Thirty, Flirty and Bond

Honestly, I was not looking forward to this birthday, I don't think most people do either; it wasn't even so much the number as it was the surge of grays that marked plucking as no longer the quick-fix, now plucking would result in bald spots BUT despite the grays, the baby weight that won't come off and most of my siblings forgetting my birthday, it WAS THEE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

My big day started the evening before when Tom watched Ben while I went and got a hair cut. THAT'S RIGHT Tom was home and home early enough Ben was still up; miracle #1! I got a trim/cut. My hair is funny. I get just a little taken off and it looks like I chopped a ton, when ya got wavy/curly hair that's how it rolls. I actually miss my days of long-long hair (not when it was to my butt, that was too long, but long enough I had my Gerry Hall look) Maybe one day I'll get there again but for now, its medium-long.

I got a text from Lacey at midnight giving me bday love reminding me it had technically begun. It was sweet. (I'm sure she was out late mackin' with her boyfriend at the time ;) At the time Tom and I were watching Diamonds Are Forever -Bond movie. It's kinda what we do when Tom needs to zone-out before he crashes, he throws in one of the thousand Bonds' and I fall asleep. It usually takes 2-4 nights to get through one film. (SIDE NOTE: Does anyone else TOTALLY LOVE IT when they fall asleep before their husband? There's such a feeling of reassurance and protection and comfort knowing "The Man" is staying up guarding the fort! Call me weird but I love it and I fall asleep sooo fast! Otherwise when Tom falls asleep first I have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep.) (SIDE NOTE 2: Diamonds Are Forever SUCKS. It's thee worst Bond film. The plot is...well I would say GAY but there has to be a GAY PLOT first to BE GAY but the plot is completely nonexistent so it's...A-sexual(??) The acting is TERRIBLE; Connery doesn't even TRY, its so blatant and he looks tired and old and bored; the "Bond Girl" is the worse....wait no, she's still better than the bimbo girl in A View To A Kill... ugh ya annoying, bad-acting, brain-dead, weird-voice chick takes the cake for worse Bond girl! Also, I hate ALL of the Roger Moore Bonds. Maybe I shouldn't totally blame him but his reign producing the lamest plots buttttt for the sake of not going off for another 5 paragraphs I'll just go ahead and blame HIM, the end.

December 19th started perfect! Tom took off work from both jobs so we could do whatever including  working on of my presents! He went out in the cold, wetness and changed out my cars' headlights, not the bulbs but the entire head lights themselves actually he took out the bulbs from the brand new lamps and put in a better quality, brighter light too. Doesn't sound very romantic, I know BUT for the past few years my cars' headlights have been so foggy I've had to always use my brights just see somewhat normally. I was SOOO excited I took pictures! haha

Before

After

During

During

After

Afterwards he gave me present #3- All the Harry Potter dvd's! I LOVE IT! Oh, present one was a great hand-held body massager I got that earlier in the week as my shoulders and neck almost always hurt- it has 100% to do with that 15 year+ headache I had and it has def come back, I really need to get some more injections, they just make all the difference. I digress...

Then we went to the mall where both Tom and Ben endured going shopping with me. I'm not a good person to go shopping with, I'm slow and picky and mythical and really I don't like to go shopping with anyone else. I like to go by myself and without being rushed. But I was torn- I NEEDED clothes AND I wanted to be with my boys...so I dragged 'em along. Ben wanted so badly to run around and just move but I think Tom held him not only for the sake of not losing him in the sea of shoppers but also to appear obvious to other's he was strictly in Victoria's Secret as the "babysitting husband" and not as a perv. lol Then we went to Olive Garden for dinner. I know not everyone loves O.G. but I'm a cheap date AND such a sucker for their soup and salad. I'm ashamed to admit how many encores of both I had...but in my defense/justification when you don't eat bread sticks and croutons your belly doesn't fill up and expand like everyone else's so ya, you can eat a LOT more. ;) Ben was super good during it too, it was miracle #2! On the way home we stopped into the library and picked up a load of movies, mostly for Ben, went home where I basically dropped off the boys and went to Old Navy as I got some much needed gift card $ from my parents! -Most days I wear Tom's jeans and his sweatshirts and basically look like a lesbian and not the pretty kind. I didn't end up getting anything there or at V.S. because I'm funny; there were too many people in VS and I was getting overwhelmed and when that happens I don't buy anything b/c I know when I DO buy in that kind of rush its not the right thing and I end up having to go back anyway later to exchange. Plus, Old Navy's jeans weren't on sale and they aren't worth 30 bucks, they're worth 20-tops so I'll wait a couple of weeks and continue looking like....well YOU know! LOL

On the way home I got to really "SEE" the difference my new headlights made. Holy cow I can't believe I got use to NOT seeing the road at night. Also, I had on my iPod and rapped along to the only Kanye West song I know AND love,  Flashing Lights, I repeating it over and over again all the way home. lol It's just catchy. -For the record I have the edited version ;)

When I walked through the door Tom asked me what I got, I told him nothing but I wasn't sad in the least! I had a perfect day! The only thing that could have made it superb was if I had magically turned back into my pre-pregnancy body but even so I wasn't feeling fatty-mc-butter-pants so it was great!

Oh and miracle #3? Ben gave me the best gift of all and FINALLY said, "mom" Won't say it on command since, of course not, but finally said it! =)

PS- When I was pregnant I gave in and let Tom show me all the Bond films. It was tough. I just DON'T like 87% of them. If the Bond is anyone other than the Daniel Craig I most likely hate it. A few weeks ago Tom and I saw Sky Mall, I mean Sky Fall and truth be told I really enjoyed it. Really! Hands down my favorite Bond. I know its because of the bad guy. He was intriguing and stole every scene...I ate it up and Tom loved that I loved it even if it meant I thought the bad guy was kinda attractive in a character way not physically (gross hair color- eww). 

Hallow-das, Oddie-das that is

Thank you Michele N. for indirectly reminding me I never posted photos from a thousand years ago, ie Halloween!

Before treat-or-treating. Ben enjoying pizza crust. I think my two guys were super into a sports game or something...the looks are intense!

 

 

 

Putting Ben back in his Indian Jones costume was TOO much work, especially with the rolling boulder following his and knocking him over every couple of seconds so we popped him in a tiger outfit and went to a few houses. Ben wasn't quite sure what was going on but it was cute.

 

Brian lives just across the street from us and visits once in awhile.

Grandma comes and babysits and is SO good with Ben!

Me without make-up. It's not a statement. It's me being lazy.

 

I thought I would show a little bit of what I do for work...I guess I'm THAT bored today!

Before

After

Before

After

Certainly not my best work but whatev.





Saturday Night Fever

In a word: busy. The past few weeks have been…BUSY. I want to call every one of you everyday but like I’ve said, I’ve been busy and when I remember I either allow myself to get distracted again or its 10pm like it is now and though I think most of you are up too, this is the time of night where I’m lucky if I can put a coherent thought together (and it’s a miracle I’m even typing ;)

Saturday started off fine. It had been a long week consisting of Tom working (5) 12 hour days and one 8 ½ day, me finding out the full-timer Portland Adidas chick had crossed over to the dark side (Nike) and thus a bunch of accounts were open for the taking. (side note: I don’t think I’ve mentioned before how I’ve been jobless since September due to major cut backs. I will say its VERY interesting that I was making MORE on unemployment than I was working but that’s b/c it was taking in account me working full time 18 months ago.) Anyway, I find out I have work again and I was getting nervous. Work makes me nervous. Merchandising sounds very glamorous but its more like EXTREMELY exhausting and physically straining, plus I had to figure out babysitting and that’s more stress; how will Ben do? Will his naps get off schedule? Am I going to be an even worse mom due to being extra stressed again? BUT I am happy this time around Ben doesn’t rely on mommy milk for food like he did a year ago and NEVER took a bottle..ahhh that was SO hard!

Okay, Saturday. It was 4:30pm. Ben and I were in Costco eating 2 sausage dogs without buns with onions and mustard and a little ketup (yep, BEN LOVES THEM). I was stressing because it was a grocery shopping day, it was our 3^rd place though spread out before and after a nap but nonetheless Ben had had enough and was a pain. He wouldn’t stay in the carts seat, I rarely can keep him in that thing, and he was using our groceries to stand on in attempt to climb out of the cart itself! I had him under one arm and holding my pop with the other and trying to throw away our garbage with…a 3^rd hand while keeping it away from Ben as he was trying to put his hand in the left over mustard AGAIN. While I was juggling all this a woman came up and asked if she could help (super nice) and all I could get out was, “I JUST NEED MY HUSBAND HOMES ON SATURDAYS!” I didn’t yell or anything just said it desperately. I was actually totally surprised I said it without crying! –I really think me not having my satan stick in my arm anymore is helping me!

Ben was tough on the way home too. We got home around 5:00pm. Tom wouldn’t be home for at least another hour and a half. Ben was very cranky but I didn’t put him down for a second nap because I knew he was extra cranky due to being in a car seat and grocery cart or in his crib for most of the day already. He just needed to run around the get the wiggles out and better yet ME play with him! But me being me, I started ironing. For the record I don’t like ironing, but its one of those acts of service thingies I do…bla bla bla. As I started to set up the iron and ironing board Ben was around my ankles crying, he wanted me to play and I didn’t. I was mad. I was SO mad and I was mad at Tom! Why? Because I was exhausted and tired and my wave had crashed and I needed help, I didn’t want to spend my day grocery shopping I wanted to do ANYTHING and just go somewhere without having to take 5 minutes to plan it out in between naps and snacks and whatevers. I was mad that Tom wasn’t there helping and that I hadn’t had any help with him the whole week as Tom is gone some days before Ben wakes up and gets home after he’s asleep and if he’s home it’s a few minutes in the morning with Ben and right before Ben goes down to sleep so ya I’m doing it by myself. I was glad Tom didn’t get home right then too because I think I would have exploded.

The next 2 hours felt like I heard every tick of the clock tock. When Tom called on his way home I immediately said, “I’m in a SUPER bad mood! I’m tired, Ben’s tired, he wants someone to play with him but I’ve been doing other crap that needs to get done and he won’t eat his food again, I don’t know what to do, I’m just done!” Tom answered back in his calm, reassuring voice: “Okay, I’m coming home as fast as I can.”

When he walked through the doors he came right over to me (after he picked up Ben who ran to him and hugged his legs, I mean how cute is that?) As he got closer to me I said, “No I’m in such bad mood I don’t even want you to touch me!” He still came closer and put his arms around me and said, “I’m here.” I started to unload.

“I just wanted to go out to dinner but now its too late and its Ben’s bedtime and he’s really tired. And I’m hungry and frustrated and I’m mad at you though its not like I’m REALLY mad at you. I don’t want to change places with you and work like a dog and go to school. I just want to get out and not be home like you do.” Tom replied, “I know… what can I do? What would you like for dinner?”

“I don’t know!” I barked back though I KNEW what I wanted.

“Do you want your Carl’s Jr’s burger you love?” (Gac bacon $6 burger in a wrap WITH halopinos added)

“NO”

“Do you want mozzarella sticks from Arby’s?”

“NO”

“Do you want Olive Garden’s salad?”

“NO” (yes)

“….”

“Well I do but Ben’s not going to tolerate a restaurant. Maybe carry out Apple Bee’s?” (like I needed to ask)

“You got it, do you want me to go get it or go together?”

“Together.”

We got in the car. It was dark and raining hard, my favorite. I didn’t say anything, just cried. Tom reached over and held my hand. After a few minutes I started talking and just unloading feeling better by the minute. I mentioned I wanted Pecan pie and he said, “you got it!”

When we got the apple bee’s carry out I dug in right away and then I really started feeling better, not knowing how hungry I really was. Tom drove to a pie shop but they were out of pecan so he drove over to Safeway and got one including my favorite kind of flavored water, diet dp and chocolate milk.

We got home and put Ben down. I sang him extra songs, feeling guilty for not playing with him and dragging him all over down the whole day- the whole time he was looking at me or planting his face in my shoulder and cooing along to the familiar songs with the occasional leaning in and kissing me.

When I had finished putting him down I came out to find an extra large slice of diabetes heaven aka Pecan Awesome Pie wanting for me! I cuddled up to my love and thanked him over and over again for the best date! It really was.

Really, it wasn’t the pie or the spinach dip or diet cherry dp he got me, it wasn’t even how sincerely quick he was about doing all of it that really touched me. What meant the most was my wave had crashed but I wasn’t the only one tired and frustrated and tapped out. I knew he was too. There are times my wave crashes at the same time Tom needs his cave time and I sacrifice my needing to be needy until he’s had his time out first- those times are SO hard! But more than not its him who waits taking his time out so he can take care of me. It sounds easy but I know it can’t be…please I know HOW needy and pathetic I get! Lol

After watching some The Office and Park & Recreation dvd style we went to bed. I heard Ben crying a bit but it was different then a typical tossing and turning crying so I went in to check it out. He was restless and upset and hot, VERY hot. He had never had a fever like this before, he had never been any sick before. The closest he’s ever gotten is when he gets shots, they make him ill for the rest of the day and that’s a about it. I gave him medicine to cut the fever but he was so upset and wouldn’t hold still, he just didn’t know what to do either =(

Tom gave him a blessing and he soon went back to sleep. He woke up several more times through out the night and by morning we were all wiped out and totally missed church. He’s still a little sick. I can tell he has a sore throat and his runny nose has begun producing the yellow/green last part of the cold nasty. He has eaten so little the past few days I have no idea how he hasn’t lost major weight!? Thank goodness he’s still been drinking milk/chocolate milk!

I’ve worked every day so far this week and I’ll work again Friday. I really will only work 4 days a month and I just scheduled everything in one week for convince (won’t do that again) I hurt everywhere!

POLITICAL MOMENT: I honestly want to section off America. Seriously. Civil-war it out. But it can’t be North/South…its been done. And it can’t be West Coast/East Coast, that’s gangish. So…maybe Northwest/Southeast?  I asked Tom if its okay I feel this way and he doesn’t think its good- we’re America, we’re united. But we’re not “united” I’m freaked out. Everything EVERRRRRYYYYYTTTTHHHHIIIIIIINNNNGGGG I’m so fiscally, morally, ethically, socially outraged about is only getting worse with the promise its going to keep getting worse! I don’t want a socialist government. So I want you people over there and we people over here! Have your government there and we’ll have ours or I should say LACK OF! I know it would only be a matter of minutes before people started digging under our walls to get in to our side and be freed from taxes and political bondage.