Snapshot Sunday

Bit by bit Cameron is becoming more mobile. She still does commando crawling so she hasn't figured out how to sit up from a horizontal position. But I'm sure she's close.

DH and I have been trapped inside with Cameron all weekend because of the 2 or so inches of wintery mix that hit Charlotte on Friday night. All of my appointments for the weekend were cancelled and most stores are still closed as of writing this on Sunday afternoon. It's very annoying and makes me feel like I might have to play catch up this week.

But why should my pain be your pain? Instead, enjoy these photos from the last week.

Cameron gets leverage now while searching through her toy bin for that perfect toy.

Cameron is suspicious.
This look does not bode well for future adolescence!

Think it's time we got our act together and really baby proof?

Cameron now enjoys pulling herself up and looking out the window.

American Idol: predictions and promises

After next week we are finally through the audition rounds. I think that the producers have done a better job this season of showing us good contestants but they still spend far too much time on back stories for the pathetics that have no shot. I much prefer the montages. Who really wants to see sparkly girl for 5 minutes? She sucked in Season 1 and we can only be happy to see the age 28 flashed next to her name as a promise that she won't be returning to audition even if AI makes it to Dallas again.

A few other comments about Wednesday's Dallas auditions. First of all, I heart Neil Patrick Harris. I loved him in Doogie Howser, MD. Thought he was pretty kick ass in Starship Troopers and live for him in How I Met Your Mother. I even watched his opening monologue for the Emmy's, that's how much I love him. Obviously the producers felt the same way since he got 2/3 of the show and Joe Jonas got about 15 words total. Most of them being "yes." Is Joe the married one? I can't keep those guys straight. I'm sure by the time Cameron reach tween status they will be long gone so I guess it doesn't really matter.

Whip girl was much better when she sang the Barney song than her En Vogue mess. And yes, Mommy, Esq., she obviously had a nose job some time between her years on Barney and the audition. I thought she was pretty obnoxious but Simon told her she had moxie or something BS like that. I also disagreed with the rainbow and sunshine they blew up the ass of the 16 year old girl with the little brother who was WAY too into her. That was creepy. I actually thought she kind of sucked but the judges loved her. Her pathetic sob story was that her parents were divorced and had each remarried. Um, join about 50% of American kids.

Speaking of sob stories, the dock worker's age was listed as 29. I guess if they are 28 in the year of the audition they qualify? I thought they had to be 28 in the year of the live show. If someone knows the real answer, please write in.

I'm trying to give Kara a break this year. Instead I'm going to focus my hate on Randy. A "million, bazillion percent"? Dude, not cool. He hasn't updated his cliches or lingo in quite a few seasons. Dawg.

Based on the golden tickets given so far I think the girls have an edge this year. Frankly, they need it. For the past two years the top 2 have been guys. Not that they didn't deserve it, they totally did. So I'm predicting a first place win for a girl this season. Write it down. Oh, I guess I just did.

My other promise/prediction is that when Simon leaves after this season I could be done recapping the greatness and awfulness that is American Idol. We'll see. But Simon is a big part of why I love the show and recapping is a big commitment. Particularly when I'm used to going to bed by 9:30 PM. It's all for you that I stay up until 10 or 10:30 during the first few weeks of Idol. And that's why I'm the dawg.

Hi, my name is gullible, what's yours?

For years I have battled the gullible curse. I seem to have some kind of mental block that makes me automatically believe everything people tell me. Don't get me wrong, I love sarcasm and can usually spot it but if someone states something as fact I totally believe it.

When I was in NY recently at an off site the theme of the meeting was "flawless execution." To prove the point one of the executives showed the clip below as an example of what we should be striving for. Watch it, it's totally awesome.

I was so impressed by this video that I had to research it more. And of course, I was disappointed to learn that it was all fake. Microsoft had their dirty paws all over it which is probably why they tricked me. After all, I did download Windows XP and look where that got me...

So, am I alone in being completely gullible? Do you think women more than men are susceptible to being gullible?

Dropping bottles - advice requested

When DH and I took Cameron in for her 9 month well appointment her doctor told us that we should start pushing the sippy cup more because starting at around 11 months we should begin phasing out bottles.

I mentioned at the time that the thought of removing bottles made me very nervous. I've already blogged about my stress and control issues when it comes to Cameron eating and I'm not sure if being unable to monitor the exact consumption of ounces is a good thing or a bad thing for my peace of mind. Regardless, the idea of dropping bottles has been percolating in my head since that appointment and I have spent time thinking about which bottles and how I will drop them. Unfortunately I have made no progress in coming up with any decisions or plans.

Last week Cameron was sick and since she felled me with the same illness I completely understood (retroactively of course) why she didn't want to drink any more than 10 ounces a day. Our new challenge this week is that Cameron has refused to drink more than 1-2 ounces for her first bottle of the day. It's possible that it could be due to teething...soon our little munchkin will have 6 (!) teeth or she could be voicing her preference to drop the first bottle of the day from her feeding schedule.

As a first time mom I have no idea. 10 months is a little early to start dropping bottles (right?) but I need to start my planning process if this refusal of bottles continues. How have you handled dropping bottles from your baby's eating routine? Cameron still isn't eating enough to cover her nutritional needs via the finger foods so I assume I need to be significantly supplementing through baby food. Or is that a bad assumption? Somehow this struggle with changing eating patterns is doing nothing for my resolution to stress less about what/how much Cameron eats. Help!

Edited: Mommy, Esq. wanted me to tell everyone that Cameron gets breakfast at daycare around 8 AM and is usually awake around 6:30 or 6:45 AM. In case that influences your responses!

An American Idol leak?

American Idol has been very good about keeping stuff under wraps until the live shows air. But according to blogger Joe, the Season 9 Top 24 finalists have already been identified and a copy was leaked.

I did take a look but frankly, don't remember too many of these folks from their auditions. I'll probably check back again after Hollywood Week and see if any of them popped for me. Regardless, nothing will beat the elevator ride of doom that each of the Top 50 contestants take to find out if they make it to the Top 24. You think they will do sing offs this year? I hope so, that was one of my only "likes" from the "improvements" introduced last season.

Any hot contestants from last week auditions that you are routing for? Personally I grind my teeth every time I hear a person talk about how much their life will be changed if they make it to Hollywood. Really? Your life will be changed from a one week trip to Hollywood where you will get exactly one half day to do tourist things and the rest of the time will be spent manufacturing drama? Sure. Keep telling yourself that.

Cameron: ten months old

Dear Cameron,

Today you are ten months old. You love nothing better than to have Mommy or Daddy sitting on the floor with you while you play.

Whenever you finish a bottle in your room you insist on standing next to the ottoman and rocking it back and forth while cooing and laughing. I would enjoy it more if you finished your bottle regularly first!

This month has also seen you starting to assert your independence. The head shake is back and used primarily for food related requests. Vegetables? Head shake. Cheerios? Hand reaching forward to grab. You have also made your preference for Cheerios known by screeching when Daddy or I walk over to the cabinets to get some food for you. I give in a lot more often than Daddy does. You better be careful...Daddy will definitely be the disciplinarian!

Another new trick is arching your back and trying to scoot off the changing table pad. I can usually distract you with a bottle or shoe to play with while changing you.

I am officially declaring in this blog post that you have said your first word, "Charlie." DH and I knew it would be your first word because it is probably the word we say the most often besides Cameron. While you still lack the language control to say the "ch" Daddy and I can definitely make out what you are saying. Up next? Hopefully Mommy!

You have learned how to fairly gracefully tip yourself over from a sitting position and start crawling. After a lap or two around the room you scoot under the coffee table and poke your head up right next to Mommy's feet. I can't resist scooping you up and giving you a kiss before you squirm away and insist on being stood up on your own two feet. You are already growing up far too quickly.

We can't wait to see what you will do next!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

When a doctor's note isn't enough

Cameron has been sick all week. She's been fever free since Monday but as I wrote in my last post she has a wicked bad sore throat. I'm allowed to say "wicked" as I hail from Massachusetts. DH and I have been layering her pain medications - Motrin and Tylenol. But still she will eat maybe 3 ounces in a sitting if we're lucky.

I thought ahead and got a doctor's note outlining the dosage of the two medicines. Go me, I thought, patting myself on my back. This way the day care will have to give Cameron her medicine. After all, I had a doctor's note.

Nope. No deal. Apparently the day care will not give medicine unless it's a life threatening situation. Not to put my crass hat on or anything but WTF? I totally get that they are trying to avoid liability but what if Cameron had an ear infection and needed antibiotics while in school? Is DH supposed to interrupt his day and make a round trip to the day care to give her the medicine? I say DH because he is much closer than me and would have to be the one to do it.

Has anyone else experienced this with your day care? Do I have any recourse here? Cameron still has a sore throat and I'm worried she will drink even less than she has been for us.