Merry Christmas!

Is The End Near?

Some might say it's a sign of the beginning of the end... 'hell' freezing over. We like to think it's just an early White Christmas!

The Bittyest Angel - Volume I & II

YES!!! After countless hours spent in complete frustration, I've FINALLY figured out how to capture video off my video camera and get it onto the web!

(No thanks to the brainiacs at Sony who have no clue how to write an instruction manual, answer customer support calls or include decent software with their Handycams.)

Many thanks to Uncle Tony for his genius regarding all things technological!

How to Make Mommy Cry

The littlest angel, who will be performing at the Christmas Pageant on Thursday.

Visiting St. Nicholas

A FANTASTIC picture after more than an hour wait! Many thanks to Grandma and Grandpa I., who entertained Bitty at the mall while Mama stood in line.

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

Bittyman with the presents left in his stocking by St. Nicholas last night.

For those wondering who is St. Nicholas and why does Bitty get his stocking today, this website sums it up very well: St. Nicholas Center. St. Nicholas will make a stop at our house on Christmas eve but he will only bring one present. The rest of the presents under our Christmas tree are from family and friends who love us and give presents to celebrate Jesus' birthday.

Soccer Star

Young Jedi

Hat tip to Uncle Tony for the pic!

Blog Title Change

Something Tto tie our blog reader over...

until what we hope will be a big announcement tomorrow!
Bitty's favorite website these days: Make-a-Flake

I apologize

to anyone who was organized enough to have checked out Bitty's Christmas Wish List and already purchased the Cars DVD.

When we walked into Costco today, my Executive Membership card wasn't even back in my wallet when Bitty exclaimed, "MOM! MATER'S ON TV!'

Costco, in all their merchandising genius, had a 52 inch plasma screen with Bose surround sound set up at the entrance showing Cars. We joined the masses of Moms and preschoolers and enjoyed the tractor-tipping scene.

As I tried to move on to the medicine aisle for Gummy Vites, Bitty turned to me and with those big blue eyes near tears with excitement said, "Mom, we HAVE to bring Mater to our house! He's my bestest friend!"

Very seldom do I give in to pleas for anything other than the occasional Matchbox car from K-mart or an Elmo Cookie at the mall. (Not only to keep Bitty from materialistic overload but quite honestly due to a lack of disposable income.) But Bitty is a great kid and sometimes the budget has to be adjusted for life's little pleasures.

Daddy will be out of town this weekend performing at a jazz festival. So the three of us will be spending Friday night curled up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn enjoying Cars in widescreen - Bitty, Mater and Me.

Halloween 2006

(Not to be confused with Halloween 2005 when Bitty wore the same costume. He insisted, it fit, so who was I to argue?)

Bitty made out like a cat burglar in his buddy Kai's neighborhood. (Our townhome community, made up of a large number of retirees, was a complete bust.) This is the loot Bitty was allowed to keep. Mom 'bought' anything that might pull out his super-silver-tooth (crown) for a dime a piece.

Happy Halloween!

Photo Blogging... By Bitty

Since I haven't had time to post, I decided to hand the camera to Bitty and let him do the blogging:

What A Difference Two Weeks Makes

This morning's 12-week ultrasound:




My 10-week ultrasound was done at my OB's office on a machine that resembled the Apple II. Children were not allowed in the room so Daddy stayed at home with Bitty.

Today I was referred to a Maternal Fetal Medicine practice (due to my 'Advanced Maternal Age') where the ultrasound machine had to have cost more than my townhome. Both Daddy and Bitty were present and thrilled to see 'Itty' live on a 42 inch plasma screen. Itty, sensing an audience, danced and squirmed up a storm. The doctor pronounced Itty 'perfect' and upped my due-date by 3 days based on Itty's measurements.

The next ultrasound is in 6 weeks. Hopefully Itty will cooperate so we can find out if it's an Ittyboy or Ittygirl!

Where Did My Baby Go?

I realize I'm hormonal, but when Bitty walked down the stairs yesterday morning after getting dressed for Sunday School, my eyes welled up at the sight of my Baby Boy... who is so obviously not a baby anymore.

Photo Blogging

Forgive me for light blogging, but Blogger has been giving me fits with lost posts and not being able to upload photos. And at almost 11 weeks pregnant, I have no patience for webpage errors! (Unsatiable cravings for Minute Maid Light Raspberry Passion fruit juice and Chinese food yes, technology that doesn't work, no.)


Itty's 10-week ultrasound. He/She is facing the camera, head on the left, with both hands and feet visible. Unlike Bitty, who was a little jumping bean at his first photo-op, Itty slept through most of the ultrasound. But the heartbeat was strong and everything looked normal.


I love this picture from Bitty's first soccer practice. (Yes, I'm officially now a minivan-driving 'Soccer Mom'.) I was so impressed with how well eight 3-year-olds followed directions and completed all the drills. Bitty's favorite part is wearing his new soccer cleats and shin guards:


Last weekend we attended a classic car show. Bitty's favorite car was not a car at all but an Army National Guard truck:


I'm going to publish this post while the Patron Saint of Blogging (St. Jerome, via The Curt Jester) is still watching over my computer!

Blog Title Change

Bittyman's sidekick, "Itty", will arrive via scheduled repeat c-section in mid-April, 2007.

Although we did not find out Bitty's sex before he was born, we are going to find out Itty's sex for space planning reasons. For the record, both Mama and Daddy feel that Itty is a girl. Bitty thinks Itty is a boy. We will let everyone know what the sex is -- hopefully at the end of November.

Hell Is...

turning on the TV to watch NFL Opening Kickoff Sunday, and discovering the picture tube on your 9 year old television has blown.

Daddy was all but out the door, Costco AMEX in hand, ready to buy a new flat-screen replacement.

Mama, in her fiscal conservativeness, quickly came up with a better solution. We could watch the games on the beautiful new HDTV located at Grandma and Grandpa's vacation home down the street -- which they won't be needing since they returned to Virginia yesterday -- once we relocate the TV to our living room!

Frozen Pizza: FREE
Case of Coors Light: FREE
32 Inch HDTV: FREE

Raiding Grandma and Grandpa's house once they leave town: PRICELESS!

Happy Anniversary!

Mama and Daddy share their wedding anniversary with Grandma and Grandpa I. To celebrate 10 and 43 years respectively, Grandma and Grandpa treated us all to a wonderful Italian DINNER at a swank local restaurant.


Afterwards we enjoyed an outdoor concert on the lake. When Bitty wasn't dancing he was trying to become a roadie for the band.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

In honor of the first Packers pre-season football game, Daddy initiated a new tradition: At the kick-off, both he and Bitty would yell, 'GO, PACK, GO!' then chomp down on some cheese.

But Bitty, in his enthusiasm, chomped down on too big a bite. He promptly spit out his cheese...

which, sadly, became a metaphor for tonight's game. The Pack were chewed up and spit out by the Chargers, 17-3.

Weekend Update

If playing No Limit Texas Hold'em with a three-year-old is bad parenting, then spread the blame to Grandpa and Grandma I. and Great Aunt Sharon as well!

Bitty Idol

Deep Thoughts by Bittyman

He's a Journalist with Gravitas

The Colbert Report

I don't know why I hadn't watched this show sooner. (Probably because our Tivo is maxed out at 40 hours of 'Blues Clues', 'Wonder Pets' and various animated movies... ok and in the interest of fair and balanced reporting, an embarrassing number of reality tv shows.) Not only is Stephen Colbert brilliant satirist, he's Catholic. And a very funny one at that:

Happy Feast Day, Bitty!

Christopher - Still a Saint

Postcard from Mammoth Lakes, CA

Wish you had been here!

Weekend Update in Pictures

Daddy and Bittyman during a break at Daddy's gig last weekend.

Grandpa I., Bitty and Uncle Tony.

Bitty and Grandma I.

Welcome To Home Depot... How May I Help You?

Happy Birthday, America!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

It's been a week of disappointments.

First, Bitty was unable to go to Vacation Bible School. We learned a week before VBS started that all students had to be potty-trained. Bitty was crushed he wouldn't be able to go to 'school' unless he stopped wearing diapers... but not crushed enough to actually stop using diapers. (And believe me, we spent the better part of last week trying to potty train!)

Then Bitty's 'Messy Madness' class at our local rec center was cancelled by the instructor after only one class. Guess the instructor didn't like having to clean up the mess left by ten 3 and 4 year olds.

Finally, Grandma and Grandpa I's summer visit had to be post-phoned due to a flooded basement in their east coast home. They hope to make it out early next week.

But on a positive note, Bitty has added Luigi and Doc to his Cars collection so the week hasn't been a total loss!

Isn't It Ironic... Don't Cha Think?

Coverup charged at Victoria’s stores: Moms reveal bust-up over breast-feeding

Summertime... And the Livin' is Easy

The carmometer hit 114F yesterday afternoon on the way home from Bitty's second viewing of Cars. We then all hit the pool trying to escape the heat... which has only just begun here in the desert southwest.

we're lovin' it!

Bitty is currently on a quest to collect all the CARS from McDonald's Happy Meals. So far Bitty has Mater, Sally and Ramone (the green Ramone, not to be confused with the purple or yellow Ramones).

If you've got a craving for some fries and a shake, you'd make Bitty very happy if you could ask for a CAR with your order! (Most McDonald's will sell individual CARS for $1.50 with any purchase.)

A Gift for You

To make up for my lack of posts, I've added a new game to the sidebar ~ Hangman. Now you, the loyal Bittyman reader, will have something to do when I don't update as often as I should.

(Oh, and there's still time to click on the Amazon links to purchase the perfect birthday gift for Mama or Father's Day gift for Daddy!)

Bitty Update

Mama has been in a blogging funk lately, my apologies. Some quick updates:

• At Bitty's 3 year check-up, his new pediatrician proclaimed that Bitty has the verbal and reasoning skills of a 4-year-old. He's 38 inches tall and weighs 33 pounds, putting him in the 75% for height and 40% for weight.
• Bitty's 3-year diabetic blood work all came back in the normal range. (Daddy is a type 1 diabetic so Bitty is being tested yearly since he is at risk for the disease.)
• Bitty's girlfriend, Miss Kerry, visited from England and taught Bitty how to speak with a British accent.
• Bitty is currently enrolled in a 'Messy Madness' class for 3-5 year olds. This is the first time he's been in a class that did not require parent attendance... and he loves it! Even though he is the youngest in the class by almost a year, he has no problem keeping up with the bigger kids.
• Bitty starts a 1-week Vacation Bible School at our parish next weekend. For 7 days he will be in class from 9am-1pm... without Mama. 28 hours to myself... I can't even begin to comprehend that concept!
• Bitty's new favorite movie/toy/(insert other Disney merchandise item) is CARS. His favorite Car is Mater the Tow Truck (get it, Tow Mater) because "he's everybody's bestest friend ~ he's the really good guy."

Questions I'm Not Ready To Answer

"Mama, why do you go pee sitting down and Daddy does it standing up?"

ANGRY FACE

Of course Bitty can't understand why everyone just laughs hysterically when he makes his 'ANGRY FACE'...
which just makes him more angry!

Mother's Day - Bitty gave Mama some "shower smellies". 

Bitty with just SOME of his birthday loot! 

Happy Birthday, Bittyman!

Through The Years...

May 13, 2005
Bitty is 2

Time Keeps On Slipping... Into The Future...

May 13, 2004
Bitty's 1st Birthday