Tracking Traffic.....

A while ago I put code in my blog so I could track who was coming to visit and read.....its a pretty cool system, and after I installed it I was obsessed with checking my traffic stats. I can proudly say I've gone from approximately 8 visitors a day to over 14. WHOOO HOOO! I've always been hesitant to mention it because it feels kind of "Big Brother" ish, you know? But what the heck - there are pretty much trackers on EVERY website you visit, so why should mine be any different? The cool thing about it - besides the fact that you can see what city and country they are visiting from, how long they were reading, when they left, the IP address - is seeing how they arrived. I see if the readers arrived from a click on an email I sent, or from a link on a message board. I get a lot of random visits from people searching google. Some of the most recent searches..... "Pilsbury Sock it to Me" "Love Toe Socks" "Porristas Big A$$ Bums" <-- porrista is the spanish word for Cheerleader There has also been a lot of searches for Christmas Music - from Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers to the Vince Guaraldi Trio. Pretty interesting actually. Recently I noticed I link from another Mexican website, so I went to visit. Apparently it is a listing of all the English blogs that are written from Mexico. Both Keith and I made the list - you can see it here --> BLOGS OF MEXICO Pretty cool how its all interconnected, eh? ::::::::::::::MUSICAL INTERLUDE:::::::::::::: So my brother Kyle has been working at his music from the second he learned how to play a guitar (maybe 14, 15 years old ish?). I've always enjoyed listening to his music, even if its not really "my style" per se. He recorded a CD with a friend, Jim Baker - but it was never released to due publication issues...... Jim moved from GRap to Chicago, and is working with another group (which apparently started back in Flint Town way back in the day) - more of a hip-hop rap jazz fusion sound - called The Massey Trio. They released an album called "The City of Ill" and you can purchase it on iTunes (sorry I don't have the link - iTunes is blocked from work. Dammitall anyway!)....or you can hear some samples on their myspace page or CDBaby - a review site for independant music. Kyle is featured on a couple songs, although not an official member of the group. I was just amazed and blown away by the track called "Lost Apostle". The other track he sings in is called "They Think They're Soliders". Check it out - Kyle is the one singing the vocals (not the rapper dude). The rest of the album is OK, (Like I said before, not really my gig) - but the Lost Apostle really caught my ear. They are playing next Friday night, the 15th at THE NOTE in Chicago (Wicker Park area). If you have a sec check them out! ::::::::::::::SELF ESTEEM:::::::::::::: You know, for not having a lot to say today, I sure do have a lot to say! I decided to run and experiment this week.....I was going to see if I could go every day this week with doing my hair, dressing not frumpy and wearing makeup. The truth is I never saw much benefit in getting all hussied up every day just to make yourself easier on the eyes of other people. I'm not big on doing things just for someone else, you know? But, when Pat O'Brien is around I find myself trying to be more presentable, just cuz it feels good, you know? Not like I need to impress him, but I guess I was just doing it unconciously (until I noticed it last weekend). So I started my experiement Monday. Well, I didn't do it Monday because Pat O'Brien left super early and I was tired, but every other day I did. Now, I didn't get all hooered out or anything - just a couple swipes of eyeshadow, a scoshe of mascara & eyeliner, blush and some lip gloss. And you know what, I felt pretty good about myself all week. I looked nice, I got complements from random people....I think it was not just because I actually did look that good, I think it had to do with the attitude I was portraying. I smiled more, stood taller, etc etc. So my experiment showed me that 10 minutes of primping in the moring is actually good for the rest of the day. Hmmm....maybe it will become a habit.

Ahhhh - beginning to feel normal again :)

And needing to post pics of my little man :)

Every once and a while you just get a shot that makes the 100's of photos you take so worth it :) This was definitely one of those! He just made this silly little face, and I happened to be pushing the button at the same time. *Sigh* I love his crazy hair!!

Hard to believe he's approaching 4 months, isn't it?

Lets see, we did buy a new computer (hooray!) - got a great deal on a beauty from Costco! But Pat has hijacked it until he gets all his CD's (which is hundreds) ripped and safely on his iPod. The man and his music. I think he has over 30 Bruce Springsteen CD's. Every other song on shuffle is Bruce. I mean, yeah, he sings OK.....but, jeez!

Also bought a copy (an actual legitamate, not pirated copy!) of Photoshop CS3! I'm so excited!! That is on its way and should be here this week, just in time for Pat to give me the computer back from his hijacking it! I can't wait to get back to scrapping!

:::::::::::: Health Update ::::::::::::

Well, I haven't really been myself lately. Really since, Liam was born. OK, really, since I stopped taking my depression meds in July 05 :) Anyway, its just been really difficult for me to function - being sad all the time - its not hard for me to function as far as being a Mom, I think I'm doing a great job at that.....but taking care of myself, the house, and work - well, it just wasn't happening. I've been going to a therapist since October....and that seemed to help for a while, but its just not enough.

So, I made the tough decision to start to wean Liam. There is a lot of research out there that says it is safe to breastfeed while taking some meds.....but not everyone is in agreement, and they definitely aren't long term studies. My doctor felt pretty adamantly about it - he said he wouldn't perscribe the meds if I was going to continue. So after a lot of my own research, I decided I didn't quite feel comfortable enough to exclusively breastfeed. I'm going to cut out the day time feedings, and if my supply will allow, continue with two feedings a day, one in the morning, one at night. These two feedings will also be at the time where the drugs are at the lowest in my system, so I feel better about that too.

That's the logical side of the story.

The reality is that it was a HARD decision for me to come to. HARD. I bawled like a baby the night the doctor perscribed the meds. It just broke my heart. For a lot of reasons. I worked SO hard to get to this point - breastfeeding was TOUGH at first. So hard. It was so easy to see why some women just can't do it. And after working so hard to achieve something, its heartwrenching to give it up. And I really enjoy the closeness and breastfeeding relationship Liam and I have right now. It makes me feel pretty darn special to nourish his body with something I produce.

I really didn't have a set goal for breastfeeding him - I started out small - just make it through the first week - just make it through 2 weeks, then a month, then two months - then four......ultimately I would have liked to do 6, but four is pretty darn good considering I wanted to throw in the towel a million times around week 2.

I know he'll do just fine on formula, and I know I'll still get lots of snuggles and cuddles. It just is a big change.

HOLY CRAPOLA BATMAN!!!

::::::::::::::::::PAT O’BRIEN UPDATE::::::::::::::::::

9 hours and counting! I even made myself up today so I’m all purdy and stuff  I can’t wait to see him!

::::::::::::::::::TIME::::::::::::::::::

Is it really November 30? Sheesh – that is just nutz! It’s like I keep blinking and MONTHS pass without me even being aware of it! Crazy I tell you CRAZY! This also means that we’re just about four months away from the Getting Hitched Day! I probably would be happier about it if we had a few more things lined up, but we have to wait until after the New Year to get a few things scheduled. That’s the bad thing about a wedding of 20 people, no one wants to schedule you cuz you’re not spending oooooodles of caish.

::::::::::::::::::WORK::::::::::::::::::

Yesterday was the Dirección de Clientes Especializados annual meeting – which went from 10AM until 7:45PM. I was soooo not happy. In general I was being a big pissy pants because I haven’t slept well, and then on top of that I just in general am not happy about having to work later than I have to, and BEING FORCED to go to dinner. Turned out to be a great time – we left at about 8PM for dinner and got back to the hotel at around 12:30PM. Then I drove home from there.

Dinner was for about 45 people at this old Hacienda just outside of Toluca towards Mexico. It was GORGEOUS I tell you! It’s hard for me to think that an entire family lived there – and that’s it! I guess it was extended family too, but sheesh, the pace was huge! Giant cathedral ceilings – fabulous wood steps and crazy decorative wood EVERYWHERE. Just breathtaking. And the food was very good. We had a carrot cake for desert that I would almost kill for again – it was quite possibly the best carrot cake I’ve ever had in my life!

It was also cool because it will probably be the last time I see a lot of those people before I leave. It was fun just chatting, and actually being able to participate (read: Dominate) a conversation. I think I dreaded those events because I would have to sit there quiet because I couldn’t follow or understand and wasn’t able to communicate. But now, I am! Which feels great! Also cool was telling everyone I was getting hitched – they were so happy for me, it was exciting – lots of toasts and advice and people trying to persuade me to have the wedding here at the CTC :D hahaha – just all around hilariousness.

::::::::::::::::::TRANSFER OF POWER::::::::::::::::::

Tomorrow we have the day off because it is the Presidential Inauguration – Felipe Calderon will officially take office and take the power from Vicente Fox. I hope the transfer of power goes smoothly and no one does anything retarded. For the most part I think people enjoy the long weekend and get out of Dodge…I’m just hoping that everything is calm so I can get to and from the airport OK. I would just have Pat take El Caminante (the bus service) but I don’t think I can stand to wait an extra two to three hours until I see him. It would just drive me crazy!!!

::::::::::::::::::CHRISTMAS FAVORITES::::::::::::::::::

Since I’m on a Christmas Music kick, I thought I’d list some of my all time favorite Albums……here there are in no particular order:

Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers: Once Upon A Christmas – Quite possibly one of my favorite Christmas albums ever! Every song just makes me want to cuddle up by the fire in a cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and sip hot cocoa with a candy cane in it. I remember thinking as a kid that I thought they should be married because they were just too cute and sang so well together. I don’t think they ever were though. I think this also has lots of fuzzy warm memories attached to it because my mom always would play the LP at Christmas time, for as long as I can remember!

Bing Crosby: White Christmas – just an all around classic. The guy’s voice is amazing and tranquil and just full of tradition and spirit. Who else can get away with demanding Christmas as needing to be White, and also spending Christmas in Hawaii (Me’le Kalikimaka) on the same album? And I think his rendition of Jingle Bells (with the Andrews Sisters?) is top notch – one of my all time faves!

Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas – I LOVE THIS ALBUM! I think it was the first Christmas CD I bought myself. In general I think Mariah is awesome (albeit maybe a bit nutzo) and has an amazing set of pipes, and I love the style of these songs – kinda gospely, kinda ballady – but all over amazing. I remember one particular Christmas Tree Hunting trip where on the way home we were listening to the CD, and during one song we tried to count how many times “Jesus” was said (The song is Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child – very Gospel Revival-y). I think we made it to 200 and gave up….but it was kind of fun! Also attached to this album – memories of missing my long distance boyfriends deployed overseas or stationed across the country while bawling my eyeballs out to the song Miss you Most (At Christmas Time). Also probably my favorite O Holy Night rendition ever (*NSYNC’s acapella version is a close second. Don’t laugh – it’s pretty awesome!).

The Jackson 5: Christmas Album – this is another one of those albums my mom used to play. Love it! This contains favorites with a soulful twist, and Michael Jackson when he was cute, little and still black. It’s nearly impossible to be still while listening to this – and I can honestly say the only Christmas album where I’ve felt the urge to “break it down” – especially in the car. I’m pretty sure all the Mexican’s think I’m crazy!

Vince Guaraldi Trio: A Charlie Brown Christmas – not all the songs on this album are even classic Christmas songs, but I’ve watched the TV show practically every year I’ve been alive and its just one of those collections that are synonymous with the holiday season. And it’s fun and cheery – how can you not like it!?!

OK, I think I’ve killed enough time – still 8.5 hours left to go. I hope everyone has a great day, and I’ll post again on Monday!

Faith Hill & Almonds

Not necessarily related, just two things that have been on my mind lately. I love almonds - always have. They make me itch sometimes if I eat too much, but they are the perfect snack - I always have some on hand, and even if i am STARVING I can eat about 8 and it will hold me over and take the growlies away until I can get some real food. And, apparently they are chock full of vities and omega 3 stuffs - so that is good for me! Definitely better than snacking on chocolate!

Faith Hill has always been a favorite singer of mine - she's one of those people who appears to have the perfect life, fabulous hubby, beautiful kids, great career - and is just darn gorgeous! Sometimes, people like that would get on my nerves - but she always seemed, I don't know, I guess down to earth maybe....not like I know her or anything. But somehow, despite all she has, is impossible for me to dislike.

Anyway, so I have tons of her CD's and for the past couple days I've been listening to them over and over. Its been a while, really. When you have 4000 songs to choose from - its tough to choose! The other day I had it on shuffle, and I cam across one of her songs. Thats what started it all - I decided to put in on shuffle just in her CD's. I really like her latest, Fireflies - and in general she has a couple of songs that are kind of lullaby-ish, that I plan on learning so I can sing to my future babies...but really her whole collection is nice to listen to.

Maybe I like her so much because I have great memories tied to one of her songs - This Kiss.....I was living in Kalamazoo for a summer long long ago (1998? Maybe?) and Danica came out to visit me - we drove up near Grand Rapids to the B93 Birthday Bash to see some up and coming country acts for the day. I remember us driving up M131 in her Blue Cavalier Convertable (white top, of course!) - top down - both of us belting out the lyrics - words lost in the wind. I think we both burned our legs from the drive there and back......when I think about that memory it pretty much is the epitomy of college years - freedom, no responsiblity - nothing mattered but the wind in our hair and the music around us. I took pictures from that day, I have them somewhere - I've got to dig those out so I can scan them and scrap them.....

Also, maybe later that year, we went with her brother Dirk and a few of his friends to the George Strait Chevy Truck Nokia Country Music Fest sponsored by Bud Light.....Tim McGraw & Faith Hill had a set - and Faith sang "This Kiss" and once again we were singning together at the top of our lungs. Not just that song though - the whole day was a blast. Great memories :) *sigh* I've been missing her a lot lately - I don't think I've seen her in almost a year.

Maybe Faith Hill singing takes me back to those times - or maybe she's just a great singer and I should leave it at that - either way, its been nice to rediscover her again.