Mini-Vacay

Okay, so traveling home to see the folks and help throw a bridal shower for my sister-in-law isn't exactly a vacation, it is a much needed break from the day-to-day.

The hubby isn't coming with us, so I'm already freaking out about flying with a toddler in arms by myself. Thankfully, it's a quick flight and a lot better than driving alone with a toddler in a car seat who probably won't nap for six hours, two meals, one snack and probably three bathroom stops that would involve begging peanut not to crawl under the stall or touch the feminine waste disposal box as he points and says "tash."

But I am looking forward to seeing the folks. We were just there, really, but time alone with my parents is always nice. I could use a little TLC. Not that time with them isn't great when the hubby's there. He gets along great with my parents and they treat him like a member of the family (actually, probably better than a real member!) and we always have a great time chatting and watching them interact with peanut. But, things have been a little weird lately around here for me and having to do this trip on my own is probably just what I need.

And I'm, of course, looking forward to throwing a party. I'm super excited about a few of the things we've got planned for J's shower (which I can't talk about here in case she's reading up...I'm sure I'll have fun tidbits to share later) and being able to put it together with some other special ladies will make it even more fun. And, as always, peanut will get some much needed family time with our entire crew. Because of our distance from our family, it's so important to me that he get that time, even if that means we're screwing up a routine or running myself ragged trying to fit it all in. Luckily, I think we're pretty well organized this time around (knock wood).

Anyway, I'm totally procrastinating on packing, so I better put down the mouse, stop reading blogs and get off my duff and do it so I can spend a relaxing evening with the hubby before leaving him in a quiet house for several days. I would be slightly jealous of all his "alone time" except for the honey-do list we've been accumulating. Yikes! We've been sticking all those annoying-to-do-with-a-toddler-underfoot tasks on the hey-hubby-can-take-care-of-this-while-peanut-and-mama-are-out-of-town list. I don't think we'll be gone long enough for that list to be completed. But hey, if he gets three done (and he knows which three) and is able to sleep in, watch as much sports on TV as he can stand and eats all the crap I won't make for him when I'm around, than I think he'll have a great time!

Think happy flying thoughts for peanut and me and hopefully we'll be meltdown free on the plane. But mom, it might be good to have a bottle of wine chilling back at the house just in case. If a grandma's on duty, I don't mind starting happy hour at noon. It might not be Nigeria, but it's the closest thing to vacation I've got!

I Hear Nigeria's Nice This Time of Year

So...apparently I went to bed last night and woke up this morning stranded in Nigeria. Or so the email (with my blog address signature) that originated from my personal Yahoo account would have everyone I've ever sent an email to from that address believe. Let me just assure you all, I am not stranded in Nigeria, I have never even been overseas (sad, but true). Do not reply to that email since I can't even access my Yahoo account right now, but if you do want to send the $3,500 that the email suggested, I'd be happy to send you my mailing address! : ) Okay, maybe not. But it doesn't hurt to ask, right?

Needless to say, I'm feeling a bit violated today. Someone has compromised my personal email and totally reeked havoc on my Tuesday. I'm dealing with enough minor stresses right now planning for a real trip out of town with just the peanut, that I really don't need another. And trying to fix the problem has been difficult at best. The good news is that so many friends and family members have cared enough to call or email my Gmail account, that I'm feeling slightly special in my totally annoyed, how dare those crazy Nigerians break into my email state.

And don't you think they could have come up with something better than Nigeria? I mean, Nigeria is so Spam 2007.

On the bright side - since they included my email signature, perhaps I'll get a spike in blog traffic today. I'll let you know if I get any hits in Nigeria!

My Hubby, My Hero

Big shout out to the hubby today after staying home from work yesterday to take care of peanut while I was laying completely still in bed with a towel over my head suffering from my first full-blown migraine. He took peanut to the park, fed him lunch, put him down for his nap, did all the heavy lifting, kept him relatively quiet and took care of me without having to ask a single question about what peanut should eat or what time he should put him down.

Although I woke up this morning still not quite feeling like myself, I do feel MUCH better than yesterday. I'm convinced this horrible experience was brought on by my birth control pill, which is simply a final nail in the coffin that these are SO not the substances I need to be putting in my body every day. Now that they FINALLY served their purpose to regulate my post-pregnancy visitor (this has been nearly a one year, three different pill process), I'm ready to move on to something drug-free.

So, hubby, big, big thank yous for being my hero and not questioning me when I looked at you from the bathroom floor when I was convinced I was going to hurl and telling you that you should stay home.

It was actually an interesting experiment with the peanut. By the evening, he kept asking for me, insisting I pick him up, hold him, read him his nighttime stories (normally daddy's special time). I think he was confused all day knowing I was home but off-limits. We've spent lots of time cuddling today and I'm sure by the time the hubby gets home, I'll go back to my it's-6pm-mom's-chopped-liver-daddy-look-at-me-status.

My Son the Charmer

I have already mentioned that my son is a comedian and honestly, I could post an example of his impeccable comedic timing just about every day. But today, he blew me away with his charm.

We headed over to the pediatrician's office this morning - peanut's fever was hanging around this morning and higher than I would like and it looked like there could have been some ear pulling happening as well. So, off we went.

The doctor finally came in after we'd exhausted our supply of books and toys and then the ones in the exam room (which had this germaphobe mama's skin crawling and the Purell flowing) and I was afraid peanut would be in no mood to be examined. In a strange stroke of luck, our normal doc was out today, so we were seeing someone peanut didn't associate with shots or poking and prodding. The exam went something like this:

Doctor: "Hi there, peanut. Can I listen to your truck (peanut was wearing a t-shirt with a truck on it) to see how it's running?"

-Doctor listening to peanut's chest and lungs

Doctor: "Sounds good, little guy."

Peanut: "Ank you."

Doctor: "Let's take a look at your ears."

-Doctor trying to look in peanut's ears, which he REALLY doesn't like. When the doctor was done, peanut whimpered and:

Peanut: "Ank you."

My polite little peanut! Even though he feels icky and hates being examined, he was still so gracious and said thank you totally unprompted by me. So cute. Even the doc commented on his politeness. I have to say, this is so important to me. It seems like so many kids these days aren't aware of the importance and power of a kind word, so to see the beginnings of an aware and responsive child makes this mama proud.

How did I get to be so lucky?

***

And the verdict? No ear infection. But he did have some drainage in the back of his throat, so it's probably a minor upper respiratory thing. No need for antibiotics, thank goodness. It should clear up soon...we hope!

Life at Fever Pitch

Almost as bad as mommy guilt is bloggy guilt - has it been since Wednesday that I was last here?

I want to be writing about a lot of things:

* Drinks with some former colleagues last week. Did I hold my own? Am I worthy of still wearing the heels? Do I ever want to go back to the PR world?

* Peanut's got some new tricks. He knows (and recognizes) certain letters. Does this make me a good parent? Does this make my kid a genius? Or am I still just a first time parent who thinks any accomplishment from my child is worthy of national broadcast?

* Peanut's neighborhood "girlfriends" and their hilarious interactions last week.

But instead, I've been dealing with:

* A pain in my wallet after plunking down some serious coin on all new, surprise brake work.

* A sick 12-year old kitty who is on an antibiotic (talk about fun - it takes a village to cram down one little vial of liquid twice a day) and will need to go back to the vet after her course of meds. The C word was already mentioned in an effort to prepare us.

* A sick peanut who has another fever with no other symptoms other than crankiness and frustration and night time wake-ups. Fever watch is exhausting and stressful as we look for secondary symptoms and count down the hours to the next Motrin dose and the end of the 48 hour watch window before we call the pediatrician back and demand an appointment.

So thank you for your patience. I'll be in a better place after the cat's antibiotic, peanut's Motrin my pint of Ben and Jerry's. Take pleasure in the little things.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I have officially LOST MY MIND.

My child is currently obsessed with Raffi. Oh help me. Is it my fault? I so wanted to foster a love of music in my child. We listen to a variety of music, but we do have some "kid's" music that is in fairly heavy rotation on the CD player. But I typically insist that the kid's music have some sort of parental appeal - so we have a number of the Putumayo CDs (High Heeled Mama loves the New Orleans one and the Animals one best of all) and Baby Loves Jazz, which gives kiddie songs a jazz twist). And we listen to lots of the hubby's jazz collection and peanut loves the Dixie Chicks. The only exceptions to the parent test are our Music Class CDs and Raffi. Both were okay with me because their songs are cute and didn't really irritate me in the listen to them once a day rotation we were in.

Until now.

Sorry, Raffi. But I'm about to "shake my sillies out" in a way that probably won't be socially acceptable if I hear "Apples and Bananas" one more time...I have already changed the verse from "epples and banenes" to epples and bellinis cause I think I need five (like the number of ducks that run away from mama duck "over the hill and far away") in order to make it through one more repetition of the CD.

My kid doesn't even remember what the color red looks like from one second to the next, but he knows that "Five Little Ducks" comes on after "Rise and Shine."

I can hear you all now - just play something else. Why are you listening to Raffi over and over and over and over? Oh, because peanut has figured out how to ask for it. Breakfast now goes something like this (translations of toddlerease in parentheses):

"Yummmm. Faffle (waffle)."

"You like your waffle?"

"Dip? Dip?"

"Sure, you can dip your waffle in your yogurt."

"Yummmm."

Peanut points to CD player.

"Faffi? Faffi...Mommy? Faffi."

And so it goes. Yesterday, I tried to sneak in a different CD after he asked for Raffi. He was okay for a song or two based on my silly dances, but then, like a light bulb over his head, he turned to me and...

"Faffi?"

I think my ears might be bleeding. The last time I felt that way it was because I had been sitting in the front (oh yeah, the VERY first) row on the floor at a Prince concert (and you bet your "Raspberry Beret" that he looked at me right in the eye during a portion of "Little Red Corvette") and I walked around half deaf for two days with a smile on my face. Now, the ringing in my ears haunts my sleep and I want to find Mother Brown and tell her to put her knees down, for goodness sake.

Guess I'll just have to count down the days until this is released. Although you know what they say, be careful what you wish for...

I'd Like to Thank the Academy

I just realized that this is my 101st post.

What?



How did that happen? How did such a milestone as 100 elude me? Bad blogger, bad, bad blogger.

But it is somewhat amazing to me that I've managed to write 100 entries in less than a year. Even more amazing is that I started this blog in a selfish effort to somehow come to terms with this life change - not the parenting, per se, but the transition from working person to stay-at-home mama. I still find myself struggling with that identity question.

The awesome part of 100 posts, even if enlightenment isn't it, is the new people I've "met" who identify with some anecdote or feeling. The people who have offered a supportive word in the comments (oh, how I love a comment!) or a link from their own corner of the Internet, all make me feel very Sally Field ("you like me, you really, really like me!"). And, in turn, I've gotten to experience all of their lives (thanks to an RSS feed).

So, I feel the need to say thanks to a few people who have made these 100 (now 101) posts possible:

Thank you to the hubby who not only encouraged me when I said, hey, I just discovered this whole mommy blog world and I think I'll throw my hat in the ring, but is the real tech expert in the house and doesn't make fun of me when I beg him to set-up my header graphics or ask questions like "what's a meme?"

Thank you to my family who are most certainly the majority of the readers here.

Thank you to peanut for being the most wonderful being I've had the pleasure and honor of encountering in my life...and providing endless fodder for posts.

Thanks to those who have managed to find me in this great big old world wide web and even more thanks to those who come back. I promise that I will try to make the next 100 even better (not sure how to do that, but I have a feeling the peanut will help as he perfects his terrible twos behavior and we eventually enter potty training torture) so you don't regret spending a few moments here.

And finally, a special thank you to my heels who still make me feel special even though they spend most days in a dark closet watching the sneakers and flats accompany me to the zoo or music class or the playground.

Hmmmm...speaking of shoes...100 posts. That sounds like as good a reason as any to buy a new pair. And hey, if you've managed to read all 100 posts, I think you deserve to go out and buy yourself a new pair as well. Meet you at the mall after nap time?

The Law of Averages

If your toddler starts taking three plus hour long naps for six days in a row after consistently being a two-hour nap child for his, oh, entire life, do not worry that something is wrong with him. Do not get comfortable with this arrangement either. Because for every yesterday (a day that you have to physically wake him at 4:45pm because if he sleeps much longer than the 3 and a half hours he's already slept you'll never get him into bed) there is a today (NO Nap. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch. Zippo.)

Is it wrong to already be thinking about the beer I'm going to have as soon as the hubby walks in the door? Does that indicate I have a problem, or just a 20-month old?

Seven Random Things

I've officially been tagged by Goddess in Progress to disclose seven random things about myself. And since I was looking for something to blog about today, get ready to learn some random, yet still fairly boring, facts about High Heeled Mama.

Rules are as follows:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share seven facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here goes...

1. When I was a working gal, I met some random people in my PR/video production life. Including (a random sample): two surgeons general, Tipper Gore, a Secretary of Transportation, two Olympic medalists, Danica McKellar, germ expert Dr. Gerba (aka Dr. Germ), Naked Chef Jamie Oliver, Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert, "America's Most Wanted's" Joe Walsh, a number of CEOs, a variety of Association presidents, more doctors than I can count and some fascinating non-celebrities.

2. I have had a few Presidential encounters: I had the opportunity to attend one of the White House summer press picnics on the South Lawn. Not only did my colleague and I stalk Helen Thomas, but I did get to shake President Bill Clinton's hand in the rope line (and no matter what your thoughts on his politics or whatever, that man has some serious charisma). I've met democratic candidate John Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards at book signings. I attended a visit by President Ronald Reagan to my hometown when I was in the fifth or sixth grade. I also watched his funeral procession down Pennsylvania Avenue. And President Jimmy Carter waved to me from his limo as he traveled down the highway and I stood on an overpass during a visit to Massachusetts (according to my mom since I was two and have no recollection of this "meeting").

3. When I was nine or ten, I had a huge crush on Bruce Boxleitner because of "Scarecrow and Mrs. King." I'm embarrassed just seeing that in print!

4. "This one time, in band camp..." I was a total band geek! My real love was the color guard, but I also played the flute in the non-marching band seasons. One of my few regrets in life is not trying out for a DCI corps.

5. I have known my husband since I was 15 years old. That's a total of 17 years together - our 10 year wedding anniversary is this summer (WHAT?! Lord, I'm old).

6. My favorite movie of all time is "Dead Poet's Society." And I cry harder and harder every time I see it. Close runners up are "Shawshank Redemption" and "Good Will Hunting."

7. I just submitted my first short story for publication. It's a long shot, but if I'm going to be serious about writing, I have to actually put myself out there. It's a baby step - but baby steps are something I'm familiar with!

Let's see...seven people to tag...here are a few bloggy friends, real-life friends who have blogs and a few folks who have dropped by and commented and are therefore being rewarded with a tag of their own!

1. Amy at Cheese Party (girl, you said you needed some inspiration...this is the best I can come up with!)
2. Amy at Living in Lila Land
3. Ilina at Dirt and Noise
4. Jenny at Bits and Pieces
5. Kathryn at Seeking Sanity
6. Nicole at SAHM Ramblings
7. Karen at A Day in the Life...one glass at a time

Happy Blogging!

When Parenting Sounds Like "Star Wars"

"Use the fork, peanut. Use the fork."

Marathon Mama

I'm writing this while sprawled on the couch, pumping the fluids and recovering from the marathon I ran this morning. Okay, High Heeled Mama is so NOT a runner and most certainly not a marathon runner, but she certainly feels like one right now.

Most weeks, peanut and I spread out our errands over the five days available to us. It makes for an outing a day and ensures that we aren't in and out of the car too many times. But for some reason, we had several things we needed to take care of today. So, I packed up the snacks, grabbed the dry cleaning that has been sitting by the door for about three weeks and headed out.

First stop, drug store. Pick up prescription.

Second stop, Office Depot. This wasn't urgent, but the drug store is nearby and since I was in the neighborhood, figured better take care of this one now than have to go out of my way next week.

Third stop, grocery store. Oh sure, we did the big run this weekend, but somehow managed to forget toilet paper, conditioner and bananas. Truly items this family can't live without.

Fourth stop, post office. Needed stamps for a few bills and to return the letter mistakenly delivered to our address from an inmate at the Fulton County Jail (man, was I tempted to steam that sucker open and see what was what...but I'm such a good girl, I didn't. Although I did Google the inmate's name (conveniently in the return address) and she was on the court docket last summer for disorderly while under the influence...she must have been pretty disorderly to still be in jail for that offense!).

Fifth stop, dry cleaners.

For those of you counting, that's six times into the car seat; six times out of the car seat; one bag of Cheerios; one sippy cup; three payments where I had to put peanut down to pay and as a result he had time to rearrange the gum (drug store), Sharpie highlighters (Office Depot) and priority mail stickers (P.O.); one payment where I had to try to distract peanut from reaching out from the shopping cart and switching the instructions to Spanish or canceling the payment on the credit card machine (grocery store); seven bags into the house and zero meltdowns in our one hour, twenty minute marathon of stores...

Well, zero meltdowns on the run, which was actually quite a surprise. Instead, he saved it up for when I was trying to make his lunch. In the span of three minutes, peanut managed to attempt total destruction in just about every room of the house while trying to earn an Oscar for best performance in a drama by sticking out that bottom lip, eyes welling with tears and throwing himself on the floor/against my leg/sliding down the wall each time I said no or removed him from his off-limits activities.

And the day's only half over.

Good thing I wore flats today.

A Little Light Reading

I've never understood those who read in the bathroom. I just don't get it. The bathroom has a singular purpose to me. I'm all about in and out and on to the next thing. There are about 13 other spots in my house that I'd rather curl up with a good book, newspaper or magazine. The old "throne" isn't one of them.

But I think I might be raising a bathroom reader! Diaper changes have become increasingly challenging as peanut realizes he actually has to sit still for a few minutes while they take place. Sitting still is not one of his strong suits. He squirms. He kicks. The toys I typically gave him as a distraction during changes he now uses as a chance to practice his curve ball. In an effort to save myself from losing an eye, or worse (the kid's got an arm), I've started giving him books. He instantly settles in for a good read while I take care of his business.


Looks like I'm in store for a lifetime of waiting in line for my own bathroom.

I am a Parenting Genius!

So, my 19-month old peanut is so...

• Smart, he can already count to 10 and recite his alphabet backwards.

• Musically talented, he can play "Twinkle, twinkle little star" on the keyboard, guitar and xylophone.

• Conscientious that he picks up all his toys before bed without being asked.

• Advanced that he taught himself to use the potty and makes announcements of pee-pee, poo-poo and hops on the ole toilet and takes care of his business. And I didn't have to mess with clean-up, bribery or stress. If only I could teach him to put the seat back down.

• Handsome that mommies in our music class practically throw themselves at us to keep their daughters in his good graces.

• Well-behaved that he will put himself in time out on the rare occasion when he realizes he's done something naughty.

Okay, okay, you got me! April Fool's! In reality, my 19-month old peanut can...

• Name a few numbers, but more often than not, a "number" is 6 or 9, maybe 5, but never 1, 2, 8 or 10 and never really in any correct order. And the alphabet...forget it. We still think all colors are yellow or blue (cause those are the ones we can say).

• Bang like a crazy rocker who is tone deaf on a keyboard, guitar and xylophone, complete with tongue hanging out.

• Strew toys all over his room in 5 seconds flat (the length of time it takes to turn on the tub) that mommy or daddy just finished picking up.

• Still poop in his diaper like a champ, kick during changes and pee as soon as you put him in the bathtub full of toys.

• Make the mommies laugh in music class with his dancing antics and adorable grin, but I'm not so sure they want their daughters marrying the kid who thinks the trashcan is one of the instruments.

• Put himself in time out simply because he's becoming very familiar with where it is.

So, no, I am not a parenting genius. Just another mama who today is over the moon happy that peanut has learned to wrap his arms around our necks and squeeze in the sweetest feeling hug I've ever known.

And that's no foolin'.