In honor of our premature spring and because I'm a lazy, do-nothing blogger and haven't posted in over 2 months...an obnoxiously long picture post!
You're welcome.
April 3, 2012
January 24, 2012
The Great Escape
Toddler rails should be arriving in the mail today. In the interim, these pillows have been keeping my little Harry Houdini safe...
January 3, 2012
Dead end.
Recently, I decided to venture back out into the world of online parenting forums. I did this with much hesitation as I had already ventured out there once before and was unpleasantly surprised at the teeming swarms of judgemental mommies out there (emphasis on the mental part of the word). At least this time I wasn't surprised...
Sigh.
I'm a fairly progressive mama. Rowan eats organics, was breastfed (to the best of my limited abilities) and was delivered by a Midwife. But I am not an absolutist and make no claims of knowing exactly what the hell I'm doing, because I don't. I'm a realist and a proponent of science-based medicine and common sense parenting. Apparently, I'm in the minority.
Also, according to most mommies on the interent, I'm probably The Devil.
I'm throwing in the towel again. Curse you sanctimonious internet mommies! I own two strollers and gave my son whole cow's milk at 10 months of age and he sleeps in a crib! THE HORROR!!!
Sigh.
I'm a fairly progressive mama. Rowan eats organics, was breastfed (to the best of my limited abilities) and was delivered by a Midwife. But I am not an absolutist and make no claims of knowing exactly what the hell I'm doing, because I don't. I'm a realist and a proponent of science-based medicine and common sense parenting. Apparently, I'm in the minority.
Also, according to most mommies on the interent, I'm probably The Devil.
I'm throwing in the towel again. Curse you sanctimonious internet mommies! I own two strollers and gave my son whole cow's milk at 10 months of age and he sleeps in a crib! THE HORROR!!!
December 14, 2011
Basically the best blog ever.
Regardless of the fact that I've been falling down on the blogging job lately, my poor little blog somehow managed to receive an award; a Liebster Award to be specific. (I should try to neglect other areas of my life and see if any good comes from it…)
So, what is a Liebster Award? Well, it's a little something awarded to bloggers with fewer than 200 followers by a follower of that blog that’s received a Liebster Award as well. Then that recipient can go forward and bestow the award to up to 5 other blogs. And so on and so forth until infinity. Sort of like a torch to pass from blogger to blogger to show them that they’re appreciated and as a way to increase traffic to their itty, bitty blog. Does that make sense?
(2) Reveal your top five picks (with less than 200 readers) and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
This is my sister-in-law's blog and I love it. Here's why...she's adorable and ridiculously positive and an amazing graphic designer. Also, there are lots and lots of pictures of my hilariously crazy-smart and hyperactive nephew. I'm pretty sure he's going to turn out to be a genius, so you should hitch your wagons to this blog because he's going to be famous one day!
This is a newer blog and I love it. Here's why...the author, Meg, is hilarious and witty (are you noticing a trend here? I love me some witty, funny women!). Also, it certainly doesn't hurt that her two dogs are quite handsome.
So, what is a Liebster Award? Well, it's a little something awarded to bloggers with fewer than 200 followers by a follower of that blog that’s received a Liebster Award as well. Then that recipient can go forward and bestow the award to up to 5 other blogs. And so on and so forth until infinity. Sort of like a torch to pass from blogger to blogger to show them that they’re appreciated and as a way to increase traffic to their itty, bitty blog. Does that make sense?
Liebster Blog Rules:
(1) Thank the blogger that gave you the award and then add a link to their blog.
I received my award from the extremely handsome and witty Newfoundland dog, Hemingway, the author of For Whom the Tail Wags (given his name, this is my all-time favorite blog name. Ever.); a blog documenting his adventures as a big dog in an even bigger world. Besides being really, really good looking, Hemingway is very fluffy and ridiculously huggable/smoochable. He’s also very humble. Thank you Hemingway for sharing your lovely mug with your readers on a regular basis and for passing the torch on to me! It is much appreciated and hopefully it will serve as the impetus to get my butt back into blogging gear!
(2) Reveal your top five picks (with less than 200 readers) and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
I stumbled upon this blog by accident and I love it. Here's why...the author, Mary, is a hilarious and witty woman. Also, she's a fabulous photographer and has a great eye for home design (even if her tastes tend to be more contemporary than mine). She somehow manages to blog regularly and do amazing projects around her home all while being a mother to her brood of 5 children without having a nervous breakdown. Amazing.
This is the personal blog of the author of another blog, the award-winning Nanook & Pooka, a blog that I also follow and recommend. I love Between Occupations. Here's why...the author, Nessa, is witty and has a dry sense of humor, bordering on the morbid/vulgar while managing to be neither. Also, she tends to over share and I like it! 'Nuff said. Now go check it out!
This is a blog I've been following for a long time and I love it. Here's why...the author, Charity, comes across as a very kind and sweet woman. This is a blog that was started to document her long journey towards adoption (over 5 years) but until last month was mostly about her two Newfoundland dogs. Happily her journey towards adoption ended last month and her adventures in motherhood have begun! Congratulations again to Charity, Gary, Katie and Louie on the addition of Natalie!
(3) Copy and Paste the Award to Your Blog.
Done!
(4) Hope that the people you’ve sent the award to forward it to their five favorite up-and-coming bloggers, and keep it going!
November 21, 2011
The week from H-E Double Hockey Sticks
Shawn and I went to Las Vegas last Sunday and flew back home on Wednesday as part of a work trip for his company. Within the short time I was in Vegas (a town I like to think of as one giant ashtray), I acquired an upper respiratory infection from inhaling all of the second-hand smoke that permeates through nearly every single square inch of that city. The day after arriving home, it became apparent that Rowan's molars were coming in. I know this because he's actually chewing on teething toys other than his beloved Sophie (which is something that he's never done before) and also because he's stopped sleeping. Which is super duper fun, especially since Shawn had to cram for his mid-term test which was yesterday, meaning that I've been on baby duty, essentially by myself, for the past several days. So no one in this house sleeps anymore, except for the dog who seems to be able to sleep through almost anything, including soul-rattling, bone-jarring, vertigo-inducing toddler screams.
The past 24 hours have been the absolute worst, by far. It started with a sleep deprived morning, followed by a midday trip to Starbucks for a much needed caffeine jolt in the form of a Chai Tea Latte and then a quick shopping trip to Target where I purchased a box of organic yogurt rice bars for Rowan. He'd screamed all the way from our house to our destinations, so I figured that I might be able to make him happy, if only temporarily, by giving him a snack that he's never had before. Once I was able to wrestle his tiny, unwilling and surprisingly strong little body back into his car seat, I handed him one of the rice bars and drove out of the parking lot onto a busy main thoroughfare. He was happily munching on the snack and I was just about to pat myself on the back for a job well done when Rowan began to gag.
He had taken waaaaay too big of a bite and was choking on it. In a panic, I quickly pulled off of the road and into a parking lot, jumped out of my seat, stuffed my index finger into his mouth in an effort to shovel the food out of his mouth and successfully cleared the offending rice bar bits out. Unfortunately while doing this, my finger went too far back on his tongue causing a new gagging reflex which resulted in Rowan vomiting all over himself. I tried to catch it in my hands, but quite a large amount of foul-smelling regurgitated rice bits and milk went through my fingers and down the front of his shirt. And to top it off, I had forgotten to bring his diaper bag when I had left for what was supposed to be a quick, uneventful errand.
Thankfully and mercifully I remembered that I had a couple of hand towels in the back that I keep in the car for wiping drool from Mila's mouth when we go for car rides (she gets pretty excited on car trips and is usually drooling by the time we arrive at our destination). They all were used and had dried dog slobber on them, which is grotesque I know, but at the time they were a far, far better option than leaving curdled vomit all over the little guy and my bare hands, so I used them to clean the two of us up as best I could.
Afterwards, I got into the driver's seat and pulled back out onto the road where Rowan promptly fell asleep. Needless to say, it was a very long 20 minute drive back home, sitting at the wheel of what was undoubtedly the most awful smelling car in Illinois at that moment.
Later that same day, I fed Mila her dinner and then Rowan, myself and the hubby went to my In-Law's house to celebrate my FIL's birthday. When we went home, it only took me 45 minutes to get Rowan to sleep which was a vast improvement on the last few nights where we averaged 2.5 hours trying to put him down for bed. Very pleased with myself, I walked downstairs where I saw Mila looking a bit woebegone, but I was unconcerned. Within 15 minutes, Mila threw up an enormous pile of (largely undigested) food onto the living room carpet. After doing so, she spent the rest of the evening looking slightly pitiful and being clingy.
Rowan woke up crying at 10pm and then again at 2:55am. This last time, I wasn't able to get him back to sleep until 5:30, which is precisely the time I wake up for work.
It was a very inauspicious start to the work week.
Since I was afraid that the sound of the shower might wake the baby, I washed my face, put on my makeup and went downstairs to take Mila outside and make a much needed cup of tea. As soon as Mila greeted me, she started retching and puked up a pile of little white rubber bits onto the living room carpet. I knew immediately what it was...it was our rubber sliding door stopper that Rowan plays with from time to time. Apparently, at some point yesterday Rowan had plucked it from it's rightful resting place and gave it to the dog, who is a notorious rubber-eater from way back. And the rest, as they say, is history.
I'm now hoping against hope that the rest of the rubber bits will make their appearance during Mila's evening potty break tonight as only about 20% of the stopper came out onto the carpet this morning. If not, my bad week will decidedly become much, much worse...
The past 24 hours have been the absolute worst, by far. It started with a sleep deprived morning, followed by a midday trip to Starbucks for a much needed caffeine jolt in the form of a Chai Tea Latte and then a quick shopping trip to Target where I purchased a box of organic yogurt rice bars for Rowan. He'd screamed all the way from our house to our destinations, so I figured that I might be able to make him happy, if only temporarily, by giving him a snack that he's never had before. Once I was able to wrestle his tiny, unwilling and surprisingly strong little body back into his car seat, I handed him one of the rice bars and drove out of the parking lot onto a busy main thoroughfare. He was happily munching on the snack and I was just about to pat myself on the back for a job well done when Rowan began to gag.
He had taken waaaaay too big of a bite and was choking on it. In a panic, I quickly pulled off of the road and into a parking lot, jumped out of my seat, stuffed my index finger into his mouth in an effort to shovel the food out of his mouth and successfully cleared the offending rice bar bits out. Unfortunately while doing this, my finger went too far back on his tongue causing a new gagging reflex which resulted in Rowan vomiting all over himself. I tried to catch it in my hands, but quite a large amount of foul-smelling regurgitated rice bits and milk went through my fingers and down the front of his shirt. And to top it off, I had forgotten to bring his diaper bag when I had left for what was supposed to be a quick, uneventful errand.
Thankfully and mercifully I remembered that I had a couple of hand towels in the back that I keep in the car for wiping drool from Mila's mouth when we go for car rides (she gets pretty excited on car trips and is usually drooling by the time we arrive at our destination). They all were used and had dried dog slobber on them, which is grotesque I know, but at the time they were a far, far better option than leaving curdled vomit all over the little guy and my bare hands, so I used them to clean the two of us up as best I could.
Afterwards, I got into the driver's seat and pulled back out onto the road where Rowan promptly fell asleep. Needless to say, it was a very long 20 minute drive back home, sitting at the wheel of what was undoubtedly the most awful smelling car in Illinois at that moment.
Later that same day, I fed Mila her dinner and then Rowan, myself and the hubby went to my In-Law's house to celebrate my FIL's birthday. When we went home, it only took me 45 minutes to get Rowan to sleep which was a vast improvement on the last few nights where we averaged 2.5 hours trying to put him down for bed. Very pleased with myself, I walked downstairs where I saw Mila looking a bit woebegone, but I was unconcerned. Within 15 minutes, Mila threw up an enormous pile of (largely undigested) food onto the living room carpet. After doing so, she spent the rest of the evening looking slightly pitiful and being clingy.
Rowan woke up crying at 10pm and then again at 2:55am. This last time, I wasn't able to get him back to sleep until 5:30, which is precisely the time I wake up for work.
It was a very inauspicious start to the work week.
Since I was afraid that the sound of the shower might wake the baby, I washed my face, put on my makeup and went downstairs to take Mila outside and make a much needed cup of tea. As soon as Mila greeted me, she started retching and puked up a pile of little white rubber bits onto the living room carpet. I knew immediately what it was...it was our rubber sliding door stopper that Rowan plays with from time to time. Apparently, at some point yesterday Rowan had plucked it from it's rightful resting place and gave it to the dog, who is a notorious rubber-eater from way back. And the rest, as they say, is history.
I'm now hoping against hope that the rest of the rubber bits will make their appearance during Mila's evening potty break tonight as only about 20% of the stopper came out onto the carpet this morning. If not, my bad week will decidedly become much, much worse...
November 1, 2011
Happy (belated) Halloween!
Sorry this is late but as I stated in the last post, I'm in a funk. Plus, it was Halloween and we were crazy busy last night. Also, I only slept for 3 hours last night. As a result, I'm feeling supremely lazy and uninspired, so I present to you a short picture post of random shots from Boo at the Zoo at Brookfield Zoo on Sunday and from Trick-or-Treating last night...
October 17, 2011
MIA
I've (obviously) been MIA on here for several weeks. I've been in a bit of a funk lately and the funk has spread to the blog. But, I'm trying to come out of it! Besides that, nothing blog-worthy has happened anyway. Shawn's been working a ton, I chopped off my hair because I was tired of looking at it (alas, this new 'do isn't much of an improvement), Rowan got sick for the very first time in his 13 month life and I took one of the worst road trips ever with the little guy and my mom to Virginia. Everything that could have gone wrong did, although Rowan really impressed me with how well he took to spending hour after hour after hour in the car. He was just as cheerful as can be as we endured the traffic horrors of the east coast (curse you Maryland/Washington D.C.!), the terror of driving through the foggy, rain drenched mountains in Pennsylvania and day after day of storms everywhere else we went. Here's one of the only six pictures I took...
Clearly, I wasn't interested in remembering this trip if I only took six photos. That said, it was nice to spend that kind of time with my mom, so it wasn't all a wash...
Most recently, I went to County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana with the little guy and some of my gal pals where Rowan was equal parts crabby and ecstatic...
I would have loved to stay and watch Peter the Pumpkin Eater eat some giant pumpkins but, unsurprisingly, Rowan is terrified of giant, robotic, pumpkin eating dinosaurs...
Well, I hope this finds all of you in cyberspace well! Happy Fall!
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| Hooray...another storm. |
Most recently, I went to County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana with the little guy and some of my gal pals where Rowan was equal parts crabby and ecstatic...
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| Nicole, Tricia and Asher lead the way... |
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| Peter, the robotic pumpkin eating dinosaur. |
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| The Three Little Pigs. |
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| Rowan was infatuated with this Guinea Fowl, until it tried to peck him. |
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| Here's a close-up of the little bastard that tried to peck Rowan through the fence. Incidentally, he was pecking my camera lense in this photo. |
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| Picking apples in the orchard. |
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| I imagine he's scolding the calf in this picture. He looks like he is anyway... |
Well, I hope this finds all of you in cyberspace well! Happy Fall!
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