Wednesday, November 09, 2005
I have been eating this stuff called Flax cereal for the past 3 days. This morning it started to taste good.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT SAN DIEGO: UPDATE
Monday, November 07, 2005
It's my first day at work, and I guess, my 3rd official day as a San Diegan (San Diegoer? San Diegite?). So I do know a few more things now.
- It's not 72 all the time. Sometimes it's 68 and sometimes it's 75. A "big warmup" is going from 68 to 75 in 1 day.
- UGG boots are for 68 degree days. (I previously thought they were for 20 degree days.)
- Garages are not for cars. They are living rooms with electronic doors.
- It's really suspect that "Ahnold" Schwarzenegger was elected governor, as nobody claims to have voted for him.
- You can get cheap liposuction done in Mexico.
NOT QUITTING MY DAY JOB
Last week, Don drove my car out to San Diego, and I stayed at home with the kids for 3 whole days.
And I use that term very loosely... I went to work and had babysitting help during the day.
And still. It. Was. Hard.
Let me detail for you, 8 p.m. to 8:17 p.m. on any given night.
8 p.m. Sarah, you need to practice piano before you go to bed. Go do it.
But I want to watch That's So Raven. I haven't watched TV all day, Mom!!!
Go play piano. I don't want to hear about TV.
That's so unfair. Dad lets me watch TV!
GODOIT!!!!
(She storms off to the piano. I hear paper fluttering and angry playing.)
8:02 p.m. Dogs are pacing. They have to go out.
8:03 p.m. Outside with the dogs. Becca comes out. She isn't wearing any pants. Put the dogs on the outdoor chain and get her back inside.
8:04 p.m. Retrieve the dogs. It is now raining. They look forlorn.
8:05 p.m. Drying off the dogs. Sarah is stuck on her new piece. Have to help her through a few measures. Phone is ringing. The machine picks it up. It's our realtor. Have to call her back after the kids are in bed.
8:06 p.m. Forgot Becca has no pants on. Ask her to tell me the story of how the pants got off. I get the runaround from a 3 year old. Ask her where the pants are. She put them in the hamper. Re-pants her.
8:08 p.m. Packing lunch for Sarah. Getting Sarah's allergy meds ready for her. Getting the homework sheet out for tomorrow. Cleaning up dinner dishes. Doing a Spongebob puzzle. All at the same time?
8:11 p.m. Sarah is finished practicing and is taking her allergy medication in front of That's So Raven. She is "starving." Too bad, no eating right before bed. Reprise of "that's so unfair, Dad lets me." We practice the hard spelling words during a commercial.
8:12 p.m. Becca is playing too rough with Eddie. Eddie is growling at her. I send them both to different corners. The dogs spot a cat coming downstairs and take off after it. Phone rings again. It's my mother. I could pick it up, but I don't. I don't want to scare her.
8:13 p.m. Cleaning up the living room. Shoot, I forgot to feed the fish. Start defrosting food. Throw in a load of laundry. Pour a glass of water for Sarah.
8:15 p.m. Heading upstairs with the kids for a bath. Becca climbs on the back of the office sofa, which gets her put into the corner again. Sarah's room is a mess due to an unexpected mid-evening outfit change; help her clean it. Becca gets the first bath while Sarah picks out her clothes for tomorrow. Sort the mail.
8:17 p.m. Call husband on his cell phone and tell him he is the greatest husband and father in the world. Because that's just 17 minutes of it!
IF IT'S GOOD, WE DID IT
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Heck with all this move stuff. Now here's something important. The first Edelman Dykshorn report card that has GRADES ON IT.
We picked Sarah up from school yesterday and huddled around the report card in the parking lot, like kids trading baseball cards.
Then we sang songs about As and Bs all the way to gymnastics! And we went out to dinner and told the waiter! And ate too much dessert!
Funny though. People seem to think that we parents deserve a lot of credit for this. Yes, we do the flash cards and the butt-kicking and the correcting of homework and the setting of rules and limits. But WE did not get the A- in math. WE did not pay attention in class and remain patient with ourselves while learning the concepts. This is Sarah's moment. Not the parents.
As for us, we are happy that simply doing our jobs, is helping Sarah reach what is her own personal potential. (And fearing we are not saving near enough for college.)
And of course, we are happy that we are the most embarrassing parents in the school. Here is the song we wrote after dessert:
- Report card, report card, you make us so fat
- Report card, report card, we love you for that
- With all of your As and Bs, you certainly aim to please
- Report card, report card, only 30 more till the SATs!