My new look......

Thanks to Hubby for creating my new look......

It's a belated Mother's Day gift, but I think it was well worth the wait :)

Happy Friday Everybody!

PS -- check out Kara -- she's kickin ass and taking names..... and good for her.... blogging was supposed to be fun!

The places I won't buy food

I think every geographical area has their own..... growing up, we had Building 19 and the less-seedy Christmas Tree Shop. In NY, my cousins had Job Lot and various "All-for-A-Dollar" type stores...... (sadly, I remember when they were 69¢ stores.... man am I getting old). Since moving to CT, I've discovered Big Lots.

These stores are terrific -- I love them because they sell the things that I hate spending money on for cheap.... specifically, wrapping paper, gift bags and shower curtain liners. In my little mind, there is nothing worse than having to spend $4.99 on a gift bag for a token gift you spent $12 on. In these shops, gift bags are a buck...... nice (or big) gift bags are a couple of bucks..... you need a bag to stick a bottle of wine in -- $0.69 and you are in business.

These stores have lots of other great stuff too...... and don't you worry -- I'm not kidding myself, I know that they also have lots of junk -- but if you find yourself needing a cheapo plastic table cloth or some clothes pegs -- this is where you go. You may have to battle the old ladies who are spending $3.99 on a some no-name scented candle that they swear will last as long as a Yankee (trust me lady, it won't) -- but it's worth the trip.

But then..... the snob in me comes out. I just can't buy food in these places. I know, a canned good is a canned good and it's in a sealed can so it's probably fine, but...... I just can't do it. I have made two exceptions....... I have purchased Sweet 'n Low and T.G.I Friday's Bloody Mary Mix (it really is the best mix around) at the Christmas Tree Shop...... the price is just too good..... but that's where I draw the line. I can't buy "real" food at these discount stores.... and I can't buy food at the gas station either.... a Diet Coke? sure, but....... one of those pre-made sandwiches from Mobil-On-The-Run..... I'm sorry -- I'll never be that hungry.

He wrote a book?

Okay, so last year..... the day I came back to work..... we got the call.... my granny ('lil Dubya's super-gran) had passed away in Ireland at the ripe old age of 90.

My granddad, her husband had passed away several years earlier -- so there was the matter of disposing of her assets (a.k.a her house). The house is in a gorgeous part of Ireland, but is old and in disrepair -- so the children (my dad, aunts & uncles) agreed that selling it was the only sensible thing to do. As is customary, they waited until she'd been gone a year to put it on the market..... her anniversary was Tuesday and didn't it pop up on the internet on Wednesday.

Anyway, real estate postings are quite different in Ireland -- if you go to www.realtor.com here in the States, you'll get a brief description of the property -- the dimensions of the rooms -- maybe a description of any unique features..... some pricing/tax information.... but that's about it.

In Ireland, the description is a few pages long -- they carefully take you from room to room -- up the stairs, into the closets and give a detailed description of everything right down to the shelves, windows & doors. The same care is given to the yard, the surroundings and..... to the history of the house and those who have lived there.

It was in this description that I learned, my grandfather had authored a book in the late 1940s while living there -- it was one of two books that had been written in the house since it was built. I called Aunt P "Did you know Granddad wrote a book?" -- Nope, she didn't know either. Stupid American that I am, I went and searched for it on Amazon.com...... of course, it's not there. I called Granny "Did you know Granddad wrote a book?" -- Nope, she didn't know..... Dad will surely be aware of this...... "Dad, did you know Granddad wrote a book" Yeah, he knew -- but says that it's been out of print for years -- it's in Gaelic and he's not sure anybody has a copy.

This wasn't good enough for me...... the family needs to have a copy..... I need to be able to pass it down to the 'lil Dubya and the 'liller Dubya that's on the way. My Dad gives up too easy.... he said that I'd never find one -- I suggested Amazon, eBay -- he laughed at me. "No Dad, the internet is amazing for this kind of stuff". Again, he told me the mission was impossible.

I'm not great at internet sleuthing...... The Big Dubya is really busy at work...... this is a job for Aunt P.

-----Original Message-----
From: MrsBigDubya
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:21 AM
To: Aunt P
Cc: MrBigDubya
Subject: By the way.....

I asked Dad about Granddad's book......
He said he wasn't surprised that I couldn't find it on Amazon (seemed amused that I looked) and that it was in Gaelic and out of print.
I told him it would be nice to have a copy in the family...... would be cool if I could get it for him for Christmas

And that was all it took...... she found it within minutes --

One thing I hadn't counted on....

-----Original Message-----
From: Aunt P
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 9:56 AM
To: MrsBigDubya
Cc: MrBigDubya
RE: By the way.....

Found it!
An irish book store.
For sale. 10 Euros.
I'll see if they'll let me buy it (american credit card and all).
We can give it to Dad for Christmas.

We? Did she say WE??? Did she steal my gift idea right out from under me????

Ever the diplomat, I suggested we give it to him from my kids...... she countered with from my kids and her dog..... SOLD.

Second time around..... not the same ol' thing

I kind of thought that pregnancy the second time around would be different..... and it is...... but not at all for the reasons I thought.

The excitement is similar...... the anticipation is huge...... but, people just aren't as excited for you. I can understand that..... first babies are different. Of course second babies are just as special, but..... they aren't firsts. This coupled with the fact that my cousin (who's due date was 6 weeks before mine) delivered really, really, really preemie twins a couple of months ago -- has made my thankfully uneventful pregnancy go completely under the radar for my family. Believe me, I'm not complaining -- it's been nice, and quiet -- and the twins are truly a miracle -- two very tiny gifts from God who are doing okay.

In some ways, the pressure is off with your second pregnancy..... you know what to expect..... well, kinda. Maybe I should say you think you know what to expect. I knew that during the first trimester I'd be exhausted...... of course, the last time I didn't have a 10 month old to chase after.... that, I really hadn't counted on. I also knew that constipation was likely and that mad dashes to the bathroom would be required due to frequent peeing...... I didn't know that I'd have 22lbs of company in the bathroom...... flushing the toilet for me whether I had completed my business or not -- and then clapping with pride at the flushing noise.

I knew that as you get toward the end, getting comfy at night is tough -- didn't realize the 'lil guy would start to scream just as I found the exact place to put the pillow. I knew what to expect at the doctor's appointments..... I knew to eat something or drink some chocolate milk with my prenatal vitamin to help fend of nausea.... I knew that nose bleeds are common.... and that people would offer their disapproval when I told them that we opted to not find out the sex.

Yet, some things are still a mystery....... you know, some of the more traditional fears...... I had an emergency c-section at 35 weeks the last time -- so, I didn't have to deal with labor, contractions or my water breaking in public...... AND my bellybutton never popped out..... I'm still trying to find out, does that hurt?

I have friends who gained 30, 40, 50 even 60lbs during pregnancy -- how the heck did they do that???? I gained somewhere between 22 and 24 the last time..... it's hard to know for sure because the toxemia came on so suddenly and there was so much bloating and water weight. This time at 32 weeks I'm up somewhere around 18ish lbs....... and I'm HUGE -- so huge that I'm starting to bust out of my maternity clothes and I am really beginning to wonder what am I going to wear to work for the next few weeks? Where do people who gain that kind of weight find clothes to fit them? Maybe it's because my weight is fairly concentrated -- other than my Aunt Angela's butt, which appeared 10 minutes after I peed on the stick, I'm pretty much all belly....

Why can't you just listen to me???

This morning 4:45 am at chez Dubya

Mrs Big Dubya: I'll give the 'lil guy his antibiotic before we shower him.... 'cuz that stuff is sticky -- and he seems to get it everywhere!
Mr Big Dubya: Good idea
Mrs Big Dubya: Will give him one last dose of Tylenol too, just to be safe.
Mr Big Dubya: Sounds good

A few minutes later, in the bathroom, delivering 'lil man to the Big Dubya for his morning shower......
Mrs Big Dubya: Here he is -- all medicated and ready to go

And then..... about a half hour later, on our way out the door:
Mr Big Dubya: I just gave him some Tylenol...
Mrs Big Dubya: You did WHAAAAAAATTTTT?????
Mr Big Dubya: What? Did you give him some already? Oh, did you tell me that? Sorry.
Mrs Big Dubya: Silence...... coupled with cold, icy glare

It just aint pretty

So, the 'lil man has taken to dancing.

It started out with a little bit of rhythmic clapping...... and soon began to progress.

First we were treated to a little swing at the waist/hips..... it was cute.

Next we noticed that there was a bit of a squat and bounce happening..... he'd bend his knees, bounce up and down..... twist at the waist.... and then the clap was thrown in at the end.

Soon it was the squat and bounce..... the twist..... the clap and some soulful head bobbing.

I kind of (naively) thought he was only performing for us at home.... usually when a particularly musical commercial came on TV, but sometimes a good theme song would get him going. But, I was soon corrected.... I learned that he was strutting his stuff at school too.

School..... yes, this is where I'm assuming he learned his new move..... .he's thrown a foot-stomp into his repertoire.

Yep, that's my boy..... a cross between Elaine Benes & Mr Ed.

Ode to the half sandwich

I know, I'm a pain in the ass.....

Like so many people, I like a sandwich for lunch.....

But it's not enough.... and by not enough, I don't mean volume -- no, I mean variety.

See, if I order/make a whole sandwich -- I do, I eat the whole thing.... because it's there and it looks good and you shouldn't waste food..... but not because I'm hungry or because I want the whole thing. I much prefer to have a half sandwich with a cup of soup, some chips, some fruit or some other accompaniment..... but not too many places offer that.

Some restaurants claim to offer a "lunch special" that says that they'll give you "half a sandwich" and your choice of soup, salad, whatever..... but their half a sandwich is freakin' huge -- much bigger than a whole sandwich I'd make at home.... and they wonder why we are all fat?

I was so excited to discover that the cafeteria in my new building sells half sandwiches..... and they are real half sandwiches!

Now, if I could only get them to sell a half a bagel and a half a muffin (the top half of course), I'd be in business.

We're back..... and a hodgepodge of other stuff

Okay folks.... we are home.... yaaayyyy!

We had an amazing time in Walt Disney World.... and, we didn't even "do the parks". Nope, we just hung out at the pool, went for long walks and played in the water with the 'lil man. He got to chase the ducks (ducks being defined as any small creature with wings) and had the time of his life. I'm not going to get into the wonder that is a maternity bathing suit..... that's a post for another day.......

Of course, my mind can never just focus on the present..... nope, I get all wrapped up in thinking ahead -- in this case, it was to May when we are going to return to WDW for a little family fun w/ Aunt P (who I guess is technically Mrs Tall Guy) and her new hubby Mr Tall Guy.

As we've become somewhat seasoned at traveling with the 'lil man, I was trying to choreograph how we'd manage him, along with his new sibling who'll be 5 or 6 mos old come May. That'll mean two babies...... which means transporting two car seats and perhaps a double stroller. I tried to observe other families who were traveling with "2 under 2"..... I saw a variety of contraptions/solutions -- some looked clever, some just stupid..... then of course there were the rookies.... traveling with a baby for the first time..... they had enough stuff to open a Babies'RUs all by themselves.

I also noticed the challenges associated with the double stroller..... the ones that are side-by-side tend to be so wide that they are difficult to navigate through narrow spaces (store aisles, etc. ) -- and they are so big, bulky and heavy...... they are hardly a help..... the ones that are lightweight and fold down to a somewhat manageable size are cha-ching.... expensive!!!!

I'm gonna have to do some research.

Beware Disney, Here Come the Dubyas

Okay, the 'lil man turns 15 months today..... all together now: AWWWWWWWWW!

So freakin' hard to believe. What's even harder to believe is how well traveled the kid is for such a young and tender age. In his short time here on planet earth, he's been to CT (well, we live here) MA (our families live there) RI, NY, TN, IL, CA, NV, FL, AZ...... the list goes on and on. He's seen the bright lights (and debotchery) of Las Vegas, crossed London Bridge... the bridge his granddad used to take every day when he worked in London (still blows my mind that it's in Lake Havasu, Arizona) -- and now, he's gearing up for his second trip to Walt Disney World -- with another trip with Aunt P and Mr Tall Guy scheduled for May.

Please dear readers..... don't misunderstand..... we aren't wealthy people -- we just like vacations and these guys (I live for cheap flights) along with family timeshares make this champagne lifestyle affordable on a really cheap beer budget.

The last time the 'lil man was in Disney he was only 11 weeks old -- weighed in at just under seven pounds... I was stressed about germs and whether or not to pack a breastpump..... this time, my oh my is it different. To begin with, this trip is with the Big Dubya instead of Granny and Aunt P..... I'm packing Teddy Grahams (you know, bribe food), I'm wondering if we have enough swim diapers packed and hoping we can get my still fairly bald child to wear a sun hat!

Wish me luck!

PS -- Keep the baby names coming..... Quinlan? I actually really like that one!