Welcome new BOY!!!

We are PLEASED to announce that we are officially expecting a baby BOY on June 1st, 2009!

James doesn't quite understand what's going on... yet. But we are thrilled!!

This is just one of those "tender mercies" of the Lord- He knew we didn't have any extra money to spend on stuff for a little girl- so He sent us another son which we are WELL prepared for!

I'm really excited about this because I still get to be the only girl in my home :) and I really like being the "queen".

Drue thinks this is going to be fun! More boys to go camping with!!

The ultrasound tech was really nice- she kept going over spots until we could make out the various parts and was patient in explaining what we were seeing. The first pic is of the profile. When we saw that profile we both said "whoa, he looks like James!". The second pic is of the proof that we're truly having a boy- -in case you thought we were making it up:). We saw pics of his spine (looks perfect, no Spina Bifida here), his brain, the major organs, his legs and feet, hands and arms- modern medicine is a marvel.

All in all, we're VERY happy this baby is healthy and we're looking forward to meeting him. Oh yeah, I guess I should tell you we're thinking of naming this little boy Oliver. Oliver- something in the middle here, not sure what yet-Daily. Say it "Oliver Daily". Now, what would go well as a middle name? We're not sure about that yet. But we're open to ideas.

for sale

For sale:

one boy.

2.4 years old.

great smile

loves to laugh and play

obsessed with cars

eats

trained in diapers

sleeps in 2 hour increments. including at night.

reason for selling: 4 hours of sleep last night. total.

answers to James.

Alright, so I'm not going to sell my son, but I gotta say- writing it out sure helps me put things in perspective.

So, here's what I'm in desperate need of: advice on HOW to get my little rat to SLEEP through the night again!

He WAS doing great! I could count on a full 8 hrs of sleep a night!

Now, he's a pill. All this started changing around the 2 year old mark. He has singlehandedly pushed back his "bed time" by an hour (8pm to 9pm) and can open his door even WITH the "child proof door knob"- and does this regularly. All he wants to do is sleep in MY bed. All I want him to do is NOT sleep in my bed. Just to SLEEP!!! We have a very established bedtime routine that we haven't changed since he was 1. I've been pushed to the edge of my sanity. For the sake of my son continuing to live with his parents (joking), does ANYONE have an idea on how to get this kid to stay asleep?

picky eaters

This picture is of my picky eater. Let me explain.

Bill Cosby talks about a "curse" laid on children by their parents when they are misbehaving and the parents just can't take it anymore. Here is the basic wording:

" I hope, when you have children, that they act exactly the same way YOU ACT!"

I KNOW I've heard that curse before- who hasn't? But this curse really only came about for me when we were sitting down to dinner. I am a picky eater. yes, its true. And all of you know it well. 

Let me relate a story about my youth as a picky eater.

I was visiting my Granna and Grandaddy with my mom and dad and we were just sitting down to dinner. Dinner included Mashed Potatoes. YUMMMM! except that these mashed potatoes had pepper flakes in it- most people add pepper to their mashed potatoes- and that displeased me. I sat at dinner and picked out every single flake of pepper from my mashed potatoes before I would eat any of it.

You want more proof?

I have picked onions out of Fideo, spaghetti sauce, stir fry, guacamole, refried beans, meats of all kinds etc... I can taste onions in Latkes, potato salad (which I still only eat my own because I don't add onions) etc..

I scrape off onions from my hamburgers from McD's with a french fry and then dispose of said fry so it won't contaminate my other fries.

I am a picky eater.

Turns out- so is my son.

hooray.

Last night, we went to Sweet Tomatoes to celebrate Drue completing all of his requirements to graduate with his MM a semester early!

James decided to become the worlds best picky eater.

He turned his nose from:

Bread

Blueberry Muffin

Mac and Cheese

pasta

Jello

Orange slices

chocolate pudding

ice cream

apples

cheese 

soup

Here's what he will eat:

apple juice

PB&J (open faced only)

chocolate chip cookies (I made the mistake of giving him one to eat after "dinner")

milk and water

I am extremely concerned that this child is going to malnourish HIMSELF- because I won't let my kids eat cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner

I need need NEED ideas of foods that 2 year olds will eat... help me put "the curse" out!!!

Ward christmas party

I have been to quite a few ward christmas parties. I've put together salads, served mashed potatoes, carved meats and poured water- and I have always loved going to the ward christmas party. The Concord 2nd ward knows how to throw a christmas party! My Hawthorne ward here in Salt Lake could use a little work.

Last night was the christmas party and I was really looking forward to it for a few reasons:

1. I don't have to cook

2. I don't have to do dishes

3. I don't have to be constant entertainment for James

4. socializing

There is almost always some kind of program associated with dinner. In Concord, I LOVED the devotional BEFORE the dinner. Singing with the choir was always a high point. The "dinner entertainment" was usually "Santa Claus" (aka Alan D Simpson) for the little kids and it was magical.

Here is how things went last night:

We came to the party in jeans and sweatshirt because there was no christmas devotional before dinner- The choir is singing on christmas sunday. We walk into the gym which has little decorations and is stuffed with tables- no place for the kids to play:(. The gym, however, is packed with people from the ward- things are looking up. Then, we sit at an unoccupied table so one of the parents constantly getting up and down to chase James is not a problem. It is at the table that I notice certain condiments: Sour cream, Chives, Bacon bits, Butter. Yup. We are apparently having baked potatoes. Usually, this is not a problem- except that we had the EXACT same thing for Halloween. So, in an effort to put on a happy face, I look to the "buffet" tables to see what else we've having that might be edible. Answer: green salad, some kind of fruit salad with mallows and cool whip, green beans (an enormous VAT of them), a very large crock pot of something (more on that in a bit) and a huge basket of rolls.

Oh good, I think to myself, at least I can eat some salads and rolls- that should be fine.

Boy was I wrong.

As soon as the bishop dismisses everyone to get in a line for food I see a member of the activities committee serving up something out of that very large crock pot. As more and more people return to their tables (we have yet to get in line) I see what the "mystery" is: (if you're a vegetarian, skip to the next paragraph) It appears to be some kind of "meat" cooked in a patty shape with gravy. Which- normally- MIGHT not have been that bad, except that it looks like vomit- no joke- which truly disgusts the pregnant woman. I asked Drue to find out what in heaven's name that icky brown sludge tastes like. Answer: nothing. It tastes like someone cooked beef patties with no spices in its own gristle and added a bit of water to make a "gravy".

Ew, Ew, Ew.

So, I tried the salad: apparently it had been frozen in the fridge and so the lettuce was all de-frosted wilty and slimy. I took a look for some salad dressing: only Ranch. I tried the fruit salad- which is HARD to ruin. Well, they did. It was ALL CANNED FRUIT- like mangoes, papaya and some other unidentifiable fruit.  Usually I like mangoes and papaya- but I like hem fresh! The only "real" fruit was sliced grapes.

At least they have rolls, I thought. So I bite into one- stale.

OH! they're bringing around brownies and ice cream- dry and tasteless.

And then the entertainment for the evening began- an introduction to accordion music- and we left.

Quiznos, here we come!

My OBGYN

What woman doesn't love her OBGYN? 

Wait, you mean thats just me?

Okay- let me tell you why my OBGYN is awesome!

Dr. Lash delivered James 2 and (almost) a half years ago. I had my first doc's appointment yesterday with this new pregnancy and here's how it went:

I ran into a really good friend who I had been thinking about calling for a week but somehow never got around to it- and she had been thinking of calling me too- turns out- but her phone had broken so she didn't have access to my number... to make this part short- we were able to exchange numbers again!

The nurse for my doc was really cool with me not being able to pee in that blasted cup!

Dr. Lash actually remembered me! I know, who could FORGET me- even after years of therapy- but he really did remember me! Here's how the conversation went (paraphrased):

Lash: well, welcome back! Hows the little one? He's how old now? (Its obvious to me that he doesn't remember me really at all- just reading my chart which mentions that he delivered J.)

me: Thanks, James is almost 2 and a half now

Lash: time flies!

me: yeah

awkward silence

Lash: so what does your husband do again?

me: he's a professional student

Lash: studying?

me: music composition. But we're DONE in 2 weeks!

Lash: (the light is beginning to dawn) wait a minute, I remember... something like someone having a degree in music, not composition, but like, how it works, or is built or something.

Me: yup. that was me.

Lash: Well! (jovial now-) Welcome back!!!

I know, he didn't REALLY remember me until the really boring degree, but the point is: he DID remember me eventually!

Dr. Lash also helped stop the CONSTANT post-nasal drip that I've been gagging on for 2 and a half months straight! Lovely man!

And, he had no problems with my dependance on Phenergan, AND that I take Flintstone vitamins and not Prenatals.

 

me: does it really matter that I'm not taking prenatal vitamins- I take Flintstone's instead.

Lash: Really, it doesn't.

There you go, Dad. Dr. Lash says its no problem.

The good news is that

1. I'm not having twins!

2. I heard a heart beat- nice and strong

3. We find out the sex of the baby on Dec. 30!!! I was to surprised to find myself so far along!

It was a good day and today is a better one!

Sad sad sad

Merry Christmas to you all- well, as merry as I can make my home. I present for your snickering pleasure the sad state of my christmas decor: the 1st day of december was a Monday and in anticipation of the "fun time" going to be had by all during a family home evening of christmas decorating I pulled out all 3 shoe-box sized boxes chalk full of christmas decorations- all 6 of them. The boxes sat in my living room and were re-arranged for a full week until I just had to pull everything out myself. I'm still not officially done- meaning I've still got lights to put up- but I think I may be done for this year! Let me then proceed to introduce you to my christmas decorations:

The Tree was the first thing to go up because its fake and therefore, the easiest thing to put together! Plus, its only 4 feet tall. This is a good thing because 3 minutes after I put it up and laboriously decorated it with all 12 of my ornaments, strategically placed to create an illusion of someone who cares, James decided the tree looked better horizontal. The first picture is of the boy and the tree. I took out the camera and began testing out angles from which to shoot the tree to make it look as large as possible when much to my surprise, the boy thought I wanted to take a picture of HIM! So, he obligingly sat in front of the tree and took a picture! 
This is my tree with all the ornaments on the top 1/3. There is only 1 homemade ornament that has any emotional value whatsoever: the star of david constructed with popsicle sticks. James made it in Nursery. The rest are from the dollar tree. Here's a great money saving tip: If you want some kind of continuity in your decorations but don't want to go to target, check your dollar store! They've got all kinds of cool things to hang around your home- and all for $1!
This little picture shows off the culmination of my decorating abilities: nutcrackers guarding the nativity set. There WAS a stable with the nativity set but it was covered in peat moss and after James pulled down the tree, he de-mossed my stable and re-arranged my nativity, bonded with baby Jesus and the manger when he brought them both to the dinner table and then chose the Manger to use as a telephone. It was really quite funny.

This is Drue's idea of a christmas wreath.

This is mine. Its not great but I sincerely tried to be creative and artistic while wielding a hot glue gun and trying to make a pretty bow. I'm sure Bonnie Mattson would NOT choose this wreath to put in her lovely home. When I'm rich and famous, I'm hiring Bonnie to make over my home.

I hope you all got a good laugh because you all deserve a good laugh!

Merry Christmas to all! I'll be posting again soon!

Mozart and Messiaen

Oh thank heaven- for Mozart and Messiaen!!! Before I begin this fantastic post, let me begin by acknowledging that most of you have seen the movie 'Amadeus' and/or have heard- in passing or actually sat down and listened to Mozart's Requiem. Let me also say that everything you think you know about the origins of the Requiem is apocryphal to the last letter!

The correct history of the writing of the Requiem is actually far more interesting than the version most people think they know.

Didn't Mozart write the requiem for himself as a plot by another composer to destroy the musical genius and take the composition as his own? No, No, No and No.

Mozart DIDN'T write the requiem? you're probably asking me in disbelief- Hello, it's called Mozart's Requiem for a REASON! Well, yes and no. Mozart did not write the entire thing- he wrote the first 2-3 pieces fully for sure, made basic sketches of a few others- vocal lines for 4-8 bars, string parts in ostinato etc.., and was dead by the time the other pieces needed to be written.

Here's the REAL story in a nutshell:

Rich Count' wife dies. he commissions 2 works of art in memorial tribute to her. One, a statue- the other a Requiem Mass. Rich count sends his steward to Mozart to commission the work from him- secretly. Mozart dies before it is even CLOSE to being complete and Mrs.Mozart begs other composers to finnish the work for her so the money will be paid- she needs $$$. 3 composers turn her down because they recognize the enormity of the challenge- c'mon, could YOU complete a Mass half finished from the most famous composer in your country? Only one student finally agrees- Sussmayer. The requiem most often performed is the Sussmayer completion, although there have been others. Sussmayer finishes the music, copied the entire thing out in his own hand and Mrs.Mozart delivers it to Rich Count- who then copies it in HIS hand and tries to pass it off as HIS composition to his dead wife. This doesn't work AT ALL, but there you go. 

Antonio Salieri NEVER had anything to do with any kind of plot to kill Mozart for personal gain- thank you Amadeus.

Also, the bit about Mozart thinking he was writing his own Requiem is only partially apocryphal. At the end of his short but productive life, he was suffering greatly from depression and wrote that he felt his death approaching as he composed the R. 

But enough about death.

The music itself was HEAVENLY. The power really cannot be talked about in any acceptable terms. Listening to a recording is a mere pittance for the energy and raw emotional POWER that is communicated during a performance. The Requiem is for a full 150 voice choir, 100 instrument symphony, and 4 vocal soloists. And- wow. There is this WAVE of solid sound that just crests right over your ears and truly was emotional. The composition is, over all, imperfect- yes- but the parts that are Mozarts purely are truly perfection! This coming from a musician who can be highly critical of performances- and to be honest there were some weak spots. But the great majority of the work was incredible! 

There was another piece on the concert that was DELIGHTFUL. It is: Les Offrandes Oubliees. Translation: The Forgotten Offerings.

wowser.

If you can find it on itunes, check it out!

I will warn you, it is a "modern" piece- meaning it was composed after 1900. So, some of the harmonies are not necessarily triadic in the common sense. But the piece itself merited a mention because it was done BEAUTIFULLY!

The pic is of Drue (cute) and I (not the best angle for me) in front of the sculpture that sits in Abravanel hall Lobby- Its really cool actually. It seems to be made of curly-cue red and orange glass thingys all glued together. I'm no artist- clearly. But it makes for a neat centerpiece.

I love going to the Symphony! Especially when I get to hear new and old music side by side when each one is as delightful as the other, just in totally different ways!