Wierd Wednesday

Today I woke up and I knew it was going to be different. Mom was already in the shower when Dad came to get me out of my bed. He brought me in to say hi and then we went downstairs to eat breakfast. So there we were all eating breakfast together. Wierd. I barely had any time to play upstairs and when Mom came to change-it was awfully early to be getting dressed-I noticed that my outfit wasn't as wrinkly as usual. She must have ironed it-even more strange.

We all left the house together and they took a picture of me in front of our gate. Again, odd for so early in the morning. Dad got in one car. Mom and me in the other and Mom was trying to be all perky and happy although I knew it was an act. She kept talking about something called "school" as if I knew what she was talking about. But that all changed when we walked into that place. I've been there before. Before I could say "jackrabbit" (not that I really talk but) they were out the door while I played with the water table that the new lady showed me. I had a pretty good time. I played some basketball out on the playground and got to color with these pens they had when I was at READ class. They made Mom neurotic because they were messy but she wasn't around to stop me this time so I went to town and showed her for leaving me like that. Every so often I would wonder if she was coming back and got sad. They tried to make me eat fruit and crackers. I wasn't having any of it. Mom obviously forgot to send a snack. Then before I knew it I was being whisked outside with my new bookbag, and a picture of me. Not really sure what that morning was all about but I sure was happy when I saw my mom. I was so relieved she had come back for me that I got a little bit weepy. But I think I was probably happier to see the goldfish she brought for me than anything else. All I can say is, "Done that". I know Mom won't do it again because I heard her talking on the phone, saying how she sobbed all the way home and felt like throwing up. That's good for her. Teach her a lesson.

I am so tired. I really wanted to take a nap but who's to say that she wasn't just going to up and leave again. No way, Jose. No sleeping around here. I'll just stay awake as long as I can. Watch me.

Growing pains

I can breathe easier now. We haven't had internet or cable service since last Thursday and we finally were able to get the cable people to fix it today. I wasn't really aware how dependent I was on those services until they went out. It's been a frustrating few days. I'm lucky that the Little Buddy doesn't live and die for Sesame Street or any other show for that matter although he does enjoy a bit of Elmo's World every now and again.

A lot has been going on in our world in between now and then and the first day of W's school starts tomorrow. I have a low grade anxiousness that is living beneath my skin. I know it won't go away until after I pick him up tomorrow. I passed another kid in his class on our way into orientation. He was really old looking and was on the floor throwing a tantrum because he didn't want to leave. I am worried. My baby is not only my baby but he will be the baby of the class. I can't stand the thought of older or younger kids, for that matter, pushing him around. I can't stand the thought of him falling off the playground equipment or of him dying of thirst because they only offer juice at snack time, which he doesn't drink. I can't stand the thought of someone else comforting him if and when he cries or of me not being around when something tickles him so much that he belly laughs until he can't breathe.

I can't stand the thought of him growing up...my baby...because that's what he's doing.

Catastrophe avoided

I am still sweating. I haven't really been home much today and when we finally got back from the store and went in the den to hang out, play and catch glimpses of Sesame Street I came upon the this small devastation.

Cable was out. I couldn't get Sesame Street or the Food Channel or Oprah, which means I would't be able to get Big Brother. I started to sweat. I called Cox and tried to refresh and then waited to talk to a person. She wasn't any help. Said that I had to have a technician come out and they didn't have an opening until Monday!I scheduled the appointment and then unplugged the box which made it worse. I had channel 7 before and now I had nothing. I called J again in a panic. Like he has nothing better to do than to worry about the tv. The lady told me she understood my pain because "everyone wants to watch the game" The game!? What game? I told her I was worried about my reality tv. I refreshed again and called Cox again and got a guy. A young guy who seemed to be a bit more empathetic and lo and behold while I was explaining my dependence on nighttime television (I don't watch it much during the day) it came back on. Hallelujah!!!!!

Will he still be my Little Buddy?

I've only been away from W a few times since he was born. Mimo and Papa kept him overnight when he was little and when Aunt Liz and Uncle Bob got married in Chicago we took off for a long weekend and Partied All Night Long for 3 nights. That's it really. For some reason the thought of leaving him now that he's older makes me even sadder. I was thinking about my c-section the other day and found myself in tears. I wasn't crying because of the love for the new baby or the scary anticipation of the spinal tap or anything like that. What made me start crying was thinking about seeing the LB for the first time when J brings him to visit me in the hospital. I miss him so much just thinking about it. What if he's so pissed at me that he won't look at me? What if he doesn't recognize me because I'm swollen from all the drugs that will be pumped into me or because I won't have a big belly anymore? He's my Little Buddy and I'll always think of him that way but will he still want to be my Little Buddy? That is the real question.

We all woke up this morning at the same time, 6:15. It was unusual. J has been waking up with W since I've been pregnant and tired allowing me to sleep in another heavenly 45 minutes or so and it makes all the difference. Now that I'm nearing the finish line I'm not sleeping so well anyway so I figured I may as well get up and go. I've been feeling guilty about not excercising so I told the LB we could go for a stroll. With his typical, "ado ado ado" when he gets excited about something he quickly let me put on his shoes and took off for the stroller. I can't remember the last time we went for a real walk. It was a guilty reminder of how much he loved going for walks. He talked and pointed and laughted and took in the sights. Yelled above the drill of the streetcar line workers and urged me in his own way to detour at the playground.

We didn't take the detour. I had to go home. It wasn't the heat really, it was the back cramps. and turns out I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions and never knew it. But atleast I know now why my stomach feels rock hard and heavy every so often accompanied by excruciating back pain. My doctor wouldn't tell me what I wanted to hear. To stop excercising. He did tell me that I was fine with my weight gain so I headed off to Haydel's to get the Petit Fours I told you about. OMG! If you want to experience a good ole fashioned bakery smell, the kind like when Mackenzies was around or if you're pregnant and want to experience your ultimate dream, go to Haydel's. I bought 10 Petit Fours and 5 Turtles (real ones, the sandy cookies with pecans and a blob of chocolate on top). and I'm definitely going back for more.

The Hills August 20, 2007

O.M.G.! Heidi! Your fiance is a total loser who highlights his hair, buys your engagement ring from an accessory shop, and has your apartment painted with a "beautiful" mural of graffiti. (The centipede video game, on the other hand is awesome! What I wouldn't kill for a Miss Pacman at my house.) Good for Heidi for painting over it and giving him a "surprise". Spencer was pissed and mark my words, one day he is going to SNAP. He seems awfully unstable to me. It's ashame too, because I do like Heidi. She's got balls.

As for LC. Last week I was worried that she was just an insecure girl who doesn't like it when her friends have boyfriends when she's single but after meeting Justin-Bobby for drinks, I get it. He's a total loser too. Too cool for school. Take a bath, dude.

I think instead of worrying about her friends' boyfriends, LC just needs to get new friends who aren't attracted to freaks. She needs to stick with Whitney. Audrina is way too alternative for her, anyway.

Game Night

Jennifer and Frank had us over for Game Night complete with deliciously cheesy food like pigs in a blanket, potato chips, pizza, hashbrown casserole and "dice" petit fours (I can't remember the last time I had a petit four but these were the most scrumptiously moist that I have ever had. They came from Haydel's). The Game was Trivial Pursuit 1980's Edition. When I learned it was Trivial Pursuit, before I knew it was the 1980's edition I definitely knew J would be my partner. No ifs ands or buts. Not only is he smart but he knows a lot of "stuff". Then...I was told it was 1980's edition. Uh Oh. J is a bit older than me. I started to get a little panicky. I like to win. Then....Liz told me that Bob was her partner and I wasn't as worried. I'll tell you why. Not only because Bob is a bit older than Liz but when we went to pick our pieces for the board, I jumped at the Trapper Keeper. How long has it been since you thought about a Trapper Keeper? Brought back memories. and then Bob says, "What's a Trapper Keeper?"

Well, I was proud of my man. We were first to go and ran away with it. We were on the verge of winning. and then we had to leave because the babysitter's time was expiring. Liz and Bob took advantage of that unsettling time in the game and pulled ahead. They probably cheated. I mean, Charlotte was talking Jennifer through answers and they weren't even on the same team. But all that matters is that we know we would have won, fair and square.

But Game Night was a blast and we're hosting after the baby's born and I can fully whoop it up. We're thinking Beer Pong or Quarters.

Library Etiquette

W and I went to the library this afternoon to get a book for me. I have just finished reading the best book I've read in awhile, My Sister's Keeper and wanted to get a book by the same author. W was beside himself when I pulled out the stroller. It's been forever since we've gone for a stroll. I try not to go outside much as this 100 degree heat induces swelling in my hands and I can't get my rings off. Anyway, so we strolled on over and headed up the stairs. I found my book quickly and we started back down the stairs. I stopped on the landing to check out the free magazines when W put his head between the banister railings and started screaming at everyone on the first floor. I guess he had something to say. I'm not sure what the 2 year old etiquette is for the library. AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! I always try to get him to whisper but then I feel bad because he looks at me like he's done something wrong and I know all he's trying to do is to get a point across.

It's still dirty in there. I don't think they ever clean, the floor, the carpet the stacks. But is anything ever cleaned in this city?

It's Raining!

I'm not sure this rain is going to bring us any relief but we desperately needed it for yard and grass purposes. The Little buddy didn't know what to do because he hadn't seen any rain in so long. He was torn between watching Sesame Street and watching the rain but the rain won out.

Happy Birthday to my sweet W

My sweet baby is almost two. He's still our Little Buddy but he's not so little anymore. I look at his legs and think how long. I look at his hands and think how big and when he looks at me with those big ole eyes and smiles or leans in for a kiss on his forehead I feel an unbelievable kind of love and I think how overwhelming. I still check on him twice every night (I am OCD) and STILL my breath is taken away both times. Before we know it he'll be going off to college. When he comes home for holidays will I still feel that shortness of breath and that intense need to keep him safe? I have no doubt in my mind that I will.

Happy Birthday my sweet Little Buddy. I love you.
Mom

Hurricanes

I hate to pray about the weather because there are much bigger things that need God's full atttention than that. But is it okay to pray for a summer and fall without the awful stress associated with evacuating and uprooting our lives and damaging or destroying our homes? I think so and I'll just throw in a quick, please allow me to have this baby in New Orleans with my own doctor and let me love and care for this baby in my own house atleast for the first few months of its life.

We went to Galatoire's yesterday afternoon for my mom's birthday. I won't tell you how uncomfortable I was. I know it's getting old for everyone including me. But I will tell you that it was there that I decided that Galatoire's will be the site of the first big whoopin' it up time for me once I have this baby. I can't remember how you really Whoop it up while nursing. Maybe you don't but a girl can dream, can't she.

We walked in and it was cold. Freezing cold. It felt so good and while everyone else was wrapped in sweaters I basked in the icy coldness of it all. A few hours of relief where I didn't have to keep getting up to adjust the thermostat.

R and J had secured the table and were drinking wine. Ohhhhhh-I know this is getting old too but-to drink a bottle of cold white wine. I slurped a big ole gulp from RaRa's glass and savored it. and then I sat and watched as they drank bottle after bottle of the most delicious wine. He's a sommelier and a wine importer so we really indulge when he's ordering and all I could do was watch in slo mo as each bottle was emptied.

They ordered all the usual-the Grand Goutee with oyster en brochette, shrimp remoulade, another shrimp something, crabmeat maison. Fried eggplant, souffle potatoes (which have disappointed the past few times). I ate some fried eggplant and a taste of crabmeat. ordered a green salad with hearts of palm and a baked potatoe. I knew I couldn't eat much more. I feel like I'm going to pop all the time. Did you know that G's doesn't serve baked potatoes? Nope. So I ended up with crabmeat Clemenceau instead mainly for the potatoes. For those of you who don't know Clemenceau is a saute of peas, potatoes, mushrooms with lemon and butter, traditionally Chicken Clemenceau but I always do the Seafood Clemenceau when at Galatoire's. It was good. I had a few bites but Uncle RaRa ate most of it.

Everyone else went to The Bourbon House for a Frozen bourbon milk punch afterwards and I went home with J (who had already had his fair share of drinks).

So now I know, my first big night out will be at Galatoire's. Really it's going to start in the late afternoon with liesurely cocktails and I can't wait!

The Hills Season Premier

Don't forget. Tonight. 9pm. MTV

Time to take a breath

Whew. W's birthday party is over. It really stressed me out and although I'm sad my little baby is older I'm glad that the celebration day has come and gone. It was a casual party but no matter what, whenever I have that many people over to my house I get overwhelmed and anxious. The LB had a fabulous time and he LOVES all of his presents. He was definitely over the old ones. and I have to brag about my party favors-the alligator cookies-because a lot of love went into them and I am proud. I also just discovered the lamination machine at Kinko's. J told me I was a total geek since I've been laminating everything in sight including the tags for the party favors. I swear a little lamination makes everything look that much more professional. I need to tweakthe cookie recipe. It was from Martha Stewart but the icing seemed to overpower the cookie. Once I get that down I think I may just become the new Cookie Lady around town. The old one is booked until October. Ridiculous.

Our babysitter told me yesterday that she didn't know that W had finally started talking. I told her I didn't know that either. She said that he said "Thank you" to her twice, very clearly and that he repeats everything she says. News to me. I am so relieved. I was ready to go into his next check up and get hysterical over his lack of talking. But she was right. He told me thank you this morning. They were the sweetest words I've heard in awhile.

M-I-S-E-R-Y

I saw my doctor today and I told him about my back pain.
"I know", he said. "Well, I don't actually know, but I know. You're in your third trimester." He told me that I would forget it all like I did last time.

I will never forget. I haven't forgotten the misery of last time either. I've had several first timers tell me as they were going through their third trimester that people have told them to just be happy that the baby is still inside them because once it's out that's when the misery starts, the sleepless nights etc. I disagree. I truly don't think that you can ever feel more miserable than you do in your last trimester. Once W was here I may have been tired, and emotional and having night sweats. I may have had to evacuate and learned to nurse all on my own. I may have been fat and yes, still tired. But my love for W kept me going. I can't explain it but I stand by my opinion. Nothing says misery like sciatica, back pain, baby kicking your bladder in 95 degree heat while carrying your toddler.

Excuse me, I'm in labor.

I went to the grocery store yesterday in the late afternoon. I hadn't planned on it but had to go at the last minute. My back had been bothering me a little bit as I had been on my feet making cookies in the morning and then I took the LB for a stroll. Lately, the minute I start doing any cardio excercise I get a cramp in my stomach and it only got worse on the way home. So we got home and I took off for store. and then it was excruciating, the pain. My mind started racing. I've heard of stories of back labor and I started to panic. I can't have this baby in Sav A Center! Yuk! Then I remembered seeing a lady I knew, just an acquaintance, on the way in and was wondering if she would think I were crazy if I asked her for help. I left my cell phone in the jog stroller and I didn't know what else to do. I leaned on the cart and kept going. All in the name of Meringue Powder which I never found. I should have known. Everyone on the internet said you could find it in the bakery section of any market. Hello! Of course, not in New Orleans. That's always the way. Anyway, I made it home and collapsed in a kitchen chair and started crying with J standing over me as if I had lost my mind. and I still have 2 more months of this.

Night out at Clancy's with L and B

Just got back from Clancy's. I had a craving after a friend said how delicious her meal was last week. Mine was just as good. I mean, I couldn't eat half of what I wanted. For some reason I've been more of a stickler about what I'm eating this time around. Where last time I would eat brie, no hesitation, this time I won't etc. So I couldn't have my oysters with brie. I couldn't have the veal with crabmeat and bearnaise because of the raw egg or the Filet with Stilton or the fried green tomatoes with Hollandaise so I ended up getting what I didn't 100% want. It was perfect.

I opted for the Clancy's crabmeat salad. It was bigger than I remember and the crabmeat was the biggest lump I have ever seen. The tomatoes were perfectly red and firm. The dressing (I don't remember what it was) was light and tangy). The stuffed egg as always was to die for with the right amount of bacon and pepper. The hearts of palm slices were huge. I couldn't have asked for a better salad. I had to leave some of it because I was so full.

For my entree I had the Veal Annunciation. I was underexcited about it since I don't really like panneed veal but for some reason the Fettucine Alfredo that came with it caught my attention. When was the last time you've eaten that? I think from Stouffers when my parents would go out and needed something easy for us. The veal was crispy, not chewy at all. Seasoned just right and the fettucine!!!! This isn't your dad's or Stouffers for that matter Alfredo. It too was light, erring more on the cheesy side than creamy side with garlic and diced red peppers. My mouth is watering all over again thinking about it AND I'm still full. Now, that's saying something.

Of course Clancy's was Clancy's sans the smoke. A beautiful thing. It's the first time I've been back since the no smoking ban has been in effect and it was really nice. Every single time I went to Clancy's, I would arrive and ask to sit downstairs. And every single time the host would say, "Fine, if you want to sit in the smoking section" as a way to discourage you from sitting in the highest demanded spot. The new speil (sp?) is "Fine, if you want to sit in the noisy section". Bring it on!

Bachelor and Tessa still together!

I have been getting a lot of search inquiries about the Bachelor and Tessa, even after all of these months. I had forgotten about them. But, what with all the interest I decided to do a little research of my own and here's what I found according to Give me my remote.com

In this fabulous photo, they had just completed a triathalon. She seems embarrassed to be with him. Wouldn't you?

Polly, Put the * * * * * * * Kettle On

I have 2 questions.
1. How many times do we to have to tell Polly to put the kettle on?
2. What kind of nursery rhyme is this?

The worst part is, is that this seems to be a semi-favorite of W's. Hopefully, just because there are more pictures on this page of his book than others. I can write a better rhyme than this. Seriously.

and I want to cry each and every time I have to read it. I try to jazz it up a bit but there are only so many ways you can change the expression in your voice as your reading. You try it.

Polly, put the kettle on
Polly, put the kettle on
Polly, put the kettle on
We'll all have tea.

There's always tomorrow

W has such a great time at the end of the day, now. He used to eagerly go to bed. He'd giggle and wave night night and off he and J would go up the stairs for their bedtime ritual. But now he cries in frustration as if he can't believe we would take him away right when he is having such a fabulous time. and it's bitter sweet for me too. Last night when he and J were running around the house chasing after each other I had a rush of memories from when I was little. It was pure joy when my dad came home and we'd laugh and play hide and go seek or sing songs from the Family Songbook or just run around the house like J and W were doing. I remember it like it was yesterday. and now all of a sudden I feel bad for W that the fun has to end.

What's the deal?

W is crying right now because he didn't want to take a nap. My mom said he may be dropping his nap but once he is asleep he sleeps for awhile. I know he's tired, I just can't figure out why he gets so upset when he never had a problem before.