Obsessions of an Amateur Decorator

I am unashamed of, in the past, being obsessed with Martha Stewart, and her ability to take a toilet paper roll and turn it into something the First Lady would happily display on her mantlepiece.  Martha, with her lovely dishes and sheets, papers and stamps, and paints in colors like Persimmon Red and Aegean Blue.  Martha, the woman who built a garden into her rock wall, grew irises in her bathtub and planted a tree lined aisle for her daughters' future wedding when she was only 6.  When I bought my first home, I imagined a room painted Robins Egg blue with a Sea Glass Green accent wall.  Cornbread Yellow tassled pillows tossed decoratively onto my Denim Jeans Blue sofa, complete with Fresh Cream wooly throw.  Rosemary, thyme and parsley thrive in perfectly aged terra cotta pots in a clean sunny window. Black and white artistic photos of my family are arranged symmetrically on the walls.

Well we never even painted the majority of the rooms in that house, but I did do the bathrooms and master bedroom and that's when I discovered Pottery Barn. Ah, Pottery Barn. I found a catalog in the mailbox incorrectly delivered to me instead if my neighbor. It never made it to its intended destination. Roughed up, bomber jacket leather couches, pallet coffee tables, mercury glass vases, compass paper weights, and the lighting...oh the lighting! I coveted the chandeliers and accent lamps and sconces. I found an old, beat up chandelier at a junk store and 'Pottery Barned' it by spray painting it to look like hammered iron. I wanted it hung above the dining table but it never made it there. It sat in my garage, a sad reminder of projects started and left unfinished.

On Being A Mommy

I have always wanted to be a Mom. Specifically a stay at home Mom. Playing Barbies meant practicing for my future. I would stuff tissues in Barbies dress to make her pregnant. Her and Ken lived a blissful pink life on a bookshelf I converted into a makeshift dream house. Ken would go to work and Barbie would give up her many day jobs, including but not limited to, vet, doctor, president, secretary and McDonalds employee. That was the life I wanted, complete with pink car and perky boobs.

Well, here I am, years later; green, not pink car, less than perky, but awesome boobs. And best yet, I'm a Mom. After years of wanting and wishing, I'm finally a Mom. It's everything I thought it would be and more. This kid really makes my life complete. He's funny, sweet, cute as hell, silly and so amazing. It's been fascinating watching him grow, develop and learn new things. Just the other day we were at a store and I handed him a little conga drum to play with. He banged away like I did until he saw Curt. He had it tucked in the crook of his elbow and he was hitting it with a white mans overbite. Well Cooper wanted to be like Daddy so he tried to tuck it in his side and started banging it with one hand. It was the funniest thing! We play peekaboo and he's started yelling when I say "peekaboo". I'll go "ahhhhh...peekaboo!" And he'll go "aaaaaa...da!" He has started holding my phone up to his ear and saying "uh duh?" He'll have conversations, holding the phone upside down and backwards. He loves Skype and speaker phone conversations. He gets very excited when I pull out my laptop and very upset when Bamma or Nana doesn't appear on the screen! Cooper has learned that Curt is Dada, and when Curt walks in the door Cooper gets excited if he can't see the door he'll yell "dada?" Curt will say "what's up buddy?" and Cooper will start fast crawling into the living room      to see him. He 'asks' about Curt too. He looks at me and says "blah blah blah Dada?" None of it makes sense but the Dada is very clear. Where's my Daddy? he asks. I tell him as though I understand exactly what he said. "Daddy is at school" I'll say and satisfied he will go about his business. The most mundane things he does for the first time are by far my favorite things. Putting a lid on a container, trying to plug my phone cord into the right spot of my phone, trying to put his hat or shoes on. It's these little things that people tend to overlook. They watch for the big ones: teeth, talking, walking. Yes, those are amazing! First step? Don't get me started! But the first time he watches you dip a waffle in a cup of syrup and then dips his waffle into his yogurt? Amazing. Just amazing.

Incubation Time: 9 months

I loved being pregnant. When I saw those 2 pink lines I just about peed my pants. I was thrilled, scared, excited, and terrified all within a 2 minute time period. We decided to take weekly pictures which would never be shared with anyone because I was fluffy to start. We took one naked belly and one clothed. I wasn't one of those sexy pregos. It was a little hard to see my bump until it was a good sized bump. I got stretch marks in spite of my efforts with the belly butter. Big ugly purple ones. My boobs, which were already big to start, got even bigger. My first trimester I was nauseous every day. Most days I could only war pineapple, watermelon and Cheese Its. I was determined to only gain the weight the Doctor told me to gain. I lost 10 lbs that first trimester. What?! You can lose weight while prego? Yes! Even if you're not barfing your guts out. Everything smelled horrible; butter, milk, Saltines, you name it, it smelled bad. 

Flash forward through feeling better, eating more, and terrible heartburn. I'd get heartburn thinking of eating. My big cravings were for peanut butter and jelly sammies and Arby's sauce. I would drive out of my way to get Arby's. I was in massage therapy school while pregnant and I have too say that getting massages and spa treatments while prego is the way to go!! 

The first time I felt the baby move I cried. Then I called Curt, my Mom and his Mom. I was late for work but when I told my supervisor why she cried too. Then it was game on. This kid was David Beckham and Greg Louganis all wrapped into a fetus! He flipped and flopped and kicked...all at night when I was trying to sleep. Curt would put his hand on my belly and the stinker would go all quiet and still, only to start back up when Curt gave up and moved his hand. 

I will skip my birth story. Most people don't want to read about that. Cooper came into this would with his eyes wide open. When Curt put him by my face I tried to look at my new baby but he was too close! I told Curt " he's too close!" Then I saw him. Dark blue eyes, brownish red hair, wrinkley face. I fell in love. I kissed his head over and over. And I haven't stopped yet. 

New Mommy Alert!

So much has happened since my last post over an ion ago.  We had only been here in Kent for 7 months, and now here we are a few years later! How funny that I'd vowed to keep up on blogging and didn't! I wonder how many bloggers say that? Well I'm not making any promises but I do feel like I've got things to say, so here's to a fresh start.

In the past few years I have, in this order:

1) Found a job! I worked as an office assistant for a company called Cimtech.  It was a great opportunity and I really enjoyed my time there.

2) Had a baby! After a few years of infertility with the ex, I'd lost hope that I'd ever have children. But a miracle happened and I got pregnant! I loved being pregnant; feeling nauseous, tired and uncomfortable, oh god the heartburn!! It was all worth while to feel my baby move inside me, to see him on the ultrasound machine, to hear his heartbeat at the non-stress tests (it sounded like a horse galloping underwater), and to finally see his face, touch his skin, kiss his head, look into his eyes, hold him in my arms...words can not express. I quite literally can not describe how I felt about all those things. Any adjective I have in my arsenal pales in comparison to how I actually felt and feel still being Cooper's Mommy.

3)Gotten engaged!  Curt and I took his parents on a paddle boat cruise in Seattle.  I was in my first trimester, it was HOT, we had to walk half a mile from the light rail station to the boat, there was nothing to eat but hot dogs on the boat and I was starved so I risked it! We were sitting on the side of the boat on the way back to port, enjoying the sights when Curt kissed my head and told me he loved me.  I turned to him and said I love you too and realized he was on one knee with a ring in his hand.  Totally romantic!!

4) Attended and graduated from Massage school! Yes, I am a Licensed Massage Therapist and spa specialist.  I can do Swedish and deep tissue massage, a little shiatsu, Reiki, chakra work and a blend of other energy modalities, I can do body wraps & scrubs, foot treatments, Aromatherapy, hot stone massage, have experience with Ayurveda and plan to open my own Spa.  No, I do not perform happy endings.  This is such an insult to me and my profession.  I still don't understand why my friends and family think this is funny.  This isn't Thailand or Las Vegas people! I am fully license through the State of Washington Health Department.  I completed 800 hours of schooling that included anatomy, physiology, pathology, etiology, and many other -oligies! I am not a masseuse. I am a Licensed Massage Therapist who has to complete continuing education to maintain a license I purchase through the Health Department of the State of Washington.  *steps off soap box and takes deep breath*

5)  Received a Bachelors' Degree in Metaphysical Sciences!  I am currently finishing up my thesis to receive my Masters' Degree.  I have really enjoyed attending the University of Metaphysical Sciences.  I've learned so many new things, and expanded my knowledge base on things I already knew lots about.  I look forward to utilizing this degree in the future. 

I've had so many big things happen in the past few years!  In 5 months, we move back to Walla Walla to start our lives over again.  I really look at it as a great opportunity to be who I am meant to be, I just need to figure out who "she" is!  I look forward to new experiences, new friendships, a new business, new clients, and lots of other new things!

Til next time...hopefully it won't be too long! :o) Jen

Homesick...

It's been 7 months, officially, since we moved to Kent.  I had wanted to move out of Walla Walla for years.  I wanted to see new places, meet new people, do new things.  Now all I want to do is go home.  It's funny how no matter how long you live somewhere, it never really feels like home.  There is so much more here! A $3 movie theater, that on certain days has $1 popcorn or $1 candy.  Broadway theater shows, like Phantom of the Opera or Sound of Music.  Stores, stores, stores! Nordstrom Rack, CostPlus World Market, IKEA. More restaurants than you could eat at in a lifetime, all nationalities like Vietnamese, African, Indian.  Beautiful lakes, beaches, forests, parks and long, lazy, scenic roads.  People of all nationalities, speaking languages I've never heard, wearing clothes I'd only seen on TV or movies.  The most amazing library system ever, you can get a book sent from a library in the next town, and check out any book on any subject. 

But I still want to go home.  It's funny how a pile of magazines and homemade cookies can stir it up.  A note from Gramma, a call from Mom, reading the goings on from Facebook posts.  I miss the sun, ya, me the one who gets a sunburn just thinking of going outside.  I miss the fact that it hardly ever rains, and when it does it only lasts like 10 minutes.  Here it rains non stop some days, and the sun hardly ever comes out.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not ungrateful.  I enjoyed the fact that it only snowed once and lasted a week.  I enjoyed that it rarely dropped below 30 degrees.  I love that it's still green in most places, granted it's mostly moss, but still, it's green! 

What does Walla Walla have to offer that's so great? Well besides friends and family, of course, there's the familiarity.  I can get into my car and go to WalMart without a GPS.  I know where the best Chinese food is, (Pacific Express) and the best Mexican food is (9th St El Sombrero).  I recognized people, like the checker at Albertsons that has worked there for like 30 years.  Terry on his bright yellow bike waving at everyone.  Going to Lorenzo's for the cheese buffet, regretting it, and wishing I'd never ate there.  Wandering around WalMart with Curt at 10:00 at night.  Taking Roxy to the Dog Park so she can not play with the other dogs and bark at strangers.  Driving down Gose Rd by the onion field in late summer, and suddenly getting a craving for sour cream & onion chips.  Klickers strawberry shortcake on the deck at Grammas.  BBQ chicken in Mom & Dads' backyard.  Dad offering me a 3 year old Mike's Hard Lemonade.  Working, living and spending so much time with my brother that the urge to punch him in the face eventually turns into 'hmm, maybe he IS funny afterall'.  Dollar Store shopping sprees, Pizza Hut and a movie with Kim. 

I've been feeling homesick a lot lately.  I missed Thanksgiving and Christmas for the first time ever.  I missed tacos for Mom's birthday, the birth of our best friends' baby, and KrumKake cookies.  It's hard not to focus on what I miss, and focus on what I have here.  Curt and I are both going to school, we're working hard to make a great future.  We live in a house, no some crappy apartment, with a pretty good view and an amazing walking trail right off our driveway.  We have found some roads that we'll ride the bike down this summer, and maybe explore some new dog parks with Roxy.  We'll hang out at our table outside and work on some fun projects together.  We'll BBQ, and plant more in our garden.  And hopefully things with start to feel more like home...well, temporary home anyway.