Winding Down, Gearing Up

Happy Manic Monday, folks!

I'm in two very different modes simultaneously. I'm winding down and gearing up - at the same time.

Winding Down
At work, I'm going through transitioning projects and duties to various coworkers. Even though we'd initially thought I'd have a couple more weeks at work before baby, I'd designated this week in particular for transitions. Perhaps I just knew that Spoiled Baby was going to be even earlier than we thought.

Gearing Up
At home, I'm trying to make sure everything is just so before baby gets here. I've got a big checklist built (ok, I live my entire life by checklists) and have been going through items to feel like I'm ready. From having cash for the hospital (apparently, they make you pay for the difference between a semi-private room and a private room up front since insurance doesn't cover) to having my bags packed and all of my paperwork in order to even making sure that I have reading and writing stuff to keep me busy should I be in labor for a long time...I'm just buzzing around. Well, buzzing around as much as I can with (a) limited energy and (b) doctor's orders to restrict movements.

What do you most remember about the things you tried to accomplish just before the birth of your first child?

Ignorant Children, Part 2

I was at the library today, checking out a few books in preparation for the arrival of the little one. (I'm beginning my quest to read ALL of the books that have won the Pulitzer Prize.)

While there, I noticed a mother and her teenage son. He was busily picking out DVDs to rent. His mom asked him, in a very tentative voice, "Would you like to check out a few books as well, while we're here?"

He replied, "Naw. I don't need no books. Nothin' ever happens in books."

Oh, God. I had to stop myself from rushing over and bonking him over the head with the hardcover copy of Gone With The Wind I'd just picked up.

This is a problem I perceive with today's youth - they don't read! Even up to my age - a few, hmm, years past my high school days.

I was on a work trip to Philadelphia a little over a year ago with one of my coworkers, and I was showing him around the city that I spent a lot of time in growing up. Somehow, we got talking about books. He confided in me that he was hoping to read at least 1 book this year. Because, you know, he's busy and all.

Gosh, don't strain yourself.

When did reading become such a challenge? I'm not saying that kids have to run out and pick up the classics, but read something, for God's sake! I'd seriously challenge anyone who told me they didn't have time to read because they're too busy. Quite honestly, I rarely encounter people who have more crowded schedules than I do. But I'm still in the process of reading my 81st book this year.

What are your thoughts?

This trend in reading disturbs me...seriously!

Another Fabulous Friday

It occurred to me today that with Spoiled Baby making her own plans to enter the world (see the post on that over at How to Have a Baby), I won't have many more Fridays without her by my side! In fact...this could be my last. Wow!

It's incredible to look back and realize how much time has passed since we first found out she was coming. Absolutely incredible. And although it now seems that life is in fast forward and she'll be here before we know it...I can't wait!

Although, really, I can. First...she needs to grow, just a bit more. Second...I need Funny Daddy to get home before she gets here. (See the post on where he is over at Breakfast at Tiffany's.)

Question to all you mamas out there - in the last weeks of your pregnancies, what were you most looking forward to, other than the obvious fact that your baby would soon be a part of the world?

Have a great weekend, ya'll!

A Sarah Palin Kind of Mom

(If you don't follow my flagship blog, Breakfast at Tiffany's, you may not be aware of my political leanings. This post ought to give you a clue...)

I've been watching the news media swirl around Sarah Palin, as they've spent the past two weeks trying to figure out how they were going to attack her. And it intrigues me that one of the areas they have chosen to attack is the idea that Palin returned to work only days after the birth of her last child.

Quite honestly, folks, if this is the biggest concern they can find about this woman, they're trying waaaaay too hard.

First of all, Palin had the flexibility in her job necessary to be able to facilitate caring for her child while attending to her duties as governor. What's wrong with that?

Second, Palin has a terrific family and supportive husband. It's not like she's in this baby-raising business by herself. If a man returned to work earlier than what society deems as the norm, would he be similarly criticized?

And finally, this is Palin's fifth child. She certainly knows her own body well enough by this point to know what she can physically handle. And I'd have to say that she's one tough cookie from all of what I've seen.

I think I'd like to be a Sarah Palin kind of mom. I won't be heading back to my full-time job right after Spoiled Baby arrives, but I do intend to return to my writing commitments within about a week. There's no reason why I can't balance nurturing my child with sitting at my laptop for a few hours a day. My own husband is betting that I will end up cutting short the time I've planned to take off from my full time job, knowing full and well that I prefer to be on the go, but also trusting in my ability to balance that versus caring for my child.

And you know what? No matter how soon I return to my writing, or to my full time job, I am not a bad person...or a bad mother. Life is about finding the right balance for your own circumstances. Sarah Palin obviously realizes this...and so do I.

We Found...

...a Pediatrician!

I'd been worried that we'd just procrastinated too long and wouldn't find one before Spoiled Baby got here.

We were really looking for a lot:

• Female.
• Accepting new patients.
  
• Office within a 10-minute drive.
• Associated with the same hospital system as my other doctors.
• "Convenient" office hours other than those that overlap with normal business hours.
• Knowledgeable of many ailments beyond the typical childhood sniffles - including allergies and thyroid issues, since I have both.
• Accepts both my current insurance and the insurance I'm moving to in 2009.

We had a great interview yesterday morning with not only the doctor but also her nurse practitioner and her nurse. We asked a zillion questions...and she asked us a bunch in return. Really felt like we made a connection, so we're thrilled!

Bad news is that although she's associated with the same hospital system, she's not associated with the specific hospital I will deliver at - just too far away. She assured us that a qualified staff pediatrician would check out Spoiled Baby while we're in the hospital and that as long as we call as soon as the baby is born, they'll schedule a 24-hour post-hospital check-up as well as a 1-week check up to ensure all is well!

YAHOO! One less worry.

Another Weekend...Gone

I can't believe it's already Monday! Between starting Lamaze classes, judging speech and debate on Friday and Saturday, plus finishing up on work for a few freelancing clients...I'd swear it was just Friday!

How do you all manage your time over the weekend? I find that it's harder to manage weekend time than my hours throughout the work week. During the week, I can generally schedule everything around my full-time job and just make everything fit in. On the weekends...I feel pulled in a million different directions at times. There is always a lot that I want to do...and never enough hours to fit it all in.

So now it's Monday again, and between anticipating a busy work week and more to accomplish next weekend, I'm just going to be speeding from one Manic Monday to the next. How about you?

The Ignorance of Children...

I judged a speech and debate tournament between yesterday and today, and I'm reminded again of the ignorance of children.

In particular, I judge LD (Lincoln Douglas) Debate, Extemp (Extemporaneous Current Events Speaking) and Congress (speeches for/against resolutions). I just other events as well, but these are the ones that deal with current events.

I've got to tell you that some of the analysis I hear is so freaking cracked up, it makes my head hurt. I'm not saying that I have a difference of opinion with what's presented...I'm saying that the way these kids analyze issues is seriously flawed.

Is it their parent's fault? Is it their teacher's fault? Have we, as a society, just become less analytical?

It scares me that these kids are our future leaders. Year by year - and I've been judging for almost ten years - the analysis just gets worse and worse.

I'm looking forward to teaching Spoiled Baby how to handle thinking through current events issues. Not what to think - I don't need a mini me - but how to process what goes on in the world around her.

It seems that there's just not enough emphasis placed on learning how to think. Seriously!

Friday, Already?

Goodness...with it being a shortened week for the Labor Day holiday, Friday certainly seemed to get here fast, didn't it?

What's your favorite part about looking forward to Friday? Or, if you're a stay at home mama, is Friday really much different than any other day?

I think that between school and the working world, we get so focused on Friday being the release at the end of the week that sometimes it builds up too much. And then...it's Friday. Kay. Now what?

Any interesting plans for the weekend? I'm working all day today and then heading to another local high school to judge a speech tournament tonight and tomorrow. No plans yet for Sunday - and for that, I'm grateful! My husband and I haven't had a quiet day around the house just to ourselves in about a month, so I'm looking forward to it. Those quiet "just the two of us days" will be ending so soon with Spoiled Baby's arrival!!! And then I think I'll forget what quiet means...

Have a great weekend ya'll!

Mindnumbing Disney

We spent yesterday afternoon hanging out with Chris' aunt and cousins. One of his cousins has a baby boy who is about to turn 1. During the afternoon, the Disney Channel was on the boob tube, with some kind of animated Mickey show on. The kiddo was entranced. No matter where he crawled or who was holding him or if he was in his play pen, he had to have his head turned towards the TV, which was playing episodes of the show back to back to back to back to back to back to back...

I came home feeling a bit mindnumbed. Chris' aunt, the child's grandmother, posited that perhaps Disney used subliminal messages to keep the attention of the kiddos. I think she's on to something, there.

What kinds of shows did you all watch when you were little? Did you even watch a lot of TV? I didn't. First of all, even though I was raised in the 80s and cable existed, it didn't exist in my rural hometown. We had a TV that had a VHF and a UHF dial. The only time anything kid-like or animated came on network TV was Saturday morning cartoons. PBS did have some shows on in the afternoons that my mother put on for me occasionally, though. So if I was exposed to TV when I was a really little kid, it wasn't anything like Mickey's Crackhouse on the Disney channel. (I could, however, give you the roster of characters and the complete story lines from about 4 different soap operas by the age of five. Which may explain why I now refuse to watch soaps and in fact rarely watch TV in general.)

I'm a little scared with Catherine coming and finding ways to keep her little mind occupied. Granted, throughout the day, it'll be her Dad who determines what's going on - I'll be at work. But at night, when I'm home and Dad is at work, I'm a little scared at the prospect of going stark raving crazy after watching 70 episodes of an animated show in a row, even if it gives her some kind of valuable knowledge or keeps her quiet or captures her attention.

What are all ya'lls thoughts? What shows do your kiddos like? How do you avoid going nuts when watching shows that just make you want to scream but your children adore?

School Year Start

Man, Catherine isn't even here yet and I'm feeling rushed by the new school year. What will it be like in a few years when she's in school??

You see, I judge speech and debate tournaments for a handful of local high schools. Yeah, mumble-mumble years past high school myself, and I'm still a debate nerd!

I had a tournament this weekend and it threw off the nice little rhythm and routine I thought I had built for myself to balance my job and my writing and oh yeah - life! I got home way later both Friday and especially Saturday nights and have felt like I'm rushing to get everything else done around it!

Come Monday, Labor Day, a day when I was trying to avoid having any work to do in favor of an all-day relaxation fest...and I have to bang out some writing for a client because I didn't get it done last night; because last night I had friends over and computer issues besides and was working on something that should have been done earlier in the day; because earlier yesterday I was working on something that should have been done Saturday night; because I got home like 4 hours later Saturday night because I was guilt-tripped into judging out rounds; and on goes the cycle.

It's a Manic Monday for sure - and I know there'll be many more to come!

Happy Labor Day, ya'll!