Too Cute for Words
27 AprWhat Nia said after seeing Nate in his dinosaur print footed pajamas:
“Ah Momma, (giggle) he’s so ‘dorable.”
What Nia said when I asked her if she loved Nate:
“Uh-huh. I don’t want another brother.”
What Nia said after Joey scared the breath out of all us after barking at NOTHING:
“That was not necessary.”
What Nia said when we asked her if she knew what that meant:
“It means stop doing it. It’s Spanish.”
Baby Sometimes, Action Star Always
22 Apr“He’s only 20 pounds!” That’s what Andrew tells me when I cry to him about how Nate pushes me around the kitchen as I’m trying to cook or do the dishes. He may only be 20 pounds but – that boy is STRONG. He actually has made me lose my balance a few times. Pushing isn’t the only way he likes to show he’s a tough guy – he also loves to slap my face – not with just one hand – nope, I’m so special that I get the double slap. He does it in a sort of sneak attack way – he’ll be all loving, even giving me a few kisses, when all of a sudden – WHAM on both sides of my face.
He’s just such a little tough guy. He’s constantly climbing things and he will fall ALL of the time but he never gets discouraged or afraid…he just goes back for more! Andrew and I have tried to keep his feet on the ground but he always finds a way to put them where they shouldn’t go! Just watch the movie below to get a small idea of what I’m talking about…(and please don’t worry, I would have sacrificed the camera for my son – I just wanted to capture his craziness so he’d know what a heart-stopping child he was)
If this is what he’s like now at only 16 months – I am so not looking forward to the skateboarding and bike stunt years. Ugh…
The Tragedy of a Tragedy
21 AprI didn’t want to write about this because it’s hard for me to put it all into words. In fact, I just spent way too long trying to come up with an adjective to describe what happened at Virginia Tech. I thought of horrible and then deleted it – terrible? no – heartbreaking? – scary? – shocking? – when you think about it – any word would be too generic and using one makes me feel like I’m writing TV news and that just makes me want to vomit. I’m just so sickened by how many news organizations are reporting what happened and then adding their thoughts about why it happened.
This is really why I’m writing. A recent opinion article in our local newspaper really infuriated me this week. It was entitled “What are we teaching our boys?” The writer used some stats to show that boys are responsible for the majority of extreme violence in U.S. schools over the last 10 years and then went on to say it’s because we’re teaching boys that in order to be masculine they shouldn’t cry. If you’d like to read it, click here. If you did, please tell me what you thought.
Here’s what I thought – those stats about the attackers may be accurate but what about the percentage of victims who were boys? They obviously were “taught” right. Also, you can be the most loving, caring, peaceful parent who ever existed and your son or daughter could still have violent tendencies. Along those lines, why is it when a woman is the attacker people tend to make excuses for her – she either had something bad happen to her or she’s crazy – but when a boy is to blame it’s because he wasn’t raised right? I mean, how can she even say that when she really has no freaking clue how any of those boys were raised? I just feel she totally generalized and it disgusts me that she is paid to have her opinion published.
What makes me even more disgusted and saddened is all of the “expert” opinions and finger-pointing that happens after a tragedy. Isn’t it bad enough that it happened? Why is it people always have to make it worse by hurting others more? It’s campus security’s fault – no it’s psychologists’ fault – no it’s the school’s fault – no it’s the parents’ fault – no it’s your fault! AH!
I’m not pretending to know what anyone involved is going through – I know, for many, finding blame is a way to heal – I guess I just worry about what comes next for the people who thought they did everything they could and now have to live with the judgment and criticism. Really, what it comes down to is that my heart is hurting for ANYONE who is hurting and I just wish tragedies like this would bring people together – not tear them down.
Work Out = Pig Out?
18 AprSince we moved I have been really good about not eating as much fast food. When I was working at the station I ate it every day – Popeye’s Spicy Chicken Strips with the buttery, yummy biscuit/Whoppers with french fries and zesty onion dipping sauce (curse you Ginger!)/10 piece Chicken McNuggets with hot mustard sauce/Arby’s roast beef sandwich and curly fries with horsey sauce to drown every ounce of my food. Want to barf yet? I sure do…
It’s probably because I just got finished devouring my second fast food meal this week. (I did go for the grilled chicken though so that’s better right?) It seems now that I’ve been hitting the Y and really working it (I took 3 aerobics classes today!) I feel the need to stuff my stomach with the worst possible crap. It’s not just fast food either – last week I made pork-n-beans and put it on hot dog buns! What the heck is that? I don’t even remember the last time I ate pork-n-beans and I was all like “yum – I think I’ll make these even worse for me by slapping them on 3 buns!”
I’m totally zeroing out any calorie burning I did do at the gym and it’s driving me crazy! I know I’m the one who controls the food I put in my mouth – I just need to get a better handle on eating right so I can actually loose some of these post baby pounds. I’m hoping this post will purge me of my desire to take another trip to the drive-thru. Or at least help me to order a salad!
My Antonia
11 AprShe came into the world with her daddy a world away in Iraq.
Now, almost four years later, her daddy is cuddling with her on the couch watching “Mulan” again.
Our little Nia is only a few weeks away from becoming a four-year-old. Watching her grow up has been a blessing and blast. Her birth made me feel love like I could never have imagined. She spoiled me while she was in my belly (I LOVED being pregnant with her), she spoiled me by deciding to leave my belly on her due date (she must have known how much of a planner I am), she spoiled us by sleeping through the night, taking her naps and hardly ever making a fuss (I can totally brag about this now since her babyhood is over – she was such an easy baby! I know this especially after having Nate – I guess it’s what we get huh?!?!), every day she amazes us with her intelligence and humor and touches our hearts with her super sweet personality.
I’m not going to say it’s been all happiness and joy – there have been plenty of times when she’s tested our patience and won but really when I think about it those times weren’t as bad as they could have been. Whether she brought rough times or easy times, she is the most incredible adventure I have ever been a part of and I am so excited to begin the next part of our growing up journey.
I Need to Work it Out
4 AprI have finally gotten up the nerve and determination to try working out at our local YMCA and while that’s a great thing for my body, I can’t say the same for my mind.
I can’t stop feeling inferior to (and sickened by) the girls with the fab bods and perfect skin, wearing their cute little workout numbers, not a hair on their head is out of place, they know how to work all the machines and know every move in the aerobics classes. Even worst of all though is they even have the nicest, whitest socks! Why do socks matter? Well, today’s workout involved taking off our shoes – I was surrounded by little ankle socks and socks with polka dots and some with those adorable little pompoms on them…
To give you an idea of how I stacked up against the other hip exercise ladies – my workout ensemble went a little something like this – sneakers I’ve had since college, socks that were once white but are now a shade of dirty white and are thinning at the heels, a pair of old navy sweatpants that I had to cut the bottoms of so they weren’t so tight around my ankles, a bright pink maternity tank top that is super comfy and a gray sports bra that I’ve had since I played volleyball in high school. Sexy huh?
I just never thought I would go to workout and leave feeling like I need to buy a whole new wardrobe just to get sweaty in – oh yeah and don’t forget the socks! (Don’t worry Andrew I’m not going to go on a shopping spree – but I could use a few more workout pants – a few girls had on these really cute ones that cut off at the calf…)
Our Little Comedian
31 MarEver hear a 4-year-old tell a joke? It goes a little something like this…
“Momma I have a joke.”
“Ok sweetie what is it?”
(These are all delivered with perfect inflection.)
“There was a spoon and it fell in the sink and then it was yucky!”
“The doggy laid down and then he sneezed!”
“Nate has a diaper on!”
(I was told several more “jokes” during the day but I think you get the point – they all pretty much state the obvious…)
What makes the super-sweet jokes even more funny is how Andrew laughs at them. He lets out the loudest, craziest laugh – it’s so ridiculous that is is HILARIOUS. I hope she always wants to make others laugh. Our little comedian.
Blah
30 MarWarning: The entry you’re about to read contains whining and bitching. If you are not in the mood for misery stop reading here and wait for a new “normal” Nicole entry.
If you are still reading then let me say I warned you. Since you are still reading you might be wondering why I feel the need to let you all know about the yuck I’m feeling. I guess it’s because I’m trying to get rid of it and I thought venting about it might help. We’ll see…
For no known specific reason I’ve been feeling really cranky and down these past two days and it’s not even “that time”. My typically short temper is even more short and I feel awful because Nia is getting the worst of my mood because she’s been testing me with unusually bratty behavior. I feel like I’m yelling at her/correcting her all day long and I just want to stop. Maybe she’s acting so different because she’s cranky too and this is just how it’s coming out in her? I don’t know about that but I do know that I HATE feeling this way and really wish something could get me out of the funk I’m in. BLAH.
Just so you know how blah I’m feeling – here’s a short list of things that have really irked me in the last 36 hours – they are things that otherwise don’t bother me:
- The teen bagger at Publix commenting on my groceries “Oh, salsa, sour cream, chips – someone’s going to have a fiesta tonight!” I mean whatever! Just bag ’em buddy! I would really hate to hear what he’d say if I was buying condoms, ky and whipped cream!
- The crapload of pollen that is caked on everything – the pavement, mailbox, porch, cars…
- Nate not taking his naps.
- Nia repeating the same thing over and over again or me having to repeat the same thing over and over again to her.
- Sanjaya still on American Idol – it didn’t bother me Wednesday night when it was announced but by Thursday afternoon I was disgusted.
- Getting endless “mortgage insurance” forms in the mail even after I’ve sent them back with “No thank you. Please stop sending these” written on them.
What’s even worse is I just don’t know what’s causing this mean face I’m wearing. Everything’s been going great here – we just had a really nice visit from Andrew’s sister and our adorable baby niece, we have money to pay bills, a roof over our heads, tons of food and Easter treats to pig out on, plus love is everywhere in this house so what the hell do I have to be cranky about? Maybe I’m not eating enough of the salty junk food or carbs that I love. I’ve been trying to eat healthier so that may be what it is! Some drinking might help as well! That’s it! I am prescribing myself a bag of chips and a few White Russians! The next time I write I will be cheerful and drunk!
Are You Zhazha? 
Say what?