Miscellaneous

Art of Mom Mond- er, Tuesday

Posted on November 17, 2009
I don't feel very art-of-momish this week. Yesterday - Peach's first day in the young preschool class - I had the worst drop off ever (although apparently she had a great day), a crazy hectic day, followed by leaving early...

Water on the moon - what's next, blue skies on Mars?

Posted on November 14, 2009
LOS ANGELES ? Suddenly, the moon looks exciting again. It has lots of water, scientists said Friday ? a thrilling discovery that sent a ripple of hope for a future astronaut outpost in a place that has always seemed barren...

Art of Mom Monday

Posted on November 10, 2009
Crazy, crazy day.* Twenty minutes from daycare/Matthew's work, Peach announces, "I have to go potty." She's been so perfect on the commutes that I gave up putting a diaper on her for the trips to/from work (even with commute traffic!)...

Peach in a tutu

Posted on November 06, 2009
Peach picked her outfit this morning (well, she does every morning - or at least nitpicks what I choose), and was adamant about the tutu - but then decided at the last minute not to wear it to school (we...

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How can someone so young sing words so sad?

Posted on November 05, 2009
Since Peach's Duran Duran obsession started, I've been wildly (ha) working on trying to get her tastes diversified. (Oh, hell, that's not true. Remember my labor and delivery playlist? I've been thinking about this for a while - I even...

Snotty Store Alert: French Quarter Linens

Posted on November 05, 2009
I work in the Pearl District and as a result, I get to enjoy shopping at a lot of swanky boutiques. Granted, I buy stuff on sale/clearance, but I like nice things and it's fun. I like good service, and...

Randomness

Posted on November 03, 2009
Peach sings in the shower. I really dig this. She also does "eskimo kisses." Opposing counsel should really, really always send RFPs in doc form to opposing counsel. It's the kind thing to do. [Story redacted at Matthew's request. It...

Art of Mom Monday

Posted on November 02, 2009
I'm not feeling like a mothering maven today - a screaming toddler during morning daycare drop off does it to me, every time - but even a weekend of sick Mactyres had some up moments. My favorite, around 2:30 am...

Art of Mom Monday

Posted on October 26, 2009
One word: Schwan's. On his own volition, Matthew started ordering from Schwan's. And lo, there were healthy dinners on the table that I did not have to prepare. Balance is restored. Life is good. (And mostly, he does the dishes.)...

Two things about my kid

Posted on October 22, 2009
1. Today we had an almost completely accident free day (one not-quite-to-potty-in-time morning incident). All day at daycare: no accidents. Wearing big girl underwear. Yes!!! 2. This was a real conversation about ten minutes ago. Shelley: Peach, don't touch that...

My wild girl

Posted on October 19, 2009
My kid loves Duran Duran, so much so that I'm expecting the next thing out of her mouth to be why Simon LeBon is so much cuter than John Taylor. (OK, maybe not quite that much. But close.) Take this...

New kind of normalcy

Posted on October 12, 2009
Since Matthew's mid-September surgery, we're getting back to a sort of normalcy. The hospital bed is gone from the house. The shower chair isn't used in the shower, but has been converted to a special place for Peach to sit...

Close encounters with reality TV

Posted on October 11, 2009
Friday morning, my sister-in-law and Peach and I set out to Roloff Farms, home of Little People, Big World. (It's located about 15 minutes from my house.) S-I-L Elina is a huge fan of the show, and I am a...

If I believed in hell...

Posted on October 09, 2009
...this woman would be rotting in it. Good call on prosecuting her...although (her) God knows she'll probably claim it's an infringement on her 1st Amendment rights. My first administrative assistant at my first grown-up job was bilked by someone just...

Not created equally

Posted on October 08, 2009
There's a very well-written article about how National Guard soldiers are shafted on GI Bill benefits on Truthdig -- by a name some of you might find familiar.

Mommy's little Calvinist

Posted on September 30, 2009
This morning I dropped Peach off at daycare. She was the first kid on her side of the room, and she was being pretty clingy. I read a book to her on a little couch, then told her I had...

Can I bottle this?

Posted on September 29, 2009
Today I am calm and peaceful and being pragmatic and not at all panicky. Maybe it has something to do with the fact I got a few hours of sleep without Eden in the bed (until nightmares or teeth woke...

Art of Mom Monday: Commute contemplations

Posted on September 28, 2009
There are mornings when I am up, out of bed, hair straightened (because I was clever enough/energetic enough to have showered the night before), ready to go, with Peach clean and shiny and ready to go - all by 6:45....

I'm back.

Posted on September 25, 2009
Back from hiatus. I wasn't sure if I would do this again, but damn it, I miss blogging. I miss having an outlet for the crazy stuff in my life (and there is a lot of crazy stuff). For a...

Not the best week...

Posted on July 19, 2009
2006 sucked (so badly that at one point, after losing a pregnancy, I declared a new year started in July), but 2009 hasn't been a barrel of monkeys, either. Case in point: Wednesday. Tuesday night, Peach had an amazing bout...

It's my party and I'll hide if I want to

Posted on July 15, 2009
Oh, the drama. More to come later - I am home with a toddler with exploding diarrhea, always a joy - but suffice it to say, I am looking for a job and I had gotten pretty tired of making...

"No" means "maybe later"

Posted on June 29, 2009
In the past, I have said I would NEVER EVER NEVER do the following: Get married. Was married December 30, 1992. Have a baby. Had a baby June 4, 2007. Work in a small office again (damn you, evil comic...

Art of Mom Monday

Posted on June 23, 2009
Forget the months of interrupted sleep, the tantrums, the screaming fits (not the same thing!), the stacks of dishes in the sink. Today is Art of Mom Monday, and I am going to think positively about parenting. Today's setting: harried...

To the three of you still reading this blog

Posted on June 20, 2009
We are all alive. Peach has some lovely gastrointestinal thing that has turned me off of chocolate frosting forever. My only free time comes after the screaming fit that is putting her down for a nap. (Thankfully, the naps have...

Not the U2 demographic yet

Posted on June 08, 2009
Peach and I were listening to music on our way home last week, and U2's "New Years Day" came on. Peach listened to Bono for about 15 seconds and exclaimed, "Baby crying!"

Catching up with her

Posted on May 31, 2009
In the beginning, it was easy to get cute pictures of Peach - newborns don't dodge. Now, though? I am lucky if I get her in the frame. Take last weekend's playground excursion: Finally one with her face!

Snippets of conversation

Posted on May 30, 2009
Upset Client: "You just can't understand what it's like to have a rapist call you out of the blue!" Me: "Um, actually it happens to me almost every day." UC: .... Me: "And murderers. The murderers are nicer on the...

Quandry

Posted on May 25, 2009
Half the time I think I am hovering over Peach too much and helping too much. The rest of the time, I wonder things like, "Is it wrong to let her eat Bath and Bodyworks foaming soap?" (FYI, I did...

Today's helpful tip

Posted on May 23, 2009
Law review + child porn charges ? happy legal career. Except for the prosecutor.

Insert stock "poor me" title here

Posted on May 21, 2009
I hate whiny blog posts, but frankly, I can't catch anyone up without a little whine. Mea maxima culpa. So this is basically the scene: Matthew's back is in BAD shape, even after January's surgery. He is going to PT...

Fingers crossed

Posted on May 20, 2009
For a night when Eden sleeps all night. In her own bed. And doesn't have night terrors every couple of hours. I miss sleeping.

Prairiedogging

Posted on May 18, 2009
Just sticking my head up long enough to say that most things in my life suck right now, but there are a couple of bright spots, including this one: The great thing about this picture is that you can't see...

No Birdie, no birdie!

Posted on May 08, 2009
Does it make me a bad mother that I found Peach's terror at the Red Robin bird hilarious? Seriously, she was trying to occupy the same place and time I was, clawing at my neck and screaming while the big...

Cheese and whine

Posted on May 04, 2009
Yeah, so this was a whiny post about being sick and accomplishing pretty much nothing all weekend, until I realized that, despite being sick, accomplishing pretty much nothing all weekend was nice and relaxing, and I probably needed the extra...

Hanging in there

Posted on May 01, 2009
Sorry for the dearth of posts, but between all the compulsive handwashing (swineflu) and my abysmal attitude about life in general, it doesn't make for good copy. Plus, I keep falling asleep when I try to post... Hoping for better...

Karma FAIL

Posted on May 01, 2009
So, I agreed to handle a sentencing/diversion deal for my boss today. This, for you criminal lawyer types, is no.big.deal. It's a yawn. For me, I asked several people about everything I needed to do, because in this county, criminal...

Bedtime reading

Posted on April 25, 2009
Apologies for quality - I'm blogging via phone in the nursery.

Need to work on timing

Posted on April 25, 2009
I've been working on teaching Peach to say "I love you," but have had zero success - strange, because she loves to repeat me. I finally figured out why tonight. When I prompted her, she said "no night-night" and "no...

Quote of the week

Posted on April 24, 2009
So pretty much all I think about at work is sex and violence, because that's the kind of law office this is. What this means is that on long days when we get punchy, everything pretty much becomes a sex...

10 things I wish I could have said this week, but didn't.

Posted on April 16, 2009
To client: "I can't believe you f-ing just said that on the record." To attorney: "You are not god's gift to women. You're not even god's gift to orangutans." To boss: "No, I can't revise this complaint to add a...

The shame, the shame

Posted on April 15, 2009
Tonight, at Costco, I succumbed to a parenting rite of passage: baby's first Disney movie. Damn it. But she saw the cover of the Aristocats and gleefully squealed, "kitties!" so really, what could I do?

Consignment store mission accomplished

Posted on April 11, 2009
I had to take her into a dressing room to get her verdict on outfits, but she now has two Hannah Andersson sets and more odds and ends - plus a Pottery Barn Kids Rocking lion - for $40.

Phone blogging

Posted on April 09, 2009
Crazy day - expected two legal assistants and ended up with none, and tomorrow will likely be the same. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate answering phones? Especially when no one actually returns my calls? Lunch was pitching...

Birdhouse in her soul

Posted on April 05, 2009
Like pretty much every toddler on the planet, Peach loves ducks. And so it was no wonder that, aside from the sea lion coming up and putting its face right by my hand (on the glass) and staying there for...

Still here!

Posted on April 04, 2009
This has been one of those weeks. Not too difficult, just a long slog. Matthew has a bad cold and was out of commission Thursday and Friday, and while I'm not feeling like I have a cold, I am achy...

Good and bad and worse

Posted on March 31, 2009
Good: Peach in the "Mommy Hug" phase. (Actually, this should be listed as "wonderful.") Bad: Peach in the screaming when going to bed phase. Worse: Peach in the screaming in the middle of the night phase and Mommy missing work...

10 things I don't like

Posted on March 26, 2009
I'm cribbing this from Lag Liv - I thought she'd done a fun post, and I learned a lot more about her. Stingy moochers. Like, for example, attorneys who steal other attorneys' time, or books, or office supplies, or drinks,...

Popcorn

Posted on March 26, 2009
Mommy's style unknown She smashes puffs to her mouth Eating just like I

One great-grandfather, two great-uncles, three second cousins twice removed...

Posted on March 25, 2009

Congrats in order...

Posted on March 23, 2009

More canine angst and catching up

Posted on March 22, 2009

Not the plan, but better than the plan

Posted on March 22, 2009

Post for my sister

Posted on March 22, 2009

La même chose

Posted on March 18, 2009

September 1913

Posted on March 17, 2009

Good fences

Posted on March 15, 2009

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

Posted on March 13, 2009

As good as it can be

Posted on March 09, 2009

Norris (1998-2009)

Posted on March 08, 2009

Back at it

Posted on March 05, 2009

WTF Washington County?

Posted on March 02, 2009

Pearl Alerts

Posted on February 27, 2009

Check and mate

Posted on February 25, 2009

Random stuff that is mostly all about me, but some about Peach

Posted on February 23, 2009
Unbridled (and boring) narcissism, the worst type of blog post. But it's been a long weekend. Peach no longer has the trots. She did Friday, though, so it was Day 2 of "Take Your Daughter to Work." We also made...

Hallmark Moments

Posted on February 23, 2009
From Peach's daycare teachers: The cover: And inside:

Take your daughter to work day

Posted on February 20, 2009
Peach was booted out of daycare today for two incidents of loose stools within 45 minutes. I found out when our legal assistant told me Matthew was on the phone. M: We have a problem. S: We do? M: Peach...

24-hour idiots

Posted on February 19, 2009
Like I said. All those people on the right are waiting for one of a dozen or so parking spots in the building to the right. On the left, those guys are competing for one of ten spots. Go by...

5 reasons why I'm a slow learner

Posted on February 19, 2009
I am the original absent minded professor - except for having a teaching gig at a university. Seriously: I get up from my desk at work, walk ten feet, and forget what I stood up for. Today I caught myself...

Pardon the dust

Posted on February 17, 2009
I am joining the dark side and adding some ads, hence all the weird rearranging over the last couple of weeks. I think I've settled down now on a theme and layout. I have to say that as much as...

Tipping the work/life balance back in favor of work. Or life. Or maybe just a little more sleep.

Posted on February 17, 2009
So, so happy that Matthew is going back to work starting tomorrow. It was pure heaven to go to work today - leaving Matthew and Peach at home - and just go to work without having having to do the...

Happy Valentine's Day

Posted on February 14, 2009
This is another one of those made-up holidays I hate. I hate feeling like I am entitled to a gift, because, sadly, I feel that entitlement. I hate feeling like the craven consumer the advertising people think I am. I...

Objet trouvé

Posted on February 13, 2009
"Pink Canvas No. 1" by Peach Mactyre, in found stuffed bear and tempera, celebrates the paradox of humanity by juxtaposing the permanence of a synthetic-fiber bear with the transient water-based paint.

Funny how I didn't read about this in the American news

Posted on February 12, 2009
Two Pennsylvania judges admit taking kickbacks. UPDATE: And here's another one!

Hold on to your hats!

Posted on February 11, 2009
You know it's an exciting day when you come home and are happy about: Finding mentholatum and the good lip balm in the bathroom drawer. You can probably skip giving the toddler a bath today. Maybe you have enough energy...

Fitness Fanatics? Really?

Posted on February 11, 2009
Dear people who drive to work out at the 24 Hour Fitness in the Pearl: I realize not everyone is lucky enough to work across the street from this particular gym, but I also happen to know that there are...

Every other day of the week is fine

Posted on February 10, 2009
Don't schedule the intervention yet: I am much less stressed today. Even with about four hours of fitful sleep (sinuses were so bad that I had to sleep in a chair, the baby woke up several times, including one requiring...

Sometimes it just works out that way

Posted on February 10, 2009
Today I expected to lose a hearing (but preserve the record for appeal) and then euthanize my dog. Instead, I won the hearing (in front of a bunch of attorneys very much my senior, and vs. a name partner in...

D2 4ever

Posted on February 04, 2009
My kid loves Duran Duran. I'd made an iPod playlist for her, mostly with upbeat ("We Got the Beat") and girl-power ("R-E-S-P-E-C-T") songs, along with "classics" that I thought she would like ("Dancing Queen" anyone?), or might be appropriate for...

Never enough (memes)

Posted on February 02, 2009
For some reason, this isn't working for me on Facebook. But since I never got around to the "25 things" meme, I'm playing this one instead. I particularly loved the answer to what my parents think of me.RULES:1. Put your...

Baby's first pedicure

Posted on February 01, 2009
Today I had a pedicure - and so did Eden. In my perfect world, I would get these once a month. In reality, it's more like three or four times a year, because I usually can't justify the time or...

Now with lemony goodness

Posted on January 24, 2009
Matthew is doing well. He was in the hospital less than 24 hours (total, not after the surgery!) and is fortunately comfortable in one chair (the one in front of his computer) and in bed, so as long as he...

Peach and her daycare boyfriend

Posted on January 16, 2009
I don't know exactly if this will work, but: Download MOV00517

And the un-blogger of the year award goes to...

Posted on January 16, 2009
...me. I haven't forgotten the blog, but I've been pathetically exhausted when I come home at night. When I can stay awake, I work a bit on Geni and then collapse. Otherwise, I just collapse. (After feeding the child, bathing...

At least they passed on my car stereo

Posted on January 06, 2009
Peach and I were driving home this evening when I noticed a satellite uplink news truck on the way into our subdivision. Although my brother is a satellite uplink engineer and I love him, I was pretty sure that unless...

Anatomy of a tantrum

Posted on January 04, 2009
I don't want to jinx it, but Peach is still a good baby. Even with the addition of tantrums, bossiness, and refusal at times to sleep to her repertoire (oh, wait - she has always done that at times), she...

What, is my credit score showing?

Posted on January 02, 2009
Because I'm not rich enough or cool enough for the Pearl District -- at least not as far as Shoefly is concerned. The store is just a couple of blocks down from my office, and I've gotten a few pairs...

The Tungsten Years

Posted on December 30, 2008
Because I only seem to be able to communicate in bullet lists these days, here are 16 facts about my wedding 16 years ago today (which Geni informs me is my tungsten anniversary): I was 19 years old. (Yes, I...

Christmas 2008

Posted on December 25, 2008
Memorable because: Peach has a 15 second tolerance for gift opening. After gifts are opened, she wants to put them back in their packaging. Watched Peach "mother" her baby doll. (Which apparently includes making sure the doll is naked, and...

It would be the only weekend I don't take any work home with me...

Posted on December 23, 2008
Who, aside from, say, the Donner Party, doesn't like a good winter storm? I'm no different - I love to watch the flakes drift by and check snow accumulations. I stay in the kitchen and bake and have a grand...

Snow day

Posted on December 14, 2008
I realize the rest of the country has really severe weather to contend with, but for NW Oregon, even a little bit of snow is a big deal. Sure, it rains here a lot - but we can get magnolias...

Delightful Peach

Posted on December 07, 2008
Today I said to Matthew, "I feel like my life is divided into three areas: work, Peach, and home. And I can do the first two, but I'm out of energy for the last." Our house is a disaster, I'm...

Pinot Evil and other Southern tales

Posted on December 05, 2008
Oh, what a week. The funeral was lovely and sad and heartbreaking, probably the only truly Southern funeral I'll attend. I am deeply, deeply disturbed at open caskets (this was my second open casket funeral, but thankfully the casket was...

My adventures with Northwest/KLM/Delta

Posted on November 24, 2008
Here's the first part of the story. I purchased a roundtrip ticket to Helsinki, Finland, to attend my brother's wedding. I thought it was refundable, and I purchased trip insurance on top of that. Short version: it wasn't refundable, and...

My interesting week

Posted on November 23, 2008
Cases settled: 2Hours expended on motions which will never get filed now: ManyDays I was without email for the majority of the day: 3Baby snakes held: 1 Dog messes cleaned up in living room: 1 Trips to ER: 2Explanations for...

The Invisible Attorney Rant

Posted on November 18, 2008
If I ever do a quasi-anonymous blog, it'll be called the Invisible Attorney - because that's what I am. It doesn't matter if I'm the one who writes the powerhouse brief or discovers the magic bullet buried in the thousands...

Surviving

Posted on November 17, 2008
I appreciate the "are you OK?" emails that have been percolating my way. We're fine, for the most part, although so much of our lives are unbloggable for family/work political reasons that we can't properly vent. Or at least I...

In Short

Posted on November 05, 2008
Lots of Work: Yes. Healthy Baby: Yes. NaNoWriMo: No. NaNoBloMo: No. The election: Yes. Yes. Yes.

Whatever shall we do about Norris?

Posted on November 02, 2008
And now for something completely different. Our much-loved, much-blogged Norris has become a danger to our much loved, much-blogged Peach. I never thought I'd be in this position - never understood how anyone could ever "get rid" of a beloved...

Today and tomorrow

Posted on October 29, 2008
Up and out of bed by 5 AM and well en route by 6. At the office by 6:30, even. I was taken out to breakfast and lunch. Service at breakfast was great. Service at lunch was awful. Really, beyond...

Sunday Sushi

Posted on October 27, 2008
One of these Sundays, I'm not going to work. Today, at least, the day was broken up by Sunday Sushi Date Afternoon (not to be confused with Friday Family Date Night, which was preempted by Matthew being home sick). Peach...

Vagaries of practice and life

Posted on October 23, 2008
The main reason for the dearth of posting is that my life is incredibly dull, and the parts that aren't dull are protected by privilege or would be mortally embarrassing to me or someone close to me. Seriously, I laugh...

To Peep or not to Peep

Posted on October 14, 2008
So there are some real things* happening in my life, but instead, I will blog about something important: Peeps. You may have noticed that people either love or hate Marshmallow Peeps, and that it is not uncommon for a Peep-lover...

Crazy.

Posted on October 07, 2008
This is a nutty week in a nutty month. Rule 21 hearing this morning (our case remains alive, hooray), three days of depositions, Tuesday through Thursday, count 'em, all while getting ready for a civil sex abuse case in a...

No oil company left behind

Posted on October 02, 2008
I want to say something profound about the VP debate. It's the only debate I'll likely listen to or watch all election cycle, because I despise the canned nature of most debates, but morbid curiosity got the better of me......

We really know how to enjoy a weekend around here

Posted on September 27, 2008
Peach: snotty, goopy eye, and teething. Desperately in need of a nap, but screaming from the crib. Good times. Me: headache, congested, and trying to convince myself that I am not getting sick because I don't have time. Matthew: took...

Where's the baby?

Posted on September 22, 2008
Peach with various and sundry ancestors: I think I already blogged that this weekend she decided she had, absolutely had, to wear this crown-hat at all times. While sleeping, even (she kept it on last night). And, as you can...

No news is not necessarily good news

Posted on September 21, 2008
This has been a hard week. It was demanding, work-wise (in more than the most obvious ways), and demanding childcare-wise (Peach's new independence is a beautiful thing, except when it involves screaming), and heartbreaking personally (trip to Finland called off)...

First trip away from Peach

Posted on September 11, 2008
I'm off to Nevada to see my sister, brother-in-law, and new nephew. Leaving Matthew and Peach? Was like ripping the heart out of my chest. Just waiting on the cattle dogs to herd us aboard the Southwest flight now. Flying...

Overwhelmingly cool moment of the day

Posted on September 09, 2008
To the Peach: "Please pick out a book and bring it to Mommy to read." And she did (it was a toss-up between two books, so she brought both - Goodnight Moon, naturally, being one of them). And is her...

Elephants!

Posted on September 08, 2008
Today we took Peach to the zoo (thank you again, R&M, for the membership!) to see the baby elephant who has yet to be named. Our pictures of the baby did not turn out (awful lighting, not allowed to use...

That explains a lot

Posted on September 04, 2008
I can't tell if Peach has four or five top teeth coming in all at the same time, but holy moly. Either way, no wonder she's so fussy.

Not far from the tree

Posted on September 02, 2008
Some people have 15-month-olds with 100 word vocabularies (if you believe the message boards, which I don't). Me? I have a 15-month-old who blows raspberries/farting sounds against Daddy's arm. And all three of us think this is absolutely, freaking hilarious.

State of the Peach

Posted on September 01, 2008
All in all, it's going well - especially when she's not tired, not in pain, and not hungry. Fortunately, she has another outlet for hitting besides Mama: More in the usual place.

And that's the news

Posted on September 01, 2008
The Peach: still teething (she has had only two teeth for what seems an eternity), still smacking me (although I'm trying to re-shape that into clapping - if it's attention getting, clapping is still not polite, but is a lot...

Mama Drama?

Posted on August 27, 2008
Peach has started hitting me. Not Matthew, not other kids at school, but me. It doesn't seem to be when she's particularly unhappy or sad or happy or wakeful or tired - just sometimes, she smacks me (usually my chest,...

PITA Afternoon

Posted on August 25, 2008
So, let's say there's this place in the Pearl that I eat lunch at frequently - say once or twice a week. Say, also, that there is a high nut percentage on the menu, so that I always play it...

And that was before eleven

Posted on August 21, 2008
This morning, after battling traffic to get to work, I did the following: 1. Went to federal courthouse to see if Assistant US Attorney would let me know charges against boss's new criminal defense client. 2. Went to county jail...

Yeah, I'm a law geek

Posted on August 15, 2008
Matthew used gift cards to purchase a new iPod for me recently. (He wants me to be able to take ALL of my photos and videos of Eden to show off in Finland next month.) Because I have so much...

I'm an auntie!

Posted on August 15, 2008
The C-section went great! I haven't gotten to speak with my sis yet (I am finishing up a sleep study - ugh), but can't wait. The "little" guy was over 7 pounds - pretty darn big for my family.

Not an auntie quite yet - but close.

Posted on August 14, 2008
Sister Sarah has been in labor for days, and is finally being prepped for a C-section now. I am in the middle of a second sleep study, but I am just hoping that sleep gets interrupted ASAP for good news!

Please think good thoughts!

Posted on August 13, 2008
It looks like sister Sarah is in labor with her little boy!!!!

Cheese with my Whine

Posted on August 10, 2008
Peach - definitely sick. Running 101.5 temp (and it's the kind where I am SOOOO glad there is an RN in the family to take that one). Whiny, clingy, wants Mama. It's nice to be wanted, but it was super...

Sigh...

Posted on August 07, 2008
I just posted a completely hilarious conversation that took place in my office, but it is so not work or kid appropriate that I deleted it. Instead, a picture of Eden at sushi:

Oh, memories

Posted on August 03, 2008
There is such a difference between a sick baby and a sick toddler. I remember being panicked about each of Peach's first illnesses. Was she peeing enough? She might be dehydrated! Breathing regularly enough? Is it asthma? Should we call...

Lots of good news...and snotty noses

Posted on August 02, 2008
It's now less than a month until my little nephew is due! When Sar held Eden for the first time, she said, "It really does feel different holding a baby that is related to you," and I can't wait to...

Almost like Christmas

Posted on August 01, 2008
The iMacs and my MacBook Pro arrived today for the office! It was really painless transferring data from my 5+ year old Powerbook to the MacBook Pro (via firewire - although it took several hours), and the iMacs are just...

Getting sleepy....the TMI version

Posted on July 21, 2008
I am enjoying the accommodations at the Pacific Sleep Center - or at least, I will, once I get all hooked up to all the monitors. I'm having a sleep study done, to hopefully learn why the hell it is...

Excitement!

Posted on July 19, 2008
Today I am excited because: Yesterday I got the go-ahead to order the Macs for our new, all-Mac network! We'll be using Daylite for case management. I'm getting a MacBook Pro - yahoo! (My PowerBook is 5 years old this...

A three hour tour

Posted on July 16, 2008
Matthew is in the nursery, singing song after song to Peach to ease her transition to sleep. He sang "Stand by Me," followed by "Thumbelina," and then finished with the Gilligan's Island theme, sotto voce. Quite lovely, actually. He has...

How geeky am I?

Posted on July 15, 2008
The dream I remember from last night involved me competing with a guy at a comic book shop to see who could name the most characters in the Marvel universe who have drunk alcohol. I kid you not.

Omen?

Posted on July 14, 2008
For the past two weeks, I've been meaning to blog about the dying geranium plant in the window of the Countrywide office in the Pearl District, just a couple of blocks from the office. With the weekend's news about the...

The Twenty-Year Meme

Posted on July 09, 2008
I was tagged by Yin! 20 years ago I: 1. Was a moody 15-year-old. 2. Lived on Camp Pendleton, CA, outside of San Clemente. 3. Dyed my hair pink. 4. Listened to a lot of Smiths, Depeche Mode, and Bauhaus....

Collateral Damage, the booksigning

Posted on June 28, 2008
Newer readers may not know that my youngest brother was in Iraq during 2004-5; the posts from that time were on the old blog, which long since crashed and burned, much like our national foreign policy. Phil was very young...

She's got legs

Posted on June 28, 2008
...and she knows how to use them. The Peach started walking this morning!

There'll be some changes made

Posted on June 23, 2008
My office is really starting to feel like my office. It is very modern - glass and steel - and I've been slowly adding red accents into the room, which warms it up a bit and really pops. I thought...

Why Peach is in expensive day care in the city

Posted on June 19, 2008
This stuff happens a lot. It scares me to death. Things do happen in facilities, too, but not nearly as often.

Times are changing

Posted on June 17, 2008
It used to be that when Matthew and I drove past a church, we'd first play "guess the denomination" by the outside appearance, then crane our necks to look at the sign to see who guessed closest. Last week, we...

Another milestone

Posted on June 15, 2008
She's down for a long-delayed nap (I was working at the law library, and she and Matthew played), after eating a LOT of "real" food. She's had a bath, a diaper change, and she's clearly not hungry. I heard this...

First week recap

Posted on June 13, 2008
I've really enjoyed my first week so far. (And I suspect the boss has, too - he was able to take two days off with me in the shop.) Right now I'm the only one in, and I'm blasting some...

I could go for this

Posted on June 12, 2008
Wouldn't it be nice to really have a 50-50 split of work/home responsibilities?

Quick update

Posted on June 10, 2008
Day 5 of Peach hasty-poo - but she made it through all day at daycare without getting sent home. I suspect it was a near-run thing - so to speak. Day 1 of my job - and I loved it....

Lots of good stuff

Posted on June 04, 2008
This time, this day, last year, I insisted that a nurse wheel me down to the NICU to visit my new baby - all 4 lbs, 12 oz of her. (Because I was still on the magnesium sulfate to prevent...

It was just supposed to be another appointment!

Posted on June 02, 2008
One year ago today, I was 35 weeks pregnant. It was Friday. I prepped a probate motion, and arranged for the process server to pick it up and take a copy to the courthouse and serve another copy on the...

Peter Murphy Concert Review

Posted on June 01, 2008
The opening act: too weird for me. And too screechy-loud. The main act: there wasn't one. After an hour of waiting post opening act, finally the tour manager came out to say that Peter Murphy was sick, we'd get refunds,...

time warp

Posted on May 31, 2008
at peter murphy show at aladdin. can't believe how old we all look. I am rebelliously wearing brown...

Not quite according to plan

Posted on May 25, 2008
Matthew's celebratory sushi? Turned into Round Table delivery when his back went out. (Likewise, my weekend of sharing child care? Turned into solo parenting - albeit with cheerleading support from Matthew - after the back diagnosis.) He spent the morning...

Vacation all I ever wanted

Posted on May 23, 2008
We're having a mini-vacation at Mactyre Manor. (Like almost all of our vacations, this means we're staying at home and hiding, since going away is usually reserved for business trips.) Matthew and Peach are home for the long weekend (Friday-Tuesday)....

You were saying?

Posted on May 20, 2008
I've always been distractable - quite distractable - with the exception of when I'm reading (good luck getting my attention then). This means that whenever I set out to do something, like pick up something from downstairs, I can end...

Graham cracker, anyone?

Posted on May 18, 2008
More here.

Randomness

Posted on May 17, 2008
I have started several posts for this blog and not finished them. Hopefully this one'll make it. I spent the hottest damn day of the year so far (yesterday - it allegedly hit 100 here) largely in places without air...

What the Guardian gets wrong about judges - and Vegas

Posted on May 15, 2008
Silly Guardian. Every Nevadan knows the Star Trek Experience is at the Hilton, not Caesar's. (And the new robes? They're goofy, sure. But the old robes were also goofy. Although I have to agree with the "evil pastor" sentiment -...

My first mother's day

Posted on May 12, 2008
First, the negative bits: I have always hated Mother's Day. I think it's a cheesy, made-up, commercial holiday that preys on guilt, and I end up feeling manipulated. My feeling is that if your relationship with your mother isn't great...

Shelley Mactyre's Day Off

Posted on May 09, 2008
Today I took the day off. I've been trying to take off one weekday each week while Matthew and Peach are off at work and daycare, because I usually end up working one weekend day (at least) and because, well,...

Maybe a bit childish

Posted on May 06, 2008
I just can't seem to get over enjoying saying how stupid the other side is. To be sure, I use different language, like: "[Opponent] has moved for summary judgment on a cause of action which Plaintiff did not plead. However,...

Today's Helpful Tip: An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of punitive damages

Posted on May 06, 2008
For the last year and a half, I've worked on a number of child sex abuse cases on behalf of a practitioner who does has a lot of these cases. This isn't where I thought I'd do a lot of...

Just another schizoid Sunday

Posted on May 04, 2008
Yes, it's sunny and beautiful, with a projected high of 70 degrees. And I'm inside a climate-controlled law library writing about the craziness that is child sex abuse. Whee.

How the Peach lives, or how designing a nursery took longer than gestating a baby

Posted on May 01, 2008
I've finally -- FINALLY -- finished the nursery, only 11 months after the Peach was born. Her nursery used to be our den (a co-opted back bedroom upstairs) and creating it involved many, many steps. Getting rid of the piano...

Peach Blogging

Posted on April 28, 2008
It seems about time to post a couple more Peach pics! Also, other than wanting to post a screed about Alexander McCall Smith fans (I was nearly trampled by a herd of them at Powell's Friday), I have very little...

Best child reference book ever

Posted on April 26, 2008
I'd heard of Dr. Brazleton before I was even pregnant, from a neighbor who teaches child development. She loved his books, but hadn't seen them in a long time. So I was *very* delighted to come across Touchpoints: Birth to...

Meta post

Posted on April 25, 2008
I never understood how people who'd blogged for a long time could just up and quit. Once a writer, always a writer, right? Anyway, I think I'm starting to get it. There isn't much about my life that strikes me...

Dear Daycare

Posted on April 23, 2008
We love you. Seriously. After twenty months on your waiting list and giving you nearly $1000 a month out of our nearly empty pockets, how could you doubt it? Alas, your true contribution to my life is providing me with...

More perspective

Posted on April 22, 2008
There's nothing like having a few weeks of good health to make me even that much more miserable the next time illness hits. This time, I've only got an itchy throat, headache, and runny nose, but the Peach has a...

The call I didn't want to get Monday AM at 9

Posted on April 21, 2008
Peach is running a temp of 104; Matthew is bringing her home so I can take her to the pediatrician at 11:45. UPDATE: It's all perspective. He was misinformed - she's actually running a 100.4 temp; if Matthew had called...

Good and bad

Posted on April 20, 2008
Good: long visit with my sister and brother in law giving sister and brother in law loads and loads of baby things first trip to PDX Ikea (actually, any Ikea) winning hearing redo visiting with law school classmate and seeing...

It's official

Posted on April 18, 2008
This is my BBC America boyfriend, and this is sister Sarah's BBC America boyfriend.

Wishful correspondence

Posted on April 16, 2008
Dear Norris, It's amazing to think you joined our household way back in 1998. You have added so much to our lives and I love you dearly, which is why I think you won't mind this candid note. I don't...

Personal Milestones

Posted on April 11, 2008
Today was a significant day in a lot of ways. Some good, mostly bad. I probably would have had a very tall, stiff drink if it wouldn't have made my head hurt even more. But rather than dwell on that,...

Nothing to see here, move along...

Posted on April 09, 2008
This is just another one of those random catch-up posts, because I am tired and unable to think of anything witty, brilliant, or even just ranting. The baby is really standing and cruising - nothing is safe. She's like a...

Checking in haiku

Posted on April 07, 2008
The attorney works Her baby crawls, then cruises The house is a mess

It wasn't the picture I set out to take, but I'll take it

Posted on April 01, 2008
Eden at almost 10 months.

Not again!

Posted on March 31, 2008
Matthew has a cold. So far, Peach and I haven't succumbed, and I'm hoping that means he's just getting something we've already had or that it's a sinus infection which we won't get. Fingers crossed. I've actually been not-sick for...

Today

Posted on March 27, 2008
I should find out if I'll have a niece or nephew in September; I am doing the work I love best: a response to a summary judgment motion in a child sex abuse case; I realize how weird that last...

If you needed another reason to hate Wal-Mart, try this one

Posted on March 26, 2008
They're suing a former employee who signed up for the company health insurance -- so that the corporation can recoup the health care expenses she incurred after she suffered catastrophic brain damage in an auto accident. The woman can't even...

My balancing act

Posted on March 24, 2008
Saturday I downloaded the free trial version of Life Balance, a piece of software (for Palm, PC, and Mac) which is a sort of project manager/ultimate to-do list/graphic representation of where your time and effort is going. It's a very...

Could've been worse...

Posted on March 23, 2008
...this child molester could have been a pediatrician. (Not that child sex abuse is ever OK, but a part of me that still hurts from losing our first baby feels Schadenfreude that it was NW Perinatal the guy worked at,...

Could've been worse...

Posted on March 22, 2008
...this child molester could have been a pediatrician. (Not that child sex abuse is ever OK, but a part of me that still hurts from losing our first baby feels Schadenfreude that it was NW Perinatal the guy worked at,...

Not quite ready for bed

Posted on March 21, 2008
Cross-posted at Eden's Garden.

Please bear with me

Posted on March 21, 2008
If anything will drive me to self-hosting this blog using Wordpress, it will probably be the lame Typepad themes. I actually pay money for this service every month, can you believe it? If only I had the time to do...

One for the casebooks

Posted on March 19, 2008
One of the saddest things I hear about as an attorney are cases of the elderly being taken advantage of by opportunists. It's becoming so common, and in watching my grandparents age, I can see how easily it could happen....

How not to interview for your dream job

Posted on March 18, 2008
Have very flushed complexion, because the stupid steroids give you hot flashes; Cough up half a lung during the interview, because the residual bronchitis just will NOT give you a rest; Have to ask for water during interview, because just...

No senate subcommittee necessary

Posted on March 13, 2008
After feeling almost normal yesterday (no naps, much accomplished), this morning I was back to feeling as though my left ear had filled with water. So, back to the doctor I went (third time in a week), and emerged this...

For Sarah

Posted on March 13, 2008
Not a great view of the Pob, but it was hard to hang onto Peach when she decided to start jumping!

March 11 Reviewed

Posted on March 12, 2008
Still sick, still exhausted. Not sure antibiotics are helping with the ear infection but really, really don't want to go to the doctor again. House trashed beyond belief. Can't be bothered to think or do anything about the mess. Pluses:...

Professional consultations

Posted on March 12, 2008
The Eliot Spitzer thing just boggles the mind. Not the facts, but the scandal. So...a man who prostitutes himself to get elected consorts with a woman who prostitutes her body for money -- what's the big deal? People are surprised...

Enough already!!!

Posted on March 09, 2008
Sick of being sick. Sick of taking care of sick people. And really, really tired. Current tally: Matthew: Influenza. Down for the count and unable to help much with the parenting right now. Shelley: recovering from strep throat, developing new...

Uncle

Posted on March 09, 2008
So this morning I woke up feeling crappy. Fearing I had the flu, I went to urgent care. (And had, for once, great timing - only one person ahead of me.) After an interminable wait in the exam room, the...

Get...a...life

Posted on March 09, 2008
I had to run out to Walgreen's last night when Matthew had an Afrin crisis, and was the fifth person in line. The first person was arguing with the checker over the price of NERDS. And she was attempting to...

It might never be the same

Posted on March 08, 2008
Today the Peach figured out that if she crawled over to the iPod boombox and touched it, music came out. (OK, not quite so easy - she worked at it for a while.) No matter what I did, I couldn't...

Note to self

Posted on March 06, 2008
Dear Self: Straightening the house, organizing work files, doing laundry, putting away laundry, and returning phone calls? Too much to do while sick back when you were in your twenties. Really too much to do now, and dripping sweat and...

Look at the noggin on that kid!

Posted on March 06, 2008
This was a long, whiny post about how I now have strep throat and feel really awful, but I deleted it. Wah, poor pitiful me. OK? Done. More interesting was the Peach's 9-month pediatrician visit: 19 pounds, 7 ounces, 26.6...

What I want for my birthday

Posted on March 05, 2008
I'd like to be just sick enough to justify staying in bed and having my every whim catered to, but not sick enough that I actually feel bad. Is that so much to ask?

Today's Helpful Tip

Posted on March 04, 2008
If you're pushing 35* and working on getting back into shape to run, maybe the 60 minute kickboxing workout isn't the best place to start, what with those poor old joints and all. (All I can say is that as...

My weekly check-in

Posted on March 03, 2008
In the exciting world of Menagerie-land, here's what's going on: I took Friday off, then worked the weekend - bright and sunny topics: restraining orders and sex abuse.  Sex and death, death and sex.  Gotta love human nature...or not. Peach is getting very impatient with her limited mobility, and is learning to pull up...

Peach Pics: Almost 9 Months!

Posted on February 27, 2008
Peach'll hit her 9 month mark on March 4.  Crazy how fast it's going! I held a three-week preemie (6 pounds) last weekend and could not stop marveling at how teeny he was.  To think 9 months ago Peach was 4 pounds, 12 oz just kept tripping me out...

Ch-ch-changes

Posted on February 27, 2008
Sorry for the recent formatting changes.  I was having a hard time reading the past two templates on my laptop screen, and needed something easier.  Time to make a trip to the eye doctor, I'm sure!

Sad Story

Posted on February 24, 2008
Two things: 1.  When I get a migraine, I confuse words, misspell words, and writing is generally more difficult.  2.  I do a lot of work on child sex abuse cases. So it's a sad state of affairs when I think to myself, "Man, this is a bad migraine -- I can't remember how to spell 'pedophile...

Sunday, Sunday

Posted on February 24, 2008
I am: at the law library; working through a huge to-do list that must be done TODAY; annoyed that I spilled diet soda down my white t-shirt; fighting a migraine; without any migraine meds; needing to hit Costco before closing; not the only one in the library, which somehow annoys me; and cranky...

You! Back under the rock!

Posted on February 23, 2008
So remember Ms. Borderline?  She's baaaaack, this time threatening me with all sorts of unpleasantness (like reporting me to the bar) if I don't return her retainer. From 2006.   Never mind that I did the work and that she never paid me for the work I did subsequently, of course...

It's those little things

Posted on February 20, 2008
Breaking away from a motion for partial summary judgment to vent: Do you have any idea how freakin' hard it is to find a pair of red leggings, size 12 months?  I thought with Val's day just wrapped up, it might not be so bad.  But jeez!  Peach has a number of cute, short-sleeved dresses (many of which are care of law school friend Nikki), which I prefer to put her in for daycare because it tends to be quite warm there -- and it's simple enough to pull off a sweater and/or leggings if she gets overheated...

Take no prisoners.

Posted on February 19, 2008
Tonight is the work/life balance panel at the law school. It's always nice to be invited back to speak, and I am very interested in the topic of balance, but did I mention before that there will be a parking place with my name on it?! My previous post aside, for the past few days, I've been trying to distill my thoughts about balance into a pithy one-liner that attendees can take away...

Minimally Qualified & Other Good News

Posted on February 15, 2008
The first hurdle in applying for federal positions is being deemed "minimally qualified," in order to progress to the next round -- all very reality-show-ish, if you ask me.  Anyway, last night I was delighted to learn from the federal agency to which I'd applied that I am, in fact, minimally qualified for all three pay grades of a particular position...

Long day made much brighter

Posted on February 14, 2008
The morning started too early, involved a long commute, encompassed 9 depositions  (one in which I swear some of my brain leaked out of my ears), then finally a joyful reunion with Peach and Matthew at daycare, a sushi dinner -- and an even more joyful discovery that my law school's most adorable co-counsel welcomed their baby daughter in the wee hours of the morning...

I'm it -- and now you are, too.

Posted on February 12, 2008
The delightful Yin has tagged me with this meme: Here's the tag: 1. Pick up the nearest book (one of at least 123 pages) 2. Open the page to 123 3. Find the 5th sentence. 4. Post the next 3 sentences 5. Tag 5 people. Here's mine, from Ian Toll's Six Frigates: the Epic History of the Founding of the U...

Quick and dirty catch up

Posted on February 12, 2008
Tired.  Headache.  Thankfully not sick.  A day behind on returning phone calls and emails.  Peach started daycare (I can't keep calling it "school" in conversation, so I'm giving it up for good) full time today - I'd just gotten used to having her gone two days each week, and now it's up to five!  I was thinking we'd be waiting another 20 months for the bump up to full time...

Thank God for Costco, or why I can't slice my own fruit

Posted on February 12, 2008
I am the person for whom pre-sliced and packaged fruit and veggies were invented.  It's humiliating to admit, but I am too lazy to clean and slice my own fruits and veggies.  If they aren't ready for me to pick up and eat, then I'll eat something less healthy but requiring no preparation...

How not to spend a Saturday night from midnight 'til 4:45 am

Posted on February 10, 2008
In the ER with your daughter, who has a nasty, croupy cough.  Good times.  She's fine (although sick) and sleeping with the aid of a steroid shot, Motrin, Tylenol, and a humidifier (all purchased around 5 am this morning - thank you 24-hour Rite Aid) although Matthew and I are seriously wiped out...

8 months already

Posted on February 05, 2008
It's crazy how fast time passes now.  I'm still confused that it's winter -- shouldn't we be in August right now, maybe September?  In any case, Peach continues to grow and grow. She turned 8 months today!  I can't believe it's been so long -- or that it's been so fast...

Me, balanced?

Posted on February 04, 2008
I've been asked to participate in a Work/Life Balance panel put on by the Women's Law Caucus at my law school.  While flattered to have been asked (my mentee from last year, now a pregnant 2L herself, nominated me), I am at quite a loss for what to say...

Today's Public Service Announcement

Posted on January 30, 2008
Save us from people who put everyone else at risk because they refuse to vaccinate their kids.   There is no evidence that vaccines cause autism and overwhelming evidence that vaccines don't cause autism.  Seriously.  Repeat after me: vaccines don't cause autism...

Thank you, Miss Maryland 2001

Posted on January 30, 2008
Nothing -- and I mean nothing -- improves a female attorney's street cred with male attorneys like saying, "Hey, Miss Maryland 2001 just commented on my blog."   Holy-shmoly.  I really got to bask in some reflected glory there -- thank you, Kelly, for doing wonders for my reputation in Washington County, Oregon...

Peach Blogging

Posted on January 28, 2008

TV Review: Miss America

Posted on January 27, 2008
Wait!  Don't take away my feminist credentials just yet!  So, yes, Matthew and I just watched the Miss America Pageant.  I've never watched it before, but after I got sucked into watching all four episodes of Miss America: Reality Check (seriously: I am a TLC junkie these days), I really wanted Utah, Washington, or Alaska to win...

Waving the Elephant of Truce

Posted on January 23, 2008
After her morning snooze, Peach started to play in her crib with a stuffed toy.  From my angle in the chair across the room, though, this is what I saw. And sitting (with some help getting there):

Shame on the NYT

Posted on January 23, 2008
For not supporting Linda Greenhouse in a more substantial way against the attacks of M. Edward Whelan III.*  Full disclosure: I enjoy Greenhouse's reporting on the Supreme Court, devoured her bio of Justice Blackmun, and do not share toothpaste with Greenhouse (or Blackmun, for that matter)...

Punchline looking for a joke

Posted on January 22, 2008
A lawyer who can't talk.  How ironic. (But other than the lost voice and the sinus problems, I'm doing a hell of a lot better than I was on Sunday, when I was dealing with the after-effects of the stomach bug AND the cold.  And I'm feeling somewhat proud of myself for clearing off ancient shows from the bedroom's TiVo...

Wake me when it's over, please

Posted on January 19, 2008
Matthew and I have a quasi-serious rule about illness, and have since the begininng of our relationship.  Neither of us does sick well (he gets cranky and noncompliant and I get peevish and push myself too hard), so we say that only one of us can be sick at a time...

Spoke too soon

Posted on January 18, 2008
Little Girl* did not stop vomiting.  I ended up calling her physician and under advice, have only given her very small amounts of food at a time. (When she'd eat -- lots of times she refused to eat at all.)  At five this morning, she woke up ravenous, but I only let her eat two ounces, because I really didn't want to be thrown up again...

State of the House

Posted on January 17, 2008
Matthew: recovering from sprained ankle and using cane, House, MD-style.  Peach: projectile vomiting, followed by dry heaving and bile vomit every half hour.  Me:  Painful sore throat and generalized achiness, headache, and generalized feeling sorry for self...

So far, so good?

Posted on January 16, 2008
The Peach had her first day at "school."  (I detest the term "day care" and can't think of anything better.  I decided on "school" so that when the time comes for kindergarten, "school" is something she's an old pro at, mentally speaking...

Thank you, my early adopting husband!

Posted on January 15, 2008
Today a card came from Intuit, the people who make Quicken. I almost tossed it into the trash immediately (I can't begin to count how much junk mail they've sent us over the years), but opened it on a whim.  Inside?  A $50 Amazon gift card because Matthew was among the first 50 people to upgrade to Quicken 2008...

Contracting Work Dissected

Posted on January 14, 2008
One of the ways I've earned money since law school is by doing contract research and writing.  Almost all of my contracting work has come from solo practitioners, and the rest from small firms, so I can't speak to the big-firm contracting experiences (mostly negative) I've read about online, where the contractors are in sweatshop-like conditions...

Shameless L&C Classmate Gossip

Posted on January 10, 2008
In case anyone has been wondering what Mr. S.C. has been up to...apparently, it's with a judge with a big mouth.  Whoopsie! Thanks to Skelly for bringing this to our attention.

One...step...at...a...time...

Posted on January 08, 2008
I'm becoming one of those bloggers -- you know, the type that only posts once in a blue moon, and when she does, it's all whining about how busy she is.  What do I do, you ask? As you can see from previous posts, I feed the baby, change the baby, play with the baby, repeat, try to get a couple of things done before the cycle starts all over again...

A day in the life, redux

Posted on January 04, 2008
Yesterday was amazing, crazy, and wonderfully productive.  Peach and I worked our tails off, and she was a trooper, up to and including going to the courthouse.  (She had her usual reaction to the courthouse.  She pooped.)  I did a bit of everything and felt wonderful about the day - I crossed more off my to-do list than I have in a long while...

Birth Certificate Remorse

Posted on January 01, 2008
CNN.com's  story about naming remorse (and changing) fascinates me.  When we decided on "Eden Alexandra," I knew that it was highly unlikely that we'd want to call her Eden at the beginning, something that was even more true when she arrived more than a month early...

10 things I wish I'd known before getting pregnant

Posted on December 31, 2007
I?d been thinking about this post for a little while, but now that a close family member is expecting a baby, I pushed it to the forefront.  Here are a few of the things that I wish I?d known at the time Peach was born (I?ve already listed the de rigueur gear in a previous post, and LL has some fantastic updates to her list, five months on)...

The baby's first Christmas, Grinch-style

Posted on December 28, 2007
Holidays in my family are high drama.  Six Chrystals with big personalities, then grandparents with big personalities - yikes.  So it was stressful getting to church Christmas eve, stressful getting up for stockings to unwrap, stressful with the formal breakfast, stressful waiting for four children, grandparents, and parents to all get ready for the formal unwrapping of gifts, the tallying of gifts for the purposes of thank you notes, and the painful one-by-one unwrapping...

Lawyers Appreciate....

Posted on December 24, 2007
PT-LawMom tagged me to participate in this year's "Lawyers Appreciate..."  campaign.  Here are five of the things I appreciate the most in my practice. Honesty.  From clients, opposing parties, opposing counsel, staff, and jurists...

Product Review: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Vacuum

Posted on December 23, 2007
We have a meticulously researched, reviewed, and relatively young vacuum.  It's broken.  That's how I ended up at Target a couple of weeks back, looking at vacuums. I am not the Consumer Reports maven in our family (that would be Matthew).  All I really knew about vacuums was that I wanted a decent upright until the fancy canister was repaired...