After watching “Monsters and Aliens”, he put two cars under his feet and started to skate around the house.  After watching Olympic speed skating, he put dvd cases and cd cases under his feet and sped around the house.  We had a birthday party of a friends to go to, at a skate rink, and I knew that would be too much of a temptation, and I figured it would be rare that they would have skates his size… so, off to Toys R Us.

Fisher Price skates = $25.  Elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards (little gloves) and helmet…  well, it adds up.  We let him pick out his own helmet, it’s Lightening McQueen, he loves it.  Which means, he knows, he needs helmets and pads before the skates.

As soon as we came home with the skates, he had to put them on.  (You know you live in Ohio when you are putting elbow pads on over a winter coat.)  He showed the neighbor kids as we went up and down the few homes with clear sidewalks.  He was so proud.

Then, onto the birthday party at the skate rink.  He was fearless.  I hovered nearby, until Dear Husband, who is pretty good on skates, told me to relax and let him have fun.  So, I stood and watched as my 2 year old Little Man, on skates, went around and around and around the rink.  Like a big boy.  I was not ready for that.

Will Mom and Dad let me stand on my chair at the dinner table?

How long can I push bedtime?

Can I demand my tv show instead of the one Daddy is watching?

Mommy and Daddy are trying to be consistent.  But, after a day of work, it can be difficult.  Yes, if Mommy and Daddy are tired, and just want a peaceful dinner, we have allowed standing meals (as long as he is eating).  But last night, I got tired of the standing, and insisted on him sitting back in his highchair.  I gave him some Legos.  That way, when he was done eating, he played quietly with Legos.  It was nice.  Of course, I did totally give up the bib.

Bedtime, we have good days and bad days.  If Mommy makes him go to bed, he cries for Daddy, and vice versa.  And now that he can open doors, he can stand outside his bedroom door and cry.  Luckily he doesn’t know how to open the babygate that is outside his door.

TV time has been interesting.  He would love it if he could just watch Curious George, Martha Speaks and Thomas all the time.  Maybe some movies in between.  Daddy is tired of George.  He wants to watch Stephen Colbert.  Who wins?  This tv war is still on debate.  I try to make sure the two men in my house share the tv… Luckily they both enjoy Old Disney movies, like the Love Bug. 

So, doors.  Freezer doors can be opened, and he can get a popsicle or look and point at the ice cream.  Or get out the teething keys that are still in there.  I am fine with that.

Bedroom doors, though… Open, close.  Open, close.  The first night that he learned doors last week, it took forever to get him to bed.   Once again, thank goodness I installed baby gates at several doors upstairs, so I could lock him in.  But sometimes, we don’t remember.

Yesterday morning, we woke up to see Little Man about to go down the stairs.  He was thirsty, wanted juice and George.  If we were heavier sleepers, he could have made it all the way down, but I am sure the cats and dogs would have gotten us up.

Last night, at 2am, I woke up to him crying, standing in the bathroom.  He wanted a diaper change, and we have just started discussion about potties… so, he was in the right place.  After that, I am locking the baby gate in front of his door…

Until he learns how to open that.  Which will happen one day, and too soon for me.

February 2007 my co-worker/boss and I learned how quick a bad cold/flu can pass between co-workers.  I came in with a cold, just the sniffles I thought.  Something that I just caught after my recent vacation to the Grand Canyon and Sedona.  Just tired.  Just allergies.  Just…  so, I arrived at work, all sniffly, sneezy, miserable.  Full of germs.  I worked the 8 hour day and went home.  The next morning… fever, aches, everything.  It lasted with me for a week, hubby for a week, and my boss was very upset that it lasted with him for a week.  A month later, everyone was fine.  But, I learned from that experience…

DO NOT GO TO WORK WITH SYMPTOMS OF FLU/COLD!!!  I must remember that as I stay at home and drink my tea and lemon.

And I have shoe lust. They have so many beautiful pairs of shoes. Red, Green, Turquoise… Heels, boots, and Tie-up boots! I surf through the photos of all the pretty shoes, and let my imagination wander. What I would wear with that shoe, how would it look on my foot, and how it would make me feel… Did you know that there was just a segment on the TODAY show about wheter high heels empower or constrain women? That news article echos in my head.

I used to wear a lot more fashionable shoes. But then comfort and stability became more necessary than color, form, and style. But after almost a year of just wearing comfortable shoes, some of which are very stylish, I am craving a pair of heels. Something with color. Maybe in red. Something that will pop.

And then the practical side takes a hold of me. The cost of one pair of shoes, is equal to what I am expecting to pay for a hotel room plus dinner for my anniversary with Dear and Darling Husband. And, really, which is more important??I’m thinking romantic dinner and hotel. The shoes can wait. They probably weren’t that comfortable anyway.

Little Man has them now sitting next to him while he and Daddy-O cuddle up to enjoy a Saturday morning movie (of Little Man’s choice).  Today’s movie choice is Underdog.  Maybe he’s not so dark afterall.

I am a believer in savoring good food. Why waste waistlines, calories, and time on bad food? (unless it is nutrionally necessary, that is). I also have some hard to find foods, that are special treats, these are items that you can’t find in the grocery store, or that you don’t buy every week. While it is possible to live on chocolate truffles everyday, if you had it everyday, it would just be ordinary. And I don’t have the money to import the French truffles for everyday treats.

So, why did this come about today? I opened a bag of Grippos famous Barbeque chips today.

If you don’t know Grippos, they are made by a company founded in 1919 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They started out as a company that made ice cream cones, and then pretzels, and then chips. It seems to be a small company, not like Lays or Tostitos, and you can order through the website. I don’t know when I bought the bag, but when I saw it, I picked it up to save for a rainy day.

Well, today is rainy. After my sandwich, I bit into the first chip. Sweet red, salty, and a spice that still is lingering at the back of my throat. Crunch, crunch, crunch.

-swamimami

I don’t know why I kept this book for so many years, and through so many purges of the library. Why did I insist on keeping this book? I know why I have kept many books, for sentimental reasons, good stories, fave authors, good for a laugh, and etc. But why this one?

So far, on page 10, I think. I bought and read this book before I had baby. Before I conceived. I bought this story, along with many books I read at the time, about couples dealing with the issues of the dreams of motherhood, obsessions with ovulation calendars, and all the feelings within.

It makes me think of my own story and struggle a little. I have been asked to tell my story many a times, friends and family have asked to tell it to others, my own story of hope for motherhood. Maybe one day I’ll write it down too.

-swamimami

Now, that I am watching my friends over the past few years talk about their partners and marital issues. The one thing I am seeing with all of the issues, is that the problems start around that 7 year mark. Now, the problems vary, from household responsibilities, to bedroom issues, to money, kids, videogames, booze, and flirtations with others… and the worse case scenario, divorce.

I still thought that it was just a coincidence, and no, it won’t happen to me… but then I see that the American Psychological Association has a report about the 7 year itch! http://www.apa.org/releases/marriage.html

So, it is real, it does happen, and according to the report, it happens more with couples with small children!

So, as I look in the mirror, and realize I am entering the 7th year of my marriage soon….

–swamimami

As much fun as they are, they can cloud your mind, which does provide a good escape, but can lead to some fumbles…
I just replied to one of those emails one of my friends sent. Under the line of what are your favorite smells, I wrote
"Little man’s head and Dear Husband’s chest after a hot shower."

Now where is my mind? And then I just get fixated on the hot shower, towel, and…
And it’s barely noon.