Put on Your Shades.....

You're going to need them to look at the awesome cuteness that is my son.

Why Dogs Are Man's Best Friend

You Have GOT to be Kidding Me

Srsly - this was a question on my final exam - GOD SAVE US FROM THE LIBERAL WACK JOBS!


The year is 2012. The drought in Florida, because of global
warming, has gotten worse. The aquifer is showing alarming signs of depletion.
Similar crises loom elsewhere in the country. President Obama has set Vice
President Jeb Bush (!) on the task of coming up with ways of avoiding
disaster. Jeb’s plan for Florida involves a total ban
on any new lawns. All new developments may use only native, drought-tolerant
plants, (a practice known as xerascaping). Residents with existing lawns face
the prospect of being able to water 2x a week for just 4 years, after that,
just 1x per week for 2 years, and after that must abandon their expanses of
lawn entirely. (replacing them with xerascaping if they choose) A group called
“Water Rights” has formed in the Villages, and is arguing that as Floridians
and American citizens, they have a right to have traditional lawns, and to
water them sufficiently to keep them healthy and green. They point out that
existing lawns represent a substantial invertment of money, and that many
people have incurred the additional expense of putting in their own wells
which are also going to be restricted if the law passes. The issue is being
debated hotly and not always rationally all around the state. Even churches
are getting involved. Assume that you are a member of the curia of the diocese
of at Augustine, and you have been asked to prepare recommendations for your
Bishop on the position the church should take on this issue. What is you
position? (Not very important.) And WHY do you hold that position-- What is
your reasoning. (VERY important).

In all honesty, it took all I had not to write this as my answer:

Dear instructor,

Not only is global warming a farce made up by Man Bear Pig (Al Gore for those of you who don't watch South Park) but I find it truly offensive that you dare to put "President Obama" in print, let alone you would seriously suggest that Jeb Bush would be his Vice President. I totally resent the fact that this question even exists and refuse to answer on principle.

Thank You - Concerned Student

Is It WRONG to Want to Kill a Politician?

I'm not going to get all ranty except to say someone needs to impeach Nancy Pelosi and her childish "I'm not going to do it just because BushHitler and the Rethuglicans want me to" BULLSHIT.

Phew. I feel better now.

In other news - my husband has a kidney stone - at least, we're as sure as we can be without an x-ray because HE doesn't have insurance and DAYUM x-rays are expensive. The pain is lessening and there is no more blood in his urine, but as far as he knows, he hasn't passed it yet so I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

Apparently there are a lot of kids with neuro problems because we still have not been able to get an earlier appointment. BAH. Also - Patrick is teething again which makes for miserable, non-sleeping baby and miserable non-sleeping mommy and daddy. Sometimes I wonder if God thinks all this is funny. No, lets make it take a year or more of pain and suffering to get all our teeth in, that would be downright amusing.

Tonight is my last night of the hated Catholic class I had to take. I have to say though, it has been enlightening and I almost want to spend time researching other religions and their beliefs. ALMOST. We should be getting our reports on our visit to mass back tonight and I am wondering how well I did. Our final is online this week and class is over on Saturday at midnight. Then a short break until the next session starting August 18. On the schedule: Business Ethics and Intro to Computer Information Systems - my last elective. I'm thinking these should be two more easy A's.

Other than that, I have been faithfully exercising and TRYING to eat better, and I am definitely noticing a difference in how my clothes fit, though I still haven't weighed myself so I have no idea how much weight I've lost since the 6lbs from the last weigh-in. Progress is being made though. It would probably help if I humiliated myself more publicly, but I just don't see a market for video's of me making an ASS out of myself.

ANYway - have a great day people.

TTFN

I'm Brilliant ***Updated

So this is the last week for my wonderful Business Writing Course. We have a final project due that is worth 200 points. I did so well in the class I only need 123 out of 200 to keep my A.



WOO HOO

I got 188 out of 200 - so I got an A. Woo Hoo!

Gotta Learn to be Quicker with the Camera **UPDATED

Dang it. I missed the cutest, cheesiest grin ever this morning, y'all would have DIED if you saw it.

FYI - Patrick is scheduled for the Neurologist on Sept. 5th. Unfortunately, our insurance plan here at work is changing on the 1st of September - no more co-pays - now it's going to be a $500 deductible and then 20% of the cost. ACK! I called this morning to see if there was anyway they could put me on a cancellation list so if someone cancels I can get in sooner, and they were like "no, you'll just have to call us every other day" WTF!? Like I have nothing better to do?! Geez Louise!

***I left out the part about the no more copays only being for specialists - we still pay a co-pay to see our primary care

If You Really Love Me You'll Leave Me a Comment

I need some help all you cooking guru's out there. Anyone know of a tasty HEALTHY way to cook okra? I've never had it other than fried so I'm not sure. Is it good by itself or is it generally added into soups/stews etc? Our neighbor gave us a metric assload of the stuff so I think we should probably eat it.

That is all.

Terrible Twos? Try Terrible Ones.

Yes, that's right people, my kid has taken to throwing temper tantrums if he doesn't get his way.

Don't get food off mommy's plate? temper tantrum
Won't let him tear up daddy's cheaper than dirt catalog I asked him to put up umpteen thousand times? temper tantrum
Change his diaper when he doesn't want to? temper tantrum
Don't let him chew the washcloth in the tub? temper tantrum

I think you get the idea.

He actually throws himself backwards and SCREAMS. I think I may have to kill myself.

However, I noticed his gums are very swollen on one side this morning, so maybe it's just teething. Hey - I can dream can't I?

TTFN

We are off to see the Neurologist

We did an EKG, and an echocardiogram. We did NOT find anything that would cause fainting episodes. However, we did find a slightly enlarged aorta which the doctor said bears watching as it could lead to problems down the road. He also said it would probably correct itself. We also had to take home and wear a holter monitor for 24 hours. Basically a portable EKG - with lots of wires for a baby to mess with and piss him off while he's trying to sleep. Yea. That came off this morning. They got a good 15 hours worth of readings. The cardiologist does not expect to find anything else with this but wanted to be sure.

So - one down, one to go.

TTFN

Let Me Know

If the music gets annoying. I found this cool little tool for my myspace page and I thought it would be cool to use here.

:)

Don't you hate it when you just can't get rid of evil people from your past? Why can't they just crawl under a rock where they belong?!

_)(#*_($*($&*()*(

PS - I need this

BWWWWWAAAAHHHHHHAAAAAHHHHAAAA

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/us/politics/10jackson.html

Dude. I thought they said Obama had support from blacks?

And what kind of moron is Jesse Jackson that he thinks he can smooth this over? And why would he want to? Why not just man up and say, yeah, I think Obama is trash. Why? Because then everyone would know he's in it for the fame and money and he doesn't really give a shit about blacks or their problems, that's why.

What a jackass.

Both of them.

Patrick Update

We have an appointment with the Cardiologist on July 14th. They said they will review what his primary had to say, examine him, and if they feel tests are warranted they will do them right there in the office. Keep your fingers crossed.

Call Me Crazy...

But I really like Glenn Beck

Case in point:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/02/beck.oilexploration/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

There was another article he did the other day on what a conservative believes that I really liked as well. Can I vote for him?

I Am the Supreme Ruler of Complaint Letters

Guess what was waiting for me when I got home today??!! A check from Honda of Ocala. FOR $100!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!

Updates

Well we found out my poor baby's digestive system just is not ready for milk. Dr. has recommended a calcium supplement and that we can try milk again in a month or so. I still have not heard back about an appointment for the cardiologist. They said up to a week so I am giving them until Wednesday and then I'll be up their a$$.

I have a 96% at the mid-point of my wonderful Business writing class. Thank GOD it's almost over. I don't know how much more I can take of bad grammar 101.

Tonight I start my on-campus class. Since I'm attending a PRIVATE catholic university, I have to take a religion class - Catechism for Adults is the name of the text. This promises to be VERY INTERESTING. Thankfully since it's summer session the class is only 6 weeks. I hope I don't have to write some kind of paper or I might blow my top.

We were given a free pool this weekend - one of those Wal-mart quick set dealies, about 4 feet deep, 14ft diameter. They were going to throw it away so we said sure we'd take it. So now Patrick, who seems to really take to the water, has his own pool to play in. It was nice yesterday - after my husband working in the yard and wanting to cool off and I needed a break from fussy butt - they went in the pool together and had a great time.

We haven't heard anything else on the house front - they are still looking. I did find out that they paid cash for the house, so since there is no mortgage for them that increases our chances of getting in - we may be able to work out a "rent to own" deal if we can't get a mortgage. I've heard it's pretty tough right now.

Ummmm - I think that's about it.

Oh yea, anyone want some corn?

TTFN

And Now For Some Good News (well sort of)

Thanks everyone so much for the prayers and support. At this point we are not too "excited" about everything. I'm sure by the time we see the cardiologist, I will be in full on panic mode, but for now I am still OK. I believe in the power of positive thinking so I am right now telling myself it is nothing major and can be easily fixed.

Now to the (sort of) good news. My brother and his baby mama (ha - she would die if she saw that) are having another baby. And we found out today it's ANOTHER boy. So mom is now the proud grandma of THREE grandsons. They were hoping for a girl and now everyone is looking at ME for the girl. That is the sort of part. NO MORE KIDS FOR ME!!!!

At least they have lots of hand me downs. It's a good thing I've been sending all of Patrick's outgrown stuff to mom's house to live.

TTFN

Pray for Patrick

I don't know if I posted about this the first time it happened or not. My son has some kind of issue and we don't know what it is, but it's enough to warrant a referral to both a cardiologist and a neurologist.

Yesterday I was in a meeting at work and the receptionist comes in to interrupt, saying I had a phone call.

My heart stopped. I knew it could only be the daycare, and it could only be for one reason that they would interrupt me in a meeting. Patrick "passed out" again. The first time this happened was about 3 months ago. He was playing, seemed a little fussy, and then he just went limp, eyes rolled back in head, not responsive. Lasted about 15-20 seconds and they weren't able to confirm if he was breathing or not. We took him to the doc (ended up seeing the practitioner, NOT his doctor). They did blood work, the assumption being he had a blood sugar dip since he took an extra long nap that day and missed lunch. Blood work came back OK. I was concerned about seizure activity since my mom had childhood seizures. She was pretty certain it was NOT a seizure. So we chalked it up to not sure and left it alone.

Back to yesterday. I get on the phone and she says it happened again. He had just ate, and she set him on the floor to get ready to change him, and he fell over and went stiff as a board (instead of limp like last time). They still never told me if they could tell if he was breathing, but she did say his face looked a little blue. The owner sat him up and blew in his face and then he snapped out of it and started crying. She said he had a blank stare on his face and didn't really seem aware of what was going on. So I went back to the doc. Pretty much didn't give them an option, they were going to see us RIGHT NOW. Lucky for me it was towards the end of the day so they didn't have any appointments at that time. We saw HIS DOCTOR this time, not the practitioner. I again expressed my concerns about seizures. He said it was possible but he was more inclined to believe it was a heart problem. So first, to the cardiologist and if we don't find anything there, to the neurologist, and if we don't find anything there, then at least we got the big stuff ruled out.

Veggie Tales

So - that bucket of beans I mentioned - yeah..... it was about three gallon size bags. Now we have about 5 million ears of sweet corn, a large bag of zipper peas, and acre peas we still have not done yet. My god, our freezer is getting full (that would be the FREE deep freezer we got a while back that I neglected to mention - it's a stand up freezer too).

Neener Neener Neener.

Oh yea. We may have another house opportunity soon. A couple we know may be moving since the husband got a new job that's a little far for a daily commute. They've already agreed we get first dibs on the house if we can get financing - four bedroom, two bath, den, dining room, family room, bonus room on the back, screened in pool, on 7 WOODED acres - right down the street from where we are now so we could practically carry our stuff over there. It's a pre-fab home, so steel walls etc - VERY hurricane friendly - not that we get to many of those in N Central Florida. BEAUTIFUL house. HUGE - I think it's 2800 S.F. I'm not sure what the price they would ask is yet - I'm hoping somewhere around 200k based on what they paid for it in 2005. Doable people, definitely doable. Keep your fingers crossed.

TTFN

HONDA OF OCALA SUCKS

I just send this FABULOUS letter to the general manager of Honda of Ocala......By the way, I know the thing we are upset about is cheap, but it's the principal of the matter.

Good Morning,

I am writing you to hopefully get resolution to an issue I have been experiencing with the used car sales department. First off, let me say the reason we chose your dealership (even though we live closer to the Gainesville Honda) is because we heard you had the best prices and service. And we did get a great price on our car. However the service left quite a bit to be desired.

My husband and I purchased a used 2004 Accord from your lot at the beginning of May. Our sales person, (name withheld to avoid legal issues), promised us he would be replacing the Honda emblem that was missing from the trunk when we purchased the car. He stated that it had already been ordered and should arrive within two weeks, and that he would call us when it came in. He even had us sign an “IUO” from the dealership stating that Honda of Ocala did in fact owe us a trunk emblem for our car. Since we were to be traveling down to St. Petersburg in two weeks, it was
perfect timing for us to stop by and pick it up. We do not normally travel to Ocala since the cost of gas has risen so much as I’m sure you understand. However, the two weeks came and went with no call from jerk sales person. After another few days, I decided to call and inquire as to the status of our “order”. I left a message for jerk sales person that was not returned. I called again a few days later, and again, my call was not returned. My husband called two or three times. Again, no calls were returned. My husband decided to call the parts department directly and was
told they could have an emblem for us the next day. Now I’m sure you can
understand my concern since at this point it had been almost a month since our
purchase, and we still had not received the emblem we were told had already been
ordered.

At this point I decided it was useless to call Mr. jerk sales person since he seems to be unable to return phone calls. We again stopped by the dealership on our way down to St. Petersburg the following weekend thinking being there in person would get us results. We were wrong about that. We showed up around 9:15 or so (the hours of the lot according to your website are 9am to 9pm on a Saturday) thinking we would get immediate service as the lot could not be that full first thing on a Saturday. We
were told the staff was in a sales meeting, and were not able to leave the meeting to assist us even though we expressed that we had just driven 45 miles and explained our issue with getting service. I am not sure why the sales staff has their daily staff meetings during the time they are supposed to be on the lot servicing customers. If they want to have meetings at 9am, then the lot should not be open until 9:30 or whatever time the meeting is over. Someone then showed up and said they were heading over to the meeting and would ask Mr. jerk sales person about our emblem. We expressed to him that we had an appointment and could not wait more than 5-10 minutes. After 15 minutes when he had not called the secretary nor returned with news for us, we left.

I called the following Monday and insisted on speaking with someone else who could help us since Mr. jerk sales person apparently had NO INTENTION of ever returning our calls. The person I spoke to said he would look into it and call me the following morning to let me know what was going on. He did, in fact, call me the following morning to say the parts department would have to order the part. Imagine my surprise after I had been told when we bought the car that it had ALREADY BEEN ORDERED. At this point I explained to him that we would NOT be driving to Ocala again to pick up the part and that we wished it to be either sent to the Gainesville Honda to be picked up by us or mailed to our home. This was approximately two weeks ago. WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE AT HONDA OF OCALA SINCE THEN.

I am tired of waiting on something it seems apparent to me now your dealership never had any intention of giving me. My husband ordered an emblem from Honda of Gainesville and it came in the NEXT DAY at a cost to us of $19.40 (including
tax). We expect to receive a check from Honda of Ocala to reimburse us for
this expense. Rest assured, we will NEVER do business with you again, nor will we ever recommend you to anyone.

Regards,


Carmen - pissed off ex-customer

I Dont Gots No Bad Grammers

Holy Crap People. The class I'm taking this session is called "Essential Business Skills" but it's essentially Business Communication - how to write for business.

We have to post answers to a discussion question once a week. These people are discussing grammar, spelling etc. in their answers, BUT THEY HAVE NOT A CLUE HOW TO USE IT THEMSELVES. How did all these people get to college level? Seriously - most of the posts I read had AT LEAST one spelling error and SEVERAL grammatical errors. Not that I profess to be a genius, but at least I use spell check and make an effort to sound like an intelligent human being when I'm submitting work that others will read and comment on.

What really sucks is that most of these idiots will probably pass the class. Hell, they passed their elementary, middle, and high school English classes without a proper understanding of grammar and spelling (nor how to form complete, coherent sentences) why should college be any different? And people wonder why America is going to hell in a hand basket.

Its Nice When You Get All the Instructions Upfront

So. I got a 93 on my letter because I didn't make up letterhead with contact info for it. That kind of irritates me because 1) he didn't say anything about letterhead in the instructions, and 2) I thought about doing it but didn't. So I lost points I could have had if I decided to be less lazy.

I have been doing well on the bike riding - I've been going every other day (when it isn't raining) because my legs can't handle every day. I don't have a scale so I can't weigh myself yet, but I feel "tighter" so that is good. Through research with my mom this weekend I've determined for my body size and height that I should weigh between 130 and 140 (approximately). My goal is 135 so that equates to about 45-50 lbs I need to lose. OMG THAT IS A LOT. Oh, and according to same chart, I am not only "overweight" but borderline "obese". That is a hard pill to swallow. Especially considering I was always between 120 and 125 until about 18 when I had issues in my life (that I am still not going to disclose here because I am ashamed of them) which caused the start of my weight gain. I have definitely been getting more fruit in my diet and it definitely helps with the sweet tooth. This morning I had a banana and peanut butter milkshake (with 1% milk) for breakfast. IT WAS YUMMY! I got the recipe out of my Fitness magazine. There was also a recipe for honey whipped cottage cheese with fruit and fresh mint that I will be trying. I guess I have to grow mint in my herb garden now too!

Speaking of gardens, I have a 5 gallon bucket of green beans that I will be freezing this evening. YUMMY!! We also have red and orange peppers, white corn, zipper peas, romaine lettuce, radishes, and soon, tomatoes. Our neighbor brought us potatoes, squash, and okra. We are swimming in veggies. WOO HOO. I think we are going to try cucumbers again next year as well as brussel sprouts. We try to plant the stuff that's expensive in the store to save money. It works out really well so far.

TTFN

I Need Your Opinions Please

The class I am taking is Business Communications - basically a Business Writing course. So my first assignment is to respond to the following letter:

I see state employees driving BMWs and sports cars. These cars are a
waste of tax-payer money!

Sincerely,

Rick Shipley

Yea.....what fun. I HATE WRITING!!!!! WITH A PASSION. So I wrote a response and I'm counting on the two people who read here to give me an honest assessment of my work. Grammar and spelling count.

June 13, 2008

Mr. Rick Shipley
100 Anywhere Street
Alachua,
Florida 32615

Dear Mr. Shipley,

Thank you for your
comment regarding city employees driving luxury vehicles. The Governor
asked me to research the issue and I am happy to report that no taxpayer dollars
were spent on these vehicles!

According to the Department of Public
Safety, the vehicles you mentioned were confiscated during criminal
investigations. Rather than auction or sell the vehicles, the state has
decided to use them for their employees who need to drive as part of their
job. This allows them to refrain from purchasing new
vehicles.

In the 10 years this program has been in place, the state
has confiscated 43 vehicles – this means taxpayers in Florida have saved the
money it would cost to purchase new vehicles. The Department of Public
Safety plans on keeping this program in place and saving even more money in the
future.

The Governor’s office is always happy to receive comments
and feedback from the citizen’s of Florida; we look forward to serving you for
another
term!


Sincerely,



Carmen
Assistant to the Governor of Florida

Because I Have Nothing Better To Do

At least for the moment. I guess I'll play along with the Meme I got tagged with.

The rules:

1. Post the rules of the game at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What were you doing five years ago?
Five years ago I was on the verge of wasting my life with a pathetic loser. And then I woke up.

What are five things on your to-do list for today?
1. Find something to do (ha ha just kidding)
2. Fix my POS computer
3. Complete my writing assignment for class
4. Play with the most adorable baby in the world
5. Go Biking

What are five snacks you enjoy?
1. Cheese
2. Cheese
3. Anything sweet
4. Cheese
5. Do I really have to repeat myself....?

What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?
1. Pay off my parents house and get mom a new kitchen
2. Get my brother and GF a new house with room for the baby (so they don't have to put him/her in the bottom dresser drawer)
3. Set up college fund for my son and nephew (and the new baby too) - and a trust fund for them each to have a house when they are ready
4. Purchase about 10 wooded acres and build a custom home EXACTLY to my specifications
5. Consider having another baby since I could afford to be a stay at home mom

What are five of your bad habits?
1. SWEETS
2. Harrassing my husband all the time (in a wonderful loving manner of course)
3. Being set in my ways and unflexible
4. Being vindictive and spiteful to a-holes - oh wait - is that considered a bad habit?
5. Being Sarcastic ALL THE TIME - again, is that a bad habit?

What are five places where you have lived?
1. Florida
2. Florida
3. Florida
4. Florida
5. Florida ;P

What are five jobs you’ve had?
1. File Clerk at a doctor's office
2. Data Entry clerk at a mail order company
3. Data Entry clerk for the City
4. Accountant for a fortune 500 company
5. Accountant for a MUCH SMALLER company

And I tag....hmmm...let me think about this one.... LeeAnn and ummm.... LeeAnn, and LeeAnn again, and uh.... okay LeeAnn two more times just for fun. Or maybe it's cause she celebrated a little too much when Aunt Tammi didn't tag her. Yea ok that's it. Damn, that sarcasm habit is hard to break!

;P

Yes Virginia, There is a Hill (or two) in Florida

Let me just say - this bike riding stuff is killing me. Last night I decided to go a little further than I have been since I wasn't worn out yet. There were four or five small hills along the route (it was probably about 2 miles though I couldn't tell you for certain) and by the time I hit them coming back, I thought I was going to DIE. I probably could have walked faster than I was pedaling at one point. I kept thinking, "what if there is some crazy knife maniac hiding in the woods waiting to jump out and kill me." Yea. He probably would have killed me 'cause I don't think I could have ridden fast enough to get away. I'll be taking my phone with me from now on. And my iPod for that matter.

TTFN

Hi My Name is Carmen, And I'm Fat

And I have low self-esteem.
And I've decided to now bore you with my weight loss struggles and stories as well.

No, seriously. After reading over at Drunken Wisdom and Mountaineer Musings about their weight loss efforts I've decided that maybe it will help to "put it all out there" as they say.

So, here goes.

I know I pester Aunt Tammi all the time about saying she's fat - really and truly people she is not - but that's besides the point. I, in fact, am fat. There, I said it. I still have the mentality of the 120lb hottie I was in high school, but I have the 180lb (YES I SAID 180LBS) post-pregnancy body to go with it. Now here's my dilemma. I AM ADDICTED TO SWEETS. Plus I can't stand for anyone to watch me exercise. Not to mention that I have almost NO time to do so. Between a full time job, part time school, and trying to spend time with my son - about the only time I have left is in the evenings after he goes to bed and damn it, that's my unwind time.

So - I recently got a bicycle, and my husband finally finished fixing it and putting a new seat on it last night. I took it out for a test drive (about a quarter mile) and about died. I am seriously out of shape. I am going to try and ride in the evenings - hey - maybe it will help me unwind! I have been trying to eat healthier - at least making sure I get my fiber, though I am still working on cutting out soda and cutting down on sweets. I drink lots of water so that's not really an issue. Oh yea, and I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want a Wii and the Fit.

And here we go again - I have done this about a thousand times and just can't seem to stick with it (just like quitting smoking which I've managed to do yet again - and add an additional 10lbs in the process). Yea, it all sounds good on paper and I've actually managed to lose 10-15lbs at a time. But then I get tired of working so hard all the damn time and slowly it all comes back, along with an additional 10lbs for good measure. Like it's god's punishment for giving up. I get to the point where I just don't want to do it anymore, yet at the same time I HATE myself for being a fat slob.

It's a sad, tiring, self depreciating process. And I'm going to jump on the band wagon yet again. let's see how long it lasts this time. I guess I better get a scale at home.

TTFN

I suck at this blogging thing....

I seriously intended to be intellectual on this blog at some point, but apparently that is not possible....my brain is mush and spit up.

Apparently all I will ever be is a place to read about my life so I guess that will have to suffice. On that note - what's new you ask?

Well - Aunt Tammi told me about ID TV - I was SORELY disappointed when Court TV changed to TRU TV since they quit showing Forensic Files and the like as often and since I loves me some Forensic Files... No seriously. I switched to Dish Network because Direct TV could not give me local channels (and cable is not an option) but I would not do it until I was assured that Court TV was available. That channel is like crack to me. Anywho, I was disappointed and when Aunt Tammi told me about the ID channel I was SURE I didn't get it. Well guess what?! I DO. I now have back my beloved crime shows, and I am HAPPY!!!

Patrick is getting bigger every day. He is now standing up on a regular basis - except our coffee table is too high for him so he does it mostly in his crib and at daycare. He has not progressed to standing without holding on, or trying to walk by himself, but I am sure it is just days away at this point. We seemed to have stopped the unending flow of teeth for now, so no more fussy baby. WOO HOO!!!! We went on Friday to get allergy testing done. I have been concerned about the possibility of allergies b/c of the constant ear infections and runny nose. They also tested for milk allergies - so once we have the results we will be stopping the formula and either switching to whole milk or soy. That is a relief since milk is still slightly cheaper than formula at this point (LOL). He actually had to get blood drawn for these tests - like an adult - with the rubber band around the arm and the needle and tube and everything. I was terrified that he would freak out, but he didn't even BLINK. It was like "hey cool, what are you doing that for?" Even after she couldn't get the vein right away cause he kept moving his fingers, he still didn't cry or anything. I was so happy about that let me tell you. The nurse was too. :)

My first class since 2006 has started this week. Can't tell you how it's going so far because we haven't had any graded assignments yet. But based on the syllabus it looks like it's going to be okay. I'll will keep you posted.

I think that's about it. Have a happy day!

TTFN

Don't Mind Me.....I'm a Fat Cow. But My Hair Looks Good

Happy Belated Birthday

I'm a bad mom. Patrick turned one on Saturday and I forgot didn't have time to put up a birthday post. He is doing really well - he pulled himself up (to a standing position) yesterday by holding daddy's hands and now has SEVEN teeth. Holy crap people! Though he has received the curse of my family's teeth it seems as two of the bottom ones are crooked. Anyway - I do have pictures of cake splattered boy (and he sure WAS dirty) that I will share. Eventually. I promise.

In the mean time - I have some NASTY cold, complete with cement in the sinuses and ear infection and VERY SORE throat. Anyone know any tricks to ease the sore throat? I could really use some info peeps as I may have to kill myself soon to be rid of the pain.

:)

Just Say No

to Obama

He wants the UN to have the ability to "tax" the US for foreign aid

H/T Mrs. Who

I can't believe there are retards in this country who actually support this Socialist's agenda.

GET A CLUE!!!!!

Just for you Aunt Tammi

Apparently CNN has a partnership with Career Builder and they posted the top 10 interview mistakes today. So, since I AM her favorite niece and blog daughter I thought I would post them to help Aunt Tammi in her job search.... just remember you are NOT supposed to do any of these things.....

• Candidate answered cell phone and asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a "private" conversation.
• Applicant told the interviewer he wouldn't be able to stay with the job long because he thought he might get an inheritance if his uncle died - and his uncle wasn't "looking too good."
• The job seeker asked the interviewer for a ride home after the interview.
• The applicant smelled his armpits on the way to the interview room.
• Candidate said she could not provide a writing sample because all of her writing had been for the CIA and it was "classified."
• Candidate told the interviewer he was fired for beating up his last boss.
• When the applicant was offered food before the interview, he declined saying he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out drinking.
• An applicant said she was a "people person" not a "numbers person" -- in her interview for an accounting position.
• During a phone interview the candidate flushed the toilet while talking to hiring manager.
• The applicant took out a hair brush and brushed her hair.

WTF!!???!!

Found this article today that just..... well I'll let you form your own opinions

Copied in it's entirety from here

Why Conservatives Are Happier Than Liberals
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
By
Jeanna Bryner

Individuals with conservative ideologies are happier
than liberal-leaners, and new research pinpoints the reason: Conservatives
rationalize social and economic inequalities.
Regardless of marital status,
income or church attendance, right-wing individuals reported greater life
satisfaction and well-being than left-wingers, the new study found.
Conservatives also
scored highest on measures of rationalization, which gauge a person's tendency
to justify, or explain away, inequalities.
The rationalization measure
included statements such as: "It is not really that big a problem if some people
have more of a chance in life than others," and "This country would be better
off if we worried less about how equal people are."

To justify
economic inequalities, a person could support the idea of meritocracy, in which
people supposedly move up their economic status in society based on hard work and good performance.
In that way, one's social class attainment,
whether upper, middle or lower, would be perceived as totally fair and
justified.
If your beliefs don't justify gaps in status, you could be left
frustrated and disheartened, according to the researchers, Jaime Napier and John
Jost of New York University. They conducted both a U.S.-centric survey and a
more internationally focused one to arrive at the findings.
"Our research
suggests that inequality takes a greater psychological toll on liberals than on
conservatives," the researchers write in the June issue of the journal
Psychological Science, "apparently because liberals lack ideological
rationalizations that would help them frame inequality in a positive (or at
least neutral) light."
The results support and further explain a Pew Research Center survey from 2006, in which 47 percent of
conservative Republicans in the U.S. described themselves as "very happy," while
only 28 percent of liberal Democrats indicated such cheer.
The same
rationalizing phenomena could apply to personal situations as well.
"There is
no reason to think that the effects we have identified here are unique to
economic forms of inequality," the researchers write. "Research suggests that
highly egalitarian women are less happy in their marriages compared with their
more traditional counterparts, apparently because they are more troubled by
disparities in domestic labor."
The current study was funded by the National
Science Foundation.

I just don't even know what to say about this except WTF?!??!!!

My Kid is a Genius and Other Exciting News

Patrick is just developing in leaps and bounds now. I was starting to get worried that he wasn't crawling or anything yet (yes I *know* he was a preemie and it is SUPPOSED to take a little longer) but just in the last week he is crawling as a regular mode of transportation. He has also figured out how to sit up from his tummy and to get back down when he's done sitting up. He has sprouted yet ANOTHER tooth - this one on the top and also NOT in the front. AND, already in the last few days that he is crawling, he is trying to find things to pull himself up on. I am very pleased. He is getting sooooooo big!

More exciting news - I found out St. Leo's has a sattelite campus at Santa Fe Community College here in Gainesville and the tuition is about half that of the online program so I don't have to go broke attending school if they indeed freeze the Florida Resident Access Grant I wanted to get.

Even better exciting news....

I GOTS ME A NEW CAR PEOPLE!!! WITH FOUR DOORS AND NO STICK SHIFT!!! AND POWER WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS AND CRUISE CONTROL!!!! AND IT'S PRETTY!!!!

I got a 04 Honda Accord - 42k miles on it, and got a heck of a deal - my husband and I work well together. I will try and take some pics when I get home tonight and post them. It's white, with camel interior - and it's the micro-suede - very nice! The car is IMMACULATE, I think old people owned it before. I am so excited to NOT be driving my old car anymore, though it was a very good car while it lasted.

The good thing about having a husband who is a mechanic - once you tell them that they pretty much quit trying to sell you junk and let you pick what you like.

:)

Huh - Who Would Have Thunk......

Your Thinking is Abstract and Sequential

You like to do research and collect lots of information. The more facts you have, the easier it is for you to learn. You need to figure things out for yourself and consider all possibilities. You tend to become an expert in the subjects that you study. It's difficult for you to work with people who know less than you do. You aren't a very patient teacher, and you don't like convincing people that you're right.

What Kind of Thinker Are You?

Patrick Has Been Sick

Pray for my sanity y'all.

Seriously.

I need a vacation.

OMG I Just Peed Myself, Multiple Times

Just finished watching last nights SouthPark. Holy Crap. Trey and Matt are geniuses.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/166179/ Here's the full episode. If you did not watch it, you must. You will pee yourself too.

I Watched the Debate Last Night

Oops. That is not the truth as I remember it to be. But I did not lie.

Bah.

Hey Stupid Hilary Freaks

How can you ignore the obvious????

Where does she get off making comments about Barrack (not that I'm defending him) being tied to someone suspected of money laundering when she's got her own issues with fraud?

WHY DO YOU WANT SOMEONE LIKE THIS FOR YOUR PRESIDENT!

Any Lawerly Types Out There Want to Answer a Question??

If you SUPPOSEDLY have a debt from 13 years ago, isn't that considered closed and off your credit report? In other words, should someone still be calling 13 years later trying to collect it?

If you don't believe the debt belongs to you in the first place (like fraud or identity theft) should you still pursue clearing it up?

From what the debt collector said, the middle initial and last name of the person concerned were wrong (last name had an extra letter at the end that didn't belong there) but the SSN was correct. This person does not remember ever having a Sears card but supposedly they have an outstanding debt of about $2000 from 1999.

Any advice would be appreciated.

An Oldie But Goodie

So when I was downloading the video out of my camcorder tonight, I came across this little clip and it made me laugh so I'm sharing - BTW - this is probably 4 months old.....

TTFN

Patrick Has Happy Ears

So I checked his ears last night after being on soy formula for two days - no fluid AT ALL in either ear.

WOO HOO

Hopefully this means we have this licked.

By the way - look how cute he is.....

Why I Should Stop Watching the News in the Mornings

I HATE HILLARY CLINTON AND IF SHE WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF ME I THINK I WOULD KICK HER IN THE HOO-HOO.

News Flash for Chelsea.....

When a person who is asking me to vote for them to become my President BLATANTLY LIES, it is DAMN WELL my business.

When my president BLATANTLY LIES about a moral issue, it is DAMN WELL my business.

GET A CLUE and GET OUT OF MY FACE

No Tubes! No Tubes! No Tubes!

Ugh - I feel like a hippy now......

We took Patrick to the Ear Nose and Throat doctor on the advisement of the resident/nurse/assistant woman at our doctor's office. He continues to have "ear infections" on a regular basis and anti-biotics just aren't helping. It seems that as soon as we clear up one ear, the other becomes infected. I was assured when they did the referral that they would look into other options before they did tubes. When I saw the doctor he says to me, you realize you're here for tubes right?

Uh Wrong.

My son does not have pain, discharge, fever, sleeping/behavior problems due to "ear infections." We are NOT DOING TUBES. The doctor was confused - but he was very nice about it. He wanted to know why I was against them, I explained above. He said usually when parents come to him they are on their last straw due to above. He kind of insinuated that I should not be there if I wasn't. I didn't think so either. So I asked him what else can we try. He insinuated I should be discussing that with his primary care. I thought so too. He did give me a pamplet to read on when to get tubes which only reinforced my opinion, and suggested I ask my dr. about switching to soy formula, which we will be doing.

He also indicated that unless we had any of above things that we DO NOT have, we should not need anti-biotics. Yea. Suffice it to say I will no longer be seeing assistant/nurse woman - I will insist on his regular doctor. Nurse/assistant lady who looked at him about a week ago said he had an infection and needed anti-biotics. ENT who saw him a few days later said no. Regular Dr. today said no. I am wondering now how many times we saw her and she prescribed anti-biotics did we really need them???

Anyway, he is doing well. Third tooth still hasn't broken the surface but doc says should be any day now as they are RIGHT THERE. He is still happy and smiling and every parent at the day care wishes they could take my kid home instead of theirs.

:)

We Interrupt Your Reguarly Scheduled Programming.....

To bring you this news bulletin.

I think I may change the name of my blog to "Typical White Person"

That is all.

One Tooth, Two Teeth, Three Teeth, Four Teeth

OMG! This kid will not stop sprouting teeth. There are now TWO on the bottom that are through the gum and I could swear I saw a third under the surface this morning. However, he does have vampire teeth - they are not the two front teeth but in the corners of his lower jaw. At least they are not pointed.

Some of you may have noticed I had a birthday pass that I did not allude to here. If Aunt Tammi would not have mentioned it, you probably wouldn't have known. For some reason it did not seem important this year, and I did not really get excited or enjoy it. I tried to go get some new work clothes, and ended up depressed instead. I NEED AVACATION PEOPLE.

TTFN

Houston - We Have a Tooth!

Well almost anyway. Patrick was biting my arm this weekend and it HURT. So I checked and sure enough, there was a sharp spot. You can see the tops of two teeth through his gum. So I'm guessing they will make an appearance in the next few days. He is just getting way too big.

We had some friends come over yesterday, they have two boys, the youngest is almost nine. Patrick was "chasing" him around the yard yesterday (his mom was holding Patrick and running behind him) and he was HYSTERICALLY laughing. He loves him. Last night, he actually said his name, and it was very clear. My kid is a genius.

:)

Deliverance Has Visited Upon Me

Da da Da da Da da Da da DAAAA

So I have to thank T1G as he reminded my of a funny story.....

When we went to the hospital for Patrick's surgery we had quite the experience. There we were in the waiting room, and this mother sits across from us and starts up a conversation. At first I was like cool, a distraction. But oh how I lived to regret those words. I think she was THE definition of in-bred hillbilly. Her son was in getting his tubes REMOVED as they caused more problems than they helped (part of the reason my husband and I are so against them for Patrick, but I digress) anywho, she seemed nice enough but really loud, and mildly retarded. So then she says, I saw you guys in the pre-surgery waiting room, your son is the SPINACH IMAGE of his daddy, I told my husband, I bet that's his daddy, he's the SPINACH IMAGE of him. blah de blah blah..... At this point I'm trying REALLY hard not to laugh, just saying yea and uh huh and in the right places, praying desperately that she will LEAVE ME ALONE. So after a while I guess she got the picture because she left. Anyway a short while later, her mom/sister/cousin comes back in and asks where her husband/cousin/grandfather is. She thinks he's in the bathroom (which by the way is right there in the waiting room). So she proceeds to check. And opens the door (to the men's room) and starts yelling hey - ya in here? To which he responds, and then, THEN SHE PROCEEDS TO STAND THERE WITH THE DOOR OPEN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM WHILE HE'S TAKING A SHIT. And you could tell he was 'cause he was straining. I mean for like five minutes people. I almost died! They really should keep these people locked up. Then, they called to tell her to bring a bottle back for her kid and she's walking around the waiting room asking for a pocketknife so she can open her can of formula. And of course, grandpa/cousin/brother has one. For cyring out loud. I blame my mother in law - she works with mentally disabled people, they are drawn to her like flies.

TTFN

Compliments

So the other day I walked into the WONDERFUL daycare I now take my son to, and one of the mom's said to me - now there's a well dressed woman, you look fabulous!!!

I was so surprised I almost didn't say thank you. Can I just say how much that means to me after 9 months of losing my mind to think I can at least pull myself together enough to look nice, let alone fabulous?!? BTW Aunt Tammi, I was wearing my Christmas wool peacoat. ;)

In other news - the other day Patrick actually STOOD UP! I have a video - if I think of it I'll upload tonight. I can't believe how big he is getting! I am starting to see some of me in him finally, and that makes me feel good - I was starting to wonder if I had some kind of immaculate conception....LOL

My mom asked me the other day what our plans were for his 1st birthday. Whaaaa???? When did this happen? I can't believe it. I'm thinking we don't really need to do a big huge party, he doesn't even realize what is going on. Maybe I'm a bad mom :)

TTFN

Patrick Pictures

Phew, What a PARTEEEEEEE!!!!!

Hey All,

Thanks for keeping the place warm while I've been away. Y'all sure know how to throw a party! I got a hangover just watching ya!

SOOOOOO sorry for the long hiatus - I've been so busy it's not even funny. Work has finally started slowing down. Who say's we're in a recession? Seems to me there's quite a few people going on vacations......

So what's new, let's see.... I finally filled out my application at St. Leo's to finish my bachelor's. Just waiting for the oficial "yes" so I can sign up for classes.

Patrick had surgery on the first to repair his hernia - it went really well. You'd never know the kid even had surgery. Just a tiny surface scar, and no mental ones. :)

He is 9 months now - geez where does the time go? I expect to see teeth any time now as teething has kicked in with a vengence. Other than that he is happier than a pig in sh*&. Husband is wonderful, he just had a birthday on Monday so he is now officially OLD!

I have some new pics of Patrick I will try to post this evening - he is even more adorable than last time.

Gotta go for now, but will be back SOON.

TTFN

Still Busy.......

Gosh, I feel like I am going insane! Lots of work, but I still like my job so that's a plus. We did all finally get over the throw up thing. Gots lots of stuff for Christmas. Patrick opened his own presents, it was so cute. He would grab at the paper and when he'd get a good hold, we'd turn the present until he ripped it all of. Of course then he decided to eat the paper...... He is very smart too. He figured out how to push buttons now so we hear music all the time from his various toys. He is getting close to sitting by himself, but still not crawling. He tries hard though. He's had a stubborn ear infection - we are on our third antibiotic. He goes back next week and if it's still not gone they have to give him a series of three shots. Boo Hoo.....

Also, his teacher at daycare told me they were going to be closing at the end of the month and she offered to watch him at home. I would have considered it probably with the proper background check etc. but husband and MIL were having none of that....LOL. So I did finally find another daycare I like yesterday. It's right down the street from my work so very convenient for Dr's appointments and such. And I think it's run much better than where we are now. I think we are going to start him a week from Monday. Just have to go pay the application fee to hold his spot.

Well, I still haven't had time to read any blogs, please forgive me! Gotta run, only have so much free time.

TTFN

Still Busy and now Sick too

Poor Patrick has been sick - he got a stomach bug and has been throwing up. Well he decided to be nice and share with mommy and daddy. YUCK. I can not tell you how much I HATE throw up. Especially cleaning it up when it's not mine. My husband's boss joked yesterday that they were going to change our mailbox to read "Keith, Carmen, and Patrick Puking". Lovely. Anyway - still real busy at work, it's high travel season January and February so we're working like dogs to collect money and get people paid. But it's nice to be busy. Except it cuts into my blogging time. Haven't even had a chance to read any. Oh well =) But you can bet I have a few things waiting for our takeover of Drunken Wisdom........ muwaaaa haaaaa haaaaa

TTFN

Busy Busy Beaver

But I have time to say Patrick is good, husband is good. And - I got a $500 bonus check for Christmas yesterday from my new job that I've only been at for three months. WOO HOO!!!!!

Our company Christmas Party is tonight and I'm about to leave so.....


TTFN

Patrick's Pictures

Happy Turkey Day and Stuff **udpated again**

Sorry all. I have been extremely busy. I took Wednesday off from work and I managed to finish one set of curtains for Patrick's room finally. I also made a yummy pumpkin cheesecake for Turkey Day dinner. Then I napped, and it was time to go get the little guy. I can't believe how quickly that day went by.

Thursday we went to a friend's house for dinner. We had husband's parents there with us as well. My parents did not come up but ended up going to my Grandma's house instead.

Friday we took Patrick to the doctor since he still seemed congested. Turns out the poor guy had an ear infection in BOTH EARS as well as a bit of bronchitis. They gave us antibiotics, steroids, and an albuterol inhaler for when he gets really wheezy. We were shocked. We had no idea he was that sick, he was still smiling and talking and playing and eating and sleeping!?! Now that he's been taking the medicine for three days though you can definately see an increase in energy/appetite. Huh. Oh yeah, he is 18lbs now. What a beefcake!

Saturday we stayed home all day and my parents came up that evening. Not much done.

Sunday we took Patrick to Sears for pictures. OH MY GOD. HE IS SOOOO CUTE. We had a hard time choosing which ones we liked best. He was so good, and he smiled in every picture. I will try to add a link to the site where you can see them if you want later (I don't have the password and stuff here at work with me).

OKAY - I took down the link - it kept asking for a log in and password so I'll just add them in a new post.

It was hard to get up this morning. Long weekends tend to do that I guess.

TTFN

Big Plans

So Tammi posted here on the soon to be takeover at Drunken Wisdom. I just have to say, I have something very special planned as well, and I think you all will love it. So make sure you check and check often.

TTFN

No More to Say

Blogging will probably be light as we are hitting high season here at work, but I got this from my mother-in-law this morning and just HAD to share - we all know the story of the grasshopper and the ant:

Two Different Versions

OLD VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!



DEMOCRAT VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so? Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'
Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, 'We shall overcome.'
Jesse then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.
Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.
The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.
Hillary gets her old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of federal judges that Bill Clinton appointed from a list of single-parent welfare recipients.
The ant loses the case.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ant's food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote.

Halloween Pictures

Halloween and Other Stuff

So we took Patrick over to our small town trick or treat gala (they close off main street and all the stores give out candy). He was up past his bed time but seemed to have quite a blast with all the attention he got. He LOVED his costume (he was a wizard). He seems to enjoy hats and he kept trying to eat his beard. Unfortunately, we missed the costume contest by about 3 minutes. FIL was rather disappointed since he worked for three weeks making his costume, but he got candy so all was good. And before you ask - yes I do have pictures which I WILL post tomorrow. I was not looking forward to going, but ended up having a great time. It was definitely small town America at it's finest.

The memorial service on Tuesday was very nice. It was for my brother's dad's step-father (sort of - he and grandma were never married). Yes, not my grandfather but I went none the less since my brother's dad may as well have been my dad - he's the only dad I've known since I was two. And that story is another post in itself which I may post someday, but not now.
Anyway, he was a World War II vet - a member of the 101st airborne no less - and a purple heart recipient. A great patriot and lover of America - he will be sorely missed by his family I'm sure. Since he was a vet of course he had a proper military burial with Taps and the gun salute and the whole nine yards. It was very moving and makes me wonder why people have no respect for our soldiers. Afterwards was a party at the local Elks Lodge (he insisted no one be sad). Unfortunately I didn't get to stay long (since it was a three hour drive for me to get home) but I enjoyed every minute and my condolences go out to his children and family.

In other news - I discovered that Patrick does not scare easily - he didn't even flinch when the guns went off at the funeral. And it seems Patrick's "cold" is going away on its own so we may not have to make the trip to the doctor.

:)

Prunes = Throw Up

Well I guess it was inevitable that we would find something Patrick DOESN'T like. We tried prunes last night and they made him gag. That's fine with me 'cause they made me gag too (the smell anyway). I don't know who in the world would want to eat those things......NASTY.

I think I may have to take Patrick back to the doctor. His stuffy nose (with clear mucus) has now turned into a stuffy nose (with green mucus), a cough, and a slight fever. I wonder if he has a sinus infection?

Other than that, I have to go down to my mom's again tomorrow for a funeral, another WWII hero has left us.

TTFN

Financial Happiness

Just found out I got approved for a credit card through my credit union, so now I can transfer my balance over for HALF the interest I am paying now - and it's a fixed rate.

WOO HOO!

Bank of America can kiss my a$$.

Doctor News

So we took Patrick to the Pediatric Surgeon yesterday for his hernia. He is sure it is not an emergency and scheduled another appointment for two months from now. He wants us to watch it and note whether it seems like it is appearing less frequently or if it looks like it is getting smaller in size when it does, and if it seems to be hurting him. If it starts hurting him, we need surgery right away. If it appears to be getting smaller/less frequent at the two month mark, he wants to continue to watch it. If it doesn't appear to be changing in any way at the two month mark, he wants to go ahead and schedule surgery then. So......they don't feel the need to just "cut" right away. They were very impressed that we knew so much about it when we went in. Apparently some people must not research things when it comes to their kids??!!!! And - it was only $156.00. PHEW!!!!

In other news - we went to St. Augustine last weekend for our anniversary (since that is where we had our first date). Anyway, Sunday morning Patrick woke us up at 5am and we were really tired so after we fed him, we laid him (on his back) in between us on the bed while we "dozed". Eventually he feel back asleep and we did too. When we woke up, he was on his tummy. Neither of us remembers rolling him over so he must have done it himself - but we didn't see it. He hasn't done it again since.

He's also decided he's not content to just sit in his chair anymore - he gets really mad. So we've been putting him on his tummy on his play mat. The child tries really hard to crawl! He looks like a little inchworm, and does sort of an "army crawl". He'll go a few inches and then lay his head down and rest, and repeat until we move him or he gets pissed because he's not getting anywhere. It's actually pretty funny. He also likes to "sit" with me on the floor. I sit indian style and put him on the floor in front of me, holding his hands, and he "sits by himself".

Other things of interest:

• He thinks mommy's hair is very funny in his face.
• If you say mama or dada to him, he smiles so big you think his face will split in half.
• He tries to talk and eat at the same time.
• He has outgrown yet another diaper size (he's 16lbs now and in size 3) and clothing size (he's wearing 6month stuff now).
• He really likes bananas

I think that's it for now. I promise I will have video and/or pictures soon. We are going down to my mom's this weekend, so it probably won't be until later next week or weekend.

TTFN

It's Been A Year Already

I can't believe it, we made it a year! Happy Anniversary to the most wonderful husband on the planet. I can believe you still like me after all the crazy moments of no sleep and stress with the baby. We made it this far, we can make it through anything now.

I LOVE YOU BABY.

By the way - I am taking him to a Bucs game for our anniversary. Ain't I the bestest wife?

Where has the time gone?

Wednesday was Patrick's 5 month birthday. Where has the time gone? He's gotten so big! When I was downloading video from the camcorder the other day, I couldn't believe how SMALL he was when we brought him home. He didn't seem that small at the time - at least to me anyway, even though I *knew* he was. My husband's boss told him the other day "he doesn't look like a spider monkey anymore." Heh. I'm also remembering how scared I was to hold my nephew when I saw him a few days after he was born, and how NOT scared I was to hold my own son. Huh. I never knew that could happen until it did. And believe it or not, though they were ROUGH TIMES with NO SLEEP, I almost miss him being that small.

TTFN

He Talks!

Ok, so it's not *really* talking, it's more like p0l;akjr;lkjgh;,manrlkjg;glhgoogoo, but he talks! It was so funny, 'cause my husband could usually get him to make a few small noises, but he would NEVER talk back to me. Well over the course of the last few days, he's gone nuts - he can't get enough of it he's so pleased with himself. He even talks to the TV when we leave the room for a minute. Also, he does what we call "Dr. Evil Hands" (because it looks like he's plotting to take over the world). I've finally figured out how to download video from our camcorder, so I'll try to post a short one of him and I having a conversation (probably won't be until the weekend though) and some recent pictures.

I can't believe how fast he is growing and how much he is eating!!! We graduated from rice cereal to oatmeal last week, and this week we tried squash. He loved it so much he decided to share it with his clothes, his face, his chair, and mommy's clothes too (he even had it on his eyelid people). It was so funny - he'd take a bite and "chew" it for a second or two, and then make a face like he was going to make a fart noise and spurt what was left all over - he did actually swallow most of it though. Last night I finally mixed it with a little rice cereal (just because it was so runny) and that was much better and much less mess. I also have a short video of his squash face to share sometime soon. But, he ate three formula scoops of rice cereal, and the whole container of the #1 squash, and an 8oz bottle for dinner last night! Now if we can just get his little teeth to come through so he doesn't have to be so mad anymore....

TTFN

How Government Employees Spend Their Time

Apparently, at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, they spend it looking for pictures from Fantasy Fest 2006 and end up on my site. Nice to know our tax dollars work hard for us......by the way rock on, who ever that was.

TTFN

Brought to You by the Letter D for Dumba$$

So the baby and I were doing our usual playtime this morning with the news on in the background when I hear "Al Gore given the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in global warming..." and the following conversation ensued to the best of my recollection:

Me: Whaaa?? Are they crazy?
Husband:
Me:
Me: Ah geez, the guys got a big enough head already.
Husband: Yea, didn't you know, Al Gore invented the Nobel Peace Prize.


:)

Oooooohhhhh Aaaaaahhhhhh

Alachua, FL

83°FClear
Wind: NW at 5 mph
Humidity: 37%

Today85°/ 51°
Fri79°/ 51°
Sat81° /55°
Sun84° /60

Sometimes I wonder......

I saw a news story today that had me wondering about men and their stupidity.

From USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-10-pregnant-woman-slain_N.htm?csp=34

I mean come on people. How retarded do you have to be? Like any sane man would not think something is wrong when his wife calls to tell him she just gave birth, please come pick her up at Long John Silvers? I think it was George Carlin that said in one of his stand up routines - can't we just take all the crazies and put a big fence around some western states (I believe it was like Nebraska and Utah and I don't remember the others) and leave them there to do as they will? Then they can kill each other and do their crazy things they do without the rest of society having to hear about them all the time.

Sheesh.

Surgeons Make Me Sick

So the surgeon called me today - normally they don't schedule "self-pay" patients, due to the fact that they get anywhere from $117 to $577 JUST FOR A CONSULT PEOPLE. I guess they are worried about people not paying. My insurance here does not kick in until December. I would at least like to see the guy to find out if he thinks we're okay to wait that long, but not for $577. ARGGGGGGHHHHHHH!

He's Much Better Now

We sent him back to daycare today, no fever this morning. I've been doing lots of research on hernias so I am prepared when I talk to the ped surgeon. I'm not putting my poor kid through any torture I can avoid. It seems there is another condition called a hydrocele, which is very similar to a hernia, but it is only fluid filled (as opposed to intestines coming through the hole) and it will usually go away on it's own by their 1st birthday. I am hoping that he has this and not an actual hernia. I also found out hernias/hydroceles are very common in preemies, and it is usually very difficult to make a definitive diagnosis of one vs. the other. Just my luck. Anway, our fingers are crossed.

My Poor, Poor, Baby

So Patrick has been sick since Sunday. Running a fever, so we can't drop him off at daycare. I stayed home with him Monday and Tuesday; Daddy is home with him today. To make matters worse, he had an appointment yesterday to get his next series of vaccinations, and the doctor has informed us the poor kid has a hernia. Which means surgery. And we don't have insurance right now. UGH!!!!!!! However, the good news is you would never know he is sick, he is still smiley and happy and playing all day.

Since it's on Topic

Found this while perusing the net this morning, and found it interesting. Especially considering the nursing topic going on here the last few days.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/education/27exam.html?ref=us

Two Nights in a Row!

So Patrick has now slept through the night again two nights in a row! I guess he's trying to make me feel better...LOL. Thanks to everyone who responded to my previous post. I can't believe how much it helped, and I am feeling much better about everything now.

:)

A Tough Decision

So, I made a tough decision last night, and I feel guilty about it.

GUYS - You may or may not want to read this at your own risk.....









I decided to stop bre*stfeeding. It was a very tough decision for me, considering all the work I had to do to get this far. Since my son was a preemie, his jaw was not developed enough when he was born to just naturally take to it. We worked VERY HARD with a lactation consultant for the first month of his life to get him to where he is today, and I think we did very well considering in the hospital I was feeding him from a tube attached to my n[pple at one point.

Anywho, I really wanted to quit quite a few times, but I stuck to it because I felt I was doing what was best for my son. Mother's milk is natural and all that..... However, since I started back at work (pumping again which I really DETEST) I have been having a hard time getting sufficient milk and have been supplementing with formula pretty much since day one back at work. I have called the lactation consultant again and tried herbal remedies and all kinds of things to no avail - yesterday I barely made enough to send him with ONE BOTTLE of bm today.

I feel guilty 'cause in a way I feel I didn't try hard enough. Yet I resent all the extra washing, and schedules, and work it causes me everyday. I want to be able to feel proud about nursing as long as I did, but the guilt overshadows it. He doesn't seem to mind it, but I still feel guilty. So, I'm trying really hard to lose the guilt because I know I did well in my heart, but my head is telling me otherwise. I'm not sure how to let go of it at this point, but I guess I'll get there eventually. Does every mother go through this? I'm sure they do, but hearing a few others experiences may help. Anyone have any they wish to share? If you don't want to do so publicly, please e-mail me.

***UPDATED*** I do want you all to know that my husband has been wonderful and very supportive through all of this, sometimes you just need to hear it from a "stranger" whose been through it you know?

Thanks

I think he's messing with my head....

So I was so excited in this post because my son was sleeping through the night. The operative word being WAS. I think he decided that mom really doesn't need that much sleep since he's now decided he absolutely has to wake up EVERY NIGHT at 3am. Just when I thought life was getting somewhat back to normal. Damn people, this is a lot harder than I thought!

OMG!!!

Found this while I was looking for a funny picture to portray "me".....

FUNNY

Two things: It's funny how I have so much more time to blog now that I have a job.....

and speaking of jobs - here's a funny about them....

But first - if you didn't pet the tiger, you can go home now. LOL




HOW TO POOP AT WORK:

We've all been there but don't like to admit it. As much as we try to convince ourselves otherwise, the WORKPOOP is inevitable. For those who hate pooping at work, following is the Survival Guide for taking a dump at work.

CROP DUSTING:When farting, you walk briskly around the office so the smell is not in your area and everyone else gets a whiff but doesn't know where it came from. Be careful when you do this. Do not stop until the full fart has been expelled. Walk an extra 30 feet to make sure the smell has left your pants.

FLY BY:This is the act of scouting out a bathroom before pooping. Walk in and Check for other poopers. If there are others in the bathroom, leave and Come back again. Be careful not to become a FREQUENT FLYER. People may become suspicious if they catch you constantly going into the bathroom.

ESCAPEE:This is a fart that slips out while taking a leak at the urinal or Forcing a poop in a stall. This is usually accompanied by a sudden wave of embarrassment. If you release an escapee, do not acknowledge it. Pretend it did not happen. If you are standing next to the farter in the urinal, pretend you did not hear it. No one likes an escapee. It is Uncomfortable for all involved. Making a joke or laughing makes both parties feel uneasy.

JAILBREAK:When forcing a poop, several farts slip out at a machine gun pace. This is a side effect of diarrhea or a hangover. If this should happen, do not Panic. Remain in the stall until everyone has left the bathroom to spare Everyone the awkwardness of what just occurred.

Request

Please pet my poor tiger people, he looks lonely.

Thanks

This Is Just Disgusting

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297277,00.html

I can't understand this at all. What the HELL is wrong with people??

Go Team!!!

Two wins for me this weekend......yay!!!!

Pictures

***Updated****

I know you can't tell from the pics, but his eyes are still blue like daddy.

Oh Yea I Forgot.

My son has been sleeping through the night now, last night makes four days in a row. And when I say sleeping through the night, I mean he goes to bed at 7:30 and doesn't get up until 6:30. Woo Hoo!!!!! And I do have some new pictures which I will try to post this weekend sometime.

TTFN

Busy Busy Busy

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm back at work now, so my very minimal blogging from before will probably become non-existant. I am working in the accounting department for a travel agency in Gainesville. I really like it so far, everyone is really nice. I just don't like all the rushing around and the very little time I get to spend with my son now. I guess it will get better eventually, just not sure when at this point. Everyone who does, please pray for my sanity.

TTFN

Just cause I like y'all,

and I don't want my son to see what happens at a comment party...LOL. Here's some new pics.

This one is for my favorite Aunt Tammi, cause we all know she'll just love it

This is him sitting on the couch like a big boy.

This is him finally letting mommy take a nap. 10 points to the first person who can tell me what's on the blanket. Oh, and I do believe that's a spit rag in my hand. UGH

TTFN

I'm Excited

Why? Cause Bucs pre-season football starts Friday.....Woo Hoo!

I think I might be getting a job offer on Friday.....Woo Hoo!

We might be moving.....maybe woo hoo. A friend of ours bought a house (cash - no mortgage) a few months ago and has now moved back to New Hampshire (don't ask). He is more than willing to sell to us (he would hold the note, not the bank so no interest) and it's a BEAUTIFUL house, built in 2002 and only lived in by him. 3 bedrooms and two baths (much larger than ours) an oversized two car garage, nice backyard. The kitchen is a little small, but if we move the laundry room to the garage, it could easily be expanded. The only problem is, where we are now is pretty country. By that I mean the neighbors are not right on top of us. Our house sits on 2 acres and there's another 2 acre field behind the house. We're not in city limits so we can shoot clays in the back field, and we have a well so we're not on city water. We also have an opportunity to buy the house we're in now, but we'd have to get a mortgage from the bank (INTEREST!!!) and the house is kind of old and small. We've been thinking on it for a few weeks now and we're just not sure what to do. Do the advantages of the newer house outweigh the disadvantages (in city limits, neighbors RIGHT next door, we have to pack up everything and move). If we did get the newer house, it would just be for a few years to make money off it and buy some wooded acreage. I just don't know. Anyone have any opinions?

I'm Still Alive.....Barely

So I don't have to tell you mother's out there how tiring it is taking care of a newborn all day. I think I am functioning on an average of 5 hours of sleep a night, leaving little time for blogging. But, I thought I at least owe you all some pictures. BTW - he is 10lbs now and doing really well (except for the stomach bug he picked up that has him very fussy the last few days).

Daddy and son are having some quality time.....

I wish I could sleep this good.....

I like sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed.....

He's Here

We are both doing well, thanks everyone for the congrats and well wishes, they are much appreciated.

Smokin Out

Some of you may have heard about the fires in North Florida, and yes, they are fairly close to us. Here's the view from outside of my house today.

The Alachua County Health Department has issued a warning asking all people with medical issues to stay indoors. I guess that probably includes me, and that's not a problem since I'm still not working - but I AM BORED!!!!!!!!

I did finally hear back from the great job; they decided to hire someone else. I can't decide if it was because I'm pregnant, or the HR lady thought I would be bored, or what. They did say they would keep my application on file (yea, that's always nice thanks /sarcasm). Oh well. It's probably not the best time to be starting a new job anyway I guess.

Every thing is still going good - we have between 5 and 8 weeks left. WOO HOO. I am SOOOOOOOOO tired of being pregnant. I told the husband he may just have to knock me out if he wants another one....LOL.

TTFN