DC Metro Moms

Happy Half Birthday To You!

I'm a sucker for birthdays. Mine. Yours. Doesn't matter: I love to celebrate birthdays!

My own birthday, in early June, comes at both a good and bad time of the year. On one hand, it is half a year away from that other major-gift-receiving holiday, Christmas. On the other hand, during my school years, my birthday almost always fell during the last week of school. Not a good time for an in-school birthday party. I always felt like I got the short end of the sick on that one.

And so, I feel particularly guilty about my son's birthday which falls just a few days before Christmas. So far, we've had nice, family birthday parties for him and I don't think he's noticed or minded the proximity to Christmas.

But, then again, he's only had two birthdays!!

In Search of "I'm Sorry"

I take a certain satisfaction in typing and mailing a strongly worded letter to a company who has done me wrong. I’ve written a half dozen or so—well, perhaps nearly a dozen—over the course of several years.

I do believe that corporate executives and managers desire to know when their product has let a customer down. Generally my letters have been to airlines relating to—no surprise here—horribly handled delays and baggage issues. Favorable results, in the form of ticket vouchers, have served to encourage my letter writing.

True Community

Two weeks ago I wasn't feeling very well. I went in to see my primary care physician and he did a blood test. First thing the next morning he called, and with deep concern in his voice, told me to go to the nearest emergency room immediately. After many days of worry, lots of tests and a surgery, I'm now home and recovering.

A big part of my speedy recovery has been the warmth of the community I came home to. I'm convinced that our town is the best place in the world to raise a child

Praying with 46,000: Mass with Pope Benedict XVI

As we wound our way through the crowds, out of the stadium and towards the Metro my husband turned to me and said, “So what are you going to write on your blog about this?”

I had been thinking the same thing. Less than two hours had passed since Mass concluded and Pope Benedict XVI, along with hundreds of cardinals, bishops and priests, had processed out of the stadium amid the cheers of more than 46,000 people.

And I was thinking about how to convey this experience and my feelings to my readers. It is a delicate thing, this post. And I’m not sure I’ll get it right, that I'll get my feeling out exactly as I want to, but I’m going to try.

Working for Great Public Schools

Whenever I talk to friends who have kids but aren't lucky enough to live in my wonderful town, they are always jealous. We have a wonderful, amazing and supportive parent's group. The listserv alone has helped me find a pediatrician, babysitters and great, local activities for kids and families. Not to mention a tree service and accountant. We have a very low-key and fun playgroup that meets three times a week. Our town has many parks (one of which is just five houses up from us!) lots of great old trees, quiet streets and a wonderful community spirit.

Sound like the best place in the world to raise kids? Well, yes and no.

Healthy Eating

When Lucas started solid food and dairy milk I bought organic for the first time. When the food or milk in my cart was for Lucas, it was organic. When it was for my husband or me, it wasn't. For more than a year Lucas has been drinking organic milk almost exclusively. As for Abel and me, the only time we have organic milk is when the skim runs out and we swipe some from the other carton. For Easter, I didn't want Lucas to have too much candy so he got matchbox cars and raisins in his eggs. But what's Easter without candy? I just kept it aside for myself and the other adults. My husband and I always make sure there we have pleanty of Lucas's favorite fruit and veggies in the house. But I hate to admit that the two of us rarely get our five a day.

Bottom line: we feed Lucas healthier food than we eat ourselves. And I'm happy to report that the double-standard has officially (started to) come to an end!