@$%*&@!!

And again- @%*&@!!

As you can probably see (unless it's just MY computer that's twacked) the last entry (or two, depending on your definition) are *special*. For some reason, even when I've gone through and manually removed them TWICE, the computer has decided that plus signs are MUCH better than spaces between words. I apologize and understand if you skipped the whole thing.  I hope this one doesn't turn out the same. I will be UBERfrustrated.

So, boohoo. Not much I can do about it, really. My fish died today. :*( Poor little guy. He was pretty tore, though. I'll just keep the extra little bowl as a time-out tank, or one for fish who need recooperation. My personal little fish ward! :) Randal said that the boat is running parallel to the torms now, though they'll probably catch the tail end tomorrow. His day off is tomorrow, and they're being allowed to wear t-shirts and shorts because of the heat and humidity. At least they're doing THAT much.

Old Navy is having a huge sale right now- I went in and got three shirts, a sweater (YUM) and an outfit for Tobin for under $40. Go, me! Man, I love that store. The Old Navy in thecity has a Maternity section in it, which is pretty much the only place I won't run screaming from at the hint of a stretchy panel. I'm still in regular clothes- I've only gained about 18 lbs or so.

I got one of those velvet pants and jacket outfits that everyone and their mom has, and I have worn that sucker 5 our of the last 7 days. I even SLEPT in it. It's like wearing a blanket, I swear. I originally went into Old Navy hoping they'd have some in there, but they didn't have them in small enough sizes left. Poo. It's finally retired into the hamper, though. I don't even want to know what's on it, but luckily I'm a genuis and I bought it in black, so you can't see ANYthing. Being around toddlers makes me kinda wish wearing a poncho all the time was more fashionable, but short of that, there's black.

I bought a name book to help me with boy names- I'll have you know that the first page, first chapter of the book called "Cool Baby Names" is titled "Dakota". I'm alllll ahead of the game! :) Being that it was the combination of me and a bookstore, I a

Drool.

I got my pregnancy massage today. Drool. I actually did drool,too. You KNOW you're relaxed when you drool in a strange place onsomeone else's pillow. The picture is of the waiting room, and if you can see in the left corner, there is a fountain made ou

I AM THE TRUFFLE MASTER

I am sitting here typing because I am trying to distract my fingers. You know what they want? Those raspberry truffles you see right there. It's Thursday, which is the day I allow myself *one* to mark the passing of another week, and there are as many left as it will take for Randal and this baby to get here. I got exactly as many as I needed in thecity shopping with Porky, (when I got that amazingly good Pumpkin Truffle) and I do NOT want to venture back there again while I have this tummy and a stickshift.

Do I care? No, I definitely do not. I just ate one and I NEEEEED- I'm telling you Pregnant-Woman-NEED another one. But I'm not going to do it. Nope. I will have self-control. I'm just writing to you guys so I can TELL someone abut this amazing self-control I'm exhibiting here. I AM THE TRUFFLE MASTER. Maybe. Man, I deserve a truffle just for excersizing such mastery. I think I sense a trip to See's in my future. Mmm. Truffle.

cont'd...

My new Parrotfish are picking on my little black goldfish! Poor little guy! He has two big chunks out of his tail, and some scales missing. Both types of fish are labeled semi-aggresive, though. In the picture, you can see both of the Parrotfish stalking him. Big jerks! Oh well. If they can't work it out, I'll just have to separate them. (can you tell I'm a mommy? :)

I'm getting attacked from the inside out. The baby hasn't stopped moving in a LONG time. (HMM- can't guess who the father could be... :) Ugh. Something that's squirming around *that* much should really be on the OUTside of me, I think. Soon, soon. I'm thinking that the 4th is the soonest Randal can possibly get here, so I'll go into labor late that night, and have the baby the next day. A baby girl, for that matter- as long as I'm predicting. We'll see!

I got some freeway flowers yesterday (Gerber Daisies, to be exact) that look beautiful on my coffee table. I got a new candle at Target, too- it smells SOOOO good. It's all the autumn-y smells like pumpkin, pine and spice. YUM. Man, I love the fall. I got to wear a sweater ALLLL day today. I love it love it love it. Anyhow- I'm going to rest awhile, then, of course, attack my lovely DDGRs. I hope you all are doing well, and please feel free to post on here anytime- I like hearing from you as much as you (probably/hopefully) enjoy hearing from me!

quote for the day:

 "Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would die for you
This is the miracle of life."  -Maureen Hawkins

Pictures!

We got pictures back today! Amber (my boss) took some when Randal was here last. She's really great at photography, which is part of the reason I have so many awesome pictures of Tobin. (and Gabby, of course) So she took some pictures a couple of weeks ago, and here they are! They're not really clear because I had to take pictures of pictures (have I mentioned I love my phone?) but at least you can see them. Tobin would have been in more (and there are more!) but that was directly during his teething-ness, so he wasn't too interested in sitting still and smiling for anyone.

Today is going well so far- I heard "Beast of Burden" on the radio on the way to work, and that made me pretty happy. I love that song. So much, in fact, I've downloaded it, and am listening to it again at this very moment. Ahh. Work went okay, although I think Gabby might be getting sick or going crazy- she was a bit um, shall we say, testy? So was Tobin, actually. He got three time outs for hitting. Gabby was just overtired and hungry, but an overtired and hungry two year old is definitely something to reckon with. Whew. But now it's Thursday, I got paid, I'm done with my workweek, Manny takes Tobin for the night and he's sleeping at the moment, leaving me with an open evening for quietness. (and extra DDGRs. but I'm not going to think about those right now.)

Looking through the pictures was fun, although I can see in Randal's face that he was fully aware he was only here for a few more hours. Poor guy. I mean, he has a great attitude and a crazy man's work ethic, but I would hate being away from my family, and I know he does. At least he got to see my belly one more time, in case he misses the birth. He's headed for warmer waters now (whatever and wherever that means) and he'll be able to do boardings soon. That should keep him occupied and get all the testostorone out before he gets to come home and be a new daddy. I'm not sure he's aware exactly how much he's going to just squish on the inside when he sees his child for the first time. He's going to have no spine left, I know it. But that's okay. That's why he's playing Rambo now. :)

Happy Birthday, Sthsthinky!!!

...cont'd

I usually don't label my continued entries, but it's my dad's birthday today, so I had to say Happy Birthday. "Sthsthinky" is a nickname I started calling him years ago (no explanation if you've ever been around him with his shoes off- now THERE's a P.U. for you!) The "sthsth" part of it is a noise apparently only my sisters and I can make, and my dad definitely cannot. I have no idea how to spell it, but that's as close as I can get. And now you know.

The picture is of Tobin and my dad at Costco this past Sunday. Tobin was definitely having a Grandpa-day, which I'm SURE was just fine by him. He and Tobin don't get to hang out a whole lot, but they sure have a special bond (especially since my dad has three girls) and it's good to see them enjoy it when they can. Tobin kept PULLING and PULLING on his hand, saying, "Peease Grampa? Come wif you?" (which in Tobin-language means 'Come with me?') He says to you what he'd like to hear FROM you... it's a bit confusing at first, but since he speaks so clearly, once you nderstand his method, it's pretty easy to get.

I've decided to tackle the bathroom and kitchen today during my DDGRs, since they're beginning to reach a point that makes me feel not sanitary doing what I need to do in either space. Not that that even really means they're terribly dirty by anyone else's standard- but by jove, I'm not anyone else. I'm me, and I say it's dirty. HOORAY for having my own space to be able to say that in. *ahh*

Well, off to my aforementioned chores- and then a NAP. A nap would be heaven. OH yeah. It's on like donkey kong.

quote for the day, in honor of daddies: "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." - Mark Twain