But I know I'm a lucky man...

Monday Sep 28, 2009

But I know I'm a lucky man...

I have days where I hate my job
This little town and the whole world too
And last Sunday when the Bengals lost
Lord, it put me in a bad mood

I have moments when I curse the rain
Then complain when the sun's too hot
I look around at what everyone has
And I forget about all I've got

But I know I'm a lucky man
God's given me a pretty fair hand
Got a house and a piece of land
A few dollars in a coffee can

My old trucks still running good
My ticker's ticking like they say it should
I got supper in the oven, a good woman's loving
And one more day to be my little kid's dad
Lord, knows I'm a lucky man

Got some friends who would be here fast
I could call 'em any time of day
Got a brother who's got my back
Got a mama who I swears a saint

Got a brand new rod and reel
Got a full week off this year
Dad had a close call last spring
It's a miracle he's still here

But I know I'm a lucky man
God's given me a pretty fair hand
Got a house and a piece of land
A few dollars in a coffee can

My old trucks still running good
My ticker's ticking like they say it should
I got supper in the oven, a good woman's loving
One more day to be my little kid's dad
Lord, knows I'm a lucky man
-Lucky Man, Montgomery Gentry

I don't usually post the lyrics to the entire song, but I heard this on the radio the other day, and it's so true. We should all remember how truly lucky we are. Plus, I couldn't pick a favorite line. Sorry if my last post was a little whiny (some might argue a lot whiny!) I think I just needed some whine to go with all this cheese I've been consuming lately...

I spent last weekend with my girls ... a group of women I've gotten to know over the past few years who are truly the best group of friends that a girl could have. When times are tough, these girls are there, with a meal, a shoulder to cry on, a Chick-fil-A milkshake, a hug, or a crazy mother-in-law story to make each other laugh. And this weekend, we laughed so much I seriously thought I might hurt myself. They are some of the funniest people, and I can't remember a time when I had so much fun or laughed so hard. They helped pull me out of my whiny funk, and I am grateful to each of them. If life doesn't give you sisters, you find them.

Posted at 04:32PM Sep 28, 2009 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[4]

Takin' care of business...

Sunday Sep 20, 2009

Takin' care of business...

Every day!
Takin' care of business
Every way
Takin' care of business
It's all mine
Takin' care of business
and workin' overtime

Do you ever get that overloaded feeling where you think you just can't do it anymore?

Well, I woke up with it on Friday morning (at 5:30!) and haven't been able to shake it. I have a million things running around in my mind, and I just can't seem to focus on anything or be productive toward any of those things that are overloading me. I've got too many choices of new kitchen cabinets, too many plumbers in the Raleigh area to pick from, and too many gas range options to even consider. There's just too many options! And all those options lead to worries. I am officially a worry wart. I worry about my friends, about money, about making an A in my class, about falling behind at work, the health of my babies, my own health. You name it, I will dwell on it until I've worked myself into a stew.

This should have been a nice, restful weekend. But even a weekend with nothing planned is NEVER long enough to do all the laundry, dishes, pick up all the toys, do the grocery shopping, and do my reading for class. I'm not trying to do anything crazy ... I just want to take my kid to the park. Watch a movie with my hubby. Flip through a magazine. Heck, I even went to Target on Saturday evening for a little retail therapy. Even that just made me more overwhelmed by all that I ought to be doing. Walking down the aisle with brooms just made me wonder how long it has been since I've swept the kitchen. (Hint, it's been weeks. Possibly even months. Sorry, gross I know.)

Most of my closest friends work either part time, have summers off, work from home, or are stay-at-home moms. I am so insanely jealous of you women. When you are doing your laundry in the middle of the day on a random Wednesday, appreciate how lucky you are. When you walk from your home office down the stairs to eat lunch in your own kitchen and then toss the dishes in the dishwasher, be grateful that you don't have to spend your whole Saturday doing a week's worth of dishes. If you have EVER taken you child to the pool, the museum, the park, or the airport to watch the planes fly over on a weekday, thank your lucky stars.

Posted at 09:41PM Sep 20, 2009 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[6]

What's the buzz, tell me what's-a happening...

Saturday Sep 12, 2009

What's the buzz, tell me what's-a happening...

What's the buzz, tell me what's-a happening
Why should you want to know
Don't you mind about the future
Don't you try to think ahead
Save tomorrow for tomorrow
Think about today instead
-Jesus Christ Superstar

Good song, from a great musical. And good lyrics to remember - live in this moment and enjoy exactly where you are today. So, here's the buzz from the Foster clan.

First, a big thanks to LaLa for serving as guest blogger last week. As you've no doubt noticed, it's getting harder and harder to fit in time to blog these days. What's keeping me so busy? Oh yeah -- kitchen remodel, a high-energy toddler, full-time work, grad school, Mount Laundry (which is growing by the day!), and growing a person. Any one of those could wear a girl out.

No big news in the pregnancy world. I've definitely stared to "pop" and have given up almost all of my pre-preggo clothes. Unfortunately, I'm not quite big enough for most maternity clothes, but too big for my own stuff. I'd like to thank my friends in the College of Textiles (or whoever it was!) that thought to put spandex in ALL maternity clothes. I mean, even the jeans are stretchy, and not just in the belly. Ahh, comfort. Room to put more cheeseburgers.

I'm at 15 weeks, which makes ColbyJack/CheeseDoodle/Baby#2 about the size of an apple. S/he has fingerprints already! Isn't that just incredibly amazing? I'm finally starting to turn the corner on the constant nausea, and it's about time. I go back to the doc on Thursday and I'll report back if there's any news. But so far, all is well.

Jay is as cute as ever and learning more words every day. We started counting last weekend, and finally quit counting when we hit 100. That's a pretty huge vocabulary for an 18 month old - mostly nouns, but a few adjectives (hot, cold) and a few verbs (go, help). I really ought to pull out my old Language Development textbook. (I used to know this stuff!) My favorite new word - "Guggle" which means "snuggle." He likes to guggle before he goes to bed, which he NEVER used to do as a baby.

He's got a bit of a cold which makes it tough for him to sleep, but he's surviving. He went to the ENT this week because he has unfortunately inherited the McLean tonsils, which means that they are freakin' enormous. He's going to have a sleep study to confirm, but we're probably facing surgery sooner rather than later. I'm not going to worry yet. "Save tomorrow for tomorrow. Think about today instead."

Have a great week - hug someone you love!

Posted at 09:03PM Sep 12, 2009 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[3]

Who let the dogs out?

Saturday Sep 05, 2009

Who let the dogs out? Fuf fuf fuf fuf fuf fuf

This week I requested to be the guest writer on the Torquil blog, because I think that Jay is the cutest, funniest, smartest baby on the face of the earth, and I am completely and unequivocally unprejudiced in every way. I am just his completely unbiased grandmother, aka, Lala. I realize that the Dog Song used as the title this week was used in the past, when Jay’s croupy cough won the title. But I could not resist repeating it, for reasons to be explained below.

So just to keep you up on what Jay is doing these days, I wanted to share the fact that his verbal skills are increasing exponentially. He can repeat virtually anything you say, so it is very important to use only polite language in his presence. He can repeat anything, and does so happily, unless you try to get him to talk on the phone. He loves a phone almost better than anything, and talks to a blank phone with quite a chatty little charm. “Hallo? Butta, butta yaba, dadee, dubba dubba. Byebye.” But put a phone up to his ear with a real person talking to him, and those little lips purse all the way to his throat! As you desperately cue him to say “Hello, Mama”, he just grins and gives you the silent treatment. Then as soon as you hang up, he reaches for the phone and is back with “Mommee, Hallo!”

He is putting together small phrases and using terms at the right moment, too. When he sits down in his high chair, he holds out his hand and says “Ameen” to indicate that it is time to hold hands and say the blessing. And he has learned that to demand “MINE!” (sounds more like my-een!) does not work nearly as well as a sweet little “peas” to indicate “Please hand me that”. In fact, he has learned that “Help me” is a pretty useful phrase when he cannot do something alone. Even the way he says his name, Jiy, is awfully cute.

But my very favorite is the animal sounds he makes. Of course, he learned that a cow says MOO as soon as he began to move his lips. And I think he actually calls a sheep a BAAAA. But puppy is his favorite animal, and when asked what a puppy says, he replies Fuf, fuf, fuf, with no sound at all. (Thus, the title of this post.) I guess his WOOF sound has only partially come in, so the Woo part of Woof is left off. But it is so fun to get him to do it, I cannot resist asking him all the time. He probably is thinking, why can’t she remember what a dog says? I tell her all the time!! He does not seem to distinguish between a little yap yap yappy dog and a big BOWWOW dog. They are all fuf fuf fuf to him. Soooo cute!!

Untitled from Jen F on Vimeo.

Posted at 07:51PM Sep 05, 2009 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[1]

And the winner is...

Tuesday Aug 25, 2009

And the winner is...

Colby Jack Foster.

I'm loving it, Katrine and Ginger! If Colby ends up being a girl, we can call her CJ until we come up with a real name. Which, given our history, isn't likely to happen until s/he's about 3 days old.

Posted at 10:29AM Aug 25, 2009 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[3]

One is the loneliest number...

Saturday Aug 22, 2009

One is the loneliest number...

that you'll ever do.
-Three Dog Night

Yes, you guessed it. Perhaps you noticed that I've given up my nightly glass of wine. (So sad.) Perhaps I've been so tired that I actually fell asleep while talking to you. (Even sadder.) More likely, you noticed that my butt has grown to the size of a small continent. (Really, really sad.) But since one is the loneliest number, we've decided to make it two. The latest addition to the Foster family will be arriving by March 5, 2010 - and not a day later, I might add!

Needless to say, we're super excited and more than a little scared. Why is it so much scarier the second time around? Is it because I know what to expect this time? (Those months of sleepless nights were definitely tougher than I planned for!) Or is it because I don't have a clue how I'm going to handle two little ankle-biters when one more than fills my time and my heart? We've just gotten to the point where I feel like we're getting the hang of this parenting thing. Now, I wonder if I will have to figure out how to do it all over again, but times two?

Contributing to my uneasiness is the fact that I feel HORRIBLE this time. With Jay, I was never sick. Not once. Sure, I was tired. But now, I have this constant feeling of "I'm gonna puke, and yet I'm hungry." No food really appeals to me, with the exception of cheese. I have wanted to eat nothing but cheese for the last six weeks. Seriously. I have always been a big fan of cheese. But now, it's all I want. Cheese toast. Cheesy scrambled eggs. Pimiento cheese. Bean & cheese burrito (extra cheese, please). Pizza with double cheese. Grilled cheese sandwich. Am I starting to sound like Bubba in Forrest Gump yet? Wait, now that I think about it, maybe the ginormous growth of my backside isn't entirely due to pregnancy...

So far baby #2 seems to be doing just fine. We've had a hard time coming up with a pet name for him/her. I mean, really, how are you gonna top "Torquil?" We tried "Annie" for a little while - Torquil & Annie were my great-great-great-grandparents who immigrated to NC from Scotland. But if "Annie" turns out to be a boy, that could have long-lasting repercussions on his mental health. Don't wanna start this kid out needing therapy before s/he's even born. So I'm leaving it to you, dear readers. What shall we call this little peanut?

Posted at 08:44PM Aug 22, 2009 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[12]

Comments:

Your butt may be a continent, but I think Australia is cute!

Posted by Derek on August 22, 2009 at 08:54 PM EDT #

I don't have any name suggestions...yet, but I do want to say I can't wait to meet this little Foster. Keep in mind that Riley's birthday is March 5!

Posted by Amy G on August 22, 2009 at 09:30 PM EDT #

Hey! A blog - I love it! Congratulations! My vote is for "Pat." ;-)

Posted by Ginger Nixon on August 23, 2009 at 09:08 PM EDT #

I think you just named him/er. Your last comment.."peanut". It was my mom's nickname for me. I think it was because I was not only the youngest but the smallest-or was it because I was her biggest baby (at 8 lbs). But as soon as I read it on your post, I thought it a great name.

Posted by Great Aunt Ali on August 23, 2009 at 09:17 PM EDT #

Wow, I stay away from my computer for a few weeks and I find out I've missed all the news! Yay another baby to keep you going...now that sounds like something I might do!!!

Congrats to all and I'm going to fix a cheese tray right this minute!

Loves,
Susie H

Posted by Susie Hoffman on August 24, 2009 at 02:18 AM EDT #

Congrats!! I think the nickname needs to be cheese related...goat? feta? colby jack? muenster? this could go on all day...

Posted by Katrine on August 24, 2009 at 08:11 AM EDT #

Congrats!! So excited for you guys!!

Posted by Bethany Watkins on August 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM EDT #

Congratulations! Not to scare you, but sadly my wife's morning sickness was worse with each of her three pregnancies. With out last one, she actually had 9 months of morning sickness. I think she even threw up the morning Evan was born! Good luck!

Posted by Steven Greene on August 24, 2009 at 02:24 PM EDT #

Oh wow...I think Katrine just found a perfect name for a boy - Colby Jack Foster.

Posted by Ginger Nixon on August 24, 2009 at 04:47 PM EDT #

Yay! Congrats! I like the Colby idea-- relatively gender neutral. Of course you could always go for guppy, which was Grace's nickname for the first few months inside...

Posted by Erin on September 17, 2009 at 09:25 AM EDT #

I want to fly like an eagle...

Saturday Aug 08, 2009

I want to fly like an eagle...

...to the sea
Fly like an eagle
let my spirit carry me
-Steve Miller Band

Ahh, airplane time. Airplane stories always make for the best blog posts, don't you think? (Side note: Avid blog readers or music junkies may remember that my last airplane post, linked above, was Jet Airliner, also by Steve Miller Band. If you haven't read it before, do it. I had nearly forgotten how hard parenting was back then. Almost.)

So, this time, the flight was both easier and harder. When I was nursing, the boob would put him to sleep EVERY TIME. Without fail. Want him to take a nap? Start the milk flowin'. Now, he's much more interested in everything around him and wants to explore new stuff. Interesting things > sleep. More importantly, he's now mobile. If he wants to see what's across the aisle from him, he's going to crawl out of your lap and onto the floor to see it, unless you have him in a straitjacket-style grip. Casual bystanders on a plane tend to frown on you holding your kid in said straitjacket-grasp while he's screaming at the top of his lungs. They also tend to frown on your kid climbing under their feet to explore their shoes. It's definitely a balancing act between letting him explore the new world of your airplane row and becoming a nuisance to those around you.

But there was one really good airplane event that I'm not sure I can accurately describe for you. My brother and my husband still laugh hilariously at the mere thought of it, so it must have been funnier from their vantage points. We bought Jay one of these Foogo Thermos cups with a straw for the trip. It's unbreakable stainless steel, it keeps milk cold for 12 hours, and (most importantly) it has a flip-top cover to keep the straw from leaking and to keep it clean. Perfect for travel! This flip top cover soon becomes significant to the story.

Jay drinks some milk at the airport, we load up onto the plane, takeoff, and the flight attendant begins to come around with snacks & drinks. As we're sipping our Ginger Ale, we think "I bet Jay would like some milk." Out comes the Foogo straw cup. Derek pushes the button to open the cap, and without warning, the straw shoots a geyser of milk across my face, up the side wall of the plane, and across the back of the seat onto the hair of the poor little girl seated in the row behind us. Yes, all the wonderful advertising in the world neglected to mention that the flip top cap is actually air tight. The pressure difference at sea level and at our cruising altitude of 20,000 feet caused this thing to act like a pressurized super-soaker, shooting soymilk across the plane. As the milk begins running down the wall of the airplane and across the window, I start to hear a snicker, which quickly becomes hilarious laughter. No help in wiping the milk out of my hair or off of everything around me. Oh no. My husband and brother are too busy laughing to worry about us or the puddle of milk that's now forming in the plane's window. They are dying laughing. The best part? They actually begin making plans do it again on the ride home! They want to recreate this scene so they can take pictures of it! Boys scare me sometimes.

I still really like the cup. Seriously, it IS great for travel. But a word to the wise: unscrew the lid before opening the cap on an airplane. You'll be glad you did. So will the people on the row behind you.

Posted at 07:43PM Aug 08, 2009 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[1]