23 June 2008
Behaving Badly
This month has proved to be a real challenge. For some reason, Joe is really acting up, and sibling rivalry between Flo and Joe is at its peak. We spent most of our time diverting Joe’s attention, and just trying to clean up the daily aftermath of having three kids. I was sick for a few days, and fell behind on housework, and then it just feels like climbing a mountain to catch back up. But, I’m sure I’m not alone in this challenge, so I’ll avoid complaining… too much!
Another good-parenting highlight surfaced this month when Flo blurted out the “F word”! I told her to let Joe go get the mail, and she ignored me and practically plowed Joe down trying to get out the door first. When I got mad at her, she said “I’ve been waiting all morning to get the “f*****n” mail!” It was one of those moments where my instinct was to laugh because it just sounded so out of character, but I promptly maintained my cool and sent her to her room to reflect. We didn’t get mad, but later sat down with her and pointed out that it’s not the most appealing language to use, and one should try hard to think of more descriptive adjectives!
Oh, here’s an additional little snapshot of our month thus far… Picture us standing in line at the Whole Foods Market store in Annapolis, Maryland. We had gone out for a daytrip, and had stopped for a late lunch. Joe is pestering Flo, Flo is whining because he’s pestering her, and Zofia is screaming in her stroller. We’re waiting patiently to check out, so we can feed the kids (and ourselves) and hopefully have a momentary break. Then, someone made the mistake of moving Zofia and her stroller a little too close to the shopping cart, and she promptly grabbed my cup of coffee (which thankfully was not hot), and dumped the whole thing (it was full) in her lap. She really didn’t mind that, but when I took the coffee cup away, she went into an all-out fit. Keep in mind, it’s Saturday, and the store is very crowded and rather small for the size of the area. We are totally blocking the flow of traffic as we scramble to clean up our mess, all the while, Joe is saying “Can I get a bagel, can I get a bagel, can I get a bagel?” That little voice in my head kept saying “Deep breaths!” The little voice was very helpful, because I got through that whole episode with minimal elevation of my blood pressure, and without yelling at anyone. Nonetheless, it just reinforced the challenge of taking three kids out and expecting to have a relaxing day. Probably not a realistic expectation. Oh well. I’m sure we’ll give it a try again sometime soon.
Still, even with the obvious stresses we encounter as parents, we’re really enjoying ourselves. Zofia is ten months old now, and just about walking. She’s not quite confident enough yet to take more than a step or two on her own, but she’s really curious and full of energy. We’re all enjoying watching her figure things out.
Darren did get to enjoy his eighth Father’s Day relaxing at home, while the kids and I made him pizza. My gift to him was to not roll my eyes or sigh too loudly when he played his Game Boy video game, and to let him relax as much as possible, despite the frequently conflicts between Flo and Joe, and general chaos that seems to engulf our house. Still, I think he had a fairly enjoyable day and got to reflect upon the joys of fatherhood.
So, we’re halfway through the month. I wonder what other exciting adventures the Petite Family will encounter as we head into Summer?
26 May 2008
Memorial Day
Today is Memorial Day, and along with paying homage to all those that gave their lives in service to our country, we’re enjoying a little R&R. My mom came down quite early this morning to pick up Flo and Joe to take them to a Memorial Day Parade in Chambersburg. So, Darren, Zofia and I will enjoy some time to ourselves and just relax. We’ve had another marathon month, full of activities, and I’m hoping for a little bit of a lull as we move into summer.
Zofia is nine months old now, and already testing her balance, prepping herself for those first steps. We’re really enjoying all the “firsts” with her, and paying extra close attention, as we plan for her to be our last child. There’s such a bittersweet note to that, as with the completion of our family, comes the acknowledgement that there are definitely “seasons” to life. I often feel so caught up in the stresses of day to day responsibilities, that I have to remind myself to stop and take stock of the experiences that will not pass my way again.
Okay… enough reflection for one day! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend and looking forward to some warmer weather and summer activities! Drop us a line and share your plans or just say hi!
20 April 2008
Fifteen Years
Today Darren and I celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary… or actually, elopement anniversary. Yes, fifteen years ago, we crossed the border from Canada into Maine filled with youthful enthusiasm (and naivety) about starting a new life together. After securing a marriage license a day later than anticipated, due to a state holiday, we were married by Etta, a retired justice of the peace, in her tiny apartment in Bangor, Maine. Two of her elderly friends from her retirement community served as our witnesses. We rounded out the day’s festivities with dinner at a local restaurant and a night’s accommodations at the luxurious Scottish Inn, fully equipped with shag carpet and a microwave! Ah, good times!
A lot has transpired over the past fifteen years, including living in several places, losing my father, finishing a few college degrees, a few sessions with a therapist, a lot of laughs and of course, three wonderful children. I think that aside from parenting, our marriage has been one of our greatest sources of personal growth, and I’m sure it will continue to present new lessons. I’m just happy to be here to learn them!
31 March 2008
We Have Lift Off!
Zofia is officially crawling now and has started trying to pull herself up when she's in the crib. So, now we enter that tedious stage in which we have to be vigilant and constantly on guard, and she has to be determined and persistent in her journey towards upright mobility. I guess the baby gates come out this week! She also reached another milestone in her seventh month with a tooth popping through on the bottom! What an eventful time!
Joe has a terrible sounding cough, which he unfortunately passed along to Zofia. Neither of them seem particularly fazed by it, and I hope it passes quickly. We’ve got another busy week ahead. We have a homeschooling buddy that moved away coming back for a visit, as well as, a field trip, yoga, skating lessons and homeschool co-op. And, Tuesday is Darren’s birthday. He gets to celebrate it by working at home! Thursday, we may go into DC with my mom for the Cherry Blossom festivities, although the logistics of that now, with three kids, seems somewhat daunting. So, we’ll see.
It’s hard to believe March is already over! But we’ll gladly welcome Spring!
16 March 2008
Happy Birthday to Me!
Well, Alex’s visit has come and gone already. He and Darren had a great time, and the kids and I tagged along for a couple day trips to DC and Baltimore, too. The time went by so quickly. Darren’s brother, Darrell, and his family are here today, and will be heading back to Ontario in the morning. So, tomorrow is back to the routine… Darren has to go “back to work,” which is really just in the office off the kitchen. Nonetheless, it will be an effort to get up early. Flo has an ice skating lesson tomorrow, a skating party afterwards, and a sleepover with a friend planned, so another busy day awaits...
Today is actually my 35th birthday. Hard to believe. I think the fact that time seems to be going by so quickly is definitely a marker of middle age. I’m not quite ready for a mid-life crisis yet, but I’ll contemplate how that can manifest itself. The possibilities are endless!
We had a nice day visiting with Darren’s brother and family, and I took Flo to an event at the library with the author of the American Girl books. Then we went to the Chinese buffet down the street for dinner. It didn't particularly agree with me, so I'm rolling into my 35th year with a bit of a tummy ache. Oh well... hopefully nothing a good night's sleep won't alleviate. Overall, it was a good day, but I’m so tired, and looking forward to a lull in our schedule over the next couple of weeks.
23 February 2008
Flying Through February
We’ve had a couple good snow storms. Nothing in the realm of true New England weather, but enough for the kids to get some good sledding in. Flo also went to Ski Liberty, in Pennsylvania, with our homescooling group for a fun day of tubing down the mountain. Joe is content with the little hill in our front yard, but maybe we’ll try to take him, too, before the season is over.
February has been an eventful month. There doesn’t seem like there’s been a minute to rest, and according to our calendar, it will be much of the same well into March. Darren’s friend, Alex, is flying in from Italy next week to visit for a couple weeks. He and Darren have a couple trips planned to see a Bon Jovi concert in Philadelphia and Van Halen in Baltimore. Scattered in there will be a few visits with family and friend, and checking out some of the local sights, so I’m sure they’ll keep busy, and two weeks will fly by. A day or so after Alex leaves, Darren’s brother and family will be stopping in for the weekend on their way back from Spring Break in Myrtle Beach. So, there will be no shortage of activity in our house for the next few weeks.
We’re getting into the groove of Darren working at home, and I have to say, it’s a great deal! He has to go to DC once a week to drop off and pick up cases, and the rest of the week he works from home. It really affords us more flexibility, more sleep and more time to spend as a family. So, I definitely feel blessed with the opportunity.
Otherwise, it’s business as usual. Busy busy busy.
31 January 2008
Home At Last
Jeesh! January blew by, didn’t it? It’s been a busy couple of weeks. Yesterday, Darren went to DC to pick up his new computer to work at home. Today we went down to Martinsburg to the VA hospital, where’s he’s been outsourced for the past seven months. We went to pick up all his stuff, and ended up having to call my mom down to pick up a second load. Apparently VA employees accumulate lots of heavy boxes. But, anyway, he’s now officially a work at home employee again! Yeah! We’re really excited about the flexibility this allows us, and just getting to hang out together more.
It’s been a long day, and it concluded with the kitchen sink flooding the floor and leaking down into the basement ceiling. Ugh! I had everyone ready for bed, and was just finishing up for the night, when I noticed water streaming out on my feet while I was standing at the sink! No fair! It looks like our faucet, which we replaced six months ago, broke. Great. Something else to add to the “must buy now” list… and to the “to do ASAP” list… But, it could be worse. We got our taxes done tonight, too. So, now we can spend our refund chipping away at those lists!
21 January 2008
Sick
Well, as luck would have it, Darren has a long weekend this weekend, and he’s been really sick since Saturday morning. He’s spent the last two days sleeping in the baby’s room (there’s an extra bed in there) and running across the hall to the bathroom. I have to say, I have real empathy for single parents. It must be very difficult for the weekend to roll around and not have a partner with whom to share some of the kid responsibilities. Hopefully, Darren is feeling better by Tuesday morning, so he doesn’t have to take any sick leave. I guess if he’s going to get sick, at least he’s not using up any leave. Let’s just hope it doesn’t make the rounds to me. I can’t take leave!
January is blowing by. We’ve been busy with homeschooling activities and just trying to stay on top of things. The weather is finally turning cold, which makes it feel more like winter now. I bundled up the baby tonight to go for my walk, thinking I’d take her along in the stroller, since Darren is sick. It was so cold and gusty, I had to cut it a bit short. Zofia didn’t seem to notice. She was all wrapped up in one of those snow suit things and covered with blankets. The only part of her that was a little chilly when we got home was her nose. Nonetheless, I think I’ll be retreating to the basement to exercise on the treadmill until the temperatures go up a bit. Brr…
I’m waiting on a loaf of gluten-free bread to finish baking, so I can go to bed. It’s my baking experiment of the day. I went through a bread-making frenzy last week and made five or six loaves of whole wheat bread, a few of which I froze. It turned out really well, but the problem with making bread is that it’s too easy to eat too much of it. But, I wanted to see if I could make a healthy bread for the kids that didn’t have any unwanted additives in it. It was a hit with Joe, and Flo liked it okay, but wasn’t too excited. I’ll have to play around with the recipe. We’ve also been considering trying Joe on a gluten-free diet, as many kids with multiple food allergies benefit from at least a reduction in wheat products. The problem is, it’s become a staple in a lot of the convenience food for him; like cereal, homemade muffins, bread, crackers, etc. So, we’ll see. Now that he’s five, I think I may take him to the allergist again for some more testing. At the very least, it might give us a little more information to work with.
Zofia was five months old yesterday. She’s a big giggler now. She loves laughing at her brother and sister’s silly faces and funny noises. Of course, along with her increased alertness, comes an increase in energy expenditure on my part. I’m feeling chronically tired and no matter how much I try, I can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep. I guess that’s something you have to be willing to forego once you have children, but it sure can make a person cranky at times. I try to prioritize sleep for that reason. And since there’s twenty one minutes left for the bread to bake, I think I’ll be really productive and go finish folding the laundry, because typing is starting to put me to sleep.
01 January 2008
Happy New Year 2008!
 Since 2008 is the year of the rat, according to the Chinese calendar, Flo hastily drew a rat for me. Maybe we should call him Rapido the Rat. (Rapido means “quick” in Spanish) Oh, and my name (Tara) spelled backwards, spells A RAT. So, this must be a sign of a good year to come. As long as we don’t actually see any unexpected rats, that is. I know many people have pet rats and think they're great, but I'd rather not come across one unexpectedly, like in my kitchen, or say, in a restaurant; especially a Chinese one. Rats are supposedly very intelligent, too, which is good, because I could use some increased intellect this year. Most days I steer in the poor visibility of "mommy fog," and a few extra functioning brain cells would be a real asset! How did I get off on this rat tangent... I digress...
Our New Year’s Eve was spent visiting with friends from our church circle. They had a nice bonfire and potluck. Flo and Joe went with Darren, and Zofia and I went over a little later, but didn’t stay too long. I had a bad headache, and it was a challenge not to be grouchy. We came home and all stayed up long enough to watch Dick Clark count down the ball dropping.
We all have stuffed up sinuses, coughs or scratchy throats. I think on the onset of winter has brought these minor maladies, but hopefully that’s the worst of it. And as we ride out the end of this holiday week, we’re resting up for the New Year and the resumption of our regular weekly activities. It has been nice having a couple weeks of a less hectic schedule, and it has made me reflect upon the activities in which we’ll choose to participate in this second half of the “school” year. Though homeschooling can provide lots of flexibility, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the abundance of classes and activities offered, and end up with the quantity versus quality issue. Sometimes it’s better to scale back the schedule for a selective few activities and allow more actual “home” time just for relaxed learning. So, that will be my goal this year… well, one of them anyway.
So, I hope this New Year finds everyone well, and that your resolutions are lofty and attainable! Happy New Year!
27 December 2007
Outing Myself
I guess the fact that I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in a week is starting to catch up with me. I looked at my kitchen today and just walked away. I opted to play games with the kids, and refrain from nagging at them to clean up their stuff all day. The result was a relaxing day, but a very untidy house. I'm sure I'm not alone. C'mon... who else has CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)? You can always tell how much sleep I'm getting by what my house looks like. I suppose I need to work on getting more sleep...
Our Christmas went well, though Flo stayed up until 2am waiting for Santa. Santa had to wait until they were asleep to visit, and they woke us up at 8:30 on Christmas morning. So, needless to say, the cycle of sleep deprivation continues. We went to the Chinese buffet down the street in the afternoon, and thankfully, nobody had an allergic reation or got food poisioing, so that was a festive treat. Now we'll be spending the weekend cleaning up the holiday clutter and trying to get back into some sort of routine.
The work-at-home program for Darren's job is supposedly very close to being approved. In fact, it has been approved, but since Darren FedExed his paperwork down right over the holiday, his is still sitting on someone's desk until they return from vacation next week. So, it's looking very likely that he'll be set to work at home within the next week or two. Yeah! Of course, I'll reserve my excitement until the day he brings his PC home and sets up shop in the back office.
Well, our co-op buying club order (groceries) is due tomorrow, so I'd better go work on that while the kids are being quiet. Zofia's in the exercauser beside me, and I suspect it won't entertain her much longer.
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