melissarudy.com

Savannah showing off her guns at Great Wolf, spring 2010 (Abby's not sure what to think)

I hereby resolve to stop starting each post with an apology for how long it’s been since my last one. After all, isn’t that a little egotistical? As if people are lining up at their computers to hear all about my missed deadlines, failed potty-training attempts, and OCD symptoms.

So, yeah, it’s been awhile. When diving in after a long period of silence, I always like to start with lists.

5 Reasons to Smile

1. Spring break next week! No school for 10 consecutive days! Slow mornings, sunny afternoons, excursions to the park, kids in and out of the house all day, the girls changing clothes each time the temperature nudges up 2 degrees… wait a minute, I think this is on the wrong list.

2. Joined the YMCA on Sunday, and have discovered a wonderful new breed of freedom. Free child care, free fitness classes for me, indoor/outdoor pool… So far we’ve visited 4 times already, morning and evening. They’re already starting to give me odd looks each time our troop comes banging through the doors; maybe they’re wondering if we’re homeless and are using the Y for our hygiene needs. Or that I’m dropping the kids off at Child Watch and then sneaking out the side door to go shopping. Actually, that’s not a bad idea…

3. John got a new job! After a 3-month hiatus (during which we learned that there IS indeed such a thing as too much family togetherness), he started at Cintas on March 1st as a Marketing Manager. His love of all things corporate — right down to wearing the suit and tie every day — is one thing we don’t have in common, but I’m thrilled that he’s thrilled (and out of the house).

4. Claire asking from her car seat, during every drive: “Can I go crazy, Mommy? Wanna go crazy!” This is her cue for me to turn on her favorite song from John’s bluegrass CD, something about heading into Mary’s kitchen for some ground sausage. When the banjo starts, Claire proceeds to “go crazy”, which means kicking and flailing her skinny little arms and legs while shaking her head wildly back and forth, pale hair flying and teeth bared in a wild smile. Pure, unadulterated joy that makes the nauseatingly twangy music worthwhile.

5. Birthday season has begun. Claire rang in her 2nd at Chuck-E-Cheese on March 10th (that place really needs to get a liquor license), Abby turns 4 in a couple weeks, and Savannah will be 6 (going on 16) in May. John is convinced all of these parties will drive us to the poorhouse (shhh, don’t tell him we’ve already got one foot in the door).

5 Reasons to Pout

1. John’s out of town on business all week. It’s all Mommy, all the time. Bedtime is like trying to herd a trio of goats to their respective pens (do goats even have pens?) while they all keep trying to butt their way back out to the common area.

2. Still not finding time to write. I don’t mean my business writing or my blog writing, but the writing that beats inside of me like a caged animal trying to get out. I know there’s only one solution: to set aside the laundry, the deadlines, and the baby and just eke out a few hundred words of my novel each day… but that’s easier said than done. Alice Hoffman and Jodi Picoult didn’t get to where they are with the best of intentions.

3. Due to what I’ve self-diagnosed as a stress fracture in my foot, I haven’t been able to run for a month, and missed the Mini-Heart Marathon this past Sunday. I’ve been walking instead, but as any runner knows, that’s the equivalent of eating low-fat yogurt instead of UDF homemade ice cream - it just doesn’t measure up. Luckily, I’ve discovered spinning & kickboxing classes at the Y, so that should tide me over until I’m able to pound the pavement again.

4. Last month I resolved to kick the Diet Coke habit and switch to water. I did really well — for about 10 hours. Now I’ve resolved to stop making unrealistic resolutions.

5. I can’t think of another one, because truly, in spite of the never-ending messes and races against the clock, I’m a very lucky gal. So, might as well have a Diet Coke and a smile.

(By the way, my friend, former neighbor, and fellow mommy has just launched a new blog chronicling her hilarious escapades raising her two kiddos. It’s called Zoe and Xander and be warned: it’s addictive.)