ELMO: You know you look ridiculous right?
TILLS: Begging your pardon Elmo?
ELMO: I said you look ridic---- SMACK! KAPOW!
TILLS: What NOW Elmo! What NOW ! That's right you red furry monster. You stay down! They don't call me Mighty Girl for nothing.............Huh?.......
DOH! Er, Hi Mom.... Think cute and innocent thoughts think cute and innocent thoughts.....................
MOM: Oh Tillie, did Elmo fall down? Here let Mommy help.
TILLS: Hehehehehehehhheee....hook, line, and sinker.......
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On a side note: Are you guys as anxious as I am for this hair to really come in? Then we can graduate to barrettes and big girl bows! What a stunner--Haha! Get it? Pun intended.
This is the closest I've gotten to the place Guinness is born.
Marianne took the boys to Henry's Ark today so Miss Tills and I hung around the house laundering clothing, lightly cleaning, and double teaming the blocked milk duct in my right you know what.
For all you male readers (do I have any?) from my conversation with Mitchell, a clogged duct feels somewhat the female equivalent of your getting kicked in the junk. You may now slowly back away from your computer, huddle in the corner, and cry for me.
Because this is the third time in the last two, almost three months it's happened. What the? Luckily each of the three times the blockage has only lasted for a day--chills, body aches, the whole bit. I can't chalk it up to a bad latch. She's on there good and snug--so I'm not sure what's going on. Unfortunately for me--though fortunately for Matilda--it was play through the pain until the issue resolved itself. Tills enjoyed bellying up to her all day all she could eat buffet!
Regardless, I love being close to my Tills. And it's always pleasurable to see Leo get his animal fix. Mom, I scared the ostriches away! They were gonna bite Gus! Thanks again Marianne for taking them.
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I'm due for a post about Gus. Haven't been able to take any good pics of him this week as he's sporting a black eye and scratched forehead and cheek. Black eye courtesy of the wobbly bridge at Joe Creason Park. Scratches, the byproduct of a brotherly squabble. T-R-A-I-N W-R-E-C-K. God, I love that kid.
It appears Leo might be a lefty like me. Every time he grabs a writing utensil within Mitchell's view it's always Good. Keep using that left hand. Then to me. It's gonna give him an edge....in sports.
Huh? Really? I'm not sure I follow that logic. Left handed means more athletic? Wah? I mean, I am pretty coordinated and I played softball all the way up through high school. but again, whatchutalkinboutmitchell?
And, husband of mine, are you headed down the path to becoming that annoying, yelling dad on the sidelines? Nah, I know you better. Had to throw it out there though.
I think it's all fine and dandy for Leo to be left handed. What bothers me is the way he blacks out everyone's face when he's "coloring". Creeeeppppy. Can't you just picture the scene above in some horror flick like The Ring? You know what I'm saying?
WHY. Why, do they always have to make mundane innocent kiddie activities like doodling give you the chills?
It's like winding a music box and listening to it play. Think about it. That's as disturbing and ominous as, say, a crow landing on your windowsill.
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Anyways.....good at sports, not good at sports, left handed, right handed. It's all que sera sera to me. I just don't know if Leo's current look screams FUTURE JOCK. Shame on me for judging a book by it's cover, right?
I blurred this image as much as possible so when your eyes feasted upon it, you didn't slump over your computer screen from the pure dowdy, drabness of it all. This is me. In all my stay at home mom glory. Tomorrow's big adventure? Taking Gus for his 18 month checkup. Let's talk about shots--BAby. Let's talk about YOU and ME. Let's talk about all the GOOD things and the BAD things that MAYbe. Let's talk abooouuuut shots. Let's talk about shots.
To vaccinate or not? H1N1, you vile, despicable thing. You are not welcome here at Casa de Reinhart. Ick. Therefore the plan is to get everyone's arm poked (including Mitchell's and mine) save Matilda since she's too young to receive it.
O little Goose, little Goose. He has no idea tomorrow will bring so much fun!
I don't like admitting it (who does?) but I'm not feelin' the NaNoWriMo this year. I know, I know. I'm supposed to "just keep writing anyway". It's the exercise in making yourself write, not necessarily the story that comes out of it. I know this and yet, I've just decided not to do it this year.
I will, however, fiddle around with this story idea a bit more, here and there. I think there's something to it (and hey, I DO have an ending for it!) and maybe it's more that I think it deserves more time/effort than a violent 30-day writing gorge can give it. Or, that's a hoity-toity excuse.
I do feel shame, and I do feel guilt. I read the cheering-on emails I get from Chris Baty and others and for a moment or two I think, hey, I'm only a week behind. Maybe....?
And then I think, don't be silly.
And then I think... well.... ..... maybe?
Every morning, every morning upon waking Leo bounds into our bedroom where I am usually nursing Matilda and lets loose a Good Morning Mom! What are we doing today Mom? Where are we going today? Who's coming to our house today?
Mom?
Sigh.
I never feel I am doing enough for this kid. And honestly I've felt that way since he started walking. He needs more than me. He needs so much more than me, I've thought time and time again. Lamenting this exact statement to my sister she says;
He is SOOooo ready for school.
She's right. Part of me thinks we should have put him in a program this fall. The selfish part of me wanted him home one more year. This is the first, last, and only year the both of us will ever spend at home together. I know I know. Get over it. Somebody get the clamp and scissors. Let's cut that umbilical cord already.
Tonight Mitchell and I were talking with Leo about school next year--it's been a topic of conversation lately since a deposit to hold his spot at the particular preschool he'll be attending in August of 2010--is due in December.
Leo was all smiles asking us questions.
I'll get to talk to the teacher?
Oh, I'm sure she'll be talking with you a lot.
I'll get to tell her about all the animals?
Sure....
Mom, hummingbirds fly backwards and forwards. Asian elephants have smaller ears than African elephants. Giraffes have looooonng necks to reach the leaves. Peacocks can have maannny colors....zebras, addax, antelope, cheetahs, lemurs, meerkats, screech owls, howler monkeys, polar bears......
(When Leo runs out of things to tell about the animals he usually begins a litany of their names.)
Oh, teacher, whoever you are. We are sending you such a treat! Such a joy. Here's to hoping there's an elaborate animal themed unit you have planned at some point.
What's that? Leo has already volunteered to bring your classroom iguana home to care for over Christmas break? Fantastic.
I am sooooo done messing around with Flickr today... I uploaded a shit-ton of old pictures... They are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jewjewbee/sets/ if you want to check them out... You have to scroll down to the bottom of the sets to see most of what I uploaded today, though, since I am trying to keep things in chronological order... Or, I suppose you could just check out the photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/jewjewbee/... Whatever works! Later days...
Yes, there has been a delay. The Tattooed Lady will be here in less than one month- first week in December.
You can still pre-order via Amazon.com, which is kindly sending out little emails recommending it to people who have bought other tattoo books.
You can even browse through a few selected pages!
I'm in the process of planning two book signings at the beginning of December, more details to follow. One will definitely be at Woodland Pattern Books in Milwaukee on Dec. 9th. I will be talking as part of their Prose Series and signing books.
I think there will also be something at Carroll University in Waukesha in March for Women's History Month.
Enjoy the random new tattoo picture from this summer!
I really didn't think nursing was going to work out for me. Most of you know that. For the first month of LittleGuy's life, I was very close to giving up. A few trusted sources told me to stick it out until six weeks. I did. Amazingly, they were right, it did get easier...but I still wasn't sold. I was dependent on that damn nipple shield and I had very little confidence that my "chest structure" would ever truly be able to feed my child.
However, ten weeks into this nursing relationship with my baby and I'm a done deal. I love it. I feel like breastfeeding Finn is one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my entire life. An accomplishment as much as it is a gift. He practically weaned himself off the shield over a week ago and I can't believe that "they" work - all by themselves! Well, LittleGuy is bigger and knows what to do now, so that helps A LOT.
I finally feel comletely in tune with the whole experience. I did not believe people who told me it's easier to breastfeed, but now I know it's true. And, it is just an amazing thing to be able to nourish your child...just by being alive and eating and drinking and staying near your baby. Amazing. My body makes food. I am a fully functioning kitchen for my baby. Completely mind blowing. Everytime we sit down for a "meal" I am washed in awe.
It really irks me that the nurses in NY did not encourage me more when Littleman was born. It makes me sad that this experience was lost for him...and me. I am sad that I'll only get to nurse one baby. I don't feel any less connected to Littleman, plus, I really didn't know what I was missing. (Since I won't be letting LittleGuy sleep in our bed, I feel like the boys are even in "closeness to mommy as a baby" issues). And I am not saying that every one should nurse - it has to be right for that mom and that baby at that moment. It really is not easy. It takes patience and confidence (when you have none) and, most of all, a support system.
All that said, as much as I love nursing, it is pretty gross. Milk gets every where. At times I am literally a geyser. It completely suppresses my libido and there are a multitude of drugs (ie, birth control) that are forbidden. I lack grace and tact, so in public I am pretty much a nursing nightmare. (Thank goodness Littleman is too young to be embarassed by me...and Papabear is working so much, he's usually not with us). And, I know I have complained about this before, but the sheer size that I have to carry around...is really ridiculous. So, it's not heaven or perfect. But, it is beautiful. *I* may not be, but the act is beautiful. Beautiful and peaceful and almost magical. I feel completely and utterly content. I am living my dream.
I am a mommy of two beautiful boys and wife to a man I love and adore. If I died today I could say I have everything I ever wanted.
