cheaters

There are three girls who sit in the front of my Anatomy and Physiology class who are really involved in class discussions, ask relevant questions about the material, butt kiss the professor and make it very clear that they are serious about the class and determined to get a good grade. They seem like model students and I'm sure the professor thinks very highly of them.
The problem is that on test days, every time he turns his back to do something the three of them cheat like CRAZY. I sit 2 rows behind them and it makes my blood boil to watch it take place. They will trade scan-trons (sp?) back and forth, push each others completed diagrams to each other and will mouth questions and answers to each other. What's worse is that they are all in the mid-30's and have kids and drive mini-vans to class. I mean, they are Moms and they are cheating! That just seems doubly wrong.
I'm not going to say anything because lord knows I did my fair share of occasionally sneaking a peek at another person's test while at AU. But ugh, it just drives me crazy now.

really??

some idiot in my class ANSWERED their cell phone in the middle of my statistics class today and proceeded to have a 1-2 minute conversation before hanging up. i was totally shocked. the professor seems sorta like a push-over and never said anything to her, but wow. how ballsy was that?

also, i opened the door to walk into the math building and some guy darted out the door before i could walk in. and then...and i am not exaggerating here people...NINE people walked out the door, one-by-one, that i was holding open for myself and no one said "thanks" or "oh, excuse me" or "hi, i am rude and just walking out the door and completely ignoring you holding the door open." i was so annoyed and really just wanted to let go of the door and let it hit them in the face but i would have surely been beat up because this campus of FCCJ is sorta, um, like that.

lastly, i saw a sign that said "Ladies with Soul Alteations" today. yea, that would be an alterations shop.

time to get her ears pierced?

This is what Piper was wearing today, while she was lugging around a bright pink teddy bear (as seen in the background in the stroller) and AT LEAST 8-10 people made boy comments to her.
"Hey there little fella." "What is his name, he is so cute!" "Well you are a happy little boy aren't you!" "What a cute little boy!" "How old is he?" "You enjoying your day son?" "Ma'am, your son dropped his cup."
She was in pink leggings with pink/purple lace at the bottom, brown mary jane shoes, a green frilly, embroidered sweatshirt and was carrying a bright pink teddy bear! I realize she is bald but come on people!

weee!

I love this picture. Mom and Pip have the same expression going on.

uh...?

Was I even in the room when this child was created?

She is becoming ever more a mini-Patrick each day.

heart, be still...

split

I'm so overwhelmed today with sad news about some of our friends. A couple we met through the birth center, who seemed so hip, happy, self confident and with-it just told me today that they are most likely separating. Their daughter is 2 months older than Piper and they've been married for about 3 years.

When she told me today I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. I've never been able to hide my emotions well and I was just stuttering on the phone mumbling how sorry I was and how shocked I was. I had NO IDEA that they were having problems. Not like anyone would openly show them, of course, but I never got the feeling of unhappiness, awkwardness from them. She said that since they've had the baby things have gotten increasingly difficult between them and he has moved out and is staying with a friend. God, I am still just so upset about this. This is such a sweet, romantic, wonderful time for Patrick and I getting to experience our little homemade girl growing up and waving and blowing kisses and while it was rough getting into the swing of parenthood it is SO wonderful now. I couldn't fathom parenthood and the inherit stress from it (that's what she eluded was the reason for their separating) pulling two people apart.
I think the sun and moon rise with Patrick. And Pip, well she is just the amazing, squeaking reward for falling in love. I know I'm pretty naive from growing up with Mom and Dad being so happy and normal and wonderful. I wonder if that is what makes me so saddened and shocked by this. I don't understand how people fall out of love? How could something (besides the obvious: infidelity, lies, drugs, etc) be so damaging and horrible for them to one day pledge forever and then 3 years later be sleeping on a friends couch because they can't stand to be in the same room with that person?

I felt like the Universe sent me a lesson today with this sad news. This couple have always come across SUPER hip, self confident, funny and well, in general just way cooler than most people. Their daughter is a like a freak show toddler - she walked at 8 months, was talking/waving "bye bye" at 9 months and has always been way ahead of the baby curve. I've always felt this bubbling jealousy about them. While of course I feel so sad for them, I'm also taking this as a huge sign to be thankful, thankful, thankful for my wonderful little family who is perfect just the way we are. My mom always says it, and it is so true; in the end, all that matters is love and family. And tonight I am just overwhelmed with the truth in that.

5

1. patrick flying to Kentucky safely.
2. the BEAUTIFUL spring weather.
3. the new dogwood tree we planted this weekend (pic to come)
4. piper's adorable front tooth.
5. life.

one year, two birthdays

well, one birth day and one birthday.

Holy cow, it's so crazy to look at these two pictures. One picture we had no idea who this little squeaking, pink, alien was and then an entire year later full of diapers, laughing, tickling, carrying, feeding, soothing, playing, every.single.morning.nursing.session-ing, and we both know every conceivable inch of her body, her moves, what she is thinking (well, kinda), what makes her happy (tickles, Veggie Straws, Samford, food, boobies, being held, daddy, mommy, stroller rides, being tossed in the air) and what makes her angry (us trying to feel her teeth, mommy wiping gunk out of her eyes, not being held, being left to play by herself so that mommy and daddy can get dressed/make dinner).

And no, we still haven't planted the placenta yet. Ew, I know. Need to get around to doing that since it's still frozen in the outside freezer.

I've been really itching for a new craft lately. I need to have some sort of creative item to work on whether it be baking, cooking, gardening, tinkering with beads to make something new. I've been baking a TON of bread from the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes. Have you guys made the recipe I posted yet? It is SO EASY and SO GOOD.
So I've been making that lately and started adding some new ingredients to it and to change it up some.
I planted my garden - broccoli and brussel sprouts along with the arugula and lettuces that are already growing - and I'm just waiting for some stuff to pop up.

My mom gave me her old composter and I've been filling that up and trying to take good care of it so that I won't open it up in a year and find that nothing has broken down. Which is exactly what happened to my Mom. hee.
And I've been getting a decent amount of bracelet orders lately, but I still am feeling like I need a little craft to keep the artsy side of my brain happy. I keep going back to this site and I really, really want to order some stuff to make some photo jewelry. I'm just weary about making the initial, albeit small, investment into buying some stuff to make these pieces and then opening up the package when it arrives and realizing that none of it looks like what it did on the website. I've checked all the bead stores in town and no one carries this stuff so there's no way that I can hold it, and look it all over before I buy some stuff.

so tired

I have been so freaking tired today. Usually it takes me a while to wake up in the mornings and I'm still groggy around 9:30am. But today was different and at 2:15pm I went searching for a Diet Coke to help me friggin wake up already.
I am a major caffeine wuss. I always have been; a tall glass of sweet tea will make me feel like I'm on the verge of a panic attack. A whole diet coke makes my hands slightly shaky. But since I've started back at school I have been really dragging in the mornings and I feel like I need something to help me wake up.
I occasionally have a small cup of caffeinated coffee in the morning and when I say "small" I quite literally mean 2 tablespoons of coffee and 3/4 cup of flavored Coffee Mate. Sometimes I have caffeinated tea that I will sip on from Patrick's insulated coffee mug for hours because if I guzzle it in one sitting (like I would decaf tea) I would jump out of my skin.

So does anyone have any tricks for waking up gently in the morning? Ever heard of this? The guy at our natural food store swears by it.

chemistry

The chemistry class I want to get into next semester (best professor, at the Kent Campus right down the street from our house and it's the only early daytime chemistry class offered next semester) is a 4 credit class but I'll be in class 8 hours a week. This is the schedule:
Tuesday: 9am - 11:55am = lecture
Thursday: 9am - 11:55am = lecture
Thursday: Noon - 1:50pm = Lab
I even emailed the professor to make sure I was understanding this right and she confirmed that yes, it is a 4 credit class but you'll actually be in class for 8 hours a week. Ugh, that sucks.
Oh well.

5 things

1. patrick
2. piper
3. my family
4. me being a mom
5. having my little googie in my life for a whole year