Whenever I hear the news that a couple I know is getting divorced, I always ask the same question. Why? You can't ever really explain the why without the what when where when how. There may not even be a solid good, real reason for the divorce. They call that irreconcible differences. Whatever that means.
It's hard to know the motivation behind events that take place in someone else's relationship. Who knows what makes someone cheat or lie or drink or be abusive or just want out. We all wonder what big cataclysmic event caused a divorce, but it was more likely a chain of small happenings, that all added up, piled on to the huge mountain of resentment that accumulates in a marriage, and that crazy equation of dysfunction ended up equalling the end.
The truth is marriage is a funny relationship. It stands alone in that it takes more work, and its not necessarily unconditional. With your children, you always love them no matter what. You can easily overlook their flaws, cause you made them and their cuteness typically helps. With family, you didn't pick them, but you're essentially stuck with them. You can't divorce your parents or siblings, but you don't have to live with them either. No matter what your parents are your parents, your siblings are your siblings, and your family is your family.
The only relationship you can reverse is marriage. It doesn't have to be a unanimous decision. Not everyone is always on board. Both parties can be at fault or one party can be at fault. One day your spouse can just say Hey I'm sick of this let's call it quits and what are you gonna do? There's no going back from that.
You can put everything you have into something, but there's still no guarantee you're gonna get anything out of it. That's the risk of love, you don't get your money back.
In spite of the risk I'm still willing to be a wife, cause this is the only functional relationship I've ever been in. I got married cause it offers stability. Its a contract that I will pick up David's shoes off the floor and begrudgingly pretend to care about the Cowboys if he will put up with my occasional moodiness. That's the only flaw I could think of, otherwise I'm just peaches to live with. Marriage to me is work, but that work means I don't have to worry that one day it will just end, cause I don't really care for breakups. They're terrible. They suck. They bite. I got married to avoid them for the rest of my life.
In some cases divorce is probably the healthier option. Kids shouldn't be around excessive amounts of dysfunction, medium is probably their limit in order to not end up on Intervention. That is my main goal as a parent, just to keep my kids from being so screwed up by my actions that they end up as some crackhead who can't deal with their feelings and goes on TV all crazy. If I achieve nothing else in life, I will still consider myself a success if I can do that one thing.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I Think I Care Too Much
The TV love triangle is a strange thing. Something about it hooks me in. I care far too much about the outcome, and my opinion of who ends up with who is the only one that matters. No you idiot, pick him/her, you're clearly meant to be together and now you've ruined my night and its the season finale and I'm left waiting and real life isn't as interesting!
When I was 16, and Dawson's Creek was in its prime, I was very heavily invested. Don't pretend like you weren't too, because you were. I won't pretend that I didn't set the VCR to record Dawson's Creek so I could go to a basketball game but not miss my show and tivo hadn't been invented yet. I won't pretend I didn't want to slap Dawson for picking Jen when he and Joey were clearly meant to be together. I won't pretend I don't hate the way Katie Holmes talks out of the side of her mouth. I'm still glad they killed off Jen at the end, cause she was just annoying. And I'm still kind of mad that Joey and Dawson didn't end up together, cause she picked Pacey instead. Although Dawson was so self involved and way too obsessed with Steven Spielberg.
Fast forward to now, when I'm probably too old to care that much about a TV show. But that doesn't stop me. The only difference is now I have tivo, and I love modern technology for that invention especially. Now I can watch my new favorite show, Awkward, every Tuesday, and even fast forward through the commercials. Except yesterday was the season finale, and now I'm sad.
This show is about a girl named Jenna, who is in a love triangle with Jake & Matty. She should clearly pick Matty, cause that is who she actually cares about. But she doesn't, she goes with Jake, who she doesn't like nearly as much and who I don't like nearly as much. Poor Matty just stood there like a puppy who got stepped on, while she broke his heart. I was all What? Huh? NOOOO! Instead of the usual happy Oh I love this show feeling I usually have, instead I was all What the? They better fix this! 2012 better hurry up since that was the season finale and new episodes don't start till next year.
I haven't felt this way about a TV couple since The Office, when Jim told Pam he was in love with her, then they kissed, then it was the end of the season and they left it hanging. That was the last time I was like What? You like him too! Say something! Roy's a jerk! I've been addicted to The Office since then, and I was applauding loudly when Jim and Pam got married. It's TV fate.
In reality teenagers don't talk like the characters on Dawson's Creek, and if I ever met Joey Potter in person I don't think I'd like her, I just like her better than Jen. Awkward better turn out the way I want it, otherwise I'm gonna be mad. Not like, go on Facebook and rant about it like I've seen plenty of people doing on the show's wall, cause those people are just obsessive. Blogging about it is much cooler. Team Matty! At least I'll always have Jim and Pam, and they are clearly the best TV couple ever, kind of dorky but adorable soulmates.
When I was 16, and Dawson's Creek was in its prime, I was very heavily invested. Don't pretend like you weren't too, because you were. I won't pretend that I didn't set the VCR to record Dawson's Creek so I could go to a basketball game but not miss my show and tivo hadn't been invented yet. I won't pretend I didn't want to slap Dawson for picking Jen when he and Joey were clearly meant to be together. I won't pretend I don't hate the way Katie Holmes talks out of the side of her mouth. I'm still glad they killed off Jen at the end, cause she was just annoying. And I'm still kind of mad that Joey and Dawson didn't end up together, cause she picked Pacey instead. Although Dawson was so self involved and way too obsessed with Steven Spielberg.
Fast forward to now, when I'm probably too old to care that much about a TV show. But that doesn't stop me. The only difference is now I have tivo, and I love modern technology for that invention especially. Now I can watch my new favorite show, Awkward, every Tuesday, and even fast forward through the commercials. Except yesterday was the season finale, and now I'm sad.
This show is about a girl named Jenna, who is in a love triangle with Jake & Matty. She should clearly pick Matty, cause that is who she actually cares about. But she doesn't, she goes with Jake, who she doesn't like nearly as much and who I don't like nearly as much. Poor Matty just stood there like a puppy who got stepped on, while she broke his heart. I was all What? Huh? NOOOO! Instead of the usual happy Oh I love this show feeling I usually have, instead I was all What the? They better fix this! 2012 better hurry up since that was the season finale and new episodes don't start till next year.
I haven't felt this way about a TV couple since The Office, when Jim told Pam he was in love with her, then they kissed, then it was the end of the season and they left it hanging. That was the last time I was like What? You like him too! Say something! Roy's a jerk! I've been addicted to The Office since then, and I was applauding loudly when Jim and Pam got married. It's TV fate.
In reality teenagers don't talk like the characters on Dawson's Creek, and if I ever met Joey Potter in person I don't think I'd like her, I just like her better than Jen. Awkward better turn out the way I want it, otherwise I'm gonna be mad. Not like, go on Facebook and rant about it like I've seen plenty of people doing on the show's wall, cause those people are just obsessive. Blogging about it is much cooler. Team Matty! At least I'll always have Jim and Pam, and they are clearly the best TV couple ever, kind of dorky but adorable soulmates.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Some Might Call it Obsessive
I am unsure why I feel an obligation to blog. Maybe I need to record things, just cause, so that I can remember because I am getting kinda old. 29. Yikes.
I don't remember plenty of things. Like the current phone number of anyone I know. Curse you technology and your number saving abilities! But my phone number and address from when I lived in Tucson at age 10? 795-4872. 4626 East 15th Street. Those things are locked away in a steel cage in my mind, never to leave. I can't remember what it was like to hold my girls as a newborn, but I know my phone number from when I was ten.
I can't remember the exact the process that muscles use to transfer chemical energy, to be fair I should study it more but I've resigned myself to getting a B and retaking this class cause powers beyond my control have conspired against me. But, I know my recipe for chocolate chip cookies by heart. Haven't made it in a couple weeks, cause I intentionally ran out of chocolate chips, but I still know it. I can remember every. single. cheer. from high school cheerleading, but biology escapes me.
At night when I lay down to go to bed, way too late, my mind is full of awesome ideas. I should blog about this/that/that one time that something awesome happened/my funny thoughts on this subject, but in the morning, my memory has escaped me. I think the sandman stole my ideas when I fell asleep, then put them in his blog. Plagiarism from my mind! Intellectual property!
In my honeymoon phase of blogging I was on here all the time. I'd drop what I was doing and write what I was thinking. I had nothing else to do. Ava was a baby, who took lots of naps. Alana was 3, and didn't ask for cereal nearly as often. Now I'm a student, most of the year anyway.
And a referee to some pretty intense arguments of the sibling rivalry variety. Mama! Ava's not sharing your McFlurry! I had that piece of cheese first! I want to watch Bubble Guppies and Ava wants to watch Max & Ruby! Look at me! I have important things to complain about! All of the statements come from Alana, cause Ava doesn't talk. She just says yes/no and grunts/squeals in agreement.
I see my bossy childhood self in Alana, who adapts the rules of games she made up to benefit herself. If Ava is gaining some points in an imaginary made up game, suddenly the rules have changed and Alana is winning. Alana tells us all what to do, and attempts to correct me cause she knows everything. We can't pay for that soda at the photo center cause its not a register! Ava you can't eat that cause I said so! I know everything blah blah blah!
I feel somewhat accomplished in my blogging hiatus, because Ava is 85% potty trained. Actually, she should feel accomplished cause I haven't really done anything. Sometimes I'm too lazy to put her diaper back on, so she started peeing in the potty when it was off. This bottom-half nakedness led to her using the potty all day long, under one condition, bottom-half nakedness. If she is wearing clothes, like pants or underwear, they must be removed. Sometimes if she has clothes on she just won't bother. She will not get on the toilet, because its a giant scary monster that will eat her when flushed! She also will not use the potty when away from home, something I learned after she peed in her clothes twice at my in-laws house. But still, she just turned two, she knows how to use the potty and does not have to be reminded. We have gone through barely any diapers the past month and she stays dry at night. Its pretty awesome.
I think the real reason that I don't feel like blogging is my lack of pictures. My camera is in a camera coma, somewhere in Irvine, California. I had to mail it there, which I put off doing for too long. I called them every single day after it was supposed to arrive, and I'm sure by the time they finally located it they were tired of me. If they knew where it was any of the first 7 times I called I wouldn't have called them so much. Sorry snotty Canon lady who I talked to every time I called there. You mail something that you paid $700 for and then sit patiently at your house wondering if it will be back in time for you to take pictures of your daughter's 5th birthday party next week. Try it. I dare you. They finally emailed me Thursday night, a week after they received it, with vague information saying they were going to fix it and it was covered under the warranty. Thanks for too little too late. If I don't have it back before Alana's birthday I'm gonna be mad.
Maybe I'll blog again next week, after I've read three biology chapters on the nervous system, called Canon just to bother them 4 times, made 40 breakfast burritos for Alana's birthday party cause that's what she wants to eat, and looked at Facebook at least 10 times, cause its easier than blogging.
I don't remember plenty of things. Like the current phone number of anyone I know. Curse you technology and your number saving abilities! But my phone number and address from when I lived in Tucson at age 10? 795-4872. 4626 East 15th Street. Those things are locked away in a steel cage in my mind, never to leave. I can't remember what it was like to hold my girls as a newborn, but I know my phone number from when I was ten.
I can't remember the exact the process that muscles use to transfer chemical energy, to be fair I should study it more but I've resigned myself to getting a B and retaking this class cause powers beyond my control have conspired against me. But, I know my recipe for chocolate chip cookies by heart. Haven't made it in a couple weeks, cause I intentionally ran out of chocolate chips, but I still know it. I can remember every. single. cheer. from high school cheerleading, but biology escapes me.
At night when I lay down to go to bed, way too late, my mind is full of awesome ideas. I should blog about this/that/that one time that something awesome happened/my funny thoughts on this subject, but in the morning, my memory has escaped me. I think the sandman stole my ideas when I fell asleep, then put them in his blog. Plagiarism from my mind! Intellectual property!
In my honeymoon phase of blogging I was on here all the time. I'd drop what I was doing and write what I was thinking. I had nothing else to do. Ava was a baby, who took lots of naps. Alana was 3, and didn't ask for cereal nearly as often. Now I'm a student, most of the year anyway.
And a referee to some pretty intense arguments of the sibling rivalry variety. Mama! Ava's not sharing your McFlurry! I had that piece of cheese first! I want to watch Bubble Guppies and Ava wants to watch Max & Ruby! Look at me! I have important things to complain about! All of the statements come from Alana, cause Ava doesn't talk. She just says yes/no and grunts/squeals in agreement.
I see my bossy childhood self in Alana, who adapts the rules of games she made up to benefit herself. If Ava is gaining some points in an imaginary made up game, suddenly the rules have changed and Alana is winning. Alana tells us all what to do, and attempts to correct me cause she knows everything. We can't pay for that soda at the photo center cause its not a register! Ava you can't eat that cause I said so! I know everything blah blah blah!
I feel somewhat accomplished in my blogging hiatus, because Ava is 85% potty trained. Actually, she should feel accomplished cause I haven't really done anything. Sometimes I'm too lazy to put her diaper back on, so she started peeing in the potty when it was off. This bottom-half nakedness led to her using the potty all day long, under one condition, bottom-half nakedness. If she is wearing clothes, like pants or underwear, they must be removed. Sometimes if she has clothes on she just won't bother. She will not get on the toilet, because its a giant scary monster that will eat her when flushed! She also will not use the potty when away from home, something I learned after she peed in her clothes twice at my in-laws house. But still, she just turned two, she knows how to use the potty and does not have to be reminded. We have gone through barely any diapers the past month and she stays dry at night. Its pretty awesome.
I think the real reason that I don't feel like blogging is my lack of pictures. My camera is in a camera coma, somewhere in Irvine, California. I had to mail it there, which I put off doing for too long. I called them every single day after it was supposed to arrive, and I'm sure by the time they finally located it they were tired of me. If they knew where it was any of the first 7 times I called I wouldn't have called them so much. Sorry snotty Canon lady who I talked to every time I called there. You mail something that you paid $700 for and then sit patiently at your house wondering if it will be back in time for you to take pictures of your daughter's 5th birthday party next week. Try it. I dare you. They finally emailed me Thursday night, a week after they received it, with vague information saying they were going to fix it and it was covered under the warranty. Thanks for too little too late. If I don't have it back before Alana's birthday I'm gonna be mad.
Maybe I'll blog again next week, after I've read three biology chapters on the nervous system, called Canon just to bother them 4 times, made 40 breakfast burritos for Alana's birthday party cause that's what she wants to eat, and looked at Facebook at least 10 times, cause its easier than blogging.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Aging Taste Buds
Supposedly, maybe I read it somewhere or something, as you age flavors become milder or you have a stronger tolerance for spicy foods and stinky stuff. That's why little kids can't take the spicy foods that old people like, or don't like strong foods like onion or sauerkraut.
My taste buds keep giving away my age, yikes 29, because I have an increasing love for foods that used to make me cringe. Not that I'm out eating olives or something, cause gross, but suddenly I love hot sauce and onions. I have new found love for sriracha sauce, and I've been putting it on the chow mein noodles I've been eating all weekend. Grilled onions are suddenly appealing to me, when my entire childhood whenever my dad would eat them I'd be repulsed. Same with sauerkraut, but I haven't tried that so far, the smell is too much. I seek out the red pepper flakes at pizza establishments, and even put them in my spaghetti sauce. Spicy nacho Doritos are irresistibly delicious to me, even if when I'm done I have to brush my teeth just to cool off my tongue.
I never pictured myself liking spicy or strong foods, especially the spicy stuff. I used to be a wimp, but the more spicy stuff I eat the more I like it. Is it possible that my tongue is building up a tolerance to this arsenal of peppery things? That is a mystery. My taste buds are getting old, so now I like all the foods my dad likes, but I'm not gonna suddenly start putting excessive salt & pepper on my food like him, that would be crazy. And I do draw the line at liver & onions, that is just disgusting. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go eat some noodles drenched in sriracha sauce, with a big glass of ice water, cause there's still some feeling left in there.
My taste buds keep giving away my age, yikes 29, because I have an increasing love for foods that used to make me cringe. Not that I'm out eating olives or something, cause gross, but suddenly I love hot sauce and onions. I have new found love for sriracha sauce, and I've been putting it on the chow mein noodles I've been eating all weekend. Grilled onions are suddenly appealing to me, when my entire childhood whenever my dad would eat them I'd be repulsed. Same with sauerkraut, but I haven't tried that so far, the smell is too much. I seek out the red pepper flakes at pizza establishments, and even put them in my spaghetti sauce. Spicy nacho Doritos are irresistibly delicious to me, even if when I'm done I have to brush my teeth just to cool off my tongue.
I never pictured myself liking spicy or strong foods, especially the spicy stuff. I used to be a wimp, but the more spicy stuff I eat the more I like it. Is it possible that my tongue is building up a tolerance to this arsenal of peppery things? That is a mystery. My taste buds are getting old, so now I like all the foods my dad likes, but I'm not gonna suddenly start putting excessive salt & pepper on my food like him, that would be crazy. And I do draw the line at liver & onions, that is just disgusting. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go eat some noodles drenched in sriracha sauce, with a big glass of ice water, cause there's still some feeling left in there.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
My Almost Favorite Kind of Kid
Ava is asleep. She looks so peaceful. Her terrorizing is on hiatus. Her long eyelashes even more visible, her breathing slow and steady, her stinky little feet sticking up in the air. I like her like this. My house is peaceful and quiet and I can forget about how she pulls my pants almost down everytime that she wants me to get her something.
Alana is awake, but she is quiet cause Ava isn't awake for her to fight with. She is free to eat Cookie Crisp on the floor and watch Mighty B by herself while I slave over biology at the kitchen table. I have major writer's cramp and the callus on my finger just keeps growing. Curse you biology! She is also peaceful, but not as peaceful as she'd be if she were sleeping. She can still ask for stuff and call me into the living room to see a commercial for something that is totally awesome or really cool. 
If my kids didn't ever rest I think I'd pull my hair out. They not only renew their energy when they're quiet and nice, they renew mine. I can look at their innocent little faces and want to squeeze their cheeks, instead of shushing them for screaming into my ear.
There is something about a sleeping kid that melts the heart. You can't help but like them. They can do no wrong and suddenly deserve to go to Disneyland every single day and on massive shopping sprees for new toys and candy and Happy Meals! I have to resist the urge not to take a picture of both of my girls every time they're asleep, cause they just look so freaking cute. I'd have like 2,000 of both of them by now, cause of their squishy little faces.
As much as I love their sleeping selves, they can't be as cute and huggable as when they're awake, but well-behaved. I'll take sleeping Ava over bratty wild screaming Ava anyday, but cute hug me and play Littlest Pet Shop with me Ava wins out over them all. Alana is nice when she's asleep, no screaming or asking to use the computer, and compared to let me play on Nick Jr dot com immediately or I may die Alana that's great, but nice Mommy you wanna color I love you five million Alana is way better. I think I just need a good nap once in a while, even if I'm not the one sleeping.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
I Should Probably Blog About Something
I spent my week in a haze of anatomy & physiology with my new textbook that just came Tuesday. I accidentally ordered two lab books instead of a lab book and a textbook, so my frenzy to get my book before the impending test that was scheduled Friday had me stressed. So I studied. And I studied some more. And I worked on my lab activities. Then I studied. Every once in a while I took a break to pee. Then I went to class.
Surprise! The teacher had a death in the family as a result of the hurricanes and flooding in Vermont, so we had a sub. No test, which was lucky for me. Plus, this teacher gives lectures on the test material, which the other teacher doesn't do. So I've been temporarily spared.
After my initial judgment of September as being crappy it made a little bit of a turn around. I left negative feedback on Amazon for a sociology book I bought in July cause half of the pages fell out. I barely got around to leaving feedback though cause I'm lazy. The seller, upon seeing my negative feedback, contacted me. They offered me a refund or a replacement book if I would remove my feedback, because they'd rather have a clean record than my $60. Thank goodness for good customer service, cause I needed that $60 since I had surprise textbooks to buy. I also mailed back my extra lab book so when they get it they will give me back my $90, which I'm thankful for.
I was excited this summer to get a window ac for our bedroom, cause swamp coolers just don't cut it in monsoon season. It didn't make any real impact on our July electric bill, so I wasn't expecting anything abnormal for the August bill. That's why I almost had a heart attack when I opened the bill yesterday and it was $75 more than any electric bill we've ever had at this house and I think I know a normal electric bill here since we've lived here for 7 years. Good thing Amazon still owes me money, cause that was an unexpectedly large bill. I'm glad fall is approaching and its been rainy and mild the past two days. Rainy enough to make pumpkin bread and pretend that its October.
On the camera front I wish I had good news. It keeps turning off and after contacting Canon customer service I was supposed to mail it back, but I was hesitant because that's basically mailing my most prized possession to California for a couple weeks, with no pictures in that time period. Right after I sold my old camera on Amazon. I was hoping it was a fluke and the problem would fix itself, but no such luck. I was suspicious that the battery was the issue, so I took the battery and charger to Radio Shack and the owner tested them both for me for free. He said the real issue is the charger, it isn't charging the battery. I'm apprehensive and have to send everything back to Canon so they can test it and verify that info. I don't think the charger is covered by the warranty, which is crappy, but at least the problem is probably not my camera. I would cry if it broke, even though I can get it fixed for free, minus the cost of shipping.
Overall my life right now basically consists of studying for biology, obsessing over my camera, taking a break to cook dinner cause I don't want my kids to starve (or David I guess), changing the movie when my kids request I do so, cause Dora's Christmas Carol needs watched everyday, you can never get into the Christmas spirit too early, and sleeping. And watching Awkward, cause its my new favorite show. Now look at the last pictures my camera took before it officially died for an undetermined amount of time.
Surprise! The teacher had a death in the family as a result of the hurricanes and flooding in Vermont, so we had a sub. No test, which was lucky for me. Plus, this teacher gives lectures on the test material, which the other teacher doesn't do. So I've been temporarily spared.
After my initial judgment of September as being crappy it made a little bit of a turn around. I left negative feedback on Amazon for a sociology book I bought in July cause half of the pages fell out. I barely got around to leaving feedback though cause I'm lazy. The seller, upon seeing my negative feedback, contacted me. They offered me a refund or a replacement book if I would remove my feedback, because they'd rather have a clean record than my $60. Thank goodness for good customer service, cause I needed that $60 since I had surprise textbooks to buy. I also mailed back my extra lab book so when they get it they will give me back my $90, which I'm thankful for.
I was excited this summer to get a window ac for our bedroom, cause swamp coolers just don't cut it in monsoon season. It didn't make any real impact on our July electric bill, so I wasn't expecting anything abnormal for the August bill. That's why I almost had a heart attack when I opened the bill yesterday and it was $75 more than any electric bill we've ever had at this house and I think I know a normal electric bill here since we've lived here for 7 years. Good thing Amazon still owes me money, cause that was an unexpectedly large bill. I'm glad fall is approaching and its been rainy and mild the past two days. Rainy enough to make pumpkin bread and pretend that its October.
On the camera front I wish I had good news. It keeps turning off and after contacting Canon customer service I was supposed to mail it back, but I was hesitant because that's basically mailing my most prized possession to California for a couple weeks, with no pictures in that time period. Right after I sold my old camera on Amazon. I was hoping it was a fluke and the problem would fix itself, but no such luck. I was suspicious that the battery was the issue, so I took the battery and charger to Radio Shack and the owner tested them both for me for free. He said the real issue is the charger, it isn't charging the battery. I'm apprehensive and have to send everything back to Canon so they can test it and verify that info. I don't think the charger is covered by the warranty, which is crappy, but at least the problem is probably not my camera. I would cry if it broke, even though I can get it fixed for free, minus the cost of shipping.
Overall my life right now basically consists of studying for biology, obsessing over my camera, taking a break to cook dinner cause I don't want my kids to starve (or David I guess), changing the movie when my kids request I do so, cause Dora's Christmas Carol needs watched everyday, you can never get into the Christmas spirit too early, and sleeping. And watching Awkward, cause its my new favorite show. Now look at the last pictures my camera took before it officially died for an undetermined amount of time.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Note to Self: Read the Fine Print
So far September is kinda sucky. No tragedies, but kinda crap.
I was all stressed out last Friday about a lab book for biology that I didn't know I needed, so we sold some old books and video games and scraped together the money to buy it, and it got here Tuesday. I felt slightly less stressed out, but I was still waiting for my textbook I ordered two weeks before. On Thursday the box came with the textbook I ordered before class started, but guess what? It wasn't a textbook. It was the exact same lab book that I had been stressed out about, and now I had two copies.
Why did I have two copies of the lab book and no textbood? Because the ISBN (that is like a book id #) on the school's website was the one for the lab book. I thought I had ordered the textbook, but didn't pay close enough attention to the cryptic way that the book list was presented to realize that I needed two books. So then I had to borrow money, which I really hate doing and have managed to avoid until this point in my life. I wouldn't even of asked if I wasn't completely desperate. Stupid book was like $150, and last week I was all stressed out about buying the cheaper book that I already had.
Now I have two copies of a book I was all stressed out about, and no copies of a book that I thought I had already ordered, that will be here Tuesday thanks to express shipping that is delayed cause of Labor Day. And the drop deadline for the class passed the day before I realized that I still needed a book.
I can return the extra lab book for a full refund, minus the shipping, thankfully. It will be a week or so before I get my money back, but at least I'll get it back. And Amazon still owes me money for my old camera that I sold on there, but they won't pay me till the 9th. Speaking of cameras, mine was acting all crazy yesterday and kept shutting off and refusing to come back on until I put the battery in the charger for a couple of minutes. I guess it could be the battery, but the clicking noise it made each time it shut off made me think it might not be.
My camera is less than one year old, so it still has a warranty. Repair means sending it to California though, and living without it for a few weeks, which is depressing. Alana's birthday is the very beginning of October and I don't want to miss out on pics, but I guess I can't take them with a broken camera anyway. I don't have any money to ship it right now anyway, cause I have to ship my extra textbook back ASAP to get a refund. When I do ship it I'm definitely getting the insurance, cause that camera is like my third kid. I'll be worried till it gets back to me safely.
September can only get better from here, at least that's what I keep telling myself. I'll be done with biology halfway through October, then I'm just taking another writing class and those don't really require any real studying on my part. I just want September to go quickly, cause October has Alana and David's birthdays, then Halloween, and I love that time of year. The weather is so nice and perfect, and I will eat anything pumpkin flavored. Then before I know it Thanksgiving will be here, and its my favorite holiday. Tons of food, no pressure to buy everyone presents, and brisk fall weather? Yes please. Just gotta make it through September, with at least a stupid B in biology, although if I get a B I think I'm gonna retake it.
I was all stressed out last Friday about a lab book for biology that I didn't know I needed, so we sold some old books and video games and scraped together the money to buy it, and it got here Tuesday. I felt slightly less stressed out, but I was still waiting for my textbook I ordered two weeks before. On Thursday the box came with the textbook I ordered before class started, but guess what? It wasn't a textbook. It was the exact same lab book that I had been stressed out about, and now I had two copies.
Why did I have two copies of the lab book and no textbood? Because the ISBN (that is like a book id #) on the school's website was the one for the lab book. I thought I had ordered the textbook, but didn't pay close enough attention to the cryptic way that the book list was presented to realize that I needed two books. So then I had to borrow money, which I really hate doing and have managed to avoid until this point in my life. I wouldn't even of asked if I wasn't completely desperate. Stupid book was like $150, and last week I was all stressed out about buying the cheaper book that I already had.
Now I have two copies of a book I was all stressed out about, and no copies of a book that I thought I had already ordered, that will be here Tuesday thanks to express shipping that is delayed cause of Labor Day. And the drop deadline for the class passed the day before I realized that I still needed a book.
I can return the extra lab book for a full refund, minus the shipping, thankfully. It will be a week or so before I get my money back, but at least I'll get it back. And Amazon still owes me money for my old camera that I sold on there, but they won't pay me till the 9th. Speaking of cameras, mine was acting all crazy yesterday and kept shutting off and refusing to come back on until I put the battery in the charger for a couple of minutes. I guess it could be the battery, but the clicking noise it made each time it shut off made me think it might not be.
My camera is less than one year old, so it still has a warranty. Repair means sending it to California though, and living without it for a few weeks, which is depressing. Alana's birthday is the very beginning of October and I don't want to miss out on pics, but I guess I can't take them with a broken camera anyway. I don't have any money to ship it right now anyway, cause I have to ship my extra textbook back ASAP to get a refund. When I do ship it I'm definitely getting the insurance, cause that camera is like my third kid. I'll be worried till it gets back to me safely.
September can only get better from here, at least that's what I keep telling myself. I'll be done with biology halfway through October, then I'm just taking another writing class and those don't really require any real studying on my part. I just want September to go quickly, cause October has Alana and David's birthdays, then Halloween, and I love that time of year. The weather is so nice and perfect, and I will eat anything pumpkin flavored. Then before I know it Thanksgiving will be here, and its my favorite holiday. Tons of food, no pressure to buy everyone presents, and brisk fall weather? Yes please. Just gotta make it through September, with at least a stupid B in biology, although if I get a B I think I'm gonna retake it.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
About Ava
When I blogged about Ava turning two, I mostly talked about her birthday. I didn't mention much about her, who she is right now. It is hard to capture the essence of a toddler, with all of their crazy toddler ways. They're somewhere between kid and baby, in limbo, and when you look at them in the present they seem so big, but when you look back on them in a couple of years you realize just how much of a baby they still were.
Ava is a baby, and at the same time she is a little kid, who thinks she is big enough to do everything Alana does. Alana jumps off the couch? Ava is right there to go next. Alana needs to wear a princess dress over her regular clothes? Ava is a mini Belle or Snow White. Alana is brushing her teeth and using mouthwash? Ava thinks she needs mouthwash, so I give her a little cup of water cause she just drinks it.
She is a follower, but she still stands up for herself when she's been wronged. She won't tolerate injustice.
Ava is often two people. She is a shy girl, so when she's around a lot of people she doesn't know, or just a lot of people, she is quiet and glued to my leg. When it's just us around the house, or there are just a couple people here who she feels comfortable with, she is a wild and crazy woman. She is the opposite of herself, and of her sister. Alana knows no stranger, and loves everyone. Ava is more cautious. Who are these people and why am I supposed to be nice to them? I don't see them on a daily basis, so therefore I don't know them.
She really inherited my sweet tooth, but also got David's enthusiastic love of breakfast meats. She is a snackaholic, and will eat small amounts of stuff all day if I don't make it a point to feed her structured meals. She will eat two cold hot dogs in a row, just because she likes them so much. Cookies are another weakness of hers, and so are pumpkin and zucchini bread. She likes pumpkin and zucchini bread so much that she will go to the oven every ten minutes while it's cooking and tap on the door, inquiring about when she can eat some. It's nice to have someone to share a loaf with, because Alana and David aren't as into sweets as Ava and me. Her favorite place to eat is in my bed, on my side, with the covers pulled down. Yesterday she climbed in there and pulled down the blanket, then ate a big piece of pumpkin bread, leaving plenty of crumbs as a present for me.
Ava may be two, but she doesn't talk much yet. A big part of that is that Alana is always answering questions for Ava, so Ava never really has to talk. She gets her point across though. She squeals, grunts, yells, points, shakes her head yes and no. She has a few words in her repertoire, but she only uses them when she feels like it. Mostly you will find her squealing then pointing. I'd like some pumpkin bread is Squeal, point to bread, point to open mouth. This is hot but I still want to eat it is Blow, then point to mouth. I'd like to watch Dora please is Run to Mommy, pull on her pants, hand her DVD, squeal and point to TV. She pulls on my pants so much that sometimes she pulls them down, that can be kind of annoying. Get de-pantsed daily. Maybe I should wear fewer pajama and yoga pants.
Ava loves playing, especially with Alana. She plays whatever her sister wants, whenever. Barbies, babies, legos, littlest pet shop guys. Its cute when they play together, but just as cute when Ava plays by herself. She makes the dolls or figurines "walk" around and kiss, its pretty funny. And babies must all be rocked, then thrown into the crib.
Ava is a momma's girl, but she's always glad for Daddy to come home. She tries to play and hide with Alana, but always gets excited and runs out when he opens the door. She gives hugs and kisses, and plenty of snuggles. There is no shortage of snuggles with Ava. She is so sweet and squishy, I think I'll keep her.
She is 25 lbs, but won't hold still for me to get her height. She has a sweet baby mullet that I can't bring myself to cut yet. Its mullet-ness isn't too bad because it curls out, so I don't foresee a haircut in our near future. She has big brown eyes and still had super long eyelashes. Her cheeks and butt are so chubby and squishy and I want to squeeze them all the time. She always has her toenails painted, cause when I paint mine or Alana's she wants to be included, and she recently started requesting that I paint her fingernails too. Her chubby little hands look so cute with a coat of red nail polish on her fingers, but they also look impossibly grown up. Its bittersweet.
She is my couch potato baby and loves cartoons. She is a big Nickelodeon fan, because Wubbzy, Dora, Bubble Guppies and Max & Ruby all top the list as her favorites. She also requests to watch a Disney movie a day, mostly Up and Monsters Inc, and sometimes Rapunzel and the Little Mermaid. Gotta stay updated on her Disney movies for our next trip to Disneyland in December. Gotta get one more trip while she's still free!
I can't remember what it was like to have just one kid, even though having two kids means a lot more compromise, for them anyways, they rarely agree on what movie to watch, and it also means being the referee far more frequently. She has made our family more complete, and we're all better off with her in our lives. She is so crazy and cute, but at the same time she is quiet and shy. I love her and I'd be completely happy if she stayed my baby forever.
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