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Thursday, August 14, 2003 Blog Catch-Up Kristin is right...I have been neglecting my Blog for quite some time. There has been steady freelance work, and by the time Parker goes to bed, I am exhausted. I'm going to need to catch up :) Parker is totally and utterly fascinated by Monsters Inc. He sits enthralled in front of that film from beginning to end. Tuesday night I fell asleep with him on the couch, and he sat there on top of me until the film was over - Kristin says he fell asleep as soon as the credits rolled. I can see television starting to have a major influence over him - don't know if it is a good thing, but it is fascinating. I was watching USA's newest show, Peacemakers, and the finale of the pilot had a horse chase to catch a train. Parker sat in the middle of the living room, waving his arms frantically, alternately neighing and tooting as the camera angle switched back and forth. After watching Project X, he has to bend his arms into his armpits when aah-ing like a monkey, something he did not do before. Conversely, I now find that I keep the remote close by to change the channel if something objectionable comes up. Our neighbors still have not put up a fence. I finally spoke to them on Monday, and their response was the same as a month ago, "In about two weeks". I have a feeling I will be calling the Code Enforcement department pretty soon. ------------------------------------------------
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Tuesday, August 26, 2003 It is 9:30, and the TV is off, no music, and the lights are low. And yet Jeff and Parker are running around "blowing" each other down a la Captain Feathersword of Wiggles fame. I think everyone is going to have to learn that this is supposed to be wind down time, and not the opposite. The ironic thing is that Parker had actually fallen asleep at about 8:15, when Jeff went and got dinner. He woke up to the promise of fries and tea, and hasn't so much as yawned since. ------------------------------------------------
Well, I didn't quite get us up from the nap as soon as I had expected, but that was probably because I didn't go and lay down right when he fell asleep. Still, it was about 2 hours for him, and a little over one hour for me. We have done a little weeding and drawing in the front yard today. Our jungle there seems almost tameless!! Off to put clothes in the dryer and make lunch. ------------------------------------------------
So far, so good. I am tired, but he is up, fed, dressed as am I. Laundry has been folded and another load in. I may figure out domesticity yet;). Now, I'm looking forward to nap time, when I will most likely be joining Parker. 4 or 5 hours of sleep just won't cut it for me anymore. ------------------------------------------------
Something has to change. Going to bed past midnight is simply not an option for little boys. 1 am last night, 2 am the night before. The worst part is that poor Jeff isn't allowed to sleep well if at all when he is awake. After Jeff had laid down last night, he got up about 4 times because of Parker tantrumming in opposition to sleep. It is insane! He's running on low fuel as it is! So, we are trying a new technique. We are all shifting to morning. I am and always have been a night owl. Parker probably gets it from me, or at least his behavior is influenced by my behavior. So, It is 7:30 am and I've been up since 6:45 am. I made Jeff and me breakfast, Parker's is in the microwave to keep warm and for easy reheating. I'll wake him up by 8:30 am. I hate going a drastic route like actually waking him up when I know he'll be tired, but it needs to be done. I know he'll be cranky all day long and try to take an extra long nap. But I will wake him from that too. And then come 9 pm, all toys will go up and TV/radio off. I might put on soft music. We can read tons of books. And go to sleep. I think I would love that. ------------------------------------------------
Saturday, August 23, 2003 
Well, today, I cut Parker's hair ... with scissors! I never thought I'd get to that point, and had bought clippers to make it all easier. Well, the last time we cut Parker's hair, we used the clippers and I ended up finishing up on the bathroom floor with scissors while he was nursing. It was horrible. So, this time, we put him in his high chair, put on Monsters Inc., and gave him two Oreos. He did great! I think it is probably the best one I've done for him ... it isn't as short as the others have been. Here it is!! 
Hard to believe the first picture was taken yesterday and the second one was today, isn't it? It is amazing how much hair can affect how old someone looks. ------------------------------------------------
Friday, August 22, 2003 I think for a while, I viewed this blog as my way to talk to others. And I was bery tied up in who read it and who wasn't. I kept asking for people to comment if they were and only a few would ever post. And I let that upset me. I really am trying to see this now as my way to express myself, and if you read it, great. If you don't, whatever. Feel free to comment if you want, but please don't feel compelled to. I will probably stop even looking at the little link below each entry to see if there are comments, because it is always depressing. I may even turn them off, if I can figure out how. ------------------------------------------------
Reading this blogger's entry, this woman's work: Looking back, filled me with emotion. I wish I were as eloquent to say the thoughts that fly through my mind. I also wish I could see things so clearly. I can't grasp the thought of someone NOT wanting to be around their child as much as possible, and yet at the same time understand needing the break. There are times that my thoughts and desires are so at odds, I'm not sure how to reconcile them. ------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, August 20, 2003 I have started some reading on homeschooling, something JEff and I have discussed doing with Parker and any future kids. The more I start reading, the more convinced I am that public education is in dire straights. I've thought it for a while, but still, to see some of the rulings and the things that go on there, it just disgusts me. At the same time, taking on the complete responsibility of educating Parker is a daunting thought. But that is just it, isn't it? The responsibility should be mine, he is my child not the state's or government's. But it has become commonplace to send your child off to school to be educated, and even I was, with no bad side effects, right? Do I think there are some things I cannot teach Parker? Sure, but I could seek out someone knowledgeable. What about socialization, don't they need that, too? Sure, but I'm not keeping him sequestered in the house and have made efforts to go out and do stuff. What about just time away ... for him AND for me? There are definitely times when that seems nice, but necessary? I don't know. I'm glad I still have plenty of time to read more, ask more, consider more. But, I do know that my decision won't be based on how others try to influence me ... and that is a good thing. ------------------------------------------------
Thank goodness Parker decided to let me sleep in this morning (until about 10 to 10:30 am)... it really made a difference. Hopefully the rest will let me get lots of stuff done today. ------------------------------------------------
What is wrong with me? I know I need to sleep. I'm quite tired most of the evening. Then Jeff starts rocking Parker to sleep, I come on here, and next thing I know it is the middle of the night. I need to start going to lay down when Jeff starts rocking Parker to sleep and actually get MORE sleep than Parker ... for ONCE! I guess I get so excited and relieved to be ALONE, that I lost track of time. And it isn't like I'm even doing anything constructive. Well, sometimes I am, but definitely not the whole time. Just putzing around .... setting myself up for disaster tomorrow ... ------------------------------------------------
Monday, August 18, 2003 We have been working on updating our online portfolio for the website, our eBay auctions and our Elance portfolio, and it is just tiring. It seems that there is a mountain of work to do just for that. I know it is important, since it brings in clients, but it seems to actually take MORE time than some projects!! Craziness, I tell you. ------------------------------------------------
Our neighbors have finally put up a fence. They built it themselves, and it is a shadowbox style. Now, Jeff and I will be putting up our fencing. We've been discussing putting up chainlink on the one side where the neighbor has a chainlink fence, and possibly putting up wood on this neighbor's side. Wouldn't that look a little odd? ------------------------------------------------
Sunday, August 10, 2003 I think I'm going to go on a computer hiatus. I feel compelled to be on it, rather than using it as a tool, and that can't be good. So, I probably won't be writing much here either (not that it would be truly any different than now, but at least this time there is warning;)). Who knows how long this will last, but I'm tired of seeing Parker come into the office to find me when he wakes up from naps of the like. ------------------------------------------------
Thursday, August 07, 2003 There is a torrential downpour outside. We've reinstalled Windows 2000 on the computer to get the modem to work, and rebuilding our computer isn't fun. I have a lingering cough (still) from the cold I got from a playgroup. Parker is still fine. Parker has been refusing most foods for yogurt and breastmilk. Lots of dairy, little veggies. It bugs me. ------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, August 05, 2003 I really wonder how it is people keep up with their blogs daily. I'm on the computer daily, but the thought of typing in an entry doesn't cross my mind. It definitely isn't that nothing is happening here at home, either. And I could always just add in a picture, but that requires reformatting the picture, etc. I've actually been thinking about the format of the "Piggybank". When Jeff and I first came up with the concept of a two-sided blog, it was really cool. But now it seems disjointed and abandoned by both of us. I don't like seeing my entries stretching so far, and I think they are harder to read like this. I'm not sure though. I would love it if anyone who reads this would actually clink on the little link below this entry to leave a comment and say what it is you think of the layout of this blog. Seriously, if you read, PLEASE comment. ------------------------------------------------
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