Today K (19.5 months) and I had a Special K day. We went to the coffee shop and had a mocha and milk (me the mocha, her the milk) and shared a muffin. I know she's had enough muffin when she starts putting it in her mouth and spitting it out. Despite that trick, she was very cute. She entertained and baffled me as she sat in her chair with her nose pressed up against her cup of milk that was sitting on the table. She sat that way for about 2 minutes. I don't know why. I asked her and all she would say was a head nod with a little Hmph while she nodded (her trademark move).
We also went to the grocery store. She had a little kid-size cart and pushed it around. She did GREAT steering it and avoiding people. She did much better than her older sister did the first time her older sister pushed around one of the kid-sized carts. The first time I let N do it she was about 3. Oh my. I still feel sad when I think about the poor woman she ran into. N ran into me several times that day too so I know it hurt. (In all fairness though, the first time N did the "cart-thing" she had to push her own cart while I pushed mine, whereas K had me to help her.) Anyway, K was so proud of herself pushing the little cart. It was so cute! She stayed very focused on her task. (Did I mention that she was adorable while doing this?)
I rarely get to spend alone time with K because right now T (4 months) needs me and it's hard to leave T. I resolved yesterday that today would be a K day though and I did manage to send T off with the nanny. It was so hard watching T leave, but K and I had a lot of fun that we wouldn't have otherwise gotten to have. My little K. She's napping now. I'm going to do my exercise DVD before she wakes and before T and N return home.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Our time away
Our time away from all the girls this afternoon must have caused us to lose our touch. Tonight was just a mess. Everyone was unhappy. Not a fun night. Fortunately the three munchkins have all been asleep for 2 hours or so now. I must go do the same. More details to follow most likely if I can remember them tomorrow when I have time to type.
Edited to add that I started the post earlier than this one so it's actually the previous one. (Sorry for the confusion.)
Edited to add that I started the post earlier than this one so it's actually the previous one. (Sorry for the confusion.)
Snippets from today
Today, my husband and I got a rare day with just the two of us. I don't like to leave all three little girls with any one person for long periods of time because it is overwhelming, but today, both of our nannies (the two half-time ones) were available so we divided the girls and they conquered. My husband and I had lunch out by ourselves and then did some shopping for things to help us. We got a DVD rack because of our growing DVD collection (mostly comprised of Baby Einstein DVD's and Dora). We also went to a bathroom store because we're re-doing the girls' bathroom at our new house. More on that later.
Anyway, as we were eating lunch, we were seated at a very small two-top at the front of this restaurant near the entrance. This other family with two kids probably 5 & 8 were standing near our table waiting for their table. The 5 year old was a boy and he was really fricking annoying. He kept coming up to our table and touching our table. The father was just standing behind the boy beaming. I almost asked the father if he minded paying us to watch the boy since he wasn't.
My girls will do annoying things, all kids do, but I try really hard not to let them invade other people's space. This father wasn't doing anything to prevent the son from breaching the normal social contract, and he appeared to think that we should enjoy having his son breathing all over our table and food. We didn't. Maybe the father thought we were a childless couple who were getting enjoyment out of his child and he was giving us a gift by letting his son interact with us. Let me stress that we weren't enjoying the boy.
My husband and I were trying to enjoy a quiet lunch sans children. We had two nannies working with us so that this could happen. We did not want a random child interupting us. Parents out there, please don't assume that someone without kids with them and who are being nice to your kid actually want to be interacting with your kid. I think our body language was pretty clear and saying that we didn't want to be interacting with the child. Maybe it wouldn't have been clear to the child, but the father should have picked up on it. But he was clueless apparently. We were only being nice to the child because, in general, we are nice people. I wasn't thinking nice thoughts though. I was not inviting the child to interact with me.
To give one example of how annoying the child was, he almost took the croutons that my husband didn't eat from his salad but left on his plate. It was only through quick thinking on my husband's part that prevented the child from doing so. I'm not sure what the boy's father was thinking, but he wasn't doing anything to prevent his son from stealing food (granted food we didn't want) but stealing food nonetheless from someone's plate from happening. Oh, this child was annoying, but probably only because his parents let him get away with this sort of behavior. What sort of parent lets their child touch the used plate of someone who is not related to them?
Okay, I'm done venting about that experience.
Oh, one more thing about that experience, but it's not venting... When that other family got seated my husband and I discussed what we would have liked to have said to the father... I said the thing about asking if the father would pay us. I then told my husband that I was going to blog about the experience and he said I should have asked the father if he minded if I blogged about his annoying son and him. Tee Hee.
*************
As my husband and I were walking around, I asked him if he liked having our three little girls. I sometimes feel they overwhelm him. He said, yes he loved having our little girls. I asked if he'd be bored with out them, and he said, Yes, but that he probably wouldn't realize he was bored. So true. You don't realize how much kids change your life till you have them and especially when you go out without them. You miss them! We haven't actually spent a night away from the girls yet. I can't imagine leaving them for all night. I have spent 2 nights in the hopital away from N, one night for the birth of each of her sisters, but I don't count those as nights away. He was with the older girls while I was in the hospital.
*************
I'm now sitting here with T (4 months) and she's helping me type. She's such a good girl. The older two will be home from hanging with the other nanny soon. Tomorrow I think I will have that nanny watch N (almost 4) and T so that I can spend some quality time with K (19.5 months). I rarely get one-on-one time with K. I also want to have a special day with N this weekend. N gets me a lot with T, but not a lot one-on-one. T gets me a lot with N and also all by herself since she's my nursling who is exclusively nursing.
Anyway, as we were eating lunch, we were seated at a very small two-top at the front of this restaurant near the entrance. This other family with two kids probably 5 & 8 were standing near our table waiting for their table. The 5 year old was a boy and he was really fricking annoying. He kept coming up to our table and touching our table. The father was just standing behind the boy beaming. I almost asked the father if he minded paying us to watch the boy since he wasn't.
My girls will do annoying things, all kids do, but I try really hard not to let them invade other people's space. This father wasn't doing anything to prevent the son from breaching the normal social contract, and he appeared to think that we should enjoy having his son breathing all over our table and food. We didn't. Maybe the father thought we were a childless couple who were getting enjoyment out of his child and he was giving us a gift by letting his son interact with us. Let me stress that we weren't enjoying the boy.
My husband and I were trying to enjoy a quiet lunch sans children. We had two nannies working with us so that this could happen. We did not want a random child interupting us. Parents out there, please don't assume that someone without kids with them and who are being nice to your kid actually want to be interacting with your kid. I think our body language was pretty clear and saying that we didn't want to be interacting with the child. Maybe it wouldn't have been clear to the child, but the father should have picked up on it. But he was clueless apparently. We were only being nice to the child because, in general, we are nice people. I wasn't thinking nice thoughts though. I was not inviting the child to interact with me.
To give one example of how annoying the child was, he almost took the croutons that my husband didn't eat from his salad but left on his plate. It was only through quick thinking on my husband's part that prevented the child from doing so. I'm not sure what the boy's father was thinking, but he wasn't doing anything to prevent his son from stealing food (granted food we didn't want) but stealing food nonetheless from someone's plate from happening. Oh, this child was annoying, but probably only because his parents let him get away with this sort of behavior. What sort of parent lets their child touch the used plate of someone who is not related to them?
Okay, I'm done venting about that experience.
Oh, one more thing about that experience, but it's not venting... When that other family got seated my husband and I discussed what we would have liked to have said to the father... I said the thing about asking if the father would pay us. I then told my husband that I was going to blog about the experience and he said I should have asked the father if he minded if I blogged about his annoying son and him. Tee Hee.
As my husband and I were walking around, I asked him if he liked having our three little girls. I sometimes feel they overwhelm him. He said, yes he loved having our little girls. I asked if he'd be bored with out them, and he said, Yes, but that he probably wouldn't realize he was bored. So true. You don't realize how much kids change your life till you have them and especially when you go out without them. You miss them! We haven't actually spent a night away from the girls yet. I can't imagine leaving them for all night. I have spent 2 nights in the hopital away from N, one night for the birth of each of her sisters, but I don't count those as nights away. He was with the older girls while I was in the hospital.
I'm now sitting here with T (4 months) and she's helping me type. She's such a good girl. The older two will be home from hanging with the other nanny soon. Tomorrow I think I will have that nanny watch N (almost 4) and T so that I can spend some quality time with K (19.5 months). I rarely get one-on-one time with K. I also want to have a special day with N this weekend. N gets me a lot with T, but not a lot one-on-one. T gets me a lot with N and also all by herself since she's my nursling who is exclusively nursing.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Whew, crazy day!
Tonight we had some friends over for dinner. We had 5 kiddos in our house for dinner. It was a wacky dinner. It never happened that all 9 of us were at the table at the same time. First it was the four adults, K and their daughter. Then K and their daughter finished and N came down. Then N finshed and T and their baby woke up... It was total kid-juggling! It was a fun night though.
It's always great when we have people over to visit... Our house gets a good top-to-bottom cleaning in one day. I am always cleaning it seems, but usually my strategy is to do one floor at a time (or even just one room at a time depending on how much time I have) and thus, the house never feels all clean. When we have company it gets all clean in one day. It was also nice that my husband was home and did a lot of cleaning! (Bonus, my house is clean and I didn't have to clean it all.)
I can't decide if I should get someone to come clean my house or not. I never am satisfied with how other people clean my house. I like the way I do it better. The problem is that I don't always have time to clean my house and if I had someone coming to clean it I would at least have someone making an attempt at cleaning which is better than no attempt at all...right? I can never decide. When I was pregnant, it was a no-brainer. I was tired and busy with work and needed help. Now, I have most of my energy back and I am not totally swamped at work (because I'm trying very hard not to be).
I really still want the Sc*ooba floor cleaner. The local newspaper did a review of it and it was favorable. I currently have a Ho*over Floo*rMat*e and I like it pretty well. I think it does a great job of cleaning. I don't use it for vacuuming the hard floors (something that people complain about in the reviews). In fact, it does such a great job in the cleaning phase that I am often sad if I use it more often than every 10 days. I am sad because there isn't much dirt on the floor because it's gotten the floor sooooo clean. If I use it every 10 days, then the floor is dirty enough and I can see how clean the floor is again. The best strategy for me is to use it, and then swifter a few times and then use it again after about 10 days so that I can get that clean floor satisfaction.
Anyway, back to the Sc*ooba, it's about $400, but that's what I would have to pay a cleaning service for about 3 visits, so it could definitely be a good investment. Granted, the cleaning service would clean more than just the floors, but the floors are a large part of our house. If the Sc*ooba does as good of a job as the H*oover, then I would really be happy with purchasing it. In the review in our newspaper, they said that they had to change the tank a couple of times and I'm sure in my house I'd have to change the tank a few times, but if it could clean my floors while I got to play in the blogosphere or with my kiddos it would be soooo worth it. Yes, I could hire a cleaning service to come clean my house while I played in the blogosphere or with my kiddos, but I'd rather have the Sc*ooba I think.
It's always great when we have people over to visit... Our house gets a good top-to-bottom cleaning in one day. I am always cleaning it seems, but usually my strategy is to do one floor at a time (or even just one room at a time depending on how much time I have) and thus, the house never feels all clean. When we have company it gets all clean in one day. It was also nice that my husband was home and did a lot of cleaning! (Bonus, my house is clean and I didn't have to clean it all.)
I can't decide if I should get someone to come clean my house or not. I never am satisfied with how other people clean my house. I like the way I do it better. The problem is that I don't always have time to clean my house and if I had someone coming to clean it I would at least have someone making an attempt at cleaning which is better than no attempt at all...right? I can never decide. When I was pregnant, it was a no-brainer. I was tired and busy with work and needed help. Now, I have most of my energy back and I am not totally swamped at work (because I'm trying very hard not to be).
I really still want the Sc*ooba floor cleaner. The local newspaper did a review of it and it was favorable. I currently have a Ho*over Floo*rMat*e and I like it pretty well. I think it does a great job of cleaning. I don't use it for vacuuming the hard floors (something that people complain about in the reviews). In fact, it does such a great job in the cleaning phase that I am often sad if I use it more often than every 10 days. I am sad because there isn't much dirt on the floor because it's gotten the floor sooooo clean. If I use it every 10 days, then the floor is dirty enough and I can see how clean the floor is again. The best strategy for me is to use it, and then swifter a few times and then use it again after about 10 days so that I can get that clean floor satisfaction.
Anyway, back to the Sc*ooba, it's about $400, but that's what I would have to pay a cleaning service for about 3 visits, so it could definitely be a good investment. Granted, the cleaning service would clean more than just the floors, but the floors are a large part of our house. If the Sc*ooba does as good of a job as the H*oover, then I would really be happy with purchasing it. In the review in our newspaper, they said that they had to change the tank a couple of times and I'm sure in my house I'd have to change the tank a few times, but if it could clean my floors while I got to play in the blogosphere or with my kiddos it would be soooo worth it. Yes, I could hire a cleaning service to come clean my house while I played in the blogosphere or with my kiddos, but I'd rather have the Sc*ooba I think.
I hope he doesn't lose his job because of this entry...
Today, I went to the post office and I was helped by a smart, efficient, super helpful man. Seriously, he was great. He was even funny. I thought those qualities were not allowed in governmental employees.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
A little back story
My back is not a happy back. I'm pretty sure that I have a sacro iliac injury. Three weeks before I got married (in 1998) I hurt my back (in the sacro iliac area) doing kick boxing. I was seriously afraid I wouldn't be able to walk down the aisle. Fortunately, my chiropractor fixed me. I went to the chiropractor on and off for a while and then I felt pretty good. When I was pregnant with N (in 2001) I kind of re-injured my back (vacuuming) but I didn't go to the chiropractor because I was too scared it might cause a miscarriage. (I'd had one before and I was scared out of my mind.) After that pregnancy, I was surprised by how good my back actually felt.... I was thrilled!
Then when I was just newly pregnant with K, I fell and injured my back again. I didn't go to the chiropractor. I was worried that it might make things worse or that it might hurt the pregnancy. Silly me. Throughout that pregnancy, my back was not a happy back. After K was born, I started seeing my chiropractor again. It was just starting to feel pretty good. Then I got pregnant with T. This time, I kept going to the chiropractor till I was about 32-ish weeks pregnant. At this point, my joints were so loose that the adjustments only lasted for about 2 minutes. I decided they actually were making things worse too because I would walk and my lower back would click, grind and pop constantly. It was as if it was trying to settle itself. When I stopped seeing the chiropractor, it stopped doing that, but it still hurt.
The last 8 weeks of pregnancy I said, "My back is not a happy back." so frequently that my almost 4 year old would clutch her lower back and say the same thing in the same intonation that I said it. (It's so weird when they reflect you back at yourself.)
About 4 or five weeks after T was born I started going back to the chiropractor. I was in so much pain. My upper back was pretty screwed up too. My lower back was hurting the most, but the upper back gets a lot of abuse from all the lifting and holding of babies that I do. Since T's been born, I've had a couple of deep tissue massages. Not the kind that's relaxing. The kind that makes you feel beat up. They've helped a little, but not a lot. If I had all the time in the world I would get 2 massages a week and visit the chiropractor after each massage. I would also do more stretches and strengthening exercises.
Of course, if I had all the time in the world, I probably wouldn't be in such pain. I probably wouldn't routinely lug around 40, 26 and 14 pounds. On days when I'm alone with the girls, or even just with them all day my back kills me.
When I leave my chiropractor, I usually don't hurt too much. I heart my chiropractor. Of course as the day wears on after my visit I can feel my back going crooked on me again. I don't know how long I should give my back to heal. It's been through a lot. 3 pregnancies in 4 years and lots of lifting. I don't have a lot of time to focus on it. It needs time to heal. It needs some tender loving care. I need to do focus on it for me, but I just don't know when I'm going to find the time. (I find the time to blog because I can do it while nursing a little one. I get a lot of time for it because she loves to lay beside me and nurse.) I know what needs to be done, I just don't know if it will happen. It's very sad.
Then when I was just newly pregnant with K, I fell and injured my back again. I didn't go to the chiropractor. I was worried that it might make things worse or that it might hurt the pregnancy. Silly me. Throughout that pregnancy, my back was not a happy back. After K was born, I started seeing my chiropractor again. It was just starting to feel pretty good. Then I got pregnant with T. This time, I kept going to the chiropractor till I was about 32-ish weeks pregnant. At this point, my joints were so loose that the adjustments only lasted for about 2 minutes. I decided they actually were making things worse too because I would walk and my lower back would click, grind and pop constantly. It was as if it was trying to settle itself. When I stopped seeing the chiropractor, it stopped doing that, but it still hurt.
The last 8 weeks of pregnancy I said, "My back is not a happy back." so frequently that my almost 4 year old would clutch her lower back and say the same thing in the same intonation that I said it. (It's so weird when they reflect you back at yourself.)
About 4 or five weeks after T was born I started going back to the chiropractor. I was in so much pain. My upper back was pretty screwed up too. My lower back was hurting the most, but the upper back gets a lot of abuse from all the lifting and holding of babies that I do. Since T's been born, I've had a couple of deep tissue massages. Not the kind that's relaxing. The kind that makes you feel beat up. They've helped a little, but not a lot. If I had all the time in the world I would get 2 massages a week and visit the chiropractor after each massage. I would also do more stretches and strengthening exercises.
Of course, if I had all the time in the world, I probably wouldn't be in such pain. I probably wouldn't routinely lug around 40, 26 and 14 pounds. On days when I'm alone with the girls, or even just with them all day my back kills me.
When I leave my chiropractor, I usually don't hurt too much. I heart my chiropractor. Of course as the day wears on after my visit I can feel my back going crooked on me again. I don't know how long I should give my back to heal. It's been through a lot. 3 pregnancies in 4 years and lots of lifting. I don't have a lot of time to focus on it. It needs time to heal. It needs some tender loving care. I need to do focus on it for me, but I just don't know when I'm going to find the time. (I find the time to blog because I can do it while nursing a little one. I get a lot of time for it because she loves to lay beside me and nurse.) I know what needs to be done, I just don't know if it will happen. It's very sad.
On Being Polite...
Whenever N (almost 4) doesn't want to do something she says, "No Thank you." As if being polite will make it okay to not do whatever it is that I need her / am asking her to do. So funny!
One more T thing
When I pick her up she sometimes sucks on my cheeks.... It's slobbery, but so wonderfully sweet. I love that baby slobber!
Will you remember?
N is almost 4. I was trying to remember my earliest memories. I have some vague ones from when I was 4, but I don't think I really remember much before age 4. It's so odd to me that N will hardly remember anything that has happened to her prior to this point, and even for a while after it will all be hazy. It's all been so memorable and life-changing for her father and me. I've taken so many pictures, so much video and written in my journal and now this blog so much so that we can remember and share it with N (and K and T).
When I had N, I wanted to know all of my own milestones and what I could expect from N. N didn't come with an instruction manual. I think I started keeping all these records so that she could have her own instruction manual for her kids. N is the best documented baby! Now there are 3. I did less of a good job recording everything with K. Not because I didn't notice it, and not because I was too busy, but because it wasn't such uncharted territory. I probably was able to enjoy K more because I wasn't so curious about what would happen next like I was with N, I knew more. So far, the documentation up to 4 months for N will work for all 3 because the first 4 months of milestones have occurred at very similar times. K and N have been fairly similar too up to 19.5 months. N enuciated more than K when she started talking, but K talks like crazy, it's just a little more slurred.
This time with T, it's really hard to record things because of the lack of time and my lack of brain. I often walk into a room and stand there for a few minutes wondering, "Why did I come here.....??? I know there was a reason, but what was it????" When I sit down to write about T, all I can come up with is how cute and snuggly she is. I guess I should write about how she has found her feet. She grabs them and holds on, but hasn't put them in her mouth yet. I love how when she lays on her back her feet immediately go up in the air. It's so amazing too how much little ones squirm. When T's awake she is always moving something. N and K squirm a lot too, but not as much as T. Or maybe they squirm as much, but it's more controlled squirming since they are older.
Right now T is laying on the bed and our cat is next to her. She is trying to pet him. In the last week or so, she's really interested in everything. She is over 4 months now. N underwent a major personality change at 4 months. N had been a very sleepy (but not snuggly) baby for her first four months and then, poof, she was into everything and grabbing and making all of her interests clear. T is not quite as grabby, but is much more interested in toys than she was prior. She's also less sleepy. She talks all the time. She giggles on occasion, but smiles the biggest gummy smiles all the time. She sucks her thumb some, but not as much as the other two did. She still sleeps snuggled next to me every night.
When T is on her tummy she picks up her little butt or holds her head up all the way. She's so strong. N and K were crawling by 7 and 6.5 months respectively. I think T may be earlier still. She's very motivated because of all the toys every where. She loves to watch her big sisters. When she's in the swing, K (19.5 months) will come over and give her kisses and hugs. For as young as K is she's a very good big sister.
T is also trying really hard to sit up on her own. She falls right over, but sometimes she'll catch herself on her hands and balance for a second or too. We only play this game on our very soft bed.
I hope I can remember it all from the pictures and the stories. Of course, I want them to grow up, but I really want to remember all of this too. It's going by so fast.
When I had N, I wanted to know all of my own milestones and what I could expect from N. N didn't come with an instruction manual. I think I started keeping all these records so that she could have her own instruction manual for her kids. N is the best documented baby! Now there are 3. I did less of a good job recording everything with K. Not because I didn't notice it, and not because I was too busy, but because it wasn't such uncharted territory. I probably was able to enjoy K more because I wasn't so curious about what would happen next like I was with N, I knew more. So far, the documentation up to 4 months for N will work for all 3 because the first 4 months of milestones have occurred at very similar times. K and N have been fairly similar too up to 19.5 months. N enuciated more than K when she started talking, but K talks like crazy, it's just a little more slurred.
This time with T, it's really hard to record things because of the lack of time and my lack of brain. I often walk into a room and stand there for a few minutes wondering, "Why did I come here.....??? I know there was a reason, but what was it????" When I sit down to write about T, all I can come up with is how cute and snuggly she is. I guess I should write about how she has found her feet. She grabs them and holds on, but hasn't put them in her mouth yet. I love how when she lays on her back her feet immediately go up in the air. It's so amazing too how much little ones squirm. When T's awake she is always moving something. N and K squirm a lot too, but not as much as T. Or maybe they squirm as much, but it's more controlled squirming since they are older.
Right now T is laying on the bed and our cat is next to her. She is trying to pet him. In the last week or so, she's really interested in everything. She is over 4 months now. N underwent a major personality change at 4 months. N had been a very sleepy (but not snuggly) baby for her first four months and then, poof, she was into everything and grabbing and making all of her interests clear. T is not quite as grabby, but is much more interested in toys than she was prior. She's also less sleepy. She talks all the time. She giggles on occasion, but smiles the biggest gummy smiles all the time. She sucks her thumb some, but not as much as the other two did. She still sleeps snuggled next to me every night.
When T is on her tummy she picks up her little butt or holds her head up all the way. She's so strong. N and K were crawling by 7 and 6.5 months respectively. I think T may be earlier still. She's very motivated because of all the toys every where. She loves to watch her big sisters. When she's in the swing, K (19.5 months) will come over and give her kisses and hugs. For as young as K is she's a very good big sister.
T is also trying really hard to sit up on her own. She falls right over, but sometimes she'll catch herself on her hands and balance for a second or too. We only play this game on our very soft bed.
I hope I can remember it all from the pictures and the stories. Of course, I want them to grow up, but I really want to remember all of this too. It's going by so fast.
Hello... Daddy?
K (19.5 months) picked up one of her new play phones... My husband was standing in the kitchen. She looked at him and said, "Hello Daddy?"
He said hi back. She kept looking at him and saying hello. He finally figured out that she wanted him to pick up the phone from our kitchen. She wanted to have a phone conversation with Daddy. So cute!
On a related note, N (almost 4) has started answering our real phone. She answered it one time when I called and I asked her if she knew it was going to be me and she said, "Yes. She answered it one other time when the nanny was calling. She had a nice chat with the nanny and then failed to get me when it was time. The nanny had to call back on my cell phone to get me. We've now given N phone lessons.
N also called me one day, with Daddy's help, and left me a voice mail. It was too sweet. She has such a little girl voice on the phone. She sounds older in person to me than she does on the phone.
He said hi back. She kept looking at him and saying hello. He finally figured out that she wanted him to pick up the phone from our kitchen. She wanted to have a phone conversation with Daddy. So cute!
On a related note, N (almost 4) has started answering our real phone. She answered it one time when I called and I asked her if she knew it was going to be me and she said, "Yes. She answered it one other time when the nanny was calling. She had a nice chat with the nanny and then failed to get me when it was time. The nanny had to call back on my cell phone to get me. We've now given N phone lessons.
N also called me one day, with Daddy's help, and left me a voice mail. It was too sweet. She has such a little girl voice on the phone. She sounds older in person to me than she does on the phone.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Lost
No, not the show, but all of N's things. She is always losing stuff. I spend my days and nights endlessly looking for a lost stuffed animal, or a lost blanket. Last night, she lost her little blanket that she needs to sleep. We have more than one of them, but they were either dirty or misplaced. It took forever for me to find one so that she could go to sleep.
We're trying to make 2006 the year N learns to keep track of her things.
I think N is a lot like me. My Mom used to always say that I'd lose my head if it weren't attached to my neck. That's how I feel she is.
We're trying to make 2006 the year N learns to keep track of her things.
I think N is a lot like me. My Mom used to always say that I'd lose my head if it weren't attached to my neck. That's how I feel she is.
A couple of quotes from yesterday
When N opened up the package I complained about here, the one where the book was appropriate subject matter, but not the right age range, she said, "This isn't for me." Laughing, I asked her, "Who is it for?" She said, "I don't know. It's kind of weird."
N found a lacy ribbon that had been tied around one of the packages and picked it up and handed it to me. She said, "It's for your "nursers" mommy." (She had just seen one of my bras the day before and was very interested in the lace on it.) She then went on to explain to her Daddy how I needed things for my nursers because they were so big. (Just wait till you have a kid and are full of milk!)
N found a lacy ribbon that had been tied around one of the packages and picked it up and handed it to me. She said, "It's for your "nursers" mommy." (She had just seen one of my bras the day before and was very interested in the lace on it.) She then went on to explain to her Daddy how I needed things for my nursers because they were so big. (Just wait till you have a kid and are full of milk!)
Taking my turtle for a walk
One day in November, I saw this man taking his turtle for a walk.
He would place his turtle at one end of the parking lot, and then follow behind as the turtle walked about 50 feet. The man would then pick up the turtle and walk back to where the turtle had started, set down the turtle and make the turtle start all over again. The poor turtle never got to go where it wanted. The man was reading his book the whole time.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
A countdown of sorts
10 years ago I don't remember what I was doing on Christmas. I was dating an evil guy TM and I honestly don't remember what happened at Christmas. In a weird way, I am glad I don't remember. I don't remember a lot of my life that occurred when I was with him. Maybe I repressed those memories. (Sometimes a little repression is a good idea.) I do know that if you'd have told me where I would be in 10 years I would never have believed you.
9 years ago I had just met my husband (in October) and we were apart at Christmas. It was sad. He was with his family and I was with mine. He emailed me and said he hoped we'd never be apart again at Christmas. (All together now, Awww!)
8 years ago my husband and I spent our first Christmas together. I made manicotti. He proposed. He did not propose because of the manicotti. It was good manicotti, but not that good. We had some friends over for dinner.
7 years ago we spent our first married Christmas together with his family. It snowed there.
6 years ago we spent Christmas with my family. I can't remember if it snowed, but I do know it was grey and bleak. Opening presents was insane. My husband thought the present opening process with my family resembled a shark feeding frenzy.
5 years ago I was desperately wanting to get pregnant after a miscarriage. It felt like we'd been trying forever. We didn't go anywhere. It was this year when we realized how much we liked staying home at the holidays. I got to spend some time with a friend who had just had her first baby. It made me want to have a baby even more.
4 years ago I was pregnant with N and huge. N was due in early January so we didn't travel anywhere. I couldn't believe I was actually going to end up with a baby in a few short weeks. My beloved kitty was very sick and I was nursing him back to health. (The first of much care that I gave to him until February when he left our existence.)
3 years ago N was almost 1 and we were so excited to have her. I got to see the friend who I'd seen 2 Christmases before when she had a baby and I didn't. I was so happy to have N and to be a Mom too. N learned to walk at the beginning of December and we were chasing her everywhere during Christmas break. She walked for about a week and then she learned to run. She was such a spaz and so much fun.
2 years ago I was pregnant with K (about 20 weeks) and we were recovering from the worst flu ever. Seriously. My husband and I didn't leave the house for 10 days. (This is one reason (among many) why we don't travel around the holidays.)
1 year ago my world changed in an instant when I pee'd on a stick and saw two lines. I had always thought that it wasn't easy for me to get pregnant, and suddenly I had a surprise pregnancy. Whoa. This. Rocked. My. World. I made my husband go to the store and buy some more pregnancy tests cause I was sure that the old one I had was wrong. It wasn't. I don't remember much about Christmas after that test. (I do, but it all pales in comparison to that surprise!) That wonderful surprise is now beside me drooling and chewing on my jeans (yum).
That leaves us with where we are now.
9 years ago I had just met my husband (in October) and we were apart at Christmas. It was sad. He was with his family and I was with mine. He emailed me and said he hoped we'd never be apart again at Christmas. (All together now, Awww!)
8 years ago my husband and I spent our first Christmas together. I made manicotti. He proposed. He did not propose because of the manicotti. It was good manicotti, but not that good. We had some friends over for dinner.
7 years ago we spent our first married Christmas together with his family. It snowed there.
6 years ago we spent Christmas with my family. I can't remember if it snowed, but I do know it was grey and bleak. Opening presents was insane. My husband thought the present opening process with my family resembled a shark feeding frenzy.
5 years ago I was desperately wanting to get pregnant after a miscarriage. It felt like we'd been trying forever. We didn't go anywhere. It was this year when we realized how much we liked staying home at the holidays. I got to spend some time with a friend who had just had her first baby. It made me want to have a baby even more.
4 years ago I was pregnant with N and huge. N was due in early January so we didn't travel anywhere. I couldn't believe I was actually going to end up with a baby in a few short weeks. My beloved kitty was very sick and I was nursing him back to health. (The first of much care that I gave to him until February when he left our existence.)
3 years ago N was almost 1 and we were so excited to have her. I got to see the friend who I'd seen 2 Christmases before when she had a baby and I didn't. I was so happy to have N and to be a Mom too. N learned to walk at the beginning of December and we were chasing her everywhere during Christmas break. She walked for about a week and then she learned to run. She was such a spaz and so much fun.
2 years ago I was pregnant with K (about 20 weeks) and we were recovering from the worst flu ever. Seriously. My husband and I didn't leave the house for 10 days. (This is one reason (among many) why we don't travel around the holidays.)
1 year ago my world changed in an instant when I pee'd on a stick and saw two lines. I had always thought that it wasn't easy for me to get pregnant, and suddenly I had a surprise pregnancy. Whoa. This. Rocked. My. World. I made my husband go to the store and buy some more pregnancy tests cause I was sure that the old one I had was wrong. It wasn't. I don't remember much about Christmas after that test. (I do, but it all pales in comparison to that surprise!) That wonderful surprise is now beside me drooling and chewing on my jeans (yum).
That leaves us with where we are now.
Veggie Bacon and other Christmas Memories
I really like the idea of starting new "traditions" for our family. This year, I made veggie bacon for breakfast/lunch and the girls loved it. I think it will be great to have the girls associate the sounds of veggie bacon softly sizzling in the skillet with Christmas.
The Loot
We got way too much stuff. The re-gifter I complained about yesterday actually got three great presents for the girls. 2 good books and a classic kids game (Chutes and Ladders).
N (almost 4) got a veterinarian doctor kit. It's really cute. I had seen it and thought about getting it for her. The one thing I don't like about it is that all the animals are in cages and there is a set of keys to open each cage. The keys are on a big key ring. All the cages make it look sort of like a jail. (Great educational toy, she can learn vet skills and jailer skills from it!) (No, I'm being terrible, it's really cute and she loves it. I just happen to be feeling a little smart aleck-y.) When N opened it, she said, "Where are the band-aids?" She is very into band-aids. What almost 4 year old isn't though?
Miss N also got a way cool video game called Pixter (http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2280&e=hasflash). I'll write more about it later, after we explore it, its capabilities and what I think she's getting out of it. But for now, I'll say THANK YOU to the person who got it for N. N played with it for 2 hours straight and I got a little break to cook dinner. Right now, it's the best gift ever. Because of it, my husband got to talk on the phone with his brother which is something that he doesn't get to do that often.
Miss K (19 months) received a couple of (pretend) phones. She's all excited about the beeps they make. I've been letting her run around with our real phone 'cause sometimes I just need something that will occupy her interest. We have unlimited long distance with in the U.S. so I don't worry about domestic long distance calls, but I do worry about her calling 9-1-1 or somewhere like China or South Africa. Finally, some toy phones she likes. Finally, I get my phone back.
Random Sleep Paragraph
Miss T (4 months) is now taking a nap in her cradle. I've been working on getting her to fall asleep on her own the last couple of weeks. She actually is such a mellow baby that she falls asleep on her own quite easily. The first time it happened, I laid her down under her mobile so I could do something with one of the other girls. I never expected her to fall asleep, I just needed two hands for a minute, but I was delighted. I've been trying to get her to practice falling asleep on her own at least once a day.
Part of the Day
Tonight, I spoke to my parents on the phone. My Mom is sick. She has bronchitis. She's tired and she's 80. I worry about her. She sounds terrible when she coughs. Hearing her cough made me so sad not to be there. On the other hand, being there would be really hard with 3 little ones.
Traveling on a plane with all 3 and going where the weather is miserable doesn't sound like a recipe for any fun. I would like to be with my parents at Christmas (like to in the sense that it would make my Mom happy), but I don't want to 'cause it is depressing there (I really dislike winter). It's also very hard for me when we are back there as things are not baby-proofed. I end up chasing kids, trying to cook in a space that isn't my own, and having to be charming and the perfect daughter all at the same time. Too much pressure. It's much calmer staying home and doing our small family Christmas. I like calm. (Or relatively calm as 3 little girls are pretty crazy!)
Food
To end on a cheerier note, I'll post the recipe for our Christmas dinner. It looked all Christmasy 'cause of the red bell pepper and the green skin on the zucchini. (I left out the carrot today). I typed up the recipe to email to someone who is a vegan. I realized as I was cooking it that it's actually vegan if you leave off the parmesan cheese. You could add some chicken breast if you wanted to make it non-vegetarian. I really love this dish! It has a nice warm flavor from the garlic and the onion.
Colorful Butterflies
1 medium-large onion
1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 red bell pepper seeded and sliced into matchstick strips
1 carrot sliced into matchstick strips
1 zucchini sliced into matchstick strips
4 ounces of snow peas, trimmed, strings removed
8 ounces farfalle pasta (bow tie/butterfly shaped)
~3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 large ripe tomatoes cut into about 8 pieces each (I tend to use roma
tomatoes recipe originally called for plum)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly torn basil or 1 tablespoon dried
Pinch of sugar
~1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (I don't measure, I just cut a fresh
lemon in half and squirt in a bit from both halves)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh Grated Parmesan
Cook the pasta. Drain and set aside
Either blanche the pepper and carrot strips for 30 seconds in boiling water and then add the zucchini strips and snow peas and cook for one minute longer. Drain and rinse under cold water.
OR
Microwave all the veggies in covered bowls for approximately 1-2 minutes and then let sit covered until you are ready to add them to the sauce. (This is easier and gives a good texture for the veggies.)
Heat the 3-4 tablespoons of the olive oil and saute the garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the onions and saute until they are pretty tender.
If you want, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil as you add the chopped tomatoes, wine, basil (dry or fresh), salt and pepper, and sugar. Cook 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the other veggies and lemon juice. Cook 1-2 minutes. Mix in the cooked pasta and toss well. Serve and top with the freshly grated Parmesan.
The Loot
We got way too much stuff. The re-gifter I complained about yesterday actually got three great presents for the girls. 2 good books and a classic kids game (Chutes and Ladders).
N (almost 4) got a veterinarian doctor kit. It's really cute. I had seen it and thought about getting it for her. The one thing I don't like about it is that all the animals are in cages and there is a set of keys to open each cage. The keys are on a big key ring. All the cages make it look sort of like a jail. (Great educational toy, she can learn vet skills and jailer skills from it!) (No, I'm being terrible, it's really cute and she loves it. I just happen to be feeling a little smart aleck-y.) When N opened it, she said, "Where are the band-aids?" She is very into band-aids. What almost 4 year old isn't though?
Miss N also got a way cool video game called Pixter (http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2280&e=hasflash). I'll write more about it later, after we explore it, its capabilities and what I think she's getting out of it. But for now, I'll say THANK YOU to the person who got it for N. N played with it for 2 hours straight and I got a little break to cook dinner. Right now, it's the best gift ever. Because of it, my husband got to talk on the phone with his brother which is something that he doesn't get to do that often.
Miss K (19 months) received a couple of (pretend) phones. She's all excited about the beeps they make. I've been letting her run around with our real phone 'cause sometimes I just need something that will occupy her interest. We have unlimited long distance with in the U.S. so I don't worry about domestic long distance calls, but I do worry about her calling 9-1-1 or somewhere like China or South Africa. Finally, some toy phones she likes. Finally, I get my phone back.
Random Sleep Paragraph
Miss T (4 months) is now taking a nap in her cradle. I've been working on getting her to fall asleep on her own the last couple of weeks. She actually is such a mellow baby that she falls asleep on her own quite easily. The first time it happened, I laid her down under her mobile so I could do something with one of the other girls. I never expected her to fall asleep, I just needed two hands for a minute, but I was delighted. I've been trying to get her to practice falling asleep on her own at least once a day.
Part of the Day
Tonight, I spoke to my parents on the phone. My Mom is sick. She has bronchitis. She's tired and she's 80. I worry about her. She sounds terrible when she coughs. Hearing her cough made me so sad not to be there. On the other hand, being there would be really hard with 3 little ones.
Traveling on a plane with all 3 and going where the weather is miserable doesn't sound like a recipe for any fun. I would like to be with my parents at Christmas (like to in the sense that it would make my Mom happy), but I don't want to 'cause it is depressing there (I really dislike winter). It's also very hard for me when we are back there as things are not baby-proofed. I end up chasing kids, trying to cook in a space that isn't my own, and having to be charming and the perfect daughter all at the same time. Too much pressure. It's much calmer staying home and doing our small family Christmas. I like calm. (Or relatively calm as 3 little girls are pretty crazy!)
Food
To end on a cheerier note, I'll post the recipe for our Christmas dinner. It looked all Christmasy 'cause of the red bell pepper and the green skin on the zucchini. (I left out the carrot today). I typed up the recipe to email to someone who is a vegan. I realized as I was cooking it that it's actually vegan if you leave off the parmesan cheese. You could add some chicken breast if you wanted to make it non-vegetarian. I really love this dish! It has a nice warm flavor from the garlic and the onion.
Colorful Butterflies
1 medium-large onion
1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 red bell pepper seeded and sliced into matchstick strips
1 carrot sliced into matchstick strips
1 zucchini sliced into matchstick strips
4 ounces of snow peas, trimmed, strings removed
8 ounces farfalle pasta (bow tie/butterfly shaped)
~3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 large ripe tomatoes cut into about 8 pieces each (I tend to use roma
tomatoes recipe originally called for plum)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly torn basil or 1 tablespoon dried
Pinch of sugar
~1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (I don't measure, I just cut a fresh
lemon in half and squirt in a bit from both halves)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh Grated Parmesan
Cook the pasta. Drain and set aside
Either blanche the pepper and carrot strips for 30 seconds in boiling water and then add the zucchini strips and snow peas and cook for one minute longer. Drain and rinse under cold water.
OR
Microwave all the veggies in covered bowls for approximately 1-2 minutes and then let sit covered until you are ready to add them to the sauce. (This is easier and gives a good texture for the veggies.)
Heat the 3-4 tablespoons of the olive oil and saute the garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the onions and saute until they are pretty tender.
If you want, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil as you add the chopped tomatoes, wine, basil (dry or fresh), salt and pepper, and sugar. Cook 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the other veggies and lemon juice. Cook 1-2 minutes. Mix in the cooked pasta and toss well. Serve and top with the freshly grated Parmesan.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Re-Gifting
We opened one of our packages that came in the mail. We opened it to see if the items for the girls were wrapped or not so we could deal with them if necessary. I had a feeling the items in the package would be wrapped. The package was from one of the worst gift-givers in our family, but one of the best wrappers. I am not into presents. I don't need anything. The rest of the adults, besides the person that packed this box, in my family feel the same way I believe. However, this person thinks that giving stupid unnecessary gifts to the other adults in the family is important. They are usually awful gifts.
The outside of the package was labeled "refrigerate promptly." I groaned. My husband reassured me that she had most likely just re-used the box. Yup. Whew. I'm not a fan of Hickory Farms sausage. Inside the package the fun began. There were about 8 or so very nicely wrapped presents, but none of them were labeled. Ummm... Okay. Perhaps she thought it would be more fun for us that way.
I went ahead and opened one that was round and looked food like. It was hot chocolate. It was a cute gift pack--a 2004 commerative edition. It expired 10/05. Re-gifting is not a sin. I'm fine with it. However, re-gifting expired food items is not cool. (I'm freaky about expired food to begin with.) I opened another wrapped package. It was a book. The subject matter wasn't a bad subject for 3 little girls, but it was appropriate for someone about 70, not 4, 19 months or 4 months. I stopped opening items after that because it was only depressing me.
Last year, from this person, we received a box that was labeled Peppermint Bark. Yum. I love Peppermint Bark. I had been craving it, but they had run out at the place I usually buy it. I was delighted by this. Inside the box of Peppermint Bark was not Peppermint Bark but some homemade fruitcake. That gift was so wrong on so many levels.
I had hopes for her, but now I think that bad gift-giving is her specialty. (Actually, when she shops, she shops really well and gives really cute little girl clothes. With this post, I sound like I care about presents, but I actually don't. It's just that I'd really rather not receive anything than receive something bad. I have enough junk in my own life. I don't need more junk!)
The outside of the package was labeled "refrigerate promptly." I groaned. My husband reassured me that she had most likely just re-used the box. Yup. Whew. I'm not a fan of Hickory Farms sausage. Inside the package the fun began. There were about 8 or so very nicely wrapped presents, but none of them were labeled. Ummm... Okay. Perhaps she thought it would be more fun for us that way.
I went ahead and opened one that was round and looked food like. It was hot chocolate. It was a cute gift pack--a 2004 commerative edition. It expired 10/05. Re-gifting is not a sin. I'm fine with it. However, re-gifting expired food items is not cool. (I'm freaky about expired food to begin with.) I opened another wrapped package. It was a book. The subject matter wasn't a bad subject for 3 little girls, but it was appropriate for someone about 70, not 4, 19 months or 4 months. I stopped opening items after that because it was only depressing me.
Last year, from this person, we received a box that was labeled Peppermint Bark. Yum. I love Peppermint Bark. I had been craving it, but they had run out at the place I usually buy it. I was delighted by this. Inside the box of Peppermint Bark was not Peppermint Bark but some homemade fruitcake. That gift was so wrong on so many levels.
I had hopes for her, but now I think that bad gift-giving is her specialty. (Actually, when she shops, she shops really well and gives really cute little girl clothes. With this post, I sound like I care about presents, but I actually don't. It's just that I'd really rather not receive anything than receive something bad. I have enough junk in my own life. I don't need more junk!)
Friday, December 23, 2005
Making a list
I'm finally feeling somewhat caught up on holiday related things.
I picked up our cards and now all I have to do is print off the little newsletter thingy (it's as uncheesey as I can possibly make it) and address the envelopes. I am hopeful that we can get our cards in the mail by the day after Christmas. Maybe I can even get some in the mail tomorrow.
I haven't updated a while about the if BBQ chips in the afternoon then no ice cream TM diet. I have lost about 7 pounds and can fit into 3 of the jeans that I like. Yippee! I'm hopeful this time around that I can make it back to my pre-pregnancy weight before T is 1 year. 40 weeks on and 40 weeks off is a good way to think about it. I would be happy if I could lose it within 40 weeks. At the rate it's come off thus far, 40 weeks could be do-able.
Tonight, I'm hopeful that K (19 months) will go to sleep before 11:30 pm. I'm not sure why I think it might happen, but I am hopeful. Miss K needs about 11 hours of sleep a night. She used to fall asleep around 9-ish and wake up around 8-ish. Now she is falling asleep around 11-ish and getting up around 10-ish. We are night owls around here, but she needs to fall asleep without crying and having me hold her ... Last night she wanted me to hold her till she fell asleep, and I said no. We compromised. I put her on her tummy and patted her back till she relaxed and then she fell asleep on her own. I'd prefer she fell asleep no later than 10 too.
Sleep is sacred around here. We are very glad that our girls don't get up at the crack of dawn. We've actually worked hard at teaching them that getting up before 8 am is just not allowed around here. They have accepted it. Seriously. We do not get up before 8 am.
My Mom always said, "When you have kids you'll have to get up earlier." I always said, "No way." Since neither my husband nor I are morning people, we have genetics on our side too. My Mom used to also say, " When you have kids, you will be a lighter sleeper." Nope. I sleep like a log still.
Not sure how this turned into a post about sleep... Maybe it's the visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads thing.
File under full of randomness.
Oh, one more sleep thing.... I had this wonderful cat. He was the Best. Cat. Ever. He and I loved each other. He used to sleep with his paws wrapped around my arm and snuggled next to my side. When I was first pregnant with T, I had a dream that he (my wonderful cat) told me he had arranged for T since he wouldn't make it through the end of the year as he was very sick and he wanted me to have another baby to take care of when he was gone. It unfortunately turned out to be true that he didn't make it through the year. He was very sick. He had been suffering from a chronic illness for a couple of years and one of the possible side effects occurred. Anyway, the point of that background information is to get to the main point that T is now sleeping cuddled up next to my side with her arms wrapped around my arm.... Just like my dear, departed kitty used to do. I like to have connections to him still. He was and always will be my boy.
I picked up our cards and now all I have to do is print off the little newsletter thingy (it's as uncheesey as I can possibly make it) and address the envelopes. I am hopeful that we can get our cards in the mail by the day after Christmas. Maybe I can even get some in the mail tomorrow.
I haven't updated a while about the if BBQ chips in the afternoon then no ice cream TM diet. I have lost about 7 pounds and can fit into 3 of the jeans that I like. Yippee! I'm hopeful this time around that I can make it back to my pre-pregnancy weight before T is 1 year. 40 weeks on and 40 weeks off is a good way to think about it. I would be happy if I could lose it within 40 weeks. At the rate it's come off thus far, 40 weeks could be do-able.
Tonight, I'm hopeful that K (19 months) will go to sleep before 11:30 pm. I'm not sure why I think it might happen, but I am hopeful. Miss K needs about 11 hours of sleep a night. She used to fall asleep around 9-ish and wake up around 8-ish. Now she is falling asleep around 11-ish and getting up around 10-ish. We are night owls around here, but she needs to fall asleep without crying and having me hold her ... Last night she wanted me to hold her till she fell asleep, and I said no. We compromised. I put her on her tummy and patted her back till she relaxed and then she fell asleep on her own. I'd prefer she fell asleep no later than 10 too.
Sleep is sacred around here. We are very glad that our girls don't get up at the crack of dawn. We've actually worked hard at teaching them that getting up before 8 am is just not allowed around here. They have accepted it. Seriously. We do not get up before 8 am.
My Mom always said, "When you have kids you'll have to get up earlier." I always said, "No way." Since neither my husband nor I are morning people, we have genetics on our side too. My Mom used to also say, " When you have kids, you will be a lighter sleeper." Nope. I sleep like a log still.
Not sure how this turned into a post about sleep... Maybe it's the visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads thing.
File under full of randomness.
Oh, one more sleep thing.... I had this wonderful cat. He was the Best. Cat. Ever. He and I loved each other. He used to sleep with his paws wrapped around my arm and snuggled next to my side. When I was first pregnant with T, I had a dream that he (my wonderful cat) told me he had arranged for T since he wouldn't make it through the end of the year as he was very sick and he wanted me to have another baby to take care of when he was gone. It unfortunately turned out to be true that he didn't make it through the year. He was very sick. He had been suffering from a chronic illness for a couple of years and one of the possible side effects occurred. Anyway, the point of that background information is to get to the main point that T is now sleeping cuddled up next to my side with her arms wrapped around my arm.... Just like my dear, departed kitty used to do. I like to have connections to him still. He was and always will be my boy.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Next Year
Next Holiday season, I'm not going to stress. I've finally figured out that I should take one week off before Thanksgiving and get everything done. I should get all my shopping done and all of my things packed and ready to ship the week before Thanksgiving. Yes, I will stress then, but then during the week before Christmas I will be stress free. I actually put a note in my calendar to remind myself in October to schedule a week off before Thanksgiving. I hope it works! I'll report back next year.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
T's 4 month Well-Baby Check
Miss T is tall and skinny. Just like she was at 2 months. 25.5 inches (90th percentile length) and 14 lbs 12 oz (75th percentile weight). Her head is about 50th percentile now.
She is rolling from front to back and back to front and holding her head up really well and no sign of the torticollis. She sits up perfectly if you support her a little and is starting to catch herself and hold herself up if you let go. I can't believe how big she is and how fast! The flattening of her head is pretty much gone. The doctor thought the opposite side might be a teeny tiny bit flat now, but it's hard to say. The doctor doesn't think we have anything to worry about regarding the flattening. I think I might switch sides on the bed again and let the side that she sleeps on when she rolls toward me change. Who knows, maybe we'll start alternating sides on a weekly basis--crazy fun.
I can't believe my baby is 4 months old. I can't believe that one year ago, I didn't even know I was pregnant. More about that soon.
Updated to add:
At 4 months:
N was 15 pounds 14 ounces at 4 months and 24.5 inches long
K was 16 pounds and 25.5 inches long
She is rolling from front to back and back to front and holding her head up really well and no sign of the torticollis. She sits up perfectly if you support her a little and is starting to catch herself and hold herself up if you let go. I can't believe how big she is and how fast! The flattening of her head is pretty much gone. The doctor thought the opposite side might be a teeny tiny bit flat now, but it's hard to say. The doctor doesn't think we have anything to worry about regarding the flattening. I think I might switch sides on the bed again and let the side that she sleeps on when she rolls toward me change. Who knows, maybe we'll start alternating sides on a weekly basis--crazy fun.
I can't believe my baby is 4 months old. I can't believe that one year ago, I didn't even know I was pregnant. More about that soon.
Updated to add:
At 4 months:
N was 15 pounds 14 ounces at 4 months and 24.5 inches long
K was 16 pounds and 25.5 inches long
A Ghost of Christmas Past
While I was getting my mocha at the coffee shop, I saw someone who looked like this girl that an ex-boyfriend slept with (I think, but I'm not totally sure) while we were dating. The person at the coffee shop was not her (unless she hasn't aged in 15 years), but she looked like her. Needless to say, back when it happened, that girl was someone I didn't like very much. I wasted much time and energy on her and him. When I saw this person, I realized though, how it didn't matter to me now. I couldn't even remember the name of that girl. Wow. At the time, I never thought I'd not care, but now I don't care. It's truly amazing how time does heal all wounds and how much life changes. That ghost no longer haunts me.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Revised Personal Motto and Other Random Stuff
With enough caffeine and a clone or two, I can do anything!
3 little girls this close in age are too much for any one person. Even my super nanny doesn't like to be alone with all 3. I used to feel like a wimp in not liking to be alone with them, but now I feel like it's okay.
If I had a clone or two, one of me could do work, and one (or two) of me could watch the girls. I would prefer two clones, but if I can only get one, I'll take it.
Miss K (19 months) is now in bed... Let's hope she falls asleep earlier tonight than she did last night. Miss N (almost 4) is soon to follow.
Tomorrow is Miss T's 4 month well-baby check up. I'm excited to see how she is growing. Oh, she rolls over front to back and back to front. (I don't think I documented it when it happened. I didn't actually see it, one of the nannies did first. I have since seen it happen.) Miss T is giggling (when something is very funny and talking like crazy. She loves to suck on her hands, your hands, toys, anything that holds still or doesn't put a fight goes in her mouth.
3 little girls this close in age are too much for any one person. Even my super nanny doesn't like to be alone with all 3. I used to feel like a wimp in not liking to be alone with them, but now I feel like it's okay.
If I had a clone or two, one of me could do work, and one (or two) of me could watch the girls. I would prefer two clones, but if I can only get one, I'll take it.
Miss K (19 months) is now in bed... Let's hope she falls asleep earlier tonight than she did last night. Miss N (almost 4) is soon to follow.
Tomorrow is Miss T's 4 month well-baby check up. I'm excited to see how she is growing. Oh, she rolls over front to back and back to front. (I don't think I documented it when it happened. I didn't actually see it, one of the nannies did first. I have since seen it happen.) Miss T is giggling (when something is very funny and talking like crazy. She loves to suck on her hands, your hands, toys, anything that holds still or doesn't put a fight goes in her mouth.
My husband begged me to blog about this
Oh boy... Where do I start?
This morning sucked. On so many levels it sucked. My husband wants me to blog about it because he doesn't want me to forget how awful today was in a few years. He doesn't want me to ask for a #4 baby. He's afraid that might happen. On some levels, I'm afraid that I might forget how awful today was and ask for a #4 baby too. (Some day I'll have to re-read The Selfish Gene (by Richard Dawkins) to see if it can account for the desire to have more children when you are completely overwhelmed. But not today. Today I don't have enough time, brain, or energy.)
Anyway, I write this post for my husband, but I just can't write out all the horrors of this morning though... It sounds way too awful to write it in detail (and it would take way too long) so I'll just share the highlights.
Highlights
-2 screaming girls at separate times and together in stereo (and it was the older two so it was really loud for a while)
-problems with a technology at work and people at work saying, "Oh, it couldn't possibly be our fault, it must be your computer." (It was most definitely not my computer.) (Their system sucks and has sucked before.)
-no nanny
-a Christmas card that is in the wrong .jpg format that can't be uploaded to online printing places (never mind that I still haven't printed my cards, let alone sent them out.... Hopefully that will be dealt with by tomorrow.)
-sore foot and back
-lots of stuff to do for Christmas (packing and shipping presents)
-a consultant who billed way too much and now we have to deal with that
-my friend calling to say that she wished we hadn't have switched nanny days after all because her work needed her tomorrow not today afterall...... (she and I worked out a compromise though and she and I bonded over how much life sucks so it's okay and I get a nanny at 5 pm today for about 2 hours)
And now, because I'm such a PollyAnna, here are the good things.
Baby #3 is an easy going kiddo and has been asleep for about an hour.
I'm lucky that my husband was able to stay home till about 12:30 today. He's my pillar of strength and has a flexible job. (And he's very very cute.)
I just had my triple shot mocha (one shot for each girl), so things are bound to improve. At least, I'll have energy.
K (19 months) will soon take her nap, so that's good too.
Right now K is running around with a piece of scotch tape that is about 2 feet long and having lots of fun with it. N is "wrapping presents" (toys of her own) and I'm trying to record this so I don't forget.
I love my little girls. I just wish the rest of the world was easier.
This morning sucked. On so many levels it sucked. My husband wants me to blog about it because he doesn't want me to forget how awful today was in a few years. He doesn't want me to ask for a #4 baby. He's afraid that might happen. On some levels, I'm afraid that I might forget how awful today was and ask for a #4 baby too. (Some day I'll have to re-read The Selfish Gene (by Richard Dawkins) to see if it can account for the desire to have more children when you are completely overwhelmed. But not today. Today I don't have enough time, brain, or energy.)
Anyway, I write this post for my husband, but I just can't write out all the horrors of this morning though... It sounds way too awful to write it in detail (and it would take way too long) so I'll just share the highlights.
Highlights
-2 screaming girls at separate times and together in stereo (and it was the older two so it was really loud for a while)
-problems with a technology at work and people at work saying, "Oh, it couldn't possibly be our fault, it must be your computer." (It was most definitely not my computer.) (Their system sucks and has sucked before.)
-no nanny
-a Christmas card that is in the wrong .jpg format that can't be uploaded to online printing places (never mind that I still haven't printed my cards, let alone sent them out.... Hopefully that will be dealt with by tomorrow.)
-sore foot and back
-lots of stuff to do for Christmas (packing and shipping presents)
-a consultant who billed way too much and now we have to deal with that
-my friend calling to say that she wished we hadn't have switched nanny days after all because her work needed her tomorrow not today afterall...... (she and I worked out a compromise though and she and I bonded over how much life sucks so it's okay and I get a nanny at 5 pm today for about 2 hours)
And now, because I'm such a PollyAnna, here are the good things.
Baby #3 is an easy going kiddo and has been asleep for about an hour.
I'm lucky that my husband was able to stay home till about 12:30 today. He's my pillar of strength and has a flexible job. (And he's very very cute.)
I just had my triple shot mocha (one shot for each girl), so things are bound to improve. At least, I'll have energy.
K (19 months) will soon take her nap, so that's good too.
Right now K is running around with a piece of scotch tape that is about 2 feet long and having lots of fun with it. N is "wrapping presents" (toys of her own) and I'm trying to record this so I don't forget.
I love my little girls. I just wish the rest of the world was easier.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Mommy, Mommy, Mommmmmmeeeee
That's what's coming through the monitor from N and K's room. Miss K (19 months) isn't asleep yet. Normally she's asleep before 9. I went to my dance class and then ran to T*arget for some last minute Holiday shopping.... She didn't want to go to bed 'cause I wasn't home. I think she's overly tired now. I'm overly tired too.
I was home with them today with no nanny. The nanny has a cold. We don't want the cold. She didn't get it from us. I would like to make it through the Holiday with out illness. Last year, on Christmas, N had a bad cold. She was so miserable that she wanted to take breaks from opening presents. She just wanted her nose to feel better. Poor little girl. You know a 3 year old feels bad when she doesn't want to open presents!
Anyway, today, I was alone with all 3 for 6 hours. That's the longest I've ever been alone with all 3 of them at once. It was fun and they were very good, but I have a report due on Wednesday for work. I'm tired. I really enjoyed hanging with the girls and if I didn't have a report due I wouldn't have any worries. I learned that it's actually easier to take them out than to just hang out at home. T was in the bjorn, and N & K were in the side-by-side double stroller. I got lots of, "My, you have your hands full!" comments. Ummm, yup, and you are wasting my time as you state the obvious....
Boy, I sound all pissy.... I'm very frustrated.... In addition to normally having a nanny on Monday, I also usually have a different nanny on Tuesdays... (we have 2 half-time ones) but I switched with the person I share the other nanny with so that she could have the nanny tomorrow (Tuesday)... Our other nanny, the sick one, said she would do tomorrow (Tuesday) when I agreed to switch, but now she's sick...........Now I'm stuck with no nanny and a ton of work.
People always ask, "How do you do it all?" I don't do it all... I certainly don't do it all alone. I have help. Right now I don't have help. I'm frustrated... I could take care of my 3 little girls by myself if I didn't work, but I do work and therefore, I need help. I like my work. I think working is good for me and for them. I think it's important for them to see me working and accomplished. I went to school forever and I found a job I love. A job where I can work 1/2 time. A job where I can not be too overwhelmed most of the time. A job that I feel is meaningful and that allows me to do interesting work.
Okay... I'm rambling... I should go work on that report. It's not going to write itself. (This happened to me last Christmas too. I had a big report to finish and no nanny... Fortunately, this report is not as high stakes as that one was. That one had to get done and sent off. If this one doesn't get done by Wednesday it won't be the end of the world. I need to call my supervisor tomorrow and talk with him about it. I mostly hate it when I can't meet deadlines I've set for myself. I actually asked for the deadline to be Wednesday....Okay, deep breath.)
I was home with them today with no nanny. The nanny has a cold. We don't want the cold. She didn't get it from us. I would like to make it through the Holiday with out illness. Last year, on Christmas, N had a bad cold. She was so miserable that she wanted to take breaks from opening presents. She just wanted her nose to feel better. Poor little girl. You know a 3 year old feels bad when she doesn't want to open presents!
Anyway, today, I was alone with all 3 for 6 hours. That's the longest I've ever been alone with all 3 of them at once. It was fun and they were very good, but I have a report due on Wednesday for work. I'm tired. I really enjoyed hanging with the girls and if I didn't have a report due I wouldn't have any worries. I learned that it's actually easier to take them out than to just hang out at home. T was in the bjorn, and N & K were in the side-by-side double stroller. I got lots of, "My, you have your hands full!" comments. Ummm, yup, and you are wasting my time as you state the obvious....
Boy, I sound all pissy.... I'm very frustrated.... In addition to normally having a nanny on Monday, I also usually have a different nanny on Tuesdays... (we have 2 half-time ones) but I switched with the person I share the other nanny with so that she could have the nanny tomorrow (Tuesday)... Our other nanny, the sick one, said she would do tomorrow (Tuesday) when I agreed to switch, but now she's sick...........Now I'm stuck with no nanny and a ton of work.
People always ask, "How do you do it all?" I don't do it all... I certainly don't do it all alone. I have help. Right now I don't have help. I'm frustrated... I could take care of my 3 little girls by myself if I didn't work, but I do work and therefore, I need help. I like my work. I think working is good for me and for them. I think it's important for them to see me working and accomplished. I went to school forever and I found a job I love. A job where I can work 1/2 time. A job where I can not be too overwhelmed most of the time. A job that I feel is meaningful and that allows me to do interesting work.
Okay... I'm rambling... I should go work on that report. It's not going to write itself. (This happened to me last Christmas too. I had a big report to finish and no nanny... Fortunately, this report is not as high stakes as that one was. That one had to get done and sent off. If this one doesn't get done by Wednesday it won't be the end of the world. I need to call my supervisor tomorrow and talk with him about it. I mostly hate it when I can't meet deadlines I've set for myself. I actually asked for the deadline to be Wednesday....Okay, deep breath.)
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Sappy Thoughts Part Deux
Tonight the little girls (N--almost 4 & K--19 months) were playing up in their bedroom with their dad. They were giggling and running around and just being silly. As I walked up the stairs and heard them, their giggles made my heart melt. I am so glad I have my little ones. They are so cute and funny and I am very lucky. I am also so glad they have each other. When I was a kid, about 8 or 9, I remember feeling very wistful. I wanted a sibling. I actually have siblings, but they are significantly older than me so we never had that closeness of siblings who grow up together. They weren't around 24/7. In fact, by the time I was 8 or 9, they had their own families. I was an aunt. I'm closer in age to one niece and 2 of my nephews than I am to my siblings. I never got a chance to fight with my siblings or wake up and giggle with them.
These 3 are so close in age (just 3 years 7 months difference in the oldest and the youngest) and I hope they have a wonderful time growing up. I have a friend who has 2 sisters, also close in age, and she said that she had the best time growing up and that they are all still best friends. I hope these 3 will say that when they are older.
As N & K were going to bed, they were kissing little T (almost 4 months!). It was so cute. Then they would kiss each other and me. So dang cute. I wish I could capture the sweetness and bottle it up. Writing it down does little justice, but at least I'll remember it and I hope I can relive the memory.
These 3 are so close in age (just 3 years 7 months difference in the oldest and the youngest) and I hope they have a wonderful time growing up. I have a friend who has 2 sisters, also close in age, and she said that she had the best time growing up and that they are all still best friends. I hope these 3 will say that when they are older.
As N & K were going to bed, they were kissing little T (almost 4 months!). It was so cute. Then they would kiss each other and me. So dang cute. I wish I could capture the sweetness and bottle it up. Writing it down does little justice, but at least I'll remember it and I hope I can relive the memory.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Oh my!
I am alone with all 3 and there is a full moon. Back up arrives in 1.5 hours. It's actually been a nice time being alone with all 3. I've been alone since 3 pm (3.5 hours thus far) and all is ok. Much better than the first time. Only one small meltdown (and it wasn't me). It is getting easier to have all 3 and I'm learning some new tricks. T's getting a little more regular with naps and it's a bit more predictable in general.
One trick I've learned is to feed them dinner earlier rather than later. I used to try to do dinner between 6 and 7. K (19 months) just got too hungry though. Dinner between 5 and 6 goes much more smoothly.
Trick two is to do as much running around and interaction with them as possible when the baby is asleep. Then when the baby wakes up we do calmer activities.
Trick 3 is to keep switching activities and locations. We usually do the same activity for 10-15 minutes at a time. We play upstairs in their room for 15 minutes, then we go downstairs, then we go back upstairs, then we color, then we blow bubbles, then we play chase... It's all about keeping them active and interested.... So how am I blogging this? The two older ones just begged me for a video and I agreed (trick 4).
I feel like I am constantly juggling the kids when I'm alone with all 3. I'm always holding one, and sometimes I'm holding all 3.
Nights with T
T and I co-sleep. She's in the middle of our very wide and very comfy king bed. My husband and I don't give each other presents, we decide on something for the two of us. Our bed was our Christmas present to ourselves last year. It is the world's most comfortable bed. Seriously. I love that bed. It came with a 100 day trial period and he was thinking that we maybe should trade it in and get a different one. I told him he was welcome to get a different bed as long as I could keep that one. Now he loves the bed too. But I digress....
T sleeps snuggled up next to me. She is my little heat-seeking baby missile. (I used to have a heat-seeking kitty missile, who snuggled with me every night, but he left this existance in February. Now I have T to snuggle with at night. I wish I had both my kitty and T, but alas.) Again, I digress...
T falls asleep for the night either when I do or an hour or so earlier. (That means she's up till 10:30 or 11 pm usually.) She loves to snuggle. If I'm not ready to stay in bed when she falls asleep, she gets upset and often wakes. All night long we snuggle. I usually hear her stirring and complaining around 4:30 am. I wake up enough to put a boob in her general direction. She usually refuses. I then offer her my pinkie or help her get her thumb in her mouth.
We then sleep again till about 6:30 or 7 when she does wake up enough to eat. She eats and I sleep and she goes back to sleep. We then sleep till Miss K (18 months) wakes up. Miss K was waking up at 7:30 in August/September. Then it switched to between 8 and 8:30 and we rejoiced. After the time change it switched to earlier again and we were sad. Now she's sleeping till 8:30 or 9. We are dancing in the street.
I am so lucky that T is such a wonderful sleeper. We have been doing this routine for a while... It used to start later (around 1 or 1:30 am) but she was always a good sleeper. She'd wake up more in the night and nurse more, but I slept through almost all of it (I'd help her get latched on in the beginning, but she'd take it from there...).
Anyway, this is a very boring post, but necessary to record. We know we're very very lucky with what a great sleeper T is. No complaints at all. I did work in the beginning to help insure we got her sleeping at night, but it was so worth it. My philosophy is start teaching them that night is night at the very very beginning--even in the hospital. I did this with K and it worked great. I didn't do this with N and it took a little longer. Someday I'll write more about sleep.
T sleeps snuggled up next to me. She is my little heat-seeking baby missile. (I used to have a heat-seeking kitty missile, who snuggled with me every night, but he left this existance in February. Now I have T to snuggle with at night. I wish I had both my kitty and T, but alas.) Again, I digress...
T falls asleep for the night either when I do or an hour or so earlier. (That means she's up till 10:30 or 11 pm usually.) She loves to snuggle. If I'm not ready to stay in bed when she falls asleep, she gets upset and often wakes. All night long we snuggle. I usually hear her stirring and complaining around 4:30 am. I wake up enough to put a boob in her general direction. She usually refuses. I then offer her my pinkie or help her get her thumb in her mouth.
We then sleep again till about 6:30 or 7 when she does wake up enough to eat. She eats and I sleep and she goes back to sleep. We then sleep till Miss K (18 months) wakes up. Miss K was waking up at 7:30 in August/September. Then it switched to between 8 and 8:30 and we rejoiced. After the time change it switched to earlier again and we were sad. Now she's sleeping till 8:30 or 9. We are dancing in the street.
I am so lucky that T is such a wonderful sleeper. We have been doing this routine for a while... It used to start later (around 1 or 1:30 am) but she was always a good sleeper. She'd wake up more in the night and nurse more, but I slept through almost all of it (I'd help her get latched on in the beginning, but she'd take it from there...).
Anyway, this is a very boring post, but necessary to record. We know we're very very lucky with what a great sleeper T is. No complaints at all. I did work in the beginning to help insure we got her sleeping at night, but it was so worth it. My philosophy is start teaching them that night is night at the very very beginning--even in the hospital. I did this with K and it worked great. I didn't do this with N and it took a little longer. Someday I'll write more about sleep.
Why Moms are such saps
We just got home from N's preschool holiday program. It was cute. She was cute. Even though she refused to wear the brown shirt she was supposed to wear she was cute. She also refused to wear a little red smudge of lipstick on her nose. Oh-well. She's my non-conformist and I'm ok with that. (Sometimes I'm not, but I try to remind myself that it's good that she has her own mind and doesn't just do what everyone is doing. Questioning authority is a good skill to have in life. I'm glad (mostly) that she already has it.)
Anyway, they did the usual songs
-Up on the housetop
-You put your antlers in (Hokey Pokey with a Christmas flavor)
-Somebody loves
-Once there was a snowman
-Jingle Bells
-We Wish you a Merry Christmas
When they got to Jingle Bellls, they each had little bells to shake. She was so excited. She had this expression of pride and joy on her face like she was the first little girl to shake bells to the song. All the kids in the class looked like they were so clever to have thought of this. The collective joy on stage was amazing.
My eyes filled with tears.
I'm serious. I was so proud and happy for her that my eyes filled with tears. I never in a million years expected that I would have tears in my eyes during her little holiday show. I know this is just one of the many things she'll experience in life that will bring her so much joy, and I'm so excited to see them all in the future. Like the billions of moms that have gone before me, I am a sap.
Anyway, they did the usual songs
-Up on the housetop
-You put your antlers in (Hokey Pokey with a Christmas flavor)
-Somebody loves
-Once there was a snowman
-Jingle Bells
-We Wish you a Merry Christmas
When they got to Jingle Bellls, they each had little bells to shake. She was so excited. She had this expression of pride and joy on her face like she was the first little girl to shake bells to the song. All the kids in the class looked like they were so clever to have thought of this. The collective joy on stage was amazing.
My eyes filled with tears.
I'm serious. I was so proud and happy for her that my eyes filled with tears. I never in a million years expected that I would have tears in my eyes during her little holiday show. I know this is just one of the many things she'll experience in life that will bring her so much joy, and I'm so excited to see them all in the future. Like the billions of moms that have gone before me, I am a sap.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
12 more naps
N is very excited about Christmas. She keeps asking if tomorrow Christmas. "No," we tell her, "You have 12 more naps till Christmas." (She calls going to sleep at night a nap.)
I have much to do in the interim days. My husband and I don't exchange gifts, cause it seems silly. (We usually sit down and say what we're getting for each other ... this year, it's a house remodel on our new house (which was our anniversary present).) However, I think it's important that the girls give us a present. I want the girls to learn that giving is part of the Christmas holiday. It's not just all about receiving. Of course, the only one who is really old enough to get this concept is N. This means that N and I will go buy something for Daddy and vice-versa. He and I have made our lists for the girls and now we have to find the time to take N out and go shopping with her. Or we could just go when we have time with out her and implant false memories of Christmas shopping... Hmmmm... I kind of like that idea (just kidding!).
I think I want to get K some new puzzles for Christmas. In the last month she has gotten really good at puzzles and loves them! It's very cute. She'll grab you by the hand and say, "Puhzle." She's really starting to talk now. I regularly hear 2-word sentences from her. I lost track of how many words she says a few months ago.
Anyway... 12 more naps... I've still got a lot to do.
Tomorrow is N's Holiday show at Preschool. I'm so excited.
I have much to do in the interim days. My husband and I don't exchange gifts, cause it seems silly. (We usually sit down and say what we're getting for each other ... this year, it's a house remodel on our new house (which was our anniversary present).) However, I think it's important that the girls give us a present. I want the girls to learn that giving is part of the Christmas holiday. It's not just all about receiving. Of course, the only one who is really old enough to get this concept is N. This means that N and I will go buy something for Daddy and vice-versa. He and I have made our lists for the girls and now we have to find the time to take N out and go shopping with her. Or we could just go when we have time with out her and implant false memories of Christmas shopping... Hmmmm... I kind of like that idea (just kidding!).
I think I want to get K some new puzzles for Christmas. In the last month she has gotten really good at puzzles and loves them! It's very cute. She'll grab you by the hand and say, "Puhzle." She's really starting to talk now. I regularly hear 2-word sentences from her. I lost track of how many words she says a few months ago.
Anyway... 12 more naps... I've still got a lot to do.
Tomorrow is N's Holiday show at Preschool. I'm so excited.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Documenting our life and Rambling in the process
Today we went and got our Christmas Tree. The holidays are arriving in our house. Tonight we decorate. We got a 7(-ish) foot Douglas Fir. N (almost 4) is so excited to decorate the tree. K (19 months) was pretty excited about seeing the trees at the lot. I told her we were going to get one and have it in our house. She seemed to think this was a fine idea, but she looked a little baffled too. Almost as if she was thinking, "Why Mommy? Why are we going to put a big tree in our house??? That's just a little weird, but okay, if you say it's tradition. It just seems a little weird to me. Weird in a good way, but weird nevertheless." T (3.5 months) was a wonderful little one at the lot and smiled and made cute squealing noises (her new thing), but doesn't seem that into the tree idea. (Just wait till next year I tell her.)
It’s so odd to me that at this time last year, T had firmly implanted herself into my body, but I didn’t know it. She was rapidly dividing and working on making her presence known. In fact, this weekend one year ago, I proclaimed to a set of girlfriends that I thought 3 might be fun, but that my dear husband would like to wait a while before we discussed it. (Oh how funny this seems now.) (My dear husband was much cooler when we found out that we were pregnant than I was…. More about this later.)
Anyway, back to the cute squealing noises... N never made them. I was glad at the time. I felt sorry for my friends who had squealing babies. Even happy squealing ones. N was a very quiet yet talkative, serious yet happy, baby. She loved Peek-a-Boo from a very young age. It still makes her giggle now. K was a more happy-go-lucky baby than N. She made a few more squealing noises, but mostly they were out of frustration not happiness. T seems to be our happy bubbly squealer. Today, N is fairly serious, intense, fearless and adventuresome. K is more cautious, fairly mellow, and very carefree. T seems like she’s going to be just downright silly and fun and totally mellow.
Both N and K are very independent, but in different ways. N’s personal motto is, “Nothing can stop the N______!” (She made this up and it totally fits!) N is independent in a very headstrong way. K is independent in a very competent way. T hasn’t shown much independence yet (she’s only 3.5 months), but I imagine she’ll be independent in her own way. N reminds me of me and K reminds me of him in terms of personality. It will be so much fun to watch T’s personality develop.
OK…. I am rambling now. Perhaps this is why I have trouble with the whole blog notion… I like to blog about things that I’m thinking about because I write and think better than if I’m just putting it into my journal…. However, I worry that other people will read this and just shake their head at my self-involvedness…. But then I remember that this is my blog and I can do with it what I want. If people don’t like reading it, they don’t have to read it. I’m ok with that. I am doing this primarily for me and my little ones and if other people read this and enjoy it or learn from it, great. If not, no big deal.
It’s so odd to me that at this time last year, T had firmly implanted herself into my body, but I didn’t know it. She was rapidly dividing and working on making her presence known. In fact, this weekend one year ago, I proclaimed to a set of girlfriends that I thought 3 might be fun, but that my dear husband would like to wait a while before we discussed it. (Oh how funny this seems now.) (My dear husband was much cooler when we found out that we were pregnant than I was…. More about this later.)
Anyway, back to the cute squealing noises... N never made them. I was glad at the time. I felt sorry for my friends who had squealing babies. Even happy squealing ones. N was a very quiet yet talkative, serious yet happy, baby. She loved Peek-a-Boo from a very young age. It still makes her giggle now. K was a more happy-go-lucky baby than N. She made a few more squealing noises, but mostly they were out of frustration not happiness. T seems to be our happy bubbly squealer. Today, N is fairly serious, intense, fearless and adventuresome. K is more cautious, fairly mellow, and very carefree. T seems like she’s going to be just downright silly and fun and totally mellow.
Both N and K are very independent, but in different ways. N’s personal motto is, “Nothing can stop the N______!” (She made this up and it totally fits!) N is independent in a very headstrong way. K is independent in a very competent way. T hasn’t shown much independence yet (she’s only 3.5 months), but I imagine she’ll be independent in her own way. N reminds me of me and K reminds me of him in terms of personality. It will be so much fun to watch T’s personality develop.
OK…. I am rambling now. Perhaps this is why I have trouble with the whole blog notion… I like to blog about things that I’m thinking about because I write and think better than if I’m just putting it into my journal…. However, I worry that other people will read this and just shake their head at my self-involvedness…. But then I remember that this is my blog and I can do with it what I want. If people don’t like reading it, they don’t have to read it. I’m ok with that. I am doing this primarily for me and my little ones and if other people read this and enjoy it or learn from it, great. If not, no big deal.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Perhaps...
Perhaps it's because I grew up watching The Jetsons, and wanted my life to be as cool as their life when I grew up. I soooooo wanted (actually still do) a hover car that would fold up into a briefcase. Anyway, maybe it's because of that show that I really want one of these.
Of course, I'm skeptical about it, but I am also into technology enough that I am going to look into it more and try to figure out if it is a product that could change my life.
Of course, I'm skeptical about it, but I am also into technology enough that I am going to look into it more and try to figure out if it is a product that could change my life.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
On this day 1 year ago...
I was pregnant with little T, but I didn't know it. We had had difficulty conceiving N. We used the same protocol at a higher dosage to get pregnant with K (in the summer of '03) as we did with N because my bloodwork indicated that we would have difficulty conceiving again. I didn't even want to try on our own because the trying part was so not fun for me when we were having difficulty. Any one who has experienced infertility or subfertility knows that trying is not actually fun. It's stressful. My bloodwork indicated that things were worse (high FSH) when I wanted to get pregnant with K. Luckily we did get pregnant with K quickly (with the help of the drugs).
A year ago today I did not think it would be at all possible to get pregnant on my own. I was only 6 and 1/2 months post partum after K. I was still nursing exclusively. (Yes, I know nursing is not a reliable birth control method, but since my bloodwork hadn't looked good in the summer of '03 I had no belief that I would be able to get pregnant again without medical help. I was sure I was in even worse shape FSH-wise since it was a year later too.) I was thinking that it would be fun to have a #3. I was thinking that it might be fun to try again in about a year. I was worried that we might not be able to get pregnant. Little did I know that I was pregnant.
If I would have been paying attention to my cycles, a year ago today I could have used a pregnancy test and found out I was indeed pregnant (hence the reason for this entry). I wasn't paying any attention.
We found out I was pregnant on Christmas Day. I was about 7 weeks pregnant. I had been having some symptoms. To say I was shocked when I found out is an understatement. To say we're thrilled we have little T now is also an understatement. I'll probably spend a few more posts talking about our wonderful Christmas surprise and how I finally clued (after about 1,000 symptoms) into thinking about peeing on a stick. In the meantime, for education and entertainment, there's this site.
A year ago today I did not think it would be at all possible to get pregnant on my own. I was only 6 and 1/2 months post partum after K. I was still nursing exclusively. (Yes, I know nursing is not a reliable birth control method, but since my bloodwork hadn't looked good in the summer of '03 I had no belief that I would be able to get pregnant again without medical help. I was sure I was in even worse shape FSH-wise since it was a year later too.) I was thinking that it would be fun to have a #3. I was thinking that it might be fun to try again in about a year. I was worried that we might not be able to get pregnant. Little did I know that I was pregnant.
If I would have been paying attention to my cycles, a year ago today I could have used a pregnancy test and found out I was indeed pregnant (hence the reason for this entry). I wasn't paying any attention.
We found out I was pregnant on Christmas Day. I was about 7 weeks pregnant. I had been having some symptoms. To say I was shocked when I found out is an understatement. To say we're thrilled we have little T now is also an understatement. I'll probably spend a few more posts talking about our wonderful Christmas surprise and how I finally clued (after about 1,000 symptoms) into thinking about peeing on a stick. In the meantime, for education and entertainment, there's this site.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Nerve-wracking
I just sent off the example I wrote for our CEO/President.
I HATE pushing the send button on important stuff. Do I stress too much?
I HATE pushing the send button on important stuff. Do I stress too much?
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Some solutions
I've been feeling overwhelmed lately. I've been trying to get back in control of the situation. Part of the problem is that since we moved, there is not a place for everything and consequently since there is not a place for everything, everything is not in its place.
That little saying a place for everything and everything in its place has helped me so much. I am not a person who is good at organizing. I have modified the saying for my own purposes to be a place for everything important or frequently used and all of those in their respective places. Right now, there are so many things without a home in my home.
I'm working on getting jacket hangers hung up so that I always know where the jackets for the girls are. I'm also working on getting some more hangers for N's preschool bag and other things so that we can more easily remember to take it.
Another problem we have is that when the nanny arrives in the morning, there are too many people in the house at one time. The kids get confused and don't know who to listen to and the nanny is confused because she doesn't know how much to take charge. This all leads to insanity and slows me down in the morning.
To deal with that one we're going to try and make up lists for the grocery store and Target and send the nanny and one of the kiddos out in the morning to run errands while the rest of us get ready. That will help two-fold, we'll get the shopping done and get two people out of the house in the morning. (One of the girls (K--18 months) loves to go bye-bye, so this will actually help three-fold cause it will get her some stimulation in the morning.)
Having 3 kids so quickly did not give me time to learn all the tricks. Moving to a temporary house and leaving half our stuff in boxes is also part of the problem. It's hard to not be settled. I'm really flying by the seat of my pants. I know the solutions I've posted sound simplistic, but they will help, I'm quite sure of it. If any one has any suggestions or tips, please post them! Thanks.
That little saying a place for everything and everything in its place has helped me so much. I am not a person who is good at organizing. I have modified the saying for my own purposes to be a place for everything important or frequently used and all of those in their respective places. Right now, there are so many things without a home in my home.
I'm working on getting jacket hangers hung up so that I always know where the jackets for the girls are. I'm also working on getting some more hangers for N's preschool bag and other things so that we can more easily remember to take it.
Another problem we have is that when the nanny arrives in the morning, there are too many people in the house at one time. The kids get confused and don't know who to listen to and the nanny is confused because she doesn't know how much to take charge. This all leads to insanity and slows me down in the morning.
To deal with that one we're going to try and make up lists for the grocery store and Target and send the nanny and one of the kiddos out in the morning to run errands while the rest of us get ready. That will help two-fold, we'll get the shopping done and get two people out of the house in the morning. (One of the girls (K--18 months) loves to go bye-bye, so this will actually help three-fold cause it will get her some stimulation in the morning.)
Having 3 kids so quickly did not give me time to learn all the tricks. Moving to a temporary house and leaving half our stuff in boxes is also part of the problem. It's hard to not be settled. I'm really flying by the seat of my pants. I know the solutions I've posted sound simplistic, but they will help, I'm quite sure of it. If any one has any suggestions or tips, please post them! Thanks.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Handstands
I'm so excited that N is learning how to do a handstand...
I love to do handstands.
I hope that someday we can get a picture of N, K, T and me doing a handstand together. That would be way too cool. Of course, first, T needs to learn to sit up on her own. K does a mean forward roll, but she needs to learn the handstand thing.
Friday, December 02, 2005
File under, not related to the kids at all, but very very very cool.
Today, I was at work for 2 hours. I was sitting at my desk and my phone rang. I pick it up.
"This is J_____." I say as I answer.
Woman's voice says, "C_____________ is calling. Will you hold for a moment?"
For those of you who don't know, C_____________ is the President and CEO of the place where I work. The place where I work is not small... It's very well respected all over the world. C_____________ is a very impressive man. I wish I could tell you more about his accomplishments, the boards he sits on, who he has advised, and him but I don't want to say too much. I'm completely blown away that he's calling me.
I say as calmly as I can muster, "Sure, I'll hold."
It turns out C_____________ is calling me because he's writing a book, and is using some information I've sent him and he wants to get a more specific example to go along with it.
Wow. He wants more stuff from me. Wow.... My work is going to be referenced in his book! Wow. I'm so honored that it's kind of ridiculous! WOW!
(Maybe I should have called this the post in which I say "Wow" too much and use too many exclamation points!)
"This is J_____." I say as I answer.
Woman's voice says, "C_____________ is calling. Will you hold for a moment?"
For those of you who don't know, C_____________ is the President and CEO of the place where I work. The place where I work is not small... It's very well respected all over the world. C_____________ is a very impressive man. I wish I could tell you more about his accomplishments, the boards he sits on, who he has advised, and him but I don't want to say too much. I'm completely blown away that he's calling me.
I say as calmly as I can muster, "Sure, I'll hold."
It turns out C_____________ is calling me because he's writing a book, and is using some information I've sent him and he wants to get a more specific example to go along with it.
Wow. He wants more stuff from me. Wow.... My work is going to be referenced in his book! Wow. I'm so honored that it's kind of ridiculous! WOW!
(Maybe I should have called this the post in which I say "Wow" too much and use too many exclamation points!)
Thursday, December 01, 2005
It's raining
It's really raining here today. It's the first real rain of the season. There's a lot of water and it's coming down fast. It's also very windy. A great stormy day. A perfect day to sit inside with a computer in my lap and a sleeping baby laying beside me. However, as soon as the baby wakes up she's eating and then she's going in the car seat so that we can get out of here.
I'm feeling stressed, depressed, and overwhelmed. Did I mention tired? My back hurts. I am working on a post about my back because it is so bad right now. I woke up this morning with a headache. The headache is either from my screwed up back or my stress level.
I read about how breastfeeding is found to be associated with lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. If that's true, then I'm really glad I'm breastfeeding. Because I'm about ready to explode from all the stress. Perhaps if I weren't breastfeeding I already would have exploded. I blame my significant stress on issues #1 and #4 (post from yesterday).
So today is not what I would call a good day. In the scheme of things, it's not that bad. I always feel bad complaining. I am fortunate to know that all of my stress is situational (3 little ones, nanny issues, a very screwed up back, and 2 new small projects at work) and not deep seated nor rooted in issues that I have yet to uncover. I am even more fortunate that the baby is sleeping right now. I am just overwhelmed, but it will get better.
(Edited to add... I also realized that it's December 1st....I'm sure that's contributing to my stress....The holiday season is always stressful to me.)
I'm feeling stressed, depressed, and overwhelmed. Did I mention tired? My back hurts. I am working on a post about my back because it is so bad right now. I woke up this morning with a headache. The headache is either from my screwed up back or my stress level.
I read about how breastfeeding is found to be associated with lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. If that's true, then I'm really glad I'm breastfeeding. Because I'm about ready to explode from all the stress. Perhaps if I weren't breastfeeding I already would have exploded. I blame my significant stress on issues #1 and #4 (post from yesterday).
So today is not what I would call a good day. In the scheme of things, it's not that bad. I always feel bad complaining. I am fortunate to know that all of my stress is situational (3 little ones, nanny issues, a very screwed up back, and 2 new small projects at work) and not deep seated nor rooted in issues that I have yet to uncover. I am even more fortunate that the baby is sleeping right now. I am just overwhelmed, but it will get better.
(Edited to add... I also realized that it's December 1st....I'm sure that's contributing to my stress....The holiday season is always stressful to me.)
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