It's November 1st, which means it's time for NaBloPoMo again! Frankly, I can barely believe that it's November ALREADY, but the calendar tells me it is so and the calendar does not lie.
So prepare yourselves for the very best in mediocre blogging for the next 30 days. Woo! Hoo!
Monday, November 01, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
7 Quick Takes - I Miss the Caribbean Edition
1. I went on a 4 day cruise to Cozumel last week with some of my very best friends/most awesome people in the world. I wish I was still on this ship right now.
2. Alex and I went to Cozumel last year on our anniversary cruise, so I actually knew what to expect this time. We decided to just go to a free beach for a few hours in the afternoon and it was beautiful. I never ever wanted to leave.
3. We did some shopping in Cozumel as well. We docked at a different pier from last time, so I got to see some different shops and some pretty tourist-y areas that we missed last time.
4. Also, we ate A LOT. I don't have many food pictures to share, probably because I was too excited to start DEVOURING the food the second it was placed in front of me. But it was all so good and it was so nice not to have worry about the dishes or cleaning up afterwards. I also probably gained 5 pounds, but let's not talk about that, shall we?
5. Before said trip, I purchased the most amazing travel mug of all time. It's a Contigo Stainless Steel mug. I purchased it at Costco, which is why I'm linking to those particular tops, but it is AMAZING. It keeps my beverages hot long beyond the promised 4 hours. And it DOES NOT LEAK. I accidentally knocked it over the other day and nothing spilled out. I highly, highly, highly recommend them.
6. In all the cruise hub bub, I forgot about getting Jack's costume in time for the Parents' Day Out celebration on Wednesday. So I spent several hours Tuesday night going from big-box-store to big-box-store, trying to find a costume. I eventually found the perfect costume at the 2nd Target I went to, a half an hour before they closed. Way to go loser Mom! (Also, I haven't bought any candy yet either. Nor have I taken my child to a pumpkin patch. I suck!)
7. Jack looked really cute in his costume.
2. Alex and I went to Cozumel last year on our anniversary cruise, so I actually knew what to expect this time. We decided to just go to a free beach for a few hours in the afternoon and it was beautiful. I never ever wanted to leave.
3. We did some shopping in Cozumel as well. We docked at a different pier from last time, so I got to see some different shops and some pretty tourist-y areas that we missed last time.
4. Also, we ate A LOT. I don't have many food pictures to share, probably because I was too excited to start DEVOURING the food the second it was placed in front of me. But it was all so good and it was so nice not to have worry about the dishes or cleaning up afterwards. I also probably gained 5 pounds, but let's not talk about that, shall we?
5. Before said trip, I purchased the most amazing travel mug of all time. It's a Contigo Stainless Steel mug. I purchased it at Costco, which is why I'm linking to those particular tops, but it is AMAZING. It keeps my beverages hot long beyond the promised 4 hours. And it DOES NOT LEAK. I accidentally knocked it over the other day and nothing spilled out. I highly, highly, highly recommend them.
6. In all the cruise hub bub, I forgot about getting Jack's costume in time for the Parents' Day Out celebration on Wednesday. So I spent several hours Tuesday night going from big-box-store to big-box-store, trying to find a costume. I eventually found the perfect costume at the 2nd Target I went to, a half an hour before they closed. Way to go loser Mom! (Also, I haven't bought any candy yet either. Nor have I taken my child to a pumpkin patch. I suck!)
7. Jack looked really cute in his costume.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Parent's Day Out and Sweating it Out
This was Jack's first week at Parent's Day Out. It's Monday and Wednesdays from 9-2. That is 10 full hours spent away from me. I fully admit that I had a FULL ON FREAK OUT last weekend. I completely regretted my decision to enroll him and basically drove Alex bonkers with my fretting. I sent out texts about my fears. I cried. I paced nervously. I panicked that my son was going to hate me for the rest of his life.
It was FINE.
Kid didn't even cry. Granted, I sneaked away so he wouldn't see me leave and have his very own FULL ON FREAK OUT, but still. He was happily playing when I left and happily snacking when I picked him up. His teachers told me he only got teary when it was nap time. Which I totally expected because he is used sleeping in a big boy bed, while a parent reads to him and lays down with him while he drifts into dreamland.
Which...yes, let's talk about that, shall we?
My kid is a hustler. Straight up.
He slept in a crib at Parent's Day Out. A CRIB. Homeboy hasn't slept in a crib since he was 2, maybe 3, months old. He hated his crib. HATED IT. He would fall asleep in our arms and instantly awake the second he hit the mattress. And then he would scream bloody murder. He acted like I was ripping him apart, limb by limb, if I put him in the crib so I could do things like, I don't know, go to the bathroom. (Oh, how long for those halcyon immobile days when I could pee without a small person standing next to me, hitting me in the back with the toilet seat.) We co-slept mostly out of laziness because it was SO MUCH EASIER to sleep with him than fight the crib fight. We moved him to a big boy bed very early because we were desperate (desperate!) for him to sleep in his own room and the crib was NOT. AN. OPTION.
We were hustled. HUSTLED. That child has napped two days this week with STRANGERS in a CRIB. If I were one to use such phrases, I would offer a great big WTF to this. Because seriously? SERIOUSLY? My own child has been playing me for a full year now. I had no idea crib sleeping was even an option for him anymore. Do you know how much easier that would have been? GAH.
Also, I have joined the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group at our church and it's been great fun to meet new moms and we even had a MOPS-wide play date this week. It was at this indoor playground place with lots of slides and bouncy houses and other child-friendly items. Jack had a really great time and I got to talk to lots of different moms. The only problem was that I was sweating like I was at the gym. Seriously. I had to go to the bathroom to TOWEL OFF. The owners apparently turn the air conditioning off at night to save on costs, so when we arrived at 10 am that morning, they had only just turned the AC on. And oh my word, it was so embarrassing. My forehead was glistening, I had sweat stains on my arm pits, my back had a line of sweat, even my CHEST was sweating. MY CHEST. I looked like I had just run 3 miles, not just sent my son down a slide 3 times. I wanted to leave, but Jack was having a great time, so I stayed for him. To everyone's credit, they still talked to me even though I was covered in a layer of sweat from head to toe. I'm just afraid they're going to remember me as "that sweaty girl in the Saints shirt" instead of, you know, MY NAME.
It was FINE.
Kid didn't even cry. Granted, I sneaked away so he wouldn't see me leave and have his very own FULL ON FREAK OUT, but still. He was happily playing when I left and happily snacking when I picked him up. His teachers told me he only got teary when it was nap time. Which I totally expected because he is used sleeping in a big boy bed, while a parent reads to him and lays down with him while he drifts into dreamland.
Which...yes, let's talk about that, shall we?
My kid is a hustler. Straight up.
He slept in a crib at Parent's Day Out. A CRIB. Homeboy hasn't slept in a crib since he was 2, maybe 3, months old. He hated his crib. HATED IT. He would fall asleep in our arms and instantly awake the second he hit the mattress. And then he would scream bloody murder. He acted like I was ripping him apart, limb by limb, if I put him in the crib so I could do things like, I don't know, go to the bathroom. (Oh, how long for those halcyon immobile days when I could pee without a small person standing next to me, hitting me in the back with the toilet seat.) We co-slept mostly out of laziness because it was SO MUCH EASIER to sleep with him than fight the crib fight. We moved him to a big boy bed very early because we were desperate (desperate!) for him to sleep in his own room and the crib was NOT. AN. OPTION.
We were hustled. HUSTLED. That child has napped two days this week with STRANGERS in a CRIB. If I were one to use such phrases, I would offer a great big WTF to this. Because seriously? SERIOUSLY? My own child has been playing me for a full year now. I had no idea crib sleeping was even an option for him anymore. Do you know how much easier that would have been? GAH.
Also, I have joined the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group at our church and it's been great fun to meet new moms and we even had a MOPS-wide play date this week. It was at this indoor playground place with lots of slides and bouncy houses and other child-friendly items. Jack had a really great time and I got to talk to lots of different moms. The only problem was that I was sweating like I was at the gym. Seriously. I had to go to the bathroom to TOWEL OFF. The owners apparently turn the air conditioning off at night to save on costs, so when we arrived at 10 am that morning, they had only just turned the AC on. And oh my word, it was so embarrassing. My forehead was glistening, I had sweat stains on my arm pits, my back had a line of sweat, even my CHEST was sweating. MY CHEST. I looked like I had just run 3 miles, not just sent my son down a slide 3 times. I wanted to leave, but Jack was having a great time, so I stayed for him. To everyone's credit, they still talked to me even though I was covered in a layer of sweat from head to toe. I'm just afraid they're going to remember me as "that sweaty girl in the Saints shirt" instead of, you know, MY NAME.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Seven Quick Takes - 8/27/10
1. So I got up and went to the gym at 5:30 this morning. I know I won't shut up about it, but I just can't get over it. And if you know me, then you know that is a HUGE deal. I am not a morning person AT ALL. (My friends from college are groaning and snickering all at the same time.) So for me to get up that early for the express purpose of EXERCISING? Well, the world might stop spinning.
2. I went to a spin class where the instructor announced, "I just have to embarrass Frank here, but tomorrow is his 75th birthday." And then! Then! At the end of class, he asked Frank (I have no idea if that is his name or not.) if he was going to ride tomorrow for his birthday, because he remembered when he rode 70 miles to celebrate his 70th birthday. What! What? I cannot do that now and I am THIRTY. This man is my new hero.
3. We found a Parent's Day Out program for Jack! I am so excited for him to start "school." I know a lot of moms get all misty at the thought of their baby starting school, but not me! I am PUMPED that he gets to spend time with kids his age and learn how to socialize without Momma holding his hand. Plus, I think the break will help me be a better parent.
4. I took Jack to the gym with me yesterday and he actually survived in the day care the entire time! They called me to come get him right at the end of my run, so I finished up and hustled down there. I assumed they called me because he was having a melt down, but nope, he had just pooped. I've never been so happy to hear he had pooped in his life.
5. I am in the market for a cute, potentially chunky, long necklace. And I need it to look good with a dark purple tank with ruffles along the top. I'm going to check out Kohl's today because I would also like it to be cheap. I'm a little nervous because I am not very good at accessorizing. I might wind up looking like a moron.
6. My kid loves Super WHY. My inner book nerd is so proud.
7. Have I mentioned that I got a new flat iron for my birthday? Because I did. And it is AWESOME. Life changing, even. I picked this one based on its good reviews on Amazon. And I am happy to report that is well worth the money. (It was cheaper at Wal-Mart, where my parents bought it.) I don't even have to dry my hair at night anymore. I can just let it air dry and get all weird and frizzy and the next morning, the flat iron makes it ALL GO AWAY. It is AMAZING.
2. I went to a spin class where the instructor announced, "I just have to embarrass Frank here, but tomorrow is his 75th birthday." And then! Then! At the end of class, he asked Frank (I have no idea if that is his name or not.) if he was going to ride tomorrow for his birthday, because he remembered when he rode 70 miles to celebrate his 70th birthday. What! What? I cannot do that now and I am THIRTY. This man is my new hero.
3. We found a Parent's Day Out program for Jack! I am so excited for him to start "school." I know a lot of moms get all misty at the thought of their baby starting school, but not me! I am PUMPED that he gets to spend time with kids his age and learn how to socialize without Momma holding his hand. Plus, I think the break will help me be a better parent.
4. I took Jack to the gym with me yesterday and he actually survived in the day care the entire time! They called me to come get him right at the end of my run, so I finished up and hustled down there. I assumed they called me because he was having a melt down, but nope, he had just pooped. I've never been so happy to hear he had pooped in his life.
5. I am in the market for a cute, potentially chunky, long necklace. And I need it to look good with a dark purple tank with ruffles along the top. I'm going to check out Kohl's today because I would also like it to be cheap. I'm a little nervous because I am not very good at accessorizing. I might wind up looking like a moron.
6. My kid loves Super WHY. My inner book nerd is so proud.
7. Have I mentioned that I got a new flat iron for my birthday? Because I did. And it is AWESOME. Life changing, even. I picked this one based on its good reviews on Amazon. And I am happy to report that is well worth the money. (It was cheaper at Wal-Mart, where my parents bought it.) I don't even have to dry my hair at night anymore. I can just let it air dry and get all weird and frizzy and the next morning, the flat iron makes it ALL GO AWAY. It is AMAZING.
Friday, August 20, 2010
7 Quick Takes - 8/20/10
1. When I got home from play group this morning, I noticed that I had huge wet spots on my abdomen. Like...directly under my bra. Underboob sweat. SEXY.
2. Maybe that's why nobody talked to me very much?
3. I'm currently reading The Passage. It's...a little disturbing. And kind of depressing. I mean, I'm enjoying it and am planning on finishing it. But I can't honestly say that I will recommend it to anyone. It's like The Road meets Alien, so if that's your thing, then this is the book for you.
4. I am planning on taking a break from The Passage to read Mockingjay next week because it finally, finally, finally comes out on Tuesday. I've already pre-ordered it to be delivered to my phone the day it comes out, so I can begin reading it IMMEDIATELY. And yes, I am doing a nerd dance as I type this.
5. I am now on Week 8 of my 10K training. However, I am ditching the 10K training on Monday to begin half marathon training. Oh yeah, baby, I am DOING IT.
6. I had Sesame Street on this morning to help distract Jack while I got everything ready to go to play group. He managed to find the remote and changed the channel to ESPN. I guess he likes football better than Abby Cadabby. Alex is very proud.
7. Jack thinks he can swim. I took him to the pool earlier this week and he kept trying to break away from me. I had brought a covered floatie for him to ride in, but, of course, he got tired of it after a while. I took him out and was letting him play in the water while I held him, but I guess I'm no fun because he kept trying to dive away. It was frustrating, to say the least. But at least he's not scared of water like his momma?
2. Maybe that's why nobody talked to me very much?
3. I'm currently reading The Passage. It's...a little disturbing. And kind of depressing. I mean, I'm enjoying it and am planning on finishing it. But I can't honestly say that I will recommend it to anyone. It's like The Road meets Alien, so if that's your thing, then this is the book for you.
4. I am planning on taking a break from The Passage to read Mockingjay next week because it finally, finally, finally comes out on Tuesday. I've already pre-ordered it to be delivered to my phone the day it comes out, so I can begin reading it IMMEDIATELY. And yes, I am doing a nerd dance as I type this.
5. I am now on Week 8 of my 10K training. However, I am ditching the 10K training on Monday to begin half marathon training. Oh yeah, baby, I am DOING IT.
6. I had Sesame Street on this morning to help distract Jack while I got everything ready to go to play group. He managed to find the remote and changed the channel to ESPN. I guess he likes football better than Abby Cadabby. Alex is very proud.
7. Jack thinks he can swim. I took him to the pool earlier this week and he kept trying to break away from me. I had brought a covered floatie for him to ride in, but, of course, he got tired of it after a while. I took him out and was letting him play in the water while I held him, but I guess I'm no fun because he kept trying to dive away. It was frustrating, to say the least. But at least he's not scared of water like his momma?
Saturday, August 14, 2010
First Haircut
So! Jack's hair. It was long. Very, very, very long. He was regularly mistaken for a girl. My parents would not SHUT UP about how he needed a hair cut. It was starting to get straggly. His bangs were in his eyes. It was time. So I decided I wanted the first hair cut to be a part of my big birthday celebration. Alex resisted at first, because he wanted the day to be about me, but I insisted since it was such a convenient time to get it done.
Of course, we took plenty of pictures before we left.
Self portrait of mother and child.
I think he looks so cute in this picture, even though the window is GROSS.
Shaggy!
We went to a place called Sharkey's that is close to our gym. They had TV's in front of every station, and as you can see, Jack got to sit in the red car from the movie, Cars. I have no idea what that car's name is, but I know Owen Wilson voiced the character and always said, "Ka chow! Ka chow!" They also had a Sesame Street DVD playing for Jack to help calm him.
It didn't help much.
A merciful Elmo break.
He REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hated the clippers.
At this point, I feel as though I should point out that I did NOT cry. Jack was so stressed, that I went into full on Mommy comfort mode. So I didn't have time to think about what a momentous occasion it was or how he was becoming a little boy before my very eyes. Instead, I just kept trying to distract him from the nice lady with the scissors.
He still looked upset even after it was all over with. He, of course, then threw a fit when we took him OUT of the car. Toddlers! So unreasonable!
Side view!
Finally smiling now that he got to chase a balloon around for a little while.
As you can see, he looks COMPLETELY different. We keep joking that he looks like a little banker. Alex kept asking him for investment advice. He definitely looks more like a little boy and less like a baby now. Which hurts my heart in about a million zillion different ways. He's only 16 months old! He is still MAH BAYBEE!!!! And yet, there he is getting hair cuts and talking about investments with his friend at Wal-Mart.
I'm handling it pretty well though. I miss his old hair a lot. I loved the curls and the hobo look. I think it'll be a while before we're ready to cut his hair again. I keep telling myself that he has to be a lot cooler now, so it was really a good thing. That reasoning doesn't work, but it's a nice thought.
The good news is that he's not totally grown up yet. If he were, I couldn't take pantsless pictures like this and post them on the internet.
And he's still my baby because I still eat his thighs. I mean, LOOK AT THEM. How can you resist? Nom nom nom nom.
Of course, we took plenty of pictures before we left.
Self portrait of mother and child. 
I think he looks so cute in this picture, even though the window is GROSS. 
Shaggy!We went to a place called Sharkey's that is close to our gym. They had TV's in front of every station, and as you can see, Jack got to sit in the red car from the movie, Cars. I have no idea what that car's name is, but I know Owen Wilson voiced the character and always said, "Ka chow! Ka chow!" They also had a Sesame Street DVD playing for Jack to help calm him.
It didn't help much. 
A merciful Elmo break. 
He REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hated the clippers. At this point, I feel as though I should point out that I did NOT cry. Jack was so stressed, that I went into full on Mommy comfort mode. So I didn't have time to think about what a momentous occasion it was or how he was becoming a little boy before my very eyes. Instead, I just kept trying to distract him from the nice lady with the scissors.
He still looked upset even after it was all over with. He, of course, then threw a fit when we took him OUT of the car. Toddlers! So unreasonable!
Side view!
Finally smiling now that he got to chase a balloon around for a little while. As you can see, he looks COMPLETELY different. We keep joking that he looks like a little banker. Alex kept asking him for investment advice. He definitely looks more like a little boy and less like a baby now. Which hurts my heart in about a million zillion different ways. He's only 16 months old! He is still MAH BAYBEE!!!! And yet, there he is getting hair cuts and talking about investments with his friend at Wal-Mart.
I'm handling it pretty well though. I miss his old hair a lot. I loved the curls and the hobo look. I think it'll be a while before we're ready to cut his hair again. I keep telling myself that he has to be a lot cooler now, so it was really a good thing. That reasoning doesn't work, but it's a nice thought.
The good news is that he's not totally grown up yet. If he were, I couldn't take pantsless pictures like this and post them on the internet.
And he's still my baby because I still eat his thighs. I mean, LOOK AT THEM. How can you resist? Nom nom nom nom.
Friday, August 13, 2010
7 Quick Takes - I'M STILL ALIVE edition
1. I'm still here! I'm sorry! I've been busy!
2. I was at my parents' house last week, which is a black hole of communication and technology. There is no internet. There is no cell phone reception. There is no cable. They don't even have a land line phone. It was frustrating, to say the least. But hey! I read a lot!
3. I know you've all been wondering how my running is going. I'm on Week 7 of my 10K training. I'm still really, really, really, really slow. But I keep going! I've just about convinced myself that I'm going to do the half marathon in November, even if I have to walk half of it.
4. Alex and I went to the gym together last night. We haven't done that yet because we are both weenies when it comes to leaving Jack at the child care center. I got stuck with the dirty job of actually LEAVING him there and he was none too pleased, but he wasn't crying, so we bolted. You know where this is going right? Guess whose workout was cut short due to a crying child? But! He totally only wanted me and refused to go to Alex. Favored parent status confirmed!
5. We also got Jack's hair cut on Wednesday, which also happened to be my 30th birthday. I have a post started on the awesomeness of my birthday and hopefully I'll get to finish it this weekend. The hair cut part? Well...not so awesome. It deserves a post of its own, but you have been warned! Weepy, my baby is all grown up post is in queue.
6. You'd think I'd be OVERFLOWING with things to talk about since I haven't blogged in a month. You'd be wrong.
7. I ran into a die hard Cubs fan today at Wal-Mart. (I was wearing my (new!) Cubs shirt. It's not like he just walked up to me and asked if I was a Cubs fan.) Y'all, Cubs fans are EVERYWHERE. And they are all the same. They are all so hopeful that their team is going to get to the World Series someday. Bless their little hearts.
2. I was at my parents' house last week, which is a black hole of communication and technology. There is no internet. There is no cell phone reception. There is no cable. They don't even have a land line phone. It was frustrating, to say the least. But hey! I read a lot!
3. I know you've all been wondering how my running is going. I'm on Week 7 of my 10K training. I'm still really, really, really, really slow. But I keep going! I've just about convinced myself that I'm going to do the half marathon in November, even if I have to walk half of it.
4. Alex and I went to the gym together last night. We haven't done that yet because we are both weenies when it comes to leaving Jack at the child care center. I got stuck with the dirty job of actually LEAVING him there and he was none too pleased, but he wasn't crying, so we bolted. You know where this is going right? Guess whose workout was cut short due to a crying child? But! He totally only wanted me and refused to go to Alex. Favored parent status confirmed!
5. We also got Jack's hair cut on Wednesday, which also happened to be my 30th birthday. I have a post started on the awesomeness of my birthday and hopefully I'll get to finish it this weekend. The hair cut part? Well...not so awesome. It deserves a post of its own, but you have been warned! Weepy, my baby is all grown up post is in queue.
6. You'd think I'd be OVERFLOWING with things to talk about since I haven't blogged in a month. You'd be wrong.
7. I ran into a die hard Cubs fan today at Wal-Mart. (I was wearing my (new!) Cubs shirt. It's not like he just walked up to me and asked if I was a Cubs fan.) Y'all, Cubs fans are EVERYWHERE. And they are all the same. They are all so hopeful that their team is going to get to the World Series someday. Bless their little hearts.
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