Author Archives: amberbatdorf

MJ

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I realized that I talked about MJ a lot in my last post. As other parents know, it is hard not to talk about your little one. MJ was born in March of this year. He is my first baby and a beautiful little boy.

My pregnancy was an easy one until I got toward the end of it. My job at the time was a high stress one besides being one that mostly kept me on my feet. As the first person to greet people who come into a hospital, you have to be ready for all types of emergency situations and also be prepared to deal with the family/friends that come with them. I was taken out of work about four weeks before my delivery for my gestational hypertension and put on bed rest.

Since my numbers would not regulate, my doctor decided that I needed to be induced. Needless to say, I was petrified about being induced because all my girlfriends decided it would be a good idea to tell me horror stories about it. MJ, being the good little boy he is, had other plans. An hour before I was supposed to go in for my induction, my water broke.

I spent my time, for as long as I was able, walking the hallway of the small OB department. My husband, CJ, walked laps with me and rubbed my back during all my contractions. He stayed with me the entire time.

I will forever appreciate the nurses who cared for me during my labor. A few months after my son’s birth, the OB department was closed and the nurses had to find new employment. The women were 100% supportive of my decision to not have an epideral and were very helpful in providing alternative ways to have a healthy labor. I know that the risk of complications from an epidural are very small, but I know women who ended up with spinal headaches and such from them. The nurses were there for constant encouragement. I hope they were able to find other situations where they could be happy.

At 10:58am, MJ was born and our lives forever changed.

just a few weeks old

just a few weeks old

He is a handsome, smart little man who just turned nine months old. He furniture walks like a pro and can run away from his daddy pretty quickly when threatened with having to put on his pants 🙂

His two-toothed grin can make anyone smile and he makes me proud to be his mama. I cannot wait to make him a big brother.

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This morning I went to my first wrestling tournament. Still not sure how I felt about it.

My cousin has been after me for weeks to come check him out -it is his first year on varsity- and I felt like it was just something I should do for him. First and foremost, high school bleachers + an already sore back = not the greatest day I could have had, but he was so happy to see CJ and me there that I was more than willing to tough it out.

The reason my cousin was so determined for me to go is because he wants my son to wrestle when he is older. I keep saying that MJ is only nine months old and we have plenty of time to figure things like that out, but my cousin -smarty pants that he is- knew my excuses were just delay tactics because of how I felt about the sport.

I grew up in a house where weight was always an issue. I ABSOLUTELY refuse to raise my children in the same environment. The idea of letting my son participate in a sport where he would be weighed on a daily basis is a big deal for me. That alone I was not sure if I could be okay with.

After watching a few matches, I found that I could partially get into the action when it was not someone I knew (which was most of them as I do not make a habit of frequenting high school events) but when it was my cousins turn, every body slam, every rough move made me squirm in discomfort. How could I possibly remain a calm and sane person if I were watching another boy do that to my MJ?

My husband used to wrestle and takes no issue with the sport. He said he would never allow any of our boys (if we have another one) to cut more than five pounds to “make weight.” I can be okay with that. As to watching my boy potentially take a beating? Well, we will have to wait and see. Maybe MJ will never really get into wrestling.

I have a feeling that no matter how I may try to encourage another winter sport, wrestling may be what I am stuck with. My cousin already attempts to teach MJ moves -getting the baby to pin his teddy bear. He is confident that he can turn MJ into a state champ by the time he is a freshman in high school. As that is quite a long way away, I say go for it. MJ adores him and I love watching them spend time together. As to whether or not I will be spending a lot of time in sweaty wrestling rooms, only time can tell. WP_20121229_001

Intent

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For about three days I did what I had been trying to do with this blog all along – make it part of a daily ritual to have at least five posts per week. While home on early maternity leave, I attempted to accomplish this goal but quickly petered out between baby prep and just plain being uncomfortable.

I had been taken out of work early and was put on bed rest for gestational hypertension. I worked full-time at the registration desk of a hospital and my blood pressure was skyrocketing along with uncontrolable swelling in my feet and ankles. Being taken out of work was a mixed blessing because I was looking forward to having the extra time to get ready for baby but then not being able to get up and move around quickly became depressing.

One of my resolutions for this year is to make the most out of this blog; I mean, my life can be pretty exciting, I guess 🙂 I want to make the most out of every writing opportunity I have because I would like to be able to stay home full-time with my son. Hopefully between my music lessons, tutoring, and writing I will be able to make this dream a reality.

Here’s to a new year with a new outlook! I hope my experiences can bring knowledge and laughter because I laughed a lot while learning the things I would like to share.

TSO in the Snow

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What could possibly be more frustrating than being hurt and not knowing how you did it?

On Wednesday I somehow injured my lower back. In the morning I suffered in silence, but by the end of the day I knew that this would not be a quick heal. I called into work on Thursday not really wanting to use my sick time; it is something I just hate doing.

It is always my fear that when you call in, your boss sits on the other end of the line rolling their eyes because they believe there really is nothing wrong with you. In this instance though, there really is something wrong.

I started out Thursday hoping that by the time I needed to get ready for work that I would be fine. I woke up feeling good but, per my usual, did too much too quickly and really hurt myself. By the time I would have had to leave the house, I could barely make it from room to room. I had to bite the bullet and take the me time. If I could not pick up the baby, then I sure was not going to be able to function at work.

My husband and I had purchased tickets to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Thursday night was when our tickets were for. My husband was all for me staying home and resting, but I was not willing to have spent such a sum of money on tickets and then not go. I convinced my husband that after having rested all day, I would be fine going to the concert.

By the time we were finally able to make it off the exit ramp, there was only ten minutes until the show started. We could either drive around to find a close parking spot for me and potentially be late for the show, or park at the closest lot and walk. I was feeling pretty good and decided we should walk because I was paranoid about being late.

The walk turned out to be about three quarters of a mile; normally a walk I would have enjoyed, but under the circumstances…Also, it did not help that the city had not taken care of the sidewalks very well considering there was a concert that night. There was a flight of stairs that were extremely unkempt and an older gentleman fell down them. Good thing my husband was there to help him up.

When we finally made it to the arena, it was only to realize we were in the highest row. I had to constantly remind myself not to look down at the crowd or to consicously think about where I was sitting. Mini panic attacks aside, I had a BLAST! I recommend a TSO concert to anyone who has never been. It is an amazing musical experience with laser lights and pyrotechnics.

In order to avoid the “scary stairs” as they had been dubbed, I let my husband find directionally challenged wife -me- a safer route to the car. After wanderding around and getting some super cilly toes, we made our way back to the car, thus ending our fun night out. The heating pad and Tylenol were much appreciated when we got home.

SMK

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Scarecrow and Mrs. King would have gone on for more than just four seasons if it had not been for Kate Jackson‘s battle with breast cancer. Not only was the show something that was family appropriate (no gore and swearing like primetime television today) but it offered a little something special for its female viewers.

I remember getting off the bus and rushing into the house to watch re-runs of this show with my mom. Not only were there many funny moments to divert the audience, one must admit – Bruce Boxleitner was kind of a hunk. The moment I found out that SMK Season One was being released on DVD, my name was on the pre-order list.

This show offered the opportunity to really get to know the characters. They had depth and personalities. Francine believed she was the best thing that had happened to the spy business. Ever. Billy knew how to laugh, but he was one tough boss. He could always keep his employees in line. Lee (Scarecrow) was sexy and cunning and awfully good at rolling his eyes in frustration.

Amanda, the heroine, was Lee’s main source of frustration. She was inexperienced and he never really wanted to partner up with her (at least in Season One). She was only a housewife, brought into the spy business through an act of necessity. She bumped into Lee while he was being chased and he attempted to use her to finish an assignment. She did not deliver the package like he told her to and thus began their whirlwind of a relationship; from partners in the field to partners in the heart.

She was the real reason so many women were drawn to this show. She gave women hope. Amanda’s life showed that romance and intrigue are possible for everyone, even a suburban housewife and we could all always use a little romance and intrigue in our lives.

My Fake Stalker

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I’ve never had a real stalker, but then again, I guess he wouldn’t be a very good one if I knew about his existence.  I did have a fake stalker once though. It just might have been one of the silliest things I was even involved in. There must have even been a certain level of believability to what we did because an elderly woman did look quite concerned on my behalf.

When my husband was still in college, I came to visit him at the student gym where he worked. This was a regular Friday night routine. He is normally a little bit more than your average goofball, but this night he was really on a roll.

I was down by the equipment cage waiting for him when I heard someone from the walkway above yell, “Hey, good looking! You got a boyfriend?” This is not at all an unusual thing for him say so I answered with a caustic, “Won’t you leave me alone? How many times do I have to tell you? You need to stop following me.”

We continued our banter for a few more turns until I realized that one of the women on the same level as me was beginning to look extremely worried on my behalf. I became afraid that if we did not show her we were simply goofing around she would take action on my behalf.

I told my husband to come down and we made a bit of a show over the fact that we really did know each other and were together. I never did figure out if that lady looked more relieved that I was safe or upset that we would be so callous.

I felt that the situation had all arisen in good fun and that there was nothing to worry about. To this day, whenever my husband bumps into me, like if I’m walking into the house as he is pulling into the driveway he still asks, “Hey, good looking. You got a boyfriend?” and I must admit that every time it still makes me smile and I secretly hope that he never stops.

Pinstripes and Plaid

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Pinstripes and plaid DO NOT go together. Hence, why I made my fiance change his clothes one night before we could go out. My grandparents fought on his behalf, saying that he looked just fine the way he was and how it was not fair of me to ask him to change just because I did not like something about his outfit. To this day I still maintain that my grandmother could not see the pinstripes from across the room, otherwise she would have been on my side.

Papa still likes to joke when we are out on whether or not his clothes match. He even called me at my bridal shower to tell me that he was afraid to let Grandma leave the house because he did not think she matched.

“Will she pass?” he had asked me on the phone. Well she did, but he sure did not when he came to pick her up. He had on black pants and black shoes, but was wearing white socks. He says he is too old to worry about the color of his socks.

This started me thinking though. Who decided that you should not wear stripes and plaid at the same time? (Besides the obvious that they just do not look good together.)

She Could Not Be Her Without You

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I have found that I enjoy Alexandra Potter as an author.

I love Jane Austen books. For Christmas this past year my mother gave me Me and Mr. Darcy simply because of the title character. This was a very enjoyable read, so when I saw a new Alexandra Potter book sitting on the shelf at Barnes & Noble, I had to have it. The book was The Two Lives of Miss Charlotte Merryweather.

In the two books that I have read by her, Potter likes to leave certain decisions up to the reader. She presents evidence that could support two eventualities and leaves the reader to decide what really occurred. (I must admit, I do not always opt for the more logical explanation.)

In The Two Lives of Miss Charlotte Merryweather, Charlotte Merryweather encounters herself…from ten years ago. She has always thought of things she would change if she had the chance and her best friend, Vanessa, even has her two cents to add about what she would tell a younger version of herself if that kind of thing were possible.

Charlotte attempts to make the most of this opportunity even though she cannot understand why it is occurring. Her main goal, she believes, is to stop her younger self, Lottie – as she went by then, from getting her heart broken by some slimy English man in leather pants. Charlotte later learns that what she believed to be a success was not really. Even though she thought she had foiled the hook-up, Lottie had gone back later and gone through with the interlude anyway.

Watching herself cry after suffering heartbreak at the hands of the rocker, she realizes that she was not actually trying to save herself from this heartbreak. The actions of that night had led her on a slow, downward spiral toward what she is today. Subconsciously, she was trying to avoid this because she was not happy with who she had become.

It is only after this realization that she comes to change herself and become the heroine the readers knew she could become. So herein lies the question. Even if it were possible to interact with and warn a younger version of yourself as to what the older, wiser version of yourself knew as true, would it do any good? Would you listen to yourself? Would you think that you were crazy? Even if you tried to change, would it make a difference?

Charlotte tried to change her past, but her younger self was too headstrong and stubborn. Or was that really the case? Maybe everything that happens to a person, good or bad, is meant to happen in order to create the person they are supposed to be.

Earth Day 2010

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I really love the children in my room at work (school age). Especially on days like these.

The kids did not have school this year on Earth Day, so as a special treat, we all walked to the local movie theater and saw How to Train your Dragon. Before we left the center, one of the girls was talking to me about what Earth Day means and what you are supposed to do on that day. I told her, goofing around, that on Earth Day, you were supposed to hug every tree you saw, to show your appreciation to it.

As we were walking to the theater, that same little girl ran up to the first tree we saw and gave it a great big hug while saying, “Greetings to you! Happy Earth Day!” It was so cute that I could not bring myself to yell at her for getting out of line.

She quickly got back in line, but had apparently read my silence as permission to continue doing what she was doing. Every tree or bush large enough for her to hug she would run right up to and greet with much enthusiasm.

As we neared Main Street and the trees were surrounded by concrete and sometimes trash, her words to the trees got even cuter. To one she said, “I’m sorry you’re right next to a garbage can, but I’m happy you’re alive!” To another she said, “I can’t believe someone littered right next to you. They should be ashamed of themselves!”

Now this is funny in its own right, but this coming out of the mouth of an eight year old was just too much. I could not help myself but to let her hug every tree on our way to the theater and every tree on the other side of the street as we walked back to the center.

Maybe if we could all take the time to show our appreciation and not care if we looked silly while doing it, all our trees would look a little happier. As she had said, “That tree looks sad. He needs a hug and then he’ll feel better and look better!”

Shocker

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Yesterday, while the children were up and running around, the center’s senior director came over to inform us that the center will be closed as of September 3rd. Nothing like giving faithful employees only three months to seek alternate employment. Also, the decision has been made and is set in stone. There is nothing that can be done; no petitioning or rallying that will get the administration to change their minds. We are being replaced by an orthopedic group. Apparently 20 years of child care service is not more important than knees and ankles. All must kowtow to the functionality they believe will bring in more revenue.

Now, we must all seek new employment. Obviously some of us are in sticky situations with bills and whatnot, but there are some of us who have extra pressures as well. I am getting married next month and was counting on the stability of this job to help build a new life with my fiancee. Also, two of my fellow employees are currently pregnant and will have difficulty finding a job to accommodate that, not to mention seeking new insurance.

Obviously, places of work close and businesses choose to move in new directions, but my issue is with the fact that we were only given three months warning when apparently this plan has been in the works for many months before then. Also, rival centers were warned about the possible influx of new children before the employees of this center were even given a hint about the closure.

We are all striving to find sources of new employment in a timely manner, yet we all seem to feel that we would like to stick it out to the end for the few children who will remain here until the end. The patrons here have become like families to us – especially those we associate with outside of the workplace. How will we cope without seeing children we have seen everyday for years?