Broken Road...

American Idol was great last night!
OK, so I'm not normally a big country music fan, but this is my new favorite song. It encapsulates how I feel about my husband and daughter- my loves.

"Bless The Broken Road" (by Rascal Flatts)

I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lover's arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you.

Brief Nudity

Hmmm- that got your attention, didn't it? Pervert!

A new beloved activity of Piper's- naked time! The treasured moments between bathtime and bedtime when she is unrestricted by the inconvenience of clothes. She runs around in all of her nakey baby glory with a look of pure glee that she is, indeed, naked! Yahoo!
How sad that we as adults cannot enjoy that luxury. As Piper races around the house giggling, she is not thinking, "Does my butt fat jiggle when I run? Is my tummy sticking out? Is everyone looking at my diaper rash?" She is free... and so freaking CUTE!

The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly

I've gotta snap out of this funk I've been in this week. Nothing's wrong, I've just got the blahs- and am feeling very lazy... I need some sunshine and beach. Some vitamin D and some tequila should make things right. We're hoping to take a little vacation later this summer, so I'll look forward to that. We've already gone to Mexico and Vegas this year, and already I'm whining for another trip. Spoiled much?

We saw the movie "Enron- The Smartest Guys in the Room" on the weekend- excellent! It was a documentary on the rise and fall of Enron, and it was soooooo good- plus it had a fun soundtrack, was entertaining, and didn't involve the very annoying Micheal Moore. 4 out of 5 stars. The really scary thing it brought to mind was how sheep-like most people are. They will follow a strong leader anywhere, against their better judgement, and against their instincts and beliefs. We tend to trust charismatic powerful people, and the less we ask, "Why?", the more susceptible we are to corruption. We see it every day in corporate America, politics and religion. This movie was a great example of what horrible things can happen when many people just go along with the herd. Baaaaaaa!

Geez, I hope I can help teach my daughter, Piper, to have integrity and strength.

On a lighter note- Piper and I had the best snuggle session last night. It was at 1:00am, but it was still fantastic. She was all sleepy and warm, nestled in my arms with her chubby little fingers gripping my shirt and her head nuzzled in my neck. I could feel her breath on my face and her little heartbeat. We just dozed like that for an hour or so before I put her back to bed. Those are the moments that make life great. She is almost 15 months old now, and I wonder how much longer I will be able to hold her like that. She is getting more busy and independant every day... but she'll always be my baby.

Eewww

I am so desperately in need of a pedicure. I just stepped on a tack in my basement, and my foot didn't even hurt or bleed. My feet are so gross and calloused, they are actually more like hooves at this point. I must gallop off to the spa and get groomed before sandal season is upon us, as not to frighten my new neighbours, or scratch my new hardwood floors.

Me not so smart...

I really have to become more informed about politics- both Canadian and World. For years, I have been meaning to educate myself and become a more involved voter. Sadly, and embarrassingly, the bulk of my political knowledge comes from John Stewart of the Daily Show, and Tina Fey from Saturday Night Live. I love both of those comedians, and I am sure they would be horrified to know this. Everytime I hear anyone else discussing politics, I want to listen, but my ears automatically turn off, and suddenly all I can hear is the Charlie Brown Teacher voice saying, "wah wah woh wah weh wooh.." It is involuntary- I don't want to be an ignorant boob, but my tiny brain refuses to absorb it. I would be thrilled to let some international policy push out some of the other garbage in my mind- like the name of Paris Hilton's dog, Tinkerbell, the comings and goings of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, or the dating history of Cameron Diaz. THAT is knowedge that I neither want, nor need, and I'd like to replace it with something more substantial...
Maybe I should take a class. And stop reading "Us" magazine. Perhaps a little more "Newsweek" and a little less "People".

The New Shack

I've got to start writing again, I've been a bad, bad blogger...

I've been spending all of my creative energy decorating my new house, Casa De Construction. We're the first ones to move in on our street, so we are living in a war zone of dirt, trucks, and tradesmen. By the end of the summer, a beautiful little Stepford neighbourhood will (hopefully) have grown and developed around us.
Tonight I sewed curtains for the master bathroom. They're so pretty, I want to put them up right now, but it's midnight.. so maybe I'll cuddle up with them and go to sleep.

My baby girl and I have a new bedtime ritual. We were reading books up until now, but she would get all wired and book crazed, and insisted on 20 books, and then wouldn't wind down, so now we just cuddle and sing quiet songs. It's soooo fun, I think I enjoy it even more than she does. It's so fascinating to see her personality and humour develop before my very eyes. Is there anything more beautiful then your baby laughing in your arms and hugging and kissing you? I think not.

Dirty Little Secret of the Day: I've been watching Britney Spears and Kevin Disgustington's Reality Show, "Chaotic." It is so sick, but I love watching those morons. I look forward to their idiotic behavior next week, it hurts so good! I am baffled that they thought this expose would IMPROVE the public's perception of them. Their delusional self images are approaching Michael Jackson-esque proportions.

That was dirty- must go shower now.
Nighty night.

A Bit of Trivia

This is more for my records than for reading...

Cities I've lived in:

Labelle, Quebec
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Ottawa, Ontario
Montreal, Quebec
Seattle, Washington
Mesa, Arizona
Burbank, California
Redondo Beach, California
Calgary, Alberta

Jobs I've Held:

Nanny (several times)
Receptionist
Hostess
Waitress (many times)
Theatre Usher
Administrative Assistant
Landscaper
Cake Maker
Pizza maker
Christmas Tree Salesperson
Encyclopedia Salesperson
Customer Service Rep
Cashier
Tour Guide
Cook on catering truck
Full time Butt Wiper
Realtor

Long term (more than one year) Relationships: 5

And to answer your questions- No, I am not schitzophrenic, no, I am not hiding from the law, and yes, I do lie on my resume.

Lazy Day Indoors

Sesame Street is still one of the best kids' shows on TV. It's got funny characters, jokes that adults can laugh at too, and it's not very annoying. I was just watching a skit called "Grouch Eye for the Nice Guy" in which Oscar gives a regular man a "makeover", complete with scraggly green outfit, dirty face with huge black scraggly eyebrows, etc.. very cute. And you have to be a real hater to not like Elmo. He's damn sweet, and he can make my teething baby smile. My hero.

I had a wierd alien abduction dream last night, with a great plot, very suspensful and creepy. I now have to keep my closet door closed at all times, because I am a big fat scaredy cat. I also can't have a mirror in sight while in bed. Otherwise, the evil spirits will be watching me. Yes, I am an idiot. I blame "Amityville Horror", "The Exorcist", "The Ring", et al. I have banned myself from seeing anymore horror movies, ever. Not worth the personal anguish. So I guess that's my Dirty Little Secret of the Day:
I'm scared of the dark... at 33 years old.
I can picture it now, "Mommy, mommy! I'm scared of the dark!!!" And I reply, "Oh, me tooooo! Hold me, and we'll cry in fear together!" Sad.

My friend Jill's lovely compliment got me thinking about celebrity lookalikes. At least once a month, someone tells me I look like Uma Thurman, (although I am about 8 feet shorter than her...) and I can see the resemblance sometimes. She is a bit strange looking, and can be beautiful or hideous, depending on the day. Last month, there was a pic of Uma laughing on msn, and my dad thought it was me- it could have been. I've also been told I resemble Sarah Jessica Parker (we are both little with big noses and big curly hair.) I wasn't sure if this was a compliment or an insult. I love SJP and think she is sexy and cool, but let's face it, she's a bit horsey around the facial area. I'm often told I look "exactly like another person I know", and I'd really like to see these random twins I have and see if we actually DO look alike. Women in general seem to have such a warped self image, it would be interesting to see how others view us.

Right now, I see myself as a mommy. Must go play. :)

You're so Vain

Dirty Little Secret of the Day:

I never leave the house without makeup. Ever. Yes, I am one of "those" women. You probably wouldn't guess that I always wear makeup. That is because you have never seen me without it. Ever.

Speaking of vanity... I am pro plastic surgery. Not getting so many facelifts that your eyebrows are in the back of your head, or getting scales or whiskers implanted into your face, (although you should have the freedom to do so..) but just regular old plastic sugery. I'd love a nose job- I am obsessed with pretty noses. And teeth. If you have a nice nose and good teeth, you're lookin' good. I don't know if I will ever get one, but you never know. I did get Botox once, about 5 years ago.. by accident. I went to a clinic with my girfriend to her Botox appointment, and sat with her while the botulism was being injected into her face. Fascinating. Then the Dr turned to me and asked if I wanted some for free. (Not unlike a drug dealer who gives you your first snort of cocaine in hopes that you will be back for more.)I impulsively said "sure!" After a 2 second consultation, He asked me to furrow my brow, and he stuck the needle in 4 spots on my forehead. It was red for an hour or so, then nothing. Apparently, it lasts for about 3 months, then you're back for another hit. I did have a less wrinkly brow, but not that noticeable of a difference. I probably wouldn't do it again.
The one procedure that I can really seeing myself getting is a boob job after I've finished having babies and breastfeeding. My husband would be willing to get a third job to fund this procedure, I'm sure. Or maybe I will have grown up a bit by then, and won't be so concerned with such superficial things. Maybe I'll be able to just tuck my boobs into my belt and move on to more important things. We'll see...

A Quickie

I just spent the last hour chatting with my husband's cousins, Brad and MaryLynn. They are amazing musicians, (they write, sing, and perform,) they are hilarious and sweet, and they can pottytrain at lightening speed- there is nothing they can't do. I instantly fell in love with them when I met them almost 3 years ago. They are probably the Coolest couple I know, with a capital C, and MaryLynn is just my kinda silly.

I thought I'd start a "Dirty Little Secret of the Day" addition to my blog. Here is today's:

I love the Backstreet Boys. I can't help it. I am ashamed...

Well, I'd love to stay and write, but it's a beautiful day outside so I must take my girl to the park,

:)

A Shameless Brag

My daughter is so brave.

When I was little, I was painfully shy, and even now, like most people, I have millions of little insecurities. My girl does not seem to be plagued by any of that.

She is not the least bit afraid of strangers, in fact, she is intrigued by them. If a stranger stops to chat, she babbles confidently to them, sometimes reaches out for them to give her a quick cuddle, and occasionally gives them a friendly finger up the nose.

She loves the water, and has no problem having water dumped over her head in the bathtub. She sticks her face in the water and blows bubbles, and giggles like she's been scuba diving for years.

Falling? Piece of cake. She climbs like a mountain goat, and when she falls, rarely even cries.

Needles? Whatever...yawn! She finds them mildly unpleasant, and only whines for a minute at the Doctor's office.

She is a total daredevil- throw her in the air, spin her around, drive her stroller like a race car, or hang her upside down and she grins and throws her arms up like she's riding a roller coaster- she looooooves it all!

She is a fantastic eater, and a good sleeper. She is affectionate and sweet. She is an angel baby.

I really don't think that any of this has to do with excellent parenting skills- I think it is just her unique personality. Our next baby could be the complete opposite, and I'm sure we will appreciate all of his/her unique qualities and idiosyncrasies just as much. But for now, I am so proud of my girl. Love, love, love...

Technologically Challenged

We got a new laptop yesterday, and I am trying to get used to it- it's tougher than learning to drive a new car. Our old computer looks like a refridgerator in comparison. But even though it is sleek and cool and takes up no space, which I love, I am lost. Where are my favorites? I don't know how to find anything, and only now am I realizing how addicted I really am to my online mommies chat group. I couldn't find them this morning, and I had a pit of sickness in my stomach. I finally found them, but I can't post messages to them for some reason- it's like one of those nightmares where you try to scream and nothing comes out. When my husband gets home, hopefully he can fix this.. only 7 hours... I can make it...

I did figure out how to check my dirtyolive site, whew! It got me thinking about how much motherhood has changed me... 2 years ago, if I had taken a word association test, and the shrink had said, "dirty olive" I would have associated it with a chic, sexy cocktail drank over clever conversation in a funky lounge. Today,"dirty olive" brings to mind something that has rolled under the couch, covered with dust and dog hair, that hopefully I will find before my daughter puts it in her mouth.,

Gotta go play with Miss Pinkiedoo, she is yelling at me in some foreign language, and she sounds mad...

Babylust

My darling daughter is only 14 months old, and already I want to get pregnant again. It’s hard to think of anything else. I cannot wait to get all bloated and emotional, with heartburn, nosebleeds, shortness of breath, backaches, sore boobs, forgetfulness, insomnia, and nausea. Yes, please! Bring it on! I loved being pregnant- I was a total cornball who walked around for 9 months in a giddy haze, marveling at the wonder of having a life inside me. I hope I will be lucky enough to get to do it again.

My husband and I are not trying to get pregnant, as it’s not physically possible for me to do so yet, but we are in discussions. Lengthy, whiny discussions always started by me. We probably won’t really be trying to conceive for at least another 6 months or so. We need some time together first, without me being possessed by another being.

I’ve been reminiscing on my girl’s birth. Thank god I wrote it all down, because I’d forgotten so many details already. It seems odd that you could forget something that traumatic and painful, but I guess that’s nature’s way of repopulating the earth. I had a caesarian birth, so I don’t know how it feels to push a baby out of my body, but contractions definitely changed the scale on which I had formerly measured pain. What I’d thought was an 8 before labour has been demoted to a 4. "What? You have a butter knife stuck in your thigh? And someone has ripped your eyelids off? Please- go have a contraction and then come talk to me.." I was only dilated to 6 cm before they decided to give me a c-section, but already the pain was so intense that I couldn’t even locate it on my body anymore. It felt like my entire body- my very soul, was made of searing pain. Seconds were like eons… except for the seconds between contractions- those of course were milliseconds.

And yet, I feel bad for men that they will never experience that, and I’m counting the moments until I can do it again. The payoff is just so sweet...

Blogstalking (like Trainspotting, but creepier...)

I have been obsessively reading the blogs of other women, and it is soooo fun! I find them so compelling, that I wonder if I am a blogger groupie. Am I a bloupie? Sad. I sat in front of the computer with tears streaming down my face with laughter the other night, god I love that! And maybe one of the tears was because I know that I will never be as intelligent, articulate, wildly entertaining, and interesting as these women- dirtyolive.net, laura-jane.diaryland.com, and jillswritestuff.blogspot.com to name a few. I wish that we could hang out and have interesting conversations and make clever observations while watching our cutie pie children play in the park together. It's harder to make girlfriends when you're in your 30's, and are a stay-at-home-mom, and although I love my friends who do not have children, (Chelsey, you are still my dirty, lol) it is so much easier to spend time with other moms, who have a much higher tolerance for constant baby stuff. So even having these one-sided cyber friendship with complete strangers is fun to me. I am inspired by them, and learn so much from them. (Jill, thanks for making me look up verisimilitude! For anyone as stunned as me, it means "the appearance of being true or real")

I wonder if my blog will ever have more than 3 readers? I don't really care, and I don't want to care - I'm mainly trying to keep a record for myself and my family, and to improve upon my writing... but input is nice, especially from these amazing writers. But still...I wonder if I'll ever have a blogstalker? Dare to dream...

Happy 60th Birthday Dad! xo!