10.19.2012
10.13.2012
lunch is the new dinner
Dearest, dearest readers. I don't know what kind of voodoo magic you all have been doing on our behalf but whatever it is I thank you for it. Following that last post, we entered a divine week of really, really good sleep. And, as a result, I had been feeling like a million bucks. Of course, minor disruptions have set in again, but the memory of that week keeps me going.
I think another mood booster has been our commencement of "Date Fridays." Fridays originally began as a day devoted to work. It's the day when our babysitter C (who's so wonderful!) spends the afternoon with Baby Beeton, and it was our intention to spend the four hours that she's here working on whatever it is that we need to do (thinning plants, writing grants, revising chapters, assembling promotion materials - yikes!). But, after the first few weeks, we realized that all this work could be done outside of our home, that we could actually leave and return when her shift was done. So, we began going out to lunch and then heading somewhere to do work. This past Friday, we went to Busboys and Poets, and in weeks past, we've gone to Takoma Bistro, Adega, and Wasabi. And, we've found ourselves typing away in the Silver Spring Whole Foods, the Stamp Student Union, and the McKeldin Library. It's been the best way to end the work week and begin the weekend.
We even managed to sneak in a dinner date. We had intended to use a gift certificate we received for Christmas from two years ago (thanks K & B) to Marvin in the U. Street Corridor a few weeks ago. But instead, we spent the evening in the veterinary hospital with Ella who was attacked by a nasty, nasty dog on the Sligo Creek Trail (I'd love to track down the dog's owner who walked away rather quickly after the vicious attack and who most likely lives in one of those mansions lining the parkway... it would give me great satisfaction to present him with the $2000 bill!). Once Ella - and we - recovered, we decided to try again, and thanks to Grammy and Papa who came to sit with Henry, we were able to not only have a terrific meal but also join our friend E for her 30th birthday. I can't say that I've ever had a cocktail as delicious as the one I had that night (even if it cost $12 and took me 20 minutes to get). Unfortunately, I can't remember the name and googling "champagne" and "marvin" has produced ridiculous results.
In any case, that's a brief update from here. I realize that I'm long overdue for a post about Baby Beeton, but in order to do that, I need some photographs so that you can see our growing boy in all his glory (maybe today... we're headed to the pumpkin patch). Let me just say that lately, I feel a lot like I live in a zoo - "minou, minou, quack, quack, woof, woof."
Keep sweeping, Martha
Watched What to Expect When You're Expecting and Conception. (I realize that there's a theme here, but don't worry, dear readers, it means nothing. Believe me.)
I think another mood booster has been our commencement of "Date Fridays." Fridays originally began as a day devoted to work. It's the day when our babysitter C (who's so wonderful!) spends the afternoon with Baby Beeton, and it was our intention to spend the four hours that she's here working on whatever it is that we need to do (thinning plants, writing grants, revising chapters, assembling promotion materials - yikes!). But, after the first few weeks, we realized that all this work could be done outside of our home, that we could actually leave and return when her shift was done. So, we began going out to lunch and then heading somewhere to do work. This past Friday, we went to Busboys and Poets, and in weeks past, we've gone to Takoma Bistro, Adega, and Wasabi. And, we've found ourselves typing away in the Silver Spring Whole Foods, the Stamp Student Union, and the McKeldin Library. It's been the best way to end the work week and begin the weekend.
We even managed to sneak in a dinner date. We had intended to use a gift certificate we received for Christmas from two years ago (thanks K & B) to Marvin in the U. Street Corridor a few weeks ago. But instead, we spent the evening in the veterinary hospital with Ella who was attacked by a nasty, nasty dog on the Sligo Creek Trail (I'd love to track down the dog's owner who walked away rather quickly after the vicious attack and who most likely lives in one of those mansions lining the parkway... it would give me great satisfaction to present him with the $2000 bill!). Once Ella - and we - recovered, we decided to try again, and thanks to Grammy and Papa who came to sit with Henry, we were able to not only have a terrific meal but also join our friend E for her 30th birthday. I can't say that I've ever had a cocktail as delicious as the one I had that night (even if it cost $12 and took me 20 minutes to get). Unfortunately, I can't remember the name and googling "champagne" and "marvin" has produced ridiculous results.
In any case, that's a brief update from here. I realize that I'm long overdue for a post about Baby Beeton, but in order to do that, I need some photographs so that you can see our growing boy in all his glory (maybe today... we're headed to the pumpkin patch). Let me just say that lately, I feel a lot like I live in a zoo - "minou, minou, quack, quack, woof, woof."
Keep sweeping, Martha
Watched What to Expect When You're Expecting and Conception. (I realize that there's a theme here, but don't worry, dear readers, it means nothing. Believe me.)
9.18.2012
i went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair
Oh my. Things have been rough at the Beeton household as of late.
Have you ever read this book?
Lately, I feel as though I've been living it. Terrible. Horrible. No good. Very Bad.
If sleeplessness were as compelling a topic for everyone else as it is for me, I'd be on my way to writing my very own saga - think Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey without the vampires or sadomasochism lite. But, unfortunately, tales of 4:45 am awakenings - complete with smiles and the practicing of new words - does not make for riveting drama, beyond the walls of our home, of course.
When Baby Beeton started walking, people told me to relax. Now would be the time that he'd really sleep like a log. He'd be so tired from racing around the house that he wouldn't be able to keep his eyes open come bedtime.
Well, I'm sorry "experienced" mothers. That's not the case at our house. Instead, we've got a wide-eyed baby boy come 1 am, 2 am, even 3 am, awake and ready to start practicing his steps.
It seems as though we have come to a crossroads. Up until this point, we've resisted any kind of sleep training, but it looks like Baby Beeton might need a little coaching in the falling-back-to-sleep-on-your-own department. Both Mr. Beeton and I agree that we want to minimize the crying - for our sake and his - so we'll be trying the go in, soothe, go out method. But we are going to try to stop rocking him until he falls asleep again. It's not doing any of us any good, I'm afraid.
Of course, all this sleeplessness colors each and every day. Forgetting your umbrella, jamming the copier, being completely ill-prepared for class - these all seem so much more catastrophic when you're operating on less than the ideal amount of sleep. (What's ideal you ask? For me, nine hours. Yup. That's how many hours I slept straight each and every night before Baby Beeton arrived. Maybe that's why this has been so tough.) It's hard to take a deep breath sometimes and laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation (having to borrow an umbrella of a student to run across the quad and make copies on the copier that you hopelessly jammed earlier for all your colleagues and which hopefully by now is fixed or you don't have a lesson plan).
Thank goodness for caramel lattes, crazy splashing in the bathtub, the public library, and Ella's pouches. It's the little things that make the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad a little bit better.
That and at least nine hours. Cross your fingers for me.
Keep sweeping, Martha
Have you ever read this book?
Lately, I feel as though I've been living it. Terrible. Horrible. No good. Very Bad.
If sleeplessness were as compelling a topic for everyone else as it is for me, I'd be on my way to writing my very own saga - think Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey without the vampires or sadomasochism lite. But, unfortunately, tales of 4:45 am awakenings - complete with smiles and the practicing of new words - does not make for riveting drama, beyond the walls of our home, of course.
When Baby Beeton started walking, people told me to relax. Now would be the time that he'd really sleep like a log. He'd be so tired from racing around the house that he wouldn't be able to keep his eyes open come bedtime.
Well, I'm sorry "experienced" mothers. That's not the case at our house. Instead, we've got a wide-eyed baby boy come 1 am, 2 am, even 3 am, awake and ready to start practicing his steps.
It seems as though we have come to a crossroads. Up until this point, we've resisted any kind of sleep training, but it looks like Baby Beeton might need a little coaching in the falling-back-to-sleep-on-your-own department. Both Mr. Beeton and I agree that we want to minimize the crying - for our sake and his - so we'll be trying the go in, soothe, go out method. But we are going to try to stop rocking him until he falls asleep again. It's not doing any of us any good, I'm afraid.
Of course, all this sleeplessness colors each and every day. Forgetting your umbrella, jamming the copier, being completely ill-prepared for class - these all seem so much more catastrophic when you're operating on less than the ideal amount of sleep. (What's ideal you ask? For me, nine hours. Yup. That's how many hours I slept straight each and every night before Baby Beeton arrived. Maybe that's why this has been so tough.) It's hard to take a deep breath sometimes and laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation (having to borrow an umbrella of a student to run across the quad and make copies on the copier that you hopelessly jammed earlier for all your colleagues and which hopefully by now is fixed or you don't have a lesson plan).
Thank goodness for caramel lattes, crazy splashing in the bathtub, the public library, and Ella's pouches. It's the little things that make the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad a little bit better.
That and at least nine hours. Cross your fingers for me.
Keep sweeping, Martha
9.03.2012
the dog days are over
It's not time yet, but I know that soon, very soon, we will be packing up the screened-in-porch and heading inside for good. It's only partly untrue that this space is one of the the only reasons I agreed to move. (Picture Anastasia from the Lois Lowry books, making a list of all the things she wanted before she would move out of Glover Park paradise... a screened-in-porch, on street parking, a garage, a yard... be careful what you wish for.) And we've made the most of it, eating every meal outside and spending most evenings there after dinner, playing with our toy car, practicing walking. We spruced it up significantly, painting the floor, adding a table built by my grandfather, some chairs left behind by the previous owner which we spray painted fiestaware colors. New chair cushions and colorful placemats. A bamboo rug. A $20 wicker loveseat from Craigslist (what would I do without Craig?), which we'll also spray paint. A new cushion and pillow. Lanterns from West Elm. It's definitely my favorite place to be. With a great view of our garden and all the "minou-minous" (i.e. alley cats), I can't think of a better place to close out summer.
Happy Labor Day!
Keep sweeping, Martha
Watching Revenge: Season 1.
Happy Labor Day!
Keep sweeping, Martha
Watching Revenge: Season 1.
9.01.2012
8.22.2012
return to
Who in their right mind would want to go back to work when you could play peek-a-boo all day?
Keep sweeping, Martha
Finished reading Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
8.08.2012
rumble
Those of you who are loyal readers already know that two impending deadlines are fast approaching. The first marks the end of my fifteen month leave from teaching (one semester of family leave, one semester of sabbatical, two summers) - August 21st. The second is the upcoming deadline for my book project (don't get too excited... it's a scholarly analysis of food writing) - September 1st. In order to get things done and not crack up entirely, I'll be taking a little break from all things distracting - mainly the Internet.
But, I thought before I departed I would leave you with a photograph of the newest member of our family - Rusty James. Mr. Beeton tells me that Rusty was a stowaway who magically appeared in his school bag one day after being used as a model for one of the science summer camp sessions. As you can see, Mr. Beeton's made it quite nice for him here on Quackenbos Street, not to mention that someone else is quite taken with the PISH as well.
Keep sweeping, Martha
But, I thought before I departed I would leave you with a photograph of the newest member of our family - Rusty James. Mr. Beeton tells me that Rusty was a stowaway who magically appeared in his school bag one day after being used as a model for one of the science summer camp sessions. As you can see, Mr. Beeton's made it quite nice for him here on Quackenbos Street, not to mention that someone else is quite taken with the PISH as well.
Keep sweeping, Martha
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