Two long days left before the recess!  I got home around 11:45 last night, then got back up at around 5:50.  It’s going to be another long night tonight, too.  They’re recessing from 3-5.  Ugh.  They’re doing alternating hour blocks of time, on speaking on Sotomayor.  I’d love it if they got the confirmation done tonight.  Then apparently we’re heading to Cash for Clunkers.  Tomorrow will be a nice, long night, too.  At least with the train I’m out by 10:15 at the latest.

I’m thinking, during all of my down time I’m sure to have today, I really need to write up my Thank You Cards for Chris’s birthday.  I wish I had the money to order announcements for his first birthday, but I just don’t.  It’s cool.  Because I also already sent out his first birthday email and most of the announcements would have gone to the same people who already got the email.  This way no one feels obligated to keep the picture either.  lol, I love putting people’s pictures up on our fridge.  I wish Chris didn’t take everything off of the fridge or I’d move them lower, so he could see everyone.

This week has been somewhat interesting, so far.  Monday, on the way up the Hill from Union Station, this HUGE, nasty green bug flew onto my shoulder at full speed, then proceeded to sit there until I completely spazzed — the bastarded even looked me in the eye!  Then, on the elevator up from the basement of the Capitol, something possessed Bob and I to push the buttons for all of the floors — our stop is the first floor, and there are two more floors up.  Well, when the elevator stopped on our floor, who do we proceed to practically walk into?  Yes, the Majority Leader!  Oy! 

I got to play with the cutest little girl today.  Elizabeth had a couple friends come in this morning for a few minutes and they brought their daughter in.  She’s a couple months younger than Chris.  Leigh volunteered us to watch her while Elizabeth took her parents up to the Gallery so they could see some of the speeches.  She was so adorable!  She was very mellow (unlike my own kid, even at that age!) she had a blast playing with our ID badges and a string of Mardi Gras beads.  She was hysterical, when she got really tickled by something.  She had this muppet laugh — wide open mouth, with a little hiss of a laugh.  So stinkin cute!  We were even able to get her to crawl a few inches.  Her parents said she had just started crawling while they were here visiting in D.C.  How fun!  That kind of made my morning.  That and how stinking cute my own kid is.  He is always so fun in the morning.  I’m glad I’ve actually got my little routine going.  I had the ingenious idea of making enough pancakes on Monday morning that I could feed him for the whole week.  He’s been having two pancakes and a bunch of fruit every morning.  He cracks me up how he savors his breakfast.  Seriously, it takes him a good half an hour to eat his food, as he gets distracted by every little thing; that and he likes to talk to me.

He’s so cute.  He is practically running now!  He babbles all the time.  He loves raspberrying people and things.  He is back to sleeping through the night.  He has this pony he can ride and bounce on and it plays music (and is a learning video game, when he gets a little older), and he is so cute, when he climbs on there, bouncing and jabbering, then he climbs back off and finds something else to play with.

We’re heading down to Hickory, NC this weekend for the Stickley clan gathering.  Should be interesting.  This will be his longest car trip to date.  He seems to do all right, as long as he has something to play with.  I think I’m going to cram myself in there between him and Sammy, so I can be within easy reach if either of them need anything.

So, I finished one of the books I think I had on my list from my last entry — NOPE!  Just looked back and it’s not on there.  Well, I finished The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho.  I highly recommend it if you’d like to read a book about human nature and the struggle between good and evil.  I also read Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson — it was a romance book for a book group I belong to on goodreads.com.  I’m currently reading another quick book:  The 5th Horseman by James Patterson.  I’ll probably finish that either today or tomorrow.  I’m still waiting on the two library books.  I’m sure Chris and I will be making a trip next week to pick them up.  They should be fairly quick reads, too.  That’s about how my attention span is, right now.  Quick reads without too much thinking involved.

Sorry for being absent.  Life’s been kind of busy.  I don’t even remember the last time I wrote!  Before Chris’s birthday party?  That was a success.  We had such a good time.  Last week I had off Wednesday for the boys’ actual bday.  We took them to Sandy Point for about an hour before they decided they were DONE with the heat.  Friday I had to take off, because Jimmy had several doctor’s appointments — had to take him to Patient First as soon as they opened because he was having a lot of kidney pain.  Had to leave him there and take Chris to his appointment for his shots.  Don’t know why, but Chris always feels the need to poop in the middle of the appointment.  He wasn’t too happy about those shots, since they were in his arms this time — he still has the bruises!  Poor baby.  After the appointment, we went back to pick up Jimmy.  He has (as we found of for sure this morning) 4 kidney stones.  We had to take him for a CT scan Friday afternoon.  While we were running around to the pharmacy, the grocery store, etc., Chris went to church with Granny while she covered the office.  Friday afternoon, we headed down to Laurel to spend some time with Nana and Grandpa.  We went to dinner at the BK Lounge (lol!), then went to the pool for a little bit.  Chris wasn’t too happy about the deep water with Nana, but as soon as we took him over to the kiddie pool and he could walk around, he was a happy camper.  He’s even learning how to safely climb in himself — and out, of course.  After that, we took Chris back to the house and got him in bed.  Jimmy and I headed out to PW’s to see Mikey in his pageant.  Such bull that he didn’t win.  He was so awesome and I’m not just saying that because he reads this!  😛

Saturday, we headed home super early, because the doctor at Patient First told Jimmy he needed to come back in.  No real reason for that, as the test results wouldn’t be back til Monday!  We hung around the house for a little bit, then headed out to Aiden’s bday party.  Fun times on the moon bounce!  Chris was a little grumpy, but once he was allowed to run free in the party room, he was a happy camper.  While we were at the party, we bombed the condo for fleas, so on the way home, we dropped Chris off at my parents’ while we went to scrub down everything he would touch and to air out the condo and give the cats a bath.  When we finished, we headed back to my parents’ for crabs.  YUM!!  They were so freaking good.  Chris was good and played independently, so we were all able to eat together, then my mom took him up to bed, so we didn’t feel rushed.  It was a good day.

Sunday was the annual Challenger picnic.  It was so hot, so Chris was a bit grumpy.  I had to take him to the car to sit in the A/C and take a nap.  He slept for almost an hour, and of course when he woke up, they were all preparing to leave.  After that, we just spent the evening at home.  Jimmy was in some pain and was just worn out from the heat.  We had some quality family time and then we finished watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  Pretty good movie.

 

So, I’m getting a lot more reading done lately.  I’m happy about this.  I’ve read about 30 books, so far this year.  I’m currently reading The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho.  I’m only about 25 pages in, but it’s pretty interesting.  I’m trying to plot out my books for the next few weeks.

On hold at library – Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun by Victoria Laurie
On hold at library – Which Lie Did I Tell? More Adventures in Film Trade by William Goldman
Julie has for me – Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Waiting to get back from Sue – The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
‘Tis by Frank McCourt

Not sure where I want to go after that.  I have so many books on my shelf to read.  Most of these shoes be very quick reads, so I should be able to read plenty more.  And now that Chris plays independently, I can do a tiny bit of reading, while I’m keeping one eye on him.

Actually, I guess it started Friday and is just continuing.  Friday was a fun day.  I was perfectly on time and picked Chris up to hug him goodbye before I left Kim’s, then he proceeds to puke all over me!  So, I ended up missing my train, changing into my semi casual capris and borrowing a shirt from Kim (Thanks, chica!).  Got to hang for a while and just chill, but I was still late.  Then when I left to catch the next train, it was half an hour late!  Gah!  At least the weather was pretty nice.  The Senate was only in for about an hour after I got in, then my office took me out for a birthday lunch.  Leigh made a yummy, yummy cake.  Then they dropped me off at Union Station, so I could catch the next train home.  Kim made me and Andy a yummy birthday dinner, then we hung out and played Cranium.  How did they beat us?!  I think the men got luck.

Saturday was pretty tame during the day.  Chris woke up at 6:15, so I got up with him, but Jimmy woke up around 6:45 and let me go back to sleep while he and Chris stayed up and made breakfast and stuff.  It was nice.  Then we just relaxed most of the day — we all took at least one nap.  Then we went to the pool for about 45 minutes.  After that, he went to my parents’ for the night, so we could go to dinner.  After dinner, we met up with Andy, Kim and Rob at the Earleigh Heights carnival for some fun times.  After that, Jimmy volunteered to be DD, so Kim, Andy and I could drink at Bamboo Bernie’s.  Fun times were had by all!  We must do that more often!

Sunday wasn’t too bad.  Didn’t do a whole heck of a lot.  Just hung around the house a bit in the morning, tried to get some things done around the house, then picked up Chris.  We met up with the peeps to go shopping at Party City for the Luau — Jimmy and I are going back Thursday to pick up what we said we’d buy. 

This week at work is going to be fairly busy.  Today was my early day, and the Senate came in early, tomorrow there doesn’t seem to be anything going on, Wednesday I have an afternoon of training sessions for our Office Emergency Plans, Thursday I’m out, then Friday I’m in for however long the Senate is in, then there’s the birthday luau, Saturday is Christopher’s party (woohoo!), then Sunday is Jimmy’s work picnic.

Does that mean it’s that much closer to my bday?  I’m looking forward to the weekend.  Jimmy and I are sending Chris to Granny and Peepaw’s so we can go to dinner (Chinese!!  I’m easy to please) and to a movie (probably going to go see The Hangover, since we already saw Transformers 2).  This week is moving surprisingly fast considering all the train drama and such I’ve been dealing with all week.

The last two nights, I’d gotten out in time to catch the 7:30 train to get home by 8:45 (with having to drop Bob off), but Union Station had switch problems both day, so I didn’t end up leaving DC until 8 on Monday and 8:20 last night.  Ugh!  And on the way home last night, I had to stop and pick up diapers at Rite Aid and they had literally one pack of 23 size 5 Pampers left.  And I wanted to pick up a pack of Nuk’s for Chris, since all of our pacis keep disappearing.  They only had girl ones left.  Bright pink, so I couldn’t even play it off.  But, I was excited to see that Pampers now has overnight diapers, too, not just Huggies.  And Kimmie gave me a coupon that she had for them.  Chris is a peeing machine at night, so those come in handy.  And the way he rolls around, his diapers always get jacked up.

So, anyways, I get home at like 9:45, Jimmy made me a grilled cheese and we laid in bed talking.  It sucks cuz when I wanted to fall asleep, I totally couldn’t.  I was grumpy because of it, too.  Oops.  Well, anyway, I finally fall good and asleep sometime around 11.  I wake up around 4:45 and the room is spinning like crazy.  You know the drunk kind of spinning.  I find it odd because that was actually what woke me up.  Anyway, that kept me up for a while.  Then Chris was wide awake at 5:50.  Threw my whole morning off.  Not to mention, I found this anti friz stuff that I had in my purse for a while and decided to put it in my hair.  Ehh, just made it look like a hot, oily mess.  Bleh.  No time to wash it off, as I was already running behind from having to play with the monster, pack lunch, make him breakfast and everything.  It’s really helpful when he sleep until at least 6:30, cuz then I can get a good shower in, getting the carseat in the car, get dressed and get my lunch packed.  I hope he doens’t keep this up.  If he does, I’ll be leaving him in his room so I can get things done.  Or, Jimmy will have to deal with the squealing monster following me around the house while he tries to sleep.  I hate doing that though.    Everyone needs their beauty rest.  lol

Anyways, to keep the theme of things going, the whole morning that dizzy thing kept coming back.  So weird.  And the whole morning I’m getting texts from MARC telling me about all kinds of disabled/cancelled trains and delays.  Ugh.  No mention of my train, so I leave Kim’s at the usual time, get to the train station and it still says my train is on time.  Only . . . the 7:58 is just now arriving at BWI . . . at 8:30!  So, I hope that train, which is actually two different trains coupled together (so it’s like 10 cars long).  Caught a delayed train at my normal time and still ended up at work late.  So annoying.  At least work is going all right today.  I feel like it’s been a productive day.  I’d just like to get out and actually get home at a decent time!

And doggone it, people like him!  Welcome to the Senate, Al Franken!

lol, yeah, back to work.  Yesterday, I just had absolutely no motivation to write.  I was sad.  I really missed Chris, yesterday, we had such a wonderful break together.  We had lots of fun practicing walking, clapping, and going to the pool!  We had fun with Granny, Kimmie, Aiden and Uncle Andy, too.  Good times.  The sad thing is, Christopher has a tan and I don’t!  Lucky kid!

We had a great time on Saturday at the Norris’s farm, too.  Chris played in the pool, played in the yard, and ate all kinds of food.  He was not a huge fan of the fireworks, though he seemed more bothered by the lights, rather than the booms.  The issues may have just been because it was over two hours after his bedtime. 

Not too much else going on.  Just had more training this morning as the office emergency coordinator and signed up for two more courses over the rest of the month.  That’s it for now.  Lunch time!

Woohoo!  Short day for me here.  The Senate is out, and Elizabeth called and told me to make myself scarce this afternoon, so I’m trying to decide what time to leave.  Bob is trying to talk me into the 2:15 train, but that seems too early!  It’s so dead in here, though!

Tonight, if it doesn’t start raining, we’re supposed to be taking Chris down to Capitol Raceway for some drag racing.  Tomorrow is Dad’s birthday!  We’re going to the zoo and then we’re going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.  Ohhh, can’t wait for rolls!  Mmmmm.  No clue what we’re doing Sunday.  I don’t think anything.  Might be our family chill day.  Maybe we’ll go to the pool?  That would be great!

No clue what I’m doing next week.  I only work on Wednesday.  I’d like to take Chris to the park, the pool, the play place and Marley Station.  I think Mikey might come over one day.  Awesome!!  4th of July, we’re heading down to Leonardtown to John and Mary Helen’s farm.  I need to find something to make.  Maybe I’ll pick up some ramen and stuff and make that yummy pasta salad my family seems to like.

Oh, funny story!  Chris and I were playing in the living room this morning, and we had VH1 on (like most mornings, since they actually play music then), and they were doing a Michael Jackson video retrospective.  He’s standing at the coffee table bouncing and “dancing” to Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough.  It was so freaking cute.  AND, he also stood up himself in the middle of the floor and took two steps before face planting.  It was so awesome.  I wish I had the camera, but I was barely paying attention to what he was doing.  He plays so independently now.  I love it, because he’s so funny.  We have a giant caramel covered popcorn bucket in the living room for him, and while I was getting his clothes from his room, he picked it up and started yelling in it.  He loves the echo-y noise it makes.  He’s such a goof.  Oh, and he about lost it when my mom came in the house this morning.  It was adorable.  He was so excited to see his Granny.  His face lit up and he speed crawled over to her.  It was like I didn’t exist at all once his granny came in the door.  I hope they are having a good time.

Yeah, so it’s Wednesday.  Wonder if anything is actually going to get done at work this week.  We’ve been on the motion to proceed to the tourism bill for two days.  Yeah, haven’t even started debating the bill, just waiting for 30 hours to run up, so we can start doing that.  On a happier note, after today, tomorrow is my last day for the week!

Chris goes to Jimmy’s parents’ tonight and they are all heading up to Warren for Paul and Sam’s wedding.  Can’t wait!  I’m a little nervous/sad about Chris being out of the state without me.  Never had that happen before.  I’ve gone out of the state and left him here, but never him leaving me.  And, I won’t see him again until Friday afternoon.  Makes me sad, too, because he was not all that interested in me when I went to say bye this morning.  Ah well, such is life.  He’ll love me when he’s older, lol!  I already miss him like crazy.  On a happier note in terms of that, I’ll be able to sleep in tomorrow morning!  Unless I decide to just go crash Kim and Aiden’s morning tomorrow, just to be a dork!  lol 

I’ve been trying to come up with some more ideas for Chris’s birthday party.  Can’t believe it’s a month from tomorrow (the party, not the bday!).  I  picked out the decorations and invites.  Now I just need to come up with an idea of what we might want to eat.  And decide what I want to do in terms of a cake.  I’m debating an ice cream cake, because it will be the middle of July.  Might be pretty refreshing.  I think Jimmy’s work picnic is going to be the day after that, too.  Busy, busy July! 

Nothing going on the weekend of my birthday anymore, though.  I guess that’s a bit of a plus.  Probably just hanging out that weekend, but you never know!  lol

I feel like I’m kind of getting back on track with my reading.  I managed to do my normal book a week (reading just on the train to and from work) last week.  Then got about halfway into another on Sunday, after sitting in Andy & Chuck’s living room all day.  Go me, expanding my mind and keeping my brain sharp!  lol  Well, the one book wasn’t exactly intellectual reading, but it was fun/odd.  This other book I’m reading is all short stories on characters that famous authors are asked to create.  That one is weird.

Not having a bad day or anything, Mondays just suck.  And, the last two have involved me getting up and dressed hours earlier than normal.  Last week was my duty day, so I had to come in at 9:30, then today we had the Senate Chamber Emergency Exercise, so that started at 9:45.  The exercise didn’t seem to go as smoothly this year as it did last year.  BUT, I got the fun task of acutally donning one of the new escape hoods.  I got to look like a space man!  Was a little claustrophobic in there, too.  I’m not big on things being over my head in the slightest bit!

The weekend was kinda fun.  Kinda boring at the same time.  Didn’t do a whole lot.  It was nice to be off on Friday, but I didn’t really do anything.  Chris was a monster most of the day on Friday.  Jimmy went to his friend Matt’s house on Friday for a boys’ night.  He was feeling pretty under the weather on Saturday, so we ended up letting Jim and Sue take Chris to a work function for Jim’s work.  They took him to a cookout in the evening and brought him home around 8. 

Sunday, I sat around most of the day waiting for the Fios guy for Andy and Chuck.  After that, Jimmy and Chris met me over at their place and we went with Chuck to pick up his new tv, then we all went back to our place.  Jimmy and Chuck exchanged most of our outlets and light switches in the house, while Chris crawled around after them and supervised and I chased after Chris trying to keep him from poking himself in the eye with a screwdriver.  Then we had dinner, watched Pineapple Express and 100 Girls and had a few drinks.  Good times were had by all.  Needless to say, I slept well.

On my way into work this morning, I saw a Hummer Taxi — seriously, wtf?!  Who thought that was a good idea?  I would never take one on principle.  Seriously, why is it necessary to hail that large of a cab?  And, I don’t know how exactly cab fares work — and, honestly, I don’t really care — but, would your fare be higher because you’re riding in a gas guzzler?

Life is boring.  Nothing too interesting going on.  Actually, nothing interesting going on at all!

Absolutely nothing going on with me.  Life is boring.  I like it that way. 

Bob and I weighed in yesterday for our “weight loss challenge.”  I’m back to 141.  Bah!  I was down to 138 at the start of the break a week and a half ago.  Guess it was all the Sonic and other greasy things I had while I was down in NC!  Well, 141 isn’t so bad.  I really didn’t eat as well as I should have over the recess.  And, I’ve been drinking soda again, so I need to cut that back out — I type this as I have a bottle of Dr. Pepper sitting next to me!  lol  I have been good about walking up the Hill everyday, rather than going in the Russell Building.  I did go in Russell this morning, because I had to go to the post office and mail three books out, but I walked to subway tunnel to the Capitol and took the stairs to get to my office.  That’s got to count for something!

I need new clothes.  Bad.  Now that I’ve lost a bit of weight, none of my clothes fit right.  My pants are all baggy.  My shirts hang strangly.  My jeans no longer fit right AT ALL.  Really annoying.

I’m off early tomorrow, so Kim and I are going out for a girls’ evening . . . yay!  No penises allowed!  Seems to be what we are constantly surrounded by!

Friday is my duty day here at work, so that sucks hardcore.  Oh well.  Saturday, my family is getting together in VA, but I don’t know whether Jimmy and I will make it or not, because his family is having a cookout since everyone will be around.  I’m totally cool with that, because I haven’t seen ANY of my inlaws in at least a month!  No clue what’s happening Sunday.  Jimmy said he’s going to autocross with Paul, so maybe Chris and I will go to my parents’ or something — I’m hoping to make it to Downs Park at some point, too.