New Year's Wii-in' Eve

Where did 2008 go? I've finally started to actually write 2008 rather than 2007 and now it goes and changes on me again.


I've never been a big fan of New Year's Eve. I like the concept, ring in the new year, new opportunities, new beginnings. Certainly I'm embracing the resolutions this year. But the day, or night, itself is always somewhat of a let down. We're happy to stay home, mostly because we can't make it until midnight and because it's not particularly safe to be out driving tonight.

I remember when I was in high school and attending a New Year's Eve party (it was tame, as was I in high school) my mom making me promise to be INSIDE at midnight. While my friends ran into the street banging pots and pans, I stood in the doorway of the house. Yes, really. I was that kind of kid. I guess it has stuck with me.


We're having a few friends over tonight for dinner and fun with the Wii. I doubt anyone will make it until midnight and since tomorrow is my morning to get up with Bub, I kind of hope no one will.


It's been an incredible year. My baby turned one, took his first steps, said his first words, ate his first ice cream cone. He still hasn't had his first hair cut, and is sporting quite the curly little mullet, so there are still some great firsts waiting for 2009.

Hopefully 2009 will be the year I master my new fancy camera. I've taken it out of the box exactly once, snapped two pictures, felt overwhelmed and boxed it back up. Certainly that wasn't what my parents intended when they handed me the colorfully wrapped box on Christmas Eve. They're expecting gorgeous pics of their too cute grandson and they're expecting them soon.

And they'll get them. But tonight? Tonight we learn who rocks at Guitar Hero, who can lap who on Mario Kart, and just maybe, who can hula hoop their way into the hall of fame.

2008 ain't over yet.

Working Girl

I've been struggling with whether or not to committ to this next resolution. It may become a necessity, thus making a resolution is silly. Or, it may just be something I decide I actually do want.

Vague, much?

I'm thinking about getting a job. Once I had Bub, we made the decision that I would stay home with him as long as was reasonable. We had saved, and we've cut corners and in all honesty, we've had a little help.

I love staying at home with my boy. The idea of leaving him with anyone else makes me queasy. But, there has to be a happy medium. Something that would allow me to stay at home, AND put my brain to work.

I guess my resolution is to start keeping my eyes and ears open for job possibilities that fit into my mommy ideal.

Unless, of course, we can't financially swing it anymore. Then? September 2009 will find me back in the classroom again. Hopefully in the perfect job share arrangement that would allow me to work two days a week and alternating Wednesdays. Just in case anyone's listening.

Let it be Christmas (still)

Christmas came and went in a blur. We spent all day Christmas Eve with my parents. I met my brother's girlfriend who is lovely and not at all intimidating. Well, except for her jeans size.

Bub was as busy as ever and wanted absolutely nothing to do with opening presents. He actually cried when he was I sat him down to open his first gift. This continued through Christmas Day and he opened zero presents. He eyed the gifts suspiciously once they were out of their wrapping and did, finally, deign to play with Elmo Live. (Who, by the way, ALWAYS falls over and then shouts "Uh Oh, Elmo fell down! Can you help Elmo please?" Over and over again. Help!)

Christmas Day was twice as busy. We had our own Christmas morning, opening only Bub's gifts to save time. We headed to my mother in law's house for brunch and gifts, then to the not-really-an-uncle's house for dinner.

Time with the extended family was nice, with one minor exception. I know candles are lovely and smell nice. Sure. But in a house with three children under the age of two running around, maybe their best location isn't on every single table within their reach.

After putting an exhausted Bub to bed, BD and I settled in to open our gifts to and from each other. BD went all out, even including a certificate to have my house cleaned by someone, other than me! Several times!

I can't wait to break out the Wii Fit (thanks BD!) hang my clothes and purge some of Bub's old toys (it's out of control.) For now, I'm just holding on to Christmas. The lights are still up, stockings still hung, multiple Santas smiling from the mantle. I'm not ready to let it go.

Get in Shape Girl!

I have friends who run marathons. For fun. I can understand the running of the marathon to check it off your life's list, but to continue to run, because it's so awesome, is just beyond me.

In 2004 I walked in the MS Challenge Walk. I recruited my friends, raised my money, and then moaned and complained for three days and 50 miles. Support vans would drive past us, offering rides that we were too proud to accept. We weren't too proud, however, to threaten to push one another into traffic in order to necessitate a ride. Man Down! Ultimately, we finished. We walked every last step of those 50 miles in the searing September heat.

While it is one of my prouder moments (minus the whining) I wasn't motivated to continue taking long walks after that day.

My history with working out is spotty at best. I played soccer for one year as a kid. One year, because the second year I was going to play, soccer practice conflicted with charm school. No joke.

I played soccer again in high school. EVERY year I received the "Coach's Award" at the end of season banquet. You know, the award for the kid who shows up to every single practice and warms the bench like a champ at every game.

My husband could spend all day listing the gyms I have joined and not attended. His head nearly explodes when the credit card bill comes and the gym charge is still there. My excuses are many, but basically I just don't go.

Since 2009 is the year of the resolution, it wouldn't be complete without getting my act together physically.

In order to accomplish this, I'm hoping to find a Wii Fit under the tree on Christmas morning. If not, I'll have to come up with a new plan. Like actually leaving the house and going for walks. Or maybe to the gym that I'm still paying for.

Do you remember Get In Shape Girl? You can still find it, although it would appear that the leg warmers and rhythmic gymnastics ribbon of my day have been replaced with a jump rope and wrist bands.

Accidentally scaling back

Early Friday morning I glanced at our calendar detailing our weekend plans and already began wishing for Monday. We had plans to have dinner with BD's friends on Friday night, TWO Christmas parties on Saturday, then spending the day with my parents on Sunday and heading down to the boat parade in the evening.

Each night would have put Bub in bed well past his bedtime, something I am loathe to do. We're schedule sticklers around here.

Somehow, we only made it halfway through the weekend.

On our way to party #2 on Saturday night, Bub was having a meltdown of epic proportions. We were stuck in traffic with no end and sight, and I did what I do best in situations like this. I picked a fight. I stated that next year, we're limiting ourselves to one activity per weekend.

Dare to dream.

Thirty minutes later we gave up and turned around. Bub was right to demand going "hoooome." It's about time we started listening to his toddler wisdom.

Bub was in bed on time and we enjoyed the rest of the night catching up on TiVo.

Sunday morning, as we were packing the car for a full day, my mom called to say that my dad was sick. Just a cold, but enough to keep us home.

Faced with an entire day free, BD suggested we invite people over for dinner. My response was lukewarm, until he said we could invite our most casual friends and just order pizza.

The result was a night to remember. Bub and his best buddy J giggled and squealed and played without incident all night. In a separate Christmas miracle, baby C fell asleep and slept through it all in Bub's crib, giving his parents a much deserved night off.

We busted out the Let's Make a Deal DVD game and NO WHAMMIED! our way to the best Sunday-four-days-before-Christmas ever.

I'll continue to ignore the pile of gifts that need to be wrapped so as not to mar this perfect day.

A piece of cake er, A glass of water

As I make my way through my New Year's Resolutions, I am a little worried that I'm setting myself up for failure. All of my current resolutions involve things at which I've been unsuccessful in the past. I know that this is the nature of the resolution, but I also feel like I need a slam dunk. One resolution that I can look to, over the piles of dirty laundry, and say, "See! I did that. Success."

I've been closely following The 15 Days of New Year's Resolutions over at Jessica Knows. I found my easy win with Day Six.

All I have to do is drink more water. Easy! Free! No extra supplies needed! Well, I do plan to keep lemons in the house and a stash of True Lemon in my car and diaper bag. So, very few supplies needed!

Nobody needs to be reminded of the health benefits of drinking water. Certainly, I don't need to read another article about how soda will remove rust spots or clean car batteries to know that it's not the best choice.

So here it is, in black and white. My sure thing.

Fun Fact Friday

Fun Fact Friday is most certainly not my own idea. A lot of people do it, but I stole it directly from her.

• My favorite new-ish Christmas song is Let it Be Christmas by Alan Jackson. I can almost promise that you don't even need to like country music to love this son.
• My favorite new-to-me Christmas song is I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas. How have I missed this until now?
• My favorite classic Christmas songs are O, Holy Night and Oh Come All Ye Faithful (not sure why one is "O" and the other is "Oh.") I probably should know since teaching grammar was a part of my former job.
• I am very easily embarrassed. I will hang onto an embarrassing moment and relive it for all eternity.
• I was hit on for the first time in my adult life at Starbucks last night. Yes, really, the first time. He was at least 15 years my senior and when I mumbled some nonsense about being married he said "Me too, so what?" Classy.
• Bub's current favorite word is "Byeee!" Apparently in his past life he was a Tri-Delt in the 80's.
• My husband and I are in the same profession. Or, rather, we used to be until I became a full time Yo Gabba Gabba aficionado. If people ask if that's how we met, we'll say yes. This is a lie.
• I'm meeting my brother's new girlfriend on Christmas Eve and I'm nervous. I'm very uncomfortable around new people. Particularly new people who are reportedly gorgeous and blonde. I overspent on her Christmas gift to compensate for my inevitable awkwardness.

The hardest? Maybe. Worth it? Absolutely.

The other day BD and I were having quality family time. It was one of those moments where I was hoping someone was looking in the window to witness what great parents we are. We were reading Bub's current favorite book, a Sesame Street book that plays Christmas music. We came across a song that neither of us were very familiar with (Jolly Old St. Nicholas,) but Bub pushed the button and we sang and danced along all the same.

Cut to a few hours later. Bub and Dad are goofing around in the living room. Mom is tossing laundry into a basket , folding the laundry neatly. Dad heads over to poorly neglected (and sadly out of tune) piano and begins playing around. Moments later the recognizable tune of Jolly Old St. Nicholas fills the living room.

Mom stops folding (who were we kidding anyway?) Did you just play that by ear?


BD shrugs.


I was completely in awe of my husband. I knew he could play the piano, but he rarely does. Our piano is old and in disrepair. But the fact that he just heard this song, then figured out how to play it. Recognizably? I'm tone deaf and quit piano lessons after less than a year, so this is particularly incredible to me.


Beyond my amazement at my husband's talent, a light bulb went off. I was so proud of him and, put simply, it felt great.


Early in our marriage, or perhaps just before, we both read His Needs Her Needs. It's been a while, but the basis of the book is that in order for you to be willing to meet your partners needs, your needs need to be met as well. It's circular.


Sometimes I feel like I'm stagnating in a pool of neediness. I stubbornly refuse to do what he wants because I feel like I'm getting the short end of the need-meeting stick. In short, I'm not very nice a lot of the time. I didn't want to become this person, but here she is.


Realistically, if I were willing to take the first step, to remind my husband how proud I am of him, how thankful I am for him, how lucky we are to have him, I might find myself with a surplus in his love bank. Read the book. Seriously.


My point (yes, finally) is that my 3rd resolution for 2009 is to be a better wife. I plan to reread His Needs Her Needs and read, for the first time, Love Busters. This is certainly the resolution that is most important to me, and is certain to be the hardest. But, as a blogger I've come to highly respect said recently, just because it's hard, doesn't mean it's not worth it.

Motherhood: Rewind

Bub and I attended a cookie decorating playdate today. In attendance were 8 moms, 7 toddlers, one teeny tiny three month old and a partridge in a pear tree.

The wee babe was the sort of infant who blinks at you from his carrier, is happily passed from one pair of waiting arms to another and then happily drifts off to sleep to his mother's gentle swaying. Bub was much the same sort of baby. Of course I didn't appreciate it then. I was too delirious from the lack of sleep, desperate for a schedule and wondering when my life would return to normal.

Truth be told, I never found the "normal" I was seeking, the me I lost when I became Mom. I don't want her back anymore anyway.

Becoming a parent was a shock to my system I wasn't prepared for. For days on end I whined, "Why didn't anybody tell me??" I felt like people had purposefully kept me in the dark about the complete upending of my life.

Once the hormones cleared, Bub began sleeping longer and I made a few mommy friends, I began to see motherhood through the rose colored glasses it deserves. Sure, I'm still deliriously tired some days and my 18 month old tests my patience hourly. But you can keep the old me. What did she know anyway?

Oh, and to the mom of the precious infant today? I saw that look in your eyes as the sea of toddlers swarmed at your feet, shoving to get at the most coveted toy of the moment. Yes, you'll still love your baby when he's tearing through the house, covered in sugar cookie dough and blatantly ignoring your sternest voice. I promise.

Resolution: The second

When we were dating I caught my now hubby looking around my cluttered apartment warily. Once we were engaged, he voiced his concerns aloud. I had all sorts of fantastic responses. I assured him that once we were homeowners I would take such pride in my home and it would be spotless, around the clock.

He was rightfully worried. I am not a neat person by nature. I enjoy having a clean house, and a place for everything, but I am often not inclined to do what it takes to achieve that. I tell him that it just doesn't occur to me. He tells me I'm lazy. We're both right. Some people have an eye for clean; they know what it takes to make their home look open house ready. Me? I get overwhelmed by a pile of dishes in the sink, give up and settle in with the DVR.

This blog is the first of my resolutions. I'm trying to make the rest of my resolutions realistic and attainable. So I'm starting small with #2.

Resolution #2: Make and keep to a laundry schedule.

If you think this is not a big deal, you've never seen my closet, my overflowing laundry basket, my bikini bottoms that have to pass for underwear at least once a month. I don't mind doing the laundry, but I hate, with a fiery passion, putting the laundry away. To clarify, I hate hanging clothes. I don't mind anything that requires folding, but the hanging. Oh, the hanging. Because of this, I usually end up living out of a basket of clean clothes on the floor of my bedroom for weeks. I wait until doing laundry is no longer an option, it's a necessity (see bikini bottom underwear.)

I plan to assign specific days to laundry, one day for mine, one for Bub's, one for the house (sheets, towels, etc.) BD does his own laundry and has NO idea I'm making this resolution. I want him to come home mid-February and notice that we've been laundry pile free for weeks. I do NOT want him to make a snide remark if I fall off the laundry wagon, thus discouraging me to continue.

Ideally, the result will be smaller, more manageable loads of laundry. Surely these smaller loads will be less visually overwhelming and put away faster than Bub can feed his lunch to the dog.

In an effort to get my act together, I'm participating in The Parent Bloggers Network Blog Blast sponsored by Big Tent.

Would you judge me if...

...you saw me walking through the mall with my stroller and no baby?

I was this close.

Bub and Dad had some father-son time this morning and I took advantage of my free time to finish up my Christmas shopping. It's been so long since I've been to the mall alone that I had no idea what to do with my purse, bags, and Diet Coke.

On my way home, BD called to let me know that the prince was sleeping, so I stopped to pick up groceries because our cupboards were BARE.

After fighting holiday traffic at the mall (both in the parking lot and the stores) and braving the market at what must be the busiest time of the week, I came home laden with bags and sweating. As I lugged my haul through the front door BD looked up from his perch on the coach in front of It's a Wonderful Life.

"Hi love. How was your day off?"

Someone is getting coal in his stocking.

And so it begins...

9 months ago I couldn't accurately define blog. And then, I clicked on a link and found her. I bookmarked and checked back daily. Eventually I found a few others. Her, and her, and her. I then discovered the wonders of Google Reader and my world turned upside down. And I'm a joiner.

So here I am. I'll be detailing addition resolutions as well as tales of toddler hilarity and domestic bliss.

And for an added twist? Nobody knows. My husband is of the checkshisemailweekly variety and would NOT understand. Will I let him, or anyone I know live, in on the secret?