Regarding I don’t remember what:
Josh: It’s really easy to get it off.
Josh*: That’s what she said.
*Yes, Josh has been told (many a time) that he can not both set up and deliver the punch line to “That’s What She Said.” He still insists on doing it.
Seriously?
‘Got milk’ lawyers huff at Talkeetna artist’s parody.
I know that breastmilk and cow’s milk are similar in appearance, but I think US consumers are more than capable of differentiating between the two.
Thanks to the Lactivist for the heads up.
Last night we diapered Jude with Seventh Generation Diapers
My first impression of the diapers were that they were of the no-frill variety. They’re a cream color and are not adorned with any cartoon character or colorful design. We bought size 4 diapers, and they seem to run a tad small around his waist in comparison with Pampers, which we had previously been using. I found it hard to get the diaper centered on Jude’s body. Josh noticed that, even after all my trying, the diaper was still off-center, so he had a go at it and seemed to have better luck. Additionally, the tabs on the diapers are really wide, making it tough to get them placed properly.
Jude was in the diaper over night (he doesn’t wake up for a change during the night anymore) and the diaper did not leak. So far, there hasn’t been any noticeable diaper rash that I would attribute to the change in diaper brand.
I put Jude in another Seventh Generation diaper
I just read some other reviews of these diapers, and apparently, this is a new design. People seem to agree that the diapers run small and that the large tabs are awkward.
Overall, I like these diapers. I think they’ll take some getting used to, and I might need to go up a size sooner rather than later, but they seem to be a pretty good fit for our family.
Silly me. When the gentleman from the Relocation Center said he was going to put together a quote for us for a “full” moving package (includes packers and movers) because we might be surprised at how affordable it would be, I believed him.
Silly me again. When Josh asked him to work up a quote for just movers and he said it would lower the cost substantially, I believed him again.
At this point, I really think I want to move with the clothes on my back. To hell with everything else. It looks like we’re going to have to pack all our stuff, load it into a U-haul, drive the U-haul to a u-pack center, unload the U-haul, load the 18-wheeler, drive the U-haul back to the U-haul place… lather, rinse, repeat in Chicago.
Josh doesn’t think that packing will be too bad. We’ve downsized a lot… we’ve donated, thrown away, and sold a lot of stuff. He’s probably right, but honestly, it doesn’t make it any easier. Last time we moved, I was (conveniently) pregnant and was too sick/exhausted/pregnant to do much of the actual packing and moving. This time, I won’t be so lucky. I wish the church would have been able to help, at least a little bit, with funding this move. It’s hard coming up with the money to cover these costs so quickly. I don’t think we would be able to afford packers even with help from the church, but we *might* be able to afford movers.
Arg. Why does moving have to be so tough?
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Here’s the menu for our last full week in Scranton!
Sunday
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fruit and scrambled eggs
Lunch: Veggie burgers w/salad, green beans, and corn on the cob
Dinner: Rice, cumin-roasted chickpeas, snap peas and squash
Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fruit and scrambled eggs
Lunch: Summer vegetable soup w/salad and ALTs
Dinner: Spelt pasta with sauce, green beans, and broccoli
Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fruit and scrambled eggs
Lunch: Summer vegetable soup w/salad and ALTs
Dinner: Rice and beans with canned corn
Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fruit and scrambled eggs
Lunch: PB&H with chips and salsa and snap peas
Dinner: Spelt pasta with sauce, green beans, and broccoli
Thursday
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fruit and scrambled eggs
Lunch: Rice and beans with canned corn
Dinner: Eggs and bagels
Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fruit and scrambled eggs
Lunch: Vegetable stir fry
Dinner: Vegetable stir fry
Saturday
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fruit and scrambled eggs
Lunch: Leftovers and/or PB&H
Dinner: Peacemeal party
Want more? Check out the Weekly Menus archive.
Regarding the yummy (but really hot) coffee we got at Wegmans for our ride home:
Me: It’s good once you can get it in your mouth.
Josh: That’s what she said.
This topic… well, I know I could write a lot of beautiful stuff about how becoming a mom has changed me. Tonight, however, I feel a bit defeated. Things not concerning the baby but concerning the grand whole of life have crumbled a bit today. If I thought it enough, I would say that motherhood has changed me greatly: It has given me stretch marks on my stomach, butt, and boobs; It has cleared my complexion only to pave the way for breakouts more major than any I have ever experienced; It caused me to throw out every ounce of sense I had and cut my hair pixie-length short. However, even in the midst of the uneasiness I feel, I can’t simply identify the physical changes I’ve undergone while becoming a mom and call it a blog post. The truth is, I am not the same person I was 14 months ago. To take it a little further, I’m not the same person I was 2 years ago.
The days leading up to Jude’s birth were spent reading and learning and thinking about how I wanted to raise Jude and how I could do best for him. On the day he was born, I lost a bit of myself. I can’t pinpoint exactly what part it is I lost, but I do know that whatever part it was, it’s long gone now. Somehow, throughout my pregnancy and Jude’s birth, I learned the meaning of sacrifice. Somewhere along the way, I learned what it meant to put someone else’s needs before my own. During the past 14 months, I’ve come to embrace myself as “mother,” even though it has meant giving up being “high-ball-drinker,” and “movie-goer,” and “pee-in-solitude-er.”
I have never known love like the love I have for my son. Each and every day the realization that this little boy is mine startles and astounds me. Having Jude has made me more perceptive (though I couldn’t find the cinnamon that was sitting directly in front of me on the counter this morning). Becoming a mom has made me more grateful for everything in life.
I think the Naked Redhead might be better suited to write on this week’s topic. I can talk about how I feel since becoming a mom, but I think what’s more interesting is finding out how other people’s perceptions change as their friends go from being childless to being mothers.
If today were a different day, I might be better able to express my thoughts on motherhood. Perhaps part of my problem is that the changes that have occurred are so abstract that they’re hard to write about. Perhaps I’m just way off my game tonight.
Now skeedaddle over to the Naked Redhead’s blog and read what she has to say about this phenomenon called motherhood.
Want more? Check out the Crossover Blog archive!
Well, plans are finally being finalized for our move to Chicago. Let me tell you, I can’t believe how amazingly caring and accommodating Josh’s new church has been during this entire process. They’re excited to have Josh on board, and they already seem to recognize his worth and value his gifts. So this is what it’s like to work for a healthy, functioning church, eh? I could get used to this.
Our goal right now is to start the move on August 6th and hope to arrive on/by August 9th so that we can be at worship on Sunday, August 10th. We may be able to complete the trip in two days instead of three or four. It just depends on the boy and the cats. I’m thinking the faster we can get there the better, but how do you explain a concept like that (or any concept at all) to a 14-month-old and three felines? Hopefully we can leave at around 6am on the 6th and make it at least six hours west by 3pm (yes, that gives us nine hours to go the equivalent of six hours. Trust me, we’re going to need the extra time). At 3pm we can check into whatever pet-friendly hotel we’ve made reservations at, and then we can spend the rest of the day/night there stretching our legs and playing. Hopefully this will eliminate (or at least curb) the amount of crying/whining/meowing we have to deal with. After a good night’s rest, we pack up and get on the road, again by 6am, and (hopefully) get into Chicago by 3pm. Here’s hoping all four of the boys will cooperate.
Josh called a relocation company, and we’re waiting for a surveyor to come out and estimate how many pounds of stuff we’re going to be moving. I’m telling you, I wish I could get rid of everything and start over fresh once we get to Chicago. I know that makes little to no economic sense, but getting rid of crap is so freeing. After we cleared out the basement last week, I felt like a new person. I can only imagine what it would feel like to actually get this house sold.
While Josh has been wrapping up contract negotiations with his new church, I’ve been wrapping up loose ends at my job at Finn Chiropractic. I’m really sad to have to leave this job (and not just because of the awesome free chiropractic care my family and I receive). A week after Dr. Jennifer hired me, I knew that I had found a job I could stay at for a long, long, long while. I had finally found a boss who was kind and direct and who didn’t hesitate to thank me for the work I had done. To this day I’m still a bit surprised to hear her say “Thank you!” as I walk out the door at the end of my shift. I like going to work there. I like the people I work with and the patients Dr. Jennifer cares for. I like having some adult time with a woman who I admire as both a professional and as a mom. I like spending time with the high-school aged C.A. who has been there longer than any other person on the office staff. Her excitement and dedication to her job are infectious. I’ll be sad not to see her every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
So, there’s still much to do and many people to see before we get the hell outta Dodge. If you’re interested in getting together, please, drop me a line or leave a comment for me! Friends of ours are planning a bit of a going away party for us, and we’d love to see you (and you, and you!).
Regarding the celebratory tiramisu Josh brought home for dessert:
Josh: It’s really sloppy.
Me: That’s what she said.
So, it looks like we’ll be leaving for Chicago around the 6th of August. Josh spoke with the senior warden of the church he’s going to be working at, and things are looking great. They would like him out there ASAP, so we’re going to plan to be landed in the city by August 9th. If we leave on the 6th, we’ll be able to take our time (which we’ll need, being that we’re taking three cats and a 14-month-old with us) and make frequent stops. I’m amazed that this is all coming together. I’ve had my heart set on Chicago ever since Josh first applied for the job, and now, in 17 days, we’ll be headed west to our new home in the Second City.
Today Josh and I walked to Manning’s for ice cream. While we walked, we talked about the move and all the things we have to do before we can actually leave. I reminded him that just about six years ago he was packing up his car and driving east to be here in PA with me. I asked him if he would have bothered coming if he knew that he would just be moving back in six years… Why waste the effort, ya know?
It has been a really long day for my family. I have a headache, Jude is passed out after having fought sleep for two hours, and Josh is just plain old beat. I’ll be so happy once this move is over and done with.
