Undecided

I have been caught up in a whirlwind of events and emotions over the last few months. So much so that I planned to not write about it at all. However, if I don't, I may mention these events and you'd be all "wait...huh?" So here it is.

The ShankRabbit and Isabella (and Peanut) household will be expecting a new addition in April. A boy. We had a rough first few months with morning sickness and some medical issues, but all is well now. He is doing what he's supposed to be doing and even measuring a little on the big side - lawd help me! Peanut was adamant that this baby was a girl for so long, but now she is pretty excited to have a little brother. We are still working on names. Her suggestions so far are Baby Johnson (that was originally the girl's name choice for her), Echo, and Uncle. As you can see, not much to go on so far.


My biological mother passed away unexpectedly on November 16th. There are a lot of details and stories to tell about how I got the news, coordinating a trip to North Carolina to take care of her arrangements and such, but I think I'll save all that for another time.
Is it common to cycle through the stages of grief over and over again? I think I've been through them at least twice so far. Right now I am back at the shock/disbelief stage. This happened so suddenly (cause still undetermined as it happened in her sleep) and I didn't get to see her before she was cremated. At the time I thought it would be a terrible idea as I wasn't sure what state her body was in and I thought it kind of morbid to ask the hospital "so...can I see her?" Do I really want my last memory of my mom to be in that state?
My mom's boyfriend and her brother were there the morning she was taken to the hospital, so there is no question as to identification, but still there is just a part of me that thinks, "maybe this is just some elaborate hoax to get me to pay for someone else's funeral arrangements and my mom is fine and well somewhere else." I feel like there is no resolution. Her ashes are sitting on a bookshelf in my house. Shouldn't that be enough? Will I ever feel like she is truly gone?

My mom and I weren't terribly close. I was placed in state care/foster care at the age of 11, so I didn't get the chance to really spend most of my childhood with her. However, she was my mom. I loved her. And I know she loved me too, but never could show it as much as any other person. Still, I felt it.

She was never good at calling (heck, neither was I to be honest), so communication over the years was limited. When her husband had a heart attack in 2006, I made the trip down there to be with her. He passed a couple days after I arrived and I assisted her with arrangements. Although they were unfortunate circumstances, my mom and I got a new opportunity at our relationship. We still didn't talk as often as most mothers and daughters do I'm sure, but this is what worked for her. And that worked for me.

We kept in contact mostly through email and I sent her many pictures of her granddaughter (one she had never met). I told her about our soon-to-be new addition. She seemed to be doing well, aside from "not feeling well for a while, but doing better." In mom-speak that could mean anything from a cold to something more serious. Knowing this, I asked for her phone number so I could get the straight answer from her. I never got the chance to call her.

* * *

So, here I sit. Wondering what is next in this process. My husband and I have lost 5 family members this year alone. Am I emotionally jaded because of that? Am I holding out on properly grieving until a later date? I have no clue. All I know is that I'm trying to live in the joy of my family and there are these feelings still tugging at my heart. But they aren't coming out.

Playing catch-up...ketchup...catsup?

There are many things to talk about since my last blog entry (*cough* 4 months ago *cough* *cough*).

1. Ran my first 5k on April 16th. It was drizzling, in the upper 30s and miserable outside, but I did it. Then my kid did the fun run. As you can see, she was pretty excited about her ribbon.

2. My daughter turned 3 on April 19th. I have a preschool aged kid. hold me.


The cake I made. I think I'll stick to frosting next time.

3. ShankRabbit and I went to Las Vegas in May for our first real vacation since 2006. It was relaxing, fun, and holyhell HOT (not that I'm complaining. Spend October - April in Wisconsin and you too would be willing to sit on the surface of the sun if it meant warmth).

4. June was a blur and I can't remember what happened during that month. I know I was training for my first triathlon and really starting to freak out about it.

5. July went by even faster than June, but at least I can recall this one:

5a. We had a 4th of July gathering at our house. Our city's fireworks can be seen from our backyard, so we didn't have to go far for the show. Thanks to a wonderful brother-in-law with noise cancelling headphones, my kid enjoyed the fireworks without having to shove fingers in her ears. *Note to self: purchase a pair of those headphones for the kid before she stabs her brain with her fingernails*

5b. My first ever triathlon was on the 10th. It was tough (fought through hip pain throughout the entire run portion) but I had an absolute blast! I accomplished all three of my goals - 1) don't die, 2) finish in under 3 hours and 3) don't be DFL (dead f-in last).

Smiling through the pain.

5c. We had our first family vacation in Eagle River, WI (ShankRabbit's parents, brothers, and respective families). If it wasn't for the mid to low 60 degree temperatures, I think it would have been perfect.

You can't tell, but the kid is sound asleep. For real.

5d. Fresh from our northwoods trip, we spent the next weekend camping. Not much to report other than it was crazy hot and ShankRabbit got heat exhaustion. Fun times.

Went to the county fair after camping all weekend. Believe it or not, the kid is having fun on her first Ferris Wheel ride.

I think that gets us caught up to the present. My 29th birthday was this past Friday. I got exactly what I wanted - spending time with the ones I love. Oh, and a pinata*.

I have been at parties where there has been one, but never one of my own. Now I can cross that off the list. Next up...aerial fabric acrobatics! Just kidding...maybe.

There are exciting things to come - another race (an adventure 3-miler with ShankRabbit), more birthdays, and possibly a giveaway or two on this here blog. I'll keep you posted.

_____________
* - Please picture a tilde over the n. I don't know how to do it in Blogger and my failed attempt led me to automatically post an unfinished blog post. Just in case my high school Spanish teacher is reading this...yes Sra. S, I know how to properly spell that word. Carry on.

2011 - it's only just begun

Nintendogs has entered this almost-3 year old's life. She's completely self-sufficient with this game. I fear I'll never get my DS back.

What has happened in the last month or so?

1. We all eventually recovered from the stomach plague. It took a lot longer than I thought it would. We didn't regain normal activity and eating until 2 weeks after it struck.

2. Now that I've paid for my registration, I shall announce it to the intarwebz: I am training for a sprint triathlon in July. There's more to the story of why I'm doing it and I will share that as the training progresses.

3. Because of #2 (heh...), I have been working out almost every day. And I enjoy it.

...

No really, I do! I think it's because I love our gym - great facility, great atmosphere, great people.

4. A gluten-free store and cafe opened up over the summer. I didn't realize their true significance to my life until I found they do carry out and take-and-bake pizzas. Tried our first ones on New Year's Eve. Heaven help me.

Yes, it's a good thing I enjoy my gym so much.

5. Our family Christmas present this year is a dishwasher. We are finally getting around to picking one out. I now know way more about dishwashers than I ever thought possible.

6. Speaking of Christmas, it was fantastic. There was a moment - a few days beforehand - that we thought my in-laws would be trapped in Nairobi for the holidays (due to terrible weather in Amsterdam that they needed to connect in), but they made it back safe and sound. Slight panic ensued when we heard there was a bombing at a bus station while they were supposedly still there. They left the day before.

7. At some point this month, I got so frustrated looking at our terribly inefficient, standard reach-in closet that I tore it apart to make a new one. I had every intention of making this a "me" project - showing that anyone can build their own custom closet (Califor.nia Closets be damned!), but ShankRabbit (and Peanut for a while) was intrigued and offered help. Projects are so much quicker when you have help.

I will have a post up when all is completed. Here's a sneak peek:


Before (ugh)


Current state (still in progress). Can you see the double closet rods on each side?


8. Got the chance to attend both Bears playoff games. At one point during the second one, we noticed a couple of F-16 fighter pilots* sitting at a table near us in the United Club. I told ShankRabbit, "hey, we should go over and say hi. I'd like to meet them." So, he tells me to follow him, taps their shoulders and says, "Hi. My wife has a thing for guys in uniform...can she take a picture with you?"

(Enter completely mortified expression and bright red face)

One of the guys responds with, "well, how can we say no to that?"

So, this picture was taken:


Pretty eventful December/January. A little scared and excited to see what February brings.

_____________
* - Despite what my husband said, I really wanted to meet them because what they do is so friggin' cool! Thanks to the power of the internet, here is the information on the fighter pilots that did the flyover after the National Anthem. I believe I met the two that coordinated the timing from the ground.

Thanksgiving Recap

Overall, our first hosted Thanksgiving went well.

Positives
1. We didn't have to travel

2. ShankRabbit had the day before Thanksgiving off, so he could help me clean the house and prep the food.

3. Each dish we made turned out fantastic (recipes below).

4. We ordered an all natural turkey from our local health food store. Fantastic flavor, wasn't frozen, and only cost us about $2.69/lb.

5. I deligated the desserts to my mother-in-law, who showed up with 8 (!) pies and a tray of pumpkin bars. We only had 9 adults and one child.

6. We're still eating pie.

7. A wet kitchen sponge was thrown at my head. That's how you know your kitchen is the fun place to be.

8. On Friday, we packed up our Thanksgiving leftovers and went to my brother-in-law's house. Another fantastic meal followed by some Kinect playing, where my sister-in-law tried to pull one over on my husband. Little did she know that he is super-competitive and knows how to drop it like it's hot.

The not-so-positives
1. The turkey took over 4.5 hours to cook, as opposed to the 2.5 our recipe claimed. My entire food timetable was thrown off. Boo! But hey, it was a darn tasty turkey.

2. We ran out of clean - and dry - dish towels, so by the end of the night we had to just leave the dirty dishes on the counter. We don't have a dishwasher (or a dryer), so we resorted to doing a drying-rack full of dishes and waiting for them to air dry.

And here is who made our Thanksgiving possible...the recipes (all gluten-free):

Roast Turkey
We mostly used Alton's brine, with some added tweaks from Gluten Free Girl's brine recipe. Also, we used butter to coat the bird instead of canola oil. BIG MISTAKE. The butter sizzled and smoked through the whole 500 degree portion of cooking (we had to make some temp and time adjustments...which may have been the reason why our turkey took so long to cook).

Udi's Gluten Free Stuffing
We stayed true to the recipe and it came out beautifully. Because our turkey was taking so long in the oven, our stuffing did dry out a bit waiting for a final warm up in the oven. I think next year we'll add a bit more moisture.

Gluten Free Dinner Rolls
I can't begin to describe the amazing flavor these rolls have. Yes, they are a little dense in the middle, but not at all like the hockey pucks most GF folks are used to. These were a big hit with everyone!

Biggy's Sweet Potato Casserole
The only change we made was to cook it in the CrockPot. About 20 minutes in, we added the mini marshmallows so they could melt. Yum.

Honey Glazed Carrots
We used regular carrots and cut them up into circles. A simple, yet flavorful dish.

Green Beans Almondine
Perfect as is.

Mashed potatoes were made by my sister-in-law. I don't know what she did or how she did it, but they rocked!

Random Thoughts: November Edition

1. When I was a kid, I remember learning proper letter writing in school. I was taught when it was OK to have a more casual correspondence and when a more formal letter was required.
Now that email is part of our daily lives, do they teach proper email etiquette? Are future employers going to receive an email like this from their employee:

Yo,
so i was all lolz cuz i thought OMG i forgot the deadline! but DOOD...totes dun!
:D

I think the intricacies of forwarding and cc/bcc should be covered as well.

2. I saw some brand new (in the bag) halloween costumes at Goodwill today for 75% off. I wanted to grab all the cute baby ones - ladybug, bumblebee, football - but my 2.5 year old is no longer a baby. And she's a 4T. Maybe I can put the bumblebee one on her leg and dress her up as a beekeeper next year? Though a giant bee attacking the leg of a beekeeper might be more of a beekeeper FAIL.

It's a good thing Peanut tells me exactly what she wants to be for Halloween.

3. ShankRabbit brought up the baby topic last week. I think we're rounding the corner from "ohgawdnowaynobabiesanytimesoon!" to "well...it wouldn't hurt to revisit the topic...in 6 months..." It's all about progress, right?

4. My grandmother had a funny quirk. Whenever we'd sit down for a family meal, our forks would mysteriously disappear. Turns out she would grab the nearest fork to serve dishes, cut meat, etc. and not notice which one she grabbed. We'd all laugh when she'd say, "goodness, how did I get 3 forks?"

Why do I bring this up? Because I have developed a similar flatware-related quirk. I use so many knives during the day that I can easily use every single one we own in a day. Putting butter on toast, making sandwiches, cooking...by the time we sit down for dinner they are all gone.

I've secretly started using disposable plastic knives on occasion. Shh...don't tell ShankRabbit. He thinks I've gotten better with my knife usage.

5. I had a very introspective September/October. Mostly, I was thinking about family (probably a post for another day). Blah blah blah...I decided somewhere in there that we should host our own Thanksgiving.

...

Did you catch that? I am hosting one of my all-time favorite holidays. I will be cooking. For other people than the husband and the daughter.

If you've never cooked a full turkey before, do you make a practice one a couple weeks before or do you just hope for the best the day of Thanksgiving? I did find helpful tips from a couple of "never let me down" sources - Alton Brown and The Gluten-Free Girl.

6. I'm so happy November 2nd is over. I don't mind the political ads (yes, annoying...but whatever). You know what bothered me? The "AAAARGH! GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!"
"I VOTED AND THERE WAS NO ONE WAITING IN LINE! SO SAD!"
"IF YOU DON'T VOTE YOU'RE THE WORST PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE!"

Did I vote? Yes. But I didn't make a big deal out of it.

7. Medical update: still broken. The doctors have no idea what's wrong...still. I think I'm done trying to figure this out. I've been on a gluten-free diet since August and this seems to help with most of the problems I'm dealing with, but no concrete answers.

8. 2010 seemed to be the year of "frustration." Can 2011 be "contentment," "love," or even "unicorns?" Let's make it happen.

So, I have this sister...

It all started Sunday.

My brother-in-law and his wife stopped over (and their two little lumps of doggy love). We made a great dinner and relaxed around our new fire pit. At one point ShankRabbit went to check on the kid (she was whiny) and it was just the three of us outside. My phone made a noise, notifying me of a new message on Facebook. Normally I wouldn't have looked at my phone while people were over, but my great uncle passed away on Friday and I figured it was one of my family members giving me details about the funeral*.

I received a friend request. At first glance, her name was not familiar, but had my maiden name as her last name**. She wrote a note with the request:

"Hi, I am your older half sister. I would love to get know you and your brother. I am older than you both. I have prayed for years to be united with you all and that is the primary reason I started my Facebook page. We can build a relationship independent of our father...".

Whoa.

My parents told me of possibly having a sister (my father's child with a different woman...before my mom came along), but at the time their words could not be trusted (substance abuse played a role in this distrust, among other things). Upon questioning other relatives, I was told that this was untrue. Many years passed...and so did the memory of this conversation.

Now I know that I really do have a half sister. Someone who I regret not knowing about sooner, but so happy she wasn't a part of my dark childhood.

"a relationship independent of our father..."

I know she knows.

After a few days and a stream of emails, I've gotten to know my sister.

Gosh, even saying "my sister" and not referring to an in-law or a friend is weird.

She has a 12 year old daughter (I'm an aunt?!) and a great career. She lives on the west coast.

Yeah.

I'm still processing this whole thing.

_____________

* - I'll save the story of my great uncle's funeral for another day. But I will tell you that this person is indeed my sister, as confirmed by my father who was in attendance.
** - She only put that (somewhat unique) last name so we'd recognize it as a possible family member.

Census. Cultural Background. Panic.

I love filling out forms. I don't know why, but any time I have the opportunity to fill one out, I jump at the chance (4 patient information forms, front and back, in a doctor's office? OK!). So imagine my glee when we received our 2010 census form.

I was disappointed when I looked over the form. I thought there would be more to fill out than name, address, age and race of each person in my household...but that was it.

That wasn't going to kill my buzz though. I still had a form to fill out!

As I happily filled in information and made neat little X's in the appropriate boxes, I screeched to a halt when I reached the "race" portion in my section.



Such a simple question, not so simple an answer...at least for me.

I have a very mixed background, but the main ones are Sicilian (at least 25%, if not more), African American (25%) and Native American (not sure exactly how much - I'm pretty sure it's not 25%, but could be close).

Now I know when they say "Caucasian," this could describe Sicilian...so I was covered there. But do I make an X in the box next to African-American? And if I fill in the box next to American Indian (is that even a PC term?) they ask you to name your "enrolled or principal tribe." Uh...I'm not official with a card or anything, I just know it's in my background. Do I put an X next to "other" and make up some craaaazy new name for my mixed heritage, like Cablinasian (except, you know, with my races...so it'd be like Cablinducilian...or something)?

((sigh))

So, after much deliberation, I put an X next to Caucasian and an X next to African American.

Alright...moving on. Next up: Peanut.

...

Geez oh Pete! What do I put for HER?!

(Another tense deliberation)

I left her portion with just an X next to Caucasian.

* * * * *

I'm sure I will leave some census person confused when they read:

Head of household: Caucasian
Spouse: Caucasian and African American
Biological child: Caucasian


Yep. That's us.

Crazy is normal for me

Lots of stuff floating around in my head recently - some of those items, in no particular order:

1. A House of Our Own: we put an offer on a house. Offer was accepted. Loan application well on its way. Closing date set.
OhgawdIfeellikeI'mgoingtovomit

2. My cousin's send-off party is Saturday. He's going to join the ranks of the United States Marine Corps. Military service is common in our family, but hasn't come up in our generation. He's the first. My little cousin...well, not so little anymore. I don't think my brain can process this properly. He's old enough? Seriously?! It seems like just yesterday we were watching Barney together.
Againwiththevommyfeeling


Here he is with his sister in '96 or so. I'd show you a pic of him now, but he'd probably stop speaking to me if he knew I posted it on my blog. So, I'm using my favorite one of them as kids. Muhahahaha!

3. I had a very rare snowball of anxiety clobber me a couple weeks ago that I couldn't shake before bed (oddly, not related to either of the items mentioned above).

Lesstalkylessvommyplease

* * * * *

I have this weird thing going on with a few of my toes. After ruling out poor shoe choice and bug bites, I turned to my trusty intarwebz to see what this could be. It left me with more questions than answers. ShankRabbit is convinced I have "the gout" (said in a very crotchety, old-man voice). Thanks for making me feel SO much younger, dear husband.

I'm convinced my second toes are protesting any and all shoes. They are the longest of the bunch - why do they have to be scrunched while the other toes get ample space to move around? Equal rights for ALL TOES!

...

...

Wow. I started this post talking about my moments of crazy and end with anthropomorphizing my toes.

This would be a good place to stop before any more crazy comes out.

(Let's hope the next month brings better topics of discussion)

Dust is a good thing, right?

It comes as no surprise to me that my last post was almost a month ago. The last month has been crazy, lovely, stressful, fun, emotionally trying, tiresome...you know, the usual.

Happenings in our household:

• Lots and lots of sickness for everyone
• Work. Work. And more work.
• Trying to handle the ever-changing mood of Peanut - teeth, major routine change, and missing daddy and mommy create chaos of the unfun variety.
• Doubting decisions one minute, then fulling embracing them the next.
  

I'm hoping to have some Halloween photos posted soon, but the child is having a dance party right now. I never pass up a dance party.

I get it...I'm not a young'un anymore

I went out last night. Normally, not something I would consider notable...except when I go out in Chicago. At 9:30pm. And lose track of time. And have to drive home afterward.

I'm exhausted, but surprisingly alert. I hope to have a big freakin' nap post up later detailing the events of last night.

Oh, in addition to my obvious sleep deprivation, Peanut has a doctor's appointment today and will receive her 15 month shots (shot? Shots? I'm not sure how many. All I know is that MMR is on the list. Fun times). For the first time in her life, daddy won't be there to hold her down hold her hand while she gets her shots. That part will be played by the understudy - me.

And here we go...

Random Wednesday

The past few weeks have been...life.
I don't know how else to describe them other that. There have been ups (how can you not enjoy a perfect sunny day?), there have been downs...but that's life. You know?

* * * * *
I woke up this morning to the wonderful sounds of Peanut who, upon seeing me round the corner, took out her binky just long enough to sign for "food." A whole banana, a piece of toast, and half a bowl of cereal (adult-size...as this was originally my breakfast) later, she was finally full. A mere 2 hours later, she wanted a snack. Hmm...can we say growth spurt?

* * * * *
I wrote up a post about someone I was not very happy with...but in the end, decided not to publish it (I'm certainly glad I got it out...even if no one will read it). Since I don't want to leave you wondering who is ruffling my feathers (it's not an easy feat), I will share this little bit with my readers...
My father's side of the family INVENTED manipulation and guilt trips. I can hear one comin' a mile away. So, if your intention is to have me emotionally check-out with you and doubt your words/actions, then by all means...send one my way. I'll point to center field and knock it out of the park every time.

* * * * *
I had very painful deja-vu this morning. I was just sitting on our couch, sipping my coffee, watching Sesame Street with Peanut when I shifted my position ever-so-slightly - resulting in throwing out my neck/back. Again. Same time of day, same situation, same debilitating pain.

* * * * *
To all the people getting ready for BlogHer: I wish everyone good weather and safe travels.

My swingset story

I was a young'un - maybe 9 or 10. My brother (we'll call him "T") and I were playing in the backyard of my Aunt M's and Uncle J's house. They lived in a quiet little suburban neighborhood on a cul-de-sac. Compared to the north side of Chicago (where we lived), this area was beautiful and clean.

Aside from the odd apple-producing tree in the backyard, there was a metal swing set that, I believe, came with the house. It was basic - two swings (interchangeable with a pull-up bar), monkey bars, and a slide. That was how you rolled back in the day - no tree houses, ramps or rock-climbing walls like they have now.

One afternoon, T and I were running around when we heard a loud, deep dog bark. We knew immediately who's dog this was - the corner neighbor owned a Rottweiler that would bark and snap at us when we passed on our bikes heading to the park. But something wasn't right about this bark. It was too close.

That's when we saw the dog on the street. We panicked. We knew the dog was on its way to get us. T was closest to the house, so he immediately ran indoors. I was on the other side of the yard...and knew there was no way I'd make it inside before the dog entered the backyard. So, I hastily made my way to the top of the slide...hoping he didn't know how to climb up.

I remember a lot of screaming and crying atop the slide, with the dog barking and snarling at the base (he made it pretty far up the slide just by standing on his hind legs). I remember seeing my brother, horror-stricken and helpless, watching me from the door.

I don't remember what made the dog go away - was it the owner's call? Who knows. But I will always be grateful for that metal swing set.

I am sharing this story with you for two reasons:
1. I plan on sharing little bits and pieces about my memories of this house and my aunt and uncle (and their kids). This is a good place to start - get the bad memory out of the way.

2. There is a big spring contest over at Dad Blogs. You write a blog post and reference their giveaway and you can possibly win this:



A fully-loaded wooden swingset from Kid's Creations. Valued at $5,000!
And if that wasn't enough, they are throwing in a Canon PowerShot SD 1100.

Though this swingset won't protect Peanut from big, scary dogs (that wall would certainly do her in), it would still be a blast for us her to play on.

So, If you happen to check this giveaway out, please mention my name.

I'm back

I finally dusted off my keyboard today. If you didn't read in ShankRabbit's blog, I was struck Sunday night with a sudden, random bout of a stomach flu and it knocked me out hardcore. Thank goodness ShankRabbit is who he is and was able to deal with the crying pathetic whimpering sicky me. I'm a sad case when I'm sick.

Fun story about Saturday night...

We stayed at the in-laws on Saturday so we wouldn't have to travel too far for church the next day. Lots of fun to be had with the family.
Peanut decided at 12am - after 4 hours of sleep - she was done. I don't know if she was too hot (changed her jammies), still hungry (tried another bottle), not liking her surroundings (not home), or whathaveyou, but she was awake. Bouncing in her bed, smiling...which turned into whining...then crying. It took 2 1/2 hours, lots of cuddling and back-breaking rocking (on a twin size bed...no rocking chair in this room) before she finally passed out. ShankRabbit was in the other twin size bed trying to make it work with his adult size frame. Heh - I wish I could convey in words how funny this was, but you'll just have to take my word for it.
(Sorry, hun...I'm not laughing at you. Ok, maybe I am. But you'd laugh as well if you saw it from my perspective)
I am about to settle in for the night when I feel a little pinch on my leg. I pull back the covers and find an Asian ladybug - beetle - whatever those dang things are that infest every household.* Upon further inspection, I find another under my pillow. Since my bed was the closest to the window, I got to enjoy the bedmates. Fan-freakin-tastic.

I was done.

I packed up my pillow (sans bug) and a spare blanket and kissed ShankRabbit goodnight before retreating to the downstairs couch. It's not remotely close to any windows, so the chances of being attacked were slim. I settled in and finally a bit of sleep.

Fortunately, Saturday night's crib rave had no ill effect on Peanut the next day - thank goodness. She was just as charming as always...and that combined with family time, coffee and fantastic pastries made my Easter morning way better than anticipated.

And what are the morals to my story?
1. Bugs don't make good bedmates
2. Babies, no matter what they do, will always win with their cuteness. Every time.
3. Forget dogs - coffee is man's woman's best friend
________________

* - Harmonia axyridis, the Asian lady beetle. I contemplated posting a picture, but this blog is the only place I have left where I don't have to deal with them. So, click the link for photos and information.

Fatherhood Friday: Remembering the Good Times

Visit Dad-Blogs to get more information on Fatherhood Friday. Great group of people - dads and moms alike!

I'm up way too late. I just spent a good deal of time power-cleaning our house for the arrival of my fosterdad tomorrow morning.

Normally, I just do the quick pick up before a guest arrives...but he has never seen our house nor met Peanut. This is a big deal.

And I just realized we are out of coffee. CRAP.

Anyway, to the point of the post. In honor of his visit, I would like for you to take a moment and think of the person (or people) that acted as a father figure in your life (hopefully you can find a good example and I'm not drudging up bad memories). Maybe it's a family friend, uncle, coach, adoptive parent, or foster parent.

Now...tell me what your favorite memory is with that person.

I will post my favorite memory on Monday.

My head is going to explode...

Last night, I was laying lying horizontally positioned on our kitchen floor. Peanut was playing peek-a-boo with my bellybutton and smacking me in excitement every time it 'surprised' her. ShankRabbit, in the middle of making dinner, looks over and says, "why do you look so sad?" I answer, "I'm not sad...just...too much." So, to prevent my head from exploding (and hoping that I can once again create full sentences when talking), let's explore the list:

1. My (physical) health - had to add that clarification, because we all know my mental state is slightly skewed most of the time. Not much to tell other than everything is probably fine, but the doctors don't know. A lot of fuzzy answers...and as Call Me Cate mentioned, "better to have fuzzy answers than fuzzy meat. Just saying." I couldn't agree more.

2. My fosterdad is visiting me Friday morning. This is the first time he'll see our house and meet Peanut (skipping over lots of details about why this is just happening in the interest of space and time). After The Great Furniture Move of 2009 on Tuesday, I have some major cleaning to do. Crap.

3. We are more than likely going to sell one of our cars and become a one vehicle family. I am a little excited about this (saving money - what a concept!, driving ShankRabbit to work, etc.), but I have an unnatural attachment to SR's car. Seriously. I cried the other night just thinking about it (If you're thinking, "who cries over a car?!" Just remember my warning about the month of April).

4. My checking account is anorexic.

5. I agreed to write an article about myself for our church's newsletter. They spotlight a volunteer in every issue. I just got a "friendly reminder" email yesterday saying it's due today.
The stream of words that came out of my mouth after reading that were not church appropriate.
Let me save you all the trouble and scold myself -
"geez oh Pete, Isabella, what were you thinking?! You hate writing, especially about yourself, and you agreed to write an article? Are you high?!"

--

I'm sure I have more of these swimming around in my head, but right now I'm plagued with writing something more interesting than "Jennifer is" on this newsletter article.

Fatherhood Friday: Dads are the Best!

Visit Dad-Blogs to get more information on Fatherhood Friday. Great group of people - dads and moms alike!

I decided to take this Fatherhood Friday and focus on dads (wow! What an innovative concept, Isabella!).
Back story: I felt bad last night because I inadvertently made ShankRabbit feel "not good enough" in relation to parenting Peanut. It was certainly not my intent...and I want all the fathers, not just ShankRabbit, to know how important your role is in your child's life.

I don't want to bore you with my never-ending emotional babble (seriously, falling asleep at the keyboard is never recommended), so I'll just inundate you with photos...sound good? Here we go -

Why Dads Are The Best

No one can do nap time quite like a dad





And even when he's not sleeping, he's still great to fall asleep on





He doesn't just feed the child...he bonds, he connects



And he can multitask like a mo fo (dishes AND baby wearing)!









He is passionate about his interests and eager to share all he knows







even making sure the child has a "well-rounded" experience (e.g. cheesy cover band at State Fair)




He knows how to have fun (photo shoot, FTW!)












No matter the time or place, he'll get right in and play








even coordinate costumes on Halloween...'cause he's just that cool

Simply put...there is no one like you.

Engagement - The Prequel

See this post for the story of the engagement and the reason for this particular story.

April 19th, 2006 -
I was working at a prominent hotel in Milwaukee, dating the greatest guy on earth, and just lovin' life. On this day, I got a frantic phone call from my Uncle J telling me that my mom's husband, Scott, was in the hospital after a sudden heart attack the previous weekend. He was on life support and he wasn't going to make it. They were going to disconnect him that afternoon.

My mother is not one to keep in regular contact with anyone. We'd go months at a time without any kind of communication. At this point in my life, we hadn't spoken in years.

My uncle put her on the phone. She seemed distracted, but relieved to hear my voice. I could hear the need for my presence - she didn't have to say a thing. Knowing how she'd never ask for help (a trait I know all too well), I understood, but still asked -

"Mom, do you need me to come down there?"

"You'd do that?"
-

My emergency-organizer self kicked into action. Within 12 hours, I:
1. Got the OK from my boss to take a few days of bereavement
2. My discounted flight lined up (through the generosity of a close friend's father who worked for an airline)
3. A dog sitter confirmed
4. A rental car to take me from Charlotte, N.C. to the small town where my mother lived.

The next day (Thursday), I was on a flight to North Carolina.

-

I stayed at the hospital with my mom. The wonderful hospital staff arranged for a second recliner chair to be brought into the room for me.

Scott was a fighter. He held on longer than anticipated. It took until Friday evening for him to pass away. For the first time in my life, I saw my mom cry.

I handled the arrangements and addressed any other details needing attention. I was back in Milwaukee by Monday evening, exhausted, but thankful for the time with my mother.

This wasn't a pleasant circumstance by any means, but a lot of good did come of it. I reconnected with my estranged mother. My faith in God was tested and, ultimately, strengthened. And my extended absence gave ShankRabbit the opportunity to visit my fosterparents and ask for permission to marry me.

When we returned to the area two weeks later for MOTD, I was able to call up my mom and introduce her to ShankRabbit. This would have never happened if I didn't have that time with her.

-

(Clarification: I left my biological parent's home when I was 11. My biological father has been out of the picture for a LONG time. My fosterparents entered my life when I was 13, so they are who I'd consider the parental figures in my life)

Where'd I go?

ShankRabbit decided to get sick this weekend...so I was busy keeping him fed, hydrated and medicated so he'd return to tip-top shape. Well, he may not be 100% just yet, but he's much better.

Due to "sick patrol," I didn't get a chance to read everyone's blog posts this weekend. Expect comments on old posts, because that's how I roll.

* * * * *

The heat just kicked on and Peanut is on all fours over the floor vent. She's having a great time letting the air blow the hair out of her face and laughing.

Such simple things amuse us - kids and adults alike.

* * * * *

One of the coolest things I witnessed this weekend was ShankRabbit, B.C. (before the cold) and my brother-in-law, playing their guitars in the backyard while Peanut crawled around. I love warmer weather.

* * * * *

I seriously messed up my knee cap on Saturday night. I won't go into specifics, but I will tell you that a metal-framed doorway + one klutz = a lot of pain. Let's hope it's only bruised and nothing more serious.

* * * * *

I just said the following to my daughter, "Let me see what's in your mouth...stop trying to swallow it!...Plastic is NOT for eating!"
Why must she clamp her mouth shut and attempt to bite me at the same time when I'm fishing for something in her mouth? I could have sworn I gave birth to a human being, not a puppy.

Now I will try to find the source of said plastic.

* * * * *

Dance Party Time!
(Have no idea what I'm referring to?...read the bottom of this post)

Artist/Band: The Bangles
Song Title: Walk Like An Egyptian
Kid-friendly?: Yep

Thank goodness it's...Monday?

It has been one crazy ride this weekend. You all read about "my fault" Friday, a baby shower on Saturday, and then today - visiting the brother-in-law in the hospital after an appendectomy. Oy. Crazy, crazy, crazy.

I hope my week is less eventful...maybe a few hours of watching the paint dry or dust accumulate. Oh, who am I kidding - I have an 11 month old! Calm, quiet days do not exist.

* * * * *

I really need to remember to photograph my craft projects before I give them away. I made 2 blankets (1 jersey, 1 flannel and fleece), 1 pair of baby booties, a personalized onesie, 2 burp cloths, and a set of three baby blocks for the baby shower. I was pretty excited with how everything turned out. Though, there are the nit-picky thoughts of "oh, I could have done this different/better..." infiltrating my mind every 5 minutes before I give away any homemade craft. As a perfectionist, I know that those thoughts will never go away.

* * * * *

Dance Party Time!
(Have no idea what I'm referring to?...read the bottom of this post)

Artist/Band: Matisyahu
(an orthodox Jewish man does reggae/hip-hop songs about God. For real!)
Song Title: King Without A Crown
Kid-friendly?: Yep

The concert.

I had the great idea of taking several pictures from the Joshua Radin concert and using them for my post today. However, I was WAY too wrapped up in the concert to think about busting out the camera. I took only one photo...and as you can tell by the quality, I wasn't really focused on making it a great shot:










I enjoyed the concert...that's all that matters.


A HUGE thank you goes to my brother-in-law for inviting me to this concert. I had a blast!