05.31.11: Official Summer Kick-Off

Dear Friends and Family,

I know summer doesn't officially begin until June 22, but something about Memorial Day makes it feel like the start of summer. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. And, Friday afternoon was a dismal, windy, cold affair. And, Saturday was a dreary, cold affair. And, Sunday was a rainy, cold affair.

But, then, Monday, the clouds dispersed and it was 90 degrees by 8:30 in the morning.

Saturday, P and I went to the park for a quick run through of the usual activities (swing, froggy, slide) and then went for breakfast at the usual spot for P's usual breakfast (ham, dip, pancakes, syrup) before heading back through the park for a quick run through of the usual activities (see above) and then home to see Mr. mouse.

Then, because neither Mr. mouse nor I wanted to do battle with P over her nap, we loaded her into the car and let her sleep while we ran errands.

Saturday night was spent playing a new game. P would tell me to lie down. Then, she'd tuck a padded portfolio "pillow" under my head, put a suit carrier "blanket" on me, put a toy bar ring on top of that, kiss me, tell me I love you and good night, then rub my chest and say, "Mommy sleeping." And, seconds later, "Mommy, awake." followed by good morning and a removal of the pillow and blanket. Repeat.

Sunday, we headed out to the aquarium. Because the pie line was so long, P fell asleep en route, and we hung out in the car while she napped. P was frightened while we were there, but spoke fondly of all the things she saw once we got home. Her favorite? A wall of fake starfish posted on the wall - each starfish thanking a particular donor to the exhibit. It POURED Sunday and I was dreading the worst when we got home. But, knock on wood, no visible water in the house. Yeah for mouse!

Monday, we went out for brunch and then I took P to the park while Mr. mouse worked on a presentation. We kicked the ball around for ten minutes and then played on the swing for another five before heading home. We let P play inside until nap time. And, while she slept her pool water warmed. It was so nice to have her nap at home so we could do stuff while she slept. The evening was spent cavorting upstairs in the pool.


Cheers!
mouse

Friday before a Long Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

I think I'll be in for some miserable traffic this afternoon. P naps until 3:30 and then has snack until close to 4. That means I'll be hitting the road right when the traffic peaks for a long weekend.

Unless I wake her nap early, I can't see a way around this. Oh well. At least I have three days at home to make up for it.


Cheers!
mouse

"Vacation" Day

Dear Friends and Family,

I have a dentist appointment today and I've decided to use the rest of the day as a vacation day - reading a book, watching a movie, working on my business plan and perhaps wandering the streets in search of elusive time alone.

I feel a little guilty. I could pick P up early and come home and spend more time with her. But, I'm looking forward to a day outside of work where I'm not being a mom. Where the car is quiet and I don't have to entertain or watch or talk or anything.

Is that bad?


Cheers!
mouse

Zigging while Zagging

Dear Friends and Family,

I think we may have a solution that works. I think.

I've been gestating on this idea and have two people I would like to work with. There's one local and one in another city. The one I started conversations with and the one I fortuitously "ran into" later. The one more aligned with my vision and the one with more drive. The one with more experience and the one with more time.

Wouldn't it be great if it was all aligned, but no, the characteristics are split between two people. And, I don't want to dilute the equity that far. Fortunately, I think we may have a solution that works.

I've asked one of my two potential colleagues if they're willing to come on board for less equity and more up front compensation. If she accepts, I have two partners I can work with both with skin in the game, and with enough equity left to make it interesting for me.

We'll see.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse Pad Work

Dear Friends and Family,

Well. Mr. mouse spent a good piece of Monday at home with some contractors who replaced the cladding that got torn off with the last storm and re-caulked all of the major seams in our roof. We'll see if it fixes our never-ending water issues.


Cheers!
mouse

05.23.11: Weekend at Home

Dear Friends and Family,

Ah. It was so nice to have a weekend at home. The weather even cooperated. Yeah!

We made progress on a monster to do list. We made progress on the kitchen. We had my car looked at. We took P to the park. And, I mixed my "last" bottle of lactose pills and whole milk.

I couldn't ask for a better way to spend a weekend.

Oh. What'd we do? Saturday, we went to get our eyebrows taken care of. Then, P and I went for pancakes while Mr. mouse dropped off the car. We went to the park to play and then stopped by to say hi to our friend, Magpie. Dropped off some shoes and then headed out to lunch. Sunday, we went to the park, lunch, and zoo. P napped while we walked. We went out to a new restaurant - the food was okay, but the execution was poor. Mr. mouse's sticky rice wasn't sticky and they gave us an appetizer we didn't order. And, my noodle dish was minuscule. P slurped it up in record time and was looking for more.

And, now, I'm off to a four day work week - Thursday I'm off to get my tooth looked at. It feels good to catch up on everything.


Cheers!
mouse

New Business Partners

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm getting closer and closer to making some major changes to my life. I have an idea, and I'm seriously thinking about pursuing it.

But, I need to decide who to work with. I have a person who used to work for me. She's the first person I started working with on fleshing out the plan. I have a person who used to work for me. She's a good friend. I have a person I know who used to work for Mr. mouse. I think she's the one I may end up going with.

The first person is in another city and I think that makes this tough. The second person is a friend and sometimes that isn't a good idea. The third person has spent more time thinking through the idea and is more closely aligned with my vision.

Frankly, I need something like this because work isn't as fulfilling as it used to be.


Cheers!
mouse

Off the Tylenol

Dear Friends and Family,

I woke this morning and didn't have a splitting headache!

Yeah!

It's a quiet day at work today so I'll have a chance to do some thinking. And, with Mr. mouse home, hopefully, we'll get back into our normal routine which would mean that tonight he meets us at the train station, we get mail, we get dinner, we get gas and a car wash, and we head home.

We'll see.

I'm also cheerfully optimistic because I have begun a weekly organization routine and it's been working so far. I made a list of stuff that needs to be done daily and a list of stuff that needs to be done weekly. Then, I added a list of "hot spots" to be tackled - in order of priority. And, after my daily chores are done (for example, yesterday's daily chore was to log on and pay my bills) then I have 15 minutes to start on my list of hot spots. Not surprisingly, a week into it, I've begun to make progress, on, you guessed it, my kitchen.

Sooner or later, theoretically, I will get to the point where the kitchen is clean and organized and then I can maintain it in a couple of minutes and use the rest of the time to tackle the next area.

Theoretically, Mr. mouse is supposed to be doing his 15 minutes of time with me so that it's an opportunity to catch up with him as well as keep the house in order, but that hasn't been working so well lately. Perhaps I'll start my time when he comes down from putting P to sleep and we'll go from there.


Cheers!
mouse

Up and Semi-Running

Dear Friends and Family,

Two Tylenol and I'm up and running for the day.


Cheers!
mouse

The Body Doth Protest

Dear Friends and Family,

After all of the hectic stuff of the last four to six weeks, my body finally told me that it was done. Last night, after aches, chills, headache, body ache, and other signs of illness, I fell asleep. This morning, I woke to a low grade fever and a realization that a couple more hours sleep would make the difference between misery and life.

Last night, P sang happy birthday, the alphabet song, twinkle twinkle little star and a couple of songs I didn't recognize. She managed a full sentence, "shoe full sand really" and pointed out, "passing by giant fish without a doubt."

Today, I've got catch up at work and a possible two year old check-up tonight.


Cheers!
mouse

05.16.11: Deep Breath

Dear Friends and Family,

Well. My one day break didn't quite materialize the way I thought it would because Mr. mouse TOTALLY lamed out on me. As in, oh, I have a happy hour but I'll be able to meet you at the train station for the drive home followed by a phone call oh I missed the train I'll meet you en route followed by no phone call until sometime when I got home with no real info besides sorry it's 7 o'clock I'll be home soon followed by 4 million phone calls from me to him at 8:30 to make sure I don't need to be calling hospitals followed by a blow up on the phone followed by no Mr. mouse when I went to sleep at 11 followed by claims the next morning that he was home by 10:45/11:00 o'clock.

Right. Behavior like this is what keeps private investigators in business.

Friday, why oh why is it always a semi-fiasco when my parents are in town? Oh right. It's because nothing ever works right. Their flight was delayed. They hung out at the airport because they never got Mr. mouse's text that he was home. The traffic was a disaster. Well, it all worked out in the end and we met up for dinner before heading home.

Saturday, party, success, minus P's lack of interest in sharing her toys.

Sunday, I napped when P napped. Good move, mouse.

And, now, it's Monday again and I'm hoping for a slow retreat to normal. Maybe. We'll see. Oh, and a desperate need to reschedule my dentist appointment for a tooth that is bothering me.

But, to end on a high note, Thursday, P did do some memorable things on the car ride home. She told me she had a wet diaper which isn't uncommon, but then she pointed to the side roads and said something like "back there, change diaper" because we usually turn down to a side street to change her diaper.

Then, at the last light before home she said "last light." I used to point out last light for the longest time, but hadn't pointed it out in months so I was a little stunned when she pointed it out. She also declares "passing park" now when we drive past the park.

Our little two year old.


Cheers!
mouse

One Day Break

Dear Friends and Family,

One "normal" day before the chaos resumes.

Mr. mouse's folks left yesterday and my folks don't come in until tomorrow. And, while I need to bring in birthday treats today, other than that, it's a typical Thursday. A typical Thursday with some funky rain, but a typical Thursday nonetheless.

We'll need to get mail. And, there's still a bunch of stuff that needs to be done to prepare for the party, but, I cling to the fact that we have a day of normal in a schedule that feels like it hasn't been quite normal for the past three weeks since we began the marathon weekends away and the teacher appreciation stuff and the transition to a new room stuff.

There's something nice about time at home doing not much of anything. There's something nice about not having to socialize. There's something nice about sitting on your couch having morning tea and not thinking about it all.

Tomorrow, I'll jump back into it all. Today, I hope to make it through a normal Thursday.


Cheers!
mouse

Happy Birthday, Sweetie

Dear P,

It's 7 AM on your birthday, and everyone is asleep. You're asleep in your crib. Daddy's asleep in green chair. Grandma and Grandpa are asleep in the basement.

You turn two today. We have a fun day planned out with breakfast - pancakes with syrup and ham with dip - one of your favorite breakfast combinations. Then, we're off to the aquarium to see fish. And, we'll eat lunch. Then, you'll nap while we wrap all of your presents. When you get up, we'll go to the park. Then, we'll stop by the hospital where you were born before going to dinner at the same restaurant we went to the day after you were born. We'll come home for cake and presents. Then, there'll be some time for play before you need to go to sleep.

We'll have pictures and a weigh in and a height check and hand and foot prints too.

I know it's a lot to squeeze into a single day. But, you only turn two once. And, the time feels like it's going faster. And, I realize, seeing your classmates, that by next year, when you turn three, you're going to be a big girl and your toddler years will be behind you.

The days go so quickly. I'm glad we get moments like today, when I can get up and come over into your room and watch you sleep. Today, you were on your side by the foot of your crib. Monkey, orange friend and froggy were by your pillow and blanket. And, I remember the days when you were born and I watched you sleep. I felt like the world could go on and I could sit there forever watching you sleep. I still feel that way.

I'm sure this upcoming year will be as much fun as the last. You'll continue to get smarter and smarter and talk about even more things. Hopefully, we have lots of time to spend in the park and at the zoo and doing puzzles and drawing sleeping monkeys and all of the little things we like to do together.

Happy Birthday, sweetie. Mommy loves you. Daddy loves you.


Love,
Mommy

Birthday Week Begins

Dear Friends and Family,

It's officially starting - birthday week.

Mr. mouse's folks arrived yesterday and are staying through Wednesday.

P was okay with them last night, but she was thrown off a little which kept her up until close to 10.

Me? In addition to work and to birthday week, I've got my head turning around a new business concept. I'll share more at some point, I promise.


Cheers!
mouse

05.09.11: Mother's Day Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Another busy weekend in the mouse household.

Mr. mouse bought tickets to a baseball game, in Boston, the weekend before P's birthday party, right after the weekend he was dying to go to Omaha. Scheduling at its poorest. I was not thrilled with the overly ambitious planning.

But, despite the rain and the freezing cold weather, and the Red Sox win, I had a good weekend in Beantown. We took P to Mr. mouse's old haunts, and she ran the hallways leading to a bunch of photos which did much to mollify me.

This upcoming week promises to be hectic. Um, the better word may be crazy. But, I am planning on taking Monday off with P which means I'll have a day to unwind and breathe before jumping back into the thick of it all.


Cheers!
mouse

Friday

Dear Friends and Family,

I feel like I have a little more gas in the metaphysical gas tank than I did Tuesday morning.

After a long bus ride, a chance to think through an idea that's been bouncing around in my head, and several movies, we arrived at our annual summer meeting.

And, the familiar faces and the familiar sights and the smiles and the chance to talk and unwind and catch up and play was just what I needed. The first meeting I attended, I didn't get it. Now, I totally get it.

It's like having a cabin, but a giant cabin, without the maintenance and with a staff.

We spent Tuesday night talking by the fire pit. And, Wednesday night playing cards and playing practical jokes. In between, we had our review of the past year and discussed plans for the upcoming year. And, the food, was delicious as always.

Note to self: if I ever start my own company, I need one of these places.


Cheers!
mouse

Time to Think

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm off for two days for a work trip. Lots of time to think and hopefully some news to share once I return.


Cheers!
mouse

05.02.11: The Oracle Speaks, the Toddler Sleeps

Dear Friends and Family,

We took a late night flight to Des Moines, IA and a later night's drive to Omaha, NE to attend the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Meeting. Now, before you get all crazy on us and think we have money we don't have, remember, a share of B stock can be had for $83.30.

P watched about 5 minutes of the movie and decided the ambient noise was perfect for a mid-morning nap. We stayed for the discussion and the first two or three questions of the Q+A.

P ate some snacks and we boarded the shuttle bus for the NetJets tour. Nothing like seeing the inside of a private jet to remind you that there are people out there who live a lifestyle the rest of us only see in movies.

Out of curiosity I looked on their website last night and it comes out to roughly $5,000 an hour. So, if you flew 14 people to Omaha from Chicago for the meeting it would cost roughly $715 per person one way which could be cheaper than some obnoxious fares that I've come across, but, somehow I don't think these planes are being flown at capacity. And, with just three of us, it would have been $3,333 a person. We paid much less than that for our flights.

Saturday night we ate Vietnamese. And, Sunday, we played briefly in the park before heading home. P fell asleep in the car, and played with her toys when she woke up.

Happy Monday.


Cheers!
mouse

I Love Pizza

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, in addition to her usual antics on the ride home, P did something new. She's said I love you, Mommy and I love you, Daddy. Last night she added I love pizza.


Cheers!
mouse

Spectating

Dear Friends and Family,

I'll admit it, I am more than mildly curious about the upcoming royal wedding on Friday. I remember my cousins waking up early to watch it. I remember the photographs of the new couple, the new baby, and all of the ensuing drama over the upcoming years culminating in the car accident.

So, today, tomorrow and Friday, I'll read articles and remember those years growing up when I believed in princes and princesses and happily ever after.


Cheers!
mouse

10.0 and Distracted

Dear Friends and Family,

We weighed P last night and she hit the 10.0 kg mark which means Little Miss Third Percentile is finally big enough to be turned around in her car seat - the size of a typical one year old. Also amusing is the fact that she still fits almost all of her clothes from last summer so all of the new clothes I bought were for naught.

She's still so precious and so curious.

On my distracted side note we've been dealing with ants (which she is no longer terrified of) and now water. Sigh. This house is cursed.


Cheers!
mouse

04.25.11: Our "One Year Old"

Dear Friends and Family,

It sadly dawned on me that we are enjoying our last days with a one year old in the house. I know it's not a step function and that P will not be noticeably different on her second birthday from how she is today.

Yet, it feels like the time from one to two went astonishingly quickly. Mr. mouse summed it up perfectly last night when he said the days are long, but the years are short.

Saturday, we went for a haircut. P settled down mid-way through the haircut, watching a counting game on Mr. mouse's phone. Then, P and I went to the park while Mr. mouse went hunting for a new pair of jeans. Mommy and Daddy eyebrows followed by a walk through the neighborhood. And, the afternoon? I think we spent the afternoon at home, just enjoying the weather. Oh, I remember, we headed back to the park to play a little more.

Sunday, we went to the zoo. P takes a little bit to get used to the animals. But, she loved the playground, the peacock, and eventually, the giraffes. We rode the carousel on the way out since she asked to. We rode on the bench for the first half, and then Mr. mouse held her by a stationary, non-animal pole for the second half. P and I had a monster three hour nap in the afternoon while Mr. mouse planted some new grass seeds. Then, we headed out to dinner. P wanted to go to the park, but we out voted her and dinner won out. She ate a giant bowl of plain white rice for dinner. I can't help thinking that's not the healthiest dinner, but I'm sure she could have done worse.


Cheers!
mouse

Dreary and Overcast

Dear Friends and Family,

So, I don't like my new job and much as I liked my old job. I don't feel like I can switch jobs without finding a new daycare solution for P and Mr. mouse and I are happy with our current provider. My boss quit this Tuesday.

I have been trying to get motivated/disciplined about time management, getting enough sleep, eating right and getting the house organized.

And, I'm struggling with the weather.

Thankfully it's Friday.


Cheers!
mouse

Sunflower

Dear Friends and Family,

I was so depressed yesterday morning. Stressed and miserable I left for work. Cold, damp and sad, I went into the office to start my day. Lunch was a miserable affair in an overcast cafeteria. And, the afternoon dragged on.

But, when I left work and drove to pick up P, the sun FINALLY broke through the clouds and I was a new person. I know seasonal disorders affect different people to different degrees, but I am beginning to realize they impact me more than I would like. This cold, wet, snowy, overcast spring certainly hasn't helped.

Hopefully, we get a break in the weather and I can begin to get my life back in gear. Some people celebrate tax freedom day. I celebrate winter freedom day - that brief window from March 21st through September 21st when the days are longer and the air is warmer and mouse is happy.


Cheers!
mouse

Baby

Dear Friends and Family,

How odd.

My first months with P felt like a miracle. I couldn't get enough of her. Mr. mouse and I talk somewhat vaguely about whether we should have another or not.

We went to see a friend last night with a six week old. And, I didn't really miss it. I was totally happy for her. But, I didn't leave with a pang to have a baby in the house.

Huh.


Cheers!
mouse

04.18.11: Leaps and Bounds

Dear Friends and Family,

I won't spend a lot of time writing about the weekend because it was a typical weekend. Instead, I need to write about the leaps and bounds P is taking in her development.

Gross Motor Development
running
swings, see saws, slides
climbing
climbing stairs standing up
squeezing and reorienting to get through spaces

Fine Motor Development
drawing circles
taking off and putting on socks
putting on pants
putting gloves on
doing stuff with gloves on

Oral Motor Development
feel like this is complete

Language Development
speaking in sentences
singing songs

Social-Emotional Development
people's states: eating, sleeping, crying
scary, fun, treat

Cognitive Development
memory
counting to "thirty ten"
recognizing letters and numbers out of order
memorizing books
puzzles
logic (e.g. Mr. Potato Head)
form factor (e.g. the chocolate bar)
clean vs. messy and then how to fix it (e.g. her blanket with a hair on it, Daddy wash it)
waiting (e.g. at the front door for us to lock up)
recognizes home, room
opposites - stand up, sit down

And, unfortunately, it's time to go get read for work.


Cheers!
mouse

Before I Forget

Dear Friends and Family,

Before I forget:

Thursday - zoo, dinner in the hotel room

koala (scared)
giraffe (scared)
rhinoceros (scared)
panda (slept)
polar bear (slept)
zebra (slept)
hippos (liked)
tiger (not in sight)
turtles (liked)
monkeys (tolerated)
flamingos (liked)
ducks (liked)
peacocks (loved)

Friday - bay, safari park, dinner by Whole Foods

rhinoceros (scared)
giraffe (scared)
lunch
cheetah (tolerated)
giraffe (tolerated)
tiger (tolerated)
elephants (tolerated and then liked)
gorillas (tolerated)
lorakeets (liked and then scared witless)
children's playground (loved)
cheetah (tolerated)
carousel (scared and then tolerated)

Saturday - beach, pool, nap, beach playground

Sunday - playground, flight home


Cheers!
mouse

I'm Not Dead

Dear Friends and Family,

No. I'm not dead.

No. I haven't deserted my journal.

Yes. I have been trying to figure out how to manage my morning time better and have been doing a miserable time of it.

Retirement planning. Wow.

I wish this was easier. But, it certainly seems like every man, woman, and child for themself in today's political environment. I'm not sure how people are supposed to make this happen. Mr. mouse and I are on the brink of possible, but we're misers with above average incomes. How is a typical family supposed to do this? It should be possible for the average family. It should be a walk in the park for us, frankly. But, it isn't.

Still, we're on the brink of possible, so I shouldn't complain.


Cheers!
mouse

The Terrible Twos

Dear Friends and Family,

P was a walking nightmare last night.

Every other word out of her mouth was mine. And, every other word out of her mouth was no, effectively giving her a two word vocabulary.

She insisted on doing things her way. She threw several tantrums. She ran around the house like she owned the place.

She's effectively two. Excellent.


Cheers!
mouse

04.11.11: Refreshed

Dear Friends and Family,

As always, Monday morning is a little hectic with my early Monday meeting at work so my vacation update will need to wait until later this week.

But, I can say, the weekend was much needed.

We had our moments, more of them than is healthy, truth be told. And, Mr. mouse had trouble letting go of work the first day. But, overall, I'd say vacation was a good thing and something we should try our hand at again.

Practice makes perfect.


Cheers!
mouse

Vacation Day II

Dear Friends and Family,

After a year of working non-stop, we finally found a four day stretch to get away from it all.

Our flight was delayed four hours yesterday which threw a little kink into our day, but we made it out to the somewhat sunny west coast to see the animals at the zoo. Yes, we're in somewhat sunny San Diego, compliments of a $114 fare on Southwest Airlines.

We went to the zoo yesterday, but P was a little petrified at first. Then, she napped and woke to a little more interest in the animals. She saw a mommy hippopotamus and her two month old baby hippopotamus, a tiger, a pool of turtles, a flock of flamingos, and a peacock from her Tails book.

Her favorite part of the visit? Going to the zoo store for a shirt for school. Excellent. Our child loves the store. Oh, and, of course, the fruit slices we got for a snack when leaving.

We're off to some more exploring today. Happy Friday!


Cheers!
mouse

Mental Stress of Random Stuff

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm beginning to feel bogged down by a bunch of random to dos. There's birthday party invites that need to go out. There's birthday presents to be bought. There's cake to be ordered. There's party to be planned.

There's taxes to be filed. There's retirement savings to be invested.

There's house to be cleaned. There's work to be done. There's sleep to be slept.

And, that's how I know, it must be PMS. Nothing else can make me feel this overwhelmed this quickly.


Cheers!
mouse

04.04.11: Spring Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

The weather finally turned. Saturday morning was chilly, but ambitious mouse bundled P up and headed out to the park. She doesn't mind the cold and prefers a little bit of cold to a park full of kids.

Saturday night, we headed out to dinner with a friend and discovered a couple of old friends at a new restaurant.

Sunday, we woke to a dilemma of sorts. P told us it hurt near her butt, but she was pointing to her front. And, we realized all of the times we thought she was saying dirt (as in, I have sand in my diaper from playing outside) she was saying hurt.

Choices. Choices. We decided to take her in to see the doctor, just in case. She was okay, until he turned on the otoscope and she recognized it. Then, she was all screaming and tears. They took a urine sample to check for an infection. We'll know today how it turns out.

Sunday was also the day of the waffle with butter. P ate 1.X waffles for breakfast, polished off the rest of her second waffle for a mid-morning snack, and she nibbled on another before dinner. In between she ate nothing and drank three cups of milk. Dinner? A bowl of plain brown rice. I'm not kidding.

Oh, and I need to record the squirrel incident. We were at the park on Sunday and P was looking out towards the street. Or, at least, I thought she was looking out towards the street. All of a sudden she starts screaming/crying, "stroller" and points and I notice a squirrel had climbed up the side of her stroller. She must have been watching it and the squirrel must have crossed some invisible line she had drawn.

Time for work.


Cheers!
mouse

Financial Planning Procrastination

Dear Friends and Family,

Well. You can either have the discipline to do it yourself or you can pay someone to do it for you. I'm convinced we're not doing a good job of it ourselves, but Mr. mouse is reluctant to outsource it.

So, each month, I put aside money to invest for retirement. And, each month, the bulk of it sits there in cash. We need to find the time to sit down and discuss how to invest the money so that it's growing for retirement. Cash sitting there earning nominal bank interest isn't going to get us there.

I know. I shouldn't complain. Most people have enough problems with step 1, putting the money aside. But, here, time IS money. Delaying this part of it only delays retirement, in a very real way.

So, next week we've got plans. The week after, we're sitting down to do this right. Or, at least I tell myself that.

Perhaps the right answer is to let someone else do this for us.


Cheers!
mouse

Weight Loss Denial

Dear Friends and Family,

Discipline. It's not fun. It's not easy. It's something we all struggle with.

Sometimes it's just easier to be an ostrich and stick your head in the sand and hope against hope that things will resolve themselves. Denial.

Yes. I'm talking about my postpartum weight loss journey. Or rather my weight loss journey. With P closing in on her second birthday, this is something that's transitioning from a postpartum thing to a plain old thing.

Journaling is a hassle. But, I know it works. So, I need to either sigh and accept my current weight or buck up and accept that the hassle is worth it.

I had a good weigh in yesterday. Let's see if I can continue the trend this week.


Cheers!
mouse

"Clean"

Dear Friends and Family,

There's nothing funnier than P's latest diaper changing routine.

If we ask her if she's wet, she clutches her diaper as if trying to protect it or hide it and says, "clean."

So, we cajole her by saying, "okay, let's go check just in case." And, we head down to the changing table and she lies down and giggles, "wet diaper."

Then, we let her pick her diaper. And, she points out the wipes. And, we change her. And, when we're done, we say, "nice and clean."


Cheers!
mouse

03.28.11: Typical Weekends

Dear Friends and Family,

Other than the start of the F1 season, it was a rather typical weekend.

We took P to the park on Saturday to run around and enjoy the "spring" weather while Mr. mouse went a little crazy with the camera. Minus a couple of kids who came through the park for a couple of minutes, we had the whole place to ourselves. Usually, it's a zoo, so it was nice to be able to give P a chance to explore without being pushed around by a horde of kids.

We spent a little time at a school open house since it's never too soon to start looking. And, finished off the morning with pizza at our local pizza joint.

The afternoon? I guess we spent it at home playing and reading and cleaning and doing laundry and all of the typical weekend chores.

Sunday morning we headed out to the bar to watch the F1 race. Then, P slept while we ran a couple of errands. And, at home we did more of the same toddler play which is a mix of playing and teaching and avoiding meltdowns. Mr. mouse has been trying to teach P her next round of numbers (11 through 20) and I've been encouraging jumping. We need to find the next batch of puzzles (done!) because P's clearly mastered the two 12 piece puzzles she has.

And, it's Monday so time to get ready for work.


Cheers!
mouse

TGIF

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry. Late start again.

See you Monday!


Cheers!
mouse

You Know You're Getting Old When...

Dear Friends and Family,

Time keeps going faster, and we keep getting older.

On a conscious level, I can do the math, but on a sub-conscious level, you don't feel old until things start changing on you.

Like the "are you having another" question. I don't think we are, but I don't know for sure. But, I realize that decision is being made for me because at some point in the near future, we won't be able to even if we wanted to.

Then, there's the retirement planning. If, knock on wood, all goes to plan, I probably have one more career move between now and retirement. And, I want it to be a big move to finish on a high note. So, if I do move, it won't be for any job, it'll be for a career defining job. How did I get that old?

Then, you realize instead of being the youngest person at work, you're one of the older people at work. I liked that about my last job, I was the same age as everyone. Now, I'm not.

And, there's things like losing your last grandparent. Now, my parents are grandparents and Mr. mouse and I are parents. And, you realize that the cycle of life is continuing whether you like it or not. Friends start coping with sick parents and you realize you could be next.

And, last but not least, you start coping with more tests and procedures and check-ups and exams, just in case. Fortunately, we have insurance and we can take advantage of the precautions. Nonetheless, they make you realize you're not as young as you used to be.

I'm optimistic that the best is yet to come. Still, I'm glad we've had some good years behind us because suddenly I'm feeling a little older than I felt a little bit ago.


Cheers!
mouse

Late Start

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry. Waiting for inspiration and now realized I need to get going for the day. See you tomorrow!


Cheers!
mouse

Car Seats

Dear Friends and Family,

I admit it. P's safety is compromised. She rides forward facing and she's not yet 22 pounds.

I'm torn with what to do based on yesterday's update to the car seat recommendations. The new recommendations have her rear facing until two or longer.

I like being able to see P. P likes being able to see the cars and trains and airplanes.

I feel like a bad parent either way. She has two hours in the car each day.

Perhaps the right answer is, P shouldn't be in the car for two hours each day.


Cheers!
mouse

03.21.11: Lake Wobegon Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

I know everyone thinks their child is <fill in the blank>, so I think I'm in comfortable company in thinking the same of P.

We went to the park on Saturday and she was just darling as we played in the park - running from one area in the park to another, her eyes wide and bright with excitement.

And, there was the moment when she learned gentle touches after swiping at my face. And, the rest of the weekend was filled with the softest touches to my cheeks. Granted, at dinner it was when she had her socks on her hands, but I'll take it just the same.

Speaking of dinner, P survived a two hour plus dinner with us on Sunday night. She danced, she looked around, she ate, she read, she played with her socks. She did good.

What else made this weekend toddler-centric? Well, she learned how to put on a hat, and wore one of the infant hats she never wore as an infant all day Saturday. It looked like a toddler hipster skull cap - lavender with white bunnies isn't a look we can all carry.

And, there is the continuing ant saga. P is petrified of ants. And, Saturday evening, she shrieked and came running to me. I asked what was wrong as I picked her up. Her heart was racing. She looked at me with a look of betrayal on her face like I had let something horrible happen. I asked if she had seen an ant. And, she answered with an angry yes.


Cheers!
mouse

Day to Dig In

Dear Friends and Family,

I have the whole day, yes, the whole day, to dive into my new job and see what I see. I had a talk with my new boss yesterday and I think I could get excited by some aspects of my new job.

I'm excited to capture some of my thoughts on paper.


Cheers!
mouse

Sigh

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Thursday. Only Thursday. This week has been going at a crawl.

I wonder if this is a sign of things to come with the new job. Sigh.


Cheers!
mouse

Riveted

Dear Friends and Family,

I can't stop checking the news for updates on the situation in Japan. First, there was the earthquake. Then, then there was the tsunami. Now, there are the nuclear reactors. Each alone is an emergency. Combined, it seems more than the mind can process.

I wish there was something I could do to help. Riveted, but at the same time powerless.


mouse

Continued Progress

Dear Friends and Family,

P continues to make good progress on the weight front. She drank a full cup of milk on her way home from school. And, she ate a good sized portion of pizza for dinner before asking for some nibbles of pasta.

We weighed her last night and she's still 6% down from a max weight which oddly enough was on 12/23. And, 5% down from when she got sick. As long as she makes good progress, I won't worry too much about the long term effects of her two week ordeal.

My mom leaves today so I get to play with P tonight. Selfishly, I'm super excited about it.


Cheers!
mouse

03.14.11: Healing Toddler Time

Dear Friends and Family,

My mom got back from the funeral and the house fight worn and out of sorts. So, I offered up a weekend with P to try to cheer her up. Fortunately for all of us, P was gracious enough to want to play with my mom. Mr. mouse and I even had a little bit of alone time to look at eyeglasses.

P is vaguely on the mend. She lost 10% of her body weight with her most recent cold. And, is on a daily weigh-in routine until she has some track record of regaining her lost weight. Mr. mouse was worried enough to buy chocolate soy milk to give her to get her to ingest some calories. I'm concerned about starting a bad habit, but not concerned enough to argue it for now.

On a semi-sad front, P seems to be done with nursing. She was still nursing in the morning and evenings. But, the past couple of days have not been successful. I guess she's moved on which she's allowed to do. And, I'm sure I'll adjust. It's just a little sad.

Well, I need to get going to allow a little extra time to get ready.


Cheers!
mouse

A New Plan

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, I've had some marginal success with my post-baby Weight Watchers plan. But, I haven't been as dedicated to it as I was on my first Weight Watchers journey. There's just too much going on and not enough time to do it the way I did it the first time around.

So, I have a new plan.

5AM: breakfast | cereal with milk
8AM: snack | coffee with milk and sugar
11AM: lunch | TBD: 8 points, should include a serving of vegetables
1:30PM: snack | fruit (2 servings) and nuts (14 almonds)
2:30PM: snack | carrots
4:30PM: snack | cheese and crackers
7:30PM: dinner | TBD: 8 points, should include a serving of vegetables
8:30PM: snack | TBD: 3 points, treat

Time to plan out my day.


Cheers!
mouse

The Talk

Dear Friends and Family,

I hit the breaking point yesterday and sat down my employee for the talk.

I told him he seemed preoccupied. I told him he seemed disengaged. I told him he needed to step up or this was going to become a problem I would need to involve HR in.

It was a rough conversation, but one I'm glad we had. I feel better walking in to work today. And, although I'm not sure he feels better, I'm sure he'd rather know and improve than be in the dark and be surprised one day in the future with a meeting with human resources and a performance improvement plan.

Adult conversations - not easy and one a lot of managers dodge.


Cheers!
mouse

Transitioning

Dear Friends and Family,

Continuing to wrap up my old job and contemplating the start of my new job.

I'm concerned about one of my employees. The one with a million and one things going on in his life? Well, on top of everything else, his furnace has been on the fritz.

Honestly, if it were me, I would take the acceptance to the graduate school I got into even if it wasn't my first choice. After all, why apply if you have no intention of going to that school?

That would 1. get me out of a job I dislike 2. make the I don't know who my boss will be a moot issue 3. get me out of a city I dislike 4. make the furnace a moot issue and last but not least 5. make the I don't want to have a million kids before going to school a moot issue.

I don't know. I think this is like when my sister was first diagnosed with endometriosis and decided to complicate her life with all of the treatment she's been getting.

My life was SO complicated for awhile and I realized how much happier I've been since simplifying my life. I refuse to ever let it get that complicated again. Perhaps that's one of life's lessons they will some day learn. Or, perhaps, I'm missing out on some of life's joys by foregoing the complicated mess involved.

Either way, I'm happy. And, if ignorance is bliss, I'm okay with it.


Cheers!
mouse

Transition Planning

Dear Friends and Family,

This week begins the transition from my old job to my new job.

I'm not sure where all of this will go, but it is what it is and I'm not sure I have a bunch of options if I decide to stay where I am.

It's a J-O-B and for that I am grateful.


Cheers!
mouse

03.07.11: Sick Day | Well Day

Dear Friends and Family,

After a week of misery, P slept in on Sunday until 8-something in the morning and emerged her usual, happy self. I noticed four prominent eye teeth that had been slowly poking through and a stunning leap in her ability to memorize her books. It's making it tough to know which words she's learned and which ones she's memorized. Oh, the problems we deal with.

On the gross motor front, she loves to run, she still likes to dance, and she's been trying to jump lately - getting no vertical, but putting a lot of effort into it all.

P lost 7.5% of her body weight last week and now fits into her 9 month old clothing again. Let me clarify - it's 9 month sized clothing which she probably wore when she was over a year old. But, either way, it's coming in handy because we need the onesies for an altogether different reason. P picked up butt scratching from a friend at school and has several scratch marks on her cheek. The onesies keep her from being able to scratch. Excellent. Nothing more attractive than a girl with her hand stuck in her pants scratching at her butt.

Oh, and we made some capital improvements this weekend. I bought a toy organizer on Friday and assembled it on Saturday. It keeps the floor clear, but does seem to compartmentalize the toys which may discourage P from throwing it all on the floor and letting her creative juices flow. We'll see how next weekend's play goes.


Cheers!
mouse

Sick Day II

Dear Friends and Family,

Nothing like five days of low grade and not so low grade fever to get a doctor's attention. After P was sent home from school on Thursday, we brought her in to see the doctor. First available appointment? 8:15 PM.

Then the doctor wanted a chest x-ray, just in case. And, although none of the lines were long, we got to the hospital a little after nine and got home a little before midnight.

And, now, P has another day at home with her favorite person, Daddy.


Cheers!
mouse

Sick School Day

Dear Friends and Family,

P was fine last night when we put her to bed - a little fussy, but fine. And, she had a perfectly fine day at school.

But...

She vomited this morning. I wonder if I should keep her home or send her in.

Choices, choices.


Cheers!
mouse

School Day

Dear Friends and Family,

P stayed home with Mr. mouse yesterday. She was feverish last night and we dosed her before putting her to bed. But, she seems better this morning so we're headed out to school and work.

She's still coughing and sneezing some nasty stuff, but I'm hoping she does okay at school.


Cheers!
mouse

Sick Day

Dear Friends and Family,

P should really stay home from school today. We dosed her twice yesterday with medicine and she's pretty congested on top of everything else.

And, now, she's up.

Have a nice day.


Cheers!
mouse

02.28.11: Restaurant Week Trials

Dear Friends and Family,

Since we had friends in town last weekend and since weeknights are touch and go depending upon traffic, we decided to take advantage of lunch and dinner on Sunday for Restaurant Week. Guessing your toddler's sleep schedule two weeks out is at best a guess. And, as it turned out, I guessed wrong.

P fell asleep on her way to lunch and we had to wake her an hour into what is typically a two hour nap. And, she fell asleep on her way to dinner and we had to wake her 45 minutes into what was a catch up nap. Needless to say she wasn't in the best of moods for either meal.

Which makes me wonder if we've bitten off more than we can chew for next weekend. We have a haircut followed by a play date followed by dinner with friends all jammed into Saturday. Recipe for disaster? I guess we'll find out.

On the development front, she's gotten (in her mom's opinion) a lot smarter in just a little bit of time. She can count to ten. She can recite the alphabet. She can recognize her letters and numbers out of order. She can do her twelve piece puzzle. She knows several pairs of opposites including stop-go-slow when we're driving, up-down, in-out, open-close, and big-small. She recognizes home when we're driving. She's a little better than 50-50 on left-right. And, she's cleared approximately 350 words.

It's a fun time. But, it can also be a trying time if she's tired or frustrated.

We saw a picture of her last night taken when she was still a baby - head full of hair, lying on her stomach, smiling at anyone who smiled at her. I love playing with her now, but I miss those days as well.


Cheers!
mouse

Friday!

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Friday. And, once I get through a couple of meetings, I can plow through a pile of emails and hopefully head into the weekend.

I've been having a quandary about one of the people who works for me. He's a very conservative person and I wonder what it must be like for him to work for some as liberal as I am.

Sometimes it seems like he has a lot on his plate. There's work. There's applying to graduate school. There's church. There's teaching at church. There's Boy Scouts. There's basketball. There's his baby. There's his wife. And, because life isn't complicated enough, there's his carpool.

And, I know he and his wife both want to move back out West. And, I know he's waiting to hear back from school. And, it's not out of the question that he's contemplating baby #2.

And, I just wonder how he prioritizes and how he makes it all fit (or not fit) into a 24 hour day.

And, that's why I think it's important to have a Top Three. And, that's where I'm sometimes glad to have a simpler life. There's P. There's Mr. mouse. There's work. There's Weight Watchers. There's trying to get the house organized. There's trying to make my feet less disgusting. And, that's about it. And, the last three can be thrown overboard in a heart beat if I need to.

I like that my life is at a point where I can be a simple person.


Cheers!
mouse

De Boles Gluten Free Corn Spaghetti Style Pasta

Dear Friends and Family,

I tried gluten free pasta last night and it wasn't bad. In fact, it was a very satisfactory alternative for when we have friends over who are living a gluten-free life.

The only words of caution I will give is you need to keep an eagle eye on the timer to make sure you don't overcook it. And, I'm not sure how reheated pasta will taste. I'll find out in the next couple of days when we eat the leftovers.

Other than that, I think I'll need to stock a couple of boxes in the pantry.


Cheers!
mouse

Evening with P

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse had a late night last night. One of his colleagues who is leaving was having a happy hour and Mr. mouse wanted to stop by.

So, it was the P and Mommy Show last night. We got home at a decent hour. We played with puzzles. We ate dinner - sweet potato fries and maple glazed pork chop with dip for P and an odd combination of brown rice and spaghetti sauce for me. Then, we read, did more puzzles, changed into our pajamas, danced, and fell asleep together in bed.

P woke up around 9:30, we read a couple more books, and she fell asleep in her crib by 9:45.

She's fun to spend time with. She smiles and talks and laughs and tries to tickle you and hides behind you to surprise you and does all those things I know I will miss when she grows up.

It goes too quickly. In three months she'll be two. Wow.


Cheers!
mouse

Mommy...

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday morning, I got to school a little early, compliments of the reduced traffic on a federal holiday. And, P looked so peaceful sleeping in her "safety seat." I decided to let her sleep in a little before waking her to go in.

I took some pictures and then was reading the news on my phone when I heard a happy, "Mommy" from the back seat. I looked back and found P awake with a giant smile on her face.

I smiled back. And, because I couldn't resist. I took a couple of more pictures of giant smile P before unbuckling her and getting her ready for school.

Little things that add big doses of happiness to a day.


Cheers!
mouse

02.21.11: Friends in Town

Dear Friends and Family,

Instead of an exhausting trans-Pacific flight, we spent the weekend at home doing not much of anything besides eating out and spending time with our friends visiting from en route to their water park vacation.

And, since it's Monday and I need to get ready for my Monday morning sprint to the office, I think I'll stop here and write more tomorrow.


Cheers!
mouse

Personal Hygiene

Dear Friends and Family,

Some of this may be TMI.

But, I'm going to try and be a better groomed person one step at a time. First step? I'm going to see if I can do something about my feet.

It's a couple of months into winter and they need some love. They're dry and callused and crackly and in need of attention.

So, I think I'm going to try to do one small thing each day of the week until spring comes around to see if I can get my peds in shape for warm weather shoes.

Monday: lotion socks
Tuesday: foot wax
Wednesday: callus oil
Thursday: skip
Friday: lotion socks
Saturday: foot scrub
Sunday: callus scrub

Well, I'll give it a week starting tonight and see if I can get my feet in shape for spring.

Nothing like focusing on little things to get your mind off of big things.


Cheers!
mouse

Resolution

Dear Friends and Family,

I started off the millenia with four grandparents. And, in April of 2001 I lost my maternal grandfather. And, then my paternal grandmother. And, then my maternal grandmother. And, now, my paternal grandfather.

Which means we're down to three generations of mice - my parents, my siblings and me, and P. It's a funny feeling. Knowing that if we had gotten on a plane and gone to see him, he would have passed away the day we left to see Mr. mouse's grandmother.

I'm hoping against hope that my dad finds resolution in all of this. His relationship with my grandparents was overly complex with a lot of emotional stress compounded by extraneous melodrama built into the very foundation of their relationship.

I'm hoping against hope that my dad gets through the disposition of the estate without additional stress. There's the issue of the house which my dad bought decades ago and my grandparents lived in. And, then there's the little things which my sister and I would probably treasure, but my parents will probably toss.

And, I'm hoping against hope that my dad stays compliant with his medicine through all of this. He's got a chronic breathing problem and when he's not taking his meds his symptoms flare.

And, last but not least, I'm hoping that one day, when P is going through this, her life is simpler because my life was simpler.


Cheers!
mouse

You're Free to Fly

Dear Friends and Family,

Hooray for February 15th.

It didn't start out on the best foot with P vomiting in the car in the parking lot of school, but it ended up a more than okay day.

Mr. mouse wrote mid-morning to say that he had gotten promoted at work back to his "old level." And, talking to him at home, he's back to his good-natured self about work. Seems like he's okay with the end result even if he's not really happy with how it all played out.

Which means... IF I end up hating new work, I'm free to leave and consider alternatives. I like that option. Frankly, I can put up with a lot at work. But, I love having the flexibility of walking. I know I always have the flexibility to walk, but I feel a sense of responsibility to us, as a family, to not do anything irrational.

I feel a different bounce in my step.


Cheers!
mouse

Hallmark Holidays

Dear Friends and Family,

P officially loves Valentine's Day.

At school she got:

• a bucket and cup with hearts on in
• a fruit twist snack
• a box of hearts
• two bags of gummies
• a bag of play dough
• a box of chalk
• two rubber ducks
• stickers, temporary tattoos, and a bookmark

What's not to like? It's almost better than Halloween when we don't let her eat her loot.

The two year olds were walking out the door with goodie bags. Guess the bar gets set a little higher every year.


Cheers!
mouse

02.14.11: Weekend at Home

Dear Friends and Family,

I got home Friday to a morose P. We dosed her with some ibuprofen and then held her hacking body until she cheered up enough to want to play. And, that was when I realized getting on the plane with her would be an incredibly selfish thing to do. So, we're here and it's Monday and I'm okay with life.

The house cleaners came on Saturday and did their magic. It warmed up enough for P and me to head out for breakfast and a walk. I ordered pancakes for P, but she wanted my ham which was fine by me. She ate a slice and a half of ham and three or four silver dollar pancakes.

We spent the weekend at home enjoying a couple of walks in the milder weather and letting P nap at home in her crib. She decided to let her vocabulary explode this weekend taking on words like computer and camera and a whole book of Korean exclamations. She's trying valiantly at two puzzles we got her that are tougher than the peg puzzles at school. And, she's exploring her expanded world since we've been leaving the gate to the living room open more often.

She loves watching us cook. She loves helping unload the dishwasher. And, she loves emptying the cabinet.

I guess, in the end, I'm glad we stayed home. Mr. mouse is still hacking away. P is doing much better than she would have been if we had taken her on a plane. And, I am okay with it all. I've rationalized that my grandfather and I were never very close. And, if having him see P was that much of a priority for me, I would have gone earlier. She's 21 months old so we've had plenty of opportunity. Therefore, jumping on a flight with a toddler, 92 diapers and 23 juice boxes of soy milk would have been a last ditch effort to get a box checked - technically checked, but not in a way that had meaning for any of the parties involved.

So, I'm here and I need to get ready so that I've got a couple of extra minutes to distribute P's Valentine's Day cards.


Cheers!
mouse

Torn

Dear Friends and Family,

My grandfather in Korea is ill. He is 101 years old. And, he is dying.

As Mr. mouse hacks up a lung, I am sitting in the "family room" debating whether or not we should make the trek out to see him. He is not no longer aware of his surroundings nor is he conscious of visitors.

If I'm doing this for P, I'm not sure it's worth it. To drag her on a plane for 20 hours to potentially spend 5 minutes with someone she doesn't know and will not remember seems like a questionable idea.

If I'm doing this for my parents, I'm not sure it's worth it. They have my aunt and uncle with them and have explicitly said it's not a good idea to come out.

If I'm doing this for Mr. mouse, I'm sure it's not worth it. He sounds miserable.

If I'm doing this for my grandfather, I'm not sure it's worth it. Frankly, in a matter of days he will most probably have passed away.

So, selfishly, it all comes down to me. If we go, I'm doing this for myself. I'm not sure what I'll decide, but it's nice to have boiled down the complexities into a single variable.


Cheers!
mouse

PMS

Dear Friends and Family,

Feeling tired and want to crawl into a hole for a week. Instead, headed on a trip that is sure to tire me out even more.

First, there's the packing. Then, there's the flying. And then, there's the guaranteed social drama. Then, there's the jet lag. Then, there's the flying. Then, there's tackling all of the work that will have built up. Then, there's the new job.

Excellent.

I think I need a vacation.


Cheers!
mouse

Home Alone

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse took one of his rare overnight business trips last night. And,

• I had a mega commute compounded by
• more snow,
• non-functioning rail lights,
• a crying, feverish toddler,
• and who knows what else was conspiring to keep me from home.

I gave P some Tylenol. She drank a bunch of water and milk. She looked at a class photo and named all of her friends, pointed out her teachers' glasses and declared herself a "big girl" when pointing to herself in the picture.

I put her to bed around 9. I took the time to finish unloading the car and clearing the kitchen island before calling Mr. mouse for the evening. P woke up right as I was calling Mr. mouse and needed hugs and cuddles and fell asleep curled in a ball on our bed. I carried her to her bed and made it through the night without further incident.

Time to go get ready for the day. Hopefully P's feeling better this morning.


Cheers!
mouse

02.07.11: Frazzled Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Well. It wasn't that frazzled. We got a lot done. And, we played with P. The grand experiment of the moment is leaving one of the gates undone to give P access to more of the house. Of course, her first instinct is to explore since the living room was an area of limited availability.

P officially has three more teeth in, just barely, filling in the gaps between her front eight and her read four molars. The bottom left has yet to make an appearance.

Mr. mouse was sick with something awful coughing up some nasty sounding phlegm. Yuck.

And, I was mentally sorting through my old job and my new job and coming to terms with it all. And, beginning to put together the prep list for our quickie trip to the Pacific Rim to see the grandparents.

I spoke with my Mom on Sunday and sometimes I wonder if her English has gotten worse since she's retired - both literally and figuratively. I think the literal part is easy to understand since she probably spends 90% of her time speaking Korean. But, I think figuratively there's a change in mental models as well since she's with other Koreans all of the time she's become "more Korean." We spent a call lost in translation where my Mom kept saying don't try to schedule this = you don't know if you're going to see Grandpa for the last time or if you're going for the funeral. And, I get that. But, I still wanted to let her know when we plan on showing up and leaving, not because we expect her or my grandfather to work their schedule around ours, but just so that she knows when we'll be there. I'm still not sure she got it.

Well, P's up so time to get ready for work.


Cheers!
mouse

New Job

Dear Friends and Family,

Well. Let the stress begin.

New job. New boss. Sick grandparent.

Time to assess how it all goes.

I had a meeting with my VP who wants to grow my business sevenfold in the next two years and thought I would not be the right person to make that happen - which I 110% agree with. But, well, unless God is out pounding the pavement looking for work, I'm not sure they'll necessarily find someone to meet that goal.

Me? I could probably do double in two years. And, I'm humble enough to know that someone else may be able to do triple or maybe even quadruple. But, seven? No thanks. Let someone else try to climb Mount Everest with a Snickers bar and some comfortable sneakers.

So, it's on to a new job and a new boss. Hopefully I enjoy it enough to see it through to when P transitions to new school. But, if it's not, than I'm sure we'll figure it out.


Cheers!
mouse

"Vegan" "Pizza"

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, we went out for lunch and I had a pizza with clams, with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and no mozzarella cheese, and I liked it. I can see liking it without the parmesan and with a bunch of vegetables instead of the clams.

Technically, not 100% vegan since I have no idea what the restaurant uses in their crust, but I didn't think it had egg or cheese. I suppose it could have butter. But, close enough for my purposes.

More food for thought.


Cheers!
mouse

Snowstorm of the Millenia

Dear Friends and Family,

Big storm headed our way, but, my mind is in a different place thinking about food.

I think my brain processes food by a combination of the food itself and the process of eating. There's the taste of spaghetti and the act of twirling noodles around a fork and eating spaghetti and both are gratifying and combined give me a certain level of joy.

That, I think, is the problem with people who try to change eating habits. I think I can become a pescatarian or vegetarian or a vegan or a flexitarian or anything if I find the right combination of foods to satisfy both the taste and the process.

Like, pasta. That's easy. Linguine noodles, crushed tomatoes, garlic, basil and some good olive oil with a side salad with some good balsamic and I'd say I have a satisfying vegan dinner on the table.

And, burgers. That's easy as well thanks to the nice people at Boca Burgers. I'm fine with garden burgers. I imagine I'd be fine with their vegan burgers. Add a bun, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and a side of fries or chips and another satisfying vegan meal on the table.

And, Japanese. Not as easy. But, I think, a bowl of rice, a bowl of miso, some seaweed salad, and some vegetable tempura (sans egg) would be another satisfying meal.

And, Chinese. Let me think. Rice. Stir fried vegetables. Pan fried vegetable dumplings. Mapo tofu (sans pork and using vegetable stock). Done.

And, Middle Eastern. Hummus. Pita. Falafel. Baba Ganoush. Tabbouli. Easy.

So, I think it can be done. I think it's easier if you plan it out than if you go the other way with a blank slate. Once you have at least one go to meal in each cuisine type I think I'd feel satisfied. Then, I could always grow the portfolio at a steady pace.


Cheers!
mouse

01.31.11: Secret Travels

Dear Friends (and Family),

We snuck home to see friends without telling our family we were in town. Is that evil? We figured we only had a quick weekend and we had just seen them a month ago. And, it's just plain tiring traipsing around with P and getting her into and out of a number of routines. This way, we let her have her Saturday morning. We had a stretch of time Saturday afternoon with friends. We had dinner with one of my close friends. And, then, she had her Sunday morning with us.

And, we had a chance to catch up with friends and enjoy the day. P warmed up to the adults once she had a chance to sit and play. She's still not a fan of other kids. I suppose that comes later.

Sunday night, we had battle royal at the dinner table. P didn't want her rice and beans. She didn't want her cereal. She didn't want her yogurt. But, she got the words chicken and dip out amidst her whines, sobs and grunts. And, lo and behold, she ate a plate of chicken dipped in ketchup.


Cheers!
mouse

Weight Watchers

Dear Friends and Family,

Day 5 of my new Weight Watchers journey:

So continues my saga to return to my pre-pregnancy weight. P is going to be two this year, and I realize that at some point I need to do something about my weight or accept that this is my new state of being.

This week has been good. It's reminded me of some of the things I used to to while on Weight Watchers. There's no random nibbling from people's desks because I'm stressed. There's research before going out to eat to see what's good and good for you. There's thinking about portion control and portioning out your food vs. digging in and eating until you're "full." And, there's being hungry.

I'm not going to starve to death. In this land of plenty, I am, fortunately, not one of the food insecure. I have to be okay with hunger. It is a sign that I should eat. It is a point I can reach. One does not need to eat if one is not hungry.

We'll see how the weekend goes.


Cheers!
mouse

Toddler Time

Dear Friends and Family,

P has two more teeth coming in (the top two that go between her front four and her first molars) and she is chewing on everything - her shirt, her shoes, her toes, her arm - you name it, she will try chewing on it.

She's also turned all girly girl on me. She likes to open the drawer and take out the costume jewelry I left in the drawer, put it on, look in the mirror, then turn on the music and dance. It's awesome to watch.


Cheers!
mouse

Rides Home

Dear Friends and Family,

If I were to switch jobs and P were to switch schools, I would miss our morning and evening routine. I drop her off at school and I pick her up. I could still do those things. But, what I wouldn't have is the daily time in the car.

I turn on her light. I turn on the car. I take off her jacket. I buckle her into her seat. I put her snack by her right leg and her milk in left cup holder. I tuck her blanket around her. And, sometimes she gets one of her plush friends.

Then, we head home. And, now that she's talkative enough, we have fun with it. We sing songs that she requests (Old MacDonald, Wheels on the Bus, Bumblebee, Alphabet Song). We point to trucks and trains and sometimes airplanes. We recite the alphabet and alphabet animals. We count. We play peekaboo. We make sounds and the other person guesses what we're pretending to be.

It's a fun time that's just P and Mommy time. I'll miss that if I were to switch jobs. I don't like bad commutes, but sometimes our rides home feel more like road trips. And, I do like road trips.


Cheers!
mouse

Sliced Bread

Dear Friends and Family,

I just found money in a pocket and it made me happy.

Well, it wasn't real money, but it is better than real money.

I just found out Social Security has a cost of living adjustment. And, while I'm not banking on 100% pay out of benefits, I do have 50% loaded into my retirement plan. So, being able to add a cost of living adjustment just added money to my plan.


Cheers!
mouse

01.24.11: Another Year, Another Party

Dear Friends and Family,

This past weekend was our annual new year party. Despite missing some dear friends, falling asleep (and snoring) by the end of the party and getting sick the next morning, I have to say, I enjoyed it more than I thought possible.

Trixie brought mustache tattoos. I had a chance to hang out with friends and not spend the evening answering the door. P had a chance to meet several members of her fan base. And, of course, by the end of the evening, we had a pile of puppies on the couch.

Sunday, we ate brunch and then rested until football was on TV. We watched both games with friends, chips and pizza. P had a bath. I got some work done. We all turned in for the night.

And, today, I am strangely optimistic about the work week given the state of disrepair I left on Thursday. Perhaps the day off was what I needed. Or, my guess is, the time off with friends on Saturday and Sunday. Either way, feeling like I have a little more gas in the tank than I usually do.


Cheers!
mouse

Full Disclosure

Dear Friends and Family,

Last night, over dinner, I told Mr. mouse about the request at work that I move positions. Now, if I decide to leave, he won't be surprised.

It was nice sharing.


Cheers!
mouse

Full Circle

Dear Friends and Family,

For all it's crazy times and stress, I enjoy my job. I like my job. And, now, my management team is asking me to switch jobs. And, I'm not sure how I feel about it.

I am on the cusp of seeing some pretty great things happen with my job. And, I am toying with seeing it through to completion and taking a new job elsewhere based upon the accomplishments of my current job.

I'll miss my job if I do. And, I'll need to find new daycare for P if I do.

The other option is to stay and take this new job that my management team is asking me to take and see where it leads. Frankly, I'm not jazzed about this new job. But, I get paid well for what I do and P loves her school.

I think I need a vacation to step away from all of this.


Cheers!
mouse

The Table Quest

Dear Friends and Family,

The long slough to clear the table continues. I just listed a phone we no longer use on eBay. We'll see if it sells.

And, the kitchen counter. Well, it's back to it's chaotic state. But, here's my discovery. If you tackle it quickly most of the stuff is easy to sort through. But, if you wait, then things tend to settle and take root and then it's mountains of time sorting through it.

So, I'll need to address it before this weekend comes. Then, I'll have two surfaces that are (mostly) clear. Yeah for mouse!


Cheers!
mouse

Rapidly Expanding Vocabulary

Dear Friends and Family,

I know P knows more words than she speaks. And, I know that at some point this balloons into language. And, I think we're seeing that happen.

Last night, she shared "Monkey" and "Woof", the names of two of her plush friends. And, there was "chicken" which was on her plate for dinner. And, "hello" and "bye" which she said on and off, but not purposefully like last night on the play phone.

And, there was the moment when I took a couple of mandarin oranges out of the refrigerator and she saw them and said "chte" (the best her can manage toward oranges) and wouldn't go back to eating, just saying "chte" and pointing to where I was attempting to hide them with little success.

And, there was the moment when she wanted beans with her rice and pointed to the fridge and said "beans, fridge".

Guess all of those neurons are beginning to connect. Oh, and more chompers coming in. She's got twelve (four top middle, four bottom middle, four molars), but she's chewing on stuff and if you ask her if her mouth itches, she says, "yes."


Cheers!
mouse

01.17.11: Weekend at Home

Dear Friends and Family,

I think we're at the point when water begins to going from heating up to rolling boil - a few bubbles here and there, but the bubbles are getting bigger and coming more frequently.

This time Mr. mouse and I got into a HUGE fight over a cell phone that neither of us want. He made some comment that it was worth keeping in case one of our phones break.

I think that's just a microcosm of our lives. He'll keep a million and one things just in case. And, it just becomes a mental and emotional drag on my existence leaving me feeling unempowered to do anything in the house. And, then the house festers. And, I fester.

Well, last night I decided to push the point. And, he threw the phone out the front door into the street. And, then we yelled and yelled and yelled. And, now, the phone is sitting in the garbage and I'm feeling mildly better for it being out of the house.

I still think this is about something more than the phone - just waiting for that ah-ha moment when it all becomes obvious.

What'd we do this weekend? Not much of anything. Saturday, P was a nightmare, probably because she was fighting a cold. Sunday, P was a delight, probably because she was feeling much better.

She's picking up words left and right. And, she's using them purposefully. Like, yesterday I offered her a cup of milk and she said no and then pointed and said fridge as in please put the milk in the fridge since I don't want it now and that's the correct place for it.


Cheers!
mouse

Thursday Morning

Dear Friends and Family,

Good morning. Hopefully you are asleep in bed like a sane human being.

I have been up since 1AM this morning working on stuff I've put off for too long.

Tomorrow, I have a day with no meetings on my calendar. I may decide to work from some place other than my desk at the office so I don't have to worry about interruptions.

Then, it will magically be the weekend.


Cheers!
mouse

Wednesday Morning

Dear Friends and Family,

My small accomplishment for the morning was moving the crayons and the ink pad to P's art supply drawer in our credenza opening up approximately six square inches of space on the table.

It's not a big accomplishment, but it's big psychologically because it means I've hit the bottom of the mountain of stuff on the table.

And, I'm realizing I need help.

I think my recent clutter binges at home (with the table and the kitchen counter) are really me lashing out against what's bothering me and trying to restore order to a life that seems to have devolved into chaos.

Work is stressful. Mr. mouse's mercurial work situation is stressful. Raising a toddler is stressful. Commuting is stressful. Commuting with a toddler is stressful. Contemplating a small business is stressful.

And, all of this stress is leading to bad eating which is leading the me feeling rotten which is, guess what, stressful.

I guess the question is how to reduce the stress. Perhaps, instead of physical clutter control, I need mental clutter control. There's just too much going on and it's stressing me out.

The question is, where do I even begin? How do I begin to chip away at the mountain and make enough progress to hit the bottom of the mountain of stuff on my mental plate?

I think if I had the answer to that question, I could mint money.


Cheers!
mouse

Tuesday Morning

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Tuesday, and all three of us are up. P is lying on the floor with her blanket and looking at books. Scratch that, she's at the table vaunting her color knowledge along with the 130 words she's mastered.

She's begun recognizing some letters and some numbers and will recite either after you. She can get to five consistently on her own, then skips six and seven, jumping to eight, nine and ten.

And, now, we've got a full fledged tantrum going over the right to flash a flashlight in her eyes. Oh, the tears. Whoever said you don't mind your own child's cries was wrong. I can't say I'm a big fan of P's crying or whining. It still grates on my sensibilities.

Ah. Peace.

I've been working on another de-cluttering project. We have a table in our living room. My preference would be to get rid of the table all together. It's a horizontal surface begging to be filled. If you give Mr. mouse a horizontal surface, he will fill it, much to my chagrin.

Well, this table was piled at least a foot high with stuff. And, now, there's still a couple of piles of stuff to work through, but it's gotten to the point where it's a single layer of stuff. Each item removed, at this point, makes a noticeable improvement to clutter control progress.

1. cup of pens and pencils
2. box of gift cards
3. post it notes
4. crayons
5. flash cards that I want to throw away
6. old phones and cameras for P
7. one pile of papers that still need to be worked through
8. a pile of coloring books and stickers for P
9. photos to be scanned
10. a computer mouse
11. a noise maker
12. 6 baseball caps
13. 3 sandwich bags with stuff from P
14. some hair ties
15. luggage tags
16. pins

And, I'm sure I forgot some stuff. But, yes, after all the hard work, that's what's still left on the table. I'll spare you the gory details of what's no longer on the table.

My thought is, if I can somehow keep the table clear long enough, Mr. mouse will either start helping to keep it clear or, maybe, agree to take the table out of our room.

De-cluttering feels like a constant battle of wills. You win some battles and then you turn around and realize the enemy is back. It's a constant game of whack a mole.


Cheers!
mouse

01.10.11: Back to Work

Dear Friends and Family,

It was a weekend of work intruding on life and I feel like part of it is because there's a lot of work going on, but part of it is because one of my colleagues is not the best decision maker.

I need to find better work-like balance.

On a positive note, the kitchen is still livable. And, I made good progress on a random table of clutter we have in the living room. I was inspired by an article I read. The person in the article went too far. But, I figured I wasn't going far enough.

Still, I got to spend some good time with P. She's got issues we need to work through - she doesn't like sharing, she doesn't like new environments, she doesn't like to be crowded and she doesn't like cats. She's getting only child syndrome.

But, she's adding new words everyday including her own name. And, yesterday, she put two words together to form a phrase. Mr. mouse said he was going upstairs to change so the two of them could go out for bagels. And, while he was upstairs, P went to the bin of clean laundry and pulled out a pair of Mr. mouse's jeans and said Daddy bahjee (her way of saying pants). Wow.

She's begun lining her toys up in a row, feeding her animals, and putting together puzzles. And, she's still walking around on tip toes. It's a fun age.


Cheers!
mouse

Friday

Dear Friends and Family,

It appears I may have made it through the week in one piece.

Sometime this week I made the conscious decision to try and live more in the present, to stop hypothesizing about all of the possible future conversations and outcomes that could happen, to stop replaying all of the past conversations and outcomes that did happen, and to instead focus on the here and now.

Traffic cooperating has only helped.

So, it's Friday and I have one more day to make it through to get to the weekend. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

Stressed

Dear Friends and Family,

Stressed about today. Lots of meetings I'm not quite prepared for. Lots of meetings that overlap. Lots of emails that'll pile up while I'm in my meeting. Lots of work that still needs to get done.

Feeling overwhelmed. I need a break.


Cheers!
mouse

Kitchen Counter Wars

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm stressed about work so I will focus this morning instead on what is within my control, most of the time.

Last we checked in, I was working on the kitchen counter vowing to win a long waged war against the stuff on the counter. We had a couple of days over the holidays where it got ugly. But, fortunately, it's mostly back to normal.

But, back to work. It's stressful. I enjoy some days of it, but other days I am plain beat. I keep thinking there will be a chance to decompress and get back to normal. But, after each project launches I am off and running against the next project.

But, to be fair, I'm not sure how much of this is work and how much of this is P. I took my current position shortly after I returned from maternity leave. And, life is more stressful. There's the commute. There's the lack of free time. There's the commitment to being good parents. There's the change in every routine that made up our lives.

Well, either way, work kept me up part of last night so today I am tired. And, since the past two days have been hell on wheels, I am dreading today.

At least I don't have any "tough" meetings on deck for today.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Perhaps I need to switch pictures back to frazzled mouse.

Directed Play

Dear Friends and Family,

P's been up to a lot over the winter holidays. Christmas day she decided she knew all of the basic colors and white and would share that knowledge with the rest of us - patiently helping her color challenged parents every time we asked her, "what color is (fill in the blank)?" And, around New Year's Eve she picked up counting to five, although that's not as consistent yet.

More interestingly, our toddler has become the prototypical only child letting us know exactly how she wants to play with us. You sit here, you do this, you hold this this way, etc. It's cute, but not something I want to foster in the long run.

And, in a show of children defeating toys, she's figured out all of the blocks will fit through the square hole of the shape sorter. And her favorite toy of the holiday season? The bottles and cans in our pantry.

The transition back to school was tiring. P came home last night and whined her way through the evening. By 8:00 she wanted to go upstairs and by 8:30 she was fast asleep. Hopefully she's feeling more rested today.


Cheers!
mouse

01.03.11: Monday Morning

Dear Friends and Family,

I unplugged for a week and so far I think the pain associated with it will be worth the gain in having time off. Famous last words.

When you last saw me, I had 12 tasks separating me from the holidays. My colleague and I plowed through them. And, were moderately successful in getting through them until a last minute glitch came up in the eleventh hour. We cobbled together a something or other and called it a day. I had a handful of tasks remaining.

Then, while at Mr. mouse's folks' place, I plowed through a bunch of emails and felt like I was really rocking and rolling.

Then, we went to my parents' place for a couple of days. Nothing like spending time with the parents to totally throw me off kilter. Truth be told, it wasn't their fault this time. They do require 110% of your time and attention and energy when you're with them, but I can't fault them on this one.

They want to share P, to let others see her and spend time with her. Well, P has her limits. She's shy and takes time to warm up to people and three new adults is already pushing the limit much less four or five or six new adults. Add to that an eating schedule that's off kilter which then results in a sleeping schedule that's off kilter and I'm not really relaxing and catching up, I'm in full time woman-on-toddler recovery mode.

Add to the already tiring set of events another uncontrollable - the weather. We got snowed in and needed to make alternate plans to come home. So, instead of an empty flight Tuesday morning, we're on the train to nowhere Monday night and Mr. mouse is making lemonade from lemons and we're spending Tuesday on an impromptu sightseeing trip. And, we make it home in time to go to sleep Tuesday evening - feeling like we need recovery time, not like we can hit the ground running on Wednesday.

Which is where the week went. We spent time with P and getting the house put back together and decompressing on Wednesday. And, then it hardly felt worth it to plug in for a day on Thursday. And, before you knew it it was Friday. And, then Saturday. And, then Sunday.

Which is how I find myself Monday morning dreading going back to work. The same handful of tasks remain only now I don't have a week of leisure to work on them. Emails have re-taken over my inbox. And, the cobbled patch is definitely a finger in a dam that I'm afraid to remove.

But, dedicated readers, of which there are few, fear not, I will take a moment to reflect and to try and grow as a person.

Mr. mouse and I had a huge row on New Year's Eve. He gets absorbed in technology. I get absorbed in technology. It's not uncommon for us to spend the evening "together" with both of us tied to our respective screens. It's also not uncommon for us, in our enormously complex world, for one of us to crash while the other works or randomly surfs or tries to get tasks done around the house.

Tuesday night, it was all about trying to get P back into a routine. Wednesday night, Mr. mouse decided he needed to run errands. Thursday night, I don't recall what happened but it was more of the above. But, that brings us New Year's Eve and the last minute charitable donations. I'm done and I want to spend some quality time with Mr. mouse to ring in the new year and he's dithering on that last $25 donation reading the current housing regulations of his dorm and other inanities. And, I blow a gasket and he blows a gasket and kaboom. Huge row.

Which brings me to my goal for the year - to become less absorbed with technology. I'll still spend some time in the morning reflecting, but I'm going to try and make evenings and weekends screen free time.


Cheers!
mouse