if you haven't seen this yet then go there. now.
sniff. sniff. sniff.
oh and by the way. i have been given permission to shop. yes. i know. how incredible it is! and even despite my recent post about cutting back. we were outside last night at this school function thingy and J kept covering jules up with a blanket because, in his defense, it was cold. anyway, the girl grows like a weed so i had her in the warmest cute outfit we could find (that she could fit her chubby thighs into) and he was still very worried about her. he said, "do we need to stop at Babies 'R Us on the way home?"
score!
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
vent
i used to love gift cards. the tightwad in me just loved getting “free” things at places i regularly visited. plus, they’re one of the more useful gifts that teachers actually get. however, i have recently had a few bad experiences with the stack of gift cards (and I do mean stack – at least 20) that i’ve acquired over the past 12 months or so. so now i'm starting to like them not so much.
first let me say that i am obsessive about keeping track of how much money there is left on a gift card that i haven’t fully used. not only do i write the new amount on the back of the card in black Sharpee, but i also usually wrap the receipt around the card itself that tells the remaining balance on the card. then i put the card back in my stack and put a rubber band around them all.
so why is it that it never fails that the computers tell you that you have some random amount left on the card the next time you visit that business? the other night we went to a chain restaurant and i pulled out my gift cards to pay. i had two, one with the original $10 on it and the other with a remaining balance of $15.30 according to my notes. well, the waiter came back and told me that there was only $9 left on the second card which i really don’t understand. i know that $6.30 is not really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, but it just makes me mad that someone had already paid that restaurant when the gift was originally purchased and now they’ve gotten some way of getting more money out of us by telling me that there’s an incorrect balance remaining on the card. in this case the waiter offered to go get a manager, but i’m not one to make a scene or make such a big deal about something so minor (see: increasing assertiveness). but i’ve been down that road before. the managers always come. they scan the gift card, tell me the same thing, i argue with them and show them my receipt and then they say that the gift card was used since then, blah, blah, blah. WAAAH! i want my “free money” back!
and what's up with this mess of deducting $0.95 every year the gift gift is not redeemed?! what a rip off!
well, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. i feel better now. i’m off to give blood (and hopefully score some free Krispy Kremes). happy Friday!
first let me say that i am obsessive about keeping track of how much money there is left on a gift card that i haven’t fully used. not only do i write the new amount on the back of the card in black Sharpee, but i also usually wrap the receipt around the card itself that tells the remaining balance on the card. then i put the card back in my stack and put a rubber band around them all.
so why is it that it never fails that the computers tell you that you have some random amount left on the card the next time you visit that business? the other night we went to a chain restaurant and i pulled out my gift cards to pay. i had two, one with the original $10 on it and the other with a remaining balance of $15.30 according to my notes. well, the waiter came back and told me that there was only $9 left on the second card which i really don’t understand. i know that $6.30 is not really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, but it just makes me mad that someone had already paid that restaurant when the gift was originally purchased and now they’ve gotten some way of getting more money out of us by telling me that there’s an incorrect balance remaining on the card. in this case the waiter offered to go get a manager, but i’m not one to make a scene or make such a big deal about something so minor (see: increasing assertiveness). but i’ve been down that road before. the managers always come. they scan the gift card, tell me the same thing, i argue with them and show them my receipt and then they say that the gift card was used since then, blah, blah, blah. WAAAH! i want my “free money” back!
and what's up with this mess of deducting $0.95 every year the gift gift is not redeemed?! what a rip off!
well, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. i feel better now. i’m off to give blood (and hopefully score some free Krispy Kremes). happy Friday!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
penny pinching
the husband flipped when i told him i spent $100 on these earlier this week. maybe i’m nuts or maybe i just like shopping. whatever. they’re cute. even some of my students think so. they helped me pick them out after school. and besides, little J has been pulling on our fingers and begging for us to help her get up and walk around. (*sigh* she's growing up so fast!) we have to protect her precious little toesies! so big J said, “you do remember you’re just part-time this year don’t you?!” anyway, i can’t wait until they get here. should be tomorrow. so little J should be walking by Monday, right? ha, ha
well, i obviously need to cut back on my spending. or i need to come up with some other ways to make a little more money. i’m thinking that it will be easier to just try to cut back a little since you know i have all this spare time now that i have a baby and all. do you have any suggestions? it will be nice when little J stops taking so much formula. the darn stuff is SO expensive! (and of course the rice cereal and oatmeal is only like two cents a serving.) anyway, no more clothes shopping for me for a while and i’m contemplating quitting stamp club so i won’t spend any there and instead using that time as a designated scrapbooking/card making time to use the supplies i already have.
oh and by the way, we’ve now eaten one of our dream dinners and it was fabulous in my opinion. not so much in the husband’s but oh well. more to come on that…
well, i obviously need to cut back on my spending. or i need to come up with some other ways to make a little more money. i’m thinking that it will be easier to just try to cut back a little since you know i have all this spare time now that i have a baby and all. do you have any suggestions? it will be nice when little J stops taking so much formula. the darn stuff is SO expensive! (and of course the rice cereal and oatmeal is only like two cents a serving.) anyway, no more clothes shopping for me for a while and i’m contemplating quitting stamp club so i won’t spend any there and instead using that time as a designated scrapbooking/card making time to use the supplies i already have.
oh and by the way, we’ve now eaten one of our dream dinners and it was fabulous in my opinion. not so much in the husband’s but oh well. more to come on that…
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
something’s in the water over here
i now have three sets of friends that are currently pregnant and one who had a baby on Thursday. three out of four are boys too. (one couple doesn't know yet.) it must just be that time in my life. you know how you go through spells like my most recent if-i-have-to-go-to-another-wedding-i’ll-scream spell? well, now we’re on to the baby-making phase of life. good times. at least i get to buy lots of cute baby gifts instead of dumb china.
notes from the crib of little J
Dear Nanna and Papaw,
Thank you for taking care of me when I didn’t feel good. Thank you for still smiling at me and loving me. I really liked sitting on your laps and laying on your shoulder. You helped me feel better.
I love you!
Julianna
Dear Memmaw,
Thank you for bringing me a walker to play in. I love sliding around the kitchen in it although it's odd that it only goes backwards... I'll have to figure out how it is that Mama and Daddy can make it go forwards. But it is a lot of fun! I really like the bears on top. I hope you can come play with me sometime soon!
I love you!
Julianna
Thank you for taking care of me when I didn’t feel good. Thank you for still smiling at me and loving me. I really liked sitting on your laps and laying on your shoulder. You helped me feel better.
I love you!
Julianna
Dear Memmaw,
Thank you for bringing me a walker to play in. I love sliding around the kitchen in it although it's odd that it only goes backwards... I'll have to figure out how it is that Mama and Daddy can make it go forwards. But it is a lot of fun! I really like the bears on top. I hope you can come play with me sometime soon!
I love you!
Julianna
Dear Sefff,
Thanks for coming to visit me yesterday. It made me so happy to see someone besides that crazy Mama lady! I had fun swinging outside with you. Please come visit me again soon. I've heard you have a loud bike and I want to see it!
Love, Julianna
on my mind
i do not want to send my child to daycare. i do want her to have the benefits of staying with Nanna and Papaw every day. i love the fact that she gets loved on all day, individualized attention and learning experiences, a safe place with few germs, and plenty of social stimulation and adult interaction. yeah i’m also glad that she gets to go to church and interact with other kids sometimes too instead of every day at day care, but i’m happy that i know she is well taken care of by someone who loves her as much as i do.
that being said, there was an hour or so on Monday where i thought, “if only i sent her to daycare i wouldn’t have to worry about how my concern for my child affects my personal relationships with my family.” it’s unfortunate that i often hurt the feelings of the people who are close to me because i share a suggestion for taking care of the little girl. because of the way it comes out it is sometimes heard as criticism and my comments are taken personally. i wish that they didn’t and weren’t. that’s what stinks about having family take care of your baby. but i’ll take the stinky every day over putting Jules in day care and her not getting to love on her grandparents each day.
that being said, there was an hour or so on Monday where i thought, “if only i sent her to daycare i wouldn’t have to worry about how my concern for my child affects my personal relationships with my family.” it’s unfortunate that i often hurt the feelings of the people who are close to me because i share a suggestion for taking care of the little girl. because of the way it comes out it is sometimes heard as criticism and my comments are taken personally. i wish that they didn’t and weren’t. that’s what stinks about having family take care of your baby. but i’ll take the stinky every day over putting Jules in day care and her not getting to love on her grandparents each day.
Monday, September 25, 2006
shots suck
tonight jules was not feeling well at all. she was as fussy as she could be and she didn’t even enjoy her bath which she always does. she was also spitting up a lot (the doctor says she’ll grow out of that soon). when i put her on the bed after her bath to dress her she just pooched out her bottom lip and started wimpering. it was the saddest, most pitiful little cry i’ve ever heard. real tears came rolling down her cheeks (and mine) and it was so obvious she wasn’t feeling well. she wouldn’t even roll over to play; she just looked up at me with the biggest, saddest brown eyes. she’s been running a fever from her shots this morning and we’ve been giving her tylenol, but she still is sleepy and cranky. when she was crying i just picked her up and held her and she immediately quieted down and just laid her little head down on my shoulder. it wasn’t long before her breathing matched mine and i slowly rocked her back and forth telling her that everything was ok. i love my little girl so much and it totally broke my heart tonight to see how bad she felt. i guess i got a taste of what it will be like the first time she gets sick. she is sleeping now (fell asleep on the bottle) but she’s making lots of little wimpering noises every few minutes. poor baby. and poor me. it’s hard sometimes to be a mama.
monday, monday
i worked my tail off this weekend. i did mounds upon mounds of laundry. i graded papers and washed bottles. i read article after article in educational journals for school. i learned how to encourage prosocial behaviors in tweens and how to avoid bully behavior in my classroom. i worked on my Bible study and (just this morning) got started on a book i have to read. i exercised twice (no you didn’t read wrong, i said twice). i managed to watch an educational movie that i have been putting off for what seems like months. i also got my first and second lessons completed for my online class. all of that in just one weekend. i am so proud of myself.
the little girl seems to be cutting two more teeth. the top front ones this time. she hasn’t been napping well and has been occasionally crying out in her sleep. she seems tired, but not really fussy and constantly chews on anything and everything. even the nipples on her bottles. she puts them to the side like her gums are really tender in the front. i feel so bad for her. plus, she may be on her way to dropping the 3rd nap that she takes every day.
anyway, i have a busier week than normal this week because big J is going to be out of town for work. i dread it, but i know it will be over and back to normal soon. i also have to take little J to the doctor today for her 6 month appointment and Friday i have a blood donation appointment and a school function that i have to attend at night. i guess i'll manage to get it all done. i hope you all have a great week!
the little girl seems to be cutting two more teeth. the top front ones this time. she hasn’t been napping well and has been occasionally crying out in her sleep. she seems tired, but not really fussy and constantly chews on anything and everything. even the nipples on her bottles. she puts them to the side like her gums are really tender in the front. i feel so bad for her. plus, she may be on her way to dropping the 3rd nap that she takes every day.
anyway, i have a busier week than normal this week because big J is going to be out of town for work. i dread it, but i know it will be over and back to normal soon. i also have to take little J to the doctor today for her 6 month appointment and Friday i have a blood donation appointment and a school function that i have to attend at night. i guess i'll manage to get it all done. i hope you all have a great week!
6 months
Dear Julianna,
You are six months old! That’s half a year! My little baby is growing up! So much has happened in the last month, I’m not sure where to start.
You are becoming a very independent little booger. You always want to stand up! And although you cannot do it own your own yet, you are always grabbing at our fingers and pulling as if to say, “Up! Up!” You stand up and then sit down, stand, sit, stand, sit, over and over again. You don’t like to be laying down anymore at all.
In all honesty, you have really had a rough month. You cut your first teeth early this month. Two bottom ones at the same time! This has caused you to be sore and cranky and you haven’t slept very well at all because of it. We have tried giving you teething rings and cold washcloths to chew on and you gnaw away! The Tylenol helped you sleep a little better, but I wish there was more we could do for you because you haven’t been yourself. Not fussy, just really solemn and quiet. It’s okay though, because we know that we’ll get through this. Time is flying by!
Now you can hold your bottle all by yourself and you reach for it the minute you see it. You still spit up a lot though. You are drinking less and less milk these days and eating more and more “real” food. We know that you are starting to learn the signs we do too because you get excited when we say the word “milk” or “eat” and do the sign right before we feed you.
Speaking of food, you HATE green beans. You will eat anything else that we’ll let you get your hands on, but green beans….nope! You won’t have one bit of it! You’ve not only spit them out and gagged them down, but you’ve also literally blown them at us to make it clear that you will have no such food. Trust me, we got the message loud and clear, but I’m not promising that we won’t ask you to try them again in a few weeks or so.
I had a lot of fun watching you in the nursery at church for the first time this month. It was so entertaining to see you interact with the other babies. Sometimes I don’t think you had a clue that you were pulling on a toy that another kid was holding, but you didn’t seem to care when one clumsily fell on your feet. It was really hard for both your mama and your daddy to not jerk toys out of your mouth that the other babies had just been drooling on. We hope that being around those other kids at least every Sunday will be good for you.
You have really become a wiggle worm this month! You have certainly gotten the rolling thing down pat. You roll to the left and right from tummy to back and back to tummy and you love to twist and turn on the changing table. When your daddy passes you off to me after your bath I put you on the bed to put lotion on you and you immediately roll and roll. You don’t have a lot of interest in crawling yet although you will get up on your hands and knees when we help you. Most of the time you just flop back down on your tummy when you can’t reach what you want.
At your doctor’s appointment today we’ll see how much you officially weigh. I’m guessing that you’re still in the 95th percentile in weight and height. You’re such a big girl and people always comment on your chubby cheeks. Plus, you grow like a weed!
Jules, I’m so excited about the next 6 months with you! You never cease to amaze me. I love you!
Love,
Mama
You are six months old! That’s half a year! My little baby is growing up! So much has happened in the last month, I’m not sure where to start.
You are becoming a very independent little booger. You always want to stand up! And although you cannot do it own your own yet, you are always grabbing at our fingers and pulling as if to say, “Up! Up!” You stand up and then sit down, stand, sit, stand, sit, over and over again. You don’t like to be laying down anymore at all.
In all honesty, you have really had a rough month. You cut your first teeth early this month. Two bottom ones at the same time! This has caused you to be sore and cranky and you haven’t slept very well at all because of it. We have tried giving you teething rings and cold washcloths to chew on and you gnaw away! The Tylenol helped you sleep a little better, but I wish there was more we could do for you because you haven’t been yourself. Not fussy, just really solemn and quiet. It’s okay though, because we know that we’ll get through this. Time is flying by!
Now you can hold your bottle all by yourself and you reach for it the minute you see it. You still spit up a lot though. You are drinking less and less milk these days and eating more and more “real” food. We know that you are starting to learn the signs we do too because you get excited when we say the word “milk” or “eat” and do the sign right before we feed you.
Speaking of food, you HATE green beans. You will eat anything else that we’ll let you get your hands on, but green beans….nope! You won’t have one bit of it! You’ve not only spit them out and gagged them down, but you’ve also literally blown them at us to make it clear that you will have no such food. Trust me, we got the message loud and clear, but I’m not promising that we won’t ask you to try them again in a few weeks or so.
I had a lot of fun watching you in the nursery at church for the first time this month. It was so entertaining to see you interact with the other babies. Sometimes I don’t think you had a clue that you were pulling on a toy that another kid was holding, but you didn’t seem to care when one clumsily fell on your feet. It was really hard for both your mama and your daddy to not jerk toys out of your mouth that the other babies had just been drooling on. We hope that being around those other kids at least every Sunday will be good for you.
You have really become a wiggle worm this month! You have certainly gotten the rolling thing down pat. You roll to the left and right from tummy to back and back to tummy and you love to twist and turn on the changing table. When your daddy passes you off to me after your bath I put you on the bed to put lotion on you and you immediately roll and roll. You don’t have a lot of interest in crawling yet although you will get up on your hands and knees when we help you. Most of the time you just flop back down on your tummy when you can’t reach what you want.
At your doctor’s appointment today we’ll see how much you officially weigh. I’m guessing that you’re still in the 95th percentile in weight and height. You’re such a big girl and people always comment on your chubby cheeks. Plus, you grow like a weed!
Jules, I’m so excited about the next 6 months with you! You never cease to amaze me. I love you!
Love,
Mama
Friday, September 22, 2006
whine and dine
yesterday my mom, sister and i went to Dream Dinners. it’s this place where you get together with friends or whoever and prepare gourmet meals and take them home to freeze and serve whenever you want. what’s nice is that they have all of the ingredients set out for you to put together and you get to socialize while you do it. you don’t have to study a recipe or anything because they even put the measuring spoons in the dishes for you so you don’t have to figure out how much to add or even how to half the recipe because they do that for you too. (great for those of us whose brains don’t always function correctly.)
it was a really fun experience. the food looked and SMELLED DELICIOUS and the descriptions sounded like they were straight off of a fancy restaurant menu although i don’t know how they taste yet. i’ll have to let you know about that. plus the prices are very reasonable (around $4.30 per serving). i am just thrilled to have dinner already prepped for 6 nights because dangit! it’s hard cooking dinner AND taking care of a baby. (whine, whine, whine, i know)
it was a really fun experience. the food looked and SMELLED DELICIOUS and the descriptions sounded like they were straight off of a fancy restaurant menu although i don’t know how they taste yet. i’ll have to let you know about that. plus the prices are very reasonable (around $4.30 per serving). i am just thrilled to have dinner already prepped for 6 nights because dangit! it’s hard cooking dinner AND taking care of a baby. (whine, whine, whine, i know)
Thursday, September 21, 2006
how many toys do you have?
the TODAY show is doing an upcoming piece on how to get organized so that your kids’ toys are no longer taking over your house. this should be great. (read: major sarcasm) i can’t wait to see what they have to say about it. probably, “Get a Toy Box”, “Teach your child to pick up their no longer used toys before they get another one out to play with”, and “Make straightening up a game!” they’re looking for families who are willing to go on camera so that they can re-do their family room on the show.
anyway, some time ago my father heard a radio show or something where they were discussing the materialism of children these days or something like that and he told us about an idea of letting your child only have something like ten toys at a time. (i may have the details mixed up but you get the idea.) anyway, the concept was that if the child only gets to keep ten toys then they will learn to work for what they get, value what they have, and become less selfish overall by giving their extra toys to those less fortunate.
if the child were to get a gift for their birthday then they could keep that toy for a week and then decide if they wanted to replace one of their old toys with the new toy or keep the old ones and give the new toy away. eventually there would be enough toys boxed and ready for a nice outing to the Goodwill or whatever other charity and (bonus) the child would get to participate in a giving activity.
while this whole idea poses lots of questions, i think we’re ready to give it a try with Julianna. but what constitutes a toy exactly? and at what age do you start? is it ever too early to teach your children to share and give? but when is she old enough to be able to choose which she wants?
this is something i’ve struggled with my entire life. i want to have what i want to have, but i also want to be selfless and certainly not greedy. i want my daughter to grow up with plenty to play with, but not be a spoiled brat either.
thank goodness i don't have to worry about it too much for now.
because like NikkiZ all jules is really interested in are the tags.
anyway, some time ago my father heard a radio show or something where they were discussing the materialism of children these days or something like that and he told us about an idea of letting your child only have something like ten toys at a time. (i may have the details mixed up but you get the idea.) anyway, the concept was that if the child only gets to keep ten toys then they will learn to work for what they get, value what they have, and become less selfish overall by giving their extra toys to those less fortunate.
if the child were to get a gift for their birthday then they could keep that toy for a week and then decide if they wanted to replace one of their old toys with the new toy or keep the old ones and give the new toy away. eventually there would be enough toys boxed and ready for a nice outing to the Goodwill or whatever other charity and (bonus) the child would get to participate in a giving activity.
while this whole idea poses lots of questions, i think we’re ready to give it a try with Julianna. but what constitutes a toy exactly? and at what age do you start? is it ever too early to teach your children to share and give? but when is she old enough to be able to choose which she wants?
this is something i’ve struggled with my entire life. i want to have what i want to have, but i also want to be selfless and certainly not greedy. i want my daughter to grow up with plenty to play with, but not be a spoiled brat either.
thank goodness i don't have to worry about it too much for now.
because like NikkiZ all jules is really interested in are the tags.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
so much to do, but not much to write
sorry for the sucky entries this week. i haven't had much time to post lately and i haven't really wanted to anyway. it has been a crazy week so far and it was a crazy weekend. Saturday was big J's company's 100 year anniversary so they had a big celebration for all the employees and their families. they had a huge place rented and lots of stuff to do. the little girl missed a nap, but got to have her first snow cone (unflavored of course) so it was all good. and she really wasn't that sure what to do with it so it was hilarious watching her pooch out her lips and press it against the ice.there were also lots of those inflatable jumpy things, but unfortunately that requires the ability to stand on your own and well, jump. so needless to say, little j did not get the chance to play in the inflatable jumpy things although we did explore an old castle so that was fun.
besides all that there was gem mining and some relay races and other organized company fun crap that we skipped out on, but the food was yummy and it was a beautiful day so i really had fun.
then Sunday the church that big j grew up in had it's annual homecoming. we got to take little j and show her off (and surprise, surprise miss a nap again). my favorite part was of course, getting to eat yummy food made by those awesome little old ladies.
oh yeah. sunday night we were pretty bored so we went to an elementary school playground. little j is still too young to really enjoy things like that but we all sure had fun goofing off on the monkey bars and we got some cute pictures. we'll try again in a few months.
monday nanna came over to babysit while the husband and i got to go have dinner by ourselves and last night i got to go out for ladies night for the second month in a row!
plus it is season premiere week and i've had something to watch every night. Monday was How I Met Your Mother, the most awesome comedy left on TV these days. i also wanted to catch Studio 60 because i love both Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet, but i missed it. tonight it Biggest Loser (which i am so glad they brought back - i LOVE that show!) and Project Runway. then tomorrow is the second episode of Survivor. YAY!
so it's been busy around here, but fun. i hope you'll forgive me for not writing much and just enjoy looking at my cute baby.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
another self-improvement goal and stuff
continuing with the theme of assertiveness (or lack thereof) that my family keeps talking about i am going to write this post about my desire to increase my assertiveness. i don’t really want to get into specifics, but this past weekend i really demonstrated a lack of assertiveness. i always get certain ideas in my head about the way things should go and then when they don’t end up going that way i get angry. most of the time i blame that on my husband and usually if not on him then on anyone else that i can find to blame. i call myself a control freak, but really am i? can i really be labeled a control freak when i don’t take control of a situation that i obviously feel strongly enough about to get upset when it doesn’t happen my way?
anyway, i realized this weekend that it’s no one’s fault but my own. i am not assertive by nature and i am really mad at myself for getting mad at everyone else for something that is totally my fault. if i would make the choice to “make” things go my way (or at least take actions that would encourage them to) then i wouldn’t have this problem. instead, i sit on my lazy butt and sulk and complain when they don’t happen like i’d imagined.
SO.
now i have a goal for myself. [wow. i sure do seem to be the “goal-y” type lately, don’t i?] nevertheless, my goal is that i am going to try to be more assertive when i am in this particular kind of situation that i was faced with this past weekend. OR. just not sulk and complain about it.
i need you people to help me with this. you can ask me every once in a while how it is going or just gently remind me to remember my goal. sounds easy, but i can guarantee that it will be hard. i’ll let you know how it goes.
anyway, i realized this weekend that it’s no one’s fault but my own. i am not assertive by nature and i am really mad at myself for getting mad at everyone else for something that is totally my fault. if i would make the choice to “make” things go my way (or at least take actions that would encourage them to) then i wouldn’t have this problem. instead, i sit on my lazy butt and sulk and complain when they don’t happen like i’d imagined.
SO.
now i have a goal for myself. [wow. i sure do seem to be the “goal-y” type lately, don’t i?] nevertheless, my goal is that i am going to try to be more assertive when i am in this particular kind of situation that i was faced with this past weekend. OR. just not sulk and complain about it.
i need you people to help me with this. you can ask me every once in a while how it is going or just gently remind me to remember my goal. sounds easy, but i can guarantee that it will be hard. i’ll let you know how it goes.
Friday, September 15, 2006
hiking on the 5th
in the recent years my family has headed to a local state park to go hiking every once in a while. for the most part i think we’ve all enjoyed it. the problem was just making it a regular event and not placing it so low on the priority list. so. several weeks ago i decided that we should go hiking every time there is a fifth Sunday that month. that way we’d at least make it four times a year and it would be scheduled (yay for schedules!) so everyone would know when it was and we couldn’t back out.
the next fifth Sunday is in October (along with everything else in the world). we are needing to get some kind of baby carrier that will let us carry little j on our backs instead of the hand-me-down one we have that holds the baby in front and facing backwards (does that make sense?). little j has grown tired of that one because she can’t see out where we’re going and also it would make it really difficult for us to see the path on the trail with her in front. please let me know if you can recommend a baby carrier that puts the baby on your back.
now if only i knew how many extra calories i will burn hiking a few hours carrying an extra 18 or 19 pounds? this should be an adventure…
the next fifth Sunday is in October (along with everything else in the world). we are needing to get some kind of baby carrier that will let us carry little j on our backs instead of the hand-me-down one we have that holds the baby in front and facing backwards (does that make sense?). little j has grown tired of that one because she can’t see out where we’re going and also it would make it really difficult for us to see the path on the trail with her in front. please let me know if you can recommend a baby carrier that puts the baby on your back.
now if only i knew how many extra calories i will burn hiking a few hours carrying an extra 18 or 19 pounds? this should be an adventure…
oh WTH... i subscribed to my first podcast...
i spent my morning listening to my first podcast. i'm officially hooked and i took the last hour and a half learning how to download and subscribe to the RSS feed.
how fun! i love learning new things! i love british accents! but more importantly, i love harry potter!
how fun! i love learning new things! i love british accents! but more importantly, i love harry potter!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
questions
actual questions heard in my classroom this week (i’m not kidding, they’re real) and how i replied (i am kidding about this one):
Student: “Can I get a drink of water?”
Me: “I don’t know, can you?”
Student: “Well I know I can, but can I?”
Student: “What’s a blog?”
I don’t know why, but for some reason my kookiness really finds that one amusing.
Student: “What is it that they call President Bush? Some kind of letter…?”
It's sad that you are considered an American citizen.
Student: “When you say red font, do you mean red red?”
No I mean blue red.
Student: “Do I have time to go get water?”
Me: “Class starts at 12:47. You can decide.”
Student: “I know, but do I have time to go get water?”
Student: “Who is Bill Gates?”
You’re kidding, right? I bet you know who Lindsay Lohan is though.
Student: “Do you get paid more than my mom?”
Hello. Um…. I’m a teacher….um… at a private school….. um…. I don't know what your mom does, but regardless that would be an emphatic NO!
Student: “What does MILF mean?”
I can’t tell you that. Seriously. What do you say to a kid who asks you this?
And the winner is….
Student: “Is Carrie Underwood a Christian?”
Hhhhmmmmmm let me see here…. Does the song go, “Jesus take the wheel” or maybe it’s “Buddha take the wheel”…. I’m not sure about that one.
Student: “Can I get a drink of water?”
Me: “I don’t know, can you?”
Student: “Well I know I can, but can I?”
Student: “What’s a blog?”
I don’t know why, but for some reason my kookiness really finds that one amusing.
Student: “What is it that they call President Bush? Some kind of letter…?”
It's sad that you are considered an American citizen.
Student: “When you say red font, do you mean red red?”
No I mean blue red.
Student: “Do I have time to go get water?”
Me: “Class starts at 12:47. You can decide.”
Student: “I know, but do I have time to go get water?”
Student: “Who is Bill Gates?”
You’re kidding, right? I bet you know who Lindsay Lohan is though.
Student: “Do you get paid more than my mom?”
Hello. Um…. I’m a teacher….um… at a private school….. um…. I don't know what your mom does, but regardless that would be an emphatic NO!
Student: “What does MILF mean?”
I can’t tell you that. Seriously. What do you say to a kid who asks you this?
And the winner is….
Student: “Is Carrie Underwood a Christian?”
Hhhhmmmmmm let me see here…. Does the song go, “Jesus take the wheel” or maybe it’s “Buddha take the wheel”…. I’m not sure about that one.
i goofed
*sigh*
*double sigh*
i am bad!
i succumbed to the pressure.
i ate three ooey gooey homemade chocolate chip cookies when i dropped jules off today.
i couldn’t help it. they were just calling my name.
then i ate my lunch.
*sigh*
*double sigh*
i am bad!
i succumbed to the pressure.
i ate three ooey gooey homemade chocolate chip cookies when i dropped jules off today.
i couldn’t help it. they were just calling my name.
then i ate my lunch.
*sigh*
poop, pee, whitney houston and other random thoughts
this past summer when little J and the grandparents and i went to the beach for three weeks we would take videos and post them on a private website for big J to see while he was home working. (luckily, he was able to come to the beach for ten days, but the videos helped pass the rest of the time he was away from his baby and make it a little more bearable.)
anyway, i had just weaned little J and the formula caused her to have a little bout of constipation. i called the doctor and they told me to give her water/juice, but in the meantime i took a hilarious video of her grunting and squeezing away and posted it for dad to see. it was really pathetic the amount she struggled, pushed, and turned red, but it was also a tad bit funny.
well since that time i have realized just how much she takes after her father. she has developed a habit of sometimes lifting one leg right before she poots. we always laugh at her, which i know we shouldn’t do because one day that will encourage her to do it more and more and at inappropriate times, but for now it is too funny. especially because she keeps the most innocent little look on her face. you can’t help but smile.
the night before last when i put her on the bed after her bath to rub lotion on her she immediately rolled over on her tummy (as she always does now that she’s learning how to play when she wants to play and not just when i let her play) and as soon as i rubbed down her back and touched her precious little baby butt cheeks she let out the loudest poot she’s had in a while. at first i jumped out of pure shock and then the giggles took over. too funny.
then one night this week she also decided that she couldn’t wait until she got in the tub (as she usually does) to go pee. instead she peed right after J took the diaper off and on him and the bathroom floor as he was helping her practice stand up against the side of the tub as the water was running. (we'll have to try to start teaching her that little girls sit down to go pee.) i know, i know, the running water will do it all the time, but it was still a little funny.
i don’t remember what it was like to not care or not even know when you had to go, but it sure must have been nice while it lasted.
so read this poop story. like all of Dad Gone Mad's stuff, it's really funny.
other random thoughts for today:
YAY for jeans on Friday! Friday is homecoming at my school so we can wear school colors (blue and white). Translation: Jeans Day.
BTW - the TODAY show did a style segment this morning on finding the perfect pair of jeans. i was excited to see it (i actually put off taking little J upstairs for her nap so that i wouldn’t miss it) because i love denim so much. well let me just say that it was majorly depressing. a big disappointment.
they showed four women three of which were size 0 – 4 (they printed it on the screen) and one that was a size 14. they kept referring to the size 14 girl “for those of you who need larger sizes” and that really irked me because since when is size 14 really larger? i thought “plus” sizes started around size 18 or so. am i wrong?
and even if plus sizes don’t start at 18, why did they not include a “plus” size model? or is the size 14 girl considered a “plus” size model these days? that is just sad considering that the average size of women in America in 2002 was 152 pounds and the average dress size is a 14.
"For women, the fashion industry's fit model, or the model they use to size clothes downward and up, is a size 8 (the average American woman wears a dress size of 11-14, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)"
basically we’re saying that anyone even one size above average falls into the “plus” size category. very depressing considering that i am just recently back in my size 12s since having Julianna and i am working so hard at getting in a size smaller. anyway, the TODAY show and Stacy London let me down.
oh and one more thing. why is everyone making such a big deal about Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown? is it just because they’ve actually made it through 14 years of (i guess you could say) successful marriage and now they’re calling it quits? i say more power to her for filing the divorce. go Whitney! go get clean and lose all of those people who always bring you down. end the cycle before it ends you. but that's just my two cents.
and if my husband and i ever get divorced i’m keeping the baby. :)
anyway, i had just weaned little J and the formula caused her to have a little bout of constipation. i called the doctor and they told me to give her water/juice, but in the meantime i took a hilarious video of her grunting and squeezing away and posted it for dad to see. it was really pathetic the amount she struggled, pushed, and turned red, but it was also a tad bit funny.
well since that time i have realized just how much she takes after her father. she has developed a habit of sometimes lifting one leg right before she poots. we always laugh at her, which i know we shouldn’t do because one day that will encourage her to do it more and more and at inappropriate times, but for now it is too funny. especially because she keeps the most innocent little look on her face. you can’t help but smile.
the night before last when i put her on the bed after her bath to rub lotion on her she immediately rolled over on her tummy (as she always does now that she’s learning how to play when she wants to play and not just when i let her play) and as soon as i rubbed down her back and touched her precious little baby butt cheeks she let out the loudest poot she’s had in a while. at first i jumped out of pure shock and then the giggles took over. too funny.
then one night this week she also decided that she couldn’t wait until she got in the tub (as she usually does) to go pee. instead she peed right after J took the diaper off and on him and the bathroom floor as he was helping her practice stand up against the side of the tub as the water was running. (we'll have to try to start teaching her that little girls sit down to go pee.) i know, i know, the running water will do it all the time, but it was still a little funny.
i don’t remember what it was like to not care or not even know when you had to go, but it sure must have been nice while it lasted.
so read this poop story. like all of Dad Gone Mad's stuff, it's really funny.
other random thoughts for today:
YAY for jeans on Friday! Friday is homecoming at my school so we can wear school colors (blue and white). Translation: Jeans Day.
BTW - the TODAY show did a style segment this morning on finding the perfect pair of jeans. i was excited to see it (i actually put off taking little J upstairs for her nap so that i wouldn’t miss it) because i love denim so much. well let me just say that it was majorly depressing. a big disappointment.
they showed four women three of which were size 0 – 4 (they printed it on the screen) and one that was a size 14. they kept referring to the size 14 girl “for those of you who need larger sizes” and that really irked me because since when is size 14 really larger? i thought “plus” sizes started around size 18 or so. am i wrong?
and even if plus sizes don’t start at 18, why did they not include a “plus” size model? or is the size 14 girl considered a “plus” size model these days? that is just sad considering that the average size of women in America in 2002 was 152 pounds and the average dress size is a 14.
"For women, the fashion industry's fit model, or the model they use to size clothes downward and up, is a size 8 (the average American woman wears a dress size of 11-14, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)"
basically we’re saying that anyone even one size above average falls into the “plus” size category. very depressing considering that i am just recently back in my size 12s since having Julianna and i am working so hard at getting in a size smaller. anyway, the TODAY show and Stacy London let me down.
so i had to read this to cheer myself up.
oh and one more thing. why is everyone making such a big deal about Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown? is it just because they’ve actually made it through 14 years of (i guess you could say) successful marriage and now they’re calling it quits? i say more power to her for filing the divorce. go Whitney! go get clean and lose all of those people who always bring you down. end the cycle before it ends you. but that's just my two cents.
and if my husband and i ever get divorced i’m keeping the baby. :)
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
curl up on the couch weather
everyone is sick. my mom is sick. my sister is sick. my husband took vitamin C drops to work today. my baby doesn’t feel good either. i feel so bad for them all and i know that i am pushing my luck on getting there too because i haven’t gotten enough sleep lately and i haven’t been drinking enough fluids (sorry mom). i have been sneezing a lot this morning but i still feel fine. so we’ll see… i think it has to be partly because of this weather. i don't know how it is where you are, but we've had 82 degree weather pretty consistently here lately and today there is a cold front coming through and the high is only expected to be 66 here today. plus it is icky and rainy.
perfect TV watching weather.
so for now i am going back to watching Meredith on TODAY and patiently waiting for the Survivor premiere on Thursday.
perfect TV watching weather.
so for now i am going back to watching Meredith on TODAY and patiently waiting for the Survivor premiere on Thursday.
principal for a day
if i were principal i would make technology proficiency a requirement of all staff.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
weight loss wait
i ate kinda bad again this past weekend, i was just grumpy and hormonal and unmotivated. i didn't completely pig out or anything i just didn't really eat the best choices. i have kept exercising though.
my google weight tracker keeps saying, "Danger! You're heading away from your goal!" and that just pisses me off. it makes me the maddest because my weight hasn't changed so i don't know why it's displaying that message.
anyway, this morning i was up only a half a pound. i have been the same weight for at least the last week straight so that sucked, but since i walked yesterday morning and today and i am planning on going tomorrow too i hope that will balance it all out. i don't mind not losing as long as i don't start gaining again.
the good thing about the google weight tracker though is that because it keeps a moving average of my weight it encourages me to keep the long run in mind. i am not so much worried about taking off the extra weight quickly now. i am more concerned with keeping my moving average low.
*sigh*
i love google.
my google weight tracker keeps saying, "Danger! You're heading away from your goal!" and that just pisses me off. it makes me the maddest because my weight hasn't changed so i don't know why it's displaying that message.
anyway, this morning i was up only a half a pound. i have been the same weight for at least the last week straight so that sucked, but since i walked yesterday morning and today and i am planning on going tomorrow too i hope that will balance it all out. i don't mind not losing as long as i don't start gaining again.
the good thing about the google weight tracker though is that because it keeps a moving average of my weight it encourages me to keep the long run in mind. i am not so much worried about taking off the extra weight quickly now. i am more concerned with keeping my moving average low.
*sigh*
i love google.
granny driving
all i need is the mini-van to complete my look.
ever since i had the baby i’ve noticed that i’ve just naturally become a more cautious driver. for the first week or two it was just that i was still sore from labor and delivery and then it progressed into the fact that i had to watch little J’s every move in the rear view mirror while i drove. now i just think i am naturally a little bit slower whenever i am driving. i don’t know if it’s a mom thing or what.
anyway, i still drive a little on the fast side, but i can tell that i’ve chilled out a little bit. of course, you’d think i was worried about our safety or something, but no. i think it is all because i am just super paranoid about getting a ticket and having the cop stand at my window tsk-tsking me while he looks judgmentally at the baby in the back seat. plus i am always rushing everywhere in between Julianna’s naps so getting pulled or in a wreck would seriously just slow us down that much more. (nevermind the possibility of injury, fatality, or even the cost of automobile repair.) nevertheless, a few more miles per hour slower, a minivan, and another child, and i will officially be one of those crazed and annoying mommy drivers.
they say having a baby changes things, but i had no idea!
ever since i had the baby i’ve noticed that i’ve just naturally become a more cautious driver. for the first week or two it was just that i was still sore from labor and delivery and then it progressed into the fact that i had to watch little J’s every move in the rear view mirror while i drove. now i just think i am naturally a little bit slower whenever i am driving. i don’t know if it’s a mom thing or what.
anyway, i still drive a little on the fast side, but i can tell that i’ve chilled out a little bit. of course, you’d think i was worried about our safety or something, but no. i think it is all because i am just super paranoid about getting a ticket and having the cop stand at my window tsk-tsking me while he looks judgmentally at the baby in the back seat. plus i am always rushing everywhere in between Julianna’s naps so getting pulled or in a wreck would seriously just slow us down that much more. (nevermind the possibility of injury, fatality, or even the cost of automobile repair.) nevertheless, a few more miles per hour slower, a minivan, and another child, and i will officially be one of those crazed and annoying mommy drivers.
they say having a baby changes things, but i had no idea!
Monday, September 11, 2006
goodbye ants
i spent Saturday cleaning out the pantry with J. it was a much bigger undertaking than i thought it would be, but it was also long overdue. besides, we had to see if there were still ants getting in anywhere. we are both control freaks and we argued the entire time about where things should go or what area to work on next. but at least we got it done and i am glad i had some help. here are some “before” pictures. the food took over our whole kitchen!
and here is the “after” picture. how fun! i love feeling organized!
wait, scratch that
jules has now cut both her first and her second tooth. both on the bottom. she won't be still long enough for me to get a picture and i'm not sure you'd be able to see anything anyway because they're SO TINY and yet so cute! her diapers however, have not been fun to change.
Friday, September 8, 2006
milestones
the little girl cut her first tooth tonight. she was sitting in the floor gnawing on a frozen teething ring that she’s been having a blast with the past few nights and all of a sudden she just threw it down and started screaming. we tried to distract her with a toy but she was not interested at all and just really fussy for the next thirty minutes or so. so i felt her gums and there it was - a sharp little white tooth poking through the bottom right side. it’s no wonder she hasn’t been napping well the past few days. i kept blaming myself thinking that she wasn’t sleeping good because i got her so off schedule last weekend, but it turns out that wasn’t it at all. and i am very relieved. oh and another thing - those green beans that we didn't think she liked, well, that might totally not be it. hmmmm. anyway, if the little booger will hold still long enough for a picture i’ll come back and post it tomorrow. my little girl is growing up. SOB!
if only my legs were a little stronger...
little J has gotten to where she doesn't like to lay down and play like she always has. she doens't want to be held like she always has. she doesn't want to be sitting in your lap and while she can sit up on her own, she can't get into a sitting position on her own. so lately the only thing she wants to do is be down on the floor sitting or standing on her own. now she can't really stand for long periods of time before her legs give out and she either falls onto her back or falls into a sitting position, but BOY she fusses if you don't at least let her try. (plus i think her bottom front teeth are coming in so that adds to the fussiness.) my arms are killing me from having to support all 18 pounds of her as she practices standing!
Dad, I like movies too!
a note from the crib of little J
dear Nanna and Papaw,
thank you for taking care of me every day. i really have fun when you take me on walks and pick flowers with me. i love to hear you count the cars although i’m still not sure about all those numbers you keep saying. thank you also for saving me from having to look at that mommy person again! i get tired of her! i also really enjoy playing in the floor with you and sleeping at your house too. it’s nice to have a change of scenery. i’m still confused as to why Nanna keeps putting her hand up to her mouth and then making that funny kissing noise, but i do love when she feeds me and reads stories with me. i don’t know why she won’t let me eat the books more. thank you both for being so nice to me! i’m sorry when i am a cranky head and when i spit up all over your clean carpet, but thank you for loving me anyway. i love you! happy grandparents day!
love,
Julianna
this Sunday is national grandparents day. singer/songwriter Johnny Prill has written "A Song For Grandma And Grandpa" which is now the official song of national grandparents day! check out the National Grandparents Day Website to see how you can celebrate.
thank you for taking care of me every day. i really have fun when you take me on walks and pick flowers with me. i love to hear you count the cars although i’m still not sure about all those numbers you keep saying. thank you also for saving me from having to look at that mommy person again! i get tired of her! i also really enjoy playing in the floor with you and sleeping at your house too. it’s nice to have a change of scenery. i’m still confused as to why Nanna keeps putting her hand up to her mouth and then making that funny kissing noise, but i do love when she feeds me and reads stories with me. i don’t know why she won’t let me eat the books more. thank you both for being so nice to me! i’m sorry when i am a cranky head and when i spit up all over your clean carpet, but thank you for loving me anyway. i love you! happy grandparents day!
love,
Julianna
this Sunday is national grandparents day. singer/songwriter Johnny Prill has written "A Song For Grandma And Grandpa" which is now the official song of national grandparents day! check out the National Grandparents Day Website to see how you can celebrate.
my husband is jealous
he'll say it's not true, but my husband is jealous of you people. See his new blog and this post. apparently he's jealous of the amount of time that i spend on the computer. it's very sweet stuff and yes, i do feel bad for sometimes liking you all in the blogosphere more than i do my family at certain times, but it doesn’t mean i love them any less. i think that it is good that we can sit on the couch together while he watches the movie channels and i read your posts. it saves me from the misery of watching junk i don't want to see and it saves him from having me talk during the whole movie.
Thursday, September 7, 2006
they're little, they're black, and they're HORRIBLE
i hate ants! first they’re gross and whenever you see them you feel like they’re crawling all over you. second, they get into food and they’re nearly impossible to get rid of. third, none of the products that we’ve used actually stop them from coming. the sprays kill them, yes, but none of that other stuff actually prevents them from STILL COMING! and finally, i hate ants because THEY’RE TAKING OVER MY KITCHEN!!
this weekend we found quite a few ants on our island bar. we *think* they were coming in from the vent for the stove from under the house, but we’re still really not sure. we managed to kill all of those and over the course of several days J was able to clean out the whole island, get rid of all of those ants, and then put everything back.
well, yesterday when i got home from work i saw that there was a new path of ants across the floor headed to the cat food bowl. right. next. to. our. pantry. we got rid of all of those and it didn’t look like there were any in the pantry.
until this morning.
this morning i saw tons of ants as i sleepily opened the cheerios box and started to pour it into my bowl. they were all over it! UGH! now we’re going to have to clean out the entire pantry!
now people, it kills me to think of all that food that is wasted now. if any of you have been to my house or even if you just know me, you know that i’ve stockpiled enough food in my pantry to last practically a lifetime. (i wouldn’t ever want to be caught without something to eat – gasp! – and of course i also like to buy in bulk to try to save a few pennies. besides, i’m so type-A that the second i use a can of food or see that the sugar is getting low or whatever i immediately add it to the grocery list so that i am always prepared.)
as usual, this has come back to bite me in the butt. it’s always those people who work ahead to be prepared in advance and be ready for whatever that get crapped on. by the ants, no doubt.
leave me some love as i will be cleaning and cleaning and cleaning and cleaning out our pantry today.
this weekend we found quite a few ants on our island bar. we *think* they were coming in from the vent for the stove from under the house, but we’re still really not sure. we managed to kill all of those and over the course of several days J was able to clean out the whole island, get rid of all of those ants, and then put everything back.
well, yesterday when i got home from work i saw that there was a new path of ants across the floor headed to the cat food bowl. right. next. to. our. pantry. we got rid of all of those and it didn’t look like there were any in the pantry.
until this morning.
this morning i saw tons of ants as i sleepily opened the cheerios box and started to pour it into my bowl. they were all over it! UGH! now we’re going to have to clean out the entire pantry!
now people, it kills me to think of all that food that is wasted now. if any of you have been to my house or even if you just know me, you know that i’ve stockpiled enough food in my pantry to last practically a lifetime. (i wouldn’t ever want to be caught without something to eat – gasp! – and of course i also like to buy in bulk to try to save a few pennies. besides, i’m so type-A that the second i use a can of food or see that the sugar is getting low or whatever i immediately add it to the grocery list so that i am always prepared.)
as usual, this has come back to bite me in the butt. it’s always those people who work ahead to be prepared in advance and be ready for whatever that get crapped on. by the ants, no doubt.
leave me some love as i will be cleaning and cleaning and cleaning and cleaning out our pantry today.
triangle shorts
we exercised again yesterday morning. sigh.
after Monday's run i felt like a failure. i don’t know why but i just couldn’t do it. since j and i both had the day off on Monday we were able to sleep a little later and he and little j ran with me. it was the first time we got to use the jogging stroller (fun!) although hubby pushed it the whole time (isn’t he nice?!) and despite the fact that i was thrilled to have people going along side of me for a change i still just couldn’t run very far. i managed to run for a total of ten minutes (in only about 1.5 minute increments - i know, i suck) but at least i exercised for thirty minutes total.
so anyway, yesterday it was back to the usual grind and because of work we had to get up before the baby and go in the dark in shifts. for some odd reason i was able to do much better. (i still have a hunch that it’s the iPod or maybe just the fact that i over-ate this past weekend and was sluggish, but whatever.)
so finally i will get to the point of this post. yesterday i was out running with my own private thoughts and my shorts kept creeping up my butt. now in my family we have labeled fat-people-shorts-that-creep-up-the-crotch “Triangle Shorts” because they somehow look like they make a triangle as people’s crotches eat their shorts and the outer leg part of the shorts stays in place. i’ve always told my mom and sister when we see someone out wearing "Triangle Shorts" to PLEASE not let me get that fat (and my mom has asked to be told when her bra makes her back look like it has boobs too, oh but i digress).
just imagine my dismay this morning when i realize that i do in fact, now possess “Triangle Shorts.” it’s not just the shorts either. i think i’ve just gotten to that point where all of my exercise clothes are so snug that they all ride up my crotch.
first of all, family, why didn't you tell me??! second, i'm gonna have to do something about this disastor. help me get rid of my triangle short wearing body and i will totally love you forever. and maybe i'll even post a picture...
after Monday's run i felt like a failure. i don’t know why but i just couldn’t do it. since j and i both had the day off on Monday we were able to sleep a little later and he and little j ran with me. it was the first time we got to use the jogging stroller (fun!) although hubby pushed it the whole time (isn’t he nice?!) and despite the fact that i was thrilled to have people going along side of me for a change i still just couldn’t run very far. i managed to run for a total of ten minutes (in only about 1.5 minute increments - i know, i suck) but at least i exercised for thirty minutes total.
so anyway, yesterday it was back to the usual grind and because of work we had to get up before the baby and go in the dark in shifts. for some odd reason i was able to do much better. (i still have a hunch that it’s the iPod or maybe just the fact that i over-ate this past weekend and was sluggish, but whatever.)
so finally i will get to the point of this post. yesterday i was out running with my own private thoughts and my shorts kept creeping up my butt. now in my family we have labeled fat-people-shorts-that-creep-up-the-crotch “Triangle Shorts” because they somehow look like they make a triangle as people’s crotches eat their shorts and the outer leg part of the shorts stays in place. i’ve always told my mom and sister when we see someone out wearing "Triangle Shorts" to PLEASE not let me get that fat (and my mom has asked to be told when her bra makes her back look like it has boobs too, oh but i digress).
just imagine my dismay this morning when i realize that i do in fact, now possess “Triangle Shorts.” it’s not just the shorts either. i think i’ve just gotten to that point where all of my exercise clothes are so snug that they all ride up my crotch.
first of all, family, why didn't you tell me??! second, i'm gonna have to do something about this disastor. help me get rid of my triangle short wearing body and i will totally love you forever. and maybe i'll even post a picture...
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
wanna pay for a stem cell transplant?
remember my idea of helping more people? well, pfffbbbbtttt to that! here i am thinking that i’m doing all this good by going to buy a few caps for a woman that our Sunday School class helps and then i find out what a teensy, tiny dent it really is that i’m making. you see she’s going into the hospital to have a few tests done and she needed a few items. she’s not supposed to drive because she takes daily chemo for whatever type of blood cancer that she has. she’s also on Medicare and lives alone with no family nearby. she relies on our class for her groceries and laundry among other things. she’s waiting for a stem cell transplant.
anyway, i volunteered to get the sleep caps to catch her hair at night and then when we got to class on Sunday i heard the sad update. apparently, Medicare denied covering her stem cell transplant. the reason had something to do with the fact that a stem cell transplant is such a challenging procedure to go through that you need a full-time caregiver for at least two weeks after it. plus you have to go to the hospital and get daily shots in preparation, etc. because this lady has no family nearby and lives alone, the claim was denied. now she's thinking about not even going through with it at all because she really doesn't have a lot of choice. the class will probably write a letter offering to support her and be her "family" and she is going to keep persuing ways to get Medicare to pay, but the whole ordeal is sending her on an emotional rollercoaster. and i thought i was all sweet and smart by picking up a few hair loss caps. turns out she needs more than that so if you think of her send up a little prayer.
anyway, i volunteered to get the sleep caps to catch her hair at night and then when we got to class on Sunday i heard the sad update. apparently, Medicare denied covering her stem cell transplant. the reason had something to do with the fact that a stem cell transplant is such a challenging procedure to go through that you need a full-time caregiver for at least two weeks after it. plus you have to go to the hospital and get daily shots in preparation, etc. because this lady has no family nearby and lives alone, the claim was denied. now she's thinking about not even going through with it at all because she really doesn't have a lot of choice. the class will probably write a letter offering to support her and be her "family" and she is going to keep persuing ways to get Medicare to pay, but the whole ordeal is sending her on an emotional rollercoaster. and i thought i was all sweet and smart by picking up a few hair loss caps. turns out she needs more than that so if you think of her send up a little prayer.
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
my lovely flexible baby girl
i did something that was very uncharacteristic of me this weekend. actually, i did it twice.
i missed two of J’s naps. GASP!
but wait! i can justify myself. first, we were out of school on Friday so i went for a long overdue trip to the mall. now anyone who's had a baby knows that it is VERY slow going when shopping with a little one. needless to say i was at the mall and running other errands from 10:15 am until 2 pm. little J usually takes a nap around 12:30 or 1 pm so we totally missed that one. she slept for about thirty minutes in the stroller, but that was it. so when we came home i immediately fed her and put her down for nap # 3 (usually at 4 pm, but i put her down at 3).
then Saturday i went to a girl’s house who was selling a lot of her daughter’s old clothes for cheap-o and after that i checked one relative visit off the list (if i hear one more person say, “she’s going to be walking before I see her next” i’m gonna puke). anyway, she missed nap #3 then and was Miss Crankypants for the rest of the evening.
now for my reasoning (read: sorry excuses). i am really starting to feel like she’s in a good enough routine that she will bounce back after one or two days of being off schedule. a month ago i would NOT have done any of that. i would have stayed at home under all circumstances to protect The Nap Schedule (since i have to uphold my title as Mrs. Nap Nazi). fortunately, my instinct was right and Sunday she did just fine napping just as usual and was back to her normal cheerful self.
i missed two of J’s naps. GASP!
but wait! i can justify myself. first, we were out of school on Friday so i went for a long overdue trip to the mall. now anyone who's had a baby knows that it is VERY slow going when shopping with a little one. needless to say i was at the mall and running other errands from 10:15 am until 2 pm. little J usually takes a nap around 12:30 or 1 pm so we totally missed that one. she slept for about thirty minutes in the stroller, but that was it. so when we came home i immediately fed her and put her down for nap # 3 (usually at 4 pm, but i put her down at 3).
then Saturday i went to a girl’s house who was selling a lot of her daughter’s old clothes for cheap-o and after that i checked one relative visit off the list (if i hear one more person say, “she’s going to be walking before I see her next” i’m gonna puke). anyway, she missed nap #3 then and was Miss Crankypants for the rest of the evening.
now for my reasoning (read: sorry excuses). i am really starting to feel like she’s in a good enough routine that she will bounce back after one or two days of being off schedule. a month ago i would NOT have done any of that. i would have stayed at home under all circumstances to protect The Nap Schedule (since i have to uphold my title as Mrs. Nap Nazi). fortunately, my instinct was right and Sunday she did just fine napping just as usual and was back to her normal cheerful self.
Monday, September 4, 2006
mmmm... socks!
the girl tries to put everything in her mouth. i swear she even tried to put me in there the other day. she was laying in the floor (as she often is these days) and i bent over her to give her a playful kiss. she promptly grabbed both sides of my face and shoved me towards her mouth with her chubby little cheeks grinning and her mouth wide open ready to accept my face.
one day i came in the room to find her like this:
one day i came in the room to find her like this:
Friday, September 1, 2006
school's out!
well, because of this school’s out today. i am going to try to spend the day being productive around the house and catching up on lesson plans. i know that those are lofty goals and that i’ll probably spend most of the day reading blogs and playing with the baby, but nevertheless they are goals. i think i'll also run some errands... the mall maybe?