It's SUPERBLOG!
More magical than Harry Potter!
More powerful than Hulk Hogan!!
More amazing than... some super amazing thing!!!
Able to cure Bad Days in a single post!
Hooray for Superblog!
(Hey, there's got to be some upside to naming your blog after ninja turtles.)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Good Days/Bad Days
When I was a first-year teacher, I had this journal. On one side it said "Good Days" and there was a picture of a smiling baby. On the other side, "Bad Days" and the same baby crying. Even after a hard day, I could always find something to laugh about or feel good about, so when I went to jot down my thoughts, I always picked the Good Days side. In that whole first year, I never once wrote anything under Bad Days.
These days, I feel like I'm having more Bad Days than Good Days.
Chelsea is constantly having some meltdown or other. Savannah is the easiest baby on earth, but she's still a baby, so we're up in the middle of the night and it seems like I'm nursing all day. I feel like I'm grumpy all the time and I don't know how not to be grumpy anymore.
Lately when Jeremy leaves for work, I wish I could leave, too. I used to be so relieved to be staying at home, not to have to rush around in the morning and go to a job that I hated. Now it feels like any job would be a vacation. But I worry that if I went back to work, I'd hate that, too.
I want to stay home. I think it's the best thing for them. But I don't know if it's the best thing for me.
These days, I feel like I'm having more Bad Days than Good Days.
Chelsea is constantly having some meltdown or other. Savannah is the easiest baby on earth, but she's still a baby, so we're up in the middle of the night and it seems like I'm nursing all day. I feel like I'm grumpy all the time and I don't know how not to be grumpy anymore.
Lately when Jeremy leaves for work, I wish I could leave, too. I used to be so relieved to be staying at home, not to have to rush around in the morning and go to a job that I hated. Now it feels like any job would be a vacation. But I worry that if I went back to work, I'd hate that, too.
I want to stay home. I think it's the best thing for them. But I don't know if it's the best thing for me.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Two Conversations
1. On the phone with my mom (aka Oma), who lives in Southern California.
Oma: It's freezing here today! I'm wearing my Ugg boots and jeans and... what do you call that soft material?
Me: Fleece?
Oma: Yes, a fleece sweater... it's SO cold!
Me: What is it, like, 50? I bet it's the same temperature it is here, it's like 50 or 55, and I'm in flip flops and a T-shirt.
Oma: Ok, now I have to go see what it is. (Walks to the backyard to check the thermometer.) Well...(sheepishly) it's 60! But it feels so cold!
---
2. With my toddler, in the car.
Her: Blah, blah, blah*, Thomas...blah, blah, blah, George...blah, blah, blah, Texas...blah, blah, blah, Sister...blah, blah, blah... WHAT NUMBER IS THAT BUS?!!!??!!
Me: 441.
Her: IT ISN'T!!! WHERE IS IT GOING?!!!?!
*she wasn't actually saying "blah, blah, blah" just a constant stream of mostly incomprehensible toddler chatter
Moral of the story: Crazy is a genetically inherited trait.
Oma: It's freezing here today! I'm wearing my Ugg boots and jeans and... what do you call that soft material?
Me: Fleece?
Oma: Yes, a fleece sweater... it's SO cold!
Me: What is it, like, 50? I bet it's the same temperature it is here, it's like 50 or 55, and I'm in flip flops and a T-shirt.
Oma: Ok, now I have to go see what it is. (Walks to the backyard to check the thermometer.) Well...(sheepishly) it's 60! But it feels so cold!
---
2. With my toddler, in the car.
Her: Blah, blah, blah*, Thomas...blah, blah, blah, George...blah, blah, blah, Texas...blah, blah, blah, Sister...blah, blah, blah... WHAT NUMBER IS THAT BUS?!!!??!!
Me: 441.
Her: IT ISN'T!!! WHERE IS IT GOING?!!!?!
*she wasn't actually saying "blah, blah, blah" just a constant stream of mostly incomprehensible toddler chatter
Moral of the story: Crazy is a genetically inherited trait.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Catch-22
So I've been running. And running. And running some more.
I've only been running three days a week, but for me, that's a lot. I was very careful to build up slowly, take at least one day off to recover between runs, and stretch my limbs often.
Last Saturday, I met my goal of running for 33 minutes on my 33rd birthday. Yay, me!
However. My knees are freakin' killing me.
It started last Tuesday with my 25 minute run. The next day, I could barely use my legs without wincing. I'm WAY too stubborn to stop running so close to my goal, so I just kept going. It didn't hurt THAT bad.
Now it's a week later and I'm still in pain. I googled running and knee pain and found this helpful advice: "Start out slowly. Walk before you run. Warm up and stretch before working out."
Um... and if I did all that? Now what? According to bigkneepain.com (not even joking! it's a real website) the answer is RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
Rest pisses me off, but at least I can do it. Rest means stop doing what hurt you in the first place, you stupid stubborn idiot. But Ice? I'm supposed to "Apply ice wrapped in cloth every 15 minutes per hour the first day then every 3 to 4 hours for the second and third day." Compression means I'm supposed to go around with Ace bandages wrapped around my knees (with ice packs underneath!) and Elevation means I have to keep my knees above the level of my heart.
That's all? That will fit in SO well with my carefree, no-responsibility lifestyle! Oh, woops! I confused myself with someone who doesn't have a toddler, a newborn, and twenty-nine loads of laundry to do.
I think the cause of the knee pain is basically that I'm too heavy. I know that being overweight adds extra stress on all of your joints, particularly your knees. Therein lies the rub: I need to lose weight in order to run, but I need to run to lose the weight!
I know, I know. I could power walk! I could swim! I could... what are you doing when you go on the elliptical machine? (I could ellipse?) But I want to run, dammit. Now that I can do it, I don't want to lose what little progress I've made.
When I first got pregnant with Chelsea, I was running 6 days a week. I remember very clearly thinking, "Yes! I can stop running!" Now that I actually have a legitimate reason to stop running, I am not relieved, just frustrated.
I've only been running three days a week, but for me, that's a lot. I was very careful to build up slowly, take at least one day off to recover between runs, and stretch my limbs often.
Last Saturday, I met my goal of running for 33 minutes on my 33rd birthday. Yay, me!
However. My knees are freakin' killing me.
It started last Tuesday with my 25 minute run. The next day, I could barely use my legs without wincing. I'm WAY too stubborn to stop running so close to my goal, so I just kept going. It didn't hurt THAT bad.
Now it's a week later and I'm still in pain. I googled running and knee pain and found this helpful advice: "Start out slowly. Walk before you run. Warm up and stretch before working out."
Um... and if I did all that? Now what? According to bigkneepain.com (not even joking! it's a real website) the answer is RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
Rest pisses me off, but at least I can do it. Rest means stop doing what hurt you in the first place, you stupid stubborn idiot. But Ice? I'm supposed to "Apply ice wrapped in cloth every 15 minutes per hour the first day then every 3 to 4 hours for the second and third day." Compression means I'm supposed to go around with Ace bandages wrapped around my knees (with ice packs underneath!) and Elevation means I have to keep my knees above the level of my heart.
That's all? That will fit in SO well with my carefree, no-responsibility lifestyle! Oh, woops! I confused myself with someone who doesn't have a toddler, a newborn, and twenty-nine loads of laundry to do.
I think the cause of the knee pain is basically that I'm too heavy. I know that being overweight adds extra stress on all of your joints, particularly your knees. Therein lies the rub: I need to lose weight in order to run, but I need to run to lose the weight!
I know, I know. I could power walk! I could swim! I could... what are you doing when you go on the elliptical machine? (I could ellipse?) But I want to run, dammit. Now that I can do it, I don't want to lose what little progress I've made.
When I first got pregnant with Chelsea, I was running 6 days a week. I remember very clearly thinking, "Yes! I can stop running!" Now that I actually have a legitimate reason to stop running, I am not relieved, just frustrated.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Potty Un-training
We were doing so well!
Up until this weekend, Chelsea was essentially potty-trained. Did she venture to the bathroom on her own? No. Did she deign to wipe her own butt? Hell to the no. But I didn't have to clean up any more nasty toddler diapers so it was all good.
Then. This weekend.
In the past four days, we've had 8 (EIGHT!!!) accidents. Six of them just since yesterday. Luckily, all have been of the "number 1" variety. She had one each on Friday and Saturday. We were traveling and I chalked them up to being off our normal schedule and in a new place.
Then Sunday: three accidents in one day. Ugh. She started the day off by peeing on a wooden staircase at the National Park housing we were staying in. (Anyone know how to clean pee off of wood? Me neither. Sorry, fellow tax payers.)
Then today, Monday, we were awakened at 5am by Savannah crying for milk and by Chelsea crying out, "You need your clothes changed!"
The worst part is not even all the extra laundry (boo!) but the fact that all of these accidents? Entirely OUR fault. Not hers. We made the awesome mistake of letting her stay up until nearly 11 o'clock on Saturday night. For what? A bonfire and some s'mores. Very fun, yes, but totally not worth two days of cranky, sleep-deprived, unable-to-hold-her-pee toddler.
Lesson learned.
Up until this weekend, Chelsea was essentially potty-trained. Did she venture to the bathroom on her own? No. Did she deign to wipe her own butt? Hell to the no. But I didn't have to clean up any more nasty toddler diapers so it was all good.
Then. This weekend.
In the past four days, we've had 8 (EIGHT!!!) accidents. Six of them just since yesterday. Luckily, all have been of the "number 1" variety. She had one each on Friday and Saturday. We were traveling and I chalked them up to being off our normal schedule and in a new place.
Then Sunday: three accidents in one day. Ugh. She started the day off by peeing on a wooden staircase at the National Park housing we were staying in. (Anyone know how to clean pee off of wood? Me neither. Sorry, fellow tax payers.)
Then today, Monday, we were awakened at 5am by Savannah crying for milk and by Chelsea crying out, "You need your clothes changed!"
The worst part is not even all the extra laundry (boo!) but the fact that all of these accidents? Entirely OUR fault. Not hers. We made the awesome mistake of letting her stay up until nearly 11 o'clock on Saturday night. For what? A bonfire and some s'mores. Very fun, yes, but totally not worth two days of cranky, sleep-deprived, unable-to-hold-her-pee toddler.
Lesson learned.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Dance Your Cares Away! (Clap, Clap!)
Down at Fraggle Rock!
How. Rad. Is THIS?
My best friend from junior high just sent me a heads-up about this:
http://www.variety.com/VR1117985529.html
Seeing as Chelsea was scared of the (totally not scary) Curious George movie, it may be a while before she gets to see any movies, even a live-action Fraggle Rock. Me, however? I'm so there.
As a child of the 80s, Fraggle Rock was right up there on my list of favorite shows with Pee Wee's Playhouse and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I even dressed up as Red Fraggle one year for Halloween. In eighth grade. My friend Steve (hi, Steve!) calls me Red to this day.
I just looked at the Variety article again and saw that this is not only going to be live-action but a musical!!?! Could it GET any better?
(thanks, Amy!)
How. Rad. Is THIS?
My best friend from junior high just sent me a heads-up about this:
http://www.variety.com/VR1117985529.html
Seeing as Chelsea was scared of the (totally not scary) Curious George movie, it may be a while before she gets to see any movies, even a live-action Fraggle Rock. Me, however? I'm so there.
As a child of the 80s, Fraggle Rock was right up there on my list of favorite shows with Pee Wee's Playhouse and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I even dressed up as Red Fraggle one year for Halloween. In eighth grade. My friend Steve (hi, Steve!) calls me Red to this day.
I just looked at the Variety article again and saw that this is not only going to be live-action but a musical!!?! Could it GET any better?
(thanks, Amy!)
Monday, May 12, 2008
Top 5 Signs Your Daddy is a Marine Ecologist
5. You spend your evenings dividing your barn animals into two groups: carnivores and herbivores.
4. All of your baby-sitters are graduate students.
3. You know exactly which subway trains to take to get to the aquarium.
2. You have been to the Benthic Ecology Meeting three times. And you're two years old.
1. All of your family vacations involve the phrase "field site."
4. All of your baby-sitters are graduate students.
3. You know exactly which subway trains to take to get to the aquarium.
2. You have been to the Benthic Ecology Meeting three times. And you're two years old.
1. All of your family vacations involve the phrase "field site."
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Dear Ms. Buchanan
I'm always amazed when I write a letter to a person I don't know and she writes back.
This happened last fall with author Andi Buchanan. I wrote to her after finishing her book Mother Shock: Loving Every (Other) Minute of It. I can't remember who recommended this book to me, but 'loving every other minute' of motherhood resonated with me. I had to put the book down (in tears!) and come back to it later several times during the first section on "Mother Shock" in which Ms. Buchanan describes the often painful and overwhelming transition to motherhood. I was pregnant (read: hormonal) at the time and it brought back memories of how terrifying it was to be a mother the first time around.
Ms. Buchanan doesn't dwell only on the difficulties of mothering; she balances both the joys and the tears. I was so moved by her book that I felt compelled to write her, thanking her for such a moving piece of work. Quite unexpectedly, she wrote me back a sweet and gentle letter, wishing me the best with my second round of motherhood and assuring me that with her second child she was able to have the experience of motherhood that she'd dreamed of having with her first child but didn't have.
I wish I had enough money to buy a copy of this book for every mother that I know. Alas, this little plug for an honest book and a generous author will have to suffice.
This happened last fall with author Andi Buchanan. I wrote to her after finishing her book Mother Shock: Loving Every (Other) Minute of It. I can't remember who recommended this book to me, but 'loving every other minute' of motherhood resonated with me. I had to put the book down (in tears!) and come back to it later several times during the first section on "Mother Shock" in which Ms. Buchanan describes the often painful and overwhelming transition to motherhood. I was pregnant (read: hormonal) at the time and it brought back memories of how terrifying it was to be a mother the first time around.
Ms. Buchanan doesn't dwell only on the difficulties of mothering; she balances both the joys and the tears. I was so moved by her book that I felt compelled to write her, thanking her for such a moving piece of work. Quite unexpectedly, she wrote me back a sweet and gentle letter, wishing me the best with my second round of motherhood and assuring me that with her second child she was able to have the experience of motherhood that she'd dreamed of having with her first child but didn't have.
I wish I had enough money to buy a copy of this book for every mother that I know. Alas, this little plug for an honest book and a generous author will have to suffice.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Unfriendly Skies
My husband recently alerted me to the fact that United has changed its checked luggage allowance. They now only allow the regular folk (read: economy passengers) to bring ONE piece of checked luggage. Need to bring another bag? Or a car seat? Or a stroller? Cough up $25. This is the most family-UNfriendly policy change that I can imagine. It is hard enough to cram all the stuff you need into one bag per person. And now you have to pay to bring a car seat? Something your child cannot leave the airport without?
Several other domestic carriers are also lowering their allowance this summer. Alaska, American, Continental, Jet Blue, Northwest, and US Air will only allow one free, checked bag starting this summer. AirTran, Delta, and Southwest still allow you to bring 2 free, checked bags. (For now.) Expedia has an overview of the new policies here and it looks like only American and Continental will exempt car seats and strollers from the second bag fee. I called United to confirm this, because it is so unbelievable, and it's true: if you travel with an infant you have to pay $25 to check their car seat! (Unless you want that to be your only piece of checked luggage.)
I get it that the economy is bad. I get it that fuel prices are through the roof. I get it that the airlines have to pass these expenses on to their customers in order to stay in business. BUT, I don't get why they seem to be passing these expenses on to families or travelers with children. Other people? Just pack lighter. Families? Either leave your kid at home or be prepared to pay extra for the stuff you have to bring with you. You could rent a car seat at your destination. You'd still have to pay extra, but at least the money wouldn't go to the airline.
Several other domestic carriers are also lowering their allowance this summer. Alaska, American, Continental, Jet Blue, Northwest, and US Air will only allow one free, checked bag starting this summer. AirTran, Delta, and Southwest still allow you to bring 2 free, checked bags. (For now.) Expedia has an overview of the new policies here and it looks like only American and Continental will exempt car seats and strollers from the second bag fee. I called United to confirm this, because it is so unbelievable, and it's true: if you travel with an infant you have to pay $25 to check their car seat! (Unless you want that to be your only piece of checked luggage.)
I get it that the economy is bad. I get it that fuel prices are through the roof. I get it that the airlines have to pass these expenses on to their customers in order to stay in business. BUT, I don't get why they seem to be passing these expenses on to families or travelers with children. Other people? Just pack lighter. Families? Either leave your kid at home or be prepared to pay extra for the stuff you have to bring with you. You could rent a car seat at your destination. You'd still have to pay extra, but at least the money wouldn't go to the airline.
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