WTF???

WTF???, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

This is insane.. The line for security wraps outside the terminal, with only one line into terminal one. My flight leaves in 45 minutes...would anyone like to make a friendly wager in regards to how long I'll be standing here????

My time here was fantastic! Little Ian is beautiful with dimples the size of craters! I took some awesome shots of him... Photogenic already, just like his mama.

Update: Made my flight!! Thank god. The line moved pretty fast, it was just a little unnerving.

To BrowserMetrics and Capitol Swell, have a great time traveling, and take some fun pics with your iPhone and tell us where you are so we all can be jealous!!!

Pack Up the Kid, Baby- I Just Bought Us a House!

Pack Up the Kid, Baby- I Just Bought Us a House!, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

Good Morning Ian!!

Good Morning Ian!!, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

The Boys From the WestSide!

The Boys From the WestSide!, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

Stuck at The Sherp's House.....

What Chief Sherpa would look like if she owned a wand.....

Meet Moses. Or Mack Truck.

Meet Moses. Or Mack Truck., originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

Good Morning Ryder, I Love You!

Good Morning Ryder, I Love You!, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

The Moo Line

The Moo Line, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

I'm sitting here waiting to be herded onto the SouthWest flight to Cali! Anybody miss traveling? I thought this would give me some much needed quiet time and solitude, you know- for reading and such. But I've already texted my freakishly tall husband like 20 times, asking him how the baby was, what they were up to, and if they missed me. I guess I miss them too. I haven't even left yet! How dependant and retarded am I?

I also feel like a clone of many other travelers right now. The book to have while flying right now is definately Potter. Everyone's got their copy, including me. Young kids, old kids, and grannies are reading this thing! How many copies sold on the first day? 8.3 million? No doubt.

Surprisingly not a whole lot of iPhones buzzing around. Perhaps I'm really not that cool after all. I don't know though, I'm pretty happy sitting here blogging and listening to Anything Box, while texting my husband. Who's Harry?

I'm terribly excited to meet Ian! I can't wait to see the girls, and I can't wait to finally meet Mack Truck. Or Moses really- that's P's second bulldog. And I can't believe I've never met the dude, considering that Tonka Truck is my God Dog (yes, there is such a thing)!

Anyway, I better preserve some battery life. California- here I come....

All Right, Fine. I'm Gonna Miss the Living Shit Out of Him.

All Right, Fine. I'm Gonna Miss the Living Shit Out of Him., originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

For FoodieMonster

For FoodieMonster, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

Ryder Truck wearing Tonka Truck

The Last Book is Finally Here

The inside cover flap simply reads:

"WE NOW PRESENT THE SEVENTH AND FINAL

INSTALLMENT IN THE EPIC TALE OF

HARRY POTTER"

I want to begin to read page 1 of 759.

I also don't really want to.

Sniff. Sob. Sigh...

Just Starting....

My Freakishly Tall Husband somehow got me hooked up with a photographer last week. He was getting a head shot taken for work, and he striked up a conversation with the photo man regarding his flash (as I believe that's going to be my next camera purchase). He told the camera man that his wife was an amateur, and was just getting into photography with the hopes of making it a career one day. The gentleman gave my husband his contact info, and said he'd be happy to look at some of my photos that I've taken.

This is what I sent him, and told him again that I was an amateur:

The Best So Far

I also said that I would love to follow him around, even if it was carrying around camera equipment, or setting up back drops- because he does mostly school and company head shots, as well as team photos.

He wrote back with this reply: "You have an eye, and the talent to go with it. I'll be in touch."

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN????? WHEN?? Would it be rude to ask him when he'd be in touch?? Would it be rude to ask if he was joking? Or serious?

But First, a Bedtime Story...

But First, a Bedtime Story..., originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

"Beautiful Eyes" is Ready for Bed..

"Beautiful Eyes" is Ready for Bed.., originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

Work? Full-Time Again?

Recently I've had some options thrown my way..and I've got a lot of thinking to do. It basically boils down to whether or not I'd like to re-join the workforce as a full-time employee. I've been acting as a consultant for the past year, and my contract has come to an end.

Do I want to leave Ryder to grandma two days a week, and a nanny three days a week? Would I be willing to travel- and actually enjoy some down time without the cute little critter running under my feet (I realize that this statement doesn't make any sense, but if you hadn't been away from your kiddie for more than one night in his year and a half life, you might understand)? Would I like to pursue photography actively and wholeheartedly, as a full-time learning job? Would I like to be home, and stay on this course of being the mommy always there for my little one- entertaining, cuddling, force-feeding, swimming, jumping, sleeping, bathing, watching toons, and disciplining?

I'm going to Cali in a week to join Chief Sherpa in her quest for delivering one of these little human beings- these things that dramatically change your life forever. I'll be doing a lot of thinking out there, while snapping shots of yet another new baby this year. I hope to find a little of me once more- I hope to read the last Potter book uninterrupted on the plane, I hope to have dinner with P and the rest of the gang without chasing a monkey, and I hope to shop (even if it is for groceries) without worrying if I've left the stroller behind- and wondering where that monkey is. I also hope to take a shower- an extra extra extra long shower- without feeling guilty that my son is hammering a drum stick repeatedly on my freakishly tall husband's head (I know he- my husband- can take care of himself, but I still feel guilty. Can't help it).

And when I come back, at least I'll know this: Can I be away from the Boys for an extended period of time? Will I enjoy it, or will my heart break from not getting that yummy good night kiss from both of them? And maybe that might help me in my search for an answer in regards to returning to work full-time.

It's weird, when I booked the flight, I could not WAIT to go. I still can't wait, but as the day draws nearer for my departure, I'm getting just a teeny bit sadder (just a teeny- can't even really count as "a little". Teeny.).

Why can't we just have it all????

Oh Happy Day at the Playground

Oh Happy Day at the Playground, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

Baby Boy Wants to Drive...

Baby Boy Wants to Drive..., originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

Arundel Mills.....fun..

For HOURS.
And HOURS....

A Visit to My New Perinatologist

My freakishly tall husband and I just got back from seeing a perinatologist for the first time. You'd think we had gone before because of:

1. One miscarriage prior to Ryder
2. Advanced Maternal Age (I'll be 35 in August- holy shit.)

Now, with a second miscarriage under our belts, we've succumbed to the possibility that carrying a fourth baby to term just might not be as easy as we thought. Babies really are miracles, and I thank my lucky stars every day that I at least have one. I mean, just:

1. Getting pregnant
2. Carrying the baby to term
3. Surviving childbirth

is an extraordinary science that shouldn't be taken for granted.

We were enlightened while we were there, and he knows his shit. After giving him my pregnancy history, he gave us the run down of reasons why I might be having difficulty carrying a baby to term:

1. Possible cervical incompetence
2. History of pre-term labor
3. Infection
4. Fibroids
5. Mis-shapen uterus

Now, numbers 1 and 2 can be completely unrelated. I've told him that before giving birth to Ryder, my lower back had hurt so severely that my freakishly tall husband had to literally beat it with a hammer to iron out the knots. The same thing happened right before I miscarried a second time. My lower back hurt so much that I went to a chiropractor so he could contort me into odd shapes to iron out the knots- sans hammer. This raised an eyebrow on the perinatologist (whose nickname I'm still trying to come up with), and he said that- it could be just pre-term labor- in which case- a cerclage isn't going to help whatsoever (which would help if I have number 1 above).

To really mix it up then, he added that numbers 4 and 5 could cause numbers 1, 2, and 3. Or, 3 could cause 2, or 2 could cause 1. Or, 1 could cause 2. Or, 1 could cause 3. And I'm totally not lying here when he said ALL of those scenarios. Point is, we don't know. The plan is:

1. Get worked up for Incompetent Cervix
2. Get worked up for any underlying infection that I just might be living with happily
3. Get my uterus mapped out so we know EXACTLY what it looks like- fibroids and all

That all will start next month. All of this said, I'm really happy that we're taking the steps to a healthier fourth pregnancy. And I have every ounce of my faith aimed towards a second child. A playmate for Ryder. Then, he dropped one more tidbit of information:

1. Wait a full year before attempting another pregnancy.

Looks like I'll be having my second with all of the other gals who may be going on their seconds, and thirds. Sounds like fun to me!!!!! That also means that I could possibly conceive in Lake Como next year.

Now that sounds like a PARTY!

My New Flickr Account

I've finally joined the ranks of photographers found on Flickr. I've uploaded my first photo stream of cute babies, and you can see it by clicking on the link below.

Dylan and Olivia

AhhhhhHHHAAAHHHHHHHH!

Looking Forward to a New Season of "Weeds"!!

I just watched one of my favorite episodes from last season. Here's a little reminder of how fantastic this show is...

"You can walk away if you want."

"Nancy, I know I can walk, I know that!"

"Are you? Gonna walk? I'll be all alone."

"You got your husband."

"Business arrangement."

"You got your friends, you got your kids. I got a fucking duffel bag."

"Sometimes....I love my kids....I love my kids more than anything but sometimes....I think what it would've been like if they had died when Judah died....or what it would be like.... to not have to worry... to be only responsible for me. And...free. How nice that might feel. How horrible is that? I'm an awful..horrible person."

(He slowly passes her a joint)

"I can't go home stoned!"

"It's OK."

"I can't be stoned in front of my kids."

"Two hours. You'll be clean in two hours. Come on, I mean this shit has your name on it, it'd be kinda weird not to try it. Just once."

"I love my kids."

(She takes a big hit)

"I know you do."

"And my life...."

(She takes another, and he smiles and says.....)

"One hit.....takes the shit and rolls it back. TWO....takes it out of the house...."

(She's thinking...'hmm not bad'...and smiling...she says...)

"You packed a duffel bag?"

"If I was going...I'd be gone."

(Her eyes are glassy, she's starting to drift...)

"What are we gonna do for two hours?"

"Watch the grass grow. Literally."

(They sink into chairs in front of their grow house and chill...)

"Sounds like fun."

My Private Tropical Oasis When Ryder Takes a Nap

My Private Tropical Oasis When Ryder Takes a Nap, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

Anyone want to jump in with me? And don't forget to bring the beer.

A Beautiful Day at the Gonzales'

A Beautiful Day at the Gonzales', originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

What a beautiful day! N and I are sitting here admiring our phones and our beautiful children.

Gotta go! M just showed up! Let's get this party started!

Ryder's Cousin

Ryder's Cousin, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

We finally got to meet our little nephew (well, not so little) Jonas (god I love that name)! This was the nephew who weighed in at ten pounds at birth, and from the looks of him here, at three months, I say: "MOTHER OF GOD"! He's definitely a huge sack of Pillsbury dough, and yes, I wanted to shove every bit of him into my mouth.

Mom and Chris are fabulous, and I found out all the gory details of Jonas' birth. If you're pregnant, you might want to stop here- and if you're a mommy- you can thank your lucky stars. First of all, he was late, by a week. Second of all, she tried having him vaginally but to no avail. Then they gave her pitocin to help her along, but nope- that didn't work either. Her cervix was actually closing with each increase of the cervical dilating med, and not only that, she had serious and painful contractions because of it. And then Jonas' heartbeat began to drop from all the pressure, sooo they just gave her a c-section. Jesus, I'm telling ya... Mom's RULE!

He's got a pair of "stumbling blue eyes" and a killer smile to go with them. He's such a little hotty already!

Can there be ANY MORE cute babies in this world right now?

Just Cause I Can!

Just Cause I Can!, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

This is real time blogging! I love this thing!

A Long Day

A Long Day, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

A day full of birthdays and BBQ's! We hope you had a wonderful July 4th!

The Cat Named Blue

The cat, originally uploaded by Blue Ryder.

My New Kick Ass Iphone

I completely geeked out last night with The Seed, Ono, Browser, and R. We pretty much piled into the big white minivan and sped over to the Apple store to get us some Iphones. Browser and Ono already had one, and after playing with theirs, I knew my fate was pretty much sealed. I wasn't waiting for a second generation Iphone, are you kidding me?

All I have to say is that this thing kicks hairy ass. I'm blogging right now from the comfort of my king size bed, with the option of easy transition to the bathroom. So let's not even talk about my possibilities when I visit Chief Sherpa when she has her baby.

I geeked out! And so glad I did. They were right. This thing rocks!