Checkin' in

Hello, all!

I've been busy with midterms and first birthdays. That's right! Our side salad is now one years old. We celebrated in style at the local Mickey Ds. I think it's okay to have a McNugget or two on your birthday-you only live once...

School is...school. I am just exhausted. If I could figure out a way to pay off my student loans and have some sort of stable income, I'd say screw it and just be a SAHM.

Lettuce and I had a talk about breastfeeding. I know his family are pretty anti-breastfeeding so I wanted to gauge his feelings on me continuing to do so. He was totally fine with it. He can see the benefits in the health of the ducklings. Astronaut sleeps in his undies only, year round. Literally. The boy walks around in just underwear when it's snowing outside. He never gets sick. Lettuce and I have been together since he was 3 1/2 and he'll be 9 this year and he has never been sick. I breastfed him until he was 13 months old. The girls on the other hand, weren't so lucky. Princess was only breastfed 4 months. She immediatly stopped growing. She had tons of earaches and her tonsils removed at 4 years old. Squirrel was EBF until 6 months, though we started solids at 4 months. She had a combo until she was about 7 or 8 months. The ear infections were constant and she got tubes at 9 months. Whoa!! I've gotten a bit off topic. Anywho, Side Salad will be getting the good stuff indefinitely, that's the point. And here's a pic of us nursing in public to celebrate.


Ciao!

My Birthday

My birthday was Sunday. I am now 27 years old. I took my litttle ones to church. It was lovely. Then we just all spent the day together. My oldest brother gave me some money to buy my own gift. My godmother sent me some money. The kids gave me a card. Lettuce gave me a card and a little table that I can use in bed. I really like it! That night, we went to Wild Wings after the kids went to bed. My mom stayed with them. We got the 25 wings deal where you get five wings of each of five different flavors. I also got a side salad. I decided not to drink since it was already late so I had a tea and he had some beer. The wing flavors we chose were Pollo Loco, honey BBQ, honey mustard, garlic teriyaki, and the hottest of the hot wings. I can't recall what they called them. I loved the garlic teriyaki. They were really good! So I decided to try the hot ones. Here is what happened:

Me: Mmm this is pretty good but it's not really that haaa-, Haaaa-, HAAAAA-! ACK! ACK! GAH! MAH TAMB! MAH TAMB!

I sat there shaking my hands back and forth like Plies the rapper. I probably looked like an ass hat. Lettuce just stared at me, like he does when ever strange things happen to me. It felt like I'd just taken a big swig of some good ol' HCl-hydrochloric acid. My lips and tongue felt like they were about to just fall the eff off! I ate a piece of garlic bread-didn't help, and drank some tea-didn't help. I was so shaken that I couldn't eat another one of those. I took them home and gave them to my mommy.

I should have warned her about the wings. Tsk, tsk.

Reflections and Rantings on Hurtling Towards 30 at an Astonishing Rate

Next month, it will be my birthday again. I'll be 27 years old. I could have sworn I was 22 five minutes ago. I am not sure what is happening. Each birthday comes faster than the last. Every time I look in the mirror, there is a new gray in the skunk-like streak that is emerging from my hair line. I am beginning to look more and more like my gorgeous mother. I sound like her too. Hell, even I can tell her voice from mine anymore.

I think approaching my thirties is awesome. Thirties seem so mature, so debonair, so classy. I am actually kind of excited. I probably won't be saying that in a few years. This year, I'd like to have a really classy party, with jazz music. I want my friends to dress up. I want to play Charades and Scattergories. I want a mature chi-chi menu. I want a cocktail party.

We could have Cosmos for the ladies, dirty martinis for the gents. For food, deviled eggs, cheese fondue, fancy pigs in a blanket*, and cupcakes. And the music; I have a big band CD and I could get a jazz one. What to wear, what to wear? How about this sassy little number from Igigi:


Or this one, from Forever21?

I have some sassy black peeptoe slingback pumps that would look great with either. I have to admit, it almost seems like a dress up party for grown ups but I think it would be so much FUN!!!!

Fancy Pigs-In-A-Blanket Recipe (so's I won't forget)

Puff pastry

Dijon mustard

Sausage or frankfurters in different flavors (I used organic apple and Gouda chicken sausage, chicken chorizo, and sun-dried tomato and basil-flavored sausage)

Caraway seeds (optional)

Grated cheese (optional)

Egg

Roll out puff pastry. Cut dough into rectangles that are long and wide enough to wrap around an entire sausage/frank. Spread a think layer of Dijon mustard on each rectangle. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll dough around sausage and seal seam by pressing dough together. Cut franks crosswise into thirds and arrange on greased baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake in oven at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

*sigh* Procrastination and the party

Saturday is the Astronaut and the Squirrel's combined multiage birthday party. I have 2 October babies, with their birthdays being only 9 days apart. I've grown weary of throwing two parties so this year they are having a party. Yes I know they are 5 years apart (Squirrel is 3 and Astronaute is 8) and different genders. But the same kids come to the parties and I think I picked something that will accommodate all the kids: a puppet show! We're going to the Marionette Theatre to see the "Wizard of Oz!"

The party is Saturday at 2. I think I should order the food. So far, all I ordered is the cake....