Clean Sweep

Let me introduce you to my little clean freak. She LOOOVES to help me clean. If she notices any of the drawers in the kitchen slightly cracked, she will go and close every one of them all the way. Friday, when it was LOVELY out (almost 70 and sunny), we had all the windows open and decided to get some pre-spring cleaning done. Even though our vacuum is on its last leg, I thought we'd try it another time just to see if I could at least get the living room done before it started overheating again.

Although I won't let her help me clean with chemicals of course, Tiegan always asks if she can help me dust/sweep/vacuum. I always give her an extra rag and she goes around the house scrubbing here and there. She informs me of all the spots I've missed. We had so much fun going outside and sweeping the porch together. I really hope she stays this way!

Yesterday I had the worst migraine I've had in a LONG time. I know many of you can sympathize. It felt like my head was going to explode... for about 17 hours. I seriously had moments of wondering if I had a brain tumor that was getting ready to burst. I had visions of blood gushing out my ears, eyes, nose... and I was thinking about how much relief it would bring if that happened. That's how much pain I was in! Mom thinks I have irritable blood vessels (is that even a real condition?). I give Jason props for trying to be understanding, since he's never experienced migraines that bad.

Has anyone seen the movie Idiocracy? It scares me to think that the world might actually end up like that someday.

Storm Snacks

Glad I got my good-weather fix yesterday! Here is our view today:

A half-frozen, puddle-covered lake and daaarrrkkk grey skies.

At least the rain sounds neat on the ice. I grabbed some marshmallows at the grocery store yesterday. When I was a kid, my parents set my sister & I up with bowls of marshmallows to snack on during thunderstorms. It was our "thing."

Speaking of that, it JUST thundered big time! Time for marshmallows.

Ducks Quacking

Tiegan has a new saying when I'm being stern. It's enough to melt my heart, and she knows it.

"Are you not mad at me anymore yet?"

I have to explain that it's not that I'm mad at her. It's just that I'm very serious and it's not silly time. But how can you not say "It's all better now" and succumb to the smooches?

Oh that sneaky, devious charmer. And those eyelashes. She got her daddy's long, full, dark lashes (I'm a sucker for a guy with great lashes). When she bats those puppies it's like butterflies flapping their wings. Those two and their lashes... they get whatever they want from me.

And OH MY GOD, what a gorgeous day! Time to stop wasting it on the computer.

The Language of Design

Here I am, writing a blog from my mom's G5 iMac. Every time I use a Mac (which isn't often, because my G4 iBook spends most of its time in the closet since it started sllowwwinggg waaayy ddooowwwnn), my love of Apple is reaffirmed. I had fallen into a Microsoft slump, since an HP Slimline is my main center of work & play these days. It's the only computer I have with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Soulseek, and all the other software I like & use every day.

I got used to the Slimline, and I thought it was a pretty cool PC. I even slid comfortably into using Vista every day - it is a copycat of the new Mac OS, after all.

However, I sit down at my mom's iMac (which, by the way, I persuaded her to buy -- yes, score another convert for me!) and I remember that I'm a tried and true Apple-onian. Or whatever they call themselves. iGeek?

Go ahead and think Apple products are overpriced, but remember this: you get what you pay for. I dream of the day I can afford to get my own desktop Mac. I'll definitely be shooting for a new 24" display iMac... I hear photo retouching on those is a DREAM. The depth of color... the sharp quality... can you tell I'm getting goosebumps?

Nothing Too Exciting...

Check out my cool, new, "virtually indestructible" keyboard.

It's pretty sweet. A little weird to get used to, because it's all rubber and very flat, and you have to press the keys a little harder than you might imagine. I guess it's all 100% sealed, so you can even wash it in the sink! And if the eerie blue-green glow gets to be a bit much to handle, there's an on/off button for that. My mom's surgical office ordered a ton of these keyboards for the new touch-screen tablets they're using, and I guess they ordered a surplus. I got an extra one!

In other news, we had to drive to the "D" to file some paperwork today. We drove past the old Tiger Stadium (what's left of it, anyhow) whilst in the area. Jason got teary-eyed. In the almost 10 years I've known him and 3.5 years we've been married, I've never seen him cry. It really was a sad sight. I can tell that place held a lot of memories for him, and seeing it abandoned and half torn down was probably pretty emotional. Man... all of Detroit is pretty sad looking these days.

Belly Talk

Preface: Please excuse the hideous quality of this cell phone picture, and the boxes/mess in the background. This was taken in Sofia's room, which is still serving as storage until I feel good & ready to get it all cleared out.

I love - *LOVE* - this back support/belly band. I never had so much lower back pain in all my life until this pregnancy. I am carrying very low. I thought the braces were for... *ahem*... larger girls. Apparently I'm ignorant. This thing is a Godsend. Actually, it was a MOMsend - she bought it for me. I can't thank you enough, mom!!! It's such a relief. I don't even mind that it squeezes the hell out of my bladder. At least my back doesn't hurt anymore. ;)

It's hardly visible under clothing unless what you're wearing is tight. I do suggest, if you get one, to wear a cami underneath. It can be kind of scratchy on the skin. Here is the exact one if you want to check it out. I want to say my mom got this at Walmart.

Has anyone tried a Bellaband?

P.S. I'm still waiting to gain any pounds. It's very strange. My weight plateaued about 4 weeks ago, if not more. The baby is obviously growing, and my thighs no longer fit into any of the jeans I had been wearing. I'm not really gaining weight elsewhere, nor am I losing it. Shouldn't I at least be gradually going up? oh well - I'm not too worried about it. I'd rather be this way than gain 60 lbs. like last time!

Vocalista

I miss singing and need to get back into it. Did you know I performed a recital at 16 years old, including 11 songs in 5 languages, all memorized?

There was a summer a while back where I was paid to sing at weddings. Funerals, too. Basics like the Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria. I'd really like to get back into that. It would be a nice little extra cash flow, and I could also get my voice back into shape. When I say I miss singing, I mean I really miss singing. My former vocal coach (whom I also miss learning from) once told me that pregnancy actually thickens and strengthens the vocal cords... or something to that effect. It's from the hormones. The voice gets richer. I've definitely noticed that when singing in the shower... or the kitchen... or the car... or wherever.

I'm kind of conflicted about what to advertise this summer. Would I rather sing at weddings, or photograph them? Photography would certainly make a bit more money, but it is incredibly time-intensive and I will have just had a baby. Small weddings aren't so bad. I've done a couple bigger ones (200 guests or so... 8-9 hour day and weeks of post-processing). So... I guess if you know anyone getting married soon and they need a vocalist... you know who to call.