Summer...vacation!?!?

I guess I feel like summer is supposed to be the time when you put up your feet and lay back. Ice cold drink in hand (I'll take Diet Coke with lime, thank you), the smell of sunblock in the air, birds chirping, the sound of waves or the pool's chlorine filter resonating.

Think again. I mean, okay, I am the one that signed up for working the summer program at Landmark this year, I get it. But, PEOPLE!? Seriously? Working, planning, tutoring, mentoring, aunting (whoop whoop she rocks), traveling, housesitting, dog-walking, saying goodbye, running, sleeping, eating, and all the other stuff is what I call summer this year. 

But I can't complain. Sometimes I have to slap myself (like I sort of did today) because I'm quick to complain. But you know what I hate more than anything? And to even mention this is terrible because there's so much crap in the world so how can I complain about it. Being bored. There. I said it. I hate being bored. And "boredom" is SUCH a ridiculous thing to complain about. So I will slap myself again and be thankful for this body. A body that while good-looking (you know it), more importantly is able to do things I never even IMAGINED it would ever be able to do.  A mind that can think and be trained and then teach others therefore make a living. 

This may be a cheesy blog but whatever. 

Ruby Jean Arabella Mott

Hi. I'm back. Even thinking about blogging a Ruby blog makes me want to not. Because it is WAY to overwhelming. But here goes.

Where the heck do I start. It was Tuesday of this past week (the due date; I know; so good) and I called my mother IMMEDIATELY after my 3rd period (last period during the summer program) precious pie tutee skipped out the door. My mother went on to say that Phebe was officially having strong contractions, and the baby could come out any time. UGH. She mentioned that Jessi was doing all this stuff, and Dad was there, and that they were going to eat sandwiches. But I WANT TO EAT SANDWICHES IN HER DELIVERY ROOM!!! (For serious. My family straight up ate lunch in the corner of the room while my sister was in labor. And that is just fabulous. I am so so proud to be a part of this family.) I went on to say, in these words, "I'm going to cry, I want to be there so bad." Now my mother, being the amazing thinker that she is said, "Why don't you come?" She's wicked smart. Okay okay I had thought about it prior to this call, but was quick to think it was impossible. I had work, tutoring, a church thing.

But my mom set me straight. So I missioned around Landmark and spoke with some pretty important (and super duper) people about covering for me. And they all did everything they could to find coverage. Seriously, Landmark rocks. So there I was, suddenly prepping some lesson plans for the people covering and BAM I was out of there like a sister of someone in labor. Ha.

It was all I could do not to speed home. If I could have a transporter at any point of my life, this is the day I needed it. Welp, no such luck. I don't know if you've heard but it doesn't exist. I am proud to announce, though, that I did NOT get a ticket for speeding, because I did not speed too much. Pat pat pat. That's me patting myself on the back. Because I'm not a stranger to speeding tickets, unfortunately.

So my father and I spoke to each other 4 times while I was on the road. If my memory serves me correctly, here's a short summary of each:

Call #1:

Dad: "I heard you were coming home! Great. Call me when you get close and we can drive to the hospital together. I'm heading over there now with sandwiches."

Me: "This is the longest car trip ever."

Call #2:

Dad: "I'm leaving the hospital now. We just ate sandwiches in the corner of the room while she was in pain. I'm going to the office because I don't like watching Phebe in pain."

Me: "This is the longest car trip ever." (I was also thinking, WOW! You ate sandwiches while she was in labor! That's awesome.)

Call #3 (about 5 minutes later):

Dad: "I'm heading back; Jessi just called to say Phebe's starting to push."

Me: "THIS IS THE LONGEST CAR TRIP EVER!!!"

Call #4 (about 30 minutes later):

Dad: "It's a girl!"

Jaq: "THIS IS THE LONGEST CAR TRIP EVER!!!"

About 2.5 hours later I arrived at Phebe's room. I couldn't even take the little lady all bundled up. That baby came out of PHEBE'S canal! 

And I looked at Ruby. And stared. And adored. And looked and stared and adored. You get the picture. 

Highlights:

-That night, it was just Phebe Ruby and I and Phebe hid behind her dinner menu while she said, "Jaquelin? I haven't cried yet, even when I had her. But will you be her godmother?" So obviously, tears followed those words. And we laughed because we were both crying and we don't do that often and it was just funny. And awesome. Phebe and Brent trust me and my taste in men enough to deem my future husband (wherever, oh, wherever, ...he might be) godfather. Brent says he better not be a Ned Flanders character but Phebe knows me better than that. And plus, Ned Flanders isn't hot. Phebe says I'm going to marry someone hot. So there you have it.

-Phebe was doing skin-to-skin (love it) and didn't have free hands to feed herself dinner. So I fed her. My mom wondered if I was making the green beans a little too long on purpose because it made it funny to watch Phebe. I seriously didn't but was disappointed in myself that I DIDN'T think of that myself. Next baby. I'll make sure to make the green beans cut a little too long. 

-Waking up the next morning knowing that I would get to spend the day bonding with Rubes.

-When I got to the hospital Ruby was getting a bath so I got to see her teeny weeny body. When the nurse was done she was about to put Ruby's little itty bitty shirt on and Brent piped in, wanting to try it. For practice. Gosh I love him. In a brother-in-law-that-I-don't-really-know-all-that-well-and-is-quiet-but-he-makes-my-amazing-sister-really-really-happy-so-therefore-I-adore-him way.

-Listening to Ruby's little girly noises. And watching her tongue. And re-wrapping her into a tiny bundle and secretly sometimes it was an excuse to see her little body and be amazed at how good God is.

-The fact that I was at the hospital on Wednesday for 7 hours altogether. And not only that, but that for 6 of those hours I got to hold her. I offered to Phebe a bunch of times because, of course, this was her daughter. But she knew how much it meant to me to hold her so she insisted I did. To feel a little bit better about myself I forced her to hold Ruby. Then I took her back about 2 minutes later when Phebe offered her to me again.

-Watching the video I took of Ruby during which she sneezes. Phebe, my mom and I watched it over, and over, and over, and over, and over again, only to laugh louder and harder every time.

-Doing photo shoots with Ruby and Phebe. Ruby is already being influenced by goofs she has as her mom and aunt. LOVE it.

-Pulling Ruby's little hat down so that her face crumpled up. So fun. Poor Ruby was totally being laughed at by me and she couldn't do anything about it. But you would too, if you had the chance.

Lowlights:

-An old boss of Phebe's, slash a mother of a friend I had in elementary school came in with her daughter. During that time I wanted to re-wrap Ruby because she needed to be (this time that was the only reason...I swear). As I started the mom got all up in Ruby's and my business, trying to butt her way into the situation and do it herself. Which I let her, because it probably wouldn't be good if I boxed her out from Ruby like I wanted to. I mean, what kind of modeling is that? Good for her future basketball skills, yes, but com'n, folks. 

-Being scared that I was giving Ruby shaken baby syndrome. Okay so it was toward the end of my time holding her and I had to drive back to Mass in moments. I knew the end was coming and was looking at her face, and thinking about not being around for more than a second. So I got teary-eyed. This actually happened quite a bit but every time I was able to keep it together. Well, this time, Ruby yawned. And I lost it. I started shaking because I was crying so hard. So there was Phebe, Mom, and then soon Dad watching me crying. I was getting tears all over Ruby and she just looked up at me with her extremely alert eyes. She was just so precious, while being shaken by me who couldn't keep it together. Yeah, it's official that I will be spoiling this child. Hands-down. 

-Having to leave. I cried a little as I left too. I was a mess, pretty much. 

-Being here, and not there. She probably has a family of her own by now. Ugh.

Well anyway, I'd like to announce that I'm starting a Ruby Jean Arabella Mott fan club. If you're interested please let me know. 

Long Commutes are for Crazies.

I, for one, vow NEVER to touch any of my 4 car tires to route 128 ever again. 

It all started today at 3ish. I got into my mom's vehicle (also in the process of moving and some things need to be transported to 59 Plateau Road...THAT won't happen in my cute little Honda Accord). The day was goin' great, the weather was beautiful...okay I lied, it was gross but it just made sense to write it there....Forty minutes later I arrived at my destination in Waltham, for my outside tutorial with a lovely Landmarkian student.

Lessons were taught, lesson were learned, a young child moved mountains, she'll probably be president or something because of her summer tutor, okay fine. 

Then I got into my car. It was 5:05. I organized a "mid-week run" with some of my mentees, which would start in an hour and a half, in Beverly. LOTS of time, right? Right. So I pumped up my iPod jams and stuck a piece o' Orbit in my mouth. I was ready to go. And then I saw it. About a mile away from 128. Cars. And cars. And more cars. So I got in it. And continued on my journey, surrounded by cars, for 2 hours. Until I became hungry, antsy, my left knee hurt from pushing in the clutch 1,346 times AT LEAST, and it just made sense to spend the next little bit somewhere other than in bumper to bumper traffic.

I mean, people do this EVERY SINGLE DAY. Well maybe not weekends but that doesn't make it okay. HOW do they do that? About 20 minutes in I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry for the rest of my life. Instead, I stopped EIGHT exits away from my departure exit (reminder: this is 2 hours later) and stopped into 2 places. First, to CVS to buy a People magazine covered in gossip about Jon and Kate's divorce (so so sad, ugh) and a Peppermint Patty ('cuz I felt sorry for myself), then to Panera for a lovely sandwich. So there I was, sitting in a booth by myself, eating a sandwich and reading about Kate Gosselin. All this to avoid traffic. When what else could I have doing!? EVERYTHING. I have so much to do. So what about these commuters? They have families and houses to maintain and things to do. How do they do it? Nannies and housekeepers. Oh yyeaaaahhhhh...

Well, so anyway...I left at 3, got back from my long long journey at 8:15. Never again. Never ever again.

Oh yeah, and I'll be honest. I charge this lady $65 and she gave me $80 today because I "drove in the rain". I thought, "awesome!" Now? I should charge $800. Then I'll think about it.