Although I was totally annoyed at my son for waking me up at 6:11 a.m., I also felt a little guilty that I was going to be dragging him to an appointment later that morning with nothing in it for him. Well, the practitioner was going to check him out, too, and at least she…
Read me in a book!
I’m pleased to announce that an essay of mine is going to be published in From the Heart: A Collection of Stories and Poems from the Front Lines of Parenting, an anthology that’s just about to be published by a group called Write for Charity. Proceeds will benefit Children’s Hospital and St. Jude’s Children’s Research…
American Idol 2010 — not a mom
How bad does it sound to say that because she is a mom, I’m glad Crystal Bowersox didn’t win American Idol? That’s not completely true. I just wondered how bad it would sound to say it. Make no mistake, I was and am a Crystal fan. I think she’s amazingly talented, so damn centered, and…
Now I’m the know-it-all
The other day, I took a prenatal yoga class for the third or fourth time. Amid all the cute bellies on first-time moms, I felt compelled to offer a dash of perspective from the side of motherhood — the one that’s been there already. The following post appeared May 25, 2010 as “Reality Check for…
I dreamed a dream Part II: Background
I wanted to stay in the moment in my post the other day about my dream that my baby might have Down Syndrome. But there are a couple of other background factors I’d like to acknowledge. First of all, we didn’t do any early fetal testing, so who knows. I didn’t even look into all…
I dreamed a dream (Part I)
As I slept the other night, a vision came into my head of a child with a crowded mouth of ill-fitting teeth. Then I heard the words, “She has Down’s.” My eyes popped open. It was the middle of the night, and my 4-year-old son lay sleeping next to me, with my husband on the…
Mama needs a massage
So get one — for free! Massage Envy is running a contest that closes Sunday, May 16 just before midnight. Tell — in 140 characters or fewer! — how you told your partner you were expecting. You could win a free three-month membership to Massage Envy. Sounds good to me! Participants tweet to @massageenvydc or…
Time to heal
Sigh. Sometimes it’s easier to mother when your child is really in a rough state. My son has been mildly sick for over a week, just sick enough that he’s been unable to go to school. And I’ve been unable to work. It’s been a delight to see him fully immersed in play by himself,…
Mom’s Afternoon Out thwarted
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms Blog on May 8, 2010 Mom’s afternoon out thwarted The breeze is blowing, the birds are chirping, and I just wanted to enjoy a nice afternoon solo in the city after a week at home with a sick preschooler. Is that so much to ask? My husband…
A nice afternoon, but not perfect
Yesterday I finally got to see the Georgia O’Keefe exhibit at the Phillips Collection before its final weekend. However, although it was a lovely afternoon out in the city, it didn’t quite hit all the sweet spots I was looking for after a week of staying home with a sick son. Read my post —…
Look both ways — a tale of a city and its suburbs
Having someone in from out of town helps you see where you live with new eyes. When my brother-in-law visited, I was kind of psyched that after my husband picked him up at Union Station, they got enjoy a lovely drive through the District — past the monuments — at dusk on a perfect summer-feeling…
Food for the animals?
Today I went to a zoo I hadn’t been to before, and I’m not sure what to think about it. Having yesterday been to the (free) National Zoo — where signs all over tell you the animals are on a planned diet and please don’t feed them — I was surprised that when I was…
Nothing is good enough
Oh, how many varied ways there are to disappoint a four-year-old. Or maybe it’s just my four-year-old. Time to pull out a parenting book and see just how much I suck as a mom and how much things are going to developmental stage plan. Here are a few of the gems I heard today between…
Business as usual on Earth Day
This post originally appeared on DC Metro Moms on April 22, 2010 Business as usual on Earth Day I felt a little guilty when a friend said she was turning off her computer for Earth Day; I had no plans to commemorate the day on my own or “celebrate” the day with my son. I’ve…
Poetry and motherhood
Last month I attended an amazing session on the politics of writing motherhood at the Split this Rock Poetry Festival. Read more about it here in a piece I wrote for Mothering.com
Time to chill
I woke last night around 3 a.m. with that sad feeling of having finished something and, though it was successful, feeling like I could have played it better. Said more thank yous, not left Slow Food DC off the resource list, not been so snappy about having to rearrange the room or not having any…
Parenting anthology deadline 4/15
I thought I’d posted on this, but I must have just sent people emails about it. Write for Charity is seeking submissions for a parenting anthology that will benefit charity. Submissions are due Thursday, 4/15/10. I’m still working on mine! For details, check out http://writeforcharity.wordpress.com/ This page says: “You are welcome to submit any parenting…
New book! "Knocked Up, Knocked Down"
I was thrilled today to get an email blast from author Monica Murphy LeMoine that her book is now available on Amazon from Catalyst Book Press. Order your copy of Knocked Up, Knocked Down: Postcards of Miscarriage and Other Misadventures from the Brink of Parenthood today! Never one to hold back or bullshit, Monica is…
New book! Knocked Up, Knocked Down
I was thrilled today to get an email blast from author Monica Murphy LeMoine that her book is now available on Amazon from Catalyst Book Press. Order your copy of Knocked Up, Knocked Down: Postcards of Miscarriage and Other Misadventures from the Brink of Parenthood today! Never one to hold back or bullshit, Monica is…
Clever title?
My freshman year in college, my Brit Lit I professor expected we would always have a “clever title.” I always used this as a space saver until I came up with one (except that on more than one occasion I noticed later that I’d spelled it “cleaver.” This was almost 18 years ago, the same…