Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Wordless Wednesday: Goodbye My Love . . .

Not quite so wordless, but you'll understand when you hear of my heartbreak.

He isn't quite 20 lbs. And, it still worked! We thought the love affair would last . . . but alas, it is not meant to be. The magic swing (that rocked you to sleep so easily it was as if a magic fairy had sprinkled sleep dust on you) may very well be leaving us . . . What do you think?


Goodbye sweet swing . . . goodbye. *sniff*

Monday, April 28, 2008

Monday Meme

Happy Monday! It is a beautiful 54 degrees, the rain is falling, the fluffy gray clouds are hovering. Couldn't be any better (trying reverse psychology on myself.).

I have been tagged for a meme by Karen at I Invented Motherhood (one of my fabulous blog finds) . . . a fun one at that!

The Game Meme Rules:

The rules of The Game get posted on the beginning.
Each player answers the rules about himself [or indeed herself].
At the end of the post, the player tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read his [or her] blog.

What was I doing ten years ago?
Ten years ago I was married, going to school, and working at a juvenile products manufacturer (high end strollers and car seats). We had recently moved from Georgia and were starting to look for our first home. In Georgia we had a very cool apartment--garden bath, huge rooms, nice kitchen, there were two pools, and beautiful scenery. In Chicago, the same rent would only buy us a hovel with an air conditioning unit that was HANGING by a cord from the ceiling, bullet holes in the walls next to the sliders, stained carpeting (I never want to know what that was), and neighbors that peered out their windows in all their glory (he had underwear on, but it was still beyond freaky nonetheless).

After squirreling away every penny, partaking of every bit of free (or super cheap) entertainment we could get to (which there is really quite a bit in Chicago), and sustaining on generic cereal . . . we finally found a house. We moved in at the end of '98. Only one month later T's company decided they were going to move to NY. This was after they said they weren't going anywhere--"Go get your house!" They encouraged.

At the same time another offer came from my husband's current company. They wined and dined us (which was a nice break from generic Lucky Charms cereal--ain't the same, I tell ya), we decided to make the move to Ohio. And, here we are! More on my Ohio experience in a later post :)



5 Snacks I enjoy
1. Swedish Fish (to the right! How can people not know about the goodness greatness of SWEDISH FISH??? The RED ONES are the BESTEST EVER!)
2. Fruit--especially FRESH berries
3. Veggie Chips
4. Chocolate--esp. dark
5. Crunchy stuff--carrots, pretzels . . .


Things I would do if I were a billionaire
1. Set up the educational futures of all the children in my family (J, nieces, nephews)--there are only five--at least for now!
2. Go on a huge trip with all my family and friends (you can come, too--I'm stinking rich, so why not!?!).
3. Set up educational scholarships all over the place--for adults, children--you name it! I am a firm believer in education--of all kinds!
4. Give to charity. Fight diseases. Fight poverty.

Five jobs that I have had
Basically, every time we've moved I've taken on another "career." I've gone to college in FOUR states (Illinois, Michigan, Alabama, Ohio). Here's what I've done . . .
1. Personal Trainer
2. EMT
3. Marketing/Sales--Internet Start-up
4. Project Manager (technology)--"Imagination at work" or "We bring good things to life"
5. Teacher

Three of my bad habits
1. I'm a wanna be multi-tasker who CAN'T multi-task.
2. I try to do too much in too little time, and am typically late because of it.
3. I'm a perfectionist.

Five things on my To-Do list today
1. Work-out (Did it! Yay!!! And I haven't attacked the bag of kettle chips--yet!)
2. Write blog post (Doing it now)
3. Chores
4. Update J's journal (sorely behind . . .)
5. Make dinner

Five places I’ve lived
1. Detroit burbs, Michigan
2. Chicago burbs, Illinois
3. Columbus, Georgia
4. West Virginia
5. Ohio

Five books I'm reading
1. Detox Diet (super interesting . . . )
2. Rule #1 (planning to invest my $4.59 savings!)
3. A Jean Chatzky book on finances/budgeting
4. Baby development book
5. Baby sign language book


People or communities I’m going to tag
YOU--if you haven't done it already!

Friday, April 25, 2008

Goodnight, sweet baby boy?

Oh, little baby J. I love you. I really, really do. I love you so much, that I want you to experience the joys of sleep. I want you to rest your weary body and wake rejuvenated and happy. I want your little baby mind to be crisp and your smile to be quick.

BUT.

What you want is to wake up . . . every two hours. You want milk. You want to be in the bed between mommy and daddy (which I love, but being that J loves to FLAIL in bed now, it isn't the best situation, not to mention the awkward contortions your body must go through to get comfy). You want to cuddle (in the most awkward positions). You DO NOT want to be in the crib, with cute little Blue Bear or Quacky (yes, I thought you might like a lovey or two, but NO) . You want us . . . who can blame you. So, here we are, two sleep deprived parents. My eyes are twitching. My head is floating in a cloud. Your daddy, is now zombie daddy with Samsonite hanging under his eyes. We'll soldier on . . . We. Will. Survive.

And now . . . a poem . . . dedicated to J:

We give you a bath and dress you all snug,
We read you a book and give a kiss and a hug.

We smile as we bid you a sweet goodnight,

We blow you a kiss and we turn out the light.

Goodnight sweet boy.

A move, a whimper, little cries,

We wait then go to dry your eyes.

We smile as we watch you rest your head,

We bid farewell and head to bed.

Goodnight little darling.

A shout we hear as startled we wake,
We slowly head to your room, "Boy is it late!"

A little while later we finally find sleep.

We pray that the restful silence will keep.

Goodnight.

Our attempts to sleep are to no avail,
As we wake to your whimpers, cries, and a wail.

A midnight feeding, a binky, your boo,

We drag ourselves back to bed hoping all that will do.


'night.

Not so much. You're up once again,
Babbling as if to ask, "Where ya been?"
We drag our worn-out bodies back to your room,
Mommy's secretly wishing she could put you back in the womb

.
. . .

We rock you awhile and sing you a song,

But we know that you won't be asleep for long.

It's 3 AM as dad heads to bed.
But instead of sleep it's ESPN.

Mom goes downstairs, "No sleep for me."
Instead she dusts, washes dishes, and folds laundry.

And little baby all snug and safe in his bed,

Smiles as he rests his sweet little head.

End


The good news . . . daddy and I are figuring things out. Sleep still eludes us most of the time. But little J--he's only waking ONCE during the night now. To us, it is pure bliss . . .

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Top Momma and AWARDS!

UPDATE: HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE SISTER! I ADORE YOU . . .
I still remember holding you. Playing with you. Singing with you. Teaching you. Admiring you. I miss the little girl you were, that sweet little baby girl. But I admire the woman you've become. Stay tuned for a little more about RJTrue . . .

************
Wow! I finally made Top Momma. I forgot how long ago I did this! Please click on J's pic and keep us on . . . if I make it for more than a day, I'll be happy!


I'm a Top Mommma!


*******************************************************
Sometimes I feel so humbled, unworthy, to be honest, of all the kindness and generosity you all show. From supportive words when I decided to leave my job and stay home with J to the wonderful comments about my little guy, I am so eternally grateful for this community. So, enough of the mushy stuff. Let's move on to the awards!

The lovely Jamie from Choosing my Own gave me this award (that I'd been secretly coveting for some time since I used to collect puffy stickers back in the day--oh, so long ago):

I pass this onto Kami (check out her new awesome blog design), Pam (I've been reading her since I started blogging and I try to never miss a post!), Heidi (the best adventures ever!), Angie (I just *heart* her. Period.) and Rachel (a newer bloggy friend). I ADORE them and their blogs!

The super sweet and adorable Colleen (she's hosting a jewelry giveaway!) from Wine Please gave me with this wonderful award. I pass this onto Misty, Lori, Kristen, TulipMom (she just gave birth to the beautiful TulipBaby!), and Kathyrn (it is her birthday!!!) From posting about their deepest thoughts and feelings to the happenings in every day life, it is hard not to feel connected to these fabulous women.

I have a couple more awards that I am so excited to have received and to give away . . . I'll get to them very soon I promise!!!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

Spring has sprung!Just think. Last year at this time you were in my belly. . .

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Giveaways!!!

I can't believe the awesome generosity of so many bloggers. From diapers and kiddie clothes to gift cards and blog redesigns. I am continually amazed by how cool it is that bloggers love to pass the love around. I know a lot of them want more traffic--but how cool is that? They want to meet new people and have some fun! Love, love the bogiverse!

Check out these cool giveaways . . . (more will be added, so check back!)

New Mommy Rant--A fabulous basket filled with Munchkin products!!!












$25 Barnes and Noble gift card!









Sarcastic Mom is giving away a Young Punks t-shirt!

Nap Warden is giving away a free blog design! (yup, I am proud to say that I was one of her earlier customers).

FlipFlop Mama is giving away all natural lotion or tea!

Laura Williams, a savvy homeschooling mom of seven, is giving away Child of Wonder, which is about nurturing your child's creative side.

Colleen at Wine Please is giving away some lovely jewelry!

Nissa is giving away some lovely hair accessories!


Oh, and want some more. Go to Bloggy Giveaways! There are TOO many to list so I am promoting (or trying to) the contests of my bloggy buddies! (If I missed yours, please let me know.) So please, check 'em out!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

How do I live . . .

without teaching? Well . . . who says I'm not "teaching"?

Meet my one and only student . . .

for now.

Attentive little fella, isn't he?

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

I quit.

I did it. I just quit my job. I am no longer "teacher, on leave for the year." I am now . . . SAHM.

There is a sense of relief. I mean, I'm supposed to feel relieved, right? If I'm so relieved, why am I typing this through tears? I have no idea why . . . I KNOW that this is the best decision for me.

I do feel free. I know I've had a constipation of ideas. Of words. Maybe finally letting go will help me . . . be . . . real. Maybe.

I need to figure out where my head is. Thank you for letting me share . . .

Wordless Wednesday: Laundry Day


I swear it was the only way I could get my laundry done . . .

Monday, April 14, 2008

GET HEALTHY Giveaway Winners!

Yay! I have picked the winners of the Get Heathy Giveaway using the quite handy Random Number Generator. And the winners are . . .

1st Place: Jake and Ellie's Mom at I Invented Motherhood
and
2nd Place: Beth from Around the Funny Farm

* * * * * * *

Let's go over some of the great "get healthy" tips you all came up with:

Jake and Ellie's Mom says to find something you enjoy and do it often! This is a simple but PERFECT tip. I remember reading about an overweight young woman who did DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) for fun every day after school not because she needed to lose weight, but because she just thought it was fun. In the end, she DID lose weight! A bunch of it! This goes for biking, walking, running, dancing . . .

Tootsie Farklepants suggests avoiding eating anything that comes out of a box. Makes sense--this stuff usually is highest in fat, calories, sugar, carbohydrates (and not the good kind), and sodium.

Tulip Mom (CONGRATS TO HER! She just had a baby girl!) suggests lowering carbs and sugar (so does Amy!) intake in general. Work for many of us who are sugar addicts!

Jill and Becky and Pam (who recently lost 22 lbs.!) suggest eating small meals throughout the day. Works to help keep that metabolism ramped up! And don't miss breakfast! This is your most important meal of the day (BTW, pop tarts don't cut it!).

Lindsey and Kimmylyn and Erin and Marmarbug and Becky and Tommie drink lots of water. That along with voiding getting all your calories from soda and juices, which are often high in calories and contain lots of sugar, are fantastic tips!

Sass E-mum suggests meal planning. Great idea for stopping those impulse buys. I'll add that I HAVE to go shopping AFTER I've eaten, otherwise I'm like, "Look at all the pretty colors. Me must have . . . " and I grab at anything I can get as I speed down the grocery aisles. Sass E-mum also suggests farmer's markets, finding a good butcher, and MAKING your desserts--that way you'll be more inclined to make it last longer after you put in all that effort. Hmm... the reason this works for me is because I usually EAT all the left over frosting (which, surprisingly, there is a lot) after making my cakes.

Rachel suggests 100 calorie snacks! Great idea to watch out for portion control. She says that eating those smaller version 15 cookies felt like she was eating so much more than the 2 big ones, even though they are the same in calories. That's how my mind works! It is a mental thing, but it is so true!

Heidi and Krissy try not to eat after 6/7 PM. Heidi suggests keeping yourself away from the food by keeping yourself busy.

Beth and Angela and Nap Warden and Stella and Painted Maypole are all about MOVING. Beth believes that if she has time to sit and watch TV for 30 minutes, then she has time to walk/run on the treadmill. Painted says she moves throughout the day, waiting for tea to microwave or bouncing her legs, playing with her daughter . . . the key is to MOVE!!! And Kathryn, well, she's a running machine! And Amy is a big supporter of strength training. Jennifer is walking ALL THE TIME. She lost 40 lbs.! WOW!!!

Kristi suggests eating sugar free Jello to curb that sweet tooth! While Word Vixen suggests Kashi pizzas to curb that undeniable hankering for pizza.

Lori, Kathryn and Fran believe everything in moderation. I HATE denying myself anything. I believe that if I do, I might go hog wild once I even have a taste! (It happened with potato chips!).

Pregnantly Plump (is this not a great name?) stopped buying snacks and instead snacks on fruit. Also, like many other commenters, she is getting outside and walking now that spring is finally in the air.

Huckdoll has a great idea. Do not deprive yourself of your favorite snacks. Buy the most expensive type of snack you love and then SAVOR it. She, along with Stella and Jenn, also suggests Weight Watchers (which has helped her tip the baby weight). My sis-in-law lost a ton of weight using the WW point system after YEARS of struggling with just about every other diet out there.

Kami has a goal she needs to reach. What is it? I'll give you a hint. It starts with a b, ends in an i and has ikin in the middle. Yup. Sometimes that (and eating and exercising like a mad woman) is all it takes! Go Kami!

Just Jamie is nixing red meat--it makes her feel yucky. I'm in the same boat. Major tummy troubles abound when I eat red meat . . . 30 Minute Mommy takes it to the next level and says NO to dairy and is all about going vegan.

HRH is a yoga fan. What a great way to relieve stress and get healthy at the same time. She swears by it! She says she is, "stronger, look much better and way more relaxed about life." Kristen is a fan of The Biggest Loser videos. She says, "My muscles have gotten tighter . . .[and] is starting to feel like the hot Mama on the block." Whoo hoo--go Kristen!

Our Crooked Tree suggests lots of sex and coffee. Yup. She said it. BUT, she was kidding! However, did you know that you can burn an average of 300 calories per romantic interlude (moderate interlude, that is). Seriously, check it out for yourself and click HERE. Anyway, she actually suggests cutting out sugar and caffeine and eating on smaller plates (this really does work! I love mind games!). She also suggested using MyFoodDiary to hold yourself accountable. Angie also suggests SparkPeople for a free food journal that she finds has helped her change her eating habits.

Steph made a great suggestion for keeping yourself motivated--TELL PEOPLE what you are doing. It keeps you honest and you just might find you have a lot of support.

Phew . . . lots of GREAT ideas! Here is to fitting into the bikini getting healthy and living well!

******************************************
Finally, CrazyMomOfSix is hosting her first sponsored giveaway (I heard about it through Cecily's blog). She is giving away a Purse Pal. I saw a mom with one of these and thought it was the coolest thing. She looked so cool, calm, and together while here I was with stuff scattered to the four winds. I'm thinking this awesome accessory might just make me seem as if I know what I'm doing!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Little Boy J?

J . . . Between spoonfuls of pears, I thought I saw something today. I didn't expect it so soon, at only eight months, though deep inside I knew it would happen. I saw the little boy in you. Through the soft chubby cheeks, the lopsided grin, the arched brows, and steely blue eyes, I saw a little boy. Not a baby. Not my little baby boy.

I was scared. For a moment. I froze. What is happening?

In a moment you were back to yourself; fussing because I wouldn't let go of the spoon so that you could gum it to within an inch of its life. The little boy disappeared. My baby was back. But I know that sometime soon the little boy will be back. I'll greet him with open and loving arms, but I will miss my little baby J . . .

****************************

Today is the last day to post your "Get Healthy" tips and thus be entered in the giveaway! You've had loads of great ideas! Keep 'em coming! You can enter until 11:59 PM, Friday, April 10th!

Thursday Thirteen: What I've Learned Part II



Last week I posted about what have I learned about myself since having J. This week, I'm posting about what I have learned about J . . . (written to J since I am going to transfer this into the journal that I have seriously been neglecting).

1. You love sweet potatoes. I mean LOVE them. With each and every bite you let out a grunt of pleasure that is really cute . . . unless we are at a restaurant.

2. You are a flirt. A big flirt. A huge flirt. You see a cute chick and you are all smiles. You bat your little eyes and they are putty in your hands. I'm certain there is a way I could make money off this. Mind control, maybe?

3. You only know one real word--"Cagawahacaga" (how many of you tried to pronounce this?). There are many variations, but none of them sound like "mama." Yet.

4. You have OCD. You can do the same thing over and over and over and over again. For instance. I open the little green door on your musical activity table and you MUST close it . . . over and over and over and over again. I'm pretty sure we could do that for HOURS.

5. You like squeezing things. Especially mom's chubby rolls--which are your fault, btw.

6. You definitely have my arched eyebrow, but because you have two, you look like Jack Nicholson--which makes me think you are always up to no good. And if I smell ya, you usually are.

7. People told me, warned me (it was Mr. Lady who said, "Are you prepared for the whole new level of POOP? Seriously?"). Yeah. No. I wasn't. That Diaper Champ will never be the same.

8. You actually can cop and attitude. It is a mean one . . . Mr. Grinch. You MUST have things your way, OR ELSE. Well, get this, little man . . . I'm still bigger than you!

9. Happy hour with you begins around 5. During that time, we must do all we can to keep you HAPPY. Daddy and mommy secretly begin the countdown until bedtime . . .

10. Dressing you is like dressing an Octopus on speed.

11. Changing your diaper is like dressing an Octopus on speed while avoiding the bullets of an enemy sniper.

12. You love music . . . especially the kind that daddy sings when he fluffs out his hair, grabs the broom, and rocks to some 80s tune. Which he. Did. Today. Much to mommy's dismay . . .

13. Your laugh . . . it kills me. It swells up my heart until is damn near explodes.




You bring me such joy, my little man. Happy 8th month birthday!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Wordless Wednesday: Mommy and Me

This was taken last year . . . one of the few things I've come to love about living in a rural area. Nature in my backyard.


Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Growing OLDer & A Giveaway!

I just had a birthday. Many of you figured that one out from my last post. I've been MIA due to weeping over yet another year lost. I'm sad. Depressed. I have gray hairs. New wrinkles. Fat that refuses to LEAVE. A metabolism that is so slow it is running backward. A memory that . . . what was I just saying? Birthdays just . . . s.t.i.n.k.

JUST KIDDING! Actually, I did have a birthday, and I feel sorta old, but isn't that the point with each birthday? You grow OLDer? Whatever . . . can't control it. It happens to everyone. So, I'm over it. I've been MIA but that was due to THE SUNSHINE and 70 DEGREE weather we are having. We took J out to the park and it was crazy busy. It was as if everyone and their dead uncle was out enjoying the weather--gripping the beautiful sunshiny day as if at any second a rouge snowstorm might hit.

My birthday was actually pretty good. It is strange. Now that we have J I don't think so much about my birthday. We did a little window shopping--stuff we WISHED we could buy. Grabbed some cheap pizza. Rented
Bee Movie. Oh, and we bought a video camera! (I know, what self-respecting person who calls herself a mother wouldn't own a video camera!?!? Well, the video feature on my three year-old camera seemed to do the trick!).

So, that brings me to the MAIN purpose of this post. I am hosting
my very own

* * * GIVEAWAY! * * *

Yup! My very first one! Why? Let me explain . . . Not only is it my birthday this month, but both my sisters also celebrate their birthdays in April (yes, one just happens to be RJTrue--on the 24th!). This means that I am shopping for them. When I shop, I notice bargains EVERYWHERE. I can't help it. I start buying stuff. I had already had in my mind that I wanted to host a giveaway, I just didn't know when or for what purpose.

So, that explains the STUFF. But, why a giveaway? It has to do with my Thursday Thirteen post, A Lazy Chick's Diet. Between that post and subsequent responses and the obvious concern over, dare I say it, bathing suit season, it is apparent to me that many of us are just a wee bit concerned with getting into some sort of shape (other than ROUND). That being said . . . HERE ARE THE RULES.

1. Comment on this post. In your comment, give ONE "get healthy" tip that worked for you, whether it be specific foods you ate or a fitness routine you followed. Be SPECIFIC. Give us details and tell us the results. If you don't have anything that worked (YET), tell us what you plan to do to get healthy--again, be specific.

2. Although there may be duplicate responses, each person's experience will be different--I want to hear about YOUR experience and/or plan. Be as detailed and specific as possible.

3. On FRIDAY I will randomly draw TWO, yeah, you heard it--TWO names from all commenters. Those two people will be our winners! (Note to lurkers--now is the time to show yourself!)

My goal is for us all to SHARE our fitness/dieting/get healthy tips. I know there are a plethora of dieting books, web sites, and "pros" telling us what to do, but I want to hear from REAL people who have done it, are doing it, or will do it! Plus, the more ideas in our "get healthy" arsenal, the better chance we have to actually get healthy.

Let's talk about the prizes, shall we? Below you will see a photos of the prizes. Here's how the prize giveaway will work. I will randomly draw two names. The first person's name I draw will get to choose SIX of the TWELVE items. The remaining items will go to the second place winner. Oh, and there will be some added goodies in addition to the pictured prizes!!! Gotta leave some stuff a secret! (click picture to enlarge)


Well, that's it! Can't wait to hear your ideas! Oh, and due to my b-day and this awesome weather, I haven't gotten a chance to drop by and visit all my blogging buddies. Forgive me . . . I'll be around soon!

GIVEAWAY ENTRY NOW CLOSED! Thanks for entering!

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Thursday Thirteen: What I've Learned



The late edition . . .

On August 10, 2007 I became a parent. Before that, I thought I had finally figured myself out (you parents out there are chuckling, aren't you?). Well, apparently, parenthood adds a whole other dimension to who you are and what you are all about. Well, here's what I've learned about myself in the last 7 or so months.

1. I'm no longer a planner. I used to plan everything (I had quite a few wretched To Do lists hanging around). I found out that you can't plan a leaky diaper, a upset tummy (resulting in spit up or previous leaky diaper), a total melt down. Babies, oddly enough, do do To Do lists. Nope. So, now. Neither do I. (Secretly, I'm SOOOO OK with that.)

2. I like flannel. My PJs are flannel. I lived in my PJs pretty much from the day J was born. They are quite functional. I have one with stars all over it that totally camouflages spit-up. They are soft enough so J can lay his head in my lap while I slurp my yogurt and watch Good Morning America. Functional flannel works for me and simply put, showering is a luxury that I can't always afford. Bummer . . . (Yes, that is me on the right--in my flannel).

3. Mess and chaos are totally OK with me. Remember this post? I used to be all about clutter free rooms. Now, we live in a slightly smaller version of Toys R Us (yes! Law Student Hot Mama--it DOES look like Toys R Us threw up . . . more than once!). And, why bother picking it all up? It just looks that way again in 10 minutes or less. BTW--I checked out this video again and clearly I was still in my clutter free mode. It seldom is THAT neat.

4. I have leaky eyes. ALL THE TIME. TV shows. Movies. Commercials. Magazine Ads. You name it, my eyes leak. Call it hormones. Call me a mush. It is what it is. Now pass me a tissue.

5. I am a diaper expert. I look at style (though, does baby really care whether it is Pooh or Micky on his diaper--I think NOT). I search for the best value (and am a mad coupon clipper). I examine baby physics in order to determine the most ergonomic fit for baby. I continually test for absobancy (both directly and indirectly by the amount of unabsorbed fluid on baby's clothes/mommy's PJs and in the bed).

6. I am a baby food connoisseur. I have clearly learned that nothing, and I mean nothing, beats sweet potatoes. (Though Law Student Hot Mama has some promising things to say about Turkey . . . ).

7. I am ingenious when it comes to making up animal noises. Did you know that a giraffe makes noises? Yeah, it does. At least J thinks it does. You see, when singing Old McDonald over and over again is the only way to calm a crying baby in the middle of meltdown, you might start with a cow, sheep, and a pig, but you end up with a giraffe, a dinosaur, and a blow fish. (RJTrue--I haven't given up on the tractor. And it totally sounds different the same, really as the dinosaur).

8. My bed time is now 8 PM. I mean 12 AM. Oh, I mean 3 AM. Um, maybe more like 5 AM . . . I don't use an alarm clock any more . . . why bother. I have a built in one now.

9. My body is no longer mine alone. Specifically two parts. Which, when they are returned to me will never, ever be the same. I've learned to accept this. *sniff* Um, no pictures here.

10. My tastes have changed. I used to be into classic literature. Now, I am into classic nursery rhymes. I used to think George Clooney was pretty hot. Now I think Curious George is pretty cute. I used to rock out to funky classic rock and funky 80's tunes . Now I rock out to Veggie Tales' The Hairbrush Song.

11. I get excited about TOYS. I mean really, really excited. I could peruse the aisles of Toys R Us for hours. I used to get that way at bookstores and office supply stores (a weird addiction, I know), and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Now, it is all about the TOYS. Ooooohhhh . . Toys. (From the picture on the right, I clearly have a problem . . . yes, I bought these. All of them . . . the same day. I, the one who said I would never fall for buying all that "junk." I would stimulate my child naturally. Yeah, whatever.)

12. I look at the world in a completely different way. I am protective of all those who are innocent. I feel deeply for those in pain (more so than ever). I am concerned about the environment, the war, the economy, and crime in ways I have never, ever been. Each day brings out the activist side of me more and more.

13. And finally, I have learned that my heart no longer beats just for me . . .



The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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