Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Dancing Machine
Isaac loves "Poker Face". I don't know why. I don't even know how he first heard it. I only downloaded the song after he began asking for it ALL. THE. TIME.
"Faaaaaaaayyyyyyy zzzzzz! Mama! Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!"
We listen to it on repeat. I know all the lyrics and sometimes can appease him by singing it to him if my phone or ipod is not readily available. Sometimes he will start singing it on his own.
"My my my my Faaaaaayyyyyy zzzzzz!"
And he's got some crazy dance moves. His signature move that he made up all on his own: The Sneeze. :)
"Faaaaaaaayyyyyyy zzzzzz! Mama! Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!"
We listen to it on repeat. I know all the lyrics and sometimes can appease him by singing it to him if my phone or ipod is not readily available. Sometimes he will start singing it on his own.
"My my my my Faaaaaayyyyyy zzzzzz!"
And he's got some crazy dance moves. His signature move that he made up all on his own: The Sneeze. :)
Friday, December 3, 2010
Paying It Forward
Two years ago, I was pregnant. I stopped at a gas station to fill up my car on the way to work. I slid my credit card into the pump and started filling up. Now, before they took off all those little dohickeys that allowed you to run around while your car filled up, I didn't pay much attention to when the pump stopped. However, on this particular day the pump stopped way before I knew the tank could possibly be full. And to make it odder, it stopped exaclty at $30. Even. My gas never costs even amounts unless I actively pump it to a certain dollar. If you can recall, two years ago was about the time that gas costs $10000000000 a gallon, so there was no way that $30 filled up my 15 gallon tank. No receipt had printed.
I automatically assumed there was something wrong with my credit card and I had somehow stolen gas. Or that the receipt printer was broken. I stuck it back in the pump, and it worked just fine. I finished filling up my tank. A recipt printed out just fine. I waddled (remember, I was preggers) into the service station and asked the sales clerk what had happened, apologizing prefusely for any problem I had caused, and no, I wasn't trying to steal gas, etc.
He LAUGHED at me. And he explained to me that the person who had used that pump before me had prepaid $30 in gas for the next person.
I was SPEECHLESS. Seriously. And I ALWAYS have something to say. I mean, gas was so expensive. The economy was HORRIBLE. Why would anyone do that?!
The clerk told me to have a nice day. And I did. It wasn't until a few days later that I learned about "Pay It Forward." I hadn't seen the movie. EVER. But it just happened to be on that weekend. I got it. Somehow had done that for me. So a few days later, while in the drive thru at McDs for breakfast (again, PREGGERS, don't judge), I asked to pay for the person behind me. Every now and then I will do little things like that. I will leave my change in the vending machine. I will pay for someone's Starbucks. Which is exactly what I did on Wednesday, The 2nd Annual Pay It Forward Day. I haven't been on the receiving end of a Pay It Forward action since that morning at the gas station, but that's ok.
Even if that person that benefits from you, doesn't pay it forward, you have put out a small bit of happiness, of good karma, into the universe. If you made someone smile. You did something so small, but considerate and just might have given them a bit of a better day. And maybe they made someone else's day a bit brighter because of their better mood.
The day, or the notion itself isn't about money. It's about positive energy and kindness being put into the universe, pushing out some of the bad.
I automatically assumed there was something wrong with my credit card and I had somehow stolen gas. Or that the receipt printer was broken. I stuck it back in the pump, and it worked just fine. I finished filling up my tank. A recipt printed out just fine. I waddled (remember, I was preggers) into the service station and asked the sales clerk what had happened, apologizing prefusely for any problem I had caused, and no, I wasn't trying to steal gas, etc.
He LAUGHED at me. And he explained to me that the person who had used that pump before me had prepaid $30 in gas for the next person.
I was SPEECHLESS. Seriously. And I ALWAYS have something to say. I mean, gas was so expensive. The economy was HORRIBLE. Why would anyone do that?!
The clerk told me to have a nice day. And I did. It wasn't until a few days later that I learned about "Pay It Forward." I hadn't seen the movie. EVER. But it just happened to be on that weekend. I got it. Somehow had done that for me. So a few days later, while in the drive thru at McDs for breakfast (again, PREGGERS, don't judge), I asked to pay for the person behind me. Every now and then I will do little things like that. I will leave my change in the vending machine. I will pay for someone's Starbucks. Which is exactly what I did on Wednesday, The 2nd Annual Pay It Forward Day. I haven't been on the receiving end of a Pay It Forward action since that morning at the gas station, but that's ok.
Even if that person that benefits from you, doesn't pay it forward, you have put out a small bit of happiness, of good karma, into the universe. If you made someone smile. You did something so small, but considerate and just might have given them a bit of a better day. And maybe they made someone else's day a bit brighter because of their better mood.
The day, or the notion itself isn't about money. It's about positive energy and kindness being put into the universe, pushing out some of the bad.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The First and the Last
I remember my first Thanksgiving I spent in California. It was a big deal, as it was the first Thanksgiving that I cooked entirely by myself, the first Thanksgiving that Ben and I spent together, away from our families. We had over a friend from grad school, and a friend from work at VS. The dinner itself went very smoothly. I remember many things about that dinner.
I remember being very nervous about cooking a turkey and having to buy a roasting pan and baster. I remember having to clear out our entire tiny freezer in to accomodate the turkey. I remember I didn't know how to make green bean casserole, a dish I can now make in my sleep, so I had to scour the internet for a recipe. I remember doing the same for deviled eggs...my husband has to have his deviled eggs for Thanksgiving. I remember sending him across the street to the 24hr Market that was only really open 20 hours a day for foil because I ran out and was terrified of scorching the turkey. I remember my friend from grad school bringing wine and a corkscrew, because I didn't own one at the time. I remember crowding around our teeny table (which we will use) in our teenier apartment and eating. I remember taking a walk after dinner, up the hill behind our block and taking in one of the most breath taking views of the lit up downtown SF, which we would continue to do as along as we lived there. I remember making a plate of food up and putting it out for the homeless man who was camped in the doorway of the abandoned building next to ours. I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment, that we had made it through this first major holiday on our own.
And now I will have memories of the last Thanksgiving, at least for a long while, that I will spend in California. I will elaborate more in a few days, once a few more details are hammered away, but for now that is all I will say. As I prepared for this dinner, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief that next year, I will only have to make ONE SIDEDISH and not a whole entire meal. At the same time I felt a tingle of sadness as I reflected over the 7 Thanksgiving Days I have prepared for and executed all by myself. Oddly, this past one was the only one my husband and I spent together, ourselves, with Isaac and no other guests. It was strangely quiet, but wonderfully peaceful and I will take these memories with me.
I will remember how my husband took me to see Harry Potter 7 on the eve before Thanksgiving, even though he was exhausted. I will remember how Isaac helped us baste the turkey...he stood by the oven and said "hot! hot! don't touch!" I will remember how we ate together at the table, Isaac chowing on turkey and crackers, which is all he would eat. I will remember attempting the Toys R Us Black Friday sale with my neighbor, seeing the line wrapped around the building, and hightailing it back to the warm car to shop online. I will remember Isaac gobbling and dancing around to "Poker Face." I will remember having him watch Rudolph and Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. I will remember falling asleep with him on my bed, taking a nice long nap. I will remember Ben and I talking about what to get our budding toddler for Christmas. I will remember Isaac Skyping with our family back in Ohio and calling them out by name. I will remember being a family, just us three.
Today is really my first day back into our normal everyday life after a wonderful, relaxing break. I hope everyone had as wonderful a Thanksgiving holiday as our family did.
I remember being very nervous about cooking a turkey and having to buy a roasting pan and baster. I remember having to clear out our entire tiny freezer in to accomodate the turkey. I remember I didn't know how to make green bean casserole, a dish I can now make in my sleep, so I had to scour the internet for a recipe. I remember doing the same for deviled eggs...my husband has to have his deviled eggs for Thanksgiving. I remember sending him across the street to the 24hr Market that was only really open 20 hours a day for foil because I ran out and was terrified of scorching the turkey. I remember my friend from grad school bringing wine and a corkscrew, because I didn't own one at the time. I remember crowding around our teeny table (which we will use) in our teenier apartment and eating. I remember taking a walk after dinner, up the hill behind our block and taking in one of the most breath taking views of the lit up downtown SF, which we would continue to do as along as we lived there. I remember making a plate of food up and putting it out for the homeless man who was camped in the doorway of the abandoned building next to ours. I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment, that we had made it through this first major holiday on our own.
And now I will have memories of the last Thanksgiving, at least for a long while, that I will spend in California. I will elaborate more in a few days, once a few more details are hammered away, but for now that is all I will say. As I prepared for this dinner, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief that next year, I will only have to make ONE SIDEDISH and not a whole entire meal. At the same time I felt a tingle of sadness as I reflected over the 7 Thanksgiving Days I have prepared for and executed all by myself. Oddly, this past one was the only one my husband and I spent together, ourselves, with Isaac and no other guests. It was strangely quiet, but wonderfully peaceful and I will take these memories with me.
I will remember how my husband took me to see Harry Potter 7 on the eve before Thanksgiving, even though he was exhausted. I will remember how Isaac helped us baste the turkey...he stood by the oven and said "hot! hot! don't touch!" I will remember how we ate together at the table, Isaac chowing on turkey and crackers, which is all he would eat. I will remember attempting the Toys R Us Black Friday sale with my neighbor, seeing the line wrapped around the building, and hightailing it back to the warm car to shop online. I will remember Isaac gobbling and dancing around to "Poker Face." I will remember having him watch Rudolph and Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. I will remember falling asleep with him on my bed, taking a nice long nap. I will remember Ben and I talking about what to get our budding toddler for Christmas. I will remember Isaac Skyping with our family back in Ohio and calling them out by name. I will remember being a family, just us three.
Today is really my first day back into our normal everyday life after a wonderful, relaxing break. I hope everyone had as wonderful a Thanksgiving holiday as our family did.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Confession
Sometimes, like tonight, when life seems like it completely sucks and is totally unfair, I get Isaac out of his crib and snuggle him while he is asleep. I bring him out o the couch and cuddle him in the crook of my arm like I did when he was a newborn. I do this because absolutely nothing matters in that moment other than my beautiful little boy, sound asleep and peaceful in my arms. All of a sudden, the world just makes sense again. Nothing else heals me like that.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Most Expensive Milk
My grocery challenge went really well! Like, really REALLY well! Trying to keep in the spirit, I have been dowdnsizing what I buy DRASTICALLY and paying cash for groceries.
The other day, I needed to run in the store to get milk. Milk is about $2.99 a gallon. I had just picked up Isaac and thought to myself it wouldn't be worth trying to wrangle him into the cart just for milk. He could walk with me. Big mistake. BIG BIG mistake.
He did really well walking up to the dairy case. He even stood there while I opened it to get the milk out. Then he noticed the promotional red mylar balloons surrounded a table promoting a new coupon program. He is OBSESSED with balloons (among other things). I spent a good 5 minutes chasing him around the table and finally coralled him toward the express checkout lane.
This is where it got ugly.
Not only did I have to pick him up (try making a 22 month old boy stand in line patiently), but have you ever seen grocery checkout lines? Usually there are many balloons of a vast variety. Plus there were more promotion balloons. By the time I was paying for my milk, Isaac was incredibly unhappy, thrashing, and screaming. Not just screaming to be put down, but screaming for a balloon.
Sigh. So I gave in. I asked the checkout girl what the cheapest balloon was. It turns out the least expensive was the promotional red mylar, ringing in at $4.99. As soon as it was in his hands, Isaac was all smiles.
Do I condone what I did? Nope. But a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do.
I learned my lesson. That galloon of milk ended up costing me over $8.00 by the time tax was figured into the cost. And I don't want Isaac to think that behaving that way is ok.
Oh, and the balloon is still floating and providing him amusement. As well as my cats.
The other day, I needed to run in the store to get milk. Milk is about $2.99 a gallon. I had just picked up Isaac and thought to myself it wouldn't be worth trying to wrangle him into the cart just for milk. He could walk with me. Big mistake. BIG BIG mistake.
He did really well walking up to the dairy case. He even stood there while I opened it to get the milk out. Then he noticed the promotional red mylar balloons surrounded a table promoting a new coupon program. He is OBSESSED with balloons (among other things). I spent a good 5 minutes chasing him around the table and finally coralled him toward the express checkout lane.
This is where it got ugly.
Not only did I have to pick him up (try making a 22 month old boy stand in line patiently), but have you ever seen grocery checkout lines? Usually there are many balloons of a vast variety. Plus there were more promotion balloons. By the time I was paying for my milk, Isaac was incredibly unhappy, thrashing, and screaming. Not just screaming to be put down, but screaming for a balloon.
Sigh. So I gave in. I asked the checkout girl what the cheapest balloon was. It turns out the least expensive was the promotional red mylar, ringing in at $4.99. As soon as it was in his hands, Isaac was all smiles.
Do I condone what I did? Nope. But a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do.
I learned my lesson. That galloon of milk ended up costing me over $8.00 by the time tax was figured into the cost. And I don't want Isaac to think that behaving that way is ok.
Oh, and the balloon is still floating and providing him amusement. As well as my cats.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Breathe!
I am embarassingly behind in all aspects of my life. We took a vacation to Ohio for Halloween, and I haven't got caught up yet. My house is a mess, there is still laundry to do, WE GOT A DOG, work is busy busy BUSY, applications are going in (more in this later), did you know THANKSGIVING is in like 2 weeks? so I need a turkey!, bills still need to be paid while you are on vacation, Christmas is looming and I still don't have my Halloween pics downloaded....SIGH.
There is a lot in the works for the Lahman family (NO, I AM NOT PREGNANT), and I will write more soon. As soon as I can breathe again...Ok, maybe before then. Because I never catch my breath.
There is a lot in the works for the Lahman family (NO, I AM NOT PREGNANT), and I will write more soon. As soon as I can breathe again...Ok, maybe before then. Because I never catch my breath.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)