The Angry Masses

So, yesterday I attempted to run some errands in the afternoon. Nothing gets people pissed off and grumpy like holiday shopping.... and I am no different.

I started off by heading to the place where the gene pool obviously has no lifeguard -- KMart. I needed to get some inexpensive stocking hangers for our mantle.... I wanted the ones pictured above, but the Big Dubya and I were too slow and the Pottery Barn sold out of them.... boo-hoo. Anyway, I ran over to the local KMart because despite the fact that I really can't stand her -- Martha Stewart makes some good stuff for her KMart collection -- it's generally pretty cheap without looking cheap... I figured I could get some stocking hangers to tide us over until we can get the ones I want next year.

I got to KMart's parking lot and I should have been clued in that this was going to be an adventure. People (big burly men) are screaming out their car windows at each other -- a dispute over a parking spot. Here's a hint fellas.... take a spot a little further away from the store.... believe it or not, with the time you've wasted showing us just how macho you are, you could have been inside by now. I parked -- went inside and there were plenty of bargains to be had. I went and found some hangers that would suit my needs, but.... they were snowmen and the Big Dubya's not the biggest fan (his mother inundated us with snowmen decorations a few years ago and as a result, he instituted a moratorium on snowmen decor). So, I figured I'll try a couple more places and would come back if necessary (MISTAKE #1..... should have bought the damn snowmen). Went next door to the Family Dollar..... (MISTAKE #2...the clientele in this place makes KMart look like Nieman Marcus). Left there... a little traumatized, but largely unscathed... went to the Hallmark store that is next to that. They had nothing -- but, I saw the female version of Edward Scissorhands that sometimes delivers our Dominoes pizza.... she's just as scary during the day as she is at night.... if only she had some cheesy bread on her.

Hopped back in the car.... decided to hit TJMaxx... need some frames for the grandparents... maybe they'll have some stocking hangers. On my way, I noticed Walgreens having a big holiday decoration sale.... quick stop in there... you never know. Sure enough, they have really, really cheap stocking hangers.... this is great.... sort through the bins... find 3 that aren't broken.... get in line to pay..... I'm next in line -- FABULOUS! Woman in front of me has two shopping carts full of merchandise (at Walgreens.... who knew?) And then it began.... each product would ring in, she'd incredulously question the price.... $4.79???? I thought that was $4.69.... I don't want it... VOID..... this went on, and on, and on for 25 minutes (I only wish I was exaggerating) -- rainchecks, coupons... a circular in hand. The dude behind me kept sighing very dramatically.... and repeating over and over again... "all I want is some snacks" -- yep, that's what he had in his hands.... snacks. The cashier finally announces her total $103 and change..... she hands over her credit card..... and it won't go through. Are you kidding me??????? Clerk assures her that it's not her card.... it's the computer... he'll go out back and call it in. I give up and leave..... they aren't worth this!

T.J. Maxx is packed, but they have frames..... more than I wanted to spend, but.... at this point I don't care. Went to Brooks Pharmacy, KB Toys and another Dollar Store.... no dice on the hangers, but now I need a beer.... a big one -- I head home -- The Big Dubya agrees to lift the snowman ban and he heads to KMart -- phewww -- the stockings are hung!

Holiday Viewing Guide:
ABC Family
1:30 To Grandmother's House We Go
3:30 Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
5:30 Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the Jim Carey one)
8:00 Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (encore presentation of the Jim Carey one)
WB
8:00 The Wizard of OZ (a classic)
FoodNetwork
8:00 AllStar Holiday Party
Toon
7:30 The Christmas Dinasour
Hallmark
7:00 Silent Night

Pay for torture

This morning Aunt P and I were supposed to go get pedicures..... at the last minute, Aunt P was unable to attend -- but the Big Dubya convinced me that I should go anyway -- as it's a nice treat for me that I only indulge in every once in a while.

While I was there, I got an eyebrow wax.... as I was lying there, it occurred to me that we women are out of our freakin' minds. No man would ever volunteer to have hot wax dripped on their face only to have it ripped off in an effort to remove perfectly harmless hair. As if the hot-wax-ripping wasn't enough.... the technician then proceeds to take the sharpest tweezers ever made... (I think these things must be used for surgery or something) and tweeze out whatever hair and/or now dried wax remains -- and, to add to the insanity.... we not only pay for this "service", we tip them for doing an exceptionally excruciating job!

My eyebrows do look fabulous, though!

Holiday Viewing Guide:
ABC Family
12:00 Prancer
2:00 Mr St. Nick
4:00 A Holiday to Remember
6:00 Three Days
8:00 Christmas in Boston
10:00 Christmas in Boston (an encore presentation)
CBS
8:00 Frosty the Snowman (a must-see holiday classic)
8:30 Frosty Returns (a knock-off of the original)
9:00 Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire
9:30 Robbie the Reindeer in Legend of the Lost Tribe
TBA
8:00 Home Alone
Disney
8:00 The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
Hallmark
7:00 Single Santa Seeks Mrs Claus
9:00 Meet the Santas

What are you feeding this kid, concrete?

Yes friends -- today was pediatrician day.... and the 'lil man did wonderfully. Granted, I had to fly solo for the shots (not too happy about that), but... I am thrilled to report that my 'lil man is not so little anymore. He weighed in at a whopping 13lbs 15oz this morning -- an impressive weight gain of 4lbs in 2 months -- he's certainly come a long way!

Holiday Viewing Guide:
ABC
8:00 A Charlie Brown Christmas (A can't miss classic)
WB
8:30 A Scooby Doo Christmas
Lifetime
7:00 A Recipe for a Perfect Christmas
9:00 On the Second Day of Christmas
Food Network
8:00 Emeril's Happy Holidays
Toon
8:00 Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
8:30 Bill & Mandy Save Christmas
ABC Family
8:00 Jingle All the Way

Things I hate about winter!

Bah humbug!

Winter stinks.... yeah, you get the pretty snow and the cozy sweaters... you get the warm drinks and the holidays... BUT, you also get the crappy stuff

-- Gross salt all over my car (have to be careful not to rub up against it when you get in)
-- Gross salt all over my shoes & pant legs (YUCK!)
-- It's f'ing COLD!
-- My skin is so dry, it hurts -- and I'm flaking everywhere
-- Everyone is sick... headcolds, coughs, runny noses
-- My hair is full of static (cool tip though, pat your head with fabric softener sheet or spray your brush w/ static guard.... sheet smells better though)

Holiday Viewing Guide
ABC Family
7:00 The Year Without a Santa Claus (I know it's been on before, but I LOVE IT!)
8:00 Snow
ABC
8:00 The Santa Claus (Very cute, even if it is new)
Food Network
8:00 Paula's Southern Christmas (good fatty comfort food)
9:00 Sandra Lee's Semi-homemade Holiday (her food's usually not that great, but you get some good short-cut ideas)
10:00 A Barefoot Contessa Holiday (upscale good fatty food)
Toon
8:00 The Legend of Frosty the Snowman

*** Note, to those (like myself) who forgot to watch the Grinch last night... it will be showed again on Friday night on the Toon network

These are a few of my favorite things....

A fellow blogstress suggested this fun post, so here it goes:

• The way little bums look in those tiny little jeans.....
  
• The sound of Declan's laughs & giggles
  
• The smell in the air right before it snows
  
• Holding hands
  
• Being snowed-in in front of a warm fire
  
• Lazy rainy days
  
• Cozy blankets
  
• Declan's head on my shoulder and that big sigh he lets out just before he goes to sleep
  
• A nice glass of wine with my hubby at the end of a long day/week
  
• Good food (and lots of drinks) enjoyed with good friends
  
• Coming home after being away
  
• The way my teeth feel after they've been cleaned
  
• Seeing my parents be grandparents
  

Holiday Viewing Guide
WB
8:00 Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the good old original one... a can't miss)
TNT
8:00 Christmas in Washington 2005
9:00 A Christmas Carol
ABC Family
7:00 Rudolph's Shiny New Year
8:00 Christmas in Boston

There is no place for modesty in motherhood

I was raised in one of those Irish-Catholic families... yes, my parents are right off the boat from Ireland (or as my father would correct me.... right off of a 747). And as such, we were raised in a fairly strict fashion -- which included what would probably be considered an extreme sense of modesty. Growing up, my friends often teased me about this modesty, but.... it's there -- it's just the way I am..... whatever!

Well, it seems that modesty is just not a factor once you embark on the adventure known as motherhood. From that first OB/GYN apt, you quickly learn that you will be on display for all the world to see, and you may as well just get used to it. Yes, I know most women wisely go for their annual check-up and it's probably a fairly invasive experience -- but..... having a baby is a whole different kettle of fish.

To begin with.... nobody ever tells you that the first ultrasound isn't like the ones you see on TV. Being the rookie that I was, I was all ready for the doctor to lube up one of those paddles and go to town on my somewhat flat tummy.... but no, I was only 8 weeks along at that point so the ultrasound was administered using a very different instrument -- thank God the doctor wasn't focused on my face, as I'm sure the look of shock was probably quite evident. The next ultrasound was the kind you see on TV, but..... the Big Dubya was with me.... nobody'd ever come to one of these appointments with me before.... very odd experience.

Because I delivered the 'lil man a month or so early, I never had to endure the "exams" that occur toward the end of a full-term pregnancy.... but, don't think I missed out on all the fun.... the emergency c-section was quite a trip! First, the room is full of nurses, doctors, technicians, the Big Dubya -- and the patient (in this case me) is just lying there being poked, prodded, stuck with needles and hooked up to machines...... all the while people are rushing around. Thank God I was totally drugged-up, otherwise I would have been completely mortified.... just lying there... an almost totally naked beached whale.

After the delivery.... things don't get much better for our heroine.... as she needs assistance attending to the simplest, most basic of her hygiene needs. After a day or so, a nurse asked me if I planned on breast-feeding.... well, yeah I had -- but, maybe you haven't heard, my baby was taken to a hospital 30 miles away and I'm stuck here! She then asks if my milk has "come-in"? Well gee, I dunno.... I think so.... she then proceeds to reach under my gown and gropes me... grabs a whole handful of boob -- oh yeah, your milk's coming in just fine -- I'll get you a pump. Huh? You can just do that?

Lucky for me, my in-laws came to visit.... and during their visit one nurse came in and asked how the pumping went IN FRONT OF MY FATHER-IN-LAW!!! Another nurse came in to examine my incision.... just whips down the covers to check it out..... GREEAAATTT! How'd you like the show Mr Bigger Dubya? Was that as fun for you as it was for me? I've never seen man run to look out a window so fast! Apparently Mr Bigger Dubya ascribes to my brand of modesty too.

After a while, this cavalier attitude toward my modesty started to rub off...the Big Dubya started chatting to the nurses about breast feeding, pumping production..... and then I heard him on the phone with people discussing the fact that the 'lil man preferred the left side to the right UMMMM HELLO!!!! I'm not sure he quite understood why all this candor might make me a bit uncomfortable.... and why I might like to introduce a bit of discretion back into our lives, but once the crying started he figured it out pretty damn quick and dialed it down a bit.

Today's Holiday Viewing Guide:
ABC Family
7:00 Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
7:30 The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold
8:00 Santa Claus is Coming to Town
9:00 The Year Without a Santa Claus

How much is that Doggy in the Window....

So, we were back in our hometown again this weekend -- nephew's (yo-yo-bro's son) 2nd birthday party..... The Big Dubya said we didn't have to go, but I insisted. Not that I didn't have 456 other things that I should have done this weekend, but.... when the Big Dubya and I started dating -- he always thought it was cool that I knew my cousins. I know them, keep in touch with them and some of them were a fairly big part of my growing up -- he doesn't have that, he hardly knows most of his cousins -- and I think he's missed out. The 'lil Dubya has 5 cousins now and they don't live near us, and although he's too young to remember yesterday's party -- I think going to these things is important -- and I'll try to take him whenever we can.

On our way to the party, we stopped to see the Big Dubya's parents -- they have an excersaucer (the 'lil man's favorite activity) so I put him in it.... let him stretch his legs after being cooped up in the car. For the first time, their dog caught his eye and he started to shriek with delight. The dog wasn't doing a whole lot of anything (well, except stinking to high-heaven) -- but our 'lil man couldn't take his eyes off of her. She's become a bit skittish around children (the 5 cousins have taught her a few tough lessons), so she kept her distance -- but he could have watched her wag her tail all day long.....

Today's Holiday Viewing Guide
ABC Family
7:00 Pinnochio's Christmas
8:00 Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

Picture Day!

Well, yesterday was picture day for the Dubyas..... we had the 'lil guy's 6-mos/holiday photos done.... photo places are an amazing racket. They take tons of gorgeous pictures of your kids and then coerce you into buying way too many.... far more than you'll ever, ever need. The Big Dubya and I (in fairness, mostly I) fell into the trap for his 3-mos pictures.... so I swore not to get bamboozled again. We were going to be strong.... we were going to buy the bare minimum and no more... we can always go back for more if we find we need them. It was a good solid plan!

We got there, and I've never seen such a collection of unfortunate looking children. Of course I am a tiny bit biased, but.... we were blessed with a gorgeous child..... not everyone is so lucky. (Yes, I know... hell.... table for one). So when Beth, the photographer, sat us down to go through our proofs...... the cute factor was dialed up to 11. I mean not only were we surrounded by tons of not-so-cute kids.....and their really awkward looking parents, but our little guy is quite photogenic.... (unless you want him dressed in a santa suit, sitting in a box in front of our Christmas tree so you can take a God-damn photo for the WalMart generated Christmas Card!!!) So, yes folks.... you guessed it.... we over-bought and over-spent again.... AND, we joined their "club" so, we are going to be over-buying and over-spending at this particular place for the rest of the year.



Today's Holiday Viewing Guide
ABC Family
1:00 Richie Rich's Christmas Wish
3:00 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
7:00 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (encore presentation)
WB
7:00 Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
Hallmark
7:00 A Carol Christmas
9:00 Santa, Jr
FX
7:30 Die Hard with a Vengeance
5:00 Die Hard 2

It Snowed!

The weatherman predicted 2-4 inches, then 4-7 inches....but, by the time I saw that report, we were already passed it. In the end, we got about a foot of snow..... and it is pretty (easy for me to say, the Big Dubya did all the shoveling).

Today's HolidayViewing Guide
ABC Family
12:00 pm I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
2:00 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
4:30 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
8:00 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (encore presentation)
12:00 am Chirstmas Every Day
NBC
8:00 It's a Wonderful Life (I've never seen it!)
ABC
8:30 Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (The Jim Carey Version)
Hallmark
7:00 A Boyfriend for Christmas
9:00 Single Santa Seeks Mrs Claus

15 Shopping Days 'til Christmas....

So here we are, on the cusp of the second-to-last weekend before Christmas. The malls are out of control -- people are willing to kill for a parking space and families are at each others' throats..... AAAAHHHH, the holidays -- aren't they grand?

With only two weeks to go, I'm surprised (and somewhat comforted by the fact) that we've only received a couple of Christmas cards.... must mean that everyone else is facing the same challenges we are.... a baby who won't sit still, keep his hands out of his mouth, smile with his eyes open or just plain old keeps tipping over just as the photo snaps...... the list of holiday photo challenges is a long one when you've got a baby -- but it really is a lot of fun! The Big Dubya and I have agreed -- if I can't get a better picture today -- then we have to go with one of the ones we have..... cross your fingers, or we'll be sending all of our friends and family something like this!

On the bright side, the 'lil man and I are house-bound by the snow today.... so we'll have plenty of time to try to get this photo right (The Big Dubya would be wise to bring home some vast quantities of wine). Yes folks, Cape Buffalo's snow dance worked and we are getting dumped on (her latest blog entry is time stamped at 3:05am and school still hadn't been closed, so.... I'm hoping she did indeed get her long yearned for snow day). It's a very pretty day here in CT,.... I love snow. Not that I'm much of a "do-stuff-outside-in-the-cold" type, but I am definitely a light a fire, bake some cookies, drink some good wine (or fancy alcoholic coffee drink) type..... I'm half-hoping that the roads are treacherous enough that the Big Dubya will come home early.

Tonight's Holiday Viewing Guide
ABC Family
7:00 The Little Drummer Boy
7:30 The Little Drummer Boy (Book II)
8:00 Prancer
ABC
8:00 I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown
Fox
8:00 Dear Santa
Lifetime
7:00 I'll Be Home for Christmas

What do you get your boss?

Today's holiday quandry.... what (if anything) do you get for your boss?

I've heard things that range from the chinsy to the ridiculous. Aunt P said that she & her colleagues eached kicked in a few bucks and got her boss (a new homeowner) a gift card to Home Depot. I suppose that's okay.... Generally in years past, I got my boss some candy -- either fancy chocolates or one of those cutesy M&M Dispensers.... figuring he/she could leave in on their desk and share with the group. That has always served me well... as, it was small enough not to make him/her feel bad if they weren't returning the gift, but substantial enough that if they did get me something then I didn't feel like I wasn't reciprocating.

When I started this job.... imagine my surprise when my peers asked for my contribution toward a group gift.... I went into my purse to grab a $10 or maybe a $20 and quickly learned that the suggested contribution was $75 -- they'd decided to get him a Mont Blanc pen (forgive me... writing instrument).

To me, that was a bit excessive -- but.... I didn't want to be the "one" who didn't contribute, so... I coughed up the dough. In fairness, he did take us out for a fancy holiday lunch (not, $75 fancy, but ... fancy nonetheless). Last year, the other two pen-givers had moved on to other jobs.... I resorted back to my Lindt truffles.... and still felt just fine eating the fancy lunch. This year, I may shake things up a bit.... Ghirardelli looks good, don't you think?

Holiday Viewing Guide
ABC Family
8:00 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (looks kinda cute from the previews... kinda like Home Alone/Dennis the Menace kind of antics....)

Christmas Eve Traditions

So, since I was a 'lil girl.... we've always had Chinese take-out on Christmas Eve. Aunt P would take-down and call-in the order (how do they always do it in 10 minutes??), Uncle RoRo would go pick it up.... so, when the Big Dubya and I started doing holidays together, I was thrilled to learn that it was a tradition in his family too -- and we agreed, that it was something we'd like to continue when we started our own little family.

Fast-forward a bit, we dated, got engaged, then married... bought our house, moved to CT, started our little family..... all was right on track. But then, the unthinkable happened.... there is no good Chinese food around us. We found a take-away right at the bottom of our hill..... it was perfect, except the food sucked! I found another, down near the center of town.... turns out, it's the same freakin' people.... food sucks! I found a third, this must be the place -- NOPE, I fell for it again, it's same damn people and the food still SUCKS!!!! Turns out that there are 5 Chinese take-outs in our town and 4 of them are owned by the same suck-ass-food people. The fifth also blows (turns out under-age kids can drink there and that's how he manages to stay open) but at least it's owned by a different family -- sucky food with a twist.

So, in an effort to find edible Chinese food.... I started stopping at random places on my way home from work.... essentialy auditioning them to provide our Christmas Eve dinner. Imagine my shock and horror when I discovered that one is just as bad as the next. In fairness, usually they have one redeeming quality.... they can make an okay egg roll, but the rice looks like it was swept up off the floor -- or, their spare ribs are good, but what the hell kind of bird are they trying to pass off as chicken? I didn't grow up in Chinatown people... my expectations are not that high!!!!

We held one such audition last night.... and in fairness, this place was probably the best we've had so far (this is not saying a whole lot!) and will likely be the "winner" -- primarily because the crunch is on and we are running out of both candidates and audition time.... but how hard is it to find a decent lo mein?

Tonight's TV line up
ABC Family
7:00 The Year Withouth A Santa Clause (one of my favorites)
8:00 Santa Clause is Comin' to Town (another one of my favorites)
9:00 Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys (they kinda went to the Rudolph well a few too many times, but..... it's still a good Christmas staple)

In search of a good Santa

So, this is the 'lil man's first Christmas..... the Big Dubya got us a damn near perfect tree and we decorated it over the weekend. Since then, we've been doing our best to get a good picture for the Christmas card.... easier said than done, but with a little patience we'll get it.

Next on the list is a picture taken with Santa.... and not just any old Santa.... a good Santa. Almost every mall in America has a Santa.... but some are better than others. C'mon you've seen them.... the Santa that's too skinny or too fat. The Santa who's all wig... or not enough wig. The Santa that's too young, or who's dark hair & eyebrows stick out from under the disguise. The Santa who seems just a little to pervy.....

I've been scouting the local malls.... and there isn't a good Santa in the lot. We were a bit spoiled when we lived in Boston -- one of the suburban malls has an awesome Santa.... looks just like CocaCola's Santa -- and you can tell this guy lives all year to play Santa -- he's wonderful with the children (and the parents). I've been trying to convince the Big Dubya that it's worth the trip back -- he thinks I've been hitting the egg nogg. I just want the 'lil guy's first Christmas to be magical.... right down to his first picture with Santa.

TIVO Alert!

or VCR Alert! (for the old farts who are still using VCRs.... )
ABC
8:00 Charlie Brown Christmas (A Can't Miss Classic!!)

ABC Family (Repeats, but....)
7:00 Frosty's Winter Wonderland (A good holiday staple)
7:30 Twas The Night Before Christmas (One of my all-time favorites!)
8:00 Chasing Christmas (Change the damn channel.... Charlie Brown is on ABC!!)

In the Dubya household, we are still trying to get a good photo of the 'lil man for the Christmas Card.... red eyes, yawning, drooling, looking the wrong way, closed eyes, falling over..... we've got one that "will do" but it's not "the one".

Tonight's Holiday Specials:
ABC Family
7:00 Jack Frost (the 1-hour animated one)
8:00 Jack Frost (a newer 2-hour one starring Kelly Preston & Michael Keaton)

And today's Post:
So, yesterday we spend the day doing family things.... that made me happy.

We decorated our tree while listening to Christmas tunes.... I baked cookies and wrapped Christmas presents while it snowed outside..... a very Norman Rockwell Sunday in the Dubya household. I put the 'lil man in the Baby Bjorn so that I'd have both hands free to decorate the tree.... he LOVED it! He watched the lights and listened to the music.... next year we'll be chasing him around, but this year he was content to just watch the festivities. Then, we dressed him up in his santa-suit to take a photo for the Christmas Card..... he looked so adorable..... and has fallen in love with tissue paper. Loves to move it around and listen to it crinkle and crunch..... The pictures came out just okay(what did people do before digital???)..... we're going to try again this evening... the 'lil man was still not feeling 100%... teething and we are still having random episodes of projectile vomit...., so... we didn't want to push our luck with him.

Yours, Mine & Ours

I've never been a big movie person.... I don't go to theatre more than once every couple of years.... I don't really rent movies.... the Big Dubya rents them and I usually fall asleep before the opening credits have wrapped up. With a few exceptions.... movies and TV.... are just not really my cup of tea. But, growing up in a suburb of Boston, we were treated to Channel 56 (long before it was associated with the WB). Channel 56 was cool (with the exception of Creature Double Feature which was just plain creepy) because they used to play all the old movies on Sunday afternoons. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Herbie the Love Bug -- I even got to see Don Knotts in The Incredible Mr Limpet, long before he was Mr. Furley on Three's Company. I think this is why I was so bummed to hear that they are re-making Yours Mine & Ours . The original was such a wonderful movie.... a widowed Lucille Ball falls in love with and then marries an also widowed Henry Fonda.... the glitch, she has 8 children -- he has 10! It's a great, wholesome family movie about merging two large and different families. The basic concepts are still very applicable today.... yet, Hollywood feels the need to re-make it. It's kind of arrogant for anyone to think they could improve upon the original.... I mean... Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Tom Bosley..... do you get any better than that???? It's a shame that because Hollywood can't make a real original movie....they choose to rip-off and ruin the classics.

Today's Holiday Line Up:
ABC Family
12:00 Santa and Pete (huh? never heard of it)
2:00 The Christmas Lights (again, never heard of it)
4:00 Three Days (ditto)
6:00 Snow (ditto)
8:00 Chasing Christmas (World Premier of new ABC Family Holiday Movie)
10:00 Chasing Christmas (Encore Presentation)

He Doesn't Even Know It's Christmas....

For today's Holiday Viewing Schedule.... Please see yesterday's post. And, thanks to Brandi for her recommendation of Jack Frost.... I know I've seen it, and I think I liked it... but can't remember for sure.... will keep you posted.... it's on at 5:00.... and I'll be watching


Now, onto today's post..... Our son was 6 months old yesterday..... it's been the best 6 months of my life. I've hated Christmas for the past few years.... my grandmother, who I adored, died tragically in a fire.... it happened during Christmas week and I've hated the holiday ever since. I've just simply been unable to separate the two.

Somehow, this year is different.... it's like Christmas has been reborn for me. I couldn't wait to get our tree this year (the Big Dubya got it this morning -- an as usual, he did a phenomenal job), I couldn't wait to put up our wreath, to put candles in the windows, to start shopping for gifts..... because Christmas is about the magic in a child's eyes. Yes, I know the true spirit of Christmas is not Santa, it's not the gift-giving..... but, we must all admit that there is a world of difference between Christmas spent in a house full of adults and Christmas spent in a house with a small child.

But here's the thing.... our 'lil man is too small to understand gifts..... Santa.... wrapping paper.... any of it. He's going to be more amused by the tissue paper than he will with the presents or decorations. I asked the Big Dubya.... "Are we going to buy him gifts?".... and if so, "Are we going to wrap them?"

The Big Dubya, who LOVES Christmas , (has all the ornaments he made out of macaroni and construction paper when he was a kid) said of course we are going to get him presents, and wrap them and video tape us helping him open them.... this is his FIRST CHRISTMAS!!!!

I'm interested to hear what other people did (plan to do) for Baby's First Christmas.... Did you buy gifts? Did you wrap them? Who were they from? Mammy & Daddy? or Santa?

For your viewing pleasure

Sadly, tonight's line up is nothing to write-home about....

ABC Family (check your local listings)
7:00pm Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
7:30pm The Story of the First Christmas Snow
8:00pm Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

I've never seen any of them, so I can't help you with any witty insight.

Now, tomorrow's line up appeared to be super-fantastic at first glance -- starting at noon time tomorrow, ABC Family is running a 12-hour holiday program marathon YIPPPPEEEE -- but upon a closer review..... it was just a marketing ploy.... I've never even heard some of them, some are really just okay (with 12 hours, I suppose they need to include some "filler") and then there are some that are just not worthwhile. For your reference, I've highlighted the ones Mrs Big Dubya Considers a "can't miss" in RED....

ABC Family Kicks it off at
Noon -- Rudolph & Frosty's Christmas in July (like this one was necessary!)
2:00 -- The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
3:00 -- The Story of the First Snow
3:30 -- Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
4:00 -- Pinoocchio's Christmas
5:00 -- Jack Frost (a good holiday staple)
6:00 -- Frosty's Winter Wonderland (a good holiday staple)
7:00 -- Rudolph's Shiny New Year
8:00 -- Santa Claus is Coming to Town
9:00 -- A Very Barry Christmas
10:00 -- The Year Without a Santa Claus
11:00 -- The Little Drummer Boy
11:30 -- The Little Drummer Boy Book II (huh?)
12:00 -- The Stingiest Man in Town
1:00 -- Cricket on the Hearth

Hopefully this list was helpful...

Fa-lalala-la-lalala-la-la

This just in..... CapeBuffalo has committed to a holiday-related post each day. I have accepted this as a challenge..... not that she really challenged me or anything, but I'm kinda competitive, so..... I needed to join the holiday fun.

I will publish the official Mrs Big Dubya Holiday Viewing Guide each day through Christmas.... yes, you could just look it up in TV Guide, but... c'mon humor me!

Tonight on ABCFamily (check your local listings)
7:00 Frosty's Winter Wonderland -- not my favorite, but a good holiday staple
7:30 Twas the Night Before Christmas -- one of the best.... a can't miss
8:00 The Year Without a Santa Claus -- another one of the best.... can't miss
9:00 Rudolph's Stupid (oops, I mean Shiny) New Year -- DRRRRR -- complete waste of film... what's with the kid with the ears?

Enjoy!

Gift Giving

Well, the Big Dubya alluded to it over at DadCentric -- but I feel a little bit of a need to defend myself.....

We buy Christmas gifts (yes, they are Christmas gifts... not holiday gifts... we celebrate Christmas, damn it!) for our families, not EVERYONE as he so cutely exaggerated. Historically, we did buy for our entire family.... but we have made some modifications as the years have passed. I think, what truly is at issue here is how we define "family". I have 20 aunts & uncles and 29 first-cousins (we are Irish, afterall), and we do not buy for any of them.... weddings, new babies -- absolutely we send something.... but, birthdays, Christmas.... nope.... there are simply too many..... most of them get a Christmas card (assuming I have a current address) but, that's it!

Now, our friends..... I have two very close girlfriends.... they were my bridesmaids, I was a bridesmaid in one of their weddings, maid-of-honor (chief-bridesmaid) in the other. Dubya & I are godparents to one of their children. We no-longer buy gifts for these friends, I do get something small for each of their children (both have two). This to me is not EVERYONE, it's four little girls.

My immediate family is small.... my parents, me (and my men), Aunt P (and now Mr Tall Guy) and Brother RoRo.... if we didn't buy for each other... there'd be no presents.... just a poorly decorated tree in my parents' living room. Dubya's immediate family has gotten quite large.... his parents.... Dubya, me & the 'lil man.... Medium J, his wife and three 'lil J's and then his Youngest younger Brother (who I haven't given a catchy pseudonym yet), his wife and their two youngin's -- so beginning last year, we all agreed we'd only buy for his parents and the kids.... the kids could get a small token for their godparent.... usually a t-shirt or a bottle of something yummy (Dubya got Bailey's... YUMMMM). I suspect we'll follow a similar model in my family once there is more than just one grandchild, but for now..... this is what we do.

Yes, I do toss the mailman a few bucks.... and yes, I will get something for my boss and the women who care for our tiny little baby every day... something small.... chocolate usually works best. And, this year.... after examining the list, we'll add one more little girl.... because back on June 3rd, it occurred to me that our family has expanded and drrrrr I didn't even know it.

The Buffalos have become part of our inner-circle.... our closest friends. They didn't start out that way.... they started out as Dubya's work friends..... then they slowly became my friends too..... and then Dubya and the Buffalos changed jobs and we all kept in touch, so they morphed from work-friends to real friends..... and then on June 2nd, we had a mini-crisis.... not a real earth-shattering crisis.... but our little world was sent spinning with the arrival of our pre-mature little miracle.... and who did the Big Dubya call first???..... our families. (Beware, here comes the moral of the story and the awww shucks moment) See, when your world is falling apart -- you reach out to the people who matter and sometimes.... who those people turn out to be surprises you. When the 'lil guy arrived.... we called our parents and our siblings..... and we called a few close friends who are, to me, our extended family. Don't get me wrong... I don't believe in going into debt over Christmas -- that's just stupid .... but a small token once a year to tell a child that you love them is okay in my book!

Pink Eye

First, the Update:
The 'lil Dubya is feeling significantly better.... he stopped puking once I brought him home yesterday, but then again... he didn't eat much and slept quite a bit. He & I cuddled on the couch most of the afternoon.... he even sat in on a few of my conference calls... made some astute observations but remained quiet for the rest of the time. This morning we went back & forth and back & forth as to what to do today. In the end, I'm not sure where we landed.... the Big Dubya said he'd stay home so the 'lil guy could sleep in .... and see how he felt when he woke up. If he was still not 100% they'd stay home for some more cuddle time, but if he was okay then they'd both head to school/work a bit late. I'm still waiting to hear...

Now, onto today's post:

While we were in AZ, the 'lil man had a head cold... he's been battling this head cold for weeks.... every time I think he's finally going to fully come down with it, he seems over it.... and then the sniffles start again -- I wish he'd just get it or get past it. Anyway, he had the eye boogers while we were in AZ, he'd wake up in the middle of the night with his little eyes gooed shut.... kind of disconcerting for him, but a warm, damp face cloth does the trick nicely. The Big Dubya was quite concerned... me, I wasn't as concerned because I've battled my own share of eye snot. My girlfriend who was with us is a nurse (will be a fully graduated NP in about 3 weeks) and the mother of two more snotty kids, and she assured him (us) that it's normal and not to be worried. The 'lil guy never had any redness.... just the goo.

Well, on our trip home on Friday, the Big Dubya's eye started to itch... and then water.... and then itch some more. You've all seen it... this is how it starts.... then came the snot, the swelling and the "pink" -- by the time we landed at my parents house on Friday night, the Big Dubya looked like he'd gone 8 rounds with Mike Tyson. Apparently, my husband has lived 38½ years without ever having eye boogers..... I didn't know that was possible. He was really alarmed.... by his reaction, you would have thought blood was pouring from his eyes! I tried to comfort him and let him know that it's very, very common and that he should take care not to touch his other eye.... as having two pink eyes sucks! But, he was just not hearing it -- "Mrs Big Dubya, this is serious". I advised a warm face cloth and to swab it out with a hot Q-tip.... this helped and he was improving, although it was still looking rough -- and I'm not sure he believed me when I told him it was really very, very common.

Of course, given the opportunity, I have to be the nagging wife and tell him to call the doctor for an RX (when I know damn well that despite my pleas for the past 3 years, he has not found a GP in our area and has no doctor to call). When we got home, he went to the store and found some over-the-counter stuff that seems to have done the trick.... the swelling is down and the majority of the pink has cleared up. I learned from the teachers (when I picked the 'lil man up yesterday) that there was a mass pink-eye outbreak while we were away last week.... they had worried that the 'lil man would come down with it while we were away, but no... not the 'lil man.... the big one.

Sick Pumpkin

So, this morning we were right on schedule... and then just as we were getting ready to put him in his car seat, the 'lil man tossed his milk.... all over the exersaucer. I grabbed him, while the Big Dubya cleaned up the mess. The 'lil guy didn't seem to notice anything happened -- wasn't one bit upset -- no fever -- so I just chalked it up to his not eating slow enough and we went on our way.

When we got to school, I mentioned what had happened to his teacher. She agreed that he looked fine and would probably just be hungry earlier in the day. I hung out for a while, just to be safe -- and eventually headed to work, confident that he was fine.

Around 11, I got the call.... it was the first time, and it probably won't be the last -- but at that moment I wanted one of those Star-Trek beam things to beam me to his daycare center -- my baby needed his mommy and it was going to take me at least 45 minutes to get to him. Apparently, the 'lil man had been vomiting all morning and one of us needed to go get him right away. I called the Big Dubya and got voicemail, we had talked about this.... if someone needed to go get him in a case like this, it would likely be him.... he's got a bit more flexibility than I, and he works in a far more family-friendly office -- so I text messaged his phone and left him an email..... nothing. So, I went to see my boss -- he was stuck behind closed doors in a meeting..... so I did it.... I left him an email telling him the situation and I was on my way. Kind of ballsy to leave without getting to speak to him, but what was the alternative?

10 minutes into my trip (which was behind every slow car/bus/truck in CT) the Big Dubya called... he was also on his way home.... not to care for our sick baby, but because he too was under the weather.... seems like they both have the same tummy bug.

When I got to daycare, the 'lil man was wrapped in his blanket.... just waiting for me. I don't usually get pick-up duty, so today was particularly rewarding..... he was pale, tired and cranky -- but as soon as I picked him up, he smiled and relaxed, like he knew it was going to be okay. Of course, he hasn't puked since I got him home, but.... that's the way these things go.

Farewell

To younger kids, he's Daniel-san's Mr Miyagi..... c'mon we've all said it "Wax-On, Wax-Off" or "Paint the Fence".... and how did he manage to catch that fly with chopsticks? I can't even eat properly with them.

To older kids, he's the loveable diner owner Arnold from Happy Days....

I was sad when the Bid Dubya told me that Pat Morita passed away over the weekend -- I never met him, not even sure I ever saw/read an interview with him, but he seemed like a nice man, his characters were part of my growing up and became part of pop culture and I was sad to hear he was gone.

'Tis the Season

'Tis the season..... for Christmas specials.

Hubby has posted his top 5 and a few honorable mentions over at Dadcentric, and of course Aunt P and I had to comment that he left out an important one and included a stupid one. But he failed to discuss how this all came up.... I suppose it's possible he already had his post perculating in his brain, but..... seeing that we just discussed it yesterday, I'm suspicous.

Anyway, I thought I'd add my two cents. Once upon a time, when we were all young whipper-snappers, we had one chance and one chance only to catch these holiday gems. If you missed it, you missed it. Then VCRs came along, you could record the special -- and that changed things a little bit. But then, everything changed with the DVD (well, maybe some were available on VHS) -- these kids today can watch these classics whenever they want -- and despite the convenience factor..... I think its lousy. Yes, it's nice that when the 'lil man screams I can pause the DVD and/or Tivo and run to see to him, but.... where's the magic?

I went to set the Tivo to record Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer which is on CBS on Wednesday at 8pm and the Big Dubya chastised me -- reminding me that we own the DVD. Yes, but it's different -- it's not Christmas when you watch it on DVD..... it's Christmas when CBS airs it. A fixed time, a sole opportunity almost forces families to sit down and watch together -- a DVD enables things to get in the way. Yes, I realize that a DVD enables some families to watch when it works for everyone, but I bet more and more families postpone and postpone until the time has passed.....

I'm gonna watch on Wednesday -- but rest assured, if you miss it ABC Family's got your back

What f'ing time is it?

Okay..... on Friday (11/18) the Dubyas (Big & 'Lil) and I jumped on an airplane headed for Arizona..... the long way (yeah, I know.... but we're poor and I'm a sucker for cheap flights). We left our humble home in CT around noon..... our flight was scheduled to leave out of Providence at 4:40pm and we wanted to leave ourselves plenty of time for traffic, a stop for lunch and some cushion in case of the all-but-inevitable baby meltdown. All went perfectly.... we got there with plenty of time.... got through security.... even managed to have a couple of pints before boarding. The first leg of our flight landed in Nashville, TN at 6:25pm..... but that's central standard time.... one hour behind CT time which is eastern standard time. Our second flight departed Nashville at 7:50pm and landed in Las Vegas, NV at 10:05pm..... but that's pacific standard time.... two hours beind Nashville and three hours behind CT. Needless to say, when we finally (and I mean finally) arrived at the Las Vegas Hilton..... it was nearly 3:00am in CT time or midnight Vegas time. At this point, the Big Dubya started correcting me... telling me that it really no longer mattered what time it was in CT, we are in Vegas Baby! But, try telling that to an infant who eats on a fairly rigid schedule.

We spent Saturday walking around Vegas and we had a really great day -- despite the gambling and prostitution, Vegas is really a fairly family-friendly city (Relax, it was a joke!) The Big Dubya seemed to enjoy seeing public drunkenness (as he writes here) and hopes that at some point we can get back for a longer stint.

Around 3:00 pm (keep in mind, we are on Vegas time now) we hit the road to meet up with our friends in Lake Havasu, AZ. After a stop at KMart (which has slot-machines!!!) for supplies (diapers, wipes.....) we made it to Havasu at 6:00 Vegas time.... cuz, yes, you guessed it.... Lake Havasu City, AZ is on mountain standard time.... for those keeping score that's two hours behind CT, one hour behind Nashville (not that we care about Nashville anymore) and one hour ahead of Las Vegas.

As if all of this wasn't confusing my simple little mind enough..... we were close enough to the CA border that sometimes our cellphones (which were also serving as my watch and alarm clock) picked up an AZ (aka mountain time) signal and sometimes it picked up a CA (aka pacific time)
signal.... the time displayed on my phone would just change, and then change back, then change again.... and I hadn't even moved! So, long story long -- I never knew what the F*CK time it was the entire week we were there!

Our return trip was similarly confusing to me..... let's just say that we left our friends at 4:00am Havasu time on Friday...... 7 states and a visit to the grandparents in Boston later...... the Dubya's and I got back to our home in CT at 4:00pm CT time on Saturday -- yes, it took us 36 hours to get home -- but our parents got to see the 'lil guy, so.... we are back in the good graces after blowing off Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving..... growing up, my crazy-Irish parents always had a prime-rib dinner on Thanksgiving.... (my Dad hates turkey).... but my mother always made a turkey breast so we wouldn't feel deprived when we didn't have a left-over turkey sandwich like all the other kids.

This year, we are staying in a lovely condo in AZ..... but, the stove only has two crappy burners, no oven and there are only two tiny pots and one frying pan...... not exactly the makings of a Thanksgiving dinner. So, Chinese food it is :)

The 'lil guy's first Thanksgiving might be a little unconventional, but..... it does go to show that Thanksgiving isn't about the turkey dinner.... it's about love, family, and good friends to count your blessings with.

P.S. Did I mention that Mr Big Dubya is golfing in the morning.... am I a great wife, or what?

Live from AZ

So, the Dubyas & I made it to AZ safe & sound.....

The 'lil man was amazing on the flights..... the Big Dubya faired well too. I could have been kinder..... but instead, the 'lil guy & I treated him like our own personal pack mule. He looked like Joey & Chandler in that episode of Friends.... the one where they lose Ben on a city bus but manage to keep all of his gear. I carried the 'lil man while the Big Dubya handled the car-seat, car seat base, stroller and diaper bag..... it was funny until they made him take his shoes off at airport-security -- then it got a tiny bit pathetic. But alas, he handled it all with finesse..... and even scored a free beer once we got settled on the plane -- I'll wait for him to write about it on his site (can't steal all the poor guy's thunder).

Anyway, coverage here is spotty -- so I can't promise to post regularly -- but I'll try to share the funnies as they happen :)

Honey, just how much did you drink last night?

So, last night a vendor took a few of us out for a fancy dinner. Generally, I bow out of such dinners.... especially now that I have a 'lil man at home. But, last night was different -- I've been on this project team for 2 years..... I was heavily involved in the selection of this particular vendor and I will be heavily involved in the implementation phase of their software, so the Big Dubya offered to man the home-front so I could go.

While we were waiting for our group to arrive, I decided to start the evening with a lovely glass of Shiraz, yummm it went down like it knew the way. Let's just say that the food and drink were plentiful.... clams casino, sushi, fondu, calamari...... and then came the main courses......... there were eleven of us at dinner and I stopped counting after the 9th bottle of wine (did I mention that there was no budget for this dinner??).

As the evening started to wind down, I realized that I missed my men and decided to slip out and head home. There was a time in my life where I would have closed the place... free food, free drinks.... how could you turn that down, but now..... it's all about kissing the 'lil Dubya good-night.... and maybe even watching him sleep for a few minutes.

When I got up this morning... I couldn't believe my ears.....

Big Dubya: Honey, just how much did you drink last night?.....
Me: WHAT???? What do you mean?.......
Big Dubya: Honey, I can still smell it off you.... you wreak!
Me: Honey, I swear, I didn't drink that much!
Big Dubya: Well, how many glasses of wine?
Me: I dunno, that pesky waiter kept topping me off
Big Dubya: Uh-huh

Anyone wanna be my roommate at the Betty Ford Center?

Can you hear me now?

So, like most new parents..... we received a baby monitor at our baby shower. The Big Dubya did all the leg-work, researched all the different brands and he selected this one to register for. I hooked it up right away.... wanted to make sure it worked. I had heard many, many stories about monitors that had interference, that picked up the neighbors cordless phone calls eveon one that went haywire when you used the garage door opener.... none of this was going to happen at the Dubya house. I had this gizmo hooked up long before the baby was even due and it worked terrific (I could use it to get the Big Dubya to fetch me things..... it was great!)

'Lil Dubya arrived and we were in business.... we had a reciever in our bedroom and one in the kitchen so we could hear him at night and during the day when/if he was napping. Then about two weeks ago, the receiver in our bedroom started to fade..... gradually it just stopped working. It was only about 5 months old.... this shouldn't happen..... so I attempted to bring it back. The people at Babies R Us all but laughed at me... no bag, no box, no receipt... all they could do was give me the manufacturer's phone number.... but what good is that? I need a monitor tonight -- what if my tiny 'lil man wakes up in the middle of the night and needed his Mammy..... I need to be able to hear him!

Despite the fact that one of the recievers just shit the bed, I was otherwise happy with the monitor, so I decided to just buy the same one again.... we had plenty of gift cards left.... technically, it wasn't going to cost me anything. Of course, when I got to the monitor aisle... they didn't have this model so I opted for this one.... figuring -- same brand.... 'eh close enough, right? WRONG!

I got the monitor home and no matter what channel it was on the static was so loud.... even if the 'lil man woke up, I wouldn't be able to hear him over the damn static and that's just assuming we ever got to sleep..... this just wasn't going to work. So, the Big Dubya boxed up monitor #2 and I started to search for the receipt..... and search, and search some more.... there's no way I could have two bum monitors that can't be returned. In the course of my search, I not only found the receipt, but I also found that I had saved the box and the gift receipt from monitor #1...... Yaaayyy.... I can return them both.... for once, my pack-rat tendencies could be confused with organization. So, on Saturday the Big Dubya headed off to Babies R Us to return the two monitors and to hopefully get #3, and God-willing this one will work.

Well, this one certainly has a cool factor.... it's small, discreet, lightweight, doesn't have any static, has a really cool walkie-talkie feature and has three monitors with two receivers (yeah, the Big Dubya put a good dent in the gift cards with this purchase).... the only problem is that it's too damn quiet..... we can hardly hear the baby.

I don't know how to break it to him, but when we get back from AZ, we are going to be in the market for monitor #4!

Viva Las Vegas

I don't remember where I read it, and I don't care about it enough to go look.... might have been a college psychology book.... but anyway, somewhere some smart people published a list of life events that are among the most stressful.... and if I remember correctly (oh, because my memory has been so good this far into the post that I can't even remember where the damn list was...) holidays and traveling with a small infant are pretty high up there. Okay, that's an exaggeration... holidays were on the list and I'm adding traveling with a small infant because on Friday I'm going to embrace the two of them together and I'm finding it all quite stressful.

The Dubyas (Big & Lil) and I are heading to AZ on Friday to meet up with some friends for Thanksgiving. Because I'm cheap (translation: poor) we are flying into Las Vegas and then driving to meet our friends. This will be the Big Dubya's first time flying with the 'lil man.... as long-time readers might recall -- Aunt P, Granny & I took him to Disney World back in August, so I have already had the pleasure. On the bright side.... the 'lil guy is very, very cute -- so people love to oooohhh and aaaahhhh over him -- although, for some reason -- nobody wants to sit next to him/us on the airplane -- Geeeee, wonder why?

Anyway, the Big Dubya has never been to Las Vegas (Aunt P & I took Granny a few years ago... one of our "girls getaways") so, seeing that we get in so late on Friday anyway, we decided to get a room and stay over.... take the opportunity to walk along the strip on Saturday morning (take 'lil Dubya's picture in frong of the Bellagio's fountain) before venturing to AZ to meet our friends -- essentially erasing any cost savings gained by flying into Las Vegas in the first place.... but that is neither here nor there.

So, here is where the differences between me & my husband become very, very pronounced. I'm a business-type.... I work in the business world, I have an MBA, I manage really big projects for a very large company... I have lists and plans and schedules -- we complete the list, we follow the plan, we stick to the schedule. Hubby works in an entirely different environment... he takes it as it comes. The more stressed I become about adhering to "the plan" the more laid back he becomes --primarily because he believes that if I'm this stressed, then I must have it "handled".


Okay, I see two outcomes..... we will either have a great enjoyable adventure in Las Vegas & Arizona..... OR we'll be asking you all for the name of a good marriage counselor......

I'm starting a pool... who's in?

What do you buy for the people who have everything?

So, here we are...... 41 days 'til Christmas and we've started the unenviable task of determining what the hell to get Dubya's parents for Christmas.

Dubya has two younger brothers.... and each year, we are all equally stumped. Dubya's parents are fortunate.... they're moderately wealthy and pretty much have everything they could want/or need. So, each year.... we (primarily, the three wives) end up debating and wracking our brains trying to come up with some creative gift that they will appreciate. Last year, we joined forces with the other couples and got them a gift certificate to a casino resort..... figuring they could use it toward a weekend getaway -- have a fancy dinner, perhaps see a show, do some gambling and stay over..... the missus could even hit the spa if she so desired.

This year, we're considering a group gift again and thought a photo of the 6 grandchildren would be nice (Yaaaayyyy for the first time, we have a child to contribute to such a photo)...... but, with the three families living in three separate states.... an audience with the pope would be easier to achieve.

What do you get for the couple that has everything??? Every suggestion I've made has been poo-pooed and vetoed by the Big Dubya..... in fairness, most of them were outlandish -- but sometimes that gets the creative juices flowing!

My parents are so much easier.... they too are fortunate, they enjoy a certain level of financial security.... but, my mother is cheap.... she won't buy any of the things that she wants leaving us with many, many options.

Drink Like Vikings!

When I was young & frisky.... a girfriend & I got drunk and bought a timeshare. I was newly out of college, and she was still in college.... neither of us had any business buying anything. Once we sobered up, we agreed not to speak of the transaction..... not even to each other. As time went on, we recognized how stupid we were, but decided to make the most of a bad situation. On the bright side, we were now guaranteed a decent vacation together each year, which we otherwise couldn't afford. This was particularly appealing as after graduation, she moved to TX and I was staying at home in MA.

Each year, we'd pack up and meet somewhere for some tropical getaway (we own in Florida, but belong to an exchange service....) -- and once it was finally paid off, we agreed we could tell people.... and even invite them to come along.

When she got married, I stepped aside and she used it for her honeymoon.... and she did the same for us. The husbands, who came on the scene long after it was paid off... and therefore never had to suffer the burden of a monthly payment, think that it is terrific... and we've come to agree. We've spent New Year's Eve skiing in Vail, Thanksgiving on the links in Hilton Head, Easter in Antigua, been to the beaches of Miami in February and one year Halloween was spent in Cancun.

This year, we are doing Thanksgiving in Arizona..... and my how times have changed. Once upon a time, we'd look forward to this trip because we knew we'd end up drinking like Vikings and getting unsuspecting boys to pay for our drinks...... then, as we grew up and matured (well, we are relatively more mature).... it turned into drinking like Vikings with our boyfriends/husbands alongside...... and now, the days will be spent making sure their girls don't drown our 'lil man in the pool and in the evenings we'll be taking turns babysitting each other's kids while the other couple goes out for a much deserved "date-night"

Isn't growing up fun?

Knit one, purl two

This my friends is a story in cruelty......

Let me preface this by letting it be known..... my people..... my family -- we aren't sentimental types. Please don't get me wrong, we are close -- my siblings and I are probably closer than most, but we aren't attached to "things".... there are really no heirlooms.... we don't give each other cards/gifts with heartfelt sentiment.... sometimes I wish we did, but we don't -- we just don't have it in us -- and that's okay -- and please don't fret dear readers, Dubya's family makes up for us here -- they are very sentimental and thoughtful -- so the 'lil guy won't miss out.

Anyway, I think that this is why I was so touched at my baby shower last May when Aunt P revealed her big surprise -- she had taken time out of her crazy schedule to attend a crochet class in order learn how to make her niece/nephew (we didn't know at the time) a homemade blanket. Aunt P is a lovely girl, but she's not really sentimental and she's very busy, so although her gifts are always very generous.... they are never homemade. Knowing the time and effort she had invested in this gift really touched me.... and the 'lil Dubya sleeps under Aunt P's blanket every night.

Seeing that she had acquired this new skill, Aunt P's been a crocheting machine..... she made the 'lil guy a second blanket and now she's working on one for our cousin's new baby. The new blanket we have is a pretty pale blue (in contrast to the gender neutral first one) and has a lovely pattern..... of holes. The blanket is warm and cozy and the other night the 'lil Dubya and I curled up on the couch under it and he drifted off to sleep. I wrapped him up in it and gently placed him in his crib..... he was all cute and snuggly. The Big Dubya and I got into bed and then heard the most spine chilling screams (totally exaggerated for dramatic effect) coming from the 'lil guy's room..... the Big Dubya lept out of bed and ran in..... apparently, the 'lil guy was upset because his little fingers were caught in the holes and he couldn't figure out how to get his thumb in his mouth without getting a mouth full of blanket. The Big Dubya swapped blankets and all was well again.

See, now a kind, sentimental nice person would let this pass..... but I'm not one of those nice people. I had to call Aunt P and tell her that the 'lil Dubya hates his new blanket (totally untrue).... and that the holes were hazardous (again, totally untrue). There was no need to do this.... it was mean spirited and totally exaggerated, but it was fun..... there is something wrong with me for sure. The Big Dubya listened to this and assured me that there is a place reserved in hell for me...... but, hey..... we already knew that

We are so spoiled!

Maybe I'm giving away my age, but.... my, my, my have we become spoiled (in the technology sense I mean). I still remember back in the day when we didn't have internet access at home..... and then, when we got it.... WOW!

But slowly, as time went on.... we got less impressed with simply having the internet at home.... it had to be faster. Our little 14.4k modem had to get upgraded to a 28.8k and then to 56k...... soon, that wasn't quick enough for us either and we got fed up surrendering our phone line every time we wanted to go online, so we went to broadband.

Once we had broadband, we were finally satisfied.... for a while..... but then having to sit at a desk was too confining, so we migrated to a laptop..... and then it was too much of a hassle to go all the way upstairs to surf the net, so..... the Big Dubya hooked me up with wireless.

This set-up has kept me happy for a couple of years now, but I still get super-frustrated when our access is offline for a bit...... or when the Big Dubya's using the laptop when I'm struck with some internet inspiration.... imagine! I actually have to wait my turn... the horrors!

My wireless laptop isn't the only thing that spoils me..... don't get me started on the microwave.

I took a shower!!!!

I know, I know.... what's the big deal about a shower -- we all take 'em everyday.

Well, since having the 'lil Dubya.... showers have taken on a whole new meaning. It used to be... I'd hop in the shower, do my thing and hop out. Since becoming a mother, it's a much more involved process..... it generally starts with making sure the 'lil Dubya is asleep.... really asleep and then it's jumping in, doing the bare (no pun intended) minimum and getting out before he wakes up -- and it includes several breaks of turning off the water and sticking my head out to verify that I didn't just hear him scream. The only products I'd dare use are soap and shampoo -- because anything else would take up precious minutes that I could be using to dry off and perhaps get dressed.

Well, on Sunday -- hubby said he'd watch the 'lil guy while I went and took a shower -- it was amazing.... there was no interruptions, no worries.... no sense of panic. I used the bath gels that have been sitting in the shower mocking me for months..... I used a face scrub that I've wanted to try for weeks.... I even brought a beer in thhere with me (haven't done that since college!). I got out and dried off in peace & quiet..... I not only combed my hair but I dried it!

Husbands everywhere -- take my advice.... treat your wife to a leisurely shower (get your head out of the gutter)....

Honey, I want a robot to clean the house....

So, Aunt P's future mother-in-law (Mr Tall Guy's mother) got a Roomba. I think it's safe to say that Aunt P & I were skeptical..... could this gizmo really vacuum the floors on its own and do a good job? We doubted it..... but it was her money, so why not let her learn the hard way.

Well, weren't we all surprised when Aunt P went to PA to visit the Tall Guys and learned that not only did it work, it did a good job... and, they have CATS!!!! I couldn't believe it.... a vacuum that not only cleaned regular stuff, but could tackle cat hair without getting clogged up too????

Aunt P hates housework as much as the rest of us and decided that she just had to have one, so she got one too. I was still skeptical.... I figured that after a few weeks, some flaws would become apparent and the Roomba would prove to be somewhat less than it was cracked up to be... so I waited, and waited..... and waited some more. I called Aunt P and asked, so.... how's that Roomba working out for you -- fully expecting to hear some buyers remorse, some drawback, some sort of regret -- but no such luck.

Instead, Aunt P raved at how she just sets it off before going to work in the morning and comes home to a vacuumed house. She went on and on.... it does linoleum, it does hard wood, even carpet.... it goes under the tables, around the chairs, under the couch, and avoids the stairs..... (too many children's books.... starting to sound like Dr Seuss...)

Honey, I want a robot to clean our house too!

Got Milk?

Since going back to work.... I've been waging a battle...... the breast pump battle.

Many of my friends are what you might call breastfeeding fanatics. Yes, I agree -- breast milk is the best for babies, there is no denying it -- but.... it's not always as easy as people make it out to be. To begin with and in the interest of full-disclosure, I am one of those people. When I was pregnant I kept reading about women who had trouble breastfeeding their babies..... I couldn't help thinking to myself... Well for God's sake how hard could it be? You pull out your boob, baby latches on and then you switch sides.... it's not rocket-science people.

Well, my gal-pal Cape Buffalo tried to set me straight -- she shared with me the challenges she encountered when Baby Buffalo was first born and how she almost gave up -- she got support & encouragement from some experienced Moms and success..... so, I started to think that maybe some people have trouble.... but I certainly wouldn't be one of them.

Then the 'lil Dubya was born.... premature.... whisked away to another hospital..... I was heavily medicated.... with the kind of drugs that you can't breastfeed if you are taking. Once I was off the meds and discharged from the hospital, I was introduced to the medieval torture device known as the breast pump. The 'lil Dubya was in the hospital and was going to be there for a while.... he was not tolerating (a.k.a. was throwing up 3/4 of every feeding) all of the formulas they tried.... he was losing weight by the day..... so I started to pump (OUCH!).... and success, he didn't throw up the breastmilk. Every three hours 'round the clock I would pump into these tiny little plastic bottles..... freeze them and then deliver them to the hospital -- the nurses would then feed him the milk through a tube.

When the 'lil Dubya got stronger, I was able to try nursing him directly -- yeah, now comes the easy part, right? Wrong! First of all, that hurt more than the damn pump and then the 'lil Dubya only liked the left side.... try to give him the right side and he'd scream like he was being beaten. How is this freakin' possible? The nurses claimed it wasn't all that uncommon, suggesting the "football hold" or some other unnatural position. Good God, when does this get better?

For weeks I would feed him with the left side, go pump the right side and then give him that through a bottle.... are you kidding me? Like Cape Buffalo, I wanted to give up -- but how could I? he didn't tolerate the formula.... I have to persevere -- he needs this. After a while, I managed to get him to take the right side..... and for a while all was good.

Well, now I'm back at work..... I know lots of new Moms go back to work.... I know lots of new Moms pump at the office, but..... it's not as easy as it sounds. First of all, there are several new mothers in my office -- so we are all in competition to use "the room" (my office has a glass door) -- so trying to schedule time in "the room" between meetings and in coordination with these other women.... not so simple. Additionally, I can't keep up with his demand! Yes, I pump three times a day at the office, but still can't get enough to supply him. So, I started pumping in the middle of the night -- setting an alarm clock for 1 am.... that worked for a couple of weeks, 'til his demand went up and my supply didn't. The lactation consultant suggested eating oatmeal, cutting out caffeine, increasing fluids..... so, yeah, I've become super regular, totally exhausted and I pee constantly -- but it's for my little baby, if it works how can I complain? Well, no luck.... production has not increased!

I went to the Health Food Store.... they suggested Blessed Thistle, Fenugreek, Goat's Rue, Fennel.... I actually found (and tried) a product called "More Milk Plus" -- I only wish I was kidding.

There was also the suggestion of a "mother's milk tea" -- yeah, well it tastes like ass, but I tried it anyway.... and by the way, all of these products offer warnings about your urine beginning to smell like maple syrup -- yep, it does..... yet still no luck increasing production.

All I have to say is UGH!

My Blogging Buddies?

So, as many of you know..... my hubby is The Big Dubya. He's been blogging about his experience first as a soon-to-be father and now with some other guys as a new-daddy. He's always been big into the internet.... he was reading blogs long before he started one of his own, so I really shouldn't be surprised by his evern-increasing blogging ferver.

But, recently he's started referring to other bloggers around the house.... "I was talking to one of my blogging buddies....." Blogging buddies?, you have blogging buddies? Honey, you are acting like you know these people....

But he does... well, kind of. It's kind of like your friends at work... you generally know a small amount about their home life... married/single, town they live in, # of kids... if they are people you work with a lot... you might know the ages/names of the kids.... if they are people you actually like a little you might know what the kids are into.... sports, music..... what they dressed up as for Halloween... what they want for Christmas..... what colleges they are looking at......

I guess this is just a new experience for me.... now we have a whole new category of acquaintences.... our home friends (gradeschool, highschool, neighborhood -- the people we grew up with), our college friends, work friends..... we've recently added baby friends (people we are meeting through our baby) and now he's got.... Blogging Buddies?

Part of me wonders how safe these blogging buddies are.... I'm constantly asking the Big Dubya if it's wise to include photos of our child on his blog... he maintains it's fine.... I'm not so sure (not that I have any readers anyway, but....). How do we know that these people aren't nut cases? stalkers? axe murderers? serial killers? I mean all kidding aside, they are spending a fair amount of time on the internet..... how do we know it's really just good-clean-fun? I suppose it's all harmless..... but, just to be safe, I don't invite my work friends over -- so the Big Dubya won't invite his Blogging Buddies over either

'Tis the Season

Here we are, November 6th..... and it's that time again..... time to figure out holiday plans. The Dubyas (Big & 'Lil) and I will be heading to AZ to meet up with some friends for Thanksgiving, so.... we've been spared the task of figuring out who eats turkey dinner where -- but Christmas.... ah Christmas....... that's another kettle of fish.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for us, the Big Dubya and I grew up in the same hometown.... a mere 5 miles apart and our parents still live in the same houses we grew up in -- so, since we got married, we've managed to divide our time between the families. But, since moving to CT, we've wanted to just stay home for holidays.... doesn't everyone want to spend Christmas at home? But, we've consistently allowed ourselves to get guilted into traveling-- you dont' have kids, it's so easy for you to just pick-up and go. Last year, we were excited to go back, as it was Christmas morning that we shared the news... we were expecting 'lil Dubya -- but we vowed, once we have kids -- no more traveling, we'll stay home -- start our own traditions, take photos in front of our own tree, open presents in our own living room.

Well now here we are -- faced with the 'lil Dubya's first Christmas -- and the inevitable is happening.... What do you mean you aren't bringing the baby to visit his grandparents for his first Christmas... and of course the It's so easy for you to just pick-up and go, you've only got one kid.

Adding an additional level of complexity is Mr Tall Guy -- Aunt P swears she's going to marry him (still no date) and so, they are going to visit his family in PA for the holiday. Aunt P is bummed that she won't get to see the baby over his first Christmas..... so we invited them to stop and spend a day/night in CT on their way.... that will work out okay but still doesn't solve the grandparent dilemma. Nana & Papa (Dubya's parents) won't want to come to CT because they like having Christmas at their house and Dubya's youngest brother usually goes there.... if they come to CT where will Dubya's brother and family go? Granny & Grandad (my parents) won't want to come to CT because Uncle Ro-Ro (my brother) is still single and always spends holidays with them..... of course he'd be welcome to come to CT too, but that would interfere with his raging social life.

Being that Dubya & I are both first-borns.... we are the pleasers of the family.... always want to keep everyone happy -- How do I know we are going to spend our Christmas in the car?

Laundry, laundry, laundry

So, I ask myself.... "Self, why do you bother?"

This morning, we got up -- the Big Dubya went off to work..... I embarked on my work-from-home-on-Fridays adventure... all was going just fine.

'Lil Dubya opted to sleep in.... didn't get up 'til almost 8:00 which is pretty impressive. He got up, we got him dressed, fed and he was hanging in his excersaucer while I assembled the week's dirty laundry -- a household chore I can do while I am working from home. It occurred to me that I was still in my jammies and that I really ought to get out of the habit of wearing them all day on Fridays....... apparently I forgot the reason I don't put on real clothes on Fridays.

So, I put on a nice cozy AnnTaylor sweater which I'm certain I paid too much for and a pair of jeans..... the 'lil guy continued to coo in his excersaucer and I tapped away on my laptop..... this work-from-home-Friday concept is a real winner. I got some stuff done.... issued some reports, emailed some pesky auditors.... and then it came time for 'Lil Dubya's late-morning feeding. So, we flipped on Molto Mario (Gotta feed the Foodnetwork addiction) and all was good.... until the 'Lil Dubya puked all over my sweater.... poor little guy..... now I remember why I don't get dressed on Fridays..... keeps the dry cleaning bill in check!