Mad Skillz

Tricks
Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

Nathan recently learned to throw up his arms and make a cute face either when someone waves at him or when you say "Tada!". Sometimes it's random. Dad comes home every day and steps in the door and yells "Tada!" with his hands up, so Nate just started imitating him. This is about the only trick he can do.

Today we saw our awesome pediatrician for Nate's 9 month checkup. I had to laugh as she told me about how she is trying to get pregnant and rumors are flying around her office that she IS pregnant. Go figure. Anyway our monster kiddo is 22 lbs and 31 inches tall. 75% weight and way off the chart on height. His head is pretty big too at 95%. But his growing taller seems to have slowed a bit since previous visits. Dr. Amy couldn't promise me a future NBA star.

Tag, I'm It

I have been tagged with the whole childhood memories meme by both Alisa and now Redhead Mommy, so I guess I had better get with the program if I want to remain in the favor of the blog gods.

What 5 Things do you miss about your childhood?

But first the rules to this meme game: Remove the blog at #1 from the following list and bump every one up one place; add your blog's name in the #5 spot; link to each of the other blogs for the desired cross pollination effect.

1. Lu's News http://luann919.blogspot.com
2. Marti http://marti2212.blogspot.com/
3. Ivy Tied Up http://www.ivytiedup.com
4. Redhead Mommy http://redheadmommy.blogspot.com
5. WaterWaterEverywhere http://waterwatereverywhere.blogspot.com/

Next: select new friends to add to the pollen count. (No one is obligated to participate).
1. mcg http://mcgibfried.blogspot.com/
2. The Deep Freeze http://thedeepfreeze.blogspot.com/
3. Attractive Nuisance http://attractivenuisanceblog.blogspot.com/
4. Prattoons http://prattoons.blogspot.com/
5. Revolt http://mehfehblah.blogspot.com/

Ok, let's play.

1. My dad. Obvious one. I miss the stupid names he made up for me, like "Monkey Fuzzball". I miss how he pulled on my ponytails as I walked by. I miss how he made me sit on the edge of his bed while he was supposed to be sleepin' so he could hug me and tell me stuff. I miss how he thought he could still play softball with young guys from work/church when he was over 40 and would come home with aches and pains. Ok that's enough I guess.



2. Birthdays. My parents always really did them up, with lots of presents and cake and parties, etc. My grandparents always gave me great gifts too. As much as I try to explain this to hubby, he still doesn't quite get it. He tries sometimes, but mostly falls short in this area. His family wasn't into big birthday to-dos.

3. Being skinny. Having a fast metabolism. I can't say I ever had a great self-image because even when I was skinny I was a giraffe and pretty awkward looking. But it'd be nice to have that metabolism now.

4. Liking school. Loving the very act of learning something new and loving my teachers and my friends and all the cool stuff we did, like going on field trips and singing in the choir. Learning was so easy then.

5. Christmas in Philly with my family. Every Christmas my dad would drag us all downtown and make a big production of it. We'd visit the Wanamaker's light show, and Strawbridge's The Christmas Carol, and see the Musical Tree at the Gallery. Lots of other stuff too. It helped me to never fear big cities.

The End.

Back From The Beach!

Check out this very cool slideshow of Nathan at Bethany Beach, DE with us this weekend. Just a few choice shots. First we tried the outdoor pool at our condo complex and he wasn't overly excited until he figured out how to splash and throw the ball. Then we hit the beach, which did NOT thrill him. The ocean scared him to death and the sun made him tired and cranky, especially with still being a little sick and not eating much. Then we hit the indoor pool one evening after dinner right before bed and he became a little fish, kicking around in his little floaty and tossing the beachball everywhere. He even waved to the lifeguard who smiled and waved back.

Warning: Not Suitable for Weak Stomachs

Yesterday for the first time in little Nathan's baby life, he threw up. Twice. I escaped most of infanthood with only a teaspoon of spitup every other day or so...never the horror stories of babies that projectile vomit their whole meal every meal. Well yesterday while I was feeding him his morning bottle it all came back up, all over him and me. I'd guess about 3 or 4 oz. It was weird, he was laying back on my lap in the middle of sucking it down when it came back out like a flowing river of milk. It didn't even smell bad, but it was too much not to have already made it to his tummy. Miracle of miracles, this happened in the kitchen instead of in the bedroom where I usually give him his morning bottle. We had an overnight guest who was about to leave for work and so we were all at the kitchen table. He has a little one at home so he didn't even seem phased, while my husband and I stared in shock. Nathan never cried, he seemed happy as a clam and didn't have a fever. I figured it was just a big gas bubble or something that triggered it. He ate plenty of peaches and oatmeal, then another bottle and two jars of baby food for lunch, but his afternoon bottle he only took a couple ounces. He still seemed super happy and had no fever, playing and rolling and giggling at the dog. Later while Mike and I ate dinner he scarfed down two veggie wagon wheels and then I fed him a jar of chicken noodle dinner. He was STILL happy and making silly faces and doing cute tricks when suddenly as he was eating the last spoonful of the jar, the floodgates reopened and a torrent of orange liquid came spewing forth. I sat and stared, shocked, not moving as I couldn't believe HOW MUCH kept coming out. It splashed down into his lap, all over the high chair, and onto the floor. His eyes watered just a tiny bit from the effort but he never cried, and once he was done I pulled him out and stripped him down on the kitchen floor. He went right back to playing and giggling at the dog while Mike and I freaked out and dealt with the disastrous orange mess. I stuck him in the bath and he splashed happily for a long time while I stared at him with worry. Still no fever and no sign of distress. I worried he'd be starving and wake up in the middle of the night, but he took most of his bedtime bottle and slept a little late this morning. I don't know what to make of it!! I can't tell if he's sick or not. The last thing we need is for him to spew orange chunks all over my stepfather's beach condo or some resturant. But he seems fine and ate a good breakfast this morning.

Anybody seen anything like this before? Seriously I'm looking for advice!

Craziness

Hangin' Out
Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

What a week! I don't like to blog about my work but suffice it to say that my part-time job has been almost full time this week. My life, especially my career, has felt like a soap opera or a roller coaster over the past year. This college kid I just got done training as a summer intern thinks the real business world is crazy like this, when really it usually isn't. He works with Prof Andy so seeing your Prof on TV isn't exactly normal either. I feel bad for the Natester this week because I have been almost totally ignoring him while I work, writing frenzied emails and trying to mask the sounds of baby toys while on the phone with clients. He doesn't seem to mind too much, as he rolls all around the room exploring corners he hasn't been in yet. The timing may be good or bad, but we are headed to the beach tomorrow night for a long weekend. (YAY!!!!) I can't wait to lay on my towel, catch some rays, and watch my kiddo eat sand. I'm sure there will be great pictures to follow.

Father's Day

Once upon a time I had a really great dad. His name was Charles (and my mom's name is Diana) but everyone called him Chuck. He grew up mostly in Houston and went to Lehigh and became a chemical engineer just like his dad. He dated my mom all through college and married her and then went to work for Gulf Oil, which became Chevron, and then became Sunoco. He was faithful to his employer, faithful to his wife, and faithful to his kids. He didn't go to church until about 1983 or so when he decided to study the Bible and came to the conclusion that it was right and he needed to be saved by JC. Then he became faithful to God and whatever church he attended. He was the essence of dependability, but sometimes slow, methodical, and meticulous. He was extremely laid back and rarely got excited or angry. Some would call that boring, but I thought it was good. I hardly ever really talked to him until I decided to become a chemical engineer like him. Then he took me to see all the best universities and tried to impart much wisdom to me. He nearly screwed up my MIT admissions interview because deep down he thought I was more cut out to be a teacher than an engineer. He asked me what I wanted in life and I told him that really I wanted to get married and have kids, but a girl can't guarantee that so she has to do her best to be independent and provide for herself. I think he really liked that. He loved sports fanatically, and was thrilled when I went to Penn State where he could become an instant football fan. (My private high school had no football, much to his shagrin.) He was so proud of me it oozed from his pores and I loved him for it. Then I met a guy who was pretty much just like him, and I had to marry him. My dad gave him some speech about not wanting to give up his little girl, but the Bible says he has to. Then in the back of the limo on the way to the church with my dad he said "I want you to know, even though we've shelled out lots of money for this day, I'll turn this limo around right now if you don't want to get married." It was the sweetest thing I think he'd ever said to me. God called him home suddenly six months after he walked me down the aisle, right before Christmas. It hurt, but I dealt with it much as he would have, very stoically. Because I am just like him in so many ways. It's too bad that he didn't get to meet his grandchildren, but hopefully someday he will.

Scoochin

Scoochin
Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

This is immediately after Nathan teased the dog with the toy, the dog pulled on it and Nate kept holding it. Pepper pulled Nathan over. Still no sign of crawling, just rolling with periodic scoochin'.

Playing with Pepper

Playing with Pepper
Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

Hubby is very good at using the dog to entertain the kiddo. Here Pepper is chasing a dog toy that Mike is holding and Nathan has giggle fits watching Pepper bark and wiggle her whole butt. When Mike would hand the blue octopus to Nathan, Nathan would promptly tease the dog with it.

Mary Ann Mandy or Caroline?

Anyone else besides me curious as to how Professor Andy explained the cuddling and smooching scenes with Mary Ann Mandy to his girlfriend back home? Well he let a local reporter watch the show with them last night and he blogged about it. Isn't blogging great for all the non-news you can find out?

newsobserver.com |Gilligan's File - Episode Two: Awwww, The Food Was Lousy Anyway

The Nutty Professor Got Me Thinking

So Professor Andy got banished from the Island tonight, and although it's too bad I don't get to watch him anymore, it's a good thing I don't feel the need to watch every minute of that stupid show anymore. Like a good, professional engineer that I am, I will refrain from commenting on the relationship between he and MaryAnn Mandy, or my colleague's...umm...appeal in general. You girls can take care of that for me in my comments. For probably the last time, here's another reminder for you that I found on the internet.

So I knew that Andy wrote on his webpage that he justified this little adventure by hoping to promote environmental advocacy through reality TV. Naturally that got edited out in favor of sexual tension. So he tried to get his message out through an op-ed he wrote about global warming here and here, and by posting on the fan forum for the show. I was SHOCKED to see that his post on the usually gossipy fan forum elicited an actual intelligent debate on the subject! I am VERY impressed by this, and think it is an honorable thing to do, even if he is a bleeding heart liberal. Passion, when properly directed and put forth humbly, is very attractive. His articles and ensuing discussion got me to realize that I really don't know enough about global warming to speak about it at all. In the past I have always taken the party line, that the proof isn't there and we shouldn't be making policy decisions that would cost us billions on something unproven. But his analogy to the Iraq war is accurate, even if it is slanted against W. We did act on a hunch, on something unproven. Andy's point about risk management is right on. He struck at the heart of the capitalist in me when he wrote that. Frankly, I have been forced to think a lot about risk this past year, and I have realized I am pretty risk averse. The bottom line is I should do more research before I go off playing the skeptic on this one. Once upon a time I was an idealist, a true environmentalist. I believed God commanded us to be good stewards of the Earth he gave us, and I still believe that. But I went to work for an oil company and learned about making money and the tree-hugger in me disappeared. Here's a silly fact, my eight grade class voted me most likely to camp out in the Amazon rainforest. They obviously didn't know what a princess I am. My job has taught me that water is a precious commodity that must be protected. Now I need to at least study the global warming thing. In my spare time of course :)

How Can You Possibly Resist This Face?

How Can You Possibly Resist This Face?
Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

Well Nathan had his first photo shoot as a baby model today. Actually it was just for his promotional headshot, taken in the agency's office. All the other babies that were picked showed up around the same time, so I got to see how cute they were. Naturally I think my kid is the cutest, but there were some other cuties too. We waited forever and he was his usual mellow self. The photographer asked me to hold him on my lap for the photo and give him a toy, so I pulled out our Baby Einstein monkey puppet that sings which usually makes Nathan smile. Of course he was too interested in watching the photographer to smile. So then the guy pulled out this big multi-colored feather duster and tickled Nate's leg with it, which promptly elicted hysterical laughter from the child. He showed me one pick on the display of his camera and it was adorable. I have to go back in two weeks to pick my favorite shot. I can just smell the fame and fortune now! Just kidding, of course.

Twin Giants

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Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

Ok, so they aren't twins, but Nathan and Isaac The Boy, son of Redhead Mommy have the same giraffe outfit. And I think it is very appropriate since they are the same age and both mutant giants. I don't know where this kid got his height genes, I'm 5'6" and Mike is 6'0. Mike is by far the tallest in his family. I was super tall as a kid, though, and stopped growing entirely in about fifth grade. Yes, I've been this height since elementary school. I was taller than my third grade teacher. I got picked for basketball a lot then, before everyone else grew and figured out how uncoordinated I am. So far Nathan seems to be tall and coordinated...except in the crawling/walking department. But he can catch and throw really well!

Why Should Religion and Politics Be Mixed?

Yesterday I read the following on a blog called CrookedBush.com that I found through Amy's blog. I could not have said it better.

"The ideology of the Left believes big government and social reform will solve social ills, while the Right believes big business and economic growth will do it. The Left expects a citizen to be held legally accountable for the use of his wealth, but totally autonomous in other areas, such as sexual morality. The right expects a citizen to be held legally accountable in areas of personal morality, but totally autonomous in the use of wealth. The North American “idol”—radical individualism—lies beneath both idealogies. A Christian sees either “solution” as fundamentally humanistic and simplistic.
The causes of our worsening social problems are far more complex than either the secularists of the Right or Left understand. We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with powers and principalities! We have seen there is great social injustice— racial prejudice, greed, avarice— by those with the greatest wealth in the country (and sadly, within the evangelical church itself). At the same time, there is a general breadown of order— of the family and the morals of the nation. There is more premarital sex (and thus there are more unwed mothers), more divorce, child neglect and abuse, more crime. Neither a simple redistribution of wealth nor simple economic growth and prosperity can mend broken familes; nor can they turn low-skilled mothers into engineers or technicians.
Only the ministry of the church of Jesus Christ, and the millions of “mini-churches” (Christian homes) through the country can attack the roots of social problems. Only the church can minister to the whole person. Only the gospel understands that sin has ruined us both inidividually and socially. We cannot be viewed inidividualistically (as the capitalists do) or collectivistically (as the Communists do) but as related to God. Only Christians, armed with the Word and Spirit, planning and working to spread the kingdom and righteousness of Christ, can transform a nation as well as a neighborhood as well as a broken heart. That is what the rest of this book is about."

From the book Ministries of Mercy from this guy Jason Silver.

While you know I do lean to the Right, I do believe the real answer to the world's problems is Jesus Christ and His message. I wish the church did more to help. I know people fear the intrusion of Christianity into our government, but we really do want to help people. We really do love people. I know alot of people think faith should be only personal, totally internalized and kept to oneself...but when you believe as I do that there is news this good, this healing, this joyful, you can't help but share it with those you love. I only wish I had the guts to share it more.

His Royal Cuteness

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Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

It has been very hot and humid here in Philly the past week, so I have been putting Nathan to bed in just onesies because even though we have AC his room is always warmer than the rest of the house. Mike finally went down to the basement and adjusted some vents and now it's better. We hauled our butts outta bed early to get to an 8:30 am service at a church we wanted to try out, and Nathan was a perfect angel in the nursery. The funny thing was when we walked into the church we were greeted by two women I had as teachers in middle school and they didn't even show a glimpse of recognition. I didn't bother clarifying who I was to them. This particular church is huge and heavily attended by families that send their kids to the same Christian school I grew up in. In fact, my high school graduation took place in the sanctuary there before my school built an auditorium. I saw my ex-boyfriend's mom and a guy from my graduating class. We enjoyed the service, but we were a bit surrounded by blue-hairs, the only nuts like us who get up and out that early.

A Little Bubbly

Being the end of a particularly nice week, hubby and I decided to open a bottle of champagne that has been sitting in my fridge for at least four years. We had a delicious gormet dinner to go with it consisting of grilled T-bone for him, grilled salmon for me, and fabulously grilled new potatoes and baby carrots. We meant to open the bottle when Nate was born, but never got to it with all the chaos and I was too depressed and tired to celebrate for a few weeks. As I sipped the most delicious champagne I may have ever tasted, I remembered that the bottle was purchase for me by my late uncle in Santa Rosa, CA at the Korbel winery. He took me there when I visited him and his new wife while on a business trip to the area several years ago. We taste tested various champagnes and I told him the Natural was by far the best. The woman explained that it was a favorite of Jackie Kennedy and has been served at all of the presidential inauguration dinners since her time in the White House. It was a happy memory of my uncle and his lovely wife in beautiful wine country. We tasted lots of wine, visited some sea lions, hiked through the Redwoods, and watched Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon in their tiny home. Like my own father, he was taken suddenly at a very young age a few years ago from heart disease, leaving his parents devestated as they were still raw from losing my dad a few years before. He was a cool guy, although not very wise or responsible. He discovered I liked jazz and sent me a boxed set of John Coltrane one Christmas. I said I liked a Lucinda Williams song and he sent me every new CD she put out...once even in July with a Happy Birthday card...my birthday is in November. We had a good laugh over it. We played some really fun bad golf on highly rated resort courses in Canada. He was a great uncle for a teenager and twentysomething, especially after he divorced his first wife. I miss him, and the bubbly disappeared much too quickly, just like him.

Morning Shadows

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Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

Lactose Intolerant

As I have mentioned before, sometimes I watch The View on ABC while I'm feeding Nathan in the morning. I was shocked and angered to hear about this story, where Barbara Walters made a comment on the show that she felt very uncomfortable when a woman sitting near her on a plane breastfed her baby without covering up. The other women made a few other not-so-encouraging remarks about breastfeeding as well, and it sparked a protest of "lactivists" who staged a nurse-in outside ABC studios this week.

I know from experience and reading that breast verses bottle is a very controversial subject that people seem to have strong opinions about. It is very often the cause of a lot of "drive-by mothering". But doctors are crystal clear on this subject, breast is best for the baby. Nursing can be difficult and awkward enough for moms as it is and they don't need to be discouraged or made to feel dirty. I breastfed Nathan for 7 months and quit because he was too big and squirmy and didn't seem as interested anymore. I have heard LOTS of people say "why can't women cover up with a blanket?" and to this I say "YOU TRY HOLDING A 20 LB KID STILL TO YOUR CHEST WHILE KEEPING A BLANKET OVER HIS HEAD!" I imagine Barbara Walters was certainly in first class, where there is PLENTY of space in each seat, and the mom was nursing the child during take-off which is extremely helpful in keeping the baby from screaming as his ears adjust to the pressure changes. Which would you rather see in public, a screaming child or a slightly exposed boob?

I personally was considerate of others and usually nursed in another room or in a dressing room when in public. I am somewhat modest around people like my coworkers and male friends, but I was frustrated that some members of even my family were not comfortable enough for me to sit there, even when Nathan was tiny and NOTHING showed, so I could watch TV without having to leave the room. I do wish people would get over it and realize that breasts are functional, not just sexual. I was surprised to learn how women of my mom's generation and my grandmother's generation felt about breastfeeding. It was as though it was something only poor uncultured people do. Well times, they have changed and moms will do anything to give their kid that extra healthy edge and if that means breastfeeding at Starbucks while sipping a decaf latte, GOOD FOR THEM.

Disclaimer: Not all women are able to breastfeed or choose to do so and they should NOT be chastised for raising their baby on the bottle.

Reminder: Watch Prof Andy Tonight

For those of you who have been reading this blog for awhile, you may remember this post about my friend, Andy the Professor, who is on TBS's The Real Gilligan's Island. Well several of you commented on him and I am just offering a friendly reminder that the first episode of the show airs tonight on TBS. Check your local listings!

Models R' Us: Part Deux

The verdict is in...the talent agency has deemed Nathan star material! Out of the zillion kids they saw yesterday they chose a few and he is one of them. Now I have to bring him in for the professional head shot if I want to continue. I asked how frequently we would go on auditions and they said it depends, of course, but it wouldn't be an every week thing. I asked where I would have to go and they confirmed my suspicions that most things are setup in downtown Philly, but they said a lot of times instead of dragging the kid downtown for a half hour audition they will just videotape the kid in the agency's office and send it in. That sounds pretty good to me, considering their office only 15 minutes away. So now we have to decide if it's worth the $200 and the hassle. I have to decide if I can do this and not let it interfere with my part-time job. I think I can, especially because my hours are super flexible. I will still be available via cellphone and I can get work done in the evenings on days when I will be out. Until today I would have blown it off because we didn't have $200 to spend on something like this...but (drumroll please) I got paid today!!!!! My first paycheck and I suddenly feel rich again. When you live for a year on one income you get used to living on a tight budget and don't miss it so much. I told myself it was just a little extra pocket money for fun stuff, but now seeing it I realize I had forgotten how much it means to us. Even part time it's a 40% increase over our current income. Anyway, I'm thrilled both about getting paid and about having my suspicions of Nathan's cuteness validated. As usual, I'll keep you posted.

Critic's Corner: National Treasure

Some of you may know that I am a total movie buff. A bit of a TV junkie sometimes too, but not always. Anywho I got a couple free rental coupons (thanks Mom!) and decided to rent the one movie Mike has wanted to see for awhile, National Treasure. This action adventure stars Nicholas Cage, a favorite of mine, and is set partially in Philadelphia, my beloved home town. Nick plays Benjamin Franklin Gates, a very fitting name for a history buff/treasure hunter. His family believes that one of their ancestors was given a secret clue which would lead to a vast treasure that was hidden by the founding fathers belonging to the secret society of the Masons to keep the British from finding it during the American Revolution. Ben believes there is a map to the treasure hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence, so he steals it from the National Archives and runs around on this treasure hunt while the FBI is chasing him.

I LOVED it! Interesting plot, especially throwing in the whole Masons thing, which makes it more believable to me given their secrecy. I have quite a few friends who belong to the Masons and have always wondered about them. I loved the whole respect for our nation's history thing that was pervasive in the movie. Seems a bit unusual for something coming out of liberal Hollywood. I thought Nick Cage did his usual great job and I liked his younger sidekick. The female lead, not so much. Anyway, go rent this movie. I don't recall any cursing, or vulgarity, or gratutious violence. No sex at all. Just a fun adventure. Great family flick.

The Green-eyed Monster is Back

I have always been a big fan of Jenny McCarthy, for various reasons. This is a family blog so I won't go into detail. Anyway at a recent trip to the library I decided to check out her book on pregnancy called "Belly Laughs". I thought about buying it while I was pregnant, but it's such a short book it seemed a waste of money. Since it wasn't that long ago I was pregnant, I very much appreciated her amusing look at all the dirty details of those nine months. That is, until she got to the part on stretch marks. As I've mentioned on other mom's blogs, these are a particular pet peeve of mine. When I first announced I was pregnant at work, the witch HR manager tried to be nice for a minute and told me she rubbed oil on her belly every day and never got a mark. I was like, "that's nice for you....shut up and quit your bragging." Then another friend told me about some other product she used and how she never got a mark. So when I read Jenny McCarthy moaning about the subject I thought for a second "Yay! Here's a celebrity/model who no longer has a perfect belly after giving birth!" But I kept reading right up to the part where she said she only got them on her butt and breasts. None on her belly. BLAST! The ones on your breasts and butt fade and are covered up much more easily in bikinis. But last night I caught Jenny's new sitcom on the UPN network and watched out of curiousity. At the end she did a little dance around her apartment in just a man's shirt and undies and I could see her fabulous, rock-hard, no sign of her C-section delivery, abs. It's so not fair. Now she has another book out about new mommyhood called "Baby Laughs". Maybe I'll read it, maybe not.

Models 'R Us

Just a little update on our mission to make Nathan earn his keep. After much confusion over appointments times and days (due to two separate offices making/confirming appointments) I finally got it straight that we were supposed to come in to the King of Prussia office around 1:00 today. Although he has a runny nose and had a fever two days ago, he seems pretty much fine so I decided to go. They told me they only see kids under 5 a few times a year and the next date wouldn't be till August. So I bathed him and put him in a cute outfit, gave him a good nap and lunch and off we went.

An aside: the office was in the mall and when I went to get out the stroller in the mall parking lot, I noticed that one of the wheels had somehow come off from the rivet that was holding it onto the axle. So imagine me pushing the kid through the parking lot and the mall stopping every few feet to kick the wheel back on.

Anyway, there were already a handful of babies in the waiting area and I could see an army of strollers in the dressing room so I assumed they were seeing the kids in big groups. They handed me a sheet to fill out and told me to attach one snapshot to it. (It was SOOOOOO hard picking just one.) Then we filed into this tiny room with a little runway and a bunch of chairs which was brutally hot, especially with 15 kids and their parents. I was shocked at what some parents think is cute. One little black girl, 10 months old, was running around everywhere. She was cute as a button but her mother had her loaded up with jewelry. Three necklaces, a bracelet on each wrist, pierced earrings and a big beaded anklet. The mother was total white trash wearing a way-to-tight for her body tank top and shorts. Yikes! Another girl baby was teeny tiny at 11 months, had been a preemie, and also had hoop earrings in and some stupid scarf to cover up her bald head. She was ugly. One girl threw temper tantrum after screaming fit while her stupid dad just sat there and watched. I couldn't believe he didn't leave immediately. A couple other kids were pretty cute, each in their own way. The lady said they see 70 or so kids today and pick about 20 they think they can place. I have to call back tomorrow to see if they want to sign Nathan. I'm really not sure if it's worth it, even if they do. It costs about $200 for the headshots they use for a year, and I can just imagine driving all over the city on auditions trying to keep the kid happy and healthy. She said there is plenty of work, not catalogues but commercials and commercial print ads. Interestingly, they said the kid has to have his own bank account because by law they cannot pay the parent. So we'll see tomorrow I guess.

Gilligan

Gilligan
Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

I found this hat at a yard sale yesterday and I think it looks so cute on him. Now all I need is a red striped shirt.

Nathan has finally developed a particular affinity for one specific toy. The problem is, that toy is actually a dog toy that has belonged to Pepper for years. The blue octopus, seen here, has a magical allure about it that attracts both dog and baby. It has created some moments of frustration for both parties. Nathan isn't mobile yet so he can't get it when he sees it, but he whines and grunts till I do. Then Pepper decides she wants it and lurks around him, waiting for him to set it aside for just a minute. She won't really try to steal it when he's holding it. But as soon as she has it, he realizes it's gone and starts fussing. Pepper has been very good about leaving Nathan's toys alone and just playing with hers, but Nathan had to pick her toy to love.

Revenge of the Sith!

Ok, I've just returned from seeing Star Wars Episode III. I must say it was WAY better than the last two. Definately held to the original plot and storyline. Still some oddities, like they never really explain how the Chancellor gained the power of the Senate. Why did all the Senators just go along with everything he said? Also there were still alot of droids with weird voices and stuff. I don't get that. And a couple of scenes were just not believable. But overall I loved it. It was extremely believable why Anakin turned to the dark side. It made perfect sense. Ewan McGregor's portrayal of ObiWan Kenobi was much closer to the original guy than I saw in the last couple movies. Maybe it was just the dialogue was better written. One thing...Mike swears that in Return of the Jedi Luke asks Leia if she remembers their mother and she says she does a little bit. How can that be? I don't recall the exact lines, but no way would George Lucas make that mistake. Anyway....time to make Episode 7!!!

It was so great seeing the movie in the theatre. I love movies sooooo much!

Cutieboy Strikes Again

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Originally uploaded by Pooqueen.

Well, we have an appointment Monday with a local modeling agency. I'm curious to hear what they have to say. I'm not gonna be runnin' all over the city every day for this kid, but now and then if it brings in some college fund money. I hope he is as expressive for them as he is most of the time.

I've been single parenting again this week and it hasn't been too bad. Yesterday the best friend came over and we went for a walk in the park and out to dinner. Yummy Bahama Breeze! Nate-dawg was pretty good except he has taken to letting people know he's there in a happy but LOUD way. Fortunately the resturant was pretty loud so nobody noticed but me. I walked in the park again today and I have been eating as though I were on Weight Watchers again. Go me!

Tomorrow Nana is babysitting so hubby and I can finally go on a date alone and see STAR WARS!!! Yay!

Mom Is Right Again

Who ever heard of a "pee shiver"? Well aparently my mother-in-law, that's who. I always wondered why my baby sometimes gave a little shiver for no obvious reason. He has done it since he was a tiny thing. I just assumed he got a little chill. Well when Nathan gave his usual little shiver this weekend up at Mike's family riverlot, his mom and grandmother both said at the same time "Oohh are you peein' your pants?!" I looked at them like they were crazy and said "Huh?" To which Mike's mom replied "Oh yeah sure, when that warm liquid hits their cold bottoms it sends a shiver up their back." Uh huh, sure.

Yesterday Mike comes in after getting Nate ready for bed and announces "My mom was right about that pee shiver thing. I laid him down on the changing table, turned to get his pjs, and when I looked back he shivered. So I said 'Are you peeing?' and quick checked. Sure enough, he WAS!"

Whodathunkit.