Saturday, December 30, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
All I Want for Christmas is a.....
Is it a Bad Thing the baby is getting a wafflemaker for Christmas?
What? The Damn Dog (formerly known as Gunnar) managed to knock ours off the kitchen counter and break it into more pieces than even my masterful superglue abilities can repair.
And we need our waffles.
And I need gifts for the baby under the tree. She was getting rice cereal in her stocking but we had to break that out last night after I got tired of her staring at me while I consumed 12 lbs of rock-hard fudge. (Last week's to-do list included purchasing a new candy thermometer...overcooked fudge is chalky.) So we ripped the bow off the rice cereal and let her slurp some. She actually seemed to enjoy it.
I would write it in her baby book if she had one. Oh, that would be a great Christmas present IF I COULD FIND ONE. Yes, I live in a God-forsaken hick town but I can't even find a decent one on hallmark.com. WTF?
So I told my sister-in-law... only half-joking.... about getting the baby a wafflemaker for Christmas and she found me a deluxe Oster version on sale for about $50. What? No. We will be purchasing the $12 Target special.... the dog won't mind.
Hot Stuff's family is horrified by the gifts we're getting Darling Girl. We got Sweet Boy a new carseat for his first Christmas and various other things a new baby really needed. Darling Girl is getting some new sippy cups, pacis, a very cute storybook from her brother, a giant box of hand-me-down Little People stuff (from the amazing Elle), and a baby book... if I can find one. Am I making a mistake? Would a bit of additional retail therapy now prevent years of on-the-couch therapy later?
Oh, wait. Or is it that I'm feeling a wee bit envious of my well-off sister-in-law? The people who bought their daughter a $100 lego knight set and gave it to her in early December "just because." I don't have a problem with the way we give to our kids (1. They don't need all that commercial stuff and, 2. We can't stand the clutter.) EXCEPT when this little demon starts comparing what we give them to what their cousins get. My aunt used to talk about this kind of thing when her kids were little and had the same problem with their cousins. Maybe I should call her.
I shopped with the sis-in-law the weekend after Turkey day and she bought her kids a lot of stuff and she pushed me to buy for my kids. I didn't. For one thing.... if I'm going to spend money on things like books I will do it at the local Montana Book & Toy Company rather than Barnes & Noble. Prices are the same so why not shop locally if possible? Sis-in-law bought lots of toys for her kids.....I actually returned the Little People Garage I got for Sweet Boy when Elle offered me 1000 pieces of Little for the cost of postage. He is also getting a race car launcher thingy and the movie "Cars" from Santa, a box with some much-needed long underwear and some coloring/activity books in his stocking. Daddy got him a model Caterpillar tractor. Santa generally tends to be very into oral hygiene at our house..... stockings typically have new toothbrushes/paste and maybe something mama wouldn't normally splurge on... like Batman tattoo bandaids. Santa is a practical man.
But enough of me listing what I'm buying my kids to try to justify spending too much and/or not enough on them. Back to the original question.... is it bad that Darling Girl is getting a wafflemaker for Christmas??
What? The Damn Dog (formerly known as Gunnar) managed to knock ours off the kitchen counter and break it into more pieces than even my masterful superglue abilities can repair.
And we need our waffles.
And I need gifts for the baby under the tree. She was getting rice cereal in her stocking but we had to break that out last night after I got tired of her staring at me while I consumed 12 lbs of rock-hard fudge. (Last week's to-do list included purchasing a new candy thermometer...overcooked fudge is chalky.) So we ripped the bow off the rice cereal and let her slurp some. She actually seemed to enjoy it.
I would write it in her baby book if she had one. Oh, that would be a great Christmas present IF I COULD FIND ONE. Yes, I live in a God-forsaken hick town but I can't even find a decent one on hallmark.com. WTF?
So I told my sister-in-law... only half-joking.... about getting the baby a wafflemaker for Christmas and she found me a deluxe Oster version on sale for about $50. What? No. We will be purchasing the $12 Target special.... the dog won't mind.
Hot Stuff's family is horrified by the gifts we're getting Darling Girl. We got Sweet Boy a new carseat for his first Christmas and various other things a new baby really needed. Darling Girl is getting some new sippy cups, pacis, a very cute storybook from her brother, a giant box of hand-me-down Little People stuff (from the amazing Elle), and a baby book... if I can find one. Am I making a mistake? Would a bit of additional retail therapy now prevent years of on-the-couch therapy later?
Oh, wait. Or is it that I'm feeling a wee bit envious of my well-off sister-in-law? The people who bought their daughter a $100 lego knight set and gave it to her in early December "just because." I don't have a problem with the way we give to our kids (1. They don't need all that commercial stuff and, 2. We can't stand the clutter.) EXCEPT when this little demon starts comparing what we give them to what their cousins get. My aunt used to talk about this kind of thing when her kids were little and had the same problem with their cousins. Maybe I should call her.
I shopped with the sis-in-law the weekend after Turkey day and she bought her kids a lot of stuff and she pushed me to buy for my kids. I didn't. For one thing.... if I'm going to spend money on things like books I will do it at the local Montana Book & Toy Company rather than Barnes & Noble. Prices are the same so why not shop locally if possible? Sis-in-law bought lots of toys for her kids.....I actually returned the Little People Garage I got for Sweet Boy when Elle offered me 1000 pieces of Little for the cost of postage. He is also getting a race car launcher thingy and the movie "Cars" from Santa, a box with some much-needed long underwear and some coloring/activity books in his stocking. Daddy got him a model Caterpillar tractor. Santa generally tends to be very into oral hygiene at our house..... stockings typically have new toothbrushes/paste and maybe something mama wouldn't normally splurge on... like Batman tattoo bandaids. Santa is a practical man.
But enough of me listing what I'm buying my kids to try to justify spending too much and/or not enough on them. Back to the original question.... is it bad that Darling Girl is getting a wafflemaker for Christmas??
Popsicle weather....
I have pictures but I can't get them to load....
Yesterday was about 25-30 degrees F and sunny. I bundled the kids and we walked to the mailbox. Then we played with the sled on the ice in the yard. Darling Girl sat in her bouncy seat on the porch for a bit, then went in the dining room (just inside the door) while I sat in the sunshine with a big box of baby clothes from the shed and sorted them. Sweet Boy was playing in the yard and with his toys in the barn. We finally went inside because we were all getting hungry.
We were outside for over an hour.
I had on canvas pants and a fleece pull-over, a hat & gloves. Sweet Boy was wearing snowpants & a ski coat, stocking cap & mittens. Darling Girl had on her fleece snowsuit & a hat. Both kids had vaseline on their cheeks (frost nip is my biggest fear....).
Are we crazy or just climatized? I remember the first weekend it was below freezing and I thought I would DIE before spring. Now I'm out in below-freezing weather in a glorified sweatshirt? I've heard stories of guys at the South Pole cutting ice with no shirts on in 10 degree F weather..... and I love to think my kids are tough little buggers but playing trucks (you should see him try to push a toy wheel barrow over ice....) in freezing temps seems just a bit shy of insane to me....
Yesterday was about 25-30 degrees F and sunny. I bundled the kids and we walked to the mailbox. Then we played with the sled on the ice in the yard. Darling Girl sat in her bouncy seat on the porch for a bit, then went in the dining room (just inside the door) while I sat in the sunshine with a big box of baby clothes from the shed and sorted them. Sweet Boy was playing in the yard and with his toys in the barn. We finally went inside because we were all getting hungry.
We were outside for over an hour.
I had on canvas pants and a fleece pull-over, a hat & gloves. Sweet Boy was wearing snowpants & a ski coat, stocking cap & mittens. Darling Girl had on her fleece snowsuit & a hat. Both kids had vaseline on their cheeks (frost nip is my biggest fear....).
Are we crazy or just climatized? I remember the first weekend it was below freezing and I thought I would DIE before spring. Now I'm out in below-freezing weather in a glorified sweatshirt? I've heard stories of guys at the South Pole cutting ice with no shirts on in 10 degree F weather..... and I love to think my kids are tough little buggers but playing trucks (you should see him try to push a toy wheel barrow over ice....) in freezing temps seems just a bit shy of insane to me....
Where's the Kid?
Ok, this is pretty bad but my very first thought was, "Oh, I'm so glad that wasn't me....."
A Lunch Date
I know you think I'm just ignoring you but I'm not.....
Although I did have to make THREE (double) batches of fudge and buy a new candy thermometer (read: rock-hard, over-cooked fudge... but my sister will eat it) before I had rewards I deemed acceptable for the mail lady. Now maybe the crazy bitch will deliver our mail to our house instead of my in-laws....
And it isn't that I'm so terribly busy attending elegant affairs (I really wanted to say "soirees" but I'm not sure how to spell it...) this holiday season.... I'm not that popular.
It's just that we got a new COSTCO in Helena and I've been spending (and spending my free time) there.....
(Kidding, only kidding.... but I have gotten a lot of milk there and I'm fully stocked for toilet paper through 2010.....)
PS. For you comparison shoppers.... the only thing I've found so far that is significantly "cheaper elsewhere" is nicorette gum. The Target brand is $30-ish for 110 pieces and the Nicorette brand at CostCo is $62-ish for 190 pieces. And, so far, the gas has been consistently a nickel or more cheaper per gallon.... not sure that justifies the $50 membership but we've compromised by calling it a "mama date" and we shop then share a slice of cheesy pizza. (Imagine my surprise and delight to see $1.99/slice pizza after the nightmare of buying pizza in the airport with my dad.... at least now I know where to take him for lunch next time he is in town....)
Although I did have to make THREE (double) batches of fudge and buy a new candy thermometer (read: rock-hard, over-cooked fudge... but my sister will eat it) before I had rewards I deemed acceptable for the mail lady. Now maybe the crazy bitch will deliver our mail to our house instead of my in-laws....
And it isn't that I'm so terribly busy attending elegant affairs (I really wanted to say "soirees" but I'm not sure how to spell it...) this holiday season.... I'm not that popular.
It's just that we got a new COSTCO in Helena and I've been spending (and spending my free time) there.....
(Kidding, only kidding.... but I have gotten a lot of milk there and I'm fully stocked for toilet paper through 2010.....)
PS. For you comparison shoppers.... the only thing I've found so far that is significantly "cheaper elsewhere" is nicorette gum. The Target brand is $30-ish for 110 pieces and the Nicorette brand at CostCo is $62-ish for 190 pieces. And, so far, the gas has been consistently a nickel or more cheaper per gallon.... not sure that justifies the $50 membership but we've compromised by calling it a "mama date" and we shop then share a slice of cheesy pizza. (Imagine my surprise and delight to see $1.99/slice pizza after the nightmare of buying pizza in the airport with my dad.... at least now I know where to take him for lunch next time he is in town....)
Friday, December 08, 2006
True Blogger Disappointment
I'm so bummed. I had a perfect photo op and my hubby ERASED it.
It was in the shower. (Oh, you're getting excited now.)
Well, to be specific, it was written on the wall with dry-erase marker. (What, you don't keep a dry-erase in the shower??)
It started with an endearing note to my hubby before I left for a short trip. (As opposed to the usual half-finished grocery list scribbled on the wall....)
Then my brother wrote a note, "Please don't write things like this in the shower when I might be present and read it."
Then my sister wrote, "Yeah, seriously, ew."
Then someone who shall remain anonymous wrote, "Sex. Sex. Sex. Loud."
So what's the writing on your wall?
End of the Story.
It was in the shower. (Oh, you're getting excited now.)
Well, to be specific, it was written on the wall with dry-erase marker. (What, you don't keep a dry-erase in the shower??)
It started with an endearing note to my hubby before I left for a short trip. (As opposed to the usual half-finished grocery list scribbled on the wall....)
Then my brother wrote a note, "Please don't write things like this in the shower when I might be present and read it."
Then my sister wrote, "Yeah, seriously, ew."
Then someone who shall remain anonymous wrote, "Sex. Sex. Sex. Loud."
So what's the writing on your wall?
End of the Story.
Nadine Update
From Nadine's parents.....
To let you all know Nadine had her first post-chemo checkup today and Dr gave her the thumbs up !!!!!!! He did mention that this first year is the most critical and most heavily watched year. This means that Nadine will have regular check ups every other month for the next two years. Please keep her lifted up in your prayers. We have only begun the next part of this journey but with great friends giving us great support we will make it to the end. We would like to thank each and everyone of you for everything that you have done thus far. We would not be this far without you. God bless.
To let you all know Nadine had her first post-chemo checkup today and Dr gave her the thumbs up !!!!!!! He did mention that this first year is the most critical and most heavily watched year. This means that Nadine will have regular check ups every other month for the next two years. Please keep her lifted up in your prayers. We have only begun the next part of this journey but with great friends giving us great support we will make it to the end. We would like to thank each and everyone of you for everything that you have done thus far. We would not be this far without you. God bless.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Boobs on Parade....
Apparently there has been a flurry of discussion regarding breastfeeding in public. Blogging Baby has some links and stuff for the more intellectual of you out there....
All I can think when I see this particular photo (and I thought it when Abby whipped out her breast pump on ER a few weeks ago too) is.... don't you know it is easier to go up from the bottom when wearing a button-down shirt? Duh. Wear a bottom-snap maternity bra and go up from the bottom....
I nursed my babe in the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas this week.... the man sitting next to me (in the big cowboy hat & pink shirt) didn't have a CLUE what I was doing.
In the last week I've also nursed in the following places: United, Delta, Ted, SkyWest & Big Sky airlines, Salt Lake City airport, Denver airport, Billings airport, Helena airport, Las Vegas airport, Tony Roma's, Don Miguel's, The Sands Convention Center, several theaters & expo centers.... frankly, I was thrilled to be in a hotel room and finally home so we could NOT be so amazingly subtle in our nursing..... it's nice to just let it all hang out once in a while.
So, for your amusement, here is Homestead's Handy-Dandy guide to public breastfeeding.
Rule #1. If it is my house, it will be your problem. I don't go in another room to feed the babe when I'm in my own house. You don't want to see my boobie? Don't look. Generally speaking I will cover up with a blanket but let's face it... that's because I'm more concerned about my fat roll than the boob.
Rule #2. Plan for the event. I prefer bottom-snap bras. Motherhood no longer carries them but I think Target does. I hate fishing around my shoulder to hook a bra. For this weekend's trip I wore a lot of stretchy-knit t-shirts with vests over them. Easy to sneak a baby under a t-shirt and the vest covers the fat roll and also hides if you leak through a bra pad or if the bra pad gets squinched up or you don't have time to hook you bra.
Rule #3. Be as subtle as needed. I don't go for the dramatic blanket over the shoulder thing..... I just drape it over the baby's head and kinda tuck it under my arm. With SB I would often tuck it up and under my bra strap because he liked to grab the blanket and yank it off while eating.
Rule #4. Leave the paci in as long as possible. I like to have her sucking away on the paci while I get her in place, then just yank the paci and let her grab onto the boobie.... keeps her quiet and she's ready to suck.
Rule #5. The SLC airport has several private rooms (off the women's bathrooms) for nursing. It is nice when you are tired of being covert with the nursing thing.
Rule #6. The Billings airport has the nicest nursing lounge.
Rule #7. If your mother tries to be "helpful" and arrange the receiving blanket while you are getting ready to nurse I promise you will flash the world your tit at least once.
Rule #8. Be wary those little ladies who want to pull back the blanket and "take a peak at that sleeping angel"... you will either flash them or you have to say something like, "Angel on Boob. Warning. Angel on Boob."
Rule #9. No matter what, something you do will totally ook-out your brother.
Rule #10. All of these rules apply to babies who know what they are doing. I have a whole 'nother set of rules for just starting out with nursing.
So what do you think? Am I crazy to spend so much time posting about this tiny little microcosm of society? (Dude, how do you spell microcosm?) We, the nursing mamas.
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