Being a Mom means...

...letting your kid eat your hash browns from Burger King.

FPCON BRAVO

That means when we drive back to base and I'm sitting in the backseat with little guy, security asks Michael if I'm 18, so they can ask to see my driver's license too. Haha..

* * *

Two apologies:

Sorry, little guy, I had to buy you wide width shoes.

Sorry, new baby, I bought you a sailor suit from H&M.

Holy Cow! Carbon Monoxide!

The carbon monoxide detector went off again. There's nothing like getting roused from your sleep to an alarm with instructions written on it that says "get to fresh air."

Everything is fine, I guess. The last time this happened, the fire department came. Their detector also found carbon monoxide, but while they were there, it dissipated and they did not figure out the source.

This time, housing maintenance came (I guess the fire department didn't deem us worthy of a visit) and their detector did not find carbon monoxide. Their solution was to just give us a new carbon monoxide detector, because apparently, our other one was "too sensitive."

By the way, the top reasons for carbon monoxide being in the house is because of cooking, candles and setting your thermostat really high (although, I don't know what is "really high"). I also vaguely remember fireplaces, but don't quote me on that.

My non-expert opinion is I think it's the furnace, although both the fire department and maintenance checked the furnace and didn't find anything wrong with it. I just remember thinking it felt so hot both times the detector went off. Or was it just adrenaline? Note to self, I have to pack a carbon monoxide evacuation kit! Ha.

So I'm just supposed to open the windows, and be aware of any carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms, like having a headache. Sheesh.

Why is there a random Customs and Immigration checkpoint here?

And why is California Highway Patrol on base?

Michael and I really went nuts trying to figure out what was going on, and oh the injustice of it all, and it looks like they are targeting the military, blah, blah, blah.

I even start texting and talking about it while at a 1st birthday party later that day.

The answer was solved Monday morning, when Michael checked his work e-mail that explained that it was a FILM CREW for a made-for-tv movie. I forgot that this base is a whore for filming location opportunities. Upon reflection, I did notice a camera and a boom, but I just dismissed that, because it didn't fit in with my scenario. Sheesh.

American Express Publishing Corporation is trying to scam me!

A while back, I received an envelope about ordering the AmEx Appointment Book and/or Pocket Diary. This happens every year, and every year I'm not interested, so without opening the envelope, I just immediately tore it in half and tossed it in the trash.

Imagine my surprise when I recieved the darn thing in the mail! I called customer service and explain that I never requested this product. The rep says that she can see a scanned file on my account that says otherwise. I asked if she could read if my name was on the form, and she replied that it's just the bottom of the letter that you mail in, so no name on it. Hmm... so is there some magical code that connects it to my account? I asked to be sent a copy of said form. We shall see what comes of that.

Anyhoo, she went ahead and credited the amount for shipping and handling, and when I asked how to send the stuff back, she said I could keep the planner and diary. Uhh... still don't want it! But at least the situation is resolved for now.

My next concern is when reading the fine print, it says if I keep the product, I am now in a subscription program where I will receive this every year unless I notify AmEx in writing that I want to cancel. I guess I could play the redundant route and write a letter. I mean, I can't assume talking to a customer service rep to credit my account also means that I am not enrolled in a subscription program as well.

I guess they are not actually scamming me. It could have been some innocent data entry mistake. On the other hand, it could actually be a ploy to scam millions of people out of $4.94 in a desperate attempt to make money. Oh if that's true, I would have to say, AmEx, I thought you were classier than that.

Because facebook won't upload this pic

I'm doing it here. We did photo booth pics at the arcade at New York New York in Vegas.



A side note: I briefly panicked when I thought I forgot to go to Star Trek: The Experience, but was relieved (and saddened) that it closed awhile ago.

I'm officially a mom

Yes, Nacho is almost three months old, I spend my days knee-deep in poop and spit-up, I'm a pro at bottle sanitizing, I feel lucky when I get to sleep a two-hour stretch and I'm fairly confident that I can bowl two games using a 13 lb ball (not that I throw my baby around). But why do I now feel it's official?

I was hurriedly eating dinner while baby was taking a snooze in the swing, when I dropped my fork. I picked it up, wiped it off with a used kleenex on the table, and continued eating with it. What crossed my mind as I did this? The floor didn't look *that* dirty. The kleenex was probably used to wipe up baby drool or spit up. And I just didn't feel like getting up to get a new fork when I was almost done eating.

Three-second rule (or is it 10 second rule?): I finally get it.