Cuddling Protest

I'm still a little high on Obama's acceptance speech as the Democratic candidate last night, and I'm looking forward to casting my vote November 4. I want to get involved this time - I have some extra hours here and there to make phone calls, whatever he needs. Like many people, I'm surprised by John McCain's choice for VP. I suppose since I'm a woman I'm supposed to want to vote for her, especially since she kept a special-needs child and all. You know what? So what. I would have kept it too, and that doesn't make me eligible for the presidency. I think McCain is grasping, so let him grasp. Plus, she's more right-wing than McCain and she hunts: yuck!

As an aside, have you ever noticed how the bad guys in movies are always blonde (i.e. all 007 movies and the Karate Kid)? That pisses me off. Sam is the sweetest and I hope he gets cast as the lead.

Sam is listening to "This is the sound the rooster makes...." (etc.) behind me. I wonder why I spend so little time writing these days.

I gossiped with Matt's mom today ... we love to laugh at certain things. She's funny, I like her a lot. Matt is like his mom.

She and I are going to venture out and see Hemingway's grave in Ketchum, Idaho while we're there. I want to see all of the historical spots, ski a bit, sit by warm fires. I'm really looking forward to it, and suspect that I won't want to leave.

Matt is a cuddler and I am not. This problem reoccurs nightly as I'm saying, "Get off," and he's moving in for the kill. Last night he was hugging me (I think I was actually about to suffocate), and I tried to move his leg. He said, "Don't try anything stupid." I laughed so hard that the suffocation ceased, and I let him linger a few more minutes. I love to cuddle while watching a movie (Ok, I'm sort of lying; even then, I don't really like it), but certainly not when I'm trying to fall asleep. It's hot. It's late. Get off of me. Period.

With that, goodnight.

Free Form

I always have so much to say, but by the time I've wiped Sam's face for the last time of the day, I've forgotten most. I'm reading the book, "Loving Frank," about the affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and his love-of-life. I read one or two chapters a night, just enough to feel like I'm staying within the literary realm, but the book is touching, and sometimes I have to put it down and sigh.

I couldn't be happier that the Olympics are over. I wonder if they were so crooked in the beginning.

I was wondering today why there are still towns called "Lynchburg" in America. I can only imagine the freed slaves looking for a new place to live, saying, "Honey, according to this brochure, I don't think we should move here..."

Matt and I are preparing for Sam's first birthday (go Virgo, go Virgo), and we're looking forward to a trip by ourselves to Seattle in October, then Sun Valley Idaho for New Years. I've heard so many stories about Sun Valley (the skiiing, the hiking, the fights), and I can't wait to see it. We're flying home from Vegas and will have Sam one night there - that should be a hoot. Vegas is definitely not on the top of my travel list, but I'm actually looking forward to taking some candid photos. I've never seen it, never wanted to see it, but it'll be entertaining at the least.

We took Sam to see his great-grandmother Brooks today...that happy little grandma Santa Claus. She has the best outlook of anyone I know, and I sometimes question if she's really, possibly, in my family.

Sam is going to see Dede tomorrow, and I know he loves those special days. I've been having nightmares about him going to school; it starts in less than 2 weeks. I'm terrified. I want to come up with an excuse to keep him home. He needs his mommy. I need my Sammy. Whaaaaaaa! Seriously, I've been waking up from these horrible dreams that someone is a). plotting his death; 2). running away with him; or 3). has locked him in a closet with no bottle.

Beth took Finn to kindergarten last week, and she said that his last words were, "Mommy, I'm scared." She cried all day.

I think I may cancel nursery school.

Matt is the most wonderful, patient man I ever could have met, and I want it to be known that I don't really deserve him, but he's mine. Thank God!

Photographer in the making

Sam had his first professional photo shoot and I've decided that it's nothing I can't do myself. So, this week, or maybe next, when I have some free time, I'm buying a new SLR camera. A really nice one.

I've already checked in to buying lights and backdrops too. Not cheap. But the girl who took Sam's pics took several outside with the sun in his eyes, while he squinted, and I kept saying, "Uh, excuse me, don't ya think...I mean maybe...I mean, don't ya think?" Sheez.

I told Matt's mom today that Sam is really funny and she said, without hesitation, "Oh, he gets that from Matt!" That seemed really funny to me.

These words came out of Matt's mouth once: Jill, can you pick up Sam's toys in the kitchen so that I can cook?

Yes, he is lucky to be alive.

But I woke up this morning, and the first thing I thought was, "Man, am I glad I married this guy." He's incredible.

Sam is incredible too, and I think about him 98.5 % of my days!

And the biggest joke of the day: tonight we're going to something actually named "Sausage Fest."

A small prayer...

Please God, please don't ever make me watch synchronized swimming again.

White Expo

We took Sam to the State Fair last night. Once again, and I have no idea how this keeps happening: there were no horses there. There were donkeys and mules and, sure, Sam thought they sounded pretty good, but I was dying to show him Percherons.

We ate Italian sausages, funnel cakes and elephant ears, saw the world's biggest pigs and some cows, a group of geeky girls clogging to Irish music, and we left.

It was magical.