I WIN. ME. THE WINNER.

Today I went to High Intensity Interval Training (HITT!) at the gym.  And we did a very intense cardio circuit that involved 10 burpees, a sprint around the track, 9 burpees, a sprint around the track, 8 burpees, a sprint around the track...all the way down to 1 burpee and a sprint around the track.  It was a great and efficient workout.  AND I CAME IN FIRST. ME.  I DID.  Maybe I am not 100% awesome 100% of the time, but I feel awesome right now.

I have to say that I have been working as hard as a 6 month old can allow to get my body back in great shape.  I now weigh 5 lb less than when I first got pregnant, and obviously my cardio abilities have returned.  I feel good about myself, and just had to share it. 

So.  Moving on to other things. 

I didn't really make a "real" Mother's Day post, just told you all about Em's new crawling skillzzz.

So now that I've had my first official Mother's Day (Rob made breakfast, got me flowers and a very sweet card, and made me feel special all day-I love that man), I have been thinking about all the tell tale signs that someone has a child.  

Besides the obvious things like rolling a jogging stroller down the road because you have to work out and your husband is working late and you have no babysitter/eligible grandparents around.

Can you tell by our flats? Luckily flats are in style now.  I do still wear heels to teach in and on dates, but I have to say that I no longer have to worry about "ruining my stilettos".  Which is good because I am too busy worrying that I left the baby in the car all day.

Can you tell because we seem to have more feelings than everyone else?  I certainly try to not share mine with everyone I see, but I cry a lot more now than before I had a baby.  

Can you tell because we no longer think that 10 minutes is no time at all? 

This is how I can tell I'm a mom.  I am still VERY EXCITED that Em "brought" this home for me from daycare.  Yes, it is comprised of glitter, construction paper, magic marker, and glue.  And at the moment, it is one of my most prized possessions.

Look how thrilled she looks to be in another picture.

I'm hoping everyone is having a great week-we are off next week for a "Staycation", because planning a family vacation was incredibly too stressful.  But I have already failed and planned an experiment for Monday that I can't reverse.  Great job, Keri.  Great. Job.

On the Move

This past week Em gave me an early Mother's Day present- she started crawling!  She's pretty much a professional by now, but here are a couple vids of her just getting the hang of it.

Happy Mother's Day, everybody!

My girl can shop.

This past weekend Em and I went on our first shopping trip!  I mean, she has gone to the grocery store with me and stuff, but this past Saturday, Rob had stuff to do and sent us to the outlet mall to get me some new clothes! Double excitement!

Em had a great time riding in the stroller, eating her lunch (peas, please.) outside, and helping me pick out some new shirts, dresses, and shoes. We shopped for three hours!

It started out a disappointing day, since all the fun things we had planned were canceled.

And Rob planned to do crap in the yard all day.

So Em thought she would work on her crawling skills... SOOO Almost there!

But Rob suggested we go shopping!

"Girl!  I bet there will be a sale on shoes!!!"

In other news, check out this mischievous little grin. She looks exactly like Rob in this picture.

"No, I absolutely AM NOT disemboweling this hippocampus seahorse."

Happy Tuesday everybody!

A Super-Special Kind of Crazy

I wonder if someone has done fMRI studies on moms vs. non-moms to see how their brains function, or don't function, as the case may be.  At any rate, I feel like I have gone completely stark-raving mad over the past 6 months.

Em is 6 months old today!  I have been responsible for another human for 6 months!  Well, actually  much longer than that.  But taking care of a baby outside your body is, as I predicted, much more complicated than when they are still busy baking.  It's busy and crazy, but I will say completely wonderful.  I was worried about whether I would like being a mom, but really I find it to be the coolest thing. I learn something new every day, that's for sure.

So here is the part where I detail my insanity.  I have always been prone to little OCD's, but I think most people are.  For example,  I change the sheets on Saturdays.  Without fail.  I get stressed if I don't.  If we go out of town, the sheets are changed the day before we leave town or as soon as we return.  In graduate school, I had this paralyzing fear of leaving the -80 degree freezer open at the end of the day, or that I had left the box of antibodies on the counter, thereby costing the lab thousands of dollars and ruining everyones samples. I would sometimes (read:  often) go to the lab in the middle of the night just to check. I have a history of such craziness. I seriously don't know how Rob stands it, and honestly speaking, he has calmed me down considerably in the past few years. (See, Charlie?  I'm not nearly as laid back as you thought.) Some of my other idiosyncrasies have fallen by the wayside in the past six months to make room for a new one:  

I have a horrible, all-consuming fear that I'm going to leave Emerald in the car ALL DAY BY HERSELF while I'm at work.  There.  I said it.  I'm afraid I'm going to forget to drop her at the daycare, forget she is in the car, lock her in the car, and go to work all day.  The result would be tragic. Knowing what I know about the way the brain works, I know it is possible.  And I know that it happens to good parents.  Smart people who love their kids more than anything, who work in doctors' and lawyers' offices, who have MD's, JD's, and Ph.D.s.

I have tried everything to get over it.  I put my bags for the day in the backseat of the car, so I HAVE to look at the empty car seat when leaving the car.  I make a point to talk to people at the daycare when I drop her off so I can remember those conversations when I start to question myself.  Still, I panic all day at work until I call the daycare "just to check on her".  I swear they must think I'm certifiable.  It's bad. 

The other day I decided I really should talk to someone, just address it once and for all. Feeling crazy is no fun, after all.

But Rob came up with a solution that my over-thinking and frazzled brain couldn't.  I love this man. So now I take a picture of Emerald's empty car seat every day with my cell phone when I get out of the car.  It has the date stamped on it automatically, so I know it's current.  Of course when he drops her off, I will more than likely make him take a picture and text it to me so I know he didn't forget.

This is cheaper than therapy and I won't need medication.  Well, I don't need medication for that, at least.

A rockin' baby party, even if I say so myself.

This past weekend was Amy's baby party!  She's expecting her 4th baby, Amalie June, so it really wasn't a shower.  Some people brought gifts anyway.

I have no idea how many people were there.  I know we went through a LOT OF FOOD.  I outsourced some of the shopping lists to save money.  That's what happens when you offer to help me with a party.  But I think people were happy to help.

So people were eating and eating.  I kept trying to get their attention so we could play some fun baby-themed games, but they KEPT ON EATING.  I guess it's okay if the centerpiece of a party is great food.

We got to the games eventually, and I don't know why I was in such a rush, because one of them was not so successful.  I blame it on the few guests that couldn't seem to follow directions.  And my tendency to micromanage parties and games.  When you consider all that, I'm surprised anyone had any fun at all.

Anyway.

It all started with TWENTY POUNDS OF CHICKEN.  I made Smitten Kitchen's Buttermilk Roasted Chicken for the occasion.  I used legs and thighs.  We had 4 pieces left over.

Nothing looks more appetizing than a pile of raw chicken. 

Em was very good and very patient, playing in her room while I was up to my elbows in chicken parts.

She made up for it the next morning.

Edie came over and spent the afternoon baking cupcakes and cakes.  

She also brought some beautifully decorated cookies!

Have you ever seen Edie look so serious??

The decorations turned out super cute.  

Even though I mostly decorated with Em's diapers and clothing.

Joy made this adorable wreath.  Out of stuff she got...and Em's diapers!

Seventh generation diapers are an oatmeal color with minimal decorations, so they make great decor.

Plus, I have a couple cases delivered to my house from Amazon every month, so I always have a million diapers.

On the menu:  Buttermilk roast chicken, a gigantic salad with choice of fruity or italian toppings, homemade bread, cupcakes, cookies, cake, fruit salad, strawberry infused water, lemony water, sweet tea, mean tea, and a baby I made out of a cantaloupe.

Sounds creepy, looks cute.

God love Joy and her addiction to Pinterest.

 Edie's cookies and cupcakes on the gift table.

Party time!  The guests started arriving at 5:30 p.m.  The party was to start at 6.  

Those that arrived early were put promptly to work.  

That's what you get for coming to one of my parties early!

Amy with Steven's mom and grandma. 

Em is not feeling this crowd.  Also, she might be eating a diaper.

The food line!  I used ALL MY FANCY CRYSTAL GLASSES!

Technically, the guests did.  But I allowed them to, and didn't micromanage their behavior with

the fancy stemware.  Bonus points to me.

Nothing got broken.  Bonus points to guests.

Cassie with cute little Henry Page.

Jenni, Rosemary, and Jada

Joy and Edielicious.

Amy explains the world.  You must be polite and listen when a pregnant lady is explaining the world.

Unless you are Cassie, evidently.

Also, might I note that Edie seems to have forgotten she is holding a baby?

Chijioke and Kosi.

The blonde is Kristin, but she looks like Katherine Heigl.

More presents!

Em had a lot more fun playing outside with the crazy man than she did inside with the throng of people.  

A fun party for our beautiful momma-to-be!

(Gawd, iPhone photos are the worst.)

Another week.

Well, it has been another week.  This one might have been just as insane as the last, except we didn't start with being out of town, so that is a bonus.

Saturday we celebrated our anniversary by getting a babysitter (Thanks Teruko!) and going out for martinis.

Sunday we went to Oak Mountain for a mini-cookout with Aimee and Steven (Franklin), the ones without kids.  They are in stark contrast to Amy and Steven (Castello), the ones with 3.75 kids.

We had grilled pork chops, butterfinger brownies, grilled asparagus, and au gratin potatoes. It was pretty chilly, though.  And windy!

Em hung out on the table and explored gravity by dropping her toys over and over again.

I think Rob is explaining fire to Aimee.  But I can't be sure?

I learned that Steven doesn't go anywhere without his guitar.

Aimee looks so healthy in her workout gear and holding a strawberry.

If I were nice, I'd leave out the part where we all gorged ourselves on butterfinger brownies.

Em is so cool with her hat pulled low as she learns a few chords :)

Sunday night Rob and I celebrated our anniversary some more by cooking steaks at home.

Rob had been complaining of a sore throat and generally crappy feelings.  So Monday he went to the doc and found out he had bronchitis!  (You might remember him having strep about 6 weeks ago.) He got TWO SHOTS, and a 10 day course of antibiotics. 

Monday night Em woke up and entertained the whole house by alternately puking and screaming.  No one tells you that the first time your baby pukes for real...PANICPANICPANICPANIC.  Rob and I tried to take her temp, but couldn't find the thermometer.  Then when we did, it was on Celsius!  Celsius!  It was crazy times.  But we got her feeling better and she slept in her swing for the remainder of the night.  

Tuesday, Rob and Em stayed home with each other and I went to Stillman to teach.  

Wednesday was our actual anniversary, and we celebrated by ordering Hungry Howie's Maui Pizza and exchanging cards. I think I was asleep by 10:30.

So.  On to other things.  

Rob hung up our bird feeder last week in honor of spring!  He has been very concerned that the birds won't want to eat at our restaurant because of the cats hanging around all the time.  But this morning!  A cardinal was having some food and I got pics!  

I can only assume that the other bird is his wife.  And she wasn't camera-ready.

Or perhaps she is mad, because she was hungry like, TWELVE HOURS AGO, and they got lost on the way here.  And he wouldn't ask for directions.  Hope it is not their anniversary.

Or maybe it is his mistress, and doesn't want to be on camera for obvious reasons.

The obvious reason being that he is running for office.
Of course, if he is an "I HATE THE GAYS" politician, the other bird is probably his intern/boytoy.


You can decide for yourself.

Yes, I just made up a story about the birds on our feeder.  

Actually two stories.

Can you hear the tennis balls on my walker scraping the floors as I shuffle around the house?

This weekend it is Amy's baby party (the one the 3.75 kids).  I have MUCH WORK TO DO.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Doing Laundry in Style

1st.  Happy Anniversary to Rob and I :)  We have been married for three years!  I still remember our wedding day like it was yesterday, all the planning that I did, how much fun I had, and how I felt when our officiant (my godfather, Tommy) said, "You may kiss your bride!"  And when Rob told me at the hotel that night where we would be going on our honeymoon!

These are among my best memories, and I hope they never ever fade.  

Mush alert.  This is us on our honeymoon, after a hike through the Armstrong Redwood Forest in CA.

We did not make someone take this picture of us.  We set the camera timer.  For the record.

Now that we have been married for three years and we have a beautiful baby, our relationship, while still fantastically fun, has taken a turn for the practical.  

Case in point:  Rob revamped the laundry room this past weekend and I could not be more excited to not have to cram  my body in between piles of recycling, laundry baskets, mops, brooms, vacuums, tools, and various cleaning supplies.  Not to mention all the crap that needs to be stored in the attic or under the house.  

I don't have any "before" pictures, because they would be far too mortifying to show.

Now that we have a laundry sorting "station", 

I don't have to be responsible for sorting all the laundry.  

It's so easy, even Mr. Homie could do it.

This is the new shelf that Rob built, and the pegboard he put up for the mops.  

The rod in front of the shelf is for hangers so I can air dry clothes--

without hanging them on random doorknobs throughout the house.  

Better for everyone's mood.

So.  Happy Anniversary to us.  And Happy Wednesday to the rest of you.