So, it's no secret that my hubby is looking for a job. His training is up next summer, and now is the time to begin the hunt for our next stomping ground. To put it mildly, this is frustrating. It's frustrating because I'm on the sidelines, which is VERY hard for such a enthusiastic (translation: controlling) person as myself. I am constantly "encouraging" (translation: nagging) my husband if he has contacted so and so, or mailed this, or thought about that- and sometimes that provokes stress (translation: outright hostility and hibernation) in my dearly beloved. Sigh. I am a nice person, really.
In other news, I dragged my hung over self (yeah Cooking Club!) to the hairdressers to undo the havoc that happened to my hair last Saturday. I needed a haircut in the worst way- it was really looking dire, and my normal hairdresser was flat out booked for 2 weeks. So, throwing caution to the wind, because Hey! It's only hair! Hair you have to live with EVERY FRICKIN DAY, I scheduled an appointment for someone else at the same salon. This woman completely ignored everything I asked her to do, made me look like an inflated Nicole Richie AND finished the haircut in the Olympic finishing time of 30 minutes. Before I could even ask where my cup of herbal tea or neck massage was- I was being tossed out the door with a non-flattering fringe cut that makes my face look like it should get its own Macy's Day Parade. So my normal hairdresser squeezed me in for a color (translation: highlights and please re-cut my hair on the sly because I'm passive aggressive and don't want your co-worker to know that she cuts hair like a chimpanezee, I'm more than happy to just insult her without her knowing) and now I feel much better. Much poorer, but better.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Fall
I hosted my Cooking Club tonight. The theme was "Fall Favorites" and my friends really outdid themselves. I made a butternut squash soup (Barefoot Contessa of course!) and others brought a wild mushroom risotto, a spicy pot roast, apple slices in a delicious toffee dip, pumpkin bars, cranberry pecan pie and a banana bread pudding. Plus, I bumped into a friend at the pool- who had a baby four months ago and really wanted to come, but didn't have time to cook. She brought the wine.... really, really good wine- so everyone stayed much later and drank way more than normal. It was a good time. Annie only made one grand appearance (clothed! We're making progress!) and Matt got to hibernate and go to bed early.
I took the kids to the pool today to tucker them out in preparation for tonight's festivities. It worked so well, I'm going to repeat this adventure when the Grey's Anatomy premiere starts soon. Annie tried to take a nap, but I sabotaged her and jumped on top of her and tickled her out of the land of nod. (Payback can be a bitch). I also taught her the term "going commando" in the women's locker room today. She, of course, didn't want to wear undies on the ride home. This should go over well in preschool tomorrow. Her lesson for tomorrow is to tell a story about what you like to do with your family. I'm preparing myself with some Valium and a reminder that I'm no Britney Spears.
So, aside from some dirty dishes, my house is spanking ass clean. (I love it when people come over!)
I took the kids to the pool today to tucker them out in preparation for tonight's festivities. It worked so well, I'm going to repeat this adventure when the Grey's Anatomy premiere starts soon. Annie tried to take a nap, but I sabotaged her and jumped on top of her and tickled her out of the land of nod. (Payback can be a bitch). I also taught her the term "going commando" in the women's locker room today. She, of course, didn't want to wear undies on the ride home. This should go over well in preschool tomorrow. Her lesson for tomorrow is to tell a story about what you like to do with your family. I'm preparing myself with some Valium and a reminder that I'm no Britney Spears.
So, aside from some dirty dishes, my house is spanking ass clean. (I love it when people come over!)
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Cuddly Little Ol' Snuggly....
We've reached a new level of Winnie the Pooh obsession. Not only does Annie only refer to me as "Kanga," and her sister as "The Little Roo", but tonight, she was (of course) stripping off her clothes. When she removed her shirt, I asked, "Hey, what are you doing?" She replied, "I'm turning into Classic Pooh. He doesn't wear a shirt." She's right- Classic Pooh is naked. God help me.
Friday, September 14, 2007
"You Like Her, You Really Really Like Her!"
Remember the nice lady that came to pay us a visit and brought me a nice, FREE packet of unsolicited advice to help Annie adjust in school? You know, the one Annie almost scarred for life with her Picasso poop painting? Well, today I had a nice meeting with the poop-scar free lady and Annie's teachers at school.
I was really nervous. Since we've moved both the dinner hour and bed-time up by an hour, things have improved dramatically. Annie also REALLY likes her big girl classroom, and while her stubborness and ability to always try and control each and every situation have not dissipated, her tantrums have. So, even though her daily reports from her teachers have been good, for the most part, I was still nervous they wanted to go ahead with the meeting.
I always get nervous before these things. Nothing strikes fear in my heart faster than a parent teacher conference. It is completely ridiculous- and my Mother makes fun of me, but I get intimidated. I did not need to be nervous. Annie's new teachers ROCK. They've only known my kid for 2 weeks, but they have her completely down. And more importantly, they appreciate her. They LIKE her. They enjoy her boundless energy, they know she's freakishly smart and they laugh at her manipulation skills. They are also, successfully, teaching her- not only to write her name, but to quit punching kids in line and respect other's boundaries. They also laugh hysterically at her antics. This immediately made me a fan. Especially when one of her teacher's said, "Annie is a great kid. She's not a problem kid. Believe me, I've had my share of problem kids- and this one isn't. Is she stubborn? Yes. Does she like to control things? Yes. But this will serve her well in life. We just need to teach her how to adapt." This was music to my ears, especially since there was a unanimous agreement to not enroll Annie in any of the programs the Picasso Poop lady offered- because really, her advice was so outdated and NOT useful, it was a bit of a joke.
Whew! A relief. It's so hard when you're parenting your first born- because, as my pediatrician says- "Parenting is like that Bill Murray movie, 'Groundhog Day'. Every morning, you wake up to EXACTLY the same events, but you've got to change your gameplan to make it work. And no 2 days are ever the same." True. Very, very true.
I was really nervous. Since we've moved both the dinner hour and bed-time up by an hour, things have improved dramatically. Annie also REALLY likes her big girl classroom, and while her stubborness and ability to always try and control each and every situation have not dissipated, her tantrums have. So, even though her daily reports from her teachers have been good, for the most part, I was still nervous they wanted to go ahead with the meeting.
I always get nervous before these things. Nothing strikes fear in my heart faster than a parent teacher conference. It is completely ridiculous- and my Mother makes fun of me, but I get intimidated. I did not need to be nervous. Annie's new teachers ROCK. They've only known my kid for 2 weeks, but they have her completely down. And more importantly, they appreciate her. They LIKE her. They enjoy her boundless energy, they know she's freakishly smart and they laugh at her manipulation skills. They are also, successfully, teaching her- not only to write her name, but to quit punching kids in line and respect other's boundaries. They also laugh hysterically at her antics. This immediately made me a fan. Especially when one of her teacher's said, "Annie is a great kid. She's not a problem kid. Believe me, I've had my share of problem kids- and this one isn't. Is she stubborn? Yes. Does she like to control things? Yes. But this will serve her well in life. We just need to teach her how to adapt." This was music to my ears, especially since there was a unanimous agreement to not enroll Annie in any of the programs the Picasso Poop lady offered- because really, her advice was so outdated and NOT useful, it was a bit of a joke.
Whew! A relief. It's so hard when you're parenting your first born- because, as my pediatrician says- "Parenting is like that Bill Murray movie, 'Groundhog Day'. Every morning, you wake up to EXACTLY the same events, but you've got to change your gameplan to make it work. And no 2 days are ever the same." True. Very, very true.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Tag, I'm It
I got tagged from the ultimate in photographic virtuosity- Sugar Photography (I can't figure out how to embed a link on a mac, but she's tagged in my blogroll- check out The Sweet Life). Anywhoo--- even though I've given you guys more than a fair share of poop stories, I've got to find 8 random things about myself that I can share. Here are the official rules:
Rules: post the rules before you give the facts. post eight random facts about yourself. at the end of your blog post, you need to tag eight people and list their names. leave the people you tagged a comment on their blog, letting them know that they've been tagged.
Hmmm.......
1. I once got in a car with a stranger. I was six, and decided to follow my 8 year old brother on a trip to the candy store. (yeah the 70's! Before milk cartons and such...). I got tired about half way there, and sat down on the curb and cried. My brother told me to stay put, and he ran home to get my Mom. After he left, a nice woman in a yellow VW bug pulled over and said "Little girl, are you lost?" After nodding my head, I got in the car. Turns out she was a realtor, and was on her way to an open house. I went to the open house and sat in the kitchen drinking a Coke and entertained her prospects while she called the cops. I was giving advice about window treatments when my parents showed up.
2. I can be a bit manic with my mothering style. One minute, I'm cherishing every last ounce of my little anklebiters. Then, you may find me wishing to charge a one way ticket to Hawaii for a LONG, solo vacation.
3. I'm a bit of a freakishly fast reader. On average, I read 3-4 books a week.
4. I come from a long line of superstitious, Irish women. My grandmother was born with a caul on her head, and she would dream about someone right before they would die. I, on the other hand, dream when people are about to get pregnant. I also have serious ESP in parking garages and can find a spot lickety split. This both delights and scares my husband.
5. After learning I had a guardian angel when I was 4, I used to make my Mom set a place for her at the dinner table. I also used to scooch over in bed so she would have enough room to sleep.
6. I lost a baby 3 months before I got pregnant with Annie. I was 24 weeks along, and it was a little boy. We named him Sam.
7. If you make me laugh too hard, I just may wet my pants. When this happens, it makes me only laugh (and pee) harder.
8. I met my husband when I was 15 years old. We were at a speech and debate tournament (yeah, NERDs!) at Cal State Fullerton. He was wearing a tie with red suspenders, and I remember when he introduced himself, I thought to myself "Pay attention Kristen- this guy will be important."
Ummm...don't hate me for this, but I'm going to tag my cousin Tara, Allie, Jennifer P., Pioneer Woman, Not That You Asked, Cheeky Lotus and Notes from the Trenches.
Rules: post the rules before you give the facts. post eight random facts about yourself. at the end of your blog post, you need to tag eight people and list their names. leave the people you tagged a comment on their blog, letting them know that they've been tagged.
Hmmm.......
1. I once got in a car with a stranger. I was six, and decided to follow my 8 year old brother on a trip to the candy store. (yeah the 70's! Before milk cartons and such...). I got tired about half way there, and sat down on the curb and cried. My brother told me to stay put, and he ran home to get my Mom. After he left, a nice woman in a yellow VW bug pulled over and said "Little girl, are you lost?" After nodding my head, I got in the car. Turns out she was a realtor, and was on her way to an open house. I went to the open house and sat in the kitchen drinking a Coke and entertained her prospects while she called the cops. I was giving advice about window treatments when my parents showed up.
2. I can be a bit manic with my mothering style. One minute, I'm cherishing every last ounce of my little anklebiters. Then, you may find me wishing to charge a one way ticket to Hawaii for a LONG, solo vacation.
3. I'm a bit of a freakishly fast reader. On average, I read 3-4 books a week.
4. I come from a long line of superstitious, Irish women. My grandmother was born with a caul on her head, and she would dream about someone right before they would die. I, on the other hand, dream when people are about to get pregnant. I also have serious ESP in parking garages and can find a spot lickety split. This both delights and scares my husband.
5. After learning I had a guardian angel when I was 4, I used to make my Mom set a place for her at the dinner table. I also used to scooch over in bed so she would have enough room to sleep.
6. I lost a baby 3 months before I got pregnant with Annie. I was 24 weeks along, and it was a little boy. We named him Sam.
7. If you make me laugh too hard, I just may wet my pants. When this happens, it makes me only laugh (and pee) harder.
8. I met my husband when I was 15 years old. We were at a speech and debate tournament (yeah, NERDs!) at Cal State Fullerton. He was wearing a tie with red suspenders, and I remember when he introduced himself, I thought to myself "Pay attention Kristen- this guy will be important."
Ummm...don't hate me for this, but I'm going to tag my cousin Tara, Allie, Jennifer P., Pioneer Woman, Not That You Asked, Cheeky Lotus and Notes from the Trenches.
Letter Of The Day
Today was supposed to be my favorite kind of day. Annie calls them the "P Days"- because P stands for pajamas (which we stay in for as long as possible), Pancakes (which we all make for breakfast- a real mess by the way,) the Pool (because it is still a 100 degree inferno here) and the Park (in case either of my kids have an ounce of energy left in them, we hit this in the late afternoon). However, Lucy kicked off this morning's party in style, with the unplanned explosion of Poop. Lots of it. So, it seems some of our Plans will be Postponed.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Lumps And Bumps
We had friends over for dinner tonight. It was all well and good, until their five year old launched off our family room chair and smacked head first into the wall. I was three feet away, and instead of playing "tough parent" and saying something smart like "hey there, we might want to put some ice on that lump on your forehead..." I screamed "OH NO! HOLY COW! THAT WAS HORRIBLE! ARE YOU OK?" So, we ate dinner while a sufficiently freaked out kid sat on her Dad's lap and we discussed the trials of growing up in a medical family.
Like the cobbler's kid- healthcare can be a bit of a comical situation when you have someone with professional expertise in the family. Take tonight's incident, for example. If it had been any other family- that kid would have gone to the emergency room. Seriously, the lump on the poor little girl's head was cartoonish, it was so big. After her pupils were checked, and she didn't throw up, we all went about our business. Her parents are going to rouse her a few times during the night, but all in all- it was chalked up to kids being kids.
It reminded me of a conversation I overheard between another medical couple. He said, "Do you think Dr. XXX (The Boss) is going to be mad because I took out too much of this guy's intestine?" And the wife says, "Screw Dr. XXX- do you think the patient is going to be mad?" And then they both laughed and went about their business.
So, it wouldn't surprise me if my kids grow up to only believe in holistic healing and wear crystals and listen to Yani. Payback can be a bitch.
Like the cobbler's kid- healthcare can be a bit of a comical situation when you have someone with professional expertise in the family. Take tonight's incident, for example. If it had been any other family- that kid would have gone to the emergency room. Seriously, the lump on the poor little girl's head was cartoonish, it was so big. After her pupils were checked, and she didn't throw up, we all went about our business. Her parents are going to rouse her a few times during the night, but all in all- it was chalked up to kids being kids.
It reminded me of a conversation I overheard between another medical couple. He said, "Do you think Dr. XXX (The Boss) is going to be mad because I took out too much of this guy's intestine?" And the wife says, "Screw Dr. XXX- do you think the patient is going to be mad?" And then they both laughed and went about their business.
So, it wouldn't surprise me if my kids grow up to only believe in holistic healing and wear crystals and listen to Yani. Payback can be a bitch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)