Well yesterday was fun! I got some fun new visitors and I was visited by a couple of pretty Big Bloggers and even linked by one. Woohoo! I was cool for a minute. I don’t think I would have time to be cool full-time. I try to respond when someone new comments and check out that person’s blog. I felt like I spent a lot more time on the internet yesterday. (That’s right, once I think of you as a friend and/or regular, you don’t get responses to your comments anymore unless I have something say in response. I’m mean that way.)

**********************************

Some days, my child is so cute I almost can’t stand it. I can’t believe that there has ever been a child even half as cute as mine is.

On those days, I spend the day taking her photo, trying to freeze her too cute for words expressions. I want to capture just a little of the magic of this age.

Then other days, I need to see those pictures. They remind me of how cute she is when she isn’t whining and hanging off my leg and flinging applesauce on the wall and pulling the dog’s tail and generally making me want to go hide in the back of the closet with my mommy flask.

I had dinner with a group of lovely local bloggers tonight. Things like gaining traffic, popular posts, and world domination were discussed. But a couple of events lately have started my brain churning about the similarities between parts of blog world and high school.

Here are my Top Ten Ways Blogland is like High School

10. When we are new to blogging, it is much like the first day at a new school. We are standing there in the cafeteria with our tray looking for a friendly table where we can sit. We don’t dare sit at the cool table (read: commenting on a Big Blogger’s site) so we find a corner that seems friendly and start there.

9. It is best to show up every day. Yes, you can blog sporadically but if you want to have readers, they expect content.

8. Cliques are alive and well. We all have our best blogging friends and we stick together. It is difficult to enter a new corner of blogland and feel welcome.

7. It is all about getting comments which is just like getting your yearbook signed by as many people as possible.

6. Everyone loves the class clown. We were talking tonight about feeling pressure to be funny – same as high school. You are declaring “look at me!” so you better make ’em laugh.

5. Bloggers often have email conversations off-blog. This is like passing notes in history class.

4. If the cool girl (read: a Big Blogger) acknowledges you, it can make your day. If she snubs you, it can make you want to go cry a little in the bathroom.

3. We copy each other’s homework. When we are stuck for inspiration, we read other blogs and use their posts as jumping off points for our own posts.

2. When someone refers to another un-named blogger in an unflattering manner, we all get paranoid that she is talking about us.

1. When there is a fight (in the comments), we all gather around to either have our friend’s back or to pick at the carcasses.

And much like high school, I am rather oblivious to it all. I’m sufficiently popular in my tiny corner of blogland and don’t give much thought to gaining more popularity. I’m clueless cool like that.

Like many parents of young children, Steve and I rarely get to the theater to see a movie. We used to go with some regularity pre-Sabrina. I am obsessed with movie theater popcorn and will sit through just about any movie provided I don’t have to share said popcorn. When we arrived in Nashville, we noticed that the McD’s right down the road has a redbox movie rental – $1 a night. Can’t beat it! (Although sadly it doesn’t dispense movie popcorn, which can’t be replicated at home because I’m sure the chemicals in the butter substance are too dangerous for home use. Just as well for my arteries.) We are notoriously bad at returning movies on time and the late fees we’ve paid could put Sabrina in private school so the $1 a night was perfect.

Because I am often the one out running errands, I usually pick up a movie for us to watch. I try to pick movies that I think we will both enjoy. Unfortunately, I’ve hit a really bad streak. I rented 4 in a row that were stinkers. Steve declared he got to pick the next 6 movies to make up for it but he never makes it to the box to rent them. Then his mom got us a Netflix subscription for Christmas (LOVE it!). I asked Steve what movies he wanted to see and he mumbled that he would have to look. But he never did so they started sending my picks. Again, not doing so well. Steve is threatening to change the Netflix password on me if my choices don’t improve. The only one that has been okay so far was Waitress – and we didn’t love it, it just wasn’t as bad as the others lately. The last one, Fracture, was so dull that Steve fell asleep about 1/2 way through.

Oh wise internet, tell me what movies you’ve loved in the past year or so. We watch most genres – romantic comedy, drama, thriller, action, even a little horror. We don’t tend to be big fans of indie films (NO Trainspotting, Amy!). Or, maybe more importantly, what movies were really bad so that I can avoid them.

Double fisting the toaster waffle:

Kicking back with some milk and a good book at the end of a hard day:

***********************

Yet another doctor’s appointment today. She surprised me. She didn’t even bring up the cerclage or putting me back on bed rest and seemed to be in a good mood. She was actually pretty pleasant. Maybe she got laid for V-day, I don’t know. Anyway, everything still looks fine with the baby. They took some blood for some kind of chromosomal blood work today. According to dates, I am 15w5d today. The baby was measuring 15w6d and his/her head was measuring 16w6d (anyone who knows my big headed hubby would know that alone proves paternity – I say that with love but seriously they had to special order his helmet when he played football in high school).

I woke up yesterday to snow.  Steve thought this was great – he misses the snow from up North.  Me?  Not so much.  We’ve had a few flurries in the past but yesterday it snowed hard and it stuck to the ground.  I know many of you are dealing with real snow not my wimpy Southern snow.  My nephew was off school Mon, Tues and Weds this week due to snow.  I complain simply because I thought moved to get away from it.  And because Southerners freak out before the first flake hits the ground.  Despite the lack of any white stuff on the road, traffic crawls along at 5 mph.  And because I couldn’t find my ice scrapper in my car because I didn’t think I would need it in Nashville.  It is still quite cold this morning but supposed to get up to 50-something so I’ll quit my whining and let you all get back to shoveling your driveways.

Evidence of the cold – Ice in my gutters this morning

and snow still left on some decorative grass

Those of you experiencing real winter can tell me to shut up now (don’t smack the pregnant lady).

*********************

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you.  Steve and I don’t celebrate it.  I’ve always said I would rather get flowers on a random Tuesday than the day Hallmark deems it necessary.  And I do so it all works out.  Steve is much better at being romantic when the mood strikes than when the calendar dictates so I’m a happy wife.  But I hope those of you who save up all of your romantic urges for today have a fabulous celebration with your honeybuns.

I think I’ve finally realized (I can be a little slow to realize the obvious) why I tend to feel more comfortable in groups of mommies who have adopted than in regular mommy groups. Sure we have the conversation starters about agencies and process but that isn’t it. In regular mommy groups, I’m the odd man out. Not because I can’t tell my horror story from labor or talk about breast feeding but because I am the old mommy. The majority of the moms in the groups are in their 20’s. They bemoan getting older while I roll my eyes that 28 seems old to them. In groups of adopting moms, I tend to be closer to the median age. The moms are a little older for a variety of reasons. Many had biological kids when they were a bit younger and adopted later. Many are first time moms but a bit older because they either went through fertility treatment during their younger years or they had to spend some time becoming financially prepared for adoption or it is the way they chose to do things. Most spent more time in their careers before becoming a stay at home mom. I just fit better into that group and strangely it has little to do with the fact we both adopted our children.

These deep thoughts follow on the heels of a not-so-fun play date last week. The moms were all perfectly nice but so young that I had trouble relating to them beyond the fact we both spend the majority of our days wiping butts and noses. I was the oldest mommy and Sabrina was one of the youngest kids and the venue really wasn’t good for her – nothing she was really able to play with and a noise level that she found distressing. It is a group that I am not very active with and I think I might give it one more try and then give that group up entirely.

*************

Per a couple of requests, I took a pic of my clothed pregnant belly…but was too repulsed to actually post it.  Sorry ladies.  I keep saying I don’t look pregnant, just fat.  And that is mostly true.  I do have a belly but I’m just not sure how much of it is baby and how much of it is those weeks of bedrest.  So once it is more obviously baby perhaps I’ll grant the requests.  For now, forget about it.

***************

Miss Sabrina rarely gets anything done with her pretty hair.  We are doing well when there aren’t bits of food hanging out of it.  I do clip a barrette to get her bangs out of her eyes when they need trimmed.  I’ve tried the pony tails but a combo of my ineptitude and her impatience results in some sad hairdos.  But today, I tried it while her hair was still wet and it is messy but I claim victory:

And about 6 seconds later she pulled one out.

Please ignore the yucky pillow case behind her.  I had to do something to keep her grimy hands off my chairs so now she smears her mess on the case and I wash it.

My BFF left this morning to return North, the land of people who can at least sort of drive and no sunshine in February. We had a fabulous (even if sober) time. She brought all sorts of yummy food to feed Steve and I while she was here. We also enjoyed a lunch out. Food – check. Then I dragged her to an artisan store I’ve been wanting to check out (as I guessed it was tres cool but out of my current budget). And we went to Opry Mills yesterday. She had fun making me strap on the fake belly in the maternity store. She proceeded to rub “my” belly and giggle. I told her to bite me. I picked up a couple of maternity tops and a pair of maternity shorts as well as some new sleeping boxers. Shopping – check. We spent time reminiscing about some of our old stories. Laughing – check.

Sadly, I didn’t pick up my camera the whole she was here. I should have snapped a few pics of her and Sabrina at the very least but it didn’t happen. So you’ll have to settle for a photo of us circa 1995. Sigh, let’s not discuss how many years ago that was.  Or how much  hair I had back in that clip.

You ever think that maybe you should put a little more effort or thought into your marriage? Ms. Fussypants has started a new marriage website with the subtitle of “The gentle art of ruling one’s husband”. It is full of great suggestions to improve your marriage. Go check it out.

*****************

Thanks to everyone for the opinions on my doctor rant the other day. For those who suggested it, she is a high risk OB and a perinatologist. But that doesn’t stop her from being a pain in my ass. I’ve decided to have a frank discussion with her at my next appointment. I will be letting her know that our weekly appointments will not continue. Bi-weekly maybe but weekly is ridiculous. And if she insists on the cerclage, I will let her know that I am seeking a second opinion. I don’t feel competent to say “No, you aren’t doing it” but am uncomfortable enough with this that I will speak with another doctor before I agree to something like that. Depending on her reaction to that and how I feel about whoever I see for a second opinion, I might end up dumping her altogether.  But I feel a misguided loyalty to her as though she is the only reason this pregnancy made it this far.

***************
My BFF is driving down from Ohio tomorrow to hang out for the weekend. This might be the first time in a couple of decades that alcohol isn’t involved in one of our girlfests. (I’m knocked up and she is a on a medication that doesn’t allow her to drink.) I guess we will have to shop and eat to make up for it.

***************

Plans for Guatoberfest 2008 are underway.  Go to the website to vote for the location for this year’s gathering.  Guatoberfest is for all families brought together through adoption, not just those who have adopted from Guatemala.  But the name is so catchy, why change it?

Sadly, I started to name this post Tuesday and then realized it wasn’t.  I really hope to get a portion of my brain back when my uterus is vacated by this baby.

Onward.

Sabrina takes time out of her busy day to kick back and read a book.

The dog is her patient, long-suffering lounge chair.

Her favorite activity is opening and closing doors all over the house.  We have this weird little wet bar in our living room (hello, 1972 called and Mr. Ferley will be over to fix the sink later) with a double door.  She spends a large portion of her day opening and closing these doors.  Mommy doesn’t mind that so much but yesterday was a lovely day so I left the front door open and must have had to re-open it 37 times.  I think she feel powerful being able to move something so much bigger than herself.

On a completely unrelated note, why did no one tell me to quit being stubborn and to give in to the joy of elastic?  I’ve been wearing my regular jeans.  This is fine unless I need to bend over or eat – then they start to feel a bit snug.  I’ve refrained from unbuttoning them in public but just barely.  Yesterday, I finally tried on a pair of maternity capris I got on Ebay – nirvana.  I never thought I could love pants with an elastic waist band so much.

I’ve had the great fortune to meet many of my blogland strangerfriends in person.  I was so excited to meet Carla (coiner of the phrases strangerfriends for our blog family and chickenbus as a toddler friendly curse word replacement) this past fall when I was in Texas.  She is as funky and cool in person as she is in blogland (and Emma is too much fun).  It is rare to find a friend, let alone a strangerfriend, with whom you can exchange 1 or 2 sentence snarky emails and not worry about having to explain what you mean.  Carla is one of those people for me.

Several of you have asked what happened to her since she moved her Chickenbus journal to a private corner of blogland.  Now you have a new opportunity to see what she is up to – she launched her new sit MizFit yesterday.

In her previous life, Carla was a personal fitness guru and she continues to do a good bit of fitness writing.  At her new site, she will  be talking about all things fitness related – food, exercise, exercise apparel, etc.  Carla is all about life in moderation so no worries about her getting preachy on us.  (She has even sent me sites with cupcake recipes.  Gasp!)

On Mondays she is doing a video entry.  Tuesday is all about current trends.  Wednesdays are set aside to answer reader questions so ask away!  Thursdays is food and recipes.  Fridays is link love and freebies.

Go check her out and give her some blogland love.  And if you’ve been wondering the best way to get your butt to stop its southward journey, ask her, she just might have an answer for you.