Saturday, February 28, 2009

Mommy's Day on the Couch

Guess what? I have strep throat! A full-fledged adult, and I have a classic Summer-Camper's Delight!

I hadn't been feeling that great for the past couple of days, but I just chalked it up as my body recovering from planning/running our big Monte Carlo Night event last weekend. But, when I woke up this morning and couldn't swallow at all, I decided to go see the friendly nurse at the CVS Minute Clinic. Turns out, I have strep. Along with a 101.5 fever. Lovely... So instead of seeing old friends today, and going to work at the Purim Carnival tomorrow, and having dinner with my nursery-school-mom-friends tomorrow night, I have a weekend-long date with my couch.

I can't remember if I ever had strep as a kid... I was generally healthy, and the most "exciting" things I ever got were a series of ear infections in elementary school and a lousy case of scabies in college. But, I never had bronchitis as a kid, or pneumonia, or mono, or any other typically kid-age sickness.

Now seems to be my chance to live out those childhood fantasies of staying home from school and spending the entire day on the couch. Of course, when you're a mom, this becomes a lot less possible... At least today, my husband and munchkin are out gallivanting with old friends -- unfortunately, friends that I really wanted to see today!

It's not the ideal way to spend a beautiful Saturday, but I guess I can say I am now "living the cliche!" Reclining on the couch, propped up with 3 pillows... Computer, land-line phone, cell phone and TV remote all within arm's reach... A can of chicken noodle soup waiting on the kitchen counter to be warmed up for lunch... Oh wait... That's right -- I can't swallow! OK, antibiotics, go to work! This sitting-and-doing-nothing thing is starting to make me go a little stir crazy!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Kindergarten!

This week was a momentous week for me... I registered my daughter for Kindergarten! Amazing. It deosn't feel that long ago that I signed her up for her first Gymboree class. Nor does it feel that long ago that she went to her first 2-year-old nursery school class. And now, look at us!

Am I really old enough to have a child going to kindergarten? Have I really been a Mommy for that long? Wow...

Saturday, January 24, 2009

The 1st Dance Recital

Today was my four-and-a-half-year-old daughter's very first dance recital! Six little munchkins in their light purple leotards and frilly, white tutus. Six pairs of black tap shoes and six pairs of pink ballet shoes. And about 30 bright smiling faces watching the show.

I can honestly say, I don't think I have ever been so proud! My daughter did all of the steps. And she left space for the other girls. And she curtsied at the right time. And she smiled. Not as big as I was smiling, though. Watching her brought back such wonderful memories of my own dancing years with Mrs. Hossman, Mrs. Andreaux, Roberta, Mary, and a whole host of other dance teachers. I can only hope my daughter enjoys it half as much as I did.

Here's to many more years of tutus and tap shoes!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Ticked Off...

I am always amazed at how easily I can get ticked off. I think of myself as a normally level-headed individual with a great deal of common sense and rational thinking. I pride myself on my ability to keep an open mind (and ear) when someone has an opposing point of view. I try to make sure I entertain all possibilities and not close my eyes to something I hadn't previously thought of. And I do whatever I can to remind myself to give other people the benefit of the doubt.

But, sometimes there are those insidious moments when it is all I can do not to fly off the handle and explode. Sometimes it is at the driver in front of me who is going 30 mph in a 45 mph zone, ultimately making me late to my dentist appointment. Sometimes it is at the committee of volunteers helping me at an event, but who are really just interested in bossing people around. Sometimes it is at the drugstore cashier who doesn't seem to understand why I gave her $20.01 when the total charge is $7.26.

Thesedays, it is often at my four-and-a-half-year-old daughter who has suddenly decided that she is old enough to do everything for and by herself. And if she can't, she whines and argues with me. This is the hardest situation for me to hold it together. How do I rationally explain why she can't wash her hair in the shower on her own yet? Or why she can't climb on a chair with an uneven leg to reach the milk on the top shelf of the side-by-side refrigerator? Or why it's not a great idea to try on 16 different shirts less than 10 minutes before we have to leave for school? Or why we need to go home at 5 pm after being out of the house since 8:55 in the morning?

Now, don't get me wrong -- she is usually a really good kid. She says "please" and "thank you" on a more-often-than-not basis. She gets into her PJ's and brushes her teeth in a somewhat reasonable amount of time at night. And she is pretty easily bribe-able when it comes to eating green vegetables at dinner. So what is it that ticks me off? Maybe it's the fourteen-year-old attitude that comes out of her four-year-old mouth every so often. Or maybe it's the way she tries to play me against Daddy. Or maybe it's just the fact that she is growing up and I don't feel like I have a handle on it yet.

No matter why it happens, I can always feel it coming on. It's as if my brain involuntarily signals my eyebrows to furrow, my blood pressure to go up, and my voice to get louder. I try to squash the feeling before it comes out, but every so often, I miss the window of opportunity. Moments later, after I have exploded and am now huffing my way back down the hall, I hear my daughter behind me say, "Mommy, can we still read a book tonight?" A book? Does she deserve a book after that attitude she just gave me? Does she even know what an "attitude" is??? She's four!!! I have to keep reminding myself that there is very little in this world that is rational, logical or reasonable when you are four. Maybe I should try to apply that to other groups of people, like slow drivers or under-paid drugstore clerks.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Five Months Later...

Five months have passed since my last posting... We are now living in our new house... The munchkin's four-year-old school year is already half over... My husband has started a permalance job and is loving the variety there... And we have plans to renovate our house. A 1958 ranch with fluorescent lighting in the kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, etc. needs to be updated. To say the least... Plus, my 20 year high school reunion is coming up... Lots of old things to reminisce about, and lots of new things to look forward to...

So, I am going to attempt to post on my blog a bit more often. Every 5 months is a little... well... inconsistent. Here's to the attempt!