Ten on Tuesday-- It's still Tuesday

Link up! http://rootsandrings.com/ 
Provided by Sue at Simon’s Sista Saw.

1. What colour are your toenails painted?
     I just noticed this fancy British "colour" question.  They are hot pink.  Well, at least half of each toenail is hot pink, because I have let them grow out too far...  It isn't cute.

2. What colour are your fingernails painted?
     I never paint my fingernails because a) I am terrible at nail-painting, and it would look bad and b) I would just chip it all off.

3. What is your favourite brand of nail polish?
     I don't have a favorite.

4. As the norm, do you DIY your nails or get mani/pedis?
     Nowadays, I do it myself, which means I usually don't do it at all.  I love a good pedicure, but I'm too cheap, and I don't want to deal with my kiddo while I'm getting one.  That wouldn't be relaxing at all.


5. Have you ever had a gel mani? Do you recommend it?
     I'm not sure what a gel mani is, but I used to get a "solar nails" manicure a lot.  Like, back when I had a conventional job and no real expenses.  That is where they do a white tip and cover the nail with acrylics.  I loved it because it looked nice, and it kept me from picking at my nails.  It made me feel like a grownup.  Now I just have a husband, baby, and responsibilities to do that for me.

6. What is the last movie you watched on television? (TV, Netflix, Redbox, etc.)
     I can barely remember what I had for lunch.  I believe I streamed Ricki Lake's The Business of Being Born on Netflix.  I'm not saying I consider Ricki Lake to be an absolute authority on anything, but this was definitely food for thought.  I found it really interesting.  It totally made me think back to how crazy and fast my birth experience seemed and wonder if if was all really necessary.

7. What is the last movie you watched in the cinema?
     Harry Potter, of course.  I've only seen two movies in the theaters this year I think.  The one before that was Bridesmaids.  I recommend both!

8. Is there a movie that everyone talks about as if it is a classic but you haven’t seen?
     Star Wars, the Hangover (even though I would never consider that a classic).  I'm sure there are many more.

9. What is your favourite movie soundtrack?
     The Little Mermaid

10. Have you ever seen a movie and thought it was better than the book it was based on?
      Never.  I do have to admit that I have never actually read any Harry Potter books.  I feel like since I'm already ten years late, I should go ahead and read them.

Gotta get Down on Friday

1.  Hearing all these casting decisions about Glee is making me nervous.  I have this feeling I might be quitting the show after this season.  I really think it lost some of its magic after the first season.  Vamos a ver.

2.  Does anybody else's husband seem to have a man crush on Liam Neeson?

3.  Myla thinks it is the funnest thing in the world if you hold her hands and let her walk around.  She gets this super-cute smile on her face, but as soon as you stop, she yells at you.  Slightly less cute.

4.  Oh, and in case any of you are thinking about becoming parents or already are, you can learn from my mistakes.  Newsflash: when your baby is screaming at you for no apparent reason while you are feverishly trying to heat up some dinner, it doesn't really work to yell, "Can you PLEEEEEEEASE just STOP!  WHY are you SCREAMING AT ME?!?!?!"  It probably just makes you look like a crazy person. Parenting fail.

5.  I microwave my coffee.  Dave hates that.  Well, actually, Dave hates that I microwave everything.  I can't get through a bowl of chili without microwaving it midway through a couple of times.  I can't help it.  I like my hot things to be hot and cold things to be cold.  I realize microwaving coffee is practically a crime, but so is drinking lukewarm coffee!  (Sidenote: this is why I usually get frozen coffee drinks at Starbucks-- they don't lose the right temperature before I can finish them).

6.  Did I mention that my baby throws fits?  I had to start telling her "no" for the first time since she's now mobile.  Also, did I mention that baby mobility is cute yet terrifying?  I thought I had this parenting thing figured out until she could move from the spot where I left her!  Anyway, here's a little picture of how it goes:

(*Note: I do not always just move my kid over, stick a toy in front of her and walk away when I tell her "no." This was because I figured my butt already looked huge in the first camera shot, and I didn't really want to film myself at all)!

7.  She may throw fits, but she's still pretty cute.

8.  You know who else is cute?  These two.  It's almost as if they love each other.

9.  Anybody with solid floors totally fine with letting their dog lick up a spot where the baby spits up?  Yea, me either. 


10.  What, you thought you were going to get something besides baby/puppy talk?  Wrong.

Puppywearing?

When I was pregnant with Myla, I decided that while she was little, I would rather just put her in a carrier of some kind than push her around in a stroller.  It just seemed easier at the time to deal with the baby than to deal with the baby and a stroller.  Little did I know, there is somewhat of a camp for everything.  Apparently, it's not just called "carrying your baby."

It's called babywearing.  Oh, and it probably goes something like this: babywearing --> attachment parenting --> extended breastfeeding -->cosleeping --> cloth diapering --> granola family.

Don't want to do those things?  Well then you have to be a militant scheduler who never touches your baby when she cries.  Something like that.

Fortunately, it only took a couple of books for us to realize, "Oh yea, it's OUR baby, and we can decide to do what works best for our family!"  Ah, relief.

That was a lot of pointless lead-up to say that yes, I do some babywearing.  Remember?

(January 2011, February 2011)

For a reason totally unrelated to baby parenting, I have been looking for dog crates for Penny Lane Livingston.  During my search, I became aware of a whole new parenting camp.  Ladies and gentleman, I give you: Puppywearing.

(*All images from Petsmart.com)

Do you think Penny would let me carry her like this?  Probably not-- she's a total daddy's girl.

Ten on Tuesday

Questions for Tuesday, July 12, 2011!
Provided by Kyria at Travel Spot.

Go here and link up!

1. When you are on a plane and the kid behind you is kicking your seat, what do you do?
     I do nothing.  I'm one of those people that doesn't have the balls to say anything to any stranger if it isn't actually hurting me in some way.  I might grumble about it to Dave later on, though.

2. What food that you KNOW is bad for you and you shouldn’t have, but you love/eat it anyway?
     I have to pick just one?  Well, I can't.  Queso and ice cream. And Pancakes.  And Texas toast.  And fettuccine alfredo.

3. What is your favorite book of all time?
      Hmm, my favorite childhood book that I read over and over is Where the Red Fern Grows.  Since then, it's hard to say.  I guess My Sister's Keeper, Redeeming Love, or the Hunger Games (book 1).

4. If I came to visit you in your town, where would we eat?
     We're not that creative, so maybe Lupe Tortilla for those missing TexMex.  Japaneiro's for sushi-enjoying people.

5. You have 500 dollars and 40 minutes to spend it at any store you want. Where do you go?
     Uh, I have no idea.  I guess I would get Dave a new grill.  He will never ask for one, but it's a purchase we need to make in the not-so-distant future.

6. What blog do you read every day/the most often?
     I have several blogs in my google reader.  I've probably been a regular reader of RootsandRings and ThePickyApple the longest.  You already know why to visit Chelsea.  Visit Cara for recipes, reviews, and pictures of super-cute Finn.  I am a new regular reader of Missy, who I don't even know, but I love her blog.  Go there.  Visit her "Best of." Read them.  Be blessed.

7. What’s the longest you’ve ever been stuck at an airport?
     I have no idea, but probably not that long.  I do remember napping in an airport at some point while studying abroad, but I ave never been stranded overnight or anything.

8. What’s your daily makeup/face/cleansing routine?
     It changes every year or so.  I currently alternate between two different Burt's Bees cleansers and a Neutrogena moisturizer.  I ALWAYS come back to this moiturizer.  I know there is no spf, but y'all, this is the best.  It's thin and awesome, and I wear it under my makeup.  Oh, and I use Covergirl makeup, because it works great, and it's cheap!

9. Where is your farthest away friend?
     Currently my Makarianas still in the DR, Kenny B and Carita.

10. Where is your favorite place to go hiking (or to enjoy nature)?
     I don't know that I hike, but when I was in the Dominican Republic, I was forced to climb Mount Isabela by Anne Boon, Ashley Tinkle, and Kenny B.  I say forced as in, I had not been in the country longer than a week, but I told the others they should keep going but I was going back down by myself (with no money, iffy Spanish, and no idea where I lived).  Needless to say, they forced me to the top.  I'm so glad they did. (And I'll never do it again).  I have no pictures because I was delirious or something, but here is Isabela from our house:

My Little Mountain Goat

Much like the rest of my posts, this kind of video won't be exciting to 99.9% of people, but it has been a big month!  One day, Myla started crawling.  Two days later, she started pulling up.  Then she turned 7 months old.  Shouldn't I have more time than this?! This video shows that she's basically ready to climb Everest (and also that she looks like an old man without dentures whenever she makes her newest fat-cheek face).

The next video just gives a little glimpse of what the next few years might look like around here.  Granted, I don't often tell her "no," but this is her funny little reaction of my trying to keep her out of the kitchen (and subsequently away from the hidden camera).  I thought that I would have at least another year before the drama would start!

And yes, so what if I am wearing some sort of version of cargo pants?  I am not ashamed.  I could have told you that I'm not that cool anyway.

Canine Camp and a Revolutionary Daycare Idea

In case you aren't very familiar with our family, it includes: Dave, Me, baby Myla, and our canine children: Penny and Laci.  Laci is my dachshund from college, and Penny is the weimaraner I bought Dave while we were engaged (just in case he tried to get away before it was too late-- I needed leverage)!  This past week, we added another canine friend to the mix.  Our friends' dog Pevy came to stay with us for a little while.  As it turns out, she was the best behaved dog here...  She is the looker in the middle of this shot.  I have photographic proof that they became buddies (when my dogs weren't trying to steal her food).

 

Having canines around constantly throughout Myla's life has made me realize something.  Dogs are the best babysitters and entertainers.  I came up with a revolutionary money-making idea: KiddieDoggie Daycare!  Someone should get on board.  I mean really, the needs are similar, right?  Food, naps, diapers.  Ok, only the human group needs the diapering (hopefully).  Still don't believe that this is a good idea?  I bring you 

Exhibits A-G:

 

 

(Just ignore the toilet paper in the background).

Now accepting applications for KiddieDoggie Daycare!

*Stay tuned for video footage of climbing Myla.

Independence Day!

The title is the only thing having to do with Independence Day...

Myla made it to her first Astros game on Friday, July 1st.  She and the Astros were doing great for about seven innings, and as soon as she started losing it, they started sucking.  I consider the whole night a success.

(Photos stolen from Papa Jon)

 You can never have too many hats.

She caught a foul ball!  Then, she ate it.
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Also, big news: We have a crawler on our hands.  Apparently, she only loves to crawl toward the things you don't want her to play with.  I foresee this being a really annoying pattern...

If I were awesome, I would have a video, but I don't.  You'll just have to see it first hand!  Also, I realize that not everyone is as into pictures/videos of my child as I am.

BUT, I was just looking through Picassa to see if there was anything I should post on the blog, and I found this creepy thing Dave made:

So scary.
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As an update on my tv plea, thanks so much for all the suggestions!  I am feeling less concerned about losing the Gilmores now.  Granted, I do still have to deal with Dave's arbitrary show rejection.  For example:

Me: Maybe we could watch 24.
Dave: No, I don't like that clock.

There is still  hope, though.  I think I'm going to let him pick the next series (i.e. try and nudge him toward West Wing), THEN I'm going to use that as a reason to let me pick out the series after that (I really want to watch Felicity now.  I totally forgot about that show.)

All the other suggestions look good, too, so I think we're set for the year!  So glad there are others who have tv dates with their spouses.

Surely not I

Who ever said that a frosty mug was best used for beer?

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Who ever said that babies can't play for a while in their birthday suits?