Bottle Feeding

For months my blog has been exclusively limited to my twin pregnancy, so this will be a brief change of topic...

Am I the only one who is just sick of and horrified at this whole Anna Nicole Smith legal stuff? I have never been a "fan" of Smith, but I feel sorry for her at this point...regardless of the cause of her death. This circus of a legal proceeding that's on every single cable news channel is an embarrassment to our justice system. As the wife of a lawyer, step-daughter of a state judge, and just generally as an intelligent citizen, this is ridiculous. The judge needs to be strung up. Her mother is disgusting and should be ashamed of herself. Stern seems like a class A free-loader. Birkhead looks to be the sane one, and most likely the father of the baby. I find it amusing that a probate judge is straying so far off the topic of who should make the decision as where to bury her that it's laughable. Anyway, bury the poor woman next to her son. She bought three extra plots next to him, and that shows intent to me. Also, as a Texan, I am tired of the pronunciation butchering of her hometown...Mexia...Ma-hay-uh.

At my incision appointment, I discovered that I have a very slight infection. So I am now cleaning the wound with some special solution, and will have it looked at again next Tuesday. No biggie. They all commented on how good I look now. I've lost 32 lbs in 9 days, and I really do feel back to normal.

Kate drank 4 cc from a nippled bottle today! Big milestone. She was able to suck, swallow and breath. This is a big test, and she passed with flying colors. It exhausted her, but she mastered it. She will continue with tube feeding, but I will be bottle feeding her more and more everyday. She will need to be able to suck down 40 cc in order to go home. Afterwards, I kangarooed her. Sweet baby. :)

I also kangarooed Carson. The entire time I held him he farted up a storm! This is a great thing since it was a massive build up of gas on his tummy that caused all the problems yesterday. He is so cute. He slept, smiled and farted the whole time. :)

I feel good today.

Congratulations Madame Speaker!

What a great day to be a woman! I just finished watching Nancy Pelosi get sworn in as the first woman Speaker of the House. All American women, regardless of political affiliation, should feel an extra sense of pride today.

There is something about Pelosi that reminds me of my own mother. They don't look a like nor do they share the same political viewpoints (mom's a Republican), but there something in the mannerisms that is similar. Too bad my mom hates politics as much as she does because I could see her in that role. She is tough. She has an amazing ability to see both sides of the coin. She is practical and logical. And she would be an excellent referee. Not to mention, she has an inspirational bio.

My favorite sound bite from Pelosi's acceptance speech was when she thanked her husband and children for giving her the self-confidence to go from the kitchen to the Congress. I think my own husband would be supportive if I ever wanted to take that path because he has been supportive in all of my career decisions and paths -- and there have been several. But I don't think he would truly enjoy it. He likes watching politics from a distance and in small doses.

We have always joked about the idea of me getting into politics down the road, but it's not a realistic idea. I would much rather be behind the scenes. To be the puppetmaster pulling the strings, but not the actual puppet...so to speak. Besides, too much of my youthful bad decisions have been witnessed by too many folks. :)

Well, I wasn't able to reschedule my doc appointment. I am still on to see him tomorrow morning. I have felt more baby movement today and last night, so I am feeling a little better about that. Hubby -- who just returned last night from a business trip -- informed me this morning that he is going to have to leave again tomorrow. Apparently, he is having to fill in for a co-worker who is preparing to argue in front of the Texas Supreme Court next week. He will only be gone for a day, but he will miss yet another doc appointment and ultrasound.

I hope his schedule slows down once the twins arrive. I am going to need his help.

Oh, and it was nice seeing Norah O'Donnell back on MSNBC...she is carrying twins (due this spring) as well and looks great!

Strange Trifecta

Hubby and I have spent this stormy, rainy night watching cable news awaiting the report that Saddam Hussein had been executed. What a bizarre way to spend an evening. There is no doubt that Hussein deserves a special spot in Hell right next to Hitler, Stalin and many others, but there is just something creepy and unsettling about waiting to hear about the death of someone. Plus, it brings up the age-old debate about killing a person in order to show the world that killing people is wrong.

Hubby also mentioned how this is the strangest death trifecta in recent memory...James Brown, President Ford, and now Saddam Hussein...i.e., the Godfather of Soul, the Accidental President, and the Butcher of Baghdad.

Anyway, this has been yet another yucky, boring, rainy day and night. I fear that the next two months are going to be longest of my life. I am getting so uncomfortable at night recently...thanks to millions of 3 AM potty breaks, some mild contractions, and never being able to find a truly comfortable position to sleep in.

Texas Monthly's 2007 Bum Steer Awards

To my great delight and amusement, Texas Monthly magazine’s 2007 Bum Steer Awards edition finally arrived in the mail a few days ago. Here’s a small sampling of some of my favorites.

You know it’s going to be a good year for Bum Steers when 61% of the people vote against the governor’s reelection and he wins anyway. When Kinky Friedman asks, “How hard could it be?” – and finds out. When Tom DeLay steps down as U.S. House majority leader, resigns from Congress, and hands his district to a Democrat he had redistricted into oblivion in 2004. When DeLay’s temporary replacement, Shelley Sekula-Gibs, runs off his holdover staff with a temper tantrum and runs her chance to win the seat in 2008 into the ground. When George W. Bush contributes “thumpin’” to the political lexicon. When the Longhorns beat Southern Cal for the national championship but can’t beat Kansas State or Texas A&M. When the Spurs can’t beat the Mavs, the Mavs can’t beat the Heat, and the Rockets can’t beat anybody. When Bobby Knight is shown on national television slapping a player – image that – and Drew Bledsoe, who began the season as the Dallas Cowboys’ starting quarterback, plays like he could use a good slap. But non of these antiheroes measure up to the man we’re here to honor. A politician and a sportsman. A man who’s a real blast to go hunting with, who this year gave the country (and his friend Harry Whittington) a shot in the arm, among other places. He may be number two in the White House, but to us he’ll always be number one with a bullet. Or a pellet. Come out from that undisclosed locations, Dick Cheney. You’re our Bum Steer of the Year.

What’s Black and White and Red-Faced All Over?
A referee called a technical foul on Tom Penders when the University of Houston basketball coach collapsed to the floor after his team was called for a foul, because he thought Penders was showing him up. Even though Penders, who wears a pacemaker, was carried off on a stretcher and treated by EMT’s for dizziness, the referee refused to rescind the technical foul.

We’ll Drink to That
In an annual survey by the Princeton Review, the University of Texas at Austin was ranked the nation’s number one party school.

We’ll Take “Irony is not dead” for $200, Alex
President Bush’s education secretary, Margaret Spellings, was beaten on Celebrity Jeopardy! by the actor who played Lenny on Laverne and Shirley.

If we can’t be first, we’d rather be sixth, that way, we’d have a fifth in front of us
Austin ranked fifth on a list of “America’s Drunkest Cities” compiled by Forbes.com.

If Jesus is really your co-pilot, why are you flying commercial?
Pastor Joel Osteen, of Lakewood Church in Houston, as his wife, Victoria, were kicked off a Continental Airlines flight after a dispute with a flight attendant caused Mrs. Osteen to allegedly push an airline staffer and attempt to get into the cockpit.

Caught with Live Boy

The old Huey Long quote was never more real. What's worse than being a congressman having wildly inappropriate instant message conversations with a teenage boy? Being on the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. What's worse than that? Knowing a member of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children was a pervert and doing nothing about it while holding town halls on how to keep children safe in cyberspace.

Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) is just a pervert. Rep. Dennis Hastert is a slimebag for covering it up for a year.

Here's the link with the seedy IM chats

Meeting the Kinkster

Well, I went to hubby's education/teacher conference at the Marriott Austin North (in Round Rock...La Fronteria). They had a great turn out, and I ended up schmoozing with principals and other educators from all over the state. Anyhoo, Kinky gave about a 30-minute speech right before lunch. I was a bit concerned about how Kinky would be received in front of a lot of these educators. I guess I just assumed they are all conservative. Fortunately, he was received very warmly. (Sorry, I'm in a rush here.)

His "speech" wasn't planned at all. At first I wondered if he even realized who his audience was. He was dressed in his all-black cowboy attire; unlit cigar firmly in his mouth. He was funny and tossed in all of infamous slogans, such as: "May the God of your choice bless you"..."Why the hell not?" etc. Kinky spoke about how sad it was that Texas was last in so many categories: education, children's health insurance, etc. He asked, "What had six balls and screws Texas? The lottery!" He spoke on the end of the absurdity of teaching to a test, using the Texas lottery to actually go towards education as it was originally promised, legalizing casino gambling, lower property taxes, keeping spirituality in schools, etc.

I agreed with a good deal of it, but I have some issues with religion in public schools and legalizing casino gambling. I admit to being rather hyper-senstive about gambling as I have seen the other side of that coin. I may make that another post. I have some hot opinions on that topic.

Blah Blah Blah

I had Kinky sign my copy of the Texas Monthly cover and one of his books that I have. Hubby took a photo -- a horrible photo -- of me and Kinky. He seems like a nice guy. Obviously not a morning person and shorter in person than I would have guessed. (Of course, I always say that about all celebrities that I meet.) More later.

Just a reminder

Fuck You, Mr. President!

Up until now, our crazy president and his ridiculous (and often irresponsible) policies had never directly affected me. Sure some of his shit has had an impact on my wallet, but it was never really personal until today.

Bush axed the Stem Cell Bill today! For the first time in his presidency, he used his constitutional veto power. It is asounding to me, that THIS would be the bill he would kill. A bill that could save the lives of countless folks or at the very least make them more comfortable. And his reasoning for it is simply absurd. Somehow he thinks a clump of cells destined to be destroyed in a fertility clinic is the same as slaughtering newborns.

Damnit, I am so pissed I can barely think straight.

As I have stated on here before, I am a diabetic. Stem Cell research directly impacts my life, my future quality of life and, perhaps, the length of my life. My dad dropped dead 7 months ago of diabetes at the age of 56. Every member of my family had diabetes as a contributing factor to their deaths -- whether young or old. Research showed that with the strides being made with stem cells, diabetes COULD HAVE likely had a cure in less than 10 years. With Bush killing the bill, however, all federal funding is gone and it will be much more difficult for it to continue on.

Seriously, who voted for this motherfucker? He seems to care far too much for lives that have not yet begun, but shits on the living humans here already....and this goes far beyond the people who would have benefited from the stem cell advances....we have a young generation of men and women who are fighting an unwinnable, unjustified war in Iraq (as the rest of the Middle East is crumbling around them as we speak)...I spent my childhood witnessing my dad trying to cope with his memories of fighting an unwinnable, unjustified war when he was a young man...that shit lasts a lifetime. Bush shit on (and continues to shit on) the people of New Orleans. I could go on and on. I guess I just still can't believe the majority of Americans actually elected this dumbass as our leader.

Grrrrr!!!!

*Deep breath*

I had lunch with an old friend from school at Chuy's. It was good. Talked politics and religion. I don't understand why Austinites LOVE Chuy's so damn much...it's okay, at best. I could name several other Mexican joints I would pick over Chuy's. Can someone explain this to me? Am I just not ordering the right stuff or what??

Oh, and me and hubby are meeting with Kinky on Saturday! I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl! Details later.

It's Time to Pull Your Head Out of the Sand

It's WWIII, and U.S. is out of ideas
By Michael Goodwin, New York Daily News

(July 9, 2006) -- Last week's headlines prove the point: North Korea fires missiles, Iran talks of nukes again, Iraq carnage continues, Israel invades Gaza, England observes one-year anniversary of subway bombing. And, oh, yes, the feds stop a plot to blow up tunnels under the Hudson River.

World War III has begun.

It's not perfectly clear when it started. Perhaps it was after the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War ended. Perhaps it was the first bombing of the World Trade Center, in 1993.

What is clear is that this war has a long fuse and, while we are not in the full-scale combat phase that marked World Wars I and II, we seem to be heading there. The expanding hostilities mean it's time to give this conflict a name, one that focuses the mind and clarifies the big picture.

The war on terror, or the war of terror, has tentacles that reach much of the globe. It is a world war.

While it is often a war of loose or no affiliation, and sometimes just amateur copycats, the similar goals of destruction add up to a threat against modern society. Even the hapless wanna-bes busted in Miami ordered guns and military equipment from a man they thought was from Al Qaeda. Islamic fascists are the driving force, but anti-American hatred is a global membership card for any and all who have a grievance and a gun.

The feeling that the wheels are coming off the world has only one recent comparison, the time when America's head-butt with communism sprouted hot spots from Cuba to Vietnam. Yet ultimately the policy of mutual assured destruction worked because American and Soviet leaders didn't want their countries hit by nuclear bombs.

Such rational thinking is quaint next to the ravings of North Korean nut Kim Jong Il and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They both seem to be dying to die - and set the world on fire.

And don't forget Osama Bin Laden's declaration that it is the duty of every Muslim to acquire a "Muslim bomb." Is there any doubt he would use it if he had it?

I sound pessimistic because I am. Even worse than the problems is the fact that our political system is failing us. Democratic Party leaders want to pretend we can declare peace and everything will be fine, while President Bush is out of ideas. Witness Bush now counseling patience and diplomacy on North Korea. This from a man who scorned both for five years.

But what choice does he have now that the pillars of his post-9/11 foreign policy are crumbling? As Harvard Prof. Joseph Nye argues in Foreign Affairs magazine, Bush's strategy of "reducing Washington's reliance on permanent alliances and international institutions, expanding the traditional right of preemption into a new doctrine of preventive war and advocating coercive democratization as a solution to Middle Eastern terrorism" amounted to a bid for a "legacy of transformation."

The first two ideas have been repealed. The third brought Hamas into power and has so far failed to take root in Iraq or anywhere else.

I believed Iraq was the key, that if we prevailed there, momentum would shift in our favor. Now I'm not sure. We still must prevail there, but Iraq could mean nothing if Iran or Bin Laden get the bomb or North Korea uses one.

Meanwhile, I'm definitely not using any tunnels.

[My Notes: This is a great article that's getting a lot of coverage today.]

Ann Coulter quotes (*GAG*)

• "If you don't hate Bill Clinton and the people who labored to keep him in office, you don't love your country."
• "Liberals love America like O.J. loved Nicole."
• "In this recurring nightmare of a presidency [the Clinton administration], we have a national debate about whether he 'did it,' even though all sentient people know he did. Otherwise there would be debates only about whether to impeach or assassinate."
• "I think we ought to nuke North Korea right now just to give the rest of the world a warning. ... They’re a major threat. I just think it would be fun to nuke them and have it be a warning to the rest of the world."
• "I think [calling Clinton a scumbag] is factually correct. ... I don't think you could win a slander suit on that. Truth is a defense."
• "When contemplating college liberals, you really regret once again that John Walker is not getting the death penalty. We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed, too. Otherwise, they will turn out to be outright traitors."
• "There are no good Democrats."
• "I take the Biblical idea. God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees God says, 'Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It's yours.'"
• "I think, on the basis of the recent Supreme Court ruling that we can't execute the retarded, American journalists commit mass murder without facing the ultimate penalty. I think they are retarded."
• "My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building."
• "Whether they are defending the Soviet Union or bleating for Saddam Hussein, liberals are always against America. They are either traitors or idiots, and on the matter of America's self-preservation, the difference is irrelevant."
• "Even if corners were cut, [Iran-Contra] was a brilliant scheme. There is no possibility that anyone in any Democratic administration would have gone to such lengths to fund anti-Communist forces. When Democrats scheme from the White House, it's to cover up the President's affair with an intern. When Republicans scheme, it's to support embattled anti-Communist freedom fighters sold out by the Democrats."
• "[Canadians] better hope the United States doesn't roll over one night and crush them. They are lucky we allow them to exist on the same continent."
• "A central component of liberal hate speech is to make paranoid accusations based on their own neurotic impulses, such as calling Republicans angry, hate-filled, and mean."
• "[Liberals] are always accusing us of repressing their speech. I say let's do it. Let's repress them. ... Frankly, I'm not a big fan of the First Amendment."
• "I think the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East, and sending liberals to Guantanamo."

If I Only Had More Time...

I have been SLAMMED busy lately -- both personally and professionally -- but there have been several items floating around in the news world that I wish I had time to blog about. Here's the short list:

• The Pavlov-like reactions of Bush's base on gay marriage.
• All the reasons Ann Coulter (a.k.a. nasty cunt bitch) offends me as a woman.
• If I vote for Kinky, am I throwing my vote away?
• Is being called 'photogenic' really a back-handed compliment?
• Why Sen. Joe Biden is my man in '08.

I am in the process of switching offices which entails a lot of paperwork and marketing material updates. It's such a pain in the ass, I wonder if it's really worth it!

I hosted a big family BBQ/baby shower for a cousin who is pregnant with twin boys (!!), and we attended my firm's company picnic on Saturday. Both went beautifully, but it's nice to be back in a silent house! Now it's back to work, work, work.

I promise to do better blogging, and do less excuse making on why I'm not blogging! I hope all is well in your world.

Quote of Day: "Corporatism"

"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini

On a related topic...Only 981 days until the end of the Bush Presidency!

Adios Tommy Boy

Here is a wonderful example as to why I love Texas Monthly magazine so much! What a great headline.