Monthly Archives: October 2008

Halloween decorating … naturally

25 Saturday Oct 2008

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Today we’re going to discover how to decorate your home for the Halloween holiday, the natural way!

Shelob decorates the Cirque house

Shelob decorates the Cirque house

First, talk to all of your neighbors and ask them to not turn on their front porch light at night.  If you are lucky enough like me, your neighbors never read their letters from the HOA and are already leaving their lights off even though we’re supposed to turn them on to deter crime!  (We’ve had a few car break-ins.)

Second, turn on your front porch light every night for at least a month prior to Halloween.  Then watch delightfully(?) as every spider in the neighborhood builds a new home all around your front windows and door!

Then, voila!  You’re decorated for Halloween!  Naturally!  It’s a good thing?

P.S.  For those of you who know me well, you know I’m seriously afraid of spiders.  This has been a struggle for me, especially coming in the door at night when all of them are out catching their moth dinners.  Shelob made her rare appearance during the day on Thursday, so I snapped this shot.  I do feel safer with the light on and I just can’t bring myself to kill them.  As long as they stay outside and away from me, we’re all good.  Plus, winter is on its way so they won’t be there much longer.

Country Mouse on the Town

25 Saturday Oct 2008

Posted by in Parenthood

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

,

DH and I have been out a few times together without Monkey since he was born.  Maybe 3 times.  But each time, his babysitter was someone in the family.  Last night was our first night out together with a true, non-family member babysitter.

It was weird and I was nervous but I tried hard not to show it when the babysitter arrived.  I showed her how to operate the t.v./receiver set-up in the basement, offered anything in our fridge and of course, went through what Monkey’s bedtime routine would be.  We had already fed him and given him a bath so all she had to do was let him play a little longer, give him some milk, take him upstairs, read books and lights out.  I was hoping he’d would be as good for her as he usually is for us, especially since he normally goes straight to bed after bath but we decided to give him the bath early.  I wanted the first time to be easy (not just for the babysitter but me) and I thought us giving him the bath would be less stressful for all.

I was so wrapped up in my head about this whole thing I didn’t even give him a hug or kiss before we left which I still feel bad about.  But eventually, sometime halfway through a glass of wine at the restuarant where we were meeting another couple, I finally felt a little better about the whole thing.  It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her.  She came with high recommendations from our daycare provider.  I just felt like I was abandoning him.

Shortly after DH had ordered me that glass of wine, the babysitter called and said he went down fine.  Piece of cake.  That was good to know.

Dinner went well although for the first time in my life since high school, I felt like “country mouse”.  Upon arriving at the restaurant, which was in an area I used to work in years ago, I forgot the way people dress up to go to dinner in this area.  It’s not a black tie affair by any means, but people put on their best casual clothes and women wear and carry their best accessories.  Think Lucky jeans, J.Crew top, Banana Republic sweaters and Coach, Louis Vuitton or Juicy Couture purses.  My little Coach wristlet was the only thing that “fit in”.  I used to have the appropriate wardrobe but since having Monkey and now that I don’t have to dress up anymore (even work is pretty relaxed), my wardrobe has changed.

Plus, the other couple are singles with no kids.  I tried not to talk about Monkey or motherhood too much but it was hard.  And it seemed, I wasn’t up on all of the hip shows on t.v. or doings around the general area we all live in.  I started to realize again how isolating motherhood can be. 

Overall, it was good to get out.  And with a little more practice, I think I can be comfortable with it again.  That and put some new clothes on my Santa list!

Really good little Monkey

19 Sunday Oct 2008

Posted by in Happy Thoughts, Parenthood

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

,

I realize that a good portion of my posts are complaints about something or other.  It’s unfortunately my nature which I periodically try to change.  So for this post, I’m going to tell you the many ways my lil’ Monkey is a good little boy.

  • PHENOMENAL about taking his medications (Zantac and Regalan).  Every once in a while he’ll fuss but mostly great.  Really.  I pull the medicine into the plunger and sometimes, he’ll even GRAB it from my hand!  Most of the time though, I just say “Open up!” and he’ll open his mouth and keep taking the little sips of medicine until it’s all gone.
  • So fun when brushing his teeth.  He really enjoys it and will try to brush our teeth as well!  And then when he thinks he’s done, he’ll take his other hand and make the “all done” sign one-handed.
  • Really good about bedtime.  We’ve been blessed in this area.  Most nights he goes to sleep with little fuss (unless he’s teething or sick).  Eat, Bath, 2-3 books and lights out.  Done.  Bon nuit!
  • Has a very infectious, adorable laugh … but I’m sure all parents think this of their children.
  • “Smile that can light up your day” or so says his own daycare provider (and of course, I agree)!
  • Catching on so well with sign language — now uses:  more, milk, book, bath, please, eat, dog and all done.  He uses more, milk and book the most.  Especially book …
  • LOVES, I mean the kid LOVES books (much more than his mommy or daddy which is great).  He wakes up and before he’s even out of his crib, he’s making the sign for book!  We usually spend a good 20-30 minutes reading books on the days he’s home with me.  We’ll finish one and he’ll go get another.

Okay, okay.  Enough bragging … for now.  Just wanted all of you to know there’s some bright to the dark here at the circus.

Now I know why

16 Thursday Oct 2008

Posted by in Fav Post, For better or for worse, Parenthood

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

,

Since giving birth to Monkey over a year ago, I’ve had many “Aha” moments where it finally dawns on me why parents do the things they do.  Pre-Monkey, I had many opinions, questions and ideas about how my motherhood journey would be.   Post-Monkey, I realize that many of my notions were completely wrong, ill-informed and my questions have been answered — a good portion of them anyway.

For instance, this morning, Monkey and I went to the grocery store (one of at least three trips we make during any given week).  He was in a pretty good mood until near the end of our shopping trip.  He got a little cranky because it was nearing lunchtime.

As I put him into the car, I heard myself saying in a much higher pitched, sing-songy, almost fake voice, “Okay, I know you’re hungry but we have to get into the car seat first so we can go home.  It’s the law, you know!”  And I literally paused in the middle of what I was doing.

That high pitch, sing-songy, almost fake voice?  Yeah, it reminded me of a woman I saw while I was pregnant who was getting her toddler into the car.  I thought to myself, “Why is she talking like that? That can’t be her real voice.”

NOW I KNOW WHY.  Do you?

Well, here’s why I do it.  To mask the slow bubbling anger about a situation you can’t readily fix in the fashion your screaming toddler wishes.  It’s not his fault he’s hungry (although he could have ate more at breakfast than he did this morning).  He doesn’t understand that the car seat is a necessary evil designed to keep him safe.

I had another example which immediately came to mind when this realization occurred but darn it, I can’t think of it now.  If I do, I’ll update this post.  But I’m sure many of you have had these realizations as well.  If you feel like it, feel free to share.

Butt Ambition

14 Tuesday Oct 2008

Posted by in Sickness and Health

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

,

So I’ve finally found a goal that will hopefully get me to workout more often.  A pair of yoga shorts.  Now, I know this sounds strange but these yoga shorts require you to have a nice butt.  Or rather, you SHOULD have a nice butt in them if you are going to wear them outside of your house.  They aren’t cheap either which is why they will be my REWARD when I get the appropriate butt size to put into them.

Here are the steps I have taken to get to this goal.  DH and I have signed up for the fitness center that our town provides (isn’t that nice?).  This fitness center is MUCH nicer than commercial ones which surprised me (I guess my town tax is going to good use — although you still have to pay a membership as well).  Plus, it has an indoor pool that’s not too busy so I won’t feel like a dork swimming it in — I’m not that strong a swimmer.

Because this fitness center has a nice child care center (the one at the local gym … well, I just wasn’t comfortable with it), I will be able to drop Monkey off for 30-60 minutes to go onto the elliptical machines, lift weights, do a group fitness class or swim!  And this means, that for motivation reasons, DH and I can go together.  I figure if I can do one of the aforementioned activities for 2-3 times a week for at least 30 minutes, I will be at the very least more fit and not out of breath when carrying Monkey up a flight of stairs.

The second part of this plan is to continue going to yoga — at least once a week, ideally twice.  This is the expensive part of the plan unfortunately.  However, for me, the time spent on the elliptical machine or weight lifting, etc. is all to make going to yoga more enjoyable.  It seems yoga is the only thing I can really get excited about (when I’m in shape that is).

So this is the plan for a new butt and hopefully some new yoga shorts to put it in!  Wish me luck!

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.