01.27.10: Wordless Wednesday: Here We Go Again..

Another trip to the ER for an allergic reaction. Poor little dude.

1.26.10: Ten on Tuesday: Real Quick Like

Not sure I have the energy to come up with 10 things to say, going to give it a go though.

1. Today was one of those emotionally and physically exhausting days that left me wanting to go to bed at like noon.
2. Thinking a lot about how much we take for granted in life. Last night, while at work, a paper reporter I knew of from my time in television collapsed in the newsroom from an apparent brain aneurism. He is on life support until his brain shuts down entirely and they can harvest his organs. I didn't really know Andy, but his story is haunting me today. Nobody knew the last time they talked to him it would be goodbye.
   
3. A.J. and I did some dancing this morning after I heard about Andy. We swayed around the living room, listening to music on my laptop. I sang to him and imagined for a moment what it will feel like when I can no longer pick him up and spin him around with me. How much I will miss this, what we have right now.
4. We are on day 8 of the disgusting diapers. I am trying not to be a worry wart, as the doctor said it could stick around for 10 days. But ugh. I've spent like 30 dollars in disposables in the last two weeks because there's no way I could keep on on cloth laundry right now. Poor little dude is going through a dozen or so diapers a day and still getting nasty rash.
   
5. I have talked about death and poop. This is clearly a happy ten on tuesday, no?
   
6. How about we make this evening more depressing? I have to find a new home for Walker. It's a long story and it involves the dog's anxiety, a bleeding baby, and weeks of nightmares for me since.
   
7. I want to adopt a child from Haiti. As in, I can't stop thinking about the kids who are walking around and have no idea if their parents are alive and may never know for sure. I wish there was a way to be like an emergency home or something. Take in a couple of kids for a few months until everything is all worked out. Except I don't think it will be all worked out in a couple of months for the Haitian people. I don't think it will ever be "all worked out."
8. That picture up there might be the least flattering picture I've ever taken of the little dude but I love it. I caught him mid laugh. He does this thing where he makes noises until you look at him and then he looks away and giggles. It is something I don't want to forget.
9. You can probably tell in that picture that the steroids are out of his system. For almost 2 weeks post wheat allergy ER trip, I had a baby with nice clear soft baby skin. But I knew it was only a matter of time before the itchy and scratchies came back. Poor little dude.
   
10. On the spirit of ending on an up note, Karl and I are going on a double date for fondue on Friday. A.J. has a date with his Auntie Barb. I think we are all looking forward to Friday.
    

1.25.10: Me on Monday Week #4

Technically speaking, that image blows.
And it's pretty unflattering (hello, chins! How nice to see you!)
And I'm not sure I can call it a self potrait if my face is not the primary focus of the image.
But this is me on this particular Monday.
In desperate need of a haircut.
Trying to keep A.J. from stealing my glasses.
Covered in applesauce and rice cereal from an especially messy dinner for the little dude.
Insanely happy.

Happy Monday friends.

1.24.10: Week(end) in Review

1.22.10: After countless trips to every fabric section in town, including an embarassing and smelly incident with A.J. in Hobby Lobby, I found the fabric for our bridal show display. Please note that anyone who visits my house will probably leave with glitter stuck to them somewhere. I think I currently have some up my nose.
1.23.10: All dolled up and ready for brides to visit. Two unforgettable moments from the show. First, when I saw a guy walk up to the bar at the venue (our booth was across from the bar) and order a beer at 10:30 in the morning. Only in Wisconsin. Second, when a bride was looking through our samples, looked at me and said, "Why do you do all this black and white stuff? Do people actually like that?"
I almost laughed.

1.24.10: He is the cutest alarm clock in the world. Even if he's waking me up at 4am.
He must have known that getting up early on Sunday means going to early church.
And at early church the attendees don't care that he makes noise from the back pew.
Actually, since we are a good 50 years younger than the average 8am attendee, they probably can't even hear the noise he is making. Regardless, hooray for a lack of dirty looks!

1.21.10: Simple Things Make it All Better

Here's to today being less crappy than yesterday
(although there was that unfortunate stinky incident in the fabric section of Hobby Lobby).
It's amazing how a diet cherry limeade can improve my mood.
I even got a coupon for a free route 66 size (that's big people!) next time!
It's a good day.

1.20.10: Wordless Wednesday: Crappy Day

Converted to black and white to spare the blog world from seeing mess in all its glory.

1.19.10: Ten on Tuesday (Because I'm a lemming)

Inspired by Laura, who was inspired by Elizabeth, I am jumping on the Ten on Tuesday bandwagon. Heaven knows I need help thinking of things to blog about. And lists are an easy way to brain dump.

1. Hello New Logo! Karl and I are doing a big bridal show this weekend as our way of launching our new name and new branding. The show provides a little black and white banner with the company name on it for signage. I'm sure you would never guess it, but I'm not a black and white banner kind of girl. So I had our logo printed as an 11x14, had it mounted on styrene and then found a cool frame to display it. Now if only those weather dudes would stop forecasting terrible weather for this weekend!

2. Rollin, Rollin, Rollin on the Carpet: It's a good thing we have actively begun the babyproofing process. I left the little dude in the middle of the living room so that I could, um, take care of some business. 2 minutes later I found him hanging out under the end table like it was a perfectly normal thing to do. It is becoming increasingly difficult to contain him. He wants to be *everywhere* except for where I put him.

3. Must See TV: I know Idol is on tonight, but I'm still loyal to Bob and Jillian. P.S. That promotional photo totally looks like an engagement announcement picture, no? Well except for the part where Bob is in a relationship with a man and Jillian is in a relationship with a woman. No matter, I love them both and would have a hard time choosing a trainer if I ever wound up on the BL campus. I think I would *need* Jillian for the butt kicking, but only if I could run to Bob for comfort after Jillian made me puke. Yes, I think about these things. I also eat fat free popcorn while watching so I don't feel guilty when they do the cheesy product placement for sugar free gum.

4. Dear Jake: Speaking of reality t.v., I am very happy that Jake tossed nutcase Michelle. And I'm kind of glad the nanny is gone too. I think I'm pulling for Tenley. Even if I do want to slap her parents for giving her such a bizarre name.


5. My Funny Valentine: I have never wished A.J. was a girl, and I love being a mama to a boy, but I'm pretty sure he would need therapy if I dressed him in bloomers, striped tights and a petticoat. But seriously, I die of cuteness!!

6. A Day to Remember: It's hard to believe that image will be a year old tomorrow. (side note: yes, Barb. There is a picture of President Obama on my blog. Are you still breathing?) But 1.20.09 will always be special to me for an entirely different reason. I watched the inauguration at the hospital while failing my 3 hour gestational diabetes test. And it was during the ceremony that I felt A.J. kick me for the first time. In hindsight, I probably felt him earlier, but that morning was the first time I knew without a doubt that the little monkey growing inside my belly was saying hello.

7. The Countdown: We are less than a month away from our annual Florida vaca. I know A.J. will not remember any of it, but holy cow am I excited to take him to the Magic Kingdom. He won't remember it, but I know he will love it while we're there. Lights, music, and people. All three of those things make my baby really happy. And it is possible that I will be buying him itty bitty mouse ears because I cannot resist the photo op. You're shocked, I'm sure.
8. Paper or Digital: I'm having the great debate in regards to Project Life. I am, as you've probably figured out by now, doing a 365 project, but I'm not sure whether I want to get the paper kit or explore the digital option. Both have their perks. Mainly, I really want to get my hands on those page protectors. At the moment I am considered paper for my 2010 project and the digi template for all of AJs first year. That way I can make multiple copies for gifts if I want to.

9. Bare Walls: I delivered this float wrap to a bride on Saturday and made Karl put it up on the wall so we could take some product shots before it left our possession. And then of course I lamented that we have nothing on our walls. It's totally the cobblers kids have no shoes. We spend all of our time taking pictures of other people, and who wants to put pictures of other people on their walls? But now that we have A.J. the tide is changing a bit. I'm spending a lot of time laying out potential wall gallery arrangements. I will banish the bare walls in 2010!

10. Walker: He's a blog entry all on his own. We are having hard times. It's not something I can talk about yet, but soon.