E True Cheverly Story

An Average Day in the Robinson Household


7:00 am Wakey up SQUIRM!!
Grunts....grunts....growls....gruntsSTRETCH!!!
7:30 play time- they wake us right up with their cuteness.
-Feeding (every three hours)
-Pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat EEERP (cheers from all)
-Eee Eer Eee Eer Eee Eer Eee Eer (rocking chair) and much etc.
-Whimpering and crying, and breathing through conjested noses when napping.
-Chica a Chaca Chica Chaca Chica Chaca Chica Chaca (the swings...best way I could think of to spell the sound ok?)
-Sneeze- ACHOO hooooo ACHOO hoooo (we die every time the boys do that)
-Nap Time
-Television heard in the backround (Now it's time for the weather report in DC, Larry take it away!......... President Obama plans to visit Tampa on Wednesday, more about that tonight)
-"Tonight's gonna be a good night" (song stuck in my head that I blurt out alot)
-Will you throw me a burp rag?
-Shh Shh Shhhhhh Shh Shh Shhhhh
-Nap time (sometimes lasts for an hour sometimes, 5 minutes. They seem to sleep longer when held)
-Ah goo ah goo ah goo! (noise from the babes and us...)
-Hahahahaha hahahaha hahahaha hahahaha (That's Emily and I laughing throughout the day).
-Shhh Shh Shhhh Shh Shhhhh
-Nap time
-"What movie should we put in now?"
-"Daddy's home!" (around 6 pm)
-Dinner time at last
-Babies like to watch us eat while they sit in their bumbo chairs. We are always too distracted by their coos and smiles to have our own dinner table conversations.
-Dishes put away, Dinner is always a nice pause.
-Bouncie bounce bounce bounce sway.....sway....sway.... not working, shoulder time....pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat
-Eee eer eee er eee eer eee eer eee eer
-Will you throw me a burp rag?
-Sneezing...AACHOO hooooooo. ACHOOO hooooooo
-Grunts....grunts...growl....
-Shh shh shhh shh shh shhhh
-Eee eer eee er eee eer
-Bed time
-9 pm- Goodnight guys thanks (emily and I to KC and Janice)
-2 am-thanks guys goodnight (time for our shift)
-Sometimes babies are so good we take turns going back to bed and resting for another hour or so, or we just camp out in the living room. I like the couch, Emily likes the air matress. I like Maryland.

...in case you were wondering

Three of Everything

Every day is baby day! 

and of course…

Day 5 and I still have two months exactly till I go home. I love how slow time is going here because I am just trying to soak in every minute of this experience. We watch movies all day and recently finished the Lord of the Rings series. Right now we are watching Tommy Boy which I’ve never seen before so I am having a good time! Emily and I made bean dip today and had the hardest laugh we’ve had yet. I made breakfast yesterday morning…turned out delicious thanks to Emily cooking up her homemade syrup! I am learning so many cooking skills!   When the babies are asleep we catch up things, for example Emily will work on the babies room (which is complete) and do laundry while I make some phone calls or try to catch a power nap. No matter what we are doing, we are always having a fun time. Every time I see all three babies laying next to each other, with their constantly kicking legs, I still can’t believe there are three of them. As I write I see three car seats all lined up next to each other-amazing. And when I see each swing with babes or without, it is breathtaking. These babies are so cute and so precious. Play time is between 7 and 7 30 am and we just watch them coo and smile and kick their legs and swing their arms and even though we are tremendously tired from camping in the living room getting up every hour to feed and put back the babes back to sleep, we are still smiling and laughing with them. I’ve recently discovered that the best way to keep a baby asleep and to catch a nap yourself at the same time is to sleep with them on the couch or on a bed. Until we get them in the mode of sleeping in their cribs, I want to try to nap with one of them as much as I can-it’s smart because if they start to wake up I’m lying right next to them and can still be half asleep while rocking them with my hand. I don’t have to get up and pick them up. This green goo is named Gary-the babies favorite toy in my opinion. But why does he have name? About 4 days ago, Emily picked up this toy and started waving it at one of the babes. She said “Oh dis is scary!” But I stopped her and said, did you just say Gary? Is his name Gary? She laughed so hard and said “No, I said SCARY!” Just a funny side note because it is always a joke when we pick that toy up. Now to get back on track, these babies are only getting older and better with everything they do. They will soon be starting to sleep for longer hours in the night, and soon old enough and good enough to take to the mall and downtown DC. Oh speaking of DC, Emily and I got to go on Sunday. We took the Metro system and got there in 15 minutes. I was so excited to be there. We went in a few museums, enjoyed sipping hot chocolate strolling along the long stretch between the capitol and the Washington Monument- felt awesome being there. The weather was chilly…but not too cold to need a coat. Forecast the day before said it was to rain all day. It did until we left for DC so we were really lucky. We finally left at 6 30 ish after walking past the Washington monument and the World War II memorial- beautiful. By this time it was dark and we were tired, but it felt great to us getting all that exercise! Until next time, ta.

And It’s 4 am In Cheverly

I don’t think there’s a more perfect time to write than in the quietest of night-that’s right, the quietest. The triplets are all sound asleep in their swings…unswinging. Emily and I both went to bed at 9 30 and she got up at 3 and I stayed in bed till 4 now she’s back in bed for another hour or so. I told her to not get up if it’s quiet. I like the morning shift of 2 to six better than being up from 9 to 2. I don’t know why. In the hardest of times with these babies (which actually hasn’t been to dramatic) I am always finding myself having fun no matter what and I think it’s because I am in Maryland! We don't get outside hardly at all, but that’s ok because I’m in Maryland it’s a great feeling.

The flight seemed to pass extremely fast without any turbulence. The babies were so good and quiet only crying out maybe twice and only for a short period of time. It was so fun just carrying them around the airport and getting on and off the plane babies strapped to us-just cute. On the drive home through the beautiful freeway (I cried out once approached the onramp saying, “There they are! The infamous eastern highways!” Driving on Maryland/Virginia freeways is a nature walk in itself.) The babies cried and cried…but then we started rattling the rattler and instantly they were calm. Good thing they’re at the age where they notice those blessed gadgets! Once we entered into the Cheverly I instantly fell in love as it felt like we were driving through the cutest of towns in Logan. Every home (old and cute) was hidden in the trees. I felt like we had entered a forest. Well the second we got our luggage in the house, it was time for work: eat, sleep, play, sleep, eat, etc. First night I could not sleep one minute even in my oh so comfortable bed, an air mattress that I love so much I want to switch it out with mine at home! (my room was so clean and cozy when I arrived- I truly feel at home) So I stayed up till 6 am then slept till 9. Felt great the rest of the day after finding myself a small power nap while feeding Bennett. We celebrated KC’s birthday with a wonderful dinner of Lasagna, garlic bread and salad with a finish of raspberry cheesecake. I found it extremely delightful and decorated so cute-I praised Emily’s culinary influences. So then we sang a harmonious Happy Birthday then enjoyed gift opening. After that proceeded to play as many rounds as the babies would allow us to Banagrams. So the second shift began and this time I did fall asleep. Emily and I both awoke at 2 am and slept off and on like the babes till 7. The day went on like normal. It’s always fun to have the television on even if we’re watching Days of our Lives or The Bonnie Hunt Show; just to have background noise is fun. I enjoy every minute of being here. The babies are so sweet and I think I’m starting to fall in love with them. I love this opportunity more than words and I love being involved in their little lives. I found out the best news today from Emily, she’s going to take me to downtown DC on Sunday! I was so ecstatic. I can hardly wait-only one day more! Well today is Saturday and it will be a good day.  I am crocheting a beanie for Alex. Ruby’s was already made before we flew out. Once Alex’s is done, I will start on Bennet’s- just a fun project to do on the side. 

Of Aprons and Tomatoes

A short story

When they handed me the stiff, crisp dark blue apron, I chuckled to myself as I reflected on my first job where I also wore an apron very similar to the one I had in my hands. I thought to myself, “Will I ever escape from the apron world?” I brushed that very small issue aside and took my apron and shirt and went home. I would start my first day of work the following morning, a Thursday which was perfect for me because I had no school that day. I put on my apron before I left my home like a good new employee, and was on my way. As I pulled into the large grocery store parking lot, I steered my eyes toward the area where I was told we as employees could park. I did so still cautious if it was the right area or not (I was nervous because when I filled out my employment papers, there was a blank provided for my license plate number, for the reason of my car being ticketed if I parked in a no employee parking-zone area). All the same I liked to think I was going to be ok. I walked into the store, feeling a bit shy due to the fact that every employee was probably looking at me because they knew I was new. I was afraid that I’d walk the wrong way or open the back door the wrong way, or that my kakis were the wrong wash or that my hair was too simple! Are all new employees that paranoid? So I went to the back room to clock in. I was feeling pretty excited to finally do it myself; the previous day during “tour” time I observed various employees bush fifteen buttons then swipe this cool card then press another seven buttons. I remember thinking I could not wait until I was not “new” anymore.

I clocked in that Thursday morning, feeling one step closer to being learned. When I was done (it only took 18 seconds) I turned around and stood still for a moment or two bewildered at what I should do next. Where was my supervisor who would come and rescue me from this dark hallway? I didn’t know if I should go out to the front or find a dark corner and wait till someone found me. I hated standing there looking “new”. Finally, surprised that I had to be the one to tell someone I was new, told some random person in an apron that I was new and was looking for a manager. I was found and put right to work behind the register. As a kid I remember taking field trips to a Museum for children and there was a pretend grocery store. I thought it was the most fun activity in all the world. I remember I always wanted to be the cashier and make the beep noise as other kids brought their plastic peppers and cereal boxes to the black conveyer belt. As I stood there with my manager standing right behind me literally breathing down my neck watching the ever move of my fingers and toes, I took the first item and as slow as I could be, (not on purpose) I ran it along the scanner. BEEP it was in the computer: WF BL BEANS. As if I wasn’t feeling dumb enough that I took five minutes to ring up two boxes of cereal and some more canned beans, my manager would slip out random side notes about everything. It wasn’t that I was doing everything wrong, she was just giving good pointers and I appreciated it. Things were going pretty good as I tried my hardest to make eye contact with the customer AND slide their grocery items, AND make conversation with them, AND continue to bare the embarrassment of my manager right behind me telling all that I am brand new. I remember when I worked at an ice cream parlor, new employees had to wear a tag that said they were new. Can a sigh of relief ring through the store? That would be excruciatingly painful to bare but I suppose having someone stand behind you telling what to do comes pretty close.

As time goes on (which passes very quickly here in the grocery store world) I notice the produce coming forth. For once in my life, I had a smart moment and knew there would not be a bar code on these thin plastic bags. I grabbed the Tomatoes, “What do I do with these?” I ask humbly. The reply comes, “set it on the scale to be weighed then type in 9133”. I did so and it rang up TOM ROMA. The dark days have begun. A code for ever produce item, and eventually I’d come to learn that there would be a code for every kind of tomato- is there a trap door underneath my shoes I can refer to? Each check stand came with a code sheet for every item that is in stock. I don’t know why I didn’t use this right away because Instead I turned around and asked the cashier behind me or if I had to, called out to a manager which I hated doing! I hated asking people. I was so caught up in how annoying it was so type in so many codes all starting with a 4, that I didn’t realize that soon I will have most of the common ones down! 4066 4070 4011 4068 4187 4062 why don’t we just add Pi 3.145673847382947398147398?! It seems just as complicated! I was amazed that other employees could just shout out a four digit code while having already memorized sixteen other codes. Oh the day when I can punch in that code on my own!

Now Tomatoes are like beetles; they don’t taste very pleasant and they are squishy; the way they nestle in my palms as I gently take hold of them to lift them up and then set them back down on the scale. A certain kind of Tomato came through, they were called Zebra- a much more expensive breed due to their exquisitely sword shaped green leaves that embrace the rounded tomato. Why are there so many different kinds of tomatoes and what makes them more expensive than the other? The soil which nourishes and produces such crimson fruit? I was sure at one point in my life that the earth holds soil of it’s own unique kind. Unless you go to China, I’ve heard their soil is much much colder and can cause fevers when in contact with human skin. I am not exactly sure why this is nor do I ever care to be sure because Tomatoes are unpleasant unless they are chopped in flea sized pieces mixed with refried beans and guacamole that came from a fresh pillow soft Avocado on sale for 99 cents--delicious.

My hands grow pretty dirty through out the day which means my poor dark blue apron becomes filthy as well, we’re like a team my apron and I, we both grow with filth and dislike tomatoes (juicy tomato juice does not perform an artistic masterpiece on dark blue). I’d like to say it is because of those retched tomatoes, but I cannot do so because they are safely secured in those dinky thin plastic bags they provide for you at the produce section. I could tear through those bags with my eyelashes. Maybe I should try doing that some time because forty-seven out of fifty-three customers will have tomatoes in their cart. Thank goodness they are scent free in those one penny bags.

I once knew of a a girl who could eat tomatoes like apples and grape tomatoes like grapes. I wish I could do that, they are truly healthy…but I still won’t do it, throw me an apple and I’m off both sugar and fat! We as a human race are so interesting in our differences in what we like and dislike. I love refried beans, you hate them. I hate banana peppers, you eat them for a snack. Why can’t we all like Tomatoes…uh…did I just admit that I wish I liked tomatoes? Ok I will admit it-they are so healthy and of a pretty color and they are abundant in variety. Enough of this poor allowance of tiny slivers of smashed tomatoes in my salad or bean dip. Is it possible to teach our minds to like a food of which we never have? At the end of the day, as I exit my check stand and release my till from the register to go to the back and enjoy recounting what I’ve been entering and receiving for seven hours, I untie my loosened apron bow, and hang it up on the trail of hooks, and gaze outward from the large windows overlooking the entire store. As the vegetales vegetables say, “If you like to talk to Tomatoes…” Another day of Tomatoes I say to myself. Perhaps tomorrow I will like them.

The End