I am reading Mommy Wars. I have been reading it since a friend gave me the book for Christmas. Normally, I can get through a book in a week but I just cant read more than 2 or 3 essays in this book at a time. There are times that I read the stories and think, "Yep, thats how I feel too!" and I feel validated. But then there are times that I am so angry and annoyed that I have to walk away from the book for a few days. I am not rehashing the Mommy Wars in this post, just had to let you know that I am getting through the book, slowy but I am doing it. At the end of the book, I will write my own eassy for all to read.
Last night, I had tears running down my face from laughing so hard at one of the essays and so I MUST share some of the best parts with everyone I know and dont know and might know one day, etc, etc, etc! Here it goes:
Short background: Author is Monica Buckley Price. Michael is her husband. New mom. Still trying to decide whether to go back to the office or stay home (although that isnt very important to this atory!).
"The next day, Michael went back to work. My friends went back to their busy schedules shooting tv pilots, designing Lego toys, and not nursing babies. I was home with a National Geographic crotch, too terrified to take my son outside of the house. What if he needed to nurse in the middle of Target? What if an infertile woman knocked me on the head with her Hermes bag and abducted him? (Supermom inserted note: its a joke!! No one is serious about this one!) And there was a very real chance my vag--- (Supermom inserted note: I am not spelling the word b/c I dont need the search engines to find this one!!) would detach and fall on the sidewalk."
"Once at 3 a.m., in an attempt to help out, Michael got up to change a diaper while I sat on the floor by the changing table, the breast pump wheezing and pulling both boobs. I was so tired and stretched and stitched, I didn't think it could get any worse. Then I felt warm liquid splatter against the side of my face. I didn't move. "That better not be shit on my face!" It was. Michael had forgetten to cover the baby's butt while he looked for another diaper, and, yes, now I had shit all over my head and could see it splattered on the wall behind me."
Okay, stop laughing so damn hard!!!!! Everyone in my office is staring at me because no matter how many times I read this essay or just these 2 passages, the tears come through the laughter. Maybe its because it is just plain funny but I think its really because I remember how it feels----National Geographic and all!!!
5/30/06
The pool is open! Summer has begun! And I am thrilled!!! However, getting to this point was a pain----the pool guy I hired to drain and clean the pool did the job 2 weeks late and then the water company I hired to fill the pool was 30 hours late. SO irritating. But at the end of the day, the inagural swim took place yesterday in 70 degree water and we had the first cookout of the season last night!
At first, Grace was not so keen on the water....it was cold and a whole lot bigger than the bathtub she is used to! But after a little while, she turned into a fish! Seriously, we could not get her out of the water. Once Daddy was in the pool, Grace was climbing into his arms and laughed so hard when Daddy threw her in the air and was showing her how to kick her feet, splashing Mommy and all the friends along the way. And I must tell you that she looked adorable in her little bathing suit!!!
Now that I know Grace has NO fear of the water, I am researching pool alarms and all sorts of other kiddie pool safety things. And that brings me to my PSA on pool/water safety! It is so easy to turn your back for one second (to grab a drink, find those flip flops under the chair, answer the phone, flip through a magazine, etc, etc, etc). In a split second, tragedy can strike near water. It can be a 25,000 gallon pool or a car wash bucket with 6 inches of water. It doesnt matter. Keep your eyes on those kiddos constantly around water. There is an article at Baby/Parent Center with great reminders of the basics of water safety and sun safety for those active toddlers!!!
Okay, I am off my pedestal now!
I am so excited for the summer. Okay, back to researching pool alarms for my toddler-turned-pool fish!!! (P.S.: The picture is not my pool but it is what I strive for my pool to look like one day ---palm trees, etc. Heaven in my backyard!)
5/26/06
Naked Cowlboy
My feet. My back. My shoulders. My entire body. All of these things hurt like hell today.
Yesterday was the Annual Springtime in the Park Expo in DC. Its a tradeshow/educational sessions expo for association executives and meeting planners. Really, its a ton of fun but after spending 5 hours on a trade show floor carrying a bag full of promo information and goodies, the shoulders hurt. And the aisles are carpeted but have NO padding between the cement and your poor feet. I, because I am SO intelligent, wore heels!!!! Whatever!
The experience for me this time was totally different than in past years. I was always the government meeting planner who couldnt do much because of rules/regulations/tough clients/etc and so there were only certain places for me to "visit" on the show floor. This year was great because I have the entire world to explore. I can be open to any and all suggestions and locations. In fact, I spent a lot of time with the Montreal group because I am considering bringing my meeting there in 2008 or 2010. SO much more fun!
However, the most fun involved NYC and Company (the convention and tourism bureau). In
NYC's Times Square, a man stands out there in his tighty-whiteys and sings. He is known as the "Naked Cowboy". Well, he was there, on the show room floor, in ALL his glory. Seriously, in tighy-whiteys with a guitar wondering the aisles. (Yes, he was DAMN good looking!). And stuffed. :) I have a picture on my cell phone (I just couldnt resist!).
The picture here is of the REAL Naked Cowboy in NYC. Once I figure out how to send the picture I took from my cell phone to my computer, I will post the picture I took yesterday at Springtime! Totally hysterical and surprised the hell out of me as I walked down the aisle at a professional trade show!
I LOVE my job!
Yesterday was the Annual Springtime in the Park Expo in DC. Its a tradeshow/educational sessions expo for association executives and meeting planners. Really, its a ton of fun but after spending 5 hours on a trade show floor carrying a bag full of promo information and goodies, the shoulders hurt. And the aisles are carpeted but have NO padding between the cement and your poor feet. I, because I am SO intelligent, wore heels!!!! Whatever!
The experience for me this time was totally different than in past years. I was always the government meeting planner who couldnt do much because of rules/regulations/tough clients/etc and so there were only certain places for me to "visit" on the show floor. This year was great because I have the entire world to explore. I can be open to any and all suggestions and locations. In fact, I spent a lot of time with the Montreal group because I am considering bringing my meeting there in 2008 or 2010. SO much more fun!
However, the most fun involved NYC and Company (the convention and tourism bureau). In
NYC's Times Square, a man stands out there in his tighty-whiteys and sings. He is known as the "Naked Cowboy". Well, he was there, on the show room floor, in ALL his glory. Seriously, in tighy-whiteys with a guitar wondering the aisles. (Yes, he was DAMN good looking!). And stuffed. :) I have a picture on my cell phone (I just couldnt resist!).The picture here is of the REAL Naked Cowboy in NYC. Once I figure out how to send the picture I took from my cell phone to my computer, I will post the picture I took yesterday at Springtime! Totally hysterical and surprised the hell out of me as I walked down the aisle at a professional trade show!
I LOVE my job!
5/24/06
Funny Things Toddlers Do
Grace has always been able to crack me up but lately, she is bringing tears to my eyes. Not the "oh how adorable kind" that come with a nice little smile, but the "hysterically laughing so hard tears come out of my eyes" kind.Here are some examples:
This morning, Daddy told Grace to "slip Mommy some skin". Now, she has NO idea what the means (well, I didnt think so) and as I was looking at my hubby strangely (not quite sure why he said that but whatever!), Grace walked over to me, put out her hand, and, in fact, "slipped me some skin"! Perfectly. It wasnt a "high five" but a slow, gentle slip over my hand. HYSTERICAL!
The hubby got me some of my favorite dip at the grocery store (HelluvaGood Bacon Horseradish Dip---YUM!) and it was sitting on the kitchen table. I went into the kitchen to get Grace some milk per her request and when I turned around, the toddler AND the dip were gone! In the family room, Grace had herself all set up with a bag of chips from the pantry, Mommy's new dip, and was sitting in her stuffed Princess chair, watching Dora the Explorer. Guess we will have to buy 2 dips so that the girls of the house can have their own container of it!
We walked into the house last night from work/day care. The normal routine is: 1-walk in door and let dog outside. 2-go through the mail to toss out the ridiculous amount of trash mail. 3-play with toddler for a little while. 4-make dinner (order out!). Last night, I made a comment to Grace that "Mommy has to go pee-pee". We are trying to start this potty training thing so we are pretty verbal with our toilet intentions right now to get her used to it. Well, a few minutes later, I still hadnt made it to the bathroom and Grace grabbed my hand, led me to the bathroom, and said "Mommy potty now!". Ummm, okay.
Every now and then, I have to stop and think about all these cute moments with my daughter. Otherwise, this crazy life takes over and i forget to stop and enjoy it all.
Must get back to work now.
5/22/06
Wedding Update
I survived the wedding weekend, speech and all!!!!!!Rehearsal Friday night was great---lots of Buffett music, great food, and chorus line dancing by the bridesmaids! I do have to say that the wedding coordinators at the wedding location were a bit snotty but whatever----they couldnt rain on our parade.....we had a blast!
Saturday started out with cloudy skies and then all of the sudden, right as Meg and I sat down
to get our hair done, the sun came out and all the clouds disappeared! It was perfect. Once we got Meg in her dress and all the bridesmaids were dressed and ready to go, we realized the limo was late. Well, that normally isnt too big of a deal but there was police funeral processional closing all the roads to my parent's house at the same time the limo needed to carry the bride to her wedding. Mother of the Bride freaked out a little (can you read the sarcasm in the word "little"?) but we got there in plenty of time; no harm done to the wedding. The place cards were misplaced, as in missing completely, for a little while. Thank god they found those because my mother was about to blow her top!The ceremony was perfect, I cried the entire time while my father sat in the front row making faces at me! Grace was so adorable in her little flowergirl dress and sat on the grass at her daddy's feet through the ceremony. Once we got to the reception and ate, Grace got out on the dance floor and danced the night away. Seriously, give that girl some music and open space and she is happy as can be!!!! ((Note to self: sign her up for dance classes in a year or so!))
Yes, I made it through my speech without crying!
All in all, a perfect wedding, beautiful bride, and both my daughter and husband were gorgeous!!! I posted a few pics here but will give you the full affect in a few days (I know you are dying to see 7 girls in Pepto-pink dresses!!!)
Special Note: One of my very best friends came along with me to ALL the wedding events starting with rehearsal on Friday afternoon through Sunday morning to take care of Grace. Being the maid of honor and the husband being in the wedding as well, we didnt know how we were going to manage Grace and her flower girl duties as well. Allison came to the rescue and was the "other mother" this weekend for Gracie. Allie--Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. We would not have made it through the weekend without you. Grace loves you (she asked for you when we got up this morning). Bill and I couldnt ask for a better friend and we are so blessed to have you in our livss.
5/17/06
OMG!!! I have to make a SPEECH!?
I have to make the "Maid of Honor" speech at my sister's wedding on Saturday and I completely forgot....until now! Damn it........I have NO clue what to say!
Public speaking is NOT my favorite activity! Damn it!
Public speaking is NOT my favorite activity! Damn it!
Snip Snip!
I like to think that I am not one of those moms who gets all teary and nostalgic every time Grace does a "first". I didnt cry when you started walking; no screams of excitement for the first tooth; I didn't throw a party when she learned to sit up. But recently there have been two experiences that have thrown me for a loop----the transition to a toddler bed and the first hair cut.
Last night, Grace and I went to the mall, had some Taco Bell (love that place!), and went to Cartoon Cuts for her very first haircut. Honestly, I would have waited a little longer until she actually had a ton of hair but this weekend's bride (aka my sister) requested we get it "shaped" before the wedding. Since I couldnt totally object, (it was starting to get a little wild and was most definitely a baby mullet!), off we went.
Every morning, I try to brush her hair and she normally doesnt like it much so I was convinced she would freak out when the scissors came near her. She proved me wrong. For most of the haircut, she sat quietly, watching Dora the Explorer and playing with a tin of barrettes. That is until the hairdryer came out! Watch out---she does NOT like that thing at all! At the end of the event, my former-mullet-stylin' baby was a layered-hair-kid. Yes, my daughter has layers at 2 years old!!! And they do the cutest little "flip" in the back!!!
As fun and exciting as it was, I was that mom last night. Seriously, I took 25 pictures during the 15 minute hair cut. Grace was fine, I was a little teary before going into the salon. The hair that was cut off was her baby hair. Now, its in a baggie, not on her cute little head. The toddler bed was the first step, now a hair cut, and next up toilet training.
She really isnt a baby anymore, is she?!
Last night, Grace and I went to the mall, had some Taco Bell (love that place!), and went to Cartoon Cuts for her very first haircut. Honestly, I would have waited a little longer until she actually had a ton of hair but this weekend's bride (aka my sister) requested we get it "shaped" before the wedding. Since I couldnt totally object, (it was starting to get a little wild and was most definitely a baby mullet!), off we went.
Every morning, I try to brush her hair and she normally doesnt like it much so I was convinced she would freak out when the scissors came near her. She proved me wrong. For most of the haircut, she sat quietly, watching Dora the Explorer and playing with a tin of barrettes. That is until the hairdryer came out! Watch out---she does NOT like that thing at all! At the end of the event, my former-mullet-stylin' baby was a layered-hair-kid. Yes, my daughter has layers at 2 years old!!! And they do the cutest little "flip" in the back!!!
As fun and exciting as it was, I was that mom last night. Seriously, I took 25 pictures during the 15 minute hair cut. Grace was fine, I was a little teary before going into the salon. The hair that was cut off was her baby hair. Now, its in a baggie, not on her cute little head. The toddler bed was the first step, now a hair cut, and next up toilet training.
She really isnt a baby anymore, is she?!
5/16/06
Mother's Day (belated)
I am a bad mommy/mom/mama/whatever blogger----I did not write a Mother's Day post! I will sit in time out later but for now, I write.
I took the entire weekend off. I did nothing productive and it felt so good! The hubby and I took a mini-vacation (went to a wedding and then stayed at the hotel overnight, without the toddler, 5 miles from our house!). SO great! And on Mother's Day, the only productive thing I did was dye the greys away from my head.
And all you ladies out there. I have the best hubby and daughter in the world. For Mother's Day, they got me the gift that keeps on giving and that has made me so damn happy for the past few days; every month for the next year, a maid will come to my house and clean it top to bottom!!!! Yes, I got maid service for Mother's Day. Can you think of a better gift for a busy mom!?!?!?!
To top it all off, I received my first Mother's Day care made by Grace at
day care. It is made of construction paper and ribbon and has toddler squiggly coloring all over it but it is the most beautiful card I have ever seen. Right now its hanging on our memo board in the kitchen but you betcha----its one for the baby book!
Looking back on my Mother's Day this year, it was perfect. We spent a little time with my Mom and spent the rest of my day with my own family. Because after all, isnt that all we really want anyways----time with our families?
So all in all, my Mother's Day was perfect. Hope yours was too! Now, back to reality!
I took the entire weekend off. I did nothing productive and it felt so good! The hubby and I took a mini-vacation (went to a wedding and then stayed at the hotel overnight, without the toddler, 5 miles from our house!). SO great! And on Mother's Day, the only productive thing I did was dye the greys away from my head.
And all you ladies out there. I have the best hubby and daughter in the world. For Mother's Day, they got me the gift that keeps on giving and that has made me so damn happy for the past few days; every month for the next year, a maid will come to my house and clean it top to bottom!!!! Yes, I got maid service for Mother's Day. Can you think of a better gift for a busy mom!?!?!?!To top it all off, I received my first Mother's Day care made by Grace at
day care. It is made of construction paper and ribbon and has toddler squiggly coloring all over it but it is the most beautiful card I have ever seen. Right now its hanging on our memo board in the kitchen but you betcha----its one for the baby book!Looking back on my Mother's Day this year, it was perfect. We spent a little time with my Mom and spent the rest of my day with my own family. Because after all, isnt that all we really want anyways----time with our families?
So all in all, my Mother's Day was perfect. Hope yours was too! Now, back to reality!
5/15/06
My Personality; Remarkably Right On!
| Your Five Factor Personality Profile |
 You have medium extroversion.You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party.Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences.But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time." Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness.Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life.Most things in your life are organized and planned well.But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness.You're generally a friendly and trusting person.But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism.You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have high neuroticism.It's easy for you to feel shaken, worried, or depressed.You often worry, and your worries prevent you from living life fully.You tend to be emotionally reactive and moody. Your either flying very high or feeling very low. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is low.You're a pretty conservative person, and you favor what's socially acceptable.You think that change for novelty's sake is a very bad idea.While some may see this as boring, many see you as dependable and wise. |
5/12/06
Day Care-ista!
(picture of Grace at day care---doesnt she look so happy there!?!?!?)
I have decided to call Grace's day care provider her "Day Care-ista", inspired by Starbucks which is my lifeline, because she is my family's lifeline.
My maternity leave was 3 mo nths long, just long enough to get into a groove at home and then be thrust into the working world again. I started the day care search late according to some, when Grace was 4 weeks old. I knew i needed to do it but just couldnt bring myself to plan who I was leaving my baby with before I even had a baby!!! I called a great program in the county called I.F.F.D.C. and they were magic! I went to an orientation lasting an hour and they gave me the names, address, and general information about 5 in-home providers that had enrolled in their program. Through their program, the providers get education, certification, insurance, etc and I get the piece of mind that there are home checks at least once a month by the program, in addition to random state checks. LOVE it!
The first 5 providers I didnt feel any connection with and (this sounds so silly but....), when I went to meet and interview them, none of them asked to hold Grace or really even acknowledged her sitting there with me. That annoyed me and I was determined to find someone who would love my baby and take care of her just as I would if I could be a SAHM.
Then I met Afghani. And I fell in love immediately. I wasnt even through the front door and she was gushing about Grace. She was so loving and understanding and open and I loved her before I even sat down on her couch to talk! All the questions I had prepared didnt need to be asked; just watching her with Grace the very first meeting, I knew that Grace would be held, kissed, hugged, adored, and loved all day long.
Afghani has made my life as a working mom so much better than I could have expected. There have been days when the tears fall as I drop my baby girl off at her house but they are because Grace cant wait to ditch Mom at the door to get inside to play! Yes, I wish my baby girl would give me one more hug every morning (I already get 5 so I dont really know why 1 more is so critical to me!) but in my heart, it makes me so happy that she acts this way every morning.
Afghani provides her with so much love. Grace talks about "Ghani" and "Sara" (Afghani's 22 year old daughter works with her as well) all weekend long and gets so excited on Monday morning when I tell her we are going to Ghani's house again.
(picture of Afghani and a few of the day care "regulars")
Do I ever feel like Grace confuses Afghani and Mommy? Nope. Well, there are times that I think about "someone else raising my child" but I dont really buy into all that crap (emotionally I do sometimes but mentally I know better). Afghani has 3 kids of her own (all grown and all great kids!) and has been in the day care business for 14 years. I have 1 child and have been in the parenting "business" for 2 years. Based on those numbers, Afghani isnt raising my child for me; she is helping me raise my child. Anytime I need parenting advice, she is there to help and is always so non-judgemental! In fact, I am thrilled to have her now that potty training is on the horizon----I have NO idea how to do it but I have the greatest resource in the world to help me through it; I have Afghani!!!
Afghani has become a part of our family. She is Grace's Day Care-ista and I am so proud to have her in our life.
Happy Mother's Day to all those Day Care-istas out there!
I have decided to call Grace's day care provider her "Day Care-ista", inspired by Starbucks which is my lifeline, because she is my family's lifeline.
My maternity leave was 3 mo nths long, just long enough to get into a groove at home and then be thrust into the working world again. I started the day care search late according to some, when Grace was 4 weeks old. I knew i needed to do it but just couldnt bring myself to plan who I was leaving my baby with before I even had a baby!!! I called a great program in the county called I.F.F.D.C. and they were magic! I went to an orientation lasting an hour and they gave me the names, address, and general information about 5 in-home providers that had enrolled in their program. Through their program, the providers get education, certification, insurance, etc and I get the piece of mind that there are home checks at least once a month by the program, in addition to random state checks. LOVE it!
The first 5 providers I didnt feel any connection with and (this sounds so silly but....), when I went to meet and interview them, none of them asked to hold Grace or really even acknowledged her sitting there with me. That annoyed me and I was determined to find someone who would love my baby and take care of her just as I would if I could be a SAHM.
Then I met Afghani. And I fell in love immediately. I wasnt even through the front door and she was gushing about Grace. She was so loving and understanding and open and I loved her before I even sat down on her couch to talk! All the questions I had prepared didnt need to be asked; just watching her with Grace the very first meeting, I knew that Grace would be held, kissed, hugged, adored, and loved all day long.
Afghani has made my life as a working mom so much better than I could have expected. There have been days when the tears fall as I drop my baby girl off at her house but they are because Grace cant wait to ditch Mom at the door to get inside to play! Yes, I wish my baby girl would give me one more hug every morning (I already get 5 so I dont really know why 1 more is so critical to me!) but in my heart, it makes me so happy that she acts this way every morning.
Afghani provides her with so much love. Grace talks about "Ghani" and "Sara" (Afghani's 22 year old daughter works with her as well) all weekend long and gets so excited on Monday morning when I tell her we are going to Ghani's house again.(picture of Afghani and a few of the day care "regulars")
Do I ever feel like Grace confuses Afghani and Mommy? Nope. Well, there are times that I think about "someone else raising my child" but I dont really buy into all that crap (emotionally I do sometimes but mentally I know better). Afghani has 3 kids of her own (all grown and all great kids!) and has been in the day care business for 14 years. I have 1 child and have been in the parenting "business" for 2 years. Based on those numbers, Afghani isnt raising my child for me; she is helping me raise my child. Anytime I need parenting advice, she is there to help and is always so non-judgemental! In fact, I am thrilled to have her now that potty training is on the horizon----I have NO idea how to do it but I have the greatest resource in the world to help me through it; I have Afghani!!!
Afghani has become a part of our family. She is Grace's Day Care-ista and I am so proud to have her in our life.
Happy Mother's Day to all those Day Care-istas out there!
5/11/06
Other Mothers
How many "moms" do you have? I have 3. My mom, TT, and MM (nicknames of course!)
Growing up in suburbia, my mother became friends with all my friend's moms. As a teenager, I was convinced she did that just to spy on me when I wasnt at home. I would show up at friends' houses after school and there would be the 2 moms, sipping tea and sneaking cigare
ttes waiting for all the 16 year olds to come home! But there were 2 families that made a difference in my family's life: the Ts and the Ms.
We became friends with the Ts when I was in fourth grade because the oldest T girl and I were fighting at school; I was the new girl in school and we were fighting over the attention of another girl in our class. By fifth grade, we hated that other girl and we were inseperable!!! The Ms were neighbors of the Ts and so naturally, they joined the gang! The rest is history.
Teenage girls and their mothers dont always get along (I know--shocking!!!) but I always felt like I had a mom to talk to. The relationship with my mother was (and still is) dramatic; one day we were best friends and the next day we couldnt even stand to look at each other. When I needed someone to talk to, I had 2 other mothers to lean on. When it was time to have a baby, I had 3 moms to give me advice. And when my wedding day came, I had 2 "other mothers" to help me through the day.
Through the years, we grew up. I dont talk to my T friend much anymore (our lives a very different) but bottom line---she is part of my family and I will always think of her as a surrogate sister. The Ms have become a second family as well to me. In fact, my daughter was the flower girl in the latest M wedding.
But really, how often I talk to the Ts or the Ms....it doenst matter. TT and MM helped raise me and they are my "other mothers". In no way do they take love from my "real" mom but they gave me things that my mother could not; in the end, making me a better mother.
Grace is growing up with the same experience, I think and I hope. Our "family" of friends is very important to Bill and I. We have fraternity brothers, high school friends, work buddies, and new "additions" surrounding us all the time and we love it. 
These people have been around Grace since her "in utero" days and Grace loves them all so much. I truly hope that she realizes how special it is to have an extended family such as this to turn to. My wish for her is to have relationship, even just one, with our extended "friend family" so that she always feels like 
there is someone who cares, who loves her, and who she "belongs" to (especially during those dramatic teenage years when I am sure she will "hate" her dad and me when we impose a curfew, say no to dying her hair purple, etc, etc,etc).
So, in honor of my (and Grace's) "other mothers", HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I love you!
Growing up in suburbia, my mother became friends with all my friend's moms. As a teenager, I was convinced she did that just to spy on me when I wasnt at home. I would show up at friends' houses after school and there would be the 2 moms, sipping tea and sneaking cigare
We became friends with the Ts when I was in fourth grade because the oldest T girl and I were fighting at school; I was the new girl in school and we were fighting over the attention of another girl in our class. By fifth grade, we hated that other girl and we were inseperable!!! The Ms were neighbors of the Ts and so naturally, they joined the gang! The rest is history.
Teenage girls and their mothers dont always get along (I know--shocking!!!) but I always felt like I had a mom to talk to. The relationship with my mother was (and still is) dramatic; one day we were best friends and the next day we couldnt even stand to look at each other. When I needed someone to talk to, I had 2 other mothers to lean on. When it was time to have a baby, I had 3 moms to give me advice. And when my wedding day came, I had 2 "other mothers" to help me through the day.
Through the years, we grew up. I dont talk to my T friend much anymore (our lives a very different) but bottom line---she is part of my family and I will always think of her as a surrogate sister. The Ms have become a second family as well to me. In fact, my daughter was the flower girl in the latest M wedding.
But really, how often I talk to the Ts or the Ms....it doenst matter. TT and MM helped raise me and they are my "other mothers". In no way do they take love from my "real" mom but they gave me things that my mother could not; in the end, making me a better mother.
So, in honor of my (and Grace's) "other mothers", HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I love you!
5/10/06
The Dress
I know that I promised a week of posts about Moms but I just cant pass this up!My sister's wedding is in 10 days. I am the maid of honor and there are 6 other bridesmaids (yes, I realize that is a ridiculous number of bridesmaids but seriously, I am not sure there are going to be any guests because EVERYONE is IN the wedding!). We picked out the bridesmaid's dresses a few months ago and when they came in, we were a little shocked at the color. The wedding "theme" is pink and green. Well, without further adieu, please check out my Pepto-Bismol Pink shiny satin bridesmaid dress.....................
Oh how fabulous! Not only does the dress make me glow in the dark (both because of the Pepto Pink and the fact that this Mommy hasnt been tanning in YEARS), but it makes me look like a giant rectangle!!!! The little sister is insisting that we all get our hair done professionally and she
would prefer us to wear it all up. Well, I am a little afraid that the "curls piled on top of my head" will make me look like a hot pink Q-tip. Guess I should investigate the spray tanning sensation that is sweeping the country so that I at least dont destroy the guests' retinas on the way down the aisle.Trust me, I will post pics of all 7 of us in these fabulous frocks after the wedding!!! :)
5/9/06
The Worth of Mom's Work
A friend of mine sent me this salary calculator - What is a Mom's Work Worth?. Pretty interesting but at the same time, completely depressing and thought-provoking.
According to Salary.com, my work as a mom is worth $147,639 a year. Well, let me be clear----this is NOT reflective at all of what is in (or not in) my bank account so something is wrong!!!!
My salary report shows that the majority of my "mom" time (as opposed to working the day job time) is spent either as a Cheif Executive Officer or as a Day Care Center Teacher. In other words, I spent most of my time managing the household/family and taking care of/teaching my daughter. That is pretty accurate.
(Sidenote: Dont get offended---I am a working mom and that is the only perspective I have on the situation and so the only perspective I can write from. I remember what it was like to be single but the memories are fading fast. Right now, my life is focused on finding the balance between being a mom, a person, a wife, a professional, and a friend. This is my view on the situation; doesnt make me right or wrong and it doesnt make you right or wron either!)
The calculator got me thinking. A lot of my friends are still single or are not parents yet. I envy their evenings full of shopping, running errands at whatever pace suits them that day, and dinners out at any old palce they want to go to. I work 40+ hours a week at my day job to bring home a paycheck that barely covers the car bills, day care, and a few household items. My evenings are filled with bathtime, blankie searches, temper tantrums, and spoon sirplanes just to get 2 bites of dinner into a 2 year old's mouth.
You see, when I leave work, I dont get to just go home. I am leaving one job to go to the next. Sure, I may need to leave the office at 4 pm during the week to take care of my daughter but how does that make me less of a hard working employee? Trust me, I am not leaving the office so that I can go home and party! I am cleaning up dirty diapers and folding laundry for the fourth time that day! And when you are sitting on your couch watching tv at 10 pm, I am on my computer working on the things that I had to stop at 4 pm; I have to work at home because I have to prove the rest of the office that I am still a damn good event planner; that being a mom hasnt somehow harmed my abilities and dedication to the office. (This is part of the Mommy Track issue I wrote about the other day--just because I sing the ABCs and I know all the characters on Dora the Explorer does not mean that I lost brain cells!)
But the job I am going home to....its a non-paying, 24 hours a day, thankless job. If someone actually posted the job description as a classified in the Help Wanted section with the headline "No sleep, No free time, No Pay!", who the hell would respond to that!?!?!?
The job at home is the hardest, most demanding, and most rewarding job I have ever had. There are days when I dont know if I am going to make it; there are days when I miss my "pre-Mommy life"; there are days when all I want to do is sit on the floor and cry. But....there are also Grace's hugs and kisses on her way out the door to day care; there are first steps and first words; there are days that I cannot imagine my life any other way.
SO, pay or no pay, I am so glad that I have 2 jobs---the event planning is fun and it does pay some bills and being a mom is the best thing I have ever done.
Average Weekly Hours at the Day Job: 45
Average Weekly Hours at the "Mom Job": 61
Average Working Hours Per Day: 15
The worth of a mom's work? Priceless!
(BUT if someone wants to pay me, let me know!)
According to Salary.com, my work as a mom is worth $147,639 a year. Well, let me be clear----this is NOT reflective at all of what is in (or not in) my bank account so something is wrong!!!!
My salary report shows that the majority of my "mom" time (as opposed to working the day job time) is spent either as a Cheif Executive Officer or as a Day Care Center Teacher. In other words, I spent most of my time managing the household/family and taking care of/teaching my daughter. That is pretty accurate.
(Sidenote: Dont get offended---I am a working mom and that is the only perspective I have on the situation and so the only perspective I can write from. I remember what it was like to be single but the memories are fading fast. Right now, my life is focused on finding the balance between being a mom, a person, a wife, a professional, and a friend. This is my view on the situation; doesnt make me right or wrong and it doesnt make you right or wron either!)
The calculator got me thinking. A lot of my friends are still single or are not parents yet. I envy their evenings full of shopping, running errands at whatever pace suits them that day, and dinners out at any old palce they want to go to. I work 40+ hours a week at my day job to bring home a paycheck that barely covers the car bills, day care, and a few household items. My evenings are filled with bathtime, blankie searches, temper tantrums, and spoon sirplanes just to get 2 bites of dinner into a 2 year old's mouth.
You see, when I leave work, I dont get to just go home. I am leaving one job to go to the next. Sure, I may need to leave the office at 4 pm during the week to take care of my daughter but how does that make me less of a hard working employee? Trust me, I am not leaving the office so that I can go home and party! I am cleaning up dirty diapers and folding laundry for the fourth time that day! And when you are sitting on your couch watching tv at 10 pm, I am on my computer working on the things that I had to stop at 4 pm; I have to work at home because I have to prove the rest of the office that I am still a damn good event planner; that being a mom hasnt somehow harmed my abilities and dedication to the office. (This is part of the Mommy Track issue I wrote about the other day--just because I sing the ABCs and I know all the characters on Dora the Explorer does not mean that I lost brain cells!)
But the job I am going home to....its a non-paying, 24 hours a day, thankless job. If someone actually posted the job description as a classified in the Help Wanted section with the headline "No sleep, No free time, No Pay!", who the hell would respond to that!?!?!?
The job at home is the hardest, most demanding, and most rewarding job I have ever had. There are days when I dont know if I am going to make it; there are days when I miss my "pre-Mommy life"; there are days when all I want to do is sit on the floor and cry. But....there are also Grace's hugs and kisses on her way out the door to day care; there are first steps and first words; there are days that I cannot imagine my life any other way.
SO, pay or no pay, I am so glad that I have 2 jobs---the event planning is fun and it does pay some bills and being a mom is the best thing I have ever done.
Average Weekly Hours at the Day Job: 45
Average Weekly Hours at the "Mom Job": 61
Average Working Hours Per Day: 15
The worth of a mom's work? Priceless!
(BUT if someone wants to pay me, let me know!)
5/8/06
All I need in life (at the moment) is:
1. my car to drive me home
2. a pillow
3. a comfy blanket
4. NyQuil to put me to sleep
Yes, folks, SuperMom is sick!!!! I missed the horse races this weekend because of it. And I got through my TOHE party on Sunday all drugged up on Sudafed. Now I am in a daze sitting at my desk, counting the minutes until 2 pm (you see, if I work over 5 hours today, I can call it a full day and not have to take sick time to go home early!).
Sorry for the boring post this morning but I promise for better posts for the rest of the week! Tomorrow I will chat about the TOHE party and the beginning of my new business. And the rest of the week I am dedicating to Moms because, well, I want to talk about all the different kinds of moms in my life (my mom, my "other" moms, mother-in-law, and friends who are moms, daycare moms, etc!). Since its Mother's Day week, I think its appropriate!
Okay, the minute hand is a little closer to 2 pm now. Bye!
1. my car to drive me home
2. a pillow
3. a comfy blanket
4. NyQuil to put me to sleep
Yes, folks, SuperMom is sick!!!! I missed the horse races this weekend because of it. And I got through my TOHE party on Sunday all drugged up on Sudafed. Now I am in a daze sitting at my desk, counting the minutes until 2 pm (you see, if I work over 5 hours today, I can call it a full day and not have to take sick time to go home early!).
Sorry for the boring post this morning but I promise for better posts for the rest of the week! Tomorrow I will chat about the TOHE party and the beginning of my new business. And the rest of the week I am dedicating to Moms because, well, I want to talk about all the different kinds of moms in my life (my mom, my "other" moms, mother-in-law, and friends who are moms, daycare moms, etc!). Since its Mother's Day week, I think its appropriate!
Okay, the minute hand is a little closer to 2 pm now. Bye!
5/5/06
Falling Asleep At Work (almost seriously!)
The clock is ticking by the minutes so slowly. My eyelids are getting heavier and heavier. ANd every muscle in my body is telling me that it is time to rest. No, I am NOT hungover (I wish). I totally abused myself this week and am paying for it big time today.Today was the first time in ages that my day didnt start out with a venti extra hot vanilla latte, light foam. Maybe that is what is wrong with me----lack of caffeine! Guess I will have to force my exhausted self to walk across the street to Starbucks for a $3.99 coffee (sad that I know the total by heart!).
I feel like crap today (headache from the high pollen count, muscle aches from exhaustion and a crappy mattress, and general crappiness from who-knows-what!) so you would think that I would lay low for the weekend. Crazy people; of course not!
Tomorrow is Gold Cup so the hubby and I have to get all dressed up to stand on a grassy hill for a few hours to watch the horses run by us. Honestly, though, its a ton of fun! The people watching is spectacular; I will try to take some pictures this weekend and post them here for s few laughs next week! And then, Sunday....my Taste of Home Entertaining Launch Party. I am really excited about it but it means that I have to stay awake tonight to clean my house since I will be with the horses all day tomorrow.
Why do I do this to myself? I ask that question ALL THE TIME! I like to be busy. I hate the feeling that I am not actually doing anything tangible. Once I get over this complete and utter phase of exhaustion, I will be just fine and smiley, happy. confident. and not-so-miserable Supermom shall return!
Until then.....................Happy Cinco de Mayo and have (another) margarita for me!
5/4/06
Here's Your Sign
One of my biggest frustarations in life is when someone else's stupidity becomes my problem. Honestly, its a universal problem.....doesnt matter if you are a mom or not, a wife or not, or work in or out of the home. When someone else impacts my day in a negative way because of their own stupidity, I get really annoyed! In case you are wondering, yes, I am having a rough week at work because of someone else's lack of doing their job and general stupidity! ARGH!
So, my friends, I am passing out Signs! You know the ones---Bill Envall hands them out to all the rednecks at Blue Collar Comedy Tour (hey, dont get offended by that--I love that show!).
1. I have hired a third party meeting planning company to set up and manage my online regisration system for the upcoming conference in October. I sent them all the information they needed a month before launch date and checked in with them every week while they built the
site. The designer sent me the site address last week and everything was wrong! Not just a few things here and there but everything---the wrong costs were listed, information from last years conference was still on the site, and the name of my company was misspelled. Seriously---this meeting company is one of the top in the industry and this is the crap they send me. I had to send an email to the VP to get someone to respond to my concerns----the end result: the web editor was lazy and didnt spend time on quality control before sending things out to the client. It took 3 days and the web editor working over the weekend to get it done. And I had to repeat myself 50 times to make 1 little thing happen! ARGH! So, Mr Crappy Web Editor----You lost this piece of business for the next few years based purely on your laziness. Here's Your Sign!
2. My boss is holding up publication of my conference registration book because he hasnt decided who he wants as a keynote presenter. Umm....the deadline is tomorrow and you are STILL working on this? The first few days I thought that maybe he was chasing down some psectacular speaker. Nope, he called yesterday to talk about some edits for the book and I found out what he has been working on.....he is concerned and the entire book layout should be changed because 2 breakout sessions start with the word "impact"! Huh? THIS is what you are worried about! His answer---if the book is late it will cost us $2000. Well its only $2K so no big deal". Umm, no......the book will be late because of your stupidity! Here's your sign. Now where is my $2K?!
3. This morning, I was at the gas station. The pump I was at wasnt working so I went into th elittle shop and asked to pay for $25 in gas (only 1/2 a tank these days!). The girl working inside says to me: Oh you want to pay for gas?". No, I want to pay for a a la gas manicure! WTF!?!??! Here's your sign!
4. This is my favorite so far this past week.....My sister and I were standing outside one of the bars this weekend in DC waiting to be let through the red velvet rope. A random (drunk) college kid comes up to my sister (who is wearing a veil, sash reading "Baschelorette", and a necklace drapped with penis beads) nad says "Are you getting married?". Umm, nope, just starting a new fashion trend!! What a fabulous outfit!!!! Here's your sign (and breath mint, drunk!) ((Picture to the left is for reference....nope, doenst look like a bride-to-be out on the town at all.)
The last two didnt really cause any problems for me but damn are they funny!!!! Okay, the bitterness is starting to wear off now----I feel better.
So, my friends, I am passing out Signs! You know the ones---Bill Envall hands them out to all the rednecks at Blue Collar Comedy Tour (hey, dont get offended by that--I love that show!).
1. I have hired a third party meeting planning company to set up and manage my online regisration system for the upcoming conference in October. I sent them all the information they needed a month before launch date and checked in with them every week while they built the
site. The designer sent me the site address last week and everything was wrong! Not just a few things here and there but everything---the wrong costs were listed, information from last years conference was still on the site, and the name of my company was misspelled. Seriously---this meeting company is one of the top in the industry and this is the crap they send me. I had to send an email to the VP to get someone to respond to my concerns----the end result: the web editor was lazy and didnt spend time on quality control before sending things out to the client. It took 3 days and the web editor working over the weekend to get it done. And I had to repeat myself 50 times to make 1 little thing happen! ARGH! So, Mr Crappy Web Editor----You lost this piece of business for the next few years based purely on your laziness. Here's Your Sign!2. My boss is holding up publication of my conference registration book because he hasnt decided who he wants as a keynote presenter. Umm....the deadline is tomorrow and you are STILL working on this? The first few days I thought that maybe he was chasing down some psectacular speaker. Nope, he called yesterday to talk about some edits for the book and I found out what he has been working on.....he is concerned and the entire book layout should be changed because 2 breakout sessions start with the word "impact"! Huh? THIS is what you are worried about! His answer---if the book is late it will cost us $2000. Well its only $2K so no big deal". Umm, no......the book will be late because of your stupidity! Here's your sign. Now where is my $2K?!
3. This morning, I was at the gas station. The pump I was at wasnt working so I went into th elittle shop and asked to pay for $25 in gas (only 1/2 a tank these days!). The girl working inside says to me: Oh you want to pay for gas?". No, I want to pay for a a la gas manicure! WTF!?!??! Here's your sign!
The last two didnt really cause any problems for me but damn are they funny!!!! Okay, the bitterness is starting to wear off now----I feel better.
5/3/06
A Little Fun for Another Busy Day
| You Are Miss Piggy |
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5/1/06
Playdate
Grace had a playdate yesterday afternoon with one of the hubby's fraternity brother's baby (did you follow that?!). Ashley is 9 months old and is absolutely adorable. The picture here doesnt do the girls justice on their cute-ness yesterday. I LOVE the matching dresses.
The girls played, read books, cuddled, and even ate lunch together. Besides loving having another baby around to play with Grace and another parent-friends around to talk about all the cute things the kids do, I love when KBA comes to visit because I can clean out Grace's closet and send all the hand-me-downs home with them.
Yesterday though was a little ridiculous!!! They left my house with 44 lbs of luggage containing all the 12-18 months clothes in Grace's closet! Maybe I should start my own hand-me-down store out of the house! Hmmmm....thats a thought! Anyways, while that in itself is kind of funny, the craziest moments were spent watching the hubby part of KBA pack the suircase of baby clothes. Seriously, he rolled each article of clothing and placed it in the suitcase, packing as much as possible into one carry-on size suitcase. Click on the picture for more detail of this madness!!! HAHAHAHA!
I am having a totally stressful day at the office (more later this week on that---if I write about it now, I may cry!). So, in honor of my crappy day at work, I am posting pics of the playdate to bring a smile to all of us on this crappy Monday!!! Enjoy!
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