It’s not so much a resolution as it is a means of harnessing my competitive streak for fun and profit
In 2004, Kyle’s office held a weight-loss competition that ran from New Year’s Day to Tax Day. Whoever shed the greatest percentage of their starting weight won a cash prize. Naturally, Kyle set out to win.
He only managed to stop drinking Natty Light for the first four days, but he compensated by consuming huge quantities of celery (at work only; I do not allow that vile weed in my home) and running every day. By April 15, he looked practically gaunt, but he was $500 richer.
Today, his workplace is kicking off a similar competition, and this time, spouses are invited to participate. So after having consumed all the chocolate in the house over the past week, I’m headed to his office for my initial weigh-in this morning.
Of course I want to unload the last few pounds and inches gained during my pregnancy with Oliver; I’ve got a closet full of clothes just waiting to be worn again. I need to chuck my gauchos and invest in some Spanx.
But more importantly, I want to get my ass in gear in preparation for this year’s running and biking and triathlon seasons (@tarable, expect me up in Boulder for the BolderBOULDER 10K and 5430 Sprint Tri!). I’ve got a training schedule; now I just need some incentives to stick to it. Registering for upcoming events is great, but a financial incentive is an added bonus.
Granted, I’ve got a few factors working against me. Number one, I’m a woman and I’m still nursing. Even now, I’m not overweight, so I can’t realistically lose more than 10 to 15 percent. Also, I’ve got a sedentary job. Finally, and perhaps most crippling of all, I have a deep and abiding love for wine and chocolate.
So I’m going to start up my Triathlon Training page again, documenting my training on a weekly basis all the way through September. I’ll also include my weekly weigh-in results - not the poundage, mind you, but the amount lost (or - sadly, it’s possible - gained), as well as the dates of events for which I’m registered and working toward.
That page kept me fully accountable last year when I trained for the sprint triathlon. I knew that after each workout, I had to come home and document my progress for the Internet to see.
Here’s hoping that even if I don’t win the money in the competition, I’ll still get 2009 off to a good start by taking care of myself.
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It’s The Year of the Mom! Nope, moms aren’t the newest zodiac symbol, but it’s high time we started looking out for ourselves a little more - just as we look out for everyone else in our families every hour of the day and night.
Want to proclaim your devotion to taking care of yourself in 2009? Would a $100 Spafinder.com gift card (courtesy of Parent Bloggers Network) convince you? Get thee to Motherhood Uncensored for all the details.
Published by mothergoosemouse on January 5th, 2009 tagged The king of beers, Who me? | 8 Comments »
The cult of the orange and blue
I’ve got a confession that may very well get me run out of town: I like to root against the Broncos.
I don’t hate the Broncos. Nor am I a fan of any other individual team. It just seems like people around here get a wee bit too invested in what’s supposed to be a game.
Not just the crazy dudes who dip themselves in blue and orange body paint and sit shirtless in the stands, but even people who are normally perfectly rational get awfully worked up about what Jay Cutler and company get done on the field any given Sunday.
Kyle doesn’t care about the Broncos either, but he likes it when they win “because people are so happy they win.” And that’s why I think it’s funny when they lose: because people get so pissed off. It’s just a game.
It’s not just the Broncos. Back in New York, I enjoyed antagonizing my co-workers who were Yankees fans on the rare occasions (well, they were rare back then) when the Yankees would lose. I also like to tease both Kyle and my father-in-law by telling them, “Nobody cares about the PAC-10.” Even at the grocery store last week, I laughed at the bag boy who was aghast that Oliver was wearing an Ohio State onesie (courtesy of Herman Anne): “Don’t give a damn ’bout the whole state of Michigan,” I sang, “Cause we’re from O-HIIIIII-O!”
Meanwhile, it really doesn’t matter to me whether the Mets or the Reds or the Bucks win. Sure, I like them. But does it get my goat if they lose and people crow about it? Nah.
All the Broncos paraphernalia though - monstrous car decals, license plate designs, rows and rows of Broncos jerseys in sizes ranging from newborn to XXXL - it’s downright cult-like: “Broncos Country: Love It or Leave It!”
Well, I’m not going to leave it. But I can’t see myself learning to love it.
I will say one thing for Broncos Fever though. During game time, the grocery store is deserted. It’s the perfect time to shop.
Published by mothergoosemouse on January 3rd, 2009 tagged Bwahahaha!, Home on the range, Who me? | 14 Comments »
No hangover. Definitely a good start to the New Year.
I know that yesterday I was supposed to be all introspective, being the last day of the old year, and today I’m supposed to be looking forward to the new year ahead - setting goals and making resolutions - but honestly, I’m just glad for the status quo. If, at the end of 2009, I’m still in the same place I was at the end of 2008, I’ll count myself lucky.
Life is always filled with surprises, and while I’ve never been a fan of surprises - they clash with my Type A personality - I’ve grown to roll with them. Because surprises usually turn out to be wonderful.
But the last three and a half years have been filled with setbacks.
Many successes too, of course. But the setbacks - some anticipated, some not at all - have been so numerous that they’ve taken center stage for me far too often. They’ve colored my view of living here in Colorado, my enjoyment of life outside our house and our family. They’ve made me yearn for my old life - not nostalgically, but bitterly.
I need to focus on the positive. Trite, but true.
My oldest child is halfway through first grade, getting smarter and funnier and more beautiful every day.
My younger daughter is nearly four, and I’m awed by the progress she’s made. She’s a different person.
My baby - the biggest and best surprise of them all - will turn one. I can’t imagine life without him.
Kyle and I are gainfully employed and happy in our work, which means we are happy and secure at home.
I’m not hoping for miracles (or winning Powerball tickets) in 2009, although I’d be pretty excited if I dropped a pants size or two. All I really want is to maintain the status quo.
We’ll see where we land on the first day of 2010.
Published by mothergoosemouse on January 1st, 2009 tagged Miss Goosie, Miss Mousie, Olliepop, The king of beers, Who me? | 15 Comments »
Show and Tell and Save Handmade!
Christmas was pretty damn awesome around here - yes, we atheists celebrate Christmas; no way are we cheating ourselves out of the fun of Santa. We’ve even got Nativity scene ornaments on our tree, handed down from my parents who don’t really believe either.
Even though I told Kyle explicitly NOT to get anything for me, he did anyway. They were practical gifts though - a small bookshelf for the kitchen so that I can stop piling all of my samples and USB cables on the kitchen counter, and a bedside table so that I can stop leaving my glasses and books and DS Lite on the floor.
Oh, and some rat bastard gave me mastitis for Boxing Day. Lovely.
We did give each other some great big-box gifts (like Rock Band 2 for Kyle - we’re Skeptical Barfbags, and you should hear us on So Whatcha Want - and a VTech camera for CJ, which lets you put bunny ears or devil horns on the subject of your photo), but I loved finding gifts that were just as perfect at small online shops.
CJ received a super hero cape from Ellie Bellie Kids, and Tacy got a Peas/Peace tee shirt from Starlooks Boutique. Both girls found holiday Smencils from Stubby Pencil Studio in their stockings, and they’ve been happily defacing My Very Own House (also from Starlooks Boutique) since Christmas morning.
These items are sure to become prized possessions of my kids, like so many others they’ve received and I’ve admired from independent/emerging designers and mom-owned businesses - far too many to adequately summarize here. But if the CPSIA takes effect, these Christmas gifts of 2008 will almost certainly be the last of their kind.
We’ve been spreading the word already; let’s spread it some more, with the help of a meme that lets you show off the holiday gifts you gave - the ones that the well-intentioned but poorly-executed CPSIA would make illegal:
- Write a post about those super-cool gifts that you could hardly wait to watch your kids open (or your nieces and nephews, or your best friend’s kids, or whoever the lucky recipients were);
- Post pics or give link love to the product web pages (optional, but why not?);
- Invite a few other people to do the same.
I’m going to start with a few people whose own businesses would be affected by the CPSIA - Mom O Matic (find her funky vintage-inspired jewelry on Etsy), Mommy Needs a Cocktail (find her cute onesies and tees at Baby Brewing), and i-obsess (find her at Did You Buy That New? - and harass her about re-opening Fadiddle). Plus Kristen, who’s not only co-founder and editor of Cool Mom Picks, but has her own Etsy shop as well.
Everyone else is also welcome - encouraged even! - to get this party started on their own blogs. As of posting time, we’ve got 43 days to save handmade. Sign the petitions, email the CPSC, and contact your congressional representatives!
Published by mothergoosemouse on December 28th, 2008 tagged Bloggy-linky-meme-y, Daring you to disagree | 12 Comments »
It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m still not finished
As John Bender would say, “Not even close, bud.”
I haven’t wrapped a damn thing. But I’ve got a good reason.
My children - well, two of them anyway - have reached the age where presents cannot be wrapped and left under the tree in peace.
Everything must be picked up and shaken and used as building blocks and makeshift chairs. Gift tags are examined in great detail (by CJ, who can’t yet read) or eaten (by Oliver, who’d be better off trolling the kitchen floor). Bows are removed and used as hair adornments, or else they’re all relocated to a single package.
The tree ornaments receive their share of manhandling as well. I’m more tolerant of those transgressions though, because many of those ornaments are ones that I stealthily removed from the tree when I was a kid and admired up close: Raggedy Ann and Andy, a gingerbread boy and girl and house (all hand-sewn by my mother); a tiny mouse asleep in a basket; a reindeer asleep in a bed - Cupid, according to the name painted on the headboard).
The porcelain Peanuts characters are off-limits though; if one of those broke, my heart would break a little bit too.
So it’s only fitting that I made a few ornaments myself to hand down to my kids, including a gingerbread boy:
Not the gumdrop buttons!
And in a stunning show of domesticity, I made peppermint bark…
It’s gonna take at least a week of Super Hula Hoop to counteract the caloric damage.
I had help licking the bowl used for melting chocolate…
Notice the black eye. Little incident at preschool. You should see the other guy.
I also showed my f$%&ing cookie press who was boss…
Red hots that have been melted in the oven = pure deliciousness
I got a bit lazy at the end of the evening, and I shoved three different shades of dough into the press at once…
Rasta cookies! Minus the “secret ingredient”, of course.
Meanwhile, Kyle and Tacy decorated sugar cookies…
We got cookies, we got icing, we got sprinkles…who could ask for anything more?
Looks almost Rockwellian, doesn’t it? Think again…
Mob Boss bear and his evil Capo!
Obviously, I have a great deal of work left to do - presents to wrap, stockings to stuff, cookies to eat - so I’d better get cracking. I’ll be back when the wrapping paper has cleared and the sugar haze has lifted.
Published by mothergoosemouse on December 24th, 2008 tagged Bwahahaha!, Look at me, look at me!, Miss Goosie, Miss Mousie, The king of beers, Who me? | 18 Comments »
How could you?
When my PIMs and I took our friendships off the Babycenter Working Moms board and onto a Yahoo group and started planning our first big meet-up, we joked about whether we actually were who we said we were. Someone posted a picture of an extremely large, extremely hairy man hunched over a keyboard, and we nicknamed him Hairy Phil - the personification of our common fear that one or more of us wasn’t as transparent as she seemed.
Fast-forward three years to BlogHer06, where I once again traveled to meet up with a group of women whom I’d never met before (with one exception). Given that it was a conference, I wasn’t concerned about the veracity of people’s identities, but I was even more unnerved by the transparency than I had been with my PIMs.
I’ve joked that blogging has elements of narcissism - after all, why would we possibly think that other people, especially strangers, would be the least bit interested in our lives? - but it’s about far more than just getting attention. Our transparency as we share our own struggles and triumphs, and our genuine concern for others - even people whom we may never meet - forge connections and bonds that otherwise wouldn’t exist. They also make us terribly vulnerable.
We’ve all had shitty friends - people we trusted who threw us under the bus to save themselves or purely for their own amusement. Sometimes we cut our losses and move on. Sometimes it’s worth dragging an explanation out of the culprit. The costs of these friendships are varied - friends, boyfriends, money.
This afternoon, I read about how a shitty friend cost my friend Tanis her child. I shoveled Chex Mix into my gaping mouth as the details unfolded, horrified at how her trust was betrayed and how baseless, false allegations have hurt her, her husband, and her children.
It made me question why I do this. Why I put on display for public consumption what I wouldn’t necessarily say to people in person. In fact, I have to put the question of “who might be reading?” out of my mind before I write.
But what conclusions might people leap to - about my ethics and morals, my marriage, my fitness as a parent - simply by reading? What might they discover here that I wouldn’t bring up in casual conversation? What might make one person like me more, but might make a dozen others like me less?
Ironically enough, those questions are why I continue to accept the risks of blogging (and the risks of making friends in general). Blogging keeps me honest and on the record. I have to think through my statements, my positions, what I’m willing to share and what ought to remain private. I have to be prepared to own my words, here on my blog and in my comments on other people’s blogs.
So while the threat of being thrown under the bus still looms, it’ll be there whether I blog or not. Might as well soldier on.
Published by mothergoosemouse on December 21st, 2008 tagged Daring you to disagree, Who me? | 14 Comments »
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
I try not to put too much pressure on myself at the holidays.
We stay at home. Want to come visit us? Great! Want us to get on a plane or in a car and come visit you? Are you MAD?! Not even if you bought plane tickets for all five of us. Sorry.
We make what we like for dinner. Which does not include anything pictured in the Sunday coupon circular or requiring a can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup. Bleah.
We watch Christmas movies that make us laugh. “You’ll shoot your eye out!” and “Shitter was full!” No bell-ringing angels or trials of Kris Kringle around here. Yawn.
We open gifts whenever and however we please. We don’t wait for everyone to shower. Nobody acts as “Santa Claus”, doling out the gifts. If you can read your name on a gift tag, go ahead and open it. We don’t call a halt to the festivities for photo ops, although we do occasionally shout, “Whadja get?! Whadja get?!” and aim the camera. Free for all!
We decorate when we get the chance. We do insist on a real tree, even if all that our fifty bucks will buy these days is a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I insist on stringing the lights and redistributing the ornaments after the children have hung them. But there’s no deadline by which any of this tree-trimming must occur - other than December 24, of course.
We rarely put up lights outside. We did it the first year we lived here, and then we got a nasty letter from the HOA in March when we still hadn’t managed to take them down. We do, however, drive around and admire other people’s lights.
We do send holiday cards because we get a kick out of creating them. And we do make an annual trip to see Santa, no matter how much it pains the children:
Because the photos are always priceless.
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You might think Ollie was scared of Santa, but that’s not it at all. He’s crying because I just showed him this post over at Mile High Mamas.
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In all seriousness, the holidays can be a pretty stressful time. Families for Depression Awareness is a great place to turn to for support if you’re feeling overwhelmed. There are better coping mechanisms out there than eggnog, trust me.
Published by mothergoosemouse on December 18th, 2008 tagged Bloggy-linky-meme-y, Dirtying up other corners of the web, Look at me, look at me!, Miss Goosie, Miss Mousie, Olliepop | 12 Comments »
Happy holidays to all, and to one of you, a Wii and Wii Fit
Thank you so very much to everyone who submitted entries to my Wii/Wii Fit giveaway.
I haven’t commented on any of them, but I’ve read them all - posts, comments, emails - at least twice. I’ve been absorbed by your stories and been touched by your struggles. I wish I had a dozen Wii/Wii Fit combos to give away.
Wii Fit is a ton o’ fun, even more than I expected it to be. Several people commented on how a Wii/Wii Fit would make exercising more enjoyable, giving them the confidence to keep it up.
Denise got a chance to play at Aimee’s party (check out her Tree Pose!) and was hooked:
“I want to get past the awkwardness I felt that night and build balance, improve my posture, and get Fit, Wii Fit. They are so cool.”
Like so many of us, PsychMamma just wants to WANT to work out:
“My hope is that it would actually make it FUN to exercise and that I would WANT to do it. And, maybe I won’t fall down when I try to do yoga.”
Lindsey is inspired by how Wii Fit tracks progress - something I personally love about it too:
“Really, everything about this program impresses me - the fact that it keeps track, keeps you accountable, and even has games so that it stays fresh and fun - I know I would LOVE this!”
I identified closely with the mothers who work outside the home and hate to give up time with their children to spend it exercising. As JABMom said in her comment:
“But I cannot stand to be away from them unless I have to be and for me that is only when I am at work.”
Caryn said the same in her post:
“The only feasible way to get moving is to do it at home when my son goes to sleep.”
Multiply the working mom schedule by a Lupus diagnosis, and you’ve got Jodifur’s story:
“…with all the doctors appointments and tests and whatnot I cannot seem to fit the gym into my already jam packed schedule of mommy, attorney, wife, and now patient.”
Lots of readers remarked on how they’ve become someone they don’t recognize, and it pains them. Yeah, me too. And her too. And all of them too.
Until we find a fountain of youth (and a mute button for our kids, and sometimes ourselves), we’ll never get our old selves back entirely, but feeling good about the selves we’ve got now would go a long way.
Bridget is blogging her weight loss, helped by a fantastic sense of humor:
“I am working at losing 100 pounds - a VERY BIG GOAL. And, I’m blogging about it, despite the very slow progress of my early success. It’s the perfect combination for a contest like this one. Maybe I can one day land one of those testimonial ad spots - I could be the Subway Jared of the Wii Fit - “I lost 100 pounds using my Wii Fit!” Wouldn’t that be something…”
Heather H had gastric bypass surgery and is determined to keep the weight off:
“I had weight loss surgery in August and am really trying to exercise regularly. I have looked into buying Wii and Wii Fit on several occasions but can not afford it at this time.”
Stimey was a dedicated exerciser for many years:
“I have steadily gained weight since Quinn was born. I hate it. I hate seeing it happen to me because it’s not who I am. I am not supposed to be this overweight.”
And Dawn’s weight has yo-yo’d, adding to her frustration:
“I’d lost 84 lbs prior to having my 3rd child - and now have gained it all back. Living in the great snowy north, it’s not at all possible to get out to get any exercise and so no matter how much better I eat, I still don’t lose.”
The weather was a common theme in many pleas. Cait painted a hilarious picture of sweatin’ to the oldies in her comment, explaining:
“I live and go to school in Orono, Maine & it’s either bloody cold outside 3/4th of the time or horribly buggy when I am living here…I am what one would call a fat skinny, I am tall and lanky, but I have no muscle tone what so ever.”
Before anyone throws rotten tomatoes at Cait for admitting she’s skinny, remember that “skinny” doesn’t necessarily equal “healthy”. Fitness isn’t just about wearing low-rise jeans; it’s about living well, as other entrants reminded me.
Gretchen is on the brink of full-blown diabetes:
“I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and have 60-70# to lose. I don’t want to go into full diabetes so have taken some minor steps to get away from it but feel that if I win this it will give me the motivation I desperately need. I am a 40yo mom of 3 kids and a new grandbaby and don’t want to miss out on all the fun still yet to come.”
Jenn doesn’t have a health condition, but she recognizes that her lifestyle is not what it could be:
“We want to be positive role models to our daughter in every aspect of our lives and eating healthy and being active is what we need to incorporate more in our daily routine. We want to be around for her for a long time and we don’t want our sedentary bodies/lifestyles to rob her of long life with her parents.”
One of the great things about Wii Fit is how well it accommodates physical limitations, such as injuries and pregnancy. Being susceptible to shin splints and stress fractures myself, as well as having been pregnant three times, I can truly appreciate the need for a modified exercise routine.
NGS injured herself biking (something I worry about myself):
“I broke my hand about a month ago when I fell off my bike while commuting to work…the broken hand basically got me off my fitness routine.”
Gloria’s grandmother broke her ankle:
“In her circumstances right now she is not able to get out and exercise and I know that it would mean so much to her to be able to do this in the privacy of her own home and at her own pace. It would mean the world to her to be able to get the strength back that she once had.”
Both Margaret and Chickia are pregnant. As Margaret admits:
“I have gained (cough cough) pounds so far - significantly more than I should have. I need something fun and different for after my son gets here to get me off my butt and exercising.”
And Chickia wants her husband to get in on the act:
“I’m pregnant and looking for a variety of low-impact things I can do to keep in some sort of shape. My husband loves games and isn’t against physical activity (goes biking with me & dog) but never ever ever will work out unless it’s tied to a fun activity. I’m pretty sure he’ll love the Wii with me…”
Megan suffered a miscarriage recently - a painful event at any time, but especially so given her conception struggles:
“I would love to have a Wii so I can work out all of my frustrations in private, where I can break down and cry without freaking people out in the gym. I would love to focus on getting back in shape and having a goal to look towards. I think it would also help my family, as we’re all trying to come together after this horrible event.”
Which brings me to the final point that so many people highlighted - their desire to spend time as a family doing something fun and fitness-oriented. That’s what Wii and Wii Fit are all about.
Angie and her husband used to take long walks together, both a coping mechanism and a wonderful metaphor for the recent job struggles they endured:
“It could never replace our walks, but it would be an awesome way to get all four of us together…making new memories…while we hula hoop away our stress and teach the kids how important fitness is.”
Littlemonster and Monster were accomplished dancers, which strengthened their bodies and their relationship:
“Like with dancing, I know in my heart that Wii Fit will give us activities that Monster and I can do together, that we will love to do together, that we will love growing closer together as we do them.”
Debbie sees the Wii and Wii Fit as a way to promote family fitness and togetherness:
“My 13-year-old son wants to start to get in shape, and my husband stopped smoking a few years ago and gained a few pounds. I’m so proud of him, but he’s unhappy with the extra weight. A Wii Fit would help us all!”
I can vouch for the family togetherness. Even though most activities are for one person at a time, I’ve found that a sure-fire way to cheer up teary children is to put on the soccer ball game and let them laugh at me as I get hit in the head with shoes and pandas.
I loved everything that all of you wrote. I was honored that you took the time to write, and I was humbled by your honesty regarding the struggles you face.
But it was Pando’s post that I couldn’t get out of my head. She was the first one to post, and she set the bar high.
She’s a long-time gamer and a dedicated Nintendo fan:
“I’m the girl who used to steal quarters from under the couch cushions and sneak out to play Street Fighter in the arcade at the local convenience store with all the gamer boys when I was eleven. I grew up with a Nintendo controller firmly in hand. Hell, I even have a Nintendo purse.”
Okay, Pando. I can respect that you’re a fangirl. But even so, when you’re ready to upgrade your handbag, we can help.
Her man’s a fan too:
“The Guy is a gamer too, so when we moved in together I was in heaven. New games! New systems! He had an X-box, and knew how to use it, which was very much a point in his favor, I might add.”
He had an X-box, and knew how to use it. If only all men were so familiar with the equipment needed to please women. That would be heavenly indeed.
Of course, the two of them wanted a Wii. But from the very start, they were tough to find and a little pricey:
“But Wii’s were never in stock, anywhere so we never did choose to hunt one down and pay more than we could afford for it. Sigh. We made the wrong choice.”
I know what she means. When I played Boogie at BlogHer07, I thought, “Hey, this is kinda cool.” Did I go out and buy a system right then as I was tempted to do? Nooo-ooooo. Instead, I spent the next 18 months listening to Kyle whine: “I want a Wiii-iiiii…”
Like other entrants, Pando has health problems:
“You probably know already that I’m sick. And, while I don’t want to play the “I have a chronic illness so give me stuff or I’ll die” card, my illness does factor in to my ability to exercise outside of my home. I need, desperately, to move. To get myself in shape so that I can handle this better, physically and mentally. But even going for walks is a lot for me, because of the fickle nature of my issues. I’m, frankly, terrified of being struck with symptoms while far away from home. And not being able to walk back. Add to that, the fear of being stuck somewhere with my five-year-old and I rarely even try anymore.”
She has chronic pancreatitis. Three weeks ago, I wouldn’t have know what that was. But since my father just spent two weeks in the hospital with acute pancreatitis, I’ve got a deep appreciation for the pain she endures. Let’s just say that we won’t find my dad and Pando doing tequila shooters over a plate of enchiladas anytime soon.
And like other entrants, she sees a Wii and Wii Fit as a way to bring the family together:
“We are all gamers, and we just need a game that can bring us together. We need something we can do as a family, and this system seems to be doing that, incredibly well, for everyone we know who owns one.”
It’s true. I wouldn’t have believed it myself, but our whole family plays. And we like watching each other play. The Wii really is a family gaming system.
Then I read this part of her post:
“You see, we went NDSHCSH shopping this weekend. And they had a Wii in stock(!) at Target!
And so I stood in the aisle, guarding the last one, for a good twenty minutes while we talked about it.
“We can get one, but, that will be it for the holidays.” he tells me.
“I want that!” I shriek, like a little girl.
“It’s up to you” he says.
I waver. I waffle. I ponder. Because while I know that the three of us will get so much use, and I personally, stand to benefit immensely from this machine.
But, no. I can’t in good conscience, spend the money on that machine when I still have my two lost children to buy for. When I still need dental work, and glasses and a new computer. And bills. Oh, god, the bills.”
NDSHCSH shopping - naturally, I love that. Lost children - my god, I can’t even imagine the pain. Finding a Wii in stock - oh, the temptation!
But Pando walked away. She considered her priorities - what she needed versus what she wanted - and determined that she could wait a while longer for her Wii.
Pando, you’ll have to wait another couple weeks. But your Wii and Wii Fit will be on their way as soon as you send me an email with your mailing address. (mothergoosemouse AT gmail DOT com)
Everyone else, I wish I could give you a Wii and Wii Fit too. So many wonderful homes out there where they would get such love and attention. But I hope you will congratulate Pando and read her post. She deserves this.
While Jeff Probst would say, “I got nothin’ for ya,” I do have something. A little video enticement to demonstrate just how damn much fun a Wii and Wii Fit can be, both for the child and for the parents watching her:
Published by mothergoosemouse on December 15th, 2008 tagged Look at me, look at me!, Miss Mousie, Who me? | 12 Comments »
Get off the gravy train
Oliver had his nine-month check up this week (a month and a half late, I realize).
I was profoundly grateful that, unlike at CJ’s nine-month check up, the doctor did not discover a double ear infection. I was proud that, unlike at any of CJ’s or Tacy’s check ups, he barely noticed the needle being jabbed into his chubby little thigh.
And I was guiltily relieved that, when the doctor asked if Oliver was still breastfeeding, I told her that yes, he was, but that I was headed to a conference in February - and that would be the end of the mommy chow gravy train, if he hadn’t already voluntarily disembarked by then.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m awed and thankful that he has nursed this long and this well. We’ve had no issues with weight gain. He’s adopted no other self-soothing habits that we’ll have to break down the road, like thumb sucking. We’ve saved literally hundreds of dollars on formula.
But it’s a leash. Breastfeeding is a leash that keeps me tied to him (along with his stubborn refusal to accept a bottle or sippy cup). I have to consider his need for me in all plans that I make - and to be honest, I’m getting tired of it.
He went with me to Chicago in May, to San Francisco in July, and he would have come to New Jersey with me in April. Back then, he was still quite portable, even on airplanes.
Now that he’s nearly walking and much more insistent on voicing his opinions, he’s really not the greatest traveling or conference companion. So while I was able to rely on the kindness of friends to help keep Oliver occupied and give me an occasional break in both Chicago and San Francisco, now I’d have to pay them (or ply them with drinks) to chase him around.
To complicate matters, he’s not yet ready for whole milk, and I’m not willing to pump precious ounces only to put them in a sippy cup that he will almost certainly wave around and drop on the floor. No, I don’t want him to waste whole milk either (have you seen the cost of a gallon of milk these days?), but I’d rather see that hit the deck than mommy chow.
So as much as I want to attend Chicks Who Click in January, I’ve decided that I’m not prepared to start the battle quite yet.
But come January 31, 2009, there will be a gallon of whole milk in my fridge and assorted drinking implements laid out on my counter. The boy will drink milk delivered second hand, one way or another.
And I will be free. A little sad, a little wistful, but eagerly anticipating a solo trip to Houston, where I will undoubtedly hold other people’s babies and miss my own.
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How are you simplifying, streamlining, or otherwise getting your act together next year? Tell us about it for the last Blog Blast of 2008 - you could win a $250 Target gift card! Choxie for everyone!
Published by mothergoosemouse on December 12th, 2008 tagged Daring you to disagree, Olliepop, Who me? | 16 Comments »
I told you once, I’ll tell you again
Oh, Gov. Rendell. No, you di-in’t.
You did? Well, I think I understand your intent.
Still. Not cool. Don’t box us in.
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Want an excellent example of why more regulation is not necessarily better? Read this.
Not only will the CPSIA cost the big box toymakers a shit-ton of money in order to achieve compliance (which, naturally, they will pass along to consumers), it will put the small businesses right out of business. They simply don’t have the funds to comply with the terms of the CPSIA.
Obviously we at Cool Mom Picks care deeply about safer toys, but we also care about the small, independent, mom-and-pop entrepreneurs who create beautiful things for children - and who have always taken great pride in ensuring that their offerings are safe. They didn’t need legislation to make safety a priority.
Go to Cool Mom Picks to find out how you can help. And while you’re there, check out the Safer Toy Guide and the Holiday Gift Guide. They’re both amazing, if I do say so myself.
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Shave the Date - everybody’s doing it. And by everybody, I mean the more than 1850 people (and counting!) who have Dugg the Mominatrix’s campaign to Leave No Bush Behind.
Go on, Digg it. You know you want to.
Unless, of course, you’re a good girl. Because good girls have pubes.
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Lest you think that all I do is engage in sin and debauchery, be reassured that I do have a heart. I wasn’t blowing smoke when I said I like to help people.
If you live in the Denver area and you’re looking for a worthwhile charity to support this holiday season, and all year long, check out The Family Tree.
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Oh, and if you want to win a Wii Fit, you gotta work for it.
