An Open Letter

Dear Mysterious Naked Person, Could the person who keeps sending me"MMS" messages on my cell phone of pictures of herself in various stages of undress please stop? You are very attractive and I'm sure trying to seduce someone but it's not me. I've tried to respond to your messages but it doesn't work and I don't even know what an "MMS" message is and how I get them on my phone. I was in a very contested trial all day yesterday and my phone kept buzzing and buzzing, that sound it makes on silent mode. I thought there was an emergency or someone was dead. Nope, just naked pictures of you. Really, it's not that important to me to see you naked. Much appreciated, Jodi

Read with Me

I have to be honest, I love to read books. But, I haven't been doing it so much lately. Reading blogs has become the new book for me. As well as parenting, working, TV watching, and knitting. But reading more is gong to be one of my New Years resolutions, as well as the tired same resolution to lose ten pounds. I do read Michael 4 children's books every night but that is not the same. My friend Allison is starting a reading campaign today. On January 10th, lets all read a book. I have about 4 books on my holiday gift list this year so I hope to have one to pick from. Reading is so important. According to research, did you know that reading books is linked to civic engagement? Only 30% of 13-year-olds read almost every day and the number of 17-year-olds who never read for pleasure increased from 9 percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004. That is 1 in 5 kids doesn't read for fun. Almost half of Americans between ages 18 and 24 never read books for pleasure.The average person between ages 15 and 24 spends 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day watching TV and 7 minutes reading. According to Diane Gioia, the Chair of the NEA,"The poorest Americans who did twice as much volunteering and charity work at the richest who did not read. The habit of regular reading awakens something inside a person that makes him or her take their own life more seriously and at the same time develops the sense that other people's lives are real."

So, leave me some book suggestions in the comments. I'll read anything. I'm not normally a Science Fiction or Fantasy fan, but I've read a few I liked. And tell me, what's your favorite book?

Conspicous Consumption, Toddler Style

The Friday after Thanksgiving we took Michael to see.

Yes, it was expensive. Yes, it was extravagant entertainment for a toddler. But I will tell you this-

He was riveted.

I have never seen him sit so still for anything.

And he loved the popcorn.

And the toy.

And he is still talking about it. Almost a week later.

And you know what, rocking my toddler's world, priceless.

This post is all bahumbuggy

I hate the holidays. I know. Peace on earth, joy to the world, blah, blah, blah. I just got through Thanksgiving. 30 people for dinner and company staying with us for 5 days. And I'm tired, really tired. And now I have to gear up for holiday parties, 2 on the same day in some cases. And really, half these people I only see once a year anyway. Do I have to hang out with the people I work with? Or who my husband works with? Or family I never see? Can't we all take a break? I'm going to propose a new idea. Planning a holiday party? Do it in January when people are less busy. Seriously, this coming weekend is the only weekend I have where we have nothing planned. I'd like to spend it sleeping. And not to mention all the weight I gain over the next month. Too much food and wine. And shopping. Not enough time for working out and eating right. So, I might be a Grinch, but I'd like to go to sleep and wake up New Years Eve Day.

And The Winners Are

Colleen and Niki. I know that Colleen wants a Starbucks card, but please email me your address. And Niki, tell me what you would rather have, Starbucks or itunes. And email me your address. And thanks to everyone who entered. Here are the answeres, cut directly from Colleen's answers. I love her comments after some of the answers. 1. Your dog's name is Foster. 2. You just can't get rid of those leather pants. 3. You can't stand Sandra Lee. 4. You had a squirrel in your attic... 5. named Chloe... 6. by Shannon at Charming Bitch. 7. Your paint color is latte. 8. Michael was 2 in March... so now he is 2 years and 8 months. 9. Your favorite soap is General Hospital (can you BELIEVE that Emily is dead??????) 10. You can't live without TiVo (we just switched to the dvr that our cable company provides... I miss TiVo. He knew me so well.) 11. You took your nephew to see High School Musical: The Concert.

Reminder!

2 more days to enter the contest. Prizes are a $20 gift card to Starbucks or a $20 gift card to itunes, your choice. And trust me, you have a VERY good chance of winning. I don't have a lot of entries.

Best of Jodifur, The Finale

This was posted for Michael's second birthday. I'm actually cheating. It was originally posted with with a video from Rent, but I added in the montage I just did. 2 favorites in one.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Today is Michael's second birthday. 731 days ago Michael did not exist. There are things I wish I had known before Michael was born, things that all the reading and birthing classes don't prepare you for. I had no idea what being a parent was like. I didn't know what it meant to be "a family." I didn't know that someone else being sick, or getting hurt, could break my heart. I didn't know "I love Mommy" would be my favorite sentence to hear.

No one ever told me that one of my favorite people in the world would be less than 3 feet tall. I had no idea that you genuinely like your child. I knew you always loved your child, but that you genuinely liked them, as a person, came as a surprise to me. I had no idea how fast it all disappears. That in an instant they go from squalling infant, to a toddler, to an adult. It is that quick. I had no idea how much my mother loved me, that this is what it feels like to love a child. It is an all consuming love that becomes a part of you like your hair or your eyes. The love becomes who you are.

Nothing prepares you for the sleepless nights, the crying, and the endless worry. Nothing prepares you for the immense love, the laughter, and the way your life changes in an instant. Less than an instant. No matter how much you plan, you just don't know until it happens.

Gone is his babyness. And I miss that. I miss the cuddles, the baby smell, and the big toothless grin. Now, he is all boy. He loves trucks, dinosaurs, and the movie Cars. He loves to run and jump and go to playgrounds. He loves the dog and his Daddy. And he has an opinion on everything, and will share it with you, or anyone who will listen.

Every once in a while I get a glimpse of the boy, of the man he will be. He will be tall like his Daddy. He will be kind (I hope). He will be smart (he already is). And I think he his going to love music and books, at least he does now.

I try to remember that he is only little once. That the whining and refusing to eat will not last forever. That every time he says "come play Mommy" could be the last, and even if I have something else to do I should play with him. In a few years he will not want to play with me. He will be a smelly teenager that wants to play ball and with his computer and will say "yes Mom" in an attempt to dismiss me.

More than anything, I want Michael to be happy. I want him to have love, like the love his father and I have. I want him to be close to his parents, like I am. I want him to have good friends, and a career he likes. And I want him to never doubt how much his father and I love him.

Happy Birthday to my monkey, my Michealest. I can't imagine what my life would be had you not come into it.

Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted to take a minute and thank all of my readers for giving me a few precious moments out of your day to read my blog. I love your comments and emails, and have made good, real friendships from this. I'm so thankful for all you. Enjoy your Turkey Day and just remember to drink more if you have crazy relatives. Best of Jodifur continues tomorrow. And you still have time to enter the contest. Winners announced Monday!

Best of Jodifur, day three, just to show what a lunatic I am

I had to pick this one. I think this is the funniest thing I have ever written. I thought it would be fun to explain exactly how I went about planning the vacation we are taking in January. I think it will give y'all a great insight into how crazy I am. Doug and I were given two free United vouchers after the whole Savannah debacle. (And by given, I mean I had to call and complain, a lot.) And Doug just rightly pointed out that this is like the time we went to the bad restaurant and our meal was a disaster and they us gave a coupon to come back and we went back and it was still bad. Why, oh why, are we flying United again?) But, because I am a stickler for all things free, I really wanted to use them. (And yes, I wanted a vacation. And yes, I will be using a lot of parentheses today). He also pointed out we were spending thousands of dollars just so I could use free tickets. He's a riot, that husband of mine. Originally we were planning for November because the tickets say must use by December. To me, that means fly by, to United, it means ticket by. Which is good, because Doug got a new job and that pushed our vacation back. Then the dilemma, where to go with a toddler, that is fun for him and us? And while I really want to go to Disney, I think he is too young and that is a huge expense. So I started looking at all inclusive resorts. I decided on Beaches. United doesn't fly there. Then I decided on Atlantis, United doesn't fly there either. Then I thought about a cruise. Most cruises have kids clubs that start at three, not two. We found one line that has a toddler pool (no swim diapers in cruise pools, apparently it's a law), and one line that has a two year old program, and another line that had in cabin babysitting, maybe. What exactly does when available mean? Will it be available? I called a travel agent to make heads or tails of this nonsense and they never called me back. (Nice costumer service). And then I thought about Michael in a very small cabin. Michael, who does not "sleep like a baby." (If we walk by his room he wakes up). And I thought, hmmm, maybe not. This began my pain stacking Internet search to find somewhere, anywhere we could go. I googled child family travel and got this list. And of course I fell in love with the most expensive resort on the list. In the end, we are headed to Club Med in Florida. What I find so ridiculous, is my mom told me to go there a year ago. And now, that most asinine part is, after I've already booked it, I'm asking for your opinions? Anyone been? What do you think? Feel free to tell me it sucks and I'm going to hate it, because I am clearly going to spend the next 4 months worried about this. I'm sure you are all wondering by now how exactly I live my life when I find it this hard to plan a trip? I don't know either.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled programing to make fun of turkey pardoning

If you do nothing else tonight, read this. Now, imagine I am sitting in my living room doing a dramatic reading of it. Okay, I have to admit I have always hated the turkey pardoning tradition. It's ridiculous and stupid and I don't even eat turkey and it's just dumb, dumb, dumb. When I pay taxes next year I am specifically requesting that my money not to go to pay for the motorcade that escorted the turkeys. Or the turkeys FIRST CLASS plane tickets. How mad would you be when you are sitting on your 4 hour delayed United flight to be told that they had to make way for TURKEY ONE? On the busiest travel week of the entire year two TURKEYS have four first class seats. And PETA is protesting this. How much more ethical can flying first class get for a bunch of turkeys? Seriously, we have AIDS, Cancer, homelessness, children being left behind, and toys being recalled for lead. Can't Bush find something else to do than hang out with a couple of turkeys? Then again, he was amongst friends. Cross posted at DC Metro Moms.