These answers will be short and sweet, like I am when I'm on the phone because I hate talking on the phone to begin with. :D

Time to avoid housework (and unpacking) for a Q&A from Mamarazzi and Queso!




{1}Do you prefer to text or call?
{2}What is the last text message in your phone and who is it from?
{3}What are your favorite phone apps?
{4}At what age do you think kids are ready for a cell phone?
{5}Share a current pic or video taken with your phone.


{1}Do you prefer to text or call?
Text. I hate talking on the phone. Something about a disembodied voice really bothers me sometimes.

{2}What is the last text message in your phone and who is it from?
"Sure" from Gavin. I asked him to pick up some Diaper Genie refills. Our baby poops. A LOT.

{3}What are your favorite phone apps?
Instagram, Baby Tracker, Tap Zoo, and the calculator since I can't do math to save my life.

{4}At what age do you think kids are ready for a cell phone?
Depends on the kid, but somewhere around puberty, when they start running wild and you need a way to lo-jack them without them realizing it.

{5}Share a current pic or video taken with your phone.
Taken just this afternoon after feeding the little man:

Join Mamarazzi and add your Happy List! Such a wonderful way to count your blessings for the week.




Internet at the house
FINALLY. I can keep up with all my imaginary internet friends (all those people who I follow online but haven't been lucky enough to meet in person due to distance/time/money/etc.). I can also look up info on baby care and connect with other new moms on Babycenter since I don't have many real life friends in the area that I see regularly who have kids.

Ian
My little Timelord makes me extremely happy. Some days he's the only thing that makes me happy. Even when he's fussing and crying, the moment he settles down and looks at me with a contented little sigh after I've comforted him -- THAT moment makes me happy.

New Doctor Who
New episode tonight after a month-and-a-half long hiatus. I'm just starting to warm up to the new series after hating it last season. I gave my heart to Ten, and then they killed him off and brought on some new guy who, let's face it, is a bit too young and angry to be MY Doctor. I grew up on Four (Tom Baker) and Five (Peter Davison), so Nine and Ten are more my style Doctors. The only reason I've really started liking the new series is because of River Song, and Rory being killed off seemingly every episode, but they always find a way to rewind and reset everything back to normal. I've even started saying "Oh my god, they killed Rory! You bastards!" when that happens.

FlyLady
I'm getting back into her little routine. Such easy baby steps to gaining control over your household's CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). It makes me happy to have a clean sink every night before I go to bed for some reason.

Being part of the ZIA Matchbook swap
They're small and quick and easy to decorate now that I got the little pages in the mail. I just have to get more inspired and work on them when (if) Ian sleeps during the day.

Being part of Mamarazzi's Favorite Colors swap
I really can't wait to start shopping for my partner, I'm so excited! And I can't wait to see what goodies I'll get in return. I love fun swag boxes with little constraints -- there's no telling what I'll find to send or what I'll get, and that's the biggest fun of all.

Stouffer's casseroles
Oh, my god, these are the best things in my freezer! I used to not like frozen foods because they never quite tasted right. They never tasted "real" to me. But Stouffer's has vastly improved their quality and selection. My favorites are the Grandma's Chicken and Rice Bake and the Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas. Mmmmm... enchiladas.

Finding books and sketchbooks as I (slowly) unpack
It's like Christmas every day here lately. I just wish I had more room to put things!

I've been out of the internet loop for a couple of weeks now, first with moving, then with not having internet at the new house, then giving birth and adjusting to life with a newborn. Whew, it's been a busy month and a half for me!

What's funny is that we got the phone and 'net set up on Friday. We had internet access for exactly 6 hours before I went into labor at 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

Since I've been out of the loop for so long, I thought I'd jump back in with both feet (one's nudging the little rocker my son is playing in) and join up with Mamarazzi's Favorite Color Swap! I've never gotten a chance to do one of her swaps before, but I love the WWTKW and Friday Confessionals so much. I'm really glad she let me join up, being a n00b and all. :)




This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to start putting together all sorts of goodies and treats for a new friend.

Welcome Ian Alexander, born August 14, 2011.

Here are the things I'm certain of today:

• He squeaks. Like a mouse. Usually when feeding, although sometimes while asleep. Just a random, loud "SQUEAK!" then silence. It's adorable.
• He doesn't like to be cold.
• Or naked.
• He doesn't cry or fuss much.
• He's sort of a night owl, like me.
• He's also a long sleeper, like me.
• He could fart Dueling Banjos if he knew the melody -- he's that flatulent and that loud.
• He's the most valuable thing I've ever had in my life.

I never knew I could love something so much, this tiny little fragile life, and he's mine. I'm sure when he hits puberty, he'll hate me and I'll hate him, but for right now, I can't get over how much (and how differently from everything else) I love him. I didn't think I had any maternal instinct at all, but seeing his big eyes and his Doctor Who hair triggered it, and I won't let him out of my sight most of the time. I'm just now getting to where I let Gavin change his diaper without hovering to make sure he doesn't smoosh the baby or something silly like that -- ridiculous fears that I'm sure will go away. Eventually I'll be only too happy to hand Ian over to his father and say "I'm gonna take a nap. Enjoy his 'Diaper Change of One Thousand Poops' trick." Today is the first day I've trusted the baby monitor to let me know if he's unhappy while I'm in the studio writing this entry.

But I do keep running to the other end of the house every 10 minutes to look in on him myself. Just to be sure.

I miss having him all to myself; now that I'm not pregnant, I have to share his tiny movements and delicate little body with everyone. And it's oddly lonely, not having him so close (literally) to my heart. My body may have hated being pregnant, but I did like carrying the little guy this whole time. My only real issue was all the fluid retention, which caused pretty much every single physical problem I had. I still can't feel my fingertips and none of my rings fit anymore (and probably won't ever again), but the rest of me is mostly back to normal.

Mostly.

Seriously, do doctors really need to tell women not to have sex or use tampons for at least 6 weeks after delivery? Really? I don't plan on letting anything near my hoo-hoo for six months, not even the doctor. Not that it hurts much, but damn... after what it just went through, it deserves a nice vacation in the Bahamas or something.

But it was all worth it. Just for those random contented squeaks he makes, or that wide-eyed "Oooooo" look he gets when he sees or hears something new. And those little sideburns.

And yes, I've already decided that IF his hair doesn't fall out (I'm praying it won't), I'll make him a little blue pinstriped suit and long brown overcoat, muss up the boy's hair a bit (it doesn't take much to get the look), and he'll go as Ten for Halloween.

I knew he was a little Timelord. :)