I'm constantly in admiration of people who post regularly on their blogs. I often tell myself that I would post more regularly if I had the time, but right now, I DO have the time. Jake is taking an extra long nap, my classes are planned for the week, my kitchen is clean...and yet I'm sitting here feeling like I have nothing to say. So here goes nothing.

We had a really lovely weekend. Jacob was home most of the time and I didn't have to do any tutoring (I remembered this after I'd already driven to Santa Monica...so yay for keeping my Gcalendar straight and saving gas.) We had some friends over for brunch on the patio on Sunday because the weather was lovely and breakfast casseroles are the best things in life. Jacob harvested honey yesterday. 

I went to a playgroup this morning for the second week in a row - I'm terrible at committing to things like this. I'm SO the mother that goes once, feels awkward, and then ignores the e-mail chain until they remove me. But today was a landmark day because I went for the SECOND time. And I felt awkward. And I probably will stop going.

I do really like to see how my toddler sizes up to other toddlers at these playgroups. Not in any competitive way - only because I don't have a good sense of what is Toddler Behavior and what is Jake Behavior. So when one toddler clings to his mother's pant leg, I realize maybe not every toddler runs for the exits as soon as you put him down or is obsessed with shoes or says "Happy Birthday Basketball" all day long.

I like having this perspective. Because I find myself thinking that Jake is totally normal and perhaps he's completely weird. And if he's weird, I want to know it because I don't want to be THAT mom, you know the one. Like the mom in About a Boy. The one who thinks her kid is awesome when he's actually...strange. There's nothing wrong with strange children - I prefer them -  I just want to know if my child is the strange one. He will be the one with the lunch of kale chips and quinoa bars, so that will be a strike against him.

I was talking with my sister on the phone today about my son's obsession with basketball, and she made me realize that I would probably spend my stent parenting very similarly to the way I spent my childhood. That is, following blond people to sporting events. I'd like to believe it wasn't true...

 

I mean...I'm sure he would really rather be playing an instrument or something. Yeah. Most definitely.

7 Quick Takes Friday

- 1 -

First things first. If you're into blogs of the Catholic homeschooling variety, a friend of mine just started a blog called Catholic All Year. I often marvel at how this mother of six young ones always seems to have it all together. Can you say jog and rosary before 6:30am daily mass?

I thought so. Me too.

Anyway, now she's blogging like a diva. She's got a Kids in Mass story that's totally worth the read. Some parenting book recommendations. Anyhow. Lots of relevant stuff over there...which maybe you're not that into because you're reading me...but seriously: go say hi.

- 2 -

School starts Monday. 

- 3 -

I've decided I'm not suited to this kind of job where I have to bring half the work home. I'm also pretty aware that it's the only kind of job I'll ever have. So I would love some wisdom on how to get stuff done with a needy bored toddler at home. I googled "unsupervised toddler activities" and it wasn't helpful at all...and the search probably flagged CPS so...great...

- 4 -

For instance right now he's sitting on my lap foiling all my attempts to keep his fingers off the keyboard, offering me sips of "hot tea" from a cup, and asking where all the babies went on the screen.

At least the huz is available for periodic pep chats.

- 5 -

5 is for the 5 minutes I just bought myself by leading the little man over to empty out the recycling. All about the good habits around here. 

But alas that only lasted for two minutes, and now he's scaling the chair in the living room to access the shelf of Jake contraband on a quest for his Papa's iPad. So off I trot.

I probably should've intervened before the situation reached the crisis that it did and I ended up with a back arching 30 odd pounds of tantrum on my hands, but instead I did what any self-respecting blogger would do. I documented it. 

- 6 -

Is it 6? Why, yes. I will have that glass of wine.

 - 7 -

But in all seriousness hailing back to #3: I feel like I'm productive at the expense of mothering.  Or actually. The opposite of that. I feel like I mother at the expense of being productive. 

And I feel the expense keenly. 

Some days everything falls enchantedly into place, but those are just days when Jake takes three hour naps and then contentedly bangs his hammer on the floor while I hum about my business. I try to remind myself that getting down on the floor with some blocks to appease a fussy nineteen month old is not only doing "something," it's doing something wonderful, something good, something I will miss terribly in fifteen years. But instead I glance warily at the mess in my kitchen or make to do lists in my head or sneak peeks at blogs on my phone. 

So I'd love some thoughts from those of you who've "been there."

Sorry to get all down on you. I was able to sit down and pound out the above paragraph because I plopped Jake into the tub. Now if he could spend all day in the tub, then my ducks would be in the nicest of neatest rows.  

Happy Friday to the Quick Takers and Jen who is in our little family's prayers.

By George, I think she's blogging!

You have exclaimed (per post title) and you have been correct. I'm actually blogging in today to say hi to all you lovelies (and Michael as always) (and apparently Robert).

We have been a bit under water recently. For 97% of the last 35 days I have either had a guest or was a guest. The holidays were a flurry of faces and friendlies. Our last guests for the foreseeable future left just yesterday, and now I'm in syllabus land. 

Usually I teach two sections of the same course, but this semester I'm teaching different courses so I have to write two syllabi. (Darn you, lazy students, who couldn't drag your bums out of bed for my 8am Poetry class and got it canceled and replaced by a composition course full of students who failed last semester. So yes...I am looking forward to another class full of class. )

The holidays were lovely. We spent Christmas with Jacob's family in the Northwest. See.

We unwrapped some Inuit sculptures from Jacob's mom.



We hugged some adorable babies.

Scrumptious cheeks: my nephew's

Awkwardly rosy ear: mine

 
And what would Christmas be without a fire-obsessed toddler?
 

 We then huffed on down to Texas for the New Year and a second Christmas with these cats.

In good form, my mother sent us on a treasure hunt that had us huddling in hallways

 

and trudging out in extreme weather.

 

Such were the holidays, and I'll just have to stop there because blogger is starting to give me that error message - probably because I got photo-happy? - does this only happen to me?

Have a jolly Wednesday! I'll try to be back soon.

12 in 12

Linking up with Dwija to start the year off with a farewell to 2012. My brain is fried from shopping and traveling and gift giving and more traveling and more gift giving and tex mex and a very stiff margarita...or two...maybe it was two, but I suppose I can handle some pictures.

So. Here ya go.

Life is never better than at bath time.

Head shaped ball.

Photos in the Grass.

Joys of Cosleeping

Honey Bees.

Birthday Boy.

Estes.

All. Day. Everyday.

Abu Time

Sailor

Camera Face

Cousins