See that little link on the top right side of my blog? ----->
Paul and I are riding from Houston to Austin again this year in April after a 2 year absence. Why? We're raising money for Multiple Sclerosis. We each need to raise $400, and guess what, almost ALL of that goes directly to the MS Society, and not overhead. There will actually be about 13,000 riders total. I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike, myself. Which I guess I need to do pronto...procrastination sucks.
So help me meet my minimum of $400 please. Even though the economy sucks right now and it's tough to afford anything to donate, people with MS have it tougher. I'm not sure what Paul's donation page is but when I figure it out I'll post it in case you'd rather donate to him. We EACH have to raise at LEAST $400 by May.
In case you don't see the link on the top right hand side of my blog, you can click here to read more or donate:
CLICK RIGHT HERE, BABY!
Since I have raised ZERO dollars at this point, hurry, you could be the first! :)
Friday, January 30, 2009
Incoming!
Bottom right molar is coming in. Not mine, Anna's.
When she winced and cried and reached for her gums as she bit down on her mini frozen pancake this morning (I know, yuck, right?) Paul and I assured her that after this one, there's only the bottom left remaining, and then we are ALL DONE with teething.
It made us feel good but had little impact on her, apparently.
I wonder if this means we have another week of sleepless nights ahead of us? This last week has been heavenly as the two top molars have stopped bugging her.
Well, bring it on!
When she winced and cried and reached for her gums as she bit down on her mini frozen pancake this morning (I know, yuck, right?) Paul and I assured her that after this one, there's only the bottom left remaining, and then we are ALL DONE with teething.
It made us feel good but had little impact on her, apparently.
I wonder if this means we have another week of sleepless nights ahead of us? This last week has been heavenly as the two top molars have stopped bugging her.
Well, bring it on!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Brown Bear and Toots
Last night I asked her if she read Brown Bear in her class yesterday. I have never read the book, but her teacher uses it as a fun distraction when I leave in the morning. So I have heard the title. Last night over dinner:
Me: "Anna, did you read Brown Bear today?"
Anna: "Uh-huh! Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do I see? I see a puppy!"
Me, smiling, a little freaked: "What? What was that?"
Anna, head bobbing side to side, sing-songy: "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do I see? I see a MEOW!"
I repeated her but left the ends blank for her to fill in what she saw. She actually taught me a little song! What the hell? She taught me a new little song! All the way to school she had me doing Brown Bear, with her filling in the blanks for things she sees.
I wonder if this is related to the ride home last night, when she was telling me "I see a ball. I see a bicycle! I see a airplane!" I recognized she was using sentences to talk to me. Pretty darned cool. It must have started with Brown Bear.
When I got to her school this morning I told her teachers what she taught me. They laughed and pulled out the book. Sure enough, that's how the story starts and goes on to talk about different animals and stuff.
So dang, she's learning, isn't she?
************************************
Monday night:
Anna lets out an impressive stream of percussion from her diaper onto her booster seat at dinner. Paul and I look at each other from across the table, put our heads down, and giggle quietly. She picked up on this, ofcourse, and so put her head down to laugh, laugh, laugh along with us. Then she says "TOOT TOOT!" So we laugh some more, realizing this only encourages her. So she raises her hands to the sky, still in her booster seat, and dramatically yells: "TOOT TOOT! TOOT TOOT!" to the tune of "Stelllaaa, Stellllaaaa..."
Pretty dramatic and funny. She totally got the joke. And laughed right along with us, with our heads down, like some funny secret joke between the three of us.
She got the joke and she is growing up.
Me: "Anna, did you read Brown Bear today?"
Anna: "Uh-huh! Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do I see? I see a puppy!"
Me, smiling, a little freaked: "What? What was that?"
Anna, head bobbing side to side, sing-songy: "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do I see? I see a MEOW!"
I repeated her but left the ends blank for her to fill in what she saw. She actually taught me a little song! What the hell? She taught me a new little song! All the way to school she had me doing Brown Bear, with her filling in the blanks for things she sees.
I wonder if this is related to the ride home last night, when she was telling me "I see a ball. I see a bicycle! I see a airplane!" I recognized she was using sentences to talk to me. Pretty darned cool. It must have started with Brown Bear.
When I got to her school this morning I told her teachers what she taught me. They laughed and pulled out the book. Sure enough, that's how the story starts and goes on to talk about different animals and stuff.
So dang, she's learning, isn't she?
************************************
Monday night:
Anna lets out an impressive stream of percussion from her diaper onto her booster seat at dinner. Paul and I look at each other from across the table, put our heads down, and giggle quietly. She picked up on this, ofcourse, and so put her head down to laugh, laugh, laugh along with us. Then she says "TOOT TOOT!" So we laugh some more, realizing this only encourages her. So she raises her hands to the sky, still in her booster seat, and dramatically yells: "TOOT TOOT! TOOT TOOT!" to the tune of "Stelllaaa, Stellllaaaa..."
Pretty dramatic and funny. She totally got the joke. And laughed right along with us, with our heads down, like some funny secret joke between the three of us.
She got the joke and she is growing up.
NASA's Day of Remembrance
HQ Special: Message from the President on NASA's Day of Remembrance, Jan. 29, 2009:
The arrival of a new year reminds us that life is a journey, one that takes us on many unexpected paths. NASA's role is to pioneer journeys into the unknown for the benefit of humanity. Along the way, we sometimes experience tragedy instead of triumph.Today, we pause to reflect on those moments in exploration when things did not go as expected and we lost brave pioneers. But what sets us apart as Americans is our willingness to get up again and push the frontiers even further with an even stronger commitment and sense of purpose.On this Day of Remembrance, we remember the sacrifices of those who dared to dream and gave everything for the cause of exploration. We honor them with our ongoing commitment to excellence and an unwavering determination to continue the journey on the path to the future.
President Barack Obama
HQ Special: Message from the Acting Administrator - Day of Remembrance, Jan. 29, 2009
Today we honor the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia crews, and all members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the exploration of space. We honor their commitment as well as the loss to their families and friends.
The last Thursday of each January, NASA's annual Day of Remembrance, obliges us to reflect not only on the sacrifices that have been made by our fallen friends and coworkers, but to also consider what each one of us can do in their honor to assure that NASA achieves its very difficult goals in as safe a manner as humanly possible by recalling and reflecting on our core values of safety, excellence, integrity and teamwork.
Spaceflight represents one of the most difficult endeavors that we as a people can undertake. Just as the rewards are great, so too are the challenges we must overcome to safely reach, operate in, and live in space. We will not always know what lies ahead of us; as we explore we learn more about the wonders outside of our planet, but also how unforgiving space can be.
While we all recognize these challenges, today is a good day to reflect on how we go about meeting them. We must challenge our assumptions, recognize our risks, and address each difficulty directly and openly so that we can operate more safely and more successfully than we did yesterday, or last month, or last year. We must always strive to be better, and to do better.
It's going to be a busy year for all of us, with missions that carry with them the considerable risk that is a part of our normal business. But they also carry great potential. We each have opportunities -- every day -- to remember through our actions, the courageous men and women who dedicated their lives to public service.
With each mission and every challenge, we build upon their technical achievements, benefit from their discoveries, and tap into their bravery and spirit. I am honored to remember these members of the NASA family, and to work side by side with those in NASA and in our communities, to fulfill the vision of these extraordinary people, of living and working in space.
Christopher J. Scolese
Acting Administrator
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Tank
Leather seats with butt warmers and the feeling of sinking into a soft pillow. Auto-up/down function on all windows. Touch screen radio, navigation, and climate control (all in French, if you'd prefer). Headroom. Legroom. Cargo space that could also seat up to 8 people. A video display from a little camera that shows what's behind you as you back up (for safety). Kick-ass sound system. Driver memory that remembers how I like my seat and mirrors positioned after Paul's driven it. Four-wheel drive at the touch of a button. Hill descent control and hydraulics to lower or raise the truck when you're getting in and out. And oh yeah, control the shocks at the turn of a knob so that your ride is either comfy or "sport".
This is not my 2002 Jeep Renegade. This is a 2005 Lexus GX470 I got to test drive this weekend. Like a financially-responsible good adult, I gave it back this morning. We can afford it. I just don't want to at this time. I am enjoying having money to pay off debt. Paying off debt is more fun for me than driving that clean, shiny, fully-capable machine that I can barely fit into my garage. It was an adult decision that just had to be made but it wasn't as hard as I'd have expected. That means I'm growing up, right? And that I'm not in love with material things, right?
So here's to sticking with my Jeep, which I lovingly refer to as the Tank (for obvious reasons). No, it wasn't my first choice when I needed something quickly as the engine was literally falling out of my paid-off, out-of-warranty Land Rover Freelander (which was supposed to be the final family truckster), but it was there, had low mileage, a warranty, clean history, and was cheap. In fact it was worth more than my highly-capable Freelander, even with its all-wheel drive, sport-shift, heated seats, and Land Rover name. I bought the Tank in October of 2007 when Anna was just around 8 months old. I only intended to keep it for a year and move onto a bigger, better vehicle (the GX470, for example). After all, those obviously over-done lights on top and the bolted-on square fenders are a little much for my personal taste. Even the color screams "I'M BAD-ASS AND MY TRUCK CAN BEAT UP YOUR TRUCK. Really, it's not a Tara-type vehicle.
The Tank's seats are ripped and therefore require seat covers. The left-over fur in the carpet that's impossible to remove indicates that the previous owner was a dog lover. There are bumps and bruises on the exterior that tell me how busy this truck has been, despite the low miles. Once during a sleepless Anna-ear-infection week, I knocked the dang side mirror right off the truck when backing out of the garage. The replacement mirror was only $30 and easily replaced by Paul. Another time, I backed into Paul's brand new Toyota truck about two weeks after he got it, and although his truck came out unscathed, the Tank has a neat little black gash on the bumper where its gold paint was removed. It has turned into the Toddler-Tank mobile, thanks to the presence of whichever toys Anna can load into her little arms on the way out the door each morning. Cracker crumbs, sippy cups, and Kleenex. I do my best to actually deny it's a Toddler-Tank mobile by keeping the trash out, sweeping out crumbs periodically, and taking her toys back out at least every other day. I don't really want to be one of "those moms" although, yes, on any given day I may look like one of "those moms". Once I had to move some Kleenex, antibiotics, and a sippy cup from the seat so my co-worker could join me for lunch. Slightly embarrassed from what appeared to be sick-toddler-chaos, I relaxed when I realized I was in the company of an empathetic father of three toddlers. But I think I'm digressing.
The point is, when I gave the Lexus back this morning, I felt really good about it. First and foremost is that thanks to Dave Ramsey and my financially-responsible friends ZC-M and CS, whose voices of fiscal responsibility kept nagging me: you don't need this Lexus. It's a whole lot of vehicle, when your Jeep is just fine. It's doing the job of transporting you and your little family where you need to go. Enjoy the lack of payments. Spend your money monthly on other things, like paying off debt. Wouldn't that be more fun? And you know it's the right thing to do....blahblahblah.
But the Tank doesn't even have 4-wheel drive. Or anti-lock breaks, for that matter!
The next reason I felt good about returning it is because it is just so much of a vehicle that I think I'm scared of the thing. I mean really, worrying about scratching this shiny, beautiful (though used) vehicle was too much for me. A little crumbs in the seat and Kleenex on the floor was all wrong. Family-friendly, the Lexus GX470 totally is. Toddler-Tank, however, it is not.
As I drove away from the dealership, leaving the GX470 behind, I finished up my yogurt drink and tossed the empty bottle carelessly (though temporarily) onto the black rubber floor mat of the passenger's side (they're the Land Rover's old floor mats, by the way). I turned up the music from the kick-ass stereo my mom and Paul just installed as my Christmas present.
The Tank will do just nicely for a little while longer.
This is not my 2002 Jeep Renegade. This is a 2005 Lexus GX470 I got to test drive this weekend. Like a financially-responsible good adult, I gave it back this morning. We can afford it. I just don't want to at this time. I am enjoying having money to pay off debt. Paying off debt is more fun for me than driving that clean, shiny, fully-capable machine that I can barely fit into my garage. It was an adult decision that just had to be made but it wasn't as hard as I'd have expected. That means I'm growing up, right? And that I'm not in love with material things, right?
So here's to sticking with my Jeep, which I lovingly refer to as the Tank (for obvious reasons). No, it wasn't my first choice when I needed something quickly as the engine was literally falling out of my paid-off, out-of-warranty Land Rover Freelander (which was supposed to be the final family truckster), but it was there, had low mileage, a warranty, clean history, and was cheap. In fact it was worth more than my highly-capable Freelander, even with its all-wheel drive, sport-shift, heated seats, and Land Rover name. I bought the Tank in October of 2007 when Anna was just around 8 months old. I only intended to keep it for a year and move onto a bigger, better vehicle (the GX470, for example). After all, those obviously over-done lights on top and the bolted-on square fenders are a little much for my personal taste. Even the color screams "I'M BAD-ASS AND MY TRUCK CAN BEAT UP YOUR TRUCK. Really, it's not a Tara-type vehicle.
The Tank's seats are ripped and therefore require seat covers. The left-over fur in the carpet that's impossible to remove indicates that the previous owner was a dog lover. There are bumps and bruises on the exterior that tell me how busy this truck has been, despite the low miles. Once during a sleepless Anna-ear-infection week, I knocked the dang side mirror right off the truck when backing out of the garage. The replacement mirror was only $30 and easily replaced by Paul. Another time, I backed into Paul's brand new Toyota truck about two weeks after he got it, and although his truck came out unscathed, the Tank has a neat little black gash on the bumper where its gold paint was removed. It has turned into the Toddler-Tank mobile, thanks to the presence of whichever toys Anna can load into her little arms on the way out the door each morning. Cracker crumbs, sippy cups, and Kleenex. I do my best to actually deny it's a Toddler-Tank mobile by keeping the trash out, sweeping out crumbs periodically, and taking her toys back out at least every other day. I don't really want to be one of "those moms" although, yes, on any given day I may look like one of "those moms". Once I had to move some Kleenex, antibiotics, and a sippy cup from the seat so my co-worker could join me for lunch. Slightly embarrassed from what appeared to be sick-toddler-chaos, I relaxed when I realized I was in the company of an empathetic father of three toddlers. But I think I'm digressing.
The point is, when I gave the Lexus back this morning, I felt really good about it. First and foremost is that thanks to Dave Ramsey and my financially-responsible friends ZC-M and CS, whose voices of fiscal responsibility kept nagging me: you don't need this Lexus. It's a whole lot of vehicle, when your Jeep is just fine. It's doing the job of transporting you and your little family where you need to go. Enjoy the lack of payments. Spend your money monthly on other things, like paying off debt. Wouldn't that be more fun? And you know it's the right thing to do....blahblahblah.
But the Tank doesn't even have 4-wheel drive. Or anti-lock breaks, for that matter!
The next reason I felt good about returning it is because it is just so much of a vehicle that I think I'm scared of the thing. I mean really, worrying about scratching this shiny, beautiful (though used) vehicle was too much for me. A little crumbs in the seat and Kleenex on the floor was all wrong. Family-friendly, the Lexus GX470 totally is. Toddler-Tank, however, it is not.
As I drove away from the dealership, leaving the GX470 behind, I finished up my yogurt drink and tossed the empty bottle carelessly (though temporarily) onto the black rubber floor mat of the passenger's side (they're the Land Rover's old floor mats, by the way). I turned up the music from the kick-ass stereo my mom and Paul just installed as my Christmas present.
The Tank will do just nicely for a little while longer.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Officially a professor
Oh yeah, my first class teaching undergraduate Human Physiology was Wednesday at UHCL. It's the only HP class offered this semester, and strangely, it's in the evenings 7-9:50pm. That goes past my bedtime, but I digress.
I had fun during the class. I knew the material but wasn't sure I could actually teach it without it sounding like a formal seminar. To me, teaching is supposed to be interactive. I needed to be sure the class was involved. It turned out I think it went well. The students had good questions and the teaching just flowed.
With that, a few of the students approached me telling me that they failed the class last semester, and they were supposed to have graduated. They blamed the previous professor, but let's face it: Human Physiology is tough material. It just is. So I told them not to let the fact that I'm a friendly, blonde female in a brightly-colored sweater fool them into thinking that this will be a cake-walk. Because the material is what it is! And I am following the previous instructor's lecture notes. Just presenting it a little differently.
Although I can empathize with them, I admit I really like being on this side of the teaching podium these days!
I had fun during the class. I knew the material but wasn't sure I could actually teach it without it sounding like a formal seminar. To me, teaching is supposed to be interactive. I needed to be sure the class was involved. It turned out I think it went well. The students had good questions and the teaching just flowed.
With that, a few of the students approached me telling me that they failed the class last semester, and they were supposed to have graduated. They blamed the previous professor, but let's face it: Human Physiology is tough material. It just is. So I told them not to let the fact that I'm a friendly, blonde female in a brightly-colored sweater fool them into thinking that this will be a cake-walk. Because the material is what it is! And I am following the previous instructor's lecture notes. Just presenting it a little differently.
Although I can empathize with them, I admit I really like being on this side of the teaching podium these days!
Things I don't want to forget
Why this is a journal...things I don't want to forget so I need to jot them down:
1. On the way to school on Wednesday, Anna was playing with a CD in the back seat. The way the sun shined down into the car reflected off of the CD such that it made pretty bright prisms on the roof of the truck. She noticed. And had a great time moving the CD around at different angles to make the prisms move all over the truck. She was in complete control over a spectacular little laser light show.
2. Before the laser light show, I noticed some happy activity from a crossguard at the stoplight near our house. Upon closer inspection, he was waving and smiling at my truck. When I turned around to look, Anna was waving and smiling back. The guy was tickled. Anna kept waving more and saying "hi!". When the light turned green, she yelled "bye bye!" and then "more?" All the way to school she would wave to people in the cars next to us. Some saw and some will never know they were being waved at by a 22-month-old that morning. If the cars pulled away, Anna would say "more?" and I'd have to tell her to wait till we found another car to wave at.
So cute. So fun.
Other than a pesky new cough, she's sleeping through the night again. She's backing off the paci again now that her teeth aren't bothering her as much. She doesn't ask unless she hurts herself or something. Then we can still usually distract her from the paci. So hopefully we'll get back to where we were with the paci before this teething started...just in time for the last 2 bottom molars to come in. But that's a bonus: WE ONLY HAVE TWO MORE TEETH TO GO AND THEN TEETHING WILL BE OVER. Yee-ha. The way I feel about teething is a whole separate post based around the fact that although Anna wasn't that bad as far as teething can go, it's just another variable to have to consider (ear infection? teething? sick? travel? oh my God, is this the terrible two's?, WTH?) when you're trying to figure out why yout usually good toddler becomes a defiant, cranky, pain-in-the-butt.
She's been asking for a pen, and by that she means she wants to draw. She will take the pen and scribble, then proclaim: "snowman!" I guess this is related to the many snowman drawings and art stuff they've been doing at school. She always wants to draw a snowman. She will sit there quietly with a pen and paper and just "draw". At the pedi's office earlier this week, I told her we were going to draw an "A". So I told her to hold the pen while I helped her draw an A. She loved it. The look on her face was: "WOW look what mommy can do, and look what she's teaching me to do! Mommy is so cool, and this is so cool!" I love it when she looks at me like that.
Yesterday when she woke from her nap, she just kept asking for Brody, TJ, and OM. So we had to go "see-um". Thankfully TJ didn't mind the drop in and we hung out for about an hour while TJ fed Anna chips and TJ, OM and MM put together a Christmas gift I brought over. It was a beautiful day and it was fun being off of work to hang out with friends and family. Priceless.
Last night she asked to ride on a boat. Unfortunately we live near water but don't own a boat. Then she asked for a choo-choo ride. She's flashing back to Disney, I think. I told her this weekend we will go to the zoo and ride the choo-choo. She looked up at me, again with that look of: "really mom?! I am so EXCITED! Are you gonna do that for me?" and said "CHOO-CHOO? RIDE!" And she just stood up straigh, excited, eyebrows up, like: "FOR REAL?" It's like foreshadowing to when she gets older: the look of "I promise to be really, really good, and I am so looking forward to this!!" All the way up the stairs to her bath she listed off animals at the zoo she wanted to see. Birds, elephant, hippo, giraffe, zebra. This morning she asked again. She's starting to not forget. I hear this can be dangerous. (Especially in this case if the weather got ad or something). So we're entering that zone of not making promises to do somethine ahead of time, in case it turns out you can't do it. But so help me, she is so adorable when she gets excited like that.
One last thing.
She's been saying "I love you" for months now. She will only give kisses after you chase her down, usually. Sometimes she'll give them when you ask, but it's very rare. She doesn't just give them away, usually. Last night I gave her a little kiss on her cheek after her bath, and she giggled and said, "I love you!" WTH? So she knows that kisses mean I love you. How sweet is this? Then I told her to go tell Daddy "I love you". So she found Paul, said, "I love you" and even gave him an un-initiated kiss. Ahhhh...I love a non-cuddly toddler who knows what love is.
1. On the way to school on Wednesday, Anna was playing with a CD in the back seat. The way the sun shined down into the car reflected off of the CD such that it made pretty bright prisms on the roof of the truck. She noticed. And had a great time moving the CD around at different angles to make the prisms move all over the truck. She was in complete control over a spectacular little laser light show.
2. Before the laser light show, I noticed some happy activity from a crossguard at the stoplight near our house. Upon closer inspection, he was waving and smiling at my truck. When I turned around to look, Anna was waving and smiling back. The guy was tickled. Anna kept waving more and saying "hi!". When the light turned green, she yelled "bye bye!" and then "more?" All the way to school she would wave to people in the cars next to us. Some saw and some will never know they were being waved at by a 22-month-old that morning. If the cars pulled away, Anna would say "more?" and I'd have to tell her to wait till we found another car to wave at.
So cute. So fun.
Other than a pesky new cough, she's sleeping through the night again. She's backing off the paci again now that her teeth aren't bothering her as much. She doesn't ask unless she hurts herself or something. Then we can still usually distract her from the paci. So hopefully we'll get back to where we were with the paci before this teething started...just in time for the last 2 bottom molars to come in. But that's a bonus: WE ONLY HAVE TWO MORE TEETH TO GO AND THEN TEETHING WILL BE OVER. Yee-ha. The way I feel about teething is a whole separate post based around the fact that although Anna wasn't that bad as far as teething can go, it's just another variable to have to consider (ear infection? teething? sick? travel? oh my God, is this the terrible two's?, WTH?) when you're trying to figure out why yout usually good toddler becomes a defiant, cranky, pain-in-the-butt.
She's been asking for a pen, and by that she means she wants to draw. She will take the pen and scribble, then proclaim: "snowman!" I guess this is related to the many snowman drawings and art stuff they've been doing at school. She always wants to draw a snowman. She will sit there quietly with a pen and paper and just "draw". At the pedi's office earlier this week, I told her we were going to draw an "A". So I told her to hold the pen while I helped her draw an A. She loved it. The look on her face was: "WOW look what mommy can do, and look what she's teaching me to do! Mommy is so cool, and this is so cool!" I love it when she looks at me like that.
Yesterday when she woke from her nap, she just kept asking for Brody, TJ, and OM. So we had to go "see-um". Thankfully TJ didn't mind the drop in and we hung out for about an hour while TJ fed Anna chips and TJ, OM and MM put together a Christmas gift I brought over. It was a beautiful day and it was fun being off of work to hang out with friends and family. Priceless.
Last night she asked to ride on a boat. Unfortunately we live near water but don't own a boat. Then she asked for a choo-choo ride. She's flashing back to Disney, I think. I told her this weekend we will go to the zoo and ride the choo-choo. She looked up at me, again with that look of: "really mom?! I am so EXCITED! Are you gonna do that for me?" and said "CHOO-CHOO? RIDE!" And she just stood up straigh, excited, eyebrows up, like: "FOR REAL?" It's like foreshadowing to when she gets older: the look of "I promise to be really, really good, and I am so looking forward to this!!" All the way up the stairs to her bath she listed off animals at the zoo she wanted to see. Birds, elephant, hippo, giraffe, zebra. This morning she asked again. She's starting to not forget. I hear this can be dangerous. (Especially in this case if the weather got ad or something). So we're entering that zone of not making promises to do somethine ahead of time, in case it turns out you can't do it. But so help me, she is so adorable when she gets excited like that.
One last thing.
She's been saying "I love you" for months now. She will only give kisses after you chase her down, usually. Sometimes she'll give them when you ask, but it's very rare. She doesn't just give them away, usually. Last night I gave her a little kiss on her cheek after her bath, and she giggled and said, "I love you!" WTH? So she knows that kisses mean I love you. How sweet is this? Then I told her to go tell Daddy "I love you". So she found Paul, said, "I love you" and even gave him an un-initiated kiss. Ahhhh...I love a non-cuddly toddler who knows what love is.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Mentors
I have been lucky to have had just a few mentors who have seen something in me that I knew was there but not sure I could pull it off. They brought out my potential and pushed me to meet challenges of increasing magnitude, which always then reset that potential to allow me to do bigger and better things. Before I know it, without even realizing it, I'm way at the top...a leader...a contributor...someone who has made an impact somewhere that day. That's how I think I've gotten this far. Good leaders have selected me based on the fact that I am capable and driven. Whether or not I have the self confidence to necessarily agree, it doesn't matter. I have learned that the good mentors have been around long enough to know that what they're doing is helping to shape a life. Either professionally or personally. So I have learned to trust them when they say, "you should do this" or "you can do this" on levels I would have never really considered for myself otherwise. They are fantastic mentors.
Haven't I been lucky?
I wrote this post from a career angle. But as I proofed it, I realize it's the role I am striving for as a mom, too.
Haven't I been lucky?
I wrote this post from a career angle. But as I proofed it, I realize it's the role I am striving for as a mom, too.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Starving Toddler survives (and mommy too)
Paul kept her up late last night and fed her again before bedtime to try to get her to sleep a little longer in the morning and not be hungry.
She slept till 7:20, so it partially worked. She asked for water, but I was told she couldn't have it (which I didn't understand...why no water if it's just glucose testing??). We actually did great at distracting her all morning at home, even though I had plans to head straight to the park (in the cold) and then to TJ's to play with the dog and M if we really needed the distraction. (Thank you TJ for calling and checking in this morning and being there for moral support so early in the morning...and even almost starving your own kid in an effort to save mine , LOL).
We were able to make it to the doc's office at 9am for her 9:20 appt. A little early because we could use all the distractions.
And we got PLENTY of distractions from that which was a pediatric MADHOUSE. She at least made new friends and only asked to eat a few times before I asked the front desk at 10am how much longer they think it'd be before my FASTING TODDLER would be able to EAT? Turns out she CAN HAVE WATER (like we suspected) so she gulped that down!! At 10:30 we finally saw the doc. Got the blood prick, and blood sugar was 91, which is normal.
The entire time, being hungry, paci-needy, and tired, Anna sucked that paci right in the doc's face, which earned me a lecture on how she should only get it at night.
This I KNOW, I tell her! I SWEAR this just started with those teeth that are coming in. Like just a week ago. Before that, it was during sleep ONLY.
Dang it, I hate that. I am such a rule-follower. Zero credit for the previous paci progress we made. But ultimately I left thinking what I went in thinking: when the teeth are done, so will be the paci. Till then, spare us all the misery. Even though it is getting a little easier and easier to yank it from her the past 24 hours.
The doc did see that she is teething her top two FIRST year molars. Apparently the SECOND year molars came in on the top when the FIRST year molars came in on the bottom way back when. The tops are so hard to really get a look at. We just figured all 4 first year molars were now in. WRONG.
So right now she's filling the last gaps in her top teeth by getting her first year molars. OUCH.
the up side to this visit is that:
1) her ears are clear
2) her throat is clear
3) her blood sugar looks good
4) teething confirmed.
Thus, the paci needs and water needs are probably comforting techniques. Whatever works, my baby. At least we know you're healthy.
At the doc's office she finally got to eat. But she was too upset from the poking/prodding/finger pricking/starvation to settle and eat. I had to give her the paci first and sing to her. She started to eat, then got worked up again. I guess she didn't like that urine collection bag stuck to her girlie parts in her diaper the whole time. Poor baby had to wear it home with the goal of providing enough pee that the doc could do one last round of glucose checks. When we got home, a glorious BM ruined the collection bag so now I'm stuck with the responsibility of going by the pedi's office, re-sticking a new one sometime when she's not at school, and bringing the urine by the doc's office.
I guess I'll get to that at some point. At least it's not as bad as stool collection in an inverse diaper.
We got home from the pedi's office in time to miss the actual inauguration but got some highlights and news coverage.
AWESOME.
Now I had better go review my own lecture notes and make sure I can teach them adequately to a group of wide-eyed undergrads. Look out, Human Physiology!
She slept till 7:20, so it partially worked. She asked for water, but I was told she couldn't have it (which I didn't understand...why no water if it's just glucose testing??). We actually did great at distracting her all morning at home, even though I had plans to head straight to the park (in the cold) and then to TJ's to play with the dog and M if we really needed the distraction. (Thank you TJ for calling and checking in this morning and being there for moral support so early in the morning...and even almost starving your own kid in an effort to save mine , LOL).
We were able to make it to the doc's office at 9am for her 9:20 appt. A little early because we could use all the distractions.
And we got PLENTY of distractions from that which was a pediatric MADHOUSE. She at least made new friends and only asked to eat a few times before I asked the front desk at 10am how much longer they think it'd be before my FASTING TODDLER would be able to EAT? Turns out she CAN HAVE WATER (like we suspected) so she gulped that down!! At 10:30 we finally saw the doc. Got the blood prick, and blood sugar was 91, which is normal.
The entire time, being hungry, paci-needy, and tired, Anna sucked that paci right in the doc's face, which earned me a lecture on how she should only get it at night.
This I KNOW, I tell her! I SWEAR this just started with those teeth that are coming in. Like just a week ago. Before that, it was during sleep ONLY.
Dang it, I hate that. I am such a rule-follower. Zero credit for the previous paci progress we made. But ultimately I left thinking what I went in thinking: when the teeth are done, so will be the paci. Till then, spare us all the misery. Even though it is getting a little easier and easier to yank it from her the past 24 hours.
The doc did see that she is teething her top two FIRST year molars. Apparently the SECOND year molars came in on the top when the FIRST year molars came in on the bottom way back when. The tops are so hard to really get a look at. We just figured all 4 first year molars were now in. WRONG.
So right now she's filling the last gaps in her top teeth by getting her first year molars. OUCH.
the up side to this visit is that:
1) her ears are clear
2) her throat is clear
3) her blood sugar looks good
4) teething confirmed.
Thus, the paci needs and water needs are probably comforting techniques. Whatever works, my baby. At least we know you're healthy.
At the doc's office she finally got to eat. But she was too upset from the poking/prodding/finger pricking/starvation to settle and eat. I had to give her the paci first and sing to her. She started to eat, then got worked up again. I guess she didn't like that urine collection bag stuck to her girlie parts in her diaper the whole time. Poor baby had to wear it home with the goal of providing enough pee that the doc could do one last round of glucose checks. When we got home, a glorious BM ruined the collection bag so now I'm stuck with the responsibility of going by the pedi's office, re-sticking a new one sometime when she's not at school, and bringing the urine by the doc's office.
I guess I'll get to that at some point. At least it's not as bad as stool collection in an inverse diaper.
We got home from the pedi's office in time to miss the actual inauguration but got some highlights and news coverage.
AWESOME.
Now I had better go review my own lecture notes and make sure I can teach them adequately to a group of wide-eyed undergrads. Look out, Human Physiology!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Starving the toddler
She's been drinking sooooo much water lately. I can't tell if she's trying to soothe her teething with it, or if something's up. I mean, she wakes in the middle of the night asking for it. She wakes in the morning soaked through her night-time diapers. She asks for it (and her paci) all day. Again, pain-related, growth-spurt, or something more serious?
To check it out, I get to take her to the doc tomorrow at 9:20AM in a FASTING STATE (including no water) to get her blood work checked for the obvious (diabetes, etc). For those of you who know Anna, you know you'll have to pray for me. The child wakes up at around 6:45am, demands her water, daddy, and waffles, in that order.
Daddy will be there but how am I going to get past the other 2? With the help of Daddy until he has to go to work, I guess.
6:45am till 9:20am is waayyyy toooooo long for this toddler to go with no food and drink. I may just show up early to the doc's office for moral support.
Earplugs.
Headache medicine.
Books.
Portable DVD player?
I think I'll be taking her to the playground immediately upon wake-up to buy us some time or something.
Help me.
To check it out, I get to take her to the doc tomorrow at 9:20AM in a FASTING STATE (including no water) to get her blood work checked for the obvious (diabetes, etc). For those of you who know Anna, you know you'll have to pray for me. The child wakes up at around 6:45am, demands her water, daddy, and waffles, in that order.
Daddy will be there but how am I going to get past the other 2? With the help of Daddy until he has to go to work, I guess.
6:45am till 9:20am is waayyyy toooooo long for this toddler to go with no food and drink. I may just show up early to the doc's office for moral support.
Earplugs.
Headache medicine.
Books.
Portable DVD player?
I think I'll be taking her to the playground immediately upon wake-up to buy us some time or something.
Help me.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wise day-care teachers and self-sabotage
Paci-paci-paci, all day asking for paci. Well, I TOLD them, didn't I? Anna-Marie's day care teachers seem to think that suddenly Anna is just asking for the paci just to maybe get what she wants? In other words, they are accusing Anna of "playing us". One of her teachers, K, proceeded to tell me this morning how Anna can "turn it on and off" and that she thinks she's "playing us" for the paci at home.
Me: Oh, does she not ask for it here?
K: Well yes, but...
Me: Do you give it to her?
K: Well, we try to distract her
Me: Oh, great! Does that work for you?
K: Well, sometimes...
Me: And then you just give in?
K: She's pretty persistent.
Me: Look, I hear your thoughts on this, but this is the second most RECENT bout of teething we've been through with her. You've seen it for yourself for the past month: she doesn't usually even mention the paci. But with the teething, it's her comfort object. She outright asks for it, even during regular business hours. Whether she's "playing us" or not: I don't frankly care. Since I figure she won't be getting married with the paci in her mouth, I am obliged to not fight this battle until all 4 molars come in and all teeth are accounted for. Until then, I am in no rush. Though yes, I must admit to embarrassment by chronic paci-sucking 22-month-old in public...
You guys do what you gotta do here and I'll just do what I gotta do at home.
Besides, how is she "playing me" if I'm not even playing the game in the first place? Give the kid the paci, I am over resisting it. I know my daughter and she will give it up again when the teething stops.
Drooling, cranky, and whining and grabbing at her bottom right gums when eating are pretty good signs for me. But as a scientist/engineer, I need proof. Watch if I don't sneak up to her bed while she's sleeping in the next few minutes to pry her little mouth open and look for suspicious gums. I can't get a good look while she's awake. In the meantime tonight I gave her some Humphrey's teething strips. This homeopathic stuff didn't seem to work when she was a baby. Plus I heard some scary stuff about the Belladona (?) so I threw out her old Highland's in favor of Ibuprofen. But I tried Humphrey's tonight and lo and behold she was happy Anna (albeit with paci stuck to her mouth). It did seem to lighten her mood so yay for that!
*****
I am pretty happy with the direction my career is going here at NASA, but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out for other potential positions that could be fun or different.
Several weeks ago I applied to a job within NASA that's way out of my league. In fact, after I applied, I realized it didn't even sound like something fun I'd want to do so I tried to pull my application back out. But the system didn't let me so I just left it and figured they wouldn't call me anyway, and went on with my life. As these things go, they called me Monday, and though I thought to tell the woman on the phone to not bother with me, I figured if I interviewed I may just learn something. Couldn't hurt at least. So I showed up, asked quesitons, and had a good time. I almost purposefully self-sabotaged myself and I didn't care: I asked stuff like- I have a toddler... how much travel is required (12 times a month, 2 of those international), what are the work hours like (40-50 hours a week), stress levels, etc. I even told her I was more the technical type and wasn't sure how I'd like management and high visibility. I even told her, "don't you think I'm a little too young for this job?" Her response was "No! I was 35 when I started, and I too had a 2 year-old". The woman was awesomely nice. It was more like a mentoring session than a job interview. So while I laid out all of my reserved thoughts on this job, (including statements like: "here's something else to think about, just in case you need a tie-breaker in making your hiring decision...[insert truth and not-exactly job-interview-promoting-material here]") she continued to counter with how that would be good assets for the job! She even gave me the names of the others she was hiring to round out her team. I don't know. She was either being a good mentor, or she was genuinely interested in hiring me. Who knows, it was still a cool meeting.
I left there thinking, ummmmm...I hope that they already have someone in mind (and this is a formality) or choose someone else because if they did actually offer me the job, it would be a tough choice to make. After a day of thinking about it, I would probably take it. It's not the path I have in mind for myself, but it's not THAT far off, either. It's just more responsibility and visibility that would require a new wardrobe to match the new salary. Not quite the fun I'm looking for, but actually I have kinda been-there-done-that-kind of NASA fun and so maybe growing up wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it IS time to move up. Besides, that kind of fun will come later anyway when I'm an astronaut.
One bummer thing is that it's kinda in line with what a psychic told me in October that I would be doing. It's a bummer because she also didn't see spaceflight in my future. And I was pretty intent on doing the opposite of what she said I'd be doing. Just to prove that you can change your own destiny.
Either way, I am good. I am still currently in a holding pattern in my current job position, and that suits me fine too because it's a great job. I have started to wrap some hope about actually getting this new position, wishing I'd tried a little harder to make her WANT to hire me (as what would usually happen during a job interview), but really, if I didn't get it, I'd be totally fine with it and I'm lucky to be in a position where I have good alternatives.
In fact, that's what I told her :)
Me: Oh, does she not ask for it here?
K: Well yes, but...
Me: Do you give it to her?
K: Well, we try to distract her
Me: Oh, great! Does that work for you?
K: Well, sometimes...
Me: And then you just give in?
K: She's pretty persistent.
Me: Look, I hear your thoughts on this, but this is the second most RECENT bout of teething we've been through with her. You've seen it for yourself for the past month: she doesn't usually even mention the paci. But with the teething, it's her comfort object. She outright asks for it, even during regular business hours. Whether she's "playing us" or not: I don't frankly care. Since I figure she won't be getting married with the paci in her mouth, I am obliged to not fight this battle until all 4 molars come in and all teeth are accounted for. Until then, I am in no rush. Though yes, I must admit to embarrassment by chronic paci-sucking 22-month-old in public...
You guys do what you gotta do here and I'll just do what I gotta do at home.
Besides, how is she "playing me" if I'm not even playing the game in the first place? Give the kid the paci, I am over resisting it. I know my daughter and she will give it up again when the teething stops.
Drooling, cranky, and whining and grabbing at her bottom right gums when eating are pretty good signs for me. But as a scientist/engineer, I need proof. Watch if I don't sneak up to her bed while she's sleeping in the next few minutes to pry her little mouth open and look for suspicious gums. I can't get a good look while she's awake. In the meantime tonight I gave her some Humphrey's teething strips. This homeopathic stuff didn't seem to work when she was a baby. Plus I heard some scary stuff about the Belladona (?) so I threw out her old Highland's in favor of Ibuprofen. But I tried Humphrey's tonight and lo and behold she was happy Anna (albeit with paci stuck to her mouth). It did seem to lighten her mood so yay for that!
*****
I am pretty happy with the direction my career is going here at NASA, but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out for other potential positions that could be fun or different.
Several weeks ago I applied to a job within NASA that's way out of my league. In fact, after I applied, I realized it didn't even sound like something fun I'd want to do so I tried to pull my application back out. But the system didn't let me so I just left it and figured they wouldn't call me anyway, and went on with my life. As these things go, they called me Monday, and though I thought to tell the woman on the phone to not bother with me, I figured if I interviewed I may just learn something. Couldn't hurt at least. So I showed up, asked quesitons, and had a good time. I almost purposefully self-sabotaged myself and I didn't care: I asked stuff like- I have a toddler... how much travel is required (12 times a month, 2 of those international), what are the work hours like (40-50 hours a week), stress levels, etc. I even told her I was more the technical type and wasn't sure how I'd like management and high visibility. I even told her, "don't you think I'm a little too young for this job?" Her response was "No! I was 35 when I started, and I too had a 2 year-old". The woman was awesomely nice. It was more like a mentoring session than a job interview. So while I laid out all of my reserved thoughts on this job, (including statements like: "here's something else to think about, just in case you need a tie-breaker in making your hiring decision...[insert truth and not-exactly job-interview-promoting-material here]") she continued to counter with how that would be good assets for the job! She even gave me the names of the others she was hiring to round out her team. I don't know. She was either being a good mentor, or she was genuinely interested in hiring me. Who knows, it was still a cool meeting.
I left there thinking, ummmmm...I hope that they already have someone in mind (and this is a formality) or choose someone else because if they did actually offer me the job, it would be a tough choice to make. After a day of thinking about it, I would probably take it. It's not the path I have in mind for myself, but it's not THAT far off, either. It's just more responsibility and visibility that would require a new wardrobe to match the new salary. Not quite the fun I'm looking for, but actually I have kinda been-there-done-that-kind of NASA fun and so maybe growing up wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it IS time to move up. Besides, that kind of fun will come later anyway when I'm an astronaut.
One bummer thing is that it's kinda in line with what a psychic told me in October that I would be doing. It's a bummer because she also didn't see spaceflight in my future. And I was pretty intent on doing the opposite of what she said I'd be doing. Just to prove that you can change your own destiny.
Either way, I am good. I am still currently in a holding pattern in my current job position, and that suits me fine too because it's a great job. I have started to wrap some hope about actually getting this new position, wishing I'd tried a little harder to make her WANT to hire me (as what would usually happen during a job interview), but really, if I didn't get it, I'd be totally fine with it and I'm lucky to be in a position where I have good alternatives.
In fact, that's what I told her :)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bring on the teething
She slept all night, WOW.
But she was up early, as predicted. As goes with her teething style.
That's OK, I prefer up early than interrupted sleep.
But she's once again paci-paci-paci, mommy-mommy-mommy, cling-cling-cling, car-seat-cranky, and oppositional. Mixed with hints of smiles and happiness.
Crap, with 4 of these molars to go we will be going through this for like the next month or 2.
It sucks more than you know. Teething Anna is way less fun than normal Anna.
Can we just go back to Disney? It seemed to be a good distraction.
But she was up early, as predicted. As goes with her teething style.
That's OK, I prefer up early than interrupted sleep.
But she's once again paci-paci-paci, mommy-mommy-mommy, cling-cling-cling, car-seat-cranky, and oppositional. Mixed with hints of smiles and happiness.
Crap, with 4 of these molars to go we will be going through this for like the next month or 2.
It sucks more than you know. Teething Anna is way less fun than normal Anna.
Can we just go back to Disney? It seemed to be a good distraction.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Quick hits
On the night we got home:
Me: "Anna, guess who's coming to see you tonight?"
Anna: "See-Clause?"
Me: "Paul, did you hear that (laughing)"
Paul: Yeah (laughing)
Anna: laughing
Wow, where'd she get that? We didn't even play up the whole Santa-comes-to-your-house thing. She must have heard it all around her I guess.
Me: "No, baby. It's Annabel!"
Anna: WWwaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and lots of carrying on
WOW.
****
Thanks to the seemingly never-ending eruption of toddler teeth, I can't remember the last night I have had a full night's sleep. Or even sleep in 6 hour chunks for that matter. Or 4 hour chunks. She just cries in her sleep and it wakes me up. I am on alert mode. Paul sleeps through it. It doesn't always require me to go to her. But at least once per night it does. The other 2 times she cries out wakes me up, and even though I don't have to go to her, I am up. Disrupted sleep.
And this is only the beginning of her first second year molar.
Upside: After this next torturous month, there will be no more discussion of teething.
****
A bit of a stressor: I'd better get started on my teaching materials for the Human Physiology class I start teaching next Wednesday. A little anxiety is building.
Me: "Anna, guess who's coming to see you tonight?"
Anna: "See-Clause?"
Me: "Paul, did you hear that (laughing)"
Paul: Yeah (laughing)
Anna: laughing
Wow, where'd she get that? We didn't even play up the whole Santa-comes-to-your-house thing. She must have heard it all around her I guess.
Me: "No, baby. It's Annabel!"
Anna: WWwaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and lots of carrying on
WOW.
****
Thanks to the seemingly never-ending eruption of toddler teeth, I can't remember the last night I have had a full night's sleep. Or even sleep in 6 hour chunks for that matter. Or 4 hour chunks. She just cries in her sleep and it wakes me up. I am on alert mode. Paul sleeps through it. It doesn't always require me to go to her. But at least once per night it does. The other 2 times she cries out wakes me up, and even though I don't have to go to her, I am up. Disrupted sleep.
And this is only the beginning of her first second year molar.
Upside: After this next torturous month, there will be no more discussion of teething.
****
A bit of a stressor: I'd better get started on my teaching materials for the Human Physiology class I start teaching next Wednesday. A little anxiety is building.
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