Rawbin

Willabee Wallabee Woo

2009-04-02T16:48:00.003-05:00

Finally I have found them...the mythical toddler size Wallabees. I take what I think might be an unhealthy amount of pleasure in having my husband and son in matching shoes.

ps. they also have fuschia ones for little girls.

Welcome to Hard Times

2009-03-12T15:44:00.003-05:00

I neglected to mention that Ian had a poem published on the website Starting Today: Poems for the First 100 Days. He is a humble poet, not given to self-promotion. I am a lazy blogger. Still, you should read it!

I sit and listen to them by myself

2009-03-12T15:29:00.002-05:00

we got our record player up & running again. I'm loving some old records today.

Home Stuff

2009-03-11T23:23:00.002-05:00

I bought some new things for the house today:

Truffaut Film Poster for the bedroom. Muy Romantico.

Embroidered Kilim Rug, for...not sure yet. But it intrigued me, so I adopted it.

cabin fever

2008-12-22T22:30:00.002-06:00

I admit it, I've got cabin fever tonight. There's 16 inches of snow outside my house right now and I've only left the house once in the past 3 days. I'm just dinking around on the computer and listening to a little Neil Young. Look at this cool blanket I found:

Helsinki blanket by Henrik Vibskov - found at Stand Up Comedy

a little zig, a little zag

2008-12-22T21:56:00.003-06:00

Ever since I found that Africa rug I've been trying to figure out how much it costs. I know, setting myself up for heartbreak. Trouble is, now I have my heart set on a zig zag rug. A google search for "zig zag rug" yielded the wonderful Etsy shop Finnishweaver. I adore her rugs and wall hangings.

NEW/OLD

2008-12-22T20:48:00.002-06:00

I've realized the look I'm after is NOLD.
photo via Remodelista

I love you, Rug

2008-12-20T15:22:00.004-06:00

"Africa" rug by The Rug Company
Price upon request. That's not a good sign.

1000 Words

2008-12-20T14:59:00.003-06:00

and...exhale.

2008-12-13T14:57:00.002-06:00

So, I've decided to come back to this space again. I took an extended break to move & enjoy the summer (and, uh...fall too) with my family & friends but I've been told that my presence here was missed, and frankly I miss it too. I've felt rather uninspired and unmoored for the past 5 months or so since we moved and I think that's why I stopped writing here. I just felt busy with life and otherwise blah with not much to share.

One of the things that had me holding my breath since we arrived here was the fact that we desperately wanted to buy a home where we can put down some roots. I must say the search was disheartening. Nothing in our price range was even remotely considerable, and we would come home heads hung low and wonder if we'd made the right move coming back here. UNTIL! We found it...a 1951 ranch with tons of windows and natural light - an open floor plan and a rumpus room. TWO fireplaces. It needs work but we are pleased as punch and I can't wait to start cataloging my inspiration here. As well as the trials & tribulations of renovation & home improvements. I'm happy to have something to look forward to and a nest to feather. This has been a dream of ours for such a long time.

I promise pics soon!

Like Death Warmed Over

2008-06-24T10:32:00.002-05:00

Things in the Harris household took a turn for the worse over the weekend with poor Max coming down with hand/foot/mouth disease. Essentially it is a common childhood virus that entails a mouth full of painful sores, a mad diaper rash, and often blisters on the hands & feet. Poor baby can't really eat or drink and is utterly miserable. It is these moments of helplessness when I really feel what it means to be a parent. To bear witness to the suffering, even if I can't make it go away. To hold him and stroke his hot little head and sing songs to him. There is absolutely nothing worse than seeing your child in pain, and I am amazed to find wells of patience and empathy I never thought I was capable of.

We just need to make it through this week -- we are flying home on Friday and there is so much to be done before then. I am terrified, and tired, but mostly really really excited.

Another Reason I'm Glad We're Moving to Portland

2008-06-20T14:47:00.004-05:00

The Modern Economy Sample Sale at the Ace Hotel on July 19th!
visit Modern Economy for more details & to get your heart racing!

I Always Suspected My Superiority

2008-06-20T10:43:00.002-05:00

Did you know that sarcasm is an evolutionary survival skill? Sarcasm is also very funny.

Drugstore Beauty

2008-06-18T10:35:00.004-05:00

I am a total sucker for beauty products. It seems like every time I go to the store to buy something I actually need (diapers) I come out with something I really don't need (more lotion or soap or...). I always like to mix it up and switch a product before I am done with it, which is why I am really not looking forward to cleaning out my linen closet/toiletry boneyard this weekend in anticipation of the move. In honor of my newfound (and most likely short-lived) dedication to simplification of my beauty routine, I thought I would catalog my favorite skin & haircare items here -- if only to remind myself next time I think I should try something different.

1. Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser - This is the best drugstore cleanser I have come across, and I have tried MANY. I am afraid to proclaim my devotion to this cleanser for fear it will be summarily discontinued. My skin never looks better than when I'm using this regularly.

2. Eucerin SPF 30 moisturizer - I love this lotion. This is the only SPF lotion I have tried that doesn't turn my face into an oil slick or make me break out. I use this for daytime.

3. Eucerin Calming Creme - I think this is meant for the body but I use it on my face at night and it is awesome. My skin is prone to redness and is very sensitive and this stuff has really helped with that.

4. Better Botanicals Rose Toning Mist - I use this twice a day, after I wash my face and before I put my moisturizer on. I find that when I don't use this, I use too much moisturizer and then my skin feels oily later on. This has also helped with my redness problem.

5. Kiehl's Amino Acid Shampoo - I don't think I will ever stop using this shampoo. I only wash my hair 2 or 3 times per week, and this shampoo manages to get out all the junk without making my hair feel dry. I don't have to use a conditioner with this shampoo and it smells divine. Expensive, yes but in my opinion, worth every cent.

One Year Old

2008-06-13T09:47:00.002-05:00

I'm a little behind on posts over here. The last month has been really hectic, getting ready for the big move. Two weeks from today Max and I fly back to Oregon on our one-way ticket to paradise: home. We are very excited but I'd be lying if I didn't say we're a little sad, too. But, that's a post for another day, probably 3 months from now which is about my turnaround time for blogging events.

On May 26, Max turned one. We had a great party (though not the party we planned - stupid rain) with lots of friends and family. Max didn't really know what to do with the cake -- he kind of sat there looking around at everyone trying to assess the situation before tentatively sticking his fingers in the icing. Then, he didn't really like the way that felt (he doesn't go for sticky stuff on his hands) so he tried to shake it off. When that didn't work he finally stuck a finger in his mouth and I saw a little flicker of recognition come over his face: "Hey! That's Goooooodddd!!" He hasn't really had sugar before so I think it was pretty powerful for him. He got tired of the cake & icing shortly thereafter. I think he could have eaten a whole pizza, though. Kid loves him some pizza. I guess I understand.

While we were in Portland, Max was becoming much more interested in walking, and took his first unassisted steps in Sean & Eileen's living room. When we got home, though - he really took off. Now he is a little speed demon, cruising all over the house looking for trouble. He does not like to sit still, and is relishing every moment of his newfound bi-pedalism. He still crawls from time to time if he wants to get somewhere really fast, but mostly he's a walking guy now. I can hardly believe that just a year ago he weighed under 7 lbs and practically fit in one hand. Happy Birthday Max - I can't wait to see what adventures are on the horizon for you in your second year of life!

A Bittersweet Farewell

2008-05-06T11:47:00.001-05:00

DSC_0153.JPG, originally uploaded by maelid.

I suppose it is fair to say that my nursing relationship with Max was not what I expected. When I was pregnant, I really never considered the notion that breastfeeding might be difficult, especially at first. I had visions of my friend Michelle, casually holding her son Oliver at her breast as we went through the checkout line at the grocery store, or of women I'd seen at my midwife's office, just nonchalantly whipping out a boob in the waiting room to an eager, thirsty little guy or gal. Well, as is the case with so many things about motherhood, things did not go according to the plan I had in my head. Um, essentially that plan was: "baby born, baby's mouth placed to breast, baby drinks happily." I think that may happen for some moms but that is not what happened for me.
The process of Max's birth was not as I expected -- I had prepared for a natural birth attended by my midwife in a hospital birthing center. 3.5 weeks prior to my due date my blood pressure skyrocketed and it was determined that I would need to be induced due to pre-eclampsia. The induction lasted 2.5 days, during which time I was on a magnesium sulfate drip, not permitted to eat, and not able to really move around. They tried several things to get things going, but in the end it was pitocin that kicked things off. By that point I was extremely groggy and exhausted and consented to the epidural because I didn't think I had the physical strength to deliver him myself., as I would have had to do it lying down since I was still hooked up to the IV. Because I had been on the mag sulfate and that affects the baby's heart rate, there was a neonatologist on hand to examine him after the birth. In retrospect I feel eternally grateful to my midwife and to the very pro-midwifery hospital that I was able to have a vaginal birth, as I have told this story to many people who have suggested that if I had been elsewhere I would surely have had a C section. Anyhow, after about 2.5 hours of pushing Max was born but he was not placed on my chest directly as I had long envisioned. Instead he was immediately whisked away before I could really have a look at him and I did not see him for over a hour. I remember when he was brought to me, he was sleeping and I tried to nurse him but he would not latch on. I was disappointed but knew we would try again and keep trying until we got the hang of it. Little did I know I would be trying for over two months.
Max didn't really like nursing. He had reflux and was uncomfortable in the standard cradle hold position. I also had extreme over-supply and remember so many times where Max would be screaming in discomfort in my arms while milk was spraying out of control all over the place. I slept in a bra with 2 layers of nursing pads for over two months. Eventually we got to a place where nursing worked, but I always felt I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, and never felt very relaxed in my role as a nursing mother. I felt very sad about it for a long time, and felt like my relationship with my son was less because we didn't have this ultra-intense nursing bond.
Max last nursed 4 days ago now, and had been gradually giving it up for the past few months. He was down to really just one nursing a day for the past couple of weeks and every time I wondered if this one would be the last one. I would look down at him and try to burn the feeling of him at my breast into my memory forever but that feeling is so ephemeral. I am immensely proud that I worked so hard for my son to have the milk that was made just for him, and I am sad that our time nursing is over. This morning I packed up my pump at work and shed a tear or two. I won't really miss nursing necessarily. I know I definitely won't miss pumping. I guess I just miss my little baby! Max is turning one in just a few weeks and that is hard to compute.

The Hills are Alive

2008-04-09T09:24:00.003-05:00

I don't have a lot of time to discover new music anymore. During my early twenties I spent a lot of time & energy seeking out new music to listen to but now I guess you could say I'm in a comfortable rut with the maybe 25 songs I like and listen to over and over again. I'm pretty ok with that. Still, sometimes I like to have something new to hear. I've been listening to a couple of new (to me) things lately and I thought I'd share.

1. Salt & Samovar. I probably wouldn't know about this band right now had I not been in a wedding with one of its members last summer. Dane, it was nice walking up the aisle with you and thanks for telling me about your band -- I love this album. It makes me want to live in a dirt-floor cottage and wear a long skirt.

2. The Cave Singers. Ian must have discovered this because one day it was just there on my iPod and it has become an instant favorite. This also has kind of a rusty, dirty feeling for me. It also kind of spooked me when I first listened to it, in a good way.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!

2008-04-02T15:18:00.002-05:00

Well this makes my week! Friday Night Lights is coming back for a third season! Coach Taylor is my hero.

Ten Months

2008-03-26T13:46:00.001-05:00

DSC_0092.JPG, originally uploaded by maelid.

If I Had A Hammer

2008-02-28T08:54:00.003-06:00

photograph by Christopher Felver

Last night Ian and I watched an inspiring and touching documentary about Pete Seeger. I think my eyes were damp the whole time I was watching it. I also heard him interviewed on Bob Edwards Weekend on NPR over the weekend and was literally moved to tears by his simple message of peace through song. I love to sing, and don't do enough of it. There is nothing that lifts the spirit more than singing in a group. I'm adding make time for singin' to my 2008 to-do list.

Nine Months

2008-02-26T11:36:00.001-06:00

, originally uploaded by maelid.

Max, I both cannot believe you are already 9 months old and that I haven't always known you. This photo perfectly captures your personality -- sparkling & sunny, engaging & personable. You are always ready for a new adventure and you have no time anymore for idle snuggling. Your favorite food is smashed avocado (baby guacamole) and you hate wearing hats even though we love putting them on you to take a quick picture. You also cannot abide having your diaper changed or getting dressed. Your favorite toy is whatever is most dangerous within a five foot radius and like both of your parents, you seem to have a special connection to soft blankies. None has emerged a clear favorite but I anticipate one will. You are crawling at a clip now, and love to pull up on the furniture and are tentatively beginning to move from side to side while holding on. I try to remember to slow down with you and really take in each special moment, to savor your babyhood but I will admit that I don't always do enough of that. You have filled my heart hundreds of times over and even when you wake up at 4 am and demand that its time to play, your sweet, open, smiling face makes it really hard to be mad. I love you, Max.

HomeVisions

2008-02-14T12:09:00.003-06:00

As our little family begins gearing up to make the big move back west, I find myself spending lots of time ogling real estate listings in Portland & surrounding areas. Here are some photos of one that caught my eye recently. It is a little small but man is it ever cute. I think our family of 3 could live in an 1100 sf home, but I worry about when the time comes to add Harris #4 (NOT thinking about this now, believe me!) and would like to have a little more room than that. Still, these photos have me salivating:

Max & His Waffle Box on Vimeo

2008-02-14T08:43:00.001-06:00

Max & His Waffle Box on Vimeo, originally uploaded by maelid.

testing!

Grab Bag

2008-02-11T16:30:00.001-06:00

, originally uploaded by maelid.

Some things on my mind:

1. I didn't like Juno. There. I said it. Juno the character bugged me. I don't think I could be a high school teacher because I find teenagers to be pretty annoying. Also I resented the treatment of Jennifer Garner's character. It was kind of like a bad meal: I liked it while I was watching it but when I really stopped and thought about it I decided I didn't like it after all. My $0.02.

2. I heard a rumor that NBC is thinking of cancelling Friday Night Lights. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

3. 2 of my favorite ladies are preggo and I'm sad I'm not in Oregon to witness the transformation.

4. I saw Cat Power last night and it was great. I want some white leather loafers. She has a great effortless style that I really like.

Once I was dug up

2008-01-09T08:41:00.000-06:00

I saw the movie Once last weekend and I cannot get it out of my head. I adore it. I haven't felt this way about a movie maybe since Amelie, which if you know me and my feelings about Amelie then you know the love is pretty strong. The intimacy & honesty in the film really touched me. I also liked the music but mostly I love the girl. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but if you haven't seen it, you definitely should. I felt while I was watching it that a part of me that has been shut down for some time now was coming back to the surface. I feel like I haven't allowed myself the time or mental space to appreciate art of any kind since Max was born or even the last few months of being pregnant. What I thought about a lot while watching the film and since is that spontanaeity is somewhat absent from my day-to-day. Happy accidents don't happen for me anymore. It is rare that I'm not in a hurry and since I seem to be in a hurry a lot of the time there isn't room for that inspirational spark of conversation with a stranger or looking out the window of the train to see something unexpected and beautiful. I really miss that freedom sometimes. Of course, I'm really in a hurry to get home and get my paws on my baby, but I've got to get creative about finding the cracks in my routine and recognizing unexpected beauty when its there.

I heard on the radio that the two stars from Once are going to be on my most-loathed radio program Sound Opinions this week. I've really hated that show since they basically called Feist a cheap Nina Simone knockoff. Those guys are idiots. I hope they approach this with a little more respect. I might have to actually listen to this show.

A Fresh Start

2008-01-04T09:56:00.001-06:00

, originally uploaded by maelid.

So it goes, the passing of another year. 2007, you were good to me, dare I say, GREAT to me. Last year at this time as I was gearing up for my 29th birthday my friend Kelly joked that the 29-er is "the last good one." I really hope that isn't true and now as I'm staring down the barrel of my 30th birthday (in exactly one week) I have a pretty positive vibe regarding the future. 2007 saw the birth of my wonderful, amazing, adorable, brilliant (I could go on) son. That was definitely the highlight of my year. But 2007 was also filled with smaller, more subtle and gradual gifts like witnessing the blossoming of a father in my dear husband, the mother in myself and the family that we have made together. Gifts like a deepening bond with old and new friends alike and feeling more fullness in our relationships. Gifts like patience, selflessness & wonder that having a child tend to nurture. I learned so much about myself this year. 2007, as you were so good to me, I feel compelled to repay you by making 2008 an even better year. I want to build on the positive changes I've felt brewing beneath my somewhat cynical exterior. I have made a few modest goals, which I'll hang out on the clothesline now, so I can look back on them from time to time and remind myself what I truly want out of 2008. In no particular order:
- cultivate an open heart, willing to explore a winde range of emotions without closing up & retreating into silence.
- read more literature. make time for books in my life.
- continue to work on my relationship with material things, they do not define me or complete me. repeat this often.
- pay greater attention to the food I consume, the quality & quantity
- call my friends and family more often. be a better friend.
- move to Oregon.
- work on listening. resist the urge to always interrupt. resist the urge to offer solutions to any gripe someone tells me. listen. listen.
- spend quality time together as a family. once a month or more, visit a museum or public place together. stop being afraid to bring a baby in public. he has a right to experience this world.
- work on resisting the allure of the internet. waste less time wanting. spend more time having.
- continue to accept what life brings. continue to be humbled by goodness in the world and angered by injustice.
- refrain from bringing any new bags into the house. whenever possible, use reusable bags.

Gone Fishin'

2007-09-27T09:33:00.001-05:00

Gone Fishin', originally uploaded by maelid.

Parenthood has really curtailed my creative blogginz. If you take a look at my flickr account, you might think that Ian and I had vanished from the earth along with anything & everything that is not Max. To some degree, you would be right. Parenting for me feels like a permanent state of adjustment. Constantly shifting priorities, schedules and moods to best live in the moment. Especially now that I am back to work. Going back to work is incredibly hard, but not for any of the reasons I anticipated. I miss my leeetle fuzzywumpers like the dickens, to be sure -- but this transition has been emotionally challenging for me mainly due to my inability to accept imperfection & disorganization from myself. I know, I know -- mom, I can literally hear you laughing at that one, but seriously. The time it takes to be an organized working mom is crushing me. Come into my home on the best day and likely you won't find it in perfect order but I think most people are able to accept disorder and move on with living. That acceptance has been impossible for me to find recently and some days have been really really tough. I have been obsessing about cleanliness, organization & perfection to a degree that is just not healthy. Luckily I am married to a wonderfully helpful & supportive man who is a good listener and can usually help pull me out of my head funk and see the upside to things. For me, right now this feels bigger than that. And looking at that sweet funny face above I realize there is so much more at stake now than there ever has been. Post-partum depression affects a lot of women in a lot of different ways. This blog has been one of those things on my mind that has been taking up space. Even though I haven't been updating it, I have felt this pressure to update it, but also an inability to update it because whatever I put up here woudn't be perfect. I heard some congresswoman on the radio the other night talking about the S-Chip program when I was driving home from work. She was urging her fellow lawmakers to pass the bill giving healthcare to millions of uninsured children even though it was not a perfect bill. Her statement was something like "Don't let perfect get in the way of good." I've been repeating this to myself ever since. It really cuts to the heart of where I'm at these days. I've decided to get some professional help for how I'm feeling and I need to cut out of my mind all the parts that are just about inconsequential worries.

So I just need to say out loud that I'm not going to be here for a while. Just to get this off my mind. I'm not saying I won't be back, but it could be a while. Thanks for understanding.

Time Flies

2007-07-26T09:30:00.001-05:00

The Littlest Egghead, originally uploaded by maelid.

Happy 2 month birthday to my little genius!

Just Some Notes

2007-07-16T10:14:00.000-05:00

I love Flickr. Living in Chicago, far away from most of my family & friends, it has been a great tool for keeping in visual touch. When Max was born, I thought nothing of putting photos of him up for all to see. I would watch the stats on each photo, and imagine all of our family & friends seeing his face and falling a little bit in love with our sweet boy. A few weeks ago I posted some photos of Max getting a bath and, as is typically the case when a baby gets a bath, Max was naked. And in some of the images his penis was showing. I didn't really think anything of it at the time, but when just the photos where Max's penis was showing were getting 3 to 4 times the views as the ones where it wasn't showing, I started to get a little creeped out that someone out there was looking at photos of my naked son and not just thinking "what a cute naked baby!" I guess I was a little naive. I have never been paranoid about the internet. I believe in the internet and in the goodness of the people of this world. But when I read this, it made me all the more certain that it is my job to protect my son & his image from getting into the hands of those who would exploit it. This is essentially just a long winded note to say that I have made all images of Max on my Flickr page private, and accessible only to family & friends. If you want to follow Max's progress on Flickr, just open a Flickr account and add me as a contact.

Lord of the Living Room

2007-07-08T16:51:00.001-05:00

Lord of the Living Room, originally uploaded by maelid.

Max turned 6 weeks old yesterday and I feel like I turned 90.

Lost Youth

2007-06-07T15:23:00.000-05:00

Driving to Max's first well-baby visit with the pediatrician, we passed a high school just letting out for the day. Groups of teens, standing around talking to each other, but all of them had iPods on and were talking on cell phones at the same time. Slackjawed, I pondered aloud: "How do they even communicate with each other when they have all their isolation technology going at one time?" We stared at them a while longer, waiting for the light to turn green, and after a moment we both burst out laughing. In that moment, we became parents. Those crazy kids - all of a sudden we are not them. We want to protect them.

A New Life: Family

2007-05-28T21:34:00.000-05:00

Max Arthur Harris
born Saturday, May 26th, 2007
at 9:30 pm
6 lbs, 12 oz 19 1/2 inches
The Love of Our Lives

Low Points in Pregnancy, pt. 1

2007-05-21T16:28:00.000-05:00

Finding yourself in the checkout line at Jewel in the middle of the afternoon with pillow creases on your cheek, a severe case of bedhead, and nothing but a sheetcake, just for you. (oh, and the baby.)

My Husband, Wordspinner

2007-05-21T09:16:00.000-05:00

My heart swells with pride: Ian is featured today on Verse Daily.

36 weeks

2007-05-21T07:57:00.001-05:00

36 weeks, originally uploaded by maelid.

Suggestion Jukebox

2007-04-19T10:44:00.000-05:00

In recent weeks my mind has become rather fixated on the birth experience. We have begun taking childbirth classes and my reading life consists almost exclusively of "birth literature." I am not, like many women seem to be, afraid of the birth itself. Labor doesn't scare me, probably because I have absolutely no experience with it. The logistical considerations, however, are keeping me up at night. Like what route to take to the hospital, how many pairs of underwear should I pack in my suitcase, how will we work the phone tree, etc... I know that these are the things I am preoccupied with because they are the things I can make the decisions about, the things I can control. In researching childbirth, I've been pretty interested in learning about relaxation techniques for early labor. Music is a subject that comes up frequently in the birth stories I've read as something that the laboring women were able to grasp onto, to make little rituals out of during contractions. I am currently working on getting some music together for labor, and since I don't know how I'm going to feel, I'm working on several playlists. I've got relaxing/soothing, upbeat/inspiring, and familiar/nostalgic. I don't know why this is, because I'm not even a fan of his, but whenever I think of what music I want to hear during labor I always think of the song Bye Bye Blackbird by Joe Cocker. Something in that rasp is speaking (err..singing) to me.

What I mean to say here is, I am taking suggestions for labor tunes. Can you help a (future) mother out?

Whistling Solos To Die For

2007-03-30T09:01:00.001-05:00

Andrew Bird, Armchair Apocrypha. I like music again.

A Very Good Year

2007-03-19T12:14:00.001-05:00

we got engaged!, originally uploaded by maelid.

It is hard to imagine that I am even happier now than I was then. I'm totally going to eat a croissant today.

Pop Watch

2007-03-17T07:55:00.000-05:00

I think today might be the day. The day my belly button finally gives up the ghost.

Baby Where You Been?

2007-03-17T07:48:00.000-05:00

week 24.5

week 25.5

Imagination Cultivation

2007-02-15T16:42:00.000-06:00

With each day that passes I get more comfortable with the idea that I'm going to be a parent. I fantasize about the things I'll do with my son, the games we'll play and the songs we'll sing and the laughs we'll share. I like to think about what kind of parent I want to be, and so much of what I envision is imagination cultivation. Kind of like gardening. Planting seeds and seeing what takes root and grows in his imagination.

I think it can be disheartening to a new parent like me that so much of what is readily available for children and babies is pre-imagined. Licensed characters dominate the children's area of most stores and it is nearly impossible to find an article of clothing for a baby boy that doesn't have a hammer, truck or baseball on it. Or a huge grinning purple dinosaur. Imagine my delight when I saw this jacket on Uniform Studio Journal today. It is just the thing. And I found her words profound in a way that transcend the clothes.

Yellow Button Jacket, from Uniform Studio
photo from Uniform Studio Journal, with permission

To test Krystin's theory

2007-02-14T07:27:00.000-06:00

I think you can tell that there's something in there, maybe just not whether its a baby or a bunch of pizza. Side view is where its at!

Better late than never, part 2

2007-02-13T12:37:00.000-06:00

23 weeks

Better late than never, part 1

2007-02-13T12:32:00.000-06:00

21.5 weeks

Our little thumbsucker

2007-02-08T16:56:00.000-06:00

When a NO becomes a YES

2007-01-25T09:50:00.000-06:00

I have got to learn how to crochet. Look at these!!! These guys are taking me right back to Sweetser Hall, University of Oregon, 1996.

available at Mahar Dry Goods

The Halfway Point

2007-01-24T10:37:00.000-06:00

20 weeks

You Do The Math, Part II

2007-01-22T12:36:00.000-06:00

Like Oil & Water

2007-01-18T09:03:00.000-06:00

I'm coming to terms with the fact that simplicity in design & babies just don't mix. Or rather, that they only do if you can afford the modern nursery furniture that costs more than your monthly rent.

Nest Feathering

2007-01-15T10:17:00.000-06:00

I've been daydreaming about the perfect nursery for a while now. This weekend I took some concrete steps in the direction of a theme for the room. BirdNerd 3000 is the route I'm taking. Given the family history of birdnerdery, I think its an appropriate choice, and the abundance of adorable bird stuff out there makes it fun & easy for a pregnant mama to feather the nest. I present the weekend's spoils:

First, a set of ten Counting Bird wall cards by Melissa Sweet, available at EeBoo, or if you're me, Anthropologie. I'm thinking I'll put these each in its own unmatching vintage frame and hang artfully above the as-yet-unpurchased crib.

Secondly, this poster:

I've nearly driven off the road every day in front of Frame Warehouse in Oak Park for the past couple of weeks because they have a huge framed version of this in the window that I lust after. Finally I called them yesterday and just ordered the damn thing. This will be lovely over the also-as-yet-unpurchased changing table.

While this is just 2 items of dozens that need to be procured for the little peanut's room, I am glad to be out of the gate with at the very least, someplace to start. Now I just need to start clearing that room of the crap we've been shoving in there and promptly shutting the door on for the past 6 months.

The Last Good One

2007-01-12T15:12:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday I turned 29. Someone said that 29 is the last good one, which I know isn't true because my life has been on an upswing since last September when I married my best friend and one true love. 29 already feels way better than 28. I was talking to my dad on Wednesday who by the time he was 29 had six kids. SIX!!! I remember when I was about 19 I thought that 25 would be a great time to start a family. Also I'm pretty sure I was fantasizing about starting a family with my now-husband when I was 19 since that's when we met and I knew he was the one for me. He still wears the same red & black Filson hunting jacket he wore in the Human Evolution lecture where I first noticed him. He still looks totally hot in it too.

28 was a good and bad year. We went to Jamaica. We went to Paris & got engaged. We got pregnant and lost the baby. We got married. Ian got his Master's degree. We got pregnant again and all is well this time around. It was a FULL year. I'm looking forward to another, just as full. Meeting our child. Seeing some of my greatest friends get married. Cultivating better relationships with my friends & family. Growing closer to my husband. Baking lots of cupcakes. Quilting. Trying harder to appreciate jazz.

"The Tyranny of Obligatory Nightlife"

2006-12-18T13:32:00.000-06:00

This is so brilliant. I've been trying to get out of nightlife for like, 10 years. I never really felt like I needed a reason to stay home watching TBS on Friday nights, but I'm really looking forward to having someone tiny to snuggle while I do.

You do the math

2006-11-21T14:27:00.000-06:00

+

=

It's the most wonderful time of the year

2006-11-17T11:32:00.000-06:00

I love the holidays. I love giving gifts, I love cooking & eating lots and lots of food, I love sitting around in socks and being cozy, and I love watching the classic holiday films Home Alone and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. I've already watched each of them twice and it really gets me in the festive mood.

Another thing getting me in the festive mood this year is my very best friend Krystin's new Etsy shop. I love watching her creative wings take flight. She has made the most awesome jewelry FOREVER -- since I met her when we were 14. Take a look at this stuff! It is AMAZING!!!

I plan on buying some of this great jewelry to give as holiday gifts -- I'm really trying to go 100% handmade this year.

Summer's Officially Over

2006-10-12T09:41:00.000-05:00

It is snowing. SNOWING. In October.

I have a feeling this winter is going to be a long one.

Happy Birthday SeanBon!!!

2006-10-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm so lucky to know you guys & call you my friends!
Wish I would have been in Oregon for the party. Its always the best!

just some thoughts

2006-10-05T08:53:00.000-05:00

What ever happened to good manners? I rode the red line this morning, as usual it was packed & slow. There was an elderly woman who got on at the same time as me and it was clear she was having issues standing up and holding on for the jerky ride. Not one of the 20-somethings sitting in seats offered her their seat. I was rather vexed. I should have just said something to one of them. Instead I tried to convey the message by staring at the seated people, and when I'd catch their eye I'd then turn my stare to the little old lady. Yeah. That didn't work. Finally after about 20 minutes someone got up to exit the train and I fiercely guarded the vacant seat and asked the woman if she'd like to sit down. She was grateful but I felt guilty that I hadn't done something sooner. It reminded me of the story Jessica told me last night about the toothpick cabin that represented both freedom from and physical proof of guilt.

The Science of Sleep amazed & kind of disappointed me. Why do I desire happy & uncomplicated endings? It makes me feel uninteresting, but I do. What amazed me were the crafts. And the reverence for craft and things made by hand. I love the style, the bricolage of the dream sequences. It was all so tactile, the egg cartons, the yarn, the felt, the cellophane. I want to move into Stephanie's apartment. I guess I would up feeling about Stephane the same way that Stephanie does. I want to pet the movie's hair for not having the ending I predicted/fantasized from watching the trailer 500 times on the internet. I will see it again. and again. It is breathtakingly beautiful. And Charlotte Gainsbourg is my style icon of all time. How about that sweater dress? She looks so lovely in glasses.

Coming Up For Air

2006-09-25T15:28:00.000-05:00

Things are so hectic being a new wife. There is so much cleaning, and cooking, baking pies and washing dishes and doing laundry and scrubbing the floors, I probably don't have time for this old blog anymore.

JUST KIDDING!

Nothing's changed/Everything's changed. It's just wonderful.

lovely photos courtesy of Barrett Photography, Inc.

I Promise

2006-09-18T08:11:00.000-05:00

We are blessed.

Birthday Wishes & Caviar Dreams

2006-09-07T07:52:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Krystin - my BFF and True Sister.

In a strange coincidence, I saw the painting on a poster yesterday and thought to myself "hmmm...I wonder if they ever caught those jerks"

2006-08-31T15:45:00.000-05:00

Now THIS is NEWS!!!

You'd Write About Me If I Were A Shoe, he said

2006-08-31T09:11:00.000-05:00

*photo removed at request of subject*
Ian, you are my favorite shoe. You go with everything - from jeans to formalwear. You are so comfortable and supportive. You are CFM pumps and trusty runners. There is room to grow in the toe. You don't give me blisters & when I wear you I feel good about myself. You are HOT. I love you so much.

Congratulations, Baby! You did it!

That Japanese Word For When You Love Something So Much You Want To Eat It

2006-08-30T12:02:00.000-05:00

It is time for lunch. Hmmm. What sounds good? How about this:

Anthropologie, I hate you and I love you. Let's get married.

Cinemapartments

2006-08-28T10:45:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I watched a wonderful french film, Cleo de 5 a 7. On a gray and rainy day there is nothing better than a french press of Stumptown and a 1960s french film. I loved Cleo's capricious sense of style and I am utterly transfixed by her apartment. The contrast of the airy whitewashed floors, walls, ceilings & beams with the massive, dark, baroque furniture had me rewinding and rewinding. The shelf of miniature clocks & the wall of necklaces inspired me to keep my eyes peeled in the shops and try to recreate the look in my own home.

Fall Fashion Plan, Part 2

2006-08-26T10:24:00.000-05:00

In an effort to minimize my pre-wedding anxiety I sat down last week with a stack of fashion magazines and snipped photos of the things that immediately appealed to me. I find this to be a beneficial exercise in many ways. First, it helps me to hone a general look and color story, making it easier to say NO to things that fall outside the plan. Second, it helps me identify the things I actually want for my wardrobe, things that make sense in the context of what I already own and what I envision for the season. Thirdly, it totally lowers my heart rate.

The funny thing is, I am almost always surprised by the results. For instance, I consider myself a color-lover. I was amused by the fact that there is almost no color represented in what I like right now. Is it because I am deeply sad about the state of our world? Why do I all of a sudden like brown? How can Sofia Coppola pull off a navy dress with black tights? Will I actually buy anything according to this silly plan?

In looking over the images, what struck me as top wants are:
1. flat-heeled, saddle-brown leather boots
2. um, turtlenecks?!?
3. tweed anything
4. peplum jacket, preferably in gray
5. thick bangs
6. lots of tights

What is on your list for fall?

W.W.T.S.D.?

2006-08-21T08:31:00.000-05:00

I'm working on a personal style overhaul. I guess you could call it an overhaul if my normal uniform of jeans off the floor and tattered University of Oregon sweatshirt counts as a style in the first place. There are no mirrors in my office, and unless I'm travelling to meet with clients I don't see anyone but my boss at work. As a sort of unwritten rule, we don't dress for work. Trouble is, I think my slovenly appearance is getting in the way of getting actual work done.

I was talking to Katie a while back about the benefits of dressing like you give two shits about yourself. It really does make a difference! We both agreed we were going to work on it. She has a leg up on me though with an already pretty defined sense of style.

I think the main reason for this new obsession with dressing better is my new discovery of The Sartorialist. This weekend I spent some time cleaning out my closet and wondering to myself "What would The Sartorialist do with this?" Is it weird to have a blog as a muse?

all photos from The Sartorialist

Fall Fashion Plan

2006-08-18T15:34:00.000-05:00

I plan my fashion very carefully
Originally uploaded by maelid.

blogger is not letting me upload photos today so unfortunately my fall fashion report will have to wait...hopefully it won't be too long. For now, here is the cover of my Fall inspiration. I had myself a grand old time the other night, cutting and pasting. I can't wait for fall!

Looks from Hel

2006-08-15T13:48:00.000-05:00

I love these colors!

windowpane check + suspenders + white jeans = a-ok!

Oh My Gawd this is so great! Hel-Looks. Euro fashion at its best (and worst!)

Thank you Hoping for Happy Accidents for leading me here!

Incidentally, the ugliest jeans known to man have been spotted somewhere in Northern Europe. Oh sweet lord is about all I can say...

Falling Forward

2006-08-12T08:38:00.000-05:00

I'm supposed to be working on my wedding vows, but when I start to write them my heart starts to beat really fast and I get a lump in my throat that makes water come out of my eyes. I am overwhelmed. So, to take my mind off of that for a while, I've done some online shopping. Let me show you what I found:

It appears that this fall I will be wearing nothing but tweed coats and high heels. Kind of like a wood-nymph flasher. Yes, this is my fashion inspiration!

House Proud

2006-07-31T09:27:00.000-05:00

So I'm going about my daily business...just checking the updates on my favorite blogs, and I about fall out of my chair when I open Apartment Therapy and see MY KITCHEN! I tagged my flickr photos of my apartment on Friday after AT:Chicago invited readers to do so. I'm just thrilled! I love my home -- it makes me so happy that others seem to like it as well. To think that just 1.5 years ago we were sleeping on just a futon mattress and had sold all our furniture in the big move from Portland to Chicago. Making this home has been my own Apartment Therapy -- moving here in the dead of winter, not knowing anyone, feeling homesick for the things we left behind. Almost everything we have came from either Craigslist or the Brown Elephant in Oak Park near my office. I got a lot of my inspiration from Apartment Therapy, and I'm so excited that the Chicago edition is so community-oriented. This makes my day - my very hot and steamy day!

Pretty Drawings

2006-07-18T14:22:00.000-05:00

I wish I could read Italian. But I'll settle for looking at these beautiful illustrations.

Song Killer

2006-07-02T10:27:00.000-05:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I kill songs. I find a song I like and listen to it hundreds of times until I can't stand it anymore. Recently I found a new one in Here She Comes by B. Fleischmann. I found it on my ipod where I am pretty sure its been for a couple years and I hadn't ever listened to it. If you have any tips on how NOT to do this, please help!

Saturday Morning Pastimes

2006-07-01T12:17:00.000-05:00

Most Saturdays I wake up before Ian, usually around 7 o'clock. Since he doesn't get up until 9 or so I have 2 hours to completely dork out in my pjs. Usually I spend the morning on my big sofa, reading magazines & drinking coffee. I cut out pictures of things I like and paste them into what I call my Look Book. Another favorite activity is zoning out looking at home interiors books, of which I have quite a few. Last night I got a new one and as a result have had a very pleasant Saturday morning fantasizing and drooling over its loveliness.

I have never been to LA but this book is giving me serious neighborhood envy. It is called Bohemian Modern: Living in Silver Lake by Barbara Bestor:

This lady is the architect and aesthetic appreciator of my dreams. Take a look inside at my favorite house in the book:

The book is bound in the material used to bind old textbooks and/or library books back in the 80's and it has the most delightful illustrations that make LA living seem so relaxed and carefree. Not one fake boob in the whole book! I picked this up at Anthropologie but I am sure it can be found in your local well-curated bookstore.

Another interiors book that inspires me is one that Ian bought me a long long time ago at a Goodwill in Portland called The International Book of Lofts. I have been looking at this book for years and dreaming of the day I can implement some of these great ideas into my living space:

Some of the lofts in the book are really heinously dated and 80's loking but then there is that glorious kitchen that looks like a shrine to Guadalupe and I go all soft inside. That kitchen belonged to Design star Phillipe Starck back before he got famous making lucite neo-classical chairs.

The last book I will share with you is my favorite that I own, mostly for the volume of photos contained within. It is Terence Conran's House Book from 1974. I got this at the Brown Elephant when I first moved to Chicago and had only a rusty lawn chair and futon mattress on which to rest my weary bones. This book has inspired nearly every purchase of furniture, art or knicknack I've made since living in Chicago. In addition to its glorious photos and layouts it happens to be a very encouraging and engaging read. I often find myself thinking of a quote from the introduction:

"Two good chairs, a table, a bed, pillows, sheets and duvet, a heavy frying-pan and saucepan, and an excellent kitchen knife, one wooden spoon, two plates, two knives and forks and a couple of mugs and a teapot are almost enough to start your home. Certainly, this sparsness will allow you top consider how you want your home to be planned, and encourages you to think out carefully what you really need and want, before you rush out to the shops...The purpose of this book is to help you come to all these decisions. But what no book can do is to ensure that your home reflects your own personality. That's your job."

Here are some images that caught my eye today (every time I look at this book something new jumps out at me):

Now if I could just find 3 precocious children in 70's knitwear at the thrift store to complete my dining room!

I also lure with interior decorating...

2006-06-27T10:06:00.000-05:00

I lure you with pie...

2006-06-27T10:02:00.000-05:00

Come to Chicago to stay at my house, and get one of these:

Scenes from this morning's commute

2006-06-19T14:58:00.000-05:00

Leaves are just little green tree-flags.

Sites I Love Corner

2006-06-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

You might not know it from looking at this here blog, as it's been a little BLACK & WHITE here for the past month or two -- but I love color. I love patterns, bold & not-so-bold. I love bright florals and subdued stripes. I fancy myself something of a print fancier. (there should be a magazine for print-a-holics called Print Fancy) I couldn't love Lena Corwin's blog more. It has become one of my favorites to view every day.

Got a Wish Needs Fillin'?

2006-05-29T10:36:00.000-05:00

Hurry on over to Chicago. The sky is full of 'em, and the wind will bring them right to your nose. On a leisurely bike ride last night, the cottony little flyers were landing on me left and right. I was the luckiest girl in all the world.

Why I Choose Window Seats

2006-05-25T22:34:00.000-05:00

Its because when I'm flying into Chicago at night, I can look out and for a fleeting moment, I can believe I OWN this city. "There's MY Kennedy Expressway," "That's MY Target store on Addison and Sacramento." Of course, it is all an illusion: once I step off the plane into the sea of travelers, it fades. But there is a time when it is ALL MINE. I always pick window seats and this is why.
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Philadelphia

2006-05-25T12:19:00.000-05:00

If you go to Philadelphia, be sure to check out the Reading Terminal Market. It is AMAZING!!! It reminds me of Eugene's own 5th Street Market, back in the days of my early youth, before it got all fancy and lost its countercultural element. The intermingling aromas of ethnic cuisines, juice bars, greengrocers, fishmongers, butchers, bakers, and flower stands took me straight back to my childhood. Mom, you did a great job of trying hard to be a hippie even though you were really kind of a buttoned up, proper midwesterner. I appreciate the fact that you made a point of exposing me to different types of food and people.
Also, back the the Reading Terminal Market for just a second, there is an amazing postage stamp of a bookstore in there with a fantastically edited selection of old children's books - another passion gleaned from my mom.
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Weekly Prayers

2006-05-22T10:46:00.000-05:00

1. Please, please, please let it be Anthony Lane who reviews The DaVinci Code. New Yorker, I won't forgive you if you give this one to Denby.

2. Please, please, please let me lose another 12 sticks of butter this week on Weight Watchers.

Searchin' For Some Pie In The Sky Summit

2006-05-12T12:05:00.000-05:00

I'm not ashamed to tell the world that I broke down and sobbed in my station wagon to Night Moves this morning. Sometimes listening to classic rock radio, it's like pulling a card from the tarot deck that makes your arm hair stand straight up for just how well it knows you. I mean, what a song. It really has nothing to do with my life right now, all the sad stuff that's been going on, but maybe just because it is so familiar, or that I have such specific memories of people I've known or situations I've been in, or something in the chords that when I started singing along, my throat got so choked up and the tears just started streaming. Even though it's just starting to be Spring here in Chicago, that one line at the end of the song "with Autumn closing in... got me thinking about my wedding which is in September, and looming adulthood and parenthood and responsibility. Literally, my mind travelled MILES over the 4 minute song. I have to say it was a great release after the past month of emo rollercoastering. So thank you The Drive 97.1, for allowing me to cry and belt Bob Seger. Something none of us do often enough.

Our Baby's Back

2006-04-10T16:11:00.000-05:00

Stop what you're doing and visit Britt's blog. For a couple reasons:
1. Because I never want to go 7+ days in a row opening her blog to see a couple of dead rodents. Show her some love, fools!
2. Because there is a photo of her adorable self! Miraculous Internet!
3. Because that bottle of Jim Beam is FULL. If I know Britt, she ain't afraid to share. Go on, get yours!

This is for you, Mom

2006-04-03T11:11:00.000-05:00

Engagement Ring
Originally uploaded by maelid.

I must have taken over a hundred shots of this ring before I got one that had any kind of detail whatsoever.

I believe this ring is circa 1930's. It has a deco feel to it, but also seems quite modern. I can't stop looking at it.

I am such a bride-dork.

Sites I Love Corner

2006-03-29T07:49:00.000-06:00

There are many sites on ye olde internete that I like to visit but that don't link over there to the right. This is a recent find, and one I find myself truly inspired by. Plus, this lady lives in Chicago and thrifts at some of the same places I do! It really puts the fire under me to make some things, especially now that I'm going to be home for awhile.

we got engaged!

2006-03-23T16:04:00.000-06:00

we got engaged!
Originally uploaded by maelid.

No, it wasn't as corny as it looks. It was actually earlier in the day, in our rented flat, over coffee and lively conversation. It seems to have dropped my right eye...in this photo my face looks almost cubist. Must have been the disbelief! After 8 years together, we are finally going to be married and we couldn't be happier!

Les Zombies

2006-03-17T10:46:00.001-06:00

I have jetlag zombie disease but I AM ALSO IN PARIS which makes it ok. Here are some views from our apartment window. 6th floor! Narrow stairs! Totally awesome workout!

Like Fine Wine

2006-03-16T16:56:00.000-06:00

These Air France flight attendants are the classiest I've ever seen. This woman, her overcoat is so beautiful and her blush so meticulously applied I am in awe. I can't wait to be on board and pressing my call button and having her come by with hot water for my tea.

Also, I'm only flying international from now on. This terminal is full of top-shelf travelers, which I aspire to.
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God I love Austin

2006-03-16T09:57:00.000-06:00

God I love Austin
Originally uploaded by maelid.

My own gutter helmet

2006-03-06T16:18:00.000-06:00

I am currently barreling at top speed through suburban kansas city in a shuttle van. The driver of this van insists upon blaring Rush Limbaugh at extreme volume. So you thought business travel was glamorous? Uh, no.
Peppered throughout this program are ads for products meant to appeal to the people who live in these midwestern splitlevel homes that are flying past me. I wish I had my own gutter helmet right now. I would put it over my ears and listen to the tinny sweet rain.

Rush, you just simmer down!
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The Results

2006-02-18T09:45:00.000-06:00

So it appears that I am going to marry a guy on the train, have no kids, be an architect, and live in a house. I'm mad that I'm not going to marry Krystin and Eric, but maybe I can still call them the loves of my life!!!

I Love Love

2006-02-14T19:42:00.000-06:00

So I made these valentines, but I never sent them out. Something to do with the recent rate hike from USPS. Yeah. I just never got any new stamps. But I still love you. Now we can play MASH together.

A Proud Shout Out

2006-02-09T08:23:00.000-06:00

Sean Barrett, my dear friend, Goddamn! I'm so proud! That painting on the flyer -- IS MINE!!!

Next stop, THE WORLD!

Dream Career Thoughts

2006-02-09T08:13:00.000-06:00

So this morning I was listening to WBEZ on my way to work, and they were interviewing people in St. Bernard Parish outside of New Orleans who have gone back to their broken neighborhood and are working together to fix it. It was a very inspirational story. These neighbors are all living in FEMA trailers on their own property, but they don't spend much time in there. This was a major undercurrent of the story -- that the space these people are actually using is, like -- a patch of lawn under a tarp or in one of their old garages. It got me thinking about space and how we use it. And how it can be really hard to predict in what ways we will wind up using the space we have when we move into a new place. It awakened the dream architect in me. I'm going to dust off the old copy of A Pattern Language and read up on this very fascinating subject.

As an aside, WBEZ -- you've gotta quit playing stories that bring me to tears on my commute. Ok? Thanks.

Pont Something or Other

2006-02-07T08:48:00.000-06:00

Pont Something or Other
Originally uploaded by maelid.

Paris, I'm coming back for you. T-minus 37 days to liftoff. How I've missed you & your lovely sights!

Already Gone!

2006-02-02T16:10:00.000-06:00

The dress is gone! Vanished from the website!

Here is an image of it. Candy-apple red. Superiorly Red. O! I missed my chance with thee!

Hot Couture

2006-02-02T12:42:00.000-06:00

When I was 15, somehow I convinced my mom to let me employ a professional seamstress to create my dream of a homecoming dress. It was so the realization of my deepest girly fantasies: selecting the fabric, going to fittings, twirling around in the red high heels I got to match. I daresay that at the Henry D. Sheldon High Homecoming of 1993, I should have been Sophomore princess by the sheer power of my adorable dress. You see, it was near impossible in a town the size of Eugene to find a dress that you and only you would be wearing. Remember those velvet sheaths with the scalloped, off-the-shoulder thing going on? Yeah. Freshman year, I double dated with Jaime Gregory and we both had the same dress on. Talk about embarrassing! (Though not as embarrassing as my date Shane Goff's Cosby sweater).

Well, imagine my delight when I saw this. Almost the exact same dress! Only mine had little straps. I almost want to buy it because for reasons I cannot explain, I don't have the original anymore. Did I lend it to you? If you still have it, can I have it back?

Kinder-Marketing

2006-02-02T11:45:00.000-06:00

I have been stewing awhile on this new Ricola ad campaign. I mean, WTF? Mystery cougher? Did Ricola hire a kindergarten class to handle their winter campaign? As if it isn't already gross enough having to sit in a train car/city bus and endure people REAL coughing...

I think the mystery cougher ("I could be a man, or I could be...a woman") is going to be at the Art Institute today. Will you be there, with Ricolas to give?

Because it was so funny

2006-02-02T11:43:00.000-06:00

Want to hear a funny story?

This morning, I was in the bathroom and brushing my teeth. I heard a noise from the bedroom and I assumed it was Ian saying my name because he usually makes a half-assed attempt to get me back into bed every morning. So I yell, "Did you just say my name?" and he goes "Are you joking? I just farted."

We laughed really hard.

My new name is (insert fart noise here)

this is what I feel like doing today

2006-01-25T14:53:00.000-06:00