Makeover Part Two (color)

I still haven't gone to get my hair re-cut (I want it shorter in the back due to a freak accident of pregnancy hormones that gave me curly hair in one back section of my head). But I did finally get around to coloring it. I went a very dark brown. Currently it almost looks black, and I'm okay with that - I like the color, even though I know it will fade a little more into a deep brown. So here is a picture of my new hair color:


This is me, trying to take my own picture in my bathroom mirror... note to self: clean bathroom mirror!

I hate the DMV

I had to renew my drivers license today so I could vote next week. My license still had my old address on it from 4 years ago as well as my maiden name from over 3 years ago... I have a year to renew it but I wasn't sure they would let me vote with all my info being incorrect.

So anyway, I went up to the DMV today, no kids, the husband watched them. It's the very small local branch and never busy. The room is divide by a single row of chairs, one side was labeled Drivers License and the other everything else. But everyone was in one line and the only 2 people working were on the 'everything else' side. So in line I got. I was about 4 people back, not too bad. As people came in they all got into the one line, which I was glad of since technically I needed to be on the other side, on which there was no working employee. Then the woman 2 ahead of me needed a drivers license renewal and the young blonde girl walked her over to the other side... Good, I was doing it the right way. Then another girl came into the building and walked over to the driver's license side... surely the clerk would correct this when the time came. She finished and there was one person in front of me. She said, "Next person in line please," and looked towards the line and not at the girl waiting (only person there NOT in line). But the girl stepped up anyway and the man in front of me said nothing... So I said, not too loudly, "She wasn't next..." No one cared.

The blonde clerk finished with the girl and then walked back over to the 'everything else' side to ask for the next in line, which was still the man in front of me. As he went up, the other clerk finished his customer and called for me. Finally! So I walk up and announce that I need my license renewed and he tells me I have to be on the other side! What! I told him that everyone had been in the same line... He was nice but explained to me that he couldn't leave the computer he was on and I'd have to wait for the blonde girl to finish and to go wait in the chairs... I hate the DMV!

So I go to sit in the chairs and wait for her to finish - and she makes no effort at all to acknowlegde me and my wait. And before she finishes up and big ole loud (on her cell phone) mean looking woman walks in and right up to the license counter. Surely, SURELY, this time the clerk girl will call on me first. NO! She walks over after her customer leaves and the woman just starts in before she even gets behind the counter... "I lost my license! I need you to just look something up for me! I don't have my this or that but you can just pull it up!" The girl just started helping her! FUCK! I don't think me or the clerk wanted to even try to correct this situation - but it's her job! She didn't. So I waited. For about 10 min. But I stood up right behind the woman so that no one else could get in line in front of me..... did I mention that I HATE the DMV?

Ok - so it's my turn. I tell her what I need, give her all my paper work, she starts to process my license... and her damn cell phone rings. It was loud, it was dance music, and it echoed throughout the whole building! And she answered it! Are there not rules in the work place? Do people have no manners anymore? Do I sound 75? Shit - she talked the whole time she was going through computer screens and inputing my information. I saw she was doing things wrong and didn't have my name correct but I just let her talk on the phone and didn't correct her. By the way, she's been married for a year, has a 2 month old, and is in trouble at her other job for being absent (but it shouldn't count because she was pregnant and had a doctors note). So when she finally got off the phone and told me she was finsihed I informed her that she had my name wrong and needed to correct it... She fussed like I should have told her before, and commented on how she would have to go back in and change it.... I said very politely, "I didn't want to interrupt your phone conversation." She shot me a look and told me to go stand in front of the blue screen for my picture.

Then the bitch didn't even give me a chance to fix my hair or smile or attempt to take a good picture, she just said, "Ok... there you go. It will be a few minutes, have a seat."

Luckly it turned out not so bad. But the moral of my story is that I HATE THE DMV!

What a Day!

Well - today has barely started and this is how it's starting out...
A big, fat fly in my coffee!



Actually it's not really that bad - Little One slept from 10:30pm to 6am... and so did I. So I just got another cup of coffee and here I am! Rested and Caffeinated. Good to go!

Boring Video

Here's a video from early this morning of Logan 'talking'. It's a little long and the lighting sucks... but if you want to see him smile and coo a little bit, have a look.

We Abandoned Him

Last night we needed to go to Toys R Us to buy Nola's birthday present... After a whole day of figuring out the best way to do this we went to Kirk's Mom's house. We stayed for a little bit and then left both kids (at her suggestion) and went to the toy store. I tried my best to get Kirk to hurry up... yeah right! It was a toy store! So after what seemed like forever were on our way back to his mom's house. He called her to see if there was anything we needed to pick up. I heard him say to her, "Are you okay? No? Okay, we'll hurry."

Apparently both kids were screaming! We were supposed to stop at the grocery store for her on the way back. I told Kirk to just drop me off and then he could go by himself to the store. She lives in a condo complex on the second floor... when I got out of the car and started up the stairs I could hear the screaming! Outside and a story down I could hear both my kids screaming! I ran up the stairs and into her door.

Nola ran to me, face red and blotchy, sobbing. I scooped her up and she quieted. But Logan was screaming still. Screaming! High pitched, repetitive screams. He was bright red and puffy faced from all the crying! I then realized that it was the first time we'd both ever been away from him. With Nola it was an event. I was worried and made lists, packed bags, left phone numbers of everywhere I would be, call a thousand times while I was gone.... This time I didn't even know it was his first time! Oh, the poor forgotten second child!

Eventually I got them both calm... and by eventually I mean 30 min! Logan fell asleep and Nola relaxed. I ordered pizza and Kirk returned from the store. Logan woke up from his little nap and was fine. He smiled and giggled and had a bottle. But then I wanted to eat too so I asked Kirk to take him. Well, Grandma offered and I gave him back to her. Instantly Logan started screaming again! This time there was no consoling him. He was crying and wailing and screaming. Kirk took him, nothing. Grandma took him back, nothing. I tried over and over to get him to stop crying, nothing. After a half an hour of non-stop screaming we were all a little freaked out. The loudest noise in the world is your own baby crying. I changed his diaper, took off all his clothes, checked his fingers and toes for hairs, checked him for a rash, examined him all the ways I could think of and nothing was wrong. I knew he was just freaked out.

But then it was suggested that we call the doctor. I said there was probably no need, he was just freaked out because we left him. But after more screaming and having no real answers I told Kirk to go ahead and call. And I know the number by heart but couldn't think of it. I sat there, holding a screaming baby, watching a 2 year old climbing up the side of the bed I had told her 3 times not to do because it was tall and she could fall and I couldn't make that phone number come into my brain! Of all the times to go blank! Then I remembered that I had their card in my wallet. After much discussion with the oncall nurse we decided to just take him home and see if his normal environment would calm him down... if not, the emergency room it would be.

We got home and he was fine, asleep... and slept until 6am! And today - a happy baby he be!

Note to parents and future parents: Don't leave your kids alone for the first time with someone without realizing it and being prepared. Don't leave your 2 year old with your 2 month old when your 2 year old is being a brat. Don't forget to tell Grandma how to make bottles, make them for her. Don't leave without having the babysitter at least hold the kid first... Don't assume because your 2 year old is fine with Grandma that your 2 month old will be A-Okay too.

Captured!

I found a good place to put the kids while I'm trying to get something done! Actually I put Logan in there (that's Nola's crib by the way) while I was doing laundry in her room and she wanted in too. So in she went! And off I went to grab the camera.

She's pretty funny these days when she wakes up... the other day she covered her face when I walked in to get her up from nap time (this was after she called for me) and said, "I'm still asleep! Go Away!" And this morning when I went in to get her she had peed through her diaper and told me she would just "Lay in my pee-pees a while." When she was ready to get up she said she would like to "go pee-pees in livin room now."

Oh, and it's Tuesday and I still haven't lost any weight. So I'm a looser. Boo Me. I'm not even going to post the regular stats - just know that I'm fat and bummed about it.

In other news...
I have about 10 squares started on my Starry Night blanket, will post more pics when it comes together more.
I still haven't finished my hair makeover... I am going to get it re-cut sometime soon and color it a very dark brown, will post pics of that if I ever get around to it.
I have to renew my drivers license before Nov. 4th because I'm a big old slacker and still have my old address and my maiden name on it! I've been married over 3 years! I just don't want to take any chances that I won't be able to vote. I will be lying about my weight to the License Bureau by the way.
Logan is laughing all the time now - it's really cute.

Off The Hook!

I've started crocheting again... the little one is 2 months old and starting to sleep through the night, therefor I am no longer a walking zombie who needs a nap everyday. I'm just not into stressing out about a not-so-clean house... so I have a free nap time and a free couple of hours to claim back as my own (after 8pm if I so choose to stay awake). And I've been feeling that nagging need to be crafty! It's Fall and the weather is getting cooler... cold actually... and what better hobby than one that keeps your lap warm while you work on it! So Blankets it is! Have Hook - Will Crochet!

I have been planning on making my brother and sister in law a baby blanket for my upcoming niece (in January) but I've been a super-slacker... well, I did have a baby. But I really lucked out. I found a blanket I had already started and already had plenty of yarn to finish! So now I'm working on that blanket. They found out they are having a girl but it's only about a 75% chance... I'm secretly (well openly) hoping she will pop out with boy parts! So green it is! I will probably put a pink border on it... and replace it with blue is she is really a he.

So here it is so far:
Blanket #1: Baby Gem

They are making fun of us for naming Logan after an X-man (Wolverine, aka Logan) and saying that they are naming their daughter-to-be after Gem and the Holograms....

I have also been inspired by a blanket on The Purl Bee blog - the Babbette Blanket. I want to do my own version... basically it's a bunch of granny squares in different sizes and colors put together to make a crazy-quilt type blanket... ala coat of many colors.... check out the right hand side of the Purl Bee blog under crochet projects if you wanna see some. Link over from my Blogs I Like section....

Here is my color pallet for this blanket. I think I will be using the blues and purples inside the squares and outlining and connecting them all in black. My vision is for it to look like stars...


And here are a few squares that I've started with all the balls of yarn again... The two on the right will not be included in the blanket... They were practice squares just to get back into the feel of granny squaring again... and they aren't right anyway. The one on the left is my first completed square.


And here is a close up of the very first square in
Blanket #2: Starry Night


I'm not too sure what I'm going to do with this blanket... I may put it up for sale on Etsy or something if it turns out good enough....

By the way - if anyone wants to commision a lovely crocheted blanket, scarf, hat, etc... let me know! I'm open for business and could use a part time job!

PumpkinLand!

As HelloCayce said, we went to PunpkinLand yesterday. It was cold and even though I sat and watch the dads play with the toddlers while babysitting a stroller, it was still fun. There were lots of things to do for the kids, and Nola was scared of most of them at first... like the baby cow, and the pigs, and the llama, and the hay, and the dirt, and the tunnels, and the slide, and the swings, and even the ponies... But she came around to each of them (well, not the baby cow or the llama) and had a ton of fun. Here are some photos for viewing pleasure:

The entrance sign with a burst of glorious sunlight shineing through to welcome us.


Logan in his pumpkin outfit - what a cutie!


Kirk and Nola going down the big slide


Nola riding on a toy tracter... not actually going anywhere!


Picking out her two punpkins...


And leaving to go home... new pumpkin in hand...

Man Child

Well - I noticed yesterday just how much of a boy Logan really is... Yes, I'm fully aware I gave birth to a male humanoid, but he just seems so boyish lately. Especially when dressed in macho clothes. (And when he whips it out and pees on me!)

Sometimes I just look at him and wonder where this gigantic, light haired, apple-headed, man-child came from! He looks like he belongs in our family yet he doesn't. I think I'm just so used to females, girl babies. I think he may grow up to be a line backer for the Bears. Oh Papa would be so proud!

Yesterday he was 8 weeks old. He started wearing #2 diapers for the first time, see - a big boy! And today (this morning) he really tricked me!
It was 5am. I heard him waking up (he sleeps in our room) so I hopped up and got dressed - he still didn't wake up all the way. I went to the bathroom, still stirring but not crying. So I made coffee and washed his bottle, still not up! SO I went out to smoke.... nothing.... Now I'm blogging and awake at 5:45 and that big old lump is still sleeping. I had almost 8 hours of sleep so I'm good, but I still would have gone back to bed if I wasn't already on coffee cup number two! Tricky little Man-Child!

Sugar & Spice

WARNING: Foul Language to Follow

There are two little girls, sisters, who moved in a few houses down from me. They are the cutest little things. I see them playing in their front yard, holding hands, running through the fallen leaves. I've been seriously tempted to get out my camera and try to secretly capture their adorableness. I would guess they are around 5 and 7 years old.

Today I was outside and I heard some yelling coming form down the street. I looked over and saw the two girls, Sugar & Spice, sitting on their steps. Then I heard what I thought was the word 'fuck'. Surely not! So I quieted myself down so I could listen... and here's what I heard:

"I'm gonna fuck you up! Fuck you up!"
"Fuck Fuck Fuck you up!"
Squealing and laughter for s second...
"Mother fucker! You motherfucker!"
More laughter...
"I'm gonna beat your ass! Beat your ass!"
They were running after each other at this point. I'm pretty sure it was only the older one who was cussing like a trucker. The younger one was the squealer.
"Fuck fuck fuck motherfucker, I'm gonna beat your ASS!"
Then the big one pushed the little one and the little one said, "Hey! You pushed me... I'm gonna tell Mom!" So that's what it takes to tattle, a push... Not the stream of profane threats on her ass.
So the older girl says, "I didn't mean tooo..... Don't tell Mom."
"Okay..."
And then, like it was business as usual, "Fuck You!" followed by peals of laughter.

I think I'm in shock... Now I will never let my kids play with them!

BL - BS

Well - it's Tuesday again... and I gained back another pound. What the hell people? Biggest Looser is taking on it's true meaning...

What a bunch of BS! Going up and down by a pound or two doesn't really mean much - just that I'm not loosing any weight! If I was thin and gained or lost a pound or two back and forth I wouldn't even care... but since I'm not thin... not even close, that pound is really pissing me off!

Some Cute Ones

So I have some really cute pictures to share (I sent them in the Shutterfly batch today if you get those). I just thought these particular ones were really cute. So, here you go - have a looksie:


He was sleeping and I posed him with our Olympic themed teddy bears. The big one on the right is Nagano (after the 1998 Winter Games) and the smaller one on the left is Beijing (after the 2008 Summer Games). I've had Nagano since 1998. He started out as mine and then was given to our old dog Budder... and then was abandoned in the basement and re-named Yucky Bear by Nola.... We've since washed him several times and are trying to reestablish his given name of Nagano. And the baby's cute too!



And here is our newest Bears Fan! That would be the Chicago Bears (DA BEARS!), not teddy bears. We have about 3-4 Bears outfits lined up for the season. I think he looks pretty darned cute in his cheerleading outfit (don't tell Kirk I said that!).



And last but not least, my cute little monster.... They were all laying on my bed and goofing off. I got a few really cute pictures and this is one of them.

So that's all tonight - everyone is asleep and I too will be shortly.
Goodnight All! (Oh - and I added quotes of the day to both my blogs - FUN!)


Edit: Due to Cayce's comment I have added the one with his eyes open...

When She Grows Up

Me: Hey, Nollie... What do you wanna be when you grow up?
Nola: Ummm.... How Bout...
Me: Like when Papa goes to work... What do you want to do when you go to work?
Nola: Work like Papa?
Me: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Nola (with a sudden understanding of the conversation and a proud look on her face): A soccer ball!
Me: A soccer ball?
Nola (again very sure of her answer): A soccer ball!
Me (laughing): You mean a soccer player?
Nola (angry): Soccer Ball!
Me: Ok! Okay... What should Logan be when he grows up?
Nola (again thinking...): A football!

Hair Isn't Heavy

So in my efforts to cheat at weight loss I thought maybe my hair would earn me a pound or two lost... Well, apparently hair barely registers on the fat scale. No change in poundage after the big cut. DAMN! You see, I'm still trying to will away the weight... Haven't quite found it within myself to actually DO anything in my own favor.
Soon... Soon... soon...
Next week?
Today is Friday - why bother starting something new on a Friday? hee hee hee...
Well, because my Fridays are no different than my Mondays... or Thursdays... or Saturdays....!!!!!!!

I'm just lazy... Hence the fat!
I haven't even stuck to my plan of increasing my water intake... I'm just so tired all the time I drink coffee all day! I'm drinking coffee now! And somehow I seem to keep finding myself eating fast food. I'm not even buying it! People keep buying my lunch or dinner and it's fast food! It's hard to say no to free food of any kind... Especially when you're an overweight person who LOVES food!

OK. Here we go. Today. On a Friday, I will start something! Water. I have already had 2 glasses of water today... I will force myself to drink 6 more by bedtime... (I just chugged my coffee and went to get a glass of water - #3) Starting Monday I will add something else to my daily routine... maybe even exercise! And I will try and lay off the Fast food - even if its free.

Logan Learned to Talk!

Logan is a genius! And he really has something to say!

Makeover - Part One (Cut)

So I did it! I cut my hair!
Here are some before and after pictures.

My Long PonyTail



My Hair Down (right before I left for the salon)



Holding the two ponytails they cut from my head! Two! I have so much thick hair I'm really glad they separated it into two donations...


Me at home after (my mom takes bad pictures - she forgets to tell me that you can barely see my hair in the photo!)


I just took this one - It's late (well, dark) and I'm not good at taking my own picture - I look like a ghost! But you can see my hair a little better. I will have Kirk take some more tomorrow when it's daytime.

So YEAH! I feel good about it... although there is one problem with the new hair... After having Nola my hormones decided to play tricks on me and mess with my hair growth. I now have a wavy patch in the back of my head. I have always had straight straight hair until after I was pregnant! (Look back at the before picture with my hair down and you can see the wavy patch.) So now, with a short hair do the waves might be a problem... I haven't had time to really check it out and see the damage... but I have a feeling I may have to (and kindof want to anyway) cut the back a few inches shorter.

So this is part one of my own personal makeover. I wanted to color it too but they use such heavy shampoo and conditioner at the salon that I think I need to wait until at least tomorrow. So that will be Part Two... Color!

Gonna Do It (I think...)

So.... I think I'm ready to cut my hair off again. When I was around 5 months pregnant with Nola (mid 2006) I went and had my long hair chopped off. I donated it to Locks of Love. I think I donated about 16 inches. It felt really good to do that. All the donated hair goes to children with medical reasons for hair loss to make wigs... what better reason to cut your hair?

So here we are again - me, with hair down to my ass and no time to do anything with it but put it back into a ponytail. I think I'm ready for a change... And not the "I'm a mommy now so I will get a generic short and easy hairdo" I want a funky cool hairdo that feels more like me. I will most likely be changing my hair color as well. Probably more than once, maybe two colors at once - who knows, I'm feeling crazy! But it will be different. I'm thinking that I will cut it just above collar length in the back and have the sides (front) come down a few inches longer. I do still need some of it to fit into a ponytail for my own sanity. Color... hmmm... I'm thinking something funky in that department too... Hey, I don't have a job - no one to answer to but my husband and the crazier the better as far as he's concerned.... which brings me to my next bit of news....

I'm getting my nose pierced. Stop right there and don't bother telling me you don't think that it's a good idea... I've thought it through for some time, and I'm doing it. So who cares... if it looks stupid, I'll make that call and then just take it out. But I think I'll like it.

Who knows when all this will take place... I found a salon that does free haircuts for the donation and they say I can walk in whenever.... But maybe the next time you see me I will be a different person... Well, not you Cayce because I'm coming over in a few hours....

Bonus - maybe my hair weighs a few pounds and I can 'cheat' in my weight loss!
Oh... here are my stats on me being a big ole looser:
This weeks pounds lost: 02 (gained!)
Total pounds lost: 24
Weight loss goal: 70
Pounds to go: 46

Pissed Off!

Ok - so I have 3 reasons why I'm pissed....

One - I started growing tomato plants from seeds (back in the spring with the girls when I had them both during the day). My plants were doing ok - but they never ended up doing good. In fact I got NO tomatoes at all! I had so many little seedlings that I gave some to my sister and my mom... I even plucked a few out of my garden later and shoved into an old pot full of dirt that used to be our ashtray. My plants did nothing, stopped growing and died. The ones beside the house that I NEVER checked on (in the old ashtray) grew up really big and tall but never gave a tomato. My sister looked good too, not sure if she got a tomato out of the deal either though. I've heard from several people that growing tomatoes from seed is almost impossible so I considered my meager accomplishment worthwhile... Until I went to my mom's house yesterday and saw this:

Yep - those are my seedlings... and that's around 6 feet tall or more! And she had a plate full of tomatoes in her kitchen! Those are MY tomatoes! I'm pissed!

Two - I weighed myself this morning and have GAINED 3 pounds since last week! What the hell? Technically I'm not counting today as my official weight, Tuesdays are my weigh in days... but I bet there will be a gain and not a loss on tomorrow's post! Super Pissed!

And Three - I was changing Logan's diaper yesterday after a marathon poop session... (he has had troubles in the pooping department so when he does go you have to just be patient and wait it all out... and have lots of wipes on hand). So he was laying there, no diaper on because I wasn't sure if he was finished yet (I've learned that if you put the new diaper on too soon during his poop sessions then you are just wasting diapers). I was talking to and looking up at Nola across the room when all of a sudden I felt the odd sensation... I was soaked! I've had pee trickle on me from him, or shoot out and hit the changing pad, but never like this... I think he whipped out a fire hose when I wasn't looking! And since I had my camera sitting right there, I decided to take a picture of my newly decorated jeans! I was Pissed ON!


Hopefully today is a better day - ha ha ha!

A Day at the Park

Yesterday we went to the park with the kids and my sister and her family. It was beautiful weather and we had lots of fun. Here are a few pictures... and some Photoshop fun.


Allyson & Nola sliding together



Nola sliding alone, "I did it!"



And a rare picture of me and the Mr. ... taken by Cayce.
Now that things have calmed down somewhat (as far as new baby crap goes) it's a shame the weather will be cooling off so quickly. The older kids can take it but it's not as much fun to take a newborn out into the crisp air too often or too long. This is the same park that we had Nola's first birthday party in. It's a beautiful park. I'm sure we will spend more time there in the future.

Registered

As much as I bitch about things it's a surprise, especially to me, that I am not registered to vote. Well, I wasn't - until today! I have no hopes of venturing out to register with 2 kids under 2... but I registered online and mailed out my forms (I had 6 days until the cutoff) today.... GO ME!
I complained and complained and finally convinced my husband to get registered... and he did, and I never got around to it. He voted in the primaries and is convinced that his one vote (oh, and his brothers) swayed the outcome in our favor... He's cute. I feel guilty that I didn't vote in the primaries, but like I said, things worked out the way I would have voted anyway.
BUT - as I sit here listening to the Vice Presidential debate that's taking place right here in town I know I must go out and vote in November. I've never voted before (a shameful fact I'm not proud of) so it will be interesting. I'm so glad I got registered in time. This will be a history making election, which ever way it goes: a woman as Vice President or a black person as the President...
It's about time I got registered to vote! Have you? You should!

6 weeks old!

So, Logan was 6 weeks old yesterday! And he's getting so big! I don't have too much to say - but here are some pictures of Logan and Molly from today.


Hangin out outside, getting to know one another...


Logan-Boo: Baby blue eyes


Good Golly Miss Molly - that's a whole lotta hat goin on!


Does he look giant sized or what? Next to tiny girl!


He thinks his new cousin is so funny! "Smell my armpit baby!"