Maybe just one post on Political Thoughts

Just one post on this subject.  Tomorrow I will have pictures of The Son, or something else appropriate for a mommy blogger.  I have kept pretty quiet about this election, and I really do not want to come across as one of those bloggers who insults her readers because of a difference of opinion. I think that both Democrats and Republicans want to help people, there are just very different philosophies as how to best deliver the help. Following are several reasons why I will be voting for John McCain (or against Obama). Read them….don’t read them, whatever. Just don’t go and vote without really being educated, (and Jon Stewart cannot educate you to the intricacies of national politics). If you are one of those people who does not care about policy, and only vote on charisma, remember this: the choice is between a dedicated, experienced American with an uncorrupted Governor as VP or a great speaker and his entrenched-in-his-ways VP. For me the choice is clear and here are some reasons why.

1. The point is small government. Period. Why can’t subsidies for those less fortunate come in the way of a donation to a privately controlled, nonprofit agency, or organization instead of the federal government? Maybe even a state run program that’s a little easier to control and manage? If the federal government lays down the law, then chances are someone is going to fall through the cracks, or get “red taped”. I don’t want my hard earned (er, well The Husband technically earned them) tax dollars falling into a black hole of endless administration that intends to help, but is often for naught. Republicans do not want to force their ideals on us by way of federal laws and legislation. Instead they intend to leave it up to the states, which hopefully then leave it up to cities or communities. That in turn gives the American people a little more freedom to choose.

2. The stereotype of Republicans is wrong. Not all conservative Republicans are either rich corporate fat cats or uneducated, gun toting, close minded, uncaring, religious zealots. Conservatives have been misrepresented as being greedy money hoarders. There are numerous articles based on polls and findings which show that conservatives give overwhelmingly more of their money, and time, to charities than do their liberal counterparts. We just believe not only is it not the job of the government to eliminate hardships, but rather it is impossible for the government to eliminate hardships. As a good citizen, I do plenty, donate constantly, volunteer and what not, I don’t need the government to tax my family for us to help others. This is one of the many reasons that we think a smaller national government works best.

3. I believe Obama has faith in his plans to help the poor, and I believe that he and most liberals really do want to help. However, he doesn’t understand that it is impossible for him to follow through on the programs he is promising. Universal health care, overtaxing the higher earners, these things look on good paper, but end up creating other problems and shortfalls in the long run. In the end, the failed programs would hurt more people than they help. Hope is not a strategy, and confidence alone does not solve problems.

4. Sarah Palin has been criticized for everything from her accent to her religious convictions lately. Most of that criticism is focused on her lack of experience. Which begs the question, if Palin isn’t ready for the task of second in command, how can Democrats believe Obama is ready for first? He is obviously lacking experience which no die hard Democrat can deny. The truth is neither Palin or Obama have enough experience for the roles they are now vying for, but in the political game, the best and most experienced people are either jaded, not well liked for some reason, or dead. Both Palin and Obama have moved up through the political ranks because they articulate well, and their personalities resonate with people. One more word about Palin. Sarah Palin is doing something right in Alaska to have an 80% approval rating.

5. There are many people in this country who are fiscally conservative yet have rather liberal social views. Trying to marry these two is extremely difficult. I will say that I think Obama has some good ideas in regards to some social views, and I feel he is a decent man, but he gives me the feeling that he wants to wave a magic wand at the woes of our country, and world, and POOF! It will all be better. The polarization that has happened in our country of pitting one group against the other is neither helpful, nor productive, and I sincerely believe the Republicans are better at looking at both parties, and using the good ideas of both.

6. We aren’t trillions in debt by giving back to our own people, as I have heard many complain. We’re in debt due to different reasons, but one of the main reasons is that we help our foreign allies and less fortunate countries. Regarding drill vs don’t drill, while I think other energy sources are desperately needed, I also think it’s ridiculous that we depend on dangerous countries for our oil and don’t see why there can’t be a middle ground while we search for longer term solutions. Until Obama sees Iran as the threat that it is, I absolutely don’t want to see him in office–even as Senator.

7. As for health care, private insurance does need to change becoming affordable for everyone. HOWEVER, the government is not there to provide insurance for everyone. Insurance companies are in business to make money, the government is not. Besides, Republicans did not invent insurance. Insurance is not around just to make Democrats mad or keep the poor in their place. Insurance is a risk-based business that, unfortunately, causes some people great heartache. How can insurance companies make money when they can’t choose  whom to insure?  I absolutely don’t want the government anywhere near my health care. I have seen how much they can screw up an theoretically good system and don’t want to depend on them to tell me what doctor I can see, and when. I cannot believe Democrats really want the same people that run the DMV running our health care?

8. After the elections are over, and the dances have ended at the inaugural balls, it’s really just a game of who has best mastered the game of compromise. Who can work with who to get the most done, who knows how to play the game? Who is going to hold himself to the rules in which I believe? I think it is John McCain.

The Declaration of Independence states regarding the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness:
“…That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

The only thing these places have in common is they both empty wallets.

The Son had his two year old well child check up this morning. He is perfectly perfect. His weight is in the 60th percentile and his height is in the 20th, the same percentages as he has had since he was three months old. I expect he will stay around there since he has shortish, chubbyish, parents. He decided to show off his verbal skills for both the nurse and the doctor ( “Pwease nurse? The Son have a Thomas Sticker, Pwease?”, “My ears not hurt. You no look in dem.”), and they told me what I already know, his speech is way ahead of the curve. What did we get a big fat FAIL on? His sleeping habits.

The kid STILL wakes up at least once a night, walks into our room, climbs into our bed, and latches on to the first breast he can find. Sometimes The Husband or I will put him back in his bed when he falls asleep in ours……or not. Often he will just stay in our bed for the rest of the night nursing at the all night Mama buffet. This, according to my pediatrician any way, is completely unacceptable for a two year old. Now I know that I have LLL friends and MDC friends who would say the Pediatrician has been brainwashed by cold science and that children have been co-sleeping and night nursing for millennia…and while I agree it is okay for some families…it is becoming a problem for us. I want to go to sleep and stay asleep. I do not want little fingers poking me in the eye at three AM or little teeth scraping my nipple as he loses his latch in the middle of the night. While I seriously doubt I will go against all of my AP philosphies, we are getting ready to stop night nursing–cold turkey. THERE WILL BE NO NURSING FROM 9 PM TO 6AM. There I proclaimed it to the internet, so now we have to stick with it.

After I got chewed out for my hippie ways, The Son had to get a Hep-A booster. (see? I get him vaccinated! He is circumcised too! And we used Pampers! I am not that crunchy!—Oh wait. Hippie friends? Do you still love me? I still use my sling! I try to avoid all food dyes. We only use positive reinforcement. He is still nursing at two for crying out loud! Obviously I do not fit in with either camp of the mommy wars. Oh, well.) Where was I? Oh yeah. The Son got a shot. He did not want to sit on my lap, so he just sat in a chair and I held his hands while the nurse jabbed him. He was more pissed off and surprised than hurt. He did not cry for more than a second, but when the nurse left and then came back to hand me a packet on “healthy sleep habits” he shouted when she was in the doorway, pointing at her he said. “NO! YOU STAY!” “NOOOO! STAY!”. I asked him if anything would make him feel better (expecting him to want to nurse), and he said, “I need Pancakecakes, Mama. Pwease?” We went to IHOP of course.

After his pancake with yogurt on top (um, ewww.) and a reaaaally long nap, we did what everyone else does on a perfect early fall evening. Another fall night, another county fair. This time it was in our own hometown. I am a member of a philanthropic organization that gets partial proceeds from the paid parking…if I go risk my life by standing amongst all of the compensating for something big trucks and breathing the second hand smoke wafting from open car windows as people hand me their three dollars that have been who knows where. Things I have learned? Teeth are rarer than I once thought in our lovely community, and certain people have different standards of child car seat safety than I do. I do not find letting your toddler balance on your twelve pack of Coors in the front seat of your pickup to be particularly safe, but they pay me three bucks to point to a vacant lot with a flashlight, not gesticulate on the security of their children.

The Son got to have another fabulous fair experience, this time with his other grandparents (his Grammy and Grandpa. Not the ones in their eighties, they only take him on the super fun Buick ride–that is a joke–the Buick ride with Grandma is the scariest one of all ((Lord, please do not let them be reading my blog. Amen.)). This time The Son rode the huge Ferris Wheel (he is definitely NOT afraid of heights), a firetruck, a race car, the dragon coaster, the flying lizards, the wiggle worm, a carousel, and the spin-till-you-regurgitate apples. My mom and I rode that one with him, and it was basically Disney teacups, only enclosed in a fiberglass apple. I guess to keep vomit from hitting other patrons? All of us managed to keep down our meatloaf, but we were pretty wobbly as we stepped onto the rickety stairs.

The last ride of the night was a return trip to the rotating firetrucks, and while all of the seat belts I strapped on The Son seemed to be in pretty good shape, when the overly cheerful Carney handed The Son back to me, I could smell the liquor halo around him. I guess now we know why Mr. Carney was so friendly, Everclear! Is it considered drunk driving if all you have to do is pull a lever? The Son was the one behind the wheel after all.

That pretty much ended our rides for the evening, we sauntered over to the fishing hole (side note: Hey JHJ, were we EVER allowed to play these games? I don’t think so. My theory is because the prizes are so horrific and Mom and Dad only enjoy paying for The Son to play because they know those prizes are coming to my house.), The Son caught a rubber shark that had been dyed blue because of all the food coloring in the water. His prize “catch” earned him (at least I think, the lady carney running the booth spoke zero English, she kinda gestured at us so we grabbed a prize and left. Maybe we stole it?) a plastic trumpet. (HOOOONNKKASQUUUEEEEAK!) Oh let me tell you the joy I felt about that. On the way home, I shoved a piece of cotton candy in the end (google says it is called the bell) to keep it quiet, but all that did was earn me a piece of damp cotton candy in my hair when he blew really hard. (PhffffffftSPLATSQUEEEEEAKAHOONK!)

I guess it was pay back for telling him he can’t nurse at night anymore.

Not Political, I swear.

I have written and deleted so many political posts recently.  I am really hesitant to post much about this election because I am feeling so put off by many of MY favorite bloggers.  It seems that if you don’t agree with the blogger, then you are stupid, or uneducated.  I have been made to feel defensive and just plain pissed off at many blogs who I used to check everyday.  It has gotten so bad, that I am getting ready to do some major editing on my blog roll.

This does not mean that I have no political opinion, and I probably will post something at some point, but that is not going to happen today.   Instead we have a post about baby names–sure they are the baby names of a potential Vice President, but this is not about the person or her beliefs but her choice of monikers for her five kids.  Track (named because of the whole family’s involvement in track and field sports), Bristol, (named for commercial fishing area, Bristol Bay),  Willow (a community in Alaska), Piper, (because “It’s a cool name.”), and finally little Trig (a Norse name meaning strength.).

Presenting the Sarah Palin Baby Name generator.  My name is Drill Swollen Palin, The Husband is Shank Piston Palin, and The Son is Rock Crane Palin.  Post your Palin name in the comments section, The Drill commands you!

The Pink Suit.

It was a stunning day. The sky was crystal blue, and the air was crisp enough you could tell fall was coming, but still warm enough to wear sandals. I was a senior at the State University, majoring in Political Science and Speech Communications. I had landed a Poli-Sci student’s dream job of working part time for our Senior U.S. Senator. I mostly responded to letters, answered the phone, and forwarded people to more experienced case workers for help. That morning I was getting ready for my first class of the day, an upper level one with the name of National Defense. It was an interesting class with my favorite professor. I was in a good mood though tired, having been up late talking to my new boyfriend. I turned on the Today Show to see what Katie had for me, and remember noting how much I loved her pink suit she had on. It was a perfect color, bright without being Pepto, and a classic cut. She inspired me to wear my own pink suit to work later that day, I laid it out, and put on capris to hike across campus. I sat down on the foot of my bed to fasten my sandals when they broke in on the fluff piece they had been covering.

A plane had hit the World Trade Center moments ago. They started showing live coverage and Katie Couric was talking in the background. I remember being concerned, but my thoughts echoed hers…..what a terrible mistake. Was an overworked air traffic control tower operator to blame? I was sad, but kept getting ready for class.

Then I heard Katie Couric gasp. I glanced up just in time to see…and wish that I had not looked. The second plane. The second tower. I had to leave for class just as I heard them say what I was already thinking. This had to be the work of terrorists. I heard students laughing all over campus–they had not heard yet.

The Political Science department was another story. Ever on top of current events, my peers had seen it all from the ancient tv in the graduate lounge (the PoliTiki Lounge). We all sat silently waiting for class to start, someone’s radio blaring in the background, burning through my ears into my brain. People were jumping to their certain deaths. The tower fell. Rescue workers rushing in. The second tower fell. My professor sent us home and told us today’s assignment was to witness history. I walked back to my apartment thinking how cruel it was for the sky to be so beautiful.

When I got back to my college owned apartment I turned back on Katie Couric just in time to see her interviewing that bald guy from MSNBC, you know– the finance guy. He was covered in ash and soot and you could tell he was shaking. Katie had changed out of her lovely pink suit and was wearing a somber black one.

I hung my pink suit back in the closet and pulled on a navy blue shirt and drab skirt. I then went to work at the Federal Building, where I was searched by the security guards for the first time. All day, all week, all year I answered calls of outraged constituents. “Bomb them!” “Kill them!” “Revenge!” “They must pay!”.

My pink suit stayed in the closet for the rest of the year.

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I missed getting the below posted on 9/11, and contemplated saving it until next year, however I think it deserves to be shared now. The following is from The Neighbor and below that is a link for us all to watch. Please share your own memories in the comments section. Thanks.

I don’t know if you have a topic already for today, or if you’re interested in one, but I’ve attached some pics I took earlier this year from Ground Zero and the area if they can be of use. It really changes your perspective on the events seeing it in person.

The metal cross in the middle picture is from inside one of the towers and is exactly how it was found, in a cross shape. We were fortunate enough to have one of the foremen of the building site come talk to us and he told us the story. The glass case sitting on the cross contains two baseballs and he said the father of a son who was killed in the towers climbed the cross and put the baseballs on it as a tribute to his son. They are autographed by, I think he said, Mickey Mantle and someone else in that era. Very valuable. I asked how they kept people from stealing them and he said that if anyone ever tried to steal them, the police wouldn’t have to be involved because the city would hunt them down and kill them. Apparently, the WTC site and memorabilia, etc. is respected by everyone, including the thugs. The cross also served as a place of prayer and mass for the recovery workers throughout the months after the attack.

Thanks for sharing The Neighbor. I am not sure how I feel about us always hunting down the thugs. Can we live the rest of our lives shouting “Bomb Them!” “Kill them!” “Revenge!” “They must pay!”? I don’t know, I just know that it is time for us to stop being afraid. click here and turn up the volume

Oh, Snap!

The Huckablogs are spending a couple of days with the elder Huckablogs at their country compound in picturesque Middle of Nowhere. I tried to post last night, but the only computer available hadabrokenspacekey. Very.VERY.ANNOYING. Going through internet withdrawal, I swiped MMIL’s work laptop to get my daily fix. Must have email. Must have email, ahhh, spam, that’s the stuff.

Last night we went to the Middle of Nowhere County Fair…..and…..I got hit on by a Carney. Yes, the 400 pound man wearing a greasy t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and hairy arms thought I still had IT. I tried to hand him my four fuschia tickets so that I could ride the Cobra all by myself. (I am the only Huckablog who will ride anything fun. Yet. I had to give birth to my own roller coaster buddy, but he is a little wee just yet.) So Mr. Carney leaned in real close to me as he helped me in to the spinning bucket of death and said, “Honey, keep your tickets. This ride is on me and you can ride all you want.” Um. ewww. Did I mention that The Husband, The Son, MMIL and FFIL were like fifteen feet away watching from the side lines? Smelly Mr. Carney then made the ride go backwards….for a really, really, REALLY long time. I stumbled out of the SBoD (spinning bucket of death) on my own so he would not try to help me down. The Husband did not seem at all jealous when I told him about my new admirer. He laughed at me instead. I tried to tell him about the Taco Bell employee who gave me a free fruit freezee thing because I was “working it.”, but it seems that he does not feel threatened by carneys or teenage fast food employees. (Please do not send me emails about how your Daddy is a Carney and he has sleeves and works triple shifts to put you through Wellesley or something. I get it. Carneys are people too.) I felt really sick (maybe from the half a fair eggroll? Or the half a fair barbeque sandwich? Or the half a cold fair hot dog?) after the SBoD ride, so I shared my grape sno-cone with The Son and we went back to the compound.

Oh speaking of The Son, it seems when you go to the fair with your Gigi and Pappaw, you get to ride what ever you want. He rode an alligator shaped kiddie coaster, spinning ladybugs, a sparkly,  wheelie-popping motorcycle, and a rotating Jeep. I went to strap him into the Jeep, and the seat belt (you are going to think I am exaggerating here, but this is the truth, I swear!) was half a bungee cord, and the other half was one side of the blue seat belt from a Wal-Mart shopping cart. It still had Wal-Mart imprinted on the faded fabric strap. I was then supposed to tie the two parts together around my precious only child’s abdomen. Yeah right. I asked the skinny, Lucky smoking carney if I could ride with The Son and he said, “if you think you can.” I wedged into the “back seat”  (really that would be ten inch fiberglass wide spot)of the toddler sized Jeep, hung on with one arm, leaned forward and held The Son tight with the other. With a creak and the three non-burnt out bulbs flashing, we jerked forward, and I slipped deeper into the “seat”. It spun, and spun, and went entirely too fast for a kiddie ride, and I was extremely grateful when the ride ended.

Last night I stayed up way late enjoying my in-laws DISH. I watched Project Runway, The Rachel Zoe project, Top Design, and then some show about a scary British hair stylist. I stumbled to bed at two or three AM, and then this morning went to the Middle of Nowhere County fair parade with The Son and MMIL. He loved it; fire trucks, horses, floats, bands, and beauty queens–what is not to like? Actually, I enjoyed myself too, I love doing stuff like that. On the way back to the compound, about twenty minutes away, I realized that we had forgotten to pick up The Son’s pictures (stay tuned for those) we had taken! When I brought this to MMIL’s attention her response was “OH, CRAP!”. Immediately The Son said, “OH, CRAP!” Great. Now my baby knows a PG-13 word. Always the quick thinking educator, she said, “Gigi said OH, SNAP! Can you say OH, SNAP?” So for the rest of the day we said, “Oh, Snap!” whenever crap would have been appropriate. I am not entirely sure that The Son bought it, but he has not repeated “Oh, Crap” again. He is probably waiting until he is at church in front of my eighty year old grandmother. It’s okay, MMIL. My Mom accidentally taught him “shut up” while yelling at her dogs.
Can you hear my Mom somewhere moaning about what I post online? “Oh, SNAP!”

Time to start the therapy fund.

Now that The Son is two, he gets to watch one video a day. This morning it was Happy Feet. Singing, dancing, adorable penguins, and a conservation message without being preachy. Awesome. Plus? It does not make Mama want to stab a pencil in her ears. I am looking at you Elmo!

Everything was going along swimmingly. We were dancing along with Mumble, singing along with Memphis and Norma Jean, and occasionally coloring. All of a sudden….SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASHEDYSPLASHSPLASH! All of the penguins jump in the ocean for the first time to find dinner on their own. The Son starts to SCREAM. He cries huge crocodile tears. He hides his face in my shoulder. I ask what is wrong? Does something hurt? What happened? He keeps pointing at the swimming penguins and screaming. I see an animated penguin with a freshly caught fish in his mouth….and figured out the problem.

Yesterday’s movie was Finding Nemo.

Paperwork

Alternate title: Hey You cannot make up her mind. Do it for her, please.

I have a new company interested in doing some advertising here, maybe even one that pays more than half a rupee per click of an ad..also maybe I will have more ads that pertain to my readers instead of how to get a 13yr old Asian Bride FedEx’d to you. (I think I got that one deleted finally. Watch it pop back up now.) This new company wants me to pick my FIVE best posts to be used to spread the word of TheHuckablog to other blogs they advertise with. Hmm. Well, that is kinda subjective, don’t ya think?

Most blogs have a tone. They are either all hilarity with some snark thrown in, or a run of the mill, here-is-what-we-did-today diary type blog, or they could be all let-me-vent-my-raw-weeping-emotional- wounds all over the Internet. Some are political. Some focus just on pop culture. Mine? Has ADD. Would you pretty please tell me what five posts in the past nine months you have liked the most? Have you liked any? Do you come just to see cute pictures of The Son? That is okay, just let me know so I can get an idea of how I should spin this to the new guys.

Now for something more fun. Not that reading my archives isn’t fun. It is super-duper fun (*waving* Hi Nice Advertising Ladies!). I am a planner. I usually have things like birthday parties (pictures are coming soon, I promise), and Christmas presents planned months in advance. Something I have not been planning? The Annual Halloween bash. We have had a Huckablog Halloween Party every year for six years. (Before I was even a Huckablog yet!), and this year….I am thinking seriously about skipping it. Last year’s was kinda lame, and no one wanted to play my Halloween inspired games (a party MUST have GAMES people! They are to a party like what the five jars of pickles are to your fridge. Unnecessary, but it would be empty without them.) Also, the day I had kinda thought about having it is the same day as the birthday party of one of our good friend’s son, and I do not want to miss that, or make our mutual friends choose who’s party to attend. If we are partyless then that means I get to take The Son to all of the cool hayrides, and carnivals, and Boo at the Zoo, and all of the other wonderful seasonal stuff without worrying about when I am going to find time to clean, and cook, and come up with costumes for everybody. Just he will need a costume. (I will probably throw on an old one to take him Trick-or-Treating). The theme for his costume this year is free! So I have scavenged around looking for him a creative costume that just also happens to be free, and I have come up with FOUR possibilities. Please, dear Internet, make a decision for me.

1. A cave boy. I have the fabric to make him a little cave boy dress thing, already own a rubber squeaky cave man club, and this would be easy to add clothes to or take away layers to prepare for our capricious weather. Also? I already have a cavewoman dress from a past Halloween that I could wear to take him out. Cons: I must make his dress, he would be wearing a dress.

2. A cowboy. He has an old fringed leather vest that was his daddy’s from his old Halloween costume. He has jeans, a cowboy hat, a plaid shirt, and a hobby horse. I think I could borrow some boots from someone. Cons: It might be hot, I would end up carrying around the horse, he has a poor track record with wearing hats.

3. An engineer (train, not mechanical). He loves Thomas. He has an engineer’s hat, overalls, and a bandanna, and some plastic tools. Cons: If it was cold and he had to wear a coat and then took off his hat, no one would be able to tell what he was supposed to be. I am sick of Thomas.

4. A park ranger: My dad bought him a really, really cute outfit at a local state park. It is a khaki shirt that says park ranger on it, and has a patch from our state parks system on the arm. It also has olive pleated shorts with a ranger’s belt. I thought I could stick rubber snakes, frogs, and lizards in his pockets, or pin them to his shirt. I also think I could find him a pith helmet somewhere. One more pro: It would make my dad really happy to know he picked out The Son’s costume. Cons: If it is cold, then all I could do without covering up the costume is to put long johns on underneath it, I have not actually tried this on him yet, and it may be a little big still.

Okay, what do you think? For his first Halloween he was a monkey, and last year he was a spider if that makes a difference to you for some reason.

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Let them eat cake.

Today I found out that the world’s best cake lady, Stacey, has been reading TheHuckablog! She has done almost every cake we have needed for the past three years or so, and does the best work I have EVER seen.  I can’t link to her site because it would be like not only telling what town we live in, but handing you a map.  So if you think you live in my area and you want her info, email me and I will give it to you. Er, I did not ask her before just posting that, so if she is all like “Whaa? I do not want to be bombarded with cake requests from Hey You’s readers!” I will not give you her contact information.

Here are a couple of my favorite cakes she has done for me.  The first is for my SIL’s trashy lingerie shower, and the second is from The Son’s baptism.  Now, that is range people.

We had The Son’s 2nd birthday party today, and I did not take a single picture. Other people did though, so as soon as I collect them from other people’s cameras I will post them. Stacey made The Son a Poky Little Puppy cake, and it is my favorite cake she has ever done for us. A large portion of cake was eaten at the party, but we still had a good chunk to bring home. I cut some for BIL, and for MMIL and FFIL to take to their various abodes, and left the rest sitting on our bar. The Son asked for some at 8:30, right before bed, so of course I said no. We were all sitting around talking before people went home, and we hear a thud from the kitchen. That little monkey reached up and pulled the cake off of the bar. It was face down on the floor, and he was grabbing handfuls of cake and shoving them in his face. Good thing we all had our fill at the party.

The following site is quite possibly one of the funniest sites on the internet, and that is saying something, because I have seen a lot of funny crap on the internet people. Cake Wrecks is a must read. I insist you go to this site and look at every single picture. Remember how you thought this was funny? Yeah, that, only better. Today my stomach is sore because Shoeshe and I laughed so hard last night while looking at the site. My favorite is the High Heel/High Hill cake. Oh, and the fireman! No, it has to be the Braveheart cake. Oh, and the bride! Never mind. The whole site is awesome. Stacey, you will never have to worry about seeing one of your cakes here.

I am the Walrus. Coo-Coo, KaZOO!

I am not really a walrus.  In fact there are no walruses (walrusi?), or any kind of sea mammals anywhere in this post, I just like the title.  You know me, anything for a Beatles reference.   We had been planning on going to the zoo for several weeks, and the day we had planned to go dawned cool (for August in the South anyway), cloudy, and gloomy.  We decided to go anyway and were joined by the last minute addition of MMIL and BIL!  It was awesome because the zoo was practically empty of annoying people. (Although there was this one lady who kept screaming at her kids and was not wearing a bra, and she REALLY needed a bra.  She could have tripped on those things.  Did I ever tell you about the waitress at the restaurant we always went to in college who never wore a bra?  We had to duck when she passed out our food.  Remember her Cat? Tark?) What was I talking about again? Oh yeah, the zoo.

So anyway, I have been holding on to the pictures that we took the day we went to the Capital City Zoo for three weeks now just waiting to be inspired to write a post about them.  It turns out that looking at other people’s zoo pictures is boring.   So I made a silent, short film instead.  Cannes here I come!
Enjoy.

Dear Son: The Moment When I First Saw You Gave me Life Under Calico Skies.

I can hear your giggles from all around the house. While you can be a grump, or cry when tired or hurt, you laugh five times more than anything else. Sometimes Daddy and I will be laughing at something and you  look at us, having no idea what is going on and, “Hah! Hah! Hah!”, you give a good ole’ belly laugh, just because it is what comes naturally to you. The best thing? You make me laugh along, always. You get your silliness from me, sorry about that. You are doomed to a life of loving cornball jokes, don’t worry it could be a lot worse.

We giggle at each other all day long, as we play one game after another. You take my hand and say “‘mon, Mama!”, leading me to whatever it is that you have cooked up for the moment. I confess I am much more interested in you than in most of our games. Mama can only hurtle hotwheels down the hallway so many times before feeling like she is going to go comatose.

I have tried to keep you happy and engaged this year, I am good at coming up with crafts and whatnot, but the truth is a lot of times we go to a class or the library as much for me as for you. On days we stay in our living room all day, I feel as though the walls are collapsing on me by the time Daddy gets home. Luckily, you like to go as much as I, even if it is just to wander up and down the aisles at WalMart.

Sometimes I think you notice when I am not myself; that I am worried or even sad. Darlin’, this has nothing to do with you. You are the best thing that ever happened; not just to me, but to our whole family. You make me happy. You make everybody happy. Your one overwhelmingly dominant characteristic is joy. You have a countenance, a gift from God. A gift you share with us.

One has been a good year. One has been the year that made me not only love you, but like you as your own person. Your Daddy and I are always asking each other how two nerds like us (I did Model UN as an extracurricular, and Daddy had his apartment decorated in broken circuit boards.) wound up with such a cool little kid. I also think you are a kind person.  I hope to be able to mold your manners and politeness, to encourage your kindness, while nurturing your generosity to others, all without dampening your energy, your spark. The responsibility I feel for you is overwhelming, you are so wonderful, I just want to keep you this way forever, and not screw you up. Your recent onslaught of “No Way!” and “Mine!” does concern me a bit, have I blundered already? I am just blaming it on being a toddler for now.

This year I started an online journal about our family. I am sharing a tiny piece of you with whomever happens across this blog. I do worry one of these days you will hate me for telling the world about your potty training, or any other embarrassing– but totally normal– and adorable toddler shenanigans. I am hoping  you understand my motivations. The blog is my scrapbook so I can go back and look at all of your precious grins, and remember the day to day giggles, tears, and new words you have given me this year. Speaking of new words, today, on your second birthday, you said, “I lud you, Mama.”. This is not the first time you said that, but it is the first time totally unprompted, or without me telling you first. I love you too.

Happy Birthday Darling Baby. I know, I know, I know. You are not a baby, you are boy, but you are my baby, and I will hold you for the rest of my life.

It was written that I would love you
From the moment I opened my eyes
And the morning when I first saw you
Gave me life under calico skies.

I will hold you for as long as you like
I’ll hold you for the rest of my life

Always looking for ways to love you
Never failing to fight at your side
While the angels of love protect us
From the innermost secrets we hide

I’ll hold you for as long as you like.
I’ll hold you for the rest of my life

-Paul McCartney

Love, Mama