Today's the Day!

Trish is on her way! I'm so excited. My sister is going to be here in just a few hours, and I can't wait to see her. She can't wait to see Quinn! Who by the way decided to stand up in his crib this morning. Great. Now we have to take down his mobile and drop his mattress as low as it will go. We already dropped it down once when we moved in. Well, I'm not going to write much today because I still have a lot to do before Trish gets here. I have to plan what to make for dinner, map out all the bridal shops in town, and clean up the living room a little. And I have baby clothes strewn all over my bed because he's moving up into a bigger size. I have to go through and pull all his too-small stuff and pack it away because Trish will disown me if she sees Quinn in pants that are too short. That's her pet peeve. Jalal says she's worse than DSS! She does love her nephew. I should go. Love, Us.

Happy Birthday, Quinn

Today Quinn is 8 months old. We went to a movie today. It was Quinn's first time at a movie theater. Can you believe that? I haven't been to a movie in probably 5 months. I love going to movies. So we went to Target and bought some necessities and then drove across the street to what we thought was a movie theater. (It wasn't very flashy, not like the Regal on Mall Drive in Charleston.) Jalal jumps out of the car, comes back, and calls work and says, "I'm not coming in until 3:00 today." I couldn't believe it. So we grabbed a quick lunch and then watched "Horton Hears a Who" in a theater all by ourselves. Quinn slept through most of it, but it was nice anyway.

So we all went to church together on Sunday. Quinn went into the nursery with Leah, the girl I hung out with last week. He seemed to have a good time. Service was nice. I'll probably still try a couple other places before we settle down, but Jalal seemed pretty comfortable there, too. The pastor followed up with an email and we got a phone call from someone there, too. Not too pushy, but friendly.

Well, I'm going to go see what I can find for dinner. I tried a new recipe last night, chicken with grape sauce, which was okay. Jalal is working tonight, so I don't have to do anything special. Maybe I'll just make a big spinach salad and leave the oven off in honor of Earth Day. It's the least I can do. Later. Love, Us.

Brownies

I just baked brownies. Now don't think I'm Betty Crocker or anything. The brownies were. I'm not. Hence the brownie mix. But I have a huge problem. Well, in the grand scheme of things I'd have to admit it wouldn't count as "huge," but it's my blog and I can exaggerate if I want to. Every time I try to cut brownies, and believe me, it's more often than I'd care to admit, they "tear." Does that make sense? They don't cut smoothly, no matter how long they've cooled or how well done they are. If anyone has a solution, please post a comment telling me how to cut nice even brownies. Jalal wants to take some to work, but I'm so embarrassed by the presentation that I won't let him yet. Solve my brownie quandary, please, and let me move on to more important issues, like where to put the shadowbox of a bathroom in the bathroom. That's another of my quirks. I have to have pictures of bathrooms--toilets, bathtubs, sinks--in my bathrooms. I have a cute little shadowbox that even has little cloth tissues in the trashcan. I'm a dork, but I like it. We have enough "high art" that I'm allowed a little dorkiness in the bathroom. And the kitchen. That's where we have the lifesize ceramic chef's head and hand that hold a bottle of wine as if he's drinking it. We love that thing. Jalal's mom, Louella, gave it to us, and it cracks me up. It only holds our most honored bottle of wine, which has been my bottle that I got in Tuscany the summer I graduated college. I'm saving it for a special occasion. (Wedding, anniversaries, birth of our baby, hmm...what else is going to happen that's more special than those??) I hope it is still aging nicely. Well, I do want to write about something more profound than brownies and kitchen decor, but I should really get some work done first. More later. Love, Us.

Mmmm. . .Saturdays

I have to admit, even if Mondays don't feel like Mondays anymore, Saturdays still feel like Saturdays. It's supposed to rain here all day, which will probably interfere with my plans to take Quinn to the community yard sale. Our whole complex gets together and has an annual yard sale. I'm sure I can find one or two things we don't need. Or as my dad used to say, something I didn't know I couldn't live without. Speaking of my dad, I talked to him the other night and was very frustrated. After 10 minutes of conversation, about us and what we've been doing, he says, "How's your leg?" I asked what in the world he was talking about. He said, "You just had surgery on it." I said, very patiently, "No, that was Trish." "Oh, I thought this was Trish!" Jeez. So when I said Jalal took the day off and we went to the zoo with Quinn, he didn't see anything wrong with that picture? So then he asks me how many days a week I go into the office now. I said, "Dad, I quit my job when I moved three hours away. I don't go into the office anymore. I don't work there." Ohhh! Good grief, Charlie Brown.
Well, I have gotten a lot of freelance work done this week. This is good because Jalal has the day off tomorrow. So I can spend the day with him instead of with the computer. Plus, Trish is still planning to come up next weekend. I miss her and can't wait for that. I have to map out all the bridal shops so we can have an organized plan of attack. Charge! (Or as Wilma Flintstone would say, "Charge it!")
Quinn and I met that girl from church, Leah, yesterday for coffee (or iced chai and lemonade in our case). We talked for an hour and a half. I feel like we got along really well. Jalal said he'll go with me tomorrow if his schedule doesn't get messed up. We can put Quinn in the nursery since Leah will be in there. I hope she likes me as much as she likes Quinn. I wonder how many of my friends with kids have asked that about me? I recognize a baby lover (stealer? Moi?) a mile away. Well, I better try to work while I can. After Quinn's nap, which he hasn't really started yet, I think we'll try to hit the yard sale. Later. Love, Us.

To the Zoo!

So yesterday Jalal actually took a full day off. Seriously. No meetings, training, or popping in for a few hours. We took advantage of the day together and went to the zoo. Greenville has a very nice little zoo only 15 minutes or so away from us. It was a little frustrating for me because Quinn didn't seem to SEE some of the animals. I don't know if it was hard for him to focus through the cages or look beyond the trees or what, but he did seem to enjoy what he saw. There were a couple of elephants, some giraffes, lions, a beautiful red panda that Jalal and I thought was just incredible, monkeys, and a family of orangutans. The baby orangutan, Bob, was so funny. He reminded me a lot of Quinn. He would play around, fall over, chase his mama. His mama was so sweet, too. She played peekaboo with him by covering up with a sheet and would help him climb up after her by pulling him up by the hand. She even gave her man a kiss on the lips as she passed by him. At one point, she came over to the glass where Quinn was standing and knocked her fists right where his hands were. He didn't really know what to make of it. It was so much fun.
We had lunch downtown and then came home to rest for a while. Jalal tried to take a nap while I worked, and he discovered just how hard it is to nap with the little one around. Not so much. Later I suggested we go find a bakery and get something sweet. I was hoping for something like Kaminsky's. We found someplace not like that, but it had a bunch of small pastries that looked amazing. We got a nice assortment--tiramisu (my fave), strawberry shortcake, cannoli, and something called a cake ball. It was like a chocolate ganache covered in a thick chocolate shell and mint candy sprinkles. Oh my God, was it good! After Quinn went to bed, Jalal and I settled in for the finale of the Biggest Loser. He asked if we were really going to eat pastries while watching it, and I said, "Absolutely." Mmm . . . no regrets.
Today was pretty uneventful. I worked for a while and Jalal did a lot of stuff around the house, including making a baked ziti (or masticcioli, I guess). He hasn't made that in a long time, so I was happy. And I didn't have to cook dinner! He put our big paintings up in the living room and the framed posters in the stairwell. Not only does it feel more like home, but our footsteps don't echo quite so bad going down the stairs. We also unpacked all of our liquor and wine today. Since we don't have a pantry here, they are lining the tops of the cabinets in the kitchen. It really makes us look like alcoholics, even though we almost never drink at home. Maybe if we did it wouldn't look so bad! Well, I'm going to go clean up the living room a little bit before I hit the hay. Good night. Love, Us.

Caught in the Rain

Quinn and I took a little walk up to the CVS to buy birthday cards for some people, and though it was a little chilly, I didn't think it was going to rain before we got home. It started sprinkling just as we left the store, but it never rained any harder than that before we made it back. Quinn fell asleep on the way home, so he never noticed it. He's still sleeping downstairs in his stroller, giving me a chance to work and update all our loyal fans. (Thank you both. Tee hee.)
Ever since we rearranged his room the other night and gave him some nice open space (and the monkey Ryan gave him--thanks Ry), he's sleeping much better. He's also started to eat table food on a more regular basis. Partly as a result of the high cost of baby food, and the fact that he loves chewing his Cheerios, we have started letting him eat bigger pieces of food, well, just pieces period. He had peas and turkey from the table last night, when we had a birthday dinner at Fiona's parents' house. And Jalal let him eat half his strawberry off his birthday cake. He was a very happy boy after that. This morning he shared a banana with me when he was still hungry after finishing a container of baby food. He ate very well, picking it up with his fingers and everything. He certainly is much happier eating what we eat, but I know we have to be careful about it, too.
Church yesterday was pretty good. It was smaller than I'd expected, which was nice, but still bigger than West Shore. It actually reminded me a lot of West Shore. It was casual for one thing, with almost everyone in jeans. They had a bigger band, with lots of horns, but the music wasn't nearly as rocking. And the drummer? Nothing on Willie West. (For those of you who haven't been there, if you go visit, you'll see what I mean.) I think I'll go back, but I also want to try a couple other places for comparison. I did have a few people tell me that they had a nursery and I was welcome to put Quinn there, but they weren't too pushy about it. He was very well-behaved. He only squawked once, during the sermon, because the woman sitting next to us smiled at him and he wanted to talk to her. She actually was very nice. We talked a lot and she invited me out for coffee this week. She's a nurse and was just in Charleston for the Cooper River Bridge Run last week. Maybe some of you even saw her there! I think I'll give her a call, maybe Wednesday, and see if we hit it off. She certainly fell in love with Quinn. Can you blame her? He's such a flirt! He squawked his way up and down the aisles of Publix the other day and everyone thought he was just the cutest thing! Never mind that you could probably hear him from a mile away.
(Didn't get to post this after I wrote it yesterday. Sorry.) Love, Us.

Church Shopping

Today Quinn and I are going to visit a new church. It's called Discover Church and it's just down the road. I'm excited and nervous. I have to remember not to compare it to West Shore, or I'll surely be disappointed. Finding something besides jeans to wear was a challenge, too. I am wearing a skirt, which I haven't done in a while. I feel lumpy. Oh, well. I'm not there to impress anyone. I better go finish getting ready. More later. Love, Us.

Señor Cranky Pants

I don't know what is wrong with Quinn today. Ever since he woke up from his nap a couple of hours ago, he has been so cranky. I've tried nursing him, tickling him, rocking him, walking with him . . . So far, the only things that have calmed him for any length of time have been distracting him with Cheerios and ceiling fans. I wish he could just tell me what he wants! He pushes me away, he pulls me close. He wants to lie down, he wants to stand up. He wants his paci, he throws his paci. This is so sad. Love, Us.

Saturday...in the Park (or Thursday)

So yesterday Quinn and I went to "Falls Park on the Reedy," the beautiful downtown Greenville park where the river comes through over some small but lovely waterfalls. We took a blanket, books, and toys and sat in the shade to play for awhile. I took Quinn's socks off and let him play on the damp grass, too. He was fascinated by it. And even though I made a special trip back into the house after I had forgotten the camera, I still left it sitting on the front seat of the car. Aarrgh! So I thought I would take a few pics with my phone (better than nothing, right?). I was shocked at how nice they came out! Maybe it was the natural lighting (or the natural talent), but they are better than half the pictures I've taken with our camera! There were other moms out there with their kids, and I actually got up the nerve to approach one woman. She had an 8-month-old girl who was gorgeous, but the mom didn't seem to take the bait, even after I told her we just moved here. Oh well. At least I tried.
So somebody took me up on my offer to have more visitors. Yay! Fiona and Tristan are coming up tomorrow (ostensibly to visit Fiona's family in Spartanburg for her birthday, but I know why they are really coming). That will be nice. And my sister, Trish, might come up in a couple of weeks to go wedding dress shopping. That is going to be so much fun. I can't wait! Speaking of weddings, I found this awesome dress and matching shoes (well, not matching, just coordinated) that I can wear to the two weddings we are going to in Charleston next month. The dress was $30 at Ross, and the shoes were on clearance for $22! I'm so excited I might even shave my legs! Just kidding, I already did that. I figured I needed the practice if I was going to do it two weeks in a row! (You think I'm joking? Sadly, no.)
So Quinn stands up as often as he can now. I was telling my future brother-in-law, Wade, about the experience of having a 17-pound baby trying to crawl on top of your head. It's not pretty, I promise. Plus he likes faces and he likes to pinch. Put those together. He has a habit of pinching my upper arm flab that I swear my sister taught him when I wasn't around. She'll get hers, don't worry. Well, I better get to work. Jalal should be home by five today and we're going out for pizza. Woohoo! Oh, and we found the Five Guys today. Thank God. I was getting worried. For those of you who don't know, Five Guys is a D.C. burger chain. You have to try it to understand. Let's just say we gave it up for Lent (along with all fast food) after I argued that it couldn't be fast food because it didn't have a drive-thru. I lost that argument and went for almost 50 days without it. Never again. ; ) Love, Us.

To Sleep Perchance to Dream

It's 5:30 a.m. Is Quinn awake? No. Am I? Obviously. I have no idea why I can't sleep. He woke up once last night, at around 10:30. I woke up at 10:30, 12:10, 1:15, 2:35, 4:10, and 5:15. I don't know what is wrong with me. I did have a horrible headache at 10:30, so I took something for that while Jalal fed Quinn. Since then, the headache has been gone, but I still can't stay asleep. I figured I could get some work done before the rest of the house awakes.
So just yesterday I wrote about Quinn's development and crawling. Wouldn't it be nice to have a chance to get used to one thing before another begins? Last night, while Jalal and I were eating dinner, Quinn stared at us (mournfully, hopefully) from his Exersaucer, practically begging us to feed him. Well, it wasn't baby-friendly food, so of course I wouldn't. (By the way, he had just eaten. He wasn't hungry; he just thinks he should eat what and when we eat. And considering his father, he's not the only one! Just the other night, Jalal gave him his first piece of steak. He was having prime rib and cut a small piece from the middle to let Quinn gum. I guess Jalal was tired of waiting for Quinn to get a tooth.) Anyway, I finally let Quinn sit on the couch with us while we finished eating. He started clinging to my sleeve like a little monkey. The next thing I know, he grabs my shirt up near my shoulder and pulls himself to standing! Convinced it's a fluke, I say, "Um Jalal? Come look at this." I sat Quinn back down, and he did it again! So what would any normal, rational mother do at this point? Who knows? I cried. It is so cliche, but he is growing up so fast! I was both sad that he was growing up quickly and incredibly happy that I was around to see it. My baby's almost eight months old. That is so hard to believe. I guess there's no denying it now. If only he would say "Mama". . .
Love, Us.

Monday

Mondays don't have the same sense of dread anymore. I wonder why that is? Oh yeah, I don't have to go to work! Well, those of you who know me know how absurd it is to think of me in the homemaker role, but you know what? I'm actually pretty good at it, I think. Jalal has been impressed with my dinners so far. (I tried to start off strong with meals of my own rather than just making the things he used to make.) Today I grocery shopped. I almost started a conversation with a woman who had a baby, but I chickened out. So I don't have friends here yet, but two friends from Charleston did visit us yesterday! Jon and Jo Ann came by on their way home from Atlanta and took us to lunch. It was so nice. Maybe someone else could come visit soon . . . Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Oh, and the big news this week is about Quinn. He's crawling! Officially, on his hands and knees, not falling down every other step, CRAWLING! Yikes. So now my little crawler has a cage. That sounds horrible. It's a gated play yard. He can have all his toys in it, and plenty of room to roam, plus he can still see and hear me when I'm downstairs. I don't have to keep taking the plastic bag of diapers out of his mouth (kidding) or pull him off of the TV set (also kidding, sort of). He's so curious, and it cracks me up how he would so much rather play with a cord than these brightly colored, musical, spinning toys designed to hold babies at rapt attention. What a waste of money! If only it were safe to let him play with cords and plastic bags, we'd be rich folk. He's also had two good nights' sleep in a row, thereby breaking the curse. (Oh yeah, and that nap the other day? 15 minutes. Better than nothing, I guess.)
Uh oh. I think I hear the little booger now. No complaints from me, though. That was a 2 hour nap! Later. Love, Us.

I Need a Nap!!

Well, it's another rainy day in the Upstate, and I'm exhausted. My darling child is on a roller coaster of good sleep, bad sleep. I think he's teething. I HOPE he's teething. Because Jalal is either coming home late or getting up early for work, I "graciously" offered to take Quinn downstairs last night and two nights ago. Last night wasn't as bad as Wednesday, but I still only got a few hours of sleep. Now I know truly what round-the-clock nursing is. It's the only thing that will calm him. Poor kid. I know people would tell me to take a nap while he's napping, but I feel like I have so much to do! I'm trying out the good-housewife role. It's rewarding in some ways, but other times it stinks. I SHOULD iron Jalal's work shirts so he doesn't have to do it late at night. I SHOULD figure out what to make for dinner in case I have to go to the store. I SHOULD work on my latest edit for Arcadia. But you know what? I'm going to see if I can catch a nap with Quinn. It won't kill me if the boxes stay packed a little longer and the dishwasher doesn't get emptied until later. Napping is what rainy days are about anyway. Okay, you talked me into it. Maybe I'll be so refreshed, I'll get twice as much work done afterward! Love, Us.

Welcome to Mauldin!

Hello friends and family! We had so many people suggest that we record our lives in the Upstate through a blog that we decided to do just that. So here it is. We have been in Mauldin (a suburb of Greenville, SC) for just a week now. For any of you who don't have the background story, Jalal got a great job with the Marriott in Spartanburg, and after a whirlwind few weeks, here we are in the G-ville area. We weren't too crazy about Sparkle City since we really aren't used to living in a small town.

Jalal has been with Marriott for three weeks, and he loves it. Well, mostly. He is having some staffing issues, but don't worry. He'll straighten them out! Everyone there is really nice and friendly, and of course, they all love Quinn. Big surprise. The little ham knows how to turn on the charm for the ladies. I am officially a WAHM (work at home Mom). I am freelance editing for Arcadia, my old job, for now and getting ready to develop some local contacts. I basically work during naps, which some days means lots of work and some days means not so much. The first few days sucked. There is no other way to say it. Quinn was very messed up with the moving, losing his routine, not having Daddy around for two weeks, and having Mommy in his face every minute. He didn't sleep well and wasn't too nice most of his awake time. Things are much better now. He is in such a good mood most of the time, and we love playing together. I spend tons of time just playing with him, rolling around on the floor, trying to teach him to clap, tickling him, teaching him to eat Cheerios, etc. I can't believe I missed this for the last four months!!! This is awesome. Okay, so I'm still exhausted, and I still don't have enough time for everything, but it is so very worth it. (PC Note: I admire working moms, stay-at-home moms, and everything in between, especially since I've now seen many sides of the role. All moms are incredible and overworked. I respect all of your choices and don't judge anyone.) There. Lest I be attacked by working moms who wouldn't stay at home if you paid them a million bucks, I wanted to get that out of the way. Anyway, between battles of cable hookups, misplaced phone lines, missing cookware, an empty fridge, too much emotional eating, and wearing the same (clean) clothes every other day, this has been one crazy ride. Welcome to our world. The sleeping giant stirs, so I must adjourn. Until later. Love, Us.