Ugh. My child HATES shopping already. Allow me to elaborate. Today my sister, her girls, and my mom went shopping at the outlets in Fremont. We were in OshKosh looking at adorable clothes. (I practiced some extreme restraint, as I really could have spent a ton of money there but didn't.) I held an outfit up to Tyler, who was sitting in his stroller, to see how long the 9 month outfit was on him. While I was holding the outfit up to him, he PUSHED IT AWAY. It's as if he said to me, "Mom, I'm so over this shopping experience. Men don't try on clothes, we just buy them. Please move on." Grrrr. How has this trait rubbed off on him already? Who tainted my baby?
Little does he know... he's in for plenty more shopping trips. He best learn to like, nay, love it.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Photographic Eyes
I sometimes wish that I had photographic eyes. Much like a photographic memory, but more like a camera, but then I'd some how need to up-load the images so I could share them with my friends. Reason being, I saw one of the most ridiculous things EVER yesterday while I was gassing up the car.
First, this must be prefaced by the fact that I live in Indiana (usually this is enough said). Now, in Indiana people are allowed the right to choose whether or not they'd like to wear helmets whilst on their motorcycles. Most choose to go without. It's a very odd sight, considering I grew up in Michigan, where there are helmet laws. I have seen people, while helmetless, riding their motorcycles AND smoking cigarettes. I have also seen the helmetless talking on their cell-phones while cruising on their motorcycles. As if the roads weren't dangerous enough by just being on a motorcycle.
This brings me to the sight seen yesterday. I was gassing the car up, and I happened to look up and see an elder gentleman on his hog at the light. I had to then do a triple take to make sure what I saw was correct. There, on his lap, WAS A DOG! That's right, a dog. A little lap dog draped across his legs, that he was absent-mindedly petting while waiting for the light to turn green. Are you freaking kidding me?
Of course, neither of them had helmets on. A doggie helmet would just be taking it too far, don't you think?
First, this must be prefaced by the fact that I live in Indiana (usually this is enough said). Now, in Indiana people are allowed the right to choose whether or not they'd like to wear helmets whilst on their motorcycles. Most choose to go without. It's a very odd sight, considering I grew up in Michigan, where there are helmet laws. I have seen people, while helmetless, riding their motorcycles AND smoking cigarettes. I have also seen the helmetless talking on their cell-phones while cruising on their motorcycles. As if the roads weren't dangerous enough by just being on a motorcycle.
This brings me to the sight seen yesterday. I was gassing the car up, and I happened to look up and see an elder gentleman on his hog at the light. I had to then do a triple take to make sure what I saw was correct. There, on his lap, WAS A DOG! That's right, a dog. A little lap dog draped across his legs, that he was absent-mindedly petting while waiting for the light to turn green. Are you freaking kidding me?
Of course, neither of them had helmets on. A doggie helmet would just be taking it too far, don't you think?
Monday, August 25, 2008
Smuggling Melons
To be honest, I've never really been overly fond of my body. Blame the media, marketing, Barbie, or whomever, but it's true; I've got some insecurites. When I was in high school, I made a list of the 5 things I'd change about myself if I could. They are (in no particular order): 1) my height (I'm close to 5'3'' in the right shoes), 2) my weight, 3) my teeth, 4) my fingers (very chubby and too short), and 5) my cheeks (hello, have you seen them... it's like I'm storing stuff for the winter!). Let's skip over the fact that I both made the list and still remember the list. The one thing that I never complained about was my chest. Yes, I truely believe that both the Lord and genetics blessed me in that category.
Now let's skip forward to present day. The insecurites are still there and on full alert because I just had Tyler. I need to start working out, but I don't have the energy. And I hate that I can't really wear anything in my closet. I have 6 shirts that fit me, and I'm tired of looking at myself in the same old boring outfits day after day after day after day. Part of my wardrobe problems is the body weight, the other is my boobs. They're ginormous! When I was pregnant Joe and I used to joke around that my boobs were trying to keep up with my growing belly. It was funny at the time...
Seriously, breast-feeding has giving me boobs that people pay to have (minus the milk, of course). The problem I'm having is that even if I wanted to wear anything that I wore prior to being pregnant, it looks like I'm smuggling melons under my shirt. It's ridiculous. It'd be comical, if it wasn't me I was looking at in the mirror. Too much of a good thing is still just too much. At this point I'm wishing I had the old me back... insecurites and all.
Now let's skip forward to present day. The insecurites are still there and on full alert because I just had Tyler. I need to start working out, but I don't have the energy. And I hate that I can't really wear anything in my closet. I have 6 shirts that fit me, and I'm tired of looking at myself in the same old boring outfits day after day after day after day. Part of my wardrobe problems is the body weight, the other is my boobs. They're ginormous! When I was pregnant Joe and I used to joke around that my boobs were trying to keep up with my growing belly. It was funny at the time...
Seriously, breast-feeding has giving me boobs that people pay to have (minus the milk, of course). The problem I'm having is that even if I wanted to wear anything that I wore prior to being pregnant, it looks like I'm smuggling melons under my shirt. It's ridiculous. It'd be comical, if it wasn't me I was looking at in the mirror. Too much of a good thing is still just too much. At this point I'm wishing I had the old me back... insecurites and all.
Children's Magic
Saturday night Tyler and I were on our own, because Joe was at a car show in Grand Rapids with my dad. Typically when Joe is gone for the night, I treat myself to Chinese take-out because: 1) I don't have to cook, 2) it's good, and 3) Joe hates chinese and we never eat it. So when I called Joe, and he said that he wouldn't be home until after 8:30 p.m., I decided that beef chop suey and egg rolls were calling my name. I put in my order (amazing ready in "10 minute"... oh wait... it always takes that amount of time), put Tyler in the car seat, and left the house.
When I walked into the restuarant, the lady ran to the back to get my order. On a side note: it is my firm belief that they don't actually make your order until you walk into the chinese restuarant. I believe they wait til you get there, and then decide to either make it right then or take it out of the buffet line. Either way, it's never ready when I get there. I put the car seat down while I was waiting, because my kid is a tank, and way to heavy to hold in his car seat for any length of time. I literally put him down for maybe a minute when a young boy spotted him and came over to investigate.
The little boy was, I'm guessing, 3-4 years old and Chinese. From my interactions with him previously (that's right, I've seen him before on my Chinese food runs... don't judge me) I've realized he doesn't speak English. He immediately started playing with Tyler. He held his hands and feet, gently touched his cheeks, rocked his car seat, and showed Tyler how to play with the toy monkey on the car seat handle. It was so cute. Me, I wasn't concerned. Tyler has 2 cousins, one of which is only 18 months old and her version of gentle isn't... well... gentle.
The boy's family, once they realized what he was doing, rushed over to try to tell him to back off (at least that's what I'm assuming they were saying). I told them that it was ok and smiled. They were playing together. The boy was so enamored with Tyler, smiling, and chatting away.
What I found amazing is that children don't really care about culture divides. They are just so curious that it doesn't really matter. When did the rest of us lose that? When did we learn to pass judgement or make assumptions? Is it possible for me to keep Tyler innocent, curious, and open?
When I walked into the restuarant, the lady ran to the back to get my order. On a side note: it is my firm belief that they don't actually make your order until you walk into the chinese restuarant. I believe they wait til you get there, and then decide to either make it right then or take it out of the buffet line. Either way, it's never ready when I get there. I put the car seat down while I was waiting, because my kid is a tank, and way to heavy to hold in his car seat for any length of time. I literally put him down for maybe a minute when a young boy spotted him and came over to investigate.
The little boy was, I'm guessing, 3-4 years old and Chinese. From my interactions with him previously (that's right, I've seen him before on my Chinese food runs... don't judge me) I've realized he doesn't speak English. He immediately started playing with Tyler. He held his hands and feet, gently touched his cheeks, rocked his car seat, and showed Tyler how to play with the toy monkey on the car seat handle. It was so cute. Me, I wasn't concerned. Tyler has 2 cousins, one of which is only 18 months old and her version of gentle isn't... well... gentle.
The boy's family, once they realized what he was doing, rushed over to try to tell him to back off (at least that's what I'm assuming they were saying). I told them that it was ok and smiled. They were playing together. The boy was so enamored with Tyler, smiling, and chatting away.
What I found amazing is that children don't really care about culture divides. They are just so curious that it doesn't really matter. When did the rest of us lose that? When did we learn to pass judgement or make assumptions? Is it possible for me to keep Tyler innocent, curious, and open?
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