Just Another Day
My goodness it’s been a while since I last posted–I’m sorry! The thing is that I don’t like to blog during work hours, even if it’s lunch, and I don’t like using a computer much when I have Navab time, so that pretty much leaves a very small window. If I can gather my thoughts in that small window of time, I blog…if not, I let things languish for a month and a half.
I do have a quiet moment right now and I’d like to share with you my weekend. I am warning you: this is long, potentially boring, and you may thing I’ve lost my mind for writing such a mundane entry. Okay, you have been warned.
Friday night, Navab and I were invited to a friend’s recently-purchased house near the Galleria, just outside Memorial Park. The house is gorgeous and it was fun to spend the evening with a few ladies. Navab, being true to herself, was exploring all the nooks and crannies. My friend has a couple of cats, so that was a highlight of course (”meow” is a word she states regularly now when asked what sound a cat makes), even though we had to put the cat food in the garage so Navab didn’t dig through it. She petered out right about the time we were about to watch our chosen chickflick, so I took the gal home and that was that.
Saturday, I let Myk sleep and took Navab out to a sale at my favorite local mommy-related store (where I got her a dress to match some shorts I bought at a previous sale, as well as a sunhat). After that, we went to this bookstore to find a birthday present for Hana, who’s 3rd b-day party was that evening. Now, in Houston currently it’s about 4 billion degrees outside every single day and sunny. It’s apparently never going to rain here ever again. So while I’m reading all these tweets about the Chicago Apocalypse and it raining like crazy in wherever-you-are, it’s probably hot and sunny in Houston. Just FYI. Anyways, by the time we go to the bookstore I was very sweaty and already getting tired and Navab was VERY excited to be in a place where she could run around. I spent most of my time chasing after her. You’d be surprised at how fast toddlers move. I finally just had to ask a store employee to help me pick something out, even though mentally I was like, “PICK OUT SOMETHING I REALLY DON’T CARE WHAT IT IS.” Something along those lines. We left with 3 books and came home and just basked in the glory of air conditioning the rest of the afternoon until it was time to go to the party.
So, we’re on our way to the party, I’m sipping my 2nd bubble tea of the day (it was REALLY hot), and we’re about 1/2way there before I realized I totally forgot the gift! Shoot! Myk was nice about it and since we were running early/on time (a la white people style) we stopped at Toys R Us where, instead of my educational gift idea from before, I bought a hot pink Hello Kitty messenger bag with matching wallet. Hells yeah, if I were 3, I would be all over it!
We went to the party and it was at this place called “It’z.” It’s one of these places with indoor rollercoasters and arcade games and miles of pizza buffets. The company was good, but I think I need to visit that place maybe once a decade to remind myself why I don’t frequent those places more than once a decade. What? Okay ignore me. It was fun, I played DDR and skeeball, we were all pooped.
Today: Father’s Day. Called my Dad. Myk was sleeping since he didn’t go to bed last night (he frequently does this and we’ve been married nearly 4 years and it’s never made sense to me). I prepared some “nana” for Navab. We eventually managed to get Myk up so we could go meet up with some friends for dim sum at 11 in Chinatown. We went out into the 4 million degree heat, my black Mazda3’s a/c battling the almighty sun and losing. Good thing it wasn’t far.
To make a long story short, we had dim sum then bubble tea, then we all went home and Myk promptly fell asleep again. But here’s my favorite part.
Navab and I just got to hang out this afternoon, we had girl time. I recently bought this child-sized table and chair set from IKEA (the SVALA, in case you care) and Navab freakin’ loves it. She loves to sit at her little table with her little plate with dividers. She loves to bang on her keyboard there. She will actually even sit there even if there’s nothing in front of her. So she played while I ripped apart this bookshelf/desk thing that was built into our house. The desk was too tall for a standard chair and there were just some design things about it that didn’t really make sense. That and uh…I accidentally overloaded the existing shelves and yanked the anchors out of the drywall, creating massive holes. So, she played, I did the bookshelf thing. We went to Home Depot. Came back, I made her some more nana (”nana” is food btw…all food, including banana…she just came up with this on her own), then we went to the pool.
Did the pool thing, came back, took a shower together since that was more efficient, and she must have been pooped because she asked for mimi immediately after drying off. She passed out about 8:30. I continued to work on my bookshelf project with my new fancy crowbar, and 2.5 hours later, here we are.
Why did I write this long, boring blog entry and then publish it when I previously would have (and maybe should have) just left it as a draft? Because even though nothing out of the ordinary happened, I feel so warm and fuzzy. This has to be one of the happiest times in my life. I love my husband. My kid is happy, curious, hilarious, and smart. My parents and brother are present and supportive. I just feel like my life is so full of so much wonderful stuff. Just had to share.
So, happy Father’s day to Navab’s awesome daddy and to my own awesome Dad, and g’night.
Toddler Days
My mind is seriously being blown every single day now. Since Navab has learned how to walk (beginning of March, approx), every day she’s done or said something new. She’s jabbering all the time now. Most of the time it’s incomprehensible, but there are some words that she’s saying, such as:
- dog
- sock
- tree
- no
- nose (sounds like “no” but she points to our noses)
- “mee-mee” (milk)
- mama/mommy
- dada/daddy
- banana
- WOW!
The other day we were in Target. Out of nowhere, she signed “more” and said “nana.” What?! More banana?! Since I didn’t even know she could sign, I immediately bought everything I could find banana-related and just reveled in the moment. I couldn’t be more thrilled.
She’s still eating a lot of pureed foods even though she has 4 teeth (about to get a 5th and a 6th). The pediatrician even said she should be on table foods at this point. We’re doing our best transitioning her over to them, but it’s been a challenge. She will only eat a bite or two of table food, but she’ll gobble up pureed food. So rather than risk her losing weight or something, we are just transitioning her at a rate she can deal with. And of course, her favorite food is still breastmilk, so that’s still happening.
Because I guess I’m technically breastfeeding a toddler now, I’m getting a new breed of comments about weaning. I’ve heard about how she’s a year old, she doesn’t need it, there’s no nutritional value, isn’t she too old, etc. Here is my comment: no she doesn’t nutritionally “need” it anymore, but she emotionally needs it more than ever. Because I work full time, this is a way for us to feel connected and close. I also don’t think that it’s right to say that babies need to stop breastfeeding cold turkey at one year because each child has different needs. Some people have kids that sleep through the night at this point, mine does not. She wakes up 2-4 times each night, and if we didn’t co-sleep and breastfeed, we’d be a family of grumpy walking zombies. I have full faith that in time she’ll sleep longer and breastfeed less, but seriously–I am not going to be concerned for years, and neither should you. Okay? Okay.
We took her to the pool today for the 3rd time this summer (it gets to be summer here in like, mid-April). Myk took her the first 2 times and it did not go well. He said she acted terrified and was very clingy. Today, she started out that way, but then really got excited when we went into the baby pool. She laughed and splashed and was terribly cute in her adorable swimsuit (and matching coverup). We’ll likely go again tomorrow–gotta take advantage of those HOA fees and use the pool, you know–I’ll be sure to get some pictures.
And one final random note: Star Trek ROCKED!!!!
She’s One
This little girl amazes us more and more each day. She’s changing our lives for the better all the time. I wish I could recount it all here, but it’s just not happening…we’re seeing it through our own eyes instead of the camera these days. Maybe I’ll regret it later, but for now it’s working. Happy birthday, baby girl.
A new definition for “unfair”
Perhaps it’s serenidpity that I’ve been sick lately to force me to watch a few movies we’ve had sitting around, purchased and unwatched. One such movie, Persepolis, collected dust on the shelf until I popped it in while laying in bed, waiting for the left side of my face to stop hurting. I knew that it would be a pretty sobering movie, as I attempted to read the graphic novel a few years back and just got depressed–not to mention, I’ve really never seen a Persian movie that wasn’t depressing in some respect. Current Iranian culture is oppressive and unbalanced, and most of the time, women and minority groups get the very (very very) short end of the stick. I know this not because of the handful of sad Iranian movies I’ve seen, but because I’m a Baha’i and have a lot of Persian friends (since our Faith was “born” in that region). You should watch Persepolis if you want the short story of what exactly happened, but basically the Islamic Revolution capitalized on some Iranians’ fear and mistrust of the West, and turned the government into a religous-fundamentalist regime bent on forcing everyone to fit one very confining mold. Everyone who does not or will not fit the mold is suspicious. And the government uses that suspicion however it wants, whenever it wants, with ultimate power and control, without consequences or fear of punishment from another nation.
My point: Ten months ago, 7 members of an ad-hoc aministrative group for the Baha’i Faith were arrested and imprisoned in Iran. This, in itself, is not all that unusual–Baha’is have been arrested and accused of spying, treason, heresy, and many have been executed since the Revolution (sometimes they just “disappear”). Baha’is are often denied their basic human rights, like right to an education and right to work. But now, in 2009, these 7 individuals are being “tried” without being granted access to their attorney and will likely receive an unfair “trial” altogether. For what? “Espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” We all know this is yet another excuse to try to snuff out Baha’i activity in Iran (even though the Baha’is offered to close down even the ad-hoc group and cease all forms of organization, if it would please the government). The attitude of Iran has been cowardly, unfair, and paranoid, and it’s time they stop getting away with it.
Let me remind you again that this is year TWO THOUSAND AND NINE, where we make movies and tv shows about this kind of thing because it’s extreme and frankly, crazy. How many letters do we have to write to our government officials to get this point across? How many statements do governmental bodies have to make on how wrong this is to get these people to see just how much damage they’re inflicting on all of humankind? How many keywords in this blog entry will it take to get someone to see that this is a matter of life and death for fellow brothers and sisters.
I’ll close with an excerpt from the Baha’i International Community’s letter to the Prosecutor General in Iran (sent on March 6):
In light of these well-established facts, Your Honor, it is difficult to understand how words such as “manipulative” and “deceitful,” “dangerous” and “threatening,” can be applied to Bahá’í activity in Iran. Do you consider dangerous the efforts of a group of young people who, out of a sense of obligation to their fellow citizens, work with youngsters from families of little means to improve their mathematics and language skills and to develop their abilities to play a constructive part in the progress of their nation? Is it a threat to society for Bahá’ís to discuss with their neighbors noble and high-minded ideals, reinforcing the conviction that the betterment of the world is to be achieved through pure and goodly deeds and through commendable and seemly conduct? In what way is it manipulative for a couple to speak in the privacy of their home with a few friends confused by the portrayal of Bahá’ís in the mass media and to share with them the true nature of their beliefs, which revolve around such fundamental verities as the oneness of God and the oneness of humankind? What duplicity is there if a child at school, after listening to offensive language about the Founder of her Faith Whom she so loves, politely raises her hand and requests permission to explain to her classmates some of the teachings she follows? What deceit is there if a young person, committed to the acquisition of knowledge and learning, seeks the right from the authorities to enter university without having to lie about his faith? What harm is done if several families gather together periodically for communal worship and for the discussion of matters of concern to them all? Given that the human soul has no sex, is it so alarming for someone to express the view that men and women are equal in the sight of God and should be able to work shoulder to shoulder in all fields of human endeavor? And is it so unreasonable for a small group of people, in the absence of the administrative structures prescribed in their teachings, to facilitate the marriage of young couples, the education of children and the burial of the dead in conformity with the tenets oftheir Faith?
These are but a few examples of the various endeavors for which the Bahá’ís of Iran are being so grievously persecuted. It is the right to engage in such activity that has been denied them for thirty years.
Words I’m tired of hearing
- “these hard economic times”
- “these economic times” (What does that mean, anyways? Aren’t we always having economic times?)
- bailout
- mortgage-backed securities
- recession
I’m also very tired of hearing about friends being laid off and/or accepting jobs they are overqualified for because they just need a job. Really, it’s not that I’m even tired of hearing it, I’m tired that it’s happening.
It’s irritating to know that if you really want to hurt someone, all you have to do is hit them in the wallet. That’s where Americans, anyways, are always vulnerable. I’m annoyed that all I’m hearing on NPR right now is the bulleted list above and I feel that it’s mostly because greedy people wanted to fatten their wallets and they took advantage of others. There’s never been a clearer example of how the disparity between wealth and povery is a debilitating force in the world.
What’s plaguing us now is economic but also spiritual. Some pretty un-spiritual principles eventually brought us down the path we’re on, but I don’t want to beat a dead horse. Instead, I’m looking forward to the period of prosperity that follows a period of adversity.
Picking One’s Battles
Oh, I had such lofty goals for myself and our family before having a baby. But now that we’ve gotten used to our “routines” and learned more about what works and what doesn’t work for us, I just thought I’d put a little something on this poor, negleted blog so I can look back and this and snicker at my naivete someday.
First: disposable diapers. It really goes against my environmental ethics. But, the reality is that I’m a working mom with a working husband and we have a baby that really doesn’t care what our needs are, just that we take care of her. That being said, I barely have time to wash our own clothes, let alone a bunch of diapers that need to be washed immediately (or relatively immediately). I am in charge of the laundry in our house (much like Myk is in charge of the culinary duties) and while all that laundry makes it in and out of the washer/dryer okay, getting it folded/distributed is a whole other thing. The clean clothes usually sit in a huge mountain on our guest room bed, and it’s very irritating to have to go fish out underwear or a shirt or a pair of baby socks out of the mountain (baby socks: mountain of laundry :: needle: haystack). I feel like a loser seeing how wrinkly Myk’s clothes are when he goes to work. But honestly, this is one of those things that I can only shrug and say, “I do what I can do.” I think he gets that :)
Second on the list: baby food. We use baby food that comes in a jar. Ethically, I have no problems with this because the jar is recyclable and the food is pure. But, I totally thought we’d be using our own homemade purees and mixes. See, here’s the thing. Breastfeeding is totally easy and we did that 100% for 6 solid months. It’s a wonderful bonding experience and all that, but it did not prepare me for the mess that is feeding a baby “solid” foods. By the time Navab gets to eat on the weeknights, it’s like 6pm or later and by 7, she better have taken a bath or it may not happen that night (which is okay, but that can only happen for so many days in a row). And did I mention that I work full time? So I feel very lucky that she’s well nourished at day care, because by the time we get home and I wrestle her into the high chair for a few bites of food, she just wants out and I just want to breastfeed her instead. All that being said, when in there will I have time to make the baby’s food? On the weekends? When she goes to sleep? Did you know that one of us has to be with her at all times? And that she likes to wake up every 2-3 hours? Yeah. Jarred food it is.
Third: sign language. I’m sure this works out especially well with parents that stay home with their kids and can communicate signs more consistently. But it’s not in my routine, and I’m having trouble getting there (and I also don’t want to spend what little time I have with my baby sitting in front of the television, forcing her to watch a DVD about signs). I really want to do this, though, so I think something will need to happen soon. I will keep you posted. If you think this is really worth it that much, leave a comment, I’m taking suggestions.
These disappointments being aired, jarred baby food and disposable diapers are helping us to live healthy, productive lives right now. We just don’t have time to puree mango and pear together, or to wash a basket of poopy diapers. Money dictates that a diaper service isn’t a possiblity, and we’re already 10 months into this now, so I am just going to save that for the next kid. I wonder what other disappointments people have in themselves, but that they really don’t feel *that* bad about because the quality of their lives is still good?
Almost-10 months old
I can hardly believe it but Navab is going to be 10 months old in a couple of days. It’s like every day just squeaks by but then looking back, it was all so fast. I guess everyone and their mom is right! It’s also been a long time since my last blog update, but as many of you know I’m Twittering and Flickring so it’s all good I hope.
Navab is doing some great new things and some not-so-great new things. First, the new cool things:
- Self-feeding.
- Waving hi!
- Eating many new solid foods. Pears are her favorite.
- Very clearly now indicating when she wants Mommy, Daddy, and milk.
- Babbling endlessly.
- Taking things out of other things. Blocks out of their container. Clothes out of the laundry basket. Clothes out of open drawers. Towels out of cabinets…
- She still loves bathtime. It’s really wonderful to see her splashing around and making crazy noises.
- She has a new funny smile–she scrunches up her nose and smiles really big, showing us her imaginary teeth.
- Her favorite game involves us chasing her up the stairs. She gets really giddy when she looks behind her and sees us right there.
The not-so-great things:
- Fascination with all things she shouldn’t be fascinated with. Like garbage. Dead bugs. Toilet scrubbers. Banisters. Etc.
- Taking a bite of baby food while sitting in her high chair and then immediately biting the side of the chair. And then putting her hand/sleeve/nose in it. Ew.
- She had her first allergic reaction. The culprit: some hummus that I made. We should have known better than to give her anything involving seeds (we’ve been warned and we should have thought about the tahina) or nuts (there were pine nuts on top, but she didn’t actually eat any of those). Myk gave her a little taste and she started coughing. Then her mouth turned red and her lips started to swell, then some of the hummus smeared on her cheek made that area go all crazy, and then I freaked out and gave her baby Benadryl. Disaster averted. I still feel horrible. Oh well.
- Loving to climb the stairs and peek out through the banister. Yipes!
At her 9.5 month checkup that we had a couple of weeks ago, it was discovered that she had an ear infection. So we (reluctantly) gave her the antibiotics and that seemed to do the trick because she’s better now. We also learned a couple of days after her appointment that Navab is anemic. So we have to give her these smelly vitamins in her food, and they really are pretty yucky. But it’s for the good of the baby, and she’s adapting pretty well.
Man I’m tired, time for some sleep.
Resolutions
I’ve been thinking for at least 2 months now about how 2009 is going to be an improvement over 2008. I won’t lie: I’ll be very glad to put 2008 behind me. Aside from Navab’s birth and subsequent happy times, 2008 has not been a good year. I won’t go into those details–instead, I’d like to focus on how 2009 will be better.
- I want to recycle more, recycle everything possible. Ideally, it would be great to start a compost heap, but since we live in a townhome with no yard and a mini back patio, it’s not a good idea (we don’t even have room for our three bicycles, tons of potted plants, and chairs–let alone a composting thing). I have a feeling that if we were to have a compost heap, though, we wouldn’t really produce very much garbage (with diapers being our splurge). So yes, that’s my first resolution: make less garbage, recycle everything possible. Make the compost a far-off goal for when we have our own real yard.
- Make some quilts. Take some quilting classes and make some friends in the process.
- Make our house homey. It needs new paint (which is a shame really, because the current paint job was executed pretty well–the colors are just not “us”) and I have a bad habit of leaving the last bits of things sitting around forever undone. Pictures need to be hung. DIY projects need to be done. My office/our den needs to have some life breathed into it before it drives my husband insane. And we need rugs. Lots of rugs.
- Develop a plan and start this internet business I’ve been thinking about for a while. I had the idea about 5 months ago, so it’s time to do something about it already. If anyone wants to coach me through writing a business plan, that would be great.
- Take the stairs more often. At work, I take the elevator up and down ONE FLOOR. This isn’t because I’m lazy–it’s because I never have my ID required to open the doors in the stairwells. No really. That’s my reason.
- This is one I’ve only been toying with for the past few …well, hours. But I’ve been seriously considering giving up soda completely for a year. I don’t really think I’ll miss it because I drink it rarely now, but I think I’d rather just drink Pellegrino (or whatever). I think this is probably a good idea.
I’m sure there will be more, but those are the big ones (I think). What are your resolutions?
November/December Recap (I know, I suck)
Wow, I apologize: it’s been a crazy long time since I last posted! I do have a good reason for not posting, though: there was a lot happening. And since it’s been a while since I’ve had a nice listy post (and since Navab is asleep right now, sure to wake up any moment wanting mama), I will share with you what’s been happening the past month:
- Went to Dallas for Artemis and Josh’s’ baby shower
- Went to Dallas a second time for Thanksigiving (we flew both times, it was easier)
- Visited friends and family in Tennessee
- Zabi, Artemis and Josh’s baby from aforementioned baby shower (and Navab’s new BFF), was born earlier this month
- Both Myk and I got the stomach flu from Navab, who graciously brought it home from daycare for us to enjoy. Did she actually get really sick? Of course not. Did we? Oh heck yes.
- We have also enjoyed a cold that has spanned 2.5 weeks and caused Myk and I to have messed-up voices, and now Navab has it and has had a fever the past 3 days…ugh…
- We went to the movies together–to see “Twilight”
My bro, Gavin, and Navab @ 7.5 months
In Navab news, she’s VERY mobile right now and will likely be walking in a matter of weeks (though she’s pretty wobbley, so who knows). That’s much earlier than I’m prepared for, but she’s wanted to walk for a few months now, so I am not surprised. I’ve done a crappy job of childproofing our house beyond putting those plastic things in the wall sockets, so I will have to tackle that this weekend. Earlier this week she learned how to open cabinets, and that really freaks me out, so I need to put those latch things all over the place.
She’s CRAZY about taking baths, and is constantly trying to stand up in the tub which scares the crap out of me. Oh! And the big one: she’s on solid foods (in addition to breastmilk as well). Banana, avocado, applesauce, pears (her favorite), carrots, winter vegetables, squash, corn, grapes (under supervision and assistance of course), tomato, peaches, barley cereal… It’s been so fun! As much as I enjoy breastfeeding, it is comforting to know that she is not solely dependent on me.
Another realization I’ve had is that we might have a high-need baby. She doesn’t sleep for more than a couple of hours before waking up and wanting someone to feed and snuggle her. She doesn’t really play by herself for very long. She wants to crawl all over me when I’m around. I guess I didn’t think she was high need because that was all we knew and we respond to her needs pretty quickly, but I hear about people who’s babies sleep through the night and who are fine with playing by themselves at this age, and I really can’t relate. I don’t mind Navab’s habits at all, but that’s the same reason why I haven’t blogged in over a month.
I hope everyone has a happy holiday season. We’ll be here in Houston enjoying some R&R, and then Delara and Steve are coming to visit to celebrate the new year. January hopefully my parents will come visit and also my brother, and maybe we’ll get to see Myk’s mom as well (I will admit that January in Michigan is a daunting thought though). At the end of February I’ll turn 30 (!) and I hope to celebrate that by us all going to DC for a weekend of national sightseeing and spending time with friends. And that’s that.
November 4: election day!
First, let me just state how glad I am that campaigning is over as of 7pm tonight. I’m so, so tired of being pummeled with election crap. I’ve done my best to stay impartial and make rational decisions based on facts, but because I listen to an hour and a half of NPR every day and then have developed this habit of watching Jon Stewart and then Colbert…well…I’m cooked on politics. And I don’t mean hooked. COOKED.
That being said, though, I have to tell you guys that when I went to vote today, I actually felt giddy! I was so proud and honored to be an American and be able to vote for who I want to represent me for the next term. Let me paint you the picture: I am registered to vote in a precinct where the polling location is an elementary school. That is, in itself, adorable. I parked across the street and lugged my copy of The Historian with me, fully expecting to wait in line for an hour. When I walked in, there were kids in line carrying their styrofoam lunch trays looking bewildered at the strangers in their school. I turned the corner and…no line! I walked right up, handed some very nice ladies my voter registration card and driver’s license, and signed my name. Ticket in hand, I then walked to the back of the cafeteria where I handed another extremely nice person (he greeted me with “Hello young lady!,” which I love) my ticket and he told me to go to one of the fancy electronic foldey booths and if I needed a receipt for my boss or for Starbucks, to come back and see him when I finish.
Really, the big moment of pride for me was when the first page of electronic checkboxes met my eyes. The boxes were all equally unchecked, no candidate being able to market themselves more than any other. Once I entered that school to vote, it was like the advertising voices were all hushed and waiting to hear what I wanted. As I marked that first selection, I felt so proud and honored that someone would ask me what I thought, that someone would even care what I cared about. This feeling is something I don’t think I could ever forget.
I was listening to the talking heads one day in this past week (don’t remember what…maybe NPR, maybe something else?), and this political analyst was saying how for the first time in history, citizens said they couldn’t IMAGINE living in a country that was run by the guy they didn’t vote for. This analyst also said something that really stuck with me: she said that no matter who wins, that person will need the support and confidence of the American people for them to be a successful President. So people being so polarized could/will really pose a problem. That made me consider my own point of view: I decide who to vote for, but if that person doesn’t win, can/will I support the other guy? The answer as a Baha’i is that I must. But honestly, I’m going to be a happy supporter of whoever wins. They need me. More importantly, I need them to make smart decisions and to steer the US in a better direction.
With that fantastic feeling, I completed my ballot, went back to the ticket guy, and headed off to Starbucks for a free decaf Pike’s Place. Yeah. I feel good.