I know: Where have I been?

The truth is, the timing has just never been right!  Mike's home a lot because of the rain recently, and I can't really sit and write when he's home because he's always like, "Whatcha doin'?" and then I have to say "bloggin'", and he'll say "about what?" and then I have to close the laptop and save it for later because Mike has decided to start the Bowles Inquisition on me and then I just watch whatever's happening on the Oprah Winfrey Network (my new addiction).
But let's just give you a little update, shall we?
Mowgli is finally starting to walk around.  He says lots of different words and I'm very proud of him.
I was diagnosed with 4 different mental illnesses and this has been both a blessing and a curse.  On the one hand I'm thinking this is great, I finally have a name (or four) for all of the things I feel and think and everything I go through and It's real, other people have it too, I'm not alone, yay!  and on the other hand I'm just kind of bummed out about the fact that I have four different mental illnesses and will never be normal, no matter what I do.
C'est la vie!

I have also made a very serious resolution.
About a week ago I said I was going to quit drinking.  And I should, I should.  But that's just so hard to do... and I haven't hit rock bottom yet so I came up with another, even better plan:
Have a couple of drinks every once in a while, as long as you're not hurting yourself or someone else, who really cares?  Right?
Just go to bed before midnight.  Or try to go to bed before midnight, especially if you've been drinking.  I forget who it was that first said this to me, but somebody once said nothing good has ever happened after midnight and I tend to agree.  I can't remember the last time anything good ever happened to me after midnight.  In fact, after midnight it usually when everything goes for a shit.
After midnight, everyone you meet just wants to screw your brains out.
After midnight, food isn't any good because it's all headed straight to your ass.
After midnight, anything you say can upset someone and sending text messages to anyone will make you look like a crazy person.
After midnight, anything you spend money on is just a complete waste.
After midnight, no one is on facebook to talk to.
And so on and so forth.
So I'm going to try my damnedest to go to bed before midnight, no matter what!
Wish me luck, internetland.

Songs I Recommend for SPRING!

Forget That You're Young - The Raveonettes
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
Rachel Layne - Blister in the Sun
Love is All - Kungen
If You Ever Come Back - The Script
Grace Kelly - Mika
Six Underground - The Sneaker Pimps
Born This Way (The Country Road Version) - Lady Gaga
Intro - the XX
The First Days of Spring - Noah and the Whale
Warm Blood - Seabear
In The Flowers - Animal Collective
Paris is Burning - Ladyhawke
Coin Laundry - Lisa Mitchell
The Walls Are Coming Down - Fanfarlo
Swinging Bells - Plants and Animals
California Dreamer - Wolf Parade
Dark Blue - Jacks Mannequin
Give a Little Love - Noah and the Whale
Giver - Patrick Watson
Fake Blues - Real Estate
Sailor Song - Regina Spektor
Lucky Man - The Verve
Scooby Snacks - Fun Loving Criminals
Sowing Season - Brand New
One Big Holiday - My Morning Jacket

A little more indie than I usually go for...  But it's Spring!

Things I Wish I'd Known

• If you don't eat vegetables, you will have a hard time trying to poop.
• You can make any drink or dessert fancy and luxurious with just one thing: whipped cream.
• It's a good idea to be measured every time you go bra shopping.
• The best lipstick shades are the ones within 2 or 3 shades of your natural lip colour.
• A real friend is one you can go months without speaking with while still knowing that they think of you and love you.
• Try not to depend on anyone else unless you absolutely have no choice.
• People like you more when you don't give a shit.
• Don't trash another person when they're not around just so you can fit in - what goes around comes around.
• Everyone will disappoint you; it's important to forgive.
• Never buy something just because someone else looks great in it
• When you tolerate mistreatment, you're making yourself look like an idiot.
• Nothing is sexier than a woman who is comfortable in her clothes.
• When there is nothing else to discuss on a date - bring up Neil Young.
• You can never really know another person.
• A cup of tea can alleviate 75% of all problems.
• A glass of wine can alleviate 99%.
• You will always wish you travelled more.
• Loving yourself seems easy but will take a lifetime to truly cultivate
• When grown up problems have you miserable, read a children's book (I recommend The Little Prince)
• You may lose control over your thoughts and feelings, and you may feel hopeless and alone, but it will always pass.
• Get used to the idea of dying early on.
• If there is a God, you will not find Him in a church.
• Trust one person completely.
• Home is where you decide to make it.
• Don't abandon your hobbies, regardless of how busy you are
• Love is worth the heartbreak and experience is worth the risk of failure.
• Quality over Quantity.
• Less is always more.
• If you have to cry, go outside.
• Always carry a 20 dollar bill.
• Talk to old people, they have a lot to offer.
• You may need medication.  Take it and don't be embarrassed.
• Treat your body the way your lover treats your body.
• Mothers usually do know best.  But not always.
• Don't be so polite.  Nobody else is anyway.

"42"ish Things That Change When You Have a Baby

So.
Babycenter.com is a great website and they send me e-mails all the time, letting me know what Carter is going through at different stages in his life, and offering helpful advice and resources.  It's a great website and I recommend it to any pregnant woman or mother.  So anyway, today I got a real treasure of an e-mail from Babycenter and I wanted to share it.  But, in true This Young Mum fashion, I am only going to share the ones that are relevant and not hoaky or just plain idiotic, for example - you finally figured out what those breasts are for!  Ahem... really?  Thanks, Lady.  (I would also like to point out that there were only 27 things on the list.  But the title says 42.  I don't know).

Forty-two Things That Change When You Have a Baby
by Rebecca Woolf

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.

9. Your heart breaks much more easily.

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

11. Every day is a surprise.

12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

14. You become a morning person.

15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.
And from our readers...
1. "You discover how much there is to say about one tooth." — Ashley's mom

5. "You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers." — Roxanne

6. "You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night." — Kellye

7. "Silence? What's that?" — Anonymous

9. "You discover an inner strength you never thought you had." — Ronin and Brookie's mom

13. "You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late." — Tracey

14. "You learn that taking a shower is a luxury." — Jayden's mom

15. "You realize that you can love a complete stranger." — Dezarae's mom

16. You find yourself wanting to make this world a better place. — Arizona

17. If you didn’t believe in love at first sight before, now you do! — Ciara

18. You start to appreciate Sesame Street for its intellectual contribution. — Anon.

19. You have to quit watching the news because you see every story from a mother's perspective and it breaks your heart. — Brooke&Boys

26. You want to take better care of yourself for your child. — Treasor

27. You can have the most wonderful conversation using only vowel sounds like "ahhh" and "oooo." — littlehulk2008

A List of Must-Reads.

So.
I'm a reader.  I am a BIG reader.  If there is anything I consider myself an authority of, it's gotta be a good book.  I'm always reading something.  I've read hundreds of books.  Hundreds.  But sometimes when I head to the book store I pick up duds.  I read them.  They're crap.  I wish I got more tips from friends about what's really good and what I should read.
Here is a list of the best of the best, in my opinion.  These books I could read over and over and over again.  They're all just divine.  Devour some.

For Your iTunes. And Rob's. Hi baby. This is for you.

Thursday - Asobi Seksu
I'm Happy But You Don't Like Me - Asobi Seksu
Fool On the Hill - Bjork
Never Give You Up - The Black Keys
The Concubine - Beirut
Hedonistic Me - Born Ruffians
Anthems For a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl - Broken Social Scene
Moi Je Joue - Brigitte Bardot
Wild is the Wind - Cat Power
Audience of One - Cold War Kids
And Then I Dreamt of Yes - The Dandy Warhols
Hold Tight - Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich
Little Yellow Spider - Devendra Banhart
Wake Up - The Ditty Bops
Everything Means Nothing To Me - Elliott Smith
Nothing Brings Me Down - Emiliana Torrini
Don't Think Twice It's Alright - Emily Haines
Serenade-Schubert - G-Love
Boy With a Coin - Iron and Wine
La Fille Du Pere Noel - Jacques Dutronc
Matenme por me Muero - Jaguares
Carolina in My Mind - James Taylor
A Beautiful Mess - Jason Mraz
Mondo Bongo - Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen
Caroline Says Part II - Lou Reed
Under My Bed - Meiko
All The Wine - The National
Oh Comely - Neutral Milk Hotel
Too Drunk to Fuck - Nouvelle Vague
Killing Moon - Nouvelle Vague
Lights On - The Pierces
Knives Out - Radiohead
Prisoners - Regina Spektor
Baby It's You - Smith
My Boys - Taken By Trees (I always sing this to Carter)
I Can't Get Next to You - The Temptations
Birdhouse in Your Soul - They Might be Giants
The Promise - Tracey Chapman
Turn - Travis
My Fathers Gun - Elton John
Heartless (Kanye cover) - William Fitzsimmons

Maybe they're not all your style.  Maybe you know all of them.  I know Rob knows some.  Maybe you'll love them all as much as I do.  Listen to some music.  I recommend a glass of wine with every one of them.