The House of Eggerts is covered in snot. Well, maybe not the ENTIRE house, but the boy and I to be sure. I’m not sick. YET. But covered in contaminated baby snot makes it a pretty sure thing. I’m like dead woman walking over here.
So last night was atrocious because of said snot. I finally gave up on trying toget Noah back to sleep at 3 am and took him downstairs. Not before shooting death rays at a peacefully sleeping Mark. Don’t get me wrong – I know he has to get some sleep because he has work in the morning and can’t join in on one of his bosses naps. But in the middle of the night I couldn’t quite get that reasoning to quell the thoughts of “Damn him for sleeping.” But Mark’s time was soon to come. At 3:45 am our power went out. And though I might take full responsibility for caring for an awake sickly baby in the middle of the night I wasn’t about to do it in the dark. So I woke him up so he could find the candles, lighters and flashlights. Fun stuff.
I called the pediatrician who after being told he was still eating and didn’t have a temperature told me to just let him drip it out. Well, my words – not hers, but you get the drift. My mom said to put some Vicks on the boy, but the pediatrician advised against it. She told me to just keep using the humidifier and put a pillow under his crib mattress so he’s on an incline. She said if he gets real bad I could give him some Benadryl.
I have plans to go downtown today in two hours to watch them light up the Christmas tree at City Hall. I can’t decide whether to abandon them or not. On one hand I don’t know if being outside will be detrimental to the boy, on the other he could use the distraction, as could I. He’s awfully sleepy though and is having napping problems because when I lay him down he can’t breath right. Maybe leaving the house with him would be a nightmare, or maybe he’d blissfully fall asleep upright in his stroller. What say you?
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Noah news, Bella praises and Nicole desperation
I haven’t been reporting too much Noah news so I must rectify that first thing. He’s started doing a couple of really sweet things that make me smile. We listen to music nonstop during the day and he’s always enjoyed it. When he’d like a particular song he’d bounce up and down a bit, but now he’s started dancing by spinning in circles. If a song comes on the stereo that he particularly enjoys he’ll go stand in front of it and start spinning. I have to say that he seems to favor The White Stripes, The Beatles and other rockin’ fare – though Mark thinks that Noah’s song choice is based on my reactions. He’s also starting to cuddle and kiss more – at the moment that’s still focused almost exclusively on me (though he loves to pat Mark on the back), but soon I’m sure he’ll branch out more. His version of kissing is still coming at me with a wide open mouth going “Ahhhh” as if he plans to swallow my head. Noah’s ongoing mouth fixation is still in full effect as one of the few words he says is “teeth.” He uses it interchangeably to refer to teeth and the toothbrushes he loves to carry around with him and chew on. In fact Mark and I keep losing our toothbrush because I tend to give Noah the one on the sink to occupy him while I’m trying to blow dry my hair in the morning. He’s also been enjoying throwing balls lately. He tosses them vehemently on the floor in front of him with a “Gah!” He’s also really digging the band in a box set I got him at Toys R Us. Last night after dinner the three of us spent a great deal of time sitting on the kitchen floor kicking out the jams on maracas, the tambourine and drums. And last but not least in our chain of Noah facts is that he’s been using his scrunched up, squinty, smiley face a lot more to express his excitement. I have to catch it on film so I can post it. It’s both super cute and odd.
What else to report? We’ve been busy, but oddly I can’t remember what blogworthy things I can share. Yesterday Noah and I went out to Ldale for a playdate with The Milliceccobachs. Patrice made us a lovely lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup and sugar cookies – and we went to a little playground right by their house. The kids really loved the slide and Noah spent some time just walking around the basketball court and playing with a found basketball (obviously infected with killer cooties) until he rolled over the ball and in some unimaginable way got a brush burn below his nose and nowhere else. Then we chilled in Bella’s playroom for awhile where unfathomably Noah began playing with one of the toys he has at home and never touches rather than the scores of things he’s never seen before. And I have to gush about Baby Bella. She is an adorably chatty little thing – SO advanced verbally that it’s amazing. She’s a sweet smiley ray of sunshine – and the best playdate goin’.
I keep listing things in my head that I haven’t gotten around to blogging about but now I’ve got nothing. In regards to comments on the last post – Missuz J gave the invaluable suggestion of taking Noah to the library to get out of the house when it is cold. Brilliant! Lonnna mentioned Mickey D’s – however the urban McDonalds tend to be a bit unclean and often house a cast of unsavory characters which is probably why most of them don’t have Playlands. I’ve also decided that the Ikea showroom would be a fun place to roam too. It’ll be like visiting other people’s homes but without the hosts.
Oh. I keep forgetting about my coffee shop encounter last week. Noah and I went to Canvas Coffee shop in Fishtown more for the out-of-houseness then the lovely cranberry muffin and Chai Latte we enjoyed. The only other customers there were a tall thin woman and her precociously cute blonde ringleted daughter who greeted us when we entered by exclaiming “Look! It’s a mama and a baby!” The little girl was ALL over Noah, completely enchanted with him and instantly in his face. To the point that Noah backed up and clung to my leg while she got nose to nose with him. She looked and sounded about six, but was in fact 4 and a half. The mom explained that her husband was French and they just moved to Fishtown from France (as you do…) and that they hadn’t really met many people yet which is why the little girl was SO desperate for attention. I talked a little bit about the neighborhood and the local parks and then gave her my email address and phone number should she be interested in going to the park or something. And after they left I realized that there is NO WAY to offer your contact information to a complete stranger on first meeting without seeming completely desperate. THIS is why I hated dating.
What else to report? We’ve been busy, but oddly I can’t remember what blogworthy things I can share. Yesterday Noah and I went out to Ldale for a playdate with The Milliceccobachs. Patrice made us a lovely lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup and sugar cookies – and we went to a little playground right by their house. The kids really loved the slide and Noah spent some time just walking around the basketball court and playing with a found basketball (obviously infected with killer cooties) until he rolled over the ball and in some unimaginable way got a brush burn below his nose and nowhere else. Then we chilled in Bella’s playroom for awhile where unfathomably Noah began playing with one of the toys he has at home and never touches rather than the scores of things he’s never seen before. And I have to gush about Baby Bella. She is an adorably chatty little thing – SO advanced verbally that it’s amazing. She’s a sweet smiley ray of sunshine – and the best playdate goin’.
I keep listing things in my head that I haven’t gotten around to blogging about but now I’ve got nothing. In regards to comments on the last post – Missuz J gave the invaluable suggestion of taking Noah to the library to get out of the house when it is cold. Brilliant! Lonnna mentioned Mickey D’s – however the urban McDonalds tend to be a bit unclean and often house a cast of unsavory characters which is probably why most of them don’t have Playlands. I’ve also decided that the Ikea showroom would be a fun place to roam too. It’ll be like visiting other people’s homes but without the hosts.
Oh. I keep forgetting about my coffee shop encounter last week. Noah and I went to Canvas Coffee shop in Fishtown more for the out-of-houseness then the lovely cranberry muffin and Chai Latte we enjoyed. The only other customers there were a tall thin woman and her precociously cute blonde ringleted daughter who greeted us when we entered by exclaiming “Look! It’s a mama and a baby!” The little girl was ALL over Noah, completely enchanted with him and instantly in his face. To the point that Noah backed up and clung to my leg while she got nose to nose with him. She looked and sounded about six, but was in fact 4 and a half. The mom explained that her husband was French and they just moved to Fishtown from France (as you do…) and that they hadn’t really met many people yet which is why the little girl was SO desperate for attention. I talked a little bit about the neighborhood and the local parks and then gave her my email address and phone number should she be interested in going to the park or something. And after they left I realized that there is NO WAY to offer your contact information to a complete stranger on first meeting without seeming completely desperate. THIS is why I hated dating.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Loosened belt
The holiday weekend was a whirlwind. Here’s a quick recap before I go downstairs to stare blankly at the TV for an hour before I go to bed. On Thanksgiving Day we spent the afternoon at my Dad and Oma’s place eating “nibbles” and a small and quick taste of their turkey, ham and fixings with my brother Jim’s family. Then we moved on to Mom’s place where we ate another gut busting meal with my stepfather, Aunt Jill and my in-laws. The food was fantastic at both venues and there was plenty of love and attention for the boy as he walked about in circles marveling at all the folks. The boy, the folks and the love – these are the things for which I am most thankful. Friday we hosted our second annual Black Friday Leftover Potluck – which was poorly attended but still a blast with the best and the brightest – by which I mean Ms. Bella. Again we stuffed ourselves silly. Saturday we took the boy to Lowes and a pet store for no other reason but to run down his energy. I imagine this to be what most of my winter days will consist of – finding someplace I can take Noah to let him run free for a bit. That evening Mark and I watched Palindromes, which was demented, sad and wrong – but brilliant. Todd Solondz is a sick weirdo and a genius. You can’t beat his depictions of the frail and the flawed. Today we had breakfast at Silk City diner, Mark cleaned out the car and turned Noah’s car seat forward facing, we went to the park to enjoy the warm spell and I finally finished the thank you notes for Noah’s birthday.
I hope everyone had a lovely holiday – feeling thankful to be spending their time with favorite people in favorite places eating favorite foods.
I have to add that as of late I am horribly, horribly behind in my email correspondence. If you’ve written me recently and I haven’t gotten back to you, please know that it’s weighing on me heavily and I will be in touch very soon. And with that I am off to do nothing for an hour because I NEED to.
I hope everyone had a lovely holiday – feeling thankful to be spending their time with favorite people in favorite places eating favorite foods.
I have to add that as of late I am horribly, horribly behind in my email correspondence. If you’ve written me recently and I haven’t gotten back to you, please know that it’s weighing on me heavily and I will be in touch very soon. And with that I am off to do nothing for an hour because I NEED to.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Ties that bind
I went to Quizzo last night. It was great being out with friends in an adult setting - well, as adult as these folks can be. Is it surprising the table containing the Quizzmaster's bedmate won? I think not. Alas when I returned home at 11:45 pm I was greeted by Mister Mark and Master Noah - who had already been up for a half hour. It was a rough night for all. And morning too. But I'll bore you with those details later. Maybe. Right now I only have a second to pop something on this page and not feel negligent in my duties one more day.
I wrote the following little article for our local neighborhood newsrag. Though it's typically delivered to our front door step, last week I never got a copy. Noah and I stopped by their office yesterday to pick it up and were flaberghasted to find our photo on the front cover as a teaser for the special section on "Family." We're STARS.
The Importance of Family
By Nicole Eggerts
Like so many others my age, I grew up in a disjointed family. My parents split when I was five, and with the divorce began a legacy of half-siblings, ex-step-parents and general confusion about how I was related to some of these folks. Family doesn’t exactly seem like the ties that bind when you grow up related to a vast assortment of people you never see, and I’ve often taken my family for granted. Last year that changed in a way I didn’t anticipate.
My husband Mark and I started our own family unit a year ago when our son Noah was born. His presence has changed our lives wholesale. Every day starts bright and early with his smiling toothy grin, and is measured in new learning, giggles and hugs. Now we consider his needs and well-being in every thing we do, and we try not only to shape him into a smart, loving adult but also to make his world a good place to grow up. When I started thinking about Noah’s future, the importance of family became clear. Mark and I benefit from each pair of helping hands, and Noah benefits immeasurably from the involvement of others.
The African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” often is used to explain why community is an important resource for a child, and it applies equally to the importance of making the most of an extended family. Each loving, involved person in Noah’s life is a gift, a resource and a potential source of confidence. As a mother I feel it is my responsibility to populate Noah’s village by valuing and nurturing the relationships he has with our family members. I make an effort to have Noah spend time with any relative who shows an interest in being a part of his life. I involve our family in Noah’s world every day, providing access to pictures, stories and developmental updates via my website. And I let family members know that we value the impact they can have on Noah’s life, whether they are half-, step-, once removed or far away.
In some cases, this mission to restore and grow our family bonds required me to set aside old issues that caused rifts in my relationships; it also reminds me to ignore some of the formerly bothersome quirks each of us has and appreciate each family member as a valuable asset. The process has had a positive outcome for me as well. I’m learning to let old problems fade away and savor the positives in my past and in the people in my life. I believe that on Noah’s path he’ll gain different things from each caring person, things that Mark and I as parents may not be able to give him at any given moment—a different perspective, additional knowledge, a sympathetic ear, a helping hand.
Preserving family bonds is sometimes difficult, but the payoffs are huge for us and our children. So during the holidays if Grandma is being a bit of a pill but her love for your child is clear, the cousins are dying to see the kids but you don’t feel like trekking out to the hinterlands, or you’ve fallen out of touch with your brother because of distance or laziness—think about the impact on your village.
I wrote the following little article for our local neighborhood newsrag. Though it's typically delivered to our front door step, last week I never got a copy. Noah and I stopped by their office yesterday to pick it up and were flaberghasted to find our photo on the front cover as a teaser for the special section on "Family." We're STARS.
The Importance of Family
By Nicole Eggerts
Like so many others my age, I grew up in a disjointed family. My parents split when I was five, and with the divorce began a legacy of half-siblings, ex-step-parents and general confusion about how I was related to some of these folks. Family doesn’t exactly seem like the ties that bind when you grow up related to a vast assortment of people you never see, and I’ve often taken my family for granted. Last year that changed in a way I didn’t anticipate.
My husband Mark and I started our own family unit a year ago when our son Noah was born. His presence has changed our lives wholesale. Every day starts bright and early with his smiling toothy grin, and is measured in new learning, giggles and hugs. Now we consider his needs and well-being in every thing we do, and we try not only to shape him into a smart, loving adult but also to make his world a good place to grow up. When I started thinking about Noah’s future, the importance of family became clear. Mark and I benefit from each pair of helping hands, and Noah benefits immeasurably from the involvement of others.
The African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” often is used to explain why community is an important resource for a child, and it applies equally to the importance of making the most of an extended family. Each loving, involved person in Noah’s life is a gift, a resource and a potential source of confidence. As a mother I feel it is my responsibility to populate Noah’s village by valuing and nurturing the relationships he has with our family members. I make an effort to have Noah spend time with any relative who shows an interest in being a part of his life. I involve our family in Noah’s world every day, providing access to pictures, stories and developmental updates via my website. And I let family members know that we value the impact they can have on Noah’s life, whether they are half-, step-, once removed or far away.
In some cases, this mission to restore and grow our family bonds required me to set aside old issues that caused rifts in my relationships; it also reminds me to ignore some of the formerly bothersome quirks each of us has and appreciate each family member as a valuable asset. The process has had a positive outcome for me as well. I’m learning to let old problems fade away and savor the positives in my past and in the people in my life. I believe that on Noah’s path he’ll gain different things from each caring person, things that Mark and I as parents may not be able to give him at any given moment—a different perspective, additional knowledge, a sympathetic ear, a helping hand.
Preserving family bonds is sometimes difficult, but the payoffs are huge for us and our children. So during the holidays if Grandma is being a bit of a pill but her love for your child is clear, the cousins are dying to see the kids but you don’t feel like trekking out to the hinterlands, or you’ve fallen out of touch with your brother because of distance or laziness—think about the impact on your village.
Monday, November 21, 2005
I like plain Rice Krispies with a little sugar on top and I don't drink the milk.
We saw THREE movies this weekend. Crazy! Yesterday we went to the THEATER to see Goblet of Fire. “It was Potterrific!” The otherworldly escapism was just what I needed. I’m amazed at the level of quality they’ve maintained for the series. I really think I like each one a little more than the last. The only weirdness is that steamy 17 yo Rupert Grint looks about as close to 14 as he does 50. What are they gonna do for the next three films? Friday and Saturday night we watched Netflix movies we’ve had lying around the house for nearly two months. I totally recommend the Italian film “I’m not scared” but wouldn’t say the same for “Bride and Predjudice” – visually stunning (not just Aishwarya Rai) and a cool idea to combine Bollywood and Pride and Prejudice but would’ve helped loads had they had a less crap Darcy.
Saturday we went to Franklin Fountain for Francesca’s birthday party. Noah, Mark and I shared a Mt. Vesuvius sundae – vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, brownies, whip cream and malted powder. YUM. Only problem – not enough fudge. Course I prefer more fudge than ice cream so I’m ALWAYS saying that. If I had known Franklin Fountain existed while I was pregnant I would have gained 90 pounds. It was a beautiful crispy sunshiney day and it was nice to get out of the house briefly. It should be no surprise that Noah spent the first half of the birthday party clinging and the second half running back and forth in the ice cream parlor. That afternoon I mopped the kitchen and Mark started on weatherizing our home. Unfortunately he did SUCH a good job putting that sealant tape around the door to keep out drafts that when he was finished we couldn’t get the door shut. Oops.
So now more on our trip to the movies. As I mentioned, I LOVED the movie, and once it started I was nowhere but Hogwarts. But on the way to the theater I was a horrible clenched up ball of anxiety and sadness. I said to Mark “WHAT is wrong with me that I’m so freaked out about leaving my son with my mother for three hours when I know she’s more than capable of caring for him and he’s probably going to have a great time?” Mark was nice enough to say there wasn’t anything WRONG with me, that I just was worried that Noah would get upset and I wouldn’t be there to comfort him. And Mark was dead right. The way I think of it is that as his mother and his primary caretaker it is my job to fulfill his needs, and in the instances when I can’t fill a particular need (like the need to eat a crayon or stick his finger in a socket) that I should at the very least be there to comfort him. He trusts me to do so and it’s of the utmost importance to me to preserve that trust. So when it’s time for me to be away from him during his waking hours I have this horrible fear that there will be a moment when he’ll really need me, really want me for comfort and I won’t be there – and he’ll feel abandoned, betrayed. And not only will our bond be weaker but his perception of his world will be altered. A little over the top, right? I KNOW. I’m just explaining my thought process which I think has some small truth to it, even if it’s a bit overinflated and overdramatic. I can go to the movies and leave the boy with his Grandma and he’ll have a wonderful time and all will be well. And is well. But this is where my head goes when I’m driving away. This same feeling is what prevents me from leaving Noah to cry it out. As it is now, Noah KNOWS I will be there for him because I ALWAYS am – and I’m not comfortable changing that quite yet. Sure, learning to self comfort is part of growing up, but I don’t think he’s ready for it quite yet. And I know I’m not. And of course I need to end by saying that all kids and parents are different – and there are just as many “RIGHT” ways to do things as there are flavors of breakfast cereal. You can share in my box and eat it as is, top it with bananas or go get your own. Thanks for your comments and support.
Saturday we went to Franklin Fountain for Francesca’s birthday party. Noah, Mark and I shared a Mt. Vesuvius sundae – vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, brownies, whip cream and malted powder. YUM. Only problem – not enough fudge. Course I prefer more fudge than ice cream so I’m ALWAYS saying that. If I had known Franklin Fountain existed while I was pregnant I would have gained 90 pounds. It was a beautiful crispy sunshiney day and it was nice to get out of the house briefly. It should be no surprise that Noah spent the first half of the birthday party clinging and the second half running back and forth in the ice cream parlor. That afternoon I mopped the kitchen and Mark started on weatherizing our home. Unfortunately he did SUCH a good job putting that sealant tape around the door to keep out drafts that when he was finished we couldn’t get the door shut. Oops.
So now more on our trip to the movies. As I mentioned, I LOVED the movie, and once it started I was nowhere but Hogwarts. But on the way to the theater I was a horrible clenched up ball of anxiety and sadness. I said to Mark “WHAT is wrong with me that I’m so freaked out about leaving my son with my mother for three hours when I know she’s more than capable of caring for him and he’s probably going to have a great time?” Mark was nice enough to say there wasn’t anything WRONG with me, that I just was worried that Noah would get upset and I wouldn’t be there to comfort him. And Mark was dead right. The way I think of it is that as his mother and his primary caretaker it is my job to fulfill his needs, and in the instances when I can’t fill a particular need (like the need to eat a crayon or stick his finger in a socket) that I should at the very least be there to comfort him. He trusts me to do so and it’s of the utmost importance to me to preserve that trust. So when it’s time for me to be away from him during his waking hours I have this horrible fear that there will be a moment when he’ll really need me, really want me for comfort and I won’t be there – and he’ll feel abandoned, betrayed. And not only will our bond be weaker but his perception of his world will be altered. A little over the top, right? I KNOW. I’m just explaining my thought process which I think has some small truth to it, even if it’s a bit overinflated and overdramatic. I can go to the movies and leave the boy with his Grandma and he’ll have a wonderful time and all will be well. And is well. But this is where my head goes when I’m driving away. This same feeling is what prevents me from leaving Noah to cry it out. As it is now, Noah KNOWS I will be there for him because I ALWAYS am – and I’m not comfortable changing that quite yet. Sure, learning to self comfort is part of growing up, but I don’t think he’s ready for it quite yet. And I know I’m not. And of course I need to end by saying that all kids and parents are different – and there are just as many “RIGHT” ways to do things as there are flavors of breakfast cereal. You can share in my box and eat it as is, top it with bananas or go get your own. Thanks for your comments and support.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Not quite practically perfect in every way.
I have a million more important things I should be doing. But I can’t stand not blogging every weekday. It’s seriously causing me stress. Weird, right? While I have been a little more busy lately with some freelance work, errands and whatnot the real thing keeping me from blogging is Noah. There was a time, just a few short weeks ago, when he was content occasionally playing with something on the floor by my feet while I checked email or got some things done around the house. That time has passed. Now he doesn’t want to stay penned into the office with me, he wants to run around. And that constant activity requires near constant supervision which means I’m not getting crap done while he’s awake. And then when he finally naps I have things to do, which sometimes includes sleeping because his night sleep has been so patchy. So that is the story with my reduced blogging. Maybe once we fall into a new pattern I’ll get better. I hope. Honestly I’m feeling a bit rundown this week and in serious need of some ME time.
And because I need ME time, and I’m (as I’ve mentioned) a total dork – this past Monday I bought tickets to see Harry Potter on Sunday. The last movie Mark and I went to go see at the theater was Charlie & The Chocolate Factory – and maybe SOMEDAY I may have interest in going to see something slightly more adult. Which causes me to mention that today I bought Mary Poppins on DVD. I’ve been hungering for it as of late as a result of a recent blog conversation. We went to Toys R’ Us to exchange a couple of Noahs’ birthday gifts and rather than just spending our store credit I went a little nuts and picked up more than I needed. I’ll blame it on a customer service faux pas, my poor math and retail therapy. I hope Noah has some genuine interest in some of the toys we got – otherwise it’s just more clutter.
Tomorrow we go to Franklin Fountain (think Grandees) to celebrate Francesca’s first birthday with her family. I’ve been thinking about having a sundae all week. Yum… fudge. At least they better have fudge. I hate when a place only has chocolate syrup on their sundaes and not thick, warm, rich fudge. There should be some sort of law against that.
And now I have a little bit of a rant brought on in part by this article, and in part by some well meaning advice from my Mom. (Hi Mom! Love you.) I don’t like Ferberizing and I don’t like Cry-it-out. And that may make me a clingy, oversentimental mother who is depriving herself of sleep needlessly – but so be it. I’ve done MORE than enough reading and listening about parenting methods and everyone (including myself and Mark) is going to have to have faith that though I might not be doing what is considered by one or the majority to be “the best method,” I AM adhering to what is best for me, and what I think is best for Noah. At the moment I don’t have the heart to turn a deaf ear on the cries of my son. Some day in the not too distant future I may decide enough is enough and abandon the boy in his room to weep his head off, but it ain’t gonna be today. ‘Nuff said.
‘Kay. I best go do something useful for the four remaining minutes before Noah awakes. Have a good weekend y’all.
And because I need ME time, and I’m (as I’ve mentioned) a total dork – this past Monday I bought tickets to see Harry Potter on Sunday. The last movie Mark and I went to go see at the theater was Charlie & The Chocolate Factory – and maybe SOMEDAY I may have interest in going to see something slightly more adult. Which causes me to mention that today I bought Mary Poppins on DVD. I’ve been hungering for it as of late as a result of a recent blog conversation. We went to Toys R’ Us to exchange a couple of Noahs’ birthday gifts and rather than just spending our store credit I went a little nuts and picked up more than I needed. I’ll blame it on a customer service faux pas, my poor math and retail therapy. I hope Noah has some genuine interest in some of the toys we got – otherwise it’s just more clutter.
Tomorrow we go to Franklin Fountain (think Grandees) to celebrate Francesca’s first birthday with her family. I’ve been thinking about having a sundae all week. Yum… fudge. At least they better have fudge. I hate when a place only has chocolate syrup on their sundaes and not thick, warm, rich fudge. There should be some sort of law against that.
And now I have a little bit of a rant brought on in part by this article, and in part by some well meaning advice from my Mom. (Hi Mom! Love you.) I don’t like Ferberizing and I don’t like Cry-it-out. And that may make me a clingy, oversentimental mother who is depriving herself of sleep needlessly – but so be it. I’ve done MORE than enough reading and listening about parenting methods and everyone (including myself and Mark) is going to have to have faith that though I might not be doing what is considered by one or the majority to be “the best method,” I AM adhering to what is best for me, and what I think is best for Noah. At the moment I don’t have the heart to turn a deaf ear on the cries of my son. Some day in the not too distant future I may decide enough is enough and abandon the boy in his room to weep his head off, but it ain’t gonna be today. ‘Nuff said.
‘Kay. I best go do something useful for the four remaining minutes before Noah awakes. Have a good weekend y’all.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
That's where I'm a viking!
Last night was a bad night. Originally there had been plans for me to go out with some friends for Quizzo, but only one person remembered. When Brian called I decided it was probably best I not go out. Noah had been a bit cranky all day, drooling a lot and feeling a bit warm so I had the hunch that he might not go to bed on time for me to make it the bar. It was a good hunch. My plan for the evening after Quizzo fell through was to work on Thank You notes, watch Amazing Race and get to bed early. I started trying to put Noah to bed shortly before 8 pm, and finally completed the task at 10. Whenever it takes that long for me to get him to sleep I end up feeling totally frustrated and last night was certainly no exception. I was too tired to work on notes and I was REALLY pissed off when I realized Amazing Race wasn’t on because of the damned CMAs. (I could go off on a rant here about how much I HATE contemporary country music, big hats, Americana, trucks and macho men but I’ll spare you.) I putzed around for an hour and went to bed at 11. At 1 am Noah woke up crying. For an hour I tried to get him back to sleep, and for an hour he fussed. At 2 I decided we best leave the room so Mark could get some decent sleep. We went into Noah’s room and for the next two hours he pulled the entire contents of the room apart. He emptied nearly every drawer and every cabinet on to the floor and giddily spread it around while I sat half comatose on the floor trying to keep my eyes open. At 4 I was finally able to settle him down and get him to sleep in the guest bedroom so Mark wouldn’t wake us when he got up at 6:30 to get ready for work. When we woke up at 8:30 I was feeling pretty strung out. It was looking to be a long day. Surprisingly I’m not feeling quite as zombified as I had expected. It’ll probably hit me tomorrow morning.
As you know I had built up Francesca’s birthday luncheon as some sort of grand event. Those who know me will attest to the fact that I seldom wear makeup. I’m not skilled at applying it and I honestly don’t like the way it feels on my (bad) skin. Whenever I ‘ve tried to wear more makeup I’ve felt like a clown. Before Noah I’d wear a bit of powder to mask some of my shininess, an occasional coat of nude lipstick and when going out on the town some mascara. Since Noah was born I’ve probably put on mascara less than ten times, and I’m normally too busy running around the house getting a diaper bag ready for me to even find my powder. But TODAY I put on powder, lipstick AND mascara, so you can tell I was worried about making a good impression on the other moms. I carefully picked out my v-neck black sweater that is like 5 years old but still my favorite, a pair of black pants and my clunky loafers. (I decided after looking at photos from the party that my only new sweater was decidedly unflattering since it accentuated my lumpy midsection.) I even put on a necklace AND perfume - which I never wear because I’m worried it will bother Noah. Of course it was all a ridiculous waste of time. There were only two other moms there that I didn’t know and we were all so busy with our kids that I barely got to talk to them. Noah was the only walker in total takeoff exploration mode so I was alone in having to repeatedly chase my child all the way through the house to the kitchen. The other kids actually played together and with toys while Noah stared, pointed and then went on walkabout. Ho hum. Maybe I need to join some sort of Mommy and Me group to meet other moms – but honestly I don’t know if I care to wear lipstick that often.
It seems pretty obvious at this point that Noah is shy. In a new place with new people it takes him quite a bit of time for him to warm up. He spends a great deal of time clinging and watching. Mark worries about it – he doesn’t’ want his son to be as introverted and lonely as he felt as a child. He wants to know what we can do to prevent it. I told him I don’t think there’s much we can do. Sure, we can make sure to get Noah in social situations so that he’s not afraid of other kids and we can instill him with self confidence by lavishing him with love, but I still think his reserved manner in new situations is a part of his innate personality. I’m not at all worried about it. Once he opens up he’s a real charmer with a smile that melts hearts. And I always preferred the shy, smart boys anyhow.
As you know I had built up Francesca’s birthday luncheon as some sort of grand event. Those who know me will attest to the fact that I seldom wear makeup. I’m not skilled at applying it and I honestly don’t like the way it feels on my (bad) skin. Whenever I ‘ve tried to wear more makeup I’ve felt like a clown. Before Noah I’d wear a bit of powder to mask some of my shininess, an occasional coat of nude lipstick and when going out on the town some mascara. Since Noah was born I’ve probably put on mascara less than ten times, and I’m normally too busy running around the house getting a diaper bag ready for me to even find my powder. But TODAY I put on powder, lipstick AND mascara, so you can tell I was worried about making a good impression on the other moms. I carefully picked out my v-neck black sweater that is like 5 years old but still my favorite, a pair of black pants and my clunky loafers. (I decided after looking at photos from the party that my only new sweater was decidedly unflattering since it accentuated my lumpy midsection.) I even put on a necklace AND perfume - which I never wear because I’m worried it will bother Noah. Of course it was all a ridiculous waste of time. There were only two other moms there that I didn’t know and we were all so busy with our kids that I barely got to talk to them. Noah was the only walker in total takeoff exploration mode so I was alone in having to repeatedly chase my child all the way through the house to the kitchen. The other kids actually played together and with toys while Noah stared, pointed and then went on walkabout. Ho hum. Maybe I need to join some sort of Mommy and Me group to meet other moms – but honestly I don’t know if I care to wear lipstick that often.
It seems pretty obvious at this point that Noah is shy. In a new place with new people it takes him quite a bit of time for him to warm up. He spends a great deal of time clinging and watching. Mark worries about it – he doesn’t’ want his son to be as introverted and lonely as he felt as a child. He wants to know what we can do to prevent it. I told him I don’t think there’s much we can do. Sure, we can make sure to get Noah in social situations so that he’s not afraid of other kids and we can instill him with self confidence by lavishing him with love, but I still think his reserved manner in new situations is a part of his innate personality. I’m not at all worried about it. Once he opens up he’s a real charmer with a smile that melts hearts. And I always preferred the shy, smart boys anyhow.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Mailings, Mommy dates and Monsters
A tip for the wise: when preparing media kits to be sent to press make sure to check that the folders FIT in the mailing envelopes before you label them all. Duh. And that my friends is what makes me a professional. I’m happy to say however that the salon press kits are complete and will be off in the mail the moment the boy awakes from his nap. I’m not gonna post our work product, but you can check out an article on the salon here. Now I have a break on that front until after the holiday, when my follow-up calling will begin. I can finally get around to doing the thank you notes for Noah’s birthday gifts. And even more mailing fun will ensue! Christmas cards are already on my radar too. I have to get the ball rolling on an executable idea, design, order and mailing list or I’ll be mailing them in February.
Noah’s pal Francesca turns one next week. Her mom is holding a Mommy luncheon tomorrow at her home. Maybe I’ll meet someone interesting for future play dates. Someone cool, but not too cool to hang with me. Someone smart and interesting but not so smart and interesting they think I’m a dullard. Someone funny who needs someone to laugh at their jokes. Someone who lives nearby and is home with their one year old but doesn’t fit the quintessential SAHM mold. Maybe I’ll meet Mrs. Mommy Right. I’m such a DORK. I’m already stressed out about making a good impression and not having anything to wear. There isn’t much I can do on the wardrobe front anyway so I don’t know why I bother. I have to remind myself that one of hidden savings in staying home with Noah is clothes and I can’t really go out and buy a bunch of new outfits despite the fact that all I have now are old T shirts and holey stretched out sweaters. I’ll have to live by my cardinal rule: when in doubt wear black. Even if it’s just a stretched out long sleeved T. Still tres’ chic. Right?
Time for a Noah tale. One of the gifts Noah received for his birthday was a Hokey Pokey Elmo. And though my first inclination was to send it back to the shrieking pits of hell from whence it came, I figured the boy would probably like it. For some odd reason small children are inexplicably drawn to Elmo like Fishtown teens to Oxycontin. Noah certainly seemed to like the look of Elmo. He kept gesturing towards the box where it was perched on the steps to be taken up to his bedroom. So I activated the hokey pokey mode and kiddie Armageddon ensued. Though initially enchanted by the singing when Elmo MOVED Noah started squealing in abject horror. He turned beet red, screaming and crying – honesty afraid for his life. The only other time I saw this severe a reaction is when he put his hand in the Halloween candy bowl at Party City and the withered plastic corpse hand touched him. The cashier had to move the bowl under her register before I could get him to calm down enough so that we could finish our transaction. Needless to say we’ve put Hokey Pokey Elmo away for the time being.
Noah’s pal Francesca turns one next week. Her mom is holding a Mommy luncheon tomorrow at her home. Maybe I’ll meet someone interesting for future play dates. Someone cool, but not too cool to hang with me. Someone smart and interesting but not so smart and interesting they think I’m a dullard. Someone funny who needs someone to laugh at their jokes. Someone who lives nearby and is home with their one year old but doesn’t fit the quintessential SAHM mold. Maybe I’ll meet Mrs. Mommy Right. I’m such a DORK. I’m already stressed out about making a good impression and not having anything to wear. There isn’t much I can do on the wardrobe front anyway so I don’t know why I bother. I have to remind myself that one of hidden savings in staying home with Noah is clothes and I can’t really go out and buy a bunch of new outfits despite the fact that all I have now are old T shirts and holey stretched out sweaters. I’ll have to live by my cardinal rule: when in doubt wear black. Even if it’s just a stretched out long sleeved T. Still tres’ chic. Right?
Time for a Noah tale. One of the gifts Noah received for his birthday was a Hokey Pokey Elmo. And though my first inclination was to send it back to the shrieking pits of hell from whence it came, I figured the boy would probably like it. For some odd reason small children are inexplicably drawn to Elmo like Fishtown teens to Oxycontin. Noah certainly seemed to like the look of Elmo. He kept gesturing towards the box where it was perched on the steps to be taken up to his bedroom. So I activated the hokey pokey mode and kiddie Armageddon ensued. Though initially enchanted by the singing when Elmo MOVED Noah started squealing in abject horror. He turned beet red, screaming and crying – honesty afraid for his life. The only other time I saw this severe a reaction is when he put his hand in the Halloween candy bowl at Party City and the withered plastic corpse hand touched him. The cashier had to move the bowl under her register before I could get him to calm down enough so that we could finish our transaction. Needless to say we’ve put Hokey Pokey Elmo away for the time being.
Monday, November 14, 2005
This babies made for walkin'
The following are some action photos taken in the last week. Walking the dog. Walking in the park. Walking in the woods. As you can see Noah is ALL into this walking business. He wants to GO and GO. It makes me feel bad trapping him into smaller playzones with gates - especially after he spent his entire visits to both my Mom and Dad's place walking around their houses in circles.
This weekend we taught Noah how to go down steps backwards. I figured it was safer then just trying to prevent him from throwing himself head first down the four steps from the kitchen to the dining room. It only took a couple times walking him through it (get down on the floor, move your knees down, now your feet, now your hands) before he got it. I am constantly amazed by his capacity to learn and master new tasks. At what age do we lose that? I wish I could still learn as quickly as a one year old. Of course I'm potty trained - so I'm still a few steps ahead of him.
This weekend we taught Noah how to go down steps backwards. I figured it was safer then just trying to prevent him from throwing himself head first down the four steps from the kitchen to the dining room. It only took a couple times walking him through it (get down on the floor, move your knees down, now your feet, now your hands) before he got it. I am constantly amazed by his capacity to learn and master new tasks. At what age do we lose that? I wish I could still learn as quickly as a one year old. Of course I'm potty trained - so I'm still a few steps ahead of him.
Noah hasn't been showing any interest in playing with toys, he'd rather run in circles and pull things out of cabinets. The only exception to this rule is THIS dog. He received it as a birthday gift from Carol who lives across the street. She stopped by with it after I merely mentioned that he was about to turn one - so sweet. She's a practicing Grandma who obviously knows her stuff because Poochie and Noah were in love at first sight. Patrice and I were in disbelief today when we realized that both Bella and Noah were in love with this same dog. Great minds think alike.
When the blog lifted
I get anxious when I don’t blog regularly. I feel like I’m out of my routine. That there is yet another thing I'm not getting around to doing. That I’m falling out of touch with the world around me. I also just miss it. Miss taking the opportunity to take a step back from the daily goings on and my inner workings, to think about them, to sum them up.
I’ve been real busy for the last week. A combination of missed naps, freelance work, family obligations and household chores have prevented me from blogging. And I can’t really blog too much today either since oddly the man pounding on our roof at full force is a bit distracting to even the sleepiest of one year olds. But I wanted to let you know I was thinking about blogging and writing lots of entries in my head. And hopefully soon I’ll get something down. Or at the very least some new pictures posted.
I’ve been real busy for the last week. A combination of missed naps, freelance work, family obligations and household chores have prevented me from blogging. And I can’t really blog too much today either since oddly the man pounding on our roof at full force is a bit distracting to even the sleepiest of one year olds. But I wanted to let you know I was thinking about blogging and writing lots of entries in my head. And hopefully soon I’ll get something down. Or at the very least some new pictures posted.
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