Sturm Haus

slowing down

The past couple of months have been hectic, and the next few months will be busy busy too.

So it's good that Jon took today off to spend with Otto.

They started at the dentist's office for Otto's semi-annual cleaning, which went well. Jon said he was perfectly happy to lie back in the chair, wear his funny sunglasses, and let the hygienist clean his teeth. Go Otto! I like it that his dentist is a pediatric dentist, and that her office is really geared to children's comfort. I also like it that his teeth are looking great, and hopefully we can keep them that way with regular visits and his favorite Wall-E toothbrush.

Then they went to the Hands-On Museum for some fun. Jon sent me a camera phone shot of Otto playing at the water table. I bet they're still there... it's only been 3 hours, and the water table is endlessly fascinating.

They'll have lunch, probably go home to check on Jake (who wanted to stay out this morning in the rain), hang out this afternoon, and pick up Bel around the usual time.

Tomorrow I'm off, which means I get my own day with the munchkins. We have a list of things to do... a visit to Little Seedling, picking up refills on Jake's meds, etc. It's been rainy and cool, so we might go to the mall or Zoobilee or Urban Toddler for some run-around time.

Annabel is getting close to walking. She can stand on her own for several seconds now, and she can cruise along the edge of furniture like a pro. But she likes crawling, so I think real walking is probably still several weeks away. Which is fine with me... she's growing up so fast! Her first birthday is less than 2 months away now.

For the first time in 5 years, my Board meeting falls on the Monday before River Festival weekend, which means I can take off the week following to drive home for the big event. That weekend is also Bel's first birthday, and we're planning a party for her in Salina. So far I know I want...

• a happy birthday banner like the one Wood made at Sweet Juniper!
• a special little "I'm 1" t-shirt (this one is cute, from etsy)
• really fun cupcakes (they will be cherry cupcakes for the Michigan girly, and they will be PINK!)
• something special for big brothers - Otto and I haven't decided yet what this should be, but it's important

On the thinking-about-it list are printed invites, balloons, and food. Obviously I still have some homework to do.

But right now I'm working on the budget for my 5th fiscal year at my library. 5 years! Me! In charge of the budget! Who'da ever thunk it? Better get back to my P&L statements and statistical reports.

spring has sprung

OK, so up to yesterday morning, we were running the heat. On a regular basis.

Today it's WARM, WARM enough to warrant switching on my a/c in the car.

Too bad the aging units that heat and cool our library building haven't gotten that message yet. I swear to god, my office, situated in a far corner of the 2nd floor, is almost 90 degrees.

OK, OK, so the thermostat outside my door reads 77. But remember, you're talking to someone for whom a warm day has been, oh, anything above 40 for about 8 months now. My office regularly runs at 66 degrees in winter. 77 feels like Armageddon.

I just called the desk downstairs and said "If I beg, will you turn on the ceiling fans?" Which cracked Jenn up. I guess begging isn't necessary.

So I'm checking email, ordering white boards from Office Depot, etc., and this little Tweet flies in with a link to a video about how to fold fitted sheets.

Trust Jim from Sweet Juniper to make it look fun. But what really killed me was the every-day views of their wonderful, Mies van der Rohe-designed home filled with mid-century modern furniture. The sheets in question are geometric print. And even the sippy cups don't look like ordinary sippy cups because the lids? They match the bases. Funny how something so simple can completely modernize the mundane.

I wish I were half so smart about my home, my life - heck, even his sheet-folding technique is better than mine. Sigh. Watch it yourself, and it might inspire you to tackle serious spring cleaning this weekend. Or not. Either way, it's win win.

catching up

The problem with getting behind here is that stories pile up, and after a few (or several) days, I get confused. Should I write about that? It was a week ago!

So I'll start with today.

Or, even better, yesterday evening.

Since Christmas I've been scheming, plotting our next computer purchase.

There are the practical Dells, to be purchased on-line with my library-employee discount.

There are the great-deal HPs at Sam's Club, big beautiful screens and jaw-dropping prices.

And then there are the Apples, all shiny and beautiful, lined up with precision on pristine white counters in their bright, glossy store.

Our old computer is a Sony Vaio, purchased for Jon to use at school when he started his graduate program. It was heavy then, now it feels like you're carrying a couple of cement blocks. It's been a great computer, I'll admit. But since Jon got to pick the last one, this new computer was mine.

And after hemming and hawing and looking at various reviews and prices on-line, I finally said, "the truth is, I want my Apple again. I want a MacBook."

We went back and forth a few more times. But look, Jon would email me, this Dell has a similar configuration for 2/3 the price. I would email him back - is it an Apple?

And so last night, the midst of a busy week following a busy weekend, we finally met up at the mall and bought my MacBook.

It's beeee-you-tee-ful!

I haven't done much other than download Firefox. Jon added the iTunes library today completely by accident. I called to tell him I was on my way home and he said, "did you add the shared drive?" This computer is so smart, it went and found the shared drive on the wireless network and snagged the iTunes library without help.

I love it. And now that I have a shiny new computer, the world is full of so many opportunities, I don't know where to start.

I'll check out My New Mac: 52 Simple Projects to Get You Started, which I just happened to buy for my library last winter (ahem). I'll probably attend a new users class at our friendly local Apple store (and boy, am I lucky to have that). And then what?

Tomorrow I'll hook up the camera and play with iPhoto. This weekend we'll edit some videos. I think the video chatting might be fun with the kids, I can't wait to try it.

In short, the world is suddenly my aluminum-shelled OS X-powered oyster.

If you're a Mac user, what do you recommend?

(sometimes a girl just needs her daddy)

We have a big weekend planned.

Nana and Poppy arrive tomorrow evening, Grandma arrives Saturday evening, and I CAN'T WAIT! They haven't seen the kids in a few months which means there's a lot of catching up to do. I predict Otto will talk non-stop and that Annabel will be shy but charming.

Bel will be baptized Sunday morning at the Easter service. Four years ago when we had Otto baptized we were still new members and didn't know many people. Now, though, our church is a warm, familiar place with people who know us and the kids, and I'm looking forward to formally introducing Bel and having them welcome her to the congregation.

In preparation for the big event I had my brows shaped at the salon the other night, and BOY were they shaped. My eyebrows have never been so groomed before. Or sparse. When I catch my expression in a reflection, I'm not sure if my look of surprise is because I'm still not used to my new look or if that's how I look all the time. Well, if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that they'll grow back.

The guy who did the waxing winced and shrieked when he pulled the cloth strip off, then professed admiration at my lack of response because I didn't even twitch. It's not that I'm tougher than average. No, lean me back in a reclining position, ask me to close my eyes and relax, and I'm drifting into la la land within seconds. A little hot wax isn't going to interrupt my nap time, no sirree bob.

that time Annabel ate the Kleenex

Thursday evening I worked late. Got home, helped get kids to bed, scrambled into my jammies. Had a small glass of wine and read for a bit downstairs before toddling off to bed myself.

I was just drifting off when I heard Bel fussing. Grrr. I swung my legs out from under the warm, cozy duvet and went across the hall.

Poor Annabel was sitting up crying, vomit on her sheet and on her jammies. Strange, I thought. What upset her tummy?

I cleaned her up, changed her PJs, carried her back to my bed, and we watched Letterman for a little bit while I rocked her. Then, urp, she started throwing up again. This time I carried her into the bathroom, held her on her side so she wouldn't choke and let her throw up into the tub. I flipped on the bathroom light when she was done. Was that... Kleenex?

"Um, Jon? I need you to wake up. Annabel's sick."

Poor Jon. He gets up at 5am, tries to be asleep by 10:30 at the latest. He's groggy, to say the least.

"Did Annabel get into Kleenex tonight?"

"Uh," he says, rubbing his face. "Yeah, I caught her with some in her hands, but I took it away from her."

"She must've eaten some. [translation: a lot] I think she's throwing up Kleenex."

So we call the answering service, and the pediatrician who calls back recommends Pedialyte and a watchful eye. "Call back if she throws up again or seems to have trouble breathing," the doctor says.

I prop myself in the comfy chair in her room, Bel on my shoulder. Jon arranges the Boppy, covers us with a blanket, and goes back to bed. Bel sleeps, nurses a little, sleeps again. I snooze for a bit, wake up at 2, tuck her into her bed where she sleeps the rest of the night without any trouble.

She's still a little peaked the next morning, her tummy still a little upset. So I drop Otto at school and take her with me for the day, figuring that if she's going to toss her cookies I should be available for a fast trip to the doctor's office. She perks up, though, and charms everyone at work. We work the desk together for awhile, her on my hip in the Ergo. Patrons are understandably a little startled to see my helper, but when I smile and ask "Can I help you?" they ask their question anyway. Then she sleeps through an interview for a new page, and it isn't until the interview is over and the candidate long gone that I realize I never explained the baby's presence. He probably thinks we're certifiable now. Either that or he thinks he imagined the baby sleeping silently on my shoulder. Ah well.

She eats Puffs and pear/blueberry sauce, drinks water from her sippy cup. No dirty diapers, though. It isn't until later that evening, after we're all home again, that she stinks up her pants. Jon volunteers to change her and comes back down looking pleased. "You know that stuff they throw in concrete to make it stronger? That fiber stuff?" I nod, already wincing. "It looks like someone put that in her diaper."

And that's how Annabel survived the great Kleenex massacre of aught-9.

ps: we don't recommend you try this at home
pps: Bel recommends brand-name tissue over the generic sort
ppps: She's recovering nicely, thank you, and all tissue boxes are now placed well out of reach.
pppps: CVS won't sell Pedialyte at the drive-thru window. This is both a complaint and a public service notice. Next time I'll go to Kroger.