My grandfather (well, grandfathers) was in the military, though I imagine most men were in those days... it being the heart of WW2 and all. But Grampa W was in the Navy and my mom has always had a heart for Navy guys (I know she didn't marry one, but she likes them nonetheless). (The Other Grandfather was in the Army.)
My favorite Uncle was in the US Air Force.
My dad served in the National Guard during Vietnam. (His way of being able to remain stateside and continue helping out my Grandma Lelah.)
My cousin was in the USMC and did a tour in Iraq.
My college roommates' (now) husband is currently serving in the USMC and has been in service for 12 years. He's career military. He has been blessed by being given jobs that require him to remain stateside throughout his career, but he loves it. Before we all started having kids, I used to go up for a long weekend to stay with them at Cherry Point MAS for a long weekend every summer. I had a blast.
Two of my 3 step-brothers are currently serving overseas in branches of the military (one in the Army, one in the Navy). Despite the fact that their dad (my step-dad) is the MOST flaming liberal I know personally, even he is completely supportive of them and their choices to serve our country through their military service.
I've always had a healthy respect for the military and those who serve our country. I like that quote by Demi Moore in A Few Good Men when Kevin Pollack asks her why she likes "them" so much. "Because they stand upon a wall and say, "Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch."
Thanks to all the military personnel out there tonight and every night. Thanks for serving our country and keeping us safe. Thank you to those who lost their lives in that pursuit. And thank you to the families of those who lost their lives for our freedom.
Happy Memorial Day!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
7 Quick Takes: The End of an Era
1. Today is/was my last day working at my dad's store. "My" location is closing tomorrow.
2. Twenty-two years ago, I was 8 years old and my best friend, Katie, and I hung out eating Taco Bell (as always) in the coin laundry next door, which my parents bought in conjunction with the dry cleaners. (We subsequently sold the coin laundry a couple years later and bricked up the windows and doors so that the two properties were officially separated. But in the meantime, it was a good place for a little kid or two to hang out and be out of the way, but still in view of the parents!)
3. By the time I was 9 and tall enough to reach the rails, I was allowed to occasionally work with my mom and earn a little money.
4. One summer, Katie and I dressed up in southern belle ball gowns several mornings a week (early in the day - it was HOT in those dresses, especially in the Florida summer heat!) and held a sign advertising the store and waved at the passing cars. We made $2 an hour.
5. By the time I was 12, I had regular hours there - working some Friday nights or Saturday afternoons. Katie usually worked the other shift.
6. It was where my sister and I really, truly became friends. It was also where I fell in love with my nephew when she started working part-time and bringing him with her. She was the first of us to bring the baby to work (followed by my friend Kris and eventually myself). We all had silly dreams of the kids growing up to have their first jobs there when they were old enough.
7. There are a bunch of my friends (old and current) who have had jobs there over the years, including the girls I mentioned above (Katie, Kris, and my sister), my husband, my first boyfriend, my friends Cara, Tammy, Lindsey, Nerissa, Margie, David W, Candice, and I'm probably forgetting some of them, but that's all I've got in memory right now. It holds a huge chunk of my childhood memories, my personal history, and a lot of hours of my time for the last 22 years. I will miss it and I will miss what it represents in my life.
For more Quick Takes, click here.
2. Twenty-two years ago, I was 8 years old and my best friend, Katie, and I hung out eating Taco Bell (as always) in the coin laundry next door, which my parents bought in conjunction with the dry cleaners. (We subsequently sold the coin laundry a couple years later and bricked up the windows and doors so that the two properties were officially separated. But in the meantime, it was a good place for a little kid or two to hang out and be out of the way, but still in view of the parents!)
3. By the time I was 9 and tall enough to reach the rails, I was allowed to occasionally work with my mom and earn a little money.
4. One summer, Katie and I dressed up in southern belle ball gowns several mornings a week (early in the day - it was HOT in those dresses, especially in the Florida summer heat!) and held a sign advertising the store and waved at the passing cars. We made $2 an hour.
5. By the time I was 12, I had regular hours there - working some Friday nights or Saturday afternoons. Katie usually worked the other shift.
6. It was where my sister and I really, truly became friends. It was also where I fell in love with my nephew when she started working part-time and bringing him with her. She was the first of us to bring the baby to work (followed by my friend Kris and eventually myself). We all had silly dreams of the kids growing up to have their first jobs there when they were old enough.
7. There are a bunch of my friends (old and current) who have had jobs there over the years, including the girls I mentioned above (Katie, Kris, and my sister), my husband, my first boyfriend, my friends Cara, Tammy, Lindsey, Nerissa, Margie, David W, Candice, and I'm probably forgetting some of them, but that's all I've got in memory right now. It holds a huge chunk of my childhood memories, my personal history, and a lot of hours of my time for the last 22 years. I will miss it and I will miss what it represents in my life.
For more Quick Takes, click here.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Quiet Disagreement
Have you ever had an argument/fight where voices were never raised, no harsh words were spoken, and yet you still felt completely drained from the conversation? We had a disagreement like that tonight.
My husband has a job where he is miserable. He works a thankless job that he only partially likes that has morphed into something that he really hates to do. (He likes the IT and the tech problem solving, but hates the managerial aspects that have fallen to him over the past 6 months, and that is becoming an increasingly larger part of his day-to-day job.) And yet, he has such a good work ethic, that he can't seem to let it go at the end of the day. This means that he NEVER gets out of the office "on time" and that means that I am always waiting (often impatiently) for him to come home from times ranging from 6:10 PM to sometimes 7PM or occasionally even later. (He SHOULD, in theory arrive home at 6 if he were to leave at the time the office closes.)
My argument is that he always has "one more email" after the end of the day - and those are the days that his boss doesn't corner him at the end of business and force him into a 30-60 minutes status report or some such. (And those he can't even call or text me to inform me he will be late, so I am left wondering what time he will be arriving, etc.)
Now, when it's something he is aware of, he does (often, or should I say most of the time) try and let me know ahead of time and he has never complained the very few times when Fuss just needed to eat and I had dinner ready, so I fed her. He has no problem with me doing what I need to do and eating warmed up food himself. He never complains on the rare occasions when I eat with her instead of waiting for him.
However, I am frustrated by this scenario. I want him to come home, on time, regularly. I want it to be the norm instead of the very rare exception.
And yet, I do "get it." He works hard. He wants to do a good job. And he does. He has so much to do, and never has enough time to do it. Sometimes, he chooses to bring work home, so we can at least be in proximity with one another while he finishes his work. But more often than not, he is stuck at the office, dealing with last minute problems that he just wants to get finished, instead of having to pack it all up and carry it all home. His boss is demanding, and has no care or concept of his having a family at home. (His boss has no children, a string of ex-wives and is currently going through a divorce to a woman who has annoyed him for years, so he has no desire to be home. His boss is also a workaholic in the truest sense of the word.) He has very little recourse for changing the situation, other than to find another job that is more family friendly, which, in this economy...
So there is no solution. We are both left frustrated by the situation, and I feel like I need to vent about it sometimes, but I have no idea what to do about it, truly. I have suggested that he tell the people who are taking his time at the end of the day "it's time to go, we'll discuss this tomorrow," but that doesn't always work, and he absolutely cannot do that with his boss. (His boss doesn't take no for an answer in these situations.)
So neither of us is happy, but we are trying to not make the other feel worse about it.
My husband has a job where he is miserable. He works a thankless job that he only partially likes that has morphed into something that he really hates to do. (He likes the IT and the tech problem solving, but hates the managerial aspects that have fallen to him over the past 6 months, and that is becoming an increasingly larger part of his day-to-day job.) And yet, he has such a good work ethic, that he can't seem to let it go at the end of the day. This means that he NEVER gets out of the office "on time" and that means that I am always waiting (often impatiently) for him to come home from times ranging from 6:10 PM to sometimes 7PM or occasionally even later. (He SHOULD, in theory arrive home at 6 if he were to leave at the time the office closes.)
My argument is that he always has "one more email" after the end of the day - and those are the days that his boss doesn't corner him at the end of business and force him into a 30-60 minutes status report or some such. (And those he can't even call or text me to inform me he will be late, so I am left wondering what time he will be arriving, etc.)
Now, when it's something he is aware of, he does (often, or should I say most of the time) try and let me know ahead of time and he has never complained the very few times when Fuss just needed to eat and I had dinner ready, so I fed her. He has no problem with me doing what I need to do and eating warmed up food himself. He never complains on the rare occasions when I eat with her instead of waiting for him.
However, I am frustrated by this scenario. I want him to come home, on time, regularly. I want it to be the norm instead of the very rare exception.
And yet, I do "get it." He works hard. He wants to do a good job. And he does. He has so much to do, and never has enough time to do it. Sometimes, he chooses to bring work home, so we can at least be in proximity with one another while he finishes his work. But more often than not, he is stuck at the office, dealing with last minute problems that he just wants to get finished, instead of having to pack it all up and carry it all home. His boss is demanding, and has no care or concept of his having a family at home. (His boss has no children, a string of ex-wives and is currently going through a divorce to a woman who has annoyed him for years, so he has no desire to be home. His boss is also a workaholic in the truest sense of the word.) He has very little recourse for changing the situation, other than to find another job that is more family friendly, which, in this economy...
So there is no solution. We are both left frustrated by the situation, and I feel like I need to vent about it sometimes, but I have no idea what to do about it, truly. I have suggested that he tell the people who are taking his time at the end of the day "it's time to go, we'll discuss this tomorrow," but that doesn't always work, and he absolutely cannot do that with his boss. (His boss doesn't take no for an answer in these situations.)
So neither of us is happy, but we are trying to not make the other feel worse about it.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Random Things on a Wednesday
1. Wanna know how much trouble a 2-year-old can get into in 8 minutes or less? My couch will tell the tale. She went from playing/reading quietly to being covered in silver Sharpie (yes, the permanent kind) in that time period. Her whole tummy was covered, her hands, and there were marks all over her back. She also managed to stripe my couch cushions, and 2 throw pillows. (Thankfully, we have been planning to replace the couch as soon as the Memorial Day sales kick in, but we had been planning to try and sell the couch... we weren't going to ask a lot, but now it's going to have to be significantly less!)
2. I learned (or, according my husband, was reminded of) a new word the other day. Defenestrate. It means to throw a person or thing from a window. Yeah. It happened so often that they needed a word for that, apparently.
3. I think that the Peach Milkshake from Chik-fil-A is miraculous. Truly.
4. My last day of work is Friday. I am becoming more and more saddened at the thought of this place closing. We have been in this location for 22 years and I spent the bulk of my childhood there.
5. Just discovered that Fuss loves HGTV, specifically Divine Design w/ Candice Olsen. Love that!
2. I learned (or, according my husband, was reminded of) a new word the other day. Defenestrate. It means to throw a person or thing from a window. Yeah. It happened so often that they needed a word for that, apparently.
3. I think that the Peach Milkshake from Chik-fil-A is miraculous. Truly.
4. My last day of work is Friday. I am becoming more and more saddened at the thought of this place closing. We have been in this location for 22 years and I spent the bulk of my childhood there.
5. Just discovered that Fuss loves HGTV, specifically Divine Design w/ Candice Olsen. Love that!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
10 on Tuesday
1. What is your favorite piece of furniture in your house?
My dining room table. I love it. It is beautiful and awesomely functional. It's pub-height and at it's biggest, it is 6' square. I love it.
2. If it was raining so hard on a Saturday that you couldn’t leave your house, what would you spend the day doing?
Watching a movie, reading a book, playing in bed with my husband... it would sort of depend on what the munchkin was doing, etc...
3. What was your favorite candy as a child?
Jelly Belly jelly beans. Predominantly cinnamon and licorice flavored.
4. Did you get an allowance? What was it based on? What did you do with it?
Yes, I got one, but I had to "work" hours at the store to get an allowance, and I was required to buy my own lunches with it if I chose not to pack my lunches from home. I also had to use it for unbudgeted purchases such as snacks or unnecessary clothing or toys, etc.
5. Do you have a favorite Etsy store?
I have several I like, but I haven't yet gotten around to purchasing something from Etsy. I want to, but lately there is no extra money for fun stuff...
6. Do you prefer time with family or time with friends?
Depends on my mood. Of course, I consider my husband to be both my best friend and my family and he is my favorite person to spend time with and I consider my mom to be one of my friends, so my lines are confused sometimes...
7. Looney Tunes, Tiny Toons, or Animaniacs?
Looney Tunes, if I must choose. At least Looney Tunes is classic
8. Best daytime talk show: Oprah, Ellen, The Doctors, Tyra (ha!), Dr. Oz, or Dr. Phil?
Don't watch much of that, either, but I have seen some Ellen recently and she cracks me up, so I guess Ellen.
9. Would you rather have the power of invisibility or the ability to fly?
Hmmm. Good one. I think I would have said invisibility as a kid, since I was the type of kid who was always out for information and while I could play dumb with the best of them, so no one ever knew how much I was retaining, but being invisible would have gleaned a lot more info. Now, I think it might be cool to fly some, but I have less need for the invisibility thing, too.
10. Name 1 thing you love about being an adult.
Getting to decide whether or not to have dessert whenever I feel like it. I still have to pay the consequences (weight gain, etc.) but it's MY choice instead of someone else's. And when I'm pregnant, I usually cave. :)
Check out more 10 on Tuesday by clicking here.
My dining room table. I love it. It is beautiful and awesomely functional. It's pub-height and at it's biggest, it is 6' square. I love it.
2. If it was raining so hard on a Saturday that you couldn’t leave your house, what would you spend the day doing?
Watching a movie, reading a book, playing in bed with my husband... it would sort of depend on what the munchkin was doing, etc...
3. What was your favorite candy as a child?
Jelly Belly jelly beans. Predominantly cinnamon and licorice flavored.
4. Did you get an allowance? What was it based on? What did you do with it?
Yes, I got one, but I had to "work" hours at the store to get an allowance, and I was required to buy my own lunches with it if I chose not to pack my lunches from home. I also had to use it for unbudgeted purchases such as snacks or unnecessary clothing or toys, etc.
5. Do you have a favorite Etsy store?
I have several I like, but I haven't yet gotten around to purchasing something from Etsy. I want to, but lately there is no extra money for fun stuff...
6. Do you prefer time with family or time with friends?
Depends on my mood. Of course, I consider my husband to be both my best friend and my family and he is my favorite person to spend time with and I consider my mom to be one of my friends, so my lines are confused sometimes...
7. Looney Tunes, Tiny Toons, or Animaniacs?
Looney Tunes, if I must choose. At least Looney Tunes is classic
8. Best daytime talk show: Oprah, Ellen, The Doctors, Tyra (ha!), Dr. Oz, or Dr. Phil?
Don't watch much of that, either, but I have seen some Ellen recently and she cracks me up, so I guess Ellen.
9. Would you rather have the power of invisibility or the ability to fly?
Hmmm. Good one. I think I would have said invisibility as a kid, since I was the type of kid who was always out for information and while I could play dumb with the best of them, so no one ever knew how much I was retaining, but being invisible would have gleaned a lot more info. Now, I think it might be cool to fly some, but I have less need for the invisibility thing, too.
10. Name 1 thing you love about being an adult.
Getting to decide whether or not to have dessert whenever I feel like it. I still have to pay the consequences (weight gain, etc.) but it's MY choice instead of someone else's. And when I'm pregnant, I usually cave. :)
Check out more 10 on Tuesday by clicking here.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Rack 'o' Milk
I started re-reading my breast-feeding book again, in preparation for the baby's arrival. I love this book, because I felt like it gave me a very real sense of what breast-feeding was like (in the beginning, it's not always easy, it can hurt, but it gets better) and a really good knowledge of information (nearly every woman CAN breastfeed, but it will depend on how hard she tries if she has problems, as to how successful she is, etc.). HOWEVER, I also believe it has a ton of "propaganda" that made me, for one, feel that the one time I had to give my baby some formula in those early days (my milk came in all at once one evening and my breasts were so hard a full that Fuss couldn't latch - it was like trying to suck on a brick wall. She was screaming, I was hormonal and freaked out and in pain and I had to feed my baby. It was also the middle of the night and I had no option of someone to call for help) I had "ruined" her digestive tract and set her up for all sorts of problems. (I kept crying and saying "I'm so sorry, baby!" over and over again.) It messed me up in that way and I regret that moment.
I am a big believer in doing what you have to do to feed your baby. I strongly support breast-feeding and I encourage all moms to try it, to the true best of their ability, for at least one MONTH (not one day or week) to see if they can get the hang of it with a good, honest try, but I also know that there are times when a mother can't, or shouldn't breastfeed for physical or medical reasons (breast reduction surgery, need to go on medications quickly that would be harmful for the infant if breastfeeding while the mother was taking them, etc.) And that sometimes, for the health and sanity of the mother, it just isn't the best option for her and her infant. (You need to do what is best for BOTH of you, so if it's taking that much of a toll on your personal sanity, then do what you have to do.)
Anyhow, I've come to the conclusion, though that it would be very difficult to write a book that conveys that thought process - that breast is truly best and you HAVE to keep trying to have a good chance at succeeding (though there are plenty of women and children to whom it DOES come easy and really enjoy it in the process...), but that, in the end, if you can't do it, for any myriad of legitimate reasons, that it's okay, as long as you tried your best. Because ultimately, you have to feed your child and you should never apologize for that. (be it in public, or with formula, etc.)
I also think that you have to have that support system at home and then some. I never would have stuck it out if my husband had been against it or really blase' about the whole thing... I encouraged him before we even began to be my encourager and my supporter, and he really was the one I leaned on whenever I needed someone to lean on in those rough days (and that was often.) But my mom was so encouraging and so was my Gramma (even though she never breastfed - you just didn't do that in the 50's), so it was really nice to have those "rah, rah" people in my corner. I also knew that my girls on the Luckies were there for me, though in the earliest days, I didn't spend as much time on the board as I had pre-delivery (simply because I never mastered typing while breastfeeding and the like), but they were great in those days when I did check in and needed an encouraging word or 12.
In conclusion, (I've noticed that a lot of times I end my posts without an obvious conclusion and I'm going to attempt to remedy that - at least sometimes...) I am getting ready for this kid and I am determined to do a better job this time around, though I am proud of the job I did with Fuss. I know more now, I am better equipped and much more experienced and I believe I am ready.
I am a big believer in doing what you have to do to feed your baby. I strongly support breast-feeding and I encourage all moms to try it, to the true best of their ability, for at least one MONTH (not one day or week) to see if they can get the hang of it with a good, honest try, but I also know that there are times when a mother can't, or shouldn't breastfeed for physical or medical reasons (breast reduction surgery, need to go on medications quickly that would be harmful for the infant if breastfeeding while the mother was taking them, etc.) And that sometimes, for the health and sanity of the mother, it just isn't the best option for her and her infant. (You need to do what is best for BOTH of you, so if it's taking that much of a toll on your personal sanity, then do what you have to do.)
Anyhow, I've come to the conclusion, though that it would be very difficult to write a book that conveys that thought process - that breast is truly best and you HAVE to keep trying to have a good chance at succeeding (though there are plenty of women and children to whom it DOES come easy and really enjoy it in the process...), but that, in the end, if you can't do it, for any myriad of legitimate reasons, that it's okay, as long as you tried your best. Because ultimately, you have to feed your child and you should never apologize for that. (be it in public, or with formula, etc.)
I also think that you have to have that support system at home and then some. I never would have stuck it out if my husband had been against it or really blase' about the whole thing... I encouraged him before we even began to be my encourager and my supporter, and he really was the one I leaned on whenever I needed someone to lean on in those rough days (and that was often.) But my mom was so encouraging and so was my Gramma (even though she never breastfed - you just didn't do that in the 50's), so it was really nice to have those "rah, rah" people in my corner. I also knew that my girls on the Luckies were there for me, though in the earliest days, I didn't spend as much time on the board as I had pre-delivery (simply because I never mastered typing while breastfeeding and the like), but they were great in those days when I did check in and needed an encouraging word or 12.
In conclusion, (I've noticed that a lot of times I end my posts without an obvious conclusion and I'm going to attempt to remedy that - at least sometimes...) I am getting ready for this kid and I am determined to do a better job this time around, though I am proud of the job I did with Fuss. I know more now, I am better equipped and much more experienced and I believe I am ready.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
I'm downright Grumpy all the time...
My SIL LP took care of Fuss last week and we switched cars and she left a 2-CD set of Kids Christian songs in the car, playing for Fuss. Ugh. I can only stand so much little-kid music at one time and she is constantly begging for "Knees Toes Song"! and such. A choir of little kid voices (thankfully, in-tune) is not exactly how I like to spend my driving time, so we negotiate for changes to the music playing. :)
It's been a rough 24-hours for me. Last night around 6PM, I noticed I was spotting. Again. Only this time was worse than previous times. This was after a horrible bout with tummy-pyrotechnics that nearly had me losing consciousness from the discomfort. I then had some cramps and lower back pain and I realized that I hadn't felt the baby move in several hours... The spotting finally moved along a few hours later, and the cramping eased up and around 10PM the baby finally started to move again (naturally, just in time for bed... but I'd rather know he was okay than sleep easily, at least at the beginning...) Ultimately, I think everything is fine, but I wish my body was more cooperative with me!
It's been a rough 24-hours for me. Last night around 6PM, I noticed I was spotting. Again. Only this time was worse than previous times. This was after a horrible bout with tummy-pyrotechnics that nearly had me losing consciousness from the discomfort. I then had some cramps and lower back pain and I realized that I hadn't felt the baby move in several hours... The spotting finally moved along a few hours later, and the cramping eased up and around 10PM the baby finally started to move again (naturally, just in time for bed... but I'd rather know he was okay than sleep easily, at least at the beginning...) Ultimately, I think everything is fine, but I wish my body was more cooperative with me!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
One less tooth and Sushi
Had my oral surgery (I recently found out that my first impression of the term "oral surgery" was the same thing my husband thought when he heard it the first time - we were both younger and assumed it meant that the doctor "orally" gave a play-by-play or something while doing the surgery. We took it from our impressions of "oral presentations" or "oral reports" that we did in school where "oral" always meant talking, not just having to do with the mouth...) yesterday. OMG did it hurt. I guess the darn tooth didn't want to come out, that the root was strong, even though the top of the tooth was severely damaged, and while I try to be a trooper about pain (I have a high threshold of pain - you don't have kidney stones multiple times without developing a high threshold for pain), I know I made more sounds while he was prying the darn thing out of my mouth than I did while I was in labor... I think they may have given me a little too much Novacaine, too and I ended up with a killer headache later on, but I seem to be mostly recovered now, thank goodness, and I'm already off the pain medications they gave me (though the jury is still out on whether or not I'll take one before bed tonight - sometimes putting pressure on that side of my jaw still hurts, so laying on my side through the night isn't the most comfortable...)
The highlight of my day, though, was some quality mother/daughter time spent with my mom in the morning... we got pedicures (my piggies are so pretty now) and had a fabulous lunch at this Asian restaurant that Daddy Fuss and I like... I even got my mom to try a sushi roll, which she ended up loving, so my step-dad will likely be thrilled! (He loves all sorts of food - the more adventurous the better, but my mom steadfastly refused to go to a sushi restaurant with him, so I've been working on convincing her to try it - and try it my way - to see if she would like it. I introduced her to a tempura roll with crab and shrimp since her biggest objection was that she hates the idea of raw fish and she was in love.)
The highlight of my day, though, was some quality mother/daughter time spent with my mom in the morning... we got pedicures (my piggies are so pretty now) and had a fabulous lunch at this Asian restaurant that Daddy Fuss and I like... I even got my mom to try a sushi roll, which she ended up loving, so my step-dad will likely be thrilled! (He loves all sorts of food - the more adventurous the better, but my mom steadfastly refused to go to a sushi restaurant with him, so I've been working on convincing her to try it - and try it my way - to see if she would like it. I introduced her to a tempura roll with crab and shrimp since her biggest objection was that she hates the idea of raw fish and she was in love.)
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
10 on Tuesday: This was a hard one
1. If your name was a verb, what would “to Chelsea” mean? (Insert your own name though…)
A verb? Oh geez. I don't think my name COULD be a verb. An adjective maybe... I'd say "friendly" because that's how I'd like to be known.
2. What myth have you always wanted to prove or bust?
Ugh. What is with these questions today?
3. If you had the ability to get a message out to the entire world, what would you say?
Help, my 2-year-old is trying to drive me crazy!
4. I know you’ve answered a similar question before, but it’s been awhile. Please name your current top 10 blogs.
1. MightyMaggie
2. Julia
3. The Spohrs Are Multiplying
4. Flotsam
5. Roots and Rings
6. Hush, Amanda
7. Mommy Words
8. Baby Name Wizard Blog
9. Matt and Maddy
10. ABC Family
5. Do you have a junk drawer?
Sort of. I have a drawer next to my bed that sort of has a purpose, but I often use it to stick stuff I don't have a better place for and I don't want to misplace in some random pile.
6. Bottled water or tap?
If it's home (my house, my mom's) then tap, but if we're outside of our basic city/county/area then bottled. I never had a clue that water could change so much from one place to the next until my MIL who is a water-snob pointed it out, but there are certain cities/counties where the water tastes DISGUSTING.
7. As a kid, did you have a favorite Biblical story?
The story of Esther. I loved her quiet courage, etc. Plus, she was a woman who ROCKED.
8. What is your favorite black and white movie?
Depending on my mood, either The Major and Minor or Casablanca.
9. Aside from your engagement/wedding rings, what is your favorite piece of jewelry that you own? Does it have a story behind it?
Again, depending on my mood, but the piece I wear more than anything else and that is definitely at least my top 3 is my amethyst/peridot pendant. It was my "push present" for when Fuss was born (Daddy Fuss gave it to me just after she was born) and it signifies her birthstone (amethyst) and mine (peridot) together and therefore her and me together. I like to think of me giving it to her when she's older, but I don't know if I'll be willing to part with it at any point.
10. What sports/activities do you hope your kids will be involved in? (Answer for both a boy and a girl)
Daddy Fuss and I used to list out these activities that we wanted our kids involved in and then we realized that the list was so exhausting that neither we or our children should be so committed. As far as the things we hope to encourage them to try until they figure out what they like...
Baseball (this is a Fuss family - his - tradition), ballet (my contribution), music (piano, voice, other instrument), soccer, gymnastics, church (AWANA, Youth Group depending on age), possibly basketball or whatever sport he or she prefers if it's not already on this list... Obviously, I don't want them involved in ALL of these at the same time or whatever, but this is the list of things we'd like to encourage them to toward when we feel it is time to get them involved in SOMETHING.
For more 10 on Tuesday, please visit Chelsea at Roots and Rings.
A verb? Oh geez. I don't think my name COULD be a verb. An adjective maybe... I'd say "friendly" because that's how I'd like to be known.
2. What myth have you always wanted to prove or bust?
Ugh. What is with these questions today?
3. If you had the ability to get a message out to the entire world, what would you say?
Help, my 2-year-old is trying to drive me crazy!
4. I know you’ve answered a similar question before, but it’s been awhile. Please name your current top 10 blogs.
1. MightyMaggie
2. Julia
3. The Spohrs Are Multiplying
4. Flotsam
5. Roots and Rings
6. Hush, Amanda
7. Mommy Words
8. Baby Name Wizard Blog
9. Matt and Maddy
10. ABC Family
5. Do you have a junk drawer?
Sort of. I have a drawer next to my bed that sort of has a purpose, but I often use it to stick stuff I don't have a better place for and I don't want to misplace in some random pile.
6. Bottled water or tap?
If it's home (my house, my mom's) then tap, but if we're outside of our basic city/county/area then bottled. I never had a clue that water could change so much from one place to the next until my MIL who is a water-snob pointed it out, but there are certain cities/counties where the water tastes DISGUSTING.
7. As a kid, did you have a favorite Biblical story?
The story of Esther. I loved her quiet courage, etc. Plus, she was a woman who ROCKED.
8. What is your favorite black and white movie?
Depending on my mood, either The Major and Minor or Casablanca.
9. Aside from your engagement/wedding rings, what is your favorite piece of jewelry that you own? Does it have a story behind it?
Again, depending on my mood, but the piece I wear more than anything else and that is definitely at least my top 3 is my amethyst/peridot pendant. It was my "push present" for when Fuss was born (Daddy Fuss gave it to me just after she was born) and it signifies her birthstone (amethyst) and mine (peridot) together and therefore her and me together. I like to think of me giving it to her when she's older, but I don't know if I'll be willing to part with it at any point.
10. What sports/activities do you hope your kids will be involved in? (Answer for both a boy and a girl)
Daddy Fuss and I used to list out these activities that we wanted our kids involved in and then we realized that the list was so exhausting that neither we or our children should be so committed. As far as the things we hope to encourage them to try until they figure out what they like...
Baseball (this is a Fuss family - his - tradition), ballet (my contribution), music (piano, voice, other instrument), soccer, gymnastics, church (AWANA, Youth Group depending on age), possibly basketball or whatever sport he or she prefers if it's not already on this list... Obviously, I don't want them involved in ALL of these at the same time or whatever, but this is the list of things we'd like to encourage them to toward when we feel it is time to get them involved in SOMETHING.
For more 10 on Tuesday, please visit Chelsea at Roots and Rings.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Top 12 reasons why I wish I could go back to bed
1. This is the Sunshine State, so why isn't it sunny? It rained all morning, dried up and left us with an incredibly humid few hours and now the black clouds are rolling in again. It's definitely not happy weather.
2. My husband took the only thing suitable for eating for lunch (for an adult) with him to work this morning, and forgot to tell me, so I didn't stop to pick up anything (even though I wanted to but was trying to be responsible and not spend unneeded money).
3. I am hungry and my options are quite limited.
4. My back aches and I've been having Braxton Hicks off and on all morning. Honestly, they started last night, but haven't been consistent enough to even bother with anything more than drinking a glass of water to slow them down. But they make me cranky when they go on for hours like this...
5. Fuss has been alternating between being randomly hyper and incredibly dramatic all morning. This in itself is enough to make me want to hide under the covers. I can't seem to keep up with her energy or her moods.
6. The baby began his nighttime kicking at 4am and proceeded to remind me he was there - very persistently - every time I would get incredibly comfortable. My alarm at 6 was not welcome.
7. My week ahead is not shaping up to be very exciting and I'm having trouble shaking this bad mood, so all I can see in front of me is the negative stuff...
8. I finished the only fiction book I've got right now this morning at work and all my non-fiction books are depressing me, so I don't even have something with which to curl up and read for fun.
9. We began to look at the I'm-not-working-because-my-job-ended-early budget last night and it sort of depressed me. We are a couple hundred dollars short every month without adding the expenses that I was hoping to include (like part-time day care for Fuss in the fall, a new couch and a new recliner).
10. I have no bras that are currently comfortable fore longer than a 2-hour stretch. This makes for really uncomfortable days.
11. I am out of margarita mix, so I can't even pretend to have a margarita tonight with dinner. (A good mix tastes very similar to a well-mixed margarita, so I am often able to fool myself into thinking that I'm having a cocktail, when in fact it is a mock-tail.)
12. We also couldn't find my favorite wine-alternative - Welches' Sparkling White Grape Juice - at the grocery store this weekend, so that option is out as well.
So, what do you think? SHould I go back to bed and forget this day ever happened?
2. My husband took the only thing suitable for eating for lunch (for an adult) with him to work this morning, and forgot to tell me, so I didn't stop to pick up anything (even though I wanted to but was trying to be responsible and not spend unneeded money).
3. I am hungry and my options are quite limited.
4. My back aches and I've been having Braxton Hicks off and on all morning. Honestly, they started last night, but haven't been consistent enough to even bother with anything more than drinking a glass of water to slow them down. But they make me cranky when they go on for hours like this...
5. Fuss has been alternating between being randomly hyper and incredibly dramatic all morning. This in itself is enough to make me want to hide under the covers. I can't seem to keep up with her energy or her moods.
6. The baby began his nighttime kicking at 4am and proceeded to remind me he was there - very persistently - every time I would get incredibly comfortable. My alarm at 6 was not welcome.
7. My week ahead is not shaping up to be very exciting and I'm having trouble shaking this bad mood, so all I can see in front of me is the negative stuff...
8. I finished the only fiction book I've got right now this morning at work and all my non-fiction books are depressing me, so I don't even have something with which to curl up and read for fun.
9. We began to look at the I'm-not-working-because-my-job-ended-early budget last night and it sort of depressed me. We are a couple hundred dollars short every month without adding the expenses that I was hoping to include (like part-time day care for Fuss in the fall, a new couch and a new recliner).
10. I have no bras that are currently comfortable fore longer than a 2-hour stretch. This makes for really uncomfortable days.
11. I am out of margarita mix, so I can't even pretend to have a margarita tonight with dinner. (A good mix tastes very similar to a well-mixed margarita, so I am often able to fool myself into thinking that I'm having a cocktail, when in fact it is a mock-tail.)
12. We also couldn't find my favorite wine-alternative - Welches' Sparkling White Grape Juice - at the grocery store this weekend, so that option is out as well.
So, what do you think? SHould I go back to bed and forget this day ever happened?
Friday, May 14, 2010
7 Quick Takes: Very Random
1. Today was the last meeting of my MOPs group for this school year. I'm a little bummed that we take a break for the summer, though I do understand that many people take their vacations over the summer time, etc and attendance would significantly drop, etc. But it's been a good year. I'm torn over what to do about the first meeting next year. If everything goes as planned, I will have an 8-day old baby to cart around... I hate to miss the first meeting, but I also don't know how possible it will be. We shall evaluate when the time gets closer, I'm sure!
2. I THINK we are going to do potty-training Boot Camp this weekend. She's showing more interest, but seems like she might need a little push in that direction. I have been delaying and putting things off, etc. for months. But now... we're getting awfully close to when the baby arrives and I would like to have it firmly established by the time the baby arrives, even though I know there is a good chance she will regress at that point. I have this theory that it will be easier to remind her that she knows what to do than to start from scratch! (Don't correct my thinking, I think I like being disillusioned in this way)
3. So my big dilemma on the potty training thing is: is it better to let her walk around the house with nothing on her bottom, or in underware and get her used to it/risk the larger quantity of laundry? Any advice is welcomed!
4. On Tuesday of next week, I am booked to the hilt. I have a morning walk w/ Jo and then Fuss is going to spend a couple of hours with her while my mom and I have our belated Mother's Day time (mother/daughter pedicures and lunch) and then I am having my tooth extracted and hopefully, Fuss will be moving to hanging out with my mom for that time period. I am not sure how all of this is going to work, since Jo wants to take the kids to the MOPs outing at the beach while she has Fuss... I'm wondering if I should move my tooth thing... but I already wanted it taken care of and...
5. It is only May and very hot. I do not know how I am going to survive the summer pregnant or how we are going to subsequently pay the power bill for our AC.
6. My husband brought up the subject last night of going to a men's conference in Colorado this summer that he is VERY interested in... the catch is that it is approximately 1 week before my induction and only 2 weeks before my due date. I told him "no" right off, but he's so excited about the prospect that I know we'll end up discussing it in more detail and I'm okay with that, but it makes me so nervous to think of him not being here when/if I go into labor early. I was planning to have my mom in the delivery room again anyway, but - he needs to be there. Right?
7. My mom brought up my Gramma's desire to go to NC for a week this summer - back to the place where we used to spend my childhood vacations, etc. I have been wanting to take Daddy Fuss there since we started dating (and I'd love for Fuss to see it), but I'm not allowed to travel that late in my pregnancy (they are talking about doing it the first week in August. I am due the 2nd week in September), so I am bummed that they will likely go without me. I haven't been back since the summer I turned 15, which was 15 years ago. I miss it. And I really wanted to go back some time.
For more quick takes, click here.
2. I THINK we are going to do potty-training Boot Camp this weekend. She's showing more interest, but seems like she might need a little push in that direction. I have been delaying and putting things off, etc. for months. But now... we're getting awfully close to when the baby arrives and I would like to have it firmly established by the time the baby arrives, even though I know there is a good chance she will regress at that point. I have this theory that it will be easier to remind her that she knows what to do than to start from scratch! (Don't correct my thinking, I think I like being disillusioned in this way)
3. So my big dilemma on the potty training thing is: is it better to let her walk around the house with nothing on her bottom, or in underware and get her used to it/risk the larger quantity of laundry? Any advice is welcomed!
4. On Tuesday of next week, I am booked to the hilt. I have a morning walk w/ Jo and then Fuss is going to spend a couple of hours with her while my mom and I have our belated Mother's Day time (mother/daughter pedicures and lunch) and then I am having my tooth extracted and hopefully, Fuss will be moving to hanging out with my mom for that time period. I am not sure how all of this is going to work, since Jo wants to take the kids to the MOPs outing at the beach while she has Fuss... I'm wondering if I should move my tooth thing... but I already wanted it taken care of and...
5. It is only May and very hot. I do not know how I am going to survive the summer pregnant or how we are going to subsequently pay the power bill for our AC.
6. My husband brought up the subject last night of going to a men's conference in Colorado this summer that he is VERY interested in... the catch is that it is approximately 1 week before my induction and only 2 weeks before my due date. I told him "no" right off, but he's so excited about the prospect that I know we'll end up discussing it in more detail and I'm okay with that, but it makes me so nervous to think of him not being here when/if I go into labor early. I was planning to have my mom in the delivery room again anyway, but - he needs to be there. Right?
7. My mom brought up my Gramma's desire to go to NC for a week this summer - back to the place where we used to spend my childhood vacations, etc. I have been wanting to take Daddy Fuss there since we started dating (and I'd love for Fuss to see it), but I'm not allowed to travel that late in my pregnancy (they are talking about doing it the first week in August. I am due the 2nd week in September), so I am bummed that they will likely go without me. I haven't been back since the summer I turned 15, which was 15 years ago. I miss it. And I really wanted to go back some time.
For more quick takes, click here.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
I wonder how it will eat...
Fuss was playing with her toys at work on Wednesday. She was also snacking on Cheez-It crackers, so I should have expected that she would want to share them. When my dad came by for the afternoon delivery, he pointed out the line of toys she had propped up against the wall. She had 2 baby dolls (that I have repeatedly tried to explain are too little to share her juice or snacks, but it doesn't seem to be sticking. Will have to worry about that when the baby comes...) another new doll, a little teddy bear and the dustpan set that she likes to play with. My dad came in and looked at her set up and said, "what's the dust pan doing there?" and I explained that she liked to play with it, carry it around and such, so... but then he pointed out that she had given each toy a cracker. Including the dust pan. I had to laugh.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tooth Pain Rant.... and Gardenias, too!
I hate the dentist. Have I mentioned this? I HATE going to the dentist. I have horrible memories of my first dentist, though when my mom finally got the picture that the crotchety old man terrified me, she found me a much nicer pediatric dentist and he was okay, but I mean, who likes going to the dentist, right? And then I had this orthodontist who had these HUGE, MASSIVE, MEATY hands (they belonged on a butcher. Seriously, I always felt that way) and here he was trying to manipulate pieces of metal into my very tiny mouth (every person who has ever worked on my teeth/mouth has commented on how tiny my mouth is) and it was several years of torture, though he, at least, tried to be nice about it.
So I avoid the dentist like the plague. I think I've been to the dentist 3 times since I became an adult (my pediatric dentist stops taking kids at 18) and 2 of those times were at my moms request, just before my wedding when she begged me to have my teeth cleaned and a filling put in a cavity that showed when I smiled.
Plus, I have bad teeth. I blame that gallons of undiluted apple juice I drank as a kid, even during the nighttime (I was allowed to have a cup of it by my bedside for years and would wake up feeling dry and take a swig) and the fact that I, like most people, don't brush or floss often enough or well enough. But anyhow, my teeth are not great, so I have a tendancy towards cavities anyhow...
But I have a tooth ache. And when I finally sucked it up to go see a dentist about it yesterday, I was informed that a) it was possibly infected and b) the decay was severe enough that I would need to see an oral surgeon to have it extracted or have a root canal done, since it was bad enough that this dentist couldn't take care of it for me. Ugh.
As if finding a babysitter wasn't hard enough for FUN reasons, now I need to find one in the middle of the day, during regular business hours to get this darn thing taken care of. And it's obviously not something I can fudge and bring her along if the babysitting thing doesn't work out... I already had to ask my husband to come home early yesterday for the first appointment, where I was hoping they could just TAKE CARE OF IT, but it's hard for me to do that to him repeatedly - his boss isn't all that great about family obligations, though I admit getting him to let my husband work from yesterday was surprisingly easier than I expected...
And I have to get my OB to tell them all this stuff about what I can have - anesthetics, pain meds, antibiotics, etc. because OF COURSE they don't know all this stuff and they have to cover their backsides (which, truly, I understand and I appreciate as far as it goes to protect me and my baby, but isn't it something they should know? Can't you just give a pregnant woman some Novocaine and move on? I cannot be the first pregnant woman to ever need dental work...) so I have to make a zillion phone calls to the OB, too.
The one bright spot over the last couple of days is that our gardenia bushes are in bloom and my husband makes a habit of gathering some great blooms and bringing them inside for me, so every time I pass them, I get this awesome scent of gardenia flowers... Even the gardenia bush that my old co-workers sent me when Fuss was born is blooming. (It was blooming great when I got it, but this is the first flower I remember seeing since we planted it. I don't think it gets quite enough sun, but it's likely too late to transplant it elsewhere)
So here I am. Tooth aching, begging people to babysit my daughter so I can be tortured by someone I will then have to pay a fortune to. But at least my house smells good.
So I avoid the dentist like the plague. I think I've been to the dentist 3 times since I became an adult (my pediatric dentist stops taking kids at 18) and 2 of those times were at my moms request, just before my wedding when she begged me to have my teeth cleaned and a filling put in a cavity that showed when I smiled.
Plus, I have bad teeth. I blame that gallons of undiluted apple juice I drank as a kid, even during the nighttime (I was allowed to have a cup of it by my bedside for years and would wake up feeling dry and take a swig) and the fact that I, like most people, don't brush or floss often enough or well enough. But anyhow, my teeth are not great, so I have a tendancy towards cavities anyhow...
But I have a tooth ache. And when I finally sucked it up to go see a dentist about it yesterday, I was informed that a) it was possibly infected and b) the decay was severe enough that I would need to see an oral surgeon to have it extracted or have a root canal done, since it was bad enough that this dentist couldn't take care of it for me. Ugh.
As if finding a babysitter wasn't hard enough for FUN reasons, now I need to find one in the middle of the day, during regular business hours to get this darn thing taken care of. And it's obviously not something I can fudge and bring her along if the babysitting thing doesn't work out... I already had to ask my husband to come home early yesterday for the first appointment, where I was hoping they could just TAKE CARE OF IT, but it's hard for me to do that to him repeatedly - his boss isn't all that great about family obligations, though I admit getting him to let my husband work from yesterday was surprisingly easier than I expected...
And I have to get my OB to tell them all this stuff about what I can have - anesthetics, pain meds, antibiotics, etc. because OF COURSE they don't know all this stuff and they have to cover their backsides (which, truly, I understand and I appreciate as far as it goes to protect me and my baby, but isn't it something they should know? Can't you just give a pregnant woman some Novocaine and move on? I cannot be the first pregnant woman to ever need dental work...) so I have to make a zillion phone calls to the OB, too.
The one bright spot over the last couple of days is that our gardenia bushes are in bloom and my husband makes a habit of gathering some great blooms and bringing them inside for me, so every time I pass them, I get this awesome scent of gardenia flowers... Even the gardenia bush that my old co-workers sent me when Fuss was born is blooming. (It was blooming great when I got it, but this is the first flower I remember seeing since we planted it. I don't think it gets quite enough sun, but it's likely too late to transplant it elsewhere)
So here I am. Tooth aching, begging people to babysit my daughter so I can be tortured by someone I will then have to pay a fortune to. But at least my house smells good.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Real Quick 10 on Tues
1. What was your high school superlative (if you didn’t have one- what would it have been)?
I was first-runner up for Most Talented (we only had 6 categories, so there were limited people named)
2. What sports did you play in high school?
None. Absolutely None. I cheered in Jr High, but I was a music/drama/journalism geek.
3. What was the best part about your wedding (if you’re not married yet, what are you looking forward to)?
I loved the flowers, but seriously? The BEST part was saying I do to my best friend.
4. It’s your last meal– what Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Entree and Dessert would you choose?
My husband made me lobster last night and it was pretty great, so that is on my mind. I'd say cheese seafood fondue (they have a good one at Red Lobster) for appetizer, either Thai chicken and rice soup or Cajun Gumbo for soup, a really great, fresh Caesar salad, and either lobster with lemon and drawn butter or crab and lobster au gratin (a dish I had once in New Orleans - the best place for food anyhow) and dessert... either authentic Italian Tiramisu or a Chocolate Mousse Mouse from this bakery here - so good!
5. What song is your guilty pleasure?
Evanesence songs, probably. My Immortal, maybe?
6. What is your favorite professional sports team, and why do you like them?
New Orleans Saints! When my husband and I started dating, he was totally into football and I HATED it. (issues from when I was dating my first boyfriend and he ignored me for all things football) so to get me interested in his Sunday pasttime, he involved me in his family tradition of "picks" where they do a football pool, etc. I tended to pick teams based on their colors, their cities, or if I liked one of their players. And I have loved New Orleans since the first time I arrived in the city about 10 years ago, so I picked the Saints as a favorite team. Even though they sucked for a lot of years (they weren't very good when I started paying attention to football) they have been the only ones I've stuck with consistently and then, this year when they went to to and WON the SuperBowl was even more amazing!
7. What is your favorite reality show and why do you like it?
I hate reality TV. I don't watch any of it. I watched the first season of American Idol and the first 3 seasons of America's Next Top Model and then I was done. I can't stand reality TV. So I have no favorite.
8. How would you classify your home decorating style (modern, classic, french country)?
Classic
9. Pizza- deep dish or thin crust? White sauce or red sauce? What toppings?
Thin crust. I'd prefer white sauce and my favorite pizza is a white spinach ricotta (and garlic) pizza from a local chain. My second favorite, classic pizza is Papa John's pepperoni and mushrooms.
10. Favorite weekend getaway within a two hour driving radius?
Orlando, FL.
For more 10 on Tuesday, check out Chelsea and her new SON! (Congrats, btw!)
I was first-runner up for Most Talented (we only had 6 categories, so there were limited people named)
2. What sports did you play in high school?
None. Absolutely None. I cheered in Jr High, but I was a music/drama/journalism geek.
3. What was the best part about your wedding (if you’re not married yet, what are you looking forward to)?
I loved the flowers, but seriously? The BEST part was saying I do to my best friend.
4. It’s your last meal– what Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Entree and Dessert would you choose?
My husband made me lobster last night and it was pretty great, so that is on my mind. I'd say cheese seafood fondue (they have a good one at Red Lobster) for appetizer, either Thai chicken and rice soup or Cajun Gumbo for soup, a really great, fresh Caesar salad, and either lobster with lemon and drawn butter or crab and lobster au gratin (a dish I had once in New Orleans - the best place for food anyhow) and dessert... either authentic Italian Tiramisu or a Chocolate Mousse Mouse from this bakery here - so good!
5. What song is your guilty pleasure?
Evanesence songs, probably. My Immortal, maybe?
6. What is your favorite professional sports team, and why do you like them?
New Orleans Saints! When my husband and I started dating, he was totally into football and I HATED it. (issues from when I was dating my first boyfriend and he ignored me for all things football) so to get me interested in his Sunday pasttime, he involved me in his family tradition of "picks" where they do a football pool, etc. I tended to pick teams based on their colors, their cities, or if I liked one of their players. And I have loved New Orleans since the first time I arrived in the city about 10 years ago, so I picked the Saints as a favorite team. Even though they sucked for a lot of years (they weren't very good when I started paying attention to football) they have been the only ones I've stuck with consistently and then, this year when they went to to and WON the SuperBowl was even more amazing!
7. What is your favorite reality show and why do you like it?
I hate reality TV. I don't watch any of it. I watched the first season of American Idol and the first 3 seasons of America's Next Top Model and then I was done. I can't stand reality TV. So I have no favorite.
8. How would you classify your home decorating style (modern, classic, french country)?
Classic
9. Pizza- deep dish or thin crust? White sauce or red sauce? What toppings?
Thin crust. I'd prefer white sauce and my favorite pizza is a white spinach ricotta (and garlic) pizza from a local chain. My second favorite, classic pizza is Papa John's pepperoni and mushrooms.
10. Favorite weekend getaway within a two hour driving radius?
Orlando, FL.
For more 10 on Tuesday, check out Chelsea and her new SON! (Congrats, btw!)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Mother's Day
Our weekend was fun, productive, and reasonably relaxing. Despite the fact that in my 29 years, I have never spent a Mother's Day apart from my mom and Grandma until this year, it was pleasant and nice.
On Saturday, we took my MIL to lunch at an Italian market (they have a deli and coffee bar where you can eat their various wares, plus a ton of authentic Italian stuff to make food with... not that I've ever done much of that... unfortunately, my idea of Italian food is lasagna made with Ragu spaghetti sauce... though it does turn out well...) and then met up again for an event called "Symphony Under the Stars" that is put on by Raymond James Financial for their employees, families and friends (they headquarter here) and features 5000+ people setting up lawn chairs and blankets on the football field the BUcs aren't currently using and listening to the FL Orchestra. It was a lot of fun, and it was a great way to relax and introduce the Fuss to concert-like stuff, without the pressure of making her sit still and be quiet (she is only 2, after all!). We hung out with my MIL and SIL J and J's best friend and her family. It was really fun and Fuss was a big hit dancing and singing, etc.
On Sunday, we attempted to sleep in (7am isn't what I had in mind!) and went to breakfast. We ran some errands and did some work around the house and just hung out together as a family. There was no pressure, no stress and very little planning. That evening, Daddy Fuss made me a wonderful fondue dinner and when Fuss went to bed, we ate dessert and watched a movie. It was a really great day!
On Saturday, we took my MIL to lunch at an Italian market (they have a deli and coffee bar where you can eat their various wares, plus a ton of authentic Italian stuff to make food with... not that I've ever done much of that... unfortunately, my idea of Italian food is lasagna made with Ragu spaghetti sauce... though it does turn out well...) and then met up again for an event called "Symphony Under the Stars" that is put on by Raymond James Financial for their employees, families and friends (they headquarter here) and features 5000+ people setting up lawn chairs and blankets on the football field the BUcs aren't currently using and listening to the FL Orchestra. It was a lot of fun, and it was a great way to relax and introduce the Fuss to concert-like stuff, without the pressure of making her sit still and be quiet (she is only 2, after all!). We hung out with my MIL and SIL J and J's best friend and her family. It was really fun and Fuss was a big hit dancing and singing, etc.
On Sunday, we attempted to sleep in (7am isn't what I had in mind!) and went to breakfast. We ran some errands and did some work around the house and just hung out together as a family. There was no pressure, no stress and very little planning. That evening, Daddy Fuss made me a wonderful fondue dinner and when Fuss went to bed, we ate dessert and watched a movie. It was a really great day!
Friday, May 7, 2010
7 Quick Takes
1. I'm taking fewer naps during the day to attempt to help me sleep better at night. Unfortunately, I am peeing incredibly frequently through every night, so I wake a lot anyhow and now my sleep has been peppered with bad dreams. Maybe I should go back to napping after all...
2. I feel like my legs are getting bigger. I don't remember that with my first pregnancy until the very end when my feet would swell a bit. But this is an overall, "bigness" and I don't like it one bit. I never felt I had the greatest looking legs anyway, but adding weight to them makes me feel more akin to the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man.
3. My boobs are bigger, too. And I cannot stand the D-cup underwires (they always seem to be WAY too high on the sides), so I've been asking my girlfriends for recommendations. Almost entirely, they recommended Bravado brand bras, so I'm hoping to get one to try out soon.
4. I am getting so burned out lately, and I don't really understand it very well, since Fuss has been (overall) very well behaved of late. But I am tired. And spent. And I need a break.
5. My job is ending at the end of the month. My dad is closing the store I work at, and I am unable to transfer to another for my own reasons (schedule - I can't work evenings, and health - I refuse to work at the hottest store in the middle of summer when I am 6-9 months pregnant, not to mention that I can't take Fuss with me there for safety reasons), so my income will be scaled down, and I will suddenly have more time on my hands! This may end up being a really good thing.
6. I am in project mode, but don't know where to begin and have limited energy. I want to clean the bathroom, move on our sunroom conversion, clean out the garage, etc. And I'm sure it's partly hormonal and nesting, but it's also a reaction to what I am seeing while dealing with my MIL's issues/house. I cannot let myself get to that point.
7. And for lack of a better 7th thing, my dogs are both incredibly in need of a bath and I have no idea when they are going to get it.
2. I feel like my legs are getting bigger. I don't remember that with my first pregnancy until the very end when my feet would swell a bit. But this is an overall, "bigness" and I don't like it one bit. I never felt I had the greatest looking legs anyway, but adding weight to them makes me feel more akin to the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man.
3. My boobs are bigger, too. And I cannot stand the D-cup underwires (they always seem to be WAY too high on the sides), so I've been asking my girlfriends for recommendations. Almost entirely, they recommended Bravado brand bras, so I'm hoping to get one to try out soon.
4. I am getting so burned out lately, and I don't really understand it very well, since Fuss has been (overall) very well behaved of late. But I am tired. And spent. And I need a break.
5. My job is ending at the end of the month. My dad is closing the store I work at, and I am unable to transfer to another for my own reasons (schedule - I can't work evenings, and health - I refuse to work at the hottest store in the middle of summer when I am 6-9 months pregnant, not to mention that I can't take Fuss with me there for safety reasons), so my income will be scaled down, and I will suddenly have more time on my hands! This may end up being a really good thing.
6. I am in project mode, but don't know where to begin and have limited energy. I want to clean the bathroom, move on our sunroom conversion, clean out the garage, etc. And I'm sure it's partly hormonal and nesting, but it's also a reaction to what I am seeing while dealing with my MIL's issues/house. I cannot let myself get to that point.
7. And for lack of a better 7th thing, my dogs are both incredibly in need of a bath and I have no idea when they are going to get it.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
2 yrs, 2 months, and I dunno...
We finally got Fuss's 2 year shot done today - and I can't remember a time when she was more upset (except that noteable 2-month experience when I got stuck in the Mother's Room at Babies 'R' Us after her appointment... oy!) she kept crying "Boo Boo! Hurt!" in the car... and we had to deliver my husband's computer to him at the office, so we couldn't even go directly home...
But! The good thing is, she won't need any more vaccines until she is 4! We may or may not do a flu shot in the fall (it will depend on whether or not she is in school then or not), but no more vaccines for awhile!
She is quietly and contentedly watching Mulan in the living room now, cuddled up on the couch with her stuffed mouse, Ted (he had belonged to my Uncle Ted, so I named him after him) who is one of her favorite animals these days. I hope she remains this calm for the rest of the day, which is sure to be a long one, since Daddy Fuss isn't going to be home until after her bed time tonight (he has a men's Bible study) and I am on my own. But! Bright side! I am going to order a pizza.
But! The good thing is, she won't need any more vaccines until she is 4! We may or may not do a flu shot in the fall (it will depend on whether or not she is in school then or not), but no more vaccines for awhile!
She is quietly and contentedly watching Mulan in the living room now, cuddled up on the couch with her stuffed mouse, Ted (he had belonged to my Uncle Ted, so I named him after him) who is one of her favorite animals these days. I hope she remains this calm for the rest of the day, which is sure to be a long one, since Daddy Fuss isn't going to be home until after her bed time tonight (he has a men's Bible study) and I am on my own. But! Bright side! I am going to order a pizza.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Thinking about death make me lose sleep
And makes me grumpy. Apparently.
We watched Lost last night. As the storyline winds down (I think there are 3-4 episodes left), I think it's might be getting more depressing.
Last night as Jin and Sun fought to free her from an exploded, sinking submarine and it seemed as all hope was lost, she tells him to go. And he tells her that he'll never leave her again, they kiss and embrace and the sub fills with water and they are gone.
And as a mother - and a hormonal, pregnant one at that - I am appalled by this! Now, trust me, I'm sure that if my husband were dying, I would want to die, too, but my child (or children) would cause me to go on. And they NEVER MENTIONED ZTHEIR DAUGHTER once in their last moments - never seemed to think of her - alone and orphaned back home. (She is safely in the care of her grandmother, but that is very much not the same as living with even one of her parents.)
So my thoughts as I drifted off to sleep were directed to what I would want for my child(ren) if I were to be taken from her/them.
As my bladder and my brain competed for "most annoying thing to keep me awake all night," I began mentally writing my will - the decision on custody has already been made, so it was simply a matter of getting the words out. And then I began (mentally) writing a diary entry/letter of all the things I would want to tell her (him, too, but I think the mother-daughter bond I have with her make me desire to impart my womanly experience/wisdom to her especially.)
It made for a depressing night. And I woke up very grumpy (and clumsy - I knocked over our alarm clock when my husband's alarm went off) with a list of things to do, apparently.
We watched Lost last night. As the storyline winds down (I think there are 3-4 episodes left), I think it's might be getting more depressing.
And as a mother - and a hormonal, pregnant one at that - I am appalled by this! Now, trust me, I'm sure that if my husband were dying, I would want to die, too, but my child (or children) would cause me to go on. And they NEVER MENTIONED ZTHEIR DAUGHTER once in their last moments - never seemed to think of her - alone and orphaned back home. (She is safely in the care of her grandmother, but that is very much not the same as living with even one of her parents.)
So my thoughts as I drifted off to sleep were directed to what I would want for my child(ren) if I were to be taken from her/them.
As my bladder and my brain competed for "most annoying thing to keep me awake all night," I began mentally writing my will - the decision on custody has already been made, so it was simply a matter of getting the words out. And then I began (mentally) writing a diary entry/letter of all the things I would want to tell her (him, too, but I think the mother-daughter bond I have with her make me desire to impart my womanly experience/wisdom to her especially.)
It made for a depressing night. And I woke up very grumpy (and clumsy - I knocked over our alarm clock when my husband's alarm went off) with a list of things to do, apparently.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Crazy Schedules
Everything seems to be going crazy around here.
Every weekend from now until June is booked. Fairly solid. And that doesn't even include any mention of the fact that we need to start the construction on new room conversion we're planning before the baby arrives. In less than 18 weeks.
I started having semi-regular Braxton Hicks contractions over the weekend and I am a little frustrated by that. I plan to mention it to the mid-wife next week, but in the mean time, I'm trying to rest a little more and drink more water, but I have SO much to do around here!
My mom and I were lamenting over the weekend that we haven't had a Mother/Daughter date in ages, and it's not even looking very good for spending Mother's Day together this year... (there is a good chance I will be spending it with just my husband and daughter this year, which is nice, but I'm going to miss my mom and grandma.)
I'm pretty sure we have all the clothes for the baby for the first size (0-3 mos) ready to go - cleaned and folded in a plastic storage bin at least. (There are only 3 drawers in all of Fuss's room, so her clothes are taking up that space for now and I have no room to put his stuff.
I am tired. And I am ready for a break and a rest.
Every weekend from now until June is booked. Fairly solid. And that doesn't even include any mention of the fact that we need to start the construction on new room conversion we're planning before the baby arrives. In less than 18 weeks.
I started having semi-regular Braxton Hicks contractions over the weekend and I am a little frustrated by that. I plan to mention it to the mid-wife next week, but in the mean time, I'm trying to rest a little more and drink more water, but I have SO much to do around here!
My mom and I were lamenting over the weekend that we haven't had a Mother/Daughter date in ages, and it's not even looking very good for spending Mother's Day together this year... (there is a good chance I will be spending it with just my husband and daughter this year, which is nice, but I'm going to miss my mom and grandma.)
I'm pretty sure we have all the clothes for the baby for the first size (0-3 mos) ready to go - cleaned and folded in a plastic storage bin at least. (There are only 3 drawers in all of Fuss's room, so her clothes are taking up that space for now and I have no room to put his stuff.
I am tired. And I am ready for a break and a rest.
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