10 MONTHS & CHRISTMAS MADNESS

X turned 10 months this past Friday and again I failed to post on the same day.  I also forgot to post a sneak peek for his theme, we've been so busy.  I didn't even finish the props for his picture until the night before. I was originally going to do a Christmas theme, but opted for the superhero theme instead.  Totally at a loss for the 11 month theme, but part of me thinks it may involve alcohol.  No, he's not going to be drinking.  Geez, what kind of mom do you think I am?  Well since I'm typing this on my phone and It's the afternoon & X is awake, I'm going to have to make this update super short.  Nothing has changed or occurred since my last post. He hasn't gone anywhere exciting, or done anything memorable.  Exciting, I know.  Hopefully our next update will be better, for now, here are some of the out takes from X's 10 month shoot.  

2 more days until Christmas!  I'm super excited for X!

O' CHRISTMAS TREE

So the inevitable happened today.  X rolled off my bed.  I'm not going to tell the story of how it happened because I really don't feel like typing it all out, but the poor dude was in tears, and I felt horrible. 

 

This whole situation made me think about and realize a few things.  First, X must suffer alone in his crib from now on (sad face.  I love cuddling with my little guy, getting kicked in the face and farted on in the middle of the night), and second, apparently I'm not allowed to make mistakes.  If something bad happens it's pure negligence.  Finally, I hate backseat parenters.  I didn't ask for your opinion so stfu.  All of this "insight" is something that hasn't just miraculously come to mind.  I have been thinking it for a while.  Another thing I realized that really bothers me are people that let anger consume them.  Something happens and they immediately respond in a rage of fury.  My whole thing is that getting all irate about something that's already happened isn't going to make the situation any better.  Shit happens.  Constantly bitching about what happened isn't going to solve anything.  What it does is pushes people away to a point where they just don't give a shit anymore or causes a person to just constantly feel like they're walking on eggshells, trapped in a prison of self-doubt because of how excessive the other persons reaction to things are.  It's always a vicious cycle.  Incident occurs. Anger ensues.  Animosity grows.  I'm going to do everything I can to make sure X doesn't not end up like one of those people. 

Wow...this blog has really turned into a forum to air my grievances instead of updates on X.  Well...I guess this technically is an X update.  Today you fell of mommy's bed son.  You hated it, but are already back to your daredevil ways.  Boys.

I guess I might as well continue with the X info.  X not only has two top teeth coming in, but also has one more bottom tooth pushing through those gums of his.  So far he's been a trooper with the teething.  He gnaws on EVERYTHING and drools like a water fountain, but other than that he's been cool *knocks on wood*.

The other day we took X to take pictures with Santa.  The guy didn't even cry.  We put him on Santa's Lap and he sat there staring at his beard and glasses.  We looked ridiculous trying to get X's attention, he was so transfixed on that beard.  Santa was a dud though.  Not too jolly that guy.  It might have been because X was carrying a heavy load while on his lap.  Whoops.  I totally smelled the dookie prior to handing X over, but I didn't want to have to go change him and come back.  We were already there.  What's five more minutes?  Sorry Santa.

 

On Monday we got our Christmas tree.  I LOVE Christmas trees.  They smell so good.  The holidays are actually my favorite time of year.  I secretly wish it snowed here so it can really feel like Christmas.  Yeah...because I know how snowy Christmas' are.  Damn So.Cal and our always summer weather.  At least give me some rain.  I love rain.  I feel like colder weather just adds to the holiday spirit.  Well...I guess Aussies feel at home during Christmas in Cali.

Since we finally have our tree up and decorated I spent all last night wrapping X's gifts.  I passed on getting shit-face drunk to wrap gifts.  Is this what being a mom means?  Man.  Next year I'm going to make a game of it and take a shot for every gift I warp.  That sounds like a very bad idea, especially since X had about 20+ gifts...and I'm not even done.  His Gammy really went all out for his first Xmas.  My mom practically bought his entire amazon wish list.  She bought him all these gifts and left them for me to wrap.  So on top of everything her and my dad got him, I also had to wrap the things His dad and I got him.  He's going to be super overwhelmed on Christmas day.  Good thing he won't really remember this Christmas because Gammy set the bar pretty high for future Christmas'.  It's okay though.  You only get one first Christmas.  Woah...could I have said Christmas any more?

To finally end off this way too long post, X's Christmas cards arrived and have also been sent out, so I'm going to post the picture I used for the cards.  This wasn't how I wanted to do the card, and I completely regret not going with my original idea.  Oh well...next year I'll do it.

Well, it's about that time to say g'night.  Eyelids are heavy, back is aching, and I still have a few last minute gifts to order, so until next time, toodles!

9 MONTHS & THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH

Wow...It's been a while since I've actually done an X related post.  Lately it's been a whole lotta bitchin' and moaning on my end.

So, since I didn't post a 9 month update yet, lets get to it.  At X's well baby visit he weighed in at 20.6 lbs and a little over 30 inches.  He's doing great and has a total of 5 teeth with 2 more on the way.  It's amazing how fast babies grow.  I know it's said all the time, but actually experiencing it is mind blowing.  There are days where I still can't believe I'm actually a mom, and here I have an almost 10 month old.  I mean really...where did the time go?

 

X is a ball of energy and keeping up with him is exhausting.  He's standing, although not without support, and I think he's almost ready to start walking soon.  He's also the biggest flirt I know, constantly staring and smiling at random girls.  He's the sweetest little monster around.

This past Thursday we took X to Disneyland with some of my friends and their babies.  X had a blast, but I secretly think that X's dad had even more fun.  He earned a new nickname which I will not mention here, and X received his first pair of Mickey ears.  I usually hate theme parks, but seeing X's reaction to being there and how excited he got on the rides made it all worth the headache of dealing with a massive crowd.  The alcohol at California Adventure and being in good company didn't hurt either.  I can't wait to take X again.  Just kidding!  I've put in my time for at least another 5 years.  He won't even remember these trips.  I'll only go again if it's with friends.  That makes the time and crowd so much easier to deal with.

Well...I'm beat and I think I'm coming down with a cold, so I'll be ending this post here.  I just finished X's Christmas cards so I'll be posting some outtakes from that soon...hopefully.  Can you believe Christmas is just around the corner?  Man, I still have a ton of gifts to buy and I'm running out of time.  It seems like time just goes a lot faster when you have a kid.  Can I push rewind so that I can be a kid again?

X'S GETS A HAIRCUT!

So, I know that my 9 month post is overdue, and I'll get to it, I promise, but first I must post X's first REAL haircut (no, I wasn't holding the shears this time).  As much as I didn't want to do it, X's dad finally convinced me to get X's hair cut.  I love my baby's long locks.  I think it makes him look so cute and young, and babyish, so finally caving and watching all that hair fall to the ground really made me want to stop the whole thing and let X suffer with a lopsided do'.  Lucky for him I'm not that selfish and no sabotages took place.  

We decided to take X to one of those cliche kid's barbershops, you know, just for the ambiance...to make it easier on him.  We went in thinking he was going to ball like a, well, baby, but he didn't make a sound.  I get more lip from the kid when I feed him.  X did great.  5 minutes and he was done.  All that baby hair gone.  I think he looks so mature now.  So different.  It's going to take some getting used to.  I know, I'm so dramatic.

Here are some pictures of the before, during, and after so you too can relive the experience I won't soon forget.

9 month post coming soon!

Look at how sad he looks.

C'EST LA VIE

So, here's another not-so-X post.  Sorry guys.  There's a lot on my mind.  A lot of frustration.  You know what the worst feeling is?  Having someone think that the effort you put into something is a waste of time.  You see, I do put time into X's monthly photos, but it's not like I'm putting hours upon hours into it.  No.  It's something I probably spend 3 hours max on, broken up over days of course.  Now if you're into arts and crafts then you know that 3 hours really isn't a considerable amount of time.  So when someone accuses me of wasting too much time on these pictures, well, it not only hurts my feelings, it also irks the shit out of me since I'm really not wasting that much time at all.  And these picture are memories I'm making for X.  He'll have these forever.  I don't think it's a waste of time at all when put in that perspective.

What is also hugely misunderstood is that when I ask someone to help me watch X, it's not just so I can prep for the photo.  It's also because I want to work on other things in my life.  Like trying to provide a better future for my child. Being shut down without even being heard just plain sucks, and it hurts.  Maybe you've heard it all before, but the circumstances were also different before.  And maybe nothing ever amounted to anything then because the support was virtually invisible.  I mean...how are you going to succeed when the one person you need to support you the most thinks what you're trying to do is a joke.  I wouldn't ever shit on someones dreams or goals or life's ambition.  Just because what someone wants is unconventional, and isn't some mediocre 9-5 job, working for some thankless corporation, doesn't mean that I am no better than the next person.  Don't think you're better than me just because you were brainwashed into thinking that working for the man in this rat race is all there is for you.  I wouldn't ever teach X that.  I would want X to be himself.  To do what he wants to do with his life.  Be who he wants to be.  Do what makes you happy.  Don't listen to what people say about what you want to do.  Of course constructive criticism should always be welcomed, but if anyone, and I know there will be a few people that do this to you, but if anyone tells you that there's only one way to succeed in life you tell them to go f themselves, because you can do anything you want to do and be successful as long as you keep at it.  Don't give up.  And Don't let naysayers bring you down, because no dream is ever too big.  Don't ever let anyone make you feel worthless, and if you feel like no one supports you, I will always support your decisions...unless they hurt people.  Then I'm going to have to beat you for being mean.  Not even joking, although I'm sure once you're at that age you'll be able to beat me. 

Woah...Not too sure how that tirade turned into an impromptu life lesson for X.  Yes, I'm upset and emotional right now so not everything may make too much sense.  I just feel like I'm at this point where I just don't give a f**k.  I'm pretty tired of going through life settling for mediocrity.  I wanted more for myself.  I had big dreams...then I gave it up for a guy...no, not X's dad.  But I feel that one thing was like the catalyst to what is now the downfall of all the great things I had planned in my life.  Obviously no one to blame for that but myself.  I think getting pregnant with X was that little nudge that woke me up again, and then him actually being born was the kick I needed to get back in the game.  

You see...I was never the working kind.  I know how that sounds.  Spoiled brat, right?  I mean, to some people, yeah, maybe I am, but I really don't see myself as spoiled.  I am lazy, and that is probably my worst vice (drinking a close 2nd), and because of this laziness I tend to think big...and that's it.  I get how that can be annoying to someone who wants to see you succeed, but again, I feel like genuine support is crucial to success.  Some people can do it on their own, but I'm not that person,  I need to know that the people I'm closest to truly believe in me and what I want to do.  When the person you're spending you're life with thinks your dreams are a joke, and that there's basically no future in it, that kind of puts a damper on things, especially when they're trying to push you in a direction you aren't comfortable in going.  I mean, yes, we all have to do what we have to do to  get by; to survive in this dog-eat-dog world, but at what cost?  Why should I compromise my dreams for mediocrity?  Just because you're okay with settling doesn't mean that I am, and I don't want X to think that, that's how he has to live his life.  The thing too is, I really can't blame a person if that's all they know.  When you're not open-minded then you tend to live in a square box.  Fitting a circle into a square is tough work I tell you.

I'm not even really sure what the point of writing this is.  I feel like I'm setting myself up to fight a battle, that honestly, I'm way too tired to fight.  I feel like I'm trying to be as blunt about the message I'm trying to send as can be, but the person on the other end just can't compute.  Maybe I need to update their software?  Can we do that sort of thing?  Were they able to update Vicki the Robot on Small Wonder?  Damn I used to love that show.  I'm so old :(.

So to sum up everything, and this isn't directed at anyone in particular,...Don't shit on peoples dreams just because you don't understand them, or just because they don't fit into your mold for the perfect life.  There's no problem with not wanting to be a slave to conventionalism.  Think outside the box.  Don't act out or say things out of anger.  Breath.  Come back to it later and talk like an adult without the vein in your forehead throbbing.  Anger is a form of weakness.  Work on that.  Ohh...here's one that wasn't addressed...it's okay to do things for people.  Don't be such a dick.  You think everyone owes you everything, but aren't willing to do anything in return?  I say poo-poo to you.  There's nothing wrong with doing small favors.  It's what nice, thoughtful people do.  only selfish people do it on their own terms.  Hmm...what else.  Well..I think I summed it up well enough?  I mean...there's a whole lot of other issues I want to umm...express myself about, but I'll let one fire die down before I ignite another.  All in all, life is way too short to constantly be stressed about shit.  And it's definitely too short to always be an asshole.  Don't be an asshole.  No-one likes assholes.  Also, there is such a thing as anger management therapy.  There are a few people I know that should check it out.

And with that my little...or long...rant is done.  Wow, writing really is therapeutic.  Time to proof-read and put my baby down for a nap.

9 MONTH SNEAK PEEk

Here's X's November photo sneak peek. Can you tell someone has a little soft spot for these monochrome cuties?  X is smitten by them too, of course.

Check back next week for the photo!

ABSENTEE PARENTING

So it's 3:30am and I'm up writing this post because I am super irked by x's dad right now.  I've been dealing with a sick baby (another post on that later) and an absentee husband.  Why is he virtually MIA you ask?  Well let's not get it twisted, he's not really missing, but he does go out a lot and that leaves me to take care of X on my own; which is fine since I am his mom and that is what I signed up for when I chose to have him, but there comes a point when you just start feeling like...wtf do I look like?  A nanny?  I want to have a life too.  Are we back in the 50's where all the wife does is care for the kids while the husbands go out and play?  I can't remember the last time I went out without X.  Ohh wait...I can.  It was a few weeks ago.  I know...boohoo, I don't get to have a real social life anymore now that I have a baby.  I get it. I know how it sounds.  I guess there's just a lot of pent up frustration.

I'm a SAHM, and honestly, I love it because I love being able to be there for X all of the time.  To be able to be the first one to catch a major milestone is awesome.  I'm totally not complaining about that.  What does piss me off, are the assholes that think being a SAHM is easy, and the ignorant f**ks that say SAHM's don't contribute anything to the relationship because, financially, they aren't bringing anything in.  To them I say f**k you.  If you really thought this "job" was so easy, then you would be around more.  You would be spending more than an hour at a time with your kid.  There was an article or something somewhere where they calculated how much a SAHM would make if it were an actual paying job, and it's like over $200k/yr.  I get it. Being a mom isn't a job, I mean...I'm only on call 24/7. I get no real breaks, and I don't get paid.  If this were a real job I'd totally be able to sue my employer.  That's it X...I'm taking you to court!  J/k!  I signed up for this so I know what I was getting into.  That doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to complain about it every now and then...right?

Wow...I really didn't intend to make this post about being a SAHM.  I know how annoying it sounds to be complaining/venting about caring for your child.  I'm truly blessed to have X.  I don't take that for granted at all, my point is, everyone needs their own personal time. Without it we go a little cray cray.  I love you X.  I love spending time with you, but it would be nice if I could get like a few hours a week to just work on me and my own personal goals.  I really don't think that's too much to ask for.  Any way...it must be nice being a dad that's able to just go out whenever, for how ever long, and know that your kid is taken care of.  Yes.  I am part of the problem, and yes, this is not a forum for airing my grievances.  Give me a break guys.  It's now 4:00am and X's dad is on drunk friend duty, so yes, I feel like I get to be a little pissed off.  I totally know he's going to read this post an be like...wtf, but you know what? 😝. 

Okay...it's time for me to stop with the complaints and go to sleep.  I had a healthy dose of haterade today.  Also, typing this post on my phone is doing nothing positive for my vision.  Peace ✌

8 MONTHS...BOO!

My how fast they grow.  8 months flew by like...swoosh!  Although X will always be my baby, he's growing up so fast that referring to him as a baby is going to be a memory of the past pretty soon -- by the way, major pet peeve of mine is parents referring to their child as a baby when they clearly are way past that stage in life.  I mean, to each their own, but once they start walking they really aren't a BABY anymore.  You gave them a name for a reason.  Start using it instead of saying "the baby's things are over there" or "the baby needs to eat".  Super annoying.  Even now I very rarely refer to X as "the baby".  I get that a lot of people do this, but why?  Don't you want your child to have another identity besides that of being a baby?  Any who...moving on.

So last Sunday X turned 8 months old.  We celebrated by watching football (his dad), and taking this picture.  As you can see my pumpkin masterpiece did not make the photo, and for good reason.  I still have yet to carve that sucker.  I better get on it since Halloween is right around the corner.

As usual I opted to wait until the last minute to make most of the stuff for the picture.  The only thing I really had finished when I posted the sneak peek was the teeny tiny white pumpkin.  The day before this picture was taken I started cutting out the letters for the sign...while driving up to the Big Bear area no less.  I only managed to cut out a few letters since car sickness kicked in not too long after I started.  So basically I spent a few hours the day of scrambling to get everything done.  I just love procrastination.  I'm so good at it.

Any new X accomplishments in the past month you ask?  Why yes sirs and ma'am's there are.  X has another tooth...that makes the count 3, and he's standing up on his own...with the support of an object of course.  This little pumpkin is going to be walking pretty soon I think.  I can't wait.  I really hope you all can sense the sarcasm.  Blogger really needs emoji's.  They really can convey true emotion. X is also starting to learn how to feed himself little snacks, and I think he loves the freedom...and the snacks.

So with that I will end this post here.  X is napping and I'm trying to find a dinner date since X's dad is doing his fantasy basketball draft.  Hope you all have a spooktacular day (gag me with my corniness)!

8 MONTH SNEAK PEEK!

I don't usually use holidays as a monthly photo theme, but I just couldn't resist all of the different pumpkins Trader Joe's had, thus a holiday theme photo we shall have.  I can't believe how fast the months are going by.  I'm still not even done with everything...a pumpkin still needs carving, letters still need to be cut out, and X turns 8 months on Sunday.  Yikes!  There's still so much to do and so little time.  I probably shouldn't have decided on such an intricate and elaborate pumpkin design, but I like to plan big.  I should really either a) stop trying to do so much or b) stop procrastinating.  B probably will never happen.  A probably won't either.  Oh well...hopefully I finish it in time for the shoot, and if not, you better believe there's going to be a post about it later on.  Check back Sunday to see the final outcome...and if my crazy pumpkin made the cut.

PUMPKIN PATCHES AND GYMBOREE

Well it's been a minute since I've last blogged about this little man that has taken over my life.  I've been too lazy to really write anything.  Now that X is mobile, keeping up with him is exhausting me.  Everything changes once they start crawling.  Last week I had written up a fairly long post, but decided against posting it for personal reasons.  Last week was also heavy with the doctor visits for myself.  On Monday I had my yearly pap, and then the following day I had to see my regular doctor because I had a ginormous bite on my leg that was freaking X's dad out.  It was pretty big, but I usually shrug these kind of things off.  It's a good thing that X's dad is annoyingly persistent because my doctor thinks it could possibly be a tick bite and decided to start me on antibiotics to fight against Lyme disease.  Yikes!  I still only think it's a disgusting mosquito bite, but better safe than sorry, I guess.  I find out my fate this coming week.  So now you're probably wondering where the hell I managed to get a tick bite from.  Well, last Saturday we had to go to X's dad's sisters house for her daughter's birthday, and while there I was bitten.  I always thought ticks were a wooded area kinda bug, but I guess I was wrong.  Well, actually...who knows if I'm wrong.  It's probably just a mosquito bite. 

Enough about ticks, mosquito's, and bites.  This past Friday we took X to the Tanaka Farm's Pumpkin Patch in Irvine.  OMG it was so hot!  I was super hungover from the night before and hating life already, but damn the heat.  It made me feel 10x's worse.  Once we got there we didn't stay for long.  We rode the wagon, and then I managed to embrace the heat for 5 minutes to pick out a pumpkin for X, and then we left.  I felt kind of bad that I didn't take more pictures of X, or spend more time there to check out the other attractions, or you know, pick out a better pumpkin, but hangover and heat just don't mix.  After the farm we headed to South Coast Plaza to do some window shopping...which inevitably turned into real shopping.  Doesn't it always?  X's grandma bought him a new winter wardrobe, and a Christmas outfit.  I inherited my shopping gene from her.  It is probably my most expensive vice.  I don't know what I'm going to do if I ever have a daughter.  Girls clothes are so much cuter than the stuff they have for boys.  I'm going to have to sell a kidney or something.

I realize that a lot of my posts revolve around malls, shopping centers, and basically shopping in general.  It seems like all we do is take X to buy shit.  That is not a completely accurate assumption.  While X's dad and I both like to shop, we also like taking X to do other things.  Just this Saturday we took X to Gymboree.  He had a blast.  He was all over the place.  While every other baby stayed near their parents, X was just ready to explore everything...with or without his dad or me.  Although he likes it now, I'm not sure how long he'll stay interested.  To be honest, the Gymboree we went to wasn't too impressive, but more than anything we want to take him so that he can interact with other babies in his age group.  I also have a friend who takes her daughter there as well, so it's fun to let X and her daughter hang out.  I'm not sure how much they like each other, but he was about to chew on her feet, so there's got to be some level of comfort there.  God I hope X doesn't have some foot fetish when he grows up.  I hate feet.  Ick!  So since X enjoyed Gymboree so much, we decided to sign him up.  I have a feeling I'm going to get sick of Gymboree much sooner than X will, but I will suck it up for him.  That's how much I love you son!

Well...duty calls.  X is playing alone in his little "penalty box" aka his play yard thing, so I guess I better stop ignoring him, and actually engage him in some activity.  I think this is one of the only posts that I've written during the day.  I suppose I could have written this last night while X was asleep, but I binge watched Kingdom.  Pretty hooked on that show.  It's extremely unfortunate what happened to the lead actress, Kiele Sanchez and her still birth.  I just can't even imagine how devastating it would be to lose your baby one month before it was due.  Such a terrible thing to have to experience.  Geez...Way to be a Debbie Downer.  Okay.  Sneak peek for next weeks shoot coming up soon.  Such a lagger I am.  Bye!

NO LONGER TOOTHLESS

This is a little late, but X isn't toothless anymore!  His bottom two teeth finally poked their way through and are growing fast.  It's really hard for me to get pictures of his teeth since he moves around so much, so this crappy, blurry picture is all I've managed to get thus far.  You can't even really see them :( oh well.  I never thought teeth could be so cute.

7 MONTHS!

Well...This post is a little late.  What's new right?  After much anticipation (kidding), this is how X's little ice cream theme turned out.  Nothing spectacular, I know, but I like it.  I made a couple of little ice cream stuffies, but they didn't make the shoot because X was not feeling them.  What a waste of time that was...thanks X!  JK.  

So...this 7 month picture was a new experience.  For all the other monthly photos X hasn't been mobile so keeping him in place wasn't exactly an issue.  That's all changed now that he's crawling.  Now I can't get him to sit still.  I had to bribe the kid with a freaking Yogurtland spoon (he likes spoons).  Once I finally got him to sit in place I had to hurry with the shots since I knew the spoon wouldn't keep his interest for long.  Thankfully I was able to get a few pictures in before he crawled away to his toys.  I guess we managed to do something right with these pictures since Modern Burlap reposted it.  It's not his first MB rodeo, but it's always fun seeing X show up in a post from a brand we support.

Well...I have a phone on the fritz that I must tend to since I'm having major Instagram withdrawals.  Damn my stupid phone!  Grrrrrrrrrrrr.  Next months picture sneak peeks, sneak peek:  HALLOWEEN...duh!  I guess these sneak peeks are going to be a thing now?

Just had to throw this picture in here because look at how he sleeps!  His little foot!  Every.  Single.  Night.  Time to get a breathable crib bumper.  They aren't cute, but safety first they say.

SNEAK PEEK!

X's 7 month photo prep is in the works, and I thought I'd give a little pre-photo sneak peek on what the theme is.  It's been disgustingly hot these past few days so this theme was definitely influenced by my insatiable need to cool down, and well...because I just love me some ice cream.  I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!  Check back next Friday to see the final picture!  Now the question is...do I let X try ice cream for this?  Humm...

X IS ON THE MOVE!

No...we aren't moving.  Today while I was half asleep and pumping, X was keeping me company playing on his mat.  I was being an Instagram whore on my phone when all of a sudden I look up and bam! He's right in front of me.  I had such a delayed reaction.  It really wasn't registering that he was actually crawling (I blame the early hour that it happened).  So now I have a 6.5 month old that is on the move, which means it's time to put away all the sharp objects and cover up the outlets.  This is going to take some getting used to, but at the same time it's so exciting.  I cherish these milestones, and as more and more of them occur, it just makes me realize how fast he's growing up.  Before I know it he'll be walking and then talking (or vice versa), and then...oh I don't even want to think that far ahead.  I miss my little newborn, but X is super fun now and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for him.  Maybe now that he finally crawled he'll sleep through the night.  *Fingers crossed!*