Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Movies, Barbie and Shopping...

It was such a long weekend. I mean, not that I'm complaining. It just wore me out a bit. What was supposed to be a one night trip to the in-laws ended up being a two nighter. It was great though. Adrien loves his grandparents. I wish he was as happy all the time here as he is when we're there. I just wish he'd sleep a little better there. Oh well.

Friday night the in-laws watched Adrien for us so we could go out on a date. We are so cinema starved that we went all out and saw two movies. We had dinner first, of course. I was sad that traffic was too bad to make it to Chinese, but we settled on salads at Olive Garden instead. Eh. I still want the Chinese. The waitress brought me Coke instead of peach tea as a refill, and I'm still wanting my peach tea, too. I love that stuff. Oh well. A girl can't have it all.

We saw Chronicles of Narnia first and then we sat through Indiana Jones. Narnia was great! We're big nerds like that [big kids too], so we love that stuff. Although my husband has read all the Narnia books -- I, of course, have not. So I'd definitely recommend Narnia. It does have a few parts that are kind of heavy for young kids, but if they can handle a little death and destruction in battle scenes, go for it! [Disney movies are allowed to show someone getting their head chopped off?!? AWESOME!] They don't show anything too harsh. Indiana Jones, on the other hand, I could have done without. I mean, it was a decent movie...but really. It took them that long to come up with that story line? It was far fetched at best [even judging by the myths surrounding the actual crystal skulls] and the story line was really shoddy. Given that it is, after all, an Indiana Jones movie, I'll say it was just alright. I mean, you can't expect an epic of great proportions. One of Andi's friend's put it best as mildly entertaining. But that was it for me -- mild entertainment [coupled with extreme discomfort by theater chairs that recline at an odd angle].

My niece's birthday party was Saturday. Other than my sister in law [Aerobics Barbie], I don't think I've ever seen so many rail-thin women in my life. My niece was turning 5, and all of her friend's mothers seem to share the same sentiment about food as my SIL does: It's apparently evil, not to be touched with a ten foot pole. On top of it, I was really looking forward to the water activities planned for that afternoon...but after sizing up Barbie in her teeny tiny baby bump, no stretch mark having, pregnant in a bikini self, I decided to let everyone else have the fun. I wasn't plopping into my larger than life maternity swim suit next to that. Andi said it was sickening to see his SIL pregnant and bikini sporting. But I have to admit, if I still looked that good, I'd be wearing one too...that is if my stomach wasn't as big as it actually is. She, however, looks like she drank too much soda or something. Is there really a baby in there? I guess Barbie does come pregnant these days.

And now today I'm left doing things I really ought to have done yesterday had I not been awakened entirely too early by a sleep walking toddler who was apparently trying to get into our air vent. I'm making my shopping list...which I always think will be the death of me. I try the whole coupon thing -- really. But it's just exhausting. Endless research goes into what I put on my list, and I always end up feeling like I've penned the check for my final resting place. What goes on the list stays, and when I check out, I gotta pay! I mean, it's brutal really. I hate paying for groceries! Not to mention, I'm just too picky to buy all the crap food. Coupons don't come out for the organic stuff. Ugh. Here I go again...signing my life savings away to the food mart.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Such a complainer, I am.

Why I always feel like I have to cram as much "me-time" as possible into nap time is beyond me. Well not beyond. Let's face it -- when else do I get "me time"? Lately I've just been feeling a little gypped. All I have energy for is to lay down and take a nap myself. Quality me time? Sure. But every day? Seriously, there has to be something more quality than a nap. Granted, sleep is mucho importante -- especially when pregnant. But exciting? No. I wake up feeling like I've wasted all 2-3 hours of precious golden me-time with my eyes shut.

No! I feel like me time should be used...for useful things. Like...well, I'm not sure. But something. I have precious little time to explore my own interests as it is, and to be reduced as having my number one priority as sleep? Well it just makes me feel a little bland. Don't get me wrong, I know full well that resting is important. Here in a few months I'll be complaining that I don't have a chance to nap -- nor will I have the chance for long while coming.

A nap just seems so wasteful and lazy.

But here I go. To my bed. It's nap time, man. And I'm pooped.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Showers go green!

At the OB's office today, I happened upon an issue of this magazine. In it, there was an article about how to throw a Green Wedding. I'm long past that phase of life, but a friend of mine just offered to throw me a baby shower the other day. Wondering how I could incorporate a green concept into the little shindig, I Googled. This is what I found. Leave it to a celeb to do it first. Not that I thought I'd be the first, but you know...

The concept of a second baby shower is taboo to a lot of people. One of my friends in particular thinks it's just downright strange and not normal [direct quote], but I think she's warming to the idea a bit more since she's also expecting. Down here in the south it's commonplace to have a shower for nearly every child you have. I think people here just like to have a reason to get together and eat, actually. But to us, every child is a celebration -- and that's the way it should be. Now, I'm not saying you go out and have a huge bash for every successive child you shoot out of your hooha, but you know...a little acknowledgment for the kid is in order. I also don't think you should go and throw yourself a baby shower either. I mean, if it's your first -- go ahead. But when friends of mine started asking when my shower was going to be, I would just tell them flat out, I don't know. I'm not going to be like, "Hey buy me stuff..." And I still refuse to do that. Had my friend not offered the other day, I suppose I just flat out wouldn't be having a shower at all -- and that'd be fine too. So anyway, a second or successive baby shower is thrown on eggshells in my life, I suppose.

So anyway, thinking of ways to make my shower eco-friendly is just so darn exciting to me...but I feel like a few of the tips (like asking people to not wrap in wrapping paper) will just be a pain in their arse. I already feel a little awkward having this shower anyway, so I really don't want to ask too much of people. However, it's my shower and is it really being absolutely evil to be eco-friendly about it? I already feel a little like I may have to take the planning into my own hands. The friend that offered to throw it for me hasn't even responded to a email I sent her about it a few days back. Granted, she did tell me yesterday she in fact got the email. Her first offer was to throw the shower (which, she mentioned as "nothing big", fine in my book) the first weekend in June. I thought that was just a wee too soon, and have asked for second or third weekend options instead.

I guess what I'm getting at here is this: It's a second baby shower. It's not supposed to be anything big, so is it acceptable to have a theme like "eco-friendly"? And why do I feel like it will be putting my guests out. I don't want people to be like "She's so damn picky. Why's this a big deal?" But here's the thing: it is a big deal to me. Adrien wasn't a planned pregnancy...not that it means he was any less wanted than this baby is...but it is different. The shower I got for Adrien was not ideal (and I'm really trying not to come off as ungrateful). A friend of mine threw the part for me last time and it was held at my absolute least favorite restaurant. It was a "surprise" party (that I figured out) and I had zero say in what happened at it. My friend had some of those kitschy overdone shower games -- that I really detest -- and there was this creepy clown working at the restaurant that attempted to make me a balloon figurine of a pregnant woman...YES! Don't ask, it was the single most disturbing thing in my life so far [It came complete with fetus].

Blah, so anyway. Do you guys think it would be too much to have the whole shindig go down my way this time? I'm feeling a tad bit uneasy with my friend being as busy as she is and offering to throw this shower for me. I'm just so afraid that it's going to fall by the wayside and end up like my last shower. All I really want is one good, normal life experience.

But I don't want it to make me Miss Fussy-Ungrateful-Pants. Am I being that way?

Wordless Wednesdays: Outdoor Fun


Monday, May 19, 2008

Save the Planet; Kill the Ants!

So lately (and if you follow my Twitter -- and you should -- you may have noticed my complaints) I've been finding ants in my house. I'm generally a gracious hostess, but ants just have to go. Seriously. It's frustrating. At first I couldn't seem to figure out where they were coming from...and I still can't completely. I'd find a random two or three here or there. Everywhere. At first they were mostly in my kitchen in random spots -- a few on the countertop, a few on the floor...I even found a few random ones in my master bathroom. The bathroom was a real mystery since it's at the opposite end of the house from where the majority of the rest of them were (my kitchen).

So anyway, I was doing what I could. I'd smash the random few I found at any given point and end up finding some more in another place later. Then, yesterday, they were out in abundance...all over my kitchen counter. There would be three or four and I'd deal with those only to have three or four more replace them a short while later. Even with me sitting and watching the countertop they just seemed to be appearing out of thin air...but I think I finally figured out that they are coming from somewhere behind our dishwasher. I ran the dishwasher and I haven't seen any since. It had been a while since the thing had been turned on...and I guess the ants just flat out don't like the heat, noise or vibrations generated by the dishwasher. I haven't found any in the kitchen since.

This morning Adrien wanted me to play with him in his room. I noticed an ant running along a base board beside his bed. Upon closer inspection, I found quite a few ants. Once again I couldn't figure out where they were coming from. Damn things. One would be running one direction while another was going some other way. I told Adrien to stay out of his room. He kept saying "Room -- ouchie." [He's come to thing all bugs are "ouchie" and refers to them as such. When he was younger I'd just point out bugs and says "Those are ouchies, don't touch" so that I wouldn't find him playing with one of the lovely poisonous spiders or chasing one of the many wasps we have around here. So now, even lady bugs are "ouchie" to him. Fine with me.]

So I remember seeing a sign outside of a local organic lawn supply store the other day that was touting organic insecticides. I looked them up online and gave them a ring. I drove straight over to buy the stuff.



Apparently there's an organic orange-based household cleaner that is an ant deterrent. I also picked up some outdoor insecticide to spray around as well so that we could find the ant mounds outside and kill them there. Together I was out only around $30, which in my opinion is well worth it. Both are dillutable and so they should last quite a while. I came straight home and mixed some of the orange cleaner up and started attempting to clean Adrien's room so I could wipe down the base boards. By the time I got home all the ants were gone, so who knows where they went or where they came from, but hopefully they won't come back. Upon moving Adrien's bed, I did however find a nice little culprit -- a half eaten chunk of cereal bar...although there weren't any ants on it.

The orange cleaner also does a great job at cleaning the countertops! Since I was having an issue with the ants in the kitchen I just went ahead and wiped down all my countertops with the stuff.

I'm super excited about the outdoor insecticide as well. In addition to killing and repelling ants, it also works on spiders and a host of other nasty little creepy crawlies. I do so hate the creepy crawlies (namely ants and spiders). It will also be safe to use on the little container garden my Mom got me. That'll be nice since I found some rather large red ants trying to invade my planter a few days back.

And I'll leave you with this cute little picture of Adrien taken yesterday afternoon. We play barefoot in the backyard daily, so I just don't want any harmful insects tearing my baby's tootsies up. I also don't want any nasty chemicals out there.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

This Blog Sucks

So I'm trying to get in as much extra sleep as possible before the baby comes. And not that it's any excuse, but that's a huge reason why this blog hasn't been up-kept with as much finesse as it has been in months past. I mean, I do realize it's been lacking for quite a while -- did I even post for the entire month of December? I don't remember. There was one month that went missing. Anyway, this is my pathetic attempt -- in a roundabout way -- to say that my blog sucks lately. Seriously, it does.

I mean, who wants to read a blog with only one to two posts a week? I need to step it up, dude. And I will.

...right after I finish storing up my excess sleep for the long year ahead. This baby better sleep better than Adrien did. Oh wait -- any sleep at all would be an improvement. Adrien didn't sleep through the night until he was a year old. Seriously. I was a zombie for an entire year. That's hotness.

Other things that I think have lead to the decline of my blog is my lack of bitch. Do you remember a time when I was miss bitch? Hence the double entendre of my screenname -- b. Oh wait, you never got that? I had that whole anonymous comment bit and somehow I managed to back down a few months later. Nothing like some mean commenting to burst your blogger bubble.

On top of it, we all know I parted ways with my play group -- whom for some time held quite a place in my writing. I mean, what with all the character archetypes to be had and all. And who could forget Wholesome-living Guru? I mean, she was a classic for a while. But sadly, I've got not one left to make fun of now...and a constant stream of baby-blogging just bores the shit out of me. [And forgive me because I'm tired of sifting through my archives to find any Wholesome-living Guru posts to link to.]

So anyway, that's my laundry list of excuses for the apparently lacking of my blog. I think my blog is tired -- like one of those old ladies who hasn't changed her style of dress in decades. It needs a makeover.

My husband's a web designer...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

I got Mom-Butt

Sorry for the lack of updates. I was on my feet all day last Friday and Saturday either getting ready for the party or having the party. Seriously, it was like the party that wouldn't end. The official start time for it was 11:30. Friends came in around 11:30 or 12 that day, my Mom and stepdad came around 12:30 or so and Andi's family didn't show up until sometime after 2 or 3 that afternoon. Adrien didn't nap the entire day (why would he?), around 6pm or so we were looking for a way to keep him up a few more hours. My Mom suggested that maybe we go out to eat, so we did. Needless to say, my Mom didn't leave to go back home until after 8 that night. Seriously -- party that didn't end.

My Mother's Day went well! I didn't have to pack up and leave. My husband didn't really well this year -- unlike last year. I got a present from Adrien, one from Jude and one from him. I collect these little statues and the boys each "gave" me one. Adrien "got" me this one and Jude "got" me this one. Andi got me a $50 gift certificate to Motherhood Maternity. My Mom bought me a cherry tomato plant, some sweet basil and some mint along with a planter and some organic top soil. She loved her gifts, btw. She had no clue how cheap they were.

Mother's Day also happened to be my day to teach the "Godly Play" at church for the children. That's where the children aged kindergarten through sixth grade go when they leave the sanctuary after the children's sermon. It's basically a mini church service that's on the kid's level. I was so anxious about it. I'd been reassured that I would have two youth-aged helpers in the classroom with me. Low and behold, I didn't. I made it through just fine though. Piece of cake. Not that I want to do it again though. Not at all.

So anyway, I've been trying to recover from Adrien's party since we had it. I was on my feet so much that I've started to feel like my pelvis is splitting in two. I remember getting to some point in my pregnancy with Adrien and feeling like that, but I remember it being much further along than this. I think this baby's going to come out early. He's absolutely huge. At least I hope that's him making me so big. I hope it's not just me...who knows though. Pregnancy is the perfect disguise for a less than flat tummy. And mine was nowhere near flat to begin with. I think I see a tummy tuck somewhere in my future.

It's been raining for the majority of the week. Today there was a pause in the storms, so I took Adrien to the mall to play. We were caged up all day yesterday in the house because of the weather, so it was nice to get out. I was determined to leave the house today. Plus I've got the gift card to use. I ended spending like $13 off of it. I just refuse to pay so much for clothes I won't be able to wear much longer. Not to mention the fact that most of it doesn't fit me. All the shirts are too short for my humongous stomach. I already own the only pair of shorts from that store that don't give me total mom-butt syndrome. Maybe I'll just save the money on the card and buy some nice nursing tops or bras. I'll be able to get more use out of those. They have some cute nursing jammies there. I could always get some of those. It just always makes me nervous to shop in that place unless my favorite salesgirl is working. The store is so small and so jam packed with everything that you feel claustrophobic and followed. It's like a million and a half tie-in-the-back shirts have you backed into a corner demanding you revert to some sort of frumpy state of fashion.

I'm pooped. Think I'll go nap now.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Big Bouncy Birthday Bash





Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The potential of possibility

Sometimes I get so upset about life in general. Mostly, I just get so jealous of my husband. Is that normal? I don't know. I just get to where I feel like he has all these little "extras" in his life. He has a great career [whereby he actually uses his education and follows his dreams]. He has an iPhone. He has a laptop on loan to him from his job. He can decide to go buy himself new clothes with no guilt. He decides when he's going to do what, and with whom he's going to do it with. He has a wife who cooks for him. He has a wife who raises his kids. He has a wife who gives up a lot for everyone else in her life.

I just get so mad sometimes and I hold it all against him. Yes, I even hold his iPhone against him. I hold the money he gets to spend guilt free on whatever he deems appropriate against him. Why? Because I don't have that luxury. I feel guilty about everything. I live with guilt. And to get around it, I just give things up. I don't demand much...and the only extras I get are things like the extra few servings of brownies I eat throughout the day, or the few minutes here and there I steal to get online while Adrien's occupied during the day. I just bottle it all up I guess. And then I just end up letting it all out in little spurts...and when anyone asks what's wrong I say nothing.

So this is me admitting that I'm jealous of my husband and all the little things he has. Everything he has that I don't. It just pisses me off some days. What about all the stuff that I want?

Pssht. Want? What does that even mean? I relegate that to daydreaming about the potential of possibility.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Happy Happy Birthday!

Today was Adrien's second birthday. I can't believe he's two already! Seriously...where's the time go? By the time the next one is two, Adrien will be four! That's even more insane to me.

Andi took off work today for Adrien's birthday since he was gone all weekend. We originally planned on going to the zoo, but there was a 70% chance of rain in the forecast, so we opted for something indoors. And since Adrien's obsessed with fish, we thought we'd do an aquarium. Being such cheap skates, we opted for the $4/person aquarium here in town, as opposed to the $20/person one. I just figured it was cheap because it's owned by the zoo. No. No such luck. It was one room. With dimly lit tanks. They didn't even have all the tanks filled with fish. A good percentage of the tanks had "temporarily out of exhibit" signs on them. To top it off, half way through our little walk around the room, a huge group of high school kids came in and it was just too loud and crowded to enjoy what there was to see. Adrien did like the clown fish though. He got a kick out of Nemo.

After that we had lunch at Whataburger. Mmmmm. Their onion rings are phenomenal. Seriously, lunch was way better than the aquarium. After Adrien's nap we went out and picked up some stuff for his birthday party. Remind me why these things cost so much? It'll be fun though, so it will be worth it. I had to send reminder evites out today asking people to please not respond with a "maybe". We had a total of 17 people (counting adults and children) on the "maybe" list. That's just too big a margin. I need to know whether to have 10 favor bags and cupcakes or 20. I mean, there's a big difference there. So as it stands now, there actually aren't many kids coming to the party. But I'm totally cool with that because Adrien will get more time in the bounce house. We topped the day off with dinner at Olive Garden. Does it get any better than soup, salad and breadsticks? I think not.

My Mom didn't even call to tell Adrien happy birthday today. Well, she called...at 9:15 tonight. She was totally going to call earlier, but you know. It's all about her and how hectic her day was. She just had one of those days. Just ask her. Oh wait, you won't have to ask her, because she'd tell you before you even knew what hit you. She's one of those people. I actually think I might do a blog series about her this week...you know, with Mother's Day coming up and all. I've had some real peeves I want to blow off about my family lately. I think that might help. Oh, and my Mom just hopes that this is allergies she's getting...after all she'd just hate to miss Adrien's party on Saturday. But that's her -- always sick at the most convenient of times.

There were some positives today though. We were sorting some stuff at the house today during Adrien's nap and I found a box of souvenirs a friend had bought be a long time ago while he was deployed (yes, I'm speaking the military lingo). I've always collected foreign currency -- but mainly the coinage. He'd apparently seen it fit to get me nearly every bill available in Australia. I had a 100 AUD, 50 AUD, 20 AUD, 10 AUD and a 5 AUD. I checked the exchanged rate and took it to the bank. I made out really well! That was really nice of him! I mean, little does he know, but he's buying the new baby some stuff. Thanks, dude! Adrien had a good day, so that was good. He doesn't really know the extent of suckage caused by the aquarium trip. We also went to Target today, where I found a plethora or Mother's Day gifts for my Mom on the cheap side. I heart the dollar spot! She loves gardening, so I got her a spade, one of those three pronged hoe things, a set of garden gloves, a sun visor, shears, a matt for her knees and a package of "butterfly garden" seeds for just a few bucks. She better like it. But who knows, with her. Oh, and did I mention all the stuff matches? It's all color coordinated. If you haven't gotten your Mom anything yet, I'd say to check out the dollar crap at Target. I mean, what've you got to lose? Not money! You get a bunch of cheap stuff and throw it into a nice little basket, and SHAZAM! it looks fancy.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Must be the waffle fries

It was another exciting day in My-Husband-is-Out-of-Town Land. I went to the mall. Again. But this time, I shopped. Fret ye not! French fries and play time were to be had too.

Andi totally said it'd be okay to get some pants that fit. So I did. Well I got shorts. And two tank tops.

I had to go up a size from what I was wearing.

...and even my stretch marks are getting stretch marks.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Totally stimulating

Last week I went with a friend to a MOPS group to see this lady talk about children's brain development and how to stimulate their budding minds with outings. She was really interesting. I got some great ideas and info. She did, however, make a sideways comment on taking your kids to a mall play area for an outing. She said something like, "if that's your idea of an outing..." and something about "you can find something that doesn't involve french fries or red stuff to dip them in..."

Well, lady, I guess I'm just not that creative.

Today we went to the mall to play. And we ate (GASP!) french fries...with red stuff to dip them in. Actually, I dip my fries in yellow stuff, but that's beside the point. I just had to get out of the house. Over the course of the last few weeks, the outings Adrien and I take are mainly just to go grocery shopping and run general errands. Other than that, we (GASP! again) sit at home and mostly (yes, MOSTLY) play in the living room with the TV on. We do go out in the back yard. Sometimes. But you can only have so much fun in such a tiny space. I can only stand to dodge wasps and spiders for so long. And dammit if it hasn't been ridiculously hot out already this year. I'm having a hard time staying cool inside, so outside in humid 80 degree weather for too long is just out of the picture for this huge pregnant lady. So yes, today we went to the mall.

It was fun. The Chik fil-a was good. We had to leave the play area after about 20 minutes or so though because (as usual) Adrien decides it's a fun game to run out of the play area and into the mall so that I chase him. He did it twice, and on the third run out, we left and went home. That's okay, it was nap time anyway.

The cardiologist put me on an Alpha/Beta blocker not too long back. Because of travel, etc. I didn't get the prescription filled until this week. Two doses in, I had to stop taking it. It was making me jittery and my hands were shaking. On top of it, the fact that some online information stated that the medicine had not been found safe for use in pregnancy was unsettling to me. All information I read on the drug said that it should only be used in pregnancy when absolutely necessary. So then it's strange to me that when I called my cardiologist to ask about my horrible side effects, he said to stop taking it because I wasn't taking it for any "safety" hazards. Meaning, it wasn't a life or death matter. So why was I on the medicine to begin with? Oh well. The last dose I took was yesterday morning (it's a twice a day drug), and I still woke up this morning feeling dizzy. I feel a little dizzy now, actually. Oh well, it's a relief that I'm not on it, I just wish there was a safe and effective way to make my heart act right. So goes life...

Andi's leaving town again this weekend. He leaves early in the morning to drive 8 hours away with a bunch of guys from church for a men's conference. There's no doubt he'll have a ton of fun...but I'll be stuck at home by my lonesome for three days. He won't be returning until late Sunday. I'm definitely not looking forward to those three days. But again...so goes life...

Monday is Adrien's birthday. Andi took Monday off to celebrate Adrien's birthday since he'll be gone all weekend. I don't know what we're going to do yet. We may go to the zoo or something like that. I want to do something exciting and out of the ordinary. That lady would be proud of me -- I'm sure zoos rank high on her list of stimulating activities.

Adrien's birthday party will be next Saturday. We did the cliche thing: got a bounce house. We'll have hot dogs. There will be cake. Some friends of mine from my wee schooldays will be coming into town to visit that weekend too!

And dammit, if my husband neglects Mother's day again this year, I may have to pack up and leave...at least temporarily anyway. Nothing's ever made me feel so shitty as last year's Mother's day. My husband had told me that he "didn't realize it was so important." Pssh. Well I'm getting all teary eyed just thinking about that.

Blah.

OH and joy of all joys, my sister in law (Aerobics Barbie) just found out she's having a boy too. In September. Let's give a big cheer for the comparisons that will be made about our two kids. However, on the up side: she did NOT want a boy...so the discomfort she feels over that small matter is very exciting to me. I know, shame on me. I think they're planning to name the poor kid Jackson Cheslie (yes, Cheslie is the middle name). Not that I don't think Jackson's a cute name (I totally do), it's just that she informed me that she (under no circumstances) wants the kid to be called Jack for short. She'd rather have him called JC. Poor kid, he'll forever be confused with a boy band member.

I think I'll have to call him Jack.