Monday, April 5, 2010

Frustration and Photos

(Notice, by the way, my refusal to utilize a cutesy alliteration like "Frustration and Fotos" in the post title. "Cute" alliterations that misspell words are a pet peeve of mine, and if Dunkin Donuts wasn't so darn convenient to my workplace, I would probably boycott the entire chain. Please, family of mine, do not gasp - I know those words are sacrilege for a native New Englander, as Bostonian diets are about 50% reliant on D&D.)

Today I feel like I'm not doing anything right. Mostly in the parenting arena - it's completely one of those days where I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing parking my kids in daycare for 9+ hours a day. I'm having some issues with our daycare, some trivial, some maybe not trivial, but it's making me question our choices. I'm sure I'm over-reacting to some degree. I mean, is it necessary to have a mini anxiety attack about about WHO WILL HELP FINN DO HIS HOMEWORK??? AFTER SCHOOL???? IN THREE YEARS???????

I'm having some doubts in the working arena, too, as it's one of those days where I'm losing sight of why my job is important/good and feeling mired in politics and bureaucratic crap. Put the two together (working and parenting doubt), and it's hard to feel upbeat. I would vent, but I think it would be coming from the wrong place and be too reflective of my bad mood. The good news is that we are just a few hours away from tomorrow, and tomorrow is my birthday, so I HAVE to feel better then, right?

In the meantime, I thought I'd share some recent photos of Finn and Lucy, documenting some of our outdoor fun and weekend activities. Outdoor photos are so much better than anything you (or I, at least) can take inside - it should be a rule that all school photos need to be taken outside. By the way, remind me to close the loop on my post about school photos. Lucy's pictures this past round were, in fact, WORSE than the ones last November, and I am sadly not purchasing them again. I'll try to scan the proofs in to share the awfulness one of these days.

Sorry for the overload, but I love too many of these to narrow them down. I'd provide legends, but I'm lazy. Also, it's almost past my bedtime, and taking the time to write 15 figure legends would seriously cut into my "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" reading time (BTW, as a diehard P&P fan, I can avow that P&P&Z is not as good as the original, but I feel obligated to see the book through. Elizabeth is just not meant to graphically contemplate ripping Darcy's heart out of his chest to avenge Jane's dashed hopes of love with Bingley, no matter how much she loves her sister).































Couldn't resist one note here - M. likes to title this one "Finn as Scott Stapp, With Arms Wide Open"







I threw this photo in not because I'm being all vain and saying I love it, but because it completes the triad of "M. as photojournalist during our post-swim class lunch at Pandini's." Also, I thought my grandmother would appreciate it on this, my birthday eve. Love you, Mimi! And you, too, Mom!

9 comments:

  1. Happy, happy birthday A! Hope you have a glorious one :)

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  2. Happy Birthday--thinking of you all on your special day (Gretchen beat me by 40 minutes). . :) Love the pictures! Much love, Mimi and Papa

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  3. It's a lovely photo of you (as are the ones of the kids). Happy Birthday!

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  4. Happy Birthday! You look great, and Finn is so big! Really, they get that big? I hope you have already forgotten the frustration of yesterday. No matter what you are doing, how you are mommying/working, you will always have those frustration moments and ask the questions "am I doing the right thing?" So, we just have to have a glass of wine, relax and remember that we are doing a great job, the best we can, and tomorrow will be a better day! As today I am sure is. Really, no cutesy play on words? You guys NEED to come to HHI!

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  5. I think you need to dedicate a whole post to your frustrations with your daycare so the blogging world can validate your frustrations. Great photos and a happy, happy birthday!

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  6. Happy birthday!! Great pictures!

    Your outside pictures made me miss the East Coast! So pretty in springtime. It is here too, just not as lush.

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  7. Happy birthday!

    Lately I have been wondering if working and putting the kids in day care is the right thing and I don't have any complaints about my day care at all. I just wonder if I will one day wish I had spent more time with them when they thought I was the whole world.

    But then I think I would go crazy at home. Spring and summer always get me because it would be fun (in my head).

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  8. I pick up "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" often- but just can't read it- sacrilegious

    and D and D might be more than half of what I eat, yikes! Thanks for making me realize that

    Move home to Mass and I will do homework with Finn:)

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  9. I don't think I have your email address... mine should be on this comment so feel free to email me back.

    I've read some kids never "get" tricycles because it is not intuitive to push your foot forward to make the bike move. With the bicycle, they push their foot down, which I think is more intuitive.

    With Alex on the big bike, I just pedaled his legs telling him "left right left right left right." Not so good on the back but he eventually got it. The problem was he would move his legs backwards and it would stop him.

    We're definitely putting up the trikes!

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