being out of touch and kind of an emotional wussbag

You could call me asleep since the 90s a completely clueless old fart slightly out of the loop, and you’d be right.  I don’t stay current with all the hottest new music, the best new technology, or the latest fashion trends.  I notice some things, much I do not.

I feel like being online, especially on Twitter, does keep me up to date with things, but it still seems like I miss a lot.  I’m constantly having this conversation in email with my more observant, hip friends:

Me: Huh? Dur.

Hip Friend: What, Bitch? You didn’t know?

Me: Huh? *fart*

Hip Friend: Yeah, it’s been around for ages now. Where have you been?

Me: Huh? Dur.

Hip Friend: I have no idea why I even talk to you, loser.

So, yeah.  I am kind of a ditz in that “doesn’t know what the hell is going on” kind of way.  Lingo, for example, hits me from weird places.  I was on the phone with my husband last night, telling him about how Braden was sick and having a hard time sleeping.

John was between shows downtown.  He was driving to the second show, and after we’d chatted briefly, he told me, “I’ve gotta jump.” Uh, okay? It took me a minute, but I got it.  Still, I had a hard time not quipping, “There better be something just out of your reach, over your head, because if you’re on a bridge, I hope you rot in hell.  You could at least wait until we have something in savings before you kill yourself.  I’d have to get a job and everything, you selfish, insensitive bastard.”

Yeah. It’s a loving, gentle relationship.

But, “Jump?”  WTF?  Is this what the kids and trendy young adults are saying now when they want to get off the phone?  Yeah, I’m feeling a bit like I have cobwebs.  Not in my house, but ON ME.  And for the record, that jerk is older than I am but HE GETS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE REGULARLY.  AND DO STUFF.  WITH PEOPLE.

Ass.

Anyway, totally wandered away from the actual thing I wanted to talk about.

I’ve seen a commercial put together by a local news station several times now.  I am drawn into the commercial every time because the way it is shot is really cool (black and white, different speeds) and the song always pulls my attention.  I had no idea what it was, and kept wondering if this was a popular song I have just missed (would not surprise me).

I saw the commercial again tonight, hit YouTube and found it, and listened to the whole song while watching the video.

Really, actually listened to the words, felt them.

Got the deeper meaning, was moved.  A couple of tears slipped down my cheeks.

I kind of like it when something has the power to move me like that, with no warning.

What song(s) have the power to move you?

Also, I should probably check PMS Buddy… I totally haven’t kept track of my cycles anymore and this could be a sign that I need to be protecting my underwear soon.  Because The Red Crotch is, I’m pretty sure, not the latest fashion trend.

Right?

As Requested

When John and I woke up to Braden’s “request” (request here means loud, shrieking wails of displeasure at being alone) that we come get him this morning, I put on this shirt:

We went into Braden’s room, saying, “Good Morning, Sweetie!” and got the Good Morning Smile.

[Those of you with children know the GMS. It is sometimes a child's saving grace - one of the things you can bring to mind when he's flinging food in your face or screaming, red-faced, while tantrumming on the floor... that helps you to not kill him. The GMS can be like a cocaine high to a tired, weary parent.]

Braden wanted me to pick him up, so I did, holding him against my front. He leaned back, looking at my chest. Pointing at the shirt, he happily exclaimed, “Ogg-ogg! Ogg-ogg!”

You’re darn right, Boy. That’s a doggie. The parental units were quite pleased.

Oh, and here’s the best I could come up with as per the requests, “We want movies of Braden talking!” It’s not always easy to catch him right when he’s saying a “real word.” You must also understand that those of you who do not speak “Garbled Toddlerese” will have a more difficult time discerning the things he’s saying. Don’t worry, we’re still learning, too.

This video was filmed October 16. It was the first time we heard him mimic “Peekaboo!” This book (Peekaboo Zoo, by Lamaze) asks questions about who is behind each flap, and when you lift the flap, you see an animal and it says, “Peekaboo!” (so, of course, that’s what we exclaim when he lifts a flap).

Observe Braden’s first version of this word:

The next video is a really great example of him identifying The Mexican. It really needs no explanation other than he freakin’ loves this dog, so it’s no wonder that he talks about him.

In this video, Braden gives us one of his versions of “airplane.” Here it sounds like, “deh urpah,” which means, “the airplane.” Often, it’s “aba,” or “dat aba.”

You have to have your audio turned up to catch it… he says it quietly right at the end.

And please excuse the HORRIBLE quality of the video. It was the audio I was more concerned about.

This last delightful video shows Braden reacting to hearing a bird.

That’s right, folks, a heretofore uncatalogued word. I present to you, “bird.”

(You must listen carefully… he says it twice – right at the beginning and right at the end.)

If you were listening carefully, you heard “that?” and “is that?” several times, too.

I could just eat him up!

The Stuff He Says

So, recently I mentioned the flutter of talking activity Braden’s been exhibiting.

Just to update:

For some time now he has been saying “dadada” (Daddy) and “Ehhmaahhm” (Mommy). We love to hear those, of course.

Then he started saying, “Ish!” (this!) and “Wah-dat!?” (What’s that?), most often while pointing at things. This began our endless Cataloging of Things That Exist for him. Sometimes it’s hard to tell what he’s pointing at and he gets a little miffed. Mostly it’s fun and cute.

Now he says (you have to pay attention to catch these):

“Aba”

This means airplane. He’s OBSESSED with them. We live not that far from an airport (no, it’s really not as annoying as it sounds) and they fly over the house pretty consistently throughout the day. You can hear them quite often (again, it’s really not annoying) and see them VERY well. He LOVES them. He stares up into the sky, transfixed (Primo picture-taking opportunities!) and points up, saying “Aba!” He can hear them from inside the house, and will do the same thing.

“Owwatide” or “Oww-siiiigh”

Outside. He’s also obsessed with that. If I have to open the door for a package or something, he starts running like mad to get over there… and then when I close it he LOSES HIS MIND. Closing the door without going outside makes his insides twitch and itch. A little part of him dies inside.

“Ogg-ogg”

Doggie. You guessed it. Another obsession. Notice the trend? He has loved Zack, aka The Mexican, since he was able to give a crap that other things existed. He has spent much time staring at, laughing his FACE off at, giving chase to, taunting, and sometimes hitting, but mostly admiring that little Chihuahua.

And… “Eee-boo”

Peekabo. And, though we play it, he did NOT learn this from the game, either. He learned it from his favorite book “Peekabo Zoo,” by Lamaze. He has loved that book ragged. I recommend it to anyone with a small child. It’s dear.

That’s it for now, I think. I’ll let you know the next time he explodes new verbal cuteness.

Random Sharing, While in Agony

Kind of random and pointless post today, since my back is acting 159 years old again.

Something I did in the past few days (not sure what, exactly) has paid off by resulting in sciatic pain shooting down my leg yesterday morning, followed by tender, nervy pain in my lower back last night, and climaxing as serious, hobbling-type back pain for me all day today.

It has worsened as the day has worn on, no matter what I have done. Usually I can minimize the pain with a combination of Ibuprofen/Ice Gel Pack/Hydration/Rest. Today, the Back Pain Demon is having none of it.

So, I hobbled down the steep-ass driveway this morning to sweep up the mulch that some Butt Raper’s dog flung out of the flowerbed I’ve been nurturing alongside the driveway. If I see this happening again, I swear I’m going to run out there, bad back or not, and kick that freakin’ dog as hard as I can.

Then John mowed the lawn, since it was starting to look like no-one lived here, and a kid came to my door last week and asked me, “Can I, uh… mow your lawn for some money?”

John has been gone all this afternoon to do work on Chris Cagle‘s next album. He’s at Scott Hendricks’s studio, much to his delight. He’ll probably be there all night. Yay @ the work and the experience for John. Boo @ John being gone while I’m all decrepit.

Braden has been increasingly vocal in the past month, with a sharp upturn in the jabbering activity just this past week.

He’s been making a sound for some time that I SWORE was him asking “What’s this?” It sounds kind of like “Huh-Ish?” He confirmed my suspicions a few days ago when he held up his little, fake cell-phone and CLEARLY asked me, “Whas-tis?” He has said it semi-clearly only once more since then, but has been repeatedly making the “Huh-ish?” and now “Teh-Iss?” sounds while pointing, or staring, at something. It’s wonderful.

For the record, he’s been saying, “Dadada” for awhile. Sometimes it seems discriminate, sometimes it seems random. Today, twice, he’s whined, “Maaaaahh” to me in a needy way.

Also for the record, TEETHING SUCKS. I would like to petition Our Creator for a change in this process, ie: all teeth should arrive overnight, at one time.

Have I mentioned that my back hurts? Right now, it’s feeling like Satan’s Torture Playground Rehearsal Scene, in the movie, “Lotus: The Later Years.”

I need a nap. Where’s MY paci?

*grumble*

At least Braden’s having some fun today.