I didn’t want to. I just did. Cry, that is. I was actually having a lovely time at the “Conversations and Connections” writing conference until we hit the moment of speed dating with editors. I froze. Choked. Lost it. Whatever negative verb you want to pick, it probably fits. The problem was partly that I’d…
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Mama meets with other writers
“Mommy’s going to work all day tomorrow,” I told my son. “To work with your student?” Usually I leave for work only in the evenings, to tutor. When the sitter is here on Wednesday mornings, I say I’m working in the basement, usually for my “meeting” (new chapter of Holistic Moms Network). But tomorrow I’m…
A bra costs WHAT?
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on April 7, 2009 A bra costs WHAT? I feel like Sleeping Boobie. In 2006, I had a baby. Three years later, he weans and I find out that a nice bra costs as much as a good massage. I’m sure you can get a decent bra…
Another mama’s baby
Call me a sucker, but I’m so glad I finally got to see the new baby gorilla at the National Zoo. It is just so darn cool to see such an expressive and tiny face on another animal, especially when the baby is naturally clinging to its mama like I’ve tried to mimic by using…
Planting seeds of unknown future
So, we might be moving – nearby, but still. A move is a move. It’s hugely exciting to think of having a house that works better for our family, but it means I’m not sure what to do about planting anything. I don’t want to invest in creating a big raised bed (a la Square…
A room of my own?
Nothing is for sure yet, but we are moving in the direction of buying a larger home not far from our house. There are a lot of reasons I’m excited about this and crossing my fingers that it happens without us losing our shirts on two mortgages or unexpected repairs/upgrades (“might as well before we…
Birthday happenings
Our birthday celebration this year was to have a bunch of friends over just to play on a Monday morning. It was a little too crowded (too cold to go outside), but it was nice. I did get balloons, but all the food was pretty natural/low-processed — fruit, kale chips (baked kale), rice pasta with…
Surviving the unexpected guest
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on March 19, 2009 Surviving the unexpected guest I’ve never been much for spontaneity. Or hospitality. I’m not proud of being a crappy hostess or an anxious mess when things don’t go according to plan, but I can accept that it’s okay because there are other things…
How I’m Seen
This is a photo my son took of me two days ago at the end of a sled run in our yard. He will be three in three weeks. I saw a former student of mine in the grocery store yesterday. I had no makeup or jewelry on. Just a little boy as my sole…
When your story is out there
So, I wrote about sex, and I wrote about my family. Not in the same piece. One in a poem at Exhale zine and one in an essay in the Journal of Attachment Parenting International. The latter disclosed some stuff I’d never shared with my mom. I happened to be talking her around the time…
When toddlers bring up race
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on March 3, 2009 When toddlers bring up race Looking at the drawing in the book My Freight Train of two hands mimicking couplers holding trains together, my son announced, “There’s one brown hand and one regular hand.” My heart sank. “Regular.” My son sees peach-colored skin…
Getting it all down in pixels
“I’m using Yahoo Calendar!” I chirped to my husband who’d suggested it when I asked about Outlook. I’ve been a paper calendar girl this whole time — never entering the 21st century. I don’t have a Blackberry and honestly have a hard time even justifying my regular cell phone bill if I didn’t have the…
Little Mouth Speaks – a lot! A letter to my loquacious toddler
Today was the first day I’d had any childcare in two weeks. There was snow, then a fever, then my boy’s dad got sick and needed tending. Today’s four hours of babysitting went fast, but when they were over, I had a supremely lovely time with my son. It was a chilly rainy day, and…
When Round Two is with Baby #1
this post originally appeared on February 19, 2009 on DC Metro Moms When Round Two is with Baby #1 Haven’t I been here before? Nursing all day long on the couch, my arm falling asleep as I try to hold a book underneath a head and sleeping body. My breasts aching for a break. My…
Toddlers aren’t the only ones who whine
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on February 5, 2009. The original comments follow below. It’s been two months since my husband took our son, almost three, to the Scottish Walk in Old Town Alexandria and, despite all the dogs and bagpipes, the memory the boy shares of that day is “Daddy and…
Back to Basics
I was AWOL for a while for a decent reason, working on a big project. But then I got stymied by snow (fun, but missed childcare) and now, a child’s fever has put everything on pause. It’s eerie how quiet the house is when your toddler is sleeping the day away or staring glassy-eyed into…
My-my-my-my Obama
This post originally appeared on January 20, 2009 on DC Metro Moms My-my-my-my Obama The next time I see my son, there will be a new President. And if things go as I think they miraculously might, thanks to the generosity of a friend, I will get to say that I was actually there, within…
Molting
A recent inquiry to the Family Matters advice column in the Washington Post asked for help with a three-year-old who was going through some growing pains. There was a reference made – in either the question or the answer – to molting – shedding the skin, growing out of a confining structure and sloughing off…
Mama Wants to Run
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on January 7, 2009 Mama Wants to Run It was going to be a glorious new beginning: turning a corner in parenting, relationships, and commitment to health. I’d registered with a friend to run the Labor Day Virginia Beach Rock & Roll Half-Marathon. Our husbands would watch…
When needs diverge
I am being pulled in opposing directions. Now, my wanting to do several things at once is not a new thing, I freely admit. However, I was starting to feel good about the idea of going to bed early in order to get up early and do yoga or work out and write before my…