My run on Wednesday was mostly a success. I ran my farthest since having the baby and of this I was proud. My less proud moment was when I tripped, fell and smacked my ankle on the goddamn jogging stroller. I hate that stupid thing. But actually I kind of love it. Now my ankle is all bulbous and bruised. I am a clutz.
This morning Ashok and I went to our first Mommy & Me yoga class. I was excited to go as I had been invited by a woman from our childbirth class that I ran into last week. It was fun to catch up on our labor war stories and compare notes on the babies. (Her baby was born 9 pounds 12 ounces. OUCH.) Anyway, the yoga class was great. The babies lie around while the mommies do yoga, and a pretty challenging class at that. Ashok was pretty fussy, so I had to stop and hang out with him pretty often but eventually the teacher just scooped him up and walked around with him in her arms as she taught the class. He looked extremely content and I got a little yoga action. My little guy definitely likes to be held, that’s for sure. I hope I’m not still walking around the house holding him when he’s sixteen.
Before I sign off for the holidays, I need to complete the meme Courtney tagged me with this week. I am supposed to list six weird things about myself. Here goes:
1. I snap backwards. One summer, while teaching at Sequoia, I was doing my usual thing, coaching my group of kids for the day , desperately trying to get them ready for the evening’s concert. As I shouted and snapped my fingers to show them where the beats were, one of the kids suddenly stopped and stared at my hand. When I asked her what was up, she said “You snap backwards.” For the next five minutes, I sat there and snapped for them and they explained to me that my fingers actually go in the opposite direction when snapping than most normal human beings. Feeling my authority threatened, I quickly changed the subject. I’ve been scarred ever since.
2. I can’t wrap presents. This flaw is never more apparent than during the holidays. There is also the added shame of having to live with someone who at one point worked in retail and is very, very good at wrapping presents. My true low point came the year I had to wrap a basketball. That was bad.
3. I sleep with my eyes open. (submitted by Brian) Okay, calm down…not ALL the time. Just some of the time. Brian likes to point out that it is particularly freaky when it happens during the day, when I’m sitting up and makes me seem like a zombie. He’ll start atlking to me and only when I don’t respond, realize what’s happening. My sister does this too. We are freaky zombie sisters.
4. I have an irrational fear of things popping. I’m not sure when this developed, maybe when I once popped a string on my violin and it hit me in the face. But now, I cringe not only when changing my violin strings but also when blowing up balloons and pumping up tires. I am slightly less terrified by the popping of a champagne cork but only because of the alcoholic reward that follows soon afterwards.
5. I can move my pinky toes rather independently. There were some clever song and dance routines involving this at some point, but I’d rather not dredge those up.
6. I have a perverse love of handbags. I don’t think this is weird, but I know other people do. I just love bags, is that so wrong? I have a gorgeous green suede bag that I bought in Milan while I was there on tour. I love that bag, I cherish it, and consequently I am afraid to ever really use it. But I do take it out of the closet and look at it on occassion.
In the spirit of the holidays, I choose not to tag anyone with this meme. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
December 22nd, 2006
After recovering from my stupid cold last week, I am finally trying to get back into some sort of physical activity to ward off the effects of the non-stop binge that has been going on over here. The last two weekends, I have taken pilates classes which involved work on their crazy-ass machines with straps and pulleys not to mention various moves involving inflatable balls and other doodads. It felt great while I was doing it, but I have to admit that my lower back feels pretty tweaked today-if it isn’t from the pilates then it is from the ever-growing 11 pound infant that I carry around in the Baby Bjorn. Tomorrow, if my back feels better, I’m going to try and go for a run. I ran last week but didn’t write about it because the whole experience was sort of ridiculous. Here’s how I used to go for a run:
- change clothes
- put on shoes
- grab keys
- go
Here’s how it goes these days:
- wait for baby to wake up from nap
- feed baby, if baby is grouchy
- change clothes while baby stares at mobile in crib
- look at baby, looking at mobile. Adore him.
- put on shoes
- strap baby into car seat amid righteous protesting
- get ready to leave and then realize that the fucking jogging stroller is not in the car
- put dog in charge of watching baby
- drag stupid, awkward, heavy jogging stroller to car
- return to house, explain to dog that I never promised her money in exchange for babysitting
- load diaper bag and carseat containing child (this bit is crucial) into car
- arrive at my usual route, unload jogging stroller
- put now sleeping, non-protesting child into stroller with great delicacy so as not to set off another round of demonstrations
- try to remember what the hell I came out here to do
That whole process took about 35 minutes. I think I ran for 20 before feeling like my lungs were going to pop. Do you understand my frustration? Regardless, I am going to try again tomorrow. I am hoping to streamline this entire production by having the dog feed the baby as well as tie my shoes and load the stroller into the car. I’ll let you know how that goes.
December 18th, 2006
How did that happen? I’m still recovering from all that stuffing over Thanksgiving. I am SO behind on Christmas shopping, it just isn’t funny. This year, I tried to do as much shopping online as possible in order to prevent having to drag a screaming baby through multiple shopping trips but, I think I’ve hit my internet shopping wall and that baby is just going to have to buck up and come along for the ride. Best he gets used to it now, I guess, his mom is a shopper. The trouble is, I’ve hit all my usual spots for gifts and I’ve been less than inspired. I refuse to go to the mall because it is sheer chaos over there and I never find anything anyway. So, tomorrow I’ll start hitting the last few boutique and specialty stores I haven’t gotten to yet and see if I can get everyone taken care of. If not, chocolate for everyone.
We finally decorated our tree tonight. We managed to only break one ornament and one bead garland in the process. Not bad. Of course, now those stupid beads are in every nook and cranny of our house and everytime I turn around one of the cats is chasing them into a floor vent. Speaking of the beasts, AntlerFest 2006 got off to a good start tonight:
I promise she got a nice treat after this photo was taken.
December 14th, 2006
I have been sick. Thus, the blech. It actually hasn’t been that bad considering that when I usually get sick, I am coughing up a lung and hovering on the brink of hospitalization. I kid you not, I don’t half ass when it comes to illness. There are usually prescription drugs involved and jokes about tuberculosis. Somehow, this time, I managed to escape all that. No fever, no hacking consumptive cough, just a stupid earache. What am I, 5? I have suffered from ear infections my whole life, which as a musician is a huge pain in the ass. I can only hope that Ashok doesn’t inherit my wussy ears. Speaking of the boy wonder, he managed to avoid getting sick, thank god. I’m not ready to deal with that just yet. And he slept for SEVEN HOURS STRAIGHT last night! That kid is awesome. And look:
He smiles! And not just the “I’m passing gas, heh heh heh” smiles. Real smiles that I can bring forth by making silly faces at him. So much fun.
This weekend, we’re hoping to go get our Christmas tree. Being married to Mr. Christmas, these things have to be done in a timely manner. A tree must be picked, decorations taken out of storage, lights hung, etc, etc. Then we will proceed with our Christmas Traditions - our cats enjoy the Drinking of the Tree Water and the Destruction of the Ornaments, while Brian and I enjoy the Dressing of the Cats in Antlers and Jingle Bell Collars and Forcing them to Dance to Christmas Carols. Soon after this is the Cleaning of the Scratches and Dressing of the Wounds. Oh, but it’s worth it.
December 6th, 2006
