Life on the parkway

Blech.

countess shell — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:23:33 +0000

I have lost any and all respect I had for Rudy Giuliani before tonight. I need a shower.

New motto!

countess shell — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 04:43:57 +0000

To say that Nathan has become a bit of a picky eater would be the understatement of the year. The kid is so already in his Terrible Twos. This morning he actually made a face at his plate of homefreakingmade blueberry pancakes - with fresh blueberries! - and maple sausage. Then he started flinging things off his plate. So I took his plate away and we (David and I) finished breakfast. As I was putting Nathan’s plate in the dishwasher he started complaining by screaming. “Yeah, yeah. Life’s unfair so why don’t you go get yourself a cracker.” David immediately piped up that it was t-shirt worthy. Anything t-shirt worthy has got to be good enough to be my new motto. So away with “If your dog needs a new sweater then you need a new dog.“ From here forth my new personal motto is “Life’s unfair so why don’t you go get yourself a cracker.”

For the record Nathan did head over to the pantry, pull down the box of his favorite crackers and helped himself.

A few minutes ago David and I had the following conversation:

David: Why do we need a new web browser? Aren’t there enough browsers out there already?

Countess Shell: We DON’T need a new web browser. Who is putting out a new browser?

D: Google.

CS: Really? Call Derek. We don’t need a new browser. I LIKE Firefox.

D: (rolls eyes - at least I think he rolled his eyes as I can’t see him since he is sitting behind me) Yeah. Ok. I’ll get right on that.

CS: (reading that the new browser doesn’t come in Apple flavor yet): But I wanna play too. Why can’t I have the new browser too? I wanna play. That’s not fair. I wanna play too. Why can’t I play too?

I should just go get myself a cracker.

It’s Easter Day! Hurray!

countess shell — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:03:55 +0000

One of the cool things about moving? David found the stash of Canbury Mini Eggs - can you say FIVE bags? - he the Easter Bunny hid in the top of the cabinet. I’m up to my eyeballs in mini eggs. If you don’t hear from me for awhile send milk!

Ai-yi-yi

countess shell — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 06:43:45 +0000

We fly out to Denver on Thursday night. Friday is closing. Friday afternoon we have appointments with Comcast, Qwest and the painters. Fly back to California on Sunday to meet the movers and pick up the cat. Back home again on Thursday for good. Holy crap. We’re moving. And I have a bunch of paint to pick. Ai-yi-yi.

Nathan thinks I all this stress is completely overrated. "Everyone should just chill and keep it real."

History

countess shell — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:44:42 +0000

We let Nathan watch television for the first time ever tonight. The three of us huddled around the tiny flat screen in our library and watched the first African American accept the nomination for the President of the United States. And while I was crying because this election has proved what our parents always told us - that ANYONE can be WHATEVER they want to be - and what that means for my child, my son started clapping as he watched the screen. Oh, I know he was reacting to the crowd on screen and he has no idea what a momentous occasion he witnessed. However, I hope than when he is old enough to realize what he watched that he is confused as to why we made a big deal. Why we video-taped his chocolate pudding covered grinning face as a black man accepted the nomination for President. I’m hoping he’ll be confused, not by the pudding - although I guess we could have picked a less messy dessert to eat in the library - but because he just sees a man wanting to be of service to his country. I pray that by the time he watches the tape, we as a society will truly walk what we talk and that race and gender are not how we define what makes the person.

As for tonight, Nathan didn’t think too much into it - mostly “Hey! They’re clapping! I love clapping! Oh! Look! Pudding! I love pudding! And clapping! I might explode! More pudding please! More clapping please!”

Ps. And not letting him watch any television until almost 15 months doesn’t make me a better mother than anyone else. It just means we’ve never gotten back into the habit of turning on the television after Nathan was born. We were too exhausted in the beginning and just haven’t missed it since. We’re more apathetic, not better.

For Lack of Actual Content

countess shell — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 07:07:39 +0000

I present pictures from our time at the park yesterday…

I found your shoes, Momma

No really! I found your shoes!

Run away! Run away!

Hey! What's that?

I give you spoon.

Goodbye.

How many

countess shell — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:57:40 +0000

Bobergs does it take to install a wine chiller?

Three generations! I love how Nathan is "helping" by holding a tool of some sort.

Mother of the Freaking Year Award

countess shell — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:39:04 +0000

I had this post written in my head about how when I was pregnant I had an amniocentesis done and the results came back that Nathan is chromosomally perfect. Yet he doesn’t eat cheese. And he is my son. Clearly, I reflected, there should be a recount. Then today I won the Mother of the Year Award and all of the sudden his health doesn’t seem so funny.

For about six weeks now Nathan has been screaming at every diaper change. I thought he was just antsy about being forced to be still for more than a few seconds. About this time he started pulling at not one, but both of his ears. No cold symptoms, so I chalked it up to the fact he cut four teeth in less than four weeks. “They can’t distinguish the subtleties of ear pain versus jaw pain,” I read. Four days ago the poop, well, let’s just say it wasn’t pleasant. I thought it was the rusty bathwater – that I didn’t know was rusty until the bubbles went away – he drank.

Today I broke down and did what my gut told me to do six weeks ago. I took him to the clinic. Guess what? Two severe ear infections and a swollen and inflamed throat. Sigh. Good Job, Michelle! Well done you!

When he was a few hours old the nurse in the hospital insisted he needed to be supplemented with formula. I fought it. She fought me. I fought a little more. She fought a lot more. She won. To be fair she wasn’t on painkillers, otherwise I’m sure I could have wrestled her to the ground. Anyway, she insisted that he have THREE OUNCES. In case you are unfamiliar with the a newborn’s gastrointestinal tract, at a couple of hours old their stomachs are the size of marbles – not even the shooter kind of marbles. No, their wee stomachs are the size of the wee lame marbles you willingly gave away to your little brother. Ain’t no way three ounces goes in a lame wee marble. However, I let her tell me what to do and David dutifully stuffed three ounces of formula into Nathan. When David lifted Nathan to vertical position he was a formula fountain. All three ounces came drooling down his chin. It was as though he was literally full to the back of his throat. I’d never seen anything like it before and I haven’t since. I swore right then and there that I would always advocate for what my gut says is best for Nathan. And I have. Until six weeks ago when I let myself be talked / read out of taking him in to see the doctor.

I’m sorry you’ve been miserable for six freaking weeks, Nathan. I promise to try to be a better advocate for you. Even if you don’t eat cheese. Of any kind. Ever.

Pay It Forward Contest Winner

countess shell — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:38:11 +0000

It’s Rox!!

This tickles me to no end as a few years ago Rox sent me a package purely because I was having a rough time and she thought she might cheer me up. And she did! I promised her then that I would “Pay It Forward” (and I sent off a package to someone else to try to brighten their day)!!!

Now it’s Rox’s turn to hold a contest! Woot!!

Pay It Forward

countess shell — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:47:41 +0000

Since I won Thank You For Not Being Perky’s Pay It Forward contest it’s time for me to hold my very own contest. Leave a comment and I’ll have Nathan pull one out of a plastic tub and that person will get their very own box of goodies from me! And nothing from the Target bins, I promise! The winner also gets to host their own Pay It Forward! Just leave your comment / entry by midnight Pacific Thursday, August 7th

Need inspiration? What’s your favorite room in your home?