Motherhood is Painless

Things I like to cook

2012-02-12T14:18:00.000-05:00

I am supposed to post today (it's Sunday) and I'm not really in the mood to tell you about another museum we went to this week. It's wintertime, and either we freeze our behinds off at the park, or we find inside spaces to play in. This week we checked out the MOMA: Materials Lab. We had fun but my friend, Paula did a better job writing it up. I've been exploring my culinary side and making some

SCIENCE!

2012-02-08T16:21:00.001-05:00

(Am I the only one who says that like the old Thomas Dolby song?) As I was saying - sorry for the lag, but Ben has had a terrible cold, with several days of fevers AND I've been trying to stick to a workout schedule, to attempt to get back into some sort of shape that doesn't immediately call to mind "marshmallow" However, I did want to share some pictures of some of the great adventures we've

Snowy Saturday

2012-01-21T23:32:00.002-05:00

We finally had some snow around here. (We had a freaky blizzard back around Halloween, but nothing since.) This morning brought several inches. So, we ate pancakes, played in the snow, and took the kids bowling with some friends. heading out to play Bowling shoes Waiting for the ball return "I knock them down!" Those rosy cheeks!

Virginia on My Mind

2012-01-17T11:23:00.000-05:00

I cleaned off my desk the other day - you know that plain wooden table we have just inside the door. I cleared off nearly two years of old mail, rejected art projects, children's fleece jackets and hats. I made a space for myself there, even though the office chair is broken, and sinks to the floor if you sit there too long. Even though the radio is in the wrong spot for the antenna to work, I

Celebrate

2012-01-08T21:48:00.002-05:00

In addition to all the holiday fol-de-rol goings on, I also had a birthday. A big birthday, as in one that ended in a zero. In the weeks leading up to it, I felt decidedly unfabulous, to be honest. All those hours of lost sleep, and I was starting to wonder if I was going to survive turning 40 at all. We all started to get healthy, although Claire and I still have a lingering cough and some

The end and the beginning

2012-01-02T17:43:00.000-05:00

It's 2012 now, and it was a good year for us. I won't go into detail, but we are happy, healthy and sane. Ben (is sleeping better) and I am starting to think I have it together again. After the month of December when one or all of us was sick almost every day, it's nice to be looking at January with a mostly clean bill of health. I won't go into detail, but the only two days of the month we

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T12:09:00.000-05:00

Since Ben decided to grace us with not one, but two nights of long sleeps this week, I am FULL of the Christmas spirit. Yesterday, after another night of multiple wakings, screamfests and soothings, I was decidedly Grinchy, but a playdate, Chinese takeout and finishing up the wrapping and I am in good form today. So, I will wish you and yours a Happy, and Merry and a Blessed. God bless us,

Sleep, Perchance to Sleep all night

2011-12-19T22:34:00.002-05:00

Not in the least bit sleep deprived. Not me. Our sleeping woes continue here in the casa. He's still waking up multiple times a night, crying for us, and we're taking our turns going in to soothe him. Sometimes, we just stand there together, talking about mundane things, and the sounds soothe him back to sleep again. Yes, I drink coffee, every morning. I wish I didn't have to - but it makes me

Winter Wonderland

2011-12-10T21:28:00.000-05:00

Winter has come. Or rather, it will be here in a few days. Yet the days have been strangely warm. Fall is lingering, the trees are holding on to their leaves. But Christmas is just around the corner - decorations are hung, shining through the red and brown of the foliage. We had snow, but back in October, wet slushy snow that took everyone by surprise. Things in our house are different too -

Family Ties

2011-11-20T10:41:00.000-05:00

Claire and Izzy, Summer 2011 When we were little, my brother and I were the only kids at family gatherings. Neither of my uncles married, so it was just the two of us at family gatherings. It was Ok, but he was the same kid I hung out with all the time anyhow, so to have to do it at Nana's house, or Aunt Joan's wasn't a bug to-do. I was always jealous of my friends who got to hang out with

Easy Like Sunday Morning

2011-11-13T10:44:00.001-05:00

Sunday is the best day. We wake up - usually without much on our agenda. Wake and get dressed. One of us, usually me, gets to sleep in a bit before joining the family. (The other parent has already had a lie-in on Saturday, if our schedule allows.) We load ourselves up - jackets and shoes, and into the stroller or on to the bike and walk to the park. It's farmer's market day! We wander the

Camping for Dummies (or, me.)

2011-11-05T09:56:00.002-04:00

When Dave decided to take the family camping this summer, I panicked. Seriously. I had never slept outside. Hell, I wasn't terribly fond of sleeping places other than my own bed, at home. But, we soldiered on. I wanted everyone to have fun, and enjoy the outside, but be as comfortable as we could make it. Dave and I agreed, the more comfortable we were, the more likely we would be to return. In

A sweet girl

2011-11-03T22:55:00.000-04:00

When I pick her up from school, I am usually alone. Dave works from home, and Ben is peacefully napping. She runs from her place on the carpet to my arms, eager to hug and kiss me, and tell me about her day. "Today was a star day," she says, showing me the sticker on her hand. "I was a good listener!" She's so proud of the star, sticking there, she strokes it as we walk along. Some days, if

These many colored days

2011-11-01T11:04:00.002-04:00

Our days are simple and sweet. We wake up - snuggle a bit, have some breakfast. Eggs. There are always eggs. scrambled. Sometimes toast, sometimes waffles. But eternally, there are eggs. Then we get dressed. By eight, we are listening for the sound of the milk truck delivering it's goods to the school next door, and we leave. Backpack on, tucked into the stroller. Sometimes she holds my hand,

Chocolate and Cheese

2011-10-28T09:00:00.003-04:00

I'm going to spend some time talking about body issues here, so Dad, Uncle Tony, Ev, consider yourselves warned. As I was saying, I want to take some time to talk about body issues. Particularly mine, but maybe yours too? I don't know. Maybe we can help each other out I was thinking not to long ago about my shape. Not whether I'm in shape or not, or how I can get into better shape, which are

A better than average way to end the day

2011-10-23T20:24:00.002-04:00

After dinner, I decided to walk around with the kids a bit while Dave settled the bill and got the car. We walked the few blocks to the local firehouse. It was chilly, and the kids were super curious where we were heading, but once we got to the corner, they saw it. Claire loves firetrucks as much as any four-year old girl does, but Ben? Ben holds a special place in his toddler heart for "

Tied up in You

2011-10-17T09:00:00.003-04:00

Recently, I read this article about kids and safety tethers that my pal posted on her Facebook page. It really made me think. I have one of those backpacks - it's shaped like a dog, and we used it. We used it for Claire, and now that he can walk for longer distances, we're letting Ben use it. I don't have a problem. I live in a huge city, and sometimes a stroller doesn't make sense. Or you have

Photo post - Campfire Days III

2011-10-13T15:34:00.000-04:00

Setting up camp is hard work. At least some of us have new coloring books and crayons to occupy us while Mama and Daddy get things ready.

Campfire Days III - (part one)

2011-10-13T15:15:00.001-04:00

We've been back to the park again. Finally, we're starting to get into the groove of preparation and then relaxing. It's hard though, to figure out what parts of your home must needs come with you. Sleeping gear, cooking gear. Creature comforts? Toys for the kids. In the end, we have learned that getting prepared well in advance will make the difference between calmly getting out of the house

In Lieu of Real Content

2011-10-02T20:25:00.005-04:00

There's a lot percolating in this ole brain of mine, so until I can make sense of it, here's a meme to keep you occupied. A. Age: 39 Yep, the big 4-0 is right around the corner. But 40 is the new 30, right? B. Bed size: Queen. C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning the bathroom D. Dogs: Nope. Not a big fan. E. Essential start to your day: Hugs from the kids and hot coffee. F. Favorite color: Red. G

Happy Anniversary

2011-09-28T22:22:00.000-04:00

For my husband, because I love him. Always. Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wandering bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. Love's not Time's fool, though

SF Meme (Because I need to post here more often)

2011-09-26T20:51:00.005-04:00

The NPR SF list meme: Bold if you've read, italicize ones you fully intend to read, underline if it's a series you've read part but not all of. 1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien 2. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams 3. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card 4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert 5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin 6. 1984

The Great Outdoors

2011-09-26T20:45:00.000-04:00

When I was young, we never did a lot of outdoorsy stuff. We went to the park, or to historical sites. We went to the beach a fair bit, too. But hiking? Never. Maybe, maybe a walk in a nature preserve. And camping? Oh, hell no. I dimly recall a horribly awkward night spent with my Brownie Troop at their annual sleepover. We packed up in a bunch of cars and went to some drafty house where the we

I'm supposed to blog more often than this, you know

2011-09-14T21:42:00.000-04:00

When I started blogging (so long ago now, that I don't even remember what I wrote on that first blog) I started it so that I could write things down that I wanted to remember. I type way faster than I write most of the time, and I don't get cramped up fingers nearly as quickly. However, once I discovered that there were other blogs out there I changed my tune. I wanted readers, I wanted to be a

Campfire Days - Part Two

2011-09-10T13:43:00.001-04:00

So, where was I... Ah, yes. Ready to try camping for reals. We had a the gear and it took most of the morning to get it packed into the car. All well and good since we couldn't check in to the campsite until mid-afternoon. We had a plan in place to meet Dave's sister and her family for a pre-camping picnic, and off we went. When we got to the park, we realized not only wasn't there power,

Campfire Days - Part One

2011-09-07T14:35:00.002-04:00

Ever since the success of the backyard campout, Dave was eagerly planning a real camping trip. Tents, sleeping pads, kid-sized sleeping bags, a stove, special dishes, bug spray. If he thought we might need it, he mulled it over and bought it anyway (or at least that's what it seemed like.) Finally we were ready. We picked a state park, and then the forecast changed. So, we ended up postponing

Days in the Life

2011-08-28T13:42:00.000-04:00

This was a pretty tame week in the Painless household. Claire's camp finished up, with an adorable end-of-session show by her class. Ben's been pretty adorable, for almost-two. I still can't believe my smushy little baby is a toddler. Still can't wrap my brain fully around the boy he has started to become. This weekend was nice. Dave's been getting home from work earlier - so we had a nice

Sticks, Stones and Words

2011-08-04T20:38:00.001-04:00

Recently two events have been making me think about words and how they can cut a nd make us bleed Ben and I were walking along one of the shady streets of our neighborhood. Just the two of us, on our way from the bagel store to music class. A sweet little old lady stopped us, as they sometimes do - complementing me on "Such a sweet boy!" she said, "And that hair, so blonde. You don't see much

Weekend report

2011-08-02T14:40:00.001-04:00

Just came back from a crazy weekend upstate. my father-in-law retired, so we went to celebrate for a long weekend and crammed in a heap of stuff. Dave took the day off on Friday, and we drove up; had lunch at Stew Leonard's (which has the lamest petting zoo ever, although Ben liked the chickens); went shopping a bit at an outdoor store up there. I bought new Dansko sandals, which were super

20 Months

2011-07-20T23:16:00.003-04:00

It comes like a sort of clarity Your warm sturdy self Against me - skin damp Curls Brush my face You clutch Your blanket Closer And you sigh Love is simple

Wherein I watch someone else's kids for a while

2011-06-25T20:47:00.002-04:00

There it was, Friday night in America and I was sitting on a sofa, watching a movie and listening for the sound of children crying. No, I'm not revisiting my summer job babysitting Willie and Bubba (yes, they were named Willie and Bubba; and yes I am from NY.) My friend A, and I are starting some cooperative

2011-06-18T22:54:00.001-04:00

Wherein a green dress makes an appearance.. A few weeks ago, as I was walking around the hood with Ben, I noticed that a shop was going out of business, one of those cute, little dress shops that sells inexpensive stuff..you know the sort. I wandered in (well, as much as one can wander while pushing 30+ pounds of toddler in a 18 pound stroller.) And I saw this dress hanging there - sort of a

Wherein a birthday is celebrated

2011-06-03T15:20:00.000-04:00

Claire turned 4 last week. She is as wonderful a girl as a mother could hope for. Filled with curiosity, passion and caring. She is tall, strong and her once-black hair has softened into light brown curls that burst from her head. We frustrate each other some times, but I cannot believe I get to shepherd this kid on her journey. Like she once said to me, "You make my heart so very happy, mama.

Wherein I forget I have a blog.

2011-05-11T21:45:00.000-04:00

I wonder, I wonder. Should I even bother? Should I start from the beginning? Pick up where I left off? How do you make up the time from then till now? There is little to say that matters in the long run. I take care of the kids, take care of the house and and the end of the day, I end up lacking the time and energy to really take care of myself. I wish I had something meaningful to add to the

Night Mother

2011-03-27T22:03:00.000-04:00

During the day, I am a pretty good mom. I take the kids to the park, to music classes, feed them interesting snacks. I give hugs and kisses, wipe tears and bottoms as needed. Hell, let's face it, I sorta rock! But, I must confess, once the sun goes down, and the wee ones are tucked into bed, I sort of fall to pieces. One of them cries in the dark and I freeze. What should I do - do we let her

Wherein I get a little mushy.

2011-02-14T21:34:00.000-05:00

p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } I am finding that love comes in many shapes. The love of parent and child – regardless of age. I see the relationship between my children and myself, or my husband growing and changing, day by day. As they develop their personalities, so does our love develop. I see a new side to my love for my husband – as our partnership deepens. I watch my bond with my

Wherein winter kicks my ass

2011-02-10T13:47:00.001-05:00

There is no coincidence in the fact that I haven't posted since December (December!) and the fact that this winter, more than any other, is wearing me down. I don't have to go over the particulars of the weather with you - you've seen the news. Snow! Snowpocalypse! Snow-maggeddon! And in between the snow, ice storms, slush in the streets and negligent homeowners who don't clear the sidewalks. (

Shopping with Kids

2010-12-02T14:27:00.000-05:00

Shopping with kids is, to me, one of the most dreaded experiences going. Today, the three of us headed to the local grocery store to pick up a few things. We've mostly converted to an online grocery delivery service, but I needed things for today. So off we went, Claire and I were on foot and Ben was strapped into the stroller. Claire was good, walking to the store, holding on when we crossed

Wherein I bitch and moan. But just a little.

2010-11-15T15:02:00.001-05:00

Hi! It's me! Remember me? It's been a crazy fall around here, although I couldn't tell you what's really been going on. Nothing much, which is why I haven't been posting. The kids are both awesome. Ben's walking (walking!) And Claire started ballet lessons. She's the cutest ballerina ever, IMHO. She loves it, and will show off her skills whenever she can (so far, first position, arabesque

Someone to Love

2010-09-28T10:25:00.001-04:00

Eight years. I've been married today for eight years. If we were exchanging presents - linen or lace, pottery or bronze. But, I don't think we are. The road has been hard at times, we've had sickness and we've had health. We've been richer, and poorer. But always we have been happy in our love. I, Diane, take you, Dave, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better

The Quiet Time

2010-09-05T22:55:00.001-04:00

I've been gone for far too long. Too much is going on. Summer is drawing to a close, I think. We had a full summer. We saw friends, went to parks and beaches, spent time with family. Claire had a wonderful time at camp this summer. She loved every day, and would ask us if she could go even on the weekends. Her imagination grew by leaps and bounds. She is a princess, or a ballerina, or a fairy

2010-08-06T07:21:00.001-04:00

These are days.

2010-07-24T21:35:00.000-04:00

Summer has come, in spades. I won't go into detail, since we're all rather aware of the heat. We've been busy. Claire is going to camp, the same one she went to last year, which is run at the school she attends. For some reason, she LOVES it. She gets upset when she doesn't go. Her two best friends, Nina and Constantine are in her group, and now they are older than the other kids. It's amazing

Ha. Again I say "Ha!"

2010-07-15T15:19:00.001-04:00

I write like J. D. SalingerI Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing! *snerk*

Reverie

2010-07-10T22:52:00.001-04:00

He wakes, fitfully stirring, whimpering in his sleep. 2:15 2:18 2:25 The whimpering escalates, into crying, shattering the peaceful night. Reaching for me, and screaming his outrage, rubbing his soft cheek against mine. We pace the floor, waiting for Dave to come with the ibuprophen. Then we rock, Ben and I, in the still of the night. Curled together in the glider, a sheet pulled around us

Roasted Corn Salad

2010-06-22T08:10:00.000-04:00

I made this yesterday with our leftovers from a Father's Day BBQ - totally awesome. I was inspired by a similar salad served at a local BBQ joint. 2 ears roasted corn, kernels removed 2 scallions, chopped handful grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in little pieces handful edamame, shelled (although this was more for texture and color than taste) olive oil salt and pepper mix the vegetables together

To Infinity AND BEYOND..or at least to Florida

2010-05-31T19:33:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, the family took it's first vacation as a foursome. Yipes. We packed up our stuff, and went down to visit my best friend, who lives in a sleepy suburb of Tampa with her husband, 4 teenagers, 2 cats and 2 dogs. Objective - Cape Canaveral, and the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Dave had tried as hard as he could to get tickets so that we could be on NASA property for

Happy Birthday, Claire

2010-05-23T20:26:00.001-04:00

Three years ago, I held you for the first time. You were so small, and so perplexing. I was terrified. But there you were - 9 pounds 10 oz and 22 inches long with jet black hair, dark brown eyes and cheeks so chubby the delivery nurse showed you off around the floor. Perfection. We had a rough start, you and I. I was so sad, and that summer was hot and humid, like many here in New York, and I

My buddy

2010-05-21T15:38:00.000-04:00

Dear Ben, Thanks for being a sweet little guy.

Taco Night

2010-05-11T21:59:00.000-04:00

I've been cooking more and more, and as I go along, I've been refining recipes, so I'm including them here. One of our favorites is Taco Night - I get a package of tortillas, some cheddar cheese, sour cream and salsa. For a long time I also picked up a package of taco seasoning, but I realized that I didn't really want to be putting that much salt into my body. Never mind Claire's. So I did a

Basic Black Beans

2010-05-11T21:53:00.000-04:00

We're trying to save a bit of moola these days and with all the news about canned food being riddled with BPA, I decided that the time had come to try cooking my own beans from scratch. It was awesome. I started with a half pound of dry black beans, on the chance that we didn't like the outcome. No worries there. Here's what I did: 1 cup black dried beans 4 cups water 4 cloves garlic, smashed

What I'm eating

2010-05-03T10:37:00.000-04:00

Not that many of you care, but I've totally been grooving on pasta salads for lunch the last couple of weeks. For years I would try to make them, and they would be all bland, and not worth eating. But I have cracked the code. It's also a great way to use up little bits of leftover stuff. 1 cup cooked pasta (usually whole wheat) couscous works well too 1 diced chicken breast or thigh. (here's

Ithaca

2010-04-27T20:17:00.001-04:00

Well, we finally took our first family road trip. Dave's sister, Christine, lives in Ithaca, NY and invited us up. Well sort of. I'm sure in all the years she's lived there, there must have been an official offer made, but I'm still not sure there was one specific to this visit. In reality, the conversation between me and Dave went something like this: D: Let's take a road trip - drive to

Greek Pasta Salad

2010-04-25T15:27:00.001-04:00

I mixed this up for my lunch today. Fantastic! 1 cup cooked whole-wheat penne 1 oz crumbled feta cheese 2 oz cooked chicken breast, cut into cubes 1/4 cucumber, cut into chunks 1 hard boiled egg 1 cup steamed broccoli & green beans (just some leftovers I had on hand) about 2tsp olive oil splash balsamic vinegar salt, pepper, dried oregano (or if you have it, a pinch of zatar spice) Mix

Recipe Report: Roast Chicken

2010-04-22T21:41:00.001-04:00

You may find it hard to believe, but until tonight, I had never roasted a whole chicken before. Cray-zee! But, I had been thinking about it for a while, so onward and upward! It was FANTASTIC!! I did a bunch of research, and combined a bunch of different recipes. (Sorry, Jon and Rebecca, but I wasn't going to buy a bottle of apple brandy just for this...) 1 largish chicken - an oven stuffer

Flucky

2010-04-12T10:41:00.003-04:00

There is a term in our family that perfectly sums up the occasional and unexpected good things that happen, when they might have otherwise turned out badlyFlucky.As in, "He got a flucky!"When you accidentally wash a tissue and it comes out of the cycle intact, instead of shredded and evenly distributed all over your clothing. You got a flucky.When you knock over a full glass of water, but manage

Can you be a fashion platter?

2010-04-09T10:38:00.003-04:00

I'm not a fashion plate.Never have been.But I want to look nice, a little classy, a little funky, I don't want to be the mom in ill-fitting jeans and a baby-snot stained t-shirt. I don't want to be the one in the too-tight shirt over a badly fitted bra.And. although I am working, even casually, at losing weight, and getting back to some semblance of my fit self, I need to do something now. I

Help?

2010-04-07T15:35:00.002-04:00

Hi there Invisible Internet People!Two questions have come up recently, and short of reading what feels like the entirety of the internet to answer them, I am asking you:1. How do you hard boil eggs?Yes, I know, put the eggs in the pot, bring it to a boil. Usually, I put them in, boil it, and turn off the heat for 16 minutes. Then I'm sort of stuck. Usually, I run them under cold water, and then

(More) Things that Make me Laugh

2010-04-05T22:54:00.002-04:00

Claire is in full-blown terrible twos lately. Not napping, pushing us, and throwing some mighty tantrums, such as the one last week that led to an ER visit, but underneath it all, she's still my sweet girl.She has this way of asking you about something, "What is X, mama?" And when you tell her, she will say "Oh! It's..." It's that little exclamation "OH!" in there that gets me each and

Aftermath

2010-03-29T07:44:00.003-04:00

I'm happy to say that Saturday's trip to the ER is a memory. I don't think Claire remembers it, or if she does, it's a distant memory.I'm trying to take the same view.Sunday was a normal day. Dave had to work, so it was more like a weekday. I took the kids to the park, and to run some errands, made dinner. There were baths and bedtime.Normal.I like normal, don't you?

Boo-Boos

2010-03-28T16:34:00.001-04:00

Unfortunately, life with an active, opinionated toddler occasionally means bumps and bruises.And that rite of passage known as the first ER visit.Yesterday as we were leaving a playdate, Claire decided she wasn't ready to go, so she threw herself to the floor. Dave grabbed her by the hand to encourage her to move. He got her to her feet, but she tripped, and he didn't let go.Screaming, we

Catching Tales

2010-03-13T22:21:00.000-05:00

I last updated in JANUARY?Even for being distracted and such with life, that's a bit insane!Ok - so what has been going on?Not a whole helluva lot, really.Ben is now 6 months old. Reflux is totally gone, although he still spits up a bit. He also snores like a tiny little old man most of the time. Cracks me up. He's rolling over, grabbing (he has this one ninja death grip where I swear he's

Scenes

2010-01-26T08:25:00.004-05:00

It is 8:25 on an unseasonably warm winter morning.I've gotten Ben fed and back to sleep. He's lying on the bed next to me, arms and legs wrapped snugly in his swaddle. Occasionally he sighs and grunts, dreaming his baby dreams.Dave has taken Claire off to school for the morning. I got her up and dressed today. Packed her snack and lunch for her. But the trip to school is Daddy time. Sometimes

Rainy days and Sundays

2010-01-17T16:10:00.003-05:00

It's four o'clock. Sunday afternoon. The rain is falling and it's a cold January day.Everyone else is sleeping. I suppose I should be too, but lately the hours spent alone are far to precious to me to waste by merely sleeping.No one is touching me.There isn't a recalcitrant, fractious toddler trying to have her way. (Yes, I know that's two words that mean the same thing, and no I don't care. My

New Year's Meme

2010-01-01T15:46:00.002-05:00

Saturday, December 19, 2009 Christmas meme Eggnog or hot chocolate? Hot Chocolate, please.Does Santa wrap the presents or leave them open under the tree? This is our first year that we will have to deal with this. Santa presents and stocking stuff will be unwrapped. Santa is very, very busy so he thinks wrapping is overrated.Colored lights on a

{W}rite of Passage: Slapshot

2009-12-07T21:14:00.009-05:00

It's cold at the park today. The wind has picked up and the last of the fall leaves have given up and lie forgotten, wedged into the corners. Even though it is noon, the light is faded. Clouds are blowing in, bringing the promise of a rainy afternoon.Despite all this, Claire still wants to go to the park after school. We bundle up, and head across the street. Ben is snuggled down in his carseat,

What I Love

2009-12-07T14:21:00.002-05:00

I've always said I wanted to be a writer. From the 3rd grade - when I wrote and illustrated a topic report about ants - til today, I've proudly told people my aspirations. I went to college, determined to follow my dreams. I studied journalism, figuring that I could write and get paid for it until I finished my novel and became famous. When I graduated, I went to work at a series of trade

Bleh,..

2009-10-28T11:54:00.002-04:00

Things that suck, in no particular order:1. Two days of rain2. A toddler who is ambivalent about napping3. A toddler who suddenly prefers Mommy to everyone else, especially when Mommy is trying to take care of Business in the bathroom.4. A newborn who conveniently spits up every time you are trying to get someplace on time for a change5. Wearing damp pants because you are going to have to go back

Lessons to cherish

2009-10-22T15:59:00.002-04:00

The Girl told me "Mommy-mom - you are STRONG!" this morning. Of course, she said this as I was dragging three bags of garbage out (one from the diaper pail, one from the kitchen and one from the bathroom..)

Ben

2009-09-14T14:01:00.002-04:00