fyi.

fyi. In case you were wondering, I've heard it said that it takes a day to recover for every hour difference when you travel. I would agree. It took us every bit of that time and longer - since everyone was sick upon our return from CA - just to feel like we were fully functioning again.

fyi. Even when you think you are fully functioning, you may not be. There was a clear example of this the week after we got back from our trip. I was multi-tasking in the kitchen and was actually thinking, quite pridefully, that I have really figured this mom-of-two thing out. Cooking dinner, making baby food, feeding Wesley, and cleaning dishes all at the same time. Well, I thought I had it under control until I looked down and realized that my oven mitt was ... well, on fire. Oops.

fyi. When making homemade play dough and especially on a day that you have a group dinner meeting that evening, don't use your hand to mix in the food coloring. You just might have ... say a pink hand.

fyi. However, if you do have said pink hand, know that it will eventually come off after a lot of scrubbing with warm water and baking soda. (thanks, Murph!) Except, also note the color may last a bit longer in your nail bed where you can't quite reach and people just might think you work in automotive repair.

fyi. Try to check the news before you get on a bus with a ten month old an hour before dinner time. If lets say, the President is in town visiting, there is a good chance one of the streets you are trying to cross on will be shut down for a good 45 minutes to an hour. Your ten month old then might get hungry and start to cry and scream, uncharacteristically. You might even start screaming for tic tacs (I was close) or something really embarrassing, so just check the news.

fyi. Oh, and remember if you are stuck on said bus, that there is a $250,000 fine for them to let anyone off of the bus if not at a designated stop. Even those with a screaming baby. You are just simply trapped.

fyi. It's good to remember and manage your expectations when you live anywhere outside of Texas (ok, and maybe a few other states) and it comes to Spring. It will snow and be in the 30's well into April, so don't even bother getting your flip flops out until May. Don't even worry about a pedicure. Seriously. Don't.

fyi. It's also good to remember that New York is one of those special places on earth where grumpy people walk around under the cover of sweet grandpas and grandmas. Maybe it's because of said weather. And, if you are on your way to lunch and you pass a fun doggie day care that has big windows for your kids to look through and look at dogs, but it's on the left side of the sidewalk and you are going north, make sure you not only move far away (not just a little bit away) so said grandpa can pass by without looking at you. Because chances are, he will gaze at you right as he is passing by in the pouring rain and heavy wind - just in time for the wind to pick up his umbrella and turn it inside out and for him to start yelling at you like it's your fault. He might even call you an idiot in front of your kids and yell at you telling you to watch where you are going - not bothering to notice that you weren't moving in any direction, but out of the way for him. Sometimes - there is just no love. Sigh.

fyi. It might also be good to remember that your almost four year old daughter is listening and watching everything, so when you quickly snap back that you can't be blamed for the umbrella turning inside out, she says even hours later, "mom, you sure yelled back at the mean man, didn't you?" Uh - it might just leave you as a mom...a bit speechless. But, sometimes I feel like some things need to be said. I wasn't yelling, was I?

fyi. Remember, sometimes - you just can't make this stuff up! No need. Not when your life is a walking piece of literary drama or comedy. Or both. I'm trying to keep laughing.