Social Networking

I think I'm becoming addicted to social networking. I used to be solely a Facebookophile. While I have managed to gain some control over myself there (I log in only once or twice a day versus nine or ten or twenty), I've replaced my incessant Facebooking with dips into LinkedIn, updates to my blog and posts to my Twitter account.  Fortunately, because I spread out my visits, it doesn't look like I'm too addicted to any one thing. Finding the time to feed my addiction is sometimes a challenge; my husband often threatens to throw my laptop out the window. I need to find a way to link them all together so I can get everything done at once. I need to become a Social Networking Multi-Tasking Queen.

And I Missed It!

We celebrated N's eight-month birthday this week. Wow! It's hard to believe how much he's changed in such a short time. Every time I turn around, he's doing something different and new. If I blink, I miss something! Today, while I was outside trimming the bushes, D said he started pulling himself up on the end table in the library. And I missed it!

Bath Time for Baby and Mommy

Despite an initial negative reaction to being bathed, N has decided that he likes bath time so much he wants to share it. This evening while we were doing bath time, he splashed his legs so hard that Mommy (who was doing the bathing) and Daddy (who was keeping us company) both got a shower! He's also gotten enough hair that Mommy can do fun things to it when it's wet.

I'm uploading a blurry photo because, despite being out-of-focus, you can really see the two bottom teeth that he's very fond of using. Sadly, his favorite chew toy happens to be Mommy, despite my best efforts to nip that habit in the bud. He hasn't bitten my hard yet (thank goodness!), so here's hoping we can break this habit before he gets any more teeth.

I've started doing a little childproofing, even though he's not quite mobile yet. He's pretty good about moving around in one spot, and he's recently started scooting backward and sideways, so I figured now is probably a good time! I keep telling Jester that his days are numbered; N LOVES Jester. Every time he sees the cat, he smiles and laughs and starts wiggling all over. Jester is still fairly stand-offish when it comes to N, although he did let N grab a few handfuls of skin while he was sleeping (still not much in the way of fur, although it's coming back). N's not really close to talking yet (occasional "mamas" and "dadas" notwithstanding — they're not really associated with us, yet), but he will burst out with a "keee!" sometimes when he sees Jester. I think "kitty" may well be his first word!

Bottle That Baby!

I love listening to N laugh! And fortunately for me, he loves to laugh. For some reason, watching someone follow us upstairs is just hysterical for him. Giggles and laughter and bouncing (now I know why they call them bouncing baby boys!) abound. I've decided that the pharmaceutical company that learns how to bottle baby giggles will make a gazillion dollars and beat out all the other anti-depressant producers.

And fortunately for Jester, the not-so-bald feline (still odd looking, but the fur is coming back) is one of N's favorite toys. Every time that cat moves, N laughs. N is pretty much Jester's only fan these days. That old cat is back to his cantankerous ways: biting the hand that feeds him, crying as soon as the baby is somewhat asleep, trying to trip you up as you go up/down the stairs.... generally making a nuisance of himself. He's used up all of his nine lives, as far as I'm concerned.

Gardening and Growing

One of the things I love about my job is being able to research and write about topics I find interesting…

This year I'm taking back my beds. The first year we lived here, I wanted to let things go to see what came back and how it came back before I started whacking away. Last year, I was pregnant, losing my job and miserable. I wasn't going anywhere near those beds!

So this year, the beds are in desperate need of loving attention. And silly me, when my parents got their seed catalogs, I borrowed one and ordered $30 worth of seeds. Three gardening books and way too many seeds later, I have great hopes and plans for my beds. Because I am an avid over-achiever and like saving money, I decided to start composting.

But I'd never done it before, so I needed to learn more. Enter the need for articles targeting homeowners, and you have the happy marriage of personal interest and professional work. Now that's what I call multi-tasking!

All I'm waiting for is N to get a few years on him so I can put him to work weeding. : )