After four plus years of blogging, you'd think the stage fright that used to accompany each blog post would be gone. And when I was writing regularly, it was. There wasn't a lot of pressure on any one entry because the frequency of posts balanced out the crap.
Now, though, it's a wonder if I update more than once a month, so even though I'm coming up with ideas all the live-long day, I don't follow through with most of them because I think, Is that something I want sitting on my front page for three weeks? And usually it's not, so my blog collects dust, when in fact all those little nothings could have equalled a semi-interesting collection of pseudo twitters, and then you wouldn't have to click on a blog that's been dormant since the first of the month.
Anyway, with this entry, I'm not going to overthink flow or grammar or even quality, because I received three totally awesome e-mails from blog readers this weekend alone, not to mention the outpour of support I've gotten since announcing baby Number Two's impending arrival, so I'm totally feeling the love for the Internet, and it almost makes me wish I'd bitten the bullet and gone to BlogHer this year, except there's no way I could afford it and the idea of traveling to California is too intimidating and what business do I have going to a blogging conference when one of my blogs is treated like an ugly step-sister?
(I really should have said Cinderella, since she's the one who got dumped on, but she was gorgeous and had a fairy godmother and eventually snagged the prince, so no tears for her.)
- Still nothing new on the house front. Luke and I set up a meeting with our realtor for Wednesday afternoon so we can touch base and talk out some different ideas. She's been in touch via e-mail, but we haven't seen her since early June, and it seems appropriate to catch up face-to-face. We're exploring a few neighborhoods that weren't on the radar before, and we've saved up a little more money to add to our down payment, but we still have to stick within the original parameters we set for our mortgage, so really, nothing significant has changed. We signed our lease for another three months, so the goal is to close on something by Halloween, because another three-month lease would put us at the end of January, and there's no way I'm moving when I'm thisclose from being nine months pregnant. I'd rather stay in the apartment for another year before going through that kind of stress. We'll see what happens.
- Last Friday I saw a car in front of me hit a bird, and it spiraled in the air and landed right underneath my Cobalt. That was pleasant.
- Did you know I'm one of ten finalists to win a Chicco Trevi Twin double stroller? It's true! Last week, one of my readers e-mailed me to share news of a contest hosted by Amazing Trips, and 55 commenters posted stories as to why they thought they should win the stroller. I posted a sob story of my own about having a baby and being pregnant with a baby and saving for a house and hello, there are no money trees where I live. Jen chose ten finalists, and it turns out I'm one of them! Voting takes place until 11:59 p.m. tomorrow, so you have plenty of time to visit her site and take her poll in the left side bar to stack the odds in my favor. I don't think I'll win--I'm up against a foster-to-adopt mother and a woman expecting her second set of twins--but I'd like to give it the good ole college try. Thanks for the heads up, Cameron!
- All the talk of BlogHer reminded me that I never wrote part two of 2007's BlogHer: the rest of the story recap. My bad.
- Like I said, I'm not too bummed about missing it this year, but of course this is when Amalah goes again. Also, boo hoo over no free swag.
- My very pregnant sister Samantha and her husband, Dan, came to visit during the Fourth of July weekend, and with them they brought boxes of crap I've been storing in my parents' basement for oodles of years. At first I was nervous about finding a place to keep everything, but then I realized that eighty percent of it really was crap that could go straight to the recycling pile. Most of the loot included old Baby-Sitters Club and Archie comic books, and while I would love nothing more than to build a shrine in honor of my childhood reads, the books weren't properly stored, so they were covered in dust, and I had (have) a bad habit of scribbling on pages when I'm reading, so it's not even like they were in good enough condition to pass on to my kids, thus sharing the eighties love. I did keep a few of my favorites (a few being twenty), but the majority were shipped off to Goodwill because I didn't know what else to do with them. I doubt they're sellable, but hopefully they'll give some of the clerks a good laugh.
- I also found other gems like handwritten notes from middle school (complete with origami-like folding) and another (lesser) masterpiece by lil' Frema:
- You're probably thinking, Oh no, she didn't, but oh yes, I did. And I will share it with you, when I have time to scan the pages.
- Speaking of books, remember Cringe? The one that's publishing my tragically misspelled poem about unrequited love? Well, it's coming to a Barnes and Noble near you on August 27th. There's going to be a huge release party in New York in September, a release party I most definitely cannot afford to attend, but there's also going to be a national book tour, and if there's a stop anywhere near Indianapolis, I'll do whatever it takes to show up and read my submission. You'll come, too, won't you?
- When looking for the above linked-to entry, I scrolled through a mass of third-trimester pregnancy photos, and my God, I was a house. The belly, so huge.
- You are still not allowed to say such things to me. One of my coworkers came up to me last week and said, "I think you're showing already!" and I smiled weakly, but people. It is never OK to tell a woman she's getting bigger.
- Still crying inside over not seeing Sex and the City while it was at the show.
- The recent slew of new-baby celebrity names have been terrible. I feel like Knox should be the worst of the bunch, but I can't get over Honor. All I can hear is, "I don't know about you, but I'd sure like to get Honor!"
- MY baby is doing just fine, thank you for asking. Kara turned seven months last Thursday and continues to crawl and pull up on furniture like crazy. She also has a great time eating the peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash Luke purees just for her. And holy crap, does it save a lot of money. Do you know how much commercial baby food costs these days? Not cheap. She eats some store-bought things--mostly fruit--but still, mad props to my husband for owning this task.
- Motherhood Uncensored recently wrote a post about super-secret bastard iPod songs, and many readers shared their own bastard songs, but most of them were "safe" bastard choices like "Brick House" and "Come On, Eileen"--songs that nobody's REALLY embarrassed to admit to. I offered a few illegitimates of my own, but it wasn't until weeks later that I remembered the one song I absolutely love that until now, I've NEVER shared with anyone:
- "One on One" by Hall and Oates. I bet you didn't think it was possible for this tune to set the stage for Deep Thoughts about life and love, but it does. It really, truly does.
- I love Judge Judy with a passion usually reserved for cheesecake and those little fries at Steak 'n Shake. I want her to be my grandma.
- Dear Abby can be a fun aunt.
- I still write my Parents blog.
- You should read it.
- I spend way too much time thinking about baby names. Swistle's blog doesn't help.
- I'm hooked on All My Children again, and I think the current plot is just a terrible ploy to write Annie off the show and facilitate a Ryan-Greenlee reunion. I hated them together, but I loved watching them get together, if that makes any sense. Also, I don't like the new Colby, and I love that Erica continued to blow out her hair and do her make-up IN PRISON.
- I'm giving up on non-fiction for a while because it's hurting my brain. I tried to read The Feminine Mistake because I was intrigued by the premise but after forty pages I realized she was talking about white-collar, six-figure-dollar professional women, and not the average mom trying to make it on a middle-class or working-class income. Hell, Atlas Shrugged would give me less of a headache.
- On a related note, guess what I'm reading again.
- I think Ayn Rand's philosophy is crap, and I usually end up skipping the main character's hundred-page agenda-toting monologue at the end, but hot damn, do I love this book.
- The Fountainhead is awesome, too.
- In college I wanted to take an independent study focusing on Ayn Rand, but because nobody in the English department felt qualified to take it on, I worked with a professor who had a background in politics. That was cool with me because I loved him, and plus I'd already taken his Intro to Political Theory class where he covered Atlas Shrugged, which is how I read it for the second time and actually the reason I signed up for the course in the first place.
- This was fun!
- I promise to post more, even if it's just a couple of lines here and there.
- It's now almost midnight, and waaaay past my bedtime. The things I do for the Internet.
- Here are pictures of my kid.
I'm supposed to do what with this?
Aww, Kara has "Gossie and Gertie," cute book. When you mentioned seeing pictures of yourself in your third trimester- I thought you looked cute and petite. Plus, it's awesome that you're having #2 so close to Kara's b-day, because you can wear all your winter maternity clothes again, including the maternity coat you debated getting!
Posted by: Parker Bradshaw | July 22, 2008 at 01:19 AM
Although, being pregnant exactly the same months in a row, if you're anything like I, you'll build a large bonfire fueled exclusively from the heat of your well-used maternity wardrobe.
Because honestly...the idea of wearing the same four pairs of pants ever again kind of made me want to vomit.
And after having two kids thirteen months apart, I swore I'd never again procreate (it must be stated that Huz and I are talking about trying for a third. Hehe)
Posted by: Jess | July 22, 2008 at 07:51 AM
I saw a couple at church who was a dead ringer for you and Luke. I actually did a double take. But of course we live very very far from eachother, so it wasn't you. Too bad because it would have been fun! Ditto on the homemade baby food. So cheap and not that hard to do!
Posted by: Becca | July 22, 2008 at 09:19 AM
As for the new Colby, she's growing on me. Babe on the other hand...ugh, I hate this Babe. And Jake comes and goes so much it doesn't matter that it's a new guy every.single.time. I am so ready for a new story line. I'm a bit bored.
And just because it would be totally wrong to not acknowledge the cuteness of that Cara. What a good big sis she is going to be!
Posted by: Jana | July 22, 2008 at 09:23 AM
so is it okay to say that KARA is getting so big? I promise to stop when she's like 12 so I don't give her a complex.
Posted by: Marriage-101 | July 22, 2008 at 10:15 AM
It's so great to have an update on what's going on in your life. I hope all is well for you and your family. Kara is a doll!!
Posted by: Britt | July 22, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Hey, good luck with that contest. I'll be sure to go vote for you.
I know you live in Indy. I don't know which area you and Luke are looking, but one of my best friends lives in Greenwood. She and her husband have gotten two great deals in real estate down there. They bought a starter home on foreclosure three years ago and just upgraded to a custom built home, also on foreclosure. I know there are a ton of homes for sale in Indy, so I'm sure you will find the perfect home for your family.
Something I've always wondered about is the pronunciation of your first name. Is it pronounced like Bree-Ann?
Posted by: ann | July 22, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Good luck on the contest! Freebies are the best, and you've certainly got a good story.
Kara is a DOLL FACE! Ok, I'm so excited to hear you mention origami-type 7th grade notes. My boss and I have been joking for a while that our company this summer seems like 7th grade a lot, so we've started folding notes to each other like that. :) Makes it easier to cope. I cannot wait to read your comic book! Take care of yourself and Number Two! Thanks for the update. Sometimes lists are the way to go.
Posted by: Jen L. | July 22, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Oh, I cannot wait to see the rest of that Archie-by-Lil'Frema comic! I sure hope there will be commentary from adult Frema . . . and maybe from Kara, too!
Posted by: Audrey | July 22, 2008 at 11:53 AM
1) I did NOT know you were a stroller finallist. Just voted for you. Purely out of loyalty because you're so right - some of those other women sound reaaallly needy (like the one with 8 kids and a heart attack - ouch - puts our petty worries in perspective).
2) Check out http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ for awesome baby food recipes - lots of ideas for combining a couple of veggies/fruits and making different purees for babies. Megan loves the squash/brown rice/applesauce:)
3)you won't want to hear this but OH MY how grown up gorgeous little Kara's looking these days!
4) stage fright on posting? I'm not the only one?
5) ayn rand. you have inspired me to try again. no wonder kara's so advanced - her mama doesn't just read crappy chick lit!
Posted by: eva | July 22, 2008 at 12:27 PM
I thought Apple was bad, but Honor is worse. Gotta wonder if she's going to turn out like those girls named Chastity who never practice it.
And OMG, more from the brain of Lil' Frema...you are such a tease! :)
Posted by: Mrs. Higrens | July 22, 2008 at 02:01 PM
She is getting so grown up! I really hate that babies grow so fast :-( If I can get blogger to work, I'll be voting for you to win the stroller!
Posted by: Katie | July 22, 2008 at 03:20 PM
I love reading your blogs... My daughter is 3 days older than Kara - although we aren't working on number 2 just yet...
The webpage for the baby food is good - I have used it as reference.
Good luck on the house hunting! Moving after baby isn't too bad - we moved at 4 months - and are still remodeling... but I would only recommend doing it if you found a house you really like!
Posted by: SSU | July 22, 2008 at 05:13 PM
I guess I am weird. I loved it when people noticed I was showing. I loved it when someone would comment on how big I was getting. If anyone would have said "hey deb what a fat ass you have" they would have been picking up teeth, but that was never a problem. Even though with my second baby I ate my way to gaining 50 lbs. I used to dream about doughnuts what can I say?
Posted by: debi | July 22, 2008 at 10:27 PM
About 6 years ago I helped my mom clean out her basement and donated easily hundreds of books to goodwill.
And where was I last year? Oh, searching ebay and buying a "lot" of Babysitters Club books.
I wonder - is the hope that my future children will like the books that I loved the same thing as when women believe that their daughters will want to wear their wedding dress? (forgive the grammar there, please).
:) Becky
http://www.stinkylemsky.typepad.com/
Posted by: Becky | July 23, 2008 at 02:24 PM
I am glad to hear an up date that says life is full and rich. However, I always thought it was just that way. Joy.
Posted by: daddy d | July 23, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Congratulations! how very exciting! sorry we havent seen you at the last few parties at Molly's house. keep me posted on the due date. =)
Posted by: Tina | July 26, 2008 at 01:41 PM
ooooh I hope you win the stroller! Also, I'll stand right by your side and, too, declare my love for Richard Simmons!!
Posted by: HollowSquirrel | August 08, 2008 at 08:41 PM