storing a profile photo

storing a profile photo
Originally uploaded by nylonthread.

how can I get this on my blog profile? IE won't let me, but I'm trying, darn it.

OKAY!! I figured it out (with kellygo's help)! Hopefully it'll stay put now.

By the way...

I did not go pumpkin picking this Saturday. We stayed in until 11:30 a.m., then I returned clothes at stores (took over an hour of driving, parking, strollering to store, returning clothes, back to car, etc). I dropped the kiddiewinkies directly at their grandfamily's house (what Rosie calls my folks' place) and zipped back home to whirlwind-clean our place for what amounted to a dinner-party-book-group. It's really never anything less when AJS is cooking.

I had so much fun! All our friends who came over brought stuff, had a great time in the backyard with the nice weather and ate the yummy food.

I want to ride SOMETHING!

rosiendashonnahorsie
Originally uploaded by nylonthread.

Rosie likes to be non-specific when she makes requests. For example, if she wants Daddy to let her eat chocolates, she'll say, "I want somebody to give me something brown to eat!" So, when she told me "I want to ride something!" when we were out for a walk, I really didn't have a good reference for what she meant. This photo is what she meant.

Dashiell and his overalls

These overalls that Dash is wearing deserve a post. He received them as a gift for his first birthday from some long-time friends of ours, who knew about AJS's long-time obsession with monkeys; they also bought a Hawaiian shirt for Dash, which is another AJS trademark, so I was tickled by the fact that they remembered these facts about Dash's daddy and was satisfied with the nice gifts.

However, just last week, I was up-close and personal with these overalls while Dash was wearing them and noticed that the little embroidered monkeys had little embroidered bongos that had tiny little embroidered NAMES on them! The names are about 1/8" high, but they are there. They say "NICK" and "NORA". Nick and Nora are a reference to a married couple from a series of stories/movies called "The Thin Man". The original movie starred Robert Powell and Myrna Loy and was filmed in the 1940s, I think.

Anyway, to tie up this anecdote, here's the kicker: the original book entitled "The Thin Man" was written by Dashiell Hammett, a crime-fiction author whom Dash is named after. So, not only does this pair of overalls have his daddy's favorite monkeys on it, but it has a reference to his daddy's fave author as well!!!

This Saturday Looms...

I am suddenly a little leery of all that we have planned for this Saturday, which is creeping up on us. Not enough to cancel anything (yet) but circumspect. First, I'm taking the two wee ones to a farm destination to pick pumpkins around 10 a.m. I'm intimidated by this checklist on the Cox Farms website. It seems to assume that I am trying to lose my children? Next, several friends and their children will be coming over for our monthly book group meeting around 4. I'm hoping that AJS will have the food cooked and our place will be reasonably clean by then... And then! I asked a co-worker of mine to come by to hold down the fort in the evening, because we are planning to go to a party about 2 miles away that starts at 9 p.m. The kids usually are asleep by 8, so she should be just able to watch tv in a quiet house, right?

Man, wish me luck. I'm tired already just thinking about it.

photos from our end-of-summer beach trip

I took the kids to Rehoboth at the end of September along with my sister and dad. My dad was THRILLED to be introducing his adored (and only) grandson to the Atlantic, one of his great childhood loves. You can really feel the elation in this image of them both. However, Dash was a little circumspect about the crashing waves; he was a good sport, but it was hard to be sure whether he was enjoying himself.

Here's a photo that Auntie M. took of me and Dash, playing it cool.

And I can't leave without posting Auntie M. with Rosie and her freshly created unicorn, Vella (most creatively named by Rosie, herself). Vella was "born" at at Rehoboth store (most certainly a chain) called "Wacky Bear Factory". Woo.

yet another blog about the kids...

I have another webhost where I've been putting tidbits in about the kids, but I'm really not that thrilled with the look of it and find that, really, I'm getting 90-day notices that my site will be shut down instead of actually posting. So, here goes for actually posting. One of my plans is to move some of the info/photos over from that site and put them here. Because I've NEVER had a notice from Blogger that they are shutting my site down, and I have a couple of blog titles here that I haven't posted to in literally years (but can't bear to delete them).

Today is picture day at the childcare center and I spent a significant amount of energy this weekend (and need I say $$?) buying them clothes worthy of a professional photo shoot. The background for the photos is a academic-look, with dark wood, earthtones and leather-bound books. So, I bought them crazy-bright colored outfits with clashing patterns that have brown backgrounds. Hopefully, it will be cute. I took a pic with my camera this morning; maybe someone can help me decide whether the combo is adorable or vomit-inducing...

About vibrant neighborhoods...

Here is one of AJS's typical rants about DC complainers:

Well, that's the thing about living in a vibrant neighborhood.

You can't switch the vibrancy "off light" like a light switch. I think it's a riot that you have people moving into condos on 17th Street in Adams Morgan and they're shocked, shocked! to hear noise coming from nightclubs. Same with those who move into condos above K Street in Georgetown and complain that there's, like, this noisy freeway in their backyard and try and get it torn down. These people could move to a farm and complain that everything smells like manure.

9/18/2006 12:34:00 PM

I was working for a trade association near the World Bank in DC

When one of my coworkers told me that a plane had hit the WTC, my response was “You know, I just watched a documentary about air travel and they said that pilots rated the JFK airport in Manhattan as the scariest in the nation - someone probably missed the runway or something.” Obviously, I have no idea where things are in NYC. When the second plane hit, we were all just glued to the television, trying to absorb the info. I had the odd vision of how all the post-apocolyptic science fiction shows that I ever saw - you know the ones I mean, that have cityscapes with bombed-out skyscrapers and uninhabited tall metal buildings with holes in them—were wrong. When those buildings collaped, it was horrifying.

When the third plane hit the Pentagon, it was a shocker because my mom was working there that day!! I told a few co-workers who asked, “oh my god, are you freaking out?” But, strangely, I didn’t have any worried feelings about her: my immediate response was, “I really think she’s okay and just having the adventure of her life.” We all ran up to the roof to see the black smoke that was visible from our nine-story building.

After a while, management told us that we could go. Since I lived in the city, I offered to take two of my co-workers back to my house so they’d have a base until the Metro opened back up. As we were leaving the crazy building manager told us to stay in the building because the next step in the terrorist attack was going to be bio-warfare—they wanted everyone to be out in the streets! We ignored him, I retrieved my bike (I used to be able to bike to work; sigh), and we started toward my house. I must have had 5 or 6 people offer me cash for that bike while we walked!! All cars were at a standstill. Only pedestrians and cyclists were making any progress.
I finally heard from my husband around 11 a.m. —he worked near my parents’ house in NoVA and just decided to hang out there until things cooled off. I didn’t hear from my mom until around 3:30 p.m. She and a bunch of coworkers were in a training room when they heard a loud noise which they all assumed was a bomb. The lights went out and one guy (who has since received a medal) took charge and told them all to follow his voice and stay close to the floor. They eventually found their way, joining others along the way, to a Pentagon exit and decided to walk to the National Airport Metro because nobody really knew what was going on and of course the Pentagon Metro was closed.

When they arrived at the airport, of course the Metro was closed there too, and they had found out that it was a plane that had hit, not a bomb. They were all lost and confused about what to do next and how to get home, so a few folks wandered back out to the GW Parkway. A chartered coach bus stopped for them and asked if they needed help; after they told him where they had come from, he offered to drop each and every one of them off at their doors, no matter where they lived, at no charge. That’s why I didn’t hear from her until later.

My mom had a friend who left her purse in the room where the training was; she never was able to retrieve it. To this day, my mom wears her purse everywhere and doesn’t put it down unless she’s inside a house.

There have been a lot of memorials at the Pentagon over the last few days. I wish everyone who is still suffering from the effects of that catastrophic day can find peace.

Fate strikes again!

Happy birthday, Ms. Nylon! Here's your birthday horrorscope:
IF TUESDAY, JULY 18TH, IS YOUR BIRTHDAY

Be ready to move at a moment's notice because changes will happen so fast over the coming 12 months that if you are not on the ball someone else will get the benefit of opportunities that should have been yours. There won't be time to analyze the situation before making a decision. Think fast, act fast and, above all, be first.

Oddly enough, I just started a fast-paced job, so this horoscope is really hitting home...

Happy Birthday to "the Guv'nor"

Happy birthday to Dash! Cancer's Birthday Reading:

You'll do very well this year, speaking out to large groups of people. Be careful what you say. You might be elected into office.

Our FL trip, from the perspective of a baby carrier

Dash is at least 22 lbs now (1st birthday next week!) and I've got him in the hip carry position in my wrap. Earlier this month, we were traveling with the two kids and our flight was cancelled. While we waited over two hours for the airline to release our luggage (and gate-checked double-stroller!!), I carried my beefy little guy in the Maya wrap the whole time as he wanted to be bounced, rocked, or slept in it while we waited. We traveled from 9AM that day and didn't get home until 4AM the next morning. He was in the carrier for over five hours total that day. The only resultant issues on my part were heat rash all over my torso, due to an inadequate A/C system on the plane/airport and carrying a sleeping heat generator on my side (he's like his father -- as soon as he drops off, he starts to heat up and sweat). My back was just fine!! And the Maya wrap fabric is strong but very light -- it contributed very little to the heat issue. A great option that I discovered on my trip: using the wrap as a tether!! If you run the rings on the Maya wrap down the fabric so they snugly wrap around your child's torso, you can hold the end of the wrap and let your child toddle around without running off. Fabulous!

My oversized, puffed-up head (thanks to Kelly)

I just wanted to store this quote from Kelly somewhere, because I didn't want to lose it and this is a good a place as any. She just made my year with this one:

Ms. Nylonthread is the queen of seeing the bright-side without being cloying. She's the empress of the silver-lining reality check. She's the goddess of the good-time, and we're all so very lucky a Ms. Nylon exists. (Not that she doesn't have a dark side, too. His name is AJS.) (HA ha hahahahahaha!!)

About 1 child vs 2 (rose-colored glasses? check.)

I may be deluding myself, but I feel like I'm being a better parent with two, because I'm *not* totally focused and beamed in on Rosalie. I don't think she really benefitted from our parental-hovering-weirdness while she was the center of our world. We're a lot more relaxed about her going off on her own and don't freak out so much about the little stuff. (And she seems to have fewer long-lasting, screaming meltdowns now that she has to consider how they affect her darling Dash.) Sure, she gets less attention from us than she used to, but isn't that good preparation for how things are? Sharing, waiting your turn, playing nice with others, and delayed gratification are all necessary, valued habits that develop straight from having a sibling.

When do babies start entertaining themselves?

My friend Jeff's wife is expecting and told me that they weren't planning to arrange for daycare because his wife (who is a full-time, self-employed sculptor) works from home. Yikes! I had to call Kelly and tell her about this naive thought, so we could chuckle knowingly ;-). We once were that unaware ourselves!! Ah, those blissfully carefree days...

Kelly said she clearly remembers the day when I excitedly called her to tell her that I was doing dishes and *15 whole minutes* had passed before I noticed that Rosalie wasn't demanding my attention and I found her playing alone in her room! Our daughters are 1 year apart and Rosie had just turned two. At the time she was saying, thank god, it really does happen!

Mother's Day, revisited

Looking on the bright side of Mother's Day, which is worth it (not in any order):

1. I have a lovely new watch; a gift from AJS
2. Rosie made me a neckace and bracelet of multicolored beads that she insisted I wear all day (and proudly told everyone that she made them by herself)
3. Kelly bought me *LOTS* of plants and Rosie and I planted them
4. Dash danced to everything
5. We hung out with 5 wonderful friends and 4 of their kids, ate their food and made chocolate chip cookies
6. AJS makes me laugh
7. AJS made me a breakfast omelette and coffee
8. Rosie loved Kira's dress and did pirouettes in the grocery store because she felt pretty
9. Thea cheered up after sitting in my lap and hugging me for 5 minutes
10. AJS did a load of laundry, took the recycling out, and unloaded the dishwasher
11. Rosie and I baked muffins together while bread baked in the breadmaker
12. I read a few more chapters in a good book while Dash napped
13. I watched part one of Grey's Anatomy's season finale!
14. Dash loves everybody and gives them happy smiles
15. Rosie did her best to keep Dash from eating more than a small amount of Molly's cat's food
16. Thea, Mia, and Rosie had squealing good fun chasing each other around Molly's house and hiding from Todd under the furniture
17. Liam was so happy playing in Molly's lap that he looked like a caricature of a happy boy
18. Mark has awesome new knee-high leather and metal superhero boots
19. Rosie knows to say, "calm down, Daddy" and it works
20. AJS and I agreed that despite all this, Mother's Day isn't all it's cracked up to be, and should stay indoors when the next one comes around.

Rosie's first visit to the dentist

Rosie had her first dental appointment Friday morning and did great! Well, not at first, really, but eventually! We brought along a baby doll, which in retrospect was genius. All the tools were tested out on the doll first. Hah! Rosie was timid about the whole visit and I really did my best to smooth things over. When she didn't want to sit in the big exam chair, I offered to lie down myself and she could sit on me. She almost balked altogether at the cleaning until the hygeinist offered her a new Ariel toothbrush. Hooray! She let her brush her teeth with the Ariel toothbrush and the ice was broken! All tools were allowed in the mouth. It helped that Rosie could pick her favorite color (blue) from the plastic tips available, and her favorite flavor (purple grape) from the special toothpaste. Mr. Thirsty, a blue vacuum tool, was a subject of chatter for weeks afterward.

I think we were both put off by the singsongy voices that everyone in the office put on. It was annoyingly creepy to me, but I thought, well who knows, maybe they know what they're doing?Thank goodness we made it through and all 20 of her teeth are fine.

The good and the brain-dead

Well, Dash has been walking for almost two months now and he's getting really good at it! Which means that while he's still in the infant room at daycare, he looks and acts like a very short toddler (throwing off prospective families who tour the center). So, I talked with the center director and they'll be transitioning him to the toddler room on May 15th!

This center has only been operating for two years so far and they told me that, at 10 months, he is the youngest child in their history to move up so early. But everyone agrees that he's ready. His best friends are turning one and moving to the toddler room so we think he would be sad without them and bored with only babies around. Not to mention, such a mobile child could potentially be a hazard to really young babies (he's very sweet with them though).

On to the brain dead. I was putting away some winter woolens in our cedar closet that holds seasonal items and clothes for specialoccasions and came across something shocking. Taped to the plastic garment protectors that cover some of my most expensive evening dresses was -- get this—a beebee gun target. With holes shot through it. And holes shot through the plastic garment protectors. *&^@$#!! Ever since we moved from DC (guns illegal) to Virginia (guns legal) AJS has been buying, repairing, and eBaying beebee guns. So, he was testing one of them out and shot from across the basement into the cedar closet. He was NOT even thinking. Do guns make men turn into 10 year olds? AAAArrrgh! Luckily I don't think there's hardly any damage to the fabrics (many dents in vintage velvets), but OMG.

Backyard BBQ connections

It's funny what a small world it is -- yesterday at our bbq, two of my friends (in their early 40s) were/are both drummers in punk rock bands and they were bonding like schoolboys! I knew that they were both drummers in the back of my head somewhere, but I was compartmentalizing them (John= neighbor, builder, father of three; Todd= Kelly's husband, real estate assessor, father of two) and forgot to mention the important stuff when I introduced them: drumming.

It was a nice, relaxing, beautiful day. We were lying on the grass with the sun shining down and all our kids running circles around us.

At a springtime party

Dashiell had a great time at this party, which was a farewell for his little friend Luciano at daycare! That orange item in his hand is a carrot that he held for almost the entire event. There were many, many other kids there and even a moonbounce! Rosie was very leery of the moonbounce and only tried it once the other kids got tired and cleared out.