In the process

[newmama]

Mystik- I do try to stay busy! It prevents me from getting too depressed, I noticed. On Thursday it was raining cats and dogs--super super heavy rain. I couldn't bring myself to be motivated to do anything other than go home and put on my comfy clothes. BUt I had several hours of NOTHING until S was dropped off. Sure, there are ways to fill the hours but I was just BLAH. BORED. RESTLESS. Yuck. My point is that I think trying to plan stuff really helps!

CW- My RA toned down thank goodness! Today I woke up with minimal inflammation and was also able to pick up my prescription. Hopefully it will stay like this for awhile. (inactive) Thanks for the concern! I tend to forget I have it until it reminds me....

Gatsby- glad you could relate to the gym-daycare thing. And also not glad because we have to deal with this! I am jealous that my friend C goes 3 times per week while her H takes care of the kids. Oh well. This is our life, right?

FM- Thanks for the vote of confidence. I can definitely use the elliptic at home and my pilates dvds some time but the problem has been that when S is asleep, I am so not motivated to work out! (at 8 p.m.) This is a temporary problem. I can envision doing walks to the park, etc like I did before I went back to work. Also, for the first time in my life, I might say "so what?" if I am flabby from not working out for awhile. I know this is not my preference, but also know I envision more for myself, so it will happen again. We need to know when to take it all on and when to just let ourselves "manage!"

About the Waldorf daycare- I don't know much about that but it sounds good. AND expensive!

Brightnewday-how funny; you have them near the end of their school career and I have them near the beginning. For me they want to learn everything and say "I can't read" if they can't pick up any book from the library and read it! I have to explain that reading is a process and you go from reading small words to big words but everyone will get there....

I think it's funny that no one has commented about zoobrew!

[flowmom]

About the Waldorf daycare- I don't know much about that but it sounds good. AND expensive!

I don't think that a Waldorf "family daycare" would be more expensive than another type. It's more about finding the provider. But I have no idea what the options and costs are in your area of course.

[bright_new_day]

Brightnewday-how funny; you have them near the end of their school career and I have them near the beginning. For me they want to learn everything and say "I can't read" if they can't pick up any book from the library and read it! I have to explain that reading is a process and you go from reading small words to big words but everyone will get there....

Wow, you get the ones who want to learn to read, while my students know how but don't want to! When I tell them what we are reading next, they ask if there's a movie instead!

[newmama]

Had fun at the Christmas Party last night! The kids were pleased with their presesnts and my friends all loved the gifts I got for them, made by my exSIL. She makes amazing purses, aprons, bags, oven mitts and even pillows! I was glad to support her business and also make my friends happy at the same time!

I did choke up at one of the game-conversation starter topics. It was about your best Christmas memory. Mine was with exH so I couldn't share it and I didn't want to think about it. BUt I recovered.

My Chicken tortilla soup won the soup cook off booby prize! It was a fiberoptic dancing Santa. So tacky and funny!

My grandma...in the hospital AGAIN! I was able to visit her yesterday on my way down to the party. They transferred her to a different hospital with a cardiac unit. BUT THE GOOD NEWS is the angiogram showed her heart was healthy and her issues have something to do with her bowels...sorry for TMI but she tries to go to the bathroom and gets a cold sweat, feels like she is going to pass out and then her blood pressure goes way up. If anyone has a guess, let me know. They are doing more tests and she will be there for a couple more days.

And now I am just doing chores until S comes home and we will go to the Zoo Lights event tonight. It is a bit of a hassle getting there but I think he will really like it.

Tomorrow I have dinner/play date with my single mom friend, so it will be busy getting there after work but we'll make it happen.

I am feeling a little empty right now but can't place my finger on it....just really really really ready for some extended time off! A silver lining to teaching, for sure...

[Mystik]

Sorry to hear about your grandmother's health issues. Hope the doctors figure it out soon, wonder if she has a blockage or kink in her bowels.

Yay for fun at the family party. I hear ya about the best memories including H, but now you can build new memories that include your DS.

Only two weeks until you get that nice long break.

[newmama]

Thanks Mystik- we'll see if your guess is right! I just want her well in time for Christmas, of course.

I got back from the zoo lights...wow!! SUPER gorgeous and SUPER awesome displays! I have never been. We took the train in and I decided to do it sans stroller, so I carried S most of the time. My arm is sore but I kept thinking of the extra calories I was burning by carrying around another 26-28 pounds! lol. My single mom friend met me for at zoo train ride and S was cranky but also seemed to like it. He pointed to different lights and made animal sounds for various animals (lights, not the real ones since they were sleeping!)

So exH's proposal for the daycare was decent...He is asking if I could afford to sort of pay $100 more and his support would drop by $100. Much better than the $200-300 that I feared! It won't happen until February. This is also good for me for paying for utilities through the winter.

[newmama]

Oh and a small thing that gave me pleasure- I asked exH if he would be fine with alternating New Year's. This year I would have S and he could have him next year, etc.

He said "Sounds fine by me. So are you going to __ this year?" I am not but I only said "oh, we'll do something..."

haha! Not his right to know! I remember when a goal of mine was to get him to ask me about my plans. Now I think "screw you."

[flowmom]

LOL newmama. Yes, it's funny how things change. Glad you're keeping up the GAL. And yes you deserve a break...esp after your first term being a mother AND a teacher...congrats!

[newmama]

well zoobrew texted me and then called me last night. I almost didn't want to talk to him because I wasn't in the mood to talk--had read some depressing stuff on a thread about how LBS have difficulty trusting people again and remain numb to establishing intimacy. ALSO I had just eaten some jalapeno jelly mixed with sour cream (and chips) and my stomach was churning! But I was curious and since I do want to go out with him some time, I put in the effort.

We chatted for about 20 minutes while he was on his way to a buddy's house (who had just gotten divorced but he didn't want it). At the end he said "mind if I call you again some time?" and sounded a little like he was sticking his neck out! I said "absolutely! whenever you are available." He told me I could call him as well. Now HE is pursuing me, lol!

But this morning I decided I wanted some input into when I would see him again--I don't want him to call me at 10 p.m. and say "wanna come over?" I want to meet him and see how I feel

I texted him to let him know it was good talking to him but I wanted to talk in person next time and that my nights without S are Tues and Sat. (...unless I make other plans of course!)

He replied that he definitely wants to meet me for a brew since we had so much fun in the past and said he would be able to once things calm down. His business is booming and it is the holidays.

I felt good about establishing some boundaries in a way. I don't know how to explain it- not being "the man" and taking over, but letting him know if he wants to go out with me, there are limited times to do so. Does that make sense at all?

[newmama]

FM- yep, exH also was asking me if I was meeting someone or some people to go to the zoo lights on Sunday! I forgot about that. He also asked me if I had plans on Saturday when he was arranging to get S a little earlier.

He ended up taking S on Monday because S had thrown up and had diarrhea the night before. He seemed fine on Monday but exH wanted to make sure he rested up, so he took the day off.

I was also pleased that he was "available" when I texted him around 11 p.m.the night before to let him know that S was sick. He replied within 10 minutes. Ever since he wasn't availabe that one time when I was pregnant and had to go to the hospital because I fell and chipped my tooth, I have been wary of being able to get hold of him in an emergency.