Friday, October 27, 2006

Football fever!
Boy's first play off game is this Saturday. I really am excited for him... to make the playoffs the first year you've ever played is quite an accomplishment!
Hubby tells me that they will probably lose... apparently the team they are playing is "really, really good" and they've been playing together for at least two years.
As I said before, this is Boy's first year, and the first year for most of his team mates.
I want to remain optimistic... his team plays with such heart... and they've proven themselves to really be a second half, comeback team... their last two games they came back to win in the second half after as much as a 21 point deficit.
I think they can do it... and I'll be there, cheering him on and yelling until I lose my voice.
Our beloved horns also play this weekend... Tech at Tech. I've learned over the years to never underestimate Texas Tech. So, I'm sure this will be a good game too. Of course, I'm certainly hoping that it's nothing like last week's game against Kansas... that was a nail biter to the end.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006


I love Halloween. Always have. When I was a little kid, my mom, who stayed home with us when we were young, would make the most fantastic halloween costumes for us! She made a cute little witch dress for me, she made a lion costume for my brother, all kinds of things. I loved trick or treating, even though at the time, where we lived the houses were far part and you didn't get a whole lot of candy.

Last year, precious baby was a newborn and we didn't go trick or treating because Boy was with his mother, but we did hand out candy and show precious baby off.

This year, we'll dress her up as pumpkin (so cute!) and take her in the stroller to a few houses early, and then hand out candy.

We haven't been to an actual pumpkin patch, but our friend, A, took this really cute picture of precious baby this last weekend while we were faux camping that really sums up the fall season.

One of the things that I really love about Halloween now, is that we live in a small neighborhood where we know just about everyone. We don't see everyone every day, or even every week, but you see just about everyone on Halloween.

Oh, and of course, the candy.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

I love Fall.
The weather here where I live is so hot most of the year that it seems like we don't have seasons anymore... we have nine months of hot, and three months of not so hot.
So, I've learned that whenever we have fall like weather, one must appreciate it, because it won't last!
This weekend, Hubby, Precious Baby and I "faux camped".

To explain...
Our friends, B and A, (who are actually Boy's mom and step dad!) own a popup camper and love to camp at area parks here in Texas. "Faux Camping" is when we go to the park where they are camping on day pass and hang out with them, cooking out for dinner, etc, but go home and sleep in our own comfy beds.

which we did this weeked, after Boy's football game (which his team won!). The occasion was A's birthday. We hung out at beautiful Jimm Hogg Park in Georgetown, Texas. B and A got a great camping spot, with a lovely, panoramic view of Lake Georgetown. The weather was fabulous... not too hot during the day, and then it cooled off to crisp sweater weather after dark. B and A made this great tamale pie in a dutch over over an open fire. So tasty! I would have loved to stay later and enjoy the fire they made, but Preciousl baby wasn't feeling so well, and it was way past her bedtime, so we went home early.

The rest of the weekend was great though...on Sunday Hubby and I made 2 Indian Style BBQ chickens... one was tandori style and the other was rubbed witha mixture of cumin, tumeric, garam masala, lime and a little olive oil. Yummy! I made basmati rice and a mild vegtable curry to go with it.

Guess that's what I like best about fall... being outside, with friends, and not feeling like you're about to expire from the heat. I love the fact that now that it's cooler, Hubby likes to cook out more... I just love the food that he grills... it's always good! Not to mention that I don't have to cook it!
Not to mention Halloween... my favorite holiday.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Ok, rant about work.

I work for a state agency that protects children and regulates daycares, residential treatment centers, and the like. Specifically, my job is to prevent people who have prior findings of abuse or neglect against them from getting jobs in day care centers, or in any other facility that deals with children that my agency regulates.

It horrifies me sometimes how lax people can be about their children. Day in and day out, I read cases about parents who allowed their spouse or significant other to beat their children, or who knowingly allowed a sexual predator to have access to their children. How can a parent do this?! It just floors me. Do these parents have some major part of their protective instincts missing? I may be paranoid, but there are very, very few people I would leave precious baby or Boy (and he's almost 12!) with. Sadly, the sexual predator or abuser is often a boyfriend or some family member. It may just be me, but I believe that once you have had children, they come first, always, and their needs come before yours... so that means that if your boyfriend is a bad guy, your children's safety has to come first, and that trumps your love for or need to be with the boyfriend, or your need to "protect" a family member.

It's just sad, isn't it?

ok, rant over.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Precious baby's birthday party!

boy, what a party! I think we had about 35 people in out house and backyard! Lots of kids and parents! I was so touched by the outpooring of love (and gifts!) that precious baby received. Hubby and I had been talking earlier that week about needing to get Precious baby some fall clothes... not any more. She got so many cute little outfits for her birthday that she be superstylish for months.

Our living room looks like a the giraff store exploded in there. So many new toys! I think we are going to have to set up one end of the game room as a playroom for Precious baby... there's really no where else to put all the toys and I can't see carrying them up and down the stairs.

On another note, I found out this weekend that my parents sold their house... the home I grew up in. I am saddened. I mean, that's where I grew up, and so now I sort of feel .... unmoored, maybe? Like now I can't go home (not like I'd want to, but it's nice to have the option, right?). So, they are going to get rid of almost all of their stuff and move to the very far north end of town (an hour away) within the next month. Less than that, actually.

Dad suggested that if I wanted anything, I should let them know... have to think about that. Maybe they might not keep the dining room table? I'd take that.

And, Boy won his football game this week! If the team wins their next game (this weekend) they will go to the play offs! He's so excited, and hubby and I are so proud.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

She is walking!

Precious baby is walking. She's been working on it for a while... and she still is... she's walking about four or five steps, falling on her behind, and then getting up and going again. I'm so thrilled, but a little sad too... she's getting to be such big girl! I look at her and wonder what happened to my tiny little baby?

It feels like I gave birth yesterday... and her first birthday is onTuesday! I'm not ready for her to grow up!

Please, stay a baby for just a little longer?

I know, it's silly.... and I'm proud of her, really I am (sniffling a little). I guess this is what I'm in for... being proud and just a little sad at each great milestone.

Speaking of birthdays, precious baby's party is this weekend, and it's going to be quite a bash... 28 people... 10 children and their parents are attending! That's a lot of cake! I had planned to bake lots of cupcakes, but considering the size of the guest list, I'm starting to reconsider that idea. My SIL suggested that I just get cake at the grocery store... and I may just go that route. It sure would be nice to take at least one thing out of this very busy weeked. Besides Precious baby's party on saturday, the Boy (my step son, age 11) has football practice on Friday night, which means we'll have to wait around for him to be done with practice, which means dinner will be late (but I refuse to have dinner without him. dinnner time is family time!). Both sets of ILs will be in town for precious baby's birthday, so there will be family to entertain, and the Boy has a football game on Saturday, late in the afternoon, the dinner with the family after. Sunday we'll all have brunch together, and then, I guess I need to start getting everything for next week together. Meh.

Much as I love Boy, and love seeing him play, I would be perfectly happy if his game were called due to weather (it could happen... there's rain in the forecast all weekend) just so that the frenetic pace of the weekend would slow just a bit.

I guess I need a vacation.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Bubbles!

Finally, it occurred to me what would be a great favor for precious baby's birthday party! Bubbles? Who doesn't like bubbles? Fun for all, young and old and non gender specific!

Now I just need to find somewhere that sells them in bulk.... having just checked evite, we have a lot of yes responses... and that means a lot of kids at my hoouse this Saturday!

Now, if I can just find the time to coordinate everything else I need to do, and clean the house too, I'll be all set!

yeah, right.

Monday, October 09, 2006

So, my precious baby will officially turn one year old next tuesday, but Hubby, Dear Boy (my stepson, age 11) and I will be throwing precious baby her first birthday party this weekend. Hubby and I thus made the "Birthday gift pilgrimage" this weekend at the bulls eye store.

Picking out the plates and napkins and decorations was fairly simple... I didn't want anything too girly (per Hubby, who scorns pink) or anything themed... I figured there will plenty of time for her to ask for all the princess stuff when she she's old enough to be aware of it. I quickly picked out some cute plates and naps with a brightly colored birthdaycake slice on them. They coordinated well with the evites I'd sent out the week before. Decorations were a cinch... multi colored balloons and streamers that I already had at home.

I was totally stumped, however, by the issue of party favors. Until recently, it had never crossed my mind, but precious baby and I had recently attended the first birthday party for the daughter of a good friend. At that party, precious baby had received, as a "parting gift" a cute little chinese takeout style box that contained several little animal figures, some plastic, some stuffed, that were of course, all appropriate for the birthday girl's party theme, which was zoo animals.

Clearly, favors are not only important, but are required, must be age/gender appropriate, original, and cutely presented.

The bulls eye store had no shortatge of choices, however, as I stood there in the aisle, I found myself becoming more and more concerned that everything on offer was a choking hazard. What in the world could I get for favors that would be appropriate for one year olds, and yet still be fun for slightly older children as well? Bead necklaces? Maybe for the girls, but what if someone broke the string and choked on the beads? Little cars? So small they would easily fit in someone's mouth. Stickers? At the last party, precious baby tried to eat an entire sheet of them and got pretty upset when I swept them all out of her mouth, so that was out of the question. And on and on it went. There seemed to be nothing appropriate.

Dejected, I left the favor aisle. Hubby was urging me to get to the toys, his favorite part.

As I perused the toy department with Hubby, my dejection faded. I'd figure something out about the favors. Far more importantly, what would precious baby receive from Mommy and Daddy on her first birthday? Hubby and I looked and discussed for quite sometime. Finally, we agreed that some kind of ride on toy would be fun... precious baby isn't quite ready for a trikey yet but we agreed that some thing she can scoot around on would be fun.

But what kind? the princess mobile, all in pink with sparkly jewels embedded on every surface? The edu mobile, with discourse in both spanish and english? The blue puppy rider, which has 10 silly songs available at the push of a paw shaped button? Hubby and I were dizzy with choices. Finally, I saw it... perched on the top shelf, and it was the last one left. "Quick Hubby, reach up and grab it before someone else does!" I said. He retrieved the box... The kindly honey addicted bear mobile... that blows bubbles as precious baby scoots around on it! Thrilled, we placed in in the cart, made few other selections and left the bulls eye store.

Now, if I just get precious baby to be more interested in the scooter itself, rather than the box it came in.

Friday, October 06, 2006

I recently read a letter to the editor that was published in my home town newspaper that just riled me no end. The writer extolled nursing mamas to "cover up!" and stated that she was so offended to see boobs with babies "dangling off the nipple" all over the place!

I (quietly) went ballistic. I sent a response to the editor, which wasn't published (too bad) but also emailed the writer (the paper published her email address with her letter). Her ignorance astounded me. She wasn't a mother, had no children. Just spouting off her own squeemish opinion.

Now I'm all for free speech, and this woman is no exception. She can express her opinions, no matter what the basis, all she wants. But to insult others who are just feeding their children.... geez!

It got me thinking. Why are we, as a culture, so offended by a breastfeeding mother but we have no qualms about a woman in tiny bikini selling beer, cars, you name it? Why is this OK? I barely show any skin when I NIP (nurse in public) and most people probably think I'm just cuddling my child. Yet I would never appear in public wearing a bikini, or for that matter, a belly tee or a "boobie shirt" yet these items are standard issue for just about any teenaged girl (and plenty of adult women too) but there's no great outcry about potential pedophiles or sex offenders getting aroused by scantily clad young girls!

In fact, there is so much squemishness about breast feeding in our culture, that my state, along with thiry-something others, has passed laws that protect a mother's right to breast feed in public. That's right all you squeemish folk... my right to breastfeed in public (and possibly offend you in the process) is legally protected. And just fyi... there is no legally recognized right no to be offended, so all of you who are need to just avert your eyes.

Why oh why has our culture sexualized the breast to this degree? For all of human history, breasts were feed bags. Think about it. Before the advent of infant formula, all babies were breastfed if they were to survive. There was no alternative. Breast feeding wasn't just normal, it was common place and everyday, and in fact, the survival of the human race was dependant upon it. But in only a few short generations, we have gone from commonplace to "wierd" and offending other people. That's right, the boobie patrol is worried about offending other people.

So, say it with me mamas, and say it loud:
IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO SEE A BREAST FEEDING MOTHER, STOP LOOKING!!!

Thank you. I'll be stepping down from my soap box for now.