Cranky McCrankerson

I'm wearing my extra-binding crankypants this morning, and I'll tell you why: it is effing cold here right now.

I need an Aussie out there to explain something to me: in a country of dramatic temperature shifts (I live in a relatively temperate zone and it's still well below freezing during the winter and bone-meltingly hot in the summer), why aren't houses here built with central air conditioning and heat? WHYYYYYY? Whenever I ask this question, I'm invariably told that it's because it's too expensive to install. However, the reason that it's expensive is because not many people have it. But the reason not many people have it is because it's too expensive...you can see the cycle of doom here.

I've talked about my frustration with not having central air conditioning before, and now I'm feeling the same way about not having heat. It was -5.5C last night, and the temperature in my living room was in the single digits this morning. That is way too damn cold not to have a climate controlled home, which I would have thought would be fairly standard in first world countries by this point (or at LEAST have wall heaters in all the rooms). We have a column heater in the nursery, and even that room was still pretty chilly last night.

So. Over. It.

P.S. If anyone mentions the affect of air conditioning, etc., on global warming to me, I will cutabitch. I am that cranky right now due to trying to type with half frozen fingers even though my poor babies (who are wearing three layers) and I are snuggled up near our gas fireplace. Cranky McCrankerson out.

Evolution

A little while ago, a child-free friend asked me what life with children is like. She said it seemed to her like you lose yourself - that your world suddenly revolves around your baby, that you have no other interests in life. She wanted to know if your life really changes as much as it seems like it does from the outside.

I told her that yes, it does - it has to. Becoming a parent means you evolve from a person who only has to look after their own needs to one who has to put the needs of another first - always first. It's exhausting and difficult and rewarding and inspiring and all-consuming. My world revolves around my children, around their needs. I quite literally spend my entire day - all 24 hours - with them, either directly caring for them or simply just in the same house.

I'm still the same me that I was before they were born. I still have the same interests and like doing the same things, but by and large my ability to pursue those interests and take part in those things has been put on hold, albeit temporarily. And as you, my readers, can doubtlessly tell, my children are foremost on my mind; I used to post about zombies and my minor obsession with etsy - now I put up photos of my kids.

It won't always be this way. They won't always be so needy (and I don't mean that in a negative way, simply that they need me), and I won't always have to arrange my life around them. But for now, this is how it is.

So yes - your life changes. And yes - it's worth it.

Piggies

One of the most entertaining things about having our boys has been watching Ben in baby play mode. He doesn't remember many rhymes from his childhood, which means that a game of piggies inevitably goes something like:

This little piggy went to the store.

This little piggy had steak.

This little piggy...umm...flew on a plane.

This one - I mean this little piggy...he....had steak again.

And THIS little piggy went eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee until he got home!

I think it's a modern classic - don't you?

Generations

When I was a baby, my mother gave me a small stuffed Snoopy doll.

I loved that Snoopy doll.

I loved him until most of his hair was loved off, and his eyes dropped out and he got loose in the joints and very shabby.

And I loved him for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loved him, so he become Real.

Now my sons have my Snoopy. I hope he can be Real for them, too.

With thanks to Margery Williams. 

Bacon mail

My love of all things bacon is nothing new (mmmmm), nor is my willingness to try it in weird ways (helllooooo bacon brownies!), so it should come as no surprise that I've been wanting to try Vosges Mo's Bacon Bar for a while. I was resigned to never sampling this potentially divine combination as, sadly, Vosges chocolate isn't sold in Australia...at least until this showed up in the mail, courtesy of my sweet friend Sandra:

The verdict? Surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly) tasty! It's a lot more bacon-y than the brownies I made - the initial flavor is all chocolate, but then BAM! Bacon! Ben wasn't so crazy about it, but I'm considerably more fond of salty/sweet combinations (like chocolate covered pretzels) than he is.

Thank you soooo much, Sandra! I can die happy - my life is now complete.

The Secret

A friend asked me recently how I get good photos of our boys. So I swore her to secrecy, and then told her The Secret.

Are you ready?

I take lots of photos. LOTS of photos. LOOOOOOOOTS of them.

Because for every photo that looks like these...

...there are about a hundred that look like these:

Blurry and drunk!

Crying hysterically!

But sometimes even the "bad" photos turn out pretty good. Case in point - pictures where it looks like my little dudes are shaking their groove thangs? Not exactly traditional portraiture, but absolutely priceless:

Confession

I read the blog (Baby Makes Four) of a funny twin mom named Erica; today she wrote a post on bathroom performance anxiety and oh my gawwwd people - it was like looking in a mirror. 

Unlike Erica, I won't go so far as to travel home to avoid pooing at work, but I'll only do a #2 if there is no one else in the bathroom. The fact that everyone poops is totally irrelevant. If someone is in the stall next to me, I will hold it in until I die. Or until the other person leaves. You know, whichever comes first.

That said, it gets pretty awkward when there's someone in the stall next to you and it's been dead silent for several minutes, and then you realize that they're doing the exact same thing you are: waiting.it.out. Now THOSE are the times that try men's souls. What do you do in this situation? Give up and leave, figuring you can always poo another day? Stick to your guns and sit it out, while trying to surreptitiously spy the other person's shoes under the stall wall so you can identify who it is and carefully avoid them for the rest of the day? Or just go for it while howling "Bombs awaaaaaaay!"

Is anyone else going to 'fess up to this? Or am I alone in my weirdness?

The Many Hairstyles of Will

The Standard

This is Will's everyday look. It can go from a day at the office to a night out on the town (he takes milk - straight up, no rocks).

The Comb Over

A clear favorite when playing James Bond and attending movie premieres. Also when invading Poland.

The Little Punk

A faux-hawk that Will likes to sport when he's grinding some sick curbs on his skateboard. Always popular with the ladies.

The Nerdling

Ideal for days when his techie skills are in demand. Not so popular with the ladies.

The Mad Scientist

A double shot so you can properly appreciate it from multiple angles - this is Will's natural state. Perfect for those stormy nights when he's trying to reanimate the dead.

It's a good mail day

Today I got a package in the mail - I opened it up and this is what I saw:

It was a gift for Will and Dash from my friend Kristen, who has an etsy store called 303Baby:

And look! Look at the gorgeous handmade bib and burp cloths! Loooove the fabric and the sweet snap detail:

And of course, an action shot was required...clearly there is NOTHING to smile about when you're modeling bibs:

Well, not at first, anyway...

But eventually, Mama dancing like a looney and making chirpy noises will get some smiles, which only goes to prove just how well trained I am:

Kristen also sent some sweet thank you notecards...I know who's getting the first one!

Bits and pieces

Robot salt and pepper shakers. Cuteness factor is off the charts. I feel I may need them.

This is my new favorite blog. Start with this story - I laughed so hard that I think I may actually have peed a little.

If you watch Mad Men, check this out - it's a very cool and interesting review/analysis of the awesome clothes that all the women wear on the show. If you don't watch Mad Men, you should since it's quite possibly the best show on TV right now (last season's finale was particularly awesome and the wait for the next season to start is killing me).

It is EFFING COLD here right now. I grew up in Southern California. I don't do cold. And now we have a forecast of snow in a few days. If I don't post for a week, send a St Bernard. And brandy.

Lastly, Subway has finally agreed to tessellate their cheese. All I can say is: IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME!

Snug as a...

...baby in a Miracle Blanket.

Taking over the world...one photo at a time

Six weeks might be a little late to send out birth announcements, but Ben asked me to whip one up so we can flood the planet with pictures of the wee pirates. After an evening of tinkering with layouts I've narrowed it down to one of these two designs:

#1:

#2:

Yes, they're the exact same except for the color, but I can't decide which one I like better! I think the first one has a nice symmetry and possibly puts more focus on the photo, but the second appeals to me because the illustrations are the same yet different (just like our boys).

Here's a clicky poll (if you're reading this in an RSS feed it won't show up, sorry), and feel free to let me know what you think in the comments as well!

poll by twiigs.com

Six weeks ago today...

...I discovered what it feels like to have my heart go walking around outside my body.

I love these boys.