First of all, THANK YOU for all the suggestions on questions. I felt so professional and relaxed and prepared, and the interviewers really seemed to appreciate my thoughtful questions. Dialogue was good, and the open ended questions eventually let me hear some truth I might not otherwise have heard.
I met with two interviewers, separately, each for almost an hour. The first was a corporate associate who had a background in biglaw (but more on the legal recruiting side). The second was the litigation partner for whom I would work primarily.
Pros. Sophisticated work. Clients on the level that one wouldn't necessarily expect in a firm that size. Legal geek in me kind of sqee-ed as we talked -- learning curve would be steep and awesome. Both interviewers were women and both said the primary reason they love working there is that they love interacting with their supersmart co-workers. They described a really great environment, one I think I would fit into nicely. Low turn-over. Like none, really. Last hire was over 5 years ago, still there. Even the secretaries and paralegals are lifers. I was very interested in the representative matters that were discussed, and held my own on the substantive stuff.
Cons. The new hire will be the only associate in a busy litigation department. They're hiring because their only litigation associate is now a junior partner in the department. The corporate associate observed that they probably really need to hire two or three people for the work that they do, which would allow people to specialize a bit, but they will only hire one. (Ummm... warning sign.) Then I meet the partner. She throws words like "indispensable" around, describing the associate. Nights and weekends seem
to be the norm, not the exception. Without knowing (but probably guessing) that I had kid(s), she said that I really needed to think about whether I could commit to that. She mentioned that her husband of 30+ years complains about her hours regularly.
(Oh and she called one of my references in advance simply because she knew him well -- it didn't portend any more than that. She did say he was very positive, however. I was one of the first interviewees -- they have a number of candidates they're considering. I might not hear for a while.)
$pecifics. Salary was not discussed. Billable requirement was mentioned in passing, no number attached, and the associate noted "they're human" about it (i.e. no one lost their job over it during the downturn.) Bonuses were also mentioned, but not detailed.
As for the "big" questions. I was not evasive at all about my background, kids, etc. I just didn't come up. Really. My marriage came up as an explanation as to why I lived in Texas for four years, but there was no follow up that opened the door to my mentioning the kids. Every other firm interview I ever had, someone managed to ask the "big" questions without really asking. Not so, there.
I left the interview thinking this would be so awesome in so many ways for me ... and also thinking there was probably no way I could accept if I were offered the position.
I'm glad I did it anyway. I have this fantasy they offer me the position, and I counteroffer, requesting a part time position with no benefits (and of course, that they give the full time position to someone else). They sure as hell seem like they have the work to support such a position. If I get the opportunity (and the balls) to do it, you'll be the first to know.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Interview: Questions
Remember this? My hand-wringing as to whether I should apply for a firm job? Interview. Monday. Ahhh!
Not gonna lie. I'm experiencing somecrushing minor league self- doubt. Would I be good enough, really, to work there? Also, three months of maternity leave has sort of softened my brain a little, I think. I promised myself I would at least read the new opinions of our state supreme court as they came out each week. I haven't even done that. But this is a manageable concern.
Truthfully, most of my anxiety concerns whether I want to work there, whether it would be a good fit, etc., and how to find that out. They're definitely interviewing multiple candidates, and I expect that this is probably the first of at least two rounds of interviews.
No idea which attorneys I'll be meeting, though there are only about 20 in the firm. The paralegal doing the scheduling didn't say, and I failed to ask. (Flummoxed by the unexpected call, out of practice, and terrified a baby would start crying while I was talking.) I've read the attorney bios (and will again & again). No one in my local network of former classmates etc. has had much experience with them. My two recommenders had nice things to say about the firm in general (respected, etc.) but didn't have much in the way of insight into the place. Also, both of my recommenders were men in their 70s, so there is that.
My main source of anxiety is what do I ask when they inevitably turn the tables and ask me whether I have any questions. I have ... so many. But its the first round of interviews. Its the initial "get to know you but not really because we're all putting on our best faces" meeting.
I know I will ask which partner(s) I'd be working with. The position is the position is advertised as a mix of two related transaction-heavy practice areas, plus litigation. I'd try to get a break down of what the expected mix between litigation and transactional stuff would be. What's a typical day for an associate? When the hell are you gonna update the firm website because its not 2004 anymore? (Kidding... mostly... says the girl still using blogger).
Taking suggestions for how / when / whether to raise the more difficult questions. What would you ask?
Not gonna lie. I'm experiencing some
Truthfully, most of my anxiety concerns whether I want to work there, whether it would be a good fit, etc., and how to find that out. They're definitely interviewing multiple candidates, and I expect that this is probably the first of at least two rounds of interviews.
No idea which attorneys I'll be meeting, though there are only about 20 in the firm. The paralegal doing the scheduling didn't say, and I failed to ask. (Flummoxed by the unexpected call, out of practice, and terrified a baby would start crying while I was talking.) I've read the attorney bios (and will again & again). No one in my local network of former classmates etc. has had much experience with them. My two recommenders had nice things to say about the firm in general (respected, etc.) but didn't have much in the way of insight into the place. Also, both of my recommenders were men in their 70s, so there is that.
My main source of anxiety is what do I ask when they inevitably turn the tables and ask me whether I have any questions. I have ... so many. But its the first round of interviews. Its the initial "get to know you but not really because we're all putting on our best faces" meeting.
I know I will ask which partner(s) I'd be working with. The position is the position is advertised as a mix of two related transaction-heavy practice areas, plus litigation. I'd try to get a break down of what the expected mix between litigation and transactional stuff would be. What's a typical day for an associate? When the hell are you gonna update the firm website because its not 2004 anymore? (Kidding... mostly... says the girl still using blogger).
Taking suggestions for how / when / whether to raise the more difficult questions. What would you ask?
Sunday, July 22, 2012
MILP #262: Themeless
The Weekly MILP (Moms In the Legal Profession) Roundup is hosted on a rotating basis among several blogs. You can always check in here and I'll direct you. Next week is Ptlawmom. We aim for Sunday posts.
Starting the Roundup with news from around the MILPiverse:
Books! Attorney At Large has published a Kindle book of some of her best blog posts and new material as a guide to practicing law. Its terrific to have her practice series tips, such as dealing attorneys you will meet, all gathered in one place. Its probably most useful to newer attorneys, but its filled with humorous observations suitable for any lawyer, and insights that would serve as reminders to seasoned litigators. Follow the Kindle link to check it out.
New MILPs in waiting! (What else to call pregnant women in the legal profession?)
Those of you on Twitter can send positive energy to @blur_. She and I took the bar exam at the same time, so I've been following her since at least that far back. She's an attorney in Biglaw, pregnant and on bedrest. AAL and I were kicking around the idea of an occasional twitter roundup, but until that comes about, if you're on twitter, follow @blur_ cuz she's awesome like that.
DaisyJD has announced that she is expecting. I like this quote: "I’ve always blogged about my life, but I also blog a lot about my childhood, law school, food, and non-family related things. I have a feeling that there will be plenty of family stories and baby pictures, but I like to think I’m a pretty multidimensional person and that my blog will reflect that."
New to my Roundup: Grace and Pressure, attorney and mom to a daughter born January 2012 who underwent brain surgery this week. We wish Lis a speedy recovery.
And now for the Roundup. (Angelfish has croup so I am eschewing creativity in the interest of getting this done. I'll beat you yet, CM! *grin*)
Hope I didn't miss anyone in my haste. Also, I posted a picture of Lionfish. Get it while you can.
__________________
The regular hostesses of the MILP Roundup, currently, are: Butterflyfish, Ptlawmom, Attorney Work Product, Attorney at Large, Kate (Today & Tomorrow), Magic Cookie (CM), and Reluctant Grownup. We're awesome.
Starting the Roundup with news from around the MILPiverse:
Books! Attorney At Large has published a Kindle book of some of her best blog posts and new material as a guide to practicing law. Its terrific to have her practice series tips, such as dealing attorneys you will meet, all gathered in one place. Its probably most useful to newer attorneys, but its filled with humorous observations suitable for any lawyer, and insights that would serve as reminders to seasoned litigators. Follow the Kindle link to check it out.
New MILPs in waiting! (What else to call pregnant women in the legal profession?)
Those of you on Twitter can send positive energy to @blur_. She and I took the bar exam at the same time, so I've been following her since at least that far back. She's an attorney in Biglaw, pregnant and on bedrest. AAL and I were kicking around the idea of an occasional twitter roundup, but until that comes about, if you're on twitter, follow @blur_ cuz she's awesome like that.
DaisyJD has announced that she is expecting. I like this quote: "I’ve always blogged about my life, but I also blog a lot about my childhood, law school, food, and non-family related things. I have a feeling that there will be plenty of family stories and baby pictures, but I like to think I’m a pretty multidimensional person and that my blog will reflect that."
New to my Roundup: Grace and Pressure, attorney and mom to a daughter born January 2012 who underwent brain surgery this week. We wish Lis a speedy recovery.
And now for the Roundup. (Angelfish has croup so I am eschewing creativity in the interest of getting this done. I'll beat you yet, CM! *grin*)
- Jenny checks in for the first time in a while, and has checked out of her job.
- RG heads out to the bar exam.
- - R - knows how to throw a party.
- Izzie has interviews
- Shan has rollercoasters. Literally.
- Mommy Madness has hiking.
- Lag Liv sounds off on the working mommy wars.
- Alice dips her toe in that water as well.
- Associate Girl has some advice for her personal shopper and on manners (just ew).
- LC hems pants on the fly (see what I did there? no? *sigh*)
- Dinei has unreasonable judges.
- But I do have a law degree is pale like me!
- Cee had a date night.
- AAL had a helluva week that culminated in her having to cook the pantry.
- Bright Future, another MILP in waiting, checks in at 34 weeks.
Hope I didn't miss anyone in my haste. Also, I posted a picture of Lionfish. Get it while you can.
__________________
The regular hostesses of the MILP Roundup, currently, are: Butterflyfish, Ptlawmom, Attorney Work Product, Attorney at Large, Kate (Today & Tomorrow), Magic Cookie (CM), and Reluctant Grownup. We're awesome.
Three months
Lionfish is three months old.
It seems completely impossible that this is true. The last few months have simultaneously both flown by and been some of the longest in my life, and she was there, for all of it. She spent so much time in her "bucket," visiting my dad and my mother in law in the hospital and driving to and fro. Pretty much the rest of the time she has spent in my arms or in a baby carrier. She is only just learning to sleep while not being held or rocked or driven somewhere. Its very hit or miss at this point. Right now, hit. So I'm taking a moment to chronicle.
She has taken maybe three bottles of breastmilk successfully, and as of this writing, exactly zero bottles of formula. Bullshark is finally able to take the lead on this, so hopefully we'll have some success soon.
She smiles. All. The. Time. She is the smile-iest baby I've ever encountered.
My dad is completely and utterly smitten, which has been great therapy for him. She actually made "I'm mad" noises at him when he dared look away from her to watch golf -- it was like, "hey, pay attention to me!"
She tolerates beautifully the rough affection that her toddler sister shows her.
And ... she's awake.
It seems completely impossible that this is true. The last few months have simultaneously both flown by and been some of the longest in my life, and she was there, for all of it. She spent so much time in her "bucket," visiting my dad and my mother in law in the hospital and driving to and fro. Pretty much the rest of the time she has spent in my arms or in a baby carrier. She is only just learning to sleep while not being held or rocked or driven somewhere. Its very hit or miss at this point. Right now, hit. So I'm taking a moment to chronicle.
She has taken maybe three bottles of breastmilk successfully, and as of this writing, exactly zero bottles of formula. Bullshark is finally able to take the lead on this, so hopefully we'll have some success soon.
She smiles. All. The. Time. She is the smile-iest baby I've ever encountered.
My dad is completely and utterly smitten, which has been great therapy for him. She actually made "I'm mad" noises at him when he dared look away from her to watch golf -- it was like, "hey, pay attention to me!"
She tolerates beautifully the rough affection that her toddler sister shows her.
And ... she's awake.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Whoever invented the phrase "no day at the beach" to contrast x with "relaxing fun times" should be shot on sight
I survived the 10 days solo, including two nights visiting my parents, which is harrowing enough in the best of times. But include the solo drive with the kiddos and trying to pack out four people, including play yard and stroller and baby monitor type things, and it was pretty fucking epic that I made it happen. No assist on the sleep situation there -- in fact, I stayed up far too late visiting with my dad, but I did manage two (TWO!) uninterrupted showers.
So, for an encore, I decided to meet a friend (this one) with her three kids (aged 8, 6, and 2) at a beach (on a lake) on Monday. You know, because that is what sane people do. Toddler. Infant. BEACH. 90 degrees and 300% humidity. What could possibly go wrong? *twitch*
Really, I did it for Clownfish. He needed a playdate with a friend his age, and his summer hasn't been all that awesome so far. So I geared up, lunched up, sunblocked up, dug out my baby sun block tent (purchased with a gift card for Clownfish as a baby, and used exactly twice since) and took the kids to the beach.
So, when Lionfish decided to act contrary to character and stage an epic melt down just as Angelfish decided no, she wasn't afraid of the water anymore ... so no, she wasn't content to just get her feet wet or sit in four inches of water with mommy... in fact, she wanted to run in to the lake up to her neck and see what happens next and why can't I just stick my face under water all the time, mommy? -- I decided it was time to leave, even though we'd been there less than an hour. Clownfish was about to be bitterly disappointed. Again. I felt like I'd been doing that to him all summer so far and it sucked.
Then, it occurred to me that Bullshark was on the way home and would pass by the exit to this very lake. Cell phones were invented for moments like this. I left Clownfish under the watchful eyes of both the lifeguard and my friend, and took the girls to the shade. An hour later, Bullshark was swimming with Clownfish and letting Angelfish experience the lake to her heart's content, while I stayed in the shade with the baby. Beach day salvaged.
Today, Bullshark had scheduled a minor elective surgery. He is basically bedridden tomorrow, and can't lift anything heavy (read 28.5 pound toddler) for at least the rest of the week. So whatever dreams I had of him maybe giving me some time to pump so he could take a couple of overnights with the baby so I could finally have some uninterrupted sleep and maybe not feel so awful inside continue to be unfulfilled dreams. (Blah blah I'm being selfish when he's uncomfortable post-surgery right now ... its my blog. Its allowed.)
So, for an encore, I decided to meet a friend (this one) with her three kids (aged 8, 6, and 2) at a beach (on a lake) on Monday. You know, because that is what sane people do. Toddler. Infant. BEACH. 90 degrees and 300% humidity. What could possibly go wrong? *twitch*
Really, I did it for Clownfish. He needed a playdate with a friend his age, and his summer hasn't been all that awesome so far. So I geared up, lunched up, sunblocked up, dug out my baby sun block tent (purchased with a gift card for Clownfish as a baby, and used exactly twice since) and took the kids to the beach.
So, when Lionfish decided to act contrary to character and stage an epic melt down just as Angelfish decided no, she wasn't afraid of the water anymore ... so no, she wasn't content to just get her feet wet or sit in four inches of water with mommy... in fact, she wanted to run in to the lake up to her neck and see what happens next and why can't I just stick my face under water all the time, mommy? -- I decided it was time to leave, even though we'd been there less than an hour. Clownfish was about to be bitterly disappointed. Again. I felt like I'd been doing that to him all summer so far and it sucked.
Then, it occurred to me that Bullshark was on the way home and would pass by the exit to this very lake. Cell phones were invented for moments like this. I left Clownfish under the watchful eyes of both the lifeguard and my friend, and took the girls to the shade. An hour later, Bullshark was swimming with Clownfish and letting Angelfish experience the lake to her heart's content, while I stayed in the shade with the baby. Beach day salvaged.
Today, Bullshark had scheduled a minor elective surgery. He is basically bedridden tomorrow, and can't lift anything heavy (read 28.5 pound toddler) for at least the rest of the week. So whatever dreams I had of him maybe giving me some time to pump so he could take a couple of overnights with the baby so I could finally have some uninterrupted sleep and maybe not feel so awful inside continue to be unfulfilled dreams. (Blah blah I'm being selfish when he's uncomfortable post-surgery right now ... its my blog. Its allowed.)
Monday, July 16, 2012
MILP #261
Attorney At Large had it. Here next.
Let's see, shall I write the roundup in iambic pentameter?
(Answer: Probably Not!! But maybe?)
Let's see, shall I write the roundup in iambic pentameter?
(Answer: Probably Not!! But maybe?)
Thursday, July 12, 2012
What You're Missing: Bits and pieces of me
These have been lifted from my twitter account and amount to an enhanced version of the occasional blog feature "what you're missing." Wait. It has seriously been over a year since I did a Twitter recap? Whoa.
Exercise in futility: From March 14. Don't know why I check my law school ranking each year... I just keep hoping it claws its way out of the basement. Instead, its digging.
Sign of the times: From May 23. My mortgage loan servicer sent us a preemptive letter saying 'hey we're filing chap. 11 -- that doesn't mean you can stop paying!'
Its getting old. From June 3: Most common response to "my daughters are 15 months apart" heard at playground yesterday: Was that planned? Second: Bless your soul!
Where's the sugar?. From June 8. First genuine LOL in a week, as seen on facebook: TO DO. Wear shirt that says "Life." Stand on street corner and hand out lemons.
And yesterday, I tweeted my mini-breakdown:
Today I am not sure I am feeling much better, but I'm definitely not sitting on the floor crying. It could just be I don't have the luxury to do that. It scares the kids. Well, it would scare Clownfish anyway. It would keep me from doing the things I need to do to get us all through the day. So, I'm back to one foot in front of the other, for now, and trying to minimize my expectations of myself for the time being ... maybe it will keep the overwhelm at bay.
Exercise in futility: From March 14. Don't know why I check my law school ranking each year... I just keep hoping it claws its way out of the basement. Instead, its digging.
Sign of the times: From May 23. My mortgage loan servicer sent us a preemptive letter saying 'hey we're filing chap. 11 -- that doesn't mean you can stop paying!'
Its getting old. From June 3: Most common response to "my daughters are 15 months apart" heard at playground yesterday: Was that planned? Second: Bless your soul!
Where's the sugar?. From June 8. First genuine LOL in a week, as seen on facebook: TO DO. Wear shirt that says "Life." Stand on street corner and hand out lemons.
And yesterday, I tweeted my mini-breakdown:
- sitting on the floor of kitchen, crying, completely overwhelmed. Yep, signs I need more sleep. Or maybe to consider returning to meds.
- Ok, have pulled myself together (for the moment). Toddler cuteness ... better than zoloft? I don't know. Did the trick today though.
- (in reply to someone) Its really not the kids (well, maybe the baby accounts for lack of sleep). Overwhelmed by lots of things. Thanks though :-)
Today I am not sure I am feeling much better, but I'm definitely not sitting on the floor crying. It could just be I don't have the luxury to do that. It scares the kids. Well, it would scare Clownfish anyway. It would keep me from doing the things I need to do to get us all through the day. So, I'm back to one foot in front of the other, for now, and trying to minimize my expectations of myself for the time being ... maybe it will keep the overwhelm at bay.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
What a girl wants
The rest of my Professional's Lament, as reconstructed and amended. I was feeling a little hopeless during part of the drafting. I feel a little less so now. So, take that for what its worth.
Once upon a time, back in 2008, I participated in a meme. Nicolle asked me what what my dream job was. legal or otherwise. Funnily enough, my answer hasn't changed much. Four years later, I found a job "where I can be a mommy as many hours a week as possible, but still do fulfilling work," but it doesn't pay the bills and its a temporary gig.
What I want is to practice my trade, without all the bullshit that comes with it. Yes, I know that all jobs have bullshit. So, maybe I want to practice my trade with tolerable levels of bullshit and get paid a salary that at least compensates me for the bullshit.
I want some flexibility. I want to be there for my family in the evening. I'd like working late or on the weekend to be an exception, not a rule. I don't want clients who expect that I'll see the sun come up while I am finishing documents I started the night before. Yes, I want to be a lawyer. For about 40 hours a week. I know that the trade off for that schedule is salary and prestige and power and all that, and I accept that. I welcome that.
But hell, I want to be able to earn enough money to pay my daycare bill and have some more to take home at the end of the week. Because, otherwise, what's the point? I love staying at home enough to do it for a while for my girls. I think. But we've (sort of) run the numbers and we really (probably) can't do it beyond my planned leave. (And we really couldn't do this unpaid leave without our 2011 tax refund and some help.)
I'm really reluctant to sit down and do the hard thinking about this. Its my "to do" for July.
I feel at a loss at the moment. I feel like I've screwed up my life somehow, like I did everything all in the wrong order, and I don't know how to fix it. (Ok, that's maybe overstating it.) I don't feel like law school was a mistake. I loved law school and I love being a lawyer. I certainly don't feel like my kids were a mistake, and since timing them any differently would have made them different people, I have no regrets on that score either. Yet I do feel like I've screwed up somehow.
I applied for that firm job. I haven't heard anything yet (I will keep you posted, but at this point, I doubt I'll even get a f**k you letter). Apparently, other firms in the area are also hiring. But I haven't been able to get past my deep ambivalence toward law firm life and apply.
I applied for another job on Sunday. Not a firm job, and not a dream job, but one that has the potential to be a good fit, I think, and with a reasonable commute. I don't expect to hear anything for a few weeks. If I do, you'll know.
Once upon a time, back in 2008, I participated in a meme. Nicolle asked me what what my dream job was. legal or otherwise. Funnily enough, my answer hasn't changed much. Four years later, I found a job "where I can be a mommy as many hours a week as possible, but still do fulfilling work," but it doesn't pay the bills and its a temporary gig.
What I want is to practice my trade, without all the bullshit that comes with it. Yes, I know that all jobs have bullshit. So, maybe I want to practice my trade with tolerable levels of bullshit and get paid a salary that at least compensates me for the bullshit.
I want some flexibility. I want to be there for my family in the evening. I'd like working late or on the weekend to be an exception, not a rule. I don't want clients who expect that I'll see the sun come up while I am finishing documents I started the night before. Yes, I want to be a lawyer. For about 40 hours a week. I know that the trade off for that schedule is salary and prestige and power and all that, and I accept that. I welcome that.
But hell, I want to be able to earn enough money to pay my daycare bill and have some more to take home at the end of the week. Because, otherwise, what's the point? I love staying at home enough to do it for a while for my girls. I think. But we've (sort of) run the numbers and we really (probably) can't do it beyond my planned leave. (And we really couldn't do this unpaid leave without our 2011 tax refund and some help.)
I'm really reluctant to sit down and do the hard thinking about this. Its my "to do" for July.
I feel at a loss at the moment. I feel like I've screwed up my life somehow, like I did everything all in the wrong order, and I don't know how to fix it. (Ok, that's maybe overstating it.) I don't feel like law school was a mistake. I loved law school and I love being a lawyer. I certainly don't feel like my kids were a mistake, and since timing them any differently would have made them different people, I have no regrets on that score either. Yet I do feel like I've screwed up somehow.
I applied for that firm job. I haven't heard anything yet (I will keep you posted, but at this point, I doubt I'll even get a f**k you letter). Apparently, other firms in the area are also hiring. But I haven't been able to get past my deep ambivalence toward law firm life and apply.
I applied for another job on Sunday. Not a firm job, and not a dream job, but one that has the potential to be a good fit, I think, and with a reasonable commute. I don't expect to hear anything for a few weeks. If I do, you'll know.
MILP #260
*clap clap clap*
Magic Cookie gets creative with her Roundup.
I am really gonna have to step up my game.
Magic Cookie gets creative with her Roundup.
I am really gonna have to step up my game.
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Solo you can't hear
(That's how Clownfish says I should sing. Kid needs his own rimshot.)
Bullshark is away doing Reserve stuff til next week. So, here I am. First time solo parenting three children in the summer time. The week stretches out before me and I'm not a little bit concerned. I am a LOT concerned.
So far, four hours into my journey, I've violated our family's commitment to reducing our carb intake by making pasta for dinner. With jarred sauce. (To my credit I did throw in a little fresh basil.) Angelfish got sauce in her eye and bawled soo hard and ended up passing out early. (This will result in early wakeup, but I'll cross that river when I ocme to it.) Lionfish had a mysterious baby gas attack that kept her bawling, with fits of shrieking, for a solid two hours, during which time I accomplished Clownfish's bedtime routine in 30 seconds flat (sorry buddy).
Lionfish has settled down for the moment. I managed to get the dishes (mostly) done and got the garbage to the curb for tomorrow's pick up. I want a wine reward, but we have none. I am planning to rectify this tomorrow.
We have no air conditioning and we're on our third "if I had balls I'd have sweated them off by now" super sticky hot day in a row. The playground with shade trees that's near us is undergoing renovations, so we have to go to the less nice playground across town, and we have to go by like 7 in the morning or else I melt. I expect to walk around Target a lot.
To do this week, other than survive with the kids: Look into refinancing our mortgage, visit my dad, get Lionfish to accept drinking out of a bottle occasionally, hit the warehouse store for diapers, and look into applying for a reality show to renovate my kitchen.
Right now, I'll be happy if I manage to remember to purchase the wine.
Bullshark is away doing Reserve stuff til next week. So, here I am. First time solo parenting three children in the summer time. The week stretches out before me and I'm not a little bit concerned. I am a LOT concerned.
So far, four hours into my journey, I've violated our family's commitment to reducing our carb intake by making pasta for dinner. With jarred sauce. (To my credit I did throw in a little fresh basil.) Angelfish got sauce in her eye and bawled soo hard and ended up passing out early. (This will result in early wakeup, but I'll cross that river when I ocme to it.) Lionfish had a mysterious baby gas attack that kept her bawling, with fits of shrieking, for a solid two hours, during which time I accomplished Clownfish's bedtime routine in 30 seconds flat (sorry buddy).
Lionfish has settled down for the moment. I managed to get the dishes (mostly) done and got the garbage to the curb for tomorrow's pick up. I want a wine reward, but we have none. I am planning to rectify this tomorrow.
We have no air conditioning and we're on our third "if I had balls I'd have sweated them off by now" super sticky hot day in a row. The playground with shade trees that's near us is undergoing renovations, so we have to go to the less nice playground across town, and we have to go by like 7 in the morning or else I melt. I expect to walk around Target a lot.
To do this week, other than survive with the kids: Look into refinancing our mortgage, visit my dad, get Lionfish to accept drinking out of a bottle occasionally, hit the warehouse store for diapers, and look into applying for a reality show to renovate my kitchen.
Right now, I'll be happy if I manage to remember to purchase the wine.
Friday, July 06, 2012
Meta Kid Stuff
I started this blog when Clownfish was about 18 months old. I didn't chronicle him as a baby, but I love love love that this blog has served as an on-line record of some of his development. I actually did a "blog to print" of Clownfish posts last year. Awesome.
Then I had Angelfish and thought, aha! now I can write about a baby too! It won't be too much because Clownfish posts have been fewer and further between, and largely consist of him saying something funny. So people won't mind the occasional baby milestone thing.
And then I had Lionfish. And now its like... if I chronicle the kids the way I want to, I won't post about anything else, ever. So lately I've blogged less about the girls than maybe I would have otherwise. Maternity leave is intensifying the issue somewhat, but I definitely feel like I've refrained from writing some baby posts. (Looking at the recent archives, one might find this difficult to believe. But its true.)
If I saw this on someone else's blog, I'd comment and say "screw it, its your blog, write what you want to!"
To that, I say... meh.
Also, I've been thinking of relaxing my policy of not posting kid pics. My blog to print book of Clownfish would have been 100 times more awesome with pictures. Many of my bloggy friends post kid pics, and it does not appear as if the world has ended. Thoughts?
Then I had Angelfish and thought, aha! now I can write about a baby too! It won't be too much because Clownfish posts have been fewer and further between, and largely consist of him saying something funny. So people won't mind the occasional baby milestone thing.
And then I had Lionfish. And now its like... if I chronicle the kids the way I want to, I won't post about anything else, ever. So lately I've blogged less about the girls than maybe I would have otherwise. Maternity leave is intensifying the issue somewhat, but I definitely feel like I've refrained from writing some baby posts. (Looking at the recent archives, one might find this difficult to believe. But its true.)
If I saw this on someone else's blog, I'd comment and say "screw it, its your blog, write what you want to!"
To that, I say... meh.
Also, I've been thinking of relaxing my policy of not posting kid pics. My blog to print book of Clownfish would have been 100 times more awesome with pictures. Many of my bloggy friends post kid pics, and it does not appear as if the world has ended. Thoughts?
Monday, July 02, 2012
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