Friday, October 29, 2010
The Outfit
This morning, as I was ready to take Sofia to school she casually asked me: “Is that what you are wearing?” … Since I was wearing sweat pants I did not necessarily take it as a complement. I guess I am already embarrassing my 5 year old. So to mitigate her unfounded embarrassment I offered: “I am not even getting out of the car”. She seemed to be Ok with that.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The charity
Certain charity called me last week to let me know they would be coming by my street today and asking if I may have some donations. I told them that yes, I could have some clothes for them. I then put it on my calendar so that I did not forget about it.
I never really had a chance to clean my closet. Yet, I did not want to disappoint them. So last night after a long day at work, coming home to take care of the kids, doing some laundry, and putting the girls to bed, I did a quick scan for things I could donate. I really just wanted to sit down on the couch next to Lionel, but I also wanted to do the right thing.
Among the things I chose to donate was my maternity coat. I have been keeping it because it is a sentimental piece of clothing for me, but obviously I will never use it again and I know it could make a difference for somebody out there. I also chose to donate some brand new shoes I never wore because they did not fit me well. Once I put together two big bags I set them by the door, ready to put them outside this morning before going to work. I knew the forecast called for rain, so I put the bags inside another big black garbage bag, just in case.
This morning I put them outside and left for work. But much to my dismay, when I came back from work they were still there. That's what I get for caring. Next time I will just sit on the couch and get some much needed rest.
I never really had a chance to clean my closet. Yet, I did not want to disappoint them. So last night after a long day at work, coming home to take care of the kids, doing some laundry, and putting the girls to bed, I did a quick scan for things I could donate. I really just wanted to sit down on the couch next to Lionel, but I also wanted to do the right thing.
Among the things I chose to donate was my maternity coat. I have been keeping it because it is a sentimental piece of clothing for me, but obviously I will never use it again and I know it could make a difference for somebody out there. I also chose to donate some brand new shoes I never wore because they did not fit me well. Once I put together two big bags I set them by the door, ready to put them outside this morning before going to work. I knew the forecast called for rain, so I put the bags inside another big black garbage bag, just in case.
This morning I put them outside and left for work. But much to my dismay, when I came back from work they were still there. That's what I get for caring. Next time I will just sit on the couch and get some much needed rest.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The dentist
When I was a child I had to visit the dentist many, many times. I was not big on eating candy, and I certainly brushed my teeth a whole lot. Yet, somehow, as the silver fillings in my teeth attest to, I had plenty of cavities.
To this day I remember how dreadful each and every one of those visits were. I remember the pain of the shots to numb my mouth, to supposedly diminish the discomfort caused by the dentist's work ahead. But what I dreaded the most, and still makes my skin crawl, is the drilling sound of that thing they use to dig in your molars, to make room for the fillings.
Yes, going to the dentist sucked big time, plenty of bad memories for me.
This past Friday, much to my dismay, I had to relive it all over again. Except this time it wasn't me, it was my girl. The dentist discovered two cavities during her last cleaning visit, so we had to go back to fix them and Friday was it. The only appointment we could make was in the morning, which was a rough way to start the day.
After they prepped Sofia they discovered one of the cavities was too close to the nerve, so first they rubbed some gel to numb her mouth a bit. That took a while to make effect. The dentist then came back and gave her one of the shots while I looked on and felt so, so bad. Sofia cried a little and said "ouch, that hurts", but calmed down relatively quick. I tried to smile and tell her it was going to be ok, but who was I kidding. Inside of me I was a mess. The dentist came back a few minutes later for the second shot. This time around Sofia knew what was coming her way, so she was scared, and I was scared for her.
After waiting yet again for the second shot to take effect, they finally put in the filling and, after a very long hour and a half, we got to leave the place. Sofia was tired of having her mouth open for so long, her teeth hurt, and the poor thing still had to go to school. I was completely freaked out and hoping we wouldn't have to go through that again anytime soon.
To this day I remember how dreadful each and every one of those visits were. I remember the pain of the shots to numb my mouth, to supposedly diminish the discomfort caused by the dentist's work ahead. But what I dreaded the most, and still makes my skin crawl, is the drilling sound of that thing they use to dig in your molars, to make room for the fillings.
Yes, going to the dentist sucked big time, plenty of bad memories for me.
This past Friday, much to my dismay, I had to relive it all over again. Except this time it wasn't me, it was my girl. The dentist discovered two cavities during her last cleaning visit, so we had to go back to fix them and Friday was it. The only appointment we could make was in the morning, which was a rough way to start the day.
After they prepped Sofia they discovered one of the cavities was too close to the nerve, so first they rubbed some gel to numb her mouth a bit. That took a while to make effect. The dentist then came back and gave her one of the shots while I looked on and felt so, so bad. Sofia cried a little and said "ouch, that hurts", but calmed down relatively quick. I tried to smile and tell her it was going to be ok, but who was I kidding. Inside of me I was a mess. The dentist came back a few minutes later for the second shot. This time around Sofia knew what was coming her way, so she was scared, and I was scared for her.
After waiting yet again for the second shot to take effect, they finally put in the filling and, after a very long hour and a half, we got to leave the place. Sofia was tired of having her mouth open for so long, her teeth hurt, and the poor thing still had to go to school. I was completely freaked out and hoping we wouldn't have to go through that again anytime soon.
Blah blah blah
Some days my kids talk so much that I unconsciously tune them out. I start really trying to pay attention, but somewhere along the way they lose me and all I hear is blah blah blah. But even when that happens, they don't seem to care. They just keep talking. Maybe all along they really were just talking to themselves.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The pumpkin
Today I bought Bella a little pumpkin. Sofia really wants to carve pumpkins this year, which we have never really done before, so I thought it would be good for Bella to also have her very own. Not that she would be the one carving it, but still it seemed right for her to have one her size.
When we got home Bella was fussing because she did not want to get out of the car, so as soon as we walked inside I showed her the pumpkin, hoping she would get distracted and would drop the bad attitude. That appeared to work, but not exactly the way I was expecting. Bella approached the pumpkin, and as I was hurrying to empty their school bags I heard it drop down. But then I heard it drop down again, and again, and again. Apparently Bella had decided to play with it as if it were a ball. She was having a blast picking it up and tossing it to the ground as hard as she could.
I asked her to stop but she did not care, so I had to take it away. I don't really know why I was surprised, knowing Bella and her crazy ways.
When we got home Bella was fussing because she did not want to get out of the car, so as soon as we walked inside I showed her the pumpkin, hoping she would get distracted and would drop the bad attitude. That appeared to work, but not exactly the way I was expecting. Bella approached the pumpkin, and as I was hurrying to empty their school bags I heard it drop down. But then I heard it drop down again, and again, and again. Apparently Bella had decided to play with it as if it were a ball. She was having a blast picking it up and tossing it to the ground as hard as she could.
I asked her to stop but she did not care, so I had to take it away. I don't really know why I was surprised, knowing Bella and her crazy ways.
Teach Me Not
This morning I volunteered at Sofia's school for couple hours. Although I am glad I did it, and will likely do it again, I have to admit it served as a reminder that I did well not choosing to be a teacher.
My job was to work with computers, with two children at the time. I was not sure exactly what I was expected to teach them, so I just showed up. Sofia's teacher told me that there was a website, starfall.com, that teaches phonics to little ones, and that she thought that would be a good activity to do with them. She then went back inside the classroom while I setup shop in the common area where the computers are located.
Once I was ready to go the teacher sent out the first two kids, a boy and a girl. They were both pretty sweet, worked on what they were supposed to, and listened to what I had to say. They had the longest turn of all because I had assumed the teacher would come out and tell me when time was up. This was clearly not the case, as the teacher had her hands full back in the classroom.
The second pair was my very own Sofia and another little girl. When we first arrived to school Sofia had cried when she realized she was not to spend the entire time with me, but ended up calming down and patiently waiting her turn. While she and the other girl were still with me the mom of the other girl showed up. Apparently the girl had forgotten to take her medication and, according to what her mom told her, that would have made for a really bad day for the teachers. Hmmm, I did not even want to know. And since the mom didn't really address me at all, which was awkward, I guess I wouldn't know anyway.
My third set of kids was ... well... a handful. Two boys by the names of ... who knows. When I asked their names I swear they said "I am three" and "I am four". That did not make any sense to me at all, so I asked again. "I am three" and "I am four". That's again what I understood. So I decided to let it go. Heck, I thought, three and four it is, at least for the next 15 minutes.
Four was kind of sweet, but he had no clue how to use the mouse. So patient me tried and tried again to show him how and that he was to only click on the left side. But he never quite got it right, so I had to just take over and click on his behalf.
Three was the little terror. He also kept clicking on the wrong side of the mouse, which caused all kinds of menus to keep coming up. He also wanted to click in places where he was not allowed, and managed to even completely close out of the website one unfortunate time. He also repeatedly pressed the keys in the keyboard even though I told him, also repeatedly, that for this activity we only needed the mouse. So needles to say, I felt compelled to shorten a bit Three and Four's lesson.
My penultimate group was comprised of two little girls, one that kept talking about everything princesses and inquired if she would be allowed to play a princesses game on the computer. She also showed me her sparkly shoes, and was wearing pants with sparkly things on the side. Definitely a girly girl, just like my very own. The other little girl was sweet, but she also had dried snot on her face, which did not seem to bother her at all. I wish I could have felt the same. Clearly I did not, but being that I was only a visitor it did not feel like it was my place to point it out, fix it, or otherwise mess with it. So I tried to look her in the eye instead.
I do not really remember much from my last group, maybe because by then I was tired and eager to get out of there. I was worried that something urgent may have happened at work while I was exercising my patience and good will with Sofia's little friends.
Overall I am glad I went. Sofia was happy and proud to see me there, and I got renewed appreciation for all the good teachers out there.
My job was to work with computers, with two children at the time. I was not sure exactly what I was expected to teach them, so I just showed up. Sofia's teacher told me that there was a website, starfall.com, that teaches phonics to little ones, and that she thought that would be a good activity to do with them. She then went back inside the classroom while I setup shop in the common area where the computers are located.
Once I was ready to go the teacher sent out the first two kids, a boy and a girl. They were both pretty sweet, worked on what they were supposed to, and listened to what I had to say. They had the longest turn of all because I had assumed the teacher would come out and tell me when time was up. This was clearly not the case, as the teacher had her hands full back in the classroom.
The second pair was my very own Sofia and another little girl. When we first arrived to school Sofia had cried when she realized she was not to spend the entire time with me, but ended up calming down and patiently waiting her turn. While she and the other girl were still with me the mom of the other girl showed up. Apparently the girl had forgotten to take her medication and, according to what her mom told her, that would have made for a really bad day for the teachers. Hmmm, I did not even want to know. And since the mom didn't really address me at all, which was awkward, I guess I wouldn't know anyway.
My third set of kids was ... well... a handful. Two boys by the names of ... who knows. When I asked their names I swear they said "I am three" and "I am four". That did not make any sense to me at all, so I asked again. "I am three" and "I am four". That's again what I understood. So I decided to let it go. Heck, I thought, three and four it is, at least for the next 15 minutes.
Four was kind of sweet, but he had no clue how to use the mouse. So patient me tried and tried again to show him how and that he was to only click on the left side. But he never quite got it right, so I had to just take over and click on his behalf.
Three was the little terror. He also kept clicking on the wrong side of the mouse, which caused all kinds of menus to keep coming up. He also wanted to click in places where he was not allowed, and managed to even completely close out of the website one unfortunate time. He also repeatedly pressed the keys in the keyboard even though I told him, also repeatedly, that for this activity we only needed the mouse. So needles to say, I felt compelled to shorten a bit Three and Four's lesson.
My penultimate group was comprised of two little girls, one that kept talking about everything princesses and inquired if she would be allowed to play a princesses game on the computer. She also showed me her sparkly shoes, and was wearing pants with sparkly things on the side. Definitely a girly girl, just like my very own. The other little girl was sweet, but she also had dried snot on her face, which did not seem to bother her at all. I wish I could have felt the same. Clearly I did not, but being that I was only a visitor it did not feel like it was my place to point it out, fix it, or otherwise mess with it. So I tried to look her in the eye instead.
I do not really remember much from my last group, maybe because by then I was tired and eager to get out of there. I was worried that something urgent may have happened at work while I was exercising my patience and good will with Sofia's little friends.
Overall I am glad I went. Sofia was happy and proud to see me there, and I got renewed appreciation for all the good teachers out there.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Comer. Comer. Comer.
Bella is a really good eater and a very impatient one as well. When she gets hungry she starts repeating "comer, comer, comer", "eat, eat, eat". There is no 5 minute warning. When she wants to eat she wants to eat NOW! If we are not ready by the time she starts asking for food we have to give her whatever is at hand, such as a little pretzel, a chip, or a piece of fruit. Otherwise she starts screaming and whining because truly she just wants to eat. She very much reminds me of me when I was a kid. I don't know if I also whined about it, but I for sure had a very good appetite as well.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
My Special Day
On a day like today, 34 years ago, I came out of my mommy's tummy. Ever since, this has very much been my special day. I just love my birthday. I really look forward to it, and ever since I got married I also look forward to reminding Lionel way ahead of time about my special month, my special week, my special day. Maybe it's the anticipation of it what I enjoy the most. I know he gets a little annoyed as he sees it as somewhat - or a lot - childish, but I don't really do it to bug him. I am just genuinely excited. After all, there are not that many days when it's all about me.
I like to celebrate my birthday with friends and family and I always, always, have to have cake. In my head, the cake is the ultimate birthday symbol. Not eating cake would be like the Olympic games without the torch, the world cup without the trophy, the beach without the sand.
Now that I am a mom, I also have to celebrate it close to my kids. This is already my sixth year as a mom, and it makes me so happy to have the girls around me on my special day. They may not necessarily have been a birthday gift, but becoming a mom is definitely the biggest gift I have ever received. This year also, unlike last year, I got to celebrate my birthday in the company of both my parents, besides of course having Gabi and Raj to complete the family.
The weather was also amazing. I truly couldn't have asked for more. Every year since I've been living in Cincinnati I always hope that maybe the weather won't be too cold, and every year I am freezing by the time my birthday comes around. But not today. Today it was a beautiful warm autumn day. And the warmth and the sunshine were the perfect backdrop for my 34th special day.
I like to celebrate my birthday with friends and family and I always, always, have to have cake. In my head, the cake is the ultimate birthday symbol. Not eating cake would be like the Olympic games without the torch, the world cup without the trophy, the beach without the sand.
Now that I am a mom, I also have to celebrate it close to my kids. This is already my sixth year as a mom, and it makes me so happy to have the girls around me on my special day. They may not necessarily have been a birthday gift, but becoming a mom is definitely the biggest gift I have ever received. This year also, unlike last year, I got to celebrate my birthday in the company of both my parents, besides of course having Gabi and Raj to complete the family.
The weather was also amazing. I truly couldn't have asked for more. Every year since I've been living in Cincinnati I always hope that maybe the weather won't be too cold, and every year I am freezing by the time my birthday comes around. But not today. Today it was a beautiful warm autumn day. And the warmth and the sunshine were the perfect backdrop for my 34th special day.
Princess
This morning Sofia Sofia
Friday, October 15, 2010
Chango. Monkey.
Today, after work and school, we finally came back home at a decent time. That gave Sofia time to go play with the neighbors' kids. She is usually intimidated, since there are three of them, but today the little girl came over first to play at our place. They then headed back outside to play with the rest of them. Sofia was surprisingly somewhat relaxed, which was refreshing to see. She even followed their lead as they were climbing in some branches not to high from the floor. She did not complain that the branches scratched her hands, that the leaves were poking her head, or that her shoes were getting dirty. I told her she was my little monkey, and quickly snapped a picture. Bella of course was also in the middle of it all. She is at that stage where whatever Sofia does, she wants to do the same.
Dora
This morning Bella decided to wear a Dora headband to school. She picked it and put it on herself. Only problem was she did not necessarily know how she was supposed to wear it, but I did not want to cramp her style.
Bad Move
This morning, as usual, I packed the girls in the car to take them to school. Sofia's school is actually closed today, so I was really taking her to day camp. Also as usual we first took Bella to daycare. When we got back in the car after dropping Bella off Sofia got back in her seat and I helped her buckle her seat belt. So far so good. But when I tried closing the car door it bounced right back, as it something spongy was stuck in there. I looked but did not find anything. I then saw Sofia laughing and realized she had put her foot in there as I was trying to close the door - and she obviously thought it was a great joke.
I wanted to yell at her that this was by far the stupidest thing she had ever done. But I was not sure if she knew that word, and I did not want to be the one teaching it to her. I was very happy that nothing happened to her foot, but if I had slammed the door a little harder, or if she had not been wearing tennis shoes she wouldn't have been so lucky. And what if she had the great idea of using her hand instead? I did not even want to imagine how bad she could have hurt herself.
Instead of yelling at her I told her that was not funny, but she still had that smile in her face. I then told her I was not laughing, that I was really mad at her, and that doing that was very dangerous. I also turned the radio off and told her I did not want to talk to her. All in silence we remained. I think she got the point, so hopefully she won't be doing it again.
I wanted to yell at her that this was by far the stupidest thing she had ever done. But I was not sure if she knew that word, and I did not want to be the one teaching it to her. I was very happy that nothing happened to her foot, but if I had slammed the door a little harder, or if she had not been wearing tennis shoes she wouldn't have been so lucky. And what if she had the great idea of using her hand instead? I did not even want to imagine how bad she could have hurt herself.
Instead of yelling at her I told her that was not funny, but she still had that smile in her face. I then told her I was not laughing, that I was really mad at her, and that doing that was very dangerous. I also turned the radio off and told her I did not want to talk to her. All in silence we remained. I think she got the point, so hopefully she won't be doing it again.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Bag of tricks
Isabella has a bag full of tricks now. Granted, not all of them are parent approved, but they are cool nonetheless. For instance, even though she can't really open containers with her hands yet, she has realized that she can perfectly use her mouth for that very same purpose. This is exactly what she does with the toothpaste. She puts the cap in her mouth and then twists the toothpaste tube with both hands. I initially kept thinking that we were not closing it correctly, until I saw her doing it right in my face.
Today she poured her soup from her bowl to her water cup. She then drank it out of there. She shouldn't have really done that, but at the end of the day she made less of a mess than when she uses the spoon.
She is also making amazing progress with potty training in just the last couple weeks. At school they even asked us to bring underwear because she had been staying dry all day. She still has a few accidents here and there, but for the most part she always tells us when she has to go. I guess that in the potty training marathon, we are well on our way.
Today she poured her soup from her bowl to her water cup. She then drank it out of there. She shouldn't have really done that, but at the end of the day she made less of a mess than when she uses the spoon.
She is also making amazing progress with potty training in just the last couple weeks. At school they even asked us to bring underwear because she had been staying dry all day. She still has a few accidents here and there, but for the most part she always tells us when she has to go. I guess that in the potty training marathon, we are well on our way.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Chinitos
Isabella's hair is always curly after a bath. It is funny to see her like that, as the curls never last. As soon as it dries, she has straight hair just like Lionel, Sofia and I.
Worst Nightmare
Today started as a pretty decent day. The weather was once again beautiful, so after taking our time getting ready we headed to the zoo with the girls. Once we got there we realized the stroller was not in the car, but we were already there so there was no turning back. Bella does a good job walking, running, and jumping, but she still can't keep up the entire time. She walked a bit, and we had to carry her the rest of the way. That girl is cute, but she is definitely not light. So that was good exercise for us.
Our visit to the zoo was somewhat short, as Lionel was heading to the Bengals game next and we had to get back home for Bella's nap. Not that she ended up sleeping much anyway, but it was not because we did not try.
Abuelito and Abuelita came to visit later on, so they could see the girls and stay with Bella while I took Sofia to her swim lesson. As we were getting ready to leave, one of the neighbors knocked on the door. She had a very serious face, and asked me if her 4 year old girl was with us. I told her I had not seen her all day, and she then said "We can't find her. She had a fight with her friend and said she was coming to your house". She asked if she could look for her in our backyard, and I told her of course, she didn't even have to ask. I also went out there to help her look, but no luck. She was nowhere to be found. I also asked if they had already checked with the neighbors next door, but yes, they had. My heart dropped, and I immediately felt all this stress coming over my entire body. A kid missing has to be every mother's worst nightmare. I couldn't possibly have known what she was feeling at the time. And I felt powerless, watching her and her family desperately look for her.
It was clear there was not much we could do, so we went to Sofia's lesson, which only lasts 30 minutes. But I kept texting with one of my neighbors. She was the one who informed me that they had already called the cops. At some point Sofia's teacher asked if I was Ok, because I looked completely overwhelmed. I had to share the bad news with her. She is a mom as well, so she then clearly understood why I looked so distressed. Fortunately, towards the end of the class, I got the text message with the news we all had been waiting for. After about one hour missing, she had been found. Apparently she had been hiding in the bushes in the house between hers and mine. All along she had been hiding in plain sight.
Upon hearing the good news I was relieved, but I noticed the stress did not just disappear. I was still pretty shaken up and had a weird taste in my mouth. You always want to hope for the best, but you know that sometimes, what happens is just the worst.
I wanted to do something nice for the girl's family, even if it was just a small detail so they knew we were sorry to see the pain they went through, and that we were happy everything turned out ok. On our way back from swim lesson, Sofia and I stopped by to get them a cake. Something sweet to enjoy after such a bitter experience. When we got back home Lionel was already there. My parents left shortly after, and the four of us went to see the neighbors and drop off the cake. Needless to say, they were still shaken up as well. We didn't linger. We knew they needed to rest and to try to make sense of everything that happened today.
Our visit to the zoo was somewhat short, as Lionel was heading to the Bengals game next and we had to get back home for Bella's nap. Not that she ended up sleeping much anyway, but it was not because we did not try.
Abuelito and Abuelita came to visit later on, so they could see the girls and stay with Bella while I took Sofia to her swim lesson. As we were getting ready to leave, one of the neighbors knocked on the door. She had a very serious face, and asked me if her 4 year old girl was with us. I told her I had not seen her all day, and she then said "We can't find her. She had a fight with her friend and said she was coming to your house". She asked if she could look for her in our backyard, and I told her of course, she didn't even have to ask. I also went out there to help her look, but no luck. She was nowhere to be found. I also asked if they had already checked with the neighbors next door, but yes, they had. My heart dropped, and I immediately felt all this stress coming over my entire body. A kid missing has to be every mother's worst nightmare. I couldn't possibly have known what she was feeling at the time. And I felt powerless, watching her and her family desperately look for her.
It was clear there was not much we could do, so we went to Sofia's lesson, which only lasts 30 minutes. But I kept texting with one of my neighbors. She was the one who informed me that they had already called the cops. At some point Sofia's teacher asked if I was Ok, because I looked completely overwhelmed. I had to share the bad news with her. She is a mom as well, so she then clearly understood why I looked so distressed. Fortunately, towards the end of the class, I got the text message with the news we all had been waiting for. After about one hour missing, she had been found. Apparently she had been hiding in the bushes in the house between hers and mine. All along she had been hiding in plain sight.
Upon hearing the good news I was relieved, but I noticed the stress did not just disappear. I was still pretty shaken up and had a weird taste in my mouth. You always want to hope for the best, but you know that sometimes, what happens is just the worst.
I wanted to do something nice for the girl's family, even if it was just a small detail so they knew we were sorry to see the pain they went through, and that we were happy everything turned out ok. On our way back from swim lesson, Sofia and I stopped by to get them a cake. Something sweet to enjoy after such a bitter experience. When we got back home Lionel was already there. My parents left shortly after, and the four of us went to see the neighbors and drop off the cake. Needless to say, they were still shaken up as well. We didn't linger. We knew they needed to rest and to try to make sense of everything that happened today.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
The Carnival
Today it was carnival day for Sofia's new school. The weather was beautiful, sunny and in the 80's, definitely a luxury considering this is the second weekend of October already.
We started by participating in the Hike, Bike, Run race, which was one of the fundraiser activities of the day. The goal was to walk the 5 mile bike path at Lunken airport, where the carnival took place. Sofia did a great job running most of the time we were out there, and even Bella walked for a little while Vs staying in the stroller the entire time. We saw plenty of worms on the road, and couple planes take off and land. It was a good walk, even though we only made it to the 1 mile marker before we decided to turn around and head back. The original goal may have been to walk the entire path, but an even more important goal was to grab some lunch and avoid a meltdown. Both girls got their medals anyway. After all, the important part was to participate.
Once at the carnival we grabbed lunch and said hi to the neighbors and some of Sofia's new friends. I then went to volunteer for one of the games. The game was as simple as it gets, but the little ones really seemed to like it, and I got plenty of traffic the couple hours I was there. The best part was my little special helper. Sofia wanted to spend time with me, so she stuck around helping me explain the purpose of the game to the other kids, and even collecting the tickets from them. If you know Sofia, you know this was a real stretch for her, as she is usually very shy in new situations and likes to keep to herself.
In the meantime, Lionel and Bella went back home so she could take a nap. After I was done volunteering, Sofia and I walked around and waited in line for a while to get her face painted. When it was almost her turn she announced she needed to use the bathroom. I asked if she could wait a few minutes, because otherwise we would miss her turn and would have to wait all over again. She said she could, so we stayed for a few more minutes until it was her turn. Luckily she chose something easy, a lady bug in one cheek, and a heart in the other one. After that I had the terrible realization that the only bathroom there was one of those portable toilets, but she seemed so desperate at that point that we just had to go in there. I had never been in one of those before, but I can say that was the most disgusting experience I have ever had. And I certainly hope I never have to go in there again.
After our toilet experience we ran to the stroller to get some serious hand sanitizer, and continued making the rounds by the games, the bounce houses, and the silly band stand. We also saw Samantha, Sofia's good friend, and her little sister. Eventually Bella and Lionel came back, and we hung out for a little longer, until the Carnival started wrapping up. When it was all said and done we basically spent six hours there. So yes, it was a very long day, but in my book it was a really good one as well. The weather was perfect, Sofia got out of her shell a little bit, I managed to contribute something to her new school, and most importantly, we all spent time together without worrying about anything else.
We started by participating in the Hike, Bike, Run race, which was one of the fundraiser activities of the day. The goal was to walk the 5 mile bike path at Lunken airport, where the carnival took place. Sofia did a great job running most of the time we were out there, and even Bella walked for a little while Vs staying in the stroller the entire time. We saw plenty of worms on the road, and couple planes take off and land. It was a good walk, even though we only made it to the 1 mile marker before we decided to turn around and head back. The original goal may have been to walk the entire path, but an even more important goal was to grab some lunch and avoid a meltdown. Both girls got their medals anyway. After all, the important part was to participate.
Once at the carnival we grabbed lunch and said hi to the neighbors and some of Sofia's new friends. I then went to volunteer for one of the games. The game was as simple as it gets, but the little ones really seemed to like it, and I got plenty of traffic the couple hours I was there. The best part was my little special helper. Sofia wanted to spend time with me, so she stuck around helping me explain the purpose of the game to the other kids, and even collecting the tickets from them. If you know Sofia, you know this was a real stretch for her, as she is usually very shy in new situations and likes to keep to herself.
In the meantime, Lionel and Bella went back home so she could take a nap. After I was done volunteering, Sofia and I walked around and waited in line for a while to get her face painted. When it was almost her turn she announced she needed to use the bathroom. I asked if she could wait a few minutes, because otherwise we would miss her turn and would have to wait all over again. She said she could, so we stayed for a few more minutes until it was her turn. Luckily she chose something easy, a lady bug in one cheek, and a heart in the other one. After that I had the terrible realization that the only bathroom there was one of those portable toilets, but she seemed so desperate at that point that we just had to go in there. I had never been in one of those before, but I can say that was the most disgusting experience I have ever had. And I certainly hope I never have to go in there again.
After our toilet experience we ran to the stroller to get some serious hand sanitizer, and continued making the rounds by the games, the bounce houses, and the silly band stand. We also saw Samantha, Sofia's good friend, and her little sister. Eventually Bella and Lionel came back, and we hung out for a little longer, until the Carnival started wrapping up. When it was all said and done we basically spent six hours there. So yes, it was a very long day, but in my book it was a really good one as well. The weather was perfect, Sofia got out of her shell a little bit, I managed to contribute something to her new school, and most importantly, we all spent time together without worrying about anything else.
 |
| Volunteering at the "Farm animals" game |
 |
| Me and the girls |
 |
| Face painted and still wearing her medal |
Friday, October 8, 2010
The punishment outfit
And here it is, the outfit I made Sofia wear today. It's really not bad, but you have to remember she is a girly girl. When I picked her up she was still wearing her sweater. She told me she wore it all day because she was cold, but I think I know better than that. When I asked her to let me take a picture of her she said "Wearing this?" but she posed nonetheless ... except that she thought it would be fun to make a face.
Short fuse
I guess you could say I was a bad mom this morning. Admittedly I was still in a bad mood from having a bad day at work yesterday, worried about what today might bring, and upset that when I tried to tell Lionel about it at the end of the day he listened to me for about 2 minutes before turning the light off ... all while I was still talking to him. That was extremely rude, and I don't think he could have possibly done anything else that made it as clear as water that he was done listening to me.
This morning I got up at 6:00 for my tennis class. I had some really amazing shots, mainly because I had a lot of negative energy to get out of my system, and I really just wanted to kick somebody's butt. I then had to leave my class early to be back home at 7:30 so Lionel could head to work.
Bella was still down, but Sofia was up and watching TV in my bedroom. I asked her to get dressed, but she dragged her feet and said she wanted to eat first. So I started working for a few minutes, until Isabella woke up and we all went downstairs to eat and prepare the lunches for the day. Once downstairs Sofia dragged her feet once again, and even though I asked her to go upstairs to start getting dressed, she just went upstairs to play. Clearly, by then we were already running late. I then told her that since she had decided to play instead of getting dressed we no longer had time for it and she was going to have to go school in her PJs. Oh, and by the way, we did not have time either to do her hair. She loudly protested and started to cry. I was not really about to send her to school in her PJs, but I was determined to teach her a lesson. So I told her I was going to quickly choose her outfit for her, and purposely chose something she has never worn before because she does not like it, and she would have never chosen it herself: Some black leggings and a plain T-shirt that kind of looks big on her. She once again started to cry, but I pretended not to care. I told her that if tomorrow she listens to me and does not drag her feet, she will have time to choose whatever she wants to wear. She kept asking if she could go quickly choose something else, but I firmly said no, not today.
Throughout the morning she had already asked me a thousand times at what time I was going to go pick her up. And I had already responded that I would try to go at 4. But after our little incident happened I told her I was going to try to go at 4, but I could not really promise her anything, because I could possibly get distracted playing something, drag my feet, and pick her up a little late.
I don't think she will be scarred for life, but hopefully one of these days she will understand that it is very tough for me to stay in the house until I can take her to school, and that I can only push it so much when it comes down to showing up late to work. So if we don't help each other, we are both going to have to suffer the consequences.
This morning I got up at 6:00 for my tennis class. I had some really amazing shots, mainly because I had a lot of negative energy to get out of my system, and I really just wanted to kick somebody's butt. I then had to leave my class early to be back home at 7:30 so Lionel could head to work.
Bella was still down, but Sofia was up and watching TV in my bedroom. I asked her to get dressed, but she dragged her feet and said she wanted to eat first. So I started working for a few minutes, until Isabella woke up and we all went downstairs to eat and prepare the lunches for the day. Once downstairs Sofia dragged her feet once again, and even though I asked her to go upstairs to start getting dressed, she just went upstairs to play. Clearly, by then we were already running late. I then told her that since she had decided to play instead of getting dressed we no longer had time for it and she was going to have to go school in her PJs. Oh, and by the way, we did not have time either to do her hair. She loudly protested and started to cry. I was not really about to send her to school in her PJs, but I was determined to teach her a lesson. So I told her I was going to quickly choose her outfit for her, and purposely chose something she has never worn before because she does not like it, and she would have never chosen it herself: Some black leggings and a plain T-shirt that kind of looks big on her. She once again started to cry, but I pretended not to care. I told her that if tomorrow she listens to me and does not drag her feet, she will have time to choose whatever she wants to wear. She kept asking if she could go quickly choose something else, but I firmly said no, not today.
Throughout the morning she had already asked me a thousand times at what time I was going to go pick her up. And I had already responded that I would try to go at 4. But after our little incident happened I told her I was going to try to go at 4, but I could not really promise her anything, because I could possibly get distracted playing something, drag my feet, and pick her up a little late.
I don't think she will be scarred for life, but hopefully one of these days she will understand that it is very tough for me to stay in the house until I can take her to school, and that I can only push it so much when it comes down to showing up late to work. So if we don't help each other, we are both going to have to suffer the consequences.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Selfish
My day at work did not end on a high note. My last two meetings of the day left me feeling overwhelmed, powerless, exhausted, disappointed, and just plain beat up. My penultimate meeting was to discuss yet more work that is coming my way, as if I was not already plenty busy days and nights with what is already on my plate. Then, during my last meeting, two people who usually don't agree on anything finally agreed. Unfortunately, they agreed to disagree with me, which means I won't be receiving much help to do something that, in my opinion, is the right thing to do.
Not long ago, when I was complaining about somebody else who was not helpful at all my boss told me "She is pushing back because the nice guy gets beat up". Maybe I should remember that and start doing what everybody else seems to be doing: Push back and whatever it is, even if I know I can help, say "Sorry, but that is not me".
Not long ago, when I was complaining about somebody else who was not helpful at all my boss told me "She is pushing back because the nice guy gets beat up". Maybe I should remember that and start doing what everybody else seems to be doing: Push back and whatever it is, even if I know I can help, say "Sorry, but that is not me".
Monday, October 4, 2010
The bug
About two years ago, when I was still pregnant with Isabella, we discovered a bug walking in the ceiling of our bedroom. I promptly screamed and Lionel promptly threw a shoe at it -or something along those lines- and killed it. Unfortunately, since the ceiling is so high, he did not remove it right away. Instead, he promised to do it "later". So the days and the weeks went by and the bug, or what was left of it, remained there. Eventually I got distracted by too many things to do and too few hours of sleep and stopped nagging Lionel about it, although I still grumbled when I went to bed and was forced to look at it.
Isabella came along and the bug was still there. Isabella turned one and the bug was still there. Isabella turned 18 months and the bug was still there. But this weekend, all of sudden, before Isabella's 2nd birthday, the bug was GONE. Lionel had the nerve to call it my early birthday present. But I don't really care what he calls it. What matters is that the bug is finally gone. Which goes to show you that if you are ridiculously patient with your man he will eventually get around and complete his chores.
Isabella came along and the bug was still there. Isabella turned one and the bug was still there. Isabella turned 18 months and the bug was still there. But this weekend, all of sudden, before Isabella's 2nd birthday, the bug was GONE. Lionel had the nerve to call it my early birthday present. But I don't really care what he calls it. What matters is that the bug is finally gone. Which goes to show you that if you are ridiculously patient with your man he will eventually get around and complete his chores.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Squishy
Sofia's swim teacher had a new toy for her today. She really liked it, and it really worked at encouraging her to put her face in the water and open her eyes. The teacher would throw it in the water, and Sofia had to swim toward it.
It looked so fun and squishy that I just had to touch it, and take a picture of Sofia holding it.
It looked so fun and squishy that I just had to touch it, and take a picture of Sofia holding it.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Smile
Tonight I went to see a movie with a friend. On my way there, as I was waiting at a traffic light, for whatever reason I turned left and made eye contact with the person in the car next to me. I never really do that, maybe because unconsciously I am afraid I will run into an angry driver, or somebody who may be otherwise offended because I am looking at them.
The other driver was a young guy who looked at me and smiled. He must have been happy. Maybe he was listening to a favorite song, or was on his way to meet a loved one or a group of good friends. It looked like such a genuine smile that without even thinking about it I smiled back at him ... if only for a brief moment, because immediately after I looked away. I guess I was feeling a little embarrassed for smiling back so naturally at somebody I have never even met. But still, getting that unexpected smile seemed to brighten my drive on a rainy, gloomy day.
The other driver was a young guy who looked at me and smiled. He must have been happy. Maybe he was listening to a favorite song, or was on his way to meet a loved one or a group of good friends. It looked like such a genuine smile that without even thinking about it I smiled back at him ... if only for a brief moment, because immediately after I looked away. I guess I was feeling a little embarrassed for smiling back so naturally at somebody I have never even met. But still, getting that unexpected smile seemed to brighten my drive on a rainy, gloomy day.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Mad genius
This evening we were playing outside when Sofia
Una probadita de tu propio chocolate
Tonight, as every night, I stayed with Sofia for a few minutes after we put her to bed. “Cinco minutos mami. Just five minutes”, she always says. This is usually when she finally talks to me about her day, mostly because she figures that if she keeps talking I won’t walk away, and she won’t have to fall asleep.
The transition to Kindergarten has been more difficult for her than I ever thought, although in a different way. I figured she would cry the very first day, and get used to it during the first couple weeks. But it has been a month and a half and, although she likes her teacher and her classroom, she still struggles with the idea of the after care. I believe she gets intimidated because the after care is loud and has children of all ages, including many who are way older than her. So she still cries about having to go there.
Tonight I was hoping to get her thinking of the good things about her school, so I asked her:
“Sofia, what do you like the most about your new school?” The playground, she said.
“After the playground, what you do you like the most?” “I don’t know”, she said.
“Well, think about it. What do you really like?” She shrugged her shoulders and said: “Mami, what do you like the most about your job?”
“Hmmmm”, I said. I was not able to come up with anything right away. But that did help me realize that all that questioning was annoying, and it was time to let her be, kiss her good night, and walk away.
The transition to Kindergarten has been more difficult for her than I ever thought, although in a different way. I figured she would cry the very first day, and get used to it during the first couple weeks. But it has been a month and a half and, although she likes her teacher and her classroom, she still struggles with the idea of the after care. I believe she gets intimidated because the after care is loud and has children of all ages, including many who are way older than her. So she still cries about having to go there.
Tonight I was hoping to get her thinking of the good things about her school, so I asked her:
“Sofia, what do you like the most about your new school?” The playground, she said.
“After the playground, what you do you like the most?” “I don’t know”, she said.
“Well, think about it. What do you really like?” She shrugged her shoulders and said: “Mami, what do you like the most about your job?”
“Hmmmm”, I said. I was not able to come up with anything right away. But that did help me realize that all that questioning was annoying, and it was time to let her be, kiss her good night, and walk away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)