05.17.10: Birthday Party Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

WARNING: I'm annoyed. If you're looking for shiny happy blog entry, I'd skip ahead to another blog or come back another day.

Okay. Let's start at the beginning.

My parents flew in on Friday for the weekend for P's birthday. They took a cab out to the office. We ate lunch together. I dropped them off to spend the afternoon with P.

My dad is on antibiotics for a cold (I know, that makes NO sense, but, that's what his doctor prescribed. That's what he's on). So, he shakes P's hand and then proceeds to spend the rest of the afternoon in the hallway so that he doesn't get anyone sick. Okay.

My mom is dying to spend quality time with P. She's frenetic in her desire to play with P. She's a little scary in her enthusiasm and P's having none of it. She proceeds to cry the afternoon away. And, we all know how P can cry - nonstop, for hours on end. And, she's convinced her BFFs to cry. So, there's three of them, in a circle, crying their lungs out, and my mom sitting in the corner. At which point, I decide to bag the afternoon and pick everyone up and head home.

We eat Italian for dinner because my dad wants lasagna. Then, my mom watches from the corner while P copes with the extra people in the house.

We make it through the evening in one piece.

Saturday. We wake somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30. Party is slated for 1:00. Ready? We come downstairs to find my dad on the couch. He's not feeling well. He wants to go home. He's ranting and raving he should have never come out in the first place except my mom made him. Ordinary people would be worried at this point because ordinary people don't know my dad. He's complaining that he can't breathe. We're like, seriously, you need us to drop everything and figure out a way to get you home? Cause, it's not like we has anything planned for this morning? Whatever.

We convince him to wait until my mom wakes up.

My mom sees right through him. But, she calls her friend who is a doctor to ask her to prescribe an inhalant for my dad. Coddle. Coddle. Coddle. So, now, Mr. mouse's top priority becomes finding a pharmacist and getting my dad's prescription filled when all he wants to do is get mail (thwarted Friday when I refused to be left alone another second with the circus). And, wouldn't you know it, in the interim while he's hunting down the prescription, there's an accident en route to the mailbox that makes a quick in and out a more significant to do. He's annoyed.

My mom figures she may as well make herself useful and begins cleaning and tidying. P decides to take a nap which is a lifesaver. I begin cleaning and tidying. My dad asks to borrow Mr. mouse's after shave. Mr. mouse doesn't use after shave. My dad is annoyed. He walks out in a huff to buy after shave. Whatever.

Everyone converges around 11. Mr. mouse is happy. My mom is happy. P is well rested and happy. My sister drove up and is happy. The house is ready. I am happy. My dad is fed. He is happy.

We have a wonderful party. Everyone shows up right at 1:00. My mom plays with every other baby in the house. We eat cupcakes, we play with toys, we laugh with parents. We distribute favors. Life is good.

We're all in wind down mode when my dad came up from the basement where he napped during the party. I don't know what his problem is. Actually, I can venture to guess at a macro level. But, I refuse to acknowledge the mean and petty and pathetic micro level specifics of a case by case incident. Well, he launches into my sister and me about we're not sensitive. We're not being nice to him. We're not sympathetic to his needs. Woe is me. My life is so difficult and no one has the courtesy to ask. This is the worst "hospitality" I've ever received ever. I've never felt less welcome anywhere.

Now, if I were 12 years old, I'd have run crying to my room. But, I'm like, what, almost 40? I'm ready to storm out, but then I remember, wait, I live here. I'm ready to kick him out, but then I figure that'll sour everyone's mood for the weekend and make it unredeemable. I swallow and listen and walk away. PISSED.

We all go out to dinner. My mom makes strides with P. We turn in for the night.

The next morning. It's the same old routine. He needs bread, he needs water, he needs butter. Can he do nothing? He launches into my sister and me again. This time while I'm holding P. Again, I refuse to even care what triggered this one. But, I'm clear with my mom and my sister. I'm done. I'll not have that language and that tone of voice in the house. I can blow it off. Mr. mouse will get annoyed, but he can blow it off. P can not. She'll learn stuff that I have no interest in her learning. MOMMA MOUSE IS MOVING TO PROTECT HER YOUNG. WORLD BEWARE.

My mom and my sister know where this is headed. They know when I've hit a breaking point. More importantly, my mom knows I will have no problem sharply curtailing or skipping holidays at home and keeping P here or hitting the road over the holidays. She knows I'm fine being selective in my invites. I'm explicit. If dad can't control his mouth, he has no business being in my house or anywhere near Pioneer forever.

My mom suggests getting bacon cause "your dad will like bacon" and eating in. So, my sister and Mr. mouse head out for bacon. We cook breakfast in. My mom heads to church. We head to the doctor's office for P's one year check up. My sister heads home. My dad stays home to rest and sulk.

We head out for the afternoon because it's a nice day out and we figure my dad will enjoy it. P warms to my mom. We make it through the evening in one piece. My mom and dad are headed home today. I am headed on my first business trip since P was born.

...

Okay. Grammar on this is a mess. I'll revisit tomorrow to fix it. And, I'll continue where I left off on where my head is at on all of this.


Cheers!
mouse

Managing the Afternoon

Dear Friends and Family,

Time to be a little selfish again.

I'm going to tackle the next two time blocks. I've allotted myself a "sensible" snack between 2 and 4. What's sensible? 2 Weight Watchers points (roughly 100 calories), real food only. And, then only 0 point drinks from 4 to 6. Which means I've got a plan for the afternoon. It feels good to be "in control" again. Why let peanut m&ms and animal crackers run your life?

Twenty Four Hours of Food

midnight to 2AM
2AM to 4AM
4AM to 6AM
6AM to 8AM
8AM to 10AM
10AM to noon
noon to 2PM		water zone
2PM to 4PM		sensible snack (2 points, real food only)
4PM to 6PM		0 point beverages only
6PM to 8PM
8PM to 10PM
10PM to midnight

Three down, nine to go.


Cheers!
mouse

May Our Former Owners Rot in Heck

Dear Friends and Family,

Make that four nights now that P's been up - either past her bed time or getting up in the middle of the night.

And, make it something like two weeks of bad dreams about work and life.

And, I wake to the joy of water coming in. Guess the caulking (which seemed to have done the job) wasn't the fix.

May our former owners rot in heck - not hell, which seems a bit much, even for lying on your disclosure form. But, Dilbert's heck seems like it's fair game.


Cheers!
mouse

Busy Birthday

Dear Friends and Family,

We had an action packed day yesterday.

P woke up. We fed her. We took her one year photos. We had breakfast pancakes. P played with her toys. P napped. We fed her leftover bouillabaisse. We opened presents. P learned to climb the stairs. We took more photos. We sang happy birthday and weighed P. We did hand and foot prints to compare against the ones from the hospital. We had cake. We went to the supermarket to pick up treats for school (they need to be commercially prepared with ingredients listed). We went to a restaurant by the hospital where we got take out from last year for dinner. We ate. We went to the hospital (where we got in when someone exited) and took some memorial shots. P fell asleep. We wrote our next letters to each other.

Then, apparently, while I slept. Mr. mouse and P mastered the travel cup, ate prunes and apple sauce, played, and then took a bath. Huh.

Needless to say, it was an amazing day. I'm glad we got to take the day off and spend it with P. Back to work. And, time to start planning the birthday party for this weekend.


Cheers!
mouse

05.11.10: One Year Ago Today

Dear Friends and Family,

P is having round III of breakfast. She had milk. Then, she had pancakes with the option of bananas and fish. Now she's having jar food and apple sauce with Mr. mouse.

A year ago today we were in the hospital napping, writing and playing Scrabble. I had already gotten my epidural and they had broken my water. I was scared that something could go wrong and worried that I would miss my little P once she was born.

So many times during the first year felt so perfect I wished I could freeze time at that moment forever. But, then, the future moments were so perfect I realized if I could have frozen time I'd have never seen the future moments. So, now, I'm okay with time passing and perfect moments being replaced by perfect moments - like last night, when P was practicing standing and was all grins as we cheered her on.

And, mouse, what about me?

I made it to the one year mark for breastfeeding. I'll be done with the daytime pumping later this week. Then, I'll be done with the evening pumping sometimes in June and can sleep through the night.

I still have about 20 pounds to lose which I can now get started on.

I had a lovely dinner Saturday night and Sunday night and pancake brunch Sunday afternoon with Mr. mouse and P for a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. And, to cap it off, Mr. mouse had a couple come to give a quote on housecleaning services - his Mother's Day gift to me.

Work is good. I'm enjoying the opportunity to do the work I do with people I enjoy working with. And, they pay me to boot.

All in all, I'm thankful for all that's been given to me and realize how fortunate I've been in being able to enjoy the past year.


Cheers!
mouse


PS: still looking for the scrap of paper from our Florida weekend to recount the details of that trip and our detour in Texas.

Crouching P, Sleeping Baby

Dear Friends and Family,

Ah, the frenzy to capture the minutiae of the first year before P turns one...

The sleep routine:

We let P play downstairs until she turns clumsy on us, starts rubbing her eyes, or literally lies down on the rug to go to sleep. Then, I pick her up and give her four kisses and a big hug. I hand her over to Mr. mouse who takes her upstairs. He changes her diaper and changes her into her pajamas. He reads her a book and then gives P her pacifier. He lays her in bed and if it's cold out covers her with a blanket. We say good night. We leave the room - dimmer light on, door closed.

Before we go to bed, we check in on her. Inevitably, she's moved to a new position on the mattress and she's crouched on her belly, elbows, arms, knees, legs all tucked in under her, butt in the air.

We watch her for a few minutes before leaving the door open and going to bed ourselves.


Cheers!
mouse

Notes on P

Dear Friends and Family,

P and I have the funniest routine each afternoon when I pick her up at school.

She sees me. She crawls to me with the biggest smile on her face. She climbs up and give me a huge hug. She climbs into my lap. She picks up my badge. She looks at the picture and says meh. Then, she looks at me and looks back at the picture. When she's done checking my id, she gives me a giant hug.

That is the best motivation to get work done and get over to see my P.


Cheers!
mouse

Milestones

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, I finally caught P standing on "film." And, for giggles, she decided to climb into her drawer at school when we were packing her bag. And, to top it off, to scale the bouncy chair that had been sitting neglected in her room.

And, on the other extreme, this morning, I got my first email ever from my Dad. He made a card for P for her birthday. So cute.


Cheers!
mouse

05.03.10: And Then We Played Some More

Dear Friends and Family,

In a twisted sort of way, with hindsight being 20/20 and since it seems like P's fine now, I'm glad we got to spend the extra time with P last weekend. With Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and part of Wednesday + Saturday and Sunday of this past weekend together, it's been almost a full week together, or at least it feels that way - time with our baby before she transitions to being a toddler.

And, during that time, we got to see lots of firsts, which I WILL document between now and her birthday - some big ones and some small ones. I'm glad we got to spend the time together and enjoy the bliss that has been our days for the past year before making the jump into year two. If you know me, you know I get sentimental around life stage changes.

This weekend?

Saturday, we slept in, we played, we cleaned up a little bit, we went for a walk to order P's birthday cake, play in the park, buy bread, and pick up lunch, and then we played some more.

Sunday, we slept in, we took photos, we played, I called my sister, we cleaned up a bit, we ordered cupcakes for P's birthday party, we went for a walk to eat brunch, and then we played some more.

And, that was it. After a flurry of travel (all of April if you think about it), we had a quiet weekend at home to kick off the month long celebration of P (almost all of May if you think about it).

And, my big goal this week is to stick to my commitment: noon to 2PM, water only.


Cheers!
mouse

Thinking about Wellness

Dear Friends and Family,

Time to be a little selfish and begin thinking about me again.

I promised myself that I'd give myself until P turned one before tackling losing the baby weight. Why? Well, because I found that milk supply dropped when I was losing weight. Now that she's drinking water as well as milk and there's enough in the freezer to last until P turns one, I've got a lot more flexibility and I'm beginning to think about how to tackle losing the baby weight.

I can do a lackadaisical approach, cross my fingers, and hope. I can jump back on the Weight Watchers bandwagon. Or, I can do something in between. I think I'll start with the in between and go back to Weight Watchers if I'm not seeing the results.

Here's what I'm thinking... I think I'm going to break the day into two hour chunks and work my way back into weight loss. That way I'm making small changes throughout the day vs. tackling it all at once which I don't think I have the mental bandwidth to do right now.

Twenty Four Hours of Food

midnight to 2AM
2AM to 4AM
4AM to 6AM
6AM to 8AM
8AM to 10AM
10AM to noon
noon to 2PM
2PM to 4PM
4PM to 6PM
6PM to 8PM
8PM to 10PM
10PM to midnight

There. That doesn't seem so crazy. And, I think I know which time bucket I'm going to tackle first. noon to 2PM. That's when I eat random candy in the office, especially from the candy dish by the new moms' rooms. noon to 2PM is a good option for a water zone where I've got my water bottle to slake my thirst and the knowledge that I've just eaten to manage my hunger.

Twenty Four Hours of Food

midnight to 2AM
2AM to 4AM
4AM to 6AM
6AM to 8AM
8AM to 10AM
10AM to noon
noon to 2PM		water zone
2PM to 4PM
4PM to 6PM
6PM to 8PM
8PM to 10PM
10PM to midnight

One down, eleven to go.


Cheers!
mouse

Back to Our Routine

Dear Friends and Family,

P got the all clear yesterday to return to school today. I'm not sure anyone knows what caused Monday's hiccup so I'm not sure anyone knows if it'll happen again and what we should do if it does. I guess you have to get used to not knowing everything you might want to know.

So, today, we're all back to our routine. P at school. Mr. mouse and me at work.


Cheers!
mouse

04.28.10: Details to Come

Dear Friends and Family,

Weekend write up and P write up all to come.

Here's the cliff notes version:

1. family flies to Naples, Florida for wedding
2. family drives to Miami to see friends
3. family gets on flight to return home
4. baby gets sick during layover in Houston
5. family drives to hospital
6. baby gets well enough to be discharged
7. family drives to airport
8. family gets on flight to return home
9. parents in wait and watch mode

Happy Wednesday!


Cheers!
mouse

Leaps and Bounds

Dear Friends and Family,

Last night, P made a bunch of mental connections. She saw me drop her yellow ball into her red cup and she crawled over for a look. She peered into the cup and smiled when she saw the ball. She picked up the cup to shake the ball around. She went after the ball when it rolled or jumped out of the cup and put it back in. AND, when she wanted the ball, she stuck her hand into the cup and grabbed it vs. tipping it out of the cup the way she had been doing.

I feel like she made the transition from baby to toddler last night even if we officially have a few more weeks to go.


Cheers!
mouse

Earth Day 2010

Dear Friends and Family,

Earth Day 2010 - what are you doing to make a difference?

Well, um, over the past year, I haven't been the model green citizen with driving P to school, using disposable diapers, turning on the AC and the heat for P, and becoming lazy about thinking of new ways to be green.

Hmmm... And, I'm off for an early start today at the office. I'll have to think on this one.


Cheers!
mouse

Peek a Boo

Dear Friends and Family,

P woke up on the right home last night. And, I decided to pull over and feed her and have Mr. mouse meet us for dinner.

We went out for Peruvian. And, surprise, surprise, P is a fan of the beef stew. After eating, she was sitting on Mr. mouse's lap while Mr. mouse and I finished our dinners.

She was playing with Mr. mouse's napkin when Mr. mouse realized she was playing peek a boo with us. At which point, dinner was effectively over because I couldn't resist playing peek a boo back, laughing at her and hiding behind my napkin. She was so happy, it made all of our evenings.

I'm glad P is generally a happy baby.


Cheers!
mouse

Short Week

Dear Friends and Family,

Monday down. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday to go.

Then, I have Friday off to spend with P. One down, three to go.

Been waiting for inspiration and now it's time to get ready for work.


Cheers!
mouse

04.19.10: Stranger Anxiety

Dear Friends and Family,

Our almost one year old.

Saturday, during bath time, we noticed that P has a new mole, on her upper thigh/lower butt. At first, we thought it was just dirty, but after scrubbing, we realized it was a new mole. Huh. Not even twelve months old and she has two moles already.

The other thing we noticed was that she's yellowing. When P was exclusively breastfed she had a pale beauty to her complexion. Now that she's eating a variety of foods and getting some sun in the car on the commute, she's gotten a sun kissed glow about her.

And, last but not least, when she was done with bath, she was playing by the edge of the tub with my shampoo bottles. I know, this is wrong on so many fronts. But, we were both watching her super closely. Well, the bottles fell into the tub and out of her reach and either frightened her or upset her. Either way, before we knew it. P peed. And, we both laughed so hard we almost cried.

Other developmental milestones.

Our friend gave us an activity table. P loves standing at it and pushing it around the kitchen like a walker. When she gets tired or bored, she stands at it and plays. Then, when she's ready to go again, she starts pushing again.

Stacking. Mr. mouse was concerned that P wasn't stacking or putting objects into other objects. Well, she finally decided to try it. And, one night, I think it was Tuesday, but I'm not sure, she consistently picked up a lego piece and put it in her activity table and she consistently picked up a yellow ball and put it in her red bowl. Now, she'll crawl after the yellow ball if it rolls away and put it in her red bowl or red cup.

Eating. She's pretty focused. First side. Roll. Second side. Stretch. She gets an annoyed face if she feels like we made her wait too long, a sleepy face if she is tired, and a happy face when she's done.

Sunday, we took a lightening quick trip to the Twin Cities and got to see some of our friends. P was not so good with the quick transition. She was fine with the travel. But, she's gotten shy and it was a lot of people coming and going for her taste. She wanted nothing to do with seeing everyone and wanted to be held by Mr. mouse and/or me the whole time.

I wonder how we'll manage this weekend when we were planning on leaving her with a sitter while we attend a wedding.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Closed out the weekend with a lovely dinner. P is a big fan of pork cheeks. Why am I not surprised?

Super Early Morning

Dear Friends and Family,

It's 3:30 in the morning and I need to go get ready. Super early meeting at work. 5AM. It's a sane our somewhere and I need to be there for a conference call. Happy Friday.


Cheers!
mouse

Two Out of Three

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, P needed her binky to fall asleep last night, but the prior two nights she made it without. Yeah for P!

We're slowly trying to wean her off of her binky by being slower to offer it to her and only using it when she really needs it vs. just offering it whenever she's in the car or the crib.

Tuesday night, P had a cute moment. She had been hysterical most of the way home and I was pretty drained by the time we got home. I went upstairs to change while Mr. mouse comforted her. Soon, I heard him changing her and it was obviously a massive diaper. I came down to see the scene and she was buck naked draped across his leg whimpering while he was wiping down her butt. I don't know why I fell in love with the tableau. Perhaps it's the allure of a naked baby. Perhaps it's because she looked so small and I forget how young she still is. Either way, I laughed. And, the image still makes me smile.


Cheers!
mouse

Counting Down to Catching Up

Dear Friends and Family,

Uncle. Okay. You, whoever you are, you win.

After months of breezily, blissfully enjoying P's first year, the rate of cumulative sleep deprivation has increased while the rate of change of babyhood has slowed and I have passed an inflection point where I'm looking forward to a future where I get more sleep vs. holding onto a present where I feel like a walking zombie.

June 20th. By my current count, June 20th is when I'll be done with my evening pumping sessions which sounds like heaven because here is my "current" typical day.

typical mouse weekday:

• sleep: 4 hours
• coffee, blog, morning time: 0.5 hour (down from 1)
• feed P: 20 minutes (down from 30)
• shower, personal prep time: 0.5 hours
• morning bag shuffle: 20 minutes (up from 15 minutes)
• commute: 1 hour 15 minutes (up from an hour)
• daycare drop off: 5 minutes (down from 15 minutes)
• work: 9.75 hours (down from 10)
• day care pick up: 15 minutes (down from 30)
• commute: 1.5 hours
• feed P: 1 hour (up from 30 minutes)
• down time, play time, dinner, Mr. mouse time: 0.5 hours (down from 1)
• nap: 3 hours (up from 1.5 hours)
• pump and miscellaneous house errands: 1 hour (up from 30 minutes)

I'm tired just writing about it. To think, there is a future where 7 hours of sleep beckons. Sheer bliss.

The commute's been killer the past week - a combination of getting a later start and summer construction and P not sleeping through the afternoon commute. June 20th. I can make it. After all what are my other options?


Cheers!
mouse

04.12.10: Motor City and Back

Dear Friends and Family,

Another weekend, another quick trip. This time, we went to MI to see old friends and to get our teeth cleaned. Poor P spent a lot of time being corralled into baby safe spaces and in her car sear. She was SO happy to be free to roam when she got home. You could see it in her eyes. You could hear it in her laugh.

Still, it was good to see friends. We spent Friday night in a hotel. Then, after the dentist appointment and a trip to the supermarket to pick up dinner goods, we headed over to one of Mr. mouse's old friend's house. His wife and two kids were out of town so he was bachelor for the weekend. As usual, dinner was a group affair. Our friends D squared and their two kids joined us for some Korean barbecue. Then, we put P down for the night and watched a movie - Brothers. I have to say, I enjoyed it.

Sunday, we met up with another set of friends for dim sum. This is why we still go back for dentist appointments. The real reason is to see friends. The dentist just ensures we go twice a year.

Drove home. Unpacked. Let P roam. Then, we all crashed for the night.


Cheers!
mouse

Those Days

Dear Friends and Family,

I ran into an old friend and colleague yesterday. We started talking. And, we realized we needed to get together for coffee.

You know when you have one of those days? Those days where you're tired, you're hungry, your boss is being a dork, you know you've been working too many hours and there's no end in sight, you had a bad commute in and you're looking forward to a bad commute home because construction season just started, and you just want to throw in the towel?

I know. Everyone has those days. Every job comes with those days. But, when you have a couple serial those days, it makes you stop and think and wonder. And, that was my friend and me yesterday.

Would I be happier doing something different? I don't work for the money. So, what is my motivation? Perhaps I need to step back and revisit all of this.


Cheers!
mouse

On Location

Dear Friends and Family,

We earned $400 yesterday for allowing a TV crew to set up some lights on our roof. Not only that, but we had security detail outside of our house since their equipment was in our front yard.

How cool is that? Much cooler than working until midnight, I'd say.


Cheers!
mouse

Crunch Time

Dear Friends and Family,

It's crunch time today. We've got a war room. We've got the right people. Let's hope we can get to the right answer.


Cheers!
mouse

$330 Well Spent, I Hope

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse had a handy person come over yesterday and do a bunch of little things that needed to done on the mouse pad.

He caulked the bay window and deck door, reattached some deck siding, and refastened some nails that had come loose. Last night it rained, briefly, and none of it came in.

I guess we'll see if it holds as the more extensive spring rains come in.


Cheers!
mouse

04.05.10: Bienvenue à Canada

Dear Friends and Family,

On a whim, we decided to follow the good weather, to get P a passport stamp, and to get away from the daily drudgery of a routine. We ended up in Quebec for the weekend enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of Canada. First passport stamp: check.

After some starts and stops Saturday morning involving several phone calls to the bank, we took the ferry across the river. It's an excellent opportunity to take lots of pictures of Quebec and we weren't the only shutterbugs on the trip. First boat ride: check.

We spent the rest of the morning walking through Lower Town and Upper Town - people watching, shopping, and taking more pictures. Then, we stopped off at the hotel to feed P and drop off some gear before taking the car out to a crêperie Mr. mouse read about online. Mr. mouse ordered the cassoulet and P ate most of the duck confit that came with the dish. She could not get at it fast enough. I almost fell out of my seat laughing. Discovery that your child is a gourmet: check.

Next stop: a re-gentrified neighborhood and a loop through a toy store. We picked up a Pat the Bunny for P for Easter and a book with French words. Back in Old Quebec, we walked to the Parliament and then through the streets to the wall, where the locals hang out. I fed P in the car while Mr. mouse went looking for a t-shirt for P. Dropped off the car and the gear and headed out for some more walking and pictures. The Hotel Fountenac dominates Quebec's skyline and we got there at that magical moment when it's dusk and everything looks that much better for the lighting. Took lots of pictures along the boardwalk and introduced P to maple sugar candy - I'd like to recreate it at home this winter once we get snow. It was so good. First indulgent sugar treat: check.

Last, but not least: dinner. We decided to stay close to the hotel since we had an early morning on Sunday and I didn't want P to get cold if the weather turned. On a lark, we stopped by a restaurant that a friend recommended and they had a table available. After considering the four course dinner, we landed on a la carte entrees - the chicken in a flaky pastry and a dish of game meats. Would you believe P was a big fan of the bison/pheasant casserole? Confirmation your child is a gourmet: check.

Sunday morning, we left bright and early. We got home, gassed the car, showered, ate, and headed out for some family pictures and a quick trip to the aquarium. It was pretty windy, but, hey, at least we can say we tried.

And, now, it's Monday and I'm hoping the week isn't a killer week.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Walking the streets of Quebec confirmed we could still be unicorns.

Bitten

Dear Friends and Family,

No, not the clothes line by Sarah Jessica Parker. No, not some vampire thing. Plain and simple, P was bitten at school yesterday. Some kid got excited and, you know, when kids get excited, they bite.

Wait. Stop. No, I don't know. When P gets excited she laughs. She shakes like a bowl full of jelly. She falls. She does not bite.

Okay. I'll admit back in November when her first two teeth came in, she bit me a couple of times while eating - a couple of times when she was overeager to start and a couple of times when she thought that was an acceptable way to signal that she was done with that side. And, she learned quickly that biting was not acceptable. And, she hasn't bitten anyone since.

Well. I suppose she'll go through more adventures as she progresses through school - biting, hair pulling, you name it, kids do it. Excellent.

I was going to write yesterday morning about her self soothing skills (she got it together on the car ride home and in her crib yesterday morning), but I ran out of time in the morning and then she was a basket case on the way home yesterday. Guess there's a learning curve before she's consistent. Our little P.


Cheers!
mouse

03.31.10: Obviously in Catch Up Mode

Dear Friends and Family,

Okay. Obviously in catch up mode. Mornings have been hectic due to a certain someone turning off the alarm clock in her sleep. I'm not naming names, but she's not doing it on purpose so I can't be too annoyed with her. Obviously, she needs the sleep.

And, today, I'm up. Hooray!

The weekend? Lots of clothes shopping for P. Spring clothes, summer clothes, hipster urban wear, generic suburban wear, you name it, we've been buying it.

Speaking of P, her top two teeth continue to come in. She's getting over a cold. She's growing quite the Buddha belly. And, we had to put up another gate to keep her away from the kitchen cart because she is so curious. Ready or not, we're hurtling towards toddlerhood.

And, that's about all my brain can muster this morning.


Cheers!
mouse

Free at Last

Dear Friends and Family,

You know the feeling? When you finally accomplish something you've been working towards for a long time? It's a good feeling.

Since Mr. mouse and I met, eons ago, we've been chipping away at debt - credit card debt, car debt, student loan debt, house debt, you name it, we had it, debt. Well, yesterday marked the end of a long journey to debt freedom. Our only monthly fixed obligations now are taxes and insurance. Everything else is solvable... to a degree... We'll always need water, electricity, and gas for heating. But, it gives us a ton of flexibility now.

For instance, I could take a year off if I wanted to. Or, Mr. mouse could open a restaurant if he wanted to. Or, we can start saving toward a new car if we wanted to.

For now, we're just savoring the sense of freedom and pondering the possibilities. Plus, I've committed the next couple of "payments" to our retirement account since it would be a tax deferred investment. Tax deferred. Good.

So, what was the key? Well, there's luck. We've been fortunate to stay employed and to stay healthy. And, then there's skill. We've been sticklers for figuring out how to keep expenses to a single income and use the other income for debt reduction. Mr. mouse's paycheck keeps food on the table and a roof over our heads and the tax man away and the insurance company happy and the utilities paid and covers any fun things we do. My paycheck went towards debt.

Tricky philosophical point - we ultimately decided the monthly obligation would come from Mr. mouse's paycheck and any extra payments from mine. So, if there was a minimum balance due on a credit card that would be covered under Mr. mouse's paycheck. Mine would only cover extra principle payments.

The first couple of months adjusting to life with one paycheck were tough. But, after awhile, we didn't miss the extra money. We got used to deferring purchases until we saved up the cash for them. We dropped cable and life didn't come to an end. We ate out less. We bought less stuff. We managed.

And, now, we're free at last.


Cheers!
mouse

Seven Week Countdown

Dear Friends and Family,

Seven more weeks to go. Then, I'm freed from the tyranny of formula since once P turns one, she can have whole milk.

Seven more weeks to go. Then, I can wind down my pumping sessions which translates into a lot less schedule juggling at work. And, time back. And, one less bag to pack in the morning. And, sleeping through the night.

Seven more weeks to go. Then, P can go through her stockpile in the freezer and Mr. mouse gets his freezer space back.

Seven more weeks to go. I'm feeling like this just may be doable.


Cheers!
mouse

03.22.10: Work Life Balance

Dear Friends and Family,

Where did the weekend go? It's becoming a recurring litany. I've come to the realization I'm spending too much of my weekends catching up on sleep and working. This weekend was no different.

Saturday, we went for an early morning haircut. Then, I worked while P napped and Mr. mouse ran errands. We headed out to the post office to mail off some stuff. Then, because P was napping so well, on a lark, we drove down to meet my sister for dinner.

Sunday, I can't even tell you what Mr. mouse and P did because I spent the whole day catching up on work. And, the whole evening. And, the whole night. And, at 2:35AM I realized I need to find a better balance point.

So, I took today off and worked from home and got through a lot of my emails - enough to feel like I don't have to work tonight when P comes home. And, hopefully enough to have next weekend off as well.


Cheers!
mouse

Scurrying Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Friday.

We all overslept.

P's gone three days without the binky on the ride home.

We discovered top teeth last night.


Cheers!
mouse

Still Dragging

Dear Friends and Family,

This is proving to be an exhausting week. It's Wednesday, and I'm dragging, and I'm falling further behind than typical. Here's to powering through today and hopefully catching up.

I'm down to 6 minutes for my afternoon pumping session. The beauty of that is that I can squeeze it in during a 30 minute block vs. having to find an hour. Yeah for small victories in managing the clock.


Cheers!
mouse

Time to Breathe

Dear Friends and Family,

Where does time go? Well, if you look at a typical mouse weekday:

• sleep: 5 hours
• coffee, blog, morning time: 1 hour
• feed P: 0.5 hours
• shower, personal prep time: 0.5 hours
• morning bag shuffle: 15 minutes
• commute: 1 hour
• daycare drop off: 15 minutes
• work: 10 hours
• day care pick up: 30 minutes
• commute: 1.5 hours
• feed P: 0.5 hours
• down time, play time, dinner, Mr. mouse time: 1 hour
• nap: 1.5 hours
• pump: 0.5 hours

And, there goes the day. 2 precious hours of free time for 22 hours of stuff. Wow, no wonder I feel so time crunched. In a couple of months I get back the 30 minutes of pump time and can sleep 7 hours in a row which will be heavenly. Or, I can get an hour and half down time at night before going to sleep which would be a 50% increase. Yeah for mouse!


Cheers!
mouse

03.15.10: The Return of the Chin

Dear Friends and Family,

It was a quiet weekend at home.

Saturday, we went for his and hers eyebrow work. Then, Mr. mouse dropped off the car to have the brakes looked at. We spent the day at home playing with P. And, then we went to look at some cars before picking ours up at the shop. We burned the midnight oil playing mah jong.

Sunday, we went out for brunch and the inaugural race of the 2010 F1 season which marks the return of one of the all time greats in F1 racing history - Michael Schumacher, the man with a chin to end all chins. Michael returning to racing is the equivalent of Michael (Jordan) returning to basketball + Tiger returning to golf + some other great returning to some other sport. At least in my mind it is.

The rest of Sunday was a quiet day of napping, laundry, and playing with P, our poopy diaper queen. Oh, and taxes, half way through data entry.

And, now, it's Monday again.


Cheers!
mouse

Retiring the Green Pillow

Dear Friends and Family,

Didn't have time to write yesterday.

After months on non-use, we retired P's green pillow. It was her nursing pillow when she was a newborn. Now, she's smart enough to curl up next to me and to roll over when she's ready to switch sides.

Hurtling towards toddlerhood.


Cheers!
mouse

Bending the Productivity Curve

Dear Friends and Family,

My analyst finally started. And, I have a borrowed analyst from another team. My productivity has tripled! It makes me feel a little punch drunk.

And, since P's 10 months old now, I'm beginning to wind down another pumping session at work which frees up another 12.5% of my day.

I feel like the sky's the limit.


Cheers!
mouse

Home Alone II

Dear Friends and Family,

Made it through the night last night in one piece. P was super tired last night. I was tempted to let her sleep after feeding her, but I woke her and brought her downstairs. She had some chicken, some O's, some bread and some sweet potatoes for dinner.

Then, it was eye rubbing central so I took her upstairs to her room. She stood around in her crib for a little bit. I held her for a little bit. And, then she fell asleep for the night.

Hope this morning goes as smoothly as yesterday morning did.


Cheers!
mouse

Home Alone

Dear Friends and Family,

We made it almost ten months before encountering... the overnight business trip.

Mr. mouse left last night for work. He'll be back Wednesday which means I have tonight and tomorrow morning alone with P. I've got my fingers crossed that I make it out of the house in one piece for the day today.

Originally, I was supposed to have last night alone with P. But, Mr. mouse took a late flight. Strangely, there's a world of a difference between 1 night/2 days and 2 nights/2 days.

I'm glad he was able to see P last night.


Cheers!
mouse

03.08.10: Third Times the Charm

Dear Friends and Family,

We have a standing tradition of getting together with Mr. mouse's college roommate to celebrate their joint birthdays. Except, last year, when Mr. mouse's roommate's kids got sick. We rescheduled for a couple of weeks out. And, then my grandmother passed away. So, we rescheduled for a couple of months out. And, the third times the charm. They came over for the weekend this past weekend.

Friday afternoon, I got a call from school, P had broken out in something - red dots all over her body. I was like, "you've got to be kidding me, we must be cursed." But, the doctor gave the okay and an allergist referral, clearing the way for our weekend visitors.

Friday. Airport. Dinner. Play. Sleep.

Saturday. Bagels. Zoo. Pizza. Naps. Dinner. Play. Sleep.

Sunday. Bagels. Park. Lunch. Aquarium. Airport.

P loved playing with her two new friends. The adults got a kick out of watching the daughter feed P her O's. And, we got a kick out of watching the big kids squish themselves into the makeshift car P has. Oh, and, yes, the Flex rocks for transporting a crew and a quarter around time.

P had her ninth month appointment on Sunday. In addition to holding off on eggs and shellfish, yogurt is also now on hold. Want a good laugh? head: >50th percentile, height: 25th percentile, weight: <5th percentile. She may look like her father, but her proportions are all from her mother.

And, last but not least, the next couple of days are going to be hectic. So, I may, or may not, make it on to post. If I don't, I should resurface by Thursday.


Cheers!
mouse

"Guys"

Dear Friends and Family,

How much we evolve...

I remember the first time a colleague objected to the use of the generic "guys" to refer to both men and women in a gender neutral use case. And, I thought they were a bunch of crock.

Somewhere along the line I realized they were right.

And, now, when I'm in a group and someone refers to us all as guys, I'm like hello. Um, not quite.

If you don't manage it, it manages you. Happy Thursday!


Cheers!
mouse

Reading to P

Dear Friends and Family,

Back before P was mobile, she loved reading books together. We'd lie on our backs on the bed and she would watch while I read. Or, I'd sit her in my lap and she would watch while I read. Then, as she got older, we'd lie on our stomachs or she'd sit in my lap and I'd read while she babbled.

Now. Well, if she's being clingy, reading to P is the best way to get her off of my lap and crawling away to explore. Last night, I was crawling around the room, holding the book in front of her to try to read to her. Mr. mouse tried an abbreviated story that he makes up from the pictures. But, that didn't work either. He was crawling around the room, holding the book in front of her to try to make up a story for her.

So, if she doesn't get into a respectable college, it's not for lack of trying on our part to provide mental stimulation. Perhaps she'll get more interested once she's older. In the mean time, we'll continue our crawling book time escapades.


Cheers!
mouse

Sleep Training

Dear Friends and Family,

P's been waking at night for a couple of nights in a row now.

She's been a great sleeper so we've never thought about sleep training. We always assumed she was hungry, fed her and then let her go back to sleep. Now, I wonder if we should continue with that routine.

It could be she's getting over a cold. It could be teeth coming in. It could be she's just got us figured out.

Lovely, we've been reduced to mind games with a nine month old.


Cheers!
mouse

03.01.10: Skipped Trip

Dear Friends and Family,

Another weekend, another cancelled trip. We had grand plans to visit my college roommate and her new one month old. Then, P came down with a cold, compliments of daycare. And, we figured we'd spare the newborn and stay at home.

Saturday was a quiet day of playing with P while Mr. mouse went on an errand run. We went out for dinner and it turns out we saved the best (of our Restaurant Week) for last. Mr. mouse loved his duck confit and his hangar steak. And, I could not get enough of my braised short rib or my rack of lamb. Delicious.

Sunday was another quiet day. P had her first serious fall. She was reaching for a toy on the coffee table, got excited, lost her balance, and fell backward. At first we thought it was just a fall. Then, we noticed the mouth full of blood. We cleaned it up and she seemed fine, but, she scared us for the rest of the day. Nothing like seeing a river of blood coming out of your kid's mouth to make you feel like an inadequate parent.

And, now it's Monday. And, through a unfortunate series of events P's off to daycare and I'm off to work and Mr. mouse is on vacation.


Cheers!
mouse

Friday! The 26th?

Dear Friends and Family,

I cannot tell you how glad I am that it's Friday. And, how confused I am that it is the end of February. How did that happen?

Time to go get ready for work. Then, the weekend!


Cheers!
mouse

Birthday Party Planning

Dear Friends and Family,

Would you believe it if I said I was beginning to think through birthday party ideas for P? She's nine and a half months old - which means we have about 10 weeks. I know 10 weeks sounds like a long time, but once you factor in a couple of weekends for travel, a weekend for taxes, a weekend or two for mouse pad work. And, the fact that some people may want to travel in (e.g. the grandparents)... Then you realize that we're probably behind, not ahead.

Last night, when Mr. mouse was holding her, I was reminded of how much she has grown. When she was a newborn she was this little ball with her head on his shoulder and her body tucked neatly into his arm. Now, she sprawls with her head over his shoulder and her legs dangling below his arm, across his torso. Our little P (still not quite 5 percentile) is not so little anymore.


Cheers!
mouse

Climbing Baby

Dear Friends and Family,

Last night, P decided she would climb up on top of her toy box to reach the top of the coffee table. Um. time to:

1. clear off the coffee table
2. move the toy box

It's going to be a roller coaster ride to the one year point.


Cheers!
mouse

Cycle of Motivation

Dear Friends and Family,

A concept I learned a long time ago just popped in my head and I need to ponder it today. Motivation:

1. I understand what is expected of me
2. I can achieve what is expected of me
3. My achievement can be measured
4. My achievement will be measured
5. My achievement will be rewarded
6. The reward is something I want
7. There aren't negative network externalities to getting my reward

Now, how to apply it to work? I think it's a matter of explaining the concept to the people I work with and then putting it into practice. Okay. That'll work.


Cheers!
mouse

02.22.10: Skipped Trip

Dear Friends and Family,

We thought about going to the Motor City to see our friends off. They're moving to Virginia with a new job. But, with P out two days last week from school on the Carousel of Stomach Viruses, we decided to stay home for the weekend and focus on getting her better and on putting some meat on her bones.

Oh, and because we made reservations early in the process, Friday night, we went out for Restaurant Week - Naha. Saturday lunch, we went out for Restaurant Week - Mercat a la Planxa. And, Sunday, we went out for Restaurant Week - Takashi.

In between all of the eating, we got a lot of errands and some work done. P seems to be doing fine. Let's hope she can make it through the whole week at school.

Speaking of P, we'd been feeding her bits and pieces of table food. Sometimes she'd chew her way through it, sometimes, she'd gag and grimace and swallow. But, this week, she finally figured it out. She's become a table food pro - chomping her way through cereal and bits and pieces of whatever we're eating. Yeah for P!

Now, onto art project with the markers and finger paint we bought for her.


Cheers!
mouse

When P Tries Her Best

Dear Friends and Family,

Sometimes I let P try to do things on her own to see how she manages. And, it's so cute it makes me laugh until I almost cry.

One time I put some food on her tray, but it was before she really figured out how to get it to her mouth using her fingers. So, she opened wide, leaned forward and tried to get at it whole body, except the safety belts on her seat didn't let her lean forward that far. She was watching me as I was watching her to see if her actions were meeting my expectations. My little P.

Last night, I was curious if she could get into nursing position on her own. First, she just looked at me and cried. Then, on the second side, when she was less famished, she leaned forward until she fell on her stomach, perched up mini cobra style and tried to latch on. Mouth open the whole time, watching me watching her. I laughed as I curled her on her side and tucked her in close to me. My little P.

She's growing so quickly (or let me rephrase, learning so many things so quickly, she's still a tiny baby) it's heartening to have those cute baby moments to realize we still have baby time left to enjoy.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: For dinner, we had pasta with tomato sauce and tuna - all three of us.

How Does This All Work?

Dear Friends and Family,

Sometimes you read a book and you finish and you move on to the next book. And, sometimes you read a book and you finish and you realize you've learned something new and the book has changed you, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

I recently finished Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America. I have to say it opened my eyes to a world I always knew existed but hadn't thought too hard about, at least not recently.

I grew up in a working class family. Through the middle of fourth grade we lived on the "wrong side of the tracks" and used a friend of the family's address to enroll in the "better" elementary school instead of the one I was zoned for. But, my parents worked hard and my siblings and I studied hard and today we're all better off than we were then. It's the classic immigrants' tale.

But, today, I think it'd be different. I'm not sure, if we had to do it all again, in today's world, that we could. It seems so much harder with more forces moving against you. Without class mobility (aka hope) how does this all work?

Also, when other countries offer universal health coverage and a more structured retirement funding mechanism and we don't, does it become a comparative disadvantage in the competitiveness of US companies and our business models? Especially in an age of the service economy? (not to switch gears on you here, but I think I just did) Again, how does this all work?

And, while I'm on my soap box I might as well rant like a crazy lady. Mr. mouse and I were having a conversation the other night and I asked... do you think the average American realizes that when they buy something that says Made in China on the box they may have saved a few bucks, but in the process, by aggravating an already problematic trade gap and enabling the Chinese to buy more US debt, we're essentially mortgaging our future and giving up some level of control of our destiny and some level of power over our future options? And, Mr. mouse said, mouse, no, the average American doesn't, in fact, most "above average" Americans don't.

And, I sighed. And, I wondered, how does this all work?

Now that I've got all that off my chest, I feel better. Don't you?


Cheers!
mouse

Wednesday, Better than Tuesday

Dear Friends and Family,

If misery loves company, I had enough yesterday to have a whole party unto myself.

Woke up late because P slept in. Had a plugged duct. Mr. mouse left before I could get my ONE email off. Struggled with a sick baby all morning while dueling off the multiple foes of hunger, dizziness, weakness, and cold. Plugged up the toilet. Got into fight #2 or 3 or 4 with Mr. mouse. Got the chills. Ran a fever. And, fell asleep exhausted on the floor.

Yes. That was my day yesterday. Today looks like an average day. I'll take average over yesterday any day.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Giving up for Lent - anything I wouldn't have eaten regularly while on Weight Watchers.

02.15.10: Inglorious Trifecta

Dear Friends and Family,

President's Day, Valentine's Day, Lunar New Year -

vomiting, dehydration, diarrhea -

Not sure if it was the cafeteria sushi from Friday lunch, or leftovers from Friday dinner, or something making its way around daycare, but I woke up Saturday morning and threw up and threw up and threw up... my dinner, the water I drank, the juice Mr. mouse offered... everything. Wow, it doesn't get much better than this.

Except, feeling mostly better Sunday night, and craving Chinese food after a day and a half of bland carbs, I cornered Mr. mouse into going out to celebrate P's first lunar new year. And, I got sick again. Only, this time, it was diarrhea. What an excellent start and end to what was supposed to be a weekend chock a block full of chores.

Well, if nothing else, I'm caught up on rest.


Cheers!
mouse

Beginning Another Wind Down Session

Dear Friends and Family,

For those of you not actively breastfeeding (i.e. all of you), you must get inanely bored by my writing about my schedules. But, it's on my mind, so I write about it.

I want to make it to the one year mark. After P's first birthday, I plan on transitioning her to whole milk for the daytime and continuing to nurse for her morning and evening feedings. I'll transition those more slowly once both P and I are ready.

With three months left to go, I'm in a constant state of 'oh no I may run out' and simultaneously 'oh no the stockpile in the freezer is out of control'. Yes, that's my life. Add to that the 'how do I slowly decrease the pumping times so it's manageable' and it's enough to drive any manufacturing engineer slightly up the wall.

All that being said, I've decided to take the brave step of taking six minutes out of my 2pm pumping session. Yes, folks, that's what this is all about. Six minutes. Six minutes that I can always add back in at the end of the week if I am not happy with the results.

We'll see how the week goes. Twelve more weeks to go which is going to fly.


Cheers!
mouse

9 Month Old

Dear Friends and Family,

It's a sure sign the days and months are flowing together when you don't realize it's your daughter's "birthday" today. I have a feeling I'm going to get the call from school today. She's been fussy. And, last night she was warm - not feverish, but warm. Perhaps it's more teeth coming in.

I wish babyhood could last another year, but, sadly, P's racing to toddlerhood. She's not baby shaped anymore. She's toddler shaped with that long, stretched out body and sturdy limbs and flat hands and purposeful legs and feet. I remember thinking when P was born that she didn't look finished - like she had spent a lot of time getting her head right and as you moved on down the body she looked less and less complete - like her bottom half was a rush job, complete enough to be born, but nothing to brag about - a low pass, so to speak. Now, she looks complete and finished and her bottom half doesn't look as half baked like it was an after thought. Also, needless to say, the cutest, if not the tiniest, baby butt cheeks. Butt cheeks only a mother could love.

So, sometime over the next three months, we'll begin the transitions to sippy cup/regular cup, table food and weaning off of the pacifier.

Wish us luck.


Cheers!
mouse

Managing and Measuring

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry. I spent the morning staring at a spreadsheet again. You must wonder what this spreadsheet must have on it to keep me so endlessly amused.

I started last June when P had a "bad" weigh-in at the doctor's office. (Note: I'm convinced it was the scale and not the baby that was the issue.) Nonetheless, at the time, I started a sheet to track her growth. And, when I got ready to go back to work I added a sheet to track the milk inventory. And, with P growing older, and the weeks ahead of me becoming more clearly defined, I've begun actively managing the process to her first birthday and the "official" end of my duties as the milkerator.

I'm still not 100% convinced I can make it to the one year point. And, that's why I track and measure and play out the scenarios. Fingers crossed.


Cheers!
mouse

Top 3 Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Time to reassess the priorities.

One and two are easy - P and work.

Three. Hmmm... There's mouse pad renovations. There's finding a new financial planner. There's buying a new car.

So many choices, so little time. I think I should pick mouse pad renovations. When spring showers bring out our buckets, I'm going to be glad I picked this one. From a planning perspective - I'm thinking March 13th for the deck door and March 20th or 27th for the bay window which means we have this weekend and next to go shopping for a new door.

Okay. I'm motivated.


Cheers!
mouse

02.08.10: City by the Bay

Dear Friends and Family,

On a whim, we decided to head out to San Francisco for the weekend. The original idea was to go somewhere since P just got her passport. Then, looking at flights and schedules and everything, we ended up taking her to the West Coast for the first time.

Between the airport (aka the plane station), the flights, the car, and the general movement, P had a lot of car seat time. But, we got to see M + M and their new baby. And, we got to see my friends from school and their two girls. And, we had dinner with B and Chef M and B's parents and all of their friends.

It whirlwind. It was fun.

This upcoming weekend is going to be packed with errands and clean up and capturing the nine month milestones.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse Pad Updates

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse and I were talking about what we want/need to do on the house this year. And, since we'll have incremental free cash flow in a couple of months from paying off some debt, we figured now was as good a time as any to start planning.

On the docket:

1. new door to the deck - stop the leaks
2. seal the bay window - stop the leaks
3. remove deck, reseal roof, new deck - stop the leaks
4. new front door
5. new garage door

I'm pretty sure we won't make it all the way down the list from both a money and a time perspective, but we'll start from the top and go from there.

It feels good to begin thinking about home improvements. There's nothing more relaxing than a house that's put together and maintained and organized. It makes me feel calm and alive at the same time.


Cheers!
mouse

Fiddle Faddle

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry, spent the whole morning fiddling with some formulas on a spreadsheet, leaving me no time for my blog entry. Less than 100 days until P's birthday (WOW) and with the low production I wanted to see if I would make it to the one year mark. Looks like I'll be able to, if I continue at my current run rate.


Cheers!
mouse

Working Women

Dear Friends and Family,

This is a hard post to write because you can dance around a bunch of issues, but I'm going to attempt to write it anyway.

My first job out of school was a technical job. And, as an Asian female, I was quickly in the minority. It was an amusing and a sad commentary on the state of affairs, but reality nonetheless - 4% of the overall population, split evenly between the sexes leaves me at 2% of the population, although, oddly, the Asian males felt overrepresented at more than 2% of my work world. It didn't phase me, I was just another cog in the great machine doing my piece to keep it all going.

Coming out of grad school, I was still an Asian female in a world where the Asian female population was still 2%. And, today, I am still an Asian female in a world where the Asian female population is still 2%.

So, what's changed?

My most recent job change last fall has put me in a world dominated by older, Caucasian men. A world in which I am their peer and colleague. I don't feel any discrimination. I don't feel any hostility. I don't feel any old boy's network working against me. But, it's still weird.

I feel like some of the younger, more junior women I work with look to me as a role model - as a possibility. If mouse can do it, so can I - which puts some pressure on me to be a role model which raises my bar on my expectations of myself.

Then, there's the stupid stuff. We have a weekly departmental meeting where all of the leads sit together at the head of the table and everyone else sits wherever they want. I'm not a big fan of that and I've always sat wherever I felt like. But, I recall a series of lectures I went to where they discussed how women give away power without realizing it. And, I realized by not taking my spot at the head of the table, I was subtly diminishing my role and me. So, yesterday, at the departmental meeting, I sat at the head of the table with my colleagues.

It felt weird. But, I don't think anyone thought anything of it, besides me. See, it's stuff - big stuff and stupid stuff, but stuff nonetheless. I'm glad I had the chance to attend the lecture series. Otherwise, I may have been blissfully unaware that actions and inactions can be interpreted so many different ways by others.


Cheers!
mouse

Google vs. User Generated Content

Dear Friends and Family,

My folks are headed to Korea for a couple of weeks and needed a recommendation on a place to stay. Since we had gone with our neighbors, we knew of a hotel, we just needed the details on name and number. The race was on.

Mr. mouse started with Google and then email archives. I started with flickr (our set and our neighbors' set) and then Blogger and I was getting ready to IM our neighbor on FB when Mr. mouse found it. Turns out it was in our neighbors' photo set, I just missed it in the thumbnails view.

But, my faith in user generated content is renewed. It'll trump Google anytime specific, personal information is needed. My faith in myself, well, it just confirms I'm better at high level strategy and Mr. mouse is better at detailed, focused execution.


Cheers!
mouse

02.01.10: Experimental Days

Dear Friends and Family,

Where do the days go? Well, if you have a soon to be nine month old at home it turns to food. We've been playing with new foods all weekend. Friday night, P had fried rice with a little bit of assist from Mr. mouse. Saturday, we tried more bagel. And, on Sunday, we tried Stage 3 oatmeal (which I am tempted to bake into a cookie), pan fried turbot, more bagel (which she collected in her mouth into a giant wad and spit out), and puffed rice.

Other than that, I napped a lot this weekend to try an increase milk production. And, we got our eyes examined (I don't know why I bother with glasses). And, we took a useless trip to the mall to exchange some stuff - absolute bust. And, we stocked up on food for P. And, I did some work. And, we watched the Grammy Awards. And, there went the weekend.

Oh, Saturday, we took P into the big tub. We've done it a couple times before, but she was never a big fan. This time, she got through it and actually did okay. We may be onto something here. Purple fish and starfish may be our new best friends.

And, in the interest of maintaining my sanity, I'm trying a new bottle size for P - five ounces. Ideally, she'd stay on 5.5 ounces through this week. Why do I drive myself crazy with this stuff? I guess I just want to make it to the one year point.

Time to go wake P. Happy Monday.


Cheers!
mouse

Lark

Dear Friends and Family,

I started thinking about creating a second blog yesterday - one on a topic I'm learning about, one in which I use my real identity, one in which I allow monetization, one that'll be single topic and my thoughts on that topic alone, one where I don't really write about me, I write about it. I wonder where it will lead, if it'll lead anywhere at all.

We'll see if I even write a single post since I'm a little short on time nowadays.


Cheers!
mouse

Frugal Mom: Crib Mattress

Dear Friends and Family,

Okay. So, if you need a crib, it follows, you need a mattress. Lots of options here as well. We opted to go for value over dirt cheap in this category for no good reason other than we splurged on our mattress and love it and figured P deserved no less.

We opted for the Naturepedic No Compromise Organic Cotton Ultra Organic Baby Crib Mattress with

• dual firmness
• seamless design
• premium organic waterproof cover
• organic cotton filling
• orthopedic innerspring
• starts at $359

Our math said if she used it for 3 years, it would be about $0.33 per night which was how we justified it. Also, for the first three months, all they do is sleep and eat so we wanted to go organic since you're only a newborn once in your life.


All in, with the crib, we were out $500, and that, is still frugal.


Cheers!
mouse

Eating, Again

Dear Friends and Family,

After almost two weeks of no interest in food, P is eating again. Guess it was the ear infection and cold that were making her temperamental. We were afraid it was ye olde reflux rearing its ugly head again.

Once your kid has reflux, until you're sure it's gone, it becomes the nasty doubt in the back of your head. Is it a cold or reflux? Is it teething or reflux? Is it bad day or reflux? Is it allergies or reflux? Is it tired or reflux? Is it separation anxiety or reflux? Is it stranger anxiety or reflux? Is it spit up or reflux? Are the fewer, shorter naps normal? Or is it the reflux?

I've been slowing weaning P off of her Zantac. When we went from full dosage to zero cold turkey, it wasn't pretty. So, I've been lowering her dosage by 0.3 ml a day every week. Currently she's on 0.6 ml in the mornings and 0.3 ml in the evening. Next week, as long as she seems fine, I'll reduce it to 0.3 ml in the mornings and evenings.

Now that she's eating again, I am less anxious. We were debating giving her the full dose when she decided food wasn't her thing anymore. Guess it was the ear infection and not reflux, this time.


Cheers!
mouse

01.25.10: Meh

Dear Friends and Family,

Feeling better than Friday, but still not fully recovered.

Came home Friday feeling like I was coming apart at the seams - headache, stuffy nose, dizzy, nauseous, bad ankle, bad wrist, bad tooth, can the list get any longer? oh, and tired.

P was sleeping when Mr. mouse got home, so we sat in his car talking for a bit while she slept before heading out for dinner. We went for Indian, figuring it was one of a handful of dishes I had a hope of tasting. The most annoying thing happened en route to the restaurant...

We parked the car. P woke up. So, I decided to feed her in the car before heading into the restaurant. A car pulls up next to us and I wave him on. Well, the #$%@! car pulls up I kid you not like three more times to check if we'd left yet. Hey, @$$hole, give it up and find another spot. Okay? I'm breastfeeding my kid here and you're driving me crazy. And, when I'm done, we're gonna leave the car here for a couple of hours and go out to dinner. Amateur Night at the Improv.

Deep breath.

Saturday, Mr. mouse let me sleep in, playing with P while I caught a bunch of extra z's. We spent Saturday organizing the house. Then, we got bit by a bug and decided to take P to get her passport. We took a bunch of pictures in front of a white door, picked one with a huge grin and two teeth showing figuring the passport agent wouldn't be a huge stickler on the "no smile rule" since she's an eight month old. And, headed over to the post office. As we expected, it was a case of P and two unicorns. P enchanted her agent and the picture was submitted. We had a back up one with a more serious face, but it wasn't nearly as fun.

We finished out the evening with some Christmas gift exchanges that drove Mr. mouse through the roof. Amateur Night at the Improv II.

Sunday, P had tub time in the morning. Then, we spent the day installing the rest of our gates and going through our paperwork to file. Mr. mouse put up a big picture of the three of us from Halloween in the park. I love it.

P started really verbalizing this weekend. She's always made a lot of sounds, but now it sounds like full sentences, paragraphs even, except in baby talk. She also has gotten pretty good at cruising along her gate - pulling herself upright and walking the perimeter. She holds her own bottle now, although she still needs a little assist. And, she's a pro at the latch on thing - getting herself into position and opening wide. But, the most exciting thing to report, is a tiny syllable she's been making for awhile now, but beginning to use more purposefully - Meh...

I may be imaging it, but I think that's P's way of saying Mommy. I'm not sure yet, but there have been a couple of times now... I love it nonetheless.


Cheers!
mouse

TGIF -

Dear Friends and Family,

I have either swine flu or bird flu or SARS. I'm going with retro trendy SARS. I've been coughing and sneezing and runny nosed and headache and tired all week. Wait a sec! I've got whatever P had last week. Sigh.

P's been in and out of daycare all of January. She hasn't had a full week since sometime in December. Mr. mouse and I have been trading off taking time off with her. Really, this week I should have since I'm sick as well. But, it's so hectic at work I've been bringing it in with me. I'm sure my colleagues love me for it.

This weekend will be a good time to get some rest and hopefully throw this cold - that and to convince Mr. mouse to bring the tables down from the party to the basement. He LOVES the horizontal surfaces. They drive me crazy. We aren't going to come to consensus on this one. They're going or I'm losing it.

Okay. Happy Friday. And, in twelve more hours it'll be the weekend and I can curl up with P and a cup of tea.


Cheers!
mouse

Frugal Mom: Crib

Dear Friends and Family,

After facing the bewildering array of "stuff" that everyone claims is "essential" when you have a baby, I've decided to post my own views on it all. There's so much "stuff" and you use it for such a short period of time. It borders on ridiculous. It's bad for the environment. It's hard on the wallet. It does not prove you love your newborn any more or less than the person who spends like there's no tomorrow. Because there is a tomorrow. And, guess what, that money can go into the brand spanking new college fund you'll be starting.

Okay. The crib. I'd put it in the bucket of "stuff you absolutely need." But, the simpler the better. I don't need a crib that's going to convert into a toddler bed and then into a day bed and then into a headboard for a full sized bed. That's just a little too much transformers acrobatics for me. I figure there's baby furniture that I'll use for two years. Then, there's toddler furniture that's good for another 4 years. And, then, I'll splurge on the real stuff that'll stay in the room for the rest of time once they're done chewing on their furniture.

Drop down sides are going away - there's just too many accidents with them. A simple, SAFE crib is all you really need. No fuss. No muss.

I like the Ikea Gulliver crib. $99 in white. We splurged for the $139 in birch.

It's simple. It's safe. It matches our decor. And, at $139, it doesn't break the bank.


Cheers!
mouse

Okay, How Would That Work?

Dear Friends and Family,

My ankle still bothers me on and off. And, it's bad enough that I'm willing to see someone about it. But, if it needs surgery (again) then I think I'm in a bind. I'm pretty sure the pain medication would make it no go for P. So, I need to think about that all before making a decision on my treatment. I guess if it's merely broken, then all I would require is a cast. Excellent.

I would give a fair amount to be able to wind back the clock and do those 15 seconds all over again. I worked so hard on rehab for my ankle and I was so happy with the results. To have the injury last summer just sucks. I don't blame P for it. I was frazzled and not being careful. It's my mom scar, I guess. Some women have stretch marks, others have freckles. I have my ankle. Excellent.

Well, I'll ask my old doctor for a recommendation and we'll go from there, I guess.


Cheers!
mouse

Only Children Rant

Dear Friends and Family,

One of my colleagues at work has an only child, and every time I meet her I can't help but shake my head and hope P doesn't grow up to be like her.

Her parents discipline her. But, her null hypothesis is, it will be my way unless there's a good reason for it not to be my way. Whereas, as a person with siblings I knew there was a 1 in X chance for it to be "my way" with the probability going up if I could align siblings to vote my contingent. And, even then, there was the parent vote and veto. But, her assumption is unless there's a good reason why not, it's a gimme.

Here's an example. They came over on Saturday, unannounced, an hour before the party began. Mr. mouse was unloading groceries. I was heading upstairs to feed P. Our other friends were doing last minute party prep. She wanted ice cream. She asked me as I was headed upstairs. And, I told her to ask Mr. mouse when he was done unloading groceries. When I came downstairs, Mr. mouse was still unloading groceries. And, she asked me again. And, I told her to ask Mr. mouse when he was done unloading groceries. So, she asks him immediately - while he's unloading groceries.

Obviously, there's no safety issues here on the ice cream. And, she knows she'll get it since we said yes, but not now. But, her assumption is, unless there's a good reason why not now, then, as long as you ask politely, you should be able to get your way.

I'm not sure I'm making any sense here. Anyways, suffice it to say, P will not be like that when she grows up. Cause, if she had asked Mr. mouse while he was unloading groceries, my answer would have been. "I told you to wait until your Dad was done unloading groceries before asking him. Ask again, and it's no ice cream. Understood?"

What a Mom.


Cheers!
mouse

01.18.10: Party Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Another year, another January party.

We moved up the party this year because our Winter Cabin neighbors had a long weekend this weekend. The prep was a little hectic, but all things considering, no more hectic than prior years when we had more time and no P.

The party this year was smaller - about 40-50 people rather than the 60-70 people we've had in recent years. I actually prefer the smaller size since I'm not playing doorman all night. I actually had a chance to catch up with my friends.

P has been so off schedule I don't know where to begin - solids, liquids, sleep, diapers, new medicine, reduced medicine, reduced play space, being sick, etc. This week will be a good week to get her back on schedule, I hope.

And, me? Well, I think I caught something yesterday. Or, I was incubating something and it finally broke through the surface yesterday. Warm. Cough. Congestion. Runny nose. Headache. Excellent.

And, to add to my list of P stuff, she peaked at 7 or 8 percentile on January 3rd and has been on a crazy decline since. She's back at 3 percentile land now. I guess we'll weigh her each night this week and try to get her back on track. I'll be happy with 5 percentile.

Okay. Off to get ready for the day. Sorry. Feeling pretty crummy right now. At least Saturday night was a ton of fun.


Cheers!
mouse

The Race to Toddlerhood

Dear Friends and Family,

P is standing at the gate watching Mr. mouse on his computer. Nope, now she's crawled to her toy box and is pulling books out to play with. She's begun "cruising" walking around holding onto something. And, she's become very vocal.

I feel like toddlerhood is just around the corner with cups and table food and walking and talking. Since the months keep going faster and faster, I'm sure I'll blink and it'll be May and we'll be planning her first birthday party.

For now, we're enjoying the current plateau we worked so diligently to reach... two little chompers, stage 2 foods, smaller bottles, crawling, babbling, sleeping for longer stretches... 14-ish pounds. She was stuck at 12-ish for the longest time and it was fun enjoy that stage of watching her interact with her toys and sit up and stuff. Then she skipped 13 and most of 14. And, now she's plateauing again (it could be her cold that's driving the plateau).

Okay. Mr. mouse is annoyed. He wants to use P's room as the kids' play area during the party. I don't want to. I'm annoyed that he's annoyed - what gives him the right to get annoyed every time he doesn't get his way? Huh?

Time to get some work done before beginning the party prep.


Cheers!
mouse

The Great Recession

Dear Friends and Family,

The more I see the two words together in print the more I wonder how future generations will look back and discuss how The Great Recession defined the people who lived through it - from the children to the young adults to the working population to the almost retired to the retired.

I'm not sure where I'm headed with this post. Perhaps a haiku?

The Great Recession -
forced to make lifestyle changes,
will it define us?

Sorry. It's an ill defined post. But, that's all I've got.


Cheers!
mouse

Ear Infection

Dear Friends and Family,

P got "sent home" from school yesterday with a "fever" of 100.2.

Just in case, we scheduled a doctor's appointment and covered the symptoms (see yesterday's post) and the news from school:

• labored breathing
• tugging at the ear
• other kids in her room with ear infections
• other kid in her room with RSV and brochilitis

The doctor did a quick check for wheezing. Then, we sat down for the talk. Then, he started the more thorough exam and was just getting to the last check and wouldn't you know it... her right ear was infected.

Amoxicillin is our friend - except P threw up her morning dosage. Mr. mouse is at home with her for the morning. I've got the afternoon shift.


Cheers!
mouse

Poor P

Dear Friends and Family,

P's still sick:

• low grade fever
• cough
• congestion
• runny nose

She's soldiering through it. I wish there was something I could do to make her feel better. Poor P.


Cheers?
mouse

01.11.10: Cleaning and Organizing

Dear Friends and Family,

Nothing like a crawling baby to force you to organize the house.

Actually, we've been chipping away at it since we got back from Christmas. And, we're finally beginning to make progress. Why is it that horizontal surfaces always seem to be a dumping ground? It drives me crazy. If it were just me, I'd be ruthless about clearing through it all. But, as a family, we create it faster than I can clear it. Sigh.

Saturday, we took P out for a walk. Then, a friend from work came over and watched P while we cleaned house. Sunday, Mr. mouse took an errand day while I stayed at home with P.

P has a bad cold with a runny and stuffy nose. She's been coughing and warm to the touch. And, to top it off, she's been gagging and prone to vomiting. Excellent.

What's new with our eight month old? She tries to hold her own bottle now, but usually gets the angle all wrong. She wraps her arms around your neck in the most endearing way when you carry her. She crawls to you when you're working in the kitchen. She stretches her neck to peer over the counter when she thinks Mr. mouse is on the other side. She's gotten good at both pulling herself into an upright position and slowing sitting back down. She stands in her crib rattling the side bars if she's unhappy. She likes to sleep in total darkness with her sleep sack. She's begun drooling. And, after a growth spurt over the holidays, she's plateaued again.

I could write about her ad infinitum, but it's time to get ready for work.


Cheers!
mouse

Snow Day

Dear Friends and Family,

It was snowing when we left the house yesterday and the drive was miserable. So, I turned around and came home figuring I would be more productive working from home than sitting in a car all day. Mr. mouse came home to take the "afternoon shift" and we went out to dinner once all of my meetings were done.

And, now, I remember what life was like before the crazy commute. I wonder as P gets older if I'll want to continue to spend as much time as I do at work and in the car or if I'll be willing to take a pay cut and a career change and do something closer to home. Something to ponder once the economy improves some.


Cheers!
mouse

Pick Up Performance

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, P did something I had SO been looking forward to -

When I went to pick her up last night, when she heard my voice, she turned around and began to crawl to me.

Yeah for P!


Cheers!
mouse

The Creamery

Dear Friends and Family,

Or, really, new moms out there.

P is eight months old soon. And, the milk thing is getting complicated.

We're still cycling through old milk in the freezer. It's been tough to keep up on a single container a day so I upped it recently to two containers a day. Then, I freeze two a day so our fresh supply doesn't get out of control and so that we have frozen supply for the upcoming months.

I've been slowly reducing her bottles to transition her to solid foods. Since she gets three bottles a day at school (and then I nurse her twice at home) the math has been easy - every 10 days (on the 10th, 20th and end of month) I drop one bottle one ounce.

And, now, to keep it all interesting. Since her bottle size is dropping, I get to contemplate dropping my pumping time. I've been tempted to drop work time. But, truth be told, the mental math got too complicated on that one because I pump twice at work, but feed three times over the weekend. Plus, to be even more honest, sleep won over work, so I'll be reducing my 10PM pumping session - three minutes a week over the next month.

I've come to the realization that at eight months, I'll be two thirds of the way through this whole adventure. Then, she can transition to whole milk. Funny, I may miss the bonding that comes with spending the time together in the morning and evenings.

I won't miss pumping at work. I don't think.


Cheers!
mouse

New Millenia Feminist

Dear Small,

I just finished reading a book about the history of the women's movement in the 20th century. And, I didn't realize how much a product of my times I can be. And, in living through it, I somehow took for granted all the work others have done to allow me to be who I am.

I always said, if I had a child, I wanted a girl - a girl who would be free to be all that she could be unbounded by the constraints of what others say she could be based upon her gender. I wanted you to have all of the opportunities I didn't have - even if truth be told, I've had many opportunities.

I remember a book I had growing up. It was an alphabet book. And, I was for Irma. She was a telephone utility person of sorts - the picture showed her working on the telephone lines. And, without meaning any harm, your grandfather told me that women don't do jobs like that. I'm a child of the Math is Hard Barbie era. Yet, look at me now.

But, it doesn't all come for free. I remember an elementary school teacher talking about the need for financial independence - in the third grade... And, from that point on, I knew I wanted to be financially independent. I didn't want to be dependent upon anyone because I realized when you're dependent, you can't call all of the shots and I wanted control.

I can't imagine your father leaving me. And, if he did, I can't imagine him leaving me in a bind. But, then again, who can? So, emotionally, I'm very dependent on your father, but, financially, I know I could make it on my own if I ever needed to.

Which brings me to why I'm writing this letter to you. I'm biased. I want to raise you to be like me - to be strong and independent with a healthy dose of common sense. But, more importantly, I want to raise you to be you. Regardless of the choices you make, I'll love you and respect you. Just like I am a product of my history, you'll be a product of yours. And, I'm 110% okay with that.


Love,
your mommy

01.04.10: Back to Work

Dear Friends and Family,

After 11 days off, it's back to work. I left with 22 messages in my inbox. I'm returning to 284. Fun and games.

The weekend was a continuation of vacation - cleaning and organizing the house, playing with P, running errands, and other miscellanea.

P's daycare instructors aren't going to recognize her when I bring her in this morning. She's a crawler now. She's a puller-upper now. Her bottles are smaller and she'll have three meals at school. She sleeps less. And, she's almost a ten percentile porker now.

We've also begun feeding P "human food" in addition to baby food. We transitioned her from Stage 2 Apples to applesauce. She's tried congee albeit with fruit not meat. We've been mixing either fish or avocado in with her jar food. And, last night, we let her gnaw on the end of a baguette for fun.

This is the longest stretch I've had off since returning to work. And, it's the longest stretch the three of us have had off together since P was a month old when Mr. mouse took three weeks off with me.

It'll be a tough day today. But, hopefully, we get back in the swing of things without too many hiccups.


Cheers!
mouse

2010, Here We Come

Dear Friends and Family,

A new year and a chance to look forward and back and pontificate. Here's a link to last year's post, but I'm not going to peek at it until after I write the bulk of this year's post.

How to begin writing about the year just past without writing about P? She's eight months old now and the changes continue to come faster than I ever thought possible. She's playing in a diaper box right now with Mr. mouse. We drew a dashboard on one end and have been pushing her around in it like it's a small car.

One of Mr. mouse's friends once told me (before we were even expecting) that God gives you only as much child as you can handle. And, in that regard, I think she was 100% on the mark. P's a happy baby (now that she's on Zantac) and she sleeps well and eats well and she does well with the long weekdays and semi-structured weekends. I still have trouble believing we've been entrusted with her care. Really, they should have tests and licenses required before allowing people to become parents.

And, because P can be so encompassing, a lot of stuff has fallen by the wayside. I have grand ambitions that 2010 will be better. First, once P is done breastfeeding, I'll get back between 2.5 and 3 hours a day that I currently spend on feeding and pumping. And, once she's done breastfeeding, I can tackle the weight loss without being afraid of losing milk supply.

So, here begins the look at the "stuff" that constitutes what I care about:

baby... maybe: Everyone asks - are we going to have another? And, much as I love P, I don't think we will. Baby #2 won't be P in miniature. And, the experience won't be a rewind of P. It'll be a whole new experience and it'll be that much more complicated for involving four moving parts. For now, I'm happy with one.

clutter diet: For having an infant in the house, we've done well on this front. P has a crib and mattress, a pack and play (that we use for a changing table), a swing and bouncy chair (that are both going on Craigslist soon since she's outgrown both of them), two strollers, and a high chair. We have a couple of tubs of toys and books. And, a scary collection of plastic (bottles, milk storage vials, and pump accessories). But, overall, we've kept it sane as far as the addition of stuff. And, because we had to clear out the basement and garage to make room for her, she's net negative as far as clutter is concerned. And, because I need to clear out space in the basement for P stuff that I want to save, she continues to force us to manage our clutter.

green is good: For a tiny baby, P has a carbon footprint the size of Texas. She has diapers and wipes. We kept the house cool for her over the summer and warm for her over the winter. We drive to school/daycare together every day. And, our laundry and dishwasher consumption has skyrocketed. This one will require some thought to kick start again.

korean soap operas: I had the "talk" with my mom while we were home for the holidays. She'll come out to visit in February, but realizes that moving out here into our basement for six months isn't going to happen.

make your mark: I'm not sure how this will play out. This is still something that I want to do, but I'm still not sure how, yet. For Christmas, Mr. mouse and I made charitable donations instead of buying each other stuff. I donated my share towards The March of Dimes (because they provided so much info on premature babies when I was afraid P would be early), The Heifer Organization (providing livestock to people in need), and a local women's shelter (because everyone needs a partner when fighting abuse).

money matters: We've been fortunate. We've been able to chip away at the pile of debt that everyone seems to carry around. And, with luck, we'll be free and clear by the end of 2010. (Yes, that includes the mortgage!) Our strategy? We live on one income and we save the other. It required a lot of discipline when we first started back in 2001, but, now, it's second nature. I am the first to say, we're fortunate. Both of us enjoy our work. And, both of us earn enough to make living on one income possible. But, it's not a walk in the park. Money is like closet space. Whatever you have, you use up, and wish you had 10% more.

mouse pad: This year, we WILL tackle all of the water ingestion.

the first year: P has headphones on while sitting in her high chair. Mr. mouse is getting ready to puree some avocados and some fish. She doesn't like the food processor. Hence the headphones.

travel: Eight flights and two road trips down, P's a seasoned traveler. We just need to get her a passport.

wellness: After P hits her one year mark, I'll begin this in earnest.

work: I enjoy it. It pays the bills. I wish it was a shorter commute.

Okay. Now, I peek at last year's post. Hmmm... not far off the mark. I'm okay with it and looking forward to 2011.


Cheers!
mouse