Isn't there a big difference between "wont" and "won't"?

Innernets, it's official. Sasquatch Watch 2007 is over.

On Saturday, as the wind was rustling through the hair on my head, I realized the hair on my legs was waving like wheat. The gig was up and it was time to break out a new razor and get to mowing as I hadn't shaved since before Anjali was born. 20 minutes and a variety of Porn Worthy contortions later, I felt like a new woman. Actually, it's possible a new woman was discovered underneath that pelt. TMI?

So..... I'm flirting with a garden-variety case of Baby Blues, which I've discussed over at the BoobLog. But really, overall, things are good. Baby Blues aren't bad, they just require careful maintenance so they don't get out of hand.

So.................like all newborns, Anjali has just completed the Classic Newborn Bait n' Switch. The first week or so home, newborns will lazily eat and sleep the days away. Then, they will start peering their sweet little eyeballs around as you gaze in awe. That's when you are a goner because THEN the newborn will start squawking for entertainment. But it's too late for you, the unwitting fool, because by then you are attached to the little monster and will do anything to appease its hungry demands for Attention. Fortunately, this time around we have our secret weapon - his name is Arun and he is totally smitten with "da bee-bee" and will gladly chuck toys and food in her direction to keep the monster at bay. She is equally fascinated by him, so I am fervently hoping this partnership lasts awhile.

In other news, I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy over the weekend. Holy crap, Batman. If you are dealing with the Baby Blues, do NOT read this book. Bah. It was depressing as hell and NOT enjoyable to read. I also didn't appreciate the author's omission of the all-too-important apostrophe in the words "can't" and "won't". WTF? Did the nuclear bomb blow those away, too?? Yes, there IS a big difference between "won't" and "wont". The only kind thing I can say about this book is that it was a really quick read and will make for a good book club discussion. I personally thought the book was over-rated, but it goes to show you the power that is Oprah. Whatever. Anyway, I've started Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horowitz which is downright refreshing after the BoreFest that was The Road. (Credit goes to Monkey for lending me the Confederates read.)

Speaking of book clubs, the Harry Potter discussion is still going on over at the Why Wait? post. I've updated the date on it, to move it further up the list so it doesn't get lost.

Why wait??

I am going to go out on a limb and open the thread for discussing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Will anyone be terribly angry if I switch it up on you and go early with the book club? Several of you have emailed to discuss and I realized - why wait? Why type the SAME email over and over? Also, I went out to a site yesterday that was discussing Harry Potter and there were hundreds of comments - I felt silly putting my thoughts out there amongst an ocean of other comments with folks I didn't even know. I realized I would rather discuss this amongst my friends.

Therefore, let the spoiling begin - for THIS POST ONLY. Please, please do NOT put Harry Potter comments in any other post.

I will update the date on this post periodically to keep it near the top and to keep it fresh, okay? I will continue to do this until August 5th so the folks who are still finishing the book won't feel left out. I am also planning to re-read the last 90 pages or so and will be coming in with more thoughts on that.

Also, is anyone else a little sad now that it is over? Is anyone else suffering a bit of withdrawal after all the hype and excitement? I need to pick up another book to read, but can't decide which to read so I am sticking to magazines and some non-fiction for now. NO fiction looks worthy right now. Sniff.

Can you cry underwater?

I bet my kids could since they both seem to be honing their crying skills to a fine art. Why not move the whole damned show to water? It worked for Cirque du Soleil.

So......Yeah, our kids are totally tag teaming us right now. One goes down quietly only to find the other one stirring, ready to wreak his/her own special brand of havoc. I think this is what they really meant by that whole "circle of life" concept.

I am still having a Harry Hangover, but at least am able to read magazines, so there is hope. By August 4th, I have to read The Road by Cormac McCarthy (you know, that really old guy who reproduces like Larry King*), so I need to stiffen my literary resolve. I am SO not excited about reading The Road, but 2 of my 3 book clubs are reading it, so at least I will get more bang for my reading buck.

I keep thinking about Harry and the Gang and all that happened to them. When I wake up at 3:30am to nurse Anjali, I am thinking about them. A book that has that kind of Linger Factor regardless of what you think about the flow or the ending? Is a classic. By the way, I am loving the Cerebral Venus book club discussion going on in the Why Wait? post below - be sure to post your Harry thoughts there (not here!). I will be there later tonight to add my 2 cents!

In other news, I am back to my pre-pregancy weight (below it actually). Unfortunately, one's body tends to get all "shifty" on you after having a baby, so that means parts aren't where they used to be. Ahem. Anyway, I am squeezed all snuggly-like into my pre-pregnancy pants again. However, don't hate me just yet - I have to look the 20 lbs I gained after quitting cigs straight in the eye and finally face the fact that I need to lose it. sigh.

*Read Jennifer Weiner's take on the guy.



He likes her, he really likes her!

Until he has to share his toys, that is.

Anjukutty

Kilroy Was Here

Is it really over?

I'm still a little stunned that the Harry Potter series is over. That's all I will say about it, for fear of saying something that will make someone think I've spoiled them - if you've also finished it, feel free to email me, but please don't say anything in the comments that might be considered spoilers. I had a difficult time enough of it as it was this morning at Anju's doctor's appointment. My doctor kept discussing the book at the parts she was up to, and it was all I could do to keep an impassive face so that I didn't give anything away.

So, on Friday morning, Mojavi went to Borders bright n' early at 8am to stand in line for our wristband/ticket thingies. Thanks to her, we got in the first color group - orange. That evening I dressed up in my Professor McGonagall costume, but X made me take off the hat as I went to the car so the neighbors wouldn't see me. I arrived at Borders at 10:30, carefully packed Anju in the Baby Bjorn, entered the madhouse at Borders and promptly ran into one of our neighbors.
We ended up being in the first 25 or so folks to get our books, so I was at my car by 12:15am. The rest of the weekend, I chained Arun to the coffee table and threw him scraps of raw meat while keeping the TV on full blast so I couldn't hear his screams of boredom. I kept Anjali glued to one boob and read with one hand - all 2 lb, 15 oz of it which killed my wrists and I lived in fear of dropping it on Anjali's soft, soft head. Yeah, I have a mild case of carpal tunnel and CPS should probably be called for a serious case of neglect, but hey - I finished the book and that's what was really important, no?

In other news...............speaking of Anjali's doctor's appointment - she weighs 8 lbs, 9 oz! The goal was to gain back to her birth weight by 2 weeks - she did that and more, so I was glad. I wasn't surprised, she's a good nurser. We have a good routine now - she nurses throughout the day and then I top her tank off at 11pm before I go to bed. She gets up around 3:30am for a feeding and then doesn't get up again until about 7:00am. I have NO COMPLAINTS. I can live with that kind of schedule.

Okay - both kids have clean diapers and are fast asleep. I'd best use this time to get some things done.

What are you telling me?

Cerebral Venus Book Club
Folks are asking about the book club and how we will proceed discussing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on August 6th. This is how it will play out - I will put a post out there saying "hey, let's discuss" - the post will sit there for a few days as the only post and I won't post anything else for awhile. I am not doing any questions this time around since even questions can contain spoilers. The post will contain absolutely NO information about the book whatsoever. However, the comments for that post will be laden with spoilers and I will include appropriate warnings in that post. I ask that spoilers only be in the comments in THAT particular post regarding the book club - please don't comment on the book in any other post except the book club post. Sound kosher?? Anyone have any concerns?? Also, if you know of any other sites discussing the book - feel free to mention them here!

Me, Me, ME
Today was my first morning flying solo - X had an early morning meeting and was gone by 7am. It was as bad as expected since the kids woke up within 5 minutes of each other. Fortunately, the solution was simple. I cradled Anju in my right arm while she nursed and then carried Arun in my left. Things could be worse, right? So, it was a bit stressful, but I am ready to get back into our usual routine. X is up to his ears in work and I think it would be best for everyone involved if he can start leaving in the morning to work for awhile before coming back for lunch.

I am very tired of being holed up in the house like its the Alamo. We've gone on a few outings, but Anju and I usually stay in the car. I am trying to use this time at home to get things done so that once I am 100%, we can start running around again. God, I miss the park. I didn't realize how dependent I was on it. Not just for Arun, but for ME - I miss being outside. Anyway, yesterday in a flurry, I got caught up on my paperwork - I paid bills, submitted the paperwork to add Anjali to our insurance, addressed birth announcements, and wrote thank you cards. It was a relief to get that out of the way and now I can sit and just enjoy the kids.

Speaking of thank you cards - is it just me or are they becoming a lost art? Not to point fingers, but it seems to run rampant in the aged 25 and under crowd. You send a gift and never hear a WORD. Like, Hello?? Did you get my card carefully packed with a check? I hope so, because SOMEONE cashed it. I hope it was you. Hello? Anyone out there? One thing I will teach my kids is that you always, always send a thank you card. As a kid, I spent a good chunk of January sweating over writing thank you cards for Christmas gifts. I don't remember if my parents started me out on that, but by the time I was about 9, I was on my own and I felt a self-imposed heat to get them out. Why? Because it was the POLITE thing to do - my relatives took the time to pack me a gift and schlep it to the post office - the least I could do was ACKNOWLEDGE it, right? Good grief. I was only NINE years old and already knew that. What's wrong with people these days?

I think I may turn off the Internet this weekend. If the Harry Potter book gets spoiled for me, I may have to kill someone. And it might be difficult to breastfeed my kid from prison, eh?

How's your coochie?

Dorothy and I have been emailing and she asked me about my girly business - literally she types "How's your coochie?". What a friend! Jealous? Don't you wish she would ask YOU about YOUR coochie??? Back off, bitches. She only cares about MY coochie. NOT YOURS.

I've had a few folks ask how I am finding time to email and blog. The truth? It's like I only have one kid right now. I am taking care of Anjali, X is taking care of Arun. All I have to do is entertain Arun, which is fun. Last night, I laid on the floor to give my coochie a much needed break and I played cars with Arun, counted/stacked blocks with him, then read a tons of books with him. It's a hard knock life for me and my coochie. Truthfully, Kid #2 is WAY less of a culture shock than Kid #1. We are already in a cycle of naps, feedings, diaper changes, crying jags - we've just added another contestant. Rinse, repeat......

Unfortunately, just because I have the time to blog, I don't have much to write about. The nights are going well - she is only getting up once or twice. Since she is nursing like a champ during the day and has a good number of diapers, I am SO not waking her up in the night. With Arun, I was so paranoid because of the jaundice that I would set my alarm, but I am not doing that this time around.

In between breastfeeding sessions and diaper changes, I play with Arun, read a little, surf a little. I am being a very, very good girl this time around and am taking care of me and my coochie. I do have plans to leave the house on Thursday - the babysitter is coming by and I am going to take Anju to a coffee shop with me to knit and read for awhile. Friday night is the Harry Potter "thing" at Borders. I'm sure it will be no big deal and that it will merely be a teeny gathering of Hardcore Harry Fans. Right? I need to dig out my Halloween costume for it. If you happen to be in a Kansas City area Borders this Friday night and see a Professor McGonagall character whip out her boobs to feed her kid, that would be me. Swing on over and by and say hello! To me and my boobs!

Earlier today, I was discussing who I thought would die, X said "Well, it doesn't matter, right? The series is ending, right?" And then, I divorced him.

We nearly had an Unfortunate Incident concerning pictures. I took some absolutely BEAUTIFUL pics of Anju sleeping. As I was looking at them, deciding which one to post, I realized something. My nipple was prominently displayed in full glory in every. single. shot. I mean, I hate to use the word "crop" and "nipple" in the same sentence but Christ on Toast, I have standards! If I'm not actually getting paid to bare my nipples, you ain't seeing 'em for FREE. So, yeah. I'll need to "work" on those snaps before posting.

Life is a Gas

Milk Drunk

1 Week Chair Snap

Anjali's 1 Week Chair Snap. I take a picture of my kids every week for the first 12 Weeks, then every month thereafter for the first year. I HIGHLY recommend doing this in a consistent spot because it is really, really cool to see how much they grow in comparison to the chair. Towards the end, most of Arun's Chair Snaps were basically of him crawling OFF of it.

If nobody buys a ticket to a movie do they still show it?

I am so incredibly jealous of all the folks who have seen the Harry Potter movie. Sure, I am hoping to see it in the next few weeks. But still.

The past few days have been rough. I am chronicling the early days of motherhood over at the BoobLog, and in accordance with the Official Rancid Raves Ick Free Policy I will probably spare you the gory details here. All the early motherhood entries over there can be found under the category of "Dear Diary". It's not that I won't still mommyblog over here, but seriously - do you really want to hear how I have cantaloupes in the fridge that were smaller than my breasts on Friday? Or that I have so much milk coming in that I could easily feed twins (or triplets)? Yeah - didn't think so.

I've often referred to this blog as my Happy Place and freely admit that my life here is most assuredly being viewed in soft focus. Sometimes, that's not a bad thing and it could be argued that it's just as healthy to simply pull the good out of your life and move on. Pollyanna I am not, but I'll admit she wasn't nearly as stupid or naive of a girl as she appeared to be. So, if you want to read the Ugly, go on over the BoobLog. Excuse me for a moment while I scoot my butt on over to my Happy Place...........

When Arun was first born, I felt as if I was floating on Cloud 9 for the first few weeks - the first night he was born, I had trouble sleeping because I was so excited and high on adrenaline. It's the same all over again and overall, I am definitely floating pretty fucking high right now. Mix in a healthy does of post-natal hormones and let's say "highs and lows" don't even BEGIN to describe it. Arun is pretty whiny when he gets bored, but for the most part is just being adorable. ADORABLE. And the way he says "bee-bee" - he says it in a high-pitched squeaky voice that melts me every time. He's still in awe of Anjali and attempts to "share" with her. Unfortunately, this means she's already gotten bonked with a baby doll, a book, a dinosaur puppet and a toy eel. But hey, it's still better than an actual FIST, right? Oh, and he tried to feed her a piece of his precious "bap-pull" (apple), so um. Yeah. We are keeping a close eye on him. Talk about killing with kindness. Get the girl a helmet, eh?

And Anjali? SO SWEET. Aren't all newborns, though? I am trying really hard to lay low and not do too much - with Arun I did too much in the beginning and hurt myself. It took a good 4-5 weeks before I completely healed and I am not really hip with going through THAT again. So, I am laying around like a slug these days which allows me ample opportunity to just hold Anju on my chest and let her head get all sweaty. Bliss. Update: I wrote this draft Saturday morning. Then in the evening I got this GREAT idea that we would all go to the park where I would sit on a bench and hold Anjali while enjoying fresh air and the sight of my precious boy playing with his father. You know - one of those memories you write lovingly in Sorority Girl script for the baby book. Yeah. That lasted all of 5 minutes before I hobbled back to the car in defeat. I had no business putting my Girly Bidness on a hard, wooden bench. I am such a fucking idiot.

While it's awesome that Arun is cuh-RAZY about Anjali and has no jealousy, the biggest problem we are facing is boredom and teething. X is on top of things with getting him out and about, but X is spreading thin quickly because he's still working full force on the Big Idea at the same time. A few months back, I did scour garage sales and clearance racks for some new toys to lob at Arun in desperation - I spent a total of like 25 bucks and it's been worth every penny. I had also read that for older kids, it's nice to give them a little gift and say "it's from the baby". So, I did find a very cool wooden train set for $15 and said it was from Anju. Of course, he doesn't get it, but it has been nice that he has something new to occupy him. It has been hard to not react strongly when he almost hits her with something, but I am trying hard to keep my screeching in check. I can see a situation quickly escalating where he could easily ascertain that it would be a spectacular way to push my buttons or get my attention. I'd rather not go there, if possible.

The worst right now is that Arun has his last 2 teeth cutting through. So - his mama disappears for a few days, THEN brings home a new kid while daddy is taking care of him 24/7 and to boot, he's running low grade fevers intermittently. If you can swing it, I definitely recommend NOT having a new baby while your toddler is teething. What's worrisome, is that he has been in a total Daddy Phase for several months, but now it has a reached a fever pitch. For example, Arun doesn't care if I hold Anjali, but he gets very distraught when X holds her. We are a little concerned with what's going to happen when X starts going back to work and GOD, goes on a business trip.

Finally - a reminder. The Cerebral Venus Online Book Club is discussing the new Harry Potter book on August 6th.

Okay, enough rambling. I'm not sure whether this post was supposed to have any grand meaning, but I'll just move to good stuff.



Simian snaps. New n' improved with TWICE the amount of Cute!

Contemplative

Uh Oh.

Sweetness Incarnate

Pushy

Kiss, Kiss

Adoration

Committed. The Baby Straight Jacket

Anjukutty

Isn't she lovely?

BANG! BANG!

A post in bullets.

• There is no photography or video of the "blessed event". Jesus didn't record his miracles and I don't record mine.
  
• No detailed birth story is forthcoming. I don't like reading them myself - I usually skip to the end because that's where the good stuff begins anyway. The short story is this: on Monday, around 3pm, we were watching our HBO lineup when I started getting irregular contractions. By the time we were watching the Flight of the Conchords, they were strong and regular. Um, it is NOT fun to sit and giggle through painful contractions so I couldn't even finish the episode (have you SEEN Flight of the Conchords. Why not? "these lyrics are bottomless!" and hilarious!!!) Anyway, we ended up going to the hospital by 6pm and obviously, there was no induction needed. Yes, the labor was "fast", but it turned out that it HAD to be. At one point, her heart tones were of a concern and another OB was consulted to come in for a c-section. I pushed for dear life because I knew the other OB was on her way and I did NOT want a c-section. I even pushed between contractions which is about 3 times harder than during. Fortunately, I was able to get her out in time. The end. Sure, there was more and it was very scary, but really all that matters is that everyone is okay. It's best not to dwell on what could have happened, right?
• It wasn't all doom and gloom. After the birth, my doctor and I compared knitting. I had brought mine since I had packed for an induction, not a full-on labor outta the gate. My doc is a very experienced knitter so I ran my new blanket design by her with what I had completed so far and she agreed that it would work. Before things had gotten "serious", she had brought in her knitting earlier when I wasn't progressing fast enough in the superstition that I would "get going" and she wouldn't have time to knit. Superstitions aren't always bad because it worked.
  
• Visitors - I had to laugh because literally, ALL my visitors (save for Mojavi who came the next day) came at the VERY SAME TIME. And then, I had no visitors. Which yep, was boring, but I used that time to nap and recuperate. And enjoy hot oil massages from hot male nurses between spa treatments, of course.
• Arun is doing really well! He is fascinated with the "bee-bee" and loved that she has toes, too - he "counted" them just as he does his own. One time when he came to the hospital, she wasn't in the room yet and he was very concerned with where the "bee-bee" was. However, the first night home last night was hard because his last two teeth are coming in - we had a Greek chorus of crying kids last night and we are all pretty tired this morning.
• Anjali is doing really well - we are on Jaundice Watch 2007, which REALLY sucks ass, but hopefully she will kick it earlier than Arun. She is a gold-medal champion when it comes to nursing, so I do think she will do better with it. Everything is pretty typical right now - I am sore as hell from pushing like a madwoman and tired from night feedings. However, Anju is so, so snuggly and settles right now down when held. All of this is SO temporary - the pain, the no sleeping and the snuggling. I'd rather concentrate on the fun stuff.
• Damn. It is hard letting go of my Type A Tendencies. The house is a complete mess and I kid you not - courtesy of his dad, Arun is wearing a 12 month sized STRIPED shirt with pair of PLAID shorts . That aren't even the same color. I did clean the kitchen as part of my "minimum" and am trying to not look at everything else.
• In other news - is anyone else irritated by Merriam-Webster's announcement they are going to start including "ginormous" in their dictionaries? I understand "sudoku" and "speed dating", but "ginormous"? How about "ridonkulous" while they are at it? I can't wait to break that out the next time I play Scrabble. Also, is anyone else pissed off that Chertoff is declaring we are at a higher risk for terrorist attacks based on his "gut feeling" and no sound facts? My "gut feeling" is that Chertoff's motives stink of political motivation.
  
• Finally, thank you - thank you for all the awesome comments!
  

Very concerned that the "bee-bee" is crying

Bug-Eyed #1

Bug-Eyed #2

Little vampire.

Sleeping. Because, the SUN is still up.

Were you waiting for some news?

Well, here it is: Anjali has arrived!

She was born Monday, July 9, 2007 at 10:27 p.m.
weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce
20 inches long

Here's the story from Cagey herself, "I started having contractions at 4pm ish. We were at the hospital by 6 and no induction was needed after all. Sure, she looks like any other squashed up newborn, but I'll kick anyone's butt who actually SAYS that. :-) I think she's gorgeous, that's my story and I am sticking to it! Hee hee."

Congratulations, Cagey, X and Arun!

(This is Average Jane, by the way. Even Cagey isn't gung-ho enough to blog from her hospital bed the morning after giving birth, although she did text-message the quote above.)

Hi, may I take your order?

UPDATE!
Apparently, my induction was scheduled for 7 PM which is significantly, completely and utterly different than AM.

Specifically, one is in the MORNING and the other is in the EVENING.

Now that I am done freaking out and we have figured out who is going to take care of Arun tonight and tomorrow because in other news, our plans for him fell through, I am doing okay.

Actually, I'm lying. My shit is totally freaked out.
__________________________________________________

Recycled from the BoobLog because I am a lazy bitch. Who happens to be giving birth sometime in the near future. Or something like that. Bah.

I am getting induced bright n' early tomorrow morning. Arun has already been informed that his contract for the position of Head Honcho is up for renegotiation and that his new terms aren't looking so hot.

In the meantime, let me entertain you with a thrilling tale of exactly how stupid I can be.

Friday, 7/6/07 - Anjali's Due Date
With no baby imminently showing the whites of her eyes that night, I thought that I would splurge and get a vanilla malt. I love malts and HATE milkshakes - but I rarely get malts because they are what? A squillion calories or something? Anyway..... So, I go to Sheriden's then drive merrily on my way home. I pull into the garage, reach for the malt and it's not there. I realized with a slight horror what I had done. I had basically chucked a $20 bill at the kid in the drive-thru window at Sheriden's - then, I drove off. DUDE. I didn't even get my change, much less my malt. So, yeah. I sheepishly drove back to Sheriden's to retrieve my money and malt. Sadly, they were fresh out of Dignity and Pride.

I may not have birthed a baby on my due date Friday, but apparently I birthed my brain.

However. There's even more.

X was the IN THE CAR WITH ME THE ENTIRE TIME.

Innernets, I ask of you - - - What's HIS excuse??

Talk amongst yourself.

No?

No pelvic space.

No dignity.

Droppity, drop, drop...............

Yeah, things are steadily tracking downhill fast around here. At least I can see the finish line. And now that I've made onsite AND offsite backups of my computer files, photos and video, I am really, truly and absolutely ready for this kid to arrive.

I met MLE and Hulk for breakfast yesterday - it was great! I love meeting people-like persons from the Innernets. Average Jane invited herself along and since she brought an awesome baby present, she was more than welcome. Because, hello! Gifts?

The Gift that Keeps on Giving, Courtesy of Average Jane

So........ Arun learned how to say "No" last week - he does it in a sweet, questioning way as he cocks his head to the side. He's been saying "Yes" forever now, but "No" only just recently made its appearance. I am not surprised, I actually try very, very hard to NOT say the word "No" around him too much, lest it wear out its welcome. Instead, I try very, very hard to tell him what I would RATHER he do.....

Arun, honey - play with your truck on the floor.
Subtext: NO!!!. Don't play with your truck on the fucking coffee table.

Arun, sweetie - be gentle with the kitty.
Subtext: NO!!! Don't hit the fucking kitty.

Arun, babycakes - come back here and watch the TV from the coffee table.
Subtext: NO!!! Get your lips off of the fucking TV.

Arun, dammit - NO! Get your hand out of the fucking toilet.
Subtext: Wait a second..... Oh fuck.

So, when do you think you'll have that baby?

That is the $64,000 question and my answer is "I have no earthly idea." None. Nada. Zip.

My doctor's appointment today didn't reveal much, either. I have gained 19.5 lbs and am still sporting no stretchmarks. Although, oddly enough, the few I got on my hips from gaining weight after quitting the cigs are showing up a little more. Weird. I still swear it is the flaxseed oil because I can't figure out for the life of me why I would get stretch marks on my hips from a weight gain, but not ANY on my big ole baby belly that has been stretched to the very max not once, but TWICE now.

So, we did schedule for me to be induced on Monday, July9th. If Anjali doesn't show the whites of her eyes by then, I will be waddling my fat ass to the hospital bright n' early Monday morning to get the process started. I am not excited about being induced and do hope that she comes on her own naturally. However, in the end, all I care about is that I have a healthy baby.

In meantime, I am knitting a storm, backing up computer files and editing video footage that has been lingering for 6 months. I wish I could have a baby twice a year - think of how much I could get done with all this nesting shit going on!

So, MLE of Pantolones del Fuego fame is zipping through Kansas City with Hulk on her way to meet Eek! - we are going to meet for breakfast tomorrow and I am very excited. I've always claimed to not be too vain -I love a good shampoo and an expensive handbag, but all my Real Life friends can attest that I don't garner much fashionable results with either since I can't give up my penchant for cheap shoes, drugstore makeup and my hatred for a hairdryer. However, I think this meeting PROVES the lack of vanity on my part. Seriously - I am just about 8 lbs shy of my heaviest weight EVER, yet am still willing to meet someone for the first time?

Finally, I am so jealous that MLE is roadtripping, that I dedicated today's BoobLog post to it - I am taking a break from the "All Boobies, All the Time" format and am just posting about me this week. Today, I posted about my undying love for roadtrips. Fascinating, I KNOW.

When are you due?

This is my FAVORITE question right now. No, seriously. Last week, I loved saying "Next week!" and this week, I relish saying "Friday!" The look on people's faces is priceless when they say "Really?" It sorta makes up for all those times in February when folks said "Really? THAT LONG?"

I also like the "How are you feeling?" question. I'm actually feeling pretty good - very tired, very uncomfortable, which is par for the course in this game. Ironically, I feel better now than I did during my entire 2nd trimester. So, I can't complain about being uncomfortable because that still beats a chest infection.

The weekend has been great - I've been on a tear getting things done around the house. Car is officially detailed - all surfaces have been freshly cleaned with Armor All or Windex - NewKid better appreciate it, dammit. I did it FOR HER. Now, she can see clearly through the windows. I figured she'd need all the help she could get with those little cross-eyed peepers she'll probably be sportin'. I've also seen just about everyone I could see before this kid makes her debut. I missed a few folks who were in from out of town, but it was really due to their schedule and there was nothing I could do about it. This is why I was so stressed 2 weeks ago - trying to fit in out-of-town visitors and such. I'm almost done with projects at home - I finally figured out a good archival system for the digital photos, so I will get to work on that today and I am actually excited about that.

Oddly enough, I have been really, really into knitting lately. It's sort of like an alcoholic stocking up their mini-bar and buying a new set of martini glasses. What's the point? I'm staring down a shotgun barrel of No Knitting for the next month, so it's amusing that NOW, I am totally getting into it. Whatever.

Posting will be light this week because of the holidays. If anything happens in the NewKid arena, I will most definitely post. However, in the meantime, No Posts = No NewKid. Personally, I LOVE Independence Day - it holds no familial obligations, no gifts, no decorations. As a special bonus, no extravagant meals must be cooked or consumed. Just a lazy day. The best kind, in my book.

Arun has been so much fun lately. He's talking a storm and like all toddlers, makes up his own damned context for words and if you don't get it, then you are the fool. I think one reason why he and I are getting along so well lately is that I've realized that I understand some of his persnickety behaviour. If something drops on the floor, of course, it has to be picked up before he can continue eating. Hello! Common sense. If a cabinet door isn't shut all the way, of course, it has to be shut before he can continue on his way. Hello! Common sense. If a lid has to be screwed on properly, or a piece of trash picked up immediately or a spill wiped just so...... well..... Hello! Common sense. I dig it.

However, I'm not sure what this says about me

What a Lug with his Smug Mug

X Has a Monkey on His Back