Thanks for nothing

I'm on email lists for several airlines. They send out "weekly" messages with their top "deals." Each email is divided into two parts - deals from our city and deals from other cities. Great. I'm glad I can fly to Akron for "cheap" (it doesn't look like a deal to me), but really, do you have to rub it in as to which cities have actual good deals on airline tickets? DC only has good deals to ONE city? Why is the "deals from other cities" section 10 times larger than my city?

Miami to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic probably is a bargain at $74 each way. I'd like to go there. But wait, I don't live in Miami. Why in the world do you have to rub it in that people in an already warm climate with good, cheap, food (ie Cuban sandwiches - so yummy) readily available can "get away" for so cheaply while I am stuck in not warm DC with only a deal to Ohio?

(I love you, Jen, and someday will go visit you - apparently there are lots of good deals to be had.)

Today's Lesson: Spillage

Today I spilled some rice on the kitchen floor when making lunch. And then I forgot to clean it up. All afternoon I've been walking around in my bare feet and feeling single pieces of rice on my feet. I feel like a modern day, updated version of The Princess & the Pea.

Today's lesson: Clean things up right away.

Waiting and Talking

Sometimes I wish baby girl (shall I call her Lu'au?) would talk. I try to interpret her cries - "Mama, I am ti-red!", "I'm bored", "Can a girl get food around here?"... I try to fit my words into each one of her outbursts.

My neighbors joke that with their kids they could discern the cries to mean #4, #7, and #2... (Surely this cry means #3) unfortunately, they never received the manual to interpret what #4, #7, and #2 meant.

At times I wish Lu'au could tell me what she wanted, what's going on in her world. If she really thinks the cereal we've started to feed her tastes terrible. If she just wants to be held sometimes. If she's not frustrated with her tummy time, instead she feels the burn of the ab workout she's getting.

I'm so excited to know what she thinks... but then again, can you imagine what a baby would say if they could talk upon birth? That's where the fun really starts... "I hate this outfit", "Holy cow! Those are MY knees?", "I have a huge poop coming and this diaper doesn't stand a chance to contain it all"... the possibilities are endless when you add those to the basic needs of sleep, food, etc.

God must have had a plan in not letting babies speak until they are about one year old. Can you imagine all of the whining that could take place? All of the confusion... And what language would it have been?

I kind of wish that I would have a little more waiting involved when I speak. Sometimes I say really dumb, hurtful things. I say a lot of things just to not have silence. I've never been particularly eloquent - words don't come naturally for me. Perhaps I should take a cue from Lu'au and wait a while before I speak... but maybe not a whole year...

And another month has gone by...

... and I find myself with little to talk about. Only CO and I seem to be excited about the amount of poopy diapers. Then again, baby girl rolled over last night from her back to her stomach, and that was pretty exciting.

Spring has sprung and the blossoms are in full swing. Very pretty to look at, but apparently I'm allergic to something. I'm holed up in the house, wondering how much longer it's going to last.

Hmm... I need to find some blogging inspiration again. Baby girl will provide tons of fodder once she starts talking, but as of right now, most of the conversation is one-sided, with me providing running commentary of our days. Any suggestions?

Talk about random!

I just found a mixed cd that I made about 4 years ago. I wonder what I was thinking when I made it because it has the most random mix of songs on it...

• Louis Armstrong "Wonderful World"
• Nat King Cole "The More I See You" - love it
• Nickel Creek "When you come back down"
• "Semper Paratus" - the CG's song
• Josh Gracin "Nothing to Lose"
  
• Ashley Simpson "L-O-V-E"
  
• Randy Travis "Forever and Ever Amen"
• David Crowder Band "All Creatures"
  

Who makes a cd like that? Apparently I do.

The magic 35!

Today I'm 35 weeks pregnant... and my friend Anne pointed out when she got to this point that this means there are only 35 days left! Woohoo!

I am feeling prepared for the most part, but there are a few more things that we need to pick up yet and I have yet to pack our hospital bag. Any advice for me? What are some must-haves? What do you wish you would have known?

I didn't realize

... how close we live to the grocery store until I went outside tonight and heard the Salvation Army bellringer from my back yard.

... that Peppermint Stick "ice cream" had come out for the season already. You bet I'm all over that. And it's technically "dairy dessert" - much like a Frosty. Can someone tell me why it's not "ice cream"?

Friday's thoughts...

Today's random thoughts:

• Tums have become my new best friend and necessary companion.
  
• I volunteered today at an organization and I had to use a typewriter. A TYPEWRITER. That's a pretty good indication of the rest of the organization's stance on modernity and technology. Let's hope that I can help them update things a bit.
• We have a childbirth class tomorrow... I hope it's useful!
• Baby girl was head-down on Monday. That means the pushing in my ribs is her behind. I'm not sure what the pain in my hip is then.
• The nursery is almost set. We aired out the mattress this week and I'll work on setting up more things next week. It'll be good to have things ready.
• Anyone have a good recipe for peppermint hot chocolate that doesn't involve going to Starbucks? I've been addicted to a 12-ounce hot chocolate that costs five dollars...
  

I'm a liar.

So, cousin E suggested that I participate in NaBlPoMo (that's it, right?) where you post every day for a month. Traveling has put a bit of a kink in our plans. You know, the whole 7 to 11 hours per day in a car for the past few days, stopping every two for bathroom breaks for a certain pregnant woman ;) - that whole thing isn't really conducive to posting. So, I lied.

The past two days' posts were not technically posted on their respective days, but they were written (at least mentally) on those days. Whatever. I'll try to post more.

Who could say no?

We are taking a mini-vacation (one last road trip) before baby comes. We spent time with my sister and her girls (brother in law was out of town - we missed you!).

All I know is that we woke up one morning and the first thing my middle niece said to me was, "Tia, we have one extra space in our car. Will you ride with me to go to the donut store?" Who could say no?

I did it.

For the first time in my life (that I remember - turns out there's a whole lot from my childhood that I have no memories of, but that my mom tells me that happened - like eating Spam)... for the first time, I got a flu shot.

I finally sucked up my insecurities and random fears and just got a flu shot. I only got the regular seasonal flu shot, but perhaps I'll consider getting the H1N1 too. It's just that I've never gotten a flu shot, and I've never really gotten the flu. Hmm... that would lead me to believe that I don't need one... but I did it. Hopefully it keeps me and baby girl safe.

Today's Deep Thoughts...

• No matter how few groceries you're going to buy, take all possible reusable grocery bags into the store. Somehow, the baggers at the commissary can stretch 4 items into 3 reusable bags and then "double bag" one bottle of dish soap into 1 paper bag and 2 plastic bags...
  

• I am wearing a shirt that Shad really likes tonight in hopes that he'll be so distracted that he will not notice I haven't cleaned much of the house today. I'm not too hopeful that it'll work, but hey, it's worth a shot, right?
  

• I got really scared today because I got a letter from the DOD. Thankfully, it's not about my lack of base etiquette, or crankiness at the commissary due to their lack of canned pumpkin puree (they say it'll be in by the end of this week - FYI), or frustration with the gate guards regarding our car registration, or my "happening to not mention that I had already had an early ultrasound at my civilian provider" when first appearing at the MTF (Military Treatment Facility - aka doctor's office/hospital). Instead, shock of all shocks, it's actually a survey asking about my satisfaction with a visit to a MTF for a referral. I'll be happy to fill out the survey. It was one of the better experiences I have ever had - everyone there was very helpful and great. Yay! Who knew they actually cared?

• I got to go to a Welcome Tea yesterday for a Spouses' Club that I have just joined. I got to meet a lot of other wives and it was really nice to be around and mingle with other wives who have been through the same things.
  

Wednesday already?

Well, I'm happy to report it's Wednesday. And Wednesday's almost done. My brain is kind of scattered, so you get a bullet list of my thoughts...

• I've been trying a ton of new recipes lately - it's been a lot of fun. Check out Flaky Apple Turnovers and 5-Minute Individual Potato Gratins.

• Our local commissaries and some grocery stores (aka all of the ones I go to) are out of normal, canned (not pumpkin pie mix) pumpkin puree. I really REALLY want to make pumpkin bread one of these days, and I guess I'll have to roast and puree the pumpkin myself. That could get interesting. But then I can also make pumpkin seeds!
  

• Tomorrow I'm going to listen to a congressman talk about the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act. I'm tired of not knowing where I'm a resident, or having to change it with each PCS. I vote in and still have my driver's license from the lovely state of Hawaii. I technically live in Virginia. My daughter will be born in Maryland (if things go as planned). Um... wouldn't it be easier if I could be a resident of the same state as my husband, who is not a resident of any of the states listed above...

• We're probably going to try to paint baby girl's room this weekend. Hubby wants to paint it light pink. Who am I to say no?

• I get to go to a "tea" this weekend. I wonder if there will be crumpets as well. I hope I can find something appropriate to wear!

• Baby (and I) sleeps much better when I don't eat sugary foods (including ice cream and chocolate malts) shortly before bed. I now eat them during the day ;) Ha!