tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319222352024-03-13T05:03:41.552-05:00My Left NerveLife as a wife, a mama, and crazy cat lady in the Big CityMariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.comBlogger663125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-74280616601731120902012-05-02T22:41:00.000-05:002012-05-02T22:41:30.919-05:00A Long RoadI don't have a lot to talk about... What's been going on during the past six months or so? I have no clue! It's been a blur, a whirlwind, a fog of the energy of two boys. It's been busy!<br />
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I'm teaching like crazy, and lucky me, it's never the same class. I'm consulting for my former job, which is great. I get to do all the fun stuff, without having to deal with the people who were meaner than hell to me.<br />
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I've got Joe. I love that guy.<br />
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We went to Hawaii in February, and have spent most of the past two
months corralling the loons. These two... oh-my-gosh. They're insane. <br />
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<br />Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-84536454745004014932011-10-27T07:55:00.006-05:002011-10-27T08:00:24.337-05:00And ... Two months go by...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEist6nxJaW5yfXTaT_RkQDpHcT7-d9LU4Q4Ptga9a3W2h0Tgzfu_tAwqijDB7suvOFXQrl_bXgQtcC2h4wNEOAJ4riWGUIfZH4q83kubuSyjG8CLIAI8p3ESeVewu-xklNDe88P6g/s1600/crazy+hair+oct2011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEist6nxJaW5yfXTaT_RkQDpHcT7-d9LU4Q4Ptga9a3W2h0Tgzfu_tAwqijDB7suvOFXQrl_bXgQtcC2h4wNEOAJ4riWGUIfZH4q83kubuSyjG8CLIAI8p3ESeVewu-xklNDe88P6g/s320/crazy+hair+oct2011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668155783142504594" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >"What?"</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7tYewKTKpMhEPm7Gr54utV33S68Qwg7syY3Io3Yv9IkFeUsUp5ZHMJWKVUgYMj9p8q8ra55JYTI-FVtHaLKRRz5YhPoUztFFVXyxeY8yOiSk1bK4cZ5kUFaVK5YLHJF19oCwoA/s1600/crazy+hair+oct2011.jpg"><br /></a><br />Here's the deal... I AM SO FREAKING-FRACKING CRAZY OVERWHELMED! GAH. Okay... now that I got that off my chest, with a serious case of CAPSLOCK FEVER. I feel much better.<br /><br />I'm teaching nearly a full course load this semester (not quite), have the running around to do for a three and a half year old (seriously ... he's that big), the trying to walk and eating EVERYTHING off the floor 9 month old, and just struggling.<br /><br />But -- next semester, I'm teaching just one class, and it's online. Nathan will be in preschool for two days a week. And, my fussy baby will hopefully be a much better adjusted 1 year old. I can't even freaking believe that either.<br /><br />So, that makes me thing and hope that I can get back on the blogging bandwagon. I'm fairly certain that I'm going to start something new, for this new phase of life, or something. And, I've got a couple ideas in the works. I miss you and all hope to get up and running soon. I miss blogging and I would so love a reason to go to BlogHer next year. :)Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-87282558104772415322011-08-18T21:21:00.003-05:002011-08-18T21:31:51.268-05:00And Another MonthOkay, for those of you who are still hanging around this silent part of the interwebs, my baby will be seven months old tomorrow. Seven. WTH?
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<br />We've been a little bit insane around here. Nathan has had a cold every three weeks this summer. Since it takes him 10-14 days to get through his system, he's only healthy one week per month. It sorta sucks. But, he's okay.
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<br />Daniel learned to crawl in late June. Shortly after that, he started pulling himself up. There is a great deal of head trauma at our house. It's okay though.
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<br />I start teaching again next week. This semester I will have two classes. I'm excited, but stressed, because they're both new classes. I have four days left, and several weeks' worth of work to complete. Meanwhile, I still have those little boys.
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<br />Joe has been really swamped at work lately, so he decided to take a long weekend this weekend. We're enjoying the staycation. We spent today in Millennium Park. Nathan loved it. Daniel loved the mirrors at the little cafe we ate at. Good times had by all.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYc_6HCiyNoEa3ZfusAwhD35XHWoXXmWn2Y0JRvTqY4T3pEJuvToMqgApdFyugoKa__ifKtcHaBQ_gvmOHOLXP7pRHfoI6O3hS_jc0m_FB-3bfFo4YIXs6Q-7ZUvkXGFT8BHsqQ/s1600/millenium+park+056.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 209px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYc_6HCiyNoEa3ZfusAwhD35XHWoXXmWn2Y0JRvTqY4T3pEJuvToMqgApdFyugoKa__ifKtcHaBQ_gvmOHOLXP7pRHfoI6O3hS_jc0m_FB-3bfFo4YIXs6Q-7ZUvkXGFT8BHsqQ/s320/millenium+park+056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642388066981066226" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Can you see his runny nose in this picture? Poor kid.
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<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaeN_8Gk30tyuKlPA8V-oUvZTuwtR9J-YJkParOItejZpNJKgq33HyZmFODvS51Rg5jZNK2e8vyFcjiY7hPUdFgpzxYx7oYldJhn9-p5gMAJ5ib04BSojHEuXsK_KKxy7UrNo1A/s1600/millenium+park+032.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaeN_8Gk30tyuKlPA8V-oUvZTuwtR9J-YJkParOItejZpNJKgq33HyZmFODvS51Rg5jZNK2e8vyFcjiY7hPUdFgpzxYx7oYldJhn9-p5gMAJ5ib04BSojHEuXsK_KKxy7UrNo1A/s320/millenium+park+032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642388072025711474" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">It was all entirely too exciting for Daniel.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5AL5_rSnCnWFicDojDT9xq5ZAqOa8ZRxYlMK2I4q28vvP_UP0CFRPwb6-gvYRaW2llvpuzb9NLDNw9IP4Oll8xveTokA_-EsutKucEcEabY1jympt-zCDGfRjRDJspjbIFNbNg/s1600/millenium+park+073.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5AL5_rSnCnWFicDojDT9xq5ZAqOa8ZRxYlMK2I4q28vvP_UP0CFRPwb6-gvYRaW2llvpuzb9NLDNw9IP4Oll8xveTokA_-EsutKucEcEabY1jympt-zCDGfRjRDJspjbIFNbNg/s320/millenium+park+073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642388069426576898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Cloud Gate ---- aka The Bean</span>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDHDajjZLDmn5ULhNw1zJ3JFUDL6hLAaJPDFm2n16UmRv_lHWU1EUIb76VX6ivKRm2eJald5uMH8FggSWac04_Ig3nvDxuTTk8duo-8Qb-TezKIFR5Sy2f91_0vC4l-a2yZeQbA/s1600/millenium+park+075.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDHDajjZLDmn5ULhNw1zJ3JFUDL6hLAaJPDFm2n16UmRv_lHWU1EUIb76VX6ivKRm2eJald5uMH8FggSWac04_Ig3nvDxuTTk8duo-8Qb-TezKIFR5Sy2f91_0vC4l-a2yZeQbA/s320/millenium+park+075.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642388063321633938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Splashing in the awesome fountains!</span>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MyyfDeEkK9pNpF4l52pSOCWQJ5kPyQCtN50Stn8283tnT9w3slGIznOBOYY2P2XGAeBtbld327MsECfPUla2xpieI9MH0vgg_GJADaJd2rgy25LTy5W-nEwJb77nHjeGWHyExQ/s1600/millenium+park+083.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MyyfDeEkK9pNpF4l52pSOCWQJ5kPyQCtN50Stn8283tnT9w3slGIznOBOYY2P2XGAeBtbld327MsECfPUla2xpieI9MH0vgg_GJADaJd2rgy25LTy5W-nEwJb77nHjeGWHyExQ/s320/millenium+park+083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642388060541251746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Adorable baby making friends with the adorable baby in the mirror!</span>
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<br />Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-55484486143130624932011-07-22T08:28:00.005-05:002011-08-18T21:21:04.102-05:00A Whole MonthYeah ... It's been a whole month since I've written an amazing, scintillating, thrilling, whatever-will-come-next?? blog post. Hah...
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<br />I've been trying to figure out what we've been doing. It looks sorta like this: playing in the city, hanging with dada, the zoo with friends, learning to crawl (at 5 months, SWEAR TO GOD!), and splashing around. It's been a little busy.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Qv-tYNhGLmIrVd8F2PmTf2IZe5MbRK75rCrxeCwERHBmXVvc4CVfZbMhH9Q8VlILwtsPm58zsHDnNjHEXVMfWkobCOTuXQBnWF5VrMtA383NToJXxOwRBN8_WFhWTGgI0B3OKg/s1600/new+summer+2011+001.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Qv-tYNhGLmIrVd8F2PmTf2IZe5MbRK75rCrxeCwERHBmXVvc4CVfZbMhH9Q8VlILwtsPm58zsHDnNjHEXVMfWkobCOTuXQBnWF5VrMtA383NToJXxOwRBN8_WFhWTGgI0B3OKg/s320/new+summer+2011+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632169380049989602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsS6gfeV0jXftkyTIQURA5Bb-BcfX_mYVsHM3cfExBIVdyWbo4zlj1_k3Hg4MkQl9LOZQMv1sCDIb8rh7boPpLFtK1E9Qbn97-0iMB3K9oXdqNwOVM-kTu4YrliE-gGmG_MzPdw/s1600/new+summer+2011+023.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsS6gfeV0jXftkyTIQURA5Bb-BcfX_mYVsHM3cfExBIVdyWbo4zlj1_k3Hg4MkQl9LOZQMv1sCDIb8rh7boPpLFtK1E9Qbn97-0iMB3K9oXdqNwOVM-kTu4YrliE-gGmG_MzPdw/s320/new+summer+2011+023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632169387209938722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDeynEZTDL30_2bJH2E8CPp9adYiK0NlZuEaRRgZGVZVzJy85Pd-vmxPrKK4jKVQ6DqxIPpPoIlNnQdokJLNx-snbVu3uvrrnr7G5XNrSbgWfT8p2CSsefXP_b0gUNA1vmr4q7Q/s1600/new+summer+2011+028.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDeynEZTDL30_2bJH2E8CPp9adYiK0NlZuEaRRgZGVZVzJy85Pd-vmxPrKK4jKVQ6DqxIPpPoIlNnQdokJLNx-snbVu3uvrrnr7G5XNrSbgWfT8p2CSsefXP_b0gUNA1vmr4q7Q/s320/new+summer+2011+028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632169399219519026" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbOZw9wD1BYViFGp7vOH53xvyfn71l_Mn_YktPKW0bYwMNaoeSmsJs01LRr05aiKvn0hWoUnWl3P-aRxRKWV6bAC5ktgVwBzHbkq4gXmVhN6qThwkYdn9eNr8fRa791Px3VCqDQ/s1600/new+summer+2011+032.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbOZw9wD1BYViFGp7vOH53xvyfn71l_Mn_YktPKW0bYwMNaoeSmsJs01LRr05aiKvn0hWoUnWl3P-aRxRKWV6bAC5ktgVwBzHbkq4gXmVhN6qThwkYdn9eNr8fRa791Px3VCqDQ/s320/new+summer+2011+032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632169409254661650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4024pzvCNyt0CDPalFGRYKsfWKTAhfYmhCcPhyecm-u2NSwFXURXziFbulW6pjXQ7yvNa-Agui_djDtdhtfwnHBgo4GgafFzZiK8fcD3z5okCCJV08YXzxZcYdZ51L3cJiRZ5jg/s1600/new+summer+2011+033.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4024pzvCNyt0CDPalFGRYKsfWKTAhfYmhCcPhyecm-u2NSwFXURXziFbulW6pjXQ7yvNa-Agui_djDtdhtfwnHBgo4GgafFzZiK8fcD3z5okCCJV08YXzxZcYdZ51L3cJiRZ5jg/s320/new+summer+2011+033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632169415924287794" border="0" /></a>
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<br />Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-30628651075044528712011-06-21T09:22:00.004-05:002011-06-21T09:50:16.690-05:00Little Boys<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-5H0_IKv4A67ZwU7y47vpNpd0ZhZ4A5bzzpMSdqq4qqWgiJl6i4oS39QbJPCioJP75NWNdHblb4O3DC-W1fbtV83Fm0bLPr92yCWkpGVElY_k0KUPNB6ca7R9kDX2lYE68pmOg/s1600/boys+fathers+day+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620685453451497378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-5H0_IKv4A67ZwU7y47vpNpd0ZhZ4A5bzzpMSdqq4qqWgiJl6i4oS39QbJPCioJP75NWNdHblb4O3DC-W1fbtV83Fm0bLPr92yCWkpGVElY_k0KUPNB6ca7R9kDX2lYE68pmOg/s320/boys+fathers+day+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br />As crazy as things are, these little people still make it easy to get up in the morning.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2r26Qttj1FwfpD_DQJ_arZyz5oRImwe-YMAKGlTc3HaUMjpvE8PknPl5KUYobMCJ0anxhJXEMUoXRBYY6WrCgwz5y0e8NmwXvlZpoqd9-7MOhWmmVjuQVHOEmbaFB-ZtQhf0BA/s1600/daniel+fathers+day+3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620678461882573122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2r26Qttj1FwfpD_DQJ_arZyz5oRImwe-YMAKGlTc3HaUMjpvE8PknPl5KUYobMCJ0anxhJXEMUoXRBYY6WrCgwz5y0e8NmwXvlZpoqd9-7MOhWmmVjuQVHOEmbaFB-ZtQhf0BA/s320/daniel+fathers+day+3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguGedkbuhLdSy4mONGcBHjgUvJ4PX8ud7m6F9zvCD-S6i8Y5UOk9nhbtV70fV_RfXyWelxHcR_UMCTNQ9TMxVfaEjbc2vZZzgVWuGQ_qDKB0mpgTu1v_pIBoOI3feweXizN9M2Q/s1600/daniel+fathers+day+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620678456517475426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguGedkbuhLdSy4mONGcBHjgUvJ4PX8ud7m6F9zvCD-S6i8Y5UOk9nhbtV70fV_RfXyWelxHcR_UMCTNQ9TMxVfaEjbc2vZZzgVWuGQ_qDKB0mpgTu1v_pIBoOI3feweXizN9M2Q/s320/daniel+fathers+day+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGhm5zmitXNTYvLsyI65w4bze2QJ0smy1ELybsBbM4AxopK8YiCHPxZ_JsiUQDpy4AeYR4-tuSz_63ziQSLQLF7pKiZlyLmI0vpyPVoDgGj3t2q-e8gj89jk-c9ipOjrYhnusdQ/s1600/daniel+fathers+day+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620678448532625970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGhm5zmitXNTYvLsyI65w4bze2QJ0smy1ELybsBbM4AxopK8YiCHPxZ_JsiUQDpy4AeYR4-tuSz_63ziQSLQLF7pKiZlyLmI0vpyPVoDgGj3t2q-e8gj89jk-c9ipOjrYhnusdQ/s320/daniel+fathers+day+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This little one's hair is SO DARNED crazy. I just let it go. I think it's part of who he is. Also, do I have room to talk?</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>I'm so amazing 1) that five months has passed already, and 2) how different Daniel is than Nathan was at this age. Mostly, he sleeps and he's way fussier. But also, he's still pretty fussy. Also, you guys, I swear this is true: The kid is crawling. He's going backward, but he's up on all fours! He just turned five months on Sunday. I'm posting a video later this week. Nathan walked fairly early - around 10 months. So, I feel like we're sort of prepared.<br /><br />Anyway, we're madly in love over here.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlG5VuxccSHdFeKWYcbBUNgle-ZvVWRlVAoJkpL6t0ua4gw0R28uHZgL04xgNFsVy4DnEj1JVskGc0-MoK4JKSkQUEmXg8BF-PfvMvvT832KuNg91GorDxlRSM1EbfzqHdObj_A/s1600/boys+fathers+day+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620678441814184978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlG5VuxccSHdFeKWYcbBUNgle-ZvVWRlVAoJkpL6t0ua4gw0R28uHZgL04xgNFsVy4DnEj1JVskGc0-MoK4JKSkQUEmXg8BF-PfvMvvT832KuNg91GorDxlRSM1EbfzqHdObj_A/s320/boys+fathers+day+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-13781046179888976292011-06-20T11:38:00.004-05:002011-06-20T11:44:19.657-05:00A Father's DayI keep thinking how lax I am ... just in general, but blogging specifically. I used to write glowing, flowery love letter to Joe on my blog on both his birthday and father's day... I totally dropped the ball this year. Except...<br /><br />This year we were celebrating Father's Day being parents together. We had brunch with his parents on Saturday and spent yesterday at home being a family. Our kids are at the ages where it sucks to take them in public where Nathan can't run around. Or, anywhere Daniel can't readily nurse. (I'm totally that unapologetic public <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">breastfeeder</span>. I use a nursing cover, but still... UNAPOLOGETIC!)<br /><br />I'm ridiculously crazy about my husband, and watching him with our kids makes me appreciate him more every day. I can't believe how well he's adapted to the crazy that is our life. As insane as <em>his </em>life has been, he's always able to stop and change a diaper, run Nathan around the block, or read a bedtime story.<br /><br />I don't have much lovely prose to write - I don't have the brainpower to think it - but I'm just really happy and really blessed with this guy.<br /><br />I hope the rest of you had a lovely day with the fathers in your life.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-56347592790704413352011-06-15T08:30:00.002-05:002011-06-15T08:32:31.995-05:00Baby MylesI won't be able to post a picture, but our nephew arrived safely yesterday at 10:38 am. He weighed in at 7 lbs/14 oz and is 20.5 inches long. Almost exactly the same size as his big cousin, Nathan (he was 8 lbs/1 oz, but 7-9 days overdue!).<br /><br />We haven't gotten to talk to the new mom and dad yet, nor have we seen pictures. We're just grateful for a safe delivery!Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-14243390520354202962011-06-14T08:33:00.001-05:002011-06-14T08:36:00.599-05:00Baby NephewJoe's brother's wife is in labor! Our little nephew will be here soon!!!<br /><br />Both of our families are so boy-heavy. Joe's one of two boys. I have three older brothers. Of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">grandkids </span>on my side of the family, including my two boys, there are <strong>five</strong> boys and one girl. The girl is the oldest and she's 29. Now, Joe's family will have three boys! I'm loving it, but it would be nice to buy something pink at some point. ;-)Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-15842616615609052892011-06-14T08:25:00.004-05:002011-06-14T08:25:00.043-05:00Baby WhisperingSo, my littler guy is a fussy baby. He's not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">colicky</span> or anything like that. He's just, um, fussy. It's getting better, that's for sure, but don't put the kid in his car seat, or in the swing, or put him down! MY GOD! DON'T PUT HIM DOWN.<br /><br />Did I mention that about two months ago, he cried so hard that he burst a blood vessel in his eye? That was on a very short trip in the car. I had to drive... I had to get home... Babies have to be in car seats!<br /><br />I've tried wearing him in the <a href="http://www.babybjorn.com/us/products/baby-carriers/">Baby Bjorn</a> and in the <a href="http://www.mobywrap.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Moby</span> Wrap</a>. He vehemently objected to both. Vehemently. I've recently ordered another wrap to try (I had a coupon, making it ridiculously cheap). So, we'll get on that in the next few days.<br /><br />Nathan was a much easier baby to soothe. Part of it, I'm sure, was <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQxke53Ozp_ihmCIkXj5cb0A5OXD6eJvcN3lmQJi40pB8xKsCyV_OweP3WH71qzDUoiF7_2paSWTsWDT1b96ZL8im0_WXdAaTCM455SVlGnxjuIVmWNlW1sHNYkLWf02YeSykVA/s1600-h/park1sm.jpg">his affinity for the pacifier</a>. Daniel prefers nursing and being held. This would be great if I didn't have another child.<br /><br />Also of note (probably only to me) is that this child was sleeping through the night at 4/5 weeks, consistently. I should say, he slept from about 10/11 pm to about 6 am. So, not the 12 hours that you'd like to see, but I thought it was awesome. <a href="http://myleftnerve.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-dont-know-if-theyre-related.html">Nathan, the angel baby, still doesn't sleep 12 hours... or even 10</a>. On a good night, it's 8. Anyway, around 2 and a half months, just after he was <a href="http://myleftnerve.blogspot.com/2011/03/saddest-place-on-earth.html">released from the hospital</a>, he started working on a tooth (which he's still working on). Since then, he's been waking up a couple times a night. It's gotten particularly bad since it gets daylight so early. Now, he'll go down between 9 and 10 pm, and then wake up around 3 and 5 and 6. I believe the latter two are daylight-related, but we still haven't done anything about that. Because we're dumb.<br /><br />I just don't have the temperament to try <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=cry+it+out&rls=com.microsoft:*&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CIO</span></a>, especially with a high-needs baby, because it probably won't even work. Really though, it's not my thing. But, I am going to try to move him from the pack-n-play right by our bed, to the crib one the other end of our room - away from the window! We'll see if this has any impact.<br /><br />Since I've got a zero success rate, I'm totally open to suggestions.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-9987438893556780652011-06-13T08:05:00.003-05:002011-06-13T10:08:04.631-05:00Drowning<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Omigosh</span>, y'all. I am completely swamped and in the weeds and drowning ... and whatever other metaphor you can think of to describe "HELP! I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN!!"<br /><br />This being back to work full-time (and still taking work home with me) with a 3 year old and a 4 month old is hard enough. I mean, I am not the best manager of time as it is, but add a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">poky</span> preschooler who never wants to leave the house, and an infant who spits up all over heck the second you put on a new outfit to the mix, and I have no ability to leave the house in a timely manner. Then there's the 8 million things I'm doing for my class. Then there's the preparation for my fall class (still gotta read that book and turn in a syllabus!). And then there are the things that are just not getting done at home. Oh, did I mention that we'll be house-sitting for my in-laws for ten days? Seriously... I know most of you folks would be able to handle this blindfolded, but me? Well, I'm just going to sit around and fuss and complain, and maybe spit up on my shirt. No, wait.<br /><br />But seriously, folks... time management. It seems that these are skills that we have ingrained in us at a young age, or we don't. I don't. I've borrowed countless time management books from the library. The problem? You have to find time to read them! I keep thinking, "Oh, yeah. I'll do that when I'm nursing Daniel for the last time at night." <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Erm</span>...<br /><br />So, what are your tricks and tactics? Mostly, I just want to get my head above water. :)Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-50882169551229077502011-06-06T09:39:00.002-05:002011-06-06T09:50:40.984-05:00Embracing the CrazyOur lives are so nuts right now. So. I'm teaching part-time, working in the office part-time, working from home part-time, and I have a 3 year old and a four month old. Joe is preparing for his dissertation defense and also working full-time. Rumor has it, he has a wife and two kids as well.<br /><br />WE ARE NUTS.<br /><br />This weekend, we decided to say <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">FORGEDDABOUTIT</span>. On Friday, we went to the lakefront and let Nathan run around like a loon. Can you see the crazy in his eyes? Or is the crazy of the hair behind him overpowering the picture? Cute boys, though. Right?<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615116570161298850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMNto0e32A0phdT9aOcgmtu8CyymPQpUYkkAzJc5iLvzZAJ4mp_Kno2Jb8JnpfcGFh8LU1ZQ30lsZFL-ANzRiMirx6P3_aQTG-Hjm1cHXwyxmCmjJtI6OIaAtl5GpBfZBEhcK7g/s320/boys+june+2011.jpg" border="0" /><br />On Saturday, I scheduled an awesome <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">playdate</span> for Nathan and his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">BFF</span>, a little girl he's gone to daycare with since he was five months old. She was actually at the new daycare when we switched in November. We went to our local park, which has an awesome water feature, and played and played and played. Nathan fell asleep at 7:00 that night.<br /><br />Yesterday, we played tourist and went downtown. We took a water taxi on the Chicago River, walked along Michigan Avenue, ate lunch at a downtown cafe, and then took the water taxi back to the West Loop. Seriously, the best $8 we've ever spent. If you get to Chicago when the weather is comfortable, do this. It was a lot of fun. The water taxi is more for transportation than the tour boats. It goes from the west loop to Chinatown, with a few stops along the way.<br /><br />It was a weekend of refreshment that I so needed. What did you do?Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-27458320359166990052011-06-02T09:13:00.004-05:002011-06-02T15:33:07.821-05:00Quick Notes and a Thank YouSo, as of yesterday, I returned to work. It's a temporary arrangement that's mutually beneficial. My friend, who was hired to replace me, has to have surgery. So, my employer has hired me temporarily to do my old job. Fortunately, they're paying me what my replacement makes (quite a bit more than I was making!).<br /><br />Right now, my boys are with Joe's parents, which is good. They're comfortable with them and it gives my in-laws a chance to bond with Daniel. Also, it's free! The bad side is that my in-laws are getting up there in years. Joe's dad will be 70 this fall and Joe's mom is still going through treatment for breast cancer. To ease their burden a bit, my mom is going to be coming up here every other week.<br /><br />But, because nothing is easy, my dad had hip replacement surgery this morning. So my mom is helping him out. But, she hopes to be up here in two weeks.<br /><br />It's a little sad that I'm relieved. I think this time out of the house will give me some perspective, and remind me of how much I do have to be grateful for. I want to thank all of you for responding so kindly to my post yesterday. It's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">embarrassing</span> enough that I should delete it. I was obviously feeling quite low. I know things will get better.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-44865386963115016062011-06-01T15:29:00.002-05:002011-06-01T16:49:24.177-05:00That MomI have no control of my three year old. I really don't. In so many ways, he's the best kid in the world, in other ways, he's not. He doesn't listen to me. He's very angry with me about this baby who decided to invade our house! Mostly, he's having a hard time with the million changes in his life over the past five months or so.<br /><br />A few days ago, I took the boys to the pediatrician for Daniel's 4-month well check up (FOUR MONTHS!). Nathan was NUTS. He ran from the room twice, laughing maniacally all the way. I couldn't even communicate with the doctor, because if I stopped paying attention to him, he'd do <em>something</em>. It was so frustrating.<br /><br />When we left the office, everyone was looking at me with pity.<br /><br />Later that day, I took the boys to the park just a few blocks from us. Once we got there, Nathan decided he didn't want to be there. I forcibly removed him from the car. He played for a little while, and then decided to play in the water fountain, because he's a three year old boy. After he was crazy drenched, I decided it was time to go home. Nathan disagreed and was completely uncooperative. Daniel decided to melt down at that time too. So, I'm dragging a little boy and pushing an hysterical baby in the stroller. This woman getting into her car rocked Daniel in the stroller while I strapped Nathan into the car, a ridiculously long process. After I got everything put together, the woman looked at me with something more than pity. I think it was a little disgust.<br /><br />Sometimes I think about what my dad keeps saying: I had no idea what I was in for by having (God forbid) two kids. Sometimes I think I ruined Nathan's life. But this baby. He's so wonderful. I know that Nathan loves him too. It's just hard right now. I've got to muddle through the judgment that I'm receiving. I've got to deal with my horrible impatient heart. I know that Nathan is a good boy, but it's just a rough time.<br /><br />I'm that mom who has the little boy who acts like a little boy going through a tough time. I'm that mom whose infant cries a lot. I'm that mom who is a little impatient (a lot actually) and isn't always proud of what I say to my child. I'm that mom. The real one.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-17355181771576467012011-05-20T08:51:00.003-05:002011-05-20T08:59:37.867-05:00I Try, I Really Try.Just so you know - or just so <span style="font-weight: bold;">I</span> know - I try to blog almost every day. I just can't seem to pry myself away from these two crazy little people. Not that blogging is more important, but it is cathartic. Sometimes, I think I need it.<br /><br />My parents are on their way to my house and it's supposed to be a nice weekend. Have a great one. Back in a bit.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-81368567296423416302011-04-26T15:10:00.004-05:002011-04-26T15:26:56.181-05:00EasterHolidays are strange for us. There's no marrying of them between our families. My family is a little estranged right now, and so we rarely do any sort of holiday festivities with them. Joe's family is tiny, so the holiday functions are always very low key and just nice. So nice.<br /><br />We had Easter at Joe's cousin's house. Our kids are the only little ones in the family, so for the two years, the Easter egg hunts have been centered around Nathan. He certainly didn't mind.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoX_mIZfFlq87MZPCZ25qT10nCvPdpc-PGGha9IxYg6AB2-GYtWTinCx_KALTkyWUPEeTU8mMw4GoELPa9ES-_AVgRd_1aLFRIpEnm0pA6_1mxFqOlJGZ-xxTKqAFiqSLyZ2xZVw/s1600/nathaneaster2011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoX_mIZfFlq87MZPCZ25qT10nCvPdpc-PGGha9IxYg6AB2-GYtWTinCx_KALTkyWUPEeTU8mMw4GoELPa9ES-_AVgRd_1aLFRIpEnm0pA6_1mxFqOlJGZ-xxTKqAFiqSLyZ2xZVw/s320/nathaneaster2011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599988848388618146" border="0" /></a><br />This was the first time that anyone in Joe's family, aside from his parents, met Daniel. Between SNOMAGEDDON and the RSV adventure, no one had seen him yet. So, it was a nice way to introduce him.<br /><br />Below is a picture of Joe's mom with Daniel. Doesn't she look great? She's done with chemo and on to radiation. She's wearing a wig, but her hair is coming back. She said she's hoping for curls like the little monkey has. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuEP9q_B2vzzurcuOH5RFWmcYhL6m8O1FewqK77rKYOYIY6GtHi6irSQYtKZsIMXQgobEki0F2CYhQFpJMOgESOoYsIxprtnABbZOIniKuYLtRVeoQwrzGt49VRB0IAwsY-B_pQ/s1600/nanadanieleaster2011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuEP9q_B2vzzurcuOH5RFWmcYhL6m8O1FewqK77rKYOYIY6GtHi6irSQYtKZsIMXQgobEki0F2CYhQFpJMOgESOoYsIxprtnABbZOIniKuYLtRVeoQwrzGt49VRB0IAwsY-B_pQ/s320/nanadanieleaster2011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599988841762961490" border="0" /></a><br />It's a new week of being a SAHM and it's definitely getting better. Thank you all for the encouragement.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-41472840038510152552011-04-15T20:32:00.002-05:002011-04-15T20:41:35.906-05:00I'll Get Back to You... but, here are some pictures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2YciQ2KHXfe8vbATBkfdwoA5nmcIZR4vkWzYZ75F4-BnE1Ck9H_3-16fm0XebPFPrx1JDX1O_fBxUr6XdeUW6FohvV7V7_INx6oSmO8gmHXt50wnhIP7HAlcgjEmZxvEwDKKGg/s1600/dannybear.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2YciQ2KHXfe8vbATBkfdwoA5nmcIZR4vkWzYZ75F4-BnE1Ck9H_3-16fm0XebPFPrx1JDX1O_fBxUr6XdeUW6FohvV7V7_INx6oSmO8gmHXt50wnhIP7HAlcgjEmZxvEwDKKGg/s320/dannybear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595990502242520258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7r25vwh_cB_KjtHRLCumuGKoRrPAgiMgtoCwhotfVTqKHJ77mvjjDJ8Z4nbfv3LgSyo5mSqiMicUIKhGxLFFqVOp1I5A8V8qP8nNM_upTU7hXp5Hy-m9PpXMoLtzZ0tJMB9OCw/s1600/nathansteps.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7r25vwh_cB_KjtHRLCumuGKoRrPAgiMgtoCwhotfVTqKHJ77mvjjDJ8Z4nbfv3LgSyo5mSqiMicUIKhGxLFFqVOp1I5A8V8qP8nNM_upTU7hXp5Hy-m9PpXMoLtzZ0tJMB9OCw/s320/nathansteps.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595990495940418738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZAWL4TO6HSWEbaCjYl6_zkqOLbZklbemgEUVeEt-HOTnxAvCYkEckm29R5Hj9NtquO-upRh2VMG3_yMS1ky8A8YeAEHQjq1S_ngiEy68-cN7AINnAVc4kBRR6WFYB5V6s9RBnQ/s1600/danielcarrier.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZAWL4TO6HSWEbaCjYl6_zkqOLbZklbemgEUVeEt-HOTnxAvCYkEckm29R5Hj9NtquO-upRh2VMG3_yMS1ky8A8YeAEHQjq1S_ngiEy68-cN7AINnAVc4kBRR6WFYB5V6s9RBnQ/s320/danielcarrier.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595990485085427106" border="0" /></a>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-83828033744454032152011-03-30T06:48:00.000-05:002011-03-30T06:48:00.565-05:00Strategies, Part IOkay, you parents of toddlers/preschoolers. I have a few questions for you. Basically, they're "how do you do it?" questions. If you've got any wisdom, I certainly would appreciate it!<br /><br /><ol><li>How many times a day to you clean up the toys, crayons, craft stuff, chaos? Most days, when Joe gets home, it looks like Tropical Storm Nathan swept through three or four times.</li><li>Those of you who work from home... How do you put aside the time to prepare? I am taking this semester off, but will be teaching in the summer. I'm completely developing my class, so I need to get started ASAP. What do you do to carve out the time needed? Do you just wait until your husbands are home?</li><li>Showering. I know this sounds so simple, but is it? I have this ridiculously thick hair, that is currently fairly long. If I shower at night, 1987 calls and asks for its hair back. Plus, I feel better if I shower in the morning. Unfortunately, if I showered before Nathan was up... well, I just can't predict when that will be. Do you guys trust your older children with your younger ones? I'd just bring the baby with me, but Nathan is definitely acting out to the point where I can't leave him alone for even a few moments.</li><li>Leaving the house. Were any of you intimidated by taking both children places? We didn't go many places for the first six weeks, because Daniel was born in the heart of cold and flu season. But now, I know I have to get out of the house. And more importantly, Nathan needs out of the house. Did any of you have that anxiety? If so, how did you cope?</li></ol>I was going to try to round this out with 5 questions, but this is a good start.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-14952632239216892592011-03-29T10:12:00.002-05:002011-03-29T10:19:39.240-05:00I am sorryThe tone of self-pity around here is a bit embarrassing. I guess what's worse than "sharing" this (to me) is not really having anyone around here to talk to about it. Most people fear being judged. I know I do. I'm already getting a lot of it because I can't seem to handle two kids (my dad! People! He's SO unsympathetic with his "I warned her how difficult two kids would be. And, she should be working!!")<br /><br />But really... Last week's experience gave me more than heart palpitations. I really left the hospital with a lot of feelings of gratitude. Not just for my family's overall health, but for those of you who were kind enough to reach out to me during that time. A time that was a bit scary for me.<br /><br />So, I'm sorry for being whiny, sad, scared, an idiot... whatever. But, I'm thankful for you.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-26479185633031193272011-03-28T13:28:00.000-05:002011-03-28T18:16:25.883-05:00The Saddest Place on EarthWow... has it really been a month since I published my "poor, poor me" treatise? Wow. Well... here comes some more!<br /><br />About ten days ago, I was at my absolute wits end with my elder child. I love this little person more than I thought humanly possible, but really, does he have to do <span style="font-style: italic;">everything</span> he shouldn't when I'm changing the baby's diaper, or nursing him, or (God forbid) going to the bathroom. After the one hundredth time of jumping on his train table while shouting "LOOK AT ME, MOMMY!" I took it apart. I mean, he wasn't going to <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> jump on it, so I had to do something. Then, I removed everything else I could from his room. There's currently a dresser with a changing table top, a bed, and an end table where the lamp and piggy bank sit. I was a bundle of nerves when Joe got home.<br /><br />On most Thursdays, Joe's parents take Nathan. Now that I'm not at work, it's ridiculously inconvenient for everyone involved, but it gives Nathan good attention and it gives me a break. So, yay. The next day was Thursday.<br /><br />That night, Nathan came home completely lethargic and running a fever of 102.9. I was up with him all night, because of course I was, and also with the newborn. The next morning, I called his pediatrician's office and they said not to worry about it, until he'd been feverish for three days. I mentioned that Daniel had his 2 month check up that day and could they possibly schedule Nathan for a sick appointment that day? Basically, they made me feel silly for wanting to bring him in and I let it slide. This is the one and only negative experience I've had with my pediatricians office. I love them.<br /><br />So, I took the boys in for Daniel's appointment. He was fine, but I mentioned at least 8 times that Nathan was sick with a fever and that Daniel seemed more snuffly than usual. The doctor warned me that Daniel was likely to get more colds than Nathan, since Nathan would be bringing stuff home to him. That was that. We basically tried to keep Nathan comfortable that night. But, he was really sick, just no fever.<br /><br />The next morning (Saturday), Daniel woke up fussier than usual. Nathan was still pretty miserable. On Sunday, Daniel was quite obviously sick. His nose was congested and he had a hard time nursing, and his normal screaminess was about ten-fold. I'll let that sink in. And poor Nathan was still coughing up his liver. It really sucked. Joe kept claiming he was getting sick too. The heat of my glare may have staved that off for a while. Up to this point, my sleeping sucked. But once Nathan got sick, I was probably sleeping less than 3 hours a night. Seriously, anxiety much?<br /><br />I dealt with two sick kids by myself on Monday. (I don't know how you real people do it! Seriously, I was a mess with just two and those of you with three or more? Wow. I stand in awe.) Joe's parents offered to take Nathan on Tuesday if he was feeling better. Woo!<br /><br />Monday night, going into Tuesday morning, I woke up when the baby had a coughing fit. He felt a little warm, but not too concerning. I snuggled with him and fell back to sleep. About 3 am, I woke up to him burning up. ER here I come!!! We went to the ER at <a href="http://www.childrensmemorial.org/">Children's Memorial Hospital</a> and he was quickly triaged. The nurse who saw him monitored him for a while and suctioned his nose and throat, trying to get him to breathe a little better. The pediatrician said there was nothing they could do, because it was just a bad cold. But, once we got home, I should suction him a couple times a day and steam him in the bathroom too. No problem .. with that three year old DEMON in the house. We got home around 6:30 am, I took Nathan to Joe's dad at 8 am and hoped to have the rest of the day to nap.<br /><br />Around noon, I noticed Daniel's breathing had gotten much worse. It was much more labored, and he was having a longer time recovering from the coughing fits. I called his pediatrician's office, hoping to get seen that day. Instead, they called me back 3 hours later and told me to go back to the ER.<br /><br />We got there around 4:30. At 6, the doctor who had seen us told us she'd like to admit us overnight for observation. (I keep saying "us" because someone had to be with him.) We got to the medical observation unit (a halfway house of sorts) around 10. It was ten feet away from the emergency department.<br /><br />That first night, I didn't sleep at all. Daniel's O2 levels kept dropping while he slept, so they gave him a breathing treatment and then put him on oxygen. I was so sad to see him like that, but truly relieved that we were at the best place for him and that he wasn't as sick as so many other children there.<br /><br />Every morning, the doctors who saw him thought he looked a lot better, but by evening, he was again failing to maintain his oxygen levels. So, after four days, they let us go home. It was so freaking stressful, and I barely slept. Thankfully, Joe's parents had Nathan and were able to keep him the whole time.<br /><br />We've been home since Friday morning. We're adjusting. Nathan isn't sleeping. Daniel is, but more during the day than at night. And my mama ears are on high alert. Every cough wakes me up.<br /><br />Again, I'm grateful for Children's Memorial - what an amazing place. But man, is it a sad place. During our second visit to the ER, a small boy came into triage behind us. He was the victim of a sexual assault. I saw another small child with some sort of severely debilitating disease. Just sad.<br /><br />We're lucky. We're blessed.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-24755265962482118422011-02-25T17:17:00.011-06:002011-02-28T12:23:04.261-06:00Slow TransitionI'm struggling. Man, am I struggling. This is so much harder than I thought it would be.<br /><br />I only have two friends who are stay at home moms. I find them both pretty amazing. They seem to have it together. Their kids are happy and well-adjusted. They volunteer at school functions. Their houses are clean. Every time I talk to them or see them, they've showered that day. Are these wins or what?<br /><br />Where was I going? Oh, right. When I had Nathan, I grieved that I'd be sending him to daycare as an infant. I know for some people this isn't a difficult choice. And for others, it's not a choice at all, but a necessity - as it was for us. I had secretly hoped, for a long time, that I'd be a stay at home mom to my kids. Joe and I, well, we're just not that solvent, and my student loans are way too big. And man, Chicago is expensive! So, I worked and Nathan was in daycare full-time. It was the way things were and we all got used to it.<br /><br />When I got pregnant the second time, we knew that I would be staying at home. It was both where my heart was and the best financial decision for my family. My part-time instructor position at a local university has helped us make this possible. Every day I looked forward to it. The last few weeks I took Nathan to daycare, I excitedly talked to him about how he'd be home with mama and the baby.<br /><br />Then the day arrived.<br /><br /><blockquote>I had forgotten how difficult the period of hibernation was in January and February. We were firm about four weeks inside since we're in the heart of cold and flu season. Of course, the first outing we took with both boys, besides the doctor, resulted in Nathan bringing home a cold.<br /><br />I hadn't truly calculated how much Nathan would have cabin fever. He's been in daycare since he was just a few months old. And while he didn't always want to go, he was used to going, He misses his friends.<br /><br />I hadn't realized how much worse the sleep deprivation would be when you have a newborn added to a poorly sleeping toddler. People, I'm barely functioning and I really understand how sleep deprivation is a torture technique.</blockquote><br /><br />I have made comments on <span style="font-style: italic;">the </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span> and to both my mom and Joe's mom about my inability to sleep. The consensus is that I wanted children and now I just need to suck it up. I don't disagree, the lack of empathy is a bit shocking. I'm just trying to figure out how to cope. I just want to get through a day without screaming at my toddler. I think the only <span style="font-style: italic;">real </span>solution is to sleep. So, when I go for my check-up next week, I'm going to ask about sleep aids. I'm that person who <span style="font-style: italic;">hates </span>taking medication of any sort. At this point, I don't have a choice. Poor Nathan.<br /><br />I wonder if I'm revealing too much. I feel like it's safe to admit this stuff because better days are around the corner. Daniel is five weeks old, so we can get out a little more. The weather will be breaking soon, so we can start walking and going more places. I will get to sleep someday. Nathan will forgive me for this transition time.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-20269398825144584892011-02-24T05:32:00.007-06:002011-02-24T23:50:48.311-06:00Heart MattersMy boys, with their ridiculouly close birthdays, went to the doctor last week. Daniel had his one month check-up, and Nathan had his 3 year check-up. The big one with the amazing blue eyes is 75th percentile across the board, weighing in at 34 pounds. I'm not sure where he puts it because all of his 3T clothes fall off of his body. Also, he eats nothing. One day last week, he had half a piece of turkey sausage and some whipped cream. That's it. All day. He's awesome.<br /><br />The little one with all the crazy hair landed just below the 50th percentile for height, weight, and head circumference. He weighs 10 pounds. This is so shocking to me, because he and Nathan were just four ounces apart in their birth weights, and Nathan didn't get back up to his (8 lbs 1 oz) until he was six weeks old. Way to go, Danny Boy!<br /><br />While the doctor was examining Daniel, I noticed that the usual ten seconds of listening to his heart was taking way longer than normal. I played with Nathan while my mind raced. After a while (three or four minutes) the doctor said that she detected a heart murmur. My stomach sank. I'd heard of them, but didn't really know what they were. And honestly, who wants to hear anything abnormal about your four week old, especially something with the heart?<br /><br />The doctor calmly explained that this is a condition that can frequently appear in infants, and most often is nothing to worry about. But, we needed to schedule an echocardiogram at Children's Memorial just in case. We set up the ultrasound for Monday.<br /><br />I called Joe just before we left the doctor's office and he gently reminded me that <span style="font-style: italic;">he</span> had a heart murmur and it had never limited him in any way. I was still scared and twitchy. <br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is where I should say that my heart goes out to families whose children struggle with illness. This was simply unexpected and I'm ignorant.</span></span><br /><br />Monday rolled around and it seemed like the time was flying by. Joe and the day off and we had initially planned on taking the boys to the Children's Museum at Navy Pier, but we couldn't fit it in before our appointment. So, we puttered around most of the day, then dropped Nathan off with a friend before going to the hospital.<br /><br />The test itself lasted an hour and Daniel was a champ. He nursed off and on throughout the test (I cannot tell you how many people have seen my boobs in the past month!), making him less screamy than normal. The echo tech didn't tell us anything one way or the other, which only made me more nervous. After we finished, I said repeatedly to Joe, "He's going to be okay, right?" He kept assuring me that he was.<br /><br />Thankfully, before I drove myself completely crazy, our pediatrician called at 8:00 Monday night. She apologized (can you believe it?!) for calling so late, but wanted to let us know that everything was fine. The heart murmur should have no impact on Daniel's life in any way.<br /><br />I'm so grateful. I do feel partly stupid for getting all worked up, but really ... I'm just thankful. I'm so so so glad that this tiny little gift is totally okay. I firmly believe that you don't really know what fear is until you become a parent. If we all thought about all the bad things that could happen to our kids, we'd be basketcases. I'm glad my crazy only lasted for a few days.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-18200675635899868452011-02-23T07:37:00.004-06:002011-02-23T09:32:11.033-06:00Quick Pics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejwJpUBjt_AsoEhYeMKQX54OH-QFEmNj80fFujnRc5T4ordUnH8gnT83lp0wJzzIASTKVsqJRfnCcceA6bPLrAgZBnQArPMd-tbSdAvXBiQ-4EUb3V87KUNP2zXfGFIhIF6xOtQ/s1600/096.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejwJpUBjt_AsoEhYeMKQX54OH-QFEmNj80fFujnRc5T4ordUnH8gnT83lp0wJzzIASTKVsqJRfnCcceA6bPLrAgZBnQArPMd-tbSdAvXBiQ-4EUb3V87KUNP2zXfGFIhIF6xOtQ/s320/096.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576907818337821042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGN_Aa8m9QcxMNLkWKCPGM6WstmIi-Zk3sHnWDewWkLeUcWExyHLS0mTWCter_3jps7YM3mIWlDvpZAD5KBvX2QwSDxlMag9-TGC7K8qZg2IXd-MLAHrOgU0guDMx0gEzZyNSBg/s1600/089.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGN_Aa8m9QcxMNLkWKCPGM6WstmIi-Zk3sHnWDewWkLeUcWExyHLS0mTWCter_3jps7YM3mIWlDvpZAD5KBvX2QwSDxlMag9-TGC7K8qZg2IXd-MLAHrOgU0guDMx0gEzZyNSBg/s320/089.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576907107843914850" border="0" /></a>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-4501080587783004492011-02-14T14:49:00.005-06:002011-02-15T08:30:33.395-06:00Hearts and FlowersHappy Valentine's Day, y'all! (I've been watching a little too much <a href="http://www.pauladeen.com/">Paula Deen</a>.) I'm currently celebrating in silence. Both children, for the first time in 3 1/2 weeks, are napping at the same time. I'm in heaven... if only I was napping too.<br /><br />Joe and I "went out" this weekend for Valentine's Day. His parents were kind enough to take both boys while we went to Olive Garden. Is that lame or what? I happen to love Olive Garden, but am sort of embarrassed by it, because we live in a city with amazing Italian food. In fact, I lived in Little Italy for the first three years I was here. Yet, Olive Garden. I have no explanations.<br /><br />Our outing was really rained on when we heard of Joe's best friend's aunt having passed away. That probably sounds like too many degrees of separation to really matter, but Joe and O have been friends for 20 years and O's family is like his own. I'd know this beautiful woman for ten years and am just heartbroken. She was seriously one of the kindest people I've ever met. Hospitality was certainly her gift, and I don't know what her love language was, but she showed love to everyone she'd ever met. About a year and a half ago, she had an aneurysm and she'd made a full recovery. She had another one last week, and went in for surgery. She wasn't so lucky this time. Her family sent out the most beautiful and heartbreaking email I've ever read.<br /><br /><span></span><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><span>"Our beloved [Sue] was lifted on the wings of angels to Heaven today. Surrounded by her family that loved her and the thoughts and prayers of so many other family and friends; in the end God's plan for Sue called for her physical presence to leave us but her spirit is embedded in our hearts forever and in the hearts of all the people whose lives she touched."</span></blockquote>I'm crying reading it for the tenth time.<br /><br />Joe hasn't been quite the same since we found out. I think part of it is that he's still very afraid for his mom in her cancer battle. Another thing, I think, is the worry that someday, something may happen to one of us. What does that loss do to the one left behind? And now, we have these two precious little boys who depend on us so completely. But me? I can't worry about that. I can only love the three of them today like it's my last. That's how I roll.<br /><br />Hug your loved ones a little tighter today. And really, celebrate that love, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13&version=NIV">because it is the greatest of these.</a>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-27348697895852126772011-02-10T13:56:00.005-06:002011-02-10T14:08:36.183-06:00MemoriesI should title this "memories I should remember but don't really remember because of all the drugs, omigah!" But, that's a little long.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrQLy37Zu7VdijdFRcgOAmzTFFaVhuvNJkf4X5mndVL9_L4KI0paJLJUk4MRjxEju45NxfjuVH4tou2AW_IjXhcyFDVnMxMY93Ef_6cwvV0bFsSUfwk6ORX6mtaL72N1xDeaX9w/s1600/Nathan+002.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrQLy37Zu7VdijdFRcgOAmzTFFaVhuvNJkf4X5mndVL9_L4KI0paJLJUk4MRjxEju45NxfjuVH4tou2AW_IjXhcyFDVnMxMY93Ef_6cwvV0bFsSUfwk6ORX6mtaL72N1xDeaX9w/s320/Nathan+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572152580697760610" border="0" /></a><br />This was me, the day after Nathan was born. MY GOSH, how perfect was that child? That's what you look like when you're a week-plus overdue and you have no birth trauma. But, mama, that's what she looks like with a c-section and subsequent DRUGS! I also didn't realize this until we got home from the hospital, but as you can see in the picture, I developed a rash on my face at some point. It might have been from the medication. Who knows? It showed up in ALL the pictures. So pretty.<br /><br />This next picture was me with Daniel ... he was about 2 weeks old in this photo. Somehow, despite the lack of pain medication, I look more delirious in this picture. No rash this time, but my skin somehow looks worse. And those dark circles have had three years worth of growth, so they're eating my entire face.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34zYIeJ3LfSQZgQfMfbcW_djstAadM1tEWVm0h1uHTsInS9h0HqxPr6qaynXPJlUUXTZdM3xrLHgv_-lxILRZ95oafM6MYZqhwb592_VOZIyOCdq2ZMOPsdXTiPoDqXwD4ftAtg/s1600/IMG_0021.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34zYIeJ3LfSQZgQfMfbcW_djstAadM1tEWVm0h1uHTsInS9h0HqxPr6qaynXPJlUUXTZdM3xrLHgv_-lxILRZ95oafM6MYZqhwb592_VOZIyOCdq2ZMOPsdXTiPoDqXwD4ftAtg/s320/IMG_0021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572153972307504770" border="0" /></a><br />This little one... he's pretty perfect too. Only one day overcooked, and had a bit of birth trauma. But still, he's a lot of awesome.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6K46TE8fDfsDYWyjatgu2vix4rPgK5xyXkyynTG0obSIgYU7tM8i3GlDU2moVaF4LmufWQgfwQ1fA77zCdEC6k2bh3oMi5TVelEJkd38_b0trCLWcL7RAJZ-ngedzwZB_oHoSg/s1600/IMG_0017.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6K46TE8fDfsDYWyjatgu2vix4rPgK5xyXkyynTG0obSIgYU7tM8i3GlDU2moVaF4LmufWQgfwQ1fA77zCdEC6k2bh3oMi5TVelEJkd38_b0trCLWcL7RAJZ-ngedzwZB_oHoSg/s320/IMG_0017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572153976363899250" border="0" /></a>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922235.post-72877976234509252792011-02-03T14:20:00.001-06:002011-02-05T14:27:47.081-06:00SnOMGI haven't been outside since last Friday, but Joe took Nathan out to enjoy the snowmageddon on Wednesday. He had a great time. I mean, really, what's more fun to a three year old than several feet of snow drifts? NOT MUCH, I tell you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezYl83OXYP90ov1FzxC9NZKxQRWMpYXpIBU6FOhbU2e0NmNwWAYztzLGsW6Sv3Xpf4eG_-HKdEVjwLQ50LJb9T_GDWtBYM_mSo1hH3BRSZ55DlyE7z6zg7HkptYLNHJeJFDtJqw/s1600/nathansnow4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezYl83OXYP90ov1FzxC9NZKxQRWMpYXpIBU6FOhbU2e0NmNwWAYztzLGsW6Sv3Xpf4eG_-HKdEVjwLQ50LJb9T_GDWtBYM_mSo1hH3BRSZ55DlyE7z6zg7HkptYLNHJeJFDtJqw/s320/nathansnow4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570303265479429954" border="0" /></a><br />He crazily didn't seem to mind the cold. It was pretty cold too. But this kid? He'll lie down and make a snow angel at any opportunity... snow pants or not.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8owEYgAncBJNbkvV0DVZcpqULKpc0WTVPKLNLjExdSsS_uUN6EWDtmEhIF_tnvUWRlvrwiohM0xvB84qj10eEHcJEVrQ2oifAwNFoxyYHK5nMUfw8fKmxBX5j7_BRnwV1ygHXw/s1600/nathansnow2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8owEYgAncBJNbkvV0DVZcpqULKpc0WTVPKLNLjExdSsS_uUN6EWDtmEhIF_tnvUWRlvrwiohM0xvB84qj10eEHcJEVrQ2oifAwNFoxyYHK5nMUfw8fKmxBX5j7_BRnwV1ygHXw/s320/nathansnow2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570303254469838450" border="0" /></a><br />And, hey... Let's build a snowman! Why not?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvYlAqx8136wKPNnE3zE3NKv-IwFbcW61aCR4EmMkBZXDZkeoatm0sbVVcqdzdod8oY8g4VUg00IRlfrkoWzVCQn8rldwzsWt837to_8UwVVcs7O4rxOqQTRagfBDhmCpIj272A/s1600/nathansnow5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvYlAqx8136wKPNnE3zE3NKv-IwFbcW61aCR4EmMkBZXDZkeoatm0sbVVcqdzdod8oY8g4VUg00IRlfrkoWzVCQn8rldwzsWt837to_8UwVVcs7O4rxOqQTRagfBDhmCpIj272A/s320/nathansnow5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570303246299284050" border="0" /></a><br />Joe said that he wasn't so into the sled, but enjoyed pulling it himself, and falling down about a dozen times. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjAiw7EJl_Orry10mgURgp5p6GGP1wtK7uOA9JzvKJvgw1d2ksaFSb7THDg23Isll9-UTSGeZ8IeFUPuFuqQ69lryCvj0TXwOAo6CNWkRI0nwHdd4rDkykTzODXHNgTJlSQXZaA/s1600/nathansnow3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjAiw7EJl_Orry10mgURgp5p6GGP1wtK7uOA9JzvKJvgw1d2ksaFSb7THDg23Isll9-UTSGeZ8IeFUPuFuqQ69lryCvj0TXwOAo6CNWkRI0nwHdd4rDkykTzODXHNgTJlSQXZaA/s320/nathansnow3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570303248710244050" border="0" /></a><br />Nathan's favorite part? Shoveling! We bought a ridiculously expensive kid-sized shovel from a local toy store a few weeks ago. He was "helping" Joe shovel the walk, and then dumping the snow on himself. Why can't we all be this easily entertained?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtxcU9UJCUv98EEdlY5IdZ39rR3QxkgQzrhIgybGqbUeL0IuWrSaHqSu5VtQFwsC6CuDp-zLGqjaenzFcckjyTe27JeC3PHB3kasUF3xiG-EqTSgykJNTlVWQeboPuZ6L8CVnbw/s1600/nathansnow1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtxcU9UJCUv98EEdlY5IdZ39rR3QxkgQzrhIgybGqbUeL0IuWrSaHqSu5VtQFwsC6CuDp-zLGqjaenzFcckjyTe27JeC3PHB3kasUF3xiG-EqTSgykJNTlVWQeboPuZ6L8CVnbw/s320/nathansnow1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570303242869178626" border="0" /></a><br />I'm so glad my big boy got to enjoy the snow. The little screamer and I were holed up, cluster nursing. But, that's another post for another day. I hope all of you Chicagoans got to enjoy the Snonami a little bit. And I pray that none of you were stuck on Lake Shore Drive.Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18188087172327171162noreply@blogger.com1