You know you're having a bad day when...

Pic(s) of the Day

So, I couldn't decide which picture would be the "Pic of the Day," so I'm putting up some Pics of the Day.

Tired Tummy Time

Animals from "Baby's Ark"

Notice who isn't watching the World Cup

Isn't she a cutie!!

Resting in our bed- she's not going anywhere

She's gets it from her daddy

Well, yes, she does get her good looks from me.

But, I was thinking of something else this time. We had our 1 month checkup today. Little Amelia is doing great- gaining weight (8 lbs, 8oz), getting tall (21 1/4 inches- above average!), and getting a big head (no, she didn't get that from me- no way).

The one thing we talked to the Dr. about today was her fussiness as of late. We now think she has reflux- just like her daddy. So, we're propping up the bed, trying to thicken her milk (when we feed her with a bottle), and overall helping the burps get out. So, she has her daddy's tummy. Let's hope it doesn't last long.

"Don't cry over spilled milk"

Quote from a reliable source:

"The person who came up with this never pumped breastmilk."

PKs

No, not Pastor's Kids; Penalty Kicks.

We finally saw our first match of the World Cup decided by penalty kicks. And poor Switzerland couldn't put a blessed shot in the goal. It's supposed to be easier than that.

Also of note- Switzerland is the first team in history to be eliminated without conceding a goal (the pk's don't count as "goals," per se).

One final note- after the group stage, there were 16 teams left. I correctly picked the 8 teams that would advance to the quarterfinals. (*patting self on back*) I'm pretty amazing, huh!?

Bend it like...

...the only man who can bend it like that. England held off Ecuador for a 1-0 victory today, thanks to a huge save by Ashley Cole (not a woman, and not the keeper) and a massively unfathomable direct kick by Beckham that sneaked in the near post.

[Not to take anything away from the shot, but the keeper was playing WAY too far to the far post- put too much faith in his defenders' wall- ahh, you silly little keeper with Ecuadorian flags painted on your face.]

Here's to England. You'll have to step it up a notch next week against Portugal.

Supersize

Only in America can you buy a bag of 115 fish sticks for $7. Mmmmm, maybe I should buy stock in Heinz ketchup!

US doesn't win World Cup

Big surprise, huh?

Reasons:

1. Not the refs. Sure, they blew some calls and were over ambitious with the yellows, but they don't lose a game for you. They can swing momentum, but that's about it.
2. Bruce. As an amateur, I have no place to talk. But isn't that what a blog is for?? Bruce played a status quo team- solid, but not impressive. Donovan made no impact, Beasely was wretched in the 1st match and played better in the last 2. McBride tried his best but got few crosses to deal with accordingly. Where was Eddie Johnson? Brian Ching? Maybe some fresh legs to bring some momentum.
3. Defense. Poor clearances and overall mediocre play left the US in a hole from the beginning. Having to play each match a goal down and not being able to take the lead was a killer. The first goal they gave up - in minute 5 of the first match - was our first clue that it would be a long World Cup (long, as in - we'd stink). Pope and Onyewu looked horribly confused with Koeller running freely through the box.
4. Lack of a national chant/song. What do we plan to do, jump up and down singing America, The Beautiful?? We need some crazy, blood pumpin' song to get our fans and players riled up (and none of this Ole Ole Ole junk that is so overused).
   

[Tangent- have you ever been to a European futbol match. Or an Australian footie game. Or anything with international competition? They always have a "club song"- like a fight song. And they sing it loud and hard. For an easy example, did you see how the Dutch showed up in the Winter Olympics to cheer on their speed skaters? Phenomenal support just to watch two people going around in laps 320 times (and no, this is quite different from NASCAR). ]

So, the US has some growing up to do. 2002 was - not a fluke - maybe just lucky. We were underrated, underestimated, and we ran the pitooey off the pitch (the soccer field, for you Yankees). We just ran. And ran. And ran really hard and fast. And got lucky to score. This year, we are 4 years older, slower, and people watched us much more cautiously. (It's like Ronaldinho - probably the best player in the Cup. But has he scored? Nope. B/c everyone is watching him like a hawk. But he knows how to open up opportunities for his team. The US seems to only know how to blow direct kicks from 20 yards out.)

So another 4 years until we get to agonize over every match. Until then, let's start working on that fight song....

It's good for the lungs

So, I think the following anecdote would fall under "Tales of a Sleep-Deprived-Daddy, Part Deux."

As has been the custom lately, the baby monitor is on my side of the bed. During the night, we both hear Amelia, though I sometimes think I wake up first. Nonetheless, Ang will go to the nursery to, well, nurse (imagine that, you nurse in a nursery!).

Ahem- sorry- got off track. So, when Ang leaves the room, I'll turn the monitor off, so I can continue resting. Then, upon her return, she will turn it back on (or tell me to turn it on).

After the 2:30am feeding this morning, she came in, turned it on, went to the loo (for all our British readers out there), came back in the room, verified the monitor was on, and went to sleep.

Imagine our surprise - dismay - concern ("why don't we spin the wheel of adjectives" - or nouns, as it would be in this case) when I woke up at 7:20 this morning - AND THE MONITOR WAS OFF!!

I jumped out of bed, and poor little Amelia was tiredly crying in her crib. Who knows how long she had been crying, but it had been 5 hours since her last meal. Needless to say, she chowed down.

So, we're not quite sure what happened ("wur happened"), but I think the monitor will reside on Ang's side of the bed from now on. Amelia seems none the worse for wear (is that the right expression?), and as it turns out, Ang and I got some really good sleep! =)

Geometry Lesson

Only in a game like hockey can a straight line be called "the point."

Nonetheless - the Stanley Cup Playoffs are over - Angela is sick of hockey (mixed in with soccer, basketball, racing, etc...).

Edmonton played phenomenally for a number 8 seed- I was rooting for them (props to Kelly Massie, my canuck friend from just outside Edmonton). They started the playoffs by quickly dropping two to Detroit, the clear favorite to win it all, and then swept them four straight.

In fact, Edmonton could have easily won the series- save for a hurt goalie and a HUGE mistake by a backup goalie in Game 1 (lost after leading 3-0 and gave up the winning goal on a mistake behind the net). Needless to say, that goalie didn't play again, and the other backup- Markkanen- played brilliantly.

And for those of you not to terribly into hockey- a quick lesson. The Stanley Cup is one trophy. You don't get the cup and keep it in your team's trophy case for ever. Your team has it for the year (or so)- and then you give it back. That's why winning it is so precious. Each member of the team gets his "time" with the Cup to take it to his hometown, climb mountains with it, etc. Check out Wikipediafor more.

Now that hockey is over - good thing the World Cup is on for another three weeks. =)

HOCKEY!!!

Game 7. On. Now. Get off the computer.

out

NASCAR on the brain

So I was driving to work the other day, and I noticed that the passenger side rear bumper of the car in front of me was wobbling in the wind. The exact phrase that went through my mind in that split second was: "He must have blown a right rear tire."

Yeah, so I've been watching a bit of NASCAR as of late. But, it could have happened. Really.

Maybe....


[This blog entry sponsored by Jamie Cartledge - speaking of which, dad just forwarded us pictures from our trip to Cleveland in '96. Man, did I look 12 years old, or what! Thanks for watching out for me at LCS.]

You know the feeling...

...when something warm runs down your leg?? =)

Little Amelia enjoyed her first bath very much, and I think the warmth got to her. Without going into details, my shirt ended up in the dirty clothes basket. Nothing but a warm feeling....

  

Priceless

  

Baby Duty

Who said that taking care of a newborn was a tough job??