How's Your Intuition?

Tomorrow is the big day: we find out the gender of baby number 2! (Also known as Nugget, Little Bit, and Itty Bitty.)
For fun, I wanted to make a poll to see what you THINK the baby will be. (Not what you prefer; although you may specify both if you wish.) There are a lot of people who seem to think that they know the gender, so put your money where your mouth is! Because I do not know how to set up an official looking poll, just include it in a "comment" at the bottom of the post!

WARNING: I will not release the results until I get at least 5 votes.

A Teaser....

The highlight of my haircutiing career occurred yesterday:

I...gave...Mark...a...MULLET!

More details (and pictures) to follow soon.

It's Just Baby Fat

Surprise, surprise - 1 month into my New Year's resolution I slacked off. Well, I suppose that's what New Year's resolutions are for, eh?


I decided that this post should be about the major thing going on in my life right now: I am 17 weeks pregnant with baby number 2! ............(a moment of silence for your jubilant reaction).......... I found out on December 8th and tried very hard to keep it on the hush until the end of the 1st trimester, as recommended in most books. I had to tell our families because of our timely trip to Disney World, where I was unable to ride all of the major (and best) rides in the park. I still had an amazing time; it is DISNEY WORLD, afterall, but I severely missed going on "The Tower of Terror", which is my favorite ride.
I feel like I'm showing a whole lot sooner with this pregnancy - which is standard for 2nd time pregnancies - but it still makes me feel self-conscious. Oh well, it's just baby fat, and I'm only going to get bigger from here!

We have tried to explain the new baby to Killian, but he has NO clue what we're talking about. We decided this week that it would be a good idea to buy him a baby doll so that he can practice his gentility on it. Off to Toys 'R Us we went - Kim (my cousin), Killian, and I. We perused the 2 double-sided aisles of baby doll glory for close to 20 minutes. My method was to look at the prices under the dolls before looking at the actual doll - the cheaper the better. Here is a sample of my thoughts during this process:

• "$9.99....good price, but that one has cloth hands. Don't really like dolls with cloth hands."
  
• "12.99....ok price, but that face is WAY too creepy. My goal is not to give Killian nightmares about the new baby."
  
• "Oooh, that one is so cute and lifelike.....but it's $24.99, and I am not willing to spend that much on a doll that a boy will not appreciate. And Jay would think I'm retarded."
  
• "CLEARANCE!! My favorite word to see in any store! Ok...$7.99...good price...and these dolls are..." (pause to look up at the dolls)..."not white.....hmm....would that be confusing to Killian? Maybe I should continue looking."

This continued for a few more minutes before I decided to take another look at the CLEARANCE babies. Kim and I searched through them trying to find a...more accurate....baby for our situation. Meanwhile, I gave Killian one to look at. He took to it immediately; cooing at it and petting it like a cat. The one I handed him had a picture of a white girl in the picture on the front of the box, while all the other ones had African American children. This baby was also slightly different looking than the African American ones, so I decided that it must be bi-racial. For some reason, that seemed like it would be less confusing for Killian. And more importantly, I decided that it would be an excellent opportunity to teach him not only how to be gentle with a baby, but also how to be racially tolerant and open-minded. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone. (And as I told Jay later - at least one of us won't be shocked when my baby comes out half-black.....Jay didn't seem to find that as humorous as I did.)

The real selling point for me, however, was the writing on the package. This particular doll is from the collection of dolls called "Lots to Love Babies" - as in they are so fat that there is more to love. That made me giggle. I have heard people say that they are attracted to heavier-set women or men because there is "more to love", but I would never think of that phrase being used with an infant. And then I saw the slogan underneath the name, which is "It's Just Baby Fat!" - which makes me laugh out loud every time I read it! (I don't know if I can explain why I find that so funny, but hopefully I'm not the only one.) I think it's the idea that a newborn baby has to justify its chubbiness by explaining that "it's just baby fat".
Since coming home with us, the nameless chubby baby has received lots of kisses from Killian, and I overheard him sweetly pointing out the baby's facial features (nose, mouth, cheeks, etc). Once in a while he also decides to "punish" the baby by smacking it. I don't know why he feels the need to do that - we NEVER smack him around. I am 100% sure that he would do this no matter what the color of the baby's skin, but I am concerned that he will beat the doll in public and it will come off as a hate crime.

I LOVE this picture because it looks like Killian is making the same exact face as the doll!!!

He's Just Not That Into You

Last night I saw my first film of 2009 in the theater- "He's Just Not That Into You". Rottentomatoes.com rated it 45%. Yahoo Movies gave it a C+. IMDB.com has not displayed its official star rating yet. I generally agree with these 3 sites on most movies. I realize that this is not a very unique film plot, and it is somewhat predictable and has its cheesy factor. BUT, I genuinely enjoyed watching it. Sure, I spent an entire day with a sick baby and simply getting away from a constant flow of snot was quite a treat- but I don't think that's the only reason I liked the movie. I liked the cast a lot; with the exception of one actress- Drew Barrymore. I feel kind of bad saying that, because I usually like her a lot. But I just felt that her acting was kind of overdone or something. Luckily she's not in the film enough to affect my overall opinion. My 2 favorite actors were Ginnifer Goodwin (from "Big Love") and Justin Long- who is extremely funny in a very natural and unforced way. Jennifer Aniston was ok. I enjoyed Ben Affleck. Kevin Connoly (from "Entourage") was very natural and delivered his character well. I find Jennifer Connoly (no relation to Kevin) to be very plain. I think she conveyed her character well, but nothing really stood out about her to me. Bradley Cooper (who is hosting SNL tonight) is very funny and charming, even if his character is kind of slimy. I really liked Scarlett Johansson- mostly because she has more curves than any other female in the cast. There is something Marilyn Monroe about her to me, which I enjoy. I also think she is a great actress. I have never really been in the dating world to be able to relate to their stories, but I still felt a connection with the characters. A lot of the situations were definitely realistic. I also like the "exception" vs. "rule" concept used throughout the movie (I can't really explain that - just go see it.)

So while this is not going to win best picture of 2009, I already know that I will buy it (previously viewed from Blockbuster, of course) and I recommend it for any chicks who are looking for a good (but not amazing) movie.

Have you seen it? Tell me what you think!

My Favorite Phone Pictures from 2008

I purchased a Sony Ericsson w580i Walkman cell phone last August. It had 2 features that were selling points for me: an mp3 player feature and a high resolution camera (high for a phone). These features only work if you buy a seperate memory card- which I did. Unfortunately, my phone is currently messed up and won't recognize the memory card, so I can't use either of these features. Annoying! I can easily live without the mp3 player, but the camera is something that I severely miss. I used my phone camera for SO many things: to take pictures of things that I wanted to remember to buy at some point (or things that I wished I could buy at some point), to take pictures of things that I thought were funny and weird, and to take pictures of Ryan and Killian doing weird and funny things- things that I would hope to blog about someday. So, techinically, you all are missing out because of my non-functional camera. Due to the phone malfunction, I decided to upload all of my phone pics to my computer. I am going to share my favorites with you.

Today I'll start with cute pictures of Killian and Ryan:

More to come...

Jesus is Everywhere

When I was in Primary (sunday school for children from age 3-11) I was introduced to the concept of "Would you do that if Jesus was here?". It was more of a threat used by teachers to make us behave during Primary Program rehearsals in the chapel. It worked for a while because no one wanted to misbehave in front of Jesus. (I also recall being told that Jesus was in the building with us at all times- that he lived there- so it made it very likely to me that he might drop by to check up on us in our classes.)

As I got older and left Primary, I continued to hear people ask/threaten "Would you do that if Jesus was here?" and it started to bother me. I began to think of things that I would certainly not do if Jesus was in the room, but these things weren't evil or sinful. For example: going to the bathroom. I would not go to the bathroom with Jesus in the room because it would be rude. I would not shower with Jesus in the room because I prefer my privacy. I would not pick my nose in front of Jesus. I would not pick a wedgie. I would not get dressed or undressed. The list goes on.

While I understand the basis of why people use this question- the same way WWJD is used- I just don't think it's a very good question. I remember it being used when leaders would talk about questionable movies. They would say, "Would you watch that movie if Jesus was in the room?" My answer to that question, no matter what the movie, is an easy "no"! I mean, come on: if Jesus was in the room, I would much rather have a meaningful conversation with him than watch any stupid movie. Or, if he really wanted to watch a movie, I would let him choose because he's the guest!

Anyway, I went for a while without hearing anyone ask one of these questions. While attending Enrichment last week, I walked into the bathroom and this is what I saw:

My immediate thought was, "Can I go to the bathroom if Jesus is in the stall?"

My Nominations for Best (and worst) Films of 2008

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE movies. My DVD collection has reached a whopping 685. I have watched about 85% of the movies I own - the rest are sitting patiently on the shelves, waiting for the day that I decide I am in the mood to watch them. Why would I buy movies I've never seen, you ask? Because they call to me. I have discovered many of my favorite films by taking risks in Blockbuster's "previously viewed" section. Of course, this method has also led to purchases that I strongly regret, but it's worthwhile for the good ones. One of my methods for choosing the "risky" dvd's (not to be confused with risque!) is to look at the cast. Generally, if the cast includes actors such as Glenn Close or Paul Rudd, I know I'm going to love it. These are 2 actors who (again, generally) choose good independent films to be a part of. I stay away from films that star Heather Graham or have titles that begin with "National Lampoon's".

So why buy rather than rent, you ask? Simple: it costs approximately $10 to see a movie in the theater. It costs approximately $5 to rent a dvd from Blockbuster. I never pay more than $10 for a "previously viewed" dvd (I usually spend $3-$7 per dvd), and I very rarely buy a dvd brand new. So I figure that it makes more sense to buy the dvd rather than pay a movie theater to see it there 1 time or rent it and watch it once. If I like a film, I'm going to want to watch it again some day.

However, in 2008 I discovered "Red Box", which is a dvd rental vending machine found in many grocery stores. It costs $1 per night, and it carries most new releases. I have done a lot more renting than buying in 2008 because of this new discovery. (I realized that I could rent 7 movies instead of buying 1!) I've been happy (when it's a crappy movie) to know that I rented rather than bought. And if I love the film, I wait for it to be super cheap at Blockbuster and then buy it. It's been a pretty good system for me, and it has allowed me to see tons of films.

So here are my reviews on the titles that I can remember watching in 2008. (I realize that these are only based on my personal opinions and may be completely uninteresting to everyone else, but who said you have to keep reading?) I would love to get your feedback on any of these films or any from 2008 that I have not included.

27 Dresses- Typical (obnoxious) formula for a chick flick. Ok to have on while sewing or multi-tasking, but I would never buy it or need to see it ever again. The dresses were fun!

Baby Mama- I love this movie. I have watched it 4 times. It is very funny and well-written, not obnoxiously predictable, and has a great cast.

Be Kind Rewind- This movie was very odd. I laughed a lot and there are parts that I remember enjoying, but it wasn't consistent. (Ex: Jack Black's character was sometimes plain stupid, other times he was just quirky.) I liked that it was very unique and unlike anything I've seen.

Birds of America- This movie tried too hard to be quirky and missed the mark.

Charlie Bartlett- I enjoyed this film. I would watch it again...eventually.

Choke- VERY different. I liked it a lot, but most people would probably not feel the same way.

The Dark Knight- Did anyone not like this movie? My only complaint is that it was hard to follow the first time I watched it. (And it was a bit long.)

Definitely, Maybe- This movie was a lot better than the way it looked in previews. It had more depth than I expected and was not the typical chick flick formula. I liked it.

Drillbit Taylor- Pretty awful.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall- I love every movie and tv show that the Judd Apatow crew has a part in (basically the entire cast of "Freaks and Geeks"), so I really enojoyed this movie. (With the exception of the unneccessary full-frontal scene featuring writer/actor Jason Segel). The original Dracula songs are SO good and funny.

The Happening- I didn't hate it. It got a lot of crap from everyone, but I always find something to enjoy in M. Night Shyamalan's films. Still, it could have been a lot better.

Iron Man- I'm not usually into action stuff, but this held my interest and I think ROBERT Downey Jr. is excellent.

Kung Fu Panda- I didn't give it my full attention, but it was cute and funny.

Leatherheads- This movie was very different from what I expected, and very different from most films. It didn't hold my interest after the first hour, and it just kept going.

The Little Mermaid 3- The first movie is my favorite all-time Disney movie, so I decided to give the 3rd (straight-to-dvd) movie a chance. I wasn't disappointed! It featured Ariel and all of her beautiful sisters (which I always wished there was more of in the 1st film) and it had some cute songs and all of the same voices as the first film. Oh, and it takes place before the 1st one and explained how their mom died (too graphically) and why Tritan is the way he is.

Made of Honor- Horrid. An unwatchable chick flick. The only reason I left it on was because I was sewing and didn't have to concentrate on the movie.

Meet Bill- Different. Okay. Kind of weird, but not terrible.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist- This was the first movie I saw in the theater by myself. I liked it, but it's definitely not for everyone. It's probably more for he highschool crowd.

Over Her Dead Body- Eva Longoria. Need I say more? (As in: it was pretty crappy!) The only reason I gave it a shot was because I love Paul Rudd. His parts weren't as poorly written or delivered. I wouldn't watch it again.

Pineapple Express- Hands down: my favorite film of 2008. It has everything - action, drama, SO funny, and bromance.

Role Models- This was another film that was poorly advertised (the previews made it look like a lame "Daddy Daycare" type of movie). I was pleasantly surprised that it was extremely funny and I enjoyed all the actors.

Run, Fat Boy, Run- I was really disappointed as I quickly realized that Simon Pegg did not have anything to do with the writing of this film. He was still funny, but it wasn't the usual Simon Pegg kind of movie. It was a more predictable chick flick.

Sex and the City- I loved the way they continued the series in this movie. My favorite part was all the dresses.

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2- Ok to have on while sewing/multi-tasking.

Smart People- I liked it.

Step Brothers- SO stupid, but I laughed a lot.

Then She Found Me- I really liked this dramatic film a lot. I had never heard anything about it, but I thought the cast looked good, so I rented it. I was very pleasantly surprised. Helent Hunt wrote it years ago and had to work for years to get it made.

Tropic Thunder- Extremely funny and surprisingly unpredictable. Each actor was very strong in his role. I will definitely own this movie at some point.

The Visitor- This film was very unique. I liked it a lot, but it went on a bit longer than I think it needed to.

WALL-E- I enjoyed it a lot! The animation was amazing, as usual. And for a movie that didn't have much conversation in many parts, it was still captivating. It was definitely my favorite animation of 2008.

You Don't Mess With Zohan- A completel waste of my life. I was sewing and multi-tasking as much as I could during it, but it was still just completely afwul. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.

I feel like I am missing some, but for now this is what I have come up with. For 2009, I think I will just write about them as I see them because that would be a lot easier.

Again, I would love to hear your opinions on any of these films or any I didn't mention that came out in 2008. Thanks!