Kat's Scribbles

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Slice of Life

A typical mid-day in the life of rockstar mom and rockstar baby (although most days, there is only one disaster at a time).

10:15 am – Baby is starting to get snarky. Okay, time to eat.

10:16 am – Feed baby.

10:34 am – Baby pulls away, squiggles and is giggly again. “No more food? Are you full?” He laughs and flashes me a heart-melting toothless grin and I nuzzle his nose. I play horsey with him and bounce him up and down my knee. That’s when I notice that there is poo on my shorts. There. Is. Poo. On. My. Shorts. Fabulous. Rockstar baby has just POOPED on me.

10:35 am – Run upstairs to his room holding baby at arms length. Changing table fiasco. ARGH! Fuck!! #$!*&@#!!! Poo is on the table, the baby’s back, and of course, his clothes. And let's not mention there is poo on my clothes already. Emergency bath! EMERGENCY BATH! But first, where to put baby? Hm…I grab a dirty blanket from his hamper and lay him on the floor.

10:41 am – Run his bath.

10:52 am – Bath time is done. I dry baby, put on new diaper and clothes. I place him in bouncy seat. Time to wash his poop-stained clothes and mine. There is nothing fun about washing poo off baby clothes. Ugh. Note to self: invest in 'washing-poo-off-clothes' gloves.

11:03 am – Check on baby. He is wholly engrossed with his bouncy seat. Hm, shower now while he’s occupied? Think fast! Yes! I quickly jump in the shower.

11:10 am – Shower done. I quickly do my “beauty routine” (moisturize face, lotion up, put on clothes, comb hair and put it in a bun).

11:16 am - Waahhhh!! (Which translates to: “Pay attention to me woman!”) Ah! Precisely on time.

11:17 am – We go downstairs. I play with baby, read him a story, talk to him, cuddle him, and play horsey again. I heart playing with my beautiful, delicious, sweet-smelling, cheery, giggly happy baby boy.

11: 18 am - Stomach growls. Oh so hungry. But I continue to entertain baby. Stomach growls some more.

11:49 am – Put baby on his playmat. Turn on laptop and surf for a bit.

11:55 am – Waaah! Pick up baby. I bounce him around and entertain him. “Oh look, it’s Mr. Froggy. Hello! Say hello Mr. Froggy!”

11:56 am – Rockstar baby is not having any of it. He squirms around, arches his back, and yells.

11:57 am – “Are you hungry?” Waaah! (This translates to: “Yes of course I’m hungry, can’t you tell?!”)

11:58 am – Yes. He is hungry. I feed him.

12:24 pm – Rockstar baby is falling asleep! Finally! Eyes closing, eyes closing…yes! He is asleep. Hm…should pull out nipple? Or wait? Damn. Stomach growling. Okay, I decide to pull out his bottle. Slowly, slowly…yes! He stays asleep! Putting him down, putting him down, and yes! HE STAYS ASLEEP! Halleluia!!

12:26 pm – Go to kitchen for food, glorious food! (There is actually food in the fridge since I cooked dinner last night --super-easy salmon croquettes, I simply have to post the recipe at some point). Walk to toaster oven to pre-heat, and ARGH!!! Water, water everywhere! Fuck!! #!%$&*!! There is a major puddle of water on the floor!!

12:27 pm - I'm still screaming in my head. Where the fuck did it come from? GAH! A jug of water on my kitchen shelf has a hole in it! There is only 1/4 of water left in the jug. There is ¾ gallon water on my kitchen floor! Damn. I just want to freaking eat! Look for rag, none…shite. Go to basement, grab mop, and I mop away. Stop. Put salmon croquettes in toaster oven. Go back to mopping. And wiping with paper towels.

12:52 pm – Am finally done mopping. I can eat lunch! Put rice in microwave. Hear my phone ring. Brrring, bbrrring!! Shite! SHITE!!! (Note: I say 'shite' in a British accent in my head). Phone is near baby! I run before he wakes up. GAH! Too freaking late. Baby looks up at me and I freeze. If I stay quiet, maybe he won’t notice me. Hold breath. Nope, baby is looking around. With a quickness, I rush over to him. Am patting him, patting him, patting him. He goes back to sleep. Success!

12:57 pm – Put food on plate and I eat. Food. GLORIOUS FOOD! Gobble, gobble, gobble.

1:07 pm – Ok. Am happy. Well, more like I’m full so I’m ready to take on another round of rockstar baby. Hm, little guy is still asleep. What to do? I should wash the dishes, yeah, that’s it. Or clean the bedroom? Yeah, let’s check e-mail.

1:41 pm – Ah shites! Have not done a single chore. Ok, will do dishes now.

1:43 pm – Washing dishes.

1:44 pm – Waaah!! (This means: “I’m awake!! Why weren’t you here by my side when I woke up?! Entertain me! Chop-chop!”) Of course rockstar baby wakes up. OF COURSE.

Gratuitous pics of rockstar baby:

I didn't do it! (check out the Wolverine-like hair)

Chomp-chomp!

Me and my yummy baby

Me and my adorable baby whose current hobby is biting his lip

Labels: motherhood

POSTED BY KAT AT 6/29/2006 10:14:00 PM | 0 COMMENTS

Monday, June 26, 2006

The Non-Adventures of a Wanna-Be Rockstar

I went out last Friday night with my cousins and friends. Let me just say that getting together with my cousins is like pulling teeth. Between my cousin Zooey who is super-busy and never around, and my other cousin Mao (who just arrived here from the Philippines but is super-busy as well), it was hard to find the day and hour to meet up. Anyway, we ended up having drinks at 420 Lounge --this cheesy lounge popular with young grads in the Upper West Side.

But before that, my cousin Junior and I met up for dinner and shared an entire pitcher of sangria between the two of us (the pitcher serves 4-6 peepz!). At 420, we just chilled and drank some more. My friend Steve and his friends stopped by for a drink then headed somewhere else. Then my cousin Zooey and her bf stopped by as well but left to go to another lounge. I only had one more drink since I had to drive, plus I didn’t have a lot of money. The one drink I did have was already $8 and I just couldn’t afford to use my allowance on drinks! I remember talking shit and saying let’s go out again tomorrow night! I left around 1:45 am and I don’t know if they ended up at another bar. I didn’t get drunk (though my cousin Junior did!), but I did end up with a banging migraine for the next 2 days! Jeez. Fat chance of me going out again! Plus I was tired because rockstar baby did wake me up at 6:30 am the next day. Some kind of wanna-be rockstar I am! I feel so boring compared to everyone else. Then again, I'm not into drinking and getting drunk either. I was actually hoping to go dancing, but no dice.

Anyway, I am planning on going out again this coming Friday! I’m going to see We Are Scientists and I’m so excited! I luurve going to shows and bouncing around to the music. After that, I’m going to try to go to another lounge and meet up with friends. It should be a rockstar night.

Countdown to 30: Here's my next post in light of my upcoming birthday. Check out my birthday wishlist!

Me, Mao and Junior

With Z, Willie, Mao, and Junior

Labels: musings/personal stories

POSTED BY KAT AT 6/26/2006 12:05:00 PM | 0 COMMENTS

Monday, June 19, 2006

Auf Wiedersehen (for now)

I had dinner with my friends Trish and Rol, and their little kiddo Alex last night. It was their last official night in the Big Apple because they have moved to Alpharetta, Georgia. In fact, they boarded their plane today and tonight is their first official night there as 'Georgians.' We had dinner at Cafe Con Leche --a really great, homey and very inexpensive Cuban/Dominican restaurant in the Upper West Side. Afterwards, we went to Cafe Lalo's, which is one of our usual dessert haunts; our friend Girlie met us there.

Trish is a certified New Yorker, born and raised in Manhattan. I met Trish during the wintertime of 1996. (And I met Girlie around the same time as well). We all actually met "on-line" via IRC --the old skool version of today's AOL IM. We met in one of the chat rooms (channel Filipino!! hahah). After getting to know each other through virtual chatting, we eventually started hanging out in 'real life' and we haven't stopped since.

Throughout the years, Trish, Girlie, and I (along with 2 other ladies we met on-line) became fixtures in each other's lives. We've been to each other's weddings, have been on holidays together, and have spent numerous hours hanging out in NYC. Who knew that 2 chicas I met on-line would become such good friends of mine? (This is why I have never scoffed at internet dating and never will).

Last night, I brought some pics of us that we took circa 1996-1997 and we laughed over them during dessert. (I am going to scan them and post them at some point!)

Wow, we have been friends for 10 years and counting.

And now, Trish won't be around which will take a while to get used to. We won't even get to see their soon-to-be-born baby girl when she arrives in August (at least not right away!) *sniffle* Trish, we miss you!! Good luck to you guys and your new life in the 'Big Peach'!!

Trish and Alex

Girlie, Trish, and I

Labels: musings/personal stories

POSTED BY KAT AT 6/19/2006 09:59:00 PM | 0 COMMENTS

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

30 Things About Me (Continued, 15-30)

(See my previous post for the first half of this list and why I'm doing it!)

15. Despite my rockstar leanings, I cannot read notes. Yes, even though I took piano lessons for 5 years and my piano teacher wanted me to go to a music school.

16. But I can play by ear and watch other people play a piece and learn it that way.

17. I am a former fashionista. I have more than a dozen purses by Gucci, Prada, and Fendi and yet my everyday bag is my $3.50 satchel from Old Navy.

18. I used to dress a lot more stylish and trendier, but now my look is more ‘urban, laid-back, rocker.’ This really just translates to: jeans or a skirt topped with some sort of band or concert tee or a tank top.

19. But I do love accessorizing and I love buying jewelry like earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.

20. Yet my favorite accessories are my black, rubber bangles. I wear these almost everyday.

21. I did not get to accomplish my goal of publishing a novel before I turn 30. Unless I magically finish a manuscript and get it published within the next 25 days.

22. I would still like to accomplish this goal before I turn 35. I’ve always loved the way a book can transport you to a totally different world. Of course it would help greatly if I actually wrote something. Ha!

23. In a similar vein, I believe I have read more than 500 books in my lifetime thus far. Maybe more.

24. I also want to start scrapbooking and document rockstar baby’s milestones. I have all the materials to start, but haven’t actually started a single page. It’s really hard to squeeze in scrapbooking while taking care of a baby all day.

25. I really want to be as skinny as my friend Girlie, but I accept the fact that I am not and never will be (unless I win the lottery and can suddenly hire a trainer, personal chef, and nanny).

26. Otherwise, I’m really happy with myself. Most of the time. Okay, ¾ of the time. Hey, we all have our fat days and self-deprecating moments. I think what I’m really worried about is looking old and busted.

27. I will soon become a U.S. Citizen! My interview will be at the end of July! I will soon be able to travel without having to apply for a freaking visa to every single country I visit.

28. My next travel destination is Greece and I’m hoping this happens next year. I am going to start a vacation fund as soon as I go back to work.

29. But I can see myself not even going back to work and being a stay-at-home-mom. Heck, I’m already thinking of names for our next baby! Even though rockstar baby can be a handful, I would like twins the next go round! Oh yeah. Bring it on.

30. As much I love being a mom, I do miss my old life, and the “just me and the hubs” life. But all in all, I think my life rocks. Talk about eclectic: lawyer by day, rockstar by night, and mom and wife 24/7!

Labels: musings/personal stories

POSTED BY KAT AT 6/13/2006 11:46:00 PM | 0 COMMENTS

Monday, June 12, 2006

Countdown to 30

It's a little less than a month before my *gasp* 30th birthday! I am officially not going to be 'twenty-something' anymore. Ye gods. The years have just gone by it seems. I don't mind... that much. '30' is the new '21' after all! In light of my upcoming b-day, I'm going to post a few '30-related' entries within the next few weeks. Here's the first one:

30 Things About Me (1-15)

I am so happy to be a momma! Rockstar baby is quite possibly the best addition to my life (aside from marriage and all that fun stuff). He's the most beautiful baby ever with rockstar hair and everything.
I am terrified of getting crows-feet around the eyes! I may not wash my face every night, but I sure put on eye cream religiously.
I am HTML-illiterate: it took me forever to fix this freaking template and now, it looks just like my old template with different colors. Gah! (And don't even say anything about the archives).
I paid off ALL my credit card debt! Well, not counting the new balance that's staring me in the face right now, but that's because...
I am broke at the moment. As in I have no salary, no savings, nothing. I am getting by with the help of the hubs and my parents, and yes, the credit cards (if I really have to buy something which totally negates #4). Damn. I feel more like a 13-year old than almost 30!
Today, I ate 5 cookies, a choco-taco, 1 Crunch stick, and a mini chocolate scone. Oh and a frappucino.
But I now weigh my 'normal' pre-pregnancy weight.
And I can fit back into my Seven jeans! (granted, I can't breathe, but you gotta pick your battles).
I'm sad that my friend Trish is moving to Georgia in exactly 1 week!
I'm not a very confident person, but I am proud that:
I survived childbirth (feeling most of the pain, as I only got to have 3 hours worth of epidural-bliss).
I passed the bar exam in 2 states in one try (NY and NJ).
I graduated from an all-women's college and have a degree from an Ivy League University.
That I played at legendary CBGB's with my band (although it was not one of our better shows).
And we are in the middle of recording a demo. We laid down the drum beats last week. I'm so excited!

Part 15-30 to be continued...

Labels: musings/personal stories

POSTED BY KAT AT 6/12/2006 10:29:00 PM | 0 COMMENTS

Tuesday, June 6, 2006

Some Changes

I decided to change my template a bit since I’ve had my old one for almost 2 years now. This time, I was determined to make my own banner and that I did. With my very limited Photoshop and HTML skills, this is what I have come up with. What do you think?! I'm not too keen on the color scheme, but it'll suffice for now. Of course, I’d like it to look a bit more polished, but hey, for someone with hardly any tech skills or free time (or hands! As I usually type with one hand nowadays), I think it’s not too shabby. I will, however, make a more refined banner one day!

I also tried to enable Blogger's commenting system, but after almost 2 hours of trying with nothing to show for it, I had to revert back to good 'ole Haloscan. I followed what Blogger told me to do to enable their commenting system, but no dice! Can anyone help me? *sigh*

UPDATE: Apparently, my new template isn't very compatible with non-Internet Explorer browsers (e.g., Mozilla-Firefox, etc.). In fact, it looks all weird in Firefox so I'm trying to fix it. Man, if I only had the tech skills! Please bear with me in the meantime.

I’m also making some changes to my lifestyle as I feel like a fat tub o’ lard. It’s been almost 4 months since I gave birth and I can’t use the “I-just-had-a-baby” excuse anymore to explain the flabby belly. Which is not to say that I ever had a six-pack or anything like that. It’s more like this: pre-baby, I can suck in my gut no problem and make it appear like I have a flat stomach. Post-baby: no can do! I am out of shape, but don’t really have the time nor energy to get back to the gym. So I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to walk at least an hour about 4x/week and watch what I eat. I’m also going to do some free weights whenever I can squeeze them in and do an exercise DVD once a week. (Okay, it doesn’t help that I’m currently chomping on a chocolate chip cookie as I type this at 10:32 pm!) Really, it takes some determination to change your eating habits. I have horrendous eating habits and it’s because I love food so much. But since I can’t go to the gym, walking and a little less caloric intake will have to do. Wish me luck!

Labels: musings/personal stories

POSTED BY KAT AT 6/06/2006 10:56:00 PM | 0 COMMENTS

Friday, June 2, 2006

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Yesterday was our 5-year anniversary! Yay! Time flies when you’re having fun. The past five years have been wonderful and fun, easy-going, filled with laughter, and peppered with adventure and surprises. It’s easy when you’re married to your best friend, though there will be times when you are tested and stressed out (like last night!) Now, it’s going to be filled with even more adventure and excitement since we’ve been blessed with a beautiful, bouncing baby boy! It’s totally different now that we are a family. Last year, the hubs and I celebrated in Miami with friends. (Click here and look under June 1st, for the funny stories I posted last year about how we got together). Come to think of it, this is about the time rockstar baby was “in-the-works”…hahaha!

For our anniversary this year, the hubs and I went out on a date to Tribeca Grill, a restaurant in…Tribeca! Rockstar baby came with us as the “third-wheel.” I could not have picked a "worser" night to go out! It normally takes us 30 minutes tops to get to downtown Manhattan, but the traffic last night was terrible! The West Side Highway (which runs down the west side of Manhattan) was just horrendous, and to top it all off, it started to rain like mad. We’re talking torrential downpour complete with thunder and lightning! So we got to the restaurant late, and it took us a little over an hour and a half to get there! The hubs was not pleased, and we even stopped talking in the car. There’s nothing like traffic to get people all stressed out and moody.

So after an hour and half of driving, we finally got to the restaurant. I had asked to be seated in a “quiet area” because of the baby, and we got cozy seats in the back of the restaurant. We were seated next to Freddie Prinze Jr. of all people. The only movie I ever saw him in was Scooby-Doo, and I know him more as Sarah Michelle Gellar's husband. The hubs and I had fun pretending to talk to him. “So Freddie, I guess your new show got cancelled huh?” Just kidding! But he was a very cute guy in the flesh. He left right after we ordered our food. Then we made fun of the art work on the wall which Robert De Niro painted. They were paintings that were clearly just placed there because he was the co-owner of the restaurant!

The food was divine, the service was impeccable (and speedy) and we had a great time. I ordered the hamachi tartare appetizer special and the braised short rib; the hubs ordered the very excellent crab cake appetizer and the filet mignon. He had a glass of Cabernet and I had some Riesling --my favorite white wine. The wine certainly helped us to relax after being stuck in traffic! Rockstar baby was well-behaved and slept the whole time. It was a nice way for us to spend time together and have adult conversation. For dessert, we got the Chocolate Peanut Butter and Hazelnut Mousse cake. *drool* The food was excellent and very filling.

On our way back home, there was traffic again, which was not the norm! We had to take the local route to avoid being stuck in the highway. We got home at about 11:30 and the hubs promptly went to bed because he was beat, and I changed the baby and put him to bed. That was that. We spent more time on the road than with each other! Maybe I should’ve waited until Saturday to celebrate like the hubs suggested! But other than the traffic, we still had a great time! But I will certainly plan better next year!

The Hubs and I

The Chocolate Peanut Butter and Hazelnut Mousse Cake saved the day!

Labels: musings/personal stories

POSTED BY KAT AT 6/02/2006 09:55:00 AM | 0 COMMENTS