Clutter

I feel like it’s one step forward, two steps back.  Who has time to do any big projects when I spend all day playing “find the smell” (old dishtowel used to sop up milk shoved in cupboard) and picking up things like this: a shoe stuffed inside a Hallowe’en bag.

The shoe is the one we spent 20 minutes trying to find this morning when getting out the door; the Hallowe’en bag keeps coming back to life (I’ve thrown it out TWICE and it’s REALLY hard for me to throw things in the trash).

It’s the little things … sigh

Oh right…the baby!

I’ve been trying to find more time to find my writing mojo by blathering on about trivial minutia here, you know, the Seinfeld-type stuff that rolls through your head while you’re in the shower or sitting at a stoplight.  (“It’s GOLD, Jerry!”)

Of course the major stuff has to wait until I have time to properly plan an outline, compose and execute a flawless blog post. Which is never gonna happen, so here’s the short version:

We had a baby girl on July 12!   We didn’t know the gender (see FAQs).  I felt like she was a girl… but I also “just knew” Marshall was a girl until they told me he wasn’t.  Or rather, didn’t tell me.  While pointing at the ultrasound screen, the doctor said… “Well, I don’t think we have to tell you the gender of this one!” (I’m assuming she was pointing to his genatalia.)  To which I responded…”Yes, yes you do have to tell me.  I’m not a freakin’ radiologist!”   (Actually, I smiled and nodded and double checked with Bill later on.)

In any case, I couldn’t really imagine myself as the mother of a girl, and frankly once you have two boys, a third seems just as much fun.  I got bumped so many times on birthday that I actually completely forgot about not knowing the gender.  We just knew that today was the day that Remy was coming.

I lay on the table anticipating the worst-slash-best part, which is the moment where they basically squish you til you can’t breathe to get the baby out, and suddenly remembered my little surprise was on it’s way.  I guess delivery room staff get bored of saying “It’s a boy / It’s a girl”, because what I heard was “Well, we have a little lady!” and it really did take me about 8 seconds to comprehend what they were saying.

Of course Benson has called it from the beginning, although I was always quite sure that he just didn’t want to have to share his toys with yet another brother.   This also meant that we had to reject the following names: Martin (as in Martin Kratt, from Wild Kratts) and Patrick (I believe it’s from SpongeBob SquarePants, but my kids aren’t allowed to watch that so that’s just not possible!).  Marshall’s suggestion of Batgirl held some merit, but we decided to go with our original pick…Remy.

So, she’s here, and not adding too much to the insanity of the household.  An unscheduled summer sounded so romantic, but ultimately just led to either brilliant play (20 per cent of the time) or cranky, battling children (80 per cent of the time).  I will be welcoming the routines and schedules of September…

 

Tivo

We’ve had a Tivo for about 4 years, ever since they were first available in Canada. Sure, the service is $12 a month, we probably could have bought 2 PVRs for the same price by now. But every time I use our Shaw PVR it’s like using an Atari after using an Xbox (with apologies to Cee-Lo).

The reason we had to actually succumb to Shaw is that Tivo HD is not “allowed” in Canada, due to some kind of CRTC regulation.  (Seriously, not sure what’s all up in the CRTC’s bonnet, but they pretty much ruin everything to do with watching and listening to stuff.)

The Tivo is just so user friendly and intuitive. Fast forwarding and rewinding are a cinch (and always at the same speed – WTF, Shaw?)  Even Shaw’s font just pisses me off.  And Shaw on Demand?  What’s the opposite of state-of-the-art?

Tonight Tivo recommended a 1994 movie starring Alec Baldwin…well now, don’t mind if I do.  What do you recommend, Shaw?  Oh wait you just keep re-recording the same episode of House Hunters?  Well yeah, I’ll watch that too.  But still!

Music Monday | Darlin, Do Not Fear ~ Brett Dennen

Early pregnancy is always a rough time for me. I fear being overconfident and then broken-hearted. I can’t seem to find that joy without a small piece of pain to weight it down.

This pregnancy in particular gave me a number of worries near the beginning. I struggled to hold my faith while at the same time Googling every symptom, every word that came out of doctors’ mouths. But where there was no definitive negative news, I had to have faith that whatever happened, I’d survive, I’d grow, I’d adapt.

I took so many of these words to heart, in particular:

Sometimes your path is marked in the sky
Sometimes it falls to fit in between the lines
Sometimes all you can do is say no
But darlin, do not fear what you don’t really know

Pregnancy FAQ #2: Do you know what you’re having?

Nope.  We knew with our second, and since we had a planned c-section with him it took all the mystery out of our day.  Which is fine, except it left me to concentrate on one thing: I’m being sliced open today.  It’s always amazingly exciting to have a baby, but with both a name, date, and expected time — I really focussed on the whole surgery aspect.  Sure there were other factors: what would he look like (they really all look the same to me at that point), what would he weigh (alot).  While we did know the gender, we chose not to tell anyone.   And that really irked some people, like we were keeping a secret.  Well, we were, but it’s our secret!

This time just might be the last time, so it seems appropriate to add a little fun (and perhaps temper any shopping impulses) and wonder for just a little while longer.

FAQ #2A:  Hoping for a girl, then?

Nope. I think everyone else is, though.  After having two boys I realize that having two of the same gender is still to have two very different children, each amazing and unique.  And these were the boys I was destined for and meant to have.  So if this is a third boy I will feel blessed.  If it is a girl, I will feel blessed.  I’m not just saying that because we’re all supposed to say, “As long as its healthy.”  I really believe that this is the baby meant for us.  Plus, I don’t know any of the Disney princesses’ names and I’m already up to my ears in cars and dump trucks!

Pregnancy FAQ #1: When are you due?!

July 12.  That’s not my due date.  That’s the date of my c-section.  Yes, I had c-sections with my first two.  No, I haven’t seriously considered a VBAC after two.  I had wonderful recoveries with my first two, and hey, the scar’s already there.  No need to add another.

I know the scheduled c-section loses me a few granola points but for my sanity, I’ll make the sacrifice.

Music Monday ~ Red Hot Chili Peppers

Sure, this song has been shuffled into play on more than one occasion in the last 12 or so years.  However, yesterday it came on as I was driving down 152nd, windows down, summer breeze coming through the window.

It definitely paralleled my route oh so many summer days and nights in 1999… except that every single other thing was different.  A minivan instead of a two-seater.  Bag packed with snacks and water bottles instead of … er, snacks and water bottles.  Two kids singing along in the back instead of random passenger.

Still one of my favourite driving songs from the first notes to the end.

 

Jokes with Marshall

M: Knock Knock.
B: Who’s There?
M: Who’s There!!
B: Marshall?
M: What?

The Bachelorette Premiere (2011)

I got a chance to finish up the Bachelorette before the hockey game came on.  While I wasn’t surprised that at the end of the show there was still 15 minutes left after the rose ceremony to show what was coming up…. This Season…  On the Bachelorette…, I was disappointed in the obvious spoiler!  At least leave a little mystery as to who makes it near the end!

My pick, although he doesn’t appear to make it too far (thanks a lot, ABC spoiler), is William.  Come on, you can’t go wrong with a cell phone salesman.  He seemed to be the only one who wasn’t taking himself all too seriously.   Constantine and possibly Ames were the other two who struck me as  not too icky or potentially cuckoo (also gave them points for no topless jogging shots).

Speaking of unique names, is this the season of made-up names?  Bentley? West?!  Those names are made up.  Really.  (Although I believe Bentley is the one with the daughter named … Cozy.)

Speaking of potentially cuckoo, Bentley has a touch of what I call crazy eyes, and while I hold nothing against being divorced, I do think you need to wait longer than a year, especially when you’re 28.  And are clearly obsessed with someone else from TV.  And have crazy eyes.

I also have nothing against the widower, West (aka “Sad Eyes”), but not sure that our fragile Bachelorette is up to the challenge of being compared to a dead woman that said widower calls “the love of my life”.  (Ask Brad.) Can’t talk about last night’s episode without mentioning the Mask.  Gimmick or brilliant, or a bit of both?

And last but not least, good old Tim.  I bet he has an even bigger hangover today.  And also, does not know what to say.  Or as he puts it: “can’t make words come out of my mouth.”  Was he sent home too soon?  Haven’t we all had a little too much to drink on a national television show? Favourites?  Creepers?  Is Ashley emotionally capable of participating in the most dramatic… season… ever?

Today.

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”

Robert Frost (1874-1963)