Martini Momma

Jinxed

I jinxed myself by reading Kath's latest posts.  No sleep here, either.  I spent Monday night listening to my little Bella coughing her brains out all night long.  She slept, I didn't.  I snuggled in last night after a couple glasses of wine at a friend's first annual bake exchange and was rudely awakened at 3 this morning by a 3 year old.  There were no advent calendars calling, no crappy chocolates, just a lot of whining, me and her.  This was the first interruption of my sleep in a succession that lasted right through until the alarm went off at 630.  No sleep since 3 this morning.  I'm very happy about it. 

 I laughed so hard as I talked to Nic last night and found myself on the couch, holding Sadie through a fit of coughing, shoulder holding phone in place and a handful of barf cupped in my hand.  I laughed because it didn't fluster me, didn't even really pause our conversation just a little hiccup in an otherwise nice chat.  Oh, how motherhood changes us!  Sleep department, too.  Before kids, I would have called in sick and stayed home snug in my bed but now, here I am in full throttle at work.  Not happily, but chugging along.

Kath, my kids usually open those wax like chocolates in advents every year, this year we got them (or rather Judy bought them) the Lego and Playmobil advent calendars.  Each day they open a little animal or character that they put together and by the end it makes a nice little winter scene.  You can pick them up at the Explore store or even, Target.

Ladies of our first annual bake exchange.  So fun. So festive.  So Delicious.  The fudgy cookies with peppermint bark are to DIE for.  You know what a sucker I am for chocolate mint combos.  Thank you for such a nice visit with old friends and new.  I'm in for next year!

Looking forward to Parnell's party, should be croup and ear infections all around by then.  My only decision is whether to bring mushroom caps or a new  dark chocolate bark with pumpkin seeds, pistachios and dried cherries.  What's your vote, Parnell?

It just can't be that easy.....

Single parenting is never the easiest feat.  Huge kudos goeas out there to all of you that do it daily and with such grace and compose.  All I see right now is RED!  Sunday night and yesterday went off seamlessly and I thought this was no problem.  The kids played together, didn't whine, and used manners with me:) I was rocking it even into bed last time with both kids asleep by 8pm and me settled in to watch holiday Oprah.

Here is where it falls apart - my son awoke for the day at 4:15am - and no amount of arguing, ignoring or him tryig to sleep would get him to close his eyes.  I promptly gave in and he moved alone to the living room to watch tv (thankfully, he can now read AND use a PVR) becuase I didn't budge from bed.

At 6am, he started pestering me for my order for breakfast in bed (which means toast with PB as that is currently his ownly specialty) which might be cute but my rage had not allowed me to return to slumber and I was cranky.

At 6:15am his requests had awoken his light sounding sister.  The are hapy than life and so excited to open the avent calendars and I am hanging on by a thread.  I am thinking of locking the door to his room from the outside- any comments?

Help...how do you get up a bit early for yourself with that???

Slow down - Is that even possible?

Slow down :)  The weekend was slow-ER but inside I feel worked up into a crazy state.  I have tonnes on the go and I would have it any other way....my coaching business is taking off and I LOVE IT!  There are lots of super cool people and talks coming my way. 

Inside, I am all wound up like a tazmanian devil.  There is coaching, parenting, dog walking, P90X, Kindergarten volunteering, holiday get togethers to plan - can I drink this early?  I love the aspect of being able to have a flexible job but it also a bit of a curse.  You do not go to an office where you are unavailable to one side of yourself.....you just juggling them all to the best of your abililty and RIGHT NOW, my inner gremlins are telling me "You suck at juggling and were crazy to think you could do it all - get real"

I know there are some readers who own their own businesses, work from home, and are doing both really well - I need TIPS or BOOZE (no more baking:)) to help me get few the next few weeks of busy, busy, busy...while still staying sane and not telling off any members of my family!  HELP!

PS. I also need childcare  - preferably a nice nursing student, education student or someone who can come here around their school schedule and watch my wonderful, super cool but busy kids.....ANYONE know of ANYONE???

No Pressure....Really?

pres·sure  (prshr) n.  A compelling or constraining influence, such as a moral force, on the mind or will: pressure to conform; peer-group pressure. Urgent claim or demand: under the pressure of business; doesn't work well under pressure. An oppressive condition of physical, mental, social, or economic distress.

Monday morning pressure.  Pressure to have a really great blog after a great few days with my sister.  Pressure to spend every minute of everyday with my sister, neice, and nephew.  Pressure to wow them.  Pressure to convince my BIL to move home (well, that might have come in the bawling into the phone) Pressure not to pressure.  Pressure to eat well. Pressure to excerise. 

 

I had this great post but the last half is missing this morning.  Pressure to fix it. I am wondering where do you put pressure on yourself?  How do you take it away?  I have realized I have a rule book for myself and some of the rules are nothing more than habits - not so much good for me and this life anymore.  I am writing out my rule book for my own coach so that I can start to break some of them. 

 

What rules do you have and what ones do you want to bust up?

 

I have a few spaces left in How to Put Yourself First and Engineer Your Best Life.   Book YOUR space NOW before it is too late!   Please note the new time!

Off with his head, someone's head, anyone's head!

Oh great, how do I get the task of posting just after the Great and Powerful Oz has hacked into Martini Mommas!  I am eating Dorito's with a spoon and washing it down with a glass of wino, in my undies.  And even though I have on a Pumpkin Latte Masque from Eminence that smells good enough to eat (THANKS TRAC!), I am cranky!

I need to kick my own ass right into line but somehow I keep missing the target.  Last night this was how my sleep shook out...

11:30 p.m. - I put down The Book of Negroes, turned off the light and hit the hay.

12:15 a.m. - My husband waltzes in from his Fantasy Football Draft

1:00 a.m. - G falls out of bed despite having a bed rail

1:30 a.m. - Hud wakes up, he has peed in his bed.  I change him and snuggle him right into bed with G

2:00 a.m. - G falls out of bed, again

2:30 a.m. - H pees in G's bed.  I change him, cover his spot with a towel and bring him into my our bed

3:30 a.m. - H pees in our bed.

Chad - welcome to the world of Martini Mommas.  Teachers - good luck as your school year begins.  Brent - take heed, if this momma don't get caught up on her...

1.  laundry

2.  work load

3.  most importantly,sleep - there might be blood shed.