Nothing Gained, Nothing Lost

Combating Name Calling

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:51:00 +0000

So this kid in Sophie’s class, “K,” who I thought she was friends with, the other day I guess thought he was “funny” and sang, “ABCDEFG, Sophie is my enemy.” And as you might imagine, that really hurt Sophie’s feelings. In fact, she told the teacher and K got his name moved down on the chart (a very bad thing in 1^st grade).

And then she told her dad who said, “What I always used to say to kids was, ‘I’m rubber, you’re glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.’” Seriously? That’s not really what I want to be teaching my child but I guess it’s all elementary kid stuff anyway, I don’t know. I think the old “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me” is better and I told Sophie that. To which she replied, “But names DO hurt me.” And I said I know that but you just have to act like they don’t.

And then she asked me “What SHOULD I say?” and I didn’t have a great answer. I know that “Just ignore them; walk away” which is what my mom taught me definitely does NOT work.

What are the solutions you give to your kids to combat name calling?

Self-Reminder

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:19:00 +0000

Lately I’ve been feeling as if I can’t get caught up; as if there aren’t enough hours in the day; as if I could be so much more productive if only I didn’t have to sleep; are you with me? Yeah, I thought so.

It’s so stupid because it’s nothing major – just regular life stuff. Busy busy busy at work (good thing), busy with Sophie and her activities (well just dance for now so why does it feel like so much?), keeping up with the house, etc. After what I went through last April with my mom, you’d think a no-drama-just-busy-time would be a cinch.

So then I stop to think, and to pause and reflect and remind myself. I think of my mom being home alone all day and not being able to drive. Oh sure, my Aunt Connie takes her out sometimes and entertains her (she is a Godsend), but I’m sure there are many moments in my mom’s day where she looks at the clock and thinks, “It’s only noon. I have six more hours to fill until Tom gets home. What the hell should I be doing??” And then really, I don’t have it that bad.

I often wonder – is it harder being a single mom with one child, or being a two-parent household with say three or four children? I don’t know…maybe we should just call it even. Any single parents out there with two or more children, though? Yeah, you got me beat.

***

Unrelated:

Just last week I started teaching Sophie piano and she is already well on her way to mastering her third song. I can’t wait for her to show off to Grandma and Papa this weekend. I think we may have discovered a new talent of hers – truly…she even practices ON HER OWN WITHOUT ANY PROMPTING FROM ME. Amazing. Even more amazing that we haven’t killed each other yet because we are not exactly always so patient with each other.

Tom taught me to play at first, until I started getting beyond his teaching capabilities (teaching capabilities, not playing capabilities). But good God, he has the patience of a saint so what I’m thinking is I better start saving up for Sophie lessons as I’m sure this newness factor won’t last forever and I’ll have to quickly call in a professional. But I’m “playing it by ear” for now (HAHAHA Sorry I couldn’t help myself) as I don’t want to fork out the big bucks for lessons until I know that Sophie is really truly interested in keeping it up.

And did you know, she told her dad? And his response was, “I bought that piano.” Which he did, the Christmas before he left me. WTF does THAT have to do with anything anyway?

PS – I still remember the first song I learned on the piano. It was called “Birthday Party.”

Dog Years

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:38:00 +0000

My friend Susan met Jeff on Friday night. First she and I ate dinner together and got caught up and then Jeff met us later. We had a great time. When he excused himself to go to the restroom:

Me: So what do you think of him?

Susan: I have never seen you happy with a guy. Not ever. So I am very, very happy for you.

Susan is one of the friends I “won” in the divorce. Her husband Doug was a long-time childhood friend of Jamie’s, and Doug was in our wedding. But naturally they have not seen or spoken to each other since Jamie left.

Susan: In fact, when you texted me that we needed to catch up, I was intrigued. And when you walked in, I looked at your left hand to see if there was a ring.

Me: Susan! It’s only been four months!

Susan: I know, I know, but four months for you is a really long time. It’s like dog years.

She’s saying that because she knows that I usually can’t make it past the third date until the guy starts bugging the fuck out of me.

We also talked more about my relationship with Jamie. Susan said that she and Doug didn’t actually enjoy hanging out with us because we were always bickering. She said, “Jamie knew exactly how to press your buttons and how to get his digs in—and he always had to get some digs in—and it almost seemed like it was entertaining for him or something.”

Yep, he’s a jackass.

Oh Jeffery! Oh Betty!

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Jeff took his mom out to lunch yesterday.

Betty: What are you up to this weekend?

Jeff: I’ll probably be spending time at Farrell’s tonight through maybe Monday.

Betty: Oh Jeffery I hope not.

Jeff: What do you mean?

Betty: You’re not having SEX with her, are you?

Jeff: Mom! I’m 44 years old…

Betty: Oh Jeffery.

Walking out to the car:

Betty: Well Jeffery I hope that at least if you ARE having sex, that it’s safe sex!

Do I LOOK Like a Travel Agent to You?!

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:58:00 +0000

I cannot BELIEVE that Jamie basically just asked me to be his travel agent.

He literally just called me to ask AGAIN what I thought about switching to Tuesdays [for his Sophie day] (new kick - it was that he wanted Thursdays, now it's Tuesdays- WHATEV) and I kindly told him that I couldn't talk about it right now as I am in the middle of a busy work day.

THEN he suggested--in a completely serious tone--that perhaps I could "sit down" with him to help him PLAN HIS TRIPS, and he especially needed help planning a February trip from Las Vegas to Sand Diego.

Are you F*in kidding me? First of all, I am not a travel agent, let alone his.

Second of all, LAV to SD? NOT EVEN HARD. DRIVE WEST and you're there!

BE A GROWN UP.

San Diego – In Sum

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:24:00 +0000

Weekend, in a nutshell:

Ate like a queen, drank like a fish, partied like a rock star.

I was in San Diego, CA for my cousin Jessica’s bachelorette party and it was a BLAST. It was me, her, and two of her college roommates, Jacki and Lauren. OMIG you guys, I really want to be rich so I can live like this all the time.

Not trying to make you jealous, but check this out:

--Booked the flight with my AA miles and was able to upgrade to first class

--Sadly, met no celebrities but did get the royal treatment from the stewardesses – I mean almost to the point of annoying, as in: No, I just want to sleep and don’t need more drinks OR another fresh-baked gooey chocolate chip cookie (OMIG heaven). Still, there is no better way to fly (except on a private jet)

--Hotel was FREE, because one of the girls’ husbands travels all the time for work and booked it for us using his points

--Car rental was nearly nothing and the Enterprise guy must have thought I was cute because he gave me a free upgrade – all I had to do was ask (and smile) – plus then my cousin ended up paying for most of it

--The other girls are RICH so we ate at fancy restaurants – spending $40 a plate plus alcohol and I didn’t mind because it was for my cuz and I can’t afford to go to the wedding and I just wish I was rich enough to eat like that all the time (of course I would be 800 pounds)

Highlights in pictures because really I should be in bed:

Saturday we went for a wonderful bike ride on Coronado Island and it was so fucking fantastic. I did get a bit confused at the bike rental place after a nice young man helped us and even put baskets on all of our bikes so we could carry our purses (and purchases) and when asked, he told us his name was Alyssa. To each his own, it just confused me, that’s all:)

Saturday night we split two bottles of champagne and danced the night away.

Sunday was chill and my good friends Kim (adorable pregnant) and Jackie (fucking awesome, all around) drove 1+ hours down from O.C. to visit with me. It was lovely and wonderful. Sunday night Jess & I chilled in San Diego’s “Little Italy” district and met a hot young artist named Grant who told us to go see Trevor at his restaurant, so we did and had the most fucking fantastic Italian meal EVAH!

Also, Trevor LOVES St. Louis and is thinking of opening a restaurant there/here. Farm to Table is his thing and the guy is only 22! Makes me feel like I’ve accomplished exactly nothing in my life, but more power to him.

The only downfall was that my cousin is size zero and I feel like a big fat cow next to her. She also works for Jenny Craig. No, she lives, breathes and DIES Jenny Craig. Now I’m going into my 2012 health kick (a dime a dozen, right?) so I’ll save that for tomorrow.

In the meantime, enjoy, and imagine the stories:)

PS –I’ve now got the travel bug again. My goal is to go somewhere once a quarter. Maybe Portland with Sophie over Easter to visit Sum-Sum…or maybe a Caribbean island with Oh Jeffery!:)

Manipulation

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:10:00 +0000

So I don’t know if you remember, but Jamie has been trying to change his week day with Soph from Wednesdays to Thursdays. He claims it’s because of his work schedule; that it’s easier for him to travel M-Th rather than M, T, get back Wed, then travel again Thurs/Fri. I don’t like this idea for a couple of reasons:

1 – If he has her Thursdays, then on his weekends, he will have her Thurs-Sun; that’s 4 days in a row, which is too long for me on a regular basis. The most I go without having Sophie normally is 3 days.

2 – Jeff has his son Tuesday/Thursdays so Wednesday is our night “off.”

3 – Jamie traveled this much with his previous job and the schedule was never an issue.

4 – He’s got to have some ulterior motive here (because he ALWAYS) does and the only thing I can think of is him wanting her four days in a row – I think he’s using work as an excuse.

5 – I don’t want to alternate Wednesdays (his weekends) and Thursdays (my weekends) – it’s too confusing for everyone. It’s hard enough to re-arrange the schedule due to holidays and what not; we don’t need an every-other-week thing to keep track of in addition.

6 – Sophie now has dance class Thursday evenings in my town. So it’s stupid for Jamie to pick her up from school, wait around, take her to McDonald’s for dinner, take her to dance and sit waiting for 1h45min, then take her to his house, put her to bed, and drive all the way back here the next morning. It’s much, much easier for me to keep her.

So I had told him that Thursdays don’t work for me but that I would try to be as flexible as possible for his work schedule. And guess what? He has done what my mom predicted: Every week in January, he has asked for a switch. Jamie always finds a way to get what he wants. The only week he HASN’T asked for a Wed/Th switch is this week, when I’m going out of town and he already has Sophie Thurs-Mon. EXCEPT get this: Jamie drops off Sophie on New Year’s Day and asks if she’ll be at her after school program on Wednesday. I say yes as I’m going into the office. So he tells her that he’ll try to come see her after school if he can get back into town in time.

Wait, What?

So he’s telling ME that he needs to switch to Thursdays because it’s too hard for him to rush back into town on Wednesdays. But the week that he HAS the schedule the WAY HE WANTS IT, he’s going to rush back into town, go from the airport out of his way to go say hi to Sophie, THEN go back home to his wife and baby.

Is it just me or…?

Listen, I have shit that comes up too, like this coming weekend. I will also try to go out of town somewhere around my birthday (March). So I’m not totally inflexible but this is ridiculous.

I am seriously this close to texting TT and just being like, “What is his DEAL anyway?”

Plus, this is the guy who begs for more time with Sophie but has NEVER ONCE looked at the school schedule and asked to take Soph on a day when school is closed.

My friend Amy said that “Jamie needs to better plan his work and travel to accommodate the current legal visitation agreement” and I thank her for her lawyer-speak and I think that’s exactly what I’m going to tell him.

Oh and by the way, get this:

This is what Jamie says to me when he drops off Sophie, just after he tells her he’ll rush back into town to say hi to her Wednesday afternoon and is also the reason for the title of this post:

Jamie: You know, I’m on a quarterly basis. So if I don’t make my numbers each quarter, I won’t be around.

Well no shit Sherlock, you have a Sales job.

In Jamie speak, what he’s REALLY saying is: “If you don’t switch with me to Thursdays, I’m not going to make my numbers and I will get fired and it will be all your fault.”

Am I wrong? I know I am not. The guy has not changed in 16 years. (My mother sometimes has to remind me of that).

Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:38:00 +0000

Conversation with Jeff’s son on New Year’s Day

Ethan and I are sitting on the couch in front of the Christmas Tree while Jeff cooks us breakfast:)

Ethan: I don’t know if I believe in Santa.

Me: What?! How can you NOT?

Ethan: Well I think it’s just your mom and dad.

Me: Well Ethan I don’t know what to tell you. All *I* know is that when I woke up on Christmas morning, there were presents under the tree for Sophie and I didn’t put them there.

Ethan: Are you tricking me?

Me: No, I’m not. I’m telling you the truth.

Ethan: Well maybe the dad put them there.

Me: Well in my house, it’s just me and Sophie so…I mean, if I didn’t put them there, who did?

Ethan: Okay, maybe I DO believe in Santa.

Things My Daughter Says

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:32:00 +0000

Sophie: Mommy, when you were a teenager, were you good?

[HAHAHAHAHA – define “good” I think]

Me: Well, I got really good grades [I say, trying to avoid the question]

Sophie: Because this one time – I don’t mean to eavesdrop but sometimes I can’t help it – and I remember this one time when you were sitting at the table with Grandma and you said how you got mad at her for making you go to school when you had a pimple.

Me [Laughing]: You’re right; I did.

Sophie: What was THAT about? I mean, that’s ridiculous. A pimple! [*Shakes head in disgust*]

Me: …

Sometimes I wonder who the adult is in this relationship.

I am not naïve enough to think that Sophie will not do the same. Especially if she has 5^th period science class with Jeff Kelley:)

Sophie and Papa's Magic Show

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:59:00 +0000

Meeting the Ex

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:58:00 +0000

So I met Jeff’s ex on New Year’s Eve. It was interesting. She was perfectly nice to me; not too nice mind you, but nice enough. We shook hands. She was checking me out. But you can tell, she can be bitchy. She gives off a very critical vibe. And she is a very critical person.

It was Jeff’s weekend, but Marcy had taken Ethan to a movie. She was dropping off Ethan just as I was pulling up, but thankfully Jeff had given both of us a heads-up. She had her hair back and a jogging suit on.

Jeff and his ex – Marcy – share custody of the dog, Lexi – LOL. When Jeff has Ethan, he has the dog too. Well NYE Jeff had Ethan and I didn’t have Sophie, so I took Chloe (my Beagle) up to his house and planned on spending the night (on his big, comfy chair – and it was big and comfy – see pic:)), just so I wouldn’t have to drive with crazy drunkards on the road. Lexi is a Shih Tzu and at first Marcy was freaking out because Chloe was howling and doing her “hi nice to meet you!” very dramatic greeting. Then somehow I mentioned I also have a cat and she goes, “Oh, Ethan is deathly allergic to cats!” and later Jeff was like, “Oh great. So now she’ll tell me there is NO WAY Ethan is ever allowed over to your house, and that our relationship will clearly not work because of the cat.”

Anyway, she took the dog back with her because she claimed that Jeff didn’t have enough food for Lexi. Then later she texts him and says, “I’m bringing Lexi back.” And I thought um, okay, that’s weird – make up your mind already. And I didn’t understand WHY she wanted to bring the dog back until I saw her. This time, she was all dressed up – boots on, cute jeans, makeup, hair down. And that’s when it dawned on me. She wanted to show me that she could be “hot.” I find it hilarious.

My Wish for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:50:00 +0000

No more hospitals!

If you could only wish for ONE THING in 2012, what would it be?

More Conversations with My Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Sophie: Why do you write everything down that I say?

[She caught me typing up my last post in a Word document and recognized her name.]

Me: Because we have some very interesting conversations and I want to remember them.

***

While reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the mom once again embarrasses the 11-year old boy, Greg.

Me: Sophie, do I embarrass you?

Sophie: Well…sometimes. I mean, when you dance like this [demonstrates]

Me [laughing]: Do I embarrass you more than your dad embarrasses you?

Sophie: Well, I’m sorry to say but yes. But don’t tell dad. Because he’ll make a Big Deal out of it and keep talk talk talking about it

[she says this while making talk signs with her hands – cracked me up.]

Sophie: Dad always makes a big deal about everything and never lets anything go.

[Interesting considering that’s what he always accused ME of.]

***

Sophie: I think I should write Santa a thank-you note for my gifts. Because he does a lot, you know.

***

Me: Sophie, If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you want to go?

Sophie: Paris!

Me: Why Paris?

Sophie: Fashion!

Conversations with My Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Me: Sophie, could you please Windex the table for me?

Sophie: Sure. Avery is REALLY good at Windexing.

Me: Well, her mom probably makes her do it at home. You get off pretty easy here, don’t you?

Sophie: Yeah.

Me: Do you get off that easy at your Dad’s?

Sophie [emphatically]: No.

Me: What kinds of things/chores do you have to do at your dad’s?

Sophie: Well, he makes me read…and …

[I forget what else she said but she reads to me all the time, and I read to her all the time and she loves it so…]

---

Sophie: Mom, I could never say this to my dad, because he would get mad at me, but I feel like I can say it to you…you know, I can’t help worrying sometimes and you always tell me not to worry and that I’m too young to worry and I just really think you should be more sensitive to the fact that I DO worry sometimes; everybody has worries, I mean, don’t you worry?

Me: Yes, I worry a lot and that’s exactly why I don’t want YOU to. Mommy has everything under control and you ARE too young to worry.

Sophie: Yeah, but can you help your worrying?

Me: No.

Sophie: Exactly. Neither can I.

[Lately her worries are: the house catching on fire, or fire in general. She freaks out when I cook; if I even heat up the oven or if the oven or microwave beeps, she yells, “It beeped! It beeped!” And I need to address it right away for her.]

---

I ran downstairs to check the laundry and I came back up and she was listening to a Taylor Swift song on my iPhone and was looking forlorn.

Me: Why are you looking so sad?

Sophie: Well, this song is just about her dad.

Me: Are you missing your dad?

Sophie: Yeah.

Me: Well you can call him…and you’ll see him tomorrow.

Sophie: No, it’s okay. Does this song make you miss your dad?

Me: Sure.

Sophie: Do you miss your real dad because he lives far away?

Me: Sometimes….but I consider Papa Tom my dad. I mean, he helped raise me.

Sophie: Oh, because your parents weren’t together?

Me: Right.

Sophie: But Grandma was with Papa Ryan first and then…

Me: Right, and then they decided not to live together anymore when I was about three…then when I was six, Grandma met Papa Tom, and when I was nine, they got married and we moved to California.

Sophie: So how’d you end up here? [I swear to God she said it just like that, as if we were two adults meeting at a networking event or something]

Me: Well, I met your Daddy in college, and he was from here…

Sophie: You went to college here?

Me: No, we went to college in Philadelphia and I knew that since Daddy was from St. Louis, we would end up back here.

Sophie: Wow, your life story is pretty interesting.

A few December Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:44:00 +0000

Here is the beautiful Amethyst necklace Oh Jeffery! got me for Christmas. It’s not my birthstone but he knows I love purple and I love it. Of course, the last time a boy gave me a necklace for Christmas, he dumped me like two weeks later.

Here is Sophie with Auntie Kim (my cousin). I think they share a resemblance, don’t you?

And here is me and my dear friend Becky. It took us SEVERAL tries before I was satisfied enough with a picture to post of myself that I liked.

And here is my microwave that broke earlier this week – the handle just came right off. Naturally, it is one of those expensive over-the-range types.

And here is me and Soph being silly at the zoo today because today it was 55 and the other day we made a snowman…go figure!. Not sure why I’m not smiling in one of them. Taken with camera phone.

Navel Gazing

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:18:00 +0000

These pictures were taken approximately 29 years apart. It's me on the left; Sophie on the right. And yet we are doing the exact same thing.

Christmas 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Sophie: Daddy and I got TT a pair of slippers…so of course we had to get him a pair too.

***

My cousin’s son, Daniel, age 2. At church, right after our Pastor started talking at Christmas Eve service:

Daniel: Mommy, that man all done talking? I’m ready to go back to Sophie’s big, big house and play in her kitchen!

***

Upon seeing the presents under the tree:

Sophie: Wow, I must have been REALLY good this year!

***

Picture Highlights:

My mom holding Baby Abby

Chloe giving Daniel kisses

My pretty Mommy and Sophie with her new American Girl doll that she named Emily.

Sophie and Papa

Looking for trouble

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Crushes

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Sitting with her friend Avery (2^nd grade) at the kitchen table the other day:

Avery: Sally thinks Dustin is cute.

Sophie: Why would anyone think a boy is cute??

Avery: You’ll understand when you get to second grade.

Big Step

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:22:00 +0000

*written last night before bed*

This evening, just after our three month anniversary, Oh Jeffery! and I took the kids bowling. It was the first time they met and we had talked about it on and off – how we were going to do it, where, etc. We had already decided on a neutral place and bowling sounded fun. Honestly you guys? It couldn’t have gone better.

Even just telling Sophie that was the plan this evening, she was excited. I think she was just glad we weren’t going to the Y. So we played two games: first, kids against grown ups, and then boys against girls. We really had a good time and by the end of our little “double date,” well, see here:

Now of course Jeff and I just acted like friends and so that’s why Sophie didn’t think it was any big deal – it’s just like getting together with any of my other friends’ kids. Plus, she already adores Jeff, so…

I feel happy and content and like this is right.

Don’t get me wrong – I know as they see each other more, they will not always be in great moods and get along so chum-chum like they did this evening; just like Sophie gets into it from time to time with one of her girl friends when they can’t agree on what to do during a play-date or whatever.

But for now, it’s good.

Freaky

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:06:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Jeff received a voice mail from his ex as we were riding in the car together. He played it for me:
Her: Yeah, um, Ethan totally does not match today? And so I was wondering if you have enough clothes for him because um, I really need him to match on Friday because we’re going to [blah blah blah]…
Me: I cannot believe she just called you about that.
Him: Welcome to my life.
He’s a 7 year old boy. Do you think he cares if he matches???
***
Texting and emailing TT to coordinate Sophie’s Santa gifts. In a friendly way. And then her calling me because just two days ago Sophie suddenly added “Barbie dream house” to her list and both of us were like WTF?! And then her mom found one in her basement with the elevator and everything. (I guess her mom used to collect Barbies and saved them all). And next year, we are going to have to coordinate earlier because we got some of the same things and while she does have two houses and not all items are transportable, it sucks for the person who has her 2nd (them this year) if she opens all the same crap she already opened, do you know what I mean?

In fact, during one of these friendly email conversations, I threw in: “Are you dreading or looking forward to putting the house back on the market?”

I wanted to gauge her reaction to see if she really wanted to move or if it was all Jamie’s idea as I suspect. Her response:
“All that stuff is such a pain. Who knows how it all will play out.”
***
So I upgraded my AT&T phone to an iPhone 3GS for a penny. SCORE! But then I had the problem of what do I do with my iPod Touch I just purchased in April/May? And then I was bored and scrolling on Facebook and a friend of a friend was looking for one, so there you go. Sold. Fate. Timing. Sometimes it works out.
***
Sophie had her first sleepover at a non-relative’s house on Saturday night. It was a birthday sleepover and there were NINE girls including the birthday girl. Oiy vey. Brave mom, brave. Well, she didn’t make it. I got the call at 11:07 to come pick her up. Luckily, they live literally 2 minutes away from us and I expected this, so my “big plans” that evening were grocery shopping and cleaning.
***
Yesterday I dropped Sophie off at Daddy & TT’s for a couple of hours so I could go to Betty’s 80th surprise party. That lady is fashionable, let me tell you. So I met Jeff’s aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, brother and sister in-laws, etc. They were all nice, but the party, as you might expect, was rather boring.
***
I am an idiot. I don’t’ know how I did this but I accidentally deleted the pictures of Sophie with Santa from my camera card AND my recycle bin, BEFORE I copied them onto my hard drive (though I thought I had, obv.). So sad:(
***
I CANNOT believe Christmas is on Sunday. WHY does it always sneak up on everybody, even though we always know EXACTLY when it is??
***
Looking forward to my cousin and her family coming into town Thursday evening. They are staying with us and we will have a full house: 3 adults, one 7 year old, one toddler, and one baby. It should be fun!

That’s all I got.

Betty’s Feedback

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:11:00 +0000

Jeff: I finally got feedback about you from my mom.

Me: Oh yeah, what’d she say?

Jeff: Well I think my mom drunk dialed me for the first time ever.

Me [laughing]: You’re kidding; that’s hilarious.

Jeff: Yeah, she’s not anything close to an alcoholic or anything, but she does enjoy a drink now and then. And in my opinion, the woman is 80, so if she wants to get drunk at home, by all means…

---

This was their conversation:

Betty: Well Jeffery, I think you have a lovely, sweet girl there…though I do think she might be a bit too young for you.

Jeff: Well I guess that’s her problem, not mine! :)

---

Jeff: My mom does not give compliments easily, and that is the most complimentary thing she’s ever said about any girl I’ve introduced her to. She also asked if she would see you Sunday – I guess somebody spilled the beans about her surprise party. [80^th birthday]

I might have to start a new label here: “Things Betty Says” or better yet: “Oh Jeffery!”

Here He Goes Again…

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:17:00 +0000

So Jamie just told me that he’s thinking of putting his house on the market again. And I told him that there is no guarantee I will be here in my town forever. I can’t believe TT hasn’t been able to talk him out of it yet because if *I* were her, I would never want to leave their beautiful home and prime location.

He’s a Keeper

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:37:00 +0000

Not only did My Beau get a sign personalized to welcome me and Sophie home from the hospital, but he helped me out a great deal the other weekend.

He noticed that one of my car headlights was out, so he bought and replaced both for me. He replaced the light in my garage (that had been out forever), as well as all the lightbulbs that were out in my home (why do they all go out at once??). He brought over his extra outside lights for me to use since all of mine died. He wrapped my back deck in beautiful white lights for the holidays, without me asking him to do so (those too were dead). He went shopping with me at Walmart and when we got home, he unloaded all of the groceries, put the things that go in the fridge closest to the fridge, and unloaded the rest and stacked them on the kitchen counter-tops. When he is done eating, he puts his dishes in the sink. I once dated a guy (Birthday Boy) who asked me where the sour cream went after I asked him to please help me clean up the dinner I prepared him.

Jeff also helped me put up my fake tree, AND he strung all the lights on it. Oh, and he installed a smoke detector in my basement.

I told Jeff that I was talking to some friends about all the nice things he had done for me that weekend. He said, “I didn’t do anything nice for you.” He didn’t say it like, “I WOULDN’T do anything nice for you” or “I don’t want to;” he said it like, “I don’t remember anything SPECIFIC that I did for you this weekend.” And I told him all of the above. And he said, “Oh, that stuff is no big deal, I mean come on.” But you know what? It’s always the little things, right? Those little things that a person does for you that lets you know they care. I once read or once heard that “Nobody gets divorced over the big stuff; they get divorced over the soup.” Meaning, the little things add up. For better or for worse. I told Jeff the sour cream story and he laughed and said, “Come on – you’ve got to be kidding me. That’s just common sense!” It should be. Then he said, “Well, you make it very easy to be sweet to you.”

I know this is the beginning of our relationship and that we’re still trying to impress each other and I know that this could all go downhill because surely Jamie did nice things for me in the beginning (he did; he was very romantic), but please just let me be happy for the moment and not worry about the future.

If…

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:19:00 +0000

If you had told me in January of this year what 2011 had in store for me, I would have not believed you. I would have not believed that my mother would have a stroke; that I would get along just fine with Jamie and TT; that TT would be texting me to coordinate Sophie’s Christmas gifts; that I would voluntarily give Sophie up to Jenn when Jamie is out of town and I am in a bind; that my child was near death and I almost lost her; that I would fall in love.

What would you have not believed about 2011?

The Mystery of “TT”

noreply@blogger.com (Farrell) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:14:00 +0000

Well I think we may have FINALLY figured out the mystery of Jenn’s nickname. I have asked Sophie in the past, “Why do you call Jenn ‘TT’” and she said she didn’t know. I had asked Jamie as well, who said the same. Then I let it go. But people ask ME all the time why Sophie calls her step-mom ‘TT.’ Last night I randomly asked Sophie again and she said that when she was little she couldn’t pronounce ‘J’ properly so she just started calling her ‘TT.’ I don’t’ know if that’s a true story, or something Jamie and Jenn made up recently. I don’t recall Sophie having problems with the letter ‘J’ specifically, but I do know she had issues pronouncing certain letters and words.

I also know that my cousin David used to call me “Foo-Foo” since he couldn’t pronounce “Farrell.” (He also used to say he wanted to marry me – LOL). And my cousin on my dad’s side called our Grandma, whose name is (was) Pat, “Mirmar.” Nobody knows why or where he got it from…

Do you have a unique nick-name story you’d like to share?