anniversario

Happy birthday to me again. Durr, the thing about birthdays, is they comes once a year, innit?

And happy birthday to my blog.

Wow, it's been a year. And boy howdy has it ever been a year for me.

Here is a little montage. It's probably overkill, but hey, it IS my birthday after all. I can overindulge this once, eh?

help?

can someone take Oliver this afternoon after he wakes up from his nap (probably at around 2:00)? I feel I've reached the end of my rope again.

love these little paintings

I found this artist's blog through loobylu.com. I can't tell you how much i love her little paintings and things! Love! Also, they make me feel a little sad that I never had the confidence to do what I really enjoyed and make little things and paint little illustrations and blah, blah, you get the idea. And now I'm afraid I don't have the luxury anymore. I guess I have another more important work to attend to, who's name is Oliver. Who is waking up now, so I must wrap this up...

Finished at last

At last! The (nearly) never-ending portrait is finished. CELEBRATION TIME, COME ON! Seriously, not that I didn't enjoy it at times, but when it comes down to it, it is SUCH a relief to no longer have the nagging voice in my brain saying "finish the portrait, finish the portrait" for three years! Now I can move on to the other children's portraits.

Unfortunately, I have also recently been commissioned another painting, and even more difficult subject matter, and how long will this one take me? It is supposedly supposed to be finished next weekend, and as I have not started due to devoting my time to the other portrait, this is impossible. However, I vow that it will not take me three years again.

I feel a little hesitant to post the finished portrait, but if you would like to see it and it's companion portrait (his sister's portrait that I finished three years ago Christmas Eve) then just email me and I will be happy to email it them to you. But if you don't want to see it, then that's fine, too. :)

Seriously, CELEBRATION TIME! Let's all have a piece of chocolate (with some caramel and nuts thrown in for good measure).

Yeah.

I just love a good guessing game

I just love a good guessing game. Lets play another game! Let's play another game! I love to guess everything from A to Z. I love to guess everyday things and everyday thoughts and everyday conversation. It just makes conversation so interesting when I'm in the dark, especially when it is for no apparent reason but to chafe me. And if not for that, just for your personal upperhandedness. It just is so enjoyable. I hope it isn't long before our next guessing game! Let's play another game! Let's play another game!

when the world stops for a few scary moments

Well, Oliver and I had quite an exciting Wednesday morning this week. It's taken me over two days to finally calm down about it and post about it.

I had my first experience with the paramedics. Boy am I glad that 911 exists. And were they ever fast!

So let me back up a little. It was a normal Wednesday morning. We had blown Kevin kisses as he left for work out the door, and I was wondering what I would do to fill the time up sans tantrums before we could go to storytime at 10:30. I made my way into the bathroom to try to put some make-up on and comb my hair, and of course, Oliver followed me, and rather than fight about mascara and lipstick with him, I decided I'd go start dishes or start packing his diaper bag, so I walked into the kitchen, fully expecting him to follow me. Oh, my stars, he must have found something to entertain himself for five minutes, because I found myself alone at last with the dishes. I started to fill the sink up with hot water, turned around and saw Oliver running toward me with a red face, gagging and choking. I had no idea what he was choking on--I grabbed him and turned him on my stomach and started pounding him on his back--a response that I don't think he had been expecting or that he welcomed very much, because he started screaming in between chokes and coughs and gags. I was praying outloud for some kind of help, I felt so helpless. He vomited up what appeared to be some popcorn, and finally (it seemed like a long time, but I think it couldn't have been a full minute) I dialed 911. Gave all my information through a wailing, coughing, gagging, vomiting child, and within a few minutes an officer showed up, and then the paramedics came in, but by then I think Oliver was all right. They checked his oxygen, didn't get a great reading, but said he appeared fine, had me sign a release form and strongly advised me to see a pediatrician or go to the er. which I did within 20 minutes because thankfully they are just down the street from us. (I opted for the pediatrician, as the ER scares me what with the scary stuff going on and the expense--not that I've ever actually stepped foot in an ER, but I've seen enough television....heh)

I wish I had waited at least until the end of the day, because the pediatrician said Oliver's lungs sounded fine, and they checked his oxygen levels, which were okay, too. but that afternoon Oliver started wheezing like nobody's business, and hasn't stopped since. Sometimes it sounds like there are simultaneous in and out breaths or something, it is the strangest, and most disturbing thing. I still worry about him, but I think I'm just being an over-anxious mother, the doctor said he was fine, and so did the paramedic, so he's probably just fine. I just can't help having visions of popcorn kernels stuck in his lungs forever.

Lest you think I am as negligent as it sounds, what with allowing Oliver to eat popcorn, well, confessions: actually I AM that negligent. The popcorn was in the trash, and he actually got it out of the trash and ate it. And earlier that morning he was sucking on a few marbles, which is why I panicked so much when I saw him chocking, I was certain he had found another marble. I guess it's high time we childproofed the place. What will I do then? Oliver doesn't play with his toys. I guess it'll just be more following me around constantly, or destruction of everything so I can get a moments peace (or dinner made). Or maybe it's high time I introduced Oliver to movies or tv so I can actually get something DONE around here. Or at least thumb through a catalog and eat a cookie, for heaven's sake.

happy halloween!

I hope that like mine, it's filled with lots of cute furry hugs, and many good things to eat.

happy b-day smellame

Love you, girl!

note to self

note to self: visit the canyon in autumn to see the beautiful colors BEFORE October 2.

baby signs

Within the last week or two, Oliver has been using about six signs. The first one I recognized was when he was looking at Sandra Boynton's "but not the hippopotomus" board book. The second page is "a cat and two rats are trying on hats" and one day I looked over at him, his little legs crossed, sitting on the floor, book open to that page, patting his head. I immediately said, "That's right, hat!" And he's been signing "hat" like crazy ever since. He now consistently does the sign for ball, airplane, dog, and the sweetest of all is the sign for baby. Maybe we can get that one on video. I'm fairly certain he has been trying out the signs for "sand," "hot," "play." and "help." I'm just surprised that he has chosen some of those random ones, like "hat" and "baby" that I have shown probably only once or twice, and he has yet to do "eat" or "more" or "duck" which I have done probably a thousand times each. But it is so thrilling to me that when an airplane flys over, he will look into my eyes and sign "airplane" and I'll acknowledge it, he'll sign it a few more times and go on about his playing. We just had a "conversation" about an airplane! Amazing. Just amazing.
The picture is just after an airplane flew over head, and he just finished signing "airplane." It was actually a helicopter, I think, but I forgot what the sign for "helicopter" is, and I think it might be confusing to him anyway.

painting update, nearly done

I've just got to paint the yellow lab and do the finishing touches and I'll be done. What do you think?

workin on the chains, chay-eee-ayns.

Man, do I ever hate chain letters. Hate. But here I am, trying to scrape up some names of people to "obligate" to participate, because I didn't have the spine to just say no to the person who sent me the chain letter. Sure, children's books are fun to get, and in theory getting 36 for the price of one is fabulous, but, eh, at the price of annoying 6 other people? Please. And yet, I don't want to let the friend down that sent me the letter and is expecting the books two weeks ago. Ugh.

Anyone care to participate? I don't care about getting books myself, I just don't want to let my "friend" down.

P.S. So, I'm apologizing in advance, if you receive a chain letter. Sorry, sorry! you don't have to do anything with the letter if you don't desire to. I'm just trying to relieve my own guilt here.

It's yer berfday

Happy Birthday, Micquel. I told you I would make you a cake. So when you gonna come get some? :) I don't know where you live or even your phone number, so I guess you might get some belated birthday cake after all, besides, you probably have a HOT BIRTHDAY DATE or something. At least I hope you do, and that you have a very lovely, smashing, delightful birthday. Alas, your teenage partying is over. (It is your twentieth, isn't it? Oh, dear, won't I be embarassed if you are turning twenty-one. Shoot. I think you are. I should have double checked before I made this beyond awesome illustration for you.) Either way, do enjoy your day!

love ya!
Meg

kisses for everyone

Our bedtime routine for Oliver for about the last week has been that after he has his P.J.s on, Kevin has to read him a story and I have to leave. Before I leave we have hugs and kisses. Tonight, before I left, I kissed Kevin then Oliver, and then Oliver held up his little bear for me to kiss. So I did. How delightful!

painting progress

Okay, so this is kind of cheating, because this is progress I made before I burned out and Oliver's sleep went haywire again. But it is progress nonetheless, and I am hereby posting it as such to keep my promise. (Cheater!)

Also, this is more for me than anyone else, since I still haven't gotten a baby book together, I just want to post the latest news on Oliver, so at least it will be recorded somewhere. He is now officially a toddler. On Saturday last week (Aug. 12) he just stood up walked toward kevin in the kitchen, then quickly fell, but about 20 minutes later, he picked a book of the bookshelf, and I said, "go take that book to Dad so he can read it to you." And that's exactly what he did. Both times he walked about a yard. What a sight to see your baby up and walking! It's strange and wonderful and scary and exciting. He didn't do it anymore until Monday, and since Monday he's been walking all over the place. He falls A LOT, and I think it is quite frustrating for him, but he is getting better and better at it. I feel a little jipped, in a way, though, because I remember younger siblings and neices and nephews walking between parents or two people back and forth, you know, with applauding audiences and whatnot. But Oliver hasn't ever really done that, he has nearly always walked AWAY from me or Kevin, almost like, "I've got things to do, people. I've just been holding back on you, I've been able to walk for this whole time, I just chose not to. What's all the fuss about, anyway?" Heh.

He also bites and hits and pinches and throws things, among which are tantrums. I have no idea what to do about any of those things.
And he is currently (as I type) refusing to take a nap. Aaargh. So this is it. I can't help myself from thinking, "so, this is it. This is your life. This is what you've been preparing (supposedly) yourself for for however many years, it was always in the future, just an imagining. And now here you are. This is it."

Moderation

Okay, so I went a little crazy and gung-ho last month, and I totally burned through all gumption for anything. Also, I somehow let myself get roped into being the treasurer for our Home Owner's Association, so I've been learning Quickbooks and billing, and making deposits and going to Presidency meetings. Eesh.

But I still need to finish my paintings. I was hoping by August I would be done, but yet again I have to push my deadline back. Let's give me another deadline. Let's say, by Oliver's birthday. So, by Wednesday this week, I hereby commit to have progress on the painting, and I will post said progress here at that time.

Wish me luck.

Enrichment fun

I'm on the Enrichment committee, and so I get to do the posters, flyers and sign-ups. I had a lot of fun this time. Here's one of the flyers:

he sleeps folded in half

It can't be good, but if I try to move him, lay him out flat, he just wakes up and we start all over again. Right now he is sleeping with his forehead on top of the bumper pad, with both hands on the railing above the bumper pad. Like a poor little jail bird! Here is a sketch of him and his little bear, all folded in half. Can it be good? It just can't be good. What should I do?

Proof of my cruelty and child abuse

So, welcome back to aich-eee-double-hockey-stick. Heh. How's that one for ya? No, last night I endured an hour and twenty minutes of screaming before I gave in and just held Oliver in the recliner. Kevin took the morning shift and held him from 4 until 6 or so. So for the afternoon nap, I decided to start over with the sleep lady shuffle. So I sat in the room after putting Oliver in his crib, with my head down, only offering "shhh, shhh, love you, lay down and go to sleep, sweet dreams," now and then. I put him in his crib at 1:28, and I can't get him out for one hour. At one hour, I'm supposed to leave the room, come back and say, "you must not have been tired" and get him out and try again later. I honestly thought I was going to have to do that. I had a little scare, because at 2:24 he was still so hopping mad, he was jumping up and down and knocked his chin on the crib railing. I nearly had a heart attack. But I still waited. I was going to get up and go out at 2:28. And that's when Oliver finally flopped down and fell asleep. It took an entire hour of screaming. I can't say I feel good. I'm only relieved I don't have to worry about doing it again in a little while (though, tonight, it's going to be worse!) Here is proof of my child abuse. (I think I'll put the crib bumpers back up, so his feet don't get stuck out like that again, and so he doesn't bump his head. His poor little head!) Forgive the poor quality photo, I didn't want to use a flash, and it is quite dark in there.

My poor little Oliver, I'm so so sorry! I wish I could say it's for your own good, but I'm not exactly sure anymore. Maybe it's for my own good. I guess that's indirectly for your good. I sure hope we can still be friends, and you can forgive me.

Nothing like ignoring 20 minutes of screaming to give one an ulcer

So, the last few days I've kind of been a little over-indulgent when it came to Oliver's naps and wake-up time. One morning I got him out before six a.m., one afternoon he pulled himself up to standing in his crib and screamed bloody murder, so I went in and "rescued him" and he slept in my arms. Another afternoon he fell asleep nursing and I just held him and napped myself, this morning at 4:00 Kevin held him until 5:30 am and I came out and nursed him. Then, of course Oliver was sleepy again at 7:30 and fell asleep nursing, I only let him sleep for fifteen minutes, but it was in my arms.

So, backsliding we are. When I did our morning nap routine about 30 minutes ago, I decided no more incosistent, intermittent reinforcement. I put Oliver in his crib like I usually did and am supposed to, and he SCREAMED straight for 20 minutes. Just when I was about to go get him, he finally calmed down and went to sleep. Seriously, I was at the door ready to go in--and do what, I don't know, but I wanted to stop my pounding heart, churning stomach, choking throat, and wracking guilt. Man, I feel so wretched when I have to let him figure it out himself. But, I don't want to go back to that awful, awful hell of sleep deprivation that I was in, so I hope we can get back on track fairly quickly again, so I can stop feeling like a cruel loathesome mother, and Oliver can get good rest.

I heart my mac

I do, I really really do.

"I might have relaxed a little more in those foggy newborn weeks, and actually enjoyed my infant instead of cowering in self doubt and insecurity."

From an excellent post that really rang true for me.

painting day two (and three?) whatever, it was a like a week ago or something

I just have to laugh because I want to say, "just squint your eyes, and it looks just like him," heh, which was always one of our jokes in the illustration program.

Still no progress from this point, but hopefully today I can make some improvements.

glee

Is this not glee?

quiltin

Kevin did all the hard work of measuring and figuring and cutting for this special quilt we made for him. It's a t-shirt quilt made from concert shirts, youth conference shirts, and other special memory shirts. So once the t-shirts were "retired", instead of sending them to d.i. or making rags out of them, or whatever, we made a cozy "memory" quilt. He had enough t-shirts for the front AND the back! I've included photos of both.



I had the easiest job of all, I just sewed the pieces together in rows. Kevin actually had them ready to be sewn for a year, maybe more, and I--like the procrastinator that I am--kept thinking it was a big, hard, time-consuming project, and so never did it. Turns out, it took me maybe an hour and a half on three separate mornings. Maybe. It may have been even less. Just goes to show me, if I just get going on something, it isn't half as difficult as I always imagine it to be! Mom did the awesome quilt meandering, doesn't it look fabulous? I can't wait for fall to snuggle up in it! Right now it is just to blazing hot!

And happy birthday to mom today!

yogurt equipment

Here are pictures of the equipment I used for my yogurt:




This last one isn't quite accurate, I actually had the thermometer probe inside the yogurt, with the lid clamped over the wire part. I started with the heating pad at about 2 pm and then put the yogurt in the fridge at about 9:30 pm, so I guess about 7.5 hours heating time, then 12 hours in the refrigerator.

first day of painting

Woohoo! I started the underpainting, and in the process, wiped the drawing off. So I had to transfer the image again.
Then, I started painting. I ended up wiping the first bit of painting off and starting again, and in the process wiped the drawing of his face off. Sigh. But it's a start, eh?

This was actually first day of painting two days ago. Yesterday I had barely sat down to start painting, and the lawn people showed up and woke Oliver up. Curses! There is just no way around their blasted lawn-edger-chain-saw-horrible-baby-waking racket. I wish I knew when they were coming so I could plan to have Oliver take a nap at grandma's instead. Or something. Oh, well, hopefully they won't come as frequently in the fall or winter.

experiments in domesticity

Last week I tried making my first batch of french bread during Oliver's nap. It turned out quite tasty, and was surprisingly more simple than I imagined. I even kneaded it by hand, because I was afraid the Kitchenaid would wake him up. Really crusty crust, and light airy interior. Other than an unappetizing color--it had a kind of greenish tinge to it, ew--it was fun and good. And only cost about .30 per baguette. Not including the cost to run the oven, of course. I have no idea how to figure that out.

I also tried my hand at homemade saltines. It was also quite simple, but I had to leave to go to a press check for work right during the baking, so I just left them in the oven and turned the oven off. So they completely dried out, and are kind of, well, hard like rocks. But they taste good. :) Butter and salt. Mmmmmmm.


And lastly, homemade yogurt! I've been on a quest to find yogurt that doesn't have high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners added. I've been hard pressed to find any. The health food store does have a few brands that fit the requirements, but at nearly a dollar for 6 oz is beginning to be too much! It was surprisingly simple again (I used an ordinary heating pad, a #10 can, and an instant read thermometer). I followed Alton Brown's recipe. Now I have a quart of homemade yogurt, which, I might say, is quite tasty, especially if you stir some homemade strawberry preserves into it. Oliver likes it that way. I even like it plain. Next I think I might try to make some cheese out of it. But I'll need some cheesecloth. I might have to wait until paydady. Oh, dear.

I transferred my sketch from my sized-down photocopy of my sketch using some transfer paper and a ballpoint pen. Here's kind of what the process looked like.






I've finally got my painting area set-up, too. Now, the biggest challenge of all. Actually painting. I sure hope it's like riding a bicycle!

Get to it, Megan!

wise up

Currently loving and listening to this song. Sung by one of my favorite female artists, Aimee Mann.

Wise Up

It's not
What you thought
When you first began it
You got
What you want
Now you can hardly stand it though,
By now you know
It's not going to stop
It's not going to stop
It's not going to stop
'Til you wise up

You're sure
There's a cure
And you have finally found it
You think
One drink
Will shrink you 'til you're underground
And living down
But it's not going to stop
It's not going to stop
It's not going to stop
'Til you wise up

Prepare a list of what you need
Before you sign away the deed
'Cause it's not going to stop
It's not going to stop
It's not going to stop
'Til you wise up
No, it's not going to stop
'Til you wise up
No, it's not going to stop
So just...give up

oh, yeah, that's why

I'm trying to get my painting area set up, and as I was getting my paints out, I saw this:



Oh, yeah! That's why it has taken me so long. I didn't dare get the paints out when I was trying to get pregnant, or when I was pregnant, for fear of doing Oliver some kind of harm. These last few months I've been cursing myself for not doing the painting before I had the baby, when I "had the time." The uninterrupted time. So actually, I don't have to kick myself as hard, because two of the three years were taken up trying to get pregnant, being pregnant, or having a newborn or whatnot. Yay! I'm not as much of a slacker as I thought. Well, technically, I could have used acrylics, but that still even made me nervous, and it wouldn't quite have the same "look" as the other portrait I did for the same family.

So, once I buy some odorless paint thinner, I think I can begin painting. Stay tuned.

delicious

Does anyone else love sleeping as much as I do? I'm finally getting long, uninterrupted hours of sleep, but I still don't like waking up. I still just want to sleep and sleep and sleep. I love it. It is so delicious. Maybe there is something wrong with me? Before Oliver, it used to be that I could got to bed at 10:00 or 10:30 and my body would just wake up 8 hours later, and that was it. I could start my day, I felt good, and trying to sleep more was either an exercise in futility or just made me feel ill. But now, I'm getting nearly 8 hours (sometimes more), but I feel like I could sleep ten or more and it still wouldn't be enough. I guess maybe it's just, "welcome to motherhood," eh?

nuptial scribbles

A friend who introduced Kevin and I to each other (and basically married us off) is getting remarried this month. I was asked to do some artwork for her bridal shower invitation. So, here it is! I hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I enjoyed drawing it. :)

Perhaps I'm back

Life is so much better when a person can actually sleep. I thank heaven every single day, nay, three times a day, every time I put Oliver in his crib and he goes to sleep. I ran through the gamut of sleep training books and methods, and ended up with the best (in my opinion) method of all. Actually, it is Kim West (The Sleep Lady) that I should thank. She has really figured out the best, gentlest way to help everyone in the family to sleep. Ah, sleep. It makes everyone happy. I've gone from being in survival mode, and barely surviving at that, to actually enjoying being with my little one all day. I knew something had to give when I was swearing at my poor little baby to shut-up and go to sleep, already! at 2 am. I was in hysterics almost every night. The Sleep Lady Shuffle was the answer. It took just a few weeks, which is really quite quick when I consider the preceding 2 to 3 months of hell that we lived through. In any case, I know we will still have our nights, still have our days, our moments, but we will now be able to face them and cope with them. :) There is my shout-out to Kim West. Thank you, Kim!

So, there you have it. I even felt well enough to get going on the pantry. Which, I know, BORING. But it feels good to have it accomplished, it was getting to me so much before. Here is what I had been living with for the last, well, let's say 3 years:
It was beginning to be dangerous, what with a little one roaming about. I couldn't even close the doors.
Now, here it is:

I was actually able to fit a bunch of stuff in there that was previously on the floor and countertops and in another cupboard. And I can actually close the doors. We'll see how long it lasts, but I think it will only need a few minor adjustments before we hit on the right organization for such a utilized area. It really doesn't look that much different, but it really is quite a distinct change for me.


Anyway, I think I'm feeling well enough to actually be able to tackle those paintings!

Thanks for checking back, Monica!

this blog is on hiatus

I have descended into my own personal hell. I know plenty of people who have had it so much worse than I have it, right now, so I do feel like a spoiled brat/wimp/woos/pussy/dirtball. But for me, I am in hell, and until I can dig myself back out somehow, I'm putting everything in my life on hold. As you've probably already noticed, I haven't posted in a while. And after I got your hopes all up (and mine, too) with the promise of painting proccess posts to come. Well, rather than continue to disappoint you with never posting, with maybe a hint of a chance that I might post sometime (that is, if anyone has even come back here to see) in the near future, I'm just going to put this blog on hiatus until Oliver's first birthday. So come back on September 10, if you want, and I promise I will post that day and let you know if the painting/blogging thing is back on. Best wishes to you all, have a great summer. Stay cute and cool!

I call upon you, friends

Okay, first, a vow to not post another crap entry. This is not the venue for such ranting and raving. At least not my ranting and raving. Others', perhaps, yes, but not mine. I can't do it in an enternaining way, though I do enjoy reading the blogs of those people who have the knack for witty sarcastic rants. But, I lack the talent for it, so, I hereby vow to cease any future attempts at it. Besides, cheerfulness begets cheerfulness, no? Now to the real entry:

I call upon you, my friends (heh, mostly family) to help me to get these commissioned portraits finished, ALREADY! I was commissioned to do three portraits in the summer of 2003. So we are going on three years now. I am so ashamed. I finished one of the three on christmas eve of 2003, but have been having serious, I mean SERIOUS, block issues. And the more time that goes by and I continue to neglect it, the harder it is becoming. I've GOT to finish these portraits, and give the photo albums back to their owners. I don't know if I will even charge these poor nice people for the price I quoted them three years ago, due to holding on to their albums for so long. In fact, I should pay THEM. I'm sure they hate me and curse my name every time they think of me or speak to each other about me. And won't it be lovely to not have to think about this nagging task that I have had nagging at me for the last THREE years? SHAMEFUL. But I have to get past all of this shameful shaming and just do it...

So I thought, it might be a point of interest (please correct me if I err) to you to see the process of a portrait. By doing this, perhaps I will trick myself into painting a portrait. So here is the process, from the beginning (sort of).

I've attached a photo of the photo albums and pictures I've gone through well over three dozen times:



And here are just a few of the many, many, many failed sketches (it is so difficult to get a likeness! Especially if you're rusty, as I am)



And here is the final sketch I finally decided on, ready to be transferred to the illustration board:



Next time: Sketch onto illustration board, painting prep, and underpainting! I'll even show you details of my painting tools, if that is of interest to you. I do hope you don't mind me calling upon you to help me get this done. already.

CURSES

this is a rant. just so you know. this is going to be a total crap entry. so if you don't want to read total crap--i'm thinking of another word right now, but i'm i know that there are children reading this, so i'll try to keep it rather clean--so, if you don't want to read total crap, then, move along, move along, because that is what this entry is. total crap.

so, to the rant. Man (again, stronger language here would seem so satisfying right now) I'm really beginning to RESENT wholeheartedly being sleep deprived. MAN, IT TOTALLY SUCKS!! It doesn't seem like there is any solution to it, either. WHICH. SUCKS. I mean, really, when all you see in your future for the next what will it be, 7 years? for the next seven years, waking up oh, let's see, 8 or so times a night, from a not very restful sleep in the first place, it sucks. It's a grim outlook, but can I hope for anything better? I think not. I'll just be disappointed, like I have the last month straight of trying everything in the book for getting at least THREE hours of straight uninterrupted sleep, I mean COME ON! Trying everything short of crying it out, which I never wanted to try, how awful, but i tried it tonight, and now I just have a wide awake baby who occasionally goes into nearly-vomiting coughing fits from all the screaming.

But hey, looking at the bright side, at least I have the opportunity to type a crap blog entry one-handed and eat a bowl of kix to add to my expanding waistline. What coulfd be funner at 2 in the morning. I don't know, I can't think of anything. Can you? SLEEP? Perhaps, but I think it's overrated.

Anyone who knows me knows how pleasant I am when I don't get adequate sleep (sorry, melanie for having to endure me after a week of jet lag...). Not fun. I have a really difficult time being patient. And gentle and loving with a little baby? Not the easiest thing, and difficult not to resent as the source of my slumber deprivation.

SUCKS. Here's me totally hating "nighttime parenting" as dr. sears tries to refer to the hell that is breastfeeding, co-sleeping, teething, squirming whining screaming, et cetera et cetera from the hours of I don't know, 8 pm to 8 am?

hating it.

Black Tuesday

I got news that yesterday the entire department (or very nearly) of Creative Services-- where I used to work--got laid off. It just makes me sick to my stomach. All of my friends and associates, except for a handful, are now gone. It's awful. I found out today that 40 of the 60 employees on that floor were laid off. It seems senseless to me. Hopefully all those people will move on to bigger and better things. I really feel for the 5 designers, 2 prepress people, and two production people that are left. What kind of nightmare they have been living through, and probably will be living through for the next little while.

Behold

Behold.


Look closely.


We now have teeth. Oh, the terror it strikes deep in my heart. I've already been bitten. Twice. Right where one would imagine to be probably the most tender part of the female body (nipples. pardon the inappropriateness of such a subject). I've also been bitten on my neck meat. Twice. Both times I screamed, and he thought it was the funniest joke ever. So I don't know what to do. I even gave him a bottle last night for fear of the teeth.

In other news, I finished Tye's bonnet just in time for the shower. Here it is before I applied the gigantic silk ribbon bows, which make the bonnet so darling and vintage, in my opinion, but so impractical, too, so if Tye ever needs to remove them, that's totally cool, she has my blessing. I don't have a picture with the bows, sorry.





And here is my second attempt at fortune cookies. What a disaster. I wonder if it is because some egg yolk got in with the egg whites or something? I'll have to keep practising so I can get it right in time for Mindy's wedding. I left the cocoa out with the first few, and, um, not so good. I guess you'll have to settle for the chocolate fortune cookies at your wedding mindy, unless I can figure it out before then.




And lastly, here is an advertisement I've been working on for Nu Skin. Funnest project I have ever done for them.