Man, screw that Groundhog

(but not...literally...oh, okay, uhm that's bad)

The weather here in Alabama is FANTASTIC right now. Yesterday it was 71 degrees and sunny, and today it should be the same. Everything thinks it's spring - flower, trees, animals. Even my tiny brain is pumping out happiness that spring is here, despite knowing that winter is in no way over, and it will probably come a blizzard next week. But look! Birds, flowers, sunshine, whee!

The timing for this little happy spell couldn't be better, seeing as Todd will be leaving for his fourth trip in as many weeks. I won't tell you when he's actually going, because if you were a creepy sort, you might want to stop by the house for some nefarious purpose, and then I'd have to knock you out and let my dogs pee on your head, and really no one wants that. The point is that at some point I'll be back to the single-parent thing and it will suck mightily.

(Although, for this trip he'll be back to Fort Greely, Alaska where the high is expected to be -9 tomorrow, because they're having a warm spell. Maybe I got the better end of the deal after all.)

(70 versus -9 = HAHAHAHAHAHA, BEYOTCH)

Last Monday was exactly one year since I found out I was pregnant. To celebrate that momentous occasion, Micah came down with his first ear infection and spent the next few days clawing at the side of his head and wailing piteously whenever he wasn't being held. I think we're finally over all that, although the Egyptian Death Plague he brought home is still lingering in my lungs. Or maybe that's just the massive snort of pollen I sucked up yesterday afternoon, did I mention it's very spring-like here?

On a totally different note, I just read this article titled, "15 Companies That Might Not Survive 2009," and to my horror KRISPEY KREME is on the list. For the love of God, people, go buy some doughnuts! A world without Hot Nows is not a world worth saving.

Quarantine

Todd is almost home. And that sound you're hearing? That's the sound of angels singing.

With Todd off in Missouri and Pennsylvania, Micah took the opportunity to come down with his first cold. He's been a hacking, snot-ridden ball of misery for about three days. It wasn't a total surprise, since on Monday the infant room at daycare sounded like a tuberculosis ward, but still...this was so not what any of us needed. Especially since I think I've caught it now, dammit.

To be fair, other than his frustration with his inability to eat and breathe at the same, Micah's really been taking them whole plague thing pretty well. He's miserable, but he's still a sweet, smiley baby most of the time. Since I was home with him, I took the opportunity to document his current stage with a few pictures.

Micah is currently four and a half months old; he'll be 20 weeks old tomorrow. Today he weighed 14 pounds, 4 ounces. His birth hair is completely gone on the top of his head - all that's left is a patch on the very back and a ring from ear to ear. New hair is finally coming in, a soft, short fuzz that looks more brown than red. His eyes are still a bright blue and people comment on them all the time. He smiles at everyone.

Good times!

The husband's been in Alaska all week.

Some Things I've Learned From This Experience:

• Single parents are superhuman.

• There's no use crying over spilt milk, unless it happens to be milk you spent time and effort (not to mention pain) pumping from your boobs, and carelessly knocked over while preparing bottles. Crying over that makes perfect sense.

• The cat will always barf on the rug while you're too busy to clean it up. And hours later, you will always step in the cold, squishy pile of forgotten vomit.

• But the dog will always be there to helpfully clean it all up.

• ...And you will honestly be grateful to him.

• The temptation to drink heavily is inversely proportional the amount of time you actually have available for drinking.

Dude, this is EXACTLY how I feel.

This is new

We just finished watching President (PRESIDENT!) Obama's swearing-in and inauguration speech.

I am so incredibly happy that the last eight years are behind us, and I'm cautiously hopeful about the next four. I've been so displeased with our government for my entire adult life, so this feeling of hope and goodwill and unity is completely foreign to me. I mean, for the last eight years there's been exactly ONE speech by our president that didn't make me want to stab him in the face. Listening to our leader speak without grinding my teeth is totally weird. But weird GOOD.

Also, THIS is the best sight ever. Just more proof that Bush is gone, Obama is in, and now, maybe, we can get back to what's important.

Time to update the resume

I just participated in the ASCE Engineering Income & Salary survey and found out that I'm being paid about $15,000 less that the 25th percentile of respondents in the Southeast with my level of experience and my job position.

(It's closer to $23,000 less when compared to the average, but since that includes places like Atlanta, we'll just ignore that.)

I've always joked that you don't work at my company for the money. But DAMN.