truth as old as time itself

Sickness has been ever present in the Pruett-Ben-Yonatan (2 hyphens!) household.  I took Theo to the doctor today and instead of the serious diagnosis I was expecting, I got a diagnosis of cold and a lesson in parenting.  Apparently that blue bulb the hospital gives you when a new baby is born has a purpose!  When I got it, I sort of looked at it and thought, "what's this thing?  I don't know, so maybe I should throw it away?".  It's for sucking out mucous!  If you suck out diligently, babies don't get infections as easily.  Theo's pediatrician seemed a little unsettled that I did not know this.  You learn something (about parenting) every day, I guess ( I also learned about Pedialyte.  He told me that he drinks it himself when he gets sick and encouraged me to try it!  He's pretty great.)

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We have all manner of toy in this household--fancy, organic, colorful, educational, cute, classic, recycled, but Theo's favorite toy is currently a small plastic toilet with a moveable lid. It (hilariously) came in a bag of plastic food/veggies/cans that I got for $2 at the thrift store (making it a < $0.25 toy).  I cannot even imagine where it originated (the 70s?  a foreign country?  a party store?), as I've tried to find it online with no luck.  I don't let him take it places outside of our home because I am clearly not THAT mother.  No no, you see, I am the mother whose baby plays peacefully with only the classiest of toys, like the Sophie giraffe.*

digital macro: makes tiny toilets classier?

*In all fairness to Sophie, he did like her for a few months.

back to work

I came to the startling realization today that teaching might be the most torturous of jobs simply because of the sheer amount of vacation time inherent in the work (or as I like to call it, freedom).  When a break comes to its end, one enters into a slight period of mental anguish.  I've just had 2.5 weeks of freedom, and now I have to set my alarm, shower in the dark, and be in a place that is not my home (and not around my baby) for 8 hours.  Could life be any harder?  I try to do that whole silver lining thing--at least it's enjoyable, I get to think about science and create games/activities, I learn, I can leave at 3:15 if necessary.  But still, working anywhere is kind of the pits.  The beginning of any break is wonderful and life-giving and then the end is miserable and hopeless.  I like to think that I am a person who likes to work (because I will have to do it for the rest of my life), but on Sunday nights, I think I might have Stockholm syndrome.

But enough of that!  I will go in tomorrow with bells on because what else can you do?

In other break developments:  I bought and used a grommet punch (new 2013 vibe:  modifying tote bags to have adjustable straps) and I got a new point and shoot camera!  The benefit of having broken three P/S cameras in the past 5 years (two broken by children and the third run over by cars in the middle of downtown Seattle when I accidentally kicked it out of the car) is that I constantly get to upgrade/try something new.  I've always had Canons before, but this time, I'm trying an Olympus XZ.  Natan did a lot of research and waiting for the price to drop on Amazon.  This one was rated with the highest picture quality under $500, with particular excellence in the low light range.  So far, it's awesome.  Behold: some more pictures of the most beautiful baby in the world (TM). 

Eating prunes/oatmeal and looking out the window.  Obviously this is Theo's Blue Steel.

On the living roof of the Cal Academy--the DeYoung Museum is in the background.

We took a walk in the Alum Rock Park.

The moose hat was a good investment.