A (relatively) Puncture Proof Thanksgiving December 2, 2009

First of all, I want to say welcome to those of you who recently received our Christmas card and are visiting for the first time or maybe for the first time in a while. I’ve been in kind of a “blogging rut” as I call it the past 6 months or so and lately I’ve been trying to find my groove again. Those of you who have been visiting will have to let me know how I’m doing on that one…

So I think that getting through another jam-packed four-day holiday weekend deserves a celebration or some kind of toast, don’t you? Only problem is that Jillian here can’t drink…and I didn’t think it would bother me but it’s starting to get kind of old. I have literally been grabbing people’s wine glasses from them and taking a sniff of the deliciousness that I have to wait until next spring to enjoy. It’s getting kind of embarrassing now that I think of it. So until then I guess I’ll be drinking Coca Cola from my champagne glass…classy I know.

Back to the point: Another Thanksgiving weekend gone and past and alas I have survived. No I did not throw any turkey drumsticks at my dad’s any of my family members’ heads (although I may have been tempted- that wasn’t passive aggressive was it?) and of course everything went smoothly with both of our families this year…..although we got into dangerous territory a few times about the Adam Lambert performance on the AMA’s and if Chaz Bono is a man or woman at Todd’s aunt’s house. As you know (or maybe you didn’t) I am very open-minded when it comes to GLBT issues, I have family members that are gay and also many friends so it’s kind of one of my “hot-button” topics. So not losing my mind (outwardly at least) at some of the things that were said is a heroic feat. For me. I understand that others feel differently than me on this topic and trust me I deal with at work ALL THE TIME, I think I just wasn’t expecting it at Thanksgiving…but I guess that means I had forgotten the cardinal rule during the holidays: Be ready for anything and in my case I should always bring ducktape for my mouth (especially if there is wine- a good thing to remember specifically for next year).

Another survival note: Despite a minor annoyance with the idiots who work at JC Penney, I got through 8 hours of Black Friday shopping on 4 hours of sleep where we polished off the rest of our Christmas list- so I’m feeling pretty good about that. I love crossing things off lists, it is quite possibly the best feeling in the world.  Todd and I also had my family over for dinner on Saturday, we made my mother in-law’s pot roast recipe (thanks again Linda!). The house is still all in one piece and everyone loved dinner (except my dad wasn’t a fan of the potatoes, but who’s keeping track of parental criticisms? I never do that)…

We also got the Christmas tree and decorations up as is tradition on Thanksgiving weekend as well, so another thing crossed off of my holiday to do list! So all in all, things worked out pretty well. I’m not thrilled about being back at work after the time off, but our “Holiday Luncheon” is tomorrow so that’s one good thing…

And his name will be… November 25, 2009

FYI: Todd expects lots of “ewws” & “ahhs” over the letters that he spent part of the weekend and this week sanding and hand painting (he even did the dots)!

We’re Having A… November 19, 2009

BOY!!! Somebody must have a sense of humor somewhere, because of course we had a girl name all figured out but we don’t have ANY boy names we can agree on and they changed my due date to April Fool’s Day. I just know that someone is laughing their butt off somewhere!

 

Truthfully, I was kind of hoping for a girl. Not because I don’t want a boy; I, like a lot of other people I’m sure want one of each. But I just know I will go insane if it ends up that I get stuck with all boys. Literally I will have to be committed. But he’s healthy and we’re pretty excited. One thing I wanted to get when we found out what we were having was a blue or pink piggy bank, so we ran out to Target right after our appointment and got a blue ”My first piggy bank”. I’m still trying to adjust to calling “it” a “he” now, it’s kind of hard to believe we’re at the half way point and that in just a few months he’ll be here. I’d really like to start calling him by a name, so Todd and I definitely have some work to do!! Look for a post once we’ve decided!

I Love Steely Dan, but… November 9, 2009

I dislike pretentious, poetry reading, expensive eyeglass & beret wearing, holier than thou jazz/rock fans that only get out around other human beings three other times a year and who own their own cappuccino machines and think they’re better than everyone else. If you completely agree- give me a shout-out in the comments. If you wondering what the hell I’m talking about, keep reading…

 

My dad and I went to an impromptu concert that we just found out about less than 48 hours before the show started last night. If you’ve never heard of Steely Dan, they’re a rock/jazz band that started back in the 70’s. I can remember listening to them on our way up to “the cabin” all throughout my childhood and have really never stopped liking them. They kind of calm me down. Usually. Unless I’m at the concert I just paid $60 for and some jackass (description of this type of jackass is explained in first paragraph) leans over, puts his hand in my face and yells at my dad and I to stop talking. Well I’m sorry Mr. I-Wear-My-Black-Shirt-2-Sizes-Smaller-Than-Simon-Cowell-And-Like-To-Act-Like-God, my dad was just asking me something about the damn band we are currently watching, but I’m so very sorry we disturbed you seeing that you are the only person watching this concert that really matters. I must have forgotten. Again, I’m so sorry.

 

I walked into the concert feeling like “okay, I’m not a jazzy geeky type that gets wine at a concert in a plastic cup just so I can say I’m drinking wine, but I can still fit in with this crowd…sorta”. I walked out feeling happy that I’m not one of “them”. By the way that guy yelled at two other groups of people throughout the night…for talking. He should go to a Vikings game to gain perspective. Walking out of a Vikes game, you’re usually feeling pretty good if your clothes are dry and don’t smell like beer, someone in your group or near your seats didn’t get into a fight with a drunk 23 year old dude wearing a Helga hat and your ears aren’t ringing too bad.

 

It never ceases to amaze me when people go out in public and can’t stand being around other people. Don’t get me wrong, I get totally annoyed (more now than ever) at all the little things I notice when I’m in a crowd. However, I don’t pretend that I am the ruler of the universe and whatever I say goes and start yelling at everyone that is pissing me off at the time. Sometimes, scratch that- Most of the time, you just need to suck it up and grow thicker skin.

 

Well, at least the concert was pretty damn good. I guess that’s my rant for the day. Ahhh…I feel better.

Ruts Suck November 5, 2009

Well I guess I like to state things that are completely obvious and everyone already knows- but I’ve been in a blogging rut for quite a while. I’m not sure if it’s a lack of inspiration or just a lack of motivation. It’s not like I haven’t had things going on that I could blog about. And I do miss it, but not as much as I used to when I would take breaks or have a few “off” posts. Not to sound all self-important and full of myself, but I know that I have picked up blog followers along the way since I started this thing and I’ve sort of abandoned you guys in a way…so for that I’m sorry and I’m going to make an honest effort to jump back in and hopefully find my voice again.

 

Okay, enough of all that. One of the reasons I haven’t felt like blogging lately is because there’s been a lot of family drama going on. I don’t really want to get into it on here too much, it mainly involves my dad and we’re going to family counseling with my mom and also Todd is joining us too. There are way too many details to ever be discussed in writing so that someone could understand, but neither my mom, nor my aunt, nor myself or Todd has a very good relationship with my dad due to choices he makes and his priorities. I’m not sure if counseling is going to work, it’s hopeful that we’re all going but it’s going to be a lot of work and my dad can only change if he wants to change and right now that’s a pretty tall order. At this point I’m cautiously optimistic, so we’ll see.

 

The baby and I are doing well, it still feels weird calling myself a “we” sometimes. Sometimes it still doesn’t feel real. I think I probably fall into the average category as far as a first time mother’s emotions go. I’m excited, but at the same tired scared about a multitude of things. Labor (duh), not being able to control things when we do get to the hospital and having to leave it in the doctor’s and a higher power’s hands, if I’m going have postpartum depression or not, how the baby is going to change our lives, what they will grow up to be like, what I will do when they are screaming and I want to throw them out the car window, etc. But it’s an adventure and I do like challenges, although at the same time I fear change. But I know that anxiety about all this stuff is normal and I have to have faith that things will work out and Todd and I will do our best. I need to keep reminding myself that life is supposed to be a roller coaster and that I’m never going to be able to control everything. In my perfect world, that of course would be the case…but as you know this is not my perfect world. And that’s okay, I know it’s not anyone’s.

 

On another optimistic note, at this point so far I haven’t crumbled under the pressure of all the things that we need to do yet before April. Key word there being yet. Overall I feel pretty good about things I guess. We got a good deal (many of you are shocked I’m sure) on the furniture for the nursery and a few weekends ago my mom, aunt and I picked up a sort of gender neutral bedding set and put everything together. Todd and I also registered at Babies R Us- he had an absolute blast…am I losing my touch in the sarcasm department or do you think I still have it?

 

Well I think that’s it for now. I don’t want to spill all the beans…I’m going to need other things to blog & bitch about in the coming weeks so if you’ve still been checking in- keep it up!