Our third guide dog puppy, Wichita, graduates from Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind this weekend. She joins our puppies AJ and Fairfax as a working guide dog, and we could not be more proud.
We got Wichita in the fall of 2009, and she turned out to be the easiest of our three guide dog puppies. She was great with the baby, great on the leash, good with other dogs, and generally a delight. She let Mark play tug with her, and they would sit and chew on their toys together.
"She's a lap dog," said her new owner, Bill, when I talked to him on the phone last weekend. He and his wife have renamed her "Chita," because they didn't think anything that sounded like "Witch" was appropriate for her.
We weren't sure Wichita would have the opportunity to become a service dog. She had some recurring ear infections, and while she performed well on her training test at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, she was released from their program because of her health. However, Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind wanted to train her, so she went up there and has been successful.
Our second dog, AJ, graduated from Guiding Eyes for the Blind's training program right after we moved from Delaware to California in January of this year. His owner, Dustin, who lives in Burlington, VT, has become a good friend of ours, an unexpected and wonderful gift.
We got AJ after our friend Linda taught him all his manners and got him off to an amazing start. Linda decided to get another baby puppy when she heard we were looking for an older dog to raise until it needed to go back to Guiding Eyes for training, and we got AJ.
AJ took good care of Mark when he was born, lying on Mark's floor when we put him to bed, and standing by Mark's crib when Mark woke up from a nap crying. He used to come check on me if I went to bed earlier than Matt. I'd hear his paws pad into my room, and I'd say, "Good night, AJ." He'd pad back into the living room. He is an extraordinary dog. He was named after someone very special, and I believe he holds that family's love in his heart. I have never met a dog quite as tuned in as he is. When he wasn't at home, it felt like a human member of the family was missing. He has an amazing presence.
Fairfax, our first dog, came to us at eight weeks and left us at 18 months. A picture-perfect puppy, we adored him. He was incredibly intelligent, with a great sense of humor. He was always up to something. He'd wait until I was engrossed in work and sneak off to do naughty things in the house, like nap on the guest bed or chew up the toilet paper roll. He'd identify a bagel on a walk around the University of Delaware campus and plot how he was going to snatch it up on his next walk. Then he'd walk really well on the leash right near the bagel and dart away to grab it when his handler least expected it. His owner, Nick, who lives in New York, says Fairfax keeps him on his toes in and out of harness.
We feel like our service for Guiding Eyes for the Blind was the most wonderful volunteer experience we could ever have, and we have gotten back as much as we have put in--the immense satisfaction of having all three of our dogs graduate, the phenomenal honor of touching someone else's life in a tangible way, new relationships with the owners of all three of our dogs, and the opportunity to continue to be involved in our dogs' lives.
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Not Supermom, but a happy mom
I figured out I was pregnant on the way to a San Francisco Giants game in July 2008. I wasn't feeling well, and for a while couldn't figure out why. Then it dawned on me. A year and a half later, the Giants just won the World Series, California finally has a Democratic governor again (the same Democratic governor we had from 1974-1981, the years in which I was born and started elementary school), and I am a mother.
Nothing about this experience has been the way I thought it would be, except for one thing: I love my child with a love that is unequaled and uncompromising and all-encompassing. Most things about it have been far better than I could have imagined.
As I emerge from the fog of the first 18 months, which were all about nursing and not sleeping and hovering over him constantly to avoid him doing mortal injury to himself or other babies, I would like to write about my experience, in hopes that at best, it resonates with others, and that at least, it serves as a journal entry for me to read later.
Much like American weddings these days, American pregnancy is a life event primarily experienced by heterosexual women that is slowly being commodified. Cringe-worthy terms like "babymoon," the apparently expected vacation taken by expectant parents, and "push present," the gift new fathers are supposed to give new mothers to thank them for delivering the baby, were bandied about. Obviously, it's lovely to take a vacation before having children, or to receive some sort of gift to celebrate the birth of a child, but must these things earn terms in the lexicon, and must we all be in on them?
"Birth Plan" was also a new one for me. As a "let's see what happens and how I feel and not stress about it if at all possible" type of person, I didn't really feel like writing a birth plan and wasn't even really sure what that was. As my husband said, "birth plans are a concept developed by women's magazines, not OB/GYNs," and indeed, my doctor didn't seem to think I needed one. She sounded relieved when she said, "Yes, good idea. Just see how you feel."
On the other hand, discussion of things like nursing, often a hush-hush topic, was harder to initiate. I almost felt as if more trivial things were becoming marketing opportunities, while the really important things were hidden away.
I was active throughout my pregnancy, because that's how I am, and a recent study had indicated that babies born to mothers who had exercised throughout pregancy had higher muscle tone at birth. I really had to search for information about it, though, like what types of crunches, if any, I could do, and how late in the pregnancy I could swim. I used the information I could find and how I felt to cobble together a workout program.
I read as much academic literature as I could find and used it, Consumer Reports, and the American Academy of Pediatrics website to supplement information from my doctor.
When the baby was born, nursing became a huge focus. It was challenging, confusing, and I got a lot of mixed messages. Thanks to a book, several good friends, and my very supportive husband, I went from confused and upset and in pain to happy about it. I never did have a tranquil experience, though. All those images of peaceful mothers nursing their mellow babies only apply to certain infants. I remember being in Babies R Us one Saturday and needing to feed Mark. I followed a woman with a three-week-old into the mother's room and watched as she rocked in the glider, calmly nursing her child. Meanwhile, my munchkin was kicking and looking around. She looked at me quizzically, and I just chirped, "Wow, all babies sure are different, aren't they?!"
My friend Erin had said, "Just give it three weeks, and you'll know you can do it." She was right. After three weeks, I wasn't comfortable, but I knew I could continue. After 8 weeks, I was in less pain and getting the hang of it. After 3 months, I was a pro.
I remember thinking that the best things about it would be that it was free and I wouldn't have to mix formula. Truly, the best thing about it was all the relaxing time I got with my baby. I could read or talk on the phone or just relax while he nursed, and it forced me to be in the moment and slow down. That lesson continues to apply, and always will, to parenting, and life in general. Right now, I'm mostly a stay-at-home mom, and some days, that means doing nothing all day, or spending hours eating and minutes at the park or at a friend's. And it is enough. I always love him, and I will always appreciate the time I spend with him, and those are the truths that matter the most.
Nothing about this experience has been the way I thought it would be, except for one thing: I love my child with a love that is unequaled and uncompromising and all-encompassing. Most things about it have been far better than I could have imagined.
As I emerge from the fog of the first 18 months, which were all about nursing and not sleeping and hovering over him constantly to avoid him doing mortal injury to himself or other babies, I would like to write about my experience, in hopes that at best, it resonates with others, and that at least, it serves as a journal entry for me to read later.
Much like American weddings these days, American pregnancy is a life event primarily experienced by heterosexual women that is slowly being commodified. Cringe-worthy terms like "babymoon," the apparently expected vacation taken by expectant parents, and "push present," the gift new fathers are supposed to give new mothers to thank them for delivering the baby, were bandied about. Obviously, it's lovely to take a vacation before having children, or to receive some sort of gift to celebrate the birth of a child, but must these things earn terms in the lexicon, and must we all be in on them?
"Birth Plan" was also a new one for me. As a "let's see what happens and how I feel and not stress about it if at all possible" type of person, I didn't really feel like writing a birth plan and wasn't even really sure what that was. As my husband said, "birth plans are a concept developed by women's magazines, not OB/GYNs," and indeed, my doctor didn't seem to think I needed one. She sounded relieved when she said, "Yes, good idea. Just see how you feel."
On the other hand, discussion of things like nursing, often a hush-hush topic, was harder to initiate. I almost felt as if more trivial things were becoming marketing opportunities, while the really important things were hidden away.
I was active throughout my pregnancy, because that's how I am, and a recent study had indicated that babies born to mothers who had exercised throughout pregancy had higher muscle tone at birth. I really had to search for information about it, though, like what types of crunches, if any, I could do, and how late in the pregnancy I could swim. I used the information I could find and how I felt to cobble together a workout program.
I read as much academic literature as I could find and used it, Consumer Reports, and the American Academy of Pediatrics website to supplement information from my doctor.
When the baby was born, nursing became a huge focus. It was challenging, confusing, and I got a lot of mixed messages. Thanks to a book, several good friends, and my very supportive husband, I went from confused and upset and in pain to happy about it. I never did have a tranquil experience, though. All those images of peaceful mothers nursing their mellow babies only apply to certain infants. I remember being in Babies R Us one Saturday and needing to feed Mark. I followed a woman with a three-week-old into the mother's room and watched as she rocked in the glider, calmly nursing her child. Meanwhile, my munchkin was kicking and looking around. She looked at me quizzically, and I just chirped, "Wow, all babies sure are different, aren't they?!"
My friend Erin had said, "Just give it three weeks, and you'll know you can do it." She was right. After three weeks, I wasn't comfortable, but I knew I could continue. After 8 weeks, I was in less pain and getting the hang of it. After 3 months, I was a pro.
I remember thinking that the best things about it would be that it was free and I wouldn't have to mix formula. Truly, the best thing about it was all the relaxing time I got with my baby. I could read or talk on the phone or just relax while he nursed, and it forced me to be in the moment and slow down. That lesson continues to apply, and always will, to parenting, and life in general. Right now, I'm mostly a stay-at-home mom, and some days, that means doing nothing all day, or spending hours eating and minutes at the park or at a friend's. And it is enough. I always love him, and I will always appreciate the time I spend with him, and those are the truths that matter the most.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Three for Three!
Our third guide dog puppy, Wichita, graduates from Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind this weekend. She joins our puppies AJ and Fairfax as a working guide dog, and we could not be more proud.
We got Wichita in the fall of 2009, and she turned out to be the easiest of our three guide dog puppies. She was great with the baby, great on the leash, good with other dogs, and generally a delight. She let Mark play tug with her, and they would sit and chew on their toys together.
"She's a lap dog," said her new owner, Bill, when I talked to him on the phone last weekend. He and his wife have renamed her "Chita," because they didn't think anything that sounded like "Witch" was appropriate for her.
We weren't sure Wichita would have the opportunity to become a service dog. She had some recurring ear infections, and while she performed well on her training test at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, she was released from their program because of her health. However, Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind wanted to train her, so she went up there and has been successful.
Our second dog, AJ, graduated from Guiding Eyes for the Blind's training program right after we moved from Delaware to California in January of this year. His owner, Dustin, who lives in Burlington, VT, has become a good friend of ours, an unexpected and wonderful gift.
We got AJ after our friend Linda taught him all his manners and got him off to an amazing start. Linda decided to get another baby puppy when she heard we were looking for an older dog to raise until it needed to go back to Guiding Eyes for training, and we got AJ.
AJ took good care of Mark when he was born, lying on Mark's floor when we put him to bed, and standing by Mark's crib when Mark woke up from a nap crying. He used to come check on me if I went to bed earlier than Matt. I'd hear his paws pad into my room, and I'd say, "Good night, AJ." He'd pad back into the living room. He is an extraordinary dog. He was named after someone very special, and I believe he holds that family's love in his heart. I have never met a dog quite as tuned in as he is. When he wasn't at home, it felt like a human member of the family was missing. He has an amazing presence.
Fairfax, our first dog, came to us at eight weeks and left us at 18 months. A picture-perfect puppy, we adored him. He was incredibly intelligent, with a great sense of humor. He was always up to something. He'd wait until I was engrossed in work and sneak off to do naughty things in the house, like nap on the guest bed or chew up the toilet paper roll. He'd identify a bagel on a walk around the University of Delaware campus and plot how he was going to snatch it up on his next walk. Then he'd walk really well on the leash right near the bagel and dart away to grab it when his handler least expected it. His owner, Nick, who lives in New York, says Fairfax keeps him on his toes in and out of harness.
We feel like our service for Guiding Eyes for the Blind was the most wonderful volunteer experience we could ever have, and we have gotten back as much as we have put in--the immense satisfaction of having all three of our dogs graduate, the phenomenal honor of touching someone else's life in a tangible way, new relationships with the owners of all three of our dogs, and the opportunity to continue to be involved in our dogs' lives.
We got Wichita in the fall of 2009, and she turned out to be the easiest of our three guide dog puppies. She was great with the baby, great on the leash, good with other dogs, and generally a delight. She let Mark play tug with her, and they would sit and chew on their toys together.
"She's a lap dog," said her new owner, Bill, when I talked to him on the phone last weekend. He and his wife have renamed her "Chita," because they didn't think anything that sounded like "Witch" was appropriate for her.
We weren't sure Wichita would have the opportunity to become a service dog. She had some recurring ear infections, and while she performed well on her training test at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, she was released from their program because of her health. However, Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind wanted to train her, so she went up there and has been successful.
Our second dog, AJ, graduated from Guiding Eyes for the Blind's training program right after we moved from Delaware to California in January of this year. His owner, Dustin, who lives in Burlington, VT, has become a good friend of ours, an unexpected and wonderful gift.
We got AJ after our friend Linda taught him all his manners and got him off to an amazing start. Linda decided to get another baby puppy when she heard we were looking for an older dog to raise until it needed to go back to Guiding Eyes for training, and we got AJ.
AJ took good care of Mark when he was born, lying on Mark's floor when we put him to bed, and standing by Mark's crib when Mark woke up from a nap crying. He used to come check on me if I went to bed earlier than Matt. I'd hear his paws pad into my room, and I'd say, "Good night, AJ." He'd pad back into the living room. He is an extraordinary dog. He was named after someone very special, and I believe he holds that family's love in his heart. I have never met a dog quite as tuned in as he is. When he wasn't at home, it felt like a human member of the family was missing. He has an amazing presence.
Fairfax, our first dog, came to us at eight weeks and left us at 18 months. A picture-perfect puppy, we adored him. He was incredibly intelligent, with a great sense of humor. He was always up to something. He'd wait until I was engrossed in work and sneak off to do naughty things in the house, like nap on the guest bed or chew up the toilet paper roll. He'd identify a bagel on a walk around the University of Delaware campus and plot how he was going to snatch it up on his next walk. Then he'd walk really well on the leash right near the bagel and dart away to grab it when his handler least expected it. His owner, Nick, who lives in New York, says Fairfax keeps him on his toes in and out of harness.
We feel like our service for Guiding Eyes for the Blind was the most wonderful volunteer experience we could ever have, and we have gotten back as much as we have put in--the immense satisfaction of having all three of our dogs graduate, the phenomenal honor of touching someone else's life in a tangible way, new relationships with the owners of all three of our dogs, and the opportunity to continue to be involved in our dogs' lives.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Perspective
Now that Fairfax is a guide dog, when people say, "Oh, I could never give my dog up," I say, "There is nothing like the feeling that comes from a dog you raised and loved becoming someone's guide dog. Nothing."
And I'm sorry, but no matter how hard it is to give a dog up, blind people deal with things we take for granted every second of every day. My blind friend just got married, and she and her new (sighted) husband bought a Santana tandem bike so she could go bike riding for the first time in her life (she is in her 50's). Someone stole the (locked) bike yesterday. She said she cried all morning. I cried, too.
And I'm sorry, but no matter how hard it is to give a dog up, blind people deal with things we take for granted every second of every day. My blind friend just got married, and she and her new (sighted) husband bought a Santana tandem bike so she could go bike riding for the first time in her life (she is in her 50's). Someone stole the (locked) bike yesterday. She said she cried all morning. I cried, too.
Friday, June 12, 2009
School's Out for Summer
My friend the science teacher writes to say,
"The 8th graders have graduated, my grades are entered *whew,* and as I cleaned up my classroom, I found the following detritus remaining from a year of 7th Grade Science:
"The 8th graders have graduated, my grades are entered *whew,* and as I cleaned up my classroom, I found the following detritus remaining from a year of 7th Grade Science:
2.5 broken pretzels (brunch)
4 candy wrappers (brunch)
6 bingo tokens (vocabulary reinforcement)
3 UV polymer beads (optics of light)
2 pencil eraser barrels (nervous STAR testers)
1 plastic jiggly eye (paper pets-genetics)
1 Eppendorf tube (strawberry DNA extraction)
several sequins (rock star paper pets)
a few paper hole punches (industrial melanism lab)
1 dead cricket (escaped from becoming a lizard lunch)
1 Twilight movie sticker backing (binder decoration)
5 lentils (bird beak evolution lab)
multiple species of pasta (classification)
1 stale marshmallow (calorie content heat energy lab)
broken and burned walnut bits (same heat energy lab)
1 clump of dried up moss (terrarium debris) and...
...1 really gross corn nut from like, February?
'DUDE, I dare you to eat that!'
P.S. Classic quote from a 7th (last) period Sevie this year:
'Are we allowed to waste time?'"
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Medieval Knievel and a Pumpkin
My friend Joel Proto's band Medieval Knievel is doing really well--their hit "Smells Like California" was featured on the TV show Californication, and they are playing all over the place (let's hope they come to Philly soon!).
They recently jammed with Jeff Schroeder from the Smashing Pumpkins, and it's the featured video on the Pumpkins' website. Joel is the one in the blue shirt.
They recently jammed with Jeff Schroeder from the Smashing Pumpkins, and it's the featured video on the Pumpkins' website. Joel is the one in the blue shirt.
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