Because I am a spoiled brat whose husband only works four days a week, I always look forward to Thursday. It's like Friday for us - the last day of the workweek, the last irritatingly frantic night of preparing family dinner without a spouse around, the last long day by myself with the kids. We usually have a beer with dinner or after the kids are in bed, watch The Office or some Food Network TV, and talk about what we want to do with our weekend. Right now, Jason's off with some neighbor guys (they rode their bikes to the bar . . . I am so sure) and I'm trying to accomplish a few things before passing out with a book in bed. Before that, a few highlights from our day today:
-pushing the girls in the jogging stroller this morning and actually having a GREAT run in spite of the heat, humidity, and Jemma trying to rip Annie's barrette out of her hair while they were in the Chariot.
-Annie's awesome, enthusiastic performance at dance class today. She was 100% into it - listening well to Miss Amy, doing all the "moves," and later, pointing out which poses were plies and which were arabesques in her Angelina Ballerina book. It's so nice to see her enjoy something, learn about it, and be good at it.
-Making some grown-up plans for the next few weeks, including finalizing plans (read: food ideas) for my college girls' weekend, gearing up for our neighborhood canoe trip (!), and taking Jason's parents up on their offer to host the girls for almost a week at the end of the month. While part of me hesitates (I've never been away from them for more than 4 or 5 nights at most), I found a summer writing seminar that coincides perfectly with the week they'll be gone. Plus, Jason and I would love some downtime here at home to get some long-procrastinated cleaning and organizing done, sleep and talk more, go out for dates, and just hang out together in our house - this never happens! So, I'm excited.
-My conversation with Annie in the tub tonight:
"So Mom, how old are you, now?"
"Thirty"
"Wow. That's a lot of years."
-Drinking my morning coffee with a new appreciation for the way a little bit of caffeine really gets me through the day. (But stop me if I try to become one of those little old ladies who drinks 42 cups of coffee all day long . . . )
-A guilty Thursday pleasure: the Dear Prudence advice column on www.slate.com. I am strangely drawn to advice columns (always have been; I read Ann Landers faithfully all through high school . . . I'm such a nerd) and get a little excited when I realize it's Thursday again. And another Thursday enjoyment is the Thursday Morning Wood post on the Sweet Juniper blog, which I highly recommend as well.
Now, like the abbreviated Doublestein workweek, my random ramblings draw to a close.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tomorrow: Double-Shot Skim Latte Before Dance Class
Since I have somehow (carelessly) ingested mainly dairy products today, my digestive system is not really settled enough to let me sleep tonight. Instead, I shall recap our day:
Morning: Had breakfast, played outside with a roly-poly and sidewalk chalk, dropped Annie off at gymnastics and went straight to Jemma's 18-month checkup. Her weight? 19 lbs, 5 oz. (less than the 5th percentile, but exactly on the Jemma-curve she's been following since birth). Her height of 31.5 inches put her in the 60th percentile! Is she going to be TALL???? We addressed the ongoing night coughing, which her fancy inhaler hasn't seemed to remedy, and we got ourselves a ticket to go have a chest x-ray and instructions to start on Claritin and see if it's allergy-induced. After waiting around at the hospital and informing no less than three people that I was not pregnant, we got to don our lead aprons. Jemma did well and happily collected her stickers. Then, the two of us headed to the pool for an hour before picking Annie up. Notice there is nothing written here about me drinking my morning coffee. I somehow forgot to make myself coffee this morning (Jason is working early this week and my mornings are all messed up) . . . the consequences of this will be felt later in the day.
Afternoon: After we all ate lunch and took naps (yes, myself included - all that laundry-folding just made me drowsy), we headed to Lucy's for some pool action. As a group, I will say that the children in attendance were not on their best behavior. Not one of them. And as we were walking back home, one of those children was being taken home, crying, as a consequence of bad behavior. Jemma stopped, noticed the stroller coming towards us with the crying child following behind, and started saying, "Uh-oh. Uh-oh!" until they passed. I giggled, in spite of my pounding headache from lack of caffeine.
Evening: We had planned to meet Jason at the pool around 5:00, eat some dinner there, and then let the kids swim for a while before bedtime. So I pulled into the MVP parking lot a little before 5:00: girls in swimsuits (still), sunscreen on, gear in bag for a night at the pool . . . only to watch the lifguards set out the Pool Closed signs because someone had just pooped in the pool. Loaded everyone back into the car, crying, and headed back home to figure out what to make for dinner. As a consolation, we took them to Jersey Junction afterwards and walked around downtown for a little bit before the thunderstorms rolled in. To make up for my lack of morning coffee and try to get rid of my headache, I got coffee ice cream, which only compounded the dairy issue AND injected my body with some caffeine at about 7:00 p.m. - just when I really didn't need it.
And here I am, paying the consequences . . .
Morning: Had breakfast, played outside with a roly-poly and sidewalk chalk, dropped Annie off at gymnastics and went straight to Jemma's 18-month checkup. Her weight? 19 lbs, 5 oz. (less than the 5th percentile, but exactly on the Jemma-curve she's been following since birth). Her height of 31.5 inches put her in the 60th percentile! Is she going to be TALL???? We addressed the ongoing night coughing, which her fancy inhaler hasn't seemed to remedy, and we got ourselves a ticket to go have a chest x-ray and instructions to start on Claritin and see if it's allergy-induced. After waiting around at the hospital and informing no less than three people that I was not pregnant, we got to don our lead aprons. Jemma did well and happily collected her stickers. Then, the two of us headed to the pool for an hour before picking Annie up. Notice there is nothing written here about me drinking my morning coffee. I somehow forgot to make myself coffee this morning (Jason is working early this week and my mornings are all messed up) . . . the consequences of this will be felt later in the day.
Afternoon: After we all ate lunch and took naps (yes, myself included - all that laundry-folding just made me drowsy), we headed to Lucy's for some pool action. As a group, I will say that the children in attendance were not on their best behavior. Not one of them. And as we were walking back home, one of those children was being taken home, crying, as a consequence of bad behavior. Jemma stopped, noticed the stroller coming towards us with the crying child following behind, and started saying, "Uh-oh. Uh-oh!" until they passed. I giggled, in spite of my pounding headache from lack of caffeine.
Evening: We had planned to meet Jason at the pool around 5:00, eat some dinner there, and then let the kids swim for a while before bedtime. So I pulled into the MVP parking lot a little before 5:00: girls in swimsuits (still), sunscreen on, gear in bag for a night at the pool . . . only to watch the lifguards set out the Pool Closed signs because someone had just pooped in the pool. Loaded everyone back into the car, crying, and headed back home to figure out what to make for dinner. As a consolation, we took them to Jersey Junction afterwards and walked around downtown for a little bit before the thunderstorms rolled in. To make up for my lack of morning coffee and try to get rid of my headache, I got coffee ice cream, which only compounded the dairy issue AND injected my body with some caffeine at about 7:00 p.m. - just when I really didn't need it.
And here I am, paying the consequences . . .
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Talking Like a Teenager
After a truly wonderful day yesterday, Annie had a really hard time today. She began the day crying in bed for her Daddy for 20 minutes after he left for work, and she ended the day crying in bed for her Mommy. In between, there was also a lot of general whining, crying, and time-outs punctuated by a few brief bursts of normal behavior. At breakfast, for example, she was adorable and very happy with her oatmeal, string cheese, and raspberries. (She eats a ton for breakfast!) After she finished that, she told me she was still hungry.
"What else do you want?" I asked.
She shrugged. "Whatever, Mom." Is she 13?
And tonight when Jason came home, he asked her how her day had been. She stood there in the kitchen, all serious, and said, "Well, Mommy just asked me to take my dance clothes off and change into regular clothes to play outside and I TOTALLY FREAKED OUT." So, yes, she apparently is 13 years old now.
Her behavior was truly so difficult today that I told her, around 11:30, that she'd be in time-out in her room while I made lunch and then she'd be eating lunch by herself in her bedroom. I can't tell if she found this to be a punishment or more of a novelty, but she was pretty pathetic sitting at her little pink desk, eating her turkey sandwich and applesauce all alone.
Besides trying to switch Annie back into the "nice" mode, we spent today trying to keep cool by finger painting outside and splashing around at Meijer Gardens this afternoon. Jemma kept launching the little plastic boats over a waterfall into one of the pools and saying "thank you" to the boat when it would float back to her.
Tomorrow: more heat, humidity, and sunshine. And I am NOT complaining! So glad it's fully, entirely summer!
"What else do you want?" I asked.
She shrugged. "Whatever, Mom." Is she 13?
And tonight when Jason came home, he asked her how her day had been. She stood there in the kitchen, all serious, and said, "Well, Mommy just asked me to take my dance clothes off and change into regular clothes to play outside and I TOTALLY FREAKED OUT." So, yes, she apparently is 13 years old now.
Her behavior was truly so difficult today that I told her, around 11:30, that she'd be in time-out in her room while I made lunch and then she'd be eating lunch by herself in her bedroom. I can't tell if she found this to be a punishment or more of a novelty, but she was pretty pathetic sitting at her little pink desk, eating her turkey sandwich and applesauce all alone.
Besides trying to switch Annie back into the "nice" mode, we spent today trying to keep cool by finger painting outside and splashing around at Meijer Gardens this afternoon. Jemma kept launching the little plastic boats over a waterfall into one of the pools and saying "thank you" to the boat when it would float back to her.
Tomorrow: more heat, humidity, and sunshine. And I am NOT complaining! So glad it's fully, entirely summer!
Monday, July 14, 2008
I Tempted Fate, I Lost
Within the first five minute of our neighborhood Pork Extravaganza on Saturday night, I said to Heidi, "I don't want to tempt fate, but I haven't gotten a single mosquito bite all summer. Weird, huh?"
I don't want to talk about how many mosquito bites I now have on my feet and legs . . . too many to count. I guess that's what happens when you tempt fate on a humid summer night while wearing a skirt. I DO want to talk about another successful neighborhood night. People on this street can cook, for sure. Also, they can ask ridiculously personal questions around the campfire and, strangely, get honest answers. We all now know way too much about one another.
After a very busy Friday and Saturday, we spent yesterday just hanging out with our family. We went to church in the morning, where the girls actually went for the nursery so Jason and I could sit in peace. Then we headed to the park before lunch and spent the afternoon at the pool. It was a little too windy for the girls to want to be in the water the whole time, so we got them out, bundled them in sweatshirts, and plunked them on chairs with strawberry smoothies. They couldn't have been happier.
This morning, Annie and I are all ready to head out for the gymnastics drop-off, and then I'll head to the grocery store with Jemma and take her for a spin in the jogging stroller. We are the beneficiary of a fantastic loaf of onion rye bread straight from Zingerman's yesterday, so I'm planning to buy something equally fantastic to put on it (cucumbers and cream cheese? smoked gouda and ham? reuben ingredients?). Also, several loads of laundry await, so that's our Monday plan.
I don't want to talk about how many mosquito bites I now have on my feet and legs . . . too many to count. I guess that's what happens when you tempt fate on a humid summer night while wearing a skirt. I DO want to talk about another successful neighborhood night. People on this street can cook, for sure. Also, they can ask ridiculously personal questions around the campfire and, strangely, get honest answers. We all now know way too much about one another.
After a very busy Friday and Saturday, we spent yesterday just hanging out with our family. We went to church in the morning, where the girls actually went for the nursery so Jason and I could sit in peace. Then we headed to the park before lunch and spent the afternoon at the pool. It was a little too windy for the girls to want to be in the water the whole time, so we got them out, bundled them in sweatshirts, and plunked them on chairs with strawberry smoothies. They couldn't have been happier.
This morning, Annie and I are all ready to head out for the gymnastics drop-off, and then I'll head to the grocery store with Jemma and take her for a spin in the jogging stroller. We are the beneficiary of a fantastic loaf of onion rye bread straight from Zingerman's yesterday, so I'm planning to buy something equally fantastic to put on it (cucumbers and cream cheese? smoked gouda and ham? reuben ingredients?). Also, several loads of laundry await, so that's our Monday plan.
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Various Ways They Are Trying to Make Me Crazy
1. For the past few nights, Jemma has woken up approximately three hours after we put her to bed (so, between 10:00 and 11:00 - right as I'm going to sleep) to scream, "Momma! Mommeeee! Momma! Mom! Mommeee!" for fifteen to twenty minutes. The first night, I went sprinting in there, thinking something was seriously wrong. I scooped her out of her crib, held her in the rocking chair, and tried to figure out what could be wrong while soothing her. She pulled away from me and began happily, energetically poking various areas of my face. "Book?" she asked. I think she just wants to play, and I'm having no part of it. So at bedtime, I explain to her that Mommy and Daddy aren't coming in until morning, everyone is going night-night, etc. She crumples her little face up until I can hardly stand it, then goes immediately to sleep when I turn out the light. The neurotic mother part of my brain, however, is always wondering . . . does she have an ear infection? Is there something really wrong with her?
2. Annie is having a very, very hard time listening to anything we tell her (disciplinary or just regular directions) on the first time. Or the second, or even, often, the third. I am really losing my patience with it and have been making more of a concerted effort to warn her once, then provide a consequence if she doesn't listen instead of repeating the instruction over and over. Today I had asked her several times to wash her hands before lunch and was walking toward her to physically take her to the bathroom myself when she stomped toward me in the hallway, pointed her finger at me, and yelled, "Mom! I'm going to PUT you in a HOLE!" Um, what?
3. Our week up north last week was, understandably, filled with an uncommon amount of treats, most given by the grandparents. Annie and Jemma now follow me around the kitchen for 80% of their day, asking for things that I am definitely not going to give them. Annie, particularly, feels that she could live for weeks on a completely nutritionless brand of fruit snacks called "Gushers." Also this week, I discovered that my children, who reject 95% of the various normal, healthy food I put in front of them on a daily basis, will eagerly eat A CORN DOG and Spaghettios. Since these are both on my list of Foods I Do Not Eat Under Any Circumstance, I feel that I have somehow failed as a mother.
Other than going a little crazy, it's been a great week. Annie started a mini dance class (three weeks only for the summer) with her beloved Miss Amy, we spent some time at the pool and I managed both girls there alone, we had the Pellow family over for dinner, got caught up with the neighborhood, took a couple good nighttime runs, had a picnic with Heidi and Jonathan, and I escaped to Holland for a haircut, too. Now, we're gearing up for tomorrow's neighborhood Annual Pulled Pork-Off and keeping our fingers crossed for good weather!
2. Annie is having a very, very hard time listening to anything we tell her (disciplinary or just regular directions) on the first time. Or the second, or even, often, the third. I am really losing my patience with it and have been making more of a concerted effort to warn her once, then provide a consequence if she doesn't listen instead of repeating the instruction over and over. Today I had asked her several times to wash her hands before lunch and was walking toward her to physically take her to the bathroom myself when she stomped toward me in the hallway, pointed her finger at me, and yelled, "Mom! I'm going to PUT you in a HOLE!" Um, what?
3. Our week up north last week was, understandably, filled with an uncommon amount of treats, most given by the grandparents. Annie and Jemma now follow me around the kitchen for 80% of their day, asking for things that I am definitely not going to give them. Annie, particularly, feels that she could live for weeks on a completely nutritionless brand of fruit snacks called "Gushers." Also this week, I discovered that my children, who reject 95% of the various normal, healthy food I put in front of them on a daily basis, will eagerly eat A CORN DOG and Spaghettios. Since these are both on my list of Foods I Do Not Eat Under Any Circumstance, I feel that I have somehow failed as a mother.
Other than going a little crazy, it's been a great week. Annie started a mini dance class (three weeks only for the summer) with her beloved Miss Amy, we spent some time at the pool and I managed both girls there alone, we had the Pellow family over for dinner, got caught up with the neighborhood, took a couple good nighttime runs, had a picnic with Heidi and Jonathan, and I escaped to Holland for a haircut, too. Now, we're gearing up for tomorrow's neighborhood Annual Pulled Pork-Off and keeping our fingers crossed for good weather!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Q: Where is Jemma?
A: Hiding behind the bathroom door, counting "tree, tree, tree, tree" since she learned to play hide and seek last week up north. I don't think it gets much more adorable than this.
Monday, July 7, 2008
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