I can't believe I haven't posted since October. Since then, I've managed to survive Shane's birthday party (a success), hosting Thanksgiving and putting up the Christmas decorations. The boys are thriving in school and are finally into the new routine and I'm even thinking of adding an extra half day of school to Shane's schedule. What we are looking forward to this month:
*My dad visiting from South Carolina and an early Christmas celebration with him.
*Christmas break from school! Ok, more like the boys are looking forward to this and I'm wondering what I can plan to keep the fighting to a minimum. Baseball camp perhaps?
*Another year of both the boys fully believing in the magic of Santa. How many more years can I get away with the "Santa is watching" bribery?
*Celebrating the season with my awesome family and friends.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
My Soccer Fanatic
Ever since Shane joined our family, he's existed in his older brother's shadow. It was never intentional. Bobby just has one of those outgoing, hard-to-ignore personalities. What can I say? Older brother provides pages of writing material.
Midway through soccer season, the sibling dynamic has changed. Both boys started soccer this year, though Bobby could have played for the last two years. And while Bobby still lacks that aggression to steal the ball away from the other team, Shane has been a soccer dynamo since day one.
The kid averages three goals a game.
He dribbles with both feet.
He insists on wearing his soccer cleats and shin guards to all of Bobby's practices as well...and actually scrimmages with the older boys, holding his own.
Shane falls apart when the fields are closed due to rain. Stomps the ground if the soccer ball sails wide of the goal. He would play day and night if he could.
And I'm thrilled my little guy has found something that he excels at, that he even outshines his brother at. As my mom said at the beginning of the season, "Shane needs this."
I couldn't have put it better myself.
Monday, August 24, 2009
First Day Anxiety
Bobby started first grade this morning. How come I have been the one so anxious, anyway? I've had anxiety dreams for over a week. Me forgetting to pack his lunch. Me forgetting he was in school and not picking him up, having the poor kid wait in the office for hours as the secretary tried to track me down. Then last night, me taking the wrong kid to school and realizing at lunch time that Bobby was supposed to start.
Bobby was brave and had no such cases of the jitters. He marched right into class without looking back, a repeat performance of him starting kindergarten last year. He has several good friends in the class, which doesn't hurt.
Another repeat performance: Shane once again stealing the spotlight on his big brother's first day. A huge tantrum while I tried to get everyone dressed and fed this morning. Another meltdown as the parents walked their kids into the classroom and hovered around the desks like vultures to listen to the teacher explain the routine for the day. Did I hear anything? Not really. I was too busy trying to shush Shane while he whined that there were no cars in the classroom like last year. Ya, this isn't kindergarten anymore dude. First grade is serious business.
My anxiety has yet to go down. Will Bobby behave in the cafeteria? Will he listen to the teacher? Did I do enough work with him over the summer so he won't be totally lost in class. I don't know. And I have all day to worry about it....
Shane in his first tantrum of the morning...
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Dodging Warrants from the Mommy Police
Summer is still going strong, but apparently, my discipline skills and household routine has all but deteriorated. I've been breaking rules left and right, some that I realize are okay to let slide over the lazy days of summer. Others I rules I never thought I'd break. Combined, I'm feeling a bit like a mommy outlaw....
*Firm 8pm bedtime is a haunting memory. Now it's giving in to allow just one more movie, in hopes they fall asleep to the hum of the television (another broken rule!) Bobby had to be forced into bed after 10pm last night and I actually felt guilty about it. Wow. Just last year I had them bathed and read to by 7:30 with lights out after.
*House filled with sugary cereals. Ack! I never thought I'd be the mom to buy Cocoa Puffs and Fruity Pebbles for an actual breakfast option.
*I failed to convince Bobby to sign up for the Library Reading Game, the one thing his kindergarten teacher advised us parents to do to keep the kids up to speed on their school skills.
*I just recently busted out the workbooks I optimistically stocked in early June with hopes of working every morning with the boys on their letters and numbers.
*I have not made one batch of play dough, slimy goop, fingerpaint or homemade cookies.
*I constantly nag the boys to clean their rooms, yet my own room is total disaster. And the nagging is really only getting toys shoved from one end of the room to the other, so it is futile.
There is more, oh so much more, that I someone could report to the mommy police. We haven't made it over to the cool swim center downtown this whole summer. Video games are taking over my front room. No regular bike rides or trips to the beach. Have barely taken advantage of the East Bay Regional Parks pass I was so gung ho about a few months ago.
But I'm letting myself off the hook, I suppose. I still have a month to whip things back into shape over here. I'm sensing a trip to the library is in store today. Or maybe I'll just set a good example and clean up my own room!
*Firm 8pm bedtime is a haunting memory. Now it's giving in to allow just one more movie, in hopes they fall asleep to the hum of the television (another broken rule!) Bobby had to be forced into bed after 10pm last night and I actually felt guilty about it. Wow. Just last year I had them bathed and read to by 7:30 with lights out after.
*House filled with sugary cereals. Ack! I never thought I'd be the mom to buy Cocoa Puffs and Fruity Pebbles for an actual breakfast option.
*I failed to convince Bobby to sign up for the Library Reading Game, the one thing his kindergarten teacher advised us parents to do to keep the kids up to speed on their school skills.
*I just recently busted out the workbooks I optimistically stocked in early June with hopes of working every morning with the boys on their letters and numbers.
*I have not made one batch of play dough, slimy goop, fingerpaint or homemade cookies.
*I constantly nag the boys to clean their rooms, yet my own room is total disaster. And the nagging is really only getting toys shoved from one end of the room to the other, so it is futile.
There is more, oh so much more, that I someone could report to the mommy police. We haven't made it over to the cool swim center downtown this whole summer. Video games are taking over my front room. No regular bike rides or trips to the beach. Have barely taken advantage of the East Bay Regional Parks pass I was so gung ho about a few months ago.
But I'm letting myself off the hook, I suppose. I still have a month to whip things back into shape over here. I'm sensing a trip to the library is in store today. Or maybe I'll just set a good example and clean up my own room!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
San Diego Road Trip: The Awful and the Awesome
"This isn't awful, guys, this is totally awesome!" ~ Bobby, age 6, said right before a historic, Shane tantrum at the San Diego Railroad Museum in Balboa Park.
San Diego Animal Park, Day 3
How would the Pollard Family's first official vacation go down? During all the planning, I honestly didn't give a thought to the reality--being, the boys' unpredictable behavior. I was more concerned with lining up tickets and hotels and building itineraries. But this is what happens during a seven hour road trip and five nights, six days away from the comforts of home.....
* Legoland, Day 2, totally awesome. Highlights were the Technic roller coaster that scared the pants off Shane and gave the rest of us a thrill, the intricate Lego buildings in Miniland USA, the water rides and the apple fries in the Knight area.
*San Diego Wild Animal Park, Day 3, totally awesome. Because of so much advise from San Diego locals and frequent travellers, we hit the park on a whim before heading down to La Jolla for our third night. I'm always one to get slightly depressed at zoos, peering at wild animals in cages who always seem to be generally pissed off. Ya, I know that zoos do important work of preserving species, but the Animal Park was way cool. It's basically a breeding ground for endangered species, that they can ship around the world and to the San Diego Zoo. My only regret was that we didn't splurge extra for the jeep ride to get even closer to the animals roaming around.
*Minivan meltdowns, Day 1-6, totally awful. Why is it that two boys can't keep their hands and feet to themselves? Punching each other, stealing toys, throwing toys, kicking the back of Dad's seat (not a good idea!) and generally ignoring the box of DVDs and the Nintendo DS. No, it's much more fun to make obnoxious farting noises on your arm for an hour nonstop. Duh.
*Seaworld, Day 4, somewhat awful. Although Dad and Bobby hit the massive water rollercoaster while I stayed back with Shane who was still damaged from his ride experience at Legoland, the rest of the park was a bust for us. We arrived and barely missed the afternoon Shamu show (what I wanted most to check out) and had all intentions of hitting the 5pm show on our way out. Every single exhibit has a gift shop that you must walk through to get back to the exit. Tantrums, trauma, oh my! Let's just say we missed out on Shamu.
*La Jolla, Day 3 and 4, total mixed bag. Smack in the middle of the trip was when Team Pollard started to become unhinged. Luckily we scored an amazing room at Hotel Parisi right in the village. Not so good, the boys were too unruly to take down for dinner. Hello takeout. Good--our hotel was walking trip to La Jolla Cove and Children's Beach with the softest sand I've ever touched. Not so good, the boys were even more unruly and we were whisking them off to Seaworld. Should have just stayed in La Jolla for the day, my bad!
*Gaslamp Quarter, Day 4-6, mixed bag again. The cleanest and coolest downtown I've been to in awhile. We stayed at the historic Keating which was close to all the main attractions. We hit Hard Rock Cafe (barely---Shane and Dad almost had to stay in the room due to another meltdown). As the boys slept right after in our room, my husband and I stared longingly at all the adults walking the streets and stepping in and out of hip bars with live music. Next time, we'll check it out without the kids!
*San Diego Zoo/Balboa Park, Day 5, meltdown day. There were highlights for sure: who can not be amazed by the adorable pandas? The skytram in the zoo was also fun. We hit the Natural History Museum, Railroad Museum, the train and carousel, but it was an all day event of the boys trading off whining sessions or games of hide and seek (from us, not good!).
I own up to some of the drama. Maybe if we would have skipped Sea World and allowed more down time, the boys wouldn't have driven us so completely insane. But I think it was also a case of bad timing...Bobby and Shane simply have not been listening to us lately, making outings like this tough. After coming home Sunday, the tired parents agreed that we needed a vacation from the boys just to recover. On the plus side, we were able to reconnect with some extended family in the area and also just spend time together as a family.
Ah, but it is so great to be home!!!
San Diego Animal Park, Day 3How would the Pollard Family's first official vacation go down? During all the planning, I honestly didn't give a thought to the reality--being, the boys' unpredictable behavior. I was more concerned with lining up tickets and hotels and building itineraries. But this is what happens during a seven hour road trip and five nights, six days away from the comforts of home.....
* Legoland, Day 2, totally awesome. Highlights were the Technic roller coaster that scared the pants off Shane and gave the rest of us a thrill, the intricate Lego buildings in Miniland USA, the water rides and the apple fries in the Knight area.
*San Diego Wild Animal Park, Day 3, totally awesome. Because of so much advise from San Diego locals and frequent travellers, we hit the park on a whim before heading down to La Jolla for our third night. I'm always one to get slightly depressed at zoos, peering at wild animals in cages who always seem to be generally pissed off. Ya, I know that zoos do important work of preserving species, but the Animal Park was way cool. It's basically a breeding ground for endangered species, that they can ship around the world and to the San Diego Zoo. My only regret was that we didn't splurge extra for the jeep ride to get even closer to the animals roaming around.
*Minivan meltdowns, Day 1-6, totally awful. Why is it that two boys can't keep their hands and feet to themselves? Punching each other, stealing toys, throwing toys, kicking the back of Dad's seat (not a good idea!) and generally ignoring the box of DVDs and the Nintendo DS. No, it's much more fun to make obnoxious farting noises on your arm for an hour nonstop. Duh.
*Seaworld, Day 4, somewhat awful. Although Dad and Bobby hit the massive water rollercoaster while I stayed back with Shane who was still damaged from his ride experience at Legoland, the rest of the park was a bust for us. We arrived and barely missed the afternoon Shamu show (what I wanted most to check out) and had all intentions of hitting the 5pm show on our way out. Every single exhibit has a gift shop that you must walk through to get back to the exit. Tantrums, trauma, oh my! Let's just say we missed out on Shamu.
*La Jolla, Day 3 and 4, total mixed bag. Smack in the middle of the trip was when Team Pollard started to become unhinged. Luckily we scored an amazing room at Hotel Parisi right in the village. Not so good, the boys were too unruly to take down for dinner. Hello takeout. Good--our hotel was walking trip to La Jolla Cove and Children's Beach with the softest sand I've ever touched. Not so good, the boys were even more unruly and we were whisking them off to Seaworld. Should have just stayed in La Jolla for the day, my bad!
*Gaslamp Quarter, Day 4-6, mixed bag again. The cleanest and coolest downtown I've been to in awhile. We stayed at the historic Keating which was close to all the main attractions. We hit Hard Rock Cafe (barely---Shane and Dad almost had to stay in the room due to another meltdown). As the boys slept right after in our room, my husband and I stared longingly at all the adults walking the streets and stepping in and out of hip bars with live music. Next time, we'll check it out without the kids!
*San Diego Zoo/Balboa Park, Day 5, meltdown day. There were highlights for sure: who can not be amazed by the adorable pandas? The skytram in the zoo was also fun. We hit the Natural History Museum, Railroad Museum, the train and carousel, but it was an all day event of the boys trading off whining sessions or games of hide and seek (from us, not good!).
I own up to some of the drama. Maybe if we would have skipped Sea World and allowed more down time, the boys wouldn't have driven us so completely insane. But I think it was also a case of bad timing...Bobby and Shane simply have not been listening to us lately, making outings like this tough. After coming home Sunday, the tired parents agreed that we needed a vacation from the boys just to recover. On the plus side, we were able to reconnect with some extended family in the area and also just spend time together as a family.
Ah, but it is so great to be home!!!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Welcome to Camp Pollard
I can't believe I haven't posted in over a month. May is always hectic for us, and this year especially, when I turned the big 3-0. I celebrated all month with my wonderful family and friends and honestly feel like the luckiest girl alive, though I wasn't so lucky on our Tahoe trip...
The boys are officially on summer break so this will be my space to brag, vent, laugh and sigh at the crazy things we are up to this summer. Will I survive two+ months with the dynamic duo underfoot? Let's just see how creative I can be in keeping them entertained without leaning too much on television, video games and McDonalds bribery.
On tap:
--both boys have FREE bowling all summer long at the bowling alley in town. They figured out today on our first trip that real bowling is very different from bowling on the Wii.
--tour of the East Bay Regional Parks. I splurged on a parking pass so intend to get my money's worth. Although there will be plenty of trips to Del Valle and Shadow Cliffs, I'm determined to hit as many parks in the area as possible. If only the weather would cooperate!
--July trip to San Diego. This is our first family vacation that lasts longer than a weekend. I am stoked to soak some rays at the awesome beaches, hit the touristy spots like Legoland and the zoo, and catching up with family that lives down there.
--library reading game. Free events all summer. Need I say more.
The boys are officially on summer break so this will be my space to brag, vent, laugh and sigh at the crazy things we are up to this summer. Will I survive two+ months with the dynamic duo underfoot? Let's just see how creative I can be in keeping them entertained without leaning too much on television, video games and McDonalds bribery.
On tap:
--both boys have FREE bowling all summer long at the bowling alley in town. They figured out today on our first trip that real bowling is very different from bowling on the Wii.
--tour of the East Bay Regional Parks. I splurged on a parking pass so intend to get my money's worth. Although there will be plenty of trips to Del Valle and Shadow Cliffs, I'm determined to hit as many parks in the area as possible. If only the weather would cooperate!
--July trip to San Diego. This is our first family vacation that lasts longer than a weekend. I am stoked to soak some rays at the awesome beaches, hit the touristy spots like Legoland and the zoo, and catching up with family that lives down there.
--library reading game. Free events all summer. Need I say more.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Signs Your Son Is Growing Up
Bobby's sixth birthday has come and gone. It seems like I blink and he grows at rapid pace. Examples are:
*Declaring that he is too old for baths now. He wants to shower every morning like Daddy
*Losing his two front teeth in the space of a month
*Reading his kindergarten sight word books with more fluency
*Selling his train table and Thomas the Train sets at our garage sale to spend the earnings on video games, Legos and action figures.
*Ditching the yellow blankie he's slept with since he was a newborn, saying that I need it more than he does. (At this point, I think he's right!)
This big guy continues to amaze me with the phrases he picks up at school, questions he asks me and projects he conjures up. Hard to believe this kid is the same one that refused to gain weight as a baby.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Bloody Noses
I am endlessly blessed with two healthy, strong, often stubborn sons. Sure, we have issue around bad boy behavior and general terrorizing, but physically, the boys are perfection. Except for this lovely trait they both seem to have inherited from their father: recurring nose bleeds. They started when the boys were toddlers and the bleeds flair up during the height of allergy season and in the dry heat of summer. So, yes, like right now when the winds stir up the pollen and the jumping and dropping temperatures tweak all of our bodies.
Last week, Bobby had nine nosebleeds in a five day period. Yes, nine bleeds. This included one every night without fail at bedtime, a couple on the playground and some in the morning. Ironically I had just spoken with the boys' pediatrician about Shane's recurring nosebleeds at his well-check, so I was reminded of the best way to stop the bleeds, when to be concerned, etc. By Friday, I was pretty concerned and took Bobby in. This doctor blamed it on allergies and a scab in his nostril that refused to heal and prescribed a whole arsenal of remedies I'd never thought of: swiping Vaseline in his nostrils several times a day, saline spray two times a day, allergy meds if they seem to help and the big guns: qtips saturated in silver nitrate to stop the bad bleeds.
So far, so good. She also ordered a blood test, just to rule out any clotting disorder. But I believe his clotting is just fine, as evidence to how quickly we can usually stop the bleeding. He hasn't had a bloody nose since that doctor visit on Friday.
Shane, however, seems to have taken the bloody baton and has had two bloody noses: one in the middle of the night, another this morning. Never a dull moment with these guys. Now if I can only remember to keep my car and purse stocked with baby wipes and tissue!
Last week, Bobby had nine nosebleeds in a five day period. Yes, nine bleeds. This included one every night without fail at bedtime, a couple on the playground and some in the morning. Ironically I had just spoken with the boys' pediatrician about Shane's recurring nosebleeds at his well-check, so I was reminded of the best way to stop the bleeds, when to be concerned, etc. By Friday, I was pretty concerned and took Bobby in. This doctor blamed it on allergies and a scab in his nostril that refused to heal and prescribed a whole arsenal of remedies I'd never thought of: swiping Vaseline in his nostrils several times a day, saline spray two times a day, allergy meds if they seem to help and the big guns: qtips saturated in silver nitrate to stop the bad bleeds.
So far, so good. She also ordered a blood test, just to rule out any clotting disorder. But I believe his clotting is just fine, as evidence to how quickly we can usually stop the bleeding. He hasn't had a bloody nose since that doctor visit on Friday.
Shane, however, seems to have taken the bloody baton and has had two bloody noses: one in the middle of the night, another this morning. Never a dull moment with these guys. Now if I can only remember to keep my car and purse stocked with baby wipes and tissue!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Summer on the Horizon
This sweltering weather is yet another reminder that summer is racing towards us and both boys will be out of school for almost three months. Yikes! Last year when I had more writing assignments lined up, I kept Bobby and Shane in preschool through the summer. Then I felt vaguely irritated when we had vacation plans and I still had to pay for the school days they missed. But it was sure nice to have those three mornings a week to write and take care of business without the wild guys harassing me.
This year, summer school is not an option. So now I'm burying my nose in the rec departments summer programs to fill up the calendar with sports, science and any other camps that will keep them stimulated and active. Yet, how do I decide? The boys are not much help. When asked, they say yes to nearly everything. It's up to me to narrow the field and decide just how scheduled our summer will be, and just how much we can afford with what we're saving in preschool costs.
At the same time, it's kinda fun crafting how our summer will play out. The weeks I leave free are for us to roam around the Bay Area and beyond, to take advantage of the beaches, museums and zoos. And the boys are finally at the age where I'm not terrified of taking them to the zoo by myself. I can't believe how much they are growing up!
This year, summer school is not an option. So now I'm burying my nose in the rec departments summer programs to fill up the calendar with sports, science and any other camps that will keep them stimulated and active. Yet, how do I decide? The boys are not much help. When asked, they say yes to nearly everything. It's up to me to narrow the field and decide just how scheduled our summer will be, and just how much we can afford with what we're saving in preschool costs.
At the same time, it's kinda fun crafting how our summer will play out. The weeks I leave free are for us to roam around the Bay Area and beyond, to take advantage of the beaches, museums and zoos. And the boys are finally at the age where I'm not terrified of taking them to the zoo by myself. I can't believe how much they are growing up!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Bobby's Tooth
He lost the tooth in appropriate, boy fashion: a pillow fight with his older cousin. Other front tooth is loose, so he'll only get goofier!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Easter Traditions
Anyone who knows me personally may know that the Pollards do not belong to what is called a typical family. We don't go to church on Easter morning and it's been years since we've cooked a formal Easter dinner.No, the last few years have been all about family softball games on Easter Sunday. So we gather with my quirky, extended family at the sports park for bbq hot dogs, cold beers, an egg hunt for the youngsters, and a highly comical softball game played by the adults.
This year was picture perfect (see right) when a relative brought her bunny, named Turtle, to hippity-hop in the shaded grass. Bobby, who has been bugging me for a pet bunny, happily spent the afternoon chasing Turtle around the park. The adults managed to survive a fun game of softball with no major injuries--last year one suffered two black eyes and a near-broken nose--so all is well.
After regrouping at my house, we called five different pizza places to order our Easter dinner. All in all, a perfect holiday for our bunch!
Monday, April 06, 2009
Boy Updates
I've been seriously blocked when it comes to blogging lately, which is a shame, since the boys have been very busy. Here's the latest news:
Shane is officially riding a two-wheeler! My timid, cautious Mama's boy sucked up the fear and mastered the bike without training wheels one Sunday evening a couple weeks ago. I'm so proud, and a little sad, because my baby is growing up. The downside--my camera hasn't been functioning, so no pictures.
Bobby was top in his class at his school's Mile Long Fun Run. I think I have a future track star on my hands. He beat out the top runners in all the kindergarten classes. Again, I am so proud and amazed by another big accomplishment for him. The downside--yeah, no camera for that event either.
I promise to come back to the blog more often and snap out of my writing funk.
Happy Spring!
Shane is officially riding a two-wheeler! My timid, cautious Mama's boy sucked up the fear and mastered the bike without training wheels one Sunday evening a couple weeks ago. I'm so proud, and a little sad, because my baby is growing up. The downside--my camera hasn't been functioning, so no pictures.
Bobby was top in his class at his school's Mile Long Fun Run. I think I have a future track star on my hands. He beat out the top runners in all the kindergarten classes. Again, I am so proud and amazed by another big accomplishment for him. The downside--yeah, no camera for that event either.
I promise to come back to the blog more often and snap out of my writing funk.
Happy Spring!
Monday, March 02, 2009
Bringing Playfulness Back to my Writing
Taking a cue from my boys, who literally played with homemade play dough all day yesterday while being shut in from the stormy weather, I decided my latest writing slump needed some attention. I've been way too serious lately with my writing. A string of freelance editing gigs on other people's projects filled my inbox. Endless revisions on my first YA manuscript (submitting to agents again, wish me luck!) started to feel mechanical as I continually scraped through pages for misplaced punctuation or too much wordiness. My confidence lurched then plunged after nearly hooking an agent with my book. The prospect of revising my second YA manuscript which is in the very messy first draft stage felt overwhelming. Then there were magazine deadlines approaching and all I wanted to do was hide under the covers.
Yet watching Bobby and Shane construct elaborate monster truck jumps out of a huge glob of play dough triggered something in my head. Play dough is fun, but it's also educational for young children. Where was my fun? Creativity is supposed to be playful and freeing, yet why was I leaning more toward the tortured artist role than playful child? Sure, all the left brain editing is important for churning out some polished prose or bringing in some extra income and each rejection (supposedly) brings a writer closer to finding a home for her baby, but why was it all becoming such a downer? Well duh, nobody likes to be rejected. And it's tough editing other people's work when you are itching to start your own, or in my case, when you'd rather curl up with a juicy (and perfectly edited) novel by someone else.
So this morning, seated at the kitchen table still littered with tiny green fragments of clay, I whipped out my notebook to face my latest project...an essay for my Suburban Queen column. Instead of the usual free writing I do to spark ideas, I revisited an old technique I used in my school days: clustering.
Come on, we've all done this as students. Take your main idea (mine was t-ball season), write it in the center of the page and circle it. Then free associate ideas into a network of bubbles surrounding the main idea. In the space of about ten minutes, I filled my page with tons of ideas. I remembered the chaos of lost baseball socks right before a game, snack duty for the team, the chill of early Saturday mornings on the bleachers as my baby raced around the bases. The first draft came naturally then and I know it'll only grow as it sits in the back of my mind before I shift back to that trusty left side of my brain for rewrites. You'll see the finished product in the April/May issue of Bay Area Kids Magazine, be sure and check it out!
Yet watching Bobby and Shane construct elaborate monster truck jumps out of a huge glob of play dough triggered something in my head. Play dough is fun, but it's also educational for young children. Where was my fun? Creativity is supposed to be playful and freeing, yet why was I leaning more toward the tortured artist role than playful child? Sure, all the left brain editing is important for churning out some polished prose or bringing in some extra income and each rejection (supposedly) brings a writer closer to finding a home for her baby, but why was it all becoming such a downer? Well duh, nobody likes to be rejected. And it's tough editing other people's work when you are itching to start your own, or in my case, when you'd rather curl up with a juicy (and perfectly edited) novel by someone else.
So this morning, seated at the kitchen table still littered with tiny green fragments of clay, I whipped out my notebook to face my latest project...an essay for my Suburban Queen column. Instead of the usual free writing I do to spark ideas, I revisited an old technique I used in my school days: clustering.
Come on, we've all done this as students. Take your main idea (mine was t-ball season), write it in the center of the page and circle it. Then free associate ideas into a network of bubbles surrounding the main idea. In the space of about ten minutes, I filled my page with tons of ideas. I remembered the chaos of lost baseball socks right before a game, snack duty for the team, the chill of early Saturday mornings on the bleachers as my baby raced around the bases. The first draft came naturally then and I know it'll only grow as it sits in the back of my mind before I shift back to that trusty left side of my brain for rewrites. You'll see the finished product in the April/May issue of Bay Area Kids Magazine, be sure and check it out!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
He Giggles in his Sleep
Shane's turn....
I feel like the kid is always shortchanged when I'm sharing silly stories about the boys. Bobby's precociousness and overgrown self esteem provides pages of funny material for my writing. Then poor Shane is left in the background. Maybe it's because Shane is more cautious, more affectionate and cuddly...how much can you rave on about that, you know?
Well, not today.
Shane has taken up the unfortunate habit again of crawling into bed with us before the sun comes up. I admit I'm horribly out of practice from those toddler daze when I marched him back to his own bed with his firm hand. He's just so darn cuddly and I generally enjoy it, as long as Robbie is already out of bed for work.
So as the gloomy day began this morning and I snuggled into his lanky body, just on the edge of wakefulness, Shane startled me awake by an attack of full blown giggles. That's not unusual, especially if Bobby has snuck into the bed as well and they are wide awake and telling gross, little boy jokes to each other as I will them to stay in bed a few more minutes. But this morning, it was just Shane and me (and the dog, of course), and the giggles were followed by a drawn out, sleep-sigh. Light snoring. The kid was dead asleep. So I watched him for awhile and his sweet little mouth, turned up in a smile, allowed a few more guffaws.
What a way to start my rainy morning of rushing two kids to two different schools before 8:30.
When I asked him what he had been dreaming about, I didn't exactly get the adorable response to put the finishing touches on my blog. He claims he was dreaming about poop and hot dogs.
Hey, he's still a gross boy and all that...
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
The Birthday Chatter Begins
He thinks I can just up and change the day I gave birth to him. Preferably to seven days from now. Mind you, his birthday isn't until the end of April. This is the sign that the Christmas giddiness is far behind us and he expects presents and excess toys to crowd me out of the house.
February has always been a relief to me. The stress of the holidays far enough to seem like a dream and the hectic springtime just a faint shadow on my horizon. Because when Bobby turns six on April 29, he'll kick off what I think of as birthday month--family birthdays crowded side by side like weary soldiers.
And he wants to change it.
I want to change his birthday!
The chatter is already beginning. Bobby wants a robot themed party at Chuck E Cheese. No wait, make that the park with a jump house and waterslides. No, scratch that. Now there is talk of kids in his class hiring a portable petting zoon (ah, think not!) or an old-school fire engine that drives right up to your curb where the kids can scramble in and out like sugar-drugged monkeys.
The birthday list begins. He wants a massive Star Wars lego set (I think not, I tell him. Take care of the legos you have because I'm sick of stepping on them with my bare feet. He wants a robot cake flanked with similar cupcakes.
And all I want is a couple months where I don't have to plan a blow out party or holiday event, where I don't have to make guest lists and budgets and all that.
Oh wait, I think it's time for me to buy those cheap valentines for the boys to pass at school parties.
Ah, it never ends...
February has always been a relief to me. The stress of the holidays far enough to seem like a dream and the hectic springtime just a faint shadow on my horizon. Because when Bobby turns six on April 29, he'll kick off what I think of as birthday month--family birthdays crowded side by side like weary soldiers.
And he wants to change it.
I want to change his birthday!
The chatter is already beginning. Bobby wants a robot themed party at Chuck E Cheese. No wait, make that the park with a jump house and waterslides. No, scratch that. Now there is talk of kids in his class hiring a portable petting zoon (ah, think not!) or an old-school fire engine that drives right up to your curb where the kids can scramble in and out like sugar-drugged monkeys.
The birthday list begins. He wants a massive Star Wars lego set (I think not, I tell him. Take care of the legos you have because I'm sick of stepping on them with my bare feet. He wants a robot cake flanked with similar cupcakes.
And all I want is a couple months where I don't have to plan a blow out party or holiday event, where I don't have to make guest lists and budgets and all that.
Oh wait, I think it's time for me to buy those cheap valentines for the boys to pass at school parties.
Ah, it never ends...
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The House of Lost Things
We have a serious situation in my household at the moment.
Everything keeps disappearing!
It started with the charger for my brand new cell phone. That was a month ago and the charger still hasn't turned up and I have yet to replace it. What a pain--I've been charging my phone up through my computer.
Next, it was the top of my fancy, NEW Sigg water bottle. The same day it came in the mail, the top just disappeared. Shane insists he dropped it in his toy box, but it has yet to turn up.
The latest casualty--my dust pan.
I mean, really?? Where is all my stuff ending up and why is it only the things that I use??
Everything keeps disappearing!
It started with the charger for my brand new cell phone. That was a month ago and the charger still hasn't turned up and I have yet to replace it. What a pain--I've been charging my phone up through my computer.
Next, it was the top of my fancy, NEW Sigg water bottle. The same day it came in the mail, the top just disappeared. Shane insists he dropped it in his toy box, but it has yet to turn up.
The latest casualty--my dust pan.
I mean, really?? Where is all my stuff ending up and why is it only the things that I use??
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Bobby's Twins
I've been meaning to set this story down for posterity....
New year, new habits, new changes...and yes, that includes weekly trips to Weight Watchers with my sister. Although I'm a WW rookie, I lived Jenny Craig for months before my wedding and I still recall the anxiety over the weekly weigh-ins and also that my sister always seemed a pound or two (or seven! our first week) ahead of me. I promised myself I wouldn't look at these meetings as a competition. We're there to cheer each other on and push each other to do better. I do have my 30th birthday to look smokin hot for in May, ya know.
Anyway, the very day that I tried my first meeting, stepped gingerly on the unfamiliar scale and recoiled at the weight I'd let myself reach, also happened to be the very day that Bobby's teacher pulled me aside afterschool and asked quietly if I was expecting.
Yikes!
Sure, I was in yoga pants and bulky sweatshirt. Sure, my weigh-in revealed I was a little too close to my pregnancy wait (full term) with Bobby almost six years ago. But, oh, the horrors of it all! Of course, she wasn't commenting on my supple shape. Seems my son talked her into believing we were expecting twins this spring. A boy and a girl and they were going to live in our play room.
I drilled Bobby on the way home. Why did you say that? Do you really want more stinky kids in the house? Do you realize your father is biologically limited to giving me boys? I let him rattle on, his new obsession is how babies come out of mommies, and sighed when he was really just obsessed with the biological facts of having two babies in your tummy at once and just how they wrestled their way out. He got over the babies in the house demands when I talked to him about stinky diapers and cranky parents from no sleep, less money to save up for Disneyland, and a lot less privacy.
He was over it, until, we walked into our yoga studio one sunny morning and two freaking adorable twin baby girls lay on their tummies on blankets in the front room with matching headbands. Now I have to play the "Mommy's too old" card.
After all, I will be turning thirty so it's a valid excuse, right??
New year, new habits, new changes...and yes, that includes weekly trips to Weight Watchers with my sister. Although I'm a WW rookie, I lived Jenny Craig for months before my wedding and I still recall the anxiety over the weekly weigh-ins and also that my sister always seemed a pound or two (or seven! our first week) ahead of me. I promised myself I wouldn't look at these meetings as a competition. We're there to cheer each other on and push each other to do better. I do have my 30th birthday to look smokin hot for in May, ya know.
Anyway, the very day that I tried my first meeting, stepped gingerly on the unfamiliar scale and recoiled at the weight I'd let myself reach, also happened to be the very day that Bobby's teacher pulled me aside afterschool and asked quietly if I was expecting.
Yikes!
Sure, I was in yoga pants and bulky sweatshirt. Sure, my weigh-in revealed I was a little too close to my pregnancy wait (full term) with Bobby almost six years ago. But, oh, the horrors of it all! Of course, she wasn't commenting on my supple shape. Seems my son talked her into believing we were expecting twins this spring. A boy and a girl and they were going to live in our play room.
I drilled Bobby on the way home. Why did you say that? Do you really want more stinky kids in the house? Do you realize your father is biologically limited to giving me boys? I let him rattle on, his new obsession is how babies come out of mommies, and sighed when he was really just obsessed with the biological facts of having two babies in your tummy at once and just how they wrestled their way out. He got over the babies in the house demands when I talked to him about stinky diapers and cranky parents from no sleep, less money to save up for Disneyland, and a lot less privacy.
He was over it, until, we walked into our yoga studio one sunny morning and two freaking adorable twin baby girls lay on their tummies on blankets in the front room with matching headbands. Now I have to play the "Mommy's too old" card.
After all, I will be turning thirty so it's a valid excuse, right??
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Happy 2009
Yes, I know I'm a little late on this one but give a girl a break, I barely survived the holidays. New year, new blog. Hope you like my new design and gadgets, still working with the kinks. Be sure to subscribe to my blog or come visit every Tuesday when I promise to post. To officially end 2008, I'm reprinting my Christmas Newsettler. Thanks for stopping by!
The Pollard Family's Top 8 of 2008
8. Shane (age 4) developed a severe allergy to the word NO. Be warned: use it at your own risk.
7. Bobby (age 5) played his first year of t-ball, making excellent dust piles in the outfield and smacking a few balls past the infield.
6. The Family ventured out to their first rain-soaked Monster Truck Monster Jam in Oakland with a huge group of friends. Although we had to leave early do to our soggy misery, we'll be going back at the end of February for another try to feed the boys' obsession with all trucks.
5. Kelly broke into two new writing markets, selling articles to Parent's Press and Bay Area Kids. She continues to write for local magazines, work on THE YA NOVEL (this year it will sell) and is the newsletter editor for California Writers Club, Tri-Valley.
4. Robbie left Waste Management in June for a new position. He's lovin it!
3. Bobby started Kindergarten where he's building up some serious self-esteem. Quotes heard spying on him alone in his room: "I am the most amazing kid my parents ever had!" and "Those kids are going to say, gee Bobby, you are a genius!" Stay tuned for more choice words from Mr. Ego.
2. Shane joined the pre-k class in preschool following in big brother's footsteps. He is finally shifting from "I can't!" to "Look what I did!" Ah, relief!
1. Kelly and Robbie have held on to their sanity navigating these early years with these boys who call themselves "The Naked Brothers Band" do to their preference to strip down the moment they walk in the door.
Stay tuned for another year of craziness and thanks for stopping by!
The Pollard Family's Top 8 of 2008
8. Shane (age 4) developed a severe allergy to the word NO. Be warned: use it at your own risk.
7. Bobby (age 5) played his first year of t-ball, making excellent dust piles in the outfield and smacking a few balls past the infield.
6. The Family ventured out to their first rain-soaked Monster Truck Monster Jam in Oakland with a huge group of friends. Although we had to leave early do to our soggy misery, we'll be going back at the end of February for another try to feed the boys' obsession with all trucks.
5. Kelly broke into two new writing markets, selling articles to Parent's Press and Bay Area Kids. She continues to write for local magazines, work on THE YA NOVEL (this year it will sell) and is the newsletter editor for California Writers Club, Tri-Valley.
4. Robbie left Waste Management in June for a new position. He's lovin it!
3. Bobby started Kindergarten where he's building up some serious self-esteem. Quotes heard spying on him alone in his room: "I am the most amazing kid my parents ever had!" and "Those kids are going to say, gee Bobby, you are a genius!" Stay tuned for more choice words from Mr. Ego.
2. Shane joined the pre-k class in preschool following in big brother's footsteps. He is finally shifting from "I can't!" to "Look what I did!" Ah, relief!
1. Kelly and Robbie have held on to their sanity navigating these early years with these boys who call themselves "The Naked Brothers Band" do to their preference to strip down the moment they walk in the door.
Stay tuned for another year of craziness and thanks for stopping by!
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