Going to Spain!

So we're going to Spain - well actually we're not - my husband is. His best friend from high school is getting married - in Spain. Marbella actually. We found this out about a year ago - while I was about 5 months prego. I was so excited when we found out - I've never been to Europe before and I really like this couple - so I was looking forward to an amazing wedding in an exotic location and a fabulous trip away from the husband and I.

Well - when I was getting so excited - I guess I forgot who I married. My husband has issues with noise and with - I don't know the right word - but bringing a 7 month old on a plane to a foreign country w/ a major time change -even thinking about it - makes him want to tear his eyes out and step on them.

So, he's going to Spain and I - well I am staying home alone with my 7 month old.

Yes, that sucks, and yes, I am upset - I had been making plans to go since we had heard that they were engaged.

And let me be clear - since my husband and I have been together - heading on 10 years now - this is his second trip to Europe to see this same friend that he's made - and the second trip that I won't be included in. No - he's not awful and horrible - but he can't get past bringing her on the plane and dealing w/ her sleeping habits and the time change. And - its expensive - not that his plane ticket, hotel room, expenses, and new black suit and shoes were/are going to be cheap, but another plane ticket on top of it would have put it over the top. But there in lies the rub - its not that we can't afford it - it would make things tight around here for a while - but it would have been so exciting...I mean we're talking Spain here!

Anyway - I guess I need to get over it and move on - but here I am still thinking about it and he's leaving in 5 days...I guess I've got some more time.

Balance

So I love this idea of work-life balance. Don't get me wrong - I don't see myself as the type of woman who could stay home full-time - nothing wrong with it - I just don't think it fits my personality - but I still think that there is a point of balance that can be achieved. I think that a lot of women I know have it - I don't seem to.

I am trying to figure out how you can balance your life - when you spend - 8-10 hours a day at work/commuting and then you come home - but you can't relax when you come home because you have a husband and a child at home who want/need your attention. Specifically - once I get home I have about 1 and 1/2 hours w/ my daughter before she falls asleep - time that I should be spending w/ her so that she doesn't begin to think that her grandmother and the "daycare" lady are her "real" moms.

That being said - once I have gone through the task of getting her to sleep, finally get some dinner and have time to do me things - its' 8:30. So now - I go to be around 10 - I have 1 and 1/2 hours of time to do things that I need to do.

And what I NEED to do and what I want or end up doing are 2 different things. I need to clean my bathroom and scrub the tub, I need to iron my work clothes for the next day, drop off my dry cleaning and go grocery shopping. I need to pick up the books at the library and plan the weekend for my daughter. I need to call back some friends and make plans, I need to get a workout in.

I wind up watching t.v or blogging or posting to Mom's boards on the computer. I have no balance. I want to be working out, and besides the bad back the other draw away from the treadmill is - the t.v.

T.V. is great - but it also sucks - it is sucking the brain right out of my head. How many seasons of America's Next Top Model can I watch before I decide that it sucks. How many episodes of General Hospital do I need to watch (on TIVO of course) before I decide that I don't care if Emily and Nicolas wind up together...

I have these dreams of being an intellectual - but in reality I am a crap t.v watcher. No wonder the advertising business is so huge!

Yeah!

So, darling daughter slept through the WHOLE night last night. Yep - from 7:30 is or so to 7:00am - and that was w/ a feeding at 6:30am - she ate and slept right through it. My DH said that she was still asleep when they went to leave - so he put her in the carseat and took her to our daycare lady's house in her PJ's.

So -that's the good news!

The bad news - well...not sure I am happy w/ my job right now - things just aren't what I want them to be - so right after I finish this I am going to apply for another job w/in my company - but something that will bring me back to my education roots of public policy...we'll see... wish me luck...

Dating Again

So, we had a husband/wife playdate today - it went really well, but it underscored the difficulty of finding friends in the same spot in their lives as you are. I thought it was difficult enough to find couple friends where both my husband and I liked both of the members of the other couple, but now we need couple friends who have kids...just that much more difficult.

Finding another couple with a child is a lot like dating - you have to meet the person - get their attention and their number (in order to set up a play date, or other meeting), etc...it is eerily like dating - which I never liked and never want to have to do again.

Anyway - this "date" went well - we both had a good time and I hope we'll see them again...but - how long do you wait for them to call?

Nail Clipping on the Train

I have another pet peeve - personal grooming in public spaces. Today I was on the train coming home and the guy sitting in front of me (face forward) was clipping his fingernails.

All I have to say is GROSS! What on earth would possess someone to do that in public? I can't imagine what it would take for me to want to clip my nails in public, let alone to do it. I mean I am a mother of a (almost) 6 month old, I work full time, just finished applying to a 2nd Master's program, am trying to start my own business, etc. and I still find the time to do my personal grooming at home...nuff said!

The Photo Shoot

So, darling baby girl had her first "professional" photo shoot this weekend. I use the term photo shoot sarcastically - as it was done by a young girl - all of about 17 and she was anything but professional. As she was getting the large bean bag ready for Reese her butt crack was hanging out in in full view of both my husband and I. Had that been it I probably wouldn't have been so negative about the shoot, but she just had an utter lack of professionalism from beginning to end. The only bright spot was the other employee who helped us pick out our pictures. She was much more professional and really seemed to know her job which we appreciated. But all in all - we weren't really happy w/ our experience at the famed "Picture People"...we might go try Sear's next time as I have heard really good things about their photo studio. Although what I really want is to have a photographer come to the house once she starts to crawl and catch her in action...expensive - but oh so cute!!

However, the pictures came out well. So - all in all I guess it wasn't that bad...

Mornings with Baby Girl

So, baby girl decided that she wanted to wake up early today - which means of course that Mom doesn't get to sleep in. Since I'm Mom - that means that I am tired and now that she is napping, I can't make myself fall asleep. People always say to sleep while she is sleeping - I wish it were that easy. If I could just make myself fall asleep I would get a lot more sleep, but unfortunately, by the time she actually falls asleep, I am awake and thinking of the 100 things that I haven't had time to do.

Like right now - she was just sleeping - long enough for me to eat a granola bar and start typing this, but....you guessed it - I just saw the eyes pop open!! I guess that 15 minutes is enough for her this morning.

Which is probably good, because I was watching My Super Sweet 16 while I was eating my granola bar and - WOW that show is horrible. If people really treat their kids like that they should be investigated by DYFS - or whatever the agency is called in their city - some of this crap is unbelievably bad parenting. I feel bad for these kids.

Anyway - I've admitted to another guilty pleasure - I like to watch what my mother calls "crap" t.v.

Got to run, baby girl is smiling at me and I can't pass up her smiles...