2007 September archive at Filtering Life

Archive for September, 2007

At ze park

Published by Kelly September 30th, 2007 in Photoganza. 13 Comments

This weekend was a blur. The only thing reminding me that I worked really hard on Saturday is my aching hamstrings. One and half hours of pulling crab grass. Seriously, what is the purpose of crab grass but to raise hell on our lawn? The weather was positively amazing, if only it were this way all year round. I suppose there is only one San Diego.

Thanks for weighing in on the hair dilemma. Just for the record, I have been thinking about that haircut since June, way before I was pregnant, so I know it isn’t the hormoneys talking. I just don’t think I have the coconuts to chop my hair that drastically right now. I think I am going to cut my hair a bit shorter, but not even close to that hair style. I need to hold off on that bad boy until after Porty is born. I do plan on going a new route with my hair color. Stay tuned, I have a hair appointment in a week and a half. I will dazzle you with my coif shortly.

Okay, let’s just consider this photo Monday….we went to the park Saturday night and I snapped some shots of Chloe. She is totally enamored watching other kids play. There was a whole slew of asian children running around. Oh my word, they were so adorable. If it wasn’t totally inappropriate to take pictures of strangers children, I would totally have photographed them. I don’t want to be “the creep with the camera”.

Alright, enjoy some Chloe.

Inside a climbing tube. Kinda blurry, but she is making the “stinky” face.

a little staticy in those tubes.

and my favorite sweet cheek shot.

Now that should break you from having a case of the “munnnndays!”

My middle name is not “Fart”

Published by Kelly September 27th, 2007 in Apparently someone thinks I'm cool and The Office Rocks. 41 Comments

Yes indeedy folks….the blessed event has finally arrived. Can you smell the sarcasm and awkwardness of The Office season premiere. Oh man oh man, it is almost sad how excited I am. Is this a litmus test of my life? You know you feel the same way. Oh Dwight, how I love thee. Tomorrow…I want to hear your thoughts. Jim and Pam????? They better not drag this out for a 4th year, we can just taste a romance and it is so good on the tongue. DON’T CALL ME, DON’T DIE ON ME, DON’T GET NEEDY ON ME from 9:00-10:00pm. Don’t think you are funny calling either because my phone will be on silence. Take me out of your will, I don’t
care (well maybe I do…I mean I got a kid on the way, have mercy!)

Okay so I get a package in the mail yesterday. I LOVE packages, I absolutely suck at sending them, but I am a very very grateful receiver of them. Ms. Sassy Molassy, Jessica, from O Mama Mia decided to send me a belated b-day gift ( I love September birthdays!!!). This was the most amazing package full of wonderful, fun, girly gifts. Jess…seriously, what genre did you not hit? I am in love. A cheetah dish, how FUN! Coffee, tea, candle, bath scents, girly dish washing gloves, earrings, pen, a giant lollipop, which makes me think of Zoolander when he is tripping out and Will Ferrel is dressed up as a little kid “I want to work”. My favorites…the CD’s. I got the new worship CD by Matt Redman and Jess’s daughter Starlet sent Chloe the Dan Zanes children’s CD. We have already spun both disks and we give them two enthusiastic thumbs up. I owe you a call Jess to thank you “in person” but I had to brag on you for a moment. Thank you SO very much for your thoughtfulness, generosity, and encouragement. I feel so blessed. Check out my booty. Not the one attached to me silly kids.

Lastly, I got one sick little tootie on my hands. It started Sunday with some “irritability” which I will be honest, even on Chloe’s worst day she is a gem. Bottom line she has run a fever of 102-103.3 for several days, it finally broke yesterday but she is still very irritable and having trouble staying asleep. The doctor says it is viral and may even be roseola. Let’s hope not. So far, so good on not getting a rash since the fever broke. I hate when she is sick.

Okay, last random thing. I have consulted the hair guru, Whoorl, about my pending cut and color visit in 2 weeks. She does “Hair Thursdays” but is booked so she is doing some online consulting with me. I am seriously, seriously contemplating a radical do. I have always wanted to go much more funky than my current style which I have basically had for 10 years, just varying lengths and colors. I don’ t know if it is the hormones talking or if it is time to shed tradition. I got the idea for my hair when I was in NY this summer and I saw my cousin who is a dead ringer for me. I am not kidding, it is so eerie how much we look alike, she even has a nose ring like me and she was cursed with the same crescent moon profile I have a.k.a.- No freaking chin! I am very self conscious about my profile, I know, even at 31 I still have my hangups.

Anyway, I fell in love with her hair and Ryan really likes it. I realized maybe I could pull off something shorter and funkier. The problem is: A-she is a size 2 B-she is 18 C-she dresses like Avril Lavign so her look is pretty consistent head to toe. I vacillate between dressing funky and dressing normal. I just don’ t know if short hair will balance my “pear shape” or not and even though I don’t have the wardrobe of Sienna Miller, am I funky enough? So have a gander, tell me what you think. I am not doing the hair color craziness she did, just the cut.

Should I, shouldn’t I???????

Can you believe how much we look alike….holy crap, I never saw it until this summer.

It was really windy, she doesn’t really have a hair split like this.

I do love my long hair, it is feminine and versatile….but I don’t know….I just don’t know what to do. It would take forever to grow back out if it looks awful….but if it looks great, I will be so psyched! HELP!!!!!!

And the child shall be called

Published by Kelly September 26th, 2007 in Adventures in Pregnancy, Chloe Grace and For Kicks and Giggles. 17 Comments

Okay guys, a D- on nickname suggestions for this baby. I got about 5 options that were cute, but I couldn’t quite connect to. I know some of you aren’t “nickname” people….(cough, cough, HEATHER!) but I am. I don’t know where it stems from because I really didn’t have any great nicknames growing up. My dad and brother call me “K”, which changed because my brother used to call me “Special K”….sweet huh, yeah he is a jerk. My friends call me, “Kel”….I prefer “sexy beast”, but that just doesn’t seem to stick when I suggest it. I don’t get it. Ryan calls me “babe”, which I love, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to roll out of bed with mismatched pj’s on, sweaty, zitty, greasy haired, and bad breath and have their husband call them “babe”. Oh yeah…..a BABE indeed.

Actually, now that I think farther back, we did have some pretty funny nicknames. My last name used to be Hemeon…..So I got He-Man, Hemorrhoids, Hemmy….you know, SUPER clever nicknames. One of my brother in laws informed me after I was married that if you switch the “t” and the “n” in Portnoy….you get Porntoy. Of course I freaked out…hello, I was a middle school teacher…that is like prime material! Then I reminded myself that I was a special ed teacher and if my kids actually transposed letters I would be proud of them, they could definitely call me Mrs. Porntoy. Kidding…I would never let them call me that.

So back to the baby. I can’t call the baby….BABY. Too ordinary. I can’t call the baby #2, that seems impersonal. I don’t know the sex, so I need something gender neutral for the net 12 weeks…yes folks, I am 95% sure I am 8.5 weeks along. So I got thinking, I really have an intuition that I am having a boy….although, I am going to be honest, my preference is a girl. I love having a girl and I never had a sister…I totally picture two little girls playing together. I will be extremely happy with a healthy baby…sex is just secondary. Ryan feels like it is a boy too. We will see soon enough.

I got thinking about Ryan and then it hit me. A story he told me about when he was a kid. Ryan apparently wasn’t the best athlete when he was around 6-7 years old. I guess his talents emerged later. I may mess up the details a little, he isn’t here for me to verify. So I guess some of the neighborhood kids decided to take Ryan under their wings and have a sorta training/bootcamp for Ryan. One summer, they made him run drills, throw footballs, tackle, etc. They called it “Porty Training”….ha ha, like potty training. Anyway, so “Porty” kinda stuck. So much so, I have a Little League jacket in our closet from 1991. You know the kind that is shiny and sounds like you are scratching a record when you rub the material together, snap front, with the stretchy collar. Swoon….every girlfriends fantasy to wear their man’s jacket in junior high.

The BEST part….the sleeve….because of this.

AWWWWWW yeah! There it is, cold hard proof.

So what say you….should I stick with “Porty”…is it too silly or does it reflect our families rapist wit (that is from Dumb and Dumber people…..I know it is rapier).

Let’s here it…..or if you have something better…speak now or forever hold your peace.

It’s sweeps week!!!! No rest for the weary

Published by Kelly September 24th, 2007 in Adventures in Pregnancy and For Kicks and Giggles. 22 Comments

Well if that little magic stick didn’t tell me I was pregnant last week, my body certainly has. Days and days of nausea (only thrown up once), headaches, insane fatigue, bloating, all the good stuff. So let there be no doubt, I am pregnant! The dust is settling and I am feeling more and more like I am grasping the fact that a baby is on the way. It is so abstract the 1st trimester as you can’t “see” anything. I have fallen in love with some different bedding sets at Ikea…..me love some Ikea. If we have another girl, then Chloe’s beautiful bed set, my mother in law made, will be used for her and Chloe will move into the spare bedroom, much bigger than her little nursery, and we will decorate with more of a big girl look. If we have a little boy then we are going to redecorate the nursery for him and put Chloe’s current set in the spare room. I know, I know….tell me more about this interesting logistical news Kelly, as if your Monday morning wasn’t stimulating enough.

Moving right along….BOOB TUBE TALK!!!!! BOOBS, BOOBS, BOOBS….you can only imagine the spam comments you get when you type a word like Boobs. Can we all count down together….FOUR DAYS until The Office premiere. Oh man oh man….Don’t call me on Thursday night, I don’t care if you are dying, what can I do for you anyway, just wait until my show is over. You know it is true, nothing is more anguishing then to receive a call from someone you love or someone you don’t talk to that often and they are calling during your favorite show. It is a tough choice and don’t act like you haven’t chosen the TV on many occasions. So sad but true!

So let’s take a looksee at what I will be checking out this week. I really try to not to open my heart up too many shows because I am so so so easily swept in. I will try a few new shows this year but will remain faithful to my current loves as well. Sorry to disappoint, I have never seen Heroes or Lost…don’t throw stones!
I don’t have cable, so I am only talking about ABC, NBC, CBS, CW…that is all I get. I realize you will be judging me on my choices…BRING IT!

Monday:
Thinking about CHUCK and Journeyman (NBC)
Probably default to The Bachelor ( I know…gag)

Tuesday:
Biggest Loser (ABC)
Beauty and the Geek (CW)
HOUSE…love me some House (FOX)
CANE (CBS)

Wednesday:
Deal or No Deal (NBC)
Private Practice (ABC)
America’s Next Top Model (CW)

*****speaking of models*****If you are a model talent scout and you are looking for a 5′2″, “curvy” girl, to model scarves in a very very sexy manner, then check out my portfolio.(Scroll down the post a little bit…don’t be jealous! I wonder how I got knocked up…how can Ryan resist?)

Thursday: OH THURSDAY
The OFFICE (NBC)
30 Rock (NBC)
Scrubs (NBC)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)

Don’t watch TV on Friday or Saturday nights

Sunday:
Extreme Home Makeover- I am a sucker for this show (ABC)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)

Obviously, Tuesdays and Thursdays have major conflicts. I don’t have Tivo so I have to do it the old fashioned way, a VCR and tape…I know, I also heat our house with two flint rocks. Hey, it works!

So what are you dying to watch this season or convince me to give your show a try…I am open. I like to laugh, I like a good drama, I try to keep raunch to a minimum….although it seems unavoidable. I do like reality when it is helping people, Biggest Loser, Extreme Home make over…The Bachelor? Well it helps one person….no not really….it is just a shameless default show when nothing is on.

Lastly, just when I thought Chloe couldn’t possibly get cuter in my eyes, she does! You know my obsession with hair…LOVE IT!!! I have been waiting not so patiently for her hair to get longer so I had some more options and guess what…my dream came true.

Pigtails…..YEAH! Finally, two sprouts, albeit, teeny tiny ones. I have gotten much better at these since these pictures were taken. It is hard to know the right percentage of bangs to keep down and swoosh verses the percent of hair to put into the piggies. It is just mind blowing math!

Last week finally cooled down too so we could dabble in our fall wardrobe. I got tons of stuff on sale for next to nothing last year from Old Navy and The Children’s Place. It pays to shop a year in advance!

I love tights on chubby little legs

This face cracked me up. I am not really sure what provoked it, I swear I did not pass gas.

This is her newest concentration face. The funny thing is, Ryan sticks his tongue out too when he is deep in thought. A throw back to Michael Jordan.

Lastly, I could not resist this picture Ryan took of her. Those pink little lips that get kissed a million times a day.

A humble thanks

Published by Kelly September 20th, 2007 in Adventures in Pregnancy. 23 Comments

Wow guys, is that what I have to do to get so many of you to open up and share…get knocked up? Well don’t expect this next year… What an awesome response. Now you have set the bar high, 53 comments are you crapping me? Love it!

Seriously, you can not imagine how many phone calls, emails and of course comments that have been flooding in over the last three days. Please be patient if you sent me an email. I am notoriously bad about returning emails, right Amanda? I will eventually. I knew I wasn’t alone, that was never my fear, it is more I needed to be honest with myself and with you guys about this situation. I guess that is what shock does. Everyday has gotten easier and less emotional.

I went on a walk this morning with Chloe down at Black Water Creek. It was a very crisp, cool morning with gorgeous blue skies. It was actually a good thing that Candace and I missed each other because I think this was my time to hash things out with God. I literally prayed aloud the whole 45 minutes I pushed Chloe. I am sure from a distance I looked like either a total schizo talking to themselves or a fantastically detailed mom who couldn’t stop pointing out every rock, twig, and leaf along the path.

In actuality, I just laid out every fear or sadness I had regarding this pregnancy. I then asked God to show me what the real “truth” was. Meaning, if I say I am afraid we can’t afford it, what is true about that statement? Well, seeing as I base things on the Bible and God promises that he will feed the birds of the air, then surely he will feed, cloth, and shelter our family. So we can’t take big vacations or eat at restaurants for a few years….God forbid we stay home and be a family. The rewards far outweigh the sacrifice. WE didn’t think we could make it with Chloe when our income took a 50% hit….but look at us…cue “Survivor” (Destiny’s Child). I just kept going down the line, my heartache over my time being cut short with Chloe, our house, me handling two little ones at the same time, etc….As I brought each one before the Lord and talked bluntly about it, God answered my heart by reminding me who He is and what He has promised to do. That’s what I love about God, he is my best bud.

I think about my life. I was totally one of those girls who wanted to get married as soon as I figured out boys were cute. So like forever! I thought getting married out of college was about as long as anyone should have to bear being single…I mean good lord, 22 and SINGLE? How awful. I was engaged when I was 21 and we called it off half way through my senior year. I thought I was going to die… graduate and then just work? That was like a prison sentence. Truth be told, I wasn’t close to a place where I would even be a good wife. I was selfish, idealistic, narrow minded, and a tad screwed up…if you know what I mean! I like to think of myself as having a five piece luggage set of mental/emotional baggage. God knew…as he always does, that I needed my 20’s to work some “stuff” out. I also had the privilege of traveling the globe which was where I really had the most growth spurts. I could have never done all of that being married or with kids.

Did I ever plan on falling in love and getting married at 29? I mean I was half way in the grave and way off the market by then…or so I thought. 29 was PERFECT! Ryan was/is PERFECT for me. My five piece baggage set was just a neat little carry on bag by then…cuz let’s be honest, nobody can deal with ALL their crap, that is what makes life….life. Had I pushed through and gotten married at 21, I know and it is sad to say, I would have been divorced. I so desperately had a “plan” and it was perfect in my eyes…but God knew better. Thank you Lord for sparing me such heartache.

So thinking back through all that today, going a few rounds with God while walking through the wonder of His creation, and coming home and journaling a bit…..I feel lifted, I feel surrendered to this process. Am I doing cartwheels? No…the joy and excitement will come. I want it to be genuine, not manufactured because I am a “mom” and don’t all moms HAVE to love their kid? Come off it. I know this baby was meant for us and that is exciting. Getting pregnant is a miraculous thing, seriously, the odds of things happening in a 48 hour period, once a month…..UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE. How can I not believe this is our appointed child. A child that will enrich our marriage, our family, and expand our hearts to an unfathomable depth. Yup, things are getting better. Thanks you guys.

Oh…many of you asked about Ryan….how’s the babby daddy taking it. Well if you know Ryan then you know his happy face and his sad face look the same…his excited tone and his upset tone sound the same….he is STEADY EDDIE. Of course he was really shaken the first day, I mean he has to bring home the bacon, I can’t be walking the streets like I used to turning tricks….kidding…he is calm as a cucumber, excited, and most definitely a healing balm to be around. He rocks.