3.28.2009
3.22.2009
Well, I laid my scooter down the second day I had it. Great. Luckily I had my helmet, gloves, jacket, jeans, and everything. The ugly part was that I did a face plant into the road... 
So here is the story: I usually go a certain route to work. I altered it to take a few side roads with the scooter. It worked great going to work. I followed a friend home on his scooter (he just lives a couple of blocks away) and then I took a semi ghetto road home that crosses some rail road tracks and what not. Well, right after I cross the tracks and dodge some pot holes I start going into a pretty sharp turn. I slowed down to about 15 mph (a 25 road) and then once the car in front of me was on the turn I noticed that there was gravel half way into the road. I tried slowing even further and taking a wider turn. There were cars in the other lane so I couldn't cross into the oncoming traffic to get around it. So I started slowing down thinking I was on my front brakes... well checking after it was my back breaks! So, long story short my bike swung around and literally threw me into the ground. I had a helmet on with a face mask. My chin hit first, then my face shield, nose and mouth/tooth hit the ground. I broke the fall partially with my hand, but I also got road rash on my stomach, knee and ankle.
So I jumped up, looked at my bike, then got on and started riding. A police man had just pulled someone over and waved me over. He said he could check me out. He thought someone had hit me. I pulled over and thought he would just check me out after he finished with the speeder. About 2 min later a fire truck and ambulance come around the corner. They pull me in the truck and check me out. Nothing was really wrong, so they let me go.
When I got home Pearl came running to give me a hug and stopped right in the tracks. I was pretty late for dinner and so Lizzy was a bit upset. It didn't help when she found out I had actually laid my bike
down. She wasn't too excited about the bike in the first place.
The bike is ok (for the most part). Just a few scratches and the tail light broke off. I fixed the tail light, and the rest of the damage should only cost around $150 to fix. The thing I was most worried about was my tooth. It hit the gravel hard. If you take a close look you will see that it actually cracked my tooth a little and left some gravel in my tooth. My teeth were VERY sensitive for several days after. The dentist buffed the gravel out the next day and he said that I could loose the tooth, but it looked good and I should leave it to see what happens. He said it was unlikely that it would die.
This was all really great timing too... Three days before Ramona's birthday! Yea! Now I'll be ugly in the pictures.
3.18.2009
Well, I've been dying to get a moped. Mostly because:
1. We've only had 1 car for 5 years
2. It get's 90 miles to the gallon
3. It's only 1000 dollars!
I bought it from a friend for $1100 and it has under 1000 miles on it, it is in perfect condition. It also came with a helmet, leather gloves, an extra face mask, a cover, a net for carrying things, and some cleaning stuff for wiping it down. It is a milano, which has the BEST pickup. They usually go for about $1900 new. He just bought it like 4-5 months ago from a close friend or family so... I am pretty happy with the deal.
2.22.2009
The lone, side picture didn't quite give the full effect. With Pearl I still carried it all out front, but it was a little more evenly distributed around my midsection. I'm a month away and STILL it is ALL out front and center. It's not even really a basketball shape because I don't think it's wide enough on the sides. I don't really consider myself "lucky" or "cute" because:
- MY BACK KILLS!
- It's just making new and uglier stretch marks in the front
- Is anyone really cute in their last month of pregnancy? Irrelevant at this point, says me.
2.21.2009
If it has a hood, Pearl is wearing it...
If it has pockets, her hands are in them.
As you can see it sticks straight out. Great for my back. Though I do believe it is smaller than last time. My due date is the 24th. Pearl was 7 lbs 14 oz and, though I went into labor the day after my due date, it was slow and not progressing very well, so I was induced. Is that enough info to make a guess on Ramona's weight and date of arrival? Winner will receive blog recognition.
Mom's guess:
7 lbs 6 oz. and March 28th.
2.20.2009
She never wanted one as a baby, but now that we talk about Ramona Pearl wants to be treated like a baby. She came up to me and said "Feed me bottle like a baby, Daddy."
1.28.2009
- Paint fumes: Yeah, I knew they were too, but I didn't realize just how flammable the FUMES are
- Flour: many people might assume that because baking soda puts out grease fires, so does flour, NOT SO! Flour will turn a small grease fire into 2nd and 3rd degree burns and possibly even death, very quickly. All those little particles everywhere, including the ones that you breathe in down your nose and throat, those can all burn! NO FLOUR! Two more things: sugar is flammable and never use water on a grease fire. Really gross things can happen to your skin if you do this.
- Unleaded gasoline: poor cousin Kevin. When used properly, diesel is great for burning things, NOT unleaded.
So, be aware. Read warning labels.
Last Thursday we got a bunch of frames from DI and some white spray paint and I was going to finally put up some family pictures in our stairway. I've been looking forward to doing this project since I saw it in a decorating book two years ago. I finally had all the supplies, a great location, but by the time we got home it started drizzling. The forecast predicted rain for a week (didn't happen, but I didn't know that then) Well, I was pouting and was determined to find a way to spray paint anyway. So, I got a huge box, lined the bottom with my frames, put it in the corner of our kitchen, and, despite his telling me I should just be patient and not rush projects, blah blah blah, Greg helped me spray paint them.
Now, we lit a few candles, and I was going to leave them burning at a distance so the paint fumes wouldn't get too strong (You know, for the baby). For some dumb reason though, after Greg was done spraying, I decided to bring my candle closer, and I'm just sort of waving it closer and closer to the top of the box when BOOM! A Huge ball of fire surrounded me (fortunately I shut my eyes, but Greg was watching) I ducked and ran to the other side of the kitchen. As quickly as it had come, the fire was gone. No black on my ceiling. The cardboard was untouched, the frames were fine. Greg hurries over, making sure fire is out on his way, and then takes one look at me and says "YOUR HAIR!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO YOUR HAIR!!!" Well, I was already shook up, but that pretty much did it for me.
Apparently it takes about 4 hours for the unbelievable pain from a 2nd degree burn to stop. So, it was a pretty long night for me. My forehead, as you can see in the pictures didn't suffer too much. Just some small 1st degree patches all over my face. I didn't even realize that had happened until two days later when I had red, sensitive patches everywhere. BUT MY HAND!!! Labor was the worst experience of my life, but it was a different kind of pain. This though, the 4 hour burning, was so horrible. I mean, I sobbed, and I am not one to cry in pain—at least not as an adult. So, embarrassing as it is to admit how stupid I am at times, if my mistake can prevent someone else from such an experience... it's worth sharing.
12.13.2008
So, we came home one evening and there were a bunch of kitties right outside our door (not that uncommon). Pearl refused to come inside because she wanted to pet the kitties (also, not that uncommon). So, we let her stay on the porch trying to get the kitties to let her hug and kiss them. The door was barely open so we could keep an eye on her. After a few minutes she decides to come in, so I shut the door and go back to making dinner. A few seconds later Greg comes in the room and says "Why is there a cat in the house?" No wonder why Pearl willingly came inside! She was sitting on the floor just loving that cat. Naturally it wasn't allowed to stay for long, and Pearl of course went right outside with it. This time we shut the door. Pearl opened it herself, and went up the stairs with it (which are out of my sight from the kitchen) DISGUSTING!!!! But she loved it. Too bad everyone's allerigic and they have hair and are gross and annoying, otherwise we might be pursuaded to get her one for Christmas. No way though.
A good percentage of Pearl's day is spent talking about, looking for, staring at and chasing kitties. It's just as bad with dogs, but there are less of those in our neighborhood.
12.07.2008
