May 2008 Archives

Since I have a standing invitation to play with Karma's puppies, I went for another visit last week, this time with Mike in tow. I was amazed to see how much the puppies had changed just in the four days it had been since I'd seen them last. They'd started eating real food the day before, and Karma was still letting them nurse a little bit, but it was clear they wouldn't be doing it for much longer. They were all much more active this time, and it was adorable to watch them - they looked like fat little bear cubs waddling around their little area. I dove right in and started indiscriminately loving on puppies, handing them off to Mike when he wanted a turn, and then grabbing

Isn't that the sweetest little face?

In one week I'm having laproscopic exploratory surgery to check for endometriosis, adhesions, scarring, etc. It's an outpatient procedure, but I'm more than a little nervous because I'm not sure what to expect for the recovery. The doctor said one to two weeks is what it usually takes people; I'm hoping I'm on the shorter end of that spectrum. My only previous surgery experiences involve wisdom teeth and the removal of two cysts, so it's hard for me to have a feel for how quickly I'll be able to start doing normal stuff (work, picking up kids, taking Mike to and from his vanpool, etc.). I'm sure I'm just over-thinking this, as I tend to do with new procedures, and aferwards I'll look back and think how silly I was to put this much thought into it. For now, though, I'm making a list (OF COURSE) of everything I want to have done by this time next week to make things easier for me as I'm recuperating:
pick up my Lego Indiana Jones game to help keep me entertained once I'm home from the surgery,
pre-make a couple of meals to keep in the freezer JUST IN CASE,
pick up more dog food and treats so I don't have to worry about lugging around a heavy bag while they've just stitched my belly button back together,
wash every piece of dirty laundry in the house so I won't have to worry about it for a few days at least,
repeat that process for the dishes,
vacuum to keep the dust and puppy hairs from mobilizing and taking control of the house while I'm bed-ridden,
lay in a hefty supply of reading material and bottled water upstairs so I won't have to get out of bed for anything except bathroom breaks, and
make sure every area of the house that might possibly be seen by people who are not me or Mike is tidied up because GOD FORBID MY MOM OR SISTER SEE MY HOUSE A MESS.

We've been to see Iron Man twice now - once as soon as it came out, and then again the following weekend with the kids - and I'd be okay with going to see it every week until it's no longer in theaters. I guess that might be a bit excessive, though. The score is wonderful (I ordered the soundtrack as soon as we got home from seeing it the first time, and that's practically all I've listened to for the past few weeks), the story is excellent, the casting is fantastic, visually it's fantastic - really, I don't think there's anything about this movie I don't like. Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect as Pepper Potts, Terrence Howard is perfect as Rhodey, and Robert Downey, Jr., is so awesome I can't put into words how much I love him as Tony Stark. I'm still trying to convince Mike that we need to change our last name to Stark. He's not buying it so far, but I haven't given up yet. One thing we do agree on, however, is that this movie has set the standard for us when it comes to superhero/comic book movie adaptations.

The puppies' trainer's chocolate lab Karma just had her first litter - seven purebred chocolate lab pups. As part of their socializing process, I get to go over and play with them, and that's exactly what I did this weekend. Is there any better way to spend an afternoon than playing with fat little chocolate lab pups?

Please pardon the crappy pictures. I meant to take my beloved Nikon D40 but forgot it at the last minute, so I had to resort to my phone's camera.

I had an appointment last week with a doctor whose practice has the tiniest parking lot ever. There was one space open when I got there, so that's where I parked, noting as I did so that the car next to me was taking up a little bit of my parking space. I chalked it up to a rushed parking job and took a couple of pictures, just in case something happened to my car when they were leaving, before going in for my appointment.

the parking situation:

The car was gone by the time I left the doctor's office, but its owner did see fit to leave this note under one of my windshield wipers:

And to think I was worried about them scratching up my "pice of crap" when they left.

For Mother's Day this year Mike and the kids pre-ordered the Lego Indiana Jones DS game for me. I love Indiana Jones as it is, but given how much fun I'm having with my Lego Star Wars game, you can bet your ass I'll be at Game Stop on June 3rd with my nose pressed to the glass, waiting to get my game.

I love this game so much. Mike bought it for me the day before my colonoscopy, and I thought it would be a fun way to pass time when I picked it up, but I didn't realize it would take over my life.

The story mode is fun (except for the flying missions - I don't steer my little Lego crafts well!), and I really love being able to go back through the levels on free play. It's not possible to unlock everything in a level in story mode, which I think is neat. I like having areas that I can go back with different characters (a bounty hunter, storm trooper, Sith, etc.) to unlock. I'm stuck in one spot on the last level (a flying level, OF COURSE), but I'm determined to get past that without having to ask Mike or the boys for help. This will be a game I beat by myself, dammit.

A year ago today we officially adopted Jordan. At that time he was very shy, hesitant with us and the puppies. Now he's completely part of the family. He still is more reserved than either Maddy or Max are, but he's much more comfortable than he was those first few months. While he still lies down by himself on occasion, he prefers to be curled up with his siblings, and he's just as likely to initiate a romp around the house as they are now. He is the cutest little man when he prances around with his ears perked up and his tilted to the side. It's very hard not to scoop him up and carry him around all the time so I can constantly cuddle him. Small wonder these dogs are spoiled.

We don't know when his real birthday is, so we mark the date we adopted him as his birthday, which makes him five today. Happy birthday, Jordan!