Shocked and Saddened...

I have had few things in life shock me like getting the IM at work that Michael Jackson was dead.

I don't know about you, but I expected some kind of punchline. Really.

I immediately went to my online news outlet of choice and was in much pain to realize there was no punchline coming, just the punch. I sat there, shocked for a few minutes. I couldn't wrap my head around it...

When I did come around, I couldn't help but imagine this was much like my Mom must have felt hearing that Elvis had died. Maybe it is how we all feel when someone that has excited our youth is suddenly dead...

I've spent the better part of this evening taking a walk down memory lane, with the help of You*Tube. I was saddened most by the songs that were the hottest in my middle school years.

I can still see the gym/theater/auditorium where we used to have recess on bad-weather days. They woud move out all the chairs and we would play games and jump rope. In my last year they started letting us have "free time" during recess, which really meant the teachers took a break from us. :)

WE, however, launched into full Michael Jackson tribute zone. There was Beat It on the boombox, red jackets on the guys, and one lone glove on every cool kid. There were impromptu moonwalking contests on the stage, breakdancing on the gym floor, and lypsyncing to a hairbrush in every corner of the room. Those who pulled out all the stops won the day - whether they be boy or girl.

I think that was the beauty of his style... We ALL wanted to be him - it didn't matter if you looked or sounded like him. He was the idol of the age.

For me he will always be in a red, heavily-zippered jacket and tight black pants with white socks and black shoes. Heh. Not too many people could pull of that look, but he did it so well. Beat it, Michael, it doesn't matter who's wrong or right...

A lot of people have spent a lot of time ridiculing him for his questionable choices in life... I think it's time we let him RIP.

MJ... thank you for some good times and the gift of your music.

...Is This Thing On? ... Testing! ... Testing!

Well, that was a long bathroom break, huh?

I bet you all thought I was gone! I wasn't sure myself, but here I am...

Really, I have just been living and let-living. I've been reading all the same blogs, and finding new ones, but I just haven't felt like blogging. Sure, I think of things to say now and then. From time to time I've even saved a draft post. I've just not "felt it" lately. Then there is the whole privacy thing I've been mulling over. You see, I want to share juicy Jim pics, but I also want more anonimity. As it is, a crafty person could surely track us down. I just hate that...

So, I guess I'm done mulling it over, and I'm planning on trying to do more blogging, but I probably won't post too many pics. We'll see...

Let's see... What's new...

I'm taking BCPs so we can start a FET this coming month. We only have one embrio in storage, so we are taking a BIG chance with doing a cycle. Our odds are really, really crappy. According to the stats we have something like a 5-10% chance of baby. Not so exciting, huh? Yeah, I'm not thrilled either. Then again, we made the deal when we started this that we would use ALL the embrios we created and we DO want at least 2 kids. So, here we go!

We were supposed to start the suppression cycle in June, but my body didn't cooperate with the whole ovulation thing. So BCPs then I start Lu*pron on the 4th of July. I laugh when I think - way to be independent, body. Can't do it by yourself, huh? Well, here's a shot for ya!! Heh, would be funny if it weren't my tummy the shot was going into! If the suppression check goes well the 2nd week in July we'll be on our way! After that we have the "thick lining" check, and if all is well we'll need a small miracle for this embrio to thaw and survive for a transfer. I know.... one thing at a time...

In lighter news...

Jim is 15 Months old now! That's a fun and exciting kind of new, becauase he's fast becoming a little boy instead of a baby. He's so cute and fun, and it is wonderful to see him growing. Then again I miss the 6 mo old baby, too... I'm so glad he's getting more interactive, but it's both sweet and sad.

Let's get you guys up to date on his stats:

- He's been walking since ummmm... seems like forever! He started just after Christmas, so it's been a while.

- He's just over 26 lbs and 31 inches at last check - people keep thinking he's two, which isn't handy as you might think. Instead they don't understand why he's not acting like a "big boy". Duh!

- He talks - A LOT! Then again so do Bo and I. Eh, what can you do?

- Oh, and before you read the vocab list below and think I'm gloating because he can talk alot - just let me say, my boy is NOT athletic in any way. What I would give some days for him to have an athletic bone in his body. The boy can't climb to save his life. Especially when that is CLIMBING DOWN! I mean the boy can be a foot off the floor and he's unsure of how to get down. He also trips over rugs - any rug - even the flatest most non-threatening rug ever made - he will fall down trying to cross its threshold, I kid you not. We love him, but we aren't signing him up for sports anytime soon...

- He now says:

• Ball
• Bite - Bite or Bitey
• Box
• Mommy, Daddy, Kitty (the main family)
• Car
• Duck - "Clack Clack"
• Peeese (please)
• Sssho (shoe)
• Ba Ba
• More
• Thank you - really, he does this on his own!
• Night Night
• Nana and PatPat - my parent's nicknames
• Ganba - sounds kinda like "grandpa"
• Mana Mana - this folks, means Banana, but cracks me up everytime as I launch into the MUPPETS! Ha!
• PuuPeeee! - he always says this like he is terribly excited at the idea... oh, and all stuffed animals are puppies btw.
• Go
• Bye Bye, Mwah! Usually these words are a set, but occasionally they get used alone. :)
• Dat - means "that"
• Da - which of means "yes" and is sometimes said as a question when he wants to do something he isn't supposed to and knows very well he should not even bother to ASK! Da?
• Tent - he LOVES the tent we got for him from Ikea... LOVES it I tell you.
• Down
• No no - usually he only says it as if he's reminding himself NOT to do something he's about to do when he KNOWS he shouldn't.

I'm sure there are more, but really, you get the point... He's talking up a STORM. It really is cool as all get-out that he can communicate so well. Of course, the down side is that he gets really frustrated when he can't get his point across. Boy, can he throw a tantrum! I'll put my 15 mo old against your 2 1/2 yr old any day - bring it on!

- He has 8 teeth now!! No wait - he has two molars breaking through too! So, I guess that's 10! Wow... that sounds like soooo many.

- He's off of bottles since March, when he turned 1 we started moving him to sippy's and found that the soft silicone ones did the trick. Once he started on those he quickly transitioned off of bottles one feeding at a time. I know, we're lucky... I've read the stories!

- He mostly feeds himself - and he eats most things. *knock on wood!! He has started to "graze" a bit. Usually this involves announcing he is "done" then coming over to Mommy and seeing what is on HER plate. If he's interested he'll beg to get up in my lap and help himself. It's cute, for now. :)

Really, that's probably enough stats and updates for tonight. I'll maybe find some way to get more posts in more often. Don't know... I hope you guys haven't all taken me off your blog rolls!

Here's a little bit of cuteness for those that made it this far! Here's what happens when you say the same word over, and over, and over and you GET what you are asking for everytime! Now let that be a lesson to you... young man. Yeah, I did have to chase balls all over Target once he busted out!

And Now... the REST of the Story

Well folks, I'm sure you heard the sad news that Paul Harvey died. I, for one, will never forget his wonderful voice - I could listen to him for hours. I really do use the "and now...the rest of the story" tag line in my speach. I think it is funny, and I typically get a big smile when I say it - partly because I very clearly hear Paul Harvey in my head.

 

So long Paul... too bad I never got to know you beyond that of an announcer and his audience. You leave the world an archive of you special sound - may you never be forgotten.

 

http://www.abcrn.com/harvey/

 

And Now... the REST of the [Bandaid] Story...

 

...I got my just rewards the first night with the new stitches. At about 3 AM the boy woke up screaming in pain because he'd been laying on his boo boo, so I snuggled him in bed with me, where he proceeded to unhappily flail about, which ended with him smacking himself in the eye really hard.

 

Yeah, he smacked THAT eye!
 
He howeled like I've never heard, so I looked quickly and thought he'd opened his wound back up. I yelled for hubby to help me stop the bleeding while I fumbled for the miniature bedside light.
 
When I got the light fully on, and convinced Jim to stop flailing like a landed fish, I found that I didn't need help afterall - it was the damned bandaid!  I, who so heartily laughed at others who were fooled by his 'bacon', had thought he was bleeding heavily.

 

Stupid bandaid.

 

Of course, I did have a good laugh at myself. Poetic justice - it stings sweetly.
 
Get your own family-fun inducing bacon bandages here:
http://www.amazon.com/Bacon-Adhesive-Bandages-Free-Inside/dp/B000SSV8AA

 

Test Entry!

Testing the use of email to ceate blog entries.

A Major Milestone or TWO

Jim, my boy, you have reached an important milestone... your first bar brawl. We're proud of you son - always go down swingin'!

Then again, if you didn't go down against a table edge, you wouldn't have had to reach your a second major milstone so soon...
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Notice the beautiful work of a nurse at the children's hospital?















They gave my little man some numbing meds on the cut. That sounded like a plan until Jim rubbed his eyes... allowing him to mash the bandage holding the meds, causing the numbing meds run INTO HIS EYES. This, of course, caused him to howl and scream. I pressed the call button - told them what was happening - and NO ONE CAME! Can you say "Bad move?" Yeah, thought so. All I could imagine was him going blind - it was an awful few moments.

Very quickly I went to the nurses station, stood in the middle of the room where I very loudly and forcefully said "I need somone to help my boy NOW!" Amazing how a little bit of loud puts things into motion sometimes. Frankly, I wasn't sure it would work, but damned if I wasn't going to try!

A wonderful "not your nurse" person jumped up to and helped us out. He fixed the meds and the best part? He gave us BUBBLES!!!!!

Let me just tell any of you Moms that don't already know. Bubbles work like no other to calm a child that is frantic - ask your ER to stock bubbles and ask for them when you are there!!!! The children's hospital buys those tiny bottles, like they sell as wedding favors. Perfect amount of bubbles. :) Ahhh Bubbles...

In addition to the numbing meds, they gave Jim Lortab - to take the edge off. So, while we waited for them to stitch him up he was a bit cranky, I can't imagine why, so I kept blowing bubbles and saying, in a stoner voice, "Oh, man! Look at the Colors" and giggling. I just couldn't help myself.

Even with the numbing meds and the Lortab, I can't say Jim was a real trooper. Well that is if I don't want to lie.

He was a scared little boy. They covered him up and did a gypsy swaddle on him so that both arms were restrained - then they covered him in a sterile dressing until only his right eye was showing.

His eyes were wild, and he was screaming the whole time, but he made it. We held him down, tried to reassure him, and did our best to be brave for him. It is not something I EVER want to go through again. Then again, if he needs to have it done again, so be it. I'll be there if possible.

Afterwards there were tears and snuffels and snuggles, then a bottle of milk from Daddy put everything back to rights again.

All in all things went well. They didn't have to do any heavy sedation, and Jim didn't really mind wearing the bandaid - so he didn't try to pull it off and eat it. We all got a good night's sleep.

THEN...

The poor baby had to go to the Dr's office today to get his tetnus booster (required because of the stitches). This little man just can't catch a break, huh?

I would say though that Jim gave some fear BACK to the establishment today, because he caused a BIG stir with his awsome bandaid.

This is one of those "bacon" bandaids. I think I've seen plenty of bloggers talk about them in the past not to have to explain.

I wonder, if you had seen this, would you have gotten the joke? Or would you have freaked the fuck out like the nurses at the Dr's office?

They all thought that either he had a HUGE gash, or that we were nasty enough to leave a totally blodied bandaid on his eye until the blood turned dark. Ewww! No way! And yes, I do realize that sometimes you have to leave a bandage in place to prevent blood loss - but not THAT long!! Geesh!

The explaination is even funnier though, because when you say "It's just bacon." it really doesn't translate for people, and you immdiately get the follow-up, "You put bacon on his cut?!?!". Um, no.

This whole scene transpired again at the Daycare - teachers, parents, other kids - they all thought something terrible had happend. Go Jim! Make a name for yourself. Just make sure they don't start calling you "Bacon Head" - wouldn't look good on a resume.

Mommy Loves You, Brawler! Mwah!

How is it, being 8 months old?

Well, Jim seems to like being 8 months old just fine... Then again, he would probably say something more like:

At least, that is until When Mommy...

... leaves the room to run a quick errand in the kitchen.

... won't help me pull up to standing so I can knock all the books in the floor.

... won't give me a bottle 30 mins after my last one.

... insists that I sit instead of stand.

... won't hold me upright while I flail about on the couch cushions for the umpteenth time today.

... wants me to play by myself for just 5 minutes.

... wants to do much of anything besides smile and play with me.

Other than these things, I'm thinking he is having a BALL! :) Little man is somewhere around 24 lbs now! He was just shy of this mark at his last appointment a couple of weeks ago. Wow.

Jim is able to stand for long stretches of time without his legs giving out. He isn't really into taking steps of any kind, but we are working on the concept.

When he has desires that are out of his reach he sorta leans - Tower of Piza style - until he can reach it. Unfortunately without Mommy's supporting hands this method isn't likely to result in more than a bite of carpet. So, we are trying to help him learn to move one foot for bracing support during leaning. Yeah, it isn't sinking in yet, but methinks more carpet biting may help.

Little man has decided to start throwing baby tantrums. When he doesn't get what he wants he lies face down on the floor and sobs while banging his little head into the floor or back of his hands. I'm not really sure why he continues to do this as it has netted him nothing but bites of carpet. Maybe I should be more specific though, to be fair - he only throws tantrums when he is forced to spend time on his tummy/back. He really, really HATES to do tummy-time.

Frankly, I'm wondering if/when he'll figure out that he has WAY more mobility when he's doing tummy-time. Man can that boy roll! He doesn't crawl yet, but he is starting to scoot using his arms and legs. So cute.

I feel the need to perform a public service for all those new Moms out there. Pu.blic Serv.ice Message - If your baby can roll they CAN get into trouble, quickly. Let me illustrate with a story:

I laid Jim on his belly on the right side of the den and quickly went to the kitchen to get a paper towel to clean up kitty food that had been violently rejected by Humphries Kitty. By the time I returned to Jim, who can normally barely scoot, he had traveled the entire 20 feet of the room and had smeared kitty hork up the sleeves of both arms, on his face, and it appears into his mouth. Luckily my boy isn't the very best at getting food into his mouth on his own. Thank God for small favors. Yuck.

OK, how about some cuteness?

Cool Weather and a Cooler Blanket!!

Well, well what do know? Our freezing-ass den is still just as ass-freezing now that we have a baby! In the 4 years since we've lived here it has always been a surprise to me just how COLD that room can get. I'm usually such a fast learner. Weird.

So, I went to the local cloth store looking for fleece to make my little man a new blanket to use as a playmat. I really didn't want to go with baby colors, since he is totally not a baby anymore - he's 8 mos old people! I mean, come on!

So, I looked at the primary colors, but didn't want to be all red and blue just because he's a boy. I didn't want to be green and brown, too drab. I didn't want to be all one color either... What is a Mother who wants to raise a cool child to do?

Me? I thought WWJD... You know, what would Julie do, over at A Little Pregnant (like I actually had to tell you who I meant!)...

I hope you find that my muse has served me well.


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Guitars!!!!



Love you Jim!

Be cool,
but not cold!