I've discovered

The ultimate time suck.


Facebook.


So, between updating my status and reconnecting with old friends, all that I have time for is cuddling this cute little guy.

Stranded

Yes, this is another post about the weather.

I've been going a little stir crazy around here - the cabin fever has been setting in. I had a long list of errands that were piling up. I had been avoiding them because I didn't want to take poor little Cameron out in this unbelievably cold weather. However, my list of errands was getting long and it was getting to the point where they had to be done.

So, I bundled both of us up, warmed up the car and off we went. I had my list written in order of importance and I was just going to see how far we got. My first stop was supposed to be for gas at Kwik Trip - but the car started a little weak. I didn't want to turn it off to pump gas and have it not start on me. I decided I would go to my second stop, Hyvee and let it run while I shopped. I figured by the time I was done, the alternator would have charged the battery enough to do all of my errands with no problem.

After shopping for thirty minutes at HyVee, I stopped at the Kwik Trip next door, turned off the car and pumped my gas. I didn't even think twice about the battery because it had run for so long while I shopped for groceries.

Big Mistake.

After pumping the gas, the car wouldn't start. The battery barely even clicked. UGH.

So, here I sit. The temperature was -2 with a windchill of -20. I'm sitting in a dead car with a four and a half week old baby.

Thankfully, Mike's office was only five minutes away and he quickly drove over to give us a jump. Then, I drove straight to Wal-mart to have them put in a new battery. I figured, it must be need replacing if it didn't charge enough after running for thirty minutes. I didn't get a battery though - there were about thirty cars ahead of me waiting for the very same thing.

So, I drove home with my errands unfinished. Mike put the battery charger on my car and we'll cross our fingers that it starts.

Are we there yet?

HALFWAY.

I have completed 50% of my MBA program. Have I mentioned yet that I'm really sick of it? Reading boring text books and happy touchy-feely management crap is really getting old. Not to mention the endless papers that I seem to be writing.

Gee...aren't I just a ray of sunshine today?

So - if I'm sick of it, why am I doing it? Well - because the Mayo Clinic pays for it. They pay $7200 per year for my tuition. So, by taking four classes per year, I pay only a few hundred dollars towards tuition and I have to buy my books. There's nothing like an almost-free education! Also, they will PAY ME MORE when I finish it. I don't even have to change jobs to get that raise - I can stay in my current position and see a bigger paycheck just because I have those three little letters after my name. So - that is my motivation.

I must say that even tho I am sick of, the way I am doing it does work well. Capella University has an awesome online program. I have to take 16 classes, each of them is 6 weeks long. I don't have to go to class, I do it all right from my computer - I can be in my pajamas or even in my birthday suit if I wanted to but it's too dang cold for THAT! It works out that I am in school for six weeks and then I get a six week break. If I wanted to pay some of my own money towards this, the program could be completed in about a year and a half.

Not only do I not want to pay for it, I don't want to feel like I am constantly in school. So - this works. I'm half way there.

At least, while I work on these endless papers, I get to sit at my computer with this cute little guy sleeping on my chest in a sling. Not bad.

Even colder!

I'll quit bitching about the weather when we have temps above 0!!

Our thermometer bottomed out at -26.3 around 5am this morning, and then the battery in the outdoor sensor froze and it quit tranmitting temps. The wind chill is near -50.

The keypad to open our garage door froze and quit working. This keypad is very important, our garage is not attached to the house, so its a pain to get into the garage when the keypad freezes!

Mike had to drive to Lacrosse again today - he said as he was driving along the interstate, cars would suddenly just stop running and be stranded alongside the road.

Mike stopped at our neighborhood Kwik Trip before leaving town this morning. The pumps have stopped working due to the cold. Good thing he was only there for a breakfast sandwich and a coffee!

The weatherman says we should have temps near 30 next week. That's about a 60 degree swing, without counting windchill. That will be downright tropical! Is anyone up for having a luau?

Minnesotans for Global Warming

This is making me smile and laugh today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJUFTm6cJXM

Also - you know its cold when your cell phone starts complaining.

Seriously.

My mom forgot her cell phone in her car overnight. When she went out to get it this morning, the display read "service interrupted by cold."

Cold enough for 'ya?

Are you sick of hearing that yet? I swear, Minnesota is the ONLY place on the planet where people actually say that when it gets really cold. Just wait, when the mercury hits 100 degrees this summer (its hard to imagine right now!) you will hear "Hot enough for 'ya?" from just about everyone you see. (Remember, Minnesota Nice means that even complete strangers will ask you if it's hot or cold enough for 'ya!)

For those of you from warmer climates, that little dash before the 21.3 means that it is NEGATIVE 21.3 degrees. It hasn't been this cold for a few years.

With the wind, it feels like -35 degrees. Frostbite and hypothermia can set in within 15 minutes. We received 5 inches of snow yesterday with another 3-5 inches expected tonight. I'm so glad I don't have to be out there running the snowblower. Thanks, Mike!!!!

Global warming, my @$$.

Compare and Contrast

As a new mom, twice over, I can't help but think back to what it was like when Madison was a baby. I know you're not supposed to compare your kids - but it is kind of fun to note their similarities and differences.

Madison - 2005

Cameron - 2008

Madison and Cameron both had a ton of hair. I think Madison's was longer, and MUCH more dramatic with its red color. Regardless, people are still shocked and amazed at how much hair Cameron has. I expected to see a lot of hair just because Madison had so much. I honestly don't know what I would do with a bald baby!

Madison

Cameron

Madison and Cameron look EXACTLY alike. I didn't notice it in the first few hours of Cameron's life, but the more I looked at his little face, the more I saw how much he looks like his big sister.


Madison

Cameron

Madison LOVED bath time. From the very first bath that Mike gave her in the hospital, she would laugh, smile, and spash around in the bath. She would get so excited and wiggle about when we would pull out the baby bathtub. Cameron, not so much. He hates his bath time. In fact, he screams through the entire bath. Madison thinks its funny and comments on how much she enjoys bath time. Madison even got a bath time doll that she gives a bath to during Cameron's bath.

Madison

Cameron

Madison has blue eyes and it looks like Cameron's might be brown, but the jury is still out. Whenever he wears blue clothes, his eyes look like they might be blue. So, I'm not 100% certain that he got my eyes yet.

Madison has my hair - it's thin but there is lots of it. Cameron has his Dad's hair - it is much thicker than mine. He also has his Dad's hairline.

Madison would not nurse until she was about 8 weeks old. Cameron started off nursing really well but stopped after a few days. He is now just over 3 weeks old and is nursing well during the day but not so much at night yet.

When Madison wanted something, she wanted it right now - and she would let you know it. When she cried, she screamed. Cameron's cries sound similar to Madison's, but he is much quieter. In fact, it's just a little screech that he makes - therefore, I call him screech. Let's hope he doesn't have the curly hair and squeeky voice like Screech on Saved by the Bell!

Madison was immediately on a schedule. She took three naps each day and ate every three hours. It was rare for her to deviate from the schedule. Cameron sleeps CONSTANTLY. In fact, interacting with him has been difficult because he is rarely awake long enough to try to interact with him. He only eats on a three hour schedule at night. During the day, he could sleep for 4 or 5 hours and could care less if he eats.

Madison

Cameron

Madison was much more alert for her first Christmas! Cameron slept through it and only peeped when I put this cute little suit on him. Apparently, it wasn't comfy enough for him.

Madison LOVES hockey and has been going to Ice Hawks games since she was Cameron's age. He has now been to two games and seems to enjoy it as much as she does. So - I have a feeling I'll be buying lots of hockey gear in the future!

As they get older, it will be fun to see how much alike or un-alike they become.