Hey, Crazy Lady-with-the-cell-phone-pressed-to-your-ear, You Are Not Allowed To Touch My Baby Under Any Circumstances

Weston and I were in Wal-Mart today. He was strapped into the carseat, riding in the front of the shopping cart--I was, of course, pushing the cart. At one point, I stopped to look at something, as one is prone to do when shopping, and I took a little step away from the shopping cart. Weston began to fuss just a little, really just "talk," and a passer-by stopped to talk back to him, which happens all the time when we're shopping. I turned away from what I was looking at only to see that this woman (obviously torn between talking to Weston and talking on her cell phone) was reaching into the carseat, grabbing a toy and trying to stick it in his mouth, which he was not excited about. Then she commented either to me or herself, or more likely, the person on the phone, "Well, I don't know why he's crying...!" That's when I completely forgot about whatever I had been looking at, moved into the pushing position and took off without looking back. I'm flattered anytime someone looks at Weston or chats with him, but I am not the least bit interested in strange people reaching into my baby's carseat or trying to put things (even his own things) into my baby's mouth. Ick!

Big Baby

Weston had his 4-month check-up today, and as suspected, he's getting big! He weighs 15 lbs. 3 oz. (putting him in the 55th percentile) and he's 25 1/2 in. long (75th percentile). The word the nurse practioner used was "perfect." She said she has absolutely no concerns, and she is impressed with his skills. He had to get some shots today, but he only cried for a minute. Now he's sleeping it off in a Tylenol-induced stupor. Can't wait to see what the next couple of months hold!

Favorite Fancy Restaurant

The other day Jeff asked Ruth what her favorite restaurant was and she answered, "Cici's...But my favortite fancy restaurant is home." So, it wasn't too surprising tonight when Ruth set the table and wrapped the forks up in the napkins, just like they do in fancy restaurants. It was very cute!

Early Birthday

Ruth got an early birthday gift today, and she's so excited about it! Heck, I'm pretty excited about it myself--although I tried out the slide today and I have to say it definitely isn't very accomodating to "mom hips." Thanks so much Nana and Papa!!

Communication Breakdown

Last night after dinner, I asked Ruth to clean up the playroom. She did, and did a very good job, so we all decided to go out for ice cream. At the door, the following conversation took place:

Jeff: You worked hard, so you deserve a treat.

Ruth: I wasn't tired.

Jeff: I didn't say you were.

Ruth: Well, what does "tard" mean, then? (Because, of course, she thought Jeff said, "You were tired (tard)," instead of "You worked hard.")

Very funny, if you ask me.

Another Milestone

Weston finally got the hang of rolling over from his back to his tummy. He's been working on it for a few days and finally got it today. You can tell he's proud of himself and he just keeps going back and forth. It's a major step toward real mobility. Tomorrow I'll probably find him halfway across the room if I turn my back. Better not turn my back. Now the real fun begins!

Speaking of Bugs...

I happened to hear last night about an up-and-coming fashion trend in which some people (crazy, sick, demented people) are wearing live, bejeweled, 2-inch-long roaches on chains around their waists. That's right, I said live! The mental image alone is enough to send shivers down my spine and make me want to throw up. In fact, I think I might just rather have someone put a bullet in my head than wear such a thing! And let me just say as a word of warning: If anyone comes near me wearing this disgusting piece of jewerly, I reserve the right to empty a can of Raid on you...and your little roach, too!

Bag of Bugs

That's right, friends, today I got my daughter a bag of bugs--somewhere between 1500 and 1800 of them--and she couldn't have been more excited. Yesterday I got a flyer in the mail saying that if we would come by Red Barn Nursery in the next week we would receive a free package of ladybugs to release in our yard. When I read the ad out loud, Ruth perked up and said, "I really want those!" So, I told her if she had a good day at school today we would go by and get them this afternoon. The first thing she said to me when I got to her school was, "Can we go get my ladybugs now?" On the way to the nursery I was setting her expectations that the ladybugs wouldn't really be pets in the typical sense (which she was certainly expecting) and I was explaining to her that the labybugs would help take care of our yard and our plants because they would eat some of the bad bugs. When we got to the nursery, Ruth marched right up to the check-out counter and presented her coupon, and when she received her ladybugs she handled them with such care. Then, on the way home, as she held them gently, she looked at them and said, "Thank you, ladybugs, for taking care of our yard." She's very proud of her new friends, and I hope that when we put them out in the yard tomorrow they will see fit to make an appearance from time to time so she can enjoy them.

Fun, Fun, Fun

We got out the exersaucer today and Weston really loves it. I'm sure it is just such a huge relief for him to be in an upright postion--and to be somewhat independent. He was spinning around, checking out all the features, and in no time at all he had figured out how to manipulate them. He just had so much fun, and he was just smiling and laughing. It was so much fun that Ruth was jealous. She asked me if she could get in it.

Later, we were able to find an activity that fit her skill set a bit better. Jeff installed webcams on both our laptops, so Ruth was able to dance and be crazy and see herself realtime. She really loved that. I just don't know if things can get anymore fun around here.

Fun at the Dentist

I had to go in and get my teeth cleaned today--always a fun activity. While I was there the following conversation ensued.

(Scrape, scrape, scrape)

Hygenist: Hmm. Looks like you have some bleeding here.

(Scrape, scrape, scrape).

Hygenist: Do you floss? (This asked while she has both of her hands and two pieces of equipment crammed in my mouth).

Me (finally): Occasionally.

Hygenist: The bleeding may be caused by gingivitis--and it may be made worse by hormones since you just had a baby.

Me (Not really what I said, but definitely what I thought): Yeah. Maybe. But isn't it just possible that the bleeding could be casued by you poking me with an evil-looking, pointed hook thing.

Yes, yes. It's always fun to go to the dentist. And luckily I get to go back in four months and do it all over again.

Moving Out

Weston has moved out of our room and into his very own room. He has outgrown the cradle and seems to be much happier with the extra space he has in the crib. It's a little bit weird not to hear him snorting over there in the corner, and I sometimes catch myself glancing in that direction to check on him. I suspect we will all sleep better now, although there are certainly more opportunities for me to stump my toe or otherwise injure myself when I have to get up and feed him in the middle of the night.

Pictures from Hawaii

Here are some pictures from our Hawaiian vacation, if you want to check them out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53668126@N00/?saved=1

Days Eight and Nine: Hawaiian Vacation

We saw the sun yesterday morning just before we checked out of the hotel. But by the time we were ready to put the luggage in the car, the rain had returned. Fortunately, it hadn't rained all night on Thursday, so there was still one road open going in the direction of the airport. Our flight wasn't until late so we just kind of piddled around all day in the intermittent rain and sun. After lots and lots of flying and waiting around in airports, we finally made it home this afternoon, safe and sound. We had a wonderful trip, but we are also glad to be home. We've got lots of pictures we'll post soon.

Day Seven: Hawaiian Vacation

Kauai is having more rain than they've had in ten years, as you may have seen on the news. There is severe flooding all over the island. Many roads are closed. In fact, we heard on the news tonight that the roads leading out of the little town where we are staying are all closed, so we'll see what tomorrow brings. The rain has let up for now, so hopefully some of the water will have a chance to recede. There was a brief break in the rain today that allowed us to go down to the beach and check out the tidepools for treasures. We saw another beached seal, which was really cool. When the rain started back up, we went for a drive--down the few passable roads--and saw a waterfall. We played lots of games today and read our books and did some shopping. The plan is for us to go home tomorrow. Hopefully, the rains won't prevent that. Despite the weather, it has been a very fun trip! (The picture here is of the picnic tables just outside our room. The lagoon is supposed to stop just down below where you can see the bushes sticking up).

Day Six: Hawaiian Vacation

Today was lots of fun. We played at the beach and found some cool tidal pools that were full of neat creatures, like pretty fish, itty bitty hermit crabs and some large horseshoe crabs. We did a little shopping and we also got to attend a really neat luau. Now we're all tired and ready for bed.

Day Five: Hawaiian Vacation

It rained all night last night and most of the day today. So much so that there has been much flooding on the island. Several roads have been closed and a few people have even been swept away in the running water. Other bummers of the day were that my dad got sick and had to go to the ER, and Ruth had such a bad headache at one point that she opted to go to bed rather than play on the beach. I think they are both going to be fine, but it certainly livened up our afternoon. We made the most of our rainy day by doing a little shopping, and in the breaks in the rain we would change quickly into our swimsuits and dash out to the beach. Jeff and Ruth even got in the hottub in the rain. One of our trips to the beach yielded a lovely sand pig sculpture at the hands of Jeff and Jodi. They are truly and astoundingly talented!

Day Four: Hawaiian Vacation

Ruth got to feed the Koi at our hotel this morning. And this afternoon we discovered this really cool, secluded beach. Following the advice of the guide book, we passed a couple of "No Trespassing" signs and then ended up in this wonderful place. We practically had the beach to ourselves. There was a kite surfer there, which was neat to watch. We also found lots of treasures--beautiful pieces of coral and the most humongous coconut I've ever seen!

Day Three: Hawaiian Vacation

I'm just now getting this posted because of some problems with the internet connections here the last few days. We had a wonderful time on Day Three--Sunday. We vistited Spouting Horn, a neat place where the water shoots up like Old Faithful. We also visited the Kauai Coffee Plantation and a cool swinging pedestrian bridge, and we took a wonderful drive up through the Wiamea Canyon--The Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Everything is absolutely beautiful!

Day Two: Hawaiian Vacation

We all hopped up at five this morning (that's 9:00 am Texas-time) and began a very fun day. We played in the ocean and in the sand. We got to see a beached Monk Seal and some incredible scenery. And maybe most important, I got my pedicure problem taken care of by purchasing some fingernail/toenail glue. All toenails are back in their rightful places now.

Day One: Hawaiian Vacation

Well, I felt pretty. Then we spent an entire day traveling. We left our house at 8:00 in the morning yesterday (Mar. 10) and went to bed at 2:00 am (Texas-time) this morning. It was a long day, and my toes got stepped on and shuffled under the carry on bags until two of my beutifully pedicured press-on toenails popped off. Classic case of you get what you pay for, I guess. Ruth and Weston were fabulous travellers and we are all certainly glad to finally be here. Stay tuned for more updates from our trip.

I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty

We are off to Hawaii tomorrow with my parents, my grandparents and my sister. And in the course of our back-and-forth conversations about the trip, it has been mentioned that several in the group would be getting manicures and/or pedicures. Wasn't going to happen for me, with two kiddos under foot--no pun intended. But as I looked at my ugly toes and fingers, I wished it could be so. So, I took advantage of Ruth's school time today and went by Walgreens to purchase a matching set of press-on fingernails and toenails--the French manicure kind--and they actually look kind of pretty. It may well be the best $8 I've ever spent.

"Dad is Great; He Gives Us Chocolate Cake"

Jeff swooped into the house after work yesterday and had two little girls (Ruth and a friend) squealing like, well, little girls, as he tried to "get" them. Then, he suggested that we all go to CiCi's Pizza for dinner, which was obviously met with much applause. After dinner, he brought them a plate full of desserts to choose from--including chocolate cake. And when we got home, he played hide-and-seek with the girls. After the friend had gone home and Ruth was tucked in bed, Jeff was down on the floor with Weston, playing and making Weston laugh. He is such a good daddy, and we are all very thankful for him!

Sleeping Through the Night

Weston slept through the night last night (from 9:30 to 5:30) and we are all happy about that! (Actually, I think I'm the only one that really cares, since Jeff can sleep through pretty much anything and hasn't even noticed there have been interrupted nights, and Ruth hasn't ever seemed to be bothered by Weston's and my middle-of-the-night-get-togethers--but I'm happy about it and from my perspective, that's really all that matters)! He slept through the night on Saturday as well, so I'm beginning to get my hopes up that we might be entering a new phase--a very wonderful, happy phase that makes me feel more like a person!

Just A Swingin'

Weston discovered the swing at the park yesterday, and he loves it!

15 Miliseconds of Fame

Here's Jeff on the Late Show. Select the clip for March 1, and then pause it right after the guys in suits walk in the back door. Jeff will be at the bottom of the screen. He's the second person in from the aisle.

http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/dave_tv/ls_dtv_big_show_highlights.shtml

Bargain Funhouse Adventure

I was a woman on a mission today. I needed some new workout clothes and I was determined not to spend much money on them. So, I decided to try the new Goodwill Outlet Store that just opened near our house. That's right, I said Goodwill Outlet Store, and I wasn't being redundant. There is actually a store where you can get Goodwill items at a lower price than Goodwill. The catch is everything is just piled up in these huge bins and you have to dig through. Some of the items are damaged, some are dirty, and some are almost brand new. It's truly a unique experience. It's really the same feeling as being in a funhouse: somewhat terrifying (like when you come across a pair of questionably clean underwear) and somewhat exhillerating (like when you find a pair of Polo slacks in perfect condition in your husband's size). All in all I came out pretty good: nine pieces of clothing, including the workout clothes I went in for, a dress and a pair of shorts for Ruth, and two pairs of shorts, a swimsuit and a pair of slacks for Jeff all for only $13. To be sure, I grabbed up the hand sanitizer before I even got in the van, and I immediately put my treasures in the washer when I got home, but I kind of felt like I was getting away with something when it was all said and done.

Let's Play Nail Salon

Ruth and I gave each other manicures and pedicures today. For herself, Ruth selected a very femine shimmery light pink for her fingers and subtle silver glitter for her toes. For me, she selected neon orange for my toes and dull silver for my fingers. The pictures really don't do justice to the colors or quality of the services I received. On my fingers she just kind of glooped the polish out on them and said, "Oooh. Look at how fancy that is!" I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it! Ruth really wanted to get her brother in on the action, but I had to draw the line somewhere. He was limited in his participation to spectator, but he seemed to enjoy that role quite well. We had a really good time and, since we set up our nail salon on the back deck, we also had the benefit of enjoying this incredible day.