Am I Baby Hungry?

Everyone (and by everyone I mean maybe 3 or 4 people, my social circle is small) has been telling me lately that when your child turns two, you usually start thinking about another one. And then I get asked if I have any plans for that. Mostly I scoff at these comments because they couldn't be further from the truth. After James was born, I swore I was done for the next five years. Yes you heard me right. Five years. Not only do I want my first child potty-trained, I want him out of the house. At least for three hours a day.

There is a new baby at James' daycare. I love this little guy. He is maybe barely 3 months old, and little, and squishy, and warm. And I get to hold him sometimes. I get my baby fix off of him. At least I thought I did. Yesterday I did something I never thought I would do. I made Anne Geddes' sleeping babies theme my google motif. Generally I think babies sleeping in teacups is strange and kinky, but as I was browsing for a new theme I saw the babies sleeping on lily flowers and did that little 'aahhh' thing women are so prone to. It was cute. And now its on my home page and I still think its cute.

So, if I am being completely honest with myself, then yes, I do crave to hold little babies again. I even kind of want to be pregnant again, just to see if its really as miserable as I remember it. The last time I was pregnant I was working and going to school full time, and pretty much clueless as to what I was doing. I also puked every day for nine months. Not fun. James is still cuddly, but he is definitely outgrowing the baby stage. I can see why this is the time when many families choose to have another child.

That said, whenever I think about having another baby, what comes to my mind are these hard truths:
1. The sleepless nights - beginning when I am too pregnant to sleep comfortably,
2. The depression, - note to self, I will never be pregnant or have another baby without prozac again.
3. The raging hormones (any slight hormonal change in me completely. screws. me.up.)
4. Being fat - I just lost 20 pounds, and am looking forward to losing 20 more, and I want to flaunt this new skinnier bod just a little bit longer. Ah vanity, vanity!
5. I want Money. Even though I have graduated from college, I have yet to start a career. And I really want one. Or at least the beginnings of one. Or at least get some student loans paid off.


The end of result of this discussion with myself is that while we do intend on having maybe just one more child, I think its still a few years off. Of course if I were to wait until James was about five or so, that would only be three years away. Wow, that's not so far off after all. So while I am definitely not ready to actually have another child yet, I am looking to see if there are any newborns for rent...

Anne Geddes Starting To Lose It...
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/34766

Two Women Running On A Beach, by Picasso

I love this picture. I love the complete freedom in the women's movements. My inner child would love to run half naked on a beach too. But that will probably never be, (unless I make a trip to the south of France) so instead I look at this picture and pretend it is me.

My whosit and a whatsit now??

They've been called mental lapses, old-timers, brain farts, and many other terms I know I have heard of, if only I could recall. Or as my sister puts it "Have you seen my this? It goes with my that, and it was just over there."
Today I learned that psychologists call it a 'prospective lapse.' I learned this while reading a very interesting article on CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/10/24/o.midlife.memory.meltdown/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

This article describes me to a T. Except for one small detail. The author is describing adults in their 40s and 50s. I am 27. So what is my problem? I call it being absent- minded. Or just having too many random facts, ideas, opinions, and tasks crammed into my brain. Either way it is a serious problem for me.

Like today. I had a job interview this morning. I have known about it for two weeks. I have waited and waited for an interview with the school district. Finally they called! Oh hooray hooray they called at last! My interview was this morning at 10:45. Or so I thought. That is what I had been thinking all week as I anticipated it. At 10:00 am sharp, all dressed to kill, James at the ready to go to daycare, I retrieved the paper I wrote the directions and time on only to discover my interview was. at. 9:30. am. Oh. Shit.

Where did 10:45 come from? How could that possibly have been confused with 9:30? I don't know. All I know is that there was only one thing left to do. Grovel. Profusely. Which I did, and fortunately for me went in and interviewed at 11:00. And despite my mental lapse, the interview went well. Although if I were the interviewer and my interviewee forgot and then went later, I would be pretty skeptical of her employability potential. I hope they can forgive me.

This happens more and more frequently now. I am a compulsive list-maker, because I know the only way to remember anything is to write it down. I have a notebook that hangs out in my kitchen, where I write down everything in my head that I need to remember. Grocery lists, to-d0 lists, ideas for my yard, recipes, pretty much anything that comes to my mind that I am afraid I will forget. I really am just as likely to find my TV remote in the vegetable bin of my refrigerator as I am to find it in the seat of my couch. And there was a phase a few years back where I locked my keys in my car at least once a month. I am not kidding. Once I locked my keys in the front of the car, and Jay's keys in the trunk of the car. He wouldn't speak to me for the rest of the day.

Here is what I can remember:

Every song I ever learned as a child.

A poem about a flying cow I recited at a contest in third grade.

The botanic and common name of over two hundred different species of plant.

Most of The Pledge of Allegiance in Latin "Fidem meum obligo, vexillo civitateum..." is how it starts.

I can also spell just about anything.

Wow, that is all really useful stuff.

I like to joke that having a kid has turned my brain to mush. That's only partly true. I was pretty bad before I had him, but my absent-mindedness has gotten much worse since. I really need a personal secretary (or one of those nomenclator thingys that article mentions) to follow me around and basically run my life for me. I can't wait to see what my memory is like 20 years from now.

I'm gettin' my knit on

Ok, this blog is about my prowess as a knitter. So if you care nothing for yarn, fibers, or my hobbies, you may want to stop reading. No really, its okay. My feelings won't be hurt. Its kind of like me not reading a blog about scrapbooking. (No offense to any scrapbookers out there, but given the choice between a colonoscopy and scrapbooking, I'd choose the former any day.)

Hooray for me, I finally finished my first sock!! I learned how to knit about three years ago (December 2005) and I am finally onto socks. It was fun. I think I like knitting socks. I may knit a whole passel of socks. Granted one sock isn't much use, unless you are like me and are just so proud of your sock that you wear it while you are knitting its mate. I think its my new lucky sock. Here is a picture of it.



I am a big fan of bright colors, can you tell?

The yarn I used is called "Flat Feet". Its quite a neat idea because it doesn't come in a ball of yarn, it is actually woven into a flat piece of fabric that has been tie-dyed. You unravel it as you go and watch the design turn into a multi-colored sock. Yes it's a new-fangled gimmick to get people like to me to impulsively buy yarn. It works well.
Its made of merino wool (which is my favorite of wools because it is sooo soft) with just a little bit of nylon for stretch.
I am especially proud of this sock because I had to start over on various parts of it at least four times. Mostly this was due to me leaving my knitting out for a certain curious toddler to find.
I started on its little socky mate yesterday, and hope to have a complete pair soon.

What'd You Do This Weekend?

My Friday night... one toddler. who won't keep his diaper on. also happens to have the runs.

I am sure we all heard about Joe the plumber by now. This line from Joe Biden though absolutely cracked me up. Thursday morning, Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, said plumbers would not be affected by the Democrat's tax policies. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/16/joe.plumber/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
So all you plumbers out there can rest easy.

The Great Pumpkin

Despite what the title suggests, this post is not about Charlie Brown, it's about how I got to go on my very first field trip as a parent! Last summer, twice a week I took between 16 and 20 preschoolers all over the Salt Lake Valley on public transportation. Words cannot describe my experiences. I think I have tried to block much of it out of my mind.
Today however I got to go with my son's daycare to the pumpkin patch down the road. And I was a parent. Not a teacher. It was still completely crazy. It started out crazy and it ended with us very nearly forgetting the baby in the pumpkin patch. Poor James' teacher. Having been in her shoes many times before, I really felt for her. James was also a complete pill and refused to walk most of the way, which meant I spent a lot of my time say 'ok, see ya later' and walking away. Ha ha, that works really well right now. But I suspect he is going to wise up any day now. I think he was more interested in the rocks in the gravel parking lot than he was in picking pumpkins.
Anyway, here are some pictures. I wish I had more, but it is so hard to get a shot of James' face outside because he is always walking or running ahead of me. He is a very busy boy.

(One disclaimer to the following pictures, I have a really hard time posting pictures, so these are squished together, and don't even think about asking for captions. These are open to interpretation.)

Isn't he just adorable? Being a parent is a funny thing I have noticed. As crazy as James can make me (and he is not even a teenager yet) I still think he is the greatest thing ever. I am completely smitten by him. I could look at these pictures all day.

Thanks for all the crepe suggestions folks! We made them last night and they were superb. We also splurged and got some nutella. Mmmmmm.

I know Jay will laugh at me if I post this. I think I am allowed a premade post once in awhile. I shortened it though, so the numbers are wrong. My creativity is lacking lately. Thank you to my SIL Sheryl for inspiring me;)
One word answers to the following questions:

1. Where is your cell phone? Toddler

2. Your significant other? Sexy

3. Your hair? Dyed

6. Your favorite thing? Plants

7. Your dream last night? Bunnies

8. Your favorite drink? Chai

9. Your dream/goal? Satisfaction

11. Your ex? Jail

12. Your fear? Drowning

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Rich

15. What you’re not? Patient

17. One of your wish list items? Tattoo

19. The last thing you did? Kissed

22. Your pets? Fleas

24. Your life? Variable

25. Your mood? Content

28. Something you’re not wearing? ......Bra

32. Your favorite color? Red

33. When is the last time you laughed? Recently

34. Last time you cried? Recently

40. Vacation activity? Beach

42. Pet peeves? Fleas

43. Cookies? Chocolate Gingerbread

45. Favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Listen

46. Your biggest strength? Stubborness

48. Most awesome gift received? Baby

50. What do you collect? Yarn

51. Oldest kept item from childhood? Memories

52. Greatest indulgence? Pedicures

The Socialists Are Taking Over!! Run For Your Lives!

I read this article on CNN news about 'rage on the McCain campaign trail' http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/10/mccain.crowd/index.html?iref=mpstoryview. All I could think about was how unintelligent most of the comments were that the enraged people were making. Kind of funny though. They are mad at McCain for losing.
It seems that the McCain campaign is really going down the toilet lately. The majority of people polled said Obama won the last debate, Obama is in the lead in the polls, and Palin was officially found guilty of violating state ethics laws. I absolutely love what the McCain campagin spokeswoman said in regards to that verdict "Gov. Palin was cleared of the allegation of an improper firing, which is what this investigation was approved to look into... [however] the Legislature exceeded its mandate in finding an ethics violation."
Oh good, so since the Legislature exceeded its mandate, we will just pretend an ethics violation never happened.
Its still a close election, and I won't breathe easy until Obama is sworn into office, but it seems he is getting closer.

Crepes, anyone?

I saw my crepe pan today behind the fridge (which tells you how much I use it) and now I want to make crepes sometime in the next week or so. Anyone out there have some favorite crepe filling ideas? All I know how to do is fill them with fruit and whipped cream. I am thinking scrambled eggs and sausage perhaps, or something with beef. So I pose the question to my readers: What would you like in a crepe?

Hey Mom and Dad, I Betch Ya Never Heard This Story!

I am getting tired of criminal background checks. I have been through at least three of them in the past couple of months whilst looking for a job. It is kind of insulting after awhile. I mean really, come on, I am the squarest of the square law-abiding citizens. I don't look like the bank robber, or child molesting type. So is this all really necessary?
I was feeling pretty picked on this week after having to be fingerprinted yet again. Then a couple of bittersweet and kinda funny memories flashed through my head. Yes I am a pretty square person but... I have been threatened with arrest (for valid reasons) twice in my life. My family can probably remember the first time. But I don't think anybody knows about the second time. To fill in those readers not familiar with my childhood, I got in a fight my senior year in high school. Not my finest moment, and I regret it every time I think about it, so we are not going to dwell on that here. But that was possible arrest numero uno.
The second time is a little more random. It was for vandalism at a National Park. I think I should add here that I have the highest respect for State and National Parks and don't even pick the flowers when visiting. This vandalism was somewhat unintentional, or rather I just didn't think it was a bad thing at the time.
A short time after dropping out of college at the ripe old age of 18, I moved down to Bryce Canyon National Park to work as a groundskeeper for the summer. There I met an interesting young man who would later become my first boyfriend. I was really into camouflage, Aerosmith, and survivalist skills at the time and he was a former Army Ranger and quite skilled at martial arts. Wow. One day after work he decided to teach me how to throw knives. I have always wanted to know how to throw knives. (Although I did learn, I have since forgotten and so will be unable to pass the skill on to my child. Too bad.) We used the post holding up my cabin porch as a target. It was large, soft-wooded and made a nice thunk when you hit it. It never even occurred to us that we might get in trouble for making large gouge marks in it.
A couple days later we were separately called in to the head boss's office. I got a nice 'talk' about the seriousness of what I had done, and then he started talking about how I could be arrested for it. Blah blah blah was about all I heard though. I did however have to sign an warning stating that I understood what had happened and if it happened again I would be fired and arrested.
It was so worth it.
And that is how I was threatened with arrest, twice in one year, actually. Looking back I wonder if the administration was maybe more afraid of the idea that we were throwing knives around a fairly populated place, rather than that we had vandalised a government owned wooden post.
I have since bequeathed my camo jacket to Andrew, who very much appreciated it, and most of my knives to other brothers. But I still have my twelve inch bayonet knife. Its my favorite. I use it to open boxes.