(no subject)
"Dan-do"
Rowan is the most polite 15-month old I've ever met! When you hand him something or he hands you something, he says, "Dan-do!," which is Rowan-speak for thank you!
In other news...
...the financing for purchasing a house has come through and we view our first property today! We're viewing two properties today (Friday) and one property tomorrow (Saturday).
Both of the properties we are seeing today are older, but not cool old, just need-fixin-up old. They both need major redecorating, but hopefully not full-blown refurbishment. The property we're viewing tomorrow is old, has a thatched roof, and is a Grade II listed building, meaning it has special architectural or historic interest--it's cool.
Sick, Again
We were all sick this week. Again. Rowan ended up needing antibiotics. We're all much better now.
Because we're new to the area, we're catching every little cold and flu that passes our way. Ugh. I look forward to the day when our systems have adjusted and we aren't sick all the time.
Black Eye
I gave Rowan a black eye. It broke my heart. We were playing with the wooden Thomas the Tank Engine tracks. I reached into the tall bin for more tracks and as I lifted the tracks over the edge, Rowan poked his head over into the bin. Collision. Tears from everyone. His eye is much better now.
This reminds me of the occasional injuries Olivia received at Wizards of the Coast/Bright Horizons daycare center. She would occasionally come home with a report of an injury sustained at the daycare center, and I would wonder how it happened, why, and so forth. Now, being the primary caretaker all the time and playing with them in the floor all the time, I not only get a front-row seat to watch how they get hurt, I sometimes (unfortunately, unwilling, unwittingly) play a part in the drama.
Full-time Mom
When we lived in Seattle, I worked full time at the Kent Fire Department. I loved my job. When Chas wrongfully (yes I am bitter!!--ask me about it sometime over a glass of wine or beer) lost his job at Wizards of the Coast, everyone felt sad for him because he had loved the job. The thing is, I had to voluntarily give up my job--my dream job--so we could relocate for Charles's new job.
I'm not sad at all about living in England, but I really miss the KFD and my co-workers. It was my dream job and (when I return to the workforce after the kids are in school) I don't expect that I will ever find a job I love as much.
In a way, I went from full-time employee and part-time mom of one, to stay-at-home full-time mom of two. Chas lost his job in December 2005, the same month that Rowan was born. I stayed home with Rowan until he was three-months old, at which point I went back to work and Rowan went to daycare, but only for two months. Our house sold quickly, we moved from Seattle, and I became a stay-at-home mom of two.
There was a long adjustment period for all of us, but it has been worth it. I'm the constant in their lives. They don't get excited to see me, because I'm always with them, but they do look to me for comfort and security. They take me for granted in a good way, in a security way. That makes me feel good.
I love being a mom; it's the best non-job job I've ever had. I love being with the kids, seeing them learn new things, making art projects with them, watching them grow. It's the hardest, most demanding job I've ever had--and I don't mean that tritely. Preparing meals and keeping the house clean while watching the kids takes up all my time and energy. It's a very physical job.
If our lives hadn't changed and I had remained employed full-time and the kids had gone to daycare, I think our kids would have been fine, great even. They were attending a world-class daycare, which was really a school more than a daycare. So I'm not going to start preaching that daycare is bad for kids, but I do think home care is the best. I think it's better for the children if one parent (doesn't have to be the mom!) stays home with the kids until the kids go to school.
I've been wanting to write about this for a long time. Many of my friends and family have asked how I've adjusted to the transition of full-time mom. It wasn't always fun or easy. There were times I thought I'd loose my mind, but we're settled into a good routine now.
Still, I'm jealous of Charles getting to go to work. I'm not at all happy when he goes to a business convention (I have been to many of the conventions he attends, and I know that while lots of hard work gets done and big deals are made, it's a break from the kids AND a break from chores (no making the bed or taking out the trash), AND it's a treat to eat at restaurants (no cooking meals or washing the dishes) AND he gets to see many of our friends).
I miss my coworkers and the firefighters. I miss going to work and having adult conversation everyday. I miss dealing with the public. I miss doing payroll, working with the bargaining agreements (union contracts), making spreadsheets, managing vacation banks, and so on--I miss it all. I miss solving problems (though my boss might say I created more problems than I solved!). I miss watching the engine/aid car/ladder truck roll out of the bay on the way to a call. I miss watching Airlift Northwest (medevac helicopter) land on the training ground behind headquarters. When I cut to the heart of my feelings, it comes down to missing the feeling of being useful and important, and missing the occasional vicarious adrenaline rush.
But I traded that to be with my kids, so it was worth it. Costly, but worth it.
Rowan is the most polite 15-month old I've ever met! When you hand him something or he hands you something, he says, "Dan-do!," which is Rowan-speak for thank you!
In other news...
...the financing for purchasing a house has come through and we view our first property today! We're viewing two properties today (Friday) and one property tomorrow (Saturday).
Both of the properties we are seeing today are older, but not cool old, just need-fixin-up old. They both need major redecorating, but hopefully not full-blown refurbishment. The property we're viewing tomorrow is old, has a thatched roof, and is a Grade II listed building, meaning it has special architectural or historic interest--it's cool.
Sick, Again
We were all sick this week. Again. Rowan ended up needing antibiotics. We're all much better now.
Because we're new to the area, we're catching every little cold and flu that passes our way. Ugh. I look forward to the day when our systems have adjusted and we aren't sick all the time.
Black Eye
I gave Rowan a black eye. It broke my heart. We were playing with the wooden Thomas the Tank Engine tracks. I reached into the tall bin for more tracks and as I lifted the tracks over the edge, Rowan poked his head over into the bin. Collision. Tears from everyone. His eye is much better now.
This reminds me of the occasional injuries Olivia received at Wizards of the Coast/Bright Horizons daycare center. She would occasionally come home with a report of an injury sustained at the daycare center, and I would wonder how it happened, why, and so forth. Now, being the primary caretaker all the time and playing with them in the floor all the time, I not only get a front-row seat to watch how they get hurt, I sometimes (unfortunately, unwilling, unwittingly) play a part in the drama.
Full-time Mom
When we lived in Seattle, I worked full time at the Kent Fire Department. I loved my job. When Chas wrongfully (yes I am bitter!!--ask me about it sometime over a glass of wine or beer) lost his job at Wizards of the Coast, everyone felt sad for him because he had loved the job. The thing is, I had to voluntarily give up my job--my dream job--so we could relocate for Charles's new job.
I'm not sad at all about living in England, but I really miss the KFD and my co-workers. It was my dream job and (when I return to the workforce after the kids are in school) I don't expect that I will ever find a job I love as much.
In a way, I went from full-time employee and part-time mom of one, to stay-at-home full-time mom of two. Chas lost his job in December 2005, the same month that Rowan was born. I stayed home with Rowan until he was three-months old, at which point I went back to work and Rowan went to daycare, but only for two months. Our house sold quickly, we moved from Seattle, and I became a stay-at-home mom of two.
There was a long adjustment period for all of us, but it has been worth it. I'm the constant in their lives. They don't get excited to see me, because I'm always with them, but they do look to me for comfort and security. They take me for granted in a good way, in a security way. That makes me feel good.
I love being a mom; it's the best non-job job I've ever had. I love being with the kids, seeing them learn new things, making art projects with them, watching them grow. It's the hardest, most demanding job I've ever had--and I don't mean that tritely. Preparing meals and keeping the house clean while watching the kids takes up all my time and energy. It's a very physical job.
If our lives hadn't changed and I had remained employed full-time and the kids had gone to daycare, I think our kids would have been fine, great even. They were attending a world-class daycare, which was really a school more than a daycare. So I'm not going to start preaching that daycare is bad for kids, but I do think home care is the best. I think it's better for the children if one parent (doesn't have to be the mom!) stays home with the kids until the kids go to school.
I've been wanting to write about this for a long time. Many of my friends and family have asked how I've adjusted to the transition of full-time mom. It wasn't always fun or easy. There were times I thought I'd loose my mind, but we're settled into a good routine now.
Still, I'm jealous of Charles getting to go to work. I'm not at all happy when he goes to a business convention (I have been to many of the conventions he attends, and I know that while lots of hard work gets done and big deals are made, it's a break from the kids AND a break from chores (no making the bed or taking out the trash), AND it's a treat to eat at restaurants (no cooking meals or washing the dishes) AND he gets to see many of our friends).
I miss my coworkers and the firefighters. I miss going to work and having adult conversation everyday. I miss dealing with the public. I miss doing payroll, working with the bargaining agreements (union contracts), making spreadsheets, managing vacation banks, and so on--I miss it all. I miss solving problems (though my boss might say I created more problems than I solved!). I miss watching the engine/aid car/ladder truck roll out of the bay on the way to a call. I miss watching Airlift Northwest (medevac helicopter) land on the training ground behind headquarters. When I cut to the heart of my feelings, it comes down to missing the feeling of being useful and important, and missing the occasional vicarious adrenaline rush.
But I traded that to be with my kids, so it was worth it. Costly, but worth it.