Red Cheeks for Everyone

I've been banging my head on the wall struggling trying to get Corey to be more conscious of what he's eating each day.  My once chisel-chinned boy has really filled out in the past year or so.  I do understand that boys especially go through some major growth spurts at his age, but this doesn't seem like that.  We talked about it again today.  His response?


"I'm going on a diet.  Krispy Kreme diet.  They've helped millions, you know.  Teach me how to be a leader."


Uh.  Yeah.  I'm working on being glad he couldn't quite keep a straight face at the end.


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Since I seem to be in a mood for embarrassing the kids in my family, I'll include a story about my niece, Sarah.  Apparently she's getting the family breasts (since you've never met me, I'll have to tell you the last time I was measured, I was a 38 FF...why let the kids have all the humiliation, right?).  Poor girl.  I sent a message through her mother, who is more reasonably endowed to remind Sarah to always wear a bra.  "Gravity is not her friend.  She should know this early and remember it often."


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Madelyn doesn't have any embarrassing stories yet, so I'll just tell you that she's now singing her third song.  First was the ABC's, then Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and now, Rock-a-bye Baby.  I don't know how something so happy can break your heart, but it does.  Today she rocked her penguin (Pay-ma) during the song.  When "down comes the cradle, Pay-ma and all" she tossed it at me or on the ground.  You're going down Pay-ma!


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And since we're not leaving out any kids today, I'll tell you that I think I've been feeling the baby move since yesterday.  Obviously not a lot, but there have been a few times when I thought I felt something and it wasn't nearly immediately followed by gas.


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This afternoon Tom and Corey are on a mission to pick up a dresser for Mad and the baby to share.  I can't believe the timing of it all.  My sister-in-law, Gina, mentioned that she was about to put a perfectly excellent dresser out on the street because Sarah wants a tall one, not a long one.  We need a long one.  The color seemed to be a good match for Mad's furniture, too.  So we'll take my desk out of there, which has been acting as the changing table.  The dresser will have to spend some time in our garage airing out, because my brother and Gina are both smokers.  Hopefully we can move it into the room in a month or so.  I've never had to air out wood before, so I'm hoping the garage will be sufficient.


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And the last bit of news is back to the baby.  We are shockingly close to coming up with names.  Last time we waited until after going on the hospital tour (around the seven months mark or so).  One of our friends asked the nurses what would happen if the baby didn't have a name when they left.  Of course it wasn't horrible, but I'm not up for a hassle... or doing paperwork that I don't really have to do... and I think Tom felt the same way.  So we had names for a boy (Oliver Canyon) and a girl (Madelyn Kenzie) by the end of the weekend.  It was nice to just say to family and friends, "Here are the names.  Tell us how much you love them."  And (except for my mother... ugh!), they did.


Tom has already been telling people what we've come up with so far (Finn Something-or-other for a boy, Fynn Willow for a girl).  I will tell you that I love the name Finn.  I was very excited when Tom loved it, too.  However, I'm starting to second guess it as a girl's name.  The problem with telling people when you haven't really decided is that some people want to guide you away from that which you are beginning to love.  Still, I'm obviously willing to take the risk to find out what you all might think of our choices.