First Mother’s Day Recap

Yesterday was a good day. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. People went out of their way to wish me a happy first Mother’s Day. I got to be a lazy bum while the Moose cleaned the kitchen and the Babe took an almost-three-hour nap (which was awesome). Then we left the Babe at home with a friend and went on a date, and had steak (which was also awesome).

As far as I’m concerned, though, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day have always pretty much been Hallmark holidays, right up there with Valentine’s Day. Gosh, without  the Hallmark calendar, how would we EVER remember to let our mother, father, or valentine know that they’re special to us and we love them??? On the other hand, I do love any excuse to be doted on and my birthday comes only once a year, so I won’t knock it too much.

Anyway, it was special. The Moose and I spent time with the little one that gave me my “mother” status, and talked about what an amazing couple of years it’s been. Getting married was the top of the highest hill of the roller coaster for us, and it hasn’t stopped-or even slowed down, really- since. We also spent time pondering future Mother’s Days. I’m looking forward to having breakfast in bed prepared by very small chefs.

Christmas Movie Review!

by Mall Diva

In yesterday’s post a movie was briefly mentioned, in reference to Casii having a song on the soundtrack. This movie is called A Christmas Snow; it was written by Candace Lee and Tracy Trost (who also directed it). More about Tracy and Trost Moving Pictures in a later post.

Christmas SnowA Christmas Snow is the story of a woman who… well…. Ok. I’m not going to beat around the bush. This is an inspirational story of loss and heartbreak, and of love and forgiveness. It’s heart-wearming, touching, and all those adjectives they use to advertise the “feel-good-family-film-of-the-year”. Is it sappy? A bit. Did it make me cry? Like a baby.

The main character is a woman who owns a restaurant. The critics call her the “gourmet grinch”. She is rather a scrooge. She had a tough childhood, and she’s pretty bitter as a result of unforgiveness on her part. All of these painful secrets she has are promptly brought out and aired one Christmas, though, when she finds herself snowed in with her boyfriend’s 10 year-old daughter and a perfect stranger- an older gentleman who came to her rescue during a midnight altercation in a parking lot. What is there to do for two days with a couple strangers and without power  besides talk? So three generations tell their stories, and find they’re not so different.

I really enjoyed A Christmas Snow, and I encourage you to watch it. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, it’ll move you, Bob.

UPDATE

The DVD of the movie is available at WalMart (when it isn’t sold out) but you can also watch it on TV. Several cable channels will be broadcasting the movie later this week; go here to see the schedule.

Night Hens Daycare Center

[at home]

TL: Did I NEED to steal an attack walrus in order to win my freedom from that government research facility?
No.
But at some point we all must choose between what is right… and what is awesome. (This quote belongs to Rock Paper Cynic, rockpapercynic.com)

RM: Hm.

MD: Why didn’t you just steal one of the attack gorillas, if you were in a gorilla facility?

TL: …what? I said government research facility!

MD: Well, it sounded like gorilla!

TL: You know, that saying, “Renewed youth like the eagles” doesn’t make any sense. Eagles don’t magically turn back into chicks when it’s time for them to die.

RM: They go through a molting process that, when it finishes, makes them like new birds.

TL: I think phoenixes are better.

RM: Yeah. Except they’re mythical.

TL: They might not have been at one point! Sort of like dragons!

RM: Slug dragons?

MD: What?

TL: What?! I said ‘sort of like dragons’!

RM: Well, it sounded like you said slug dragons! You talk so fast, it’s hard to understand what you say sometimes.

TL: >:|

MD: I think we need a speech therapist.

TL: I dosh not need a shpeech therapisht!

RM: Well, it’s not that she talks incorrectly, it’s that she talks to fast for the rest of us to understand!

MD: She talks like a drunk person.

TL: D:

[in the car, with NW joining us for breakfast]

TL: Awwww, look at NightLight! He’s so cute!

MD: Don’t look at him! He’s mine!

You know, I think morning time is when he’s the most smiley and talkative.

NW: Like me.

RM: [laughs]

MD: Right.

TL: I’m not going to say anything right now… I want to live.

TL: Hey look, Mom, Portland Avenue! It’s a sign.

RM: [laughs]

MD: That wasn’t funny! Where did you get that?!

TL: Why did I have to get it from somewhere other than my head? It’s a double entendre. Go away.

RM: Isn’t it only a double entendre if it has sexual implications?

TL and MD: No!

MD: You’re thinking innuendo.

RM: I’m down with that… hip with that?

MD: Yo, diggy-dog!

TL: So, Faith, do you want to send Mom to Oregon for her birthday?

MD: … Do I look like I’m making money right now?

TL: Yes.

NW: In the basement.

MD: Are you still taking stuff down? We’re still being funny now.

[in the restaurant]

MD: We want a sleeping baby.

RM: [to NightLight] Your mother wants a sleeping baby.

NightLight: Ehhh!!!

TL: He adds an element to the conversation that we could not have possibly achieved ourselves.

MD: Yes, that fine edge of sophistication…

[now talking about the state fair]

NW: Let’s discuss flip flops in the swine barns.

MD: And constipated cows.

RM: I touched a cow.

And a sheep.

NW: And she terrorized the bunnies.

RM: Yes, I also touched a bunny.

We also saw the 1450 pound pig.

After this, the food came, and conversation resorted to, “OM NOM NOM NOM nom nom nom nom nom.”

Shameless bragging.

by the Mall Diva

The Baby Moose is 11 days old.  He is consistently a 10pm, 2am, 6am feeder. He eats like a piggy (seriously, snorts and everything, and he gained a gross weight of 1lb, 10oz during his first 7 days on earth), sleeps like a rock, and is perpetually charming. Plus he has tons of hair and inch-long eyelashes. Many women will be jealous, except Mommy, from whom he got them. He’s already started working out with Daddy (who is his jungle gym), climbing and grunting like a champ. He’s the most impressive thing our midwife has ever seen. And I think, after a 48-hour un-medicated labor, I deserve all these things.

Oh, and I’ve lost at least 25lbs.

Tune in next time for more shameless bragging!

Chugga chugga chugga chugga…

So. I will be 41 weeks tomorrow. Yes, I know it’s really not a big deal, yes, I know “full term pregnancy” is anywhere between 38 and 42 weeks, okay, okay, I know!! But I’m tired and hot and sore and ready to be done, and so ready to meet our little bundle of joy!

I saw my midwife on Tuesday for our normal check-up. She is one of the sweetest women ever, and I’m really happy to be working with her… but why does it always seem to be that when you’re cranky, a person feels the need to ask you 8 times how you’re feeling? I finally told her that I had come to a conclusion. “I’m not actually pregnant,” I said. “No baby is going to come out of me, I’m just fat, and I’m going to be stuck this way forever.”

She and her colleague thought that this was quite amusing.

I’ve heard that during labor there comes a point where the rational part of the woman’s mind just shuts down and she is driven by the more primitive part, just doing what it takes to get the baby out. I’m not in labor yet, but I’m pretty sure I’ve checked out of the rational department, as you may or may not be able to tell by this post.

I am a space cadet.

The Half-Baked Cupcake…

…Is now fully baked. The new water-heater is in and happily pumping out hot water. The pool is going to be taken for a test-run today. The car seat will be installed imminently. The last baby-shower is on Sunday.

Hopefully I’m not forgetting anything.

My adventure so far…

by the Mall Diva

Alright, so now that I’m retired, I have oodles and gobs of time! I could lay down my life’s story right here for you to read! Actually, my dad’s already done a pretty good job of that, so maybe I’ll just write about my experiences over the last several months…

Oh, and yes, I am retired.  My beauty career was just about four years long, and was cut maybe a bit short last Saturday to make room for my new career. Mommyhood. Mine will be a very active retirement.

So settle in, because this is going to be a long one. But then, it’s been a long time.

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