Right Now

I am...

Hacking: This list of prompts I saw on someone else's blog

Listening: To a song that is stuck in my head from when I woke up this morning. Adele's "Melt My Heart to Stone." I will put it on repeat for about 2 more hours until I never want to ever hear it again. For at least a month.

Eating: A banana & some cashews.

Drinking: Water from a mug John got me while I was still pregnant. It says "A daughter is a gift of the heart." True dat.

Wearing: Khaki shorts and a t-shirt my in-laws bought me. It has a graphic of Albert Einstein holding a glass of wine and says "Albert Winestein - Drink a few glasses and become a genius."

Reading: Presumed Guilty by James Scott Bell. I WILL get through it this time.

Feeling: Like I'd rather be home with John and the baby right now instead of at work with little to do on this molten lava hot Saturday afternoon.

Wanting: A bigger house. And when I say "want" I mean "with every fiber of my being." I have my eye on one that would be perfect for us.

Praying: About so many things...John's job, the bigger house, when to have our 2nd baby, my mom's health, my family's ability to get along...

Enjoying: Having the whole office to myself and smelling the pizza I have cooking in the toaster oven.

Wondering: Why I referred to my coworker's girlfriend as his 'steady'. What am I, 70???

Scrapping: Only in my dreams. Don't have the space for it right now.

Loving: Almond butter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Needing: To start running. I just have to get over my hatred of being hot & sweaty. And the potential that I could very well die out in this heat. And how my body will protest in the beginning. Let's be honest, this is what the conversation would be like:

Me: Hey, let's run somewhere.
Legs: Why?
Me: Just to see what will happen.
Feet: I can't right now. I'm busy holding down this pillow and coffee table.
Me: Awe, come on. It will be fun.
Brain: Do you know how freakin hot it is outside? It's like being an inch from the sun.
Me: You are being dramatic. Running will make us healthy.
Lungs: It will not. It will make us die. Because if you run ANYWHERE I swear I will explode and literally kill you. So go ahead. Try me. It's your funeral.
Me: Wow. That's a pretty creepy but solid argument.

Books for Baby

I bought some books for Brooklyn over the weekend. They are for ages 8-12. I know. I now have to save them for 7 years before she will probably appreciate them. But think about how much they would cost in 7 years. I did my wallet a huge solid.

My sisters and I got a kick out of Beverly Cleary books when we were younger. I hope Brooklyn does too, but I'll try not to be disappointed if she ends up thinking they are stupid. She won't love everything I love.

Titles purchased:
Ramona & Beezus
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Ramona the Pest
Ramona Forever
Ramona the Brave
Henry and Beezus

I'd like to take the time to read all her books before she does. I don't want to be one of those parents that finds out AFTERWARDS that my kid is reading inappropriate material. No rush though. Afterall, I have 7 years!

Are there any books that you remember from childhood? I'd love to hear about them.

Why is it that....

~ Babies have to poop 5 seconds before you need to leave the house? No matter what time I get Brooklyn ready to go in the morning, I see the red face and hear the grunting that can only mean one thing...diaper candy.

~ When you tell your massage therapist that your lower back hurts, they take that as an engraved invitation to rub your butt cheeks in a way that borders on inappropriate. On the outside I'm all "Pssssshah, it's cool. I'm okay with this. She's just doing her job." But on the inside I'm all "NOT COOL! NOT COOL!" Am I gay now? I really hope not because I'm married to a man.

~ The baby's high chair tray says "dishwasher safe" but it is so huge that it would fit in nobody's dishwasher? Do they make double-wide dishwashers?

~ I only feel motivated to work during the last hour of my work day???

~ When trying to show Brooklyn a lizard and how not to be afraid of stuff, it JUMPS ON MY ARM and I scream like a little girl. Wow, some role model I'm going to be. "Hey Brooklyn, don't fear that little tiny pip-squeak of a liz....squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" *run away*

Old McDonald, John and Rebecca Style

This might be a difficult story to tell. It's kind of one of those you-had-to-be-there moments but I'm going to give it my best shot.

So we are in the car and Brooklyn is having a little mini tantrum. John and I bust out into song. It's been totally effective in calming her down thus far, so why not ride that train a little longer, eh? However, ours is not the traditional version of Old McDonald.

I start out with the standard cow. You know...moo moo here, moo moo there. Here a moo, there a moo.

Then I throw out the next animal...a goat. It came to the part where I was supposed to make the sound a goat makes and I couldn't remember what they said. Fail.

Then John takes over by shouting out velociraptor. (What the?!) I about died laughing. I think the noise I made was more pterodactyl-ish than velociraptor. But Brooklyn doesn't know the difference. Moving on.

My next animal...rabbit. John makes the bunny face and has his hands up to his chin. You really had to see it. He looked more like Bunnicula than Thumper. Yet on we sang "with a *makes deranged bunny face* here, and a *makes deranged bunny face* there". You get the idea.

Then John says aardvark and makes the appropriate Hannibal-Lecter-sucking-fava-beans noise. It's a good thing he was driving because I would have probably driven into a tree during my fits of laughter.

Then I say tazmanian devil and make a noise that is shockingly similar to the Taz cartoon.

I don't know how much of this helped the baby but I've learned that non-traditional Old McDonald is way more fun.

So next time you sing it (which you know will be in the shower because you won't be able to get the tune out of your head. You're welcome.) Just go wild! Pun intended.

Otter, ant, Wookie, koala, hyena, dolphin, muskrat, giraffe, sloth (2 or 3 toed), marmoset, flounder, tarantula...whatevs. Get jiggy with it!

For First Time Mommys-To-Be: The stuff they don't tell you in books.

1) Don't register for massive jars of diaper cream to keep by the changing table. The bulk size seems tempting but in reality the screw off lids are very hard to remove with one hand. But Rebecca, why will I only have one hand to remove the lid? Because your other hand will be used to keep a squirming baby from kicking poo all over herself or you or to keep above mentioned squirming baby from flipping over and crawling off the changing table. You need tubes of diaper cream with flip top lids.

2) If you are a working mom who plans to keep breastfeeding after you return to work, GOOD FOR YOU! It is possible to do and you will be sooooo frickin proud of yourself for keeping at it. Here are my tips:

Keep an extra set of bottle caps in your pump bag. I forgot lids once and that panicky feeling you get when you think you might have to toss out some precious milk is just not worth it. Luckily I had a glass bottle of cranberry juice at my desk that I washed out (with scalding hot water) and was able to use to bring the milk home in. Also useful are the freezer storage bags they sell specifically for breastmilk. They take up practically no space in your pump bag and can also be used for transport if you forget lids.

Keep a box of nursing pads and an extra shirt AT WORK. I didn't ever need the extra shirt because of leakage, but I did end up using the spare shirt when Brooklyn pooped on me while dropping her off at daycare. In fact you should keep an extra shirt in your car, in your husband's car, at your friend's house, your parent's house, or any other place you can think of where your kid might poop, pee, yak, snot or drool on you and you don't feel like wearing this badge of parenthood all day long.

3) If you have questions about how long to store breastmilk, go here.

If you have questions about how to re-use pumped breastmilk, go here.

Basically, what I'm saying is DO NOT THROW OUT BREASTMILK based on what a few people might tell you. I wasted a lot of milk in the beginning because I didn't know how resilient it really was.

4) Baby products that fold, open or collapse were clearly not made by people who know what it's like to try and fold, open or collapse said product with a baby in one arm. It seems like EVERYTHING takes 2 hands to fold, open or collapse. The most frustrating thing will be the handle on the infant car seats...the kind of car seat that you take out of the car and fit into the stroller. This handle requires you to lean half way into the car to reach the far side and the near side latches simultaneously, so be prepared to drop ALL THE THINGS you are most likely holding to fold the handle back.

5) If you live in a small apartment, house or condo with a less than huge dining area, don't waste precious space on a full sized high chair. They make the kind that strap to an existing dining room chair and these work splendidly. They also work great for little babies because it reclines and the tray tilts so that the baby can be laying back for feedings, like this. This way the baby is secure for when you are home alone and have to quickly run to pee. I know, I know....you shouldn't leave your kid alone for even 1 second (and I don't recommend doing it) but come on. Sometimes it HAS to happen. These are also good for when you need to shower and you are home alone with baby. Just drag the chair into the bathroom, strap the kid in, put a fistful of cheerios on the tray and there you go.

That's all I can think of for now.

Photo Update - For the Love of Goldfish

Saturday Morning Thoughts

It's an easy Saturday morning. Brooklyn just finished her breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs and a plain toasted waffle. My coffee just finished brewing. Now she's running around in a diaper, taking turns bringing things to John and I.

"Brooklyn, bring this wallet to daddy."

*scamper scamper scamper*

"Thank you! Now Brooklyn, bring this wallet back to mommy."

*scamper scamper scamper*

"Awe, thank you! You are sooooooo helpful."

Smiles and giggles and hugs for everyone.

Brooklyn, I love being your mommy. You are so friendly and welcoming to everyone you meet. I love when you crawl up my leg in the mornings while I'm getting your lunch ready in the mornings. I love how you 'moo' like a cow. I love how you smile with your whole face. I love how you JUST NOW figured out how to use the fan remote to turn on (and off and on and off and on) the overhead light. Hahaha!

Yay! My Swing!!!