Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Random Thoughts


--I love Thai food. The whole family went to Thai last week and even though we made the poor servers overload with stress (Cubby wanted to serve himself from their bowls) the food was so GOOD. My favorite is.......all of it. I love the Tom Kum Ka soup (coconut milk, lemongrass, broccoli and cabbage--the perfect combo of sweet, sour and hot) the most. I want to be marinated in a vat of it when I am buried. I also want a gallon of it waiting for me when I have this baby. Not kidding.

--I have a new testimony of "lowering the bar and being awesome" (a la, Oh Judy, CJane and many, many others). I find that it is MUCH happier to be surprised at how GREAT I am than being guilty at not doing enough. I have very low expectations for my kids and myself and each night go to bed thinking "WAY TO GO!!! You are AWESOME". Seriously. NPR did a program on this recently, and said how people who have realistic expectations say that they are happier. Makes sense to me. My expectations this week? 1) children fed, not off the floor 2) house kept "clean-ish". That means clean enough that all garbage gets thrown away, but I don't have to bend over more than necessary. I'll just tip my ladies really well this week 3) Don't have a baby 4) Get dressed in something clean. See how easy it is!! I really am awesome.

--I don't have many clothes that fit me now. I have stayed about the same size on the bottom (pretty much, it just all redistributed itself). I lost a lot of weight during the hell that was last summer and now, at 9 months pregnant, weigh about the same. I gained more than I should have this pregnancy, but since I am eating whatever I want, it is a fair trade. This week, though, my shirts are JUST a bit too short. I am constantly doing the "pull, pull, tuck, tuck" thing. It kind of drives me crazy, but I am too lazy to buy new clothes. Am I the only one that does this? Can I tough it out for a few more weeks? Will I just have to wear the last two shirts for the next month. Maybe. What can you do? ;-)

--I might be obsessed with food (shocker). I had another Reuben for lunch today. Heaven. I slather it with horseradish and cranberry mustard. Enough said. I had one waiting for me when I had Lauren. My favorite is from a place called Max's. We stopped there on the way home from the hospital when Lu was born. It was each kids first "outing". They changed their menu recently, so the food isn't as good as it was, but it is still my first choice. Lucky for me, our new house is just a few blocks from another Max's. And a Thai place. The really important stuff (I hear the schools are good too).

--My whole family is pretty much in bed by 7:00 pm. Really. I wish that I could totally blame it on my husband's early schedule, but my kids play hard and all I can think about is sleep. I assume that this is a pregnancy thing. I also have stopped checking my phone messages. I might check the missed calls log, but don't count on it. I know this is terrible, but if you want me, e mail me. This is all part of project Lowering The Bar.

--I watched the Oscars, but got bored after the 37th red dress. The best part was when a very impaired Gary Bussey kissed Jennifer Garner on the neck during her interview with Ryan Seacrest. She had NO idea who he was, and to be fair, he did look like a homeless guy wandering the carpet. That Gary is always good for a laugh. He then tried to be best friends with Ryan and Ryan played it off pretty well. Good times. I didn't see any of the movies so I assume that the people who won deserved it. If they didn't, I don't really care.

--Thanks to the raves on Rarely Home Mom, I started watching The Biggest Looser. Now I am obsessed with it. Pretty much that and the Animal channel (along with my boyfriends) take up my TV time. Tonight one of the trainers, Jillian, was dealing with one of the girls who didn't want to keep going with her workout and she said "Do one more or I am going to rip your arm out of the socket and beat you over the head with it". Now THAT is a good motivator. I am going to have to remember that one.
--I have decided that along with not checking my messages, I am not going to do links on my blog for awhile. You know the trick where you make the word the link? It takes too much time (I have to go back and find the website that explains it, and then I might actually have to engage my brain.......). Sorry to my 12 readers for the inconvenience, but not sorry enough to do it.

--I have also decided that I am not going to make my daughter do her homework for the next two weeks until we move. Nor will I go to the parent/teacher conference this week (sorry mom and all you other teachers). I am not impressed with her teacher, and since I have very low expectations you can assume that she is REALLY something else. She is pretty much a worksheet teacher, and does not do any creative classroom things that I can see. She is sarcastic to my daughter and I have had words with her in the past about her attitude towards my girl (who is the sweetest thing, but still 7, so I am sure has her share of sass. Guess what? Don't teach 2nd grade if you don't like the age). Even though we go to a public school, this school gets A LOT of money from the parents. Each CLASS has a yearly fundraising goal of $1.5 million. Yes, million. The tickets to the yearly fundraiser "hoedown" are $250 per person, not including the food tickets. People donate and auction off things like trips to Mexico in private jets, stays in guest houses in Europe or Asia, vintage wine, lunch with the President, etc, etc. Not really my peer group. They also pride themselves on paying their teachers more, giving more, having small class room ratios etc, etc. So, frankly, I expect more from her teachers than a regular, overworked, trying her hardest w/ too many kids in the class teacher. Too bad. I also think that sarcasm has no place in the classroom. I also don't like passive/aggressive. So, I will take it out in my own passive/aggressive way by not having her do her homework. I realize that she will still need to know the info from the worksheets, but frankly I think she has too many anyway.

--This baby is going to show up soon. I keep trying to ignore it but it seems like it is still going to happen. I have one outfit, I will find the carseat in the move and the hospital will give us diapers. She can sleep in a laundry basket in the closet for the first little while like all the rest of my kids did. So, in theory, we are ready.

--I really am not as ambivalent about children and my life as it might seem. Just logical and content. Things are going really well here. Derek is working hard, we are about to move into our house, I just conned one of my sisters into helping me unpack (thanks Nie), I have good friends, good family and occasionally (like today) my kids go for more than an hour without fighting. What more does one need? Besides more Thai food, of course.
Welcome to my mind. Do you wish that I would go back to pictures (and can anyone tell me why the formatting on Blogger is so LAME? It doesn't want me to keep spaces between my paragraphs).

25 comments:

Erin said...

I love Max's! (if we're thinking of the same one)I also love Thai food. Tom Yum Gai is my favorite, and I can actually make it at home. Heaven.
(we should be best friends!)

As for the belly thing. Totally understand. I bought a Bella Band when I was pregnant with Sam and it was absolutely fantastic. It's basically like a tube top for you belly. I wore it in the beginning when I was leaving my buttons undone on my regular jeans, and at the end when my shirts no longer fit. I also wore it a lot post-pregnancy while I was waiting for myself to shrink...I'm still waiting.

I like your lowering the bar and being awesome mentality. I need to try that, because most days I feel much less then awesome

Bek said...

City Mamma, I am sure it is the same place, there is only one and you need to give me your soup recipe. We should be best friends, twins even! Next time you are in town, lets get the kids together over Max's togo and catch up, eh?

Bella Band is a good idea, then you aren't always tucking things in. Will it hold my gelatenous post baby belly in too? Will it do my laundry? :-)

Great idea!

Keep that bar low lady. You will see.

Bek said...

I didn't mean their is only one store, that their is one chain in this area.

More wondertwin stuff? I lived in NYC, I do photography (but not lately) etc, etc. We might actually be the same person. ;-)

Carina said...

You know that ruebens are my favorite sandwiches, right?

I take mine with mustard, the strong stuff. Russian dressing just will not do.

I've heard of Bella Bands and I think they're a great idea.

Christy said...

I don't think I've mentioned lately how happy I am that you're blogging again!

My theme for 2008 has been Lower the Bar. It is working for me so far. My goals:
1.Kids should be alive at the end of the day (100% on that one!).
2.Get Caleb to school every day it is in session.
3.Get myself dressed (kids being dressed is optional--unless they are leaving the house).

Good luck with the baby and the move! I can't wait to hear all about it.

Anonymous said...

I totally cussed in my head when I read the bullet about Lu's school and fundraising. Oh. My. Goodness.

Also, I love you for giving my slacker life a label (lowering the bar) and making it sound desirable and wonderful.

CKW said...

I talked to J last night and we're on for the 9th through the 13th. Will that work?

La Yen said...

Ruebens are also my favorite. And I have contemplated the belly band, even though I have never been pregnant.

My goals for the day:
Less tv.
Except for ANTM
Not yell at Jooj
Eat pretzels.

Whatcha need for the baby?

Emily said...

Bek, I read this post just before going to bed last night, and I think I dreamed about you all night.

Regarding the school and fundraising goal: I am STUNNED. What in heaven's name do they do with the money?! Fly in the New York Philharmonic for an assembly? Take really, really, really good field trips? So is each person's unofficial portion of the goal about $75,000? Talk about pressure!! And, yes, you deserve the best of best of teachers for that. I love that you are blowing it off.

Please tell us more about this craziness.

~j. said...

I hear you on the clothes. I bought one pair of pants this pregnancy, and I wear them EVERY DAY. When it gets warmer, I will wear my skirt. Every day brings the new quiz: which shirt will I wear? Not a lot of choice there, either (today's choice is a black number featuring a bleach stain). But I don't want to spend the money since this is more-than-likely my last pregnancy, you know? It does make for mad laundry, but I actually like doing laundry, so everyone (me) wins.

C. Jane Kendrick said...

Baby sleeps in a laundry basket. Awesome.

angie said...

max's used to have a dessert called scutterbotch and blondie - heaven on earth - but they no longer have it - sigh. i still think about it - clearly, too much.

and, by the by, you ARE awesome - low bar, high bar - it is awesome any way you look at it - i knew from the instant i met you, that i liked you

Miriam said...

You're practical and you're prioritizing. Sounds good to me!

Emily S. said...

Ah yes - the hoedown! That brings back some memories. I was equally shocked with the things they were auctioning off. Way out of my league. I wonder if Lulu has the same teacher Addie had. 3rd grade? McCreadie? And finally - "12 readers"? Yeah right!

Bek said...

Emily,

Not Mrs. McReady, we have Ms. Ackerman... gah. Enough said. Wes could have auctioned off 'middle of the night pediatrician phone advice". ;-)

I have heard that none of the 2nd grade teachers are much good, and so far I would have to agree....

Erin said...

Bek- it's a date. I'll email you next time I'm in town and we'll dine and talk about how awesome we are as we watch our children run around and eat dirt, because they do not appreciate Thai food yet.

P.S. Do you like run-on sentences? 'cause I do.

Erin said...

P.S. The Bella band is a pretty decent girdle. Although, I upgraded to spanx once I could mostly see my toes again. It can also double as a head band...as long as you have a really big head. :)

tracy m said...

I love Max's too. Ah, the food, all around, is one of two things I miss most about the BA. The other is the weather, of course. Oh, and living close to you- that would be nice, too!

The last month of my pregnancies, I wore the same dress everyday. I would wash it every few days and wait by the dryer to pull it on again. Who the h*ll cares when you're that preggo if you wear the same thing every day!? Be comfortable. Oh, and the dress? It was homemade. Yeah, I rocked it.

I adore rubens. But then, anything with horseradish slathered on it is good in my book.

Lower the bar, eh? My kids haven't been out of their jammies in two days. I even ran carpool in my jammies today. I've been painting- priorities, I say!

I don't miss penninsula schools, I gotta say- and your rant just drives it home for me. I can say rant, right? you know I mean it in the best way!

Besides, laundry baskets are the perfect baby bed. I mean really, what's the difference in a bassinet, a Moses basket or a rubbermaid basket? Yeah, not much. Rock the laundry basket.

Katie said...

Rebecca - Congrats on the new house! I've been searching for a great Thai place and so I have to know where you went! I laughed out loud about you wanting to be buried in a vat of the soup. Can I help you out in any way?

Bek said...

Katie, you are so cute!!

It is Siam Garden on Crane in MP.. it is always empty. Lets go to lunch sometime, call Suzi and Sufi.... Also, you can help me by letting me crash your pool all summer. That is the WORST part about leaving condo. No more pool!

Tracy, its that same old thing. I am so sad when my friends leave here to move away,but not really b/c I know that they are moving to where there is better prices, better standard of living, etc, etc... double edged sword. A dress, eh? I need to get one of those...

CityMamma, I am in. Let me know when you are here next and we can crash the campus (totally fenced in) playgrounds....

sue-donym said...

"people who have realistic expectations say that they are happier"...
Thank you. I really needed to hear that.

I think your expectations are right on!

Nellie said...

I love this post! Yours is so outstanding about lowering the bar that I absolutely am going to have it as my new mantra. I can't believe you are having a baby so soon. What the heck is a Bella Band? Am I stupid, or did I just miss out on another great pregnancy thing since my "baby" just turned 3? I sure wish I lived next door to you in sunny CA so we could lower the bar together. . . instead I am in the siberian winter from hell.

Leisha Mareth said...

I can honestly say that since I have adopted your "Lowering the Bar and Being Awesome!" attitude...I AM MUCH HAPPIER! Imagine that? I'm not even sure who the imaginary woman of perfection is that I compete with in my brain?

Leisha Mareth said...

P.S. If you ever come to Texas, I MUST take you to Thai Tina's...it is, oh, I can't even explain the heaven it is to your taste buds!

Single PAP said...

you are freakin' hilarious and THAI FOOD ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!