Who needs pumpkin patch photos

(Actually, I'm ashamed that we didn't take our camera to last week's pumpkin-carving party, and I totally bought this year's pumpkins at Publix. Lame.) But onward!

He'll gladly gather up all the dog toys out of friendship, but not return his own to the neatly specified toy baskets. What's with that?

Do you know my hubby does dishes for me nearly every night? Even on Book Club night, when I was being loud and giggly with the girls, he was in the kitchen scrubbing away. It really struck me as so kind, especially because all my friends witnessed it.

"I call this game fun in a box," said the Cat.

We're off to Helen, GA tomorrow morning, and lots to do to prepare for that and the subsequent events next week. I signed up for cupcakes on Halloween Wednesday at daycare.... WHY? Because I love an extra scoop of stress. Thank goodness for Publix bakery. Have a great weekend!

Six Items of Pregnancy Business

-- My hair is a cross between this chick, and Mrs. Brady. I don't know why I always let it grow out so much in between haircuts. I'm normally a person with thick hair that grows fast -- put me on extra hormones and my head feels like an 8-pound package of alfalfa sprouts or something. I've been avoiding my eyebrows and was mortified when the Book club started sharing funny stories about waxing last night. (Do I need to? OMG, are they hinting?) I must remedy these things Today.

-- This morning I wanted to eat eggs, and I swear I couldn't shake enough black pepper on them to satisfy me. Every bite, I peppered a little more.

-- I get the weirdest sharp-pain ligament-stretching sensations. Not all the time, just once in a blue moon one will catch me off-guard and make me say, out loud, "Oh!" Embarrassing when it happens within the cube farm.

-- Had my first middle-of-the-night, I might as well get up and go downstairs moment of insomnia. I ate 3 big pieces of French bread (starved), got under the blanket on the couch, and watched M*A*S*H for about 45 minutes.

-- Also have had my first supposed "man" dreams, which I never had with AJ. You know, where you dream about some hot man other than your husband? Lots of people I know talk about this but again, I never had one when pregnant with AJ. I would like to request a do-over, though: One dream was about a NON-hot guy I knew in college, the other was about Scott Baio. Seriously. He worked in this yellow deli next door to an apartment building where I apparently lived. I got all flirty. Scott Baio??

-- Last night before bed, this little girl went on a kicking spree. It was the Olympics of kicking. She must have been on her back, propping her neck up, wearing a sweatband and doing bicycles. I am constantly lifting up my shirt so I can WATCH the movements from the outside. (When we're alone, I mean, not in public!)

A rapper I can get behind

First it was Shreveport, then my own Atlanta tried to pass fashion police laws about this annoying little trend in young males. (And females, heck... remind me to tell you about the teenage g-string we saw last weekend at the local ice cream shop! Or don't, eww.)

Today -- and I heard this on NPR -- it's south Dallas, where the deputy mayor wants to do something about the kids' britches. But he's going about it the right way: He has help from someone they may listen to.


I truly don't listen to hip-hop, but I think the song is brilliant. It makes me laugh -- sounds like he's talking to a bunch of 4-year-olds. It doesn't seem quite right to pass a LAW about how people dress (there are already indecent exposure laws, why waste time and taxpayer money? Besides that, I think there may be more important crimes to be prosecuted. Maybe.) But taking it to the streets? Excellent idea.

Seriously, the words of the song. SO Funny. You can listen to the whole thing by clicking in the sidebar here.

*loud applause*

Supposedly No One Cares, but...

I had the BEST, YUMMIEST lunch today and it is still making me happy an hour later. I ate, at Jason's Deli, a big bowl of the Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, and served myself from their "famous" salad bar. Field greens, yellow bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, green olives, cheddar, and croutons, with a drizzle of balsamic vinagrette and another drizzle (superfluous!) of Bleu Cheese. And two pickled okra spears on the side! And a respectable little serving of potato salad!

I licked the platters clean. I don't quite understand why this experience has me in such a good mood. We've taken to joking, "My baby is happy" when we've had a good meal lately -- AJ, of course, says this of the baby in HIS tummy, too. Well, y'all, MY BABY IS HAPPY.

I can't: think of anything to say

i am: glad to have a day to work from home because we bathed Polie over the weekend and there is Dog. Hair. Everywhere.
i think: it is supposed to rain 3 days in a row this week (hooray!)
i know: we need it.
i have: a lot of things on the to-do list, including Book Club on Wednesday at my house. See "i am," above.
i hate: having feelings of dread about my office job, but sometimes I do.
i don’t: believe young mothers should have to travel for work, no matter how much a part of their job description it is, when there are perfectly capable SINGLE PEOPLE who can travel.
i can’t: think of anything to write for an "edgy" guest blog post at WorkIt, Mom.
i can: say I've successfully checked three things off my list already.
i will: RSVP (regrets) for a bridal shower and a Halloween party today.
i won’t: feel bad about regretting; I've got enough going on.
i forget: dumb things, like when I went to Publix yesterday and didn't get anything I'll need for the Book Club menu (2 different soups, fresh hearty bread, and a dessert).
i miss: having lots of free time to spend hanging out with my husband...
i fear: that it will only get worse come February.
i feel: mostly better -- my hacking cough is down to almost nothing.
i hear: good things about the Bumbo; do I need one?
i smell: Fresh Linen by Carpet Fresh. I sprinkled it on so now I HAVE to vacuum, once my neighbor, Mrs. Bumstead, returns our vacuum.
i crave: the chocolate Frosted Pop Tart in my pantry, just 3 feet away.
i wonder: How long I will resist?
i regret: that I let other peoples' bad moods define my own sometimes.
i love: my little family and our plain-jane weekends
i dream: of Jeanie.
i long: for a stretch of about 3 weeks off, just to get STUFF done. Also for a pedicure.
i care: entirely too much about how my house appears (outdated, not decorated) to some of my Book Club buddies
i always: try to shut this care up and just be a gracious hostess.
i am not: proud of it.
i believe: in Hope.
i smile: when AJ does his dance moves.
i laugh: (ed) when he asked me this weekend, "But why can't I have ALL the Skittles, Mama?"
i collect: dog hair, apparently, and I display it around my home.
i play: Triple-Berry Pies with my son, using a frisbee for a pie-plate and the top of an empty propane tank for an "oven." It's kind-of like mud-pies. Maybe you have to be there.
i write: poorly with a pen and have always disliked my handwriting.
i await: 2008
i cook: well enough that my husband, I think, is grateful, but I also cook: a lot of the same things.
i trust: that things will work out for the best in most situations.
i intend: to try, this week, to smile and be productive.
i search: for meaning in all the most ridiculous small places.
i look: like I could use a serious haircut. (Even AJ is telling me so, since he got HIS haircut last week.)
i shout: obscenities when I stub my toe.
i whisper: "I love you just the way you are," while AJ is sleeping.
i conquer: week after week, I guess.
i listen: to my mother.
i ignore: most of my desires for frivolous spending. Like, right now I really want new bathmats for every bathroom in my house. But do I buy them? Nooooo. Don't "need" 'em. This irritates me to no end.
i live: a very comfortable life, full of riches and happiness.

Booooo for The Holidays starting in October

(geddit? Booo?)

I am weary already of this long anticipation. No, not Christmas, although I'm shocked that Target already has an aisle with stockings and wrapping paper designated. (Daily Target mention!) I just mean Halloweeeeen, dudes. I don't remember there being a two-month period of "Is it Halloween yet?" when we were growing up. Maybe we thought about our costumes for a couple of weeks beforehand, but man! I have been having to put AJ off every day, telling him we're not going trick-or-treating TODAY, but "in a few weeks." There are Halloween episodes of Dora and Yo Gabba Gabba to get his little juices juiced, there are of course the displays at the stores... it's just crazy.

(Have you SEEN Yo Gabba Gabba?? Now there is a mind-bender. We have some serious SONGS stuck in our heads from that wacky show, let me tell you. There's one called "Don't! Bite! Your Friends!" Haahahahahahaha. I just love the host -- DJ LanceRock. He. Is. Awesome. and Orange.)

We have a busy half-month ahead. This weekend, you'll never guess: A pumpkin-carving party. Next weekend we're going with some friends up to Helen, GA (yay! road trip to the mountains! Something I LUST AFTER every fall) for hayrides, Oktoberfest, etc., and then the following week is H-ween and 2 days later, our quick-as-a-wink trip to Disneyworld. It's dizzying. Exciting, but dizzying.

Hubby said this weekend he'd help me work on AJ's big-boy room, which I am desperate to get going. It feels like it may never get done... because Thanksgiving looms. I don't know whether we'll be traveling for Thanksgiving this year, although we've been asked to go to Savannah. Sigh. I swear to goodness, next year, with TWO KIDS, there will be NO holiday traveling. NONE. I said that before AJ was born, too, hmph. But this time, seriously, Not.Gon.DoIt.

Abrupt subject change: Let's talk baby names! You (some of you -- maybe one of you) asked for updates, when we had some. And since I'm a giver, here you are: We are less inclined toward Jenna and Julianna this month, and more inclined toward something that I feel is getting dangerously close to being THE NAME. Eee! With a middle name and everything. We're even referring to her has Baby ____ when we point to my ever-expanding tum... and that said, I kinda... don't want to share it. I know, what a tease. How about this? I'll tell you some of the middle names I really like right now: Michele, Elise, and Elliot. <-- I know, Elliot! It's weird, it's crazy, it's trendy... my mother is turning it over on her tongue right now with her eyebrows significantly raised... but it's made its way into my mind somehow. And it would GO with the first name quite well, I think.

So you're just going to have to imagine all that for yourselves. Happy Friday! Happy Halloweeeeeeeen! (just 2 more weeks away!)

A small dilemma

I missed Blog Action Day on Monday. It's unfortunate because we're right smack in the middle of a terrible drought in Georgia, and for once, I am actually THINKING A LOT about the environment. Specifically, about water usage and conservation. Disclaimers: I haven't seen Al Gore's big movie and frankly I'm scared of it; I don't recycle because my garbage service swears to me that they separate everything at the dump; and I don't compost because it's icky and smelly.

HOWEVER! This water thing has me trying to make changes: planning a trip to Lowe's today to buy a lo-flow shower head, and washing my face in cold instead of waiting 15 seconds for the water to warm up. (The horrors.) I've also become a little less vigilant about flushing the toilet -- "If it's yellow, let it mellow..." -- especially when I'm the only one home on Mondays/Thursdays. It's a bit unpleasant, but hey, saving 10-20 gallons of water is worth it right now. They're saying we have 115 days left of water in North Georgia. I don't like the sound of that. Having plenty of drinking water later WILL BE pleasant, thank you. It greatly outweighs the inconvenience of a dirty potty now.

My dilemma is thus: AJ is a forgetful little soul, and oftentimes wants to leave the bathroom toute de suite after finishing his business, without flushing. Gotta get back to his shows educational toys, y'know. I don't want him to think that's okay! I want to march him right back in and say, "Flush it, mister." But in these desperate times.... I'm letting it mellow.

What to do? I shrug and try to explain to a 3-year-old that we need to save water. Ha. I hope he'll realize one day, when toilets are required to be lo-flow, that flushing is important. Don't want him to be one of THOSE kids, after all. Eew.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Seriously, though, even if you don't live in Georgia, conserve water. Your state may be asked to ship it down here when we're all parched and cracking come January! Here are some great tips. Surprisingly, most of these are things that Hubby and I thought of before having to read them -- we're just lazy Americans with too many blessings that we take for granted.

Ugh, Monday

I was out for the count this weekend. You know, Friday, how I felt all tired and helpless at the office? Well, Friday night I got home and performed the heroic feat of ordering a pizza for our dinner, then promptly put on my comfy pants after AJ went to bed, and curled up under the blanket as if it were 32 degrees in the house. (It wasn't.) My chest was heavy with that deep, rumbling cough, and although a bit of Tylenol helped me sleep, I woke up next morning feeling Crud-dy.

THANKS BE to my husband, who took AJ out for a doughnuts excursion so I could go back to bed 'til about 9:30. (AJ had asked me to take him outside at 7:30am, and as I sat on the floor velcro-ing shoes, I just nearly broke down with the thought of accommodating his innocent request. Hubby thought maybe it was time to relieve me. Heh. Yes.)

It's pretty hard to explain to a three-year-old that Mama doesn't feel well, by the way. They don't quite get it that MOVEMENT is uncomfortable.

Today I feel like I'm on the mend, but the coughing still lingers and sometimes makes my abdomen hurt, which is unpleasant. I'm sure Baby's fine and won't go to the doc unless this hangs on a few more days; I'm not miserable, and no other symptoms... just blah.

If you're looking for something nice and inspiring to read, look no further: Et-tu's Group Writing Project had loads of entries of things we think our parents did right. (And looky, I won the random prize drawing! Lucky me!) The exercise made me start my own list of Things I Really Want to be Part of Our Parenting Experience. Maybe I will work on it and post it later.

If you're looking for something absolutely TRAGIC to read, go here. This poor woman and her husband are dealing with something CRAZY involving their 12-week-old baby boy. Start at the end of September's archives to catch up. Wow. Pray for them.

....Zzzzzzzz...... *head hits desk*

I woke up every 2 hours last night with a cough and a serious headache.

(Oh, and the ever-present need to potty, don't forget that.)

PITY ME!

I am SO falling asleep at my desk right now.

*whimper*

Three things my parents did right

It sure is good that other people have blog ideas; namely, Jen at Et, tu.. There's a group writing project and if I hurry, I might make today's deadline.

1. They did (and still do) "family" right. Our nuclear family is one of four: Mom, Dad, me, and my sister. But we never lacked for cousins, aunts, uncles, or grandparents around. We lived in the same town as my father's side of the family when I was a child, and of course no holiday was complete without at least one gathering. But more than that: we'd see each other at Sunday Mass, or at the country club afterwards. Or get together for dinner. Maybe part of it was living in a small town. My mother's parents lived 7 hours away by car, but that didn't stop us from having plenty of occasions to visit them. We made wonderful memories there, too. I even know many of my second and third cousins, and am fully aware of what "once-removed" means. My mom is the official genealogist of our extended family. She has binders and software and family trees that are inches thick, dating back to Adam, I think (at least that's the goal!). I think that her love of that hobby, her emphasis on knowing your roots, makes a big difference here. Not to discount my dad, though -- he and his brothers have one of the strongest family bonds, despite their very different personalities, that I've ever known. Family is, and will always be, of utmost importance to me.

2. They taught us with every moment. My sister and I were both readers from a very young age, and still are, thanks to my parents' reading to us. We even read aloud when we were old enough to read by ourselves -- James and the Giant Peach is one book that we enjoyed aloud as a family, every night after dinner for a week or so. We attended our parochial schools -- good schools -- but we were also taught at home. I remember once my Mom ordered a set of art history lessons when we were about 8 and 10. She hung up different prints around the house -- by the greats like Monet, Modigliani, Degas, Cassatt, and Van Gogh -- and we learned them and their styles. It was just something fun to do. There wasn't any pressure (and let me say we certainly had our share of playtime and TV-time, too; we weren't "schooling" the live-long day). Dad taught us about how things work, about finances when we got old enough, about "career" by taking us with him to the office or the farm, and about following your dreams. He was a rancher, then a business owner, then a commercial pilot, and we've always been inspired by his willingness to learn something new.

3. Discipline was never hard. Currently this accomplishment of my parents' baffles me, since I am in the throes of learning to discipline a young person and it's HARD. I don't have a clue how my parents solved the magic equation, but basically, all they had to do was look at us wrong, and we KNEW when we were in danger of getting in trouble. In fact, I don't remember very many punishments in my life. A few, "Go to your rooms," yes, and I know of one time in particular when I stayed out too late as a teenager and Dad waited up to let me know how he felt about it... but even then, harsh words weren't part of our family's practice. He looked disapprovingly at me, said something about following the rules, and that was that. (And I was properly MORTIFIED.) They must have just served their early discipline with the exact amount of love needed to make it stick. I respected them (and still do) without reservation. Edited to add: OK, I'm sure it wasn't always easy, but they made it LOOK easy, that's what I'm trying to say. They trusted that we would act right, and for the most part, we did, because we didn't want to disappoint them.

Gosh, I could name so many other things my parents did well! We traveled, we had meals together, they have such strong faith, their work ethic... I am a very lucky girl, indeed.

Little joys, little tests

The great thing about avoiding online shopping is that when you finally do order something, you're GIDDY with anticipation of its arrival. I got a tracking number in my email this morning and it has put me in a really good mood. :)

I needed a lift, after listening to my iPod on the way to work. It shuffled over to the Indigo Girls, and I was reminded that I think the song "Power of Two" is one of the loveliest love songs ever written. It made my cry thinking about my sweet husband, (pardon my sappiness) especially the refrain that says, "So we're okay... we're fine..." I think marriages, even really good ones, need that little reminder every day. We're okay. :)

And once again: Horomones! All the crying, geez!

Speaking of... We've had 2 evenings now of screaming, kicking tantrums right at 7:00pm, leading to AJ's least favorite phrase: "Straight To Bed. No Stories." Last night the issue was a very simple request that the little monkey wash his hands after a dessert popsicle. (And the subsequent hitting of his mama that occurred when he got mad at me for insisting on the hand-washing.) WTF, dude?? It's water and soap, big whoop-dee-doo. Don't hit me.

The night before, hmm. I can't quite remember the issue. Oh, and what do you do when you say, "AJ, you can scream but you have to do it in your own room." And shut his door.... but he opens it right back up and comes out??

Installing a lock seems the logical choice, but "locking your child in his room" surely goes against modern parenting wisdom, yes?

I have found that letting him BE MAD and rage for about 5 minutes, and then offering to sit in the rocking chair with him calms his ass down to snuffling, hiccuping levels. But the door thing... I'm sort-of at a loss.

A kid-free, football-free Day in the life

Alternate title: Shopping

Over the weekend, I was given a glorious gift from my husband: On Sunday, he took AJ and drove across town to his fraternity brother's house to watch a football game. With driving time and extra for socializing, that was nearly 6 hours all to MYSELF. And I got teary-eyed (horomones) when I was thanking him, because, my goodness, all the things I hoped accomplish in 6 hours! Without spending five minutes at every stop buckling or unbuckling the car seat! I was pretty humbled by the idea of it and so, so grateful. I even promised him I'd "work," when I totally could have gotten away with bon-bons and a book. He's nice like that.

I got a lot done. Started at Babies R Us and wandered the aisles, looking for 1) a black turtleneck for our Mickey costume (CHECK), a plain white maternity tee (CHECK), pretty diaper bags, and ideas for crib sheets and bumpers and valances. Although I recommended GETTING the comforter to a first-time mom recently (because they're only young once, and yeah, they don't use it but YOU might, while you're nursing in the rocking chair in the middle of the night), I'm wanting to resist the $199+ 4-piece baby bedding sets. I just don't feel like I want to spend that much, and I certainly don't want someone else spending that on me. I'd like to find something in lavender and sage green, maybe toile and/or gingham sheets. A dust ruffle, a bumper, I don't ask much.*

After that I hit JoAnn Fabrics and found big, white Mickey-pants buttons, and some elastic for securing his ears. Score! Under $6.00.

Then to Ulta where I made up the difference in makeup brushes. Holy Lord, my face better look GOOD. $28.00 to put on some powder. Wow.

After all this girly time I was starting to feel tired, but still right on the schedule I'd made for myself. I headed to Publix on the way home, and spent less than usual on the week's groceries. Plus muffin-baking ingredients. Yum!

Put my feet up for 20 minutes and watched that stupid Ed Burns movie which I have never loved but somehow feel compelled to try again, every time it's on. Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz, so it has to be good, right? Wrong.

My name is Lee, I pressed on (HAR): 2 loads laundry! A bit of Big-Boy-Room prep taking down artwork and ... sob... throwing away several old purses that have collected in the bowels of that closet. Loose photos neatly placed in a photo storage box. Crappy old frames tossed. It was a day for productivity, my friends.

....And then it hit me. MY FEET ACHED. MY BACK ACHED. I was jittery. (Forgot to eat lunch.) Hello, duh, you are growing a human person, might wanna slow down with the heroic acts of STANDING UP so much. So I took a bath and slept like a rock.

Pretty amazing how you can wake up the next morning and all that hurt is all gone. (Thankfully!)

*Postlogue: Late last night I started shopping for baby bedding online and oh, my! You'd best just settle in with coffee, your reading glasses, and a MAP. Who knew the Baby Linens community was so massive? And I'm so timid about (opposed to, as a general rule) eBay. Aye-yi-yi.

Also shoppping for a sling/wrap. Fun! I think these are gorgeous. I want the red one, on sale, but it's not available in my size. Or, what I think is my size. There are so many variables that it's hard to do their handy equation.

Drawback, and other rambling (some Halloween!)

One tiny drawback to the whole, "one of each" thing -- my poor sister will have to say,

"My nephew and niece,"

which is so much more trouble than, "My nephews" or "My nieces." Oh well. Price she pays for getting to buy Strawberry Shortcake presents, I guess. You're welcome, Sis. :)

Hey, just peeking at that link makes me excited to go into my Dad's attic and see if MY old Strawberry Shortcake dolls are still there. These new ones look a little more... sleek than I remember. Yes? Where is Blueberry Muffin's cute little square-ish hat? Where is the fat baby Apple Dumplin'? She must have been downsized for lack of competitive muscle with the Bratz or something.

Also? My husband is severely rolling his eyes right now, thinking these dolls are going to be invading HIS HOUSE. Heh.

It felt so good to get really emotional yesterday about this baby. FINALLY! And by "really emotional" I mean, driving home with my little purchase, I kinda sobbed a little bit. With joy, you understand. :) And probably relief, because running around with a 3-year-old and trying to maintain the household hasn't allowed for that all-consuming "Oh my, I'm going to be a Mommy" vibe, or the accompanying connection that one feels to the little tadpole. I've wanted to connect, just... couldn't, really.

Maybe it could also be the recent kicking storm that has begun in my belly. :) Anyway, connection = good.

AJ took the news well. But when asked if he'd help hold his baby sister, he said, "No, I tired of holding that baby." Ha! The darndest things.

[Transition sentence here.] Mickey Mouse costume, anyone? Can't they do any better than this? I don't find it all that cute, but it's easier than me going in to Joann Fabrics with less than a single CLUE about what to do (or how to sew). AJ seems wholly uninterested in the easy costumes Target has to offer. Hmph, Halloween was easier when his opinion wasn't involved.

...I wonder how many of my blog posts mention the word Target in, say, a month?

I also heard that this year's pumpkin crop is lacking. My neighbor said that the 1st harvest (in stores now) was good. The 2nd harvest was flooded and the third suffered from drought, so if you want a "good" pumpkin, go NOW. Alarmist. But... still. They keep if you don't open 'em up 'til later, so I'm buying one tomorrow morning.

Getting to know her

Dear Baby Girl,

I hope you will like the little pink blankie I just bought you. I wanted you to have something special to cuddle. It has butterflies and a flower on it, and it's the same pink my "boppy" was. Oh, I called my blanket "Boppy" before there was a name brand to usurp my word, and there's your first indication that your Mom is brilliant: I coined a NAME BRAND. When I was a BABY. Anyway, I rushed right over to Target this morning after receiving more sweet photos of you and your undeniably girl-self. I couldn't wait to add something soft and flowery to the household, and to think of you while cruising the Carter's aisle. Just imagine how many years of shopping we can do together; I had to get started right away.

You are going to have plenty of hand-me-down clothes even though you have an older brother, because there is a thing called SECOND COUSINS, right here in Georgia. And God Bless the three of them, and their mother's truly excellent taste and tidy storage bins. But I wanted to be the first person to give you something of your very own to wear. That's why I also bought the lavender polka-dot onesie, size "NB," and I hope you'll get to wear it at least one time. :)

It seems like you really should be coming any time now, although I know you still have a lot of growing to do before you're ready to see us. So stay in there and stay cozy, we'll wait. Everyone is going to love you, and I really think you're going to change us all in good ways. For myself, I know I'll have to really lead by example as my Mom did, and teach you grace and inner beauty and goodness, if I can muster them up myself. I'm trying to teach those things to your big brother, of course, but it's different with girls, you know? I hope we'll be good friends long into my old age. It makes me teary just to think about that -- having someone to girl-talk with.

Your Daddy isn't going to know what hit him when you arrive, I think. I can't wait to see how he cradles and protects you, his precious little girl. I know that the confidence he's gained with three years of parenting under his belt will make him your strong rock, your Giving Tree. You're just going to love him, and I pray that he'll always be your number one. Here's a hint if you ever want something from him: One smile, one kiss, and I bet you'll send him straight over the moon.

AJ has been speculating that you're a girl; I'm excited to tell him tonight that he was right, and he's going to have a sister. He may jump up and dance at the good news; he's very happy about things like this lately. He is planning to teach you all kinds of things, like which Mother Goose poems are the best (The House that Jack Built, naturally) and how to make a Legos Zoo. And how to run really fast. You're so lucky that you'll have a big brother -- something every little girl without one dreams of, I think. He's great -- vibrant, smart, and even sensitive. I bet you'll be able to tell him anything. Be friends, okay? Even if he tells you to go away sometimes. Big kids just say that; they don't mean it.

I have a lot to do now to get ready for you. There are paint schemes to choose and new crib sheets to buy (I had a hard time resisting one of each pink item at Target), and I'm eager to get started now that we are starting to know you a little more.

I love you, can't wait to meet you.
Mommy

(...You guys? POLKA DOTS.)

Highs and Lows

Our weekend, it seemed, was mostly a shitstorm of toddler attitude, followed by yesterday and these precious moments:

> We told AJ about the school's outdoor movie night this Friday, where we'll bring a picnic dinner and watch Happy Feet on a big inflatable screen on the playground field. He literally jumped for joy, saying things like "I'm so es-cited! It will be sooo fun!" He also came up to me, put his hands on my cheeks, and looked me in the eye to say, "Oh, thank-you guys! It so NICE of you to come to my school for a movie night."

> All the Friday movie talk put him in the Best. Mood. Ever. for dinner, and he talked and ate and was generally a pleasant person at the table, something we haven't seen since, oh, I dunno, he was 6 months old strapped in a highchair? Maybe I exaggerate. Anyway, he got to talking about his next birthday, and his NEXT, and THEN HIS NEXT BIRTHDAY!!... and got all the way to when he'd be TEN! And REALLY REALLY TALL! AND HE WILL TOUCH THE SKY BECAUSE HE WILL BE SO TALL! AND TEN! It was blowing his little mind, how gigantic he will be! Touching! The! Sky!

> "Who brought this Cherry Pie to our house??" he asked, when given the option for dessert. Mama did! I got it at the store. "You DID??? Wow, I LUHHHV PIE!" He tasted it and the perfect sourness of those big fat cherries made his eyes twitch just a little, before he laughed, kind-of startled at how good it tasted. Yum, PIE! And then ten seconds and half a bite later, decided he "doedn't really like this." And hopped down from the table.

I swear, Mother Goose was right about the little girl with the curl, and should have included a verse about a boy, too!

But I definitely want to remember and revel in the extraordinarily good times.

Stimulant!

I noticed this morning while contemplating my 2nd glorious cup of decaf with warm milk... that it wasn't decaf. BUMMER -- I mistakenly bought Seattle's Best Regular yesterday, so excited I was that it was on sale for $5.99. Not that a cup or 2 of real caffeine is going to hurt anything but I have been trying to avoid it. What's interesting is the immediate effect of being "off" caffeine -- the reason I knew it wasn't decaf was my heart beating so loudly as I sat here. You'd think I just sprinted upstairs and carried the laundry basket down.

BUT I HAVEN'T. Heh. (Perhaps I should.)

More later.

The Middle Name meme

Ms. 4andcounting tagged me for this challenging little meme.

The rules:
1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players - You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don't have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3.At the end of your post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.


A -- I have Attitude. Usually it's a fairly good attitude, que sera sera and all, but *sometimes* it's the capital-A Attitude that your mother used to really dislike (and my mother).

N -- I really like Novels. I have tried to read non-fiction but it usually leaves me feeling very blah. I need a good story arc. Maybe a plot twist. Depth of character. Symbolism. And for me, that usually comes in long fiction (not short stories so much, either).

N -- Nutter butters. What can I say? I like Nutter Butters! My childhood friend, Nikki, used to bring them in her lunch a lot and I was so glad when she shared. I Never buy them myself, though (Nutritional value woes). [I was going to use "Naive" here, but that's so boring.]

E -- I attended Emory University. (You wouldn't believe how many E-words I scanned through and considered before settling on this Easy fact! Eavesdrop, Earrings, Exegesis, Editorial...Etc!)

Now, I think the tagging is going to be harder than the meme itself! So here I go: Amy, whom I haven't visited in Ages, Nancy Bond from Nova Scotia, Nancy S. Brandt (hi, Nancy, remember me? I'm sure glad your name is Nancy!), and Ellinetha.

Trying on some new phrases

I just published an article at WorkIt,Mom!, a site I read daily and very much enjoy. I have intended to publish regularly there -- any member can -- but have been devoid of any useful ideas. Until yesterday. And when the Muse appears, you have to put off your actual work to get it done use your time extra-wisely and pay heed to her.

Enjoy: Here's the goods. Ignore the big fat typo in paragraph 2. Argh. Very embarrassing that I can't get back in there and edit it out. Oh well.

------------------------

AJ has also been trying out new words lately, seeing what kind of reaction they'll produce. Such as:

Scene 1
Me: AJ, time to pick up those blocks and put them away.

AJ: I don't weally CARE about doing dat. I don't weally care 'bout it.

Scene 2
Me & Hubby: (talking amongst ourselves in the cereal aisle)

AJ: GUYS. Hey. Mama. (stomping off) I'm TIRED of dis!


Where did he learn these grown-up expressions? *looks around innocently* No, seriously, I am sure I don't say, "I don't care about that." Certain.

Questions for you, gentle reader

Thursday is my mom's birthday. Yesterday was my college roommate's birthday. Tomorrow is my best-theater-friend's birthday (from back in my theater days).

Throughout my life, many of the women I've been closest to (save these two) have been Libras, and although I don't put much stock into astrology, I find that interesting.

So I wanted to ask my blog pals -- are any of you Libras? Because I think that would also be interesting.

I happen to be a Gemini, if that means anything to you. :)

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I am wearing Bare Minerals makeup today. What can I say, LAURA INGALLS wears it, and if she isn't fresh-faced and PURE, I don't know what is. I actually really like the stuff. (Pregnancy hormones have been unfriendly to my face so I'm hoping this light-as-a-feather foundation will help.) I am super-lucky because my Libra mom had bought a lot of it several months ago, but decided it wasn't right for her... so this weekend she GAVE it all to me. Score! My sister, thanks to her husband, had a revelation a year or two ago, that she deserved to wear expensive makeup, darnit, not drugstore brands that cost less than $4, just for the sake of costing less. And I agree. I am WORTH the (Mom's) cash it takes to buy quality products. ;)

Question, though, for anyone who uses it -- what's the diff between 'face color' and 'blush?' Is one supposed to be bronzer? I may have to go into Ulta for a demo, although I'll feel funny about that when I say, "Thank you very much for your help, and no I don't need to buy a single thing today." Seriously, Mom hooked me up with PLENTY.

Ooh, maybe I can find a tutorial on YouTube. Gotta love the Internet!


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I asked MB this yesterday in her 5-question interview, and I thought it'd be fun for all of us to share ideas: What is one meal you will prepare this week? I want to know everything, down to the side items, drinks and condiments. You don't have to write the whole recipe, but if it sounds good I might ask you for it! I'll start:

Last night our dinner was a quickie: homemade pizza (pepperoni and mozarella, plus a little sprinkle of cheddar for the sharpness), garden salad (cucumber, bagged mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and Newman's Garlic-Parm dressing). AJ had an ice-cream sandwich because he ate his ENTIRE slice, which is a rarity. Hubby and I drank tea and water, respectively, and AJ drank chocolate milk. Oh, and I made the pizza dough in the bread machine. Not very gourmet, but very satisfying and E-Z!

Now you.

Speaking of the breadmaker, I got to thinking about baking my own bread for sandwiches. To save us a whole $.49 every week, don'tcha know. If any of you smart, savvy cooks out there have a good sandwich bread recipe, white or wheat, feel free to share. I'm sure the breadmaker cookbook has one, but I thought it'd be more fun to hear yours.

Just what I needed

Blueberry pancakes and coffee.

That was this morning. What I also needed was a weekend away from our routine, and I got just that. We returned home yesterday afternoon after being at my parents' house for... let's see... approximately 35 hours. It was well worth it. Maybe the down-time of zoning out in the car was good for my brain. Maybe the change of scenery was good for my eyes. Maybe the good food was beneficial to my tummy! Maybe the retail therapy at the mall of my youth was comfort to my... um, soul. ;) Undoubtedly the extra love and kisses all around were good for my -- and AJ's -- mood. We got to see some cousins and aunts and uncles, too, and that was a good time. It's never long enough.

Last night before falling asleep, and I'm not making this up, AJ said, "Mommy? I wish I could see Grandmommy and Papa Joe EVERY DAY." Me too, bud. Me too.

Failed

If you were a good student in school like I was, the random fluke physics tests on which you did poorly felt like a huge gash in the smooth surface of your shiny new car.

They felt like a giant failure. And you might be disappointed all day because of that one grade. Unnecessary, really, because nobody's perfect.

Well, today I failed something. Maybe it's my particular kid, or maybe it's symptomatic of age three and a global thing, but there are times when.... well. I just feel so bereft about this morning that I don't even know what to say about it. The daily rush to get out the door, you know? Never a good place to begin with, but AJ picked something up -- a dinner tray from his booster seat -- and dropped it carelessly right in front of the door through which we were all trying to get out.

And then refused to pick it back up and put it away.

Such a minor thing, but his refusal was not minor to me. He's doing this a lot lately. I think I was calm about asking him the first, maybe even the 2nd time. But not the fourth or fifth. I swear, he looks up at me so CALMLY, and quietly says, "No." It's not like HIS emotions escalate when things like this happen, he simply doesn't feel like it. Then he sort-of whines no. And today I just lost it.

WHY CAN'T YOU LISTEN TO MOMMY AND DADDY? YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ME, DO YOU? ONE... TWO....(I *WILL* SPANK YOUR BOTTOM...) AJ, you've GOT TO DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD. OKAY, THREE.

And I've been resorting to threats and stupid discipline much too often lately. I believe that sometimes defiant kids NEED a swat on the butt, I really do. But I don't like doing it. Still, I have had this argument so many times now I just cut to that easiest, seemingly fastest solution, even though it's not a good one. I forget all those love & logic words about, "You can choose to pick up the tray, or you can choose not to, and (here is the consequence)..." Which doesn't even work since I have to delay it 'til after school in today's case, when he's completely forgotten the whole scene anyway. And why I won't take time for a Time Out, and just BE LATE to school and my job for once, I don't know. Punctuality is so meaningless. What am I thinking? The worst failure, after the swat on the butt and after he said NO to me again, and backed away knowing his butt was in more danger (breaking my heart for the recklessness of spanking at all)... the worst failure was this: "AJ, I AM SO MAD AT YOU!"

He covered his face with his hands and only then started to cry.

It makes me cry now, just typing it, even after moving on to talk about the stop signs and the sunshine -- happily -- before drop-off, knowing he was fine again, and even after a whole hour's commute to get over it myself.

Oh, I also yelled at my husband about it, did I mention that?

I feel like I've fractured our entire family this morning, instead of shepherding us through, and *I* feel the effects of it so acutely, I'm just a mess. I know I need to forgive myself and just try to do better next time. Nobody's perfect. But, oh. This red-hot gash is one I just don't know how to buff out.

Let's hope I do better than Miss Teen South Carolina

It's Interview Time! I willfully signed up for a hard-hitting interview by one of my newest blog-pals, typelittlea. She seems quite cool. I'm grateful to her for offering because y'all? I'm frrrresh! out of ideas, zapped of all creativity.

So here are the rules: Leave me a comment (you, yes you) saying “Interview me.” I will respond by emailing you or leaving a comment with five questions. I get to pick the questions. If you don’t have a valid email address on your blog, please provide one. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Here are typelittlea's questions to me.

1. What did you want to be when you grew up? How close/far is it from what you're doing now? Heh. I WIN! When I was little, I usually said I wanted to be a "Mommy." I am a sparkling career success, then! However, I also wanted to be a teacher most days -- in fact, I subjected my sister to a kafrillion games of "School," where *I* was the teacher because it was *my* chalkboard to begin with and also, I was older and obviously smarter. In my working-life, I am nowhere near a teacher. I sometimes email college professors, though.

2. What kind of eater are you? Are you picky? Or are you all, pan-fried songbird in a chocolate-asprin sauce, yum just like mom used to make! NOT PICKY!! Hear that, AJ? NOT PICKY. Picky eaters kinda get on my nerves, actually. (It is therefore very difficult having a toddler.) I, myself, am willing to try a variety of *normal* things, ethnic things, etc., but you won't catch me dead eating Fear Factor delicacies or some of Anthony Bourdain's crazy feasts. I will say this, I like food to taste good. And tofu isn't my favorite. Pretty basic criteria.

3. If you had a substantial amount of money to give away, where would you give and why? Give it away?? Wah-huh? No, I kid, really. I suppose first I would (finally) contribute to my parish's capital plan -- they're building new buildings, updating the school, etc. -- to be sure my son gets into Kindergarten! Eek. Got to work on that. Right after we fix the car and replace the upstairs air conditioner and have some trees removed from the backyard. And THEN, after that, I'd probably give some to the Delta Gamma Foundation (my college sorority which helps lots of causes, most notably sight conservation & aid to the blind), the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (near & dear to my heart), St. Jude's (because kids just shouldn't have to be that sick, they break my heart), and the Special Olympics (added to my list quite recently - in fact, I'm wanting to volunteer with them someday).

It's really, really hard to choose just one charity, by the way.

4. Do you have any sore spots that you don't laugh at/make fun of? I have never been obese myself, but I really hate when movies, comedians, or TV shows make fun of fat people. Really. Hate.

5. Do you drive like an asshole? If yes, please NEVER come to NJ. My blood pressure is high enough. KTHKSBYE Whooboy. I was thinking about this just the other day because as I was driving through midtown Atlanta on the interstate, in difficult traffic, I realized I can be fairly aggressive on the road. I definitely follow too closely. I don't consider myself an asshole namely because I try to avoid talking on the cell while cutting you off, and I don't zip around you at 85mph like a teenage boy in a pimped-up Civic (hate those guys). I really try to be careful. But if you are from Po-Dunk County USA, you probably think I drive like an asshole. I've definitely been citified.

Great questions, man! So sign up and I'll interview you! And the US Americans, who... the Iraq and everywhere like such as...

(I actually played this little interview game once before.)

Brain dump of nothing much

I just don't have anything much to say today... so like a good little blogger, I am going to ....POST ANYWAY. Lucky for you. Let's see:

-- Yesterday I had one of those days at work where I couldn't have cared less about what I do for a living. I actually hoped that we won't get a few jobs that are out on proposal, just because I don't want to be the one to have to DEAL with them. This is, quite fundamentally, a poor business attitude. (I told a coworker last week that I need a nametag that says "Bad Attitude." Just to warn everyone.) Y'see, I'd spent the evening before with a nurse, an occupational therapist, and a mom who takes in 2 peoples' kids a couple days a week, and was thinking, now those are jobs that actually mean something AND bring a paycheck. Novel concept. Am continuing to mull this over with regards to my life, but likely won't change anything because I never do. If I weren't pregnant, this recurring mood would be blamed on PMS. Bleh.

-- We are going to Florida this weekend to visit my parents. It's going to be SUCH a short trip -- a tiring after-work ride down on Friday night (5 hours, but we gain an hour going from Eastern to Central, woo hoo), a full Saturday of shopping, swimming, and watching AJ bounce around his grandparents' house, a fun! new! venue! for exploring!, and then a quick Sunday morning and right back into the car... but still, in my mind, so worth it. I wonder if it's the maternal/pregnancy thing making me want to see my mommy and daddy. :) DH is a trooper for indulging me in this, not that he doesn't like going down there, but it's a bit of a hassle.

-- Speaking of the hero that is my Dear Husband: Last night as I was putting 2 frozen chicken breasts in the microwave to thaw, he said, "Oh, is that what's for dinner? Because I was thinking we could... maybe... go out. To break up the Monotony of the week." Isn't he great? :)

Knowing what's ahead

Friday afternoon I got all melancholy, anticipating our predictable nightly routine: eat dinner, bathe AJ, stories, bed, CRASH on the couch while Hubby plays Xbox. I made my feelings visible while I was cooking, enough that Hubby asked me a couple of times what was wrong. And instead of being a baby like usual and sighing, "Nothing," I went ahead and told him. It was probably horomone-related since I do seem to be having a surge of those going on (see: my blemish-ridden forehead), but I laid it out for him and told him I was just bored with the mediocrity. PitymebutnotyourfaultbutI'mboredwithlifeandsadaboutit.

And then what did I do right after putting AJ to bed? FELL ASLEEP ON THE COUCH, anyway. At 9:00 like a big doofus. My sweet DH came over to me during a brief wakeful moment, and we laughed and rolled our eyes at me. And then he leaned in close and whispered,

"Enjoy it now... in six months you'll be WISHING for this."

And, oh, we sighed and laughed again at the monumental truth of that statement.

Updates: a Thursday 13 list

It's been forever since I've done a Thursday Thirteen. Thought I'd take this opportunity to jot down a few updates for you.

1. I still have not received results of my second AFP test, if you can believe that. I'm choosing to remain positive about this and say "No News is Good News." update to this update! 12:45 pm: NORMAL. Normalnormalnormal. Sigh of relief, and thank you Mom, for all your prayers and petitions. :)
2. AJ has not had a Time Out in daycare for a week or more. However! Yesterday his teacher told me they'd had a little "issue" on the playground. I'm so embarrassed... evidently MY kid was the kid pulling down his pants and showing off his privates. ::kill me dead, seriously:: I realized later that I had dressed him in pants that are actually too big (STUPID me! I should have taken those out of his drawer months ago because usually when I put them on him, I take them right backoff in favor of clothes that FIT). The pants were falling down as he ran around outside. I don't even blame him for wanting them off, because how annoying! But still. I didn't punish him because it was really my fault, but we had a little Talk about keeping our privates to ourselves. !!
3. I ordered a maternity dress in black, for my brother-in-law's wedding. It will hopefully look much more acceptable than the Demi Moore bridesmatron belly exposé.
   
4. DH has informed me he does not like the name Justin! So that one's out. I'm okay with it.
5. I made another batch of mint-chocolate-chip cookies and this time, I'm keeping them all for myself. (Last time, I shared them with the coworkers.)
6. Some friends of ours got divorced in April. Last Friday, we had the guy friend over for dinner and he is doing great. In fact, he went on his first little date Saturday and reported that it went well. We are quite happy for him, as he seems to really have found himself in this whole process. Still, it's odd.
7. Remember when I started displaying the Small Change banner? Yeah. Um. I have not done so well in giving to my fellow man. I think it 8 months, I've done.... 4 of the monthly challenges. I sent greeting cards to some sick kids; had a yard sale; gave money to my church; and sent a donation to St. Jude's, I think. This month, the challenge is to pay it forward -- just do something nice for a stranger. Pretty cool! I am going to try it somehow. Especially if it means I get to go to the Starbucks drive-thru. (wink)
8. I've never mentioned this before so it's not really an update, but marybeth and I were discussing a girly getaway weekend for the 2 of us. I TOTALLY want to do this now. We need to do it STAT, before I'm too fat to see my feet (and our pretty pedicures that we're totally getting).
9. The Georgia heat has finally dissipated, I think, and signs of fall are beginning to show. In the mornings, it's nice and cool out. One of the things AJ does, that he came up with all by himself, is to greet the trees before he goes to daycare. We go out to load up the car, and he steps onto the driveway (this morning he said, "It's lovely out-hide!") and shouts, "Goo-Moaning, Tweeeees!"
10. On the topic of our new parental friends from daycare... the school has scheduled a Movie Night in October. On a Friday night, they're renting a big inflatable screen and a popcorn machine, and inviting families to bring dinner and chairs and blankets, and meet on the playground for a screening of "Happy Feet." I think it's going to be awesome, and is a fantastic idea! I can't wait to see what family we will sit next to on the lawn. :)
11. On the topic of updates... my sis has not updated her blog in a while. What's with that? ;)
12. I'm not getting much movement from the baby. Teensy little gas bubbles but nothing I can discern as real "kicks" yet. AJ is still leaning into my tummy and saying Hi every night, which is cute. He said yesterday he wants a sister, which is opposite of his usual request.
13. I'm getting my hair cut on Saturday which will be the most needed update of all! Hooray!

My decorating idea

Had a Brain Flash last night about possible decor for AJ's big-boy room! Am excited but need opinions.

• Red or black comforter
• Black tab-top valances, replace the default buttons with (or add) large yellow 4-hole buttons
• Cut out and frame a couple of DH's old Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck comic book pages, recently acquired from my in-laws' attic, with wide black mats in red frames
• Paint a Mickey ears silhouette about 4 feet diameter in black chalkboard paint, down low on one wall
• Maybe add one or two of these wall stickers
• If only I could find these sheets in a queen size!
  
• Commission my Aunt Kim to build and paint a Mickey and Friends growth chart/stick/thingie to hang on the wall...

Anyway.... ideas! I have always said I'll never decorate in "Disney" like the fanatics, but my kid loves his Mickey Mouse. Sleeps with him every night. And I'm thinking it's a very easy look to "grow up" just by painting over the chalkboard (that's easy to do, right?), and replacing Mickey with simple red and black things like lamps and accents.

Also, we're going to Disney world in November, so I can stock up on fun stuff maybe afford one or two items!

Whaddya think?

Lard?? You must be joking.

Okay, she could have probably chosen a different outfit. And her performance was certainly, clearly lackluster. I don't want to excuse Britney's behavior or her other flaws over the last 2 years. But if *I* looked like that after having my 2 babies? HELL, YES, I'd strut around in a black sequined bikini. And we would be MIGHTY IMPRESSED WITH MY ABS, too.

I can't believe the words people are using to describe her: Fat. Bulging. Lard. Paunch.

If that is a 'paunch,' don't EVER send the journalists to my bathroom mirror.

Give the girl a break, I swear.

Part of the crowd, and naming the baby

It's so fun to feel part of the crowd. Like, this weekend, AJ was invited to a birthday party for one of his schoolmates, Madison. There have been 1 or 2 parties since he started there (in infancy), but we've never gone. Well, scratch that -- I TRIED to take him to a McDonald's party once, but the not-so-bright mom just put "McDonald's" on the invite, didn't say which one, and there are 2 equidistant from the school... she also didn't put an RSVP phone number. So we attempted to guess and visited 2 McDonald'ses that day. The party was located at? Neither. But anyway, this Saturday we succeeded in attending a party at Monkey Joe's (hoo-boy, that is an energy festival for a group of 3-year-olds!), and I really, really enjoyed meeting the other parents. Some of them, I've seen going in or out of the classroom through the years, so I knew which Mom was Evan's mom and could see the resemblance in Megan's mom, for instance, but we're always in such a hurry to drop-off and pick-up that we've never actually exchanged names or talked. And it turned out that everyone was NICE people. Interested, and interesting. Kind. Funny. Good parents. There were a few dads, too, and DH had a good time talking with them. I was surprised because usually I get all nervous and introverted and don't talk to anyone. Maybe it was the venue; you can't really help ga-gah-ing over the kids as they bounce around having the Time Of Their Lives, and you want to help the parent who's kinda misplaced their kid for the moment, because it'll happen to you 5 seconds later. It's all just jovial and friendly. Wheee! So that was fun. I wish we'd traded phone numbers, in case some Saturday I'm dying to invite one of AJ's buddies over to play, but maybe next time.

I'm also loving the little following (well, HUGE following is more like it) that Swistle has gathered -- y'all know how much I've adored her myself -- and since there is someone else, jen, who's pregnant and in her circle, and recently revealed her list of Baby Names, I thought, why not? I'm feeling like an accepted part of THAT crowd, too. (You like me, you really like me.)

Now, DH and I didn't Tell last time, and it drove people crazy. We wouldn't even tell our long list. This time I'm not feeling so secretive, although yesterday my neighbor asked and I refrained from telling him, for some reason.

I've had real trouble coming up with boy names that I like. Our last name is one syllable and begins with "T" so my rules include No T first names because: "Tee-Tee." I also don't allow "S" first names because the first names of my in-laws, down to the bride-to-be, are all "S" names, and by darn I'm not going to be the ONLY one without an "S" name on that side of the family. I suppose I should tell that AJ is really A#le#X. So, for boys:

Carson -- DH's father's middle name, and one I liked a lot last time, but I'm only 'meh' about this time. It's trendy and that turns me off a bit. I typically pair it with Joseph, which is my dad's name.

Justin -- have always liked this name, since I was a child

Owen -- which DH doesn't like

Jonathan -- haven't even told DH I'm mulling this one over but I think he'd approve

William (Will) -- ditto this

DH likes Logan, but I wrinkle my nose at it a little. He also suggests Blade, but I wrinkle my nose at it a lot and hope he's kidding.

Marcus is another one I kinda like, but not Mark. Of course one of my best friends from college is Marcus (Mark) and so I hesitate.

For girls:

Jenna -- for me this is the top runner. Jenna Elizabeth, I think. Maybe Jenna Elaine.

Julianna -- DH's suggestion, and I love the sound of it, but our extended family includes a Juli-AH-na, and we prefer the other pronunciation. I think that would just get confusing.

I really was keen on Molly for a while, but we have some friends we see pretty regularly with a 4-year-old Molly, and maybe they'd be too close in age? I hate that argument, too, that someone ELSE named their kid "X..." but when it's people you actually SEE regularly or hear about in family news (Juliana), I think it makes a big difference.

Some other girl names I like:
Avery (LOVE this, although I'm not sure I care for the "A" alliteration)
Megan
Katie or Kate (not Caitee or Cate, but would probably be Katherine)
Brianna (too bad, another family name that *truly* can't be used; but I do like the way it sounds; didn't realize that 'til recently)

I mentioned to "my crowd" (hee) that I like Bernice; I do, and it's a family name. But when it comes down to it, I'm maybe not brave enough to really use it. (I do still think it was cute in Hope Floats.)

Kiddie Coaster

I got a phone call yesterday from the OB's office saying one of my blood tests had come back abnormal. >>Insert unnecessary medical information about what it could mean, here (coughdownssyndromecough), and why did you need to tell me that at this stage, Nurse Helpsalot?<< It made us a bit nervous that they wanted to schedule an ultrasound right away (today). But they wanted to measure Tummy to make sure that my due date was correct, because if not, the test results could have been skewed and maybe normal, after all.

So. I cried a bit. DH worried himself a headache. We prepared as much as we could for possibly having to do an amniocentesis if the gestational age WAS, in fact, correct. Went for the ultrasound this morning, and the first thing the technician said was, 'oh you can't be 16 weeks.' She said she thinks my due date should really be Feb 24, (15w4d) and that therefore they drew the blood too early and probably everything is fine.

They did another blood test and we should get those results next week.

What an interesting 20 hours it has been. I've always known truth in the phrase, 'Where much has been given, much will be required..." and I've anticipated that someday Much would be required of me with all my innumerable blessings in this life (...but really, God, I'm not sure I am strong enough to handle this, are you sure?...) And to start thinking, "It isn't that it's a BAD diagnosis, it's just different from what you were expecting..." (and then secretly cry when you think of it anyway)... So. I did my best to keep calm since there was not really anything to get stressed over yet, but emotions have been running rather high. Like a roller coaster, but not a really big one. A small one. Like, 2 or 3 hills, some jerky turns -- the Georgia Cyclone if you've ever been to Six Flags here. Not the Scream Machine.

Okay, now the fun part where your hair blows in the wind and you hope the ride never stops: The technician said she could GUESS the gender of the baby... but not to go shopping just yet, because it's still really too early to know for sure....





Her guess was a Girl. :)

Play by play

I pretended I was away for Labor Day, blogging-wise. I only opened the laptop once during the long weekend, and that was legitimate, focused work-time on a freelance project. (I worked one whole hour. Woo.) Otherwise I spent my time laying on the couch or sitting on the carpet next to a blue train track, helplessly trying to save Thomas and Percy from being "crashed" by Skarloey and Bill (2 really useful engines). Skarloey and Bill spent an awful lot of their holiday weekend in Time Out, for pushing their engine friends. At AJ's direction, we replayed this scenario oh-i-don't-know-a-hundred times, me being the wise, omnipresent Voice who had to give the offenders A Talk after they committed their wrongs.

(Wonder if last week's Time Out discussion has given AJ this impression of me?? Heh.)

That plus a few loads of laundry, a few restaurant meals, and one movie night I actually stayed awake for, and we arrived at Tuesday. Holiday over. It was nice overall. Dear Husband suggested that I take it easy, since, in fact, I might be more tired this pregnancy than the last (y'think), so I tried my best to take him up on that. :) Oh, and we did go out for ice cream Sunday afternoon (swooooon).

We intended to get a closet cleaned out and that didn't happen. However, most of our 900 CDs have been installed in CD binders and their jewel cases disposed of. Even my Broadway musicals DH had never heard of, like Godspell (wha-a? never heard of?) and Sunday in the Park with George. We've been meaning to do this for ages. That's three CD bookshelves that will no longer take up space in the guest room/AJ's room.

That's what we parents DO for 'play' I guess -- reorganize. Or, let me rephrase, that's what my husband does. In the span of a week, he's single-handedly reorg'ed the master bath vanity, the CDs, and one of my kitchen cabinets, and I'm super-grateful for all of it. I would bumble around in completely organized Chaos (read: everything stuffed away, but godhelpya if you open a drawer!) if it were just up to me.

Man, is this the most boring thing you've ever read or what?!

Let me add a small funny that only my Mom and Sis will get: On Saturday, AJ called to me from across the room, "Mama? You're my poopy dommy mommy." (Hint: Awwwwww.)

Oh also! I went to try on the bridesmaid dress for DH's brother's upcoming wedding. Want to see how ridiculous it was? Here is the top:


and here is the skirt:


HAHAHAHA! I will be Eight. Months. Pregnant. She knew this when she picked it out (for her New Year's Eve wedding, Eyeroll.) I'm no bridesmaidzilla, but can assure you I will not be wearing a cropped strapless top. Or a poofy Gone with the Wind prom skirt. HA!

(Thankfully the bride and I worked it out.)

Discipline is fun

We've been having... oh, not trouble, really, but some adjustment... in AJ's new 3-year-old classroom. He's been sent to Time-Out at school 3 of the last 4 school days, something which he's NEVER experienced at daycare, to my knowledge. Not that they didn't have Time-Out until now, he's just always been The Good Kid in the class.

In fact, the assistant director's favorite thing to tell me these last 6 months or so has been, "I can go into his classroom at any time (to make an announcement, retrieve a child who's sick, etc), and AJ is ALWAYS doing the right thing." He has sat on his mat when the teacher asks. He's been first in line when she said, "Line up." He's cleaned up. That sort of thing.

[NOT that I'm trying to brag about my (adorable, well-behaved, natural genius) kid or anything. Because that would be a little too-too, wouldn't it?]

Anyway, it seems that he is being influenced by some of the other kids in his class -- and again, I only say that because his teacher tells it to me with confidence: that AJ is a good kid, but he's being a follower. Doing things like sassing back. Spitting. Or generally being a pain (not listening). So he has served some well-deserved Time-Outs.

I'm glad she's communicating with me, and of course glad she's disciplining him. I'm even glad he's testing that water a bit: How's he going to learn what the wrong behavior is, and what happens as a result, if he doesn't engage in it once or twice? What's hard is knowing how to deal with it ourselves, once he comes home. The first few times, of course, we just Talked about it, and tried to encourage him to Do the Right Thing. He'd nod his little head, "I unnerstand yoo, Mama." But on Monday when we learned of another schooltime transgression, we got stern. We told him any more Time-Outs this week, and no more TV. GRAVE CONSEQUENCE.

Well, Tuesday it seemed to work. I think we even reinforced the idea Wednesday morning (I'm sure we told him to be a good boy and listen to his teachers)... but Wednesday was another Time-Out day. When I put him in the car at 5:00, he said nonchalantly, "I want to watch Diego when we get home." And I calmly reminded him of our deal. Slowly, his mind processed that.... and he crumbled into the most pitiful, sad state of realization that, "Oh my goodness, *I* did this to myself..." (At least that's what it looked like, to me. Like he knew, and was saddened that the consequence was happening as promised.) It was equally heartbreaking for me and very satisfying. He cried most of the way home.

(He was fine, of course, when we got here. Did you know fun is possible, even without the TV? I know! It's pretty amazing. Hello, this whole thing might be worth that lesson right there.)

I'm not sure if we're doing the Right Thing with this -- if he were home and had a Time Out, I'd consider the crime paid for, and move on, so shouldn't his school Time Out count for something? -- but I feel like we need to inform him that bad behavior in school is not acceptable.

Seems like heavy stuff! And he's only 3.

brown & turquoise, and a new bag

The color combo of brown & turquoise is SO SMART. I mean 'smart' like the British say, "You look smart in that outfit." I was glad a few years ago when those two colors started being showcased in fashion, graphic design, everywhere.

So, Musings of a Housewife (Very Smart blog design) is giving away something that makes my heart SING because it is so Smart! This gorgeous Eliza Grace bag. I LUH-HU-HUV new bags.

Go, go quickly and sign yourself up. It's free! I'm smart! I'll be smarter when I win!

Oh, and thanks to 4andcounting for the generous tip!

Some things about this morning

I resisted the Thomas' English muffin aisle at Publix, even though I knew I only had one more in the fridge at home. I said, "Self, there are two loaves of bread at home (one in the freezer), you do NOT need English muffins, too, y'greedy spendthrift. You'll eat peanut butter toast and it'll be fine. Lovely, even." ...So this morning I was sad, sad, sad as I toasted the l a s t muffin and ate it with cream cheese.


My tomato plants, which I have tried mightily to kill dead with all this heat and forgetting to water them, are producing more fruit! So far of three plants, I've had two tomatoes, each about 1.5 inches in diameter. I was resigned to accept this as a moderate success and just concentrate on next year, and what I could do differently. This morning I went out to the porch and sat there looking pitifully at the plants, when what to my wondering eyes... two little green buds. I will love you and pet you call you George! And use plant food. Maybe there's hope for more fresh salsa, yet.


I turned down a job opportunity this morning via email. Not just from the freelance writing website that emails me every day ("HEY YOU! Write for Never-Heard-Of-It magazine and earn thousands!"), but from an actual person, a professional contact, someone I like and admire, for a job that I've said might be the perfect job for me, in the past. It was at a school, a private one, where I could have had a better commute and school-ish hours (it was a staff position, not faculty)... but I'm not sure I would have felt entirely comfortable there. I didn't even interview for the job, but I don't think right now is a good time to be starting a whole new career direction, with the baby coming and all. And I didn't want them to think I was interested, when I knew I wasn't. It was a career that would have required me to CARE, and GIVE 110%, and all that. And I don't really feel like that kind of a (new) career right now. (Of COURSE I give 110% at my CURRENT job. Of course! But I already KNOW that job.) I feel GOOD about the decision, but still kinda bad about shunning something that fell right into my lap. I'm waiting to hear back from my contact. Refresh, refresh, refresh goes my email window.


In the mornings I try really hard to read my work email first. There's usually nothing. Then I'll open up the feed reader and give myself 15 minutes. Then I spend about 30 minutes saying, "Just one more post. Okay. I'll just read this LAST one." It's possibly an addiction. (110% I said.)


On AJ-cam, all the kids are lined up sitting on their masking-tape names, listening to their teacher. The camera is at such an angle where I can see mostly carpet -- all clean, not a toy out of place. I think it's funny that in an hour, there will be Legos and animals all over the floor in different "centers," when they dump out the bins to play. I think it's funny because it isn't MY floor. :)

Don't know what to do

I just read this post by sandblower, and it is really beautifully written. I admire her for her persistence. But it gave me more anxiety than I care to admit, because it reminded me that I have a decision to make.

I was mostly ambivalent about breastfeeding vs. formula before AJ was born, but I figured I might as well try -- after all, women had nursed their babies for thousands of years, how hard could it be? If they can do it, I can do it. I couldn't have been more wrong. Oh, I feigned confidence during the hospital stay, faithfully attempting to nurse every 3 hours and meeting with the lactation consultants once or twice -- my doctor even called me "Mother Earth" when she came to discharge us and AJ was latched on, so easy I made it seem. But it was all an illusion.

I don't have any desire to re-live our first night home from the hospital but suffice to say: no milk. Thank goodness we had a can of formula in the pantry, that someone had given us. (And now I give one in my baby shower gifts, marked just in case.) Even 2 days later, after pumping with my hand-pump, draining that can of formula, seeing the pediatrician and being told AJ had lost more weight (OUNCES off his 6 lb, 7 ox birthweight! I was so nervous), meeting with yet another lactation consultant... who must have been having a bad day at the office, by the way...

It just didn't work for us. I did the very best I could, supplemented with that thing you tape to your shoulder, pumped with a rented pump on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night only to produce 2 ounces... I gave up after 2, maybe 3 weeks. And I was SO RELIEVED and actually started living again. I stopped dreading the third hour. I stopped crying so damn much.

I never did feel comfortable as a nursing mother anyway. Didn't know if the awkwardness of undressing in public, or even in front of my dad in my own home, would ever dissipate and feel 'normal.' And I never did get to find out.


SO. What do I do THIS time? My brain tells me, "Take a deep breath and try again. Maybe your body will know what to do this time. Maybe this child will latch more naturally." And, "Now you KNOW what to expect, you KNOW it's hard. Maybe this time you'll try harder (won't be so proud?) to find a consultant you can rely on, or a neighbor or friend."

But my heart begs, "Please, PLEASE let's not go through that sad, terrible time again."

Help me, Internet-wan. What's your advice? What do you do, the 2nd time around? Go with what you know, or be brave and hope for the best? Anyone have an experience like mine and then, another baby?

Yum.

Cracked Black Pepper & Olive Oil Triscuits (thank you, MB)

PLUS

Pimento Cheese.


I think this is becoming a snack blog.

A drop in the ocean

Sunday we woke up and served breakfast to our weekend guests right before they left to head home. I was a little bit glad they had an afternoon commitment because it left us some time to just be a family, which is what I need on the weekends -- time together. To recharge. To juice up on what's good. :)

In a rare chance, DH turned on the CD player and we got to listen to some of our music instead of silence, or Go, Diego, Go (flavor of the month), or the screaming fits of a toddler. The Toddler was happily engaged in Thomas the Tank Engine and his new friends Bill and Skarloey Engine. So when I heard the first few notes of "Yahweh" by U2, I wandered into the kitchen were DH was cleaning up breakfast. I love that song. (I usually don't enjoy when bloggers post song lyrics. It kind-of makes me cringe. So I apologize to anyone who feels the same, but this time it's for me.)

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing

I walked over for a hug, and it turned into a dance. We both needed a little moment together, I guess. We have always danced in the kitchen. This time, with my belly stretching in between us like a beach ball already. We laughed about that and DH adjusted his hips wayyy back in jest.

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist no
Take this mouth
So quick to criticize
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

Next thing we knew, AJ followed the sound of the song and held his hands up baby-style, with a little pout saying he wanted to dance with us, too. I argued in my mind for one second about picking him up since he is over the recommended 30 pounds (barely over), but then of course, couldn't resist. We held him together. And there was a family hug and top-of-head-kissing all around. And Napoleon even danced 4-legg-ed behind us, wishing he could be held, too.

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean...

It was all a little too much for this hormonal, weepy girl and I cried a little for the bliss of that sweet Sabbath moment. The magnitude of our crystal 'drop in the ocean' overwhelmed me.

Yahweh, Yahweh...
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And let it break

Things I want - air quotes - for the baby

It's kind of a LOT more fun to be thinking about the baby registry this time around, because I'm not so freaked out about "what do we NEED OMG to care for an entire BABY?!?" I, of course, don't really need an excuse to be MORE selfish, but I do need an excuse to visit Babies R Us. Because once you're in that club, you're IN. YOu're Loyal. You WANT to go there. But I've felt silly going there with my three-year-old. Not a baby!

So anyway, there are a few things I didn't do right the first time around, and since I'm pretty sure this is my last chance, I want to be sure and have:

> A new diaper bag. I had two for AJ's babyhood and didn't really like either one. The first was black and felt like a suitcase (too big) and the 2nd felt like a really nerdy, ugly purse (navy, and too small). Neither had pizazz. This time, I want pizazz. And I want outside pocket options.

>A varsity serious baby-carrier or sling or something. Mine was el cheapo (a gift) and everyone hated it: Me, Daddy, and Baby AJ. I've read all the recommendations on the mommy blogs and I still can't decide what to get.

> Depending on the gender, new crib sheets. Even if it's another boy, I'm kinda sick of our crib sheets. How stupid, I know. I also never got the Ultimate Crib Sheet and I WILL, this time. It's supposed to work miracles. Of course when you start talking baby bedding (and girl-babies because seriously, if it's a boy I know deep in my heart there's nothing new coming in this house), you start looking at gorgeous things like this, and this, and OMG, this. None of which are within budget. PBKids?! What am I doing? :)

> I VOWED not to use our Avent bottles again, because they leaked so annoyingly when I twisted them closed too tightly. But I've since heard that practically all bottles do that. So maybe I want new bottles, and maybe not. Then I've also been receiving that annoying plastic-leaches-cancerous-chemicals email, and even though I checked it out and it's not really true, I have sorta worried about that because guess what: I ALWAYS microwaved AJ's plastic bottles. Lay-zee, that's my reason. Sue me.

>So this time I think I want a counter-top bottle warmer, however frivolous that seems.

>And I also want a wipes warmer. Again, completely unnecessary! But this baby's going to be born in the dead of winter, and his/her room is the coldest in the house, and I don't want anyone's precious widdle boddom to be shocked with the cold of a Huggies Natural Care in the middle of the night, for Heaven's sake.

>I can't decide about Diaper Champ. We've used just a plain diaper pail, scented trash bags (same ones we use in the kitchen, which is convenient), and Lysol. But it still sometimes gets stinky in the nursery. We of course received 2 Diaper Genies when AJ was born, but the first one broke during our attempt to set it up, and after that, the 2nd one was regifted. Hate.

>SDW: do you like your swaddling blanket? I know, *I* gave one to you, but no offense will be taken if it's not the greatest product (I mean, YOU registered for it after all): Is it any good?

So fun to shop!

I *must* vacuum today

(here comes your quintessential mommyblogger post...)

We are drowning in tufts of Napoleon hair. It's end of summer -- shedding season. Nap had a bath this past weekend and as much as I LOVE how soft he is after a bath, the week after is a bit miserable. It's one big Fur Festival. We figure he needs a day or two (at least) to roll around on every available surface and finish shedding, plus we're too busy to vacuum twice a day every day, which is what the place really needs, so we just put it off. Tuesday I made the grave mistake of picking up a pretzel I had dropped -- usually I leave every dropped food item on the floor for him, but I don't know, Tuesday I was hungry I guess -- popped it back into my maw and got a mouthful of hair. Pbbllt! Pbblt! Spit! Wipe tongue with napkin! That was gross.

I feel like we'll never be as "on top of" the housecleaning as we'd like to be. Before he married me, DH used to clean his apartment FAITHFULLY every week. Granted, it was only 1 bedroom, but still. I feel I've robbed him of that cleanliness in a way, especially after having AJ. We just can't keep up. I guess our pattern lately is that we clean either bathrooms or do the vacuuming/dusting every other week on odd weeks. Meaning, we don't do the two on the same week. Except it's not exactly true, and we don't ever "schedule" a good kitchen scouring or mopping the hardwoods. Sigh. I'm glad we can at least keep the clutter straightened up for the most part. I try, with clutter. I don't always succeed.

(And Hubby, if you're reading this, please don't come home and start cleaning top to bottom. I do not mean for this to be a cry for help, or a 'you dooo it" whine fest.)

Don't anybody suggest the FlyLady. I've seen her stuff; I tried it a little. Her catering to SAHMs turned me off a bit and then her goofballness turned me off the rest of the way. It's a nice idea but.

I don't think I could ever hire a housecleaning service. I mean, I COULD but the guilt of expense would probably get to me. I know that's one of the things that working-parent-advice-columnists always suggest to relieve stress, but I don't know. It would feel, to me, a little like we were trying to live an Uptown life with downtown money.

For me, as long as there isn't obvious filth or grime (which is why I scrubbed toilets last night at 9:00) we're doing okay. Right? Tell me that's right.

The hardest-won victories are sweetest

I MADE THE COOKIES!!

Here's the riveting play by play:

(Had to postpone baking over the weekend, due to a stupid cold.)

Almost panicked AGAIN at Publix today: Peppermint Extract was hidden behind Orange.

Was a maniacal fool (actually laughed out loud, all crazy-like) for the Mise en Place.

Baked during the work-from-home day, and don't feel bad about it.

(Okay, maybe a little bad.)

Laughed out loud again when I smelled the batter. Pitied myself because of being pregnant and unable to lick the beaters or the bowl.

Grimaced when cookies fell flat immediately upon removal from oven, but am not a baking expert, and decided if they taste good I likely won't care.

Grimaced again when first batch was halfway uncooked after 8 minutes in oven. Put 'em back in and hoped for the best.

Tasted a sample. Continued tasting 4 or 6 samples.

Sang the Hallelujah Chorus and wept, then fell over dead with JOY.


I will now cease hijacking Swistle's topic. It's just that I never really HAD a major craving with my first pregnancy and this is honest-to-Pete A. Craving. It's been very odd for me. I've been drinking Peppermint Hot Chocolate and nothing else on my Wednesday Starbuck's drive-thru, been making same at home despite the heat, just have lived for mint-chocolate. These cookies spoke to me when I first learned of their existence. Maybe the baby will be named Mint Chocolate, who knows.

Letters from the edge

Dear Sinuses:

We have never really gotten along and today I just want to say: I hate you.

Love,
el-e-e

- - - - - - - - - -

Dear 85-Degree Overnight Outdoor Temperature:

We need to talk. You are out of bounds and I'm starting to have a real problem with you. I especially hate that you make my AC run ALL NIGHT LONG, so that I can HEAR money being sucked right out of my wallet. These nights, it never stops for a little QUIET time while I'm trying to sleep. One other thing: You're compounding my current problem with the Sinuses, which is an actual head-cold and isn't helped by having dry mouth and lips and a foggy head, due to the aforementioned AC.

Piss on ya,
el-e-e

- - - - - - - - - -

Dear 25-year-old AC Unit:

You blow (but I'm in no mood for jokes). Also, your friend the metal Vent cover? The one who clicked all night with your constant blowing? click click click click click... Not happy with that either. You can pass that on.

Later.

p.s. Don't die, by the way. I still need you.

- - - - - - - - - -

Dear Baby:

Now, sweetie, you are entirely too young to be giving Mama this much trouble. I know you're growing and everything, and you need me to sleep on the left side for optimal circulation, but here's the deal: Mama needs her rest. So get comfortable and quit making me flop over and over. Like I said, you're much, MUCH too young for this. This next three months of gestation is supposed to be the blissful part. So work on that for me, okay? I'll give you cookies if you do.

Seriously.
Love,
Mama

- - - - - - - - - -

Dear Boss:

Not feelin' it today. A little tired. Sorry.

Best,
el-e-e

Unrelated topics: obsession and God

*Edited: I suppose it's a shame, my title. The two really are unrelated in this post, though.

DUDES. The fates are working against me. There are no mint chocolate chips anywhere in this city or even online. "Those are a seasonal item, Ma'am," said the customer service man at Kroger. (Yeah. I called.) "Hahahahahahaha, surely you jest?" said the baking aisle at Publix. I looked here, there, and everywhere that seemed half-logical from a big ol' Google search. Even Cost Plus World Market had Green MINT Chips, but no Mint-Chocolate Chips.

I just don't think it's very funny, you retailers, messing with a pregnant woman like this. Not very funny A-TALL. I'm kind-of obsessed with the idea of mint-chocolate-brownie goodness in a cookie, now. Last night we went to Applebee's and I had their brownie-ice-cream sundae thing. It helped a little. (The plate was the size of my kitchen sink, by the way. ggggggggggggggwarmchocolate....)


Last night: "Who's God, Mommy?"

Hooooo, boy. Well. When we had him baptised, I guess we promised we'd be his first teachers of all things spiritual, so we can't deflect this one ("Hey, let's read DORA!"), we really have to try. So I said, "Well, when we say our prayers and go to church we're talking to God. God lives up in the sky... (??!?) I mean, in Heaven. And he made EVERYTHING. He made you, and Mommy, and Daddy..."

"And Grandmommy too?"

DH jumped in: "Yes, Grandmommy and (insert long list of all our relatives here), and even the trees and grass and the sky."

"Oh."

Somehow I forgot the part about "...and He loves you," but maybe we'll save that for the next lesson. :)