What happens after Gilbert goes to bed: January 29, 2012

P: He just did a 360 in the chair!
L: He’s like a dog.
S: I’m not like a dog. I’m a bunny.

 

Weekend with Gil January 22, 2012

P & S took off this weekend to visit relatives in NY. I stayed home with Gilbert. What started out to be a very stressful weekend ended up blissful. I have to teach Friday morning, so I wasn’t sure what to do about a babysitter for the boy, but It worked out when they delayed the trip a bit. I got home, changed clothes and first things first…I put him down for a nap.

When he woke up, in a great mood, we played, went to a housewarming, and had a great night. Saturday we woke up to snow! We trekked to the farmer’s market, and in his bunting, Gil was a big hit. There’s nothing like a bundled up baby to make you appreciate how pretty the world is when covered in white. Eggs, brussels sprouts, & cabbage. I think I’m going to make a cabbage pie. My friend Liz came over and we ventured to the mall. Again, Gil had a great time in the stroller, mall-walking, and playing in the children’s play area. Today he’s been playing with the sled, his blanket and the paper bags in the kitchen. 

What I’ve enjoyed most is being able to focus on him and hear all the words he’s saying and notice all the things he can do. With Seamus around, it’s easy to focus on him because he talks more. But Gilbert has so many words and such a sly sense of humor that it’s been really fun hanging out with him. He’s also had many fewer tantrums than usual. This morning, he was doing an experiment with a cup, a water bottle, some beans, and water. He concentrated for twenty minutes before the finale of the expriment which was knocking the whole shebang over on his highchair tray.Uh-oh! he exclaimed. Then he was ready to get down and build his flute. I’m now ready to split the boys up a lot more because, wow. One is so much easier! 

Christmas Photo Essay January 16, 2012

Seamus the Bubblehead

Gilbert can wear this hat now!

Liz gave the boys Knight costumes for Christmas. They look awesome, and they have a book that they can read about knights and dragons.

Taking pictures of toddlers is tough. They don't stop moving, but here's S & his cousin J playing with a boat.

G and his cousin M. The only reason he's standing still is he's trying to scam food from this plate that is not his. Also, the two little cousins had wardrobe changes that evening.

A wonderful and refreshing visit from Indigo. S called her "Indido" and her she is with the unicorn power sticker.

We had some really wonderful weather in NJ over New Year's. S is saying "Shell!" He loved looking for shells.A walk in the woods. G threw rocks in the creek. They played with the dog, and we hauled this stroller on an airplane! It was worth it.

A walk in the woods. G threw rocks in the creek. They played with the dog, and we hauled this stroller on an airplane! It was worth it.

Books in the New Year January 16, 2012

Christmas is over, I guess. It is for me, because I’m done traveling for a while. P & S have one more trip. We had a great time. I now have many books to read, and I can’t wait to get started on the ones I’ve picked for my classes:

• The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta (John Rollin Ridge)–I’m excited to teach this in my American Literature survey!
• Closing the Food Gap (Mark Whitte)–This looks very interesting for questions about food–hunger, farmer’s markets, CSAs, food kitchens/food banks. It may be too complex for my first-year students.
• Ragged Dick (Horatio Alger)
• Passing (Nella Larsen)
• The Bean Trees (Barbara Kingsolver)
• Pocho (Jose Antonio Villareal)
• Under the Feet of Jesus (Helena Maria Viramontes)
• The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
• My Year of Meats (Ruth Ozeki)
• A few short stories by Jennifer Egan, Ben Franklin, and poems by Gloria Anzaldua and Langston Hughes

These last few are for my The American Dream class which is writing intensive and a literature requirement. I’m so excited to meet all my students tomorrow.

I also got some books over the break–some for Christmas, some from thrift stores, and some from my grandmother. I’m reading The Birth of Venus about 15th century Florence right now. It’s pretty compelling so far. I’m adding a new sidebar  to chronicle my reading this year. I don’t expect you to care too much, but I’m curious about how much pleasure reading  I do in a year.

Recap of 2011 January 3, 2012

I’m going to try to remember some stuff, but there is a good chance I have forgotten a whole lot. Especially because Jan, Feb, and March are pretty fuzzy. That’s life with a less than 6 month old in the house, though.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Got a real job. YAY! Went a bunch of fun places with the boys. You always see something different when there are little ones along for the ride. Bought work clothes from Goodwill.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I think my resolution was to spend three minutes a day on abs work. I think I did that for a week in January. Then I started doing it again lately when my back was hurting from carrying kids. So sort of? I don’t have any resolutions this year. I’m preferring to phrase this as “What are you looking forward to in 2012?” and making those resolutions. I might have also resolved to be more present…or was that 2010? I have been, in that I do not bring work home much, but sometimes I blog at work. So maybe not?

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes! Very excited for my friend Erin and baby Sam, Dan & Kathy and baby Finn, Nicola and baby Alan, and Leah and Lucy with baby Seda, RB and Niko, my cousin and Leaf, Eliza and Nina, the list goes on. And sometimes I’m having trouble remembering who was born this year and last.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No. Let’s keep it that way.

5. What countries did you visit?

hahaha. None. Except this one. But I did renew my passport this year. I have big plans. Oh, did I renew my passport last year? I did.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you didn’t have in 2011?

Nothing. More time for everything.

7. What dates from 2011 will be etched upon your memory, and why?

My campus visits, but I’m not good with dates. That’s why I do literature. September 3, G’s first birthday was really fun. July 5 we moved into our new rented house. Oct 2 or thereabouts when M called me to ask about renting our Albuquerque house. What a relief! Sometime in March when MU offered me a job. Memorial Day weekend for my friend Liz’s wedding. That was fun. OMG. I totally forgot April 14 the day I defended my dissertation!

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?

Finishing my dissertation and getting a job.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not blogging enough to suit my dad.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Just a few colds here and there. But it sucked that one of them was the last two weeks of this semester.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I don’t know. My awesome red suit? But I think I got that in late 2010. I’m convinced it helped me get a job.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Seamus’s. He’s potty-trained, speaks in complete sentences, and is getting really independent but remains sweet. Gilbert’s because he tries to keep up and succeeds so often we’re surprised when he acts like a baby. Patrick’s for being great at home and driving a moving truck cross country. And cleaning the house in ABQ and so many other things. My parents for coming anywhere to help with the boys at almost any time. Patrick’s dad for babysitting. Patrick’s mom for the great vacation spots.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Mostly political figures. But the advantage of not having much time means that I don’t know a whole lot about how depressed an appalled I should be.

The weather in DC. How is this possible that it rains more than Portland?

14. Where did most your money go?

Rent and mortgage (paying both at the same time sucks) and moving.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Moving, a new job, a new place. Seeing a movie. Going for a bike ride with Patrick without the boys. The big and the small all in balance.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Buenos Dias–the song Seamus is obsessed with from his Spanish class. Wagon Wheel which is the first song that Seamus ever requested. Clementine which I sing to Gilbert almost every night.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier: yes
Thinner: a little as I didn’t have a baby four months ago
Richer: not so much

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Getting excited to ride my bike to school.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Driving.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

We’re not done yet! But the post right before this delineates some of our activities. We had a very nice Christmas Eve with P’s family. Then P got sick on Christmas Day, but the boys had a great time!

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

Yes. With my new job.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

I enjoyed The Closer, Dexter, Gilmore Girls, and 30 Rock.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No. But I hate moving. And Amazon.

24. What was the best book you read?

Ahab’s Wife really moved me. In Case We’re Seperated also has provoked me to think and savor short stories. I read a ton of pleasure books this year, but I can’t remember them all, so I think these are my favorites. Or at least they’re sticking with me.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I let Patrick take care of musical discoveries.

26. What did you want and get?

Happy excursions with the boys in DC. We’ve had so much fun exploring.

27. What did you want and not get?

My money back from Amazon. Hence why I’m still on a one person boycott.

28. What was your favorite film of 2011?

The Help. I guess I should have put this as a favorite book, as I certainly liked the book better than the movie, but I guess I like the comparison too, so it fits here.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

31. Patrick got us tickets to Wicked. It was great. We had pizza at Saggio’s before.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Our washer and dryer in this rental house. I hate the w/d there, and we have such nice ones sitting in P’s mom’s basement.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2009?

Developing professional style.

32. What kept you sane?

Exercise, cooking, coffee, my friends, Patrick, my parents, sunshine.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

The Plan B flap.

34. Who did you miss?

My Albuquerque friends when we left. It was good to go, but wow I miss those people.

35. Who was the best new person you met?

All my new colleagues are great people. They’ve been so welcoming and fun. My students are really cool and work hard. Baby Sam. Baby Finn.

36. What are you looking forward to in 2012?

Teaching classes that I’ve already taught. Teaching new classes. Taking the boys more places. Having my Granny come visit for Cherry Blossom festival. Working on my articles. Spending family time. Hearing Gilbert develop sentences.