10 weeks to go!

30 weeks down, 10 weeks to go until our lives are again changed forever.  To get some of you up to speed,  I am due March 12th, we are having a boy, and we have named him Christopher Brandon.  We will be calling him Christopher and not Chris, so please follow accordingly. 
Christopher is definitely growing, and has been making me very hungry in the last few weeks.  With Noah, I felt hungry through out the entire pregnancy.  With Christopher, I have only noticed feeling famished in the last few weeks.  I am praying that this little dude will be a little but smaller than his brother, since Noah was 9 lbs. 6 oz. at birth and 22 & 1/8 inches long.  I know that most people have their smallest baby the first time around, but I don't know how we get bigger from here.  I know people who have had ten pound babies, I just don't want to be one of those people. 
I have been relatively consistent with exercising.  I have been doing prenatal yoga about twice a week, and using a recumbent bike 2 times a week plus doing light arm strengthening exercises after I ride my bike.  I would like to do more on the bike, but for about the past 6 weeks, when I ride my bike I get Braxton Hicks contractions, which makes it very difficult to continue.  They stop as soon as I stop riding the bike, which is a bit annoying, but I take it as a good sign for this pregnancy because I literally did not have a single false contraction with Noah.  I went from feeling absolutely nothing to having contractions 1 minute a part when he was 9 days late.  You can imagine the shock this sent both my body and Noah's body into.  With Noah, I had intentions of not having an epidural.  Once I got the hospital, however, the doctor asked (before everything went crazy with Noah), "Epidural?"  I looked at Brandon, whispered, "sorry," and then responded to the merciful doctor, "Yes, please." 


Noah eating the horse's plastic carrot

 I have done very well with my weight gain this pregnancy, as I have only gained 12 pounds thus far.  I was overweight to start this pregnancy, so I hope to at the most gain 24 pounds (normal weight people should gain 25-35 pounds).  If I gain a pound a week from this point on, then I am right on track to meet my goals.
 As many of you know, I have discontinued my calorie counting once I knew I was pregnant because it is not advisable to feel famished during pregnancy.  However, I have been attempting (minus the holidays, and my walking trips to the mall with my friend Jenny) to make sure that everything I put in my mouth is of a nutritious nature.  I have been consuming a lot of unsalted nuts, eggs, fruits, veggies, and lean meats, and drinking lots and lots of filtered water.  Noah and I like to eat an apple a day (Noah eats it with the skin on, can you believe it?) together.  Thank goodness for Aldi or else I would be spending $20 a week on apples. 
As I come closer and closer to the end of this pregnancy, I ask that you would keep Christopher and I in your prayers.  I am attempting to have a VBAC this pregnancy, so like with all pregnancies there is some risk to this choice.  We desire to have a VBAC as opposed to another c-section for two main reasons: We would like to have a large family and for my health. 
So, please pray that the Lord would keep the baby and I safe through out the rest of this pregnancy and especially during delivery.  Please pray that I would not have gestational diabetes (will find out in about a week- I didn't with Noah), please pray that Christopher would be a child of God and would always know Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and please pray that Brandon and I would raise both Christopher and Noah in the fear and admonition of the Lord.       
Oh, and here are some pics of Noah for your viewing pleasure:

Noah loves peanut butter!

Oops!  I ate it all.

Little Children, keep yourself from idols

Last Sunday evening, Brandon, Noah, and I attended a fellowship event at one of our church member's homes.  Appropriately named "Fired up for fellowship," there are many families, food, and bonfires!  We stuck closer to the miniature fire pit and stayed away from the bigger fire since we have a little one. 
Still, as we were eating, drinking, and keeping cozy by the fire, we had to remind Noah not to go near the flames.  We constantly had one hand on him (don't worry Pap Pap!), just in case he had a sudden whim to disobey us.  He was wearing a hoodie that evening, so I basically held on to his hood.  But this evening Noah was very obedient and all the extra precautions were ultimately unnecessary.   
As I sat around the fire, conversing with others while caring for my son, I realized that this must be a small glimpse as to what God is like in His love and protection for us, His children.  Noah has no idea why he can't touch the fire.  The fire is enticing and warm and lovely.  He has never been burned yet (thank the Lord), so he cannot understand what would happen if he did touch it.  All he knows is that Mom and Dad say not to touch, so he does not (not always the case obviously).  We tell him why not to touch- because it is "hot!"  Noah repeats "hot, hot, hot!," while pointing to the flame and then stays away.  He is much more enthralled that Mommy is allowing him to drink juice at the party- a rare treat indeed. 
Is this not a shadow of God and His love for me?  He has given me his commandments, I don't understand why all of them are to be obeyed, but He tells me why not to in words that I can understand, He keeps one hand on me at all times, especially in my infancy as a believer, and he keeps me safe from the flames of destruction.  When I obey him, He blesses me with a balm to my soul.
Now one day, Noah will be old enough to stand next to fire and I will not be holding on to him.  He will grow up and I will expect him to know better than to touch.  He will need to believe me without the safety net.  In regards to a fire, I expect he will not fail.  However, there will be other things less obviously painful than sustaining burns that he will need to learn away from my safety net.  I know at times he will succeed and other times he will fail.  I will mourn for the times he fails because he is my son and I love him.
As I am no longer in my infancy stage of Christianity, or at least I would like to believe that i have moved on to meat, God has "let go" on occasion.  I would like to say that I have succeeded more times than failed, but alas my Savior mourns because of me often.  I am more grateful than I can even know for Jesus.  His death atoned for my sins, so even though the 10 commandments are so very clear, I still need someone holding my hoodie.  Jesus keeps me safe from the eternal fires.    
 1 Tim 2:15 (NKJV) says, "Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self–control."  I have to admit that this verse used to always confuse me.  But now that I am a mother, I realize how true this verse is.  I can see so clearly with the eyes God has given me how patient and caring He is because I resemble that.  Of course, He is perfect and I am just a poor man's generic brand.
I am thankful for a God who loves me, who gives me evidence in my life as to how He loves me.  I am thankful that He gives me love for my son.  And I thankful that my son has an opportunity to know The Son through my love.  As Noah grows out of his infancy, may he know God not only through his parents, but through the Word, the Church, and sacraments.  And may he need his hoodie tugged less often than his Momma.     

Awkwardly feminine

Growing up, I noticed I was never quite like the majority of my same-sexed peers.  When I was in elementary school, I would ignore the girls during recess and play kickball with the boys.  Now as an adult, I always despise the fact that the guys get to go watch the game, while the girls finish up the dishes and talk for the rest of the evening.
I enjoy dressing up and I really enjoy hearing my name associated with the word beautiful (don't forget to use the comment section, *wink*), but I don't want to shave my legs and I'd rather not put pantyhose on, thank you very much.  I will, but I'd rather not.
I enjoy having a good hair day but I rarely do as I have no concept as to what to do with my poof ball (that's my term of affection for the stuff atop of my head).  I have been searching for 28 years for someone to teach me how to manage my hair, but have found no answers.  Any real women have suggestions? 
I feel a sense of terror when I have to put make-up on in a public restroom.  I rarely do, but when it is necessary for certain reasons (...zits...) I can feel the judgment across the lavatory as everyone is laughing at my poor-girl foundation and awkward application.  Of course, if I was loaded, I would have someone make me up every day so I could look down on all the 'uglies' that don't have personal trainers like me.  I would also pay someone to permanently air brush my zits away.
I just about break into hives when I hear mention of "Mary Kay" or some variation of the same.  I was snookered into going a couple of times to these "make your friends poor, ahem, I mean rich" pyramid-scheme parties, and I've got to tell you, they make me feel like I am from another planet.  Moments like a girl screaming in excitement over the newest facial cleanser, or someone telling me all the differences between this foot exfoliater versus the nine other exfoliators she's tried in the last year really remind me of how I felt at junior high dances- sweaty and alone.
Now, I'm not completely unfeminine and I do know what I hate about "masculinity."  Such items include spitting, smoking, smelling, farting...basically anything that smells bad I dislike.  I dislike constant bed head covered up by way of a ball cap.  By the way fellas, we all know you don't brush your hair (or are balding), so stop trying to act like your hat is just part of your swag.  I hate when men wrestle at a get-together and then act like that is a really manly thing to do.  Um, no it's not.  You are hugging each other all over for all your friends and complete strangers to see.  Again, gentlemen, sadly this "fun time" just makes us ladies more aware of how utterly out of shape and weak you are.  My girlfriend LaToya could totally take you.  
Besides despising certain masculine traits, I also enjoy being a girl.  I love chocolate.  I love romance.  I love Jewel and Kelly Clarkson (don't judge me!!!).  I love talking and sharing my deepest, darkest secrets to my closest girlfriends.  Also, being married, clearly, I like men- specifically, I love my man.  But, despite all my feminine traits, I still feel like I will never be part of the club.  But you know what?  I am sure I am not alone, and I am sure that many of you ladies are faking it like that suntan that comes out of a bottle.                

Kennywood Memories

As a child, I have no fonder memory than my time at Kennywood park.  If you grow up in the Pittsburgh area as a child, you probably feel the same way.  Every summer since I was Noah's age, my parents would take me to enjoy such rides as The Whip, The Thunderbolt, and The Turtle.  In the winter months, when the park was closed, my brother and I loved and missed the park so much that we would incessantly watch a PBS movie about the history of the park.  My brother and I still know most of the movie by heart.  The movie is a bit dated now, as some of the rides are no longer there (and the 80's hair-dont's), but I would still highly recommend the movie to you to get a feel for the park.
This past Friday, I was able to yet again make a very fond memory at this dear amusement park with my own son.  Although this was the first time Noah was able to ride a few rides, this was not the first time he had entered the park.  Two summers ago, he came and rode on the train (the pic to the right is all three of us waiting for the train to come).
Noah's first choo-choo ride (post-womb) sure seems like it has arrived too soon.  When Noah was in the hospital, every day felt like an eternity.  Now all the sudden he is 17 months and gives me smooches on the lips.  I'm not so sure Noah was in the mood for kisses after his first couple kiddie land rides though.  He liked them to begin with and then he got scared and then by the end of the ride, he was calm but not really that happy.  I think next year he will enjoy the park more.    

   
Noah's favorite items at the park were the water fountains and the merry-go-round.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics of that ride, but dad was riding a horse while Momma, Grandma, and Noah were sitting on a motionless bench on the turn table.  Noah really enjoyed the old-timey music and watching Daddy go up and down, up and down.  I really enjoyed seeing a grown man ride a colorful plastic horse.

If you are ever in town, I would really recommend Kennywood to you.  This is one of the most family friendly amusement parks in America.  They have something for every age group and the prices are reasonable in comparison to most theme parks out there.  Use Kennywood as an excuse to come visit us here in PA!  

"With our powers combined, we are Captain Gameboard!"

I love Scrabble.  I almost always win.  My friend Curtis beat me once and my Dad beat me once, but other than that I think I have always won.  I beat my 16 year old babysitter and her mom when I was in 4th grade.  I always beat my brother, and I always beat Brandon.  I don't beat people because I am smarter, I beat people because of my killer instinct.  I know I need serious help.
My killer instinct can only take me so far, however.  For instance, when my husband and I play Trivial Pursuit, I always lose.  And when I say lose, I mean he has all 6 pieces and I have 0.  He obliterates me.  I cry, wish I would have payed more attention in Honors History, and then promptly ask him if he would like to play me in Scrabble now.  I know I need serious help.
Yet, when our powers combine, we become the ultimate board game domination couple.  We destroy our competition every time we play Cranium because Brandon is good at all the categories I struggle with and vice-versa. We gloat at the fact that we are the ultimate husband-wife board gaming couple.  We know we need serious help. 

To many, Brandon and I may not have seemed like the likeliest of pairs.  But, when we play team board games as a pair, we realize God really knew what He was doing when He put us together.        

2 dollars to the first person who can identify the t.v. show the title of this blog is imitating

Shaving off my dreads while spraying the crops

When I moved to Bloomington, I met a new breed of people.  These people, most commonly known as hippies, opened up a whole new world of limited bathing, soap crafts, illegal train trestle hiking, baking with whole wheat flour, and public breast-feeding.  In my heart, I desired to be like these free birds.  When one lives in Bloomington as long as I had, you start believing that the townies can change you into a hippie with their special mind powers.  But as hard as I tried to be something I'm not, it is just too easy to be me.  You can dress me down in a moo-moo, hand me a stick of all-natural mango-scented deodorant, and pierce me with a nose-ring, but at the end of the day I'm still going to go mall-walking, put too many layers of clothes on my son, and eat non-organic food.  Yes, sadly it is true: I am from the suburbs.   
My first epiphany that I indeed could not escape my suburban heritage came about through a baby shower gift I received from my hippie friends from Bloomington.  Yes, I registered for the gift because I thought I could handle being a hippie, but boy was I wrong.  All of my suburbanite friends would laugh as I would struggle to wrap this piece of clothe around my body to become a mommy kangaroo.  I didn't want to register for the more expensive, more diva-esque BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Synergy - Black because I thought I was too non-conformist for that carrier.  Now I realize, I'm not a beatnik and I need expensive items because I am actually a diva.  In hindsight, the fact that I even spent time creating a registry at Babies R' Us should have tipped me off to the fact that I'm not a hippie.
My second epiphany occurred when I had this hankering to learn how to play acoustic guitar.  I thought to myself, I'm a musician and I like female acoustic guitar-chic music, so I should have my husband teach me how to play.  That desire lasted about five minutes until my delicate porcelain fingertips started to throb from pressing down onto the strings.  I am from the suburbs and I do not tolerate pain.  Can someone please pass me an epidural?   

My final revelation came about through a ferocious desire to grow a vegetable garden at our new house (picture is of our glorious back yard).  I would day dream about my grand garden overflowing with sweet potatoes and cucumbers.  Once the time came to prepare the land, my husband and I went to the local garden shop to ask questions and get the correct kind of nutrients for the soil.  The season for planting had not yet arrived, but it was a nice enough day to start the ground work.  So when we returned to our home, we began the work immediately.  As I sunk the shovel into the ground, my ferocity quickly turned into feebleness.  I realized that I never had a day dream about dirt, and sweating, and sore backs, and...ew! worms.  Didn't they get the memo?  Bugs are prohibited in the suburbs.  That's why I moved back.  I heart pesticides. 
After years of grasping at the unattainable, I can finally admit to myself that this aspect of myself is never going to change and I should celebrate all the suburban inside of me.  This is who I am and I'm here to stay.  I'm a suburbanite, hear me roar!
 God loves us for who we are.  While He certainly expects us to change our sinful ways once we have been saved by grace, we are made in His image and should celebrate who God has designed us to be.  Do you ever try to be something you're not?  Do you ever have unrealistic expectations of whom you would like to become?  Let me hear about your story.  

Budget Smudget, part one

I am secretly a Type-A personality (Noah's wasn't too happy when he found out).  As such, I truly enjoy creating our family's budget.  Brandon does not want to go near our budget with a ten-foot pole, so our situation works out well.  There are many ways to come up with a budget and many ways to follow-through with the budget.  Here are some of the ways our family sets it up and sticks with it:
1. Keep God at the center of all your budgeting decisions.  God has given you the money that you have and expects you to be a good steward of that money.  If you are confused about how much money should be spent on something, pray to God.  He will give you wisdom if you ask it of Him.  Also, ask for forgiveness for the times you fail to honor Him through your finances.  Proverbs 17:16 Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom? (NIV)  
2.Talk to your spouse about the budget.  Even though Brandon does not enjoy doing the budget, he still has to be aware of what is going on and approve of the budget.  Brandon is the head of our household, so if he does not have any clue where the money goes, then he cannot be an effective leader and will not be able to make wise purchasing decisions for his household.  Even if you do not run your household the way we do, communication is key when it comes to financial planning.  Otherwise, you might end up as one of those divorcee statistics.  Colossians 3:18-19 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. (NASB)    
3. Break it down.  Creating a record of what you spend and when you spend it can be time consuming, frustrating, and difficult.  Luckily, there are many tools on the Internet now that can spare you some of this labor.  I really like the budget tracker on Suze Orman's website.  I'm not a big proponent of Suze because she is such a hard-core feminist, but some of her advice is really right on and this budgeting tool is more extensive than something I could have thought up on my own.  I personally recommend taking this tool and using the information to create your own spreadsheet on excel so you have your budget handy at all times.  Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
4. Be honest about what you spend.  This budgeting tool or any other tool you use to track your budget does you absolutely no good if you are honest with what you actually make and what you actually spend.  You may make $5,000 a month gross, but with all your deductions, you may only be making $3,000 net.  You might be able to fool yourself into thinking you are making more than you are, but the numbers will catch up to you eventually.  I also find one of the ways we become dishonest with our money is withdrawing cash from the ATM and then not tracking where that money goes.  Living on cash can be a really great system to a financially savvy future, but not if you don't document where that cash ends up.  Proverbs 13:7 There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing; another pretends to be poor but has great wealth.   
5. Have an emergency fund.  Do you live paycheck to paycheck?  Many of us do.  But what happens when your car breaks down, or when your kid breaks an arm?  Do you have enough in your savings account for those times when you just cannot foresee a place for them in your budget?  Moreover, what if you loose your job?  Do you have enough liquid cash piled away for when you need to job search and still pay your mortgage?  You must have an emergency fund of absolutely no less than 6 months of living expenses (Orman recommends at least 8 months).  This safety net is invaluable to keep you out of life-long debt or possible bankruptcy.  Speaking of which...

6. Flee from debt.  One of the biggest budget killers is debt.  Many people fool themselves into thinking that if they buy something on sale, they are getting a sale.  Not so if you put, for instance, a purchase on your credit card and are paying 16% interest on something that was 10% off.  Debt should be the exception and never the rule.  We Americans have this idea backwards for sure.  I am not saying there isn't a place for financing certain purchases.  There certainly is.  Mortgages, if you can truly afford one (taking in to account the down payment, closing cost, taxes, insurance, and utilities on top of monthly payments), can be a great tool to build and sustain wealth even in this topsy-turvy market.  However, I truly question peoples nonchalant attitudes toward car loans, student loans, credit card debt, etc..  Again, these financial tools have a place and can be good things, but I would personally recommend avoiding debt if at all possible.  This comes back to the idea of being honest with yourself.  Ask yourself, do you truly need the item you are going into debt for or do you just really want it?  Are you honoring God's calling in your life by using a loan as a way to accomplish this goal or are you lusting after an idol in your life?  Can you come up with a creative, non-traditional route to honor God's calling without going into debt?  These are all questions one needs to bring before the Lord before making these important financial decisions.  Proverbs 22:7  The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave.         

I have much, much more to say about this topic.  But if you are looking for more immediacy to your unanswered questions, I would recommend Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness.  I read this book a few years ago, and have really tried to honor his plan.  He is also a confessing Christian and is one of the few I have read who encourages a true honoring of God with the money God has given.

I may look like I'm 15, but inside I'm actually 45- Part Dos

So, before I begin, I want to make clear that I do not actually think 45 is an old age.  45 just happens to be older than I am now and much, much older than people perceive me to be.  Don't worry, Barbara, I think you are very hip and I want to hang out with you more than most of my twenty-something friends (or is that just another reason why I'm actually 45...?).
Ok, so we have established that I am mini-van driving, Aldi-fanatical, date-ruining matriarch.  But, there's plenty more where that came from. So, why not divulge further frothy information on my very own blog so everyone can laugh with (at) me?
 So I have to admit, I hate Lady Gaga.  I hate Lady Gaga and I hate all her newfangled friends.  I don't have anything against her personally, I just hate her music, and her style, and her ridiculously bizarre performances.  In fact, I pretty much hate anything now that is Top 40, and this isn't just coming from my oh, I have a masters degree in opera so unless it's classical, it sucks-ego.  I just truly don't understand what is going on with you young bucks and music these days.  The first time I saw Lady Gaga perform on TV, I literally thought I had turned to a prime-time special Saturday Night Live sketch.  I kept saying aloud to Brandon, "this has got to be a joke; this has got to be a joke."  Nope, no joke...
Similarly, curse words make me uncomfortable.  Yes, I realize the phrase "curse word" is antiquated. Whenever an acquaintance swears mid-conversation I blush and laugh inappropriately.  Whenever a close friend or family member (ahem...Brandon) curses, I just plain out rebuke them.  To clarify, it's fine for me to hold a double-standard and swear if it is in a meaningful and sincere way, but not for anyone else (sarcasm).   But really, if you have a potty mouth, can you spare me?  I'm old and I can't handle vulgarity.
Lastly, and similarly vulgar, I like granny-panties.  You ladies with your perma-wedgies, go right ahead.  But for me I'm going to cover up the mommy belly and stay away from drafts.  I think that's all I can say about that without completely grossing out my male (and female) readership.  Anybody with me on this?

More about Aldi...yes, I know I'm a dork

You may think I am too excited about Aldi, but I just wanted you to know that there are other people just like me that are even more fanatical.  Take my friend Melinda- she is a part-time optometrist and stay-at-home mom and her husband is a dentist.  They do pretty well for themselves, but they like Aldi products so much that they shop there even though they can shop other places that some might call a bit more high-end.  Melinda likes it so much, I could see her opening up her own eye clinic there just so she could be there more often.  Have I embarrassed you enough, dear friend?  I think she would also like me to share that she is also a bit fanatical over the yellow-sticker manager's specials at Kroger.     
Moving on, since I praised Aldi the other day, I just wanted to let you know about a couple of things if you have never gone there and are now planning to go.  One, bring a quarter with you.  In order to use a shopping cart, you need a quarter.  You get the 25 cents back once you return the cart, so they are not charging you to use it.  This is just their way of saving money on an employee to go fetch your carts you left on the street to ding up someones vehicle.  I think it is a great system (except when I forget to bring a quarter with me, doh!).
Secondly, bring your own shopping bags.  They have really nice ones, and reusable ones (for all you eco-friendly crazies) on-site for you to purchase at a reasonable price, but you can bring your own.  Most people do this or buy bags one time to start.  They have really heavy duty bags, so they will last a long time.  I just bring my Giant Eagle/Shop n' Save/Walmart stash that I always have lying (laying?-grammar fail) around. 
Thirdly, they do not bag your groceries for you.  They just swipe and dump them back in your cart.  I actually find though that their employees are incredibly efficient and you get in and out of there much quicker than a grocery store.  However, this is a major downside if you are in some way physically unable to pack up your own bags.  
Lastly, and most importantly, they DO NOT take credit card.  They do not take checks either.  They only take cash or debit cards.  I like this as this practice forces people to live within their means and it also speeds up the check-out process.  Also, using my actual cash on hand forces me to stay on budget while I am there instead of just purchasing items on a whim.
Despite all the oddities of this store, the food is great, the prices are more than fair, and I always feel like I have purchased food that will fill my tummy and not just sit in my pantry.  I personally enjoy their yogurt-covered raisins.  What do you like to purchase at Aldi when you go?   

Disclaimer: Aldi is not paying me to say any of these things, I just am a true believer in this store and hope that you will share my enthusiasm. 

I may look like I'm 15, but inside I'm actually 45- Part Uno

Previously, I revealed to you that many if not all people think that I look very young for my age.  So, I guess that wasn't much of a revelation.  However, what you may not know is that even though I am almost 28 years old, I am really much more like a 45 year old.

For one, I drive a minivan.  Not only do I drive a minivan, but I love that I drive a minivan.  To be fair, Toyota does make reference to it as a "swagger wagon" (really funny music video link). I love that I have more cup holders than I will ever need.  I love that I can lug around a stroller and a week's worth of groceries.  I could keep going, but I'll spare you as I'm sure you are getting nauseous with my love affair.
Another reason I am really 45 is that I have a super-fanatical obsession with Aldi.  I do the majority of my shopping there and if they sold everything I needed, I would do all of my shopping there.  Top three reasons I heart Aldi: 1. The price of groceries 2. The price of groceries 3. The price of groceries.  No, but seriously, for all of my Bloomington readers, Pittsburgh=more expensive groceries.  Yes, everyone always talks about how cheap it is to live in Pittsburgh, and I grant you it is certainly not Philly or San Francisco, but compared to Bloomington, Pittsburgh is expensive.  Aldi allows me to buy more upscale items that I would not even dream of purchasing in the regular grocery stores, and Aldi also allows me to stretch my food budget on those common items.  Plus, except for a few items, I actually prefer Aldi's brands to most.  I don't like Aldi bagels or goldfish (although Noah likes their goldfish), but other than that I can't complain.  I should also mention that the average age of the customers I see in the store is 65.  I think it might have to do with the whole "fixed income" situation.  

I am also an "old lady" because my idea of a fun date night consists of taking a walk at North Park, eating a meal at Eat n' Park, and watching a G or at the most a PG movie at home on our circa-1980's 20 inch RCA TV.  Told you I was hip.  For all you non-Pittsburghers, Eat n' Park can be compared to Steak n' Shake on crack.  They don't serve booze (to Brandon's chagrin), and kids can eat at the salad bar for free.  Oh, I guess I didn't mention my idea of a date includes taking our son with us.
So those are just a few reasons why I have mental-osteoporosis.  What ways do you act too old or too young for your age?  
   

The Necessity of Naps

I did not write a post early this afternoon because today I have been feeling lousy and needed to nap when Noah was napping.  Noah decided to wake up at 7:30am even though we put him down at 9pm the night before.  Most of the time he sleeps 12 hours, but he woke up with a...ahem...surprise in his diaper.  That always wakes him up.  After I changed him and fed him, he fell back asleep relatively soon and thus I followed suit.  I was very thankful that God answered my prayer for more sleep.  When I really need more, I always ask for it from Him and many times He grants me this request.  When He does not, He always gives me the strength to stay awake and suffer for His glory and for the benefit of my son's needs.
 Now that Noah is a little bit older, I sleep quite well actually.  But as most mothers understand, that was not always the case when Noah was little bitty baby (was Noah ever really a little bitty baby?).  Even though there were very, very few benefits from having Noah be so ill when he was born, one of the only nice things was at night I could go to sleep and have the nurses take care of him.  That was about the only nice thing of having him in the hospital for so long.  When we took Noah home, I realized within a day that I had been very spoiled with the nursing care I had available to me.
After a day or two of constantly waking up and feeding him, I specifically remember thinking: How does Amanda Ewer do it?  I mean, I only have one child and I'm about ready to throw in the towel- she did this FIVE times (she is about to do this for a 6th time as I understand)???  My body hurts so much and I don't have the strength to breast feed anymore.  Then my mind went to this time when Amanda was feeding one of her little ones and I thought how she must have cosmic-strength, like some sort of super hero.  I came to realize later that when your baby gets older, he/she does most of the work and you just sit there.  But, at that point I was NOT thinking clearly and I had yet to experience a feeding that didn't require me to do most if not all the work.  
 (Just as a side note, Amanda is an older sister in Christ to me that I know from Bloomington.  I know many women who have been very fruitful in motherhood, but for whatever reason, her example stuck in my mind during my sleep-deprived trials as a first-time Mama.)
I have never been a particularly good napper, but man, am I grateful to God for naps now.  When Noah sleeps, I can be a very productive home-maker and clean the house and get supper started.  But for those days when I need the extra rest, I am grateful for a schedule that can leave a little room for some catch-up sleep.  Now I am just dreading the day when Noah realizes that he doesn't need a nap anymore.  Any advice for keeping your kids on a nap-routine until they graduate high school? 

10 days and you're how old?

My whole life I have had a baby face.  When I was a baby, I had a baby face.  When I was a teenager, I had a baby face (18 years old in picture #1).  When I became an adult, I had a baby face (24 years old in picture #2).  It's been with me everywhere.  I have many encounters with this truth.
"Do you know how young you look?"  Yes, I do.  I look in the mirror everyday.  I am aware- thanks for your rude comment.  "No, no, it's a good thing.  You'll be thankful for it when you are older."  Thanks, you are also one of thousands who has made this point to me.  It's still rude.
Perhaps the funniest story of how people perceive me is Thanksgiving several years ago.  My parents and brother came to visit me in Bloomington for Thanksgiving so I wouldn't have to make the 8 hour commute home to Pittsburgh.  We went to eat Thanksgiving dinner at the Tudor room since it's difficult to roast a turkey in a hotel room.
After our yummy meal, our waiter brought the check.  To my father's amazement, the bill was much cheaper than expected.  He perused the bill and noticed that the waiter had mistakenly charged us with a 1 kid's meal and 3 adults instead of 4 adult meals (it was a buffet).  My father, being the honest guy that he is, made the waiter aware of his error, and asked the server, "who did you think the kid's meal price was for?"
The waiter sheepishly pointed his finger at me.  My brother is 2&1/2 years younger than me and he points at me!  "Sorry for the mistake, sir, I will correct your bill."  The waiter walked away before we could ask any more questions.
So, before we left the Tudor room, my father approached the hostess and asked, "How old do you need to be to qualify for a kid's meal price?"
The hostess replied, " 12 or younger."
Oh boy.  Pure humiliation.  12 or younger?  I was 21 at the time, and the waiter thought that I was 12?  Maybe he even thought I was younger than 12.  The pathetic thing was our waiter was not that old himself, definitely a college student like me.

In 10 days, I will be 28 years old.  I'm sorry that is so shocking.  It's not my fault that everyone thinks kids in high school look like this:  
They don't.  You know how old he was when he started on 90210?  25 years old.  The show lasted 10 years.  Yuck, I can't believe I have a picture of Luke Perry on my blog.   Oh well, you get my point.
 28 years old... it is staggering for me to even write that number down.  But, please don't tell me how young I look.   I know.  Just tell me happy birthday.

My purse has become a dumpster

When I was first married, Brandon would always try to push me to get a bigger purse.  Smart guy, huh?  Make me a mom before I'm a mom and carry around his stuff.  Well, I refused because I knew one day I would own and make full use of a mom bag. Now, in all it's glory, those days are here.  As I am sitting here, I am clearing out my large bag o' stuff and it disgusts me that I let it get this bad.  Oh sure, I've got the normal mom stuff- diapers, wipes, baby sunglasses...but how about a week-old, half-eaten Eat n' Park smiley cookie?  Huh, you got one of those in your bag?  Good, you shouldn't.  They're gross even when they're fresh, but my husband and son love them.  Thus, they are placed in my bag never to see the light of day again until Noah takes a nap and I get unusually motivated. 

What else?  Month old Babies r' Us Coupons, groceries lists that I made that I can never find when I'm actually at the store, varieties of sock colors and styles, oh...pink and yellow highlighters, bet even the most girl scout-like mom doesn't even come close to my preparedness in case of a highlighter emergency.  Oh, just found a binkie.  Does Noah use a binkie?  No.  Has Noah used a binkie in 14 months?  No.  But I am just that fantabulous of a mom that if my baby demands it, I'll have it (I just won't be able to find it for him). 

Well, that's all for now for this round of, "What's in mom's ridiculously huge mom bag o' stuff?"  I'll be playing again next month.  Whoever guesses the most bizarre thing found this next time around gets a prize :)