I can not believe summer is almost over and another school year has already started. The last time a semester (spring semester) had just begun we had a five-day-old baby and were living in a condo in town. By the time the school year was over we had moved to a house in the country, planted our garden and I had returned to work. And now here we are, our daughter is already able stand for long periods of time (while holding onto furniture), my garden is tilled and ready for winter hibernation and Jake is starting his junior year for a second time. huh?
Yep, that’s right. Jake is starting on his second junior year. The last time he made it to this point in his “professional student” career his conscience caught up with him and he realized that he could not continue studying accounting so he switched his major to physics and astronomy. And if you’re wondering, hardly any classes transferred from one degree to the other.
The only good thing about the start of another school year is that we’re making progress and Jake is just a little bit closer to being done with school. I know a lot of mothers love it when school starts but I’m not one of them. I hate it when classes start, no matter what time of year it is, because that means for the next 16 weeks I won’t see my husband and Rachel will be raised by one frazzled parent, except on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. Those days are sacred to us because Jake works really hard to keep those designated days as “family only” time, which I really appreciate.
December 17 and the close of finals week can not come fast enough this year. In the mean time, I will continue blogging to keep my thoughts organized, Jake will keep on keeping on and Rachel, at the rate she’s growing, will probably get her driver’s license.
August 23, 2010
August 20, 2010
If at first you don’t succeed…
I was in labor with Rachel for over 34 hours. It was awful. And the nine months that preceded that were no picnic either. For being such a trooper I deemed myself worthy of a new purse and even found one on the clearance shelf. The first time I used it the zipper broke and I can still remember gasping in horror and disgust. Clearly a second attempt at a proper reward was necessary.
I had high hopes for yesterday. I planned to get a one-hour massage and then go home and do nothing or, if I so desired, work on a few fun projects. I envisioned myself sitting at the dining room table with a cat on my lap and another one at my feet while I typed away in an otherwise silent house…for two whole hours. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? I think so.
Here’s how my afternoon went instead:
1:58 PM: My cell phone rings, it’s Jake. “Honey, I got off work early. Can you come get me when you’re done?”
Me: “ugggghhhhHHHHH. Really? Can’t you just wait and come home later as planned?”
A few choice words later I agreed to pick him up as long as he promised not to talk at all until 5:30. That didn’t actually happen but he tried his best to be extra sweet for the rest of the afternoon.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Pure bliss except, of course, for the two chatty ladies who were parked right outside the room for 30 minutes.
4:45 PM: After running some errands and collecting all of my supplies I finally sat down to enjoy what was left of my "reward" day.
The child came home 45 minutes later and my heart sank because my perfect afternoon was officially over. Perhaps my two semi-failed attempts equal the satisfaction receieved by one perfect one.
Sigh…..
I had high hopes for yesterday. I planned to get a one-hour massage and then go home and do nothing or, if I so desired, work on a few fun projects. I envisioned myself sitting at the dining room table with a cat on my lap and another one at my feet while I typed away in an otherwise silent house…for two whole hours. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? I think so.
Here’s how my afternoon went instead:
1:58 PM: My cell phone rings, it’s Jake. “Honey, I got off work early. Can you come get me when you’re done?”
Me: “ugggghhhhHHHHH. Really? Can’t you just wait and come home later as planned?”
A few choice words later I agreed to pick him up as long as he promised not to talk at all until 5:30. That didn’t actually happen but he tried his best to be extra sweet for the rest of the afternoon.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Pure bliss except, of course, for the two chatty ladies who were parked right outside the room for 30 minutes.
4:45 PM: After running some errands and collecting all of my supplies I finally sat down to enjoy what was left of my "reward" day.
The child came home 45 minutes later and my heart sank because my perfect afternoon was officially over. Perhaps my two semi-failed attempts equal the satisfaction receieved by one perfect one.
Sigh…..
August 19, 2010
Stop to smell the roses...
This afternoon I’m getting a 60-minute stone massage. I have no idea what that is and honestly I don’t care. If it involves a massage over the period of an hour I can't imagine it won't be marvelous.
I will get home two hours earlier than usual and R and J will arrive at their normal time. Nice.
I love roses.
I will get home two hours earlier than usual and R and J will arrive at their normal time. Nice.
I love roses.
August 18, 2010
The auctioneer was going about a mile a minute…
Jake and I have moved three times in the five years we have been married. I hate moving. There is nothing worse than packing up our crap, moving it down the road and living out of boxes for a week. The long list of people I have to contact with our new address is almost revolting, and just when I think I have everyone crossed off we get another letter in the mail with that dreaded “forwarded address” sticker on it. Ugh.
The only good thing about moving is that it forced us to examine everything and determine whether or not it really needed to be packed, carried to and from a pickup and then unpacked. I was surprised to discover how unnecessary my extensive vase collection became after I realized the amount of weight they added to a box destined for an upstairs trek. Because of our recent move (and purge), I am comfortable with the amount of stuff we have. So far, everything has a place and almost everything has a use. I worked really hard for that hallowed status.
Last night, while rummaging through things at my grandma’s sale, I started thinking about all of the stuff Jake and I have accumulated. Will any of it be important to Rachel or anyone else in the family? Which memories will be sold to the highest bidder? Will our cherished items be grouped into boxes and sold for $1? Which pieces will be considered junk and end up not selling at all?
For the first time in my life I actually bid on things last night. As we got closer to the first item my knees got weak, my heart raced and my head spun. How high should I go? How do I know I’m bidding on the right piece? What if I accidently pick my nose and buy a $500 vase? All valid concerns. As it turns out I knew when to stop (thanks to my poker skills), I didn’t bid on anything I didn’t want and I left with my dignity.
The only good thing about moving is that it forced us to examine everything and determine whether or not it really needed to be packed, carried to and from a pickup and then unpacked. I was surprised to discover how unnecessary my extensive vase collection became after I realized the amount of weight they added to a box destined for an upstairs trek. Because of our recent move (and purge), I am comfortable with the amount of stuff we have. So far, everything has a place and almost everything has a use. I worked really hard for that hallowed status.
Last night, while rummaging through things at my grandma’s sale, I started thinking about all of the stuff Jake and I have accumulated. Will any of it be important to Rachel or anyone else in the family? Which memories will be sold to the highest bidder? Will our cherished items be grouped into boxes and sold for $1? Which pieces will be considered junk and end up not selling at all?
For the first time in my life I actually bid on things last night. As we got closer to the first item my knees got weak, my heart raced and my head spun. How high should I go? How do I know I’m bidding on the right piece? What if I accidently pick my nose and buy a $500 vase? All valid concerns. As it turns out I knew when to stop (thanks to my poker skills), I didn’t bid on anything I didn’t want and I left with my dignity.
August 17, 2010
It’s a mad mad mad mad world…
When I first began my college studies I was majoring in communications and hoped to go into public relations. I enjoyed my classes but one day it occurred to me that I really hate people. It’s not that I don’t like being around others or enjoy talking to them, but I can’t stand having to put up with the ridiculous actions of immature adults. So, I changed my major to accounting because I like working with numbers (they don’t say anything unintelligent) and the thought of turning into an office hermit was quite appealing.
Accounting seemed like a great idea until I realized that it is extremely boring. I eventually settled on management, which I think will probably work out okay if I ever get a chance to actually use my degree. Today is most certainly one of those days that I wish I had gone into accounting. I should be holed up in an office somewhere calculating numbers and smirking as I watch them turn red. Today I don’t like people.
Sometimes I look at my coworkers and wonder how they were able to figure out that pants go on the bottom. They might be brilliant thinkers but somewhere along the line common sense and decency eluded them, like the old children’s joke that declares, “When God handed out brains you thought he said trains so you didn’t take one.” I could never handle working in a daycare, but at least there you can point out poor behavior and punish it accordingly.
I don’t always make the best decisions and sometimes I make mistakes (gasp) but I hope to God that my actions never ever resemble that of a three-year-old child unless, of course, I’m playing with my daughter.
Accounting seemed like a great idea until I realized that it is extremely boring. I eventually settled on management, which I think will probably work out okay if I ever get a chance to actually use my degree. Today is most certainly one of those days that I wish I had gone into accounting. I should be holed up in an office somewhere calculating numbers and smirking as I watch them turn red. Today I don’t like people.
Sometimes I look at my coworkers and wonder how they were able to figure out that pants go on the bottom. They might be brilliant thinkers but somewhere along the line common sense and decency eluded them, like the old children’s joke that declares, “When God handed out brains you thought he said trains so you didn’t take one.” I could never handle working in a daycare, but at least there you can point out poor behavior and punish it accordingly.
I don’t always make the best decisions and sometimes I make mistakes (gasp) but I hope to God that my actions never ever resemble that of a three-year-old child unless, of course, I’m playing with my daughter.
August 16, 2010
And the winner is....
Every month it gets more and more difficult to get a good bear picture. This month Rachel was either eating the sign or crawling away. So, what do you all think? Which one should be the official bear picture for R's seventh month?
Number 1
Number 1
Number 2
Parenting 101...
I am a list maker. I can’t function without them. If I couldn’t make lists my house would never get cleaned, bills would never get paid and our cupboards would be empty. Lists keep me from losing my sanity and help put things into perspective. So, today’s entry is another list because I feel like I need one. I hope my two readers don’t mind (thank you whoever you are).
What the parenting classes we wasted our money on didn’t tell us…
1. Kids grow fast. Yes, we’ve been told this by just about everyone we know but what they didn’t tell us was that they’re not kidding. Yesterday, while holding a crying 7-month-old baby I felt like I was comforting a three-year-old child.
2. Parents become boring and uncool almost immediately. I was anticipating this to be a problem about 13 years from now. We think we’re still pretty cool but Rachel is only mildly amused by us old folks.
3. Toys are stupid. Don’t buy them unless they make noise or can be easily sucked on. Otherwise, an unused remote and a slow moving cat are really all that you need.
4. Get to church on time. We’ve been late a few times and the later we were the further up we got seated. This also happened to correspond with the amount of bouncing that Rachel felt was necessary during the service.
5. Always have a toy on hand when changing diapers. I was under the impression that you only need a clean safe surface and a diaper and wipes to get the job done. Not true. You should also have a toy or something else to distract the child.
6. Take advice from zoos. Children, like bears, should have signs requesting that visitors not feed them.
7. Don’t run out of dishwasher soap. You should never waste precious evening or weekend time hand washing dishes when you could be hanging out with your children (see #1).
8. Splurge a little and use salon-grade shampoo (this advice was given to me by a good friend). Showering could be your only time to relax and might be the closest you’ll get to a vacation for a long time.
9. Applesauce can be mixed with anything.
10. Children have amazing eyesight, long arms and the determination to succeed.
So, new and aspiring parents here is my advice….don’t waste your money on stupid classes or unnecessary books. Talk to your doctor and friends, listen to your labor & delivery and mother/baby unit nurses and buy a doll so daddy can learn how to change diapers.
What the parenting classes we wasted our money on didn’t tell us…
1. Kids grow fast. Yes, we’ve been told this by just about everyone we know but what they didn’t tell us was that they’re not kidding. Yesterday, while holding a crying 7-month-old baby I felt like I was comforting a three-year-old child.
2. Parents become boring and uncool almost immediately. I was anticipating this to be a problem about 13 years from now. We think we’re still pretty cool but Rachel is only mildly amused by us old folks.
3. Toys are stupid. Don’t buy them unless they make noise or can be easily sucked on. Otherwise, an unused remote and a slow moving cat are really all that you need.
4. Get to church on time. We’ve been late a few times and the later we were the further up we got seated. This also happened to correspond with the amount of bouncing that Rachel felt was necessary during the service.
5. Always have a toy on hand when changing diapers. I was under the impression that you only need a clean safe surface and a diaper and wipes to get the job done. Not true. You should also have a toy or something else to distract the child.
6. Take advice from zoos. Children, like bears, should have signs requesting that visitors not feed them.
7. Don’t run out of dishwasher soap. You should never waste precious evening or weekend time hand washing dishes when you could be hanging out with your children (see #1).
8. Splurge a little and use salon-grade shampoo (this advice was given to me by a good friend). Showering could be your only time to relax and might be the closest you’ll get to a vacation for a long time.
9. Applesauce can be mixed with anything.
10. Children have amazing eyesight, long arms and the determination to succeed.
So, new and aspiring parents here is my advice….don’t waste your money on stupid classes or unnecessary books. Talk to your doctor and friends, listen to your labor & delivery and mother/baby unit nurses and buy a doll so daddy can learn how to change diapers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)