This morning at the bus stop I offered to start taking a Kindergartener in the morning. His mother was there for the first time and I was thrilled there was another mom to talk to. Unfortunately, she starts a new job on Monday.
It was her first time taking Isaiah to the bus stop and she was surprised how dangerous it is. (I watch Isaiah almost every morning run around and not listen to the high schooler that's supposed to be babysitting him.) I told her that even though Sam's in second grade I go with him every morning and make him stand away from the bus stop. (As evidenced during our conversation, Sam was the only kid a decent distance from the busy road.) I was actually happy she was concerned because I always wondered why she didn't walk with him in the morning when I knew she wasn't working.
Anyway, I told her she could drop him by our house in the mornings on her way to work and he could walk with Sam, Ralphie and me. Now I'm wondering if Isaiah will listen to me any better than he listens to the other babysitters. I hope so. I think I'm meaner.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Please, let it be tired.
I'm having a problem with my eyes again, I keep losing focus. The same thing happened to me when Sam was a baby. I went and got glasses but a few months later my eyes were fine. I blamed it on being tired and having a job where I just stared at computer screens all day.
Well, it's the same thing. I can't hardly pluck my eyebrows. I can't read directions on packages and I can't read my books. If I rub my eyes I get a few seconds before I lose my focus again. At night, I just read by guessing what the words are.
I don't know if that's how one loses vision. I thought things just got fuzzy and you couldn't see anymore. Not that you could see them for a few seconds and then it felt like your eyes were crossing.
Anyway, I spent ridiculous amount on two pairs of designer glasses when Sam was a baby but when I moved to TX they never made the trip. I didn't care because I didn't need them anymore. I've decided I'm either getting old and need glasses or I'm just tired and need to rest. I really wish more sleep helped.
Now I'm trying to make an appt at the optometry clinic and not having any luck. I called about a month ago and they were booked. They told me to call back and try again in a few weeks. I called today but they're closed on Wednesdays. Of course. That's how it always is. If I show up to get the baby vaccinated it's always on a day the immunizations clinic is closed. Whatever. Thank you military health system.
Well, it's the same thing. I can't hardly pluck my eyebrows. I can't read directions on packages and I can't read my books. If I rub my eyes I get a few seconds before I lose my focus again. At night, I just read by guessing what the words are.
I don't know if that's how one loses vision. I thought things just got fuzzy and you couldn't see anymore. Not that you could see them for a few seconds and then it felt like your eyes were crossing.
Anyway, I spent ridiculous amount on two pairs of designer glasses when Sam was a baby but when I moved to TX they never made the trip. I didn't care because I didn't need them anymore. I've decided I'm either getting old and need glasses or I'm just tired and need to rest. I really wish more sleep helped.
Now I'm trying to make an appt at the optometry clinic and not having any luck. I called about a month ago and they were booked. They told me to call back and try again in a few weeks. I called today but they're closed on Wednesdays. Of course. That's how it always is. If I show up to get the baby vaccinated it's always on a day the immunizations clinic is closed. Whatever. Thank you military health system.
Oh baby!
My little baby is turning in to a big terror. He's a crawling machine that recently learned how to pull himself up.
He's in to everything and if I thought I didn't get much rest before, it's worse now.
He sprouted several new teeth since Barcelona, he now has six.
Soon, he won't be a baby anymore.
And? We're still fighting The Garmisch Gurgles.
He's in to everything and if I thought I didn't get much rest before, it's worse now.
He sprouted several new teeth since Barcelona, he now has six.
Soon, he won't be a baby anymore.
And? We're still fighting The Garmisch Gurgles.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Garmisch Gurgles
The inlaws just left on Sunday. It was fun having them but I'm happy to have the house back to normal.
We all went to Garmisch, Germany, for a few days while they were here. Yago and I were concerned that his brother and fiancee would be bored sitting around the house in January so we booked some rooms at Edelweiss. It was wonderful. Yago's parents had an adjoining room and it turned out better than you might think since it wasn't planned that way.
His parents volunteered to watch Ralphie so the rest of us could all ski together. I feel like I finally learned to ski and Sam did great. We didn't stick to bunny slopes this time, we went down actual runs. Like real skiers! It was the family ski trip I've been trying for years to achieve. It was really, really fun. Even the accidental detour was funny--afterward. And the, "No pizza! No pizza!" I'd have to explain that in person, it just wouldn't be funny on the blog.
It seems Schmitty and I came home with a stomach virus of some sort. Schmitty's is REALLY bad. He's spent most of the last couple of days either curled up in a ball or on the toilet. My tummy hurts, but not as bad as his. Yago dubbed our condition "The Garmisch Gurgles."
That's about all that's been going on over the past week or so...
We all went to Garmisch, Germany, for a few days while they were here. Yago and I were concerned that his brother and fiancee would be bored sitting around the house in January so we booked some rooms at Edelweiss. It was wonderful. Yago's parents had an adjoining room and it turned out better than you might think since it wasn't planned that way.
His parents volunteered to watch Ralphie so the rest of us could all ski together. I feel like I finally learned to ski and Sam did great. We didn't stick to bunny slopes this time, we went down actual runs. Like real skiers! It was the family ski trip I've been trying for years to achieve. It was really, really fun. Even the accidental detour was funny--afterward. And the, "No pizza! No pizza!" I'd have to explain that in person, it just wouldn't be funny on the blog.
It seems Schmitty and I came home with a stomach virus of some sort. Schmitty's is REALLY bad. He's spent most of the last couple of days either curled up in a ball or on the toilet. My tummy hurts, but not as bad as his. Yago dubbed our condition "The Garmisch Gurgles."
That's about all that's been going on over the past week or so...
Friday, January 11, 2008
Barcelona
I should talk a litte about our trip but I'm not really sure what to say. We had a nice time, went to the aquarium, zoo, Guell Parc and La Sagrada Familia. We ate tapas and drank sangria.
One thing about Barcelona, there aren't any high chairs. That makes it a little complicated for those traveling with babies. Also? Restaurants are hard to come by. Especially family restaurants. On New Year's Eve and Day.
We had a good breakfast at a place across from the train station and went back for dinner on NYE. We were served pork tripe. Yago and I choked down a couple of pieces but Sam loved it. Said it was the best pork he'd ever had. Hmph.
Oh! I almost forgot my ROOKIE mistake. I still can't believe I did it. I ordered hamburguesas for Sam at a restaurant. I saw hamburguesas on the menu, they came with fried eggs and potatoes. I asked the waiter for a hamburguesa and papas fritas thinking I'd get those items a la carte. Not so. Out comes a plate with two hamburger patties (sans buns), two fried eggs and fried potatoes. Jason insisted I didn't know Spanish and hamburguesa must really mean breakfast. I spent the rest of the trip having him nag me every morning not to be late for hamburguesa. I should have remembered that hamburgers don't come with buns!!!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
The choices...
For some reason I feel the need to write about the primaries. Yago keeps asking what I see in Clinton, looking for an explanation of her appeal. I can't really give an answer but I've been mulling it around for about a week or so.
I think it's because she's what I wish I could have been. I don't like to whine about the gender gap and all but it does exist. I know it and she knows it.
I didn't give it much thought until I got out of the military and saw people less qualified than me getting paid more. Men (one man in particular, Dwight Cole) used to sleep on the job but was favored over me by management. I was his shift supervisor but he made the same pay. I was appalled.
I think back to when I was an A1C. During shift change,everyone was at the table doing change over and my supervisor (Nate) and another NCO (Denny) were talking about something they saw on TV. My supervisor said it was evidence all women were whores. No one said anything, including myself, because who wants to be that person? The one whining about equal treatment. It's a label you'll never get rid of.
When you're a woman you can't be too pretty or too ugly. Your hair has to be a certain way. Men just wear it short but women have to do something else. You have to look polished but not severe. You can't wear too much makeup but you have to wear some. You can't be silly but you have to have a sense of humor. You have to directive but not bitchy. Friendly but not flirtatious... These are all difficult things to navigate. It can be done but it's not easy. She knows.
Also, I remember when she published the book It Takes a Village. I was trying to raise Sam and depended heavily on my family. It did take a village. I remember 15 years ago when she was pushing for health care reform, this is not a new platform for her just because she's running for president.
I admire her ambition from a young age. She worked on the Watergate hearings. I never would have had the confidence to put myself out there in my 20s. Hell, not now in my mid 30s. She had a very successful career at Rose Law Firm (I think that was the name of it). She had bigger ambitions though that she gave up to live in Arkansas with Bill so that he could run for Attorney General and Governor.
She's worked and raised a daughter and sacrificed for her husband's career. I'm sure she's had to miss some of Chelsea's moments and regretted the time away. Men miss things too but I don't think it sticks to their conscience the way it does with women. I think we're wired that way.
Her mother lives with her. Again, I can relate. I see it as another issue she has direct experience with.
While I love Obama also, I feel like Clinton knows more about my life. I wish they could both win because I find myself rooting for them both. I think they could both do extraordinary things.
I think it's because she's what I wish I could have been. I don't like to whine about the gender gap and all but it does exist. I know it and she knows it.
I didn't give it much thought until I got out of the military and saw people less qualified than me getting paid more. Men (one man in particular, Dwight Cole) used to sleep on the job but was favored over me by management. I was his shift supervisor but he made the same pay. I was appalled.
I think back to when I was an A1C. During shift change,everyone was at the table doing change over and my supervisor (Nate) and another NCO (Denny) were talking about something they saw on TV. My supervisor said it was evidence all women were whores. No one said anything, including myself, because who wants to be that person? The one whining about equal treatment. It's a label you'll never get rid of.
When you're a woman you can't be too pretty or too ugly. Your hair has to be a certain way. Men just wear it short but women have to do something else. You have to look polished but not severe. You can't wear too much makeup but you have to wear some. You can't be silly but you have to have a sense of humor. You have to directive but not bitchy. Friendly but not flirtatious... These are all difficult things to navigate. It can be done but it's not easy. She knows.
Also, I remember when she published the book It Takes a Village. I was trying to raise Sam and depended heavily on my family. It did take a village. I remember 15 years ago when she was pushing for health care reform, this is not a new platform for her just because she's running for president.
I admire her ambition from a young age. She worked on the Watergate hearings. I never would have had the confidence to put myself out there in my 20s. Hell, not now in my mid 30s. She had a very successful career at Rose Law Firm (I think that was the name of it). She had bigger ambitions though that she gave up to live in Arkansas with Bill so that he could run for Attorney General and Governor.
She's worked and raised a daughter and sacrificed for her husband's career. I'm sure she's had to miss some of Chelsea's moments and regretted the time away. Men miss things too but I don't think it sticks to their conscience the way it does with women. I think we're wired that way.
Her mother lives with her. Again, I can relate. I see it as another issue she has direct experience with.
While I love Obama also, I feel like Clinton knows more about my life. I wish they could both win because I find myself rooting for them both. I think they could both do extraordinary things.
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