A few expletives later...

I put Sam's high chair together. Now he has a high chair, a saucer ("the office" where he accomplishes important stuff), two bouncy seats, a pack-n-play, a swing and a Bumbo seat, most of them in our living room.

The house has taken on primary colors as its most prominent decor, and everything either lights up, plays music, moves, spins, shakes, turns or whistles.

It looks like Fisher Price threw up.

First Sniffles

My little fella has a cold and I've held him, snuggled on the couch in a blanket, for 2 days. I remember friends telling me about times their kids were sick, and they made it sound awful; but, strangely, I'm enjoying holding him, wiping his wee nose and rubbing his head. We simply stare at each other with no words or sounds, like two souls who were meant to be together.

Marriage License

Well, it's almost official...Matt and I got our marriage license yesterday! It was fun, and only cost $18. ; )~

We had to raise our right hand and swear that everything on our form was true, and that we'd love each other forever. How many people say that and don't think about what it really means? I meant it.

Of course, the women at the County Clerk's office were swooning over Matt. I arrived first (he's always late, bless his heart) and when he got there they all said, "This handsome man walking in has to be yours." I turned around and said, "Yep, that's him. I'm marrying him."

We celebrated the getting-of-the-marriage-license (we celebrate everything) at MacNiven's, where we met almost exactly 3 years ago. I followed Matt home in the snow storm, smiling all the way.

We're getting married next weekend and Jason & Beth are watching our little angel for us while we sneak off to the woods for a private ceremony; Sam, by the way cut a second tooth this week and began on solid baby food. I love watching each stage of his life, and he is simply adorable (and huge...20 lbs now). He just fell asleep while watching me type this. Mmmmm. Love him.

Matt and I watched the lunar eclipse form between the bare tree branches on another gray winter night this week. We held hands and I felt so blessed for having my little family.

Dexter

Last night Matt and I watched the TV show Dexter, which CBS picked up from Showtime due to the writer's strike. I had to check out the lead guy, Michael C. Hall, who Anne dates (Fun fact: he went to Earlham College in Richmond, IN). He is very adorable in a Matt Damon-way (not my type), but the show completely creeped me out. That makes 2 people, Dexter's boss on the show and me, who he creeps out.

I had nightmares all night and woke up twice thinking that I heard someone knocking on the front door, and someone who wasn't Sam breathing in the next room. I am too sensitive for horror. It also disturbs me, although Mr. Hall is a good actor, that shows about crime and serial killers are what America wants to watch. I just want to watch the Simpsons and old Everybody Loves Raymond episodes. Can't we all just not chop each other up?

Momentum

What a great week so far. Obama is leading Clinton and McCain (my feeling on both: snooze), and Sam's first tooth is coming in! He was chewing on my finger and I felt it. Heaven.

I watched the Primaries in excitement. Don't want to jinx it.

One of Obama's Harvard professors said that he was the most brilliant student he ever had.

I doubt President Bush ever made the honor role. Why spend money on education or poor people's health care when we can spend it on war?

There will always be the poor. There will always be poverty. Hell, several of them lived in my building downtown. Families raising kids in 800 square feet, going off to their menial jobs each day trying to earn...grocery money. They'll never get ahead; and why should honest, needy people suffer at the hands of those who "take advantage" of the system? Don't plenty of corporations take advantage of the system? Um, like drug companies, for instance!

There is no way to monitor who is deserving and who isn't. Just assume that everyone is deserving and let go. My college friend died of cancer because he was only 24, and couldn't "yet" afford health insurance. Did he deserve that?

I remember coming home one evening in high school, and my dad was crying. Worried, I asked him what was wrong; he hugged me and said, "Jill, there are so many people suffering in the world." That is the kind of passion I want to teach my son.

And "liberal" is just a 7-letter word meaning generous, after all. I wish I had more money to give.

My Canadian friends have it right. Would I wait in line to have surgery so a single mother could provide health care to her children and herself? You bet I would.

There is no perfect plan, but there is now hope for others.

The Quads: Sweet 17

As if I don't feel old enough with the constant dark circles under my eyes, fits of insomnia, a growing passion for the weather channel...the Quadruplets are turning 17 this Sunday!

Tonight I went shopping for gift cards for Ty, Nick and Lo Lo. Deb said, "They love BW3!" I drove to Broad Ripple -- easy enough, since we live in Broad Ripple -- and found Buffalo Wild Wings. "Shit," I thought (I really did think this) "Where is BW3?"

I drove to Castleton because I remembered seeing a "wings" place there. Again, Buffalo Wild Wings. I called Matt: Where in the hell is BW3? I can only find Buffalo Wild Wings!!

Matt said, "Jill (you idiot) that is BW3."

No it isn't.

Yes it is.

No.

Yes. Ok, go inside and ask them where BW3 is (*chuckling*).

Damn it.

For those of you who are also old, Buffalo Wild Wings is BW3. This is not a place where I eat. I called Matt back and said, "Grammatically, BW3 is inncorrect: ther are only 2 Ws."

He replied, "In tiny letters, it says "Wet and Wild Wings."

Being old, I couldn't read the small print.

Damn it all to hell.

Privacy Act

Well, many have asked why my blog is now private. I was steps away from receiving either a boiling rabbit, or a death threat cut out from individual magazine letters.

Is INtake now called Indy.com? They do realize that they are a newpaper and not a website, right? I'm so out of it.

Return of the Gloom

Sam and I returned to the "Blizzard of 2008": 2 inches of snow, a dead car battery, more gray days and a pile of laundry. Baby boy did so well on both flights (he and I both noticed other, bad, less-evolved babies crying around us). Sam gives that huge smile freely, and people were eating it up.

We had a nice, relaxing time. I sat by the pool and got some suntan lines, and I pulled a "Matt" several times in the morning, where I'd pretend not to hear Sam crying, allowing my mom to get up with him. I needed a break, and she gave me one. She cried when we left, and if Sam knew about sensitivity and emotions, he would have cried too. He and grandma are "tight."

Matt was in California, securing our place in the sun, but he and Sam talked daily. Sam knows "phone" and "Dada" and he was very happy to grunt and breathe for Matt.

Matt and I have rekindled this goo-goo-staring-into-one-another's-eye thing. It's hard to find time for romance and smooching, but it's getting easier. I said, "Now get me my ring!"

Fact is, I want an "estate" ring, that's completely unique. Odd, huh?

We're going to a dinner party tonight that includes the kids of 5 couples - should be relaxing and fun. ; )