June 21, 2012
The house is quiet.
Sam is sleeping on my bed because if I put her in her crib she screams bloody murder. Seriously, you can hear her outside. I have figured out that if she falls asleep snuggled up to me that I can tiptoe away. If I try to lay her in her bed, it is full on hysterical, fit pitching.
Bryce is watching "Wild Kratts" on GPB Kids, and I can't wait to see what the animal of the day is today. On Tuesday, he would only let me refer to him as a kangaroo or a Brycearoo for an hour afterwards. Keeping up with his animal whims is exhausting but hilarious. He keeps sneaking out of the house to check to observe the dinosaurs in our yard. On Monday, there was a T-Rex. On Tuesday and Wednesday, it was a stegosaurus. Today there is apparently a brachiosaurus. I can barely keep up, but I do a pretty good job of seeing dinosaurs now too.
Now, back to my original sentence....I love that quiet. There is some background noise but it's peaceful. The TV is low, and Bryce is using his teeny tiny imaginary animal voice which is the same voice he uses to soothe Sam. I am here with my babies, and I'm happy.
For a long time, I didn't think I would be happy being a mama, but it is the best of all of my jobs. Tony and I had two amazing surprises dropped in our laps, and God knew what he was doing. I was meant to be their mama. I get busy worrying about all that I must do, should do, and don't do. I forget to breathe. Enjoy. Be. That's what I am going to do right now.....I'm going to concentrate on those little moments and just be happy.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
April 26, 2012
When I began this blog, I was intent on carving out some
time for me, time to reflect and wonder and worry and share. There are so many things I want to write, and
since I was a little girl I have found solace in pouring my thoughts out on
paper. Unfortunately, my time to write
seems to slip through my fingers each day.
I could list all of the excuses (how it is hard to work and take care of
kids and find me time, blah, blah, blah), but it would be a lie. To be honest, I am just plain tired at the
end of the day. I could get out the
computer and write, but by the time I have gotten the kids to bed I just want
to sit down, tune out, and watch a little TV.
Lazy, but necessary.
I envy those mothers who seem to keep it together and do
everything just right. I am not one of
those mothers, and I am working hard to be okay with that.
I have intentions of
homecooked, organic meals that entice Bryce to eat vegetables, but he mostly
eats Eggo blueberry waffles and “round” BabyBel cheese. He hates water and drinks huge amounts of orange
juice in the carton with the straw, and I can no longer dilute it with water because
he catches me and cries.
Even though I considered and seriously looked at using cloth
diapers, I came to the conclusion that I don’t do enough laundry to justify
it. I can barely keep up with the
laundry for myself and the children, and if Tony didn’t do his own and most of
the towels, I think we would be trapped under mountains of dirty clothes. It also helps that Mama takes pity on me and
comes over to do laundry too.
Sometimes Bryce watches too much T.V. I did get concerned about this when he asked
to watch “Swamp People,” but he did say he just wanted to see the alligators.
On days like today, I want to sit on the deck and drink beer
and read like I used to do before there were children.
I’m getting tired now, so I don’t think I will list anymore
of my shortcomings as a Mama and a wife, and I won’t even get started on
teaching. When I look back at this
pathetic little list, we are okay. I’m
not a perfect Mama, but I am the perfect Mama for my children.
I found the “Grumpy Troll” song for Bryce on YouTube
tonight, and we danced with Sam.
I made some pureed
peas for Samantha , and I hate peas. I
even tasted some of the little green balls of nasty to make sure they were
tender enough before I put them in the Baby Bullet. I did burn the first batch of peas because I
didn’t put enough water in the pot, and then I poured too much water in the
squash which resulted in squash juice.
But Samantha acted like the peas were the best thing ever, so it was
worth a few mishaps along the way.
We are all healthy and happy, and in the eyes of my kids, I
am their perfect Mama. Maybe this
weekend, I will have a beer and reflect on my blessings instead of listing my
shortcomings, and if I’m lucky I’ll get the house cleaned and grade writing and
make state file folder games and plant herbs and , if I’m really honest, I’ll
just get some sleep!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
April 1, 2012
Happy Poetry Month! My goal for this month is to post a poem each day. They may be new or old poems I have written or even some of my favorites by other poets. To begin the month, I am going to post a poem I wrote in the fourth grade. My teacher, Mrs. Robertson, made me memorize the poem, and I have never forgotten it. I have several exciting activities planned for my students, and I am looking forward to helping them appreciate poetry in the coming weeks!
The Refrigerator
My refrigerator smells like molded apple pie.
Each time I open the door,
I want to cry.
The cheese has got mold.
The hot dogs are getting old.
My milk has turned from sweet to sour.
Everything gets older by the hour.
Look in our fridge,
your sure to find,
A BEWARE SIGN!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Day 13: March 26, 2012
I took a few weeks off from my blog project. It seems that the sore throat I fought through my entire first week back at work developed into a sinus infection. Just as I began to improve, my sweet baby girl came down with the flu. By the time we had all recovered, I was simply overwhelmed with school work, house work, and being a working mommy. It is quite ambitious to begin a blog when you are at home taking care of two children, but it is nearly impossible when you are trying to teach thirty students every day. I am finally beginning to dig myself out of the hole of papers and lesson plans and laundry, and I can only hope to stay that way for a few days. My mantra has become, "I am doing the best I can for everyone each and every day." I look often at women who have several children and still manage to juggle work and a job and make it seem effortlessly. As for me, I need a haircut, a pedicure, and I have a huge zit on my chin right now. But right now, my babies are fed and sleeping. I actually have tomorrow night's dinner in the CrockPot, and my house is relatively neat. Right now, my eyes are drooping. It feels good to have a moment to write and reflect. For all the stress that I have been under, we are surviving and thriving. That is all I can ask for today.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Day 12: March 10, 2011
It's quiet in the house this morning. I played the good wife and made Tony breakfast in bed. Bryce is watching cartoons, and Samantha is passed out on the floor with her hands over her head. I am indulging in one of my favorite pastimes, watching the Food Network. It is a sick, sad addiction, and I am simply unable to break myself from it. Although, if I am honest, I have never tried. It is the ultimate escape for me. In many ways, it takes me back to the Saturdays of my childhood.
When I was little, the only place to see cooking shows was on PBS, and I think Daddy and I watched them on most Saturday afternoons. It probably started when I was nine or ten around the time Daddy started cooking. Mama was working later nights and traveling some, and , out of necessity, he had begun cooking for us on those nights. Daddy had always grilled or fried fish, but I don't remember him cooking much inside until around this time. Maybe he started watching them out of necessity, but whatever the reason I started watching with him. Nathalie DuPree, the Frugal Gourmet, and Justin Wilson all became a part of our Saturday ritual. Mama would usually fall asleep, but Daddy and I would watch intently and discuss the techniques and ingredients in detail. In those days before the Internet, one had to write down each recipe as it was cooked. Occasionally, a recipe would catch our eye, and we would do this. I remember Daddy wanting a wok or a pan based on some technique we learned from one of these television chefs. There was something artistic in the way these chefs would take beautiful ingredients and blend them to create an even more beautiful dish, and it is what I still love about Food Network now.
Right now, I am going to post this because I am getting a cold and the battery is about to die. This mama giraffe is taking a break until tomorrow. I have a scintillating Paula Deen story to share.
When I was little, the only place to see cooking shows was on PBS, and I think Daddy and I watched them on most Saturday afternoons. It probably started when I was nine or ten around the time Daddy started cooking. Mama was working later nights and traveling some, and , out of necessity, he had begun cooking for us on those nights. Daddy had always grilled or fried fish, but I don't remember him cooking much inside until around this time. Maybe he started watching them out of necessity, but whatever the reason I started watching with him. Nathalie DuPree, the Frugal Gourmet, and Justin Wilson all became a part of our Saturday ritual. Mama would usually fall asleep, but Daddy and I would watch intently and discuss the techniques and ingredients in detail. In those days before the Internet, one had to write down each recipe as it was cooked. Occasionally, a recipe would catch our eye, and we would do this. I remember Daddy wanting a wok or a pan based on some technique we learned from one of these television chefs. There was something artistic in the way these chefs would take beautiful ingredients and blend them to create an even more beautiful dish, and it is what I still love about Food Network now.
Right now, I am going to post this because I am getting a cold and the battery is about to die. This mama giraffe is taking a break until tomorrow. I have a scintillating Paula Deen story to share.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Day 11: March 9, 2012
My son cannot keep a secret. I realize he is four, but sometimes I neglect to think about the things he is not developmentally ready to do yet. This means that last night he told his Dada (I'm not sure why he still calls his Daddy Dada, but he does. It's just another one of his quirks.), "We're getting you 'igh sabers for yours birthday." Tony looked at me, and I just smiled. There was no use denying it because he also doesn't lie.
I am impressed he actually kept it a secret as long as he did because we had found them several weeks ago when we went into Toys R Us to pick out the T-Rex he wanted to buy with his potty training money. When he saw them, I immediately thought they would be a great toy for the two of them to play with. Tony, like all boys who grew up in the 70s and 80s, loves Star Wars, and he has already begun to talk up the movies with Bryce. We talked about getting them for Tony for his birthday, but I did not buy them because I knew they would never stay hidden. Today, when I picked him up from school, we headed over to Toys R Us. The plan was to grab lunch, get the light sabers, and head to Timothy Elementary for speech. We almost didn't make it to speech.
When we got to Toys R Us, he told me he wanted to use Two's money to pay for the light sabers. My daddy had given him one of those electronic cups that hold change the last time we were in Covington. It was full of change, and he told Bryce to buy something for himself and Samantha. My plan had been to count it out and trade it in for cash before we spent it. In all of the confusion of going back to work, I haven't made it to that particular task. When Bryce said, "I will use Two's money," I cringed, but I also knew it would save me some money as well. I reached down to get the cup from under his seat and realized every last bit of the change was in the back floorboard. I'm not sure when it spilled, but it was everywhere. Initially, I wanted to leave it until later because I was terrified we would be late for speech, but he was looking at me so earnestly that I knew I was going to pick up the change. I know I'm a sucker for the kid, but he was so excited about sharing with his daddy that I couldn't refuse. I scraped out all of the change and began putting it into the top of the cup thinking that if it counted I would know how much I had in order to expedite the process of paying with a bunch of change. The process was going slowly but steadily. Bryce was picking up the occasional penny that would drop onto the asphalt. Luckily, the Athens Toys R Us is not a high traffic area at 1:2o p.m. on a March Friday afternoon. We were plugging along, and I had gotten about seven dollars into the cup when Bryce discovered the little black button on the top of the cup. His fingers reached out and pressed the button, and I suddenly saw my numbers switch to zero. I groaned as he looked at me and said, "I pressed that button." I didn't say a word as I unscrewed the lid and scraped the rest of the changed into the cup.
As we picked out the light sabers and a zebra for Samantha, I secretly prayed he would change his mind about wanting to use the change because I knew I was going to have to go through the embarrassment of counting out a bunch of change. Unfortunately, he was still set on paying using the change, so I counted out $26.50 in quarters, nickels, and dimes plus $0.50 in pennies. The rest of the total I put on my card. At this point, I knew we were going to be late for speech, but then the incredibly patient cashier says, "Ma'am, I need to see your ID." The only problem was that I didn't have my ID with me in the store. I had my credit card in my pocket from buying lunch, and my ID was with my wallet in the car. I didn't even argue, but I did think to myself, "I am in Toys R Us with two kids buying two light sabers with $27 in change, and now you want to see my ID." I simply left the change and took the kids back to the car to retrieve my license. We got out of Toys R Us with five minutes to spare, and it was worth every minute when Tony got his light sabers tonight.
So far, I think everyone in the family has played with them, and I envision lots of fun from them in the future. I just hope Tony and Bryce don't destroy my house.
I am impressed he actually kept it a secret as long as he did because we had found them several weeks ago when we went into Toys R Us to pick out the T-Rex he wanted to buy with his potty training money. When he saw them, I immediately thought they would be a great toy for the two of them to play with. Tony, like all boys who grew up in the 70s and 80s, loves Star Wars, and he has already begun to talk up the movies with Bryce. We talked about getting them for Tony for his birthday, but I did not buy them because I knew they would never stay hidden. Today, when I picked him up from school, we headed over to Toys R Us. The plan was to grab lunch, get the light sabers, and head to Timothy Elementary for speech. We almost didn't make it to speech.
When we got to Toys R Us, he told me he wanted to use Two's money to pay for the light sabers. My daddy had given him one of those electronic cups that hold change the last time we were in Covington. It was full of change, and he told Bryce to buy something for himself and Samantha. My plan had been to count it out and trade it in for cash before we spent it. In all of the confusion of going back to work, I haven't made it to that particular task. When Bryce said, "I will use Two's money," I cringed, but I also knew it would save me some money as well. I reached down to get the cup from under his seat and realized every last bit of the change was in the back floorboard. I'm not sure when it spilled, but it was everywhere. Initially, I wanted to leave it until later because I was terrified we would be late for speech, but he was looking at me so earnestly that I knew I was going to pick up the change. I know I'm a sucker for the kid, but he was so excited about sharing with his daddy that I couldn't refuse. I scraped out all of the change and began putting it into the top of the cup thinking that if it counted I would know how much I had in order to expedite the process of paying with a bunch of change. The process was going slowly but steadily. Bryce was picking up the occasional penny that would drop onto the asphalt. Luckily, the Athens Toys R Us is not a high traffic area at 1:2o p.m. on a March Friday afternoon. We were plugging along, and I had gotten about seven dollars into the cup when Bryce discovered the little black button on the top of the cup. His fingers reached out and pressed the button, and I suddenly saw my numbers switch to zero. I groaned as he looked at me and said, "I pressed that button." I didn't say a word as I unscrewed the lid and scraped the rest of the changed into the cup.
As we picked out the light sabers and a zebra for Samantha, I secretly prayed he would change his mind about wanting to use the change because I knew I was going to have to go through the embarrassment of counting out a bunch of change. Unfortunately, he was still set on paying using the change, so I counted out $26.50 in quarters, nickels, and dimes plus $0.50 in pennies. The rest of the total I put on my card. At this point, I knew we were going to be late for speech, but then the incredibly patient cashier says, "Ma'am, I need to see your ID." The only problem was that I didn't have my ID with me in the store. I had my credit card in my pocket from buying lunch, and my ID was with my wallet in the car. I didn't even argue, but I did think to myself, "I am in Toys R Us with two kids buying two light sabers with $27 in change, and now you want to see my ID." I simply left the change and took the kids back to the car to retrieve my license. We got out of Toys R Us with five minutes to spare, and it was worth every minute when Tony got his light sabers tonight.
So far, I think everyone in the family has played with them, and I envision lots of fun from them in the future. I just hope Tony and Bryce don't destroy my house.
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