Present Tenses
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Put on the Day
Passersby
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Anthropologist
Natural Living
Ireland
Cloth Diapers
Babywearing
Boob Nazis
Breastfeeding
Bake Bake Bake!
Food Porn
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| ...leap towards the future | ||
| Take a step back in time... | ||
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Wake Up: Way down in the hole |
The Wire season 3, downloaded! I have to leave to pick up Jane in 5 minutes from Sue's. Today was her first day at the creche. It wasn't really a special day for me, more like any day that Cormac would be watching her. In the future, I'll just come back home and do all the weekly house stuff I'm not able to when she is driving me insane. Took Harper in for her 2 month vaccines (yeah, she's over 3 months, wanna fight?). They told me Jane didn't get her MMR at 13 months... what? I don't pay particularly close attention to vaccines, even though I should, because I've always been torn on what she should and shouldn't get. I usually just make the appointment when the HSE sends me a letter in the post. I guess they didn't think it was too important to let me know we missed the MMR until, well, 17 months later. Rock on. So, she's going in next week. Look at me, so crunchy, delayed vaccines! Ha, ha... ha. I talked to Dr. Devlin as well today about getting my psych stuff under control. This time she wrote the letter right in front of me and got it ready to be posted off. She said I should get an appointment to go in within 2-3 weeks. I put my big girl pants on today and admitting I need a little help. I just don't have the time to do regular cardio which was really keeping things balanced for me (mostly, anyways). I looked at SLRs on Amazon a few days ago and now Amazon emails me torturing me with all these cool new cameras they have for sale. Why do they do this to me, BAH. I'm going to read a bit on food photography (I bookmarked some websites) when I get a chance to see what I can do better. Some sunlight would help, I'm sure. Time to get the monkey face. |
Oh my good god. "The girls then had to adhere to new ground rules - less burgers, low-fat milk, and fruits and water instead of sugary drinks; the change was significant, she said." Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art Yes! Look at her, giving them eating disorders by making their diets healthier. I wish my mom had gotten me eating healthier when I started putting on weight from an unhealthy diet as a kid. |
I downloaded LOST. It doesn't air until Friday here and Cormac will be gigging. STOP MESSING WITH YOUR AMP AND COME WATCH IT. *squee* Lost! |
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Wake Up: urbandictionary.com |
1. Candace Cute, funny, smart. Pretty interesting too. Usually found OWNING things or p0wning life in general. In other words = p0wns you. 0mgZ y0u got p0wn3d, can anyone say Candace? Word! |
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Wake Up: I have DOMAIN |
Mine. http://www.thebohokitchen.com ------------------------ Jane is watching The New Adventures of Pippi Longstockings, by request. My kid rules. Today we went to check out Sue's (she is another American expat) creche in Kilmacthomas. It's wonderful. Very laid back, a building adjacent to her own home, no more than 5 under 5's at a time... I feel great about bringing Jane there because I know Sue will take good care of her. There are also two other girls close in age to Jane (one a bit younger, one a bit older) that she seemed to enjoy. I think we'll do 5 hours on Tuesday, 9am-2pm. One day a week for now. It's just to break up the two 12-hour days when Cormac is teaching and give me a chance to go do the shopping. I took her today (its not that I can't take her), but it takes a lot of planning (that is, bringing a very desirable snack that keeps her sitting or standing in the cart). I can't have her walking around right now because she'll mostly try to wander off, pick up items from the shelves, and then chasing games which she find hilarious. I just wear Harper. It'll be less stressful alone. And speaking of my own domain, I'm getting serious about baking. I'm going to take one day a week and try to perfect a recipe. Muffins, cakes, cookies whatever. I figure if I can't do a big business now, I can work on getting some great recipes together if the day ever comes. At the moment I want to get some Irish favorites and make them well, tastier (any suggestions?). I want to start my infinity scarf tonight. Maybe I'll get the chance! Jane slept until 5:30 last night only waking once. She went back to sleep until 6 and came in with us until 6:30. Yay maybe she's coming out the other side of this poor sleep schedule she's been keeping. You don't fully appreciate having 5+ hours of uninterrupted sleep until you stop getting it. |
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Wake Up: Babies!!!! |
Angela ( ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} newtha) welcomed baby Aaron to the world, yay!--- side note: soo sick of having to put Jane to bed with Harper in my arms. I *facewall*'d for 30 minutes tonight. |
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Wake Up: Sometimes terrible two is terrific |
Jane has been so adorable the last few days I can barely be upset that she wakes up as much as a newborn. ... while my newborn sleeps through the night. Neat-o! ( Funny story I'm cutting as not to offend some people ) Had a mini breakdown yesterday over something very small Cormac said. I'm on the upswing high I tend to get after losing it. So, I've had some of our homemade bread and a cup of coffee and I'm ready to go out the door. Taking Jane into the Copper Coast Mini Farm, I think, if the weather is not too bad. If its crazy cold/windy we'll just go into town to the Book Centre and look through all the books. She's suddenly really playing with her legos, too. So cute. |
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Wake Up: Side note while arguing about religion |
I get really angry when people like to make Andrea Yates out to be a very evil individual. I can't imagine the hell that woman lives in in a well medicated and balanced state of mind. I wish there was better acceptance and awareness for mental illness. If there was, than maybe more people like Andrea Yates would be able to help when they need it. *reminds self to really, really have a chat with the GP, AGAIN, about a referral* Harper needs her vaccines (yeah I vax, meh... we're late though. You can see I'm very bothered). I still have a cough. And sometimes my lungs decide that no, I may not breathe. I have a feeling I've walking pneumonia. Bah. I'm going to be addicted to my Ventolin inhaler soon enough. No, I do not suffer post partum psychosis, to put you at ease. ha, ahem. |
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Wake Up: Jane is cutting up a Sky Box manual and I just couldn't be bothered to stop her... |
I got an ad in the Waterford News and Star for Boho Kitchen. I'm a little, well, disappointed. At first she told me it was business card size, then she emailed me that it was 73mmx73mm, so I had to edit my graphic to fit that space. THEN she prints the ad and it IS business card size, so she had to change the graphic to fit and retype text... it looked kind of crap. Oh well, its exposure and that's all I wanted. Of course, an email or phone call would help me to feel it was worth it. I go back and forth between really wanting to do this and just backing out and saying I can't/why bother/I'm no good. I wish I had more tools, more space, better oven, more time! I'm going to have a chat with the folks in the enterprise board about getting everything sorted out business wise. It helps to have a business, though, to do that. I'm very conflicted, and stressed. We're wanting to move, we have to get out of Waterford, but I'm worried that things won't work out for America. That the house will never sell, that we won't afford to live when we move, that I won't find a job and definitely won't find one that is personally satisfying. Here I have the opportunity to start my own business if I want it. So, I can live somewhere I hate and do something I like, or do something I might hate (who knows) and live somewhere I like. Ugh. We somewhat discussed maybe renting out the house if it won't sell and try the only other place we like in Ireland, Cork... but the idea was only popular on this side of the discussion if you catch my drift. We're still aiming to do a test year abroad. I have to look into the abcs of getting Cormac legal to work once we're over. We have a to-do list. This feels like limbo, and I hate limbo. We're having some sleep issues with Jane all of a sudden. I hate this age. I'll say it. I hate it. She used to sleep just fine. To bed in her room, maybe up once in the night, twice maybe, and asleep until 7-8ish. The last week at least has been regular waking, can't get her back to sleep properly (she won't reenter a deep sleep, so we get her asleep and 2 minutes later shes moaning again). She has a decent routine to bed. She isn't nursing at night. I don't know. I'm exhausted, Cormac is pissing me off with suggestions I'm not willing to take and won't start complaining about here, and I'm just hoping it passes soon. Anyways. We went down to Cobh on Wednesday. We were running late so I just dropped Jane and Cormac off at the house and drove out to Cloyne to see ionracas. She's fantastic, I swear I could have stuck around another few hours chatting. Her house is so cozy and Henry is incredibly cute. He wanted to badly to scoop up Harper and drag her around little a doll, I could see it in his eyes. ha! That night I took Harper into Cork city to meet Moira for the Stitch 'n Bitch. I parked in Paul Street carpark, got out to wrap Harper up in the mei tai, locked the doors and slammed them shut, looked around me to make sure I had my knitting and realized SHIT SHIT SHIT I just locked all my bags (and the keys) in the car. Go me! Now, we have a '96 toyota corolla estate, so, enters my mind at least the chance of breaking into our car. We had the help carpark manager? with a very sad looking hanger and two butter knives. Cormac, his dad and his uncle came out after collecting some "tools" and watching youtube clips while we went off to the SnB... they had it open in less than 5 minutes. I'm glad I go to go, it was nice to get out (plus I met another American I know from blogs, Evin-- and chatted with Emily, too). I needed a day's break from Jane, as bad as that sounds (since as far as toddlers go she's actually a gem). We got kicked out (Moira was bouncing Harper around in full view and I didn't think about it!) because of Harper coming along and we walked down to meet the men at The Franciscan Well. It's the first pub I ever went to in Ireland. Good memories. Went back to Cork, home now. ; Last night spent 1:30-3 am mostly awake, Jane up again at 5:30, then 7. She was up before we went to bed at least twice, too. I'm still trying to get over being sick, its just a flu thats really hanging in there. Not too bad but enough to give me a small cough and keep me exhausted. /whining |
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Wake Up: Hack hack |
I'm so sick of being sick. It started a week before Christmas, I had a flu for a couple days. Chills, fever, sore throat bit of a cough, sucked. Went away. Then the snotty nose started up again, bad cough set in, everyone got it (except Cormac, who never gets sick). I got better. Have been better since mom left two weeks ago. Then, I start getting a drippy nose, small fever, tight chest AGAIN two days ago. I'm flat out now, I'm exhausted. Snotty nose. Think the fever is low at the moment if there at all. I just can't keep it up! I hate this, because Jane ends up watching more TV than I want her to, then she is ultra clingy because she sees me motionless on the couch, sigh sigh. Thankfully Harper is laid back, or else I'd be pulling my hair out. The hard part of the week is nearly over... Friday and Saturday Cormac was gigging so I was up with her at night, and today and tomorrow he works until 7:30pm so that's pushing it on bedtime and doing bedtime with her and Harper is difficult. I'm going to try to get her to take a nap now. /dying I'm hoping to feel better so we can go down to Cobh on Wednesday. I'd like to meet up with ionracas so she can see Harper and maybe see Emily in town as well. I'm going to find out if the stitch and bitch is on, I might see if I can go in with Moira for some time away (with Harper slinged up). We'll see. This is all pointless if I'm still exhausted and sick. I'm downing grapefruit seed extract, D3, Vitamin C, water... fingers crossed I can kick it out sooner than later.Big book on New Hampshire came in the mail today, yay! |
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Wake Up: Chewy gooey must make 'em soon |
Do you know what I hate? Cakey brownies. If you like cakey brownies, you actually just like chocolate cake. Just sayin' is all. So I got a phone call today from the Waterford News and Star. A woman there is doing a spread on Children's birthday parties and available resources. She offered me ad space in the article. Cool. Small ad for 70 euro. I haven't bothered with any newspaper ads until now. I think that a feature in the paper will be a fantastic place to advertise. I'm thrilled-- I think I can get good business out of it. I hate hanging fliers. So I made a small ad for Boho Kitchen offering cakes and cookies. Oh, did I mention my butcher told me (jokingly or not, I don't know!) that he would email me sometime about ordering Molasses Ginger cookies (I give him cookies at Christmas). Ha! Hoping to get to Cork soon. Taken the train up to Dublin on the 23rd for La Leche League leader applicant day. Does anyone have any experience with Open University? |
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Wake Up: For Funsies |
( Who comments the most on this journal? ) |
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Wake Up: 4 years together |
Happy Anniversary Cormac :)  That's Harper in there, this was at Crystal and Ethan's back in May '09. 4 years ago I met Cormac in a pub in Cork city, and it was love at first... meet? He'd trek from Waterford to Cork late nights, after gigs at 2 and 3 in the morning, with his guitar and his little back pack to my place over Friar's Walk Tavern. Or I'd hop the bus to Waterford. We've spent a little less than 5 months apart in those 4 years. Hell, we were nearly living together by 4 months in because I got sick. Seems like an eternity ago. Best thing that ever happened to me-- I went from being a very depressed person with a lot of drama and baggage to having a near perfect life with a beautiful family. |
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Wake Up: Snow in Portlaw |
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Wake Up: It's beginning to look a lot like... |
Snow has been persistent since this morning, probably a good 3 inches down, if not more. The kids in the estate are having a blast, at least 4 snowman! Jane and I made a little snowman, pictures later. I went for a walk around. I love this kind of cold, and the snow, the way your fingers turn rosy pink coming in from out in the cold. Flushed cheeks. We're holding our breath for it to turn from snow to sleet. The cold is supposed to continue into the foreseeable future, we've got a few days coming up where instead of snow we'll have sleet or rain, which with the freezing temps has us worried. Cormac already had all his gigs canceled this weekend. Buh. This is good, seeing as we're looking at New Hampshire and we'll have 5 months at least of cold and some snow. I'm spending a lot of my spare time (as is Cormac) reading NH forums, looking at individual towns and more recently some rentals. Realistically looking at 800-1200 per month depending on where we move to... hmm. Not particularly cheap but what I was expecting. We'd be waiting a while to buy. Employment is my main concern. Cormac would be doing all his bits, but it'll take him a while to get established, line up pupils for lessons, etc. Overwhelming. You've got to take a chance if you want a change though, yeah? First, to sell our house... which is what everything is waiting on. We can't rent it out for more than the mortgage so we have to sell it, realistically. Doing great with my abstinence and finally losing my cravings for the diet coke. Instead I'm having coffee, to combat the cold... caffeine I can deal with, if I can cut out the aspartame. I'm even using xylitol to sweeten, how well behave am I? I have a stalker/troll from booj hanging around, which is kind of funny. *waves* Uh oh, looks like the sleet has arrived. :( Cormac's been experimenting with bread making ever since I bought him 'Artisan Bread in Five Minutes for Christmas. Bought the baking stone and pizza peel and everything. Delicious. |
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Wake Up: I'm so behind on updates, brrrr |
So far so good on my no-diet-coke new years resolution. No more in the house. In the last 4 days, I've only had two diet cokes, and they were out of the house (my rule was I can't have them at home, only if I'm out and about in town-- although I think I'm going to throw out that rule, too). I'm trying to completely scare myself away from it. The carbonated water I'm drinking has done the drink as far as satisfaction when I'm drinking... but I'm feeling pretty horrible. Headache, fatigued... its not really the caffeine, either, because I've had a bit to ease into the change. I'm reading a lot about aspartame at the moment and its scaring me to death. I wonder if my bipolar issues will get better without a regular dose of aspartame in my life. I just watched this: http://video.google.com/videoplay?d which covers some possible side effects and all the dogdey and underhanded behavior that allowed the FDA to approve aspartame. Mom went home yesterday on the train. We weren't going to risk driving up to Dublin, all of us in the car on the icey roads. I think she did okay although the moving all her luggage from the train to the bus to the airport was annoying for her. Jane hasn't been too upset although she keeps talking about grandma-- I think she gets that she went home but probably doesn't understand how far away and for how long. So, we are 99% certain we are not going to Florida in May. Instead, we're going to Maine. Flying into Boston, more than likely. Thanks to schmoomom we've got the hook up to go over, so we're investigating the areas we're interested in relocating to. We're mostly considering Southern New Hampshire, but I'd like to keep places south of Portland in Maine open to consideration as well. We've been reading loads of city-data forums, looking at pictures, and as always torturing ourselves with cheap real estate. We'll have the house back on the market soon enough. We're willing to take a small loss at this point. I'm looking at the job listing to see what sort of employment we'd be dealing with. Cormac would teach and gig like he does here, but its going to take him a while to get students and get established. I'll take whatever I can get, something clerical. This is probably our biggest concern. We're staying in the seacoast or merrimack regions, so there are a few larger towns close by and even Boston 1-1.5 hours drive away at most. We're getting very excited about spending the summer there. I think we'll be disappointing a lot of people, but the flights are much cheaper and if we go now, while I can still carrying Harper in a sling and she is too young to remember a trip (imagine skipping our trip next year when she is nearly 18 months old). So, if you want to see us, you can come up to us. We spend a lot of money every year coming to the states, you can always come to Ireland and see us! gahh I'm being climbed on I better wrap this up-- no time to update LJ anymore! Oh yeah, we are getting 5-10cm of snow Sunday/Monday. Woot. Ireland has closed down because any time anything out of the usual happens the Irish freak out and the government goes "durrr uh, durr". It's classic. They even closed all the schools until Thursday *eyeroll*. |
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Wake Up: Po-ta-to |
I decided to leave the booj. I'm kind of over it. New Year's Resolution? lol. I might go back some day, but I'm trying to eliminate things that eat up my time online. I've been off commenting there for a while over the holidays, anyways. It'd be great if I could stop coughing. Jane and Harper have a cough, too. Bummer. I need one of those nose bulbs for the girls. The house ate the last one. It's fn freezing. I need to go to the shop today, so I'm hoping the roads are not an ice skating rink. I'm tired. There is a long cowl I want to knit but its done in a cotton seeds stitch look and I want something soft, not too splitty that will have good stitch definition. Suggestions E? Something aran weight, the girl used cotton. One more cowl and then I think I'm going to knit a shrug. Potato soup for dinner. |
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Wake Up: Goodbye Noughties |
Last years resolutions from my LJ: Start a savings account, and use it. Did it, for our trip to America Make a serious effort to finish something. Like selling cookies. If you want to do it Candi just fn do it. Kind of did it-- started Boho Kitchen, made, like, 400 euro in the short time this year I spent promoting Master knitting. Getting there! I've completed several projects GET PREGNANT. Clearly, I accomplished that goal :D Not too bad. ------------------ Resolutions for 2010: Quit Diet Soda. This time, its serious. I'm pretty aware of all the things I put in my body, although I continue to poison myself with copious amounts of diet coke and aspartame. It's scary. This is such a big one, its one of the few I'm making. I'm looking at a 24 pack that will be my last at home. I can have them when I'm not at home, but I cannot buy or keep them for the house. Time to get back into cycling after Harper gets a bit bigger. Consider taking some night classes towards the end of the year. Listen to more music. ( swiping this meme and little recap of the decade ) Happy New Years guys. I love you all, and I love my blog (which is turning 9 this new year's). Bury the noughties and bring on the tens. By the end of the tens, I'll have a 10 and 12 year old (what?!?!) |
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Wake Up: Sickies |
Remember this? http://angelfalling.livejournal.com/643 I promise to try to do that this year. I'm sick, have gotten Jane sick, who has gotten my mom and Harper sick. Cormac, as always, is not sick. Either way, with my asthma I've been ridiculously useless to everyone. I did actually accomplish a load of chores around the house yesterday thanks to my mom-- now I know why people have hired help. If I could stop coughing, that'd be stellar. I'm on antibiotics, its day 3 and still coughing and hacking... viral infection, perhaps? Lucky us. Chest, ouchies. Happy New Year? |
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Wake Up: Knit knit |
Damn damn she just emailed me that they were gone just before my order :( :( and refunded me. I still <3 kangaroo.uk.com though. |
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Wake Up: Appreciation |
"'Tis the season to... make a million memes to let everyone know just how much you appreciate them and love them. :D Here's the plan: You comment with your username, and people will comment ANONYMOUSLY with things they love and cherish about you. I say anonymously because it makes the atmosphere lighter and more mysterious, kind of like a Secret Santa only with love and holiday cheer! People will wonder who these caring people are and appreciate the fact that they exist, not only the fact that they may be best friends with them. Then find people you care about and have something nice to say to - even if you don't know them! - and leave them something that will make their heart feel a little warmer at night. This way, the love will go around and around and the magical spirit of the season can be cherished and appreciated by all. allthingsgood.livejournal.com/317770.htm Here's mine: http://allthingsgood.livejournal.com/31 |
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Wake Up: Get up, get on up! |
So, I'm sick. I was convinced it was Swine Flu, actually, until today. I didn't have vomiting or diarrhea though, so... anyways. Today, enter severely sore throat with large white patches. OH HAI TONSILLITIS! Maybe its mono. I hope not. Started the night before last-- I was waking up in a pool of sweat. Yesterday I had horrible chills and a mild fever, serious fatigue, achey body. I've had a runny nose and cough for like, weeks, because its that time of year. Yesterday I was blowing my nose a lot, but today it's as though any respiratory symptoms are gone and I just have phlegm and this horrible throat. I can't swallow. Just to see the damage I peaked in the mirror and sure enough, white patches. My fever isn't too bad, its low, and goes away when I take paracetamol. I've moved on to solpadeines because that codeine makes my throat tolerable. I was worried because Harper was acting strange last night. Waking loads, she cried a lot, had a hard time getting her to latch on... what is the deal? She's not acting sick-- no fever, she is sleeping a lot but does anyways, she is easy to wake and is feeding fine during the day today. I just don't get why she was acting strange last night. She literally sleeps through the night save a feed or two most nights so her waking and crying was weird. Is she sickies? meh! I'm a little bit more energetic today than yesterday... I could barely keep my eyes open (I went on the computer maybe, once). I mostly kept dozing off. I need to bake cookies and make presents, I don't have time to be sick right before Christmas. Whatever it is, it sucks. I just keep drinking water and sucking down vitamin C. We'll see. |
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Wake Up: Tis the season to lose your brains |
Want to know how stupid I am? I went into town by myself (well, with Harper, she doesn't count) and I was very excited to wrap up some final Christmas bits I wanted to buy. Just walking through town, hadn't spent a penny yet (should have had my lunch first, damn) and I popped into No Name (a clothes shop that is going out of business, I bought two pairs of pants for 3 euro each, woot!) and then walked 4 shops down to Penneys. Walked around picking up bits and pieces and went to check out. As the cashier rang up my order I rummaged through my bag only to realize that, shit, my wallet is gone. Cue me freaking out. Now, I carry a really large buddha bag type purse, its big and deep. It's not the kind of bag you lose things out of. I retraced my steps, I went back to No Name, left my name at both shops, no sign. Convinced at this point that someone robbed my wallet from my bag while I was browsing, I had to cry to the parking garage attendants to give me a free card to leave the garage. I was so upset/pissed. I got as far as the round about to the new road and got a phone call from No Name-- and they had found my wallet beside the counter on the floor. THANK CHRIST. I was panicking-- I would have had to cancel my credit card and reorder another one, which would have taken an eternity since its from the states, all my bank cards, store discount cards, my US drivers license. I was lucky I had no cash on me and my garda card was out of my wallet at the time. If it had been stolen, it wouldn't have been too bad. I think I must have sat down the wallet when I stopped to retie the string on the bag (when I picked it up it broke) and then knocked it off the counter with my bag. Oh wells. Anyways. How stupid did I feel? Stupid. I read the other day that breastfeeding gives you extended preggo brain. I blame that. Bright side, probably going down to Cobh on Saturday to leave Jane off with her Nana so Cormac and I can go into Cork. I'll do my shopping there-- even though we have a new big Penney's the one in Cork is still nicer. I have presents to make. Mom is here in a week. |
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Wake Up: I love it |
I think they must have stopped giving out the $25 gift certs since you can't add them to the cart anymore. Bah. With that said, restaurant.com has a code for 80% off (SHARE is the code). I got a $75 worth of gift certificates for when we come over to Florida in the summer (if we do, I guess) for $6. Go buy food. Merry Christmas  Are any of you going to hell with me? They should add "English Major's". My eyes are bleeding, they really are. |
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Wake Up: For your freaks out there |
Free $25 gift card, no catches, just trying to get more business I think. http://myticklespot.com/ They sell soy candles! That is, if you are not into lube and vibrators. Ahem. |
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Wake Up: This LJ is going to turn 9 soon! |
December 17th, 2004: "Just browsing some pictures of the Cliffs of Moher distracting myself while planning out my finances and how I'm going to manage the dig in Austria, AND Ecuador. I'd give it all up for a mindless trip to Ireland, really. Something to think about." Ha. This would be more humorous if all the entries around it didn't document probably the worst time in my life. 04/05 was a bad time. Was torturing myself reading old entries. Two things: I was a whiner (or really depressed, however you'd like to look at it), and boy was I an emo teenager. Oh, and the amount of "like"s in my entries from early days, ouch. I used to really pour out my frustration/pain into my LJ as a way of relieving stress. I'm also wowing at some of the LJ friends I've had for years and years that I didn't realize. |
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Wake Up: Countdown to Xmas |
It's feckin' freezin'. I need Cormac to make a fire. Man make fire ugg ugg. I can do it, sometimes, I just always make a crappy one. I'm in shock. So Cormac went to dinner with some of the guys and won't be home for a while. Me all day with the girls today. Jane was pretty easy (although I nearly lost my cool today when Jane went into the kitchen and pushed her stool up to the sugar bowl to eat sugar... again... weufheihruihrugeiujg). We (I) made a christmas bear plushie! It's so cute, I want to make some more to put on the tree. I'll take some pictures and post them up. I can't find the camera upload cord or I'd have some pictures of the girls to post. So. Jane had a bath, laid in bed with Harper and read books for an hour, and she floated to sleep (slowly) while I walked around upstairs. We're working on that whole, we don't have to sit there rubbing and shhhing the whole time to get to sleep. She's stayed pretty well asleep (I did go up but she went back to sleep by the time I got up there), here's to hoping she stays asleep tonight. I'll cut her slack because the room has been cold and she is also itchy. We're all itchy at night at the moment. Dry dry dry. My lips are cracked horrible in the corners. Now, Harper was wide awake most of the time, she even sat and watched me do the washing up (she's smiling LOADS now, its killing me with cuteness) so I think she is kind of crashing now. She really does sleep, a lot. I think she had a bit of a growth spurt the last couple days because I couldn't even lay her down. Now she's been out in the moses basket for, an hour or two. Been eating healthily. I'm down about 5 lbs which is making me happy. I feel bits kind of going back to where they belong. I'm in love with oatmeal at the moment. Oatmeal and maple syrup. I've made a horrible mistake of buying fresh broccoli and getting used to it-- now I hate frozen. Had some fresh today. Problem is it doesn't last long. Anyone have tips on keep it fresh? Put it in the fridge? I like the frozen because I always have it there. I've got frozen carrots, too, and they are horrible. But carrots go off in like 20 seconds here for some reason. Maybe I just suck at food storage. Mom is here in two weeks. I have a sad Christmas wants list. I'm such a homebody. Kitchenaid beaterblade, grinder and a pouring shield Some select cookbooks and books. Oo Harry Potter dvd. Slow cooker? Would be awesome. Pans that never wear out would be great. Silicon mat. One for rolling out dough and baking on. A big ass one. Knitting yarn. A carpet for the living room. Partylite candles. Homey things. A 10 hour massage. Jane is done. She's getting sidewalk chalk, a pair of peppa pig slippers and wellies (used on ebay), a vtech microphone thing (used on ebay), a monkey hand puppet (so cute, and cheap, from lidl), a pair of doctor's stethoscope and syringe (like, 2sterling on ebay), and the big thing, a plastic fantastic doll house. Wanted to get a really nice wooden one, but they are ridiculously expensive and she's just not old enough to appreciate it yet. She will play with this one. Few stocking stuffers (thinking some handmade stuff, bath stuff and treats) and that's that (we're doing "the stocking is from Santa" as a compromise on the Santa debate, so I'll think this one out). Cormac is done, but I'm not spilling it here. Hazel gave me the great idea (and I'll probably rob it from her) of buying a new book/Christmas book to read each Christmas on Christmas Eve. I think that's lovely. I am probably going to get the traditional Night Before Christmas to start with. Unless someone has a good suggestion? We totally rented Lost Season 5. 10 euro for the week. Wasn't going to spend a fortune to buy it and we want to be able to watch Season 6 on TV as it comes. You should see how pathetically excited this has made us. |
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Wake Up: That's pretty funny |
Ha! Cute. If I tried dancing like that in heels I'd fall on my face, let alone while wearing my baby. |
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Wake Up: Legos, flu, cough cough |
It's like something clicked and she went "oh, THAT'S how legos work". It's amazing. I have difficulty breathing. Have had it a few days, mostly at night, thought it was the change in weather and having the heaters on (always gets me, the dry air)... along with sneezing and stuffy nose. Now Jane has a runny nose. So, of course, I'm all freaked out over swine flu. I has asthma, so... yeah I called and made an appointment for the vax on Wednesday. I'll skip on Jane. I'll get the vax; she's still nursing, so she's got a bit of protection anyways. I hate the idea of it, but I'm like, in the group of people most likely to die... which is sitting less and less kindly with me as I get paranoid about my current coughing situation. No other obvious flu symptoms and well, I'm the kind of person who gets some sort of chesty thing several times a year. I'm exhausted, but like, I've gotten so little quality sleep the last few nights its not like that's a symptom of anything. It occurs to me like my mental issues I should also be regularly taking my asthma medication. Of course, I don't have the money to go the GP regularly and we can't (or that is, we haven't and doesn't look like we will apply) get the medical card. Bah. She did sleep a bit better last night. She came in with us around 4:30. Meh. Slept another half hour after Cormac left because of milkies, thank god. All Harper does is eat and sleep. It's wonderful. I think I'm going to sew a load of Christmas presents this year. I have a few things bookmarked from looking over the holiday suggestions on sewmamasew. I wanted to knit more gifts, but I think that'll be next year. I'm too slow a knitter and have too little time to do it this year. Next year I can plan ahead and start in the summer or something! |
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Wake Up: You know that Santa's on his way... |
I'm neglected the blog. I'm busy and such. I feel like a total putz because I haven't been keeping up with people. Had to have Ramona message me to tell me it'd been two weeks since I'd gotten her last message to remind me "oh shit, you idiot, you just accidentally ignored your best friend, AGAIN". It's just not intentional. We put up the Christmas tree last night (after a bit of debate, since in the states we traditionally decorated the weekend after Thanksgiving every year! However, its STILL early for some people in Ireland). It's gorgeous. We're slowly building up a stash of ornaments. I don't like to have a load of cheapy crap ones-- I like to have some that I can remember buying or that are homemade or appear homemade. I don't think there is anything as comforting as the glow of multi-colored Christmas lights in your dimly lit living room. I like to be able to enjoy it all of December. I know its all completely arbitrary, but who cares! It's a bit of fun. We've no sign of religious Christmas in our house, either, which is great. It's all about Frosty, Santa and Rudolph, red and green and pine and red berries. Jane and I made cinnamon applesauce ornaments (I'll be posting the recipe on Boho Kitchen, but they are NOT edible!), I have found memories of making them as a kid for like, Brownies and Girl Scouts and school. I also baked some sugar cookies (very, very edible) that are disappearing a bit more quickly than I had planned. I want to whip up some royal icing to decorate them but I haven't had the time to do it. If I do it with Jane it'll be disaster (she had just enough patience to get through helping me with the cookie cutters with the ornaments!). I'll have to have Harper in the sling and Cormac keeping Jane out of the kitchen, or do it after she goes to sleep if by chance I'm not too tired. That's what I did last year, and they looked so good! I just can't stand seeing all these cute little gingerbread men, christmas trees and snowmen without decoration on them. I think I'll also do molasses cookies again, maybe chocolate chip and try one new kind of cookie to make. Christmas cookies, its just what us Americans love to do. Plus I think they are great gifts to give away. My butcher still talks about them. We just watched a "chefography" on Ina Garten (on Food Network-- can I say how pathetic I am for being psyched out that Sky offers Food Network, not just Good Food, but both?). She used to write the budget for the white house's nuclear spending. Say, what now? Her story is really cute. But in the end, its like, oh yeah, you were perfectly capable of making your way because its likely you and your husband had a shitton of money. They bought a specialty food store without knowing a thing about specialty foods and it just took off from there. She was 30. I really want to be started into something I enjoy by the time I'm 30. I will go after the cakes full steam in another 6 months or so, maybe after the summer/any trip to the US we might take. I'm conflicted because, decorating cakes is fun but its a bit boring after a while. I want to be making loads of different things. I make a good vanilla cake, but, well, its vanilla cake. I need to do some experimenting this time of year since its a good time to give loads of things away. I'd do the market stalls but its loads of effort for no return and I'd have to pay to get my kitchen checked out and get a certificate and it's gonna take selling a lot of cookies at like, 50p to get back 200 euro+ spent on getting all the right paperwork. Anywho, wa wa woe is me. Won't be doing the Christmas expat meet up as they are doing an expensive dinner party thing at a hotel, some staying overnight, and we can't afford do to that (even if Cormac wasn't gigging). I had a brain fart and had it in my head for ages mom was coming the 16th. She actually gets here the 23rd. She's staying through the 7th. I'm looking forward to her coming, seeing the baby and having fun with Jane, and her familiarity. I'm not a big fan of it, but I really want to try to make a delicious fudge this Christmas. Something I'm not pushed to try to make yet? Christmas pudding. Just... not interested. Or Mince pies (no matter how appealing the hairy bikers make them look). Just, no interest. Nothing bad about them, but its really an Irish/English thing. I remember posting this thing, where I was going to hand-make gifts for 6 people by the end of the year. Yeah, not happening. Sorry! I should have started earlier on Christmas, because I'd love to make some gifts for people this year but I know I don't have enough time to get them all done. Oh, and baby weight, you can like, gtfo whenever you're ready. Just saying. 5 weeks postpartum! Has come along with growth spurt and nonstop nursing. It's insane how little you notice the nursing when you haven't stopped nursing in the last 2 years. For Christmas, I'd like patience. Patience, or drugs which create more patience. It's a gift for me, its a gift for the family, its a gift that keeps giving. |
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Wake Up: <3 <3 |
http://chud.com/articles/articles/2 Ha ha! For the record I've never seen Twilight or whatever that new one is and have no plans to do so-- but this is just killing me. |
Whoa, people who go to watch the Late Late Toy Show gets a lot of free shit. |
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Wake Up: To give thanks... or not to give thanks... either way, eat something. |
http://www.threadless.com/ has all there super cool tees on sale for $9... tempting! I'm seriously behind on my livejournaling. And my emailing. And messaging. I hope no one ever gets offended if I take a million years to get back to an email or a message, its not intentional-- I never intentional ignore a comment or email, I really don't, I just read it and then get distracted, and forget to come back to it. I just posted up my thanksgiving dinner and all the recipes on Boho Kitchen. We had a cider-roasted turkey with roasted applesauce (although I really wanted to try brining this year, I didn't plan ahead for it), mashed potatoes and gravy, pecan and sage sweet potato casserole, garlic buttered carrots (I didn't post the recipe because, well, they were carrots, with butter... and garlic), cornbread stuffing, no-knead dinner rolls, and pumpkin cream cheese tart. I had a small crowd for a late dinner, around 7:30, so I had plenty of time all day to cook. Kate (although limited to the soft foods due to wisdom tooth extraction), Tommy, Sean, Shona, and Coly (his preggo partner Kelly couldn't make it as she had to work :( )... and myself, Cormac and Jane of course. I think no one left hungry. Sean and Shona stayed down from Kilkenny overnight and it was nice to spend some time chatting with them. I hope I didn't bore them to tears with our conversations on child rearing, but they were asking about it (actually came up during dinner a few times, too). I'm always kind of tiptoeing, so I don't sound preachy, but I feel really strongly (as you all well know) about a lot of things, and I have a lot of info on reasons for how we parent (even with the breastfeeding or attachment parenting, or child psychology). Anywho, I felt Shona (second or third time meeting her) and I really had a bit in common, its a shame they are just a bit far away in Kilkenny- had a nice time chatting with her. We're going to try to get up there to visit sometime. It was nice that everyone came and enjoyed themselves-- there's no point in just cooking for ourselves. There is a tribute gig tonight for Jay (Cormac's friend who passed away about two months ago). Harper's middle name is in his honor, too. It's still really strange he's dead. I think this gig will be good for everyone-- all musicians want to do is get together and play and enjoy the music and I think that's what's going to happen tonight. I wish I could go-- but I'd say it'd be too loud for Harper. Perhaps if she had been a few months old. Either way, I'm delighted for Cormac because he's getting to play some music he truly enjoys playing (as opposed to stuff for drunkies he plays in the cover gigs). Late Late Toy Show tonight! Just starting, looks cute so far. Apparently, this is a huge Irish tradition. So, I better get in on it. Too bad most of the time I just want to punch Tubridy in the face. I had to put my foot down with Cormac re: Christmas decorations. I love Christmas. I love homemade/handmade Christmas stuff, and I LOVE decorating. My mom and I nearly always put up all the decorations during the weekend after Thanksgiving, the kick-off to the Christmas season. I know its completely arbitrary and even more so since we're atheists, but its so much fun. It's magical and sparkly and just having a Christmas tree in the living room every night with the lights twinkling really warms me up and makes me feel good. Maybe that's silly, but I love every thing about Christmas. Making spicy treats and tasty cookies and doing fun crafts. This year I have a few knitting projects to give a go. Either way, Cormac didn't want to put the decorations up until mom got here, what?! No go baby. 19 days until mom gets here. |
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Wake Up: Nursing story for adopt_a_mom |
( Adopt_a_mom nursing story ) |
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Wake Up: Updated my food blog... |
Spiced Pumpkin Bread Ginger Molasses Cookies Enjoy the start of the cold weather :) Super tasty with a cup of coffee. |
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Wake Up: lulz |
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Wake Up: Rockabye |
If only toddler slept as much as newborn babies, we'd be in business! Harper easily sleeps in long blocks (hours), wakes up and has a long feed, maybe a little look around and goes back to sleep for a few hours. Jane slept against me and Harper in my arms (it was so cute) for a long time today, and I went ahead and took a short nap while they slept with me on the couch. Heavenly, really. We had our first day out today, we all went to Aldi and got groceries. I've taken notice that I doubt I'll want to be shopping with Jane AND the baby too often, ahem. I installed the carseat for the first time and man, its awesome. It's a Concord Ultimax, its really solid, and it'll rearface for a long time. Cormac's mom and dad came up today and we had a nice visit and a chat. We're going down at the weekend. Hugh and Catherine decided on a name, so Harper's birthday cousin is Adam! Can't wait to see them and compare them-- he was born 4 hours after her! I think I'm going to make some pumpkin bread tomorrow (well, butternut squash bread, no one needs to know). I might cook it in a bundt pan. Something to bring down to Cobh and it'll be quick to mix up and cook since I need to be resting. I was running around a bit too much this morning and I got all crampy and realized I need to be sitting down. I did have a baby 4 days ago after all-- I've just recovered so well I forget that I still need to rest even if I'm feeling good. I've got to make some cornbread to let get stale as well for my stuffing for the American meet up on Sunday. Midwife came out for the last time (well she is swinging by later to pick up my chart) and did the heel prick test and final bits. She (Annette) was absolutely brilliant. I'm very happy with everything and I just feel so happy that I had this dream birth without any complication and I can hold on to that memory now. Cormac's late getting home tonight, about 8pm. He went in to teach around 2pm. Tomorrow we've nothing on so it'll be a chill out day. My little accuweather thing on firefox has a "very windy" symbol for tomorrow that I've never seen before. It's finally getting chilly and I'm happy about it. Gives me an excuse to knit nice warm things. I just got "One Skein" and well its a nice book it doesn't have very many things to knit up with one skein. I prefer just looking up things on ravelry.com for free. Blessed ravelry. I really want a smoothie at the moment, but I've got nothing to put in one. Damnit. |
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Wake Up: Day 4 |
Just when I thought I was getting plenty of rest because I was functioning-- holy hell. Cormac took Jane with him to work this morning since Angelica was going to take her from Educate Together when she dropped off Iz. The second they both left the bedroom I laid down with Harper and drifted into the most pleasant, tingly slumber ever. I woke briefly a few times to text Angelica and to talk to Cormac on the phone and then I thought about getting up (around 10am) and I said I'd lay back down one more time to feed Harp and I didn't wake up again until 11:20am. I feel so nice and rested now. I have Harper in the sling now and she's sleeping away. I forgot how handy these things are. So I made my breakfast and even popped her on the boob for a short while. She's a super trooper with the boob-- she latches on well (I remember at this stage just fussing and crying and trying to get Jane to latch, I think a lot of it is that this time I know exactly what I'm doing and I'm not at all intimidated by the process) and nurses efficiently. She'll happily gulp down what she wants in a few minutes and drifts off to sleep for ages. I love this newborn stage :D Jane was up bright and early demanding to hold Harper. I'm having the opposite problem than I expected! Then she told me she wished she had milkies. I assume she figures this means she could hold her more, ha. Jane's coming back home in a little while before Angelica picks up Isabella from school. She's a saint, she really is. Plus Jane will have been worn out a bit. We're going down to Cobh more than likely on Friday night to see everyone and see Hugh and Catherine and the new baby. It's been ages since we've been down. Sunday we're going to a Thanksgiving dinner meet up with the American gals and their families- I'm going to make a cornbread stuffing. |
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Wake Up: Easy Peasy |
Day 3, I'm on my own while Cormac does a few hours of lessons. Jane fast asleep, Harper only nursing because I picked her up out of a long, long nap when she moved around a bit. If I can manage this regularly we'll be in business! Feeling good.  Jane is a giant. It's so weird how old/big she now seems. Wants to hold her and kiss her all.the.time. Thankfully. Not in the least bit jealous, if anything she's acting super independent (go attachment parenting!). I'm gonna knit my super hip hand warmers soon. My wool came :) Colors on the site were misleading but I'm still pleased. Rowan Lima is sooooooo soft, holy hell. Cormac and I made a list of short term and long term goals. He's anxious to move, so we have been browsing New Hampshire real estate again, le sigh. We're gonna do the garden up nice in the spring and put it on the market again :) We need to take a trip to travel around NH soon, maybe during our trip in the summer. Gonna close my eyes for abit. |
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Wake Up: Welcome Harper Jamie! |
So I'm on the couch now, Harper is feeding away into blissful slumber, Cormac is catching up on his sleep and Jane just went off with Angelica to play for a little while with the girls. Harper Jamie (we changed the middle name as Cormac wanted to give her the name of a friend who passed recently and I think its lovely... Simone was a bit pretentious anyways) was born at 1:44am at home, 6 pounds 6.5 ounces (I know, I know, tiny for nearly a week overdue-- and my dates had to be quite accurate since I was counting ovulation days-- Jane was 6lbs 14ounces).  Shot of us this morning. More on facebook. Cormac only videoed parts of my labor instead of taking pics but its all kind of dark :( ( Birth Story time! ) That's the story in a nutshell. Jane went to bed at 8:30pm and slept through the whole thing. She woke up (by falling out of bed for the first time ever I might add) about 30 minutes after the baby was born. So she came downstairs, completely exhausted and shivering to see baby Harper-- she's doing great with her. And oddly enough, we get a text this morning that Cormac's brothers wife, Catherine, had her baby a week and half early this morning! So two new Kavanagh babies, born on Halloween together! One nearly a week late and one just over a week early. How crazy is that? Congrats to them as well! So, I'm feeling pretty good. The difference after the birth having had no drugs is unbelievable. All those natural hormones and pain relievers kick in, I was very alert afterward (I was well dozy with Jane) for it being past 2am (we got to bed a bit after 4am-- shower in my own shower, sleeping in my own bed! go home birth!). I had no tears at all. The beauty of having natural birth where you feel the pain and you push only with the pains and your body does the work its built to do. The midwife did a small bit of perineal massage while I pushed and that felt good and I'm sure it helped. I have pain pills now for the cramps and the soreness down below which I'm happy to take. Baby is so alert, not at all jaundiced and pinked up straight away. Full head of dark hair like Jane (just not as long or as curly). They look very similar. Gonna rest now, but wanted to write this while it's fresh. Happy Halloween! |
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Wake Up: Baby soon? |
I've had painful contractions irregularly since about, 8pm last night. Here we are at 8am! Damn damn. Part of me is happy because dealing with Jane in the middle of the night if I were in the deep throws of labor would have been awful for Jane and for Angelica and Barry who'd be coming out to get her (because she wakes, inevitably at some point, looking for me). Lots of rectal pressure during my contractions. They hurt, big time. All night at 10, 20, or 30 minute intervals which is driving me crazy. Get consistent! I haven't rang the midwives yet but I will soon. I didn't want to cause a fuss if this is just going to go on for another forever. However, I'm a thinking we're gonna have a baby today. |
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Wake Up: Labor waiting sucks |
So, I've been having strong braxton hicks all afternoon. Since about 2. I've been like "yeah, well, I feel weird but..." the rest of the day. Now, of course, Cormac walks out the door after hanging on all evening for me to play a gig and I'm like, "hmm, those are weird pressure-y, crampy twinges, eh?". Now it feels like she is playing hockey in my crotch. UGH. I've kind of got until quarter to 12 to figure out whats going on here. He's 20 minutes from home but from 11:45-1:30 he'll be gigging and won't know if I text. So, it'll be typical that I'll go into labor now, yeah? I'm ready for this. Bring it! BRING IT! nah, not that lucky. Must make me suffer another week, at least! |
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Wake Up: I bought yarn |
100g Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky Indigo 150g Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky Lime 100g Rowan Lima Pampas 100g Debbie Bliss Fez Fuchsia 100g Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran Stone Prym/Inox Circular Knitting Needles [5.00mm / 100cm] Prym/Inox Circular Knitting Needles [7.00mm / 60cm] All for about 60 euro shipped. I think thats pretty good. http://kangaroo.uk.com. I was going to go with a lady on Ebay but I got some stuff to start here as they had the chunky cashmerino and I really want to try it. |
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Wake Up: Hey, babykins |
40 + 3 days I'm getting cranky, please get out of me. She wants to be a Halloween baby. She's already probably faced with Halloween-themed birthdays (if she so desires). Both kids are going to be off school during their birthdays, cools. Anyways, like I said, get out. I've walked, I've climbed, I've sexed. I'm having cramps here, cramps there, braxton hicks here and there. I've done a lot of knitting. Well, lots of me. I did a very soft and pretty cowl and did some 2k2p ribbing and I did an earflap baby hat (which said newborn but its looking big to me)! I attempted some crochet but honestly, I think I was using too crappy of a yarn to enjoy it. I have loads of 100% wool from Michaels, but its not great. I have lots of red though, so watch out Christmas! I'm online now with a tidy little yarn allowance looking to spend 50 euro on nice yarn. I want some good chunkier stuff. Suggestions? Debbie Bliss luxury tweed looks nice, is it? Or is it scratchy. I'm getting more cashmerino because I made my cowl out of that and its soooo purty. I wish I could drive up to This is Knit and pet a lot of yarn to make my decision but that's not an option :( and there is f all around here. Ebay has some UK sellers with realllllly good prices. I had to buy some double ended needles. I'm feeling super confident at the moment, I think my big mistake was starting out thinking "I'll make a blanket!" instead of making nice soft small things. Handwarmers to match my cowl are next. /knitnerd |
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Wake Up: Eviction Notice |
Dear Spawn 2 (known to be Baby Harper), You must vacate Candace Fore by Sunday, October 25th 2009, as agreed upon by all the pregnancy due date calculators on the internet, Waterford Regional midwives, and accurate watching of ovulation. If you fail to vacate the uterus by this date, you have 10 days before home birth is pulled as an option as stated in the Domino midwives policy on home births. Let's not push it. --- I was going to have a little check up today, but we were in town so the midwife is coming by tomorrow. Wouldn't it be great if oh, we started labor and didn't need a check up? I think so. On another note, Cormac went online yesterday and bought seasons 2, 3, and 4 of Lost, because we are pathetic like that. Aldi has Reese's Peanut Butter cups. Oh yes. This brings happiness to teh preggie. |
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Wake Up: I think I said something along the lines of "you're evicted" at this stage with Jane. |
I have a tummy full of chicken soup. Nom. I got my hair cut today, I'll have to take a picture. It's just a little choppy cut that I can flip out and do a bunch of things with while my hair grows out. I needed to cut off the ends that were permed (the perm had mostly fallen out). I got it cut in the village and it wasn't too bad! The girl down there is lovely and really chatty so it was a nice little break. Usually I cut my own hair, but I went to cut at it last night and it was just such a mess, and I can't really twist and bend around or keep my arms in the air too long so I just gave up. I had nice long hairs to work with on the sides too but I was frustrated and chopped them off, anyways. Not important. I have a cute little cut for now, and it should grow out pretty well. ( Haircut and a belly shot ) Things have slowed here. I was feeling all sorts of cramping and back pain. However it comes, it goes. Loads of pressure, and I'm a full walking penguin now. She was pushing herself down in there last night and it was making me jump. However, nothing else going on. BAH BAH BAH. I lost loads of mucous plug over the last week but no bloody show. So, today I got out in the yard and planted some daffodil bulbs and picked weeds and even took a walk with Cormac, Jane and Zeppe. Peeing all the time, though. Even when there is like, two tsps of pee in there. So annoying. I'm due on Sunday, I was hoping we'd go earlier than later, but, oh well! I'm all ready anyways. I'm staring at a stack of towels and a plastic tarp on the moses basket in the corner, the birthing pool in a box in the dining room... sigh. I got some clary sage oil yesterday and let me say, whoa. I didn't realize it was related to Salvia, but once I had rubbed a little too much all over myself I started feeling a bit high, lol. It's supposed to help relax everything and ease your anxiety and its great. I mixed a few drops up with some lavender and a carrier oil to rub on my body and use during labor. I actually have a little bar of cocoa butter that has clary sage and lavender it in that I got at the home birth conference to use as well. I had a few drops in my bath last night and it was very relaxing. Cormac and I are hooked on Lost. I bought my dad the complete first series ages ago but I borrowed it from them when were we home in the summer time. So we started to watch it since Sky never has crap on to watch and I really need to push Cormac to get the Sky+ so we can record things we actually do watch. It's actually, really good! I'm shocked how quickly we got into the story and started caring about the characters. We were trying to get into Fringe but I've decided the stories are shite and I don't really like nor care about any of the characters. And all the other shows I do like are either not on yet or playing repeats. I should just, read. We have Religulous to watch from the Screenclicks (its like Netflix). I have been watching some shows/movies on my mom's Netflix account online, through an anonymous isp thing (because they won't let you view from outside the US). Man, I really want to eat a chocolate bar right now. I shall. There won't be anything left for the trick or treaters. Speaking of which (witch, haha), Jane had her little princess dress on yesterday and it was so cute. She's totally into it. She has a little wand that lights up and makes a twinkling noise, too. I'm also trying to knit and crotchet. Did I mention this? I'm doing too different hair band type things but honestly its going to take a donkey's age because my yarn is not as chunky as it should be (although one is super awesome so I'm going to use the other ball to make some fingerless gloves). I need some lessons on how to be better at this. |
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Wake Up: Slow wins the brain race too, yeah? dur |
Feel like I've been slow to reply to people lately-- if you comment to me and I'm slow like the tortoise to respond to you don't be offended, my brain is in standby mode at the moment. Yesterday I went out into town and walked around a bit (was hoping to treat myself to a cute sweater cardigan/jacket type thing but no luck finding something reasonable and attractive looking). Sat in one of those shiatsu massage chairs for 10 minutes, although after I put in my money I read "not for pregnant women". Chyeah right. I get a stronger massage from Jane! It was relaxing though. I guess I just enjoy when I feel like a massage is borderline abuse. I met up with a few of the girls for dinner at L'atmosphere around 5:30. Sigh sigh. We were giving this restaurant a second (third) chance (which I wouldn't have given but I wasn't booking it)-- and it was a mistake. There were a few problems (metal in one dessert, egg custard in profiteroles instead of cream-- and she was allergic to egg, good that she didn't just pop it in her mouth!, plate from a hot hot oven sat down in front of me with no warning it was just out of 200C oven, some shabby looking very bone filled fish and a lobster and prawn bisque with no lobster OR prawn that resembled more of a lobster and prawn watery broth than bisque). Fine French dining, I think not. It was good craic, though, just to have a nice night out (my last supper? hardy har...) with the girls before I'm plastered to the couch for a month. Made waffles this morning and butternut squash (read: tastes like pumpkin) cinnamon rolls. Midwife came out late in the afternoon and she was brilliant. Everything is on track, the appropriate people are on call and everyone has their mobiles close to their beds-- just for me! It's so wonderful being a Domino home birth because my birth is the kind they want to do. Let me explain the scheme. Domino midwives (are part of the public system so this is all FREE) are hospital midwives who take on low risk pregnancies and allow for early discharge (6 hours after birth), or home birth. Now, usually, they just get women who want to get home but want loads of intervention (epidurals) and are bottlefeeding, etc... its just not what they have in mind with the whole thing, I suppose. My midwife today even voiced her disappointment a bit about it and it makes me feel great that the people who are assisting me in having my child are actually EXCITED to help me! I'm not a burden, I'm not a time waster, I'm important! She even said to just be urgent when the time comes and when I want them there to get on the phone and tell them to just come. She said they can always leave for a while if I'm not close. It's such a difference from my last experience. What kills me is that I paid 2,000 to be treated like shit and I'm paying nothing and being treated like the only pregnant woman in Waterford. On another note, my dad is not coming at Christmas. Well, he still has a few... hours? to change his mind, but mom said she needed to book tickets soon and he said for her to go ahead and book her ticket. I know he is scared. I know he thinks the flight will be hard and it may very well be. Guess what, I think I'm worth it, damnit. I think seeing your grandchildren (one who you have never even met) is worth it. I think meeting your in-laws for the first time is worth it. I think not spending Christmas alone but spending it with your family is worth it. So, instead, stubbornly, my father will be spending Christmas and New Year's alone at home, unsafely by himself (we'll be calling to check up all the time because if he falls somewhere who the hell is going to find him?). I'm very upset, and angry, and hurt. But I've talked to him on the phone, I wrote him in his birthday card... clearly my guilting isn't working and honestly if I get on the phone with him again to bug him I'm going to get upset that I have to twist his arm. I realize he is 69 years old and its hard to do things you don't want to do (he hasn't been on a plane in 40 years, he's terrified of something going wrong-- he left the air force because his ears bled on the planes... unpressurized planes... 40 years ago). I'm just head wall thumping at the moment. Cormac is upset for me, asking if he should call him up. Honestly, when it comes to my dad if not even I can guilt him into something I just don't see any hope. I have little enough family as it is, and when I'm over here by myself it'd just be nice if my own family came to visit me. I remember how tough my first Christmas here was... I was pregnant and here with Cormac's family who I didn't know well at the time and I spent most of the time "resting" or crying upstairs. I'm lucky they are fab and have completely opened their arms to me... and at this point I feel like they are my own family at holidays. However, that's just besides the point. I would like for my father to meet Cormac's family. I'd like for him to see my home and where I live and raise my family. I just. sigh. ugh. I'm too pregnant for all this emotion and such. I'm off to bed. Late night for Cormac tonight. There was a massive spider in our landing on the ceiling for the last 3 days and it finally wandered somewhere where I could order Cormac to reach it to kill it, and now its disappeared. Where the hell did it go? |
| ...leap towards the future | ||
| Take a step back in time... | ||
I'm an American ex-pat in Ireland, with my Irish partner Cormac (who is a dirty musician). We've got a pretty cute border collie/springer spaniel named Zeppe.
I have a degree in Anthropology, so naturally I thought I might try to sell cookies and cakes. It's easier than digging up pot shards when you're an attachment parent to a beautiful daughter, Jane (born July 2007). I'm due another female spawn end of October 2009.
I'm bound to touch on parenting and child psychology, as well as attachment parenting. I talk about "issues". Expect complaining about religion, stupid moms and stupid people in general. I will probably complain about Ireland and the weather. I'm also bipolar, I delve into that from time to time.
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