Supermommy

One day at the grocery store I was just trying to get in and out of the store without a child melt down, and to do so, I move fairly quickly through the store.  Time is the enemy in the store, then begging begins and whining and then soon Jasmine has to go potty, etc. The rest of the trip was a blur and I don't even know the details, but I do remember that as I am checking out of the grocery store my checker has no one to help bag my groceries.  So, I begin packing them myself, and when I am almost done a young guy arrived and offered to help me. I said, as I am bagging the last bag or so, that its alright. He then said to me, "Ok, I see the big "S" on your chest", as he laughed and backed away!  I took a step back and looked at the young guy, and then at my full grocery cart, and my kids ready to go home, and was a little offended but, I needed to get home.  Later it occurred to me that I am not a Supermommy, though I had been trying hard to be one.

What is a 'Supermommy'? Well to me, its the kind of mom who can balance everything.  When my first daughter was born, I had the hardest most sleep deprived 4 months of my life. Jasmine cried so much, I even began to call her the "difficult" baby.  After that things started getting easier and by her first birthday I thought I could do it all and be Supermommy. Although I didn't go back to work, being ready for all that could happen with my new little girl was my job.  I was prepared for everything with my diaper bag full of back-up plans and Just-In-Case's, all created based on my previous experiences with Jasmine.  When my second girl was born everything was thrown into a whirlwind again. My second daughter was a much happier baby though, and became my "easy" baby, after a few months of sleepless nights.  While I was pregnant with both children, I was very forgetful, and for some reason with my second child the forgetfulness has at times, stuck with me. I still try to be prepared and have my Supermommy diaper bag. It is a backpack diaper bag that my wonderfully thoughtful husband bought me for my birthday when he noticed me spending months trying to find the 'perfect' one.  I am still thrown by what I forget some days! I have been on overnight trips and discovered I packed no baby wipes, or so low on diaper cream I had to buy more right away.  No big deal, we travel in the US so drugstores are everywhere, but it makes me feel bad when I forget things.

If being a stay at home mommy is my job, I am not always at my best. My boss, would have pulled me into their office for a meeting many times, if I had one!  Oh wait, my husband has pulled me aside a few times and told me to relax! I somehow managed to injure my back this weekend, and now I feel I can not do my job the way I would like to.  I want to be everywhere, doing everything, but my back pain hinders me.  After a few days of having my husband take Jasmine to preschool, I have liked the extra time I have not driving back and forth. I have even thought it would be nice if I could have more days where I am not the only one trying to meet every need of the kids, when I am feeling better. I could have more time for me, and get more accomplished for the family, and not just the kids. I have realized in the last few weeks I give everything to my kids and family and do not leave much for me.  How can I be a Supermommy and give myself the care I need to not go hurting my back from constantly carrying my one year old around? Maybe someday I will get back to a Superme, until then maybe its okay for just my kids to think I am a super mom.

Dogs or Cats?

Call me crazy, but I think I, yes me, not a dog person, got a little used to have a good dog around. I had Andre put her picture on the properties new website last night and sure enough someone called to claim the dog this morning. Funny how the owner just called this morning...didn't they know the dog was gone all night? We put posters with pictures all over the property, I felt bad for the little dog.  I will have one sad little preschooler when she gets home from school and finds no dog.  The dog was actually very good, and quite. She barked a few times overnight, but not too bad, considering she is in a new place.  When we all got up, she didn't make much noise, but Jasmine let her out of the bathroom and played with her. Then I gave it breakfast, more beef stroganoff, and I made Andre take her for a walk, and Jasmine went along too of course.  As Andre went to take her for the walk I reminded him to take a bag with him just in case, and the look on his face was priceless.  It dawned on him that the dog might do its business and he would have to pick it up! I realized I kind of missed the dog while it was on its walk. When they returned I told Andre if no one claims it today, we are going to have to do something, and no we are not keeping it, no matter how cute and well behaved it is.  Then Andre looked at me and said, "You have to pick up its poop!" I soon remembered who I was talking to and knew Andre was on my side. Charlotte was adorable, copying the constantly sniffing dog, with her own sniff, sniffs, it was too cute! 

I've been told, thanks to my friends on Facebook, its a French Bulldog. Turns out the dog lived in the building and belonged to a resident who had a 8 year old daughter, which explains why she is good with kids, she is used to being around them.  Also, its name was not Sniffer, her name is JJ, and the owner didn't have the dog listed on her lease! Oh no! Free pet rent for a few months, and now she is in trouble with the Property Manager, my husband! Maybe that's why they didn't call until today, who knows. Jasmine, however was sure hoping to keep this cute little dog. So even though I woke up and came downstairs to the smell of dog, looking at its picture now, I am smiling and thinking how cute she is! Has the world gone topsy? No, I think I still am just the same city girl, who thinks dogs are happier in homes, and not our apartment.  I have often wondered how people in cities are able to keep their dogs happy.  Do dogs like going up and down elevators at all hours of the day to do its business hoping it finds a good patch of grass? I have seen my neighbors that own dogs in ways I have never seen my non-dog owner neighbors.  In pajamas, hair messy, bag in hand, to take their dog out for their morning or late night walk no matter the weather. Is it so different to clean up a dogs poop much different then changing my babies diapers? I guess people just get used to the unpleasant things since probably love their dogs the way I love my kids.  Well owning a dog right now, is definitely not for me, maybe someday a cat...once Charlotte is out of a crib.

Lost Doggie...

A lost dog is staying in my apartment. I am not a dog person, and had to check the internet to try to determine the dogs breed. I am told it is a French Bulldog. My husband brought the lost dog home, just after bath-time, and at my youngest daughters bedtime. Up roar as you can image from my usual bedtime routine. Jasmine, my oldest daughter, who loves dogs couldn't have been more excited to 'pretend' it was her dog and to name it. She called it Sniffer, since it was smelling the whole apartment for new smells.  Then we all noticed she was looking for food, and eating all the food my kids had dropped that day, and she changed the name to Beggar.  My husband fed it some of our beef stroganoff dinner, and here I am, dog sitting.  I was hoping the dog would be home by now, I am not a dog person, I am or used to be, a cat person, before I had kids.  I don't mind other peoples dogs, but don't want one of my own, and this is now reaffirmed with my current house guest.

My husband and Jasmine took her for a walk, then I let her stay inside since she is very calm and good around the kids. After an hour I noticed a smell, and figured out she had done her business on the balcony, well at least it wasn't inside! After that, I thought perhaps I shouldn't trust my carpet with this dog, and put her out on the balcony and closed the door.  However, she barked after a few minutes looking inside to come in.  I checked online and it said bulldogs are good with kids and not outdoor dogs, I said I am not a dog person!  So I let her in and she just licked her paws nonstop.  Once she stopped and looked at me, the way my parents dog does when she wants to get up on the couch and relax, hoping for some petting.  So I thought, she needs a doggie bed, so I took a blanket and folded it up for her and she went right on it and went to sleep several minutes later.  I am beginning to think this dog is very well behaved and is kind of cute too.  She was disturbed after a while because there was barking on the TV! I never would have thought a TV dog would upset a real dog. Then she tried to settle back down on the blanket, but other dogs outside were barking. I started thinking this maybe a long night, and where is this dog going to sleep? If I put her in the bathroom, with a blanket and water, will she bark at night? How will she sleep in a new place, so far she hardly seems to care she is not in her home! I hope my husband is taking her for a walk when she needs one tomorrow morning, because Mama is not doing it!