Angelina, how I love thee!

Shark Fin and I went to see "Wanted" last night, for our semi-regular midweek date night.

We usually choose to go to the movies during the week or early during the day on the weekends because tickets are only $5 per person instead of $10, and the movies are usually less crowded (well, unless you're going to see Wall-E). The customer service at the local AMC Theatre is generally better, too, depending (again) on what movie you're going to see and how many small people you have in tow. I know, I know, we could just go to another theatre (there are Regal Cinemas and Cinema Cafes here, too), but I am really partial to the AMC. Their theatres and restrooms are clean, the lobby and concession stand are well-stocked, and the seats are all those ones that convert to loveseats if you're feeling snuggly. The only issue I have is that they seem to really book their popular or first-weekend shows to capacity, and they give you no notification when you buy tickets that you may have to bribe the people already in the theatre to scooch over so you can find somewhere to sit. But, that's a gripe for another time....

This post is about Angelina.

It may surprise some people that do not know me very well, but I have an extreme affection for all things Angelina Jolie. From her black-leather wearing, Billy-Bob-Thorton's blood carrying days to her humanitarian efforts and mother of the world attitude, she fascinates me and captivates me and I just think she is amazing. I love how she can seemlessly blend her tattoos and her creativity and her openmindedness with her love for her children (and the world's children), her compassion for those around her and her overall air of selflessness. Aside from her lack of belief in God, she is the type of person I strive to be. In the movie, she was completely bad-ass. Okay, I'm not so bad-ass. As a matter of fact, I can kind of be a wimp when it comes to anything I may become injured doing. She (obviously) does not have this fear. It is something I would like to overcome. There is one scene in the film where she is driving away from a car chase and the Dodge Viper she's driving is all torn up from the chase. She pulls up next to these two college age guys, who turn to look at the car (imagining some big guy driving it) and find Angelina in her sunglasses and tattoos. I want to experience that, only I want to give to have the sunglasses and the tattoos and the sweet car, and then after they look at me like, "wow, she's soooo hot!" have my little girl from the backseat chime in with, "mommy, put gwen stefani on."
Priceless.

So, revised goasl for the complete Angelina Jolie experience:

1. Continue to grow long hair. Keep it pretty brown color. Be nice to it.
2. Get more tattoos.
3. Find a workout routine that I love and can stick with, to get some muscle tone, but still stay thin.
4. Help babies to become awesome people.
5. Find a charity or volunteer opportunity I love and promote it in my daily life.

I think that's enough for now.

Large

Today, I finally feel the size of a house.
I know, I know, I'm pregnant. I'm supposed to get larger than normal.


But today...... today, I feel larger than everything. My pants (the ones I bought after I gained some baby weight) are tight. My maternity-esque shirts are even riding up a bit. It was hard to walk the puppies back up the stairs after our walk today. I had to park farther away from the gas pump than normal just to make sure I could get out of the Jeep. I could go on(and on!), but the point is, I finally FEEL 26 WEEKS PREGNANT.

Reminds me that I still have a lot to do to get ready for Baby R. I need to pace myself better, set goals I can hit, and enlist the assistance of the people that are getting ready to visit. AND I need to set time aside for fun stuff for ME because me-time is going to become scarce here in a few months.

I feel adult right now.

Scary.

August

I haven't blogged since July.

I know, slacker me.

It's not that I haven't had things to write about or rant about or just hash out in front of the eyes of the world...... it's more that I haven't properly made time to do so.

And let's be real here. I need to make time.

Otherwise, the pandemonium that is the day to day activities of my brain will implode shortly and then who will bring Baby R into the world in November and teach her all the awesome things about random daytime TV, crafting, and the wonderfulness that is No Doubt? Seriously. Her life would be sad and empty without me. :)



Really, a lot has been going on here in Virginia.

From our progress with the baby's room to my cutting of hours at work, we have been doing and seeing and experiencing a roller coaster of emotions.
We put a screen door on the front door, to increase the airflow throughout the house (once the intense Virginia heat goes away). Shark Fin even made sure to put a lock on it, so neither baby nor doggie can escape! I was very excited about getting it, so much I think I beamed every time I opened the front door and saw it... for about 4 days. Haha. I have always wanted a white screen door.
Xeus had his 2nd birthday on the 28th and well, it was a quiet affair. (Actually...... we forgot about it until the 30th, my best friend's birthday. I'm a bad fur-baby mom!) We got him a new collar. It's black with white bones on it. I'll have to post a picture of him all handsome in it later on. The new collar on the birthday is like their doggie right of passage. Lunabell desperately needs a new one, but she will have to wait until October for that. For now, since she has broken 3 this year already, she's wearing Xeus' old one with the turtles on it. She makes it bad-ass. Haha. Anyways, it's hard to believe my little french-toast scented furbaby is 2 years old! We used to snuggle on the couch everyday from Days of Our Lives til Oprah and now, I don't know if we both would fit on our couch! He's still a snugglebug, even though he's 82.5 pounds, and he's become the gentle giant I always knew he would be. I know we got him on a whim and I know it hasn't always been easy (boxing gloves and wedding shoes, anyone?), but I wouldn't trade that doggie for the world and I know Shark Fin feels the same way (if not stronger). Happy Birthday Xeusy!
I started construction on my first baby-stuff project yesterday and have passed it on to my test subject. My fingers are crossed, as well as my toes, that it gets a good review. If it doesn, whoo buddy! the sky is the limit! Baby Empire here I come.
And, for the final revelation, let me wave my dork flag high.

I started playing World of Warcraft with Shark Fin.

Go ahead and make fun of me. I kinda like it. :)

Happy Tuesday y'all.

ps. One more thing. My bestest most wonderful sister in law is coming to stay with me for a weekend the end of the month. Now if that doesn;t kick ass, I don;t know what does!

Date Ideas!

Check this out!

Cheap date ideas!

(I totally stole this from Motherhood for Dummies, she rocks!)

SERIOUS! LIFE!

Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about. - Oscar Wilde

Let's discuss this quote, shall we.

As I sit here at my desk on a Tuesday morning, I am overwhelmed with the frailty of my life and the life that I am carrying. Not because anything bad has happened recently, moreso because I have realized over the last few weeks that I am not the same person, physically, mentally or emotionally that I was before I became pregnant and, more importantly, that I will probably never go back to the way I was. This pregnancy, and the process of being pregnant, has forever altered the way I "do" life, the way Shark Fin "does" life, and probably, the way our families "do" life. Really, aside from when we adopted the puppies, neither one of us have ever had someone depend so solely on us for every little thing they need. This baby will be doing just that, more than the puppies ever could. We have done more planning, preparing, debating and discussing for this little person that anything before it.
We have talked about where we will be in three years when this enlistment for Shark Fin is up, because right about that time, Baby R will be getting ready to head into preschool. Do we want to stay in the sunshine and sand of Virginia? Or, do we want to move back to the Midwest, where our families are based? How important is it to us that Baby R, and the other children to come, have their family around them? Or, are we comfortable enough in Virginia, to make our own "family" of friends here and really put down roots (ie. move out of Alcatraz into something with a bunch of bedrooms & bathrooms, a yard and a garage)?
(And really, we will probably have another baby in three years, so we will have even more to consider.)

But, going back to the quote...... Life is WAY! IMPORTANT! and really people, our every step is not up to us. It is dictated by the decisions we make and are in the process of making, the people and environment we surround ourselves with, the food we eat (and the indigestion it gives us!), the amount of sleep we get, and primarily, our every step is in God's hands. And I really believe it can change at any moment. God could tell me tonight that he wants us to move to Seattle, and as much as I would hate moving again, I'd do it because that would be where I am supposed to be. God could put it in Shark Fin's lap to go on deployment again, to do an IA in Iraq, to get promoted, to leave tomorrow for a really dangerous training across the country.... and we would do it, because that is where we are lead.
If we are too serious and mull over too many minute details about every little thing we do, we will get bogged down and frustrated with our lives, when our lives are meant to be ENJOYED, to be EXPERIENCED, to be LIVED. That's right. LIVED.
This baby is going to have a great, incredible, awesome life no matter what color my nursery walls are or what kind of crib set it has or if I decide to breast- or bottle-feed. Why? Because it will be LOVED and it will get a chance to really LIVE.

Everything else? Well, we'll decide that when the time comes.

Family Moment Monday

Here I am participating in Family Moment Monday, courtesy of Motherhood for Dummies.



My current favorite family moment is what I like to call "Baby Building."

See, I have Shark Fin working his TAIL OFF with little projects to get ready for the impending arrival of Baby R. I am pretty much rendered useless at present, either by the ridiculous Virginia Heat or various other pregnancy no-nos, but believe you me, list-making and project-planning is fa skill I have in tenfold!

Since I cannot actively assist in many of my projects, my position in the construction is that of cheerleader, cold-drink provider and mistake-pointer-outer (hehe!).

This weekend, we accomplished these things:

1. We framed in the window seat/storage space in the kitchen. Yay! I have been planning this project for almost two years, but once I drew up the plans (on graph paper! in proportion!), Shark Fin was all over it.


2. We set up the crib (Shark Fin's), scraped all the old stickers and what-not off the dresser (mine), and re-arranged the furniture upstairs to the baby room set-up. Now, all we have to do is paint the furniture white and get a couple more pieces of it, and that part of the planning will be done!
   

I love that Shark Fin and I are able to come together on something like this, since it gives us both a real sense of purpose and direction and focus for this baby. By working towards these common projects and goals, and seeing them take shape together, we feel more and more like we are really ready to welcome this baby into the world... in just 120-ish short days!

What are your Family Moments?

The "Momfia" - Some Thoughts from a Soon-To-Be

It's no surprise to anyone reading this blog, that I am due to have a baby in November. Many things about the incoming arrival make me cringe, hyperventilate, or some combination there-of. However, my upcoming induction into the "Momfia" makes me want to hurl daily.
Pretty much everything about being a "Mom" is terrifying to me, but the whole "mom vs. mom" thing...

Breastfeeding MOm vs Formula Mom

Stay At Home Mom vs. Working Mom

Cry It Out Mom vs. Rock & Soothe Mom

ETC.

.... is flipping ridiculous. Seriously!

Article I read on MSN today puts it in perspective a bit...... why are Mom's (you know, all of us taking part in raising children that we somehow have responsibility for) so mean to eachother when we differ in opinion, decision, or preference? As long as it does not cause harm or endanger the child...... anyways, I just hate it and it terrifies me.