Living Imperfection

February 23, 2019February 28, 2019

Making Time to Write with a Baby & a Busy Life

People often wonder how I manage to get any writing done with a six-year-old and a baby at home. I blush. I’m flattered, but trust me, it hasn’t always been this way. I’ve always enjoyed writing and I’ve dreamed of “going for it” for many years, but I kept finding reasons I couldn’t. They weren’t good reasons, but I let them stop me anyway.

I finished grad school when my son was about 15 months old, so I do have a track record of writing with a baby around, but it wasn’t the kind of writing I wanted to be doing. I just had to finish. Then I was teaching classes and I was tired and we were traveling and I wanted to watch my mystery shows…

See? Not very good reasons.

February 16, 2019February 19, 2019

11+ Reasons Our Sons Should Definitely Be Watching Carmen Sandiego

It’s not every day, or even every month that my son and I are infatuated with the same TV show, but the new Carmen Sandiego changes everything! I’m feeling pretty damn hip right now TBH because Netflix’s new re-boot of the iconic character has only been out for a few weeks and I have seen it all. Cutting edge – à la mode – Zeitgeist – finger on the pulse – that’s me.

The show impressed me so much, I’d watch it again. I can’t wait for the live action movie and the next season to come out! Season two is already confirmed! I’m becoming a total fan-girl and getting a red coat and fedora for my Halloween costume (maybe for everyday wear,) maybe even a temporary tattoo!

February 13, 2019February 18, 2019

My Frenchie will soon be Franco-American!

Move over Chef Boyardee!

Ooops – strike that. I just googled that because I wasn’t sure of myself and I learned something we all need to know and be able to differentiate. Chef Boyardee is Italian-American. Duh! But I knew there was some pasta-like product with a Franco-American name or slogan somewhere in the murky history of my youth.

I couldn’t not use this photo. This bald eagle is one badass mother fucker. She’s seen some shit in her day. Don’t push your luck. Photo by Sue Tucker on Unsplash

February 10, 2019February 18, 2019

I think I did a parenting thing right!

My parenting anxieties are mercifully mild compared to my general social anxieties. Can’t worry about absolutely everything all the time, now can we? When it comes to being a mother, I’m pretty confidant that I am a solidly “good enough” mother. I don’t know all the answers and I mess up plenty, but I’m usually able to soldier on in spite of the certainty that I’m fucking my kids at least a little even though I’m doing my best.

But this morning, I think I got something right! Like, really right. It was my reaction to a challenge we’ve faced many times with my son (and usually had little success.) He’s just turned six and he’s too damn smart for us sometimes, so he often outwits us and himself when we try to help him calm down from his tendency to quick, hot, unrelenting rage strokes about relatively minor things.

February 7, 2019February 18, 2019

Becoming by Michelle Obama is SO Worth the Read

My neighborhood bookclub recently convened to discuss Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming. It’s so very affirming to sit with other women for a few hours gushing over someone like Michelle Obama.

Plenty of people have already reviewed the book a long long time ago, but some of us were on waiting lists at the library for months, so this is not a review. More like a meditation. I loved it. I love her. I love everything Obama. I have a terrible memory at the moment with two kids sucking my brain power right out of me, so I just want to put down a few thoughts about some of the disparate things I managed to jot down as I listened.

I swoon a little bit looking at her, she’s so kind and smart and amazing and strong…and gorgeous.

January 31, 2019February 18, 2019

My kid is totally gonna get a book deal before me

My six-year-old son has not had time to develop any of the insecurities about writing I’ve spent years perfecting. He just turned six and he’s only just learning to write, but I’m pretty sure he’s well ahead of me on the path to publication.

“Sweetie Bird” has been writing and illustrating his book, (not even his first book, but certainly his most serious effort to date,) for a week or so now and he’s definitely onto something. The story had been brewing in his young mind for a couple of years. As far as he knows, all it takes to be a writer is to write. Why didn’t I know that FFS?

January 24, 2019February 18, 2019

Emotional Intelligence: Work in Progress…

So, I invested in a “Time In Toolkit” by Generation Mindful * back in December. The three people in our family who can talk need some help emoting intelligently, so I was very excited when it came in the mail.

January 22, 2019February 18, 2019

Till There Was You: Nostalgia & Mortality

I have a six-month-old. Well, six and a half, as of this writing. As her mother, I can tell you she is gorgeous and incredibly charming and we waited so long for her. I adore looking at her. It’s hard to tear my eyes away from her. It took three years to get her to stick and now that she’s here, she is growing so fast. Just so damn fast. I don’t remember my son growing so fast, although I’m sure he did. But I am older now, so perhaps my perceptions have changed.

When I look at my daughter, I think about my own mortality. I was once a baby like her – not nearly as mind-blowingly beautiful and sweet – all head and cheeks and eyes, everything round and bulging. That was so long ago, but in the blink of an eye, she could be having the same thoughts about her own child.

January 21, 2019January 21, 2019

White People, We Must Cut the Shit Right Now

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day – or as my son called him last year when he was learning about him in Pre-K, “King Martin Luth Jr.” I was home with my six year old and six month old all day. This afternoon we went for a walk and my son rode his bike. On our way back home, in our very own street, one house was flying a brand new confederate flag.

January 17, 2019January 17, 2019

Knock, Knock! It’s me, Anxiety!

My daughter had an ultrasound a couple days ago. Just as a precaution against possible gallstones that could be painful if they decided to make a break for it. The procedure was scheduled for 12:30 pm and stipulated no food after 8:30 am.

Four hours without food for a six month old is not such a big deal, and yet, anxiety. That persistent, full-body, frantic buzzing feeling that will last until the perceived potential “crisis” is over.