off to see the wizard...

we are off to vegas in the morning and then heading to phoenix. let's hope we come home to a job!

joining the masses

phil lost his job yesterday and friday will be his last day. we are fortunate enough to be in a position to survive for a short while, but would appreciate any prayers and good vibes you could send our way.

wedded bliss

i stole this from dooce, it's different. so, in case you were ever wondering about phil & i, and our relationship, here are all of the gory details!

what are your middle names?

mine is ann (elizabeth if you count my confirmation name. i don't.) and his is jack.

how long did you know each other before you started dating?

we met while working at rockford fosgate when i was 19 (hmmm...that would be in 2000). he was dating my best friend from 5th grade whom i hadn't spoken to or seen since 5th grade, and i broke up with my current boyfriend at the time to date the guy who would later become my first son's "sperm donor," for lack of a better term. we both got fired, and kept in touch via e-mail until several years later where he sent me a survey and i responded asking him if he wanted to get together that night. that night was february 27, 2004, and in 8 days we will have been together for 5 years. to answer the actual question, about 3 1/2 years.

who asked whom out?

i totally got ahead of myself on that last question!

how old are each of you?

i just turned 28 and he is 34, about to turn 35 in june.

whose siblings do you see the most?

since i have no siblings, that would be his.

which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?

currently, although we have worked out most of the kinks, that would definitely have to be adjusting to being parents. nothing compared to the stress our relationship endured pre-baby and pre-marriage, but that i'd rather not discuss.

did you go to the same school?

not so much.

are you from the same home town?

nope. i was born in merrillville, in and lived there until i was 7. moved to california when i was 7 and then to phoenix, az when i was 10. was there until this past august. phil was born in garrison, nd, and lived in montana and wyoming before ending up in phoenix to go to devry.

who is smarter?

phil is by far the smartest. some may say he's a genius. i am highly intelligent, but i have to work for it, whereas he just gets it, whatever "it" may be. everyone says jacob is going to be, "smart like his daddy," and we find this to be hilarious.

who is the most sensitive?

that may or may not be me. i'll let you take a guess!

where do you eat out most as a couple?

the town we currently reside in does not offer much in the way of great restaurants. in phoenix, we definitely frequented jason's deli and los favoritos for good, cheap eats. when we wanted fancy it was always the melting pot.

where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?

from phoenix to north dakota.

who has the craziest exes?

phil has dated some weird chicks, in my opinion, but i have dated some crazy mofo's. i think this one goes to me.

who has the worst temper?

i am quicker to get angry, but when phil gets mad - which is not very often - he gets MAD.

who does the cooking?

we both do. i didn't really start cooking until about 2 years ago. we ate out a lot. now he usually cooks breakfast foods, and does the grilling. or if i don't feel like cooking, he'll take over.

who is the neat-freak?

me, by far.

who is more stubborn?

ha! again, me.

who wakes up earlier?

we pretty much get up at the same time now that we have a baby.

where was your first date?

we met at the vine tavern & grill, and then went to some shady bar to watch a band play.

who is more jealous?

neither of us has ever given the other reason to be jealous, but it would definitely be me if given a reason.

how long did it take to get serious?

a lot longer than my past relationships, but that was a good thing. we were together from the first night we went out, but it wasn't until we had been together for 6 months that we said i love you. although, i knew i loved him long before that.

who eats more?

i eat more often, he eats more food.

who does the laundry?

we each do our own. and not because i haven't offered to do his.

who's better with the computer?

i would say we are just about equal on this one. i just have less patience to figure shit out, so i let him.

who drives when you are together?

i do. he is considered legally blind. i have always been the driver, picking my friends up back in the day, driving all over god's creation, so this doesn't bother me a bit. i actually prefer it.

bad sign

i am throwing a baby shower for a friend of mine in less than 3 weeks. 2 1/2 weeks ago, i ordered $100 worth of plates, napkins, and so forth which were to be the theme of the baby shower. i have now placed 3 phone calls, and sent 2 e-mails regarding the status of my order -which has not been received - and have gotten no response to either e-mail or to the 2 messages i've left. just now when i called, i was put on hold by a woman who then came back and told me if i gave her my name and phone number someone would call me back just as soon as possible.

i have a bad feeling about this.

month 9!

bubba scoops,

i have absolutely no idea where this nickname came from, but i like it. sometimes i just call you bubbas (what i called your big brother when he was a baby), and sometimes i just call you scoops, or scoopers. don't ask. one day i will have to post the astounding number of names i have given you in your 9 months of life.

you are about to get your 2 front teeth, and to be honest, i wish they'd come in already. you have a fussy day, then a good one, then 2 fussy days, and then a good one. but i can't even see the damn things yet! i just hope they make their appearance before our trip in less than 2 weeks, because i want you to at least be in the comfort of your own home while you're enduring the discomfort. the doc says they're making their way out, but only time will tell when they'll come for sure.

you are now 23 lbs 9 oz, and 28.5 inches long. you are in the 90th percentile for weight and 70th for height. you are a healthy little boy, and i am thankful that you have not been sick yet. someone told me last week that since you hadn't been sick, i should go out and get you sick. this is probably one of the most ridiculous things i've heard yet, and i responded with, "you're right, i should take him to wal-mart right now and have him lick the floor!" great idea.

there is a random thing i thought about this month that i don't think i've mentioned before, but probably should. you do not take a pacifier. i think i have just one picture of you with one in your mouth, and honestly, i'm glad i don't have to break you of the habit. instead, you suck on your hand. your right hand to be exact, and that serves as your comfort. you also pull your hair with your left hand at the same time and i find this to be one of the most endearing things about you. except, of course, when you're eating and you end up with peaches in your hair. ;) i always know when you're hungry, or tired, or need some lovin' when you give me this signal.

while we're on the topic of peaches, they are your favorite food, along with strawberry pear granola. if i can't get you to eat anything else, these two foods you almost always scarf down with no trouble. you are certainly eating better than you were a few months ago, but you never eat more than two containers of 2nd foods in a day (and that is a good day!), and you gag if i even try to put vegetables near your mouth. you have tried some table food, cream cheese chicken, tuna mac salad, cheese, sloppy joes, yogurt, and cottage cheese, and cheese is by far your favorite. you are definitely my child.

your sleeping habits went from sleeping from 8 until 6, eating, and then sleeping until 7-7:30, to waking up at 2am, and now at 4am instead. daddy has been going into your room and cuddling you to get you to go back to sleep and although i think we should just let you cry in hopes that one day you will finally SLEEP THRU THE NIGHT, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, daddy would rather snuggle you than let you cry. the doc says you should grow out of it, and that it is less of a reward than me feeding you, but i disagree. i think you get up just for the snuggles. and i suppose i can't say i blame you! mama loves her snuggles, too.

you love to play peek-a-boo with me, but we call it, "where's the monkey?" and then i peek at you and say, "there's the monkey!" this inevitably gets a smile from you every time. not that i ever have to try to get you to smile, because let me tell you, you are the smiliest baby on the face of the planet and I LOVE IT. no joke, not one person walks by anywhere at any time that you don't smile at. i get comments everywhere i go, and although i've mentioned it before, i just have to bring it up again because i can't believe i got so lucky. don't ever stop smiling, baby boy.

you are still cruising around like a madman, and are even climbing. i wish i could upload the picture of you standing on your bike to reach the 2nd shelf of the entertainment center, but unfortunately that picture is on my phone. i am always so worried about sending your grandma d her pic of the day that sometimes i don't get the really good ones on the actual camera. along with the cruising and climbing comes quite a few bumps and scratches, but most of the time they don't phase you. i have to stop myself several times a day from rushing to your aide because i think you've really gone and hurt yourself, and then you don't even cry!

you have all but refused to sit in the bathtub for the past month and it was starting to drive me crazy. however, the past few nights we have surrounded you with toys and you've managed to keep your butt in the water. this is a welcome change and i hope it sticks!

i've started reading to you more consistently lately, after bathtime, and right before bed, and you are responding moreso now than ever before. as soon as you hear me, you crawl right over to me from whatever object you were chewing on and smile up at me. i am so glad you finally enjoy having me read to you.

every day you are starting to look more like a little boy, and although it's hard to imagine you as anything other than a baby, i do get glimpses of what you might be like as a boy and i can't wait to see what kind of person you become. i have a feeling your smile will always be infectious and your personality one that draws people to you. you are so special, and i love you so very much.

love,

mama

snowed in

we got A LOT of snow last night. so much so, that there is a car stuck in the middle of the street in front of my house right now. sucks to be that guy! i offered him a shovel, but he declined. =)

i don't know why, but for some reason the fact that i can't leave the house, is giving me serious cabin fever. i probably wouldn't have gone anywhere anyway, but not having the option is killing me. thankfully, my chunky monkey is in a good mood.

just wondering...why are babies and children in general always drawn to the really expensive things? jacob loves to suck on the bose and on phil's les paul. both of which cost over $1000. wtf?

this weekend we went to stay with phil's aunt and uncle in montana and we fed the monkey all kinds of new food. he had velveeta cheese, beef, and brown rice. and the poor kid grunted and groaned for 2 days trying to get the turds out. oops!

think i smell a poopy diaper.