Point and Shoot Portraits

Saturday I finally had waited long enough for the 'family' portraits. J would always say he's not paying someone to take cheesy photos of us. He could do it himself. Well, our camera (the good one) is 8 years old, and in this day and age that means practically "VINTAGE" so at the best of times it struggles. We have also lost the battery charger for the camera so it's sitting in the nice camera bag with the nice lenses, collecting dust.

We went to Great Falls Historical Park, not to be confused with Great Falls National Park, which is on the other side of the Potomac River. Of course this was an impromptu kind of thing and no one was dressed in photo attire, mostly me! I had the biggest bulkiest sweater on you can imagine, I swear I looked at least halfway through a pregnancy. It was awful. Our four year old, being four, smiles so big, he has no eyes and is all mouth. Rory, loved getting her picture taken. Smiling, wide, half smile, tilt head left, right. She was a ham. J, just kept making faces. It wasn't exactly what I hoped for. Then again, when you have a point and shoot camera on top of a big tripod, can you really expect nice photos? Out of a hundred photos, one, which I cropped in ALOT (to hide my bloated belly, and no I'm not pregnant!). It will work to document we are indeed a family.

Halloween

Halloween this year was held at a friends home. They just moved into their new house and we helped them break it in for Halloween. The kids has a great time. B was a firefighter and R was a witch. They got loads of candy, and traded it all in for a toy. I love doing this, but realised this year that I could no longer just 're-gift' the candy to on coming trick or treaters. Living in the apartment, there weren't any trick or treaters except the ones we knew were coming. This leaves me with a big bag of candy and probably five pound on my waist to gain. Can't wait for that. I could just throw it away, but the candy lover in me has a real hard time doing that.

Our sweet little Sugar, who has been growing like a weed, has gotten sick. Today it's been five days of diarrhea and blood oozing from her poor swollen butt. One vet gave her de-wormer, which caused her intestines to be agitated. Second opinion, she's got colitis, third opinion, some infection. Poor 14oz baby, she's gotten two subcutaneous infusions of fluid, de-wormer, probiotics and now antiobiotic. I am really hoping something works soon, or else I'm coming at her with the Kaopectate.

I have started working on writing my novel, this being November and all. In the month of november there is a little gathering of writers called NaNoWriMo. (national novel writing month) and we all try very hard to get to 50,000 in 30 days. I have not succeeded the two previous years but now I am a stay at home gal, there should be NO EXCUSE. Of course, I am now blogging instead of writing. By the end of tonight I should be at 6700 words, but it's 830 and I'm only at 5080. Got a little work ahead of me. I can do it. Well at least this year I should get closer than the the 3000 I got the first year and the 7000 I got the second year. Third times a charm, right?!

Calm

Its a funny thing to be calm, not constantly looking for the next thing. For the first time in my life, that I can remember I am not thinking 'we can do this, after we finish that' My parents always called spinny and I can still her my Grandma saying "Settle down, Corinna" I've never felt settled. Maybe it's an adoption thing, maybe I have ADD, maybe I'm a Third Culture Kid wannbe, but calm and quiet and settled I am not. My life has always been dictated by, "when I am done highschool" "when I finish nursing school" "when I get a job" "when I move out on my own" "when the baby is born" "when JC gets a job" "when JC finishes law school", I'll be more settled.

It's happened, I am settled. Even with our pending move and moves, and job changes etc... I am so calm. I am NOT looking forward or backward, I am just seeing what's here and now. I really am enjoying it. Everyday just is. I feel like for the first time, I can breathe. I am not constantly thinking about what's going to happen, what I am going to do once this thing does happen. I am living presently. It is so freeing.

I am so proud of my Dhaka J, working so hard at learning Bangla. He is amazingly dedicated to doing the best job he can. I have always know J is driven, but seeing him in job that means so much to him, makes me so happy. I love seeing him working towards this goal. I love that the Foreign Service is our life now, and that J has a fulfilling career. He is awesome.

What's happening lately, R and J Dhaka, went camping in last weekend. It had been so cold the night before they left, I was nervous for them, but it turn out to be a very warm evening and they had a lovely time. That left the B and me, home alone. We had a nice time playing at the park with friends E & O. Then we went for dinner with them as well. The next day, he and I went to the American History museum, where B refused to see the exhibit on the first ladies dresses. I tried to drag him (literally) through it, but he planted his feet and said NO WAY, that's for girls! Many people watching us, got a kick out of it for sure. I got to see Julia Childs Kitchen, which was awesome. B had fun playing in the kids areas. Of course we hit the gift shop on the way out. OHHH shiny! I got a book on the Great American Citizenship Test. My study guide to becoming American. (I finally finished the application, now I just have to mail it in, sometime before the raise the cost again.)

Life as SAHM

Ok, so I have never been a SAHM before so this is new to me. I seem to get one part of the program right at a time. If I ever get it all together at one time, then it must be that I am in Bangladesh with a cook/housekeeper, nanny and driver. When I first started out, I got meal planning down to a science, I had a chart on the fridge. Ok so it didn't go exactly as planned but all the meals were cooked just not on the correct day, one wasn't even on the right week. Cooking has never been my strong suit.

Laundry, well that's another story. I washed something blue with the whites.... never found said blue thing, but the whites were obviously tinted. Most everything gets washed and put away on the same day, which is a vast improvement from when I worked full time. The kids have to sort and put away their own clothes, which helps get the job done.

Shlepping kids around. In the mornings we make lunches full of healthy choices, sandwich, fruit, whole grain snack, water. Then walk to the bus. We have NEVER missed the bus! Ok so three times we almost missed the bus, and one time our friend Jane, ran down the street to stop the bus, so we wouldn't miss it. Yippee, we haven't missed the bus yet! Then it's back to the apt. so I can drive B to pre-school three days a week. So I missed parent-teacher day, at pre-school, but I didn't miss R's. It's not the important anyway, right? On Mondays, R has piano lessons, Tuesdays she had Tennis, and Thursday she has sculpture class. I am thankful that two of those classes are held at school, after school. I only have to worry about getting her to piano at 4 pm when school doesn't let out until 345.

Baking, this I am really getting good at. We have mini muffins and cookies and brownies and whatever other yummy things I can find to make. I bake something at least 4 times a week. Pat on the back for me! And an extra pound on my butt as well.

Homework and Chores.... R is good, she comes home from school and eats a snack. Then it's down to homework. There isn't too much, so it takes all of 10 mins. I am happy we have stayed on course, and the homework gets done immediately after school without many meltdowns. Chores were causing some trouble, so I made a chart! The kids have a list of chores of which they can choose two to do everyday. The get a star for every day they did their chores without grumbling about it. Since there are 7 days in a week, I chose to give them 25 cents for every star, and if they get a full week of stars they get an extra 25 cents for an even $2 allowance per week. Last week worked out well. This week is going ok, not as well but ok.

1000 sq feet gets messy in like 5 seconds. Try as I might, the place can't stay clean for more than ten mins. Even when both kids are gone, it gets cluttered just looking at it. Oh well, it keeps me busy picking up all the time. At least the weather is nice most of the time and I can get the kids out of the apt to the park or library most days. B and I go to play group on Wednesday mornings as well.

Fun crafty mom time in the evening with TV and glass of wine. I have been hand sewing on patches to R and B's wool camp blankets. They have been collecting patches from all the national parks. It's very cute on the blanket. I also am trying to knit. I have got a whole 9 or 10 rows done. Fantastic! At this rate I will have a shawl by our next post, where I might need one, rather than in Bangladesh where it's too hot for one.

I think I am getting the role of stay at home mom down. I really like it. I might not be the best at it, but I love being around for my family. J and I got to go out for lunch last week too. That was great. Hopefully we can do that more often when the kids are in school. I did go to a class this week on how to raise resilient kids in the foreign service. It was nice to see some grown up FS kids who were mature, and well spoken. I think this life will be good for our kids.

Small and Fluffy is NOT shiny.... only a little

After a great three days of avoiding shiny things, life got the better of me. I did not earn a star on my chart on Friday even though I did NOT spend money. Then, 'why no star' you ask? Well to craigslist my eyes did go, to the pet section. OH NO, not the pet section.... danger danger! There was an ad for bottling feeding kitten. I couldn't resist. I emailed the ad and was off to collect, said kitten by 11 in the am.

Such a sad story. the barn cat had kittens and the girl said they seemed fine on the birthday, with mama cat. Then she went back to check on them 2 days later only to find a nest of dead kittens except for 2. One was very far gone and only lasted a couple of hours but the other was strong and did well. That is the kitten. It needs my NICU expert help. I am now bottle feeding the little 4 oz creature every 2-3 hours during the day, and once at night. It is so tiny, smaller than the newborn kitten our grey cat had. It's about 9 days old, eye fused and ears closed. Ok so I gave into my whim, but it needs me.

We went hiking yesterday, kitten in tow, to Sugarloaf Mountain. Very pretty. The kids had lots of fun climbing rocks and watching rock climbers.

Cost of working...or not.

Well I was informed yesterday by the Virginia board of nursing that I need this other independent company to review my education. So I look them up and it cost $400 for them to review this information. Funny how my education was good enough to get me here, pass the NCLEX and be a safe practicing nurse in New Zealand, Canada, California, South and North Carolina, Colorado and Washington State. You'd think that in itself would be enough. BUT no. So that means, I pay the money so I can work in Virginia, for the 6 months we will be here, in order to by all those shiny things I want.

I have decided that life is trying to tell me, that I need to work on my 'shopping' problem. That this is the time I should really get down to work on my addiction to shiny things. OK, who really needs these things anyway. IPAD, Canon camera, pretty armchair, pasta maker for kitchen aid, dresses, shoes, manicures and pedicures.... I don't NEED them. I probably don't even want them. Right???? Ipads are overrated, I have a camera, they will have furniture in my home in Bangladesh, and pasta is full of carbs.

I can do this. I even made a chart for myself. Its right beside the kids chore chart. It's called Mommy's Good Behavior Chart, and every day I don't buy something shiny, I get a star! How exciting.... how many stars can I get! So far, I have 1. I'm sure I will lose interest in 3 stars, but I have to try.

Wish me luck on my saving money, not spending money adventures. I can do it! I know I can! Even typing that makes me ill a little bit, anxious about never just going out and buying whatever I want. Just remember to breathe, in through the nose, out through the mouth.... whew. It's all going to be ok!

Talent Plus!

I, apparently, am talented enough to work in the NICU in Virginia Hospital Center. I am so thankful, it only took 4 interviews and a drug test to prove this. I really like staying home and I would rather not work, but when one stays home, one never really stays home. Meaning, I spend too much. Surprised, aren't you. None of you would actually believe I could spend too much money, especially on 'shiny' stuff. Ok Ok, I know.... I am easily entertained by the shiny things in life, and usually those things cost money. I have now decided that I am making a list, and only the things on the list (that are shiny, of course) will be bought. There are no rules to the list, mind you. I can add to list at any time, and the list will be in my IPOD which is with me at all times. SO, none of you have to worry, what might happen to me, if I come across something shiny and it's not on the list. I simply take out the ipod and add it too the list. I do not have to buy the items in order, they can be randomly purchased at my discretion. Happiness is a list!

We have had a nice time this week. The kids are settled in school. Parent teacher conference went well. R is brilliant. This is not the exact words her teacher used, but I understand they are instructed not to use such grand words in describing children. I know when she said, R has "strong" skills in reading and math, she means she is brilliant. I am sticking with that story. The teach is awesome, and R loves her. This is what really matters. B is loving his little preschool. The teachers love him and tell me all the time, what a wonderful, sweet and loving little boy I have. I wonder sometimes if they are mistaking him for some other boy in the class. He is ruff and tumble and all physical, demanding and loud. Sweet, quiet and gentle, are not words I would use to describe him, but I'll take it. If they love him, I am happy my boy knows how to behave in the company of others. whew...

Wednesday nights are play night. The children have friends over and I have friends over. It's nice, glasses of wine and snacks while the kids run around the 1000 sq ft we call home. I did have to get the furniture people to bring a bigger table, with more chairs. It's a fun Wednesday night tradition.

Daddy's birthday is this week, so this past Sat. night I decided to get a babysitter and go out for dinner. Another two couple joined us, and we all enjoyed a night at the Melting Pot. Fondue Fun for everyone. Didn't really think about how long it would take to fondue.... since you have to cook your own food, I should have realized, but it was a 'shiny' idea and who really thinks things through. Our poor babysitter, she was so tired. We got home an hour and half later than I thought. Bad form. Oh well, after an apologetic letter to her mother, R's teacher, who I was worried would stop thinking R was brilliant, it was ok and she offered to babysit again. Whew again.

Forgot to mention, one of my shiny purchases was a small digital piano. R is going to start lessons sometime this month, and is very excited. She has already learned chopsticks, thanks to me. I guess since I taught her the song, I will have to endure it.