Welcome to life at 30! Wow. Nothing happened.

I have good sushi karma. FujiYama serves very tasty sushi about a mile from our house. I decided to treat myself to a small order of sushi for lunch. They have a special right now that says “Lunch Special – Buy one sushi, Get one free”. We have a menu at home that was mailed a while back. I called in an order for one mackerel and one halibut sushi both costing $4.25 per order. Each order has 2 pieces. So this would logically land me 4 pieces of sushi. Josh clambered into the stroller and I wheeled him up the hill to get my order. I’d like to mention that my pessimism of having another heat blast was accurate. Today reached 98 in some areas. Although the bank’s digital thermometer measured 95, I swear it was hotter. Back to sushi. The lady who presented the bill was going to charge me $9.20. I brought exactly enough cash for one order: $4.60. I explained there was a mistake. I didn’t order two orders of sushi, only one. She asked if I ordered one mackerel and one halibut. Yes, I said, that’s the two sushis, one of which is free. She agreed and that was why my order cost $9. We went back and forth for a moment. She told me to pay what I could afford and bring in the remainder of my bill tomorrow. I was grateful she let me leave the store with my sushi half paid, even though I believed they made a mistake.

I get home and found 8 pieces of sushi in my box: four mackeral, four halibut. Suddenly it all made sense on how things got so confused. Most places that have a buy one, get one deal apply it to the menu items you order. So when I ordered my two types of fish, I expected one type to be free. Instead I paid for two types of sushi and got two free. Tomorrow I will take my $5 to them to make good on my bill and keep my sushi karma in the positive.

In other news, I signed myself up for medical research this week. The Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine (IEEM), at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, is seeking healthy women who are planning on becoming pregnant within the next 6 months to participate in a research study. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the brain controls blood vessels and blood pressure during the early and late stages of pregnancy. Subjects will participate in testing prior to pregnancy; between weeks 4-8 of pregnancy; between weeks 32-36 of pregnancy and 6-10 weeks after delivery. Participants will receive free blood work, electrocardiogram and monetary compensation for their time. To qualify, you must:
* be a healthy female- not on any medications
* have no previous history of pregnancy-induced hypertension or pre- eclampsia
* be a non-smoker
* be able to commit to 4 visits to the IEEM during regular business hours (each visit takes approximately 2 hours)

Due to a certain wedding taking place in May next year in Canada, we’ve been holding off on trying for number two until this month. I am determined to be at this wedding, even if I have to walk my boney butt to Vancouver alone! Thus, I wouldn’t really be able to go if I was too pregnant or just had a baby. But if we start soon and I’ll be able to attend with more than a month left to the due date. THAT is my master plan. We’ll see how things actually work out.

Back to the research. This is a fairly invasive study. In the 2-3 hour appointments, I would endure multiple medical tests to my blood pressure, nerves, heart rate, etc. They will have me on a special prepared diet two days prior to each appointment. This ensures I don't pig out on pretzels or junk food which can effect my blood pressure. Why do this, you ask? First, there's the money. Every little bit helps. Second, it's timing. I just so happen to be thinking of trying for baby number 2 in the near future. Third, to be part of medical exploration. It takes willing volunteers like myself to promote further understanding about our health and our bodies. The hardest part about my appointments will be the time spent waiting for each test to complete. There will be times when I must lay on a bed for minutes at a time while they take my blood pressure and monitor this or that. I hate to wait, but I guess I'll find a way to entertain my brain.

Today I am now 30. Happy Birthday me!! Saturday Rusty threw a party for me at our house. He made lots of yummy appetizers and snacks (and we bought $50 of sushi) and invited lots of friends. All sorts of good people showed up to celebrate with me. I had such a great time gabbing, drinking, and socializing with friends I don't see enough of these days. The big gift from Rusty was concert tickets to see Massive Attack on Sunday evening. That concert ROCKED!!! I nearly knocked him over with excitement
when he showed me the tickets Saturday night. We spent half of Sunday sleeping in shifts and slowly getting ready for the night. Joshua
spent the evening with Grandma Anne. He had a good time, everyone was happy.

Ok, so back to the concert! It was at the Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie so already the venue was excellent. Seats were cushy, the air was clean, it was freakin’ cold inside but that didn’t matter because they sold good beverages, such a premium margaritas. We met several friends there we hadn’t seen in a while. Some were a little shocked that we had reproduced since the last time we hung out. Teel also went to the concert. She went with two friends but they weren’t sitting anywhere near us. Oh yeah, we were in the front center just 6 rows from the stage. The opening act was DJ Shadow, who mixes smooth thick bass with a hint of retro-lounge. Massive Attack played nearly every song from Mezzanine (their best album) and a few new ones. They opened with a lovely new tune that got heads bobbing and swaying but was sedate enough to capture everyone’s attention and confine them to their seats. No one stood up until the second song and by the third song, people were up in the aisles and crowding in front of the stage. I stood in front the stage for a few songs but retreated back a few rows to get a better sound. Although being close enough to be touched is exciting, I really wanted to enjoy the music and the sound system was wobbly in front of the stage where I started. There was a lot less electronic gear than I expected. They had two drum sets, guitarist, bassist, one electronics dude handling everything from a keyboard to a Theremin, and a rotation of four singers. The lighting fit the mood of the music- dark. They opted for back lighting only during the performance. Although I initially wanted to see them perform, having a dim view of the action made me listen more than watch. After the encore, they turned on lights while the members took a bow and
exited. The entire performance was completely graceful. They sound just as wonderful live on stage as they do on a CD. It was everything I hoped and expected! [wiki]

About my hair. I wanted to get dreadlocks. I came very close to getting them. I made an appointment, consulted with a stylist with lots of experience and recommendation- but ultimately the price was not to be desired. For a day’s worth of dreading, the price was
$500. That was the price for 10 hours to make tons of small strands all over my head. Although Rusty & I could do this on our own at home, I was worried about it looking bad or not being done right. So instead I got a strand of hair dyed bright blue. I’ve gotten mixed
responses on it. Some people dig it. Others don’t get it. I like it. It’s not as wild as I was hoping for but no one says I have to stop here. Posted by Picasa

Friday is shaping up to be a busy day for me.

  • 9:00-9:45 - Consignment shopping with other moms
  • 10:00-10:45 - Gym Dandies to let Josh run & play
  • 11:00-12:45 - Hopefully Josh will nap
  • 1:00 - Take Josh to Melissa's to play for a couple hours
  • 1:30-3:00 - Hair appointment
  • 3:30 - Pick up Josh, stop by grocery store on way home
  • Evening - Do any urgent chores since none of it will get done this weekend

I don't know what the plans are for this weekend. I know I'm having lunch with my mother-in-law on Saturday and that I'm not going to church. Everything from here is speculation. Which is way more exciting than usual!

Tomorrow, not so exciting. The weather is absolutely beautiful so I think I'll take Josh to the park. He went to the library this morning for Rhyme Time. Just about any structured activity is a stretch for Josh to participate in. All he wants to do is run around, explore, play- do all the things an active toddler is expected to do. Sit in my lap? Heck no! After the library, Preethi and I took the boys to a nearby park. The boys had fun with the playground then a lady brought over a young chocolate laborabor who was playing fetch with a tennis ball. All five kids at the park were immediately attracted to the dog and his ball trick. So we gathered around the lady and watched the dog run after the ball a few times. Josh loved this! Afterwards we had lunch at Fusion Cafe. Yummm!

Wow. I just saw a commerical for a audition for "Hottest Mom in America" for this weekend at Reunion Arena. Crazy.

Rusty is watching his first football game of the season: Ohio State vs. Texas. Every so often he yells excited at the screen: Yeah!! Oh!! Woo-Hoo!! Ah You Suck!! Arrgggh!!! Josh got into the spirit of watching football by walking around yelling too. More like barking. And he raised his arms in a mock touchdown. We’re going to try to teach “touchdown” by the end of the season. Joshua has his own game he likes to play. Whenever we get ready to plunge him onto the bed or sofa we usually countdown “one, two, three” followed by “wooo!” He started doing a fake count followed by a fake “wooo” in the car when he was bored. I hear him going “eh, eh, eh, oooh! uh, eh, oooh! teh, teh, teh, teh ooooh”. So I joined in by counting for him then we both go “wooo”. All I have to do now is count to three like a countdown and he goes “ooooh”. That’s our game. That and peek-a-boo through the curtain of his activity wall.

My mother-in-law pointed out to me that Josh is saying “no”. He’s been shaking his head to signal “no” for months now. Recently he’s starting to say “nuh” when he isn’t interested in whatever we’re asking him or offering him. “More peas?” I’ll ask. “Nuh, nuh” he’ll say shaking his head, squirming in his seat and pushing all food out of his way.

Josh has, by the way, a second molar coming in on the top. We don’t have sleep problems with teething, at least not this week. He’s always restless a bit at night around the same times: 1 or 2:30 and 5:30. Usually he just needs his binky reinserted and his puppy in hand. A few weeks ago he was difficult to keep asleep, so perhaps that was a precursor to teething.

I have decided I’m no longer dreading the big 3-0. I don’t have a choice- it’s coming with or without me. So I’m embracing this last youthful birthday. I wish I had a shirt to wear around town announcing my proclamation. I have some ideas of what it could say, like:

  • Thirty never looked so Good!
  • Dirty Thirty
  • Real Life begins at 30
I also plan to get my hair styled. I won’t say publicly what I plan to do. I’ve made my decision. I've talked to my salon stylist. He made some suggestions. I’ve looked at pictures online and in magazines. I’ve thought about it a lot and can’t wait for my hair appointment later this week. I will say this. I decided this is probably my last real chance to be radically… uh, radical. I’m not in the public, I don’t have to present myself professionally (at least not in person, usually), I won’t be able to get away with doing this much later than my present job as Mom with Kid. If I ever wanted to do something wild or crazy with my hair, something liberal and unexpected, this is my last chance. Or so I perceive. Stay tuned.

The Pepsi Kid Around was fun, and should be much more fun as Josh gets older. I took him there Saturday morning for a couple of hours. He played in the big sand box twice, bounced in the inflatable bouncy tent, watched bike stunts, saw dogs dance and perform, got splashed by water from a dunking booth and by fountains on our way out. I was hoping all the activity would tire him out to sleep for three hours, but alas that did not happen. We got a mere two hours, his normal nap length these days.

After napping, we took him to play at his grandparent's house while Rusty & I went to see Beerfest at the theatre. We knew this was going to be a campy, funny movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. I laughed from start to finish. The only thing that would have made it better was watching it with a group of friends. Maybe later on DVD we can arrange for a movie night or something.

We had dinner with the in-laws and their friends then headed to Addison to see fireworks. Larry Little works for an aviation company so we had access to watch the fireworks from the top of the parking garage. It was a good view with no mosquitoes! yay!! Josh ran all over the place. He got really sleepy towards the end. Putting him to bed was about the easiest in months.

Addison got lucky. There was rain in the forecast looming overhead but not a drop fell until early this morning. Now the grounds are sufficiently wet and we feel sufficiently cooped in. It's rather dreary out now. The overcast skies and high of only 80 degrees makes it feel like Fall is already here. I am pessimistic though. I predict another scorcher week between now and the real end of summer weather. Let's hope I'm wrong!

Addendum- Bravo has started their third season of Project Runway. Every so often I get totally engulfed in junk TV programs. This is one of them. I can’t seem to help it! It’s “reality” based, though that description is a crock. It’s a competition between fashion designers who take a few moments out of a tight schedule to create a new design to talk about their experience, berate their team, critique other people’s work, and say whatever is on their mind. I love seeing the fashions and the flops and of course the tension between everyone. Unfortunately, this means I’ll be junking out in front of the tube once a week until it’s over. Luckily the new episodes come on at night after Josh’s bedtime.

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