Life's Little Instruction Book

Recently, I found this book among the, um, we'll say DISASTER that is my room. I can remember having looked through it years ago, but couldn't remember anything it said. It's a book of "511 suggestions, observations, and reminders on how to live a happy and rewarding life." It began as a gift for the author's son, who was leaving for his freshman year of college and I love what he has to say about parenting in the Introduction:

I read years ago that it was not the responsibility of parents to pave the road for their children, but to provide them with a road map. That's how I hoped he would use these mind and heart reflections.

I thought maybe I would post a few of them everyday. There are 511 and, as the author points out, there are many things that got left out and many that you might not agree with.

One: Compliment three people everyday -- This seems so easy, but I know I tend to get wrapped up in me a lot, so I'll have to work on this.

Two: Have a dog -- How about "Move out of parents house" first.

Three: Watch a sunrise at least once a year -- Personal addendum: More than once if you can.

Four: Remember other people's birthdays -- I'm actually scarily good at this. Seriously, I have really made some people question my sanity because I remembered when their birthday was. And Facebook as really made forgetting someone's birthday about the crapiest thing you can do (they only remind you for an entire week prior to the actual birthday).

Five: Overtip breakfast waitresses -- YES.

In other news, Beckett wakes up in the morning feeling life P. Diddy apparently. He is also awesome at Wii bowling and "hoop-a-looping" (hula hooping). He also thinks that "Dusty's friend" (Ben Preston) is the person in a one hundred dollar bill.

Conversation from Monday:

Background: I pick B up from school at 1:00. In an attempt to get him to go to sleep in the car and stay that way for his nap, I turn the radio to Public Radio, which plays classical music starting at 1:00 (It's like they know).

Beckett: (over classical music) Mom. Mom. MOM.

Me: Yes?

Beckett: Will you please turn that music off? It's girl music.

Me: (laughing hysterically and yet, slightly offended) Why is that?

Beckett: Because it's HORRIBLE.

Me: (now completely offended) WHAT? So all girl music is horrible and all horrible music is for girls?

Beckett: Yes. Now will you please turn it off?

Hoarders Episode # 68: The Betsi Edition

There is something about the start of a new year that just gets me super motivated to clear out, clean up, and generally trash everything I've accumulated over the preceding year. 9 days into the new year and what started as a cathartic cleansing of papers and other assorted items that have found themselves in various stacks and piles around my room has officially become a major overhaul. What should have been simple -- pick up paper, think is this vital to my existence? (If answer is yes, then stick in file folder and put folder in file cabinet. If answer is no, then throw away. NOW. Before you change your mind.) -- has become anything but simple. Cleansing has become rearranging and moving and changing. I have filled 3 trash bags and have barely scratched the surface. I get sidetracked, severely so. I want, no need, to go through every notebook, folder, stack, etc. Even ones whose contents I looked at a week ago. And I swear, if I had a house instead of just a room in which to keep things, A&E and Child Protective Services would be outside my house, ready to film Hoarders and take my child away because there was no room for him and all of my stuff, too.

And not only do I get sidetracked and delve in WAY too deep, but I procrastinate. So school starts Monday and you can barely walk through my room. I really need help. Most likely of the psychological nature.

Lady Gaga on Pandora does seem to help, though.

Are You There 2010? It's me, Betsi.

Brace yourselves, faithful followers -- This one's going to be long. Since I seem to be the only blogger that has yet to mention the new year, the new decade, or my resolutions, allow me to address these things here. A dear friend told me over the weekend that she was tired of hearing people reminisce and discuss how the new year was a "time to start over." I must confess, I am one of those people.

First, the reminiscing:

Ten years ago, it was 1999-2000. I was 16 years old and halfway through my sophomore year at St. James School in Montgomery, AL. And I know it's cliched to say so, but it really does seem like yesterday. That little girl. If only she'd known what I know now.

So, I thought back on the years. Here are the highlights:

First love and first heartbreak. Mrs. Etheridge, Mrs. Sells, Dr. Browning. Freida Warren & "Double Digit Day." Prom. Homecoming Queen. Senior Spring Break. Graduation. Camp War Eagle. Figuring out that the Haley Center was not that complicated. First AU football game as a student. Sleeping on the couch at RBD during finals. Tiger Transit. Studying at AU baseball games in the Spring. Pitchers at Mama G's. Standard Club. Getting a tattoo with Hillary. Ryan's visit from Vandy. What does 5 fingers say to the face? Mine and Betsy's dorm room. Being the queens of a double wide trailer. Phebe McLeod. Brick Oven. Poker night on the patio & "shift beers." The night I became "Barfin' Betsi." 86: ODB. Carport parties at Phebe and David's. 80s Dance Party. The night David took Phebe's shoe. Buffalo's. Ashley Case's laugh/cry. Late nights in the back bar. The PourHouse. Strutting Duck. Wings 2 Go. Justin & Melissa's wedding. New Jersey. New York. Jersey Shore. Biloxi. Hurricane party. July 24, 2005 (the day I found out I was pregnant). October 17, 2005 (the day I moved in with Anna). November 4, 2005 (the day I found out it was a BOY!). Having a O'Doul's-kind-of-NYE. March 14, 2006 at 4:08 a.m. (James Beckett Nelson. 6lbs. 9oz. 21 1/2"). First day at AUM. Ava Cantrell Dean (July 2006). Dean's List first semester back. Meeting Brillo. Beckett's 1st birthday. First word. First steps. Rex & Betsy's wedding. Undergrad Graduation. LSAT. Dees Communications and margarita nights with the girls. 1L starts. Andrew & Hillary's wedding (B was the ring bearer). Martha Elizabeth Story (December 2008). Trey & Elizabeth's wedding. Jack Aubrey McLeod (May 2009). Finishing the first year of law school. Summer classes. 2L. And now, 2010.

In between all of this there has been laughter and tears, enduring friendships and sworn enemies. Its funny that when you try to write out what 10 years of your life has meant, you can only offer someone anecdotes.Trying to recreate the experiences of 10 years, trying to explain the days and nights and people and places that have shaped you, that have brought you to this place at this time for this moment -- it can't be done. So all I have to offer is this small list of happenings, occurrences, bad and brilliant decisions. Here's hoping the next 10 years are this much fun to recall.

Onward to the resolutions:

(1) As per usual, lose weight. It just wouldn't be the new year if this wasn't on the list, so it may as well be at the top. But I really just mean exercise more, eat healthier.

(2) Be more patient. If you know me, you get this one.

(3) Read more. Read more. Read more.

(4) Have a direction figured out for my life. I'm don't mean specifics, but something more than just "lawyer."

(5) To realize that some things just have to be let go. This one is big for me, too, because it deals with lots of aspects of my life.

What you've all been waiting for -- Beckett updates. You know the Sonic commercial -- "It's not good. It's Sonic good." Beckett has adapted this and now uses it as his personal motto. "It's not good. It's Beckett good." I. AM. NOT. KIDDING.

In other news, 3-year-old + drums = INSANITY. And the constant headache that only reminds one of a hangover. It's down right delightful.

Christmas 2009: The Recap Edition

When you're pregnant (preggos, back me up on this one), everyone you meet (be it in a restaurant, grocery store, doctor's office, etc.) will try to give you advice. They will try to explain to you what being a parent will be like. They tell you to cherish every moment ("they grow up so fast"), to sleep when the baby sleeps, and the select few will every scare the piss out of you with their own labor and delivery horror stories (To these people: I, as evidenced by this large bump, have not had the baby yet and can't really get out of doing that. Shut up.). But, these "wise" people forget to warn you about all the tedious things that go along with motherhood.

Thing They Don't Warn You About #52571: In order for Santa to come, other stuff has to go

On the Wednesday before Christmas, I undertook the task of cleaning out some of Beckett's toys to make way for what Santa was going to bring him. Oh how I wish I'd been forewarned. This process took 3 1/2 hours. WHAT? When did that child accumulate that much stuff?

Thing They Don't Warn You About #2679: Santa can be a real jackass

He brought drums this year. What the hell was he thinking?

Other than that minor transgression, Santa was actually very good to Beckett this year. He got cowboy boots, Yahtzee!, a soccer goal and ball, SuperWhy bingo, DRUMS, and a flurry of other things.

Beckett puts on the cowboy boots and marches around singing "Cowboy, cowboy, cowboy. Rasso, rasso, rasso." "Rasso" being "lasso."

More to come later.

Christmas break, why can't you last all year?

Seriously. Aside from some memo writing, the last couple of days have been FANTASTIC. Well, that and the fact that I am phoneless. Well, after writing it out, maybe Christmas break isn't that great after all. Well, at least Christmas Eve and Day will be fun. There is nothing more pleasant to watch than Beckett seeing for the first time what Santa has brought him or ripping recklessly into a pile of presents.

So, no grades until January. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Yeah, we'll go with that.

Update: Beckett LOVES "The Wizard of Oz." We watched it last night while rocking before he went to bed. My life really couldn't rock harder right now. Well, it could. I am having serious issues with the Flip Video Camera, my computer, and the stack of blank DVDs. But I suppose I can figure all of this out.

It's Christmastime, Pretty Baby. And the Snow is (not) Falling on the Ground

It's finally Christmastime (at least for law students)! And it could not have started better. Beckett had his choir showcase at church last night. It was precious. I'll post part of the video later. Tomorrow, he has his Christmas program at school. That video will get posted as well.

Beckett has made his Christmas list. Here it is:

(1) Drums (and, because Santa has lost his damn mind, he's getting them. But shhh, don't tell Beckett).

(2) "Noisy" guitar (I have no idea what this is about).

(3) Microphone, microphone, speaker, speaker (yeah, this is a karaoke machine he saw at Costco. Shockingly, it has 2 microphones and 2 speakers.)

I thought for this blog, I would include the things I love the MOST about Christmas (or rather, things it's just not Christmas without):

(1) "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" -- Gayla Peevey

(2) The Nutcracker (the music, the ballet, the everything. I heart it a lot more than I should).

(3) On a related note, it's just not Christmas until our Nutcrackers are placed on the stairs.

(4) "Last Christmas" -- Wham! (THE BEST. Don't argue with me, you know you love it, too)

(5) Lenox Christmas China

(6) "Dominick, The Italian Christmas Donkey" -- Lou Monte (Although this year, it just makes me think of "Jersey Shore." Which , I guess I'm okay with)

(7) It's a Wonderful Life (Best. Christmas. Movie. EVER.)

(8) Elvis Christmas music

I'm sure there's a ton more stuff, but I have cleaning to get to. Hope everyone has a great Christmas!

Livin' on a Prayer

Beckett has told me no less than 20 times today that he loves me and is proud of me. So sweet. But how will he feel when I fail my exams? :0) He's precious and a constant reminder to keep trying harder. A very cute, sweet constant reminder. Also, he wants to grow up and work in the "corkhouse" and be a "lawler," just like his mom.

AND......I AM HALFWAY TO MY LAW DEGREE. Feels fantastic!