Eight and Nine

Here are two more for the “Top 10” list for winter break. Why do I feel like this list might grow to "Top 20." Lists are fun.

Still kicking myself for not doing an "End of Year" post and so impressed with those of you who did. Would it be too late to write one in February?

Without further ado...

8. Adults Pursuits
Saturday afternoon (and not a moment too soon) I finally slipped out for some “Me” time. I did some leisurely kid-free grocery shopping (Heaven, even if it was Costco the weekend before everyone went back to school and also apparently decided to return their Christmas presents). I went to the mall to spend a gift card (a strand of fake pearls so I can be just like Julia Child—I re-watched “Julie & Julia” over the break, can you tell?).

But the highlight of my day was seeing a movie. Alone. I’m a huge fan of this. There is no haggling over what to see, no discussion of where to sit. It’s just me in the dark, alone, with a muted cell phone and for two hours, nothing and no one can touch me. I used to do this a lot before I had kids.

I saw “Up in the Air,” which was good but not great. I liked its intelligence, the writing was good and it definitely had heart, which for me, trumps everything. Ultimately I think I’m a sucker for any movie that has an Elliott Smith song in it (Oh, Elliott Smith, I miss you). I loved that they paired George Clooney with someone in his nearish age bracket, since it seems that it’s become Hollywood habit to have leading men involved with women who could easily be their daughters. Then I got home and IMDBed Vera Farmiga and hello she’s YOUNGER THAN I AM. She’s lying. She’s totally, totally lying. Right?

9. "Glee," Volume 2
I bought it with a leftover iTunes gift card that I forgot I even had (Christmas in January!). I think I burned a hole in Volume One I listened to it so much. I feel like a bit of a cliché for even talking about this, but it’s that good. It’s that mood altering and it doesn’t involve intoxicants so who can argue? On paper, it sounds absurd. Listening to covers of songs by Van Halen and Journey and Cyndi Lauper sung by teenagers? Riggghhhht. Sign me up! It just…appeals to the musical theater nerd geek in me (which is decidedly not buried very deep).

Maybe watching “Glee” and listening to its music has allowed me in some odd way to relive high school again but on my terms, and with killer, mostly upbeat but often sentimental, so all the better) background music. If I could do it all over I would not care so much, I would not worry so much (I know, so original) and I would definitely eat a lot more. Starvation=not recommended. And also? I should have been in glee club.

At this point, it doesn't matter at all. But still, things could have been so different.

Big Foot in Training and a Day Off

I had the day off today. But a day off is really a day on for me, in that I'm able to get all the things done that I can't do when I'm, you know, working.

I did get to spend two luxurious, blissful, decadent hours at Target, All. By. Myself. Really to me this is a birthday and Hanukkah and Christmas, all wrapped into one, even when all I did was buy thrilling things like paper towels and toilet paper and Pull-ups. Trust me though, it was sheer heaven.

Then it was on to Costco for even more exciting things like milk and cheese and bananas and seltzer and that ever important half and half (for weekend coffee). THEY always get up early on the weekends, it's as if they are AGAINST us or something. So I must steel myself and be prepared and coffee is the best and least I can do.

Finally, it was home to unpack the disaster of a car and squeeze in one (of the hundreds, it's seems) of the backlogged DVRed shows--so much for my grand plans about fall TV, turns out I'm hopelessly behind on everything--Top Chef, Project Runway, Glee...don't even get me started on this sad topic. How will I ever catch up?

There was other stuff too. Laundry, then putting away last week's clean laundry, vacuuming, loading the dishwasher, baking soda-ing the kitchen sink, de-dog pooping the backyard (See, I told you it was exciting!).

And then before I knew it was 3:30 and time to fetch Ellie to go get her flu shot.  I know! Do the fascinating tasks EVER end? The sweet little girl was so brave. She didn't shed one tear for the shot, but limped dramatically out of the pediatrician's office, saying in a pathetic, small voice, "I got foo shot. I have owey."

We circled back to get Leo (I avoid taking two to the ped's office if I can help it). The final stop of the day was Nordstrom, to get new shoes for Ellie. You can say what you want about Nordstrom but I happen to think they have the best shoe department for kids. Or maybe it's just because that's where my mom took me. In any case, they give out balloons, so there's that. Leo was so exhausted by the time we touched down at the mall that balloons were my only hope.

We settled on these and believe it or not they were almost $30 CHEAPER at Nordstrom (than online). I know! When's the last time you uttered that sentence?

But. Ellie, the poor girl, at age 2.3, is...a size nine. Kind of shocking, to me at least. Her foot girth only means one thing. That she is following in the footsteps of my horrifically large feet. And so I pity her. And hope that at the very least she is prepared for the shoe woe that she will face her entire life. When you're fourteen and you ask to see a cute flat (that's displayed as a 5 1/2), it's not so cute when it comes out in a size 11. Just trust me on that one.

So, I'm sorry Ellie. I'm sorry in advance for your large feet.

And I still can't get over the fact that Ellie outgrows her shoes in three months, whereas Leo can wear the same size for a year. I swear his shoes wear out before he outgrows them. To this I can only say, thanks Down syndrome and your accompanying tendency for slow growth! You are saving us TONS of money!

Oh and also? Ellie is quickly closing in on Leo, who at age five wears a sizw 10 1/2. Scary.

We came and had apple juice and milk and wine (you can guess who had what). I made dinner (not from a box or frozen, but this), along with sauteed tofu with my aunt's amazing seasoning mix. It was lovely, if I do say so.

Really, the whole day was lovely. I had a great day "off."

A Frowny First and a Deer in Headlights, Alone

Leo got his first "frowny face" on the weekly report he brings home every Friday.

He apparently "ran away" at recess. A first.

Honestly, I'm shocked it hasn't happened before. He runs away from me almost daily and it's one of the things that scares me most about him. He's much MUCH better than he used to be, but I swear Leo's impetuousness has turned me into a bit of a paranoid mom. I feel like I have no choice, if I'm going to keep him safe.

Anyway, I don't know what daycare and school do to the kids all week but by Friday afternoon they are Thanksgiving turkeys-stick-a-fork-in-them-they-are-done.

And Friday night bedtime (from which I have just returned)? A bit like a battlefield.

I had an unexpected day off today. I assuaged any guilt I had for taking Ellie to daycare (no guilt about sending Leo to school-the guy is kicking you know what there and is doing way better things in kindergarten than he would do at home with little old me) by being pretty productive. As much as I try to relax when I the kids are not home, I find myself a little "deer in headlights," so overwhelmed by the possibility of accomplishment that I end up freezing, not knowing where to start.

Grocery shopping seemed a good beginning and doing it without kids? Well there's just nothing like it.

I never thought the day would come that strolling around Costco and Target by myself with a large cup of coffee would feel decadent and luxurious, but this is my life. And at Target, I bought NOTHING fun (they were all out of the one, adorable orange shirt I wanted to get Ellie), heck, I wouldn't have had to buy anything, in fact would have paid someone just for the privilage of not being bothered by anyone. It is a rare, beautiful thing.

But it almost feels too easy. It's like I've grown accustomed to the whining, squirming, bickering twosome.

Doing almost anything alone now, well it kind of feels like cheating.

Again with the Ear Infection and the Nudity

I think I will just begin titling all my posts “Again with the…” since life just seems to be tumbling the same things over and over again lately, specifically:

Ellie is sick again.

I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. I mean, what's it been? A whole month without antibiotics? Geesh, who do I think I am expecting to go longer than that with a clean bill of health for both kids in the thick of frigid, germy January?

I’ll cut to the chase since I know how boring the sick posts are. They’re mind numbing for me so I can only imagine how tedious they are for everyone else. I honestly don’t know what to do with this kid, at this point. I had to leave work again early yesterday to pick her up after she spiked a fever after her nap. I didn’t think to call the doctor right away (honestly I wasn’t sure it was necessary but the daycare director freaked me out when she mentioned strep was going around and since I just finished a book about a little girl who dies from a virulent strep infection…) Needless to say I ended up bumrushing the doctor’s office. They have this annoying habit of turning their phones off and forwarding them to the answering service at 4 p.m. The receptionist didn’t look too happy to see us, but we didn’t end up waiting too long to see the doctor.

The diagnosis: another ear infection. Damn. Tubes were not mentioned this time but I’m beginning to wonder. I think this might be her sixth ear infection? I forgot to ask but it seems like a lot to me.

I'm not crazy about the idea of Ellie being on antibiotics yet again. I asked the doctor about some of the research I've read about how a good many (can't remember exact numbers here) ear infections resolve themselves without medication. According to him that's true with older kids. Apparently they don't like to mess around with babies.

We came home from the pediatrician's and Miss Pitiful just sat in her high chair refusing any kind of dinner. I wanted her to eat something, since the antibiotics can upset the stomach but she completely refused. With her droopy, watery eyes and little pouty lips—believe it or not she seemed too miserable to even whine or cry- I decided the best thing to do was just let her go to sleep. She was out cold by 7:30.

Meanwhile, Leo seems to be in serious training for a future as a nudist. Once again last night I went in to turn his light off and there he was, snoring, tush pointed straight at the ceiling, in all his naked glory. I dressed him (he stayed asleep, thankfully) and both kids blissfully slept through the night (hurrah!). I knew something was amiss when I saw the crinkled Pull-Up pushed under Leo’s door and sitting in the hallway this morning. At some point in the night/early morning he had stripped again.

Erin is home today with Ellie. That takes a huge burden off me as I have been feeling like the world’s lousiest employee. With the kids off from school due to a snow day on Wednesday I had to work from home (honestly there was nothing I couldn’t do at home that I did at work but the old saying about 95 percent of life is just showing up haunts me, especially in this climate of lay-offs—the last message I want to send is that I am in any way dispensable). I love having the kids in daycare but I can really see the appeal of a nanny.

Worst of all, I hate feeling annoyed at my own kid for being sick.

I feel like this is coming off sounding extremely ungrateful. I just wish there was something I could do to boost her immunity. She eats well, she gets plenty of sleep. She's developed a taste for yogurt and loves smoothies. I've been better about remembering to give her vitamins. What else can I do?

On a lighter note, I am going out for drinks with friends/old co-workers after work tonight. I don't have to rush home to pick up the kids from daycare. And did I mention there would be drinking?