Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Cuddle Club

On Monday nights I snuggle with my daughter. Because the rest of the week the Cuddle Club only lasts for 5 minutes.

Miss S is a limited snuggler so any chance I get to be in the Cuddle Club, I jump at it. I think that on Mondays she may go through withdrawals of not having her mom around while at daycare. So on Monday nights, she takes a long time to get to sleep. Instead of dozing off quickly, she hollers and whines until I go in there and get her out of the crib and she immediately rests her head on my chest. I of course, can't resist this so I sink into the rocker and snuggle with her. She dozes then wakes up, looks at me, even touches my face, just to make sure I am there. She does this over and over for about 20 minutes, before I put her back in the crib and she falls asleep.

My niece Ava, who is exactly one month older than Miss S, is a total cuddler (both go to daycare, so that is not an argument). She rests her head on her parents shoulder all the time and will even fall asleep on them even when there is activity going on, whether it be a party, tv, etc. Not Miss S. She would rather be all into everything. She pushes off Hubbs and I and no matter how hard we try to snuggle, she does not want anything to do with it..... Unless she is super sleepy in her room before bedtime, she will cuddle. I think she is slowly getting better at mellowing down. It hurts our feelings sometimes, but I recently realized when I googled this, that, heck, tons of kids don't cuddle! Apparently, this is normal. Kids either cuddle or they don't. I just hope, she will be a more active member of the Cuddle Club someday. Anyone have tips?

"What's all this talk about cuddling?"

Monday, September 28, 2009

A Walk Down Memory Lane

So as I mentioned before, we are moving. And this time I am really going through stuff to toss. My mom is notorious for dropping off boxes of stuff for me. Not boxes of useful items, but boxes of crap. Crap consisting of old keepsake items such as: prom corsages, old school notebooks, diaries, projects, dress up jewelry, nick knacks, etc. Yesterday, while rifling through one of the many crap boxes, I came across a good stack of letters. Letters from old friends and boyfriends. I read through some of them and realized one thing.

1) High school was full of petty crap. I found some notes in response to notes I HAD WRITTEN to friends that were just ridiculous! And the best part? I don't remember any of this crap happening, which basically means I let things roll off my back very easily. Which, I guess is good yet somewhat rare for a girl to do in high school.

So I kept some of the ones that are petty, just for whenever I want a good laugh. I kept all of the letters from Hubbs in the early days, but tossed all the other crap out. I felt guilty at first, but realized, I just couldn't see myself pulling out a box or two on a rainy day and going through all of it. I always told myself I would, which is why I passed them along each time we moved. Now, I am purging.

Do you typically toss or keep?

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

It's Pouring

Why does it seem that when it rains, it always has to pour? Right when we decided we are settled in our house, we get up and and decide to move!!!! Move in three weeks to be exact. Move the weekend after my niece's first birthday and the weekend before we go to Orange County for hubbs' uncle's wedding. Weekend after that is Halloween followed by Miss S's birthday weekend! Before you know it will be time to gain 5 pounds at Thanksgiving, we'll be getting a Christmas tree and I will be trying to keep a walking baby (not yet walking but I am sure she will by then) from pulling the tree over, unwrapping all the presents and eating ornaments.

Phew! Did everyone get all that? Yup, Fall always seems to be crazy. I love the fall but there is always so much going on that it whizzes right by. I could go on and on about the mayhem mentioned above but instead have decided to fill you in on the following:

1) I am skinny. Very skinny. I regularly get comments from co-workers and family that I am skinnier than before I had Miss S. I have always been thin with a nice rack. Now I am just thin with a mediocre rack. My waist is narrow, my ass non-existent and my abs, well, they have never looked this good. My secret? Quiet simply, having a kid and crazy job. Eating just isn't a priority for me and some days it gets to be 2 or 3 in the afternoon and realize I haven't had lunch, then eat something and since it was so late in the day I don't get hungry at dinner time. However, most days I eat regular meals. I have really good metabolism. My parents and brother are thin (well not so much my dad these days due to his appreciation for his nightly micro-brew(s). I know I need to add on a couple L B's. however, it just doesn't' seem to happen. Not sure if that my metabolism is extra fast now or something. I am not going to go out and binge on fast food just to add some junk to my trunk, that just isn't healthy, but I do indulge now more than I used to. Maybe it is going to slow down eventually. Until then, you will find me at Baskin Robbins enjoying that extra scoop.

Monday, September 14, 2009

It's a Feeling

I peared through the smudged windows, craning my neck to see the skyline tucked below the plane as we descended into JFK. The sky was gray with bright sun rays poking through the clouds. I was sitting on the wrong side so I didn't see much, but I still had goosebumps with the excitement, visualizing the skyscrapers below, the bustling city that I had always dreamed of visiting, and now I actually was.

My boss told me "Your going to New York" and I didn't blink an eye. It would be the first city on a trip of whirlwind meetings, and I got to go along. There were a couple other colleagues going as well. I hadn't flown by myself before and wanted to try to go with someone else, however, they were going out later in the day and knowing that I only had two nights in the city I didn't want miss out on any time to explore. I took the first flight out of SFO on that Sunday which brought me in to JFK around 3:00.

I was nervous with anticipation as I got into the Town Car I had arranged with the car service. The entire trip from the airport to the city, I was nervously peering out the windows, at all the other drivers racing past us. My driver talked angrily on the phone but I didn't care. I only cared about seeing that skyline I had been waiting my whole life to see.

We came around the bend. There it was. Gleaming before me next to the bright Fall Sky. It almost took the breath right out of me. I will never forget it.

My hotel was right next to the W and Waldorf Astoria. I immediately checked in and barely was in my room 5 minutes before I went back downstairs and out on to the street. Having no direction or even a map. Just my purse.

It was blustery cold. The first weekend in November. It was the day of the New York Marathon. Runners were all over the place as they finished up, the dispersed out on to the streets in Midtown. I went to a cafe where I ordered a sandwich and coffee. I sat by myself and watched the people walk by on the streets. I set back out. I actually looked like I belonged there. Wearing some great jeans, brown heeled boots and a dark green tweed pea coat with a ribbon belt.

I dug my hands into my pockets and pressed ahead. The wind kicked my hair in all directions. It was getting dark, but people were all around. I had no idea where I was headed but have never felt safer.

I noticed some bright lights ahead. It was Rockefeller Center. I picked up my strut and raced ahead. I took my camera out and in my moment of excitement took a couple of pictures of the Radio City Music Hall/ 30 Rock Sign. That moment, I will never forget. It was a moment of independence. No one knew me. I was alone in the big city, all by myself. I felt such adrenalin. Such excitement, I can still feel it to this day, and every other time I go to my city, my love, New York. I was only 24. And I felt like I had the world ahead of me.

I didn't have much time so I headed back to the hotel where I was to meet with my boss and some executives who came in early. We were going to dinner to Nobu in TriBeCa. At dinner we noshed on the best Japanese food I had ever had and drank bottle after bottle of the finest Sonoma Cabs and Burgundy Pinot Noirs. At one point at dinner I noticed Claire Danes eating with a friend. And a couple seats over, George Lucas and his girlfriend.

We met up for drinks a the bar at the W the next night. We were amongst "Suits" of Wall Street. The waitresses were straight off the runway. We drank champagne and enjoyed the sights.

The next day we were off to Chicago. I bid farewell to the city that I knew I would get a chance to meet someday. Vowing, I would be back soon. And I did, barely six months later I was back for a week for more business.

It has been a year and a half since my last trip. I want to go back. I need to go back. This time with the Hubbs. He needs to see how the city makes you feel. The city that has the greatest energy. The city that makes you feel at home.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Back to the Grind

Friday:
Trying to work from home while handling conference calls and work fire drills, indigestion, diarrhea all over crib, doctor's appt. for me, doctor's appt. for Miss S, dinner at our favorite pizza place, pass out on couch, bed.

Saturday:
Donuts, bagels, laundry, park, tantrum on train at park, back home, nap, mom naps, dad naps, burritos for dinner, State of Play (good, had to pause it three times so Hubbs could explain what the heck was happening), pass out on couch

Sunday:
Blueberry pancakes, Target, Safeway, long naps, cleaning bathrooms, more naps, Ribs at brother and sister in laws, Pinot Gris, endless toys for Miss S to play with, Miss S in the bath with her cousins, home and pass out, followed by more indigestion

Monday:
Tortillas and eggs, mall with mom and Miss S, naps, off to hubbs' grandparents for pizza and salad, Miss S was bored with the lack of baby things to get into at their house, home, Mad Men on TiVo and more indigestion

Tuesday:
Up at the crack of dawn, get self ready, Miss S ready, Hubbs is long gone on to work, schedule cat to get into vet, back at work playing catch up, wearing cute dress, great hair day, more indigestion.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

You Know You Are A Mom When....

-You show up to work and realize your underwear is inside-out
-You have to explain to your co-worker that the diaper in your car really is clean and fell out of the diaper bag en route to daycare
-You get teary eyed when you drop off your little one to daycare and notice a toddler crying because he wants his mommy

Since giving birth I have had a hard time digesting really big meals, or they go right through me. This usually happens after we go out to eat and I order a hamburger. Something about the grease has been bugging me. A couple months back I got sick from eating a hamburger and fries and assumed it was food poisoning. Yesterday at a work lunch, I ordered a gigantic burger with fries and immediately following I felt like I was ridiculously stuffed. I had no appetite at dinner and sometime in the evening I got nauseous and ended up puking for four hours off and on. I woke up today feeling horrible, slightly nauseous but was able to pull myself together to get myself and Sonya ready to get to work since hubbs left super early. I have splitting pain across my back shoulder blades. Could I have gallbladder issues? Has anyone ever heard of symptoms like that?