My Real Life

January 7, 2011

Five Question Friday!!!

1. What is your current favorite book, and why?

Good question. My favorite book is usually the one I’m reading. However, in the interests of self–promotion, I’m going to say that my favorite book is The Follow Through. This book is currently unpublished, but is written by a fantastic author. Perhaps you’ve heard of her…Amy Bozza? Oh, let me direct you to her writing web page and you can read a synopsis of the book. Her site can be found here. She’s awesome. 🙂

2. Do you go to the dentist regularly?

I try. I do. I’m better about getting the kids there every six months, as opposed to getting myself there. If I go when they go, that’s 4 appointments we need to sit through and there is no one to entertain the kids while I’m in the chair. However, if I go separately, I need someone to watch the kids so I can go. Feels ridiculous to get a babysitter so I can go to the dentist. After the baby is born, I’ll go. Promise.

3. What is your worst memory from High School?

Hmmm…I don’t know. Junior High was way worse than high school. So, I’ll give you the Jr. High memory of walking through the lunchroom and having a group of boys throw little pieces of bread at me because they thought I looked like a duck. They also quacked while they threw the bread. And now I teach at that school. Glutton for punishment, I guess. Fun memories when I walk through the cafeteria. Good times. Good times.

4. What do you hope to be remembered for in your life?

Being a good mom. Not like a cookie-baking, home-home staying, organic, making all my kids clothes good mom, but a mom that helped her kids achieve their full potential, who made her kids feel safe and whose children always knew how very much they were loved.

5. Are you superstitious or do you have any superstitions?

Not really. My nephews will read this (no they won’t…they are teenagers, they don’t read their aunt’s blog) and say, “Oh, contraire, Aunt Amy. Perhaps you forget the whole Candyman debacle?” Yes, yes…when I saw the movie Candyman, I went through a brief period of time (2, 3 years?) where I freaked out if someone said Candyman three times near a mirror. Why tempt fate? However, I’m over it. Candyman. Candyman. Candyman. See. I’m so brave.

Comments (3)

January 3, 2011

Birthdays

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 5:43 pm
Tags: birthdays

I don’t sweat getting older.

I think I’m getting better with age.

39 isn’t that much different than 38, except I’ve got another year of life under my belt (and a baby, but that’s not a yearly thing).

40 is right around the corner, but let’s be honest, 40 is the new 30, and 30 was a pretty good year for me.

At 39, I’m in a great place.

I’ve got an amazing husband, 3 unbelievable kids, and 1 on the way.

I have parents and an extended family with whom I actually enjoy spending time.

I have a few close friends who absolutely light up my life.

I have a career that I love.

I have a roof over my head and food on my table every single night.

Today, I’m 39.

And it’s all good.

(And, because Monkey Girl saw me taking a picture with the computer and had to get in on it, and because I love that girl…)

Comments (3)

January 2, 2011

A Different Point of View

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 4:42 pm

So, I write this blog and read a bunch of Mommy/parenting blogs, and they are all written by women.

Me included.

Obviously.

However, an old high school friend of mine just recently restarted his blog, and while he normally writes about non-parenting related issues, he wrote a post, yesterday, that showed a road trip with the family from his male perspective.

It gave me a chuckle, so I thought I’d share it with you.

Click here if you’d like a completely different perspective.

January 1, 2011

My New Year’s Resolution

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 9:52 am
Tags: New Year's Resolution

I’ve known for awhile what I wanted my resolution to be this year, but I have been struggling with how to put it into words.

I’ve typed this post up in Microsoft Word a few times, but then re-read and deleted because it didn’t sound right and didn’t convey what I wanted to convey.

So, imagine my surprise, last night, when I logged into Google Reader and saw that Rachel, one of the authors of a blog that I frequent, had penned her own New Year’s Resolution blog and her resolution is my resolution and she said it so much better than I ever could.

So, Rachel, forgive me for copying, but really, you said it best.

Click here to visit Rachel’s blog and see our resolution. (You can skim through her Trader Joe’s thank you’s…it starts under the sub-heading “My One New Year’s Resolution.”)

Comments (1)

December 31, 2010

Five Question Friday

Filed under: Five Question Friday — Amy @ 8:28 pm
Tags: Five Question Friday

Look at me!

Actually doing Five Question Friday on a Friday!

Shocking!

1. How long does your Christmas tree stay up?

It’d be gone already, if it were up to me. However, it’s not. So, as soon as I can get everyone else on board, it’ll be outta here.

2. Do you have plans for New Year’s Eve?

Family movie night. Family movie snacks. Watching the kids fight sleep until midnight. When they lose the fight, watching either “Devil” or “The Other Guys” on pay-per-view with Real Man.

3. Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?

I call them “goals.” But, yes, I do. I’ll share tomorrow.

4. How did you spend New Year’s Eve when you were younger?

With a babysitter, as a kid, then with friends, as a teenager.

5. What was the best way you’ve ever spent New Year’s Eve?

I think that the Family Movie Nights we’ve been having since the kids were born are the best way I’ve ever spent New Year’s Eve. It just feels…good.

December 30, 2010

Worker Bee

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 9:53 am
Tags: worker bee

Monkey in the Middle is a worker bee.

Much like his Mommy, he has a tough time being still.

And so, when the boredom hits, he creates projects for himself.

Winter is the best time for his projects, because he is always sure that there is more shoveling to be done.

Even if the driveway is down to the pavement.

So, yesterday, his brother and sister had found other things to do and he and I had already played endless games of Sorry! and Uno, and he needed a project.

So, he looked out the window, put his hands on his hips and said, “Mommy, you are never going to get out of this driveway.”

Yes, that’s right, I haven’t left the house since the snow storm on Sunday.

So what?

Anyway, I bundled him up and out he went.

He didn’t want to be watched, so I had to wait until he was busy before snapping any real photos, and even then, he seems to have a sixth sense about me picking up the camera.

Yes, there was a small bit of snow behind my wheels.

He’s right, I never could have gotten over that.

And…as always happens in our house, what Monkey in the Middle does, Baby Monkey is never far behind.

They worked out there until they declared the job done.

Which, to me, didn’t look that different than before they went out, but I would never tell them that.

So, today, when I venture out, I’ll be safe and sound.

And trust me, I’ll make a BIG deal out of what a smooth ride it was.

December 29, 2010

What I’ll Miss

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 9:37 am
Tags: 30 weeks, what I'll miss

As of yesterday, I am 30 weeks pregnant.

Given the measurements from the last ultrasound, I have about 8 more weeks to go.

With 8 weeks to go, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the small aches and pains and discomfort of late pregnancy.

It’s easy to grumble about the fact that I’ve gained almost 50 pounds and wonder how the heck I’ll ever lose them again.

It’s easy to bemoan the fact that I haven’t seen my feet in months and that I can no longer tie my own shoes.

Yet, I don’t want to.

I can’t complain about these things.

This pregnancy was such a gift and wonderful surprise, I want to revel in every second of it, particularly because this is the last one I’ll ever experience.

And so, I’m trying to focus on what I’m going to miss and the small wonders of being 30 weeks pregnant.

I’m going to miss the quiet, private conversations with my baby that I have throughout the day. Others must think that I’m insane, always talking to myself, but the truth is, I keep up a constant narrative of what’s going on in my head with this little one. He/she is definitely a captive audience, and I love sharing with him/her.

I also will miss the feedback that he/she gives me. When I’m talking to him/her, there are always small movements that tell me that he/she is listening, and I pretend like the baby is responding, in the only way he/she can.

I’m going to miss the big, alien-like movements that occur at random times. The baby is moving constantly, but every now and then he/she turns over or decides to kick-box with my abdomen, and it is the most out-of-this-world experience that cannot be matched.

I’m going to miss playing “Guess the body part” when I’m laying in bed at night and the baby shifts and there is suddenly a baby butt or knee or elbow or head making my stomach a misshapen mountain.

I’ll miss playing Patty-Cake with the baby. He/she is incredibly responsive to touch, and so when he/she presses outward, I press back with my hand, and then he/she presses back and we can go back and forth for a few minutes. I imagine that he/she is wondering “What the heck is pushing on me?” but I also imagine that he/she knows that Mommy is paying attention and always up for a game.

And, yes, I’ll miss not being able to bend over my belly to tie my shoes, because my belly is a constant reminder of the wonder of life, and who really needs to see their feet, anyway?

Nothing…nothing will match the joy of holding that baby in my arms in 8 weeks (or less), but I will certainly miss all of these small joys of pregnancy. I know I will quickly forget the reflux, insomnia and discomfort, but these small wonders will stay with me forever.

Comments (2)