Happy Halloween! part II

Pre-Trick or Treating pizza with fellow ladybug and a princess

Chillin on the steps watching mom eat her age in Twix bars

These pants & sleeves also come standard on the gorilla costume

So ready for bed!

Happy Halloween! part I

Mom

Jake often tells me what a good mom I am to Nori and I think he's right. I love being her mom! I learned how to be a good mom from my mom. Let me be clear, I did not learn how to be a good cook, house cleaner or budgeter from my mom. Um, nope. But I did learn how to be loving, encouraging and loyal. Even now that I am 30 on my way to 31, she calls me every day and says "How is my baby?" and when I start to tell her how Nori is, she says "No, I mean you!". She always tells me that the best day of her life was the day that I was born and my brother & I are the best things that ever happened her. When I tell her how how perfect Norelle is and how much fun I have with her, she says "Now you know how I feel about you!". She's got a point, I am really cool. I am so thankful and lucky to have my mom! Even when I am not at my best, acting disgusting or mean, my mom still loves me unconditionally.

Sunday Summary

I wonder if anyone I know is not wearing their pj's and taking a nap today? If not, I feel sorry for you. Get your flannel ass in bed and chillax, it's Sunday. Even my nine-month-old (as my friend Missy would say...she always describes her kids by their exact age) is in on the nap game, she sleeps like a dream come true. I love her for oh so many reasons.

Impromptu nap on the way home from coffee date...guess it was a decaf bottle?

Another perfect weekend over too fast and now it's suddenly winter too. Boo. Last week was great...Tasha (Nori's birth mother) came for the day and we hung out for a few hours before the adoption panel. It was fun to see her, she is doing really well. Norelle decided to be a huge ham at the panel (or showstoppa' as they say in 2008) clapping and make very loud raspberries noises, just to keep all eyes on her. She repeated this routine today at church, lest we forget her. Her little tooth has popped through and she is so talkative!

At LSS Adoption panel

I made turkey black bean chili, perfect food for imperfect weather. Nor & I also caught up with my friend Kristi for coffee and that was a blast and then last night some girlfriends for a spicy dinner at Swatadee downtown Saint Paul. Hmm...what else? I finally got myself back to the JCC for an intense body sculpt class today...so sore. Poor Jake is super busy with work, we feel bad for him. Oh, and we carved pumpkins tonight! Should be a spooky week (no, not because of Halloween rather the economy and presidential race!

"There are only two things that I can pull up on...the bathtub and now this pumpkin. Yay!"

previews of our family photos...

By Mandy at Glimpses of Soul

Rags

R.I.P. 1987-2004

Has this ever happened to you? You generously agree to dog sit your mother's geriatric Lhasa Apso for a week or two while she goes in to have routine surgery to remove a 20lb tumor and kidney, spleen, part of her pancreas, stomach, blah blah blah. But then, just to spite you, she gets a raging infection, crumbles a vertebrae, becomes bed bound, has 3 more major surgeries and is stuck in the hospital for 9+ months while you have to take care of the dog? How rude. Did I mention this dog smells horrific, can barely walk, loves to pee in the house and is supposedly on his last legs? People tell you that the kind thing to do is put the dog down but you know your poor mother misses this dog and you would not do that to her. So, your husband who HATES this dog with a passion, decides that as long his MIL is on her luxurious hospital vacay, he should train the dog, walk him and teach him discipline. And then suddenly, the dog starts acting younger, gets to go with you on vacations to the cabin and even on a boat ride with Dr. Ho, all while still smelling terrible and peeing on everything. You realize that perhaps this would have all been over if you just left him alone, cut out the exercise and attention? And then your mother has more surgery, chemo, infections and what not, but thankfully makes it through rehab, staying with relatives and then finally back on her own. Finally, after 2.5 YEARS, she is ready to take the dog back (actually,you buy a new house and tell her she has to take him back or else). And then you give him back, younger than ever, and he basically dies like 3 months later. True story.

Going for 20!

As you know, my posts are usually genius and therefore get zero comments because people feel intimated by my innovative ideas. But sometimes when I read other people's less inspired blogs (you know who you are) they have like, 100 plus long, thoughtful comments, some from people they don't even know. Huh. I could just pretend like I like getting zero to two comments max and that my people really do care but maybe they are just too busy, not too bored, to respond. Or, I could beg... er...campaign for one of my posts…like say this one… to receive over 20 comments, preferably by different people (but I’m not going to nitpick)

So...will you say something?

Ask SoS

After 8 years of marriage I dared voice my consideration of adding my wife's maiden name to my own, K V-Gleeson. Her family has meant so much to me, and I want to officially join the crew. She thinks the idea is stupid and would only screw up our adoption paperwork. I offered to wait 'til the adoption was final, but she still thinks I'm a dumba55 for wanting her name. SoS, what should I do?
Male K


Dear Male K(yle),
I get this question a lot. Personally, I think hyphenated names are so 1990's. I suggest you combine names to create a new one. For example, unofficially we are the Seltzbicki's, combining Seltz and Palbicki into one radical surname. Our neighbors actually did this legally combining Ulland and Anderson to be the Ullandersons. You, my friends, should be the Vlachsons or better yet, the Gleeachs! Waiting for a little Gleeachster! I'll get the paperwork started.

SoS

Three shocking things

You are gonna die when you hear this...

1. I did not snap one photo this weekend!
2. I cooked and served two meals this weekend...to real guests!
   
3. My baby is getting her first tooth, finally!

On tap for the week ahead...

1. 9-month well baby doctor visit Wednesday...we think 20lbs?
   
2. Tasha visits Thursday and we speak on LSS adoption panel
3. Brownies
   

SoS says...

Dear SoS,

There's this guy who lives in my dorm, and he's cute, and he talks to me, I think we would be a good match. The only thing, he's a hunter and I'm sort of a vegetarian, do you think it could work?
-Animal Lover

Dear Ellen Animal Lover,

Yes, it can work. Here’s why... first of all, you are not really that much of animal lover because last Friday I saw you eat a chicken sandwich, your first solid food was bratwurst, you recently killed a mouse and you barely even miss your dog Jack since you left for college. Face the facts; you are a smoking hot babe who is single and ready to mingle. Give the hunter a chance; men in camouflage are the new black.

-SoS

So-called animal lover/vegetation

Attention 90210 fans...

I present Silver's blog: http://theviciouscircle.com/

SoS says...

Dear SoS,

How do I get my three year old son to stop hating his one year old brother? I mean, he has every right, since said one year old screamed for six months and stole his life. But the one year old is past the screaming now (at least constant screaming) and the three year old is STILL very resentful. I can tell because he kicks, pokes, punches, hits and squashes him at every turn. No discipline seems to work. P.S. We are a spankless home.

Fix this,
the EO family


Dear EO Family,

I empathize with your issues. But I do believe you can learn from Saint Angelina Jolie and her brood. In a recent article in W magazine, Angie explained that she buys her son Maddox daggers, just like her mom used to do for her when she was a tot. Why not get the three-year-old his own dagger set? He can vent his frustrations and the one-year-old will quickly learn not to mess with big bro. Maddox has a fondness for guns and knives and the Jolie-Pitts want to encourage his interests, shouldn't’t the EOs do the same? If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for you!

SoS

****
Dear SoS,

I think I want to have a sex change? What do you think that means?
Sabrina

Dear Sabrina,

I highly doubt your sincerity and I don't appreciate you wasting my time with such frivolous high-jinks. I am a highly trained, unlicensed, former student therapist and my wisdom is much in demand by people with issues like the EO family. (Can you believe she sent her kid to school on MEA break? Nut job!)

SoS

Happy Fall!!!

Family Portaits

I know what you are thinking... with all the paparazzi following us around everyday, do we really want to have more pictures taken? Yes, we are egomaniacs. On Sunday Nigel Barker will take our pics with Jay Manuel there to direct, Lauren & Whitney of People's Revolution will be styling our shoot, Nick Arrojo is on hair and Carmindy on make-up. We are set. Okay, really it's just Mandy from glimpses of soul but don't you worry, I will smile with my eyes.

Ask SoS

As you may know, I was once was a trained unlicensed student therapist. Why not use my training and offer free advice to you. Leave your relationship dilemmas at my door and await your "aha" moments.

Om.... to your poofy hair

I had a dream last night that I walking past a yoga studio and quietly to myself making fun of the teacher who had really big, frizzy hair. I said to myself "Om..... to your poofy hair". But immediately the whole class, apparently so in tune with my vibe, chanted right back at me "Om.... to YOUR poofy hair". By the by, I just started a yoga class over my lunch hour on Wednesdays and I do have hair with an attitude so we don't need Freud to interpret this one.

So many reasons to love the pear

Forget the apple, it's all about the pear!

Seltz Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebs - Collage - Morph

Shout out to Mohamed Al Reedy!

I have no idea who you are but I noticed you are 1 of 6 followers of my blog (and some of my friends' blogs) so you must be cool. Introduce yourself Mo!

Sunday Summary

Dorothy wearing doggy hat Nori made at daycare. They are studying pets in October

How did get to be Sunday night already? I will make the best of it and hang with my husbo tonight getting caught up on all our DVR's shoes from last week after Norelle goes to bed.

Gramsie Hol giving GI Nori a sip from her canteen.

Winona was fun, I was happy to get there and spend some quality time with my Papa & Grandma. Our favorite time was having coffee at the Blue Heron Coffehouse which has come a long way and is really cool now housing the Book Shelf (owned by our pal Johns Nolan's sis Mari & BIL Chris). I like to see cute fun things happening in Winona. My mom also had fun having us there and I loved being able to sleep in!

Yesterday we drove back admiring the awesome fall colors and arrived just in time to go to Jill & Shawn's baby shower at the Chatterbox. Laura hosted a sweet baby shower and we are all so excited for Jill to have a baby girl in Dec/Jan. Liz & Steve were here last night for Ellen's 19th birthday and although we were all beat, we went to the Blue Door Pub to celebrate. That is place is doing great business, they were packed again. And today after naptime, Jake & I took Nori to the Pine Tree Apple Orchard where we toured the pumpkin patches, bought some apples and had cider too. Jake wondered what the Rolloff's are doing right now in Oregon and both agreed that Zach & Jeremy could make a better corn maze.

Lovely porta-potty in the background, no?

We are standing in an apple tree. Neat!

1st apple

By the by (I say this now instead of BTW), Nori is learning so much! She knows how to crawl down the step in our kitchen feet first. She shakes her head "NO", usually just for fun, points to noses, LOVE dogs and says "WHOA" all the time so she sounds like Joey Russo. Life is wonderful and I am so lucky and blessed!

Winona weekend

Happy 19th Birthday Fluffy!

Happy 19th Birthday Ellen!

My blog is aliiiive with the sound of muuuuusiiiic!!!

All the possibilities in the world and I write that? I'm not even sure what it means. Sorry I have been MIA but I have been so busy helping the Senator prepare for the debate. I was bummed none of my questions came up. I thought for sure people would want to know his favorite color!

Dear Diary,

So lately (as in the past 8 1/2 months ) I have become a sentimental fool! Prior to Nori's birth, I rarely cried. I would even go so far as to say I couldn't cry. But becoming a mom has turned me into a sappy Hallmark mess. Every night when I read to her before I tuck her into crib, I burst into tears when we get to the line: "it's time for bed little deer, little dear...the very last kiss is almost here". It reminds that another precious, irretrievable day of her babyhood has passed and soon she will leave for college and forget I ever existed. It's killing me, I think I need therapy! Time is flying by and while I am enjoying it to the maximum, I am so sad too. I LOVE being her mom! I have finally found something I love to do, yay! Sadly, they don't pay you for it so other obligations get in the way. And given all the economic crises we face, I worry "what if we never have another kid and this is my only baby EVER and she grows up and disowns me for being too clingy and smothering and I am all alone?". When I act like that, Jake calls me Holly (Hi Mom!). Don't worry, I'm not going off the deep end entirely it's just that I never anticipated how emotionally intense motherhood would be and how deeply and unconditionally you can love and adore a little baby girl named Tootie McBootie! Beer me some empathy.

yours,
Momma Megan

Baby's first marathon?

Forget it, too cold & rainy to cheer this year. Sorry runners! Jake is only about 6 hours in to baby gate installation so we are busy enough handing him orange slices and cups of water to help him keep his energy up. It's harder than it looks.

No subject too mundane for SoS?

1773 Laurel has been plagued with plumbing problems as of late. Ray Keller, the old, sweaty, overpriced plumber was already out once last week to remove an actual dreadlock from the shower drain so when last night's toilet clog arose, Jake had to tackle it alone. Apparently he worked on it for 45 minutes while I was out (oh, what I did I do last night? I'll let Sabro fill you in and save the extra keystrokes but I would say the food was not spicy enough, unlike the ladies). Anyway, once I got home I had to give him the Holly Palbicki tutorial on how to plunge: vigorously and with lots of splashing. Alas, the pipes are working again. Also, T.McB has another cold so I have been hard at work with the blue nose "plunger" clearing her airways.

In other news, it's a week of visitors!! Auntie Ellen biked over last night to visit before her Vegetarian-For-One-Week Dinner ( she is getting way involved in college, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and a new job working as an usher at sporting events at the U), Papa Bill is coming over tonight and Grandma Liz & Gramps Steve this weekend. One other update, Gramsie Holly is a lunch lady! She is working at my old school, St. Stan's, serving up Sloppy Joe's with a smile.