A Few Pics From Home

This is me and my sorors after the pageant Thursday. My mom's on the left in the brown adjusting her glasses. I'm front and center (duh) in the black short-sleeved blazer and jeans. My sister is to my right in the yellow vest and the guy behind her in white is the cutie we were both staring at. Why did she mouth to him while he was on stage and she was in the audience, "I want you." I was dying laughing!!! WHORE!! I may have made that story up but she did something to say, "Ooh. I think I'm making him uncomfortable." HAHAHAHA!!
My homies from middle school. Tasha, Meagan and Me. This is from the party Saturday night. I love that pic of me!
HU homie, Classy Jojo. I just want to know who that boi is who looks like he's about 3 seconds from turning her around and puttin it on her!

Wait... is that him??? Lol. I LOVE this picture of JoEllen. It's so representative of her fun-loving, fabulous personality. We had a BLAST Saturday night!
This is from my cousin's bridal shower. (The one in the white) Awww! She's getting married today and I can't go because we're not allowed to take off during the ratings period. From left to right: My sister, me, then just 3 of my 36 first cousins-- Kim (oh yeah, at bridal showers, they make you wear the bows from all the gifts you get! Hahahah), Erica and Vonetta.

Empty Womb, Please

Going home made me realize something. I am not ready to be a mother. I mean I already knew that because every time someone tells me she's pregnant, I get this deer in the headlights look and ask, "Are you scared?" It's really quite pathetic. I mean I'm just four months shy of my 25th birthday and the thought of carrying a child, eventually having it leave my body and being responsible for him or her for the next 21 years (they will be going to college and who is really self-sufficient in college? They are few and far between)... Frankly, the thought makes me a bit ill.

One of my friends from middle school had a baby in December. I was so excited when I found out she was pregnant that I wanted to immediately rush home. But I couldn't (no vacation), so I was forced to wait until after she had the baby. Finally in March, I was able to go home. I got home Wednesday night and made plans to get together with M, spend the day together on Thursday and finally meet Tristan. Kyle asked me, "Is this going to make you want a baby?" I said, "Of course!" What else will I say when you ask me such an insane question? He said, "I knew it." Hahahaha. I mean truly, I don't know.

I've been around babies before, of course, but not a lot. On both sides my cousins are around my age, no babies really. My sister and I are in the youngest bunch on my dad's side. I have some second cousins my age and older. On my mom's side, most of my cousins live in Mississippi and are about my age, but even if they weren't we wouldn't see them enough for me to spend a significant amount of time around babies. I don't have any friends who had babies as teenagers. Of course babies were in and out of my periphery, but I've never even changed a diaper. I hold them for a few minutes, then hand them back, especially if they start crying, and go gossip.

Thursday, M pulls Tristan out of the car seat and my first reaction was joy. He is a beautiful baby. All 3-month-old fat, chubby cheeks, sweet little cherub. He held onto me, let me hold him and just looked up into my face, blinking in the warm March southern sun (shout out to the sun, light winds, 75+ degree days, flowers, green grass, I hope to see you again soon). So adorable! I felt flooded with love, then instantly confused because I mean, this isn't even my child. But he's the child of one of my closest friends and our first baby in the group I've known since I was 13. I love his mom so I guess the love just transferred. I take a closer look at M and she's glowing. Motherhood really suits her.

We spend the day at the mall shopping and talking after our pedicures. This is one of the best babies. He doesn't cry or fuss, if the car moves, he's knocked out. I'm not crazy. I know babies sleep a lot and have good days but I really like this one!

Then it starts.

The strangers. I am not at this point in my life equipped to deal with dozens of people a day peering into my stroller to comment on the appearance of my child. "Oh he's so cute!" Of course he is, you see his mother. I mean come on! Is it not obvious? How could he be anything but? The best, though? The grown black man who walks up, bends slightly at the waist, and bellows, "Look at that juicy baby!" Juicy? Juicy?!! Huh uh. I had to walk away. Once we reunited, I said, "Tristan, how do you feel about being called juicy?" M says, "What do I look like lettin another man call me juicy?" LMAO!!!! That's why this is my girl.

I asked her, "How do you deal with all the strangers?" She says her pregnancy helped because people like to say and ask some normal, but mostly bizarre and probing questions. Things like, "Is the father still around?" "Will you breast feed?" "Are you having twins? You're huge!" (Have you seen that commercial? It cracks me up). But I've still determined I am not anywhere near ready to be with child. For now, I'll take "Empty Womb, Please, Alex for 2000." Thanks.

Home Again! Part I

(You knew it would have to be at least 2 parts! I was gone a week!)

I know you guys missed me. I missed you too! I am smacking down face first into loser week, you know, the first week back from vacay. You realize your actual life is not nearly as fun as your vacay life. Alas... I shall start recapping my lovely time in the Queeeeeeeen City and only one day after my return!! Aren't you guys excited! This may be a record for me.

Wednesday:

I wake up and it is ridiculously cold. I mean 30s cold. So despite the fact I don't plan on needing a coat or gloves, I am forced to take them. HOWSOMEVER (tell me that's not the funniest word in America), I refused to take the earmuffs.

Because its just too much. I mean really people. I'm trying to EMBRACE spring. I'll go with cold ears for a few minutes enterring and exiting buildings just so I don't have to add another thing for me to carry. My bag was HEAVY!! For no reason. In fact, when I got to the airport, I found out it was 68 lbs... that's 18 lbs. over the limit. That means I had to pay a $25 fee. Whatev. Just get me to Charlotte!!! I had a while to wait so I went to Friday's to get a cobb salad. (instead of rocquefort, mine had blue and cheddar cheeses... blue I understand but the cheddar was an odd substitute... still good, but odd). I was feenin for some avacado. I LOVE AVACADO!!! MMMMM. I also had a mojito! LOVE mojitos. Muddle away! Cheers!

I finally get on the plane headed to Cleveland... do you know this is the smallest plane in the world? I know I'm using a lot of absolutes here but deal. I walk out onto the tarmac and this plane seats 15 people! Wait a minute. I work in news. I watch lots of news. America's most frequent plane crashes are with small planes. Granted, they're 2-4 seaters, not commuter planes, but STILL! I don't need to hear the propellers for my entire ride. Geez. I get to Cleveland, then I wait more for my flight to Charlotte. FINALLY!! We are boarding! The pilot says its 72 degrees in Charlotte!!! Wheeeeeee! That's compared to 47 in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. As we approach Charlotte Douglas International Airport, I spot the red clay of my hometown.... WELCOME HOME!! Wheeeeeeeeeeee!! I'm finally back!! 11 months since my last visit, I have returned. All shall rejoice! I didn't bother to contain my excitement and clap excitedly.

I'm fielding phone calls before I even get off the plane good. I mean I have walked 8 steps inside the airport and one of my friends is shrieking in my ear! That's love, folks! Then I talk to my mom and she is still at work! Mommy!! I get my luggage quickly (I wasn't flying US Air) and wait about 15 minutes. I threaten to mug this guy for his Bojangles, but decided not to. Self control people. It's miraculous.

Mom and I head to Wal-Mart so I can buy a digital camera (and subsequently take 1,324 pictures of myself). Then we go home and I talk to Kyle for the 3rd time that day. Joy of joys.

Thursday:

I wake up, read a little bit, my homie MJJ comes to pick me up and I meet the adorable Tristan!! He is the sweetest little 3-month-old butterball in the world. So cute. I was glad too. I didn't have to lie. You know all babies are not cute. M, Tristan, and I head to Showmars!!!!! Wheeeeeee! They're only in NC and SC. I have a gyro with cucumber sauce and fries. MMMMMMMMMMM! So delish.

Then MJJ and I go get our pedicures (I brought nothing but open-toed shoes!) and while she's looking at my pics, her pedi lady asks to see them... are you insane? For what? Do you know these people? So bizarre. Next stop, Southpark Mall... *the heavens just opened and sun beamed down* NORDSTROM!!!!!!!!! I love Nordstrom. Saw the cutest Nanette Lepore jacket... but it was $450 so I left it there. M tried on this cute dress at Bebe, then left it for 20 minutes to think about it, came back and it was GONE! So we had to trudge halfway across the world (or the city, whatever) to Northlake Mall, Charlotte's newest mall to get her size. Then home again. Talked to Kyle 3xs this day. Wheeeeeeeee!

Friday:

PARTY TIME!! I started off the day with more reading. So far I've read In Style magazine, 4 Blondes (crap, don't waste your time), and started Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. That's actually a good book. It's a series of essays by writer David Sedaris. I bought both books because they were $1 at Borders. The second I bought because I was intrigued by the title and cover. I ALWAYS judge books by their cover. I say its the only way.

I take a walk around the neighborhood. With the hills and valleys, its a great workout. Especially since only half the neighborhood is a 2 mile walk. So I did half the neighborhood, and that's mostly because it was HOT! The high was 78 or 80 and it was near that by the time I took my walk. Heat wears you out... So I took a nap. Hurray naps! M came to pick me up so we could head Uptown... interesting thing about Charlotte... what everyone else in the world would consider downtown, we call uptown. Wikipedia just told me why! Center City (Trade and Tryon) is the highest point of elevation. You're going UP to town. How interesting. Looky there. Learning is key people! M and our other homie T are going to the Jamie Foxx concert. Tickets were $70 and he was the only performer... I'll pass. So I took a walk around uptown instead to reacclimate myself with my homeland. I was wearing cigarette pants, a polka dot shirt, and these shoes...

Too cute.

I LOVE partying in downtown (hush. yes I interchange the names). I head to the Graduate to watch the games (college bball) and have a few drinks. First drink: Patron Rita (lime juice, Patron, Grand Marnier) mmmmm, 2nd drink: Imagination (3 Olives Grape Vodka, Absolut Citron, pineapple juice, cranberry juice)... no thanks. Not tasty. Then my mom came downtown for dinner. We ate at Zink's. Mom had the cuban sliders, I had a chicken panini with these fantastic fries flavored with salt, pepper and oregano. Yum.

Guess what? It was also my Sigmaversary! I've been in my sorority for FIVE years now. That's insane. I feel old and young at the same time. My chapter just brought in 10 girls. So congrats to Spring '07.

My mom dropped me off near Bobcats Arena to meet up with my crew. I saw one of my Hampton homies I didn't even know lived in the area! and one of my Hampton little brothers (almost everyone at Hampton had a little bro or sis, I always picked ones from Charlotte except the year I was a student leader).

We head down to Menage for the official afterparty. I hate this club. First I stopped going because there were some allegations of the managment firing the Power 98 d.j. because they didn't like the increasingly Black crowd. It was starting to become a hot spot for the young black professionals. I don't know why that would be a problem but whatever. So this was my first time back there since those allegations. We go in and it's all right. I had a sex on the beach, a blue motorcycle (essentially a blue long island ice tea minus the coke), a tanqueray and tonic, then a Michelob. We were there from 11 until about 2:30. It didn't get fun until the end, though I did here some good music from my homeland!! Whooo!! I saw this guy I grew up with. Some guy asked me if my boyfriend was there with me. What? Such an odd question. Does it matter if he's here? If I'm going to give you some attention, any boyfriend is irrelevant. Unfortunately for you, I'm NOT going to give you any attention. Sorry about that.

Then we went upstairs to the "VIP" area. Yeah right. I saw Emeka Okafor and thanked him for playing for the Bobcats (hilarious), then I tapped him on the shoulder again, he bent waaaaaay down and I said, "And no matter what happens, Duke is still better than UConn." He laughed. So fun. He's cuter in person. I need him to stop getting injured!!!! Afterward M and I got up with one of her friends to eat at Waffle House. Vomit. I hate that place. They are so dirty. But at 3 in the morning, breakfast is fantastic. I got home at 4, talked to Kyle (again) for 1/2 an hour. He said he said to me, "I was going to eat something quick like a sandwich, but maybe I'll just go to sleep." I said, "I'm sleepy too, bye! *click*" Hilarious. I do not recall that but if you say so!

Anyhow, I have a headache right now from all these links and pics. Part II to come soon! You'd like a preview? Ok. Hanging with cousins, more cute shoes, ribs, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, potato salad, sweet potato pie, transformating (sic)!, oh my! Prepare yourselves.