Liars

All of the doctors and books say that solid food has no effect on your child's sleeping. "Introducing the rice cereal early won't help," they say. Fools! Old wives know better!

Dagny has been eating cereal for about two weeks. The sleeping, it goes from 8-9pm to 4-6am. I'm a new woman and Dagny is just as big a chunk as ever. Can you believe that? Someone called one of my children a chunk yesterday. She is a chunk and I'm basking in the joy of not worrying about whether she is getting enough calories.

Damn, Damn, Damn

Doug was home this morning so he could take Annika to "Donuts with Dad" at school, so I was going to get to run (in the middle of the week!). But, Doug said he was going to work out so I didn't get up early and Dagny didn't wake up at 4am like she usually does so when Doug and I finally rose at 6am, the boobs were NOT having any running. Since I had to feed Dagny and get Annika beautiful for the special day, I settled for Plan B (to run with Dagny in the stroller after Annika was at school). Dagny decided to nap at 9, so Plan B was scrapped. Plan C was to bathe the dog and take Dagny out after the next feed. Unfortunately, diaper rash and a poop woke Dagny early so by the time I fed her, changed her sheets and cleaned up the dog-washing mess, it was 11am. I was faced with a dilemma - move to Plan D and run at 11 and try to eat and shower fast enough to go get Annika on time or just give up on the running for today.

I gave up. Maybe this weekend will be better. It's too bad because today is so beautiful.

Fight the Power

Yesterday was Saturday, which is one of the days that I have time to run because Doug is home in the morning. Unfortunately, I was so crabby when I got up (and it was wickedly cold) that I couldn't make myself go. It was only after Doug left and I spent 45 minutes with my DVD pal Billy that I felt good enough to consider going outside - and then I was jealous of all of the other folks that got to run. HARUMPH.

I've got to learn something to fight the inertia of not working out/running/doing. It's so easy for me to rationalize why I CAN'T do it (not enough sleep, too busy, got up too late, don't want to shower again) when I know that I will feel so much better if I just do it. My whole day is better if I start with an activity, mentally and physically, but it's just so hard to take that first step.

Benevolent Despot

Yesterday I was paying bills on the computer while Dagny played in her exersaucer and Annika played with toys and entertained Dagny. Then, Annika snuck up next to me and grabbed Doug's scale (ruler) and ran away with it. When I made her put it back, she screamed: "I want to RULE!"

Don't we all.

Ridiculous!

I read an editorial in the Wall Street Journal today which said that Federal Income Tax receipts are actually increasing and have been doing so since the Bush tax cuts. Further to my friend Colin's post here, it just makes you wonder why our elected officials choose to spend our money on more shit to help them get re-elected instead of paying off the debt or making social security solvent. GRRRR!

Back in the Saddle Again

We've returned from the belated anniversary weekend AWAY. I planned the trip back in September when I was too pregnant and we didn't have time to go away for the weekend. So, Doug and I dropped the girls off with my folks on Sunday and went to Lake Oconee for two days. It was lovely. We played two rounds of golf, swam in the pool, worked out in the gym, walked around and had decadent meals with wine and lots of dessert. I played my best golf ever - 128 for 18 holes, which is sucky for the rest of the world but FABULOUS for me, especially since I haven't swung a club in six months and we got to experience two really nice courses. Thank you to my friend Debi for suggesting the getaway.

Annika seems to be recovered from the pox, but now might have a sinus infection. Luckily she has a doctor appointment tomorrow so we will get her checked out before sending her back to school. Dagny was angry for all of Sunday afternoon, but warmed up to Nana and Papa by the evening and was happy as a clam when we arrived to pick her up today (WHEW!). It's funny, though, how much I missed these little kiddos. We were driving home from my folks' house and Doug said "well, you're back at work" and I don't mind a bit.

I do want to point out, however, that I am actually sore from playing the golf. It's clearly not a cardio workout, unless you walk, but my forearms and triceps would be really buff if I played regularly - of course, then I probably wouldn't hit so many times per round so who knows.

Surprisingly Relaxing

You would think that the chicken pox quarantine would be horrible, but so far it has been remarkably relaxing. We've done a lot of laundry, coloring and playing outside. It's amazing how much stress I apparently put on us in our daily routines to go to "school", activities, the store, etc. To know that I will make something (anything) out of the freezer for dinner and that we won't be going anywhere is surprisingly liberating.

Not that I wouldn't give my right arm for a run or a frosty beverage or adult conversation, but given the circumstances, we aren't doing too badly (and Doug and I ARE going to spend two nights away very soon). The only tough part is keeping the girls in separate rooms - no one likes to be left alone. Luckily, I am so talented that I can read stories from the doorway of Annika's bedroom so that Dagny can see me from her spot on the bed too.

A Pox on Our House

That's right folks, Annika has the chicken pox.

The red bumps she got yesterday (not so unusual with her skin) grew little yellow hats overnight. That, plus itching equals 7-10 days of quarantine at our house. Luckily, we don't think she was contagious at her birthday party on Saturday (stay tuned for the birthday post later in the week). Doubly lucky that her friend Whitney has not had the pox or the vaccination so she is coming over to play and get exposed tomorrow. As ordered by the doc, we are keeping the girls in separate rooms at all times (which sucks!) and washing hands like surgeons.

I Don't Like You

Annika told me today, "I don't like you anymore, Mom."

This barb had surprisingly little impact on me, and thinking quickly (not a strong suit), I responded: "it's not nice to say mean things like that to Mommy. If you say it again, you are going to time-out." End of discussion. I still marvel at the fact that time-out is such an effective punishment, at least for now.

Another good punishment we've discovered is "denying the goodies". Annika pitched a fit when I said that Dogarita couldn't go outside, so Dagny and I went to the mailbox to get the mail without Annika (who remained in the kitchen, screaming). You would have thought I cut off the kid's leg. She was much nicer after all of those nasty screams were released, though.

Crazy Women

Ok - I'm the only crazy woman.

Was it Virginia Woolf who wrote about women/mothers trapped in their homes who slowly went crazy? I think I know one of the reasons - no adult conversations lasting longer than five minutes.

It's 3:54pm and I've not had a meaningful adult conversation all day. Yes, I did speak with my sister on the phone this morning but we talked while I held one child and brushed the teeth of the other one and helped her dress. Yes, I did speak with my sister-in-law while I held one kid and tried to keep the other one from running screaming down the hall at her dance class. Yes, I did have some perfunctory exchanges with the other moms at dance class and I did speak with the customer service lady at the bank to explain my transaction, but I don't think those count (though they do help and I'd miss them if I hadn't left the house).

Some days, especially when it's not so pretty outside, despite the overwhelming love for both kids (who have been angels all day), it's hard to do this job.

In Which We Do Not Kick Ass

To celebrate the stroller being fixed and the beautiful day, Dagny and I went to the park today while Annika was at school. I thought that if I fed Dagny before beginning the jog she would be happy or asleep for the 30 minutes. Not so!

I had to stop many times to attempt to distract Dagny or make her happy. Nothing doing. She screamed most of the time and we did the 5K loop in 30 mins, 25 sec. Not a great time but it was still a nice day. Maybe next time she will like the walk better or I will bring her better toys to play with. Wow, it is a test, though, to think pleasant thoughts about folks when they give you dirty looks on the trail as you jog by with the screaming baby. Some moms and grandfolks gave me the "been there" eyes or just smiled, but I got some nasties today! Maybe those folks thought that I couldn't hear Dagny with my i-pod on - HA!

Dagny Rides Again

Today, my favorite bike shop fixed my jogging stroller, for free, in less than ten minutes! They also identified the problem with my bike pump - a missing part, which is hopefully in the garage somewhere.

So, my pump is not irretrievably broken and my stroller is all pumped up and ready for action. HOT DOG! Beautiful park, here we come.

Endorphins are my friend

After a rough morning in which the girls and I went to the post office and then to Sams Club and I nursed a grudge against Doug because he was golfing and I was not and he had "encouraged" me to NOT run this morning, I had a great run this afternoon. Annika took a nap and Doug took care of Dagny. The sun was warm, the breeze was stiff and I ran around the block in 24:48 (8.86 minute miles!). I was feeling so good that I tacked on an extra 0.3 miles instead of doing my cool down. My knee will be complaining tomorrow, but it was worth it. I feel so much better now.

What a beautiful day - all of the creeping phlox and daffodils are blooming, someone's daphne smells awesome and Doug is making ribs for dinner (the in-laws are coming over).

It's funny how a lack of endorphins (and probably some hormones) can make me feel so crappy and mean and nasty and petty. You'd think I would be able to ignore or get past it - especially during Lent, but no.

Weirdness

We were at a birthday party last week and I snuck away to feed Dagny but could overhear the discussion in the next room. I know that eavesdropping is rude, but listen to this:

The other moms were talking about Mother Goose rhymes and how they won't read them to their kids because they are too mean and they don't want to explain why Jack Spratt's wife was fat and what that means and about Peter Pumpkin eater's wife in the pumpkin shell. Then, the discussion turned to "G - U - N - S". Yes folks, the word gun is too horrible to utter so you have to spell it. Apparently no one wants their kids to even own a toy gun.

Just for the record: (1) Mother Goose will now be read in my house (despite the fact that the stories are too short but the book is too long for before-bed reading) just to be contrary (Mary, Mary), (2) a discussion of the Mother Goose rhymes might be a good thing, thought-provoking, etc, (3) same thing with guns - knowledge and safety rules seem like a better thing than ignorance to me, and (4) all kids coming to Annika's birthday party are getting water guns in their goody pails.

The Dancing Queen

Yesterday, Annika told me:

"I can't be a star!" (we were discussing the "superstar" on her jammies)

and when I asked why not:

"because stars are big and I want to stay little so I can concentrate"

concentrate on what?

"I want to stay little so I can concentrate on my dancing" (said while twirling around the kitchen in the aforementioned jammies)

Errata

I screwed up on the Fair Tax post. Thanks to Anne and Colin for letting me know.

Read about the Fair Tax at http://www.fairtax.org/

Dagny Kicks Ass

Not really, but we did manage to do the 5K loop at the park in 30 minutes - except for that 20 minute break after mile one to breastfeed, go potty and dress Dagny in my sweatshirt (she was cold). We will try again later. Imagine how great we could do if we weren't hungry or cold!

Note to joggers: even if your stroller wheel is out of round and goes glide . . . bump, glide . . . bump on pavement, the bump is not noticeable on the park's trail. : ) This will allow me to put off my stroller repair for another week.

My Girls

Here are my girls, in their party clothes (courtesy of Nana) after one change due to spit-up. Since they were both dressed at once and I was a few minutes ahead of time (WONDERS!), I thought a portrait was in order. Too bad you can't see the whole beautiful red skirt - next time.

Here Comes the Rain Again

The rain came in this morning, but not fast enough to prevent me from getting my run in. Dagny was up from 2-4am (eating and then we had booger issues) so I was dragging this morning but I got her up at 6:40 (she was grumbling, but not fully awake yet), fed her and put her back down. Doug held down the fort while I sallied forth into the drizzle.

Luckily, we went to the mall yesterday to meet Camille so I managed to FINALLY get a new battery for my watch. Hooray! I timed the run today and did my 2.8 mile loop in 27 minutes (approximately - because I forgot to push start until I was on my way up the hill). Ten minute miles - not bad for a woman who has not exercised regularly in 6/7 months. I don't know if running once or twice a week this past month counts or not. Regardless, today is the first day of getting back into better shape. : ) My world record for the 2.8 mile loop is 22 minutes, 25 minutes for the 3.2 mile one so I've got a long way to go, but under 10 minute miles is a huge victory.

The light rain was not unpleasant and it was warm enough that I didn't freeze. Amazing what good the humidity will do for a stuffy nose/head. Natalie said that she finds good stuff on her runs, but I found only a bolt and a screw and a smashed battery. The nut and screw went into the storm drains because I couldn't carry them and I didn't want anyone to cut a tire, but I left the battery.

Wow, I've missed my runs. Those endorphins really make the rest of the day easier. I was able to prepare and schlep both girls to two birthday parties today without losing my temper once.

Food for Thought

Maybe you have noticed the sudden appearance of "dinner places" at which one can purchase a meal or meals in which most of the preparation is already done. We've tried a couple of them and here are my thoughts:

Whatz for Dinner is a store near us (they also have an in-town location) which is owned by a former chef. He and his wife do all of the prep work so that customers may order meals to pick up ready for cooking. The menus are interesting and varied and the food was very good. The instructions were sometimes lacking, but someone who is a frequent cook would not have a hard time winging it. An example of one meal we had was stuffed pork chops: You put the butter/oil mixture into your pan and heat it up, then add the chops, onions and garlic, once the chops are browned on one side, you flip them, add the sauce and mushrooms and put the whole pan into the oven. Sweet potatoes were ready for boiling with butter/seasoning to add at the end after mashing. Vegetables were cut, seasoned and buttered, ready for the microwave. If associating the meals from this store with a Food Network show, I'd say that Emeril is the closest. The cost: $7-20 per meal. Fish and holiday meals are fancier and cost more than the pork/beef/chicken stuff.

Super Suppers is a meal preparation store at which one may purchase 6 or 12 entrees to take home and freeze. The store will prepare the meals for you or you can go in and assemble them yourself. The lure here is that you can have "meal parties" with friends or family. I'd associate this store with Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee because the food is all pre-done and customers just assemble it. Some meals that I made at our playgroup party were chicken en croute (pot pie), stuffed green peppers and pasta fagiole soup. The food is also very good, but either their portion size is way small or Doug and I eat like lumberjacks. Cost per entree: $3-4 (their portions) or $6-8 (our portions).

Please note that neither of these places are for vegetarians, though they do offer some vegetarian things. Doug and I guessed that the cost to purchase them (rather than make them at home) would be too high to make vegetarian meals a good value. For some cool vegetarian ideas, check out this blog - the vegan lunchbox.

Anyway, the nutshell is - both of these places (and the billion other ones cropping up everywhere) are interesting and I will be surprised to see which operational model ends up being most successful. They do save time (how much time is debatable) but they cost more than cooking from scratch so they will likely remain a nice treat for us instead of a regular plan.