Taken from Jason Boyett's blog, and filled in with my very own answers.

What I was listening to when I began this post: the hypnotic squeak of Bean's swing as he's pretending to not be on the verge of his afternoon nap

What I am drinking right now: Dr. Pepper and melt-y ice

What I have just finished doing: catching up on reading emails and blogs for the day

What I will do immediately after posting this: work on Pondered chapter two

What books I am reading now:
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
The Children's Book by A. S. Byatt
Full of Grace by Johnette Benkovic

Last email/text I received: a confirmation of an article I forwarded to a fellow writer

Last email/text I sent: a link to "Authors Guild Launches Amazon Buy Button-Tracking Program" from Publishers Weekly to a fellow writer


Last article I read: "Authors Guild Launches Amazon Buy Button-Tracking Program" from Publishers Weekly


Favorite Super Bowl commercial from last night: the Google ad, hands down. Saw it on TV, watched it online, and got teary both times. It was a great story arc, showed the search engine features, and let both speak for themselves.

Least favorite Super Bowl commercial from last night: it's a tie between any of the GoDaddy ads and the Dodge Charger ad. I think women are more than sexy selling-points and balls and chains, aren't we?  Come on.

Biggest Super Bowl commercial loser: Bob Dance; you bought multiple ad space for your commercial, but I think you'd have done better with your regular commercials instead of making a new one. Sorry, Bob. It wasn't funny on its own, let alone next to some of the high-larious ads by the big companies. Better luck next year.

What I just looked at right now: a Taco Bell napkin on the table

What I was listening to when I finished this post: the hypnotic squeak of Bean's swing as he's pretending to not be on the verge of his afternoon nap and the dishwasher finishing its cycle

I've been trying to take it a bit easy this week.  But moms still always have stuff to do, so here's my list for this week.

• Get ready for Gma P11 to visit (she'll be here Tuesday after supper)
• vacuum/mop the floors
• put away our laundry
• clean the bathroom
• Bean's six-month checkup (Tuesday evening)
• Make my skirt (I bought moss green jersey fabric and gray thread recently to make a circle skirt; I just have to get the elastic I need for the waist.)
• Follow up on my chest x-ray (if I don't get a call by Thursday)

This week, please pray with me that:

• my aunt and uncle, who each had carpal tunnel surgery on Friday, will recover quickly.
• family members who are traveling will return home safely.
• my test results come back soon so I can find out what's going on.
• I can receive the writing grant for which I'm applying later this year.

Six months ago today, I was at the hospital because Bean had decided was not, in fact, waiting until the 17th to make his grand appearance.  He was in a hurry, and I was blessed to have a quick and easy birth experience (about thirty minutes from the time Hubby's family was sent out of the room because it was time to push until Bean was born).  He was, of course, the most beautiful baby ever born, and I couldn't believe I could hold him in my arms and hug him and kiss him.

When we first went home, I was a little overwhelmed.  Of course, I was ecstatic to have him home, and I knew (basically) how to take care of him, we were new to each other, and I was learning what his cries meant, and he was learning how to communicate with me.  We fumbled through those first weeks together, I healed pretty quickly, and Bean pretended to have a routine that we stuck to.  (Let's be honest. There was no routine.)  And as he got bigger, things got easier for us, and for our relationship.  He did fall into a routine, I found I knew what he needed when he fussed or cried or wiggled.

Yes, I was awake at all hours feeding him and changing him and cuddling him back to sleep.  I was lucky to get a shower every other day, I didn't keep up with laundry, and I had to set reminders in my phone to make sure I ate regularly.  But in return, I got to spend my days and nights with this beautiful, perfect little baby boy with bright, curious eyes, and a heart-melting smile.  I got to feel his warmth as he fell asleep in my arms, and I was blessed enough to get to see his very first smile.

The weeks seemed to fly by.  He smiled more often, and then he was laughing.  He started making sleepy noises in the swing during nap time, and now he talks all the time.  He could hold his head up on his own, he could roll over, and then he was pulling himself on the floor, eager to start crawling and sitting up on his own.  It was suddenly Christmas and he met Santa, and we read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to him for the first time.  He got new toys for Christmas, and kicked his feet in excitement when he saw the bright colors of his jungle play mat and the package of rings to play with.

Now he has preferences of toys, food, playtime.  When I lay with him by kissing his neck to tickle him, he gets me back by opening his mouth wide against my neck and making noises.  When I feed him he'll yell and hit the high chair tray if I'm not moving fast enough.  At bedtime, I lay him on his back, and before he falls asleep, he rolls onto his tummy and tucks his feet under him so his bottom's in the air.  Sometimes when he wants attention, he'll make a noise like a fake cough to get a reaction.  He's learning cause and effect, which means he kicks his feet in his bouncer in order to get it to bounce, and kicks his jungle mat's bumble bee to get it to sing.

He's on the verge of sitting on his own, and on the verge of crawling.  He's a happy, healthy baby boy, is still absolutely the most beautiful baby that ever existed, and is six months old.

Happy half-birthday, Bean!  Thank you for all the joy and love you have brought to my life.  I love you!

I went to the lab for bloodwork today.  I'm definitely glad I made an appointment! They were busy today, and even my appointment ran behind. I can't imagine how long I would've been there had I simply walked in.

Hubby went along with me so he could watch Bean. It was relieving to not have to worry about holding him still in my lap while the technician was drawing my blood. I was especially thankful for that today since this particular technician had a bit of trouble finding a vein (and my veins roll to begin with!).  I have a nice, big bruise on my arm already.

Bean was very good during our excursion.  A couple of months ago, we'd have had to deal with him screaming in the car after about ten minutes.  Today, he only got fussy toward the end, and that was because he was ready for a bottle and his afternoon nap.  He was great!  He played with Papa in the waiting room, looked around at all the people smiling at him, and watched curiously as a toddler waved to him and said "Hi."

When we got him home, he was glad for his swing and a short nap.

We got home just in time, too.  There's quite a bit of bad weather moving through the state, and we got home just before the sky opened up with rain.  So we're planning a nice, quiet evening at home.

How has your Friday been?