Wonders, Mishaps, Blunders and Joy.. commentary on my life as a mom in the form of letters to my son
Today, your aunt Leah and I took you to the Wild Animal Park. It was hot, but we still had a lot of fun.
We pet an antelope, saw a bat display, pretended we were a butterfly and took a cool ride on the merry-go-round (I even took your Doc Band off so that you could enjoy the wind), but visiting the baby elephant (born February 14) was our favorite activity.
We bought a membership, so we’ll be back soon. Next time we want to check out the gorillas!
The best is yet to be.
Day 32/100
You eat WAY better than I do. Your diet consists of organic fruits, vegetables, biscuits and crackers, tofu, whole wheat pasta, whole grain oatmeal cereal, free range chicken, yogurt, sugar free apple juice, etc. Last night you had lentils and brown rice while I went through the drive-thru at Del Taco for a Del Classic chicken burrito with extra lettuce, cheese and tomatoes and a, you guessed it, diet Coke. Disgusting, right? Actually, it was pretty damn good considering the only time I have fast food is on road trips.
Every time your dad is out of town I have to fend for myself when it comes to dinner, which typically means a bowl of cereal or cottage cheese, blue corn chips and salsa.
What’s wrong with this picture?
Everything!
My dad always used to say that once I had children that I’d need to learn to cook and he was right. It’s time.
The best is yet to be.
Day 31/100
We’ve had some trying times lately, you and I…in particular Wednesday and today. It seems as though you’re on an every other day schedule; a good day followed by a bad day. A battle of wills, if you will.
Your witching hours are between 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. These two hours make me literally and figuratively pull my hair out and stuff you down a drain pipe.
Even at nine and a half months old, you have a mind of your own and at almost 38, you better believe that I do too! More often than not, however, you win. Hands down, you win way more than I do.
I try to do what’s best for you when it comes to… EVERYTHING; from naps, feeding, play and bath time, changing, packaging you up in the car for an outing to a host of a zillion other activities, but if you and I aren’t on the same wave length, this mommy better watch out! She is going to lose 9.5 times out of 10.
You win so many rounds that I have stopped keeping score. I think it’s something like 9956 to 21, which doesn’t change the fact that I do know what’s best for you. Whether you think so or not.
Now that you are mobile and a lot more independent and patience can’t be bought, a lot more wine is going to need to be purchased.
Today, we hosted our first Mommy & Me play group and it was a lot of fun. Afterward, you were exhausted and fell asleep for exactly 28 minutes. When you woke up, you were very irritable and nothing would make you happy, so at wits end I put you in the car and drove you around for over an hour in Friday going home traffic while you slept and I got some much needed peace and quiet. I’d say I won that round, would you? Hmmmm…maybe not, I did mention the peace and quiet, didn’t I?
Alas, there are moments that make it all worth while, like this, when we are one. Calm, quiet, connected and in sych. I live for these moments.
The best is yet to be.
Day 31/100
Someone learned to crawl today!
The best is yet to be.
Day 30/100
“It’d be nice if something made sense every once in a while” – Alice
How long am I considered a “new” mother? Sometimes I don’t feel like I am any more experienced today than I was nine months ago. Sure, I know a few more things, but I am by no means a pro.
My son has been sleeping through the night for months, but how long does my sleep deprivation last? I am tired all the time! Last night I went to bed to sleep at 8:30 and tonight will be similar, I’m sure. I’m “on” all the time, so the minute my head hits the pillow, I’m out!
I love talking candidly with my fellow “new” mom friends about the frustrations that come with our roles and how every day is so utterly mundane, yet also so vastly different from the next. I have found that not all mothers will talk so openly about how hard this is, so it’s refreshing to find someone that will. Thanks, Jenn, if you are reading this. I love our walks and talks. We need to be able to vent and be open and honest about our feelings. I do, anyway. It revives me and lets me know that I’m not alone in this crazy wonderful, exhausting thing called motherhood.
I love how Debra Gilbert Rosenberg describes motherhood in her book The New Mom’s Companion: Care for Yourself While You Care for Your Newborn:
“New mothers enter the world of parenting feeling much like Alice in Wonderland.
Nothing else in my life has changed me the way motherhood has, not going away to college, not getting married, not losing a loved one. It’s completely shocking and there is a lot that no one tells you about motherhood before you experience it for yourself. It is one of life’s greatest mysteries and yet, if we are lucky, we all do it.
I forge ahead knowing that the best is yet to be.
Day 30/100
Since I have known your dad, he has owned 13 cars!! Nine modern daily drivers and four vintage vehicles. The vintage ones are the most exciting. They all had original parts and their own unique history. The latest addition in our ever-revolving garage door is a 1973 Porsche 911 RS 2.7.
Your grandfather sells cars.
Your dad sells cars.
Cars are in your dad’s blood and from the looks of your face in these photos, it is definitely in yours too.
The best is yet to be.
Day 29/30
You successfully completed eight weeks of Kindermusik today and you better believe that your diploma went straight on the refrigerator! I am so proud of my little boy.
You enjoyed the class so much that we have signed up for another eight week session.
If you would like to cultivate a love of music in your child, I highly recommend these classes.
The best is yet to be and let’s hope that there are many more diplomas in our future.
Day 27/100
I missed you while I was away, but my trip to Vegas was everything I hoped it would be and more. I got a little sun, won a little money, had some amazing meals and shared lots of laughs with my friends and got inked!
I got my first tattoo in 1993 with four high school girlfriends, all of which I am still friends with: Katie, Kendra, Kristin and Sara. We were all in Phoenix for a mini reunion, attending the graduation of our friends and after breakfast one morning with nothing else planned to do, we decided to get tattoos. We couldn’t agree what we would all get, but we did agree where we wanted to get it (our right hips).
We soon found a tattoo parlor and after consent forms had been signed and we drew numbers to see who would go first (I was third), we were pouring though albums of artwork and scouring the walls of the shop to find the perfect design. I chose a sunflower, my favorite flower. Over the years, everyone has added to their tattoo or got another one (or more).
They say once you get one tattoo, you are likely to get another….
I got my second tattoo, a beautiful angel wing on my right ankle, in August 2002 on a weekend visit to help your aunt Leah move into her dorm at U of A. She was going to get one then too, but chickened out at the last minute. She has since gotten one and has had it embellished.
After dinner on Thursday night at Nove at the Palms hotel, my friend Diana and I both found ourselves at Huntington Ink, the most over priced tattoo shop on the strip! We were committed so there was no turning back. My newest addition, taking all of three minutes and didn’t hurt a bit, is two small stars on the top of my right foot. I have been wanting them for almost three years and had often drew them on to see how they would look. Once my parents died, I really wanted them in their memory.
Tattoos are permanent and each one of mine has deep and personal meaning. I have no regrets about any of them; they are a part of me and I love them.
The best is yet to be.
Day 26/100
After posting about this last week, (Pretty Things) I just couldn’t get it out of my head, so needless to say, this gorgeous handbag is now mine! For those of you wondering, yes the scarf is really attached.
It will be making the trip to Vegas with me this weekend. 🙂
The best is yet to be.
Day 23/100
March Madness* AKA “The Big Dance” refers to the annual NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. This tournament, held late March through early April, is a single-elimination tournament in which 65 teams compete against each other over the course of a three weeks for a shot at a national championship.
During this time, teams will be moving up one tier at a time, working through to the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight, the Final Four and eventually into the finals. This is the season where basketball nuts become completely crazy cheering on their favorite team in the hope for a championship.
March Madness is also one of the reasons for my annual weekend girl’s trip to Las Vegas! What better place to watch college ball, hang out with my friends, enjoy some fine dining, pampering, the pool and do a little gambling, dancing and celebrating? I have been looking forward to landing on this page of my calendar for weeks….
My good friend, Kathryn’s birthday falls right smack dab in the middle of March too, so she is the other reason we go. Although, we try not to let it go to her head, after all, she has earned the nickname Birthdayzilla for a reason! Kat, if you are reading this, you know I love you.
This year will mark my seventh trip, but some have been going for 10 years! I missed out last year because I was pregnant and Vegas is not a whole lot of fun if you can’t drink, plus is hard to escape all the cigarette smoke, so I am really looking forward to this year’s getaway.
This trip will also mark my first TWO nights away from you. So far, I have spent six single nights away from you, but never TWO consecutive nights and I’m a little nervous. I know you are in good hands, that’s not what I’m worried about. I’m worried about me! I am going to miss you so much, but I am going to try to enjoy the time away and be in the moment. I wonder if you’ll even notice that I’m gone?
*The term “March Madness” was coined by Henry V. Porter in 1939. Originally the term was used to refer to the Illinois High School Basketball Tournament. Later the NCAA picked it up after a small legal battle with the Illinois High School Association. March Madness was then used to refer to the collegiate national basketball tournament. This was started in 1939 by National Association of Basketball Coaches and only had eight contending teams at the time.
Bear Down, Arizona!! Oh, wait, they didn’t even make it to the tournament this year (the first time in 25 years!). 🙁
The best is yet to be.
Day 23/100
