Whenever I indulge in a Starbucks Caramel Frap (light... with the whip and caramel), I pee a lot. I also belch. So I am thinking that having one actually flushes me out and removes some of the air in my belly. That could only be a good thing, right?!?

Found this at Spilled Milk... there may be a little game of "tag" at the end.

1) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
Most childbirth education programs have the following three elements in common: (1) information about the process and procedures related to birth, (2) coping skills for comfort related to pain, and (3) emphasis on support from the labor partner, family and instructor, as well as development of the support system.
Exciting huh?

2) Stretch your left arm out as far as you can and see what you touch.
If it were about 2 inches longer, I would touch my printer.

3) What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Oprah... the Debt Diet. Made me feel pretty good about my financial situation.

4) Without looking, guess what time it is.
11:15am

5) Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
11:23am

6) With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Ben playing some game on the other computer... lots of "pings" "pongs" "doinks". And Ben saying "gotcha" "hi-ya" "one more" "yaaaa". Oh, and all the voices in my head.

7) When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
Last night going to Ben's child-led conference. He was very excited to let us see all his work and show his classroom.

8) Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
I was checking in on Elle's son at True Blue 4ever. He is doing better and will hopefully be home soon.

9) What are you wearing?
Slacks, a fitted button down shirt and pumps. NOT. I have on my usual... jeans, big t-shirt with big sweatshirt over and white socks. I think my bra and underwear match today!

10) Did you dream last night?
I'm sure I did, but right now I can't remember. I woke up to my husband coughing (GO BACK TO THE DOCTOR) and that is all I recall.

11) When did you last laugh?
At the conference last night, Ben was showing us some of the pictures he colored. There was one of turtles and it looked like they were jumping out of the water. Jerry asked Ben if turtles can fly and he said, "Noooo" with a "duh" sound to it. I think you had to be there.

12) What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Shelves with books about childbirth, Anne Geddes, photography... one with Jerry's books, mostly fishing stuff. More shelves with pictures and nic nacs. Cabinets filled with lots of crap.

13) Seen anything weird lately?
I got my Kohl's bill yesterday and it had a credit of 31.00 as the balance. That is very weird.

14) What do you think of this quiz?
It is kindof long when you are actually doing it.

15) What is the last film you saw?
I can't remember the last movie I saw in a theatre. People crunch their popcorn really loud and it bothers me.

16) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
A chef.

17) Tell me something about you that I don't know.
I hate going to the movies because people crunch their popcorn really loud and it bothers me.

18) If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
I would banish smoking... and gum

19) Do you like to dance?
Ummmm, no

20) George Bush
That's not a question.

21) Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Not my husbands. I thing he only shoots boy bullets.

22) Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Right now I call him, "how the hell did that happen so fast"... "hellie" for short

23) Would you ever consider living abroad? Abroad from what?
Can I go by myself?

24) What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
Your grandparents are waiting to see you.

No game of tag... just say "Hey"

My 13 yr old is starting to sound like Bobby Brady in the episode when his voice changes. Good thing we are not a family singing group!

--------------------

I was very proud of my 15 year old this morning. We went to the ortho and someone said, "How are you?" He responded, "Good, and yourself?" Now unless you have a teenager, you may not understand the joy of them:
1. actually responding to someone
2. responding with a word rather than a grunt, moan or the word "k"
3. responding and then asking the person how they are
The joy of that did not last long due to the phone call I received this afternoon from his Science teacher. He apparently was disrupting the class and was sent out 2 days in a row.
Oh well... enjoy it while you can!

- I am still dealing with this birth last week. I am sitting down with the teenage moms group leader tomorrow to fill her in. As soon as that is over, I can post about it. Please understand I am not grouping all teen moms into this "babies having babies who will have babies" frustration. This was a situation with A LOT of twists and turns... I say that because I think I offended someone.

- Please send positive thoughts to Elle at True Blue 4ever... her son is sick again and she is in the middle of 20 inches of snow.

- It is time for me to start organizing our school's Fun Fair. I know this because I had a dream last night that it was the night of and I had not gotten any volunteers. That means my brain is telling me to get moving.

- My kids have a 5 day weekend starting Thursday. I can hear it now... "I'm bored, I'm hungry, There's nothing to do, Take me, Buy me...MoooooMMMMMM" Did you ever notice that during the "chant" MOM is not a one syllable word anymore?

I started writing a birth story for you to read about a 16 year old who just had a baby, who I at first felt sorry for and now I don't... her friend who has 2 babies, who still has no clue about having babies... a doctor who explains nothing, has no bedside manner and who I was going to call Dr. It's All Routine To Me who should stop delivering babies... and a baby who is laying in a nursery while all his mommy cares about is talking on the phone and watching TV, who's daddy does not even know he was conceived and who's grandpa did not yet know he was born... but I deleted it because I am frustrated and sad and angry and scarred that this is all happening and I am not sure I can do a damn thing about it.

We have waffles, pancakes, mini chocolate chip pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal, a dozen different cereals (and milk), eggs, cinnamon rolls, toast, mini bagels, frozen breakfasts with sausage...

but I can see how it would be hard to find something. I can't wait for lunchtime.

I went to a dance recital for a friend's daughter last week... This little boy stood there like this for his entire number. I could picture his dad watching saying, "That's my boy!"

... for my client to have her baby. Still nothing. Poor girl (she is only 16). I remember being late with the boys and wanting this thing out of me. I loved being pregnant, but when it gets to the end- enough already. Adding to it the fact that she is only 16 and has alot of other stuff to deal with, I can only imagine what is going through her head. I tried to tell her to enjoy it while the baby is inside, but I think the fear of delivery makes her just want that part done. Then the real fun begins.

... for the sun to come out. It is so gloomy here. The grass is wet and muddy, the trees are bare and I am in need of some fresh, clean air. It makes me want to stay in bed all day. I need to open some windows. We have had above normal temps but it is right in the middle of snow/rain. If it does snow, it melts right away leaving all that mud and yuck. Anyone have some sun they can spare?

... for the mail. Jerry worked a lot of overtime this past week and I am hoping he gets a nice size check. Of course, it's spent already. Those nasty bills!

... for the fiber I have been taking to kick in. OK, too much information.

Check out what Deni at Last Girl on Earth is putting together... a Rubber Band Blogger Ball. The video of the birth is great!
Send her a rubber band... let's see how big this ball can get!

I have been tagged by Toni...

5 jobs I've had:
1. Starting at 13 I worked at my dad's record store. Retail nerd, baby!
2. Blockbuster employee
3. Mooooommmmmmyyyyyy
4. Doula
5. Home Engineer (a non-paying, sometimes rewarding job)

5 movies I can watch over and over:
1. Only When I Laugh (Kristy McNichol and Marsha Mason)
2. Nuts (Barbra Streisand)
3. A Time to Kill (Matthew hot and sweaty.... yum)
4. Rain Man
5. Shrek

5 places I've lived:
1. Chicago apartment (where I was born)
2. Arlington Heights, IL (toddler until 1st grade)
3. Barrington, IL (1st grade thru High School)
4. Palatine, IL (When I got married... OK, a little before we got married)
5. Cary, IL (now)
Pretty Boring, huh?

5 TV shows I love:
1. Will & Grace
2. Survivor
3. Law & Order
4. House
5. Amazing Race

5 places I've vacationed:
1. Disney, Florida
2. Wisconsin Dells
3. Maui (our honeymoon)
4. Scottsdale, Arizona
5. Denver, Colorado

5 of my favorite dishes:
1. Sushi Rolls from Bistro Wasabi
2. Extra crispy fries from Portillo's
3. My mother-in-law's mashed potatoes (don't tell her I said that)
4. Pretty much anything I don't have to cook myself
5. Hot Dogs at a baseball game

5 sites I visit daily:
1. Mine (to check everyone else's blogs, of course)
2. Travels with Toni (duh)
3. Jen Gray (I could be considered a stalker)
4. yahoo message boards for Doulas
5. My son's MySpace (OK, spying on my child and his friends)

5 places I'd rather be right now:
1. Anywhere with sun
2. With my client while she has her baby
3. Asleep in my bed with the heating blanket on
4. Alone (just for about a week)
5. In first grade coloring outside the lines and playing tag

That said... I am going to tag Kristin. She does not have a blog, but I know she'd reading... answer in the comments!