Slacker

Oh I'm so behind on posting and now with the new TV season started there's one more thing begging for my attention. I love you TiVo.

M has been in court all this week on a big trial. He hasn't been home before 11:00 one night this week. I've been trying to stay up so I can see him and chat, but I'm starting to feel a little sleep-deprived. We didn't get to bed until 1:00 yesterday. It should all wrap up tomorrow anyway.

Tomorrow is also our first Daisy meeting. My co-leader is super organized so I think we have all the bases covered between us. I hope we get a good turnout!

I'm going to take a quick nap while A is down for his. Or maybe I'll do some reading... I'm about halfway into "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and I like it even more than Kite Runner.

Daze-y

For at least a week now, I had assumed I was leading the Kindergarten Daisy troop at D's school. I've got the paperwork going and had planned to send out an information letter on Monday. So I was a bit surprised when we all got an invitation to a Daisy Informational Meeting from another mom in the class today. Talk about operating in a vacuum, people. I had talked to the class moms, a bunch of other moms, the mom who was in charge of the Troop last year, basically all the moms in the class (there are only about a dozen girls) except for the Mom who sent the letter. (Who, in her defense, because I believe in a strong defense, has been on bed rest since the beginning of the year and so hasn't really been around.) So, if there are any other people out there who plan on starting a Daisy Troop for D's kindergarten class, please step forward now. You know who you are.

Anyway, at first I felt a little hurt. M was pissed that I had been usurped (even though for the past week he's been warning me that I was going to get overwhelmed with all the stuff I had to do). But as the evening wore on, I started to see it in a more positive light. After all, this other mom doesn't have a one year old wild child at home who can't walk unless he's clinging to my leg. Let her take care of the coordinating, organizing, paperwork. I'll handle the snacks. So I called her up and offered my help as assistant leader. So all's well that ends well and at least my information letter didn't go out on the same day as hers. Which would have been really confusing for everyone. As it is, it was only confusing for me, the mom who had volunteered to be my co-leader and the other nine moms from the class that I had talked to.

A is going to his first playgroup today. Happily, most of the other mom's from D's playgroup have had a second round of children, so we're going to continue meeting with this second generation. They are a wonderful bunch of friends & moms and all of the kids play great together. It'll be great to catch up with everyone since we didn't meet regularly as a group over the summer.

Have a great weekend!

Ok, just ONE more

Nope, not one more slice of cake.

Or one more bowl of ice cream (although thank heaven for the Low-Fat version of Half-Baked, the most addictive ice cream in the world).

I'm talking one more day I gleefully, guiltily shipped A off to Mom's Morning Out. That makes two this week. It's wonderful, the free time. I'm getting used to walking without his tiny arms wrapped around my legs. I feel a little bad since I would never have DREAMED of sending D off with strangers when she was 13 months. As a matter of fact, she didn't go to MMO until she was about 2-1/2 and talking (you know, so she could report any abuse back to us). With A, I'm much, much more relaxed about things, but I still feel a little guilty. Oh well. I'm also getting a lot done - like making dinner for tonight since D has swimming and I hate the mad rush to feed the kids once we get home.

I may even go take a nap.

Have a great weekend!

In the still of the night

I love 9:45 at night. It is so peaceful. The kids are asleep and, after a long Labor Day fishing and a hard day back at work, M is too. The dishes are done, lunch and snacks packed, all toys are picked up off the floor. I can blog, read, email (although I probably won't, so I'm sorry if I owe you an email!) and polish off the rest of the Haagen-Dazs, although I won't do it while watching the "Biggest Loser" recap show. Even an unabashed dessert-hound like me will feel guilty indulging while a whole show of people go on and on about "willpower" and "good choices" and "label reading."

We had an absolutely lovely weekend at my mom & dads. It was so nice to get another little break. Coupled with A's "Mom's Morning Out" program (which started today) I feel very rested. While he was gone, I went to the grocery, called some more builders and even got a chance to cook some chicken for dinner. We even made it to school to pick up D early enough that we didn't have to race across town for her swim lessons.

Not sure what I'll do until bedtime - read a little? watch NCIS? more ice cream? All three!!

Glutton for punishment

Because there's always room to be more overwhelmed and crazy than I already am, I volunteered to lead the Daisy scout troop at D's school. Supposedly the committment is one afternoon a month to meet and do a craft. I'm not naturally crafty or creative but I do LOVE Michael's so I'm sure that I can handle that part. And a few more bags of craft supplies drifting around the house won't hurt anyone. And, because it's me, the thing that I'll obsess over is what to bring for snacks... something healthy? something homemade? something in a box from the store? something for the girls to make and eat themselves, therefore qualifying as both a craft AND a snack?

The upside is I get to spend time with D and her sweet little friends.

The downside is I'm going to have to try to find a sitter who'll be able to watch A or I'll have to (gulp) bring him with me to the Daisy meetings. All the snacks in the world aren't going to keep him occupied for an hour and the post-school afternoon meeting time rules out our current crop of sitters, so I'll have to give this one some thought.

You, me and coffee

It has been a highly stressful last few weeks, manifested mainly in my marked increase in caffeine consumption. We're talking three cups of coffee in the a.m. and at least two Diet Cokes a day. When less than 4 months ago I was still in "nursing mode" and only drinking 1/2 cup of coffee in the morning.

Why? Well, besides dealing with the gloriously entertaining monotony of being a full-time mom to a one-year-old, and the never ending battle to stay organized, and the ENORMOUS stream of paperwork generated by having one (just ONE!) kid in kindergarten, we have the ongoing stress of the great "move or renovate" debate, now entering it's third year. It seems impossible that M and I have been talking about this subject for that many years without ever coming to a single decision, a plan of action, or simple resolution. Can it really be that difficult?! Shouldn't be, since I'm a fairly decisive person and M, as an attorney, makes educated, researched decisions for his living. But no. We're still crammed into our beautiful, tiny house endlessly discussing what to do next. It's as boring and pointless as it sounds, folks. Both of us, and probably D too, can trot out a whole list of pros and cons and interest rates and names of builders and designers and ideas, but to act on any of this information? Nope. Seems impossible.

Why? Well, M's been insanely busy, travelling, trials, lots of work pressure. I spend my days chasing after A and trying to cram a full days worth of chores into the 90 minutes he naps in the morning. Then we have swim lessons, tennis lessons, meals to make.... I don't know why I'm so busy, I just am. I long, yearn, pray for the day when they are both in school (even just part-time) so that I have a couple of uninterrupted hours a day. I wonder sometimes if this "at home" mom thing is the right thing for me. I lack the certain amount of patience and tolerance for disorganization that (I think) would enable me to function more calmly. I get quite testy when asked to guess, for the 4000th time, what kind of baby animal D is pretending to be, and yes, honey I love that picture your making. What's that? A bunch of flying hearts? No? Ohhh, of course, they're baby stingrays! I'm irritated by having toys, books and balls hurled at me all day long. Now, some of the toys have started making noises all on their own... a car & truck puzzle that makes its ambulance noise in the morning and the Fisher Price kitchen will mysteriously starting burbling and dinging away at night. Sometimes, by the time everyone has been fed, and dinner is cleaned up, and lunches and snacks have been made, and the coffee is set for the morning it's after 10:00. Does that seem late to you? No? Then you must be under 30, because that seems late to me! I hate to complain because I asked for and chose this life and I am blessed to be able to concentrate fully on the kids and not have to work outside of the house. And, when all is said and done, I crawl into bed exhausted, but happy. So maybe that is why no decisions are being made and why we continue to live all smushed happily into our little house.

I really need a vacation.

Get your fuss on

Anyone who knows D appreciates her ability to coin unique and entirely apropos phrases. The other day as A followed M around the house whining to be picked up, she yells out, "Watch out Daddy, he's going to put the fuss on you!" I thought it was great - just really apt. Much as when she described him to someone as the "messy thrower of crunchies."

A is hitting every milestone - head on and at top speed. He's got separation anxiety, night terrors, a growing sense of independence and static-clinginess; he's drooling, teething, walking, starting to talk, attempting to climb and wanting to eat on his own. The result of all this growth and change? He's a total fuss bucket. I imagine it would be like me waking up one morning and realizing I could fly. Or speak like six new languages. You'd be amazed, confused, torn between wanting to explore your new talent(s)and wondering how it happened. Of course, it's easy to talk about but I have less patience when I'm trying to go about my daily business with one moppet clinging to my leg and the other one asking a non-stop stream of questions, ranging from a simple request for definition ("Mommy, what's a precipice?") to the sublime ("Mommy, if I dress up like Sleeping Beauty am I really a princess?)

We're on our last summer trip before Kindergarten starts -- spending a few days in Naples with my parents. It's beastly hot, but the kids are having a great time playing with the cousins and I'm enjoying seeing my family.

Have a happy Monday everyone!

Dog days of summer

Top 10 Signs That You Wish Summer Was Over:

1) You no longer care that your daughter eats most meals dressed as a Disney princess
2) You consider a bowl of Lucky Charms and a glass of milk a good breakfast ... or dinner
3) Your grocery list is pretty much peaches, blueberries, corn and ice cream
4) Your yard only looks nice the day after the lawn guy cuts it
5) 100% humidity makes blow-drying your hair useless
6) You haven't turned on the oven in weeks
7) The a/c runs 24/7
8) Walking to the car makes you sweat
9) Not even the dog wants to go for a walk
10) Your kid doesn't start school for 3 weeks but you've already bought everything on her class supply list

Stay cool!

One more reason ....

11) You find it amusing to chase the dog with a remote control car

Wee walker

A started walking for real this week. Up until now he could manage about a dozen steps and then he would have to either cruise or crawl to reach his destination. But that changed overnight. Now he'll clamber upright and just start toddling around, usually with his blanket or a ball or some other toy in his mouth. (Is he imitating the dog?!) It is so cute and SO exhausting. I've lost 5 lbs. in one week chasing him around and trying to contain the huge trail of toys, blocks, blankets, balls and whatever else he drags through the house. Last night I collapsed on the couch at 8:30, guzzled split half a beer with M, and promptly fell asleep.

We've actually been sleeping very well lately because, after that wonderful night on the Hampton Inn Cloud Nine (TM) bed, I went out and bought all the linens, etc. to recreate the experience right here at home. It's amazing. Even M thinks its great. I got a fluffy, 14-oz., 250 thread count mattress pad, new sheets, down-and-feather pillows and a new duvet. It really is comfortable. I've never really understood the concept of good bedding before, but I'm a true believer now.

I think I'll go take a nap.

Happy birthday big boy!

A happy, happy first birthday to my sweet "baby" A. One year ago today, M & I were at the hospital to have them induce labor. I wasn't overdue; they were concerned that he was too big for me to deliver. I got my inducing meds around midnight, and I think right about now was when I started to rethink my decision to not get an epidural. After writhing and moaning for a few hours I finally used the code word that M & I had set up ahead of time that meant I was serious, get me my friggin' drugs STAT! A was finally born around 2 in the afternoon (you can tell when it's not your first kid, because while I know D's birth time down to the second, all I know about A was that I pushed for about 45 minutes and it was 2-ish. Or maybe 3?!)

We're having a low-key birthday. My sister & our friend Kari are coming over for BBQ and cake this afternoon.

For presents, he got a Fisher-Price train (because we didn't have enough molded plastic crap toys already?) and a great bucket of cars/planes/trains from Grandma & Grandpa J. To add to the celebration, we also got a new vacuum because our old upright finally surrendered. I swear it was spewing out as much dirt and hair and junk as it sucked in.

A and D are as different as oil and water, but I am happier than I could ever imagine having these two precious children. They add so much joy, wonder, excitement, marvel to my life that it more than makes up for the quadrupled housework and never-ending cascade of laundry. Some friends have described their children, particularly boys, as tornados. I'd describe A as a lava flow - a stupendous explosion followed by slow, complete destruction. Watching him in action taking apart the playroom, bedroom, kitchen cabinets is poetry in motion. He's totally deliberate and thorough. You don't even realize the chaos in his wake he's so much fun to watch.

Ok, while Birthday Boy naps I'm going to sneak in a bit more Harry Potter. I'm about halfway through.

Life is good.

Media blackout

I am under a weekend-long self-imposed ban on emails, the Internet, Google, news, E!, and any other media outlet that might possibly spoil the new Harry Potter book, which I, like any self-respecting 12-year-old, have pre-ordered from Amazon for delivery first thing Saturday morning. If by chance you finish the book before me, which is likely given the demands of raising two children, please do NOT tell me a thing about it! I will be reading as fast as I can in high anticipation of jumping on those discussion boards as soon as possible.

Thank you!

We're back

We're back from North Carolina! We had a wonderful time with M's parents. The weather was super - the last week we were there it barely got above 60 on a couple of days (of course, they are up around 4300 ft. above sea level, which makes for some mighty refreshing air). It was a bit of a shock to return to 90+ heat, although it should be expected for Florida in July. The kids and I survived our 12 hour car ride home, with a short stop at the Hampton Inn Valdosta, GA. (NOTE: Shameless plug ahead!) I really can't say enough about the Hampton Inn - I haven't stayed in one since the 90s and they've REALLY upgraded their facilities. And the Cloud Nine bed? Heaven! You gotta try it.

But now we're home, back to routine -- trying to answer D's thousands of questions (A sampling: "what's a precipice? what's an estate? who named this thing a grape? why are there crunchy things on my bagel?"); planning A's one-year birthday party; hopefully going to see my parents before school starts. And let's not forget the ongoing nightmare of the renovation plan that can't quite get off the ground. But something must be done because the kids really need their own space. Now. Of course we've been saying that for a year with no results at all.

Hope the weather is cooler wherever you are!

Hey loser....

So, the kids and I are having a great time on vacation and the weather is great and all. Then last night (3 days into our good time!) I get a call from M that someone from American Express's security division was questioning some "unusual activity" on my card. Hmmm. No, I haven't lost my credit card. No, I didn't let anyone "borrow" it. And, hell no, I didn't purchase $60 of gas last Saturday night at a Texaco station in Venice, Florida. So I go online to check my card and find that some LOSER out there has charged over $7000 since last Friday night on my card!!!!! At places like 7-11s, Shell stations (over $4000 at Shell stations in the Ft. Myers area alone!) and TACO FRIGGIN' BELL!!!!! I'm LIVID. I call AMEX, who are very professional, assure me that my account is SOOOO cancelled and a new card being issued as we speak and that of course I'm not liable for a penny of those charges. And by the way, do I have any idea who might have done this? (No, because no one I know spends over $40 at Taco Bell. In a lifetime. Let alone one night.) Amex also assures me that IF they catch this person they will prosecute - and I'll be happy to help send this person to a punishment they deserve, which in my opinion should include things like many years of hard time, maybe on a chain gang, a flogging and perhaps public humiliation, but will probably be something much less. And by the way, all you scumbucket card-stealing losers out there, THANKS A LOT for robbing me of my piece of mind on my vacation. Now I get to spend the rest of my lovely month here (and probably the rest of the year) worrying that someone has stolen my identity.

The new world order

Hello out there. Sorry it has been such a while, but the kids have kept me "entertained" 24/7 lately with nary a break. Every little thing takes 16 billion times longer than it should... like D & I playing the ever-popular game "What Animal Am I?" (These are a sampling of responses as she tries to guess "duck.")

"Cat?"
"Dog?"
"Bird?" (Ooh! getting close!)
"Canary?"
"Parrot?"
"Pterodactyl?" (Huh?!)
"Foofie bird?" (Ok, we're off track....)

And so on for 25 minutes people.... I didn't know she knew so many types of birds. Finally, after momentary diversions into other animal genres, she gets duck. Yes, 25 quality time minutes with my exhaustingly smart daughter - now 25 minutes behind getting dinner ready, etc.

Don't even get me started on the non-stop screaming, screeching, wailing as Baby A attempts to get around the house using his walker. He's very good with it, but hates that he has to do it without me, so every proud, independent step is accompanied by his non-stop top-of-his-lungs vocal disapproval that I'm not holding his sweaty little hand. He will (purposely?) steer himself into a corner then scream until he falls down - yet I've seen him nimbly manouever the walker to get over to D when she has a snack in her hand.

But, our vacation is thankfully just around the corner. We leave this weekend for a wonderful month in the mountains of Western North Carolina with my in-laws. We ended up deciding to fly M's mom down to drive up with the kids and I on Sunday. After the last few days, I was pretty concerned about the long drive alone with the kids - A is a handful and a half, which only leaves half a hand for D. But Grandma J will be a big help and good company and I won't have to worry about speeding to get there before dark (they live at the top of a very dark, very rugged, very beautiful mountain - tricky driving in broad daylight - scary in the pitch black after a long day's drive.)

Not sure what my internet access will be like once we're there, but I'll try to get a post in now and then. And of course, a recap once we're home in July.

Hope you all are enjoying your summer too!

Party with your kids

I spent the weekend attending not one, but two parties. A first for our life post-kid, as that's typically the number of parties we attend in a whole year. But, these were all kid/school related and were both great fun. One was a pool party and the other a house party - which was crazy because it poured rain (due to Tropical Storm Barney) for the first time in about 4 months and so all the kids, who normally would have been outside were instead running through the house - mud and water and screaming everywhere. But fun and good company and great food all the same.

Today I am attempting to make Lobster Rolls for dinner and am a tad anxious about potentially ruining such an expensive dish. Some recipes are simple - mayo, salt & pepper - others call for celery, capers, tarragon, chives. I'm not sure which way to go, but I do have my hot dog rolls all ready, so at least that part will be authentic.

All is quiet on the home front for now. Baby A is taking an afternoon nap and D is whining that she's bored. If A wakes up in time, maybe we'll head out to the pool for a bit.

Where have I been?

With summer hols here, things have been pretty nuts but I think we've finally worked out some kind of schedule. D had some major adjustment with being home from school and wanting time with me -- she's definitely not used to sharing me with Baby A. Anyhoo, she's off with Aunt Debbie today to swim & play and that's just fine with me.

We've got two parties this weekend (a social calendar first!) - one tonight and a pool party on Sunday. Next week we meet with a new architect to try to get this renovation thing off the ground. Then we're off to the mountains of Western North Carolina in two weeks, but until then, maybe I'd rather be here:

You Belong in Dublin

Friendly and down to earth, you want to enjoy Europe without snobbery or pretensions. You're the perfect person to go wild on a pub crawl... or enjoy a quiet bike ride through the old part of town.

What European City Do You Belong In?

Have a nice weekend!

Guarantee

Nothing is guaranteed in life, except YOU KNOW the minute I get my errands and chores (blogging!) done, settle down on the couch with a cold drink, a tasty snack and the latest issue of Vogue, Baby A is guaranteed to wake up from his nap. Sigh. Such is life. I remember when my lunch break was actually a break.

"No" man's land

Baby A has entered the "no" stage - where it seems like all we tell him is "no" - no crying, no hitting, no licking your sister, no chewing shoes, etc. He's also teething. One of his big old top front teeth is just sitting there, almost ready to pop, creating a huge red bulge on his gumline. It looks incredibly painful and I really do feel badly for him, just less so when he's screaming bloody murder at 2:30 in the morning. Or again at 4:00. Poor baby.

It was lovely here this weekend, very un-Florida-y, with cool temps and a nice breeze and low humidity. It made me temporarily forget that summer is pretty much here. Every year at this time I try to remember why we didn't put in a pool last year, or why we don't have a playset for D yet, or why we don't really have any grass or shade in our big old yard. What we do have is a virtual, miniature Florida prairie habitat with wild native grass (re: scrub), little shade, and birds, lizards (EEEEK!) possums, squirrels and snakes galore. National Geographic could do a show on us. But it doesn't make for a very nice or inviting place for the kids to play. So off to the water park we go!

My other favorite thing about summer - no cooking in the oven!! I take a break from baking, roasting, braising and broiling during the summer. What's left? Well, sauteeing, crock pots, pan-frying, take out (ha) and of course the grill. Besides grilling, one of my favorite summer meals is make-your-own omelettes. I basically use the same ingredients as I would for a winter make-your-own pizza session: peppers, spinach, mushrooms, onions, sauteed turkey sausage, canadian bacon, and lots of cheese(s). It's a hit with everyone. It's too hot to eat heavy stuff anyway. So three cheers for easy, breezy summer living!

What Trish needs....

The eloquent Libby over at A Study of Schoolbooks and Shoes had a fun little game a few days ago. What you do is google the phrase "[your first name] needs..." and see what turns up. So here's a sampling of what I found:

1) Trish needs a makeover.
Well, you don't say. I thought the no-makeup, ponytail and baggy post-baby shorts and stained t-shirts thing was working for me.

2) Trish needs some help at UCSD.
And also at home, doing some cooking and light cleaning. Also organizing. And help finding a reliable architect.

3) Trish needs to always be in control of the situation and her men.
So sue me. It makes things easier around the house. (For a supposedly random search, these results are pretty accurate.)

4) Trish needs an acting coach.

5) Trish needs a kidney transplant.
Before or after I start acting?

6) Trish needs to come back SOON she is my favorite Diva.
Apparently, #4 and this one pertain to a retired WWE lady wrestler.

7) Trish needs her own, original weapon.
Doesn't every girl?

8) Trish needs about 8 days ...
Of vacation, with her husband, in Tahiti!

9) Trish needs to go on hiatus and take more vocal lessons.
I guess in case the acting thing doesn't work out.

10) Trisha needs assistance getting up from any sitting or lying position. ...
Maybe a sign that it's time to get back to gym?

Let me know what you find!!

Third Friday

Every third Friday of the month I clean up D's art room. Today is that day. I don't really tell her about it before hand as she is a bit of a packrat and tends to obsess over every scrap of painstakingly colored paper and every random pinecone, acorn, or other "treasure" she's collected over the past month. But I can't stand the clutter and she gets to start fresh every four weeks. Today, amongst all her little girl beads, baubles, crayons, etc. I found a pair of unused ear plugs, the kind that you use to block noise on planes. Thank goodness they were unused, but I have no idea where they came from. Ewww. The one thing I'm on the fence about tossing is an old licorice tin, long since devoid of licorice, but still bouncing around the house storing one thing or the other. M collects and stores old shoeboxes, so I shouldn't be surprised his daughter hangs onto candy tins (she also likes empty tissue boxes). Maybe if the shoeboxes or tins held something, I'd be more appreciative of their recycling, but so often they just rattle around, using up valuable storage space, completely EMPTY. So, I spend a fortune at the Container Store and Pottery Barn on cute storage totes, only to have them filled up with empty boxes, jars and tins. Don't even get me started on M's collection of empty baby food jars -- which he claims to collect to store his fishing flies, currently housed in a (youguessedit) shoebox. I'm not sure what's in his actual tacklebox.

We've been travelling and busy this past week, but we've planned an excellent family weekend. I'm making my famous sauteed chicken with mustard sauce for dinner (chicken fingers for the kids, natch), and we're going to rent a bunch o'movies and just hang out. Tomorrow, M is taking D to the zoo for a special daddy-daughter day. It will be nice to have a Saturday to myself, especially since school is out next week. Yikes. Since Baby A was born right before school started, I've never had both kids at home for any length of time. I'm adamant about limiting TV time, but finding stuff to do for a 10 month old and an almost-five-year-old can be challenging. Talk about your different interests! But, she'll go to Vacation Bible School at church in early June, and then we're leaving for a month in the mountains with M's parents. (Wish M could get away too!!) By the time we get back, it's only about a month until school starts so I can probably handle that.

Hope you all have a nice weekend too!