Why we like Toyota

You've gotta have a great sense of humor to create something like this for your ad campaign. :)

A Giggling Machine

I don't often think about shooting videos anymore; I barely have enough time to grab the camera for a quick snapshot. But, last night Jon was reading one of Logan's favorite bedtime stories and I always listen from the other room through the baby monitor because it just makes me smile like crazy.

Logan's starting to understand comedy - what's silly and funny versus not. We've seen him catch on with jokes and silly antics on tv shows or movies (Kung Fu Panda comes to mind) more and more. This particular book strikes him funnier than most - and no matter what, he can't stop laughing at each page's punchline. I figured a video was appropriate, as any amount of descriptive prose I'd write just wouldn't do it justice.

Enjoy.

Al Bundy has moved in

Logan decided to strip down to his diaper this evening. And then tried pulling the diaper off next. I asked him, do you want me to change your diaper? At which he replied with the following gesture.... (while walking down the hallway toward his bedroom):

I guess that's a yes.

Mice

They evidently belong on the toilet, don't you know?

What should I eat?

This is dedicated to all the bacon lovers out there. But more specifically, to Daddy.....

Imelda Marcos for Men?

I didn't quite realize how many baby shoes I bought tonight until I
got home and went thru all the bags.

You know your shoe obsession is bad when it starts bleeding into your
barely one year old son's life.

Hmmmm.

Winter Cleaning?

In addition to the kitchen, Logan likes to help out in our office too, reorganizing the bookshelves while Mommy and Daddy work.


Daddy doesn't think this is as cute as you all do. So, I just don't tell him how often this really happens. ;-)

Our little helper

Apparently my tupperware cabinet (and plastic bag drawer and area where the paper bags are kept) needs re-arranging.


This is the latest activity that Logan likes to do while Mommy's in the kitchen making dinner or cleaning bottles, etc.


We call it HELPING OUT around the house.

New Zedland Road Signs

As you've seen from my many posts journaling our trip, we spent a lot of time on the road. New Zealand must have a lot of tired drivers who cause accidents, because road signs everywhere, encouraged people to pull over if tired.

We found several of their expressions funny (or perhaps it was just me), so half way through our trip I started writing them down. Here's the collection :)

• You know when you are tired.
• Tired driving is the same as drunk driving.
• You know what causes crashes.
• Tired? Take a power nap.
• You know crashes occur on bends.
• Fatigue kills; Have a break.
  
• You know to drive sober. Kia Kaha! (Maori which means "Be Strong")
• Good drivers have knowledge - use it.
• You know the dangers of bad driving.
• Feeling Tired? Wake up to the signs.

New Zedland Quotes of the Day

Since we were spending so much time in the car, I started writing down various funny "quotes of the day" which often happened during our road trips (but not always).

What is a road trip without hilarious "you had to be there" quotes anyway, huh? :)

Here's the collection:

• "Good on ya mate" - Everyone (what every Kiwi seems to say when you leave or end a conversation)
  
• "There's prune juice in here! I am not even kidding guys!" - Eric (when seeing that the Waitomo cabin had prune juice in the fridge, which actually happened to be ours, that Jill put in there when we got in)
  
• "Stupid bitch" - Jon; "We will not road rage in New Zealand" - Eric, in response
  
• "It's just too big" - Eric (his reasoning for why he didn't think NZ was/is an island)
• "It's been awhile, but if I remember correctly, this tastes like balls" - Eric; "I just had balls like yesterday, and this does not taste like balls" - Jon (referring to a Kiwi drink they bought and tried out. Apparently "balls" is a type of sports drink that we have here in the States)
• "Man, he's got a small penis!" - Eric (seeing Logan's penis for the first time)
  

Notice all quotes were from the MEN of our travel party?

*sigh*

A barking problem

I'm working from home today since my back is out of sorts and I'm dealing with an(other) ugly head cold. Of course, every chance they get, Lola and Odin are up and BARKING IN MY EAR whenever the mailman comes, or the UPS guy, or the gardener, or the second mailman, or the lady who wants to sell neighborhood Christmas trees.

It is all I can do not to strangle the two of them, or drug them with a little Benadryl and a sip of Jon's scotch. (what? I would never do that. I'm just saying....)

So, of course, today's Dooce post couldn't come at a better time. Oh, how I can totally relate.

Learning the art of anticipation

There is a "popper" toy at Logan's school which essentially scares little kids in anticipation (think a baby version of Jack-in-the-Box). Logan has learned exactly when the toy is nearly done, making the most hilarious faces ever in anticipation of the final POP.

I borrowed the toy from his school so we could play with it over the weekend, and so I could capture a few of his expressions for everyone to see. Enjoy!

Don't try this at home

We three stayed home sick yesterday. Jon and I are both still queasy but doing better and I figured no use infecting anyone else with the awful wave from hell. Today, however, we had to work. I dropped Logan off, giving the school instructions to call Jon today if anything went wrong, since I was going to be in an all day meeting that I couldn't get out of. mwahahahahahaha

No more than 15 min. after I dropped him off, they called Jon. Logan's running a fever (100.3) - you'll need to pick him up and take him home.

So, Jon got to babysit Logan all day today and boy was he RACING to leave the house for his D&D nerd night the minute I walked in the front door. Complaining about Logan "being super bitchy" (seriously, his words, not mine) and wanting to be held all day long. You mean, he's acting like he's sick?

OHMYGODTHEHORROR.

So, I picked up smiley little Logan and we hung out and played and had a grand ol' time tonight while Daddy took off to decompress.

And, just when I was thinking, what the hell is everyone talking about, Logan doesn't seem bitchy or fussy or sick - he starts to cough, and then choke. I pick him up, give him a couple whacks on the back and he gives me this in return.

You can see a couple of Jon's books got splashed as well. Good times.

So then I changed him and finished cleaning up the floor, and what does the little stinker go and do? He discovers this coooool water dish that is so fun to splash in Mommy, see?

Check out how big and full the water container is folks. It holds 5 gallons. Five gallons. That is a LOT of water to have fun playing in....

And, because apparently no one noticed the fish baby post (I figured I'd get at least a couple comments. C'mon people.) I guess I'll show you his other favorite face - we call this one FISH LIPS.

Fish Baby

The most hilarious facial expression he's learned yet.

He started doing it a week or so ago during feedings and I thought it was due to the food (like sour apples or pears?).

Now he does it wherever he goes.

And, I crack up every time.

Child-proofing

We plugged in a few of those child proof plugs around the house - but I didn't have enough (need to buy more) - so for a few of the outlets where we have night lights, I just plugged them into the bottom plug, since the top plug was covered by the night light. Thinking that was good enough for now.

HA!

What a newb.

It took Logan about 1.2 seconds to pull the night light out this morning.


Luckily, he's more interested in the night light than the outlet. :)

Already getting into trouble

I can't leave him alone for a second!
Leaving the scene of the crime....

Epidural, Take 2

Yesterday I received a second set of injections in my back. I arrived 35 minutes early for my pre-op (which is an hour before my actual injections), so I ended up laying around on a hospital bed, scrunched up on one side half naked trying to cover my entire body with a thin short sheet that wasn't quite long enough to cover my feet, freezing my buns off and reading about Obama Finding His Faith and a disturbing story of a woman who died waiting for help in a mental hospital's emergency room. Though completely starved and dehydrated (I hadn't had anything to eat nor drink since the night before, and it was already 1pm), I was pretty relaxed and ready to roll.

My "roommate" however, a woman who was in the pre-op bed next to mine also getting prepped for injections, was not.

I could not see her (they had those privacy curtains pulled around each bed) but I could hear everything. And boy, was she a jittery, nervous talking machine! It was quite amusing. And, as interesting as the story was on new up and coming company Ning, I couldn't help but put my magazine down and eavesdrop. What can I say, I'm nosy. :)

While two different nurses were sitting poking me three different times to get my IV in (apparently your veins aren't as cooperative when you're dehydrated), this loud and garish New Yorker was going on and on about how she barely trusts her clueless 19-yr old son to drive her home, let alone walk into Starbucks and order her drink correctly (because I'm a "Grande Ice Tea with Two Splendas" kind of gal) and how she's finally given up on coloring her hair to mask the salt and pepper streaks that are coming in around her face and - Nurse!! can she have a look at the results of her MRI because "I'm not really sure if I should be here or not" (seriously, she said that).

During our pre-op, amongst other things, they take your heartbeat, oxygen levels, blood pressure, etc. And, not surprisingly, this woman's blood pressure was through the roof. I mean, 215/165 THROUGH. THE. ROOF. So of course, she goes on about how her blood pressure is usually a little high (she does take meds for it), but not THAT high and it must be her nerves taking a hold of her (no shit!) since she really isn't looking forward to these injections and she's been putting it off for months and have you seen the doctor yet? because really, I'd like to see the MRI scan and maybe I should talk to him first because, are we really doing the right thing and is this really going to take care of this leg pain I've been having?

I couldn't help but giggle as I watched the nurses exchange those big eye rolls at each other behind the curtain and then calmly re-enter, telling her she'd be fine once they put a sedative in her when she's on the table.

Damn straight I'm getting a sedative! was her answer.

A couple hours later, once I was chillin' with my graham crackers and cranberry juice in post-op and shootin' the shit with the nurses, I hear her voice down the hallway getting louder and louder as they wheel her back in, to the area next to mine. She was still pretty chatty, but high as a kite and so much more relaxed. She even asked if she could get a bit more of the drugs before going home.

Most of you know, I've never been one for drugs or alcohol or anything really, that will alter my mental or physical state more than I can trust. It's definitely a control issue, and I whole heartedly admit that can be a problem at times. I refused to take any drugs when delivering Logan, and I refused both times the offer for a sedative while my doctor plucked away at my nerves like a guitar-fiddling maniac. Instead, I take a deep breath, will my blood pressure to drop 10 more points and face it head on.

However, even my own heart skipped a few beats faster the minute this woman rolled back into the room rambling on again about her poor son (...do you know this state requires you to have car insurance for your kid once he starts driving, even if he doesn't own a car! but in my state you are only required to get car insurance if you own a car and that is so much more logical...). No longer as amusing, I noticed myself glancing up at the clock several times after that, wondering when Jon would arrive so I could get the hell out of there.

I hope I'll never ever be - even appear to be - a basket case like that.

Logan, I'm a "Tall Chai Latte with Non-Fat Milk" kind of gal. And I whole-heartedly trust you will get my order right, every single damn time.

And if not, then surprise me. I like surprises anyway.

Oh, how we love our dogs

I am now a frequent reader of a blog called Dooce, pretty much ever since I discovered her randomly a couple of months ago? Anyway, Heather is labeled a "Mommy Blogger" but honestly she really doesn't talk as much about her daughter as she does about life in general. Among other things, she has two dogs that she writes about - HILARIOUS stories of - the kind that, as a dog owner myself, I can totally relate to.

Today's story - is the best so far. I was literally gasping for air and wiping the tears from my face.

And because of that, I need to link to it so you can read it too.

It may be long, but trust me. TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Enjoy.

Home from the concert

Zafu, babysitting Logan :)

Thank Goodness for Name Tags

Know what Visitor Name Tags are good for?

Hiding a wet spot on your blouse when your boobs leak milk!!

UGH.

Of course, the ONE time I forget to bring any nursing pads is the time I actually leak through -- at an all day CLIENT MEETING no less.

Good times.

All I can say is, thank goodness for name tags.