-itis is the wrong suffix anyway

Did anyone have a teacher in high school that would annoyingly talk about "senioritis," the idea of seniors knowing that they were about to get the hell out of high school and not caring about piddly schoolwork anymore?
I've got something like that. My work is futile now. Okay, well it was futile before because I was and still am "desk girl," but now I see the end and it really doesn't matter now.
Generally, I try not to count down to things. Meaning, I think every day should be appreciated and put to use, and not seen as a means to an end. But I'll admit it, I'm counting down to August 18th.

Let's have a vote.

Everyone likes to tell other people what to do, so I expect all to participate:
I decided a while back that once I left my job to be a house-frau, that I would do my hair "fun." Fun, as in a strange color or cut that I've never been able to have because of school rules or having to look respectable at work. Basically I've never had a lifestyle which afforded me pink hair...until now!
As you can imagine, there are many ways one can have pink hair so here are a few options:
(don't get distracted by the people in the photo, think of it in my context)
A. The all over fuscia
B. The half chocolate, half cherry
C. The platinum pink

Unfortunately, Kevin will not allow hair this short, but that was what I originally had in mind. Feel free to vote for that too if you want, I could sway him maybe.
Cast your ballots, or um, comments. Anyone who votes for keeping my brown hair will be disqualified. :)

I won't take no LÖVA for an answer!

The vision for the baby's room demands a giant leaf. So when I went to IKEA last week with Sam to get one, I was alarmed that they were out of stock and didn't think more were coming in. The woman even told me they could not be ordered online. I came home and placed and order for one online, thinking that IKEA person was dumb. A few days later I received and email saying, they were out of stock too. Apparently that chick wasn't dumb after all.
So this morning, I called and sat on swedish-hold for a while for my backorder, and placed it. Nothing is going to get in the way of me and my big leaf!

I hope you all have your crackers ready...

...because it's cheez time!
I've compiled a list of baby songs that if mixed tapes were still in vogue, I would make a baby Thayer mix tape.
Daughters- John Mayer
Danny's Song- Kenny Loggins(I know it's about a boy, who cares)
Isn't She Lovely- Stevie Wonder
Arms Wide Open- Creed (yeah I know, Creed sucks, just go with it)
Tupelo Honey- Van Morrison

And these soundbites keep running through my mind:
Raising Arizona
Planes Trains and Automobiles
(sorry, that site doesn't like linking to their wav.'s so you just gotta click the quote called "Short")

Family photos, fresh from my inbox!

I can't believe all these family members were ever in our house at the same time. This must have been one of those times they told me to go out and play. Key figures of the Blaylock family, all on (or near) our couch, incredible!
Anybody catch that ram shaped lamp on the table? Wow Mom, where in the hell did that come from? Rams, Monets, and geometric couches, it's all good, it's the 80's. 

This looks like it could be the first day of school photo. Sandi, if that's you on the left, that's some funny hair. 

This one's a little more dramatic. It looks like one of my aunts is pinching my dad in frustration and the other is wearing a devilish grin about it. Phil must have wanted to go to school too. 

Say your prayers, weedies.

I remember one time my mom got ahold of a electric shrub trimmer, which I think she might have stolen from a neighbor. She spent like a whole day hacking up all the hedges, trees and bushes around the yard, they were practically bald by the time she was done. I think the event was spurred by some pent up aggression mixed with a comment from a nosy landlord.
Now, we don't have a landlord and I don't know how much anger I had bottled, but I sure did hack up the yard today with our brand new edger/trimmer, and it made me think of Gwynn. We only have a "scissor cutter" lawnmower. Yeah like the kind donald duck would use to cut his lawn. It works pretty good, but edge the lawn, it does not. Nor does it cut the really long stuff. Enter the trimmer.
It was great. The sensation was very similar to the successful sound a vaccuum makes when it sucks up a lot of dirt. I must have looked super sexy out there, pregnant with giant chemistry lab goggles and a power tool.

Rocker part two

...and now the excting conclusion to my rocker decision:
old timey.
Kevin already knows my true motive for this rocking chair-- I wanted two for the front porch. This way I get my overpriced rocking chair and the desire to buy me one is satisfied. I don't know why this didn't occur to me earlier.
We'll see if it works!

today's progress photos

Here is one side of the room, where you can see on the right will be the door to the bathroom and the other doorway for the closet. 

And here is what used to be two closets, one in the hall and one in our room. Now, bigger room! 

Chihu-achunds can't resist a giant pile of warm laundry! 

flummoxed

Kevin's mom said that she wanted the family (meaning his family) to go in on a rocker/glider for me and the baby. This item had not crossed my mind. At first I kind of fought the idea internally, all the while smiling and nodding at her suggestion.
Then I resolved to find one that isn't hideous, as I feel most are. Gliders always looked convalesent like some sort of orthopedic support chair for moms. I did find chairs like this that are closer to my style than this caca.
However, as you might have noticed, the good ones are way more $$$. I'm not sure if I should tell her that I only want the good kind or just to say, "that's okay, I don't need one."
Hmm.
Plus, even the "good ones" aren't my style. I mean honestly I wish this chair came in a glider.
Maybe it'll all work out and the family won't agree on a date for the shower, and I can avoid this whole issue...and get a car seat like I need. :)

Happy Summer to you

Anyone hear about this? Holey moley.

I've got to share, though few probably want to hear it. I've got 'fat feet' and I'm not happy about it. There are certain conditions I thought young (ordinarily)thin women didn't get. Apparently during pregnancy, all bets are off. It's humbling in a way, I think back to all those times when someone told me their ankles and feet were swollen and hurt. And I'd think "oh sucks to be you"--- now look at me.

Inking Day

Don't be fooled by Allison's body language, I wasn't holding a gun at her, just the camera! 

And now if you look closer, I wasn't supposed to be in there at all 

Propane and poop, bad combo? Guess again!

Two words: Incinerating Toilet

to market, to market

Way way way way back when Aurora worked as a checker at Tom Thumb, I remember she came home and talked about how funny it was to see what people bought or the combination of items and what that said about them. I always think about that when I go to the grocery store. I beam proudly down at the rubber conveyor belt when I have a pile of whole grains, organic produce and yogurt. Surely this shows that I'm a well adjusted person. And I also feel like a total weirdo when, like this afternoon, I buy 4 limes and a cheese slicer. The larger part of the story is I did have a few normal items to buy 25 minutes earlier: milk, bread, cheese, tomatoes and chicken, which I bought. Then I got home, realized I forgot limes, drove to a different grocery store (yes, to avoid shame), bagged my limes and suddenly remembered that I broke the cheese slicer and needed to puruse the "Bake Time" aisle for a new one.
And that is how that happened.
I was also on the lookout for potential molesters on my two grocery trips. My afternoon of TV was all about molesters for some reason: news blurb before Dr. Phil, Oprah, and then the actual news. What I gathered from this afternoons stories is that the number one sign of a molester is bad hair. The guy in line in front of me with a toussled comb-over and the out-dated glasses, surely a molester. The checker who was a little too old to be a checker, fumbled nervously, and didn't smile, also a potential suspect.
My mantra: Beware, and be ready to kick the groin!

It's Allison's Song!

If you haven't heard it, here are the lyrics
It's great...except that whole Ohio thing...nevermind that.
Request it from your local radio station!

This used to be a plot of dirt

It's not crystal clear what's goin on here from the photo, I know. It's an aerial shot of the soon to be toilet room, which I like to call the "water closet." 

This one makes more sense. The camera is looking out of our walk in closet into the bathroom. The tub will be straight ahead, vanity on the left, toilet room on the right. 

A link worth clicking

Kevin recently got a sausage maker attatchment for our kitchenaid mixer. Yep, Kevin's gonna be making sausage, and that in itself is entertaining. But even better I found these guys and their sausage site while looking for recipes.
Would you trust anyone else to make your cured meats? No, big fat guys with creative facial hair are the authority of sausage as far as I'm concerned. And look, they have the site to prove it.

"she's turning into a blueberry...

...it always happens, they always turn into blueberries" -Willy Wonka

Man, okay I'm now in third trimester land, also known as "help, I can't get off the floor" mode. The Venus of Villendorf joke is becoming more real.
(ow! I cut my finger making dinner and I'm keep forgetting not to type with it! dangit!)
We've made lots of progress on the new bathroom addition, pictures to follow soon. We've got walls and roof beams. We almost bought the tub and the shower head and faucet today but a couple of factors are holding off the final purchase until Monday. We do however have the lights and the sink faucets ready to install. We also went today to Organized Living, which is a close cousin to The Container Store, but not quite as big. We got our closet quote there and that was fun. Why is organizing fun?
It was the errands that drove the point home that I'm carrying around a constant backpack backwards, or Kris Kros style, if you will. Well and also, I can't quite bend over anymore. Good thing I rarely employ shoelaces, they would just be untied.

This post's for you!

This post goes out to Samantha "ready for a fight at any moment" PM:

Sam, this made me think of you.

There are craft fairs and there are aquatic creatures, and they should remain separate...apparently.

How could I forget?

Yesterday morning, before we drove back, we walked into a Denny's and this was on the TV. What trip to L.A. would be complete without a high speed police chase? Cracked me up.

I didn't take this photo, but I could have taken one like it. This is the kind of atmostphere outside the studio.  

thanks for watching and be sure to spay and neuter your pets!

Yeah, we did it, we were in the audience of the Price is Right. As you can probably already guess, neither Kevin or cute little me were picked to be contestants, but it was so fun, it didn't matter. I had to keep reminding myself to close my mouth because I was so agape with awe of the whole event taking place all around me. It's an uninteresting series of facts of why we didn't catch the first taping like I had planned, but it was no problem at all to catch the second taping of the day. (It goes like this)
I was really surprised how nice everyone was who worked at CBS. I mean, no one I came into contact with was rude or pompous. Amazing! I get way more attitude from people at the supermarket than I did that whole day. Plus, most of these people not only had to wear silly outdated red CBS blazers, but they had to deal with some crazy people (you know who I mean) and they still were friendly. Go CBS!
Here's another list of things I learned that day:
-It takes hours to get from arriving at the studio to getting to your seat. Gotta get your name right, show ID's, SS#'s, etc. All x 300 silly people.
-Everyone gets a mini interview by the director, your name and where you're from. That's when they choose whose name gets called. Pressure!
-The studio is so tiny! It looks huge on TV, but it's little, like smaller than a high school gym. We decided that they use tricky lenses to make it look bigger.
-Bob chats with the audience during the breaks. This freaked me out a little bit, like when they pass the microphone to anyone who raises their hand at church, but it is from these breaks that the best stories come from...
One lady wearing a custom T-shirt with a photo of a housecat that read "My cat and I watch Bob Barker everyday" raised her hand and asked the question, "My cat wants to know why you still use a microphone with a long string instead of one without."
Good heavens.
Another woman raised her hand and said "I want to show you something," and started up the stairs towards the visibly alarmed Bob. Thankfully all she wanted to show him was her own custom shirt. As she turned around, Bob read the back which was something like his own chronology, born here, raised here, did this, did that at that time, etc. A bit creepy, and I think we all sighed with relief when she sat herself back down.
My favorite was a girl, roughly my age, who yelled out, "Bob, you gotta sign my T-shirt! I made it, it's you!" He said "what is it...oh it's my head!" Indeed it was his head, made completely out of sequins-- very impressive and tacky. If there was a contest, her shirt won in my book, it was awesome. He agreed to sign it, but wanted to sign the back, y'know to avoid the boobs. But everyone in the audience and the girl herself begged for the front, because it just made sense. He cracked a little joke,"Is there an attorney in the house?," and then he enlisted two stage people to help him sign the front side of her shoulder.
It airs on June 10th. If by chance you do watch, Kevin and I are in the very back row, almost perfect center. I'll go ahead and tell you that both contestants went OVER on the showcase showdown, so tragic. But one lady's got a fine outfit on, well worth watching for.

Viva la Bob, 33 seasons and still truckin.

Progress! The builders have started to build, and soon(ish) this will be a second bathroom.  

Harnesses! Ready for the road trip! Mojito acted like I was hurting him when I put it on. 

H-ha! I'm totally going out and getting these for our roadtrip tomorrow for Franklin and Mojito. And they'll hate me for it. 

Like a McGruff safety pamphet

Last night Kevin's mom said that when Kevin was a baby he had "one of the first car seats," and I found this hard to believe. He was born in 1977, surely people didnt just carry their babies like Big Gulps bewteen their knees while they drove before 1977.
So I looked it up, and apparently his seat was one of the first mandated ones. I guess people just tossed babies in the back floorboard on the way to the supermarket before the government made laws against it. But car seats had been around before then, thank you Swedes once again.
Aurora, did you have a car seat?
My rabbit trail search continued and I found this disturbing fact:
An independent nationwide poll on child passenger safety reveals that 21 percent of grandparents - one in five - say they "never" use a child safety seat when they have their grandchildren as passengers.
Grandparents--, they let your kids get away with murder, and then they try and murder your kids.

this is not helping

So as I've mentioned before, I plan on using cloth diapers. Don't flip out, this is why:
-It Takes 20 Trees to Diaper One Baby in Disposables for 2 Years
25,000,000 trees are cut annually for this one product in the United States.
-Single-use diapers represent the 3rd largest consumer item (after newspapers and beverage and food containers) in the municipal solid waste stream. These diapers will require over 500 years to decompose.
-Not since the Middle Ages has there been so much human waste in our garbage. There is NO safe way to dispose of single-use diapers. Flushing them down the toilet causes 95% of clogged sewer lines in the US, and creates 43,000 tons of extra sludge per year. Most people simply toss these soiled single-use diaper into household, hospital, or roadside garbage. This adds 84 million pounds of raw fecal matter to our environment per year.

Knowing this, and also knowing that "Mom" will be my full time job, I knew that I should "go cloth." I'm not doing it to be earthy or make my life harder. I'm doing it out of sheer guilt. Incidentally, that's the same reason I recycle.

And so, I've been researching how this whole business works, cloth diapering that is. Depending on who you talk to, and what you read on the web, difficulty levels vary.
It's all very confusing at this point, and it's not from a lack of information. The world is super saturated with cloth diapering products and advice.
Here's a maddening example:
"How To Wash Diapers

Unstuff any Fuzzibunz and unfold diapers as you put them in. Close any velcro tabs. Spray any poop with Zout. DO NOT put any wool covers in the washer, ever.

First Step: SOAK
put in detergent halfway up to the first line on the cup. (NEVER use fabric softener)
put in the diapers (including fuzzibunz), but not the covers or pail liner.
set the washer to:
- cold wash
- cold rinse
- second rinse
- high water level
- regular agitation
- SOAK on the dial

The washer will agitate and then stop.

LET IT SOAK for at least one hour. Longer if there is a lot of poopy diapers. As long as you want to if you are going out or busy.

SECOND STEP: PREWASH
Turn the dial to prewash and let it run through. (this agitates for 4 minutes and spins out the water but does not rinse)

THIRD STEP: HOT WASH
Turn the dial to regular wash. Add just a touch more detergent, just enough to cover the bottom of the cup. Put in the covers and the pail liner turned inside out. Let it run all the way through spinning.

Take out the pail liner and hang it up to dry.

FOURTH STEP: extra rinses
Turn the dial back to rinse so that it goes through two more rinses. Every other wash time, or if the Joeybunz are feeling crispy, run through two more rinses. You can also check the water of the last rinse and if there are still suds in it, run more rinses.

FIFTH STEP: extra spin
turn the dial back to spin and spin it again. This helps them to dry faster

SIXTH STEP: drying
Hang up the Fuzzibunz and the covers (including the fleece covers), put the rest in the dryer on medium heat. Once in awhile, put the plain white (Green Earth and ProRaps) covers in the dryer, especially if they have been leaking. After the dryer stops, take out what is dry and start it up again."

Um, that can't all be necessary. Anyone getting visions of the "Anal Retentive Chef" from SNL?
None of this is shaking my confidence that I'll follow through, I just want to get my game plan down. But I am sure that I'm not going to follow that woman's wash routine, she's crazy.
We might even use the local diaper service. Still tryin to figure out what's cheaper.

Ok enough information. Entertainment time!