Right On the Nose...Frida

Diana got her first cold this week.  After mildly freaking out and thinking we would have to go to the hospital and I was the worst mother ever, I calmed down.  I realized this cold, like many other things, is out of my hands, and she's going to be ok.  I brought her to the doctor just to be safe.

While at the doctor, I was told we were doing everything we could--humidifier, baby Vick's, snot sucker thingy, smaller amounts of formula more frequently, basically she confirmed I'm the best mother ever.  But then I received the worst news possible:

"I know this is kind of gross, but a lot of moms are saying it's amazing, you might want to think about getting the Nose Frida."   Oh. Em. Gee.

John and I were introduced to the Nose Frida when we were registering for the baby shower.  A nice lady led us around "Buy Buy Baby" and promptly pointed out this little machine that's supposed to be all the rage.  Our first reaction, and I'm not kidding, was "oh, ________ naw."  Fill that in that blank with what you believe should go in there.  You may get a better idea of the vocabulary used when you see this picture that gives you a better idea on what the Nose Frida is:

 

You can begin gagging now.  That is an actual mother SUCKING THE SNOT OUT OF HER BABY!  There are many things wrong with this picture.

1.  Mom is joyfully sucking the snot out of her baby like it's a milkshake. (I can't even.)

2.  Baby is enjoying this process.  (Diana would be screaming and scratching at my face.)

3.  Matching outfits.  (I literally can't even.)

So John and I went on our way scanning and laughing about this snot straw.  We called all of our friends and showed pictures.  Then a crazy thing happened.  When we showed our parent friends and, THEY SAID IT'S AWESOME.  We were stunned.  They said it's the best product and there is a "filter" and supposedly "nothing gets through" but I was still not buying it.

But, here is the power of peer pressure people.  So many people were saying this was awesome we were thinking WE were the crazies who needed to have a snot straw in our lives.  We might be bad parents if we are not inhaling the boogers for our baby.    

Then I got the word from our doctor.  The Nose Frida is the best invention in the world.  Oh. Em. Gee.  I called John.

"We need the Nose Frida"

"Seriously?"

"I think so... the doctor said."

"You're doing it."

Thank God for my sister.  I called her to let her know it was going down and we HAD to buy the nose sucker.  

"Ror, we are buying the Nose Frida"
"Oh my God, you CAN'T"

"We are"

"I'm puking right now"

"I'm a bad mother if I don't"

"I'm vomiting just thinking about it.  I didn't even use those bulb things for my girls.  I can't even."

That was all I needed.  I'm standing my ground.  The Nose Frida is disgusting and I'm not mom enough to be a human mucus drain for my child and that's ok.  So, the moral of the story is... do what you do.  If you are the kind of parent that sucks snot out for your baby, bully for you.  For now, I'm just going to use the bulb thing and call it a day.  In the end we are both getting the job done.  Also...babies are disgusting.  

   

 

Raising a daughter

Why are so many girls told they are "princesses?"  I hate it.  I absolutely abhor people coming up to me and saying Diana is "my little princess."  I hate the t-shirts that say "daddy's little princess."  Part of me regrets even naming Diana after a princess because the comparisons and comments inevitably follow, "oh she's your little princess Diana."  Sadly, what people don't remember is that 'Princess' Diana was so much more than a princess.  She was strong, stubborn, independent, vocal, caring, loving, beautiful.  So let's get one thing straight.  Diana was named after a strong, stubborn, independent, vocal, caring, loving, beautiful woman who just happened to be a princess.  Diana will not be a princess.  We will do better.

In an age when girls are sexualized younger and younger and told their importance is found in men who "treat them like princesses" Diana will learn that her importance will be found in her compassion and empathy towards others.  Her importance on this earth will not rest in how a man determines her worth.   She will make her own worth and she will be worth more than diamonds. 

I thank God every day that I have a man next to me that agrees that women should be equal to men in all respects.  Diana will see her father treating me like an equal and NOT like a princess and will search for that in her own companion.  And if she determines that she does not need a man in her life and would rather travel the world, we will be so proud.  Whatever my beautiful girl determines will be praised, because I know I have raised a woman to think for herself, and I know that we will not lead her astray.

I thank God every day that John and I are giving Diana a Christian household.  Diana will know that not only do her parents cherish and love her, but she also has a savior in heaven who values her and even died for her.  She will not need society to tell her to shorten her skirt or highlight her hair or lose a little weight, because no matter what, she is beautiful in her savior's eyes.  

I'm clinging to these truths.  It is SO HARD to raise a girl in today's world.  There are so many people saying that a woman HAS to be beautiful and sexy and powerful and perfect.  She can't be flawed and unique or special in her own way.  So, my dearest Diana, your father and I are going to try our hardest to raise you to balk at society and to be strong, stubborn, independent, vocal, caring, loving, and  beautiful, because in the end, you were named after a woman who was all of these things NOT a princess. 

Sunday Inspiration

Must Watch:

Must Read:

Parenting is Hard

AND

A Nod and a Smile


Words of Wisdom:

What I read

 Not that good:



Amazing:



I've been on a feminist kick lately.  I read Bossypants first.  Personally, I feel like every twenty-something year old girl needs to read this book.  It's funny, she's honest, I can relate to Tina Fey.  I've read a sample of Amy Poehler's new book Yes Please and I already know I'm going to love it.  I wish I was friends with these two women.


Lena and I on the other hand do not click.  I trudged through her book, she seems fake, I can't relate to Lena.  She grew up in New York City, had liberal artist parents, and went to private schools and sleep away camps for the rich and famous.  She had some good moments that I highlighted and shook my head in recognition to, but for the most part, I just can't relate.

Tina, on the other hand, grew up in a small town, had staunch conservative parents, and is constantly wanting to please everyone around her, yet still try to stand on her own.  Yeah, that I can wrap my mind around.

So, girls of a twenty-something age,  now that I am almost a ripe 29, my greatest advice is READ READ READ and LEARN LEARN LEARN and then APPLY APPLY APPLY.  Try to learn as much as you can from people wildly more successful than you and apply it to your own life.  Maybe something will stick.  

Goals for Halloween

Make this for baby girl:
























Make this chili:



 
Beer chili




Watch this:

Or This:

Last but not least, hand out candy to the two kids in Houston who will not be at Friday night football in Texas.

Sunday Inspiration

Words of Wisdom






Must Read:
 

Our True Home



Laugh out Loud

Dreamers anonymous

I have the dreamer disease.  I like to think of ways to change the world or improve my life and never really go all the way. 

There are so many things that I love to do and want to do, I just don't go 100%.  That's a problem.  I will do them here and there and never really master them.  Everything from photography to playing the ukulele to running to writing.  In the words of the classic philosopher, Homer *ahem* Simpson, "...just go in every day and do it really half-assed - that's the American way."

I hate to say it, but I do MANY things half-assed.  That's a problem.  I think it's time to get down to the business of doing just a few things really well.  I'm hoping I'm not the only person with this problem.  I have a feeling many of us run around trying to look busier than we really are, when in fact, we are just running around doing a lot of things half...well you get the picture.   

I found an old high school acquaintance on Twitter.  He wrote a book.  It shook me.  Here is a person who is DEFINITELY not just sitting around dreaming, he's DOING.  I think that's pretty amazing.

So, it's time to focus in and start doing some things really, really well.

 

       

Sunday Inspiration

Words of wisdom:

 

Must Read:

On being 16... 

Must Watch, use subtitles.

 

 

Love letter to a late night host

Dear Jimmy Fallon,
     You may not know this, but you have been with my husband and me through every stage of our relationship.  We fell in love over Fever Pitch, we watched you late at night after coming home from the bar with our friends, and now you are here for the best stage of all. 

     When I think back of these early days with our baby, I'm not going to be thinking about being exhausted at night, trying to keep my eyes open in order to feed her.  I'm going to be thinking about laughing and watching you with with her in my arms.

     I was able to spend some time every night watching you, laughing with her.  I can't help but think of all the other late night moms in my same position.

    So, thank you Jimmy Fallon.  Thanks for being one more marker in my mind of what these early days and nights with her were like.  I'll never forget it.





     

Sunday Inspiration

Words of Wisdom:

Must Watch:

Laugh out Loud:

Real

Diana Lee Simonis was born August 27, 2014.  She was approximately 3 months early.  We spent approximately 4 weeks in the NICU.  That moment in our lives is something that I will visit and talk about at a later date.  Right now the emotions and commotion from NICU life is too close to the surface to accurately and coherently depict. 

Now, we are home.  I have been a mother for about 6 weeks now.  I don't know if I will ever get used to being called "mother" "mom" "mama." It seems foreign, or too big, right now.  I'm assuming it's something I will grow into.

Because D was born so early, she is quarantined at our home.  We can't go to any public areas or around large groups for fear of catching some sort of virus.  So because she is quarantined, I am quarantined, and I'm restless.

John goes off to work at 6:45am, and Diana and I are stuck at home to binge watch Gilmore Girls.  My heart for Diana bursts every time I look at her and she peers at me through her doe eyes and she pets my neck with her little hand that splays out like a tiny starfish.  I love her, but I'm also restless.

It's hard to be cooped up for weeks on end with a roommate who can't talk, who demands constant attention, and has minimal facial movements beside the occasional gas smile and grimace.  It's hard.  Right now I'm missing my other kids who talk back to me and more often than not smell like feet.  I miss my 7th graders.  I miss my work.   

I can't take this time for granted though, because even though I feel too small for the word "mother" right now, I know it's important work.  It's important to be here when she cries and to cradle her when she sleeps.  I'm not just binge watching Gilmore Girls, I'm loving and getting to know my girl.  This time will pass, and it will pass too quickly.  I will look back and miss her tiny starfish hands and her fuzzy head.  And I will remember our little time in quarantine where we cried and cradled and loved.                     

Time goes by...

Today marks the last weekend of summer...for teachers at least.  Next week we will be back into planning, organizing, and meetings. 

It is 10am, and I'm still in my PJs.  I figure the chapter of my life where I can sleep in, sit around in my PJs, and watch mindless TV is going to be completely over in approximately 2 months, so I better enjoy it while I can.  I'm probably too old to be doing this any way.  I should be cleaning, balancing a check book, and preparing our family dinner like a normal adult.  Maybe later...

So, as I'm sitting around watching mindless TV, I came across Laguna Beach.  Classic.  It's been 10 years since that show came out and I LOVED it.  It got me thinking about how much has happened in 10 years.  So much has changed.

I didn't go to my high school reunion.  I'm pretty sure it was held in a barn...I'm not sure...but I'm not kidding.  It's small town, what I can I say?  Anyway,  I can't imagine stepping back into that place and time and seeing those people.  I've changed and I don't want to be reminded of who I was 10 years ago.  Not that my past was bad, it's just so removed from where I am now.  It got me thinking about all of the people who have come in and out of my life.  I don't regret any of those people from my past, but I'm so happy with who is in my life now...and who is going to be in my life in the VERY near future. 

Yesterday, I spent time with some really good friends here in Houston.  I love that God blessed me with these people, my tribe.  I love that we can laugh and raise babies together and work together and worship together.  It's just perfect.

I'm really not sure how long I will have these friends in my life.  If somewhere down the road John and I will move back to Wisconsin or Michigan and then be removed once again from this moment and these people.  But for right now, it's just perfect.              

Here we go again

If you haven't noticed, I have a love/hate relationship with blogging. 

Reasons I love it:
1.  It helps me with my writing.

2.  It allows me to collect my thoughts

3.  It's a mini time capsule to show exactly what I was doing on what day.

Reasons I hate it:
1.  Every little insecurity comes out and I start to think, "oh crap, some student/ old high school classmate/ old student/ parent/ old boss will read this and think I'm a nerd/ weirdo/ loser."  OR  "oh crap, what if I have bad grammar and they realize I'm a fraud?"

I'm going to try to get over my insecurities and write a little here and there.  It will not be constant by any means, but at least it's something.  Especially now that I'm about to have a baby, I want to document SOMETHING!

That's all for now.  I will write more later.