Thursday, June 28, 2012

Blogging is a Funny Thing Sometimes

On Monday I took Casey to Cabin John Park.  It's not our local park, but it has a miniature train ride that kills about 20 minutes, so I am always up for making the trip.

After our wild train excursion, I let Casey play on the playground for a while when I saw a child I swore I recognized.  He looked about 4 or so, so I started going through the mental checklist. Braden's school?  No.  Pool?  No.  Child of some acquaintance I am about to run into and not remember their name?  No.

Then it came to me.

This child, as well as his two other brothers in tow, are the stars of one of my favorite blogs - Amalah.  This blog rocks.  The author, Amy, is hysterical.  It is on my reading list and I read every single post.

In a weird way, I was starstruck.  I know so much about her kids, and they are adorable.  Three boys.  All there.  I wanted to run up and hug them, ask them about their recent vacation, and make Casey befriend them.  I soon realized that if they were there, then maybe Amy would be there too, and I frantically started scanning the playground (boo, she wasn't).

Tuesday, June 26, 2012


You know what the best thing is about children?

They erase all past regrets.  All of them.

How can you have regrets?  If my life hadn't gone in exactly the way it had, with the timing to a T, I wouldn't have my two children.  Maybe I'd have different children, but they wouldn't be the ones I know.  And those are the only ones I want, and can imagine having.

It makes everything worth it.  All the bad decisions.  All the missteps.  All the broken relationships. In a sense, upon the birth of both of my children, the slate was wiped clean.

But you know what the scariest thing is about having children?

There are so many potential future regrets.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Mommy's Juice

It's no secret that I'm a wine-o.  I just plain old love wine.  The taste, the buzz, the connotation of relaxation that I have enabled it to represent.   I try to limit myself to one weeknight per week, and oh, how I look forward to it.

The pouring of the wine usually happens right after my kids go to bed (can we all say a collective Aaaaaaaaaaaah), but on occasion, particularly at restaurants, Braden has seen me with a glass of wine.  I can't remember when we came up with this name, but he now calls it "Mommy's juice." Braden knows that "Mommy's juice" is just for mommies, but he always asks to smell it.  I admit that we all get a kick out of this and think it's kind of cute.

I never really thought much of it, to be honest.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Idle Time

When I was in biglaw, I used to complain (all the time) about the amount of work.  There were never enough hours in a day for the job itself, let alone trying to fit in hours for me or my kids or (gasp) some form of leisure activity.

When I became a stay at home mom, Braden was already 2 and I had an infant, so I knew that it was not going to be a cake walk.  Like biglaw, it has proved to be hard and all consuming, and my God, there are SO many hours in the day - hours that have to be filled with activities and entertainment and refreshments.  Hours that are devoted to my children, with not much left over for me.

Admittedly, things have gotten easier from the early days of my SAHM-hood, with Braden now in school and Casey on a regular nap schedule.  But oh no, I musn't relax.  I must blog!  And blog some more!  And then perhaps take on some freelance work!  Ah yes, if I've got a spare hour, best put it to good use!  Think of the opportunity cost of just sitting around!

It begs the question.  Why can't I just chill out every now and again?

Monday, June 18, 2012

A Toot

Last night as I was putting Braden to bed we were having a moment.  We were cuddling, I was stroking his hair, telling him the last of our goodnight's, and then he did it.

A toot (as we like to call them).

And he thought this was just HYSTERICAL.  He's never really laughed so hard at his own flatulence, perhaps because it's never really occurred in so peaceful of a moment - in the soft darkness with me caressing his face professing my undying love for him.

It was the kind of laughter that made me laugh hysterically, so I just went with it.  As I left him in bed and closed the door for the night, he was still cracking up.

It dawned on me that one day soon I'm going to have to start telling him that he can't do those sort of things in public.  Along with a whole host of other behaviors, like sucking his thumb and burping and wiping his nose with his t-shirt and telling people they have a "boo boo" (aka, a zit) on their cheek.  There's a lot a kid has to learn about being "appropriate" in social environments.  About being polite.

But for Braden, not yet.

Not yet.

I'm going to let him laugh at his own toots for now.  Wherever he is.  And there's something refreshing in that, you know?

***And yes, this is what this blog has come to.  To think that I at times consider it a "legal blog"?***

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A Weekend of Extremes

This past weekend I went to Columbus, Ohio.  It was part of an overall life resolution to take trips I have been meaning to take, and see friends I have been meaning to see.  So I flew out solo on Saturday morning ready for a weekend of catching up, Skyline Chili, and a much needed break.

Stop 1 was to see one of my best friend's from college.  Kristen and I don't see each other that often anymore, and our lives in many ways couldn't be more different.  She is engaged, childless, has an exciting career that involves extensive international travel, and goes to the occasional Friday night happy hour.  Notwithstanding my recent Scotland trip, my jet setting and wedding planning days are long gone, and my life revolves around preschool pick ups, birthday parties, and nap time.  But when we see each other, it's like no time has passed, and we re-bond over our memories and one shared common interest that has sustained all the years - a love of wine.

Saturday consisted of a lot of chatting on her outdoor patio, and a lot of white wine consumption. And oh, how glorious it was to sit outside on a sunny day, with a nice cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and NO CHILDREN TO BOTHER ME!  We talked for hours, and then changed into nice clothes to go to a restaurant in downtown Columbus, where there were also NO CHILDREN TO BOTHER ME.  Then we returned to her patio, where we switched to champagne and chatted some more late into the evening, where there were also NO CHILDREN TO BOTHER ME.

Monday, June 11, 2012

24 Hours of Spills

I have survived two major spills in the last 24 hours.

They were merely liquid spills, but dramatic all the same.

Here it goes.

Spill #1
Spill #1 occurred yesterday at approximately 4:00pm, in Columbus, Ohio.  I was sitting with my dear friend Kim, who was in town from Israel, and whom I hadn't seen in years.  In the midst of our catch up conversation on her parent's back porch, I heard the distant sound of my phone ringing. My instinct was to ignore it - I was engrossed in conversation, and the phone could wait.  But then I realized - hmmmm, does that ring sound a bit weird?  A bit muffled?  A bit broken-recordish?

I excused myself and reached into my purse to feel a puddle.  And floating in said puddle was none other than my I-phone.  Apparently, my water bottle had leaked and turned my purse into a cesspool of I-phone, goldfish crackers, and spare change.

I tried to call my husband.  It went through, but I couldn't hear a thing.  This is not the first time this has happened (yeah, I know, I have a problem), so I resigned myself to just be phone-less for a day until I could hit up the Apple Store this afternoon.

But then my phone started FREAKING THE EFF OUT.

Thursday, June 7, 2012


Summertime officially started for me yesterday.  Why?  It was Braden's last day of school.  And when you're a kid, that's when it really starts, right?  Summer = lack of school.  And since my life revolves around my kids these days, I've adopted that definition once again.

I have always loved summer.  There's something so carefree about it.  The unscheduled afternoons.  The mornings at the pool.  The vacations.  The sun staying out past bedtime and eating dinner outside and being able to go out at night without a jacket.  I anticipated and embraced this easygoing season for twenty six long years until...


Monday, June 4, 2012

Food for Thought at the Finnish Embassy

Living my monotonous suburban housewife life, I sometimes forget that I live just outside of the nation's capital.  Sure, I take advantage of the parks and museums and restaurants on occasion. But I forget that there's action in DC.  Politics and interest groups and lobbyists and embassies and a big white house.  A lot happens here.  I just feel so far removed from it, despite being so physically close.

So when I was invited by fellow blogger and lobbyist Valerie Young to a reception at the Embassy of Finland for the Caring Economy Campaign, I jumped at the opportunity.  I wasn't really sure what the campaign was for, who would be there, or the nature of Finnish hors d'oeuvres, but, knowing Valerie, I knew it would be interesting.

I got a babysitter.  I wore business casual clothing (which I seriously had not done in over a year).   I ventured out in a torrential downpour.  And I looked forward to feeling like I was a part of real DC, if only for an afternoon.
