Friday, November 30, 2007

And so it ends...

NaBloPoMo, that its. Today is the last day of November, and the last day of daily posting. Not that I posted every day. I don't even think I hit the halfway mark. But I did post more than I've ever posted before, and that was my real goal. Can I keep it up? We'll see. I do have a vacation report to post, so there's at least a few more. And then there will be fun Christmas posts, too. I will shoot for daily posts, but I think you'll all have to settle for 3-5 per week.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Sunny Fla!

Well, we made it safely to Florida! The day wasn't without its stressful moments, though. Thankfully, none of them had to do with Squiggles. He was a happy baby all through the process of getting to the airport, checking our luggage, going through security, running to the gate, flying, and the reverse once we landed. I nursed him while we were taking off, and he fell asleep and slept for all but the last 15 minutes of the flight!

The stressful parts? Well, we arrived at the airport a little over an hour before departure (I know, it's supposed to be 2 hours, but we have a rinky-dink airport) to find the longest line I've ever seen at the check-in counter! A local high school marching band was on their way to Orlando to perform at Disney World. Cool, but how were we going to make the flight? Thankfully, we found out there was a separate line for non-band members. After some waiting there, we flew through security and to our gate (which were on opposite ends of the airport - why do they do that?) just in time to be called to board. Then, on the flight, I had a kid kicking my seat from behind, and a guy in front of me leaning back. I'm holding a sleeping baby, mind you, and I wanted nothing more than to be out of there!

But, like I said, we arrived safely and for that I am thankful. It's beautiful here, and I can't wait to relax and enjoy some time off.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Ch-ch-changes

I liked the dots that I had going on here, but it was so dark and kind of jumbly (Google tells me this is not a word, but I say it is and it's my blog. So there.), so I've decided to make some changes. We'll start with a little cleaner, crisper look. Maybe widen the post column a bit. I'll put my meager HTML skills to work! Any fancy design ideas or features you'd like to see? Let me know!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Is this baby FAA approved?

We leave for Florida in just over two days now, so I've started reading up on airline travel with an infant. I don't think it will be too bad, as long as the following things happen:
  • I remember to take all of the liquids/gels/creams out of Squiggles' diaper bag and put them in a 1qt zip top bag. Unless they are over 3oz, then they have to go in his checked bag. Oh, and I have to remember to put my little necessities (hand lotion, lip gloss) in there, too.

  • I resist the very real urge to over pack. Since we didn't purchase a separate ticket for Squiggles, we are limited to two carry-on bags and 4 checked pieces of luggage. Shouldn't be too hard since Mom & Dad have a washer and dryer at the house (won't have to pack every onesie we own), but I think I brought way more than that on our last weekend trip.

  • We're praying that: a) the flight isn't full, and b) that no one decides to take the middle seat in the three-seat row. Again, since I'm cheap and didn't spring for an infant ticket, Chef and I will reserve the window and aisle seats for ourselves; hopefully that will make the other passengers look elsewhere for seats. Unless, like I mentioned, the flight is full.

  • The airline lets us gate-check Squiggles' car seat and stroller travel system. Bonus points if the aforementioned middle seat is available and we can actually strap him into the car seat (note to self: must check and see if car seat is rated for air travel).
Of course, I'm leaving off the really obvious things, like praying that our flight isn't delayed - especially on the runway! - and that Squiggles' takes to flying like he's done it a thousand times before. Actually, now that I've actually written down this list, I'm getting a little intimidated. And I didn't even get started on what it might be like to change a diaper at 30,000 feet!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Happy Camper

Ha-ha! Squiggles got a 2 hour nap in this morning, and guess what? He was happy the rest of the day, even with a shorter 1 hour nap in the afternoon! I am convinced that that first nap is crucial for him - if he gets a long morning nap, he's a happy camper; if not, well, we're in for a bumpy evening.

He has been wanting to go to bed earlier, though, but I think it's just part of the new schedule. Since he wakes up from his afternoon nap between 4 and 5pm, staying awake until 8pm is probably about all I can ask for right now.

The oatmeal feedings are still going well. He just about scarfs down 2tbsp, so tomorrow I think I'll make 3tbsp and see how much more he'll eat. I'm also starting to plan for his introduction to fruits and vegetables. I borrowed a couple of baby cookbooks (not how to cook a baby, but how to cook for one) and I'm learning all about purees and such. Loads of fun!

By the way, the official countdown to Florida is just under 73 1/2 hours. I'm so excited! Though, I am starting to wonder when I'll blog - but I'll figure it out!

Monday, November 12, 2007

No Nap Nick

That's what I call Squiggles when, uh, he doesn't want to take a nap. Yeah, I'm not the most creative person.


As I mentioned earlier, we're working on dropping a feeding (5 down to 4) and a nap (3 short to 2 long). I think he's got the feeding thing down, and I must admit I feel like less of a milking cow when he eats every 4-5 hours. The nap schedule, however, is still in flux. At the middle of last week, he really seemed ready for two naps. But by the end of the week and into the weekend, he wasn't doing so well. Maybe an hour, hour and a half in the morning, which led to a short 30 minute snooze somewhere in the afternoon, and then maybe another hour in the late afternoon/early evening. Maybe.

Today, he took an hour and a half nap in the morning, then a 30 minute nap in the late afternoon. That was it. Needless to say, he was beyond tired by about 7:15pm. We managed to drag it out for another half hour with singing, dancing, and a bath, and finally put him down around 8:15. I hope he doesn't wake up at 6am!

Saturday, November 10, 2007

I think I'm going to be vacuuming more often...


Squiggles managed to roll all the way over to our bedroom doorway this morning while I was getting ready.

Our day with Sarah was great fun: pancakes, shopping, makeup, coffee...it was wonderful. I don't get to have days like that very often.

I could go into more detail, and regale you with a few cute Squiggles stories, but I'm tired because somebody woke up at 3:30 last night and wouldn't go back to sleep for almost an hour. But I won't name names.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Friday Soup

So it's late - well, late for me, which is after 10pm these days. I remember staying up later on Friday nights, knowing that there would be some extra sleep coming to me on Saturday morning. But Squiggles doesn't care what day it is, or that the weekend is for relaxing. We're up at 6:30 and that's that. So I guess it's not such a surprise that I have a hard time staying up past 10:30 anymore.


Yeah, it's late and I've had a long day and I've got a migraine that's been hanging on since this morning. And I haven't blogged yet today. So this will be a Friday soup post - "cream of walk-in" as Chef would say. Bits o' randomness to tie up loose ends and clear everything out at the end of the week. Maybe it will catch on.

More oatmeal today - another 2 tbsp. Squiggles really seems to like it, so I am encouraged. Of course this is making the diapers messier, but we're learning to roll with the punches. I think we may start introducing veggies over the Thanksgiving week.

Dinner at The Pub last night was excellent. Good beer, good scotch, good food, and, best of all, good company. I will make the suggestion, though, that if you go to a restaurant called "The Pub", please order pub food. Don't expect a place trying to be close to an authentic British pub to have killer salads. That said, we loved the Shepherd's Pie and Fish and Chips (well, Chef had Crisps instead of Chips). We also all determined that our new favorite beer is Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.

Squiggles is in the process of dropping a feeding (4, down from 5), and moving to two long naps instead of three shorter ones. This has not been the smoothest transition. Tonight he had a meltdown around 6pm. I finally got him to doze off around 6:30, and 25 minutes later he had finished his power nap. Maybe the oatmeal will help him with all of this.

This weekend should be nice - Chef is away for the weekend, Sarah and I (and Squigs, of course) are going shopping tomorrow, and I'll probably start working on getting the house in order on Sunday. There should be plenty of time to blog, though I'm starting to wonder how and when I'll be able to blog while we're in Florida for our big Thanksgiving vacation. Oh, well, I have 7 days to figure it out. Right now it's time for sleep-sleeps.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Fiberful

I started back up with the cereal again today. Chef picked up some infant oatmeal at the grocery yesterday, so this afternoon I gave it a go while I was home at lunch. I say lunch, but it's really more like 2:30 in the afternoon because Squiggles eats around 11am and again around 3pm. Sometimes I come home for the earlier feeding, sometimes for the later one. Today was the later one. Don't worry, I have a snack at work so I don't starve - we wouldn't want that to happen, would we?

The oatmeal mixes up a little runnier than the rice cereal did. Or maybe I was a little heavy-handed with the breast milk; who knows. It smells different, too. Heartier, I guess. And it's more of a tan color. I was hoping Squiggles wouldn't pick up on the differences.

Guess what? He must not have, because he loved the oatmeal! He kept opening his mouth and looking at me and kicking his little feet. If I waited too long between bites (because I was talking with my mother-in-law while I was feeding him), he would let out with his little howler monkey imitation. He put down almost two tbsp. of the stuff. Woo-hoo!

Today's success gives me hope for the cereal feedings, though I'll reserve final judgment until we find out how this affects his sleep.

On an adult note (but not the x-rated kind!), Chef and I are going out with my friend Sarah and her husband tonight while they are in town. We're going to try out a new restaurant, The Pub, that we heard about last year while we were at the Dayton Ale Fest (we got to talk with the owner). I'm excited to see Sarah and have some grownup conversation and (hopefully) yummy food. And beer.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Good aim!

I have an announcement to make: I am wearing prepregnancy pants today! In fact, this is the first time that I've worn pregpregnancy pants since, well, since they were simply known as pants.

This whole recovering from having a baby thing is taking time, that's for sure; but here it is, not quite six months since Squiggles joined us, and I'm back into some pre-baby clothes. I'd say I'm back down to my fighting weight, but I'm actually below my prepregnancy weight. It's just that my weight has been redistributed. Or redirected. To my midsection. No matter - this is a banner day! Now I can start focusing on losing the weight that I wanted to lose before I got pregnant. I must say, carrying around an infant creeping up on 20 lbs. and nursing helps tremendously.

Sigh. But it's not so much about me anymore, is it? Well, I suppose I can share something about the boy.

One of the most surprising things about having a baby boy is the propensity they have to pee. On everything. Mind you, I didn't have a lot of experience with babies, let alone baby boys, before Squiggles came along, so I wasn't exactly prepared for much at all. Especially this peeing thing. I can now see the need for a Peepee Teepee. Actually, we just used a baby washcloth, but isn't that the best product name? And look, they have Santa hat ones for Christmas!


Anyway, I sure could have used these little things this afternoon. I went home for lunch for both me and the boy, and to spend some time with Chef (who came home early from his business trip - yay!). I was changing a post-feeding diaper, but was having trouble getting Squiggles to keep his hands off his crotch. This is his newest discovery - he loves grabbing himself. I'm not sure why. But it's odd and funny at the same time. Even with a diaper on, he grabs and it makes this scratching sound on the diaper.

So he's trying to grab himself and I'm trying to clean the poo off of him and he ends up getting it on his hands and now I'm trying to keep his hands out of the poo and out of his face and he thinks it's a fun game. Then he pees. A long, arcing stream of pee. Right into the little bucket on the changing table that holds his diaper cream and brush and other such things. At least he has good aim.

I guess we'd gotten lax about using the washcloth in the last couple of months because Squiggles seemed to have outgrown the issue, but maybe we need to start up again. Or maybe not. He'd probably just grab the washcloth and start chewing on it.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Not Quite Ready

Welcome to NaBloPoMo day, um, 2? Day 6? Curses for not starting on Nov. 1!

Here's an update on the cereal experience: it's on hold for the time being. Yes, that's right, I haven't fed Squiggles his rice cereal now for about a week. Why? Well, it certainly isn't because he wasn't getting used to it.


Not only was he getting used to eating cereal, it seemed he was even enjoying it. I had decreased the amount of milk so that it was less of a liquid consistency. We even made it up to 1 1/2 tbsp of cereal mixed with the same amount of milk, and he was eating almost all of that.

What made me stop feeding him the cereal was how it was affecting his sleeping pattern. Isn't starting babies on solid food supposed to help sleep through the night better? Well, not us. Squiggles had been sleeping just fine through the night, but after a few days of cereal feedings, he started waking up during the night. More than once per night. And it was getting harder and harder to put him down at night. We'd get him to sleep, and, as soon as we'd lower him into his crib, he'd wake up. And scream. It was not fun. Chef and I were at a loss as to what to do, so I suggested we stop feeding Squiggles the cereal. That was the only explanation; we hadn't started him on any other new routines lately.

Squiggles is sleeping just fine through the night now. The first couple of nights, we had a hard time getting him to go down - he'd wake up about an hour or so after we put him down - but now he's back to sleeping around 9 hours through the night. I'm not sure what really happened; maybe he was getting too much gas because of the cereal? Rice is supposed to be very gentle and benign for baby digestive systems. I shared this experience with a friend of mine who said that her daughter had problems with rice cereal, too, and that they had better success with oatmeal because of the higher fiber content.

So I will get Squiggles some oatmeal and we will try again. Maybe I'll even try a different time of day - late morning or early afternoon as opposed to the evening. But I'm in no hurry. He's gaining weight (18.5 lbs!) and sleeping through the night and isn't even six months old yet, so I don't see any need to rush this whole transition to solids. Plus there's that tiny part of me that doesn't want to him to grow up.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Starting...NOW!

So I've signed up for NaBloPoMo. Well, technically I signed up on Friday and promptly forgot to make any blog posts all weekend long. Please don't hate me, NaBloPoMo!

This will certainly be a challenge for me. I mean, I haven't made more than 5 entries on this entire blog since I started the dang thing, let alone post every single day. It's hard to motivate yourself to update something that only a few people read. So, I've decided to change my attitude about blogging. Did I start this blog to gain hordes of internet followers? No, I did not. I started this blog so I could have a place to talk about Squiggles and document these precious days. I'm horrible at scrapbooking, babybooking, really any "booking" for that matter. But I love the internet. I'm always on the internet. So I will use it to keep a record of my wonderful baby boy.

And I resolve to post every day. Maybe I'll even include a picture. That should get my mom and sister checking in.

Monday, October 22, 2007

I'm "delight"-ed

When I got pregnant last year, one of the first things to go was my sense of smell. Within a few weeks, my sniffer went from enjoying various scents and perfumes to rejecting any and all fragrance. Seriously, at some point I was reduced to using only my philosophy Cinnamon Buns 3-in-1 (I could tolerate some food scents) and Curel lotion. I had to be very picky about which hair (Paul Mitchell) and body (Product Body - Joanna's unscented products truly are unscented and very luxurious!) products I used. I will say that it is definitely a challenge to find unscented products, but that is another post for another time, perhaps.

Once Squiggles was born, my nose gradually came back online, but most of the perfumes that I wore before he came along still made me a bit queasy (our emotions are very strongly tied to scent, after all). So my new mission was to find a perfume.

I spritzed and sprayed and sampled, but nothing really struck my fancy. Then one day, while out at the mall, I spied a new Pleasures fragrance from Estee Lauder: Pleasures Delight. Now, I loved Pleasures back in the day, and I eventually came back to love Pleasures Exotic (a great summer fragrance), so I thought I'd give this new incarnation of the classic a shot.



Simply put, I enjoy this fragrance. It makes me feel warm and cozy and sophisticated, like wearing a comfy cashmere sweater, if I owned a comfy cashmere sweater (I don't know how well spit-up would come out of cashmere, so I'll stick with cotton for now). According to Estee Lauder's official website, Pleasure Delight's notes are:

Top Notes: Juicy Pomegranate, fresh Greens and dewy Freesia combine with the fruity taste of whipped Strawberry Meringue to delight the senses.

Middle Notes: A heavenly bouquet of flowers enriches the heart. Soft petals of White Peony and Lily blend with fresh Muguet and tender Heliotrope to create a delectable floral confection.

Base Notes: Warm, delicately sweetened notes of Sugared Rose Petals, tempting Caramel, fluffy Marshmallow and Vanilla meld together, forming the delicious dry down. Touches of Patchouli balance the creamy gourmand feeling.

I don't know that I get the greens and freesia on top, or even the flowers in the middle (for which Pleasures is so well known). On me, this almost instantly jumps to a vanilla/caramel/marshmallow extravaganza, with a (surprisingly) nice hint of the patchouli on the drydown. I say surprisingly because I am almost never ever a fan of patchouli. Chef likes this on me, too, except at the end of the day he's not a huge fan of the patchouli; he keeps asking what smells like Patches Atchison, an old boss of his.

All in all, I definitely think I've found a winner. I purchased a holiday set that included a 1.7 oz EDP and a small purse-sized spray that I've relegated to my travel bag so I won't ever forget to bring it with me. Be sure to check it out next time you're at the Estee Lauder counter!

First Bites

Yesterday, we decided to feed Squiggles his first bites of cereal. Why? Well, he hasn't been napping very well for the past few days, and there have been a few instances where he'll still want to nurse after a feeding but doesn't really eat anything - he just kind of hangs out there. Granted, these things may all be attributed to teething (we saw white gums on top yesterday!), but we decided to try cereal and see if that either helps him or shocks him into napping and eating better.

So after lunch, my MIL and I went to Target to get the "supplies" while Chef and my FIL picked up our new La-Z-Boy chair (muy comfortable!). First, I picked up a big, honkin' box of Gerber rice cereal. I say honkin', but I think it's really only 16oz. That's still a lot of rice cereal, especially considering that we'll only mix up a tbsp or so at a time for the little guy. Still, I had a coupon for $2 off a $2 Gerber baby food purchase and the 8oz box wasn't quite $2 and I'm proving that I'm frugal.



While I'm on the cereal subject, Target had a sign on the shelf stating that the Gerber Organic cereals had been recalled due to "potential choking risk". I'm not sure how one could choke on extremely runny cereal, but it seems some of the cereal clumps do not fully dissolve in liquid, thus causing the choking risk. Be aware, be safe!

The next feeding must-have were some spoons. Squiggles' Great Aunt B gave him a beautiful sterling silver loop handle spoon, but I think I'll let him play with it once we get the hang of this whole feeding thing a little more. I ended up getting a package of Gerber infant spoons. Long, slim handle; small, flat spoon covered in different colors of silicone. Very nice.



So, the big moment. We made sure to have the camcorder set up so we could capture this moment for posterity. I ceremoniously measured out one tbsp of cereal into a small stoneware ramekin. I carefully poured in a few tbsp of warmed breast milk (I thought of using milk straight from the tap, if you know what I mean, but the image of me hovering over and aiming into the ramekin made me giggle too much - and, yes, I realize that wouldn't be the best way of doing that). I lovingly stirred the concoction. With camera running, we cooed and encouraged and told Squiggles what a big boy he was. And then came the first bite. He accepted the bit of cereal on the tip of his special spoon and promptly looked over at Chef as if to say, "You're letting her DO this to me?" Or, as my MIL said this morning, "Come on, you're a chef, can't you make this taste any better?" So hilarious! We tried a few more bites, but eventually, Squiggles' disgust moved from his face to his hand, and he began to bat at the spoon every time I brought it near his mouth. All of this was followed by a hearty nursing session.

We will be trying again this evening, of course, because we know it will take some time for him to get used to this. I will try to post a snippet of the video from last night and/or a picture from tonight's trial.

Friday, October 19, 2007

I'm so excited...

...and I just can't hide it!

We received a city newsletter in the mail the other day. I rarely read these things. A community participant I am not, so I usually just throw them into the recycle pile. But this particular city newsletter had a blurb on the front about recreation classes, which I have desperately been trying to find (it's not as fun schlepping to Cville just for a dance class now that Sarah left), so I flipped through it, hoping to find a ballet class or something.

What I happened to see was far more exciting.

Right there, in the list of new business coming to the city (those who have applied for zoning/business licenses) was...wait for it...SEPHORA! OMG, The Greene is getting a Sephora! I am beside myself with excitement right now, even though I know most of my friends and family won't be quite as jazzed as I am. Thankfully, Squiggles is still way too young to care if his mommy drags him into a makeup store!

Monday, September 24, 2007

I've got my baby back, baby back, baby back...

No, I'm not eating ribs, even though today participating Chili's are donating 100% of its profits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (in case you don't have dinner plans yet).


I'm talking about getting my happy baby boy back today. Squiggles has been out of sorts for over a week now, and he's just now coming back online. He's had a stomach bug for almost 2 weeks, I think he may be starting to teethe (he gnaws on anything he can get his little hands on, including, well, his little hands), and we had to deal with Chef being out of town for most of this last week. Not a good combination of events, I tell ya.

Needless to say, naps have been few and far between, and he couldn't even be counted on to go to sleep very well even at night (I don't even want to get started on the piercing screams from Friday night that prompted a call to my parents for help...all I have to say is that I'm glad I have family close by and that I'm not a single parent). I was beginning to wonder if this new, fussy baby had permanently replaced my Squiggles!

Then, today I saw a glimpse of the Squiggles I remembered! He slept great last night (9 1/2 hours), woke up in a splendiferous mood this morning, and has, for the most part, fallen back into his regular nap/feeding schedule! Praise the Lord!

Friday, September 21, 2007

Clean Sweep

Secret Agent Josephine posted today about helping her mom clean out her sewing room and what an emotional ordeal it was for them. I can kind of relate. My parents got rid of a lot of stuff when they moved out of my childhood home last year. I'm not sure they were pack rats in the true sense of the word, but after living in the same house for 22 years you tend to accumulate a lot without really realizing it. My mom would call every couple of days and ask me if I wanted this cake pan or that set of sheets. I'm proud of them for really downsizing like they did, and I have to admit that I did take a few (or more) things, but it was still hard to watch. I didn't really want the olive green drink cart that sat in our basement all those years (so long that you kind of didn't notice it anymore), but I wasn't really ready to know that such a fixture of my childhood would be gone, either. I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for Mom.

This struck home with me, too, since I've been beside myself lately on how I've let our closet, our guest closet, and our office go in recent months. In fact, I had a mini panic attack the other night over the fact that my closet needs to be cleaned out. I'm pretty sure that my anxiety is only 20% wanting the house to be clean and organized, and 80% wanting to exert some modicum of control in my life. When I told Mom about this worry, she wisely said, "I think you need to sort some things out in your life". Ah, yes, I do need to sort some things out in my life, not just my closets. Like the ever-present guilt that I have over leaving Squiggles all day for work...work that I don't enjoy. Or dealing with the pressure Chef is putting on himself to gain exposure at work so that we might get ourselves into a position soon where I can stay home with Squiggles.

However, I also really don't want to go through what my parents went through the next time we move. Just because we have the space doesn't mean we have to fill it. Sometimes I miss the little condo.

Friday, September 14, 2007

The Halo Effect - Are YOU spending too much?


Some of my fave beauty folks are the Beauty Brains. At the Brains' core are the Left and Right Brain, two real-life cosmetic scientists who tackle the facade that the beauty industry has taken so much care to build up for us. They give the low-down on product formulations and ingredients, as well as break down the marketing hype in the industry.

Today they've posted about one such marketing tactic, known as the Halo Effect. In essence, the Halo Effect is a way to make you think you are buying something better via packaging or product claims, very often causing you to spend more money on something that may not be worth it. For example, is a $220 jar of La Mer really that much better than a $7 jar of Olay? Probably not.

I have to admit, I've fallen for this little scheme, especially before Squiggles was born. I was pretty sure that the mid and higher end brands had better formulas (but even then, I would never have paid $200 for a moisturizer). However, now that we're supporting another member in our household, I've really been paying attention to ingredient lists - and the order of those ingredients. I've found that there are some really great products to be found for a very reasonable price; which is a good thing, now that we're supporting a new little addition to our household.

What do you think? Do you feel like you're getting your money's worth on your beauty products?

Thursday, September 13, 2007

What is this?

Ah, a blog entirely devoted to my beloved Squiggles McGillicutty. Stay tuned!

Friday, August 24, 2007

'C' is for Cute!


Lately, I've been finding myself more drawn to websites and blogs for mommies rather than just the beauty sites of old (although I do still frequent them, just not as obsessively). So when the Parents magazine blog GoodyBlog posted about a blogging mom who was making her own alphabet flash cards, I just had to go look. Secret Agent Josephine is a freelance graphic designer and mom to 19-month old Baby Bug. Currently, SAJ is creating the cutest flash cards for her daughter and generously sharing them with all of us. The letters come out two at a time, and just yesterday she started the series in lower case letters, too. You can download the cards as PDF files, then print them out and laminate them for your own extremely cute (Seriously, this ice cream cone? Get out!), unique set of flashcards. Yes, I know Squiggles is too young to start learning the alphabet, but I can be prepared, can't I? Plus, I think these would make a great little something to give to a certain kindergarten teacher I know.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

72% Bionic. And you?

Ever wondered just how bionic you are? Well, you're in luck - NBC is promoting their new show Bionic Woman with a Bionic Assessment Test. The BAT takes you through a series of math, hand-eye coordination, memory, and visual-spatial tests to determine if you are, indeed, bionic enough.


See What You're Made Of - Visit The Official Site

I guess 72% is pretty bionic. Let me know how bionic you are!

(link via TVSquad)

Update: I just retook this, and now - somewhat suddenly - I am 81% bionic. I have to stop wasting time now.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Happy Father's Day!

Just wanted to wish all the dads a happy Father's Day today. This is hubby's first, and he's already a great dad to little Squiggles. We're having the families over this afternoon for a cookout, and then all three dads will probably watch some golf. Hope you all have a relaxing day!

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Happy Birthday...


...to me! I start the last year of my 20's today, which I'm not too excited about, but I'll get over it. Hubby and Squiggles got me a spa day and a haircut which I am beyond thrilled about, then we went out for brunch, and tonight we'll have dinner with our families and then...ice cream cake! It's a great birthday, that's for sure.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Announcing...


He's here! Our beautiful baby boy was born on May 17 at 12:56pm. He clocked in at 7 lbs 10 oz and 21 inches long. Isn't he beautiful? Hopefully, we'll settle into a routine soon and I'll be able to post more - and visit all my fave blogs more, too!

Monday, May 14, 2007

Happy Mother's Day!


Happy belated Mother's Day to all you moms, grandmoms, moms-to-be, and everyone else who acts in a mom-like capacity! I celebrated my first Mother's Day (as a mom-to-be...still waiting on little Beanie to make his appearance!) with family - including my mom, my mother-in-law, and my AuntieP, who always cares for us like a mom or a grandma would. We had a lovely brunch, and after everyone left, hubby and I had a lovely lazy afternoon with golf, naps, and an evening stroll. I hope you all enjoyed a lovely, relaxing day with your loved ones, too (or without...sometimes that's a good present, too!).

Monday, May 7, 2007

Purrrfect Catfight

I just watched the latest episode of Ugly Betty ("Secretaries Day"), and, as always, it was chock full of laugh-out-loud goodness. In fact, the "fight" between Marc and Willhelmina almost made me pee my pants a little because I was laughing so hard! You can catch the full episode online on ABC's website.

(screencap via Ugly Is In)

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Shimmering White

I happened upon Clinique's newest collection yesterday, and today, low and behold, there is an email in my inbox announcing its arrival. White in Bloom includes a limited edition Shimmering Tones Powder (Shimmering Whites), Blushing Blush Powder Blush (Snow Flake), Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad (Prism Whites), and Glosswear for Lips Sheer Shimmer (Camisole).



I know the white, frosty highlighting powders have been all the rage over the last few seasons, but I still can't bring myself to get one (I know, I'm ashamed to call myself a product junkie sometimes). I just fully believe that they will wash my olive skin out - I think I do much better with the bronze, shimmery highlighters instead. However, I find something so fresh and pretty about this new collection - maybe it's my love for Clinique's Shimmering Tones that's reeling me in. I do wish I could see the collection in person, though; the colors in the shadow quad look like four colors were simply plucked from the Shimmering Tones powder - why not just use the individual colors of the powder as eye shadows? I do this with my bronze Shimmering Tones every so often, and it works quite well.

So, what shall it be? Do I go for it and snag one of the LE Shimmering Tones in an effort to (albeit very, very late) jump on the frosty highlighter bandwagon? Or do I let my frosty lemming slowly fade, as these things usually do?

Oh, one more thing - Clinique is offering a free trial-size Take the Day Off Cleansing Milk with any White in Bloom purchase. I love Clinique's cleansers, especially in travel size!

Monday, April 30, 2007

Soft and Fringe-y


I have a confession to make: I am a mascara floosie (I would have chosen a different word there, but I'll leave it out just in case my mom is reading this...hi, Mom!). I flit from mascara to mascara, and I don't care if it's a cheap drugstore find or a high-end splurge. There are very few times that I can remember actually repurchasing a mascara. It's not that the ones I've tried have been horrible (although some have been); I think that they all perform just fine, but I'm looking for better than just fine. I'm looking for the mascara that makes my lashes look just like my husband's (why must they be so beautiful!?) - full and thick and pointing up toward my eyebrows.

For the record, I think I have fairly decent lashes to start with - like my hair, they are very dark, and they are also nice and long. Unfortunately, also like my hair, they are fine and straight - they stick out at almost a 90-degree angle when left au naturale. So, in my attempt to find that holy grail mascara, I've been trying the new rubberized brush mascaras, and my latest try is Max Factor's Volume Couture Mascara. I must say, this is pretty good stuff. I do think that this new brush technology helps cut down on the clumps, but I do still have to wipe off excess mascara from the brush every once in a while (just not as often). The formula doesn't flake or smudge on me (unlike the Cover Girl Volume Exact), and at 2:30 in the afternoon, I think I still have a pretty good, soft to the touch fringe going on. It also washes off fairly easily with my cleanser, so that saves me from breaking out the eye makeup remover every day.

All in all, this is turning out to be a very good, if maybe everyday, mascara. In the meantime, I'll probably still be searching for that "eye-popping" mascara, so I'm sure I'll have another mascara review in a few months.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Hokie Hope Day

The Virginia Tech Alumni Association has delcared tomorrow, April 20, "Hokie Hope" day and a national "Orange and Maroon Effect" day. Please wear your orange and maroon tomorrow in honor of the victims of Monday's tragedy.

Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine has also declared tomorrow a statewide day of mourning, and is encouraging everyone across the nation to pause at noon, EDT, and say a prayer of support for everyone affected by this sad event.

I will be wearing my Hokie best tomorrow for sure.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Sad Hokie

I just want to say that my prayers are going out to the families of the students and faculty that were killed yesterday at VA Tech. As you may know, we are big Hokie fans; and although neither hubby nor I went to school there, many members of his family have, and we still have a strong emotional connection to the school. It made me sad and sick to see the scene unfold yesterday afternoon, and today I am just sad for everyone affected by this senseless tragedy. It was especially hard to look at photos and videos of places on the Tech campus that we frequent when we're in town for football games. Especially today, I want all of my family and friends to know I love them - and I'm saying an extra prayer of protection for Beanie.

The first of (hopefully) many!

Ah...my first post! For those of you who know me, you know I have a lot to talk about, so I hope to use this blog to get out a lot of the stuff I have to say! I have a feeling this blog will handle everything from my skincare and makeup "hobby" to the tail end of my pregnancy and the arrival of our baby, to just life in general - so stay tuned!