Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
You got to cut loose, footloose
I recently read that someone in Hollywood is remaking the Footloose movie. I have to go on record as saying that I think this is a HUGE mistake. Some movies are better left alone. Footloose is a classic from the 80's that cannot be redone. Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack will live in history. No one can duplicate that performance. I still get goosebumps when I think of him going in front of the town council to make his speech trying to convince them to let the kids have a prom. I loved that he quoted from the Bible to show the reverend that even God thinks there is a time to dance. Brilliant!
Dear Hollywood director types:
Please leave Footloose alone. Didn't you learn anything from trying to remake Dirty Dancing? The next thing we know you'll be casting Adam Lambert to be the next Maverick at Top Gun. Unacceptable. Love, Little Mama
Mike thinks I should start doing a top ten list every week here on the blog. With that in mind, I think I'll share my top ten favorite Kevin Bacon movies with ya'll.
1.) Footloose (no surprises there)
2.) A Few Good Men (loved him even though he goes up against Tom Cruise in this one)
3.) Apollo Thirteen
4.) Trapped (he makes a really good bad guy)
5.) Mystic River
6.) The River Wild (ditto the bad guy)
7.) JFK
8.) He said, She said
9.) Flatliners
10.) Sleepers (ditto the bad guy)
Thoughts?
Dear Hollywood director types:
Please leave Footloose alone. Didn't you learn anything from trying to remake Dirty Dancing? The next thing we know you'll be casting Adam Lambert to be the next Maverick at Top Gun. Unacceptable. Love, Little Mama
Mike thinks I should start doing a top ten list every week here on the blog. With that in mind, I think I'll share my top ten favorite Kevin Bacon movies with ya'll.
1.) Footloose (no surprises there)
2.) A Few Good Men (loved him even though he goes up against Tom Cruise in this one)
3.) Apollo Thirteen
4.) Trapped (he makes a really good bad guy)
5.) Mystic River
6.) The River Wild (ditto the bad guy)
7.) JFK
8.) He said, She said
9.) Flatliners
10.) Sleepers (ditto the bad guy)
Thoughts?
Monday, May 18, 2009
He is always watching and apparently listening
I've been so focused lately on trying to remember how to raise a baby that I haven't said much about Jake and how he's coming along. I think the most disconcerting thing about this age is how fast he's learning and how much he learns from watching us. Let me share a few examples.
A few weeks ago I put Emma in her crib for a couple minutes so I could go to the restroom. She immediately started crying. When I went to get her out of her crib a couple minutes later I found an assortment of objects that Jake had thrown (I mean lovingly placed) in there to make her, and I quote, "feel better." He is such an empathetic child. The first two things I saw made perfect sense. He had tossed her binky and her lovey in there hoping that would make her stop crying. When that didn't work he gave her one of his prize Lightning McQueen cars. And then he must have gotten desperate. I also found one of my dirty shirts. I'm guessing he thought just the scent of me would calm her down. Lastly, an entire can of formula. I'm telling myself over and over that when he chunked that in the crib it didn't actually hit Emma in the head or anything. Too bad he didn't give her a bottle and some water so she could have mixed herself up a drink.
Aside from his love for his sister, Jake is also very observant of Mike and I. This is starting to become a problem. Ya'll remember Brady? We have the biggest, most loving, loudest golden retriever in the history of dogs. He barks at everything and it annoys me. And when I'm annoyed I have a tendency to yell "SHUT UP BRADY!" I really never thought twice about it until the first time I heard Jake yell in no uncertain terms "SHUT UP BRADY!" He even yells in the same tone of voice that I do. I've tried telling him that it's not nice to say shut up and I've tried to curb the frequency with which I say it. Apparently, it's not working. Not only does he still tell Brady to shut up, but yesterday as I was singing to Emma, Jake walks over to me and says "Shut up Mama, Emma no want song." It seems I've created a monster. Thank goodness today is the last day of school and I have the entire summer to deprogram him before he tells a teacher to shut up. I'm certain that would win him another trip to the principal's office to see Ms. Kathy.
The other day I was reminded of how often I must tell him to try to do things for himself. We were out on a family walk with Jake in the jogging stroller and we were going up and down some small hills. I ran (using that term loosely here) down the first one because I knew he would think it was fun. When the next hill came up he said "More whee Mama!" and I said mama is too tired to run anymore Jake. And he said "just try mama! just try!" Since I didn't want to instil a quitters attitude in my son, I tried to run up and down every single one of those hills. And then I went home and laid down.
My absolute favorite thing about the boy right now is his love of dance. If he hears music he immediately starts bobbing his head up and down and puts his little hands up in the air to raise the roof. I LOVE IT! And he always looks at Mike and I and says "Come on Mama, Come on Daddy" until we're all bobbing our heads up and down. Sometimes you just gotta dance. However, I do wish he had better dancing role models to imitate than Mike and I because I'm afraid he might get made fun of later on in life if he just does the little booty shake without moving his feet any that we do around here. Maybe I should let him start watching some old Michael Jackson videos.
A few weeks ago I put Emma in her crib for a couple minutes so I could go to the restroom. She immediately started crying. When I went to get her out of her crib a couple minutes later I found an assortment of objects that Jake had thrown (I mean lovingly placed) in there to make her, and I quote, "feel better." He is such an empathetic child. The first two things I saw made perfect sense. He had tossed her binky and her lovey in there hoping that would make her stop crying. When that didn't work he gave her one of his prize Lightning McQueen cars. And then he must have gotten desperate. I also found one of my dirty shirts. I'm guessing he thought just the scent of me would calm her down. Lastly, an entire can of formula. I'm telling myself over and over that when he chunked that in the crib it didn't actually hit Emma in the head or anything. Too bad he didn't give her a bottle and some water so she could have mixed herself up a drink.
Aside from his love for his sister, Jake is also very observant of Mike and I. This is starting to become a problem. Ya'll remember Brady? We have the biggest, most loving, loudest golden retriever in the history of dogs. He barks at everything and it annoys me. And when I'm annoyed I have a tendency to yell "SHUT UP BRADY!" I really never thought twice about it until the first time I heard Jake yell in no uncertain terms "SHUT UP BRADY!" He even yells in the same tone of voice that I do. I've tried telling him that it's not nice to say shut up and I've tried to curb the frequency with which I say it. Apparently, it's not working. Not only does he still tell Brady to shut up, but yesterday as I was singing to Emma, Jake walks over to me and says "Shut up Mama, Emma no want song." It seems I've created a monster. Thank goodness today is the last day of school and I have the entire summer to deprogram him before he tells a teacher to shut up. I'm certain that would win him another trip to the principal's office to see Ms. Kathy.
The other day I was reminded of how often I must tell him to try to do things for himself. We were out on a family walk with Jake in the jogging stroller and we were going up and down some small hills. I ran (using that term loosely here) down the first one because I knew he would think it was fun. When the next hill came up he said "More whee Mama!" and I said mama is too tired to run anymore Jake. And he said "just try mama! just try!" Since I didn't want to instil a quitters attitude in my son, I tried to run up and down every single one of those hills. And then I went home and laid down.
My absolute favorite thing about the boy right now is his love of dance. If he hears music he immediately starts bobbing his head up and down and puts his little hands up in the air to raise the roof. I LOVE IT! And he always looks at Mike and I and says "Come on Mama, Come on Daddy" until we're all bobbing our heads up and down. Sometimes you just gotta dance. However, I do wish he had better dancing role models to imitate than Mike and I because I'm afraid he might get made fun of later on in life if he just does the little booty shake without moving his feet any that we do around here. Maybe I should let him start watching some old Michael Jackson videos.
Let's talk about TV
As this year's television season winds down, I find myself already missing some of my favorite characters. We still have another episode or two of 24, but I am so concerned about Jack Bauer. Will he or won't he die from his exposure to this biological weapon he inhaled trying to save the country yet again. How many more people will he have to torture? And why doesn't he try doing what his real life counterpart does and just start headbutting anyone that gets in his way. Jack is a real man and I miss him every summer when he's gone.
After the season finale of Lost, I am completely lost yet again. Yes, they answered many questions, but as always they raised even more. The most obvious one being what's going on with John Locke and how did that guy in the foot statue get to look exactly like Locke? The question I will ponder the most this summer however, is will Kate end up with Jack or Sawyer or none of the above? I have to admit I've become quite partial to Sawyer. I would like to see him happy again after Juliette got sucked down the big hole by the giant magnet.
I can't even talk about American Idol. Except to say this. I am banning the season finale based on the fact that the judges are totally pushing one contestant to be the winner and this person just gets on my nerves. If I have to see him in tight pants sticking out his abnormally long tongue one more time I might die. I don't think it's fair for the judges to endorse one person over the other and they are really making me mad this season.
Survivor. Coach is gone. What can we say about Coach? He was very interesting. But I'm afraid somewhere along the way he swallowed a crazy pill. I'm glad he got voted off just so he can get out of the sun, rehydrate himself and hopefully stop having delusions about himself.
Now, for the bigger question. Where have all of the good sitcoms gone? I love me some reality television, but I remember a simpler, happier time when I could sit in front of the TV for hours laughing at the hijinks of some made up family. I miss that. The only really funny sitcoms I can think of are The Office and The Big Bang Theory. Am I missing something else? Has the sitcom gone the way of the wooly mammoth? Is it just not relevant anymore?
Here is my top 10 list of the absolute best sitcoms ever to grace TV land.
1.) Friends-especially the episode where Ross does the spray tan or any of the episodes where Rachel was pregnant
2.) Happy Days
3.) Laverne and Shirley
4.) Three's Company
5.) The Cosby Show
6.) Seinfeld
7.) Family Ties
8.) Growing Pains
9.) The Office
10.) Friends again, because it was the best show ever and I can't think of a number 10
Thoughts, please.
After the season finale of Lost, I am completely lost yet again. Yes, they answered many questions, but as always they raised even more. The most obvious one being what's going on with John Locke and how did that guy in the foot statue get to look exactly like Locke? The question I will ponder the most this summer however, is will Kate end up with Jack or Sawyer or none of the above? I have to admit I've become quite partial to Sawyer. I would like to see him happy again after Juliette got sucked down the big hole by the giant magnet.
I can't even talk about American Idol. Except to say this. I am banning the season finale based on the fact that the judges are totally pushing one contestant to be the winner and this person just gets on my nerves. If I have to see him in tight pants sticking out his abnormally long tongue one more time I might die. I don't think it's fair for the judges to endorse one person over the other and they are really making me mad this season.
Survivor. Coach is gone. What can we say about Coach? He was very interesting. But I'm afraid somewhere along the way he swallowed a crazy pill. I'm glad he got voted off just so he can get out of the sun, rehydrate himself and hopefully stop having delusions about himself.
Now, for the bigger question. Where have all of the good sitcoms gone? I love me some reality television, but I remember a simpler, happier time when I could sit in front of the TV for hours laughing at the hijinks of some made up family. I miss that. The only really funny sitcoms I can think of are The Office and The Big Bang Theory. Am I missing something else? Has the sitcom gone the way of the wooly mammoth? Is it just not relevant anymore?
Here is my top 10 list of the absolute best sitcoms ever to grace TV land.
1.) Friends-especially the episode where Ross does the spray tan or any of the episodes where Rachel was pregnant
2.) Happy Days
3.) Laverne and Shirley
4.) Three's Company
5.) The Cosby Show
6.) Seinfeld
7.) Family Ties
8.) Growing Pains
9.) The Office
10.) Friends again, because it was the best show ever and I can't think of a number 10
Thoughts, please.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Emma-Two Months
I took Emma in for her two month check up today. She did really well even during the three shots they gave her. She weighed 10 lbs and 9 oz (50th percentile), and was 23 inches long (75th percentile). At two months Jake weighed 11 lbs 4 oz and was 23 5/8 inches long. I thought I would post pictures of both of them at two months to compare.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
It sure beat lipstick and nail polish
Happy belated mama's day to all my mommy friends. We celebrated on Saturday since Mike gets off work earlier than on Sundays. We had such a great day! I woke up to find three gifts on the kitchen table. The first was a vase full of purple tulips from little Emma. She's such a thoughtful baby! The second was a gift card for a massage from Jake. Apparently, he has gotten himself a part time job and has been saving his money. Good boy. And the third was a card from my sweet hubby with a note inside saying we would have a babysitter that afternoon and could go out and do whatever I wanted to!
So, I chose to be outside. We went to what is supposed to be the highest point in the city and just looked at the view and all of the million dollar houses on the lake below. Then we went and rented a canoe and set out to enjoy the water ourselves. Sadly, we really wanted a kayak but they were out so we were stuck with the canoe. It was slower and much harder for Mike to paddle me around the lake in than a kayak would have been. But, it was fun all the same. After the exercise portion of our day, we went to a fun restaurant on the lake and had shrimp tacos and enchiladas. It was a very good day. Thanks to my hubby for arranging everything and to Chantal for providing us with her wonderful babysitting skills.
Lastly, I would like to formally apologize to my mama. I remember many a Mother's Day where daddy would give us some money and tell us to go buy you a gift. So we would set off to TG&Y and just pick out the most hideous things. How many bottles of nail polish and lipstick that was totally the wrong shade have I given you in my lifetime? I'm sorry. I wish I had thought of a massage or just some pretty flowers. Forgive me?
Monday, May 11, 2009
Originality is not our strong suit
When I was growing up I never really thought of myself being the maternal type. I wasn't one of those girls who just couldn't wait to have kids one day. That feeling didn't hit me until I was about 25. I did, however, love to pick out names for any future kids I might have. I always wanted something on the original side. No common names for me.
For girls, I was partial to Coral and Kaitlyn. For boys, I didn't have a clue. And then one day I was reading a book and the main character was pregnant and she kept calling her baby Lumpy. For some reason, I thought that would be a great name for a little one! No one else would have it, that's for sure. Well, thank God I didn't have kids until I had outgrown the Lumpy phase. Although I did name a stray cat that came to live with us Mophead. I'm truly sorry about that Moppy.
When Mike and I found out we were pregnant with our first baby, we immediately settled on Emma Mae if it was a girl. Emma after my mom and Mae after his Grandma. But we argued and argued about a boys name. I really loved the name Austin. But Mike said he would never name his child after a major city just in case we ended up moving there someday. He really loved the name Steve. But I had an ex boyfriend named Steve and didn't want anyone to think I was naming this child after him! So, the debate continued. Until one day, we were listening to the radio and the Wallflowers were playing and Mike said how about we name him after Jacob Dillon from the Wallflowers? I immediately said yes because Jake was one of the names I liked from the beginning. I could have cared less about Jacob Dillon though. I mean I like his voice but that's it. I think we all know that if I was going the route of naming our child after a musician, Jake would now be Rick.
Anyway, the point of all of this is to say that yesterday I read an article about the most popular baby names of the year. The top boy name for the last 10 years is Jacob. And the top girl name? Drum roll please. Emma. For the last 12 years it has been Emily, but this year Emma took over the top spot. I'm sorry children. I thought we were giving you unique names, but it looks like you'll be in class at school with four or five other kids who answer to the same name. If you want, you can just ask your teacher to call you Lumpy.
For girls, I was partial to Coral and Kaitlyn. For boys, I didn't have a clue. And then one day I was reading a book and the main character was pregnant and she kept calling her baby Lumpy. For some reason, I thought that would be a great name for a little one! No one else would have it, that's for sure. Well, thank God I didn't have kids until I had outgrown the Lumpy phase. Although I did name a stray cat that came to live with us Mophead. I'm truly sorry about that Moppy.
When Mike and I found out we were pregnant with our first baby, we immediately settled on Emma Mae if it was a girl. Emma after my mom and Mae after his Grandma. But we argued and argued about a boys name. I really loved the name Austin. But Mike said he would never name his child after a major city just in case we ended up moving there someday. He really loved the name Steve. But I had an ex boyfriend named Steve and didn't want anyone to think I was naming this child after him! So, the debate continued. Until one day, we were listening to the radio and the Wallflowers were playing and Mike said how about we name him after Jacob Dillon from the Wallflowers? I immediately said yes because Jake was one of the names I liked from the beginning. I could have cared less about Jacob Dillon though. I mean I like his voice but that's it. I think we all know that if I was going the route of naming our child after a musician, Jake would now be Rick.
Anyway, the point of all of this is to say that yesterday I read an article about the most popular baby names of the year. The top boy name for the last 10 years is Jacob. And the top girl name? Drum roll please. Emma. For the last 12 years it has been Emily, but this year Emma took over the top spot. I'm sorry children. I thought we were giving you unique names, but it looks like you'll be in class at school with four or five other kids who answer to the same name. If you want, you can just ask your teacher to call you Lumpy.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Spoiled, anyone?
I'm happy to say that my parents were finally able to come visit us last week and meet their new grand daughter. Mama's still healing from her last surgery but she made the trip and we enjoyed having them here for a few days. She greatly helped me out with holding the baby duty and giving Emma bottles. The child has become so spoiled. She really only naps well in the daytime if someone is holding her. As much as I would like to start what we affectionately call "sleep training camp" with her, I still think she's a little too young. But in two more months, look out Emma! You've got to learn how to take a good nap before I start back to work in the fall.
My poor daddy got the job of entertaining Jake while they were here. Not that he was complaining. Those two have a great time together. I was just afraid one of them might collapse before the visit was over. You wouldn't believe all the running they did! And to see my seventy something dad sitting on the floor playing cars with my boy warmed my heart. Although it did seem like he was showing off a little bit because he can get up and down off the floor much easier than I can. Can't wait until their next visit!
My poor daddy got the job of entertaining Jake while they were here. Not that he was complaining. Those two have a great time together. I was just afraid one of them might collapse before the visit was over. You wouldn't believe all the running they did! And to see my seventy something dad sitting on the floor playing cars with my boy warmed my heart. Although it did seem like he was showing off a little bit because he can get up and down off the floor much easier than I can. Can't wait until their next visit!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
What I do with my free time
You know how you reach a point in life where you think you've had enough and you sit down to look for a one way plane ticket to anywhere but where you are? Or is that just me? Well, I was pretty much there on Friday. I just needed a break. And then two things happened. First, God made my baby sleep seven hours straight through Friday night. And second, my hubby gave me a couple hours on Saturday to go out by myself. So now I've cancelled my one way ticket to New Zealand. By the way, you can get a round trip ticket from Dallas to Cancun, Mexico right now for $148. Because if you're gonna get swine flu you might as well get it cheap.
In other miracles, today Emma is napping by herself in our bed and has been doing so for a good two hours now. Jake has been napping for 45 minutes as well so I've had a little bit of time to myself. I'm so excited! I've already checked e-mail, paid bills, made a grocery list, cleaned the kitchen and ordered my mama her birthday/mother's day present. (She gets the short end of the stick a lot because her birthday frequently falls on mother's day and heaven forbid I buy two separate gifts.)
Next, I couldn't wait to sit down and blog! I haven't had a chance to put any thought into this bloggy thing in such a long time. Guess what? I have nothing to say. Zilch. Nada. Can't think of a thing. So, I think I'll just put up a cute picture of the boy. Here's to expecting bigger and better things from me in the future. (But don't get your hopes up.)
In other miracles, today Emma is napping by herself in our bed and has been doing so for a good two hours now. Jake has been napping for 45 minutes as well so I've had a little bit of time to myself. I'm so excited! I've already checked e-mail, paid bills, made a grocery list, cleaned the kitchen and ordered my mama her birthday/mother's day present. (She gets the short end of the stick a lot because her birthday frequently falls on mother's day and heaven forbid I buy two separate gifts.)
Next, I couldn't wait to sit down and blog! I haven't had a chance to put any thought into this bloggy thing in such a long time. Guess what? I have nothing to say. Zilch. Nada. Can't think of a thing. So, I think I'll just put up a cute picture of the boy. Here's to expecting bigger and better things from me in the future. (But don't get your hopes up.)
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