Coffee Shops and Little Boys?

Once upon a time I found great solace in cafes. Oh, the delight in a unique coffee house environment...friendly people, eclectic artwork, wonderful aromas. The joys of comfty seating, hot coffees, and good conversations. Alas, such was not the case today. With plans to check out our first kindermusik class, Drew and I ate lunch and headed to the center in East Greenwich. Much to our disappointment, the class was cancelled. We did, however, meet our good friends Wendy & Trent and decided to go for a cup of coffee. This must've been my first time with "Walking Drew" in such an outing. Although he remains a social, even flirty fellow, I found his devilish side to be overwhelming. With skittish steps and giddy laughs he ran from the bathroom to the exit. I spent much of my hour chasing him, rearranging the furniture, and apologizing to staff and patrons. Will I attempt such an excursion again? Perhaps...if he is strapped down, wearing a muzzle, and sedated.

Anyone up for coffee?
:)

Visit to the Children's Museum!

It was quite a weekend for Drew. On Saturday Daddy took him (along with friends Melanie, Miguel, and Max) to Southwick Zoo. Being his first time at any zoo, he was thrilled! He loved the animals and came home full of excitement! On Sunday we brought him to the Providence Children's Museum (lucky for us - it was a FREE day!). Aside from the fact that the big kids easily toppled over our little guy, it was a day well spent. There was a room for children 4 and under which was filled with books, a cave, a slide, climbing area, a hollow tree, and lots of animal puppets. A Drew Heaven. To see him climbing and sliding was too much. Our baby is definitely no longer a baby at all. He was a little boy running around...even taking toys from other children. Hmmm. How to curb that? We're working on it. Overall, a stimulating weekend for our little boy!

My job saga continues...

It's Friday. I have an interview with URI, which goes amazingly well, and I am really excited about the idea of being a "professor." Cool, right? The schedule is ideal for a mom (M,W,F 10am-1pm). I interview with the department chair on Monday and get more of the specifics. My could-be-boss calls me on Wednesday and offers me the job: I accept. We discuss curriculum and payroll; I make plans to meet her at the university the following day. I'm delighted to have a job (very part time) and to be challenged by this new opportunity.

Meanwhile, North Kingstown School Department calls and wants to set up an interview for the following day. I think: Bummer - because it'd be great to work in my own district and learn more about it...become a part of the community here, etc. But I would never quit the URI job. Suddenly, URI lady calls me..."I have some important news to share with you." A grad student, who was previously unavailable, is now able to teach the two sections of Spanish...so no need for hiring me. Blah blah blah...maybe next semester.

I call NK and interview. It goes really well. Schedule is ideal (again!). They have a two day rotating schedule (A-day, B-day) and I'd only be working A-days. Cool! So, one week M,W,F and the next T,Th. Love it. I come home feeling good. Phone call at 5pm Friday - the principal of NKHS - "We've decided to hire the individual who was working as a long term sub in the position last year...for continuity, etc." Blah, blah,...the interview was great, you have great energy and experience.

SO-where does that leave me?!? UNemployed.

Still working one day/week at the Compass School (as I did last year), but I'm really bummed out. I thought I'd be earning more money...working more hours.

:(

Anyone hiring?

Jai and Tina get married!

This past weekend Chris and I went to Quincy, MA for Jai and Tina's wedding. The reception was at the Neighborhood Club in Quincy which was lovely. The party was a wonderful celebration, and best man Jay Menedez said it well when he stated that everyone in the room really loved Circus (so true) and it was evident in that they all missed the Boston-Yankees game to be there! He he. Anyhoo - the party was a blast and felt like a BC reunion for many of us. See the photo below for a glimpse of the BC alumni who attended. I wish the bride and groom much love and joy in the years ahead!

Enough said?

Ode to summer...

Ode to summer
you tiptoed in to my room
before i knew it, it was june
i saw your rays dancing with glee
felt their warmth splash over me
a few rainstorms passed on by
they kindly left me feeling dry
i played outside despite the heat
under my umbrella we would meet
no uv rays could find us there
we could relax without a care
now you plan to leave me soon
i'll be waiting for you til next june
time will pass quickly i am sure
the long winter i will endure
whilst flames burn in my fireplace
they can't replace summer's grace
ode to summer, my true love
it is you which i shall think of
when nights are filled with chilly air
a sense of urgency and despair
i'll close my eyes and embrace again
Summer, my true friend

To work or not to work...

I am at a crossroads. Several opportunities have been presented to me in terms of employment and I feel so anxious about it! I actually made a spreadsheet weighing out the pros and cons of each scenario. More hours = more money = more daycare = more costs. What to do?!? Do I think in terms of what might work this year...or do I plan for further down the road? Do I go for the position with the most security, the most flexibility, or the most money? Ho-hum. I don't know. I'm hoping that perhaps things will work themselves out in some cosmic way. I'll let you know.

In the meantime, I imagine this could be my last week off this summer and I'm filling it with...errands. Yup. Laundry, shopping, cleaning. I fear I'll be working soon and it won't all get done. Long gone are those relaxing beach days. Too many worries about the sun and cancer. Blah. I'll just focus on my neat home and my growing boy.

Perhaps next week I'll take Drew to the zoo as I've talked of doing all summer. Maybe we'll give the music class a try. And another lunch with Mama (dare we go to PapaRazzi?!?) would be nice.

1st year physical!

Big boy Drew had his one-year physical today. I find myself gleaming with pride as he did so well ~ especially considering he had his MMR vaccination, Hepatitis A vaccination, AND they drew blood for lead testing.

So, what news do we have to share? Drew weighs in at 23 pounds (50th percentile) and is 29 and 3/4 inches long (50th percentile). He may be average in size, but I'd like to think he's excelling in other areas of development. He's walking well, babbling, curiously exploring new areas, displaying his sense of humor, embracing new challenges (ie. shape sorters), reading - or at least turning pages while babbling, engaging socially with others, eating & sleeping well, and demonstrating a high level of understanding. Hey-I'm his mom. I'm entitled to brag once in a while, right?!?

Drew turns one

We just celebrated Drew's first birthday, and I feel I should give him some helpful advice. Slow down! As Newton's first law of motion states: an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. Unfortunately, that "force" is the coffee table, the floor, the wall... Drew is agile enough to get up and get moving quite easily. I'm impressed with how quickly his skills develop - he not only walks and runs, but dances (Elvis-style pelvic thrusts!) and carries his favorite cars from one place to another. The only problem is once that momentum increases, disaster looms nearby.

On another note, he had his first taste of cake this past week! I think he liked it :)

Drew couldn't get enough of the sweet sugary icing. He wasn't quite sure what to do with the cake, but clapping his hands together and squishing the cake between his fingers was fun. It seems more cake made it onto his face and high chair than his belly. Quite a mess, but so entertaining!

YMCA

It had been quite some time since Drew and I were last seen at the YMCA. Hence the cheers when we arrived - they missed him. As a few months had passed (shame on Mommy) he was now an entirely different child. He did not need to go into the infant room..which is filled with exersaucers and baby swings..as he would be bored by such nonsense. Instead, he stayed with the "big kids" in the main play area. I set him up with some trucks (his favorite) and was on my way. After my time was up (I now get 1.5 hours!) I returned to find him standing at a table with other kids, who seemed much bigger than him, playing with cars and lego people. I stood and admired him for a moment. Here he was the littlest guy in the room, playing alongside all the big kids, and not missing Mommy or crying for something/someone familiar! Amazing! I admire his confidence and creativity. I am proud of his flexibility (I completely threw off the nap schedule today!) and socialness. I am amazed at how quickly he's grown into a little boy. With his first birthday lingering a day away, I'm feeling proud of how far we've both come in a mere 364 days.

Cruisin for a bruisin

My little cruiser has become quite the bruiser. From scraps and bumps to indentations, remnants of the coffee table, drawers and floors linger. The good news is child services hasn't come by to check up on me recently :) and he bounces back like a champ. He hardly ever cries after a fall and he hasn't given up on walking. In fact, he's breaking a sweat with a bit of a jog sometimes. Wild man. As he keeps on cruisin' I'm sure he'll be bruisin' ... but if he doesn't mind then neither do I. I love him just the same - whether he is white, tan, or black and blue.

Folk Festival Fun!

What a day! Probably the definition of a "perfect" day. What is better than warm sunshine -with NO humidity, the company of your best friend/spouse, a backdrop of the ocean with sailboats and bridges, and live music - including the Indigo Girls!?! Yes, we were at the Newport Folk Festival. It was awesome. Other music highlights included The Meters, Madeleine Peyroux, Keller Williams, and David Rawlings & Gillian Welch. Next year I hope we'll be joined by others. It was truly a wonderful day! Both relaxing and inspiring.

When was the last time I even saw live music?!? Dare I answer this honestly? (Does Chris' playing the guitar in the living room count??) Well, we did see Gary Foisy (who used to work with Chris) play live at an open mike night at Tazza Cafe in February...and actually I saw my friend, formerly known as Matt Hashway, Spogga play in Narragansett just a few weeks ago. Ok, not as bad as I thought. Prior to those two local gigs, I saw live music in Prospect Park last June when I was pregnant. And the last time I went to a ticketed event? I honestly cannot remember. Wow. Sad. Chris, the live music fanatic, saw the Allman Brothers in NYC a few months back. Well, it's just another reminder of how much life changes when you (A) move to the 'burbs and (B) have a baby. So, interested in checking out some live music? Give us a call...we're due!

Hasbro FunLab!

Today Drew and I went to Hasbro Funlab. It's a bit strange to think of men and women sitting behind the mirrored wall taking notes on how you interact and play, but the opportunity to try all the toys and play with others is worth it! Drew was a fan of the trucks and cars (surprise, surprise) and enjoyed the roll-a-rounds. He played very nicely with the other little people too. We go back for a second trip later this month - and we'll get a free toy. Awesome!