I just posted a whole slew of pictures to my flickr page.
For whatever reason I just can't find time to blog lately, so please refer to that as a brief glimpse of what is going on around here.
Eleanor turning 2 has been quite the affair, and we are trying to clean out our basement. I have also been working more, which throws off my mojo in a way.
I still have pictures from today (we had a non birthday party at my father in law's house- nothing like swimming in January...) but I can't find my camera at this exact moment so those will have to wait. Hopefully not for 2 more weeks, but we'll see.....
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
1/23
Today is Eleanor's second birthday.
It feels like we went from this:
To this:
All too quickly.
The last two years with her have been so fun and so amazing, and she really is such a neat kid.
Every time I gush about her- about how funny she is, and how beautiful she is, and how in awe I am of her- I feel a little guilty. It is not that I love Abby less, or that she is less any of those things, but she was given all the love, attention, and adoration for 3 years without having to share it the way Eleanor does.
Whatever, both my kids know I adore them.
Especially the birthday girl.
I had to work today, so she was with Grammy all morning, which is a good way for her to spend a birthday. What newly 2 year old wouldn't want to spend the morning running around with little to no supervision? I got home early this afternoon, and we played and opened a present from Grampy (why must everyone shop at Gymboree?). The girls and I had a lovely dinner on corn dogs and broccoli (at the request of the birthday girl), and they were sweet enough to wait for Tim to get home to do cake and candles. My mother in law came over also to enjoy the strawberry cake Nora picked out and decorated.....(for some reason I can't upload the picture of her with her fingers in the cake).
She went to bed tonight wearing her new bathing suit and Crocs from Grandma, and is now sleeping off her sugar high.
2 years ago I met the coolest chick. Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night- just to say hi- and I am struck by how beautiful she is. Sometimes she becomes so stubborn and adamant about the door being closed that she bites her sister. Sometimes she gets the sniffles and I can't sleep for a week until I know she isn't going to spend the night coughing. Sometimes I can't believe how much I love her.
It feels like we went from this:
To this:
All too quickly.
The last two years with her have been so fun and so amazing, and she really is such a neat kid.
Every time I gush about her- about how funny she is, and how beautiful she is, and how in awe I am of her- I feel a little guilty. It is not that I love Abby less, or that she is less any of those things, but she was given all the love, attention, and adoration for 3 years without having to share it the way Eleanor does.
Whatever, both my kids know I adore them.
Especially the birthday girl.
I had to work today, so she was with Grammy all morning, which is a good way for her to spend a birthday. What newly 2 year old wouldn't want to spend the morning running around with little to no supervision? I got home early this afternoon, and we played and opened a present from Grampy (why must everyone shop at Gymboree?). The girls and I had a lovely dinner on corn dogs and broccoli (at the request of the birthday girl), and they were sweet enough to wait for Tim to get home to do cake and candles. My mother in law came over also to enjoy the strawberry cake Nora picked out and decorated.....(for some reason I can't upload the picture of her with her fingers in the cake).
She went to bed tonight wearing her new bathing suit and Crocs from Grandma, and is now sleeping off her sugar high.
2 years ago I met the coolest chick. Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night- just to say hi- and I am struck by how beautiful she is. Sometimes she becomes so stubborn and adamant about the door being closed that she bites her sister. Sometimes she gets the sniffles and I can't sleep for a week until I know she isn't going to spend the night coughing. Sometimes I can't believe how much I love her.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Emergency Contact
I don't know if I have mentioned my single mom friend who I went to high school with ever. I think I start to blog about her but can't articulate how unpleasant it is to be around her children sometimes then I feel like and asshole for being so intolerant of her children (well, child actually- the younger one doesn't bother me so much).
So anyway, this chick had a kid after high school, the dad left her she met some new guy married him had another baby (the same day Abby was born) and then got separated from him for a variety of reasons (the fact that he is kind of a scum bag being the first and foremost reason). In high school she and I were pretty good friends and then we had one of those teen drama falling outs (over what, I can't even remember), but graduated on good terms. I didn't talk to her for years but met up with her this past summer at this min reunion we had (I can't remember if I have told you all this- if it is a rerun, I am sorry).
So I haven't talked to her in a while because we went to her youngest' birthday party and it was kind of traumatic for me. It goes deeper than me disagreeing with how she parents (I just don't think that Cheetos are a breakfast food and that constantly smoking around your kids is the best idea) I was kind of disturbed by everything that went on there. From her estranged husband who was smoking pot in the basement during the pinata to the family arguments that got carried out through the kids it was all really uncomfortable.
So I have kind of limited our contact just because it makes me crazy and it is hard to keep my mouth shut about it all. Until last night, when my friend called me at 10pm in tears. She asked me if I could pick her youngest up from day care today because she is without a car (there is a repossession issue and a suspended licensee involved here). She then asked me if I could be an emergency contact for the day care because she has had to leave work at least twice a week since the new year because her kid has had some sort of super freak out at day care and they can't deal with it.
What does one say to this?
She then told me that she is getting her kid evaluated by all these specialists because they think she has some overstimulation disorder (which is funny because I feel totally overstimulated when I am with them- the constant dialogue of the older one the mom yelling, the TVs on, the game Boys, stereo, etc.). My friend is a mess over this and is has missed all this work because she has to take her to doctors and meetings and pick her up at day care when they can't deal with her anymore.
I tried to offer a sympathetic ear, but I had nothing to say. Her kid is a mess, and needs some help, get her the help, right?
Then she asked me if I would be an emergency contact when the kid needed to be picked up from day care early.
What does one say to this?
So I told her I would pick her up today, but my schedule was such that I have no predictable day in which I could factor her kid in. I told her if there was a complete emergency where blood adn ambulances were involved she could call me, but other than that she had to make other arrangements.
Does this make me a bad person?
So anyway, this chick had a kid after high school, the dad left her she met some new guy married him had another baby (the same day Abby was born) and then got separated from him for a variety of reasons (the fact that he is kind of a scum bag being the first and foremost reason). In high school she and I were pretty good friends and then we had one of those teen drama falling outs (over what, I can't even remember), but graduated on good terms. I didn't talk to her for years but met up with her this past summer at this min reunion we had (I can't remember if I have told you all this- if it is a rerun, I am sorry).
So I haven't talked to her in a while because we went to her youngest' birthday party and it was kind of traumatic for me. It goes deeper than me disagreeing with how she parents (I just don't think that Cheetos are a breakfast food and that constantly smoking around your kids is the best idea) I was kind of disturbed by everything that went on there. From her estranged husband who was smoking pot in the basement during the pinata to the family arguments that got carried out through the kids it was all really uncomfortable.
So I have kind of limited our contact just because it makes me crazy and it is hard to keep my mouth shut about it all. Until last night, when my friend called me at 10pm in tears. She asked me if I could pick her youngest up from day care today because she is without a car (there is a repossession issue and a suspended licensee involved here). She then asked me if I could be an emergency contact for the day care because she has had to leave work at least twice a week since the new year because her kid has had some sort of super freak out at day care and they can't deal with it.
What does one say to this?
She then told me that she is getting her kid evaluated by all these specialists because they think she has some overstimulation disorder (which is funny because I feel totally overstimulated when I am with them- the constant dialogue of the older one the mom yelling, the TVs on, the game Boys, stereo, etc.). My friend is a mess over this and is has missed all this work because she has to take her to doctors and meetings and pick her up at day care when they can't deal with her anymore.
I tried to offer a sympathetic ear, but I had nothing to say. Her kid is a mess, and needs some help, get her the help, right?
Then she asked me if I would be an emergency contact when the kid needed to be picked up from day care early.
What does one say to this?
So I told her I would pick her up today, but my schedule was such that I have no predictable day in which I could factor her kid in. I told her if there was a complete emergency where blood adn ambulances were involved she could call me, but other than that she had to make other arrangements.
Does this make me a bad person?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Since my sister won't do it....
.....I am going to have to blog about he cuteness that is my niece.
So when we were there at Thanksgiving Amanda and I were explaining to Clementine that we were sisters. As we were telling her "Auntie is my sister" and "your mama is my sister" she grew despondent and then agitated. She then started crying because "that's my mama" and we soon figured out that it insights rage in her when we would explain that we were sisters.
So fast forward to last week when Clementine was being a pistol and was telling Amanda that she couldn't talk to her. When Amanda said, "I am your mama and I will talk to you" Clementine busted out with "You're not my mama! You're Auntie's sister!"
This kid is full of great one liners. She has also picked up some foul language on the way and I would be lying if I said it wasn't funny that she uses the 'f' word often. At least it was funny until I realized that Nora says "Shit!" every time she drops something.
Out of the mouths of babes......
So when we were there at Thanksgiving Amanda and I were explaining to Clementine that we were sisters. As we were telling her "Auntie is my sister" and "your mama is my sister" she grew despondent and then agitated. She then started crying because "that's my mama" and we soon figured out that it insights rage in her when we would explain that we were sisters.
So fast forward to last week when Clementine was being a pistol and was telling Amanda that she couldn't talk to her. When Amanda said, "I am your mama and I will talk to you" Clementine busted out with "You're not my mama! You're Auntie's sister!"
This kid is full of great one liners. She has also picked up some foul language on the way and I would be lying if I said it wasn't funny that she uses the 'f' word often. At least it was funny until I realized that Nora says "Shit!" every time she drops something.
Out of the mouths of babes......
Monday, January 07, 2008
The Sunday Night News
It started with Nora on Wednesday night. We had dinner with my mom, and a fairly uneventful evening which ended with her throwing up at midnight and continuing to do so until about 3 am. The next day she was able to kind of rally for a trip to Ikea despite some ickys, but we still laid kind of low. Friday morning I though we were in the clear. We went to get Abby's haircut (just like mine) but dashed home after a diaper mishap (you don't want to know). After lunch Abby told me her tummy hurt and I knew what was coming for me.
Poor little thing spent the afternoon in rough shape while I washed hands, sheet, towels, the bathroom, tushies, faces, clothes- you name it. We had plans to go out that night, and against my better judgement I tried to see them through. We weren't even to the restaurant when the sitter called to tell us that Abby was throwing up again (I told Tim not to give her anything other than sips of water, but I don't know what i am talking about). We stayed in and watched Transformers and I waited.
I waited to get hit by this bug crawling through our house. After getting up 4 times between the two of them needing diapers water or hugs, it was my turn. At one point I thought I was going to die, but morning came and I made it.
I started to feel better throughout the day, and was determined to pull it together in order to go out Saturday night (an afternoon of America's Next Top Model helped). Tim had the girls most of the day and I would be lying if I said I knew what he did with them other than make a mess and yell a whole bunch (Tim has this very distinct way of dealing with anything- his immediate reaction is anger of any sort, and even if it is not that he is really angry he sounds angry which makes one think he is angry. There is also a lot of swearing.). My mom took them in the afternoon so that we could celebrate our anniversary.
We actually had an awesome time. We went and got massages then met Chach and Alpana for dinner at the Mafia Hangout. I was nervous how my stomach would handle everything, but after one bite of roasted duck ragu, I was back on my game (although I could have done without the chicken liver pate- too smoky flavored). I ate seriously the most amazing sea bass, and a filet that was divine. The best part was how fun it is to be with Charles and Alpana. Sometimes it is really nice to go out with people and not have to talk about your kids all night because it is all you have in common. I love going out with them because I feel like a real adult, and we always have a great time with them. Don't get me wrong, I like swilling beer with Bridezilla and her hubby's death metal band, and I like competitive parenting at cocktail parties and the such with out "parent" friends, but sometimes it is just nice to go out and not come home hammered or neurotic.
After getting to sleep in this morning, my mom called to ask me if Nora was ok. Now, since i hadn't been with her for 18 hours I really had no answer for her. Apparently she had diaper rash and was just laying around all morning. Shortly after that conversation Tim decided it was his turn to get sick. By far he has had it the easiest, but of course has been the most dramatic. Since Abby and I were feeling better we took down the tree and de-decked our halls, all while trying to get organized for the new year and doing seventeen gazillion loads of laundry.
I have washed my hands no less than 117 times today and done about 16 loads of laundry in the past 2 days. I think we are all on the mend, except little Nora who we have determined to be the sickly one. WHile she has handled all this well, I am worried about her guts and her tush. She really has lost her sparkle this time around but I don't think she is ready for the pediatrician quite yet after all the nonsense they had her taking around Christmas (why does that seem like a month ago?). Oh, well, we'll see what this week brings... Back to school tomorrow, and I am determined to get my basement put back together after the holiday explosion, not to mention the plumbing thing (did I tell you about this?). If only I could finish this laundry...
Poor little thing spent the afternoon in rough shape while I washed hands, sheet, towels, the bathroom, tushies, faces, clothes- you name it. We had plans to go out that night, and against my better judgement I tried to see them through. We weren't even to the restaurant when the sitter called to tell us that Abby was throwing up again (I told Tim not to give her anything other than sips of water, but I don't know what i am talking about). We stayed in and watched Transformers and I waited.
I waited to get hit by this bug crawling through our house. After getting up 4 times between the two of them needing diapers water or hugs, it was my turn. At one point I thought I was going to die, but morning came and I made it.
I started to feel better throughout the day, and was determined to pull it together in order to go out Saturday night (an afternoon of America's Next Top Model helped). Tim had the girls most of the day and I would be lying if I said I knew what he did with them other than make a mess and yell a whole bunch (Tim has this very distinct way of dealing with anything- his immediate reaction is anger of any sort, and even if it is not that he is really angry he sounds angry which makes one think he is angry. There is also a lot of swearing.). My mom took them in the afternoon so that we could celebrate our anniversary.
We actually had an awesome time. We went and got massages then met Chach and Alpana for dinner at the Mafia Hangout. I was nervous how my stomach would handle everything, but after one bite of roasted duck ragu, I was back on my game (although I could have done without the chicken liver pate- too smoky flavored). I ate seriously the most amazing sea bass, and a filet that was divine. The best part was how fun it is to be with Charles and Alpana. Sometimes it is really nice to go out with people and not have to talk about your kids all night because it is all you have in common. I love going out with them because I feel like a real adult, and we always have a great time with them. Don't get me wrong, I like swilling beer with Bridezilla and her hubby's death metal band, and I like competitive parenting at cocktail parties and the such with out "parent" friends, but sometimes it is just nice to go out and not come home hammered or neurotic.
After getting to sleep in this morning, my mom called to ask me if Nora was ok. Now, since i hadn't been with her for 18 hours I really had no answer for her. Apparently she had diaper rash and was just laying around all morning. Shortly after that conversation Tim decided it was his turn to get sick. By far he has had it the easiest, but of course has been the most dramatic. Since Abby and I were feeling better we took down the tree and de-decked our halls, all while trying to get organized for the new year and doing seventeen gazillion loads of laundry.
I have washed my hands no less than 117 times today and done about 16 loads of laundry in the past 2 days. I think we are all on the mend, except little Nora who we have determined to be the sickly one. WHile she has handled all this well, I am worried about her guts and her tush. She really has lost her sparkle this time around but I don't think she is ready for the pediatrician quite yet after all the nonsense they had her taking around Christmas (why does that seem like a month ago?). Oh, well, we'll see what this week brings... Back to school tomorrow, and I am determined to get my basement put back together after the holiday explosion, not to mention the plumbing thing (did I tell you about this?). If only I could finish this laundry...
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Friday, January 04, 2008
A Multiple Choice Quiz
Which would you rather deal with: an almost 2 year old who throws up about every 15 minutes in the middle of the night, then once sleeping suffers explosive diarrhea, or a husband who has purchased Guitar Hero for his Playstation.
Yeah, I would pick "neither" also.
Today has been the longest day of my life.
I need winter break to be over so that I can get back into a groove, and I need that groove to not come from Guitar Hero.
I need to go lie down.
Yeah, I would pick "neither" also.
Today has been the longest day of my life.
I need winter break to be over so that I can get back into a groove, and I need that groove to not come from Guitar Hero.
I need to go lie down.
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