Do You Ever Wonder?

How did you turn out?  Are you a direct product of your parents?  A blend of them?  Definitely one?  Definitely not the other?  Do you find yourself saying things, then thinking "OMG, I sound just like my mother/father?"

I had my theories, but after spending 5 straight days - just me, my mother, my two little ones, and sometimes my (childless) sister, I find myself wondering... where did I come from?!  How did I (and my two siblings) survive childhood?  Is this what my kids are going to think of me when they grow up?

First off, please don't take this the wrong way.  I love my mother dearly.  But there is something about sleep deprivation, frustration from my post surgery limitations, a very busy "vacation" schedule, and 30 hours in a car with a 2 year old and 3.5 year old that bring out the worst in people. 

Seriously, before changing lanes (and during 30 hours there are several lane changes!) she would ask once, twice, sometimes more... "can I move over now?  How about now?  Is there a car there?"  Really?  Can you not see?  Although we had many things in the vehicle, there were no additional blind spots.  What do you do when you are in the car alone?!  Before I get into more driving issues, I would like to point out that my mother is not older.  Granted she is old enough to be a grandmother, she had me we she was in her early twenties and I was mid twenties when I started making babies.  Also, w

Top Ten Signs You Are Not A Parent

1. Thinking it's just a nap.  Skipping or delaying it for a few hours shouldn't be that big of a deal.
   ~ Real parents know there is nothing more sacred than nap/bedtime.  Obey the law at all costs! 
    
2. Giving the stink eye to a mother of a screaming 2 year old in public.
   ~ Real parents give looks of sympathy as the mother is assaulted physically and verbally to the best of the pint sized terror's ability.

What Haunts You?

What haunts you?  Spiders, regrets, the most obvious... ghosts?  Maybe.  What haunts me?  Perfection.  And let me let you in on a little secret...  It's unattainable, but this doesn't stop me from trying.  I once had an acquaintance who was a psychiatrist ask me if I had OCD.  Umm, isn't that your call, Doc?  It was decided upon that I was not OCD.  I was me.  Plain, simple, perfectionistically crazy.

Surprisingly enough I don't mind skipping the brush and pulling my hair back in a hair tie, wearing yoga pants and my husband's old t-shirts, and heading out into the big, bad world without a lick of makeup on - for some reason this does not bother me one bit.  But I assure you that my house is (typically) spic, span, and tidy.  My socks/panties/bras are all neatly folded and their respectable drawers, which are impeccably organized.  My little people are dressed up, matching, and hair is done, even when we are just slumming around the house.

This perfectionism was a blessing and a curse during school.  My grades were generally quite good, but how much extra time did I spend tweaking and obsessing over little things that probably translated to minimal contributions to my final grades.  Maybe this isn't true.  For my final final I decided to skip studying.  Why waste my time?  This grade did not carry enough weight to bring my overall grade down (or up) to change my final GPA.  This final would have no bearing on me getting or not getting future employment.  So what's the risk, right?  I let go.  It felt great, yet immensely uncomfortable at the same time.  And do you know what?  I bombed that test.  Lowest grade ever.  But.  It.  Didn't.  Matter.  The world kept spinning.  I still graduated.  Life goes on.

I need to get better at realizing what can go and what can't.  And while many people may say most things can go, I recognize that I am most comfortable in a world that is clean and organized.  I cannot will not let that go.  Actually, I am going to look into getting a few additional hours each day.  I think most would agree with me that this would be the best solution.

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Writing Prompts from:



Goals for Summer 2011

1. New Job - I am not currently unemployed.  I am not in a job that I hate.  Actually I love my current job.  Why the job search then?  Well, I spent many years and tears working on my Master's, and although I am happy and comfy where I am now, it is time to move on and grow... And when I talk about bigger and better things, I am (of course) referring to my paycheck (hopefully!).

2. Lose Weight - Last November I hopped on the Weight Watchers weight loss train.  Choo!  Choo!  I was a star member dropping 18 lbs by mid January.  Then I went on vacation and I've been on that vacation ever since.  Fortunately I have not gained any of the weight back, but I have not been able to successfully get back in to it.  I'd like to drop another 20 lbs.

3. Musical Rooms - I want to move my son into the spare bedroom, move my daughter into my son's room.  I think that transition is ambitious enough, but I do have more plans for afterwards...  We've been in this house for 7 years.  It's time to mix things up.  I'm getting ansy!

4. Mini Man's 4th Birthday Party - I am not one of those moms who throws fabulous parties.  I am one of those moms who wants and tries to throw those parties.  So, although fabulosity most likely won't be achieved, I would like my son to think his party was pretty awesome.  He wants a shark party this year.

5. Fun Family Vacation - Shockingly we do not have any family vacations planned right now.  Because of the job search everything is so up in the air - money, schedules, etc.  I hope that this doesn't rule our summer and we find a way to have at least one (or two) awesome summer getaways!

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My First Working Mommy Wednesday!

"K" as in "Knife"

Have you seen The Hangover Part II?  Well, this post's title is a little shout out to the movie; a line I stole from it.  I have to say, the hubs and I did not find the first Hangover movie that funny.  Perhaps it's because everyone else in the world saw it before us and could not help but build it up to be the funniest movie ever (which, albeit hilarious, is not the funniest movie of all time).  Perhaps it's because we were severely sleep deprived with a 1 month and 21 month old at home and I had to pump in the car during our little outing to the drive in.  Or perhaps it's because we were in a terrible mood after having watched the first movie in our drive in line up... "Year One."  (that was the most painful 97 minutes of my life... and mind you I had just given birth to an eight pounder with her hands above her head.)

Anyhow, despite our disappointment in the first Hangover, we felt compelled to see the sequel as it takes place in Bangkok - the very place we had spent an amazing 10 days this past January.  It would be like reliving our little adventure.  Seriously, if you have time, energy, and cash - go to Thailand.  It truly is amazing.  In addition, you should go see The Hangover II.  It is also well worth your time.  But this movie has nothing to do with today's post, just the title.  Man... can I get side tracked, or what?!

I have decided on my first "theme" day.  I am often told that many enjoy the little tidbits from my daily life in facebook statuses, tweets, and little stories I force those around me to listen to.  I find that fact is typically stranger and more entertaining than fiction.  You know, those little stories that you hear and think "you can't make this s@#$ up!"  Hopefully my Tuesdays don't involve many of those stories, but I can guarantee they will contain many "Kids Say the Darndest Things" moments -just like today's!

So here it is... My first "True Story Tuesday"

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My son is sitting at the table, refusing (yet again) to touch even a piece of his dinner.  He comes up with a plethora of reasons why he can't or should not have to eat, and then hopes to carry one of these reasons far enough on a tangent to distract us, skip eating dinner, and get outside to play some more.  The one he is currently working on involves a theory that the steak he is being asking to eat is too large to fit in his mouth.  Now mind you (per his request earlier in the meal) his meat is already cut up into microscopic pieces... any smaller and the meat would be considered a puree.

Mini Man: Mom, can I have a knife?

Mean Mom: No.

Mini Man: Why not?

Mean Mom: (sarcastic tone) Because you are three!!

Mini Man: (nervous laugh) Oh, I forgot.  (well played pause) So, can I have one when I am four?

Mean Mom: No, buddy.  I think we will hold off on knives for a little longer...

True story.  Took place in my dining room just 24 hours ago.  Never a dull moment.

Beach Bums

On our road trip to visit my sister, we had an opportunity to go to the beach.  Aside from vacation, we do not typically get to the beach very much.  We have beaches in our area, but not real nice ones.  I think the last beach the kiddos were on was in the Dominican Republic about a year ago.  That was a tough since little lady was not yet walking, we had two in diapers, and (in case you didn't know) vacation with a one year old and two year old is not a real vacation.

Mr. Man:  In love with all things sand, sun, and sea.

Little Lady: Loved touching the sand. Not a fan of sand touching her.

Contemplating vacation for next year I was envisioning a cruise.  The husband wanted a Caribbean all inclusive.  After the immense fun the little ones had during their brief visits to the beach, I think our family vacay next year will be spent plopped on a beach somewhere.  Any recommendations?

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Inspired by Mama Kat's

Out of Commission

Last week I had (gasp) surgery to take care of a pesky cyst in my wrist.  As a result I have been without the use of my dominant hand.  I should be incapacitated for 2-4 weeks.  Not too severe, just enough to be annoying.  Just for fun, try putting on jeans, doing your hair, changing a poopy diaper while using one hand... your non-dominant one.  Slightly frustrating.  In addition to this, I traveled four states away to visit my sister who complains that I never bring my kids to visit her.  During a car ride that should take roughly 10 hours one way, my brood easily added another 50% on to that time.  I think the kiddos and I sufficiently made the point to my mother and sister that one single person making that trek will have a significantly easier time than two adults with two children who have never really enjoyed car rides.  I still don't get people who have children who sleep during car rides.  Well, I guess I get it, I'm just insanely jealous of it.  What else did I take away from this experience?  Loads of ideas.  Aside from the difficulty of hunt-peck typing, I am hoping to be able to post more routinely!