Step away from the facecrack

I have noticed a disturbing correlation between the last time that Julie posted on this blog and her being sucked into what can only be described as Facecrack. Unfortunately some of Julie’s friends from a bygone era found me on Facebook, in my profile that hadn’t been accessed or updated in a very long time. This was right in the thick of having a baby and all that, so she couldn’t be bothered. But once she was bothered enough, she was hooked.

For those of you experiencing similar concerns about the amount of time your significant other spends on the pipe, please know that you have a sympathetic (or is it just pathetic?) friend in me (cue the Toy Story music) should you need me.

I. Understand.

In other news, Henry is getting bigger.

holy bright eyes

dapper little man

We went to Pedro’s

Pedros in Glendale

Gwenyth wasn’t too excited at first

tantrum before we were seated

But ended up drinking the salsa (the hot one!)

good mexican food

We’re getting excited for Christmas

The boys enjoying the lights

ohh lights

We’ve had some great winter-like weather recently. Lots of rain. And cool enough that I think the heater has come on during the day once or twice. I was beginning to think that it might be a White Christmas. No such luck.

It’s a mad world

A few observations in the past week or so

1. This enterprising person has probably *the* best slogan I’ve seen in a while:

DON'T ASK

2. The Iranians are busy keeping their loyal subjects safe from fowl espionage: “Iran busts ‘spy pigeons’ near nuclear site”

Security forces in Natanz have arrested two suspected “spy pigeons” near Iran’s controversial uranium enrichment facility, the reformist Etemad Melli newspaper reported on Monday.One of the pigeons was caught near a rose water production plant in the city of Kashan in Isfahan province, the report cited an unnamed informed source as saying, adding that some metal rings and invisible strings were attached to the bird.

“Early this month, a black pigeon was caught bearing a blue-coated metal ring, with invisible strings,” the source was quoted as saying of the second pigeon.

The source gave no further description of the pigeons, neither their current status nor what their fate will be.

Natanz is home to Iran’s heavily-bunkered underground uranium enrichment plant, which is not far from Kashan.

The activity is the focus of Iran’s five-year standoff with the West, which that fears it aims to develop nuclear weapons.

Tehran vehemently denies the charge.

Last year, Iran issued a formal protest over the use of espionage by the United States to produce a key intelligence report on the country’s controversial nuclear programme.

You\'ve been had!

This comes after last July’s squirrel crackdown:

Iranian intelligence operatives recently detained over a dozen squirrels found within the nation’s borders, claiming the rodents were serving as spies for Western powers determined to undermine the Islamic Republic.

“In recent weeks, intelligence operatives have arrested 14 squirrels within Iran’s borders,” state-sponsored news agency IRNA reported. “The squirrels were carrying spy gear of foreign agencies, and were stopped before they could act, thanks to the alertness of our intelligence services.”

Iranian police commander Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moqadam confirmed the report, saying that a number of squirrels had been caught bearing foreign spy gear within Iran’s borders.

Oh Henry!

Some of you may have heard that we were expecting a little boy.

Henry Charles was born on 15 OCT at 7:37 PM, after a short (but intense) labor. It was hard on Julie as well. He weighed 7 lbs 12 oz and was 21 inches long. So pretty much the same size as Lucy at birth. Poor kid even looks like Lucy! Henry is my grandfather’s name. Charles is my middle name, my dad’s middle name, and my great-grandfather’s name. So we definitely kept it in the family this time around.

Needless to say, his sisters were very excited and have been so cute in welcoming him home. Even Gwenyth has shown an interest.

Here are some pictures:

HENRY WITH HIS EYES OPEN

MR. HANDSOME

GIRLS HOLDING HIM

GRACE AND HENRY

SLEEPING SOUNDLY

Everyone has been so wonderful. Thank you. My momma tolerated the girls for 48 hours and left us with a great meal. Thank you so much. We came home from the hospital on Friday (which was Julie’s birthday) to find that Tausha (well, Brian, I guess) had decorated our house with balloons and a big “It’s a boy!” sign.

More pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/midder/

Nesting part Deux and I’m due!

It’s me, Julie, again. Though I’d post my insanity the past few weeks. I don’t know what it is about the last few weeks of pregnancy but it helps me get my life (or my brain should i say) in order and my priorities out of order. Painting grout becomes more important than food and organizing closets more important than PTA (I’m kidding but I have been a little out of whack). Although I have made Brian and those around me probably close to crazy we have achieved some order! Now picture if you can Gwen and Lucy’s room with black paint above the bead board (don’t have a before picture–been trying to forget it). That black color was picked out by our renters while we were living in Utah. To their credit they did do a nice painting job but black wasn’t really up our alley. The room turned out but I should have only papered one wall. You get the idea here. It’s very girly (or granny–I think that’s my style) and Lucy loves it–that’s all that matters.

Gwen and Lucy's sassy new room

Abby and Grace are growing up and had picture day the other day. Because Grace was not feeling too well, I decided to grab a shot for myself because who knows how the school pictures are ever going to turn out. Aren’t they getting big?

picture day and they're growing up

Gwen is spending her last days in the pool. She thinks she is so big lounging in the tube while Brian “works and watches” nearby. We are going to miss the pool for a few months!

cute GWen

Baby brothers room is as finished as it’s going to get. I didn’t have a vision for this room but a cute bumper pad to start with (from Jana 🙂 to help “get er done”. It’s simple and hopefully not overly girly as Brian has been stating with the polka dots. I hope this little guy makes it at our house.

The before complete mess of a nursery?! if you want to call it that
the unsightly before

The afters
baby brohters new pad

dresser

changing area

Also been painting the banisters. What a hellish monster job–priming 2 coats, then painting a white coat, followed by taping off and painting a brown/black coat. Only thing left is a coat or two of varnish and touch up–don’t know if I have it in me…really!

and more banisters

Another note my lovely had a birthday and turned 34–can’t believe it. We did it Brian style with Thai food and low key ice cream at Golden Spoon. He looks as good as he did at sixteen when I met him and I’m still crazy in love with him. He is a great support to me and our family and mostly he’s still my best friend. Love you, Brian 🙂

the birthday boy

Now just to get this new little guy here. My Dr. is leaving town next Wednesday for a week and is concerned that I will get sectioned so this little guy may visit our family earlier than thought if I’m ready to go on Monday when he checks me. I can truly say we are crazy excited to have a little boy at our house to even out the progesterone levels. What a blessing new babies are. We’ll keep you posted. Now just for the name…hmmm…still a little stumped!

for more photos go here http://www.flickr.com/photos/midder/