I just wanted to share an observation I have recently made about Katy Rose. That girl is positively silly. To be honest, it didn't really occur to me how silly she is until I tried to relate to some other children the way I relate to her. Most of the time, other children give me a look that makes me think they either think I'm nuts or maybe from another species. It's happened to me on many occasions. Granted, it could just be that I'm a stranger. In which case, this whole argument is pretty much null & void, so I'm going to ignore that possibility and concentrate on my observation—Katy is a silly child.
The logical assumption is that Katy is a silly child because she is the child of very silly parents. As one of the said parents, I can vouch for the validity of this assumption. Mike and I are quite silly people, and truth be told it is the third reason I was attracted to Mike when I met him. First being his eyes, and second being the fact that he was employed. I didn't find out how silly he was until after I knew about the first two.
When we talked about the possibility of having a baby, I said I was concerned about tension building up between us, because having a baby would certainly be a stressful thing for new parents, and we don't fight enough to do it well. Mike's response? If that situation occurs, one of us will simply hold up the baby and say (in a baby-talk-ish way) "Oh, look at the cute baby!" Ta-dah—tension broken. Everyone laughs and all is right in the world again. It actually sounded like a good plan. (Like I said, we're pretty silly.)
So far, Katy's life has been a course in silliness. She's immersed in silliness every day, whether it's a daddy-daughter day, silly with mommy time, or fun days with her grandparents. I guess it stands to reason that if I argue Katy is silly because her parents are silly, then her parents are silly because their parents are silly. This is, in fact, the case. All four of Katy's grandparents are also silly people.
Which brings me back to the reason I made the observation about silliness in Katy Rose. Some people are not silly. Their children are not silly. Being a silly person, it's a little difficult for me to relate to non-silly children. I mean, Katy spends a good portion of each day giggling. Much of that is due to being tickled, however there are times that I can't figure out what she's snickering about. And I absolutely love it. It brings balance to my life as a grown-up.
I know some of those more serious children seem more "ahead" of Katy, developmentally speaking. They might be doing some things before she is. At first I wondered if this was something to be concerned about. But when I really thought about it, honestly, I decided I'd rather be grateful that my child is healthy and normal. I wouldn't trade her silliness for any amount of achievement or development. Most of my adult life I've wondered about "happiness" and what it means to have it. Now I have it. My child has it too, and I will do the best I can to keep it that way. Seriously.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
All Fanned Out (posted 9/27/2008)
This is a special Pointless Story for two reasons: one, it is Especially Long and pointless, and two, it actually does not revolve around Katy Rose. In fact, it is about my experience as a Bulldog at home here in Phoenix. And just so you know, if you start reading it, you'll want to finish it for the little nugget of Wendy-ism at the end. It's almost point-ful instead of pointless!
For the past three years, I have been excitedly awaiting September 20, 2008—the day my Dawgs would come here and play in my own backyard. That would be the day that my friends, Sun Devil fans, would see what college football is really about. I like going to Sun Devil Stadium and cheering for the Devils, but this would be the one instance I have to go against them. Yes, I have a degree from both schools. But for me, Dawgs trump Devils. The Bulldogs are my team, even though they didn't play well when I was in school. It was a big deal the one year I managed to get myself student season tickets, and an even bigger deal that I didn't really get to go to the games. But that's behind me, and is one of the reasons I am involved in a regional group of UGA Alumni who gather to watch the games on TV. There is nothing like Georgia Football, especially here in the realm of the Pac-10.
Now, I am just a regular girl, not entirely knowledgeable about everything that goes on and all the players and all the rules. I know just enough about football to really enjoy watching it. And when Georgia Football is on, it's part of who I am. I can't quite explain what makes it that way—maybe I just drank the Kool-Aid one day without realizing it. But getting together with my fellow Dawg fans is just a whole lotta fun. And I knew that the day the Dawgs came to Tempe would be a great day.
Last Thursday the President of UGA hosted a small reception for Phoenix UGA Alumni. It was a wonderful venue, the crowd was friendly, the speakers were great, and I was stoked. One of the gals I knew from my sorority now works for the university and she was there—what a treat to see her! I got to meet a lot of people, including President Adams, and reconnected with a few game-watching friends that had fallen off the map the last few seasons. The UGA staff brought a few goodies like lapel pins and fans in the shape of UGA football helmets. Even little pocket-size football schedules. These are the kind of things we crave out here in the desert, where we don't have regular access to Georgia stuff. And for once, I was among an entire crowd of people that would never ask me if that was a Green Bay Packers "G."
Saturday came and it was Game Day, at long last. Mike and I live just a few miles from downtown Tempe, so we decided to take the bus instead of forking over $40 for a great parking space that we probably wouldn't be able to get anyway. Our Bulldogs HQ was Gordon Biersch, which we discovered was completely packed long before we ever got there. I ended up with extra tickets to the game that I had not been able to get rid of, so I needed to sell them. After not having much luck getting around the restaurant, we decided to walk toward the stadium to see if we could sell them.
Thus began the long walk. We went from downtown to the stadium, talked to several people on the way, finally asked the ticket window for advice…nada… back toward downtown, meandering through some tailgating parking lots… still nothing. The problem was that Bulldogs fans would have bought them… except that they already had tickets, otherwise they wouldn't have travelled 1900 miles for the game. ASU fans, however, are fair-weather fans. The most I could get anyone to even think about paying was a third of face value. If the Sun Devils hadn't blown it in OT the Saturday before, maybe it wouldn't have been so hard to sell the extra tickets. Alas…While talking to some Bulldogs in a parking lot, a cameraman and reporter from WSB Atlanta stopped by and got us on camera for a minute. One of the gals introduced her daughter, all decked out in red & black, who is a freshman at ASU. Ha!
Back downtown, we ended up talking to some more people on a corner about tickets. There was a young couple who are Bulldog fans that had purchased ASU season tickets in order to get a ticket to the game. Their trouble was that they live in Florida, so they wanted to get rid of the remaining ASU game tickets. We made a deal, trading them a pair of our really great seats for the rest of their season tickets. Then we decided to use the other great seats for ourselves, and we sold our upper-level seats to a scalper for not quite half of what they cost.
For about 2-3 hours, Mike and I had been walking around outside in the heat, with no food or drink. There was no place to buy food or drink without waiting at least an hour to get in. Once we made the ticket deal, we knew we would get free food and sodas at the game in our good seats, so we gave up searching for sustenance and headed back to the bar to try to find our friends. After marveling that the Big Dawg--the big, bald guy that we see on TV with the Bulldog painted on top of his head-- is sitting right here at Gordon Biersch eating lunch, we found out that some of our friends were on the other side of the bar. We patiently, steadily inched in that direction and finally found our people. Now the fun could begin!
Having made it to the other end of the bar, where our friends had staked out a pair of barstools since 10am, we started drinking. Then I took over one of the barstools and began the important work of chatting with the people behind me, and advocating for their drink orders with the bartenders. It was so much fun talking to all these strangers who are all here for the Dawgs. Plus, I really can't argue with people who call me a sweetheart for getting their beers poured and passing them back to them. People don't even use that word here, so I don't remember the last time someone I don't know called me a sweetheart. It's a position of power, sitting at the bar. Well, okay, not normally, but in this instance it really was.
Eventually we headed back to the stadium and split from our group to head to the Loge level. The free food consisted of pulled chicken barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, and baked beans. It was decent. And free. And we hadn't eaten since breakfast, so we were pretty hungry. I think Mike actually ate five hot dogs!
When we sat down, there were two Bulldogs next to us and a row of them a couple rows behind us. In the Loge level, there aren't a lot of rows deep (maybe 10?), so it's much less crowded, easier to get around, no crowding at the restrooms, and the bleachers are actual folding seats with backs. Unfortunately, the bulk of the Bulldog fan base was at the opposite end of the stadium, so we couldn't hear them very much from where we were. But I was in utter amazement at the showing of red vs. gold in the crowd. I've never seen such a large visitor contingent at a Sun Devil game! The only part of the stadium that we could see from our seats that didn't have any red in it was the student section. Everywhere else had Bulldogs heavily sprinkled in. I heard some people estimated there were 15,000 Georgia fans were at the game. Sun Devil Stadium only holds 72,000 or so, and the game was sold out (this is unusual for ASU).
The game was great to watch, the young couple we traded the tickets with was on the other side of us, and it was a lot of fun. I got the impression that I surprised some Sun Devils around us by how friendly and courteous I was at the food tables and in our seats. But not only are these people normally on the same side as me, it's just the Southern way. I wanted them to see Southern hospitality in action, and particularly Bulldog hospitality. We're nice people, we all want to have a good time and cheer for our beloved team, and we don't delight in poor sportsmanship or bad manners. Of course, I am generalizing here, but there is a small point that I'll make in a minute.
When the game got into the 4th quarter, UGA was still ahead, but anything could have happened. ASU had scored some points, so it wasn't like the fat lady sang already. But not surprisingly, gold started to file out of the stadium. I know most UGA people traveled for the game, so they aren't likely to leave before the game is over, but let me tell you, I didn't see any red trickling out. In fact, it looked to me like the entire upper north end zone (which was almost solid red) stood up and stayed there the whole 4th quarter. When the game was over, it was over, and I knew I had done my job for the Dawgs when I realized how hoarse my voice had become.
We walked back to Gordon Biersch and hung out for a while for the traffic to start to clear from downtown. When it was moving again, we walked to the bus stop where we had arrived. The buses were coming every half hour, so we figured we should walk further down the route while we waited. And here's where I'll make my point about Bulldogs generally being nice people. While examining a sign at one of the bus stops (looking to see if there was a map or schedule for our route at that stop), a disgruntled Sun Devil fan looked right at me and said, "The buses aren't running." He obviously didn't know that I happen to live here and I'm not some tourist who doesn't know any better. He just wanted to be a jerk because he's mad that my team beat his. Generalizing or not, I'd rather be a Dawg fan any day than be a friend of his.
We did finally get on a bus and get home. And then we went to pick up Katy Rose from my parents' house. Unbelievable—she was still awake after 11pm! We headed home and I started to wonder how long it would be before the ibuprofen I took would start to relieve the pain I was having in my arm and hand.
I have carpal tunnel syndrome, so for a long time I thought that was causing my pain. I tried sleeping, tried putting my brace on, and ended up on the couch tossing and turning. Finally, at 5am, I realized my hands were swollen. My ring was completely immovable and that must be what was causing the pain! I hadn't had enough water, and I had drunk alcohol in the heat—a combination I almost never do because it makes me swell up. Oops.
I started drinking water and tried icing my hand so I could remove the ring. No dice, but eventually I fell asleep when the swelling went down some. The next evening, I was finally able to remove it with hair conditioner. But there was still some pain, even hours after I took the ring off. And then it dawned on me. The Georgia football helmet fans that I had picked up at the reception Thursday night… I was so hot on Saturday, with all the walking and the heat, that I had fanned myself for probably about 8 solid hours. And that's when I realized that I had soreness in my forearm because I was… yep… All Fanned Out.
Are We at the Circus? (posted 9/14/2008)
This past week has witnessed huge milestones for Katy Rose. For some reason, they are not mentioned in the typical child/baby care books. The books talk about milestones like first steps, first words, first time using the potty, etc. But they don't mention the ones I'm going to talk about here.
First Boo-Boo
Last Sunday, Katy and I were off to go shopping while Mike was at work. We were walking out to the car, hand in hand. Katy tripped in the parking lot and fell on her knee. She started to cry, and I could tell this was more than the typical fall-down because she doesn't usually cry right away unless it really hurt or she's really tired. I picked her up and took a look at her little knee (which was her featured named-body-part-of-the-week), and sure enough, she was bleeding. So we went back inside, and I got to do the band-aid routine for the first time. Surprisingly, she actually sat there on the toilet lid and let me clean her up with a soapy washcloth and put on a band-aid. Someone gave me Hello Kitty band-aids in my Christmas stocking, but I couldn't find them on such short notice. I settled for the ones that Mike got in his stocking—Spongebob Squarepants. The cutest thing was the way she would periodically point to her knee and say either "Boo-boo?" or "Bob" for Spongebob. That routine went on for about two days, although the band-aids were only on for about 24 hours. I put antibiotic ointment on it too, and even though it was just a little scrape, I do think it helped it heal faster. Those Neosporin commercials were right!
First Lunar Sighting
Katy and I walked down the street to talk to some neighbors the other day. It was after I got home from work, so it was almost sunset. All of a sudden, out of the clear blue sky, Katy points and says, "Moo!" Of course, I'm thinking, there's no way she sees a cow up there… So I looked to where she was pointing and I saw the slice of a moon. I was flabbergasted. Since when did she learn about the moon and I didn't even know it? My neighbor then asked her where the sun was, and Katy looked around and then pointed toward the west, where the sun was hidden behind trees and buildings. Holy cow! I mean, moon!
First Fruit Naming
Yesterday, Mike was home with Katy when he had to go into work unexpectedly. He called me when he realized the situation (they were having meetings about layoffs), and asked if I could come and get Katy for a little while. It was about lunchtime, and I went to pick her up (Mike's office is about a mile away from mine in Phoenix). I brought her back to my office to hang out for a little while. We went into my coworker's office next door, and Marina had an apple sitting on her desk. Katy pointed up to it and said "ah-puhw" and Marina and I looked at each other… Did she just say apple? I guess I should stop being amazed, but it was déjà vu—when the heck did she learn to spot Golden Delicious apples and I didn't even know it? She doesn't even eat apples. Applesauce, yes, but not real, whole apples yet. Marina gave it to her and told me she hadn't washed it yet. For the next 20 minutes, I was very busy keeping Katy from trying to take a big bite out of Marina's apple. There was a meeting in the conference room, so I didn't have any place to wash it, but Katy insisted on holding it (sometimes succeeding in holding it with one hand so she could play with something else at the same time). She referred to it often, and when I did finally distract her enough to take it from her and hide it, it only took her a minute or two before she started asking for it and looking around for it. I played dumb. (I know, not a big stretch.)
Well, that's about it as far as the milestones. These days she loves shoes, and especially trying to wear Mommy & Daddy's shoes. She also loves to dance, play with tennis and bouncy balls, go outside, play with water, color, and play with her toy animals (particularly her dogs and horses).
Oh, and I must apologize for using an inside joke in my title. But since it is my blog, I don't have to explain. Let me just say that I think we are at the circus. And for those of you that have never lived in Arizona, here's an example of why I'm now considering myself a Phoenician. You know you're a Phoenician when… it's 94 degrees and cloudy when you walk outside after work in September, and you think to yourself, "wow, it's really cooled down!" and drive home without air conditioning, not even breaking a sweat. **See, I moved my tangent to the end of the Story Hour, so it didn't break up the flow of the Milestones discussion. I write real good. J Enjoy the circus.
17-Month-Old Vocab Lesson (posted 8/17/2008)
So this is basically a continuation of the last entry... this little chickie learns fast! She's added a list of new words to her everyday vocabulary.
"Maow" = Mouth
"No" = Could be NO, or it could be Nose, depending ..
"Keey" = Kitty (our neighbors have cats and she LOVES them)
"Dow" = Down
"Kae-kee" = Katy
Recent additions that sound the way they're supposed to:
Hat, Hot, Elmo (on Sesame Street), Elbow, Up, and Out
"Maow" = Mouth
"No" = Could be NO, or it could be Nose, depending ..
"Keey" = Kitty (our neighbors have cats and she LOVES them)
"Dow" = Down
"Kae-kee" = Katy
Recent additions that sound the way they're supposed to:
Hat, Hot, Elmo (on Sesame Street), Elbow, Up, and Out
Translation of the 16-Month-Old (posted 7/26/2008)
One of the few everyday pleasures I have in my life is, duh, Katy Rose. She really keeps me on my toes and constantly trying to communicate with her as well as keep up with her. She's started saying some words but I only have some of it translated... unfortunately, she didn't come with her very own Rosetta Stone. Here's what I know so far:
Patting on the high chair + "Ungie" = I'm hungry
"Ohm-mey" = Mommy
"Woo" = Woof (as in her favorite animal sound)
"Doggah" = her favorite animal
"Up-bay" = ? (I haven't figured out this commonly used word yet)
"Bah" = Baa (as in what the sheep says)
"Ra Ra" = Roar (as in what the lion and dinosaurs say)
"Nana" = Banana
Clasping hands together + "Ahmin" = Amen
"Ah-gah" = All gone, also used for All Done
Waving hand + "Bye" = Goodbye
"Pay" = Airplane
"Bay" = Baby
"Hey" = Hey, as in "Hey, I was playing with that"
Other words that she uses correctly on a daily basis are:
"Whoa," "Wow," and "Ooh!"
And the other day she recognized the letter Y and said Y (from her name letters).
That's about it for the time being. She's learning quick, so maybe soon she will have more to say. Until then, we're getting by with the sign language for "milk" and a variety of whines, hand gestures, and other noises. I still can't believe she's saying Mommy! It took me some time to figure out she was saying it... well, I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed.
Patting on the high chair + "Ungie" = I'm hungry
"Ohm-mey" = Mommy
"Woo" = Woof (as in her favorite animal sound)
"Doggah" = her favorite animal
"Up-bay" = ? (I haven't figured out this commonly used word yet)
"Bah" = Baa (as in what the sheep says)
"Ra Ra" = Roar (as in what the lion and dinosaurs say)
"Nana" = Banana
Clasping hands together + "Ahmin" = Amen
"Ah-gah" = All gone, also used for All Done
Waving hand + "Bye" = Goodbye
"Pay" = Airplane
"Bay" = Baby
"Hey" = Hey, as in "Hey, I was playing with that"
Other words that she uses correctly on a daily basis are:
"Whoa," "Wow," and "Ooh!"
And the other day she recognized the letter Y and said Y (from her name letters).
That's about it for the time being. She's learning quick, so maybe soon she will have more to say. Until then, we're getting by with the sign language for "milk" and a variety of whines, hand gestures, and other noises. I still can't believe she's saying Mommy! It took me some time to figure out she was saying it... well, I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed.
Stuck in a Rut (posted 7/25/2008)
Why is it that I can, and do, completely ignore the perfectly sound information I already have in my brain? I have so much stored in there that I'm sure some people that know me probably have to restrain themselves from calling me a know-it-all half the time. For example:
Fact: With proper monitoring of my calorie/fat intake and dietary needs, combined with adequate amounts of physical exertion, I will lose this excess weight.
Yet here I am, with a 16-month-old child, still carrying around a heap of pregnancy weight that is not only a burden on my self-esteem, it actually may be causing some of my physical ailments. Dumb.
Fact: If you don't like what you're doing, then it's time to do something else.
Yet here I am, dreading going to work every day because I don't want to deal with the problems I'm having with my boss. Staying in a job for too long, thinking I just hadn't adjusted yet, or that my feeling about it was just a temporary phase. No, I think I'm just not a good fit for my job and my boss. I'm not enjoying it. I'm not getting to do something that was a major part of my prior job that I am really passionate about. And now the job market is kinda in the toilet...
Fact: Stress can produce physical symptoms. Sometimes you can ease those symptoms by reducing stress--get exercise, drink lots of water, and get adequate sleep.
Yet, here I am, not drinking enough water. Not getting nearly enough sleep. Feeling physical aches and pains that are absolutely stress-induced, yet instead of going to the gym (which I KNOW will probably make me feel better at least temporarily), I'm being lazy. Going for that cookie, extra piece of chocolate, etc. Drinking too much caffeine during the day, and having a drink in the evening. Not going to bed early enough, not waking up early enough. Not wanting to get out of bed, period.
I get frustrated with myself because I know the answers. I know what I need to do. I just don't know how to make myself do them. And if I do things right for the most part one day, it is one day out of a bunch of surrounding days when I'm not doing things right.
Ugh. Anybody got an answer I don't?
Fact: With proper monitoring of my calorie/fat intake and dietary needs, combined with adequate amounts of physical exertion, I will lose this excess weight.
Yet here I am, with a 16-month-old child, still carrying around a heap of pregnancy weight that is not only a burden on my self-esteem, it actually may be causing some of my physical ailments. Dumb.
Fact: If you don't like what you're doing, then it's time to do something else.
Yet here I am, dreading going to work every day because I don't want to deal with the problems I'm having with my boss. Staying in a job for too long, thinking I just hadn't adjusted yet, or that my feeling about it was just a temporary phase. No, I think I'm just not a good fit for my job and my boss. I'm not enjoying it. I'm not getting to do something that was a major part of my prior job that I am really passionate about. And now the job market is kinda in the toilet...
Fact: Stress can produce physical symptoms. Sometimes you can ease those symptoms by reducing stress--get exercise, drink lots of water, and get adequate sleep.
Yet, here I am, not drinking enough water. Not getting nearly enough sleep. Feeling physical aches and pains that are absolutely stress-induced, yet instead of going to the gym (which I KNOW will probably make me feel better at least temporarily), I'm being lazy. Going for that cookie, extra piece of chocolate, etc. Drinking too much caffeine during the day, and having a drink in the evening. Not going to bed early enough, not waking up early enough. Not wanting to get out of bed, period.
I get frustrated with myself because I know the answers. I know what I need to do. I just don't know how to make myself do them. And if I do things right for the most part one day, it is one day out of a bunch of surrounding days when I'm not doing things right.
Ugh. Anybody got an answer I don't?
Two Reasons Why I'm a Big Nerd (posted 7/2/2008)
I have so much to talk about right now because it has been a good while since I last blogged. However, I'm still not caught up on sleep since I went to the Sigma Kappa national convention last week. So I'll do my best to keep it brief because I should already be in bed snoozing.
Where was I? Oh, yes, two (just a small sample) reasons why Wendy is a big nerd. Wait, I can only remember one... OH, right, now I remember. Yes, it has been a long and painful week so far at work. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
So the day before I left for convention, Mike bought us a new digital camera. We both felt this was a necessity because I was afraid I might want to take more than 59 photos on my trip, and our only digital camera only held 59 photos. I tried to buy a new memory stick for it before Christmas, and they don't even sell them anymore (it is a Sony Cybershot from the Stone Age). So he bought a Kodak EasyShare camera. Great, right? Well, I did take more than 59 photos by the time I got home and wanted to transfer them onto the computer. Now, here I am several days later, still unable to figure out why I can't just transfer the photos to any of three computers I have tried. What is wrong with me? I must be a Big Nerd--I can't even get my photos from the camera to the computer with a CD full of EasyShare software and a USB cable. I give up, it's time for bed.
That brings me to the other reason I'm a Big Nerd. I went to the American Idols Live concert last night with my mom and a friend. It was really good and we had great seats. I know that makes me a nerd as it is, but it gets better. See, I was really hoping David Cook would win (which he did), and right around the time of the season finale, I had a dream one night. I dreamt that I was at some kind of low-key party with a bunch of people I really didn't know. That's when my really good buddy, David Cook, came over to me and then introduced me to his friends at the party. Yeah, as it turns out, in my little fantasyland, David and I are pretty much BFFs.
And that, my lovely readers, is why I am such a Big Nerd. Sweet dreams.
Where was I? Oh, yes, two (just a small sample) reasons why Wendy is a big nerd. Wait, I can only remember one... OH, right, now I remember. Yes, it has been a long and painful week so far at work. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
So the day before I left for convention, Mike bought us a new digital camera. We both felt this was a necessity because I was afraid I might want to take more than 59 photos on my trip, and our only digital camera only held 59 photos. I tried to buy a new memory stick for it before Christmas, and they don't even sell them anymore (it is a Sony Cybershot from the Stone Age). So he bought a Kodak EasyShare camera. Great, right? Well, I did take more than 59 photos by the time I got home and wanted to transfer them onto the computer. Now, here I am several days later, still unable to figure out why I can't just transfer the photos to any of three computers I have tried. What is wrong with me? I must be a Big Nerd--I can't even get my photos from the camera to the computer with a CD full of EasyShare software and a USB cable. I give up, it's time for bed.
That brings me to the other reason I'm a Big Nerd. I went to the American Idols Live concert last night with my mom and a friend. It was really good and we had great seats. I know that makes me a nerd as it is, but it gets better. See, I was really hoping David Cook would win (which he did), and right around the time of the season finale, I had a dream one night. I dreamt that I was at some kind of low-key party with a bunch of people I really didn't know. That's when my really good buddy, David Cook, came over to me and then introduced me to his friends at the party. Yeah, as it turns out, in my little fantasyland, David and I are pretty much BFFs.
And that, my lovely readers, is why I am such a Big Nerd. Sweet dreams.
Thirty, Flirty, and--Hey, Wait a Second (posted 3/21/2008)
So yeah, I am thirty years old. This fact hasn’t really bothered me except on the recent occasions when I realize something about me has changed... for the "older." Not sure if it’s better... just, well, not descriptive of twenty-something behavior or characteristics. And it’s really not anything super-significant, but apparently significant enough for me to put on a little whine and blog about it here.
When I was 24, I was kinda excited to turn 25. It’s like a magic number. I’m one of those odd ones that has a feeling about certain numbers...as a kid I was pretty superstitious. Although I’ve grown out of this behavior for the most part, I still do a thing where I step in certain spots to have lines slanting the "right" way and avoid stepping on lines. I’m pretty sure I’m not describing this in a way that you have any idea what I’m talking about, but hey, it’s my blog. So anyway, back to turning 25. Two days before my 25th birthday, I had my first case of heartburn. I had no idea what it was until Mike filled me in on what heartburn felt like. I was really kinda mad about it, I mean, couldn’t it wait two more days? Heartburn seemed like a thing that happens to adults, or at least no one under 25.
Well, not that my birthday just happened (it was back in November), but I’ve noticed some things about myself lately that make me afraid I might be starting to get a little on the old side. And frankly, it makes me wonder if there’s some sort of switch that flips when you turn 30, or 40, or 50... and those things I thought wouldn’t dare occur until I was "older" just happen after that switch gets flipped. The two things I’m whining about today are about my radio preferences and my hair.
I’ve been a pretty loyal listener of the Edge 103.9 (local alternative rock station) for many years. Yes, I love a lot of different music, so I also frequent stations with classic rock, mainstream rock, 80’s-90’s-00’s mix pop/rock, classical, dance, and occasionally I get in the mood for hip hop (though rare). But I’ve noticed lately that I’m listening to KTAR. As in, news/weather/traffic/talk radio. And for some reason this really bothers me, that I’ve been preferring it over my favorite station. This is something my parents would do (unless listening to their other favorite station, "smooth jazz" that makes me want to stuff silly putty in my ears until I’m in a silent cocoon). What’s the deal with me? Does this mean I’m getting old? Or is it simply reflective of the fact that I have an extraordinarily long commute in the mornings when I drop Katy off and I need traffic updates (which the Edge no longer provides)? It’s a conundrum.
My other problem occurred last week. We had spent a little time outdoors lately in the nice weather, and usually when I’m out in the sun for a bit, my hair starts to get a few highlights. One morning I was getting ready for work and I noticed this one hair on my head. It was pretty light and I thought, this is just from the sun. But upon closer inspection in the mirror, this one hair seemed suspicious. It was kinda crooked, like it refused to conform to the style I had just imposed with mousse and hairdryer. I singled it out, grasped and pulled it out. I realized the problem. This hair was coarse, which explained why it didn’t want to go with the wave of the others, but it was also NOT blonde. It was white. As in, my first gray hair.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel a sense of defeat. I know, I have friends that started going gray in high school or college. But they’re not ME! I always thought my hair was just light enough that I would be able to hide the grays when they start coming (when I’m in my 50’s of course). Yeah, not so fast, skipper. You’re in your 30’s. Barely. ((sigh))
Well, time to get back to grown-up, adult stuff. I’ve got to get these cabinet child locks installed. My daughter is everywhere, with a capital E. She’s taking a nap right now, which is where I would rather be, because, of course, old people need naps, right?
When I was 24, I was kinda excited to turn 25. It’s like a magic number. I’m one of those odd ones that has a feeling about certain numbers...as a kid I was pretty superstitious. Although I’ve grown out of this behavior for the most part, I still do a thing where I step in certain spots to have lines slanting the "right" way and avoid stepping on lines. I’m pretty sure I’m not describing this in a way that you have any idea what I’m talking about, but hey, it’s my blog. So anyway, back to turning 25. Two days before my 25th birthday, I had my first case of heartburn. I had no idea what it was until Mike filled me in on what heartburn felt like. I was really kinda mad about it, I mean, couldn’t it wait two more days? Heartburn seemed like a thing that happens to adults, or at least no one under 25.
Well, not that my birthday just happened (it was back in November), but I’ve noticed some things about myself lately that make me afraid I might be starting to get a little on the old side. And frankly, it makes me wonder if there’s some sort of switch that flips when you turn 30, or 40, or 50... and those things I thought wouldn’t dare occur until I was "older" just happen after that switch gets flipped. The two things I’m whining about today are about my radio preferences and my hair.
I’ve been a pretty loyal listener of the Edge 103.9 (local alternative rock station) for many years. Yes, I love a lot of different music, so I also frequent stations with classic rock, mainstream rock, 80’s-90’s-00’s mix pop/rock, classical, dance, and occasionally I get in the mood for hip hop (though rare). But I’ve noticed lately that I’m listening to KTAR. As in, news/weather/traffic/talk radio. And for some reason this really bothers me, that I’ve been preferring it over my favorite station. This is something my parents would do (unless listening to their other favorite station, "smooth jazz" that makes me want to stuff silly putty in my ears until I’m in a silent cocoon). What’s the deal with me? Does this mean I’m getting old? Or is it simply reflective of the fact that I have an extraordinarily long commute in the mornings when I drop Katy off and I need traffic updates (which the Edge no longer provides)? It’s a conundrum.
My other problem occurred last week. We had spent a little time outdoors lately in the nice weather, and usually when I’m out in the sun for a bit, my hair starts to get a few highlights. One morning I was getting ready for work and I noticed this one hair on my head. It was pretty light and I thought, this is just from the sun. But upon closer inspection in the mirror, this one hair seemed suspicious. It was kinda crooked, like it refused to conform to the style I had just imposed with mousse and hairdryer. I singled it out, grasped and pulled it out. I realized the problem. This hair was coarse, which explained why it didn’t want to go with the wave of the others, but it was also NOT blonde. It was white. As in, my first gray hair.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel a sense of defeat. I know, I have friends that started going gray in high school or college. But they’re not ME! I always thought my hair was just light enough that I would be able to hide the grays when they start coming (when I’m in my 50’s of course). Yeah, not so fast, skipper. You’re in your 30’s. Barely. ((sigh))
Well, time to get back to grown-up, adult stuff. I’ve got to get these cabinet child locks installed. My daughter is everywhere, with a capital E. She’s taking a nap right now, which is where I would rather be, because, of course, old people need naps, right?
Burnin' Rubber (posted 2/10/2008)
Boy, can I call it or what?
Well, I was close, anyway. Katy Rose has started walking, on occasion. She took her first unaided steps a week ago, and we've had some recurrences this week. But she's in such a hurry!
So we were sitting on the floor playing that game again, where I pick her up and set her down and let go to see how long she can stand up without falling down. And she got so excited while we were playing, that she started kicking her legs before I put her down, and took off 3-4 steps on landing! It was like a little wind-up car, where you wind it up and set it down and let go and it takes off across the floor.
She has so much fun taking steps by herself that we are trying to keep from paths toward hard objects, like coffee tables. Last night she hit her forehead on my knee, which wasn't very fun.
Anyway, I just wanted to spread the word... she's walking at 11 months! Holy cow!
Well, I was close, anyway. Katy Rose has started walking, on occasion. She took her first unaided steps a week ago, and we've had some recurrences this week. But she's in such a hurry!
So we were sitting on the floor playing that game again, where I pick her up and set her down and let go to see how long she can stand up without falling down. And she got so excited while we were playing, that she started kicking her legs before I put her down, and took off 3-4 steps on landing! It was like a little wind-up car, where you wind it up and set it down and let go and it takes off across the floor.
She has so much fun taking steps by herself that we are trying to keep from paths toward hard objects, like coffee tables. Last night she hit her forehead on my knee, which wasn't very fun.
Anyway, I just wanted to spread the word... she's walking at 11 months! Holy cow!
Born to Run (posted 1/7/2008)
My little Katy Rose is just born to move. I know I keep saying things like, "She'll be crawling by next week," and "She will be an early walker," but I just can't help but assume these things when it seems she leaps through a few milestones within a span of a few days.
I did think she would be crawling, any minute, for about two months. She is now pretty close to being an expert at crawling. I don't consider her quite expert yet, because she still has not mastered crawling over my ankle when I'm sitting on the floor with her and she decides to mount an exploration of whatever is around us. But she just keeps trying until she makes it, or she changes direction, or I help her. Honestly, I was starting to think she would just skip crawling and go straight to running for a while there. But no, now she crawls with the best of them.
She's also pretty damn smart, which is pretty obvious because she is, after all, my daughter. (Sorry, it's kinda mandatory to say things like that when you're a mom.) A few times she crawled somewhere she wasn't supposed to be, like toward the garbage can in the kitchen. So I would say, "No-no, Katy, that's not for you," and scoop her up. She thought that was pretty fun, and now she takes off speed-crawling toward prohibited destinations. She doesn't even let me know she's going, probably because she knows I'm paying attention to what she's doing and wants to see how far she can get before I catch her. The game is pretty fun to her, she is grinning ear-to-ear as soon as she knows I'm coming to get her.
She's already mastered the art of walking while holding onto someone's hands. And she's so tall, I barely have to lean down to help her walk around. Actually, it's more of a power-walking that she does. Her mind is way ahead of her body, and she seems to have the need for speed. If she had the coordination, we'd be jogging.
Saturday night, we were playing in her little prison yard in the living room. I bought the Superyard, which is this great little fence thing that has six panels with three gate-like openings, so you can configure your little structure in different shapes. It takes up about the size of a love seat sofa, which is why our love seat currently resides in Katy's bedroom. This enclosure now houses two toy baskets and one book basket, and has a floor made up of the old Winnie the Pooh comforter from my college days. After insisting on finding something else to call it besides "Katy's little prison," we finally settled on "the Katy Zone."
Anyhoo, where was I? Oh yes, Katy and I were in the Katy Zone Saturday night. We were reading books and playing with toys. Then she decided she wanted to stand up. She has just started figuring out how to cruise. (For those not versed in baby development terminology, cruising is when they move around, standing, by holding onto furniture to keep their balance.) So she reached for my hands and pulled herself up, and I let her go and got ready to catch her. But she didn't fall! She stood there, balancing on her own two feet!! Both of us were so surprised, we started to laugh. She lost her balance and I made sure she had a safe landing. We tried it again, and again, and if you had heard all this squealing and laughing you'd have probably thought something funny was actually happening. It must have been such a thrill for her.
So here we are, at 10 months old yesterday, cruising and standing, and I swear, she'll be walking before she's 11 months old. Thank goodness the Christmas tree is put away. The Intellitainer now has a spot to sit that's a little out of the way, which is really good. As soon as she gets this walking thing down, the Intellitainer will be old news!!
I did think she would be crawling, any minute, for about two months. She is now pretty close to being an expert at crawling. I don't consider her quite expert yet, because she still has not mastered crawling over my ankle when I'm sitting on the floor with her and she decides to mount an exploration of whatever is around us. But she just keeps trying until she makes it, or she changes direction, or I help her. Honestly, I was starting to think she would just skip crawling and go straight to running for a while there. But no, now she crawls with the best of them.
She's also pretty damn smart, which is pretty obvious because she is, after all, my daughter. (Sorry, it's kinda mandatory to say things like that when you're a mom.) A few times she crawled somewhere she wasn't supposed to be, like toward the garbage can in the kitchen. So I would say, "No-no, Katy, that's not for you," and scoop her up. She thought that was pretty fun, and now she takes off speed-crawling toward prohibited destinations. She doesn't even let me know she's going, probably because she knows I'm paying attention to what she's doing and wants to see how far she can get before I catch her. The game is pretty fun to her, she is grinning ear-to-ear as soon as she knows I'm coming to get her.
She's already mastered the art of walking while holding onto someone's hands. And she's so tall, I barely have to lean down to help her walk around. Actually, it's more of a power-walking that she does. Her mind is way ahead of her body, and she seems to have the need for speed. If she had the coordination, we'd be jogging.
Saturday night, we were playing in her little prison yard in the living room. I bought the Superyard, which is this great little fence thing that has six panels with three gate-like openings, so you can configure your little structure in different shapes. It takes up about the size of a love seat sofa, which is why our love seat currently resides in Katy's bedroom. This enclosure now houses two toy baskets and one book basket, and has a floor made up of the old Winnie the Pooh comforter from my college days. After insisting on finding something else to call it besides "Katy's little prison," we finally settled on "the Katy Zone."
Anyhoo, where was I? Oh yes, Katy and I were in the Katy Zone Saturday night. We were reading books and playing with toys. Then she decided she wanted to stand up. She has just started figuring out how to cruise. (For those not versed in baby development terminology, cruising is when they move around, standing, by holding onto furniture to keep their balance.) So she reached for my hands and pulled herself up, and I let her go and got ready to catch her. But she didn't fall! She stood there, balancing on her own two feet!! Both of us were so surprised, we started to laugh. She lost her balance and I made sure she had a safe landing. We tried it again, and again, and if you had heard all this squealing and laughing you'd have probably thought something funny was actually happening. It must have been such a thrill for her.
So here we are, at 10 months old yesterday, cruising and standing, and I swear, she'll be walking before she's 11 months old. Thank goodness the Christmas tree is put away. The Intellitainer now has a spot to sit that's a little out of the way, which is really good. As soon as she gets this walking thing down, the Intellitainer will be old news!!
"Mom" is spelled F-U-N-N-Y-L-A-D-Y (posted 11/25/2007)
Now that I've horrified my readers with tales of road rage, let's tone it down a bit and talk about what is truly important in this world: the new accomplishments of my 8-month-old daughter.
In the last week, Katy Rose has demonstrated three new skills. If it were left up to me, I would replace the top stories on the evening news with announcements and video footage of Katy's new skills. I am fairly certain there wouldn't be too much opposition from the public... it seems like the only stories at the top of the broadcast are about crime or victims of accidents or other tragic events. I tend to favor abc15 news, so I'll just imagine co-anchor Katie Raml reading the news...
"Good evening, everyone. Our top story tonight is about the wonder of laughter. Those of you that have been following the growth of adorable Katy Rose will be happy to know that Katy has just recently learned to laugh out loud. According to her aunt and uncle, Katy is actually ticklish around the chubby crease in her inner thighs. This discovery was made on November 16 while babysitting Katy on her mommy's birthday, and they said she was 'laughing her little head off!' According to her mommy, Wendy, the tickle rumor is true, although Wendy says she always smiles but doesn't laugh every time. Each day the joke of the day is different, from blowing zerberts on Katy's belly to playing Peek-a-boo, and the only consistent laugh-getter so far is Katy's own mirror image. Wendy says now that Katy's laughing, she helps her exercise her funny bone every day."
Then the other co-anchor, Steve Irvin, says...
"Now, we check in on a developing story we brought you just a few days ago... Katy Rose started playing with a new activity center that Wendy's coworker gave her. It's a Fisher-Price Intellitainer. Apparently this toy is not a walker or Exersaucer, but with some elements of both, it is full of fun moving parts that make noise, light up, or play songs. Well, as of last night, mom Wendy reported exclusively to abc15 reporter Lori Jane Gliha about a new milestone in Katy's development. Lori Jane?"
"Thanks Steve. Here we are in the cozy condo of Wendy and her family. As you can see, the Intellitainer has a seat that swivels around and also slides back and forth on this little track. Well, last night, having put Katy on the floor to play with her toys, Wendy looked up to find Katy Rose standing up at her new Intellitainer. It appears that Katy Rose managed to get close to the edge of the track here, and pulled herself up to a standing position. Now, as Wendy told me, I understand that this is the very first time Katy Rose has done this all on her own. So you can see, Steve, that this is quite a big deal in this household. Reporting live, Lori Jane Gliha for abc15 news."
Katie Raml continues...
"And we have some breaking news to bring you now, also about Katy Rose. We've just gotten word into the newsroom that Katy has officially started crawling just this afternoon. Prior to today, Katy has been trying to crawl by rocking back and forth on all fours and practicing a pose her mom Wendy describes as the yoga pose, 'downward facing dog.' Wendy says Katy had occasionally made forward progress with one or both knees, but had not figured out how to move her arms forward, resulting in Katy falling forward. Ultimately, she usually resorted to rolling to get where she was trying to go. Today, Katy Rose crawled forward on several separate occasions, the first one as a mission to reach her mommy's painted toes. Mom Wendy is very excited, and we're pleased to be the first station to bring you this development."
Well, that was fun. I may not be the professional comedian that Katy is looking for just yet, but I'm working on it. In the meantime, I am perfectly content to watch and listen to her babble as she makes new discoveries, or see her chomp on anything within reach to practice using her one tooth. She can even take steps while I hold her hands, and she absolutely loves to dance. We had great fun cheering on the Bulldogs today. I can't wait to see what will be funny tomorrow.
In the last week, Katy Rose has demonstrated three new skills. If it were left up to me, I would replace the top stories on the evening news with announcements and video footage of Katy's new skills. I am fairly certain there wouldn't be too much opposition from the public... it seems like the only stories at the top of the broadcast are about crime or victims of accidents or other tragic events. I tend to favor abc15 news, so I'll just imagine co-anchor Katie Raml reading the news...
"Good evening, everyone. Our top story tonight is about the wonder of laughter. Those of you that have been following the growth of adorable Katy Rose will be happy to know that Katy has just recently learned to laugh out loud. According to her aunt and uncle, Katy is actually ticklish around the chubby crease in her inner thighs. This discovery was made on November 16 while babysitting Katy on her mommy's birthday, and they said she was 'laughing her little head off!' According to her mommy, Wendy, the tickle rumor is true, although Wendy says she always smiles but doesn't laugh every time. Each day the joke of the day is different, from blowing zerberts on Katy's belly to playing Peek-a-boo, and the only consistent laugh-getter so far is Katy's own mirror image. Wendy says now that Katy's laughing, she helps her exercise her funny bone every day."
Then the other co-anchor, Steve Irvin, says...
"Now, we check in on a developing story we brought you just a few days ago... Katy Rose started playing with a new activity center that Wendy's coworker gave her. It's a Fisher-Price Intellitainer. Apparently this toy is not a walker or Exersaucer, but with some elements of both, it is full of fun moving parts that make noise, light up, or play songs. Well, as of last night, mom Wendy reported exclusively to abc15 reporter Lori Jane Gliha about a new milestone in Katy's development. Lori Jane?"
"Thanks Steve. Here we are in the cozy condo of Wendy and her family. As you can see, the Intellitainer has a seat that swivels around and also slides back and forth on this little track. Well, last night, having put Katy on the floor to play with her toys, Wendy looked up to find Katy Rose standing up at her new Intellitainer. It appears that Katy Rose managed to get close to the edge of the track here, and pulled herself up to a standing position. Now, as Wendy told me, I understand that this is the very first time Katy Rose has done this all on her own. So you can see, Steve, that this is quite a big deal in this household. Reporting live, Lori Jane Gliha for abc15 news."
Katie Raml continues...
"And we have some breaking news to bring you now, also about Katy Rose. We've just gotten word into the newsroom that Katy has officially started crawling just this afternoon. Prior to today, Katy has been trying to crawl by rocking back and forth on all fours and practicing a pose her mom Wendy describes as the yoga pose, 'downward facing dog.' Wendy says Katy had occasionally made forward progress with one or both knees, but had not figured out how to move her arms forward, resulting in Katy falling forward. Ultimately, she usually resorted to rolling to get where she was trying to go. Today, Katy Rose crawled forward on several separate occasions, the first one as a mission to reach her mommy's painted toes. Mom Wendy is very excited, and we're pleased to be the first station to bring you this development."
Well, that was fun. I may not be the professional comedian that Katy is looking for just yet, but I'm working on it. In the meantime, I am perfectly content to watch and listen to her babble as she makes new discoveries, or see her chomp on anything within reach to practice using her one tooth. She can even take steps while I hold her hands, and she absolutely loves to dance. We had great fun cheering on the Bulldogs today. I can't wait to see what will be funny tomorrow.
So Far, So Good (posted 10/18/2007)
Well, we're here... we actually made it! Katy was such a trooper yesterday, she sat quietly in the umbrella stroller as I wheeled her in front of me with one hand, pulled the suitcase with carseat bag attached behind me, and walked with two carry-on bags draped over me, one on each side. Everyone was very helpful. The flight attendants were great, even the TSA people were helpful in getting us through security relatively quickly. The only teeny problem we had was on the flight. I had booked our seats at the back of the plane, and Katy was snug asleep in her car seat. I finally got up to use the bathroom, and Murphy's Law kicked in. Inside that tiny lavatory I heard the high-pitched scream... yes, at that moment her spidey senses told her that mommy had left her alone with strangers and she woke up. But luckily it didn't take long for me to return and she wasn't crying, just with a scared look on her face and big tears eeking out of the corners of her eyes.
And just to make me feel like maybe I wasn't so crazy after all, one of the flight attendants told me I was a good mom. She said that I might think it was a comfort thing to bring Katy's car seat on board, but it really is a safety thing. She said she understood some people couldn't afford to buy a seat for their baby, but it really isn't safe to hold the baby on your lap. So she made me feel good about it, even though it was a no-brainer for me. Then she held Katy while I packed up her car seat in its wheelie bag, and someone carried it off the plane for me while she carried Katy off the plane for me. So I just wanted to say Thank You to the nice Delta employees that helped us yesterday.
Right now Katy is napping in the borrowed crib. She seems to be handling the chaos really well. Last night she was really unhappy because she was completely overstimulated and it had been a long day. But she slept the night like normal and is doing much better today, especially with my friend's kids playing with her. She just loves other little people like herself, and they were able to keep her entertained long enough for me to get a pedicure and a latte. Mmm... caffeine.
In a bit, we'll get up and have some veggies, maybe a bottle, and then head down toward the city to meet some more friends that I haven't seen in about 6.5 years!
And just to make me feel like maybe I wasn't so crazy after all, one of the flight attendants told me I was a good mom. She said that I might think it was a comfort thing to bring Katy's car seat on board, but it really is a safety thing. She said she understood some people couldn't afford to buy a seat for their baby, but it really isn't safe to hold the baby on your lap. So she made me feel good about it, even though it was a no-brainer for me. Then she held Katy while I packed up her car seat in its wheelie bag, and someone carried it off the plane for me while she carried Katy off the plane for me. So I just wanted to say Thank You to the nice Delta employees that helped us yesterday.
Right now Katy is napping in the borrowed crib. She seems to be handling the chaos really well. Last night she was really unhappy because she was completely overstimulated and it had been a long day. But she slept the night like normal and is doing much better today, especially with my friend's kids playing with her. She just loves other little people like herself, and they were able to keep her entertained long enough for me to get a pedicure and a latte. Mmm... caffeine.
In a bit, we'll get up and have some veggies, maybe a bottle, and then head down toward the city to meet some more friends that I haven't seen in about 6.5 years!
Incredible Journey? Or Incredible Stupidity? (posted 10/7/2007)
Alright, I may be crazy. In a little more than a week, I am planning to embark on an amazing, difficult journey. No, really, an actual journey--I'm going to take Katy on an airplane to Atlanta. Am I crazy to attempt this by myself? I don't know what to think anymore. Every time I expect "bad" behavior from her, she surprises me. Go to a movie? She sat on my lap the whole time, quiet. Watched some movie, drank a bottle, napped... not a peep. Last weekend she was baptized. We had the church to ourselves, so it really was all about her... she totally talked back to the deacon because he was talking and looking at a prayer book instead of her! But when we went to the baptismal font and I held her over the water, she was still, calm, and didn't squirm or make a sound.
So here I am, planning and plotting the best way to get Katy, her stuff, my stuff, and me through the airport, onto a plane for 3.5 hours, and into a rental car. My plans are shaping up and I am optimistic... but I still am worried about the whole airplane part. I bought her a seat, and we're bringing her car seat on board, but I'm still a little worried. What if she cries? What if the whole plane hates me? What if I have to pee?
It's all in the name of friendship... the trip will give us a chance to visit some of my friends from high school and college, and we will get to see one of my dear friends get married. I hope Katy doesn't try stealing that show. She is such a ham. If she wants you to look at her, talk to her or smile at her, and you aren't doing those things, she will do her darnedest to make you. She will fake cough until you can't help but look at her. My mom has encouraged this because every time Katy would choke on extra drool and start to cough, Grandma would say, "Oh! You're coughing, are you alright?!" in a sugary tone. And now this is her tried-and-true method to get attention. Well, I must say, she is the cutest 7-month-old ever. Don't worry, I'm her mom so I'm completely unbiased.
Well, wish us luck. We're leaving on the 17th. I'm starting my prayers now!
So here I am, planning and plotting the best way to get Katy, her stuff, my stuff, and me through the airport, onto a plane for 3.5 hours, and into a rental car. My plans are shaping up and I am optimistic... but I still am worried about the whole airplane part. I bought her a seat, and we're bringing her car seat on board, but I'm still a little worried. What if she cries? What if the whole plane hates me? What if I have to pee?
It's all in the name of friendship... the trip will give us a chance to visit some of my friends from high school and college, and we will get to see one of my dear friends get married. I hope Katy doesn't try stealing that show. She is such a ham. If she wants you to look at her, talk to her or smile at her, and you aren't doing those things, she will do her darnedest to make you. She will fake cough until you can't help but look at her. My mom has encouraged this because every time Katy would choke on extra drool and start to cough, Grandma would say, "Oh! You're coughing, are you alright?!" in a sugary tone. And now this is her tried-and-true method to get attention. Well, I must say, she is the cutest 7-month-old ever. Don't worry, I'm her mom so I'm completely unbiased.
Well, wish us luck. We're leaving on the 17th. I'm starting my prayers now!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
The End of an Era (posted 8/17/2007)
I never thought I would do it... After all the talk about my reasons for driving what I drive, I have traded in my Honda Civic. Its replacement: a 2007 Toyota RAV4. My mom says she's jealous, that she wanted one of these years ago and I told her they were too dangerous.
Alright, alright, I think I did say that. But in my lame defense, that was back when they looked more like the Geo Tracker than the beautiful, redesigned, luxurious small SUV they are today. It did surprise me that there is a warning on the visor about being a higher rollover risk, that drivers should avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. But that's okay, just being up higher actually helps me slow down and drive more carefully, because I can actually SEE now.
The real reason I spent 3 hours out of my Friday night at the Toyota dealership is because of Katy Rose. She has grown so fast that I was having serious issues trying to get her in and out of the car! At 5 months she weighs 20lbs, and that's more like the size of a year-old baby. She's too young to be able to climb in herself, or even to understand that things would be a lot easier if she pulled her knees up when I try getting her in or out. Even though I always thought the Civic was roomy for a compact car, it just wasn't cutting it anymore. I kept hitting my head, her head, and it was wreaking havoc on my body trying to contort my overweight self down and in, then out and up.
Ahh... just breathing a sigh of relief after realizing that I don't have to do that anymore. Now I just slide right into the back seat. There's more headroom so neither of us is in danger of concussion on a daily basis anymore. And I am seriously comfortable with the fact that this thing has side curtain airbags and all kinds of great safety features and crash test ratings. Plus it gets great gas mileage for an SUV. And, oh yeah, it is exactly the right color for cheering on the Bulldogs.
This time I mean it, I will hold onto this car for more than 4 years. No really, I'm serious. :) As for Honda, they have a place in my heart and my past. But my old dealership really left a bad taste in my mouth after the brake light bulb fiasco, and I guess I never really got over it. It's too bad... for them. As for me, I'm celebrating my new Toyota and the fact that I know how to negotiate on my own.
It's been a long time, and the situation is much improved, but I'm going back to my roots--just like my very first beloved car, the Flying Tomato, again I drive a red Toyota.
Alright, alright, I think I did say that. But in my lame defense, that was back when they looked more like the Geo Tracker than the beautiful, redesigned, luxurious small SUV they are today. It did surprise me that there is a warning on the visor about being a higher rollover risk, that drivers should avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. But that's okay, just being up higher actually helps me slow down and drive more carefully, because I can actually SEE now.
The real reason I spent 3 hours out of my Friday night at the Toyota dealership is because of Katy Rose. She has grown so fast that I was having serious issues trying to get her in and out of the car! At 5 months she weighs 20lbs, and that's more like the size of a year-old baby. She's too young to be able to climb in herself, or even to understand that things would be a lot easier if she pulled her knees up when I try getting her in or out. Even though I always thought the Civic was roomy for a compact car, it just wasn't cutting it anymore. I kept hitting my head, her head, and it was wreaking havoc on my body trying to contort my overweight self down and in, then out and up.
Ahh... just breathing a sigh of relief after realizing that I don't have to do that anymore. Now I just slide right into the back seat. There's more headroom so neither of us is in danger of concussion on a daily basis anymore. And I am seriously comfortable with the fact that this thing has side curtain airbags and all kinds of great safety features and crash test ratings. Plus it gets great gas mileage for an SUV. And, oh yeah, it is exactly the right color for cheering on the Bulldogs.
This time I mean it, I will hold onto this car for more than 4 years. No really, I'm serious. :) As for Honda, they have a place in my heart and my past. But my old dealership really left a bad taste in my mouth after the brake light bulb fiasco, and I guess I never really got over it. It's too bad... for them. As for me, I'm celebrating my new Toyota and the fact that I know how to negotiate on my own.
It's been a long time, and the situation is much improved, but I'm going back to my roots--just like my very first beloved car, the Flying Tomato, again I drive a red Toyota.
The Cutest Little Patient (posted 7/26/2007)
It's happened... Katy Rose got her first illness. After displaying subtle symptoms over the past few days that something just wasn't quite right, we took her to the doctor today. I thought it was just the teething, but what the heck do I know? She's been getting really good at eating from a spoon, and I expected her to start leaving a little left in her bottles as she eats more veggies, but the past few days she's been leaving a lot left in some bottles. And sometimes crying while drinking her bottle--which, if you've had the privilege of dining with Katy, you know Bottle Time is normally one of the happiest times of the day!
So, at about 4.5 months old, she's got her first ear infection. The poor thing has to take antibiotics for the next 10 days, and judging from the size of the pink stain on her bib, baby medicine apparently tastes less yummy than the pharmacist led me to believe. Plus, she has to take massive doses of the stuff because of her size. She weighed in today at 19lbs, 9oz and measured 26.25" tall. That means she's gained just over a pound and grown 3/4" in less than a month (since 7/6). I told y'all she was a growing girl.
But, through it all, Katy is a total sweetheart. Even through a period of inconsolable crying, I just feel sorry for her. As soon as she finally calms down, we can still make her smile. Adorable, sheepish little smiles that make you melt when accompanied by red-rimmed eyes and tear-streaked cheeks.
Daddy bought her a new blue, metallic, star-shaped balloon today, which was very nice considering how much she loves her balloons and the last one, a baseball, is officially dead. Now she's crashed out on Tylenol after eating all of her lunch. It's too bad sweet little Katy can't talk yet--her nitwit of a mommy would have taken her to the doctor sooner if she had known Katy was getting sick. Hopefully she'll start feeling better soon, and in the meantime I'll try to find some way to spoil the little cutie even more than I normally do.
So, at about 4.5 months old, she's got her first ear infection. The poor thing has to take antibiotics for the next 10 days, and judging from the size of the pink stain on her bib, baby medicine apparently tastes less yummy than the pharmacist led me to believe. Plus, she has to take massive doses of the stuff because of her size. She weighed in today at 19lbs, 9oz and measured 26.25" tall. That means she's gained just over a pound and grown 3/4" in less than a month (since 7/6). I told y'all she was a growing girl.
But, through it all, Katy is a total sweetheart. Even through a period of inconsolable crying, I just feel sorry for her. As soon as she finally calms down, we can still make her smile. Adorable, sheepish little smiles that make you melt when accompanied by red-rimmed eyes and tear-streaked cheeks.
Daddy bought her a new blue, metallic, star-shaped balloon today, which was very nice considering how much she loves her balloons and the last one, a baseball, is officially dead. Now she's crashed out on Tylenol after eating all of her lunch. It's too bad sweet little Katy can't talk yet--her nitwit of a mommy would have taken her to the doctor sooner if she had known Katy was getting sick. Hopefully she'll start feeling better soon, and in the meantime I'll try to find some way to spoil the little cutie even more than I normally do.
Seriously, I Have a Question (posted 6/27/2007)
Those of you that know me well are pretty aware of how I feel about car safety, and you may be aware of the heinous accident I had in 1999. If not, suffice it to say that a drunk driver slammed the trunk of our car into the back seat. I was convinced that the design of the car we were in was mainly responsible for the fact that we all escaped with relatively minor injuries, and therefore I have only bought Hondas since.
This past Saturday I had a problem with my Honda, and as my dad was following me back to my parents' house, he noticed my brake lights weren't working. Long story short (I know, like that's hardly possible coming from Wendy), I took the car into the dealership and the service advisor told me the reason my brake lights weren't working is because there were NO BULBS in them.
Uh... ***blank expression: this does not compute***... What do you mean, the bulbs were missing? How does that happen? I'm stupefied.
Can anyone tell me how the %&#@ someone's brake light bulbs would be missing? Consider the following:
1. No one has had access to the trunk of the car except me, my husband, and the service dept of my dealership.
2. To my knowledge, my alarm has not sounded and I have not had any break-ins.
3. My tail lights were operational--they weren't missing bulbs.
4. I had an oil change at the dealership on May 16, and the invoice says a complimentary inspection was performed that includes checking the brake lights.
I'm dumbfounded, and frankly, I'm also furious. If you drive in Phoenix you know that people here are extremely tailgate-happy. No wonder I've had so many more jerks tailing me lately--I didn't have any freaking brake lights. My daughter is 3 months old. Just thinking how easily we could have been rear-ended with my young child in the car makes me livid.
If anyone can explain this to me, I would love to hear it. I truly can't imagine a reasonable explanation other than someone removed the bulbs while my car was at the dealership. In the meantime, I've sent the general manager of the dealership a 2-page letter via certified mail. I'm asking him to explain how this happened, why I was charged $11.80 to replace something that should have been there to begin with, and exactly why I should continue to be their loyal customer as they have compromised the safety of me and my family. I asked him to respond by July 9 under threat of taking my business elsewhere, spreading the word to everyone I know, and filing a complaint with the BBB. We'll see what happens.
This past Saturday I had a problem with my Honda, and as my dad was following me back to my parents' house, he noticed my brake lights weren't working. Long story short (I know, like that's hardly possible coming from Wendy), I took the car into the dealership and the service advisor told me the reason my brake lights weren't working is because there were NO BULBS in them.
Uh... ***blank expression: this does not compute***... What do you mean, the bulbs were missing? How does that happen? I'm stupefied.
Can anyone tell me how the %&#@ someone's brake light bulbs would be missing? Consider the following:
1. No one has had access to the trunk of the car except me, my husband, and the service dept of my dealership.
2. To my knowledge, my alarm has not sounded and I have not had any break-ins.
3. My tail lights were operational--they weren't missing bulbs.
4. I had an oil change at the dealership on May 16, and the invoice says a complimentary inspection was performed that includes checking the brake lights.
I'm dumbfounded, and frankly, I'm also furious. If you drive in Phoenix you know that people here are extremely tailgate-happy. No wonder I've had so many more jerks tailing me lately--I didn't have any freaking brake lights. My daughter is 3 months old. Just thinking how easily we could have been rear-ended with my young child in the car makes me livid.
If anyone can explain this to me, I would love to hear it. I truly can't imagine a reasonable explanation other than someone removed the bulbs while my car was at the dealership. In the meantime, I've sent the general manager of the dealership a 2-page letter via certified mail. I'm asking him to explain how this happened, why I was charged $11.80 to replace something that should have been there to begin with, and exactly why I should continue to be their loyal customer as they have compromised the safety of me and my family. I asked him to respond by July 9 under threat of taking my business elsewhere, spreading the word to everyone I know, and filing a complaint with the BBB. We'll see what happens.
How Big is Katy? SOOO Big! (posted 6/18/2007)
Just a little update... Katy Rose is a big girl! She can sit up almost by herself, she's been working those core muscles by doing ab crunches (it's true!), and on my lap I can hold her hands and count to three and she'll pull herself up to standing as if my thighs were water skis.
There is one thing I didn't count on, and that is my muscles would not keep up with Katy's growth. I think I've injured my rotator cuff, and last night we found out Katy is 17.5 lbs. No wonder I'm having issues hoisting the car seat!!!
Anyway, she's still the cutest baby ever and is so smiley now. She will be 15 weeks old tomorrow. I am a lucky mommy.
There is one thing I didn't count on, and that is my muscles would not keep up with Katy's growth. I think I've injured my rotator cuff, and last night we found out Katy is 17.5 lbs. No wonder I'm having issues hoisting the car seat!!!
Anyway, she's still the cutest baby ever and is so smiley now. She will be 15 weeks old tomorrow. I am a lucky mommy.
Why I Tell Pointless Stories (posted 6/14/2007)
Okay, so you know how I do that thing where I am in a group of people and we're all talking about a particular subject, and I have this thought about a story that is completely relevant to the discussion and decide to relate my personal anecdote to the group? Yes, that is exactly how Wendy's Pointless Story Hour began. I caught myself doing it again last night. I went to a meeting after work and in the meeting and again in the parking lot afterward I felt myself telling pointless stories. Trouble is, the people I was with are too kind to interrupt me and say what they are thinking... which is probably along the lines of, "Wendy, it takes you a really long time to say anything and I still can't figure out what your point is. How about you sit on the sidelines until you can learn how to tell a story in a concise manner? My shows are on."
I don't know why I have this problem. It's like my brain moves too fast for my mouth and I practically end up stuttering just trying to make the sentences flow. It does take me a really long time to tell a story, and with the bad flow of my story-telling style, any funny ending--whatever ties it all up at the end--totally loses its luster from the way I imagined it in my head. Sounds pretty ridiculous, but that's why I like to write this little blog. If you wanna read it, you can, but you're not forced to sit there while I fumble it out loud. Ladies from last night's meeting: Sorry... it's something I need to work on. Always has been. I think it's even worse now because when I'm with Katy Rose I can just ramble on and on with her and she thinks I'm interesting and great.
When I come home from work we have whole conversations that go like this:
Mommy: Hi sweetie pea!! I missed you! How was your day? Where did you go today?
Katy: ah, gah, ohh, gah-roo. ooh.
M: Oh my goodness, really? That sounds like so much fun! What else did you do?
K: rooh, gah, GAH! oohrl.
M: Wow! It sounds like you had a good time. I can't believe Daddy bought you a new balloon when you were at the grocery store. What a nice daddy you have!
K: oohrl. rooh. boohbhphzsh.
M: What a good girl you are. Here, give me your hands. Here we go, let's go change your diapie. And then we're going to read a book, and since you've already had your dinner, you can play in your seat while Mommy and Daddy eat dinner. And then, it's bathtime! How fun is that!?! What do you think, Katy Rose? Then you'll smell so yummy and baby fresh for Grandma tomorrow.
You get the picture. On and on, it doesn't matter what I say to her as long as I'm using a baby-friendly voice and I look into her eyes and smile. She's really smart--she can tell a real smile from a fake one. If you smile at her when you're wearing sunglasses, she won't smile back. She is looking for the smile in your eyes, not your mouth. See, look, there's a little tangent already. I guess that's why this in itself is a Pointless Story. But at least I have fun writing it.
I don't know why I have this problem. It's like my brain moves too fast for my mouth and I practically end up stuttering just trying to make the sentences flow. It does take me a really long time to tell a story, and with the bad flow of my story-telling style, any funny ending--whatever ties it all up at the end--totally loses its luster from the way I imagined it in my head. Sounds pretty ridiculous, but that's why I like to write this little blog. If you wanna read it, you can, but you're not forced to sit there while I fumble it out loud. Ladies from last night's meeting: Sorry... it's something I need to work on. Always has been. I think it's even worse now because when I'm with Katy Rose I can just ramble on and on with her and she thinks I'm interesting and great.
When I come home from work we have whole conversations that go like this:
Mommy: Hi sweetie pea!! I missed you! How was your day? Where did you go today?
Katy: ah, gah, ohh, gah-roo. ooh.
M: Oh my goodness, really? That sounds like so much fun! What else did you do?
K: rooh, gah, GAH! oohrl.
M: Wow! It sounds like you had a good time. I can't believe Daddy bought you a new balloon when you were at the grocery store. What a nice daddy you have!
K: oohrl. rooh. boohbhphzsh.
M: What a good girl you are. Here, give me your hands. Here we go, let's go change your diapie. And then we're going to read a book, and since you've already had your dinner, you can play in your seat while Mommy and Daddy eat dinner. And then, it's bathtime! How fun is that!?! What do you think, Katy Rose? Then you'll smell so yummy and baby fresh for Grandma tomorrow.
You get the picture. On and on, it doesn't matter what I say to her as long as I'm using a baby-friendly voice and I look into her eyes and smile. She's really smart--she can tell a real smile from a fake one. If you smile at her when you're wearing sunglasses, she won't smile back. She is looking for the smile in your eyes, not your mouth. See, look, there's a little tangent already. I guess that's why this in itself is a Pointless Story. But at least I have fun writing it.
A Mini-Update on the Sweet Pea (posted 4/24/2007)
Can't believe she's 7 weeks old! This little cutie weighs 12 lbs already! She's a dream with the exception of her daily tantrum... never know when it's coming. When she's mad, she is MAD! But she is always on her best behavior when we go anywhere and likes to sleep in her car seat next to the table while the rest of us eat--even in a very noisy place like Texas Roadhouse! Sounds like someone woke up and discovered there was no binky in her mouth... gotta go.
What's in a Name? (posted 3/22/2007)
Well, we've managed to keep Schmoopie here alive and well for more than 2 weeks. In fact, Daddy went to work today for the first time since she was born, and even though I had a friend over for most of the time he's been gone, I'm feeling more confident about caring for her by myself.
So what's the secret to happy newborn care? Two things: getting some time away every now and then, and allowing yourself to use whatever nickname comes to mind for the baby. Today's Nickname of the Day is Schmoopie. Other popular ones include, of course, Chunky Monkey, and perhaps my favorite, Stinky La Rue.
Yesterday I went to Target. It was the first time I have driven a car since before her birth, and the first time I went somewhere by myself too. It was so liberating, and I didn't even realize I needed to be liberated until I left. Plus it made me miss her so my batteries felt a little recharged by the time I got home.
Well, Schmoopie is waking up, but by the sound of things, perhaps I should be referring to her as Stinky La Rue.
So what's the secret to happy newborn care? Two things: getting some time away every now and then, and allowing yourself to use whatever nickname comes to mind for the baby. Today's Nickname of the Day is Schmoopie. Other popular ones include, of course, Chunky Monkey, and perhaps my favorite, Stinky La Rue.
Yesterday I went to Target. It was the first time I have driven a car since before her birth, and the first time I went somewhere by myself too. It was so liberating, and I didn't even realize I needed to be liberated until I left. Plus it made me miss her so my batteries felt a little recharged by the time I got home.
Well, Schmoopie is waking up, but by the sound of things, perhaps I should be referring to her as Stinky La Rue.
Chunky Monkey, aka Snuggle Bunny (posted 3/9/2007)
Thank the Lord, our Katy Rose is finally here and she's perfect. I can't believe she was a week early and this big!
Born Tuesday, March 6, 2007
9:13pm
8 lbs, 10.6 oz.
21 inches
Katy has a full head of hair complete with its own 'do. She had her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck twice, which the dr didn't know until she was being delivered! At 3 days old she is the strongest newborn ever. She has incredible neck control already and today she even held her whole self up, standing, to tell me she was mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore.
Daddy is really doing well and making things as easy as possible for me, which is tough because I am feeling pretty beat up. More to come...
Born Tuesday, March 6, 2007
9:13pm
8 lbs, 10.6 oz.
21 inches
Katy has a full head of hair complete with its own 'do. She had her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck twice, which the dr didn't know until she was being delivered! At 3 days old she is the strongest newborn ever. She has incredible neck control already and today she even held her whole self up, standing, to tell me she was mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore.
Daddy is really doing well and making things as easy as possible for me, which is tough because I am feeling pretty beat up. More to come...
No news, just a big belly, big baby (posted 3/5/2007)
Still waiting... she's stubborn, just like her mom. As of Friday, ultrasound estimated she was already 7lb, 10oz. So we're on the big side, which explains why I can look in the mirror sideways and see the line where it's half me, half belly. It doesn't help being 5'2" either I suppose.
So the full moon theory is a wash, as is the idea that daddy could sweet-talk her out. I'll just have to relax and wait.
So the full moon theory is a wash, as is the idea that daddy could sweet-talk her out. I'll just have to relax and wait.
Any Time Now... (posted 2/23/2007)
So it's anyone's guess when this little girl decides it sounds like a good day for a birthday. I still think she's not going to wait for her due date, because she wants to be able to stay up for a St. Patrick's Day celebration. 
Today we found out that we're about 2-3 cm dilated and 80% effaced, so we're definitely on our way. Contractions started yesterday, but they aren't really strong or consistent yet. Who knows, she might decide she likes February better than March!
Today we found out that we're about 2-3 cm dilated and 80% effaced, so we're definitely on our way. Contractions started yesterday, but they aren't really strong or consistent yet. Who knows, she might decide she likes February better than March!
(Womens 7.5, 2x Wide) + 8 Months Pregnant = Mens 9 (posted 2/13/2007)
To Whom It May Concern:
Would you please inform my feet that I am utterly displeased with their recent behavior? I mean, it's one thing to go to HR and get permission to wear flip-flops to the office. But it's another thing entirely to have to show up wearing men's flip-flops because not a single pair of women's flip-flops would accommodate my extra-wide, swollen feet.
Oh well, at least my toes are kinda cute since I got a pedicure...
Would you please inform my feet that I am utterly displeased with their recent behavior? I mean, it's one thing to go to HR and get permission to wear flip-flops to the office. But it's another thing entirely to have to show up wearing men's flip-flops because not a single pair of women's flip-flops would accommodate my extra-wide, swollen feet.
Oh well, at least my toes are kinda cute since I got a pedicure...
A Brief Tribute to Yellow (posted 1/18/2007)
Well, here I am, with less than 8 weeks til the due date. I just want to say how relieved I am that I made it through the holidays without getting sick. Of course, now I'm on my 4th cold of the pregnancy, and let me tell you, it really does suck. But it's the little things that help me feel better. For instance, did you ever notice how some yellow things can bring you happiness without even trying?
My wonderful husband just finished painting the baby's room a happy, sunny shade of Pooh Bear Yellow. Even though there's nothing in the room right now, it's amazing how the color makes the room a happy place. I think babies would choose this color if they knew how to communicate their choice with us. I'm so glad I picked this color. (By the way, I won't even mention how Pooh brings happiness and he is yellow... that should be a given.)
Another happy yellow thing? The chair my husband was forced to drag out of the extra room so he could fit my piano in there. Even though it can become uncomfortable after a while, it is a nice place I can sit and put my feet up in front of the TV. It's easier to get up from the yellow chair than from the sofa, and I can spin it around to face any direction, which comes in handy when I need to turn around and talk to my wonderful husband while he is cooking, doing dishes, or making his manhattan.
Third on my list of happy yellow things: well, this one was temporary but it made a big impression on me. Being under the weather, I was going to have some microwave soup for lunch. But I really wanted some bread. My friend invited me out to the Drip Coffee Lounge and I had the happiest yellow thing for lunch: a perfect grilled cheese sandwich. I mean, it may have been the best grilled cheese ever. The bread was heavenly and she even put tomato slices on it for me. This place uses organic foods and I don't know if it was psychological or the fog of my head cold or what, but it was phenomenal. I could have eaten two of them. Major love to the Drip staff for this happy yellow creation. http://dripcoffeelounge.com/sides&Snacks.php
Well, I've still got a lot of the day left... after work: a dr. appt. and a childbirth class tonight. Maybe it won't be so bad if I just keep thinking happy yellow thoughts.
My wonderful husband just finished painting the baby's room a happy, sunny shade of Pooh Bear Yellow. Even though there's nothing in the room right now, it's amazing how the color makes the room a happy place. I think babies would choose this color if they knew how to communicate their choice with us. I'm so glad I picked this color. (By the way, I won't even mention how Pooh brings happiness and he is yellow... that should be a given.)
Another happy yellow thing? The chair my husband was forced to drag out of the extra room so he could fit my piano in there. Even though it can become uncomfortable after a while, it is a nice place I can sit and put my feet up in front of the TV. It's easier to get up from the yellow chair than from the sofa, and I can spin it around to face any direction, which comes in handy when I need to turn around and talk to my wonderful husband while he is cooking, doing dishes, or making his manhattan.
Third on my list of happy yellow things: well, this one was temporary but it made a big impression on me. Being under the weather, I was going to have some microwave soup for lunch. But I really wanted some bread. My friend invited me out to the Drip Coffee Lounge and I had the happiest yellow thing for lunch: a perfect grilled cheese sandwich. I mean, it may have been the best grilled cheese ever. The bread was heavenly and she even put tomato slices on it for me. This place uses organic foods and I don't know if it was psychological or the fog of my head cold or what, but it was phenomenal. I could have eaten two of them. Major love to the Drip staff for this happy yellow creation. http://dripcoffeelounge.com/sides&Snacks.php
Well, I've still got a lot of the day left... after work: a dr. appt. and a childbirth class tonight. Maybe it won't be so bad if I just keep thinking happy yellow thoughts.
Busy as a Honey Bee (posted 1/10/2007)
As the due date gets closer and my belly gets larger, I've noticed a fundamental change in the time-space continuum. No really, an hour doesn't mean what it used to, and I'm sure someone tinkered with the number of days they're putting in the weeks lately. It's probably my secret villain just trying to mess with me some more. At any rate, life has gotten incredibly busy lately! Normally there's that letdown after the holidays where we clean up and put away, and things look empty for a little while as January happens. But this year, I was ready to step on the gas and get moving, because I have more to do this January than any previous one in my life.
Before I go into detail, a lightning-fast tangent: there is absolute truth to the rumor of "pregnancy brain drain." I personally am experiencing it right this minute as I try to remember what the heck I was going to write a second ago.
So as I was saying, the business of keeping a calendar has become incredibly important. As it is, I can't keep up with the ups and downs of Mike's work schedule, and now all of a sudden we're supposed to go to the OB every 2 weeks instead of monthly. Plus we've got childbirth classes, a consultation with a pediatrician, and of course my dental cleaning appointment. I think somewhere in between I'm supposed to fit in a few more things, like going to work, preparing the nursery, and eating. Not to mention this insane urge I have to sleep at any possible opportunity.
As nutty as it seems, though, I am enjoying this. It is really fun to pick out paint colors, especially when they have Disney colors in Behr paint. Since the nursery will be Classic Pooh-themed, it was pretty easy to choose what I wanted. The walls will be Pooh Bear Yellow and the furniture will be Eeyore with New Day Dew trim. If I had a fairy godmother, she would bring me a beautiful sage green armchair glider with ottoman. But since I don't, I'm hoping for some other miracle to help me get it from Babies R Us. Then the yellows, greens, and blues will balance out all the cute pink stuff that the baby will get (and got already!). People just love buying pink, girly things for baby girls. Lucky for me I like pink too! Just not pink furniture.
As we count down the weeks (there are 9 left including this one), I am starting to feel a little freaked out. I wonder if it's all going to get done before she's here... what if she comes early? In the meantime I'm trying to enjoy the little things... here's a short list:
-- Monday (1/8/07) I witnessed the first belly morph. I felt her about to move and I looked down and saw my belly roll, like a wave, from one side to the other. People told me this would happen, but I had to see it to believe it.
-- Today was the first time I noticed she had the hiccups. Crazy but true!
-- Last Friday (1/5/07) the doctor said my belly measurement was right on target. He also said the baby weighs about 3 pounds. How cool is that?
-- Sometimes if I gently push on an area of the belly, she pushes back. She also sometimes reacts to sudden sounds or bright lights. It's amazing how much interaction you can have before they are even born!
She still doesn't like to act up when Mike is near... I bet she'll be a Daddy's Girl. I just hope she likes Pooh bear as much as her mommy does!
Joe or Mistletoe? (posted 12/15/2006)
Hallelujah! Amid all the changes I've been dealing with, I have very positive news to share: I love coffee again. Okay, so I'm not exactly sure why that qualifies as "positive" news, since it is an addictive beverage for which I need to limit my consumption, but it does mark a small measure of returning to my normal self. Don't get me wrong, the chai is still great (especially since I've been making it myself more than ordering it), but there really is nothing like sitting down to a Rooty Tooty Fresh 'n' Fruity at IHOP with a nice hot cup of coffee.
Although I love it again, I'm trying not to slip right back to where I was pre-pregnancy. No espresso for me, not until after this whole baby-making thing is done. It's just too easy to overshoot the caffeine limits when you bring espresso into the equation. For now, I'll stick to regular drip or my old, pre-latte standby: cafe au lait. I always think it's nice to learn new things, so I'll share my Lesson of the Day: in some coffeehouses, cafe au lait is known as misto (mees-toe, not to be confused with mistletoe). And as an added bonus, misto packs a nutritional punch because it is half milk.
One of my favorite things about pregnancy is the increased need for calcium because I LOVE milk. Of course, in our house there is a constant battle between my preference for skim milk and my husband's preference for 2%. I'm sure the occasional 2% and our compromise (1%) probably contributed to me getting stuck trying to get out of the back seat of my friend's Nissan Xterra yesterday. But I made it on the second try even though I was extremely busy laughing heartily at myself, and now I'm sitting here enjoying my nonfat misto. You can only do so much... Thank goodness my friends with big SUVs at least have conveniently-located "oh sh*%" handles to help me in and out of them!
Yes, in addition to coffee, my other pregnancy food aversions have disappeared. This is a Wendy's Pointless Story, so of course a double-edged sword presents itself: I no longer have irrational reasons to abstain from certain foods, and therefore also have no natural barrier to stop me from eating too much food (other than the dreaded, inevitable case of heartburn). But considering I didn't have many aversions to things that are fattening, I suppose it's not too much of a problem. So bring it on: saute those onions, scramble those eggs, brew the coffee. I promise I won't complain that the smell of onions is pure evil, and I will no longer claim that syrup is necessary if you want me to actually eat those eggs. And if you happen to make me some decaf, why not make it a nonfat latte? Otherwise I'll stick to the mistletoe.
The Top 10 Things I've Learned About Being Pregnant...So Far (posted 11/12/2006)
10. The 2nd trimester really is the "honeymoon" of the pregnancy. Compared to many women I think I had it fairly easy during the 1st trimester, but now I can say that most days I feel really good.
9. People in general are extra nice to pregnant women. This is good because sometimes I really need that boost on those days when I'm not feeling so great.
8. Parties are a great idea! (See #9.) So far I've been to a wedding shower, a baby shower, a housewarming party, and a wedding reception/after-party since I started to show. It's not that my friends aren't already great, but I've had even more fun being the pregnant girl at the party.
7. You have to learn to chill out. I actually caught a cold (my 3rd of the pregnancy) as a result of the stress of fighting with my mom. Seriously, this is according to my doctor. (Don't worry, we made up and I recovered.)
6. Sometimes you just get hungry and you don't know why. I guess most people already know this one, as they also tend to remind me that I'm "eating for two." As a person that loves to eat, this is good and bad. Good because I don't get scrutinized or questioned for ordering or eating extra yummy food. Bad because apparently "eating for two" really means adding just an extra 300 calories a day, which really isn't much.
5. Feeling the baby move is crazy but really cool. As I type she is practicing her Tae-Bo moves on my bladder. Sometimes it feels like she's doing lopsided somersaults with her elbows sticking out. Right now I love it because it makes me think everything's okay in there if she's moving around. Plus, each time I feel her it's more evidence that there really is a baby in there!
4. There's just not enough water. I have never been thirstier in my life than I have since I've been pregnant. But it's difficult because if I drink too much water in the evening, I'll wake up more times during the night to go to the bathroom. You just can't win.
3. Body pillows rock. I finally fished mine out of the closet that hasn't really been in use since college. It's the only way to sleep! I used to love sleeping on my stomach, and now if I tried to do that it would be like trying to sleep on a soccer ball. With the body pillow, at least I can sort of lean on it instead of having all my weight on my hip.
2. The bigger I get, the more difficult simple things become. Last night we went to an ASU football game. Climbing up to the stadium, and then up to our seats was a real chore for me. I even used the hand railings, which I normally avoid (sometimes I'm a bit germophobic). But I made it, and watched the Sun Devils win big for a change. I haven't been exercising much, but at least I'm doing prenatal yoga (which is both a challenge and a treat).
1. Pregnancy is so cool. I know I've already probably said this, but the more things progress, the more real it seems. I never imagined some of the wacked-out things that happen to a body during pregnancy, but I'm really happy to be going through this. I can hardly wait for what I pray will be our happy ending: a healthy, happy little girl.
9. People in general are extra nice to pregnant women. This is good because sometimes I really need that boost on those days when I'm not feeling so great.
8. Parties are a great idea! (See #9.) So far I've been to a wedding shower, a baby shower, a housewarming party, and a wedding reception/after-party since I started to show. It's not that my friends aren't already great, but I've had even more fun being the pregnant girl at the party.
7. You have to learn to chill out. I actually caught a cold (my 3rd of the pregnancy) as a result of the stress of fighting with my mom. Seriously, this is according to my doctor. (Don't worry, we made up and I recovered.)
6. Sometimes you just get hungry and you don't know why. I guess most people already know this one, as they also tend to remind me that I'm "eating for two." As a person that loves to eat, this is good and bad. Good because I don't get scrutinized or questioned for ordering or eating extra yummy food. Bad because apparently "eating for two" really means adding just an extra 300 calories a day, which really isn't much.
5. Feeling the baby move is crazy but really cool. As I type she is practicing her Tae-Bo moves on my bladder. Sometimes it feels like she's doing lopsided somersaults with her elbows sticking out. Right now I love it because it makes me think everything's okay in there if she's moving around. Plus, each time I feel her it's more evidence that there really is a baby in there!
4. There's just not enough water. I have never been thirstier in my life than I have since I've been pregnant. But it's difficult because if I drink too much water in the evening, I'll wake up more times during the night to go to the bathroom. You just can't win.
3. Body pillows rock. I finally fished mine out of the closet that hasn't really been in use since college. It's the only way to sleep! I used to love sleeping on my stomach, and now if I tried to do that it would be like trying to sleep on a soccer ball. With the body pillow, at least I can sort of lean on it instead of having all my weight on my hip.
2. The bigger I get, the more difficult simple things become. Last night we went to an ASU football game. Climbing up to the stadium, and then up to our seats was a real chore for me. I even used the hand railings, which I normally avoid (sometimes I'm a bit germophobic). But I made it, and watched the Sun Devils win big for a change. I haven't been exercising much, but at least I'm doing prenatal yoga (which is both a challenge and a treat).
1. Pregnancy is so cool. I know I've already probably said this, but the more things progress, the more real it seems. I never imagined some of the wacked-out things that happen to a body during pregnancy, but I'm really happy to be going through this. I can hardly wait for what I pray will be our happy ending: a healthy, happy little girl.
My Not-So-Comic-Book-Worthy Secret Villain (posted 10/20/2006)
Just in case you're wondering, yes, my pregnancy will probably be the underlying theme of WPSH episodes in the forseeable future. That said, it's time for an update now that my voice is back to normal and I am no longer able to crank call my friends with an unrecognizable voice. Now you know I'm an old lady, since it's been a long time since everyone and their brother got caller ID and crank calling stopped being any fun (gosh, whatever happened to the Jerky Boys?).
Anyway, being that I'm an old lady, this is the portion of the program where I start rambling about things that have happened to me lately. (To those WPSH addicts out there: you know you love it!)
Unless you haven't been paying attention, you have learned that I've failed the first challenge to my maternal instinct. Indeed, my baby is a girl, not a boy. Just between you and me, I'm totally stoked because frankly, girls are all I know. I love my six brothers-in-law, but they do not count as having brothers growing up.
Yesterday we had the annual chili cook-off at work. As you can imagine, I was SO grateful to come home to steak and a baked potato for dinner (did I mention how completely awesome my husband is?). It's just that I'm sure there's a limit on how many Tums I'm allowed to have in a day. The heartburn has been really weird, because some days I don't have it at all, and other days I get mad when it's mid morning and I can't figure out what in the world I ate for breakfast that could possibly give me heartburn. Actually, I probably know exactly what caused it. But being stubborn, I don't want to admit that I did this to myself. Someone else must take the fall for causing my misery, and since I don't share an office with anyone but the baby in my belly, I guess I'll have to make up an imaginary villain.
Part of the fun of going to a chili cook-off is getting to sample 25 varieties of chili. I quickly discovered I didn't like most of what I tried, but when I did find one I liked, it was nice to discover it liked me too. So much so that it wanted to spend the day with me. Right up front and nearly centered on my blouse. I quickly realized I didn't like it that much, but what could I say when I was also sprinkling the front of myself with crumbs after sampling all the varieties of cornbread? "Um, I don't think I'm ready to take our relationship to this level?"
Yes, in the last few days something has definitely changed. I'm not sure what day it was, but suddenly I woke up really pregnant. I know someone (I'm sure it's my imaginary heartburn-causing villain) implanted a balloon in my belly while I was sleeping. (As you know, this was incredibly difficult given my new status as a light sleeper.) Somewhere out there the villain sat with a little remote control, watching from afar. With a set of binoculars and a wicked chuckle, the "Inflate" button was pressed. And now, look at me. I'm only about halfway through this thing, but I read somewhere that most 1st-time moms don't show until 5 or 6 months along. Obviously, they weren't hounded by a little chuckling villain from afar.
So here I am, feeling pretty weird. I hope my little girl is having fun in there, because the balloon is taking up a lot of space. It feels like all my internal organs are getting squished. Heck, you could probably bounce a quarter off my belly. (Never in my life did I imagine saying that about any part of my body, least of all my inflated belly!) That's the problem with villains--they do what they want. So today I'm having a gourmet lunch that I'm really excited about, and the villain may or may not give me heartburn. I guess I'll just have to deal, because there's no way I'm not going to eat my PB & J!
Being Kathleen Turner (posted 10/9/2006)
Disclaimer: This WPSH episode is chock full of tangents. Be advised, and buckle your seat belts if you plan to follow along.
I like TV sometimes. Funny coming from someone who worked in TV advertising for 5 years... but it's true. Aside from the handful of shows I like to watch, when given access to the remote I usually scroll through the movie channels for some commercial-free cinematic distraction. I am one of those weirdos that can watch movies I like over and over again (hence the DVD collection that is starting to get out of control and grow out of its pen). If anyone knows a good trainer, let me know.
Last Monday I spent most of the day down at the state capitol attending some seminars. Since my office is only a few miles north of downtown, I decided to use the bus system to get down there and back rather than figure out parking. For those of you unfamiliar with downtown Phoenix, just stay away for a while. We are undergoing massive change, most notably for construction of a light rail system that still has 2+ years before estimated completion. What does this mean for li'l ol' me? On a normal day, it means dealing with Central Avenue reduced to one or two lanes between my office and Mike's. But on that day it meant jackhammers, dust, and missed bus connections. Not to mention it was really hot that day, over 100 degrees, as one of the last holdouts of the summer weather. (Honestly, that's not fair. It's October, just give it up and you can return in May, okay?)
Anyone who really knows me (by this, of course I mean anyone who has slept in the same room with me at any point in our lives), knows that I am a super-deep sleeper. When I was a hefty 3rd-grader, my uncle struggled to carry me from the bed in the pink room at Grandma's house into the basement in the middle of the night because he couldn't wake me up. Luckily the house survived the storm, and I don't know for sure if we had a tornado on the farm that night. But this storm marked the beginning of the end for the two ginormous trees in the front yard, with what seemed like a branch one-third the size of one of the trees lying on the ground. I awoke with no recollection of how I got down there and slept through all the noise and commotion.
When I became pregnant I lost my official status as "super-deep sleeper." In fact I can't even call myself a deep sleeper anymore. I'm sure my husband is glad about this because I wake up as much as he does throughout the night. Last Monday night I woke up feeling like my throat was swollen. Sure enough, I've been dealing with some sort of immune system disturbance ever since. I thought it was just all the crap I must have inhaled while trying to improvise bus transfers and avoid that skitchy meth-addict-looking guy who called me "Beautiful" (as in, Hey there, Beautiful, is that the Route 0 Central bus, or the Blue Line South?).
This Saturday I saw my in-laws and sister-in-law. And this cold or whatever it is had begun to wreak havoc on my voice, such that I became the voice of Kathleen Turner, no exaggeration. It was really fun for the evening, especially when I laughed, or when I did the "woof woof woof" part of the Georgia kickoff (as in "Gooooo, Dawgs! Sic 'em! Woof woof woof!"). It would have been even funnier if I was alone with my husband... I could have pretended to tease him with my newfound phone sex voice. hee hee (that's a high-pitched giggle, not Kathleen's laugh)
My mother-in-law gave me some herbal tea and told me to try it with lemon. I did, and it was soothing, but now I just sound sick. I have quickly observed that I exhibit a typically female pattern of speech: when we ask a question, the last word is higher in pitch. Right now I have no voice when I try to use my normal register. It just disappears as the pitch goes up. I found myself saying: "Hey Mike, did you remember to bring your ____?" "What time are we supposed to ____?" "Did you know my name is _____?" (just kidding, he knows my name)
Alas, here it is Monday again. And being grateful because I work for the government and therefore have Columbus Day off, at the same time I feel totally ripped off because I'm sick. If I felt good, I could jaunt up the street to the Desert Botanical Gardens and see the butterflies, look at the tons of merchandise they sell for Dia de las Muertes, go shop for a pumpkin, or some other equally cool-sounding activity for a Monday off in October. But no, I'm stuck with feeling crappy and searching for anything worthwhile on TV. Ugh... TV. Too bad I don't have any DVDs with Kathleen Turner in them.
I like TV sometimes. Funny coming from someone who worked in TV advertising for 5 years... but it's true. Aside from the handful of shows I like to watch, when given access to the remote I usually scroll through the movie channels for some commercial-free cinematic distraction. I am one of those weirdos that can watch movies I like over and over again (hence the DVD collection that is starting to get out of control and grow out of its pen). If anyone knows a good trainer, let me know.
Last Monday I spent most of the day down at the state capitol attending some seminars. Since my office is only a few miles north of downtown, I decided to use the bus system to get down there and back rather than figure out parking. For those of you unfamiliar with downtown Phoenix, just stay away for a while. We are undergoing massive change, most notably for construction of a light rail system that still has 2+ years before estimated completion. What does this mean for li'l ol' me? On a normal day, it means dealing with Central Avenue reduced to one or two lanes between my office and Mike's. But on that day it meant jackhammers, dust, and missed bus connections. Not to mention it was really hot that day, over 100 degrees, as one of the last holdouts of the summer weather. (Honestly, that's not fair. It's October, just give it up and you can return in May, okay?)
Anyone who really knows me (by this, of course I mean anyone who has slept in the same room with me at any point in our lives), knows that I am a super-deep sleeper. When I was a hefty 3rd-grader, my uncle struggled to carry me from the bed in the pink room at Grandma's house into the basement in the middle of the night because he couldn't wake me up. Luckily the house survived the storm, and I don't know for sure if we had a tornado on the farm that night. But this storm marked the beginning of the end for the two ginormous trees in the front yard, with what seemed like a branch one-third the size of one of the trees lying on the ground. I awoke with no recollection of how I got down there and slept through all the noise and commotion.
When I became pregnant I lost my official status as "super-deep sleeper." In fact I can't even call myself a deep sleeper anymore. I'm sure my husband is glad about this because I wake up as much as he does throughout the night. Last Monday night I woke up feeling like my throat was swollen. Sure enough, I've been dealing with some sort of immune system disturbance ever since. I thought it was just all the crap I must have inhaled while trying to improvise bus transfers and avoid that skitchy meth-addict-looking guy who called me "Beautiful" (as in, Hey there, Beautiful, is that the Route 0 Central bus, or the Blue Line South?).
This Saturday I saw my in-laws and sister-in-law. And this cold or whatever it is had begun to wreak havoc on my voice, such that I became the voice of Kathleen Turner, no exaggeration. It was really fun for the evening, especially when I laughed, or when I did the "woof woof woof" part of the Georgia kickoff (as in "Gooooo, Dawgs! Sic 'em! Woof woof woof!"). It would have been even funnier if I was alone with my husband... I could have pretended to tease him with my newfound phone sex voice. hee hee (that's a high-pitched giggle, not Kathleen's laugh)
My mother-in-law gave me some herbal tea and told me to try it with lemon. I did, and it was soothing, but now I just sound sick. I have quickly observed that I exhibit a typically female pattern of speech: when we ask a question, the last word is higher in pitch. Right now I have no voice when I try to use my normal register. It just disappears as the pitch goes up. I found myself saying: "Hey Mike, did you remember to bring your ____?" "What time are we supposed to ____?" "Did you know my name is _____?" (just kidding, he knows my name)
Alas, here it is Monday again. And being grateful because I work for the government and therefore have Columbus Day off, at the same time I feel totally ripped off because I'm sick. If I felt good, I could jaunt up the street to the Desert Botanical Gardens and see the butterflies, look at the tons of merchandise they sell for Dia de las Muertes, go shop for a pumpkin, or some other equally cool-sounding activity for a Monday off in October. But no, I'm stuck with feeling crappy and searching for anything worthwhile on TV. Ugh... TV. Too bad I don't have any DVDs with Kathleen Turner in them.
My Friend, Chai (posted 9/28/2006)
I think chai is the best thing ever.
A coffee drinker since age 15, I was really thrown for a loop when I suddenly stopped wanting to drink it at 4 or 5 weeks pregnant. We were on vacation in Oregon and Mike made some coffee, and I took about 2 sips of mine and let it get cold. I had already begun limiting my caffeine intake, but it was really bizarre when I realized I had no desire to drink coffee anymore.
Back in the real world, where I wake up at 4:30am for work, there are some days I just need a little caffeine. Particularly on those days that I also work my second job, when I don't get home until 11:30pm. Yesterday was one of those days, but I stuck with a diet coke at lunch and a couple of squares of dark chocolate (yummm) as my only caffeine.
***TANGENT ALERT*** Luckily I had the bejesus scared out of me last night, which kept me quite alert for the rest of my shift. I was sitting on a small stepstool, pulling DVDs out of the drop box. As I was opening and closing the cases to make sure the right discs were in there, I noticed something in my peripheral vision. I glanced to the floor and saw a 2" scorpion quickly crawling toward me. I let out a scream and moved faster than you've ever seen a pregnant lady move. Too bad I can't watch the surveillance tape, as I'm sure it was hilarious. The critter got within a foot of my shoe before I leapt out of there. My manager is a rock star, and he was able to use various materials over several attempts to kill and dispose of the pieces of the scorpion. ~heebie-jeebie~ I've been here for 7 years. That's the first live scorpion I have encountered since I moved to the desert. It's a fact, I'm a total wimp. I love the little geckos that like to hang out above my front door, but when it comes to spiders and scorpions, forget it.
Which brings me back to why I love chai.
Right now there is nothing better than a grande nonfat chai tea latte from Starbucks. It's so good it feels illegal. Add to it a nice blueberry scone and I'm in a FANTASTIC mood for the day. Well, for at least 6 hours. Chai makes my insides all warm and fuzzy, and my taste buds all jump for joy. The only thing that could make my chai even better is if I could get it sugar-free. [Note: They have sugar-free chai at the Willow House on 3rd Ave., but unfortunately it comes with lumps (they use a powder). I haven't tried theirs hot, but two iced chais with lumps has discouraged me from trying it hot.]
Thank goodness my Starbucks is within walking distance of my office. I don't know what I would do without my friend, chai.
A coffee drinker since age 15, I was really thrown for a loop when I suddenly stopped wanting to drink it at 4 or 5 weeks pregnant. We were on vacation in Oregon and Mike made some coffee, and I took about 2 sips of mine and let it get cold. I had already begun limiting my caffeine intake, but it was really bizarre when I realized I had no desire to drink coffee anymore.
Back in the real world, where I wake up at 4:30am for work, there are some days I just need a little caffeine. Particularly on those days that I also work my second job, when I don't get home until 11:30pm. Yesterday was one of those days, but I stuck with a diet coke at lunch and a couple of squares of dark chocolate (yummm) as my only caffeine.
***TANGENT ALERT*** Luckily I had the bejesus scared out of me last night, which kept me quite alert for the rest of my shift. I was sitting on a small stepstool, pulling DVDs out of the drop box. As I was opening and closing the cases to make sure the right discs were in there, I noticed something in my peripheral vision. I glanced to the floor and saw a 2" scorpion quickly crawling toward me. I let out a scream and moved faster than you've ever seen a pregnant lady move. Too bad I can't watch the surveillance tape, as I'm sure it was hilarious. The critter got within a foot of my shoe before I leapt out of there. My manager is a rock star, and he was able to use various materials over several attempts to kill and dispose of the pieces of the scorpion. ~heebie-jeebie~ I've been here for 7 years. That's the first live scorpion I have encountered since I moved to the desert. It's a fact, I'm a total wimp. I love the little geckos that like to hang out above my front door, but when it comes to spiders and scorpions, forget it.
Which brings me back to why I love chai.
Right now there is nothing better than a grande nonfat chai tea latte from Starbucks. It's so good it feels illegal. Add to it a nice blueberry scone and I'm in a FANTASTIC mood for the day. Well, for at least 6 hours. Chai makes my insides all warm and fuzzy, and my taste buds all jump for joy. The only thing that could make my chai even better is if I could get it sugar-free. [Note: They have sugar-free chai at the Willow House on 3rd Ave., but unfortunately it comes with lumps (they use a powder). I haven't tried theirs hot, but two iced chais with lumps has discouraged me from trying it hot.]
Thank goodness my Starbucks is within walking distance of my office. I don't know what I would do without my friend, chai.
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