Private School?

Check out my latest article on LearnVest, Should You Pay for Private School?

Let me know what you think!

Preschool!

You all know I am a huge personal fan of preschool.

But I am not a fan of the hefty price tag.

Check out my newest article on LearnVest: Do You Need to Pay for Preschool?

Let me know what you think!

Keep Calm and Carry On

I was so happy to get back from the holidays.  There's nothing like sleeping in your own bed after being on the road with kids for a few weeks.  And there's nothing like returning to your routine.  I would be lost without our routine and I rely on it heavily.  Last Monday I realized that even a "long weekend" is enough to throw me off.  Sadly, I am the kind of Mama who is burnt out after spending a few days straight with my kids...without our routine.

I won't get into details, but the highlight of last Monday morning was driving around downtown Washington trying to find a parking spot so we could go to the Natural History Museum.  I had forgotten that everyone else would be doing the exact same thing as the museum is located on the National Mall and Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  After 45 minutes of circling the museum to the North, South, East and West, and having every spot I had identified stolen by a more aggressive driver, I lost it.  I hit my steering wheel, started crying and mumbling crazily that I was NEVER going to find a spot and that I was just going to have to GIVE UP.  My daughter was already crying as we were supposed to be meeting her friend inside the museum and my son started wailing because he wanted to see the dinosaurs. 

I like to consider myself a good driver with relatively crafty downtown navigation abilities, but I simply could not find my parking mojo on Monday.  It killed me to do it, but I actually had to give up and create an alternative plan to try and make it up to my kids.  We headed to Georgetown to watch the ducks on the river and grab a snack by the C&O Canal.  I recovered the morning, kind of, but felt so terrible about my inability to keep my cool in front of my kids.  What kind of example was I setting as I blubbered my self deprecating nonsense, occasionally yelling at parking spot stealers while pounding my steering wheel in frustration?

I don't want to be that kind of Mom. I want them to learn how to keep their cool.  I want them to learn how to not take the wrong things too seriously.  I want them to learn how to find humour in the every day struggle (although we did manage to laugh about it on the drive home as I fed them cookies and played their favorite annoying Little People CD). 

All this is to say that I am tired of not being able to stay as calm as I would like when I am presented with life's constant little challenges.  I don't want to yell and freak out when things don't go my way or when my kids do the things that kids do.  I don't want them to be afraid of me and the possible reaction I may have. 

That's a lot of things that I want and that I don't want.  But other than tattooing "Keep Calm and Carry On" in some highly visible location, how can I deal with this unsavory part of my self?

I went to a lecture at the little guy's school last night on "How to Raise a Responsible Child" and I was reminded how important my role is in developing my kids' character.  They learn from what they see and I need to teach them by setting a good example.  This is SO OBVIOUS yet so hard to remember on a minute by minute basis. 

When I lose my cool, they must think that it is OK to lose your cool.  When I am checking emails and not listening to them, and then get annoyed and snap when they keep "bugging" me, they are learning that it is OK to ignore people while you fiddle with a technological gadget.  And when I yell at them in the grocery store (or any public place, really) because their behavior is less than exemplary, I am embarrassing both myself and them because I should be able to think of more creative ways to handle situations that I have been consistently confronted with for the past 5 years.  If I can not be a responsible parent, how can I expect them to be responsible kids?

Yikes!!!!!  They are going to need years of therapy because of me!!

So I am taking a small step.  I got home from last night's lecture and signed up for Managing Anger: A Parents Guide which is being offered at the Parent Encouragement Program (PEP), the same folks who held the preschooler classes I took last winter.  It is only 3 sessions, but I am hoping the 6 hours of instruction, thought and discussion will help me learn how to better deal with my parental frustrations.

Because as much as I'd like to make it to yoga and work on my deep breathing techniques, I think I am in  need of a supportive classroom environment where I can remember that I am not alone in this.  Parenting is the hardest thing I have ever done and I want to make sure that I am doing it to the best of my abilities.  What is that wise old saying, again?  Nothing good comes easily?  Well I am going to work on this and while I would not call it a New Year's resolution, I am hoping I can become a better Mama so my kids will end up better people. 

Screen Time

As a dedicated parent, I understand that I need to limit and control screen time.  Luckily my kids are at an age where "screen time" means TV, not all the other gadgets available these days (I sound old right now, don't I?).  Honestly, as a Stay-at-Home-Mama, I do not know where I would be without our precious screen time.

I generally like to follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics: no more than 2 hours of quality programming per day.  I also tend to break those 2 hours up strategically so I can get through the day myself.  I do not beat myself up when I turn on the TV.  I find it a practical way for my kids to chill out a bit and for me to get some vital work done (like cooking food that we can all eat).

I recently came across What to Watch: The Best Children's Television by Darienne Hosley Stewart at Babycenter.com's site.  It is worth taking a look at to see if there's any shows you could rotate into your viewing schedule (if you have one, that is).  I like that there's a little summary of the series you can review before giving the show a try. 

We recently set our DVR to tape Dinosaur Train (PBS) and WordWorld (PBS).  I cannot tell you how much my kids dig these shows.  They LOVE them, and because they LOVE them, so do I.  I love feeling like they're actually learning stuff while they sit in front of the TV.  It makes me feel good about my parenting, because let's admit it, there's a lot these shows can teach that I can't (I am not a dinosaur expert in any way, shape or form).  And frankly, there's a lot I can get done while they're watching and learning that I can't get done if the TV is not on.

A word of warning, the theme song for Dinosaur Train is extremely catchy.  You may find yourself singing it at odd times of the day when there are no children present.

Telling the Truth

I caught my daughter red handed. 

She got into the car last Thursday afternoon and proceeded to play with a bunch of small orange beads as we drove home.  I asked her where they had come from.  I obviously knew they had come from school, since that was where I had just picked her up, but I wanted to see what kind of story she would spin for me.  The fact she had them in her shoe was a tip off.

She started off strong and said she had gotten them at school.  I then asked her why she had them and what she was supposed to do with them.  Was it some kind of "homework"? She dodged the question and mumbled some gobbledygook to me.  I asked if she was allowed to bring them home and she mumbled yes.  As I wasn't satisfied with her answers, I asked again what she was supposed to be doing with the beads.  She finally admitted she wasn't supposed to take them home at all. 

AHA!  Gotcha! (I did not say this out loud)

When we arrived at our place, we collected all the beads that had spilled everywhere, put them in a zip lock bag and put them in the back of her lunch box.  I told her we were going to have to return them to her teacher and explain what had happened.  The babe wasn't happy about that.  She looked down, ashamed and with a slightly frightened look on her face, said, "do I have to?" 

I've decided I am not going to mess around with this taking things that don't belong to you stuff.  So I explained that if we take things we're not supposed to, we have to bring them back and apologize.

So Friday morning rolls around and we walked up to the Head teacher.  I gave a little briefing on the situation and let the babe take over.  She looked quite sheepish and said she was sorry.  She proceeded to listen to her teacher remind her of their previous discussions about thinking through our actions and using our brain to make the right decision. 

It was monumental.  The babe, I think, learnt an important lesson.  And rather than letting this just slide, I'm glad I held her accountable.  Perhaps this lesson will help guide future behavior, perhaps not.  Regardless, I did what I could do and have now made it through another "first."  

Parenting Pointers

A few weeks ago I was having a hard time remembering all the things I'm supposed to be doing to be an awesome Mom.  So I jotted down some bullet points from my parenting classes and taped them up on the kitchen wall.  I meant to share them here for Mother's Day, but was too busy having an awesome time by myself at the outlet mall (thanks to my husband for allowing me to take off for 7 hours--the best Mother's Day present I could have asked for!). 

I hope some (or all) of the following points are helpful:

Remember:

• Be a role model
• Act more and talk less
• Love the kids when they least deserve it because that's when they need it the most
• Appreciate and acknowledge effort
• Kids love being useful so put them to work
• Be firm but friendly
• Ask kids for their ideas
• Make time to play
• Set the stage for success
• Actively listen to them
• Mistakes are OK--it's how we learn
• Connection then correction
• Encourage, encourage.  Not praise, praise.
• Explain "when...then..."  For instance, "when you finish cleaning your room, then we can go to the park."
• Set limits and don't back down under pressure
• Train kids so they can be involved.  Teach them responsibility
• Use a timer (like setting your cell phone alarm to go off when it's time to leave the park)
• Use reverse psychology
• Be more playful--make a joke to diffuse the tension
• Respect each other
• Let kids make choices
• Explain "either...or..." For instance, "either you wear the blue sweater or the green one.  Your choice."
• Discipline, not punishment
• Be more specific so they can replicate the action in the future.  For instance, "I noticed that..."
• Focus on the process, not the final product
• See things from their point of view and recognize their feelings
• Smiles, hugs, and kisses go a long way
• Stand back and don't rush in to rescue them
• Don't hold a grudge
• Simplify the kids environment
• Set realistic expectations
• Plan ahead so things can go smoothly
• Allow kids to experience the natural consequences of their actions
• Redirect attention
• Allow time for transitions
• Anticipate and prepare for difficult situations
• Stick to the routine
• Do not blow your stack when kids try to engage you in a battle--lead by example
• Have the courage to be imperfect

I'd like to thank to Parent Encouragement Program in Kensington, Maryland for helping me realize the benefits of every single one of the above bullet points.  While it is impossible to do all these things at once, it sometimes helps to work on a few things every week.  I'm told that eventually it becomes second nature, although I am still eagerly anticipating that day. Until then, I'll just keep trying.

Just For the Record

Since we're talking about monumental firsts, I just wanted to share that the babe almost mastered the art of tying shoe laces today and the little guy had his first poop on the potty.  And guess what?  These things were occurring simultaneously on different floors of our house this afternoon.  The babe and her Papa downstairs and the little guy and I upstairs.  How cool is that?

The babe and I got up early and hauled ourselves to the mall to go to a "shoe tying class."  I honestly thought this would teach both the babe and I some handy tips ( I had, after all, given up my coveted sleep in morning).  But it turns out those department store guys don't know much more than I do about teaching kids this tricky skill. 

What it did do is inspire the babe and help us take the training a few steps further at home.  As you may recall, the babe is easily frustrated and is not a fan of not "getting" things the first time she tries.  This means that we, her father and I, need to be insanely patient when tackling new projects with her.  And I am thrilled to announce that all the patience, and the tag team parental effort, brought us pretty darn close to solidifying this critical skill. I am sure a good nights sleep will help her internalize the magic of tying laces.

So while the babe and her Papa were working away in the living room, the little guy and I were just hanging out...and apparently he was busy having a big poop.  So I hauled him upstairs to change him.  Not to get too detailed, but before I slapped on the new diaper, I asked him if he was all done with his poops.  He said, "No.  Potty."  I didn't question his directions and carried him over to the potty. Within 30 seconds he had pushed out the last bit of remaining poop as if it was the most natural thing in the world.  Needless to say, I was pretty psyched.  I cleaned him up, we washed our hands and went back for that clean diaper.  The little guy was pretty thrilled to announce to his Papa what he had accomplished on his trip upstairs.  He kept hugging my husband and my heart melted.

Some days it seems like we're not really going anywhere or accomplishing anything.  Other days it seems like my munchkins' childhood is speeding by.  It's a good thing there's a bit of balance, though.  Because days like this make up for a lot of the crap.

Patience and Positivity-Day 1

You all know I have been struggling with my ability to be patient.  I regularly struggle with keeping my cool when things aren't going as I had planned.  I don't know if I was always this way, or if parenthood has brought it out in me.  All I know is that I need to let go a bit.  To not take it all so seriously.  And to try and see things through my kids eyes. 

Last week I was struggling with both my patience as well as my positivity.  Parenthood was feeling too heavy for me and I wasn't exactly appreciating the bright side of it all.

To help me get to this land of patience and positivity, I enrolled myself in an 8 week parenting course.  It is 2 hours a week and they have childcare down the hall from the classroom.  We had our first session yesterday, and I was quite pleased with how it went.

Not only did the little guy have so much fun playing with all his new friends, I got to sit in a room full of Mamas and talk about our common struggles and hopes.  As I am pretty candid with my Mama blogging, I wasn't holding things back when I spoke, and it felt good.  In fact, one of my class mates thanked me for being so honest when I introduced myself and told my "story."  A few women were nodding as I spoke and commented that I had just summarized thier lives and that they didn't think anyone else felt the same way they did.

We sit on couches and drink crappy instant coffee with powder creamer and talk about how challenging our kids are (it is a class designed for parents of preschoolers age 2.5 to 5) and ways we can make things better.

The only problem with this course is that we are embarking on a movement towards "positive discipline."  This term means many things, but the biggest challenge for me will be to stop using "punishments" or the threat of punishments when the babe misbehaves.  There's a whole bunch of positive stuff I can do instead, which I'm not going to get in to here, but it appears as though I'm going to have to make some changes if I want to get to the place my instructor thinks I can get to.

Today was Day 1 of being patient and positive with my kids.  Not that I was never those things before, but I am making a SERIOUS effort to not give in to all the opportunities where the babe and I could get into a verbal throw down with each other.  I am walking away from opportunities to battle with her by using compassion, humour, and understanding.  I am trying to get to her level, look her in the eyes, listen to her, give her more hugs, and not yell.  WHOA.  As my husband said 45 minutes into the day, "Wow, I guess being positive and patient takes a whole lot of energy."  And indeed, it does, but it feels so much better than giving into the easiness of yelling at the babe and threatening her with our roster of punishments (no desert, no bath (just a shower) and no story time at bed).  

By bath time tonight I was toast.  I wasn't doing so great with the patience (I'll admit I was on my own with bath and bed time for both of them), but I managed to bring it back by cuddling up with my 2 yummy clean little kiddies and reading a story and singing some songs before bed time.  It felt good.

For the next 8 weeks prepare to read about my serious mission to learn, grow, and be a better, more patient, and positive Mama (and wife, for that matter).  I have 5 chapters of "homework" to read in the next 6 days!  Can't get more serious than that!

Mother Earth

I care about the world my children will live in after I am gone.  And I care about the world that my grandchildren will live in after I'm gone.  You get the picture.  But when you look at the current state of affairs, it is rather disturbing (do I have to mention the words oil and spill?).

We are teaching our kids to respect the earth and I try to make environmentally responsible choices every day (although diapers are my downfall).  We don't use water bottles, we try to shop and eat responsibly, and we put in a solid effort when it comes to recycling.  One day we will get it together and make the composting thing happen as well.

But today I broke down and returned to my hard core unfriendly dishwasher gel.  I have been trying to make it work with the environmentally friendly dish detergent but keep ending up with a load of pretty dirty dishes. That doesn't seem so good for the planet considering how much water that thing must use in a cycle.

I guess I'm wondering if any of you have any good tips to share on how us Moms can be kinder to the earth?  I like easy tips...tips that real Moms can fit into their lives without much difficulty.  And does anyone know why environmentally friendly cleaning products are so lame and do you have any good recommendations for stuff that actually works??

In other news, I set up the sprinkler in the front yard this afternoon and let the kids at it (it was super hot and humid).  It was the little guy's first time in a sprinkler and it was definitely one of those priceless moments.  I guess we wasted a good chunk of water on that adventure. Whoops.

Letting Go

This week, as you know, I have been trying harder with the babe.

I am trying to be more affectionate, positive, encouraging, patient, loving and supportive.  Since the little guy was born almost 1.5 years ago, I think I have not given the babe the attention she deserves.  No one is perfect, but I think I owe the babe more.

As her favorite words are "I want to do it," I have been letting go more and letting her do "it," whatever "it" is.  I am trying to take a step back so that she can learn and feel needed.  I am trying to let go of my inner control freak, and to embrace being a Mom who lets her kids learn through trial and error.

On Wednesday I hosted my book club, and I got the babe involved in getting ready.  She helped cut the pita, transfer olives into a bowl, and fold napkins.  These tasks took a really long time, but I could tell they made her feel important.  That was a good feeling.

Last night I let her water our new garden. The promise of watering the garden was the only thing that made our trip home from school pleasant.  She knew what we were going to do and she was into it.  I had also promised she could help prepare the corn on the cob.  So we sat on the floor and peeled the corn skins back and made a big mess.  The babe was involved in making dinner, and she liked it.  And you know what, I liked it to.

What I'm realizing is that I have to keep trying.  I have to keep thinking up projects for her.  I have to keep her involved and active.  I have to let her make mistakes.  And I have to learn to let go.

My Little Picasso

Tuesday night was the babe's first art show.

Yes, a 3 year old with an art gallery opening.

The babe and her classmates have been studying Picasso this semester. She has been bringing home art which I believe is pretty typical of a preschooler. It's always fun to see what she's been up to and we tape her work up on our dining room wall in our personal "gallery."

I didn't expect to see much more at Tuesday's show than the kind of work I had already been seeing. But I was amazed at the creations these kids had come up with.

When I walked up to my daughter's piece, "The Flower," I was stunned. It truly is a piece of serious art, and as cliche as this may sound, it filled my heart with both pride and joy. She really is an artist! And I really am a proud Mama.

Baby Einstein Refund

You may have heard about Disney removing the "brain development" angle from their Baby Einstein marketing. Turns out, they really are just for entertainment.

If you're looking to get a refund, Disney is offering $15.99 or a credit for up to 4 Baby Einstein DVD's per household.

We haven't been using ours since the babe was little, so I think I'll be sending 4 back in. You have until March 4, 2010.

For more info, click HERE.

My Daughter is a Junkie

I don't know how it happened, but the babe has become a Baby Einstein movie addict. It only took a week. We realized we had four DVDs hidden away and pulled them out the weekend before last. The babe automatically thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.

Every morning she'll come downstairs and stand by the TV/DVD player and say "moooie". I must admit that I usually give in. It's really early (by my standards) and I don't want to do anything other than get my breakfast and a cup of tea.

My husband and I have decided we'll let her watch up to three a day (plus her sign language DVD, if necessary). So far I have managed to do one in the morning, one in the very late afternoon (when I'm making dinner), and the "sign and sing" DVD while my husband and I are trying to eat dinner undisturbed.

I'm not counting on these DVDs to make my child brilliant. But I understand her need for some entertainment in life. And if this floats her boat, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. At least I'm not one of the parents who hits the "repeat play" option on the menu bar (although I understand how easy it would be to go down that slippery path).

First Day

I got in my Mom's car at about 7:45 this morning to drive to my documentary course in Gatineau, Quebec. I was tired (up with the babe at 5:30 am) and as I mentioned yesterday, nervous. I turned on the CD player unsure of what I'd find (as I mentioned, it's my Mom's car). "Brown Sugar" by the Rolling Stones came blasting out as I hit the road. Sticky Fingers ended up being the perfect sound track for my morning commute.

So, I wanted to report on a few things:

• it appears as though my brain is still working and I am still able to interact with adults regarding non-child related matters
  
• I am having no trouble being away from the babe during working hours (yippee)
  
• the babe is apparently enjoying hanging with her Grandparents. She did a few trips to the park, a two hour nap, and some gardening in the back yard. She asked for me a few times, but nothing serious (I would have actually been offended if she hadn't asked for me). Not bad for her first full day away from Mom and Dad.
• to follow up on the babe's speaking progress, she can now say her name (although she misses the "r"). If you ask her what her name is, she will announce it to you proudly. It's very cute.
  

Anyway, today was an exciting first. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

"I'm Me"

Much excitement in our life to report on. On Saturday we had an amazingly ideal flying experience from Washington to Montreal. The flight was on time, it was a beautiful day, the flight attendant was a sweet heart and no one was seated next to us. You can't ask for more, and I send my thanks to Air Canada.

We spent Saturday through Monday with my Mother in Law and had an awesome visit that included many of my favorite things (Montreal bagels, cafe mocha, and home made saag paneer, but not all at the same time). The babe and my Mother in Law (who she calls "Dadi Ma") get along famously and it was a real joy to watch them together. Despite the sore throat I woke up with on Sunday morning, it was awesome to be out in the burbs chasing after the babe in the outdoors (such a nice change from our urban living situation in DC).

Yesterday we drove to Ottawa with my Dad who was kind enough to make the morning trek from Ottawa to Montreal to pick us up in the good 'oll mini van. We had a very exciting "first" yesterday afternoon when the babe shared her first sentence with us. "I'm me." Profound words for a one and a half year old! I'm pretty jazzed about the development and am noticing new words spilling out of her at a much faster rate these days. For instance, instead of saying "waa" for water yesterday, she actually said "water" (after my Mom prompted her, but it still counts).

Now, to the real reason we are in Canada (other than seeing our loving family, of course). I signed myself up for a documentary workshop, Interventionist and Participatory Media, which is being offered by the Canadian Screen Training Center Summer Institute (even though it's freakin' cold here). I am seriously nervous about the whole thing as I have been on the Mommy brain track for a long time now and I'm not sure if I remember how to relate to other adults in a professional way, nor if I have the ability to intelligently participate in the course. I just need to remember who I used to be and hopefully I'll get some guts by tomorrow morning. It's my first three days away from the babe and it had to happen sooner or later. I'm ready to do my own thing for a bit, but am not so sure she's at the same place. Thank God she's got a loving Grandpa and Grandma to watch over her.

Wish us both luck!

Can I Please Write Something Now?

All week I think about all the things I want to write about. But the babe hates me being on the computer. She's extremely jealous when I pay attention to something other than her. As I spend all day with her, this can be difficult. When she's upset at me, she'll yell and start misbehaving (pulling on the plants, standing on her hot pink Adirondack chair, pinching me, throwing her toys, etc.). Being on the computer for a part of the day is a basic right, and I'm at a loss on how to handle her jealousy.

This behaviour can also happen if I try to read something, clean something, cook something. You get the picture.

I can not pay attention to her 24/7 and I am starting to wish she was in some kind of part time organized care where she would realize that we sometimes have to entertain ourselves in this world. So on Tuesday we headed over to the Jewish Community Center preschool and put her on the wait list. They only take kids at two, and she'll only be two in December, so the best I can hope for is January 2009. It's a popular place to send your kids in this 'hood, so I'm not sure how good our chances are. But after a year and a half of avoiding child care wait lists, we're officially in the game.

I also ordered The Happiest Toddler on the Block by Harvey Karp and Toddler 411 by Denise Fields and Dr. Ari Brown. I really liked The Happiest Baby on the Block and Baby 411, so hopefully these will live up to my expectations. I want to learn how to communicate with the babe in a more efficient way as I must admit I can be pretty immature in my dealings with her. I have been known to say "Fine, see if I care" a few times a week.

It's funny how much research you do on pregnancy and babies with your first child. But it just seems like there's no time to do any research when you have a toddler. Any tips or advice on dealing with a little love bug/psycho would be appreciated.

Graduation Day

The babe graduated from her Kindermusik "Sign and Sing" class this week. Her first graduation! I am such a proud Mommy. She even shook the instructor's hand as she was presented with her diploma. I am definitely going to have to frame the dorky diploma now.

The sign language class has been an all around wonderful experience. The babe has loved being with other kids, running around the big mirror covered room, and of course, learning ASL signs. She is able to communicate so much more effectively now. Some very helpful signs she has begun to use and understand include "milk", "more", "eat", "bed", "papa", "hot", "what", "where", "thank you", "ball", and "all done". Some not as helpful signs she has mastered include "telephone", "bear", "spider", and "monkey."

When I tell people we've been doing this class, they suggest it may delay the babe's verbal communication. The research indicates otherwise. From my own experience, I have to say that it's really helped the babe communicate with us. In addition to signing, she's also saying "mama", "papa", "hi", "bye", and we became comfortable with "home" yesterday. She's also coming along with the alphabet (we burn out by "F" though).

As sad as we are that the class is over, we're going to continue signing and will look forward to some more structured activities when the spring session starts.

What We're Reading

The babe generally likes to eat books, but she'll sometimes let me actually read them to her. It's very cute. She picks them up and walks them over to me. I'll start reading one and she'll go get the next one before I'm on the third page of the first one. There are the rare times I can get through a whole book.

These are some of our favorites right now:

• My Little People Busy Town by Fisher Price
• Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
• Hush Little Baby (the folk song) with pictures by Marla Frazee (I get to sing this one)
• Clifford's Noisy Day by Norman Bridwell
• Farm Animals written by Louise Sladen and illustrated by Luana Rinaldo (very fun book)
• The Eensy-Weensy Spider by Mary Ann Hoberman & Nadine Bernard Westcott (I always thought it was the "itsy bitsy spider"...but whatever)
• Olivia Counts by Ian Falconer
• Let's Count on the Farm (Lift and Look) by Fisher Price

Eventually she'll stop chewing on and swallowing the books, but for now, we have to be careful with her reading/eating material.

Grade 2 Test Scores

Last night, after putting the babe to sleep, I got stuck on the couch in front of the computer. I don't know how it happened as I was planning on taking my shower and going to sleep (which would have been a smart move as the babe ended up crying for an hour and a half in the middle of the night, again). But the Internet can be a seductive thing. So, my husband and I spent a nice chunk of time surfing around looking up facts and stats about Montgomery County (Maryland).

As I've mentioned, my new hobby is real estate. We have gone out with my Realtor friends twice now and have seen about 8 places. The babe has been pretty delightful as she's hauled in and out of her car seat to check these houses out. I've decided I like the Silver Spring area (in Montgomery County and on the metro line) as an option. I was getting rather depressed seeing what money will buy you in DC proper. Even though the housing market is on a downward trend in the US, Washington is still up there in terms of prices. Despite the fact that sellers are getting desperate and prices are going down, I still don't know how anyone affords to buy in safe and reasonably close in neighborhoods.

Last night, for the first time, we became the people who look up second grade test scores of Montgomery County Public Schools elementary school students. We have to make sure that wherever we buy, the schools are going to be a place we feel comfortable sending the babe. District lines are an important thing to consider if you don't want to end up sending your kid to private school. We are not private school kinda people, and that's why we need to pay more to be in a district with good public schools. That just makes decision making a whole lot more difficult.

She's only 10 months old now, but one day she is going to go off to prekindergarten. One day she's going to be in elementary school. And one day she'll be in high school (you get where I'm going here). As much as we see her as a baby now (because she still is technically a baby for another 2 months), things are going to change and we need to be ready. I suppose buying a home in a safe neighborhood with good schools is part of being ready. But after seeing what I've seen on the market, winning the lottery would certainly help us in the "being ready" department.