tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82612348148777752452024-02-22T02:44:54.056-05:00Do Without DoingJust trying to let life happen...VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.comBlogger478125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-12504703338312402452011-09-20T13:03:00.001-04:002011-09-20T13:03:33.326-04:00New Post at the New Digs!I have a new post up over at the new blog.<br />
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http://vablondie.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/expectations-again/<br />
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Don't forget to update bookmarks and readers!VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-20167457739524990702011-09-18T21:28:00.002-04:002011-09-18T21:28:36.337-04:00Taking Action.I do not just talk, I do! I know that I am going to lose readers with the move. That is a fact of life. But my blog has always been a personal thing for me, and I will be better able to grow as a blogger with WP.<br />
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I have new digs over at wordpress!<br />
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`<a href="http://vablondie.wordpress.com/">http://vablondie.wordpress.com/</a><br />
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Come on over and take a look around!VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-17876157907091404122011-09-16T15:01:00.000-04:002011-09-16T15:01:08.070-04:00Thinking about it...I am thinking of making the move to wordpress. I am fed up with the blogger comment system, and third party comment systems are not working for me. I just feel too separated from my readers. I have played with wordpress a little bit, and it seems like it would be a good move. I will be better able to respond to comments, and the blog would be able to grow with me. I just need to play with it enough to get a blog set up the way I want. Hopefully it will happen over the next week or two.<br />
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I had my first run with my other moms on Thursday. It was good. I liked how it felt to run with other moms. It felt good. Looking forward to the run next week. The pace was good, and I probably could have run longer, but I did not want to overdo. Now I really ought to sign up for the race.<br />
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I have been recording food with WW again. I may even have a IRL person I can get support from. That will hopefully help both of us stick with it and succeed.<br />
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My weekend is going to be slow. No babysitters are available, so we are doing date night at home. But our stay-cation is next week, so we will get more time together then. <br />
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Hope your weekend is relaxing and fun!<br />
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Now I am going to enjoy the last of nap time while it lasts.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-18707653908717612162011-09-15T13:13:00.000-04:002011-09-15T13:13:25.789-04:00Naptime battles. Again.I know this child is tired, but he will not go to sleep. I have spent the past hour waiting for him to get tired and go down for a nap. The only way he will remotely be sleepy is in my lap sucking on an empty boob. I did not have the patience to deal with that today. At least not until I had something to eat.<br />
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I finally decided just to put him in the crib and let him cry, as that seems to be the only way today. He fell asleep in the car on the way home from playgroup, and he got just enough sleep to make him feel more awake. I hate it when that happens. So I have escaped downstairs where the crying is not nearly as loud. Apparently it is the end of the world that he is in the crib by himself, awake. <br />
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I suspect I am going to have to go in there and get him out and let him sit in my lap until he actually falls asleep. Because he is still crying hard enough to bring the house down. Sigh. But I am going to finish my lunch first.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-84432917714457839682011-09-13T13:34:00.000-04:002011-09-13T13:34:38.881-04:00Touchy Feely Tuesday.<ul><li>I finally manged to run a 1/2 mile. It was probably one of the slowest 1/2 miles ever, but I did it! I actually ran three 1/2 mile stretches today during my work out. Gives me hope that I can actually do a 5K by Thanksgiving. Especially with training.</li>
<li>Grocery shopping was a mess today. My mother had a hair appointment this morning, but she still wanted to watch Little Guy while I shopped. So the store was crazy by the time I go there. It was senior discount day, so the older set was out in force. I managed it, but I forgot a few things, so I still have to go back and get the things I forgot. At least I got most of it.</li>
<li>I know there was other stuff I wanted to talk about, but that is all I can remember. </li>
</ul>VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-66190482392721777232011-09-10T19:50:00.000-04:002011-09-10T19:50:04.612-04:00Saturday Night Musings.We are having a date night at home tonight, and Hubby is off getting provisions. BWW and alcohol. One advantage to date night at home is that everyone can get a little tipsy, and no one needs to worry about driving home. Just sayin'.<br />
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I think I may have one of the most active children in my mother's group. My guy was the first to take off running, and he ran off twice as much as any of the other children. One mother of another active boy told me that she thought her child was bad, and then she saw my child. Sigh. I guess that is the cross I have to bear. Maybe the next child will not be as active? We can only hope?<br />
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The baby wearing play group was a success! Everyone wants to do it again next month. I am pretty excited. I think it went really well. The mothers who tried carriers really liked them. Hopefully I converted a couple of people.<br />
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I am also excited about training for a 5K. There is interest in my mother's group to train for it, and I am going to do it. I was already running, anyway. This will just keep me motivated and on track. Hopefully.<br />
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We meant to take Little Guy to the zoo today, but Hubby made a wrong turn. Instead, we took Little Guy on a walk on a trail I learned about recently. (Um, from my mother's group, incidentally. I sense a trend...) It is a really nice trail, and we think that we need to go there with the dogs sometime. Now that we have the minivan, we have room to take the baby and the Great Danes. I think we are both pretty excited about it.<br />
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Surprisingly, both Hubby and I enjoy driving the minivan. The sienna is really fun to drive. It feels big, but it does not feel like you are diving a van or a truck. All of us really like it.<br />
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I finally figured out how to download library books to my nook. Thank goodness! That will help me not spend as much for books for my nook. I am on my third book from the library. All free, and I did not have to go to the library to check them out. Love it!<br />
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Off to put my feet up on the couch and enjoy a night in with the Hubby!VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-22770486876858012072011-09-08T14:29:00.000-04:002011-09-08T14:29:54.272-04:00PrioritiesI think this fall I am going to look at priorities and only spend time on those things which are good for me.<br />
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I really want to try to make myself a priority. Both physically and spiritually.<br />
I plan to try to continue with my running goals. I will really try to run three times a week. It should be do-able, as I am at the gym twice a week for swim lessons, and I can get there at least once on the weekend. I may also try to swim once a week, too. That feels good. I may also train with other mothers in my mother's group for a 5k run on Thanksgiving. Hopefully that will keep me motivated.<br />
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I also want to get back to church. Get religion back. I have sort of missed being involved in church stuff. And my weeks go a little better when I go to church. There is a Sunday school class I am interested in attending. They have nursery during Sunday school, so it could work. It would mean switching the day I do my grocery shopping, though. I may try to do it Tuesday. My mother has volunteered to watch him while I grocery shop, when she is in town. When she is not in town, I can use the carrier and go early-ish in the morning.<br />
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I also want to stay involved in my mother's group. Which means dropping some activities for Little Guy. Like story time, which was a fail. He is way too physical at this point. He was into everything except the story. Sigh. So I am not doing it any more, which allows me to do more things with my mother's group. That will be good for me, as it gives me a support system. And better for Little Guy, as we can do more active stuff.<br />
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I know there was something else I wanted to write about, but the baby woke up from his nap when the dog barked at nothing. Baby has been crying off and on for the past half hour as I wrote this blog post. He really needs more sleep, but I do not think it is going to happen. Stupid dog, ruining a good nap time. It was awful putting him down this afternoon, and now he will be tired because his nap was too short. Mommy is not happy. Off to get him up...VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-73712831441209867562011-09-06T19:56:00.000-04:002011-09-06T19:56:31.893-04:00Touchy Feely Tuesday<ul><li>Still really liking the new minivan. Had no idea that the sliding door windows came down. Not only do I have automatic sliding doors, the windows on those sliding doors open. What won't they think of next?</li>
<li>August was hell on my weight and on my running goals. I am back to running a little over 1/4 mile. Does not help that I have a small cold. I think it is a cold. It could have been the zyr.tec. Starting to feel better now that I am taking something different. Hopefully alle.gra will not be so bad.</li>
<li>Had a lovely Labor day. I had the day off and got to be a little lazy, or at least as lazy as a 20 month old will let me. My parents took Little Guy to the park in the morning, and we took him to the pool in the afternoon. He slept well.</li>
<li>Today was sort of a light day. I went to the gym this morning, and then we visited my parents. After nap, we wandered around the wal.mart. That is about it, really.</li>
<li>My first play group with my mother's group is this Friday. I think I am going to have people show up, as one person has already RSVP'd. If not, I am not going to sweat it. </li>
<li>Our first story time is this Thursday. Not sure what to expect, but it is for 18-24 month olds. Other mothers say that it is a lot of fun. We will see. I am a little concerned that Little Guy will not take direction well, as he is wont to do. At least I am not out any money if it does not work out.</li>
<li>Swim lessons start next week. That should be a lot of fun. He loves the pool!</li>
<li>I think that is enough bullets for this week. September seems to be getting into gear!</li>
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</div>VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-65078111933600288562011-09-01T14:27:00.000-04:002011-09-01T14:27:01.555-04:00Finally made it to September.But it was close! I think August was trying to do me in.<br />
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This week brought an ear infection, and my period. Fun times over here.<br />
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Things are starting to look up, though. We now have a new baby sitter to add to our small list of sitters. She is sitting for us this Saturday. Our first weekend date night in a month! Both of us are looking forward to it.<br />
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I also have labor day off, so I only work one day next week. Hooray for holidays!<br />
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I actually managed to take the jogger stroller out. Finally. Unfortunately, it was over 80 degrees, there was a big hill at the beginning (and end) of my route. Jogging outside is a completely different experience than jogging on a track. And trying to manage the stroller on top of that! Needless to say, I did not run a whole lot, though I tried. I did get in about 2 miles overall, so it was still a bit of a workout. I may try a different trail and see if that works. I also may try somewhere I can let Little Guy play on a playground after the run. It is only fair. And it may give me a chance to stretch after my run, which makes my body feel better. Need to think on this more...<br />
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I am going to try to hit the gym this afternoon. Considering he is just getting to sleep for his afternoon nap, I think that fits in well with the gym's schedule. It is much easier on my body jogging without the stroller. At I can just zone out at the gym. Then we can hit the pool for a little swim time!<br />
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I also hacked my blog a bit. I am trying a hack which will allow me to reply to comments directly. So if you get email from me or my blog, that is why. If I do not like it, I may remove it. But I do think it is stupid of blogger not to have that option for the comments. Overall, I love blogger, except for the inability to respond directly to the people who comment on my blog. That is about the only reason I would move to wordpress. I like how wordpress shows all the conversations in the comment section, too. Why is blogger so resistant to conversations in the comment sections?<br />
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Anyway, I am really glad this week is almost over. I get to go to the zoo tomorrow morning, and then our housekeeper comes and cleans our house! I love having a clean house. Even if it is only clean for 5 minutes.<br />
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VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-24047485356161980202011-08-29T20:44:00.000-04:002011-08-29T20:44:23.000-04:00And this week starts with....An ear infection. Sigh. I am so over August at this point. I want it to be September so badly, I keep thinking that next month is October. <br />
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It can only get better, right? The silver lining to today is that I got an unexpected day off to take the Little Guy to the doctor. I got caught up on some chores and baked chocolate chip cookies. So the day was not a complete loss. And I get Labor Day off.<br />
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Tomorrow I have to redo my pap, which was unable to be done at the time of my yearly appointment, because of AF. Hopefully the appointment will not take too long, and Little Guy will go down for a nap in the afternoon.<br />
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I am vetting a new sitter with the baby and dogs on Thursday. Hopefully she can sit on Saturday. Our date nights are important to our marriage. It gives us a space to be husband and wife rather than mommy and daddy. And we really need that, so our date nights are more than a luxury. I know that we are lucky, and not everyone can do this. I highly recommend getting a sitter, even if it is once every few months. Fingers crossed that we can get a sitter this weekend...<br />
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Friday I have a play date with a mother from my mother's group. We are going to the zoo. I think it is more a play date for the mothers rather than the kids. I think she may have one child around Little Guy's age, but I suspect her children are older. <br />
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I actually really love my mother's group. They are very open and inclusive. They even asked me to share my knowledge of baby wearing and lead a playgroup which includes baby wearing. They all really believe that that only way to make motherhood happen successfully is to support each other. But there are times (like when a mother announces she is TTC) where I can really see how my perspective is rather different. Infertility really skews your point of view.<br />
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I have been driving the Sienna for about a week, and it still sort of feels like a rental car. Everything is so new and then there are all the toys! Bluetooth, XM, and power sliding doors! It is a little unreal that the car is really mine and I do not need to give it back. My mother thinks I should name the car. Nothing comes immediately to mind, though I sometimes think of it as Behemoth, as it is so big. Mini-van is a bit of a misnomer. Minivans these days are not small.<br />
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I wish everyone a good week!VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-5598705571617797122011-08-28T19:45:00.000-04:002011-08-28T19:45:22.525-04:00I give up.I am just going to focus on getting through the end of the month. August is such a weird month, and something always seems to go screw-y during the month.<br />
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It was another weird week. Maybe it was the earthquake and the hurricane threat.<br />
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Monday we managed to pick up the minivan. But it took forever, and the baby got to sleep later than usual. Which meant a cranky baby until we could get him home and in bed. Sigh.<br />
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Tuesday I had an appointment with my plastic surgeon during Little Guy's nap time. I was sort of rushed because I had a mother's group thing I wanted to attend.<br />
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Wednesday I worked.<br />
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Thursday I managed to get the day wrong for my hair appointment. Turned out all right, though. She managed to fit me in. Thank goodness.<br />
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Thursday was also the only day we were able to get a sitter. So our date night was unexpectedly early this week.<br />
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Oh, and I have been purging stuff from closets all week. That has felt really good, and I managed to find my old mac. I have started using that more than the netbook. But the old mac has its downsides, too. It is an older OS, and it is slooow. Still better than the netbook with windows OS which seems to be restarted for an update several times a day. (OK, maybe the netbook only needs to be restarted once a day, but it is still more than the mac OS.) <br />
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The track has been closed all week, and I do not have the jogger. I noticed today that the track will be closed part of this week, too.<br />
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I know that there are some great things that happened over the past couple of weeks. (New car, Monday off, found my old mac. And I planned a play date with another mother from my mothers group.) But the little stuff is getting me down.<br />
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Maybe it is just the time of year.<br />
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I am just going to make it through the next week, and restart in September. I have good stuff planned for September. Story time at the library, swim lessons, play dates with my mother's group. The track should be open again, and I can run. <br />
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I am even going to try my hand at making some footed sleepers for Little Guy. I cannot find any toddler footed sleepers which are not fleece and fit normally. It is driving me a little batty. He does not sleep with a blanket, and the footed sleepers keep him warm when our nights get cool. And the sleeper is harder to take off than any of the two piece pajamas. (That way I get to change crib sheets less.) <br />
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Knit footed sleepers seem like something many toddler parents would love to have. So, Why cannot not find these in toddler sizes anywhere other than old navy?<br />
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I hope your August is better than mine.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-79325299185368900212011-08-24T06:11:00.000-04:002011-08-24T06:11:02.337-04:00Going to hell.Because the road to hell is paved with good intentions...<br />
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I intended to keep up with running this month. I was going to use a jogger I borrowed from my mother and try to run outside. Not so much. The track at the gym is closed this week, and I have not been able to get over there to use the pool. When I did have the jogger, all I managed to do was put air in the tires. I know, it is pretty sad. Running is mostly about persistence, so I really need to keep running. I promise to keep at it and not give up.<br />
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I have not kept up with WW lately. I really meant to start recording after my crappy week, but I still have not started back. Sigh. And I am going to put it off some more. Just because I am lazy.<br />
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Probably the thing I feel worst about, though occurred at my mother's group yesterday.<br />
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One of the mothers was all excited that she had removed her IUD and was going for a second child. She was all excited about the upcoming pregnancy. I wish her all the best, and I hope she does get pregnant quickly. The alternative is not very fun, I would know. Don't worry, I did not say anything to spoil her excitement. (And I do think she is allowed to be excited. Really!) I went with the old adage, and did not say a word. There were other mothers there who could be excited with her.<br />
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I did not say anything, mainly because I was green with jealousy. I wish it was that easy for us. It really sounds like fun. Have sex, make a baby. What a concept! But I have not even had to prevent pregnancy, because the chances of me getting pregnant are slim to none. Probably closer to none, given our history. Sex for us has nothing to do with procreation. Though it is fun.<br />
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And now I get to watch this woman turn up pregnant in a couple of months, and I should probably be all excited about it. Because that is what is expected. But pregnant women still sort of wig me out a little. Maybe because it is another reminder of what should come easily, but does not. It makes me think about what I need to do to get pregnant.<br />
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The experience did seem to highlight differences in fertile vs infertile women. There is definitely an innocence about women who have not had to deal with infertility. They can start out thinking everything is rosy and nothing bad is going to happen. And more often that not, nothing bad does happen. Whereas I, like many infertiles, are rather cynical about the entire process. Maybe even a little bitter about what we have lost. We do not have that opportunity to throw caution to the wind and just go for it. We need a team of highly trained medical professionals in order to even have a shot at getting pregnant. And we know that every cycle is a crapshoot. Most of ART only puts us on a level playing field with everyone else, and something is bound to go wrong with our cycle. That seems to be the way the world works for us.<br />
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That is not to say that infertiles do not have fun with various ART procedures. Though I suspect that there is a good layer of cynicism to the humor. Who would not be able to laugh at hormone pills, injections, and suppositories? After a while, it becomes your normal. <br />
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I guess the hardest part of the small exchange was that I was not able to pretend I was a part of the group of "normal" mothers. TTC is so far from my reality that I really could not connect and contribute to the conversation. I think that is what made me saddest of all. I am just starting to get comfortable with being a mother. Now I have to deal with being lapped again.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-75606982490642152672011-08-22T14:13:00.000-04:002011-08-22T14:13:55.529-04:00Purging.I spent my free day moving stuff out of the house, and moving stuff around the house. Not furniture, stuff. We have accumulated a lot of stuff with the baby!<br />
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I forgot how exhausting purging can be. I feel really tired. I made numerous trips up and down the stairs today. There was a lot of stuff located in the main living area which really needed to be moved out. There was stuff in the basement we needed to get rid of. I even moved moved some of the baby toys into the storage room in an effort to rotate toys and have fewer toys in our living space. (They were toys he was not really playing with right now, so I doubt it will be too big a loss. It is not permanent, anyway.) I even sold a couple of baby things we were not going to use to the consignment shop. And I threw a bunch of stuff out. It was a good day.<br />
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The interesting thing about this purge is that nothing in the house changed outwardly. All the furniture and most of the big things are still there. I just moved out stuff from closets. I also got rid of some of the little piles of clutter, which I have not had time to deal with. I think the house feels a little better. There is still a long way to go. There is still a lot of clutter in the house. <br />
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But I made a step in the right direction. And it felt good. I think I can breathe a little easier. And maybe I will have the motivation to tackle a closet or drawer during nap time one day. <br />
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I even have time for a short break before going to pick up the baby!VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-42386812576465082492011-08-21T14:08:00.000-04:002011-08-21T14:08:28.692-04:00I think I see the light!I finally have a computer again. Thank goodness! I think I was going through computer withdrawal. Though it is not a mac, much to my disappointment. It is a cute little Toshiba netbook, though. Now that I have everything set up, I am much happier. But damn windows is difficult! Why, oh why does windows have to be a pain in the ass to use? When I am installing a program, I do not want to have to OK every damn step in the process. Just install the software. I know that it will probably change a few settings. I am fine with that!<br />
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Anyway, I have a computer again. And I am happy.<br />
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The other nice thing is that I get the day off from work on Monday. That never would have happened in my old job. I am really looking forward to the day off. I plan on putting the baby in day care and catching up on errands I have been putting off. I may also do something about the toy situation. And work out. And walk the dogs.<br />
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I get a new car on Monday! It feels very strange. I have not told many people about getting a new car. Not sure why. Maybe because it does not seem that real. But Hubby and I are both really excited about it. We cleaned out the jeep in order to make the transfer that much easier. I am really excited about the new sienna! I will try to take pics this week and show it off a little.<br />
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What is what is happening over here. I hope everyone has a good start to the week!VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-47128865826276930732011-08-17T19:08:00.000-04:002011-08-17T19:08:48.804-04:00Crap.The verdict is in on my computer. My 2 year old macbook pro is fried. They managed to save the harddrive, but the water my toddler dumped on it destroyed it. So I am now computerless. Unfortunately, I do not know if I can afford anoher mac. I suspect I have a PC in my future. Much to my disappointment. I love mac computers.<br />
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I heard this news after a sucky day at work being extra again. I am starting to get rather frustrated. The people who make the assignments do not seem to care about preferences. It sort of feels like they are not going to let me circulate again. It is rather wearing.<br />
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Just feeling rather down today. Hoping tomorrow will be better. At least I do not have to work.<br />
Off to lose myself in a romance novel.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-29333447047044316962011-08-16T13:51:00.000-04:002011-08-16T13:51:59.955-04:00Touchy feely TuesdayMy computer is now in the shop. I am really hoping that I will not need a new one. I really miss it. The touch screen is just not the same. Though this experience is forcing me to explore the capabilities of my phone and my nook. So I guess it is not all bad. I am not nearly as crippled as I would have been a couple of years ago. Still miss my computer, though.<br />
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FIL is buying me a minivan. So excited. The sienna is great value, so I get lots of cool stuff, like bluetooth and rear facing camera to help me back up. Not to mention all wheel drive, and it it much cheaper than the honda minivan. I think we finally decided on the dark turquoise color. A little funky, and is not gold.<br />
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I am the highlighted mother in my mother's group this month. I get to answer a few questions in the newsletter. It will help people get to know me better. <br />
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I am seriously thinking about making my own conversion wrap. This wrap has the ease of a mei tei, but with wide straps like a wrap carrier. I think I have the sewing skills to do it. My mei tei body ripped, and I cannot use it any more. I really miss it. The person I got the carrier from is insanely busy. (Obimama on etsy, in case you were wondering. Her slings and carriers are divine!) Maybe someday I will get another carrier from her.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-12463517613388349102011-08-15T20:25:00.000-04:002011-08-15T20:25:15.474-04:00Seriously?This is not how I wanted to start my week.<br />
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I had to do discharges today at work. I know it is part of my job, but I always feel like I am being punished when I am not in the OR.<br />
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Then I was unable to work out or walk the dogs. I got sucked into the computer.<br />
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Then the baby spllied water on my computer after I got him home from day care. Now my computer does not work. I know I still have internets, but I still geel crippled with my 'puter. I am using my nook to post this. Not optimal.<br />
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All is not too bad, though. FIL is buying me a Sienna. So I will have a new car soon.<br />
And I am debating making a wrap conversion sytlle carrier to replace my mei tei.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-54894180906291033382011-08-11T13:43:00.000-04:002011-08-11T13:43:47.349-04:00Energy SuckLittle Guy has been a real energy suck recently. It is very frustrating. The time I do have away from him, I have not wanted to blog because I just want to sit in my own space.<br />
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We are in the middle of separation anxiety. I cannot leave him for anything. He cries and gets really upset. I know it is normal, and I am doing all the "right" things. Saying a perfunctory, "Mommy loves you and misses you while she is gone. I will see you later. I love you!" And then quickly leaving. And breathe a sigh of relief that I did it, and try to move on. So hard.<br />
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When he is with me, I have to be right there with him. Most of the time he will follow me if I have to do something. The trouble is that he is into everything! I cannot leave him alone even for a second, or he will get into something he is not supposed to be into. G-d forbid I try to take it away, either. He will pitch a fit. I have started putting him in his crib if he is inconsolable and unable to be distracted. I know he is safe in there, and the worst he does is throw everything out of the crib. I get him out when he has calmed down and is better able to be distracted. <br />
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But the tantrums are horrible. He will tantrum at the drop of a hat, and of course, I am supposed to stay calm every time he throws a fit. (Like every five minutes.) Because I am the parent and all that. It just gets hard because after a couple hours of tantrums, I lose my calm. I get frustrated because there is no way I can console him, and he refuses to be distracted. I am exhausted by the end of the day.<br />
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Lately, I think the straw which broke the camel's back is Hubby's grouchiness. Hubby has been grouchy for one reason or another lately. While he does not tantrum like the toddler, he will complain more and get frustrated more easily. <br />
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It just feels like I cannot win lately.<br />
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I wanted to thank you all for the comments on my last post! I really appreciate the encouragement! I will continue to run, as it helps with the stress of the day. I am progressing really slow, though. Hubby thinks I should work on speed first, but it makes more sense to me to work on increasing distance first. Yes, I am very slow. But hopefully by starting slow, I can keep good running form and hopefully prevent injuries down the line. At this point, I am not concerned with winning anything. I just want to finish something!<br />
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I want to try to get out with the jogger at least three times this month. I do not think that is a lot to do. It may not happen at all until next week. We will see how it goes.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-3795130879102059222011-08-06T11:58:00.000-04:002011-08-06T11:58:47.231-04:00Running with BabiesI have not posted a lot about my running journey, but I am consistently running. A good thing for everyone, I think. I can run almost half a mile at at stretch around our track at the gym. I suspect I will get up to a half mile in the next couple of weeks. That is what I am hoping, at least.<br />
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I like running at the gym because it is just me running on the track. I can turn up my music on my ipod and go. I do not have to worry about keeping up with anyone else. And it is a fairly large indoor track, at about 1/8 mile. I have been counting laps, but I may need to switch to keeping track of time. I get zoned out and forget to count laps. I guess I need to buy a watch.<br />
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But the gym's track will only get me so far. I have a suspicion that in order to train for a 5K, I am going to have to get outside and run. I think I have a decent place I can run, not far from my house. It is a bike trail which follows a river, so I am fairly sure that the going will be mostly flat. (I am not up for hills right now, and my neighborhood is all hills. And not small hills, either!) The trail actually starts at the mall, if you can believe it!<br />
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I plan on trying to jog with a jogger stroller. To start with, I am going to borrow my mother's bob. That way I do not have to buy it if I find I hate running with a stroller. I have heard a lot of good things about the bob stroller. Hopefully I can make it work. I like that it has the fixed wheel at the front. And it is the bob with the really big tires, so it can "off road" a little easier.<br />
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Why am I telling you this? Well, I am hoping that you could help me get up the courage to actually get out and run. I would love to hear about tips and tricks for jogging with a stroller. How can I run without losing too much of my form? Is there anything I should beware of? Any info would help!VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-13978321466095414552011-08-02T08:18:00.000-04:002011-08-02T08:18:58.198-04:00Touchy-feely Tuesday<ul><li>Fell off the wagon last weekend with WW. I gave up because I was not happy about having to take classes for work over the weekend. And I really did not want to think about it.</li>
<li>On the bright side, I got Monday off, so it was not too bad. And I do not think I went too far off WW. I still went to the gym when I could. </li>
<li>I cannot believe I am thinking of doing the Drumstick Dash this year. It sounds like it is pretty low key, as a lot of people walk it. So it seems like a good one for someone who is unsure about races. I am aiming for running it. (Side benefit: it helps the local rescue mission.)</li>
<li>I have a long way to go, though. I am not quite up to running 1/2 mile at a stretch. Sigh. I think what I am going to do is seriously consider it if I can run at least 1 mile. So we will see. I need to run more often, though. At least it gives me a goal, which can be very motivating.</li>
<li>Going on a picnic with my mother's group today. I hope that it is not too hot. At least it will wear the Little Guy out. Which is good, because he is napping this morning, so his afternoon nap will be screwed up unless he has a big activity this morning.</li>
<li>I work two days in a row this week. Tomorrow and Thursday. Sigh. At least I get it over with.</li>
<li>Really need to walk the dogs today. I have been very irregular about it. They really do better with a walk.</li>
</ul>I think that is all I have for now!VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-61525042765996474722011-07-29T10:13:00.001-04:002011-07-29T10:13:29.714-04:00some things never change.At the ob/gyn office, waiting on the doc.<br /><br />Babies and children do not seem to bother me anymore.<br /><br />But pregnant bellies still freak me out. VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-39315119275881309982011-07-29T08:54:00.000-04:002011-07-29T08:54:00.875-04:00Summer CampSummer Camp Day 29: If you could live anywhere for one month this summer, where would it be and why? Would you ever unplug from the internet for a month or longer to go on such a trip?<br />
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I would love to spend time at the beach. I like going to the beach and spending a lot of time doing nothing. Before we had Little Dude, I went every year. Or at least tried to go. The Outer Banks is my favorite beach. But only in the less developed areas, like down toward Avon or Hatteras. I cannot stand to see huge hotels or condos on the beach. It rubs me the wrong way, for some reason.<br />
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Unfortunately, I think the days of the relaxing beach vacation are behind me. Vacationing with a child is a lot different. It is still a lot of work. Though there is something nice about getting out of town, and just being somewhere different.<br />
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I do not think I could unplug completely for a month. I am too dependent on the internets. I think both Hubby and I are too dependent on the internet. Even when we go on vacation, we try to find a place with internet.<br />
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See more <a href="http://creatingmotherhood.com/2011/06/30/summer-camper-list/">Calliope's Summer Camp!</a>VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-67718744895984075032011-07-28T08:56:00.000-04:002011-07-28T08:56:11.659-04:00Touchy-feely ThursdayBecause I forgot to do it on Tuesday.<br />
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Everyone is doing better in the house. We are all sleeping better. Baby has even slept through the night the past couple of nights. Not sure where that came from, but I hope it continues. I feel almost human. Not expecting much on that, though. Just trying to appreciate it while I have it.<br />
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Doing better with WW recording my food. The behavior mod has been fun, as I have been able to get a new song the past couple of weeks. It is getting to be habit to do it once a day. I still need to work on eating less, but at least I am recording stuff. Have not been on a scale in a while, though. So I have no clue if it worked.<br />
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I just finished the Trylle trilogy by Amanda Hocking. I went through it in about a week, and it is probably the reason I have been slacking in the summer camp department. I would be more fascinated with trolls than vampires. I have always marched to the beat of a different drummer, I guess.<br />
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Speaking of summer camp, I decided to skip the last two day's prompts. I just do not think that I am a great person to give advice. There are times when I would weigh in the comments and share my experience, but everyone has different experiences. What works for me may not work for you. I also do not watch a whole lot of TV. I usually go for series that are vastly different than my current life. I like the escape factor. Anything else, I just ignore. So I have no idea how to answer a question comparing my life to TV.<br />
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I have a mommy's group outing today. We are going for a stroller walk on a local trail. This should be interesting, as I hardly ever use the stroller, and have never taken a long walk with him in the stroller. I am not sure what to expect. I usually carry the baby on walks. But he likes the stroller, and he might do fine. I am thinking of putting my ergo in the stroller, just in case I need it. We will see what happens.<br />
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Summer Camp Day 28: What size family do you come from, what size family do you want, and why?<br />
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I come from a typical nuclear family. My immediate family was mom, dad, my younger sister, and me. I think it was a good size for a family. My maternal grandparents, and my aunt were in and out of our lives throughout my childhood.<br />
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I liked the childhood I had with a sibling. I think that is why I want a family of four.<br />
When I was in high school I used to joke that I wanted 2.5 children, which was the average at the time.<br />
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Two children are not a huge number, and anything more than three is a little crazy, I think. I want two children, so that my children can grow up with a sibling. I know that means going back to the Wizard for more help, and the whole idea of me bring pregnant again freaks out the Hubby. But at some level I have always wanted two children. After this one I am done. Promise. (If it makes the Hubby feel better, I am even willing to get my tubes tied after the next one, even though I doubt it will matter.)VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-41085899031960446722011-07-26T07:52:00.000-04:002011-07-26T07:52:46.163-04:00More Summer Camp KetchupSummer Camp Day 23: What are your favorite activities to do on-line? Is there more to do beyond blogging?<br />
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My favorite thing to do on-line is blogging and reading blogs. This is where I spend most of my online time, and I even use google reader. Second to blogging is googling various subjects in a simulation of research.<br />
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There is a lot I do beyond blogging. Though I do not always blog about it. I work out regularly, take the baby swimming and go swimming myself, walk my dogs, cooking, shopping, taking the baby to his grandparents, taking the baby on outings like the park, try to attend activities for my mother's group.<br />
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Having a very active toddler makes you active by association. I have just decided to roll with it. It is probably good for me, too.<br />
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Summer Camp Day 24: What is your dream date? Have you ever dated anyone you met from the internet?<br />
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Dream date would be dinner at the fancy steak place in town. It is fun to dress up every now and again. I do not get a chance to do it very often. And we have actually done this, and may do this again in the future. The steak was too good not to do it again. But we are saving it for a very special occasion.<br />
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I have never dated anyone I met on the internet. I met Hubby about the time the internet was starting to take off. So I never really got the chance to do any internet dating.<br />
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Summer Camp Day 25: What did you want to be when you grew up? Why and/or how did that change over time?<br />
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When I was in high school, I really wanted to be a doctor. I think I always wanted a "cool" job and doctor sounded like it was interesting to me. I planned to major in biology, and go to med school right after college.<br />
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Once I got to college, I did end up a biology major, but I decided that med school was too much work. But I loved the sciences. I loved all the cellular biology I was learning. So I thought I would go to graduate school. But I was limited by location. Hubby and I got married the summer after I graduated, and he was still in law school. So I had to attend a school nearby. I did manage it, but I was not that thrilled with graduate school. It is a very lonely existence, and you have to be more in love with your research subject than other people. Not to mention, it is fairly competitive. Publish or perish seems to be the motto in graduate school. So I left the basic sciences.<br />
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We also moved back to Virginia so that Hubby could pass the bar and start his legal practice. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I ended up going back to my alma mater and getting a graduate degree in education. Which I sort of felt was a waste of time. I did not mix well with the other teachers, and I hated teaching in the high school. Sigh.<br />
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So I looked around again. I worked temp jobs for a while until I figured it out.<br />
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And then 9/11 happened. Which shook up everything. My parents were in Northern Virginia at the time, which scared me quite a bit. I ended up seeing a counselor for a while, and she really helped me figure out a lot of things. Including my direction in life. She was the one who brought up nursing school. I looked into it, and applied at Radford. And got in. I felt right, and it came together easily.<br />
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And once I started working in the operating room, I realized that I had finally found my people. I loved the morbid sense of humor, the sarcasm, the cynicism. I finally fit in. And OR nursing jobs are almost every where. So I had no problem getting a job. For some reason, most nurses do not want to do OR nursing. It is way better for me, as I really prefer my patients asleep.<br />
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So I did end up with what I consider a "cool" job. It is just not the job I pictured when I was younger. But it works for me now.VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8261234814877775245.post-66821167654083192552011-07-25T12:01:00.001-04:002011-07-25T13:13:13.014-04:00My expectations were not met.And I am not all that happy about it.<br />
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Today started all right, though I ended up taking Little Guy to the cell phone store. My mom could not do it. Don't know why I bothered.<br />
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Then I ended up shuttling my mom to and from a doctor's appointment because she could not see. That took the rest of the morning.<br />
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She kept trying to talk to me about traveling places with the baby. That is what set Hubby and I off this weekend. So I really did not want to talk about it.<br />
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Little Guy fell asleep in the car on the way home, and now will not go down for a nap. And I know he is tired. He fell asleep in the car. Idiot.<br />
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I have had no time to sit down and set up my replacement phone, and now I have a crying baby who is not happy about going down for a nap.<br />
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All I want is a chance to catch my breath. Without a crying baby in the background, pissing me off. Apparently that is too much to ask today. <br />
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Oh, I forgot to mention that Little Guy woke up at 5 AM. Um, yeah. And I still have not recovered from my crappy sleep this weekend.<br />
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But Hubby and I have talked, and we are better. He was just afraid I was slipping into old patterns. We made up. But we are both exhausted, because neither of us got a lot of sleep that night. And Little Guy insists on getting up early. If he is up, everyone else has to be up, too.<br />
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And now Little Guy has thrown everything out of the crib and is still crying, and the dog wants in. I guess I will try nap time again in a bit. But I am not happy.<br />
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Finally, we have successful nap! Only took about 30 minutes of bawling and tantrum before he finally slept! I ended up escaping downstairs and turning off the baby monitor. It gave me the chance to finally get my phone set up again. VA Blondiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05009448598943286061noreply@blogger.com1