Madsen Kiddos

Oh where Oh where has my pregnancy test gone....?

I remember the days when I had just married John and was completely paranoid that I was pregnant every month. If I didn't have my period on time or even early I though- oh my goodness I am pregnant! Having a pregnancy test on hand helped make me feel better. Too bad one day I tested pregnant and joined the ranks of high schoolers who had an accidental pregnancy- except it was good timing so no one seemed surprised. So I have never gotten over my fear of being pregnant, even with an IUD. The other day I realized that I didn't have any pregnancy tests on hand- I gave the last one to Claire to take for Honeymoon assurance. So I said to my friend "I will pick up a pregnancy test" and she was surprised. John said "Oh, she takes those all the time- it's like a hobby for her." My friend thought it was hilarious.
And it's true. I have taken two of the three pack- both times I wasn't pregnant. Still no period after baby so I guess that IUD is paying off after all. I foolishly just threw them away in the bathroom trash. So today I realized that I am missing a pregnancy test. I realized this after my friend came over to make jam and one of the pregnancy tests was on the changing table. That's right, she had picked it up off of the floor. How mortifying. Someone seeing your used pregnancy test is sort of like missing a period only gross. Good thing she knows I am not pregnant- and do I have to explain my obsession? How did the test end up on the floor? Was Danielle carrying it around?
Also I have looked ALL OVER downstairs and in the bathroom trash and pregnancy test number two is MIA. I will never find the thing. How crazy is that? I marked it, and it is somewhere downstairs. When I took the positive pregnancy test I remember throwing it away in the bathroom trash as well. A few days later we came home and one of our dear little doggies was chewing on something. Yes- it was my pregnancy test. Leave it to the dogs.
Did you know that you can take a free pregnancy test online? I guess you can enter a bunch of stuff and they will tell you if you are pregnant. It's not as fun as the pink sticks but maybe I will have to switch over. Until then- good luck to me finding the missing pregnancy test in the toy bin. Or maybe Austin already found it.

Yet Another Shortcoming of the English Language

I have a bone to pick with English. I sould probably begin by conceding that it works pretty well. Many people speak it, and for the most part we understand each other well enough to function in our own country, and as a global society of English speakers. Though I suppose some would argue about how well we function.
Anyway, my topic today is the phrase, "least favorite." It probably sounds familiar to you. Ordinarily, you would use this phrase to describe something that is the opposite of your favorite. Maybe you are discussing flavors of ice cream. Your favorite might be rocky road, or burnt almond fudge. Your least favorite, though, would probably be that green tea ice cream you bought out of curiosity, opened eagerly after putting away the other groceries, spooned anxiously toward your already salivating mouth, then discarded after disgust and disappointment. That is your least favorite.
But think about those words. Your least favorite. Although it is least among your favorites, it is still making that list. Yes, the same list that begins with rocky road. Surely, green tea comes at the end, being your least favorite, but it is not taken off of the list. It is not put on an anti-favorite list. It is just your least favorite.
English has no other way of describing this relationship. You can't just say, "Which flavor is most repulsive? Which revolts you the most? Which flavor is highest on the scale labeled odious, heinous, abominable, reprehensible, disgusting, loathesome, or nauseating?" And why don't these convey what we want to convey? Because the opposite question would be asking which flavor is least repulsive. No one wants to know what flavor is least repulsive. They want to know which is your favorite.
Favor indicates personal preference. You have chosen your favorites. You are invested in them. Other descriptive terms feel objective, distant, cold in comparison. Sure, cake batter ice cream is "good," or "yummy" even, but it is not "favorite."
So what is the opposite of "favorite"? Certainly not "least favorite." Clearly, our language is letting us down. We need to be able to express our own personal dislike for things succinctly. As a complaint filled society, constantly gratifying ourselves and critiquing those products or services we consume which do not gratify completely or rapidly enough, how can we have failed to fill this gap in our collective lexicon?
I once heard someone at my school discussing a classmate that she found particularly annoying. These were her words: "He is my worst, my absolute worst!"
The delivery is important, as her emotion conveyed exactly the kind of assertion that I am discussing here. I hope the written form brings you the feeling I had when I heard her say this (Speaking of which, my feelings were first amused, then almost joyous. Not that I had ever thought this particular problem through before, but as soon as the solution arrived, I recognized its absence in my life up to that point. How very gratifying.). So perhaps this formulation fits the bill. After all, another person can't be your worst the same way that something you have created or performed can be ("That's my worst film yet," or "that is the worst lobster you have ever made me."). The phrase makes no sense if preference isn't involved. If someone or something is your worst but you are not responsible for its quality, then non-favorite status is implicit.
I don't think I will adopt the saying. I feel this would somehow cheapen the phrase, or jinx any possibility it might have of creeping into common use. Not that this is likely, but one can always hope. Keep your ears open.

Bird Watching Contest

Remember the good old days as kids when we had that red guidebook to North American Birds? I still remember flipping through the pictures endlessly to try to find cool new birds and pretending that I had seen some really rare or exotic north american birds only to find out they were native to Florida not washington state. Well there is a website right now that has a contest to promote "Young Birders". They are promoting their fantastic book about bird watching for kids. Check out the contest here
I am really excited about an eastern book because that is where we are living now and I keep seeing birds that I know I've seen before or hearing a new bird call waking me up at 4 in the morning. What a great idea! I found it from Rob Fergus's Blog. Oh those birdchasers!

My "black" name

Well I had a great birthday yesterday. and I must say I loved going to lunch with Judi and spending time with John. We went and saw the movie forbidden Kingdom and my friend Allison watched Danielle and it was so nice to go on a birthday date. I loved how many people remembered my birthday- I got so many exciting presents and someone even brought me cookies. John made me red velvet cake which is really yummy. I ate it for dinner and for breakfast this morning also for lunch. Ahh cake is so good. Thanks everyone for remembering me and calling me and sending presents and cards on my birthday- it was the best!
Well today I met one of my neighbors and I was told that my name was a "black" name. It was interesting to think about because I have always liked my name and I would recommend it to everyone for naming their children. I guess lots of black people in Philadelphia have my name. Well according to my neighbor. Is it weird to say someone has a black name? Can I say that? Probably not to someone who is actually black, so I don't think I should say it.
Here is my photo as a girl with a black name.

Money Mondays

This week for Money Mondays I wanted to decorate Danielle's Room. Not the whole thing since she still doesn't really have furniture but at least the walls. I have a few ideas other than finishing the last two walls with painting. I love it when baby names are spelled out. Too bad she has 8 letters in her name- I guess having Danielle Claire would take up more wall space than she has, although that is so cute! Then we have Claire's name on our wall too. The land of nod has the letters for 8.95 each so I could put them up on the right side of the pictures I already have up over her crib. I like the white pottery barn frames for Danielle's room. She has a few but I just got more pictures for mother's day and I want frames for them. The pictures could also go in different places. Also I need an 11x14 inch frame for one of the pictures and they are hard to find.
A really cute mat would make the pictures look more personalized. I would want to have the white frame with a pink polka dot mat.
Having a nob to post them on would be great and I want a couple to also hang up her tutu.

Total Cost $161.60