The weather here has been so amazing for the past few days. We’ve been outside without jackets, and today I drove around with the window rolled down. But spring hasn’t really arrived until the lime green tutu comes out of the closet. More »
I have a problem, and that problem is talking to people on the phone. I’m usually pretty good at getting things done, but if the task I need to do involves calling someone, I will put it off, feel guilty about putting it off, then wake up at 3am the following day with the realization that I didn’t make the call. You can’t call people at 3am, but you can lay in bed feeling bad about not calling. If I am lucky, I will go back to sleep within an hour or two, but some nights I’m up for good. Unbelievably, and counter-productively, I will often go through the exact same thing the following day. An unfortunate and unexpected part of my new job is my ear’s near-constant attachment to the phone, so when it’s on me to make the call I often talk myself into “doing it later.”
Too many nights spent staring at the ceiling have led me to force myself to do it now. As soon as I think about making the call, I make it, then and there. It’s working out awesome. In the last week, I’ve woke up zero times in a panic about a call I forgot to make. It’s awesome. Well, kind of. The waking up at 3 am thing hasn’t gone away. It turns out I still owe a bunch of thank-you notes from Christmas. And I said something really stupid at a party the other night. And the bathroom needs to be cleaned. And I should have fed Violet broccoli for dinner and not given in to the yogurt. I’m tired. Any suggestions?
Dear Violet
After a couple of extremely difficult months, the last few weeks have been just fantastic. In the last month, you have become a child. You’re not a baby anymore. You are taking a bath in the tub, no longer the sink. You love it. You splash around and play with toys and drink the shampoo. After your bath, you go to your room, select a book, and bring it to me. And you’ll listen to it. Incredible. We took a vacation, and you had an amazing experience for a 15 month old- you traveled across the country and two time zones to meet your great grandparents, your great aunt and uncle, your cousins, and your aunt and uncle. You handled with grace and your special brand of casual, easy adaptation the stress of the airport, the confinement of the plane, jet lag, waking early and going to bed late, a new crib, and a whole series of new and awesome people. The excitement and wonder you display for every new experience makes everyone smile. I got a little taste of the pride a parent feels for their children. It’s like I’ve done something amazing when people compliment you. I burst wide open. You have Matt’s personality and easy-going nature and my looks. What a knockout combination. God, just imagine if the genes had mashed up the other way. I love you so much, Violet, and I can’t wait to grow up with you.
Happy Birthday, Violet
Love,
Mama
I’ll go along with it, but I haven’t quite yet been able to muster it together enough to call them that out loud. More »
Papa was generous and treated us to a visit to the Atlanta Aquarium. It was just as incredible as I remembered, More »
The Golden Notebook by Doris May Lessing
