bottle, thy name is chump

There are few things I hate in life. Sure, there are things that I don't really like to do, like vacuum or go to the dentist or take out Birdy's garbage.

But hate? Oh, that is reserved for a select few chores in my life.

The thing I hate most is washing bottles. I've given up on washing them every day, because formula stinks up within three hours, and I'm never going to be washing a bottle within three hours of using it. That's the truth, and I'm all about honesty here.













You see before you 22 bottles. Birdy uses 3-4 bottles a day.

I hear you and your mental math. It's just embarrassing, is what it is.

You know those chores you have that you really don't like so you do them fast or just get them over with? I have those. Bottles...not one of them. I hate them so much I put it off as long as I can. Those bottles are currently soaking in the sink with a smidge of bleach to get the nasties out of them.

My reward for washing bottles is a craft project, which you will see later tonight.

Wish me luck and godspeed.

i'm a lemming

So everyone's been doing this "25 Things" thing, where you list 25 random things about yourself. I feel too boring, but we'll see how boring I feel when I'm done.

1. I'm a financial aid counselor.

2. I like to craft things. That's generally any "thing," but specifically jewelry or scrapbooking or something.

3. I have a real-life spouse and a work-spouse. Htr is my work spouse, and she is funny and good at telling stories. She also likes coffee like me. It's like we were made for each other!

4. I got better grades in college than I did in high school...and worked just about the same amount, it seemed like.

6. I met my husband in student government, because I'm a nerd and junk.

7. I've never done drugs. Ever. Which, given the people I hung out with in high school, is a little bit of a miracle.

8. I've never owned an mp3 player until last year. Eva and Brandon got a little one for me.

9. I've started to train for a 5k. I haven't run since junior year of high school.

10. I've swam competitively for 8 years.

11. Besides my husband, I enjoy spending time with my brother the most. He's easy to hang out with when he isn't busy being moody or more popular than me.

12. Speaking of family, they are awesome. My idea of a perfect vacation would be my mom, dad, brother, Brandon and Eva just hanging out somewhere.

13. When asked what is interesting about me, a coworker said "I don't know."

14. She amended her previous statement by saying that she learns a new word whenever she's around me. She's going to learn the meaning of "knuckle sandwich" next.

15. I like beer.

16. I like my glasses. I need to make an appointment to get new ones. My favorite pair of glasses were black, but had stripes of bright blue. They were super sweet. The ones I have now are a little more conservative, and I'm looking to jazz it up.

17. The vet school used to take dogs to the field outside my window, and my office spouse would narrate the dog's thoughts. It was hilarious.

18. I like coffee. And beer.

19. I am trying to get into photo editing for Birdy's scrapbook, and the thing that keeps me from REALLY getting into the process is how freaking long it takes. Yeesh.

20. I've mentioned my family a lot, but I love my mom. She gives the best hugs.

21. I was six weeks old when my parents moved to Minnesota from Washington, and 2 when we moved to Wisconsin, four when we moved to Pennsylvania, and 8 when we moved back to Washington. Because of this, I could ace any geography test of the U.S. and learned to spell some of the most difficult states.

22. I learned in second grade that Pennsylvania was named after William Penn, the colony's founder, and "sylvania" meant forest. Thus, Pennsylvania was Penn's Forest.

23. In first grade I learned the word "crestfallen" in a book we were reading in class, and proceeded to use it as often as possible.

24. I love it when it snows, and melting snow with bare patches of brown makes me feel crestfallen.

25. I graduated with my undergraduate degree with less credits than I should have to complete a bachelor of arts, yet I met my degree requirements with a minor in Spanish. Oh, and I did it in three years.

true confessions

I am middle aged.

The proof, you ask?

I have tv shows I MUST watch each week, or I get edgy and bitter. The shows are three-fold:

1. The Biggest Loser
2. Lost
3. The Office

There is technically a fourth, and I need you to not judge. It's Dancing with the Stars. The fourth is enough to make me middle aged.

i highly recommend picking one up if you have the means

Best. Movie. Ever.

lost and found

Yesterday, Lost began it's fifth season, and we rang in the glorious day with FISH BISCUITS.

For those of you who don't watch Lost, Sawyer and Kate were held captive by the Others a few seasons ago in these cages that were used for polar bears. Sawyer figured out how to get the fish biscuits by stepping on something and throwing something else. The biscuits--understandably--tasted like fish. They were for polar bears. And yes, it's a tropical island they are on. But it was food, and if you are as good looking as Sawyer, you need to keep up your strength.

And if we are going to talk about the great thing that Jaclyn did, I'm going to need you to get over the whole "polar bears are named polar bears for a reason and I'm pretty sure that doesn't involve the equator."

She had quite a Dharma Initiative spread for us last night, including these:

I know, right?! Totally awesome!

It was the highlight of the evening. Also, her turkey burgers were amazing. And the babies liked each other. And Strawberry hasn't taught Birdy how to walk yet. And Lost blew my mind. And I dressed up as Sawyer, and Jaclyn was a Drive Shaft fan, and Chad was Daniel. It was good, nerdy fun.

The fish biscuit recipe and template can be found here.

indicators

The following are signs I am getting to be a real mom:

1. Birdy is getting a new tooth. How do I know, you ask...there seems to be no new tooth showing. But ah-ha, loyal reader. I was sticking my finger in her mouth a few nights back and found the tippy tip of a tooth. The very tippy tip, you could call it a fraction of a nubbin of tooth. Needless to say, I called my parents right after I called Brandon, which was right after I found it.
2. I am getting better at this waking-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night thing. It's not good, but it isn't bad. Like purgatory.
3. I let her cry when she is tired and in her crib. It builds character.
4. I love being with Birdy.
5. I have a cute picture of Birdy in my office in her little viking hat.
6. For 90% of the time, she is amazingly well-behaved and sweet.
7. Birdy is one of the main reasons I'm trying to lose weight. I want to be a better person because of her.
8. She doesn't mind if I swear in front of her after stubbing my toe.
9. I give her baths all the time.

The following are signs I still don't get how to be a good mom:

1. I stick my hand in Birdy's mouth to search for teeth. Ick.
2. I hate getting up in the mornings, even when I'm greeted by Birdy's smiling face.
3. I let her cry when she is tired and in her crib. It builds character?
4. I really like taking breaks from Birdy.
5. The only picture I have of Birdy near my desk is from 4 months ago. She looks totally different now.
6. I take advantage of how easy-going she is. Oops.
7. She isn't that much a motivator, since I have been eating like a horse this past week.
8. I'm teaching her to swear when she stubs her toe.
9. I bathe her in the sink so I don't have to clean the tub all the time. She's going to get sink baths for a long time to come...which might jeopardize her ability to make friends, since no one wants to be friends with the 12 year old who still gets sink baths.

a favorite

I'm going on a scrapbooking retreat later on in
February, and to alliviate future stress I'm going through and editing pictures and organizing them so I can finish as many layouts as possible. It's been surprisingly fun for a variety of reasons, but the best part is re-discovering this snapshot.

We were at a photo studio getting all three little cousins' (their birthdays are within 2 months of each other) pictures taken. One of the other little girls was being photographed at this point, and Brandon's dad got this photo of a sleeping 2-month old Birdy and Brandon.

I can't believe she was that little! It makes me a little sad, but also a little glad because she is learning so much every day. She's getting more confidant with walking and standing, and experimenting with the "ma," "da," "mmm" and "la/lu" sounds. Her two teeth are getting bigger, and she giggles. I love a good giggle.

We had our first swimming lessons today, and Birdy (as always) enjoyed her time in the water. Unlike her mother, Birdy does not have the benefit of knowing where she was concieved (shudder) to explain her affinity for baths and pools...so she just must have come by it naturally. I hope that she sticks with swimming.

All the cool kids do it. Like me. And Michael Phelps.

But mostly me.

niiiiice

"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle."
--Phillips Brooks

pop quiz

Say you saw this:

















What would your thoughts be?

a) Jackpot. I can sell these photos to a tabloid and be set for life.

b) Jackpot. I have found the crowning jewel of yard statuary.

c) Jackpot. I have something to put as number one in "Top Ten Dumbest Things I Have Ever Seen."

d) What the Helen of Troy is that thing?!

If you guessed letter "b," you would be like my husband, who purchased this small(ish) statue as a gift to my parents for their newly re-landscaped backyard.

And no, I'm really not kidding on this one.

just can't seem to get enough

The ornament that Birdy is noshing on was made by my godmother, the Amazing Tru. And she is amazing. She made it for my parents when they moved to Minnesota when I was six weeks old. They were brave people, and they needed Tru's guardian angel.

squeaky clean

If there is one thing Grandmothers love (especially grandmothers of Birdy), it's giving their wee one's baths. This is Birdy's bath with her Grandma Beth helping out.

Can I tell you how much I love this baby? Or how much I love that my mom loves her too? I simply can't. These pictures just make my heart ache.