tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88563234124778529952012-01-28T16:49:06.887-06:00You can be a stay-at-home mom and a housewife and still have interests other than making dinner and changing diapers. Right? Anyone...?No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.comBlogger3821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-54294872090645306942012-01-28T07:41:00.010-06:002012-01-28T11:47:34.202-06:00

Here it is friends. My major promotion. The corner office...Kind of hard to believe that this space was there all along. Just hanging out, in our house, not being used to one fraction of its potential.A place for everything...We've tried, over the years, but this is the first time I can honestly say I LOVE this room (it started here, then went here, then here, then here and now ba-dam!). I think

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-1106941827679771702012-01-24T08:59:00.009-06:002012-01-25T09:28:28.935-06:00

Happy Chinese New Year! This is the year of the Dragon which is said to be very auspicious. I'm not going to lie. I actually had to look that one up in the dictionary. It just sounded like one of those words people throw around without really understanding what it means. Like "atrophy" or "pedantic". Anyway, in case you're wondering:aus-pi-cious [aw-spish-uhs]adjective1. promising success;

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-22557572802134569252012-01-19T10:14:00.013-06:002012-01-20T16:39:54.959-06:00

Sometimes I wish I could take pictures with my eyes.This morning in the shower was one of those times. I was holding Finn just right so the water would rain down his shoulders and over his round little belly, keeping him warm but not too warm, and being extra careful not to let him slip. His face was close to mine and his long, beautiful eyelashes were collecting tiny drop of water. He was

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-32008342799972298752012-01-17T20:51:00.015-06:002012-01-18T12:34:55.826-06:00

The other night Finn woke up screaming. He does this sometimes. Not every night like he used to, but enough that we're hardly surprised by it. We usually "ignore" him so he can fall back to sleep on his own (otherwise it tends to become a habit) but this isn't a hard and fast rule (is anything when it comes to parenting?).On this particular night his screams were so shrill and desperate that I

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-37382071193824108892012-01-11T12:43:00.005-06:002012-01-19T20:42:17.846-06:00

Remember that baseball movie, Field of Dreams, where the ominous voice in the corn field is all, "If you build it, they will come..."? I do. Because we were a big baseball family (my parents met playing softball together) and my dad's a big sap so when we all saw it together in the movie theater he was doing that thing that dads do when they're pretending not to be choked up when really it's so

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-79070399143676515682012-01-08T16:14:00.008-06:002012-01-08T20:52:27.478-06:00

I don't really have anything to write at the moment but I was just reading an article on the Oprah website and it suggested saying, "hmmm" out loud to yourself when you feel stuck and need some direction.I don't think it's working.Oh, wait. I'm supposed to say it out loud. Lemme try this again.Hmmm...Well that was awkward. I'm at the TN State Museum right now and I'm pretty sure nobody can hear

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-18780779628883760822011-12-25T12:41:00.003-06:002011-12-25T12:43:37.559-06:00

From our family to yours...

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-71131717203268292382011-12-23T16:26:00.013-06:002011-12-23T18:24:23.050-06:00

No holiday season would be quite as nice,without strapping on skates and hitting the ice.With the wind in my hat and a smile on my face,I feel like I'm flying or floating in space.My Christmas is not about presents or toys.It's all about skating, my ultimate joy. - from Christmastime to Me from A to ZI'll be honest - I don't actually like ice skating.

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-40711243794492339542011-12-21T16:10:00.001-06:002011-12-23T16:23:20.313-06:00

I've always had pets (one or more of each), so I never really gave the whole "cats vs dogs" thing much thought. How could you possibly choose one when they're so completely different? I liked dogs for dog things and cats for cat things!But after Cloey died a year and a half ago, I started to notice something surprising: maybe I didn't like dogs so much after all...They bark and shed and

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-15420402658038603402011-12-18T14:29:00.014-06:002011-12-30T10:56:32.747-06:00

The advent-ures continue! Every morning as Liam reaches for his advent calendar to see what's in store for him that day, I think, "Oh crap! I better come up with something quick!" Then I distract him with something shiny and shove a quickly scribbled note into the tiny knit stocking. (Being prepared is definitely not one of my strong suits...)This has resulted in some hits and some misses. On the

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-35842952849723791972011-12-17T09:34:00.010-06:002011-12-17T11:29:51.698-06:00

For my birthday this year, Bill hired a cleaning crew to come over the day before my party. This was a first. The first time we'd payed someone else to do the dirty work, and definitely the first time our house had been so clean!I wanted to serve dinner on the floor. Without plates. BECAUSE I COULD. I mean, everything was clean. The ceiling fans. The mini blinds. The baseboards. The INSIDE OF THE

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-32543964276374154712011-12-15T10:33:00.003-06:002011-12-15T10:33:01.112-06:00

I read my book to Liam's class this morning and, holy smokes you guys. If eating in the cafeteria with those kids made me feel popular, reading a book I wrote and illustrated to them made me feel like a GOD.Even though it was sort of last minute and Finn was with me and totally trying to steal my thunder I still nailed it. (Yes, Finn, you're adorable. And when you hold up a ball to the class and

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-83774811202309091762011-12-13T20:45:00.015-06:002011-12-14T10:33:10.043-06:00

Judging by the huge purses and bags most moms carry around, it's pretty obvious: we're always prepared. But as I rummaged through my over-sized purse in the handicapped stall at Panera tonight while a food covered Finn squirmed and kicked and tried to escape his stroller and Liam (hopefully) kept a watchful eye over himself and our dinner table, I was devastated to learn that while I may very

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-16423642671676921292011-12-11T11:12:00.001-06:002011-12-14T11:05:45.322-06:00

What's more fun than muffins you ask? Muffin men of course!This was Liam's idea entirely. When his advent calendar gave him lemons, "let's make a gingerbread cake together," he turned it into lemonade, "gingerbread boys!" At first I had no idea how we were going to make this happen. But we just winged it. (Wung it? Oh, whatever, we didn't follow a recipe.) And they turned out great!Now whenever

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-59225806749598880572011-12-06T10:08:00.017-06:002011-12-08T14:22:57.220-06:00

We have a new bookstore in Nashville that just opened a few weeks ago. "A new bookstore," you ask. "But I thought bookstores were going out of business faster than you could say Kindle!" It's true. Sadly, bookstores seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs and mom and pop hardware stores. But, fortunately for us Nashvillians, bestselling author Ann Patchett calls middle Tennessee home and is not

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-90613098590194513322011-12-05T16:01:00.014-06:002011-12-05T22:12:50.002-06:00

We have a really cute advent calendar that is made of little knitted mittens and stockings and caps - one for each day of December leading up to Christmas. We've had it for a couple years but I can't for the life of me remember where we got it. Isn't that sad? I'm sure it was a gift, one that I really love, and yet it has completely escaped my mind as to who gave it to us.(If it's you, please let

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-70838365959008868942011-11-28T20:09:00.017-06:002011-11-29T09:25:47.506-06:00

Almost every year I can remember I've wanted to do Christmas like they do on TV. Everything decorated. The whole family gathered around a big, beautiful dinner table. Impromptu caroling. Perfectly wrapped presents. Hot toddies by the fire. And, of course, a free range Christmas tree hunted and chopped down together as a family.But every year I think these things, I also think, "You know what? Too

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-55638059095532852492011-11-22T09:14:00.014-06:002011-11-22T13:43:06.215-06:00

About two weeks ago, something HUGE happened in our house...Finn started walking! I can't believe it's taken me so long to tell the Internet about such a big milestone. I think it's because walking is one of those gradual skills that can take a while to really set in. Does one step count as walking? What about two? He let go of the coffee table and just stood there for like 20 seconds...is that

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-8644970842820328012011-11-19T08:19:00.009-06:002011-11-19T11:20:59.411-06:00

Last weekend I had a terrifying thought: Am I...late?This is not something I'm used to worrying about. While my period hasn't always been the most regular monthly visitor, it's always shown up eventually. And then, a day or two later, it'd be gone. Which I never really appreciated because it was all I had ever known but now that I have the ParaGard IUD, I really miss those good ol' days. Anyway,

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-33801562977391207132011-11-17T12:10:00.007-06:002011-11-17T22:04:52.228-06:00

Rummaging through the fridge just now for something to make for lunch, I discovered these little guys hiding out in the produce drawer."Yeller squash (unfulfilled) 11-5"I did the math and was about to toss it straight into the trash (I'm a total wuss when it comes to food that might be past its prime) but just couldn't be the one to stand between half a yeller squash and its destiny.See, my

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-91891586701190338952011-11-15T14:01:00.021-06:002011-11-18T10:36:53.482-06:00

Liam snapped this picture of me at the park yesterday right before we almost got killed by a hungry flock of geese. It was both terrifying (for the boys) and highly amusing (for me). I mean, who thinks it's a good idea to steal bread from the duck sack and let it hang out of his mouth while hissing geese swarm all around him trying to eat it?Finn, that's who.Duck tease.Liam stayed home from

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-57503183372077660972011-11-08T08:52:00.008-06:002011-11-08T12:16:57.100-06:00

You guys are not going to believe this. Today is my four year blogiversary. Four years! You can tell I've been at it a long time because I can easily take normal words (like anniversary) and turn them into blogging words (like blogiversary). See? Blog + anniversary = blogiversary! I'm seriously good at this. Like a blexpert or something... Four years is a really long time. I mean, just think

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-37241526254739508332011-11-07T09:09:00.009-06:002011-11-07T10:48:24.861-06:00

The problem with daylight savings time is this:When it gets dark earlier you can start drinking earlier without feeling like a lush.Or at least that's the conclusion I came to when my eyes popped open at six o'clock this morning for absolutely no good reason except to make me painfully aware of how dehydrated I was. This is how I always woke up after drinking as a kid. Which is a funny thing to

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-38702895653488702022011-11-03T09:30:00.007-05:002011-11-03T10:43:15.075-05:00

I have a question for all you single moms (and dads) out there. How the hell do you do it?! I mean, seriously. This raising kids business is at least a two man job. Maybe more. Who knows - those sister-wives may be onto something...My husband just got home from a three day business trip and we practically threw him a parade we were so excited to have him back. And by "practically" I mean I made

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-49350094577685183162011-11-02T09:01:00.029-05:002011-11-03T09:29:44.456-05:00

Liam had a week off school for Fall Break so I took the boys to Reno to see family. We tried to divide our time equally between the grandparents and aunts and uncles so every couple days we packed up and moved to a different house. This is both the hardest and the easiest way to do things. Hardest because, as if packing for three people and flying across the country isn't torturous enough, doing

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-28697600699908002072011-11-01T09:08:00.016-05:002011-11-01T13:48:35.144-05:00

I've stumbled across several articles this week written to help moms like me figure out what to do with the onslaught of candy that follows the bizarre ritual of dressing in costume and going door-to-door asking for it (what a strange and wonderful tradition!). Did you know you could freeze it or chop it up and use it in recipes or take it to the office to share with your fat coworkers? Or I

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-27705854753813366472011-10-31T11:49:00.010-05:002011-11-01T00:02:34.353-05:00

Liam as a Sweet Pea, 2006And as a chicken, 2006.He was a spider, too. What can I say? He was like a photogenic little doll.Family pic, 2006. Get it? Liam's a spider; I'm his web.Bill's a sock monkey. Because he's awesome.2007! Cutest little monkey EVER.And to go with our monkey, a banana and a tree.2008 - Mariachi Band!I repurposed the tux he wore in my sister's wedding.2009, AKA the year Liam

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-71965334168118133582011-10-30T21:29:00.006-05:002011-10-31T09:35:56.158-05:00

Never trust a baby with a mustache.

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-56023019956306336462011-10-30T08:55:00.005-05:002011-10-30T13:47:25.020-05:00

This week I read a book called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller (thanks for the recommendation, Courtney - I loved it!). The basic gist is this: filmmakers come to Donald to make one of his memoirs into a movie and they realize his "story" is kind of boring. At least for the big screen. So they set out to embellish the heck out of his life to make it more enjoyable for the

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-32603008079993718382011-10-06T15:42:00.000-05:002011-10-06T15:42:00.525-05:00

I had a moment at story time today. It's a moment I've had many times before and one I'm sure to have again. Only this time it ended a little bit differently...It's the moment where I look down at the adorable boy laying his soft baby feather head on my lap and smiling up at me with that gappy toothed smile and realize HE is the most perfect child in the entire room.The way he pulls himself up to

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-35438134306771218322011-10-05T08:26:00.008-05:002011-10-05T10:52:10.153-05:00

Last week, out of the blue, our phone stopped working. Yes, our land line. I know everyone thinks it's so quaint and adorable that we have a land line but I can assure you that we really do need it. Our house is like a dead zone for cell reception. If we want to make a call that doesn't sound like, "What? Sorry. You cut out for a minute. Are you there? Dammit! Oh, hello? Sorry about that. I just.

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-5082998135446285882011-09-26T08:06:00.001-05:002011-09-26T10:28:46.771-05:00

Listening to NPR the other day on the way home from the grocery store, I was thrilled when a story came on On Point about siblings. This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. As a sister, of course, but now also, as a mother of brothers.Our relationships with our siblings fundamentally shape the people we become.If you’ve got brothers and sisters, you know it’s true: only siblings are

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-79302809079111460452011-09-24T09:29:00.004-05:002011-09-24T10:13:41.522-05:00

Dear school,My son was absent on Friday due to a cute injury on his foot. I mean, acute. An acute injury on his foot.I mean, it was really serious. He couldn't walk AT ALL. He could sort of hobble but it made him whimper, "My foot! Oh, my foot!"He could crawl. Thank goodness he remembered how to crawl! He could hop on one foot. (The good one, of course.) Although hopping typically resulted in

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-88891803959880894882011-09-05T08:25:00.009-05:002011-09-05T11:45:27.791-05:00

Sometimes a little change of scenery is all it takes to turn a regular three-day weekend into a vacation... ...and home again, home again, lickety split! {Hope you have a great Labor Day weekend}

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-35743155799664561432011-08-31T13:44:00.009-05:002011-08-31T14:50:08.500-05:00

I helped out in Liam's class for a bit this morning and then stayed to have lunch with him in the cafeteria. It was a lot like I remember from when I was in school only now I'm SUPER popular. Like, WAY more popular than I ever hoped or dreamed I could be. Maybe even the most popular person in the entire lunch room! I know. It was super flattering. And completely insane... "Liam's mom! Matthew is

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-74908342966926178042011-08-27T11:21:00.007-05:002011-08-29T14:49:48.003-05:00

Bill and I celebrated our 11th anniversary yesterday. That's ELEVEN YEARS of wedded bliss. Or at least nine. Maybe nine and a half. The entire first year of our marriage was a challenge. And then if you add up all the other off days and fights and times we weren't on the same page and miscommunications and bad moods and annoying habits (like chewing gum like a cartoon secretary - Bill - or acting

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-89285840098960395602011-08-19T12:26:00.025-05:002011-08-19T20:42:36.725-05:00

I know today is Friday but it doesn't feel like Friday. No, no, no. This is way too quiet for a Friday. I'm used to Fridays being more like this: But today it's just me and my baby hanging out in this big quiet house all alone. Okay, it's not really that big. But it feels big today. I think it's all the quiet. Way too quiet for a Friday... For three-and-a-half years, Friday has been Sia day. From

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-56350259318617856382011-08-18T15:56:00.011-05:002011-08-19T11:17:49.062-05:00

In my boys' book Zen Shorts, there is a story within the story that goes something like this:A man's horse runs away. Everyone in his village is like, "Aw, man. That sucks!" The man says, "Maybe." The horse comes back and brings two more horses with him. Everyone is like, "Woohoo!" The man says, "Maybe." The man's son tries to ride one of the new horses and it throws him to the ground and he

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-84161965778389429032011-08-11T10:18:00.004-05:002011-08-11T10:32:37.864-05:00

Remember that bird bath? It's a little hard to see with Liam towering over it like that but it's the very same one he used to stand on tiptoe to peer into. Yes, I know. Seems hard to imagine now... Today is his first day of Kindergarten. Real school. His first big step out of our nest. The beginning of the end... All of it. But, you know what? It was actually pretty great. We all got up and out

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-53758180182956313012011-08-09T08:25:00.010-05:002011-08-09T11:37:45.798-05:00

I can't believe my baby is a year old. I go in between feeling like he was just born to not being able to remember a time he wasn't here... We celebrated on Sunday with a backyard party which sort of seemed like a good idea at the time (sure, it'll be hotter than a hot day in hell but we can't not have a party - it's Finn's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!) but in all actuality it turned out to be super

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-56368750172490683342011-07-31T09:48:00.010-05:002011-07-31T12:27:49.496-05:00

Thanks for commenting on my previous post! I put all the entries into a hat (there were a couple on Facebook, too) and had Liam draw a name...First he had to fix his contact. Okay, now he can draw a name...Congratulations, Caddie!! Please email me your address (nomommybrain@gmail.com) and I'll get the book shipped off to you right away. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do!And speaking of

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-64354036526764466942011-07-27T21:29:00.017-05:002011-07-28T11:17:55.108-05:00

{Spoiler alert: There's a chance to win a PRIZE at the end of this post!!!}Back in April my cousin came to visit us in Nashville (such a treat - she's my favorite) and brought me a book called The Family Dinner. I had recently written this post about our dinnertime situation so when she saw it in the store, she immediately thought of me. Because she's amazing and thoughtful and beautiful and...

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-57893647652813699842011-07-19T09:02:00.012-05:002011-07-27T21:19:33.006-05:00

I love this baby.Crazy, insane, who could believe it, madly, deeply, LOVE.He's...I don't even know. Perfect would be an understatement.He has the power to make me melt in about a million different ways. When I pick him up to plop him on my hip and he exhales in my ear. When he smiles a little bigger than he has to and I get to see all of his teeth. When I ask him a question like, "Do you want

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-70981664490898030562011-07-18T09:41:00.007-05:002011-07-19T14:25:37.615-05:00

BRITNEY?!? Again?!?Ohhhh, yeah.Only this time, instead of a road trip with my sister, I'm going to see her with a couple of girlfriends right here in Nashville. We got our tickets on Groupon. And will be riding to the show in a mini van. Because two years in mommy years is a like a millennium and that's just how I roll now.I'm sure my babysitter thinks I'm nuts. But who cares? It's

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-9620942558012680162011-07-14T11:28:00.015-05:002011-07-15T01:00:55.622-05:00

While picking out a birthday present the other day, I found a little something for our home as well. Zen Ties by Jon J Muth is a follow-up to Zen Shorts, one of our current favs. As you can see, the illustrations are insanely beautiful. And the stories? Equally so. I love that a big bear in boxers can subtly introduce kids (and their grown ups...) to the wonderfully welcoming world of Zen (holy

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-2634327567829910482011-07-13T07:03:00.019-05:002011-07-13T10:09:43.568-05:00

This morning at 5:05 am, Bill nudged me awake. "I think your alarm's going off." I rolled out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. Even with my cell phone in hand, I still couldn't be sure if I heard it or not. But it was definitely buzzing and flashing something chipper at me like, "Wakey, wakey!" Five after five in the morning. WAY too early to be out of bed.I tip-toed out into the hall to

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-48407877354197358872011-07-05T15:04:00.016-05:002011-07-06T12:25:41.797-05:00

I can remember back-to-school shopping with my mom like it was yesterday... The summer before second grade when almost everything I picked out was fluorescent (the hot pink dress with neon green sleeves and buttons was my pick for the first day of school...and class pictures). Fourth grade was all about over sized shirts and stretch pants. Fifth grade included a mortifying trip down the training

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-76864744956819015932011-06-30T22:27:00.015-05:002011-07-01T15:32:34.344-05:00

I don't want to brag or anything but my boys and I have eaten eighteen nectarines this week. EIGHT. TEEN. NECTARINES. A dozen and a half. Since Monday. Afternoon. And since you already know that my five year old eats like a bird on a hunger strike and my 10 month old, while a very enthusiastic eater, is still like, a baby,with a baby-sized stomach (although he might have a hollow leg...), that

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-82010752583935173772011-06-28T16:47:00.004-05:002011-06-28T23:40:19.829-05:00

I've been having a little bit of writer's block lately. The kind of block that isn't a block so much as an absolute lack of desire to sit anywhere near a computer and even so much as attempt to write. Maybe I'm not blocked at all. Shoot, for all I know I might have a landslide come out if I tried. But my brain's just not in it. I think it's on on summer vacation or something. All it can really

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-88900251487550040092011-06-09T00:47:00.019-05:002011-06-10T14:42:14.313-05:00

Once I had a sore throat that was different than any other sore throat I had ever had so when I described it to Bill and Liam I said, "It's not like a sore throat; it's like a sore throat."They've made fun of me for it ever since.I generally try to be less of a dumb dumb in writing (if only I could re-read and edit the words that fall out of my mouth!) but I'm on vacation so the only way I can

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-50432118075075851622011-05-20T16:19:00.019-05:002011-05-21T00:03:47.999-05:00

I just glanced at the calendar and noticed that tomorrow we have not one, but two birthday parties, AND dinner with friends. While that's not totally unusual for us, it's still kind of amusing to think that most of our weekend is comprised of plans we made on account of our five year old.The birthday parties are for kids of adults that we friended first, but the dinner is with friends we met

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-1377533849241261952011-05-17T09:38:00.009-05:002011-05-17T11:20:56.597-05:00

At Finn's last well visit, our pediatrician talked to us about introducing solid foods and mentioned things he recommended and things he did not. For instance, biter biscuits and things he can easily grasp are okay; Cheerios are not.I put on my best A-student face, nodding in agreement and looking interested and informed. "No Cheerios, got it." Nod, nod, nod. "Mash up the table foods. Okay, yeah,

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-47254966389867641132011-05-15T18:36:00.010-05:002011-05-16T17:03:40.539-05:00

Liam's always been a cautious kid. He rarely does anything without thoroughly thinking it through and seems to weigh the pros and cons of each step in his mind before ever moving forward. This can be good a thing - I think he's only needed a Band-Aid twice in his entire five years - but it will no doubt keep him from enjoying some of life's greatest pleasures.So we're working on it. I use the

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-64642637880545030852011-05-12T10:28:00.001-05:002011-05-15T18:20:30.156-05:00

I think we can probably all agree that the world we live in is a pretty scary place. Between all the wars and global warming and junk in our food and Autism and tsunamis and roofs flying off of planes (not to mention the motherfucking snakes on the motherfucking planes!), we just can't catch a break.That is, if we allow ourselves to give a rat's ass.Which I? Do not. I just can't be bothered. For

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-57734924695617491222011-05-08T16:20:00.009-05:002011-05-08T18:08:06.330-05:00

Last mother's day I noticed that a lot of people had posted the following quote as their Facebook status:"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."Seriously, I think that might be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I mean, who pretends not to like pie so their kids can have it all to themselves? Ever heard of

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-37102868918438131252011-05-03T23:01:00.016-05:002011-05-05T16:26:53.644-05:00

I am a little behind always lately, so last night when I was uploading April photos to share with the family, I realized *gasp!* - I didn't post the annual bunny pics for Bill's mom. I took them - on time and everything! - but taking pictures and doing something with them are soooo not the same thing (just ask the 600+ photos on my completely full memory cards...).Although, it's only the first

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-72189164201309306462011-04-29T09:18:00.001-05:002011-05-03T11:49:15.732-05:00

Finn and I recently got to spend a gloriously lazy two days in Reno with my one and only sister, Moose. The reason for the trip was twofold: one, I wanted to share my totally awesome baby with his extended family (he was decidedly less awesome last time I took him to visit); and two, I simply HAD to spend some time with my sister before she became a mom.Right? I mean, just look at that beautiful

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-3588576568569124612011-04-28T10:15:00.004-05:002011-04-28T11:47:50.569-05:00

We woke up this morning with just enough time to get dressed and out the door before we were late for school. While I hustled to make Liam's lunch and feed Finn, Liam hemmed and hawed about what to wear."Does this pocket on the back count as an extra pocket?" he asked, standing in the kitchen naked, scratching his head."No," I said. "But it doesn't matter. You're not going to Encore today, you're

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-8977085476877996922011-04-14T11:08:00.002-05:002011-04-15T10:51:06.207-05:00

At preschool drop off, I struck up a conversation with one of the boys in Liam's class. We talked about our babies - how mine has less hair than his, but his is so soft he calls her "Softy Soft Softerton" - and about the beat up old broom he was dragging up the steps and into school. "It's cool because it's a broom but it can be anything. Even just a broom if you want!""That is cool. You know,

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-29220020618363870202011-04-13T08:22:00.002-05:002011-04-13T08:36:44.121-05:00

It's warming up here in middle Tennessee which can only mean one thing:Sweat!Well yeah, obviously, but that's not what I was thinking.Bugs?Dammit, no! I mean, not yet anyway. Yes, we will soon be sweaty and smelling like deet for months on end but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the return of the onesie. Which means, lots more exposed baby skin for me to love on!I've noticed

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-11939267551098012582011-04-12T08:03:00.003-05:002011-04-12T09:29:26.012-05:00

Here you go, Moose - the World Premiere of Bright Son (Liam and Bill's band) singing, "Kissing" (aka - their Interpol-style version of the first comes love, then comes marriage song). Enjoy!

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-10546605660613405252011-04-10T12:44:00.007-05:002011-04-10T20:33:15.757-05:00

Well. It happened. The talk. Yeah. The Talk. I won't go into all the "ins and outs" of the conversation (ahem) because, thankfully, I wasn't there. I'm not sure if it's because boys are more comfortable talking about all the below-the-belt stuff with other boys or if Bill just stepped into the right place at the right time, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm glad I missed out. And it's not

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-69860765028261432012011-03-29T22:19:00.011-05:002011-04-10T20:37:38.989-05:00

Tonight, for maybe the first time ever, I felt like a real mom. Not like somebody's mother - I feel like that all the time - like a mom. You know, like in a Stove Top commercial? Er...yeah, something like that.Anyway, 5:30 rolled around and I was like, "Better head into the kitchen to figure out what to make for dinner." Not because I found a recipe I wanted to try or got a hankering for rice,

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-42731360952254515192011-03-16T13:46:00.009-05:002011-03-16T23:02:43.659-05:00

I was about to title this post, "Diary of a wimpy kid's mother," but I decided against it. I mean, that's just rude. So what if it took us two hours to get around the one mile loop at the park today? I'm sure it has nothing to do with Liam being a wimp. He's just a kid. A kid with weak legs, a bad attitude, and an impatient mother. I know he should be wearing a helmet. It hurt his head.Liam

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-631904862690791092011-02-21T13:22:00.021-06:002011-02-28T16:35:40.413-06:00

I was talking to a friend the other day about breast feeding and the whole "breast is best" thing. While we agreed that breast milk is wonderfully amazing and nursing your baby can be pretty darn special, we also agreed that it can totally suck (no pun intended). If you hate it but do it anyway (because you don't want to fail at motherhood or you feel guilty or you don't want those judgy moms

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-10740764065707029932011-02-15T09:36:00.002-06:002011-02-15T16:35:33.182-06:00

Being a mom, specifically a stay-at-home-mom, is what I've wanted to be my entire life. As a child I can remember looking up in awe at some of the great mothers around me (like my friends' moms or my cousin or the women I babysat for...) not like, "I want a mom like that," but like, "I want to be a mom like that." Even when I was really little. I liked the idea of hanging out with kids and babies

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-78161562208883916632011-02-07T20:40:00.004-06:002011-02-08T11:08:46.149-06:00

This week has been a killer. First Liam turned five, now my sweet baby Finn is six months old. That's half a year! I'm telling you - it's a lot for a mama to handle in one week. Not enough to justify me getting choked up at the bouncy place when a Sheryl Crow song came on the radio the other day (I'm TRYING to soak up my sons but they just keep growing!), but it's still pretty major.Since I

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-35350026195531467682011-02-05T23:49:00.005-06:002011-02-06T11:09:33.322-06:00

A whole hand full of fingers. Count 'em:One. Two.Three. Four. Five. FIVE YEARS OLD.We've had five whole years of loving and teaching and nurturing and laughing and growing and learning and holding close and letting go. Wow.I'm stunned by the person Liam's growing into and the person he's always been. Just this week I've found myself stopped in my tracks twice by this incredible kid I get to call

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-67468338710044959432011-02-03T17:26:00.002-06:002011-02-03T17:18:07.111-06:00

This is a post I started over a month ago over FOUR months ago. Back when my crying baby wouldn't give me more than a few moments at a time to do any one thing. The reason I decided to go back and finish it now is because I'm sure I'm not the only one who's gone through a tough transition with a new baby and, well, misery loves company. So enjoy! And hang in there - it totally gets better. Two

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-73212307448851618202011-01-24T08:39:00.010-06:002011-01-25T13:51:09.511-06:00

For Christmas Liam got a box set of Roald Dahl chapter books that we've been making our way through three chapters before bed at a time. Some have been hits - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was particularly enjoyable (as was the Johnny Depp movie that followed), while others have been misses - we read three chapters of The Twits before Liam declared it "way too nasty" and tossed it into the

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-30324335113157337782011-01-12T09:27:00.012-06:002011-01-16T17:48:43.841-06:00

Do you remember when you first started really liking music? For me it was probably a little later than most. I mean, sure, I used the $5 my grandpa gave me for ice cream on a Gloria Estefan tape once when I was about eight. And, of course, by then I already knew plenty of Cindy Lauper and Bananarama songs by heart. And I was super stoked when I got my very own walk man complete with a Lionel

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-76785658479487155942011-01-06T15:18:00.009-06:002011-01-07T00:27:11.820-06:00

Today's title is what you'd call on Wheel of Fortune a "Before and After". Basically it's taking two things that are in no way related to each other and smooshing them into one. It's a cheaters way of making two sort of lame things longer really fun and interesting. Enjoy!Hollywood magic:This afternoon on the way home from the ice cream shop where we were celebrating Liam's awesome first day at

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-90113834944332516202010-12-24T16:21:00.006-06:002010-12-24T17:42:58.146-06:00

I'm so glad it's almost present-opening time because our poor tree doesn't look like it can take much more of this. I mean, seriously, that tree runneth over with gifts!If you looked closely you'd see there are some for all of us but at least half of them are for a certain four year old boy.When I first noticed this (probably the tenth time I found myself shoving more Liam presents under the tree

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-33635626867584179262010-12-19T10:00:00.009-06:002010-12-19T12:50:41.140-06:00

I've been wanting to use this title for months to write about my son's OBSESSION with television commercials. Thank Tivo he doesn't see them very often but when he does? O. M. G. He totally loses his mind with desire for WHATEVER is being pushed. He's like one of those kids who grows up in a house where junk food is forbidden and goes fat kid crazy the first time he's left alone with a can of

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-16359395317535033562010-12-10T22:00:00.012-06:002010-12-15T10:42:20.614-06:00

I really like weddings.And photo booths and silly props and open bars...A LOT.Am I trying to imitate that prop smile on the right? There's no other possible explanation for a smile like that.Seriously, you should click on it. You can count ALL my teeth. My husband likes weddings, too.A LOT.Yeah, that's the groom. Don't worry...he probably doesn't remember that. And speaking of not remembering

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-72726871586631327542010-11-29T15:21:00.006-06:002010-12-03T13:42:02.603-06:00

Quiet time today has been stretching on and on as I contemplate whether I am finally coming down with Bill's virus (in which case I should just kill myself right now) or simply suffering from yet another case of almost mastitis (mastitis-like symptoms that typically last less than a day). My skin hurts. My bones are cold. I'm stuffy and my head hurts. But Finn slept through the night again last

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-83542102222251132222010-11-28T18:43:00.008-06:002010-11-28T20:45:33.203-06:00

As if I hadn't noticed, last night proved once and for all that Saturday night just ain't what it used to be.I mean, I still hang out with cute boys.And go out for dinner and drinks.Sitting at the kids' table earns you the big drink.And keep an eye out for sharp-dressed men.And keep track of my drink so no one can slip me anything funny.And end the evening with a night cap whenever possible.But

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-57402256589409216402010-11-26T17:12:00.011-06:002010-11-26T18:58:28.512-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As promised, I kept my Facebook friends thoroughly annoyed all week by frequently updating my status with things I am thankful for. I didn't post about anything huge, just the little stuff I noticed as I went through the day. It was really fun, especially when I was able to incorporate a photo into my post. It made me slow down and appreciate things in

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-84500520388987934632010-11-22T08:25:00.007-06:002010-11-22T15:22:57.382-06:00

What a weekend! In addition to my very first book signing (woo hoo!) we also had a five year old's birthday party (with a bounce house that I dominated...without peeing my pants!), a going away party (where Liam discovered a new bestie - she's my age - and Finn wore a tuxedo), a one year old's birthday party (beer and cupcakes in the afternoon...yes please!), and a wine-fueled clothing swap that

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-91832484269586869132010-11-19T20:51:00.013-06:002010-11-19T23:27:24.639-06:00

Even though it sometimes feels like I have done nothing but nurse my baby over the past few months, that is not entirely true. Between feedings I've managed to accomplish a handful of other things including my very first stab at marketing the children's book I wrote and illustrated last Christmas.Christmastime to Me From A to Z has been available on Amazon since December 2009 (and is "frequently

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-2927000564570676212010-11-18T11:20:00.007-06:002010-11-22T15:24:23.385-06:00

This morning on the way out the door to preschool, I was doing my best not to spill coffee or chocolate milk or peanut butter on Liam's school lottery form while trying to help him with his coat and his school bag in an "I'm not helping, you're doing it all by yourself" sort of way while guiding him out the door with my leg (not kicking...guiding), when all of a sudden I found myself singing a

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-53863209546976269022010-11-15T14:51:00.009-06:002010-11-15T17:10:57.839-06:00

In the wee early hours of my 33rd birthday, after two drag shows and several hours of topless dancing (topless guys, not gals), a few friends and I discovered the answer to the age old question: If a minivan of thirty-something women leaves da club at 2 am traveling 5 miles per hour on a seriously flat tire, how many gays will it take to change the tire?One? Seriously? One's no fun. Don't even

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-44026683256212725512010-11-12T15:02:00.004-06:002010-11-12T15:09:04.903-06:00

Liam just came running past me yelling, "Emergency! Emergency! I need a towel!" I laughed a little and asked if he needed any help."No! I do not want you to see this. You are going to KILL ME!" (Imagine dramatic pauses between each word.)"Buddy, I would never kill you.""Okay, good. Because I spilled, like, A LOT of milk."After he got it "sparkling clean".Also? He woke up with pink eye.Happy

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-2155070093953902342010-11-03T09:11:00.015-05:002010-11-12T00:43:17.697-06:00

Pop quiz: Being a parent is ______.Don't worry if your coffee hasn't kicked in yet, there's not really a wrong answer here. In fact, there's no shortage of right answers. Awesome immediately comes to mind. So does exhausting, fulfilling, lovely, humbling, expensive, educational, hard as hell, and filled with joy. But right now at the very top of my list is confusing.Being a parent is

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-79692800183445401702010-11-01T08:41:00.011-05:002010-11-09T13:10:38.861-06:00

Remember when Liam said he couldn't handle ghost makeup on his face or head? Well, he lied.Move over Team Edward. He handled it like a little champ! I think the secret was letting him go hog wild with the baby powder and agreeing to let him have "an extra" piece of candy after trick-or-treating if he went along with it (as if there was any stopping him from gorging in the first place).Who knew

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-75533994045932311372010-10-31T10:11:00.001-05:002010-10-31T11:22:47.023-05:00

Several weeks ago at Encore, Liam was given a homework opportunity to come up with a family song to share with his class. We waited until the last minute (like you do) and then cheated just a little bit by using a song he had written long ago as a jumping off point. The finished product that Liam came up with went something like this:Mom and Dad are friends,Mom and Dad are friends, Mom and Dad

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-28338057926898625042010-10-27T22:15:00.009-05:002010-10-30T14:05:01.341-05:00

Hi there! Remember me? I'm the girl who was all, "Being pregnant is awesome! And natural childbirth? Exhilarating!" Before that I probably said some pretty upbeat stuff about motherhood too, huh?Well.That was before I had my ass handed to me by the fourth trimester. I mean, wow. Seriously. Who knew eight pounds of cuteness could pack such a punch? The past twelve (twelve!) weeks have been like a

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-51114916386160862402010-09-01T09:09:00.009-05:002010-09-02T12:31:52.536-05:00

I'm in a relationship based almost entirely on an adoration of my boobs and I have to say, it's kind of thrilling. I mean, it's just so out of character for me. I've never been the kind of girl whose boobs have ever brought the boys running, you know? They're alright but if you're looking for something to drool over, I'm fairly certain they would not top the list.But now that they're functional?

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-49502179873730262292010-08-22T16:17:00.026-05:002010-08-29T12:52:50.647-05:00

We were a few weeks in to our "birth month" and everything was going swimmingly. I was still surprisingly comfortable and content to wait as long as I needed to for little Finn to arrive. Every day he wasn't born felt like borrowed time. I was seriously milking the 9 months pregnant thing for all it was worth (massages, naps, ice cream, you name it) and in no real hurry for him to come out. With

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-58951265803711206792010-08-17T21:42:00.010-05:002010-08-31T11:23:37.665-05:00

After Liam was born, it took me a long time to recover. Physically it was tough but the emotional toll it took was even tougher. It was hard for me to imagine ever going through pregnancy and childbirth again. Even though I knew I could do it (I had done it!) and I had an amazing son to remind me just how worth it the whole thing was, part of me was totally willing to chicken out and settle on an

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-47831290321389166742010-08-11T13:04:00.030-05:002010-08-31T11:24:17.734-05:00

I know, I know - it's super annoying to break a story into parts like this. But here's the thing - it's already been a week since my son was born. A week! If I keep going at the pace I've been going, there's no telling when I'll wrap this thing up. I'm hoping if I try to just tell one bit at a time, I might actually be able to hit "publish" some time soon. Besides - haven't you ever noticed that

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-57572888732132834242010-08-10T07:33:00.007-05:002010-08-11T19:44:16.893-05:00

I checked all of the entries in the comments here as well as on my post on Facebook and found that Stacy is the big winner. Woo hoo! It's crazy how close she got. She and her husband put their heads together on this on which just goes to show teamwork can be very important. They guessed Finn would be born on August 7th at 9 am (he was actually born on the 7th at 5:55 am) and thought he would

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-52049748749429582982010-08-08T14:19:00.007-05:002010-08-08T14:31:16.793-05:00

Griffin Nicholas ConranFinnBorn Saturday, August 7th at 5:55 am8 pounds, 5 ounces; 21" longWe are all doing great and beyond thrilled that our little guy is finally here. I can't wait to share the story of his birth with you...in the meantime, here are a few photos of our happy family.

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-61648372656032914452010-08-04T15:32:00.005-05:002010-08-04T19:02:35.286-05:00

Bill came home from work on Monday in the most foul mood. It was much more than your typical "back to the daily grind after a fun weekend at home with your family" type of mood. This mood was unshakable. When I asked him what was wrong, I found it very hard to show sympathy with a straight face. As it turns out, he was simply experiencing a nasty side effect of pregnancy that only happens toward

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-40932638511567305392010-07-30T08:42:00.015-05:002010-08-02T20:51:23.513-05:00

I think I figured out why they call it nesting. One day you're a fairly normal person and then suddenly (perhaps after an appointment with your prenatal care provider where she reminds you that you will have a new baby in your home...SOON), it's as if a bird flies into your head through your ear (probably while you're napping) and builds a big ol' messy nest where your brain once was. Where

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-27140004348391020672010-07-27T07:54:00.014-05:002010-07-27T10:58:14.521-05:00

Last night, in the middle of the night, it happened. Twice. Thankfully, both times turned out to be a false alarm but I was unpleasantly surprised how instinctively I went into panic mode. As I lay there in the dark, sweat trickling down my face and neck, all I could think was, "This is it: we're all going to die."What scared me most is how fast it was happening. It felt like we couldn't have

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-78847827053666179162010-07-25T12:23:00.008-05:002010-07-25T13:01:38.322-05:00

Here are some photos of Liam's new room. I think it's finally finished! Of course, it will always sort of be a work in progress. We have to leave some wiggle room for new Liam art we want to display and the ever-changing collection of "favorite" books and toys. And besides, if it's too perfect, it won't be any fun!The view from the hallway:We hung a bulletin board over his thinking chair to

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-22769084241907312912010-07-21T10:46:00.009-05:002010-07-24T17:31:04.984-05:00

Did you know that full term for pregnancy is anywhere from 37 to 42 weeks? So that whole "due date" thing is really just a bunch of crap. It's actually more like a due month. Which is fine, of course, just a little vague.37 weeks pregnant.For one, it makes any sort of planning somewhat hilarious. Especially when your entire family lives all the way across the country. My sister booked a flight to

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-63188585245335730262010-07-15T20:35:00.010-05:002010-07-16T10:30:33.163-05:00

Over the weekend, a couple of the loveliest girls I know hosted a baby shower for me and my new little bundle of joy. "What's that?" you say. "A baby shower for your second baby? Isn't that a little...tacky?" No, it's not. And do you know how I know it's not? Two reasons. 1) When I wondered that very same thing to my sister she said, "What? Like the second baby isn't good enough for a party of

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8856323412477852995.post-38394518243197323932010-07-06T22:30:00.009-05:002010-07-07T13:52:11.844-05:00

Last night was the first night Liam slept in his new big boy room. He had a great night's sleep and woke up feeling happy and proud but let me tell you, we didn't get there without wading through a heap of drama first. And, tears. Oh my goodness, the tears!The three of us spent all day Monday working on the room transformation. It was like a not fun game of musical chairs. Move the computer out

No Mommy Brainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711076857040819996noreply@blogger.com5