Mouse Catches Up

Dear Friends and Family,

Not surprisingly, I overslept yesterday morning - somehow convincing myself that it was Saturday when the alarm clock rang.

And, today is Friday, and I've got to catch up on emails and stuff before I can settle into the weekend. Every week it seems like the next week will be less hectic than the last. But, every week something new pops up that keeps the craziness constant.

Perhaps I need a vacation - some days off with nothing to do. I'll have to ask Mr. mouse about that... I'm feeling like I'm burning out or at least I'm burning more than I'm taking in and that will eventually lead to burn out.

Time to recharge.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse and the All Nighter

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm getting too old for this, but apparently not old enough to not do it anymore.

What am I talking about? The all nighter - when you look at the clock and it's time to wake up, but you haven't gone to sleep yet.

Tomorrow (today) promises to be a beautiful day. I think I may sneak out from 10 to noon to nap. Seems only fair since I lost 6 hours of sleep to work.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse and Fantasy Football

Dear Friends and Family,

So, now, instead of spending P time at night putting together a strategy for my Fantasy Football team, I spent my morning time. Huh.

Unlike "normal" leagues, we're playing a Survivor style league. Each week we all play against each other. Then, the team with the lowest points gets eliminated and their players get re-drafted amongst the remaining teams with the second lowest team picking first. Therefore, it's in your best interest to be the second lowest team each week so you have first pick of the eliminated players, but then you run the risk of being eliminated. See why I'm hooked?

Mr. mouse says I'm like those Thai Scrabble players. I don't watch any of the games. I don't know any of the players. I'm not even sure I know what a running back does vs. a wide receiver. The names are deceptive - they both run after getting the ball from the quarterback so I have a 50-50 chance at getting that one right. I do know BYE weeks are bad since your players' teams aren't playing. Injuries bad. And, I need 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 K, and 1 DST to field an active team. See why this is hilarious?

Anyway. Off to get ready now. I'm #3 on the draft pick for the week so we'll see who I pick up. My goal was to make it through week 4 so one more week and I'll feel like I accomplished something.


Cheers!
mouse

09.27.10: Managing

Dear Friends and Family,

It was a hectic weekend, but I made it through in one piece.

Saturday, my sister called to say my mom was visiting. So, we jumped in the car and drove over for a visit. Fortunately, P slept most of the way down and almost all of the way up. My mom loved seeing her so it was worth the monkey wrench in the schedule.

Sunday, we spent the morning doing most of the errands that got punted from Saturday. Then, I dropped Mr. mouse off at the airport for a business trip. Fortunately, he should be back tonight.

Then, I spent the afternoon alone with P. We read. I let her run and play. We ate.

It was fun, but I was also a little (okay, a lot) preoccupied with the fact that my Fantasy Football team was in the toilet. Well, Sunday night I realized 10 years from now I won't give a hoot about my fantasy team, but I will remember the precious moments P provides - like she came up with a sound for fish while we were reading a Good Night book, or when we covered ourselves with the towel and she laughed when she saw my face, or when she wanted to walk around with the towel over her head but then she kept bumping into things.

I promised myself I won't let it happen again. I'm okay with her having independent play time. I just need to let go (mentally) of my fantasy team.

And, now it's Monday and time to get ready soon for the day.


Cheers!
mouse

Savings Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, after a very depressing August, September is shaping up to be a better month so far. Next week I get to reassess how our retirement fund is looking and how retirement is looking.

Our current worst case scenario has us retiring at 50 and 54 (my age and Mr. mouse's age) and our best case scenario has us retiring at 45 and 49. There's a ton of stuff this is all dependent upon (e.g. our ability to continue saving, inflation, how our investments do, etc.) but at least we're looking at it on a regular basis.

Hopefully nothing rocks the financial boat in the next seven days and I can see where we're at compared to our goals.


Cheers!
mouse

Reading with P

Dear Friends and Family,

We've been reading a ton with P. She'll bring a book over and say 'more book' and sit on my lap. She'll bring the book back to the bin when we're done if I ask her to. She has favorites like Ten in the Bed that she can't get enough of and others like Curious George where she shakes her head no and goes for another book.

She's gotten very good with animal sounds now. Is you ask, "what does a monkey say?" She'll respond with monkey noises. She'll do the same for cow, sheep, cat, horse and lion. She'll point to a duck and say 'duck' and she'll point to a fish and say 'fish.'

And, yesterday, she started picking the books we asked for. I asked for Ten in the Bed and she brought over Ten in the Bed. I asked for Babies and she brought over Global Babies. I asked for Ding Dong and she brought over the book with the play doorbell. We did this enough times to verify it wasn't likely dumb luck.

All that milk fat at work.


Cheers!
mouse

P Gets Pink Eye

Dear Friends and Family,

P was sent home yesterday with a puffy face, yellow goop in her eyes, and a bite mark on her neck. She looked like she had taken a beating in a street fight.

But, the doctor confirmed that it was nothing more serious than a case of pink eye. So, she spent the day at home today with Mr. mouse. And, she's off to school tomorrow.


Cheers!
mouse

09.20.10: Weekend, Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

P's been crying for ten minutes now and it's not the easiest listening to her.

The weekend. The weekend.

Saturday, P and I went out for breakfast while Mr. mouse stayed home with the house cleaners. We went to the library after breakfast. Then, we walked home and just beat the rain. P and the stroller and I had a little bit of an incident on the dash home. Fortunately, we escaped with a minor scratch on P's nose to show for it all.

After playing in the basement and taking a quick shower, we headed out for brunch with a friend in town for the DMB concert. It was weird. I never thought of her as a kid person so I was a little nonchalant about kids. Well, it turns out she and her partner and thinking about trying. I think she was a little nonplussed at my nonchalance.

Next on the agenda was a stop at the museum to play since we wanted to give P a change of scenery. Well, funny enough, we ran into my friend from Brunch #1 at the museum. Small world.

Did some shopping and then headed home for the evening.

Sunday, we originally had plans for the zoo. But, with some last minute cancellations, we ended up going to the park instead for some pictures.

And, that my friend was the weekend. And, Mr. mouse went upstairs to rescue P so it's nice and quiet in the house.


Cheers!
mouse

Home Again

Dear Friends and Family,

I must be getting old.

There's nothing like sleeping at home, in your bed, with your family in the house.

I was bone tired when I got home yesterday. I'm a little bit of an introvert so being around people non-stop for three straight days tends to wear me out. It's nice to be able to crawl into my shell and zone out.

I'm glad that it's Friday.


Cheers!
mouse

More?

Dear Friends and Family,

Tuesday night, we played cards and my partner and I lost both games.

Last night, we played again, and won both games.

I suggested a fifth game to settle the score. And, we lost.

Really, I should have stopped when we were ahead. By winning both games last night, we clearly had bragging rights - at least for awhile. There really wasn't much to be gained by playing the last game.

Sometimes you have to know when to take what you've got and run.


Cheers!
mouse

Work Trip

Dear Friends and Family,

In the hustle and bustle to get out yesterday morning, I didn't have a chance to write. And, after the three cocktails I had with my boss last night, this morning isn't going to yield any pearls of wisdom either.

On a happy note, Mr. mouse and I resolved a difference of opinion we have. Now that P is older, I asked him to not post any pictures of us with her in our neighborhood. I'm fine with a picture of us at Mount Rushmore, for example. But, I'm not as crazy about a picture of us at places we frequent regularly. He thought I was being over zealous. And, I agree, I may be. But, that's what I'm comfortable with.

It got a little ugly Sunday night, but we slept on it, and for now, I think it's behind us.

Hope your morning is a little less fuzzy than mine. Wish me luck for tonight. Fortunately, my desert cactus friends, it will not include any last minute renegade runs down a water slide.


Cheers!
mouse

09.13.10: Social Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

This weekend, instead of running from errand to errand, we filled the weekend with social engagements.

Saturday, after much dawdling about the potential weather, we ultimately decided to head to a friends house to watch Notre Dame take on the Wolverines. Seven kids, two pies of pizza, something like 24 single serve ice cream buckets, Shiner and Vernor's made for a fun afternoon.

Sunday, we had friends over. We went to see an art fair and then went on the roof for some toddler pool fun. Trying to have two toddlers play together is a naive attempt at trying to overcome natural inclination of two people not really interested in playing together. There was much toy grabbing, pushing, splashing, and temper tantrums. P doesn't seem to get much out of having a companion, at least not at her current age.

Monday, P's up since she didn't have much dinner last night. She was playing with Mr. mouse, but now the two of them are sitting down to eat. She's growing so much. Her babble is coalescing into words. There's a word that starts with 'b' for bib. There's 'book' for book. There's 'fish' for a yellow fish in her book. There's unprompted lion roars. There's 'down' which is the new up/down/help. There's 'rabbit' which she sometimes says when prompted. And, on a rare occasion I'll get 'more bottle' when she sees the bottle in the car. She's become a book worm. I'm convinced it's all gelling in her head.

And, P's reign with her two unicorns is officially over. This weekend at the fair, one or two people remarked, but most of the time P went unnoticed. It was fun while it lasted. Now, she's just our little sweetest.


Cheers!
mouse

09.10.10: Weekend!

Dear Friends and Family,

It's almost the weekend. And, there's so much I need to get done between now and the start of my weekend. I wish work was less complicated. I wish work was closer to home. I wish the economy was better. I wish I knew what was going to happen with Mr. mouse at his work place as the right size the workforce. I wish. I wish. I wish.

I think the right thing to prioritize, oddly enough, is getting the house back in order. I tend to do better when everything is in order at home. I think the physical clutter is adding to mental clutter. Maybe I'll spend some time this weekend tackling some corner of this.

I've had thoughts running through my head. Perhaps I should set up a 365 item challenge. Are there 365 "things" in the house that I can make leave the house? And, will I miss them when they're gone? Like the half eaten box of chocolates that are more than a year old. Really? Why are they still here? I'll brew on it a little longer and see if I make it a real thing I track or a mindset I adopt.


Cheers!
mouse

09.09.10: Weekend Revisited

Dear Friends and Family,

So what did we do over the weekend?

Saturday, we went out to brunch. Then, Mr. mouse and I got our brows done. Then, we let P sleep in the car while we went to get mail and pick up shoes. Housecleaning, followed by groceries, and before you knew it Saturday was gone. At least all of our errands were accounted for.

Sunday, we called my sister and convinced her to come visit for the weekend. Then, we spent the better part of the day playing with P in her swimming pool upstairs. I forgot to put her in a swim diaper. The regular diaper was a disaster when she came out of the water. It weighed a ton and looked like it was going to burst. We went out to dinner with my sister and her husband and bought a sack of burgers on the way home. Hamburgers for dessert. Fabulous.

Monday, we went out to the zoo. I'm not sure P made the connection between the animals in her books and the animals at the zoo. She got a good nap in, falling asleep holding her new book, and we enjoyed walking around so I'd call the day a success.

Three day weekends are so nice. You have a day to do errands and then you still have your whole weekend ahead of you. We need more of those.


Cheers!
mouse

Connecting the Dots

Dear Friends and Family,

P's been busy.

Saturday, she picked up a piece of chicken and ate it off of the bone. She started imitating animal sounds - moo, baa, ruff, meow, neigh.

Sunday, she began signalling - I've got a diaper by coming to you and patting her chest. She figured out duplo, almost. She figured out her pull toy.

Monday, she showed us she can walk backwards to come sit in your lap. She's mastered "up, down, and daddy."

Tuesday, pointed to a fish and unprompted said fish. She showed she has a routine. I was out late and she told Mr. mouse she wanted to go up and see meh when she comes home like she normally does.

Our little brilliant.


Cheers!
mouse

postponed

Dear Friends and Family,

Long weekend. Late morning. Will post tonight.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse Catches a Cold

Dear Friends and Family,

Caught a cold earlier this week and it's gotten worse. Overslept yesterday morning (hence no blog post) and turned in early last night. Going to slog through one more day at work before turning in to recuperate over the weekend.

P caught the cold too. Mr. mouse made us both chicken soup last night. Here's to feeling better.


Cheers!
mouse

Why?

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, I had one of those days. The days when you wonder if it's all worth it. The days when you wonder why you come to work every day. The days you do the math to see what changing jobs would be worth.

And then you take a deep breath and you grow up and you sleep on it and you gird yourself for the next day. And you hope the next day will be better than the day before. Or you realize you have a job to do and if you're committed to a job you're committed to a job. Then you wonder some more.

Sushi ready when sushi ready. No rush sushi. Pestering will not make sushi ready faster. That's what a menu said at a restaurant we used to go to. So simple, but so profound.

When my choice is clear, my choice will be clear. Agonizing will not make my choice clearer sooner.


Cheers!
mouse

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

End of Week Scramble

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Friday. And, with a little luck I'll make it through the day. And, that, my friends, is all my brain can muster up today.

That, and I entered in our month end numbers for retirement and they were better than expected. Hooray for team mouse.


Cheers!
mouse

Jinxed

Dear Friends and Family,

And just when you think it's going okay... My mom called last night to tell me that my dad is in the hospital. He was admitted for some tests. And, then my sister called to fill me in on all of the gory details. Apparently my dad had some infection of the lungs/bronchial tubes when he was a kid and it caused some scarring of the respiratory tract. Well, as you get older, it makes you more susceptible to respiratory tract illnesses and makes treatment of them more critical than if you didn't have the scarring.

From what I can gather, my dad must have caught something. And, now everyone's concerned it's pneumonia. And, I feel bad. I was annoyed with my dad for his behavior when he visited for P's birthday. And, now I realize he must have been pretty miserable.

It still doesn't excuse his behavior. And, still doesn't change Mr. mouse's feelings about the whole thing. But, it makes me feel bad that I didn't give him the benefit of the doubt. I guess it's true, that's what happens if you cry wolf once too often.

So why do I feel jinxed? I was just lecturing a friend at work about letting people live by their decisions and letting go of what you can't control. And, I still feel that way. I just feel bad because my dad didn't have the easiest time of it.

He grew up under two tyrants in an environment that would make parents today shudder. He grew up in a war torn country deprived of resources and a lot of what we take for granted now. And, he's been carrying that baggage around his entire life.

I know I didn't have the easiest childhood either. And, I'm very fortunate to have grown out of the trap that so many fall into - the trap of repeating the mistakes of the prior generation. And, I guess that's why I feel bad. Given the hand I was dealt, I feel like I made the best of it and the best of it is pretty good. And, I feel like my dad didn't. He became a victim. So, while I'm sitting here with five deuces, he's decided to fold. And, that's why I feel bad. I was lucky. He wasn't. And, I feel sorry for him.

Well, time to dig deep and be strong. And, time to watch and be grateful for what we have been able to offer P - a mom and dad who love her unconditionally; a home that is safe and happy. Time and attention and smiles and laughter and hugs and reading time and play time and care are all things P gets to take for granted. We're fortunate and P's fortunate. And, that is a good thing. I feel like I've done what I can to make the world a little bit of a better place by being able to provide for P what I didn't have as a child.


Cheers!
mouse

More Toddler Tricks

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse had dinner with a work colleague so I had the evening alone with P.

She slept half of the way home and quietly watch the passing scenary the other half of the ride home.

I fed her dinner - lots of beans, some turkey, some bread and then half of my yogurt.

Then, when we played, she did a couple of funny things that only a mother can care about.

She kissed one of the characters in a book she's been reading. She sat down when I said sit. She made fire engine noises when she picked up her fire engine. And, she kissed monkey and held her when I put her down in her crib. See, things only a mother can care about.

I have to wonder what is going through her head these days. She spends a lot more time at home reading than playing. She pulls her books out looking for a book she likes, then she sits down, opens the book, flips through some pages, and then puts the books down and goes for the next one. Sometimes she'll pause on pages and make comments. Sometimes she'll just look intently. Sometimes she'll come over to ask you to read. Almost all times she'll reorient the book if it's upside down. Sometimes we let her read on her own. Sometimes we volunteer comments. I can tell there's a lot going on in that noggin of hers, I just don't know what.


Cheers!
mouse

Good Night, Meh

Dear Friends and Family,

P is a regular driver now. She walks over and then looks up and smiles and wiggles a little which is her signal that she wants to be picked up. Then she points to where she wants to go.

Last night, Mr. mouse picked her up to take her upstairs to bed and she looked at me and waved. She waved! She's never waved before (outside of me waving her arm for her).

I'll have to try and capture it on video soon.


Cheers!
mouse

07.26.10: Quiet Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

After a weekend with Trixie and the tall one, we had a quiet weekend at home before the onslaught of the neighbors. Our mouse winter cabin neighbors are headed over this weekend and staying the week. I can't wait!

Saturday, we headed out for some family grooming - his and hers waxing. A family that grooms together stays together. Then, we wended our way through some traffic for some dim sum. P loved the fried radish cakes and spare ribs with black bean sauce. She's a funny duck.

Saturday afternoon we spent running errands. And, then, we settled down for some yummy dinner at home - fresh pasta with cod and beans and a drizzle of olive oil. P loved it.

Sunday, we headed out to meet up with some friends for a play date/picnic in the park. P and her giant friend had fun and we got a chance to catch up and compare notes with another set of parents.

We came home. P had her nap. Mouse had her manicure. Then, we headed out for dinner. And, the weekend was gone. I love weekends.


Cheers!
mouse

Friday!

Dear Friends and Family,

We're all up. Me with my coffee and my blog. P with her retro trendy boat. Mr. mouse with P. Moments like these are so precious.

I think we're on the verge of P erupting in verse. She's making so many more sounds. It's only a matter of time before it all sorts itself out in her head and the words start coalescing.

P and Mr. mouse are putting the lifesavers on the two people that came with her toy. Yesterday, she tried to fit the lifesaver on her own neck.

Lovely as it all is, time for me to start getting ready.


Cheers!
mouse

Passage of Time

Dear Friends and Family,

It's sometimes dark when it's time to feed P in the morning. And, it's not quite as bright out when I head out of the office in the evening. Somehow, we went from the quiet start to summer to summer in full swing to summer with a finite number of weekends left.

Only one thing to do. Make the most of it and seize the day!


Cheers!
mouse

Other People's Lives

Dear Friends and Family,

Why social media? I was reading another person's blog, someone I don't know in real life, but someone I sometimes think I know in virtual life. And, I realized it's a funny thing.

In one sense it's affirmation - I've been there! I've thought that! I've done that! In another sense it's vicariously living someone else's life - I'll never do that or go there, but it's nice to be there/do that through someone else's eyes.

And, then I wonder, why do people write? What drives content creation? Some people write for money. Other people write for fame. Me, I write to find peace, to work myself through all the little (and big) thoughts that would otherwise make me a little more mentally cluttered. The side benefit is that I get to go back and look at the randomness from years past and remember.

Twenty years from now, it'll be an interesting monologue. Life through the eyes of a thirty-something.


Cheers!
mouse

Chronicling the Toddler Years

Dear Friends and Family,

It never ceases to amaze me that people are utterly amazed by their own kids when clearly every kid eventually figures out the same stuff sooner or later.

Yet, I am utterly amazed by P.

This weekend, she went from a walker/crawler to a walker. She still crawls from point A to point B if the distance isn't far and she's got stuff in her hands. But, it's more a scooching motion than a crawling motion. But, for anything more than a couple of scooches, she gets up and walks. Utterly amazed.

She's fallen back in love with reading. She'll pick up book after book and bring them to you and give you a huge smile and sit on your lap ready for a good read. After you "finish" the book, she'll bring over the next one. Utterly amazed.

When you're carrying her, she'll point to where she wants to go. Utterly amazed.

She's got chomper #8 coming in. It's been almost a month, I just kept forgetting to write about it. And, the stranger anxiety seems to be getting better (or she simply likes our current two house guests).

Sunday, she was full of kisses. I got to feed P her afternoon snack. She ate nearly a full bowl of pasta. And, I got to put her to bed. We read Goodnight Moon together. Then, we read Dear Zoo. Then, I picked her up and she pointed to her crib and climbed in. I patted her on her back until she fell asleep.

Oh, and she made the cutest face while holding her bottle. I missed capturing it because I wasn't fast enough with the camera, but I got a similar picture yesterday in the car.

And, last but not least, we have a couple of new words. Cup. Thash (that is). And, bee beep (car). Utterly amazed.


Cheers!
mouse

07.19.10: The Mouse B&B is Open for Business

Dear Friends and Family,

What a wonderful serendipitous weekend. A friend and a tall friend wrote last week about an impromptu weekend in town. Yes! I needed a little light at the end of the tunnel. Last week was a tough week.

We converged in the burbs Friday night and opted to skip on the traffic and nosh on some Korean food before driving in. P fell asleep on the drive home after filling her belly with potatoes, carrots and more potatoes.

Saturday morning, I met Auntie J for a walk through the park and breakfast. Then, we spent the day at home playing with P. I think. Nothing big pops into my head. How quickly the details get forgotten.

Saturday evening we all went out to dinner together. And, then, in a sinfully decadent escape, I sent P home with Mr. mouse while I went out to have a couple of cocktails with friends. I still dream of bacon stuffed dates and dark and stormy cocktails and creme filled cupcakes.

I'm glad we had a chance to catch up, even if it meant Mr. mouse was home babysitting.

Oh, we napped on Saturday. That's right - we all slept the afternoon away. It was glorious. We all needed the sleep.

Sunday morning, we opted to take the bus to brunch, only the brunch place was packed and the rain was coming. So, we ducked into our favorite ice cream shop for dessert and to come up with a plan.

P got sleepy so Mr. mouse took her home and I went out for brunch with our friends. We got back, P was sleeping. Mr. mouse was sleeping. Mr. mouse woke up, I fell asleep. Not the best hosts here. We bagged on the museum and instead sent our friends off to the architectural tour.

We played with P and had dinner in. Then, I put P to bed. It was a nice end to a perfect weekend.

Tomorrow I'll write about the million and one new things our little toddler is doing.


Cheers!
mouse

Resilient Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

I made it through another day at work. The meeting with my manager went fine.

P's up and having breakfast - banana bread and water.

I love you all, but I think I'll go join her.


Cheers!
mouse

Frustrated at Work

Dear Friends and Family,

It's been a tough week. Instead of getting to focus on my work, I feel like I've fallen down the rabbit hole and landed in some wonderland that is anything but wonderful.

Last fall, my manager asked me to make a major change in the way we run our business and since he's the boss and it seemed like a good decision, I moved mountains and made the change. We're still finishing up the dribs and drabs of the endeavor.

And, now, he's asked for a second major change. And, this one, like the last one, feels rushed and promises many months of heartache and headache. And, I'm feeling a little like who moved my cheese. And, if I'm feeling that way I'm certain everyone else is like STOP EFFING WITH MY CHEESE, YOU @#$%!.

Hence, I'm feeling burned out and wondering why I do what I do. Is it worth it? The time and energy for the money? I always come around to yes, it is - especially in this economy. But, I wonder, one day, will I wake up and say no, it isn't. I'll feel sorry for the people I work with when that day comes.


Cheers!
mouse

Consumer Price Index

Dear Friends and Family,

I know in the long run a negative CPI is a bad thing. Bad things happen when CPI is negative. People hoard money because it'll be worth more tomorrow than it is today. And, when people hoard money, everything grinds to a screeching halt. Okay, it's not that bad, but it isn't generally heralded as good news.

On the flip side, for our "retirement" model, a couple of months of low CPI certainly helps the long run numbers. So, I have to admit, for this Friday's June CPI release, I'm kinda sorta hoping for a low number.

That, and I think we're ready to open another retirement account. I think we're what J.D. Power would call a self-directed investor now (whereas we were probably a full service investor before).


Cheers!
mouse

Time with P

Dear Friends and Family,

Last night, as I was laying in bed, in the hazy land that is not quite awake and not quite asleep, I realized how quickly these toddler years will go. And, I realized I want to take a bigger part in P's daily routine.

Mr. mouse feeds her dinner. He puts her to sleep. He does most of the diapers. He does half of her baths.

I don't want to look back twenty years from now and realize I missed out on some precious memories. I don't think Mr. mouse will mind sharing dinner, sleep and diaper duty.

But, that brings to mind a larger question. Is living a life where one of my priorities is to avoid regrets later in life a good way to live? Seems like it's an emotionally safe way to live, but in making those choices am I missing out on other potentially more rewarding experiences? Or is the whole thing a crazy paradox at some point?

Something to ponder during my drive in. Happy Tuesday.


Cheers!
mouse

07.12.10: Weddings (2 of 3)

Dear Friends and Family,

We made it. After a couple of busts, we made it. P hasn't been the best traveler as of late. But, this time we made it out and back without incident.

Mr. mouse's step brother's wedding was this past weekend. It was at a small place in upstate New York. The wedding was in a small hollow by a burbling brook. The cocktail hour was in an old barn lit up with huge paper lanterns. Dinner was under a tent lit with four large chandeliers. I left inspired to want to do something similar on our roof deck. It was so beautiful.

Sunday, we flew back and spent the day at home with P. She napped, ate lunch, had a bath, played, went shopping, had milk, napped, ate dinner, and then fought Mr. mouse until 12:30 before falling asleep.

She's learned a new word. We call shoes shin bal which is Korean for shoes. Technically, according to google, it's gudu, but, we've been using shin bal. Well, P points to her shoes now and says bal whenever she sees her shoes. She loves wearing them and gets upset with us because we don't let her wear shoes inside the house.

She's also consistently using the word ba for both bottle (which is understandable) and cup (which is the same thing to her, I guess). She'll point to it and then say ba and then sometimes because she thinks we're not the sharpest tools in the shed she'll follow up with moa (more) in both verbal and sign language. Our little girl's growing up.

And, last but not least, she's unequivocally shown consistent play. We bought her a toy boat with two people. She takes the two people and puts them in the boat. If we take them out, she opens the boat and tosses them back in. She then takes the flag and the life boat and uses the flag as a spoon, mixing up something or other in the life boat which she uses as a bowl and tasting it occasionally. Too cute.

Day one in the new room. Time to get ready so I've got a couple of extra minutes with her.


Cheers!
mouse

Big Girl Room Transition: Day 4

Dear Friends and Family,

Last day of transition.

P goes to the toddler room after breakfast and stays there until pick up.

I'm going to try and do a slightly earlier than usual pick up so that she's not too frazzled by the time I get there.

Drum roll please... P drank all of her milk from her cup while at school yesterday. Yeah for P!

Seriously, if we had done this a couple of weeks ago, this week would have been a lot less stressful. It is what it is. All in all, I can't complain. P's been a champ with this transition.

Unfortunately, P's BFF hasn't been as happy with her transition. She's in the other toddler room and she's been a less enthusiastic about the whole toddler room routine. She's got a lot going on for a little girl - toddler room transition, new sibling on the way, her old BFF moving to a new room.

I'm glad I took the time over the past couple of weeks to take P to the toddler room in the morning and evenings during drop off and pick up to get her used to the idea. It took her a couple of visits to get used to space and be okay with sitting while I was in the room. Definitely time well spent.

Well, today's the day I need to do the last of the organization. P's diapers and wipes and cream should go over. I'll need to clean out her drawer and transfer it over to the toddler room. I'm sad and excited at the same time. It's kind of like moving.

And, one last round of thank you cards and gifts for the infant teachers for all that they've done for P.


Cheers!
mouse

Big Girl Room Transition: Day 3

Dear Friends and Family,

Two days down, two days to go. Slowly, but surely we're all transitioning this week.

The shoes. No problem. Girlfriend loves her shoes and protests when we take them off when we get home.

Milk. We've been mixing breast milk with whole milk. So far, so good. Last week was 3:1 which P drank without comment. This week is 1:1 which P drank yesterday without comment. Next week is 1:3. Then, we move on to regular whole milk. Any left over breast milk will be a weekend treat when it's convenient - if we're traveling or out and about or out of stock, she'll get whole. If there's four ounces lying around, she'll get breast. Life will be so much simpler than it is now.

Cup. Not bad. Not a stunning success. Surprisingly, P can't finish four ounces in a cup, but she can chug six ounces in a bottle. We've discontinued the bottle at school and on the weekend (mostly) so there's only one bottle to contend with - a new bottle we just added to the equation this week. Last Friday, it was bottle time on the drive home, and we were stuck in traffic and I was desperate. So, I reached back and gave P her bottle and she drank it in her safety chair and fell asleep and we all got home in one piece. So, Tuesday, I offered her her leftover milk in a bottle when I loaded her up in the car to head home. She drank it, but still woke at her usual time to protest the rest of the way home. Yesterday, I offered her her leftover milk again and she 1. almost fell asleep to the bottle and 2. protested from her usual time. Today, I think I'll offer the bottle when she wakes up. We'll see how it goes. As soon as she's forward facing, I'm okay switching this last bottle to a cup.

Room. It's been a little hectic this week dropping off things in three rooms (old room, new room, kitchen) and picking up things in three rooms (old room, new room, kitchen) and there's stuff to clarify and there's stuff to organize and just plain old stuff. But, it's going fine. P seems to be doing okay with the transition. At least that's what the teachers tell us. She's "sad" when she first gets to the room and then she adjusts and is fine for the rest of the time there. We don't know if "sad" is drama queen/frog eyed girl/bawling with head to the ground "sad" or it's just not totally happy. I guess there's no way to really know. Today she's in the new room from just after breakfast to nap time.

We all fell asleep last night after getting home. Time to scrounge up dinner and get girlfriend in the tub before heading out.


Cheers!
mouse

Big Girl Room Transition: Day 2

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, P spent two hours with the toddlers, after breakfast until before lunch, before returning to her comfort zone of the infant room.

From what I can gather, she did okay with the transition. She bawled for the first five minutes which was only to be expected of our little drama queen. Then, she found her BFF out on the playground and the two of them played with a toad and some leaves. She found her groove, I think, and was okay for the rest of her time, I think.

Today, she's in the room for three or so hours from after breakfast until after lunch, before returning to her comfort zone of the infant room.

My day was chock a block full of stuff yesterday so I didn't have a ton of time to worry about how P's day was going which was a good thing. There's only so much a helicopter mom can do in one day.


Cheers!
mouse

Big Girl Room Transition: Day 1

Dear Friends and Family,

After much prep (both emotional and physical), P starts her transition to the toddler room today.

We've got her big girl cup and her bug repellent and her clothes and her shoes and her towel all packed. She'll be going to school in her swimsuit for water days. And, she'll be sans bottle.

P's transition is a little more complicated than most toddlers' because she's still on combo milk (breast milk + whole milk) and she's on food from home. I guess other parents get to drop off their kids and the kitchen just switches their count from one room to the other. It's worth a little extra juggling for P to eat what we eat.

I think this week and next will be tough for all of us as we figure out a new routine and make the little adjustments that everyone makes when they transition.

Time to get ready for work. Leaving a little early today to have a little extra time at school.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: weekend was fun. my sister came up to visit. we sprinted through a bunch of museums hunting down elongated penny machines. we watched fireworks from the deck.

Jealousy

Dear Friends and Family,

We met up with a friend for dinner and I offered to hold the baby for a couple of minutes. Well, P comes back with Mr. mouse from her diaper change, and she's not having it. She was clearly not happy with the concept of another baby with her meh. I can't say I've ever seen her jealous before, but I can't say I've ever given her reason to be jealous before.

We got a good laugh out of it. The baby had fallen asleep so we put in his car seat. And, P jumped into my lap and shot everyone dirty looks.

Too funny.


Cheers!
mouse

Thursday

Dear Friends and Family,

One of the people I work closely with at work is moving. Yesterday was her last day.

And, because I'm picking up her work until they hire a new person, last night was my first night (of probably several nights) of working from home. I can't say I remember the alarm clock ringing this morning.

Well, I got a lot of stuff done so there is some gratification in that.

Two more days until the weekend.


Cheers!
mouse

Wednesday, Hump Day

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm tired.

There's so much going on with P. There's so much going on with work.

It's Wednesday. If I make it through today, tomorrow will be Thursday. If I make it through tomorrow, the next day will be Friday. If I make it home through the crazy traffic, it will be a long weekend.

I can do this.

Positive affirmation.

I can do this.

I feel like The Little Engine that Could - I think I can, I think I can.


Cheers!
mouse

More Transitions

Dear Friends and Family,

Apparently P did okay yesterday with her shoes and her cup. Yesterday, I packed her a 2 ounce cup and two 5 ounce bottles. Today, I packed a 3 ounce cup and two 4.5 ounce bottles. Tomorrow, if all goes well, I'll pack a 4 ounce cup and two 4 ounce bottles. And, then, we'll lose another bottle. And, theoretically, by 7/12 P will be bottle free when she transitions to the toddler room - which leaves milk and school room.

And, as coincidence would have it, we'll be tackling milk tomorrow. The freezer stock is now low enough that P won't have enough for her full day tomorrow. She'll get an 3:1 blend for a week; then, a 2:2 blend for a week; followed by a 1:3 blend for a week.

It feels sad to be transitioning. I never worried about breast milk - whether or not it was good for her. There's no agricultural council that profits from the sale of breast milk. There's no industrial agricultural machine that produces it. It's the ultimate local, craft micro-brew. And, now, P is done with that stage. She's growing up.

I know at some point between now and college she has to transition. And, I'm thrilled to be done with pumping at work. And, we're still nursing at home in the morning and evening. Still, there's a pang associated with transitioning. I guess I'm never very good with transitions.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.


Cheers!
mouse

06.28.10: Preparing for Toddler Room

Dear Friends and Family,

Where did the weekend go?

Saturday, P and Mr. mouse went out to pick up mail while I spent the morning having coffee and waking up. It was a good thing I stayed home because I got a call from our Panama friends while they were out. Our friends were in town for the weekend and were checking on availability for dinner.

We headed out after P's nap to look at shoes for school. She needs shoes for the toddler room, so we figured we'd start her in them this week so she's not doing too many new things next week.

Sunday, the day disappeared to playing with P, checking out the farmer's market, going to Whole Foods to look for milk for P and naps for the family. At the current rate, the freezer stock will be gone sometime this week and P will need to transition to whole milk. Seriously, can more things go on at the same time, please?

I guess it's just shoes, cup, milk, and school room. But, it doesn't take much to make me feel overwhelmed nowadays.

Dinner Sunday night with our Panama friends. And, now it's Monday.


Cheers!
mouse

Big Girl Room

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse and I spent the morning at school with P. Well, not really with P. She was in her room while we were in the toddler rooms observing the mayhem and collecting data on which room to send P to once she transitions.

Ultimately, we picked the room with the teachers we liked vs. the room chock-a-block with children P already knows. We figure she'll still see her friends during early drop off, late pick up, and outside during daily play.

It was pretty amazing watching what the toddlers are capable of - putting their own bowls away, saying please, following verbal commands. Wow. P's going to be a big girl before we know it.


Cheers!
mouse

Who Are You? Oh, You're My Spouse

Dear Friends and Family,

I can see how it happens. After two decades raising the kids, two adults turn and look at each other and find a void, an odd feeling of do I know you because you look strangely familiar.

Mr. mouse and I had more than your average amount of time together before adding P to the mix. And, I thought we had a strong enough foundation to ensure a foolproof outcome. I've come to realize only a fool believes in foolproof. I'm not sure how, but, somehow we have to make sure we make the time and take the time to not become strangers.

Currently, our lives revolve around P and my crazy commute. Perhaps the answer to this is that the crazy commute has to go away.

I guess there are a couple of different ways to make this happen...

1. We could move, closer to my work. Mr. mouse could find public transportation options and I would have a shorter drive.

2. I could switch jobs, closer to home.

3. P could switch schools. I would take the train home. Mr. mouse would have drop off and pick up duties.

Selfishly, I don't think any of three options impact Mr. mouse as much as they impact me. So, if I were going to trade off our current home location, my job, and the couple of minutes I spend every day with P... I think I would pick the third option, once P is a little older. Perhaps that is what this comes down to, somewhere in the next year or so we should evaluate our options and see where we are. Who knows, I might land on option 1. if we can't figure out the schooling question.


Cheers!
mouse

What Happened...

Dear Friends and Family,

Late April we had to take P to the hospital. I don't think I have ever been more scared in my entire life.

We were at the airport when I noticed that P was developing a rash. She had a fever and was irritable and fussy. We called the doctor's office and they recommended going to the hospital vs. continuing home.

We rented a car to drive to the hospital, and on the drive P's breathing got really shallow and she became really lethargic, not responding to our calling for her or our not so gentle nudges. I ended up running into the emergency room with her in my arms.

The triage nurse took all of the typical vitals and admitted P - her rash had gotten worse, her fever had gotten worse, and her oxygen levels were low. We waited a couple of minutes in the waiting room and then headed into our room for the day.

The doctor ordered more tests. And, P was strapped to a monitor to track her pulse and her oxygen. They kept us for the test results, the fever, and because her pulse was running high. P was pretty out of it for most of the evening, but she was a trooper - not putting up much of a fight, except when they had to set her up for her IV. The IV made her all puffy, and I remembered, quite nostalgically, that she looked like a newborn again.

In the end, it all worked out okay. They released us from the hospital late that night. We drove to a hotel, slept for a couple of hours, and got home the next day. The rash went away in a couple of days. And, our Wolverine was as good as new.

And, that, my friends, was our first trip to emergency room with P.


Cheers!
mouse

Money Model Updates

Dear Friends and Family,

Nothing like tracking something to make yourself obsessed with the numbers.

I'm not sure if I wrote about it (and I'm too lazy to check), but I built a model a little over a month ago to track our retirement plan. It looks at a couple of very simple metrics (e.g. inflation, investment, and investment growth), but in a slightly different way. Instead of building one model, I built two models - a best case and a worst case. Each month I update the numbers to see how we're tracking - so past months reflect the same actuals and future months reflect two different forecasts, essentially.

New inflation numbers just came out and and our worst case monthly investment amount went down $21/month and our best case monthly investment amount went down by $32/month. Next week I get to update investment growth numbers.

I must be an odd duck. I'm enjoying this more than any normal person should.


Cheers!
mouse

06.21.10: Father's Day

Dear Friends and Family,

The weekend was a weekend of scurrying for Mr. mouse. A late conference call on Friday led to an early conference call on Saturday which fortunately did not morph into an office visit on Saturday or an office visit on Sunday, but instead to a late conference call on Sunday. Wonderful.

Saturday morning, P and I went out for a walk while Mr. mouse watched the house cleaners. It was a lovely morning and P spent the walk intently watching the changing scenery in front of her. We stopped by the park on the way home; then, we picked up Mr. mouse and headed out for brunch.

Saturday afternoon was spent at Toys R Us / Babies R Us picking up P's "big girl safety chair" since she's become bored with the safety pod. The new seat lets her look out the window and gives her more room. Unfortunately, at her current growth trend, she'll be backward facing until she's almost a year old. Poor P. She was playing in her seat at home Saturday night, refusing to get out of it. It was quite cute to say the least.

Sunday morning we surprised Mr. mouse with his Beh's Day gift. P made him a card and the teachers at school made him a mug. I made him a rattle filled with Pepsi MLB caps good for one free baseball cap of his choice. And, I gave him a certificate good for a baseball outing a year with P.

We hit the grocery store. Then, we met up with Mr. mouse's friends for a day at the aquarium. We had dinner at home then everyone turned in a little early for the night. And, now it's Monday and I need to scurry to get ready for work.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Noticed two more teeth beginning to sprout, I think, on the bottom, one on each side of the two center teeth.

06.18.10: P's First F1 Race

Dear Friends and Family,

After a little bit of a hiccup, we had a fun weekend. Then, I had a work trip followed by sleep catch up. And, now, it's Friday and I need to catch up on the weekend before the next one comes our way.

We made it out, stand by on a later flight, Friday afternoon, to Ottawa. From Ottawa, we rented a car and drove to Montreal. It was a long day, but we made it there in one piece. Almost.

P felt warm when I felt her while she was sleeping. And, the next morning she threw up after breakfast. And, she was warm enough at the track that I bought some infant Tylenol on the way home which she had Saturday night, most of the day Sunday, and then Monday morning. She also developed a lovely rash on her belly. Our only hope is she didn't feel compelled to share any of this with her two friends in Montreal.

P slept through qualifying. She watched about two thirds of the race either in the stands with us or down below being walked by either Mr. mouse or me. Overall, I'd consider it a success although neither Mr. mouse nor I followed the race closely enough to understand anything that really happened.

We had a quiet night in both nights - lobster and salmon the first night and lobster and steak the second night. And, after an uneventful trip home, we had sushi Monday night while P was sleeping.

I'm looking forward to seeing our friends again when they come out for the marathon.


Cheers!
mouse

Buying Time

Dear Friends and Family,

Off for an early morning trip. Will try to catch up this week.


Cheers!
mouse

New Process Needed

Dear Friends and Family,

And, now, I have to vent.

I'm a big fan of being packed before going to sleep at night. Mr. mouse is of the "we can take of it in the morning" philosophy. Well, this morning, we both missed the alarm clock and we couldn't. So, it's a bit of a monkey wrench. Truth be told, more than a bit since our flight leaves in 45 minutes and we're still at home.

Onward and forward.


Cheers!
mouse

Breather

Dear Friends and Family,

Hooray!

P did nothing new yesterday. And, instead of catching up on the miraculous other things she's been doing, I'm going to take a moment to write about me.

I think... It sounds... Like... A... Perfect... Moment... For... A.... (Drum Roll Please)... Top Three Update!

Well, #1 is easy. It's P. But, enough about her. We all know how the mouse household world continues to revolve around her.

#2: CHAOS. Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome. Fly Lady believes it's a matter of 15 minutes a day. Currently, what's working for us is cleaning service. They come every two weeks so the floors and toilets never get gross. And, with us spending the time organizing before they come to clean, we're making progress on the piles of stuff everywhere symptom that are a clear indicator of chaos. We've never let it stop us from having anyone over, but it feels fabulous to be making progress on house clutter.

#3: retirement - I built a "simple" model in Excel that looks at both a best case and worst case investment scenario. In the best case, we can retire in eight years. In the worst case, we're working for a lot longer than that. Each month, I update the numbers and Mr. mouse and I review our progress. We promised ourselves we would be more active in planning out our finances now that P is older. This is my contribution to keeping us honest.

Okay. Time to shower.


Cheers!
mouse

P's Growing Vocabulary (1 of Many)

Dear Friends and Family,

At some point this will be something P will want to look back at.

Meh: Mommy
Beh: Daddy

moa: more (week of June 6, 2010)
baa: bottle (week of June 6, 2010)
boh: ball (week of June 6, 2010)

a funny "Darth Vader" sound: hhoorr whenever she's exerting effort or playing with animals (week of May 30, 2010)


Cheers!
mouse

More

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry. Blogger was down yesterday morning.

Sunday night, P and I were playing on the rug. I had two balls in a plastic container that I was shaking like a rattle. She kept looking at me and saying moa, moa. Sounded like more, but without the r. So, I shook the rattle more. But, she shook her head no and said moa, moa - looking at me in a questioning way - like when you travel and you're saying something in another language and you're not sure if you're saying it right.

So, I said it back to her in a questioning tone. Moa? Moa? And she smiled and made the baby sign language hand gesture for more. At which point Mr. mouse and I were on cloud 9000 - P's third word! More!

We were besides ourselves trying to figure out what she wanted more of. We figured good behavior should be rewarded with positive feedback. Clearly it wasn't dinner since she ate a little bit of everything and seemed full. Mr. mouse started walking with her in the kitchen while we thought about it. Then, she came to me, looked at me, and said moa, moa while making the hand gesture.

Well, there's only one thing meh can provide that beh can't. So, even if it wasn't P's typical feeding time, I picked her up and started carrying her upstairs. She was giddy and so were we.


Cheers!
mouse

I Dream of Binky

Dear Friends and Family,

I promise, at some point, to revert back to writing about me - once the rocket trajectory of change that is P levels off.

Binky. P didn't like it for the first couple of months. But, by the time she started school, she liked it enough to want it during nap time and for the car rides. We'd have to prop it up for her on the car rides so that it didn't fall out. Then, sometime shortly thereafter, she fell in love with it, and if you offered it, she would take it. And, she didn't need any help keeping it in either.

Sometime in the distant past we weaned her off of her binky for the morning commute. Then, we weaned her off of her binky for the evening commute. But, once the traffic started getting bad, I caved and let her have it on the way home again.

Well, last week, Tuesday, one of the teachers offered trying to nap her without it. And, P went down for her daily nap without it. I shrugged and thought about it and drove her home without it. I tried putting her down for the night without it and she was okay. And, so began the daily adventure... would she make it through the next day without her binky? And, now, after a week, it seems like it's a thing of the past.

Except, I'm having binky withdrawal. Over the weekend, she picked up her empty bottle and starting sucking on it and it was clear it was soothing - like her binky. And, I remember how happy she was when I used to offer it to her on the way home. I'd strap her into her safety pod (aka the car seat) and then offer it to her. She'd take it, orient it, pop it in her mouth, and then be ready for her toy and the ride home. And, I remember packing her bag together in the afternoon. She'd hand me the stuff for her bag. And, when she came across her binky, she'd nonchalantly pop it in her mouth and move onto the next item to hand over.

I was never sure if it was a selfish, egocentric well, if I want it I get it. Or a I'm just putting this in its proper place. Or a as long as no one notices or says anything I'll do it. Or a don't mind me. Or a number of different attributable expressions. I just know, I miss it. And, I never thought to video tape it. And, now, it's a thing of the past. I think.

Well, P misses her binky. Meh misses P's binky. But, I guess we all need to move on and grow up and enjoy the new fun things - like that fact that P loves her lift-the-flap books now.


Cheers!
mouse

Even More Toddler Tricks

Dear Friends and Family,

P's been on a tear - doing new things faster than I can document.

Thursday, we took the afternoon off to take P out to the ball game. And, in exchange, she showed us pointing, and clapping, and wiping down a surface with a napkin.

Then, over the weekend, she spent some time with Mr. mouse, playing three card monte. This is a classic street game. We have three bowls turned upside down. Under one bowl is a ball. We show her the ball, shuffle the bowls, and then let her guess where the ball is. Surprisingly, P is very good at this.

Also, over the weekend, P showed us that she can use a spoon by herself. It's a little messy, but it's definitely a skill she's willing to practice because she likes most foods that require a spoon (yogurt, applesauce, jar food, pudding).

And, because you can't be a toddler without asserting some independence - P's learned drop and see if your parents pick it up for you. And, throwing food on the floor if she doesn't want it - one piece at a time. And, while it's adorable, the no head shake is coming a little more frequently than we'd prefer.

Last night, when P was tired, we had banging and throwing of toys which is apparently the new rubbing eyes and yawning. And, I saved the best for last. Over the weekend, when she got a little excited, P bit me. Several times. Twice on the shoulder, twice on the arm, and once on the cheek. She hasn't bitten anyone else. And, we didn't have any repeat incidents last night. So, let's hope it's something that was a one time incident.

All caught up - which in P's world is two arms held up and waving for all done now.


Cheers!
mouse

Waking Sweetly

Dear Friends and Family,

P got up early this morning so we did our usual routine - bring her into our room, feed her, let her sleep the rest of the night with us. She doesn't do it frequently so we haven't made a stink about it becoming a bad habit.

Well, this morning when I awoke, I looked over and she was awake, looking at the ceiling and just lying there. She never lies still anymore. So, it was nice just watching her.

Eventually, I had to get up. But, it was nice just to have a couple of minutes this morning of watching her watching the world - like a newborn.


Cheers!
mouse

Sleep, Blessed Sleep

Dear Friends and Family,

I think I'm ready to sleep again.

Remember my grand social experiment? I'm sure you don't.

Once P started sleeping through her 10:30PM feeding session, I started pumping at 10:30 and skipping a pumping session at work. It worked like a charm from a work perspective, but wreaked a small bit of havoc from a sleep perspective.

On most normal nights, I fall asleep around 9:30. Mr. mouse wakes me somewhere between 10:30 and 11:30. I pump. I hydrate. I spend a bit of time chatting with Mr. mouse and getting back in sleep mode. I go to sleep somewhere between midnight and one. The alarm clock rings at four.

I've been winding down that last session. And, next week I'm slated to go down to six minutes. And, I think I'll start doing that at 9:30 and just going to sleep after that.


Cheers!
mouse

Remembering and Catching Up

Dear Friends and Family,

Ah, time to catch up from our trip in April. The one that landed us at the hospital on the way back. I'll see how far I get and I'll pick up where I leave off another time.

Here's my scribble scratch:

• poopy diaper
• pulling out wipes
• no interest in older toys
• new sitting positions
• waking by self
• smile when milk time
• sand :(, ocean :(, nap :)
• sunset
• stranger anxiety

and more notes:

• stand
• buoyancy
• cut on face
• loss of binky
• giddiest with us

Wow, that's a lot to cover.

poopy diaper: We were in the hotel room and I thought I smelled one. I walked over to P to take a peek. Usually it's a false alarm and I get to peek at cute baby butt. But, this time it was filled and brimming and threatening imminent disaster. Mr. mouse came over and we diagnosed our options in averting such said disaster. We twisted and turned and assessed and ultimated kept her standing while we cleaned her up. Disaster averted. P looked at us kinda funny like she was trying to figure out why we didn't do the usual routine. That only made the whole incident that much funnier.

pulling out wipes: While we were packing, we left P to play with her toys. She discovered her wipes and figured out how to open the pack. She pulled out a bunch of wipes one at a time. She hadn't ever done that before nor has she done it since. It was just a classic parent moment - baby surrounded by wipes, patiently pulling out the next one, a look of cause and effect on her face as she goes. We laughed some more and put the wipes back in.

no interest in older toys: P's lost interest in her six month toys - mostly rattles with no sound, just bright colors to look at. Guess it's time for us to pack them away to make room for new toys.

new sitting positions: P was a butt on floor, legs in front of her baby. Now, she's got a ton of random positions with her legs tucked under her bent back at the knees, on one knee with the other leg half up to get into a standing position more easily, with both legs bent and her butt floating like an old Asian grandmother... wherever her legs happen to be is fine with her now.

waking by self: I'm drawing a blank. There are times when P can wake now without necessarily crying. This is what I must have been referring to. I'm not 100% sure.

Okay. Five down, many more to go. Will write more later. Should go shower and get ready for work.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: P hasn't had her pacifier for two days now. I kind of miss her happy pacifier face and the cute way she eagerly grabbed for it, orienting it before putting in her mouth, taking a couple of quick drags, and then resuming whatever it was she was doing before. I'd love to give it back just to see the face, but I'm resisting. One of us has to be an adult in this relationship and I guess for now that's my job.

More Toddler Tricks

Dear Friends and Family,

Wow, I'm glad I took my work trip last week instead of this week. P's been busy doing new things this week and I can hardly keep on top of it all.

There's phone. This weekend, P was playing with the phone pretending she was making a phone call. Then, she was playing with the remote pretending she was making a phone call. Then, she was playing with a block pretending she was making a phone call. Then, she was playing with another hard toy (it might have been a lion or a toy golf ball) pretending she was making a phone call. Then, she was playing with a napkin pretending she was making a phone call. It was too funny and too cute.

Then, there's no. She's begun shaking her head no when she doesn't want something. Tuesday morning, when Mr. mouse had her packed in her safety pod (aka the car seat), he offered her a toy. Previously she took whatever we offered. But, yesterday she was like a prima donna pitcher, shaking her head no before finally settling on a toy she'd accept.

Then, we've had the binky progression. She got through her nap at school without one. We skipped one for the ride home. And, she went to bed last night without it. I sang to her and tapped her on her back instead. I'll pack one for school today, but hopefully she can nap without it. We'll see.

And, last but not least, she's learned pack bag. Last night for play we put all her toys and whatever other miscellaneous objects were lying around into a small bag. Then we dumped it all out and did it all over again.

It's been a busy couple of days with our P. Her brain is like a sponge, taking it all in and processing it all and reinterpreting it and translating it and then trying it all out on her own.


Cheers!
mouse

One Small Step...

Dear Friends and Family,

P had a busy day yesterday.

She practiced with a cup (by herself) at school.

She put two and two together during bath time when she was playing with a cup in her bath and decided she was thirsty and went for a drink (no worries, we didn't let her drink the bath water).

She splashed and splashed and splashed some more.

She started peeing while I was toweling her off, looked down at her leg to check out why it felt warm, figured it out, finished peeing anyway.

And, drum roll please, after we finished packing her bag at school, she took a couple of steps before stumbling into my arms.

We practiced walking in her room before trying to put her to bed, so that Mr. mouse could see P in action.

And, last but not least, she learned that if she cried long enough, Mr. mouse will pick her up, bring her downstairs, and give her an evening snack. Beh and P had pasta and applesauce while I napped last night.

Like I said, P had a busy day yesterday.


Cheers!
mouse

05.24.10: Clearing Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

There are those who think clear desk, empty mind... or something along those minds. I'm the opposite, a clear desk (and clear inbox) allows a clear mind because I'm not focused on the million and one little gotchas. I can focus on the big rocks that drive my business.

And, the same goes for home. For me, there's NOTHING better than a clean house. And, Mr. mouse, wonderful spouse that he is, bought me housecleaning service for my Mother's Day gift. That means I have every motivation to get organized (since it's tough for cleaners to clean around the clutter) and once I'm organized I stay organized (how disorganized can you get in two weeks?) and once I'm organized I'm done (because someone else will do the cleaning). We had cleaners at the mouse Winter Cabin and I loved it. Can you tell I'm a big fan?

Well, we had the first cleaning this past Saturday and it feels wonderful. There's still more organizing to do on our side, and some optimizing on their side, but, it feels wonderful. On the financing side, I've decided to kick in for the present. I'm cancelling my defunct gym membership and my caffeine addicted coffee habit and that'll leave us close to cash neutral on the cleaning. Sad, but true.

Sunday, we went for ramen brunch. And, we gorged on Japanese noodle. So yummy.

P has been busy with two new developments. This week we noticed a fifth tooth (aka chomper) coming in. Upper right, next to her big tooth. And, she's been practicing giving kisses. Granted they're huge, slobbering kisses, but they're precious nonetheless.


Cheers!
mouse

The Trip Out

Dear Friends and Family,

Silly me. Did I really think I would spend today ranting and raving when I have so much more to write about?

I'm on my first trip without P.

I flew out last night after dinner. I'm here today and half of tomorrow. I fly back in time to see P before she goes to bed on Wednesday, assuming my flight lands on time.

Mr. mouse met P and me at the airport last night. We had dinner. Then, we walked to the gate together. P was getting tired so I offered to have Mr. mouse drive her home rather than wait the last 15 minutes with me at the gate. So, I got to watch them walking through the terminal before boarding.

Mr. mouse was walking. And, P was looking over his shoulder. She was so small, but with two giant eyes staring back at me. And, they both got smaller and smaller until my view was blocked intermittently, and then they turned the corner and left. And, I was all alone to board the plane.

Landed okay. Got the car okay. Got to the hotel okay. Checked in okay. Pumped okay. Fell asleep, but slept lightly. And, here I am.

The highlight of it all? Mr. mouse sent me two pictures of P for when I landed. It was so good to see her "real time."


Cheers!
mouse