So much to write, so little time...
The snaars wife: I don't often write about her, but snaars fans should know that she is central and indispensable to the phenomenon.
Seriously, Michelle has borne the brunt of the family's troubles of the last two years or so. We are healing from the disaster that ensued after our move north, and Michelle has had to do the most. In an unfamiliar house, far from anyplace we had ever called home, we found she was pregnant with our third child. Rejected by the family she had so long wanted to be reunited with, we faced another move and the premature burden of being on our own before I had stable employment.
Regular visits with my parents kept us sane. We made the 2.5 hour trip at least once a month (usually twice) for a long time. My parents also loaned us a LOT of money. I think they felt partially responsible, because before the move their encouragement allayed any doubts we had felt.
Michelle had it worse than I did in a lot of ways, coming to grips with the reality of the dynamics of her family (past and present), and doing the bulk of the parenting work: getting the kids into school, enduring a third pregnancy and a difficult home labor and birth, then taking care of an infant on top of everything else - all in a place where we had very little money, or support from anyone.
During the first months in the apartment and throughout the pregnancy I suffered from panic attacks. I went to work every day knowing I wasn't making enough money. I came home wanting to do something else to make money and feeling helpless. Michelle and I both felt tired, but we couldn't sleep.
Despite all this, Michelle continued to volunteer many hours per week to the Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association, as their public relations coordinator and director of state representatives. I think she had clung to the position as something over which she could have some control during a time when everything else seemed out of control.
Meanwhile, because of our obligations as parents to our first two lovely daughters, we couldn't slow down or focus on our own needs as much as we should have done.
I have had five jobs in the past two years, with bouts of unemployment in-between. This last job has been going very well. I have had steady employment for five months now, and although our expenses still outweigh our income, the discrepancy is minimal; we've been making stead progress and I expect the trend to continue. Soon, we will be restoring our savings. I expect we'll be buying a house within six months or a year.
I have been working with some wonderful people. They have been impressed with me and my work. I did not get this job through the staffing agency, but through an aquaintance I made while working for the agency. Within a week of getting the job, I was offered another job at a different company. Not only was I able to negotiate better benefits from my employer because of it - I actually managed to go back to the company that had given me the second offer, and I set up a complementary schedule with them, so that I was able to work both jobs.
The second job has since evaporated, but it was good for the several months it lasted. I am on good terms with the owner of the business.
After working with my current employer for three months, they gave me a considerable raise. And today - just this morning - they brought me into a meeting to discuss sending me back to school to take accounting and/or IT courses. They advised me that the combination of accounting and IT has considerable earning potential. They are willing to reimburse me 100% for tuition and expenses.
The only requirement is that I make at least a B in whatever courses I want to take. (I didn't feel it necessary to bring to their attention that I aced almost all my courses at UL - I think they know I'm capable.)
Sometimes it's good to be the snaars!
Simcha turns six this week! She wants a Care Bear more than anything. (I'm just glad she's over the Bratz doll obsession of the last few months!)
I'll write more about the kids soon - I know that's what all the real snaars fans ache for - but for now, it's past my bedtime.
Showing posts with label snaars offspring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snaars offspring. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Snaars Times
Here's a brief update for my online friends. Sorry I haven't been in touch the last few months. I've been working two jobs. When I am home I spend a lot of time with the snaars spouse and snaars kids.
It's hard to believe Saadia turned one year old last month - but it's true. Simcha is in kindergarten and Havilah is in the second grade. They are, each of them, fantastic kids. Every day there's something I want to write about. They provide me with enough material that I could write a full-length post every day, if I had the time and energy.
Yesterday Havilah told me she loves science, but she doesn't like math, and she wants to be a figure skater when she grows up. Lately, her favorite game to play as a family has been "20 questions."
Today I watched from our apartment balcony as Simcha nervously crossed the street all by herself on her way to the neighborhood playground. While Simcha participates in "20 questions," she much prefers "I spy with my little eye," which is basically the same, only easier.
Saadia has a glowing personality, and is working hard at breaking in tooth number eight and tooth number nine. While I was comfortably seated on the balcony watching Havilah and Simcha in the playground across the street, Saadia discovered the unique and satisfying sound an orange makes when it is dropped from the third story to the concrete below.
I would like to draw your attention to the new scarlet letter "A" in the sidebar. This is the official symbol of Richard Dawkins's atheist OUT Campaign. Since I came out as an atheist about two years ago, and because this very website was instrumental in that regard, I felt it was appropriate to add the A here.
This blog's address has been added to the OUT Campaign's blogroll, but it took some doing. Initially, the OUT Campaign's site administrator thought that my site had been hacked by Christians! I thought: "Oh my, that administrator didn't take much time to read it, did he?" I supposed that my spiritualized theme had caused confusion! In fact, there was a typo in my submission. The administrator was looking at snaars.blogpot.com. (Blogpot, you see?)
Anyway, it's all fixed now. I plan to peruse some of the other sites on the blogroll, maybe make some more friends.
Perhaps I'll provide some details on my employment situation next time.
It's hard to believe Saadia turned one year old last month - but it's true. Simcha is in kindergarten and Havilah is in the second grade. They are, each of them, fantastic kids. Every day there's something I want to write about. They provide me with enough material that I could write a full-length post every day, if I had the time and energy.
Yesterday Havilah told me she loves science, but she doesn't like math, and she wants to be a figure skater when she grows up. Lately, her favorite game to play as a family has been "20 questions."
Today I watched from our apartment balcony as Simcha nervously crossed the street all by herself on her way to the neighborhood playground. While Simcha participates in "20 questions," she much prefers "I spy with my little eye," which is basically the same, only easier.
Saadia has a glowing personality, and is working hard at breaking in tooth number eight and tooth number nine. While I was comfortably seated on the balcony watching Havilah and Simcha in the playground across the street, Saadia discovered the unique and satisfying sound an orange makes when it is dropped from the third story to the concrete below.
I would like to draw your attention to the new scarlet letter "A" in the sidebar. This is the official symbol of Richard Dawkins's atheist OUT Campaign. Since I came out as an atheist about two years ago, and because this very website was instrumental in that regard, I felt it was appropriate to add the A here.
This blog's address has been added to the OUT Campaign's blogroll, but it took some doing. Initially, the OUT Campaign's site administrator thought that my site had been hacked by Christians! I thought: "Oh my, that administrator didn't take much time to read it, did he?" I supposed that my spiritualized theme had caused confusion! In fact, there was a typo in my submission. The administrator was looking at snaars.blogpot.com. (Blogpot, you see?)
Anyway, it's all fixed now. I plan to peruse some of the other sites on the blogroll, maybe make some more friends.
Perhaps I'll provide some details on my employment situation next time.
Monday, December 11, 2006
(Gulp!)
Raising my third infant, I've earned the title of experienced, professional diaper-changer. I'm inured to the smell. I can tolerate the painful sonic barrage of shrieking that sometimes accompanies baby's efforts. I can operate efficiently around wriggling legs with minimal smearage. But I still encounter the unexpected.
Yesterday I spotted a booger - a tiny dry flake (or so it appeared), right at the edge of her nostril. Ready to dislodge itself with a breath or snort, it would dive into anonymous obscurity on carpet or clothes, to be vacuumed or laundered to eventual oblivion. I spied it when I laid her down, and my eye was drawn repeatedly toward it whilst I wiped, coo'ed, and exchanged smiles with Saadia. Usually, I don't waste my time with these bits of dirt.
Usually I say, yet on this day I took the corner of my burp cloth and attacked the offending particle with zealous relish. I don't know why I did it - a moment of enthusiasm, perhaps infused with a tinge of guilt (having seen Michelle clean the nose of many a baby for less - she has been always the more fastidious in regards to the hygeine of our diminutive charges).
I swiped. I swiped again. The flake remained astonishingly steadfast. Saadia smiled agape at the new game. I gathered myself. I have seen Michelle be quite forceful, so: more gusto ... push up with the corner of the cloth, a bit of wrist action, and then ...
Oh my! I had seen merely the tip of the iceburg. Here was a veritable glob, now on the upper lip! No matter, one more quick dab.
Huh. Where'd it go? It's not on the cloth. Oh ... Saadia is beaming up at her daddy. Adoringly. Open-mouthed.
Please. Don't tell Michelle. She'll kill me.
Look at her, so innocent and trusting.
Updated with photos 12/18/06.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Simcha turns five!
Tomorrow is Simcha’s fifth birthday! We celebrated this evening with a special birthday dinner, presents, and ice cream cake. It all started this afternoon. We spent the morning cleaning and vacuuming, then I fired up the internet radio with some kind of techno lounge music with a good beat. Then I called Simcha into the living room and did a silly dance. Then I sang. I improvised. It went something like this: “Go Sim-cha! It’s your birth-day! Go Sim-cha! It’s your birthday! We love you! We adore you! It’s your birth-day! Be hap-py!” She was delighted and we all laughed out loud for a long time while we acted silly.
Among her presents were several rubber bath duckies. It may seem strange, but she has always had a fascination for them. Michelle found some that light up with little dancing disco lights when they are touched or placed in the water. Simcha also received a firefighter duckie that changes color with the water temperature. She also got a Sleeping Beauty doll.
Saadia is already two-and-a-half months old. She is extraordinarily happy. She is alert, loves to ‘talk’, and hardly cries at all.
Whereas Havilah and Simcha both slept in a bassinette when they were her age, Saadia sleeps in our bed because we are short on space in this little apartment. I sleep lightly because I help feed her at night and because her favorite pastime is making cooing noises and kicking me in the back all night long.
Havilah is doing great in the 1st grade. I read to her, and Simcha too, every night, and Havilah is making great strides in her reading.
We are still not making enough money, although we have done everything we can think of to cut expenses, short of trading in our car for something smaller that would have a lower monthly payment. Michelle has an appointment tomorrow to sign up for WIC and food stamps. That should help a lot. We are a couple of months behind now on some of our bills. We are getting closer though, and I still have confidence that eventually we will be all right. My credit rating may get shot to hell, but at least we are not in immediate danger of being out on the street.
Reflecting on the past few years, I am astounded (appalled?) at everything this family has been through. My sense of self-worth has been nearly non-existent these past few months, but I believe I am rebounding. I am steadily becoming more comfortable with being an atheist in a world that is downright hostile toward atheism. I no longer feel a need to announce it, to explain or justify it. I don’t feel a need to denounce religion. I have learned that it’s unsafe to say much about it to anyone.
I don’t discuss my beliefs unless I am asked. Even my father, who is an educated and compassionate man, can not sit still and discuss it with me in a calm manner. Most of our discussions on the topic have been initiated by his attacks on philosophy, as a discipline. These usually take me by surprise and must admit I resent them. I sympathize with my father and I have no desire to challenge him or deprive him – or anyone else – of something that gives them a sense of meaning and comfort.
The last time, he asked me if I knew that I was a philosophical “throwback”. I don’t have any clear idea in what way he meant by it. He made a definite point that logic doesn’t produce any ideas in and of itself, and that it can be most misleading. He seemed to be questioning the usefulness of reasoning at all. I was, quite frankly, dumbfounded and I couldn’t understand his point at all. I just agreed with him that logic is not creative and that the conclusions of logic depend on the quality of the information, evidence, and assumptions that are being worked with. I thought it was just a really strange conversation to have with my dad, since I have always considered him to be smarter than I am. It’s taken me a long time to get over my competitiveness with him, and now every once in a while he wants to get competitive with me.
I haven’t been very good company for a long time now because of our financial difficulties and the depression that has come along with them. I think my dad has misdiagnosed that depression and thinks that it is related to my atheism. I think that theists imagine how they would feel if they didn’t have a belief in God to give their lives meaning, and then they project those feelings on atheists and assume that atheists are just a miserable lot.
Anyway, that’s all for the moment. This posting has been a long time coming and it may be another long wait for the next. I will read and appreciate all comments, but I may not be able to respond in a timely manner (and I may not have internet access – that was actually turned off for a while and it may be turned off again later this month)!
In the meantime, best wishes to all!
Among her presents were several rubber bath duckies. It may seem strange, but she has always had a fascination for them. Michelle found some that light up with little dancing disco lights when they are touched or placed in the water. Simcha also received a firefighter duckie that changes color with the water temperature. She also got a Sleeping Beauty doll.
Saadia is already two-and-a-half months old. She is extraordinarily happy. She is alert, loves to ‘talk’, and hardly cries at all.
Whereas Havilah and Simcha both slept in a bassinette when they were her age, Saadia sleeps in our bed because we are short on space in this little apartment. I sleep lightly because I help feed her at night and because her favorite pastime is making cooing noises and kicking me in the back all night long.Havilah is doing great in the 1st grade. I read to her, and Simcha too, every night, and Havilah is making great strides in her reading.
We are still not making enough money, although we have done everything we can think of to cut expenses, short of trading in our car for something smaller that would have a lower monthly payment. Michelle has an appointment tomorrow to sign up for WIC and food stamps. That should help a lot. We are a couple of months behind now on some of our bills. We are getting closer though, and I still have confidence that eventually we will be all right. My credit rating may get shot to hell, but at least we are not in immediate danger of being out on the street.
Reflecting on the past few years, I am astounded (appalled?) at everything this family has been through. My sense of self-worth has been nearly non-existent these past few months, but I believe I am rebounding. I am steadily becoming more comfortable with being an atheist in a world that is downright hostile toward atheism. I no longer feel a need to announce it, to explain or justify it. I don’t feel a need to denounce religion. I have learned that it’s unsafe to say much about it to anyone.
I don’t discuss my beliefs unless I am asked. Even my father, who is an educated and compassionate man, can not sit still and discuss it with me in a calm manner. Most of our discussions on the topic have been initiated by his attacks on philosophy, as a discipline. These usually take me by surprise and must admit I resent them. I sympathize with my father and I have no desire to challenge him or deprive him – or anyone else – of something that gives them a sense of meaning and comfort.
The last time, he asked me if I knew that I was a philosophical “throwback”. I don’t have any clear idea in what way he meant by it. He made a definite point that logic doesn’t produce any ideas in and of itself, and that it can be most misleading. He seemed to be questioning the usefulness of reasoning at all. I was, quite frankly, dumbfounded and I couldn’t understand his point at all. I just agreed with him that logic is not creative and that the conclusions of logic depend on the quality of the information, evidence, and assumptions that are being worked with. I thought it was just a really strange conversation to have with my dad, since I have always considered him to be smarter than I am. It’s taken me a long time to get over my competitiveness with him, and now every once in a while he wants to get competitive with me.
I haven’t been very good company for a long time now because of our financial difficulties and the depression that has come along with them. I think my dad has misdiagnosed that depression and thinks that it is related to my atheism. I think that theists imagine how they would feel if they didn’t have a belief in God to give their lives meaning, and then they project those feelings on atheists and assume that atheists are just a miserable lot.
Anyway, that’s all for the moment. This posting has been a long time coming and it may be another long wait for the next. I will read and appreciate all comments, but I may not be able to respond in a timely manner (and I may not have internet access – that was actually turned off for a while and it may be turned off again later this month)!
In the meantime, best wishes to all!
Monday, August 14, 2006
Kids of the Week
I noted that all my three girls were born on Tuesday mornings, and Juggling Mother said, "All mine were born on a Sunday ...." It put me in mind of an old nursery rhyme:
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go;
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for its living;
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
There you go, Juggling Mother! Your kids are the best of the lot!
I must have been born on a Saturday.
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go;
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for its living;
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
There you go, Juggling Mother! Your kids are the best of the lot!
I must have been born on a Saturday.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Saadia pictures
This is the most beautiful baby I've ever seen!! Not that I'm biased, or anything ...
When presented with a baby photo, it is obligatory to say, "Aaaaw, how cute!" But you can tell the truth this time: she's an angel!
Now for some revised/additional information.
In my last post, I said that Saadia was not overdue after all, but I may have judged hastily. Saadia's weight, the condition of her skin, and the constitution of the amniotic fluid indicate that she was healthy and of average gestational age - approximately 40 weeks; however, the original date calculations and ultrasound estimate put her due-date at July 14th and 16th, respectively.
Calcifications in the placenta indicate that it may have been over-aged. A battledore insertion of the umbilical cord could possibly account for Saadia's birth weight, which would be considered lower than expected if she really gestated for 43 weeks and 3 days. (A battledore insertion is when the cord is attached marginally, at the edge of the placenta, rather than in the middle as is normal. It's usually not serious but it can slow the growth of the fetus.)
We had a successful home birth, attended by two registered nurse midwives and a midwife-in-training. Those ladies were terrific! They provided medical care and expertise to Michelle and Saadia through pre-natal visits. They offered advise and suggestions while respecting our informed decisions. They provided medical expertise and assistance during the labor and birth. They set up supplies and equipment, and stood by in case of any problems. They worked hard to make our goals a reality! They cleaned up afterward and monitored Michelle and Saadia for several hours after the birth. They also follow up post-natally, checking the health of both mom and baby. I can not say enough about how pleased and assured I felt, knowing that they were working to provide a safe and pleasant birth experience for us. Don't even contemplate having a home birth unassisted! I am grateful for the job they did.
Havilah and Simcha were with my parents during the labor and birth. They met their baby sister yesterday, and they adore her! Michelle will be in recovery for an indefinite period of time, so I am trying to train them to help out more. I am taking on more chores around the house.
Today I got home from a full day's work, took the girls grocery shopping, returned home and put the groceries away, cooked dinner, washed the dishes, got the girls ready for bed, read them a story, did two loads of laundry, got caught up with my e-mail, and wrote this blog post! Now it's after midnight, and I'll have to do everything again starting tomorrow at 6:30! Well, except for the grocery shopping - but there's still a lot of laundry to do.
I did a lot - but Michelle is dealing with more than I am. She needs rest after all her hard work. Saadia nurses every two hours - around the clock - sometimes for twenty or thirty minutes at a time. Michelle is getting less sleep than I am, and she needs it more than I do.
Did I forget anything? Oh, yeah - I quit the car business last week. More about my new job later.
When presented with a baby photo, it is obligatory to say, "Aaaaw, how cute!" But you can tell the truth this time: she's an angel!
Now for some revised/additional information.
In my last post, I said that Saadia was not overdue after all, but I may have judged hastily. Saadia's weight, the condition of her skin, and the constitution of the amniotic fluid indicate that she was healthy and of average gestational age - approximately 40 weeks; however, the original date calculations and ultrasound estimate put her due-date at July 14th and 16th, respectively.
Calcifications in the placenta indicate that it may have been over-aged. A battledore insertion of the umbilical cord could possibly account for Saadia's birth weight, which would be considered lower than expected if she really gestated for 43 weeks and 3 days. (A battledore insertion is when the cord is attached marginally, at the edge of the placenta, rather than in the middle as is normal. It's usually not serious but it can slow the growth of the fetus.)
We had a successful home birth, attended by two registered nurse midwives and a midwife-in-training. Those ladies were terrific! They provided medical care and expertise to Michelle and Saadia through pre-natal visits. They offered advise and suggestions while respecting our informed decisions. They provided medical expertise and assistance during the labor and birth. They set up supplies and equipment, and stood by in case of any problems. They worked hard to make our goals a reality! They cleaned up afterward and monitored Michelle and Saadia for several hours after the birth. They also follow up post-natally, checking the health of both mom and baby. I can not say enough about how pleased and assured I felt, knowing that they were working to provide a safe and pleasant birth experience for us. Don't even contemplate having a home birth unassisted! I am grateful for the job they did.
Havilah and Simcha were with my parents during the labor and birth. They met their baby sister yesterday, and they adore her! Michelle will be in recovery for an indefinite period of time, so I am trying to train them to help out more. I am taking on more chores around the house.
Today I got home from a full day's work, took the girls grocery shopping, returned home and put the groceries away, cooked dinner, washed the dishes, got the girls ready for bed, read them a story, did two loads of laundry, got caught up with my e-mail, and wrote this blog post! Now it's after midnight, and I'll have to do everything again starting tomorrow at 6:30! Well, except for the grocery shopping - but there's still a lot of laundry to do.
I did a lot - but Michelle is dealing with more than I am. She needs rest after all her hard work. Saadia nurses every two hours - around the clock - sometimes for twenty or thirty minutes at a time. Michelle is getting less sleep than I am, and she needs it more than I do.
Did I forget anything? Oh, yeah - I quit the car business last week. More about my new job later.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Saadia Kathleen ...
... was born today at 1:23 AM. On a Tuesday morning, just as her sisters were.
She is perfect in every way. She only weighs seven pounds, zero ounces - so she is not three weeks overdue, as we thought. Rather, she is a week early. Go figure!
We are wiped out. More details to come. And pictures.
She is perfect in every way. She only weighs seven pounds, zero ounces - so she is not three weeks overdue, as we thought. Rather, she is a week early. Go figure!
We are wiped out. More details to come. And pictures.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
False Alarm
Here’s the short version of the story, nerve-wracking as it is: Michelle’s labor stalled out yesterday afternoon.
I was surprised even though I should not have been. We have a history of prodromal labor, long labor, and long terms. Simcha was in the womb for 43 weeks. Although she had complications, none of them were associated with the long pregnancy. She had none of the symptoms that doctors worry about with a long pregnancy.
Saadia is still moving a lot, which means she is not too big and that the placenta is still healthy. Her heart rate is good. She seems perfectly fine.
Michelle is also fine, apart from some edema (swelling) around her ankles - but that’s not dangerous, by itself. It means she has to keep her feet up as much as possible when she is not walking. We have to watch to make sure the swelling does not rise or spread up her legs. If it does, it could be a signal that something is wrong.
After my parents came to get the kids yesterday, I thought it would speed things up, but it didn’t. Ah well, the real thing will happen soon. If it doesn’t happen over the next few days we will review our options, in terms of induction.
Havilah and Simcha will have to stay with my parents for a few days because of everyone’s schedules. Michelle and I will be able to spend some quality time together.
I’ll post again when something happens.
I was surprised even though I should not have been. We have a history of prodromal labor, long labor, and long terms. Simcha was in the womb for 43 weeks. Although she had complications, none of them were associated with the long pregnancy. She had none of the symptoms that doctors worry about with a long pregnancy.
Saadia is still moving a lot, which means she is not too big and that the placenta is still healthy. Her heart rate is good. She seems perfectly fine.
Michelle is also fine, apart from some edema (swelling) around her ankles - but that’s not dangerous, by itself. It means she has to keep her feet up as much as possible when she is not walking. We have to watch to make sure the swelling does not rise or spread up her legs. If it does, it could be a signal that something is wrong.
After my parents came to get the kids yesterday, I thought it would speed things up, but it didn’t. Ah well, the real thing will happen soon. If it doesn’t happen over the next few days we will review our options, in terms of induction.
Havilah and Simcha will have to stay with my parents for a few days because of everyone’s schedules. Michelle and I will be able to spend some quality time together.
I’ll post again when something happens.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Happy birthday and happy birthday, maybe?
Michelle started her labor last night. If this labor is like the previous ones, she may still have a loooong way to go.
I learned a new term: prodromal labor. Sometimes referred to as "false" labor, there is nothing false about the way prodromal labor feels to the mother! It differs from active labor only in the respect that it does not progress continuously and without a break to the birth of the baby.
In all of her pregnancies, Michelle has experienced cramping and other labor symptoms months early, with increasing frequency and duration toward the end of each pregnancy.
Michelle had contractions most of the day yesterday. Last night they were frequent: between 1.5 and 2.5 minutes apart, lasting 30 to 60 seconds, over a period of several hours. Some were intense, requiring all her attention, while most of them were "mild," in the sense that she could get through them fairly easily by pausing and breathing carefully for a few seconds at the high point.
Michelle slept fitfully and woke up tired. I stayed at home today and took care of her and the girls. Havilah and Simcha understand that all this means the baby is coming soon. They got excited when our midwife came to visit.
All the girls' excitement was not good in terms of labor progression. They kept demanding attention from Michelle and from me. Although we don't mind giving them attention, it takes Michelle's focus away, adds tension, and inhibits labor progression. I called my parents, they came and got the girls and will keep them for a couple of days.
I didn't feel at all emotional, until I put them in the car and kissed them goodbye.
Michelle is more rested now, and seems ready, but her labor has slacked off again. I believe Saadia will be born tomorrow morning, but I hope she will be born tonight. That way, she and Michelle will share the same birthday!
I learned a new term: prodromal labor. Sometimes referred to as "false" labor, there is nothing false about the way prodromal labor feels to the mother! It differs from active labor only in the respect that it does not progress continuously and without a break to the birth of the baby.
In all of her pregnancies, Michelle has experienced cramping and other labor symptoms months early, with increasing frequency and duration toward the end of each pregnancy.
Michelle had contractions most of the day yesterday. Last night they were frequent: between 1.5 and 2.5 minutes apart, lasting 30 to 60 seconds, over a period of several hours. Some were intense, requiring all her attention, while most of them were "mild," in the sense that she could get through them fairly easily by pausing and breathing carefully for a few seconds at the high point.
Michelle slept fitfully and woke up tired. I stayed at home today and took care of her and the girls. Havilah and Simcha understand that all this means the baby is coming soon. They got excited when our midwife came to visit.
All the girls' excitement was not good in terms of labor progression. They kept demanding attention from Michelle and from me. Although we don't mind giving them attention, it takes Michelle's focus away, adds tension, and inhibits labor progression. I called my parents, they came and got the girls and will keep them for a couple of days.
I didn't feel at all emotional, until I put them in the car and kissed them goodbye.
Michelle is more rested now, and seems ready, but her labor has slacked off again. I believe Saadia will be born tomorrow morning, but I hope she will be born tonight. That way, she and Michelle will share the same birthday!
Monday, May 22, 2006
ultrasound
Long story short - I'm enthusiastic, but tired because of a long day. Lots and lots of driving. We had an ultrasound and saw the baby for the first time today. I'm proud to report no problems - as far as we can tell, baby and mommy are healthy.
In the picture below, baby is seen flexing a bicep. Strong baby!
The cross-hairs are between baby's fingers in the picture below. Victory! Peace out, hippie home-birth baby!
What do you call a wish-granting magic spirit from a country shaped like a boot? It's a jinn Italia! And that sounds like what is pictured below.
It's a girl! Hi there, Saadia! We love you!
In the picture below, baby is seen flexing a bicep. Strong baby!
The cross-hairs are between baby's fingers in the picture below. Victory! Peace out, hippie home-birth baby!
What do you call a wish-granting magic spirit from a country shaped like a boot? It's a jinn Italia! And that sounds like what is pictured below.
It's a girl! Hi there, Saadia! We love you!
Monday, April 17, 2006
pride and the game of kings
Shortly after Michelle and I got married, I tried to teach her to play chess. It was a frustrating and short-lived endeavor. We were both highly competetive. Being an intermediate player, I had a strong advantage, and it was tough for Michelle to remain enthusiastic about a game she couldn't win. Moreover, there always seemed to be some activity or other that would take precedence. (We were newlyweds - need I say more?)
I bought Michelle an electronic chess set, thinking that she might be more likely to overcome that beginner's learning curve if she didn't have to endure the humiliation of losing to a human foe. The gift was well-meant - but alas! - it remained in the box untouched, until I wanted a real chess challenge one day and played a few games on it myself.
That was eight or nine years ago. Since then, we have spent our time on ... other hobbies. Like having three kids. (In case anyone gets the wrong impression of Michelle, I will tell you this: we are quite well-matched when it comes to other games, like Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit.)
Now my oldest child is playing chess. She was four when she first spied my book-sized folding set - a gift from my dad when I was thirteen or fourteen. She was thoroughly fascinated when I introduced her to the different pieces and some of the basic rules. The two of us lacked the patience for any in-depth learning to take place - our games consisted mostly of make-pretend, and using the pieces as little dolls. The seeds had been planted, though.
A few months ago, while we were living with my in-laws, Havilah's cousin Kathleen taught Havilah some more, and Havilah was receptive. She learned much about how the pieces move.
Since then, we have been playing, more and more. Havilah now knows how all the pieces move, how they capture other pieces, and some rudimentary defense strategy. She knows what "check" means, and she will sit and contemplate different ways of getting out of check. She enjoys it so much she asks me to play every night now.
Now, here's the climax of the story, the real funny part - have you guessed it? That's right, Havilah has been pressing Mommy to play chess with her. Recently, she has begun teaching Michelle how the pieces move. This evening, my heart warmed to see an historic battle take place on the floor of my living room. Did I mention that Havilah is six years old?
And - significantly - Simcha set up the pieces.
I bought Michelle an electronic chess set, thinking that she might be more likely to overcome that beginner's learning curve if she didn't have to endure the humiliation of losing to a human foe. The gift was well-meant - but alas! - it remained in the box untouched, until I wanted a real chess challenge one day and played a few games on it myself.
That was eight or nine years ago. Since then, we have spent our time on ... other hobbies. Like having three kids. (In case anyone gets the wrong impression of Michelle, I will tell you this: we are quite well-matched when it comes to other games, like Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit.)
Now my oldest child is playing chess. She was four when she first spied my book-sized folding set - a gift from my dad when I was thirteen or fourteen. She was thoroughly fascinated when I introduced her to the different pieces and some of the basic rules. The two of us lacked the patience for any in-depth learning to take place - our games consisted mostly of make-pretend, and using the pieces as little dolls. The seeds had been planted, though.
A few months ago, while we were living with my in-laws, Havilah's cousin Kathleen taught Havilah some more, and Havilah was receptive. She learned much about how the pieces move.
Since then, we have been playing, more and more. Havilah now knows how all the pieces move, how they capture other pieces, and some rudimentary defense strategy. She knows what "check" means, and she will sit and contemplate different ways of getting out of check. She enjoys it so much she asks me to play every night now.
Now, here's the climax of the story, the real funny part - have you guessed it? That's right, Havilah has been pressing Mommy to play chess with her. Recently, she has begun teaching Michelle how the pieces move. This evening, my heart warmed to see an historic battle take place on the floor of my living room. Did I mention that Havilah is six years old?
And - significantly - Simcha set up the pieces.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
never watch a 4-year-old eat
Today is Havilah's sixth birthday!
I wrote several paragraphs last night that would have been especially loved by all true snaars fans, but blogger was having some problems and I lost it. Ah well.
The whole family has been terribly sick. Michelle and the girls succumbed before I did. Last Friday night I was practically delirious with fever and nausea. I hardly slept or ate all weekend. I am well enough to work today, but still weak.
We had a birthday party tonight for Havilah. Michelle baked two modest cakes. Havilah decorated one and Simcha decorated the other. After dinner we lit candles on them (on Simcha's too, so she wouldn't feel left out).
After they blew the candles out, we enjoyed cake. At one point Simcha's jaw was working, lips pulled back in a sort of mirthless grin, distant gaze in her eyes, thinking about something. Michelle hates it when they eat with their mouths open, but this was obviously not the standard careless chewing. "Simcha," Michelle asked, "is something wrong honey?"
Simcha's face lit up. "My teef is rainbow!" She showed us. And she was right. The sticky sweet cake icing was all over her teeth.
A little while later, and we started hyping up the birthday presents. Anyone have an idea what we got Havilah for her birthday?
Simcha pipes: "A pony! A pony! Oh. mommy a pony a pony a pony - mooooooommy, a-a-a-a-a pony, pony ..."
The presents have been opened and Havilah has some new clothes, and plastic jewelry from the dollar store.
Simcha leans over and points to the jewelry. "What is up with these rings," she asks, incredulously.
Oh, Simcha, do tell. Those rings are totally pretentious, aren't they?
I wrote several paragraphs last night that would have been especially loved by all true snaars fans, but blogger was having some problems and I lost it. Ah well.
The whole family has been terribly sick. Michelle and the girls succumbed before I did. Last Friday night I was practically delirious with fever and nausea. I hardly slept or ate all weekend. I am well enough to work today, but still weak.
We had a birthday party tonight for Havilah. Michelle baked two modest cakes. Havilah decorated one and Simcha decorated the other. After dinner we lit candles on them (on Simcha's too, so she wouldn't feel left out).
After they blew the candles out, we enjoyed cake. At one point Simcha's jaw was working, lips pulled back in a sort of mirthless grin, distant gaze in her eyes, thinking about something. Michelle hates it when they eat with their mouths open, but this was obviously not the standard careless chewing. "Simcha," Michelle asked, "is something wrong honey?"
Simcha's face lit up. "My teef is rainbow!" She showed us. And she was right. The sticky sweet cake icing was all over her teeth.
A little while later, and we started hyping up the birthday presents. Anyone have an idea what we got Havilah for her birthday?
Simcha pipes: "A pony! A pony! Oh. mommy a pony a pony a pony - mooooooommy, a-a-a-a-a pony, pony ..."
The presents have been opened and Havilah has some new clothes, and plastic jewelry from the dollar store.
Simcha leans over and points to the jewelry. "What is up with these rings," she asks, incredulously.
Oh, Simcha, do tell. Those rings are totally pretentious, aren't they?
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
recent goings-on
For those who are interested:
I regret not posting anything lately. I regret the very negative tone of the last post.
I take that back. I don't regret the last post. I regret not posting anything positive since then.
Okay, this post is going to ramble a little bit because I don't have time enough to make it really nice and orderly. There's really no reason for anyone to read this unless they are particularly concerned about my life. I know there are a few friends - snaars fans, if you will - who wait with bated breath, yearning for more pearls of wisdom. They will be pleased to know that yours truly, and the entire snaars clan, are alive and well, and that I may actually deign to make a real entry (!) now and again.
Nothing much has changed. The in-laws have been much nicer lately. We are paranoid that the situation could turn right around again any day. We don't have much stability in that regard.
We have gone apartment-hunting this past week, and we turned in an application today. I don't have much hope that our application will be accepted because rents are so high here. It's bad when you are spending 55% of your take-home pay in rent.
I applied to Teach for America. They don't accept just anyone, so I am counting on getting in. (Insert pause for effect here.)
I'm pretty sure they will accept me, it's just that I'm also sure I'm the only applicant who is desperate for a job. Most people who do it, do it because it's a noble cause. Me, I agree that it's for a noble cause. It's a cause I agree with and I will be very glad to be doing it. But, I would feel a lot more noble if I were choosing from a wide array of options available to me.
Michelle has decided on a home birth for our third baby. We saw the midwife a little over a week ago and we are feeling very secure and happy about it. We are assured that if we still do not have a home when the baby comes, then we can use the midwife's. We also made an appointment with a doctor for a consultation. We are all really excited and pleased.
Simcha asks questions all the time about the baby. We splurged and ate lunch at a Chinese food restaurant today. We decided to use chopsticks, and it was the first time for Simcha and Havilah. Simcha held hers up and asked Michelle, "Does the baby does use sticks, Mommy?"
Michelle told her that no, the baby does not use chopsticks.
"Oh. Cause the baby could use little sticks," Simcha asserted.
But Simcha, how would the baby get the sticks?
Oh, right. Emphtically: "No, the baby doesn't use sticks!" Takes a bit to convince her sometimes.
Well, that's all for now.
I regret not posting anything lately. I regret the very negative tone of the last post.
I take that back. I don't regret the last post. I regret not posting anything positive since then.
Okay, this post is going to ramble a little bit because I don't have time enough to make it really nice and orderly. There's really no reason for anyone to read this unless they are particularly concerned about my life. I know there are a few friends - snaars fans, if you will - who wait with bated breath, yearning for more pearls of wisdom. They will be pleased to know that yours truly, and the entire snaars clan, are alive and well, and that I may actually deign to make a real entry (!) now and again.
Nothing much has changed. The in-laws have been much nicer lately. We are paranoid that the situation could turn right around again any day. We don't have much stability in that regard.
We have gone apartment-hunting this past week, and we turned in an application today. I don't have much hope that our application will be accepted because rents are so high here. It's bad when you are spending 55% of your take-home pay in rent.
I applied to Teach for America. They don't accept just anyone, so I am counting on getting in. (Insert pause for effect here.)
I'm pretty sure they will accept me, it's just that I'm also sure I'm the only applicant who is desperate for a job. Most people who do it, do it because it's a noble cause. Me, I agree that it's for a noble cause. It's a cause I agree with and I will be very glad to be doing it. But, I would feel a lot more noble if I were choosing from a wide array of options available to me.
Michelle has decided on a home birth for our third baby. We saw the midwife a little over a week ago and we are feeling very secure and happy about it. We are assured that if we still do not have a home when the baby comes, then we can use the midwife's. We also made an appointment with a doctor for a consultation. We are all really excited and pleased.
Simcha asks questions all the time about the baby. We splurged and ate lunch at a Chinese food restaurant today. We decided to use chopsticks, and it was the first time for Simcha and Havilah. Simcha held hers up and asked Michelle, "Does the baby does use sticks, Mommy?"
Michelle told her that no, the baby does not use chopsticks.
"Oh. Cause the baby could use little sticks," Simcha asserted.
But Simcha, how would the baby get the sticks?
Oh, right. Emphtically: "No, the baby doesn't use sticks!" Takes a bit to convince her sometimes.
Well, that's all for now.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
personal update
I have a lot of catching up to do. I've not been able to blog regularly these last couple of months, and I've missed it.
I read a heated debate regarding the Christmas tradition on Q's 'other' blog, Ragged Glory. Q has closed the discussion to further comments, but I want to add seven words: "A Festivus for the Rest of Us!"
Life has not been without its pressures lately. The few of you who read regularly know that Michelle and I, and our daughters Simcha and Havilah, are living with Michelle's parents since late-October. I was unemployed until a week ago, and I have had strong feelings of guilt and shame for not being able to contribute to household expenses since we've moved.
The house seemed huge when we first arrived. Michelle's sister and neice also live in the house though, so there has not been a lot of room. Everyone has been great, but we have all gotten on each others' nerves at times. Sometimes we have felt like invaders in the house. My in-laws are not accustomed to living with small children, and I don't think they knew what they were in for when they agreed to let us stay. It makes me wonder how they managed when Michelle and her siblings were growing up. We have made frequent trips to visit my parents, to give everyone a break. The sooner I get a good-paying job and we can move into our own place, the better.
The job I started Monday is terrific. I feel that I'm learning quickly. I have met a lot of people, and they're all friendly, patient, respectful and professional. No one is distant or unfriendly. I think the average age of my co-workers is around 55, excluding one student intern who is around twenty. Several people have told me that it's a great place to work. I stay busy, time passes quickly, and I do not feel completely drained when it's time to go home. My only regret is that they cannot pay me enough. I will have to keep looking.
And now for the biggest news of all: Michelle is pregnant again. She's about two months along. She told me Wednesday night. I have experienced a wide range of feelings. With embarrasment, I must report that foremost among these has been fear and anger. Why should this happen now? I thought we were being careful! This birth control method SUCKS!!
I'm over all that now, and I'm feeling more and more happy and excited. I really love children. I hope it's a boy this time. We have two names picked out already:
David Adrian - if it's a boy, and
Saadiah Kathleen - if it's a girl.
Either way, I'm getting a vasectomy!!!!
I read a heated debate regarding the Christmas tradition on Q's 'other' blog, Ragged Glory. Q has closed the discussion to further comments, but I want to add seven words: "A Festivus for the Rest of Us!"
Life has not been without its pressures lately. The few of you who read regularly know that Michelle and I, and our daughters Simcha and Havilah, are living with Michelle's parents since late-October. I was unemployed until a week ago, and I have had strong feelings of guilt and shame for not being able to contribute to household expenses since we've moved.
The house seemed huge when we first arrived. Michelle's sister and neice also live in the house though, so there has not been a lot of room. Everyone has been great, but we have all gotten on each others' nerves at times. Sometimes we have felt like invaders in the house. My in-laws are not accustomed to living with small children, and I don't think they knew what they were in for when they agreed to let us stay. It makes me wonder how they managed when Michelle and her siblings were growing up. We have made frequent trips to visit my parents, to give everyone a break. The sooner I get a good-paying job and we can move into our own place, the better.
The job I started Monday is terrific. I feel that I'm learning quickly. I have met a lot of people, and they're all friendly, patient, respectful and professional. No one is distant or unfriendly. I think the average age of my co-workers is around 55, excluding one student intern who is around twenty. Several people have told me that it's a great place to work. I stay busy, time passes quickly, and I do not feel completely drained when it's time to go home. My only regret is that they cannot pay me enough. I will have to keep looking.
And now for the biggest news of all: Michelle is pregnant again. She's about two months along. She told me Wednesday night. I have experienced a wide range of feelings. With embarrasment, I must report that foremost among these has been fear and anger. Why should this happen now? I thought we were being careful! This birth control method SUCKS!!
I'm over all that now, and I'm feeling more and more happy and excited. I really love children. I hope it's a boy this time. We have two names picked out already:
David Adrian - if it's a boy, and
Saadiah Kathleen - if it's a girl.
Either way, I'm getting a vasectomy!!!!
Monday, November 28, 2005
Started my new job today. Hooray! I'm gainfully employed!
Thanks to all who offered encouragement during this dry spell. It's been a rough month-and-a-half and we're not 'in the clear' yet - but we're not going to go bankrupt this week, either.
The hours are terrific and the environment is great. I must have met about twenty people in the office and they all seemed happy to be there. Several of them told me that it was a great place to work, even though they work hard. The only downside is that it doesn't pay anything close to what I was aiming for.
I won't say much about the job at this time, except that it is at the University of Delaware and that it is accounting work. I don't want to divulge information that could, for all I know, be priviledged. I may reveal more at a later time.
Oh, and another drawback is that I am not employed directly by the university at this time. Rather, I am working through a staffing service. With luck, I will get hired on quickly and get a pay raise, but I'm not going to assume that will happen. So, I will still be sending resumes out, albeit a little more selectively because of the new time constraints.
In other news, Simcha fell off a chair yesterday and injured her face quite badly on the cheek. We almost took her to the hospital. There were no symptoms of bone damage however, and after some time she was eating and talking as normal, so we chose to just monitor her closely. (If we had insurance, there would have been no decision to make - I would have taken her to the ER in a heartbeat.) Anyway, her cheek is still swollen today, and turning all sorts of Christmassy colors.
Thanks to all who offered encouragement during this dry spell. It's been a rough month-and-a-half and we're not 'in the clear' yet - but we're not going to go bankrupt this week, either.
The hours are terrific and the environment is great. I must have met about twenty people in the office and they all seemed happy to be there. Several of them told me that it was a great place to work, even though they work hard. The only downside is that it doesn't pay anything close to what I was aiming for.
I won't say much about the job at this time, except that it is at the University of Delaware and that it is accounting work. I don't want to divulge information that could, for all I know, be priviledged. I may reveal more at a later time.
Oh, and another drawback is that I am not employed directly by the university at this time. Rather, I am working through a staffing service. With luck, I will get hired on quickly and get a pay raise, but I'm not going to assume that will happen. So, I will still be sending resumes out, albeit a little more selectively because of the new time constraints.
In other news, Simcha fell off a chair yesterday and injured her face quite badly on the cheek. We almost took her to the hospital. There were no symptoms of bone damage however, and after some time she was eating and talking as normal, so we chose to just monitor her closely. (If we had insurance, there would have been no decision to make - I would have taken her to the ER in a heartbeat.) Anyway, her cheek is still swollen today, and turning all sorts of Christmassy colors.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
what-less?
Hi snaars fans! Doing a lot of work, getting ready for the Big Move. It's been a dry spell as far as blogging, but I have a few minutes to relate an amusing anecdote. Another conversation with Havilah:
H: I have another new classmate in school. His name is Duck-less.
me: What?
H: Duck-less.
me: His name is Duckless.
(slight pause)
H: Dickless?
me (trying not to laugh): You mean Douglas?
H: Oh no no, he said he doesn't like to be called that.
Hmmmm ... methinks my daughter is confused.
H: I have another new classmate in school. His name is Duck-less.
me: What?
H: Duck-less.
me: His name is Duckless.
(slight pause)
H: Dickless?
me (trying not to laugh): You mean Douglas?
H: Oh no no, he said he doesn't like to be called that.
Hmmmm ... methinks my daughter is confused.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Katrina causata
It's hard to describe how Lafayette has changed since Katrina. I don't think anyone can really understand the immensity of the exodus that has taken place out of the New Orleans area. Lafayette was a city of about a hundred thousand, maybe a hundred and twenty thousand. Now we are housing tens of thousands of homeless. There are regular evacuees too, most of whom are here to stay. How many people is that, in total? Thirty thousand? Forty? Fifty? More? The traffic we have now is insane.
Yesterday the company I work for made a delivery, and I went along to help because we needed extra manpower for the job, which was to install a fountain in the courtyard of an apartment complex. As we worked, I saw a mother with two young boys sitting in an open doorway, the apartment behind them empty. She looked lost. My boss gave them a hearty Cajun welcome and asked if they were in the process of moving in. She nodded, and he inquired where they were from. "New Orleans," she replied, with a catch in her voice. Only, it was obvious that they had nothing to "move in" but themselves.
I wondered what their lives have been like the last few days. Here they had nothing, but moving into a completely bare apartment was a step up. They were freshly bathed, and probably relieved to be clean. Before we left, her husband returned bearing three small shopping bags. My boss asked if he had a job, and he did, so they are better off than a lot of the other refugees (or, as the press has been calling them the last few days, "evacuees"). The boys were named Walker and John. They didn't seem to have a care in the world - they were having a good ol' time playing catch with a tennis ball. All in this family of four were exceptionally thin.
A couple of nights ago I was tucking Havilah into bed and she started telling me about school. (She refuses to talk about it most of the time. She's crafty - she knows I want to know, so she saves everything until bedtime so I'll stay up with her just a little longer. Of course, I let her get away with it every time!) Anyway, she informed me that she has a new classmate.
"Her name is Kazsawon," she said. (I'm guessing at the spelling. It sounded like 'Ka-zsa-one'. 'Zsa' like Zsa Zsa Gabor, and 'one' like the number.)
"That's a beautiful name," I said, and she nodded. "Do you like her?" She nodded emphatically.
"I think her real name is Kazsa, and the 'won' is because she's the only ONE with that name. Because I think that my teacher said she's never heard that name before and it's a lovely name she said, so I think that's really her name is Kazsa, for Kazsawon because she's the only ONE with that name," she explained. Isn't she cute when she's stalling? (I thought, "Huh. Maybe they should call her 'Havilah-one' at school") She really does enjoy herself at school. When she finally spills the beans, she's so enthusiastic.
Havilah's elementary school has taken on forty extra students since the disaster.
Don't worry, snaars fans, the slow posting is temporary. I'm working on several more. No promises, but check here again Sunday evening.
Yesterday the company I work for made a delivery, and I went along to help because we needed extra manpower for the job, which was to install a fountain in the courtyard of an apartment complex. As we worked, I saw a mother with two young boys sitting in an open doorway, the apartment behind them empty. She looked lost. My boss gave them a hearty Cajun welcome and asked if they were in the process of moving in. She nodded, and he inquired where they were from. "New Orleans," she replied, with a catch in her voice. Only, it was obvious that they had nothing to "move in" but themselves.
I wondered what their lives have been like the last few days. Here they had nothing, but moving into a completely bare apartment was a step up. They were freshly bathed, and probably relieved to be clean. Before we left, her husband returned bearing three small shopping bags. My boss asked if he had a job, and he did, so they are better off than a lot of the other refugees (or, as the press has been calling them the last few days, "evacuees"). The boys were named Walker and John. They didn't seem to have a care in the world - they were having a good ol' time playing catch with a tennis ball. All in this family of four were exceptionally thin.
A couple of nights ago I was tucking Havilah into bed and she started telling me about school. (She refuses to talk about it most of the time. She's crafty - she knows I want to know, so she saves everything until bedtime so I'll stay up with her just a little longer. Of course, I let her get away with it every time!) Anyway, she informed me that she has a new classmate.
"Her name is Kazsawon," she said. (I'm guessing at the spelling. It sounded like 'Ka-zsa-one'. 'Zsa' like Zsa Zsa Gabor, and 'one' like the number.)
"That's a beautiful name," I said, and she nodded. "Do you like her?" She nodded emphatically.
"I think her real name is Kazsa, and the 'won' is because she's the only ONE with that name. Because I think that my teacher said she's never heard that name before and it's a lovely name she said, so I think that's really her name is Kazsa, for Kazsawon because she's the only ONE with that name," she explained. Isn't she cute when she's stalling? (I thought, "Huh. Maybe they should call her 'Havilah-one' at school") She really does enjoy herself at school. When she finally spills the beans, she's so enthusiastic.
Havilah's elementary school has taken on forty extra students since the disaster.
Don't worry, snaars fans, the slow posting is temporary. I'm working on several more. No promises, but check here again Sunday evening.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
K5
This morning Havilah took her first innocent steps, alone, out of the comfort and nurturing sphere of the Snaars den and into the grimy and grubby, foul and feral world of public school kindergarten.
We've been preparing for this for a couple of weeks. We registered her and brought her in for an assessment. We bought supplies - crayons, markers, folders, scissors, modeling clay, nap mat, book bag. We're completely and totally prepared for this - all of us, the whole family. Evil, evil, stupid elementary school!
Tuesday afternoon we got to meet her teacher. She was organized, patient, warm, kindly. She gave us a folder of information and answered all our questions. Her name is Ms. Wiltz and she has 27 years' experience. Evil, evil Ms. Wiltz!
I have noticed so many changes in Havilah this month. She's gotten taller again. Her face has thinned some more. Her vocabulary is ever-increasing, and her thoughts become more and more complex.
This morning, for the first time ever, she allowed Michelle to gather all her hair back in a pony-tail, and she didn't pull it out. She looked just like a little five-year-old grown-up!
Simcha, too, is adjusting, and growing. These two sisters are very attached to one another. Michelle didn't want Simcha to see her Mommy crying as she left one of her two children behind. In the car, Simcha asked Michelle, "We get her later Mommy? We come back later for Havilah?" Not too long ago, she couldn't say her sister's name. She would say "Ha-lala".
I've been rebuking myself all day for not going with them. I should have just come in late to work so I could be with them.
I will still see my daughter for the same amount of time. She will be home before I get home from work every day. So, it's a bigger change for the rest of the family. Still, I can't stop thinking about Havilah in school, and Simcha and Michelle at home. This is a good change. This is a good change. This is a good change. (Sigh.)
We've been preparing for this for a couple of weeks. We registered her and brought her in for an assessment. We bought supplies - crayons, markers, folders, scissors, modeling clay, nap mat, book bag. We're completely and totally prepared for this - all of us, the whole family. Evil, evil, stupid elementary school!
Tuesday afternoon we got to meet her teacher. She was organized, patient, warm, kindly. She gave us a folder of information and answered all our questions. Her name is Ms. Wiltz and she has 27 years' experience. Evil, evil Ms. Wiltz!
I have noticed so many changes in Havilah this month. She's gotten taller again. Her face has thinned some more. Her vocabulary is ever-increasing, and her thoughts become more and more complex.
This morning, for the first time ever, she allowed Michelle to gather all her hair back in a pony-tail, and she didn't pull it out. She looked just like a little five-year-old grown-up!
Simcha, too, is adjusting, and growing. These two sisters are very attached to one another. Michelle didn't want Simcha to see her Mommy crying as she left one of her two children behind. In the car, Simcha asked Michelle, "We get her later Mommy? We come back later for Havilah?" Not too long ago, she couldn't say her sister's name. She would say "Ha-lala".
I've been rebuking myself all day for not going with them. I should have just come in late to work so I could be with them.
I will still see my daughter for the same amount of time. She will be home before I get home from work every day. So, it's a bigger change for the rest of the family. Still, I can't stop thinking about Havilah in school, and Simcha and Michelle at home. This is a good change. This is a good change. This is a good change. (Sigh.)
Thursday, August 11, 2005
March of the Penguins
I took the Michelle and the kidlets to see March of the Penguins Tuesday night. Great film! I had seen it already when D- came to visit, and it was worth watching twice.
The only down side was the previews, which I had forgotten about. Why, in the name of, er, Goodness - (that's an "in" joke, keep up with me here) - why on earth do they show previews that are rated PG before a movie rated G?
"G" means "suitable for 'General' audiences, meaning anyone. "PG" means 'Parental Guidance' is suggested, meaning some parents might not want their kids to see it. Some of this PG stuff is really creepy and scary, for a five-year-old! (Three-year-old Simcha - pronounced Sim-ka - probably wouldn't have cared, had she not snoozed 'til halfway through the film.)
They showed a really scary Harry Potter preview, with very threateningly realistic fire-breathing dragons, magical light-shows, and an old man in robes speaking weighty words of dramatic import. Disorienting camera angles and zooming shots were, well, disorienting, especially given the dramatic music. Havilah had to close her eyes and cover her ears, poor thing. And that wasn't even the worst of it.
Next came a preview for the upcoming Tim Burton movie, "The Corpse Bride". This featured lots of undead - a number of skeletons and a pretty little zombie with a fat green maggot that keeps popping out her eyeball, which she pushes back in while looking around apologetically. She just wants to be loved, after all.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the film. It was Simcha's first. I though she might be frightened to wake up in a completely unfamiliar place, but she was delighted. At the grocery store afterward, we pretended to be penguins, to pass the time.
The only down side was the previews, which I had forgotten about. Why, in the name of, er, Goodness - (that's an "in" joke, keep up with me here) - why on earth do they show previews that are rated PG before a movie rated G?
"G" means "suitable for 'General' audiences, meaning anyone. "PG" means 'Parental Guidance' is suggested, meaning some parents might not want their kids to see it. Some of this PG stuff is really creepy and scary, for a five-year-old! (Three-year-old Simcha - pronounced Sim-ka - probably wouldn't have cared, had she not snoozed 'til halfway through the film.)
They showed a really scary Harry Potter preview, with very threateningly realistic fire-breathing dragons, magical light-shows, and an old man in robes speaking weighty words of dramatic import. Disorienting camera angles and zooming shots were, well, disorienting, especially given the dramatic music. Havilah had to close her eyes and cover her ears, poor thing. And that wasn't even the worst of it.
Next came a preview for the upcoming Tim Burton movie, "The Corpse Bride". This featured lots of undead - a number of skeletons and a pretty little zombie with a fat green maggot that keeps popping out her eyeball, which she pushes back in while looking around apologetically. She just wants to be loved, after all.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the film. It was Simcha's first. I though she might be frightened to wake up in a completely unfamiliar place, but she was delighted. At the grocery store afterward, we pretended to be penguins, to pass the time.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Happy Father's Day
Some friends of ours threw a birthday party for their two-year-old last night. We made new acquaintances. I was relaxed and had good, if light, conversation, which does not always come easily for me. There were lots of kids there so my daughters had a blast.
It was after eight o'clock in the evening, past my daughters' bedtime, when we said our good-byes and headed home. Both Havilah and Simcha were dirty, sweaty, and quite happily exhausted after several hours' play. In the car they occupied themselves with discovering, comparing, and sorting various goodies and candy from their little gift bags, affording Michelle and me time to chat during the short ride home.
"Carlos offered me a cigar tonight," I say.
"I know, Michelle says. "I was afraid you would take it. I was glad to see you kept your promise."
There is a momentary pause. Then I say, "You know, a cigar's not the same thing as a cigarette."
This is the wrong thing to say. But, that's okay because I know that it is wrong. You see, there's a little game Michelle and I play sometimes. It's called Since Everything Is Going So Well And We Are Having Such A Nice Time And We Have A Moment Alone Let Us Now Try To Drive Each Other Insane With Annoyance. (SEIGSWAWAHSANTAWHAMALUNTTDEOIWA for short.) Well, I assume she knows that's the name of the game. We never really discussed it; but that's never stopped us from playing.
Michelle says, with an irritated tone, "Of course I know that."
Aha! I am winning the game! Already she is annoyed, AND she failed to come back with a clever quip to annoy me back. I wonder if she even realizes that we are playing! This gives me the tactical advantage.
I gather my thoughts for the next move. Then I say, in a tone and manner calculated to sound light and off-hand: "I should take up chewing tobacco. That's not smoking."
I can feel her gaze boring into me from the passenger's seat. "Don't you dare."
"Or snuff."
"Oh, please."
"You are not going to do any of those things," she adds.
"You are sssnot going to do sssnuff," she adds further. Now she is catching on!
"Or Cocaine."
"Brrrnt!" Havilah pipes in with her best game-show buzzer immitation. "Wrong answer, Daddy!"
"What did you say," I ask, astounded. She has never talked to me this way before.
"I said, 'Brrrnt! Wrong answer, Daddy!'," she repeats.
The sound of laughter explodes around me. Dammit! I lose. To a five-year-old!
I'm kidding really, I wasn't annoyed at all. I was laughing as hard or harder than everyone else.
What troubles me about the incident was that I said the word "cocaine" in front of my daughters, assuming that they wouldn't know what it was or remember the word afterward. I thought they were occupied with their gift bags and not paying attention to us.
I reason that Havilah said what she did because she's good at reading our non-verbal cues; she probably realized that I was joking, or that Michelle disapproved of what I was saying, or both. Still, I was surprised that she jumped into the conversation as if she knew what we were talking about.
Knowing children, she will reserve the word for a long time, then choose to repeat it at the most embarrasing possible moment.
My younger daughter, Simcha (have I mentioned this more than a hundred times yet?) is about three and a half. She is devilishly smart, but not very verbal. She has a great ability to concentrate; she uses this wonderful talent to focus on everything but what we are saying to her.
First thing this morning, Michelle tells the girls, "Today is Father's day. Wish your father a happy Father's Day - give him a big hug!"
I imagine Simcha heard something like this: "Blah blah father blah blah father. Give him a hug!"
So, she naturally assumed it was time for me to go to work. "Goodbye, Daddy. Goodbye, Daddy," she said sweetly, and gave me a hug.
I work too much.
Maybe one of my Canadian friends can tell me if Father's Day is celebrated there.
Happy Father's Day!
It was after eight o'clock in the evening, past my daughters' bedtime, when we said our good-byes and headed home. Both Havilah and Simcha were dirty, sweaty, and quite happily exhausted after several hours' play. In the car they occupied themselves with discovering, comparing, and sorting various goodies and candy from their little gift bags, affording Michelle and me time to chat during the short ride home.
"Carlos offered me a cigar tonight," I say.
"I know, Michelle says. "I was afraid you would take it. I was glad to see you kept your promise."
There is a momentary pause. Then I say, "You know, a cigar's not the same thing as a cigarette."
This is the wrong thing to say. But, that's okay because I know that it is wrong. You see, there's a little game Michelle and I play sometimes. It's called Since Everything Is Going So Well And We Are Having Such A Nice Time And We Have A Moment Alone Let Us Now Try To Drive Each Other Insane With Annoyance. (SEIGSWAWAHSANTAWHAMALUNTTDEOIWA for short.) Well, I assume she knows that's the name of the game. We never really discussed it; but that's never stopped us from playing.
Michelle says, with an irritated tone, "Of course I know that."
Aha! I am winning the game! Already she is annoyed, AND she failed to come back with a clever quip to annoy me back. I wonder if she even realizes that we are playing! This gives me the tactical advantage.
I gather my thoughts for the next move. Then I say, in a tone and manner calculated to sound light and off-hand: "I should take up chewing tobacco. That's not smoking."
I can feel her gaze boring into me from the passenger's seat. "Don't you dare."
"Or snuff."
"Oh, please."
"You are not going to do any of those things," she adds.
"You are sssnot going to do sssnuff," she adds further. Now she is catching on!
"Or Cocaine."
"Brrrnt!" Havilah pipes in with her best game-show buzzer immitation. "Wrong answer, Daddy!"
"What did you say," I ask, astounded. She has never talked to me this way before.
"I said, 'Brrrnt! Wrong answer, Daddy!'," she repeats.
The sound of laughter explodes around me. Dammit! I lose. To a five-year-old!
I'm kidding really, I wasn't annoyed at all. I was laughing as hard or harder than everyone else.
What troubles me about the incident was that I said the word "cocaine" in front of my daughters, assuming that they wouldn't know what it was or remember the word afterward. I thought they were occupied with their gift bags and not paying attention to us.
I reason that Havilah said what she did because she's good at reading our non-verbal cues; she probably realized that I was joking, or that Michelle disapproved of what I was saying, or both. Still, I was surprised that she jumped into the conversation as if she knew what we were talking about.
Knowing children, she will reserve the word for a long time, then choose to repeat it at the most embarrasing possible moment.
My younger daughter, Simcha (have I mentioned this more than a hundred times yet?) is about three and a half. She is devilishly smart, but not very verbal. She has a great ability to concentrate; she uses this wonderful talent to focus on everything but what we are saying to her.
First thing this morning, Michelle tells the girls, "Today is Father's day. Wish your father a happy Father's Day - give him a big hug!"
I imagine Simcha heard something like this: "Blah blah father blah blah father. Give him a hug!"
So, she naturally assumed it was time for me to go to work. "Goodbye, Daddy. Goodbye, Daddy," she said sweetly, and gave me a hug.
I work too much.
Maybe one of my Canadian friends can tell me if Father's Day is celebrated there.
Happy Father's Day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
