Girl Time

This Saturday will be GIRL TIME!

What? Girl Time? Yes! My daughter and I will have a whole day together.

My husband and the Bear are driving up to visit my ILs. Actually, my hubby is dropping off the Bear for my MIL to watch. My hubby is going to go out and watch a daytime college football game. He's going to be so red when he gets home! Why red? Because he doesn't think he needs to wear sunscreen when it's in the high 70s/low 80s. The sun will be beating down on him from kickoff to the end whistle. Yeah, he's going to have a red face when he gets home on Sunday.

What's the plan for Saturday? Well, once the Bear wakes my hubby will take down his crib & throw all the pieces into the back of his truck. We'll get the kiddos dressed and we'll drive separately to our local bagel shop. We'll eat breakfast together and then we'll SEPARATE! The boys will start their drive up to my ILs. The Princess and I will start our day.

What have we got planned? Hmmm....

Visit the library and grab some books.

Go to the mall and really look around. I'll actually be able to try on clothes!

Buy a Halloween outfit for the Princess.

Go to a matinee. Should we see Shrek 2 or Shark Tale? We'll grab some hot dogs, popcorn & lemonade for lunch.

Visit a pumpkin patch. Buy some pumpkins. Decorate them at home.

Go to a party. Yes! My hubby's boss is having a small gathering. The Princess and I will be attending.

Sunday morning we'll be having breakfast at IHOP!!!

I can't wait until Saturday! It'll be so good just to be alone with my little girl.

Almost made it!

My hubby is flying home this afternoon!

The kiddos & I have to get through breakfast, some sort of morning activity, a Bear nap, lunch, a birthday party, and then we're headed for the airport. Woohoo!

Now he'd better NOT act like he's exhausted when he gets back. That'll definitely get me in a horrible mood. He's had an opportunity to get FIVE -- yes five whole nights -- of long sleep. Sleep is his favorite thing to do. If he was able to get 12 hours of sleep a night he would! Anyway, he better be ready to give those kiddos some attention tomorrow because I want to get a nap and/or sleep in.

Walking down the feminine care aisle

Who knew that a trip down the Feminine Care aisle would be so confusing?

I remember 20 years ago when there were only a few feminine products. You had maybe three manufacturers who carried a pantyliner, a mini-pad, & a maxi-pad. Then there were maybe two tampon manufacturers. Not much to choose from but you knew the selection & it was simple.

Today? Oh my gosh! There are tons of products on the shelves. When I've got the kiddos with me all I do is grab the same packages I used the last time. I didn't have the kids with me on Sunday, so I had time to actually look at what was there. Oy!

Maxi Pads, Long Maxi Pads, Maxi Pads Overnights, Maxi Pads with Wings, Long Maxi Pads with Wings -- all these seem to come in regular and ultra-thin thicknesses -- but then there's also the regular versus super absorbency -- then there's unscented versus scented! The combinations seem endless! Then you still have to figure out which brand you're going to purchase -- Kotex, Always, & Stayfree.

There's even confusion when you check what's available as a basic pantiliner. Some gals use these everyday. Some gals use these for light flow days. Some gals use these as a tampon backup. But there are a wide array of selections on this front. Carefree used to have one basic pantiliner that came in either scented or unscented. It now has a regular absorbency and a "fluid lock core". They offer long pantiliners. Then there's the "Perfect Fit" ones that are ultra-thin and are flexible. They even have overnight and thong pantiliners! Even Kotex and Always have as many choices on the pantiliner front.

What amazes me is how many female products there are out there. We have to buy pads & tampons to take care of our menstrual cycles. Some gals use douches. Some gals use deodorant sprays. Some gals use the lubricants to stay moist. Some gals need to take meds for menstrual pain. Then there's the stuff for yeast infections!

Men have no idea the things we females have to deal with monthly and yearly to stay healthy. I can see so many men cringing at the thought of having to have to do that exam where they have to "bend over and cough". You know which test I'm talking about? Well, what if they had to have a doctor open them up and take a swab sample of them every year? We don't complain about having to do that, do we? We do it because we know we need to get checked, right? Some of us do it so we can get birth control -- the pill (the many varieties & strengths), the IUD, the Patch, the Ring, Norplant, Depo-Provera, etc.

Then there's the whole different ballgame when we get pregnant! Oy! How many different doctors, nurse practitioners, midwives, and nurses did YOU see when you were pregnant? My OB had a practice that had 3 other doctors and one nurse practitioner. I got to see them...let me correct myself here and say that they all got to see me by the time both kids were born! By the time I had my c-sections, I really didn't care WHO saw my netherlands. Just get the kid out, okay! It's amazing how your sense of privacy and space gets thrown out the window when you're in labor (but that's a story for a different day).

I have to say that the walk down the feminine care aisle really got me to thinking about all the decisions we women make for ourselves in our lifetime....

Would you have called?

It's 5pm and I've just got the kiddos into their shoes. I had called for some pizza and we were headed out to pick it up. Wouldn't you know it? The phone rings! Who is it you ask? It's my SIL. Oy!

SIL: "Hi, it's SIL! How are you doing?"

Me: "Fine"

SIL: "Have you had a hard week by yourself?" [remember my hubby is out of town]

Me: "Oh, it's been fine. We've been keeping busy." [the Bear is pissed & crying on my left hip]

SIL: "So what are you guys up to?"

Me: "The kids and I were just about to step out and get some dinner."

SIL: "Oh, is my brother around?"

Me: "No. He's not getting back until tomorrow night."

SIL: "Oh! I didn't realize he'd be gone so long."

Me: "Yeah...."

SIL: "Ummmm.....I wanted to ask him for some financial advice. Just let him know I called. "

Me: "Well, why don't you call his cell phone? He should be available." [I'm thinking...DUH!]

SIL: "Oh yeah....can I have that number?" [my hubby emailed everyone our new cell #s when we got our phones]

Me: "It's ###..."

SIL: "Thanks!"

---

Couple of questions for you...

If you were email'd a family member's cell phone number, wouldn't you immediately save it on your cell phone and/or write it down in your phone book?

If you called someone and they had a crying child, wouldn't you get to the point of the call quickly?

If you needed financial advice, would you call a family member at 5pm on a Friday?

Guess what she wanted?

My hubby called about an hour ago. I found out that he did get a call from his sister last night. You know why she called? She wanted to find out how she could lower her monthly payments (car, student loans, etc).

What? She's still got student loans that she's paying? She took out student loans when she was getting her bachelor's many years ago. She's 33 years old now! Hasn't she paid those off yet?

She graduated with her bachelors degree in Psychology when she was 24 years old. She tried to get into graduate school in Psychology but she didn't have the grades. She knew she wanted to get further with her Psychology studies but didn't try hard to get good grades. What is that about? If you know you want to get into graduate school, wouldn't you really concentrate and do your best while getting your bachelors?

When she graduated from college, she ended up working in a MRI office. Doing what? She was their receptionist. That psychology degree really did her some good, eh? I know that's not a nice thing to say, but could have worked harder at learning office programs (Word, Excel, etc) and gotten a much higher paying job. But no... she wanted an easy job that she could just leave at the office. Didn't do her much good.

My hubby helped her figure out her life plan. He told her about a program in the navy that would pay her to get her masters degree and provide her with a job once she graduated. He helped her get her application to school together and helped her apply for the navy program. He continued to counsel her (& continues to guide her).

Anyway, she worked through her masters degree and graduated. Then the navy placed her in a job on the East Coast. This job had her supervising enlisted people. My SIL supervising people? What a joke! I can't imagine what a mess that was. What an embarrassment for the military to have a person like her leading others. I shudder at the thought.

The entire 3 years she was gone she didn't make any close friends. I know that when I was consulting out in the Bay Area for 10 months, I clicked with my co-workers. We did lunch together every day. We went to dinner every now and then. I still communicate with a couple of them even now that it's been 6 years since that project. One guy got married and has 2 kids. One gal started her own business. Another gal was engaged for a couple years and just got married this year. It's a natural thing to make friendships, especially when you're working so far from home. But did my SIL? Nope! You know what she did? She bought a dog. A large & ugly dog too....

Now she's back in home since her stint in the navy is up. She started a new job - one that I can't believe they've hired her. I hope she can live up to the expectations they have for her. She's not the most responsible person in the world. Her judgement isn't the best. She's one of those people who still thinks & lives like she's in her mid-20s. She still has the same hair cut and color that she's had since I met her 11 years ago. She still calls her mother & father when something goes wrong. And she calls my husband when she needs advice. Still...

She bought the vehicle she's got 3 years ago. Why she didn't pay it off in 3 years (since she's single), I don't know. It's not like she had any major payments to hinder her paying off the vehicle. Then there's the student loans. It's been 9 years since she graduated with her bachelors. Isn't that long enough to pay those loans off? I know I paid the loans I had before I bought my condo at 29!

So she's got these things she wants to pay off now. Did she save ANY money while she was getting that decent officer's paycheck from the navy? NOPE! Not a dime! Apparently, she was living the high life. She didn't set aside one dinero for post military life. She could have saved up for a nice down payment on a house AND could have paid off those debts in 3 years. But like I said...she doesn't have the best judgement or life planning. That's what she's got my husband for...

I mean, it's not like my husband is years older than either of his siblings. He's 18 month older than his brother and only 36 months older than his sister! But the two of them still ask him for advice. When are those two going to stand on their own two feet? They're adults for crying out loud! Make your own decisions for your life!

I wish he'd lay down the law to them. But he's the good first son. He's always there to give advice. And he gives advice to all of them...even his parents! Oy!

Favorite Movies

I was thinking about this last night. Why? I think because one of my all-time favorite movies was on recently. There are some movies that I can watch over and over again and never get bored. If it's on television, then I watch it. Funny thing is, I don't have any of my favorites on video or DVD! We're not much into collecting these things.

The Shawshank Redemption: Wonderful movie! He was put in jail for a crime he didn't commit. He endured some tough times alone. He casually befriended some guys. He made good with the guards. He kept going on with a little secret - his escape route! I always get so sad when Brooks gets out. He can't believe how much the outside world has changed & ends up killing himself. Also, when Tommy (Gil Bellows) gets shot -- so unfair!

Miss Congeniality: Love Sandra Bullock. Benjamin Bratt looks good in this one (my hubby thinks Ben's neck is way to long & feminine looking). It's funny to see the comedic chemistry the two have in their second movie together (Demolition Man being their first). I laugh so hard each time as she's going through her transformation in the airplane hangar. The tweezing, the waxing, the coloring & conditioning of her hair... I'm still waiting for the sequel to come out at the theaters.

The Matrix: This original is the best of the three. It brought the amazing feats that can be accomplished with wire-work to the mainstream audience. The world that they brought to film was different than any I'd seen. It's like how The Terminator affected sci-fi films in the 80s.

Aliens: I liked this second in the series much better than any of the others. It had more of an impact. I love it when she tears back into the hive and gets Newt out. I cringe every time I watch the queen detach from her egg laying system. Give me the heebee-geebees!!!! Bill Paxton was too funny as the wimpy Private. "We're toast!"

Groundhog Day: Oh my gosh! I can't believe I'm listing this one. I couldn't believe I sat in the movie theater to watch this. But I did and I'm glad I did. I watched this the first year my hubby and I were dating. Every time I watch this I'm reminded back to the time when we were first dating.

Jurassic Park: Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, & Sam Neill were great in this one. They gave it a quirky & funny edge to a "scary" movie. I love it when they're in the jeep trying to get away from the T-Rex. "You must go faster, you must go faster..."

Twister: The tornadoes were too close to people to be realistic but it's an awesome sight to imagine. I've never been near a tornado, but that movie was close enough. I could feel the tension between Helen Hunt & Bill Paxton, they were great together. Poor Jami Gertz as the fiancee. I can't forget that scene where she overhears the two of them talking and Dusty is trying to hold the umbrella over her to protect her from the rain. It's so sad!

Armageddon: Ben & Bruce saving the world? Gotta love it! The unassuming group of men out to do a job to save the world. The special affects and the music work wonders for this movie. I get sad every time Liv Tyler says "good-bye" to Bruce Willis. "Dad, Dad, no, don't go..." Breaks my heart!

There's Something About Mary: I can't believe I love this movie. Again, this is one that my hubby dragged me into the theater to watch. The "mousse" scene still gives me the creeps, but I love the singing through the movie. The fact that all these guys love this guys' girl...she doesn't even realize how amazing she is!

Enemy of the State: This technology probably already exists. At least they portrayed it pretty realistically. The fact that they couldn't identify Brill because he didn't look up. But can one agency have that much power without any checks & balances? What's funny is how many male stars are in this movie! It's like the modern version of The Outsiders! Barry Pepper, Jason Lee, Gary Busey, Scott Caan, Jamie Kennedy, Jack Black...

What are some of YOUR top 10 favorite movies?

So far it's been okay

I'm surviving my time alone with my kids so far. My hubby will be home Saturday evening, so I have almost two full days left of "single parent" time. What's been the worst thing is that I haven't been sleeping well. I'm tired (that's for sure), but I've been restless. Every time I roll over I end up waking myself up.

There's one thing that I started this week that I think I'll continue to do. I've been setting my alarm for 6am and getting myself organized. I get my face washed and start the coffee. I get whatever dishes & utensils that we'll need for breakfast out. I get a sippy and glass of milk ready for the kiddos. Then I sit and drink my coffee and try to watch whatever I've taped from the previous night.

Of course, I have had to yell at the kids since Monday. Yes, I do yell. Luckily, I'm not one to yell and yell and yell. We all have seen that happen in public. It's only when the two are not listening after I've told them to stop whatever activity. The Princess has been jumping and walking all over the couch. It's NOT the best example for the Bear -- who isn't the most careful. Then there's the wrestling ON the couch. Then there's the need to squelch the sassy talk that comes out when the Princess is tired.

Tomorrow is a preschool day! I'll have a few hours alone with the little guy. We'll be headed out to his Movers & Shakers class after dropping the Princess off at school. He always ends up so exhausted after the class that he ends up falling asleep. That means I'll have to put him down for a late afternoon nap. No worries...just as long as he gets some sleep.

But let me tell you that the Bear is sporting a new buzz cut. I had them use the clippers and buzzed his hair off. It's so short but the poor stylist was having such a time trying to cut the Bear's hair. The little guy kept on moving and crying...it was a big old mess. Of course, he quickly recovered once he was out of my lap and walking around on his own. He definitely looks like a BOY rather than a baby.

I just wanted to check in and say that I am surviving the time alone. Can you believe that my hubby hasn't called me every night to check in on us? I know that he's relishing in the quiet of his hotel room and getting to bed early (he told me 8:30pm!!!!) every night. Well he'd better relish in the quiet now because when he gets home he's not going to have any right to complain!

Favorite Baby Things

As my little guy is moving quickly into "boyhood" I wanted to take a look back at some of my favorite baby items.

My daughter is still comfortable in this Cosco Alpha Omega Elite 3-in-1 carseat. The crossover lap belt thing works better now that she's older & knows how to keep still. We have an older model that's in my hubby's truck that has independent clip-ins that worked better when she was smaller & more fidgety. Anyway, we like this one because it's got a forward facing limit of 40 pounds (she just turned four & only weighs 31.5 pounds). Then it's got a 80 pound limit when used as a booster! So this thing'll be with us for a LONG time. Now, my Bear is in a Britax Marathon. It's got a forward facing limit of 65 pounds, where the Britax Roundabout had only a 40 pound limit. We got him the Britax because we had to transition him into a large carseat when he was still young. He was a BIG boy so he quickly outgrew the baby carrier. I'm sure we'll end up putting him into the Alpha Omega, since it can be used as a booster (and since we've got two of the Alphas). When the kids were babies though, I did adore using the Baby Bjorn to carry them around. This way I had a free hand to do stuff with. Both kiddos were clingy until they were about 3 months old, when they finally learned that the crib was a GREAT place to spread out and nap comfortably.

Then what do I use when we go out? I use this "Un-Diaper Bag" from Babystyle on a daily basis. I've got it in black. It holds a sippy for each kid and a bottle of water for me. I keep my sunglasses, keys, & cellphone in the side pocket that has a flap for easy access. The inside of the bags holds a LOT of stuff. I end up having to clean out the bag because there's room for WAY more than I need. I know that when it was just my daughter I used the Lands End Deluxe Backpack Diaper Bag. I think I'll go back to using it once I get it out of the storage unit. It should have enough space in it now that the Princess doesn't need anything but a snack when we go out. Also, it'll be more "manly" looking for when my hubby helps out on weekends. Plus it's made of that tough 600-denier fabric that wipes clean. Of course there's the multiple uses of baby wipes. We don't have any favorite brand on this one. Then there's the Playtex sippy cups. They're easy to clean and the insulated ones keep drinks cold. Then we're pretty loyal to Huggies diapers. It worked for the Princess and it's working fine for the Bear. We use the regular Huggies during the day and Huggies Overnites before putting him to bed (he's got lots of pee-pee at night & these really hold up for him). The Pull-Ups work just fine for potty-training too. I keep this Chicco Caddy Stroller in my car. It came with a rain cover and a carry case. It also has a strap on it so you can carry it when it's folded. What I like about it is that it folds really easily, you can bend the sun shade forward or fold it back, maneuvers easily, and it's SO lightweight.

The Bumkins bibs are the BEST! I just handwash them and they're dry by the next meal. I like this first shaped bib for every day use at home. Note how this style covers the shoulders? We use the one with the sleeves when we're out at a restaurant. This helps keep his outfit clean. Then there's Portable Placemat by Kiddopotamus that we use when we go out to eat. We like it because we can stick it to whatever table and put the Bear's food on it. No plates! The little gutter thing that hangs off the table catches most of his mess. But I'm also thinking that the Press'n'Seal wrap might work too. Might be handy to keep one of these rolls in the car for unexpected eating out!

I breastfed both kiddos and the Avent Isis Breast Pump worked well. I didn't have to purchase any replacement parts the entire time. Yes, it was a manual pump but I could control the strength of the suction (which I couldn't figure out on the electric pump). Our Boppy Pillow lasted through breastfeeding two babies. I also used it to give the kids a different perspective. I'd lay them over the bottom of the U so they'd have elevated tummy time. When they got a little stronger I used it to help them sit up.

They both got a kick when they'd sit in their Tiny Love Gymini. The Princess used to lay beside the Bear when I had him in it. I would attach other toys to it so they'd get different visual stimuli. The Sparkling Symphony Gym was also a favorite. I liked the fact that it had a long-play mode (I did however have to put tape on the speakers to soften up the sound). Then when the kids were older I moved the colored keys into the horizontal mode so they could play it like a piano.

Then there's the Baby Einstein videos/DVDs. Both my kids love the entire series. They're simple & amusing & hold my kids' attention. I love that the kids are exposed to classical music. I love the fact that the toys they show are low-tech. I love the images of the animals too. We had a really inexpensive bouncy seat that we loved - it looked similar to the one pictured below. It allowed the kids to sit up when they didn't have the ability to do it on their own. We were able to eat dinner when the kids were in the bouncy seat (vibrate mode ON!). I was also able to shower & get ready for the day with them in it. It was some of the best $20 we spent! Then there was the Evenflo Exersaucer Walk-around that I bought at a second-hand baby shop. The Bear loved walking around and around. The Princess loved pushing him around and around too!

What are some of YOUR favorite baby items?