Of COURSE it is....

Good thing:  going to the lake during Tax Free Weekend because the beach is empty...

Bad thing:...except for the bikini models and their photographers shooting the Hot Bods Bikini calendar.

Sick, masochistic...

Now, I'm not saying for who, but I do believe I've got some Christmas gift ideas lined up already...

Day 4: Still successful

I've been told I'm much more pleasant today.

I'm very envious of all my friends losing weight (you know who you are) and realized I need to get my ample-sized butt to the gym if I don't want to turn into a Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloon very soon (what with the non-smoking and increased snacking to offset the non-smoking.... eh, that was a better metaphor in my head). Moving along. Yep, I made it to the gym this morning. Didn't do a whole lot, but it was 45 minutes more cardio than yesterday.

AND... I finally got the ball rolling on Will's birthday party. I tried to reserve the venue; I successfully ordered his invites (20 cents/piece! And printed envelopes! And 3-day rush order!) and have begun purchasing some of the decorations/favors. I say tried to reserve the venue because apparently they're not accepting reservations this week. (This is not a high class resort where they have a waiting list; it's a rec center, complete with little old ladies playing bridge in the waiting room. I swear I heard one of them say "Picture it...Sicily, 1923") So it's at the same park as last year and hopefully the weather plays as nicely as last year too; if not, party at D-Dub's house!

Apologies all around

I'm still smoke-free, but more to the point, I'm still bitchy.

I apologize if anything I've said or my actions have offended you; it was never done intentionally and, more likely, was done as a joke but, looking back, with thinly veiled aggression.

Regardless, it's never appropriate and I'm a bit old for name-calling.

I'm sorry.

Good-bye old friend

I did it.

I smoked my last cigarette. I have officially quit. I'm not pregnant.

Please congratulate me so I can read back on comments during moments of weakness when I invariably think "Gosh, $7 for a pack really isn't that bad".

Start now.

EDIT:
In all seriousness, thanks everybody--I really appreciate it.

Potty Update

Tomorrow is Will's Big Boy Day at his new school. That's the day where we no longer use pull-ups: everything is underpants. Ms. Dee (his teacher) has told us Will will have accidents; there will be lots of laundry at the end of every day. I'm supposed to bring a crapload of underwear and spare clothes--a second pair of shoes is optional, but a good idea. He will apparently have a Potty Mentor: a little boy from the 4 year-old class that will show him the ropes in the bathroom. Sidenote: none of this is new information. Will knows exactly what to do in a bathroom. We've been keeping him well informed.

Last night Will stayed completely dry for 13 hours. We put him in bed at 8:30, asleep at 9, he wandered into our room somewhere around 7am and we didn't get up until close to 10. That pull-up was as dry as when we first put it on. Also, when I did finally get him to sit on his potty chair, I have never seen (or heard) him produce so much urine.

During the day, if I ask him if he needs to go potty, the answer is always "No!". I've discovered the trick is to race him. Race him into the bathroom, race him to take off our pants, race him to pee first (Will always wins). This has yet to fail me, by the way. He always, always produces during these races.

Today I kept him in underwear after his nap. We went to a playground and shopping for birthday decorations. I remembered to keep a spare set of clothes in the car. We made it home dry and happy (even after drinking a cup of water). I was excited until I remembered that my child has the ability to hold it for thirteen flipping hours. I don't understand how he can ever have accidents at this rate.

Yes, I know it will happen. There will be stumbles and falling off the wagon. I'm just so excited for him. I'm excited for us to no longer have to budget in diapers/pull-ups into our monthly groceries. I feel bad that both sets of grandparents as well as we still have a practically full pack of these pull-ups.

Totally worth it, regardless of how well tomorrow goes.

Vegas 2009

The last time Jason and I went to Las Vegas, I was three months pregnant. We decided it was time to venture west again--preferably when the thermometers are exploding and the deals are at their lowest. This time we decided to make a trip out to Hoover Dam, which is a sort of Mecca for Jason.

Just as we were approaching Lake Mead we started seeing all the signage for helicopter rides over the dam--we were thisclose to signing up for one.

Thank God we didn't.

This is the arch for the bypass bridge currently being built. They're using a lot of the same technology used for the original dam-building. Hopefully, the poor workmen aren't wearing the same clothes used before: courduroy pants, Wellies and baseball hats dipped in tar.

Look! We're cute!
Only I could find penguins in the desert.

Still cute! I'm looking a bit heavy, but damn cute.

We stayed at Mandalay and the tram to Excalibur was sent straight from Heaven. Jason was very excited to get solicited for the first time, and Mom and I had a blast making fun of all the women dressed like solicitors and their footwear.

So that was about it: Mandalay is beautiful, the pools were divine and Jason and I lost a whole bunch of money. Will had a blast with Grandma & Poppy and is better behaved now than when he left me. Yay!

Saturday

It was God-awful hot today, so The Abs & Pops and I took Will to Baskin Robbins for some ice cream after nap. Short Stack has been dry all day today and I've been super-proud of him. While we were in the "ice cream house", he told me he needed to go potty.

Guess what?

It was an excuse to go into an accoustically-sound room and scream his mother-loving head off. Apparently people standing in line to order were looking at each other wondering what the hell I was doing to my child in the public bathroom. While Will was running around the bathroom enjoying the sound of his own voice (very much his father's son), he literally ran into the sink. You'd think the thing was made of rubber with the way Will bounced off of it.

Easily the funniest part of my day. Not so much for Will, who's now sporting the makings of a black eye.

Bet you say that to all the girls

Things you don't ever want to hear in your life:

"Man, you really salivate a lot, don't you"

-your dentist

Wipeout: Thanks Rob

I got home from work a little late tonight and Jason was a busy little rock star and had dinner ready for us and Will had already eaten. We settled in as a family to watch a little Wipeout (recommended by Unca Rob) and... well, Will's already started his daredevil-ness:

Yes, he did jump off the recliner. Repeatedly.

And yes, Jason did recline the recliner and make Will fall. And we did laugh.