In Case You Didn't Know...Christmas is Coming.

Since Baby Ween has come on the scene many of the events of our lives happen whether I'm ready for them or not. This year Christmas is one of those events. We got the tree up early in December but never really got around to decorating it. I had almost decided it was a waste of time to hang ornaments this close to Christmas but I gave in last Monday night (12/15) and hung about 15 ornaments. I didn't get the cards in the mail until last Friday (12/19), but most should arrive before Santa does. I was out of wrapping paper when I went to wrap the gifts, so I had to go to Target on Saturday (12/20) to get what I needed. Right now the stocking are still empty but I'm hoping to find things to stuff them with tomorrow (12/23).

I don't think I've ever been this behind the holiday eight-ball before. But none of the hub-bub matters to Baby Ween. She's been enjoying the tree and gets upset when it isn't plugged in. She LOVES the electric train my mom has around her tree and plays engineer every time she's there. She has decided she likes cookies, real ones, not those animal crackers we've been calling "cookies" all this time. Chocolate chip, sugar cookies with sprinkles you name it she loves them. She also loves the two stuffed snowmen that used to sit on either side of our fireplace. Right now one of them is stuffed in the kitchen cabinet where she keeps her favorite toys and the other is in her bed so she can sleep with him along with Penguin, Chilly (the other penguin), teddy and bunny.

I imagine I will complete all my chores before Christmas morning rolls around and the show will go on. It just won't be exactly the way I envisioned it.

Merry Christmas to All.

The Soon-to-be First Family...

I work for a racist. This is not a shock to me, not by a long shot. But I'm finding it harder to stomach all the time. He makes rude remarks because he thinks he's being funny. Kind of like Chase Utley thinking he was funny when he dropped the f-bomb during his World Series speech.

I don't have a problem if you have different politcal views then me. What I have a problem with is ignorance and disrespect. Even John McCain can appreciate the calibur of man that Barrack Obama is and the way he engaged people and got them to vote. It's just a shame he didn't run his campaign that way. He tried, like everyday Americans, to make people afraid of Obama. A coworker asked what I "knew" about Obama, how I could vote for him when "we didn't know anything about him". I asked what he "knew" about McCain. Well he's a war hero and a long time Senator. So that makes him a safe choice? I didn't think we were a country formed on being safe. Wouldn't the safe thing have been to stay under British rule instead of breaking out on our own?

I'm not about fear - I don't abide by people using their religion or any other means to scare the populus into doing something. It worked for George Bush after 9-11. If you don't give up some personal freedoms the terrorists are going to come back. People said okay - it's called the Patriot Act. Elizabeth Dole tried it in this election to hold onto her Senate seat. She claimed her opponent was in the pockets of the "Godless Americans" group. Elizabeth Dole lost her seat because enough people saw through what she was trying to do. Unfortunately, a fair share most certainly believed her.

I don't know what's ahead for the next four years but perhaps we've opened some minds. Perhaps we've finally put to bed the notion that white men are the only people who can run this country.

Age 29, A Fine Time to Retire...

My cowboy boyfriend Justin McBride has announced that he will be retiring from bull riding after the World Finals this year. I guess when you make $5,018,529.24 for 10 years of work you can do that. He's the reason I liked to watch bull riding. Not only was he easy on the eyes, but he had mad skills when it came to riding. It just won't be the same without him.

The Pumpkin Patch

We took Baby Ween to the pumpkin patch this weekend.
We told her to "Eye, Eye" the pumpkin (which is our baby
speak for "hug the pumpkin") and she did it in such a totally
cute way that a foreign exchange college student from Lehigh
took her picture too.

A Scrappin We Will Go...

Last weekend was "Croptoberfest" for my local Creative Memories consultant so I went to her two day event at a local church. There I was able to scrap from 6:30 to Midnight on Friday and 8:30 to 4:30 on Saturday. I've gone to this event a time or two before but this time was most productive. I finished or almost finished 19 pages. Some for Elizabeth's first year book and some for our Family Calendar Book for 2007. I still have plenty to do and new projects are flying into my head all the time. I feel I'm doing a much better job being organized this year so I'm hoping to continue my productivity into the winter and maybe get started on our Family Calendar book for 2008. It is October 2008 after all, I'd better get busy.

Cowboy Boots & Hats Invade Atlantic City....

I gave Matt tickets to see Brooks & Dunn in Atlantic City for his birthday back in May. The concert was last Friday and the only disappointing part was that they only played for an hour and a half. They could sing for days on the material they have. I would have been happier with two hours but as Matt pointed out, they are getting old. Ronnie Dunn seemed to be nursing his voice along a little bit at times and he botched the words to "It's Getting Better All the Time" during their little acoustic set. But I'm willing to overlook that.

They sang old favorites like "Brand New Man", "My Maria", "Lost & Found", "Boot Scootin Boogie", "Mama Don't Get Dressed Up For Nothing", "Rock My World Little Country Girl" & "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone".

They played "Cowboy Town" and "Put A Girl In It" from their new album. Much of the show was very similar to previous concerts of their's that we've seen but I enjoy them every time.

James Otto opened for them and I had no idea who he was. I've heard his music on the radio but I have never seen him. What was most amusing about him was he came out wearing these girl sunglasses as Matt would say and during the first or second song he did something that knocked them off his face. Then he had to play the rest of the show without them. I think he looked better with them on. He also kept telling everyone to stand up, which got annoying after a while. I paid $75 for my seat and my ass is going to be in it. I'm not 22 anymore.

All in all a great show and a great night. I think I will put a private show by Brooks & Dunn on the list of things I want when I become filthy rich.

I'm the Sad Blob...

I started this week with such high hopes. I'd had a lovely visit with friends from college on Sunday. After talking with them I was happy. I was going to try and relax about all the things I worry about and just get on with enjoying my family and my life.

Then I came to work Monday morning and our one and only designer, whom I work wonderfully well with together, told me he was quitting. In the time it took to absorb this news a horrific thought came to mind...they are going to bring back the awful designer who'd been my nemisis. The sales/design relationship has been great the last two years I couldn't bear the thought of going back to the way it was. I guess my stomach couldn't bear it either because around 4:00pm I started with terrible stomach pains. It just went on and on. I could barely drive home and seriously thought I was going to die. Well after 4 hours in the ER and IV dose acid killers I was back at home trying to think happy thoughts.

I had another attack last night, right before crawling into bed. Mercifully it only lasted a half hour. Today the owners told everyone else about the designer leaving. I'm still trying to think happy thoughts and I'm praying I have no more attacks.

So quickly my happiness was replaced by more doubt, worry and now horrible physical side effects. I know that this too shall pass. I just don't know how long I'm going to last.

At Least 10 Days to Blow and No Where to Go...

I fear that Matt and I will never go on vacation again. Neither of us can be out of the office for one or two days without work piling up to an unmanagable amount. The aggravation we feel when we come back to work has obliterated any happiness garnered from a few days of time off. It's easier to stay in hell, then leave and have to come back.

And So She Grows....

I finally got around to gathering her heights & weights and filling this out. Her 15 month appointment is coming up in a few days. I'm anxious to see how much taller she is. She won't let me do that type of measuring at home.

She is a Fashion Plate...

I had a little time to kill this weekend so I went through Baby Ween's summer wardrobe to see just how out of hand my baby clothes shopping sickness had become. I discovered the following:

(1) - "Dance Puppets Dance" Onsie

(2) - Pair Shorts

(3) - Bathing Suits

(3) - "Dressy" Dresses

(4) - All in One Romper Outfits

(5) - Sleeveless Top & Capri Pant Sets

(5) - Skorts

(6) - Pair of Footed PJ's

(7) - Dresses (with the matching little panties)

(8) - Random T-Shirts

(8) - Random Onsies

(8) - Tank Top Style Sunsuits

(13) - Miscellenous Outfits

(Plus 10 Plain White Onsie's for Layering)

In my defense some of the above items were gifts for her first birthday so I didn't buy all of them. Plus she has very generous Grammy's. I'm going to try to do better with her Fall wardrobe. Though I might already be off to a rocky start. Everything is just so cute....

Wife in the North - A Review

"Wife in the North" by Judith O'Reilly was given to me by librarything.com as an advance copy for review. It took longer to read then I thought it would because I had a hard time getting started. As a fan of books written by British authors I rarely have a problem with the smattering of regional terminology they throw in but this book had me stumbling. Perhaps I was stumbling over the pace of the writing more then anything.

O'Reilly's memoir tells the tale of relocating her family to the northern reaches of the British countryside from the city of London. They left because of her husbands deep desire to live there, but much of his time was spent working in London. Leaving O'Reilly for weeks at a time to assimilate herself and their three small children into the farming, ranching, fox hunting community they were now a part of. To say she struggled is an understatement. Though after running out of gas for the third time I think I would have taken that chore upon myself. I enjoyed her candid stories of child rearing and it's often exhaustive effects. It made me feel better about the ever changing landscape of childrearing that I am a part of now.

I believe everyone could relate to something this author went through. Parenting small children, caring for aging and ill parents, a drastic change of lifestyle, a major house rennovation, making new friends while trying to fit old ones into a wholly different life and almost losing oneself in the bargain. It was time well spent and I will happily pass the book along to anyone who wants to read it.

So Sporty...

Here's my Baby Ween wearing her cute little Converse.

"Above the Ridgers" at their best...

This was the look that must have been on my face when I crossed the parking lot at the grocery store today. I was on my lunch hour and I come out of the store and hear...

"Come back here you little asshole."

I didn't want to look, but I did. There was a mom trailing behind her two small kids as they walked back to their car. I just couldn't believe she said that to the little boy. I couldn't believe she said it to him in public. I don't even want to think about what she says when no one is around to hear her.

Stylin Baby Ween

Okay, as you all know by now I am a shopper. Now that Baby Ween has come along it's gotten worse. I could probably count on one hand the new items I have purchased for myself in the last 14 months but Baby Ween has a wardrobe that would rival a fashion model. Over the weekend I was looking for brown shoes for her for the fall. But when I walked down the aisle to see if I missed anything I saw these. So back to the bench we went and Baby Ween tried them on. She fussed through most of it but we came away with two pairs of shoes. I can't wait to get a picture of her wearing them.

Re-Connecting...

When Baby Ween was in the NICU at CHOP there was a baby across the room from her that I will call "B". Like Baby Ween he had surgery right after he was born but he had additional issues that Baby Ween didn't have. "B's" mom and her sister sat by his bedside all the days that Matt and I sat with Baby Ween but we never talked. They knew where we were from because they heard us talking to the hospital staff. One day "B's" grandpop talked to Matt for a few minutes and it turned out that they were from Matt's hometown. On the day we left CHOP we said goodbye to eachother and that was that. Through several coincidences it turned out "B's" mom worked with someone we knew at a local hotel. We had a party at that hotel on Saturday night for the sister-in-law's 40th birthday and "B's" mom was there.

Almost fourteen months after our babies were born we finally got to talk. It turns out "B" left CHOP the same day we did. He's been back several times for some continuing care but he is doing well, crawling and growing bigger everyday. Baby Ween strolled around the party while "B's" mom and I talked. We agreed they've both come so far from those first days and that the time has gone by so fast. I was happy that I got to talk to her and that her son is doing well. She was happy to see BW doing so well too. I hope our paths cross again and that things continue to go well for her and her little boy. It was nice seeing her again, under much better circumstances this time around.

In The Bitter Barn...

When someone is upset at work (usually the women) the owner of the place asks if we're in the bitter barn - well yeah I am. Does anyone want to know why? Oh, probably not but I'm going to tell you anyway. I'm mad because....

• We don't have money to pay our vendors so they've stopped delivering the materials we need to make product for our customers. And we don't know when or where the money we need is going to come from.


• Many of our customers think they are the only ones we have and that we are just sitting around waiting for them to send work our way. They don't understand that sometimes we're busy taking care of other customers and can't drop what we're doing and move them to the front of the line all the time. Then they make it seem like we're providing bad customer service. WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH PEOPLE!!!!!


• We just had a vendor, who promised us completion of a project in two weeks - tell us they don't even have the coating compound we need and that it will be "a couple of weeks" before they get it - then it's another two weeks to actually coat our project. Our customer needs the items on August 15th and they are going to freak out when we call and tell them we can't deliver.


• Of male customers who don't like hearing what I have to say about their projects because I have a vagina so I have to get another man at my company to tell them the exact same thing I already said.


• We are in a severe paper towel and toilet paper shortage
• We don't have a working copier and I need to make copies on my home printer to keep doing my work.

I'm beginning to think my expectations are too high and that's another thing that makes me sad. I know it sucks a lot of places. Everytime I turn around someone is working longer hours then they should for the pay they are getting, and other people are being told that half of the people at their company will lose their jobs in two months.

I'm 35 years old and I worry how my family is going to survive the next 40 or 50 years. I worry about health insurance, life insurance, job security, the economy, the quality of our schools & education, how EJ will get into college, how to pay for college, everything. I wonder what we'll do when Matt is 50 years old and some company decides he makes too much money and that he's replaceable. You can only plan for so many contingencies. I feel like I don't have the luxury of missing even one step without it having profound ramifications that I can't even imagine yet. I'm just too tried for all this shit.

Beefcake.....

Matt and I determined over the weekend that Baby Ween is driven to fits of hysteria by me saying "Beefcake" in the voice of Cartman.

We discovered said phenomenon after deciding that Baby Ween has got some thick legs on her. Pair those thick legs with her new baby size running shoes and she looks kind of beefcake. Cute baby beefcake not Brutus the Barber Beefcake. So I started saying "beefcake" and she cracked up. I made a video of it for posterity because I couldn't resist her baby laughs.

BEEFCAKE!!!!!!

Our Baby Ween...

About the Gemini Child

A Quick and Agile MindYour Gemini child will look up at you with bright, merry eyes, making you laugh as she makes it clear there's a lot going on in that head of hers. And if she starts talking at an early age, she's just living up to her nature! Gemini children tend to be communicative, charming, and social, but even if your Gemini child is a quieter sort, she's still quick-witted, curious, and mentally engaged with the world around her. Make sure she's always surrounded with books and puzzles to stimulate her mind, and give her plenty of space and supplies for her many projects.

Gemini children love anything new, and they tend to bounce from one activity to the next at a moment's notice. As soon as they master a new challenge, they'll grow bored with it and move on. Their mood may also change in the blink of an eye. Many Gemini children are indecisive or change their minds often. The other side of this coin is their adaptability. Gemini children often prefer variety of experience over depth of understanding, but as their parent, you can help them focus and develop a particular area of strength.

Your Gemini will excel at cerebral endeavors like reading, writing, and debate, as well as anything requiring dexterity, such as playing the piano. Due to their variety of interests, Gemini children tend to have many friends and will often be the center of the circle, naturally excelling at what we grown-ups call networking.

Well It's One Way To Get Some Time Off...

We were told on Thursday that as of Monday (8/4) we would be working a 36 hour work week and that our office will be closed Fridays. Supposedly it's only for the month of August...mmm hmmm.

I can't say that I'm surprised, nor am I really upset by the development. I'd be more upset if the company goes under, but we're all hoping, that like many times before, that doesn't happen.

I guess I'll try to get some things done these next four weeks - though with Baby Ween under foot - it might not be as productive as I hope.

R.I.P Sophia

Estelle Getty died today at the age of 84

Sophia: Look, you didn't ask me for my opinion, but I'm old, so I'm giving it anyway.

Dorothy: Hi, ma. Where are you going?
Sophia: To the boardwalk. I like to watch the old guys rearrange themselves when they come out of the water.

Dorothy: Well Blanche is certainly taking her sister's novel better than I would. I would kill my sister Gloria if she ever wrote about my sex life.
Sophia: You would kill your sister over a pamphlet?

Sophia: No offense, pussycat.
Dorothy: None taken, you cankerous little prune!

Dorothy: [Sophia has rented a porno] Hi, Ma. Whatcha watching?
Sophia: I dunno, one of those Steven Spielberger movies.
Dorothy: That's not a Steven Spielberg? *What* are they doing?
Sophia: You know what they're doing. We had that talk when you were twelve.
Dorothy: Ma, I can't believe this! You rented a dirty movie?
Sophia: Dirty is in the eye of the beholder... OK, maybe *that's* a little dirty.

Dorothy: [Sophia is busily cooking] Ma, what are you doing? You're supposed to be resting. Remember what the doctor said?
Sophia: Dorothy, I'm feeling anxious. And when I feel anxious, there's only one thing that calms me down.
Dorothy: I know, Ma. Cooking a big meal.
Sophia: No, making hot naked love in a closet. But hey, you do what you can.

A Victory...

Elizabeth is now completely off her "baby milk". No more $25.00 cans of formula for us!!! YEAH!!!!!

I'm Still Laughing....

Remembering our Dad...

This Father's Day my Ween wrote a post about our Dad that made me cry. I hope my post makes her smile.

Baby Ween will be turning one this Friday and we've been giving her small tastes of big people food to see what she thinks of it. Yesterday during Father's Day lunch with the in-laws I gave her a taste of pickle juice. She sucked it off my finger and looked at me as if to say "more". So like a mama bird I bit some pickle from the spear and gave it to her. She ate it right down, loving it.

When my Ween was small - she'd climb onto our Father's lap and chow down on dill pickles like they were nothing. Giving Baby Ween her first taste of dill pickle made me think of that. It was like a little bit of our Dad was at lunch yesterday.

One for the "Are You Kidding Me" File....

I always knew she was too perky and perfect. Turns out she's secretly a sympathizer for Muslim extremist's. Aren't there times when a scarf is just a scarf?

A Blast From the Past...

I might just have to get this.

Moving On Up

The company I work for is moving, packing up all of our stuff and heading north 12 miles. It's cool, I'll be three miles closer to my house. But the lack of organization with everything is making me crazy.

The funny thing is no one seems to know exactly when our last day in our current home will be. Maybe this Friday, maybe Tuesday, maybe next Friday. It will take me roughly fifteen minutes to pack my boxes and I'll be ready to go. Some people have been at the box packing for days. They obviously need to keep a little less stuff in their offices.

Our sales assistant asked if I'm going to miss this building. I hesitated, I think the only thing I'll miss is the familarity of having worked in this building for ten years. Oh, and maybe the airport out back.

I Wish...

Marching Band and Majorette's Does Not a Cool Girl Make...

Inky did a post on her blog about the quest for cool that she's been on most of her life. Unlike her, I realized early on that cool would allude me. Probably as early as sixth grade when I chose to be friends with Melissa Hibbert instead of ditching her to be part of Steffi Nunemaker and Sharon Douglas's "club".

Then I donned the majorette uniform in junior high. I always liked to think it made me closer to the cheerleaders. We were all about promoting school spirit right? Not exactly...not at all really. Then it was on to marching band in high school. As a ninth grader I thought the older kids were cool - especially the seniors. I honed my craft, hung out with kids a year older then me and because I had an older brother, got to go out after football games when my other freshmen friends had to go home. So to them I might have been cool for a short time. I suppose I never minded my larger level of uncoolness in high school because in my world my friendship circle were the cool girls.

College was more of the same for me. I had close friends and we touched on the edges of cool now and then but over all I was unremarkable. I'm sure not one professor on campus would have remembered me a year after graduation, hell probably not even one week after.

I've known all along to embrace my inner dork because that's truly who I am. I owned a unicycle for God's sake - no one cool does that.

On Taking Things Personally...

As most of you know Oprah is doing an online class on the book "A New Earth". This book and her class are to help us all to find our life's purpose. I have not read the book, nor do I take part in the online class. I do however have XM radio in my car so I listen to the Oprah and Friends channel from time to time. On a few occasions that means listening to encore airings of Oprah and Eckhart discussing various chapters in the book. Yesterday I caught just the tail end of things and it had something to do with giving up the notion of control.

Oprah and Eckhart were talking about how they didn't understand why people get upset when they are stuck in traffic. Since traffic is my Dante's inferno my ears perked up. Eckhart was saying that traffic isn't "personal" so why get upset. That the cars aren't sitting in front of you just to piss you off so we should all let it go, to not get angry and rail against something that is beyond our control. "But Eckhart I am the queen of railing against things I can't control" I said to the radio. So as a change of pace I'm going to try not taking things personally. Like when my daughter blows her 1000th raspberry of the day - soaking yet another item of clothing I'll let it go and know that she isn't trying to upset me, she's just a creature of habit. Or when a customer complains about the price of something I've quoted him. I will have it looked at by my boss to be sure we're offering the best price we can and then offer that to the customer. If its not good enough - it doesn't mean that I'm not good enough - just that the quote isn't and if they end up going somewhere else then so be it. As for being stuck in traffic - that's a tough one, but I'll try.

How Could I Be Anything Else...

Wow, You're a Poodle!

Poodle

The Star

Intelligence, style and good looks in one able-bodied, well-manicured package? But of course! You are a Poodle, and proud of it. You scoff in the general direction of passers-by who cast admiring (or is it amused?) glances your way, knowing doggone well that if your private jet were not waiting to whisk you off for a spa weekend getaway, you would handily paddle their hindquarters in a game of Trivial Pursuit. Blindfolded. You are well-educated and enjoy the finer things in life, but are not above taking an impromptu skinny dip in an old limestone quarry. It would, however, be soooo much more convenient if said quarry came with a towel boy and swim-up cocktail service, of course.

Or Him Either...

I Just Never Get Tired of Looking at Him....

My Love List*

Why not take the love list challenge .


I love Post-it's, I love puppies, I love baby feet, I love Red Robin, I love country music, I love Calvin and Hobbes cartoons, I love watching the Charlie Brown holiday specials (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween & Easter), I love Oreo cookie blizzard's from Dairy Queen, I love a clean desk, I love the movie "The American President", I love ice skating, I love driving fast, I love big, absorbent bath towels, I love the internet, I love hot fudge, I love electric blankets, I love reading books and magazines, I love smart customers, I love pizza, I love Dale Earnhardt Jr., I love homemade chocolate chip cookies, I love baby clothes, I love taking pictures, I love Yocco's hot dogs, I love Coke, I love presents, I love the movie "Shag", I love Italian hoagies, I love air conditioning, I love electronic things: computers, Ipod's, great big TV's etc, I love DCI drum corp, I love organizing things, I love Turkey Hill Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream (the white kind, not the green kind), I love Dry Tortugas National Park, I love cheesy romance novels, I love my digital camera, I love to watch TV, I love hot buttered movie popcorn, I love going swimming, I love horses, I love a clean house, I love the original "Posiden Adventure" movie, I love riding the Perkasie carousel, I love broasted chicken and cheeseburgers from Speck's, I love sunflowers, daffodils, gerber daisy's, and ladies of the village (I mean Lillies of the Valley), I love cookie crisp cereal - eaten dry, I love organizing shows on TV, I love chocolate pudding (from scratch), I love shopping for house stuff and clothes and scrapbooking supplies, I love having lots of friends, I love Yellowstone National Park, I love chocolate cake, I love Lake Placid, I love softie pants, I love armor exhibits at museums, I love Rice Krispy treats, I love baby animals especially lambs, calves, hippos and elephants



*The rules, according to The Love List Challenge: You can't include a single person you know on your list. No "I love the way my husband laughs" or "I love hearing my little girl call for me." It'll be tough, I know. But this particular little exercise is about stripping away everyone who defines you and figuring out what you (not his partner; not their mother/daughter/sister/friend) love.

10 Reasons You're Not Getting Your Work Done...

From an article by Tag Goulet at fabjob.com with my two cents added in...

1) You have too many distractions - like our loud mouth HR girl/owners daughter talking to our loud mouth receptionist. Or the both of them yelling back and forth to either my boss, in the office to my left or to our sales manager in the office to my right. Don't get me started on the QC guy or the lathe department guy who come up here to talk when they don't have anything better to do.
2) You don't have the resources you need - we are moving our company in two months and we are in need of a new computer system (software) because our current system is no longer supported. The owner earmarked $5000, but the new phone system we're getting took $3,000 of that so now we're down to $2,000. I guess he's not familiar with the "you get what you pay for" mantra...
3) You don't know what you're doing - not a problem, I know everything.
4) You have too much work - somedays
5) You have poor time-management skills - okay so I like to socialize
6) You're Procrastinating - yeah, there is definately stuff I don't like doing - so I wait...and wait....and wait...and hope it goes away.
7) You Feel Undervalued - yeah...though being the only sales person left I could make some crazy demands and likely get what I want. It's hard to keep a company building things when there is no one here to take calls from customers.
8) You're Company's priorites keep changing - Nah, we're all about making money - and screwing the other guy - that never changes.
9) You're burned out - yeah that's true - it's been ten years after all of talking to some of the stupidest smart people on earth
10) Your "reward" for completing the job will be more work - that's true enough. Though there are only 17 of us - even the incompetant people got more work.

We're Not Fighting the Good Fight - We're Fighting Eachother...

I'll admit it...I am a mother to an 8 month old and I work outside the home. Turns out there are A LOT of people out there who hate me for that and they don't even know me. They hate Adrian Stark of TLC's "Secret Life of a Soccer Mom" because she chose to be a fashion designer again instead of continuing to be a stay at home mom (SAHM).

Is it wrong that I don't care? Why do I care if a random woman works instead of staying home with her kids? Before having an actual baby I was convinced I would stay home if I ever had kids. I found it hard to reconcile having children and then giving them to someone else to "raise" while I worked. Well 8 months into it I still am trying to reconcile that fundamental question. I just do it from behind a desk now.

I leave the house at 7:00am and return at 5:30pm. For those nine and a half hours a day EJ is with either my mom or my husband's parents. Is it ideal for anyone? The grandparents would say yes, they love the time they have with EJ. EJ herself would say no because she doesn't like being woken up at 5:30am. I say it's okay (except for the geting up at 5:15am part) because I am contributing to our household and I get to interact with adults during the day. Even though sometimes I want to kill some of them. My husband would say it's okay because I'm bringing in a mighty nice salary which helps with our goals of saving for college and retirement. It also allows us luxuries like vacations and new clothes for EJ. Could we make it without my salary? Yes, just barely...but neither I or my husband like the idea of "just barely".

In reviewing my list of friends there are 13 that currently work outside the home and 6 that currently stay home full time. I say "currently" in both situations because some of those that work full time stayed home early on, while some worked part time at some point, while some have their own businesses and work from home. All of those that currently stay home had careers before making the choices that they did.

I think most SAHM's have a chip because there are still ignorant people out there who think they don't do anything all day. I challenge anyone who thinks that to spend nine and half hours alone with my daughter on one of her "bad" days. I'll see you when I get home from work and you can tell me how much you got done and when you'll be back.

There is a larger issue here - greater then the fundamental "why have children only to have someone else raise them?" But no one wants to talk about that issue - we just want to make the other side out to be bitches. Well - if your children are well cared for and your family is thriving it doesn't matter to me what you do to make that happen.

He Wins Again...

My boyfriend won the first Gatorade Duel meaning he will be starting in the second row for the Daytona 500 on Sunday. He might as well make it a clean sweep - really start the year off with a bang!!

Go Spartanburg - I mean Mooresville.

Hey Boyfriend...Call Me...

Saturday night I jokingly said to my husband,
"Wouldn't it be funny if he won."

If She Doesn't Respond...She's Ignoring You...

Yesterday Baby EJ had her follow-up hearing screening at the CHOP office near us. Her pediatrician recommended it because she had antibiotics while she was in the NICU after birth. So we answered some questions with the audiologist and then she looked in her ears and did a test where she checked her ear drum reactivity. Her one ear drum didn't move much but we moved forward to the audio booth where she sat on my lap and turned her head to all the sounds the lady put through the speakers.

After the test was done the audiologist said she was very pleased and that Baby EJ could hear all of the sounds she put through - even the very soft ones. She told us to follow-up with EJ's pediatrician about the ear drum thing but that all in all she thought she was fine. They did say to bring her back when she's 2 1/2 or 3 and then they will put the head phones on her to check each ear individually. They can't do that with babies (but I thought the picture was cute).

Thinking of Times Gone By...

If I still went to concerts, 2008 would be a particularly good year...

• 2/14 - Keith Urban & Carrie Underwood
• 2/15 - Miranda Lambert
• 2/16 - George Strait
• 2/19 - Matchbox Twenty & Alanis Morrissette
• 2/24 - Rick Springfield
• 3/1 - Trisha Yearwood
• 3/11 - Tracy Lawrence
• 3/18 - Carrie Underwood & Josh Turner
• 4/3 - Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon & Styx
• 4/4 - Jason Aldean
• 5/29 - Richard Marx
• 5/29 - Travis Tritt
• 6/14 - Tim McGraw & Jason Aldean
• 7/19 - Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Leann Rimes, Gary Allan & Sammy Hagar
• 8/16 - Toby Keith & Montgomery Gentry
• 8/28 - Vince Gill
• 8/30 - Brad Paisley
• 9/12 - Rascal Flatts & Taylor Swift
• 9/20 - Martina McBride

That list doesn't include anyone who might be hitting the fair circuit during late August or early September. Back in the early 90's I went to 14 concerts a year some times. Oh well - now I'm just too surly and old to deal with it.

I Want To Do This...

Up in Lake Placid they do this cool thing when the lake freezes over. They have a toboggan chute set up that you go down and it shoots you out onto the lake at roughly 40 miles per hour. Just looking at this picture sets my heart racing. It's never been cold enough the times we've been but I would love to try it.

Milestones...

In two weeks my cute little pumpkin will be 8 months old. EIGHT MONTHS!!!! I can't believe it's been that long. As I read on the blog of a mommy of another June baby I thought I'd make a list of EJ's favorite things to do or milestones she's reached.

• she realized 2/4 that she can roll over in the crib at the babysitters and sleep on her stomach. She hasn't done it at home in our crib yet but I'm waiting.


• she cut her two bottom teeth on 1/31 & 2/1. For the most part she won't let me near them but I keep trying to take a picture to capture the moment.


• she had to have her head measured on 1/23 (to prove to the doctors that it isn't growing too fast) and I asked that she be weighed. She gained two pounds from the month before - bringing her to 18lbs.


• she loves her jumper and goes crazy in it every night while DH and I eat dinner.


• she loves to sit up and play with her toys


• she also loves to be held and carried around the house, since she can't get around on her own yet. Then she leans way over to watch what we're doing...cooking or whatever.


• she gobbles 4 oz of Stage 1 food twice a day and enjoys 4 to 5 (6oz) bottles. So far she hasn't met a food she doesn't like. She doesn't eat any "table" or "finger" food yet because we're still getting through all the Stage 1 foods. A sensitive belly set us back so she's playing catch-up now.


• she's finally figured out that she can use her hands for splashing in the tub too.


• her feet are never still, unless she's sleeping.


• she smiles like crazy and reachs for people she knows.


• she suspiciously eyes people she doesn't know but usually goes to them anyway as long as Mommy is nearby to save her. She started with stranger anxiety very early (at three or four months)


• she screams and laughs when daddy startles or scares her. Usually I am holding her when he does this and she kicks her feet and turns her head away into my shoulder - before turning to see if he'll do it again.


• she loves to play "where's Elizabeth"


• she loves looking at the baby in the mirror - I'm waiting for her to realize it's her.


• she will stand if propped against things but not for more then a minute. It's usually done so we can get a good picture of the outfit she's wearing :):)


• she takes her last bottle of the night in my arms in the rocking chair in her room. After she's asleep I hold her until the lullably CD runs out or my arm falls asleep because I know these nights will be gone too soon.

I think it's crazy that I'm already thinking about a theme for her first birthday party, because how can my baby be coming up on a year old. But I don't think I'd want her to be a baby forever. We all had a rough time of things the first couple of months and she seems so much happier now. I guess I just have to take things as they come and try to cherish every minute.

Is This a Sign of the Apocalypse??

Oprah is going to have her own channel.
She doesn't even have to run for President.
She'll be able to influence millions all by
having them turn on their TV's.

Oh No They Didn't...

Calling all old ass shanks and ho's Brett

Michaels is looking for love again. Actually

the shanks and ho's have been chosen and it looks

like things kicked off on "Rock of Love 2" last Tuesday

night at 10pm. My question is WHY?????

Why do women want a 40 year old has been rocker

boyfriend or a 150 year old has been rapper boyfriend

in the case of Flavor Flav.

All I can say is....

Yuck! Yuck! Yuck!!!

I Had a Crush on Him...

I had a crush on the 1988 to 1992 version of Christopher Bowman (shown above). He got older and larger (as evidenced in the 2005 photo below). At 40 he was found dead in a budget hotel, likely of a drug overdose. So sad...

I'm Really Angry - Part Two

He killed her. Of course he did. Gary Hilton just couldn't leave Meredith Emerson and her dog alone - during her hike in Vogel State Park. He had to club her to death.

We were all very upset when my sister went for a hike alone, fell and broke her leg, and had to walk her injured self almost two miles to get help. I guess we should be thankful that this guy, or some equally insane asshole wasn't nearby that day.

It makes me scared to leave my own house. I've been paranoid long before this lovely woman lost her life - but it's getting worse. I am scared to go for a walk near my house with my baby because who knows where the next Gary Hilton will be. I don't like being scared but I don't know what else to do. At least in my house I feel a bit safer.

I'm Really Angry - Part One

So she almost cried - big fucking deal. Someone asked her how she keeps it all together and her facade cracked for just a minute while she talked about how passionate she is about helping this country. Her voice wavered when she said she's received countless benefits and advantages from this country and she doesn't want to see our children lose that by going backwards.

People (John Edwards) couldn't wait to leap on her show of emotion and say that we need a person with "resolve" in the White House. So I guess that means someone with no emotion or tear ducts. Might he not "well up" if someone on the trail asked him how it would feel to be President without his wife (should she succumb to the cancer that will ultimately take her life sooner rather then later). Would that emotion make him any less able to be President - NO.

There are other people who think the episode was scripted. I find that theory a bit too elaborate to even address. People who say that obviously have never felt passionately about anything. I've been moved to tears on many occasions but it doesn't mean I'm soft - or that I couldn't be P.O.T.U.S. Not having millions or billions of dollars will ultimately keep me from meeting that goal.

At this point I don't know who is going to get my vote - but it's just so typical that a woman gets labeled "weak" and not "passionate" or "bitch" but not "agressive". It's just so disappointing.

Resolutions For the New Year

Since I like to make lists - I figured why not...

1) Be Happy (or at least less angry)
2) Appreciate What I Have
3) Raise a Happy, Healthy Daughter
4) Maintain a Happy, Healthy Marriage
5) Spend Less Money
6) Get a Handle on Clutter
7) Get a New Passport
8) Scrapbook More
9) Understand that every bad driver
doesn't require comment

Christmas Came and the Goose Got Fatter...

Well it's over, despite our house looking like Christmas morning with the presents still under the tree, the holiday has come and gone. This year was Elizabeth's first Christmas and she was showered with fabulous presents on all fronts. She got clothes of many kinds, some books, toys that stack, toys that squeak and toys that talk. She got a sled and a wonderful hand made quilt and enough ornaments to start her own tree.

I was equally blessed receiving many lovely presents - several books, season 6 & 7 of my favorite show "The Gilmore Girls" on DVD, a new I-Pod Classic (with I-Tunes gift cards), new slippers, a couple of CD's and some delicious candy snacks in my stockings. Don't worry Santa didn't leave my honey out - he got a new golf club, golf shoes, a cargo net for his truck, DVD's, some clothes, a digital picture frame for his desk at work and tons of sweet treats in his stockings too.

We did our share of visiting this holiday season. We had a party at my Mom's on 12/23 with her fun sisters family. We gobbled up copious amounts of yummy food topping it all off with a chocolate fountain as part of the dessert offerings. Then Elizabeth did Christmas Eve church for the first time - which turned out okay. Santa came first thing Christmas morning, followed closely behind by Grammy, Aunt Heidi and Uncle Tony. After the dust and the wrapping paper settled we hit the road to visit with Grammy, Grandpop, Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop. Wednesday (12/26) brought Lauren and Rod to our rainy doorstep for pizza and ornament presents. Then after a few days rest - the new year dawned and we were off for more visiting and eating.

Even though there is let down once the holidays are done - I am always a bit relieved. I'll pack everything back up and our house will return to normal. Or the state of normal we've become used to - since Elizabeth came on the scene.