Comment Consideration

I have severely slacked on these lately. I sincerely apologize. I love receiving your comments, publishing them, and having you enjoy one another. Just recently, I had one reader get such a chuckle from another commenter that they went and visited their blog. THAT'S what I love about blogging. We can connect through words and personality and enjoy one another even if we aren't able to sit in the same room. And frankly, we don't all want to sit together in the same room, do we now? Alone, we're free to pick out our wedgies.

On with the show.....

joanofalltrades said...
No worries. We want belly pics soon!

I'm only 10 weeks along, so those photos might be a bit uneventful. I figured I'd see what 12 weeks looks like and start there if I've had enough to eat that day and it's sticking out appropriately.

mo.stoneskin said...
You always sound like your days (weeks?) are one crazy whirlwind. But you always sound relatively chirpy too, which I like!

It could be that I'm supplying too much detail in my stories, making it appear that we're on a crazy, whirlwind tour of the U.S. Midwest. But chirpy? I'll take it.

Tracy said...
Can I have a pre-marriage and post-marriage answer for fave holiday?

Hell yeah. I think we should always answer questions PRE marriage and POST marriage. Those answers are bound to be revealing!

Mrs.Espo said...
Forget the pillow...my dog has peed on my husband before! AHAHAHAHA!!! It was sooo funny!!

I get such pleasure out of seeing a woman/wife find humor in her hubby's misfortune. It's the underlying ROCK of marriage. I swear. Or wait...is that finding humor to laugh at YOURSELF? Hmm. Always room for change.

Intense Guy said...
I think it was 70F here yesterday - I don't know why I felt compelled to say that...

And because of THIS statement, I've boycotted your blog. (Alright, I've been boycotting all blogs due to lack of reading time, but that's neither here nor there....)

Dorkys Ramos said...
Can we get some pics of the new family member? And does this mean that it's permanent?

I'll get you the promised photos, but it does NOT mean it's a permanent solution. In fact, TO has been having serious itchy nose issues this past week and I'm starting to wonder if it's the new pooch. Stay tuned....

foxy said...
Okay, SURELY no one thought you were serious! I mean, COME ON!! :)

For ALL clarification...no one outwardly said that they were concerned with my mental state and my "apparent" lack of affection for the "alien". I just worry that I might be interpreted incorrectly....so once in awhile I go on a self-conscious clarification kick. I was very pleased to see the humorous reactions from all of you, however.

Rebecca said...
Darn, I was really looking forward to hearing which friend (and being grateful that you don't know where I live) would get the bassinet!

I've looked you up Rebecca...don't you worry. You're on the radar!

emilyc said...
I SWEAR I thought you were going to end it by saying you were not kidding about having twins though....DARN IT!

Bite your tongue, woman. That news alone might just be enough to do me in. I'll know for certain tomorrow, though. Can't wait to tell you all that it's only ONE BEAN in there!

Whitney said...
You should do a BABY TOOJ-blog pool.

GREAT idea. Stay tuned.....

chacha said...
You could bring your keyboard and mouse and plug it into her computer. Pretty easy to do.

Hellooooooooooooo? Who asked for RATIONAL solutions????

{april kennedy} said...
Also popsicles saved me.

Took your advice and I have one each night now. I even went the HEALTHY route (and those who really know me knows this isn't the norm!) and bought fruit bars. Thank you!

Things to Come.....

Just thought you'd want a head's up. You know, because you're bored enough to care what's coming up at the Square Table as opposed to just getting what's coming when it comes.

1. Comment Consideration
It's been awhile. My fault.

2. Award and Recognition Love
I've received two in two days. Isn't that sweet?

3. And Update in Pictures
I have a few I've been sitting on. Including snapshots of the new family member, Roscoe the dog.

Tuesday Trifles

I have been a horrible blog friend lately. I admit it. I haven't done much at work, and I've done ZERO reading at home. I am still figuring out a way to get my desktop computer transitioned into a laptop. I'm thinking if I position the monitor "just so" on the table beside the bed, I can use my lap to hold the keyboard.....we'll see. Either way, please know I'm AWARE I've been slacking and I will try and improve on this.

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That said, I would love to catch up this weekend. I thought we had a free weekend to relax before the holiday festivities start up, HOWEVER......I just set up the boys to get H1N1 shots Saturday late morning and while doing that, recalled that TO has a birthday party to attend that afternoon. Or is it Sunday afternoon? I can't remember. Either way, we'll have to leave the house and that's NOT what I was hoping for.

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Before any of you judge about the H1N1 vaccine and go on rants about how vaccinations are horrible, let me say this. I don't want to hear it. I think there is a time and place for modern medicine, and with my children possessing one of those "underlying conditions" called asthma, I'm not taking any chances. People are living longer, healthier lives and I strongly believe much of this is, in part, due to what we've been doing for our children medicinally. I also believe in breastfeeding. Anyone gotta problem with THAT?

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OJ ended up with an ear infection and some wheezing. We'd been treating the wheezing appropriately (after lots of practice from TO's episodes over the past three years), and now he's got the good pink medicine. Doc said it looked like his right ear was recovering from an infection (without meds) but his left ear was pretty infected. I figure some of my friends' children experienced over ten ear infections by age one, so we're doing good with OJ's 4 or so by 19 months. I think TO might have topped out around that number, so hopefully OJ's about through with them? Fingers crossed.

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I think we should take a little poll. What's your favorite holiday? It doesn't matter if it's a nationally celebrated one, religiously marked one, or bank one. Which is your favorite? Our cafeteria served a traditional Thanksgiving meal today for lunch, and I loved it. I ordered the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, roll, cranberry sauce, AND....a cheesecake dessert. They didn't have enough whipped topping on the pumpkin pie for me, so I opted for the alternative that had HEAPS of it. YUM. I emailed a friend here at work and stated how much I was loving it. She said it was her favorite, and then came the 4th of July. I naturally asked her what they had for the 4th, thinking they must BBQ something really great, right? Her response: BEER.

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Happy Tuesday!

Monday Mumbles

Ten random things to brighten your otherwise dreary, rainy, cold, going to be snowing Monday. Maybe that's just in my neck of the woods. What does that saying mean, anyhow? "Neck of the woods?" Do woods have necks? These will be short and sweet. Well, maybe not sweet. I'm not feeling sweet.

1. My sister wrote an email that said "let it snow let it snow". My thoughts? That really blows.

2. OJ has been coughing constantly since late yesterday afternoon so he was asthma-treated all night long. I slept on the couch with him. Rather, I WAS on the couch with him tossing and turning. I don't consider it sleep.

3. I was prepared for grumpy OJ this morning due to the coughing and late night. He was impossibly happy all morning long. Talk about CONFUSING.

4. Did I ever mention that this new family member, the dog, peed on Hubs' pillow? Oops.

5. TO got a haircut. We're talking LOW. Like, big boy style, big fluffy curls gone. I teared up.

6. If I have to remind Till ONE MORE TIME to get a jacket or long-sleeved shirt in the mornings when it's 30-40 degrees, I'm going to run him over with my car. No lying.

7. I'm still formulating a plan of action on how to get OUT of sitting at hacker's desk next week without divulging that I'm preggo. As the week wears on, I have a feeling I'll get more and more testy and this won't be a problem.

8. Hubs and I have a couple friend of ours that are expecting their third child in June as well. This weekend we confirmed we are due the exact same day. She will, however, be going early with a scheduled C-section. I will most likely be sitting miserable a week late, waiting to be induced.

9. We had a gathering of friends Saturday night for an early Thanksgiving feast. Because evening time is my worst time for feeling queasy, I attempted to continuously eat to avoid feeling ill. It worked. And I ate A LOT.

10. At the gathering of friends, I was informed that TO told our friend's daughter, who is 10 I believe, that she "was cute". Lord, seriously???? I told him that if they're playing that whisper game at school, he better CEASE immediately. Now adays, they'll call sexual harassment on a five year old, and it WILL NOT be MY five year old. Thank you very much.

Linked:
Allyson
Michelle

Just a Lil Baby Love Clarification

I joke. A lot. I'm a bit sarcastic. I threaten a LOT. The curse of the written word doesn't always allow for you to see these things, I fear. Of course, some critics would say that if I were a GOOD ENOUGH writer you'd see it clearly. Well stuff it, critics. I'm going to do a little CYA** here, if you don't mind....whether my readers need it or not.

**CYA = cover your ass**

What I mean to say, folks, is that many times? I am simply being facetious. When I said yesterday that I'd be dropping off a bassinet on the doorstep of my friends? I didn't really mean that. I was kidding. When I said I would physically harm Till? Didn't mean that either. It's just my way of giving a lighthearted outlook on the things in my life....things that could really bug a person down with depressing thoughts and overkill on thinking.

Till has gotten into a fair amount of trouble since he came to live with us. Heck, it's WHY he came to live with us. I used to allow his daily mishaps to bury me emotionally, and I would get drained each day after work thinking up new ways to reprimand and then teach him. I would emotionally spend myself worrying. And then I stopped. I realized it wasn't doing any good. I still have moments, don't think I don't, but they are few and far between. And he's matured and changed and started to see the effects of good behavior and effort and respect. It's coming full circle.

Babies. When I was younger, I LOVED babies. I couldn't get enough of them. When I hit my twenties, I thought less about them or about creating a family. Hubs came into the picture as a boyfriend, and I started to think it would be "alright" if that happened, but I had no real goal in mind for creating a family. And then we were starting one, just like that. I realized if I'm not thrown into a situation, I might sit on the sidelines forever. And once I'm IN.....well, I always say there's no use in wasting the time being sad about it. I welcomed TO and the idea of a family.

Interestingly enough, I never really knew if I wanted another baby. Back when I loved babies, I thought I wanted a large family. At least five children. Why five? That's the size of family I came from, of course! But as we experienced parenthood with TO and then Till moving in, the adult side of me interfered and discussed monetary issues, housing issues, education issues. So it was in our best interest to just let OJ appear, as he did. After OJ, well....you all know THAT story. He's been special for 19 months, and only now when it's on the horizon that he'll no longer be the baby...he's starting to act more like a big boy.

I'm not a planner for my personal life. Some call that irresponsible. Some call that carefree. I don't think I'm either. I just choose to let life happen, and then find the best possible way to smile at each turn of event. So if you ever read here that I'm extra grumpy about the nausea, or if (GOD FORBID) there are twins in my tummy and I'm dropping one off somewhere, take it with a grain of salt. Just remember that life happens, and TOOJ deals. Usually with a bit of sarcasm, a smile, and complete denial until Doom's Day arrives.

Thursday Yawns

It's titled that because I just yawned. Simple as that. Well, and probably because my life is one big yawn lately.

I don't have much news to report on the OJ front. He's actually behaving a bit better as each week passes. I do believe he spent his "terrible twos" during his 0-24 month stage of life. Granted, he's only at month 19, but I'm giving him leniency to get it all out of the way in the next five months. Generous, don't you think?

TO, on the other hand, cries at the slightest notion he *might* get reprimanded, and he somehow thinks his tears will stop us from scolding him. I can see the difference in him as he matures, and he's getting that "boy itch" as I call it, getting wilder by the night. Literally. Or maybe he's just bigger, so when he plays football in the house, the stomps are louder, the couch is more worn from his jumping, and there are more people in the home that he can knock down or run into.

Till received his first detention of the year for "talking out". Such a vague term. Tell me nitty gritty, teachers. I want to know if he's simply talking to his friends, if he's back talking your instructions, if he's voicing his opinion in the middle of class and disrupting the lesson or quiet time.....so many ways to talk out. Details, people, I need details. It's the difference between a belt, my hand, or my mouth. KIDDING. I don't bite him. (again, kidding.)

I get to have a sonogram next Friday to ensure that "all is well" with baby, as the doc put it. Fine with me. I like confirmation early on that things appear to be as normal as can be. And I can put rumors to rest that I might be spawning twins. Some of you think it's funny to suggest that, but it won't be such a laughing matter when I drop off that extra bassinet on your doorstep, will it? Huh Michelle? Huh Jamie? Huh huh huh???

I haven't been around to visit blogs much and I see that you all took advantage of the week TO blog....I will catch up. I promise. You know that I do. Just give me time in between the nausea attacks, the yawns, and the eating of chocolate.

Tuesday Trifles

Let's face it. The busier we get, the more life appears to be served in chunks. I give you the Mumbles each Monday because that's how Mondays go. I mumble along, hitting all the speedbumps that the beginning of the week has to offer. But where it USED to feel like potholes were filled as the week went along, life just seems more and more bumpy now. It could be the three kids, husband, and house that put bumps in my week. Or the new dog. Or the fact that I can't manage to keep from gagging and dry heaving from 4-8pm, and sometimes 1:00 a.m. That's right, folks. I was up at the toilet at 1am. LOVING THIS.

So, with that said, you might be getting my life in fragments. The Mumbles, now the Trifles.....who knows what kind of alliteration I'll come up with for the rest of the week. Unless I have something really important to say and then you'll get the monologues you love so much. Or photos. I'll still supply you with photos of the kids I deem "cute" where the rest of you are like, "Did I see those kids on THIS blog...or THAT blog? I don't really remember."

TRIFLE 1: Over-the-wall Lady
Some of you have asked about her and the ensuing drama. Word is this: NO WORD. She hasn't mentioned or emailed or given me a wink that she understands and is in on the secret. I don't think we'll get any sort of reaction from her until I announce it to the group, IF we get one then. I will keep you posted if anything changes. I don't plan on telling the group for another week or three.

TRIFLE 2: Duties at Work
It's no secret that I'm bored at work. I've asked others if I can help, not many volunteer up their work for me. I've started to consider other parts of the company and have even made an inquiry into a department that might be intriguing. In the meantime, I met with my manager and we've set up a couple of things for me to start working on, one being the duties of a supervisor here so that I can cover when she is absent.

The problem I have with this? Manager lady keeps insisting that because I sit "on the other side of the wall" (that she absolutely hates), she would like for me to sign onto a lady's computer nearer the group when she is gone for a week. Guess what? I won't do it. Why, you ask? She's THE hacker. And I am NOT a huge germaphobe, not a bit. I don't cringe (too much) when I open doors with handles or turn faucet spouts. But she hacks all the time, all over her desk, and she is by far the LEAST HEALTHY person in the office. And I'm pregnant. Simple as that. I won't subject myself, during flu season, to unnecessary germs. I will complain to my manager's manager if I have to. I didn't sign up to share keyboards. If that's what I wanted, I'd work at the Arby's near my house and save on gas.

TRIFLE 3: When is too much, TOO much?
Ordering breakfast this morning, I asked for two pieces of bacon. The chef inquired if I was the gal who usually wanted SIX pieces of bacon. WELL....this was in front of 5 or 6 people and I was simply....No, no I wasn't mortified. That sort of thing doesn't embarrass me. In fact, I asked him to throw on a third just because he called me out. Thanks, Chef Dude. They were tasty....could have been crisped up a bit more, but still....tasty.