Hair-tastic

By poplular demand, here is the 'MOM' hair.....argh. Laugh and enjoy.

I Hate My Hair!

I got the worst hair cut known to mankind last night at the salon.

I did my due diligence in selecting the colorist and stylist (who did such an awesome job on my hair three months ago) and even showed up 10 minutes early for my appointment.

As far as color goes, I no longer worry about a 'mistake' - too bright, not enough, too brassy....these are all things that can be corrected, and color fades with time anyway.

But the haircut is forever! You can't fix hair that is cut wrong, or too short! We are not Play-Dough people where we can grow new blue hair in a matter of minutes.

I loved what my stylist did with my hair the last time. It was a rounded cut, kind of like a bob, but with more layers, long layers. She also used a razor instead of scissors which I loved. The effect is very modern and sophisticated.

Last night, my stylist asked what I wanted done. I said the same as last time. I don't think she remembered what she gave me last time and so she asked, "what did I give you last time?" I began telling her and her memory started coming back.

However, this time, she suggested maybe going a little shorter, about an inch. I immediately asked, "how short? You're not gonna make me look like a boy, are you?"

She laughed. She promised it would not make me look like a boy. I agreed to go shorter.

Well, I DO NOT look like a boy.....I LOOK LIKE A MOM! Argh!!!!!!!

When styled, it's poofy up top and narrows/tapers towards the bottom - basically, I looked like a light bulb! She cut SO short that I now have bangs! BANGS people! I haven't had bangs since the 4th grade! I HATE bangs!

Despite my internal horror, I feigned gratitude, thanked her, paid and left. OMG!

It was all Alex could do to keep from kicking me out of the house -I was walking around the house, constantly saying, "I hate my hair!"

I know hair eventually grows out, and I'm hoping that by the time Florida comes around, I will NOT HAVE BANGS, but in the meantime, I have to live with 'MOM' hair.

Bargain!

Paying bills is a pain in the butt. But I'm always glad it's done after I've finished.
I have no money, but I have peace of mind....some more trade offs of life:

I do not have a super model body, but I have Jack
I am not easy to love, but I love many people (and Newt)

Excursion with Mom

I did it. I did the unthinkable, the unbelievable. I went shopping with my mother.

She leaves for Korea Thursday, YES, this Thursday, and so she had some things she wanted to pick up for her family and asked if I would take her shopping. I agreed knowing how important this trip is to her. She turned 60 this year, and due to financial limits, I was not able to give her an appropriate 60th birthday gift. So, I agreed to take her, and in the process, get her a few things she wanted/needed.

Before stepping foot into a store/mall, I asked her to think about the folks she wanted gifts for and then to think about what she wanted to get them and make a list. I am a huge believer in making a list. My mother is a believer in grabbing anything and everything that catches your eye and then later when you are ready to leave, find a nice quiet spot at the back of the store and go through all your items again and make another short list. This is her list.

Surprisingly, she said this time she actually did make a list - however, a list doesn't help much if you leave it at home. Sigh. However, I seriously do not believe she actually made any list at all as I found the following to be true during my excruciating experience with my mother:

Coffee -
likes the coffee my sister and brother-in-law drink, and did *I* know what kind of coffee it was? Why would I know what kind of coffee they get?
What kind of coffee should she get?

Ground or whole bean?

Why don't they have everything in ground?

Do they have coffee bean grinders in Korea?

Should I get them a coffee bean grinder?

Vitamins - keep in mind I am NOT a pharmacist

Apparently any kind of supplement that promises to enhance joint/soft tissue health is all the craze these days in Korea. She actually found the kind she wanted quickly (I was pleasantly surprised by this), however....

How many should I get?

Which brand should I get?

Which is better for you?

Should I get one too?

Toothpaste -

"I don't want the gigantic tubes of toothpaste, I just need a small one."

"Then don't buy here in bulk. You're better off buying at Jewel, one tube."

"Why do they sell toothpaste by the box?"

"They don't Mom, they sell in packs of 4 tubes."

"Oh, then I want to get it."

"Why do you need 4 tubes?"

"One for work, one for the main bathroom, one for the master bathroom, and the other as extra."

Her bathrooms are literally five steps away from each other. "It's good to have toothpaste in every bathroom cause you never know where you're going to brush your teeth." WHAT THE HECK ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Woodfield - I'll make the pain short and simple for you

Only planned on giving some people gifts and no gifts for others (forgot spouses, nieces and nephews and their children...etc.)

Made me decide what to get for half the poeple on her 'mental' list for gifts, and the only direction she gave me in searching for these gifts was it had to be cheap/affordable and the highest of quality. Sigh.

Argued Ralph Lauren clothing would be cheap and highest of quality. Lord help me!

Asked me how much items were cause she couldn't see the price on the price tag because she was not wearing her glasses even though they were already HANGING on her shirt!

Despite all of the above, we did share a fair amount of laughs and food (Mom likes Portillo's Italian Beef with hot peppers). And as always, when we returned home, she forgot about how tired her body was from being out for 6 hours and found herself gladly covered in Jack's drool.

Caring is over rated

I am not a boat rocker, feather ruffler, pot stirrer or sand box bully. I have always played nice with others in the sand box and truly believe majority rules, even if I'm not 100% on board.

But after becoming a mother, I feel I've shed that outter most layer, the superficial shell that usually kept me safe without confrontation in or with the public. I no longer care what other people think - especially when it comes to my Jack.

1) I do not care that my doctor's office thinks I'm a lunatic, a nervous-nelly, paranoid, or even annoying by paging the doctor at all hours of the night or making appointments for Jack to see the doctor every 10-12 days. I do not care how many times or by how many doctors I am told a fever can be a good thing. When a baby spikes a fever over 103 degrees, it CANNOT wait till the next business day for a mother.

2) I do not care that some of my co-workers tire of hearing stories about my Jack. You only have your first born once - coworkers are a dime a dozen! No contest.

3) I do not care that I wear spit up to work.

4) I make 'baby talk' all the time to Jack, even when out in public. I don't care who is giving me a strange look.

5) I could care less that there are 5 people standing in line behind me at Target as I explain for the 3rd time how the Similac Formula coupon works to the newby check-out kid at the register.

And I thought motherhood would make me passive, even flakey! Boy am I glad to be wrong!

Dare Update #2

I have not run since last Friday.
Too cold.

Weather is supposed to warm up this week. I plan on being back out there again.

Toothless First Cousins Legal here?

I'll have to leave my men next week for one night and a day as I'm going on a business trip to Charlotte, NC.

Yes, I will be venturing into what I only know as hillbilly nation for a work related trip.

Thank goodness on two levels....
1) it's only for one day and one night away from Jack
2) it's only for one day and one night in hillbilly country

While I'm looking forward to meeting the folks I work with and talk on the phone daily, I am kind of nervous about everything else that comes with going to a state that still upholds marriage between first cousins and considers tator tots a serving of vegetables.

Actually, I'm probably quite wrong about the whole thing. This city is probably loaded with rich history and landmarks from the Old South days, and they probably have good Southern cooking too!

My Jack

Do you think we look alike? Alex says we have the same face. (also I'm wearing too much blush - you'd think a sister would have told you...sigh)

The Dare Update

I ran twice last week - Thursday and Friday. I took the weekend off because I needed my body to heal so I could run again, but most importantly because my body just felt like crap after working out! Ouch!

I must admit, I felt wonderful to run/jog again. It felt good to have that time to myself again. It felt great to know that even after Jack, I could still do a mile at the first crack back at working out.

Working out as a non-smoker really makes a difference too. I warmed up, jogged a mile, cooled down and stretched all in about 25 minutes. This means I either ran a fast mile (well, anything 12 minutes and under is considered fast for me) or my warm up and cool down was fast.

Monday I did not work out - got my period, TERRIBLE cramps and just plain tired.
Tuesday I did not work out - waaaaaay too cold! (32 degrees!)
Tonight I did not work out - tired from not getting any sleep due to Alex's snoring (he's sleeping out on the couch tonight) and from getting up every two hours to check in on Jack and finally getting up at 3:30am to take his temp. and give him Tylenol and then putting him back to sleep which he didn't do till 4:44am.

I'm hoping tomorrow I can at least get a good walk in there somewhere, I deserve it.

Right now, it's way past my bedtime and I need to get some shut eye. Good night. Hopefully, Jack will sleep through the night.