halloween rant

OK, no intention to offend here; I am merely speaking my mind, and this is blog world so I'm allowed to do so.

I absolutely hate the phrase "trunk or treat." For anyone not aware of what I'm referring to, the jist is this: groups get together in a parking lot and people decorate their trunks, and little kids go around the parking lot trick-or-treating at various trunks. They call it a "trunk or treat."

But WHY?

The phrase "trick or treat," is "an idle threat to play a trick on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given." Give me a treat, or I'll play a trick on you.

Replacing "trick" with "trunk" makes ZERO SEMANTIC SENSE. It is not parallel in ANY way. I'll give you a trunk if you don't give me a treat? I'll play a trunk on you? You give me a treat, or I'll take that trunk of yours and whap you upside the head?

Shaner says someone thought it was clever that "trunk" kind of sounds like "trick" and so they made up this little alternative trick-or-treating "play on words." Little did that person know, the phrase would catch on like wildfire and annoy the heck out of me for years and years to come.

Just speaking my peace here. I avoid saying this forbidden phrase at all costs. I'd much rather say "neighborhood Halloween party."

inside and out

Part 1:

I got a haircut last week. I was so very excited, since the gal cut off something like 4 inches, but imagine my surprise when hardly anyone noticed. Or maybe they noticed and hated it, so they didn't say anything. Interestingly, the three girls I work with that I see once a week all noticed, and a few of my moms' group friends noticed, but no one at Church. One friend commented that since my hair was so long (and I'd add unmanageable and non-baby-proofed), I probably wore it back a lot so people didn't even realize how long it was. I know she's right.

I felt like a million bucks, but didn't get much reinforcement from the troops. But, I guess it doesn't really matter since I still feel like a million bucks.

Part 2:

Some of you know I've had problems with my gall bladder. For anyone not aware, basically if you eat something really fattening the digestive system can't handle it and there's a blockage of some sort, and it's very very very painful. For me, it feels like my lungs are going to explode. It hurts really bad. My first "attack" was just after Wesley was born, and I've been careful about what I've been eating ever since. The only solution is to either eat really low fat or get your gall bladder out, which I really want to avoid for now.

I decided to take my chances last weekend and me and Shanester got a burger and fries from a national chain that will remain unnamed.

I have never been so grossed out in my entire life. I hardly ever throw food away (I love leftovers and basically think of food as money), but it was so disgusting I threw away half my sandwich. If I had finished that sandwich, I would have felt so awful about myself. It was thick and greasy and probably what a lot of people think would be an ideal lunch.

I couldn't help but realize that I haven't had a commerically prepared burger and fries since before Wesley was born -- in May. You may remember our "celebratory dinner" when Wesley was born was roast beef from Arby's. I don't think I've had anything of the sort since then. My body isn't used to having that stuff in it anymore (and I guess it feels pretty good to think that my body rejects greasy fake food). I wonder if I gave up chocolate what would happen? I shudder to think.

Conclusion:

Isn't it interesting how life is full of little changes. Some on the outside, some on the inside. Some, we don't even know what's happening, and then we're totally different than we were before. A haircut, a disdain for fast food, they're just little things. But what else is going on, how else am I changing, that I don't even know it?

I just hope that when it comes to the big stuff, the commitments I've made to myself and my family, that I'll never change. That my priorities won't falter. That I can stay strong. I've seen people in my life lose sight of what's important. It hurts. I just think, "can't you just get a grip on yourself? Don't you know what you're doing?"

But look what happened to me and the greasy burger. I didn't know what I was doing. And all of a sudden, it didn't taste so good anymore.

Interesting.

I also hope when someone needs me, in a big way, I'll notice. A haircut, it's no big deal. My feelings aren't hurt that you didn't notice. But if someone is struggling, I hope I'll listen to that little voice, that little prompting, that tells me to open my mouth and ask if a friend needs help.

Change. I usually hate it. Sometimes it's beneficial.

But it always happens.

more of the same

Since we are unabashedly "All Wesley All the Time" at this URL, and I know the grandparents never get tired of hearing about our milestones/adventures/whatever, here are some things I've been dying to post:

• Please enjoy the highly anticipated teeth picture. Did I mention we have two? Both bottoms are in. The sad thing is that I can only get him to show me them long enough to snap a shot if he is crying. So sorry these photos are a bit painful.

• At the suggestion of one of my mom's group friends, I bought Wesley a sippy cup, so he could get used to holding it. Sure enough, he is super talented (genius!) and can put it in his mouth. My favorite part though: teeth marks on the bottom of the spout. How fun is that! My little man.

• Gross-out of the week: Wesley spit up and it got all over my pants leg and in between my toes. Ahh, the joys of motherhood.

That's all for now. He is currently beginning hour 2 of his morning nap and I suppose I should change the sheets or brush the cat or organize my life but instead I'm blogging.

fit to be tied

When we found out we (more specifically, I) were pregnant, in October 2007 (a year ago this month!) Shane immediately was excited -- to buy a new car. Both of our cars at the time were two-doors, i.e., not good options for a lovely little family.

Shanester loves cars. This is the guy who will come home from work, where he spent 10 hours sitting at a computer desk, and get on the computer and look up cars on MSN Autos, kbb.com, autotrader.com, and more. Just for fun. Just to be informed. Or, in most cases, because he wants to persuade himself (and me) that it's time for a change. This happens a lot. He always has a new plan for how we should shake up our automobile situation. It's exhausting.

But anyway, when we knew Wesley was coming along, it was legitimately time for a change so Shane was uber excited. He spent hours researching, and we made an Excel spreadsheet with pluses and minuses of a bunch of cars. (If anyone is interested in our research, I'd be happy to share!) We settled on a 2008 Subaru Impreza, which we bought on our five-year wedding anniversary. What a fun little present for us.

In the course of our research, we came across a car that was gaining rapidly in popularity, the Honda Fit. Car & Driver magazine (which Shane reads and mostly likes, although he dislikes the cardboard ads that make the magazine flip open to the same page every time) loves the car and praises its merits. I often see articles in the paper about it. The Lynnwood Honda dealership told us there was a waitlist for them and we had no chance of getting a "deal" on one, since why haggle with us when they could sell it to the next Joe for full price? So basically, it's a hot car.

Since being introduced to this fancy go-mobile, I think I see them everywhere. I'm with Shane, and I'll exclaim, "Honda Fit!" at a passing car. The thing that kills me though is that I am wrong every time. Shane will respond, "that doesn't look ANYTHING like a Honda Fit!" and I feel like a moron.

So I went and got all the pictures off MSN Autos. You tell me what you think.

Me: "Honda Fit!"

Reality: Toyota Matrix. This one is the one I see most often and mistake for a Fit.

Me: "Honda Fit!"

Reality: Mazda 5. We looked into buying a Mazda 3, which it is more similar in size to the Fit than the Mazda 5, but I still get them confused.

Me: "Honda Fit!"

Reality: Pontiac Vibe. My friend Sarah even has one of these... and I still think it's a Fit.

Me: "Honda Fit!"

Reality: Kio Rio5.

Me: "Honda Fit!"

Reality: Chevrolet Aveo. This was the one I was most embarrased about. Not sure why. Maybe because it's American made, so I would think I could tell it apart from a Honda.

So yeah. What's the deal with all these cars looking exactly alike?

Then, just yesterday, I saw a car and exclaimed to myself, "Honda Fit!," fully expecting to see something else... and I was right. Just my lucky day, I guess.

posted too soon, again

FOLKS!! WE HAVE TEETH!

Yes, not just one, but TWO teeth.

Wesley is SUCH a trooper. He barely cried, although when we figured out what was going on I did race frantically at 9:30 at night to Safeway to buy baby Tylenol. Basically, we didn't even know what was happening until the tooth was already in. And he only needed one dose of Tylenol. What a big boy!

He got his bottom left tooth first (Monday). Then, a couple days later (yesterday), we were "showing off" for some friends, and we saw the other bottom tooth. They're both there!

In the process of all this, I feel more adept as a mother. Like I said before, he barely cried; he had two bouts of unexplained insane crying, and I just knew something was wrong. His cry was just different. Shane totally didn't believe me when I suggested it was teething, since he is only 4 months old. But then, Monday night, I decided to check and sure enough, there was a tiny pearly white.

The sad thing is, I love it love it love it when he sucks on my hand (it feels sooo funny), but he did it today and it um, hurt. So, my little Wesley has teeth now. I feel like he's all grown up. Like he's no longer a baby.

*sigh*

I've been trying all week to get a picture. He just doesn't like to have me hold his mouth open and point the camera at his face. I guess I'd be freaked out too if it was me.

posted too soon

Two more Wesley firsts:

• First thumb-sucking. Yep, the little guy has discovered his thumb, and the fact that his thumb can be separated from the rest of his hands. He has loved to suck his hands for awhile, so I guess this is just a graduation per se. He's so dang cute.

• First ROLL OVER. He rolled first from his back to tummy (which is the harder of the two rolls), then, just moments later, from his tummy to back. Unfortunately, I missed it!!! My first loss as I'm "back at work." Oddly enough, the roll overs happened in my very own living room, but I am doing a baby swap with a friend so we can both get in some solid blocks of part-time-at-home work, and she saw Wesley's acrobatics while I was in the back room slaving away! Shane and I am speculating that since her baby is 3 months older, and she was rolling over all morning, Wesley felt showed up and couldn't let her have all the rolling-over attention. Oh well, I'm still happy with the baby swap situation. Thanks Whimsy!

Ahh I love being a mama.

yay! philly, pa!

For those of you Washingtonians who know me, you may not know that I grew up in a teeny town in rural Maryland and loved every minute of it (mostly). We were in such a great location! Right near the beach and 2 hours to DC, Baltimore, Virginia Beach, and Philadelphia. Just a few more hours after that to New York. Needless to say I went on a lot of field trips to historical sites when I was a kid. I love the East.

For those those of you Mormons who know me, perhaps you heard this morning that President Monson announced a new temple in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! I am SO DANG EXCITED. I am pretty sure it'll be my parents' new temple that they'll attend. People are "assigned" to attend a certain temple based on where they live ("temple districts"), and my folks are in the Wilmington Delaware Stake. And seeing how Wilmington is um, right next to Philadelphia, I don't think they will be in the Washington, DC, temple district for much longer. They're also part of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania mission so that should also tell you it's a big possibility that it'll be their temple.

SO YAY.

(that's a picture *I* took by the way.)

I must take this opportunity to say though that the DC Temple will remain "my temple" and that won't change ever. Me and Shanester were married there, and I was sealed as an eternal family to my parents there when I was just 5 years old. Once when I was a little girl, I saw a picture of the Salt Lake Temple and I said, "whatever, that's not a temple." Since to me, the only temple, the main top cheese temple, was in Washington, DC. I love that place. It's so beautiful.

My aunt told me once that someone wrote into the Washington Post with a question: which is taller, the Mormon temple in Kensington (it is technically in Maryland), or the Magic Kingdom Castle at Disneyworld in Florida? Well guess what. It's the temple. It ridiculously dwarfs the Disney Castle from what my aunt said the column said. So how cool is that.

(I guess I must doctrinally clarify for anyone not familiar that all temples are the same inside, and it doesn't matter where you go. But people always have their favorites. And, if you want to know more, go here.)

I remember talking to my mom once about the DC Temple and I told her how it made me feel, and she said to me, "you know, that's what heaven feels like." I believe it.

But, regardless of how magnificent the DC Temple is, and it is magnificent, it is still pretty exciting to think there will be one in Philadelphia soon enough. I'm excited for that. YAY! I guess I should also take this moment to say that I live in Seattle now and although we have a temple here, one has also been announced for the Vancouver area of British Columbia. Which is also pretty cool.

For those of you keeping score at home, there are 128 temples in operation and an additional 17 have been announced.

firsts to report

Wesley has encountered several "firsts" in the last week or so, which I know you'll find interesting! And if you don't, then my mom and dad are reading and they'll find them interesting:

• First mom-induced laughter. This was so fun. He was on his back on the floor and I did push-ups on top of him. As my head met his head I made a funny noise and he giggled and squealed and all-around had a fabulous time! Unfortunately, by about 3 minutes I had had it because I'm quite lacking in upper-body strength. But it was the first time I've ever made him laugh, and it was so sweet.

• First mom-inflicted pain. Yes, poor little guy. Well, I shouldn't say "first" since I don't plan on inflicting more pain on him. But I attempted to graduate from filing the fingernails to clipping the fingernails, but I did a bad job and clipped part of his thumb. Poor little guy and his sad little wail. So I'm back to filing... which takes forever. Any advice on baby-nail trimming?

• First tears. Baby tear ducts aren't fully developed at birth, and Wesley's have finally "come in" or whatever you'd call it. I think I had to use the bathroom and left him in his crib for 2 minutes and he did not like that. I returned and lo and behold, little tears on his eyelashes. Wow!

• First splashes. Just briefly in the tub yesterday did he kick his feet and realize he was splashing. I actually think he scared himself.

• First full day without mom. Yes, I went back to work this week. I had a major freakout in anticipation on Tuesday, then went in Wednesday for a 10-hour day. It was actually awesome. I'm glad I did it. I'm glad it'll work out so I can work part-time one day a week, and Shanester can stay home with Wesley. His transition to four 10-hour days at work hasn't been the easiest, but it'll be so great for our family. And Wesley lived without me.

I desperately want to add "first roll over" to the list but we are waiting waiting waiting for that. Not yet. Boo!

In other Wesley news, we're not starting real food yet. Maybe in a month or so. We do have a high chair. I'm also planning on Baby Signing and I'm gearing up for that, which I can also start in a month or so. (Research says baby signing isn't really effective until they are 5 months old.)

That's all for now. I love that little guy!