When Does Mommy Get a Timeout?

Recently I woke up one Saturday morning to Hubbs saying "Alright, bye I'm headed to Philly". If course I woke up half dead, irritated, and oh so confused. He swore up and down he told me about the trip but I was alive enough to know this was NOT true! He mentioned a while ago that he wanted to pick some stuff up from his dad's but in the few weeks leading up to Chunks's 1st Birthday party where we have so much to do around the house I wouldn't even imagine he'd choose this weekend to do it. I didn't argue much I just wanted to get back to sleep, so off he went with the promising "I'll be back early Sunday".

I should mention that Hubbs is originally from Philly, I met him there while I was in undergrad. I hated that place and couldn't wait to leave, he says he shares the same ideal but yet...


Anyway, a few months ago he tells me that he needs "a break", just some time to himself away from the cries of the baby and house-work. We had just moved here and I tried to understand that he was in a new environment with new pressures (Chunks was about 7 months at the time) so maybe he needed some time so I didn't protest and he enjoyed an entire Saturday to himself in the city. Maybe a month later here came the "need" for a break but this time he went home to Philly. While there he called and complained that there was nothing to do and that no one was even downtown (nothing new the place is BORING) but he stayed the weekend nonetheless. This weekend, he went to Philly and accomplished NONE of what he said he was going for and a friend of mine said this was the new cover for "a break". So I was at home all weekend with Chunks on little to no sleep (I work night shift so my schedule and Chunk's aren't exactly compatible), doing housework, prepping for his bday party in 2 weeks, and keeping him busy and out of our drawers, DVDs, and the phone-his new obsession lol.


While he finishes school I've tried to remain patient and give him space when I can and in talking to one of my good friends who has been married for almost 5 years who went through a similar situation when she and her husband moved to Virginia (her hometown), she told me that I too needed to be selfish. Her husband wasn't working or going to school at the time and she was carrying the load of the family and he would still need frequent "breaks", she chalked it up them being young parents and him feeling like he was missing fun. So she would disappear on the weekends to her sister's to sleep and tell him it was her break lol.

~::*::~

I don't want to have a tit for tat marriage but I have the weight of the family on my shoulders and have been handling it with no complaint but I can't understand these "breaks" that they need. So we talked about everything that I was feeling and he really thought that I was ok and that I didn't want to do anything other than be with Chunks. He felt pressured from school, and home and just didn't know how else to get a break. I don't want to play the baby card but I carried, I pushed, I worked and am working on and for this family so when does Mommy get her break? And how does a Mommy who wants nothing more than to be with her family take a break without feeling guilty or having a crazy I-Miss-My-Baby moment send me home early?

Image: Getty Images

A NY Kinda Saturday

Since they announced the opening of the Lego flagship store in the city I've been dying to take Chunks in for his first peek at a childhood classic but each time I tried something came up and we just couldn't seem to quite make it. Lately Chunks has gotten better with his napping and because of Hubby's and my schedule being so crappy the past two weeks I was so grateful for this good behavior I just wanted to spoil him ROTTEN!!! lol So I became determined to get to that store on Saturday and WE MADE IT!

The big apple created in front of the store was amazing but the real breath takers were inside.

The brick wall was impressive with so many choices, I plan on stocking up on the rare pinks very soon but the day was about Chunks. There were blocks of all colors and shapes and play tables, kits, and exhibits (I think Hubby and I were more excited about all of this than Chunks though lol). So we took a walk straight up 5th Ave. and decided to go over to Magnolia Bakery but quickly learned that Crumbs was near by so off to Madison Ave we go! After we enjoyed our cupcakes, we decided to fill the day with fun and finish off at FAO Schwarz. Now this I can confess BOLD FACED I was more excited about going here than anyone else and couldn't wait to see how my little guy would react to the GREATEST PLACE IN THE WORLD! IMO

The soldiers at the door got us right into the spirit of things and at first the oversized stuffed animals were a little too much for him at first but the cars got his attention and this was when I decided on his BIG gift for his 1st Birthday coming up (I'm in full party planner mode, but that's another post). We walked through Lego City and the giant figures caught Chunks attention here but the winner was the BIG PIANO! While Hubby took him through the magic kits and action figures I got lost in Barbie World heehee but for some reason it felt a lot smaller to me. We didn't leave with that many things since he just got an upgrade on his toy collection, we're trying hard not to over do it with toys. 
When our time at FAO was over we headed across the street to Central Park and just people watched and at ice cream. The hustle and bustle of the city really wasn't that bad even with a stroller and the day was warm but not too hot so we enjoyed a fantastic Saturday in NYC. 

Wordless Wednesday...Late Edition

A Year Ago Tomorrow, my world changed for

the Greatest!

Chunks 

(2days old)

Wordless Wednesday

Preschool Costs What Now?

With so many of my friends getting their kids ready and my teacher friends preparing themselves to go back to school I remembered a convo a friend of mine and I had a little while back. I was making the jokes that with the amount of student loans that I had to pay back I was gonna be broke for FOREVER. She is a teacher at a private school in the city and said "Ha! Add on Pre-School and Kindergarten tuition to that! You should've put Chunks on our waiting list on August 20th!" Now Chunks was born on August 19th!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS! FOR PRE-SCHOOL???

Now I believe in putting in the time and research when it comes to picking a school for your little one and I am 100% willing to do all the footwork and networking necessary to find the right programs for him, I just didn't think I would have to start this early. There were some schools that stood out to me, one being my old Montessori School. I have very fond memories of my time there and everything that I learned. I adored our principal Mrs. Briggs and the one on one attention from the teachers. Our program was only Pre-K to Kindergarten at the time but I felt fine transitioning to a regular school and was even skipped a grade, so of course I looked to the Montessori schooling first. The tie would be between my old school and the Brooklyn Heights Montessori School. Now my school is within walking distance, I know the principal, and am familiar with the place but the Brooklyn Heights program is a travel but it goes up to 8th grade. I read the reviews of parents from both schools and they adore the program, they felt like their child was maturing and thriving in the classes and took on more responsibility as an individual. SO everything sounded great and then I clicked that link, TUITION. To attend the program for three days a week a two year old's tuition would be almost $12,000 a year!! and as they went up through elementary level $23,000!!! Now I will give Chunks the WORLD even if I have to scrap to do it but do I really want to with PRE-K! Can't I teach my 3 year old to put on his pajamas and know that it's bedtime without paying this? But then the guilt sets in, why wouldn't I send him there if it's going to give him the best head start possible. If some many others can make the sacrifice to do it for theirs, why would I question doing it for mine?

Every price tag in NYC is just bigger so I know there are some that would call me crazy for considering this but I know the public schools in our area and I don't feel like fighting a teacher because she just didn't feel like doing her job that day. I'm still not done in my research but LORD isn't this alot of pressure for a 2 year old? Oh and they HAVE to be potty trained before admission is even considered, go figure. Decisions, decisions.

What program have you found fit best for your toddler? Do you feel putting in extra time with them at home helped more than finding a fancier school to put them in?

IMAGE

Yummy Mondays

VIA

Lemon Cupcakes w Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream

If anyone knows me they know that I LOVE anything pastry! Baked up, sweet goodnesses get me so excited but if you add Lemon to the equation, I'm SOLD! Fat, I know, lol. I found these delish cupcakes while looking for a recipe for my mother's bday on Sunday and altered it a bit for a full cake. Mom loved it and the cream cheese frosting was the right kind of sweet. A Good Bite.

For the Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

4 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar

lemon zest from two lemons

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

To Make The Cake: 

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
Cool on wire rack.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 lbs. confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
juice of one lemon

Using a mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese together until well combined. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Finally mix in vanilla and lemon juice.

Your 6 YO Will Not Remember Your Problems...

I recently saw this post on a blog I frequent and it hit home on so many levels for me now and I couldn't help but share.


My 6 year old looked at me in the eye today and asked me if I would go out on a date with her.
I told her yes.
In the back of my head all I knew is that I have a flight to catch and 55 phone calls to make.
2 hours later there are 55 people mad at me for not calling them back and I am late to my flight…
But she…

…is in love with me and they never will be.


This helped me remember that with the new and crazy schedule of mine, I do it all for Chunks anyway so he shouldn't have to take a back seat to any "grown up" issues that fall in my lap. The saying is "If Mommy's not happy then No One is" but really if baby isn't happy or feeling loved, mommy can't be happy either. So now everything and everyone in their place.