painting to stay(?) sane

Mikro's further adventures

2011-05-20T19:36:00.001-04:00

Test

2005-12-02T14:30:00.000-05:00

To see if this post gets forced to the end of my blogroll. Why does that happen and how do you fix it?

Mikro at 30 months

2005-10-14T14:12:00.000-04:00

Mikro sometimes talks in his sleep. Some of the things I've heard in the middle of the night while he was asleep next to me are: a recitation of car names, a request to watch NASCAR IMAX, Calliou or Teletubbies, a list of the Teletubbies and what color they are and their favorite things, "Teletubbies [love each other] veddy much!", Mama Daddy Baby, "want yogurt, abeddy [blueberry] apple!" "

The Littlest Jedi

2005-05-18T13:43:00.000-04:00

Kevin and I met because I wore my Darth Vader costume to high school on random days for the fun of it. He is a detail freak and couldn't resist picking on the accuracy of my costume. We had a light saber duel on our first date. So it just figures that eventually Mikro would join in the fun...For the curious, this is me & Kevin at the NYC premiere of Return of the Jedi:Kevin gets to see Revenge

Mikro at almost 25 months

2005-05-12T17:09:00.000-04:00

Mikro is sacked out on the couch, snoring. Given half a chance, I could be, too. We had a late night. Kevin had to run to his mother's to help her out with something and did not get home till after 11pm. (He's heading there again tonight, sigh.) Boy was still up and got his second wind from seeing Daddy. I think he finally let us sleep around 1 a.m.Then he got up an hour early this morning.

Boxed In

2005-05-03T13:45:00.000-04:00

The spite fence is going up. I call it that because on the other 3 sides, it will be at most three feet high. On my side, it will be effectively nine feet high, because they are erecting a 6 foot fence on top of a three foot difference in property height reigned in by an existing retaining wall. The beautiful retaining wall my husband spent a ton of money and sweat on. It could have been ugly

Happy Birthday Mikro!

2005-04-18T07:05:00.000-04:00

My amazing little guy is two years old! It seems like yesterday that I held him for the first time. He's still more baby than boy, but I can see how quickly he's growing and changing. Happy Birthday, Mikro. I love you with all my heart and soul. Your smile is my favorite sight, your laughter my favorite sound. Your mama is very proud of you, baby!

Motherhood and PTSD

2005-03-21T13:33:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, someone told me that they think that my diabilities may be holding Mikro back... Essentially, that I am an antisocial anxiety ridden freak, and may be turning him into one. No, it wasn't that tactless, but that is the gist of it.My kid is not in daycare. I just don't see why I need to pay for someone else to deal with him when I am a stay at home (disabled, nonworking, somewhat

Alternatives to Chocolate Bunnies

2005-03-15T14:30:00.000-05:00

Kevin sent me a link to Chocolate Deities. They offer chocolate goddesses, buddhas, totem animals, a celtic cross, and a very cool nursing mama with babe! I want the nursing mama, but I probably would like it too much to eat it!

How to Make Mikro Dance

2005-03-08T02:21:00.000-05:00

Commercials he cannot resist:The HP photo printer Picturebook songThe Happiness Runs in a Circular Motion songThe car commercial with the Kill Bill themeThe car commercial with Should I Stay or Should I Go.His technique is improving. He now moves his arms instead of merely rocking back and forth from one leg to the other like a demented gingerbread man.Long time no blog. We were all down with

Boy Meets Snow

2005-01-23T14:06:00.000-05:00

Mikro went out to play in the snow for the first time ever. It was a bit too windy to stay out long, but he took 4 or 5 rides down the hill, courtesy of his daddy draging the sled along (there is video...). He enjoyed walking in the snow up until he fell flat on his poor little face and got cold and started crying, after which the adventure ended and we brought him inside to warm up and

A Merry Mikro Christmas

2004-12-27T17:54:00.000-05:00

At 21 months, Mikro still doesn't understand Christmas, but he does understand new toys... He was spoiled rotten by mama & daddy, and the grandparents. I gave him a wooden workbench set (which I'm making him wait another couple of months to open), a wooden kitchen stuff set (tea pot, frying pan, spatula, eggs sunny side up), a cool town with track for cars and monorail and stuff (which

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!

2004-12-24T22:47:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, Blessed Yule, Happy Holidays to all! May 2005 bring you joy!

Off Color Holiday Funny

2004-12-23T16:15:00.000-05:00

This is Rated R for language, but it almost made me pee my pants laughing. A bit of rude cartoon social commentary on the secularization of Christmas... Neurotically Yours Cartoon: No Christmas For You!" My tree is still not up. It's sitting in a box in the attic, waiting for Kev to go get it. I am deathly afraid of falling, and the pull down ladder is on the rickety side, so I am waiting.

Mikro-isms

2004-12-20T17:14:00.000-05:00

Mikro is not exceptionally verbal. He has some words, but he babbles constantly in what seems like a language Kevin and I do not understand. He points, he grabs, he pulls up my shirt, and he growls. We try to get him to repeat words, but he's not real interested. The words he does have, he uses correctly, in context, and sometimes in new and surprising but proper ways. He says: mama, dada, baby,

Tis the season or just call me The Grinch

2004-12-10T19:11:00.000-05:00

But I'm not particularly jolly. I've done about two thirds of theholiday shopping, but I have yet to write out a single card. First, the happy. Here's my (if I ever actually get them done) Christmas card photo of MIkro at 20 months old: Life seems horribly complicated at the moment, with changes being made to all possible forms of insurance, hub being hugely stressed out at the job (and

My Two Cents

2004-11-03T16:01:00.000-05:00

Just something I am pondering. I tend to follow my father's advice that the best way to avoid an argument is to keep your mouth shut about politics, religion and money. But being that everyone else has posted an opinion, here comes mine. It seems that you can sum up an awful lot of the curent "political discourse" as follows: If you don't agree with me, then... According to the Far Right:

Happy Halloween!

2004-10-31T20:08:00.000-05:00

Leaves are Falling...

2004-10-15T14:14:00.000-04:00

Time seems to be flying. Mikro will be 18 months old in just a few days. It's already getting chilly, and the leaves are changing. Mikro loves the bright yellow ones. We are not ready for winter here. The fence is still not up, and the ground will soon be too frozen to dig postholes. The electrician never came back to finish the garage portion of the job (which involves trenching), and

Updating Mikro's Baby Book

2004-10-11T21:20:00.000-04:00

There is a new entry up in Mikro's Baby Book with lots of photos...

I Will Not Die an Unlived Life

2004-09-16T13:07:00.000-04:00

A family member is in critical condition, and not expected to pull through... What makes this even sadder is that the person in question has led a very limited life, you might even say, hasn't ever really lived at all. She's a year older than me, and there is nothing that can be done for her. I feel powerless, and very sad at how much she will have missed out on. That is something I really

Photographic Odyssey

2004-09-15T18:40:00.000-04:00

From Mikro's recent train travels... Riding the rails with Dad: Nursing on Metro North: Easily amused with shredded napkin confetti: And from last month's jaunt to my parents' place: Swinging Fool: Cavorting:

Family Wedding, with Toddler

2004-09-14T18:52:00.000-04:00

This past weekend we travelled to the Jersey Shore for a family wedding. It was an extremely long trip involving two different railroads, several cabs and about eight hours round trip, which was an interesting experience with a sixteen and a half month old... He actually travelled quite well. He ate alot of yogurt, drank water, and slept only a tiny fraction of the journey. He flirted with

Mikro at 16 months

2004-09-07T11:55:00.000-04:00

I haven't written an entry about Mikro in what seems like ages. Time to do that. He is just a sweet, loving amazing little boy. At my parents' place last month, he learned to wave and say "Bye bye". He is just so proud of himself for learning this, that he does it all day long. He also thinks he is quite clever for learning how to clap, and he applauds the TV, claps along with laugh tracks,

September?!?

2004-09-01T12:12:00.000-04:00

How can it possibly be September already? This summer just evaporated. I don't know where it went. Fall is my favorite season, so I'm looking forward to crisp cool afternoons wandering around the reservoir with Mikro in his stroller and watching the leaves changing. What I'm not looking forward to so very much is my upcoming 39th birthday (although, having nearly been killed once, I am

Time Travel of a Sort

2004-08-30T14:06:00.000-04:00

Feels like I have travelled back in time to the fourteenth century... or at least the early 1980s. I've just spent two weeks without access to a computer, while staying at my parent's place. They see no need whatsoever for modern technology. I have definitely had withdrawal like symptoms. At one point I even called my husband and demanded that he read me the latest entry from one of my blog

Help! Laid Siege By Fleas

2004-08-12T16:03:00.000-04:00

Apparently my dear doggie has brought home some nasty little hangers-on. And I suspect that they are now living in my couch. Does anybody out there know how to get rid of fleas in a baby safe manner? Help!

Mama Drama

2004-08-09T15:08:00.000-04:00

I haven't spoken to my mother in almost two weeks. Usually we talk every day. Our last conversation was an attack on my parenting, and I'm just not volunteering for any more abuse. But it saddens me. Most of my life, my mother has been my best friend, and has admired my independence. Now, all she does is berate me for not following 40 year old parenting advice. She thinks breastfeeding and

Oh Where Oh Where Has My Sanity Gone....

2004-07-30T18:37:00.000-04:00

My house is upside down with electrical work going on, and my dining room art space is a cluttered mess. But the good news is, we've been talking about wiring my studio (the garage) so I can use my kilns for, oh, five years now, and by this fall, it will actually be a reality! (It's a two step process, involving upgrading the electric service, a concrete floor getting poured in the middle, and

Happy Blogiversary to Me

2004-07-24T17:59:00.000-04:00

It has been a whole year. I can hardly believe it. A good, but exhausting year. My son is a toddler now. It seems like only yesterday that he was a funny looking little newborn, and this was a brand new blog. Tempus sure does fugit! Today I am nursing a painfully scratched eye, which seems to be highly sensitive to light, courtesy of Mikro's attempt to claw it out. Ouch. My husband is

The Incredible Non-Sleeping Boy

2004-07-23T13:27:00.000-04:00

Just checking in. It's been a hard week, because Mikro's routine has been disturbed, and his sleep is completely erratic at the moment, which means we are both exhausted and crabby! He had his 15 month Well Baby Care visit, and he's now 31 inches tall, has a 17 and 7/8 inch head circumference, and weighs 21.5 pounds. Poor guy got four shots and had a blood test. He was screaming hysterically

Mood Absorption

2004-07-15T13:23:00.000-04:00

I think I am a toxic mood absorption sponge. When I am around someone who is depressed or pissed or miserable, it feels like I get infected with their bad mood. Kev is in a lousy mood, and it has rubbed off on me. Things are not real happiness, rainbows and fluffy bunnies here at the moment. Sigh. My tendency is to just withdraw and then into a depressed lump on the couch, but I'm trying to

Where I've Been and Where I'm Going

2004-07-10T22:45:00.000-04:00

It seems like its been a really long time since I updated. Let's see if I can fill in the blanks. Mostly, I've been painting and sketching, and dealing with cranky teething boy. On Saturday July 3rd, we went to Home Depot and made them considerably richer, ordering a four ton load of landscaping materials. We just stayed home on the Fourth, because we didn't think Mikro would do well at

Painting again. Yay!

2004-07-01T13:30:00.000-04:00

It's just an underpainting, done with no pencil sketch, all brushwork, but at least it's something. You can see it on my live journal. Speaking of photos, thought I would post a couple of Mikro with the grandparents. Here's Grampa: And here is Nutty Gramma (yes, we call her that, and it was HER idea!), when she was behaving herself: Now if blogger behaves and actually displays them

The Grandparents Were Here, Now Get Me a Drink!

2004-06-28T10:33:00.000-04:00

My parents were up for a visit this weekend. There were great moments, and lousy ones. Many more good than bad, but some of the bad were doosies. First, the good: Watching my Dad grinning from ear to ear while swinging on a park swing with Mikro in his lap. Dad sending Mikro down the slide. Realizing the amazingly goofy faces my Dad makes to amuse his grandson. Mom with the boy, who she

Diversions

2004-06-21T22:18:00.000-04:00

I'm back from my trip. We went to the Berkshires with a friend for a few days. Took Mikro swimming, and he has transformed from the Incredible Water Hating Boy into a little guppie. He loved it. I tried doing a quick water color sketch for an oil painting I'm thinking about today. Came out pretty badly. Definitely a do-over... I took a few reference photos that may help a bit with the arm

Rest in Peace

2004-06-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

Piper McMutt Sweet Soul, Loyal Friend June 19, 1991 - June 13, 2004 I will love you forever, Piper Angel.

Panic Button

2004-06-10T16:48:00.000-04:00

So I'm sitting at my computer, enjoying a half frozen bottle of water in my deathly silent corner of suburbia, when I hear a car horn honking rhythmically. This is like a flashback to my New York City days, when car alarms at all hours of the day or night were just part of the soundtrack that was my life. But up here is Snoozeville? Damn, I think, that sounds like it's right outside my window.

Funny Bone

2004-06-10T13:21:00.000-04:00

One of the most amazing parenting moments so far has been watching Boyo develop a sense of humor. He's not just giggling over being tickled, or having raspberries blown on his tummy these days. He flips through his board books by himself and will point at an illustration and laugh his head off. He laughs at Saturday morning cartoons, and chuckles at the antics of our silly cats and dogs. He

Learning to Paint People

2004-06-07T21:35:00.000-04:00

Mikro took a nap. And I took a risk. Tried watercolor pencils for the first time, and tried a subject at which I am not very proficient. I am not very good at people. Landscapes, still life, animals, no problem. People? Aaack. And I chose a particularly difficult photo to work from. My son has a smirk on his face which really seems to throw off the expected geometry... So, anyway, here's my

Just Because

2004-06-05T20:23:00.000-04:00

He's the light of my life, my little imp boy.

Painting!

2004-06-05T20:04:00.000-04:00

I actually got to paint today! Didn't happen yesterday, since the boy only napped for half an hour, and that wasn't even enough time to get set up... Today he sacked out for a couple hours, and I got to get my hands dirty. This is the first time I've been able to touch my oils since I found out I was pregnant at the end of August 2002! And since that is what was on my mind, what showed up on

Daydreaming Brushstrokes

2004-06-03T21:37:00.000-04:00

Apparently, my Art Withdrawal Syndrome is full blown. I am actually noodling off and imagining the feeling of a brush moving through buttery smooth oil paint. I miss it that much. And nothing less than oils will provide the necessary fix. Watercolor just doesn't give me the same tactile satisfaction, and while I will sometimes play with acrylics, they just do not get under my skin the way

C'est moi?

2004-06-02T20:14:00.000-04:00

PProudAArtsyIInsaneNNiceTTimelessIInnocentNNaiveGGracefulTTwistedOOrganicSScaryTToughAAppreciativeYYummySSmartAAstonishingNNerdyEExpressiveName / Username: Name Acronym GeneratorFrom Go-Quiz.com Or there's: LLovingUUsefulNNerdyAAppreciativeCCharismaticHHardworkingEExtremeLLuxuriousEElitistName / Username: Name Acronym GeneratorFrom Go-Quiz.com Or:

2004-06-01T21:10:00.000-04:00

If I were a cartoon, I'd look like this: Make your own here. Too tired to post anything halfway coherent, but here is a recent picture of my little monkey:

Memorial Day Weekend

2004-05-30T15:23:00.000-04:00

We're trying to clean up a bit, in anticipation of my sister in law's family visiting tomorrow. We have too much junk. It's really impossible to get beyond a certain unsatisfactory point in bringing order to the chaos, because there is just no place to put some of it away... So, there are stray books, magazines and DVDs in the oddest places my husband can come up with to hide them...

Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop...

2004-05-28T14:53:00.001-04:00

I have spent the last three days on the verge of a panic attack, which I wish would just come and get me already and get it the hell over with. Not knowing what is making me this anxious really sucks. If I could figure out the trigger, I might be able to do something to shake it off. As it is, it's oppressive, and maddening, and it's making my chest hurt. I really hate this. I probably

Masochistic Menu

2004-05-28T11:01:00.000-04:00

5 baby wipes 4 paper plates 3 plastic cheese slice wrappers 2 poopy diapers and a trip to the kennel to think about her sins. Otherwise known as, what the big dog had for breakfast.

Happy Birthday, Little Brother

2004-05-27T14:48:00.000-04:00

My brother turns 37 today. He's throwing himself a huge birthday bash at a nearby water park. We're not going, because we can't get there by public transport. Just heard he's got a major professional opportunity on the horizon. It would involve moving back to NYC, so my parents are against it... I hope my brother makes his own decision. Only down side is, he would be working with a close

Hot & Humorless

2004-05-27T13:06:00.000-04:00

It's hot here, and humid too. The Boy is crabby. As in: Will.Not.Stop.Screaming. I think we have hit that lovely separation anxiety stage. Once again, I stood in plain sight to open the front door and let the dogs out, and the screaming started. Once he gets on a roll, he just goes with it... Sometimes for an hour nonstop. Sometimes he stops for ten minutes, usually to watch a stupid car

Long Days

2004-05-18T18:49:00.000-04:00

About sums it up. Mikro is both teething and going through a separation anxiety thing today. I am not allowed to go pee or make tea without hellacious howling from the peanut gallery. It has been an extremely long day. (I've been saying that since 1030 am...) My neck is horrendously painful, and my dear son is taking great joy in bonking me on the head, attempting to rip my hair out, and

A Bundle of Contradictions

2004-05-14T14:23:00.000-04:00

That's me. I have conflicting feelings about so many things in my life right now. I love being home with my son, and I am privileged to be able to watch him learning and growing full time, but I wish it was by choice. I'm home not because we decided it would be the best thing for our family, but because I was home anyway. Because I am disabled and can't work. It's getting harder and harder

Pest Control

2004-05-13T11:44:00.000-04:00

Ugh. Homeownership really seems to be about swimming for your life against the tide of decay and destruction. We had the place sprayed yesterday for carpenter ants. The termite erradication began last Saturday. I know its purely psychosomatic, but I am itchy and feel like there are ants crawling on me. Yuck. Boyo has been turning into an unfortunately nocturnal creature of late. He was so

Must Read & Dunking Jesus

2004-05-10T11:50:00.000-04:00

Go see Fluid Pudding. It should be illegal to be this funny! She made me pee my pants. (Granted, it's easier to do after the whole pregnancy and childbirth thing, but still!) Hope everyone had a nice Mothers Day. Ours was quiet. Kev bought me brunch, and we took a nice long walk with Stroller Boy. Wierdest thing to come out of mama's mouth this weekend: Uh, did you just dunk Jesus in

Phone prodigy

2004-05-07T12:21:00.000-04:00

Mikro is fascinated with the phone. Not toy phones, mind you, of which he has four. Only the real deal will do. He enjoys button pushing and disconnecting me while I'm talking. Well, he has a new trick. Today he dialed 911. The nice policeman was very understanding, but my cheeks are still red. Not only did we waste his time when there might have been a real emergency, but we also

How To Turn A Vegetarian's Stomach

2004-05-05T15:21:00.000-04:00

Take a product that used to be free of meat and change it, without a big honking notice that you've changed it, so that when I unsuspectingly microwave it, I fill my house with the odor of cooking flesh. Absofuckinglutely gross. Thank you Weight Watchers for eliminating a staple from my lunch menu. Santa Fe Rice & Beans was quick, easy, full of protein, and one of the few fucking entrees you

This is new...

2004-05-04T22:21:00.000-04:00

He can't press the horn on his car yet -- it takes too much force. But Kev was honking it, and he was giggling. When Kev stopped, Boyo grabbed his hand and dragged it back onto the horn. Pretty eloquent substitute for AGAIN! He's also saying dog now, in addition to mama, dada, nay nay, baby (baybay) and big. He flips the pages in his board books and really studies each page, and he's starting

Can't resist that smile!

2004-05-04T21:47:00.000-04:00

I just can't resist the temptation to post a couple of pictures of my happy little guy. His smile just lights up my soul. Like the Grinch, I think my heart grew 10 sizes the day he was born.

Fingerpaintng

2004-05-04T15:38:00.000-04:00

Any time he spills food, he gleefully smears it over any surface within reach... the couch, the high chair, the coffee table, his clothing, me... So I figured, what the heck, let's try him with fingerpaints. Um, no interest. None at all. The paint was already glopped on the paper, so mama starts playing. Next thing you know, the Boy and the little blind dog decide to participate afterall.

Scary

2004-05-03T10:37:00.000-04:00

My husband was trying to call his mom to wish her a happy birthday. He couldn't get her all day Saturday. The strange thing was, her answering machine was not picking up. So we figured that maybe she accidentally turned it off, as my parents have occassionally managed to do. We were a bit worried. We try to call her next door neighbor, but there's no answer there. So, we figure, try again

Slightly More Babyproof

2004-04-29T21:40:00.000-04:00

Our TV is now secured to the wall with furniture mounting brackets from OneStepAhead.com. I love that catalog. They have some really cool stuff, like the Strollex Sit & Stroll carseat/stroller, which really helps for people who take cabs or public transportation, as we sill do. So fartI've backed the car in &out of the driveway a few times, but that's all...

Mikro Update

2004-04-29T18:36:00.000-04:00

He got up on the coffee table and sat there crosslegged watching TV, looking like a mini me. Then he stood up and knocked all the video casettes off the top of the TV. Methinks it's time to bolt the TV to the wall. Pondering: Why do the people I rely on for support have no problem taking anyone else's side but mine? I get attacked on a board. I defend myself. I tell a friend, who tells me I

Judgmental People and AP

2004-04-29T17:14:00.000-04:00

Judgmental people really piss me off. And I really have to wonder why so many people who purport to be AP (Attachment Parenting) are so horribly inflexible and judgmental of other adults. How compassionate are they really with their children when they can feel free to verbally abuse and belittle other people? Or is cruelty OK as long as the victim is over 18? Man, if being a narrow minded

Mikro's Extended Birthday Festivities

2004-04-24T21:27:00.000-04:00

The party goes on and on... Today two of my oldest, dearest friends (the sort that I consider Family) came up to celebrate Mikro's first year on the planet. We had a great time, and the Boy charmed everyone. I'm not going to post photos without their permission, but here are a few from his actual birthday, April 18th, and of him today... His birthday cake, which I did the writing on... His

Baby Has A Fever

2004-04-20T18:16:00.000-04:00

Crap. My mom must have given him her bronchitis cooties, because little guy has a fever, and he's utterly miserable. Crap crap crappity crap... At least he's already set to see the pediatrician tomorrow. He was shrieking and flailing before (and now he's conked out on the couch asleep, thank goodness!), and managed to headbutt me in the face. Hard. I have a fat lip, and my teeth hurt. He

Gramma has Bronchitis

2004-04-20T09:44:00.000-04:00

Yipes. My mom has bronchitis. Mikro spent all day Sunday smooching on her. I really hope he doesn't get sick... Tomorrow is his one year doctor's appointment. I can't wait to find out how much bigger he's grown. The poor kid is having blood drawn, as well as shots, so it promises to be a stressful visit. Kev is taking the day off to go with us...

First Birthday Party

2004-04-19T12:55:00.000-04:00

Mikro's birthday was fun. My parents came up. MIL was sick and couldn't make it. My brother didn't come, but sent tons of presents for the little guy. We had helium balloons, which were quite the hit with the Boy, and a big banner and a cake and good company. My Dad and Kev played on the floor with the Boy and his toys. Nutty Gramma was in heaven with lots of big smoochie kisses from her

A Year Ago Today: Mikro's Birth Story

2004-04-18T10:11:00.000-04:00

April 16th was my "due date", which came and went. I have an ultrasound on April 17th, and they say my amniotic fluid is low. I get a 7/8 on the Biophysical Profile, the only deduction being the low fluid. The previous day, it was 80 degrees here after a week in the 40s, and I sweated like a horse all night, so it would not surprise me in the least to find that I was dehydrated. That said, my

Messy Stressy

2004-04-17T11:33:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is Mikro's big day. The grandparents are coming to celebrate his first Birthday. The house is a mess. It attracts clutter, cat hair and dust like a black hole... We have to clean. Which will almost certainly mean we wind up arguing and generally miserable. It's going to be a loooooong day... Luckily I get to escape briefly to go have lunch with the Crazy ARtists Club to

Walking Boy

2004-04-12T11:27:00.000-04:00

It started with a couple steps here and there, before the Road Trip. Then he was wobbling between the couch and the TV stand. Now he's tottering from one end of the room to the other, moving in circles, and getting more steady on his feet each day. On Saturday, we put sandals on him for the first time and took him outside. He would not walk. He just looked at his feet as if they were alien

Getting Back on the Horse...

2004-03-31T20:28:00.000-05:00

The road trip went well, despite pretty rotten weather. It rained almost the entire time we were gone, but the sun came out blazing bright and beautiful just after we started down the highway on the return trip. Mikro was exceptionally good. I brought a portable bed rail, and he slept in my bed. Never used the portable playpen. We introduced him to the pool, which was a loud screaming flop.

Road Trip

2004-03-23T15:49:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be away for the next couple days. My good friend R and I are going to drive up to her condo in the Berkshires and soak in the hot tub. We're taking Mikro along, and may even give him his first ever swimming lesson in the indoor pool. I really wish Kev was coming along to help out in the pool, but he's in a crabby mood over the turn of his personal decade yesterday... so he's

Passive Aggressive About Laundry?

2004-03-23T14:02:00.000-05:00

My husband hasn't cleaned the cat litter in awhile. Because I have really bad allergies and a touch of asthma, I don't go downstairs to the basement when there is alot of litter dust and dirty litter. So when he doesn't take care of the cat's business, it devolves to him to take care of the laundry. In fact, he orders me to stay out of the basement until he gets around to cleaning the litter.

Happy B-day

2004-03-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Kevin, the boy I fell in love with, the man I married, and my son's absolutely awesome daddy! You are the love of my life, honey!

Crying Over Spilt Milk

2004-03-21T17:44:00.000-05:00

We were getting ready to go up to the mall yesterday to buy a camcorder. We have no movies of the Boy's first 11 months of life, but I wanted to be sure we'd have his Birthday preserved for posterity. We go so seldom that when we do go, we try to run every conceivable errand. So one of the many things on our list was to go to home depot and pick up wood to put a rail on the plant shelf, so

Baseline Dysfunction Level Restored

2004-03-17T17:35:00.000-05:00

My mom called to talk to the boy again. I picked up. Apparently we are pretending nothing happened...

Happy Anniversary! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2004-03-17T12:49:00.000-05:00

Today is my 13th Wedding Anniversary. We got married on St. Patrick's Day and spent our honeymoon in Ireland. On that happy day in 1991, I would not have believed it possible, but the truth is, I love my husband more every year. He has stuck by me through some truly tough times, and I will always be grateful to have him in my life. Here's some wedding pictures... And links to a couple

Snowing, Snarking and Stressing

2004-03-16T18:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday it was 52 degrees F and sunny. Today, there's over an inch of snow on the ground... Still not talking to mom, still bummed out and stress eating like a fool. Boy woke up screaming several times last night. It was gas. We were short on sleep when the dog added to the joy at 5:30 am by having diarrhea all over the floor and then lying down in it. I've been up and running her out the

Creepy Meme Results

2004-03-16T12:17:00.000-05:00

Got this meme from Judy: 1. Enter just your first name into Google 2. Then click the "Images" tab 3. Pick your favorite and post it in your journal. My results were creepy! Seriously Creepy! A tower constructed of skulls. Apparently the photo has been removed.

Women's History Month

2004-03-16T11:12:00.000-05:00

First I heard of it was a commercial on NBC. So, anyone want to tell me, who are your female heroes? I must admit, far more of my heroes growing up were male, which I suspect has everything to do with the school curriculum way back when... Women I can remember admiring as a kid: Clara Barton, Marie Curie, Joan of Arc, Jane Austen, Amelia Earhart. I wish the list was longer. Think I will go

If ... Then

2004-03-16T11:07:00.000-05:00

Just something I am pondering. If you don't agree with me, then... Far Right: You're a traitor / terrorist sympathizer. Far Left: You're a war monger / bigot. Religiously Dogmatic: You're going to hell. My mother: You're a bad mother. My father: You're an idiot. My husband: So what else is new? Me: So what? Life would be so much more pleasant if people could just agree to disagree

Not a Long Enough Distraction...

2004-03-15T15:43:00.000-05:00

My friend C came down to visit today. Her dad just had back surgery and is recovering well. Since she was in the area to see him, she dropped by to visit with Mikro and me. We had some girl talk, and she got to play with Danger Boy, who actually is behaving remarkably well today. Too bad C could only stay an hour. She's got an appointment with her car mechanic. Mikro is now absolutely

Dark Days and Less Than Perfect Childhoods

2004-03-15T11:14:00.000-05:00

I'm walking Churchill's black dog. I am well and truly depressed. I hate being at odds with my mom. And yet, I don't feel I can back down, because she needs to understand that I will not be manipulated by guilt trips, and that attempts to use my son against me in that way are way way out of bounds. Boundaries-- an unfamiliar concept in my family! For the record, you will not get me to do

Dysfunction Freeforall

2004-03-14T14:35:00.000-05:00

My husband is snoring on the couch, the Boy zonked out beside him in his Kangaroo Rocker seat. The house is still a mess and the only thing ticked off the to do list is my dr's appointment. Yesterday I saw my psychiatrist, who is talking about putting me on all new meds once I'm done breastfeeding. This scares me, because I hate drugs, and the new ones sound scary, and because, franky, I'm

Crummy Correlations

2004-03-11T19:15:00.000-05:00

I'm not talking to my mom .: I'm depressed and stressed .: Today I bought Entemanns crumb donuts. So much for my no-refined-sugar vow. Sigh. The perfect way to end a crummy day.

Needy

2004-03-11T10:43:00.000-05:00

Oh, my, Mikro's feeling needy. All day yesterday he cried the moment I set him down. I guess we have reached the separation anxiety stage... It doesn't help that he's pulling my hair, pinching and biting constantly... I hope this is a stage he outgrows rapidly. I'm starting to think about his first birthday party, which will be next month. (He'll be 11 months next Thursday.) It will

Found the Answer to My Question

2004-03-10T13:44:00.000-05:00

Free stats tracking is available via Statcounter.com.

Can Anyone Tell Me...

2004-03-10T13:14:00.000-05:00

I've seen on other blogs from time to time that some bloggers are able to figure out what google searches are leading people to their blog. Does anyone (of the maybe eight people who actually read this) know how to do that?

And A Bit of Silliness

2004-03-10T12:36:00.000-05:00

To the tune of Come On Eileen: Cmon Baboo Well ya know what I do I clean your butt And your peepee too Lie on your back Oh and please don't act whack Cmon Baboo Let me diaper you-oo! Yes, I'm nuts... Editted due to the reaction I got that this was gross to clarify: This is something I sing to my ten month old baby while changing his diaper. I guess I can see how someone might construe it

Whew

2004-03-10T12:31:00.000-05:00

Danger Boy just gave me a bit of hope that he won't land in the emergency room... He just scooted down off the couch on his belly, feet first, as we have been trying to teach him for the last three months. Usually he would just crawl to the edge and proceed to attempt to hurl himself head first into the ground, but today, with no prompting whatsoever, he chose to do it the right way! Woohoo!

We Don't Need No Education -or- A Freak Like Me

2004-03-10T09:58:00.000-05:00

I figured out another reason why my mother pissed me off so much yesterday. Earlier in the day, I had mentioned to her an argument that Kev and I had over the weekend, and she used what I told her to push the same button that he had to hurt me. REWIND: Over the weekend, I was reading the current issue of Mothering magazine, which has an article about Waldorf education. It was interesting, and

Our Weekend To Do List

2004-03-09T19:12:00.000-05:00

Because my brain is made of swiss cheese: -Install wall mounted baby gates on stairway. -Add lip to plant shelf so Boy can't pull massive flowerpots down on his head. -Add center supports to massively overloaded bookcase. -Go see my shrink. To be continued...

Be Afraid...

2004-03-09T18:36:00.000-05:00

Heaven help me. Today Mikro mastered climbing up onto the couch all by himself...

Grumblefest

2004-03-09T18:29:00.000-05:00

I am now in a certifiably foul mood, having had my mother snark at me about my messy house for nigh onto an hour. Ugh. Enough is enough. I am 38 years old. Stop telling me to go clean my room already. Yes, my house is a mess. It is not DIRTY. It is cluttered. Most of the clutter is books and magazines, because my eggheaded husband and his geeky wife actually like -- no, love-- to read,

And Even More Mikro Tricks....

2004-03-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

Today he figured out how to flush the toilet. I can just see my water bill tripling... He has been gleefully tossing my shampoo bottle into the tub for several weeks now. Today he decided that empty toilet paper rolls also belong in there. (I keep a few around to distract him with while I use the facilities... He likes to roll them across the bathroom floor and giggle.) Most worrisome of

More New Mikro Tricks

2004-03-07T13:29:00.000-05:00

Before I forget... He has learned about pushing buttons. I had to disconnect the bedroom phone, because he's dialing it. He now erases my answering machine messages. And he loves changing channels on the TV. He's been playing with the remote for months now, but this week he discovered the buttons on the TV itself, and his mission in life is to tune to channel 3 and watch the static. Eeew.

Grandma's Visit

2004-03-07T13:22:00.000-05:00

My mom went home yesterday. I always hate it when it's time for her to leave. She's not just my mom, she's a buddy. And it's nice to be able to sit down and have a cup of tea with her in real life, instead of over the telephone. But my mom is a serious nervous wreck around Mikro.- She loves him fiercely. But I guess it's been a long while since she's been around a baby, and she has

100 Things

2004-03-03T14:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally made it to 100. Here it is. Probably more than anyone ever wanted to know and then some...

Signs of Spring

2004-03-03T12:40:00.000-05:00

Today the first crocus is open in my shaggy neglected garden. Spring must be near! I can't wait to be spending more time outdoors. I am deep in the throes of cabin fever and really really need some good weather soon. Of course, it's supposed to be warm for he next coupleof days, but constantly raining... Kev and I are at odds because of the inevitable arguments that arise when we try to

Why? and Walking...

2004-03-02T18:06:00.000-05:00

Why is just about everybody I read suddenly password protecting their blog? And without notice, or leaving anyway for people to contact them and ask to be allowed to read, most of the time. What bizarre fear inducing trend have I managed to miss? Or is it just a coincidence? Are people being discovered by real-life acquaintances they would rather not hae reading? Or getting abusive comments?