How does one pronounce "meme", anyway?
Based on an exercise developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.
BOLD WHICH APPLY TO YOU:
* Father went to college
* Father finished college
* Mother went to college
* Mother finished college
* Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
* Were the same or higher socio-economic class than your high school teachers
* Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
* Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
* Were read children's books by a parent
* Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
* The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
* Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
* Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
* Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
* Went to a private high school
* Went to summer camp
* Family vacations involved staying at hotels
* Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
* There was original art in your house when you were a child
* You and your family lived in a single family house
* Your parent(s) owned their own house(s) or apartment before you left home
* You had your own room as a child
* You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
* Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course
* Had your own TV in your room in High School
* Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College
* Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
* Went on a cruise with your family
* Went on more than one cruise with your family
* Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
* You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family
Etcetera.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Meme Stolen From Paca
1. What are your nicknames?
Sixteen; Psychotwin; Natch (I doubt any of my friends know the story of all three nicknames. I run in different circles. LOL.)
2. What game show and/or reality show would you like to be on?
The Mole. Failure can make you a winner. I love that!
3. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
I don't think I've ever actually bought a movie, at least for myself.
4. What is your favorite scent?
Coffee
5. If you had a million dollars that you could only spend on yourself, what would you do with it?
I'd hire a truth-teller to tell people all the things they need to hear, but I am too wimpy to say. I've already vetted my truth-teller; I just cannot afford his salary yet. I'd also hire a housekeeper and chef. And I would travel.
6. What one place have you visited that you can't forget and want to go back to?
New York City.
7. Do you trust easily?
Yes, too easily. I get in trouble for it all the time.
8. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
Socially, I act before I think. Professionally, I always think before I act.
9. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
My baby being in the hospital and on the bili light made me cry everyday. Missing Ander during my many hospital stays was heart-wretching. The NICU made me crazy.
10. Do you have a good body image?
Yes. Tomorrow, I'll be two weeks post-partum, and I still have a good body image, Maybe I live in a dream world. LOL.
11. What is your favorite fruit?
Strawberries (with chocolate, of course) and satsumas and watermelon. Opps, I didn't see the singular verb tense.
12. What websites do you visit daily?
giftieetcetera, LSMSAreunions, pregnancyweekly, google reader
13. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Iced oatmeal cookies and grits (not necessarily together)
14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
I am untagged, but Paca is going to be a dear friend, just as soon as hubby and I make it out to Hawaii!
15. What's the last song that got stuck in your head?
Loving in the glen, Smoky side of Loch, Ander in my hand, Thistle in my heart...close your eyes and dream...
16. What's your favorite item of clothing?
Right this moment? The $50 nursing bra that actually fits and doesn't hurt. It's dirty this moment, so I'm wearing the $12 Wal-mart one. It itches.
In general? I need a new all-purpose sweater, with a zip front and pockets and cuffed sleeves, but that sort of sweater is always my favorite (and gets worn until it wears out, which is why I need a new one).
17. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
No. I don't like Rice Krispie treats, either.
18. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
If I didn't have the way to identify the owner, finders keepers!
19. What items could you not go without during the day?
Right now? A nipple shield. Yuck! But in general, my laptop.
20. What should you be doing right now?
Holding my baby. Or, perhaps, taking a shower. Double ick!
Etcetera.
Sixteen; Psychotwin; Natch (I doubt any of my friends know the story of all three nicknames. I run in different circles. LOL.)
2. What game show and/or reality show would you like to be on?
The Mole. Failure can make you a winner. I love that!
3. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
I don't think I've ever actually bought a movie, at least for myself.
4. What is your favorite scent?
Coffee
5. If you had a million dollars that you could only spend on yourself, what would you do with it?
I'd hire a truth-teller to tell people all the things they need to hear, but I am too wimpy to say. I've already vetted my truth-teller; I just cannot afford his salary yet. I'd also hire a housekeeper and chef. And I would travel.
6. What one place have you visited that you can't forget and want to go back to?
New York City.
7. Do you trust easily?
Yes, too easily. I get in trouble for it all the time.
8. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
Socially, I act before I think. Professionally, I always think before I act.
9. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
My baby being in the hospital and on the bili light made me cry everyday. Missing Ander during my many hospital stays was heart-wretching. The NICU made me crazy.
10. Do you have a good body image?
Yes. Tomorrow, I'll be two weeks post-partum, and I still have a good body image, Maybe I live in a dream world. LOL.
11. What is your favorite fruit?
Strawberries (with chocolate, of course) and satsumas and watermelon. Opps, I didn't see the singular verb tense.
12. What websites do you visit daily?
giftieetcetera, LSMSAreunions, pregnancyweekly, google reader
13. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Iced oatmeal cookies and grits (not necessarily together)
14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
I am untagged, but Paca is going to be a dear friend, just as soon as hubby and I make it out to Hawaii!
15. What's the last song that got stuck in your head?
Loving in the glen, Smoky side of Loch, Ander in my hand, Thistle in my heart...close your eyes and dream...
16. What's your favorite item of clothing?
Right this moment? The $50 nursing bra that actually fits and doesn't hurt. It's dirty this moment, so I'm wearing the $12 Wal-mart one. It itches.
In general? I need a new all-purpose sweater, with a zip front and pockets and cuffed sleeves, but that sort of sweater is always my favorite (and gets worn until it wears out, which is why I need a new one).
17. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
No. I don't like Rice Krispie treats, either.
18. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
If I didn't have the way to identify the owner, finders keepers!
19. What items could you not go without during the day?
Right now? A nipple shield. Yuck! But in general, my laptop.
20. What should you be doing right now?
Holding my baby. Or, perhaps, taking a shower. Double ick!
Etcetera.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
What's In A Name
Lochlan Reilly, aka Loki. It funny how much our relatives hate the name. And strangers. They try to pretend. "Oh, that's interesting." "Wow, that's really unique." (Not really, by the way. The Scottish version of Lochlan, spelled Lochlin, I think, is the number one boy name in Australia.) And Loki just blows their minds. They want to called him Lock-ee instead of Low-key. Which is fine by me...Loki is my nickname for Lochlan and other nicknames aren't bothersome to me, especially as his daddy sometimes calls him Loch...but it's really funny when my family stumbles all over themselves, trying to remember how to pronounce Loki or to spell Lochlan.
But our friends mostly seem to really appreciate the humor of the name Loki. It sort of gets a kid off the hook, doesn't it, to name him after a god of mischief? It's the opposite of the way I live, but the dream of what I want to be like. Whatever he does, living up to his name will be easy, even if everything else is hard.
Ander and Loki. Who would have thought I would have kids with those names? I am such a Michael/Scott sort of person. But the names fit. They fit perfectly, somehow.
Etcetera.
But our friends mostly seem to really appreciate the humor of the name Loki. It sort of gets a kid off the hook, doesn't it, to name him after a god of mischief? It's the opposite of the way I live, but the dream of what I want to be like. Whatever he does, living up to his name will be easy, even if everything else is hard.
Ander and Loki. Who would have thought I would have kids with those names? I am such a Michael/Scott sort of person. But the names fit. They fit perfectly, somehow.
Etcetera.
The Myth of Breastfeeding Bliss
I remember when I was a formula feeding mommy and I heard from so many breastfeeding mommies that I was missing out on the intimate connection of looking into my beautiful baby's eyes while nursing him.
Ha ha ha ha ha.
Imagine your nipple is pierced. Now, imagine someone ties that piercing to a train. The conductor starts the train. The train leaves the station. OUCH to the thousandth degree. Oh, and that's with a proper latch. And without any sore nipples or tears or anything...though rumors abound that such things eventually happen.
And looking into dear baby's eyes? Not a chance. He's buried somewhere far below eye level. Plus, I have to watch his nostrils, as he cannot get air if I don't hold them away from me.
Alan and I were discussing how wonderful it was to bottle feed Ander, to hold him close and gaze deep into his soul.
I know I am doing the best thing for my little one. But bonding? Wonderful? Sweet? Those people must have been lying liars!
Etcetera.
Ha ha ha ha ha.
Imagine your nipple is pierced. Now, imagine someone ties that piercing to a train. The conductor starts the train. The train leaves the station. OUCH to the thousandth degree. Oh, and that's with a proper latch. And without any sore nipples or tears or anything...though rumors abound that such things eventually happen.
And looking into dear baby's eyes? Not a chance. He's buried somewhere far below eye level. Plus, I have to watch his nostrils, as he cannot get air if I don't hold them away from me.
Alan and I were discussing how wonderful it was to bottle feed Ander, to hold him close and gaze deep into his soul.
I know I am doing the best thing for my little one. But bonding? Wonderful? Sweet? Those people must have been lying liars!
Etcetera.
Off the Light
The home health people called and Loki is now bili light free. He knows it, too. I try to put him down (because it's 4:22 p.m. and I haven't had time for lunch yet...sigh) and he screams. He knows I am going to hold him now...I'm certain of it. :)
They are checking him again tomorrow and not taking the light away until they are certain levels aren't coming back up.
Etcetera.
They are checking him again tomorrow and not taking the light away until they are certain levels aren't coming back up.
Etcetera.
Oh The Blur
Alan apparently watched Rocky and feed the baby bottles half the night. I had to get up and pump, of course, but at one point, I slept for 5 hours IN A ROW. Holy moly, it was nice. I'm so blessed that Loki will take the bottle or breast equally well. He gained an ounce today, so I guess he's eating enough. Of course, when I did pump (once yesterday when the pain was unbareable and once this morning after the five hour slumber), I made about 12 ounces in less than 5 minutes. That's crazy, of course. No one does that. Sigh.
Ander was sitting in the back seat of the car day before yesterday, and he busted out with, "oh my freakin' God." Guess we are letting words slip that oughtn't.
I feel like I never stop. Wake. Pump. Shower. Feed baby. Feed me and Ander. Change Ander. Change baby. Feed baby. Feed Ander. Ander down for nap. Feed me. It just never ends. I think it will be better once Lochlan is off the bili light, but I figure that's going to be Friday at the earliest. His levels are going down, but pretty slowly.
We've had fewer visitors than I expected. P and E came over one night. My youngest sister visited the next night. But one of my sisters is pregnant and nearing the end, so extra trips are exhausting to her. The other has a sick kid, so she is not coming around until he is better. And my mom and dad haven't been by all week (which, yes, I think is strange, but normal for them). I think it helped that we brought the baby to a family event, so everyone got to see him there.
Etcetera.
Ander was sitting in the back seat of the car day before yesterday, and he busted out with, "oh my freakin' God." Guess we are letting words slip that oughtn't.
I feel like I never stop. Wake. Pump. Shower. Feed baby. Feed me and Ander. Change Ander. Change baby. Feed baby. Feed Ander. Ander down for nap. Feed me. It just never ends. I think it will be better once Lochlan is off the bili light, but I figure that's going to be Friday at the earliest. His levels are going down, but pretty slowly.
We've had fewer visitors than I expected. P and E came over one night. My youngest sister visited the next night. But one of my sisters is pregnant and nearing the end, so extra trips are exhausting to her. The other has a sick kid, so she is not coming around until he is better. And my mom and dad haven't been by all week (which, yes, I think is strange, but normal for them). I think it helped that we brought the baby to a family event, so everyone got to see him there.
Etcetera.