Friday, September 30, 2011

TGIF!

'Tis Friday again. Thank goodness! I didn't think this week would EVER end! Pregnancy weeks go by soooooo slooooowly anyway, but when you're spending as much time with the Porcelain God as you are with your family, it tends to make it go even mooooooooooore slooooooooooowly. Bleh!

Anyway, to pass the time, how about five questions?

1. Do you apologize to your kids if you're wrong?


I believe we have discussed this before, but yes. If I'm in the wrong, I apologize to little Chloshmo. She is very sensitive, and gets her feelings hurt very easily, and she will let me know if she thinks an apology is in order ;) But by admitting when I'm wrong and apologizing, I hope to instill in her the tendency to do the same. She is a little guilty of playing the blame game, and we're trying to stop that. For example, if she was running in the house, tripped, and broke my expensive vase (should I have one), rather than saying, "Sorry, Mom. I know I shouldn't have been running," she might argue that it's not her fault because I didn't sweep the floor today and the dust caused her to slip. She can be somewhat outrageous, but we're learning.


2. Do you have a class ring, Letterman's jacket, or similar obscenely priced high school "must have"?

To have a letterman's jacket, one must "letter" in something. This mama not so athletic. I'm very tall, and was always prodded to play basketball, but that requires coordination, which I have not. So after a terribly failed attempt in 8th grade, everyone finally gave up on that.

I did letter in academics...........and I had some math club medals..........ok, so you get it now, right? Why I didn't buy the jacket ;)

I did, however, get a class ring. And they saw me comin' they did. If I'm going to have this beautiful heirloom and treasure it for a lifetime, I'm getting the real deal. Gold. Yellow gold. 10k. And those tiny diamonds on the side? NO CZs for me! No no no. And I want my name engraved in it. Not just my name, but my signature.

Mama broke the bank paying for that ring.

And now it sits in my jewelry box, absolutely no refelction of who I was, or who I am. Merely a big gold ring (not one of those new style ones that looks like a pretty girl's ring, no no) with an ugly green stone (It HAS to be the school color!) that I've considered hocking for the gold in desperate times, but was thwarted only by the echoing of the Josten's man's words, "A precious heirloom you'll cherish for years to come...."

I guess I'll wait 'til I'm dead and let my grandkids hock it for a new cell phone or something =/
Other things I got suckered on: Senior pictures, senior book/t-shirt/keyring/key/boxers/invitations/thank you cards/name cards/everythingunderthesun

3. If you could be one age for the rest of your life, what age would you choose?
I used to say forever 21, but really I like 27. I'm not sure why. I think because it's kinda old enough to know better but still too young to care. Old enough to be responsible, be "grown-up" but young enough you can still be "young" when you want to.

But really I'd take anything under 30 and over 21.


4. What is your favorite (unused) baby name?
I can't tell you that.

Because the lil Bebe in my belly has not been named. The Mister and I have not discussed it, and don't plan to until we know the gender.

But, don't tell anyone this.....Mama already has her mind made up :) She just has to figure out how to plant the ideas in Daddy's head so he thinks *HE* thought of them.  Hehehehehehehe.

So. Sorry, world. You no get to know Mama's favorite baby name...because it just might be used soon.
As a kid I always liked the names Kelli and Stephanie (I watched Saved by the  Bell and Full House btw) for girls.

If Chloe was a boy I was going to name her Brady (odd coincidence...Chloe and Brady on Days of Our Lives)

But none of those names are in danger of being used anytime soon, so the secret is still safe ;)


5. If you could make your child like something what would it be?
Vegetables. All of them. Potatoes. Carrots. Green beans. Peas. Peas and carrots.

And organizing.

If only....

Friday, September 23, 2011

I haven't done a Five Question Friday in a long time, but I'm feeling more like myself today, so I thought I'd give it a go. It's been a crazy few weeks. I've been sick. I've been emotionally drained. But today, little Bebe is giving me a break. Little Bebe says "I sorry Mama. I be nice to you today. I just lay here and grow my little eye buds and leave you alone k?" And today I love little Bebe a little more for it :)


Anyway. On with the show.

1. Dream job...realistic and completely unrealistic.

Realistic(ish) would be a bebe nurse. You know, the ones that check on the little newborns. Tell the Mamas what to do. Take the first picture. Give the first bath. That kinda stuff. But the unrealistic part of that is I don't wanna draw blood, give shots, or do anything that would make the bebe cry, even if it's for his own good! And nothing that would make me squeamish.

Unrealistic. I'd be a singer. That's totally unrealistic because (whispers) I can't sing.

But I love music so much, and I think it would be so fun to tour the country just singing and dressing up every night. And making lotsa money.


2. Do you fart in front of your significant other?

Gawsh. I don't talk about my pregnancy here because I don't wanna talk about my lady parts with the whole world...now you wanna talk about my, ah, corn-holio? ;)

Yeah. When it happens, it happens, and I spare myself the anguish of trying to keep it all in until he's not around. But it took a lonnnnnnnnng time for me to get there (and for him...though not quite AS long).

And I still don't poop when he's in the house....unless it's a dire emergency. TMI? Yeah...probably.

3. What's the furthest you've ever traveled from home? How far and where was it?
Wyoming, I think. I don't know how far it is from Missouri to Wyoming, but I think that's the farthest. Went with my grandma and grandpa one year, then went with my youth group (KILL ME!) later in my teens.

Wait. I lie.

I've been to LA. That would be the farthest.
And someday, I will tell you that story. Someday.

But not today.
4. How do you celebrate birthday for your kids? Family only or friends? ... Alternate for those without kiddos: How did you celebrate birthdays as a kid?

We have always just had a family party (including family friends), but now that she is in school we will invite munchkins. I plan to have the party somewhere other than my home, and I'm only doing one party, so if family wants to come, they can endure the screaming children. If not, drop a 20 in the mail and call it good ;)


5. Fave thing about fall?
Oh my goodness. I LOVE fall. All of it.
I guess my mostest favoritestest thing is the weather. Cool, crisp mornings, sunny warm afternoons. Jeans. Hoodies. Boots. Cool clear nights, good for bonfires and blankets. Snuggling up on the couch with my fuzzy blanket watching the new tv shows. Ah. I love.
But I also love the food. Apples. Apple pie. Pumpkin pie. Chili, soups, hot drinks. Cinnamon flavored anything. I bake the most in the fall.
And then there's the impending holidays. Getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Taking Chloe out for Halloween. Ooooh I love fall so much. I wish it stayed longer!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Wheels on the Bus

Chloe absolutely loves riding the bus. Some mornings in a sleepy stupor, she'll say, "You can drive me to school. Just let me sleep a little longer," but when I agree, she immediately pops out of bed and tells me she wants to ride the bus.

She has two chances to catch the bus. The first is at 7am, and the second is at 7:40.

If I am out of bed by 7am it's a miracle of God. So there's no way I can get myself up, get her up, make lunch, and have her out the door by seven. Not going to happen.

Since she catches the bus at 7:40, she has to cross the street and get on at the corner.

For the most part this has been a good plan. I walked her out the first few days, then walked her to the ditch, and now I stand on the porch as she scurries to the bus.

However, traffic has begun picking up, and the road block the county has near our house has thwarted a lot of traffic, but it will be gone soon.

She looks both ways. She is careful, but she's so little.

Today her bus driver came by the shop to talk to me after he finished his route. He said he was just too nervous to make her continue crossing the street, and offered to come turn around in the driveway if we would keep it clear for him.

What a good bus driver. What a thoughtful and caring person he must be to offer to go the extra step for Chloe.

But it left me feeling horrible. Guilty. Sick.

Instead of thanking him and telling him how nice that is, and how much I appreciate it, why didn't I say, "There's no need. I'll get my lazy ass out of bed ten minutes earlier so I can walk her across every day."

Why didn't I say that? I'm bragging about this guy going the extra mile for my daughter when I quickly wisk her out the door to get back to my blow-drying?

Being a mom is hard.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

...and I can just see you with a baby on the way...

"...and I can just see you with a baby on the way; I can just see you when your hair's turnin' gray...."

It's a line I have always joked was written in the wrong order since I already have some natural highlights. It's from "our song," which is "Then" by Brad Paisley. The one we danced to at our wedding. The one that's held us so close together so many times. The one that always makes him grab my hand and hold it tight. Riding in the car. Riding out one of life's storms. Sitting on the couch. The one that's always described us and our love for each other: ...and I thought I loved you then.

The reference, of course, has a little more meaning now. A few weeks ago we were a little surprised to find out we're going to have a little baby coming into our lives. The journey to this particular revelation is something so deeply personal that I don't want to go into great detail about it, but I wanted the chance to announce it officially.

Unfortunately around here it's hard to beat the rumor mill. We told our closest family and friends the news, for fear it would leak and they'd find out second-hand, but despite our best efforts to keep it "in the family" for a few weeks, it spread like wildfire and I'm sure it's not news to anyone very local.

I'm a little irritated, if you can't tell. I wanted to keep a lid on it for a while. Wanted some time for us to get used to it. Some time to adjust. The chance to tell all my friends myself. But that's what happens in a small community I guess.

Otherwise I'm happy. Happy I can once again feel life grow within me. Happy I get to hold and nurture a squishy newborn. Happy to smell that new baby smell. Happy to tickle toes and laugh at the simple things in life. Happy to share our love and life with a precious little child.

Happy that every day that passes is one day closer to the second trimester, and full of hope that this constant sickness is going to go away.

But mostly just happy :)

Friday, September 9, 2011

Ten years...

Sunday marks ten years now. And I think I can speak for most in saying sometimes it seems like just yesterday. Sitting there, watching the panic-stricken faces of the news casters. Hearing them sound so human for the first time, and wondering, "What's next?"

I've thought a lot about 9/11 lately, and I heard something on the radio today that really hit home for me. The radio personality said that of all the horrific things happening that day, the worst may have been the unknown.

What had happened? Who was attacking us? Would every plane in the US fall from the sky? Would every well-known building or landmark be destroyed? Was this war? Could it happen again?

We panicked, not knowing what would come. Afraid we'd be without food and fuel, electricity maybe, water. Basic needs for everyday life. Frightened for our country, for our lives. For our future.
And on top of that, we never saw it coming. We sat idly in our homes, eating breakfast, shuffling kids off to school, taking a shower, driving to work, and little did we know that moments later our lives would change forever. Our country would change forever. History was in the making.

Tragedy is always just that: tragic. It strikes without rhyme or reason to most of us. It leaves us wounded and scarred, but I think it hurts the very worst when we never saw it coming, and we don't know when it will end.

Never forget.