Danger is My New Middle Name

Took Dante with me to my 30 week appointment today.  He screamed the whole way to the elevator, I have no idea why, and he was happy as soon as he saw my car and I put him in his car seat.

He was patient while I stopped at the bank, and was still being cute when I hit the drive thru at my favorite local coffee joint.  He sang and played with his chattering Cookie Monster the rest of the way to my doc's office, and as soon as I unbuckled him, I suddenly knew what it was like to herd cats.

I got him safely across the street and up the stairs to the front door, and the next thing I knew, every old lady in a two block radius was telling me how gorgeous he was.  I got him onto the elevator, and as soon as we got off on the 4th floor, he booked it towards the office like he'd been there before!  As I signed in, he even tried to scribble like I was on the sign in sheet!

Here's where I can't believe we made it out alive and dry:  I had to leave a sample, like I do every time I go in.  I had forgotten about that.  Luckily, there was only one marker, so I grabbed it, marked my name on the little cup, and hid it out of his reach when I was done.  He tried grabbing the little cups that were in there and I had to go "EEEEWWWWW" before he finally left them alone.  Finished, went to wash my hands, and he insisted on his hands getting washed, too.  So I washed his hands, gave him a paper towel and (here's the great part!) he tried to open the door with the paper towel, like I do!  It was so cute!  I used my paper towel to open the door and turn off the light, and he was so excited to throw his away!

So we sat in the waiting room for just a couple minutes when I got called to get my weight taken (220.0) and then we were shuffled off to an exam room.  He sat on my lap when I got my blood pressure taken (117/83) and  then he wanted down.  He played with the step stool on the exam table, spun the doctor's spinny stool and then realized the exam table had DRAWERS!  So I gave him his banana (I was a Girl Scout, after all) and we read a book.

When Dr. B came in, she saw him and just giggled.  She then answered my questions, told me that I get to have another 3 hour screen around the 23rd, and made a few suggestions I hadn't thought of.  Then I got to hop back up on the table and she measured my belly (around 32 cm) and Dante got to hear his baby sister's heartbeat!  He danced to it!  It was one of the most precious things I had ever seen in my 32 years of existence! But again, isn't it hard not to dance to a sweet tune at 148bpm?  LOL!

As I was wiping that cold goo off my belly, he decided we were done, and just opened the door and took off.  I called him back, grabbed my stuff, and made a beeline for the receptionist desk.  Made my appointment for the 13th, and he was off like a flash down the hall to the elevator.

We got back to the car and I realized that I had sent all the baby shower invites via Facebook, but there was one SUPER important person that didn't get an invite since she isn't on Facebook:  My mom's best friend!!!  So I called her, thinking I'd get voice mail, and I wound up getting to talk to her!  Gave her the details, and I get to see her at the party!  YAY!!  I was a little dismayed that she told me she's bringing a gift; the real gift is her presence!  Now, I'm not one to turn down a gift, but I really just want to see her!  That is the next best thing to seeing my mom!

As soon as we got home, I got the mail and then we came up to get Dante's chalk and bubbles, and we went to the patio.  I wanted to wear him out!  I must've done a great job, because near the end our trip down there, he just decided to lay down on the cement!

Brought him back up, stuffed a peach and some chicken nuggets into him, and now he's out for a nap.  And I must agree...it's nap time!

Didn't See THAT coming...

Today was too gorgeous to waste.  After our nap, Dante and I went for a walk to get some sandwich bread and we had some fun while we were at it.

First, we went to 7-11 so I could grab a bottle of water, and then I noticed that Sugar Bake Shop was finally open!  So I stopped in and got a couple cookies (one for Dante, one for me!) and they were DELICIOUS!  We continued our journey to Walgreens, picked up some bread and I sneaked a new box of sidewalk chalk into the basket.

On the way back, I figured it was downright rude of me to get cookies for Dante and me and not get something for the Love of My Life.  So I grabbed him a beef empanada from Sugar Bake Shop on the way back.

Got back to our building and took Dante to the community room so he could run around the patio for a bit and let some steam off.  Plus, this way we got to play with his chalk and new bubble wand.  Here is where I made my mistake.  I decided to be nice and text Dante's former stalker and invited her out on the patio to join us.  She said she'd be a few minutes and was there in a flash.  She told me she was going to change (she was in pj shorts and a t shirt) but figured she'd come see us.  Oi.  Word to the wise, ladies.  If you are going to go out and visit with a toddler and his mom, please be so kind as to wear underpants under your short shorts.  PLEASE?!  *shudder*  *shudder again*

We got home, and Hubby wanted to make a quick shopping run and grab a quick dinner.  So we went, hit Del Taco, and came home.  It was awesome!

Now it's almost time for bed...Aside from the Underpants Snafu, if was a great day!

I have my 30 week appointment on Tuesday, and I am fairly certain I will have to take Dante with me.  I'll post all about it as soon as we get back!  LOL!

Bullet: Dodged. For Now.

Yesterday, I called the doc's office and got some great news!  In order to "pass" the 3 hour glucose screen, I had to get decent scores on 2 of the 4 tests.  I was happily surprised to hear that I only got an abnormal score on the 2nd stick, the one that's one hour after I guzzled that nasty Glucola.  But considering it's 100 grams of glucose, I'm not surprised.  I have to get tested again in a month, but that's a whole month of sweet (LOL!) freedom!  I am tempted to ask if they can "prescribe" a glucose meter so I can start keeping track, and can make better choices without the diabetes diagnosis.  I am just tickled pink that for now, I'm A-OK.  I was dreading the thought of having to have insulin during labor like I did with Dante.  That sucked a big one.

I'm still being a neurotic freak with my carb intake, and going as protein heavy as I can.  I am still working my now non-existent ass off trying to avoid that terrible diagnosis again.  (While I'm thinking about it, how the hell did my once glorious booty disappear?  I used to be able to hold a pair of jeans up without a belt!  WTH?)

That being said, I had a great day today with Dante.  We went to see my friend's son's kindergarten graduation, and then went for pizza after.  Dante was himself:  Loud, funny, smart and gorgeous.  He ate quite a bit of my tuna salad and some of his pizza, and he had a lot of fun showing off his alphabet skills.  He flirted with one of our servers, and threw pizza dough all over the restaurant.  Same old, same old.  =D

I am a bit worried, though.  I can't lie.  I have this fear that Dante may feel neglected when his sister gets here.  I remember when he was teeny tiny, and every waking (and sometimes sleeping) moment was spent on him.  Granted, I have more experience this time, but there is only one of me.  My husband is a hard worker who goes in early to make sure he's set up at work, and it's mostly just me here to make sure Dante is fed, dressed, clean and happy.  While he has recently learned how to put his dishes in the sink (as opposed to the trash, which was really obnoxious there for a bit...) and he can sit and "read" a book or dance all by himself, I'm afraid he'll feel like he doesn't matter when I have a little girl who is even more helpless than he is.  Having a younger brother, I know that feeling.  I think that's why I loved sticking my nose in a book.  I got to get out of the way while everyone doted on my little brother.  I wouldn't be surprised if my mom told you (or me) that she would forget I existed because I would just sit in one place and read for hours, while my little bro would play loudly in the next room.  Seeing how hard it was to make him eat ANYTHING, I ate what was put in front of me, for the most part.  The only reason I wouldn't eat broccoli, per se, was just so they would remember I was there.  I'm seriously afraid of how Dante is going to react when she shows up.

AND ANOTHER THING...names are eluding me.  There are a lot of gorgeous names for girls, but so many are too popular (I don't want Little Miss to be one of 5 "Olivia's" for example) or too weird, or don't fit my insanely weird criteria.  I want something off the beaten track, but not off the wall.  I want to honor my best friend that passed, and/or one of the many great ladies I am lucky enough to be related to.  I want one of her names to reflect her Hispanic heritage.  I want it to flow with our last name.  There are some names I just flat out refuse because people I don't like have that name.  I'm stuck, and I hate it.  With Dante, it was easy.  When Hubby and I started dating, he told me he WILL have a son, and his name WILL BE Dante.  That was it.  His middle name was fun to find, after a friend suggested we go tongue in cheek and find a middle name that means "fire."  (Get it?  Dante's Inferno?  BWAHAHAHA!  Sad thing is, he's a spit fire, so it works!)

So, that's where my brain is right about now...Now I have to get us both dressed again so I can go get Tums, since I'm out.  That's been my drug of choice as of late....

Whirlwind Weekend

Well...our weekends are Sunday and Monday.  It's actually pretty cool.

Sunday, I went grocery shopping with Mindy, and had a blast!  Long story short, I got almost $300 worth of groceries and a tank of gas for around $200.  I'm a bad ass.

But while we were at King Soopers, I had Dante in one of those "cool" (and hard to maneuver) carts that has the car in the front so he could honk at oncoming traffic.  He still wasn't a happy camper, so at around every other aisle, I'd try to placate him with apple chips (YUM!) and I prayed for the best.  It wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't have Preggo Brain (I am still so proud of myself for remembering pants and shoes...) and I had to re-walk a few aisles.  When we were almost done, Mindy and I noticed that he was no longer wearing socks or shoes, and they weren't in the car with him.  In my shock, I said (a little loudly; oops!) WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES? And a passing employee asked if his socks and shoes had Elmo on them.  Why, yes!  Then he informed us that he found them and they were waiting at Customer Service for us.  UGH!  We got to the check out lane and while there, we noticed he was quiet.  We looked, and he was LICKING A TRIAL BOTTLE OF HAIR CONDITIONER!  We took it away, I wiped his tongue with my shirt and gave him juice.  While I checked out, Mindy went and grabbed his socks and shoes from Customer Service and I actually banged my head on the counter.  (Funny side note:  The cashier said I was obviously an Extreme Couponing fan, and commended my skills.  I giggled.)

When we got back, Dante was obviously in dire need for a nap, so I put him down.  I hadn't gotten my Sunday papers yet, so I figured I'd go to Starbucks and pick up a couple, like I always do.  But Starbucks downstairs closes at 7.  I thought they didn't close 'til 8, and I got there at 755p.  So I went to Burger King across the street and ordered a couple burgers for me and my love and got change to get the paper out of the machine.  Grabbed my papers and ran home.  (Well, I didn't literally run.  That would have been unnecessary pain.)  

I realized I was still exhausted, so I went down for a nap, and both Dante and I over slept.  We woke up around 10, and I was to be fasting as of midnight for my 3 hour glucose screen the next day.  So I inhaled some green enchiladas and guzzled some decaf tea, and at midnight, to entertain my brain, figured I'd do some laundry.  Here's where it gets fun.  As we were walking to the elevator so I could put money on our laundry card, I see a neighbor with her laundry basket head towards the laundry room.  I KNOW she heard me tell Dante we were putting money on the laundry card.  

We get back home, I load the hamper (only two loads!  YAY!) and we roll it down to the laundry room.  There are two washers and two dryers in there.  When we got there, just one dryer was taken, nothing else, and there was 10 minutes left on the timer.  I figured it was that snooty looking girl that we saw earlier, and she must know what little time was left, and threw our stuff in the washers.  I go back 45 minutes later, and that dryer is still stuffed to the gills with formerly white socks.  I was floored.  So I threw one wet load in the dryer, and went home to wait and hope she figured out that her crap was there.  Went back a few times, and finally just gave up and waited until the first hour was up and went back to fold the dry stuff and load the wet stuff.  Yup.  Socks were still there.  So I waited that last hour and change, went back to fold and bring home that last load, and those socks were still in the other dryer.  Seriously?  Ugh.  

In my anger, I wasn't able to fall asleep til almost 530am, and I had to be at my 3 hour glucose screen at 1010am.  I wasn't going to get up until 9, so I could take care of a few other things, but my brain woke me up at 830a, so I got up and took a shower and just left early to run my errands.  Got to the screening right on time and they saw the look in my eyes and sat me down to draw my fasting blood screen so we could get that show on the road.  Then I got to drink a bottle of "lemon lime" flavored "drink" and sat down patiently.  Approximately 20 minutes or so after I took it, I was treated to an internal Riverdance.  The glucose apparently crossed the placenta and made my little girl feel the need to dance, and all of the folks in the waiting room got to see.  It was VERY hard to miss.  I sat and read a magazine and waited for the next draw, and it went quickly.  Then, since I felt ok, they let me take a walk, so I went outside fro some fresh air and I ran into a friend, which made me happy!  

But...as soon as I got back inside, I felt my blood sugar drop like a lead balloon.  My head started spinning, and I couldn't keep my eyes open.  But luckily, there was a flat surface for me to sleep on, and I used a blanket as a pillow.  I got a whopping twenty minute nap, and I felt so much better afterwards!  My phlebotomist woke me up for the 3rd of the 4 sticks and then I went for another walk and called my gramma. Shot the shit for a few with her and went back in and found an interesting issue of Time to, well, kill time, and before I knew it, it was time for my 4th and final blood draw.  As soon as she was done, I hit the loo and then sat in the waiting room and made a ripe banana disappear.  Got to the car and scarfed a BellyBliss bar and waited for a few to make sure it hit my system.  Then I finished running my errands and called home to see how long Dante had been up.  Turns out, he was still asleep!  o.O

Ran to Little Ceaser's for a couple pizzas and went home.  Fed my gorgeous boys, and tried to take a nap, but our room doesn't have a door.  (It was designed that way, since there isn't a window.)  

Got another 20 minutes or so, and we tried to put Dante down for a recharge nap, and he refused.  He just played in his crib, I guess, while his dad and I got dressed.  Then it was Dante's turn to get dressed and we dropped him at Kayla's and went to see Thor.  I loved it, Hubby didn't.  What mattered was that we got a little break and got to spend time together.  I am still on Cloud 9!  

Today, Dante and I went to see my bestie, which also makes me incredibly happy.  

Tomorrow I get to call my doc's office and see if they got the results.  I figure if they tell all those drug screen folk that it takes 24-48 hours, it must take about the same time to figure out if I am going to have to stab myself again.  I'm nervous, but still optimistic considering how I felt my blood sugar dip.  

And now I think I am going to finish my silly games that I play every night and get to bed.  Sleep is good.

One of THOSE Days...

So, last night, we put Dante to bed late, as in 1245am.  Then the love of my life went to bed around 2.  So after he was asleep, I turned on a light and got to work, organizing coupons, lists and getting the right coupons for 4 different stores together.  Then I played my games on Facebook and was ready for bed at 630am.  Yeah, I know.  So, I hit the loo in anticipation of about 6 hours sleep when I hear Dante screaming like no other.  He was screaming like Jack the Ripper and Freddy Krueger just appeared in his room and only I could save him.

So I go in, rock him into a near coma like state, and put him back.  At this point, he woke up screaming for me.  So I took my pills, grabbed my pillows and hunkered down on the spare bed with my darling son.

And wouldn't you know it, he was not in the mood for cuddling.  He wanted me there, but as soon as I'd almost be asleep, he'd turn like he was on a rotisserie.  Finally, after about 45 minutes of this, I put him back in his crib and just listened to him cry as I made myself a bowl of the chili we had for dinner and watched some news.  He was out cold in 10 minutes.  Grrr....

Got my love up at 10, and passed back out.  I got a kiss when he left at noon, and I woke up at 1, and so did Dante.

You can imagine how my brain has been NOT functioning today.  I did manage an awesome trip to Safeway (spent $45 on $90 worth of stuff!) and had a half caff Americano with a friend. But the fact I managed to remember to put on pants amazes me.  Who knew?  Maybe I'm not all crazy....

So I think I am going to defrost some chicken and make some mashed potatoes so I can keep up with all the carbs they want me to eat before my 3 hour test on Monday.  (*SARCASM*)  Yipppeeeeeee.

=P

Tears of a Bat

What the hell?!?!  I have been busting my ass!  I have been eating like a granola crunching barefoot hippy and walking, and exercising....F***!!!!!

Today, in my state of neurosis, I decided that I would call and check and see if the results from my one hour glucose screen were in.  Lo and f-ing behold, they were.  My blood sugar was 152, and they like it at less than 135.  So guess who gets to waddle over to Quest Diagnostics and get the 3 hour test?  This pissed off Mama.

So I scheduled it for Monday at 10 in the gorram morning so I can just get it over with.  I am so incredibly bummed.  If it was possible for me to actually stain my cheeks with tears, I'd look like a weepy anime character. I am so hurt!  I have worked so hard!  With Dante, by 28/29 weeks, I was up 40 pounds, so I couldn't have been that surprised to get the gestational diabetes diagnosis.  This time, I've gained a whopping 15 pounds and have been walking, eating right, and even dancing with Dante on a regular basis.  I was so very much planning on beating the odds, simply with all my hard work.  Apparently my body hates me.  Which, I guess is fine.  The feeling is mutual.

And now I am on hold with the lab (I need their fax number) and at first the hold song was Candy Everybody Wants by 10,000 Maniacs, and now I am forced to listen to Hall and Oats Kiss on My List bullcrap.  I know I regularly want to pitch this pseudo smart phone at a wall, but this is about to do this phone in.  Ugh.  Insult, meet injury.  Injury, insult.  Are we all acquainted?

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!  I am currently the definition of frustrated.  There is nothing like elevated blood sugar to make me feel like a failure.  Yes, I was overweight when Little Miss decided to begin her existence.  I was working on it!  I was well on my way to being a hot 160 by this most recent birthday, and instead I got to look at the scale just long enough to make sure I wasn't 250 again.  But Life (and Death) happened, and now I am resting my phone on my belly, speaker phone blaring, waiting for these asshats to pick up.  How hard is it to answer a ph...wait.  THERE she is...and she transfered me without telling me and the message gave me the fax number before I was prepared.

Finally got it, and went to call the medical assistant back to give her the fax number, and I made the mistake of calling at 416pm when they stop taking calls at 415pm.  So, since the number is written on my hand, let me put it here so I don't lose it.  3-899-6185

I don't feel well.  I feel like a loser who can;t fu*king do anything right.  I can't do this again, I just can't.  How do I keep those gorram needles away from Dante?  How do I explain to him that I have to stab myself with insulin?  I know I'm jumping the gun, but I know my odds.  I was trying so hard to beat them!

Now, I'm covered in snot and tears and I know I'm jumping the gun, but I can't help it.  Nothing has been going right for me lately.  Makes me wonder why I even bother getting up.  Yes, I know, Dante.  But on days like today, even that little baby bat can't help me.

What I should have said...

I will start at the beginning, since that seems to be the best place for most stories (but not all) to start.  I had penciled in today to hang out with my friend Jason, whom I haven't seen since Dante's birthday party, and that's a stretch, since I was playing hostess.  So we met up here and went to Little Anita's.  Sure, some of you in ABQ may make fun of me, but it's the closest taste of home that I have.

So we had a great lunch, and then, since it's raining, we went to Barnes and Noble to take a look around and get Dante a new book.  We had the privilege of listening to a group of young musicians that were armed with a violin and a couple cellos, and Dante danced!  He was very excited!  (So was I, to be honest!)

So I got him a new $5 book, and then we decided it would be best to get home and hit the Starbucks here so I could then put Dante down for his nap, and it got us away from the temptation that IS Barnes and Noble.
We ordered our coffee, and sat down.  Dante decided that it was too close to naptime to be trusted, so I put him in his stroller.  He then decided that he was going to yell MAMA at the top of his lungs, and I tried to turn it into a game.  Finally, after Jason finished his coffee, Dante's whining was hitting a fever pitch, and I was getting our stuff together to go.  As I was winding down our conversation, this rude woman decided to ask if we could leave.  She proceeded to tell me (essentially) that her work was more important than my visit with my friend.  My knee jerk response was to apologize for her homelessness, since she obviously had nowhere else to go, and then she informed me that she didn't have kids for a reason.  My response?  Thank the gods, since only they know how horribly her children would be treated.  Then, as a parting shot when we left, I said goodbye to one of my favorite baristas, then walked out saying "Bye, raving bitch!"

So then Jason and I went outside and made fun of her and simultaneously pitied her.  That poor woman will probably wait until she's unable to have kids to finally decide she wants them, and it would be a recreation of Idiocracy, if it weren't for mine and my husbands decision to have kids.
In short, here is the diatribe I wish I would have said:

I am so sorry that my visit with a friend I rarely see is less important than you finding the cure for hangnails.  I am also very sorry that you don't have the glorious, unconditional love that this child gives me every day.  I am very sorry that you don't get to rediscover the magic of markers and construction paper.  I can't imagine living without my son's sloppy kisses, or his dancing, or the overwhelming peace that washes over me when he rests his gorgeous head on my shoulder.  It's probably a good thing you don't have children, since they require love, attention, and patience.  They require you to set aside trivial things that you enjoy for trivial things they enjoy.  I would love the opportunity to sit at a Starbucks on a gloomy day and judge others in peace and quiet, but instead I get to be judged by a woman who will probably never enjoy the magic of bubbles or the joy of watching a two year old dance to the Sesame Street theme song.  So get on with your important work, while I get on with mine.

Singing in the Rain is a Bad Analogy, but....

So, today was interesting.  It was one of those days where time decided to both stand still and fly by.  Woke up twice (8am, and 1130am) before finally getting out of bed because Dante was finally awake at 12.30p
We got up, ate cheesy eggs and watched some Sesame Street before Dante decided he wanted to go BYE BYE!!!  So I got him dressed, went and checked the mail, and then I took him to the patio off the community room on the 4th floor with a bucket of chalk and let him run amok.  That lasted about 45 minutes, and then I realized it was NAPTIME.

So I brought him back up, got him tucked in, and I was about to pass out, too, when I remembered that it was Dia de las Madres (Mexico's Mother's Day is ALWAYS May 10th, not the second Sunday like it is here.) and so I called her.  (DAMN!  I forgot to call Gramma.  I'll call her tomorrow.)  Then, as I was about to turn out lights and let the drool fly when Dante woke up.  GAH!

So I got him up, we watched some of my silly shows so I could clean out the dvr and I made some mac and cheese.  After his first bowl, I realized he was the stink in the room, so I went to change him.  His pants and onesie were dirty, so I figured since it was a warm night, he could just hang out in a diaper.

Then he decided to misbehave, so I put him in his crib for a time out.  (To distinguish between "time out" and "sleepy time," I leave the light on, take out all his toys and leave the door open.  It works.)

When I went to get him, I noticed that he has made the decision to be a nudist, and as I grabbed him, he kept yelling PEE PEE!!!!  So I grabbed his potty and put it near the sofa.  He sat right down, didn't do anything, and just got up and ran around.  Then I remembered that my friend gave us some Pull Ups since her step son no longer needs them, so I helped Dante get into a pair.  Figuring he was good, I turned around to start dishes and dinner, and when I turned around, he was streaking through the living room like Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes fame, just letting the wind whip through his curls.  So I asked him where his underpants were, and he grabs them from the floor (they were wet) and threw them away.  So I put another pair on him and get back to what I was doing.  Just about 20 minutes later, he comes running up to me for more milk, naked as a jaybird.  I asked if he had to pee, and he ran to his potty and sat.  Nothing.  So, tired of blowing these expensive, glorified diapers, I ran and got him a real diaper, and put it on him while he stood looking at me like a puppy after you try to explain Euclidean geometry to it.  So he ran around in his diaper until precisely the exact same moment his dad unlocked the door and walked in.  Dante just ran up to him in all his glory and gave his leg a hug.  Cute!  Dangerous, but cute!

So, since the dinner I made didn't sound good to either of us, I ran to McD's.  (For the record, when I ask for white milk and a boys toy, I really mean it.  I think they thought today was opposite day, so I got chocolate milk and a girls toy, which sucks.  Because it was SUPPOSED to be a Batman toy.  And we so rarely eat fast food, I doubt we'll get another chance to get Batman.  Grrr...)

I get back, and Dante was still proudly displaying his birthday suit, Mongolian spot and all.  So I gave him his Happy Meal and got mine and my love's dinner situated and Dante had a blast dumping out his fries and chicken nuggets.  Us "adults" finish our dinner and Dante was still playing with his food, but he said PEE PEE again, so we asked him to please sit down and go potty.  He was up and down for a few when I look down and realized he actually got some where it goes!  It was hardly anything, but I had to celebrate!  I grabbed the potty, had him follow me to the bathroom, and he got to wipe, I dumped what little there was where it goes and he got to trash his TP and flush like a big boy!  I am so incredibly excited!  We really have been just letting it slide, letting him decide if and when he wanted to learn to use the potty, and while it may take a while, I think he'll get it sooner than I was giving him credit for.  That'll teach me to be cautious and realistic!  SHEESH!  LOL!

Comic Books, Blizzards and Dirt, Oh My!

Today started like any other day.  Got up, got Dante out of his crib, made us some chicken nuggets so we could eat "breakfast" with Elmo.  Then we got dressed and hit Mile High Comics for Free Comic Book Day.  So Dante got a Kung Fu Panda comic and a Young Justice comic, and I got my brother his birthday present.  Bought an extra board so I can send it to him safely.  Since we had our friend Daniel with us, we went to Dairy Queen, and Dante got his very first Blizzard.  We split a German Chocolate Cake Blizzard, and holy smokes, it was GOOD!

Then the three of us hit up Congress Park, and I was less than thrilled to learn that there was a birthday party going on.  It wouldn't have been so bad, had the kids running and screaming had even the slightest sense of decorum or manners.  They were playing tag, and were knocking Dante over at every opportunity!  A couple of them even had the gall to grab my ass when they were running around me.  These hooligans were climbing on top of the covered slide, shoving Dante out of the way when he would finally get to the top to ride either slide, some were throwing dirt...it was madness!  At one point, all ANYONE could hear for at least a couple blocks was one of the moms yelling!  "Neveah, Denisha, where are yo' shoes?  Jumal, Deshawn, don't you throw sand!"   And it was just crazy.  I couldn't believe how incredibly rude these kids were.  I will NEVER get over that.  One of the little girls was really nice to Dante and tried to help him, which I am grateful for, but it was mind boggling.  One of those little boys, whom I've NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN MY LIFE just trusted me to pick him up and help him get on the monkey bars.  I am flabbergasted!

At one point, the bigger kids that were making it hell around the jungle gym made their way to the soccer field, so the smaller kids finally had run of the place.  So I got a few great shots of Dante playing peacefully, and he got to play with another little boy about his size and age, and it was fun.

So we got home and Dante took one of the boards I got to send my brother's birthday gift and he drew all over it, getting marker all over himself and getting himself even more dirty.  (He needs a soak like you wouldn't believe!)

So now I get to get dinner going, get some dishes going, and then I can soak him like a dirty dish!  It was such an amazing, mostly unplanned day.  I am so incredibly happy!  Sore, but happy!  I will never, ever forget the looks I got from Dante today.  The joyful, happy looks that make every day fantastic!  I really do love being Dante's mama bat!

Well...

I have been meaning to get back to writing.  I meant to write a bit about the royal wedding and why I cried (that's Diana's baby boy!) and the killing of our Public Enemy Number One, but today trumps all that.  For me, at least.

Dante woke up at 845am.  Nothing says "FU*K YOU* to an insomniac pregnant lady like less than 6 hours of sleep.  So I got up, made us French toast (which sucks with the sandwich bread we have, but better than nothing) and got him fed and changed, wore him out and put him back to bed by 1030am.  He was up at 130pm, and I figured I'd check with our neighbor and see what they were up to, but she was putting F down for a nap.  An hour later, I got a text asking if we wanted to meet in the community room downstairs for a play date.  Got us dressed and headed downstairs with Dante's trike and his Elmo plane and the chalk, just in case the weather agreed with us.  So we had fun, T and I chatting while Dante and F had fun with each other's toys, and after a couple hours, we were winding down when I see Dante hugging F near a corner and they were looking a little clumsy, so I was moving to get up when the boys SLAMMED into the corner.  I didn't know I was still capable of flying, but apparently I am.  I do not recall either mine or T's feet touching ground, and we got there the split second the crying started.  Dante wasn't bleeding, but....F was.  He had a gash in the middle of his gorgeous porcelain forehead!  *cries*

So T gets him and her baby girl to the elevator, and I went back for my keys and Dante was still crying.  I knocked on Dante's former stalker's door, since she's on the 4th floor, too, and asked if she could please watch our stuff while I ran downstairs in case I needed to find a way to get all three kids and another adult into my car. So I got downstairs, and F had just calmed down, when we called T's husband and asked how far he was.  I may have accidentally freaked him out more than was necessary, but he got there in a flash!  While we were waiting for him, Dante had a panic attack that was probably because he was past the need for a nap.  Then I asked if her hubby had the baby's car seat in the car, and she handed me the baby and went with F upstairs to get baby's seat.  Baby was not happy about being left with me, but her daddy got there while T went for her seat, and she was still not happy.  But they ran off to get F stitched up, and I went to Former Stalker's to get all our stuff, and I brought it back up to my place.  Took a couple trips, but at least I know nothing got stolen.

Dante was INCONSOLABLE when we got home.  I wanted to get a banana or something into him so he'd sleep better (nothing says awesome sleep quite like a full belly!) but he wasn't eating it, he was just crying like I poked him with a red hot poker.  So I got him changed, and rocked him back to calm.  Then, as soon as I put him down, oh, gods, he was screaming!  So I just let him cry it out, and he was out cold in less than 5 minutes.  Just got the text that F is fine and now I feel much better as a person.  I am so very glad!  We were surprisingly calm as a team, and I'm very impressed.

So, now I am going to find something yummy (I've earned it!  LOL!) and let my brain wander in front of the boob tube.  Wow.  What a day!