A Meme in Pictures

**(stolen without prejudice from Hilly who shamelessly stole it from Adena)

[I stole this AGES ago and stuck it in my drafts for a time that I would need it, cuz I'm awesome like that.]

Here’s how it works:
1. Go to www.flickr.com
2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box
3. Use only the first page
4. Insert the picture into your Blog

1.) What is your relationship status?

married
2.)  What is your current mood?

stressed

3.)  Who is your favorite band/artist?

Pearl Jam

4.)  What is your favorite movie?

Dazed and Confused

5.)  What kind of pet do you have?

pit bull

&

grey tabby

6.)  Where do you live?

Toronto

7.)  Where do you work?

construction industry

8.)  What do you look like?

messy

9.)  What do you drive?

Malibu Maxx (but black) I heart it so bad!

10.)  What did you do last night?

nurse mah bebe (for what seemed like HOURS)

11.)  What is your favorite TV show?

Hell’s Kitchen

12.)  Describe yourself.

complacent

13.)  What are you doing today?

parenting (HA!)

14.)  What is your name?

Samantha - a bald eagle at the DC Zoo - it was this or a bunch of neked boobies… I don’t get it.

15.)  What is your favorite candy?

Reese’s pieces

:::

Thanks for all the support regarding yesterday’s post. Mike found a job this morning - which is fabulous - same pay rate as the last place as well and will probably have more hours. BUT! This job requires A LOT more out-of-town work so God only knows how long he’s going to be gone at times which is totally not cool with me.

But he has work, so I can relax.

A little.

Until the first trip that takes him away from home for 6 months.

:::

Carter calls a rake a “dick” and when he pretends to rake something he says: “dick, dick, dick, dick…”

Is it wrong that I laugh every single time?

Ah, kids.

♥ Thanks to all who have left comments of encouragement and love over the past couple days month. I’ve been really busy with working on completing designs before baby gets here and house stuff that I haven’t had the time I’d like to dedicate to replying to comments. I will be back to replying soon after this bundle has arrived, but in the meantime, please know that i read each and every comment and am very grateful! I just hate that I’m not participating by replying right now. I hope you understand!! ♥

Before Carter was born I had all these fantastic ideas of what we we do while I was on Maternity Leave with him. I think I may have even had the entire year planned - in my head - with days filled to the brim with library visits, shopping, swimming, trips to the bookstore, window shopping downtown, walks by the lake…

When Carter arrived I found myself confined to my house for the first couple weeks watching television as Hurricane Katrina had just struck the southern US. TV coverage was rampant and I found myself obsessing over the devastation and grief stricken for the people.

The first four months I found myself home more often then out. All these great ideas I had faded into nothing as I watched television in the mornings and cleaned in the afternoons trying to sneak in a nap or two throughout the day.

It truly was a sad existence.

On a whim I decided that enough was enough and enrolled in a Mom & Baby Yoga class. We were going to get out of the house and meet people. Enough was enough.

Now, I’ve never taken yoga before (and I haven’t again since this class actually) so I was intimidated walking in there thinking I was going to face a bunch of svelte mama - so toned, tanned and just four months after giving birth while I felt like a complete frump. Thankfully the moms were just like me. NORMAL.

Many of us bonded quite well and spent the rest of our Maternity Leaves doing things together regularly. A number of us enrolled our children into swimming classes, had mommy/baby play dates every week and even took outings to parks and sometimes just mommy dates. In the evening. At a local pub. With no children!

It was exactly what I needed and more.

I never thought that I would be a part of a mom group of any kind. I just never pictured it as ‘my thing’ but it so was. It kept me sane, in touch and made me realize that there were people I could connect with in the same stage of life as myself. I’m just so disappointed that work and family life has kept us apart since. A few of us email and chat, but I just haven’t had the time to meet up with them again.

I’m hoping that a few of us can reconnect the time around, or I can find some new moms in the area to spend time with.

:::

This post is part of the Parent Bloggers Network Blog Blast! asking you to tell us what baby-friendly outings worked for you during your rookie year as a mom? This Blog Blast! is a part of The Rookie Mom’s Handbook review brought to you by Rookie Moms.

One of two fantastic gift bags filled with more than $250 worth of goodies for moms, including the brand new BABYBJÖRN^®Baby Carrier Synergy, a child’s gardening kit from Smith & Hawken, a baby t-shirt from Scout Organic Baby, and of course, a copy of The Rookie Mom’s Handbook can be won if you participate!

I’m not one to hold a grudge. For very long anyways. So when I heard about this virtual baby shower I was a little disheartened that I wasn’t mentioned. Because: Dude, I’m due one day before HerBadMother and two days before ChickyChickBaby and Mrs. Chicken? Long before her. As hard as it is to find love in the Blogosphere sometimes it’s even harder to have everyone notice and recognize. (For some reason I just had the urge to go all gangster “Yo, u bettah reckognize, beotch”) You just can’t win ‘em all.

Ahem.

Now that that is out of my system, I digress.

I love all three of these ladies so much there’s no way in hell I could let my petty hormonal bitchiness stop me from congratulating them and wishing them many sleepless nights and poopy diapers a slow and painful delivery wonderful memories with their newly growing family.

I wish more then anything that I had some ass-vice for you but, I don’t. I wish I could tell you that the second one was way easier, but I don’t know that just yet. And even wish I could tell you that your older children can be bribed into diaper changes and see the joy in getting everything for you as you sit in front of the television nursing your new bundle injured lady bits. But I don’t know that either. (But Lawd I pray Carter will change a shit or two for me.)

I expect that all of you will undoubtedly succeed beyond my wildest dreams and I take comfort in knowing that I will be right along side you wonderful gals learning and growing as parents to children. Plural.

Wow. More then one.

Children.

That word has never freaked me out more then it did right now.

My paternal (step)grandmother (my father’s biological mother died when he was 5 years old) was a kindergarten teacher for years. Whenever we would visit them, she would have all these great ideas of things we could do to pass the time - arts and crafts, garage sales, games, etc. We had so much fun when we were little.

I remember that she’s always had fun knitted sweaters - you know the ones - Christmas themed with trees, snow, Santa - the works. I think she had them for just about every season, even ones that we’re seasonal but dawned puppies and landscapes. Very much a teacher sweater.

That’s not my headless grandmother

She loved those sweaters: I think she may still have a closet full.

I think they’re hideous, horrible, and tacky!

Christmas of 1996, I was 15. We were at my grandparents house for the Christmas holidays and just finished up dinner. We were gathering in the living room, as we did every year, to open presents. Everyone was commenting on my grandma’s sweater because it was - you guessed it! - a flashy, hideous Christmas sweater.

At 15, I was less then eager to open gifts with family. I wanted to hide in the basement and watch MuchMusic (Yankees read: MTV); I wanted to be away from the adults, but had to endure the oooohhhs! and awwwwwwes! of all the gift giving.

My turn.

From Grandma and Grandpa.

I rip off the paper and see the box.

I could see a smile creep across my grandma’s face as I peered at the box.

Tabi International.

Tabi is one of those stores who sell those God awful sweaters.

I hold my breath.

I can feel my heart racing and my insides tossing and turning as I pull out this monstrosity of a sweater.

Red, with black trim. White snowflakes scatter all over.

Big. Black. Scottie. Dog.

Dead centre. Like a bullseye.

Underneath it is a white collared dress shirt.

I held the sweater up high in front of my face, blocking my grandmother’s view so she wasn’t able to see the absolute horror on my face which I tried valiantly to conceal.

I think I may have even barfed in my mouth a little.

Upon arriving home, I shoved that box far into the deep, dark depths of the dust bunny world under my bed.

Never to be seen by another human being. Ever. Again.

******

Sure, sure… it’s the thought that counts. But not today! Tell us about the Good, the Bad and the downright Hideous in today’s PBN Blog Blast - “Gifts Gone Right, Gifts Gone Wrong” - sponsored by GetinHerHead.com. You could win a $250 gift certificate to your favorite spa - where you can remember the good gifts fondly (and forget about the bad ones) while you’re being pampered!