Juergensen Family Blog

We had our parent-teacher conference last Friday with Miss Noelle, and it was probably the only time in our lives that all three girls have the same teacher. It was quite a relief to find out that all three girls are doing well in school. Apparently Zoe hasn’t thrown a tantrum since the first day of school. Her language was described as good, since she uses tenses and pronouns correctly most of the time. Of the twins, Sabrina was the quickest to adapt to school which was the opposite of what we would have guessed. In the beginning they both sat near the doll cribs watching what was going on, whether it was their solo day or combined day.

What a relief!

Kate has taken to saying this and I must admit I love it. I’m not sure what she means by it, or what her definitions are, but it sounds nice. Recently we were reading an animal book and she said “that’s a pretty anteater”, and later “that’s a pretty octopus”. She sounds so earnest saying it and you just have to laugh and return the compliment. Sometimes she even says it in public – maybe she knows I could use a pick-me-up.

It’s official (at least to me) that I am in a parenting rut. Last Monday our playdate was semi-awful, but it did highlight that I’ve become numb to crying. Zoe wasn’t sharing, Sabrina was cranky, and then Kate fell off a low chest in the play area. A few minutes passed after picking her up to comfort her, and I asked why everyone was cranky. My friend had to suggest that maybe she was hurt. Yikes – why didn’t I think of that. It’s just that the cry sounded like every other cry that seemingly goes on all day. (Keep in mind, school was out for holiday break at the time of the playdate.) As if I needed more evidence, at the end of the playdate my friend’s 9-month old girl was crying when she was put into the car seat, as my friend was gathering her belongings. It took me a few minutes before I realized I could actually do something about it, by entertaining her with the jack-in-the-box she had been playing with. In the past if I heard a crying baby I sprang into action, but now it was if I didn’t even hear it.

I used to have the philosophy that if my girls were happy, then I’m happy. But then I realized – heh, sometimes I want to be happy even if they’re not happy. Call it survival instinct, to be rather dramatic, or maybe just the desire to decouple our linked emotions. I think that’s when the ability to shut out the crying started, and it does have some benefits, though numbness is an unfortunate side effect. Now, what to do about it?

At last I’m writing about something other than the kids. 2009 was mostly a rough year for the business, which is not surprising given that forecasting services are not in high demand when new stores aren’t being opened. Then everything started to turn in 4th quarter, starting with a prospect that had been in contract mode for over a year and ending with a really major QSR client. On December 31, a picturesque snow fell in the morning and the FedEx truck pulled up with its crisp red and purple logo. It brought the signed contract for the major new client. The moment was wonderful – it was the feeling of a new beginning for the business. It reminded me of one of my favorite movies – Bowfinger, when the FedEx truck arrives at the end of the movie and Steve Martin’s character knows he has made it. Incidentally, the other favorite part of that movie is “Keep it Together”, which could have been my mantra for earlier part of the year.