Cross-posted and archived from DC Metro Moms. Original post August 22, 2008. My husband asked for hot tea the other day. My first reaction was to look at him like he was the 5th horseman of the Apocalypse but instead, I just sort of sniffed the air and agreed. It felt like hot tea time. Yet, here we are in August. Two days later a friend of mine stated that it was time to wear jeans. She was declaring summer officially over despite it being about 90 degrees outside. My inbox is loaded with back-to-school ads, requests for advice posts about the new school year and the latest fall fashions. There was even that one ominous Halloween craft story request. Already? It's not that I hate summer. In fact, it is my favorite season of the four. It's just that about this time every year be … [Read more...]
The Sugar Highs and Lows
The subject of screaming and tantrums has come up before within this blog, especially where TD is concerned. At first we chalked it up to the Terrible Two's followed by the Troublesome Three's, which everyone declared was way worse than anything we had ever witnessed before. Right. It seems that the "F*ck You! Fours" (described quite adequately by a girlfriend of mine) are really what it was all about this past year. We tried everything we could think of to rid our home of the yelling and tantrums and absolute hysterical meltdowns that occurred and went on and on and on and on and on. There were time outs. We took away toys and other privileges, including play dates with friends. We read and practiced '1,2,3 Magic' too. We spoke to her … [Read more...]
Nine Years
Nine years ago H and I let a man we had met only five minutes before marry us at the Paris hotel in front of sixty-five or so of our closest friends and family. We toasted with champagne, danced the night away and then bid them all good night as we took a long walk from Caesar's Palace back to our hotel in our wedding finery. It's a memory I lovingly look back on every year. A few years ago I wrote this little tribute to us and while we have added in two more kids, still have that snake-bitten, scar-faced insane dog that no one pets anymore and still have a Tiny Dictator on our hands we are still in love despite midnight fights, feedings and more.H, it hardly seems possible that we have been married for nine years and gone through so much. I love you more today than … [Read more...]
Just One More Week
There is much screaming in my house these days. I think if you stand on the walkway at about 10 a.m on any given morning you might stare up at our front door and think you are about to enter a fun house or even a haunted house at a theme park. It sounds just like that. The girls, the brood, the pack that now roams my house are a loud lot. The yelling is incessant and it makes my head hurt and my shoulders hunch up to my ears which are probably about to start pouring blood. As you can tell I don't get much time for blogging these days. I looked at the mothers slogging up the block to the bus stops with their kids today with open jealousy glaring off my face. It is not that I wish TD would "just grow up already!" It is more that I am craving routine. … [Read more...]
One Week Down
It's hard to believe that one week ago today The Fifth Element entered this world. Before I couldn't imagine her in it. Today, I already cannot fathom the idea of her not being part of our family. In just a few quick years we went from a family of two, plus one insane dog, to a family of five. It absolutely blows my mind. I still refuse to drive a minivan. Love how everyone looks so well rested in this photo except for me. Shortly after this picture was taken I passed out for an almost two hour nap. More to come. … [Read more...]
Not So Disposable
Cross-posted and archived from DC Metro Moms. Original post date December 24, 2007.We all know that once you have kids messes are made all the time. Almost every 2.5 seconds it seems and there is more trash than you ever thought possible leaving your home. If you own a diaper genie or some other stink holder then you know that the trash you put out more than doubles once that cute bundle arrives. It is like the diapers are having diapers inside that contraption. Diapers that clog our landfills and linger for years to come. There must be something we can do right? There must be a better way that does not involve those cloth diapers. Because really? We are not all cut out for the washing of the poo. This video, Not So Disposable, by Dana Hackley, gets to the nitty gritty of what … [Read more...]
Verizon Customer Service is No Friend of Mine
Cross-posted and archived from DC Metro Moms. Original post date February 15, 2008. Scene: My home, afternoon, precious nap time/work minutes ticking away. I am on deadline. My Internet connection goes down and after fiddling with it all day I decide to call Verizon.After spending a few minutes on hold I am finally put through to a person who doesn't sound like she is from halfway around the world. Is this even possible? That has never happened before! Yet, her voice does sound suspiciously not human. I've verified my name, number, address, H's name, my third cat's birthday and how old I was when I learned to ride a bike and I think, "Are we done yet?"Customer Service Rep: Please state your telephone number again ma'am.V: 875-3425.CSR: Is that 759-3324?V: No, (tight smile forms on my … [Read more...]
We Need an Eviction Notice
I am 38 weeks and counting with the Fifth Element and you know what? I'm sick of counting. I need an eviction notice on this kid. I have already cried about four times this morning from pain or some sort of suffering. H is sick of it. I'm sick of it. I'm sure the girls are sick of it. This baby needs to get a move on. I might start taking nurses and midwives hostage at my appointment today if I find out I haven't dilated anymore. "Induce me or you are all getting Strep B tested!"We're all very ready for this baby to arrive. I arrived home from Blogher (I'll be getting to that obligatory post-Blogher update shortly.) yesterday and upon entering the DC Metro area I began to have contractions. Maybe it was the jostling train ride, the luggage … [Read more...]
Where’s Mummy?
Besides being kicked out of bed at least twice last night and trying to sleep on the couch? I'm nesting. I can't walk by the nursery without going in and organizing or hanging something up. The cleaning of the baby gear comes next. At MPR this week we're talking about Pop on Pals Amusement Park playset, Clementine Art Natural Paint for kids, Goody Hair Products Colour Collection, BornFree pacifiers (BPA free) and the iGo Charge Anywhere charger.Juno Baby has me talking smack about baby showers, 'me' time, crepes and cultural sensitivity and how we adults are models for staying active and healthy for our children.At Honest Baby I talk about miscommunication and being told to "Fuck off!" while at the mall. Good times.Here's to staying cool and a good … [Read more...]
Not at My Best
It was the best of times. It was the warts of times. Warts, worst, whatever. I feel like an angry, old hag covered in warts right about now anyway. Vacation bliss is a distant memory. It's been a week of Braxton Hicks, little sleep, too much baby prep and testing of the parents. H can't sleep with me because I'm a "loud breather" right now and I toss and turn so much these days while simultaneously moaning that I keep him up half the night. After he leaves our precious munchkins feel the need to wake me up with requests such as, "My skin is dry. I need lotion. Lotion all over my entire body." It's 1 a.m. I momentarily thought of shoving the lotion into the room via basket and telling TD, "It's puts the lotion on the skin..." See? I'm … [Read more...]