Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This

The View fromy my Perch

I am stage managing a WOMP show, Cotton Patch Gospel, right now. So, this is what I'm seeing a lot of- the inside of the Art Centre Theatre in Plano. But, I love it. I have a key to the theater & I love that. I adore being the first person to arrive and bring the theater to life. It's magical. :-)

Playtime before Bedtime

Clowning Around

Easter 2009

I know it's been forever since I've posted. Lot's of stuff going on- some good & some not so good. But, for now, here are a few pictures from Jacob's first Easter.

Plotting His Escape

Tired, Ticked & Frustrated

'Nuff said.

Though I would have liked to have found a substitute word for frustrated that started with the letter "t."

::le sigh::

I am so beyond the previously stated adjectives that I'm starting to look for more descriptive ones. My right eyebrow is permanently arched and my mouth feels like it's been etched into a granite line.

Without going into too many details, suffice it to say that there are a couple of... shall we say, issues that are currently aging me more than the Dallas Cowboys dismal playoff record.

::double le sigh::

And, charmingly, a couple of said issues might be solved if I would get over my ingrained childhood issues and SPEAK UP, but no, I just simmer and stew in my pissed off-edniss.

Awesome, huh?

Ramblings

I must have lost my mind somewhere along the way... I'm thinking about my early 20's....

Let me explain.

I have a whole new respect for people who are trying to raise a child while trying to finish their degree and somehow keep a tenuous grasp on their sanity. Why? Because I am one of those people... and the whole M looking for a job thing (since Oct.) isn't helping the stress level in the least, but (in the words of my people) what are you going to do about it?

I'm going to school on-line because 1) I hate sitting in a classroom for hours on end & 2) we can't afford to put Jacob in day care, nor do I really want to unless I really have to. I'm trying to get done as fast as possible, so ::sigh:: I'm pushing it to the limit.

And Jacob is 7 months old (today) and will soon be crawling his little hiney around my house. Gated, baby... that's all I'm saying. He's such a joy. Laughing and happy... except at nap time. :-)

And yes, M is still looking for a job. ::sigh::

And have I mentioned that the Christmas decorations are still up???

Cutting Class

So, I'm allegedly working on school work at the moment. I say allegedly because it's most likely fairly obvious that since I'm updating the blog, I'm not working on school work. And yes, I'm back in another school term... the endless school terms.

::le sigh::

And yes, I'm kicking myself for not having finished this particular brand of personal carnage years ago, have no doubt.

::double le sigh::

For the record, I would like to lodge a personal complaint against the back and forth temperature changes that are currently gracing north Texas. Argh. My allergies would also like to lodge a complaint- as would the allergies of my son.
-the makers of Benadryl and Vicks Vapor Rub & Baby Rub would probably like to thank the waffling weather for the mint they are making off of me.

Here's a funny for you; I'm already thinking about J's 1st b-day. Eesh, yes, I have become a mom. I am trying to keep a reign on it though. At the moment, I'm thinking a barbecue with cake and friends & family... and a theme. Something that will cause much embarrassment late in life.... hmm... I'm thinking either Battlestar Galactica or Star Wars. (Have I mentioned that there's a very strong possibility that J will be Yoda for Halloween this year????) Let's face it, this is for the parents and other adults, not for the kids at this age. I say, why deny it? Embrace it and wring every possible insanely fun moment out of it! :-) Oh... and take pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. Great for blackmail.

I'm thinking of joining Netflix. The last movie I saw in a theater was Enchanted, last January. Yikes! There are a ton of movies out that I want to see, but I will be darned if I want to spend half my life's savings on a night's entertainment (which isn't always that entertaining). It's a complete rip- and don't even get me started on movie food. Holy cow! I would much rather just stay home & eat my own (much tastier & much cheaper) food, sit on my comfy couch (far superior to movie theater chairs) & be able to pause the movie any time I have to get up to go to the bathroom because I drank too much Dr. Pepper.

Needless to say, it now takes a heck of a movie to propel me out the door. Thus the beauty of Netflix to one so lazy & cheap as me.

***I would like to issue a blanket apology to any and all who have attempted a restful slumber on the mattress that's currently masquerading as a guest bed in Jacob's nursery/guest bedroom. Oh my golly heavens. I slept in Jacob's room with him the night before last because he was having trouble breathing with his stuffily nose. Poor boy woke up several times shrieking. That mattress is hideous. My back hurt all night & all yesterday. Evil, evil mattress***


And for all those waiting for a picture, here you go.
A little boy at play.

A Boy & His Toy

We took the little lad outdoors to try out the swing he got for Christmas. I think I'll let the video speak for itself. :-)

Super Bowl

So, we go together with my Mom & my Dad to watch the Steelers become 6x Super Bowl Champions. Great times!!!!!!!!!!!


The Little Steeler & Gizmo


Wearing #7... All he needed was a Terrible Towel


Me & My Daddy

WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michael, Jacob, me & Dad... photo by my Mama

Hi/Low Thursday

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts.

Hi- Well, that's easy. Seeing Jacob make the connection and wave at his Uncle Phillip on Sunday. That has, without a doubt, been a high for me this week.

Low- Unfortunatly, easy as well. I've really come to understand this week how... damaged, I guess for lack of a better word, a friendship I have with another person is. We were once best friends... but, not so much any more. And it rips my heart out. Not sure how to fix it. Most assuridly, a low.

Ahhh.... 1986....

Yup... gotta love those spring/summer 1986 fashions! Two guesses which one of these pint sized models is your intrepid blogger! (hint: shorty with cheesy grin!)

One Day After our Nap....

I think this picture pretty much sums up Mr. Jacob, don't ya think?

Holy Cow

Jacob is 6 months old.... how did that happen? I would swear that, just yesterday, I was bemoaning the fact that I was going to be pregnant for the rest of my life. And I'm quite certain that last night the child was the little bitty new born you will see in the picture below.

::sigh::

My baby boy is growing. Enjoy some favorite pictures of mine from the first 6 months of the Boy's life. I can't wait to share the next with you! Maybe, one day, one of these pictures will have a little boy with hair! :-)

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

An Article of Heartbreak

So, I was reading the article on parentdish.com. A mother in the United Kingdom wrote an article talking about her relationship with her eldest daughter… or, I should say, the lack their of. You see, she (the mother) says she doesn’t love her 11 year old daughter. She cares for the child, but she doesn’t love her. However, she adores her 2 year old little girl by her current partner.

I don’t know, I can’t imagine not loving my child… or loving one child & not the other. Of course, I only have one child… but still. It seems like such a foreign concept to my heart.

And I can only imagine what it’s doing to the heart of that little girl. I know that there are probably many (unfortunately) children who grow up feeling or thinking they aren’t loved… but to know it so intrinsically… my God. How terrible. How damaging. How heartbreaking. And then to have your mother write and spread this story for all to read...

a definition

epiphany: a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience

Silly Boy

Naptime for Mama & Jacob

Kinda Crazy

The recent flutter of internet activity around the return of French Justice Minister Rachida Dati to work 5 days after giving birth to her daughter via c-section tweaked my interest. Honestly, what interested me was the whole c-section thing since my son was born via the same method. My own experience was wonderful. A week after my child was born, I had lost a considerable amount of my baby weight & felt really great. So, I was interested in seeing how well another woman recovered from a rather traumatic and invasive surgery.

However, what quickly caught my eye was the comments that were tacked on to the end of the story.

There seemed to be 3 camps:

Camp #1 sounded out, "She’s a horrible, evil, selfish excuse for a mother and her daughter will need therapy for the rest of her life to make up for her childhood. And anyone who wouldn’t give up their career for their child obviously doesn’t love their little angel and is a terrible, no good person."

The 2nd camp replied, "You are so judgmental, I went back to work very soon after the birth of my child and my little darling is well-rounded and balanced. You are a narrow minded shrew who has nothing in their life but day time TV and passing judgement as a hobby!"

Oh, my golly heavens….

The absolute venom with which (unfortunately, mostly) women struck back and forth across the issue shocked the socks off of me. It was insane! I couldn’t stop reading. These women started off attacking a woman they didn’t know & (truly) knew nothing about & they it escalated to viscous mud slinging back and forth between one another.

I was ashamed that members of my gender could and would seem to have no problem in behaving to cruelty. The words that were exchanged were truly horrific. They attacked one another, their spouses, their children; nothing was off limits.

Lest you think that all the people who posted were heartless, there was one final group of people.
This camp tried to reason with all, "You know what, we don’t know what’s going on in her life. She’s a single mom, let’s not be quick to judge here."

I have to say, I’m that final camp & let me add; Let’s remember that no one falls into a simple set of labels & that most people are trying their best. Let us also remember that we can disagree with others without being disagreeable & completely horrid to one another. It is possible to dialog with others without insisting that they agree with and conform to every single thing we agree with.