Busted

Brick got a little rowdy this morning and bumped his head on the bedpost. Consequently, he has a fat lip and a bruised eye. Looks like the bedpost won this round.

Tub Letters

You Win Some, You Lose Some

A couple of months ago, I was singing the praises of this beautiful city we now live in. Today I've found out there's one list where Austin did not rank so well: FitPregnancy's Best Cities in America to Have a Baby.

If you check out the rankings you'll see the editors over at FitPregnancy think Austin's a fine city once you've actually had the baby. It's safe; it's affordable; it's stroller friendly. The problem seems to lie with the quality of care and options available to pregnant women. Having never been pregnant in Austin, I can't attest to their findings. But it is something to think about, since chances are I will someday be pregnant in Austin.

Two Front Teeth

Brick's top two teeth came in a couple of weeks ago. I've been struggling to get a picture of them ever since. So far, this is the best I could do.

Ice Storm 07

I promise I don't always make this stuff up all by myself. Ice Storm 07 is the clever name used by a local news station while covering that last couple of days' bizarre weather.

It wasn't nearly as intimidating as it sounds. We had to stay off the roads for a couple of days, but were fortunate enough and didn't lose power at all. Everything is still coated with ice, though today if you were to spend any time outside you heard a continuous dripping sound.

I'm sure it's an odd thing to see icicles hanging from a house in TX, but they were all over ours.






This picture gives you a pretty good idea of just how much ice we got. It was pretty thick by the time the storm had finished.

Someone Else's Clothes

We can always tell when Brick's had a rough ay at daycare because he's wearing a random Jaycees t-shirt that's intended for a much bigger toddler. It's a loaner from the center that they put him in when he somehow manages to ruin both the clothes he wore to school and the change of clothes we leave for him in the event of such accidents. Today was one of those days.

Resolutions

Ok. So I'm a couple of weeks past New Year's, but it's better late than never right. I figure if I share my resolutions with everyone and anyone then I may be more likely to stick to them. I plan to keep it pretty simple this year. Here goes:

1. Improve communication with my immediate family. I talk to my parents on a regular basis, but only because they call me constantly until I finally give in and talk to them. As for my brothers, I can go months and months before carrying on a decent conversation with either of them. And in today's society there's no excuse. We have free long-distance on our home phones, not to mention free nights and weekends on our cell phones. So, I'm going to make it a point to talk to Jameson, Owen and Nan (my only living grandparent) at least once a week. Oh, and Amy too. Bryan doesn't talk to her enough.
   
   
2. Tone up and trim down. I'm jumping on the band-wagon with this one. A new year is as good an excuse as any for me to get my butt back in shape. I have miraculously made it to within 5 pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight. That's not too bad considering I gained a whopping 60 pounds while I was pregnant. For anyone who's keeping score, that was a little less than 50% of my TOTAL body weight. That couldn't have been healthy! I'm still about 10 pounds away from my "ideal" weight. I'd like to have more children some day, and I certainly want to start the next pregnancy from a healthy point.
   
   
3. Find a good babysitter! It's been awhile since Bryan and I have had any quality couple time together. With Brick getting older and living in such a cool city, we really need to find a good babysitter and have some fun.
   

I'm sure I could think of more, but like I said, I'm trying to keep it simple. Happy New Year!

Breaking News

It's snowing ... in Texas ... on my birthday

HOORAY!

Pensive

He Hates Hats

These were intended to be a simple photographs of Brick in his cute winter hat. He decided he does not like wearing this hat, so it became a series of pictures of him trying to get out of his cute winter hat.

Winter Weather Advisory

All the local newscasts are forecasting that we're in for about 1/4 - 1/2 inch of ice within the next 24 hours. Yes, we really did move to TX! Nonetheless there's ice on the way.

I've suffered through an ice storm once in Raleigh; it was miserable. The power was out for 5 days. At the time, I was in a little apartment with no fireplace, and no power meant no heat. The daytime wasn't so bad, albeit a little boring, but at nighttime it was COLD.

It's one thing to suffer through something like that when you're grown and can understand what's going on and what you need to do to keep warm. It's another thing when you're a baby, and you still have no idea what's going on. Bryan and I have tried to prepare as well as we can. We bought firewood today, in the event that the power goes out tomorrow. Our fireplace is outfitted for gaslogs (which we conveniently don't have). We're still not convinced we can use it as a wood-burning fireplace. I imagine in a pinch we'll figure it out. Either that or we'll find a hotel with a generator and some heat. Better yet, here's hoping we don't lose power.

On the bright side, there may be snow for my birthday on Tuesday. I love snow! So long as it's no accompanied by a power outage.

Rub A Dub

100 Things

Inspired by some of the blogs I visit, I've decided to write 100 things about me. Hopefully it will give anyone reading a glimpse into all the quirky little things that make me me.

1. I am a Christian.
   
   
2. I always say little "thank-you" prayers for things like finding my keys or avoiding an accident.
   
   
3. Ironically, I don't pray about the big things nearly as much as I should.
   
   
4. My birthday is January 16th. It's quite possibly my favorite day of the year.
   
   
5. I'm the middle child but avoided suffering from "middle child syndrome" because I'm the only girl.
   
   
6. I have two brothers.
   
   
7. My hair has never been cut shorter than shoulder length.
   
   
8. I have brown hair and brown eyes.
   
   
9. My eyes NEVER change color.
   
   
10. I love that our son bears a striking resemblance my husband in spite of the fact that I carry a lot of dominant genes.
    
    
11. I bear a striking resemblance to my mom and my brothers. It's the whole dominant gene thing in action.
    
    
12. I'm not confident about applying makeup. I blame my mom, who has flawless skin and almost never wears makeup.
    
    
13. I love going to formal events because it gives me an opportunity to dress up.
    
    
14. I generally don't like to wear the same formal gown more than once.
    
    
15. I've taken a ride in a hot air balloon - and would recommend it to anyone. It's really an amazing experience.
    
    
16. I'd really like to learn to sail.
    
    
17. I have a hyphenated first name and had no middle name until I was married. Then I took my maiden name as my middle name.
    
    
18. My first name is not hyphenated on my birth certificate. It was changed legally when I got my driver's license at 16.
    
    
19. I was named after my maternal grandmother.
    
    
20. My first name would have been "Georgia-Anne" if my dad had "won" the great baby naming debate.
    
    
21. I was a breastfed baby.
    
    
22. My son is a breastfed baby, and I hope to continue nursing until he's at least one year old.
    
    
23. I'm so tired of pumping to provide milk while our son's in daycare that I'm anxiously awaiting his first birthday.
    
    
24. I love that experiencing things with my son is like experiencing them for the first time all over again.
    
    
25. I love being a mom.
    
    
26. Being a mom is the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life.
    
    
27. At various times in my life, I have aspired to be a teacher, an author, a ballerina, an actress, a singer, a greeting card writer, a child psychologist ... just to name a few.
    
    
28. I have worked at Walt Disney World, in a retail store, as a waitress and in technical support.
    
    
29. I once waited on singer Bruce Hornsby. He took the signed credit card receipt, and I ended up with $0 for a tip.
    
    
30. I currently work in "Corporate America".
    
    
31. I don't love my current role, but I love the company I work for.
    
    
32. The job I have now is the same job I've had since graduating from college.
    
    
33. I work from home 100% of the time.
    
    
34. I would love to pursue a career in graphic design or photography.
    
    
35. I don't consider myself to be a creative person.
    
    
36. I could never be a nurse or a doctor. The sight of blood makes me queasy.
    
    
37. Growing up, I was regularly a member of the studio audience for the Disney Channel's all new Mickey Mouse Club - the show that started the careers of Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
    
    
38. I attended NSYNC's first concert EVER at Pleasure Island on October 22, 1995. (I still have the invite.) I haven't been to an NSYNC concert since.
    
    
39. I auditioned to be a Mousekeeteer on MMC but was too painfully shy to sing at the audition.
    
    
40. I love to sing really loudly in my car when no one's around to hear me.
    
    
41. My very first car was a 1982 Ford Fairmont. It was 13 years old at the time.
    
    
42. I've totaled my car twice. I was not at fault either time.
    
    
43. I graduated from high school with a degree from the International Baccalaureate Programme.
    
    
44. I am very talented with Mathematics. I scored 780 out of 800 on the Math section of the SATs.
    
    
45. My IQ is exactly 2 points higher than my husband's - and it bothers him immensely.
    
    
46. My IQ falls within the range of "very superior intelligence."
    
    
47. I pride myself on my intellect - maybe a little too much.
    
    
48. I've become far too dependent on my spell checker and have forgotten how to spell.
    
    
49. I attended a small liberal arts college - The College of William & Mary.
    
    
50. I have a Bachelor's of Business Administration degree in Information Technology.
    
    
51. I've considered pursuing higher education but have no idea what I might study.
    
    
52. I have not yet taken the GRE and feel really unprepared to do so.
    
    
53. I love to travel. So far, I've visited Japan, Spain, England and Ireland.
    
    
54. I know enough Spanish to carry on a good conversation, but it's been awhile since I've had any practice.
    
    
55. I've been to Four Corners and have stood in 4 states at one time.
    
    
56. I have trouble reading a map unless I'm holding it in the same direction that I'm traveling.
    
    
57. I would love to run The Amazing Race with my husband.
    
    
58. My favorite board game is Scattegories.
    
    
59. I have seen a game of Monopoly come to an end. It was quite painful. (Thanks, Dad.)
    
    
60. I love Google.
    
    
61. I love movies.
    
    
62. I thought The Pursuit of Happyness was depressing and a far reach from the "feel-good movie of the year."
    
    
63. I wish I had more time to read.
    
    
64. I am an adamant non-smoker.
    
    
65. I have never tried marijuana (or any illegal substances, for what it's worth).
    
    
66. I don't have any tattoos, nor do I have any desire to have any tattoos.
    
    
67. I got my ears pierced when I was three.
    
    
68. I don't believe in ghosts.
    
    
69. Regardless, I hate to be scared and refuse to watch scary movies or visit haunted houses.
    
    
70. I love Austin.
    
    
71. I miss seasons.
    
    
72. I'd like to live in Colorado.
    
    
73. I love snow-skiing.
    
    
74. I played lacrosse in high school.
    
    
75. I have a new-found enjoyment of jogging, thanks to my husband.
    
    
76. I didn't learn to ride a bicycle until I was 10 years old.
    
    
77. I sucked my thumb while sleeping until I was 7 or 8 years old.
    
    
78. I love to bake, especially from scratch.
    
    
79. Strawberry is my favorite flavor.
    
    
80. I would like to try to eat more healthy foods.
    
    
81. I decided to become a vegetarian on a whim and stuck with it through part of high school and most of college.
    
    
82. I'm content to be an omnivore again.
    
    
83. The only craving I had throughout my entire pregnancy was for chicken pot pie.
    
    
84. I still don't like chicken pot pie.
    
    
85. I look forward to checking the mailbox everyday.
    
    
86. I don't like to write with any color ink other than black. (When blue pens end up in our house, I usually throw them away.)
    
    
87. I fold all my laundry as if it were going to be displayed in a retail store.
    
    
88. I am not a morning person.
    
    
89. I took piano lessons as a child.
    
    
90. I quit because I didn't like waking up early on Saturday mornings. I wish I hadn't quit.
    
    
91. I think I might like to learn to play the fiddle.
    
    
92. I met my husband through Roommates.com. I wasn't looking for love, just someone to help pay my mortgage.
    
    
93. My very first impression of my husband was that he was short. He's not. He's average height, somewhere between 5'9" and 5'10".
    
    
94. I am just a tad bit above average height at 5'5".
    
    
95. I developed early and was always taller than most of the students in my classes throughout middle school and most of high school.
    
    
96. I think I developed a height complex because of this.
    
    
97. I was not married when I found out I was pregnant.
    
    
98. Dating my housemate and conceiving our son were two my life's greatest "mistakes."
    
    
99. I believe that everything happens for a reason.
    
    
100. I believe my life has been influenced by Divine Intervention.
     
     

101

No, I'm not referring to some kind of introductory course. 101 is the temperature Bryan and I see if we put a thermometer in our mouths. We just got back from a quick trip to NC. Nothing like a 3 hour plane ride with a squirmy baby when you're tired and out of sorts. Bryan has to head out of town for meetings this week, so we intend to visit the Urgent Care this afternoon for some inclining of what might be ailing us. Oh how I hope it's not the flu.

Home Sick

Brick stayed home from daycare today. He developed an ear infection and had a raging fever over the weekend. He seems to be recuperating fine and has been relatively well mannered in spite of it all.