Mommy's Night Out - Benefit Concert

Allison recently made some new mommy friends in the neighborhood. She was invited to hang out for a mom's night out. Bring a snack, don't bring the kids. That's all fine and good, but when the your 7 week old daughter has only been bottle fed once in her life, there could be problems brewing at home. Let's see what happened shall we?

We ate dinner then Allison got her S'mores type snack ready and hit the road. I was getting mentally prepared for my night and I didn't even get to do my classic S'mores joke. I'll have to double up next time.

I got Ben in his pajamas early. He still isn't himself yet. I don't know if he isn't 100% over his virus or if he is teething and that is bothering him, but either way, he's not himself. He's been angry and whinny. He actually sounds a lot like me when I'm sick or hungry or sick and hungry.

I knew he would go to bed early, and that would just leave me and my little girl. Last time I was alone with her, I had to admit defeat and call mommy home. Not tonight little girl! Not tonight!

We played in the kids room for about 20 minutes and all was fine: see exhibit A

Then one of Ben's cars fell off the ramp and he thought it was a good idea to punch, kick and push the ramp. That marked bedtime. I did a very quick teeth brush and put him to bed. I tried to be slick with his bedtime story. I knew it was only a matter of time before Abigail got upset that she was alone and I wanted to get back to her before that happened.

I started reading Clifford and Friends. It's a double feature, Clifford and Friends in the front, Clifford's Family in the back. I skipped directly to Clifford's Family. Ben was happy for the first 3 pages, then WAIT A MINUTE! SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT!!! He figured it out and started reaching for the book. I quickly finished up then played the "tuck in" game. (tucking him in by pulling the blanket over his head) I said good night and was on my way. I feel bad for skipping story time, but he'll get 2 or 3 stories tomorrow night to make up for it.

It was off to tend to Abigail now. Did the abbreviated story time keep her from getting upset? NOPE! Missed it by that much! Now to calm her down and feed her a bottle for the second time in her life, the first time being her first meal ever! No sweat right?

I dressed her in winter feety pajamas. It's going to be 47 degrees tonight. Gotta bundle up. I got a bib and two burp cloths. I was ready for action. I tried to feed her and she flipped out! WAIT A MINUTE! That taste like my food, but you're not mommy!!!! She probably screamed bloody murder for 30-45 seconds, but it felt like 4 or 5 minutes. I decided to sing a song to calm her down. It worked. She stopped crying and started eating. So I couldn't stop singing could I?

Those of you who know me well, know I'm a horrible singer. Ms. Duck wouldn't even let me join the chorus in elementary school. I had to play viola in the orchestra! It's scary to think my singing soothes my baby girl.

I think her first sentence may be "quick to the point to the point no fakin, cookin MCs like a pound of bacon" because I sing that song to her a lot. On to the playlist:

1. Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
2. Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
3. Paul Revere - Beastie Boys
4. New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
5. Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi

Things got bad for a minute during Wanted Dead or Alive. I started laughing thinking about an SNL skit. The whole thing is funny, but I was thinking about the scene 4:25 into the clip.


Jon Bon Jovi interview SNL, funny :) from monster on Vimeo.


I composed myself and continued the concert. She started eating again. The encore set list:

1. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
2. NY State of Mind - Billy Joel
3. It Takes Two - Rob Base & DJ Easy Rock

She fell asleep during the last song. I woke her up for a quick burp. She only ate 1.5 oz, but I'm calling that a success of epic proportions. However, if Allison reads this, I'm pretty sure she hated the bottle and me feeding her. She's much happier when you do it and let daddy sleep! WINK! SMILEY FACE!!!

To summarize my night - Daddy Rules! King Kong ain't got nothing on me! (Sorry for the cursing, I couldn't find the clip from the preview when he says "nothing")

Goals for 2010

It's almost 2010. The past decade flew by. December 31, 1999 I was in a luxury suite at Madison Square Garden ringing in the New Year with Billy Joel and 20,000 of our closest friends. This year I'll be at home on my couch watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. What a change, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

This is the time of year where everyone decides to give themselves new year resolutions. They decide to diet, exercise, maybe give up soda or sweets and are really gung-ho about it...for about a month. I don't do resolutions anymore because I was the same way. I would stick by my resolutions for 2 or 3 weeks, then get bored with it.

So instead of making new year's resolutions, I decided to give myself a list of goals for 2010. It's very similar to having resolutions, but goals are measurable and obtainable items. What good is having a resolution to exercise or give up chocolate if you can't measure it and have nothing to show for it? It's no good. That's why they never last. Join me and make a list of goals for your 2010.

Some of my goals will sound silly, but I'm serious about them and I'm going to try to meet them all.

Goals for 2010

1. Spend less time on Facebook and Twitter and more time with Ben and Allison
2. Spend the first hour after Ben goes to sleep writing.
3. Finish writing my book
4. Make money off of my writing
5. Run a 5K under 30 minutes
6. Run a 10K in an hour
7. Run a 15K - just finish, without stopping
8. Run a half marathon - just finish without stopping
9. Learn how to juggle
10. Learn how to play Super Mario Bros theme on my keyboard
11. Learn how to play Clocks by Coldplay on my keyboard
12. Learn how to play NY State of Mind by Billy Joel on my keyboard
13. Remain a size 34 for another year
14. Create a new blog and post a picture on it everyday in 2010
    
15. Teach Ben to say "Daddy" & "Awesome"
16. Do not curse in front of Ben
    

Bears on my PJs

There are only a few people who have ever heard me sing. If you are not one of them, consider yourself lucky. I love music, I have over 3400 songs on my Ipod, but I am a horrible singer. Below is a list of people who can confirm this:

1. Mrs. Duck. Elementary music teacher & choir leader. She recommended the band or orchestra after my audition.
2. Some of the track team when I was a freshman in high school. We sang Boyz II Mens songs on the bus rides home.
3. The people who went to see Bag of Doughnuts with me at HOB or Razzoos in New Orleans
4. Anyone who's been to a Bon Jovi/Billy Joel concert with me.

Well since Ben has been born, I've really been busting out the tunes. I sing to him to try to keep him awake and entertained, so hopefully he'll sleep through the night. I tried TV show themes, The Golden Girls, Diff'rent Strokes, Fraggle Rock, but they are not as entertaining you'd think. So I decided to make up some songs.

I make up a new song nightly based on what pajamas Ben is wearing. The first song, that was remixed tonight was 'Bears on my PJs.' If you can't figure it out, there were bears on his PJs.

I don't just sing the song nicely, I sing it in a crazy voice. I can't really describe it, and you will not see a video posted here, but think Will Ferrell in Elf "I'm in a store and I'm SINGING!" or the video below. It's pretty close to what I do, including the dancing, I call it contemporary.

The lyrics to Bears on my PJs? I thought you'd never ask.

I got bears on my pjs.

I got bears on my feet.

There's a bear on my pocket.

On my blue striped pajamas.

(the I make Ben go)

I thought I told you that we won't stop, I thought I told you that we won't stop

(back to the song)

Bears on my pjs.

They're nice and warm for me

When dad changed my diaper

Sometimes I like to Pee

Not on my blue striped pajamas

But only on my dad

What's on my pocket?

There's a bear on my pocket.

(Bid REMIX)

I got a monkey on my bib.

There's a monkey and a tiger.

Wait, that's a lion

It's a monkey and a lion.

Well, that was tonight's song. It kept Ben awake for a good 10 minutes. It made me crack up and it may have made Allison rethink some of the choices she's made in her life. It's only a matter of time before I get into an Eminem like freestyle.

Quick, give me a word

Bananas? Is that what you said?

Bananas for the monkey on my bid,

Let's eat them in my crib.

Banana split, hack-to spit,

If you don't want me to pee on you,

you should really cover it.

I need another word,

Terd? let's keep it clean

I'm only 2, weeks old

I want an egg roll

I got no teeth to eat it

I never tweeted

I'm only 2, weeks old...

Ok I gotta stop now, I don't know what's gotten into me tonight, but I feel it would be best for everybody if it came to an end. In serious news, Benjamin is going to meet his other set of grandparents and one of his uncles this weekend. Looking forward to it.