Adventures of a SAHM

So we finally made the leap.

As of yesterday, I have become a stay at home mom.  I'm excited, of course, because I will be the first to see and experience all the things that James will be doing and learning, and fearful at the same time because I will be the one he's learning from and imitating.

I have dreamed - longed to be a stay at home mom since we had J.  We have been toying with the idea for a couple of months and we finally made the decision to do it because we all needed a change.  Work was just getting too stressful and tedious for me.  Daycare was working well for J, but not for Daddy.  So we crunched our numbers and found that our expenses for my gas, insurance, and J's daycare amounted to just a little bit under my monthly salary anyway.  Hubby and I both agreed that the sacrifice is worth it.  We'll of course be skimping and budgeting more to make ends meet, but in the end it's what is going to work for us.  So now hubby can sleep in a little bit and get home earlier since he doesn't have to drop and pick-up J.  J can sleep in too since we no longer have to get out of the house by 7am, and no more bringing home sickness from daycare.

Call me crazy, but J has already learned so much from the time that I've been home.  There is endless possibilities of learning when you learn on a one on one basis.  Granted there is great learning potential in a group setting also but early childhood development has a big part in adulthood.  So hubby and I want him to learn from us instead of from others.

In the upcoming months we're going to have a lot of things we're going to be trying, doing, and learning.  I look forward to sharing our every adventure with you.

First off, grocery shopping with a toddler.
This will be the first time I'll be in the grocery store with J - by myself.  I usually have that time to myself since I go while the boys stay home and bond.  I'm usually in and out within 45 minutes since I plan my trip according to our needs vs. weekly ads + coupons, aisle by aisle, of course.  I'll need to be even more anal about it with a toddler that can't sit in a cart for too long.  I'm giving myself 15 minutes for our first trip.  Is that too high of an expectation for our first endeavor?  I fear I will be that mom that ends up with a cart full of candy and miscellaneous things because I threw them in the cart to appease a toddler tamper tantrum.

Wish me luck.

Who's your Daddy?

Hello Blog, it's me your Daddy...

So I'm temporarily back from hiatus-  I have time to write this morning because it's not so busy.  It's Columbus Day yet I'm still here at work.  What's been the haps since I last wrote... oh say about a month ago!?!?!  Well let's break it down in a handy dandy list, shall we?

• On the 19th, James went to his first White Sox tailgate!!!  His eyes were busy the entire time soaking everything in.  He had some fries, nachos, and even some cotton candy.  Even though I'm not a Sox fan I'm forced to go because it's Hubby's family tradition... and lo and behold- James is donning a Sox T -- BOOO!  James you break Mommy's heart.  He's got a Cubs outfit too but it was too big at the time, otherwise I would have totally made him wear that lol.

• On the 26th, we went apple picking for the first time with James.  James thoroughly enjoyed it.  He was even munching on an apple at the orchard.  I love doing things with our little family.  It reminds me of my childhood when we used to go apple picking yearly.
• On the 2nd, James attended his first wedding... but he didn't make it to the reception.  He took a big dumpie dumpie during the ceremony and exploded on his nice clothes.  Good thing Grandpa's house was nearby, we had to change him and ended up just spending time with his Ninong there.

• This past weekend was stay-in weekend.  It was nice to just be home for once.  We're always so busy on weekends that we never have time to rest...  We were in for the weekend except for a short trip to Darien and to the grocery store.

James has been surprising us with so many things!  He is so vocal nowadays and so very active!  He is crawling around everywhere in the house now.  Learning to climb over obstacles.  And also cruising on the furniture - he's even gotten to like pushing his walker around and walking with it like that.  He is saying more words and expressing himself a lot more.  He can wake 'bye bye,' make jokes, laugh, and even show dislike.  The other day Grannie was asking him "where's your daddy?"  and he cracks up looks right at me and points!!!  Yea that's right - I'm Daddy!  I'll take it for now... any acknowledgement is good I guess.  =(

So I guess that concludes our post... oh wait, what about me you ask?  What have I been up to?

Well, I've been busy running after the little guy as you know.  Not only that, I'm busy honing my cooking skills.  Now that James is eating real food and transitioning from baby food I find myself cooking a lot more - which is good but tiring.  I make Sunday my cooking day.  I get to cook for the week and just Tupperware everything!  And who's bright idea was this?  Hubby's.  While he and James watch football Mommy's -- errr Daddy's in the kitchen cooking her heart away.  Time to time James finds his way in and stays with me exploring my cabinets and cookware all the while Oreo is waiting at my feet for scraps.  Nap times then are my craft times.  While James snoozes I'm crafting like a madwoman making decorations and crafts for James' 1st Birthday Party.  I've already made his birthday banner, his invites are ready to be sent out, I've made most of his party hats... I'm learning to make the pom poms that go on top of the hats, and I'm also starting to make the decorations.  I'm hoping I'll be done before Thanksgiving - his party is the 1st weekend of Decemeber.

So my life is as good as can be.  I'm a happy little housewife; crafting and cooking away like a SAHM on the weekends and during the week I work my arse off to be able to pay the bills... a C'est la vie the double life of this mighty wife!  In the coming weekends we plan on going Pumpkin Picking - so excited to take James.  I love that we have a baby... he is such a good excuse to be able to do all the things I've always wanted to but didn't have to growing up.  We are also planning for a Thanksgiving trip to California... looking forward to that!!

Until next time friends.

Boundaries

I despise, with a passion, Filipinos.

Yes, I'm Filipino.

In fact, I was born and raised in the Philippines until we emigrated here when I was 7yrs old.  

Both my parents were Filipino, with an exception of some Chinese and Spanish decent.

I married a Filipino.

I have a son, 100% Filipino.

So how could I hate Filipinos so much?  Because Filipinos are arrogant sons of bitches that believe that their opinion is God's own truth, they have no social graces to keep to themselves, they overstep their boundaries and talk shit about anything that moves, they believe that they are superior to others and just completely embarrass themselves in the process.  I'm embarrassed for them-- for me.

End rant.

Nature vs. Nurture

I've been pondering, lately, the nature of people.  Is our bad behavior nurtured by nature?  Or is it simply our nature to nurture bad behavior?  There are very few of us who still open the door for others - especially for Moms pushing a stroller.  I mean what kind of person stands and watches a Mom struggle to open a door while trying to push the stroller at the same time?  Oh that's right, the kind of person that goes through the door you just opened for yourself and the baby you're pushing before you can even go through.  I digress.  I believe that there are so many persons out there that continue to behave badly towards others because people like me allow them to do it.  And why do I allow it?  1, I'm not the type of person that likes to rock the boat.  2, I care too much about what other people think/feel about me and so I shut my mouth hoping that they'll realize/learn that their behavior is not something that is warranted.

I would have to say that I'm a very good natured person- I'm usually the volunteer for anything that needs to be done.  I am willing to bend over backwards for a person I care about... that is until you screw me over.  I don't believe in forgiving and forgetting.  Why?  Because in the past, I've usually been the person forgiving and the other person is usually the one doing the forgetting... and so very often we end up at the same crossroads again.  So I have turned a new leaf.  I've stopped living with the thought that if I do good to this person I expect/hope that they will do the same for me.  Now my philosophy is -- everyone out for themselves.  The problem?  I can't turn my expectations off.  That has been my problem my whole life.  And that is why I have been disappointed my whole entire life -- with the exception of a handful of people, Hubby, Baby, Mama, Papa, Brother.  

And so where does this leave me?  Do I let nature take its course?  Let 'karma' or some higher source teach these persons the lesson they badly need to learn.  Or do I nurture my own bad behavior and do unto others as they have done to me?  That is the golden rule isn't it?

Mama's been M.I.A.

Yes I know, I start blogging and then I stop... it's been awhile since I've posted.  And that's because it's been busy... since my last post at the end of August we've endured an inner ear infection, upgraded to a big boy car seat because James was busting out of his infant carrier [even though the weight capacity is 30lbs and he's only 17lbs], and James said his first word -- Papa [how disappointing for me since hubby always complains that James favors me over him].

Football season is among us and aren't we all just jumping for joy!  I know hubby is very excited to be sharing this season with James... how excited you say?!?!?!

This much!!!

I have taken up card making- as I've mentioned before.  I believe I'm getting better and better at every card, but I struggle to make it my own craft.  I have the big book of Martha Stewart Crafts and that woman just annoys me-- she's that good!!  I'm looking forward to making our Christmas cards this year, all 30 of them!  wish me luck and patience.

I have also taken reading back up.  I know, it's a big shame that I have not picked up a book [besides pregnancy/parenting books]- in years!  The first book I chose?  The Time Traveler's Wife.  Being a new mom I don't have much time to watch TV much less go out to see a movie- the commercials for the movie were so interesting to me that I decided to pick up the book.  First day of reading it [yesterday] I read 200 pages, I couldn't put it down.  Today I only got through 50, but it makes me realize how much I miss just sitting down and reading.  It gives me time to collect myself.  To use my imagination again.  To be still.  And to escape into someone else's world.  Even if only for a while.  I can't wait to tell you all about it once I finish.  I hope I get to see the movie someday, probably when it comes out on DVD and I'm able to watch it at home.  Meanwhile back to my dog eared page I go...