Happy Mother's Day to my momma.

This post has a lot of pictures. I've been away from Sweet Action Paradise for almost a month now. I've been busy. Raising a child is hard and time consuming. Would I trade it in for anything in the world? No. Do I long for a baby slober-free cell phone and my sanity? Sometimes. Here is where I want to thank my mom. I thank her for being a woman to look up to, a friend to go to when I need one, for putting our needs before hers, and for teaching me to read the book and not the cover. And I also thank her for Bob Dylan, Carole King, Bonnie Rait, Elton John, Jimi Hendrix, and Bruce Springsteen. Without my mom, my best friend, I would not be who I am today and frankly, I'm pretty damn satisfied with who I am. It's funny, I still feel like I'm the same girl I was 20 years ago, when I was 8 years old. My mom has always made me feel, without a doubt, that it's ok to be different and smart and to make my own way into the world. I wouldn't be a musician without her and I wouldn't be sarcastic without her and I wouldn't be understanding towards people who need to be understood without her. She is a beautiful woman who takes risks and doesn't think of those risks as something she might fail at, but rather something she will accomplish and make a difference with if she just tries. Her book was just published, folks, and I couldn't be more proud. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma: A Legal History.

When I was a little girl, she used to sing A Bushel and a Peck and Over the Rainbow to me every night. Baby knows both songs well. It's hard being a mother. This is my 2nd Mother's Day and last year, I was still delirious from the sleep deprivation of having new baby that this one really feels like my first. We didn't do anything special really- baby slept in, we slept in, and then Husband, Baby, and I cuddled and played in bed for about an hour. We went to lunch at Ricki's , went to the snowcone stand, and ordered take-out from Victoria's Pasta Shop for dinner. HELLO CARBS! Oh well, I didn't do laundry or grocery shopping, or clean all day and it was awesome. After dinner, Baby laid on the couch and gave me baby kisses until he fell asleep in my arms. I think instead of Mondays, we should have Mother's Day. Year round.

This year has flown by, somehow, and it's been the most worrisome year I've ever had. I worry about the baby all. the. time. I can't help it. And I know it doesn't ever go away because my mom worries about us- still. And Husband's mom still worries about him- still. It's terrifying. But it makes you feel like you can accomplish anything because you just aren't scared of anything if it has nothing to do with your child/children. Am I right, ladies? Speaking of Husband's mom, I want to give a shout out to her as well. She is a woman who can handle a million things at once. She can throw a baby shower, a wedding, a birthday, give great advice, plan 10 vacations and trips, take care of 2 grandbabies, 3 of her own kids (and their spouses), run a household like nobodies business, and a million other things I'm failing to include- all while looking fantastic and getting a mani/pedi at the same time! I'm not quite to the level of my mom and husband's mom yet but someday I hope to be.

Baby and I like to go to the park.


These pictures are in random order btw. This is baby 2 weekends ago at the Garage Sale show. My brother performed his one man band act and baby danced from afar. It was too loud for baby ears to be up front. He was very excited and REALLY wanted to get out of his stroller and play with Uncle's guitar. He loves guitars. I'm very proud.

Baby's first sopapilla. He insists on eating with a fork and wiping his face with a napkin these days. Perfect child.

Baby loves my John Deere hat. He had an identical baby hat but it is far to small to fit his big baby head.

We went to Baby's 15 month wellness checkup 2 weeks ago. This is Jack, not knowing he has to get 3 immunization shots. One of them made him sick a few days later. He had a horrible rash all over his body and exploding diaper problems. Popsicles made him feel better.
Here, Baby wears Paper, Denim, Cloth jeans and will absolutely NOT walk on the grass. He stepped side to side all the way around the car so his precious feet would not touch a single blade of grass.
It's late on Monday night. Earlier today we had some old fashioned Oklahoma tornados. Some a couple of blocks from our house. Husband came home a little early from work and my brother said he'd watch Baby while we went to see Iron Man 2. About 15 minutes into the movie, the theater people shut the movie down and offered a raincheck because of tornado warnings. The theater we were at happens to be located right where the famous May 3rd tornados took out blocks and blocks of, well, everything. So we left and sped to my brother's house. Picked up the baby, ran a red light in front of a cop (no cars were coming and the cop ran it too), sirens were blasting. Put the baby in an interior bathtub full of pillows and blankets with a matress standing by. Thank God my thoughtful mother bought me a handcrank radio a while back for situations like this. Anyway, this is Baby in his pillow bath. He was very amused. I sat in the bathroom and read Winnie the Pooh books to Baby while Husband stood outside with a cold Budweiser looking for tornados with the rest of the neighborhood. All is well here. It came close, but no cigar.

Last Saturday, my newer band, Bulletproof Tiger, played at the Opolis. It was fun. I had been sick half of last week with allergies and didn't know if I could sing or not. Still don't know if I could, but i did. Oh, and those shoes I'm wearing? My mother's day present shoes. The boys gave them to me a day early. I've been wanting them for a while now but just can't justify spending over a hundred dollars on a pair of shoes for myself anymore. I love them. I have a thing for white or cream colored heels.
This is Evelyn. She came to the show. Very good friend of mine.
Huy came too. Hands down, one of my favorite people of all time. You know those friends that you meet and you just know you'll be friends until forever? That's Huy.
My sister-in-law and her husband also came to the show! Two of Baby's and my favorite people.
See? Random! My cilantro, dill, and basil in the backyard.
I'm sad I didn't get a proper Mother's Day picture with the boy but this is at our lunch. He made friends at the booth next to us. A family of 5. He charmed them all. They waved bye with sadness as we left the restaurant.
He also ate a lemon, rind and all. He loves them and I know they are bad for his teeth- I know. But occasionally I let him live a little.
This picture is from today. We went to target to pick up some juice, eggs, and bread for his breakfast. Yes, he has a chicken stick in his hand. I've been a vegetarian for almost 17 years and am just now ok with touching things like chicken fingers. No, it wasn't an animal welfare kind of decision to become a vegetarian, meat makes me sick. Like vomit sick. Stay away from things that make you vomit. Seems practical in my book.
Notice the puffy cheeto on the floor. He probably ate it after this pic was taken.

Euclid Crash- the band we played with this weekend. Lots of fun!
Bulletproof Tired is what this band should be called.


From a while back, Husband had to have a little procedure. Nothing serious. He's fine.
Baby at Easter brunch. I knew he'd love the bunny ears I bought him.
Bulletproof Look Cool But Really Aren't.



Hipstamatic fun playtime park pics.

This is the end of the manifesto for now, people. I'm tired. I'm on my 2nd glass of sangiovese. I need sleep.

♥ jp

*ahem. i quickly read this after "publishing" it and realized there are many grammatical errors. i don't want to go back and fix them. so please deal with it. i'm not stupid, i'm lazy. thanks.

-The Management