Haircut!

Today is Friday and it’s been a full week since I got my haircut.  I’m still on the fence over whether I like it or not.  I’ve received plenty of compliments the last few days but really what can people say?  “Hey your hair looks like crap”.  I’ve had short hair before, in college, after I returned from my honeymoon, when I got pregnant with Nate…but every time I cut it all off I always end up growing it right back out.  Maybe this goes back to my childhood when I had the “Dorothy Hamill” cut that was so popular after the she won the Olympic Gold medal for ice skating in 1976 (a year before I was born BTW).  Love prefers me with short hair even though when we started dating back in 1997 I had long blonde hair.  I have since gone back to my natural dark brown color because I think brown hair and blue eyes are nice together.  Plus it’s easier for me to color myself.  I have been asked to post a picture so here I am today in my office.

I wish my hair was down for this picture but you can see how short it is

This is my office...and yes, it is always that neat :) 

My office is where I spend majority of my week like most people.  At this particular job I have spent 14,486 hours over the last 7 ½ years.  I can’t believe it’s been that long already and I’m still here.  I work at a private hospital in the fundraising department and it is a very stressful job.  Mainly I do the financials for the department and track donations coming in but I also do a little bit of everything.  I help out with the events although that’s not what I like to do.  I would love to one day soon run a Development Office for a non-profit and be the boss.  After 11 years in the business I have the experience needed and I think I work well enough with people that I would be a good boss.  Non-profits see a lot of turnover with their employees and I have worked with 14 people who are no longer here.  That’s an average of 2 people a year quitting or being fired.  It’s not been an especially fun run per se, but it has been interesting and something keeps me around.   Right now the only thing keeping me around is my co-workers and I think that says a lot about the people I work with.

Happy Friday and I hope that you are all lucky enough to get a break this weekend like I will!

CC

Happy Hersday

I am so glad to be over and past the hump this week.  It’s been a very rough one with little sleep and lots of work.  Nate had a cold that started in the middle of the night Saturday and lasted until through Tuesday.  Three days of a cold with him is more than enough.  It wouldn’t be so bad if he was like most kids and was mushy and just laid on you when he feels bad.  Instead he was like the Tasmanian Devil tearing through my house.  That of course was because of the honey elixir cough syrup we were giving him.  Never, and I mean NEVER give a small child honey elixir cough syrup.  It says it’s all natural and it does stop the cough immediately but it is also pure sugar.  I wanted to put him in the dog’s crate to stop him from running around and being crazy.  Too bad someone already thought of that this week and got arrested for it.

I cannot wait for the weekend.  Love is taking Nate Upstate to his parent’s house so Nate can have some quality Grandma and Pop time and I can have some Mommy time.  This is the second time they’re doing it and it is nice to have the break.  Don’t get me wrong I love them both to death but sometimes I need a little break to get things done around my house.  Love thought I would get a pedicure and relax and all I want to do is clean the basement.  I’m weird like that.  I love to watch Hoarders and Animal Hoarders.  It totally creeps me out that people can live like that.  I get psycho when my office at home starts to pile up with junk that we just dump there instead of putting it away.  I like everything neat and tidy, disorganization and clutter drive me crazy.  Plus I have someone coming to clean my oil burner on Monday and I would be so embarrassed to take him down to the basement if it’s not cleaned.

I just discovered my new obsession this week.  People have been telling me about it but I just never bothered before now.  I feel like a fool to even say this but I went to the library the other day for the first time in probably almost 10 years.  They had to update my card and two people asked me the last time I checked out something.  I don’t know if I ever did.  It’s not because I don’t read, I actually read constantly but I am also a germiphobe to some degree.  To me the library is a huge germ ball and I can’t get past it.  I have a Nook that I love and I prefer reading on it instead of holding a book.  I have found a lot of people that disagree but I am all for all of my books being on something that is smaller than even one book.  Nate is also a big reader.  Well, he likes me and my mother (his Grammie) to read to him.  He has a ton of books because people are always getting him books and he loves to sit and “read”.

So back to the library…Love informed me that you can go online and download free music which got me interested.  I got an iPod Touch for Christmas and I am addicted to it.  I’m always looking for more music and free music is a wonderful treat.  While I was on the website I realized that you can order DVD’s and CD’s online and they let you know when they’re ready to be picked up.  I’m going tonight to get The Social Network and I can’t wait to watch it.  I love watching movies but am not such a fan of movie theatres especially since the bed bug epidemic began.  I prefer my couch and a glass of wine.  I’m also having trouble getting Nate to relax at night so I think I’ll try and get a Disney movie he hasn’t seen to watch tonight.  Let’s hope he falls asleep early and stays asleep tonight so I can start feeling better now that he’s better.  Fingers crossed.

CC

TGIFF!

TGIFF stands for Thank God its F*#cking Friday!  I am always so excited to wake up Friday morning and realize that the weekend is almost here.  I am not a morning person and I look forward to sleeping past 7am and possibly taking a nap at some point.  I am a sucker for a 2pm snooze on Sunday afternoon.  Before I had Nate I slept well and often.  It drives Love crazy that I like to sleep so much since he is up at 6am even on weekends.  He has always been a morning person and I am a night owl.  He gets so happy when I wake up early on the weekend and decide to get out and do stuff early.  Nate is a total morning person like his daddy and it drives me crazy.  At 6am this morning he came in and woke me up and then instead of lying down with me he insisted I turn on the TV.  I wouldn’t have minded so much if he wasn’t up late last night because he was busy riding his Buzz Lightyear trike around my house.  I told him to stop and put it away and he replied, “I can’t find a parking spot!”  Gotta love him.  At least I know I can go home and rest tonight and sleep in tomorrow if I feel like it J

My ride to work helped me ease into Friday.  I car pool with my friend Aimee.  We have known each other since the 4^th grade when we had Mrs. Graviano.  She lived on the next block over and her sister and brother-in-law, my brother, my husband and her boyfriend all graduated together four years before us.  They have all also been friends forever.  We have a very strange group of friends in that we have all remained very close over the years and see each other regularly.  A lot of people find it strange but to us it’s normal.  Why wouldn’t you want to hang out with your friends from High School…that is if you still like them.  I have been at my current job for 7 ½ years and this summer one of the girls in my office quit.  We needed to replace her quick with someone I could train easily and I immediately thought of Aimee.  She has a teaching degree but finding a teaching job on Long Island isn’t so easy.  She’s been working at vineyards on and off for years but I knew she was tired of working weekends so I asked her if she was interested.  Everyone in my office loved her immediately and she fits in very well.  We’re all very sarcastic and find that humor helps ease the stress of our job.

Aimee and I

Who are those crazy people behind us?!?

Getting back to our ride this morning…to say that the last 8 months of driving together has been an adventure is an understatement.  We have broken down 3 times, been towed twice and did I mention we both suffer from road rage?  It’s nice to have someone in the car to chat with and make the time pass quickly since it’s roughly a 45 minute drive from where we meet to get to Southampton.  So this morning I was driving behind a very large truck which was very far away but rocks were still flying towards us.  Aimee then remembered a day this summer when she drove.  We had the windows open and all of a sudden she grabbed her left ear and said, “Ow, what the hell just hit me?”  She thought it was a rock and we laughed.  When we got to work she came in to my office and I noticed something on her neck.  When I pointed it out she flung it to the ground as if it were a giant spider but it was actually a piece of asphalt.  She still had black tar on her neck from where it was stuck to her.  Even now I am giggling while I type this!

In the car she recounted another story of her being hit in the head by a flying object.  She used to work for a local environmental company that tests water.  She was taking samples from a well one day in front of a house and the old man who lived there came out to mow his lawn.  As he mowed under a pine tree a pine cone (the long skinny kind – I asked) came flying out from under the tree and smacked her in the face.  I so wish I had been there.  We were crying in the car when she told me because we were laughing so hard.  I could just picture the wide-eyed look of fear in her eyes and the pine cone was flying towards her in slow motion.  I’m dying.

I just took a good look at the photo of Aimee and I and was horrified at how many chins I have.  I actually joked to my friend Mike that this blog was going to be titled Couple O'Chins - a play on my sister-in-laws blog she writes with her sister Couple O'Cuties.  They're cute - I'm not - but I do have several chins J

Hopefully today will pass quickly and I can get home to my two favorite men and a glass of wine.  Have a wonderful weekend!

CC

Hump Day

Last night I watched Survivor Redemption Island.  I’m not sure how popular Survivor still is these days, but since there is nothing else on Wednesdays at 8pm I usually find myself watching it.  It’s not appointment TV for me and I don’t have it set on the DVR because if I miss it I usually just read the recap on Entertainment Weekly’s site if I feel like it.  This year they have a new format and I’m not sure that I’m thrilled with it.  When people get voted off they get sent to Redemption Island where they then duel with the next person voted off until one person is left standing and they return to the game.  It’s an interesting twist to have an ousted player return to the game (which they have done before – but without telling the players) but I was disappointed by the first “duel” last night.

I was picturing a physical duel when they first explained it.  It’s actually just another challenge and it was boring.  I think it should be the strongest physical player that goes back into the game.  Last night it worked out only because Matt pulled a victory out of his ass at the last second and sent Francesca (or Francesqua as Phillip calls her) packing.  Next week he goes up against Russell who scrambled before Tribal because he knew they were gunning for him.  He thinks he’s headed to Redemption Island to go up against Francesca so I can’t wait to see his reaction when he finds Matt asleep instead.  Russell is one of my all time favorite Survivor players.  He is arrogant, smarmy, conniving and will do anything to get to the end.  Unfortunately he’s gotten to the end twice and the boneheads he competes against never vote for him to win because their precious feelings are hurt.  Get. Over. It.  It’s a GAME for a MILLION dollars.  Most people would cut off a finger for a million dollars and he’s just lying to STRANGERS.  Listen up Survivors, these people are not your friends, they are playing a game just like you should be.  Perhaps after 22 seasons Survivor has lost too much steam for me.  Only time will tell.

I also caught some Top Chef All Stars last night and I will be sad to see it go.  I have really enjoyed the All Star season so far.  I only started watching Top Chef after Padma took over from Billy Joel’s ex-wife Katie Lee so I wasn’t familiar with a few of them but everyone really grew on me this season.  Although I was upset by Fabio and Dale being sent home I am almost happy with the top 5 that are left.  I LOVE Richard even though a lot of people think he thinks very highly of himself.  Maybe since I am a big fan of myself, I admire him for being a fan of himself…  Whatever the reason I like him and what he does in the kitchen.  I am also a fan of Mike even though he is a big douche.  Stealing Richard’s chicken oyster recipe on the last show pissed me off but this season he comes off more likeable than when he competed the first time.  I feel the opposite about Tiffany.  I really liked her last season but she seems like an amateur this season.  I think she should take a hike next.  I am on the fence about Antonia because she seems to feel entitled most of the time.  I really want Carla to win but sometimes she just gets too overwhelmed (like the Target challenge – oy) and falls apart.  Can’t wait for the finale.

My comedy for the night was in the form of Modern Family which is by far my favorite comedy right now.  This season hasn’t been as great as last year but the last 2 episodes were pretty funny.  I love Phil, Cam, Manny and of course Jay.  I was a big fan of Married with Children and still watch reruns so I was happy to see Ed O’Neill return to TV.  I like the dynamic of the family and the stories are all just exaggerated versions of everyday life.  I could do without the tidy endings where everyone makes up and is happy but it is a sitcom so what can I do?  I like to have a little humor in every day and that was my dose for Wednesday.  Overall it was a good night of TV and relaxing and I was so happy when my sleeping pill finally kicked in.  I slept like a baby for the first time in 4 nights, that is until my baby climbed in my bed and cuddled up by my feet.  Nate is lucky I love him because if I didn’t he would have been kicked out pronto.  I left that up to my Love who took him back to his bed after he discovered him between us.  Lets hope tonight is a better night of sleep for all of us.

CC

Mad, Mad Mommy

For my first real foray into this crazy blogging world I have decided to discuss why I’m even doing this.  I’m not a creative person (at least I don’t think of myself as creative) but I do have a constant stream of thoughts running through my head at all times.  I obsess over things when they bother me and I figure that this may be a great way to vent without having to subject the people I see on a daily basis to my thoughts.  If they decide to read it they can – if they decide they can live without my rant for the day than they can stay away.  I swear my husband thinks I’m a negative Nelly and perhaps most days I am.  He also thinks that I talk too much.  Maybe this experience will help with that as well.  I come from a long line of talkers and with my mind constantly going I usually have something waiting in the chamber to discuss. 

First, let me explain the name of the blog.  Mad for Mommy refers to my son Nathaniel (or Nate) who is totally mad for me.  We have recently stumbled upon Disney’s version of Alice in Wonderland and I think the word mad is a wonderful way to describe his love for me.  He wants to be around me every second of the day and night and most of the time I am thrilled by this.  Sometimes it’s not so convenient, like when I need to use the bathroom or I’m paying bills, but mostly it’s a wonderful feeling.

Nate is smart as a whip for his age and he is always looking to learn something new.  He adores reading and every night we get into my bed and he brings in a few books and says, “Talk Mommy!”  It’s a special time for us and I never thought I would get into reading kids books as much as I do.  Then he gives me kisses and hugs and we lay down.  If it’s a good night he falls asleep next to me which I love.  We’ve been doing this since he was an infant and I treasure our quiet time together.  He’s in a big boy bed now and sleeps through the night which was a miracle that I will discuss another time.

Most of my entries I assume will be about Nate and what he’s up to but I will also be focusing on pop culture.  I have been addicted to TV since I was a kid and my brother’s friends actually nicknamed me TV Guide when I was little because I knew everything about television and of course I read TV Guide.  I’m still pretty up on most things television but with so many options these days I miss out on a lot too.  A few of my obsessions these days are:

Modern Family

Raising Hope

30 Rock

Spartacus Blood & Sand

True Blood

Big Love

Boardwalk Empire

Top Chef

What Not To Wear

Intervention

Hoarders

Animal Hoarders

Jersey Shore

Teen Mom 1 & 2

16 and Pregnant

One Born Every Minute

 Anything Kardashian

I’m sure I’m forgetting something but a lack of sleep last night has me a little groggy.  I was busy watching One Born Every Minute on Lifetime.  Now if you have not seen this show you may not want to watch it.  If you are already a mother and have given birth then by all means please go ahead and watch it.  If you have never given birth and plan one day do so then think twice about tuning in.  Don’t get me wrong it is a wonderful show, but this is not A Baby Story.  It takes place in the maternity unit of Riverside Methodist Hospital in Ohio and it makes me laugh, gasp and cry every week.  The deliveries are no joke and I am amazed how some of these women deal with being in labor for 24 hours or more or delivering without drugs.

I had a very easy delivery compared to most women and I sure as hell hope my next kid comes into this world just as easily as Nate.  I was scheduled to be induced on Sunday, August 3, 2008 at 7pm.  Saturday night I went to bed with my bags packed and ready to have a lazy Sunday before heading to the Hospital.  Nate had other plans.  I woke up around 2:30am and after sending some emails and watching some TV I decided to move my living room furniture.  The dog thought I was crazy and headed back to bed (we have a beagle named Blue).  When I was done I grabbed a bag of Pepperidge Farm cookies and hit the couch to check out the new location.  When I was done I threw away the bag and returned to the couch and before I could even lay back down a horrible pain ripped through my belly.  Whether I liked it or not I was in labor but since I was scheduled to be induced the doctor never told me what to do if I did go into labor.

I grabbed a book about labor and delivery (because I read EVERYTHING I could about pregnancy, childbirth and newborns) to see if I was in fact in labor or just having Braxton-Hicks contractions.  I wasn’t due for almost 3 weeks and I wasn’t expecting this.  An hour later at 5:30am when I was convinced that it really was labor (my water had not broken) I woke up my husband (who I’ll usually refer to as Love) and called the doctor.  He told me to shower and relax and get there whenever I wanted.  Was he kidding?  My contractions were on top of each other and I had only been in labor for an hour.  Since the Hospital is almost an hour away I decided to shower and leave immediately.  We got there at 7am and the nurses told the ER clerk that I was confused and was scheduled for 7pm.  Shift change is at 7am and the doctor didn’t relay that I was coming in.  She then explained that I was in labor and they took me upstairs.

Labor sucked until I got my epidural (yeah drugs!) and then it was smooth sailing.  By 10:30am I was comfy and relaxed and 7 centimeters.  When my water finally broke I thought I peed myself because I was so comfy.  An hour later I was 10 centimeters and it was time to push.  After pushing for an hour Nathaniel Charles was born at 12:34pm weighing in at only 5lbs. 14ozs.  He was such a tiny little peanut and I fell in love instantly.  I had waited so long for him I couldn’t believe he was there (it took us 18 months to get pregnant…another story for another day).  Every time I watch this show it brings me back to that day and how wonderful it was to finally meet my little man.  I could cry now thinking about it.  On that note I will sign off for today J

CC

This is a bit scary...

Welcome to my blog!  I never in a million years would have thought that I would be blogging.  It always seemed so foreign to me and odd to get out your thoughts in such a public forum.  I've warmed up to the idea after reading several articles about women blogging, seeing Julia & Julia and a very good What Not to Wear episode last night all about a mommy blogger with bad fashion.  She reminded me of myself and I thought, "maybe I can be a blogger too". 

I don't have any expectations that anyone will ever read what I have to say.  I will just be me and share with you the wonderful gems that my son lets fly on a daily basis (he's 2 and a half), my stories of road rage and being stressed at work, my love of pop culture and hopefully inject a bit of humor while doing so.

Feedback is welcome and will probably boost my ego so the more the merrier.  I love a good compliment as much as the next guy...or Charlie Sheen.  And with that I have officially joined the blog-o-sphere :)

Winning!
CC