Random Happenings

A few things came to my attention in the past few days and I just had to share them with you. They have no order and are rather random but made me stop in my tracks when they happened.

First would be the fact that on Monday I was not feeling so hot leaving work and on the way home had chills, could hardly keep my eyes open and a few times wondered if I was going to heave in the car. I made it home all the while praying that I could just get in the door. I figured Gary could handle the girls and I would be able to hightail it to bed. But, when I walked in the door, Gary looked worse than I felt and suddenly it was like a switch went off and I had to suppress my own illness so that I could care for the girls, finish up the evening with pajamas, teeth brushing and stories for bed. Gary in the meantime lost his lunch and from the sounds of it his toes in the other bathroom while I was helping the girls brush their teeth. So he does win hands down of being the sicker of the two of us. My lunch though not quite agreeing with me did stay down. But it still amazes me that despite feeling like crap myself I was able to push through it and get the girls to bed, which, with my kids is no small feat. The two of them are the worst when it comes to going to bed at night, but that is another post entirely. I even had it in me to clean up the kitchen from the supper Gary somehow managed to prepare, took a walk next door to get some Gatorade from my parents for Gary in his weakened state (though they stayed clear of me whilst in their presence out of fear of germ passing). Luckily the girls did not get this random bug, or maybe they did and just didn't affect them as much as it did us.

Anyway, my random musing with this one is that I think women have an inherent ability to put children and family first before themselves. It is an amazing trait, truly. But I wonder how bitter it makes some of us. I know for me, I have a list in my head of things I do that Gary doesn't. Does he have the same list? Probably not. Most of my list consists of chores, others are clothes buying or replacing staple items in the house. I don't get bitter about it regularly, but today for instance, I am bitter about it all because of one simple comment my husband made to me as he was sitting on the couch watching the morning news (he does drop off to daycare and preschool on Thursdays and can't leave until almost 8AM to do it or he will be early to preschool)...."why does it take you so long to get out of the house?" I think it seemed innocent enough, but when I took a moment to look at him while I was in the midst of picking up random toys on my way out the door, it was all I could do not to list off the things I did that morning or even the night before so that things would be easier in the morning. Instead I sighed an "I don't know" and gathered up my stuff to leave. I really don't know why I take it upon myself to make sure the kitchen is cleaned, toys put away, beds made and the dog watered before I leave. I should just get up at 5AM and head out to work right? There is a gym and locker room at work to shower, I should just do it. But yet I don't. Mother guilt? Possibly. I think it is more that I love to see the girls in the morning all rumply and sleepy ready to give me a big hug.

The next random thing is something I noticed this morning and it was a biker, not motorcycle rider, but an actual pedal biker getting a ticket. Now I am all for riding your bikes, but I can't tell you how many times I have been cut off by a biker around these Cambridge parts when I come into work. I know we all share the road and they have more right to be there since they don't technically pay for the privilege to ride on the road like motorists do, but I was secretly elated that this gentleman got a ticket. More so because another bicyclist, a cop on a bike, was the one writing the ticket. How funny is that? Again, nothing against bikers per se, I know there are plenty out there that follow the rules of the road to a tee. But for some reason here in Cambridge I come across the worst bike riders. Many times when I have a green light they are trying to eek across the crosswalk. Once I even stopped for one of these bikers quite scared that I may hit him and let him go across in front of me and he shook his head in disgust at me for letting him go. Apparently he knew no one was behind me (hindsight on my part) and was balancing on his bike with both feet on the pedals on the double yellow line waiting for me to pass so he could finish crossing the street and by my stopping it forced him to change his plan and he got all upset with me. I was concerned he would lose his balance and fall, thus me hitting him with my tank of a car. I guess getting an angry finger signal is far better than hitting him, but it irks me still.

Last random musing here is about preschool. I love that Aimee is going to preschool. In fact, she is going to the same one I went to as a kid, talk about memories. But many of the parents at school remind me of exactly why I wasn't a cool kid in school. I didn't join in everything. I wasn't overly popular. People liked me enough, I did my thing, I wasn't trying to be the rebel all in black at the back of the class pissed off at the word. But I also didn't try to please all the "in" crowd just to stay above their radar. And yet, here I am with all of these mothers who at 9AM in the morning look like they are ready to step foot in a nightclub with their get ups. I see tight jeans with flares, pointed toe boots with heels, more makeup than I could ever own and cars that make mine look small. These are the same mothers that roll their eyes because the director of the school has said over and over again, "playground appropriate attire and footwear at school please." I get it. Aimee goes in her cute consignment sale pants and jeans with her Velcro stride rites and looks cute as a button to me. They want the kids to be comfortable, to be able to get messy, have fun and be safe with good shoes while they climb the slide or run around outside. These mothers want to dress them in skirts, dresses, tights and clogs. Cute outfits, no question, but it is preschool!

I have noticed that some of the mothers have a little clique because they know each other from last year since the school has the option of kids starting at 2.9 years in a playgroup two days a week. I have tried to be nice and interact with these ladies and will continue to do so but it just reminds me of the fact that some people just never grow up in life. One mother actually looked horrified that I (*gasp*!) worked. She noticed I didn't drop Aimee off on Thursdays and I said, that I worked and she looked so surprised. To her credit, she did a good job covering it by asking, where do I have to commute and when I answered Cambridge at least the surprise could stay on her face.

No, I am not a trophy wife, yes, I have to work to keep us in the lap of luxury called insurance and yes my husband is self employed. I am eternally grateful I only have to work 24 hours. It gives me enough time to be my own person outside of kids while allowing me to be home too.

So those are the random thoughts in my head today. For those of you on the edge of your seats, I did lose 4 lbs this week at WW. I don't know how other than the random sickness but I am thinking that 4 lbs in a day would be strange since I got sick Monday afternoon and weighed in Tuesday night. But I will take it. Down 8 lbs total since I started back in late August. No where near my goal but like I learned from my children...baby steps.