Vacation from vacation

I am back home resting after an exhausting vacation, and I don't think that is exactly how it is supposed to work. You can see Q above with his dad and aunts in his formal wear. It made it worth it to see the joy Q brought to T's family, but it sure was a grueling weekend.

In case there was any doubt, babies are not made for cross-country flights or Catholic wedding masses. Q does just about as good as can be expected on planes. He is one and a half and does not understand sitting still quietly in one place for hours on end. He arches his back and screeches and tries to get down on the floor. He bangs on the seat in front of him and pulls everything out of the seat back pocket. Most of the time he is extremely tired, but finds it impossible to sleep with all the distractions. I feel so bad for him because I know he is exhausted, but he just fights it and fights it as people glower at us from surrounding seats. I want to remind them that we all were once babies. It's not like we have a hyena on board or something. It is just a baby human.

Catholic wedding masses are not baby-friendly either. I got a taste of this during the rehearsal. Q did not want to sit still in the pew. He wanted to crawl around and climb on the kneeling platforms and reach for the bibles and bang on the pew.

For the actual wedding, Q donned his tux and some borrowed cowboy boots. He looked quite dapper in his attire. I carried him down the aisle and then attempted to keep him quiet as long as possible. T was a groomsman, so I was alone in this endeavor. I wanted to at least see the vows. So, I tried to entertain Q as much as possible. Wedding masses are long. Thankfully the vows are toward the middle, so as soon as we saw the important stuff, Q and I made our exit.

We strolled around the college campus where the ceremony was held looking for squirrels. I pointed them out, and Q excitedly yelled "Doggie!" I can see the confusion. A lot of tiny, yappy dogs could easily pass for squirrels.

The reception was quite a relief after the formal ceremony. Q was introduced with the wedding party and made his grand entrance pushing his little walker. He at first seemed a little startled by the 200 guests and the blaring speakers by the DJ, but then he got some momentum and made it all the way across the dance floor, onto the carpet and then into the opposite wall. I felt such a surge of pride watching him take his awkward little steps. I got tears in my eyes. Sweet little thing.

He enjoyed crawling around and posing for the photographer for way too many pictures. The guests seemed to get a kick out of him, and it was nice to hand him off so T and I could actually enjoy a dance. He made it to about 9:30 that night, and then we went back to the hotel room while T finished out the night with his friends and family. I read and watched TV for four hours while everyone else partied, danced, and drank. So much changes when a tiny person enters your life.

T and I also got the rare chance to go to a movie this weekend. It gave us a taste of what it would be like to have family around, and man would it be nice. We left Q with his more-than-willing grandparents and went out on our own. We are all on our own where we live now, and it can definitely present its challenges.

Q took a few wobbly steps on his own this weekend as well. I think he is so close to walking he can taste it! Any day now! Any day.

Our way home presented a few more issues. One flight was delayed slightly and when we finally for home around 1 a.m., we discovered our car battery had died. Of course. We piled our luggage, stroller, car seat, and an extremely tired baby into a cab and went home. Then we couldn't find one of our cats. T and I both imagined an escaped cat squished somewhere. Just as he was starting to search the neighborhood, I discovered her holed up under a bed. She probably had been sleeping there since we left. Lucky cat.

Then this morning, I got a call that my old ATM card number is being used in Switzerland. I can't even quite wrap my mind around that one. But, it is all taken care of now.

It certainly has been an interesting few days. I am ready for some boring normalcy.

--MM

Still not walking

I still have not quite wrapped my mind around the fact that Q is having delays. I feel sort of defensive about it. A guy from work, who I'm sure was trying to be very nice, said his wife could look after him a few days a week if he needed more one-on-one attention. Like his daycare is hurting him or something. Or at least that is what my defensive self reads into it.

Today, Q rose to a wobbly stance on his feet with a big grin on his face. "Good job!" I said, and took his hand trying to drag him along a few steps. He seemed annoyed and plopped back to the ground. I just feel this internal urge for him to walk so we can say, "Oh look. He's fine. No big deal." I am taking it too personally and too seriously. I know that, but I can't help it.

People in public always just assume he is walking or running even. I feel slightly embarrassed when I have to say, "No, not yet, but he is a champion crawler." Poor little guy. I hate to even feel the slightest negative emotion involving him, but parenthood is complicated, and it is not all the rosy bliss you are led to believe before you actually become a parent.

It was an interesting day at work today. We did half the 5 pm show live at the library which just reopened after being closed for six months because of a lack of funding. I still get nervous at big or unusual events like that, but it also gives you a little surge of adrenaline. Anything to mix things up a bit is welcome. I feel like it went pretty well.

Tomorrow we are off to Boston at 6 am. That means we will all get very, very little sleep. I am crossing my fingers that Q allows us a little sleeping on the plane.

--MM

Q taking his time

Q had his appointment with the developmental pediatrician today. When he wasn't walking at 15 months, our regular pediatrician decided to refer him, because he said Q was falling behind the benchmark a bit. We had to wait months to get in to see this special doctor, and today was finally Q's appointment.

T took him alone, because it was a very bad part of my work day. I hated to miss it. I told T to take lots of notes. T said Q was a bit shy at first. They sat at a little table and two women played with him and did little tests while talking to T and writing down notes.

They determined he is behind in his large motor skills and his responsive listening. Meaning, he can't walk, and doesn't listen to us. He is great at yapping all sorts of words, real and imagined. But, he can't identify things and doesn't really follow any sort of instructions. He qualifies for this Early Intervention program through the school district, and apparently these physical therapists or whatever they are will come to our house to help him and help us help him.

It's pretty discouraging news I think. It is not really alarming or cause for great concern, but everyone wants their child to be this smart little over-achiever, and you hate to hear they are falling behind. I worry it is something I did while pregnant, and I will do the same thing with the next one. What if he never catches up? I am probably reading too much into it, but you can't blame me.

--MM

Frazzled

Life has me frazzled right now. And Q is not helping. The day started off fine with a manicure and pedicure, while T took Q to swimming lessons. I can't complain about that. I am lucky to be pampered.

After a run on the treadmill, I found out I would again be flying solo at work. My co-worker has been gone for three days because a family member is sick, so I have been swamped juggling both of our duties. I also have these four big projects hanging over my head and am going out of town to that wedding next week. I actually complained to my bosses yesterday that I am feeling frustrated. I think I get ridiculous amounts of work dumped on me because I don't complain, so I complained. We'll see if that does any good.

Anyway, as I was trying to get Q and I ready to go, Q decided to flip out on me. I was simply trying to change his diaper and put his pants on, god forbid. He screamed and cried and twisted and would not lay still. This went on for far too long, as I tried to pin him, then hugged him, then moved him down to the ground for more wrestling. I felt very close to crying myself to be honest, because I know I can't just walk away for 10 minutes. The clock is ticking, and I have to get him dressed, and then I have to go finish getting completely ready because I had a shoot to do as soon as I arrive at work. I just wanted to tear both of our hair out. I managed to take a few deep breaths and wrestle his pants on, before running in to slap my makeup on and blow dry and style my hair in about three minutes. Then he was happy as pie, singing to himself and flipping through a book. I just don't get babies. I don't.

I tried to calm myself, as I drove into work by listening to a little classical music. I just hate this frenzied feeling right now, and it seems like it is more common these days. It is hard for me to tell if it is my profession in particular that is making life this way, or if any job would be just as stressful. One day to the weekend.

--MM

Blessed sleep

The power went out today. T and I rely on Q's daily wake up call at 7 AM. You could generally set a watch by that baby. And often we don't even bother to set an alarm. This morning Q chose to sleep in on the same day the electricity was knocked out. The phone rang waking all of us up. T an I were wondering "Who the hell is calling so early?" when we realized it was actually 9:40! Oops. Damn, it felt good to sleep in though.

T hustled off to work while Q and I made breakfast. I tried to quickly sneak things out of the fridge to conserve coldness. He actually went down for a nap not long after. Poor tired little guy. I laid on the couch, not sure what to do without my treadmill or TV. So, might as well nap myself. Sleeping is so great.

--MM

Heartbeats and headaches

I heard the heartbeat for the first time today. The excitement of that speedy little gallop was sort of swallowed up in the madness of the rest of my day unfortunately. It was very comforting to hear though. At this stage when you aren't really showing and can't feel the baby, it is easy to think that maybe you have been mistaken all along. But this afternoon, there was the evidence of that marvelous, tiny life for all to hear, just thudding right along.

T went out of town around 4 this morning. I planned to work during the day and everything would work out just fine. Then, I found out that my co-worker was not coming in, so I would have to work my regular schedule, do four shows and produce one of them, and find child care at night. Plus, I had my doctor's appointment. I deposited Q at daycare early and zipped in to my appointment all the while thinking about all the work I had to do. It was a bit frenetic, but it all worked out. The more I have to do, it seems the quicker I do it. A very sweet girl from work volunteered to come watch Q. That was very nice of her.

T is on his way back home now after a day that was much longer than mine. I hope he is ingesting a lot of caffeine since he has been up for 19 hours.

Q is fascinated by our two sweet cats. He can say "Gat!" and points at them excitedly and crawls after them. Usually they quickly run away, and one even gave him a few swipes with a clawless paw. But, today, I heard this muffled pounding and looked down to find Q thumping on one of the poor cats. Maddie just took it. She likes every drop of attention she gets, so I guess even negative attention is worth it. Then he grabbed big handfuls of her fur and pulled. After a few painful looking yanks, Maddie finally got up and left. Babies are so rough! Are little girls this brutal?

--MM

Female Frustrations

I absolutely hate getting ready in the morning. Well, I actually generally get ready in the early afternoon since I work evenings, but I hate it. It takes forever. Generally an hour. 45 minutes if I cut out a few things.

I watched my husband today go up to get in the shower at 9:30 and walk out the door 20 minutes later. All he has to do is shower, shave a very small surface area, get dressed, and pull a comb through his hair. My version of getting ready is a long involved process. I treasure the weekends when I only wear powder and mascara and pull my hair into a ponytail. But, my job requires full, perfect makeup and blown-dry and styled hair every.....single....day. I can't just show up in a pony tail and chapstick. I can't tell you how tired I get of pulling out that blow dryer. If I could have two wishes, one would be to have that cool Jetsons machine where you try out different looks and then transform yourself with the click of a button. And the other would be teleportation. I can't stand traffic either.

Anyway, my point is I love being a woman, and most of the time I like getting dressed up and putting on makeup and wearing heels, and I am glad I get to be the one to have the baby, but geez, some mornings I just wish I was a dude. How much of my life has been spent shaving, tweezing, and mascara-applying?

T is going to a special assignment tomorrow to cover this massive anti-terrorism drill about four hours away. I will come in and work during the day while he goes to cover this big, cool story. I have mentioned this before, but I felt a twinge of it again. When we had Q, I lost a lot of the cool, fun parts of our job like going away for stories. T hasn't had to give much of this up. I am certainly willing to make sacrifices for our family, but I was a bit envious today. Sometimes you miss being able to go do something spectacular at the drop of a hat.

--MM

Nearly 30

So now I am 29. It's been a mostly uneventful birthday. T got me Egg McMuffins without ham for breakfast as requested, and a beautiful pair of pink earrings, as well as brownies from some fancy New York bakery and a 2 year subscription to US Weekly. I spent a lot of the day resting and playing around with Q. And then we went shopping this afternoon to spend our clothing allowance. That is a wonderful thing. I absolutely love shopping when you know you will get paid back. Even if it is work clothes.

We had a couple over for dinner last night. T had school all day, so I was pretty much on my own to make everything. Q and I went to the grocery store. It is better to leave him at home for those kind of errands. He was fussing and reaching for me and taking my grocery list and throwing it on the ground. So, the second half of the trip I carried him, until my left bicep was burning.

I made baguettes with goat cheese and ricotta spread, farfalle with tomato sauce and big hunks of melty fresh mozzarella, and salad. For dessert we had apple-raspberry crunch. I was pretty proud of how it all turned out. We had a great time with this couple. The wife is from my mom's group, and this is the first time T met the husband, but they seemed to hit it off. It is always hard to find a couple that you both like a lot. Usually it's a little more one-sided, but we might just have gotten lucky.

They have two sons, ages 2 1/2 and 1. So, along with 1 1/2 year old Q it was kind of a madhouse. It looked like we had been ransacked by the time they left. I hope Q didn't pick up any new naughty ideas.

--MM

Fire in the belly

I have horrific heartburn today. At least that's what I think it is. I have never really had it before and didn't experience it with my first pregnancy. My stomach is just burning. It is pretty painful. I always just assumed heartburn was mildly uncomfortable, but this was pretty debilitating.

T got me some Tums, and I chewed three of them. I still felt pretty crappy and went to lay in the car for 45 minutes. It actually helped to be horizontal. I came back in and worked for a couple hours. I think I might go home for dinner to eat something mild, because I brought pretty spicy pasta. Not belly-friendly.

That is the frustrating thing about pregnancy. You are perfectly healthy and most things you are going through are normal, but a lot of the time you feel pretty sick. I feel unjustified in staying home, yet I feel like crap on days like today and know my performance is pretty half-hearted. At least this is all worth something. Being sick just sucks all around.

My belly is pretty rounded all the sudden. I haven't told our daycare provider yet, but today I think she was looking quizzically at my mid-section. I am afraid to ask her if she has room for another!

--MM

Waiting for bed

It has been a long day and there are still a few hours left. It started at 8:00 a.m. and won't stop till midnight.

Q had swim lessons this morning. We both got all dressed and ready, and then I was loading him into the car I smelled evidence of a giant baby poop. That's never a good thing in swim diapers. We got to the Y and I slapped him on the changing table. I then had a disgusting flimsy diaper and a bunch of soiled wipes and a squirmy baby on the table. A nice lady coming from water aerobics pinned Q down while I threw away the digustingness. What will I do when there are two of them??

After swim lessons, I had to get ready in record time. T deposited Q at daycare, and we hustled off for a shoot on school bullies. I actually talked to some pretty impressive high schoolers. I tend to assume they are all young and clueless, but met several very eloquent, intelligent students today. After that back to work for a regular work day. I am ridiculously tired tonight and frustrated that my job requires 13 hours some days. I feel like I have too much on my plate, yet I can't bring myself to speak up to the powers that be. I hate having to give up lots of time with Q just to work more. Why can't I work less and earn more? Is there a job like that out there?

--MM

Joy of a balloon

Q has been absolutely enthralled lately with a helium balloon. He got it at an event about a week ago, and it is slowly getting soft and deflated and sinking closer to ground. He just loves it though. He likes to wrap the purple string around his chubby hand and pull it down and watch it bounce. He crawls around with it billowing behind him.

He is also quite intrigued with our Blackberry's. He will press the buttons and then put them backward to his ear. He managed to dial 911 on T's. I guess if you hold down 9 or something it automatically dials? Anyway, now Q holds most anything to his ear. A book, a card, a block. Anything rectangular will suffice.

I think my favorite thing about having a child is just the absolute pure joy they get out of things. I love seeing things through his eyes. A doggie barking at you while on a walk is exciting, and a train blocking your path is not annoying but amazing! A cat walking by is hilarious and cause for a squeal. And even the whir of the coffee maker is pretty thrilling. It kind of makes you look at everything differently and with new appreciation.

Back to the mundane...work is getting quite a bit busier these days. A co-worker went on maternity leave, so schedules are changing, and I will have more work on my plate for at least a few months. For the next month, I am not entirely thrilled because I need time to work on four special projects for November. But, after that, it is fine. I really prefer to be busy. The guy who sits next to me would be content to play ping pong on his computer for three hours a night. But, I prefer to feel productive and occupied. Makes the days go faster.

I turn 29 this Sunday. This birthday has really snuck up on me. It don't particularly mind turning 29. I am content with where I am at this age, but I can't say I am the least bit excited about it. I feel like every birthday since 22 has just flown by. They kind of blend one into another. Sometimes I actually forget how old I am. When did all these years catch up to me, and when did I become a wife and mother? Aren't I still a 20-year-old college sophomore? I think someone is playing a trick on me. Crazy.

--MM

Old friends, different lives

I had a bit of a frustrating weekend. My freshman year college roommate was scheduled to come into town Saturday afternoon. We were going to go a to a winery, get dinner, spend the night at our place, and then get brunch Sunday morning. She called about the time she was supposed to be arriving to say she hadn't left her previous stop, because she had food poisoning. She would try to sleep it off and maybe meet us for dinner. T and I waited around, not sure what to do with our day. My friend eventually called later that night to say she wouldn't make it at all that day. She would aim for lunch the next day. I felt like Saturday was sort of a waste. I got a huge plate of nachos and felt better.

So, the next day, again we weren't sure how to go about our day. When would long-lost friend arrive? I decided to go for a 5-mile run regardless. I run pretty slow right now as to not overexert myself, but I felt great and very satisfied. It was such a mild, sunny day.

We finally got word she would arrive after 1:30. So, lunch was out, but we managed to hit a winery and get a late afternoon snack before she left at 5:30. Pretty disappointing for a once very close friend you haven't seen in seven years.

I pulled out a photo album while she was here and we looked at old pictures of ourselves when we were so similar. We had the same dorm room, the same major, the same interests, we dyed our hair together, and ordered these cheesy bread sticks from the pizza place. Now, our lives are vastly different. She arrived at our home with her fresh-out-of-college boyfriend, though we earned our degrees seven years ago. She never stays in one place for more than six months and doesn't even own a bed. I own a house, two cars, am married, with one baby and another on the way. I felt so much older than her! She seems to really be looking for something. She said commitment and permanence scare her, so she constantly travels and takes temporary jobs. She just finished five months on a cruise ship and is now off to backpack in Southeast Asia with this new baby boyfriend. On the one hand it seems exciting to me, and I am envious that that opportunity is not remotely in my realm of possibility. But, on the other much bigger hand, I am glad I have found most of what I am looking for in my current home and in my family. Her spontaneity is probably fun in many ways, but it is also awfully frustrating when you have set aside a weekend and are left waiting by the phone.

I spent a lot of time in college and right after kind of floundering around, not knowing where I would land. But, I feel remarkably content right now. I feel like I am where I should be. It was nice in many ways to see my old friend and laugh at old memories. It is remarkable how different our lives have become. I am so happy to know her but realize I am also happy my life has taken a different, more stable path.

--MM

Near emergencies

Q's best friend is his yet unnamed stuffed seal. Said seal has been through a number of traumas though, and we are actually on our second version. Q received the original during a trip to the Seattle Aquarium. It quickly became his constant sleeping companion. Until one day it disappeared. We think it may have been left behind during a bleary-eyed early morning trip to a balloon rally. T quickly set about procuring another one. He found a match online, but accidentally got the next size up. This giant seal is roughly the size of Q as serves as sort of a body pillow.

He has become even more attached in recent weeks. When we go in to retrieve him from his crib, he immediately reaches for his seal and often totes it to daycare. Every night, he sticks his thumb in his mouth and curls up on his seal, before he drifts off to sleep. The seal sits on the counter and watches him during meals.

I always remind T to pick it up when Q takes it to daycare, but last night, he forgot! The seal spent the night at daycare, and Q had to go the entire night seal-less! We feared the worst, that he would refuse to go to sleep without this bedtime companion. But, Q was apparently quite drowsy, and T slipped him a stuffed doggie, and no one was the wiser. Crisis averted. I just have to make sure I get the seal from daycare this time, or it could be a long seal-free weekend.

We took Q to lunch today at a very good sandwich shop. We ordered him a peanut butter and jelly, while T got a BLT, and I got a Mediterranean. Our order took soooooo long. Why don't they put a rush on kid orders? T held a squirming, complaining Q while I tried to distract him with a straw wrapper. Relaxing lunches are such a thing of the past.

My college freshman year roommate is visiting this weekend. We did not know each other until the first day we walked into our closet-sized dorm room, but we ended up being very close friends. She was a small town pageant queen from Missouri, but she changed dramatically. Now she is this crazy world traveler who is road-tripping through my state with her current boyfriend before she goes backpacking in Southeast Asia for two months. Our lives have taken slightly different paths. I am so thrilled to see her and to introduce her to the men in my life.

--MM

Enticing Thai food

Why must Thai food be so good? I just had far too much of Spicy Thai Stir Fry. My already growing belly is now even more engorged. My pants are just not comfortable today. Thai food is one of my favorites. Though I like Italian, Mexican, American, Indian and so many others. Too many really.

A co-worker of mine welcomed a baby girl yesterday. It is making me very anxious for some reason about choosing a name for our son/daughter. I spent far too long combing through name websites today. As a person with an extremely common name, choosing a unique name is very important to me. But, I don't want something off the wall like Doorstop or made up like Sazandradine or something. I am obsessed about it right now. I think it will be easier when we know the gender.

My least favorite co-worker is talking about re-signing her contract. I had so hoped she would leave when it was over or be asked to leave, but today she was talking about sticking around. Ick. I can't let that affect my mood or my day, but I so often let it. Liking the people you work with is just so important. But, I guess you'll never like everyone.

--MM

Update: T found my planner. Just as I was all settled into me new one. It was under a stack of CD's in the garage. Of course. Why didn't I think of that?

Crappy side of pregnancy

My skin is breaking out like a 16 year old. Annoying. And my regular clothes are too tight but my maternity clothes are way too baggy. Today my skirt was unzipped about three inches. This is a bad stage. Hopefully the second trimester will be a bit easier.

Q is a ring bearer at his aunt's wedding this month. His not yet being able to walk certainly presents a problem. She'll have to decide if she wants him to be carried or pulled in a wagon or whether he can push one of his walkers down the aisle. We are now trying to procure a tiny tuxedo for him.

I pulled up to work today to see the road closed, and guys walking around in yellow hazmat suits. Apparently a work crew hit a natural gas line and our building was evacuated. My co-workers had been standing outside for an hour, and that horrible natural gas smell was hanging in the air. It made me feel a little sick actually. After another half hour we were all allowed to go back inside.

I blew off my mom's group this morning. All I wanted to do was stay curled up in bed while T tended to Q. Sometimes I wish I were a cat. They have the life!

--MM

Appreciating impishness

I just read a blog from a woman trying so hard to have a second child, and I must say it made me feel a little sheepish. T and I have been having a bit of a rough time with Q the last few days. Nothing severe by any means, but just enough that we are tired and frazzled.

He has been pretty fussy and woke up wailing in the middle of the night last night. He wakes up without fail at 7:00 a.m, though we go to bed after 1:00 a.m. Today he flipped out in the parking lot after swimming lessons when I wouldn't let him play with my Blackberry. As I was attempting to blow dry my hair and slather some makeup on, he sat at my feet fussing and then kept pulling up on my legs. He didn't want to eat what I made him for lunch. He wanted whatever I was having.

I find myself getting tired and annoyed, and I have to stop myself and realize how lucky we are. When things come easily to you, you don't seem to appreciate them. I do constantly remind T we are so lucky we could easily get pregnant twice and already have a beautiful son. It is so easy to focus on the parts of parenthood that stress you out, but there are so many wonderful little moments you gloss right over.

During swimming lessons this morning, every other child fussed when it was their turn to go to the teacher. Q gave her a big toothy grin. He insists on bringing his giant stuffed seal now every time we take him out of bed. He thinks helium balloons are the greatest thing ever. He gets excited every single time one of our cats walks by. He "sings" along to any music he hears. His impishness can make him frustrating, but it also makes him wonderful. We need to remember that.

--MM

Life on your feet

I waited tables at an Italian restaurant tonight as part of a charity function. Well, to be more accurate, I occasionally carried out bread and water. That has to be a hard way to make a living. I found myself wanting to sit down after half an hour and completely forgetting about some tables. I don't think my tips would be very impressive. Thankfully, the professionals were doing all the real work, and I didn't drop anything.

I went to dinner and a play last night with a group of friends from work. I actually saw people from work a lot this weekend. A little too much, I think. It is healthiest to keep those lives separate, but it is hard when many of your friends are at work. You just end up bitching about work the whole time, and how healthy is that on your weekend?

The play we went to was outdoors, and it was rainy and cold. Thankfully, we were under a little overhang, so we stayed dry. The play was Romeo and Juliet. I found myself wishing they would skip over the flowery soliloquies and get to the action. I was a bit antsy. I guess I prefer plays in which I don't know the dramatic conclusion backward and forward. The poor actors were shivering in the rain in their soaked costumes. At one point poor Romeo was only his skivvies. Poor guy. They earned their paychecks that night.

So, two things I couldn't do...wait tables and do Shakespeare in the rain. I guess my job isn't so bad.

--MM

Annoyances

I have a new planner, I know what is coming up next in my life, and things seem to be as they should be. Then suddenly on Friday my email stopped working. I was expecting some messages and had no way to get them. How could I create a new email account and tell everyone when all their emails were saved in my address book? The worst flashed before my eyes. Then marvelous T fixed it tonight. All is as it should be again.

During my yoga class Saturday, I almost throttled three teenage girls. They bopped in ten minutes late and loudly set up their stuff. Then they proceeded to whisper and laugh through the entire class. I said "Shh!" once, which I would think would mortify most people into silence, but no. One girl's cell phone rang in one of those extremely annoying ring tones twice. Later, as they continued on chattering, I said "Guys, please, it's really distracting." That finally shut them up. Geez. You'd think the total silence of the other 25 people would be a dead giveaway.

I went to dinner and a play tonight with some girls from work. It was mostly fun, but sometimes it is just good to keep the work at work.

I can't tell you how happy I am that I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to teach yoga tomorrow. I am going to relax with Q and then run while he naps. So liberating.

--MM