That 100 things post, part one

So I've been blogging for (hold on, let me look) (since 7/06/04 ... calculate the time ...) 3 years, 5 months and a bunch of days. What, did you expect me to get it down to the hour? Well, I almost did but I didn't want you to think I was OCD.

Anyhow, I've been blogging for a really long time. And in that time I've been reading a number of different blogs and almost all do the "100 things about me" post. I haven't, and not because I don't have the time. I just don't have the attention span. So I was over at Michele's waiting for the Weekend thingie to start because I really don't want to get up and get ready for the day and I clicked on a random sidebar person. She had been working on her 100 things, in increments. And I thought, I can do that! So here goes on the start of my 100 things until I can't think of any more or I just get bored:

1. I have a half-brother and a foster sister that are 10 and 12 years younger than me, respectively. I spent a lot of time raising them before I moved out and I always feel more like their mother or some other older relative than their sister.


2. I used to be the lone copy editor and then the editor in chief of a small online magazine that made a 2-issue foray into print, called Today's Cacher. I feel like that was the one time I had a taste of what I wanted for work, even though I wasn't getting paid for it.


3. My only current hobby is all things internet, but some day I hope to get back to some of those previous activities and even pick up some more (more on those later).

And now Spencer's awake and doesn't want to let me type, so I'll have to resume later! This list might take a very long time!

You make stalking sexy

I was listening to our local 80s station tonight (which also plays 70s and 90s and even some early 2000 music ... don't get me started -- isn't there enough enough 80s music to keep a station running?) and Sting's I'll be Watching You came on.

Every breath you take
And every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you

Every single day
And every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you

I remember that song from when I was young and I never really knew what it was about. Then, about a year ago I was watching VH1 and they referred to this song and said that it "made stalking sexy". So of course now I always think about stalking when I hear it.

Anyhow, it came on tonight and I was singing along for Spencer when I started thinking about cyber-stalking. Not the scary kind, but one specific instance when my favorite New Yorker and I used to lurk on the blog of a certain whiny my-fiction-is-better-than-your-fiction, sucking-dick-doesn't-mean-i'm-gay, 9.5-inch-cock-but-yearns-for-10 ex-boyfriend of said New Yorker. And we'd talk about it. As a matter of fact, his online fights with his psycho girlfriend were priceless.

I wonder what happened to that blog. And certain person know if it's still active? And is there any body else worthy of cyber-stalking?

BTW, this post sounded so much more interesting in my head when I was thinking it in the car.

Twitter

Okay, so I've bitten. If you're on Twitter (besides you, Mrs. Mogul, I'm already following you hehe) let me know and I'll follow you! Also, if you follow me I might be more inclined to update more often than once every 18 days! Just follow the link-y-doo to the right here. I even changed my text color so you can notice it!

Suzanne, you know you want to!

Also, there are posts below this, so scrolly scrolly!

Updates on mommyhood

Spencer did well at daycare yesterday. When I picked him up at 4:30 he was very subdued and they said that he had been a very quiet baby and gave me a paper that said when they fed him and when they changed his diapers. He fell asleep the moment he got in the car and slept until about 7 with very little interruptions (slept through dinner at Five Guys ... he really likes to sleep there evidently). I fed him formula when we got home and he took it well with just a little of turning away. I'm pretty sure it confused him because I was feeding him but it didn't taste like it usually did. He was so happy when we got home -- if he's like this every day I'll really enjoy taking him to daycare even if I miss him. He went to bed around 10:30 and has been sleeping ever since. Nice.

So this is the first time in 10 weeks I'm awake for reasons other than Spencer. I've decided to stop breastfeeding as of yesterday. He had two formula bottles and I've noticed a drastic difference in the volume of spit-up and gas immediately. I have about 4 meals frozen, and I think I'm going to intersperse those meals to him throughout the next couple days so it's not a complete change from breast milk to formula. However, since I'm no longer breastfeeding or pumping, my boobs hurt so much! I've been waking up all night, and finally at 4:15 I took a hot shower so that they wouldn't hurt quite so much even though I know I'm not supposed to. I put on one of my pre-breastfeeding bras so that it would be snug, and now I'm just sitting here, deciding if I should go back to bed for an hour or not. It was my intention to start getting up at 5:30 starting today to get used to going back to work and to see how long it takes to get both of us ready in the mornings so I can be on time on Monday.

I have made an appointment regarding my last post for Thursday after a good talk with the nurse, so hopefully that will be cleared up before going back to work.

Spencer is doing very well on all fronts. He smiles and coos and laughs, he loves to stand even though he can't support his back so I have to hold him up. He can hold his head up briefly from his tummy, but I'm trying to do more tummy time (I hate that he hates it so much) so that he can get used to doing the stuff that he's supposed to that way. He sleeps mostly through the night, and he's getting better on naps (daycare will help on the structure of that I'm sure).

Anyhow, I think I may lay down again and see if I can sleep. Blah for pain!

Daycare, Sex and Putting an offer in (no subject related there)

Spencer started daycare this morning. He was in a very good mood, and I hated giving him to someone else when he was happy and smiling (no problems handing him off when he won't stop crying) but it had to be done. I go back to work on Monday and I want to get used to taking him in before work. This morning we didn't get there until 9am, but tomorrow and Friday I'm going to get up and get ready like I'm going to work so I'm used to it before next week. The people there are very nice ... the only problem I have is that I don't think the infant teacher speaks any English. When I was talking to them about his gas problems and swaddling etc, the director kept translating for me. It was very odd. Unfortunately in this area I don't think I really have a choice, and I'd rather have very nice and clean people who don't speak English watching my son rather than sketching dirty people who speak English taking care of him.

We had his doctor's visit yesterday -- he got 4 shots and an oral vaccine! He was in a terrible mood after that, but thankfully he slept through the night, likely because he didn't feel well and the screaming like crazy tired him out. The doctor listened to my concerns about his gas and about breastfeeding, and we've decided to wean him to formula. I'm a little excited about that, and I hope everything goes well. I'm still pumping today, but I'm going to start with every other feeding as formula and then get him completely on formula maybe by next week. Christen says, "It's good to know all the money for the fancy pump went to good use" but I told him maybe the next baby will be a little more cooperative on my boobs.

Here's the part where I get into the TMI -- I haven't had sex since Spencer was born. First I was bleeding for 6 weeks, then I started a period almost immediately (yes I know it's not supposed to happen when you're breastfeeding but no one told my body). Then I got my IUD and I've been spotting every day since. But over the past week or so we've tried to have sex and it hurts and we haven't gone for it and I'm not sure what to do about it. I feel like a virgin again. Should I act like it's a bandaid and just go for it? Should I talk to my doctor? Should I just get really drunk?

Back to the normal part of this blog, I'm putting in an offer on a house today. I'm not really worried about the money part of it although I should. I'm mostly worried that we won't get it. I'm excited to own a home. I'm excited to live on my own again. Christen says his mom is bummed because she thought we'd be around longer, but really we may not move for 3 months anyhow. I'm excited to be able to hang around in the buff again. But the house is 4 bedrooms, 2 bath with a pool and a fireplace. It needs a lot of sprucing up but not a huge amount of work before moving in -- carpet and paint, mostly. I'm super excited so cross your fingers that we get it and that the mortgage crisis has ended!

I know my kid's a star

Have you seen this show? The newest Danny Bonaduce vehicle. How do these parents sleep at night? And to have Bonaduce host it -- yes, children, we will get you on tv, but you'll be sentenced to a life of boozing, drugs and bad tv. Let's go for it!

I've thought of posting several times, but I just don't have the attention span lately. I've even opened a post but never got past naming it. Blah.


Tuesday 4/15 was our anniversary. My, what a difference a year makes! It feels like yesterday, yet it feels like forever. It really feels like forever since we were in California. We talk about the vineyards and the restaurants and the wine all the time. We decided not to get each other anything for our anniversary. I didn't know that meant I wouldn't get flowers, but I made the "no gifts" rule so I wasn't going to complain. We went for a very nice dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse where we spent too much money but had a wonderful time. I had the filet and shrimp which was fabulous (well, the filet was fabulous; the shrimp were a little dry but they tasted good once I turned them in the steak juice). Christen had the NY Strip which he said was good but that he had had better. We shared garlic mashed potatoes which were good but nothing special, and creamed spinach which was divine. We split a bottle of B.R.Cohn Cabernet which was quite delicious but oddly I didn't even get a buzz from, and they comp'ed a creme brulee for our celebratory dinner (very tasty but Ceviche's is better). All in all, a very lovely dinner. The in-laws kept Spencer for the few hours that we were out.

The rest of this past week has been unbelievably stressful. I'm hoping we're through the worst of the stress, because really I'm not sure I can handle much more. Thank you for every one who has called or emailed. I'm alright really, and it has nothing to do with Christen or Spencer (except that Spencer starts daycare on Tuesday and I'm not really looking forward to that). Things will work out, and I really don't want to talk about it with anyone else other than who I have already discussed things with, but thank you all for your help. I am so glad to know that there really are people there for me. I know I'm not alone, but sometimes it's hard to remember.

contact dermatitis, yeah, it's what I got (can you remember that?)

To the tune of Love Is.

I made these today for lunch -- mmm, mmm good. However, my reaction to the raw jalapenos (burning red fingers) made me finally realize what is wrong with me -- contact dermatitis. I have the same issue with Tide detergent and raw shrimp. Odd gamut of issue items, yes? Jalapenos not as bad as shrimp -- shrimp makes me scream in agony. Last time my clothes were washed in Tide I had to throw most of them away. The jalapenos just make my finger tips burn and get a little red and scaly.

So I think I'm going to have to invest in another box of non-powdered latex gloves for cooking with.

Spencer's not been feeling well today. He was screaming most of the day unless I held him, and he took a short nap on his changing table while I hung out in his room making sure he was still safe because I didn't want to move him and chance waking him up. I've fed him gas medicine and he seems to finally be coming out of it, so he's hanging out in his chair next to me filling his diaper. Knowing my luck he'll be feeling completely better by the time Christen is home and he'll be all smiles for me. Lucky bastard.