Keeping Up with Michelle

I spent my Saturday at a notary public class.  Someone in my building came to our office looking for a notary public which none of us are.  I looked into it and decided I would do it to benefit the building.  The class was very intense.  I thought it would be a no brainer but there is a lot to know and a lot of responsibility associated with becoming a notary public.  Nothing I can’t handle but just not what I thought.  So, after the class I took an exam.  I find out the results in 7-10 days.  I still have to get fingerprinted and assuming I pass my background check I will be on my way.  I’ll keep you posted.

Tony and I just saw each other in passing today.  I came home in time for him to get ready to go to the Wilco concert at the Greek Theater in Berkeley.  So, Lucy and I spent the evening together.  We played, ate dinner which ended up in her hair and all over her body.  I gave her a bath which was fun.  She is super cute when she is playing in the bath.  She doesn’t like it when the water gets on her face though.  She doesn’t cry about it.  She just stands up and tries to climb out.  I don’t know why but it also makes me laugh.  I put her in her cute elephant jammies and we snuggled and watched “She’s All That” until she fell asleep (I can believe I am admitting to watching that movie although the dancing prom scene is awesome).

Lorelei is in Maui with Grandma Colleen.  This was a completely spontaneous trip for them (and their third time going to Hawaii in less than a year).  Colleen used to work for United Airlines and can fly standby for free anytime.  Lorelei is reaping the benefits of this perk which reminds me I need to get her a passport so she’ll be set for any spontaneous international trips.  Lucky girl.

Tony and I are probably going to Hawaii in September.  He’s been given an opportunity to write a travel story about Hawaii and we will get a good deal out it.  We are considering it our honeymoon.  It’s good motivation to frequent our newly joined gym.  We went one evening after work and it was a lot of fun.  My cuz Gwen met us there and she and I got to workout on the machines side by side and talk.  I love having a buddy.  It makes working out more fun.

Olivia is in San Diego with her mom and her mom’s boyfriend this week.  Our kids are crazy travelers.  I can’t wait to hear about their adventures.  Stay tuned…

I’ve found a counselor who takes my insurance.  She is seeing Lorelei and is going to start seeing me and Lorelei’s dad next week.  Lorelei loves the counselor.  She is a very nice older woman with an English accent.  She has already been very helpful to me and Lorelei.  I’m feeling like things are starting to get to a better place.

Tony and I joined the new gym in town.  The facility has been a gym that has changed hands over the years and it has recently changed hands again.  It is now called “In-Shape”.  We toured the facility yesterday.  It’s huge.  It is 88,000 SF.  It has lots of equipment, classes, racquetball, an outdoor pool, on site day spa, basketball courts and super nice locker rooms.  They even have a “Women Only” section which is nice.  I’m looking forward to the boxing training class, swimming laps and sitting in the sauna.  I’m heading there tomorrow after work for the first time.

We had a nice Father’s Day.  Tony wanted to go to the Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39.  We spent about 2 hours there.  It was a blast!  Check us out:

Afterward we had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.  Tony and I split the nachos.  Tasty!  Then we watched the sea lions which was super entertaining.  These two seals were competing for a particular spot on the dock.  They were wrestling and pushing each other off the dock.  It went on for quite a while.  It was hilarious.

I ended the day at my parent’s house.  I gave my dad a big Father’s Day hug and gave him time with his grandkids.  They BBQ’ed and the whole family wasover  there: Sonia & David, Eric & Marlina and Grandma Mansfield.  Good times.

Lucy had her first birthday.  I will have to post a picture of her in her birthday dress another time since I don’t have it on my computer right now.   It’s hard to believe it has been a year already.  She had a doctor appointment today and she is still having issues with her ears.  She had several ear infections and the last one just never fully cleared up.  We have to take her to a specialist.  The doc said her ear drum is not infected but it is not normal and healthy looking.  Lucy seems OK.  She eats, sleeps, is happy and social but she occasionally pulls or hits her ears so they definitely bug her.  No fever or any other signs that something is wrong.  Anyway I am looking forward to getting that appointment to take care of this.

Olivia’s last day of school was Friday so she is with us for the next two weeks which is nice.  I like it when we are all together.  I took the day off work today and spent the day with Lucy and Olivia.  Lorelei is still in school until Wednesday.  I had such a great day.  I got stuff done around the house, did the grocery shopping, picked Lorelei up from school and made dinner.  I haven’t cooked dinner in a long time.  We had this under cooked leftover london broil so I made beef strogenoff.  It actually turned out pretty good.  It felt so good to cook and be a stay at home mom for a day.  I wish I could stay home every day and take care of my family.  It is difficult to commute to SF every day to work and not be able to do all the domestic things around the house and be with the kids.  By the time I get home from work I am too exhausted to deal with much plus it is just too late for anything.  I have some serious thinking to do.  I am the bread winner so I need my job to bring home the bacon but I have young children who need their mother and who will only be young once.  Do I really want to miss out on their daily lives?  I volunteered at Lorelei’s school Friday and it was so much fun.  I talked with some of the other moms about my concerns with the after school care and discovered they have the same concerns and are coordinating with another after school program.  They asked if I wanted to get in on it which I do.  The point is I feel so disconnected from Lorelei and what is going on with her at school and what is going on at the school in general.  I vowed to dedicate one day a month next school year to Lorelei and the school.  I will take one day off a month, volunteer at the school and do something with Lorelei after school just her and me.  It’s amazing what one day a month will mean to me and her.

Speaking of Lorelei so much is going on with her.  Most you who read this blog know the issues surrounding Lorelei’s father.  After seven years you’d think things would mellow out and fall into routine.  Unfortunately that is not the case.  Things have been consistently turbulent between Lorelei’s dad and me.  I am so sick of dealing with so much unnecessary drama that I consulted with an attorney who suggested I go to coparenting counseling with him.  I’ve been in counseling for about a month or so now.  I hate it.  I hate sitting in the same room as that guy.  The counselor has been fine but he doesn’t take insurance so it has been really expensive.  I am looking into finding a counselor that does take insurance.  Lorelei is also going to start seeing a counselor which I am very happy about.  Recently Lorelei was experiencing a lot of stomach pain and bowel issues.  All lab tests came back negative ruling out any physical causes.  I am convince her stomach problems are the result of stress.  Lorelei is sensitive and she has a lot of worries.  Unfortunately her father adds to her stress.   She is such a sweet girl and it breaks my heart that I can’t protect her 100 percent of the time.  I hate that it has come to this but I am happy that we are getting the help that we need to put an end to the madness that is dealing with her father.  I don’t know what that end looks like (legal court battle for custody or professional intervention to get him on track and behaving) but regardless it is long overdue.   Honestly I am angry with myself for not doing this sooner.

I have reservations about sharing this information on the blog but I wouldn’t hesitate to tell anyone of the people reading it and I need to be able to process all of this.  Plus the blog is about keeping up with me and this is me writing about me because I can’t sleep because as you can imagine I have a lot on my mind.  I know I’m not the only one awake right now with a lot on their mind.  People are without jobs or wondering if they will be jobless soon enough and then what are they going to do?  It becomes a much bigger deal when you have a family to support.  Times are tough and I try to keep things in perspective otherwise I won’t be able to get up in the morning.  It sounds so depressing but I guess that’s because it is.  There’s just no way around it just through it.

Let’s face it.  It’s all about the kids.  Olivia is hanging out in Sacramento with her mother but she starts Spring Break next week so we will be seeing her real soon.  I beieve Tony picks her up on Wednesday and she will be with us through Easter.

Lorelei is with her dad this weekend.  I am picking her up early tomorrow and taking her to her BFF’s birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese in Brentwood.  We were just at Chuck E. Cheese last Sunday for Hunter’s birthday. It is a crazy, loud, obnoxious place.  I am so lucky to be going two times in the span of a week.  Woo-hoo!  Lorelei’s Spring Break is the following week (after Easter) and it appears that she may be spending it in Hawaii with Grandma Colleen.  If so this will Lorelei’s second trip to Hawaii with Grandma Colleen.   It’s tough being Lorelei.

Lucy has been sick with a cold and ear infections for over a month.  The poor baby can’t catch a break.  She is on her second round of antibiotics and I am not convinced her ear infections will clear up.  She is scheduled to go back to the doctor (again) on April 14th.  Despite the cold and ear infections she is still the best and cutest baby ever.  She still manages to get about 11 hours of sleep a night and is super happy.  It’s really weird and, yes, I do consider myself lucky.

Here are some recent pictures of the girls when we went to Mt. Diablo to play in the snow.

Tony and I figured out that the next election year after Lorelei turns 35 is 2040.  So begins the campaign of presidency for Lorelei in 2040.  Here is her campaign poster (compliments of her aunt Sonia) and some laws she is considering enforcing in her presidency.

Lorelei’s Laws

• Better lives for greyhounds
• End the war in Iraq
• Cancel fires that burn down people’s houses
• Never run away from home even if your parents are mean (because it gets better and gets worse if you run away)
• No killing animals that are cute (or ugly animals)
• No eating horses because horses are our friends
• Never let go of a baby (because my dream was really bad)
• A police man will stay with the President at all times and will kill the man who is trying to kill the President
• Help poor people – give them food, housing, medicine, a warm bed, and everything else.
• No cigarettes allowed in the whole universe because cigarettes are bad for you.
• Never go in an ocean without a grown up
• Be careful of babies because they are really delicate
• Never throw a bomb in a house or attack a house
• Make sure that bad guys are locked in jail and there are no more bad guys in the USA.
• Never go near a crocodile
• No attacking the President
• Never go near a stranger because it is dangerous and they might take you home – some of them might kill you.
• Always respect your parents – that means you have to listen to them
• No homework on Fridays!
• No work on Wednesdays (for grown ups)
• Always feed a baby right
• Never go to the moon unless you are with a parent (if you are a kid)
• Never attack a coyote with a dog because it is dangerous and the coyote will call its pack and eat the dog up.
• Never go near a snake because it is dangerous and it might eat you.
• Always ride a horse, camel or elephant in Egypt (depending on what country you are from)
• Never think you are dumb

Lucy has found her voice.  I knew she would.   It was just a matter of time.  Lucy came out of the womb screaming and wouldn’t stop.  Lorelei didn’t cry when she came out.  She was just there looking around.  Lucy cried and cried and cried.  It made me nervous at first because I thought it might be an indicator that she was going to be a very high maintenance baby.  Quite the opposite.  Lucy is the easiest baby ever.  She is happy, eats like a pro and sleeps anywhere from 10-12 hours a night.  Not to mention that she is super cute.  Check her out.

So like I was saying Lucy has found her voice.   Her new thing is to scream.  She will be jumping away in her jumper screaming with a big smile on her face like she is so proud of her noise.  It’s really loud too.  It’s actually quite annoying to listen to but once you find the source and see this extremely happy baby jumping up and down screaming and smiling you can’t help but let it go.  She’s excited about her voice and I just can’t argue with that.

She is getting her two bottom teeth too.   I can see them poking through when she gives me that crunched face droolly gummy smile of hers.  It’s all so very cute.  And as if to reinforce that she is the easiest baby in the world you would never know she is teething other than her constant chewing on everything and drool.  She is rarely grumpy and she doesn’t wake up many times in the night crying which is what I remember with Lorelei.  I know what you are thinking.  Things can change Michelle.  She could start being grumpy and wake up multiple times a night crying.  I keep that in the back of my mind so if it does happen I’m not caught off guard but so far nada.

OK.  Enough of how wonderful my baby is.  For the parents that are reading this with not so easy babies Lorelei was lot more high maintenance as a baby than Lucy.  She didn’t sleep through the night until at 6 months I forced myself to let her “cry it out” which is a very painful thing for a parent to do.  It took about a week before she started sleeping through the night.  Then the teething.  Oh the teething.  Poor Lorelei would wake up I don’t know how many times  a night crying uncontrollably.  I gave her Tylenol, anbesol, teething tablets and anything else people suggested although I never did try putting brandy on her gums.  I would rock her while she screamed until one of the many things I gave her would kick in and she could sleep.  I was a single parent working full time so much of that time is a blur as I was a walking zombie.

It’s all worth it though.  Being a (good) parent is the greastest sacrifice in the world.  I love my kids.  They are by far the most amazing people I will ever know.  I can’t imagine my life without them.

So Lorelei’s new thing is that she is going to become president when she turns 35.  She loves to tell people “my mom is old enough to be president.”  It’s true.   So everything in her world gets tied into when she becomes president.  For example, Tony’s mom, Lynne, watched Lorelei and Lucy for us one night this week so we could meet with a financial advisor (that’s a whole other blog post).  Lorelei loves Lynne by the way.  From the very first time they met Lorelei took a liking to her and they have a very cute connection and mutual affection for each other that I find very endearing.  So they are hanging out talking then Lorelei tells Lynne that she is going to be president when she is 35 and when she is president Lynne can come live with her in the White House.  She also said that none of Olivia’s relatives can live in the White House except for her, Tony, Olivia  and Brittany.  So basically Olivia’s mom can’t live in the White House when Lorelei is president.  Lynne gladly accepts and takes dibs on the Lincoln suite.

Another time Tony, Jason (Tony’s cousin), Gwen (Jason’s wife), Liam (Jason & Gwen’s son), Lucy, Lorelei and I went to the Lafayette Resevoir for an afternoon.  When we got there we noticed that there were tons of greyhounds.  I don’t know if it was walk your greyhound day or what but they were everywhere.  So Lorelei starts asking all kinds of questions about greyhounds including “Is Homer’s dog a greyhound?”  I have not idea what she is talking about since Homer is Sonia’s dog and he does not have a dog.  Lorelei was referring to Homer Simpson who’s dog, Santa’s Little Helper, is in fact a greyhound.  Lorelei is so smart.  So anyway, I tell her that greyhounds can run super fast so that are race dogs and unfortunately if a dog isn’t a good race dog or gets hurt and can’t race anymore then the dog owners have them killed.   BUT nice people created these shelters especially for greyhounds and they save these dogs.  We were thinking that maybe the shelters had brought the dogs there for a walk or something.  So Lorelei starts going on this rant about how when she is president she is going to make a law that you can’t kill greyhounds.

I’m going to start making a list of all the things she is going to do as president because I am starting to think that she would make a good president.  Her heart is in the right place.  She agrees with Obama that the war in Iraq must come to an end.  I will start her campaign now.  Lorelei for President in 2038.  It could happen.

I have not been satisfied with my hair when seeing my reflection in the building windows on my way to and from work.  It was all the same length with about 3 inches of roots with the rest of it faded with no shape or style and don’t even get me started on the gray.  Now I am totally broke but I work hard and deserve to look good.  And everyone knows when you look good you feel good.  So I made an appointment to have my hair cut and dyed.  Sonia just happened to have an appointment too so I made mine the same time as hers.  On Wednesday evening Sonia and I went to the hairdresser and spent money we didn’t have.  Well, we had it but….I have been reading “Slash” which is the autobiography of the former guitar player from Guns N Roses.  I think I had 80’s metal hair on the brain because suddenly I couldn’t get my layered fast enough.

So, most of the time I have a vision for my hair something gets lost in translation and I am not satisfied with the outcome.  Or I think I want a cut that afterward I regret.  Not this time.   I got exactly what I envisioned and for once it was exactly what I wanted.   I got the best haircut I have ever had.   I couldn’t be happier.  I had my hairdresser, Julie, (who will be getting business from me from now on) darken my hair and make it all one color.  Then I asked her to put layers in with the shortest being at my chin but keeping the overall length of my hair.  Now, usually when I ask for layers but to keep the length I get the layers but lose the length.  This time I got it all.  I love the color and I love the cut.  I feel so sassy and confident with my new hair.   It is modern, professional and polished.  I love it!

Now I have an itch to get new pajamas/lounge wear.  I have been wearing the same lame sweats and  t-shirts to bed night after night.  I am feeling the need to look cute when I come home and change out of my work clothes.  Now if I only had some money to spend.  Don’t even get me started on the economy.

I’m feeling very satisfied.  I put in many hours at work this week to do year-end reporting.  It won’t take me nearly as long next year since I will be familiar with the happenings of the building throughout the year.  I started in September so in order to do the report I had to spend quite a bit of time researching the operations and spending that occurred in 2008.  It was really stressful because it seemed as if I would not make the deadline but I did and I am very satisfied with the work that I did.   I am ready to put 2008 behind me and embrace 2009 as my own.

On another note, I haven’t been liking my hair lately so I made an appointment next week to have my hair cut and colored.  I am going to keep the length because everytime I get this way and cut my hair I hate it.  So I am going to have some layers put in and then darken the color up a bit.  It was awesome because I mentioned something to Sonia about it and she told me she had an appointment next week so I was able to make mine the same time as hers.  I love doing girlie things with my sister.  It’s my favorite.

I am looking forward to the weekend.  We did the Disneyland vacation followed by a weekend with the kiddies.  This weekend both Lorelei and Olivia are with their other parent (although I received a call from Grandma Colleen who told me Lorelei is with her and not her father which is not shocking at all).   It will be nice to have some quiet time with Tony.  We have Lucy but she is so sweet and easy.  I love my time with her on the weekends.  She is super fun to be around.  She is so happy and cute.  She’s good for the soul.  Well, gotta go.  Tony will be here soon with Yogurt Park for me.  He was at his mom’s in Walnut Creek picking Lucy and visiting so I texted him asking to stop by and get me a yogurt which of course he said he would.  He is a very husband.

It’s been a while since my last post.   December was a busy month.  Tony and  I got married on the 20th.  We had the holidays then took Olivia and Lorelei to Disneyland for 3 days.  We left Lucy home with my mom so we could just run around with the girls.  Unfortunately Lucy got sick while we were away and had to go to the doctor.  She is still fighting a cold and cough but is getting better.

So the wedding was great.  We kept it simple and small.  We tied the knot at Todos Santos Park in front of the Christmas tree with family and close friends.  Afterward we went back to our house for food and drinks.  As the night progressed friends started showing up and we danced the night away.  It was a really good time and a very happy day.  It’s so weird to think that I have a husband and am someone’s wife.  For those of you who are wondering I am going to hyphenate my name to Michelle Celeste Mansfield-Hicks.  Since I have two children, each with a different last name (Lorelei Mansfield and Lucy Hicks) I figure I will cover all bases being Mansfield-Hicks.

Disneyland was a blast.   I have been there before but I have a new appreciation for it after this trip.  My favorite thing was Fantasmic.  I had not seen this before and it was amazing.  We kept telling the girls that Disneyland is full of magic and after seeing Fastasmic I believe it is true.  Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__tCm48TS8

The Christmas holiday is the busiest time of the year at Disneyland.  Luckily Tony is very smart.  Not only has he been to Disneyland like 18 times but he has read 2 books on how to do Disneyland.  We rode all the rides and didn’t have wait more than 30 minutes at any given time.  We were there first thing in the morning and Tony was working those Fast Passes like nobody’s business.  Plus in the afternoon when it got really busy we had already been on all the popular rides so we rode on the big pirate ship, paddled around the river in a canoe and went to Tom Sawyer’s island.  We would go back to the hotel room for a nice afternoon nap, get around 6pm, have dinner then return to the park until midnight.  It was a lot of fun and the girls had a really good time.  We spent New Year’s dancing to disco on Disneyland’s Main Street with the Christmas tree lights flashing to the music.  It was something else to bring in the new year like that.

Here are some pics of the wedding and Disneyland:

Tony, Olivia, Lucy, Cozy and I went for a long walk this weekend through Turtle Creek (Lorelei is in Honolulu with Grandma Colleen).  As we were walking along the greenbelt Olivia wanted to stop and play in the creek.  Tony let go of Cozy’s leash so he could explore.  Cozy got frisky and started running in circles around this tree really fast for about 30 seconds.  Then he stopped and vomitted (twice).  Poor Cozy.