Sam's To the Rescue

Sam's Wholesale Club - my hero! I decided on the way there (to buy diapers) that if they have Eclipse and it is less than $14, I'd buy it. They had it and it was $12.06...so I bought it. I started it last night. So far, it is ok - nothing much happening, but at least I'm not angry!

My Twilight Agony - as it unfolded SPOILER ALERT

If you have not read the first two books in the Twilight series and you think you might want to one day - don't read this...if you want to be surprised by the books!

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Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008 - (nap time)

Ok, here is my emotional and cognitive experience with these books thus far. Through most of Twilight, I was slightly amused by the love story - I could totally see why teenage girls would like it. I was most interested in the vampire parts. Then, it got super-interesting for me when James entered the picture and I got to know Alice, Jasper, Emmett, etc. I liked it and I was excited to start New Moon. I was majorly peeved at the beginning of New Moon. I did not like Edward leaving - just going away.The.End. Leaving Bella like that. I was pretty mad. I mean come on - from where I stand - he was Mr. Confident and pretty much making her emotionally dependent on him and then BAM. Gone. Then I had to read through (and it was starting to drone) Bella's agony at having to get past Edward. All the while I was pretty mad at the author. Then, I realized that I have to hand it to the author because I think she did a great job of making ME, the reader, feel the agony that Bella was feeling. I mean, I was mad because I feel like I go to know Alice, Carlisle, etc. now I am alone and isolated and I don't know what they are doing - and I have to get to know some new people...it is like I'm having to start all over again and that feels so frustrating to me.

At this point, I was only half-way through New Moon - Jacob and Bella are driving to ride the motorcycles for the first time...and I'm sure I'm being set-up (by the author) to like Jacob as he will help me get over the Cullens. I'm sure that just as soon as I feel like I can live with Jacob and forget about the Cullens...the Cullens will re-enter my life and I'll have turmoil again!

My problem is this - I just don't think that the Edward that the author created would just up and leave Bella. That is the problem I'm having and why I think I'm so crazy-obsessed with figuring out my emotion!

I'm not sure if I'll be Team Edward or Team Jacob yet. I'm pretty angry at Edward and I don't know if I can forgive him for leaving. So far, Jacob is a likable guy, but I don't know if he is charismatic enough for me to rally around. We'll see.


Saturday, December 20, 2008 (end of nap time)

I've finished New Moon and somehow the author made me love Edward again. Kudos to her because I thought it not possible for me to forgive him for leaving. I feel silly at how my heart aches with the descriptions - I absolutely cannot believe that this author can tug at my emotions. So, for now - I'm Team Edward. It seems you have to pick a team - as a topic of conversation, if nothing else.

For the record, I totally knew that Jacob was going to be "something"...AND I figured it would be whatever was the natural enemy of vampires...now I know what he is, but I saw that one coming. But, I also predicted that Edward would get some destruction started in Italy and that he would get into some kind of fight that would leave him drained and needing to eat - and Bella would be there, so she would turn into a vampire to save Edward. That didn't happen - so, I'm 1 for 1 in my predictions. Predicting what will happen is the only way I can detach myself enough (emotionally) so as not to get so mad/sad/forlorn, etc....yesterday and today were tough days for me! I have book #4 (on loan from Jfer), but not #3, so I'm off to the library to check it out just as soon as the kids are up from their nap. I am relieved to know there are only 4 books in the series, so I will have ultimate resolution to this saga.


Saturday, December 20, 2008 (bedtime)

Oh no! So I went to the library (the college library, mind you - because the city library has #3 checked out for the next decade)...the online card cat. said they have it...and It.Wasn't.On.The.Shelf. Horror. (Not unusual though...how many times was I confronted with the message "at the binder" when I finally found the perfect reference in college???) So, we head to 1/2 Price Books. Finding a specific book in that place is impossible...and I admit - I did not want to ask because I am sure I would blush a thousand capillaries to ask for a Young Adult book...although I could play it off that I was buying it as a gift, but I couldn't do it. So, we went to B&N where I discovered Eclipse is only in hardback and I could not bring myself to spend $20. I came home and e-requested it from the library (let them track it down/recall it from some other addict) and I'm waiting to be told that is is being held for me at the circulation desk. How will I survive???

2 Days Away

RJ and I were supposed to go to Memphis with M and B on Monday and come home on Thursday, but B had a family emergency and they were unable to go. RJ and I decided to go away for Monday night since Jfer was all lined up to stay with the kids. So, I booked a hotel room - at a new "aloft" hotel - that just opened 10 days earlier - and we headed out around 10 on Monday morning. It was cold everywhere - and I mean in the 20s and 30s cold...which is cold for us! We got to our hotel, checked in and headed to the super mall right nearby. We shopped a little, ate lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, and settled on seeing Four Christmases (don't bother), then met up with some friends for dinner. Meanwhile, it started sleeting.

We woke up Tuesday morning to school closings and reports of ice and accidents. So, we decided it not worth it to try to drive home in these conditions - with all of the overpasses on the interstate and all. We called Jfer and she said she could stay one more night. Since we are one of like 4 people staying at the hotel - no problem getting another night. We went to Dunkin Donuts because we don't have one at home and I LOVE their coffee... Then, we went in search of a fiber optic Christmas tree to put in LJ's room because I knew he'd love it. I figure CVS is probably the best place to get it, so we go in search of one. We do, indeed, find one at CVS, but we head to Target to look too. At Target we finish up shopping for the kids, but decide to buy the tree at CVS. Then, we head to La Madeline for mushroom soup and quiche for lunch. After an hour and a half browsing Ikea we head to the mall to read magazines at Barnes and Noble before our 5:20 showing of Quantum of Solace (don't bother). I also ran down to Gymboree to buy some tractor socks and into the Disney store to buy a t-shirt (for $5). After the movie, we went to Buca di Beppo for dinner...Chicken Saltimboca - soooo goooood! And back to the hotel room where we watched a House re-run.

Tuesday, we got out of bed and headed back to Dunkin Donuts for some coffee and to get the cutest little donuts decorated like snowmen to take to the kids and then head home. We stopped to visit some family on the way home.

We were happy to see the kids and I think Jfer was happy we got home. LJ has been a bit of a menace since we got home. Lots of talking back and saying NO. He is currently in behavior boot camp.


Yesterday, we got the Christmas cards in the mail (if you don't get one and you are reading this - it is because I don't have your address!) and RJ put the lights on the house.

Today has been gym, grocery store, random cleaning and reading...I'm on book #2 of the Twilight series...I can see why teenage girls would like it.

December Catch Up...

LJ...

...is a fiend for Starfall.com - I am too amazed at how quickly he took to using the computer.

...is in sass-pot mode...which means it is time for boot camp!

...has taken to "sleeping like daddy" - which means in his underwear...no pajamas. This is fine except he doesn't like to sleep under the covers in his bed...so he is probably very cold. When I go to bed, I put a blanket over him, but I now he'd be more comfortable if he'd actually get in his bed!

PJ...

...was waking up from his naps crying his head off...and nothing would make him stop. I'm decided to put him down earlier and see if that helps...it had been like 2 weeks of this and I got tired of it.

...had been napping for an hour and a half...that, plus 10-11 hours at night is only 11.5 - 12.5 hours of sleep and Ferber and I agree that he should be getting 13.5 - 14. So, we decided to move lunch up to 11:30 and put him down for his nap at noon instead of 1:00...worked perfectly...he began napping for 3 hours and ceased to wake up in a terrible mood, BUT...he began waking FOR THE DAY at 4:40 AM. This was completely unacceptable.

...on day 2 of waking in the 4:00 am hour, we let him cry for 3 minutes, then RJ went in and patted him on the back, cry 4 minutes, patting, etc...and he went back to sleep until 7:30. According to Ferber - he is in an "early sleep cycle"...which means we keep his daytime routine the way we adjusted it and just treat the 4:40 wake up the way we would treat a night waking and do the cry/pat and it should work itself out within a week or two...amazing we knew what to do - pretty much.

...a couple of nights ago - PJ woke up crying at 11:30 -RJ went in there and patted him on the back and left. 10 minutes later - crying. After a couple of minutes, RJ went in, patted him and left. After 10 minutes - crying. (Each time, when RJ opened the door - PJ would stop crying) RJ went in and told him to lay down and go to sleep...PJ stopped crying and laid down. I was amazed that this worked...but, alas - 15 minutes later - crying. This cycle continued until 12:40. RJ never got him out of the crib and never stayed in his room for more than 15 seconds...it was actually kind of interesting. Then, PJ slept until 7:00. All in all, it was a pretty good night - compared to what had been the norm this week.

...did not take a very long nap yesterday - about and hour and a half, but he wasn't cranky when he woke up or up until bed time, so I was not too miffed about it. And - get this...he did not cry out AT ALL last night...and slept until 7:00. Hooray! Of course, I'll need a couple of nights to feel like all is right again.

...has grown 5" since March...oh my.

RJ...

...has concrete on the brain.

I...

...am a loser. I got out of my routine and I must get back into it. Since classes are over, I felt that I could "sleep-in" and go to the gym when I wake up...around 6 or 7, instead of 5. Clearly, I cannot do this or I don't end up going at all. Oddly, when I do go later - I feel kind of out of it because it isn't the regular people around...it is the 7:00 am people and I don't recognize them.

...went to the gym this morning - as a part of my fresh start.

...am addressing Christmas cards and making peanut brittle.