Shiny Bubble

I thought that it was time to introduce my family (pseudonyms of course). My husband Raj is the greatest guy. I always say that I must have done something great in my former life to deserve him. William, my oldest son is 11 years old and quite the tween. He's really into playing the guitar and has sophisticated taste in music. When he grows up he wants to play for the Yankees and be a rock star - good luck with that Will! My daughter Elizabeth is a budding tween and is turning 9 early next week. She is the family artist and a huge animal lover - hence our 3 dogs, Chloe, Zeek, and Zoey. Elizabeth can't decide if she wants to be an artist, an actress, or work in a pet store. Benjamin, my baby, is 6. He's the family comedian and a real charmer. His favorite sport is soccer and when he grows up he wants to be a "ventor" (inventor) - he actually has some very clever ideas.

I had a great meal last night in NYC at Sfoglia. A recently divorced and aging pop-star was there with her new Brazilian boy toy and groupies. She gave Raj a wave and a smile which was a bit disappointing considering that they are business colleagues. Just last week the pop-star and Raj were having lunch, not together, but at the same restaurant. She came from behind and planted a huge kiss on his cheek and made a big deal about how great it was to see him, blah,blah, blah. Last night this pop-star was clearly on a mission. She commanded the table of her younger Brazilian groupies much like an older sibling from your father's first marriage would do (they were from his 3rd or 4th, you get the picture). She needed their 20 something year-old approval of her 50 year-old self. No doubt she was preaching, something I recall her asking her papa not to do in the 80's.

We went skiing over MLK weekend in Woodstock, Vermont. We stayed at the Woodstock Inn where we meet up for dinner with some friends who have homes in the area. The kids were all rambunctious from sitting in the car for four hours and, they were beyond excited to be in VT together with their friends. There were 8 kids in all and aside from them getting yelled at a few times from the guests in the room next door - you can imagine 8 children literally bouncing off the walls and on the beds in a small hotel room - all went well. The adults were naturally enjoying a night cap down the hall.


The last time I went skiing I conceived William - that was 12 years ago. I was never big on skiing buy I did enjoy our once a year trip out west and a trip to Mount blanc. I'm what you would call a cautious skier. I don't like to fall, and heights freak me out a bit. I have also had a few "incidents" with the lifts that were embarrassing at best. I once fell off of a t-bar lift in Italy and rather then letting go I hung on for dear life just so I wouldn't have to do it all over again. Fortunately, Raj was behind me and caught my run-away ski. That was the same trip that we met a "doctor" by the fire in the ski lodge. Let's just say that the "aspirin" he gave me worked. It took away all my aches and pains and I was out skiing again the next day, after taking another "aspirin" of course. I don't buy the "doctor" line any more.... thankfully, we didn't need a "doctor" on our Vermont trip - just a little acetaminophen for the morning after headaches that coincidentally all of the adults suffered from.

We all had a blast skiing. Benjamin was in true form barreling straight down the mountain shouting "yeah baby," and Will and Elizabeth valiantly kept up with their more experienced friends. We returned home with only a few minor bruises and with all 3 children declaring their love of VT and their need of more cold vacations.

Will had his 5th grade D.A.R.E. (Drugs and Alcohol Resistance Education) graduation ceremony this week. Our family recently moved from the private school sector to public school and I have to say that I continue to be blown away by the school. I honestly had no idea what to expect from the public school. I have read and heard what a great school system our community has but, I still remained skeptical. Admittedly, I am guilty of getting caught up in the elitism of private school. It was like being inside a perfect shiny bubble separated from those who are not part of the club. The school campus is breathtakingly beautiful, and it should be considering the time they spend on fundraising. Our children's' new school may not be beautiful on the outside, but it is incredibly beautiful on the inside. The administration and faculty are genuine. They celebrate a child's strengths and encourage them to strengthen their weaknesses. I look into my children's' eyes and I see a change. They have been liberated - they no longer have to conform to a school's unrealistic ideals. They can be themselves, they can venture outside of "the box" without being ridiculed - they can actually feel good about it. Greatness comes to those who are willing to be different, to those who take risks and explore. Our shiny bubble popped - and not a moment to soon.

I can't sign off today without mentioning our new president, President Obama. His inaugural speech was beautifully written and humbly delivered. President Obama has a very tall charge before him and I am hopeful that we will see better days.

Have a great weekend!

Post Holiday

I made it through the first week back to school after the holidays, but not without a few glitches... We had 2 stomach bugs - one of which included projectile vomiting and diarrhea, my precor exercise machine broke down, and my oldest son had a very impressive bloody nose that made a Hansel and Gretel like trail through the house. Joy! Not exactly the calm, productive week that I had hoped for.


In spite of the fact that my precor is not working, I did manage to exercise. I did my usual running, and I got back to playing tennis after a two week hiatus. I had a fun doubles match with KB, HO, and DM. After about 10 minutes of criticizing ourselves for our holiday debauchery (which, by the way, I thoroughly enjoyed - the debauchery not the criticism!) we had a great game. I'm an okay tennis player. I play for the social aspect more than anything else. Being a stay-at-home mom can at times be lonely, so I try to make an effort to get out of the house for some "adult" conversation. Tennis, for me, is a great away to stay in touch with friends. My tennis goal, if I had to state one, is to be good enough to accept an invitation to play tennis without totally humiliating myself -and, I think I'm almost there. I'm a USTA member but, I haven't acquired enough self confidence yet to play competitively. I fear that I will have an "off day" or an "off shot" and disappoint my partner... some of these women are just so competitive that it is scary. I'm just too nice to compete (a character flaw that I must work on?). Regardless, it was a pleasure playing with a nice group of women. I was doubles partners with HO. She is a complete riot. I had one of my "off shots" and apologized to her. She responded by saying "Please, I'll accept a bottle of wine, I'll accept an invitation to tennis and lunch but, I will not accept an apology." Hallelujah! You go HO!! (ha ha)


On to the kids...one of our stomach bugs required a visit to the pediatrician. My 6 year-old, who has been sick off and on for the last few weeks, went to the nurse's office the other day because apparently his cousin's shoe lace accidentally hit him in the eye during recess (you gotta love it!.) While explaining the shoe lace incident to the nurse, he projectile vomited. It was described by the nurse as a "running faucet." Because he had been having recurrent viruses and because of the intensity in which he vomited, I took him to the doctors. Naturally, by the time we had our appointment my son was feeling much better. He was quite chatty, so chatty that the doctor asked him to stop interrupting (in her defense it was the end of the day and, he was quite irritating.) Fortunately, by the end of the appointment, my son redeemed himself. The doctor made a reference to my son's hiney, and my sweet little boy said "I don't have a hiney, I have a penis." What a hoot! It was said with such conviction and with complete innocence. At the end of a long tiring day, there is nothing better than these precious moments to remind me of just how lucky I am to have children in my life.

I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I didn't have children. I know that I would travel more, I'd be current for the Oscars, I'd go to the theatre more often, I have no doubt that there would be a lot less bathroom talk around the house, of course I would worry less and , I would probably remember to look in the mirror before leaving the house (sounds like retirement!). There is a loss of innocence that comes with having children (and certainly with losing one). Your whole world changes. Your priorities are no longer your own, which I think is a good thing and you become completely responsible for another human beings existence - an awesome responsibility that somehow we all manage to handle. For me, life with children became very regimented. Everything has a time assigned to it. I could no longer do as I pleased - no spontaneous movies, no late night walks in the city. I actually can't even remember what it was like to have that kind of freedom that I once had, it seems like another lifetime... in a way I guess it was. Last night I came across an old photograph of me and my husband. It was taken at the end of 1989, almost 20 years-ago. We looked so young and, yes, so innocent. I don't mind the loss of innocence as I am much wiser for it and, I even don't mind the worry lines that are beginning to show - I have earned everyone of them! It wasn't easy for me to have my 3 children. I have been pregnant 6 times, two ended in miscarriages, one in a neonatal death and, then thankfully 3 wonderful healthy babies. I wouldn't change a thing, even if it meant that I would be current on Oscar night. That is what retirement is for.

Anyway, please stay tuned as I work through the glitches of writing a blog. And, please comment if you can. For those of you who have had difficulties getting access to my blog or posting comments, hang in there as I am trying to figure out what the problem is.

Have a great week!

Today is my first posting. I am starting this blog as my New Year's resolution. Normally I don't make a New Year's resolution. I've always believed that if you need to make a change or to improve yourself, there is no time like the present - you don't need a new year to change. However, this year, I've made an exception.

When people ask me what I do I often hear myself saying "I'm a pseudo writer." I actually am a writer - I just don't get paid, at least not in recent years. As a stay-at-home mom I have found it to be nearly impossible to find time to sit down and write. And, if I do have the time I inevitably have a block. For whatever reason, It seems as though my creative juices flow best at night as I lie awake in bed, which I have to admit is not the most convenient of times. I promise myself each night that I will remember to write down all of my wonderful story ideas the second I awake. Unfortunately, the second I awake all that I can think about is that first cup of delicious hot coffee waiting to be drunk and the 3 million things I have on my "To Do" list for the day. So, all of those wonderful story ideas have been long forgotten. Pathetic isn't it?

This blog, I promise, wont be your stereo-typical housewife whining and complaining about her privileged life, but rather about expressing my ideas and feelings, and sharing experiences that many of you may relate to. As a stay-at-home mom I have paid my dues...all of my children go to school full-time - a real feat in the world of motherhood. I have as they say, seen the light!! This is why I have made an exception to having a New Year's resolution for 2009. I want to write and it is through this blog that I will express my thoughts.

A bit about me. I've given birth to four beautiful children - two girls and two boys, I have a great husband, 3 dogs, and a bearded dragon (not my idea). The reason I say "given birth to" is because my first child, a precious baby girl died shortly after birth. It's a long and sad story, one that I don't regret and that I will share in a future blog. My children are 11, almost 9, and 6 years-old. Our dogs, Chloe, Zeek and Zoey, are the children I would have like to have had, if I had not had my tubes tied (I get pregnant way to easily).

I am thrilled to begin writing 3 Kids and a Dog...Plus 2, it has been a long time coming. I have lots to say, and I hope that you will return again and again to read my postings.

Happy New Year,

Czzy