In transit...

Chasing mermaids at Norfolk Airport

Chasing Starbucks at JFK

Scarf trend = convenient nursing cover trend

You don't want to know how disgustingly sticky this carpet is...

But always happier to be on the move

10 Questions for a Rainy Day

1. If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and what would it be for? Uhhh, easy one: It would be awesome and it would be for the Sons of Anarchy season finale. A viewing party of sorts, with everyone dressed up as bikers. It would start in the early afternoon with BBQ, corn hole, lots of beers, and kids running all over. It would be one of those family-friendly biker parties, y'know? 
2. If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve seen before, what would you paint? Venice. The main channel when you first taxi in, with those gorgeous buildings reflected in the green water and a gondolier floating along a young couple, the woman wearing a red sundress, and a man in a business suit steering a larger boat. 
3. If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be? Oh, I suppose 27, although I'm pretty excited to see what 30 is like. 
4. If you knew the world was ending in 2012, what would you do differently? Spend more money, I guess. Oh, and work on my time machine.
5. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? I desperately need someone to teach me how to use a sewing machine. Like, soon. For the sake of all my houseguests who have to duck down below our windows every time they want to change a shirt because I am too stubborn to buy curtains when I have extra cloth material and a perfectly good sewing machine in the closet.
6. If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be? Is my son considered a "project"? I'd like to devote a lot of time to blogging. Or making another baby. It really depends on how this word "project" is being used...
7. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Oscar Wilde. No, that's a knee-jerk reaction to the question. I think....James MacAvoy. No, he's too short, it would kill the fantasy. Is this just for a handshake or do I get a conversation?? How about...Angelina Jolie. Let's be honest. It was always going to be Angelina. 
8. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Call a lawyer?? I think I need to devote more time to this question, because my older brother has a very detailed plan for this very occasion. And it does not include calling family. :/
9. If you were reincarnated as an animal/drink/ice cream flavor, what would it be? A penguin. No explanation needed. 
10. If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? It's a toss-up between Elizabeth Bennett of "Pride & Prejudice" and Rogue from "The Uncanny X-Men" series. (NOT the silly movie-version of Rogue that is popular now.) Elizabeth has a much happier life/disposition, though, so I guess....Final Answer: Liz Bennett.

Brunette to blonde in 60 seconds...

The last song at our wedding...

We live on front porches and swing life away

We get by just fine here on minimum wage

If love is a labor, I'll slave 'til the end

I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand...

A few of my firmly-held beliefs:

•  That almost any movie can be improved by adding the phrase “Based on a True Story" before the beginning credits. Doubt me? Try it. It even makes "Freaky Friday" bearable. 
• That my self-esteem has greatly benefitted from my decision to have only one full-length mirror in my house. And to display that full-length mirror at a very generous “skinny view” tilt.
• That it’s perfectly okay if we consider the Coca Cola glasses from McDonald’s as part of our “fancy” set.
• That you need at least three children before purchasing those family stick figure window decals.
• That the people who are so upset at “big government sticking their noses in everyone’s business” are the same people who block intersections, tailgate, and cut in line to drop off their kids at school. Y’know, basically the very reason our country needs a political system to set a minimum wage and provide benefits for the sick and poor. Sad.
• That you should have to provide a (legitimate) definition along with any word you play in Scrabble.
• That more than anything – yes, even love – dogs need exercise.
• That if it’s the thought that counts, I am the world’s best gift-giver.

Love it, Hate it, Need it, Steal it: Baby Gear

A collection of brief okay, kind of longish reviews on products we’ve purchased for Little Guy.

LOVE IT

Baby products I would wholeheartedly (and whole-wallet-ly) recommend to friends, family, and Beyonce if she ever asked me.

Fisher-Price Booster Seat, MSRP $29.99: It is beyond me why Fisher-Price would manufacture a high-chair alternative that is SMALLER than their “space saver” brand booster seat. But whatever, maybe I just don’t understand consumer politics. At any rate, this seat is by far the better deal. For $29.99 (or $23.99 if you’re like me and willing to purchase the less-popular color option), you get an extremely compact booster seat that is both functional and comfortable. The two trays fit easily into the dishwasher at the same time, and it currently fits my smallish-sized 6-month-old with no wiggle room (trust me, you don’t want wiggle room when you are trying to chase a baby-sized mouth with a baby-sized spoon), and lots of growing room. I wish I had seen this version, with a toy set instead of the extra tray, because quite honestly, you only need one tray if you’re willing to do some scrubbing between meals and if we had this a few months ago, the toy bar would have made this a very appealing alternative to the Bumbo/Summer Infant seat (see way down below).

California Baby Calming Shampoo and Body Wash, MSRP $8.99 and up: Definitely get the pump bottle version of this Made in the U.S.A. shampoo and body wash with lots of natural ingredients. Smells so good you'll want a bottle for your shower, too.

Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Chamomile Argan Oil Baby Healing Lotion, MSRP $9.99: Another Made in the U.S.A. baby (mama?!) care product. Chock full of ingredients you're actually familiar with (no more sodium laurate clausedimate!) so won’t feel guilt-stricken if your baby starts to gnaw on his hands just as soon as you’ve finished lotioning him up.

Eurobath, MSRP $39.99: I skipped over all the fancy colors and accessory options and went with the tub that had the best online reviews. This is a very simple, very functional tub that has served us very well from the 2 week mark all the way to 6 months, and I imagine will carry us all the way until Little Guy is ready to sit in the regular tub. (After the bathroom remodel?!?!) You can pair it with the Munchkin Foam Bath Cradle (pictured above) for the first few months to keep baby comfy and in place.

Dear Tropical Storm Lee,

You are totally crushing on my goals today.

Boo. The swim portion of The Nation's Triathlon has been cancelled this weekend due to rising/fast-moving waters. Trying hard to stay positive and consider my $400 in registration fees for this year and last as a generous donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Definitely a deserving charity.

In other news...does anyone have an Olympic-distance tri to recommend in the southern VA/northern NC area? Need to put my new toy to good use...

Where do you find the time!?

I'm going to use that loathsome phrase "mommy blogger," but there's no other way to make this rant:

Where do these mommy bloggers find the time?!

I thought I had hit my stride at the four-month mark, but there really is just no time. No time for coffee sipping. No time for reading. No time for writing. No time for a leisurely jog around the lake. No time for the newspaper. No time for changing your outfit six times before you leave the house. 

Unless it's coffee gulping. Or reading to the baby. Or writing out a "honey-do" list. Or jogging the baby around the house. Or clipping coupons from the newspaper. Or changing the baby's outfit six times before you leave the house.

Le sigh. 

I just don't understand how these mommy bloggers blog. There is NO TIME. It's kind of like how you look around at the other couples in your life and you wonder how they all have nicer cars or nicer houses or nicer furniture or nicer appliances or nicer vacations or nicer clothes and you think, HOW?! There is NO MONEY.

When that question was the predominant one in my life (before it had been replaced with, "WHERE IS ALL THE TIME COMING FROM?!), I sat down and made a list of all our expenses and created a budget for the month. So, likewise, when the question of TIME started to occupy all the space in my brain that wasn't already devoted to finding time to change the baby and read to the baby and play with the baby, I decided to make a list of how we spend our time and create a "budget" for the day. Without further ado, I give you, the TIME BUDGET: