Resolution 2011

For the last three weeks I have been in London. I know, cry me a river, I just had to go to London for work. You don't get a lot of sympathy when you tell people that! However, this is the time of year that is horrid. The holidays came and went (poof in the night and they were gone...seriously...where oh where did Santa go?) and with it any free time. From December 26th until December 30th my life revolved around getting ready for for London. What to pack, what I needed to buy, did my London "wardrobe" still fit? Then there was what to stock up for at home, getting outfits put together for LitlBit so daddy could figure out the morning routine, clearing all traces of Christmas from the house...the list goes on and on ad nauseum. Finally, the day of departure comes. Did I pay that bill? Was the kitchen fully stocked? So many questions roaming through my head. Now, three weeks later I have returned. I am back fully jetlagged taking on the world without knowing what time of day (or even simply what day) it is! Now, it is more of a mission. The mission to put my life of chaos back in order. Clothes to wash, a house to clean, a daughter to get back into a routine, and an office left alone for a month to tackle. Who says a working mom is not superwoman? I beg to differ! It takes a special type of person in my opinion to juggle eggs! That is exactly what I feel like I am juggling too. One false move and crash, crack, gone. Something is irrevocably broken, messed up, or simply just made into a huge catastrophe. Yep, only superwoman can manage this juggling circus act!

For all the problems that this latest work trip has caused there is one positive that has come out of it. Resolution. I know it is trite and quite cliche but a resolution for the New Year. This has to be the first one of its kind in my life span. Don't get me wrong, I am not a complete scrooge. However, the concept of making lofty goals on December 31st just for the sake of doing it on December 31st has never attracted me. Really similar to the idea of Valentine's Day. The one day of the year that people act as though they fell in love for the first time...forget the other 364 days they forget the other exists. I suppose they still have the faint memory of the flowers in the back of their minds, eh? No, New Year's resolutions have always seemed a bit fake in my opinion. So, why this year? Why did I go against my better judgment and have one? Well, I did not...well...purposefully that is. While watching probably the greatest fireworks display in possibly the world on that cold night I thought about my family. How much I wished they were there to share it. How thankful that I am they are there to come home to. I realized that my family has been taking second place to a lot of things this past year. Work being thief number one. First part of resolution 2011...turn off email push notifications! If it is that important...they should know my phone number. Also, not everything is that important. Things can wait. People can wait. It can all wait. Turn off the noise and notice what is right there. Work will always be there. But a five year old won't. People won't. This time won't. That five minutes that I gave to check and answer an email just because of the ding on the phone will never be returned. Those five minutes add up quickly too! The second thought from resolution 2011 was simply to get back to who I used to be. Years ago I loved the Doors. Jim Morrison was fascinating to me. Their lyrics almost mesmerizing if you really listened. One of my favorite songs was People are Strange. Love that song to this day. Three simple words but so full of truth. People are strange! Sometimes it ends right there. There is not always something behind the facade. Every once in awhile people are exactly what they appear to be...shallow...unthinking...conceited...strange. There is not a need to understand their thoughts or actions. Not a need to figure out their motives or neuroses in life. They are who they are and that is that. Their actions make not a difference in my world as a whole. For someone who wants to know why and fix a situation or find a solution this is a hard concept. Somehow, I have made it hard over the years though. I used to be the first person who would tell you this...now I am the one needing a reminder! So, for resolution 2011 I am going to try to remember what I always believed...people are strange. Ignore it. At work...take care of the issue...don't get involved in the problem. With family...I can't fix someone else's issues. They have to be the one to see it, work on it, and fix it. One day they will realize this. Until then...during the time...and after the fact...it is their problem to own...not mine. So far, resolution one is on target! No working from home unless I am doing it on pre-planned work from home days. Resolution two...people are strange so deal? So far so good. No great wonderings or carings about things that I cannot change, attitudes that I cannot make better, shallowness that seems to span chasms. Nope...can't change it. People are how they are for good or bad. The irresolute parent, the irritating colleague, the shallow and conceited person...they are who they are. At the end of the day they do not live with me. So, guess what? They have to live with their blood pressure rising for nothing, their containment of lies, their childish ways and false pretenses. I get to go home and listen to The Doors'...People Are Strange and laugh! You see, I now have time for that...since the phone no longer dings with emails and I no longer care about the strangeness of the people!

Heaven Help Our Pocketbook's School

This past weekend I went on our pharmacy run. We use the Target pharmacy (for those who know me well...go ahead and laugh...I use Target for everything). It just so happens that the pharmacist there sends her children to LitlBit's school. We chatted for a bit about their school...and then the question..."where are you sending LitlBit to preschool?" Let’s preface this question with some background info on me. Me, type A personality, looking at private schools even before we actually were pregnant (why do I say we...last I remember I was the one with the weight gain)! I had it planned out to apply for school the year before starting. Since LitlBit has a late birthday I figured that we could apply next year for three year old kindergarten or the following for four year old. Now, back to the pharmacy...my response..."well, I am still debating on Our Lady of the Heavens, Heaven Help our Pocketbook's, Our Lady of Cry as I Write the Check...maybe even Just Take All of My Paycheck...planning on deciding and applying next year..." Pharmacist, "...oh no...my daughter has been on the list for Heaven Help Our Pocketbook's since she was 8 months old!" To give you an idea...her daughter is 4 now and starting school in the fall. Imagine the horror that this type A felt upon hearing this. Here I thought I was AHEAD of the curve! I knew from my personal experience that the concept of a waiting list was not unfamiliar territory. I was (and am) determined not to have the name "Modern" on that dreaded wait list! So, the horror!!! (insert gasp and laughter here) Fast forward to today...we now have an official tour of Heaven Help Our Pocketbook's with their Director of Admissions. Yes, you read that right, they have a director...kind of scary isn’t it? Teaching them early to be confused I suppose. That way when you get to JC High School you are used to having 4 different people all doing the same job! For those of you baffled having not gone to JC...we had a principal, vice-principal, president and dean of students. You would have thought our campus was the size of Auburn with all of that! No, no, no! My total school population was the size of husband's graduating class! So, I suppose Heaven Help Our Pocketbook's is just starting the confusion early on! They apparently are teaching interview techniques as well... when the application actually is in the works (the summer before proposed entry) they interview her! OMG! Now I had to take an entrance test (which they still do but for Kindergarten ... not preschool) but not an interview. What do they discuss...her goals and aspirations...let’s see...to play all day and make as big of a mess as humanly possible! As for me I am still baffled. Since when did big kid school start for the parents 2 years early?! I guess it is time for me to put on my big girl panties and play nice, smile and not ruffle feathers during our interview...I mean visit! Once again, those that know me well are laughing right now...me...not ruffle feathers...hahahaha!

Holiday Hangover!

Does anyone else have an Easter weekend hangover? I really think that holidays should come with recuperation time from lack of sleep and too many activities!

I enjoyed my Spring Break... but it was not packed with fun and sun! Instead it was packed with every child-related activity known to man! I believe everyday we went to eat and slide (Chic-fil-A now knows us by name)! Anna is slowly going to turn into a chicken! Tuesday I had a wise idea of getting paints for porcelain eggs. I read somewhere that somebody had an egg added every year that their child painted. Great idea! Not a great idea to take a napless 2 year old to get supplies! Add Hobby Lobby to the list of friends on a first name basis now! Wednesday we painted...we painted....and we painted...and we painted! We painted eggs, our hands and tried to paint the cat (hey, who wouldn't love to have a purple, pink, green, yellow cat)! Thursday was the Easter party at school. I am big on going to all I can (she is only 2...so...watch out PTA...already planning ideas!). Apparently I am the only one! The party consisted of the kids, two teachers and me! Well somebody had to entertain the kids so I decided it was me. All the time poor Anna was telling everyone who came near me "my mommy" or "mommy's camera". Friday....we went Easter shopping! Target here we come (as if this makes it different from any other day). Once again, a store which knows us! I dare say that they might call to check on us should we skip a day visiting! The Easter stuff...well you take your life into your own hands on that aisle two days before Easter! I envisioned the great Cabbage Patch Kids Walmart scene from the eighties at some points! Saturday she woke up bright and early....at 6:30 (apparently she did not read the memo that it was Saturday!) We decided to do our original plan and go on an Easter egg hunt in Pelham. Met the cousins there. That was the quickest hunt I had ever been to! Well, not really much of a hunt per se. There was a football field with eggs scattered all over it. None-the-less the kids had fun. Anna loved it with the exception of "the Bun" (my name for the Bunny). Her cousin wanted to see him...Anna was having nothing of it! I admit, most Easter bunnies looked a bit...well...freakish! SO who could blame her! Following the hunt we went to mom's. That is always an experience and a half! Anna met my mom's dog's up close and personal. All three had fun. The dog's were probably a bit confused why she was taking their toys but all in all they played well with each other. We then went to buy the forgotten items for dying eggs (I don't think Walmart is fun for any reason!). When we got home we had big plans...cookies and dying eggs. Some of you may not remember that age old tradition of dying eggs. There are others of you that may wonder....simply....why....there are plastic ones now? Kind of like diapers...why use the old fashioned cloth ones when God created Huggies! Well, some things I never grew out of (talking about dying eggs here)! For those of you wondering, YES it was a mess and a half. It was a messy that this Type A (yes, I know you can't believe it...I am a type a ....insert laughter here) personality went bonkers over! We both ended up having fun though! Now to Sunday...the big reveal...what did the 'Bun bring? He was good (my wallet thanks him!) Anna was happy (I think she may have actually been more happy that she did not have to talk to him in order to get the treats!) Then we had the other 'fam functions. Egg hunt, food, painting, chalking, bubbles, running around, ball playing....I am tired just reliving it in words!

And here we are today...still suffering from the Easter hangover! Anybody else?

Officially or Unofficially? Is There Really a Difference?

Well, the holidays are officially in the past. My marking point for this is I go back to work tomorrow. As you may know I work at a local private university. We "unofficially" get off for about a week and a half at Christmas. Officially, if we did not get this unofficial- everyone plans on but admisinstration does not put on calendar -holiday time....well, let's just say that this "Christian" campus would officially be not so Christian in thoughts and words! We got off at noon on the 21st and go back tomorrow. Mind you, I have been unofficially been working this break anyways. See, I work with international students and scholars. So, everything involving anything international in nature I do. Or, you could use the definition that our campus post office has of my scope of work. Anyone or thing with a funny sounding name is for me. Boy oh boy this needs to be my official job description because it seems like it is true judging from everything that comes on my desk, in my email or through my phone lines! Over the holidays it seems like nobody (including those that work on campus) understands we are officially closed! I have been to the office, been to FedEx to mail visa paperwork to Nicaragua, emailed a student trying to come Jan. 20th (hahaha that is funny to me...she has not even applied...Athletics Department must be smokin' something if they think this is happening)...emailing back and forth a professor who went early on study abroad to London (a whole 'nother blog post...I am leaving Jan. 12th with a group of students too) wanting to know if he can stay in our house (our university owns a flat in London) that night...the list goes on! Well, I officially get to go back to this and more tomorrow. Officially, back to reality. All in all it is going to be tough. I am going to have to get back into the wake up get the world ready mode. Poor LitlBit is back at school. That is going to be a heartrencher. Going back from a three day weekend and she clinches to me crying! So this is not going to be pleasurable for either of us. She loves her teachers so I know it is just change that gets to her. But man oh man, try telling me that as I walk away from the tear-stained red face! Officially my footlose and fancyfree mini vacation is over. Unofficially my world must quickly turn upside down to reflect such. This just to change once again Jan. 12th.

Ok- I said I would put it in another post...and I probably will put more...but I need to vent a bit. I am going to London for two weeks with a student group. I will be in charge of the house while there. Last year was my first time to do this. I was a wreck the first few days! LitlBit has not (still) spent the night away from home! I can count on both hands (maybe even one) the number of times we have asked for someone to watch her...even then it was grandma. Top that with the fact that I had never flown before (yes you read that right) much less been out of the country...I was a basket case (at least in my opinion). I know it will be better this year since I have done it, it went ok, my computer worked (that was a scare of mine because I planned on video skyping home for free), and LitlBit did not suffer from post-traumatic mommy-left-me-for-two-weeks-syndrome! I still dread it! I get no sympathy either! Everyone seems to think that going to London is just wonderful! Those same folks are not the ones leaving their little one for two weeks though! I love my job. I do. I am able to work from home some. I get good holiday time. I pretty much take off if LitlBit sneezes the wrong way. I guess since having LitlBit I am more into being in the same city as her instead of travel without her.

So, tomorrow work officially begins. Unofficially, my life turns right-side up just to go upside-down again next week...officially (as I have the plane ticket to prove it)!

My life as an email account!

Lately I have been comparing myself to my email at work. At some point (NEVER the same point it seems...I think the IT guys just pick a day at random to drive me crazy) I get a nasty email. It says that I have "exceeded my email quota" and that I will not be able to send or receive further information until the space has been minimized. Oh- how I dislike those emails (they happen quite frequently)! Well, since having LitlBit I have turned into that email account! There come points in time that my brain can no longer receive or give out any more information...of any kind! Just like my work email, these days are more and more frequent! I keep wondering is it me or is everyone like that?

They Complained About What?

Ok, it is Saturday of this wacky and crazy world. What day is it kiddies...thrift store day! Every Saturday Litlbit and I go 'thriftin. I love it. Since she usually is up by 7:30 we get there early. Then we can leave before the storm of people come! I have found some wonderful deals too. My latest find was an Ann Taylor skirt. The tag was still on it...it read...$148. Now, me, I paid $3.88. I know I stink in math but according to my calculations that is well over a $100 discount! Sounds like a plan to me! Anyhoo, we went and did our thing. We always start with Litlbit's clothes. Then we meander over to the stuffed animals. Then to mommy's. Last but not least the books. Today was good. Litlbit racked up with a Pluto, Tickle-me-Elmo, 7 books, Gymbo jumper and a couple of shirts. Me, fairly well. The loot included a pair of casual Ann Taylor pants, a pair of Paper Denim jeans and a sweater from Express. The little excursion ended on a funny note though. We got into line to pay...the checker is the same one we have gone to for 3 weeks in a row. She is a really nice lady...one of the few there that is! Anyways, we are checking out and she said that the lady ahead of us was complaining to the manager...what was she complaining about you may ask. The prices. Ok, did you read this entire post from start to finish? I find a $148 skirt for $3.88 and she is complaining that the prices are too high! I thought I was going to bust out laughing. Call me crazy....but clothes at over a $100 discount seems like one of the best deals yet!

No Means What?

No...two little letters...one big meaning. My daughter is two. Yes, the terrible twos. The day has come which I have dreaded...the overdramatic- everything is a tantrum- and everything is NO.

"Littlebit, let's change clothes."
"N O!"

"Littlebit, time to go bye-byes."
"N O bye-byes!"

"Time to eat, Littlebit."
"N O time eat Littlebit!"

Yes, everyday brings a new reason for no. Mind you she does not just say no either...she all of a sudden turns into a method actor, drawing from deep inside of those memories of not getting the toy at Target. She flings her body forward onto the ottoman and utters the longest version of the two letter word which I have yet to hear. All with the sighs (or cries, depends on the mood) for all to hear.

Flip the coin....me...telephone rings....it would be someone from the family

"We want to get together to celebrate the anniversary of your brother-in-law. Can you guys come over at 6 o'clock tomorrow?

"Why of course...would love to."

OK, what is wrong with this? Let me tell you...I get off work at 4:30...on a good day I won't get home until 5:30 (with Littlebit). In-laws live 20 minutes away. I don't care to celebrate other's anniversaries (isn't that for them to celebrate?) Stress, stress, run, run, no fun evening.

Why is it that my two year old can say with such passion and emphasis something that I can't even manage to whisper during this phone call? One would think with all she has taught me on the fine art of saying no, I should be a pro! Quite simply put, she is honest. The consequence of her honesty is a possible time-out. At this point, that is as far as her thinking is. Me on the other hand...well, I am thinking the consequence of the no with about 6 others! I am basically "scared" into a yes.

Sometimes I wish I could be that method-actor two year old again. Fling my body forward and scream no to the question pondered!