To baby, or not to baby

That is the question.

Don't get too excited friends, we are not having a baby in the near future and we are certainly not pregnant. But as I see Facebook blow up with news feeds about new babies and new pregnancies, underneath my extreme happiness for all of our friends enjoying this wonderful event is my jealousy.

I am the quintessential baby hog. As soon as I even hear about a baby, I want to hold it. I want to rock it and feed it. It seems so creepy, I know. And who knows what made me this way, but it seems to have been almost my whole life. I've always had a thing for baby dolls. The smaller and more lifelike, the better. I remember having a regular water baby, but she wasn't small and cute enough when I saw the mini-water baby.

I feel like since we got engaged people have been on the baby topic. When do you think you will have kids? How many? Etc. Etc. Well, since we got married it has only gotten worse. Now when people I meet find out I'm married they assume I have a kid or then ask when we are having one. (OR they say "wait a really really long time." You can always tell happily married people from unhappily married by their reactions to marriage. I guess the same is true of babies. People who are happily babied want everyone around them to procreate too.) I feel like people are always looking at me to see the telltale baby bump. I know how movie stars feel sometimes. You gain a few pounds in the wrong place and guess what, you're expecting and you didn't even know it.

So this brings me to the discussion of when in a marriage to have a baby. My research tells me the two most important factors in this decision process is....when you and your spouse have a solid marriage and are financially ready. Well, thanks Google, but unfortunately I need more to dissuade me because when it comes to those two things, we've got it under control. So what else....

• loss of husband wife 1:1 time
• loss of sleep
• loss of individual time
• addition of 30+ pounds
• additional expense
• loss of flexibility to do whatever, whenever in our free time
• Peach baby training
• figuring out raising a baby with a full-time job
• and I am sure many more....
  

So of course I WANT a baby. But are we really ready for one?

I can't wait for the to come when we can get on that band wagon, and I know that now is not the time, but I still can't help but impatiently wait for the time to be right. And so the thought process continues...to baby or not to baby...

Urge for Going

"Now the warriors of winter they gave a cold triumphant shout
And all that stays is dying, all that lives is getting out
See the geese in chevron flight flapping and a-racing on before the snow
They've got the urge for going, and they've got the wings so they can go

They get the urge for going
When the meadow grass is turning brown
Summertime is falling down and winter is closing in

I'll ply the fire with kindling now, I'll pull the blankets up to my chin
I'll lock the vagrant winter out and bolt my wandering in
I'd like to call back summertime and have her stay for just another month or so
But she's got the urge for going and I guess she'll have to go"

Joni Mitchell

Our Christmas Poem

Six days to Christmas, we were running out of time,

Living each day, making sure puppy is fine.

We’d wrapped all our packages, tied up with bows,

But we’ve still got a mountain of dirty, stinky clothes.

And what of the Christmas card making Mora loves best?

She found it more important we go to work dressed.

With household chores and working lots of hours,

We’ve had to make time to stop and smell the flowers.

On May 15^th of this year, on a perfect sunny day,

Mora married Brian and he swept her away.

They frolicked with Minnie and Mickey Mouse,

Returning in time to move into their house.

They removed smelly carpets, and painted the walls,

Moved lots of furniture and decked the halls.

Since we needed a break, we set off on vacation,

To New Hampshire and Maine, it was quite a sensation.

This year we were blessed to have our brother (in law),

To stay over this summer and make us guffaw.

Mora was given a beautiful puppy,

So when football began she wouldn’t be grumpy.

Brian returned as a head coach for the Knights,

Improving the youth of America night after night.

Brian continues to work as program assistant, administration,

For the office of Development, Alumni Affairs & Foundation.

Now halfway done with his MBA,

And still playing video games day after day.

Mora works by Stockton and also at Shore,

Her bosses can’t ask her to do much more,

But dragging injured or bed ridden patients from bed,

Is why she went to college and crammed so much in her head.

She gets a day break when she has had enough of Shore,

And heads over to do pediatrics to learn lots more.

Princess Peach Pluchino has become our fur child,

She’s a pretty Golden retriever with a temperament mild.

Don’t misunderstand, she is sometimes quite crazy,

She keeps us on our toes and prevents us from being lazy.

Our cute little lady has taught us a lot about living,

And she really is a gift that keeps on giving.

We’ve had a great year and could not ask for more,

And this leaves us wondering, “What’s in store?”

We hope your year has been bright and merry,

And that this holiday season is just the topping cherry.

BMP~2010

Christmas Carding

Every year for the past 5 or 6 years, I have written a christmas poem with the help of my parents. This tradition was born when my Nanny was sick. My mother, who usually dressed me up and took my photo for the christmas card, was in NY taking care of nanny, and we found ourselves with only a few days left until christmas with no card. So I did a self portrait, got cards printed and created a cutesy poem to go out. The response from our family and friends was so fun and unexpected, that I have felt the need to continue with this tradition. We have had many poems, some years better than others, but it has been a standing tradition. This year, I was unsure whether I should make a Brian/Mora/ Peach poem, or leave the tradition to my parents. I decided to write a Pluchino household poem but then decided to write a Jimenez one too. Its just too fun to rhyme sometimes and writing the christmas poem is like recapping the whole year. SO two poems will be coming to a household near you, and once they are sent out I will also share via technology.

Season greetings to all, and to all a goodnight :)

Baby Its Cold Outside

I can't say I'm into the holiday season this year. Brian is all motivate trying to get everyone's gift purchased and done ASAP. Here I am dragging my feet. Our tree is half up, with lights and 3 ornaments. Our house looks like we're Jewish, IE no wreath or lights. Our fur baby has a total of 3 presents to her name. I have not wrapped anything yet, which is usually my favorite part. I have not even thought of a card idea nor put together a mailing list yet. I haven't even 100% decided we need a christmas card vs an e-mail. My tradition of watching the Nightmare Before Christmas has not been done and I have not even watched a full Home Alone movie yet! I guess this is what happens when you are an adult....anyway 2.75 days off to relax, get caught up on chores and get my Christmas on.

6 Months Flies By

This was the song I picked to walk down the isle. I had a hard time picking, and since I was rather non-traditional about the wedding ceremonies music, I'm sure about 4 people knew the words to the song that was played by Dave on the guitar.

"Who knows how long I've loved you?
You know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely lifetime?
If you want me to, I will

For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
But it never really mattered
I will always feel the same

Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart

And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
You know I will"


The photos of us walking down the isle together are my favorites from all the wedding photos.

Life is Peachy

What have we been up to of late?

Brian
The end of football season with games, suspensions and such
Mowing the lawn
Trying to find time to play Halo and bond with the Bromance
Planning for black Friday
Cutting down trees with bare hands
Learning how to cut glass and repair a window
Club advising

Mora
Cleaning the green algae off our house
Visiting parents and helping with the home decorating decision making
Setting records for days worked in a row
Work first Saturday ever at BIR main campus
Seeing a child I have known forever celebrate being an "adult" at her Bat Mitzvah
Dissuading people from pregnancy rumors (which apparently start once you have been married over 4 months)
Chasing after puppy/ trying to wear puppy out
Rescueing puppy toys from sure death with carotid fixations after ear to ear splits, colo-rectal surgeries, ear/eye transplants, face lift/ neck replacments, etc.

Peach
Finding new and clever ways to get self into trouble (stealing laundry, knocking into people's knees with cone head, eating water bottles, stealing tree branches from clean up piles)
Learning to be cute and nudge mommy to get what she wants
Finding new friends to play with
Getting used to travel crate for upcoming journeys to holiday events
Learning "gentle"
Learning "nice" and "kisses"
Learning not to nip and bite
Learning not to jump (not as successful as above)
Learning paw (bilaterally) which she is pretty great at
Learning "lay down"
Learning "stop" in mid run
Working to differentiate toys
Working on waiting for guests to enter

Us
Spending time with friends
Training puppy
Cutting open puppy and they trying to keep puppy calm and quite x 14 days while sticking plastic cone on her head (still in progress)
Working, working and more working
Making the man room
Avoiding the laundry
Planning the holidays
Paying bills
Trying to make time to be "newly weds"

Just a little of what we have been up to :)