The Other David

Pictured here is my brother David. Not to be confused with the baby. Pictured with my brother is his girlfriend Krystal. Aren't they cute! Awwwwwww. They just got back from Miami on Sunday. I know lucky huh! It was brought to my attention that I had never posted any pictures of them and so here it is. During their visit - they spent some time at Universal Studios and at Busch Gardens. My brother who is 21 years old mind you - refused to go on any roller coaster until he was allowed to see the giraffes. I know what your thinking - what is he - 8 years old?! Apparently that didn't bother him. So they went to the Animal Zoo area of Busch Gardens and he was happy as a clam.

They like to drink - as you can see from the above picture. A tip for those planning on a trip to the amusement park...a lot of alcohol the night before = hung-over = queasy on the roller coasters. Let's just say that Back to the Future was not as fun as it may have been sober!

However probably the thing I am most jealous about is that my baby brother and his girlfriend got to meet the newest member of the Miami Dolphins. Quarterback extraordinaire Daunte Culpepper. Lucky! Pictured above is Krystal and Daunte. Apparently he took a liking to her! My brother was able to shake his hand but didn't bother to get his autograph for his big sister who loves football more than life itself. Thanks a lot bro! He said it would've been on a napkin and that would've been lame. Um hello, it wouldn't bother me how lame you look if it meant that I got an autograph! Ah well - a picture is much better anyway!

Glad that you guys had fun and hope this post makes up for the fact that I didn't return your call while you were vacationing!

The Nursery - Phase 2

Here we are at phase 2 of the soon to be nursery! As I mentioned before our plan was to take out the carpet and add a pergo floor. I suppose we kinda cheated on this part since we hired someone to do it. We figured the extra $250 bucks was worth knowing the job was done right!

The first picture is the before. We were able to knock $80 bucks off the price for taking the carpet off beforehand. It was kinda neat - I have never done anything like it. The next picture on the right is the mat that goes under the carpet. That was stapled to the floor - my job was to pull all the staples off the floor with a wrench! Fun! Now as you can see in the other pictures below the floor underneath the carpet was nasty!

Once the rug was completely off we just had to wait for the guys to come today. They arrived at about 11:30 and were finished in about an hour and 15 minutes. A job that would've (had we tried) taken us most of the day if not longer. We're not as skilled as Brian is when he tells Erica "It will ONLY take an hour"!

As you can see from the finished photo on the right - the room came out awesome! I am so happy we did this!!
The cost was a bit much but it looks so good it was worth every penny! The next phase will be the decorating! I'll have to wait a month for that though since that is when our baby shower is! For now I will enjoy my new floor!

And the Texans Take....Wait...What???!!!

They didn't take Reggie Bush or Matt Leinart...no instead they drafted some defensive end...

Yeah…because that is what will bring fans to the games. Now I know that they have a stud running back in Domanick Davis, who despite one of the worst offensive lines in the league still manages to run the ball well, but still it all comes down to bringing in the fans.

So don't take Reggie Bush then, but how about Matt Leinart. David Carr is not that great of a QB and so why not cut your losses with him and try someone new. Although I suppose in Daivd Carr’s defense it’s hard not to get sacked more times than Drew Bledsoe when your offensive line is non-existent.

And that brings me to my last point. So you think David Carr is your guy and you’re happy with Domanick Davis as your RB and so there is no place for a Reggie Bush or Matt Leinart, fine. Then how about using that precious first round pick and pick up an effin’ OFFENSIVE LINEMAN….

Um Hello.

On a side note - the Patriots with the 21st pick of the draft take RB Laurence Maroney of Minnesota. Guess that means Corey Dillon won't be worth a 1st or 2nd round pick in the fantasy football draft. Not sure I get it - but Belichick's picks are always bizarre like that and for some reason they always seem to work out in the end (look at Tom Brady - 6th Round QB STUD!). Well I suppose they weren't going to draft a kicker in the first round...(wink).

It's a Girl!

Welcome to the world Baby Madelyn - born April 21, 2006 at 8:26pm. Weighing in at a 9lbs 7ozs and 21 inches long! All I have to say is Robyn is my hero! Mom and Dad are both well.

Congrats to Benny and Robyn and their newest addition!

P. Sophie's A Baby Story: 24 Weeks!

6 months! I can't believe it sometimes. Baby David has been using my uterus as a playground and my bladder as a trampoline. His kicks are now strong enough for people to feel. It's pretty much the coolest thing ever!

Next week I will have my glucose tolerance test. Basically that means that I have to drink this liquid that reminds me of extra concentrated orange soda and then they test to see how the body reacts to it. Mmmmm...Yummy...I know you're all jealous.

Right now we're just waiting for the big news from Benny and Robyn. In one week (cross your fingers) Baby Maddie will make her entrance into the world. Good Luck to all three of you!!

Celebrity Name Game:

Gwenyth Paltrow and husband Chris Martin (lead singer for Coldplay - for those who don't know) welcomed a baby boy over the weekend. In a surprising change from using fruits to assist in the naming of their child they turned to the bible. His name - Moses Martin.

What is the deal with this celebrity name game? Apple, Coco Riley, Moxie Crimefighter (I wish I were joking) and Banjo are just some of the weird names that celebrities have used to name their children...what ever happened to Mary or Mark?

I wonder if the Doc and I are boring choosing David for our baby's name. Thoughts? Comments or am I alone thinking that it is weird.

Birthday Shout Out Philly Style:

~Happy Birthday~


Happy Birthday to the bald one...and at 27!! When you just gonna get the courage and shave what's left of it off? I suppose I can't talk I am not even 27 yet and I have at least four distinct gray hairs....but you were balding in highschool. Your Old!

An A.I. Post:

Ok so yeah - I watch American Idol. I am not even ashamed to admit it...I am, however, ashamed by the voting that has taken place each week?! How is that Bucky has managed to survive week after week?! Or Ace for that matter (well OK I guess Ace is pretty so that is probably how he's doing it)?! I am also annoyed at how boring the last two weeks have been. The best singers are in the bottom three each week. WTF??

The last straw for me was when I read that my most favorite contestant Elliott Yamin was almost eliminated. I know he has bad teeth but he can really sing and he makes my heart melt each week (if only he didn't look like a dear in the headlights when he sings).I know the song selections have been boring and down right terrible but still the point of the show is to find the best singer!!

If you recall last year I boycotted the season when my favorite contestant Nikko Smith was voted off, and I am afraid I may have to do it again. I don't understand...why Bucky and why Ace? What do you people see in them???!!! Looks like the show will be left with a redneck, a pretty boy and a dumb blonde. I didn't realize that I was watching a soon to be rip off of The Simple Life....

P. Sophie's A Baby Story: Week 22

Halfway there! I can't believe how fast it is going by and yet it still seems so far away. Here are the updates at 22 weeks. I had my doctor's appointment on Friday, what a waste of time. It took me longer to get there then I actually spent in the office. They say Hi, check the baby's heart beat and measure the belly. So far so good, though. I suppose it is reassuring to hear the heart beat.

Apparently to strangers – I look as though I am having twins. When they ask me how far along I am and I tell them 5 months they say “Wow! Your belly is so big – is it twins?” And when I tell them no, they say, “Are you sure?” Yeah I am sure! I was all set to get a picture of my giant belly to post and my digital camera broke. I thought it was the batteries but it wasn’t – it just won’t turn on, I have no idea what is wrong with it…oh well.

My mother and sister-in-law flew in this weekend. We went to a couple of baby stores to look at baby furniture. It’s so exciting! We also showed them the cute baby stuff that we registered for at Babies “R” Us. Baby stuff is so little and cute…I can’t wait to shop for stuff!

Last night was another milestone. I have felt the baby moving now for about two weeks, now and it’s really cool. Usually I feel him at night right before bedtime. Last night, though, was the first time The Doc was able to feel him. His kicks have gotten stronger over the last week.

Well until next time…

P.F. Chang's and a Sprained Ankle:

This weekend we are in VA visiting Benny and Robyn, mostly Robyn since Benny was on call yesterday. The Doc and I Left Friday afternoon and the drive was less than perfect - my nerves were shot. Three WOMEN drivers almost merged into us (three different times of course); all who were talking on their cell phones. One of the ladies was driving right next to us - so it wasn't like we were in her blind spot - she just didn't look over she just began her lane change. These are the women that give the rest of us a bad name. Anyway back to my story.

My nerves are shot and I have to pee so bad it hurts because The Doc refused pit stops - he was trying to make it before any major traffic jams. All I want to do when we arrive is pee and figure out where to eat dinner! Benny suggested P.F. Chang's which was recommended by another friend of mine and it's Chinese so you don't have to pull the Doc's arm. We were in.

The dinner was fantastic!! I got Kung Pao Scallops, the Doc got Chang's Spicy Chicken, Robyn got Chicken with Black Bean Sauce and Benny went with the Mongolian Beef. It was so yummy. The atmosphere was really great and the prices were more reasonable than I had expected. I can see why so many people like to eat there

Moving on - we paid our bill and started walking back to the car and talking about how great our dinners were when BAM - I am lying on the asphalt fetal position grabbing my ankle. I tripped over a large rock - my ankle buckled to the right and then to the left which is when I fell using my left arm to break my fall. As the Doc came running over to see what happened Benny tries searching for this "BIG" rock I just tripped over. Turns out it was teeny tiny wood chip. Oh yeah - I must have stepped on it just right that it rolled and caused my fall.

Thankfully I was in great company - two Doc's and a Nurse. Nothing was broken; (although it felt like it was) just a minor sprain. It all happened so fast but somehow I managed not to land on my belly (using my left arm instead). My only thoughts as I fell were premature labor....WAY TOO EARLY for little David to be born. Well long story short baby David and I had a little too much stress for my comfort and since I was OK - we can all laugh about it now. My pride, however, took a huge hit when Benny broke the news that it was not a GIGANTIC rock as I had thought. What??!! I tripped over a wood chip....

Yesterday was spent walking around DC all day with a very pregnant Robyn (36 weeks on Tuesday) and the Doc - who enjoyed to comment on all the wood chips that I may trip over. The Doc cracked his jokes like, "Oh I don't know if we should walk over there - I saw some twigs." Ha Ha. It wasn't too cold, however, it was the start of the Cherry Festival and since it was still a little too cold last week - many were just starting to blossom. Oh well it was still a great weekend, fall and all. Today when Benny gets home from call we'll finish it off with the best burger of all time at Five Guys.

WTF???

Uh....can someone please explain this to me??!!

Vinatieri Goes to Indy??!!! I am at a loss for words....so I will just post a blurb from the article that broke the disturbing news....

Vinatieri, who twice hit winning kicks in the Super Bowl for the Patriots, replaces former Pro Bowl kicker Mike Vanderjagt. The deal was announced on the team's Web site, though terms weren't immediately available. Messages left with the Patriots and agents for Vinatieri weren't immediately returned.

The Patriots allowed Vinatieri to test free agency rather than putting a franchise designation on him, which would have cost the team $3 million next season

First Johnny Damon goes to the Yankmes and now this??!!! Apparently the Pats don't need the most clutch kicker in the league....ARGHHHHHHHH*!!!!

*That is me screaming really loud and pulling my hair out.

Updates in Pop Culture:

Say Goodbye to Chef, he has quit the kitchen. No more Chocolate Salty Balls.

Issac Hayes the voice of South Park's Chef has quit. His reason - outraged by an episode on Scientology; he said that it went too far. So singing about sucking his chocolate salty balls is OK, but picking on Tom Cruise and his crazy cult is not.

Tomorrow marks the start of the 10th season for the politically charged cartoon about four boys from South Park, CO. You can believe that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are not going to let a little something like this stop them:

One thing's for certain--the duo appear to have Scientology in their sights after a rerun of "Trapped in the Closet" was yanked from Comedy Central's schedule last week, sparking rumors that, who was caricaturized in the episode, was behind the change in lineup.

Though the actor's camp denied his involvement, Stone and Parker responded to the scheduling change with cryptic words.

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun!" the self-described "servants of the dark lord Xenu" said last week in a statement. "Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies."

Watch the Return of Chef tomorrow night on Comedy Central 9pm.

It's A Boy!

Today we found out that our baby is a BOY baby! We had our ultrasound today and were able to see the hands, spine, heart chambers, legs, toes - you name it. It was really quite cool. All measurements were in normal range and as of this moment his head is on the smaller side!

Almost halfway there! Summer will be here before we know it!

You know what really grinds my gears?*

Now that I am going to be a mother I find myself noticing other mothers and their actions; something I never really gave much thought until now. Last night the Doc and I were out at the Super China Buffet (yes I know super exciting) and because Philadelphia is a very unhealthy city you can find a smoking section in almost every restaurant. Apparently they are working on it but I highly doubt it will pass anytime soon. But I digress.

So what grinded my gears last night – two girls walked into the Super China Buffet no more than my age with a little infant all cute in her infant carrier and they walked straight to the smoking section. UGHHH! I was furious. How can any mother do that to their child? Just because you have the nasty habit doesn’t mean that you need to subject your poor baby to it.

*A Peter Griffinism from Stewie Griffin - The Untold Story

18 Weeks and Getting Bigger:

So as you can see from the picture to the left - I am getting fat! Well I suppose fat isn't the right word but I can't think of a better one.

Our latest milestone - I was able to hear the heart beating at my last doctor appointment. It was very cool to hear and according to the Doctor it was 150 beats per minute (which I was told was average). I asked the Doctor if it was faster than normal so I could help make a guess on the sex. The old wives tale states that the faster the heart rate is the more likely the baby is a girl. My male doctor felt that was sexist because it makes boys out to be lazy with remote controls in their hands. Hmmmmmmm.

The guessing game will be officially over on March 14th! That is the day of the ultrasound that will hopefully confirm boy or girl. I guess if he or she has crossed legs then we'll just have to poke my belly until we are able to get the good view! So if you have a guess - make it now!

10 LONG...I Mean WONDERFUL Years!

On this day 10 years ago began the saga of The Doc and the Princess. It seems weird to think that it has really been that long. What a great adventure it has been and I look forward to the next 10 years!

I'm listening
Music in the bedroom
Laughter in the hall
Dive into the ocean
Singing by the fire
Running through the forest
And standing in the wind
In rolling canyons

I will not take these things for granted

The Nursery - Phase 1

We are now in phase one of the soon to be baby's room. We went to Home Depot on Saturday and purchased our paint. We (or more like the Doc - but I helped a little) finished the first coat that afternoon and the second coat on Monday. We are really happy with the color choice.

The color is by Behr and called Scotland Road. It is not what you would call a conventional nursery color, however, we want the room to look as normal as possible for when we sell the house in a couple years. We are keeping the trim white and will eventually rip the carpet out and install a pergo floor, which will all take place in the next phase. Since we still have plenty of time before baby arrives we are able to take our time!

P. Sohpie's Baby Story - Week 16

I have been pregnant now for 16 weeks and now that it seems more real to me here are some things that have come to my attention:

(1) Now that my belly has "popped" a little bit making my pregnancy noticeable - people have no qualms about touching and or placing their hands on my stomach. If they don't touch it - they stare and make comments such as - "oh your belly is starting to poke out", "aw look at the pregnant belly" or “wearing a skirt today – pants getting a little tight?” or if they don’t know my news it’s the infamous is she pregnant or just eating to many Twinkies stare.

(2) Since announcing my pregnancy at work I am not allowed to do anything myself. My co-workers won’t let me carry anything that may weigh more than a cardboard box. My husband, the Doc, on the other hand feels much differently. He has no problem with me walking four blocks home carrying groceries or the laundry basket up the stairs. He says that it’ll toughen me up for the labor delivery and doesn’t want me to have any new learned behaviors.

(3) I don’t think the Doc and I are mature enough to raise a child. How can two people who watch The Family Guy or South Park be mature enough to raise a child? And don’t even get me started on my serious problem with the “F” word. My supervisor enjoys pointing out my trash mouth at work and telling me that my baby can hear me.

(4) Although I don’t insist that the Doc run out in the middle of the night for ice cream and pickles, I have been known to whine incessantly about other things. For example, “Honey can you do this for me” or “Honey will you rub my back it hurts”. Most of the time I am my usually sane pre-pregnant self – but in my defense pregnancy hormones can wreak havoc in an otherwise normal woman. I had a moment a week ago where I flipped my lid and told the Doc he doesn’t care about the baby like I do because he didn’t get emotional when looking at the baby stuff I bought for Ben and Robyn.

(5) Now that we are in the midst of the second trimester, more and more I am thinking about the fact that this being inside me eventually has to come out of me. Women of all ages who have had babies love to tell the horror stories of labor and delivery. My favorite is the one my mother-in-law tells me about giving birth to my husband. How he weighed almost 10 lbs and because they grossly underestimated his birth weight, well let’s just say she was under prepared.

That's the story for now - more postings to come as we prepare for the baby to enter the world!

And the Mother of the Year Award Goes To:

Britney Spears...

The infamous pop star was photographed driving down the street with her infant son in her lap. Apparently it has gotten the interest of child services and the police were dispatched to her home.

Rather than take responsibility for her actions she lashed out at the paparazzi.

"Today, I had a horrifying, frightful encounter with the paparazzi while I was with my baby," Spears said. "...I was terrified that this time the physically aggressive paparazzi would put both me and my baby in danger. I instinctively took measures to get my baby and me out of harm's way."

"I love my child and would do anything to protect him."

The article stated she was waiting for her bodyguard and while waiting took the infant out of his car seat. A photographer approached the vehicle (peacefully according to the photography company) and when the bodyguard returned she speed off infant still in lap.

No charges were filed - I guess that's what happens when your filthy stinking rich. If it were you or me - we'd probably be facing some sort of fine/charges. But remember being a celebrity is real hard so we need to cut them these breaks....

The "AFA" at it Again:

Who are they attacking now? NBC.

NBC has released that Britney Spears will appear as a guest on Will & Grace; a show famous for their celebrity cameos. According to the press release she is to play a religious conservative TV Personality. She will host a show with Jack that features a cooking segment called “Cruci-fixin’s”. Call me crazy – but that’s a pretty clever play on words if you ask me. This is the second time in less than a month that NBC has been in the hot seat with the religious right group American Family Association. Apparently The Book of Daniel was a little much for them. I never saw the show and in hindsight I wish I had, however, I don’t watch NBC that much, mostly because Scrubs is the only good show.

Tupelo, Mississippi-based group, whose protests helped lead to the cancellation of the network's The Book of Daniel, was ready to call for a boycott of NBC, saying the Spears-fronted episode "mocks the crucifixion of Christ" and "further denigrates Christianity" because the show airs the night before Good Friday. The AFA is urging its supporters to contact NBC affiliates and demand they not broadcast it.

Thanks AFA I am so glad that I have you around to keep me protected from all the very bad things in the world. There is a war going on, um hello…don’t see you too worried about that. I mean we should ban the news while we’re at it. Obviously they don’t watch Action News out of Philadelphia; where the first 10 minutes are stories about shootings, robberies and corruption. I don’t see you knocking on their door trying to shut them down. God forbid you mention Jesus on a television show, they are right there to put a stop to that. Don't get me wrong, I am all for the AFA’s rights to their opinions but should the rest of us suffer the loss of a show because they have deemed it inappropriate. Here’s a solution - get rid of your television, and if you don’t want to do that then turn it off.

And you wonder why I don't go to church.