Hell's Soundtrack

NEVER in my life have I had less of a desire to purchase something than this mp3 on iTunes:

Ke$ha, feat. 3OH!3 "Blah Blah Blah"

And this is not one of those "Oh I'm getting so old... Kids these days!" kind of repulsions. This is just a downright travesty for all ages, for all times, that this is the top song on iTunes right now, that it could be the top song for anyone or anything.

I need to go lie down.

Just another manic Monday

It's so weird what I go through on Monday mornings. The elation of completing a week's work at the hospital, coupled with extreme exhaustion, then add to that the depressing sight of Adam toting Gus off to daycare, after I haven't spent any quality time with either of them for 3 days. But then, it's nice to have the house to myself for a day, and I refuse to feel guilty for that, even though I know what a luxury it is.

It's pretty cool to be done with work until Friday, when most of the rest of the working world is just getting started on their work week. Makes me feel like I'm getting away with something. On the flip side, going to work on Friday night just flat-out SUCKS.

I am especially looking forward to tonight with my boys. It has been a few weeks since Adam and I have really spent any quality time together. Between me working an extra job and Adam working insanely long hours at his job lately, it's just been hard to connect.

Tonight I plan to make my man a quality dinner and cuddle up on the couch and watch episodes of Dexter while we watch Gus toddle around in his ridiculously cute learning-how-to-walk manner. And there just might be a pint of Ben and Jerry's in there somewhere.

Christmas snapshots

A sign that you live in the South

You go to several grocery stores on New Year's Eve and are not surprised in the least (but still disappointed) to find that they are all out of the very thing you are looking for - ham hocks.

Post-Christmas Stroll

We took the kids on a nice long walk downtown yesterday to see the new palm trees the city planted. It turned into such a fun adventure. Here's a sweet pic of mom and dad and all of their much-loved grandchildren.

How much is Bram breaking your heart in this photo?

Gus meets Santa. And loves him!

He looks a little skeptical, but I know he loved him. Santa even gave him a kiss on the top of the head!

Fun with wagons

Best cover of the year

Taken by Trees covering Animal Collective

Hillbilly Entrepreneur

Wish you could see the sign to the right of his truck a little better. "Hot Fresh Boield P-Nuts" with the N orientated backwards. But all the other Ns were written correctly, so I don't know if he was trying to be cute or what. I so wish I had some cash on me at the time. Next time I pass his way, I'll be sure to have some on hand so I can stop and buy some, and maybe get some better pictures.

Sublime

Just heard "Santeria" on the radio and suddenly I really was 18 again, wearing Meg Cooney's borrowed clothes, at a dorm party, dancing on a sticky floor with black lights and trashcans nearby full of ice and Keystone light. Then a second later, I was hungover from wine coolers, trying to write a 10-page paper in an hour. And then, the next moment, I was 30, in a station wagon, picking up diaper cream from the CVS. True story.

'Tis the season to be silly

I feel a little sorry for you if you don't have someone like this in your life. This image was used without permission, stolen from Rich's facebook page. He took this while doing laundry.

Road Rage

Say you are driving along a 3-lane highway. You come upon a sign warning that the left lane will be closed in 1/2 mile. You see that people are already merging. You, a good citizen of the road, also merge. Then, you see a car ZOOM by in the left lane, passings dozens of cars for the full 1/2 mile, proceeding all the way up to the point of the merge, and then cutting over at the last minute, probably rushing off on very important business, shaving off a few minutes of their daily trip to Whataburger to beat the lunch crowd.

Rage isn't the word.

Do you think inconsiderate, selfish drivers can simultaneously be good, decent, kind people? I am really torn on this. I think that, likely, this behavior carries over into other aspects of life. I know it is not right for me to curse a complete stranger, someone I know nothing about except that they have just been an ass-hat at this one moment in time. But I can't help myself. I curse them. I curse them for behaving as though their time is more important than mine. Despicable!

The Family Unit

I am pleased to report that we are spending Thanksgiving this year up in Vermont. Adam took Gus up there early Saturday. They were on a plane by the time I was wrapping up my shift at work. I was worried to death about how Gus would do, feeling a little bad that Adam would be dealing with a potentially squirmy 1-year old without any help. But, as usual, my worries were completely without merit and Gus was a total champ. To Adam's credit, he wasn't even remotely concerned about how the trip would go. (Daddies. Different than Mommies.)

So, I've had the last 3 days to myself. It was pretty glorious, but every moment of enjoyment was coupled with the thought, "I wonder what Gus and Adam are up to!" I can't help but think that I just missed 3 days of his life. Depending on how you look at it (I look at it from an every-day-is-precious standpoint), that's a lot of missed time. But don't think I moped around pining after my baby. I did enjoy the quiet and the ability to lounge and read and eat in peace.

This little baby holiday just reinforced to me how much we really are a family unit now. Even though Adam and I have retained a healthy amount of our independent selves since having Gus, the 3 of us are one functional being, and something just feels incomplete when we are separated.

So you can imagine I'm pretty excited to be getting on a plane in a few hours to rejoin them. Going to Vermont is always such a special thing. I love seeing Adam on his home turf. In case I don't blog again this week, hope y'all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

A year ago...

this splotchy red alien creature was born

I'll pen a more sentimental post later today, but we have a crazy busy day ahead of us. Just didn't want the morning to pass without a mention.
We love you baby Gus!

Have you ever.....

weaned a baby? If so, help!

So, the one year birthday is coming up, and my kid WON'T EAT! I am still nursing him 4-5 times a day, and I think my supply is dwindling because he stays totally restless during these nursing sessions. I have been trying to push the solids and it is just not taking. The only things he will eat consistently are yogurt, guacamole, and bananas. I try to give him everything that we are eating, and he just ends up playing with it and throwing it on the floor. If I try to spoon-feed him anything other than yogurt, he puckers his lips out and turns his head away.

Also, he resists the sippy cup. Won't drink juice. Will barely drink milk.

How am I supposed to wean him? I feel like he's not getting enough calories as it is. If I quit nursing altogether, will he just eventually get so hungry that he'll start experimenting and eating new things?

I really don't know what to do! Any advice is greatly appreciated. I need him weaned by November 21st.