2010

 Questions From The Coffee Pot


1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before? Had a baby!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I have no clue if I made resolutions last year - but if I did I doubt I kept them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes - me!

4. Did anyone close to you die? Unfortunately someone I consider an Uncle.  He passed away suddenly on September 11, 2010 - his wife's birthday.  Bobby you are dearly missed.

5. What countries did you visit? The country of MOTHERHOOD!

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010? MONEY!!!!  More money and more happiness.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? May 7, 2010 the day I entered the hospital 9 months preggo.  May 8, 2010 - the day my daughter was born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Having my beautiful girl and still loving my hubby regardless of all the stress of this year.

10. What was the best thing you bought? OHHH my new camera!  Nikon 3100 :)

11. Whose behavior merited celebration? My husband for not killing me when I become like a crazed rabid animal.

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted? Some people that constantly complain without realizing that the person next to you has many more problems and you're complaining about DIDDLY SQUAT!

13. What song will always remind you of 2010?  Daughter - Peter Blegvad

14. What do you wish you’d done more of? Exercise, run, laugh, jump up and down.  Travel.  Sit down and enjoy a moment.

15. What do you wish you’d done less of? Get frustrated, fighting feeling down.

16. Did you fall in love in 2010? With my E-rizzle

17. Who did you miss? Bobby Higgins

18. Who was the best new person you met? E-rizzle.

Christmas has come & gone

Christmas was here - and just as quickly as it came it left.  Santa is preparing for next year!  Christmas was nice this year but it felt rushed.  We were running between my parents house & the in-laws house.  Staying up late to wrap presents and trying to find the perfect present for someone on a budget can be a difficult task.  But in anycase I think Erin had a terrific day - and lets just say she is still recovering from the weekend's festivities. 

(after opening several presents)

Santa's letter for Erin & he ate most of his brownie!

  
If you live on the East Coast I hope you were able to survive the snow storm!  It was fantastic - I always love a good storm whether it's rain or snow or wind.  It's thrilling (as long as no one gets hurt).  I can remember a thunder storm/terrific rain storm when my brother & I were little.  My mom was in a chinese food store getting lunch and the rain came and my brother & I were outside dancing around on the street!  Thrilled that our mom wasn't yelling at us for running around in the cold rain.
In any case we were at my in-laws house when the snow arrived and we were literally snowed in for 2 days.  Sunday to Tuesday we were snowed in - the plow didn't make it to their neighborhood until Tuesday morning.  I never realized how much of a city gal I am until I was snowed in in Queens, NY away from any kind of store - and when I say store I'm including a deli.  The closest 7-11 is several blocks from their house. 
New Yorkers were thrown for a loop when the sanitation department was much slower in removing the snow from their blocks.  Many believe this is because sanitation workers were recently layed off and it was the departments F-you to the city - New York Times Article.  But I sometimes wonder do New Yorkers complain because we are New Yorkers and expect a tremendous amount from our city?  Or were we really screwed over?  What is the response time like in other cities that get huge amounts of snow? 
Whatever the case I throughouly enjoyed the snow (and so did Buddy) and am so glad that my daughter's first Christmas was almost a white Christmas.

Happy Almost New Year!

Change in Relationships

Did you find as you started motherhood that your relationships with your friends who are not married or don't have kids or both changed?  And if you are single or don't have kids did you find that your relationship with your friends who have kids and/or are married changed?  Or if you have kids did your relationship with friends that have kids change?
I'm the only one of my friends that is married and has a child (well 2 including my pup).  And I have found that I don't feel as close to any of my friends anymore.  I don't know if it's the change to becoming a mom that has done this or if it's my entire situation or what it is or if I've always been like this.

And It's Vacation

Finally - I have time off!  Time off to hang out with my daughter & hubby.  I have nearly 2 weeks off!  I haven't had this much time off since my maternity leave.  It will be nice to sorta sleep in and to be able to do things on my own schedule.  To play with Erin and watch her grow and hopefully catch her making her first crawl forward (not backwards).
Happy Almost Christmas!

Don't Forget...

To vote for what you think my  theme should be for the 365 project!

I Heart Faces - Fix It Friday!

Today is my first entry for the I Heart Faces Fix it Friday photo challenge.  Here is the original

Now here is my version:

Here is what I did:

1) I turned the photo black & white using the action from: The Coffee Shop Blog and Texas Chicks Blogs & Pics.

Then for the quick edge burn layer I made the opacity 0% and the light layer 100%.  

It's Nearly Vacation!

This week has been dragging.  It's the last week of school before vacation and all week long I keep thinking that we are one day ahead.  Today I thought it was Friday so when I got home I figured ohhh tomorrow is Saturday - NOT!  So after a LONG day at work where I was just in an awful mood I was happy to come home to my holiday return address labels!  Because now I can finally send out my Christmas cards!  It's my first Christmas sending a picture card - because now we have Erin! 
Then there's the other part of the holidays - the food!  I decided to make Irish soda bread for some of my co-workers.  And then it just expanded.  So before the night is over I will have made 7 loaves for people at work.  Count em 7 - but they are delicious!  It's a recipe from my grandma, to my mom to me :) 

I am also busy checking out other people's websites on I Heart Faces.  There are some amazing photographers out there.  If anybody has a professional website out there can you suggest your host?  Especially if it's a free one?  It would be of a great help!  I think I just need to jump into this - head first.  Maybe do some shoots for free to build up a base and get some recommendations (that is if I'm any good!).

And here are some pictures of my little monkey from tonight!

Thank You!

Thank you to Stacey Bishop for her tutorial on how to create your own storyboard!  She gave AMAZING instructions (thus my new storyboard title!).  I'm so proud of it and can't wait to do more!  Please visit her blog: http://staceybishopphotography.blogspot.com/

The 365 Project!

Okay so I have heard of the 365 day project!  I was thinking it would be a great way for me to be creative with my camera and really get me out there.
So here's my thought.  I'll start January 1, 2011 (weird 2011).  But I'm going to add a poll to see what you guys think I should be taking pictures of!  Sound like fun??  I think so!  If you have any of your own suggesstions please also leave a comment - along with a link to your blog!  To me the most interesting one is Photos of NYC.
Thanks!!!


What should the 365 project be?

I Heart Faces

The I Heart Faces competition this week is all about pets!!!  I had 1 dog when I was growing up, Rex.  He was truly special - so special in fact that my husband started to like dogs again.  So about 3 years ago me and my husband got our very own puppy!  His name is Buddy - and he is crazy (I actually think he has ADD).  He bounces around the place and thinks he is a tough dude.  He is only about 30 pounds but barks at every HUGE dog he sees.  But he is so gentle with my daughter and just loves to kiss her!  So here's to the pets in our life.  The ones that can brighten any day!

Working Moms!

Everybody knows that being an outside the home working mom is hard.  But it's HARD!  Lets start with the nights when you're little one doesn't want to sleep so you're up throughout the night.  Your sister-in-law is sleeping in the living room, your husband wants to bring the baby to bed so she will fall asleep faster, I'm worried that one of us will roll over on her and that she will only want to sleep with us and not learn to fall asleep on her own!  Let's not mention the guilt!  The guilt I feel leaving the house - especially when she is still asleep when I leave.  Then I'm at work missing all the little laughs & giggles & hugs and good times.  And then I'm home...and it's run around the clock until her bed time! 
And then it's all the wifey obligations!  And you're running on empty (how does that song go again?)
OI VEY IT NEVER ENDS!!!
But that's what happens when you live in an expensive city, your hubby is unemployed going to school and you're the only source of income!
But the reward is when I come home, my dog jumps all over me and my little girl smiles & giggles with delight as I walk through the door!
Kids really do take over your life but in the absolute best way possible.  It's a balancing act between work, husband, friends, your own hobbies, SLEEP and having time with your kids.  I wouldn't trade it for the world!
Happy Holidays Everyone!

I Heart Faces

 

The newest competition at I Heart Faces is Black & White landscape and of course a person has to be somewhere in the photo.  I have a ton of landscape photos but not that many with people in them.  Luckily this guy just happened to get in my shot!

Monday...

And on some Mondays all you need is a lovely glass of milk and a delicious chocolate brownie.  Today was one of those days when you think you should have just called out sick!
How was everyone's Thanksgiving?  Mine was delightful filled with family & great food.  In my home we go to in my in-laws house where every year Joe & his mom gather together in the kitchen and make wonderful food while the rest of us keep ourselves busy trying to ignore the wonderful smell coming from the kitchen.
This was Erin's first Thanksgiving which made the day extra special.  Although she is teething big time which made her slightly cranky! Take a picture of what you are thankful for and leave the picture & comment here along with a link to your own blog.  Here are some of the things I'm thankful for this year.

And if anybody knows how to create a blog button please fill me in!!
And here's to the holiday season!!!

I Heart Faces Competition

This week's contest at I Heart Faces is paper. I actually took this picture of my daughter with my dad the night of my 29th birthday.  She is nearly 7 months old and grabbing at Everything!

You know what makes Sundays worthwhile?  When the Jets win!!  J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!!!!
What a fantastic win. 

So last night Joe and I went out to a Pre-Thanksgiving party.  I had been looking forward to this night since last year when I was pregnant and couldn't have any drinks!  And lets just say I'm so glad we are not party parents!  One night (once in a while) is definitely enough.  Both of our heads were hurting this morning.  Luckily Erizzle was at my parents house so we did not have to get up early (even though I woke up and looked over towards the crib). 
Today I have been researching people's photoblogs and websites.  I recently entered a contest at I Heart Faces so I found people on there and looked at their pages.  There is a lot of information out there I just have to figure out where I fit in.  Plus I've noticed that some people come up with very lovely names for their photography business and other just use their names.  And I can't figure out what I prefer!
If anybody has started their own photography business please leave comments!

Silhouette Photography Contest

Well today I'm entering my first photography contest at I Heart Faces.  The contest is Silhouettes.  The photo I entered is a picture of Erin sitting on the grass for the first time.  Now I know the picture isn't a perfect silhouette but I wanted to enter :)  So there you go - I'm jumping in!

Monday Evening Relaxation

You know what's wonderful?  When you come home from work after a busy Monday and the house is clean, the maintenance folk will eventually come up to snake the tub, you have a bottle of wine open and your hubby has kindly started dinner; a dinner that will allow leftovers no less.  And your beautiful little girl is  sound asleep.

Now that's what I call Monday Relaxation!

I would like to start my own photography website - so if anybody has suggestions please go ahead and leave me a note! I figure there is no better way to do this then to jump in head first (or feet first).

Happy Birthday To ME!

My 29th birthday was last week.  It sorta fell by the wayside because of a bunch of different things going on.  But I've decided to come back (or rather make time) for my blog and for my photography.    My birthday present for myself was my new DSLR camera :)  Very exciting!  My mother got me photoshop elements for my b-day present so I have been busy trying to figure everything out.  It's interesting but in trying to figure out all the different aspects of Photoshop and my new camera I realized that I'm so worried about screwing up!  It's not like anything is going to be perfect in the first shot!  Heavens to Betsy!  I shall also be changing the name of this blog (so don't be worried if you see a new look-embrace it haha).  Anyway here are a few photos I have taken recently. 

If anybody has any photoshop tips please send my way!

Welcome Back (To me!)

Dear Blogging World,

I've been missing for quite awhile.  And it's not even because anything exciting has been happening.  As you know my hubby was laid off, he started cooking school, my sister-in-law moved in and I guess I just got overwhelmed with everything.
I would come home from work and the house would be a mess (why I don't know - neither of them are working).  So when I got home and they went off to school I had to clean and take care of Erizzle and feed myself and make dinner for my sister-in-law and it was driving me crazy!  Why two grown-ups couldn't wash a few dishes during the day was beyond me!  So my husband and I were constantly fighting.  He didn't understand why I was so upset - especially since he had to get back into the routine of going to school at night.  Which I understand since he hasn't been in school for about 10 years.  But what drove me nutzzzzoooo was when other people (mainly my dad, his mom and my mom) would make comments about our mess house to me.  Well why don't you say something to my hubby - since he's the one home all day!
To say the very least the past few months/weeks whatever have been hectic & draining!  But then I look around at people that are in a far worse position than me and I wonder - what the hell are you complaining about girl!?  So I'm back to photography!
My birthday (the big 29) was Saturday, November 6th - to say it was eventual is umm...well it was forgettable to say the very least!  I had a bridal shower on Saturday, Friday night I was too tired to go out and was in bed by like 10:30 and Sunday was the ING NYC Marathon and my brother ran.  So anyway - I got myself my first Digital SLR camera!  I'm so incredibly thrilled!!  I have been camera happy ever since.  Now I'm stalking any and all photography blogs to try and learn some tips.  For my b-day present I requested photoshop so I hope I get it :)

Anyway this is one of my new photos.  It's Central Park looking towards the West Side.  I've been thinking about the kind of photographs I would like to take and I think it's families.  Children & parents and animals.
If anyone has any advice about photography please send my way!
Something I have realized about myself is that I never had a passion towards a particular career.  But when Erin came along i realized what my passion was, my family.  Experiencing life with them.  Because who is going to take care of me when I fall?  Not my career but my family.  It's a great feeling to have come to that realization.

First Sale!

Hi Everyone!  Sorry i know it's been forever since I last wrote.  My sister-in-law moved in, I went back to work and it got incredibly busy, and the hubby is nearly unemployed!

But some good news!  So I started this blog to connect with the world around me and to try and make my Etsy shop fabulous!  I started my shop a few months ago and had no sales (but I'm terrible at promoting myself) and I was just thinking the other day that I should maybe consider shutting it down.  Number one I haven't sold anything and I had yet to pay my little Etsy bill.  So I'm checking my email (which I don't get to do very often) and what do you know??? But Etsy has contact me because somebody wants to buy one of my photos!!!!
I was completely shocked!  And so thrilled!  I immediately jumped up and down looking for the photo paper and disaster strikes!  No black ink.  So i contact my buyer (yeeee) and tell them thanks for the purchase and I will send it immediately.  I buy black ink - the image is blurry, so I buy the colorful ink and WALLLLAAAA picture is printed beautifully!  I cant believe I sold one of my pictures!!!!
So please visit the site. Everything is very reasonably priced and I plan on adding more pictures!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BMurphy681

Thanks!

ARGH!

Ever made an incredibly stupid mistake at work?  Well that's exactly what I did.  Last week I sent out the summer mailing to the parents and of course I read everything to make sure it was all correct - and OF COURSE I missed a mistake and it went out to families with an incorrect date!  It's so frustrating!  I decided when I went back to work from my maternity leave that while at work I would work really hard otherwise what's the point in being away from E-rizzle?  And of course my first week back from maternity leave I make a mistake (I knew everything was going too smoothly).
What do I normally do when I make a mistake?  Beat myself up about it - regardless of whether or not it was a big or small mistake.  And I always try to put things in perspective but still I beat myself up about it.  I don't know where this attitude of mine comes from.  When I was in school - the school I went to (I felt) was incredibly competitive.  And I'm the LEAST competitive person I know.  I can't watch game shows without having palpitations for crying out loud!  Plus I always felt a little inferior to everyone around me - whether people were smarter than me, or more athletic or more this or more that.  So I expect average from myself (probably why I've given up so many different hobbies).  It's hard because I know everyone makes mistakes but when you're trying to turn over a new leaf and then you just combust it's annoying & frustrating!  Plus I'm just waiting for this to come bite me in the tooshie!  Just you wait - it'll happen!
What are some mistakes that you've made??

OMG...It's Been Forever!

OMG!  I can't believe how long it's been since I've been on here!  I knew this would happen eventually but it's fab to be back (haha)!  So I started back to work last week, my sister-in-law moved in, we looked at cooking schools and applied for Financial Aid and hmmmm...we are planning a baptism.  What can I say?
Well being back to work has been better than I thought.  My mom took care of Erizzle last week and my sister-in-law started this week.  Thankfully I've been very busy at work which makes the day go by faster, plus we are still on summer hours.  And let's not forget that I actually like most of the people I work with.  My sister-in-law is attending school at night and taking care of Erizzle until Joe is laid off so it made sense for her to move in.  It's been good but different - I'm used to it just being the 3 of us.  But it's fine and she's a sweetheart. 
The date for the baptism will be later in September.  I realized that it's now the end of August and we still need to send out invitations.  So I bought invitations to use with my computer and the darn printer WON'T PRINT THEM!  So I'm going to have to do this at work (oh well).
We applied for financial aid to one of the cooking schools that Joe likes and we just need to send in the application.  Which I think we will finish up tomorrow.
And that's about it - all i can think of for the moment.  Joe is busy cooking and I finally have a wonderful recipe to add to this blog!
Hope everyone is enjoying their week!

Well friends...I'm officially back to work.  Yesterday was my first day and thankfully it was much better than I expected (plus we are still on summer hours).
It was such an adjustment when I first went out on maternity leave and now it's an adjustment going back!  Thankfully not that many people are around which makes it easier.  And it's always busy at the end of the year getting ready for September. 
But now I completely understand the need for coffee, exercise, sleep and sleep deprivation that a lot of work outside the home parents feel!  I get up, get ready, have a bit of coffee, wait for my mom to come over to watch her, take the pup out and eat breakfast make more coffee and then out the door I go.  Hopefully little E will be up by the time I leave but this morning she wasn't.  I haven't decided if it's harder for me to leave before she's awake or after.  And then after work I'm just exhausted which will probably lead to the need to get coffee on my way home from work!  Plus I'm still getting used to the new routine.  My mom is watching E this week, my sister-in-law for the next month until Joe is laid off and then Joe for the next 2 years (or until he gets a job or however long unemployment lasts!).
And that's what's been happening for the past few days.
So wish me luck! 

Back to Work!

Well my friends, tomorrow begins my first day as a work outside the home mom!  My mom came over today to see Erizzle (because she will be taking care of her this week) and Erizzle flipped out when I handed her over to my mom.  But I figure my mom will do most of her feedings tomorrow and she should be fine.  Let's hope (cross your fingers).
I'm hoping they keep me busy tomorrow so the day goes by quickly!  I was speaking with another mom and she said it took her about 2 weeks to get back into the groove.

In the past week I've really seen a change in E.  When I burb her she doesn't scream bloody murder the whole time.  And I'm able to feed her while she's in her stroller (which can be a life saver when we are not at home).  
Tonight the Jets play the Giants in their first pre-season game (GOOO JETS!)
All right friends I'm off for now!

Week in Review!

Topic One: Steve Slater seems to be the working man's hero this week.  When the story first emerged it seemed that Steve had told a passenger to remain seated while the plane taxied, the passenger refused and his/her luggage hit Slater in the head.  The passenger then had some choice words for Slater.  Which in turn made Slater flip out - grab two beers and shoot down the emergency ramp.  However now other passengers are coming out saying that he was in a bad mood from the start.  Anybody who has ever worked in a service related industry can relate to his "flip out".  People in any kind of service job are there to serve the people, but at what cost?  At what point should the employee stand back and say you can not treat me that way?  And when should the boss step in?  I can remember when working in a law school admissions office a prospective student called to get the status of his application and after my co-worked had helped him to the best of her ability he proceeded to call her BITCH and asked to speak with her superior.   She told our boss what happened he took the phone call and reamed out this prospective student.  However, I can also understand the "people's" frustration.  Like when you call Time Warner to discuss their charges and you have to speak to several representatives before getting a straight answer - it can fray a person's nerves!  Maybe we just need to relearn our manners!

Image via Wikipedia

Topic Two: This week was the premier of the HBO series Hard Knocks - NY Jets Training Camp!  For my family this marks the beginning of fall and the new football season.  I can safely say that our daughter will be a proud member of the New York Jets fan base.  Last season the Jets, with new coach Rex Ryan and new quarterback Mark Sanchez, were one game away from the superbowl.  The Jets haven't visited the superbowl in 41 years and last season brought Jets fans the closest they have been in awhile.  In the off season the franchise has brought on many new players, including LaDainian Tomlinson former player for the Chargers.  The series shows what it's like to be a hopeful rookie trying to get on the team fulfilling a lifelong dream and what its like to be a veteran player like Chris Jenkins who was injured early last season.  With all the changes the Jets made during the off season and after coming off such a high from last year, this gives Jets fans a lot of hope for the coming year!

Topic Three:  SPOILER ALERT - Don't read if you haven't seen today's episode!  Brenda Barrett returns to General Hospital after 7 LONG years!  I know there are many different fan bases out there - some prefer the Brenda/Jax saga but me I'm a Brenda/Sonny fan all the way!  I don't know what it is, aside from their sex appeal (I happen to think Sonny Corinthos is just delicious), their dramatic storyline or the way they are completely drawn to one another but I'm hooked.  All week I've been watching GH waiting for the Sonny Brenda reunion!  Daytime TV really knows how to string you along.  Because the reunion is yet to happen!  All the pieces are in play for a Brenda-Sonny hook-up.  I mean Sonny is single!!!  Although at the very end of today's episode Brenda's new man just proposed and of course the show ends on that note without her answer!  I've waited years for Brenda & Sonny to reunite and now this obstacle!  What the hell man!?

So there ya have it folks!  The week in a review - a little fluff but don't we all need a little fluff? 

DREAMS!

This is what happens when your husband does what he loves.  He creates his own pasta sauce and what he calls a "Summer Salad".  It was delightful and sweet, and juicy.  Everything yummy bundled into one dish.
For the past several months (probably since February) when we learned that Joe might get laid off he's been trying to figure out what to do with his life.  He has thought about going back to college (but to study what?).  And the one thing the one area that he has continually come back to is cooking school.  Ever since I met my delicious man he's always loved cooking.  His mom and him can stand in the kitchen for several minutes discussing what ingredients should be included in a marinade.  They stand over a pot of stew or tomato sauce discussing if it needs more of this or that.  He has expanded my palate.  Chicken breast used to be plain and dry in my house but now it's juicy and delicious!
And now we have a plan (well hopefully).  Joe will be laid off mid-September and if all goes well he will be going to cooking school in the fall.  A few things have held him back of pursuing his dream but I believe that he will be 10 million times happier going to cooking school and attempting to live the dream (as they say) versus just dreaming about the dream.
So here's to many wonderful dinners ahead and possibly a bigger waistline!!!!

CHEERS!

Stay at Home Mom vs. Work outside/inside the home Mom

A week from today I go back to work :( .  Right now I'm really upset about it but I've heard from other moms that go back to work the anxiety of going back is actually worse than when you get back to work and into the grove of things.  I, unfortunately, do not have a choice in the matter - it's for financial reasons and needed even more so now that my Joe is getting laid off.
I've met so many other moms that are stay at home moms and I just wonder how you and your significant other came to the decision that one of you would stay at home.  Was there a major loss in finances and you just  make it work or did you save?  Do you plan to go back to work when all your kids are in school?  These are the questions that fill my mind lately!  During such hard economic times I wonder how there are so many families that are one income.  If do you work outside the home do you have your kids in daycare/babysitter/family taking care of them?  How do you balance it all?
So introduce yourself!  Where do you live?  How did you come to the decision?  What did you do before you had kids?

ME
I live in the big Apple. 
28 years young
Scorpio
1 child - daughter (E-rizzle)
1 dog
1 hubby
both of us work outside the home

Happy 3 Month B-day!

Today is E's 3 month birthday!!!  Yeah for her - except she is a cranky mess today (it's my party and I'll cry if I want to!).  We were at the in-laws yesterday and everyone was cooing at her and I mean it's hard work being cute and having everyone's attention (I mean Erin can totally relate to Jenn Aniston).
It's really funny to see how your life changes after you have a baby.  We used to be a couple that would drink wine on many occasions, make fancy cocktails just for shits & giggles - have friends over whenever we wanted to and just HANG OUT!  Today we were at our close friends house, they have a 3 year-old daughter and a 3-week old baby boy.  I was standing holding Erin while she screamed her head off, their daughter was screaming with delight as her daddy threw her into the air and I realized just how much our lives have changed in the past year.
Now we decide whether or not we can go out to eat around her eating schedule (when she's burping she screams bloody murder and I don't think fellow diners would appreciate that).  Friday nights we are EXHAUSTED and we are now up much earlier on the weekends and if we go out to brunch the restaurants are empty because nobody is up yet!  It's amazing!  But it's a delight.

You can also tell I'm a hands on mommy - not one with a nanny following me around.  And for those of you who have read the book The Nanny (those families really do exist trust me) when we were at the in-laws yesterday I was giving my sister-in-law the chance to hang with Erin, she will be taking care of her when I go back to work, and I had to sit on my hands so I wouldn't jump every time Erin seemed to need something.

Life is different but so much fun!

Week in Review!

Topic One: Gisele Bundchen's Breastfeeding Law.  In Harpers Bazaare magazine Gisele stated that she believes there should be a law enforcing women to breastfeed their children for at least 6 months.  She is quoted as saying: "‘Are you going to give chemical food to your child, when they are so little?’ There should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months.”

As a mom who chose to bottle-feed my little E I'm disgusted by her comments.  Breastfeeding is an extremely personal choice and can not and should not be regulated by a bunch of people who are not involved in your everyday life.  Breastfeeding is a wonderful opportunity for some moms and for other moms it doesn't fit their lifestyle or it did not work out for them for many different reasons.  Breastfeeding is not something that comes natural to every mom and every child.  Often times children who are born prematurely need to be bottle fed because their mother's milk has not come it yet, or the child is allergic to the breast milk.  Maternity leave in this country is practically non-existent compared to other countries and many places of work do not accommodate new mothers the time they need to pump.  As moms, instead of criticizing each other (because enough of that goes on) why not support one another in whatever decision we make.  And as Joy Behar asked, how will the law be enforced?  Confiscating women's nipples?

Topic Two: Proposition 8 was overturned this week in California.  Proposition 8 (a voter approved ballot)  is a law that banned same-sex marriage in California however this week a judge overturned the law allowing same-sex marriage.  Now I know this is a hot topic for many people but I don't understand why.  Why shouldn't people be allowed to marry whomever they love? 

Topic Three: The New York State Budget was finally finalized - 125 days late.  The biggest changes for New York residents comes with a tax on clothing.  All clothes under $110 will be taxed - making it difficult for many families during this back-to-school time.  Senator Dean G. Skelos stated that New Yorkers will get higher spending, more taxes and no new jobs.  This directly affects my family as it was finalized that Joe will in fact be getting laid off in September.  I find it incredibly interesting that the people in Albany could not come up with a budget on time.  If I continually showed up late to work and decided to hand in my projects late I would be fired.  But the people in Albany still have their jobs and large salaries and all the comforts that only politics can buy.  We vote these men and women into office - we give them their jobs but all they can do for us  is raise taxes and cut jobs.

Topic Four: Well maybe we should have gone to the hospital...Remember my post a few days ago about Joe's finger?  Well he has a nice cut and if the knife had gone all the way through he would have been missing the tip of his thumb (poor little fellow).  Now every time he bangs the bloody thing (no pun intended) it starts to bleed again.  OI VEY!  So be careful out there - watch your fingers!

Next Week:  Brenda Barrett returns to General Hospital on August 11th.  Stay tuned to ABC for a Brenda marathon on August 10th!

 

And that's the round-up folks!

The Real World Calls...

Today I was lying on the playmat with little E just watching her kick her feet and take in her surroundings.  And I realized that my fantasy world is ending and the real world is calling.  My maternity leave is ending next week and every time I think about it I tear up.  Everyday for the past 12 weeks I've been able to watch Erin grow and change.  She's brought up feelings inside of me I never knew existed. It's very hard to explain because I've never felt this way before (Erin being my first child).
I have images in my head of her screaming her head off looking for me and I'm nowhere to be found and nobody able to comfort her and then either my mother or my sister-in-law losing patience. I know part of my nightmare will come true (she will scream her head off) but I also know that she will be comforted by those around her. They will learn her routine and what she likes and she will learn all of their smells and smiles.
I'm very lucky to be working in a place that is family centered and understands that people have lives outside of work. But in my ideal world I would love to be able to work 3 days a week (and make the same salary) or work from home. I never expected this transition to be so incredibly difficult and I'm dreading August 17th. But unfortunately at this time I can not afford (economically) to stay home (maybe when we win the millions). I've heard that the anticipation of going back to work is actually worse than being there (so that's what I'm hoping). That once I'm settled into my routine all will be well in the world.
At this point I have nobody in my life going through what I'm going through. I'm the first of my friends to be married with a child; only a few of my friends have serious boyfriends. I guess this blog is developing for me out of a need to connect with other moms going through what I'm going through.
If anybody out there in the blogworld has any advice please feel free to leave it!