Fighting off my 3pm nap by blogging.

Because chocolate is what makes the world go 'round...

...and because the Nanas spoil him rotten....Mmmmmm!

Let me get this off of my chest.

I have had pizza for lunch for the past THREE days. Ugh. And every time I eat three pieces - one cold while I'm waiting for the other two to warm up in the microwave. I just don't know what I'm going to do when I quit nursing.

Hellloooooo, poundage!

Anyway, I just had to tell you that. Not because I feel guilty (because really, I don't), just because I felt like it. There. All done.

I did, however, throw away the remaining three slices that were hanging around in the fridge. So tomorrow's lunch will be something healthier. Something that can fit in a brown bag since we're going to see Dinosaurs Alive! tomorrow at the Museum Center. [Yay! Field trip!]

And, you should know that the new light fixture went up in The Mint Room last night. B and my dad assembled and hung it from the ceiling, and - praise God - it was still hanging there this morning. I'm still a long way off from finishing the room, but at least I know it'll be done in the next 29 days since our *First Houseguests* are coming on the 29th of May.

Well, the weather is blah, Baby B is snoozling, B is at a coal conference in Lex, and I'm catching up on laundry since clothing is not optional at The Lakehouse, where we're spending the weekend.

Lastly, sometimes I do Baby B's hair up in a fauxhawk after his bath. Apparently, he slept on the left side of his head overnight and woke up with an off-center fauxhawk. Tell me this isn't the cutest little head of baby hair that you've ever seen? Love him.

304 days or 43 weeks or 10 months...

I went grocery shopping tonight. Alone. Which is a huge treat. My MIL came over to play with Baby B so that B could do manly things (i.e. chop up tree branches) while I blissfully strode down every aisle without having to occupy my now - as of today - TEN MONTH OLD son.

Let's first discuss that my sweet precious is two months away from his completing his first year, which pretty much blows my mind. He told me that he wants a soccer ball cake and a Cozy Coupe when he turns one. Betcha lotsa money he gets both. Here are some things that you should know about Baby B at 10 months old...

• He can clap and wave.



• He says bye-bye (ba ba), mama, & dada.



• He pulls up on everything, crawls everywhere, and is most recently maneuvering from the coffee table to the couch. Walking is right around the corner.



• He still loves Stinky G and Bunny Bear with all his heart.



• He eats big people food in moderation, chopped into minuscule pieces. He loves mac-n-cheese, spaghetti, chicken and stars, peaches, pairs, applesauce, and chocolate. But, ya know, who doesn't?



• When I'm nursing him, he likes to climb up my cheeks with his feet, while simultaneously love tapping me right on the face with his hand.



• He is super excited to see me when I pick him up from the Nanas, and equally as excited to watch for B come home from work at the glass front door. Lots of bouncing and carrying on occurs.



• He wears size 5 diapers and 12-18 months clothes.



• He discovered his bellybutton (it's a MAJOR outie because he has a hernia). I sing the Bellybutton Song from VeggieTales to him while he pokes at it. Funny.



• He loves Pat the Bunny and I recommend all parents get a copy of this to read to your little one. Sophie loved it when she was wee, and Baby B loves it too.



• He wants to play with any and everything that is not a toy. Remote controls, computer cords, shoe buckles, coupon papers, mulch, water bottles, etc. It is a never-ending, never-won battle as we try to outwit him and move things before he realizes he must, must, must play with it. If he gets ahold of something that must be taken away, TANTRUMS ensue.



• He argues back when we tell him no. A very loud and obvious grunt that indicates he is not pleased with our decision, and we better rethink it or the previously stated tantrum will arise. I just chalk it up to his developing sense of self :)



• He still takes two wonderful naps a day, nurses four times a day, and breaks his mommy's heart two hundred times a day. Love him.

* * * * *

In other news, I had a great time catching up with the Katies and Allison. Dinner and drinks was long overdue, and we decidedly need to get together more often. Cookouts this summer, anyone?

P.S. Stellan went home today! Continue to pray for the MckFamily!

It's a lovely day in the neigborhood...

Good morning to you!

I hope it's as bee-yoo-tiful where you live as it is here. It is gOrgEOUs. Not a cloud in the sky, and I think it supposed to be in the 80s today. Baby B is snoozling and Big B is finding more ways to piddle improve our home. Today he is adding the toe strip to the Mint Room. Every time I look into that room, I just let out a huge sigh of contentment.

I am way talking this room up, I know that. So, prepare yourself for disappointment when I finally show it off. It only matters what we think, I guess, and we think it's lovely in all its minty goodness. And, it could be awhile before the big reveal since it still lacks the toe strip, curtains, pictures, rug, and a new light fixture. Not too long, though, since our first house guests will arrive in a little over a month.

*****

I am going to dinner with some of my friends tonight and I am sO ExcItEd about it. Katie and Allison were both college roommates, sorority sisters, and bridesmaids of mine. I love, love, love them, and only wish we all lived in the same city so we could do weekly get-togethers instead of this quarter-annual stuff. Since we're all grown-ups now it's become a bit more complicated to coordinate schedules. As is life though, right?

And, GUESS WHAT? Guess who got an early Mother's Day gift that is TO DIE FOR?

Um, yes, that would be *me.*

I'm not going to show it to you right now, but here is the box that it came in....

I'll model its contents for you on Mother's Day ;)

Wordless Wednesday

I want you to know how hard it is for me to be wordless...

Bulletproof?

Nope. Not today. All about the bullets today.

• Tomorrow is Earthday. Save a tree! Recycle! Change your bulbs to CFLs! Adopt a highway! Etc!


• New furniture delivered today. It is in pieces and boxes spanning two rooms. I can't wait until it is assembled and the styrofoam is vaccumed up. It's making me NUTS.

**Update: Furniture assembled. Marriage still intact. Praise God.

• I'm not a beer drinker. Not in the least. But I really LOVE Mich Ultra lately. What's up with that? I've been a wino since forever, so this is a little shocking.


• Baby B is into fit-throwing lately. This, too, is making me NUTS. The arch-his-back style of fit-throwing. I guess he's exercising his independence???


• It's supposed to be 80 degrees this weekend. Can you say S-U-M-M-E-R?!


• It is my goal of the night to watch The Hills before I go to bed.


• Did you Pray for Stellan today?


• We moved Baby B's changing table to the basement storage tonight. I'm going to pretend that this is not signifying that babydom might be winding down.


• I made barbecue chicken pizza for dinner tonight and B actually ate it. Two whole pieces. Nothing short of amazing. He's a really come a long way from his penchant for burnt chicken (i.e. bland palette). He's had to spice it up and try new things since marrying me.


• Super tired. Off to bed.

I wish you all could see the green room right now. Or the mint room, rather. I could just stare at it. Sit in it. And look at the walls. Even with junk cluttered on the table, the room just looks at peace. So fresh and clean. I think that the color alone might inspire me to keep it neat in the future. Maybe.

You can kind of see the new color in the pic of Baby B in his madras pants, but it doesn't give you the full effect. Not until it is complete will you be able to understand how much I heart this room.

Supposedly, my husband foresees it's completure (I think I just made that word up) by this coming weekend. Supposedly being the operative word. I need to locate some super inexpensive accessories to liven it up.

I really really really have to give kudos to B as far as all this new rehabbing goes. He's got a good eye for it, and I'm really impressed with the way everything is turning out. I actually might, gulp, like our house a little more than I used to. Or a lot bit more. I don't know.

I think I want to host an open-house type party for The Big One (i.e. Baby B's first birthday). Initially, we were just going to host it here for family only. However, I'm thinking that a June birthday calls for cooking out hotdogs and hamburgers, cornhole, and possibly some adult beverages with family, neighbors, AND friends.

Plus, I need an excuse to actually hold a party that *I* get to plan, orchestrate and basically be the boss of. Kindergarten will be well over by the end of June, so I'm sure my teachery ways will be itching to emerge in some sort of artistic creation (glitter birthday signage, no?).

Happy Monday, y'all. The outdoors are a callin' me and Baby B, so I'm seeing a wagon ride in my near future :)

**Again, blogger isn't letting me put spaces between my paragraphs. ANNOYING!!!!***

I'm feeling title-less today

I want YOU!

Happy Weekend, everyone!

It's been a busy weekend at the Babbling Household. When isn't it busy? I feel like we're always doing something. Especially since the whole spring cleaning bug has bitten us. B painted all day yesterday. We bid farewell to the blue room (dining room) and exchanged it for a lovely shade of pale green. It's beautiful. I will post when the whole room is put together to spare you from seeing the mess that it is right now.

This morning, Baby B and I headed to KMart to exchange our high value coupons for some good deals. I'm not going to lie. I felt like a semi-nerd waiting outside of the store -before it even opened- with two dozen other coupon-binder sporting spend thrifts. Hey, ya know, I'm not going pass up super double coupons up to $2.00. It was slightly unfortunate that I did run into three people that I knew, and I hadn't showered, had no makeup on, and, um, I don't even think I brushed my teeth. Whatever.

So, I spent $30 on $80 worth of stuff. Which is a pretty good deal. In fact, I'll probably go back since I got the Sunday paper today and found even MORE good coupons in it. I ain't afraid of no recession.

Speaking of recession, Dave Ramsey is offering a FREE LIVE EVENT this coming Thursday, April 23rd. You can visit his site here to find a hosting location near you. If you can, GO! Take advantage of listening to this money-guru let you know that you don't have to be a part of this whole recession bit. B and I are choosing NOT to be a part of the recession. We'll continue saving, living debt-free (almost there!), and praying that others do the same.

And, to provide you with a bit of sweet precious for your Sunday, here is Madras Baby B:

Maybe I'm just weird???

A pic from Easter of Aubs, SophDogg, and Baby B

A List of Rules that I Obey on a Regular Basis

1) If the temperature outside is above 65 degrees, the heat must be turned off and the windows must be opened.

2) I never buy diapers without a coupon.

3) Shoe heels must not make me taller than my husband when worn.

4) Diet Coke should be substituted with coffee on weekend mornings.

5) Baby B has to wear his Robeez when we go anywhere in public.

6) Dishes are rarely, if ever, pre-washed before put in the dishwasher.

7) I must kiss Baby B any time the thought crosses my mind.

8) I cannot blog when Baby B is awake.

9) Our iPod is on and the TV is off during the day.

10) Gas may not be pumped into my car until the gauge reads empty. (I seriously need to break this rule or I'm going to end up stranded on the side of the road someday.)

11) Rules regarding writing utensils: must fit my grasp properly; ink should be appropriate color and thickness; tip should be correct size and shape. I'm not even kidding. This applies to signing checks, writing thank-yous, and making me weekly grocery list - in addition to many other writing activities.

12) Sundays are not days for lesson planning.

13) Fresh flowers are the best flowers. If I go with fake in my house, they at least have to look really real.

14) Always speak in truth and love to my husband. I am working on this rule. Daily.

15) Baby B never wears the same PJs two days in a row. He must wear clean jammies every night.

16) If I haven't talked to my family sometime during the day and I hear sirens going by, I have to call them. I swear. I do this all the time. Just to make sure they're okay. Maybe a little OCD.

17) Tuesday afternoons should include a viewing of The Hills or The City. Whichever one is currently in season.

18) I must visit the library at least once a week to return or pick up books for my classroom. Otherwise they never get returned, or I feel like a bad teacher for leaving the same reading material out for more than five days.

19) Comfy, cute, classic shoes should be bought in duplicate. Otherwise you wear a pair out in a year and they no longer make the style and fit you've fallen in love with.

20) If Leland is barking, I have to a) get her in the house b) yell at her to zip it or c) throw water on her. I can't STAND barking dogs. Probably one of my biggest pet peeves. That and wire hangers that get tangled together.

21) If I ever see kids having a lemonade stand, I HAVE HAVE HAVE to stop and buy a glass. And I usually overpay. Because I remember being an entreprenurial 10-year-old, selling kool-aid at the end of my parents' driveway, and watching car after car after car pass us by. Come on now, a quarter goes a long way to encourage a child. Everyone should obey this rule starting today.

Do you have any rules/idiosyncrasies that you follow religiously? If so, do share and make me feel not so weird :)

Perfectly Perfect for Reading When It's RAINING. AGAIN.

I am so over this gloomy weather. It makes me feel very lazy and unproductive because I want to do nothing but cuddle up on the couch and read a good book. Which I will do. Just as soon as Baby B gets up from his nap because *guess what?* PERFECT FIFTHS is waiting for me to pick it up at the library! Yippeee! (Well, I'll pick up the book at least. Reading it probably won't happen until he's asleep again tonight, but whatever.)

I am a lover of YA lit. I can't help it. Jessica Darling, the ficticious main character in this series of books, is just so personable and real. If you haven't read this series before and love to rehash high school and college, I suggest you start at book one, Sloppy Firsts, and start reading. You won't put it down. Then you'll want to go get the next one and then the next one and then the next one. It's like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (shout out to moms and teachers alike), only BETTER. They're addicting. I kid you not. Megan McCafferty has perfectly captured what those years were like for most of us and put it into written word. I heart her, I really do.

Anyway, I think the last time I finished a novel was before Baby B made his arrival and I spent my days on the couch, propping my swollen ankles up and praying that my water would break so I could end the misery that was The Waiting Game. I started reading a book like way before Christmas and I think I'm in the middle of it now. But it must not be good. Because when I'm reading a good book, all I do is read until I'm finished with it. And then I'm sad that I rushed it and it's over.

And, lastly, here's some pics with captions by Baby B....

What, is there something on my face?

My mom bought me these sweet turtle jammies for $1.98. Tell me that's not impressive.

And this, here, is my tongue. Pppffffftttttt!

I love mom. That will make for a great tatoo some day.

Totally and completely random.

What is about 3pm that makes me so tired? Baby B is sleeping, so maybe it's the annoying quiet. Or that I'm cold and would much rather be under a blanket right now. The dreary weather, perhaps? I don't know, but by the time 3pm rolls around I JUST WANT TO NAP. The unfortunate thing is that I'm, ahem, an adult. And I have responsibilities like paying bills and dusting and the laundry to do.

I already paid the bills.

I checked for dust and the verdict is that I do not need to dust today.

Which leaves the laundry monster in the basement. Ugh.

If I could pay someone to do anything for me, it would be the laundry. No short order cook, no maid, just someone to do the laundry. And put it away.

I used to think that the cureall for tiredness was a Diet Coke, but I'm pretty much immune now and just crave its thirst-ending taste. So, I guess laundry it is. Nothing like a big old pile of dirty clothes to get the blood going.

Speaking of dirty, Baby B's giraffe lovey - whom we refer to as "G" - is getting stinky. This, according to my mom and sister, who can barely stand to be around G due to his stinky tail. The tail is stinky because Baby B eats it like an ice cream cone before he falls asleep. I can't smell it. But, they insist, that it is a horrid, stinky smell and that G needs to be washed ASAP.

Stinky G and Baby B - what a pair.

And then there's me and the laundry monster. Who I imagine might look something like Marjory, the trash heap, from Fraggle Rock.

In other news, the camera needs to be charged so I cannot download more cute pics of Sweet Precious from this past weekend. The pics from yesterday's post were stolen from my mom's Shutterfly account. I think I took 100 pictures of him sitting in that grass. He was far more interested in the Easter egg hunt going on in the neighbor's yard than posing for the Abbaratzi, though.

I hear Baby B jumping upstairs in his pack-n-play indicating that he is AWAKE and that I'm going to have to put the laundry on hold.

Aw, man.

PS. Blogger is not letting me put spaces between my thoughts, er, paragraphs. What's up with that? Sorry for the even more confusing babble!

He is risen...

Happy Easter!

Love, The Babbling Family

PS. I don't think MckMama could have said it any better...

Partially hydrogenated what?!

So, Baby B is getting older. This is nothing new. It seems to happen to every baby, and I can do nothing to stop him from crawling or walking or talking or riding a bike. He is going to accomplish all of this someday, breaking his momma's heart as he makes each new milestone.

Let me just tell you I had *tears* in my eyes today when I picked up his monogrammed Easter outfit. It was just so moving (for some reason) to see his initials on that blue-and-white-checkered jumper. I can't really explain it, but it was like symbolic or something.

Anyway, getting to the point, Baby B is eating people food now. Not just mushy, gushy baby food, but the Good Stuff - like bananas, and cheese, and yogurt, etc. I bought these El Cheapo cheese slices from the grocery store - we're talking cheaper than even the generic brand. They're like name brand-less completely, and really orange. No, I mean really orange. Like sickeningly, florescent orange. So, before letting Baby B try some, I thought I would try a slice today melted on some crackers.

Oh, you all. I think they are toxic. You should smell the melted cheese - it's totally chemical. I tried one bite and decided that was enough. I pitched the whole package. But not before examining the ingredients to confirm that what I was smelling was, in fact, chemicals.

I was right. Here are some of the ingredients: sodium aluminum phosphate, sorbic acid (a preservative!) and annatto and b-apo-8'-carotenal (FOR COLOR!). I am sick. Seriously sick at my stomach and inwardly chastising myself for even thinking that I would feed this to my child. I mean, aluminum is used to make CANS you all.

Well, ya know, I guess you get what you pay for. Touche.

So, here's my thing. I'm not much of a label reader. I'm more of a this-tastes-good-I'll-eat-it kind of person. I know, this isn't the healthiest or most nutritious way to select food, but I don't understand all the nutrition info anyway.

HOWEVER - and this is a big, mammoth, obese HOWEVER when it comes to Baby B, I feel very differently. Like, oh no you won't have anything that contains partially hydrogenated ANYTHING in it and don't for a second think that you will snack on anything that contains preservatives. Preservatives just makes me think of formaldehyde and we all know what they use that for, right?

Teaching kindergarten and generally being in education and around kids constantly, I truly wonder about the link between all the crazy additives and preservatives found in the junk that children nosh daily and the problematic behaviors I see in the classroom.

Hellllooooo, ADHD.

So, what's a mom to do? Do I start buying all fresh and organic? Do I start reading labels? What?

Tell me, Internet. WHAT DO I DO????

Now, I have no research to back this up and don't want to start Babbling Abby drama, but what are your thoughts? Do you closely monitor what your kids put into their mouths? Are you food conscious? Should I be more so?

And here is Baby B squishing, er, eating a delicious and fresh banana. How I love to clean him up after he eats one of these. Squish, squoosh, squishity squash!

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you…

Today, because it Criminal Minds isn't interesting tonight and because I hog the blog, I decided to interview my husband – whom I always refer to (in real life and blog life) as B. He's a pretty integral part of the Babbling Family – well, there really would be no Babbling Family with him, sooooo…..

Me: What is your favorite thing about being a dad to Baby B?

B: Ummmm. My one favorite thing? That's it? It is that…wait, repeat that question…ummm…knowing that I can watch someone that I love so much grow up and that I will be a part of his life.

Me: What is your favorite thing about being husband to the Queen of Babble?

B: I think it's the thing that we always say about each other – we balance each other out and you understand me.

Me: What is the hardest part (currently) of being a parent?

B: I think the hardest thing about being a parent is dealing with Baby B when he cries. It's a little overwhelming sometimes.

Me: What is the hardest part of being a husband?

B: Not being selfish.

Me: What is your favorite thing to do?

B: Reading about and doing home improvement projects. AND when I'm shaving or brushing my teeth in the morning and you bring Baby B down and he smiles like he hasn't seen me in a week. I love that.

Me: How do you keep things interesting after being with me for 10+ years?

B: This is how:

http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/G7tyFAOQirTgmwbF

Me: If you could do any job in the world, what would it be?

B: Something to do with working with animals – owning a kennel or farm, or both, and have tons of different kinds of animals. And you would help.

Me: What is your favorite place to visit?

B: A toss up between the zoo and Leland, MI.

Adventures in Targeting

I decided to Target yesterday with Baby B in tow - this is a laborious effort that involves much planning after consulting his master schedule to ensure that I'm not interrupting any naps or feedings. Once I get out of the house (feeling more like a pack mule than a mom, as I tote the child, his lovies, the diaper bag, and my purse), we arrive at Target and I then must balance all of said equipment, plus my shopping cart cover. I swore I would never get one of those, but the first time Baby B started teething on the handle I was all Ew! Germs! Gross! Get me a shopping cart cover NOW. Well, let's be honest, I owned TWO at one point (shower gifts that were not on my registry) and I took them both back in exchange for giftcards. Oops.

 

Alas, we're in the store and Baby B is happily strapped in the cart, babbling on about how there's popcorn and soft pretzels located right by the entrance and he can hardly resist the smell and I should totally go get one, or five, and a Diet Coke. Well, those were my thoughts when we walked in anyway.

 

So we saunter through the women's department and I am instantly in love with this top. And it's on sale for $12.99, so how could I resist? I am now wandering through racks of clothes picturing me and B on a date - me wearing this stunning top, paired with black capris, sipping vino in the summer air.

 

Baby B and I make it back to the dressing room where I must sift through the heap of clothes that have somehow appeared in my cart so that we obey their 6-item rule. We're assigned the wheelchair-accessible changing room (all moms know this is key when you need to fit your cart or stroller into the room with you), and I swiftly maneuver the cart so Baby B can make silly faces in the mirror while I try on clothes hopefully uninterrupted.

 

I wriggle the top on, loving the feel of the material, give my hair a little toss, and whip around to check myself out.

 

And then there they are. My boobs. Making the ruffly part hang off of my chest awkwardly.

 

My first thought is: My boobs have a moustache. Made out of ruffles.

 

My second is: darn boobs.

 

And then I am a deflated balloon, the air whizzing quickly out of my summer outfit vision.

 

And to make matters worse. I became one of those moms. One of those moms who steals a mini carton of Goldfish crackers from the end cap in the children's clothing department and secretly feeds her son them in order to preoccupy him so she can enjoy the rest of her shopping trip sans whining. Yup, I totally did that. Unapologetically too. And, yes, I did pay for them, but not until they were almost gone and Baby B could no longer conceal the evidence since there was orange mushy stuff all over his face. Whatever. I'll do what it takes. And you know Target strategically puts them in that location so that moms like me will spend 99 cents for a little peace and quiet.

 

I did score some end-of-the-season clearance items, so it wasn't a total bust. Or was it - a total bust? Ha ha. Get it?????? I am so clever ;)

I love-a IKEA!

It's back to the daily grind. But, I only have 8.5 weeks left. Yahoo! There were many teachers at school moaning and groaning over that. Oh! That seems so loooong, they whined.

Are you kidding me? We're on the downslope, friends! Let's be glass-is-half-full kinda girls. My enthusiasm wasn't contagious apparently. Oh well.

O O O O O

We were busy little bees this weekend. We painted and put furniture together and decorated and rearranged and cleaned. I felt rather accomplished, actually. So, with that said, I proudly present to you my, er, our office...

And, yes, the DESK - which appears to be in pristine condition, if not for the lacking of a screw or two - is my lovely curbside treasure plucked from my parents' neighbor's garbage in BROAD DAYLIGHT. I love, love, love it! So does my laptop, which now has a permanent home. The framed chalkboard is from my BFF, Allison, and it will hang above the desk just as soon as I can bear to put holes in our newly painted walls.

Here's the sofa-sleeper that didn't cost us our marriage due to assembly...

Whatchuthink?

We totally need to put some pics on the walls, and add some more shelving, but I'm pleased.

And here is my solution to all the displaced toys - note the green, stripy bins. They're now full of Baby B's ever-growing collection of all things Fisher Price and Playskool. Ooh, and aren't the orchids lovely? Who knew IKEA sold potted plants? Love it. Actually, B chose the orchids.

There's another one on my desk.

So, now you can come and visit!

Sunny day love

Do you ever stop with the camera, seriously?!

Hello, my dear Bloggettes. It's Thursday night here in the Babbling Household, and guess what? I'm on the mend. Enough so that we're *painting* the future guest room/office. And I can't hardly stand it it looks so stunning. Who knew that coating our walls in Behr's Silver Setting would magically cure me of my spring cold-induced coma. Sigh. I would've preferred feeling better on, say, Monday rather than Thursday at 11pm, though. Whatever. I can almost smell summer (through the fresh paint smell) and my health and mood are coming around. What more can I ask for?

Hopefully, this room will be complete by Sunday so that I can post some lovely pictures that I'm sure you're dying to see. I think you might be impressed. Especially since one of our new pieces of furniture is a garbage-salvaged curbside treasure that I want to brag and brag and brag about. How I love a good, thrifty, FREE find. Those are the best. Even if it means picking through someone's discarded items in, oh, broad daylight. Ain't no shame in my game, sisters, ain't no shame.

Baby B is feeling better also. We took him outside to play in the grass today, and he was a little skeptical, hence the many strange faces he made as I snapped his picture.

Aren't those baby overalls just to DIE FOR? In my opinion, nothing screams little boy more than a trusty old pair of overalls. Baby B owns three pairs for summer, and I just can't wait til they're covered in mud and dirt, with slugs and frogs wriggling in the pockets. Bring on the little boy.

Time out. I always catch myself doing this. I can wait. I can. I take it back. I will miss the baby in Baby B when he's more interested in jumping from the couch, swashbuckling imaginary pirates than sitting in my lap listening to The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

We better stop talking about this or might start to cry. I did have a glass of wine while we were painting tonight, so I'm already feeling a little vulnerable. (P.S. It was REALLY cheap wine from CVS that didn't even earn me any ECBs. Seriously, it was $3.33. If my Gramma K or Aunt Ann are reading this, then they are sorely dissapointed in my selection...) And, yes, I said one glass of wine. I'm a lightweight.

And, lastly, B wanted me to tell you our, er, his April Fools Joke for the neighbors. We forked them. If you're unfamiliar with forking, this is wear you take lots of forks and stick them into the ground in someone's front yard. He even woke up early to watch them discover the forks before they went to work. He's such a nerd. We make such a good pair. Love him.

Another tissue, please.

I. Can't. Breathe.

Mynoseissostuffedupitfeelslikethis.

If I wasn't wiping my own nose today, then I was wiping Baby B's. Which is a lot more difficult since you would think I was coming after him with a scary witch face rather than a nice, warm washcloth. Lots of crying and grimacing and hand swatting goes on during this process. Maybe I should rename this week Snot Break instead of Spring Break. You think?

Anyway, it is beautiful outside today. And Baby B is still napping. He always naps longest when I have plans that depend on him waking up. I shouldn't complain. If sleeping is the cure for this nasty cold, then I'm all about sleeping.

Baby B's doctor's appointment yesterday confirmed what we already knew: he's perfect. Twenty-two pounds and eleven ounces worth of perfect. Twenty-nine-and-a-half inches worth of perfect. Prince Charming even performed for the doctor, crawling and clapping his way into her heart. He did have to get a toe-prick and one shot, but it wasn't so bad.

I can't believe it's already Wednesday. That means that nine weeks from today Summer Vacation will begin. Wahoo! On the other hand, I only have five days left until I have to go back to school. Bleh.

I really do love my job. I just love staying at home and playing with Baby B more. I love that we get to snuggle more in the morning instead of rushing to get in the car. I love that I get to feed him breakfast and put him down for his nap. I love that my house has been clean since last Thursday and that the laundry is caught up and that I have made homemade dinners every night this week.

I also love that I can stay up until 1am catching up on the last season of The Hills and not have to educate the youth of America the next morning. It's the life, I tell ya. It really is.

Oh yeah, guess what I bought Baby B yesterday? Baby Legs. And they are precious. And his chubby little legs are precious when he wears them. They make diaper changing so much easier since Baby B has recently taken to protesting any and everything associated with this task. Life would be good if I could change him while he stood up and bounced, but that's not going to happen.

I bought them at this cute kids boutique in town and they were only $13. Which might be expensive if you consider that they're really only knee socks without feet. But, they're so cute and perfect for him since he can crawl for real now - up on his knees - rather than army scoot. I think I might order some more online.

He has that disgusted look on his face because he probably ate a piece of carpet or a bug or something - not because he thinks Baby Legs are strangely similar to the legwarmers that were popular in the 80s. Swear.