Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Slow Dance


My ladies-from-the-80s are sure to have at least one flashback moment of awkwardly going around and around in mindnumbing circles while your mind fast-forwards to thoughts of friends, your weekend plans, the next shopping trip or maybe just wondering - Will this dreadful dance ever end?

So, I've created a face for this wait for a court date and it's that of a big, boring slow dance. As I do the small talk and the fake smiles during this dance, with various update versions of 'no news is good news', my mind decides it needs a little more action and has moved forward with a self-created proactive approach. This slow dance is a little too monotonous for my liking and overall, quite the bore.

My proactive approach begins with heeding one's own advice. As I wonder what advice I would give to someone else in this pending stage, it would without a doubt be get busy. Get busy with all things that normally end up on the back burner. Take a deep look and try to envision the little crumbs of spare time in your very near future and...


1. clean the closets, fix the chip on the bookcase, sort & donate unused items that are taking up valuable space, paint that wall the color you love (not necessarily the one that blends), get the A/C tuned, filters changed, put those lingering photos in books with proper labels and on & on. You see where I'm going with this.

2. cooking/recipes
I've started hording recipes that appear to give me more time to play with Baby N when I get home from work and less time focusing on dinner. Kai has been the lucky (*sarcasm*) recipient of my finds. And yes, some have been followed by a quick pizza delivery. But I must say, this is the time to be trying out the new stuff.

3. gym/exercise
a) for the obvious health benefits and...
b) I'm totally serious here...so I can carry this guy around!!!! I was told once that I have 'Rolling Stone arms'. I'm not sure what that means, but it does paint a fairly accurate picture. I'm not a huge fan of the gym but I have ventured into a pretty good place right now and am building up the arms and back strength. The first thing traveling families reference when they report back is Baby N's shockingly large frame. I have taken this report seriously and will be ready :)

4. babybook/lifebook
BN's babybook arrived a couple of weeks ago and with each agency update, we've begun filling in the blanks. Loving this task! I've yet to begin a life book, but am having fun in the planning stage and researching others' ideas online.

5. packing lists for two trips
This is the fun part because it's a task directly related to bringing BN home! and yes, it includes Excel spreadsheets. :)

6. letter
I'm writing a private letter to BN that I'll share with him when he's much older.

7. daycare
We've researched daycare centers in our area, which I think I mentioned awhile ago. This is a great thing to do if you live in an area with various options. It's something that needs to be done if you plan on working and it also relates directly to your child, making you feel a strong sense of accomplishment and a little closer to him/her/them.

8. read
There isn't enough time to read everything out there that I feel I should. I see various books suggested through different sites and also from what others are reading and I want to read them all! Will I be a little more prepared with each book I read? Who knows??? I do know it's a very productive way to pass the time.

I can't think of any moment in my life that created a complete an undetermined halt of action. As we await a phone call that brings things back into motion, I think...What an opportunity this is to clean life's house! If I was ever the organized fool before, watch out now. No nook or cranny is off limits while I go round and round in this slow dance.

Feel free to add your own tips. I would love to add more to my list and I'm sure others would too.

4 comments:

  1. The boring slow dance is SUCH a good comparison.

    My feeling is, you're doing plenty. Don't beat yourself up about trying to use this time too cleverly - just do whatever you can be bothered to do, whatever gets you through this stage of the wait. If that's reading, do that, but if it's painting your toenails, do that instead. I think this time is just soemthing you've got to survive. (And I do think that cleaning up the house is an excellent idea - I did that too and have been very, very grateful that I did).

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  2. Ok, I LOVE Pretty in Pink. I recently shared it with my 10 year old niece, and she is addicted! :)

    Having said that - busy is the key! And also quiet! People told me this over and over, but I didn't quite listen. There is no quiet now, and Charlie and I go days without a real conversation (well, that doesn't include Zadie's poop or eating schedule). Charlie and I did take make a decision to spend some quality time together before we got Munchkin. And I am so thankful for that time. We could have made an effort to make the time even more special.

    So, what is the status of everything re: your court date? Any more news?!?!

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  3. Ahhh.... I love Molly Ringwold. It is hard to strike the balance of trying to do things to get ready and stay busy but also spend quality time together as a childless couple. Where did you get Baby N's lifebook? I need to order one as well.

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  4. Thanks for the kind comments on our blog! It is great to find others in the same -unknown- territory of post May 9th-er's!

    I enjoyed the dance analogy, very true!

    Lainie

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