Yackety Schmackety

Bad blogger!  Bad bad bad!

So, since I last updated… 

I survived my two weeks in St. Louis, learned a little, and had a LOT of fun. I ended up meeting two girls (one from Louisiana, one from Cincinnati- ironic no?) who were SO much fun, and there was a group of about six of us who like to drink beer and did so on a regular basis.  With no kids!  It was a good time.  We had a lot of laughs and have kept in touch since.

My husband was a ROCK STAR while I was gone!  He did so well with the boys, which I knew he would, but he went above and beyond.  They all survived and are better for it.

Thanksgiving was fine, if not a little chaotic.  We went to Illinois to Phil’s parents’ house and were joined by my brother-in-law and his wife and kids, then my parents, my brother, and his boy.  So there were LOTS of people there and a lot of noise, but it wasn’t too bad. The trip back was kind of no-fun, it was raining and Eli was crying a lot, but we made it back in one piece.

Work is going well.  I seem to have a good week followed by a bad week.  Last week=bad.  This week=good.   Hopefully before long the good weeks will outweigh the bad, and I’ll just have a bad day every once in awhile.

The boys are doing really well.  Simon is very excited about Santa coming, which is good bribery material for a short while.  He wants *everything* to do with Spiderman. We saw Santa at the mall last night and I’m sure Simon gave him an earful about exactly what Spiderman toy he wants. 

Eli, Eli, Eli.   What a sweet baby he is.  He is now six months old!  He had three teeth for the last month or so, until today, when I found THREE more!  AND, he’s crawling.  He’s been working on it for over a month and finally has it down.  He is so sweet, always trying to keep up with Simon.  Already. 

We are looking forward to Christmas…Phil’s parents will be joining us here at the house and I can’t wait!  I am so looking forward to enjoying Christmas at home!   Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and that you are enjoying your holidays!  Until next time…

Just wanted to stop in and say hello…life is settling down to "normal" with my new job and the boys in daycare, finally!

A quick update on the two boys…Simon is just fine, he starts pre-K next Tuesday.  How did that happen?  There have been lots of changes going on at the daycare we send them both to.  So, he’s going to have the same teacher this year that he had last year.  That’s good news, he loves her!  In fact, if it wasn’t for her, he might not be there any more.  I think next year will be time for him to go to his regular school (not sure which of the two we’re going to pick yet) but whether that will be a repeat of pre-K or regular kindergarten is still up in the air.  Damn summer birthdays.

Mr. Eli is doing really well in daycare.  He’s charming all of his caregivers when he gives them "the eye".  He’s quite a flirt.  He was a little sick this past week with a sinus infection.  At 3 months, he’s now 15 pounds!  He seems to be getting a little longer but still has pretty stubby little legs!  It doesn’t matter though, he is just precious.  He’s starting to smile and coo, it’s adorable.   

My new job seems to be going well.  I am doing medical equipment sales, and I think I will like it, but I get so nervous that I fumble over my words and make myself look like an idiot.  Once I get over that, I expect it will be fine.  I found out that my training will be in St. Louis the last week of October through the first week of November.  I’m still not over leaving my baby for two weeks.  I am looking forward to it just to get it over with!

Phil’s job is going well from what he tells me, when I see him!  Just kidding, but not really!  He’s leaving tomorrow for Texas, coming home next weekend, and is going to be in IL/IN/OH/MI the whole week-weekend after.  So I’m preparing for two weeks of single mom-dom.  Sigh.

Well, that’s about all for now- hope everyone who still reads is doing well! 

Whew, we have been busy!  The boys and I returned on Sunday from our two-week trip "north", also known as Illinois and Ohio.  We had a really good time.  I don’t regret taking them on such a haul by myself, but I don’t know that I’ll be doing it again anytime soon!  Ha!

We left for Illinois on a Friday.  An 8-9 hour trip turned into a 12 hour trip due to Eli having to eat.  We stopped 8 times, and it was very frustrating.  We had a good time in Illinois though, I got to catch up with friends, Simon was able to visit with his old babysitter, and we all relaxed quite a bit.  The next Friday we went to Cincinnati.  That trip was pretty easy.

Cincinnati was a lot busier.  My parents had a cookout so that we could catch up with family.  That was a lot of fun.  During the week we also went to the Cincinnati Zoo, Newport Aquarium, and dad took Simon to the Natural History Museum.  On top of that was the Fourth of July festivities.  We hardly had a break!  Simon loved everything.  Eli didn’t really care much!

The following Friday we went BACK to Illinois to join in the Tuscola sesquicentennial (sure I spelled that wrong) festivities, and also to see our friends for their baby shower.  My brother in law and his family also joined us so all of the cousins were together, it was a really nice time.

We drove back to Mississippi on Sunday.  Only 3 stops this time, so it was a really easy trip back.

I forgot how NICE the weather up north can be in the summertime!  It is miserable here now!  It’s rained every day since I’ve been back and it’s just THICK with humidity.  Gross.  Phil was out of town most of the time that we were, and when he came back with the rain, our yard is so flooded and our grass is about knee-high!  It looks like our home is abandoned!  Hopefully it will dry out and the heat will break a little bit.

On to other news.  I have a new job!  And I don’t have to go back to work until the 6th of August, which gives me a little bit more time off for maternity leave.  All of this blew up while I was in Cincinnati, and I had an interview on Monday and a second interview on Tuesday.  Goodness!  I’ll be a sales rep for a medical equipment company, a different one than I work for now.  Hopefully it is a good move for our family.  It will be an interesting change of pace and I’ll be much closer to home.  

Now about those boys of mine.  Simon is doing well, he is as chatty as can be and smart as a whip.  As for Eli, he is also doing well and growing like a weed.  He had his 6 week checkup on Monday and is now 12 pounds, 3.5 ounces.  Piggy!  And, he rolled over from front to back today!  He’s doing pretty well at night, he typically only wakes up once.  Feeding is so-so.  I’ve been nursing and trying to get him on a bottle, but he’s not liking the bottle so well.  Luckily, because of my maternity leave extension, I am hoping it will work itself out before I start again.

Well, that’s all from us for now.  I have yet to get all of our pictures uploaded from the trip- keep an eye out for them! 

Less than four weeks to go, but who’s counting?!? Ha, I guess I should be! As soon as we get the crib put together, I will take some pictures of the baby’s nursery. I am so impressed with the way it’s turning out, if I do say so myself. The walls are rather bright but once everything else is ready, it should come together nicely. My hospital bag is packed but the carseat still needs to be installed. Other than that, I guess we’re ready. Or something. Oh yeah, and we don’t have a name yet either. We have narrowed it down to several options but due to responses such as "EW, DON’T NAME HIM THAT!" or pained laughter, we are not sharing them with the general public until he’s arrived. And then he will be too cute for anyone to care what his name is. But I’m STILL not naming him Woodrow.

Anyway, back to our (for now) family of 3. We had our good friend Amy, who lives in Birmingham, come to see us this past weekend. We had a really good visit. Friday night, we took her to one of the newer restaurants (if you want to call it that) in town, John’s Crawdad Hole. Eep. That’s TRUE Mississippi right there, folks. Dirt floor (or what appeared to be), picnic tables, canned drinks only (but you can bring your own cooler!), rolls of paper towels on the tables, and a bathroom sink right in the dining area. We ordered a few pounds of crawfish (not very good from my limited experience) and not enough boiled shrimp (that’s "boled" shrimp for you yankees)- they were REALLY good! So anyway, Simon finished his Happy Meal (needless to say, no kids’ menu here) and started running around the place, and the owner asked me if it would be okay for him to see the kitchen, and she asked him "I got some mudbugs, wanna see?". So he went back with her and came back with a LIVE crawfish in a plastic bag. It was all gnarly looking with just one claw that he kept waving at us like he was shaking his fist. Ew. Simon thought it was hilarious though, especially when the "mudbug" fell out of the bag and onto the floor. He got to hear his mommy scream like a little girl, how nice! I just kept thinking, how likely would this whole scenario be if we were up north?  Yeah, we have fun down here!

Well, that’s all from the big city for now.  I’ll hopefully be posting nursery pictures soon! 

Phil is doing some plumbing work, and Simon ran into his toy room to get his toolbox to help out.  It was just precious!

Anyway, just wanted to share that.  

I feel like I had my "southern initiation" this weekend.  My first crawfish boil.  I told Phil I would try ONE, but didn’t expect to like it.  Was I wrong- they were so good!  We had a great time socializing- it was mainly people from our church (who can have fun after all, who knew), and it was a good start to the spring/summer.  Yes, spring has sprung here, it is lovely.  Unfortunately, I have already experienced the downside to the nice weather:  mosquito bites.  I got two while outside today.  Wah.

Oh, and another plus to living in the south:  Simon officially has an accent!  It is HILARIOUS.  No more one-syllable words for him.  "Back" is now "bay-ack" and "self" is "say-elf".  So funny.  I’ll have to try to catch it on video sometime.

Anyway, hope everyone out there is doing well- talk to y’all soon!  Hee hee. 

The Bears are losing the Super Bowl. This sucks. Damn Indiana.

Not too much going on around here these days.  We’re all recuperating from a nasty stomach bug that has apparently run through Greenville like an epidemic.  Not fun.

Baby updates…he’s kicking like a maniac, which is great.  Unfortunately, I still continue to fight with my insurance company, and it looks like I am going to have to change doctors and hospitals.  This is crap.  I have the worst insurance company ever.

Simon updates…he’s now officially three and a half and, now that he’s recovered from the stomach bug, eating us out of house and home.  His teachers are raving over him knowing all of his letters, even out of order, and counting to 30.  Smartypants.

Anyway, I’d better get back to watching the Bears lose.  Wah. 

Sorry about that!  We’ve been moderately busy around here, nothing too crazy.  Phil has been travellling a lot.  This week Miami, last week Chicago…which means Simon and I have been flying by the seat of our pants, not doing a whole lot.  Eating lots of mac and cheese.  

Phil and I bought our Christmas present to ourselves, a new bedroom set!  It will be delivered next week and I will take pictures then.  It is GORGEOUS.  I loooove it.

Speaking of Christmas, Simon is getting so excited about it!  He’s so fun this year!  Of course, it helps that his mom is more in the spirit this year and actually decorated for once (see Flickr pictures ———–>).  He’s been to see Santa and apparently all he wants is a "tow truck".  

And, I got a fantabulous early Christmas gift today from my parents- I am so impressed with them!  It’s actually for me and Phil (he’s not here but the box did say to open immediately).  It’s from www.cincyfavorites.com.  It’s the "Cincy Favorites" package:  Two slabs of Montgomery Inn ribs, one bottle of Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce- and we got bibs too!, one Larosa’s lasagna, one Larosa’s meatballs, a can of Larosa’s pizza sauce, two pints of Graeter’s ice cream (black raspberry chip and chocolate chip), twelve Busken cookies, two cans of Skyline Chili, a box of Skyline oyster crackers, peppermint patties, and hot sauce.  I almost cried when I opened the box- all my favorites!  Too bad Phil might not make it back in time to enjoy any of the ice cream or cookies. 

What’s been going on with us, you may ask?

Wellllll….

We’ve planned a weeklong trip to Illinois next month (all three of us) and I get to go to a Marc Broussard show again!  Yay for me!

Simon had his well-check last week and is doing well, we actually love his pediatrician (which is lucky because he’s the only one here on our insurance!)

And, oh, did I forget to mention that I’m pregnant again?  Oh yeah, that’s what’s been going on! 

It’s still quite early- I’m not due until June, but the cat’s been let out of the bag to mostly everyone we know so it’s not much of a secret.  I’ve been feeling fine, just fat.  I’m afraid I will be fitting into my maternity clothes sooner rather than later.

So yeah, that’s it in a nutshell.  Anyone need a designated driver during the next nine months?  I’m your woman!  

…until next week anyway.

This has been a "normal" week.  Phil’s been home, it’s just been us, we’ve finally been able to concentrate a little more on potty training (joy), but alas, next week will be crazy again.  Phil is going to North Carolina for work and Simon and I are going to Illinois!  I’m excited to go back again, but a little nervous about the road trip with Simon by myself.  Which is why we will be springing for the portable DVD player this weekend. 

Later this month, I have my travel arranged to go to Orlando for work!  I’m actually excited, even though I would rather not be away from the child for that long.  Or Simon.   But I am glad to get away, to fly, and I might be meeting a friend for lunch!  Yippee!  Of course, I will have to put up with the training for long days during the week, but it shouldn’t be too bad.  I guess.  Work has been better this week, of course, since the boss hasn’t been around.  I have a coworker that is becoming a problem, but everyone else is complaining about her too, so I know it isn’t just me.  That helps.

I posted not long after we moved about (I think) about meeting friends down here.  We’ve actually met quite a few people, mainly through Simon, but everyone is just SO nice and welcoming, and I’m really happy about that.  However, the first girl that I met here (who has a son just Simon’s age) is moving!  To Naperville, IL, of all places.  I’m really upset about it, it was very sudden.  In fact, she’s leaving at the end of this month!  She and her husband are so nice, and while they may (or may not, we never got to find out) be a little straight-laced for us heathens, Phil even commented that he was sad they were leaving.  So anyway, this weekend we are spending time with her and the kids (her hubby has already moved north).  I don’t know how I feel about Greenville seeming like a transitional kind of town, it’s hard to make friends with people when you’re afraid they might move any day.  Especially when we know/hope we’ll be here for awhile.  But, I guess you can’t NOT make friends for that reason.  And there are several people who seem to be pretty permanent.  Anyway, we introduced our friend who’s moving to IL to Italian beef this weekend- we made it for Simon’s party.  She loved it!  Too bad she has to move away from the tamales.  Poor her.  (We had tamales from Stareka deli tonight for dinner and they were so good!  I’m thinking about stealing the leftovers instead of leaving them for Phil.  Damn the south is not good for the size of my pants.)  I’m rambling…

I will try to post before or during the Illinois trip, but if I don’t, have a great week!  Enjoy the pictures of my goofy child.  He takes after his father, remember. 

Happy Fathers’ Day to my favorite dads:  um, Cliff Huxtable, John, Alan, and Phil!  I hope you had a great day.

We had a great weekend!  Friday night we spent part of the evening in the yard, and met (again) the little boy who is going to be moving in next door.  Should be a couple more weeks- they are starting fixing the house up on Monday.  It looked like more than a couple of week process to me, but what do I know?

Anyway, Saturday we spent getting ready for Saturday night- we had one of Phil’s friends from work and his girlfriend over for dinner.  They’re 24 and 22.  We had a good time but I think we both agreed (probably not until this morning) that we just can’t drink like we used to.  Darn.  You would think we’d learn.

Today, we did make it to church and actually went in this time.  Oh, this is funny…Phil is not a Catholic and has no intention of becoming Catholic, but he was kind enough to accompany us to the Catholic church in Greenville today.  Our friend Maxie knew that I was raised Catholic, and told the pastor there (Fr. Somers) a long time ago that we had moved to town, where we worked, etc.  Phil’s reaction was "Great- Maxie had to go and sic the Catholics on us."  Well, this was several months ago, so I didn’t think anything of it.  We dropped Simon off at the nursery (he did much better this week!) and we were waiting outside of church to meet our friends, and here comes Fr. Somers.  He came up and shook our hands and asked us our names.  He said right away, "Oh, you (me) work in Cleveland, right?  I’ve heard about you."  Greaaaaat.  Well, he was very friendly and welcoming, and even introduced us to another young family who was waiting out front.  End of story, right?  Wrong.  We sat through Mass and at the very end, wouldn’t you know he CALLED US OUT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!  And he called me Michelle (why why WHY are people always calling me Michelle!!?!).  But he asked us to stand (we didn’t, Phil kind of waved, I wanted to crawl under the pew), everyone CLAPPED.  Oh how embarrassing.  It would be one thing if we knew we would be going there all the time, but we’re still trying to decide where we’re going to go.  Oh well.

As soon as we got home from church, I got a call from Maxie herself (who was quite amused at the events at church today) inviting Simon and I to go swimming with her at the country club.  So we went for a couple of hours, leaving Phil to enjoy his Fathers’ Day by watching his own TV shows!  We had a pretty good time, had lunch, went swimming, and came home.  Then Simon and his dad took a nap and I got to do two more scrapbook pages.  ha HA!

Hope everyone else had a great weekend too.  Later.