5 Questions

5 Questions...
Leave me a comment saying that you want me to ask you 5 questions.
I will respond by asking you five personal questions.

You will update your LJ or Blogger, etc... with the answers to the questions, and include this explanation.
:D

Thank you Juju for these questions!

1. Where and how did you and your husband meet?
This is kind of a funny story. We met at a housewarming party and he was actually there on a date with another woman. Because I thought they were a serious couple, I didn't feel funny about talking to them or him for that matter. His date sort of ran off and hung out with her friend and left us to chatting. He managed to get my number from another one of my friends at the party and the rest is history. *note* it was only he and this girl's second date so I don't feel like I stole him :) Besides who takes a second date to a housewarming party in the middle of the day and then ditches him? Her loss, my gain.

2. What is your favorite memory with your daughter so far? I'd have to say me and her daddy helping her out of me at her birth and "meeting" her for the first time. It's magical, I tell you. Also breastfeeding is up there too. Nothing better.

3. What is it about Africa that interests you so much? I'd have to say first the people - they are passionate about life and music and dancing despite hardships. Second - the land and it's animals. I've got a thing for giraffes and would love to see them in the wild.

4. What are the reasons you chose your profession? I'm going to assume you mean when I was a research scientist and not my current stay-at-home mom position :) I love science. Big science, meaning not little microscopic stuff and bench work. I also loved having a job where I knew I was making a difference in people's lives directly. The type of research is rare and I felt lucky to be researching such a big epidemic in our society (alcoholism). I also LOVE the hospital environment (kinda weird I know).

5. What is the greatest parenting advice you have learned thus far? Oh gosh 3 things (which I'm STILL learning): YOU MUST LEARN TO BE FLEXIBLE, TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS, and DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP ONCE IN AWHILE! No one is an expert at parenting the first time around but we all figure it out. We do things like get help, ask advice and don't plan things out too much. Kids have their own agenda and they will win most of the time. That's not to say be a pushover, rather, pick your battles!!

Closet hippie

Husband a few years ago: "You are a closet hippie!"
Me: "No, I'm not not...eww."
Me (a few hours later): "Wait, I guess I sort of am."

I got to thinking about this the other day when I got really mad at my husband for doing his usual routine of turning on the shower then going into the bathroom (toilet is separate from the shower) for about 20 minutes. The really bugs the shit out of me. It wastes so much water. I also get after him for leaving the faucet on while brushing his teeth and grabbing a new water bottle and taking a few sips only to realize he already has one opened. Waste, waste, waste. He is trying to get better but old habits die hard, ya know?

Last year, I decided to go as "green" as I could. I now buy all biodegradable non-toxic household cleaners including laundry and dish detergent. I use reusable grocery bags at the store and unplug many of our appliances unless they are being used. I also use a dish towel to dry my hands instead of a paper towel. There is a TON more I could do, and I will eventually, but for now I feel good about what I am doing.

I wouldn't mind driving a hybrid car and it would be even better if my husband did since he has such a long commute. He tried it once (rented one) and thought the car didn't have much power and was uncomfortable. I hope they get better. It would save us SO much money.

I don't consider myself to be a hippie but to my husband, I'm the ultimate tree hugger. I laugh when I think how he would have handled Santa Cruz (where I went to college). Heheh.

Thoughts

Lately my mind has been racing.

I recently had an emergency visit to my eye doctor (the retina specialist) because I was seeing light flashes in my right eye - not a good thing when you have MMD. He determined everything was fine BUT added that if I do decide to have another child, I am at a high risk of developing another macular hemorrhage due to slight blood pressure changes that occur during pregnancy. While this would be no big deal in other women, it can cause a blind spot in my eye. Even without another pregnancy I am STILL at risk because high blood pressure runs my family. Yay for genetics. Even with my blood pressure as it is (normal) he says I have a 50/50 chance of having another hemorrhage. Then I add in genetics and it goes up. I'm not sure I want to raise my risk even higher by having another child.

I've told a few people about this and most are very supportive, offering opinions and great insight. There are a few people though, who say things like, "Oh you can't just have one!" or, "Maybe you are being selfish.". Does it somehow make me less of a woman or a mom if I only have one child? I certainly don't look down upon women who have no children OR women who have 10 children. It's such a personal choice. I think for me the toughest part is ME being okay with my decision and not feel as though I have to defend MY choice (whatever it turns out to be).

My husband really wants a second child too. What am I to do? I kind of feel like for me to be the best mom I can be, ONE child is enough. I've never been a baby or kid loving kind of person. I've always felt a bit guilty or embarrassed by that because I somehow feel like it portrays me as a cold person. But it is what it is, part of who I am. I am the mom at the park who gets anxiety when too many kids are there or when I think of my daughter having a bunch of kids over for a party. What the hell do I do with all of them????

I'm going to be 32 years old on Monday. My 30's have proven to be such an introspective, life changing time and I'm only 2 years in!
Oh sheesh. Decisions, decisions. I'm a good person, I swear.

Long Time!

Gosh it's been awhile yet again since my last post.

We just retruned from a week-long trip to Ohio, Pennsylvania and upstate New York. Daughter did awesome. She is such a trooper. She rode her first carousel in New York and loved it so much she cried when it was time to get off. Between visiting friends and my husbands extended family, she never really got to nap during the day but she was so good and accomodating. I was so surprised. I guess I shouldn't have been as she has always been adaptable and easy-going. I guess I'm the one with the hard time!

I got to experience a few new things while on the trip:

1. I had a bite of my husband's "garbage plate". A garbage plate is basically a bunch of food on a plate piled high. In this case it was two large scoops of macaroni salad, two cheesburger patties, two large scoops of home fries and topped with onions, chili, hot sauce and ketchup. My first thought was "gross" but I was open to trying it. It's not gross but I would never order one. I'm not sure why it's so popular.

2. Saw my first drawbridge come up. Very cool! When your car is stopped right in front of one and the street is literally rising up to a 90 degree angle to your car, it's a little crazy!

3. A "bug storm". We drove through one on the drive from Pittsburgh, PA to Rochester, NY. I thought is was raining until my husband laughed and said it was just a swarm of bugs.

4. The biggest f'in ants in the world. HOLY SHIT. They are huge and they bite, I'm told.

5. I learned that on many highways out there, the left (fast) lane is only for passing. In other words, you only drive in that lane to pass people then you move back into the right lane.

6. Saw some quakers! On my last trip I saw some Amish people in a horse and buggy! I wanted to stop in one of their communities but we were pressed for time. Apparently they sell some cool hand made things and great food.

That's all for now - I have some things to do!

Lagging

I'm kind of lagging on blog posting lately.

The other night as I was getting daughter ready for her bath, I was nuzzling my face in her neck while she was lying in my lap and we were both laughing. I went down to nuzzle her one last time and BAM - her head came up and her two front teeth gouged the very tender area between my nose and upper lip. She was stunned and I instinctively began tearing up uncontrollably. I knew it was going to be ugly so I didn't even look in the mirror until I finished her bath and put her down for the night. The cuts are small (2) but deep. Thank GOD for Neosporin. I hope it heals nicely.

Since my mommy's group is not really meeting anymore, we often email updates on what our little ones have been up to lately. 2 of the moms just sent theirs in and their kids are talking (a LOT), counting to 10 AND have learned almost the whole alphabet. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I'm feeling a bit incompetent. Like it's my job to teach her these things. It's not that I'm not trying but it gets frustrating when all she says is Hi, mama, and dada. I know, I know, it doesn't matter but it's still hard to hear. I know enough not to push my daughter - she'll talk when she's ready.

Hubby took the day off work today (Yay!) to be with us as he has been MIA all week with work stuff. He didn't get home until almost 2am last night!

I am working on getting daughter's first passport (pain in the ass) as we are likely heading to London and Paris in June to tag along with hubby's business trip. I'm excited but nervous about a 10.5 hour plane ride with a toddler. God help me. Just for the fun of it I checked on prices for a Virgin Atlantic first class fare to London - $12,815. HOLY SHIT people. Who pays that? Seriously. Husband gets to fly it because the company uses their miles. Daughter and I will be livin' it up in the back. Whooohooo! I am going to talk him into exchanging his 1st class ticket to cover ALL of our tickets. Smart, eh?

AAAAHHH.....

Husband in London. Daughter in bed for the night. Brownies cooking in the oven. Just got out of the shower. Dishwasher loaded. Living room clean. Life is good.

Life is not good, however, for the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting, their families and friends. I just can't imagine the horror those students must have felt seeing such a horrific scene. No place is safe for our children anymore. Post offices, elementary schools, high schools, colleges and even McDonald's has seen massacres. It's disgusting, terrifying and so, so sad. Even though most of the time I'm glad to be living in our day and age, when I hear of things like this, I wish I were raising my children in the 1950's.

I've recently decided that I watch WAY TOO MUCH television. When this season of shows are over, I am only going to watch the shows that I can't live without. Those include The Amazing Race, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and So You Think You Can Dance.

And yes, I still want another child. It's been a whole week of me feeling this way so this time (my husband hopes) the feeling just might stick!

Husband loves this quote:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

I can't (yet) do all of those things. I don't think I'm that interested either - especially not in butchering a hog.