Magic Cookie: Pitch Perfect

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Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Pac-Man Party

Posted on 18:00 by Unknown
We survived K's friend party! 13 little kids in our house, including a few unexpected siblings and a family that RSVPed the day before. "Billy is excited to come to the party! If it's not too late." What was I supposed to say, "It IS too late and you can tell Billy to suck it!" We just threw together some extra goody bags.

JW was very nervous and insisted that we plan all sorts of games and activities for the kids, even though I told him they'd just run around. I planned a game of Musical Ghosts to go with the Pac-Man theme, and he went all out and got a bunch of ping-pong balls and made this:

Now WHY, if he was nervous about the chaos, would he decide on a game that involved throwing projectiles? It worked out for a while, but we had to take it away when three kids started crying at once. The parents all hung out together while the kids ran around. It was mostly preschool parents and after a couple of years' worth of parties, we all know each other pretty well. (To be honest, I'm mostly including this picture because I like the way our living room looks in it. It took us a year and a half, but we finally hung curtains!)
Happy early birthday, K!
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Friday, 24 February 2012

Fitting professional development into a MILP schedule

Posted on 12:28 by Unknown
Via Corporette, this is a useful list of professional development ideas for working moms from I Am Moms. Sometimes I struggle with taking the time out of my work and family life for professional development and networking, but it's a necessary part of what we do and there are some good ideas here. (And I totally agree with networking within parent circles -- turns out that most of the women in the working moms group I started have pretty high-powered jobs!)
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Thursday, 23 February 2012

Tell you about myself

Posted on 07:04 by Unknown


Inline image 1

The above is an award currently circulating among bloggers, and it was recently granted to me by Dinei, who is inspiring in many ways, has a genius kid, and is going to smack the bar exam around and make it her bitch.

The rules of the award are as follows:
1. Thank the person who gave you this award.
2. List seven things people may not know about you.
3. Pass it on to 15 (or so) other bloggers

Thank you, Dinei! I can't compete with your global adventures, but I'll try to make these somewhat interesting.

1. I'm a pretty decent tap dancer. I always wanted to tap dance as a kid and my 21st birthday present to myself was a pair of tap shoes and lessons.

2. I have run six half-marathons. (That counts as three marathons, right? It totally does. I have run three marathons. It just took me a year or two to finish each one.)

3. I have studied five foreign languages... but I'm terribly rusty at all of them now. Spanish, French, Latin, Japanese, Bengali -- which was my first language along with English, and I used to be able to recite poetry in it, but now have trouble remembering words for the simplest things. Except random phrases my mom used to say keep popping into my head when X is around, like "tummy problems" (pet-er gondogol) and "disgusting face" (bicchiri mukh -- this, of course, was referring to my face, and X is similarly un-photogenic) . For some reason K did not inspire this Bengali-nostalgia with me.

I once...

4. ...jogged with my mom through the streets of Agra (India) wearing men's boxers while shocked children rode their bicycles next to us, pointing, shaking their heads, and exclaiming, "Very winter! Very winter!"

5. ...attempted to smoke pot at a Phish concert. My single foray into illegal drugs (what can I say, I'm a sucker for a good cautionary tale), and like Bill Clinton, I didn't inhale. I tried to, but it turns out sucking smoke into your lungs is actually not that easy and feels terrible. My utter failure to complete my slightly naughty plan doesn't stop JW from referring to me as our resident pothead.

6. ...sang a medley of commercials onstage, including "Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener..."

7. My first kiss was with... my husband. I am unqualified to give anyone dating advice.

I nominate Ana, the Reluctant Grownup and Butterfyfish. Let's hear your seven things!

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Wednesday, 22 February 2012

First steps!

Posted on 06:45 by Unknown
X walked this morning!
I saw him take two steps downstairs. JW saw him take three steps upstairs.
If he keeps it up, he'll beat K by a month and a half.
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Monday, 20 February 2012

They get along, mostly

Posted on 18:10 by Unknown
Because K puts up with the constant grabbing and pulling, and X thinks it's funny when K hits him.
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Sunday, 19 February 2012

MILP roundup #240

Posted on 16:11 by Unknown
It's up at Attorney at Large. Get it while it's hot! (Next week at Butterflyfish.)
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Wednesday, 15 February 2012

2012 to-do list

Posted on 19:10 by Unknown
Check-in on my New Year's resolutions:
 
1. LESS THINKING, MORE DOING. Not there yet, but still repeating this to myself. It helps.
 
2. "I also resolve to take better care of myself this year: try to get to sleep by 10 p.m. every night, get more exercise, find clothes that fit my post-baby body."
Some progress on this front, but I've been slipping for the last couple of weeks.

Sleep: For a while I was getting to bed earlier. Lately I haven't been, but I need to. I'm a morning person. If I get to bed by 10, I lose that hour at night when I'm too tired to do anything but read or watch TV, and I get extra time in the morning to putter around or exercise.

Exercise: I'd like to work up to exercising every day, but I've consistently been exercising at least a few times a week, which is an improvement.

Appearance: I cleaned out and organized my closet, so I can see at a glance what I have and am more likely to grab something that I don't mind wearing. Having enough clothes that I actually like and that fit me properly requires more progress. At least I got rid of the piles labeled "Clothes that nobody outside my immediate family must ever see me wearing" and "Clothes that I've never liked but wear anyway" and "Clothes that will never fit me again." (Okay, I kept the second pile, but have it tucked away in a bottom drawer.) I've been wearing jewelry more to dress up my drab work wardrobe. I even managed to wear a scarf as an accessory! Two times! But I can't bring myself to ditch the comfortable clunky shoes. I am trying to improve my appearance from the ankles up. Actually, my pants that still fit are kind of saggy and I don't want to get them tailored when my weight is still in flux. But I have definitely improved my appearance from the waist up. That's something. It's only been a month and a half.
 
And I'm adding some lesser goals for the year:
  1. Actually use that improv class Groupon (by June 2012)
  2. Enter annual town apple pie contest (September)
  3. Practice piano consistently enough to:
    • Sight read bass clef
    • Know where the keys are
    • Play Fur Elise
  4. Learn how to wear a sari by myself so my mom doesn't have to dress me
  5. Develop a budget
  6. Start learning how to draw
  7. Do something around the house that involves using a drill
  8. Cook Indian food
  9. Restore dinosaurs to my blog template
  10. Cut my hair short*
  11. Finally decorate the blank walls
  12. Finally make that photo book of the kids
12 months, 12 things to do.

* I actually had this in my drafts folder for two weeks, during which I got my hair cut! JW's immediate reaction: "You look like somebody's mom." He backtracked and said, "I mean, it looks nice," but I am not letting him forget that.
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Tuesday, 14 February 2012

JW vs. baking

Posted on 07:15 by Unknown
I planned to make a piƱa colada cake this weekend, but didn't get to it. Sunday night, the butter was still out on the counter and we still had fresh pineapple and an opened can of coconut cream to use up. "I can make it during the day on Monday," suggested JW. "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I can bake," he said. "Why not?"

On Monday, over the space of about an hour and a half, I got five emails from him asking about what equipment and ingredients he should use and where to find them. Finally I called to see how he was doing. He said he was killing time until the eggs came to room temperature. "Are you regretting volunteering for this?" I asked.

He replied, "I thought I could put a bunch of things in a thing, but I forgot baking is terrible and I hate it. So... no, I'm not regretting it at all."

He called me again five minutes later to ask which mixer attachment to use and whether to beat the eggs before adding them. "Okay," he said. "I'm going to do it. This is going to happen. I'm turning it on. This is happening."

I think my position as the family baker is secure.

P.S. - Two more emails and three texts later, the cake was delicious. He may hate baking, but unlike me, the man can follow a recipe.

K was confused at first when he learned that Daddy made the cake. "You're the baker," he said to me. After he tried the cake, he pointed to each of us in turn and said, "You're a baker, you're a baker, and I'm the baby tackler." (Baby tackling is K and X's new favorite activity, and probably the first one they mutually enjoy.)
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Sunday, 12 February 2012

MILP Roundup #239

Posted on 20:54 by Unknown
The Weekly MILP (Moms In the Legal Profession) Roundup is hosted on a rotating basis among a bunch of blogs, including the original MILPers Butterflyfish, Attorney Work Product and Attorney at Large.

ARE YOU READY?


Law BooksMILPBaby Colt 3



And now, without further ado, here is your MILP roundup.

  • Lag Liv put her house on the market AND found another one she loved, all in the same week! She also answered reader questions, many of which were varieties of, "You mentioned this thing about your personal life two years ago, and it's the first thing I think of every morning when I wake up, just before I check your blog for the first time that day. Can you give me an update, because I am really curious about your personal relationships with each and every one of your relatives and close friends?" (I am not trying to make fun of anyone here. I am just impressed that she has such a dedicated readership.)
  • Butterflyfish had a work victory and an Angelfish update. At 13 months, her daughter can identify a favorite book and pick it off the bookshelf! And her mom can conduct legal research on novel issues and get the resulting ruling affirmed. Nice job, Butterflyfish family.
  • Attorney at Large asked if a law school employment scheme passed the smell test. And look out for future astronaut Pea, who at the tender age of 4 can identify an F-15.
  • Proto Attorney reflected on her childhood in a cult. She's mentioned The Cult before, but I've never thought about what it would be like growing up in one, or how that would affect you as an adult. If you haven't seen this post, you should go read it.
  • Better Together's LEO got braces and figured out pumping at work. Challenging week!
  • Fumbling for Truth had a first birthday party for baby Leah, for which she made adorable decorations and color-coordinated food. We have a birthday party coming up too. If I can prevent the baby from attacking any of the big kids, I'll call it a success.
  • Wild Northwest Litigator is 32 weeks pregnant and is going to leave that highlighter where it fell on the floor. Been there. She's also a little frustrated that her boss is pre-emptively deciding she's too pregnant to work on an upcoming trial. Also been there.
  • K Marks the Spot now has a 2-month old baby and is halfway through maternity leave. "I’m starting to get a little stir crazy . . . I’m longing for a little time for myself — to go for a run, to read a book, to focus on something (anything!) for more than 45 minutes at a stretch." Dirty secret: not everybody loves maternity leave! I was dying to go back to work the first time around. No need to feel guilty about feeling less than blissfully happy about being on call 24 hours a day with someone who needs you most of the time and doesn't interact with you much yet.
  • And You Know What Else experiences past-job trauma: "You know you have a bad job when not crying in your car seems like an impressive feat."
  • Arguably Ambitious has children who do not appreciate her homemade soup. I can relate. Also, she got into another law school!
  • Magic Cookie did not have a lot going on this week and compensated by posting repeatedly about how awesome this roundup was going to be. I did have a cute valentine and a report that baby X is standing up.
  • Geeky Law Mom quit her job to focus on her 3L year, and had to educate her daughter about playing pretend appropriately. (Am I am alone in having the "don't joke around about parents hurting you, because they could take you away" conversation with my kid, or does everyone do this?)
  • Izzie of Only 3 Years is preparing for her overseas move AND writing papers AND has a visibly moving baby bump.
  • Suzie of In a Minute... took a much-needed vacation and delivered a cell phone smackdown to a texting teenager.  (Also inspired by her post: Why do people say Jesus H. Christ?)
  • But I Do Have a Law Degree, after a year of  being a post-biglaw SAHM, thinks her law career may be over for good.
  • Dinei of Nonsense and Frippery is not enjoying bar prep. Come on, Dinei, you've weathered far worse than this. Don't let the bar exam beat you down!
  • The Reluctant Grownup has an informative post on cloth diapers, and vows to put down the laptop and pay attention to her kids.
  • Kate of Today and Tomorrow is studying in the parking garage and is a weird parent.  (Her "weird parent" post mentions that having your kids take personality tests might be useful for parenting. What do you think?)
  • Legally Certifiable hired a nanny, got some new cases, and is helping her recovering mom. I am exhausted just reading her post.
Holy crap that took a long time. Please leave a comment if you want to be added to the roundup.

FIN

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Saturday, 11 February 2012

Mini-milestones

Posted on 10:38 by Unknown
X can stand on his own! Just for a few seconds.

K dressed himself this morning. Usually we pick out clothes and then he pulls on two items of clothing and complains until one of us helps him finish getting dressed. Today he went upstairs in his pajamas and came down fully dressed.

X wrote his first blog post!
jxkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkyffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuux   bkxgggggghhmmhm ============//

And I am doing my first MILP roundup tomorrow, resetting the bar for all MILP roundups to come. CHECK IT OUT. IT WILL TOTALLY LIVE UP TO THE HYPE.
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Tuesday, 7 February 2012

This one was fridge-worthy

Posted on 18:07 by Unknown

P.S. - Don't forget the MILP roundup is here this Sunday! GET READY PEOPLE.
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Sunday, 5 February 2012

MILP Roundup #238

Posted on 19:23 by Unknown
Kate of Today and Tomorrow has it.

Here next week, for the first time ever! PREPARE TO BE AMAZED.
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Friday, 3 February 2012

Slime eel party

Posted on 08:43 by Unknown
A recent episode of Octonauts (that K watched about a dozen times) featured slime eels, which are exactly what they sound like. The lesson of that show is that most sea creatures are repulsive.
 
Today a misunderstanding about the word "eggs," sloppily written on our shopping list, led us to tell K that Daddy was going to Costco to buy eels. "Slime eels," I specified. "A big bucket full." JW added, "For your birthday, instead of your Pac-Man party, we're going to have a slime eel party." "We'll put the eels in the bathtub and everyone can swim in it," I said. "And for a party favor, each kid will get a bucket of slime," concluded JW.
 
We could have gone on a lot longer, except K was giving us the death stare. Then he walked out and slammed the door.
 
K normally tolerates, and participates in, our silliness. But he takes his gift-giving occasions very seriously.
 
The Christmas when he was three, K kept changing his mind about what he wanted from Santa. For weeks, he kept asking for a yellow bulldozer, so I got him that. A really nice one, too. And then in the weeks before Christmas, every day it was something different, and he never mentioned the bulldozer again. I told him Santa had already gotten his present. He asked what it was, and I told him it would be a surprise. He kept asking and I said maybe something yellow. Finally, when he continued to ask, I said Santa was going to give him a banana. After that, every time he mentioned he was going to ask Santa for something, I would tell him maybe next year, because I was pretty sure he was getting a banana. (He knew I was kidding. I wasn't just trying to torture him.)
 
Christmas morning, as a joke, I stuck a banana in his stocking. His stocking was full (of things other than bananas) and there were plenty of gifts under the tree, so I thought he'd think it was funny. He was furious. He yelled at me a little and then we got over it. I thought. But months in advance of this past Christmas, he warned me, "Don't give me a banana. I AM SERIOUS. NO BANANA."
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Thursday, 2 February 2012

Pac-Man Party

Posted on 05:00 by Unknown
Behold, the party invitations! They're getting delivered to everyone's cubbies today.

This is the extent of my craftiness. Hopefully the homespun invitations will convey to everyone that they should expect very little from this party except some good old fashioned preschooler runnin' around and hollerin'. There will be no bouncy castle.
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Wednesday, 1 February 2012

They will be amazed

Posted on 11:22 by Unknown
K: "Can I bring this to school? I can't wait to show my friends! They will be amazed!"

He carefully folded up the drawing of atoms, including a diagram of how oxygen combines with hydrogen to make water, and zipped it into his backpack.

Our breakfast conversation started out about different types of football (touch, flag, tackle). I'm not sure how it turned into a chemistry lesson.

I wonder what he told his fellow preschoolers about atoms. He routinely comes home and tells me things I didn't know about Star Wars.
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