Things to Come

Some things that I'll be writing about in the days/weeks to come:

• WIC
• Weekend of NO internet (well HARDLY any internet/computer usage)
• The pangs of being a single mama (that usually just involves $$$)
• More reviews and giveaways
• An overdue shoutout to Rwanda
• My mission for this blog
• Why people should NOT move to Hawai'i...VISITS ONLY
• The final wrap ups of the Bambino's first birthday bash!!!

And that's all I've heard for today.

GIVEAWAY: Before the Break of Dawn Early Bird Special

Right now most parents are thinking about what to buy their kids for school - backpacks, pencil holders, and/or sustainable lunch bags. Singletons are thinking about how to wind down their summer, maybe with a last minute trip to a spa in San Francisco. Soon-to-be married couples in Hawai'i are thinking whether or not if it's cold feet.

But for those who love to plan? What are they thinking about? Maybe that during the Labor Day sales they'll snag some great deals for this year's Christmas or Hannukah gift. Or what kind of holiday card they want to send out. If you're a planner and already thinking about how you want your holiday card to look and say about you then this is the right giveaway for you!

Invitations by Hope, by Hope Ithurburn, is a "full-service paper design company that allows you to customize every detail of your special event or announcement."

When Hope sent me a sample of her creations I was curious and excited. The card sent was enveloped with gleaming durability (no Postal worker could damage it) and stamped with elegance.

What was in store for me when I opened the envelope?  A stylish and merry holiday portable pocket belted with words that gently sang, "Let it snow, let it snow." This thing has layers! The actual greeting card slides out of the portable pocket with snowflakes that trickle down the cardstock - leaving the last snowflake to gently pop calling out for you to touch it with the family's greetings below it. Textures! This card is an experience!

The detailed, delicate design could make one quite eager and ready for the winter holiday season. Everything about Hope's designs and website is chic and inviting - heck maybe even Dooce and her daughter, Leta, would love looking at Hope's website with the enlightening music playing in the background. And with that I offer you the giveaway.

Hope is offering 20% off 5 lucky persons holiday cards purchase ordered by October 31st, 2009. The five winners will be selected randomly using Random.org's True Random Number Generator. Just leave me a comment telling me what song is playing on her website.  Click HERE to get to her website.

Extra entries -

• Become a follower; or
• Tweet about this (don't forget to leave me your twitter ID).

Please let me know you did these by leaving me a comment.

The contest begins today Wednesday, August 27th and will run until Tuesday, September 1st. Winners shall be announced on Wednesday, September 2nd. I know that seems obvious but hey, it doesn't hurt to announce it.

Some of you may think that I'm crazy to be posting something about the holidays before Halloween Labor Day. Well, I am a little crazy and there's no place like the present to be thinking about the future. Right?

How to Scare Your Mother

I thought about naming this post, "How to scare the shit out of your mother," but I had already taken care of my business before I had the scare of my life.

Every morning while getting ready I do my toilet routine.  As I walk to my bathroom, I tell the Bambino that "Mama's going to the toilet, my love," and he'll whine and follow me to the room.  I'll close the bathroom door and he'll either a) whine and cry or b) play with my unhung clothes and his toys while I do my business. 

Today, I heard him playing while I sat on the throne but heard him stop - I thought he went to another part of the room.  When I finished my business I washed my hands and walked out into the bedroom and saw that he wasn't in the room.  Hmm...that's ok because he's either in the living room or peering through his Uncle Lou's bedroom door. 

He wasn't at his uncle's door and he wasn't in the living room.

So I went back to the our bedroom to see if he was hiding on the other side of the bed.  No.

Then I went back out to the living room to see if he was hiding in one of the cabinets.  No.

I looked in my brother's room and asked if he had the Bambino.  No.

Then I looked in the kitchen to see if he was able to squeeze his way through the makeshift barricade that I create every morning with the dining room chairs.  No.

This is when I started to freak out and scream out his name.  I ran out onto the patio.  No Bambino.  I screamed his name.  No reply.  Then I started thinking, "Holy fuck is my baby choking on something and can't respond?  Or has something fallen on him and he's buried?  Where is my baby?  Where is my little Bambino?  Where is he?  Where is he?  Where.  Is.  He?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

Tears were flowing down my face, my heart was pumping a million miles per milisecond.  I just wanted to find my Bambino.  Hug him.  Kiss him.  Hoping that he's ok.  I just keep screaming his name waiting for a reply.  He usually makes a, "Da!" or "Ma!" or "Doo doo!" sound but nothing.  No sounds.  Just my screaming his name and my hyperventalating.  I'm looking in every room; opening and closing doors - going back to open the doors just in case so he can get out.

Every room except for the bathroom. 

I go back to the bathroom and find him sitting there chewing on his bath toys.  I scoop him up, hold him close to me, and just wail - then fall to the ground and just hold him.  Stroke his hair.  Kiss his head.  Rock back and forth - so thankful that he's ok.  That he's not choking on something.  That he was still in the house.  That he's in my arms and I can feel him, smell him, and look at his sweet face.  I'm not sure how he got into the bathroom after I closed the door but I'm just thankful that I was able to find him, in one piece and smiling with his bath toys in his mouth.

Next time I use the john I will either a) strap him to the swing with a bottle leaving on PBS Kids, b) put him in the crib with toys, c) ask his Uncle Lou to hang out with him, or d) just leave the bathroom door open from now on - I'd rather see him, see that he's happy playing with some toys on the bathroom floor and have my bathroom alone time interrupted.  Because that feeling, where you've almost lost hope because of the fear and anger of not knowing where your baby is, not knowing if he's ok - I don't ever want to feel that again.

The Bambino's Father

With planning the Bambino's first birthday bash to my excitement for my new mission, "There's no place like home," sponsored by my mama, I've been thinking. A lot. Thinking about the past year with the Bambino and all that we've been through with the first nights back from the hospital, moving from Boston to Hawai'i, our current teething/cold episode, and the Bamino's father.

I remember thinking that he was peculiar but I loved how inquisitive he was....and how interested he seemed to be in me. We had met when I had just moved to Boston from Philadelphia. He was bold enough to kiss me the first time we met and I remember saying to him, "I don't really like to kiss in public," after he had but secretly I enjoyed his immodest action.

At the time I was just dating and wasn't really ready for a committed relationship - though I was crushing on a tattooed, financial whiz hottie - we'll call him Tattoo Man. He wasn't looking for anything serious either so the situation was perfect! Though he was the kind of fella that you could take home to meet the parents.

Anyway, I was having fun dating the fellas but I remember that I would dread leaving the Bambino's father - I wanted to stay in his arms all day and night. Have him show me around massachusetts. Talk about anything and make fun of each other. Things were decent between us - even though I realized he wasn't the type of guy you take home to meet the family (mainly because I knew nobody would like him) and he had some issues to work out - I was still drawn to him. My heart wanted him.

Us. We were happy once.

That's the thing about the heart, it can get you involved with some insanely dysfunctional men (or people in general).

After I decided that I only wanted to be with him, I told him. Little did I know that his ex-girlfriend would call and change everything for him. Or his inner demons would be revealed. Suffice it to say, he wasn't completely over her and all of the sudden wasn't ready for a committed relationship.

I have a few rules when it comes to work: no dating coworkers and no showing your emotions. When the Bambino's father told me that he wasn't ready...I was heartbroken. I had decided to open myself up completely to him. We were talking during my lunchbreak (he used to call me at least once a day while I was at work) and I told him how I felt and that's when he broke it to me. "I'm not ready for that." Jerk off. I had to run downstairs and get outside to breathe and let a few tears drop down my cheek. I was such a pussy then when it came to men. We had only been seeing each other for a few months and I was already crying over him. Suck it up lady!

That night I went drinking with my coworkers and went home with another man (Mr. Big Bucks). We didn't do anything because I ended up crying in his apartment (freaking mess) and fell asleep on his couch. Couldn't believe how nice he was to let me do that. Maybe I should've stuck with him?

The morning after I walked around the city, went to an art festival in Government Center, visited an art gallery in the North End, and then called him. I went to his studio and we apologized to each other.

Us. The Minute Man Trail. Our only truly good day.

The week after he was getting ready to leave for San Fran for a month or so. We decided to take a day trip together. That was the only truly good day that we spent together. I borrowed my cousin's pick up and we drove to a few farm stands and then to Concord. He showed me a cemetery (he likes graveyards and bats -- think a non-comical Tim Burton character), we trekked the Minute Man Trail and we listened to jazz at the Concord Inn. It was the perfect day. He even signed, "I love you," to me. I got a lot of photos that day. I'll always cherish that day.

Anyway, after a few more months of not feeling good about myself and the situation I had decided to cut us off. No more romance. Just friends, if that. It was September.

A few months and one crappy movie later I declared to him that I had missed him and that I wanted us to be an us. It was November. We would take things slow and see how it went.

December came and we were getting so good. We liked each other again, I had even declared how special he was to my friends and family in a mass e-mail. Then he had to go on a road trip and I went to Seattle - leaving us 3 weeks of missing each other. When I returned from Seattle he told me I was fat. He was very unapologetic about the comment. He told me that if I didn't like that then the realtionship could end. The next day I had decided to permanently cut him out of my life.

But the next day was New Years Eve and I was pathetic enough to ditch my friend's invitation and accepted his puny apology. We watched Ed Wood. We almost missed the fireworks. We made love. That was the night we created the Bambino.

A few weeks went by, we celebrated his birthday and I got really tired. Someone had insulted my cookies and I almost wept. That was when I knew something was up. A morning of pregnancy tests and one doctor's visit -- I was officially knocked up. In the beginning of our relationship I had always told him that I would run away to Norway if he ever knocked me up. When I found out -- he was the first person I called. To make a long story short, he said that he was going to support my decision, whether if it was termination, adoption, or keeping the baby. For those who read this blog regularly - you know what his perference was.

In April we found out the Bambino was going to be a boy. He wanted a little Madeline. He was not happy. We fought in the Boston Commons as the investment team of the company I worked for walked by. All I wanted was to enjoy the day that I found out I was having a healthy baby boy. I almost walked away. He threated that if I did it would be the last I'd ever see or hear from him. I should've flipped him the bird as I walked off but I stayed.

By the time May came, there were too many nasty exchanges and I was just exhausted from all of the emotions and hormones. I called to tell him that we should take a break from each other. He agreed. I didn't hear from him for two months. In July we saw each other and he gave me a bunch of stuff for the Bambino.

After the Bambino was born I called to let him know. He was evil. He tried to be buddhist as I hung up the phone. Pathetic.

It's been almost a year since we've spoken. Not a day goes by that he isn't in my thoughts. But lately he's been in them a lot. I don't see it as a bad thing. The thoughts are just there. I wonder if he thinks about us, if he ever regrets how he acted, if he ever yearns to see his son, if he ever told his family, if he ever told his friends, if he has a ladyfriend and if he's told her, if he'll every try to contact us and if he's let go of his demons.

Do I regret having ever met him?

Not at all. He was the first and last crazy person I have dated.

At least now when I meet a nice fella - I'll appreciate him to the fullest.

For now, I'm so happy with my little fella, my love, my everything.

The Bambino.

Look at those curious eyes!

***The Bambino's father's face has been blacked out of respect for his privacy (sorry if it looks a little creepy). His identity will never be revealed to the general public.***

Thinking Thoughts

A few things that have been on my mind:

• Teething babies
• Seattle
• Boston and my old job
• Family in Boston
• Poppie and Tutu
• The Starfish Project and my overall body image
• Baby Boot Camp
• The Baby Planner and wishing I had the 7K to buy it - I would totally rock and expand it and how nice it would be to be my own boss, work from home, and help out other mamas and soon-to-be mamas
• Social Media and how annoying yet vital it is for my life
• Venomous words
• Bucket lists
• Blogs about loves ones lost and how they created great foundations in their memory
• Dating
• Why married men hit on women
• The Bambino's godfather
• The Bambino's first birthday
• $$$$
• Must find good leads for friends new business venture
• Product reviews
• Teen pregnancy in Hawaii
• Families in Hawaii
• Library books
• Babysitting this weekend - ugh
• Cleaning the townhouse
• Interviews and articles for the Examiner
• How badly I wish the Bambino and I had our own place and he had his own room - fun decorating times!
• Hoping I'll get to a point where I can start a 529 Savings Plan for the Bambino
• How much I want to snuggle up with the Bambino

My mind is a little tired.

11 Months

Bambino Stats

Height/length - I'm guessing somewhere between 28" to 31"?

Weight - A solid 20 lbs

Teeth - Six with two on their way

Current Health - Teething and a cold (which was onset by the teething)

Favorite Foods - Grilled Miso Salmon, anything chicken, tofu, Gerber Puffs, fresh bananas, mangoes, and papayas, green beans, squash, white rice (he's learning to like the brown rise texture) and popsicles.

Motor Skills - (Gross) Crawling, cruising, walks with push toy, and takes steps at the babysitters but not with me. (Fine) Point, pinch, wave, pull and well my nipples would say that he's got a strong bite - even though he's no longer nursing....yep he's a biter.

Breastmilk vs. Formula - Completely off the boob. The lactating ladies went out of business when he was 6 months but we still snuck in a few nursing sessions when nothing else would console him. He likes his formula nice and warm - but will tolerate cold milk when he's at the beach.

Words - Hi, mama, ball, butt (but he means book).

Favorite things to do - Going for walks with Aunty Amber and his girlfriend Delyla, jogging with mama, being tickled, laughing, banging things on the sliding doors (actually anything), looking at himself in the mirror, swiming with mama at Ko'olina, eating, eating, eating, going to Aunty Roses house (his babysitter) and playing with his daycare friends, hanging out with Uncle Lou and Uncle Eloy, listening to mama sing, listening to music (especially the Gilmore Girls theme song), bathing, taking off his clothes and leaving them on his head like a hat, watching Baby Einstein, trying to take mama's camera out of her hand when she's taking pictures, getting his picture taken, snuggle, looking at books and giving them to mama to read and eating, eating, eating (especially whatever mama's eating or whatever he finds on the ground or floor).

And in one month he'll be ONE.

P.S. Old Goat & Tutu this is the video I've been trying to send you the past few weeks. Love.

Mind Slip

While interviewing a potential babysitter for Friday morning, Admissions Day:

Potential babysitter - Umm, I won't be able to meet until after 3:00 pm tomorrow (today, Thursday). I have classes until that time.

Me - That's ok because I work during the days anyway.

Potential babysitter (in a very surprised manner) - Oh really?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yep, why else would I need a babysitter in the morning? Thankfully, I'm meeting with another girl who doesn't sound like an idiot.

More on the Bambino's 1st Birthday Bash Prep

Theme - Check

Invitations - 3/4 check (just need to put some finishing touches and send)

Outfit - Check

Awesome gift - Check

Location - Check

Date of Party - Check

Games/Entertainment - Check

Eco-friendly - Almost there....so another 3/4 check

Decorations - Ummm...not yet

Food - Not yet

Cake vs. cupcake - CUPCAKES!!! Now I just need to find a good frosting and frosting color.

Favors - Have an idea but haven't put it into material yet

Time left until party and to plan - 1 month

and I'm still freaking out!

Comment Love

So, I get a good amount of readers to the site but not many comments.

I'm (seriously, genuinely) wondering what it is that I can do to receive some comment lovin'. I love it when I receive comments because it makes me feel as though the jazz I write about it is relateable to the folks who visit here.

Maybe I'm not concise on my topics? Would you like me to be more focused? Or would you like the blog to go back to just being updates on the Bambino? I guess I could live with that - I could just start a different blog about other things that I fancy.

Perhaps do a few giveaways? Contests?

Or is it that I'm just not that cool? I can live with that too.

Let me know what I can do to get some responses out of you folks.

Feeling Like a Mama

Last night I felt like a mom, I mean an actual get up in the middle of the night, start a pot of boiling water, go outside to cut some rosemary, put it in the boiling water, while the Bambino sits in his high chair and eats some Gerber puffs all because he's teething and can't breathe through his nose kind of mama.

That's right, the Bambino is teething. He's got his lower & upper front teether, the two teeth besides the upper teeth, and now he's growing some more lower teeth. He is not a happy camper. Add a stuffy/runny nose and you've got a sore gummed, clogged up Bambino.

Since I try to do remedies as natural as possible I put on some rosemary boiling water, then put it in the sink, hung a towel over the Bambino's and my head to let the steam help clear him up (I had just sprayed the shower with Tilex due to the massive mildew so there was no way I was having my baby breathe in chemical steamed air) and then we sat outside for a few minutes to help him clear up some more. We did this 5 times. Then I whipped out the Baby Vicks and rubbed that on his chest to help him breathe the rest of the night.

The stuffy nose wouldn't be so bad if he weren't teething but since he is, he wants to have the pacifier in his mouth ALL NIGHT which makes for even more difficult breathing hence the steaming and vicks.

But at one o'clock in the morning when he woke up again and I caved in to give him some infant Tylenol to help soothe his gums and so he could sleep without his pacifier.

The kid did not wake up until 5 minutes before we had to leave to go to the babysitters and me go to work. That's one tired Bambino.

What I found interesting about last night was that I wasn't phased by the crying, whining, steaming, rubbing, tylenol. It all felt natural. I really felt like a mom rocking the Bambino while we sat under the stars, watching him phase in and out. The patience that I had was surprising. In the beginning I was yelling and crying to his woes because I didn't understand and I wanted my freedom back. But now the waking up in the late night to bring him into bed with me because he just wants to snuggle feels right, normal, like home.

Even more, I felt like a mama last night because he looked up at me with his tired and drunk (from milk) eyes and mumbling mouth to call me "mama" while I swayed with him under the moon.

I get by with a little help from my friends (and family)

Example of the Bambino's first birthday outfit by Trulysanctuary on Etsy.

So I've got a great little outfit picked out for the Bambino's first birthday which is Music themed, I can't stand those Dora or Pooh party themes so I went with something a little unique. Anysnooze, I'm reallye excited about this outfit and am so thankful that the designer has been so patient with me on this onesie. And yes I realize that this is just an outfit that the Bambino will only wear a couple of times but it still has to be perfect. Who knows maybe I'll use it to make him a quilt (that maybe my mom or someone crafty in my family will make?) for when he goes to college or something.

It's his first birthday and the outfit has to be perfect along with everything else. The Bambino will have reached a milestone, along with reaching many milestones within just that ONE milestone. Anyway, I'm excited to have found an out fit but...........

......I'm having some issues on what to put on the Bambino's 1st birthday onesie outfit.

On the tape part I plan on sticking with the, Bambino's Party Mix, but am having trouble figuring out what to put below it.

I came up with, I crescendoed my way into my 1st year or Crescendo since 2008. They're ok but I'm not totally sold on either of them.

Some of my friends have picked some great ones but I'm still not totally sold. That's where where you folks come in.

Do any of you clever and musically inclined folks have any suggestions?

If so please leave me a comment.

The Old Goat on Route 66

Dear Old Goat,

On Sunday you turn 66 and like the route you have reached a historic milestone. So in honor of your 66th birthday I would like to list 66 reasons (in no particular order) as to why I love you and am so thankful that you have allowed me to call you "Dad" for the past 23 years.

66 Reasons I love My Old Goat

1. Your love of travel;
2. Your desire to learn about different cultures;
3. The notes and poems you used to put in my "Emergency" kits for school;
4. Because you took me out to lunch, just the two of us, to try to understand me;
5. Our trips to the zoo together and the chili dogs we used to eat afterwards;
6. Our road trips to Colorado or Sacramento;
7. The stops we made during the road trips like the dinosaur museum and Salt Lake...even though I didn't get out of the car;
8. Your persistence to open my eyes and see reality - the world;
9. Your devotion to mom;


10. Your devotion to me and the Bambino;
11. Your devotion to your family and friends;
12. Your crankiness - you're a grumpy Old Goat but you wouldn't be you if you weren't;
13. How you've provided for your family and not just mom and me but the many others;
14. Your bravery, it is much braver to choose to fight for life than to give up;
15. Your good credit and I don't mean financially - you were indebted to someone for your life and you payback the community by sharing your story;


16. Your bread...it's beyond delicious;
17. Your cooking in general - oh how I miss it;
18. Your love of cooking;
19. How you were teaching me to be tech savvy since I was 5-years-old with the introduction of a Mac;
20. The abacus and many other global toys/tools from your many travels;
21. Our trips to the library - I can still remember what it looks like;
22. Company picnics - even though they were boring I was still happy to go with you;
23. My broken leg and how you were there in the room when I found I wouldn't be able to play my last season of high school soccer - you looked just as broken hearted as I did but still put a hopeful smile on your face for my sake;
24. How you let me watch you shave in the mornings when I was little and would let me pretend to shave my face....even though I'm a GIRL!
25. Bedtime stories;
26. Hanging out at the pool;
27. Father/daughter dances;


28. Making Missions out of papier mache;
29. Going to Missions to help me learn about my school project;
30. San Diego Padre games...or the tailgate parties?;
31. Disneyland;
32. Knotts Berry Farm;
33. Birthday parties with favorite homecooked meals (you & mom);
34. Moving to Seattle or more like the drive from Sacramento to Seattle;
35. How I got to spend time with just you for a few days for our first Christmas in Seattle;
36. Crossing over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge for my first time and how you told me its history as we drove on it;
37. Visiting Grammy and the family in Sacramento;
38. Preparing for Spelling Bees;
39. Trolley rides to Old Town San Diego;
40. Mission Bay and San Fernando Beach picnics;
41. You jogging and me riding my bike on Saturday mornings when we lived in California;
42. Helping me with extra credit homework for when we went to Sacramento for Thanksgivings;
43. Actually helping me with a lot of homework throughout the years;
44. My first Spanish/English dictionary and how you were trying to get me to learn Spanish before high school;
45. Letting me play soccer;
46. Buying me rollerblades - you know the ones I never used...or wait...I used them twice;
47. Trying to teach me how to cook - numerous times;
48. How you were looking for the best gift for the Bambino's shower;
49. The Bambino's Christmas gifts - we love the fuzzy lion and elephant;
50. When you and mom would visit me in college and in Boston;
51. How you always listened to me bitch about whatever was pissing me off at the moment;
52. Riding rollercoasters with you;
53. Our plans to go white water rafting together;
54. How we share the same love for spicy and stinky foods;
55. Paying for college - thank you and so sorry but mostly thank you;
56. Your support for me to go to live abroad;
57. When you and mom would get mad at me for not spending enough time at home when I came to visit during holidays and the summer while I was still in college (how naive I was to think that you were just being pissy parents when you two just missed me);
58. Your e-mails with pictures or jokes or presentations of beautiful professional photography;
59. Your e-mails with words of encouragement and love;
60. You always came back home after a long business trip abroad;
61. Earth Days;
62. Jersey Boys and Madame Butterfly;
63. How you still love me even though I know I've disappointed you a couple of times in life;
64. The day you came to get me;
65. The letter you sent comparing your and the Bambino's birth stats;
66. How even though you didn't have to have me in your life, you chose to love me and call me your daughter.

I could list more.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Love,
Princess PPGB and the Bambino

MOVING

Restless Mama has found a new home and is in the process of moving everything from here to there. I'll let you know when the move is complete but until then I don't plan on blogging.

However, I will be updating with Twitter so check out my tweets on the Twitter website or just scroll down until you see "Twitter Updates."

Oh, why the move? I'm just a little tired of Blogger and would like to make my blog a little more me without Blogger's restrictions on templates and design.

Until then.

**UPDATE: My Twitter account has been suspended due to my profile being hacked and some jerk off deciding to tweet stupid crap under my name. Twitter is on top of it and hopefully I'll be able to keep my profile and won't have to do the whole thing all over again. Wish my luck folks!***

Breathing in Florence

Lungs Album Cover

My obsession for the day is the album, "Lungs" by Florence and the Machine.

I'm so excited to be in love with a lady singer - it's been a while since a woman's vocals (Feist and Arcade Fire's Regine Chassagne) have moved me. I have a new girl crush.

To preview some of her tunes click here or or here or here for her official website - don't let the sound of the breathing lungs freak you out; that's supposed to happen.

Her song, "Dog Days Are Over," makes me want to swiftly sway and then jump around like a fool around my living room.

What's your latest obsession?

I am a weiner...

I mean WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I was checkin' my e-mails last night and I see this message with the subject - You Won the Sexy, Sassy Grand Prize! At first glance I think to myself: Liar! You're a scam! I freakin' hate scammer e-mails. Then I look to see who it's from and it's from a Ms. Single Mama! And then I think to myself: Wait a minute...did I enter a contest? Shoot I DID enter her giveaway contest! Hooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyy mashed potatoes I won something! I won something! I effin' won a mother effin' priiiiiiiiiiiiiiizzzzzzzzzzzzze! I am so awesome!!!

Actually it went more like (in my highest pitched tone imaginable)- What?!?!?!?! She's lyin'. The lady is a freakin' liar! What!?!?!?!?!

And the Bambino is lookin' at me like - What is your deal lady? Get off your toosh and get me my bottle!

And I'm all - Sorry Bambino I can't right now, I have to flip out about this for just a few more seconds and then I'll get your bottle. And when did you get to be so bossy? (Seriously folks, he's really bossy these days).

And he's all like - Do it now woman! Do it now or I will scream and wail and poop my diaper and make the smell of it all invade your nostrils! Give me my baba!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So who's gonna turn down a temper tantrumed infant? Not me. I don't want to have to deal with the consequences of bottle throwing and guilt ridden whimpering. It's too heartbreaking, plus he's a hungry, growing Bambino - the Bambino must be fed.

Anyway, after I took care of his needs I went to go respond to the e-mail the Ms. Single Mama sent me so that I could receive my prize. This morning she sent me a kind e-mail to tell me that the package would be sent today, which means I should receive it within a week or so - it takes a while to get things to the island.

Ok, so why my shock and sheer giddyness? I've never won a prize from a contest. Never. N-E-V-E-R!!!! So winning this is so huge, bigger than freakin' Mt. Everest! Bigger than the booger clogging up my nose right now (excuse me while I go blow my nose).

So I am a winner. I'm THE winner. WINNER! Winnah! Win-nerrrrrrrrrrrr!

Now if only I could've won the lotter when I bought my first and last lottery ticket in January.

Click here to see what I won and here to see my name announced in Ms. Single Mama's most recent post.

I can't wait to sport my sexy apron and read my sassy books!

P.S. I finally got my haircut yesterday. Man, yesterday was a fabulous day!

Bambino Sounds

This evening while playing with his old Gerber Puff container he discovered that his voice echoes when he "talks" into it.

Can I get a witness?



I wish I could've caught him on film when he was making that sound non-stop for 5 minutes but I didn't get that thought into my head until at the very end of his fun with the echo. It was adorable because I started making sounds into the container and then put it up against his mouth and he would micmic me. He's a freaking genius that baby. I'm also convinced that he knows he's a goofball.

Sometimes that thought of Infant World Domination pops into my head because babies are freakin' too smart for me.

Oh and we're still experiencing some spit up. We keep it classy around here.

Goofy Bambino

I had no idea that babies were able to develop a sense of humor so soon! I usually take the Bambino out of his clothes when we get home from somewhere so he can cool off and be free. He decided to use his onsie as a toy and place it on his head. What surprised me was that he was gettin' a kick out of putting it on his head, taking it off his head....he was being a real goof ball and he knew it! When I caught him doing this he looked up at me and gave me the, "What? I just found a better way to wear my clothes! You're just jealous."

He cracks me up.

Time to take off the hat now. It was fun while it lasted.


A little sweetness (and sweatiness). I just thought this was a little too precious to not post.

Retraction & Cuteness

I'd like to retract my previous statement of the laziness and selfishness of my little brother.

He is a "typical" (I use quotations because he's actually more mature and cooler than other 16-year-olds) teenager when it comes to doing housework and wanting to have his own "me" time. Uncle Lou, that's what we call him, is great about doing things around the house once you ask him. He's also great at entertaning the Bambino. In fact, the Bambino adores his uncle and I like to think vice versa.

Proof; they were hanging out in my room while I did some weeding outside (photos of that coming soon and one project checked off of my list): Oh the cute sweetness of it all!

The Bambino is such a snuggler. This is how they were when I came in to check on them. Snuggled up next to each other. It was too cute to pass up. Kudos to my brother for being such a good sport about me taking photos of him being a softy uncle.
The Bambino givin' the camera some love and Uncle Lou about to make a *pop* sound. The babe loves it when his uncle makes that shound.

WE LOVE YOU UNCLE LOU!!!