Election 2008 -- does what happens now even matter?

So, there have been all these grumblings about the Democratic Presidential hopefuls beating each other up. I have tried not to read much of it, but here is my question. Does it matter? We are still 22 months from election day. While I would like to believe that things like Iraq, the economy, the deficit, etc will still be on the electorate's mind by then, I don't honestly have confidence in that. I would certainly hope that personal attacks and squabbles that occur would be long buried.

At the same time, I do wish they would cut it out. I mean, I know they get asked things like "why are you a better candidate than X?". But just because the media asks you something you don't have to answer it. If GWB has taught us anything it should be that. Ignore the question and say what you want to say. Candidates should answer that question by talking about their good qualities, and should refrain from saying anything about their fellow candidates -- at least of the same party. Because when you later pick that person as your running mate (or they pick you), that clip will run every 10 seconds for the remainder of the campaign.

Grow up people!

BTW....I LOVE this cartoon:

Watching (some of) the Oscars

So I stayed up to watch the Oscars last night. Ok, I only made it 'til 11pm, which means I missed many of the big awards. But given that I only saw a few of the films (the Queen, Little Miss Sunshine), I really didn't care about the awards. I was all about the fashion. I have to say everyone did pretty well this year. And by everyone, I mean the women. I don't get the point of commenting on men's tuxedos. For me, you either wore a tuxedo and looked fine, or didn't wear a tuxedo and looked like you were trying to hard to be nonchalant. Back to the women -- Nicole Kidman looked awesome. So did Kate Winslet. I didn't think there were any disasters. Jennifer Hudson, who I so want to love, didn't look good. Until she performed (which I slept through, but have seen clips of). The red dress was fantastic. She should have worn that and dumped the brown number.

Did anyone else notice that the two male commentators on the red carpet during "Road to the Oscars" were significantly overweight? I only say it because, as someone who shouldn't talk, you know that the network would never have put a similarly hefty woman out there. Seriously, with the exception of Star Jones (who was a mistake on so many levels), all the women who commentate on the Oscars or other Hollywood issues (or really are on tv in almost any capacity), are like a size 2. Although I read now that a size 2 is big, and really you need to be less than a zero. Whatever. I just noticed that the two gentleman doing fashion commentary were big. And they would never have let a woman that big get the gig. That's all I'm saying...

Finally giving in to the Crackberry gods...

So about a year ago my office decided to get everyone at my level a Blackberry. I resisted, I protested, and I just said no. They said, OK, if you don't want one, we won't make you. Pretty much everyone got one except me and one other person. Well..in the last 2 months work has been CRAZY and my life has been INSANE! And I realized. I am a working mom with three kids. My life is not likely to be "normal" (whatever that is) for at least 20 years. I might as well give it up. So I did.

I have been thinking I could use one since my little guy was in the hospital last month. Then I thought -- well, that was just an anomaly. But with three kids, as one friend said, my life is anomaly. Since the hospital stay there were definitely a number of times when I thought, "if I just had a blackberry". But I was still resisting, because I don't want to be accountable to work 24/7. This weekend sealed the deal for me. I had an issue going on where I had to decide about a whether or not to go on a business trip. I asked my direct boss and she suggested I email our big boss -- this was Saturday morning. I emailed him then..it was the long weekend. I didn't hear back until we were at work on Tuesday. I thought, OK, if he's a VP and he doesn't check his Blackberry all the time, then I certainly can't be expected to! So I ordered it. It is coming on Monday.

One of my colleagues said I will love it when I am on my way to a restaurant and want to make a quick Open Table reservation. She also said its a great way to find playgrounds when you are out and about. We'll see..

Food...or not...weight watchers...

So I have rejoined weight watchers. It was VERY successful for me before I had kids. I also had lost over 25 lbs before we found out I was pregnant with #3 on ww, so I know it works. But..I am not convinced it works while breastfeeding. I am still nursing (and pumping, ughh) for my 6-month old. WW has a specific program for breastfeeding that basically gives you an additional 10 points a day. This seems excessive to me. So far I am losing weight...but I am not eating those 10 points. So far my milk supply is fine, so I am not worried. If I start to see a drop-off, I will definitely add more points.

So now I am on the quest to find the best low-point foods. My all-time favs are FF Jello Pudding, Sugar Free jello, and LF Cool Whip. I also have this recipe where you bake a banana (in the skin) for 45 minutes then take it out, sprinkle with cinnamon and top with LF Cool whip -- YUMM! I am currently addicted to edamame. I really love this stuff. My 2.5 year old tried some last night and loved it as well. She was eating it faster than I could shell it! Of course neither my incredibly picky 4.5 year old or my husband would try. Actually, he tried one, but quickly downed a cracker to kill the taste. Oh well..more for me! I also LOVE the ww one-point chocolate/caramel bars. YUMMY! DH suggested that I could eat almost a whole box every day for my extra 10 points...he should NOT suggest such things...

Keeping the Germs at Bay...

So my 4.5 year old daughter recently underwent a clinical trial involving yogurt. She drank a yogurt drink once a day for 90-days. She was not allowed any other yogurt and could not skip even one day. The goal was to show that the active cultures in this yogurt helped to prevent illness in kids.

I am a true believer. In the 90-days she was on the drink (similar to DanActive), she didn't have one cold, one illness, one runny nose -- nothing. This is a kid who is in institutional daycare 5-days a week. During the same period her sister, with whom she shares a bedroom (and just about everything else) had a cold and a runny nose constantly. Her baby brother was hospitalized with RSV. She had NOTHING.

Now, the whole family(except the baby who is only 6-months) drinks DanActive every single day. It is not cheap -- and buying 4 cases a week (7bottles times 4) gets to be alot. But I think it is totally worth it.

Kids getting sick...

It is so frustrating when your kids get sick. Not just because you are worried about them, but for time management purposes. In my house it means DH and I get to play the -- "who has the more important day today" game. Usually it means we split -- one goes to our morning meeting while the other stays home, and at lunch we switch. If we have enough notice, it means a call to my MIL who is our lifesaver. She is retired and lives nearby, and will often fill in when we just can't be home.

My 6-month old has recently been hospitalized -- first with RSV over Christmas, then with walking pneumonia (nevermind the irony that he can't walk yet) in January. During those times I have dropped everything to stay with him in the hospital. Work has been very agreeable (especially when this last time I discovered the hospital room had wireless internet for a small fee!), but it feels like I just got back into the swing of things (from returing from maternity leave in November) and boom -- I'm back out of it. ARgghh.

Now I am just completely consumed by trying to keep him well, and stressed by why he is getting sick. My peditrician had the gall to suggest he get a test for cystic fibrosis -- way to stress a person out! Since then we have realized 1) we have no family history (its a very genetically linked disease); 2) I had a CVS when pregnant that tested for it and came back negative; and 3) he doesn't taste like salt. Yes, I licked him to check. But I still need to schedule the test asap just to make sure. Then we need to follow up with a pediatric pulminologist and an allergist/immunologist. In my spare time. I mean, this is health-related, so we will drop everything to do it, but sometimes I think my life is simply too insane.

Reading...as if I had the time

So..i really enjoy reading. With three kids, I can't actually read much that is literary, but I still like to read something. Currently my prime reading time consists of the three 20-minute breaks I take a day to pump breastmilk at work. My library has the coolest thing where you can go onto your library account online and request books be held for you. Then when they are ready, they email you and you just pop by the library to pick them up. I used to buy books. LOTS of books. This is a much cheaper option, and given that I live two doors from the library, its kinda of embarrassing that I haven't done this for longer!

I am currently obsessed by Jodi Picoult.

Welcome

Wow...a blog. Well, you know, I don't have enough to do. Seriously, though..i don't have time for a therapist, so maybe this will be my way to vent.

As is probably apparent, I am a mom of three (currently all under the age of 5!!!). I work full-time as a Washington lobbyist (ok, I just lost anyone who was bothering to read!), have a wonderful husband of 10 years, and an AMAZING group of girlfriends. I also have a supportive family, especially my MIL, who lives locally and helps our family survive! I love to read, love TV (and TIVO!!) and am a craft-a-holic. My current one is scrapbooking, which I adore. Other recent (but not current) obsessions have been knitting and stained-glass. I also really like Geo-caching, although I am new it at. It is really cool, and something fun to do with kids.

Hmm..that's me. Basically, like so many others, I am trying hard to be a mom, a working woman, and have a life besides. Yeah, have it all. Why not??!!