Friday, February 13, 2009
Martyr's Day
As I mentally prepared my schedule for this week, it struck me that my life has become portable. I no longer need to be home to get most of my work done. I just need to be stationary for stretches of time. My mobile phone, blackberry, and laptop allow me to essentially have a traveling office. Managing the lives of 3 children, 3 dogs, a husband, a lizard (if I don’t mention Spikey, Will will never forgive me) and of course myself, means that I'm in my car often. With a brood like this, there is the constant schlepping back and forth, and of course, there is the waiting.
I’ve gotten use to the waiting, and I have learned to utilize my time efficiently. My car has literally become a second office. It is amazing what I can accomplish from it – parked of course. Whether I am in the car, at guitar lessons, baseball practice, or wherevre, it is my electronic mobility that enables me to manage this blog.
This week I have worked from the orthodontist's waiting room, a doctors office, my car, and now, the library. Aside from my home office, the library is my favorite place to write. I like the placidity - there are no distractions, no ringing telephones, and everyone speaks in a low hushed tone.
It is late afternoon, so children of all ages are here either with a tutor, or working in "independent study groups" (a/k/a hanging with friends). I get a kick out of watching the groups of older kids. For some reason I always think of the 80's movie The Breakfast Club when I see them. The only difference is that these kids are not in detention, and they all have their own laptops and cell phones. They too have portable lives.
It is easy to tell from their [the teens] body language that they are torn between studying and having fun. They actually do a decent job at balancing both. I have no doubt that there is a lot of IM-ing going on.
Today, I have noticed that there is a bit more flirtation than usual. It is subtle, but nonetheless present. It must be the tensions of Valentine's Day. As a teen, I remember Valentine's Day being huge. Sending and receiving Valentines was so exciting, especially if they were anonymous. Valentine’s Dances were also big, as it was a dance with a theme, and the theme was LOVE.
My days of Valentine Dances are long gone; I suspect that soon enough I will be reliving those days vicariously through my children. For now though, the days leading up to Valentine’s Day are sweet in our home. The kids work diligently on their Valentine cards for their classmates, and our family "Valentine's Day Mail Box" comes out of hiding. Elizabeth made our mailbox a few years ago out of an old shoebox (Jimmy Choo of course!). She chiseled a ridged mail slot with a pen, and taped a cardboard pop-up sign on top that reads, "Love is Good." We all spend days putting in our Valentine's mail in the box. What comes out is quite hilarious!
From a romantic standpoint, I think that Valentine's Day is silly. Who needs a card to remind them that they are loved? Apparently, most of western civilization – some 200 million Valentine's Day cards are given annually (according to History.com). And, that accounts only for the store bought ones! I must confess that I am one of the 200 million. Despite my proclaiming Valentine's Day as "silly," I always buy Raj a card, and I admit that if Raj did not acknowledge Valentine's Day, my feelings would be hurt. This double standard got me to wondering, just who the heck is Saint Valentine?
As it turns out, depending on the source, there are somewhere between 11 and 14 Saint Valentines. The saints were actually early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The term martyr is described as people who sacrifice themselves to further a cause or belief. Hmm… sounds a lot like what we do. Come to think of it, the words mother and martyr sound alike - mother, martyr, mother, martyr…
Raj is a romantic. A couple of years ago he planned and cooked me a fabulous meal for Martyr's Day, I mean Valentine's Day. There were truffles and scallops, and an extraordinary bottle of wine from our Bordeaux collection. The evening was perfect. The children were sleeping soundly, and a warm crackling fire illuminated the room – a truly wonderful evening. As the evening ended, we walked hand and hand to our bedroom. Satiated from Raj's delicious meal and giddy from the wine, I climbed into bed, leaned over to kiss my husband good night, and vomited everywhere. A few moments later Raj followed suit. We still have not decided if the culprit was the scallops or the truffles. We’ve been eating out ever since.
I will be traveling with my family next week. We are heading south for a much needed break, and with the hope of sunny skies and warm sea air. I will leave my “traveling office” behind to recharge, as I plan to be dozing seaside on a chaise lounge recharging my own battery.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Czzy
My next blog will be posted on February 27.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Family
I wrote such a letter this week, and I actually sent it. It was something that Will said to me that prompted me to write the letter. He said, "Mommy, Mrs. Dennis said that we were all family at WPA." WPA is the private school that my children formerly attended, and Mrs. Dennis is the head of the lower school (I have changed the school's name and the head's name because I am nice). Our children no longer attend WPA because we determined that for our "family," it was not the right environment.
What bothered me about Mrs. Dennis' comment, and this is why I wrote to her, was her use of the word "family." Family is a powerful word in a child's world - family is everything to them. It is their security blanket - where they go for love and comfort. It is also a child's safety net; it is where they can fall and be caught, and where they are allowed to learn from their mistakes. Family does not judge, they protect. It was my experience that Mrs. Dennis, and WPA, improperly and prematurely passed judgement and failed to protect one of it's "family." Clearly our definition of family is different.
As I get older, the notion of family has become more meaningful and relevant to me. As a daughter, a sister, a wife and as a mother, I have many roles in my family. Each of these roles is important to me, and over time, each of these roles has helped to shape me into the person that I am today.
My most challenging role is, and I suspect will always be, that of a mother. My instinct is to protect my children. I know that I cannot protect them from everything, but while they are still young, I have the ability to place them in an educational environment where they will feel protected and not judged, and where they can be children. I want my children to understand that making a mistake is a part of learning and a part of growing up. Some mistakes are worse than others, and some will require discipline while others will not. Either way, a child should have the comfort of knowing that they will always be loved and accepted by their "family".
Coincidently, today was Benjamin's "Family Day" at our new school. As I sat watching toothless, smiling, first graders sing and dance, I could not help but think back to my letter. There was no "we are all family" speech (Thank God, I don't think I could have handled that!). Actually, there was no speech at all, just the necessary introductions. "Family Day" was a wonderful way to celebrate each child's family, and to teach and to reinforce the true meaning of a "family." It was a brilliant afternoon.
I feel better now that I have written a letter to Mrs. Dennis. The content of my letter is not important, as it was between Mrs. Dennis and me. Perhaps, the letter will enlighten her and she too will come to know the true meaning of "family."
Have a great weekend,
Czzy
Friday, January 30, 2009
Beware of the FAT Bug
Like many women, I have struggled with low body image issues. It’s no wonder given the way we are bombarded with silly headlines such as Jessica Simpson’s and with the amount of diet ads thrusted at us on practically every magazine page we turn to remind us of how “fat” we are. It doesn't stop there. Just this morning the home page headline on AOL was about Britney Spears shedding 20 pounds by doing 2 hours of cardio a day. Who really cares? Naturally next to it was an advertisement to lose 30 pounds. The ad actually had a pulsating belly.
With the exception of the "freshman 20," which for me actually happened during my senior year in high school (too much beer and nachos), I have always been fit. My motto is "everything in moderation." There is no need to starve ourselves or to work out for 2 hours a day. The best any of us can do is to eat a healthful diet and exercise regularly.
We [women] shouldn't feel badly about ourselves if our bodies do not fit the Hollywood standard. I hate to keep bring up Jessica Simpson, frankly I have no idea how or why she became a "star", but that's besides the point. Why can't she add a few pounds, she is human after all. Maybe her present weight is a true representation of her body size. Here's a novel idea, maybe she actually feels good about herself. Maybe she likes how she looks - one could surmise by her choice of clothing that she is a confident woman.
From magazines ads to television ads (thankfully NBC pulled PETA's Super Bowl ad) we are assaulted with superficial images of the ideal woman. Personally, I find it offensive that teenagers are modeling the clothes marketed to my demographic. There is no such thing as being perfect but there is such a thing as being healthy and being healthy comes in all shapes and sizes.
Czzy
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Shiny Bubble
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!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Post Holiday
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!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
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