Just got back from an ultrasound. My, the kid has filled out! He has these cute fat little cheeks. He was hiding somewhat so we only got a left side profile. He was moving around pretty good, but we could never convince him to look straight at us. He's estimated to be 2 pounds 30 ounces. Holy crap, he has about 5 pounds to go!! I look like I swallowed a basketball as it is.

I made a comment earlier about how parents acclimatize their children to spicier foods - especially when they live in a culture where foods tend to be more spicy. Well, I got a mini-lesson on that last weekend.

I have mentioned Jason, Jessica and their almost-two toddler Summer before. Summer is the child that made friends with Vasquez while they were over at our house. Jason is a fulltime employee of the Army Reserves and Jessica stays at home with Summer. Jason is a skydiver and Jessica comes out often to be with her husband. I love it when she brings Summer because everytime I see her she has developed more and more an individual personality.

Anyway, they are from Mississipi, are not exactly rich, and both have noticable Cajun roots. While we were all at the Mexican restaurant Saturday, I was fascinated by Summer's ability to eat Salsa. She was really packing it away. Her mom told me about Summer's grandma making Cajun shrimp and how Summer just packed them away. Apparently it's just what you're used to.

I like watching them and their kid because Jessica doesn't seem to be burdened by that need to be a perfect mama. Summer is energetic to the point of being rambunctious, but she is not a hellspawn because her parents won't let her cross certain lines. Poor Jessica gets worn out trying to wear Summer out but still she won't let the kid get away with murder. Neither will Jason.

Jessica did get hit by a drive-by mom Saturday: she was noticably upset when a wife of a skydiver made a rather nasty comment about something not worth mentioning (and something that in no way endangered Summer!). I really wanted to bitch-slap that mom (so did most of us at the dz). Jessica is a wonderful mom and is doing a good job. I can only hope I'll be that good.

In similar thought, I am wondering if I should make my own baby food. Not because of the perfect mommy syndrome, but because it could be cheaper plus it will have a bit more flavor than the Gerber stuff. If Jon and I are eating something not too outrageously spicy, how hard would it be to put some in the Cuisinart and puree it? Just a thought - I must do some research.


Happy St. Paddy's day! In the immortal words of John Belushi:

Well it's come that time again, St. Patrick's Day has come and gone and well the sons of Ireland are basking in the glow. When I think of Ireland I think a lot of colorful Irish expressions like, "Top of the morning to ya," "Kiss the barney stone," "May the road rise to meet ya," "May you be in heaven an hour before the devil knows you're dead," "I'd like to smash you in the face with my shilelagh" "Danny-boy," "Bhagora," "Wail of the banshee," and "Whiskey for the leprechauns, whisky for the leprechauns." But the expression I think most people identify with the Irish, is, of course, the luck of the Irish.

The luck of the Irish. Sure. Let's say you're in a pub somewhere in Ireland, oh, anywhere in Ireland, some guy comes up to you and says, "Hey is that a bomb on you I hear ticking?" And then BAM!!! Your small intestines are on the ceiling and your brains are on your car across the street. That's the luck of the Irish for ya, who's kidding who, okay?

Let's talk about the bad luck of the Irish, all right? How about this, POTATO FAMINE!! How about that? It scares them, doesn't it? Well it should. That's why they came here in the first place. So they wouldn't have to work in the potato fields. That's why they became politicians, priests, and cops. Luck? Gimme a break...

Argh I want a Guinness!!