A New Adventure

At the end of August, I walked out the door of The Washington Post buildings for the last time in nearly a dozen years there. It was with trepidation, but with an internal knowledge that the only way for me to move forward, to find my new path, was to leave.

It was, to say the least, a risky decision in the midst of a recession. And it was one that wasn't made lightly. My husband and I experimented not living with my salary for a year, putting it all into savings. The Post, in case you haven't heard, isn't the best place for a Web journalist to be these days. Many of my good friends and colleagues left before me. More have been unofficially cut this past month. Journalism is the kind of job that can beat you down and wear you out. I survived newspapers and their Web sites for 18 years, a lifetime in that profession. But there's a reason I call myself a "recovering journalist."

The question, though, became, now what? What was it that I really wanted to do? I'm lucky. I realize that. I could take a break, spend valuable time with my kids, getting the youngest acclimated to kindergarten, getting the 2nd grader on a good homework path. I spent time teaching one to ride a bike. We went to Spanish class together. We formed a walk-to-school group with other neighborhood kids. The boys learned to climb fences to the backyards of other friends. We read. We played. We hosted impromptu play dates after school. I cooked -- a lot. I found a calm that I never knew existed. All of a sudden, I didn't need to multitask 24 hours a day. I didn't need to start my day answering e-mail and posting blogs the moment I woke up. Instead, I could give lots of morning hugs without worrying about being late to something. I didn't need to rush the boys into bed if they wanted to read for an extra 15 minutes, just so I could spend another 2-3 hours on the computer working.

There's no question that life's been busy. But it hasn't been crazy. And it turns out, that busy, not crazy, is what I've been looking for.

A couple of months ago, I spotted a job posting that seemed like a good fit. The timing was horrible. I saw the posting just as I was heading to Boston for the unveiling of the plaque on my mother's grave. By the time I returned from the trip, which unexpectedly got extended by a day because of snow, I had less than two days to write out a resume and answer tons of essay questions for it -- those of you who have applied to government jobs can totally understand the craziness. For those who haven't, applying for a government job is like writing a bunch of college essays.

Much to my surprise, I made it through the screening, got called for an interview and eventually received a job offer.

The quiet around here the past couple of weeks isn't because I wanted to abandon you. It's because I start my new job on Jan. 4 and, well, I needed an ENTIRELY new work wardrobe. A decade of not shopping for formal work clothes finally caught up with me. Plus, I needed to get a TON of things done before I begin the juggle anew.

I truly think Montgomery County parents need more places that give parents useful information that makes their lives easier. D.C. Urban Mom is a decent community, but it's too anonymous, with too many trolls. A few local communities, like Silver Spring and Takoma Park, have yahoo listservs stuck in the early 1990s that reach way too few in our overall community. I'd hoped to launch communities and amazingly intricate databases of day cares, preschools, classes, camps and such that you, our community of parents, could talk about to help the next parent down the line. Unfortunately, a job that at the moment seems like a really good fit has come calling.

And so, it's time for me to give it a go. Wish me luck!

Happy New Year's everyone.

Toothless Wonder

Nipper's loosey goosey teeth are FINALLY out! And so, he gets a special treat: Two consecutive nights of the tooth fairy.

Thoughts and Prayers for the Spey Family

Two days ago, a Takoma Park stay-at-home mom and her two young children were in a terrible car accident at New Hampshire and University Blvd. Wendy Spey was hit from behind while stopped. In the car, strapped into car seats, were 2-year-old Nathan and 10-month-old Eleanor.

This afternoon, family friend Corinna Crockett reports that it looks like Nathan, who suffered a skull fracture and is at Children's Hospital is not going to make it.

Wendy asks that the family be given some time alone. When they are ready to see folks, the Spey family will need meals, help and support. Wendy's arm is broken in five places and will require surgery. If you can help out with meals, baby food, child care for the baby, or anything else you think could be helpful, e-mail Corinna.

UPDATE from Wed. at 10 p.m.: Corinna reports the latest from Wendy: The Spey family consulted with another neurologist and there's a chance that Nathan might be able to pull through and improve. "I know all of the love and prayers out there are powerful!"

Why the Quiet?

If you've been checking back here this week, you may have noticed a bit of a lull here at MoCo Moms. My apologies for that. Despite all our preparations for trying to avoid illness (H1N1 vaccine, seasonal flu vaccine, handwashings, etc.), 5-year-old's been sick. It all started way back on Nov. 30 with an ear infection. His 102-degree fever's behind us now, but a killer cough has meant many sleepless nights in a row.

His illness was perfectly timed with the replacement of collapsing kitchen cabinets. Yes, that meant I had to empty all the cabinets and have my kitchen torn apart. Oh, and Hanukkah's been going strong.

We're all hoping Nipper's able to return to school tomorrow.

In the meantime, if you're up for a touching, tear-jerker, take some time to read this story of an Arizona mom who's battled back from a fiery plane crash that burned 83 percent of her body. Thanks to Lisa Belkin at the New York Times' Motherlode for pointing us all to Stephanie Nelson's story.

Holiday Bah Humbugs

It's the happy, happy holiday season. The air is filled with children excited about looming presents. Christmas trees are back at the neighborhood street corner. Houses are decorated with sparkling lights. Nipper's kindergarten class is reading about the gingerbread man. And just this morning, the boys put up our Hanukkah decorations.

Ah, December, the time of year when this Jewish girl turns somewhat defensive. It wasn't always this way. I grew up in South Florida, where large portions of the general population hailed from New York and were Jewish. Having so many kids like me around made Jewish holidays more normal, I suppose. And I always liked watching the boats all lit up on parade.

Then I went off to college at a well-regarded Midwestern school. There were Jewish kids there, of course, but somehow, I didn't really get to know many of them. At one point, I got so fed up with my friends talking Christmas this and planning Christmas that, that I asked for them to just once refer to the holidays as, well, THE HOLIDAYS.

I got a blank stare. "Some of us don't celebrate Christmas," I said, explaining I was Jewish. "Really? You don't look Jewish. You don't act Jewish." Needless to say, I was a bit perturbed about the whole situation and took to wearing my Jewish star necklace every December for years.

Now, it's my kids' turn to feel the December bah humbugs. Just take our recent trip to Disney, where the parade was entirely Christmas focused. Nipper, age 5, looked up at me innocently and asked why they didn't have anything about Hanukkah. At the airport on the way home, a TSA worker in the family line couldn't stop hounding them about Christas, even after the kids said they celebrate Hanukkah. Soon after, a woman in line to get on the plane did the same. After school, friends are abuzz with talk of putting up Christmas trees, asking when we're getting ours. I speak up for Pumpkin Pie, age 8, and say we don't put a tree up in our house. It's not such a big deal to 8-year-olds. They know that some kids celebrate Hanukkah, some Kwanzaa, some Christmas and some nothing at all. But, at the same time, my son knows who the other 3 Jewish kids in his grade are (out of roughly 60 kids). He knows that somehow, he's just a little different.

Maybe this is why I whip up a great batch of latkes every year and share with some of the neighbors. Or why I suggest to kindergarten teacher that there's a Jewish version of the gingerbread man that she can read to the kids, too. And why our rule of gifts under $5 seems to have sprung wider and bigger in the past couple of years. Or why I should probably bring the kids to some local Hanukkah celebration ... just so they can see lots of other kids are in the same boat as them.

Here's a list of those, by the way, around town:

• Hanukkah on the Ellipse: Music, latkes and donuts, dreidels and menorahs and more.
• Hanukkah Wonderland at Kentlands in Gaithersburg: Hosted by Chabad of Upper Montgomery County. Events run throughout the holiday.
• Lights, Latkes and Laughs: Rockville JCC's event runs from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday
• Chanukah Magic and Miracles: a Community Chanukah Celebration: The DC JCC bills this as "Mad Science lights up the 16th Street J's Community Chanukah celebration."

Happy Hanukkah everyone!

And Finally, H1N1 Vaccines for All

Montgomery County is opening its first walk-in H1N1 vaccination clinic to the general public, adding healthy adults and seniors to the target groups currently being vaccinated.

Here's the latest schedule of clinics, announced today:


High-Risk Groups By Appointment Only:

• Tuesday, Dec. 15 in Germantown and Silver Spring: Nasal spray and injectable available. Call 240-777-4040 on Friday, Dec. 11, between 2 and 4 p.m. for an appointment.
• Wednesday, Dec. 16 in Silver Spring: Nasal spray and injectable available. Call 240-777-4040 on Friday, Dec. 11, between 2 and 4 p.m. for an appointment.

General Walk-In Clinic

• Sunday, Dec. 20 at Montgomery College, Rockville campus, 51 Mannakee St. time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Of course, all this follows analysis released earlier this week that H1N1 has thus far been milder than expected. While such information will likely have some of us rethinking whether we should get vaccinated (if we haven't already gotten the shot), experts are still recommending vaccinations.

Indoor Play Spaces

This week, Jessica over at A Parent in Silver Spring is running past and present profiles of indoor play spaces around town. Once upon a time, there were just few of these: Gymboree, Port Discovery in Baltimore (which I only recommend to older kids given how easy it can be to lose a little one in the 3-story climbing treehouse), PlayWiseKids in Columbia and Ikea (yes, yes, I know that's not an official indoor play space).

But the world of indoor play spaces has blossomed into a flourishing garden. The new Be With Me Playseum in Bethesda offers a cool indoor space for kids ages 9 months to 14 years old and it looks like TONS of fun (Just look at Jessica's photos!). If you want someplace to exercise along with your kids, FunFit in Rockville and Germantown focuses squarely on the childhood obesity epidemic by providing a place for kids AND parents to exercise. Interactions Learn and Play in Kensington, meanwhile, is all about kids ages 4 and under.

Folks in D.C. also recommend Jonah's Treehouse in Glover Park, D.C. (also for the 4 and unders). Of course, there's the overpriced Kidville in Rockville, which has gotten a couple of good reviews on DC Urban Mom; mostly, though, everyone agrees, it's just too expensive.

And the latest, just in from the Silver Spring Moms Yahoo Listserv:

PlayWise Kids' new manager wrote to a parent that PlayWise is hoping to sign a lease in downtown Silver Spring. This is far from a done deal, folks. Andrew Ross tells the parent that his meetings have dragged a bit. He's hoping to open in January, but doesn't yet know if that will be realistic. Here's some extra info from Ross's e-mail exchanges:

"We look forward to having great events on site, including the Great Zucchini at least every other week. It will be smaller than our Columbia location,
but lots of fun still. We'll also have classes and are exploring with the
childcare licensing dept whether we can operate a drop-in daycare there
(part of the discussion tomorrow). If that happens, we'll have drop-in
daycare at all times -- if it isn't appropriate for licensing, we'll still
offer drop-off classes, clubs, and parent nights out on a scheduled basis. ...

We'll essentially have 4 stations (a store & kitchen, a toddler area, a room with a train, playhouse, sand table and few other things, and then a TBD
room (which could possibly rotate and was originally the sand room). We'll
then have a stage with puppet theater, dress-up and occasional karaoke, and
a centerpiece (likely a trampoline or possibly a moonbounce of some kind).
We'll have a small toystore setup and some tables for projects/eating. At
first, we won't be making our own food there, but we will have a
relationship with Fractured Prune and likely a few other places to bring
food in."

RIP: Once upon a time, Mayorga in Silver Spring was a favorite gathering spot of moms and kids. But Mayorga soon will be no more. South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association's Evan Glass confirms a rumor on SoCoEats that Mayorga is closing at the end of the year.