Bye Bye, Olympics, We Hardly Knew Ye...

So last night I'm ironing and thinking, okay, I can have the closing ceremonies on in the background. But NO, that was not enough. I quickly realized the giant human flame tower, the 8,748,994 costumed dancers and, yes, the many MANY flying people they whipped out for the closing, required much more of my attention than I could split with ironing.

I hate to think what it cost and how many people that could feed or clothe or do something else more productive with. But G.D., China had some STYLE. They were preparing that for nine months. THAT IS HOW LONG IT TAKES TO COOK A HUMAN! Their ceremony was probably more refined/elegant, though, I betcha. No offense, kiddo.

I also can't believe it's over. Kind of relieved - last few days of track, diving, BMX didn't have the same hold over me as swimming and gymnastics and volleyball. But it was comforting knowing that it was always on, and since it is so limited and special, well, it was just kind of this "thing" going in our household at all times for the last two weeks, probably like everyone else.

It is also very mentally tied in my mind to the arrival of this kiddo. So now that it's over, I SUPPOSE SOMEONE WILL TAKE THE HINT and come on out.

Unless, God help me, I hope she's not timing her delivery to the wrap of the Dem convention.

Da Duh DUH

How many Law and Order reruns can one person watch while beached whaling it on the couch in late summer, late pregnancy?

Answer: A LOTTTTTTTTTTT.

To be clear, this is a step up from what my husband would select if allowed (he's not). Which on Tuesday nights, are all the new (and probably not long past this summer rerun season) Japanese game show related shows.

I suppose he considers them a cultural version of America's Funniest Home videos (his fave, YES, I know) given there's lots of falling down. I am not a huge physical comedy person myself, and could do without.

Though Matthew is pretty funny pointing out every 30 seconds, "He fewl down! He fewl down, Mama!" Yep, they all do, honey, it's in the contract.

I Thought I Grew Up When I Stopped Watching the Real World

But I realize I have not because I am still addicted to bad reality TV. As evidenced by the fact that I just got up, left the room where my husband's watching TV, so I could come into the bedroom to watch the second episode of the night of Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood.

It's odd how simple demographics can make you feel like this (crossing my two fingers together, ala we are tight) with B list celebs you have never met. They have a toddler son and are expecting (well, now have, as of June I guess) a new daughter just like us. Also they were moving in the middle of her third trimester.

Thought interspersed with discussions about Tori's jewelry sales on QVC and what color to choose for their real silk tailored curtains and how many millions they can afford for the new house...well, the rest of the discussions could be right out of house.

When you're pregnant no matter who you are or what hot sh*t life you lead, there's a lot of boring and leveling talk about contractions, doctor visits, eating too much, gaining too much weight, and, if you're pregnant with #2, how are you gonna manage it all. Former 90210 mogul daughters are no exception apparently and I find some odd comfort in that.

Though I do know, oh yes, that it's so wrong to watch it and especially to justify it and philosophize about it.

Why You Need a Flat Screen

Because even the scary awful shark show looks so cool I'm forced to watch it and learn stuff.

So far I've learned how to not buy a bathing suit with a pattern that tempts sharks to eat me.

On My Mind

I wanted to tell you guys something I've been thinking about a lot lately, that I've come to realize is actually really very important to me. I don't know if you'll agree or not, but I feel I have to share.

Here goes:

SUMMER TV BLOWS AND IF I SEE ONE MORE MADE UP "WATCH PEOPLE EAT KETCHUP THROUGH THEIR NOSE" REALITY SHOW OR THE SAME G.D. CSI WE'VE SHOWN YOU 8 TIMES OR ANOTHER UPDATE ON HEIDI AND SPENCER, I'M GOING TO SMASH MY FANCY NEW TV THAT I SWEAR TO GOD, HASN'T VIEWED ONE GOOD PROGRAM SINCE WE BOUGHT IT LAST MONTH.

I hope you are with me, but if you are not, well, we will just have to agree to disagree. I feel very strongly on this important matter to myself and my family. Thank you for listening.

And if it's a help to you and yours, my husband and I find comfort knowing that, with September and the blessed arrival of my daughter, the just as blessed arrival of new fall TV will shortly be upon us, praise be to NBC, Tina Fey and Steve Carrell.

I'm Not Superstitious, Just a Little Stitious

Obviously, I'm posting post-Office premier. And what a perfect entre Mr. Michael Scott gave me.

Although I'll also share my alternative name, "Whew! Parts 1 and 2."

Because I am happy to report that I am finally on the other side of several doctors visits and basically two rounds of tests, and have a clean bill of health. Well, more or less. Okay all that sounds worse than it really is.... but hey, this is the dramatic build-up, savor it.

So I know now that I don't have diabetes, after two rounds of blood tests. My first results "tested high" so my doctor asked that I come back after fasting 12 hours. It was apparently totally fine the next time. I think my first results were affected because I hadn't eaten all that day (a rarity) and had just downed a protein bar on the way to my appointment. So maybe that spikes your blood sugar (nurses???) Thank goodness, because I was all prepared to be totally outraged that I'm at the healthiest weight in 15 years and NOW I'd have it? Anyway - Whew #1.

For #2 ... the reason I had the first blood test was so my doctor could make sure nothing was wrong systemically, after I went in about my Dead Leg. Kinda like a peg leg, and I enjoy saying it and feeling like a pirate. Anyway, my Dead Leg is the combo of the left side of my left calf, which is basically numb all the time now - ditto for the right side of my left foot. It (the numb spot) runs down and crosses over my ankle and foot and up my toe. Since June. I noticed it just before vacation. By late August, and two months of the peg leg, I thought, hmmmm, maybe we just better see what's up doc.

Multiple sources guessed - and I believed - that it was probably just a pinched nerve. But it didn't go away and so I finally thought, well, just WHAT IF it's not. And knowing that if something was wrong, it's with your nerves, well, it's just not a comfortable situation.

After visiting my nice new doctor (thanks, Cara!) he said right away it probably wasn't anything serious and immediately agreed with the pinched nerve vote. However, he referred me To A Neurologist Just To Be Safe. Umm, scary!?

That appointment was Tuesday. It's been over a month since I got the referral and made the first available appointment. A looong month. With my mind going to the worst case scenarios the whole time. Naturally. I practically had Matthew an orphan by the time she finally walked in to the exam room Tuesday.

She administered "a full panel of neurological tests" which apparently means wiggling my piggies, playing pattycake and giving me a drunk test (follow my finger with your eyes...). Not exactly the technological breakthrough I'd wanted to confirm I was fine. But she ultimately did not disappoint. Today I went back for follow-up tests: electromyopathy and a nerve conduction study. Which consisted of little pokey needles and electric shocks.

So from about 9 to 10 a.m. today, first she buzzed me, then she poked me. I totally prefer the buzz - seeing your leg kick up is pretty cool, and it's an uncomfortable feeling but not bad. Needles, however, are needles. Plus she has to not just stick it in there but WIGGLE it around, and sometimes it makes that muscle cramp (YES SHE WAS TOUCHING MY MUSCLE, EWW) . But it's neat. She could see with the electric shocks where the "blockage" was, and with the needles, she learned that my left foot and toes were a little weak due to having the blockage for a while, but my leg muscles were not weak at all and overall, there's not really any damage.

So I no longer have a Dead Leg, I have a "perineal obstruction at the fibular head." Or to you lay people, a pinched nerve on my left outer knee. And I need surgery on it.... (insert violins).

I suspect it will be orthoscopic and I know that it's outpatient, with very minimal recovery time needed. My doc said it was "no big deal." Naturally I am disappointed that I have to deal with it, but ... I know I'm lucky there's nothing really wrong with me. I am officially very very grateful it wasn't anything serious which for whatever reason I was worried it was. (Hence why I didn't post about it before, hence I wanted to feel reassured first and now I do ... hence, I am apparently a little stitious.)

GOD I LOVE TV (and fall)

Watching re-runs of The Office on TBS is the BOMB. Not only do they run them back to back with NO breaks and no I'm-not-watching-The-Office-sadness for even one minute. But the first night I discover they run them ... it's the put-Dwight's-stuff-in-Jello-episode. Love it!

AND NOW I WANT TO SEE THE NEW SEASON RIGHT NOW!

Thankfully I don't have to wait much longer. The new TV season is a-comin'. Yet another reason I LOVE this time of year.

Here are a few others:
Talking walks is finally a habit I can sustain during fall. I love how it smells, how it feels. I have so much more energy. Tonight the Fam took a walk together. I was practically sprint-walking. It almost feel like I could have RUN (don't get crazy people, I did NOT). Mike and the dogs were eating Matthew's and my dust.

Fantasy football's in full swing. I am already more into it now that my first week was solid and I am a (very close) fifth behind my better half.

We are coming up on October which brings Danny's first birthday and our anniversary. For the former, it'll mean another road trip to Chi town and seeing friends and family. For the latter, it'll mean at least a few hours out on the town for Mikey and Aimee to take in a nice dinner and a few toddler-free (love you, honey!) hours as Aunt Kim's already graciously volunteered to do a Matthew night.

It also means probably a few fun friend outings, like the balloon race at Forest Park this weekend, or next month maybe the wineries, or a trip to the Jones lake house. It also hopefully means at least one traditional fall golf outing to Wolf Hollow. I HOPE!

(And it means the end of one and eventuallye two of my giant projects. So I've got THAT going for me, which is nice ...)

Basically, despite working crazy hours and never having enough time to do half these things I'm dreaming about, just walking outside into crisp weather this morning, and legitimately wearing a cute fallish sweater instead of scraping together another summer outfit, made me very happy this morning. In fall, that's all it takes!

Realizing from the Television that I Am Blessed

Now I'm quite certain, what with my whining about being "sooooo BUSY" lately, the last thing I should have done the last two hours is what I did. Which is watch two hours of Tivo'd Babies: Special Delivery which airs on the Discovery Health Network.

Now, I only learned about this show as I was setting my "Baby Story" Tivo Season Pass this weekend. Because I have decided it's time to get reobsessed with that show. And NO it's not because I'm pregnant or close to it but YES it is because I'm heavily thinking about that topic just lately again.

Again: NOT pregnant or close to it, YES have babies on the brain. Okay ...

So Babies: Special Delivery was right there winking at me in the alpha list of shows to be Season Passed and so I did and WHOA what a fascinating show. In two shows I saw like nine families undergo what might be some of the most traumatic s-h-t-you know what that you can. Your TINY infant, in some cases your FETUS basically is born and needs immediate urgent care. In some cases the MOTHER is at risk as well and is swarmed with doctors checking her LIFE AND HEALTH.

This is instead of just getting to sit there and bask in your "I made a baby!" glow and have nothing more to fret over than the "Should I try to breast feed in the first half hour? Can I finally order some room service? How CUTE IS MY BABY?! How soon do I get my push present?" stuff most of us get to enjoy.

Even if your birth experience is less idealic or like a few friends of mine, even nauseous, barfing and in pain from your C-section ... I imagine some part of you is still elated knowing your baby is HERE and is off being cared for or maybe even being snuggled by Daddy. And in all cases is healthy and well until next you cuddle him.

But not these new moms. They and the dads (and to some degree, entire waiting rooms full of families) are as worried as worried can get.

It makes me think, in order:

How lucky I am to have has such an easy birth and healthy newborn son and overall, great pregnancy experience.

How much emotion and fear and just - EVERYTHING - my friends Renae and especially Eileen, who have had babies in the NICU in the past year and a half, must have felt. Renae's Max was there for about 10 days and Owen, closer to a month, I think. (Sorry guys if I have those dates wrong.) It's a whole different world to experience your newborn and becoming a parenthood, in that NICU, with the not knowing what's coming next for your baby, your sweet teeny little thing, and the wires, beeping, machines, nurses, and constant and I have to imagine, sometimes just piercing, worry.

And how lucky I am that Matthew today is a healthy, strong little boy growing up right on track. We just had our 15 month appointment with Dr. Jagler tonight. Aside from discussing how do we begin to tackle discipline, and are we ready for only one nap? I had nothing on my mind worrying me, and she was extremely happy with him. And he was happily driving his truck over the wall and loving life. The way all kids SHOULD get to be.

I think of that, and then compare it to the sweet beautiful little baby I watched tonight on TV that was born with spina bifada, who had to have surgery to basically tuck his spine back into him, in his first hour of life. In a specialized children's hospital across town from where his recuperating from her C-section mommy was.

I don't mean to get all drama, for people I don't even know, on a carefully edited to tug at the heart TV show. But it really was emotional watching what some of these little babies had to go through in their first few hours of life. And watching what ALL the parents went through, fearing for the worst but hoping for the best. I guess once you've had a little baby pull at your heart, you just can put yourself in their shoes (to some degree) and just ... imagine what they're feeling.

It makes you wonder why some people go through what they do. And it makes you stop and THANK GOD or whoever you please, for your 100% healthy little baby snoring in the other room peacefully.

And to realize that you don't KNOW from stress until you have a sick child.

Okay, that was my upper post for the day. Anyone want to talk about clowns or rainbows or puppies riding on unicorns now?

Oh My Stars

Some of you know my interest in celebrities and gossip. Even though it's embarassing, it's there and I embrace my love of US Magazine and celebrity heartbreak and scandal and "Celebs! They're just like us!" photo spreads. And my God, the celebrity pregnancies...

Imagine my thrill when my friend Tina in San Diego informed me she got to attend the MTV Movie Awards in LA Sunday night. She and her friends were "seat fillers" aka cute and hot and fun and charmed the pants of the MTV dude. (Tina, I am awaiting a picture to post ...)

Upon my request, she provided an excellent detailed run-down of her celebrity sightings and observations. It was too good not to share:

mandy moore’s butt is huge. it almost knocked me out of my seat.

fergie is really much prettier in person – she is really short. she said hi to me on her way out of the bathroom. Cameron is pretty and tall too and really lean and tan but her personality was annoying. I expected them to have smashed in looking faces but they were pretty. Jessica biel wasn’t all that, but Jessica alba was. josh Duhamel is HOT.

heidi and spencer from MTV (Laguna Beach or the Hills???) are little tiny people with tiny tiny narrow builds. They are really pale and annoying. they sat two people away. Laura Conrad from that show is very very pretty and tall and skinny. The real world cast was really snobby and annoying.

paris is tall and skinny and walked right by us. she was actually really pretty. paris went to jail right after the show.

it was really neat to see jack Nicholson and Johnny depp. Johnny is a hermit and stayed back stage the whole time.

Rob from Rob and Big (MTV) is really really short but gave off a fun, nice vibe. the rappers were totally thugged out. Aly and AJ (sisters who sing) looked like 80 pound hookers with perfect hair.

will Farrell is hairy and ugly and big. rihanna is beautiful.

Now, I do have a hard time believing Mandy Moore's butt is that huge.

At least I hope to dear GOD it's not. Because I can't imagine what label might be applied to the rears of the rest of us normal human beings if Mandy freaking Moore (whose work I have been admiring on the Entourage Season Two DVD) is that big.

(By the way, Entourage is probably my favorite show. Makes HBO more than worth having post-Sopranos.) (Sniff, sniff.)

I hope this up close and personal celebrity information thrills you as much as it does me. And if it doesn't, and if you even think maybe I'm acting like a starstruck 16 year old girl, well, like, whateVVVVERRRR.