The Fabulous B@ker Blog

I guess everyone/thing has a doppelganger, even blogs. On occasion, when I'm away from my computer and want to show someone our blog, I google it using words like "Fabulous Baker Blog" or "Baker Blog." DID YOU KNOW that there is another Fabulous Baker Blog? And here I thought I was being really original four years ago when I came up with the name, which was not so original because it's a play on the name of the 1989 movie, The Fabulous Baker Boys . If you haven't already noticed, the distinguishing characteristic of our Baker blog is the use of the "@" sign in the word B@ker. Whoa, so original. ; ) Just in case you haven't yet happened upon the other Fabulous Baker Blog, here's it is: The Fabulous Baker Blog - Following the adventures of the Baker family of Kalamazoo, Michigan, these folks 2X (+1) the kids of the Fairport Bakers, and features a cute "kids" quotes sidebar. I wonder if they've ever happened upon us?

Today I was thinking about the crazy phobias that plague me. Here's a big one: Imagine what it's like to have two little kids and everywhere you go, people are handing them balloons (especially at restaurants), and you accept them with mounting anxiety because what kind of parent would you be if you didn't let your kids have a balloon? Balloons are fun enough, except for when you are a globophobic , which is a fear of balloons, which really means that you're not afraid of balloons, per se , but the sudden explosive bursting of a balloon. All through my children's early years and right up until last night when I had four leftover balloons (from a work program) in the back of my car, I lived in fear of balloons suddenly bursting. My anxiety over sudden, loud noises carries over to my hatred of loud, bright fireworks. I'm probably in the minority of people who cannot stand fireworks (Too loud! Too bright!), anxiously and count the minutes until they're over...

Today marked another Baker milestone as Annalisse took her first solo plane flight to Baltimore to spend a couple of days with Mom Shiao and the Arlington Gang (Dave, Mandy, Jackson and Amelie). I booked a direct flight for her and arranged for a "gate pass" for me and Mom (on Wednesday) so we could accompany her to the gate and make sure she took off okay. She was so excited, and I am excited for her. In many ways (that count), both the kids are independent and confident, something of which I'm exceedingly proud. Of course, the ways they aren't as independent is when it comes down mostly to chores. Fly half way around the world? No problem! Bring your laundry basked to the basement or unload the dishwasher? Seemingly impossible. She has already texted me to tell me there is NO SNOW in Virginia, and it looks like she'll have mostly good weather, with Monday even getting as high as 70 degrees (although it looks like it might be rainy). I suppose 70 and rainy is ...

Cameron celebrates his 18th birthday today, on the 18th (I think there's some some kind of special name when your age coincides with your birthdate). Happy birthday to my now-adult son!! How in the world did that happen? When the kids are little people always tell you to hang onto every moment because they grow so fast. I truly cannot believe he was born 18 years ago. It feels like the blink of an eye. Cam has a lot of exciting things to be proud of and to look forward to. He's done pretty well for himself: he's a pretty smart kid, has great friends, has travelled abroad TWICE, has a job he loves and parents who love and indulge him. The last couple of years have not always been easy as we have all navigated the teen years and the inevitable "pulling away" that often happens, especially to adolescent boys. Cam's a tough nut to crack, but I also believe, in his case, still waters run deep. He's quiet, but very introspective with a sophisticated view of the ...

Wasn't just about a year ago that I posted this entry about " Our Hot New Ride ?" Well, as they say, it's deja vue all over again. For a while now, at least six months anyway, I've been thinking seriously about trading in my 2006 Honda Civic. While I did love that little car, it was just that: little. And a standard shift, which, it seems was only enjoyed by me as Mark found driving it a pain in the * ss . Also, since Cam got his permit he could really only drive the CRV because, while I wanted him to learn to drive a standard, I didn't want him to learn to drive one while he was still mastering the basics of driving in general. So, since Mark mostly drove the CRV , when Cam and I wanted to go out and practice, we never had a car available. (For some reason, Mark does not want let Cam drive and I'm the one who always has to take him out. I have my own theories about that.) I did, though, have a dream about giving the Civic to Cam in a couple of years ...

On Monday, we're having Annalisse's room painted so today we spent some time cleaning things out to get ready. Annalisse made it a point to tell me that when we put her room back together she doesn't want her stuffed animals or kids books in there anymore. Of course, that made sense, but it was heartbreaking to send her "friends" into the attic to be stored in large plastic tub until she's ready to enjoy them again...probably when she shares them with her own children. Throughout the years we've had many "clean outs" of the kids rooms when all the diggers, kid's books, trains, Legos, Barbies, American Girl dolls and stuffed animals are put into storage, but that didn't make it any easier for me to say "goodbye" this time as I felt I was also saying goodbye to my last "young" child and getting myself ready for the fact that in two years, she too, would be getting ready to head off to college. Readers of the B@ker Blog w...

Whew! After my last loooonnnnngggg blog entry I must be spent...nothing of real interest or substance to write about this week. All of a sudden it's Wednesday (I'm not complaining) and work has been, well, let's just say, interesting this week. It's my policy not to write about specifics at work on the blog, so that's all I'll say. I already warned my family that I would most likely be pretty crabby this week, and it's actually not as bad (so far) as I expected. One thing I will say for work this week - there's been food around every day; between chocolate cake, bagel breakfasts and birthday parties it is NOT GOOD. There are only two more days until the weekend, and Valentine's Day is on Monday. I'm one of those people who actually really likes VDay, probably since I don't take it too seriously and always use it as an excuse to eat out (sometimes both meals: I have Mark pick me up for lunch and then we all go out for dinner). It's one of ...

It occurred to me today that my 30 th class reunion is exactly six months away. WHICH MEANS, I have six months to lose probably five pounds. (I don't know exactly how many because I'm afraid to step on the scale. All I know is that I have rolls sound my waist.) Things do change by the 30 th reunion. Not just how many mates you've had or how many grandchildren you have, but they way people view and behave at the 30 th reunion. Here are my class reunions, from my point of view: 10 th Reunion: At the 10 th reunion there was as much pressure and effort to look good as there was for any "big dance": looking months in advance for “just the right dress,” growing your hair out for “just the right look,” and insisting you spouse come along so you could show him or her off (almost like a prize). Most of us were just beginning our careers, some had been married just a little while, and some of us were having the first of our children. Others were on their second ...

Happy birthday today to my sister-in-law, Nara, whose birthday also happens to fall on Chinese New Year . I'm not sure what "year" it is in the Chinese calendar; probably something like 5,402. Welcome to the Year of the Rabbit. Have fun Nara!

Today is my FAVORITE holiday! Three cheers for the groundhog! The promise of spring and new life. Now get the heck out of that hole... ...but he can't, because of the much-anticipated-over-hyped-so-called (SNOW)STORM OF THE CENTURY. Which didn't amount to a hill of frozen beans except for the usual couple inches of snow and a little sleet. It was enough close Fairport schools, though, which many of us from Fairport agree was more of a preemptive strike since it didn't really snow all day and there was no blowing to speak of. The kids sure were happy. Me, I trudged off to work, dreams of spending day in my PJs dashed for the time being. Still, apparently it is a day that shall live in infamy as it was so fondly named " The Groundhog Day Storm of 2011 ."