'll get yourself dressed like I asked you to..."
"I can't get myself dressed, Mommy."
"You can so get yourself dressed, Lauren. But if you decide not to, I hope you like what you're wearing, because you'll be wearing it a very long time."
She wrinkled her nose.
"And it will start to smell..."
"Oh Mommy."
Finally today, after the megatantrum, I helped her get dressed. But I will admit, I was annoyed with the precious little urchin. I dressed her in matching clothes because I knew that would rile up her Virgo sense of style. When she gave me a dirty look for making her look like Barney the Dinosaur, I replied, "Well, maybe next time you'll get yourself dressed like I asked you to..."
"I can't get myself dressed, Mommy.""You can so get yourself dressed, Lauren. But if you decide not to, I hope you like what you're wearing, because you'll be wearing it a very long time."
She wrinkled her nose.
"And it will start to smell..."
"Oh Mommy."
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Confessions of a geek
Step right up! The amazing Lady Epiphany will bite the heads off of chickens!
I've spent a while hiding my geekness. But really, I am a big geek. It is very difficult for me to go even a couple of hours without email or the Internet. There are plenty of times during even a casual conversation that I'll want to look up, for example, who sang a particular song I just heard on the radio that the afternoon deejay didn't announce but all I know is the lyric "haven't you heard of closing the damn door".
I don't have a considerable iTunes library. I've built a couple of them, and yet I only have about 600 songs. I haven't bothered loading most of my CD library into it because I have a pretty short attention span for music. I actually just got my own iShuffle - a gift from my brother and sister-in-law. It's made for people like me who get sick of music and have to reload their playlist on a weekly basis. I don't put it in the car because I have felt that if I didn't listen to the radio, I wouldn't get exposed to new music. Although my dad has his own method for dealing with that particular problem, I suffer a little bit of that GenX need for instant gratification.
Continental Airlines has been running a promotion that you receive 10 iTunes for every plane ticket you purchase. Alec flies weekly these days, so I've had several rounds of free iTunes. I use them to download stuff I like from the radio. My favorite band this week is called Panic! At the Disco, and the lyric above is from I Write Sins Not Tragedies.
I've spent a while hiding my geekness. But really, I am a big geek. It is very difficult for me to go even a couple of hours without email or the Internet. There are plenty of times during even a casual conversation that I'll want to look up, for example, who sang a particular song I just heard on the radio that the afternoon deejay didn't announce but all I know is the lyric "haven't you heard of closing the damn door".
I don't have a considerable iTunes library. I've built a couple of them, and yet I only have about 600 songs. I haven't bothered loading most of my CD library into it because I have a pretty short attention span for music. I actually just got my own iShuffle - a gift from my brother and sister-in-law. It's made for people like me who get sick of music and have to reload their playlist on a weekly basis. I don't put it in the car because I have felt that if I didn't listen to the radio, I wouldn't get exposed to new music. Although my dad has his own method for dealing with that particular problem, I suffer a little bit of that GenX need for instant gratification.
Continental Airlines has been running a promotion that you receive 10 iTunes for every plane ticket you purchase. Alec flies weekly these days, so I've had several rounds of free iTunes. I use them to download stuff I like from the radio. My favorite band this week is called Panic! At the Disco, and the lyric above is from I Write Sins Not Tragedies.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Explosive situations
I've shared with you, dearest Internet, that I swear prolifically. At my last job, it was remarked upon occasionally by my Quaker cubemate. Considering my boss swore like an Armenian sailor, I wasn't too concerned about the impact it might have on my job. I mean, really. Everyone has potty mouth in advertising.
I try to curtail my R-rated language around my kids. I don't always succeed.
My parents almost never swore in my recollection. My mother's language only becomes colorful after a few drinks. She relished to tell the story wherein your heroine drove home from her job in the City with 2-year-old Lauren in tow yelling "Hafta potty! Hafta potty!". As soon as Lauren's feet hit the driveway, she piddled into her shoes. Looking down at the growing puddle, she muttered, exasperated, "Oh...shit."
Lauren at age 2.
Today, we walked to daycare hand in hand. Lindsay was asleep in the snugli. She recounted a story about how one of her teachers said a bad word and told a student to shut up.
"We know that's not a very nice thing to say," I replied.
"Right." Lauren said. "Which is why the next time she does it, I'm going to fuck her up."
Now, dear Internet, I will admit to dropping my fair share of F-bombs, but I can't even think of a single time I've used that particular expression. So the first thought I had was Good usage. Lauren says "telled" instead of "told" and "holded" instead of "held", but she hit this one solidly. Oh, right. I am supposed to be parenting. "That isn't a good thing to say either," I said. "It isn't polite."
"Oh. Ok, Mom."
Here's where we usually have a conversation about what we say politely instead. As for the first example where it is impolite to tell someone to shut up, we might politely as them to be quiet, please. I said, "In that situation, rather than messing her up," I didn't repeat the offending word here, "you might remind her to ask someone nicely to be quiet."
"That's a good idea, Mom."
I try to curtail my R-rated language around my kids. I don't always succeed.
My parents almost never swore in my recollection. My mother's language only becomes colorful after a few drinks. She relished to tell the story wherein your heroine drove home from her job in the City with 2-year-old Lauren in tow yelling "Hafta potty! Hafta potty!". As soon as Lauren's feet hit the driveway, she piddled into her shoes. Looking down at the growing puddle, she muttered, exasperated, "Oh...shit."
Lauren at age 2.Today, we walked to daycare hand in hand. Lindsay was asleep in the snugli. She recounted a story about how one of her teachers said a bad word and told a student to shut up.
"We know that's not a very nice thing to say," I replied.
"Right." Lauren said. "Which is why the next time she does it, I'm going to fuck her up."
Now, dear Internet, I will admit to dropping my fair share of F-bombs, but I can't even think of a single time I've used that particular expression. So the first thought I had was Good usage. Lauren says "telled" instead of "told" and "holded" instead of "held", but she hit this one solidly. Oh, right. I am supposed to be parenting. "That isn't a good thing to say either," I said. "It isn't polite."
"Oh. Ok, Mom."
Here's where we usually have a conversation about what we say politely instead. As for the first example where it is impolite to tell someone to shut up, we might politely as them to be quiet, please. I said, "In that situation, rather than messing her up," I didn't repeat the offending word here, "you might remind her to ask someone nicely to be quiet."
"That's a good idea, Mom."
Monday, August 07, 2006
Things learned
Lauren's maps are very complicated.
If given the choice between having a story or a tantrum, Lauren will choose a story.
Movie day means more than 2 movies.
Lindsay is a little cuddle bug.
If given the choice between having a story or a tantrum, Lauren will choose a story.
Movie day means more than 2 movies.
Lindsay is a little cuddle bug.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Lauren learns about life from Chion
I missed this moment. The photography is spectacular.
"Ooh. What's that?"
"My tongue is pierced."
"Can I touch it?"
"Sure."
"Eww!"
"Ooh. What's that?"
"My tongue is pierced.""Can I touch it?"
"Sure."
"Eww!"
From James and Claire's going away party
A few photos from my brother James' going away party. He and his girlfriend, Claire, leave in 8 days for San Diego.
Dad and Lindsay, after their marathon feeding session.
Alec, my brother James, and James' friend Brian enjoying the Yuka-Yuka. A bottle of Kettle One infused with several lemons and limes and left to ferment overnight with a half box of sugar. The resulting lemontini was passed and enjoyed, and Yuka-Yuka-Yuka chanted as the mix was shaken vigorously. It's Alec's turn in this shot.
Lauren playing Hide-and-Seek with G
My sister Juliana and Claire's brother Neil
Dad and Lindsay, after their marathon feeding session.
Alec, my brother James, and James' friend Brian enjoying the Yuka-Yuka. A bottle of Kettle One infused with several lemons and limes and left to ferment overnight with a half box of sugar. The resulting lemontini was passed and enjoyed, and Yuka-Yuka-Yuka chanted as the mix was shaken vigorously. It's Alec's turn in this shot.
Lauren playing Hide-and-Seek with G
My sister Juliana and Claire's brother Neil
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Tequila and math don't mix
So, go ahead. Ask me how much tequila I drank last night...
I had so much tequila that:
Not only did I misreport the date of my own birthday to my father, but I accused my husband of having done it.
It's really bad enough to have gotten drunk enough to forget an entire evening and my own birthday, but to do it the eve of a family gathering where the story will be repeated about a dozen times is just careless. I may never live it down.
I had so much tequila that:
- I don't remember anything about the movie we started watching;
- I don't remember making love with my husband on the couch;
- I don't remember how we got upstairs;
- I woke up naked on the bathroom floor with a towel thrown over me;
- I read my father's blog in the morning and discovered that I'd misreported the date of my own birthday
Not only did I misreport the date of my own birthday to my father, but I accused my husband of having done it.
It's really bad enough to have gotten drunk enough to forget an entire evening and my own birthday, but to do it the eve of a family gathering where the story will be repeated about a dozen times is just careless. I may never live it down.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Yes, as a matter of fact, I was dropped on my head as a baby
So I decided to take the girls to the movies...
Yeah, I have NO idea what I was thinking. Oh, right.
This particular movie theater has this Granny-looking character who scolds you about not putting your feet on the seats, turning off your cellphone, and not talking during the movie. Her voice is loud and booming. Pretty much she started talking, and Lindsay started screaming.
I grab Lindsay's bottle and try to feed her, which lasts into the credits of the movie. But as soon as the theater gets loud with sounds of the movie, she starts screaming again. I warn Lauren that we may have to leave if Lindsay doesn't quiet, and start gathering our stuff. Lauren begins to throw the Mother Of All Tantrums. I abandon the Milk Duds and water and manage to move both screaming girls to the front of the theater, so I can walk back and forth with Lindsay to calm her, and Lauren can still see me. This lasts maybe 3 minutes before Lauren is also in the middle of the aisle screaming.
"I want to go hooo-ome." she says tearfully, grasping her bag of popcorn tightly.
"Okay." I am defeated.
We leave the theater. Lauren is sniffling. Lindsay is sleeping. My wallet is $25 dollars lighter after the tickets and consessions.
Yeah, I have NO idea what I was thinking. Oh, right.
- The baby can sleep hours in her snugli.
- Lauren really loves the movies.
- We've been cooped up in the house all week with staggering heat.
This particular movie theater has this Granny-looking character who scolds you about not putting your feet on the seats, turning off your cellphone, and not talking during the movie. Her voice is loud and booming. Pretty much she started talking, and Lindsay started screaming.
I grab Lindsay's bottle and try to feed her, which lasts into the credits of the movie. But as soon as the theater gets loud with sounds of the movie, she starts screaming again. I warn Lauren that we may have to leave if Lindsay doesn't quiet, and start gathering our stuff. Lauren begins to throw the Mother Of All Tantrums. I abandon the Milk Duds and water and manage to move both screaming girls to the front of the theater, so I can walk back and forth with Lindsay to calm her, and Lauren can still see me. This lasts maybe 3 minutes before Lauren is also in the middle of the aisle screaming.
"I want to go hooo-ome." she says tearfully, grasping her bag of popcorn tightly.
"Okay." I am defeated.
We leave the theater. Lauren is sniffling. Lindsay is sleeping. My wallet is $25 dollars lighter after the tickets and consessions.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
That's Doctor Quack to you
"Little Bear's doctor is called Dr Quack."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Is he a duck?"
"She."
"Is she a duck?"
"Yep. She likes it when you call her 'Doc Quack'."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Is he a duck?"
"She."
"Is she a duck?"
"Yep. She likes it when you call her 'Doc Quack'."
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Rent-a-husband
Um, I don't mean this in the...um...well, y'know...prurient sense.
Occasionally I would like a number to call up, say, when I can't open a jar of pasta sauce or to kill a spider or um, RIGHT NOW when there's that smell of death in the basement. OH MY GOD. I totally don't think I can deal with finding whatever is causing the DEAD SMELL.
Any volunteers?
Yeah. I thought not.
Occasionally I would like a number to call up, say, when I can't open a jar of pasta sauce or to kill a spider or um, RIGHT NOW when there's that smell of death in the basement. OH MY GOD. I totally don't think I can deal with finding whatever is causing the DEAD SMELL.
Any volunteers?
Yeah. I thought not.
All I am saying is give sleep a chance
I am really not sure how much more of this middle of the night dance I can do with my girls. It seems that every time Alec is in Miami, they go on sleep strikes. With the increased frequency of these trips, I haven't managed yet to catch up from those early weeks of round the clock feedings. And, since Lindsay is having a growth spur, the nursing-pumping-feeding thing seems to eat hours into the night, because I need to do a middle of the night pump session just to keep up with her lately.
My patience worn entirely thin is most difficult on Lauren. A near miss in the bathtub had me yelling at her in tears. We recovered enough to end the evening with a cuddle session on the bed in our jammies during storytime during which she offered a heartwrenching I love you to her baby sister who shetried to drown accidently let go of in the bathtub.
Good times.
So this morning, Lindsay is the only one dressed at 11:30 AM, which is symbolic of my personal failures. There's a load of laundry spinning in the wash, 2 bags of garbage and recycling by the door to go out, and a box of brownies to be made for tonight's potluck at the daycare center. Gotta go grab a shower too, because I will find myself astride the stirrups at my doctor's office in 105 degree weather this afternoon.
My patience worn entirely thin is most difficult on Lauren. A near miss in the bathtub had me yelling at her in tears. We recovered enough to end the evening with a cuddle session on the bed in our jammies during storytime during which she offered a heartwrenching I love you to her baby sister who she
Good times.
So this morning, Lindsay is the only one dressed at 11:30 AM, which is symbolic of my personal failures. There's a load of laundry spinning in the wash, 2 bags of garbage and recycling by the door to go out, and a box of brownies to be made for tonight's potluck at the daycare center. Gotta go grab a shower too, because I will find myself astride the stirrups at my doctor's office in 105 degree weather this afternoon.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Lauren at daycare
Alec brought Lauren into daycare today while Lindsay and I waited in the car. We were on our way to drop him off at Newark so he could fly to, you guessed it, Miami.
The daycare is in a converted house about the same vintage as ours. There are 3 rooms downstairs converted into a single classroom with a galley kitchen for the two- and three-year-olds, and up a very steep flight of stairs, three bedrooms have been converted into a classroom and a kitchen for the four- and five-year-olds. Lauren plays with the older kids.
The daycare is in a converted house about the same vintage as ours. There are 3 rooms downstairs converted into a single classroom with a galley kitchen for the two- and three-year-olds, and up a very steep flight of stairs, three bedrooms have been converted into a classroom and a kitchen for the four- and five-year-olds. Lauren plays with the older kids.
Alec walked her upstairs and got her situated at the large craft table they have with those miniature chairs around it. She began drawing a picture for him."I had to get out of there," Alec told me as he recounted the story. "Those girls are meeeean!"
"See, Daddy? I drew a beautiful picture." said Lauren.
"Yep, that is beautiful."
"No, it's not," offered one of her classmates.
"Well, that is your opinion," Alec said. "I think Lauren's picture is beautiful. And yours is very nice too."
"No it's not, " retorted Lauren.
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