Month: March 2011 (Page 1 of 5)

I’ve recently been reading Eat, Pray Love as I somehow put off getting the most recent bookclub book and neither KLR or SMC seem to be offering me theirs, as they were a bit more proactive on getting into the library queue. Yes, I totally just tried to shrug my laziness off upon my generally good natured and obviously more on top of it friends. I also recently blamed KLR for my slightly neurotic behavior (because, since she no longer lives near me to discuss sanity issues, it’s clearly her fault. As a BFF, she should have to follow me when I move. It’s in the job description.)
But back to the book. In general I don’t like her premise. I find her to be quite selfish and self-centered. However, she’s a spectacular writer and I do find many of the the personal explorations quite interesting. I’m through her time in Italy – which, if you ask me, didn’t focus nearly enough on the wine that went with her quest for the next best meal.
Now, she’s off to India. I’ve been there – this chapter is not going to be about the food. Or the smells, which was probably a stronger sensory experience for me. I made a lsit of the smells of India: dogs. exhaust. curry. incense. Non-showered humans (specifically my American travel companions, so fear not that this is a statement about race or nationality. The fact of the matter is, a bucket just can’t get you as Zestfully clean as a shower).  As you can tell, this trip didn’t didn’t put Southeast Asia on my vacation list. It’s a fascinating culture, the people are nice, all that… but I was glad to be home.
So, Liz of the Book arrives in India in search of devotion. Aside from the obvious – that you don’t really have to go anywhere to find that – I do think this experience will add depth to her character. Most of her belief language is Hindi-esque with Yoga as a vehicle – that is, the medititation-like “Om” yoga, not the Jillian Michaels DVD that fails to mention words like “namaste” or “inner” (unless in the context of “working those inner thighs”). I found a lot of it a bit wishy-washy – that is, until she started in on a guru. The stage-2 Yogi. The wisdom-leader. The medicine man of the soul.
Sold. I totally want one.
From my days of fettishing after Jewish subculture and practices, I know that the rabbi can sometimes hold a similar place… a student would “sit at the feet” of the rabbi and learn his teachings. Soak in the wisdom. Better herself. Become self-actualized. Live better, love better. All those things you can cross-stitch into a pillow or find on a cover of a day planner.
Don’t get me wrong… Jesus is my Guru, the best place to begin to learn about life. But at different points in my life I’ve been privilaged to have a relationship with different people that shed light into my life; it was like a refreshing breath. Sometimes it was encouragement, sometimes it was hard truth, often times it was nothing to do with me but rather the world and its design. But I loved the freedom and ability and luxury of sharing these thoughts with another human being and having reciprocated conversation around things of existential nature (can I use “existential” to modify “things”? Is that a bit of an oxymoron?).
I don’t have the time to run off to India for 6 weeks to become enlightened; I believe I can learn a bit about devotion in the rainy spring of Ohio. But I’m totally jealous of her dedication and follow through. I bet she gets the book club book the night after it’s selected, too. I’m also jealous of her book deal that turned into  a movie starring Julia Roberts. And I’m jealous that she got paid in advance to take this trip and then write about it. But all this jealousy talk is probably not good for my inner-self. If I had a guru, I’m sure that’s what she’d say.
Do I put this under a “jobs” or “services” on Craigslist?

I was recently told asked to take a break from all the food learning, it was making for stale conversation. So I moved on to education. I’m facinated by the learning process, how some kids learn and excel while others resent school. Some of it is the hubby’s vocation, but overall it probably just fits into my larger fettish for understanding the teenage and young adult years.

So this post about homework for young kids by Rage Against the MiniVan had me reading every single comment. I have a few kindergarten teacher friends, I’m dying to know what they think. I seem to know several people in the educational system in general and would love their 2 cents as well. I won’t even charge 2 cents. We’ll call it a Saturday special and you can leave it for free.

I’ve been meaning to post a few kiddo-updates and keep getting sidetracked by deep thoughts (I have about 4 drafts going with no final conclusion. I need to get it together!). But here are a few to bank in the archives:

H Boy

• Now that he’s more verbal, he’s funny like his mom. He’s doing lots of repeating and said his first prayer over dinner the other day (he reminded us about halfway through). He repeated after mommy by phrase and did a very good job. He was quite pleased with himself. Goodness, he can’t be this old already. 
• A few Saturdays ago we went to a church garage sale. I took the umbrella stroller to push Miss M and he had to walk like a big boy. He was not pleased. When we returned to the car, he explained to mommy that we were all done. He said, “all done. H turn ride. M walk.” I didn’t know how to explain that Miss M hasn’t got this bipedalism thing yet. So I promised a dual ride when we got home. He didn’t even let me go in the house first – he immediately got in the double stroller. 
• Finally, what’s an update without a potty story? Lately he’s been putting Buckeye on the potty (Buckeye also takes naps and eats snacks and plays with play doh). He’s also been doing a lot of singing, especially in the car. Though he did pull out a song book that came with his musical instrument box and started singing as well. Such a Choir Boy. Well, on the way home from Grandma and Grandpa’s one evening, Miss M was getting a bit tired and frustrated, so I asked H to entertain – “sing her a song” I said. So he did for a little bit. THEN he announced he needed to go potty. I explained he’d just have to wait. I suggested that he sing a song about going potty. So, soon we hear a song of his made-up words and every 6th or 7th word is “pee pee” or “potty.” Absolutely hilarious. 
• He’s now pretty consistent at the potty, diapers only for nap and nighttime. He’ll even go poo on the potty (sometimes it takes a few tries). Now he wants to wipe his own buns. Great. What a mess. 
• 6 and 7 seem to be his favorite numbers.
• He’s caught on to red, yellow and green. Blue is still a mystery. Every time. 

Miss M

• This girl is always on the move. She’s a quick little crawler though she dreams of upright mobility. You can tell her time spent with little FS at the sitter is motivating. Last night she stood up hands-free, but her legs were nearly her height apart, for stability I’m sure, but that didn’t negate her pride in the effort. She’ll try to stand up from a sitting position and get stuck, 2 feet on the ground and one arm in the air. Right now she does a lot of standing up behind our legs and walking with us. It’s slow moving, but I guess it’s the way she learns.
• She’s doing a lot of “uh oh” especially after she throws drops her binky from the crib. 
• Recently she discovered in and out, so a new favorite is tossing toy animals down the play silo and then getting them out to put them in again. She did it for nearly and hour the other night. She found it amazing, every. single. time. 
• Thankfully she still finds her brother hilarious. He can talk to her or get her to clap and dance like no one else can. She’ll just cackle and laugh at whatever he’s doing. 
• She’s pretend reading! She’ll stand up to the footstool and start “nah nah nah…na na nah” and then turn the page. All that time reading with brother has convinced her that this is proper form. 
• She’s still going up the stairs like a pro, but refuses to learn how to go back down. 
• This month will mark her first birthday and she’s got the sippy cup skill mastered, so next week we’ll start introducing milk. She loves her bottle, so we’ll see how this goes…
• Ah, and one of my favorite things is when she sucks in her top lip and sticks out the bottom one. She does it in concentration and to be cute. I try to tell her, as my grandma Cella used to, that some time a birdy will come along and poop on it. But then again, it’s so cute that I don’t really want her to stop.

Well, I hear the pitter-patter thunderous stomping of a 2 year old waking up. Time to begin the day.