25 Random Things About Me

I put this together for Facebook and thought i'd share it with you as well.

1. I've not worn any nail polish color (other than French manicure) since high school.
2. Ditto that for lipstick. I went through a red lipstick phase my senior year and since then it's been lip gloss.
3. The first time I ever cried over a death was when my dog, Gabriel, died.
4. I almost named my second son Gabriel, but thought it might be too weird.
5. I don't like eating enough to cook a big meal for just myself. When I was single I ate popcorn and cheese and Diet Coke for dinner. I was 30 pounds lighter.
6. Epidurals do not work for me the way they work for others. If I ever have another child, I won't bother getting one.
7. My husband still gives me butterflies. Especially when he gets a good haircut.
8. I always say, "that's funny" and don't laugh. Why is that?
9. Contrary to what Lindsay says, I have never, not once, finished a NYT Sunday puzzle. I always try them, though.
10. I am so tired of living in a cold climate and living here with children is killing me. I want to play outside again!
11. I was extremely loyal as a child and agonized when someone asked me to be their best friend, as I already had a best friend who lived far away. It kept me up at night. I even was so loyal to McDonalds I felt massive guilt the first time I ate at Burger King.
12. I used to journal but can't seem to find the time or motivation anymore.
13. I love doing laundry and organizing my closet.
14. I hate putting laundry away.
15. I obsess over maps whenever we go on a roadtrip. Having said that, the first time Seth and I drove to NYC, we left the road map in IN and figured, how hard can it be? It's the biggest city in the country! We eventually made it, but were very confused at one point, as to why we were in NJ.
16. I've worn the same perfume for over 10 years.
17. I have curly hair, but blow dry it straight almost every day.
18. I don't like tea; I think it's fake coffee.
19. I was very gullible as a child and believed my friend (in fifth grade) who told me she auditioned to be Daisy Duke, but turned down their offer. I also believed my friend who told me she was John Travolta's daughter, but he gave her away for his career.
20. I am extremely sentimental.
21. I went to my friend Lindsay's birthday party and everyone was giving her clothes and journals and nice stuff. I got her a magnet and felt like the scum of the earth. Now we give each other magnets each year.
22. My mom used to make me Chip Beef Gravy on Toast whenever dad was out of town. It's still my favorite comfort food.
23. I just read the Starbridge Series by Susan Howatch and could read them all again and again.
24. I am a rut person. I love my ruts. I need my ruts.
25. I fear that the exhaustion and isolation of having two small children, and the resultant lack of "reaching out" is going to render me friendless by the time i'm through this phase of life. Seriously.

Proud Mama

We bundled up and took the boys to Chinatown on Monday morning for a dim sum-ish treat. Brice is a big fan of rice and ginger sauteed whitefish, so we figured there'd be something he'd like. Let me tell you, when the child started throwing back fried turnip cakes and feeding himself soy sauce-spiked congee, I could not have been more proud. He even fed himself with the proper spoon. Hand me a tissue. The child cannot talk much nor can he follow a basic command without having an ugly meltdown, but when he embraces non-mainstream Chinese food and asks for more, well, he might as well be holding a violin and taking requests. The kid did me proud.
Even Harry got in on the act. He always stares at me when I eat and opens his mouth as I put the spoon in my own mouth. Then he wimpers and starts to smile again as I dip my fork or spoon back into whatever i'm eating. The poor kid!!! Brice couldn't eat solids without gagging and throwing up until he was 14 months old, so we're not exactly sure when to toss Harry his first cracker. But that morning in Chinatown, with Brice stuffing his face and Harry staring at me with mournful eyes, I broke. I gave him congee. And he LOVED it.

Question

When you want to blog about a book you've read recently, how do you post a picture of the book? I don't find Blogspot's "help" very helpful in figuring this out. I've not idea how to post a picture of anything other than something from my camera. 

Word of the year

I was reading my friend Robyn's blog. She was writing that instead of making resolutions for the year, she chose a word for the year. Brilliant! I had resolved to make my bed each day, and promptly dropped the ball on January 1st. Rats. So, being a word person myself, i'm going to copy her. I'm going to choose a word. And my word is...refresh. It's been a crappy year, with a few brilliant exceptions. It's been, even the great parts, really draining. But i'm hopeful.

Don't listen to a word I say.

Those were my instructions to Seth when Harry was born. Don't believe a word I say. I knew once the hormones started going haywire and life with two got crazier and crazier, I would become a little, shall we say, erratic. I told him, "if I tell you we need to put one or both of them up for adoption, don't listen to me. If I tell you I HAVE to have another one right away, definitely don't listen to me. In fact, go sleep on the couch." It's that crazy time again--Cute Baby Time. It's the six month mark. Fat baby, fat thighs, lots of smiles and interaction. It's the time when I think "oh, this CAN'T be my last time going through this. I HAVE to have another fat baby. I have to watch another one come alive and laugh and sparkle and interact and smile when he sees me." It's dangerous territory. Especially when said child is still not sleeping through the night (not even close, really). I mentioned something to Seth tonight about how great it would be to maybe have just one more. He happily reminded me that the only things i'm allowed to have a say in are what's for dinner and what he's wearing. Thank you, Seth.