Miles

I had dinner with Esther and Mary last night at Esther and John's house. It was great, and we hadn't all hung out together, just the three of us, in a long time.

I got there before everyone else so I had some time to play with Miles (my mom was watching him until I got there, he wasn't there alone...)

The best part of my time with Miles? After dinner we cuddled up under a blanket and I gave him a bottle. He had maybe two sips before this:

Isn't he perfect?

Happy Halloween!

Well, almost. I (um, or Amy...)



















carved our pumpkin!

Happy Fall!

Amy's mom and stepdad grow pumpkins. Big pumpkins.

Julia got one too, but I didn't get pictures of her with it. Stay tuned for pictures of us carving it, though. She wants to use her tools.

When I was little I used to love to sleep on the couch in our living room. So much, that if I went out there in the middle of the night and someone was already on the couch, like Louis, I'd hold his eyes open until he woke up and then I'd tell him mom said he had to go back to bed. Then I'd steal the couch from him.

However, there was one thing I hated about the couch:

Yes, this creepy skull was always sitting above our TV on the bookshelf with all of my dads books and surgery movies. It was my dad's from school and most of the time I could forget that it was there. But at night when it dark and I was alone on the couch, I swear it would come alive and try to kill me.

Now? It doesn't bother me. In fact, it's sitting in my house. My dad let me borrow it to learn the bones of the head for my anatomy class. I have it sitting right above all of my movies. I haven't really thought about it, until last weekend when the DirectTV guy came to switch our dish receiver.

He walked in and looked at our TV and said, "Nice TV." I said, "Yeah, thanks."

Then he looked at the skull and said, "Uh, is that real?" I had forgotten it was there, and said, "Oh, that?" I tried to explain it without looking like a homocial maniac. "It was my dad's." I realize now that that doesn't really sound great. "I mean, it's not actually my dad...he got it in school. He's a doctor. And now I'm in school. So he let me use is."

I don't think he heard anything after "It was my dad's." He decided to do all the outside work first, and commented a few times on how close the houses were. I hope this doesn't hurt our chances of getting service if we need it at a later date...

Today was my first day of school. I think there was a pre-school that had a field trip to Canisius or something, 'cause there were a lot of really really young kids in my classes. And they all looked scared. And slightly hung-over.

Really, though, the freshman this year? Are little.

Mondays and Fridays are my short days. I only have 3 classes from 9:30 to 12:30. Tuesday I have class from 11:30 TO 8:45 with 2 half-hour breaks, Wednesday I have class from 9:30 to 12:30, then 2:30 to 5:30, and Thursday from 11:30 to 12:30, 1:00-2:30, and 6:00 to 8:45. It's going to be a busy semester.

Since today was pretty much the only day this week I'd have to get errands done, after class I stopped at Esther's house to play with Miles, then ran to the tailor to have some pants hemmed, and then to SuperCuts. I've needed a haircut for a long time, and right now, with 7 chapters to read and about 3 hours of calculus problems to do, seemed like a great time. While I was there a guy walked in to have his hair cut. He was basically bald, but had some hair around the sides and back of his head. He looked really familiar, but I couldn't place him, and I couldn't stare too long because the hair cutting woman kept moving my head to face away from him. The woman cutting my hair asked him his name and he said, "Steve." That's when I realized who he was:

I guess now that Cellino is back he can't afford more than $10 on a haircut...

For Christmas I want a car alarm...attached to a new car.

Last night I went to the Chocolate Bar. A place that, due to its owners and issues I have with them from when I was a pastry chef, I swore I would never go to. But, Leah is in town and she was there along with Esther, Gina, Julie (I think this is her blog...I stole the link from Leah's blog...), and Mary (who still needs a blog of her own.) So, I gave up my petty boycott and Amy and I drove down to Chippewa.

Before we left I joked, "let's take my car...maybe someone will steal it and I can get a new one."

We parked on Elmwood just south of Chippewa. There were lots of cars on the street and we've parked there before. It was well lit and fairly well populated - and not by scary people, either...by normal-looking people. When we were getting out of the car I grabbed the portable part of my Sirius radio for some reason. I normally don't, but I put it in my purse.

After one of the best cocoa puff milkshakes I've ever had (ok, the ONLY cocoa puff milkshake I've ever had, but, really, it was awesome), and some really great conversation, we left.

My front passenger-side window was smashed. The stereo was gone (with my new Plain White T's cd in it.) My iPod was gone. The full can of diet coke that I had to drink on the drive home was gone (well, at least emptied onto my backseat.) Amy scraped the glass off the front seat and I called my dad. We decided there was no point in reporting it...I've had this happen before and it just takes time - waiting for the police to show up, waiting for them to do paper work, etc - and there's not much they can do. Amy and I spent the drive home telling each other that it could have been worse. We could have been in the car, they could have taken my Sirius attachment instead of just pulling it off so it needed to be re-attached, and stealing the remote control for it (really...they took the remote control for it, but no other part.) They could have taken my cds (although, as Esther pointed out, no one likes Melissa Ethridge anymore now than they did last year when all my stuff, except my cds, was taken out of my car.) They could have taken the whole car. I could have not just put the new cd into the cd player, and they could have taken the cd Mike made me (the sister mix) that I had been listening to up until just the other day. There are a million and two ways it could have been worse. Sitting on the glass stuck in the seat for the few minutes it took to get home wasn't so bad.

I spent today getting the window replaced, getting a new stereo installed, and cleaning out the car. I found the full can of diet coke, so I don't know what was poured on the backseat. Most likely one of the other cans of diet coke in the car, but, I sprayed a lot of lysol in there...just in case it's not diet coke...

Catching Up

I've been so busy lately that I've missed blogging some really important things.

I missed Lou's birthday.

But we celebrated in NYC with dinner at Per Se with amazing food like oysters and caviar in tapioca, and wine from the year he was born (1983.) Definetly a Birthday Meal to remember. They did not, however, bring over all the waiters to clap and sing Happy Birthday to him when they brought out dessert. He did get a candle.

I also missed Dad's birthday.

I had a great post written in my head about how great it is to work with him, how much fun we had in NYC at our conference, ending with Happy Birthday, but, I never typed it out. I was having too much fun working with him instead. So, Happy Belated Birthday, Dad.

I didn't write about the ICAT conference in NYC that I went to. Dad and I were the only ones from the office to go. There were very few people there who weren't either doctors or sales reps of some sort. It was really cool to be there, at a conference, with Dad. I mean, we've gone to the Buffalo Convention, and to the one in San Deigo, but this time I got to go into the doctor lectures and sit with Dad, not he assistant lectures where they walk about taking impressions and sterilizing instruments. It was fun. And I learned so much.

And, I got to spend lots of time babysitting my nieces and nephew.

Despite how it looks in the pictures, we didn't actually spend the entire time we were with them on the couches...and I was reading to Julia right before that picture. Amy and Maeve? I think they were watching Jimmy Neutron.

Another Birthday!

Dear Maeve,

Happy Birthday Monkey!

This past year has been wonderful, watching you grow from a tiny little thing

to a beautiful little girl who can bring a smile to anyone's face, just by looking at them!

I hope this year is your best year yet!

Love,

Aunt Cecilia

Two Years!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JULIA,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Happy In The Nursery!*

Although Esther and John had alread known each other for a while, and I had already met him at least once, the first time I really remember him is when he got her tickets to see the Sabres play the Rangers...or maybe Phoenix...Or St. Louis. Wherever Gretzky was playing for at the time. Probably the Rangers. Anyway, I told her right then to marry him. I'm glad she listened to me.

Congratulations on six years of a wonderful marriage.

*Check Esther's for an explanation...

New Name

Hi! I changed around the 'Bus (in case you didn't notice...) I was feeling a little...un-PC. And you know I'm nothing if not PC. I'm not in love with this template. Or name. I've thought about a few others, but nothing really fits all of my personalities, so, if you have any ideas, or if you know how to get a tie dye background on this thing, Please let me know. Oh, and just because they're beautiful:

Not Mone...

It's Miles!!!

May 31, 2007 at 11:12 pm
8 lbs, 2 oz

Absolutely perfect.

I didn't know they liked American Idol so much...

Before Julia was born I was sure she was a boy. I couldn't imagine a girl since all we had had born lately were boys. But as it got closer and closer to the day she was born I had dreams that she was a girl.

With this baby (let's call him Jesus -- the latino version, not the Son of God version -- for now), I wasn't positive. But as the pregnancy went on I became pretty sure it was a boy. I've stuck with that, just because Esther's pregnancy has been different that her pregnancy with Julia. But lately I've been having dreams that Jesus is a girl.

Most of them are just John saying, "It's a girl!" But the other night I had a crazy dream. In real life I had gotten up to go to the bathroom and realized that I had left my phone in my pants pocket, so I must have been worried about that, because in my dream I was sitting on my bed with Mary. I heard my phone vibrate signaling that I had a message, so I reached over to my table to get it, but next to it were Mike, Lisa, and Mary's (sidenote: Mary needs a blog) phones. I couldn't get the text message from John (sidenote: has a blog, but never writes on it), to open on my phone so all I could see was the part that was flashing on my screen. It said, " She went in." So I picked up Mike's phone. I could see the messages he and John were sending back and forth, and then hear their conversations (weird, I know, since I had his phone), and I heard Mike say, "You took her to the hospital?"
John said, "Yeah, she had the baby. It's a girl." I had to ask Mike to ask about the name, size, etc. John said the name was Mone.
Mike said, "You mean Mona?"
John said, "No, Mone. M-O-N-E. Like Simone, after Simon from American Idol."

Then I woke up. I'm kinda hoping Jesus is a boy.

Chicago

I'm back from Chicago! Well, I've been back for about a week, but, I've been SO busy, that' I'm just updating now. And it's mostly going to be pictures.

We had a WONDERFUL time. The Cubs beat the White Soxs:

And we were there:

We spent a lot of time shopping, but I don't have any pictures of that. And we walked around the city, went to Navy Pier, but our camera battery was dead by then because before that we went to the aquarium. It was SO cool. I'm only going to post a few pictures because we have over 100, but we couldn't use our flash so a lot of them are only recongnizable by us...This is the REALLY BIG fish outside with his crazyman dancing partner.

This crab is much bigger than it looks like in the picture...it made me hungry.

Haha, the turtle were doin' it...we took a lot of pictures of that...

The dolphin show was amazing. It made me want to become a dolphin trainer. Until I remembered that they're swimming in all that dolphin poop and pee...

I think these frogs thought they were hiding...

There was a HUGE shark tank that was really cool, until I realized it was leaking...then I didn't like it so much.

There were a lot of other cool animals, too:

I'm leaving on a Jet plane

I'm getting ready to leave for Chicago! Amy and I are going away for the weekend to see a Cubs vs Sox game and spend some time exploring the city (a city I've never been to, despite the fact that my FAVORITE OLDER BROTHER lived there for YEARS...) We'll be back Sunday afternoon. So, everyone put your life on hold until I get back, ok? Don't do anything exciting without me. Esther - I'm talking to you...hold that baby in until I get back!

To All The Mom's:

Despite the fact that today is my 26th Birthday, and I am old, and I have to go to the DMV because the licence I got when I was 16 (or 22, whatever) no longer will work for me, I made you a card:

If only I could glue glitter and macaroni on the internet...

Happy Mother's Day! I love you all!

P.S. Mom, I expect you to save this artwork just like you saved all the rest of the stuff I made you when I was little.

Happy Birthday Amy!

Uh...belatedly...

So, Amy's birthday was on May 2nd. I'm a bad friend and am just posting it. But I got her good presents, so it's OK. And we're not really celebrating until next weekend in Chicago (for a Cubs vs. White Sox game...I told you I got her good presents!) so this is really right on time!

Anyway, Happy Birthday, I hope you had great day and that this coming year is even better than last year.

P.S. Don't lose your creativity in your old age!

The Boys

Today is Aidan and Noah's birthday. Tomorrow is Sam's. I had great plans for a post that would make Leah cry about how awesome her boys are, and how much I miss them, but, I'm in the middle of proving that you can die from the common cold, so, this maybe not be that post...

Instead, I'm going to say Happy Birthday to The Boys, I hope this year is the best year of your lives.



P.S.Happy Belated Birthday to Leah! !

P.P.S. I wanted to post a cute picture of the boys, but, I could only find 1 semi-recent one of all three of them that I hadn't just posted...and it was of the back of their heads while they watched TV when I was babysitting. Not a great commentary on my babysitting skills, huh? So go look at the pictures of them at the zoo.

I Can Fly

You know in Peter Pan how Peter teaches Wendy, Michael, and John how to fly by telling them to find their happiest memory? Well, when we were little we (we as in me, Louis, Mary, and some of our cousins) would try to fly by thinking about things that make little kids happy, like a world made entirely of candy, or having Christmas every day. We never flew. I think it's because I never had the right "happy thought." I found it yesterday.

My new happy thought? The way Julia looked at me and smiled, then buried her head in her blankets and laughed when I went to get her out of her bed after her nap yesterday. Remembering that can make me fly.

The zoo

Thursday morning after class I got Amy up, bathed, and into the car with the promise of food from the zoo. She was excited because Sam, Aidan, and Noah were in town and she wanted to see them, so it wasn't hard to convince her that what her post-op foot needed was to be walked on across the poop-covered* zoo ground.

We got there just as Esther and Leah were getting ready to take the kids into the gorilla house. It was a great gorilla day. I took Julia out of the stroller and held her up to the glass window. All the sudden a gorilla jumped up to sit right on the other side of the window and scared the crap out of me. I almost dropped Julia but managed, instead, to squeeze her really tight. She thought it was cool and put her hands up on the glass. The gorilla put his hands up against hers on the other side. Then she kissed the glass and the gorilla kissed her back. It was so cool. Of course, the kids loved that, but the best part of the zoo, to them, was the playground.

There's some sort of cement statue thing (the boys were calling it a walrus, but now that I look at the pictures I think it may be an elephant), and Sam, Aidan, and Noah were sitting quietly on it, until I tried to take a picture.

Maybe if we add Julia, we'll get a good picture of all of them:

So, there may not be a perfect picture according to a real photographer, but look at how much fun the kids are having! That makes them pretty good pictures, doesn't it?

**I just imagine it as poop-covered...with all those animals,how could it not be?? But, I did eat my cheeseburger even after I dropped part of the bun on the floor, so I'm sure Amy will be fine.