Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Time Out

So I finally got around to using a gift certificate for a prenatal -- that's right, PRENATAL -- massage that my mother-in-law had given me back in April.  Seeing as I never used it while I was pregnant, I fished it out of my drawer and booked an appointment for an hour of sheer bliss.  The problem is that I'm never any good at actually relaxing during a spa treatment.  While I do love massages (who doesn't?), I can rarely manage to close my eyes and completely clear my head of everything.  I'm the same way with yoga.  I love taking a class that's fast-paced with a lot of sweat and challenging poses. But put me in a room with a bunch of people meditating and chanting "om" and I can't find my "happy place" to save my life. 
So while James, my massage "technician" was working his magic, here are some of the thoughts that ran through my brain...

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Reduced Speed Ahead

When I was a teenager I was always eager to reach life's next milestone.  I couldn't wait to start dating, to learn how to drive, to go off to college.  My mother warned me, "Don't wish your life away."
Now, years later, I find myself heeding her advice.
I've spent the last six months wondering when my daughter will reach her next milestone. When will she sleep through the night? Roll over? Sit up unassisted? Crawl? Feed herself finger foods? Learn how to drive? Go off to college? 
When she was first born, just transitioning from the bassinet to the crib was a major accomplishment.
Now things seem to be moving pretty fast even for me, and I wonder if I've spent too much time worrying about the next step and not living in the moment.
Here are a few milestones I looked forward to, and why I find myself looking back at the good old days.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

10 Reasons To Give Thanks

2010 has given me the greatest gift of all: bigger boobs.  It's also brought me a beautiful and healthy daughter who's become the love of my life.
With the holidays rapidly approaching I thought it was time to reflect on the things I'm most thankful for this year.

Friday, November 19, 2010

For Your Information... Keep It In Check

I've recently wondered if raising a child in the Information Age is a detriment to both the child and their parents.  
We all know that information is a good thing and that too much information is a bad thing.
But when it comes to parenting, TMI is a really bad thing.
For Doug and I it all started with my 20-week ultrasound appointment.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

A Mommy's Christmas Wish List

Really? My neighbor still has Halloween decorations on her lawn and there's already a Santa's workshop set up at the mall? C'mon people, we can't even enjoy Thanksgiving first?
If the rest of the world is going to jump the gun and force Christmas on us this early, then I'm going to be just as obnoxious and make my wish list public, no matter how inappropriate or embarrassing it may be. 
Now, if any of you are expecting this to include such things as, "world peace," "an end to global hunger," or "a clean Earth for our children," I have two words for you: THINK AGAIN. 
Not that I don't hope for them... they're just, uh, on another list... yeah... ahem... stay tuned for that.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Oh, The Irony

With colder temperatures on the horizon it's only a matter of time before my stroller fitness group moves inside for the winter. 
Today's class was held at the mall due to rain.  As I jogged in the herd of mothers, passing the appliance department of Sears along the way, I wondered how I'd survive the next several months of indoor classes. 
See... the mall we work out at is relatively quiet; aside from a handful of stores that have managed to defy an economy that's in the dumps, the place has basically gone dark. 
What kills me is the fact that two of the businesses that are still standing are Auntie Anne's and Victoria's Secret. 
YUM!
Oh, the irony! 

Friday, November 12, 2010

Roll With It, Baby

A good news producer always hopes for the best, prepares for the worst, and rolls with the punches.  They're able to change course in the blink of an eye, and the adrenaline rush that accompanies that sudden shift in plans motivates them to succeed. 
They start their day with a solid rundown of the top news stories, allot the appropriate amount of time to each report, and amp up the story-telling with all the bells and whistles that adorn cable news programs these days: fast-moving animations, interactive graphics, electrifying sound effects.  
A blank canvas comes alive... 

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Hey, Soul Sister

I never thought I'd join a moms group, simply because I never understood the appeal of forcing yourself to be friends with a total stranger just because you both have a kid. Nevertheless, I've found an amazing group of women who like to workout together and take pride in setting a healthy example for their children. We meet weekdays to get back in shape after the beautiful miracle of childbirth ruined our bodies.
This class has done wonders for my post-baby figure, but the real reward is having a support network to lean on, learn from, and laugh with.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Shock and Awww

Shortly after the U.S. launched its Shock and Awe campaign in Iraq Doug and I received an urgent page from the news desk explaining that we needed to get to work immediately. 
It was just after midnight and we were in for the long haul. 
We were breaking in to taped programming and would be on air with wall-to-wall coverage for the foreseeable future. 
I'll never forget the astonishing pictures coming out of there and the BOOM, BOOM, BOOM that echoed after each air strike. 
Then... an unsettling silence. 
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, with the night sky lighting up.
Again... an unsettling silence.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

When The Parent Becomes The Child

I hadn't heard Mackenzie cry this badly since she was three weeks old.
Except back then she'd eventually tire herself out and fall asleep.  
If that didn't work there was always some sort of trick -- the baby swing, white noise, swaddling -- that would put her to bed for at least a few hours.
Doug and I would run through the baby playbook until something worked. 
The other night was a different story. 
I was visiting with my parents and we'd had a jam-packed week. 
Mackenzie -- now five months old -- was over-stimulated, over-tired, and over-turned (she's started rolling from side to side in the crib and keeps landing face down, which totally freaks her out sometimes).
My parents and I took turns rocking her, cradling her, and singing to her.
I must have nursed her to bed three times in 20 minutes.
Nothing worked for long.