September 2009 Archives

girl meets boy

September 30, 2009 By Neena 6 Comments

Once upon a time there was a young girl who fell in love with a giraffe.

She wasn’t sure if it was his softness or the sweet lullaby he played, but she

immediately hugged him close and refused to let him go.

She brought him home and offered her warm embrace

as she introduced him to her world.

Soon there was laughter, secret toddler conversation, and dancing

to the music only they could hear.

In one afternoon this young girl showed a lonely giraffe how the rest of his

days would be spent as her perfect companion.

and by nightfall the two of them were cuddled together drifting

off to the sounds of their new lullaby…

Filed Under: story

If I pour a box of Calgon on my head while clicking my heels will I be magically transported away from home!?

September 29, 2009 By Neena 2 Comments

I’m usually a fairly practical person. I like schedules and routines. And, I often find myself trying to schedule the different aspects of my days in a logical and sensible way.

Order. Routine. Lack of chaos. All those things make me very happy. I sing and dance and become a patient and loving crafty-type mom when the my world exists with organization and lists and schedules.

I don’t really get crafty when there is order and no chaos, but I do drink less.

Which is why I was so disturbed by the fact that this year I was going to have to make three separate trips to the pediatrician for flu shots.

Why three?

Because that’s how many children I had before I became the sensible one and realized I should probably keep my legs closed.

Three children. Three flu shots.

Now, logically I would schedule these at the same time and just prepare myself for a day of unbridled Hell. This year it didn’t quite work out like that.

Jacob was offered his flu shot in August when he was there for his wellness visit. I was already there so I figured Sure! Just add a 5th shot to the boy.

I planned to take the baby and Amelia at the same time to at least eliminate one trip. I called to schedule the appointment and was informed that they could schedule Amelia’s shot, but didn’t have one appropriate for Charlotte’s age.

Okay. Fine. I’ll make three trips. No real biggie.

They asked me when I was scheduling the appointment if I wanted the shot or the mist. I indicated that I was not picky and really didn’t care as long as she got something. Ok, thanks. See you in two weeks.

Today was two weeks. After a crazy afternoon I loaded all three children in the car and hurried down to the pediatricians office. On the drive there I gave the kids my typical mother lecture indicating that I expected them to behave. You know…

“Listen to me! You will behave at the doctor’s office. You will not run around, jump on chairs, beg for snacks, as for treats, steal stickers, or make a mess. You will not open drawers, whine, cry, pitch fits, or pick on one another. You will listen, sit still, be patient, and act like the good children I know you can be or, so help me God, you will be in trouble when we get home!”

We get there, check in, and begin our wait in the “We’re Not Contagious” side of the office. After what seemed like eternity we were called back by the nurse to a small room. I herded my children back to the small room and then things just got fun.

The nurse informed me that Amelia was signed up for the mist and her records indicated that she has some sort of wheezy thing back in February.

Yea, ok. I know.

Well, after confirming with the doctor it was mentioned that it’s too soon after her one wheezy episode to have the flu mist. It could cause some trouble. They didn’t have any shots in stock so we were asked to fill out a call card so they could call in two weeks to reschedule for us to come back and try again. Thank you and have a nice day.

No sorry. No we apologize for the inconvenience.

Pretty much just go home and try again later. Oh, and please fill out a second card so that we may inform you when we have the stuff for the baby.

Three kids. Three flu shots.

As of right now it’ll all be done in 4 trips.

I’ll just concede now and work on that bottle of wine in the fridge.

Filed Under: daily grind, doctor visit

Oh, such a sweet sweet sound

September 28, 2009 By Neena 9 Comments

This past weekend I was lucky enough to witness something amazing.

Powerful.

Exciting.

Absolute in its ability to take over my heart.

Curled in the recliner, cuddled in the crook of her Daddy’s lap I watched and listened to my daughter read aloud for the very first time.

With the security of her Daddy’s unbending encouragement she read – all by herself. She chose a book with the confidence of a life long reader and with the utmost concentration sounded out each and every word.

Start to finish.

Beginning to end.

Occasionally she would look up and smile in no way realizing how amazing what she was doing actually was.

My eyes watered and my heart was full.

Welcome, little reader. Mama’s been waiting…

Filed Under: amelia, reading

Just a Pencil

September 25, 2009 By Neena 6 Comments

I have a small scar on my right hand. It’s no more than half an inch long and about the width of an eraser head.

Actually, it’s the exact width of an #2 pencil eraser.

When I was in 6th grade it became somewhat of a cool thing to do to give yourself an eraser burn. It was some sort of ritual the boys were doing to profess their eternal middle school coolness. I was in the midst of my ugly duckling phase: bad hair, bad perm, in the process of losing the baby weight. While I was just beginning to make some friends and find my niche, I believed my entire middle school status relied on what the boys thought of me. I wanted to be one of the girls they talked to, occasionally laughed with, and called their ‘girlfriend’ at the Student Council dance.

I believed I could make this happen with an eraser burn.

So, one day in Math class while other students did problems on the board I sat at my desk and rubbed back and forth until it hurt bad enough for me to stop.

I looked down and admired my mark, my attempt at status.

It was ugly. Red. Kind of oozy.

It never did win me the attention or admiration of any of the boys.

Most of the girls thought it was gross.

I think that was the point when I decided my hands were ugly.

I thought about this on the drive home last night. I don’t know why.

Filed Under: memories

Life Lessons

September 24, 2009 By Neena 4 Comments

It’s always been said that old people are pretty set in their ways. They tend to be firm about their opinions and very rarely change what they believe or who they are. They think they know best and often fail to listen to reason.

I’ve always thought of myself as ‘old.’

Open minded I’m usually not.

I tend to be stubborn.

Okay, I tend to be really stubborn.

I usually think I’m right and I like thinking that I know best.

However, yesterday I learned something new about myself.

Apparently I’m not so set in my ways that I’m too dense to know when I’ve had one of those moments. You know those moments. They’re the type of moments that make you go ‘oh, yea…’ because the light bulb suddenly flares and moments of your life come flashing back all at once! You’re faced with a new sense of awareness and clarity that makes so many past experiences come forth with new endings. And it all comes to fruition over a misread piece of mail.

So, what did I learn?

That I need not make decision until I’ve slept on it.

Wow. Growing as a person is exhausting.

Filed Under: deep stuff

National Family Game Night

September 23, 2009 By Neena Leave a Comment

Tonight Hasbro is sponsoring National Family Game Night.

This is an attempt to get families to turn off the TV and ‘let the good times roll!’

They are challenging folks to step away from the craziness of life and spend some time (not in front of the TV) having fun with your family!

What’s bad about that!?

They have games for all different levels, so even if you’re children are young like mine you can still find something to play!

Now, I’ll be in class tonight. But, I have every intention of leaving Hubby instructions to play Candyland with the children while I’m gone. I just hope he’s here when I get back. Board games with our kids are always interesting…

Check out their website for some great tips and a list of game suggestions.

Filed Under: family

Hip Hop: Housewife Style

September 23, 2009 By Neena 2 Comments

I found this yesterday by way of some ‘show the love’ comments on twitter.

It made me laugh.

And, boy have I needed to laugh lately. My husband quit smoking and it’s been raining non-freaking stop! Laughter’s all I have.

Enjoy.

Filed Under: video

What a Mother is Driven to When Faced With Days and Days of Rain and Three Slightly Offbeat Children. Could also be title ‘Chivalry Ain’t Dead.’

September 22, 2009 By Neena 7 Comments

He came home with my favorite ice cream, some yummy cookies, and a refill of my anxiety meds.

That’s love, my friends.

Or just a really, really sad statement about myself.

Filed Under: daily gring

Return to Campus

September 21, 2009 By Neena 3 Comments

I knew returning to school to work on my PhD would prove to be a balancing act.

I knew I’d have to learn a new routine that allowed me plenty of time to read scholarly articles ranging from qualitative research to Aristotle’s theories of leisure.

I knew I would have to create both time and space for myself so that I could keep on task and complete any and all necessary assignments.

I knew I would have to get over my fear of driving both in the rain and at night and face both simultaneously on a regular basis.

I knew I would have to lose sleep, give up fractions of my weekends, and learn to eat dinner either before 4:00 pm or after 9:00 pm.

I knew these things and I was as prepared as possible for them.

But, I never expected many of the things I’m feeling…

I never expected to long to go out with my classmates for a drink or coffee after class only to be the only one that declines because I have a good hour drive home.

I never expected to want to be involved in numerous campus activities only to realize that I must return for carpool and class parties.

I never expected to find myself imagining what school would be like if I didn’t have so many responsibilities.

I never expected to want to move our entire lives to a college town just so I could be selfish and involved for the next few years.

I never expected to ache so much to make the most of the experience knowing full well that my ability to do so would compromise my role as both a mother and a wife.

I never expected to love being in an academic setting so much that I became slightly envious of the freedom many of my classmates are experiencing.

I thought returning would be easy. I thought I’d drive to class, listen to a professor or two lecture about this topic or that, write a few papers, and return to my life as a wife and mother with ease. I just assumed that the balance would be there – because it had to be.

But, it’s not.

Now, I must work to find a way to satiate my need to be an academic with my need to be there for my family. Choosing just one isn’t an option – though there have been moments when I wish it was. I must work to find the necessary balance. I must find a way to allow my two favorite worlds, the worlds that are so much a part of my happiness, the opportunity to collide and co-exist.

I must do this.

Because I have to.