Today I...

introduced Greyson to the lake (he grimaced at first but liked it later)

got highlights for a fraction of the cost at a salon (and they look 10x better)

drank WAY too much diet pepsi (tomorrow I will stick with iced tea)

fed Greyson his cereal right before bed (to see if this helps him sleep through the night)

sweat my arse off (how I forgot how humid it gets in Michigan!)


what did YOU do today?

man, and I've got nowhere else to put the kid...

click on the picture to get the true message (to enlarge and read the print)

getting paid to work out... sort of

Greyson and I have found a new path to walk our "killer walk." This mile (one way) path takes us to the local grocery store. We walk there and back because you may recall that I like to have a goal (out and back) versus just going around the block a zillion times. Sometimes we pick up dinner and sometimes we just walk there, pick up a soda for me and a packs of cigarettes for him and head back. It takes up about an hour, depending on how much time we spend inside the store. The best part is that I am usually hauling some recyclables to the store because here in Michigan you get 10 cents in return for soda and beer cans/bottles. On the way there we often find cans or bottles strewn along the sidewalk or street. Nothing like getting 10 cents per lunge. That's where I get the "getting paid to exercise" bit. I have to bend down or lunge down to pick up the can and my reward, besides a tight ass, is 10 cents. Hey, I heard a couple put their kid through MIT collecting cans... so there is no shame to my game! In fact, I have decided to keep track of how much money I made this summer by returning bottles and cans. What sucks is that there is no refund for water bottles, therefore, people just toss them in the trash. In fact, there is no recycling push out here... which makes me cringe every time I see plastic, paper, cardboard, tin, or glass in the trash. AGGGHHHHHHH. I set a goal of $1000 for myself. I know it's a bit lofty, but if I think about it, that is only 10,000 squats!

Michigan is...

Fresh cherries.

Family.

Chipmunks.

10 cents per bottle/can recycling refund.

Humidity like you won't believe.

Potholes.

Raspberries.

Lakes.

Home.

... to name a few.

I can't wait to come back next year, when Greyson can appreciate the big backyards, the little creek running through my dad's backyard, sprinklers to combat the heat and humidity, swimming in the lake and the fresh fruit.

ditto from the TB blog...

welp, my dad did indeed get internet access JUST.FOR.ME. Isn't that sweet? And as promised, I said I would post from the Great Lake State. So far we have done a lot of nothing. And that is what this trip was intended for. So far we have spent a lot of time with family and today we are heading off to the "friends" part of the "friends and family visiting spree." TB's Godmother has a house on a lake and it is a PERFECT place to make some summertime memories. Too bad TB won't remember any of it... yet.

TB has handled the trip and time difference ok. I say ok because he didn't sleep much last night and I almost sold him off to the gypsies. I said almost. That gummy smile this morning bought him at least another 24 hours around here though. I'm not sure what is doing it. Is he hungry? Growing? Just going through a phase? All of the above? Tonight I am going to try to give him his cereal before bed to see if that keeps him full and in a carb coma for a good 10 hours. I'm not asking much, am I?

When in Michigan, root for the Tigers is what we say. (Notice he is still true to his Padres, though).

For those interested, the flight over here was better than anticipated. The first leg was great. We had an empty seat next to mine, so I was allowed to bring his carseat on board and the flight was perfect. The next, and longer, leg was a full flight... so no carseat and very cramped quarters. It's amazing how tough it is to hold a baby for 2.5 hours. Yes, he's only 14 lbs. but when there is not much space to sit in and the baby is squirming around, it's a challenge. He managed to sleep for maybe half an hour of the flight which was very welcomed. We changed his diaper while flying which was also a welcome distraction from sitting in the cramped seat. Doing so wasn't as bad as you might think. No National Lampoon's moments in the head. Eventually we landed and without any meltdowns... thank you 6 lb. 4 oz. baby Jesus! I'm not looking forward to the flight home b/c I'm scared that they both will be full flights... and now I know how heavy he can be. Oh well... I will try not to sweat it until I have to.

what was I thinking?

This picture just about sums it up for me.  What was I thinking?  Going to Michigan for two whole months?  Do you know what sort of packing and planning that takes when you have a baby?  Oh my.  I can't forget the white noise maker or the binky's or the _____ (insert many, many things here).  I am also traveling alone... am I CrAzY?  I have a baby, a stroller a carseat two suitcasestwocarryonsandapartridgeinapeartree to worry about... ON.MY.OWN.  The only saving grace is that Tony will be helping me at this airport and my dad will be helping me at the other airport.  I'm hoping for helpful flight attendants and friendly seat mates on the plane.  

We'll be away for 2 months and I'm not so sure about what kind of internet access I will have while there, so pardon my lack of updating.... just in case.  If we do have access... then I hope to update while on holiday.

In other news... oh, there isn't any.  Just truckin' along these days, taking it one day at a time.  Life is getting easier with the little one.  He is getting more and more interactive as the days pass and soon he'll be in college.  I'm looking forward to starting swim lessons once we get back in August.  I like to have little things to look forward to.  I'm NOT looking forward to him getting some shots tomorrow at his 4 month well baby check up.  You go in with a happy baby and come out with a fussy, sad, upset, hurt baby.  So not fair.