Almost too quiet.
Almost. (wink wink)
Urban Kid 1 is continuing her "vacation" in St. Louis with Best Namma Ever!. Yesterday, she called from "Shake n Steak," where they were dining with some friends. This is a nice bonus for her, as we have to go out to the suburbs here to find one (which means that it doesn't happen, I'm afraid). BNE! also bought her a few new pieces of clothes while shopping a sale. They also hit a book fair, so I'm sure she cleaned up there as well. And when UK1 calls, she really wants to talk to UK2. Love that.
The quiet has allowed me to reflect a bit on my relationship with UK1. And I'm reassured that it isn't all power struggles and meltdowns. I think about how excited she is to have me watch her the last few minutes of her swim lessons, how she wants to show me things that she made at Spanish class, that when she's sick, all she wants is me. As with any relationship, perhaps a little space allows for some perspective.
I'm kind of starting to miss her................
In the meantime, Urban Dad and I were able to open a bottle of wine last night and have a romantic, late dinner. And we're both getting lots of time to play with UK2. It was less of an issue when I wanted to bail out yesterday afternoon to get a manicure and pedicure. And it will be less of an issue today when I want to bail out to go to the gym.
But it is pretty quiet around here.
Almost too quiet.
Almost. (wink wink)
Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
A "Vacation" Of Sorts?
You see, my mom (aka: Best Namma Ever!) came to visit from our hometown of St. Louis. And she does not know that I have this humble blog. Only a teeny number of people that I know IRL know that I am trying blogging. I aim to keep it that way for a while.
BNE! came up on Wednesday and stayed the night. Then yesterday, BNE! and Urban Kid 1 flew back to St. Louis. Yes, BNE! collected UK1 for a lovely little "vacation." And not a moment too soon, I'm afraid. For some reason, UK1 and I have been butting heads... and hard. Almost no day has been complete without a massive meltdown and a long timeout. My sister has eloquently referred to these events as "pi$$ing matches." The nice thing is that she spends her timeouts pulling books off of her shelves and reading them. I'm thinking of starting her on this book:
She'd likely finish it before her next birthday, at the rate she's going..............
There have been a few days when Urban Dad comes home to me wondering if homeschooling is actually the best answer. "She hates me! What can I possibly teach her?" His reply is always that she does NOT hate me and that even if we do just argue all day, she's STILL better off than in the Chicago system.
UK1 loves going to BNE!'s. Everything is novel and perfect. She is the center of attention. She gets to go to church (something we're a little too lax about, I suppose) and be the center of attention there. She gets to see my sister, a police officer, aka: Pink Power Ranger. And be the center of her attention. There's some sort of trampoline place that BNE! was checking out for her. And they go to the local Y to swim and play in a shiny new pool. She gets to watch Cinderella over and over again. Seriously, who can blame the kid?
In the meantime, Urban Kid 2 is getting lots of attention, especially from UD. He worries that he doesn't get enough time with her due to the whirling dervish that is UK1. As the weather improves bit by teeny tiny bit, he wants to take UK2 out for a walk in the stroller when he gets home. For the next few days, it will be The UD and UK2 Show. More power to 'em.
BNE! and UK1 are scheduled to fly back on Tuesday. But Pink Power Ranger is scheduled to drive up for a visit next Friday. So BNE! might just keep UK1 a few extra days, and all three may arrive together instead. I am all about the latter idea. So does this make me a bad mom? Or just an honest one? An honestly bad one? Or maybe one that is fortunate enough to come up for air now and then.
As much as I love living here, and as excited as I am about raising kids in the heart of the city, I do envy those that have family around them, handy on a day-to-day basis. I thank God every day for BNE! and how involved she has been from 300 miles away. I'd lose my mind without her.
But I'm still not telling her about this blog.
=-)
BNE! came up on Wednesday and stayed the night. Then yesterday, BNE! and Urban Kid 1 flew back to St. Louis. Yes, BNE! collected UK1 for a lovely little "vacation." And not a moment too soon, I'm afraid. For some reason, UK1 and I have been butting heads... and hard. Almost no day has been complete without a massive meltdown and a long timeout. My sister has eloquently referred to these events as "pi$$ing matches." The nice thing is that she spends her timeouts pulling books off of her shelves and reading them. I'm thinking of starting her on this book:
She'd likely finish it before her next birthday, at the rate she's going..............There have been a few days when Urban Dad comes home to me wondering if homeschooling is actually the best answer. "She hates me! What can I possibly teach her?" His reply is always that she does NOT hate me and that even if we do just argue all day, she's STILL better off than in the Chicago system.
UK1 loves going to BNE!'s. Everything is novel and perfect. She is the center of attention. She gets to go to church (something we're a little too lax about, I suppose) and be the center of attention there. She gets to see my sister, a police officer, aka: Pink Power Ranger. And be the center of her attention. There's some sort of trampoline place that BNE! was checking out for her. And they go to the local Y to swim and play in a shiny new pool. She gets to watch Cinderella over and over again. Seriously, who can blame the kid?
In the meantime, Urban Kid 2 is getting lots of attention, especially from UD. He worries that he doesn't get enough time with her due to the whirling dervish that is UK1. As the weather improves bit by teeny tiny bit, he wants to take UK2 out for a walk in the stroller when he gets home. For the next few days, it will be The UD and UK2 Show. More power to 'em.
BNE! and UK1 are scheduled to fly back on Tuesday. But Pink Power Ranger is scheduled to drive up for a visit next Friday. So BNE! might just keep UK1 a few extra days, and all three may arrive together instead. I am all about the latter idea. So does this make me a bad mom? Or just an honest one? An honestly bad one? Or maybe one that is fortunate enough to come up for air now and then.
As much as I love living here, and as excited as I am about raising kids in the heart of the city, I do envy those that have family around them, handy on a day-to-day basis. I thank God every day for BNE! and how involved she has been from 300 miles away. I'd lose my mind without her.
But I'm still not telling her about this blog.
=-)
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Long Strange Trip to Chicago
Getting home after Vegas was somewhat, well, involved.
The Best Namma Ever, the two girls and I piled into the CR/V in St. Louis on a beautiful, sunny, oddly warm day. Perfect for a drive across Illinois! As we gathered ourselves fueling up on gas for the car and Starbucks for the grown-ups, we got a call warning us that our turnoff to I-55 was a mess due to a 12-car pile-up caused by fog. What fog???????
We snaked north through Alton, taking the long way to 55, but feeling that it was smarter than sitting in a parking lot of traffic. Alas, the fog came hard, fast and THICK. All around us, what we could see around us, were people going no more than 40mph and using their hazards. I'll spare you too many details, it was like this without a break all the way to Bloomington-Normal, about in the middle of the state. And a 5-hour drive across the state turned into a 5-hour ordeal just to B-N. Finally, we stopped. The word from Chicago was that it was just as thick there, plus it was raining. Add nightfall into the equation, and things were just ridiculous. I had my mom and kids with me. Why do something stupid? So we stopped at the Quality Inn -- we HAD to find a place with a POOL after cooping up a 4-year-old in the car all day. She got to jump on the beds to her little heart's content, frolic in the pool and walk (we were DONE with the car!) to Cracker Barrel with Best Namma Ever to get dinner while I gave little J a bath.
The next morning, it took us two hours to zip the rest of the way home.
Finally, I'm trying to learn how to post pictures here. My wonderful husband (and he is!) doesn't want me to post pictures of the kids. Understandable. But I figure that I'll try this with a picture that isn't current. That should be safe enough, right?
Drum roll please.......................
The Best Namma Ever, the two girls and I piled into the CR/V in St. Louis on a beautiful, sunny, oddly warm day. Perfect for a drive across Illinois! As we gathered ourselves fueling up on gas for the car and Starbucks for the grown-ups, we got a call warning us that our turnoff to I-55 was a mess due to a 12-car pile-up caused by fog. What fog???????
We snaked north through Alton, taking the long way to 55, but feeling that it was smarter than sitting in a parking lot of traffic. Alas, the fog came hard, fast and THICK. All around us, what we could see around us, were people going no more than 40mph and using their hazards. I'll spare you too many details, it was like this without a break all the way to Bloomington-Normal, about in the middle of the state. And a 5-hour drive across the state turned into a 5-hour ordeal just to B-N. Finally, we stopped. The word from Chicago was that it was just as thick there, plus it was raining. Add nightfall into the equation, and things were just ridiculous. I had my mom and kids with me. Why do something stupid? So we stopped at the Quality Inn -- we HAD to find a place with a POOL after cooping up a 4-year-old in the car all day. She got to jump on the beds to her little heart's content, frolic in the pool and walk (we were DONE with the car!) to Cracker Barrel with Best Namma Ever to get dinner while I gave little J a bath.
The next morning, it took us two hours to zip the rest of the way home.
Finally, I'm trying to learn how to post pictures here. My wonderful husband (and he is!) doesn't want me to post pictures of the kids. Understandable. But I figure that I'll try this with a picture that isn't current. That should be safe enough, right?
Drum roll please.......................
Ok, this is C at a few weeks old. And she's at the top of the page instead of down here. Hmph.
This should keep me awake tonight.
Happy Weekend, All!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Viva Las Vegas
Today shouldn't be bad... we're off to the gym so that C can take the kiddie ballet class and I can be alone for a bit to shower in peace. (maybe i'll even exercise a bit!) Then, thank you god, my mom flies in. She'll arrive at our place in time for me to take C to piano while she stays home with little J. After C's 2pm piano class is my 4:30 dentist appt. Then C's 7:15 swimming class.
Why cram all of this in? Because tomorrow we drive back to St. Louis and will be in a car all day. (oh yeah, i suppose i should pack all three of us at some point today too, huh?) Then the day after, C & I fly to Vegas to visit some friends.
If I get a few moments, I'll pop in for a post and to surf the others that I've been discovering. Otherwise, fun details to come as soon as we get back!
BTW, I must brag for a moment about the amazing parallel parking job I pulled off yesterday. There was a spot right in front of our place, and I was determined to squirm in there. Made it, with only a few inches to spare on each end! I may even take a picture -- might motivate me to learn how to post them here.... Anyway, now I have to figure out how to get back out of it.
Happy Weekend, if a bit early!
Why cram all of this in? Because tomorrow we drive back to St. Louis and will be in a car all day. (oh yeah, i suppose i should pack all three of us at some point today too, huh?) Then the day after, C & I fly to Vegas to visit some friends.
If I get a few moments, I'll pop in for a post and to surf the others that I've been discovering. Otherwise, fun details to come as soon as we get back!
BTW, I must brag for a moment about the amazing parallel parking job I pulled off yesterday. There was a spot right in front of our place, and I was determined to squirm in there. Made it, with only a few inches to spare on each end! I may even take a picture -- might motivate me to learn how to post them here.... Anyway, now I have to figure out how to get back out of it.
Happy Weekend, if a bit early!
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