Recently returned to my place of birth in Midwest for a little R&R while the little monster hung out with the grandparents. I was terrified that she was going to make the relatively short plane ride as long as humanly possible, but she amazingly...well, amazing!! Almost no crying and lots of sleeping took place which was quite a relief, especially since I was traveling alone.
The trip did make me a little nostalgic for the simpler places in life. Now, don't think that I grew up in the middle of nowhere or anything, I gre up in the capitol of the great state of WI, but things run at a different pace there. Students leisurely read on the grass, people barbecue on their front porches, ride their bikes along the lake, etc. Everything is just more relaxed. Plus people in general are just more pleasant. Now, I am not one of those people who tries to pretend that new yorkers are extremely rude, because that hasn't really been my experience. NY'ers just don't really have time to care that they bumped into you....not to mention that if we apologized to everyone we accidentally bumped into we'd never get anything done.
However, I do tire of the rat race and I want the little monster to be able to play in the grass without taking a train and I want her to know more species of animal than rat, squirrel, and pigeon.
I am entertaining the idea of moving the the west coast for my PhD...probably to Oregon, but it's all still in it's infancy.
In other news, I have been puked on today more times than I would like to count!!!
Have a good one!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Saw Claire Danes today outside a restaurant in SoHo. I have to say...she is cuter in person!
So in honor of this celebrity sighting I am going to list all the celebrities I have seen thus far in my time here in NYC.
Claire Danes
Drew Barrymore (in a Walgreens)
Donald Trump
John Travolta
Julia Styles (ad nauseum)
One of the Olsons (which one? I don't know they're twins, damnit!)
Chris Noth
Julianne Nichols
Ever Carradine
David Cross
Kristie Swanson
.
Now these are the people we have seen up close. Husband has also seen many people since he works close to where they film the CBS morning show. New York is fun because while you mentally think, "wow that was (fill in famous person of no real consequence here)," this is NY and we don't harass our celebrities here. If I were famous, I would live here, because new yorker really don't give a shit who you are.....
p.s. The last 5 names on the list are from my experience whoring out the little monster to the makers of Law and Order....Details to come later.
So in honor of this celebrity sighting I am going to list all the celebrities I have seen thus far in my time here in NYC.
Claire Danes
Drew Barrymore (in a Walgreens)
Donald Trump
John Travolta
Julia Styles (ad nauseum)
One of the Olsons (which one? I don't know they're twins, damnit!)
Chris Noth
Julianne Nichols
Ever Carradine
David Cross
Kristie Swanson
.
Now these are the people we have seen up close. Husband has also seen many people since he works close to where they film the CBS morning show. New York is fun because while you mentally think, "wow that was (fill in famous person of no real consequence here)," this is NY and we don't harass our celebrities here. If I were famous, I would live here, because new yorker really don't give a shit who you are.....
p.s. The last 5 names on the list are from my experience whoring out the little monster to the makers of Law and Order....Details to come later.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Lo Vs. the electric breast pump...
What a piece of crap! I bought an electric breast pump yesterday and it is completely worthless. I kept it on my breast for 5 minutes and all I got out was a little spittle....rubbish!
I am happy with my manual pump and I mainly got the electric so I could more easily pump and do other activities (you know like hold the little monster or shoot heroine) at the same time. Granted, I didn't get the $350 double time breast pump in all its Bessy the cow-like glory, but do you know what I can do with $350...more heroine, duh! Just kidding, but that is groceries for a month so i felt justified coming home with my rather less expensive breast pump, and......nothin'. I am so disappointed. And it's not like you can take it back...damn hygiene freaks!
Anyway, I guess it is back to the trusty old hand pump...
In other news, Husband is feeling better and is no longer shunned like a leper. He is allowed to touch the baby again today!
What a piece of crap! I bought an electric breast pump yesterday and it is completely worthless. I kept it on my breast for 5 minutes and all I got out was a little spittle....rubbish!
I am happy with my manual pump and I mainly got the electric so I could more easily pump and do other activities (you know like hold the little monster or shoot heroine) at the same time. Granted, I didn't get the $350 double time breast pump in all its Bessy the cow-like glory, but do you know what I can do with $350...more heroine, duh! Just kidding, but that is groceries for a month so i felt justified coming home with my rather less expensive breast pump, and......nothin'. I am so disappointed. And it's not like you can take it back...damn hygiene freaks!
Anyway, I guess it is back to the trusty old hand pump...
In other news, Husband is feeling better and is no longer shunned like a leper. He is allowed to touch the baby again today!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
“Sir, I swear to God, I will pee on your floor”: The joys of the pregnant bladder.
Being pregnant gives you a glimpse into what is like to be an old woman. Not only is your body tired and creaky and sore (not to mention your eyesight goes), but you have to pee every hour on the hour.
During my first trimester, my bladder was working like gangbusters. I peed constantly. I felt like I was 5 again and my mom was asking if I need to ‘go’ before we left the house (but now instead of Mom, I was asking myself). Grown women can run to the store for dinner or take a train to the park for a picnic without considering that they may pee their pants half-way there. Yet, there I was day after day worried that each trip I took could be the one where I urinated on myself in public.
For your average woman in your average American city, this may not be as big of an issue, but living in NYC only makes this fear a possibility. For those of you who have not lived (or even visited) the big apple, public restrooms are like blue diamonds: they’re rare and are expensive (well more than you wanted to spend on using a toilet). Public restrooms in NYC aren’t really public in the true sense of the word, they are intended for an establishment’s patrons…in other words, buy something or we will keep our bathroom key right here behind the counter.
I think I made my poor husband drink enough Starbucks coffee to jump-start a car during those first months (and once again in the last three). However, if you are caught off guard with no money and nowhere in sight that isn’t a restaurant (as I found myself on many occasions) then you have three options: Grit your teeth and pray that you make it home, Squat right there on the sidewalk and risk getting a ticket for indecent exposure, or lie your ass off. I found myself becoming something I had always prided myself on not being…a bold-faced liar, and a damn good one at that. Sit-down restaurants became my target of choice (mainly because the staff is generally over-worked and don’t have time to deal with you and because they are the most likely thing to run into that won’t have a hole in floor for a bathroom).
Pee quickly and then run like you stole something.
Being pregnant gives you a glimpse into what is like to be an old woman. Not only is your body tired and creaky and sore (not to mention your eyesight goes), but you have to pee every hour on the hour.
During my first trimester, my bladder was working like gangbusters. I peed constantly. I felt like I was 5 again and my mom was asking if I need to ‘go’ before we left the house (but now instead of Mom, I was asking myself). Grown women can run to the store for dinner or take a train to the park for a picnic without considering that they may pee their pants half-way there. Yet, there I was day after day worried that each trip I took could be the one where I urinated on myself in public.
For your average woman in your average American city, this may not be as big of an issue, but living in NYC only makes this fear a possibility. For those of you who have not lived (or even visited) the big apple, public restrooms are like blue diamonds: they’re rare and are expensive (well more than you wanted to spend on using a toilet). Public restrooms in NYC aren’t really public in the true sense of the word, they are intended for an establishment’s patrons…in other words, buy something or we will keep our bathroom key right here behind the counter.
I think I made my poor husband drink enough Starbucks coffee to jump-start a car during those first months (and once again in the last three). However, if you are caught off guard with no money and nowhere in sight that isn’t a restaurant (as I found myself on many occasions) then you have three options: Grit your teeth and pray that you make it home, Squat right there on the sidewalk and risk getting a ticket for indecent exposure, or lie your ass off. I found myself becoming something I had always prided myself on not being…a bold-faced liar, and a damn good one at that. Sit-down restaurants became my target of choice (mainly because the staff is generally over-worked and don’t have time to deal with you and because they are the most likely thing to run into that won’t have a hole in floor for a bathroom).
“Hi, (in my sweet voice) I am meeting my some people here
for dinner and I was just going to wait outside until they arrive,
but can I use your restroom quickly while I wait?”
for dinner and I was just going to wait outside until they arrive,
but can I use your restroom quickly while I wait?”
Pee quickly and then run like you stole something.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Our family has gone a bit greener....
Our little monster is now sporting flushable/compostable/biodegradable diapers. These things are great! Very absorbent and really easy to get rid of. Plus that's less garbage I have to empty on a regular basis. Apparently, disposable diapers take 500 years to degrade while these take 50-150 days (if composted) and are instantly dissolved if flushed...awesome! (yes I just typed awesome!)
Here is the website if anyone is interested in switching: http://www.gdiapers.com/ You can get them at whole foods.
In other news I applied for a new job today...YAY!!! and This weekend the monster and I are taking her first plane ride to see the grandparent in the good old midwest....it will be nice to go home again even if I will have to wrangle a baby all by myself on a plane.
Husband is sick with the flu so we are avoiding him like he has ebola or the plague or something...I even brought masks home from work so he can wear them anytime he gets near the baby! Ok, so maybe it's a tad extreme, but I don't want a screaming infant on my hands.
This post has been a little disjointed, but I am trying to get a million tings done while the baby remains unconscious...so, deal!
Our little monster is now sporting flushable/compostable/biodegradable diapers. These things are great! Very absorbent and really easy to get rid of. Plus that's less garbage I have to empty on a regular basis. Apparently, disposable diapers take 500 years to degrade while these take 50-150 days (if composted) and are instantly dissolved if flushed...awesome! (yes I just typed awesome!)
Here is the website if anyone is interested in switching: http://www.gdiapers.com/ You can get them at whole foods.
In other news I applied for a new job today...YAY!!! and This weekend the monster and I are taking her first plane ride to see the grandparent in the good old midwest....it will be nice to go home again even if I will have to wrangle a baby all by myself on a plane.
Husband is sick with the flu so we are avoiding him like he has ebola or the plague or something...I even brought masks home from work so he can wear them anytime he gets near the baby! Ok, so maybe it's a tad extreme, but I don't want a screaming infant on my hands.
This post has been a little disjointed, but I am trying to get a million tings done while the baby remains unconscious...so, deal!
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
"green me up scotty!"
Inspired by people like "No Impact Man" and "Ethical Man", my family and I have been trying to lower our consumption of non-renewable products. I got a recycled (and recyclable) toothbrush - that doesn't mean it was used before, it means it's made from recycled plastics- and been buying biodegradeable soap, detergent, etc. All in all it makes me feel better that I am trying to make the world a better place for my daughter, but it is hard to give up the things that you love...So, as of now we are not no impact....let's just call me "slightly less impact woman".
I will provide updates on things that we do to lower our eco-footprint and maybe it will inspire others to do the same. Here's the first http://www.recycline.com/products/preserve.html they sell them at whole foods.
Inspired by people like "No Impact Man" and "Ethical Man", my family and I have been trying to lower our consumption of non-renewable products. I got a recycled (and recyclable) toothbrush - that doesn't mean it was used before, it means it's made from recycled plastics- and been buying biodegradeable soap, detergent, etc. All in all it makes me feel better that I am trying to make the world a better place for my daughter, but it is hard to give up the things that you love...So, as of now we are not no impact....let's just call me "slightly less impact woman".
I will provide updates on things that we do to lower our eco-footprint and maybe it will inspire others to do the same. Here's the first http://www.recycline.com/products/preserve.html they sell them at whole foods.
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