Buni (Romanian for grammy, my mom) is coming tomorrow. I have not seen her for over a year now! And she has not seen me pregnant, not has she yet met her new grand daughter. She is over the moon excited and has been counting the hours this whole week (and calling me with the count down each day!)
I am excited to have her here for the following 6 months! Yup, you read that right, it will be 6 months. I love her dearly and she will be a huge help, but I am nervous all the same, just because I am not used to have her around in my house, living with us. My husband, A is blissfully ignorant of the Romanian language, so I am the only one she can communicate with (she likes to think she understands and knows English, but really she can't!)
So next time you come over to visit, you will get to meet my mom. She is funny and loving and can cook like no one else I know! So get ready to have some fun and some yummy Romanian dishes!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Romanian style credit card
I grew up in a communist, third world country, where the phrase " carrying plastic" has no other meaning, but that you caring around a bunch of plastic items! I always tell my husband A that he is lucky he married someone who at the age of 24 had no idea how a credit card works! At least not the conventional ones.
While Romania, much as the rest of the Eastern European countries, is today getting more and more Westernized (you know, McDonald's, Starbucks, credit cards, bank loans...)I realized that as I was growing up, we did have a form of credit card. It was called "borrowing money" from friends and family. In perspective, it was the best deal ever, nobody would ask for interest! Normally in our culture you were either someone who always had to ask money from friends and family, either someone who always had the money to give (I have no idea how some people afforded to lend money to others during the communist years and even much after, but that is another story in itself).
Even today, I still have friends, who I would ask how were they able to afford a certain thing (strangely that is not a crass thing to ask in my culture) and they would say "oh, I borrowed some money!" I actually have friends who would rather take a vacation/buy a new perfume/new clothes than budget for food. And savings? Who are you kidding? There are way to many things to do now with the money I might or might not have, so who cares about tomorrow!
Just a little glimpse into where I come from!
While Romania, much as the rest of the Eastern European countries, is today getting more and more Westernized (you know, McDonald's, Starbucks, credit cards, bank loans...)I realized that as I was growing up, we did have a form of credit card. It was called "borrowing money" from friends and family. In perspective, it was the best deal ever, nobody would ask for interest! Normally in our culture you were either someone who always had to ask money from friends and family, either someone who always had the money to give (I have no idea how some people afforded to lend money to others during the communist years and even much after, but that is another story in itself).
Even today, I still have friends, who I would ask how were they able to afford a certain thing (strangely that is not a crass thing to ask in my culture) and they would say "oh, I borrowed some money!" I actually have friends who would rather take a vacation/buy a new perfume/new clothes than budget for food. And savings? Who are you kidding? There are way to many things to do now with the money I might or might not have, so who cares about tomorrow!
Just a little glimpse into where I come from!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Still here!
Yup, I know I have fall off the face of the Earth. Honestly, not really my fault. In our desire to make the most of our money, we have decided to switch from our current phone carrier to a different one (TMObile at home is awesome!), but in the process things got screwed up and we ended up with no internet connection for almost a month (long story short, but from our perspective, Verizon is a terrible company!).
Today, C is a little older than 6 weeks and I still can't believe it! It has been such an interesting ride, with lots of ups and downs for me (trust me, listeting to a screeming infant for 2 hours is a down no matter how much you love them!).
What have I learned in the past 6 weeks? Here is a list of it (here I go again with lists), in no perticular order:
1. To say "diapers" when people ask what they could buy for C when they come and visit! While I like the idea of cloth diapers, reality is that I just like the idea of it! I looked into it and I can't see myself dealing with that all day long! So, we end up spending lots of money on disposable diapers, so much so, that my husband A is considering adding it as a separate item line in our budget!
2. To chill out about the bathroom not being sparkling clean, or the unmade bed, or the dust on the coffee table. While I spend the day at home with C, you would think I would have plenty of time to do all the house work too! Not so fast! Between feedings, changings poopy diapers, pumping, changing her outfits 5 times a day (the child can spit!), waking up in the middle of the night for feedings, I am so exhausted that I can't think! So at the end of the day, who cares about the dust on the coffee table?
3. To master making dinner while holding C with one hand. Or trying to do the same while suffering thru her screeming "bloody murder" sessions. For no reason at all, other than being borred!
4. To feel ok about letting her scream in her crib/pack and play! Sometimes there is nothing you could do for her... I have learned that I am not a terrible mom for doing that, but just adjusting to life with an infant.
5. To go grocery shopping/run any other errand with C! I am actually very proud of myself for being able to feel her with one hand, while pushing the cart with the other and adding stuff to my cart! (it looks ridiculous, but it works for me!)
6. To be excited for 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night! Thank goodness for A and the fact that we have a system and take turns, otherwise I would have been a gonner by now!
There are many more to add, but I have to run and feed her! (again!)
Today, C is a little older than 6 weeks and I still can't believe it! It has been such an interesting ride, with lots of ups and downs for me (trust me, listeting to a screeming infant for 2 hours is a down no matter how much you love them!).
What have I learned in the past 6 weeks? Here is a list of it (here I go again with lists), in no perticular order:
1. To say "diapers" when people ask what they could buy for C when they come and visit! While I like the idea of cloth diapers, reality is that I just like the idea of it! I looked into it and I can't see myself dealing with that all day long! So, we end up spending lots of money on disposable diapers, so much so, that my husband A is considering adding it as a separate item line in our budget!
2. To chill out about the bathroom not being sparkling clean, or the unmade bed, or the dust on the coffee table. While I spend the day at home with C, you would think I would have plenty of time to do all the house work too! Not so fast! Between feedings, changings poopy diapers, pumping, changing her outfits 5 times a day (the child can spit!), waking up in the middle of the night for feedings, I am so exhausted that I can't think! So at the end of the day, who cares about the dust on the coffee table?
3. To master making dinner while holding C with one hand. Or trying to do the same while suffering thru her screeming "bloody murder" sessions. For no reason at all, other than being borred!
4. To feel ok about letting her scream in her crib/pack and play! Sometimes there is nothing you could do for her... I have learned that I am not a terrible mom for doing that, but just adjusting to life with an infant.
5. To go grocery shopping/run any other errand with C! I am actually very proud of myself for being able to feel her with one hand, while pushing the cart with the other and adding stuff to my cart! (it looks ridiculous, but it works for me!)
6. To be excited for 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night! Thank goodness for A and the fact that we have a system and take turns, otherwise I would have been a gonner by now!
There are many more to add, but I have to run and feed her! (again!)
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