2015 | PulseonParenting

The Birth Plan

Jan 15 2015

As our twins’ due date drew near, after the baby showers and the painting of the nursery and the birthing class, it was time to face the reality of our boys’ arrival: the delivery. It was a bit of a revelation, with so much focus on ultrasounds and a growing tummy and intense cravings for macaroni and cheese and homemade brownies, that, indeed, these babies would soon make a grand entrance. Somehow. The suitcase was packed. But other than that, we were simply waiting. The hospital of our choice (wait, who am I kidding…the hospital covered by our insurance)…

From the Desk of…an Eight-Year-Old

Jan 14 2015

Children are astute observers and acutely grounded in reality. And when they take their perspectives to paper, the results can be hilarious, especially when combined with a glaring absence of auto correct. Or a filter. They are kids after all…honest and real and curious. So, for example, asking a veteran, “Did you like fighting in the war?” doesn’t seem out-of-line. (Yes, a second grader wrote this in a letter to my father-in-law this past Veterans’ Day…). That said, my daughter loves to write. Recently I found some notes on her desk that would push the envelope if written by an…

Twelve (Plus One) in 2014

Jan 09 2015

One year ago my New Year’s resolution was to read more books. I set my sights on enjoying one book a month. While sometimes it was hard to find the time and motivation, in the end I was able to devour thirteen books cover to cover. If I included all books started (and not necessarily finished, see Sorry, Mr. Robbins, My Mind Just Doesn’t Work That Way), I could have read fourteen in ’14, which would have been kinda fun. But that would be cheating. Numbers aside, one thing is certain: my love for cracking a cover has been renewed. The new challenge…

A Fashion Statement Worth Considering

Jan 07 2015

Flying without my family isn’t something I do often and I really don’t like it. So when I flew the friendly skies solo last month I needed some company. Enter the book Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison by Piper Kerman. I was already hooked the television series by the same name and therefore curious about the true story that inspired a show ripe with character and drama. Piper Kerman, in describing her incarceration for a decade-old offense, clearly got an education beyond what she received at Smith College: a first-hand look at the prejudices, substandard…

Coffee Shop Time Warp

Jan 06 2015

Over winter break we took our three kids to a favorite coffee spot for hot chocolate. As we settled in, I found myself more interested in “people-watching” and couldn’t help but notice the family sitting across the room: parents and their four twenty-something kids. There was Dad, bespectacled and reading. Sitting beside him was his slightly-grunge son wearing Buddy Holly-style glasses and playing on his phone. Mom was sitting at the other end of the table, talking with her stylishly-dressed daughters. Another son, with All-American features was in seated in the middle, partaking of his coffee and alternating between conversation…

Archive - 2015