I’m writing here today for Mountain Xpress. It’s all about silly resolutions and stuff. So read mine and tell me yours, kay?
Happy New Year!
Dec
27
My plan for engaging in extra reading time over this holiday break has been thwarted by two things: my inability to meet all of my work deadlines before the break, and my volunteering to care for my youngest sister’s youngest child for three days.
Robert, aged 21 months, is an adorable kid–flexible, laid back, sweet, a bit of a ham. He also didn’t sleep a whole lot last night because of both a cough and because he’s 21 months and we made him sleep in a pack & play in a strange place. Poor guy. So, of course, he ended up in our bed for most of the night. I’d forgotten what toddler-induced sleep deprivation feels like. It feels like I’ve got sand rubbing against the back of my corneas, and I’m not sure if I should be operating any large machinery for a couple of days.
Also, Robert is in that curious toddler stage where everything must be explored–including the toilet, my printer, the kitchen drawers, and all other potentially dangerous non-baby proofed areas of my home. So far, the damage has been minimal, although he’s discovered that anything he throws will be retrieved by the dog, which he finds hilarious. So things like my kids’ toys, his bottle, and the sofa pillows have been frequently flying through the air. Even the dog is sleep-deprived.
But Robert is the sweetest, funniest, most relaxed little kid ever. He loves to snuggle, lets anyone comfort him, including my 6-year-old son, and sings tuneful babbling songs all day. He’s a bit scared of Rocky, but Rocky weighs as much as he does, so that’s understandable. When Robert first saw the sumo cat, he started crying, pointing, and yelling, “No, no, no.” I realized that he thought I’d allowed a bobcat in the house.
For the first time in three years, I have a baby gate on the stairs, a high chair in the dining room, and a pile of diapers in the bedroom. But guess what? I get to give him back in two days. I think this may be the best gift my sister’s ever given me.
Dec
21
Family, alcohol, kids, rich food, political differences. What more could you want?
I started writing this while I was in Atlanta for the pre-Christmas party circuit, but I abandoned it because of time constraints.
The sked was packed, and unfortunately, I didn’t get to see friends, other than a bunch of my sister’s buds who came to a party she hosted at her home. Where we were staying.
I tried to go to sleep around 1:00 ish last night but vaguely remember being awoken several times over the next couple of hours by hip hop music and loud-voiced commercial realtors.
I don’t look much like my sisters, which caused some interesting confusion, as I was wandering the party with Biscuit in my arms for a good part of the night. I think people thought I’d just brought my dog with me as an accessory. A la Paris Hilton. The truth was that when I put him upstairs with the kids he tried to dig through the door, according to the baby sitter. Later, he whined, waking the kids up (even more so than the loud party-goers). And he’s so small, I was afraid he’d trip someone. Or someone would step on him. So I carried him around the party when he wasn’t busy cleaning the floor of sausage dip and cupcakes (he got in trouble for scarfing a couple mini cupcakes off a low table. Luckily, he seems to have a strong tummy).
So I found myself explaining to several people why I was carrying an exhausted Dorkie Poo around a semi-formal party. My middle sis said she overheard one guy say, “What’s with the lady with the dog?”
That said, I found that the pup was a great ice breaker. And that I like talking to people who like dogs. People who smile when they see dogs are my kind of folks. Even if I am the crazy lady wearing high heels and carrying a scruffy mutt around a party.
Dec
20
Yep, it’s the day that Enviro-spouse, otherwise known as Cowboy Drew, turns 40. Happy, happy birthday!
Dec
18
I’m too busy to blog, but that’s okay, because you’re all probably too busy to read. Remember that column I published last week about ways to lower holiday stress? I did all those things. And guess what? I’m still stressed.
Wish I could snuggle up and relax with these two:
Dec
17
My weekly column is up at Mountain Xpress.
If you’ve read Eat, Pray, Love, you need to read the column. Hell, you should read it anyway. And comment. Because you’ve got nothing better to do the week before Christmas, right?
Happy Monday, all!
Dec
16
Please read this horrifying, yet informative editorial about where and how some of our holiday purchases are made. Yowza.
Dec
15
My 6-year-old son wandered into my room as I was changing after a Christmas party tonight.
“Mommy, you have leg socks,” he said.
“Those are called stockings,” I said.
He looked at my legs dubiously. “They aren’t filled with candy though.”