Today I woke to a cold, gray, rainy day. I have a pile of work to do to be ready to leave for my conference in 3 days (both on the presentation itself and on laundry, packing, etc.). First thing this morning, Helen leaked poop out of her diaper and all over my bed, so I was changing the sheets for the third time this week.
And yet, every time she sees me, Helen breaks into a big smile, squeals with joy, flaps her arms, and laughs out loud. Yes, I am having a very GOOD day!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Happy Moment for Mom
Okay, it is true. Parenting is mostly just hard work. But those few shining moments, brief though they may be, make it all more than worth it.
Today, I went AWOL for about 30 minutes to shower and start the laundry. When I emerged, this is the scene I found in my kitchen:
Maggie (almost 7 yrs) had moved the fussy baby Helen (4 months) from her blanket on the floor up to her high chair, and was sitting next to her, keeping a pretty good watch.
James (10 yrs) was making ham sandwiches for everyone and was feeding John (almost 4 yrs), who was dancing his plastic dinosaurs for Helen's entertainment. James had also found and started his They Might Be Giants CD and was boogie-ing at the counter with the mustard knife, and singing, belting out, "I am a pal-e-on-tol-o-gist.... That's what I am, That's what I am."
I really do love being a mom to these kids.
Today, I went AWOL for about 30 minutes to shower and start the laundry. When I emerged, this is the scene I found in my kitchen:
Maggie (almost 7 yrs) had moved the fussy baby Helen (4 months) from her blanket on the floor up to her high chair, and was sitting next to her, keeping a pretty good watch.
James (10 yrs) was making ham sandwiches for everyone and was feeding John (almost 4 yrs), who was dancing his plastic dinosaurs for Helen's entertainment. James had also found and started his They Might Be Giants CD and was boogie-ing at the counter with the mustard knife, and singing, belting out, "I am a pal-e-on-tol-o-gist.... That's what I am, That's what I am."
I really do love being a mom to these kids.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Fashion and the professoriate
Few people would identify college professors as icons of fashion excellence. Still, I found my recent wardrobe experience a bit eerie.
First, a bit of background. When I arrived at my job 12 years ago, I got to know another newly starting female professor. Laura was a few years older, having returned to academia from a different career. She shared with me some only slightly tongue-in-cheek advice she had gleaned from a book on women in academia, about dress codes for survival. She told me that pre-tenure, only two styles of dress would be acceptable for women faculty: ethnic (if applicable) or dowdy. Post-tenure, one could add in "no-nonsense business." Anything else could invite career trouble. I snickered a bit at the suggestion, but since my immediate post-grad-school wardrobe fit the "dowdy" with little effort, I thought little of it. Over time, I have wanted to "grow up" my clothes a bit, but this advice has always plagued me a bit. This makes shopping for work clothes a bit daunting. I am so happy to have my husband as a willing participant in the process, now. I know, one engineer relying on another for fashion consultation is not necessarily a good thing.
A few weeks ago, for my birthday, Jeremy took me shopping. We both remarked about how unimpressive this year's styles are. After much searching for a new dress, we gave up. Instead, I came home with 3 new summer-weight tops to wear to work.
The next week, I went back for my first real stretch of "work" since Helen was born. (I have been in for meetings, but this was a five-day workshop, requiring work attire for the whole week.) I was happy to have a reason to wear my new things, anyway. The workshop included 6 female and 6 male faculty from my institution. I selected new work blouse number one on Monday, and noticed right off the bat that another woman was wearing MY new work blouse number two. Thank goodness I hadn't chosen that one.
Since number two was a fairly distinctive bright raspberry color, I held off on wearing it on Tuesday, also. I work new work blouse number three. Another close call. A different woman was wearing MY new work blouse number two, this time at least in an alternative blue shade. Still, the blouse was a pretty distinctive design, in any color.
I waited until Thursday before I finally braved wearing my my own new blouse number two. No more sightings, thankfully, so I could enjoy it.
So, three out of six faculty women prefer this particular blouse (lacy 3/4 sleeve button-up blouse over solid knit tank top, in various bright colors), available recently on the sale rack at Younkers for $12.99. Does this mean: (a) professors all shop at Younkers and rarely make it past the sale rack prominently displayed along the aisle, (b) professors uniformly prefer soemwhat dowdy, machine-washable, pseudo-professional wear, (c) professors are cheap, (d) the fashion industry fails to produce clothing choices wearable by any real woman over the age of 30, (e) all of the above?
First, a bit of background. When I arrived at my job 12 years ago, I got to know another newly starting female professor. Laura was a few years older, having returned to academia from a different career. She shared with me some only slightly tongue-in-cheek advice she had gleaned from a book on women in academia, about dress codes for survival. She told me that pre-tenure, only two styles of dress would be acceptable for women faculty: ethnic (if applicable) or dowdy. Post-tenure, one could add in "no-nonsense business." Anything else could invite career trouble. I snickered a bit at the suggestion, but since my immediate post-grad-school wardrobe fit the "dowdy" with little effort, I thought little of it. Over time, I have wanted to "grow up" my clothes a bit, but this advice has always plagued me a bit. This makes shopping for work clothes a bit daunting. I am so happy to have my husband as a willing participant in the process, now. I know, one engineer relying on another for fashion consultation is not necessarily a good thing.
A few weeks ago, for my birthday, Jeremy took me shopping. We both remarked about how unimpressive this year's styles are. After much searching for a new dress, we gave up. Instead, I came home with 3 new summer-weight tops to wear to work.
The next week, I went back for my first real stretch of "work" since Helen was born. (I have been in for meetings, but this was a five-day workshop, requiring work attire for the whole week.) I was happy to have a reason to wear my new things, anyway. The workshop included 6 female and 6 male faculty from my institution. I selected new work blouse number one on Monday, and noticed right off the bat that another woman was wearing MY new work blouse number two. Thank goodness I hadn't chosen that one.
Since number two was a fairly distinctive bright raspberry color, I held off on wearing it on Tuesday, also. I work new work blouse number three. Another close call. A different woman was wearing MY new work blouse number two, this time at least in an alternative blue shade. Still, the blouse was a pretty distinctive design, in any color.
I waited until Thursday before I finally braved wearing my my own new blouse number two. No more sightings, thankfully, so I could enjoy it.
So, three out of six faculty women prefer this particular blouse (lacy 3/4 sleeve button-up blouse over solid knit tank top, in various bright colors), available recently on the sale rack at Younkers for $12.99. Does this mean: (a) professors all shop at Younkers and rarely make it past the sale rack prominently displayed along the aisle, (b) professors uniformly prefer soemwhat dowdy, machine-washable, pseudo-professional wear, (c) professors are cheap, (d) the fashion industry fails to produce clothing choices wearable by any real woman over the age of 30, (e) all of the above?
Helen hits a new stage
Helen decided today that she is done with being a baby, just lying around waiting for the world to happen.
She learned to roll over about 3 weeks ago. That first time took her somework. She laid on her back and tried over and over again, for probably 10 minutes, until she finally got over. It was something to watch, though, for sheer physicality and application of will. She laid flat on her back and did a double leg lift - over and over again - then each time dropped her legs to the side. Finally she got enough momentum (and figured out how to get her arms out of the way) so that she could flop onto her tummy. Ta da!
We didn't see her do it again for several days, but then she cam back to it with a vengeance. Now, if we put her down on her back, she usually flips immediately to her front, almost as if compelled. She is much faster now. Lay her down and over she goes. She has also added to the skill. She can get her legs pulled up underneath her tummy and scoot forward. Combined with the rolling and wiggling, she can really get anywhere now.
Which is what she figured out today. Gone are the days when we can nonchalantly lay her on the floor on a blanket. As soon as she is down, she is "Outta Here!" She searches for anything nearby and goes after it. We removed from her grasping claws today a nice hardcover book, an open package of batteries, a dirty sock. (Now you have an unfortunate image of what our living room floor generally looks like.)
At bedtime tonight, she was particulary upset to have the batteries taken away just as she completed a triple roll and double scoot to make contact with them. To appease her, we got out the tub of baby toys. She has shown little interest in toys before now, but she went wild with them tonight. So many choices - rattles and blocks and thing-a-majigs, all just waiting to be rolled to, grasped, chewed on. She got a very determined look in her eye and set on about her "baby work." We all just sat around her and grinned. Who needs TV?
She learned to roll over about 3 weeks ago. That first time took her somework. She laid on her back and tried over and over again, for probably 10 minutes, until she finally got over. It was something to watch, though, for sheer physicality and application of will. She laid flat on her back and did a double leg lift - over and over again - then each time dropped her legs to the side. Finally she got enough momentum (and figured out how to get her arms out of the way) so that she could flop onto her tummy. Ta da!
We didn't see her do it again for several days, but then she cam back to it with a vengeance. Now, if we put her down on her back, she usually flips immediately to her front, almost as if compelled. She is much faster now. Lay her down and over she goes. She has also added to the skill. She can get her legs pulled up underneath her tummy and scoot forward. Combined with the rolling and wiggling, she can really get anywhere now.
Which is what she figured out today. Gone are the days when we can nonchalantly lay her on the floor on a blanket. As soon as she is down, she is "Outta Here!" She searches for anything nearby and goes after it. We removed from her grasping claws today a nice hardcover book, an open package of batteries, a dirty sock. (Now you have an unfortunate image of what our living room floor generally looks like.)
At bedtime tonight, she was particulary upset to have the batteries taken away just as she completed a triple roll and double scoot to make contact with them. To appease her, we got out the tub of baby toys. She has shown little interest in toys before now, but she went wild with them tonight. So many choices - rattles and blocks and thing-a-majigs, all just waiting to be rolled to, grasped, chewed on. She got a very determined look in her eye and set on about her "baby work." We all just sat around her and grinned. Who needs TV?
Mom has a credibility FAIL
John asked me a question tonight. I can't even recall what it was - another random 3-year-old query like, "Mom, what is the fastest animal? What is the biggest animal?" or et cetera.
In any case, it happened to be one that I knew, and I answered it. He looked at me with some surprise and asked, "How do you know that?
Borrowing a line from Jeremy, I calmly replied that I know everything.
Dumbfounded, John stared at me for a moment. "No, Mom, Daddy knows everything."
Jeremy jumped into the fray. "John, Mommy knows that because I told her."
John's face lit up with a big smirk and as he turned back to me he simply let out a triumphant, "Ha HA!" Order restored to his universe.
In any case, it happened to be one that I knew, and I answered it. He looked at me with some surprise and asked, "How do you know that?
Borrowing a line from Jeremy, I calmly replied that I know everything.
Dumbfounded, John stared at me for a moment. "No, Mom, Daddy knows everything."
Jeremy jumped into the fray. "John, Mommy knows that because I told her."
John's face lit up with a big smirk and as he turned back to me he simply let out a triumphant, "Ha HA!" Order restored to his universe.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
First Words
I rose early this morning. The combination of the heat, the early morning sun, and all the new thoughts spinning in my head due to the workshop I am attending this week for work left me wide awake by 6:15. This gave me the pleasure of being the first to greet each of my kids this morning. It seemed to me that the first things out of their mouths in the morning presented an interesting window into their minds.
James: "Good morning, Mom. Look at the time [on the digital clock]. 6:59. It is the same rightside-up and upside-down."
Maggie: "Where are my clothes? Who took them? They were right here."
John: "Mom, wasn't it funny, a long time ago, when I took a drink and we all laughed? ... And I burped?"
James: "Good morning, Mom. Look at the time [on the digital clock]. 6:59. It is the same rightside-up and upside-down."
Maggie: "Where are my clothes? Who took them? They were right here."
John: "Mom, wasn't it funny, a long time ago, when I took a drink and we all laughed? ... And I burped?"
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Exploring causality with a 3-year-old
JOHN: "Mommy, I went to PenneyJ with Daddy today!"
MOM: "You mean you went to JCPenney to pick up Daddy's new pants?"
JOHN: "Yes! Mommy, why did daddy need new pants?"
MOM: "Because the seam ripped on his old ones."
JOHN: "Why did it rip?"
MOM: "Because they were old and the fabric and thread get weak.
JOHN: "And why else?"
MOM: "Well, maybe Daddy got a bit bigger and stretched them more."
JOHN: "And maybe because a wolf bit a hole in them when Daddy was camping?"
MOM: "Hmm... I suppose you just never know for sure."
MOM: "You mean you went to JCPenney to pick up Daddy's new pants?"
JOHN: "Yes! Mommy, why did daddy need new pants?"
MOM: "Because the seam ripped on his old ones."
JOHN: "Why did it rip?"
MOM: "Because they were old and the fabric and thread get weak.
JOHN: "And why else?"
MOM: "Well, maybe Daddy got a bit bigger and stretched them more."
JOHN: "And maybe because a wolf bit a hole in them when Daddy was camping?"
MOM: "Hmm... I suppose you just never know for sure."
Saturday, June 4, 2011
A Year in Facebook: May 2010 - May 2011
Oops, meeting on my calendar at 3:30. Guess it will be a partial day off. :)
Thankfully, as she opened her eyes today and said she was going to look "RIGHT NOW" I remembered a very important tooth fairy rule that you must always go use the bathroom BEFORE looking under your pillow.
Jeremy VanAntwerp is such a fashion cop - he told me I needed to throw out the 10-year-old dresses that had large rips around the button-holes. Go figure. I had just worn one last week so that seems like a waste. :)
Perhaps the season they are recommending is one in which pork is lovingly and wittily prepared in period-style recipes from England and Canada. Then again, we do subscribe to the magazine for that particular cooking show, so perhaps Netflix's eerie hidden algorithm is on to something, and I really would enjoy that TV show.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Oh, the things that you'll think...
John has reached the age of rapid-fire questions. He isn't shy, so he will ask them of anyone handy, though mom is the most likely target. Today, walking through the neighborhood, John and Maggie were ahead of me (on bike/scooter while I walked) and stopped to talk to a woman walking her dogs. When I got caught up to her a few minutes later, she just shook her head, smiled, and said, "Boy, you have your hands full!" Not sure what she meant, I smiled politely and nodded. She elaborated, "Those kids have a lot of questions!"
Below are a sampling of some questions I heard today. I may have to add to the list as I think of more. You may want to know that "What's 'tween?" is John's shorthand for, "What's the difference between ..."
"Mom, what's 'tween a shark and a cheetah?"
"If a person gets shot with a gun in real life, will he die?"
Below are a sampling of some questions I heard today. I may have to add to the list as I think of more. You may want to know that "What's 'tween?" is John's shorthand for, "What's the difference between ..."
"Mom, what's 'tween a shark and a cheetah?"
[To the woman walking dogs on our street:]
"Why do you have two leashes?""Why do you have two dogs?""Why is one dog yellow and one dog black?"
[During dinner, while inspecting his utensils:]
"What's the difference 'tween a fork and a rake?"
"Why is a cheetah the fastest?"
[After hearing the fire station sirens from just around the corner:]
"Which way is the fire truck going - left, or right?"
"If a person gets shot with a gun in real life, will he die?"
Helen is growing
Helen had her 4-month check-up today. In the past two months she has gained 2.5 inches and 2.5 pounds. That puts her at:
12 lbs 15 oz (between 25-50 percentile for weight, up from 10th percentile at birth)
25 inches (between 50-75 percentile for height)
This actually makes her out to be on the skinny side, since her percentile for weight is below hers for height. Hard for me to believe...she doesn't look overweight for a baby but she certainly has chubby little legs and feet.
She seems to be doing fine with her gross motor development (no surprise there, given that she never stops moving). The doctor wanted to know if she was rolling over yet. "Well, yes, Monday she did for the first time. She worked at it for about 15 minutes, getting her legs and head up before she flipped from her back to her front." The doctor looked surprised. "Oh, I meant from front to back. Babies don't usually go the other way before 5 months." Well, that is easy, then, She has gone front to back for quite a while - it is almost like an instant reflex for her. I am not sure if she doesn't like being on her tummy, or she just can't control the flip.
The doctor also wanted to know if she had good head control while she was lying on her tummy. "Um, I think so. She doesn't spend much time there; she always flips right over. But she does fine with head control when sitting up in her exersaucer, which we started this week." That seemed more than adequate for the doctor.
Finally, she had to get her vaccinations - two shots and one oral vaccine for a whole battery of immunological upgrades (Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus b [prevents certain pneumonias, meningitis, ear infections], pneumococcal bacteria, and rotavirus). This, she didn't care for so much. She was cranky and feverish the rest of the day - didn't want to eat; wanted to sleep but didn't seem able. We finally gave her some tylenol which seemed to perk her right up for a few hours, but that just left her wide awake and wanting to play late tonight. Oh well.
It was very sweet to see John at the doctor's office with me. He was already pretty distraught by the end of the appointment when Helen got the shots, but he displayed quite a lot of empathy for a 3-year-old, I thought. When she cried, he cried. He tried to hug her and me all at the same time while sobbing. I tried to reassure him that she would be okay but he was not happy about what happened to his sister. I don't suppose that this will make it easier to get him in for his next booster shots a year from now.
12 lbs 15 oz (between 25-50 percentile for weight, up from 10th percentile at birth)
25 inches (between 50-75 percentile for height)
This actually makes her out to be on the skinny side, since her percentile for weight is below hers for height. Hard for me to believe...she doesn't look overweight for a baby but she certainly has chubby little legs and feet.
She seems to be doing fine with her gross motor development (no surprise there, given that she never stops moving). The doctor wanted to know if she was rolling over yet. "Well, yes, Monday she did for the first time. She worked at it for about 15 minutes, getting her legs and head up before she flipped from her back to her front." The doctor looked surprised. "Oh, I meant from front to back. Babies don't usually go the other way before 5 months." Well, that is easy, then, She has gone front to back for quite a while - it is almost like an instant reflex for her. I am not sure if she doesn't like being on her tummy, or she just can't control the flip.
The doctor also wanted to know if she had good head control while she was lying on her tummy. "Um, I think so. She doesn't spend much time there; she always flips right over. But she does fine with head control when sitting up in her exersaucer, which we started this week." That seemed more than adequate for the doctor.
Finally, she had to get her vaccinations - two shots and one oral vaccine for a whole battery of immunological upgrades (Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus b [prevents certain pneumonias, meningitis, ear infections], pneumococcal bacteria, and rotavirus). This, she didn't care for so much. She was cranky and feverish the rest of the day - didn't want to eat; wanted to sleep but didn't seem able. We finally gave her some tylenol which seemed to perk her right up for a few hours, but that just left her wide awake and wanting to play late tonight. Oh well.
It was very sweet to see John at the doctor's office with me. He was already pretty distraught by the end of the appointment when Helen got the shots, but he displayed quite a lot of empathy for a 3-year-old, I thought. When she cried, he cried. He tried to hug her and me all at the same time while sobbing. I tried to reassure him that she would be okay but he was not happy about what happened to his sister. I don't suppose that this will make it easier to get him in for his next booster shots a year from now.
Learning to talk the talk
I love it when kids are trying to assimilate new words and phrases into their own vernacular. John seems to be at a prime age for doing that.
We had a few extra kids around at bedtime tonight due to an emergency for a family friend. I was reading a bedtime story to four over-tired and wound-up kids. Tired of reading over the pounding noises of the nerf sword on the bedrails, I admonished the 5-year-old guest to please cease and desist. "That is too distracting when I am reading."
Very soon after, John admonished me. "Mom, that is too distracting to my yawns." Not even sure what I had heard, I was startled into silence, staring at him while I tried to figure out what he meant. Fortunately, he clarified for me by continuing, "Can you please stop reading?" John promptly held up a hand at me, as if to indicate "wait," and used the other hand to cover an enormous yawn. Once complete, he lowered both hands, turned to me, and said (matter-of-factly) "You can read now."
We had a few extra kids around at bedtime tonight due to an emergency for a family friend. I was reading a bedtime story to four over-tired and wound-up kids. Tired of reading over the pounding noises of the nerf sword on the bedrails, I admonished the 5-year-old guest to please cease and desist. "That is too distracting when I am reading."
Very soon after, John admonished me. "Mom, that is too distracting to my yawns." Not even sure what I had heard, I was startled into silence, staring at him while I tried to figure out what he meant. Fortunately, he clarified for me by continuing, "Can you please stop reading?" John promptly held up a hand at me, as if to indicate "wait," and used the other hand to cover an enormous yawn. Once complete, he lowered both hands, turned to me, and said (matter-of-factly) "You can read now."
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