Wondering where it all went--

In the past few weeks, Ethan has gone from inchworming around to crawling to pulling himself up one everything and scooting around. He hates to be fed and insists on feeding himself. He had pizza and fruit for lunch; last night for dinner, he ate bites of chicken, sweet potatoes and peas. He's been a bit grumpy lately but I think that's mostly due to teething. He's not a baby anymore; he's almost a toddler. Again, let me reiterate that it happens too fast.

I'm also wondering where the year went. We did get the addition finished, but we never cleaned up the backyard. We never built the bookshelves or finished the painting touch-ups. We haven't decorated the new bedrooms with any artwork at all. And now we need to have the washer fixed, take care of the Subaru and move our stuff out of storage (speaking of storage, we never put a shed in the backyard). And then there's my own personal list-- I haven't lost the rest of the baby weight; I haven't completed the paperwork for my recertification; I haven't done the application to transfer my master's from a focus in Liberal Studies to Children's Lit. I need another good month or two in 2008 to get it all done (and a few thousand dollars).

I'm wondering where my old life went. I am thankful for such a happy and healthy baby boy, but some of my relationships and friendships have changed so dramatically. I guess I should have expected as much, but I was hopeful it wouldn't be that way. There are some people that can't, or don't want, to deal with the way I've had to make plans. Usually, I need notice to schedule a sitter and I was only getting at-the-moment invites. Now, from some friends, I don't get invitations at all. I've learned that friendships can take much more effort after a baby. I have also found that they can be that much more rewarding.

So here's a toast to 2008, in case I don't make it back to blog before it's gone. And here's another toast to all of the goodness 2009 will bring-- first birthdays, 29th birthdays (4th and 39th birthdays, too!), to working on bettering myself and to supporting those I love in their endeavors.

Cupcakery

So I'm sort of up-and-running! Well, at least in the sense that there's a blogspot now for PBandK Cupcakery:
www.pbandkcupcakery.blogspot.com

I'm baking tomorrow for my little bro's 15th bday and maybe for a friend's bridal shower this spring. One of my coworkers who used to do wedding cakes and catering back in the day is joining up with me and she'll be doing wedding/event cakes and teaching me the ropes. We also have connections with a floral designer and a photographer, so we could sort of be a one-stop shop! Please pass the word on!

Six Work Days Left

Only six days until our winter break and I'm hoping to make it. I'm teaching the Phantom Tollbooth right now, which I love, and I'm using google.docs in a way that I hope is interesting and effective for my students, but it doesn't matter, really. Everyone is all keyed up and just counting down the days until we're out. December has flown by. But who I am kidding? This whole year has flown by.
If only the next two weeks will follow suit, I'll be work free for two weeks and ready to enjoy Christmas here with my family and a trip to Kansas to see J's family!

Dough (or batter, as the case may be).

We are hard up in this economic crunch and so, I am looking to make some more dough. I've always wanted to have my own bakery/cafe-ish and with the help of a friend who used to own her own catering business, I'm attempting to do some small scale baking. I need to get my name out and do some baking-- anyone need cupcakes for an upcoming party or birthday? My buttercream is delish!

In boyz updates, Ethan is officially crawling. For real, hands and knees crawling (like he wasn't fast enough). He's also pulling himself up to standing and you can see the idea of letting go pass across his face. Oh, and did I mention that he's signed and said "Dada," and is regularly signing "milk" when he wants to nurse? Good grief. It's all come at once and it doesn't show any signs of stopping.

Jason has his first gig in months this Friday. He's a little nervous but I think excited too to be getting back in limelight.

We're close to our trip to Kansas, just three weeks. Halsey cannot wait to fly on an airplane. Jason can't wait to spend uninteruppted days with his family. It really is flatter than a pancake out there, but I adore his family and it will be nice to spend some time with them and let them get to know Ethan.

Hit me up if you need some cupcakes. :)

One More Thing to be Thankful for!

Thanks for letting me know that you guys are out there, reading! I appreciate it. :)

Thank*Full.

2008 has been an incredible year and I have so many things to be thankful for. Here's a short list:
-My baby, my Ethan. Becoming a mother has been the most incredible experience of my lifetime. I can still so clearly recall the early hours of March 4th and what it was like when they put him into my arms for the first time-- I have never felt such an overwhelming love. My heart felt like it would barely fit into my chest it was so full of love. And now, he's this playful, smiling, energetic baby (who, by the way, is now saying "goggie!" all the time!). I am so lucky to be Ethan's mom.
-Halsey and Jason. My love for them only continues to grow. Halsey is a smart and sensitive boy, just like his dad. Jason is truly my best friend. He is supportive of me and is so thoughtful. I am thankful to have married my best best friend.
-Susan as Ethan's caretaker. He adores her and she loves him, which made transitioning back to work easy.
-My family. We are so different and I've felt like the proverbial black sheep for years, but I know they love me and I know they support me (even if I forget it sometimes).
-My friends. Despite all of the changes we go through-- the challenges and the uplifting times-- and despite how hard it is to get together sometimes, I know that they are there for me. It's so comforting to have people you know you can call on when you're having a hard time who will support you and that are the same people you can call on to share great news. In this area, I am truly blessed.
-Our home. It was only ten months ago that our tiny ol' general store that barely held two people, much less four, became a three bedroom, two bath house (in Salem, nonetheless). Now, our family fits.
-Community School. How many people get to go to a job that is so exciting and fulfilling? I may not make a lot of money, but I am happy at work. I love my students; I love finding new ways to share reading and writing with them; I love my coworkers.

I could go on and on-- I am thankful for books, for pens and paper, for caffeine(!!), for taking walks and holding hands, for second-hand stores, for a potential new side job, for music, for comfy pajama pants, for nursing Ethan at nine months and still going strong, for Dillon and Sawyer (even though they're both nuts), for Jon and Kate Plus 8, for biscuits with honey, for carpooling, for Barack Obama and the hope he brings to our country, for Sunday night wings and for all of the love and happiness that is in my life.

The Lowdown

1. I am thinking in lists, so bare with me.
2. We are broker than broke. It's bad. I'm currently looking for a second job; anyone know anything available?
3. We're doing really well on our greening. We've used way less paper towels in the past month or so. My newest goal is to make sure that at least half our our dinners every week are meat-free. It will be cheaper, better for the Earth and will hopefully encourage us to look away from meat as our entree and incorporate some healthier meals. Last night was a good example. I took a quart of roasted red pepper and tomato soup, added some mini bowtie pasta, some frozen spinach and a can of white beans for a tasty and hearty dinner soup. I'm recipe hunting now.
4. Jason has been working so hard these past few weeks. He's home now, asleep on the couch, but it's just nice to have him home.
5. I'm going to see Twilight tomorrow night! Yay! I started book four yesterday and (excuse teenage type here) OMG! I never saw this one coming!

Alas, warm cookies call me from the oven. If anyone-- anyone at all-- reads this, please let me know. Really, the writing is for me, but I am curious if anyone else out there is reading. Thanks!

Scrapblog Badges

Green Your Routine Challenge

Just wanted to share this with everyone. I've joined an email group that offers suggestions on ways to "green my routine" every week. Here are the two challenges I'm working on now:

1. Drink Organic Juices, etc.
We drink a lot of juice at our house and I've started cutting all of it with water. I feel like that helps all of us get less sugar and more water. I've recently starting drinking Kagome juices (I buy them at Kroger). It's a fruit and veggie juice with more than just tomato juice (like in V8) or orange veggie juices (like in the Juicy Juice Harvests). I still cut it with water. :)
Here's a link to the challenge if you're interested:
http://www.ivillage.com/greencommchall/0,,dmj6p12x,00.html?nlcid=xf%7C11-12-2008%7C

2. The No Waste (or Low Waste) Lunchbox.
This one is hard for us. I've lost my lunchbox and money is too tight right now to buy a new one, but Jason and I both are using plastic bags to carry our lunches in. I worry less about Jason losing a plastic bag then I would about him losing a nice lunchbox. We reuse baggies and have switched over to glass containers for food that will be microwaved. I'm still bringing in Lean Cuisine meals some days, but we recycle the cardboard (at home, any cardboard packaging gets used for art projects!). I'm really working on this one, though. I feel like it's so much better for me to pack a lunch and it's much better for the Earth if I can get to a place where I'm creating zero waste.

Anyone else wanna play along?

Happy birthday, Jason!

Today is Jason's 38th birthday! Despite his hectic work schedule, we were able to spend yesterday with all of our friends for the first annual Wing and Beer Tour-- Jason's request for his birthday party. About 15 of us traveled to several Roanoke restaurants to judge chicken wings and beer. We were full by stop 3 but muddled through. We all had a great time and at some point, I'll post pictures.

I feel mostly rested today. Jason had to work all day, so Ethan and I took out pizza for him and the guys. I was able to come home and take a nap all cuddled up next to my baby, so that helped. This week looks like it might turn out all right. Tomorrow, I'm taking some of my students to the opening ceremony of the Angel Tree at the mall and hopefully, Jason will be off on Friday and we're planning on going to the brand new art museum. On Saturday, we hope to get most of our Christmas shopping done and on Sunday, go to a soup and wine lunch at a local winery.

Is it Thursday yet?

8 Months and Counting

As of yesterday, the most incredible election day in my memory, Ethan is 8 months old. We went to the doctor last Friday for what they referred to as his six month appointment, but because we're delaying vaccines, we're off their schedule. We saw a different doctor and I really liked her; she was much more understanding and supportive of our choices and offered suggestions for us. He weighed 19lbs and was 27.5 inches long, so he's up 12lbs and 8 inches from birth. He's not quite crawling yet, but he's on the verge. He gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth. He loves Susan and I don't worry about him at all while I'm at work. She takes such good care of him; I think I'm definitely much more effective at work because of that situation.

And just a quick note on the election-- I am so, so proud of our country and particularly our state today. I have never cared much for politics, but Barack Obama is such an honest man who truly seems to care about the best for the majority of our country. I hope our next four years are thousands times better than the last eight. Hope everyone had a great Election Day!

Here a few Halloween pictures to share with you!

It's been a long time (now I'm coming back home).

Or something like that. One guess-- what song am I referencing?

Moving on, I haven't written in awhile because I've barely had time to breathe, much less indulge myself with writing. Life is mostly good here at the Hill House. Halsey is obsessed with the Hulk; Ethan is on the verge of crawling; Jason is working ridiculous hours (and is managing to make some awesome family movies on his laptop); I am working and trying to keep up. My brain is in constant overdrive and I am very thankful to only be working four days a week. I truly feel like I get a weekend and am usually ready to go back to work on Mondays. I'm excited about what we're doing in school and feel fortunate to have a career that makes me feel so satisfied.

A little more about the boys. Halsey is 3 and a half going on 17. I keep forgetting to write down some of the funny things he's saying: he always wants me to play his favorite songs on my iPot; when we go swimming at the Y, he insists to Jason that you DIE in the pool (even though we tell him we'd prefer he'd DIVE in). I busted him twice this weekend digging through the freezer and going to the microwave, attempting to make a hot pocket. He insists on ice cream after dinner every night (we don't usually give into this, but will offer him a frozen yogurt stick). He's asking for a remote controlled spider for Christmas this year and was thrilled when he saw one at Target (now Santa will have no trouble with that request!). He also really wants the Hulk hands, which Jason and I have agreed to NOT buy (they only encourage hitting and he does enough of that). Susan overheard him on the pretend phone yesterday, "talking" to Daddy and saying politely, "Daddy, if you're good, you'll get me those Hulk hands." Maybe the remote controlled spider will distract him? Maybe.
Ethan is two days shy of being 8 months old. At his doctor appointment on Friday, he was 19lbs and 27 1/2 inches. We saw a new doctor and she was great; much more supportive of our decision to do our own vaccine schedule and didn't even care that he sleeps in the bed with us! He scoots around on his belly with ease these days; if there's something he wants, he goes for it. When I try to put him down now, he goes to his hands and knees and rocks a little, so crawling is right around the corner. I'm excited for that but nervous for that, too. I mean, I'm exhausted now-- what's going to happen when he's even more mobile?
Halloween was fun; it was great to take H.Bomb trick-or-treating. He was-- surprise, surprise-- the Hulk and Jason made a turtle shell for Ethan. We had some friends over on Saturday; I made my signature pumpkin soup and mini caramel apple bites (I am obsessed with all things miniature). Today was a long day and I'm almost glad it's Monday. We'll be celebrating Jason's 38th birthday next weekend with a Wing Tour! He'll be in heaven-- wings and beer and football all day long. :) I'll be the D.D.

I'll be back for a picture post sometime this week.

Cheers!

Ch-ch-changes

Forgive me if this seems a little disjointed; I'm still on painkillers from my surgery on Thursday.
I just felt the need to "jot" down some things before I forget them; one day, I'll print out this blog since I seem to write here more often than in my real journal.

Things I Don't Want to Forget
1. Ethan's babbling has really changed in the past few days. He's repeating sounds, "mamamamama," "dadadadada," and others. It's much more conversational that it's been in the past and it's constant. He always has something to say. :) (I guess he gets that from both of us, huh?) He's sitting up better now, although he still topples over. We recieved a Johnny Jump Up as a gift and he's still figuring it out. He spent the night with my parents for the first time on Thursday night (I was still recovering). Mom said he did great; he was happy and talkative, he ate well, slept well and she can't wait to have him for an sleepover again. Le sigh. Although, this means that Jason and I are going to try to have a night for just the two of us sometime in November and I won't worry (much) about the baby.
2. Jason has been working very diligently on making home movies on his computer. He uses clips from our videos and pictures, mixes them up and sets them to music and they are incredible. It's so sweet and thoughtful and almost always makes me cry. I love that he's just as sentimental as I am; it's part of what makes us such a good match. He's also been cooking a lot recently, something he loves to do and that he finds relaxing. He made some awesome potato soup on Thursday, stewed beans today-- I feel really fortunate to have married a man who enjoys cooking the way he does.
3. Halsey is going to the "Hook," for Halloween (read: the Hulk). He is terribly afraid of the monsters under the bed and the witches in the bathroom, but I guess this is what happens when you're 3. The Hulk, he says, can scare off any of those scary things. We all went swimming at the Y last week; he always says he's going to "die" in the pool, but he means DIVE. He gets so angry when we correct him, but this is one we feel like we need to correct. Afterall, it's totally cool if he wants to DIVE in the pool, but we are not okay with him dying in the pool. The other cute word mix-up he's doing right now is iPot. He always asks us to play "Roll, Baby, Roll" on our iPot. This one we encourage.
4. Our fur babies are slowly losing their minds. Neither one has adjusted to the new life so well. Sawyer is usually banished outside because she's been leaving her scent all over our house. And Dillon... poor Heavy D. I really think he's got doggy OCD. He's snapping at invisible flies, constantly scratching himself. It's almost sad to watch. We're thinking of taking him to Six Wags Dog Park to help him run off some of that nervous energy.
5. It's October! I've really come to love fall, which is a new thing for me. But the yummy smells, the yummy treats, the cool weather and changing colors. I love the celebrations and the fact that cooler weather means more snuggling. Hopefully I'll update with some pictures and share all of our celebrations with the few readers out there.

Seriously October.

I am so glad that autumn is here. Cooler weather means dressing in layers; it means apples and pumkins and delicious baking projects; it means trips to pumpkin patches and buddling up for our evening walks. Halsey, not surprisingly, is going to the Hulk this year. He's really interested in and simultaneously afraid of Halloween and "scary" things. Apparently, we have a "very scary bear" who lives in our house, along with some monsters under the bed (the funny thing is that under H's bed are just drawers for his clothes). Ethan will be seven months old on Satuday. He's rolling around all over the place right now, his primary mode of transportation. Crawling is coming very soon and that means we need to go get a babygate asap. We're doing family pictures again soon, with our favorite photographer Tracy, up at Johnson's farm and I think that will be the highlight of my October. I love pictures and capturing those moments.
I really love fall; the older I get, the more it soothes my soul.

Chabbange*

For the month of October, Jason and I will be doing our best to write down all of our expenses and our meals, snacks, etc. We're joining Susan and her beau in this venture; they're doing it for preparation purposes and we're doing it because we need to get a better handle on where our money goes and what we're putting into our bodies. While we do okay, both of us could be in better shape, physically and financially. I'll do my best to update here and let you know how it's going. Anyone care to play along?




*Chabbange=challenge. When I was a freshman, my science teacher wrote an entire test around the word "chabbange," which started with a story about one of his students who fictiously ran into a brick wall and the brick dust mixed up with spit and it came out "chabbange." The story is probably better if I tell you in person (or even better if you were actually there). Ask me and I'll tell.

Sunday Already

I think we (meaning, Halsey, Ethan and myself) spent more time with Jason this weekend than we have in a long time. He only had to go into work late last night and then for a few hours today. We spent the whole day together yesterday. We went to the co-op in the morning, then walked over to the Family Fall Fun Festival thing over at the farmer's market, then we all took naps (!!). After that, we met up with Mom and Finn out at Layman Farms and finally, had dinner with Susan and Patrick. It was an incredibly busy day but a good day and I was glad we finally got the spend some time together.
Today was Dad's birthday and we just made a late lunch here at our house to celebrate. We bought all kinds of goodies to make pressed sammies and Mom made homemade frosting for German chocolate cupcakes-- so good!
And now, Ethan is sleeping in his crib for the first time at night. He's been taking naps there, but we generally co-sleep. I think it's just hard on me right now. I think that he's been waking up at night because he here's us coming in and getting ready for bed. So now he's in the crib and we'll see how our night goes.

It's just a few days until autumn.

And I am thankful. Ethan and I took a walk this evening after dinner and the air was warm but felt a bit crisp. I'm looking forward to taking lunchtime walks on Fridays; we haven't done it much recently because it's been so hot and humid. We've been walking a lot these past few weeks, mostly after dinner. We usually walk up to the library and then bop into the coffee shop across the street. It's the coffee shop I used to work at when I was in college; the same one where I met some of the people I love most in this life (and now two of the people are marrying each other!). I'm sad, though, because there's been a change in managers and it seems the store is going downhill. The products aren't as great as they used to be (more prepackaged, less fresh) and the service is less than desirable. Salem is a very small town and there are lots of "regulars" that we've gotten to know and because it is such a small town, we all run into each other outside of the coffee shop and we all share conspiratorial looks with one another and mutter under our breaths about how it's just not what it used to be, le sigh. Over the summer, a locally owned car wash and an antique store on Main Street were torn down and now there's a big empty lot, just waiting to be filled. Normally, I'm against tearing down one building only to build another, but I'm so hoping that they build a new coffee shop, something more like Mojo (a very hip coffee shop over on Brambleton). Keep your fingers crossed we get something good.

The boys are doing great. Halsey loves preschool. Jason says that every morning, he confidently hangs up his jacket and backpack in his cubbie and runs over to the computer with two of his friends. He's been talking a lot about the computers; he's convinced that there's a ghost from one of the games that is in our house. Bedtime has become a bit more challenging recently, but I think once we get past Halloween we'll be okay. Ethan is continuing with his speed-growing, or at least that's how it seems to me. He's six and a half months old now. He's eating lunch and dinner; we still have started breakfast. While he can sit up for a few seconds, I'm waiting until he can sit for longer periods of time before we start breakfast. He's doing great with Susan, who keeps him the four days I'm at work. He reaches out for her in the mornings and it makes me feel so good to know that he obviously feels safe and loved in her care. It's all a mother could ask for, really. Work is going well, for me at least. I really do love teaching. I have so many students who were such apathetic readers who have blossomed into voracious readers and come to thank me for that and I am reminded why I wanted to be a teacher in the first place. Jason's job is keeping him busy and that's putting it mildly. We're hoping that things slow down here as the weather changes.

But overall, life is good. We have plans to visit pumpkin farms, maybe pick some apples, drink warm cider, wear costumes for as much of October as possible and enjoy each other's company. October is looking to be a good month.

Half Way There--

Happy Half Birthday 9/4/08

Ethan is six months old today; halfway to his first birthday. There are times when I’m astonished at the fact that my teeny baby is now six months old and other times when I can barely remember a time without him. He loves his pets; Dillon and Sawyer can always make him giggle. He loves to “pet” them; while he occasionally gets a fistful of fur, he’s learning to rub them gently. Being outside is his cure-all. No matter what is wrong, simply stepping outside and spending some time on the porch swing or taking a walk around the block makes life great again. He prefers green veggies to just about anything else—except bananas. Freshly mashed bananas are still his number one. He’s almost sitting up on his own now, though he inevitably leans over to put his toes into his mouth. As of yesterday, he has “fangs.” His two bottom teeth have both broken through his gums and those suckers are sharp! He has the sweetest baby giggle and absolutely adores his brother and his dad. When he smiles, it’s with his whole face—his eyebrows lift, his cheeks round out and the corners of his mouth turn up so much. He has my hairline; the Wilhelm cowlick. The most recent development that has me head over heels for him all over again is that he reaches out for one of us. I have never felt so loved.
I can’t believe he is on his way to crawling and walking, to eating what we eat, to talking. I can’t believe he is growing so quickly. I love him more than I ever thought I could love another person and it truly does grow more each day.

Happy Half-Birthday, Turtle. We more than love you.

It's almost my new bedtime.

Just wanted to touch base, though. I've been reading Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions, and it's phenomenal, just like her other books (Bird by Bird being one of my favorites). It's about her son's first year; at age 34ish, she got pregnant by a man who left and so she raised her son alone. But not really *alone* but with her village. In an early chapter, she writes so vividly about the love a parent has for his or her child. I won't quote her directly but she writes about how she used to think that she could handle whatever life could throw at her-- sickness, death, disease-- and come out okay even if bruised on the other side. But there's one thing she could not survive and that is losing her child. This idea rang so true inside of me. I've been handed some fairly crappy cards in this life and I've gotten through just fine; while I wish some events hadn't happened or at least had happened differently, they shaped me and I like the person I've become. But if something were to ever happen to Ethan-- that's just not something I think I could ever get past.

Wow. That's a downer, huh? Her book isn't all gloom; it's really quite witty and entertaining and true. Anne Lamott writes the true things that we all think somewhere deep down and I appreciate her for it. She writes the way I wish I could.

Today was my third day at work and it's so bad. Being with Ethan and having such an extended break has been nice, but it's good to be back, too. I feel academic again. I feel creative. Plus, I can eat lunch with two hands and pee whenever I feel like it. :) It's easy to see how we take such things for granted, but I won't anymore!

Survived.

Today was my first day back at work; it went a lot better than I had anticipated. I didn't even cry (much to my own surprise). Of course, it helped that J. brought E. out for lunch and will do so for the rest of the week (except tomorrow). It is hard being away from him, but I feel fortunate to have been home for six months. I feel like this next step is one that we're both ready for.

Also, have you read Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions? So very good. My next post will be about the book.

Until then, sweet dreams. I'm going to bed before 11pm!

I'm Attempting

Okay, so this my latest attempt to upload and share pictures with the few of you who read this. These are all from August; some are just us hanging out around the house; there are a few from our trip to Richmond and then just some random ones. The last two are from today, my I-have-to-go-back-to-work haircut. I hope this worked out!

Lists

I'm too scatterbrained right now to think in complete sentences, so here are some lists.

Things Ethan Loves
His dad.
Bananas, carrots and surprisingly peas
The theme song to "Yes, Dear."
Dillon and Rosco (in general, dogs, but these are his favs)
Shoving anything and everything into his mouth.
Rides in the stroller
Naps with Mom.

Things Ethan Does NOT Love
His carseat.
Sweet potatoes (he may look like me, but this kid did not get my palate).
Baths (sometimes)
Not having something to put in his mouth.
Napping on his own.

Things I Love
My boys.
My new living room.
The hydrangeas my husband brought me yesterday.
My Jeep, even though Jason has been the one driving it and he does NOT love it.
Ebay, Amazon and online shopping in general.
Baking

Things I Do NOT Love
Knowing that I only have 13 days until I go back to work.
Our internet connection being weird.
My current jaw pain
Not being able to fall asleep until at least 10pm.

I have some great pictures to share; it's just a matter of finding the time to upload and transfer. Maybe tomorrow?

One Hand!

Lots of stuff going on at our house! We took a mini-vacay last week; made over the livingroom, baby is teething, celebrated 3 birthdays. I've got a lot of pictures to share but that will have to wait until later, when I have two hands. August 25th, the day I go back to work, is fast aaproaching and I'm very sad. Ethan will be in good hands, though.
And now I'm trying to get baby to nap on his own... wish me luck!

A Promise to you, The Reader.

Argh, the post I just tried to post disappeared, so the gist of it was I'm so sorry that all I ever start with is "oh my baby is growing so fast; he's almost ____ old." I promise to find a new way to begin my blogs, hopefully with something more exciting.

Shh, shh, shh, baby sound asleep.

It's the only time I get a chance to write these days, when the baby is sleeping. Quick updates. Ethan will be five months old come Monday. He's been eating solids now for about three weeks; we started with brown rice cereal, then bananas (his favorite), sweet potatoes and most recently, avocado. He'll eat just about anything as long as it's mixed with bananas. I know I say it (write it?) all the time, but it's amazing how fast the time has gone by. I look at pictures of him when he was brand new and cry now; I barely recognize that baby. Don't get me wrong; who he is now is fabulous. The smiles, the giggles, the way he holds onto me, or lights up when he sees his dad or brother-- his personality shines through more and more every day. Every day I find myself wanting to savor every minute, wishing I could remember it forever. And now I'm tearing up, so moving on.

We're doing some crafty housework these days. We tore up the gawd-awful carpet in the living room to find the original pine floors underneath. After briefly considering putting down bamboo floors, we decided instead to just sand and seal what we had. So last night, our was filled with the fumes of polyurethane and much to our dismay, it made the floors look horrific. Jason will be sanding again tomorrow, in hopes to bring it back to how it looked before. Next week, we'll paint the walls and he'll build shelves for all of my books! Also next week, before the shelf-building, we're taking a mini-vacation to Richmond. We're taking the boys to King's Dominion for two days and then to the Children's Museum one day. It will be nice to spend that time together and I'll be able to ride some roller coasters. Really, that's what I'm most excited about.

And now I'm going to try again to post some pictures from this past weekend in Winston Salem. My friend Kelley got married, and because Jason had a gig, Whitney came along to help out with Ethan. Thank goodness she was there; I'm not sure I could ever be a single parent.

One from last week; Ethan snuggled up in his favorite blanket:


Sweet potato 'stache:


Lily Tomlin Chair:


Ethan, Max and me!




Okay; I officially suck at uploading pictures onto this blog. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. But anyway, there are a ton more on my webshots page, so check that out. And if you're in or near Winston-Salem anytime soon, I highly recommend the Children's Museum. Of course, you should take a kid with you. I mean, we took an almost five month old, and looked a little funny, but whatever works. And then you should walk around the corner to Mary's, Of Course, a delicious little restaurant that serves local goods and makes the most awesome oatmeal brownies.

And Another Thin(g)

I've recently become obsessed with the idea of children's museums. Next weekend, we're taking a mini-vacation to Richmond with both boys and my folks. We'll do two half days at King's Dominion, but I'm most excited about taking them to the Children's Museum of Richmond. And this weekend, I'm down in Winston-Salem, where I've discovered they also have a children's museum. This is where we're going tomorrow. I know Ethan is too young to really play, but I want to explore and see if it will be worth a Friday trip in a few months when he's more mobile. I'm already dreaming up a place in Roanoke/Salem, where I can run a children's library and reading programs as my next potential job. Let me know if there's anyone who wants to help get one going, or just fund us.

Think, Think, Think.

Recently, I've found myself turning off the radio and the iPod in the car while I'm driving. I've found the quietness to be much more effective for processing, and I really enjoy listening to Ethan's coos, giggles and sighs.
I've had a lot to think about these days. I go back to work in just about a month-- actually, a month from today. That means Ethan is almost five months old. Where did the past five months go? Five months ago, I was pregnant and round and laboring on and off and now, I'm laying next to my very soft and cuddily baby boy. I've been thinking a lot about how I'm going to handle teaching and being a mom and squeeze in a workout, not to mention time for Jason and me, time with my friends and family and some time just for me. It's a bit daunting, despite the fact that I know so many women who do it successfully.
I've been thinking a lot about the kind of person I want to be/hope I am. I've been trying to be more deliberate in my words and actions. I hope that when I encounter people, I leave behind a positive feeling. Today, Jason and I went to lunch; we just needed to spend some time together. Our waitress was very sweet; she was young and enthusiastic and helpful. She engaged us in coversation; made suggestions; complimented our baby. As Jason was paying the check, I went and found a manager, just to let him know how wonderful she had been. I think far too often we focus on and voice our opinions on things we don't like rather than the things we do like and appreciate. Before we had even left, her manager had passed on the compliment to her and Jason and both walked out feeling like we had left their days a little better than before. It sounds cheesy, but I still like the Girl Scout motto-- leave things better than you found them.
And in my thinking tonight, I'll be thinking about Randy Pausch and his family. Randy is the Carnegie-Mellon professor who wrote The Last Lecture. He passed away today. Here's a link to an article about him:
And if you haven't read his book, The Last Lecture, you should. It will definitely make you think.

The cliche is true; kids grow so quickly. Our search for childcare has ended (I hope; fingers crossed). Until the deal is sealed, I won't write out the details, but it's the third best thing (next to one of us, or a grandparent). It will really make me feel more secure about going back to work.
Ethan is 4 1/2 months old today. Four and a half months! There are times when I remember being pregnant like it was yesterday. I can still clearly recall the day he was born and it makes me sad that one day those details will become fuzzy. He started eating brown rice cereal two weeks ago and he's mostly liked it. The other day we started bananas. He loves bananas! I mush about 1/3 of one up in the food mill and thin it out with a little breastmilk and he goes to town. Next up is sweet potatoes and then maybe pears or some squash. I have to admit that I'm pretty excited about this latest development. Is it sad that I'm looking forward to a weekend night at home, pureeing and making baby food? I mean, two years ago my weekend nights were all generally spent in bars listening to music, usually closing the place down. Now, it's almost 11pm as I type this and I think it's super late.
And Halsey. Halsey who looks more and more like his dad everytime I see him. Halsey who makes me-- all of us, really-- laugh when he tilts his head to the side and says, "It will be fun," so matter of factly. Halsey who is obsessed with helicopters and guitars, who loves to draw on the sidewalk with chalk and who is a great conversationalist. Most recently, he's been learning about safety around the house. He can open the front door by himself and has been known to slip out oh-so-quietly (he's never made it farther than the front porch before he's busted). We've talked about how he can only go outside with an adult. He can only cross the street when he's holding hands with an adult. He can (fill in the blank) with an adult. Of course, in three-year old speak, he says "I can only go outside with a dult." With a dult. How cute is that? These are things I hope we never forget.

Backyard Campout

Remember when I wrote about Jason being the best dad in the whole wide world? Here are some pictures to prove it. The boys' backyard campout, 2008!

Cereal Killer

So today was the big day-- we started Ethan on cereal. We had originally planned to wait until he was 5, 5 1/2 months, to get him used to it before he starts going full time to the sitter. But I just knew he was ready. He sits up with support, he can take 7 ounces or more of pumped milk and he's so interested in watching us eat. At times, he'll study us and then move his hands back and forth to his mouth. So tonight we tried the brown rice cereal and he did great! He loved it. I can't believe he's eating cereal; he is growing up way too quickly. His personality is really starting to develop, too. He loves music (his favorite song is the "Yes, Dear" theme song. It makes him giggle every single time). We can tell now when he wants to be a part of everything or when he'd rather spend some time on his own. He's discovered his feet and is fascinated with them. In a few weeks, we're going to Richmond and we'll visit the Children's Museum there and I'm looking forward to both of the boys experiencing that. I think one of the greatest things about being a parent is introducing them to new experiences and being a part of their growth and learning.

And now, some pictures!

My Boys.

Just notes:
-Ethan is four months old, as of Friday. These four months have gone by more quickly than any time before. I wish I could videotape every moment; I don't ever want to forget how soft his skin is, how fresh he always smells to me, the peachfuzz on his shoulder, the sound of his giggle or of his cry (it still sounds like a kitten to me). I don't ever want to forget the way he nuzzles into my neck when he's tired, or the way he loves to sit outside and swing or how much he loves music. I just don't ever want to forget. (And now I'm crying).
-Halsey suddenly no longer seems like a toddler to me; he's a boy. He's a preschooler. He's so observant and so sweet. He always tells me he loves me, he loves to hold and kiss Ethan, he adores Jason. His laugh is contagious. Ever since our neighbors put up tents in the their backyards (we think for out-of-town guests), Halsey has been obsessed with camping. So today, he and Jason went to store and bought supplies for a backyard campout. They set up the tent, built a fire, roasted hotdogs and made smores. They're outside now, sleeping. I hope Halsey has incredible memories of the times he and his dad spend together.
-Jason, my number one. Tomorrow is our one year anniversary and I am thankful for our relationship. He is a great husband, an incredible father, and a best friend. I'm looking forward to many, many more anniversaries.

And pictures will be updated as soon as I can find some more time. It's harder to get and stay organized these days, but I'll get them up soon. :)

One Year Ago.

One year ago today, I was at Adam and Whitney's rehearsal dinner. Earlier that day, that morning, was when I got my positive pregnancy test. It's been a year and now, I have a baby who is will be four months old at the end of this week. Jason and I were trying to get pregnant, but I remember feeling so overwhelmed when I saw the two pink lines. The first trimester was hard, in a lot of ways but things got a lot better about halfway through. At the end, I barely slept and felt big and round, but never felt horrible. And then there was this baby, my Ethan. I never knew my heart could feel as big and full as it did the minute I looked down at him. I fell even more in love with Jason. I felt a sense of connection and understanding with all other mothers.
He'll be four months old on Friday, the 4th. He's smiling and laughing now; his personality is really starting to shine through. And whatever I felt before, a year ago, is nothing compared to the love I feel now.

Not Forever.

On our way home from the beach, Halsey started crying without explanation. Finally, through the tears (the sobs, really) he managed to tell me that his toe hurt. Earlier, he had cut part of his big toe and there was a piece of skin hanging on, which he had just yanked off. There was some minor bleeding, but we all know how much those small injuries hurt. He pleaded with me, "Trina, make it stop hurting. Make it stop." Of course I couldn't, but how do you explain to a three year old that bandaids don't always take away pain? I just looked at him and told him that sometimes, things have to hurt but it never lasts forever. It hurts for awhile and then it goes away. He obviously didn't get the big idea there-- that as people, we have all kinds of hurts that bandaids would never heal. He still had some tears in his eyes, but trusted me. I told him he could put some pressure on it and that eventually it would stop hurting, that it wouldn't be forever.
Several hours later, after naps and dinner and potty break, I had assumed he had forgotten about his toe. He hadn't (this kid never forgets anything). He looked up at me with his big blue eyes all lit up and said, "Trina, it stopped hurting! It didn't stay forever."
It never does.

The Week*End Review

Last week, we went down to Topsail Island with my family for a little vacay. I'm not really a beach person. I don't like humidity or sand or sticky sea water. I do like to get a bit of tan, though. We stayed on the sound (again this year) and I really enjoy that. It's a cozy little neighborhood and we can walk to a few restaurants and shops. Here are some pictures:





Boo!! It's taking forever to upload pictures on blogspot! Go here and check out all of the pictures of our beach trip and my ten year high school reunion:
http://community.webshots.com/album/563702571MHQzdS?vhost=community

2X2

So now, two car trips with two kids down, I have noticed a few things:
1. Portable DVD players are great, but not necessary. The Kansas trip would have been much longer without it, but we were sans DVDs for the beach trip and it wasn't so bad.
2. Sleeping in a car always makes me sore.
3. Cracker Barrel is the most family friendly restuarant with the one exception of being able to breastfeed. I did it, but endured a few glares.
4. Too many gas stations, restaurants and right-off-the-highway stores do NOT have changing tables, which I feel should be mandatory.

And now Ethan is awake and ready to eat. More later!

Finally!

Ethan started rolling over this week, while we were at the beach! At first, we would just discover him at night. We'd put him down to sleep and he'd wake up crying because he had rolled over and woke himself up. Jason actually got to see him roll over; then my mom, but never me. We got in late last night and this morning, I put him down in the cosleeper on his belly and slowly but surely, he rolled over! I keep telling him that I want him to slow down because I need to savor every minute, but I'm simultaneously so excited to watch him grow.

Also, I'll post pictures of our trip sometime this weekend. Halsey had a great time hanging out with my brother and his friend; Ethan got lots of quality time with my parents and Jason and I both got some sun. (It is good to be home, though).

More later!

Vacation!

Is it bad that I'm still checking in with what I can via interweb while I'm on vacation? Maybe, but then writing is calming for me, so whatev. Here we are, at Topsail Island, NC. It's absolutely wonderful here. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not really a beach person (the heat; the sand; the stickiness of the ocean), but I really do enjoy this place. It's never crowded and the house we rent is great because it's not two blocks to the oceans (and restaurants and shops), but it's on the sound, so the water is right here. The boys have spent a ton of time fishing (I'm actually watching Jason and Halsey fish right now; Ethan just went to bed). There's a thunderstorm brewing, which makes me happy. Ethan went to the beach for the first time ever last night; he was surprised (I think) at the ocean water. We waited until 7:00pm to take him out; I don't want to take any risks with him in the sun, so we've been inside a lot. My mom has spent a lot of time with him, too, which has been good. He doesn't spend as much time with her (or my dad) as my nephew does because they all live a lot closer, so spending a week together is great bonding time. She's been pushing me to get out in the sun-- "you need a tan! look how pale you are! don't put 45 SPF on; that's too much!" Not advice you think you'd hear from a mom, huh?
I've brought and finished Randy Pausch's Last Lecture book. It was phenomenal. Very moving and sentimental without being overly focused on his diagnosis. I loved it and feel very uplifted now that I've read it. I also feel the need to go back and highlight parts I really liked, which is my tell-tale sign of really loving a book. Now I've got a few magazines to skim through, which makes me insanely happy. I'm a bit of a magazine addict and gave myself permission to buy 3 to bring down with me.
The only thing I've fallen in love with down here is a new store called LunaPops. They make very cool popsicles in small batches and they have two sizes (child size and regular). Child-size ones are perfect to let you taste several flavors. I think this their site (if it's not, just google it): www.lunapops.com
And now I'm going to try and use the last bit of daylight to read the latest Mothering magazine. :)

Mom Jeans

We all know someone who wears mom-jeans, right? Usually, a mom (forgive me for sounding redudant but being a mom isn't necessarily a pre-req for wearing mom jeans), or someone a bit older and/or lacking a minimum of fashion sense. I love her, but my own mom is guilty of wearing mom jeans (although I will say that her fashion sense is improving with age). I have never worn mom jeans. The very idea of anything tapered on my oversized hourglass figure is enough to send me running to the hills (which may cause the oversized part to be less so, so maybe that's not the worse idea ever...). But while I have not fallen victim to the mom jeans since becoming an actual mother, I have given in to other "mom" fashions. Here's my guilty-of list:
1. Sweats and t-shirts make up most of my wardrobe. I'm home a lot; why would I go the extra mile and wear clothes with zippers, buttons and other such cumbersome additions? Isn't it enough that I take a shower every day? I thought I'd gotten a good deal when I found v-neck t-shirts at KMart for $4 a piece. I bought four of them, in different colors. I then found a similiar, but softer version, at Target of which I bought two. They are my favorite things to wear.
2. I now buy clothes at Walmart, Kmart, etc. Not that I was ever a big spender on clothes, but I used to shop at the mall. Then, I got older and had more bills to pay and so Target became my haven. It wasn't like I was a snob; I just never really considered other places for clothes. But then I had a baby and my money had to go to other places (like clothes to fit him as he seemingly changes sizes every two weeks or so) and now, Target is where I buy my "nice" clothes (see number 1, my "softer" tees).
3. I feel a need to cut my hair. I know lots!!! of moms who, after having children, cut their hair short. I always swore this was something I would never do, as I feel my long hair was youthful and plus, my husband loves it. But now, I pull my hair up just about everyday because if I don't, it gets pulled on. Or if I'm lucky, I get spit-up in my hair. I know I'm a mom and should expect such things, but it seriously grosses me out. If my hair were shorter, this wouldn't be an issue. So it's on the maybe-to-do list.
4. So long, perfume! I used to smell really good everyday. But Ethan really knows my scent and I know (or at least, I read) that it's comforting to him. And I don't really want to overwhelm his tiny (always congested) nose, so I've given up on my daily spritz of White Musk. When Jason gets ready for work every morning, he always dabs on some smell-good and so when he leans in to kiss me goodbye, I get a good whiff of it and I get jealous. Not because I think he's getting all gussied up for some girls at work, but because I used to smell nice, too. Now I just sweat. A lot.
5. Half skirt; half shorts. This is the big one; I've fallen in love with skorts. They give me the cuteness of a skirt with the practicality of shorts. It's the best of both worlds! I only wear the ones that look like skirts from the front and back, though, so you only my know my little secret if I choose to divulge it (which I always do because I'm so excited to show off my skort). I've convinced a few others to come the way of the skort and yesterday, one friend said that she, too, was bragging on her new skort and a student said, "yeah, my mom wears those."

So I guess it's official, then, huh? I. am. old. (and I don't mind).

Leave it to Oprah.

I've been doing a lot of thinking recently about the kind of person I am and the kind of person I want to be. I've always tried to be a good person, but there's nothing like a big life change to really get me moving. Becoming a mother has done just that. I look at Ethan and want to be the best role model for him that I can possibly be; I want him to be proud of his mom.
Other things get me thinking, too. I've given up Law and Order SVU to watch the new season of Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days. I know that may sound cheesy, but this one hour a week really gets me to think about new things that I don't normally focus on. This show opens my horizons and helps me to be more of an empathetic person. I wish I could thank Morgan in person for that.
And today on Oprah, there was a Dr. Oz special on death. Sounded a bit creepy to me when I heard the show's title, but I watched it anyway. Kris Carr was on, the woman behind the documentary (and book) crazysexycancer. She was amazing on the show; so real, so open and so honest about her life and her ideas. She had more life in her, after having recieved essentially a death sentence, than just about anyone I've ever met. And then there was Randy Pausch, the professor who's "last lecture," has been sent around the world. He did a shortened version of it on the show and I cried. Find it on the internet and watch it or go get his book. It was truly one of the most moving things I have ever seen.
And then, a quote I found years ago on a notecard at some store in Floyd, has been coming back to me a lot recently:
"Perhaps grace is realizing that it's not all about you. Perhaps grace is knowing that people are doing what they're doing for their own reasons, not yours."
This, I think, is my own personal battle (or at least part of it). I tend to take a lot on from other people, a lot that isn't given to me. If someone is upset, my first assumption is to assume it's something I did. I think, what can I do to make it better (even if I have no idea what the "it" is), or how can I just make this other person happy with me. But you know, it isn't about me. What other people are doing, are feeling, are thinking-- chances are it's not about me. It's not that I'm self-centered, I think I just have this desire to "fix" things. Now don't get me wrong; I know I've hurt people (usually unintentionally) and when I have, I do want to make it better, and I usually will make that effort when I've been made known when something is wrong. But the problem is that I tend to assume there's a problem with me when it maybe just be something someone else is dealing with and needs to deal with on their own.
But I digress. I've always wanted to be a good person. My friends make me want to be a good friend, because I am thankful for their friendships. Being with Jason makes me want to be a better Katrina; since I've been with him, I've felt so much more comfortable in my own skin, which in turn has allowed me to be, I think (hope?) a better me. And now becoming a mom-- this next step in discovering other ways to be a better friend, a better coworker, a better teacher, a better daughter, a better granddaughter, a better wife, a better mom. Again, cheesy but true: life truly is about the journey.

Links you may be interested in:
crazy.sexy.cancer http://www.crazysexycancer.com/
Randy Pausch http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

I should be sleeping...

Ethan is growing up too quickly.

I bought a Bumbo today. I looked all over town for a blue or green or yellow or orange one, but it seems only lilac Bumbos ship to Roanoke, so here he is, in his purple chair. I really wanted one to take to the beach next week; I can't wait to hear what my dad says about it! My dad gave me a hard time during Christmas when we bought Halsey a baby doll, but when I pointed out that if we had a girl, we wouldn't hesitate to buy her trucks or tools, he conceded. :)

This past week, I entered a photo contest. The theme of the contest is "Moving," and I uploaded several photos. My interpretation of moving is not necessarily a physical movement, but more emotional. Here are the pictures I entered:







It's a Nikon contest, so google it and feel free to go vote for one of these pictures starting on Monday!

three.

Ethan was officially three months old yesterday. I can't believe it. He's not my teeny newborn anymore. He holds up his head and smiles and talks to us. He's sleeping in 6 hour stretches at night. He loves to be up and involved with whatever is going on. I simultaneously am looking forward to him sitting up, crawling, eating solid foods, walking-- so much, but I also don't want him to change so quickly. While it's definitely been a stretch for us financially, I'm so glad I've been able to be home with him.

I promise I do more than just make Scrapblogs...

Another One

My second Scrapblog page!

Things I Love.

*This is in no particular order.

1. Sarah Jessica Parker (I'm watching The Family Stone right now; the movie is meh, but she is hilarious!)
2. cupcakes.
3. digital scrapbooking
4. bookstores.
5. journals, but they can't be too fancy or else I feel like I have to write something moving in them and often, I just write crap.
6. children's lit
7. snuggling with dillon.
8. good soups.
9. ice cream.
10. thunderstorms.
11. 30 Days with Morgan Spurlock
12. America's Best Dance Crew
13. spending time with my girls.
14. touching feet with Jason at night in bed.
15. snuggling with Jason and Ethan.
16. taking evening walks with the boys.
17. walking to the coffeeshop on lazy weekend mornings.
18. Ethan's smiles and coos.
19. When Jason holds my hand.
20. Most anything that Jason cooks.
21. Jason, Halsey and Ethan.
22. My family.
23. Taking pictures.
24. teaching.
25. eating popcorn and junior mints at a movie.
26. finding a surprise $5 in my pocket.
27. making lists.

Oh Happy Day!

I've always been a wannabe scrapbooker, but found all of the supplies too tedious to keep up with. Then, there was the invention of digital scrapbooking, but alas, while I have Photoshop, I'm not so good at using it and I can't afford to invest in one of the snazzy yet expensive scrapbooking programs. But, oh happy day, I've discovered Scrapblog and I am in heaven.

Also, 30 Days with Morgan Spurlock may be the best show in the history of the world.

Planning Already.

I'll turn 29 next February. Is it bad that I'm already planning my birthday party? :)

Birthdays are my favorite; I think celebrations should always be big. I've had great birthday celebrations over the past few years, but I think I've finally hit the age where it is more appropriate for me to host a party rather than expecting (hoping?) people will shell out money for dinner, drinks, etc. So, I'm planning already. Who cares that it's another 9 months away...

Time Flies.

My baby is 3 months old. I'm amazed at how fast he's grown and how much I love him. Night before last, he refused to go to bed on his own. I'd lay him down in his cosleeper and he just wasn't having it. I ended up just keeping him in the bed with us. But last night was great. He fell asleep around 9:15pm, slept soundly in the cosleeper until 3:45am when he woke up for a snack, and then went right back to sleep. I was able to get into the shower at 7:00am and lay back down. He didn't wake up until 8:00am, when he nursed and we napped for another half an hour. And now, he's content in his swing while we "talk." Also, I'm fairly certain he's teething, or pre-teething or something like that. He's always liked to suck on his hands but they are constantly in his mouth and he's gnawing on everything! And the drool-- oh, the drool. But he's so cute, my little turtle.

Attached.

For the first few weeks of his life, Ethan slept in the bed with us (despite the criticism I'd heard). I tried to put him down into a cosleeper that we were borrowing, but he just wouldn't sleep unless he was snuggled right up next to one of us. Around six weeks, he would sleep easy in the cosleeper, but when he woke up for a second nighttime/early morning feeding, around 4 or 5am, I would just put him in the bed with us. And he always napped with me, nestled into my arms, every morning. But right now, he's napping in his cosleeper by himself. I'm a little sad, knowing that while he used to only be able to sleep nestled in next to me, he's okay by himself now.

Cosleeping is a cornerstone of attachment parenting, something I've been doing some reading on. I had heard of AP before I was ever pregnant, having friends who follow the ideas. And we do a lot of 'techniques' (is that what you call them?). We cosleep, I breastfeed, we babycarry, we don't impose our schedule on him, but have allowed him to develop his own and we sort of fall into that. And so far, so good. I did have a fear of some of these things; so many people want to tell you that catering to an infant will spoil him, but I just don't buy it. Of course, as he gets older, some things will change, but I feel confident in my maternal instincts, that I'll just know how to raise my boy. I'm fortunate that I have a husband who believes the same things, so we support one another. I like being so attached.

There's No Place Like Home.

We got home late last night from Kansas. We had hoped to stop and take the boys to a museum or something, but the huge thunderstorms really set us back. Our only stops were to eat (Bob Evans, I have decided, is way better than Cracker Barrel). And we all finally got the best night's sleep in over a week.
It's good to be home.

Late nights are for pondering?

I am currently sitting in a dark hotel room, listening to my three boys snore (or just very loudly breathing while they sleep). We just spent the past week in Kansas. The reason we were there is sad; my husband's grandma wasn't doing well, so we packed up the car, loaded in the boys and drove 18 hours so he could be with her. We got there just in time, on Wednesday evening. She past away in the early hours of Thursday.
But the trip itself wasn't sad. We live minutes away from my family, but 18 hours away from my husband's. He has two brothers whom he's close to and only gets to see them maybe once or twice a year. So the trip was a great time for him to catch up and spend some time with his family, eating at his favorite local restaurant, joking back and forth with his dad (just fyi, my blog title is in homage to my husband and his family; they can come up with the wittiest puns at the drop of a dime and I'm a bit jealous of this talent but hope our boys inherit it), drinking beers and playing guitar with his brothers.
*Edited. I took out a bunch of rambling, but the gist was that I am envious of how close Jason and his brothers are and were growing up. Also, I pondered on friendships and how the affect me.
Maybe I've been on the road too long and just need to stop thinking and get some sleep.

Like I Need Another Blog.

I'll be the first to admit that when I jumped on the blog bandwagon a few years ago, it was because, as a wannabe writer, I thought it would be a good way to get my ideas and written word out to the public. That was a big fat HA. Nobody reads random blogs these days.

Well, nobody but me. I seek out blogs, mostly because it satisifies some voyeuristic nature I have hidden deep down inside. And so, I write a new blog-- apart from the diaryland one I started with and the MySpace one that I mostly keep up with. I'm starting fresh because a lot of things in my life have changed over the past year (namely, I got married and just had a baby) and I want to write about those things without anyone (read: those who subscribe to my MySpace, which I started when I was a much more single, much more party-going girl) feeling obligated to read or comment. Not that I don't want people to read; I just don't want to overwhelm anyone with the mush.

So we'll see how this goes. We'll see how often I actually post; if anyone will actually read. Cross your fingers.