Oh... happy as can be so long as Daddy was holding her in the pool at our hotel in Aspen!
Monday, October 24, 2005
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Bad Judgment
Today worked out quite nicely much like yesterday, what with the napping, self-occupied, and early-to-bed SamSam. Work went well, Sami ate her meals really quite heartily, and at bedtime, all went so smoothly. But I exhibited some really bad judgment this afternoon.
I was done working around 4:45. And it was the first really cool, fall-ish type of day, that just invigorates me. It has been so hot here the past couple of days. Temperatures in the upper 80s and 90 are just too warm for October. Especially when your office is in the southwest corner of the hot upstairs of your house and has 4 windows.
Anyway, so all day, I had deemed a walk to the grocery store was in order. My excuse was that she was out of her kind of milk. It is a little over 1 mile to the store, and just a nice-sized walk for exercise and getting “out” after a day inside on a beautiful day.
I’ve been having this weird old-lady-like hip pain, and a little cold, that has precluded me from walking like this very much the past couple of weeks, and I could tell I wasn’t exercising enough when I got on the scale. Anyway, my hip was feeling pretty stable, and I did a quick 20 minute workout of leg work, leg lifts, and sit-ups before we left, and was feeling pretty good.
I knew it was cool outside and all, but I still dressed in shorts and a tank top onaccounta I get so warm when I’m walking. But I did dress Sami in jeans, a t-shirt, and a sweatshirt—with socks too.
I gathered up our “walk belongings” and loaded her up in the stroller, then set the house alarm. Once in the garage and ready to leave, I realized I didn’t have the spare blanket I usually keep in the stroller should we encounter inclement weather. But the thought of unarming the alarm, and leaving a keening Sami in the garage by herself while I retrieved it from upstairs convinced me to go without it.
We stepped outside, and I kind of noticed that despite the sunshine, there appeared to be a rather ominous front developing over the mountains to the west. I rationalized that I could make it to the store and back in under 45 minutes if I kept up a good pace, and took off anyway. Even though my little cautionary inner voice was nagging at me to turn back.
It was a bit breezy—but okay—on the way there. We only had to grab about 4 items at the store, but the line at the deli was really long. When we walked out my heart sank… the front had moved in, and it was wildly windy and cold. The temperature had dropped probably 15 or 20 degrees, and it was windy, and misting, and cold. The wind was coming in right from the direction we were heading—to the north.
It was a very long trip home despite the fact that I ran most of the way. Didn’t even know I had that in me—and it turns out that running while pushing about 60 pounds of stroller, baby and groceries, along with the wind-resistance of putting up the canopy on the stroller was a remarkably good aerobic workout. Sami just screamed about the final 5 blocks. She was cold, and disturbed by the strong wind in her face, and picking up on my anxiety over subjecting my dear, sweet baby to this horrible weather. We ran into about 5 people out walking dogs, biking or jogging – but all of them were dressed in long pants, with long sleeves and sweatshirts, and looked at me like I was truly insane in my shorts and tank-top, with my screaming red-nosed baby.
We made it home okay, of course. And I gave her a bottle of really warm milk right away, and she was fine. But I know that next time I will pay attention to that feeling of venturing out against my good judgment.
About 5 minutes after we got home and settled in, it started pouring rain with lightening and thunder. It was really quite cold. Turns out it is supposed to snow tonight.
She’s snug in bed in her fleecy, footie pajamas, with an extra t-shirt underneath to keep her warm through the night.
I was done working around 4:45. And it was the first really cool, fall-ish type of day, that just invigorates me. It has been so hot here the past couple of days. Temperatures in the upper 80s and 90 are just too warm for October. Especially when your office is in the southwest corner of the hot upstairs of your house and has 4 windows.
Anyway, so all day, I had deemed a walk to the grocery store was in order. My excuse was that she was out of her kind of milk. It is a little over 1 mile to the store, and just a nice-sized walk for exercise and getting “out” after a day inside on a beautiful day.
I’ve been having this weird old-lady-like hip pain, and a little cold, that has precluded me from walking like this very much the past couple of weeks, and I could tell I wasn’t exercising enough when I got on the scale. Anyway, my hip was feeling pretty stable, and I did a quick 20 minute workout of leg work, leg lifts, and sit-ups before we left, and was feeling pretty good.
I knew it was cool outside and all, but I still dressed in shorts and a tank top onaccounta I get so warm when I’m walking. But I did dress Sami in jeans, a t-shirt, and a sweatshirt—with socks too.
I gathered up our “walk belongings” and loaded her up in the stroller, then set the house alarm. Once in the garage and ready to leave, I realized I didn’t have the spare blanket I usually keep in the stroller should we encounter inclement weather. But the thought of unarming the alarm, and leaving a keening Sami in the garage by herself while I retrieved it from upstairs convinced me to go without it.
We stepped outside, and I kind of noticed that despite the sunshine, there appeared to be a rather ominous front developing over the mountains to the west. I rationalized that I could make it to the store and back in under 45 minutes if I kept up a good pace, and took off anyway. Even though my little cautionary inner voice was nagging at me to turn back.
It was a bit breezy—but okay—on the way there. We only had to grab about 4 items at the store, but the line at the deli was really long. When we walked out my heart sank… the front had moved in, and it was wildly windy and cold. The temperature had dropped probably 15 or 20 degrees, and it was windy, and misting, and cold. The wind was coming in right from the direction we were heading—to the north.
It was a very long trip home despite the fact that I ran most of the way. Didn’t even know I had that in me—and it turns out that running while pushing about 60 pounds of stroller, baby and groceries, along with the wind-resistance of putting up the canopy on the stroller was a remarkably good aerobic workout. Sami just screamed about the final 5 blocks. She was cold, and disturbed by the strong wind in her face, and picking up on my anxiety over subjecting my dear, sweet baby to this horrible weather. We ran into about 5 people out walking dogs, biking or jogging – but all of them were dressed in long pants, with long sleeves and sweatshirts, and looked at me like I was truly insane in my shorts and tank-top, with my screaming red-nosed baby.
We made it home okay, of course. And I gave her a bottle of really warm milk right away, and she was fine. But I know that next time I will pay attention to that feeling of venturing out against my good judgment.
About 5 minutes after we got home and settled in, it started pouring rain with lightening and thunder. It was really quite cold. Turns out it is supposed to snow tonight.
She’s snug in bed in her fleecy, footie pajamas, with an extra t-shirt underneath to keep her warm through the night.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Today: Simple as That
Today – Simple as That.
Sami slept in until 7:20 this morning. And it was Michael’s turn to sleep in, since he had been up late after getting home from work last night at 10 but then still having to write up a report. So Sami and I let Daddy sleep in, and she played while I worked at my computer, ‘cause it is a work-from-home day.
When Michael woke up, we all went downstairs for a quick breakfast – Sami was served toast, sliced grapes, and some cheese. What she ate was the cheese and the grapes, and she used the toast for launching. Michael endured a lecture about the gravity of maintaining consistent discipline messages for Sami on his days with her, while I unloaded the dishwasher and observed her diving her little mitts right into the silverware holder—regardless of sharp knives. I had her taught this no-no when I last left her on Tuesday. But 3 days of Daddy’s leniency (“…well, it was so cute when she handed me a fork to put away…”) and she was right back at it.
Sami spent the rest of the morning monitoring Daddy’s preparation to go to work, and my progress at the computer, in between bouts of playing. Around 11, she laid down for a nap, and didn’t wake up until after 1. We had lunch together (turkey, cauliflower, green beans, orange slices, cheese and milk for Sami; again, the oranges and cheese were big favorites for eating, the remainder for tossing apparently). Then back to work for me, and back to play for her. Around 2:45 or so, she was getting overly frustrated with a couple of uncooperative toys, and so I made her a bottle and laid her down in her crib to drink it, and didn’t hear another peep out of her until 5:15!
I mean, seriously, I know parents that I talk to either don’t believe me when I tell them how much and how easily she sleeps, or they do believe me and hate me. I’m claiming no acumen on this matter – I just got the lucky draw baby. I know that. But geesh, that means really she’s only awake about 8 hours a day. And during that time, she’s so self-entertained with a few toys and books... I can’t complain.
So anyway, I knock off working around 5-ish, and wait for Sami to wake up from her nap, and when she does, we both get dressed in something decent for the public to view, should we run into any public, and we head out in the stroller to get the mail and visit our neighborhood park. First we swing, then I let Sami down to freeform… and she heads straight for the gym equipment. There, we meet a little boy named Alex who is six, and much to my delight, another old mom. We ended up chatting at length, and Suzanne just moved here from Missouri 6 months ago, and marvels at the neighborhood. How everyone seems to have the same “values” and the beautiful parks, and houses, etc. And once again I am sheepishly grateful that we pulled off getting to live here. We are SO the neighborhood riff-raff. Evidenced by the conversation with this woman who eventually reveals that they live “just off Crescent Park.” Which, to the uninitiated means that she is filthy rich – those homes are multi-million dollar homes. She eventually mentions (in a legitimate scenario regarding how much children need to sleep because their brains are “wiring”) that her husband is a neurologist. ‘Nuff said. Anyway, she was very nice, and we just kind of clicked, talking about being older moms, and how both our husbands were 50 when their children were born.
At one point she asked me if I was going to send Sami to preschool, or straight to kindergarten. I admitted that that is precisely the type of thing that keeps me awake at night. I don’t know this stuff. I have no idea what I’m doing. I don’t even understand the implications of my choices, for Pete’s sake.
If you had asked me when I found out I was pregnant and going to have this child, I would have been certain I would be a limp-along, inept parent. But so far, every stage that has come along has been pretty self-explanatory, and I feel like I might be doing okay. So I try not to sweat the stuff about the future.
Then I get her ominous cautionary prediction that I’d better decide soon if Denver is anything like Columbia, Missouri where she lived for so many years… that if I decide on preschool, the waiting list is years long. Great. Just what I need. Now I have something to worry about again when I wake up at 4am.
Anyway, it is difficult for me to explain – this day was so very routine in its timing, and tasks, and duties. And yet, so wildly enjoyable. Sami was a dream – happy and self-occupied, and napping right on cue, then going to bed like a sweet, sweet angel, after her bath and a book. My life is full of days like this, so full of routines, which to me – the word routine used to be reprehensible. And yet I love it so much, and enjoy it so very much. And am so full of gratitude and wonder that I get to have this life, and this daughter and this husband. Aren’t I such a sap? But it is true. Now I’m not here to claim I never have frustration or get short-tempered. I do. Big time. But I also, usually within minutes of it, am able to put it aside and realize that I might very well be the most-blessed person I know of.
Anyway, yeah… I sure enjoyed my day.
Sami slept in until 7:20 this morning. And it was Michael’s turn to sleep in, since he had been up late after getting home from work last night at 10 but then still having to write up a report. So Sami and I let Daddy sleep in, and she played while I worked at my computer, ‘cause it is a work-from-home day.
When Michael woke up, we all went downstairs for a quick breakfast – Sami was served toast, sliced grapes, and some cheese. What she ate was the cheese and the grapes, and she used the toast for launching. Michael endured a lecture about the gravity of maintaining consistent discipline messages for Sami on his days with her, while I unloaded the dishwasher and observed her diving her little mitts right into the silverware holder—regardless of sharp knives. I had her taught this no-no when I last left her on Tuesday. But 3 days of Daddy’s leniency (“…well, it was so cute when she handed me a fork to put away…”) and she was right back at it.
Sami spent the rest of the morning monitoring Daddy’s preparation to go to work, and my progress at the computer, in between bouts of playing. Around 11, she laid down for a nap, and didn’t wake up until after 1. We had lunch together (turkey, cauliflower, green beans, orange slices, cheese and milk for Sami; again, the oranges and cheese were big favorites for eating, the remainder for tossing apparently). Then back to work for me, and back to play for her. Around 2:45 or so, she was getting overly frustrated with a couple of uncooperative toys, and so I made her a bottle and laid her down in her crib to drink it, and didn’t hear another peep out of her until 5:15!
I mean, seriously, I know parents that I talk to either don’t believe me when I tell them how much and how easily she sleeps, or they do believe me and hate me. I’m claiming no acumen on this matter – I just got the lucky draw baby. I know that. But geesh, that means really she’s only awake about 8 hours a day. And during that time, she’s so self-entertained with a few toys and books... I can’t complain.
So anyway, I knock off working around 5-ish, and wait for Sami to wake up from her nap, and when she does, we both get dressed in something decent for the public to view, should we run into any public, and we head out in the stroller to get the mail and visit our neighborhood park. First we swing, then I let Sami down to freeform… and she heads straight for the gym equipment. There, we meet a little boy named Alex who is six, and much to my delight, another old mom. We ended up chatting at length, and Suzanne just moved here from Missouri 6 months ago, and marvels at the neighborhood. How everyone seems to have the same “values” and the beautiful parks, and houses, etc. And once again I am sheepishly grateful that we pulled off getting to live here. We are SO the neighborhood riff-raff. Evidenced by the conversation with this woman who eventually reveals that they live “just off Crescent Park.” Which, to the uninitiated means that she is filthy rich – those homes are multi-million dollar homes. She eventually mentions (in a legitimate scenario regarding how much children need to sleep because their brains are “wiring”) that her husband is a neurologist. ‘Nuff said. Anyway, she was very nice, and we just kind of clicked, talking about being older moms, and how both our husbands were 50 when their children were born.
At one point she asked me if I was going to send Sami to preschool, or straight to kindergarten. I admitted that that is precisely the type of thing that keeps me awake at night. I don’t know this stuff. I have no idea what I’m doing. I don’t even understand the implications of my choices, for Pete’s sake.
If you had asked me when I found out I was pregnant and going to have this child, I would have been certain I would be a limp-along, inept parent. But so far, every stage that has come along has been pretty self-explanatory, and I feel like I might be doing okay. So I try not to sweat the stuff about the future.
Then I get her ominous cautionary prediction that I’d better decide soon if Denver is anything like Columbia, Missouri where she lived for so many years… that if I decide on preschool, the waiting list is years long. Great. Just what I need. Now I have something to worry about again when I wake up at 4am.
Anyway, it is difficult for me to explain – this day was so very routine in its timing, and tasks, and duties. And yet, so wildly enjoyable. Sami was a dream – happy and self-occupied, and napping right on cue, then going to bed like a sweet, sweet angel, after her bath and a book. My life is full of days like this, so full of routines, which to me – the word routine used to be reprehensible. And yet I love it so much, and enjoy it so very much. And am so full of gratitude and wonder that I get to have this life, and this daughter and this husband. Aren’t I such a sap? But it is true. Now I’m not here to claim I never have frustration or get short-tempered. I do. Big time. But I also, usually within minutes of it, am able to put it aside and realize that I might very well be the most-blessed person I know of.
Anyway, yeah… I sure enjoyed my day.
Neglect
Okay, now I’ve neglected this for WAY too long, and when I do think of getting back in here I feel all this pressure to get all caught up on everything I’ve missed (Sami walking, Sami turning 1, and on and on), and then I feel overwhelmed and procrastinate some more. So here’s how it is – I’m just going to start from here. So I missed some milestones. I’ll live with it, just to motivate myself to get back in here and write about the little daily nuances of life with Sami that are probably going to wind up being the things I’ll most enjoy reading about in the future anyway. It is those little daily occurrences that I find I tend to forget, and enjoy reading about when I go back anyway. So there.
I think I’ll commit to trying to get in here at least a few times a week, and just writing about what our day consisted of that day. I’m going to try to do it… say… in the evenings before I go to bed, after Sami has gone to bed. More of a diary-type entry. Maybe that will be less daunting than trying to capture these milestones, and all my feelings about raising a child.
Yep. That’s what I’ll do then.
I think I’ll commit to trying to get in here at least a few times a week, and just writing about what our day consisted of that day. I’m going to try to do it… say… in the evenings before I go to bed, after Sami has gone to bed. More of a diary-type entry. Maybe that will be less daunting than trying to capture these milestones, and all my feelings about raising a child.
Yep. That’s what I’ll do then.
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