Mini me

Here I am at about age 4 or so. I remember this day and the ooy gooey way the bread dough felt between my fingers. I loved baking bread as a teenager as well. There was something rather relaxing about it for some reason. I still like the way the dough comes together and turns silky smooth as you knead it.

Other childhood memories:

Reading Dr. Seuss books with Dad.

The tomato fight on the back porch with my brother. We were little enough that we were in our pajamas when it was still light outside. There was just something irresistably satisfying about the way a ripe tomato splats when it hits someone or something. We got in trouble for that one.

I remember cutting my own bangs in front of the foggy bathroom mirror while Mom showered. They were much too short and at a crazy angle. I don't know if it would have been any better if I had been able to see what I was doing. Mom did her best to camoflauge the damage, but there wasn't much she could do other that just wait for it to grow out.

We loved the Bookmobile during the summers. It stopped on the corner around noon every other week I think. I remember checking out the Mrs. Pigglewiggle books and Big Red and other books by Jim Kjelgaard. I thought that it was cool to have a last name with a double a.

Are you bored?

Over the holidays we went out to dinner with a former MBA classmate of Daddy. She is not currently employed, has a two year old and is expecting her second. She asked me if I was bored staying at home. I think that she might be. I have to say that I'm not bored. I don't miss my job even though it is one that is considered to be "intellectual" and "fullfilling". It was fulfilling is a bad way. It was filling my life full of stuff that wasn't really important. I now get to the end of the day and wonder where the time has gone. It is challenging in a different sort of way. Instead of trying to save the hungry children of the world my challenge is to feed two little ones.

It is a challenge to keep one step ahead of a two year old. The other day Buddy Boy was climbing on the cupboards while I was feeding the baby. The first time I caught him he had his fingers in the sugar bowl, the second time he was licking the salt shaker, and the third time he wanted to make cake and had a mix out of the box and was in to the the bag. All of this was in less than 20 minutes. After that we made cake.

I get my intellectual challenge by trying to keep Buddy Boy interested, learning, and engaged in life. That doesn't happen on the mornings I let him watch too much TV so that I can clean the house and do the laundry without his help. I also read the news and books for my book club or just for fun. Reading always gives me something to think about when my hands are busy. My husband also helps a lot by talking about economics, politics, and some totally random and obscure topics that keep me thinking. Even an episode of the Simpsons can trigger deep thoughts that we talk over. Like George the monkey said life is neverdull if you are curious.

They sure change fast

Here she is at 6 weeks. It is amazing how quickly they change. The personality and her individual look are coming through. Her eyes are changing color and she is starting to smile. It is great to see the little person emerging.

Granddad took a bunch of pictures the other day. He really experiences life through his camera. He took 4 gig worth of pictures, filling his memory card, before he was through.

I am feeling almost normal now. I am really happy about how much more quickly I have recovered this time. Last time I was pretty wiped out for quite awhile. Looking back I think I was burned out from other things in life going in to childbirth and needed to recover from life as well as having a baby. This time I was feeling the normal pregnancy discomfort, but life was sane and stable. It made recovery a lot easier. I also had a lot of help and support from family and friends.