Music I'm Into

I know you are all hanging around waiting to hear what music I'm listening to lately....sarcasm. Oh, but here it is: I've been digging some Gotye, Of Monsters and Men, and of course Black Keys.

First: this dude is awesome. All of his videos seem to have an artistic concept to them, and he's just a pretty neat kid. This video (for "Somebody that I Used to Know) is no different. It's kinda the perfect "break-up" song. SO, if you're going through a rough break-up, or you just did...and you want to sing about it...kinda softly at first and then with a lot of emotion....put this on REPEAT. But, the great thing is, that you don't have to even have a recent break-up in mind because it is just so relatable. I love his side/her side stories and songs...so this one is great for that. I like how the song works around the story...you hate the girl, and then you get to hear her side and you're instantly like, "wait...a....second..." SO, enjoy.

Then, there's Of Monsters and Men with "Little Talks." This band snuck onto my satellite radio a few months ago...and the song is just so good. Again, it's all about the duets. This one however is a sweet song. Love, love, love how the boy sings "my dear." I may start requiring Jay to sing this song to me. It's one of those sweetly kinda sad songs. Again, lots of emotion in their voices and (one of my favorite things in music) an occasional "HEY!" You can't go wrong with the studio version of this...but I wanted to post the acoustic one, because it proves how talented these Icelanders are. And it's great to hear them count off in Icelandic? Indulge.

This duo is no stranger to my playlist....but I love that Scout loves this song. She calls it "Hang from the Ceiling." ...which might be more appropriate. Anywho...they need no introduction. This song is one of those that will get stuck in your head. 

An article worth reading

THIS is exactly why I could never recommend Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. In fact, I told my parents (who asked if it was supposed to be good) to NEVER go see it. EVER...and if they did, not to talk to me about it. I haven't even seen the American remake of it...but I've heard it's practically exactly the same as the original Swedish version.

Though GWDT is brutal, I have to say that I think the line for me was drawn while watching "A History of Violence." I didn't understand the usage for the scene at that time...and, ever since that movie, I couldn't watch films that included scenes like that. Now, after YEARS of discussing that movie, I've finally come to understand the usage and can appreciate it for that. But, I'll never watch it again or recommend it to friends or family.

Drew writes a very articulate and well-written article that says exactly what I've been trying to verbalize for the past few years. Go see movies, by all means! I'm a fan of most of them... but if you know nothing about GWDT, and you plan on seeing it....then, please inform yourself.

Weird dreams

When I was pregnant with Scout, I remember having some crazy dreams. This pregnancy is no different. So here's one: I dreamed today (during valuable nap time) that I was going in for surgery prep (not sure what my surgery was for) and they put IVs in my ankles. (Do they do that?) I had to get the IV and then I was free to leave until my surgery the next day. Well, when I left the hospital, (this is so gross, I can hardly type it) the IV port got bent the opposite way. SO, I had to go back and get another IV in the other leg. It was truly painful. And no one was there to support me. I woke up with leg pains...apparently I'd been sleeping with my ankles crossed. 

Here's another dream: I had one over the holidays that I was on a date with Nelly (the rapper, circa 2000). I asked him if he could start calling me his "girlfriend." If you know me at all...you know I'm not a Nelly fan. Strange. 

Tomarrow for Emma

When I was a freshman in college, on of my besties from the dorm introduced me to her friend, Sean. I met this teddy bear of a human being who had so much enthusiasm and excitement for life. I've not spent a lot of time with this person in the last 10 years or so, but what time I did spend left a very positive impression. He was always smiling. My friend and Sean dated for some time, and that meant I would go on trips with her to his parent's house or to Dallas or Ft. Worth to meet up with him and some friends.  I'll never forget that Sean took us to eat some of the best TexMex I ever ate in his hometown of Waxahachie.

Sean is now married to the lovely Sarah, who I've not had the pleasure of meeting, but have enjoyed getting to know her through his Facebook feed. He owns a t-shirt printing company that prints garments and other things for churches, schools, and other organizations in the Dallas area.  Another person in Sean's life who I've come to know through FB is his gorgeous daughter, Emma. You can look at that 3 year old's face and basically see that she shares the same enthusiasm and excitement that Sean has always possessed. Which brings me to the sad news. Emma was diagnosed with Leukemia this week. Lots of us have been keeping up with Sean's status updates as they've been going through the testing and trials and when that diagnosis was made public, my heart sank. 

She started her first round of chemo last night and is doing "awesome." She never stops smiling, according to her parents. There is something to be learned there. If you have an extra $20 laying around on your dresser and aren't sure you want to spend it at Buffalo Wild Wings or on something more, let me encourage you to make a donation in this little girl's honor. They are going to need help with medical bills and other expenses. Or, think outside the box. Do you need tshirts?Place an order through 4 Story Graphics. To support them emotionally is also greatly appreciated. Say a prayer. Think a positive thought. Send positive energy. Meditate on healing thoughts. Send a card. 

Here's their story so far:

"Emma came down with a bad stomach virus. After she had somewhat recovered from that she came down with an unknown virus. While we were fighting this virus she broke into a full body rash. We were preparing for a Christmas vacation at the end of December and were getting ready. On December 13th she began to have fever and trouble swallowing. We took her in for antibiotics and a booster injection. On December 15th she began to have swelling on her lymph node. We took her into the emergency room at Children's Medical Center of Dallas and were sent home with a 10 day antibiotic. It never really did anything so on January 4th we brought her back and were immediately admitted for three days. While they were trying to treat her lymph node through IV (which had to be replaced 7 times in 7 days) they found out she had no neutrophils (white blood cells which fight infection). So she underwent many treatments and after a bone marrow biopsy they found out she has Precursor B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. She has had a port put in, a spinal tap and a second bone marrow biopsy. We know God has a plan for our little girl and refuse to allow anything to take away from our Lord receiving full glory for her healing. 


She loves the color pink and anything to do with Disney princesses. She loves breakfast food and anything that comes from a chicken. She always has some Disney movie playing or music from any of those movies. She loves her action bible that her Aunt Sarah bought her and loves to dance every chance she gets. 

Our daughter has truly shown us how to look past current troubles and find joy in the small blessings God has given us. She is only 3 years old and she has been through more in a week than most people experience in a lifetime, and yet she smiles without ceasing. Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts. God bless!

Emma was born October 18, 2008. She has been a purely healthy child and has never been sick except for the occasional stuffy nose until the beginning of November."

I believe that miracles happen every day. I believe in the kindness of strangers. I believe in paying it forward. I believe in helping those around you when they need it most. I believe in healing. I believe in everyday kindness. 

Please visit Tomarrow for Emma on Facebook.  And donate if you can. 

Sport's Debut

Without further ado: 

Dr. T said baby was looking great this morning. He/She was VERY active...in fact, we couldn't get him/her to sit still long enough to get a good profile picture. But I think the one above turned out very well. Pure joy. 

Baby is measuring over 13 weeks...which is consistent with the big measurement we got last time. I've lost a little weight, and doc says she'd like to see me gain a little before next time. When do we ever hear that? I remember when I was pregnant with Scout...the nurse would take my weight and bp at every appointment. The month I had finally gained weight, she said something along the lines of "It's about TIME!" In other words, I didn't gain any substantial weight until the third trimester. And BOY did I. ;) 

Anywho...she suggested a protein shake every day in addition to my smaller, more frequent meals should do the trick. I just wish CA had some Blue Bell...then I could show them how it's done. 

Surprise!????

I'm going to jump right into this one. When I got back into town, Jay and I had a serious discussion. What if we waited to find out the sex of the baby until he/she makes his/her debut in July? The problem with this is that I am not good at surprises. Well, that's a first of the many problems I have with it. I like to prepare as much as possible. And in pregnancy...as many of you well know...there is not a lot of control to be had on the part of the pregnant. Decorating a nursery and shopping for baby clothes...that's one of those things that takes your mind off the fact that you are going to give birth in roughly 28 weeks. How hard is it going to be for me to pick a pattern if I don't know what this baby is? Well. This is the part where I start weighing all the supposed "pros" and "cons." Of course, many have decorated a nursery without the knowledge of what the baby has going on in the southern hemisphere. I know that. Obviously. So. This is me *actually* considering this crazy plan. 

Jay was nearly convinced by a complete and total stranger who knew nothing about us other than the fact that we are expecting our second baby. He asked Jay if we were going to find out and then proceeded to tell us (J) why we should wait. He made a pretty convincing case. That, and Jay loves surprises. Either way, I found myself having this conversation with Jay while we were unpacking our suitcases from the holidays. The stranger pleaded with Jay to not find out because it is truly one of the ONLY true surprises left in life. How often are we presented with a chance like that?

So if we are to do this (I'm not convinced yet, but keeping an open mind)...here's a little list of things I figure we'd have to do:
*choose gender-neutral decor (easy peasy)
*choose names for both a boy and a girl
*resist using said names...because what do we call "it?"
*not look when the tech is doing "the" ultrasound. I've seen too many...I know what to look for. I knew Scout was a girl a full 10 minutes before Jay did because of the way our previous tech did the ultrasound.
*be that annoying pregnant person who tells people "no, we aren't finding out"....this includes the nurses and doctors at our OB's office. I'm sure I'd have to remind them. Right? Do people actually do this? I imagine they have to.
*drive myself crazy with all those old wive's tales...and gender predictors....and chinese calendars....and moon charts.
*that's pretty much it.

What are the benefits of finding out? Basically the exact opposite of all the things I just listed. Right? Sure. But here's some of the other things that might influence our decision: We are renters. We can't realistically paint a room pink or blue. So, chances are, it would actually be pretty easy to choose some gender neutral decor. Also? We already have SO much girly stuff that it would be easy to add some girly baby things after the fact. Little details we've kept from when Scout was a babe. I've already been keeping a list of names, so that wouldn't be a problem. We've also sorta nailed it down on the girl's name already. SO. That should be easy.

Also? I'm 12 weeks, and don't feel like I'm DYING to know. I remember with Scout, the only thing that got me through the morning sickness (all day) was the promise that at 16 weeks, I'd know what was making me so sick (a boy or a girl). This time? I can't believe we could already find out in a few weeks. Have I mentioned how much my husband LOVES surprises? I have to admit, it's kinda worn off on me...a little. I look forward to his surprises. This could be the surprise of a lifetime that we could give each other. Also, remember all those movies from the 80s and 90s? Like "She's Having a Baby," "Father of the Bride 2" and all those other ones I can't think of? Remember that amazing moment when they announce "it's a boy" or "it's a girl?" How REAL does that moment feel? And that's just a movie. Imagine that in real life. I dunno. Call me a dreamer...but I'm starting to really want to do this.....starting to.

*Oh my god. Just remembered another movie: Little Women. When John comes upstairs and Meg has just given birth and Marmi turns around and says "It's a boy." And then Hanna turns around and says "And a girl." BEST EVER.

AAAAAAAAND we're back.

It's been a whirlwind for us these last few weeks. We spent three weeks in Texas celebrating the holidays, but more on that later. We are back in Santa Monica and getting into our routines. I love the rush and craziness of the holidays almost as much as I love the re-organizing and re-routining of the new year. Scout starts preschool tomorrow. I'm excited, and a little nervous. But most of all, I'm looking forward to her gaining some social/intellectual experience while I'm getting some time to myself to take care of doctor's appointments and cleaning house and errands and such. 

I'm feeling much better these days. For weeks in November/December, I was too sick to do much of anything...including writing posts. When we left LAX on December 19th, I was armed with my Zofran and a prayer. I stuffed my purse full of granola bars, peppermint tea, candy canes and crackers. Scout and I flew in a week earlier than Jay, so I was on my own with her. She is a great travel companion, and I made it safely without getting sick or embarrassing myself. Over the few weeks we were in Texas, I was able to eat more and even go into restaurants without gagging. It was a very welcome improvement! 

I'm currently 12 weeks 2 days pregnant. Your "cute fruit comparison" for baby's size is a lime. I'm definitely showing earlier this time than I did with Scout. I'm still kind of at that "is she pregnant or just carrying some extra weight" stage. It's alright though, I don't mind. I am absolutely not complaining in any way. Maternity clothes are more comfortable than regular clothes. Besides the few pieces I had that I can wear now, I've bought a few new things and am able to stay dressed in style and comfort. I am loving my sweater dresses/tights/boots look these days. It is my favorite go-to for winter, and this season is no exception.