Silicon Valley Moms Blog

No Giving Crap this Year!

Christmas is not going to be the same this year.  The economy has really made my husband and I look at things a little different this holiday season.  I am actually really happy about Christmas for the first time in a long time.

I didn't come from a family that received TONS of gifts on Christmas even though we were well off.  "Gifts aren't the point of Christmas," my mother would say.  I would just be irritated because I didn't get everything that I wanted.  I really didn't "get" it back then.  Now, living in Silicon Valley and hearing all the gifts that kids get around here makes me ill.  To say I "get" it is an understatement.

Help Is Just a Phone Call Away

Living in the Bay Area can guarantee you one thing, diversity.  There are people from every race, creed, and culture living in the Bay.  OK, I am not positive that EVERY race is covered but you get the point.

My street is about as diverse as it gets.  Caucasians, Korean, Indian, Portuguese, Italians, British, Jewish and Chinese all living in the 20 houses on my street.  It makes for great conversation and many learning experiences for my child and I.  My 3 year old understands we take our shoes off at our Korean neighbors house.  I have explained to some extent, that our Indian neighbors put lights on there house in October because they celebrate Diwali.  The list goes on.

What They Don't Know Will Hurt Them

A few weeks back I ran into my high school boyfriend.  He and I dated on and off for a few years.  That was more than 15 years ago but we have kept in touch over the years.  We email once a month or so to say hello.  We send each other photos of our families and ask about each others parents.  We are friends.

There are no feelings there anymore except those of pure friendship.  I actually look at him and wonder how we ever stayed together for so long.  We are truly better as friends.  Over the years, my husband has known about my friendship with "Mark."  He is fine with it.  What I did not know is that Mark's wife had no clue he still talked to me.   

The Second Time Around

Husband and I have decided we are ready to try for baby #2.  I was actually ready a long time ago but then life got in the way and my marriage went through some really trying times.  Shit happens, if you will. 

The first time I got pregnant, I did everything you are "supposed to do."  I quit drinking alcohol like 6 months before we were ready to start trying.  I weaned myself off caffeine a few months before.  I took my prenatal vitamins for so long before that I don't even remember NOT taking them.  This time?  Not so much.

Husband and I were all set to "go for it" about a week ago.  I had a glass couple glasses of wine that night.  It is much harder to get in the mood after spending the day with a high energy 3 year old.  I needed some help relaxing!!!

BlogHer Is Just Like Online Dating

I was one of the thousand women that recently attended the BlogHer Conference in San Francisco.  It is always amazing to meet all these people who's lives I read online everyday.  Some people would come up to say hello and I would instantly know who they were.  A lot of the time though, I had a really difficult time recognizing some of them.

As Thursday nights parties turned into the start of the conference on Friday I realized that the BlogHer Conference is just like internet dating!

Just Like That, It Was Gone

I have written about this before, here and here.  Oh yeah, here too!  That's right, The Sucky Fairy.

I have chickened out several times on getting rid of LG's sucky. She still only had the sucky in bed and I didn't really care. Every time I asked if she was ready to giver her sucky to the Sucky Fairy, she would FREAK OUT. At this point, I wanted getting rid of it to be a positive thing. I didn't want a screaming little girl so sad to be having to do this.

My Most Embarrassing Mom Moment

It has happened.  We all have had one at one time or another.  My most embarrassing mom moment has finally happened.  I am sure I will have moments that will surpass this one but for now this takes the cake.

Husband and I were out to dinner with my daughter LG and her godparents.  We were at Outback on a Friday night which is usually pretty busy.  It was just around 6 p.m. so the restaurant was just starting to fill up.  We were all talking when LG says, "Hey Gretchen, I had to go to the Dr. today!"

Neighborly Love

We live in the Heritage District of Sunnyvale.  Six years ago we moved into a house owned by my husband's grandparents.  It is cute little house on a corner lot with a nice backyard.  The houses are about 50 years old but most have been kept up nicely.

When we first moved in, our neighborhood was "in transistion."  There weren't very many families with small kids.  In fact, most of our neighbors were well into their seventies and not very friendly.  In short, our neighborhood didn't feel much like one.

 

Getting Over Sexual Issues

When I heard today was about sex I knew instantly there were going to be all these warm, fuzzy posts about how great sex is and how much people love it.  I would read all these posts and wish that same day I would feel the same, but I don't.  I mean let me be clear, when I have sex it feels great but for me all the emotions that come with it overwhelm me.

I was date raped.

I Quit!

Today was a big day for me.  I quit my job. Those who know me are probably wondering WTF? since I haven't actually been going to a job since LG was born.

I went on leave before LG was born and I haven't been back since. Thankfully my school district is awesome and I have had a 3 year leave of absence. Next year (2008-2009 school year) I either have to go back or quit.

In all honesty, each year I put in a letter requesting to come back part time to see what is available. Then I check out the job listings. Next I check on how much money it is to have full time day care or a nanny and think, "No way!" "There is no way in hell that I am going to pay someone that much money to raise my child when I can do it myself." If teaching paid great money that would be a different story but I would be working to pay someone to raise my kid. No thanks.

Of course, this year I put in the same note about working part time. HR let me know that I could work part time but that I would lose my tenure and become a temporary teacher. I wasn't happy about that but