The Adventures of Mommy Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

I've come to the sad, sad conclusion that my blog is a sad, sad blog.

With the long commute, I no longer have the time in the morning wax philosophical. And, with the lack of sleep my once semi-faceted life has turned into a uniform sleep, wake, drive, work, drive, eat, sleep routine.

And, yet, the toddler accomplishments keep coming. Perhaps it's okay to recognize that for now, I'm merely mommy mouse. And, at some point in the future, mouse as an independent entity will re-emerge stronger and better for the time spent as mommy.

P walked to the car with my yesterday - all the way from her room, through school, through the parking lot and to the car. She's growing up.

And, yesterday, during bath time, she asked Mr. mouse for some soap which she used to rub her belly - three times. Cleanest belly in all of town.

And, last but not least, our toddler has fallen in love with her pillow. We relented a couple of months ago and gave her a pillow. And, now, she sleeps with it all the time. Last night, I went in to her room to say goodnight and she was asleep on her clean belly with her head on her pillow.


Cheers!
mouse

08.30.10: Summer in the City

Dear Friends and Family,

Still struggling with the layer of grime from yesterday. Gross.

We took Friday off. Yeah for vacation days! Flew over to the Twin Cities for a wedding. Got to see several friends and reconnect. Ate some pizza. Drove around a lake. Stopped off at the dry cleaners. Flew home.

Sunday, Yankees vs. White Sox. Our assessment? We're Sox fans, not Cubs fans. Time to order P her toddler jersey. Dinner in Chinatown followed by cake at home.

Why cake? It was my birthday this past weekend. Yeah for birthdays!


Cheers!
mouse

Surfacing

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Friday. And, I made it through the week without too many dents and dings.

What's P doing?

She's walking. Really walking vs. the waddling she was doing earlier.

She's constantly grunting and pointing, at things she sees, at things she wants, at people she knows.

She's begun throwing temper tantrums - crying me, me, me when she wants help with something, pushing and shoving if she doesn't get her way, and morphing into frog eyed girl if all else fails.

Yes, we have a toddler.

Happy Friday!


Cheers!
mouse

Bombarded

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry to be lame. Still swamped. Hope to surface for air tomorrow.


Cheers!
mouse

Short Week

Dear Friends and Family,

It's a short week this week, but it's a grueling one.

If I can make it through this week, hopefully next week will be better. Funny, I say that often and then the next week I think... if I can make it through this week, hopefully next week will be better. Perhaps one day it will be true and when I make it through that week the next week truly will be better.

For now, as long as I am treading water, I guess I can't complain - until the next tsunami comes and threatens to overwhelm me.

One down, three to do.


Cheers!
mouse

08.23.10: To Do List Done

Dear Friends and Family,

We entered into the weekend with a to do list from hell. And, we're exiting with one item (knob proofing) on it. Yeah, for mouse and Mr. mouse!

Some of the items were onerous (e.g. oil change and dropping off shoes for resoling) and others were more fun (e.g. footprints for P and softball game for Mr. mouse), but put together the list was long.

Let's see. Saturday, haircut, bakery, library, dry cleaning, shoes, oil change, car wash, mail, lunch, groceries, Target, late dinner at home.

Sunday, bagels, cake order, footprints, groceries, toddler cup, softball game, kiddie pool, late dinner at home.

I'm exhausted just reading the list.

P slept a lot this weekend with a monster nap on Saturday at home and a second nap on the car ride home. Sunday, she had a shorter nap in the morning and a second nap on the car ride home.

We made the long trek out to the burbs two days in a row. And, I slept poorly last night - which means today's going to be a brutal day.

Short week this week. Let's focus on the positive!


Cheers!
mouse

Two Little Kittens

Dear Friends and Family,

P's favorite characters are:

• the two little kittens in Goodnight Moon
• Wedgehead in her alphabet and counting books
• anyone in her facial expressions book

She'll point and laugh or grunt or bounce in your lap. She'll flip through the book searching for the page. She'll kiss the book.

If she ends up a little more cerebral and a little less athletic, then I know she's my daughter. Her favorite books? Dear Zoo and Ten in the Bed.


Cheers!
mouse

Interns

Dear Friends and Family,

Had to read my intern's presentation this morning. The work was great. It's just that they can be a little bit of a hound in trying to get their projects done.

Interns, can't live with them, can't live without them.

Late. Gotta run.


Cheers!
mouse

Toddler Hat Tricks

Dear Friends and Family,

15 months old. What's our P doing nowadays?

She's just beginning to try out running. She'll get ahead of herself and tumble sometimes or sway to re-balance. But, she's beginning to get the hang of it.

She's developed an interest in knobs which means more kitchen proofing is coming soon.

She likes to come up from behind and stand behind you. If you look over your shoulder to see her she shifts a little to the other side. If you then look over the other side to see her she shifts back. She giggles if she thinks you didn't see her.

She runs around the kitchen island and the sitting area couch and slows down when she's coming out the other side to see if she can surprise you.

She like to climb on our stomachs and backs and ride horsey.

And, she's ticklish, especially the stomach.


Cheers!
mouse

Waiting on Inspiration

Dear Friends and Family,

Got up early, but waiting on inspiration. I guess nothing exciting happened yesterday and there's not a lot on my mind. So, I'm surfing and reading and waiting for that ah ha moment.

That's the thing with ah ha moments, you can't rush them. You just need to wait for them to happen. Now that I think about it, life overall feels like it's in a little bit of a holding pattern. I'm happy with work, but the commute is crazy talk. Mr. mouse is happy at work, but there's a lot of change going on this fall. We're happy with P, and jokingly debate another.

There's a sense we're enjoying life. But, also a sense that we're waiting for an ah ha moment. No rushing it. Not sure where it'll take us. Just pondering.

I guess that's my ah ha for the day, recognizing it's a little bit of a Mandelbrot fractal today and life in general.


Cheers!
mouse

08.16.10: Raising a Toddler

Dear Friends and Family,

P has indisputably convinced us, make no mistake, we have a toddler in the house.

She comes to up and puts up her arms if she wants to be picked up. She arches her back and wiggles out of our grasp if she doesn't want to be picked up. She points and grunts to let us know where she wants to go and if she wants something. She throws a temper tantrum if she doesn't get her way. Yes, we have a toddler in the house.

For all that, she's still a joy to have. She smiles and laughs when we smile and laugh. She runs to you if she's happy to see you. She "reads" books to herself and babbles on end. And, she calms herself down (in seconds) when it's obvious she's not going to get her way. Yes, we have a toddler in the house.

Our weekend with our toddler was a flurry of activity.

Saturday, we went to the market for frites and Vietnamese sandwiches. Then, we headed to the Air and Water Show. Through some freak of scheduling we arrived just in time to see all of the jumpers (who normally go in the morning and midday) and the Blue Angels who close the show. Guess it must have been windy in the morning. P had an hour and half nap in my arms and woke just in time to see the Blue Angels.

Saturday night, she fell asleep after reading to herself in her crib.

Sunday, we met up with friends for brunch. Then, we went for a walk to the grocery store. We stopped off in a toy store on the way back. P found a set of blocks she has and pointed to her favorite monkey block. At least she's consistent.

I got a manicure. Then, our friend from Hotlanta came over for dinner. P gorged on beans and pasta before guzzling down her milk. She fell asleep in our bed. And, woke later in her crib. She read a little while sitting on the floor with Mr. mouse and then tried to poop with no success before falling back asleep. I felt so bad for her, but obviously not bad enough to protect her privacy.

And, now it's Monday.


Cheers!
mouse

Thoughts on Another

Dear Friends and Family,

I don't think I'll have the time to finish this post this morning. And, I'm not sure where it'll lead. But, for the million and one people who think they're entitled to an opinion, truth be told you're not. And, for the thousand and one people who think this is a vote, it isn't. But, with that being said, if you feel the need to comment, I won't take it personally.

One

• we get to spend time with P
• we get to focus on P
• we have room for one in the house
• saving for college is expensive



• the next one maybe a boy, this is a minor one compared to everything else
• the next one may not be born perfect like P was (i.e. my eggs are getting old)
• I could get gestational diabetes with the next one
• I'm deathly afraid of SIDS
• I need to lose the baby weight from P
• I'd need to lose the baby weight from the next one
• the next one is not a carbon copy of the first one, they couldn't be as perfect as P



• the craziness that is breastfeeding for the first year and working at the same time
• taking maternity leave in my current job would be tough
• we'd be more limited in what we can do (e.g. travel, eat out)

More than One

• we'd have "the spare"
• P could be lonely being an only
• there'd be someone for P to share the burden (of caring for us) with
• perhaps this is one of those things where you can't imagine the happiness until you get there
• (some) babies are so cute

I guess I need to think about how important each of these are. And, I need to think about other factors, perhaps the list is incomplete.

But, for now, I think I'm happy with the one I have.


Cheers!
mouse

Midnight Snack

Dear Friends and Family,

P didn't eat much dinner last night. And, she wasn't in the mood for much milk either (more on that later). So, it came as no surprise when she woke at 1:44AM to tell us she was hungry.

Now, if she were older we could explain she should have eaten more dinner. But, at 15 months I'm not sure it'd stick.

So, we brought her downstairs and Mr. mouse grabbed some food out of the refrigerator. I spooned some yogurt into a bowl and he put on her bib. And, then she ate. And, the sight of her diligently using the spoon in the semi-darkness we keep our kitchen at for midnight snacks while Mr. mouse was holding the bowl for her somehow made the 1:44 wake up call worth it.


Cheers!
mouse

Urban Legends

Dear Friends and Family,

I hate to break the news to you. And, I feel a little guilty for admitting it. But, not all parents love all babies indiscriminately.

I didn't like holding babies before P was born. And, everyone told me that that would change once I was a parent. That after parenthood, I would love all babies and all baby pictures, and that I would love holding anyone's baby. I also heard I wouldn't mind baby crying.

Well, it's all bunk.

Frankly, I have little interest in holding any baby besides P who is now a toddler. Sometimes I do it because I can tell I'll hurt the parents' feelings if I don't. But, usually I'll decline, and Mr. mouse will explain away my behavior to the parents so they know it's not their baby's fault.

And, I still can't stand baby crying. It just puts me on edge.

That all being said... One of my friends just had a baby and I am so excited. He's absolutely perfect (at least in the pictures I saw) and I can't wait to meet him.


Cheers!
mouse

08.10.10: Whirlwind Weekends

Dear Friends and Family,

We may have been at home the last couple of weekends, but they've been whirlwind weekends packed with activities.

This past weekend was no different.

Saturday, we went out to a ball game. It was a close game with the Cubs losing by one with bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. P enjoyed the game - watching part of it and standing in between our seats for the rest of it. The weather was stunningly beautiful.

Sunday, we went for brunch with our neighbor. Then we headed out to the doctor's office for a check up and a couple of shots. Our little empress remains oddly shaped with a >50th percentile head, 10-25th percentile height and 5th percentile weight.

Next, we packed the bags and headed out to market days - one of the many festivals summertime brings to the city. It was a little much for the kids, but I really enjoyed it. It wasn't so much the crush of bodies or the over the top exhibitionism, but the sense of freedom. These are people who day by day may or may not feel 110% comfortable in everything they do. That's what it's like to be a minority. There's one part that wants to conform to the majority and one part that wants to adhere to what makes you unique. Okay, that may be a gross oversimplification, but it's true for me. Data point of one. Excellent.

Anyways, it felt so wonderful - a venue where people were free to express who they are and not feel like anyone was sitting judgement on them. I loved it. But, it was overwhelming - there were just too many people.

Sunday evening we met up with one of my old friends. Her company was acquired by a local company and she'll be coming up for the next couple of weeks to help with the transition.

And, that was the weekend. Is your head spinning yet?


Cheers!
mouse

Late Start... Early Morning

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Monday. And, I've got my early Monday meetings. So, weekend recap will have to wait until tomorrow.

Will be eating core (Weight Watchers) today. Wish me luck!


Cheers!
mouse

Obsessions

Dear Friends and Family,

I think I'm one of those people - once I'm committed, I'm obsessed. Once I'm obsessed, I'm focused. Once I'm focused, I can do anything.

So, I guess the start of any journey is commitment. Which brings me to Weight Watchers. I'm beginning my (second) journey next Tuesday with my next weigh in.


Cheers!
mouse

Freedoms We Take for Granted

Dear Friends and Family,

I've been meaning to write about this for some time, but it's a fuzzy concept... the rights and freedoms we have and how we take it for granted. Somehow, in debating the nuances of it and/or not taking advantage of it, we counterintuitively validate it. Does that make any sense?

Okay. How about this example? While some heterosexual couples are debating his name, her name, hyphenated, each keeping their own, some homosexual couples are pointedly picking one common last name.

There's so much we do day by day where we take for granted the very basics that we can't imagine life without. Life insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance, hospitals, police, fire fighters, all of the rights in the bill of rights and our constitution, a justice system, a monetary controls system, equal opportunity, the list goes on.

Yet, every day, people wake up to a world without the basics. We debate whether to vaccinate our collective children while others don't have access to childhood vaccinations.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this post. If it's a call to recognize what we have and be grateful for it. Or, if it's a realization that we should be doing more for others. Or, for now, simply, that it's important to share our thoughts and opinions with others in respectful dialogue. Sometimes you need to stand on the shoulders of giants to push your thinking forward until it crystallizes.

Any tall volunteers around?


Cheers!
mouse

08.04.10: Social Butterfly Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

The weekend was a buzz with activity.

Saturday morning, P and I went out for breakfast and a walk while the house cleaners took care of business. Then, we loaded up the car and went to a friend's birthday party. P's first birthday party. She liked the pasta. She liked the cake. She wasn't a big fan of the water park.

Then, we met up with friends for tacos followed by a trip downtown to watch a movie shoot followed by drinks followed by a live cook-off followed by dinner on the roof.

We kicked off Sunday with brunch at the local diner. Mr. mouse went to get my car while P napped. Then, we all met up at a bike race. We stopped for some sushi and before you knew it the weekend was over.

P was full of love and affection. She was methodical and simply content when we had breakfast together on Saturday. She was full of trust when she fell asleep on my back on the walk home from brunch. She was all smiles and kisses at the bike race. And, she babbled the whole way home from dinner.

It feels like it can't get any better. Then, it inevitably does.


Cheers!
mouse

08.01.10: Baby, Foot

Dear Friends and Family,

One day P is going to try and compile this all and she's going to wonder why I wasn't more consistent.

Sunday evening, we were driving home from dinner and P was full of baby talk and Mr. mouse and I were egging her on encouraging the exploration of new sounds and tones. She was saying something like bay-bee.

Well, yesterday, she was reading a book of baby faces and she was pointing to several of them and saying bay-bee. Too cute.

The other word she's gotten down is bahl which she uses to refer to her shoes which only makes sense when you realize the word for shoes in Korean is shin bahl. Last night, in her crib, she was pointing to her foot and saying bahl which could mean she was asking for her shoes or could mean she figured out that bahl is the Korean word for foot. So for now, bahl is either foot or shoe for P. Close enough for a 15 month old.


Cheers!
mouse

Returning to Work: One Year Anniversary

Dear Friends and Family,

I'll write about the weekend tomorrow. Today, I want to take the time I have and reflect on the past year.

One year ago today, Mr. mouse and I loaded P into the car and drove to school to drop P off for her first day of school and my first day back at the office.

We made it through the schedule craziness that is pumping. We made it through the first year of driving. We made it through packing bottles and bags and binkies. We made it through the multiple times P was sent home from school for being sick. We made it through the transition to toddler room.

There have been days I wanted more time with P. There have been days when I had a bad day at work and I questioned my decision. But, in the end, I'm glad I made the decision I made. I think P is a better person for it. And, I know I am a better person for it. Ultimately, I like working. I like the tough mental challenges and the social interaction. I think if I was at home every day with P I would eventually think it was repetitious.

Right now, it feels like a good balance. I get to see P when I drop her off. I get to see P when I pick her up. I talk to P and sing to her on the way home. I get to spend time with her at night - playing, eating dinner, bathing and putting her to bed. I get my weekend rush. Then, I get to go to work and know she's in good hands doing things I wouldn't be able to do with her at home (e.g. playing with her classmates) or wouldn't think to do at home (e.g. chocolate pudding art).

I like being close by. And, I like doing drop off and pick up. There are too many firsts I would have missed if I had skipped drop off and pick up. In those precious moments, P pulled up for the first time and took her first steps. On a day at home with me, sick with some stomach bug, she crawled for the first time.

So, while the commute has been longer than I would like. I wouldn't change a thing. At least for now.


Cheers!
mouse