JJ's first year

I got some video editing software for Christmas and it has taken me quite awhile to figure out how to use it. I started working on this right before JJ turned one, but I got very frustrated. I had some time tonight, so I took another stab at it. The video is still pretty basic, but I'm learning and I must say, I'm quite proud of myself :0)

I never really thought of this song as anything other than a regular love song, but the other day it came on during a random shuffle of my ipod and for some reason it made me think of my son. I think this could easily be a song from a mom to her child.




A New Day (Celine Dion)

I was waiting for so long
For a miracle to come
Everyone told me to be strong
Hold on and don't shed a tear

Through the darkness and good times
I knew I'd make it through
And the world thought I had it all
But I was waiting for you

Hush, love

I see a light in the sky
Oh, it's almost blinding me
I can't believe
I've been touched by an angel with love
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears
Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun
A new day has...come

Where it was dark now there's light
Where there was pain now there's joy
Where there was weakness, I found my strength
All in the eyes of a boy

Hush, love

I see a light in the sky
Oh, it's almost blinding me
I can't believe
I've been touched by an angel with love
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears
Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun
A new day has...come

A Mother's Prayer, According to Tina Fey

I just finished reading Tina Fey's book Bossypants and it was hysterical. I've always been a fan of Tina Fey, but after reading her book, it seriously makes me want to be her friend. She is smart and funny and a fantastic writer. To work with her someday would be amazing. Her and Aaron Sorkin.

Anyway, I really liked this part, and even though it is about her daughter and I have a son, I think the general idea applies to all moms and dads with sons or daughters (or both!). So for my friends with sons, just substitute boy things where need be (i.e. Hot Wheels instead of Barbies) and it is still a wonderful sentiment :0)

"The Mother's Prayer for Its Daughter" (side note: "its"? I don't know...)

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it's the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach's eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half.

And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her

When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called "Hell Drop," "Tower of Torture," or "The Death Spiral Rock 'N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith," and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance.

Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes and not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I'm asking You because if I knew, I'd be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.

Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long,

For Childhood is short--a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day--

And Adulthood is long and Dry-humping in Cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever,

That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers

And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister,

Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes Lord,

That I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

"My mother did this for me once," she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby's neck. "My mother did this for me." And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget.

But I'll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

At it again!!

So apparently my last blog was in October 2010. I must have told myself I would blog again the next day, but somehow the next day turned into 7 months. Amazing how that happens once you have kids! Anyway, I'm honestly hoping to be much more diligent about this. I guess I just need to get that voice out of my head that keeps telling me, "who cares if you blog?" I'm going to pretend that you all care very, very much.

Quick updates:

JJ turned one in February and I'm still in a state of shock that I have a one-year-old! He just gets more and more amazing everyday and he has completely stolen my heart. He walks all the time. He's either walking or climbing on things (mom and dad, particularly). He's figured out if he holds his arms up and acts like he wants to snuggle with you, he will get picked up and then can climb even higher. Or he will do this from one person to the next to get to where he wants to go. He loves to play chase with Gary, which is really funny because he can't really run yet. He also thinks that if he climbs onto the couch, Gary can't get him. As a mom and wife, these father-son games of "chase" around the living room make my day. :0) He loves to play with cars, trucks, trains and balls. He sort of plays catch, in his own way. We sometimes have some issues getting him to sit still long enough to eat, which is sort of a problem because according to his doctor, he's a tad underweight. He's healthy though, so I'm trying not to be too worried about it. Most recently, he got four molars pretty much all at once which also put a damper on his desire to eat. He seems to be feeling better though. Regardless of if he feels like eating or not, though, the kid will always drink his milk. If I consistently filled up his sippy cup with milk, he would just keep on drinking. I've learned from Gary and his brothers that this is absolutely an inherited Weber trait. He's also starting to talk a little. If we say "milk" he will say "kah, kah" and if we say "juice" he will say "shs, shs" (hard to write the sounds he makes). Those are the only things he says consistently. Occasionally he will say "dad" or "mama". I guess it's good to know your place :0). No matter what day it is, no matter if he's teething, no matter what is going on, JJ is always laughing and smiling. He amazes me with how smart he is and how happy he is all the time. He's got such a great personality and it just develops more and more every day.

Gary has been working tirelessly at converting our garage into a "man-cave." This will be GREAT come football season! :0) He put up a wall! This, to me, was quite impressive. He acts like its no big deal. Come on, babe, you built a WALL!! Color me impressed. Also, I'm pretty sure this will be the only "man-cave" that comes with a washer and dryer. Guess I'll either have to plan my laundry days or make him fold while he watches the game. On a completely different topic, Gary's company got bought out. There was a lot of talk of layoffs in the accounting department and the looming fear of losing his job prompted a relentless search for a new one. It was time for him to leave anyway, seeing as he was miserable there and they told him in no uncertain terms that there wasn't really anywhere for him to go in the company. No promotions = Get out now! After a lot of stress and prayer, Gary got a new job. It isn't the greatest job in the world, but it is just different and it is for Property Management company which is Gary's area of expertise/interest. It's a very small company, so there's a bit of change for him to get used to. He doesn't love the job, but it's only been a couple days, so I think he just needs to get used to something different. (that's me playing the supportive wife: "suck it up, babe. you'll be fine. it just takes some getting used to!" :0) ) There is potential for a lot of room to grow and to learn, so that is the main goal. He has big plans for his/our future, which I have every confidence he will make happen. This is just a minor stop on his way up. He will succeed no matter what he does.

As for me, I have been doing a lot of planning and list making and trying to get organized. I started up a little side business (Heartcrafted Designs), which I was hoping would be more successful by now, but I have made a few sales and I'm a little busy right now anyway, so I'm thinking the slowness is a blessing in disguise. My high school friend Missy's sister-in-law is having a boutique in June that I'm hoping to be able to participate in. That could be a big deal for me. My sewing machine isn't really working right now, so I may have to get another one. I've been doing some research and I think I've found a couple that I like and that are in my price range, so I just need to get one and start sewing! I was also commissioned, so to speak, to make 100 cakeball pops for bridal shower thrown by Gary's former boss. I've got a month to complete that, so again, I'm going to need to plan my days wisely! As if I didn't have enough going on with my normal job, daily household things, being with my family, starting Heartcrafted, I've also been doing a lot of writing (which, for the record, is my ultimate goal). I wrote a novel. It's way too short and I am currently doing some serious editing, but I think overall, for a first draft, it's actually pretty decent. But don't ask to read it because I'm not confident enough for that yet :0) Gary hasn't even read it! Currently I am taking a little break from editing to write a short story I'm hoping to get published in a literary magazine. I've never written a short story before and I have to say, it is much harder than writing a novel. I've heard its good when approaching agents to have some sort of a writing resume, so that was my inspiration for writing a short story. If I can get it published, it would be very helpful in the long run.

So, that's pretty much what we've been up to the last 7 months. Hopefully I can keep on top of this blog so you won't have to read such long summaries about us in the future. Not that you mind, because after all, you all care very, very much. Right? :0)