I LOST

I guess the point of NaBloPoMo is to post every day. And I totally would have. Even if it had been stupid little pictures, a cute story about my baby, or HEY! Have you heard this one about my cats? But...

But, Nathan has been sick for a week. Poor guy. A virus has attacked him with a vengeance. His nose, his tummy, gah. And to top it off, I was flying solo last week because The Targo was out of town for a wedding. Needless to say, I had a snotty, very miserable baby strapped to me for five solid days. The only time I got on the computer was at work ... which isn't the best for blog posting.

We're much happier now, because a) he's on the mend, and b) daddy is back in town. What a difference it made to have The Targo there last night. I could actually go to the bathroom by myself without the Banshee-esque screaming.

So, although I lost at NaBloPoMo, I'm going to try to post more often. And perhaps, just maybe, write. Since I'm not working on my dissertation, I need to use those skills somehow.

On Top

Nathan hasn't been himself for the past few days. I kept attributing it to daylight savings time. Now, I stupidly realize, it's his top teeth coming in with a vengeance.

The Targo and I both had cosmetically fabulous teeth before braces, but needed orthodontic assistance because of our bites. Nathan's new teeth look VERY gappy. I'm hoping and assuming that once the rest of them come in, the center ones won't look like they've got an "I'm a heterosexual" gap between them. But right now? Wow. I'm pretty sure Mystic could stick her paw between them.

Rights and Privileges

We voted. Did you?

We got up super early because we had no idea how long the lines would be. Fortunately, they really weren't that long, and The Targo and I live in a precinct dominated by single family homes. Meaning, we were the line jumpers.

Nathan was so good!! The only time he made any noise was when The Targo came back from Starbucks (when we were still in the long line) with a cup of coffee. "DADADADADADA!" Other than that, he was totally chill.

The Targo voted first while I entertained Nathan. Then I quickly voted, realizing that I don't know who any of the judges are. Thank goodness for the Chicago Bar Association.

It may seem silly, but I got a little emotional about this vote. I think every election is important, but to me, there was something really special about voting as a family. I hope that we're able to take Nathan with us every time we vote. When he's older, I want him to understand our awesome privilege to vote. And that it's a responsibility too.

The Last One, I Promise

This costume is so darned cute, I just can't stand it. But, this is the last "LOOK! Nathan is a LION post." I promise. How was your weekend?

Remember Tuesday

Paper

One year ago today, I stood on a Mexican beach, watched the Caribbean Sea splash against the shore, and promised to love you for the rest of my life. It was a day that was long overdue, but now, I couldn't imagine it any differently.

I don't remember the exact day we met in grad school, but I remember when I first noticed you. You were the cute nerdy guy who had a girlfriend. I was the "older woman" (at 24) who was single for the first time since 19. We chummed around for much of our first year. Halfway through our second year, you were suddenly, unexpectedly, blessedly, single. And I ... well, I moved in quickly. If you need to blame someone, blame Amy, because she's awesome.

That first year was a blur and it was so much fun: All of the concerts, the fireworks, the museums, the shindigs with good friends.

The subsequent years have really flown by too. Being with you is the opposite of mundane, everyday life. We have so much fun together. We love our city and take advantage of it like tourists.

You love to play outside as much as I do. Whether we're walking around Chicago, exploring the jungle, or wandering through ancient ruins, we just play, tease, and laugh. I never thought I'd meet another adult who would enjoy "adventuring" as much as I do.

And now that we're married, we're embarking on a whole other adventure. One that doesn't involve Mayan ruins or me falling down 1,000 year old stairs. Can you believe that in less than two months we'll have a little Marianne-Targo clone? I'm so excited!

I feel so lucky to have you. Not a day goes without me telling someone how wonderful you are. I had no idea "head-over-heels" would last for this long.

I love you, Yo-yo. Happy 1st Anniversary. Thank you for being my world.

One Day More...Also, Life with The Targo

Oh jeez. Thank goodness this month is almost over. It's sad when you realize that you're even more dull than you had previously thought you were. Really sad.

So The Targo has a new obsession: He is totally addicted to selling stuff on Amazon. This came into fruition as a result of our attempt to purge clutter; which, in The Targo's mind, includes anything that hasn't be used in the last five minutes. Well, let me explain...

The other night, The Targo asked me to go through our DVDs and see which ones I was willing to part with. I picked out about three, went through them again, and picked out another five or so. Goodbye, Golden Girls Season One. KIT, okay? *sniff*

Selling on Amazon couldn't be easier, really. The bad thing is that they take a huge chunk out of your commission. And when you're selling Walking Tall for a dollar, it seems even bigger. But amazingly, every DVD we listed (except one) sold in just a couple of days. The Targo, being the Capitalist Pig that he is, underbid everyone. He was just like that annoying contestant on the Price Is Right who always bids $1.

So, fifty dollars later, he's a changed man. He looks at everything with an Antique Roadshow's junk appraiser's eye. It's making me ridiculously protective of my "stuff." In fact, when we were making out our Christmas lists for his family's name draw, I had a hard time. I was certain that no matter what I received, he'd keep a close watch and post it on Amazon when I wasn't looking. Once again, I'm glad my beloved Color Guard jacket isn't worth as much as the hook it hangs on.

Wait a minute - Targo! No! Stay away from that!

Red Squares

So, we had a breastfeeding class. I don't know what to say about it except that I never thought I'd see that many nipples in my life. My word.

Not live and in person, just on video and lots of pictures. But still.

Not My BFF

Bullets, in lieu of an actual post:

• the snooze button - despite implying that you'll wake me up nine minutes later, you let me oversleep.
• ligament laxity - ouch!
• today's lunch that's still sitting in my fridge at home - can I borrow $5?
• the dude driving the black pickup who almost ran me into oncoming traffic this morning - I realize I don't have the right to be on the road with you. What in the world was I thinking?
• the New England Patriots - irrational white hot hate
• the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru - really, is my total dependent on the money I hand you?

Are you in conflict with anyone or anything today?

I Can't Believe How Hard This Is

Are we there yet? No? It's only the 26th? *SOB*

Omigosh, I have absolutely nothing to write about. Except that I feel the need to sleep 12 hours per day. But really? Not. Interesting.

Fortunately, The Targo is just as much of a dork as I am and found a little gem on the Interweb. Craigslist is doing this "Best of..." series and mygah, this is priceless:

To my Ex-GF's Cat

---

Date: 2007-05-17, 11:26PM PDT

I don't miss her, but I miss you. You are the only cat I ever liked...and I think you liked me as I'm the only person you let pick up and walk around with. Sure, you were crabby, sounded like a rusty can when you were meowing, would ignore the laser pointer and got pissed at me when I needed to work and not pet you. Oh sure, you'd complain and make me feel bad for feeding you the same thing and at the same time as her other 2 cats, but did you notice I'd always slip you a piece of meat from my dinner plate? I know you were old and stairs were not as easy as they used to be, so I was always secretly glad and flattered to hear your voice by the bedroom door when I'd stay over. I know her kids liked the other animals in the house more then you, and I'm sorry, but I liked you better then her kids anyway. And yes, I know you watched me walk away that last time I left; I knew I wouldn't be coming back so I hope you found that catnip mouse I left in your secret hiding spot...you deserved 1 last rush in your old age.

I'm not sure if you are even still alive as I haven't been by the house since March of 05, but I hope that you are happy, warm and still catching the beam of sunlight in your favorite spot.

Anyway, just wanted you to know that you were the only cool cat I've ever known and that I miss you.

I don't know who this guy is, but I really, truly understand him.

From the Mouths of Babes

My mother-in-law told me this story today.

My in-laws went to the theater with some friends of theirs. The man had previously been married and has adult children. He was the woman's first husband and they married later in life. Before joining my in-laws that night, the man and the woman visited his niece and nephew and their small children.

Young girl: Uncle, do you have children?

Man: Yes, I do. But they're all grown up.

Young girl: Aunt, do you have children?

Woman: No, I don't.

The little girl pondered this for a moment.

Young girl: Are you neutered?

Little kids just rock. HAHAHAHAHA.

Belly Watch #8

I hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving. Other than eating too much food, ours was ... fine. Hmm. Only three people said the word "fat." From my not-so-nice extended family, that's not bad. Don't worry! I refrained from fisticuffs, but it wasn't easy.

So, here I am at 32 weeks. (T minus 8 weeks! Ish.) The past two weeks have been significantly more difficult than the previous 30. Not bad, but more difficult. Along with no one telling me about the horrendous heartburn, no one told me how bad the ligaments in your legs hurt as your belly gets bigger. Or, how badly the ligaments around your belly hurt. Gah! Or, how much you want to cry each time you get weighed. I'm kidding. Sort of. (*Note* This is the same tank top I was wearing at 26 weeks. BIG difference.)


The worst part is that I think I saw the bottom of my endless belly button. I'm not positive. I don't know why, but the idea of it popping out gives me the creeps.

The best (but still freaky) part is that we can regularly see the baby move. Having watched way too many Sci-Fi and horror films in my day, I'm both fascinated and terrified. I heard that many women at this point have strange dreams about the baby being something other than the baby (like a cat!). I imagine it was really frightening in the good ole days before sonogram technology. Thanks to the 3D/4D ultrasounds, I know the baby looks like a baby. Although he or she may have gold skin.

By the way, do drawstring track pants qualify for business casual? Because honestly, that's all I want to wear right now! And I know, it's only going to get worse.

NaBloPoMo LoSer

Um... oops. Do I lose or something for not posting on one day?


moar funny pictures

Thankful

I'm thankful for

• my husband, who is not only the man of my dreams, but my best friend;
• my family, despite all of their idiosyncrasies, drama, and the difficult personalities (okay, maybe not them);
• my job, which I love for some ridiculous reason;
• my cats, because I'm just that crazy;
• my friends, who have taken a lifetime to acquire but are worth the wait;
• my baby, who I dream about every day.

I hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Family Milestones

Peanut will be my in-laws' first grandchild. I know The Targo's parents are getting excited because his mom sent me this:

WHAT IS A GRANDPARENT?
(Taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds)

Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of her own.They like other people's.

A grandfather is a man & a grandmother is a lady!

Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them.

They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run.

It is good if they drive us to the shops and give us money.

When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

They show us and talk to us about the color of the flowers and also why we shouldn't step on "cracks."

They don't say, "Hurry up."

Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie your shoes.

They wear glasses and funny underwear.

They can take their teeth and gums out.

Grandparents don't have to be smart.

They have to answer questions like "why isn't God married?" and "How come dogs chase cats?".

When they read to us, they don't skip.

They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again.

Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don't have television because they are the only grown ups who like to spend time with us.

They know we should have snack-time before bedtime and they say prayers with
us every time and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

A six year old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "She lives at the airport and when we want her, we just go get her. Then when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."

Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things but I don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him!

It's funny when they bend over, you hear gas leaks and they blame their dog.

What's in a Name?

I'm asking for your opinion again! I loved the baby names topic, but here's the thing: Please don't tell me the names you've got planned for your little ones. I don't want anyone to be mad at The Targo and me when we pick Ursula Myrtle or Vladamir Peotr before you do. Dig?

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Cute baby feet from Acclaim Images.

My Name is Pig Latin for "Copy Cat"

L Sass has seriously had the most fun NaBloPoMo posts. Love! This post is one of my favorites so far.

After telling her story, she asked her loyal (and so funny) readers where their names came from. Well, Marianne ... hmm. Nothing spectacular about that name. And trust me, I've heard my share of Gilligan's Island jokes; but amazingly, not until college.

Both sides of my family are ridiculously unoriginal. There are like 5 names floating around, so everyone is named after someone. Well, two of my grandmas were named "Myrtle" and "Norma." Those hideous appellations died out pretty quickly. But there are a lot of Roberts, Johns, and Stephens with the boys. The girls mostly have recycled middle names. Funnily enough, I share my middle name with an aunt on each side of my family.

So, my first name? My mom's name is Ann Marie. My parents decided to flip-flop it and turn it into Marianne (it's an anagram!). I remember being the angriest little girl because I couldn't find my name on barrettes, pencils, or anything personalized. Sure, Denise next door had a cute little license plate for her bicycle, but if I wanted one, it either had to be "Mary Ann" or "Heather." Hmph. I learned that "Marianne" means bittersweet. Yeah, that's about right, when you emphasize the bitter.

I've met maybe 5 people who spell it the way I do. I guess it's much more common in Europe, particularly France, Germany, and Scandinavia. It's tragic, I know, but I manage to deal.The Targo and I have been looking at baby name books, and one said that "Marianne" was practically an extinct name. Now, we imagine our grandkids feeling the way I did about Myrtle. "Isn't Marianne a terrible name? Gah! I can't imagine calling a toddler that. What were her parents thinking?"

(Many apologies to the Myrtles and Normas out there. Along with the Dagmars, Peotrs, and Wojciechs, I mean no harm.)

Three Hours of Hooky

(I hope none of you misread that.)

I was supposed to have a doctor appointment on Monday, but it was rescheduled for this morning. What sucks is that I've carefully scheduled each of my appointments so I don't have to take time off of work. I've only been at my job a little over a year. With our wedding last November and Italy this past September, I'm hurting for vacation time and am very protective of using it for anything but the impending maternity leave.

Today's appointment is scheduled for 9:50. It's one of those urine sample, weight, heartbeat, measure belly, five minute appointments. I usually work from 7:00 - 3:00, so I could have either gone into work for an hour and a half and then come back to the city, or take three hours off this morning --- for a five minute appointment. Hmm. I'm still home ... and in my pajamas at 7:30 and it's so awesome.

This would be ever more enjoyable if I wasn't home alone with my thoughts and my heartburn: The Targo left for work at 6:45 and our cats are still out at my in-laws, where they'll remain until after Thanksgiving. Rumor has it that they're enjoying themselves and keeping everyone safe from random bugs and dust bunnies. Okay, I'm bored; I totally admit it.

Because I miss my kitties, I'll leave you with some Diva pictures on this chilly Friday.

A Forgotten Story

I'm totally not one of those people who feels the need to make fun of others a lot. Well, except for my pal Nogy and The Targo. But seriously, spend five minutes with these people and you won't be able to help yourself either.

Anyhoo...

The Scene: A beach on the Mediterranean Sea. Our couple is minding their own business, watching the water. An American couple is about 15 feet away, stage left. Behind them sits a European couple.

American Man to the super-beautiful European woman: So, we're from the U.S. - Massachusetts. Where are you two from?

European woman: We're Belgians.

American Man: Oh really! I've always wanted to go to Holland, or "the Netherlands." It must be so nice there.

Me, stage-whispering: And that's a whole other country. Omigod!

Because, That's Why

Thank God. Kristabella tagged me just a few days ago. Now I have something to write about. Because honestly, I couldn't bore you all more. Shh... I know.

Four First Names of Crushes I Had

1. Jason
2. Chris
3. Kevin
4. Craig

I'm pretty sure this could not be a more WASP-y list of names. Good
Lord. I read this question wrong, so The Targo isn't on there.

Four Pieces of Clothing I Wish I Still Owned

1. My Color Guard sweatshirt
2. This cute pair of expensive shoes my dog ate when he was a
   puppy. Then again, this was 1997 -- so maybe they're not cute
   anymore except in my kitten-filled memories.
3. You know ... I'm not that into clothes. But I really like
   pajamas. I had this cute satiny nightgown in college. I can't even
   remember if I ever wore it.
4. I've got this Cardinals shirt that I haven't been able to find since we
   moved. Does that count?

Four Professions I Secretly Want to Try

1. FBI Analyst
2. Epidemiologist
3. Attorney
4. Realtor

Could this list be any nerdier? I should have listed "Rocket
Scientist" in there for good measure.

Four Musicians I’d Most Want to Go On a Date With

1. Rob Thomas
2. ummm...
3. hmmm...
4. uhhhh...

Four Foods I’d Rather Throw Than Eat

1. GAH... Bologna
2. Sauerkraut
3. Corned Beef (Reubens are my idea of hell)
4. Cornish Game Hens --- GAG! Anything with bones grosses me out.
   But this? This is some nasty stuff.

Four Things I Like to Sniff
Is this a real question? I want to know what the sought answers might be.

I can't even think how to answer this.

True story, I've broken my nose twice, and my sense of smell sucks. For most things. Since becoming pregnant, I seem to have a super sense of smell for things of funk. Maybe I like to snort pumpkin pie candles? Perhaps I just thought that was a weird thing to admit?

Four People to Tag

Umm... Sarah, Christi, Tara, Candy