Oh Dear...

When a woman loves a man she buys him vitamins.

Some time ago -- because I love David -- I bought him some vitamins. I even splurged the extra few dollars and bought the expensive name brand version rather than the cheaper Costco Kirkland version.

Because I love him that much. Only the best for my man.

And when a man loves a woman -- he takes his vitamins. Right?

But, no. Not so.

No.

No.

No. Not so.

David never touched his vitamins. He politely received them as though I were handing him fruitcake from the middle ages and gently set them aside to collect dust.

And the bottle sat there...for days. Weeks. Months. Like a silent and deadly reminder of rejection and early widowhood. I felt hopeless and lost. Confused, until one day I discovered

I give Dave 2-3 a day.

No complaints. No resistance. Just one comment:

"These are pretty good."

Thank you 'Lil Critters Gummy Vites'. What love could not do, you did with a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement that kids AND grown men love! No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Your six great flavors have saved this marriage.

The Cutest Thing...

Noah did the most cutest thing in the world this morning.

I was trying to wake him up and was poking his tiny little buddha belly. Poking him all over like he was a hot little steaming red bean bun. I could tell that he was awake because he was smiling.

But he wouldn't open his eyes. So I kept poking.

Poke.

Poke.

Poke.

It was so cute because he was pretending to be asleep--as though he didn't want the poking to end.

And he just laid there rolling around with the slightest smile on his face basking in all the pokey fun while squeezing his eyes shut.

There are days when I want to wrap Noah up in a tortilla and put him back inside my belly so I don't have to share him with the rest of the world.

I love Noah.

While I was Waiting...

I wait.

A lot.

The other day, while I was waiting for Dave -- I ate.

I ate a peach.
An apricot.
Spicy beef jerky.
A can of mandarin oranges.
And some blue berries.

And then David came home.

Today, David asked if I wanted to carpool with him. It seemed like a harmless proposition. We left the house at 8:15am.

I got to work at 11:00am.

On our way he said he forgot something at the office.

So I waited. And while I waited...

I got gas.
Went to Safeway.
I bought a Sugar Donut, and Ole' Fashion Donut and a Bearclaw.
I went to Starbucks.
Bought a tall drip and grande passion tea.

He had to run a couple of errands on the way.

So I sat in the passenger seat and I ate the donut. Drank my tea. Checked my email. Bought some drums for Noah on Amazon. Looked at reviews for infant activity books.

And right now as we speak, I am waiting for David. And while I am waiting, I write this blog.

But I also ate a cookie.
Drank a bottle of Grape Vitamin Water.
Read about 50 blog entries.
Paid my bills.
Looked a old pictures and videos of Noah.

He just called...he's lost.

I have to go and give him directions.

How To Be a Good.

Raising a child is no easy task. Especially, if you're new to it like my mom and dad. So here are some quick tips and tricks to make the job a little easier for your newbies.


Kitchen -- Some newbies are really on top of it. You know the types--people who have 1 year, 5 year, and 10 year plans. The ones who purchase life insurance for their 21st birthday and create pivot tables to manage their personal finances. And when the time comes for procreating, they even plan for the gender of their offspring. You know who I'm talking about. They implement feeding schedules, bedtime routines, and menu plans. They also baby-proof the house before the second trimester is over. Thankfully, this is not the case with my newbies. Like the California Cows and cage free chicken, I get to graze in open pasture. But with great power comes much responsibility so don't abuse your open range privileges. When mommy is cooking in the kitchen, be her little helper and pull out all the pots and pans tucked inconveniently in the low and hard to reach places.


Laundry -- Combine diaper leaks, dookie blowouts, saucy finger foods with poor motor skills and you get a lot of laundry.

A Lot.

In our home, Pops loads, I unload and Mom folds.

Load. Unload. Fold. Quick, simple, easy and we all share the task!

Toys -- When the toy does less, the baby does more.

Confessions...

David: Grace. I have something to confess to you.

[Pause...long pause.]

David: I got another ticket.

Grace: What do you mean another ticket? (Is he talking about season tickets to the Giants?)

[Pause...awkward guilty pause.]

Grace: Ack! You mean speeding ticket!

David: It was a total speed trap...blah blah blah.

And so the story goes. For some of you who are under the very false premise that David is as equally staid and calm behind the wheel as he is in person--you are WRONG!

SO WRONG!

This is his third speeding ticket in one year. And if you ask David, "Why?", he'll have a very Zen Monk-like response: "Sometimes I just wanna drive fast."

But really...it's ok.

Because if we're confessing our transgressions to one another--I spent $350 on facial cream the other day.

Naoh wants to know...

Do you like SEE Food!

Greetings Dear Friends,

Hope you are all doing well and this email finds you in good health and spirits. Summer is just around the corner! David, Noah and I are doing well and getting along wonderfully. Life is so busy it is hard to keep you all updated on Noah's progress as well day to day events taking place in our home.

If you have some time; we keep a blog that is generally updated (generally): www.daveandgracie.blogspot.com

And, please, for David's peace of mind...please leave some comments as he has now convinced himself that we have crazy blog stalkers spying in on our private lives.

Until we meet again. Adieu.

Love,
The Lee's

Secrets to a Successful Marriage: Creating a Biosafety Guideline for your Home

"One of the biggest causes of problems in relationships is differences in values and goals and habits when it comes to money, and especially communication about money issues.

Money can’t buy you love, but it sure can tear it apart." (Leo Babauta, ZenHabits.net)

Money is not our problem.

David and I never fight about money. But that is not to say we do not fight. Certainly, we fight. But David and I are both learning that the secret to a successful marriage is communication.

Communication and Biosafety Guidelines.

For some, spilt milk is not a state of emergency. But it is for me. And David learned this the hard way.

Here are some simple steps you and your partner can take to significantly improve your marriage and disinfect your home.

1. Sit down and talk about biosafety goals and values.

Interestingly, it was only recently that David and I realized that a major source of strife for us was the vastly differing perspectives on microbes and infectious pathogens. Share your thoughts and perspectives on biosafety with your partner. Clarify and communicate your concerns.

Example: Noah's bottle leaked milk all over the bed creating a sopping puddle.

David's POV: What's the big deal. We can clean it up in the morning.
Grace's POV: Black mold. Bacterial growth and multiplication. Skin diseases. Fungal funk.

2. Remove emotions from biosafety talk.

I strongly discourage the combination of any of the following words: obsessive, compulsive, disorder, clean, freak.

Learn to differentiate between obsessive compulsive disorder and biosafety awareness. With the growing prevalence of antibacterial products and the hypermutation of antibiotic-resistant super bacteria, biosafety is a major issue that all households should address.

3. Draft a Biosafety Guideline for your home.

WHO (World Health Organization) and the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) are great resources to refer to as you create your home's Biosafety Guideline.

Other books to consider that come highly recommended by me:





The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story by Richard Preston.









The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston.








Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic by Gina Kolata.







Killer Germs by Barry E Zimmerman and David J. Zimmerman.









Encyclopedia of Infectious Diseases: Modern Methodologies by Michel Tibayrenc.

Say Cheese!

Dear Friends,

Noah is growing by the day and I cannot think nor speak of him without breaking out into convulsions of complete and utter joy.

Pure. Foolish. Silly. Bonkers. Happiness. The thought of him makes my heart tickle and itch. I begin to get palpitations of the heart and have to practice the utmost self-control to prevent myself from breaking out into a spastic jungle dance of mama-love. I'd don myself with feathers and fairy wings and beat on drums like a taiko drummer on steroids.

Because Noah is the cutest baby in the whole wide world.

I know.

I'm sorry.

I just can't help it.

Forgive me.

...For having the cutest baby in the whole wide world!

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