For Phil - Just as a Reminder

Monday, February 16th, 2009

Bumblebee Tuna - I curse you!!!

Friday, February 13th, 2009

The addictive tune from the Bumblebee Tuna commercials will not get out of my head. Make it go away...I break out into the Yum Yum BumbleBee, BumbleBee Tuna chorus at the most inopportune times, generally prompting all three kids to break out into it as well. It is a vicious cycle - I don't even eat tuna.

For those of you who don't know, it is not actually a jingle for a commercial but comes from this Mephiskapheles song from the early 90s.

Boys Adrift

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009



I just finished reading Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax. It took me about 7 hours on and off to read because I was just so fascinated by what the authour was saying. Basically, he outlines and explains the 5 main factors leading to the rash of disengaged, underachieving boys and men in today's school systems and society - think Failure to Launch syndrome. As the mother of two (maybe three) boys this epidemic of lack of motivation and ambition concerns me greatly. I want to be prepared to help my boys become productive, happy members of society, not create little slackers who will never amount to much and will be a burden (okay, that may be a little harsh, but read the book and you will understand where this idea comes from).

When I have more time, I will outline these points and add my take on them. Right now, demands for food and drink need to take precedence.

Re-visiting Resolutions

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

So Phil re-visited his resolutions on his blog, so I decided I better do a self-check too. Here goes:

1) be more patient with the kids. Tap into my inner child and try to learn how to be silly and get into their imaginative play;

Not going so well. I am finding being a SAHM more difficult than I anticipated with the constant demand on my time (I mean seriously how many times a day do the kids and pets need to eat and pee). I timed it, I am never able to sit for more than 3 mins at a time. Very difficult when you are roughly the size of a manatee.

2) finish my dissertation requirements and defend;

Had to admit to myself and everyone else that I just can't do it all, so I have requested a year's leave. I will still work on my stuff but don't want the pressure of having to produce.

3) read more for pleasure. It really does help my mood and patience;

So far so good. I have a long queue at the library and as things become available I have Phil get them for me - the library is right next to his work. So far no fiction but some good Anthony Bourdain books and one on classical homeschool education. All the fiction I want is, apparently, popular and I am pretty far down on the "hold" list.

4) after the baby is born, exercise more. I really need to get back in shape because 4 pregnancies in 5 years has wreaked havoc on this ol' body;


I spent a good deal of time looking on Amazon for dance and exercise DVDs that I can do with the kids - they were totally into the Bollywood and Latin dance ones so I will probably get some of those and we can all groove together.

5) drive less - walk more. This may be difficult in San Antonio as things are so spread out;

Not really leaving the house that much these days, and I don't want to walk too far in case that whole "labour" thing happens.

6) get a job I like;

Think I may have found one or two things that I can do part-time in the evenings or late afternoons after Phil comes home from work or on the weekends.

7) decorate the new house and get some new furniture that is less college kid and more sturdy and family friendly (and washable);

I have a whole Powerpoint presentation filled with furniture and linens and art for each of the rooms. Now just to get that job so I can actually buy the stuff.

8) spend more time on my hobbies - knitting, crochet, I would like to learn to sew. Learn more about herbal remedies. Take up new things - I think I want to learn how to make infusions like alcohol, vinegars, oils, etc;

I mentioned to one of my new friends that I wanted to learn how to sew and thought making pillowcase dresses for Cordelia would be a good starting point. She also wants to make the dresses so she is coming over tomorrow so we can figure it out together. I am almost done with the pair of socks I am making Phil, and I made two little newborn hats (one boy, one girl) for when Bumpy arrives.

9) spend more time taking care of myself. I always put myself last and it needs to stop. I am starting to believe that to be a good wife, mother, friend, person I need to look to my own needs first;

Oh please, this isn't going to happen....total pipe dream.

10) not get pregnant again :)

Still pregnant (really I am surprised) so doing really good on this one.

Braxton-Hicks Contractions

Friday, January 30th, 2009

After 4 pregnancies you would think I had experienced it all. Well, this one has been different - baby is breech so I am feeling things I have never felt before - like Braxton-Hicks contractions. They suck and serve no purpose other than to remind that this is actually a somewhat uncomfortable process.

Why have a big family?

Monday, January 19th, 2009


I recently attended a family playgroup and one of the topics of discussion was "how do you know you are done having kids" or "how did you decide to have the number of kids you do"? Phil and I have occasionally gotten comments about how we must be insane to have 4 kids and are often asked how we manage. My least favourite comment from random people is "I would never have 4 children!", or people assuming things about us because of the number of kids we have (no, we are not Catholic, Mormon, or on welfare).

So, I started wondering maybe we are crazy, how do we manage, what were we thinking. But then I started analyzing our reasons and came to this conclusion: We do not have 4 children, we have (or will soon have) 4 people. Those people are currently children and they drive us insane, make us laugh hysterically, show us the wonder of living everyday, make us compromise our dreams for theirs, frustrate and amaze us, but they will not be children forever. We did not go into this to have 4 children - we wanted a family. We want to watch these people grow from infants to children to teens to adults. We want to join them on their journey, help them through the hard time, share in the good times, see them fall in love, marry and have their own families if that is what they choose. Help them find their passion in life, whatever that may be.

So when people make comments about my large family, I pull up a mental picture of what I want my life to be like and in my mind I envision a holiday meal, food piled up on an extra large table, Phil and I sitting surrounded by the sound of children's laughter, seeing the kids' faces (as I imagine them all grown up) and the faces of their loved ones.

And that is why I have chosen to have a large family.

My 9 for '09

Thursday, January 1st, 2009

I am resurrecting this blog. I promise. Really, I do. For my first post, my 9 hopes/desires/intentions for 2009 (in no particular order):

1) be more patient with the kids. Tap into my inner child and try to learn how to be silly and get into their imaginative play;

2) finish my dissertation requirements and defend;

3) read more for pleasure. It really does help my mood and patience;

4) after the baby is born, exercise more. I really need to get back in shape because 4 pregnancies in 5 years has wreaked havoc on this ol' body;

5) drive less - walk more. This may be difficult in San Antonio as things are so spread out;

6) get a job I like;

7) decorate the new house and get some new furniture that is less college kid and more sturdy and family friendly (and washable);

8) spend more time on my hobbies - knitting, crochet, I would like to learn to sew. Learn more about herbal remedies. Take up new things - I think I want to learn how to make infusions like alcohol, vinegars, oils, etc;

9) spend more time taking care of myself. I always put myself last and it needs to stop. I am starting to believe that to be a good wife, mother, friend, person I need to look to my own needs first;

10) not get pregnant again :)