My BABY... almost toddler

Bruiser is Jonah's new nickname because his forehead is never without a bruise. I should start getting used to them since he is a boy. I think he looks like Frankenstein when he walks.

It's fun to watch him walk, but I feel sad because I think he's starting to lose some of his baby fat already. I'm not ready for him to be a toddler. The past few nights I've not been able to rock him to sleep. He's been too squirmy and restless so I tried laying him down by himself. He fussed for a minute, then talked, and then he went to sleep BY HIMSELF. I should be happy, but I like rocking my baby to sleep.

Jonah at 1 month.

Because I'm missing my "baby" - my favorite picture of him at 2 mos.

Jonah Walks!

He will hate me when he's older but...

I HAD to do it! He's so stinking adorable I just had to see if he was pretty enough to be passed off as a girl. I did not, however, take him out in public dressed up. We have promised daddy no more forays into girls clothing. So as not to embarrass Jonah too much I only posted these in small. I got the dress for $1.99, isn't it too cute?! He seemed to like it, I think he will enjoy wearing shorts (boys shorts) this summer.Here's a shot of our "after" outfit, all boy!

















Please note that I love MY BOY and wouldn't trade him for a girl EVER.

oh jonah

He has his own cupboard. :)























He likes to make a mess! Ooooohh!

Feminism and my love/hate relationship with it.

I love being a mom, I don't like being a working mom. I started a new book this morning - "I was a Really Good Mom Before I had Kids". I'm on page 32 and so far I love it.

As women we have far to go with regards to perfecting feminism. So yay, we can vote and work. In addition we are also expected to do ALL the same tasks mothers did BEFORE we were "freed to work" outside the home. Yes, I can have a career. But I still have to find the time to fit all the "other stuff" in. "Other stuff" can be defined as cleaning, cooking, and folding laundry. I also want to spend time with Jonah, playing, cuddling, and reading books. I find that I have a hard time balancing it all. I know people say to just let the "other stuff" go, but I hate that advice. What do you mean "let the other stuff go". I can't just let it go. Who's going to do it if I don't?

I think true feminism now is acceptance and forgiveness. Accepting that we cannot do it all, that we will not be our own impossible ideal of a perfect mom and then forgiving ourselves for not achieving that perfection. Because even though we may accept it we will still feel guilty for not achieving it.

I am working on the acceptance part first...

Easter

Well, he was a bit cranky on Easter and we were tired from the weekend away. Here's the best pics of Easter I could muster. For some reason they were either blurry or he wasn't looking.
So much for getting good shots of him in his Easter best. We'll have to put the outfit on another day and pretend it's Easter sunday!

Fly Boy - First Digital SB Page!

Here's my first ALL Digital Scrapbook Page! Its a 5x10 layout. My best friend, Jamie, is a graphic designer so she gave me a crash course in Photoshop CS3. I can't wait to make more!

Rain boot Etiquitte

So I am thinking about either these or these. Can one wear rain boots in the office or must I change my shoes when I arrive? Are they a fashion shoe or a working shoe? I'm really hoping they can be both... I want to be like these girls!

Here's a peek...

At our Saturday mornings. We like to go out to breakfast after Mr. J wakes up. So Saturday we headed up to the French Laundry downtown Fenton. I cannot say enough about how much I LOVE the French Laundry.

Jonah's Scone and my coffee. I love that they serve the coffee in odd mugs that don't match each other. Nathan's was solid red and it was advertising for Holly, Mi. I loved ny mug on Saturday.













The flower on our table. I don't have pictures of them, but the chairs don't match either. In the summer you can sit outside. I feel very Parisian when I get to dine alfresco at the Laundry.



















Jonah's MONSTROSITY of a pancake. It was seriously, the hugest pancake I have ever seen in a restaurant. It was larger than the plate. I used Nathans coffee cup for scale so you could see how large it was. No, Nathan did not have a shot of espresso. That was a regular sized coffee cup.













A very full happy Jonah after eating a scone and pancake. They also have old fashioned high chairs not the traditional ones,. I wasn't going to use the cover, but he kept sliding forward in the chair so we had to so he wouldn't slide on out the bottom.













I love lazy Saturdays!

Jonah loves pancakes

I love this picture of his pancake covered hands.

Big and Little, Daddy and Jonah

My 2 men, the loves of my life.

True Michiganders!

Only True Michiganders get so excited about 50 degree weather in March that they take their 9 month old child to the park, even though he was sick earlier in the week. Jonah took a ride on the swings for the first time. He enjoyed it for a little while, then he got chilly.

I realized today that I have not posted any new Jonah pics since Tuesday! That is a true travesty! I plan to rectify said mistake right now!




























Here's one of my nephew, Mason 'cuz its just too cute not to share.

Children's Place Ad!

I shot this 21 times, here are a few attempts.

Out with the Old

So today I am organizing my stuff and tossing junk.

Do I really need 50 bottles of shampoo, conditioner and lotion from hotels? No.

I am no longer going to squirrel away hotel shampoos and conditioners like its 1999 and the end of the world is tomorrow. I am going to get new travel containers. Will post pictures later. Off to update and organize some more!

Is it weird that I've always thought it would be cool to carry a Flask?

Things I abhor...

Taking a bunch of pictures and then realizing the camera has NO memory card in it.

Oh and take this quiz to find out how good you are at grammar! Sadly, I was only average (student level). Nathan's co-worker, who happens to be british, scored perfect. According to the quiz he is a "Grammar god".

Dear Readers...

So its Wed. night again and the boy is at Grandma's. I miss him.

Here is one of the two highlights of my evening - A Red Robin Royal Red Robin Burger. A Royal Red Robin Burger at first sounds gross. It actually took me about a couple years to try it, but now that I have it might be my favourite there. It is a cholesterol nightmare, but its a tasty one. It is not for the faint of heart. Sadly, I could not finish whole thing.

Highlight number 2 and probably the highest of the 2 highlights is pictured to the left. COLDSTONE CREAMERY! If you have not had an ice cream from Coldstone Creamery then you are missing out on one of life's sweetest pleasures. Seriously, think of your favourite flavour (yes, "-our" 'cuz i like it better) of ice cream and then multiply that tastiness by 100. It is THAT good. Now I must also add that coldstone is only for the ice cream connoisseur. It is not a low budgetary ice cream. To me its like the difference between a Hershey bar and Godiva.There's nothing wrong with a Hershey bar but, it's good to have Godiva chocolates every once in a while. So Treat yourself!

Oh and tonight we also went shopping for Dining Room furniture. I SO need/want a new dining set. We are still working with the one we received used from someone else who also received it used. It has been well used. Now that I have a house I am considering this a code red priority for purchases. I'm looking for a dark stain, like a dark chocolate cherry. Here is the dining room table set (4 chairs and table for $699) I think I like from Art Van. My only hesitance is the chair design. Do they look too much like folding chairs? I want something modern and elegant, but not overly so. I'm going for Pottery Barn without the Pottery Barn price.

Although my favourite of ALL is the Amherst table in Mahogony finish by PB. Actually, I love the black as well. Of course, the table alone is $200 more than the whole Art Van set.

The question is, is the Amherst with 4 Aaron chairs worth $1000 m0re? Better Question, is PB better quality or do I just think that because its PB?



EVEN Better yet, why am I awake when I could be getting a FULL nights sleep?!?!?!

Good night and Good luck!

Please share your thoughts about my table dilemma!

I (sometimes) hate the internet...

For first time moms the internet can be a wonderful and hateful tool. Today my mom suggests that Jonah might have pneumonia because he has a "rattle". So what do I do? Google pneumonia and infants which says that the symptoms he has are probably pneumonia. Ok, so what's the standard treatment? Antibiotics, which he has. I also spy this. I'm trying not to freak out. I am giving him at least 48 hours on the antibiotic. I am praying it works. I will NOT be a freaked out, neurotic mom.

Sick, Sad Baby J

UPDATE! - Mr. J is feeling better, turns out he has a ear infection in his left ear and a sore throat from all the drainage. He's on an antibiotic now so he should be back to normal in the next day or so. The doctor said it was good that I brought him in because he was probably in pain and the antibiotic would help ease that quicker. Mommy doesn't like her boy to hurt.

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On a better note, here are some pictures of Hugsy in the tub. In the bottom picture please note the teeny bruise on his forehead. Friday he bumped it on the computer monitor that sits on the floor.
Poor Joners is sick. He's been a bit congested for a week now, but it ramped up in earnest yesterday afternoon. I made appointments with Brittany our acupuncturist and Erica our chiropractor. He got a shoni shin treatment which seemed help right away and an herbal tincture. Then I locked our keys in the car, thank you AAA. We both received our adjustments. By the time we got home yesterday the fever was up to 103.5.

Now here is where my dilemma started. If you read my blog you know that I am trying to do things naturally. The natural method is to let a fever run its course and not to medicate. Well, I tried, but 103.5 is too high for this first time mommy to let go. We dosed him up with tylenol. I made an appointment with his pediatrician this morning. We go in at 1:15. I tried my natural methods, but the wheezing, coughing, lack of appetite, and intermittent fever is just too much. I do think the natural way would work, I just don't have the heart to make him wait it out.

PS. - New Favorite Show - Jon and Kate Plus 8! Love, Love, Love it!

SPC [political] Week 2: Light up the world

One ripple in a pond... A butterfly flaps it's wings... One small change can change the world. I heard not too long ago that switching to fluorescent bulbs could help save the earth by reducing green house gases. So I am doing what I can, making small changes to help save the environment.

For more information on the Self Portrait Challenge, click here.

And he walks with me...

Ok, so Jonah is not Jesus, but this weekend he decided to walk by himself!

This weekend Nathan's dad and stepmom came up to visit. They brought Jonah Easter surprises! Let the Easter festivities begin!

3/8 Irish

UPDATE- See the picture update to the Left to see what I got him from Old Navy! Thank you for the suggestions!

So Jonah needs a St. Patty's Day outfit. He's 3/8 Irish! I wonder if it's bad to give him green bottles...

I've never really been into St. Patrick's day but, I'm not irish. Jonah is so I want him to celebrate it! I got him a bib, but thats not enough.

So far only Carters (which was sold out of his size) and OLD NAVY have anything for St. Patricks Day . Anyone know of anywhere else?

SPC [political] week 1 - Scientific Decision Making

Undecided

I have decided to start participating in the self portrait challenge. This month's theme, political, is a hard one. I'm not left and I'm not right. I'm not democratic or republican or independent or green. I am undecided, sometimes apathetic, and maybe even a little bit pessimistic when it comes to politics.

So where do I stand? On my Own. Free to make my own decisions. Free to speak my mind. Free to be Undecided.

For more on the Self Portrait Challenge, click here.