Tuesday With Ale: Field Trip To The Firehouse

Even though it was Ale’s day off from pre-school we joined them for today’s field trip. How could we pass up a visit to the local firehouse on 11th street!

The firefighters were happy to welcome the group of twenty – three and four year olds. As a token of our appreciation we first we gave them a bag of homemade cookies. Then we got right to it and asked them our research questions.

Questions:
How does the water get into the hose? How do you learn how to be a firefighter? Do you ever have scared feelings? Do you go down a pole? What is the best thing about being a fireman? How do you know where the emergency is?

After this fascinating Q&A session the kids were allowed to climb into the fire truck!

Suddenly, the alarm sounded calling out the number of the fire truck – engine 220. The firemen looked at each other and politely asked us to go with urgency in their voices. We all ran out of the firehouse to make room for the truck to leave. The firemen then jumped into the truck and sped off. We looked at them go in awe and waved saying “Be safe. Thank you!”. After the truck turned the corner we slowly made our way over to a resturant for pizza amazed at their bravery and generosity.

Vacation is …

Vacation is ….

♡ Sandy toes
♡ Not knowing the time and not caring
♡ Beer with lunch and wine with dinner
♡ Naptime for the whole family
♡ Laughter
♡ Waking up when you want to and going to bed when you want to
♡ Fish and chips
♡ Beach in the morning and beach in the evening even on cloudy days
♡ Ice cream cones after dinner
♡ BBQs
♡ Sand castles
♡ Road trip
♡ Chasing seagulls
♡ Bike rides
♡ Singing silly songs
♡ Sunscreen
♡ Work? What’s that?
♡ Lazy days
♡ Exploring new places
♡ Being together

Nothing To Blog About

In January like many of us I had big plans for my blog. I wanted to blog everyday and participate more on WordPress. My attempt at NaBloPoMo failed miserably. I just could not keep up with blogging, working and mama-ing. For those women- you know who you are- who blog and have a full schedule I give you kudos. I’m not there. And will most likely never reach that. There I said it.

I think another reason I’m not blogging as frequently is that things have been going quite well here. Ale is eating slightly better, sleeping longer and is just blossoming into a super fun toddler. Yes, he does throw himself on the floor every once in a while, yes “mine!” is frequently heard but it’s all fine and normal. In the end I’m not as sleep deprived and happier. Ale is also becoming more independent. He can be left a lone for five to ten minutes. I can actually finish my cup of coffee in the morning. A sigh of relief! This all my be the calm before the storm but I’m just fine with the way things are right now.

Another reason (excuse) is that we have been stuck inside all winter. Do you really want to read about how many Barney and Umizumies episodes Ale has watched? Soon the weather will be warmer and we will be out and about avoiding the iPad at all costs!

Since I’m not blogging as much, I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures. So don’t be a slacker like me, keep it coming! 🌞

Happy Friday everyone!

Relic Of The Past

Yesterday, I ran into the husband of a friend of mine. The friend that I gave my breast pump to close to a year ago. He told me that we have to get together to catch up and let our kids play together. At the end of the conversation he said that he wants to return some the things that I gave his wife when she had the baby including the breast pump. She no longer needs it.

Wow! That brought back many memories and emotions. The lending of the breast pump to his wife sparked me to write the blog post Farewell My Breast Pump! Farewell!. I was also struck by the passing of time. Ale is a full fledged toddler and I have no desire to breastfeed him any longer. That’s for babies. We have new bridges to cross together. So I’ll take back the pump, but what will I do with it? Right now it will serve as a relic of the past.

——— Post Published 4/10/2013———————
Farewell My Breast Pump! Farewell!
Yesterday, I lent my Medela Pump in Style to a friend of mine with a 3 month old baby girl who is returning to work. I lent it with great misgivings. I almost did not give it to her. My husband had to take it down from the cabinet and pack it for me. He reminded me that I was the one who offered it to her. “Yes, Linda you can borrow it! No problem! ” and that I had not breastfeed Ale in the last FIVE months.

So why the misgivings? Watching that pump being wrapped up was like watching my first year with Ale flash in front of me. I swear I felt a letdown of milk! That pump- like it or not- was my symbol that I was a super breastfeeding mama who survived it all to give milk to my bebe for his first year of life.

I pumped to build my supply. Then I was pumping to start a freezer stash. Then I pumped at work in any clean spot I could find. I doubled pumped, I single pumped, I fed Ale and then pumped. I PUMPED!! Coming home from work I proudly placed my 10-15oz of milk in the fridge and I indeed cried when the milk was spilt. Oh, I can hear the pump, pumping away now saying “Make milk, make milk, make milk”!

Giving the pump to my friend, who promised to return it, also symbolizes the fact that Ale is growing so fast. When I stopped breastfeeding and transitioned to cows milk he would still come to the breast for comfort and get the few ounces that I was still making. Now he is coming less and less. He sees that mama no longer has milk then reaches out for his bottle. Its hard. I cried and cried the first night I made the decision to stop due to work restraints. Now I’m mourning the true end of breastfeeding.

So now I’m passing my pump to my friend who no doubt will start to feel attached to the pump and in a years time will begrudgingly give it back to me. She will then sit down and blog about the end of breastfeeding and marvel at how much her baby has grown.

Bullet Journal

Today I’ve been at home on the sofa with a cold. Ale is at daycare so at least I have time to recover.

Even though I’m not feeling well I still feel the need to take on a project. In my quest for the perfect journaling/task management system I came upon the Bullet Journal system. I have been trying to move away from apps on my iPhone and go back to pen and paper. I’m using a Traveler’s Notebook and had four notebooks stuffed within the leather cover. I had a calendar notebook, a todo notebook, daily thoughts notebook, and a notebook for notes. Way too many. So far I have reduced it to two. One for my monthly calendar that is essential for my work schedule and a Bullet Journal that will incorporate the rest. It looks pretty bare bones right now. Later when I have time I’m going to add some washi tape to liven it up. (Yes, I am the biggest nerd ever. Even at my thirty something age!)

Check out the developer, Ryder Carroll, web page and be sure to watch the video.

http://www.bulletjournal.com

Now to take of myself- I’m going to make cream of tomato soup. Yum!

I Am My Own Pressure Cooker

Hands down, I place more pressure on myself than others. I am my worse critic and enemy. I put pressure on myself to be a good wife, mother and RN. Then on top of this I want to do a million things for myself like blog, cook dinner, and go to work all at the same time. To accomplish these tasks I have to do lists, reminders (paper, electronic, and human – my husband – who deserves a medal to put up with me).

This all stems from the fact that I am a future thinker. I eat breakfast and plan for dinner. I have weekly, monthly, yearly goals. All of this is great for retirement planning but it makes it hard for me to let go and enjoy the present moment. I am satisfied for only a moment. Then on to the next task/ project. Thankfully, my little two year old son, Ale, helps me break out of this mindset. He will only be a toddler once. I let myself laugh and be silly – even out in public. You can catch me singing The Wheels On The Bus as we walk down the street together– (“The wipers on the bus, go swish, swish, swish! ALL THROUGH THE TOWWWNNNN!!”). Then I once we get home I plan for his college fund.

It’s great that I’m a planner but it literally puts so much weight on my shoulders.
It truly effects me so. I recently went for a massage to try to ease the tension. The masseuse during the session stopped and told me that my shoulder muscles were so taught that it surprised him. He wanted to know what kind of work I did. Let’s see. I have stressful job, I am a planner, worrier, and mom of a toddler that does not sleep through the night. Yup, that would do it.

To the other future thinker mom’s like me who pressurize themselves, lets all take a quick cleansing breath together.

Ohmmmmm

Picture from : Wikimedia Commons

In response to the Thursday, January 16, 2014 BlogHer NaBloPoMo prompt:
Who puts the most pressure on you — yourself or others?

Perfection is Bogus

What! I’m not perfect? I’m not the perfect mama, wife, mommy blogger, or RN? This is news to me!

Honestly, the idea of perfection is bogus. If I thought I was the perfect anything I would stop learning, perfecting, and evolving in my roles at home and at work. I can strive to be the best in all that I do but I will never truly be perfect. There is always something new to master. I would also imagine that perfection is boring, static. You are at the top so there is no where else to go.

However, as much as I do enjoy Pinterest and the internet in general it does make me think that I’m lacking in my parenting and baking skills. I have to take it in stride. I have to make do with what I can do with my skills and limited time. One can only look at the pretty pictures and dream.

In response to today’s BlogHer’s NaBloPoMo prompt
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Do you feel pressure to be perfect? How much of it is tied to what you see online?

Vote For Me! I Just registered with Top Mommy Blogs!

This is a new year and I hope to grow my little blog. This afternoon I took the plunge and registered my blog- Running After Ale- to Top Mommy Blogs. If you enjoy reading about my adventures with my sweet toddler Ale, vote for me by clicking on the TMB banner above. Each click that directs you to the Top Mommy Blogs website from my blog is a vote for me.

So please vote once, twice, or three times today and come back tomorrow! I’ve given my blog website a facelift. Stop by and have a look around. Also, tell your blogging friends to come over as well and check out the new design. love to have people over. I would cook you dinner and serve drinks if I really could. Cheers!

Pre-School Crunch Time

Its January, so for moms of two year old children across my neighborhood in Brooklyn this means that the pre-school applications are due by the end of the month to snag a seat in September.

AGHHHH!!!!!

I am so frustrated by the entire process and the cost that is attached to it in high application fees (up to $100 to apply for limited spots) that I am only planning to apply to three schools. Some moms on my block may tell me that I have lost my mind. The general consensus is to apply to around ten schools. This is to secure a seat in at least one and get on a wait list for others.

This all sounds like Ale is applying for college. There are even pre-schools with early admissions processes!! Its insane. I fell into the peer pressure from other moms in my daycare to take our children out at three years old and send them off to a preschool by September. Its insane because at the end of the day all of the programs are play based with a bit more structure than Ale is getting now. I am continuously questioning if this is all worth it. I know for sure that I want Ale to attend a pre-K program to get ready for kindergarten but I wonder how important pre-school is for the “academic” growth of a three year old child.

When I attend preschool open houses there are parents that ask a myriad of questions- regarding the school, how they will decipline their little angel, if the food that is served is organic, and how potty training is handled. If you’ve seen one fancy daycare you have seen them all. They all offer, Spanish, yoga, and organic hot dogs. I just want to know how much I have to pay a month and when are the drop off and pick up times. If the cost and the times do not follow our working parent schedules then I walk out the door. Simple as that.

My fear is that since it looks like all of Ale’s friends will be leaving the current daycare in September he will be the big kid surrounded by 18 month olds. Perhaps I should succumb to the peer pressure simply because these are the “norms” here, and Ale has the potential to be left behind socially.

Maybe our new Mayor Bill de Blasio will indeed institute universal pre-k in time for Ale when he is four years old if I just hold out a bit longer. Can I take that chance?

Today’s NaBloPoMo prompt:
Monday, January 6, 2014
Tell us about a time you bent to peer pressure.
BlogHer NaBloPoMo

Related post:
Pre-Schools Don’t Like Working Families

Slippers Vs. Stilettos: The Working Mom/Stay-At-Home-Mom Feud

This afternoon I stopped by Jeannine’s blog, Highchairs & Headaches and read her post below on the working mom versus the stay at home mom debate. As a working mom I too often get caught up thinking that the grass is greener. However we all know that is not always true. So mamas everywhere let’s just remember we are all ultimately on the same bumpy road of motherhood/parenting! Thanks for posting this Jeannine!

Highchairs & Headaches

There’s a war going on out there, ladies, and it ain’t a pretty one.  Moms– awesome women who should always be united on the sippy cup front, who should stand together as one in all of the trials and tribulations of motherhood —are currently battling it out in a bitter feud so controversial that I almost didn’t want to weigh in.  Almost.

The working mom verses the stay-at-home-mom thing.  You know all about it, girls.  It’s a major source of tension between mamas these days.  From sisters to best friends, to strangers, to people who are closer on Facebook than they’ll ever be in real life, we are ALL guilty of it.  Whichever end of the rope you find yourself on, you can just go ahead and admit to having the occasional feelings of jealousy, animosity, resentment, and even actual anger for the other side at some point or…

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