TV Free- The Life for Me... At least for a week. Kinda.

So in all relationships, the key to health and happiness and understanding is...(Say it with me!) communication.  Well, it seems I needed some help with this, and Ben suggested we go without the TV for a week.  I have a hunch that it will last longer than that.  Except when I am nursing Miles during the day and Owen is down for a nap.

We have been in survival mode at our home since Miles arrived.  For me, its been pretty good during the day, but by the time Ben gets home from work, say 6-ish, I'm spent.  I've put in an 11 hour day of mommyhood and I just want to lay like broccoli.  Well, that does a number on a marriage.  Zoning out in front of the television isn't exactly a great way to keep the romance alive.  So, we are going on a TV diet.  Last night, we put Owen to bed, came downstairs and laid on the couch together reading and it felt so much more connected than having the hum of conversations between actors in the background.  How is it that just laying together, each in our own worlds can feel romantic?

Years ago I visited my friend Corryn in Portland and she hosted a bunch of friends at her house that weekend.  On Sunday morning after we'd all eaten our breakfasts and were sipping our mugs of coffee or tea, we all gravitated toward the living room with books in-hand, all found a place to curl-up, and we all started reading.  There must have been like eight of us all sitting there in this room, sprawled all over the place, united in our individual absorption.  It was one of the simplest, loveliest moments of my early adulthood, and I remember it clearly.  Dan said he wished we all had thought bubbles like in comic books, and its just a very clear visual I have.

Reading is a good mind-stretching activity.  I'm just starting a book called "Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan.  It is about Frank Lloyd Wright and his love affair with one of his clients.  Ben is reading "Pillars of the Earth" and I couldn't be happier.  I've been trying to get him to read it for a while now, and he's already getting emotionally tied up with the characters.  I've never hated a character so much as when I was reading Pillars.  I hope he keeps reading because I really want to share books with him.  When I finally read my first Patrick O'Brien book, a new connection developed with Ben because he loved Steven and Jack so much.  It kind of feels like a secret shared.  Why is that?

So for the time being, the Happy Hum around our house has nothing to do with TV.

These Are the Days

It is a muggy, hot, sweaty, red-in-the-face, hair is sticking to my neck kind of day.  And I took my boys to the park for an hour this morning.  Do I get some sort of award for that?  All I really want to do is to stand in front of the fan in my underwear and not touch anyone (I learned that from my mom), and instead I strapped my babe into the bjorn, grabbed Owen's hand, slathered on a ton of sunscreen, and headed to this HUGE park so that Owen could run and jump and climb and be a boy.  And you know what I got in return?  He took a short (like 1/3 of his usual) nap.  Thanks a lot kid.  Just when I was nestling into another grown-up episode of Weeds, he wakes up.  I mean, come on!

Actually, I really want to keep us all in the shade now.  Owen and I both had dermatology appointments on Monday.  They took two of my moles to be biopsied, and I've scheduled an appointment with a pediatric plastic surgeon to have his removed.  Poor kid.  Not even 3, and his momma is lobbing moles off his little body.  Better safe than sorry, but still.  I can't stop thinking about it and hoping that everything turns out alright.  More on that later.

We're also off to see some live music this evening with the boys.  Ben should be home in time to go with me.  Hopefully.  I really need to get that man out of his work rut.  We need some adventures on our calendar and I'm having a hard time coming up with ideas.  What's a family to do when we've got a 2 month old?  Hmmm.

Okay.  That is it for now.  Off to read a bit and snuggle my little nugget.  That sounded dirty.

The Morning After

I had a really nice dinner out with the girls last night.  We went to a somewhat disappointing restaurant that was way overpriced, but it was the company that was fun.  It was with 3 women that I don't know very well, but we were there for a little over 2 hours, so we know each other better now. 

Here's my self reflection on Mom's Night Out... I had all of 15 minutes to take myself from "playdate mom" to "out on the town mom."  Uhhh, that doesn't work too well.  I ended up wearing too much eye makeup and too bright a lipstick and felt kind of yucko.  I just want to be able to go out without my babes and not have people look at me and say "Whoa, lady.  Get your act together, and where are those children you so obviously have?"  How does that happen?  I don't have time to blow dry my hair.   I don't have time to go to a cosmetics counter to have someone keep me updated.  I don't have patience to do dressing rooms.  Most the time I eyeball it, grab something that looks like it fits, take it home, and then return it.  What's a girl to do?  I have a feeling I'll be attempting to do some upkeep in Coos Bay, and that is just a sad thought.

To top it all off, I got up this morning with Owen and let Ben sleep at bit, but I'm now fuming because the house is a mess.  I made this awesome dinner for Ben last night before I left, and I came home to all the dishes waiting, none of Owen's toys put away, and a kid who really needs a bath.  Its always a toss up for me.  There is usually lots of work waiting for me when I get home from these "nights off" so is it worth me going?  Now I just have to clean up after the boys.  Oy.

May Play

We just got back from a playdate at a local park, and I have to say that it feels quite nice to have had a dose of sun and a set of lungs full of fresh air.  Spent the time with Martha and her son Thomas.  What dears they are.  She is pregnant and adorable and due in 3 weeks and still wearing non-maternity clothes.  I mean, if she wasn't so sweet, I think I'd hate her.


Mom's night out tonight at Uncle Julio's.  I'm kind of scared to eat at a chain Mexican restaurant because I am so spoiled from Tucson.  That has been one of the MAJOR downfalls of the DC area.  No good Mexican.  Geesh.

Anyhow, nice day planned for today.  Shots for Mr. Miles this afternoon.  Ahhh- mommyhood.

Cooking an Indian dinner for Ben tonight.  Have to sweeten him up so he'll be happy watching the kiddos.  A cucumber raita type salad, and then curried chickpeas with minted rice.

That's it for now, group.