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!

Nurse Jackie meets Nurse Bridge

"Do you think we should go to the hospital?"
"Do you want to? If you feel like you need to go, we'll go."
"It is a pretty bad cut...I'll hold out. It's bleeding a lot"
How did this conversation start you ask? My darling Joe was prepping dinner (as those chefs like to say) and sliced his thumb while chopping a red pepper. Now there was a lot of blood and we probably could have gone to the ER and waited for 18 hours for possibly 1 stitch but Nurse Bridge over here decided to take matters into her own hands.
I walked into the blood soaked kitchen. Literally there was blood everywhere! ON the walls, on the counter in the sink - it was like a regular murder scene - CSI would have had a field day! What should have been a relaxing evening actually involved wrapping and re-wrapping Joe's finger in bandages, going to CVS to get band-aids, the invisible band-aid and cold medicine for me - and therefore I didn't get to write last night!
However, prior to last nights "drama" we went to the baptism class at our church. Our little Erin is growing up before our eyes! I'm not a religious person - but in the class I was getting rather emotional for some reason. I guess because I will be going back to work and won't be spending every waking minute with her. I will miss all the beautiful smiles she gives me throughout the day. But I know it will be good for both of us (at least that's what I keep telling myself). In any case my mother made some backhanded comments about the baptism being "late" and she would like to see certain family members there but by the time we do it they won't be around.  Well I'm sorry to say lady but I can't revolve my social world around other people's plans.  I'm going to try and not let it bother me - but let's be honest I know how to hold a grudge!

Well it's only taken me about 3 hours to write this post! Shows you what happens when you become a mother!
Lessons of the past few days:
1) Make sure your husband is paying attention while he is chopping away
2) I'll sleep when I'm dead
3) Keep trudging along!

Day 86

Joe is completely obsessed with Top Chef. Lately he has been buying all the DVD's of past seasons (which makes me wonder what I can get him for Christmas). I refuse to admit this to him but I have been enjoying the show - except for 1 element. Padma. I guess she is considered the "host" of the show. Although I just find her to be a pretty face. What, may I ask, are her qualifications to judge food at such a high level? Now according to her Bravo Bio - she "established herself as a food expert early on in her career, having hosted two successful cooking shows and writing a best-selling cookbook Easy Exotic, for which she won the International Versailles Event for best cookbook by a first time writer. " But that certainly does not put her in the same level as head judge Tom Colicchio and some of the other guests judges they bring on.

I just can not stand the way she constantly introduces the judges to the contestants (as if it's their first time meeting Tom or Gail). And her comments seem to be so snide! Let's not forget her monotone voice. If they got rid of her and made Gail the host or someone with a little more food experience then I could proudly admit that I'm a Top Chef fan. But for now - it's my little secret :).

Now moving onto happier subjects - I'm working on making my photographs into notecards to add to my Etsy shop! Those should be a lovely addition and will make for a nice giveaway! I am also interested in buying a new camera so if you have any suggestions please send them my way! The picture at the top of the page is one I plan to make into a notecard.

All this simple chatter is hiding what I'm trying to avoid. Tomorrow is another Monday - which brings my little family one day closer to finding out whether or not Joe will be laid off. It sucks because (knowing our luck) we probably won't find out for another 2 weeks which is going to drive me absolutely nuts! So (if anybody is reading this blog) talk to whatever higher power you believe in and ask for a little luck to be sent our way (or if you prefer for us to win the lottery those prayers are welcome as well!)

Happy August!

PS - the dish at the top is an original produced by Mr. Joe Morgan