Random Pix
05
Jun, 2009
Going, Going... Gone
My one and only baby girl is turning two tomorrow. In some ways, these two years have flown by but for the most part, it has been a long journey to the place of big-girldom. If there’s anything I am as a mother, it is honest. Most would say too honest, but I think it’s important. I’m really glad the baby days are over and that’s the truth! Pthhhh!
The high chair is GONE! The crib is gone (well, almost gone… it’s in the garage and listed on Craigslist)! All in the same week my girl decided to jump out of her crib, stand up in her high chair and she even pee-peed in the potty three times! My little baby is a “big girl” now and I’m feeling emotions of, well, honestly? JOY! I will openly admit to not being a baby person. Women and moms especially are usually afraid to admit this because it makes you look like a “bad mother” to say you don’t care for babies as you’re holding one that is suckling off your breast. But I find it funny that moms are often first in line to talk about how much they dread the teenage years or the terrible twos. Yes, babies are cute (most are) and it seems a little evil to say, “I don’t like babies” but I’m into honesty. Babies are not my thing.
NOW, this being said, don’t take this to mean that I didn’t like MY baby! I totally dug her in a motherly kind of way, but doing the baby day to day was nothing short of mind numbing to me and if I didn’t have full-time help, I’m pretty sure I would have checked into the looney bin at least a year and a half ago.
Every time I heard, “Enjoy them while they’re babies. It goes fast,” I thought to my self, “Not fast enough.” Does this sound harsh? Am I going to Mommy Hell? Quite possibly, but even though I didn’t love the baby days, my daughter seems to be turning into a lovely little person.
Now that I have a toddler, I’m finding that people LOVE to warn you about the “terrible twos” and how the threes and fours are even worse. While the tantrum thing is a reality in my household now, I find it so much easier to deal with than a 10 pound person who only knows one word for everything (“WAHHH!”) and can’t even hold up her own head. That was far more frustrating and exhausting than laying my fit-throwing toddler in the middle of the living room floor and walking away from her and going about my business until she’s ready to behave like a big girl. I guess the big difference is that I know exactly why my two year old is crying and with an infant, it was a lot of guessing and failing. And a lot more crying around the clock.
But now that I have my big girl, who eats real people food, can talk in full sentences, walk and run and all the cool stuff that two year olds do, now is when I would like to freeze her in time and keep her little and adorable. Snuggly and silly. Constantly learning and exploring. She is so beautiful and fun and I know the day will come when I’m just not cool anymore. When she’ll look at me and roll her eyes. When she asks me to drop her off a block away so no one sees her with her lame-o mother. When she will just want me to leave her alone. So for now, I am enjoying my toddler while she is still my baby girl. I love having a “kid” and I know it will go fast.
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Tags: Amy Anderson • babies • growing up • post partum • terrible twos • toddlers
01
Jun, 2009
Baxter, MN - Land of 10,000 Yawns
Hi Ho!
I’m in the beautiful town of Baxter, MN. This is where my parents live and I have come up to visit with them and help them out around the house while my dad recovers from a hip replacement surgery. While I’m glad to be here for them, sitting indoors most of the day made me realize how active I am. I’m not very good at sitting still unless it’s in a movie theater or there is food going into my mouth. My parents’ house is not a movie theater, but there are donuts and chips here. There will be running and swimming when I return to SoCal. Like a big dummy, I forgot my running shoes and have only gotten out for short walks.
SO, I am feeling a bit lethargic and doughy. I can’t stop yawning! It’s really weird feeling this way because I’m so used to chasing around a toddler and/or trying to get one million things done before she wakes up or after she goes to bed. Life moves fast in the Anderson house. The Anderson house in L.A., that is. Things are a little slower post-hip replacement here at the Anderson house in Baxter.
I have done such exciting things as: prepare meals, wash dishes, clean up cat barf, clean up cat barf, prepare meals, wash dishes, take out the trash, clean up cat barf, brush the cat, fill the bird feeder, prepare meals and wash dishes. It’s all part of being here, for now.
Also, this is not the town I grew up in. My parents retired here a few years ago and it’s a little, uh, rural for my taste. These are some pictures from my outing to the lovely mall today. Enjoy. This truck has so many things going on, I’m not really sure where to look: the Confederate flag, a Jesus fish, 2 McCain bumper stickers, 2 Marriage = (stick man) + (stick woman) bumper stickers, the side window has an American flag with an eagle on it and the license is a Vietnam vet plate. LOTS going on!
I’ll be home a few days and then I’ll be getting ready for my daughter’s 2nd birthday party! Yo Gabba Gabba theme! WOO-HOO! I can’t wait! I hope you are all having a fun and productive week… yawn.
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Tags: Amy Anderson. hip surgery • family • Minnesota • parents
20
May, 2009
My Dinner With Aubrey
It has been a long week of my nanny being on vacation and my ex being out of town, simultaneously. This leaves Amy to do it all by herself and if you were in the same restaurant as me and my 23 month old daughter this past Friday night, my most heartfelt apologies go out to you.
In twenty days I will have a two year old. AHHHHH! So many milestones in the last two years – first steps, first words, first “I love you mommy.” And to think only three years ago, if you told me I would be a single mom, living in the Valley I would have laughed in your face and run you over with my two-seater convertible. Well, time certainly marches on and this past Friday, my little Aubrey and I hit another milestone, together. A BIG one.
For the first time ever, I had to take her out of a public place for throwing a tantrum, and go home. I was enjoying a casual dinner at a restaurant with a friend and her older girls (10 & 13) and everything was going great. Food was ordered, beer was delivered and Aubrey was happily snacking away in her high chair, playing with the big girls. Then, chaos ensued…
NOW, to Aubrey’s credit, I’ve determined that it wasn’t actually a temper tantrum. I believe she went berserk from a sore mouth (2 year molars?). She bit into something that really hurt her and she just couldn’t bounce back from it. My little angel let out a series of blood curdling screams that made every head in the restaurant turn and stare, jaws agape, sneering looks. My friend’s daughter even covered her ears. It really was loud.
Take out number one. Exit to the sidewalk for some calming down and walking around. Once the crying subsided, I returned to the restaurant, put her back in her high chair and the screaming fired up again. Take out number two.
Cut to return to the restaurant a second time… I tried to get Aubrey to sit on my lap, to let me take a bite of food, but she wasn’t having it. We moved across the small restaurant to an empty table and she did finally relax, but not enough to stay. My friend kindly brought me my beer and my dinner in a to go container, packed up my diaper bag and brought it to me and after chugging half of my beer, I hit the trail for home. I was bummed since I was REALLY hungry but more importantly, I had to leave half a beer.
Five minutes later, at home, my child was happy as a clam – playing nicely and watching Noggin. She even let me sit down and finish my dinner. This was all new and it really did suck, but I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t be one of those people who drags their kid everywhere and forces the whole world to deal with their unpleasantness. I chose to have the child, I will be the one to deal with her unpleasantness and it is my job to teach her how to behave in public. All toddlers throw tantrums or act inappropriately in public at times, but the parents and caretakers have to remember who is in control, even if it means sacrificing a meal and time with a friend. This is simply my opinion. I get that there are many schools of thought on the matter, but can’t we all agree that no one wants to listen to screaming in a public place? While I do have more sympathy for parents out in public with surly toddlers than I did in my pre-mommy days, I still think they need to pack it up and go at a certain point. PLEASE!
Cut to 9:10pm. I started writing this earlier in the day during my daughter’s nap, but wasn’t able to finish until now. My daughter is in bed, recharging her toddler battery, dreaming of pony rides and Yo Gabba Gabba. We had another nutty day today, as Aubrey is trying to decide whether or not she wants to be a one or two nap-a-day girl. Makes for some crazy behavior in the evenings and I just got done cleaning pee off my kitchen floor. Half a bottle of wine awaits me. Later skaters!
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Tags: Amy Anderson • Aubrey
