Giblets and gravy

Lots of random thoughts on the brain today, so this will be a scattered post. In no particular order, I present you with turkey and all the fixins:

• Before I can forget, please send many prayers, fertile thoughts, and or shaken chicken bones to my friend J who is in the process of her third IVF. She's with the big guns up at Cornell, so she's done as much as she can on the medical end of things. And our good wishes surely can't hurt.
• The kid loves him his PBS in the morning. By 5am he is yelling out "Elmo! Rogers! Puppy!" in the hopes that I can magically make Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, or Clifford appear out of thin air. I tell him that they are all sleeping (and convince him to do the same), but we hear it all again by 6:00. Luckily, that's when they are aired.
• Project "pillow in the crib" is working well (with the exception of sleeping in each morning- see above).
• I finished another Christmas gift (scarf) and have started another. I'm a knitting machine! If I do the same stitch repeatedly. No really.
• I know you don't give a crap what I had for lunch today, but I had a gyro. And it was wonderful. Even more wonderful because it was not turkey.
• I was "yelled at" (wild gestures) by another driver this morning for NOT pulling out in front of her. Huh?
• I will begin my first foray into scrapbooking this weekend. I decided that the grandmas are getting smaller (8x8) books for Christmas and then I can provide updated pages as things happen. Seemed like a good idea. I have paper and letters and stickers and stuff. And the books will be identical to the degree that I am able (they live in different states). Now if I can just get past the creative roadblocks that keep me from starting many a project...(sigh)
• And last, but not least, have a lovely holiday.

Awake and sing

The sleeping situation in the house is getting a little bit better. I decided that perhaps the factor making Gabe sleep a little better in the big bed was the comfy pillows and blankets. So, in an act of maternal rebellion, I gave him a pillow and bigger (but not overwhelming) blanket in his crib*. I also drew the shades and wore ninja garb in the process, knowing that the crib police were bound to find out about the safety violation.

Night one: Gabe still woke up four times, but he was easier to settle and seemed to wake more from trying to turn sideways than from other discomfort.

Night two: Gabe only woke up twice (progress) and, again, was easy to soothe.

Night three: By now, we have put modified “bumpers” in the crib so that when he tries to turn sideways he doesn’t crack his head on the rails. Result? Only one waking. (Yay!)

To date: Gabe is far more restful now and generally sleeps until 5 or 6am. If he does wake sooner, he is soothed back to sleep without the need for holding and rocking.

And mommy is a much less cranky gal.

*Anyone reading this for sleep solutions, please note that my son is now 18-months old and is capable of not suffocating under a blanket. Please do not put all of the cushy stuff in the crib with a wee one. Please.

Friday-ish

Today was a whirlwind because I am off tomorrow. The "artificial Friday" as it were. These types of days are great, because of the short week, and suck ass, because of the short week (if deadlines are looming...which they are).

So, the post is short and sweet. Hopefully I will get a chance to write something more lengthy and meaty tomorrow.

Toodles!

Pessimistic Pollyanna

Note: this post was written yesterday and was to be posted then but stoopid Blogger (use Homer Simpson voice for full effect) was down.

I have an appointment this afternoon with my RE. I have been all over the board on how we will arrive at a two-child family, and I suppose this is one of our options. I have not talked about it much with anyone because, honestly, I'm not quite sure how to feel. When we approached IVF the first time, I was convinced that it would not work. I guess not so convinced that I skipped it entirely, but given that our insurance pays for it (don't hate me), and we were already working with an adoption group (with whom we still spend time), it seemed like a very low risk opportunity. Well, in the grand scheme...

Long story short, the first round worked. Singleton pregnancy. Live birth. What more could a girl ask for?

Forward to now when we would like to have plans in the works for a sibling to arrive in, oh, another year or so. At first I gave a resounding "no" to the idea of IVF again. Too much emotional baggage. Then, I kept thinking about it and decided that perhaps I could give it another try after all. On the off chance that I didn't change my mind, I scheduled the consult with the RE to get the ball rolling.

And now I am not quite sure how I feel. Am I excited? Well, sure, the chance at parenting another kid is very exciting. Am I scared? You betcha. The stim procedure barely worked last time and I'm two years older right now. And I'm 35 now, making me of "advanced maternal age." And I am guaranteed a C-section (you know, if everything else goes well) because of the dramatic level of tearing I experienced last time. (I am not the same person, and I probably never will be, and that's all the detail you want- trust me). And part of me is convinced that the only reason it worked last time is that I was convinced that it would not work. So what do I do this time? Knowing that it could work should mess up the "won't work at all" philosophy. Which should mean that it won't work. Which would then mean that I am convinced that it won't work. Which, by my previous logic, should mean that it will work. But knowing that it will work should make it not work. Oh, you get the idea...I'm going in circles here.

I'll let you know what the RE says.

And about the weekends...

Ok, I guess the weekend posting things is just not going to happen. Part of the problem is that when I am at home I have to contend with (gasp) dial-up service. Another problem is that I use a computer all day at work and have little desire to touch one on the weekends. And, there’s always the combined problem of energy and time. And, alas, the weekend posting goes out the door.

Speaking of energy, mine has completely gone out the door these days. Gabriel is not sleeping much at night, and we are walking around like zombies. He has also decided that taking a nap in his crib is NOT going to happen. He will take a nap in the “big bed” but not in the crib. (sigh) I don’t know if this is a sign that he is ready to transition, a way for him to be manipulative, or a combination of the two. We have a guest bed in the house, but I know I would not be able to sleep at night knowing that he could fall out. Yes, there are rails for the sides, but what about the bottom? What about the fact that the rails are low? He’s no dummy. So, I am considering the option of giving him a mattress on the floor to see if that helps. We have a twin set just waiting to be used, and there’s always the crib mattress. That will be an option as soon as I re-childproof his room. He has a nightlight. Great for a kid in a crib- not so much for the free-range toddler. The bookcase is not yet strapped to the wall- must get to that. And there is the fact that his room tends to be cool, and we have been using a portable oil-filled radiator type heater. That will have to go, too.

I think I will be very busy this weekend, too...don’t look for a post.

Pug Love...

Gabe loves the puggies, too:

Butt sniffers...

The question of the day: What kind of dogs annoy you? (from JS)

I am definitely a dog person. I can't imagine life without a dog. However, there are some dogs that I can only take in very small doses. I am not a fan of small, yippy dogs. Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, Mini-anythings. Most of those dogs have a Napoleon complex and it drives me batty. The exception to the rule? Pugs. I love pugs. (snort!)

Furry dogs also bug me, but only from a “can’t live with them” standpoint. I realize that dogs have hair. I’m talking about the big fluffy furry ones where no matter what you do, you can’t get the fur to go away. It sticks to your skin, your hair, your clothes. And it is soooooo hard to get off. Hair gets on everything, too, but when I brush at it, it falls off. When I brush at fur on my pants, it sticks to my hands. Then I try to get it off my hands and it’s back on my clothes. Wash, rinse, repeat. It makes me crazy. I have met many, many wonderfully friendly furry dogs. I just don’t want them to live with me.

The most annoying dogs? The ones with clueless owners. The worst is when someone is blind to the fact that their dog is a danger to others. That is downright negligent. Kids have been maimed and killed in situations like that. I will not go into further detail (I could go on all day) in case the person that annoys me most with their dog happens to read this. I have said my part to him/her. S/he is still clueless. Therefore, I keep my family as far as humanly possible from that animal. It’s a Napoleon dog (not terribly small- could do lots of damage) with an unpredictable mean streak. Bad combination.

That’s my rant for the day.

Ding Dong

All day I have had the song "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" running through my head in response to the elections yesterday. I guess it's an odd choice given that the people I most wanted out of office were men, but whatever. I am just glad that the country finally decided to drop the house on that old cow and put her out of my misery. I'm not saying that life will magically be wonderful. I'm just glad that we have put a fresh face on congress, and I'll just pray for the best. And as an added bonus, I see that the Wicked Witch of the West (a.k.a. Rumsfeld) decided to throw the water on herself (ok, himself...I'm going with a metaphor here, ok?) today. That was the icing on the yellow brick road.

Sweet, Sweet Sleep...

I have heard many a blogger tread through the foggy haze of exhaustion to warn other parents of the dreaded 18-month sleep regression. Or perhaps they were just venting and trying to stay awake. Regardless of their intent, I never quite felt that the information was meant for me. I mean, my kid would never regress. No, he was a forward mover. Yeah, right.

In fact, I had blocked the information so well that until just a few days ago, I hadn't considered the fact that Gabriel might be experiencing the dreaded regression even though he has been waking 2-4 times a night for the last month and will turn 18-months old in two weeks. I guess it turns out he really is a forward mover...moving into the damn regression six weeks early! Gah!

If I don't go loony from sleep deprivation by the time this is over, I'll have a gaping hole in my stomach from all of the coffee. And then we'll be on to the next developmental challenge.

It's a darn good thing he's cute.

Nonsense!

Has anyone seen this yet? Just when we thought we were done hearing "just relax," the travel industry decides to jump on the bandwagon. A**holes.

And I just love that the couple featured in the article had just started trying two months ago and "magically" their weekend trip did the trick. Yeah. Two months of trying is so infertile. Boo hoo. Sympathy anyone?

So, what kind of person signs up for an activity that requires daily blog posting, knowing full-well that she will be away from a computer for two days?

Me.

Eh, that leaves me out of the running for the prizes, but it doesn't mean I can't post every day for the rest of the month now, does it? And, yes, I know that one can post with a phone or via e-mail. But I don't have a PDA, and, while I do have a phone, I don't have text as an option. Not on the cutting edge of technology am I.

I left the pictures of what I did do this weekend at home. Instead, I leave you with a picture of what I was doing the previous weekend:

A Classic...

The topic of the day: Name your top ten list for a particular genre (CD, movies, etc.). In other words, which ones would you take to a desert island? (from MP and AL)

I'll start with a list of CD's and see how far I get before the baby wakes up. I will assume, though, that this desert island provides me some way to play the CDs. I always love these questions when they require powered devices on a desert island...

Top 10 CDs

1. ABBA Gold
2. If I Were a Carpenter (var. artists)
3. Erasure Top 20 Album
4. Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd)
5. Best of Jethro Tull
6. Violator (Depeche Mode)
7. The Mozart Album (Canadian Brass)
8. 80's Mix (made for me by A)
9. Flood (They Might Be Giants)
10. God Shuffled His Feet (Crash Test Dummies)

I wish it could be more than 10 because I also have a fondness for the Grateful Dead, Toad the Wet Sprocket, James, Siouxie and the Banshees, Iz, and a bunch of others I am forgetting right now (baby is up- finishing quickly).

I suppose to be on the safe side, I should start making compilations of all of my favorite songs from all of my favorite artists on 10 CDs. You know, in case that desert thing ever actually happens.

Nantucket...

I have had a fabulous response from my friends. Today, I picked a fun and easy one:

Write a limerick about candy or water (from JS).

On Candy, My Sweet

There once was a candy called Nerds,
Whose pieces were sized for the birds,
In pink and in green
With a sour-sweet sheen
They’re eaten by children in herds.


Eh, why not, here's a water one, too...(great title, huh?)

The running of water, a brook,
Is moving each time that I look
The pebbles and soil
Washed away in a toil
It amazes me how much it took.

Off We Go!

Having accepted the NaBloPoMo challenge, it dawned on me yesterday that, starting today, I would need to find 30 things to say in 30 days. I'm one of those people who perseverates on every word, every topic, and every thought that might make it to the blog. Then, I don't post for a while because nothing is "just right." Or, alternatively, I end up posting on the hated "what I had for lunch" type topic (usually expressed as ramblings about my kid).

Fear not- I have found a solution!

I have asked my IRL friends who know about the blog to suggest topics or ideas. I have given them only a few restrictions (no work, sex, or hometown topics) but outside of that, creativity is welcome. I have already received a few responses, and it should be interesting. With 30 days, I won't get to every idea, but it will be fun trying! To keep it from seeming too random, I will include the suggestion/question du jour with my post.

If anyone finding this post has a topic suggestion, drop me a comment, and I will try to fit it in. Buckle your safety belts, it's gonna be a wild ride!