WIP Wednesday and other things

I thought I'd post my work in progress today. There's still lots more to do to it so maybe you'll get some more updates as I go.



The last reverb10 topic I saw asked me what the wisest decision I had made this year was. I thought about it, then thought about it some more, and as I became more and more ill (Remember that headache I mentioned? That was the beginning of fever and the head and chest congestion that manifested this past week.), I decided that the wisest decision I could make was to stop participating in reverb10. It's a time suck that takes away from other things I'd rather blog about, and I don't feel any better for answering the questions. So I will humbly bow out this year.

What would I rather blog about? R had her first fever Monday night leading into Tuesday. As I was busy hacking up my lungs, R was trying to push out her first tooth. Nobody slept that night. We were able to break the fever with peppermint essential oil, ibuprofrin, and, finally, a bath. I'm just amazed that after everything-- the sleepless night, the feverish day, the baby that refused to be put down all day-- the tooth still isn't out. It has partially broken the surface of the gums, but it's still wedged down there. Looking forward to lots more fun.

Different / Party

December 8 Beautifully different.
Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different - you'll find they're what make you beautiful.

Different... That topic has been at the forefront of my mind since the in-laws moved in. The ways I am different from this family are many. One of the big ones is that I am a low energy individual, so I do not accomplish nearly as much in a day as the rest of the household. What I do get done are the things that I find to be most important. That may make me seem like a lazy person, but I am not an overachieving neat-freak because I'd collapse from exhaustion if I tried. I wash some dishes, do some laundry, crochet a bit, pump and pump and pump breast milk, and call it a day.

What I lack in gumption I hope I make up for in heart. I have a heart as big as the world: easy to love, and easy to break. I know that my husband loves that about me, I just hope it doesn't drive him too crazy that I can't watch certain action-packed movies with him because I empathize with all of the characters, up to and including the extras being blown up in the background.

Senpai lights up when I look like more than a mom, say, the stylish, confident woman I used to be. R lights up when I genuinely smile. I know I need to do those things more often for my beloved family.

December 9 Party.
What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

Umm.. party? After a baby? It's not that bad, actually, we have attended a few gatherings. Senpai had two Christmas parties, one for his work, and one for the military. The work party was most recent, and it certainly took the cake for ritzy location, gourmet food, and fancy dress. I had a good time at that party, but it could not compare with the fun we both had at the military party. See, we like karaoke. Senpai was part of the planning committee for the military party, and they put him in charge of finding a dj, so he said, "Why not karaoke?" Why not indeed. The party started with the usual fanfare: let's thank these people blah, blah, now stand up and go through the buffet line to get your food, everyone vote on who has the worst Christmas sweater or tie, etc, etc... and then Senpai had the balls to stand up in front of his commanding officers and entire unit and sing "Folsom Prison Blues." Oh yeah. He was breaking out the Johnny Cash, and the room was completely silent in awe of what he just did. He was met with applause afterwards, but no one else had the guts to follow him. I did, cause I can, and still, no one else sang. Actually, the room emptied out like lightning after dinner because nobody on the planning party happened to take into consideration the fact that it was a sports heavy night. Take a bunch of military guys and ask them if they'd rather mingle or watch football and you know what the answer is going to be. Senpai and I could care less about sports, so we were having a blast hanging out with another couple. Once EVERYONE else left except for our friends and the staff, that's when the party REALLY started. The dj was great in that he could hear you sing one song and then he'd pull up other songs that he knew you could at least try, if not like. We had the place rented until 11 pm, but with no one there, the staff could have fun with us, singing and drinking like nobody's business. That was the best night of karaoke that I have ever had. My favorite part of the night was when the dj pulled up U2's "With or Without You" for Senpai to sing. I think someone else was supposed to sing it maybe, but they didn't want to and they left Senpai with it. He was doing a good job, but I remembered that my high school band had covered it (oh so long ago!), and I picked up the other mic and sang a duet with him. Our voices just melded in a way that we have not had happen with any other song, and it was so beautiful. Our small audience was just as impressed as we were. It was a truly beautiful moment that capped off an amazingly fun night.

Final Exam Time

Okay, so I didn't get into this on Sunday like I had hoped I would. Looks like I'll just have to ignore my splitting headache (dehydration, anyone?) for the moment and crank these out like a final exam.


December 5 Let Go.
What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?

I had to let go of a lot of things to make room for my baby: sleep, frivolity, time with friends, time for myself, focusing on myself. Those are the ones that immediately come to mind. I don't regret it, though. Life is so much more exciting having her here.


December 6 Make.
What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

What was the last thing? Maybe R's pacifier keeper that I made from a ribbon.


Oh, nevermind! In looking for that picture (not like I had to, we have that pacifier clipped to her every single day, hence it's in A LOT of pictures) I reminded myself that I made R and my Halloween costumes. I'm very proud of those mermaid costumes, but I am NOT looking forward to doing that again anytime soon. Good thing Halloween is only once a year.

Things I want to make are many, but things I know I'll make... I hope the list doesn't get chopped down too much. I am in the middle of crocheting R a stuffed animal, I still want to crochet her a hat, and I want to make a "Happy Birthday" banner before well, her first birthday.


December 7 Community.
Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

I have not joined any sort of community this year, in fact, I became even more isolated than I had been before. Well, maybe that's not true. I have discovered mommy blogs. I have more info on how to handle certain child-raising challenges and obstacles because I can peek into the minds of other moms who have been there or are there. I get to see what joys I can look forward to, as well.

In 2011, I'd like to start getting R and I to participate in real, live mommy groups. Mommy and me classes, playgroups, bring it on. She's getting to be old enough to play with other kiddos. R needs friends and so do I. ^_^

Wonder{ful}

December 4 Wonder.
How did you cultivate a sense of wonder this year?

Babies are wonder{ful}. R is 8 months old now (wearing 12 mos. clothes!), and in such a short period of time she has evolved from a sleepy little thing to a playful, curious, whatsinyourhandIwantit baby. It gets me to the core that I get to experience each new moment of wonder with her. She stares at a piece of paper, turning it over in her hands, crinkling it between her tiny fingers, and I'm staring at her staring at the paper. As amazed as she is by whatever new object or experience she comes upon, I am just as amazed at her for discovering it.

(I'm behind in these because the home office is now a construction zone. Just pulled the laptop out from under the sheet covering my desk and set it up in the living room. Hope to get back on track tomorrow.)

Traipsing Through the Woods

December 3 Moment.
Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

It was a gray, cloudy day at the beginning of November, but I was so happy that it felt like the sun was shining down and warming me from the cockles of my heart. Stress had been mounting in the home, so Senpai and I took the day off and had quality time with the baby in Forest Park.

Though the thick clouds overhead refused to let the sun through, it was sweater weather, not too cold yet (what Senpai calls "light jacket weather," and then I reply, "I don't have a light jacket!" so I call it sweater weather). With the diaper bag stuffed to the gills and R strapped snug her stroller, we plodded around the large, urban park in search of hidden treasures. We felt at some times victorious, at others frustrated and confused, but never discouraged. Even when a couple of raindrops trickled down from the sky, we stayed to our path and just kept walking.

When we had worn ourselves out and decided we had done enough traipsing through the woods, the day was capped off with hot drinks ala Kaldi's Coffee. We savored the sweetness of our respective beverages, as R enjoyed her bottle of warm milk. Then the smells of locally roasted coffee lingered as we made the long drive back home.

It had been a beautiful, gray, cloudy day in the park.

A Month-Long Experiment in Wordage

I have recently noticed some bloggers participating in the #reverb10 "reflect on this year & manifest what's next" exercise. This sounds like a beautiful idea. I'm in.

December 1 One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

2010's word is BABY. Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby. I was 5 months pregnant with my first child in January. I had quit working already, and every second of every day was devoted to maintaining my health and the health of the baby. It was a difficult pregnancy rife with exhaustion, lots of doctor appointments, leg swelling, and painful feet. The baby was due mid-May, but we were scared by contractions happening at the end of February. Those contractions were stopped, only to continue again at the end of March, when a bad turn in my health meant baby had to come out 7 weeks early. It's been a whirlwind ever since of daily visits to the NICU when she was there for her first 20 days, and then caring for a premature infant when we brought her home, to colic for the next 6 months, and now, finally, I'm able to care for her, myself, and even get some chores done, too. All eyes are still on the baby, but that's because she is just too cute to ignore!

I hope that 2011 brings more... how do I put it? Understanding? Maybe assurance in what I'm doing? I certainly want less craziness. Yeah, I guess assurance, self-assurance, is the word.


December 2 Writing.
What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

Wasting time on the internets. No doubt. Facebook, stupid games, manga, etc... nothing to contribute to anything. I got swept up in the belief of, "I'm pumping! I can't do ANYTHING, so I might as well waste time." And waste time I have done, so very many times. Just because I'm pumping breast milk doesn't mean I can't write, or create something. It's disheartening to look back over this past year and realize just how very little I have accomplished. I'm not a writer per se... my blog has only a few followers and I don't have any other writing projects, but it is still nice to create something.

Yes, internet time-suckage can certainly be eliminated, if not drastically reduced. Just look at me now, writing this blog post instead of zoning out in front of Sudoku. ^_^ I'm proud.