maybe if you use the Ab Lounge, too...

You can get tremendous results like these:

on the things people say.

In the last several weeks, a few acquaintances have said things to me to the effect of, "You look so good for just having had a baby." At first, I think, Oh, that's nice of them to say. And I thank them. But then I wonder, what do they mean, "for just having had a baby"? (Not that I think I look like a super model or anything even remotely close to it, but it's been 4 MONTHS since I had a baby, not to mention that I'm actually 2 sizes smaller now than I was BEFORE I was pregnant.) That's like when I was a kid and other kids would say, "You're pretty good at playing the piano for being homeschooled!" or if someone said, "You look great for being 90!" Or, "You don't look half bad for being a fatso!"

Two years ago today...

I wasn't nervous at all. I didn't have any second thoughts. And I haven't had any since. What a crazy two years it has been...and I wouldn't change a thing! Happy anniversary, my love!

baby steps.

This week, Ambrose has started to reach for and grasp toys that are offered to him. And anything else that is not offered. He's also started to stare at me from his bouncy seat or exersaucer with a very desperate look on his face, moaning as if to say, "I will never be truly happy and will probably die if you don't hold me right now". How sweet of him.

hooray!

Smiles By Wire sent me the email with the proofs of Ambrose's portraits....hooray! This is the picture I chose for the package...I liked it better at the studio...but oh well, it's still the one with the most genuine smile. Honorable mentions... I'm such a sucker...I'll probably just have to buy that last one in black and white.

good nutrition.

I wake up most mornings absolutely starving, and before doing anything else, the only thing I can think about is finding something to put in my mouth (usually the sweetest thing I can find). This morning, however, was different. "I have to stop eating handfulls of cookie dough and cake in the morning," I said to myself. "I'm going to make something healthy!" Well, anyway, here I am, 15 minutes later with a plate full of chocolate chip pancakes, lathered with syrup. Oh, and a mountain dew. Breakfast of champions.

irish girls with italian husbands still like St. Patrick's Day.

That's right. Corned beef and cabbage in guinness is simmering on the stove...mmm...and it smells tremendous. Alongside that will be irish soda bread and well, more guinness. Cheers!

seriously. on hair.

He is so cute. Okay, but I'd also really like for someone to assure me that this postpartum hair loss thing won't make me go completely bald. I have a monstrously thick head of hair and don't often worry about losing it...but I'm pretty sure I just brushed out enough to make a winter coat for a small dog, and am getting a little concerned. As for the bathroom floor...well, I'm wondering if I should skip the middle man and just vacuum my head. Yikes!

boys and girls.

This past weekend (actually, Thursday through Monday) Matt and I (ehem, mostly I) watched his boss' kids while he and his wife went to San Diego. (It was totally a riot, by the way) Their kids are 4, 13, and 17 (I think....), and most of my time was spent making sure 4-year-old Joe didn't get entirely trampled over by his older brothers :-). Anyway, on Friday, I took Joey out to DeKalb with me to visit my family, since I have a sister just his age. I was skeptical as to whether they would play well together, but to my surprise, they entertained eachother for hours. (hooray!) I went to check in on them at one point and asked what they were playing. They both replied, "kitchen". Emma was clearly doing this, stirring a plastic pot of "soup" and spoon feeding it to her baby doll, while Joey was on the other side of the room throwing stuffed animals and beanie babies at the wall. "What are you doing, Joe?," I asked, curious as to how this qualified as playing "kitchen". "Throwing the animals in the fire to COOK 'EM!!," he exclaimed. Just one of the fascinating differences between boys and girls.

I like the word 'preposterous'.

Although I have been dressing Ambrose from the day he was born by pulling his onesie over his head, and he's never noticed it, in the last few weeks whenever this has happened he looks very alarmed, furrows his brow and stares at me intently as if to say, "What is this preposterous thing you are doing to me?! Clearly you've gone mad." As if it had never happened before. I really hope it's going to be spring soon.

on losing it, in more ways than one.

Among other weird, made-up songs, lately I've been singing a rendition of "Truly Scrumptious" from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Ambrose during the day: Drooly Scrumptious. Also, after reading a blog survey in which the question was asked, "If you only had one day to live, what would you do?", it occurred to me that several years ago, I would have answered, "Catch the next flight to Paris" or "Buy a little red sports car" or any number of other ridiculous, expensive stunts. If that were the case today, I'd have to say that I'd probably make sure all the laundry was done, make one huge grocery store trip, call alot of women to coordinate meals and childcare for the next several months, hold my baby all day, and maybe go out for a nice dinner. It's funny how life is.

ARGH....

That's how I feel about this morning. Motivation level= zero. I'm ready to go back to Michigan.

ahh....

We got away this weekend for 24 hours. It was altogether too short, but phenomenal while it lasted. We went up to Michigan to my in-law's cottage on the lake, and it was beautiful. (There's something so soothing about waves, I think.) The best part was that we went up so that Matt could solve some electrical troubles they were having-- which included the well and water heater not working (so we drove up with 20 gallons of water, expecting to not have any running water). Turns out, most of the problems were tripped breakers, and we had running water two minutes after we got there, and Matt didn't have to spend Saturday working (like he usually does). So, what I thought would be a workday in a different place turned out to be 24 hours of total relaxation (aside from getting the car stuck in the snow in the driveway...but what's a vacation without an adventure?) Anyway, the lake was gorgeous...but we couldn't get to the beach because the wind/snow/cold was too much for the baby...so here's a picture from the top of the cliff. More pictures of the cottage here.

the look-alike test.

I found this photo of me as a baby yesterday at my parent's house: And this picture of Ambrose is blurry...ugh...but you get the idea. So similar, in fact, that when Matt saw the picture of me, he was angry that I'd put the baby in a pink outfit...:-)