A baby is coming! A baby is coming!

Our good friend Mack will beging the potassium drip at 8 am today. Keep mommy, daddy and baby in your thoughts.

It sure is fun waiting to find it if the baby will be sugar and spice or puppy dog tails!

A baby is coming! A baby is coming!

Dropping a Weight Class

If you have been keeping track you would realize someone turned nine months old last Friday - stay tuned for pictures of the professional kind - and if you know anything about well baby check-ups, you have been patiently waiting for the update.

Let's just say Little Guy is the picture of health and perfection. OK, the pediatrician may not have said those exact same words but I'm sure she was thinking "this Little Guy is sure one perfect little boy and I really wish I could utter these words out loud to his Mommy and Daddy". Not to worry Doc, I got the mind reading imagination ability down pat.

Vitals at Nine Months:

Height: 30 7/8" (95 - 97 percentile)

Weight: 22 lbs 4 oz (75 - 90 percentile)

Head: 45.5 cm (50 percentile)

(Want to compare this to the six months vitals?)

Up to this point Little Guy's height and weight percentiles almost mirrored each other. I want to assure you, even though Little Guy dropped a fighting weight class, we are feeding him. Man, we are feeding him. Just the other day Big Poppy asked Little Guy if it has started already, he was going to eat us out of the house. Big Poppy had previously been under the impression only teenage boys ate this much.

Now don't be jealous of how much Little Guy has been eating and still dropped a weight class. It's a problem you can have too, if you are willing to follow Little Guy's daily work-out. I cannot keep up such a rigorous schedule. Here is the secret to Little Guy's ability to eat and eat and eat and maintain a health weight.

Piss & Vinegar.

Piss is a four legged fluff ball.

Vinegar is an all fours snuggle bug.

Together, Piss & Vinegar chase each other around the house. Sometimes Vinegar thinks Piss needs his water stirred with love. Other times Piss will turn on one of Vinegar's toys. Either way, it always brings the other one running speed crawling. These two pals are never far apart.

But those are stories for another day.

Little Guy is one tough fellow. After Big Poppy warned Little Guy about the shot he was about to receive, Little Guy made it clear what he would do to the nurse.

 

Don't hurt me and I won't be forced to tear your head off like this.

As it turned out, there were no tears involved. Not even a flinch. Little Guy looked pain in the eye and he came out on top.

I think you tried to trick me with that needle. I didn't feel a thing.

Crafty Poppy

I like the wood letters to spell out names or use as initials. I do not like the price tag normally associated with each letter. (I prefer to spend my money on other things. I do not normally find the same value in home decor items as the price tag associated with these items. However, I am not always good. I have spent waaaaay too much money on framing or pictures before. Too bad it was years ago and I am now tired the way they look and am trying to revamp our home decor.)

While at the trusty Michael's store looking at frames for my "nesting project", I stumbled upon wood letters. Even better, the price I was willing to spend (truth be told, I would have been willing to spend more than the asking price). Big Poppy, Little Guy and I found some paint - no plain white letters for this little guy - and brushes. All in all, the time at Michael's was well utilized.

Since this is my heaviest time of the year for work and Big Poppy's lightest time of the year (isn't it nice how that works out.) (Is it just me or do I seem to be a little over board with the () today?) (I'm going with it.), Big Poppy took charge off painting. And painting. And painting. Then I did some painting, and a little more painting.

At this point I am beginning to think the 59 cent paint was not worth the 59 cents. I even went so far as to pick up some spray paint over this past weekend, only to return it the next day (I decided since it is cold and snowy outside, spray paint in the house might not be the best idea). I painted again and yesterday, my hubby, Mr. Crafty himself (really he is not crafty but when given a task, he is excellent at completing the project at had) put the final coat on the wood letters for Little Guy's room.

For the price of less than seven dollars but more coats of paint than Big Poppy can count (I can count my layers of contribution, it was 5 coats...I wonder if this is why I am the accountant, I can count.) I have wood letters in my home.

Crafty Poppy project in process.

The current resting place on the ledge in Little Guy's room....but I think it may be moved.

This may be a good spot for the wood letters to be hung vertically.

Cryptic Codes, Strange Events and Truth or Fiction

I have a problem. According to a few friends, I like boy books. Now, through book club I have found another "boy" book series to read. On the down side, The Doomsday Key, written by James Rollins, is the sixth book in the Sigma Series. On the up side, this means there are five books I will need to figure out when I can read them (and what fake holiday I can make up to get others to gift these books to me - in hardcover, because sometimes I am a snob).

The Doomsday Key offers up cryptic codes. The historical is interwoven with an adventure to find the key, the antidote, to a long dormant strain of fungus. I enjoy seeing the historical symbols and the play on what these symbols may have meant and the clues it may lead your imagination. The way James Rollins brings together fact and fiction to develop the race between good and evil can make your heart pump.

I have struggled to tell you about this book. Partly out of guilt, I waited to read and did not finish before book club met but also because I do not want to do the book injustice. All I can say, if you enjoy Vince Flynn, Dan Brown or Robert Ludlum books, you will not be disappointed picking up something written by James Rollins.

There may be question or two regarding how my boyfriends Mitch Rapp and Edward Cullen are handling this new series. As of today, Mitch is still my number one and Edward number two (and thank goodness Big Poppy takes me serious enough to talk to me about my boyfriends). My favorite player in The Doomsday Key is Seichan, even though I am unsure if she's a good guy or bad guy...my guess good guy who uses means you do not expect from a good guy. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the misunderstood.

Is This Nesting?

As some of you know, last year Big Poppy and I went on our annual vacation but before we left, the entire house was packed up. Then, while we were gone, magic happened. The popcorn ceiling was replaced with knock-down. It really freshen the look of our home. We needed to repaint the entire house due to the ceiling work. We were just about done with the repainting when Little Guy came into our hearts. (Uncle Park-it was kind enough to paint the last room for us.)

I was not thrilled with our old art on the walls and have not hung anything back up while I looked for new things. Months have passed with the blank walls shouting how inadequate I am when it come to wall hangings. Blank walls telling the world, or at least our guests, we have no pictures forgetting about the room full in one of the spare bedrooms. These blank walls have also been reminding me of my frugal nature - the inability to find wall art at a price I am willing to spend is challenging. It has definately reminding me I like to waste our spare cash on other items.

Until now, I cannot stand the lack of warmth on the walls. The blank walls are telling me I am not a grown-up and that perhaps now is the time to just realize you have expensive tastes (which I have already known but normally try hard not to give into my vice for the finer things of life - darn that German heritage that taught me to save, save and then save some more).

I mean, if you walked into your home every day and saw this:

See how it just stares at you, reminding you its time to make your home a HOME.

You would be going nuts by now too. And so I set out on a task, to cover one of the many blank walls. Nine nails, 15 holes, 6 putting and paint touchups and $35 dollars later, I got this.:

Do any of these look familiar?

I call that a success in my world. Pictures of those I love greet me when I come home every day and I was able to do it for next to nothing. I am patting myself on the back right now. Even as I type, I have a grin on my face.

Little Guy loves looking at the pictures. His favorite is the bottom left picture. Big Poppy's favorite is the one right smack in the middle. And me? I can't choose...maybe the bottom middle or the middle right...then I see others and think, well maybe that one.

Since I was on a roll, I hung a few more things in Little Guy's room. You know, things I have had for months but have been too busy stealing kisses to stop and hang them up.

GrandB and GrandC gave Little Guy this bat.

Back-pack was a gift from an Auntie.

See the bobble heads. Little Guy has had those up for quite a while and giggle at them.

And then it was time to hang the wall quote. The wall quote I just had to have.

This is above Little Guy's crib.

All in all, I am proud of myself. I cannot wait to add some more personal touches to our home.

Mocking Me!

So Little Guy and I are on our way to pick up Happy Mom from work, when out of nowhere he starts to laugh then stops. He laughs again and stops. Hmm, this might be a fun game to play. So I laugh. A few seconds later he laughs again. He stops, so I laugh again. A few seconds later he laughs again. This went on for a good ten minutes.

Although it started with Little Guy, his laugh changed to match mine, which prompted me to ask him, Are you mocking me? To which he laughed again! :) Today we tried to imitate the famous Woody Woodpecker. Enjoy!

Counting The Days

Well if you live in the Midwest it may look like winter will never end. I'm here to let you know there is an end in sight and it's only 54 days away. I'm talking about opening day for our favorite baseball team. No, I'm not talking about that cute little club in the Upper Midwest, who's filthy rich ownership fails to invest a fraction of their billions in the team. I'm talking about the New York Yankees. On April 4th, 2010, they begin their journey to back to back Championships, starting with the hated Boston Red Sox. They don't deserve to have their own link. I wouldn't want to subject you to mediocrity:)

Little Guy says: "Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks, I don't care if I never get back. Let me root, root, root for the Yankees, if they don't win it's a shame. For it's one, two, three strikes your out at the old ball game."

What Must Jeter Think

Jeter, my favorite puppy in the world, hears most of my thoughts. My puppy is more than a puppy. Jeter is definitely a family member. If anyone ever forgets Jeter's place, he'll be happy to remind you he is not a dog. As with any good family member, there may be times he hears things. Things that cause eyes to roll into the back of your head.

Last night, I am not sure it was eye rolling worthy, but Jeter did look at Big Poppy and I and shake his head. Let me set the scene.

It is approximately 9:30 pm. Little Guy has long been snuggled into his bed for the night. Big Poppy and I are vegged out on the couch. I have just finished a piece of cake, a glass of milk and pretend I am going to drink the glass of wine I just had to have (I may be known for having to have a glass a wine on school night and come morning, the glass is still sitting virtually untouched in the morning). Since it is 9:30 pm and the Tivo has finished up White Collar, it is a predicament.

It seems a little early to head off to bed but vegging out to another tv show might result in an inadvertent nap on the couch. There are some bottles to be washed but I think Big Poppy can handle those in the morning. What to do? What to do?

HM: Let's watch 15 minutes of The Vampire Diaries. Then I'll be ready for bed and will watch the rest later without you. (BP is not a fan.)

BP: *eye roll* OK.

Roughly 15 minutes later - BP exits living and takes Jeter outside one more time for the night. HM remains motionless on the couch.

BP and Jeter return from outside. BP sits down next to HM.

BP: *heavy sigh*

10 minutes pass.

BP: You lied. We are going to watch the whole thing.

HM: *Smirking* I just can't help myself. What can I say? I'm really a 13 year old girl.

BP: Can you at least be 18 so you are legal?

HM: *Quick side glance to BP* You're sick (BP is indeed ill, the common cold has struck). Nothing tonight. I don't have to be legal. I'm sticking with being 13.

BP: *HEAVY sigh*

Jeter: *Looks up at HM and BP. Shakes head in disbelief and thinks....*

Future Mechanic?

Here's proof that Little Guy will be introduced to more than just sports, sports, and more sports. Although I would be classified as mechanically challenged when it comes to autos, I did manage to put together Little Guy's first set of wheels, with his help of course. Here he is finishing his first tire change.

After careful inspection of the engine..........

Little Guy is ready for his first solo ride.

Outta my way!!!!

In case you're wondering, it is a dirty job and requires three change of clothes. :)