Michael and Farrah are dead...

Sad. Just heard through the grapevine that Michael Jackson has died after suffering a heart attack in LA and Farrah finally lost her battle with cancer. They are both a little before my time, but I recognize that they are icons and it saddens me that they are dead.

Thunder Thighs

Dear Thunder Thighs,

Please don't ever leave. You look so cute squashed into hot pink shorts, all dimpled and plump! That little girl you belong to rocks you quite nicely, but I doubt she'll want to keep you around forever. So please, for now, stay with me. I love tickling you and taking pictures of you and occasionally blowing raspberries on you. You are delicious looking to me and represent all that is babyness in Cookie. She doesn't know it yet, but one day I'll embarrass her with pictures of you that I spread out on the coffee table for her prom date or her first boyfriend. As long as I promise to supply the dairy, do you promise you'll stay, at least for a little while?

Love,
Mommy D

So sad...

I've never been a big fan, but I asked Matt to TiVo the most recent episode of John & Kate plus eight, and boy, that might have been the most depressing thing I've seen on TV for a while. I knew that that woman had her biznatchy moments but damn! She literally spent the entire show blathering on about how victimized she felt and how everything that was happening was his fault and how she never thought it would come to this... Blah, blah, blah... What? You didn't expect that inviting a camera crew and 5 million plus viewers into your most private moments with your husband and children would cause any turmoil? Are you really that dumb or are you just so starved for attention that you're willing to sacrifice your marriage, and your children's well being to make money?

It was really difficult to watch and listen to her talk about "her kids" and "her life" and "her well-being." Funny thing is, while she was blathering on about herself, he spent most of the interview talking about "our kids" and "our life" and "our well-being..." Now I'm not a psychologist, but that sure sounds like a man who is still emotionally tied to his wife, despite the fact that they are getting a divorce...

I don't know any of the specifics of their contract in terms of # of shows and penalty for shutting it down early, but I know what I would have done if I saw the show ripping a hole in my marriage...

Anyway, enough talking about TV... How's your day going? Do anything fun this weekend? Win the lottery?

Without Bubba

It's late and mommy's had a few beers so bear with me...

We dropped you off for a fun-filled weekend at Grandpa John's house and as we drove off I felt that familiar tugging at my heart. I know you've been to Grandpa's before, and I know you've even stayed there longer than this time, but I miss you.

I miss your incessant chatter of trucks with no backs (open bed pickup trucks) and Ricky Carmichael's arm missing (the little action figure almost made it one year before having his limbs torn off)and cops chasing bad guys and hurting themselves and blooood. I miss you getting up 8 times after being put down for bed because there are storm clouds in your room or you had a bad dream that made you laugh. You are such an independent little thing but not so independent most times. You need your hugs and kisses to fall asleep and your baby bear and blankie, and for that I adore you. I love your crazy antics and your loony bin laughter and your now constant talk of pee and poop and all things related to body functions. I love how you'll get out of bed because you have a hang nail, and then mimic the guys dancing from "So you think you can dance." I love that you adore Brookie and want nothing more in your world than to make her squeal with laughter. I love that you are afraid of thunder, want to play in the rain, and would rather watch Batman than lightning. I love that it's impossible to get you to wake up in the morning and equally impossible to get you to wind down before bed, I love your baseball slides on the carpet and your screeching car sounds as you run full speed thought the house with your little John Deer tractor.

I love your tired talk when you're half asleep and whispering about cops and bad guys and car carriers and nascar. I love your crazy fast pitches and your equally amazing batting skills that Daddy has taught you. I love that you LOVE to be naked and aren't embarrassed to tear it all off and run through the sprinklers. I love you bear hugs and slobbery kisses and tears and even tantrums...

I miss you bugs... See you Sunday...

I figured it out

I think I'm going to go with a framed picture of sorts for Matt for Dad's Day. Probably a nice family photo with a Picasso inspired crayon masterpiece made by the Duke. Hopefully I can find a nice (not too expensive) double 4" by 6" frame so I can put the family pic on the top and the drawing on the bottom. Not totally original, but I know Matt's wanted a picture to hang up in his office, so this should work out quite nicely. Oh, and the ubiquitous Home Depot gift card so he can by more plants/pavers/manly yard tools. He loves him some yard stuff!!!

My dad had his hernia surgery yesterday and everything went "textbook," so says the doc. He sounded pretty trashed on pain meds when I spoke to him after the procedure, but better to be buzzed than in pain. Still haven't decided to get for him yet, but I have a few ideas. Off to Target at lunch to power shop!

5 Months

My goodness! Could she really be 5 months old today? Could it really have been 5 months ago that I waddled into the hospital and walked out a mommy squared? It went by so fast! Before I know it she'll be eating solids and then crawling and then walking... Wait! I'm not ready for that!!! I want my squirming, giggling baby for just a while longer. I'm not ready to be without the tiny onesies, and spit up and drool covered fingers that always seem to find their way into my hair and face. I'm not ready to give up my little appendage!

You think if I ground her or give her a timeout she'll let me have a little while longer of her pudgy, yummy smelling babyness? That's what I thought... Damn it, I'm just not ready!

Wonder Boobies!

This may go on a bit, so forgive me...

When Luke was born, breastfeeding was more of a chore than anything else. I didn't know it at the time, but I had a pretty nasty case of thrush which made my nips feel like his mouth was full of razor blades. Instead of finding the time while he was feeding calming and bonding, I held my breath for much of it, watching the clock and praying he'd be finished soon. In the course of two months I cracked, I bled and I gave up. I was young, inexperienced and exhausted, and just didn't have the heart or the drive at the time to do what it took to right the problem and keep on breastfeeding. Though I know it didn't affect our bonding, I think the switch may have impacted his health and for that I will always feel a little guilty. It seemed like he was sick ALL the time when he was a baby. It was like a constant revolving round of croup, ear infections, colds and colic. My poor baby...

It's probably the largest reason I was so determined to breastfeed Miss Brooklyn. I actually got thrush again this time, but after a round of anti-fungal medication (that sounds fun huh?!)we were back up and running again. She's been a champ through the entire learning process and gave me the breastfeeding experience I was hoping to have. That said, I'm going to do my damnedest to give her breast milk for at least a year. I'm not sure if we'll be able to do the actual breastfeeding thing for that long (my pump and I are going to be the beast of friends), but I'm determined to express enough to keep it as the staple of her diet until her first birthday. I've got about 300 ounces chillin' in the deep freeze and if I can double that in the next few months, I may be able to stop feeding/pumping a few months early and still be able to finish out my 1 year commitment. By the way, I've been sneaking breastmilk into the Duke's cereal every once in a while, to help his tummy since he just finished a round of antibiotics for the latest ear infection. Maybe it can help him fight off getting sick... We'll see!

Ummmm, Beer??

I'm not sure what the hell has happened to me, but I've been craving beer lately which is totally out of character for me. I'm usually a vodka tonic or champagne girl, but when I walked into BevMo this weekend I happened to walk by the cooler and actually felt my mouth start to water as I stared at the sea of 6 packs in front of me. WTF! Since when? The thought of beer usually makes me gag, not pray I could crack one and chug it!

So, I officially bought my first 6 pack this weekend and they were GREAT!! I thought the cravings are supposed to go away after the baby is born?

Daddy's Day

I need ideas people. I want to do something meaningful and cute for Matt for Dad's Day and I need ideas. I'm thinkin' of framing a few of his favorite munchkin pictures for his office, but other than that I'm at a loss... He told me all he really wants is a Home Depot card so he can get more plants and such for the yard that he's been working so hard on, but I want to give/do something for him from the kids that is thoughtful but won't cost me a million bucks. Any ideas? I know he wants to get another tattoo with the kids feet prints, but I'm not sure if he wants to do that now... HELP!

Mommy Tired

My migraines are BAAACCKK!! I knew that I wasn't going to be able to avoid them for much longer as I've noticed that my hormones are starting to get back on track after having the baby... Which means, about a week or two of intermittent migraines! Joy!! The hardest part of the whole thing is that I can't take anything right when I feel them coming on as most of my meds are not compatible with breastfeeding and the 1 that sort of is, I can't take until after she goes down for the night so I have 6-7 hours for it to get back out of my system. I had so hoped that they would stop happening after I had babies... Oh well... Last night was hell! By the time I was able to take anything for it, the migraine had been pounding in my skull for almost 2 hours... Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep and can't wait to get home and crash tonight.

My red little rose

Gotta love that she insisted on trying to eat the prop everytime I'd try to take the picture!

Thunder, Lightning, and Hail, OH MY!

Wow, the light show last night was nuts! We had just put Lukey Duke and Brooklyn to bed when my sister called and told us to go outside and check out the lightning... We stepped onto the back porch and it was the most active thunder and lightning storm I've ever seen here, centered right over our house! We'd only been out there watching the flashes of light for a moment when a HUGE clap of thunder brought Lukey running, full speed, from his bedroom crying his eyeballs out. We tried to explain that it was just light and sound and that it couldn't hurt him or come inside the house, but it didn't help.... The poor kid was petrified. So, needless to say, we tucked him into our bed with cartoons on the tube, his blankie and baby bear clutched in his arms, and hoped that he'd fall asleep... We headed back to the porch and had just stepped out onto the back porch when the skies opened up and dime-sized chunks of hail began pelting the yard, followed by a torrential downpour of rain for about 20 minutes. It was all over within about 45 minutes, but it was awesome. Us Californians don't get to see too much truly bad weather, so it's kind of a treat when it does happen here. I think Duke enjoyed getting a little Mommy and Daddy time sleeping in our bed and I'm sure there was no way we would have been able to talk him back into his own bed after all the crazy weather...

Daddy Dates

Luke got totally hooked up this weekend with tons of daddy time.

Matt took him to the Rivercats game Friday night which he thoroughly enjoyed even though it turned out to be the longest game in franchise history at 16 innings! They didn't make it home until around 12:30am but he was so excited that he woke up when we tried to take him out of his car seat and proceeded to tell me every detail of the night at about 100mph. He showed me the giant orange foam finger that daddy bought him, as well as the mini wooden bat and the squishy ball that he caught all by himself as they were tossing them out to fans from the field. It only took a second to wind him down once he got his story out and convince him that he could finish explaining it to me tomorrow, after some much needed sleep. We brushed his chompers, stripped him down to a pull-up and tucked him in, and I swear he was asleep before Matt and I had left his room.... Poor tuckered out little bean!

Then, Sunday afternoon Matt took him to Scandia to spend a little time with Uncle Justin and the batting cages. Knowing my husband, he probably had to buy $50 worth of tokens but Luke came home with quite the stash of goodies that he bought with all of their tickets. All in all, it was a great weekend....I've told him a few times, but I'm really proud of the Hub for spending so much quality time with Capt. Duke. He needs it and I think it reminds him that he doesn't have to share EVERYTHING with his sister.

On to the week ahead. We have back to back doctor and dentist appt for Luke and Brookie tomorrow, as Miss Carrie is closed so she can enjoy the graduation of her oldest son Taylor from high school. Not the funnest thing to do with our day off, but it really helps to be able to knock out a few appointments and limit the amount of time I have to take off from work. I'm running a little lean on PTO so I have to schedule things creatively for now...


Sorry about whipping out all of the old photos of Lukey Duke... Just feelin' a little sentimental today :)