Bathroom is Occupied

"Can you please take him out of the bathroom?" Hubby yelled. "I'm in here."
"Why? Don't you like sharing the bathroom with Critter." I replied.

Sheesh, all  Critter wanted was to play.....granted Hubby was on the throne.....but still.
Welcome to my world, I told hubby.

Everyday and every time I use the bathroom, when Hubby isn't home, I leave the door open so I can hear what Critter is doing when I can't see him. AND every time, he comes in to the bathroom. He'll stand there, jabbering away, as if there's nothing wrong with having a conversation while someone has their pants around their ankles. Or he'll want to be picked up....um, kinda difficult to pee and hold a kid in your arms. Or he'll open the cabinet under the sink and take out the hairbrush and brush his hair. Or he'll look in the tub, point and talk to his tub toys. Or, he'll try to pick up my pants.

It never fails, I can't pee in peace.

The other day, I was doing my business, and yes Critter came charging in. He opened the under sink cabinet, took out the hairbrush and styled his hair. He then looked at me, well, between my legs and decided that my coif needed styling, and took the hairbrush to my nether region. Okay then! When your year and half old does that, not only do you think he's very perceptive but it's time to take out the weed wacker and trim the lawn.....oh and maybe I should start closing the door while I tinkle.

Sorry NO pics of the toilet, hairbrush or the rug.

But here is a pic of Critter getting his last haircut (his third) on Nov. 11, 2011. He cried the entire time.

New Year Resolutions

My New Year resolutions are:

- to lose this extra baby weight...20 pounds. Jeez, it's been a year and a half since I birthed Critter. I would have been my thin self long ago if I wasn't constantly shoving chocolate and sugary laced things into my mouth. I bought a sequence tank top, striped shorts and I'm ready to Walk it Out, so I know dat I'm a win.



- not to be so bitchy to Hubby. Yes, believe it or not, sweet little ole me can be a total bitch. Surprise! I'm often very short (not just height wise) with Hubby. I seem to have less and less tolerance for him. Well, this year, I'm going to try a different approach. I'm not going to get irked by the stupid things he does; ooooh, and there are plenty (hint, hint, hubby, you can resolve not to do stupid things). I'm going to be nice and sweet when I talk to him. This will be a real test of my tolerance. So far it's been four days of a Bitch free Wife. Do you want to take bets how long this will last?

- To make and save money. I'm not sure I want to go back to work full time. I think about it constantly. I think about leaving Critter and not seeing him for 10 hours a day and it breaks my heart. I'd miss him so much. I also don't want someone else raising my child. But our financial situation, while not dire, could be better. I do look at job listings and have sent out my resume to a few places. But unless the pay is extraordinary, and that is unlikely in Architecture/Design, I'm not going to take a job where 1/2 my salary is going to daycare.
I have to think of something I can do from home, while Critter is sitting on my lap or tearing the apartment apart. Or something I can do in the evenings when Hubby comes home.....besides (not) be bitchy to him.

- to drink more water. I know this should be easy but....I'm still nursing and should drink more water than the average person but yet I'm not. My skin is sooooo dry that it's cracking. My fingers and feet look like a dry cracked desert.

- to change my life. I know this is so vague. I feel like I'm in a rut. More on this later.

Auld Lang Syne

We're going away for the weekend.

So....
HAPPY NEW YEAR!


or do you like this version better?

Bah Humbug

Every year I say I'm not going to wait till the last minute to buy Holiday gifts.
Well, here I am again, a couple days before Christmas and I still have to get some gifts.

UGH! I'm heading into Manhattan with a big ass stroller and I'm prepared to push frazzled shoppers aside and shove tourists outta my way.

I hope I find what I'm looking for. Otherwise people will have Present Face.

On The Waterfront

I'm going through photos of Critter and selecting some for a calendar for Mom. Shhhhhh. Don't tell her she's getting a calendar of Critter photos for Xmas.

I just saw photos of Critter's favorite thing to do in Brooklyn.

After having brunch at his favorite restaurant (with the fish tank), he likes to go to the waterfront in Dumbo.

He sits and gazes at the river and the expansive city beyond.

Then he plays with the rocks. Picking them up, inspecting and tossing them toward the water.
Every time we've been there (which is often), there's been an Asian couple taking wedding photos. See upper right hand corner.

We move to another part of the waterfront and he plops down and more rocks go flying.

He'll move rocks from one area to another.

We'll then ride the famous Jane's Carousal.

Then he'll play with the grass and dirt

Then he'll try to climb on anything within range.

And look up at me indicating I better not stop him.

There's also a playground we visit. Have juice and snacks. Play with his ball.
By the end of the afternoon, Hubby and I are more exhausted then Critter.

Shitty Shitty Bang Bang

NO! The title doesn't mean this post is going to be about my sex life with Hubby!

I know kids like to watch the same thing over and over, but this is getting ridiculous.

Critter likes, or I should say loves, music. I constantly sing to him a variety of kid songs. I'll sing while we're in a car, walking and he's in the stroller, just sitting around. If I stop he'll say "more, more".

About a month ago, we watched our Chitty Chitty Bang Bang DVD (so he can listen to the music) and he hasn't stopped watching it! Every day, he'll pick up the remote, point it at the TV and say "Ka"

He's only interested in the scenes with the KA (car). We start the DVD at the scene where the car comes out of the garage all spruced up, and they drive off for a picnic, picking up Truly along the way.......AND that F*CKING SONG starts!



Hubby's favorite line in the movie is when Dick runs Truly off the road into the lake and he says " You'll find a slight squeeze on the hooter an excellent safety precaution" (3:25 in the linked video).....and she still goes on the picnic with them. Maybe she's hoping Dick will show her how a hooter is squeezed.

Critter likes when I sing Do Re Mi but I don't dare put in the Sound of Music DVD. There would be only so much of Maria I can take.

Critter's In Love

We went to a wedding Friday night. An update about my hair troubles at some other time. The more important issue is, Critter is in Love! She came out and he was in awe. Couldn't take her eyes off her. I'm not sure if it was her outfit, what she was doing, her hair, her Ta-tas or her gyrating hips, but Critter was (along with every other person) gaga. I had to roll his tongue back into his mouth.

He literally just stood at the edge of the dance floor and was watching her from afar.....mesmerized.

At one point, while she was dancing, Critter went out to the lobby and practiced his dance moves, probably thinking he can impress her.

This post is dedicated to a friend. He was supposed to go to the wedding, but at the last minute decided he wasn't up to it. If he knew Critter's Love was going to be there, I'm sure he would have been up....to it....and came.

Pink Panther

Well, There You Go, I gone and really done it now!
I can't really get into details now, cause I got to run out to remedy this.

My hair has been doing a funky thing, very dry, falling out. I'll follow up with more details, later.I color my hair every three weeks. Hey, I ain't a young girl, I've got grey!
I decided to try a natural hair dye, thinking that the one I was using was possibly causing the dryness and breakage.

Stupid Girl, I colored my hair yesterday with a new product I had never used before.

Weeeell, I wish I can say it came out Fuckin' Perfect, but.....why are my roots PINK???????? That's right pink. You read that right. Do I need to spell it out? P-I-N-K!

The color was supposed to be Light Mahagony Chestnut.....Looks pretty on the box, right?

But Who Knew?! My hair would turn out really dark brown (nothing like the box) with PINK roots. All the white hair (roots) turned PINK! Arrrrrgggggghhhhhh!

My husband said I look like Rania.

I wish I was that pretty. But yeah, that's the color of my roots BUT with dark rest of head.
SIGH!
I wouldn't care, but we're going to a wedding tonight. Hubby said not to worry about it, "So What, noone is gonna be looking at you". But, but, it looks awful, like someone threw PINK Glitter in the Air and it stuck to my roots. When we ttake our Family Portrait tonight, I wanted to look pretty.

Now I have to run out, find another color for my roots only, wait till Critter naps and Get the (color) Party Started.

Dinner Theater

We often frequent a Yemeni restaurant, Yemen Cafe, in Brooklyn owned by a friend. We go there for Brunch  about twice a month. Yep, can you believe it, a middle eastern place for Brunch. We usually order eggs, which are kick ass, deliciously cooked with onions, peppers, tomatoes. We also order Critter's favorite; Hummus with Curried Chicken on top. He devours it with pita bread.

Critter has been a life long patron. He was made honorary chef early on (Jan. 13, 2011).

Last Sunday, after Critter finished his meal and got restless sitting in the high chair, he walked over to the Fish tank. The owner told Hubby to bring over the high chair. I thought he was going to put it AT the table in front of the fish tank and sit Critter in it, while Hubby and I finished eating.

Boy, did I underestimate the ingenuity of some people.

Critter was happy and quiet while Hubby and I finished eating.

You're The One That I Want

Am I the only one that has the Grease CD and listens to it?
Must be the Brooklyn in me.
FYI - Some of the scenes in the movie were filmed in our nabe, Bay Ridge Brooklyn.

UPDATE:
LOL! After I hit publish, I realized that I was thinking of Saturday Night Fever that was partially filmed in Bay Ridge.
A big fat DOH!
I can edit the original post but am leaving it up there to show my flighty air headedness (is this even a word?)

Walk This Way

The average child starts walking between 12 and 15 months (I like to say 1 year 3 months).

Before we left on our month long trip, Critter took a few steps. While we were away, he was either strapped to a stroller or in a car seat and couldn't "practice" his steps. And when we did take him out, he was still crawling.....all over Europe.

When we got back and he was free to roam, he'd take a few steps, realize he can get there quicker by crawling and would plop down and off he'd go on all fours.

Well, it finally happened. On Oct. 16th, we went to a friend's wedding and I guess Critter saw how much fun everyone was having on the dance floor and after the wedding, back at the hotel room, Critter was walking all over the bed and floor....and he hasn't stopped since.

This video was taken on Oct. 18th. 

When he was first walking holding our hands, he looked like he was leading with his right foot, dragging his left. He wouldn't bend his knees.

I love his clumsy walk. I love how his legs are so far apart. I love his arms in the air for balance......whoa, steady.

Happy Halloween

Getting the 1% to stand/sit still for a photo is impossible. The 99% is tired of working for a shot.

Home....at Last

After a month in Europe; visiting 4 countries and too many cities to count, getting into 2 car accidents, 2 sick children, an emergency room visit, 2 sick adults, so many Roman ruins, consuming pounds of Pasta, inhaling freshly made Pizza, scarfing down buckets of delizioso gelato, soaking in the Mediterranean, getting cultured, viewing art, art and more art, taking 6,714 photos, we're ba-aaaack.

........and we need a vacation. I'm tired!

Munich - I forgot the name of the building.

I'm scratching my head as to why we came back. We had a nice time. I really want to move to Europe. We're doing it all wrong here in America. Europeans have joie de vivre (oh, wait, we didn't go to France).

Now what do I do with 6,714 photos? How do I share them with Family and Friends? Facebook can't handle that. Flickr? hmmmmmmm.

Bon Voyage

Tomorrow, we're supposed to be on a plane heading to Italy for a month long trip. Drama today in the marriage, details not to be discussed, may require one of us to stay home. Why am I sugar coating this? Basically, I've had it!! I'm frustrated, aggravated, annoyed, upset and don't think I can deal with this (hubby's) bullshit anymore.

Sooo, if I post again in the next few days, I stayed home, or we cancelled the trip.
If I don't post for a month, we all went to Europe (Italy, Austria, Germany).

What a way to start a vacation....on a negative.
SIGH!!!!!!!

Eid

Yesterday on Eid.

He was so fascinated with his Alladin-like outfit, especially his shoes. He kept playing with them.

These are pics with our new camera, which after looking at the ones from yesterday, I HATE (the camera)!

Shake That Thing

I was laying down feeding Critter, was half asleep myself when I felt the earth move under my feet. The entire building shock. I heard and saw the mirror in the hallway banging against the wall. I thought they were doing plumbing work in the apartment upstairs. I checked the bathroom and kitchen to make sure the ceilings didn't fall because of the incompetent workers and was going to call the management company to complain about the workers upstairs.

Well, lucky for the non-existent workers upstairs, I turned on the radio to listen to music and heard that NYC felt the effects of an earthquake in Virginia. That is wild.

Bel Bambino

Guess who's going to Italia and taking his parents?

Photo Take Jan. 11, 2011 - Critter was 6-1/2 Months Old (The Italia Shirt Fit Him Then)

We're going for a month in September. I'm so excited. We've been planning this trip for several months now, and it's 3 weeks away! We have friends in Naples, and we'll be traveling with them (they have an almost 2 year old son) throughout Italy, and also going to Vienna and Munich.
Road Trip!!

I have lists of things I need to do, buy, pack. I need a pair of great walking shoes!

Traveling with a baby for a month is going to be interesting....but I think it'll be lots of fun.

La Dolce Vita!

Tinea VersiWHAT?

About three months after Critter arrived, I noticed small discolorations on my stomach and lower back. I assumed it's due to hormonal changes and really didn't think about it, assuming it'll go away in a few months. Weeeeeell, it got worse. The small dime sized discolorations grew into reddish patches all over my back. Some were3" by 3". As the months flew by, I started to get concerned. It wasn't going away. Surely, the hormonal changes of having a baby don't last a year? Do they?

Google became my friend....and my enemy. I tried to google the symptoms, which for me was just the patches of redness. I didn't feel itching, burning, nothing. In my endless pounding of the keyboard, typing key words, hitting search, I didn't come up with anything. Well, I came up with lots of things. But, hey, it's the internet and everything I read seemed like what I had. The skin "C" word kept coming up in my searches. OMG! What if I have Cancer? I just had a baby, I can't die....not yet. I want to see my child grow up. I got pissed, I got angry, I got scared. I cried. And finally, I stopped looking for an answer on the internet and made an appointment with my doctor.

One look at my back and stomach and he said it's Tinea Versicolor. Huh? What? Tinea What? Tinea Versicolor (Read here about it). It's a fungal infection of the skin. To be certain, he recommended I see a dermatologist. In the meantime, he suggested I rub Selsun Blue (Yep, dandruff shampoo!) on the infected area, leave it on over night.I didn't do it, cause I wanted to be sure.

I went home, relived. I'll live to see Critter grow through the terrible twos, defy me as a teenager and hopefully marry a woman as great as his mom. But I couldn't help going to google (my friend turned enemy) and typing in Tinea Versicolor. That's IT! I read and read and read.

I went to the dermatologist and she confirmed it, Tiena Versicolor! I guess that's why they have the medical degrees hanging on their walls and all I have is an internet connection. She gave me a prescription for Ketoconazole (oral) and sent me on my merry way. I filled the prescription and was happily going to pop the pills BUT decided I should read the "prescription information". It specifically states in bold "This medicine is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast feed while taking this medicine."

HUH?!?!?!?! I told dermatologist I was nursing (Yep, still shoving the boob in Critter's face). She looked it up, on her iphone. She said it was safe and approved for lactating women. But, but, but....the prescription information sheet states otherwise.

It was too late to call the Doctor.
Come to mama, google.
Yep, I went back on the "Information Superhighway".
The manufacturer doesn't recommend using it if  breastfeeding.
The cream is safer and may be used.
Stupid doctor! Did she look up the cream instead of the oral (what she prescribed).
After playing phone tag for a few days with the doctor and getting more and more irritated by her grave oversight, I finally spoke to her. Boy, did I want to chew her up! I wanted to tell her that she's a stupid idiot, blah, blah, blah.
I questioned her as to why she prescribed that knowing I'm nursing and why would the prescription information state NOT to breastfeed, but she had no answer. UGH!! She insisted that she looked it up and it stated it's safe for lactating women. She didn't believe me. Double UGH! It's right there in black and white, b*tch. I read it! I feel like sending her the prescription information I got with the medication.

After going back and forth for a bit with her and she gave me other medication options, I decided that I'm not going to take anything and I'll live with the patches on my back until I'm done breastfeeding. My kid's health is more important than my vanity.

In my endless googling for info about Tinea Versicolor, I did find a couple of great sites:
www.kellymom.com - Here's the page about AAP approved medications while breastfeeding.
www.mothering.com - Here's a forum post from a woman with Tinea Versi, asking  for advice.Check out some of the home remedies.
Apple Cider Vinegar! That's right, rubbing it on my back, going to bed smelling like a tossed salad, washing it off in the morning shower and the patches are getting smaller and disappearing.

Thank you modern science for nothing, good ole home remedy is working!

After reading all this, you need a cheesy music video.

Get Up, Stand Up

Stand up for your rights.

"He's not walking yet?" They asked. Well, not really asked, it was more a statement.
"No, not yet." I replied and then felt like I had to justify Critter's  development by throwing in "Well, the average child starts walking between 12 and 15 months. So, he's right on schedule".

I don't know why it irked me when they (not mentioning whether it was a he or a she) said that. Maybe, because they then said, "Well, (their child's name) started walking at 10 months old." Oh, NO! They didn't go there! Bragging! Comparing?! I really wanted to punch the daylights out of them but all I can say is "That's early." But I really wanted to say "Do you think your kid is special? etc. etc. etc."Oh, how I wanted to let them have it. I really hate when parents gloat about their kids. I can understand sharing stories and telling antidotes about their children, but what I hate is bragging. Oh, look at my kid, they can do this and say that and.........it's almost as if they're saying, "I bet your kid can't do that."

I have a friend whose child started walking at 9 months, didn't even crawl , I know a mother who's son just started walking alone at 17 months. It has NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING to do with intelligence but is a motor skill.

Here's what Dr. Sears has to say about it.

After I read this, I wanted to call 'bragging parent of early walker' and tell them their kid is impulsive and buy stock in band-aids.

It's interesting what he says about babies with easier temperament.

"Babies with easier temperaments often approach major developmental milestones more cautiously. Since crawling is speedier than walking anyway, confirmed crawlers are content to zip around on the floor like miniature racecars and show no interest in joining the tall and busy world."

"Late walkers are more likely to be content to entertain themselves with seeing and fingering fun than with motor accomplishments. A late walker goes through the crawl-cruise-stand-walk sequence slowly and cautiously, calculating each step and progressing at his own comfortable rate. When he does finally walk, he walks well."

Critter definitely has an easy going temperament. And I've noticed with everything he does (the first time) he's very cautious but when he does it and realizes the outcome is positive, he plows full speed and repeats the actions.

Walking will happen and come naturally, I'm not going to rush him. When he's ready, he'll do it. Baby Steps.
On Saturday evening, for the very first time, he did what will eventually lead to walking. He was on the futon "reading" when he decided to push himself up and viola, he was standing for a few seconds. He plopped on his bum, giggled and repeated his actions.

Pure joy to watch. I'll admit, after he amused himself with his vertical uprisings, I grabbed him, hugged him so tight and cried. He's growing up soooooo fast.

Let's Talk About Six, Baby

Let's talk about you and me. Okay, just me. Let's talk about ME.

"Your ass looks small." Hubby said.
"You're still the same size." I retorted.
He was looking at my tush when he said that, but I can't help getting in a jab whenever I can (at the Ass not in).



Can it be? That my rear caboose is smaller?
Yep. I'm working on shrinking my rump (roast) and belly (flop).
I've used the excuse I just had a baby for my flabbiness. After a year and a month, I can't use that excuse anymore.
A few weeks ago, I stopped consuming sugar laced products on a daily basis to soothe my soul. I've lessened my intake of starches (not the ironing kind). I was always a walker and I'm continuing to walk at least 2 miles every day. I started doing yoga again. Photos of my legs around my neck and/or doing pigeon pose will be posted shortly; that is, after my body is limber enough to first touch my toes. AND, I've started dancing with Critter. Every day, we put on the radio, he plays on the floor while his mother is Gettin Jiggy Wit It until she breaks out into a sweat and is panting from exhaustion.



Have I lost any weight? I don't know. I don't own a scale. I'm gauging it with clothes. Before, I got Preggo, I was wearing a size 2 (don't hate me cause I was skinny). After baby, I was wearing a size (I'm not telling). Now, I'm wearing a size (I'm still not telling and it isn't a size (2, 4 and 6) I have in my closet.

When I get dressed in the morning, I only need to open the sliding closet door 3" and reach in and grab one of 4 pants that fit me. The other day, I flung the door all the way and from the depths of my closet, I pulled out a size 6 cargo pants. I shimmed my way into them. They fit around the legs. I pulled them over my keister, zipped and buttoned them. THEY FIT!!!!! Okay, they were a little snug around the waste but I figured as the day wore on, they'd loosen up.

Critter and I went out for most of the day, I wish I can report that the size 6 pants stretched a little, but the truth is, they got tighter and tighter with every ticking hour. By days end I felt like an over stuffed sausage ready to burst from it's skin. Every time I took a step, I felt like another seam was going to pop. I didn't bend down for anything. If I dropped something, oh well, it was gone forever. When I walked, I barely lifted my legs in fear of hearing riiiiip. I shuffled home and as soon as I unbuttoned them my stomached sighed in relief. I peeled them off and discovered the button made in imprint on my belly (no photos available for your amusement). Maybe, those kids are onto something with sagging. I'm going to start wearing my pants under my badunkadunk and on the ground.