Friday, April 30, 2010

Is it a bad day?

Yesterday was a day in which I can say I had better.  It was one of those days.  It started off ok.  I woke up.  Then it turned bad. 

I am not sure when I would classify it as a definite bad day. 

It could have been when I watched Evan for a measly hour in the morning and he cried the whole time (tears of fear – fear of Ivy).  I seriously felt like such a loser.  I can’t even watch my sister’s baby without invoking terrified cries the entire time. 

It could have been when Owen came upstairs and informed me that Ivy spilled the glass of water he gave her with her breakfast (yes, they were watching themselves while I was drying my hair and trying to soothe Evan with white noise instead of Ivy noise). 

Or perhaps when I arrived at work 30 minutes late with a less than happy client waiting.

Or maybe even when I typed in my client’s name to have her sign her documents and nothing came up.  Nothing was ready, Ben forgot. 

It could have been that Ben was out for the day with a terrible cold and that meant no lunch, more clients and more papers that were not ready to be signed.

It could have been the time when I was starving, meeting with a client with two more waiting in the waiting room, while my assistant was meeting with another and the phones were ringing off the hook and then my children arrived to be dropped off. 

Or maybe perhaps the phone call from Greg that said Owen couldn’t play anymore because he was running around outside naked with his friends and wouldn’t tell him why. 

Or perhaps when Owen told me he covered my favorite lavender bush with a million rocks (i discovered today that he was not kidding).

It could have also been when I arrived home to be informed that Owen and his friends thought it would be funny to take off their clothes and touch each other’s bums. 

Or, when I had to go tell the friends’ mom about the “incident”.

Or maybe when I was telling the friends’ mom about the incident and she told me my cat was pooping on their driveway and they had been cleaning it up.  She wanted to let me know because they were leaving for 10 days and it might be kind of smelly while they are gone. 

I am not sure it was any one event, maybe a series of events, maybe too many events in one day.

And it ended on my bed snuggled between Owen and Ivy as they drifted off to sleep.  I was then reminded that despite everything, not all was bad today.   

Friday, April 16, 2010

My favorite day.

It is here again, that day I love.  Friday.  And this particular Friday, well, I love it even more.

Old Navy was having a sale that started today – 20% off.  Wait… let me back up.  I went to Old Navy on Wednesday to buy Owen some new clothes.   Hold on… I need to go back even further.  Getting Owen dressed everyday is a challenge.  We are frequently late for school as a result of his clothing “not feeling right”.  He needs new pants, I do agree.  The 5Ts are not cutting it.  They are making a crazy child even more nuts and on top of the pants that are a tad too small, most of his shirts have buttons.  He refuses to wear a shirt with buttons.  Basically, he needs all new clothes. 

And now back to Wednesday.

Wednesday we headed to Old Navy to buy the needed clothes.  I had a heap of clothes on the stroller when the lady (or shall I say the saint) working in the dressing room muttered under her breath, “what are you doing buying all these clothes today, don’t you remember that Friday starts our 20% off sale, and the first 50 people in get 50% off of everything?”.  That is right!! I mentioned that to Angie way back when but of course that paper sits in a pile of papers on my desk and the sale date is stored somewhere in the back of my head.  So, we put back all the carefully selected clothes, say an internal prayer that Owen will get dressed for 2 more days and leave.

Move forward to Friday.  I really wanted to be one of the first 50.  I know people are crazy for a deal so rather than going at 7:00 am to hang outside the mall for 3 hours, I opted to leisurely start our day and convinced myself that my time is worth more than 50% off.   As the clock ticked all morning closer to 10:00 I was really wishing I was one of 50.  As Angie left for work I called and begged and pleaded with her to stop by the mall on her way to the office.  I would meet her.  We were getting ready but it takes us time and be sure Owen was staying in his pajamas, keep in mind we were on a tight time schedule and I could not afford the not feel right fight.  Angie arrived, counted the people and discovered at 9:30 that she was approximately 40!  We did it.  I was one of 50.  One of 50 holding a wrist band that entitled me to 50% off everything!

Emilee called in her order, Angie ran in before work to pick out a few things for Evan, and I shopped to my heart’s content, all the while smiling as I glanced down at my 1 of 50 wrist band. 

I paid: $341.20  Total SAVINGS: $421.47!!!  and even better, the new clothes feel right.

Today is a good day.

Monday, April 12, 2010

3s

Three things that are good.
1. Red potatoes cooked in olive oil with a little bit of paprika and garlic powder on top. 
2. My new CD by Joshua Radin: Simple Times.  I am a huge fan.  I listened to it all day yesterday and immediately after work I came racing home and put it on (while I made red potatoes).  I totally recommend it.
3. My yard.  We moved in to a house with the property fully landscaped.  We have so many shrubs and flowers and trees and loveliness.  I love looking outside the window to new flowers and new leaves with each passing day.  There are so many colors - purple, red, yellow, white, green, red.  If this were a blog called 4s, I would add professional landscapers as their own entry.  

Three things I am going to do.
1. Turn my dining room into a playroom.
2. Make a seat cushion for my bench in the entry way.
3. Refinish the small nightstand/table that I bought on Craigslist for $7.00.

Three things I love about Owen.
1. That we never leave the house without a minimum of 3 animals and/or toys.
2. That he always calls Ivy "Sweetheart".
3. That he wanted to take a bath tonight only so he could wear his robe when he got out.

Three things I love about Ivy.
1. That she smacks her lips together when she wants to eat something.
2. That she loves to carry her pajamas around like a blanket.
3. That she dances everytime she hears music.

and finally
Three shows I am loving.
1. Brothers & Sisters
2. Parenthood
3. Glee

Friday, April 9, 2010

I will be right there

In the olden days when I didn’t have a camera I would have been much quicker to respond to certain situations.  Back in the day I would have been there to save my child as he cried for help.

Not today though.  Today as he yells for help, I tell him to hang on a second. 

How could I not. 

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9 Months

She is 9 months.  Really? I have had 9 months with this little baby.  9 wonderful months.  9 months to wonder how we lived without her.

She is still little: 26 1/2 inches tall – 17%; 16 lbs 6 oz – 11%; 44 cm for head – 51%. 

The dr. said she has gone down a little on the growth – nothing to worry about but that I should try to find more fattening foods for her.  She asked if she eats hot dogs.  HOT DOGS? Um, no.  She said I can find nitrate free bacon and sausage and that might be good too.  Um, really no.  That is some advice I will not be taking.  I have nothing against hot dogs, bacon or sausage, but it is not for me. 

I am still perplexed about the whole visit.  She is just a little kid.  She can stand, take steps, wave (loves to wave), open cupboards, climb in cupboards, close her mouth really tight with a smirk when she is eating something she shouldn’t be, dance, and climb up and down stairs all by herself.  She is always moving.  ALWAYS.  Plus, it isn’t like she comes from big genes. 

We will continue to eat black beans, avocados, hummus on tortillas, peas, pears, lentil soup, sweet potato fries, bananas, and potatoes cooked in olive oil to name a few. 

Her egg free, dairy free, hot dog free, bacon free, sausage free diet is working just perfectly for me.  And it doesn’t look like she is unhappy about this.  IMG_3135 - 3

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What was wrong with me?

I have never liked Hummus.  I have tried it.  We always have it at our family gatherings, (those gatherings that could feed a group 3 times what we have).  I tried it and I have always thought it had a funny texture and an odd taste.

NOT ANYMORE!   I love hummus.  I love at least Trader Joe’s classic hummus.  I am not going so far as to say I like all hummuses, (I wish that was a word, how fun is that to say?) but this particular hummus…. mmm. mmm. 

Whatever the reason that allowed me to like hummus now, well hooray to that reason!

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Friday, April 2, 2010

Friday Night

I love Friday nights. 

I always have always loved them, but I especially love them tonight.

I am trying to get some work done and in the meantime... Ivy is walking all over the kitchen pushing her car while growling.  Greg just got done making himself some dinner, a dinner he professed would be added to his recipe list for himself.  I ate sweet potato fries and mentioned that I wanted a little something else.  Owen suggested that I may want an Oreo.  I thought maybe an avocado sandwich.  I settled for both.  Owen firmly told Greg, "Ok, you make the sandwich, I will get the Oreos."

And now, as I eat my oreos and delicious sandwich, with my music playing in the background, I keep loving this Friday night...

The highchair passing by as it is pushed around the kitchen.  The little boy thoroughly enjoying his Oreos and milk at the counter.  The Greg playing with Ivy and Owen in between Oreo bites and a good push of the highchair and the neighbor who just knocked on the door to deliver Easter cupcakes. 

Ah, Friday night, it is so good to have you here.