I just have to get this off my chest

If you are not in the mood for a ranty, crazy post...then you can skip this.

Rant in the first:

I was just about to read Peanut a book before nap time when my cell phone rings. Some Chicago number I didn't recognize popped up...so I decided to ignore it and continue on with the naptime routine. Just as I'm putting Peanut in her crib, my cell rings again. Same number. I run out of the bedroom to answer it.

It is a general rule in our family that if you call 2 or more times in a row, it's really important.

Caller: "Hi, this is Lola from [some weird company name having to do with products]. Is this Stitch?"
Me: "Um, no...you have the wrong number."
Caller: "Is this [recites phone number]."
Me: "Yes, but I'm not Stitch."
Caller: "OK then. Good bye."

After I hang up the phone, I notice I have a new voicemail. Lo and behold, Lola left a message...for Stitch.

So, not only did Lola not listen to the voicemail greeting (where I clearly state my name) but she proceeded to call right back to see if I would pick up.

Normally, not an issue...except when my child is about to go down from a nap and the sound of my cell phone makes her jump up (she thinks daddy is calling).

Rant in the second:

I could go on for pages about my beef with "stupid drivers." Be thankful that I am sparing you from this. I will only touch on what's bothering me right now -

1. If you are in the left lane of a multi-lane freeway and are not paying attention to where you need to exit...please don't cut off three (busy) lanes of traffic because you are friggin' idiots (yes, plural. More than one person decided to do this in front of me today). I have a child in the car and God help you if you hit me.

2. Solid white lines in a construction area mean STAY IN YOUR LANE, DUMB@SS!

[photo (minus text) courtesy of Washington State Dept. of Transportation]

Rant in the third:

If you, the cashier, are ringing up my items and I tell you that something you just scanned was incorrect according to the sale display...DO NOT show me the price tag and say, "but the price tag says $5." Yes, genius...I saw that. But the 10-foot ad above it said $3.50. To further solidify why you are employee of the month, you gave me one heck of a look and an audible sigh after asking "do you want me to have someone check that price for you?" and I said yes (let me add, the store was dead). You don't even have to move from your station. You flip a switch, someone comes over and checks on the item for you.
Really?
Save the 'tude for someone else.


((sigh))

Thank you for letting me get that out. I've been having a great day, but there are just some people...

I can't call it "giving up"

For those that don't know me, I can be one stubborn sonofa' (shut yo' mouth!).

The term "give up" doesn't enter my vocabulary.* Ever. It just doesn't.

So, while loading Peanut into her carseat on Tuesday after our last stop in the "errand" train (drop ShankRabbit off at work, return CDs to library, mail project #2 for Craft Hope and the recall pieces), I happened to glance down at what I was wearing - baseball cap, glasses, no makeup, old t-shirt, my red "Guard" hoodie, jeans (the ones with the safety-pinned zipper) and beat-up flip flops. That's when it really hit me. I won't call it "giving up" as a) I don't use that term, remember? and b) I still have some clothing standards (e.g. I will never leave the house in pajama pants)...but...I've fallen into frumpydom.

When I was pregnant...heck, well before that even, I swore to myself this wouldn't happen. I was never a fashionista, but I made sure I was somewhat presentable on a daily basis. Now...well, now I'm just kind of "meh" looking.

ShankRabbit and I had a pretty good discussion about this. And we came to the conclusion that I'm not necessarily clueless about how to dress well, I just don't have the items to do so.

So, now that my body is pretty close to where I want it to be (I'm at my pre-pregnancy weight, but apparently I left my @ss in the delivery room, because I can't find it), I can start investing in staple wardrobe pieces...and go from there.

We'll just see how this goes.

Here is the frumpy me (I can't believe I'm actually posting photographic proof of this):



Back in the day, when I "tried":


Were you expecting a serious, "good" photo of me? BAHAHA. I just had to post this psychotic-looking photo from our honeymoon that I found in our archives.
___________________________

* I'm sure ShankRabbit would jump at the chance to say I "gave up" when it came to driving his MINI (stick shift). I know how to drive manual...but the power behind his car scared me. So I rarely ever drove it.

Cute baby attack!

My mother-in-law bought this dress for Peanut a while back. Unfortunately, it never really fit (elastic midsection = uncomfortable fit for Buddha belly), but I decided to have her wear it for a few photos...just so we had photographic proof how cute she looked in it (before packing it up in a storage bin):






Have a great weekend everyone!

I guess I should be flattered...

...but I'm not.

Doorbell rings. It takes me a while to answer the door (I was upstairs with Peanut). Mr. Door-to-door Salesman, who was halfway down the stairs, turns around and sees me with Peanut on my hip and says "hey...are your parents home?"

Calendars and popcorn

Just a short post thanking Blogger for being my calendar.

I had to call our insurance company regarding an incorrect bill we just received. I could not remember when I got my MRI done (even though they have my file pulled up, apparently they need specific dates).
I couldn't find it on our fridge calendar, my purse calendar, or our Google calendar (you'd think with all these calendars I would have found it). Thankfully, I wrote a post about it - on April 23rd.

---

In other news...have you ever heard of coffee popcorn? Not coffee-flavored popcorn...this:



I found this "popcorn" in our new bag of java today. Just sitting on top of the other beans...all weird like.

So odd...

Kenmore Mini Ultra

I'm posting this meme for the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog. So, if you really don't want to read all about my lovely sewing machine, then skip this post.


Photo courtesy of Sears.com. You think I'd take a picture of my sewing table? BAHAHAHAHA!

What brand and model do you have?
Kenmore Mini Ultra

How long have you had it?
About 3 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
I think I bought it on sale at Sears for $50-$80.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Clothing, stuffed animals/dolls, bags/purses, baby gifts (bibs, blankets, burp cloths), baby shoes

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I sew about 3-4 hours every other day. I would say it gets a moderate amount of wear and tear, but I maintain it pretty well.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I like my machine. It's very easy to use and small in size. Her name is Betty. :)

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
All of the basic features of any machine - a good amount of stitches, easy to use, etc. Nothing fancy.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Nope.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
There is nothing super exciting to tell about it...other than I got it because I wanted to make my own veil for my wedding.
Oh, and I once thought it was possessed when I would turn it on and it would start sewing right away (turns out my fabric bin was on the pedal).

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Definitely. It is a great sewing machine for beginners or for anyone who is looking for a straight-forward, "no frills" machine.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
I think it's very important to look for a machine that is going to suit your specific needs, not just go out and buy one because it has all the bells and whistles.

It was originally about repurposing...

ShankRabbit and I love to "repurpose." For example, when I had to take a scissors to our recalled pack n' play, I tried to think of other ways to use the residual materials (as long as it was not for baby-supporting purposes, as apparently this version failed at). Here are a couple of our projects -

I made Peanut a pair of soft-soled shoes out of an old pair of jeans:


Look at those chubby baby legs!



(the pattern for these awesome, relatively easy baby shoes can be found here).

**Note: I whipped these up really quick because I needed a good multi-purpose shoe. They aren't pretty, but they work (and we have since added puffy paint "treads" to the bottoms for a non-slip grip).

ShankRabbit made a headboard for our bed out of two small nightstands:


(as you can see, there is barely any room for walking next to the bed, let alone a nightstand)

And since I'm showing you a picture of our headboard, allow me to explain a few things:

1. That "lock" box houses my jewelry. Nothing of importance in there since the most expensive items I own are on me 24/7. So, if there is anyone out there reading who thinks they are going to hit pay dirt by breaking in and stealing this box...you are sorely mistaken. Unless you like name necklaces from 8th grade and several pairs of $1 earrings...

2. Yes, that is a cribbage board in the middle section. ShankRabbit and I like to play a game or two if we go to bed earlier than normal (I know...we're one EXCITING married couple, I tell ya!).

3. My side of the bed houses the "Babyproofing Bible," an InStyle magazine, and a homemade heating pad. ShankRabbit's side has all of our DS games, a devotion book, and the Bible.

4. Eventually, I would like to outfit this with doors in (Plexiglass? Acrylic?) some form of plastic sheeting that will slide across. I will have ShankRabbit run some lights and you've got one heckuva lighting and (hidden) storage option...or at least the pipe dream is there.

So, I realize that I meant to cover how much we love to repurpose and yadda yadda yadda...but since I've gone into depth about our headboard (and felt the need to explain everything), I wonder -

What's on your headboard/nightstand?

NOT Oreo crumbs

We were in the midst of making dinner (in last night's case, warming up leftovers) and Peanut was HUNGRY. Since it was going to take all of 30 seconds to warm up her dinner, we didn't give her any "appetizers" to tide her over. She whined a bit and then wandered off into the living room (not unusual).

When she came back in the kitchen, she seemed a little too calm. That's when I noticed something on her chin...a tiny spec of dirt.

what the...?

Peanut ate dirt. From a houseplant.

While I give her props for being resourceful ("Hey, I'm hungry. Let's see what grub I can scrounge up"), that's just...eeeeew.

---
ShankRabbit and I discussed the "weird" stuff we used to eat as kids.

He ate sand and dirt, but never paste (he was afraid it would glue his insides together). I preferred ants (for a very brief moment in time), the yellow flowers off clover plants, and violets.

So, I'm curious...did you ever eat anything out of the ordinary?

Revisiting childhood with an artichoke

When ShankRabbit and I married, he assumed the title of "Chef" and I the "Baker." This arrangement suited us well. He can look at a few ingredients and throw together an amazing dinner. I, on the other hand, need planning, measurements, order (if only you understood how much I truly enjoy leveling off a cup of flour...).

Now that I am the one at home all day, meal preparation is quickly becoming more of my responsibility. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy cooking...as long as I have a very explicit recipe. Give me a bunch of ingredients and say "have at it!" and I'd either curl up in the fetal position on the kitchen floor or pelt you with said items. Or both. Though I'm sure my aim from the floor would be pretty poor.

(ShankRabbit's domain will forever and always be the grill. I know how it works and what to do...but it still scares the bejeebies out of me)

Last night I decided to try my hand at a childhood favorite - stuffed artichokes. My Sicilian great-grandmother used to make these for us quite a bit and I honestly haven't had one since (well over 15 years ago).

After a lengthy internet search, I deduced that the recipes are relatively the same. So, I melded my favorite ones and got to work.

I won't bore you with the recipe I created, but I will say that it was quite yummy (and thanks again to my hero, The CrockPot Lady, I was able to "set it and forget it" in my crock pot). And for anyone attempting to cook these on your own, here are some things to know:

1. I knew to trim the tips off the leaves, but I didn't know why...until I punctured my finger on one. Apparently, artichokes have thorns (they seem to be sharper the farther in you go).

2. When the directions say "tap the top of the artichoke to spread the leaves," they mean turn the artichoke upside down and smack it against the countertop. Seriously. The wider apart the leaves, the more stuffing you can shove in between (and the more yummy).


This right before it was cooked. They didn't hang around long enough for me to get an "after" photo.

That first taste was just as delicious as I remembered it. While I was inhaling eating, I couldn't help but think fondly about my great-grandmother and how much I miss her (she was 98 years old when she passed in 1999). She was an amazing lady.

A couple photos

Happy Thursday, everyone!

I'll spare you the long post I just wrote. It seemed a little too whiny for my liking. So, I leave you with a couple photos from last weekend:


Hmm...which would go better with my hummus - milk or water?


C'mon guys...let's go to the park!

Eau de Doggie

For the next week, we have a full house.  Meet our 2 furry house guests, Dante and Capri:

          

(Dante kept trying to kiss me while taking his photo, hence the blurriness)

I love animals, especially dogs.  But the first 24 hours of herding dogs and a one year old make me thankful that this is temporary.  Too many small beings dancing around my legs...I'm just waiting to fall over.

* * * * *

Herb update:  Sprout city!

Basil

Chives

Cilantro / Coriander

Oregano

I'm sad to say I don't think the oregano will do well.  Maybe the seeds are slow to germinate (though that's hard to imagine...the seeds were the size of dust particles)?  I'm just happy our basil and cilantro look promising.  These are the ones I'm most excited about.

Have you ever wanted to be a cartoon character?

...even for just a few minutes, so you could see what it's like to do whatever, whenever without the real world consequences? Like, running full speed off a cliff, stopping mid-air only to raise your "YIPE!" sign, and then plummet to the ground...escaping with mild dizziness - illustrated by stars and chirping birds?


That random bit of brain-puke was what I came up with when presenting myself with this question, "how do I get my readers to laugh and possibly not remember that I haven't posted in a couple days?"

* * * * *

I don't think I need to say I have been busy. If I wasn't, I'd probably post 1, 2, 10 times on this blog.

Our best friends, A&B (also known as "Auntie B" and "Uncle White Brows") had their little girl on Tuesday. Auntie B was induced Sunday night...and by Monday night they decided to give her a break because it wasn't taking. Tuesday morning brought Round Two and by 10:35pm the baby (finally!) made her way into the world.

Oh, and a side note to anyone who has to spend time in a waiting room with a young child/children : be prepared for everything. Bring several snacks (of different varieties, because chances are your child will refuse the first three options), lots of beverages (including the milk you assumed you could just purchase at the cafeteria, only to learn that it closes earlier than you thought), various games/movies/distractions, and a contraption in some form that allows you to strap sleepy/whiny/clingy child to you while you walk around. A consistent 22 pounds on your arm seems exponentially heavier as time passes.

* * * * *
This picture is specifically for Sandra -

The view from our kitchen window

I love spring.

* * * * *
Here are the herbs, day 4. Sitting on the edge of ShankRabbit's desk. So far, so good (I think):



* * * * *

We dismantled our rarely-used-for-dining table right before Peanut's birthday (extra space, FTW!). I like not having it in the way, but we end up either eating dinner in our TV room or sitting on the floor of the kitchen (which sounds odd, but for some reason everyone sits on the floor of our kitchen. Considerably well-scrubbed, if you don't mind potting soil). And anyway, we're sit-on-the-floor type people...we love a casual, intimate atmosphere. It's like a picnic, only in your house.

I have been mulling over this situation in my head for a long time. The occasional meal in the TV room is fine...but I don't want to be that family that only converses during commericals (and with DVR, that length of time is about 10 seconds). And I love our kitchen dining, but I fear Peanut will insist on sitting on the floor wherever we go.

My light bulb moment? Remembering this:


(courtesy of istockphoto, obviously)

A traditional Japanese dining set-up.

How fun would this be to have in our dining room? Oooh! I think a Moroccan set-up might be fun too!

Ok, enough rambling. It's hotter than blazes in this office and I have a cold glass of beer juice calling my name.

Miscellaneous Monday

(how often do you see the word "miscellaneous" spelled out in its entirety? Not often enough, I say!)


1. We are awaiting the arrival of our best friends' baby. B had to be induced...so here is to hoping things go smoothly. ShankRabbit left his cell phone (a fancy schmancy new Blackberry Storm) turned up last night, so every time it made a sound, I jumped up thinking, "BABY?!"

1b. I also got one of those fancy schmancy phones (thank you, buy one get one free!). I *heart* it so far.

2. I spent a good portion of yesterday in a cleaning frenzy. Unfortunately, all of my hard work only resulted in getting two rooms done - Peanut's bedroom and the kitchen. That's what I get for wanting to scrub the floors on my hands and knees.

3. Supplies were purchased for growing our own herbs (basil, cilantro, chives, oregano). We wanted to get it all set up last night, but had to wait until Peanut was in bed. Since we had the soil, we decided to re-pot our houseplants as well. It was too dark and chilly outside for my taste, so I thought it would be a good idea to work in the kitchen. You know, on the floor I scrubbed.

I am a bright one, I am (I blame the margaritas).

FAIL

Our family is entertaining the idea of going on vacation this year...to somewhere other than our usual destinations. I spent a good portion of my day looking at possible vacation rentals. This required A LOT of website visiting.

Here's a hint to anyone selling their vacation rental (heck, selling ANYTHING) online - if your website sucks, you suck.

...

Ok, not really. But understand that it is 2009 and there is no excuse for having a website that looks like it was created at the dawn of the internet.

Example (name of town edited out of courtesy. I'm sure it's a great place...they just have dolts advertising it):


Figure 1


Figure 2


There are just so many things wrong with this site (the background...my god, the background!), I am not sure I'd have enough space to detail it all. Let's talk about a few of my favorite parts, shall we?

Figure 1
* "Spring Fling Deal" - I think the color combination just made me throw up a little in my mouth

* "Less, less fog, less crowded!" - Not just less fog, but LESS less fog. Fog is practically non-existent here. Alert the media!

Figure 2
* Look at the very right side of the picture. See where my scroll bar is positioned? This home page was by far the L O N G E S T I have ever encountered.

* "Sshhhh...'[town] Best Kept Secret!" - first you tell me to be quiet and then you yell? Make up your mind!

* "not to winding" - just....UGH! ((facepalm))


Ok, I feel better now. Thanks for letting me share this eyesore with you.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Dear Mr. Clean,

How are you? I am sorry I haven't paid your Magic Eraser product much attention. We had a great run of me using it at every opportunity, but then life happened. I kept forgetting to buy more, so I used what I had on hand - cleanser and paper towels. Out of sight, out of mind.

I was then seduced by other "eco-friendly" options and thought they would clean anything and everything. Our first few dates were great...but then, as with any relationship, I got to know the REAL product (though I'm still a fan of baking soda for scrubbing the sink. Sorry).

My Rowenta "wouldn't-have-spent-this-much-if-it-wasn't-for-a-gift-certificate" iron was in serious trouble. It had terrible buildup that wouldn't come off. When ironing an article of clothing, it would stick to said spot. I took a picture of it for your reference:



Clothes don't iron themselves, so I had to find a solution. I checked the trusty intarwebz and someone mentioned using the Magic Eraser. So, I went to work.

A lot of elbow grease and 20 minutes later, I was impressed. Your product went above and beyond, Mr. Clean. Not only did it remove ALL of the residue, but there were no scratches or marks left behind. It's like it was never there in the first place.




I'm so sorry I didn't turn to you sooner. I'll never let it happen again.

Hoping you forgive me,

Isabella

____________________

1. The "Before" photo mysteriously disappeared. Obviously, this one is doctored. The cows are in the correct placement of where the actual buildup was.
I would also like to state for the record that I do not condone ironing cows.

2. I was not given any sort of compensation for this review. I just tell it like it is.

The creepy crawlies

Bugs. *shudder*

I hate bugs.

Let me clarify - I hate bugs in the house. If they are outside and doing their bug thing...all is good. Once they crawl their way into my house - MY DOMAIN - they are playing a serious game of roulette with their lives.

Tonight I found 3 spiders in the span of 5 minutes:
1. Washed hands in the bathroom sink - spider hanging out on the drain (didn't need hubby to kill that one. Nothing a little soapy water and a good dose of Listerine couldn't solve)
2. Walked into our bedroom and noticed one on the ceiling on MY side of the bed
3. On my way to call ShankRabbit for spider removal and saw one creeping his way across our kitchen ceiling.

Over the last week, I can't tell you how many spiders I've found in our house. I don't know where they are coming from, but they must have all been from the same spidey nest - they look exactly the same (same color and same size).

Before you get all "equal rights for BUGS!" on me (I like to think there are some bug advocates out there. Everyone else has one), I have every right to despise them. I spent a good deal of my childhood in a basement apartment in Chicago. You couldn't go a couple days without getting some sort of bug bite (usually a spider). I vividly remember waking up one morning to a spider bite on my eyelid that caused my eye to swell shut.


I've causually mentioned it to ShankRabbit before, but now I'm strongly suggesting it (because I know he'll read this): exterminator.

I have no words...

Kayleigh Anne Freeman

June 23, 2008 - May 11, 2009

Any sand paper for my brain? Please and thank you.

As is true with most of my recent blogging attempts, I sit here with nothing on my screen as another two drafts sit in the queue waiting to be completed (for anyone keeping track, that's seven unfinished posts).

Why am I so lost for words tonight? I have the most ridiculous song stuck in my head.

Michael Bolton's cover of "P.Y.T."


Why me?


So all I can think of is him and this song. I swear, if if any part of my dream tonight includes him, I'm going to punch someone in the face (I haven't decided who. I was going to say "I'd personally punch HIM in the face" but I don't want to be blamed if it actually happened. Love ya, Bolty! Um...not really, but I don't think I'd have any reason to punch you in the face).

- - - -

Interesting story about Michael Bolton. The night of my wedding, I had arranged for my foster parents to stay in one of the presidential suites at the hotel (same location as the reception...and also where I worked at the time). A few days prior to their arrival, I was informed that they would be moved to the other suite (a little smaller, but not much different). I found out it was reserved for Michael Bolton. My foster parents joked that they were going to knock on his door and ask him to come sing at my reception.

(though I was opposed to it at the time...imagine if he did. It would have made for a much better story than the one I just told you)

See what happens when you get an awful cover song stuck in your head?

Why Friday is lame

I have five posts in the works. Yes...I said five. Here are my reasons for not posting them:

Post #1: I am missing the photos for this post. I was just informed that one of the photos is lost and gone forever, so I have to get creative. Creativity is not dancing at my doorstep right now.

Post #2: This post requires a certain amount of rant-ability to be completed. Ranty fell asleep a while ago. I am left with complacent, glue-sniffing Isabella. (I'm not really a glue-sniffer...just thought I'd clarify)

Post #3: This is more of an informative post and I can't seem to make it sound...well, not boring. Seriously. You'd fall asleep quicker than...quicker than...
apparently Wordsmith went to bed with Ranty. Thanks, guys! Couldn't wait 15 more minutes for my post to be done, could you?!

Post #4: This wacked out (yet funny in my head) post requires props. I have yet to finish those.

Post #5: I think this will be Monday's post. I just have to remember to take pictures tomorrow.

Now you know why I sit here unsure of what to post. I have material, I just can't use it yet. So, you get this instead. A post about not having a post.

Lame FTW!

Music for kids

Peanut and I stopped by the library yesterday. No, not to crash story time...I was looking for some CDs.

My children's songs repertoire is vast, but that requires remembering them. Right now, I have been singing Peanut the extent of an EP: Itsy Bitsy Spider; If All The Raindrops...; ABCs; If You're Happy and You Know It. I know there are others floating around in my brain, I just need a little help remembering them. Enter: children's songs CDs.

I've spent a lot of time with children in my life - cousins, foster siblings, babysitting, etc. I am very aware that these CDs can be hit or miss. Fortunately, our local library has quite the selection of said CDs. I was able to find everything from Veggie Tales to Radiohead for babies (providing the link so you'd know I'm not making this up).

I selected a Disney Collection CD (I have listened to this one before. Very good), Toddler Tunes (not sure how I feel about this one yet), and a Sunday school songs CD.*

I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions I'd really appreciate it (NO Raffi, please).

__________________

* - ShankRabbit has asked me a couple times to sing little kid Christian songs to Peanut. One problem: I never learned them. I can hum through "Jesus Loves Me" and maybe sing a few lines of "Arky Arky"...but that's where it ends. So, I am hoping this CD is decent enough to learn the songs.

Attn: Jean

Jean Inez, if you are reading this, please comment on this post or email me at jenniferisabella (at) gmail (dot) com with an email address (for the craft giveaway). The one provided in the comments of that post didn't work...the email was returned.

Thanks!

Just a photo

I was in the middle of writing a post and couldn't find one of the photos I needed to include (I have a feeling someone emptied out the camera's memory card on his computer but didn't put it on our server. Hmm...). So, you are getting this cop-out post instead - Peanut falling asleep with Bernie (our friend's Italian Greyhound):



"Whatever you do Bernie, don't fart. kthx."

Random Tuesday

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

* * * * *

As I've said many times before, Peanut loves to dance. The following video was on Sesame Street today:

Courtesy of DanceJam.com

If I was able to get a good video of her dancing to this, I would post it...but as true with any other situation, when you finally have the camera out, the video-worthy stuff stops. Just try to picture a 1 year old doing her version of stepping. Friggin' hilarious.

* * * * *

I found that I have a lot of moments where I don't put 2 and 2 together. Seriously.
For instance, when someone would offer me mayo for my burger, I'd make a face and turn my nose up at it. It didn't occur to me that the burgers I enjoy from fast food restaurants have mayo on them. Once this fact finally penetrated my feeble brain (read: a few weeks ago), I started adding mayo to my burgers. Man, is it yummy.

* * * * *

We have added another item to the "things I cannot touch around the house" list: super glue.
Long story short - our iron has a crack in its plastic shell (preventing the proper use of the steam and self-clean options). Instead of using epoxy like ShankRabbit suggested, I tried super glue. Let's just say I was more successful at gluing the iron to my finger than fixing the problem.

Note to other super glue users: keep acetone nail polish remover on hand.

* * * * *

We are going to be a one-car family soon. If you haven't read ShankRabbit's post yet (if you don't read his blog yet, you should. Get over there now!), we decided to sell his 2005 MINI Cooper S. Very bittersweet for all of us.

Today was a test run of us driving him to work. All was good until he said goodbye and walked into his office building. Peanut is used to daddy leaving the house for work, not watching him walk into a building. I had a very sad baby on my hands...until she located her binky and her stuffed monkey. Only if sad moments were as easily managed as an adult.

I'm not cool enough for this club

Several months ago, I was perusing our local community newsletter and noticed an announcement for story time at the library (specifically for ages 6 months - 2 years old). Wanting to get out of the house and be more social, I thought this sounded like a great idea.
The first day of story time arrived and I made sure Peanut and I were out the door with ample time to spare. I went up to the children's section of the library and asked the librarian where the story time took place. She mentioned finding my name on a list. Uh...was I supposed to call ahead and reserve a spot? Yes.

When I returned home, I double-checked the announcement in the newsletter. Nowhere did it say to call ahead. I was baffled. This was a story time for a very specific age group on Monday mornings - you mean to tell me they have SO many people wanting to take part in this that they have to have reservations?!

Fast forward one month. The new newsletter arrives with the same information. I immediately picked up the phone and called the library.

Guess what? They didn't have any more spots. Completely full.

I hung up the phone, seriously ticked off. We just received the newsletter that day. This means for their list to fill up so quickly, the following had to happen:

1. People who have attended story time before get first priority
2. They were taking names down well before the newsletter published
3. It's a cover for a book-obsessed cult and I'm just not their type

The solution: Continue enjoying story time at home.

Anyone been in the same boat?

I am about to talk about my child and poo. If you'd rather not read about it, then skip over this post. Warning has been issued.


---


Peanut is super-stopped up (like, when changing her diaper I can actually see the poo ready to come out...it's just not moving). With the introduction of cow's milk a week or so ago, this is something to be expected...but not to this extent. I've gotten several ideas on what to do from my pediatrician's office (their staff is absolutely amazing, by the way), but it's heart-wrenching to see her shake and cry in pain when she tries to poo...with no end result.

It's no surprise that she is all out of sorts right now.

We have a list of things to try, so I'm not short of ideas (e.g. watering down her milk, eliminating all other dairy products, up the fiber, straight prune juice in addition to her usual pureed prune intake, pedialax...), I just want to know who else can sympathize. I could really use the "hey, I've been there" comments right now.

Fatherhood Friday: Do you know how to respond?

Peanut gets excited about food. If she's really hungry (which seems to be quite often...I swear we feed her!), she is quick to shove food in her mouth before chewing. Combine that with drinking water too fast and we've got one choking-prone kid. Nothing serious, mind you...just a simple "hack hack hack" and she's right as rain.

A couple weeks ago, after playing for a bit in the living room, it was time for lunch. I set Peanut in her high chair and placed several pieces of cheese in front of her. As usual, she started shoveling the food in her mouth as fast as she could. Though this time her coughs were actual gags. She spit the cheese from her mouth and tried one piece at a time. Same thing happened. I was concerned...how could one small piece of food make her gag like that? So, as I'm standing there trying to figure out what is going on it happens. She wasn't gagging...and wasn't breathing. Peanut was full on choking.

I'm not sure what the time lapse was between realizing what was happening and having her facedown on my arm in the infant Heimlich position, but I can safely assume it was mere seconds. I only had to hit her back 2-3 times before the obstruction fell out of her mouth. She started coughing and crying (sweet, sweet music to my ears!).



This, my friends, is the safety seal off a bottle of lotion (folded in half). She must have shoved it in her mouth while we were playing on the floor (not sure how it got into the living room, it should have been in the trash). My guess is that every time she tried to swallow a piece of cheese, this would get caught at the back of her throat...until it finally lodged itself in place. I would have never guessed that something so small and innocent looking could be so dangerous.

Afterward, I cradled Peanut in my arms on the kitchen floor in a state of mild shock and relief. Once comforted (both of us), it was understandable that she didn't want to eat lunch anymore. It took a good 10 minutes for her to go back to being her happy-go-lucky (very hungry) self.

Why did I tell you this story? Awareness. I was a lifeguard for several years and was trained to respond to all types of situations. I never once thought that I'd have to use any of this on my own child.

So, please...if you are not CPR/first aid certified, do it. You owe it to yourself and your family. In the meantime, read this article. It gives you the basics on what to do if you are ever put in a situation where the Heimlich or CPR is necessary.

Random #21

I need to lighten the mood around here, people. It is time to bring out the big guns - Random Thursday!
--
I was in the bathroom washing my hands when I heard a "clip clop" noise entering Peanut's bedroom from the kitchen (her bedroom is right off the bathroom). When I saw what she was doing I burst into laughter...and let her continue what she was doing so I could get the camera ready:



What are those, you ask? The caps to her bottles. She pulled everything off the shelf got a couple from the bottle shelf and was using them to crawl. I was amused and impressed at the same time. I mean, this could be her future:



I drew an arrow indicating what I was talking about...in case you thought I was referring to the uber-creepy cheetah (while a very talented performer, that animal in the Broadway version of "The Lion King" gave me the bejeebees. I think it was the way he moved).

* * * * *

I could do a whole post of pictures from Peanut's birthday, but I'm sure you wouldn't be all that interested in them (since I'd probably blur out the faces of anyone that was not ShankRabbit, Peanut or myself). I do want to take a moment to talk about the AWESOMENESS of our friend who did the cake and cupcakes for the party. She went over and above expectations - both in taste (I shed a tear when I ate the last cupcake) and presentation. All we asked for were cupcakes and a small cake with a "spring" theme. Here's the magic she created:




Those big cupcakes are flower-shaped! With white chocolate butterflies (and the letter "A" - Peanut's real first initial)!


I spent a long time staring at this cake - before, during and after the party. The details are insane! The first (and only) thing Peanut was interested in eating off this cake were the tomatoes. Funny. It was almost as if she knew it was too pretty to eat...though being sick could have had something to do with it.

So, if the cake decorator superwoman is reading this right now - thank you thank you thank you!

* * * * *

When was the last time you smiled this big?



Swings = huge hit.

I'm not broken...

Well, not really.

Results: I either have endometriosis or hemmoragic cysts (ShankRabbit said, "so, your uterus has hemmorhoids?!" Uh, no...not quite).
Since my medical profile and symptoms don't line up perfectly with either, they can't say I have one for sure...but they are pretty confident it is one of these and there is no cause for alarm.

Whew.

All is good.


And I'd like to send a big thank you for all your well wishes and prayers. It really meant a lot to me.

Not for me...

This post is for Kayleigh.

There are a plethora of blogs out there that chronicle the journey of premature babies. The parents (and other family members) of these fragile little ones fill these blogs with words of love, inspiration, courage, and faith. I've happened upon several of these, but no blog caught my attention like that of Kayleigh Anne Freeman.

Right now, my heart breaks for this family. Kayleigh, who has spent the 10 months of her life in the NICU, had surgery a short time ago and is not recovering well. Not too long ago they were happily talking about finally bringing their baby home. Now those conversations have been replaced with ones of how best to spend the remaining days of her life.

I don't know what to say...other than please send a prayer or two their way.

* * * * *

There is a song bouncing around in my head while I write this post. Maybe because, ultimately, I am confused as to why things are the way they are for Kayleigh right now.

So, instead of my usual "Dance Party" entry, I offer a song dedication to the Freemans:

"Downside Up" by Peter Gabriel

MRI fun

The MRI was...well, uneventful. Spending over 30 minutes laying completely still is anything but an action-packed adventure. A couple of the ways I entertained myself:

1. Made up songs to the backbeat of the MRI's thuds and screeches.
2. Pretended I was on the set of a TV show. Unfortunately, no hot "I play a doctor on TV" types...just the Dr. Wilson lookalike technician.

The technician said that the contrast they injected was clear, so it wouldn't have any effects on me. Darn it all! I was hoping I could truthfully say "I pee rainbows."

Yes, I'm that lame.

Text color - I'm going all out. For real.

So, results expected Tuesday afternoon.

Medical Mystery Tour

I'm a pretty open person. I will not hesitate to talk about my past, especially if I know the person(s) I am speaking with may benefit in some way from hearing my story. However, talking about medical stuff - especially when I (or any doctors, for that matter) don't have concrete answers - isn't something I do. I try to make it seem like everything is OK, when in reality my brain is going a million miles a minute. And because medical professionals can't give me the answers I'm looking for (without further testing - which does not guarantee an answer anyway), I'm stuck.

I hate that I'm writing this to the blogosphere right now. As silly as it sounds, I'm comfortable admitting imperfections in parenting and my craptastic ability to handle relationships with family/friends, but not with something I can't control - my health.

Now, before you get all worry-wart on me...whatever is going on doesn't seem to be serious at all. It's just a bunch of unanswered questions.

So, I am off to an MRI today. I was instructed to remove any piercings (I have 50...I'm hardcore like that) and wear comfortable clothing. I guess I'll put the Manolos aside for another day.
(sad attempt at humor...moving on)

Test results will be discussed Tuesday afternoon. Let's hope they have a better answer than "um...we're not really sure what that is..." as the radiologist told me after my ultrasound a couple weeks ago.

Recycling and Earth Day

It seems cheap to link someone else's post as "your" post for the day. Originally, it was going to be my post...but I handed it off to ShankRabbit. Why?

1. He was a little more, uh, emotional about this topic than me.
2. I knew he'd make it more enjoyable to read than I ever could.

So, if you want to know what happened with the garbage/recycling mix-up from yesterday, read ShankRabbit's post. You'll be glad you did.

* * * * *

I don't know why the Earth Dayists (or is it Earth Dayans?) don't use an earth worm as the focal point of their marketing campaign. Yes, it is called "Earth Day" and they use an image of the Earth, but that's too expected. Earth worms are the true heroes. Their bodies are the perfect recycling plant (no worries of layoffs in there!). Cartoon drawings of worms can be rather cute:


See?

I bet that book is printed on recycled paper.

Did you know that earth worms are hermaphrodites (no awkward humping poses shown on the Discovery Channel that you'd have to explain to the kids)? They just slither past each other...like they are sharing a worm hug. Aww.

So, during your Earth Day festivities, hug a tree, pick up a piece of trash, and salute the earth worm.

(No, I am not under the influence of some legal or illegal substance. This post was encouraged by a Call Me Cate challenge).

Shots, crafts and garbage guilt

I was thinking of what to title this post and I have to share with you my train of thought -

I could call it "Shots." Though, that could imply alcoholic shots. Too bad immunizations aren't as fun as those. The next time I'm at the doctor and have to get a shot, I should ask for a whiskey chaser.

Yes, I am truly an odd bird. No need to remind me.

* * * * *

Today is Peanut's 12 month 1 year* check-up. Shots are on the docket. Typically, she handles these pretty well, but with her recent sickness, who knows what the next couple days will bring. Let's hope a small dose of Tylenol beforehand helps out.

* * * * *

I have a new button on the left side of my blog for Craft Hope. What is it? "Craft Hope is a faith-based, love inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those less fortunate. It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world."

Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time to breathe, let alone craft...but this community really calls to me. Even if you think you are not "crafty," they provide easy-to-follow tutorials.

Don't worry, my five blogger friends waiting for crafts. You have not been forgotten and I already have your projects in the works.

* * * * *

At Peanut's party, we put out a blue plastic recycling bag for all of the soda cans and bottles. We failed to put a sign on it (and failed to provide an equally large garbage bag). Therefore, our recycling bag was used for garbage AND recycling. Hey, at least it matched our party decor.
Am I weird for feeling guilty about throwing all that away? Or how about peering out the window at the garbage man to see if he has a disapproving look or comment?

____________

* - Shankrabbit and I decided once Peanut reached a year, we would say her age in years instead of months. We've come across so many people that will say their child is something like "29 months old." You're not telling someone how old your child is, you are giving them a math problem.

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.

Weekend review

We are back and made it through Saturday. Fortunately, Mother Nature was smiling on us and we got a 70+ degree day with lots of sunshine. For a Midwest April, this is amazing (Sunday was 45 and rainy, if that says anything)!

For my reference, a few important notes for next year:

1. Don't do favors
2. If your child touches your face with cake hands, make sure husband checks your face before pictures are taken (after reviewing our photos, it looks like I have chocolate snot. Greeeeat...I'm sure several other people got the same shot).
3. Make sure the time of the party doesn't interfere with nap time...especially with a sick child. She wasn't miserable - but not her usual smiling self.



I am not amused.

This little bundle of teething sickness decided that the day of her first birthday (Sunday) was the perfect time to start walking and feeding herself with a spoon. However, the continuation of doing either of these is on her OWN time...no amount of coaxing can get her to do it when you want her to (good thing we got the first steps on video).

* * * * *

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

Artist/Band: The Pointer Sisters
Song Title: Jump
Kid-friendly?: Yes

And here is a great scene of Hugh Grant dancing to this song (as the Prime Minister in the movie "Love Actually." If you haven't seen this movie. Go watch it right now. Seriously)

Sickness. It's what's for breakfast.

Nothing is worse than having a sick family member in your household. This time Peanut is the victim - fever, sneezing, coughing...not fun. Let's hope whatever this is (we're thinking it's teething-related. Man, do I hope s0) clears up by her party on Saturday.

Though there is nothing funny about being sick...we did have a funny moment this morning. During breakfast, Peanut sneezed and cleared every last Rice Krispie off her high chair tray. Good thing she was pretty much done.

* * * * *

Wish us luck for Saturday's party. Looking at the list of things that have to be done...we're gonna need it!

Duct Tape

Today's post was inspired by receiving an "honorable mention" prize at Suburban Scrawl - a blue, green and white duct tape wallet, handcrafted by Melisa's son.

Funny that I would win this when just this past weekend, ShankRabbit's silver duct tape wallet (from Uncommon Goods, as seen here in all its new glory) bit the dust.



August 2005 - April 2009

Well, I wanted to see what things people have made with duct tape. You can purchase fashionable purses, guitar straps...or make your own dress/suit and submit it to a contest called "Stuck at Prom," sponsored by Duck brand duct tape.
You and your date make your prom attire out of duct tape and you could win a $5,000 scholarship (wow...where was this when I was in high school?!). If you click on the link you will see past entries - some basic, some super-intricate.

I'm thoroughly impressed...though I wonder how you'd manage in an outfit that has no ventilation whatsoever. Maybe they brought a change of clothes.

Because I can

Random photo time!

ShankRabbit and I have naturally (very) curly hair...so it is expected that our daughter will have the same. When dry, Peanut's fine baby hair is stick straight...but when it's wet, curl city! Look, I have proof:



* * * * *

Imagine our shock last spring when we saw flowers sprout up next to our house that we didn't have to plant. Gotta love those...uh...plants that come up every year (perennials? annuals? I never know which one). Our resident bunny does the garden upkeep (he lives under our deck...I've grown to like him. As long as he doesn't bring any floozy bunnies home and start babymakin', he is welcome to stay). We should probably check his credentials, though. He never takes care of the weeds, just the flowers. Hmm...



We really do have flowers this year. I'm sure it will be short lived if Mr. Bunny has anything to do with it.

* * * * *

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

Artist/Band: Gin Blossoms
Song Title: Hey Jealousy
Kid-friendly?: Yes (thematically, not really)

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.