Wednesday, Oui? A Year of Toby

Last week Toby turned one-year-old. I can't even begin to describe how much this little man means to our family; to us.

He is everything I could have ever asked for, and more.

I'm an educated woman with many titles, roles, licenses, and certifications. In the professional world, I pretty much have the entire alphabet after my name. None of those titles even come close to "Mama" which is, by far, my favorite role.

Over the past year of Toby's life, I took pictures of him every month on the 23rd (and pretty much every day.) Before he was even born I had a dream of compiling a slideshow of him for every year of his life. I made his slideshow a couple of weeks ago and Aaron and I watched it on the eve of his birthday. We were both a total mess. Time goes by too fast.

One year of Toby isn't nearly enough. Oui?

Please click on the link below to see the "first edition."

Toby's first year slideshow

Top Ten Tuesday

Ten things I love about Aaron:

1. He loves to cook: I never have to cook if I don't want to, and he has never used the excuse "I don't know how to cook" (grrrrr). He usually always has dinner ready when I come home.

2. He doesn't mind doing laundry: I used to hate it, so he always did it, but now that we have our side by side front loaders (part of the reason I think he was so supportive of us spending the extra money ;) I like to do it.

3. He accepts my quirkiness, my reservedness, my sullenness, my silliness: He accepts all things Jessi.

4. He is always supportive and on my side; my #1 fan: I never have to worry about him not being a stand up guy. If someone is disrespectful or in any way hurtful to me he prepares for a fight. He sticks up for me to anyone. This is something that is very important to me as need to feel like my partner is on my side.

5. He is family oriented, in a balanced way: He loves spending time with his family and friends, but it never interferes in our life, our plans, or our personal time together. He is a big family man, but he also is great about balancing time with my family and his. Not all holidays have to be at his house and he absolutely loves my sister (which would have been a deal breaker.)

6. He has accepted, with open arms, two pesky chihuahuas: Two chihuahuas that compete with him for my attention (and he usually loses.) He has also accepted, without complaint, that sharing a bed with me means sharing a bed with me + chihuahuas. Additionally, God bless his heart, he has accepted my diagnosable neurosis about the health and well-being in regards to the canines.

7. He lets me have the nice stuff: I get the new car, I get to choose everything to decorate the house, I get the remote, I get to pick the restaurant, I get the window seat, (etc., etc.,)

8. He calls me on the carpet: At the time it happens I don't like it too much, but he has absolutely no issue letting me know when I am being rude, ridiculous, off the wall, absurd, or too hard on myself. Let's face it, I need discipline.

9. He lets me have my independence: I can go out with girlfriends, I can go away for weekends, I can have every meal of the day with my best friends, I can choose to do something with them instead of him (even if he wanted to go) and he is nothing but supportive.

10. The number 10 thing I love about Aaron: The fact that this list seems entirely too short and this was so easy to write. I could go on, and on, and on.....

Move it! Wednesday, Oui?

Aaron and I like to do mean funny things to each other, pranks and the like. We have our own little games, sayings, and codes that we speak in; things people would never understand. Most of which I would never (ever!!) share here as they are much too personal.

One thing we do (still) is hide 'Baby Shrek' (if you don't remember that click here.) Lately, however, something else we've begun doing in engaging in "sleep wars."

On most days, Aaron gets up before me. I know I've written about it here, and here, but when it's a "normal day" and he's getting ready for work, he finds the need to ask me a million questions, open and close the same drawer a million times, and iron-- loudly (it sounds impossible, but trust me, you can iron loudly!) So, naturally, to get back at him I instigate when he goes to bed early-- when I'm still awake.

One morning he was exceptionally loud so, as I was lying in bed-- fuming, I formulated a plan. I decided to use one of the newest Happy Meal toys we recently acquired to aid me in my mission (it seems the toys I get in Happy Meals make their way into our life in some function-- like 'Baby Shrek.')

I apologize for the poor quality of the video, but you get the jest...

It's truly the most annoying thing, ever-- but so-help-me that little guy is kinda cute ;) I love to wait until Aaron is almost asleep; he'll be all snuggled in, cozy in the blankets and I'll hold the little animal above his head and flip the switch. LOL, he jumps a mile! Serves him right for being a bull-in-a-china-shop every morning.

All is fair in love and war. Oui?

Wednesday, Oui?

I'm back, and back on a Wednesday... go figure. The blogcation is officially over and I missed you all.

So, to start anew, (it will probably be a while before I take another break) I will begin with a video that makes me laugh, and laugh, and laugh.

I truly apologize to all who are sick of hearing about the puppies. All I can tell you is, well, too bad! They are my Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday Oui.

The back story to this is as follows: Every night when I get home from work I do the same thing. I change my clothes while playing with the puppies. This night, Aaron caught me in the middle of it with the camera (as you will clearly see I am still buttoning up my pants at the beginning :)

Bing LOVES to play.... Manny LOVES to be a spectator.

Enjoy! It is, after all, Wednesday, Oui?

Cinco De Manny

Dear Manny,

Exactly three years ago today you came into this world. Originally you were purchased as a gift for your brother, Bing, but once you came home I can't imagine a time when you weren't my little guy.

When you first came to be mine, you were completely unruly and hyperactive but, your tenderness made your misbehavior adorable. I love that, at times, you challenge my authority but are so obedient in other ways. You always come when asked and hardly ever have an "accident." You are such a good boy!

I love that you wait for me to enter a doorway first, out of respect for the pack leader. I love that you let your brother lick your face and ears, I love that you insist on sleeping with us every night, I love your short snout and your sausage body, and I love that you roll on your back so I can scratch your belly.

Your mouth, at times, is completely relentless, and while I suspect you may have an eating disorder, I intend on helping you overcome these struggles. I know before you were mine your puppy-hood was less than optimal, but you are in a place now where you will never be hurt and never run out of food. Plus, here with your Mama, there are endless supplies of kisses and hugs. You are so independent yet so needy, and when you look at me, it makes me feel so humble and loved.

When you run down the stairs to greet me, that electric tail wagging, I forget all my troubles and am transported to a place where all that matters is us. Never, in a million years, did I think a 10 pound Chihuahua would make me so happy, vulnerable, and tender.

You and your brother are two of the most important things in my life and I understand the responsibility that comes along with being your Mama. I laugh when I read articles that warn dog owners against treating their pets like humans. I don't know what else to do, you are my son, and I can't imagine not giving you top-of-the-line-star-treatment.

I know you and Bing depend on me for love, food, and shelter but; you will never understand how much I need you.

I love you. Happy Birthday to my youngest super-canine.

XOXO,
Mama, Daddy, Bro-Bros and Sis-sis.

Sick & Tired of being Sick & Tired

I have been terribly sick, on and off, since Washington. I started to get a sore throat in D.C, and haven't really stopped to rest since I got home. Thus, I am behind in my blogging and was forced to leave work early today.

I tried to go in to take care of a few things, but after 5 hours my boss insisted I leave. I don't think she could stand the sound of my scratchy voice for a minute more, as I was trying to carry on "business as usual" through coughing fits, nose blowing, and a whispery scratch of a voice. So, here I am, pondering some updates (although, I did bring home some work- shhhh! hehehe) and I realize I also need to get you all caught up to speed, as I have neglected our blog in my lapse of health.

I will be writing several updates today, but I'm not sure if I will post them all at once. Perhaps I will do it a day at a time (just to keep you in suspense.)

One of my best friends, Alli, called me yesterday and she said, "Are you sick again?" I said, "Yep." and she said, "Haven't you been sick since, like, 1904?" and I replied, "pretty much."

I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why I have been getting so sick this year. I got my flu shot, and I am pretty healthy; eat healthy, work out, try to get sleep...then it occurred to me... somewhere, in the United States, a 20-year-old girl is using my immune system to fight cancer.

Well worth having a porcupine in my throat, wouldn't ya say?

Taken in Washington DC, Tuesday night.

I have mentioned, several times before, that I am fiercely independent. I work, no matter how yucky I feel, but when I am at home sick, you might as well get me a little bell because it is the only time I allow anyone to fawn over me and I eat it up by the spoonful. I watch "sick movies" (movies I watch when sick: Overboard, Dirty Dancing, Long Kiss Goodnight, and Beetlejuice) and I eat hundreds of orange Popsicles. Not red, or blue or purple, they have to be orange, and for some odd reason I like it when people talk baby talk to me when I'm ill.

Weird and diagnostic. Hmm, perhaps there is something there? Now I am going to psychoanalyze myself. ;)

Aaron, just called to check on me (he is doing yardwork at this Grandmother's house in Manchester.)

J: Hello? (Barely a whisper.)

A: Baby? Oh my God! How are you, Baby?

J: Okay (meekly, feebly, and milking it for every penny, as I write a progress note on a client I just saw)

A: Well, I will be home soon to take care of you. Did you put in a "sick movie?"

J: Not yet, but I'm going to.

A: Okay, Princess, I love you and I will be home very, very soon. Do you need anything? Orange Popsicles, soup, anything?

J: No, I'm okay. (just a spoiled brat.)

February Vacation wrap-up, Aaron's 30th

We got back from North Conway late Wednesday night. I had work on Thursday, but Aaron had the entire week off because it was school vacation for the Manchester School District. I left him a list of chores to do, one of which was to bring the sexy cat for a hair appointment on Friday, which he did; Rocko came back a new man.

Come the weekend, it was back to celebrating. Aaron's birthday was Monday, March 3rd. His 30th birthday. I, of course, had big plans for him. We woke up early and went out for a big breakfast, then off to get a couples massage, it has become a tradition that he gets a massage on his birthday. What a great time, boy oh boy did we need it, just laying there for an hour at the mercy of a massage therapist after skiing, ice skating, and hiking just days earlier was heaven.

After an hour, we managed to peel ourselves from the soft blankets and heated table to head to Boston. The Molloy's and myself had made reservations to take Aaron to the Medieval Manor. OMG, if you haven't been there, it is a must see. Jim, Aaron's dad, called ahead of time and got Aaron's name on the King's menu. I will explain exactly what that means later.

The Medieval Manor is a dinner/show combination. When you get to the castle you are put in a "holding tank" of sorts where you buy booze and wait for your party to be called. When they call you, you're let into the courtyard of the castle and seated near the "stage." The person who is your server is also a member of the cast, and they give you a certain number of tokens. The tokens correlate with the number of people you have in your party (we had 6). Each token represents a pitcher of beer or a carafe of wine.

You get 6 courses, all of which you have to eat with your hands. YOU DO NOT GET SILVERWARE and if you ask, they will humiliate you from the stage. You have to request the King's permission to go to the bathroom, or the right is earned by a member of the audience. For example, Aaron had to do the "I'm a little teapot" dance on stage in front of everyone to earn the right for the entire restaurant to go to the bathroom.

The show is actually really amazing. The servers/actors do a great job of putting everything together while still serving you, it's a comedy, and the tap is flowing. The show is really interactive with the audience, and they keep it really small. We made our reservations almost 2 months in advance!

The best part was poor Aaron. As I said, Jim got his name on the King's menu so all night they were announcing that Aaron was turning 30. At one point Aaron had to go up on stage with another girl who was there for her bachelorette party. They were asked to put their hands behind their backs and given a long loaf of french bread to have a sword fight with. How does one have a sword fight with a loaf of bread with one's hands behind their back??? You can figure that one out. Needless to say, Aaron's long sword defeated the bride-to-be easily. He broke her ill-equipped loaf by his skillful ousting with his well endowed bread. The King called him "the poster child for Viagra" I got the whole thing on tape, but it is way too long to post here.

Matt & Nelson (it isn't too hard to figure out which one is Aaron's brother!)

Linda Molloy

Jim Molloy

Aaron, getting his "teapot" on.

Aaron, at Matt & Nelson's, half-in-the-bag.

We had an amazing time, and drank way too much. Later, after the show, we went back to Matt & Nelson's to drink more and have some cake. I provided the cake, Aaron wanted this gourmet $30 dollar cake from a french pastry shop, so we had that (I am usually pretty stingy, but for Aaron's 30th, I spared no expense.) Matt & Nelson put penis candles on the cake and it was hilarious. I have attached a video of Aaron "blowing" out the candles. Nelson's dad makes wine, has a small vineyard, and large wine cellar (what a shame ;) Later, we went to the cellar and Linda, Jim and myself had some moonshine. Yikes... one sip of that and I was two sheets to the wind!

On Monday, Aaron's actual birthday, I made him a nice meal and more cake for us! Whew, I better stop eating like this! Between Aaron's birthday and our mini-vacation, it was a week to remember!

I packed Aaron's lunch for school.

Poor Aaron had to go to work on his 30th.

I worked a short day on Monday to be sure I was home before him to prepare everything!

A wasteful Wednesday, Oui?

"Yesssssss, a penny!!!"

I am so torn. I don't know what to post about this lovely icy day. It's not that I have a lack of material; I have too much material. I could post one of the perfect days from my vacation, I could post about my exciting plans for the weekend, or how happy I am to be back in the blogosphere posting and commenting on blogs.

The purpose of my Wednesday Oui? has always been to post about something that makes me smile, laugh, or feel good about life. Honestly, I have 10 vacation/birthday postings in "draft" waiting to be published, all of which are wonderful, and all deserved of 'Oui' status. The fact that I can't decide what, out of a million good things, is the best of them should be the Oui, but I know my readers would kill me if I didn't elect one of the best things.

So here goes. This will make you and me smile.

I cut Aaron's hair. He likes me to do it, he trusts me, and I do a great job. Mainly I cut his hair for three reasons:

1. I worked in a salon when I was in grad school, so I know a thing or two about a thing or two.
2. Aaron is too cheap to pay for a haircut and too busy to schedule time out of his day.
3. He REALLY likes it when I cut his hair and beard.

Recently, after cutting his hair he asked me, "how much money did we just save?" I told him, "about $20," and he said we should go put that $20 in the bank (he is all about saving $ lately, which is great because I am the same way- but he has become pretty obsessed with the prospect of (as he calls it) "buying me a house"(like I am going to be the only one living there) so he literally gets all giddy when he finds a penny in the parking lot at Blockbuster, "Yesssssss, a penny" [true story] he's been watching househunters on TV nonstop, and making a budget, as seen below)

I'm not so much worried about the $20 for a haircut, or the penny at Blockbuster... It seems he wastes much more than that!!!!! ;0)

And just so you know... the story behind the chapstick... Aaron is obsessed with chapstick. He always has one or two in his pocket. Always. Including when his clothes go into the washer and dryer.

We're officially on vacation, so tonight begins our blogging break. We will be back in the blogosphere before you know it... until then enjoy our slide show.

XOXO

Dancin' Pants

Watch this one first...

And Aaron's response.

WARNING: the following clip contains vulgarity and sexual content.

There are more of these videos in my archive, but only one other from this night that I am willing to share. Stay tuned.

Addicted to Love

So, I have been working crazy hours at work lately, which partly explains my lack-luster blogging. When I get home I am just so tired and wired; and when I wake (my prime blogging time) I don't have the energy.

Last night when I got home from work, an hour and a half late, I was overtired and crazy silly. I was feeling HATEFUL, and I decided to torment Aaron with the camera, getting several good videos, some of which I will share here.

Aaron, completly exhausted too, is trying to coax me into making the grocery list and I am just not into it. In his moment of weakness, he admitted to his "problem."

And, no Aaron does not have an accent. Often, we will just speak in accents for no reason (mostly when we are tired or silly.)

This is why I should never have kids

1. I have a sick sense of humor.

2. I love my dogs way too much.