Mother's Day Eve - Day 18

It's still amazing to me to think that I am a mother.  I look at my son and have completely forgotten the 9 months of pregnancy, the c-section, the hospital stay and just about all of the first few months.  All I see when I look at him is pure love.  He is amazing, he is the cutest, sweetest boy in the world.  What would I do without him?  Before we had Elliot I was perfectly content to be a devoted wife and awesome aunt.  I was okay with not having children (simply because I didn't think I could and it was easier than to be constantly devastated).  At this point, I can't even remember why I thought that in the first place.  Being a mother is the hardest job I've ever had to do.  Being a mother is the most rewarding job I've had the opportunity to do.  I wouldn't change anything about being a mother for any amount of money in the world.  This has to be the coolest thing!

Bathroom Etiquette - Day 16 (A Day Behind)

Ok ladies, this is going to be a pretty TMI post, but something happened to me at work recently that made me think of the unspoken laws of the public restroom.  At my office, our floor shares one restroom with about 4 stalls in it.  Most everyone that uses this restroom tries to snag the handicapped stall to do their business in.  This is where my "situation" happened.  But before I get to that, I need to spell out some of the rules.

1. If you are going to go #2, make sure that no one knows it's you in there, i.e., stay put till others leave the restroom, don't get your business started until the person you walked in with has left.
2. If you walk into the restroom, smell something stinky and see a pair of shoes under the stall, do your business quickly and leave.  That person is more embarrassed than you are - they created the smell!
3. If you see a pair of shoes under the stall when you walk in and they are still there when you walk out, don't lolly-gag - get out of their so they can finish their business.
4. Don't go into the stall adjacent to another person unless it's your only option.
5. Don't talk to the person in the next stall - even if you know them and they are your friend.  No one likes to talk when they're going potty.
6. If you're going to spend a great deal of time in the restroom - changing clothes, putting on your make-up, make sure you are alone and not impeding on anyone's time to go "you know what"

Okay, so a week or so ago I was in the handicapped stall in our restroom taking care of business.  I had checked all of the stalls and knew that I was alone.  The door opened and someone walked in and took the stall RIGHT NEXT TO ME!  I noticed her cute black stilettos right away.  I listened to her pee, then smooth out her outfit, adjust herself and then walk out of the stall.  This was my cue to unclench and carry on.  Then the footsteps came closer instead of heading to the door.  I looked out the crack between the door and the stall and saw one of my co-workers checking herself out in the mirror.  Nervous that she would see me, I pulled up my pants a bit more and pulled down my shirt.  I also held my breath.  If she were to see me, it would only be embarrassing for her, right?  Have I mentioned that I don't particularly care for this girl?  Anyway, she got down to some serious primping, adjusting and readjusting her dress.  Then adjusting and readjusting some more, all the while RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!  I was literally holding my breath hoping that she didn't see me or know I was in there.  Her primping and preening in the mirror lasted at least 10 minutes.  It was borderline ridiculous.  Had she been one of my friends, I would have shouted, "You Look Fine!  Get back to work!", but I couldn't in this situation.  Finally, she turned on her stiletto heel to leave...without washing her hands (gross!).  A minute or so later she returned, running right back up to the damn mirror to check her face and straighten that damn dress.  I wanted to scream!  I was clenching and holding my breath and didn't know how much longer I could hold out.  Finally she left - this time she washed her hands!  I was then able to finish my stuff and leave!

Apparently someone needs to give her a refresher course on community bathrooms.  In the future, I think I'll go back to using the bathroom on the floor above us - there's only 1 woman on that entire floor, so the handicapped stall is always free!

Pinterest - Day 13

I've often wanted to be more like Martha Stewart.  The quintessential homemaker, wife, mother, artist, creative genius and no nonsense business woman.  I can't wait until Elliot has to create things for school and I have to help (science projects anyone?).  I look forward to when he needs a costume for a play, or Purim or Halloween and mommy has to make it (I need to learn to sew more than just a button).  I'd love to say that I'm a fantastic housekeeper but truth be told, my home is cluttered at best.  Homemaker I am not, unless you count the fact that we have created a warm and fun home environment for our son.  Guess I'm better than I thought.  As far as the wife part - well, I'm still married, so I must be doing something right.  I've always been into reading Martha Stewart Living and getting ideas from Parenting magazine as well as Family Circle.  And then I found Pinterest.

A friend of Sam's told him that now that I had joined Pinterest, he could look forward to lonely nights with me glued to the computer screen "pinning" to my heart's content.  Now I wouldn't say that I'm excessive, but it is a bit easy to get lost on there.  Recently, I have been focusing on good recipes that my son might eat.  He's a very picky eater so I'm forced to get creative for his sake.  I have a strong affinity for anything that can be made in a muffin tin.  I've made mini meatloaves, mini pizza puffs and my new all-time favorite - mini chicken pot pies!  This has to be one of the easiest recipe in the world and it tastes so good - even Elliot will eat it (sometimes, when he's in a good mood, and the day doesn't end in "y").   Tomorrow I am making turkey bacon, cheese, and egg biscuit cups for Elliot's teachers as well as for the nurse's at my office.

In addition, I've also found really cool crafty things that I can do with Elliot at home.  I haven't started doing arts and crafts with him at home because, frankly, I didn't have the energy and didn't think he had the attention span - and I don't like messes.  We did try one craft at home and it turned out pretty cool but I can't share it just yet as it's a gift that hasn't been given yet.  I can't wait till father's day this year - I have some really great and creative ideas "pinned" to my board.

Pinterest has also given me really great ideas for home organization, decorating and birthday party ideas.  Not that I'm trying to sell anyone on Pinterest or anything, I just think it's great and wanted to share!

That is all...

Ten Years - Day 7

Today Sam and I are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our first date.  Ten Years...  How do you sum up that kind of time?  It seems like forever and yet it seems like such a short period of time.  I feel like we got here in a flash.  Where does the time go?  I can't believe that Sam and I have been together for 10 years.  It's like a third of our lives.  It's amazing how much has changed within that 10 year time span.

We met, we dated, we moved in together and then we bought a house.  We got engaged, I graduated with my BSW, we got married the next day.  We moved to NYC, I graduated with my MSSW, Sam got a new job that kept us in NYC.  We moved home, we had a baby, we are now celebrating our 10 year anniversary.

I am so in awe of this man that I have shared the last 10 years of my life with.  He is an amazing and caring husband and an energetic and patient father.  He makes me laugh, he makes me want to scream, he frustrates me, he makes me feel so lucky to have him.  He is tolerant of my bullshit, he knows all of me and still loves me.  We have grown together as a couple and as individuals over the last 10 years, but always moving towards the same goal - to have the most amazing family together.  We still have fun together.  He's still the first person I call with good news, bad news, to vent, to share a joke or just to say hi.  He's who I choose to spend all of my extra time with.  We have weathered many a storm and it just keeps getting better because we keep getting stronger.  I am still in love with this man and I can't see that changing.  I am so amazed that after 10 years, my love for him just keeps getting stronger.

To my baber, thank you for the most amazing 10 years.  I can't wait to spend another 50+ more with you. Thank you for being by my side through everything - good and bad.  Thank you for continuing to be willing to go on adventures with me.  Thank you for Elliot.

Go Team Levine!!  I love you!

Embracing My Faith - Day 4

I've always been Jewish, I've always known that.  My mother is Jewish, my grandparents are Jewish, my dad converted, etc., etc.  I went to Sunday school, I went to Hebrew school, I did not have a Bat Mitzvah (though I could have - I was completely prepared), I went through confirmation and post-confirmation, I was active in BBYO, but what does that all mean.  I married a Jewish man and my parents (and grandmother) were thrilled, as were his parents given that his previous girlfriend was Catholic.  My Jewish-ness growing up was limited to family functions and whatever I was learning at Sunday school, etc.  We did not actively celebrate the holidays at home nor did we go to synagogue for services, holidays, etc.  My guess is that most of those things were restricted due to financial constraints, but I digress.  I married into a family of Orthodox Jews, which was almost a deal breaker to me.  Luckily my husband, like myself, had a strong sense of being Jewish but did not currently follow the rules that he was brought up with.  This has allowed us to create and mold our own sense of Jewish-ness together.

Our wedding was a very traditional Jewish wedding (some may disagree but it was much more religious than I ever planned on it being).  It was beautiful and I felt very strongly that the traditions be included and that the ceremony be mostly in Hebrew.  Sam and I have gone to services a couple of times, but hadn't really chosen to belong to any one synagogue.  However, I feel that everything has changed once Elliot was born.  We had a very traditional bris at our home, attended by my childhood rabbi, who I adore.  We decided that we would expose Elliot to his heritage/culture as best we could so that he could have the proper education as to who he was religiously (although I will debate that being Jewish is much more than just religion).

A couple of weeks ago, we were invited to celebrate Pesach with family friends of Sam's, all of whom are super religious (I refer to them as the Super Jews!).  I wanted so badly to have this experience with these people (especially Miriam who I had only bonded with via the Internet), but I was scared to death that I would either make a mistake and embarrass my husband and in-laws or I would be judged that I wasn't Jewish enough, again bringing embarrassment to my husband and in-laws.  This fear culminated in a complete tearful, sobbing, anxiety-ridden breakdown!  Then I shook it off, we spent Pesach with the Rosenblatt's and had a wonderful time and no one judged me!  In fact, I have retained enough ability to read Hebrew that I was able to follow along quite easily with the service.  And apparently all of those childhood seder's stuck in my psyche.  Did I mention that I had creocheted a yarmulke for Elliot which was absolutely adorable?

Following that experience, we (Sam and I) agreed that Elliot was old enough to begin to participate in Jewish activities.  We began to sing the Shema to him every night.  We went to a Yom Ha'atzmaut party at the JCC the other night and this morning we took Elliot to Tot Shabbat at the Beth Israel.  I think at this point Sam and I have decided that we would like to join the Temple that I grew up going to.  We had a lovely time this morning, even running into a girl that I knew from BBYO.

Basically, my ultimate goal in all of this is to bring Judaism into my home through creating our own traditions.  I want to have Shabbat dinner where we light the candles and eat challah every Friday night.  I want to celebrate the holidays and teach my son the meanings of the holidays.  I will send him to Sunday school, he will go to Hebrew school and he will have a Bar Mitzvah.  Hell, I might even have a Bat Mitzvah with him (wouldn't that be embarrassing to my teenage son?!).

So there you have it - I am embracing my faith.  Like our Rabbi said this morning, "Let the children run around the sanctuary, we want to associate coming to the synagogue with fun".  I agree, I want this to be fun as well as a wonderful learning experience! L'Chaim!!

Blog Renewal Day 1

So I was issued a challenge to blog for 6 days a week for approximately a month and I foolishly accepted.    However, there are wonderful benefits to accepting and fulfilling this challenge.  The first of which is that I will actually update my blog(s) on a consistent basis.  The second is that it will force me to set aside some time every day to write.  The third is it will provide entertainment for my 3 or 4 readers.  So I will be rotating through my three blogs in order to fulfill my challenge.  Three you ask?  Why yes, apparently I have such an ego that it requires three blogs to satisfy me!

Seriously though, I have this blog - all about me and my rants and raves, but mainly for all things me!  My second blog is creativeandcraftastic.blogspot.com - which is all things creative, but mostly all things crochet.  Thank goodness I've gotten back into crocheting and haven't updated that blog in a long time - it'll give me things to post about!  But my favorite blog so far is levinefamilynews.blogspot.com - which is all things Elliot!  So it'll be a surprise from day to day which one I will be updating - guess you'll just have to follow all three!

It's amazing how much has changed since I updated this blog last.  It's been over two years and since then we have added our amazing little boy to our family.  To think that I wasn't even pregnant when the last post was written, but 6 months following it I had a bun in my oven!  At this point the little bun is 17 months old and heaping joy into our lives.  Almost everything else is still pretty much the same.  I'm still a hospice social worker, we still live in Austin and Sam and I are about to celebrate our 8th year of marriage.  Next week we will celebrate our 10th anniversary of being together.  It just keeps getting better and better.

Miriam - challenge accepted!  This is going to be a great experiment!  Thank you for issuing the challenge.  Until tomorrow.....