The boys were getting so out-of-control and rambunctious this afternoon that despite time limitations (Dave and I were going out), I had to get them out. So I took them for only slightly-needed haircuts, just to disrupt their rapidly building momentum toward complete chaos. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing both of them under the haircutting smocks, hands confined, tented into docility. Too bad I didn't bring my camera. It was a glorious ten minutes. And they looked quite dapper afterward!
8/23/08
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
8/22/08 Tooth Fairy
It's official! I'm strapping on my wings and playing Tooth Fairy tonight.
Gabriel isn't entirely buying the fairy bit, but he wants the cash enough to play along.
Another very difficult coming-home tonight, and that's with not going to work today. Katrina's tentative state transitioned to full-on toddler-tantrum after a stinky diaper change, and her furious rejections of anything I tried to calm her afterward resulted in me standing outside, holding her and feeding her. My back has been inflamed and irritated today (always is ultra-sensitive after physical therapy), I had things on the stove, and this was just not good.
Insisting on being held suddenly flipped to demanding being put down, so she had some dinner outside while the boys pushed each other around on a little firetruck.
I'm doing something wrong, and I think I know what now. I doggedly quizzed my hapless mom-friends about how they handle getting home from work, walking in the door with three, making dinner, and not losing your mind. After careful analysis of the data, I've reached the conclusion: stop cooking! This is a bummer, because cooking has become fun for me, though it's exactly opposite of fun when I burn a panful of garlic because I have to run outside for the 200th time to scold bothersome brothers. Other than self-indulgence, I have no excuse for trying to actually cook. Everyone's fine with semi-convenience foods, and I have 5 Trader Joe's within 15 minutes driving distance, two freezers, and a telephone.
The remodel project is becoming onerous. Every time we go to the jobsite, there's more major news. The electrical run to the upstairs and the downstairs subpanel need to be replaced. The main plumbing pipe from upstairs wasn't right. A whole new fire-rated wall, a great deal of new plywood sheathing, new siding, new subfloor, a ton of unexpected framing to support floor joists that were suspended in mid-air, a tyrant of an inspector who really will make us tear out a whole wall if it protrudes 3/8" into a setback.
All these things are possible when you open existing walls in an old house that's been added on to several times, but did they all have to happen? I haven't dared ask our contractor how our schedule is looking, because he'll tell it to me straight, and I'm not sure I can take it.
Still, the good news is that the whole team takes every development in stride, and deals with it, no excuses, no heel-dragging. We really have top-quality resources. I especially rejoice in scenes like this: the jobsite foreman (who's excellent), the kitchen designer and architect all talking together.
No communication breakdown is going to prevent the kitchen bay window from being placed at absolutely the correct height for the countertop to flow into it!
I continue to express my appreciation with baked goods; today the crew got (slightly overbaked) zucchini muffins.
Meantime, I still prefer our new neighborhood, and while our rental house is pretty plain, we're more than getting by. We're going to end up with quite the palace, but I'm more of a quaint farmhouse sort of person. That is, provided it works well, which ours didn't. Still, how do these things get away from me?
8/22/08
Gabriel isn't entirely buying the fairy bit, but he wants the cash enough to play along.
Another very difficult coming-home tonight, and that's with not going to work today. Katrina's tentative state transitioned to full-on toddler-tantrum after a stinky diaper change, and her furious rejections of anything I tried to calm her afterward resulted in me standing outside, holding her and feeding her. My back has been inflamed and irritated today (always is ultra-sensitive after physical therapy), I had things on the stove, and this was just not good.
Insisting on being held suddenly flipped to demanding being put down, so she had some dinner outside while the boys pushed each other around on a little firetruck.
I'm doing something wrong, and I think I know what now. I doggedly quizzed my hapless mom-friends about how they handle getting home from work, walking in the door with three, making dinner, and not losing your mind. After careful analysis of the data, I've reached the conclusion: stop cooking! This is a bummer, because cooking has become fun for me, though it's exactly opposite of fun when I burn a panful of garlic because I have to run outside for the 200th time to scold bothersome brothers. Other than self-indulgence, I have no excuse for trying to actually cook. Everyone's fine with semi-convenience foods, and I have 5 Trader Joe's within 15 minutes driving distance, two freezers, and a telephone.
The remodel project is becoming onerous. Every time we go to the jobsite, there's more major news. The electrical run to the upstairs and the downstairs subpanel need to be replaced. The main plumbing pipe from upstairs wasn't right. A whole new fire-rated wall, a great deal of new plywood sheathing, new siding, new subfloor, a ton of unexpected framing to support floor joists that were suspended in mid-air, a tyrant of an inspector who really will make us tear out a whole wall if it protrudes 3/8" into a setback.
All these things are possible when you open existing walls in an old house that's been added on to several times, but did they all have to happen? I haven't dared ask our contractor how our schedule is looking, because he'll tell it to me straight, and I'm not sure I can take it.
Still, the good news is that the whole team takes every development in stride, and deals with it, no excuses, no heel-dragging. We really have top-quality resources. I especially rejoice in scenes like this: the jobsite foreman (who's excellent), the kitchen designer and architect all talking together.
No communication breakdown is going to prevent the kitchen bay window from being placed at absolutely the correct height for the countertop to flow into it!
I continue to express my appreciation with baked goods; today the crew got (slightly overbaked) zucchini muffins.
Meantime, I still prefer our new neighborhood, and while our rental house is pretty plain, we're more than getting by. We're going to end up with quite the palace, but I'm more of a quaint farmhouse sort of person. That is, provided it works well, which ours didn't. Still, how do these things get away from me?
8/22/08
8/21/08 First of First!
Off to school! Poor kid doesn't seem to mind that I send him in this dorky "Class of 2020 shirt." Incredibly, no one gets the joke.
It was all pretty straightforward; Gabriel knew where his room was and led me there. I chatted a bit with other parents, some of whom I vaguely recognized but couldn't possibly place their names or their kids' names, which are mostly these long lovely elegant Indian names with multiple syllables sewn together in such a way that my Western brain will never keep together. I was raised with Amys and Jeffs.
It seems the Cupertino school district's only African-American first-grader is in his class. Caleb and Gabriel are doing their part to create diversity in this otherwise mostly homogenous class. I chatted a bit with Caleb's parents, they're very very nice. All the parents are really nice.
The teacher surveys the troops. No doubt about it, this is the teacher we saw at the first-grade orientation who was pointed out as giving daily homework!
I'm swinging wildly about this whole school thing again. Daily homework, that's out of control for a first-grader. But then Tonya told us two of her girls had had this teacher, and Tonya said she's awesome. She seems highly regarded by the other teachers, and experienced. And she seemed really nice. OK, I feel better.
Then I see the kids sitting at tables facing the front, two to a table. Are they really ready in first grade to be sitting lecture-style in a classroom? It irks me. They're just little kids! But then, I'm fairly certain my first-grade class was arranged that way too, with a reading corner (which I used to trap boys in to kiss). Back then, parents didn't fret about things like table orientation.
Is this really the right thing for him? If I can find fault in this, couldn't I find fault in just about any school setup? And any decisions or changes or doubts I have now aren't just about Gabriel -- I have to think about the other two also. And I really don't know what to think about them.
I wonder what junior-high-school teachers have to say about McCauliffe (the whole-learning warm-n-fuzzy school) kids versus Collins kids, and heck, Faria (the full-on straight academics school) kids. And then, I wonder what the high school teachers have to say. I'll bet by high school they can't tell who went where. Not that that doesn't matter in other ways, of course.
Overall, I tend to think that kids are going to succeed if they're inclined to succeed and have good support at home. Certainly the kind of early schooling they get will influence it, but it won't make or break them in the end. A whole-learning approach school could help ordered Gabriel with out-of-the-box thinking, or it could deprive him of the structure he thrives in. Conversely, whole-learning could nurture Julian's imagination, but wouldn't develop his putzy lazy side. Julian's very social in pre-K, chit-chatting away instead of doing his work. Ah, the torch has been passed -- just like his mom!
But all I can do is speculate, and agonize on major decisions based only on speculation. Maybe I should just let it go -- we're in a middle-of-the-road situation, Gabriel's basically happy, and this is our life. If I need to tweak and meddle in someone's life, it should probably be my own.
Minor disaster after school: Gabriel didn't go to the CDC as I'd told him several times to do. Instead he told his teacher I was coming to get him, and when I didn't show up, she brought him to the school office. The CDC folks called me to check, then found him in the school office. Lots of CDC-bound first-graders got confused today, apparently! In kindergarten, the CDC staff collects them straight from the room. Not first grade -- they're on their own.
But boy did I feel bad, thinking of Gabriel standing by the door, looking out for me, waiting hopefully, disappointment creeping in with each passing minute. It's that same sinking feeling at an airport, watching a nearly empty baggage carousel going around with one or two suitcases that you anxiously check each time, even though you know they're not yours. Then the dreaded thunk....they've stopped the carousel. No bags. No hope. No Mom.
Gabriel went through this the last day of school too, and now again the first day of school. This rots. I should have been there to pick him up today. There will come a time when he doesn't care. But I always will.
8/21/08
It was all pretty straightforward; Gabriel knew where his room was and led me there. I chatted a bit with other parents, some of whom I vaguely recognized but couldn't possibly place their names or their kids' names, which are mostly these long lovely elegant Indian names with multiple syllables sewn together in such a way that my Western brain will never keep together. I was raised with Amys and Jeffs.
It seems the Cupertino school district's only African-American first-grader is in his class. Caleb and Gabriel are doing their part to create diversity in this otherwise mostly homogenous class. I chatted a bit with Caleb's parents, they're very very nice. All the parents are really nice.
The teacher surveys the troops. No doubt about it, this is the teacher we saw at the first-grade orientation who was pointed out as giving daily homework!
I'm swinging wildly about this whole school thing again. Daily homework, that's out of control for a first-grader. But then Tonya told us two of her girls had had this teacher, and Tonya said she's awesome. She seems highly regarded by the other teachers, and experienced. And she seemed really nice. OK, I feel better.
Then I see the kids sitting at tables facing the front, two to a table. Are they really ready in first grade to be sitting lecture-style in a classroom? It irks me. They're just little kids! But then, I'm fairly certain my first-grade class was arranged that way too, with a reading corner (which I used to trap boys in to kiss). Back then, parents didn't fret about things like table orientation.
Is this really the right thing for him? If I can find fault in this, couldn't I find fault in just about any school setup? And any decisions or changes or doubts I have now aren't just about Gabriel -- I have to think about the other two also. And I really don't know what to think about them.
I wonder what junior-high-school teachers have to say about McCauliffe (the whole-learning warm-n-fuzzy school) kids versus Collins kids, and heck, Faria (the full-on straight academics school) kids. And then, I wonder what the high school teachers have to say. I'll bet by high school they can't tell who went where. Not that that doesn't matter in other ways, of course.
Overall, I tend to think that kids are going to succeed if they're inclined to succeed and have good support at home. Certainly the kind of early schooling they get will influence it, but it won't make or break them in the end. A whole-learning approach school could help ordered Gabriel with out-of-the-box thinking, or it could deprive him of the structure he thrives in. Conversely, whole-learning could nurture Julian's imagination, but wouldn't develop his putzy lazy side. Julian's very social in pre-K, chit-chatting away instead of doing his work. Ah, the torch has been passed -- just like his mom!
But all I can do is speculate, and agonize on major decisions based only on speculation. Maybe I should just let it go -- we're in a middle-of-the-road situation, Gabriel's basically happy, and this is our life. If I need to tweak and meddle in someone's life, it should probably be my own.
Minor disaster after school: Gabriel didn't go to the CDC as I'd told him several times to do. Instead he told his teacher I was coming to get him, and when I didn't show up, she brought him to the school office. The CDC folks called me to check, then found him in the school office. Lots of CDC-bound first-graders got confused today, apparently! In kindergarten, the CDC staff collects them straight from the room. Not first grade -- they're on their own.
But boy did I feel bad, thinking of Gabriel standing by the door, looking out for me, waiting hopefully, disappointment creeping in with each passing minute. It's that same sinking feeling at an airport, watching a nearly empty baggage carousel going around with one or two suitcases that you anxiously check each time, even though you know they're not yours. Then the dreaded thunk....they've stopped the carousel. No bags. No hope. No Mom.
Gabriel went through this the last day of school too, and now again the first day of school. This rots. I should have been there to pick him up today. There will come a time when he doesn't care. But I always will.
8/21/08
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
8/20/08 Two Lunches
It's official! Tonight was the first time of future thousands that I made two lunches. All set for tomorrow, in their lunch sacks with their names stitched on them: half a PB&J, yogurt, berries, carrots, and milk.
Someday, it will be three, and then I'll be grateful when it goes back down to two.
I've actually been pretty spoiled making just Julian's lunch the past few weeks. He's a really flexible eater, and I can come up with a much wider variety of things to give him, including most dinner leftovers. Actually, he does better with variety, he's less likely to eat something if he got it the day before. But Gabriel...standard kid-stuff, same-old, same-old.
A note on food pickiness....I don't know if Katrina is genuinely picky, or just very opinionated. Well, opinionated we do know. She was outraged when I offered her tortellini for dinner tonight, screaming and crying and throwing her arms around. The nerve of me! No, she'd spotted the bananas, and that was it. So dinner was a banana, peas and yogurt. I tried about 5 things inbetween, but she refused, immediately, vociferously, and very very loudly. It's not worth fighting with her about food, she's too young. Besides, she'd always win.
Gabriel often won't try things because...well, he's a kid. Kids do that. Julian will then claim not to like something just to follow along. Tonight, I made a (really good if I do say so myself) florentine lasagna, and Gabriel instantly rejected it, which Julian did immediately too. I considered bailing and giving them something else, but some combination of philosophy and inertia and miffedness kept me in my seat. So we talked about it instead. There's a lot to say about lasagna: how to say "Florence" in Italian, that spinach is superfood, what a silly word ricotta is, that the noodles are like pages in a book. In time, Julian was curious enough to try it, and not only did he like it, but he even asked that I pack it for lunch for him.
Gabriel...well, he tried the required 3 bites, then he got Katrina's leftover peas, baby slobber and all. Too bad. It's more important that he not get used to me waiting on him than it is for him to have a perfectly balanced 3-course meal. Even if it is the night before first grade starts. Letting go...one of the toughest skills for a mom.
After swimming tonight, I stopped by Gabriel's school to see the posted class lists. It's really been weighing on me: is he -- that is, are we -- going to get the one teacher that gives homework every day? Nightmare!!
I can't remember the teacher's name, but I'm fairly certain it's the only one that starts with 'O'. Scan the lists...six classes, 10 girls and 10 boys per class....there it is, Doudna, Gabriel...Mrs. Olsen. DANG!!!
Well, if any first-grader is suited to daily homework, Gabriel is....heeyyyyy, I wonder if that has anything to do with it.....??
Katrina found another hand-me-down hat that passed her complex and top-secret criteria for approval.
I'm not really into dressing little girls, but this short little dress-and-bubble-bottom combo is so cute!
As if it really needs to be said again, first day of first grade tomorrow! Among the many other things that means, it also marks one year from tomorrow that the boys will be in the same school!
8/20/08
Someday, it will be three, and then I'll be grateful when it goes back down to two.
I've actually been pretty spoiled making just Julian's lunch the past few weeks. He's a really flexible eater, and I can come up with a much wider variety of things to give him, including most dinner leftovers. Actually, he does better with variety, he's less likely to eat something if he got it the day before. But Gabriel...standard kid-stuff, same-old, same-old.
A note on food pickiness....I don't know if Katrina is genuinely picky, or just very opinionated. Well, opinionated we do know. She was outraged when I offered her tortellini for dinner tonight, screaming and crying and throwing her arms around. The nerve of me! No, she'd spotted the bananas, and that was it. So dinner was a banana, peas and yogurt. I tried about 5 things inbetween, but she refused, immediately, vociferously, and very very loudly. It's not worth fighting with her about food, she's too young. Besides, she'd always win.
Gabriel often won't try things because...well, he's a kid. Kids do that. Julian will then claim not to like something just to follow along. Tonight, I made a (really good if I do say so myself) florentine lasagna, and Gabriel instantly rejected it, which Julian did immediately too. I considered bailing and giving them something else, but some combination of philosophy and inertia and miffedness kept me in my seat. So we talked about it instead. There's a lot to say about lasagna: how to say "Florence" in Italian, that spinach is superfood, what a silly word ricotta is, that the noodles are like pages in a book. In time, Julian was curious enough to try it, and not only did he like it, but he even asked that I pack it for lunch for him.
Gabriel...well, he tried the required 3 bites, then he got Katrina's leftover peas, baby slobber and all. Too bad. It's more important that he not get used to me waiting on him than it is for him to have a perfectly balanced 3-course meal. Even if it is the night before first grade starts. Letting go...one of the toughest skills for a mom.
After swimming tonight, I stopped by Gabriel's school to see the posted class lists. It's really been weighing on me: is he -- that is, are we -- going to get the one teacher that gives homework every day? Nightmare!!
I can't remember the teacher's name, but I'm fairly certain it's the only one that starts with 'O'. Scan the lists...six classes, 10 girls and 10 boys per class....there it is, Doudna, Gabriel...Mrs. Olsen. DANG!!!
Well, if any first-grader is suited to daily homework, Gabriel is....heeyyyyy, I wonder if that has anything to do with it.....??
Katrina found another hand-me-down hat that passed her complex and top-secret criteria for approval.
I'm not really into dressing little girls, but this short little dress-and-bubble-bottom combo is so cute!
As if it really needs to be said again, first day of first grade tomorrow! Among the many other things that means, it also marks one year from tomorrow that the boys will be in the same school!
8/20/08
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
8/19/08 First loose tooth!
Gabriel has a loose tooth! His first!
He didn't even know it. I was flossing his teeth tonight and noticed it right away. He asked me again and again which tooth was loose, until finally after 15 minutes he could find it himself. It's really pretty darned loose, one of the very front ones on the bottom. It's pretty exciting for me too!
I thought it might be fun to look for my high school yearbook with the photo of me with my last missing tooth. Turns out, it wasn't fun at all looking for it. And I still can't find it. All my scrapbook stuff is in boxes too, and even if I were to unpack it, I'm not sure where I could spread out and scrap. Not scrapping is starting to weigh on me. I think that's why I've been baking like crazy, as a poor, and very caloric, substitute for scrapbooking.
Later addendum: I found my yearbook! Here's my senior photo, with my last missing tooth. The new one hadn't even started growing back in yet. The gap was horribly embarrassing for a self-conscious 17-year-old high school senior.
(circa 1981)
In other tooth news, Katrina now has 4 molars, one per side and one per jaw, nicely symmetric and opposing. All bets are off for food now - she can chew steak.
Except for that toddler personality thing. She's all about bananas these days ("mana-mana-MANA-MANA??!?"), so I have to hide them before giving her dinner. Not that living on bananas is a bad thing, but just how much potassium does one baby need?
8/19/08
He didn't even know it. I was flossing his teeth tonight and noticed it right away. He asked me again and again which tooth was loose, until finally after 15 minutes he could find it himself. It's really pretty darned loose, one of the very front ones on the bottom. It's pretty exciting for me too!
I thought it might be fun to look for my high school yearbook with the photo of me with my last missing tooth. Turns out, it wasn't fun at all looking for it. And I still can't find it. All my scrapbook stuff is in boxes too, and even if I were to unpack it, I'm not sure where I could spread out and scrap. Not scrapping is starting to weigh on me. I think that's why I've been baking like crazy, as a poor, and very caloric, substitute for scrapbooking.
Later addendum: I found my yearbook! Here's my senior photo, with my last missing tooth. The new one hadn't even started growing back in yet. The gap was horribly embarrassing for a self-conscious 17-year-old high school senior.
(circa 1981)
In other tooth news, Katrina now has 4 molars, one per side and one per jaw, nicely symmetric and opposing. All bets are off for food now - she can chew steak.
Except for that toddler personality thing. She's all about bananas these days ("mana-mana-MANA-MANA??!?"), so I have to hide them before giving her dinner. Not that living on bananas is a bad thing, but just how much potassium does one baby need?
8/19/08
Monday, August 18, 2008
8/18/08 Somersault Olympics
I came up with a "great" idea to distract the boys from the nonstop pestering of their fascinating, but frazzled, little sister tonight: somersaulting down the narrow hallway in our rental house. Here was my attempt to get them to do it together, which is actually sort of funny in its failure.
Katrina cottoned onto this activity, and did her silly giggly waddly showoff trot up and down the hall, interfering with her brothers' fun. But when the boys were out of the way, she started somersaulting down the hallway herself! I didn't think she could do that!
Of course, this exercise mostly served to completely rile up the boys, and they were completely out of control for well over half an hour.
I had a really tough evening coming home tonight. Katrina was in good shape, but I had to drop dinner-making and run every few minutes to handle piercing shrieks. Ordinary screeches I've come to ignore, but ones that indicate pain are something else. The boys just wouldn't quit bugging her, and in a time of day when she's already edgy. She got pushed down, a tricycle run into her, pebbles tossed at her, toys put in her way, trapped behind a shed, toys taken out of her hands, blankets put over her head -- and this is all affectionate play! None of it malicious, but none of it welcome, especially not by me. How many times and in how many ways do I have to say L E A V E - H E R - A L O N E!!! Someone remind me why I try so hard to get everyone home early in the evening??
8/18/08
Katrina cottoned onto this activity, and did her silly giggly waddly showoff trot up and down the hall, interfering with her brothers' fun. But when the boys were out of the way, she started somersaulting down the hallway herself! I didn't think she could do that!
Of course, this exercise mostly served to completely rile up the boys, and they were completely out of control for well over half an hour.
I had a really tough evening coming home tonight. Katrina was in good shape, but I had to drop dinner-making and run every few minutes to handle piercing shrieks. Ordinary screeches I've come to ignore, but ones that indicate pain are something else. The boys just wouldn't quit bugging her, and in a time of day when she's already edgy. She got pushed down, a tricycle run into her, pebbles tossed at her, toys put in her way, trapped behind a shed, toys taken out of her hands, blankets put over her head -- and this is all affectionate play! None of it malicious, but none of it welcome, especially not by me. How many times and in how many ways do I have to say L E A V E - H E R - A L O N E!!! Someone remind me why I try so hard to get everyone home early in the evening??
8/18/08
Sunday, August 17, 2008
8/17/08 Pizza Party
This afternoon I set up our two tents in the backyard, as something of a dry run for our camping trip coming up in September. Naturally, the boys had a great time playing in them.
These tents are the ones Dave and I each used on our various motorcycle camping trips, before we started sharing one.
Ah, the memories opening up my tent again! I'd forgotten how free and secure I felt riding around with all my camping gear strapped to my bike. I used my tent a lot, sometimes joining the BMW motorcycle club every month for a distant campout. The scent, the feeling of the poles in my hands, brings me right back to a former life. So often I set up in the dark after hundreds of miles of riding, and almost always packed up very early the next morning, with freezing cold fingers and wet gear. What was with me, why did I have to leave Quincy at 6:30am in 35 degrees on Memorial Day? To miss traffic? To beat 90+ degree heat crossing the Central Valley? To ensure a solo ride, something I treasured? To get home by noon and just relax the rest of the day? Or just to do it?
But some reality unfolded in my backyard as the tents did: am I insane thinking it will be fun having Katrina along on the camping trip?? There could be nice moments, but she has a talent for bringing me crashing down hard at any time, and demanding all my attention when I'm up to my eyeballs in logistics. (Paradoxically, she will also play by herself for a very, very long time for a not-even-2-year-old -- she just won't tell me when.) I think I'm going to leave her behind with Dave, with a blank check to Melissa for any relief he needs from our adorable little tyrant, and a big deficit in marital brownie points.
Dave does have fun with her one-on-one though. She "helps" on his weekly run to Safeway by carrying the grocery bags to be recycled. Incredibly, she took a liking to this "new" hand-me-down hat, and actually wears it. So cute!
Meantime, the boys got ready for a wishbone-snapping. Even with my blase boys, there's still a risk of someone being miffed for losing this utterly random exercise, so I prepared them carefully. They each made a wish, and then snap!
Now I have to break it to Julian that just because he won the snap-off, doesn't mean he'll really get a new Lego set.
Last week, Gabriel's CDC took them to a pizza place for lunch. Sounds simple, right? But it was more than that, as usual: the cooks showed them how to make pizzas, and they got to do many of the steps. Gabriel had a great time with that, so I thought it'd be fun to make a pizza with him, and got the major ingredients at Trader Joe's last week. Dough, sauce, cheese, done.
He was excited to make a pizza, and I "deferred" to his superior knowledge of pizza-making. I had to laugh when I'd ask him questions, and he'd start the answer with such authority: "Well, usually I just ...." Usually?? He's done this once!
First we rolled out the dough.
Spread the sauce.
Sprinkle the cheese.
Notice a critical tactical error? Duh, move the dough to the baking sheet before putting sauce on it!
Not only was this fun, but the pizza was pretty good, and the boys loved it.
My back was very unhappy about all the bending up and down setting tents up, but it's even more unhappy sitting here typing. No problem for the pizza party though.
8/17/08
These tents are the ones Dave and I each used on our various motorcycle camping trips, before we started sharing one.
Ah, the memories opening up my tent again! I'd forgotten how free and secure I felt riding around with all my camping gear strapped to my bike. I used my tent a lot, sometimes joining the BMW motorcycle club every month for a distant campout. The scent, the feeling of the poles in my hands, brings me right back to a former life. So often I set up in the dark after hundreds of miles of riding, and almost always packed up very early the next morning, with freezing cold fingers and wet gear. What was with me, why did I have to leave Quincy at 6:30am in 35 degrees on Memorial Day? To miss traffic? To beat 90+ degree heat crossing the Central Valley? To ensure a solo ride, something I treasured? To get home by noon and just relax the rest of the day? Or just to do it?
But some reality unfolded in my backyard as the tents did: am I insane thinking it will be fun having Katrina along on the camping trip?? There could be nice moments, but she has a talent for bringing me crashing down hard at any time, and demanding all my attention when I'm up to my eyeballs in logistics. (Paradoxically, she will also play by herself for a very, very long time for a not-even-2-year-old -- she just won't tell me when.) I think I'm going to leave her behind with Dave, with a blank check to Melissa for any relief he needs from our adorable little tyrant, and a big deficit in marital brownie points.
Dave does have fun with her one-on-one though. She "helps" on his weekly run to Safeway by carrying the grocery bags to be recycled. Incredibly, she took a liking to this "new" hand-me-down hat, and actually wears it. So cute!
Meantime, the boys got ready for a wishbone-snapping. Even with my blase boys, there's still a risk of someone being miffed for losing this utterly random exercise, so I prepared them carefully. They each made a wish, and then snap!
Now I have to break it to Julian that just because he won the snap-off, doesn't mean he'll really get a new Lego set.
Last week, Gabriel's CDC took them to a pizza place for lunch. Sounds simple, right? But it was more than that, as usual: the cooks showed them how to make pizzas, and they got to do many of the steps. Gabriel had a great time with that, so I thought it'd be fun to make a pizza with him, and got the major ingredients at Trader Joe's last week. Dough, sauce, cheese, done.
He was excited to make a pizza, and I "deferred" to his superior knowledge of pizza-making. I had to laugh when I'd ask him questions, and he'd start the answer with such authority: "Well, usually I just ...." Usually?? He's done this once!
First we rolled out the dough.
Spread the sauce.
Sprinkle the cheese.
Notice a critical tactical error? Duh, move the dough to the baking sheet before putting sauce on it!
Not only was this fun, but the pizza was pretty good, and the boys loved it.
My back was very unhappy about all the bending up and down setting tents up, but it's even more unhappy sitting here typing. No problem for the pizza party though.
8/17/08
Saturday, August 16, 2008
8/16/08 The Good Ticket
This morning I took Julian and Katrina to my old gym (it's closer to the rental house than the Y) to gingerly see how my damaged body would take some warming up and stretching. The childcare there isn't nearly as nice as the Y's, but Katrina didn't notice. She had a great time with this adorable pink VW, and put up a major fit about abandoning it.
Then I took the younger two to a pool birthday party. It was a lovely setting, with lots of good food, a jump house, and a very nice outdoor pool. Julian had a great time playing in the jump house and swimming. Katrina was a nightmare, fussing constantly, and I whisked them away before the party's grand finale, frustrated and embarrassed. But I knew it was really my fault. Don't I know better by now? There is no life with a toddler past noon! And definitely no going two places in one morning!
But Julian, so adaptable and also very emotionally low-maintenance, spared me a well-deserved fit about missing out on birthday cake. All he said was, "I had a great time swimming, Mom!" My sweet boy. I needed that positive perspective!
Dave took the boys to a minor league baseball game tonight. Before they left, I handed the boys each their own ticket with great ceremony: "Here's your ... ticket!" Julian looked stricken. Then I realized, I had to qualify it: "It's a good ticket!" He brightened immediately.
Gabriel wouldn't oblige me with a fraternal photo, but Julian (and his tongue) came through for the photo-op.
I was in no mood to attempt taking Katrina anywhere tonight, so we passed on the game and spent the evening alone together at home. We had a great time. She played and laughed and acted adorable, and even ate dinner without too much fuss. We chased and wrestled and tickled and peek-a-boo'd and said silly things together for hours.
I tried to take some video of a game in which Katrina demonstrates her clumsy Edith Bunker-like "run," but she got distracted by a paper falling off the fridge. She doesn't know how to use fridge magnets to put it back, something I'm sure Julian did by this age. But what I really notice is how she repeats back what I say -- there's a delay, and it's hard to understand, but she's been a real parrot lately. Finally, she finds her little mouse toy and gives a chair a kiss.
Maybe it's not toddlers so much that drive me nuts. It's straddling toddler life with preschooler life and schoolkid life. When it's just one or the other, I still come down on the side of the older kids, but either one is very rewarding in its own way.
8/16/08
Then I took the younger two to a pool birthday party. It was a lovely setting, with lots of good food, a jump house, and a very nice outdoor pool. Julian had a great time playing in the jump house and swimming. Katrina was a nightmare, fussing constantly, and I whisked them away before the party's grand finale, frustrated and embarrassed. But I knew it was really my fault. Don't I know better by now? There is no life with a toddler past noon! And definitely no going two places in one morning!
But Julian, so adaptable and also very emotionally low-maintenance, spared me a well-deserved fit about missing out on birthday cake. All he said was, "I had a great time swimming, Mom!" My sweet boy. I needed that positive perspective!
Dave took the boys to a minor league baseball game tonight. Before they left, I handed the boys each their own ticket with great ceremony: "Here's your ... ticket!" Julian looked stricken. Then I realized, I had to qualify it: "It's a good ticket!" He brightened immediately.
Gabriel wouldn't oblige me with a fraternal photo, but Julian (and his tongue) came through for the photo-op.
I was in no mood to attempt taking Katrina anywhere tonight, so we passed on the game and spent the evening alone together at home. We had a great time. She played and laughed and acted adorable, and even ate dinner without too much fuss. We chased and wrestled and tickled and peek-a-boo'd and said silly things together for hours.
I tried to take some video of a game in which Katrina demonstrates her clumsy Edith Bunker-like "run," but she got distracted by a paper falling off the fridge. She doesn't know how to use fridge magnets to put it back, something I'm sure Julian did by this age. But what I really notice is how she repeats back what I say -- there's a delay, and it's hard to understand, but she's been a real parrot lately. Finally, she finds her little mouse toy and gives a chair a kiss.
Maybe it's not toddlers so much that drive me nuts. It's straddling toddler life with preschooler life and schoolkid life. When it's just one or the other, I still come down on the side of the older kids, but either one is very rewarding in its own way.
8/16/08
Friday, August 15, 2008
8/15/08 The Farmer's Market
This so un-California, but I'm really not much for farmer's markets. So far I've mostly found stuff that's more expensive than in supermarkets, it goes bad faster, and of limited quality and variety. I know great farmer's markets exist, but the few times I've been to them, I just haven't found one.
Until today, thanks to my firstborn, indirectly. And it happens to be the closest farmer's market to our house (our real house, not the rental).
See, Gabriel had a pediatrician appointment today, for an ear check and hearing test.
Which he passed fine, and there's no fluid in his ears. He had been having trouble hearing a few weeks ago, but now he's fine. We waited too long between the "WHA-AT?" and the appointment, I'm afraid. This intermittent hearing problem is a tough one to pin down. But, I'm glad he's OK for school starting next week.
Anyway, after his appointment, I took him to join the CDC kids on their walking field trip to the farmer's market. It wasn't hard to find the large group of kids all wearing red T-shirts. They were lined up, just about to walk back to the CDC to make lunch with the spoils of their visit to the market. Gabriel joined his pal Parth in line.
(I sure hope Parth is in Gabriel's first-grade class this year.)
But what a treat for me! I loved this market. Lots of fruit, flowers, cheeses, and some baked goods too (it was tough to resist), all in abundance and looking glorious and inexpensive. I bought some golden raspberries that are out of this world, for an unprecedented $2 a basket.
I'm definitely going to be going back there, and before I unwittingly spend over $15 on cherries at Whole Foods. This morning I knew $5.99 a pound was a bit expensive for cherries, but it was just a little bag...except that that little bag weighed over 2.5 lbs -- I just about swallowed a pit when I read the total cost on the receipt!
I've always liked watching Olympic swimming. I can't explain why. Ostensibly, it's boring, but I find the shorter races thrilling (not so much the 800m and above though). And now with the Phelps phenomenon, I'm totally hooked. I never fail to choke up when they play the anthem for his nth gold medal.
But I really lose it when I see Phelps' mother. They show shots of her every time he swims, in all states: nervous before a race, cheering him on, shocked, thrilled. And when he points to her in the stands after winning...oh lordy. I watched an interview with her when she talked about her boy, and the social struggles he had as a gawky kid, but how much she loved him and supported him, and it was so touching.
I have a newfound inkling of what she's experiencing: bursting with pride and love at the accomplishment of your son. When people ask me how I feel about Gabriel starting first grade, that's my answer: overwhelming, consuming pride. I look at Gabriel, this burgeoning person, this amazing unique boy who I brought into this world, and marvel at the miracle. His own accomplishment is nothing short of Olympian: growing up. And as he does, his childhood becomes part of my past, just as he is my present now, and as he embodies my future. When he was first born, I thought the depth of my new love for this tiny squishy baby would never be matched. I had no idea.
...just watched Dara Torres finish first in the 50m freestyle semi-final...haul' ass!! It's such a cliche, but I just have to say it: You go girl!
8/15/08
Until today, thanks to my firstborn, indirectly. And it happens to be the closest farmer's market to our house (our real house, not the rental).
See, Gabriel had a pediatrician appointment today, for an ear check and hearing test.
Which he passed fine, and there's no fluid in his ears. He had been having trouble hearing a few weeks ago, but now he's fine. We waited too long between the "WHA-AT?" and the appointment, I'm afraid. This intermittent hearing problem is a tough one to pin down. But, I'm glad he's OK for school starting next week.
Anyway, after his appointment, I took him to join the CDC kids on their walking field trip to the farmer's market. It wasn't hard to find the large group of kids all wearing red T-shirts. They were lined up, just about to walk back to the CDC to make lunch with the spoils of their visit to the market. Gabriel joined his pal Parth in line.
(I sure hope Parth is in Gabriel's first-grade class this year.)
But what a treat for me! I loved this market. Lots of fruit, flowers, cheeses, and some baked goods too (it was tough to resist), all in abundance and looking glorious and inexpensive. I bought some golden raspberries that are out of this world, for an unprecedented $2 a basket.
I'm definitely going to be going back there, and before I unwittingly spend over $15 on cherries at Whole Foods. This morning I knew $5.99 a pound was a bit expensive for cherries, but it was just a little bag...except that that little bag weighed over 2.5 lbs -- I just about swallowed a pit when I read the total cost on the receipt!
I've always liked watching Olympic swimming. I can't explain why. Ostensibly, it's boring, but I find the shorter races thrilling (not so much the 800m and above though). And now with the Phelps phenomenon, I'm totally hooked. I never fail to choke up when they play the anthem for his nth gold medal.
But I really lose it when I see Phelps' mother. They show shots of her every time he swims, in all states: nervous before a race, cheering him on, shocked, thrilled. And when he points to her in the stands after winning...oh lordy. I watched an interview with her when she talked about her boy, and the social struggles he had as a gawky kid, but how much she loved him and supported him, and it was so touching.
I have a newfound inkling of what she's experiencing: bursting with pride and love at the accomplishment of your son. When people ask me how I feel about Gabriel starting first grade, that's my answer: overwhelming, consuming pride. I look at Gabriel, this burgeoning person, this amazing unique boy who I brought into this world, and marvel at the miracle. His own accomplishment is nothing short of Olympian: growing up. And as he does, his childhood becomes part of my past, just as he is my present now, and as he embodies my future. When he was first born, I thought the depth of my new love for this tiny squishy baby would never be matched. I had no idea.
...just watched Dara Torres finish first in the 50m freestyle semi-final...haul' ass!! It's such a cliche, but I just have to say it: You go girl!
8/15/08
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
8/15/08 Lame Mom
Lame, not because of my back, but because I just can't keep up with what everyone needs to bring to school. Thank goodness it's easy with Katrina, but I missed one of Julian's "water days" this week, and also missed "vehicle day" when he was supposed to bring in a toy vehicle. Last week his lunch got left behind one day, and I had to make a trip to get it to him, just in time. When school starts next week and i have to keep track of all of Gabriel's obligations, I'm in big trouble.
Gabriel wants an allowance. He's discovered the "products" area of the Lego Web site, and now he likes online shopping! The actual paying for it is beyond him now, but he's all over the shopping cart, and does understand that if he has his own money, he can buy things. I'm OK with that. We're going to start him on Sunday with $3 a week. If he wants extra money, we'll give him jobs. Also, we'll take away allowance if he doesn't do his chorse, but he always has to do his chores, even if he decides he can forfeit his allowance. Not fair? Tough. This is a family, not a democracy.
I'm a lot stronger today. It's still tricky standing up after having been sitting for a while, but the more I move around, the better. I wish I had time to swim tonight. No matter, I'll have to content myself with watching other people swim (yeah, I admit it, I have Phelps-fever too).
8/15/08
Gabriel wants an allowance. He's discovered the "products" area of the Lego Web site, and now he likes online shopping! The actual paying for it is beyond him now, but he's all over the shopping cart, and does understand that if he has his own money, he can buy things. I'm OK with that. We're going to start him on Sunday with $3 a week. If he wants extra money, we'll give him jobs. Also, we'll take away allowance if he doesn't do his chorse, but he always has to do his chores, even if he decides he can forfeit his allowance. Not fair? Tough. This is a family, not a democracy.
I'm a lot stronger today. It's still tricky standing up after having been sitting for a while, but the more I move around, the better. I wish I had time to swim tonight. No matter, I'll have to content myself with watching other people swim (yeah, I admit it, I have Phelps-fever too).
8/15/08
8/13/08 Recovering
I went to work today, gingerly stepping around with the cane for support, but basically standing straight. It's hard to believe I ever ran 12 miles. But there was only so long I could last, so I went home early and rested, after which I was in good enough shape to make dinner.
And bonus, I got to make dinner without rushing around trying to take care of kids at the same time, as Dave did dropoff/pickups again today. It was actually fun to make dinner, and didn't take long at all! Having use of both arms was a big help, rather than having to hold myself up with one elbow and prop my body against the counter. I'm still very shaky, but should be mostly back in action tomorrow.
After dinner, bath and PJs, Julian watched some Olympics with me as I rested my back. He liked the synchronized diving! I hate the commercials though.
8/13/08
And bonus, I got to make dinner without rushing around trying to take care of kids at the same time, as Dave did dropoff/pickups again today. It was actually fun to make dinner, and didn't take long at all! Having use of both arms was a big help, rather than having to hold myself up with one elbow and prop my body against the counter. I'm still very shaky, but should be mostly back in action tomorrow.
After dinner, bath and PJs, Julian watched some Olympics with me as I rested my back. He liked the synchronized diving! I hate the commercials though.
8/13/08
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
8/12/08 Barely standing
Sometimes I wish I didn't blog, 'cause I have little good to say. Today was consumed with managing this debilitating and mysterious back injury. Physical therapy, physiatrist appointment, X-ray, getting an MRI report from last May. Rest, lying down, trying to get around. Tonight I can sort of stand straight, but I'm very very weak and shaky and more dependent than ever on the cane to get around. But then I sat for about 20 minutes, reading a book with the boys, and couldn't stand straight again.
While I know this episode will heal and go away, the frightening thing is: can I work? I'm completely convinced that what predicated this was being back at work. The fact that my return to work also coincided with the first migraine in weeks isn't lost on me either. Headaches and back injuries are things I had before, but it seems my work environment aggravates them.
I don't know how I'd get through this as a single parent. Dave's taken on the brunt of child-ferrying, child-to-bed-getting and all the heavy lifting with dinner and lunch preparations, not to mention lots of gophering for me. Being essentially disabled puts a lot of strain on the rest of the family, though the kids are mostly oblivious (Julian is curiously concerned about why I'm hobbling around, but I easily put him off with a few reassuring words).
Tomorrow I will go back to work and take careful stock of the ergonomic environment there. And of the cost to our lives for my being there at all.
8/12/08
While I know this episode will heal and go away, the frightening thing is: can I work? I'm completely convinced that what predicated this was being back at work. The fact that my return to work also coincided with the first migraine in weeks isn't lost on me either. Headaches and back injuries are things I had before, but it seems my work environment aggravates them.
I don't know how I'd get through this as a single parent. Dave's taken on the brunt of child-ferrying, child-to-bed-getting and all the heavy lifting with dinner and lunch preparations, not to mention lots of gophering for me. Being essentially disabled puts a lot of strain on the rest of the family, though the kids are mostly oblivious (Julian is curiously concerned about why I'm hobbling around, but I easily put him off with a few reassuring words).
Tomorrow I will go back to work and take careful stock of the ergonomic environment there. And of the cost to our lives for my being there at all.
8/12/08
Monday, August 11, 2008
8/11/08 The cane
It's bad. I'm so bent over that I actually went to Walgreen's this morning and bought a cane. Then went to work, feeling more embarrassed than anything. But sitting for a few hours at work, and moving around as much as I did, was a disaster. It's much worse now. Dave and I met at noon, at the door place (a minor disaster with our entry door, that's another story), and then I went home to lie down. I have to minimize sitting, but lying down really minimizes what I can do. I'm typing from Dave's laptop in bed, curled up on my knees. The other problem is that my feet are buzzing badly, and I'm getting sharp shooting pains down my right leg -- sciatica. What a mess!!
Physical therapy tomorrow morning. Physiatrist appt Thursday (earliest possible). I'm going to try to go to Urgent Care tonight to be seen while it's still bad. I HATE this.
It's weird. If I had a crutch, people would smile and ask "hey, what happened to you?" A cane is a lot different. People smile politely and don't dare ask. A cane is what I need physically, but emotionally, it's devastating.
Dave did pickups and dropoffs today. Tonya gave Katrina dinner, Dave's taking the boys out. I'll take care of Katrina while they're gone, and hope upon hope that she doesn't have a stinker to change. I won't mind at all lying on the floor reading to her and playing with her though. That'll be the best part of this lousy day.
8/11/08
Physical therapy tomorrow morning. Physiatrist appt Thursday (earliest possible). I'm going to try to go to Urgent Care tonight to be seen while it's still bad. I HATE this.
It's weird. If I had a crutch, people would smile and ask "hey, what happened to you?" A cane is a lot different. People smile politely and don't dare ask. A cane is what I need physically, but emotionally, it's devastating.
Dave did pickups and dropoffs today. Tonya gave Katrina dinner, Dave's taking the boys out. I'll take care of Katrina while they're gone, and hope upon hope that she doesn't have a stinker to change. I won't mind at all lying on the floor reading to her and playing with her though. That'll be the best part of this lousy day.
8/11/08
Sunday, August 10, 2008
8/10/08 Bad, bad back
It's been building. All the sitting from work has been causing constant low-grade foot-buzzing, and sometimes, sharp shooting pains from my tricky right sacro-iliac joint. Today I went swimming, usually the safest exercise ever, but being so straight for a while in the water put a slight strain on my lower back. Usually not a big deal.
The "Zoom!" did it though -- picking up Katrina in a big sweeping motion and lifting her over my head exclaiming, "Zoom!" When she was silhouetted in the sky, I felt it -- ~zing~ -- in my lower back. I put Katrina in the car, drove home, and haven't stood up straight since.
This isn't as bad as the other times it's happened, but it still seriously hampers my life. I can't zip around the kitchen making dinner as usual, and instead have to sit and give detailed instructions to Dave. Not until we were well-committed to the usual Sunday mac'n'cheese, peas and meatballs did it occur to me: hello, pizza?
I did hobble out to snap Katrina having fun in the backyard though.
Am I healthy? I swam 1800 yards this morning without stopping, but now I can't stand up straight. The migraine persists too, lessened this evening because of lots of back-forced rest this afternoon. Well, if I have to lie down a lot because of a migraine, might as well couple it up with a back outage.
8/10/08
The "Zoom!" did it though -- picking up Katrina in a big sweeping motion and lifting her over my head exclaiming, "Zoom!" When she was silhouetted in the sky, I felt it -- ~zing~ -- in my lower back. I put Katrina in the car, drove home, and haven't stood up straight since.
This isn't as bad as the other times it's happened, but it still seriously hampers my life. I can't zip around the kitchen making dinner as usual, and instead have to sit and give detailed instructions to Dave. Not until we were well-committed to the usual Sunday mac'n'cheese, peas and meatballs did it occur to me: hello, pizza?
I did hobble out to snap Katrina having fun in the backyard though.
Am I healthy? I swam 1800 yards this morning without stopping, but now I can't stand up straight. The migraine persists too, lessened this evening because of lots of back-forced rest this afternoon. Well, if I have to lie down a lot because of a migraine, might as well couple it up with a back outage.
8/10/08
Saturday, August 09, 2008
8/9/08 Skating afternoon
I've been free of migraines for two glorious months....maybe even nine glorious weeks. But it's back today, with a vengeance. Yesterday I felt very, very strange, irrationally tired and feeling like the top half of my head was extremely heavy. Then there was the relentless cold, feeling unable to bring my body temperature up to a normal level. And sleeping badly, restless, with lots of strange dreams.
It all came together today with a brutal headache this morning, at least a 7 out of 10. I'd forgotten how it saps my energy and will to live, depresses me and puts such weight on my ability to function. Every step of the day takes ten times the effort and motivation. It makes the last 9 weeks seem idyllic and perfect and problem-free.
I know from experience that skipping normal things for headaches, though sometimes unavoidable, never helps. So I gathered myself and fulfilled my fun goal for this weekend: take the boys ice-skating!
I hadn't seek Gabriel skate since his week of ice-skating camp, and Julian hasn't skated in months. So it was a bit of a new thing for me to see both boys.
But what fun! It took Julian one time around the rink to remember, and after that, it all came back. Including being able to get up from a fall himself, which is a huge back-saver for me. Gabriel is well past being a rickety first-timer, and showed me his new skills of dips and glides and stops.
Gabriel demonstrates dips:
Gabriel skating fast:
The boys skating together:
I had such a great time with them. This is what I really love about being a mom, doing things with them together, watching them interact, talking excitedly about it together later. I feel like such a "boy-mom" when I'm doing something fun alone with them, and remind myself that Katrina will only enhance the mix...someday.
Gabriel had his second piano lesson this morning, with a second teacher. Already?? Well, we needed a teacher closer by, and this was the first teacher who'd been recommended to us. It went really well, and Gabriel seemed to enjoy it, though he later said he liked the first teacher better. Still, 9am Saturdays are now committed.
I watched some of the Olympics tonight with a clean pajama'd and calm Katrina all cuddled up on my lap -- her part of the cuddle moreso from gravity than nature -- but still, she was cheerful and interactive and very sweet. After she went to bed, Julian took her place, and me and my guys watched the men's gymnastics together. This is fun, I like telling them about the different countries and what little I know about the various sports. BMX biking airs the 16th, that one we're not going to miss!
8/9/08
It all came together today with a brutal headache this morning, at least a 7 out of 10. I'd forgotten how it saps my energy and will to live, depresses me and puts such weight on my ability to function. Every step of the day takes ten times the effort and motivation. It makes the last 9 weeks seem idyllic and perfect and problem-free.
I know from experience that skipping normal things for headaches, though sometimes unavoidable, never helps. So I gathered myself and fulfilled my fun goal for this weekend: take the boys ice-skating!
I hadn't seek Gabriel skate since his week of ice-skating camp, and Julian hasn't skated in months. So it was a bit of a new thing for me to see both boys.
But what fun! It took Julian one time around the rink to remember, and after that, it all came back. Including being able to get up from a fall himself, which is a huge back-saver for me. Gabriel is well past being a rickety first-timer, and showed me his new skills of dips and glides and stops.
Gabriel demonstrates dips:
Gabriel skating fast:
The boys skating together:
I had such a great time with them. This is what I really love about being a mom, doing things with them together, watching them interact, talking excitedly about it together later. I feel like such a "boy-mom" when I'm doing something fun alone with them, and remind myself that Katrina will only enhance the mix...someday.
Gabriel had his second piano lesson this morning, with a second teacher. Already?? Well, we needed a teacher closer by, and this was the first teacher who'd been recommended to us. It went really well, and Gabriel seemed to enjoy it, though he later said he liked the first teacher better. Still, 9am Saturdays are now committed.
I watched some of the Olympics tonight with a clean pajama'd and calm Katrina all cuddled up on my lap -- her part of the cuddle moreso from gravity than nature -- but still, she was cheerful and interactive and very sweet. After she went to bed, Julian took her place, and me and my guys watched the men's gymnastics together. This is fun, I like telling them about the different countries and what little I know about the various sports. BMX biking airs the 16th, that one we're not going to miss!
8/9/08
Friday, August 08, 2008
8/8/08 The Bench
After going to Trader Joe's twice and spending $150 on groceries today, we went out to dinner.
I just couldn't gather myself to cook tonight. I'd realized today that we've hardly done any take-out, restaurants or freezer foods, and now I'm working and getting home around 5:30pm. What's wrong with this picture? It's not like I'm cooking anything wonderful or new either.
I also can't make anything that requires more than 20 minutes of oven time. Prep, oven time, cool-down time and serving time puts dinner well past 7pm, and that just doesn't work anymore. Maybe I could sneak in a 40-minute lasagna if I had it ready to go right into the oven, but that would require preparation on weekends. Somehow, I don't see that happening.
I ran into an old friend at the gym today. She works full-time and has two children (6 and 4), so I asked her how she deals with walking in the door in the evening and making dinner. She said her kids are a lot easier to deal with now that she doesn't let them watch TV during the week anymore. That's interesting! But, her situation doesn't apply to mine anyway -- if all I had to deal with were my 6-year-old and 4-year-old, it'd be a different world. It's the demanding toddler that makes it hard.
But such a cute one! Katrina was all charm today (mostly, see below). And she was so good when we went out. Somehow before I got to the table, she'd already been settled in on a bench by the helpful waitress, without even so much as a booster. I was apprehensive about this arrangement, but she was really really good and mostly sat, chatted, and devoured bowl after bowl of fried rice.
The boys were really good too. This was one of the most successful outings we've had since...well, ever.
Part of the reason we went out was because the second we got home, even before we walked in the door, Katrina threw a full-on flailing screaming tantrum. I have no idea what set her off, but she was determined to keep it going. Every effort I made to distract her was met with contempt and a fresh bout of angry screeches. Finally, I finally hit upon something too irresistible to keep up the show: searching for strawberries in our little strawberry patch. I was able to harvest a few handfuls with my now-cooperative helper holding a little pail. Her attitude shift was immediate and drastic, and then she was all smiles, happy chitter-chatter and full-on adorable. But I was out of energy and time to make dinner by then. Such ups and downs: the low of a complete fit, the high of a small child delighting in finding strawberries.
As much as I complain, I really do love the little critter. I think about her all the time, with pride and affection, even about her willful episodes (otherwise known as "tantrums"). The fact that her age and stage of life are not my favorites are not her fault.
The boys, on the other hand, are at a phase of life I really like, especially Gabriel's. I'm in my element with a 6-year-old boy. Arguably a 4-year-old boy, at least ours, isn't anyone's element, but Julian's annoying traits have been slowly fading lately.
They make driving down a busy expressway fun when they see a green light up ahead, and cheer me on to make the light. "Go Mom GO!" then, "Yayyyyy!!!" when I make the green. Katrina joins in the clamor, and they've all succeeded in turning the most mundane chore of the day into genuine fun. This is what's great about kids.
8/8/08 (cool date!)
I just couldn't gather myself to cook tonight. I'd realized today that we've hardly done any take-out, restaurants or freezer foods, and now I'm working and getting home around 5:30pm. What's wrong with this picture? It's not like I'm cooking anything wonderful or new either.
I also can't make anything that requires more than 20 minutes of oven time. Prep, oven time, cool-down time and serving time puts dinner well past 7pm, and that just doesn't work anymore. Maybe I could sneak in a 40-minute lasagna if I had it ready to go right into the oven, but that would require preparation on weekends. Somehow, I don't see that happening.
I ran into an old friend at the gym today. She works full-time and has two children (6 and 4), so I asked her how she deals with walking in the door in the evening and making dinner. She said her kids are a lot easier to deal with now that she doesn't let them watch TV during the week anymore. That's interesting! But, her situation doesn't apply to mine anyway -- if all I had to deal with were my 6-year-old and 4-year-old, it'd be a different world. It's the demanding toddler that makes it hard.
But such a cute one! Katrina was all charm today (mostly, see below). And she was so good when we went out. Somehow before I got to the table, she'd already been settled in on a bench by the helpful waitress, without even so much as a booster. I was apprehensive about this arrangement, but she was really really good and mostly sat, chatted, and devoured bowl after bowl of fried rice.
The boys were really good too. This was one of the most successful outings we've had since...well, ever.
Part of the reason we went out was because the second we got home, even before we walked in the door, Katrina threw a full-on flailing screaming tantrum. I have no idea what set her off, but she was determined to keep it going. Every effort I made to distract her was met with contempt and a fresh bout of angry screeches. Finally, I finally hit upon something too irresistible to keep up the show: searching for strawberries in our little strawberry patch. I was able to harvest a few handfuls with my now-cooperative helper holding a little pail. Her attitude shift was immediate and drastic, and then she was all smiles, happy chitter-chatter and full-on adorable. But I was out of energy and time to make dinner by then. Such ups and downs: the low of a complete fit, the high of a small child delighting in finding strawberries.
As much as I complain, I really do love the little critter. I think about her all the time, with pride and affection, even about her willful episodes (otherwise known as "tantrums"). The fact that her age and stage of life are not my favorites are not her fault.
The boys, on the other hand, are at a phase of life I really like, especially Gabriel's. I'm in my element with a 6-year-old boy. Arguably a 4-year-old boy, at least ours, isn't anyone's element, but Julian's annoying traits have been slowly fading lately.
They make driving down a busy expressway fun when they see a green light up ahead, and cheer me on to make the light. "Go Mom GO!" then, "Yayyyyy!!!" when I make the green. Katrina joins in the clamor, and they've all succeeded in turning the most mundane chore of the day into genuine fun. This is what's great about kids.
8/8/08 (cool date!)
Thursday, August 07, 2008
8/7/08 Big Boys
Sit down for this one: this morning, Gabriel and Julian got up, made their beds, got themselves dressed, got themselves breakfast, cleaned up breakfast (!), got their shoes on, and were completely ready to go before we were even out of our bedroom!!!! They won't offer any more explanation for this besides Julian admitting, "It was Gabriel's idea!" Amazing.
On the way to pick Gabriel up today, Katrina revealed another word I didn't know she knew: "Peece Tow!" Believe it or not, that means "police car." She was pointing to a Sheriff who'd pulled over a car on the road where Gabriel's CDC is. I didn't think she'd recognize the flashing lights, but she did.
As I often do, I left Julian and Katrina in the car while I zipped in to get Gabriel. Eeps! Sounds bad, but really, I always lower all the windows, and leave the keys in the car so the windows can be operated and the car moved if need be. Really, the odds of someone stealing my car out of a school parking lot with two small children in it are far, far less than one of them getting injured in the parking lot as I try to herd them through the minivan parade. No need to call the cops on me.
Especially since one was right there to take up your cause anyway.
When I emerged with Gabriel, Katrina's "peece tow" was now next to my car, with the concerned young Sheriff interrogating Julian. Oh great. Fortunately, Julian had answered "inside there!" rather than "I don't know, she's gone" as I'd feared. And I really was gone for less than two minutes. He seemed to understand as I hastily explained my safety (yes, and convenience) tradeoff. Julian said he sure hoped the policeman gave me a good ticket instead of a bad ticket.
Driving home, Gabriel asked an accidentally relevant question: "Is jail timeout for grownups?" The context wasn't my encounter with the fuzz, but rather, the Detroit mayor's incarceration today. Good thing my kids are up on current events!
What are the odds for a repeat of this morning's domestic help? I give it Julian's favorite odds: 10,000 to 1! But I'm delighted they took such fun in this today.
8/7/08
On the way to pick Gabriel up today, Katrina revealed another word I didn't know she knew: "Peece Tow!" Believe it or not, that means "police car." She was pointing to a Sheriff who'd pulled over a car on the road where Gabriel's CDC is. I didn't think she'd recognize the flashing lights, but she did.
As I often do, I left Julian and Katrina in the car while I zipped in to get Gabriel. Eeps! Sounds bad, but really, I always lower all the windows, and leave the keys in the car so the windows can be operated and the car moved if need be. Really, the odds of someone stealing my car out of a school parking lot with two small children in it are far, far less than one of them getting injured in the parking lot as I try to herd them through the minivan parade. No need to call the cops on me.
Especially since one was right there to take up your cause anyway.
When I emerged with Gabriel, Katrina's "peece tow" was now next to my car, with the concerned young Sheriff interrogating Julian. Oh great. Fortunately, Julian had answered "inside there!" rather than "I don't know, she's gone" as I'd feared. And I really was gone for less than two minutes. He seemed to understand as I hastily explained my safety (yes, and convenience) tradeoff. Julian said he sure hoped the policeman gave me a good ticket instead of a bad ticket.
Driving home, Gabriel asked an accidentally relevant question: "Is jail timeout for grownups?" The context wasn't my encounter with the fuzz, but rather, the Detroit mayor's incarceration today. Good thing my kids are up on current events!
What are the odds for a repeat of this morning's domestic help? I give it Julian's favorite odds: 10,000 to 1! But I'm delighted they took such fun in this today.
8/7/08
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
8/6/08 Macaroni and Baloney
I'm ruining my children. I play the silliest music for them. Somehow I joked around with them about "macaroni and baloney," part of a line from the song Hot Lunch from the soundtrack of the movie Fame. Really marginal quality music. Now I've got my Fame CD in the car and we're playing that all the time, and now they're singing "macaroni and baloney..." all the time. "If it's yellow then it's Jello, if it's blue, then it's stew...." Oh brother!
8/6/08
8/6/08
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
8/5/08 National Night Out
Our neighborhood has an association that participated in the National Night Out tonight. A firetruck stopped by (one of about 12 stops for them tonight), and we got treated to a little concert by, of all things, a ukelele club. Turns out, two neighbors across the street belong to a ukelele club, which treated us to a performance! Gabriel was excited to see this and brought out our ukelele too, but it wasn't really the right forum for a jam session.
That's a city Fireman joining in the hula (behind the guy in the red jacket).
We met more neighbors tonight too, a mixture of empty-nesters who've lived here for decades, and young families. Boy, I'm going to be sad to leave this neighborhood, I really like it here!
That said, I'm starting to get tired of this actual house. We truly have nothing to complain about, but I do miss our insulated rooms, a larger office, more spacious bathrooms, having two stories, and especially, a place where I can set up my scrapbooking.
Back to work today. An auspicious start...I attended what I thought would be an informational meeting, and was introduced to someone I didn't know. All in the room were surprised (shocked?) that I didn't know a top-level VP. He even said, "you've never seen my picture?" Uh, no, if I'm going to look at pictures of celebrities, it'll be George Clooney.
It turned out to be a feather-stroking meeting about cancelling a major engineering project and deciding to limp along the old stuff for a while longer. They said they needed a network architect to decide what the network should do, and for business development to decide what the company wants to be -- but the big word missing to me was 'customer'. What do they want? "I've never written a business plan," I piped up, "but I'd think the first three words should be 'Our customers want...'"
Well, if I was at all worried about them insisting on me hiring on as a full-time employee, I think I took care of that today!
It's so darned cold and dark in that office. I took a walk today, just to get out, and thought sadly about Katrina. I missed her, and felt like crying as I walked along a busy noisy avenue in an industrial area, thinking of her giggling with glee as she tries to run in circles, her fluffy blonde hair bouncing behind her. What a contrast to dingy office life.
But this is still too good an opportunity to pass up, for now. I've got to cut the umbilical cord eventually, but as overloaded as we are with remodeling, I need to coast, even unhappily, for now. And when our little bunch are all a little older, and we're past the tyranny of toddlerhood, then I'll be braver about breaking out on my own, somehow. Or fed up with office life.
It took me 50 minutes to drop everyone off this morning and get to work, and strangely over an hour to pick everyone up and get home. With the three pickup locations being roughly equidistant, it doesn't seem as druderous though. Let's see if I still feel that way in another few weeks!
8/5/08
That's a city Fireman joining in the hula (behind the guy in the red jacket).
We met more neighbors tonight too, a mixture of empty-nesters who've lived here for decades, and young families. Boy, I'm going to be sad to leave this neighborhood, I really like it here!
That said, I'm starting to get tired of this actual house. We truly have nothing to complain about, but I do miss our insulated rooms, a larger office, more spacious bathrooms, having two stories, and especially, a place where I can set up my scrapbooking.
Back to work today. An auspicious start...I attended what I thought would be an informational meeting, and was introduced to someone I didn't know. All in the room were surprised (shocked?) that I didn't know a top-level VP. He even said, "you've never seen my picture?" Uh, no, if I'm going to look at pictures of celebrities, it'll be George Clooney.
It turned out to be a feather-stroking meeting about cancelling a major engineering project and deciding to limp along the old stuff for a while longer. They said they needed a network architect to decide what the network should do, and for business development to decide what the company wants to be -- but the big word missing to me was 'customer'. What do they want? "I've never written a business plan," I piped up, "but I'd think the first three words should be 'Our customers want...'"
Well, if I was at all worried about them insisting on me hiring on as a full-time employee, I think I took care of that today!
It's so darned cold and dark in that office. I took a walk today, just to get out, and thought sadly about Katrina. I missed her, and felt like crying as I walked along a busy noisy avenue in an industrial area, thinking of her giggling with glee as she tries to run in circles, her fluffy blonde hair bouncing behind her. What a contrast to dingy office life.
But this is still too good an opportunity to pass up, for now. I've got to cut the umbilical cord eventually, but as overloaded as we are with remodeling, I need to coast, even unhappily, for now. And when our little bunch are all a little older, and we're past the tyranny of toddlerhood, then I'll be braver about breaking out on my own, somehow. Or fed up with office life.
It took me 50 minutes to drop everyone off this morning and get to work, and strangely over an hour to pick everyone up and get home. With the three pickup locations being roughly equidistant, it doesn't seem as druderous though. Let's see if I still feel that way in another few weeks!
8/5/08
Monday, August 04, 2008
First Piano Lesson!
Dave reminded me that I left out a major event last Saturday. Somehow upstaged by the county fair, and having no photos, I forgot to write about Gabriel's first private piano lesson! (How could I do that to Bonne Maman?)
Dave took him to a teacher who'd been referred by another teacher who'd been referred to us by a longtime student, but had no openings. Dave first talked to the potential teacher on the phone, explaining that we'd like flexibility in the lessons -- still structure and basics, but to let Gabriel's own musical interest drive the style of music he learns. (I think back to taking classical piano lessons in the 7th grade after teaching myself the entire Maple Leaf Rag....I think I'd have done a lot better if my teacher had been amenable to Scott Joplin over Bartok.)
So, a half-hour lesson was scheduled for last Saturday, and Gabriel was excited about it. First, the teacher asked him to play whatever he wanted, and he played "American Patrol" -- a Glenn Miller big-band tune! Not usually a kid's first choice. Dave said she was immediately impressed not that he could play it, but rather by how much of it he knew. Then "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," both hands, and several verses. Same thing -- pretty advanced for a 6-year-old who's had virtually no instruction and has been playing well under a year. She worked with him to show him some basic technique, and took a moment to catch Dave's eye and say emphatically, "He works hard!" Arguably that's the most important thing.
Overall it went really, really well, though a half-hour seems to be his limit. Leave 'em wanting more, a basic tenet of showbiz, right?
So we're going to continue the lessons. Scheduling will be a challenge, but she's going to try to squeeze him in nearby, as she genuinely felt his ability is exceptional.
Dogged pursuit or raw talent? Hard to say, but it doesn't really matter. Gabriel's interest in music is no passing phase. Even if piano lessons don't work out, he can take other music lessons, or try again later. He might not like routine directed practice, for instance, and that's fine too (though we won't pay for lessons in that case). I really feel that we should encourage music, but not force it down his throat either. If it's in him, it'll come out in its own way. Private piano lessons is a good start, but it's by no means the end.
One wonderful thing that's coming out of this is that Dave finds himself poking around on the keys himself too. "It's ironic," he observed, "that what stopped me playing myself is what's getting me to start again." And that "what" is Gabriel.
Dave took him to a teacher who'd been referred by another teacher who'd been referred to us by a longtime student, but had no openings. Dave first talked to the potential teacher on the phone, explaining that we'd like flexibility in the lessons -- still structure and basics, but to let Gabriel's own musical interest drive the style of music he learns. (I think back to taking classical piano lessons in the 7th grade after teaching myself the entire Maple Leaf Rag....I think I'd have done a lot better if my teacher had been amenable to Scott Joplin over Bartok.)
So, a half-hour lesson was scheduled for last Saturday, and Gabriel was excited about it. First, the teacher asked him to play whatever he wanted, and he played "American Patrol" -- a Glenn Miller big-band tune! Not usually a kid's first choice. Dave said she was immediately impressed not that he could play it, but rather by how much of it he knew. Then "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," both hands, and several verses. Same thing -- pretty advanced for a 6-year-old who's had virtually no instruction and has been playing well under a year. She worked with him to show him some basic technique, and took a moment to catch Dave's eye and say emphatically, "He works hard!" Arguably that's the most important thing.
Overall it went really, really well, though a half-hour seems to be his limit. Leave 'em wanting more, a basic tenet of showbiz, right?
So we're going to continue the lessons. Scheduling will be a challenge, but she's going to try to squeeze him in nearby, as she genuinely felt his ability is exceptional.
Dogged pursuit or raw talent? Hard to say, but it doesn't really matter. Gabriel's interest in music is no passing phase. Even if piano lessons don't work out, he can take other music lessons, or try again later. He might not like routine directed practice, for instance, and that's fine too (though we won't pay for lessons in that case). I really feel that we should encourage music, but not force it down his throat either. If it's in him, it'll come out in its own way. Private piano lessons is a good start, but it's by no means the end.
One wonderful thing that's coming out of this is that Dave finds himself poking around on the keys himself too. "It's ironic," he observed, "that what stopped me playing myself is what's getting me to start again." And that "what" is Gabriel.
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