Shot Put

The consensus seems to be that I cannot get rid of the stupid curly hair that is currently surfing above the normal wavy hair; I can only try to cram it down somehow. Damn it. Meanwhile Steve assures me that it actually is a big deal to replace all of the tacky brass fixtures in our bathroom (I did not mention this before now - I don't tell you every little thing you know - but I was lobbying for a 'quick cheap and easy' bathroom refresh.) So there I was bursting with the need to make something in my life look less dated and... goodbye purple blog; hello ivory.

It is a work in progress so feel free to tell me what you think. I like the griffin, like the photo, like the font... not sure about the color. My primary goal is that the text needs to be readable so you tell me if you think the background in the main column should be white. I cannot decide. We can vote. I vote maybe.

The left side of my face has been going numb off and on for a week. It feels like that last thirty minutes before the novacaine wears off completely. At first I was concerned (really. really concerned) that I was having a stroke but as we enter day eight or nine that seems less likely. Everything I know about CVAs I learned from google but I do not think they happen quite so gradually. Maybe a compressed nerve in my neck? I don't know. An hour ago I noticed that I was slapping my own face repeatedly (as one does when something goes numb) and I decided to finally call the doctor's office and schedule an appointment. However about a year ago I switched from my old primary care clinic to a new one where Steve goes. I had all of my records transferred (three whole visits worth - I saw my OB/Gyn so often for eight years it made other health care feel superfluous) and then I waited to get sick enough to need to go meet my new primary physician. It never happened. So when I called today to see about coming in for a physical with an emphasis on the nerves (between my tingling jaw and my chilblained toes I am losing control of more personal real estate than I am gaining - it's like these parts are seceeding) I qualified as a new patient. And this guy's new patient appointment slots are filled for the next couple of weeks. I am scheduled for two weeks from Thursday. I hate to call back and schedule a faster appointment with someone I have never seen before and never plan on seeing again just to have them tell me that I carry tension in my face. On the other hand, my cheek is numb. It's a pickle.     

Although I did think it was a little mean to say in the comments that Edward looks like a sad little middle-aged man with a comb-over (also a bit misleading: sometimes he looks like a happy or an angry or a puzzled little middle-aged et cetera) I am reluctantly compelled to agree with the woman who asserted thusly. The problem though is not the haircut; it is the fact that Edward's hairline begins here and then swoops to New Jersey. He recedes like the Nile. In photos his cascading Fabio locks sort of concealed this fact but in person it was obvious. I thought pre-haircut that he was starting to look like the balding guy who lets what little remaining hair he has grow to his shoulders. I should add that my friend Noelle emphatically disagreed - she was anti-cut from the beginning. All of which is to say that I hope Edward's hair can be a topic - like whether war is ever morally justified and discussions on whether cilantro tastes like soap - about which reasonable people can disagree.

I am biased but personally I find Edward so delicious (Tyra Banks forehead and all) that I just want to wrap him in a crepe.

Caroline with her dirty face.

Caroline with her ballerina toes.

And the Pirate Ship Sweet Potato sails again.

Comments

[Paula]

Not to worry. My son also sported the Retiree in Boca look as a baby. Very skimpy hair on top, mass of curls at the nape. It grew in beautifully and he has a glorious head of hair. However, he's going to be 21 this year and I'd like him and his glorious head of hair to move the hell out already.

[amy]

My son was the opposite -- hair on every surface that could (un)reasonably be expected to grow hair as a baby (including forehead, back, and ears). He looked like a tiny version of someone's Cousin Vito from Jersey. At 4.5 it has thinned somewhat, but I'm hoping his hairy back migrates forward to his chest at some point in the future. For his sake and that of the young lady or gentleman that he keeps company with someday.

[Annika]

But it's DIFFERENT and I fear change!

[Mrs. Sprinkles]

I like the new look. (of the blog--no opinion on Edward)

[Shawna]

At least Edward has hair, forehead notwithstanding.

[beyond]

i like your blog's new look very much.
(the tension/ numbness might be coming from your jaw. that's where your stress goes. i usually spend a lot of time with most of my clients talking about their jaws and working on their jaws. but it's hard to say what your problem may be from a blog post description)
don't patrick and edward have very similar hair, except that edward's is straight? the three of them are so cute.

[beth]

Hmm... There is this thing calls Bell's palsy that causes some paralysis of the face. It goes away in a few weeks, but I think you are supposed to treat it to make that happen. I believe it's a virus; my sister got it once. Did you mention to the doctor that you have these symptoms? They should be able to make a quick appointment to see you and save the physical for later. I know that because my doctor saw me quite quickly when I sliced my hand open, and then I went dutifully back for my new patient physical a few weeks later.

I have to say that Edward looked adorable before and after the cut. I'm hard put to think of anything you could do that would disguise his deliciousness.

[chanzi]

At first I thought I had to come the wrong blog somehow! Glad it's still you here.

Have you tried putting any products in your hair to make the sticky-out bits stick out less? I'm the laziest and least knowledgeable person ever when it comes to hair, so this might be a totally useless suggestion, but I use Sumotech by Bumble & bumble to help my side swept bangs stay all together and off to the side. Maybe something along these lines could help keep the short bits of your hair with the long bits, at least? I imagine that it would be a good idea to get product suggestions from someone who knows about such things (not me), maybe at a stylists where you can experiment with something. Perhaps you've tried this already though. Hmm.

[Jessica]

I personally am more fascinated with Miss Caroline's hair. It's very lovely and reminds me of my 2yr old's. My question is: how do you get manage to wrestle her hair in these cute neat little pigtails all the time? V won't sit still for anything hair-related and I would love to be able to do the pigtails on occasion.

[Trisha]

I can't get your "Blogs I Like" links to work. Might be just me. Might be something to double check. :)

[Helen]

I'm not sure where to write this, but you attract such friendly readers. I made a comment on your previous post about rock collecting, and Lizzie and the Alexicographer had some helpful tips on that. So thank you for creating such a friendly atmosphere with your blog. And thanks to those two as well for reassurance to a first time mom. As for Edward's curls, my son had crazy curls when he was born. I have stick straight Asian hair, so it was quite a curiosity. After a year or so, it got so long and bed-heady that it was begging to get cut, even though I thought it was still cute. Alas, the curls are gone for good. But I think it might be different for Edward, since you have curly hair. And about the receding hairline, my son also had the balding look, but now it's fine and boyish looking at 2 years of age. Your blog's color change is refreshing. I like the white and the new picture on top. The white also makes the ads on the side stand out more, which could be a good thing from your point of view. The ads don't bother me anyway. And last, but probably most importantly, I would definitely call back to schedule an earlier appointment with your doctor about the numbness, but that's just me and I don't know too much about your situation.

[Holly]

I have a forehead like Tyra and Edward. Let us stand tall, and hold our foreheads high!

My dad had the same weird hairline that Edward has when he was a kid, when he started to lose his hair it wasn't as noticeable as someone with a normal hairline. (It was like a 20 year gradual thing)

I think Edward is adorable, and not because my obscenely large forehead is affecting my brain.

I am an expert on cuteness and he is cute!

[Jennifer]

Hey, just had to comment on the numbness. Yes, it could be bells palsy, which is treated with steriods and hopefully goes away in time. It could be a nerve thing, and it could be something serious. I'd try to get in sooner. They will almost surely want to do a brain MRI to rule out some of the more serious things it could be. My friend had a similar thing and they didn't find much, but she had to go thru many tests to rule out stuff.

[SarahA]

My mom had bell's palsy last spring. Hers came on very suddenly, though. With a few prescriptions and some acupuncture that she ended up loving, it went away pretty quickly. Here's hoping the same for you!
*New look = awesome
*Edward's hair = cute no matter what length.

[Becky]

My eldest lost all hair but that on the top of his head, which was about 15 shades darker than the sides. The top hair just kept...growing. He totally rocked the flock of seagulls hair. And by rocked it, I mean that he looked ridiculous.

But your Edward looks downright adorable.

[Trina]

I disagree wholeheartedly - I think you have beautiful children and it's the main reason I read your blog, to see your awesome looking kids. Nice work!

[deb]

Love the new look!! Except for one problem- your "Blogs! I Like" links don't work! I think someone else mentioned the same thing.
Granted, I am a creature of habit, but I link from Julie, to you, to Tertia, Snick, Alexis etc....I suppose that I could search all the blogs...but as I said, I'm a creature of habit (and old...all that work might make my head explode!)
Your kids are stunning. I want to cuddle your twinks, and have a serious conversation with Patrick about...whatever he has on his mind! What an amazing family.

[sheilah]

I just love the pic of sweet Caroline (good name for a song...) in the hat...definitely deserves to be enlarged and framed.

I think all your kids are totally squishable. Edward is just totally adorable (love his curls!) And Patrick. Ahhhh, Patrick.

I like the new look too and definitely agree with you re: readability. I hate blogs where the type is too hard to read.

[mellie]

My son had the same hairline issues until he turned 3 and suddenly it started to fill in--similar to what's going on with your hair! We called him The D*onald all the time because his hair looked distinctive in that way. Like the white background, agree with people who say that your blog is a friendly place to be and that getting to the doctor sooner rather than later is a very good thing.

[L.E.]

My first thought was Bell's Palsy also. And since I'm old enough to be your mother, I feel I should scold you for waiting 10 days (10 DAYS!!) to call the doctor. You have to take care of yourself, so that you can take care of your lovely family. Please call them back and plead for an earlier appointment. I'll feel so much better.

My daughter had the Queen Victoria forehead, but that changed when her real hair grew in.

[Virginia Napoli]

Go see a chiropractor. If it is associated with the jaw and tension that should do the trick.

[Ewokmama]

I love the new look!

[Pam L]

Wow, I would hope Kaiser would not make me wait if I said the words "numb" and "face" ( or any body part really) in a sentence to them. I guess they heard "physical" and thought it would be a general thing but numbness that continues should earn you better than an appointment two weeks out, I think. I'd call back. I have only seen my gyno since, well I don't know when, so if I called and had to see another general Dr. I would not care if it was my primary Dr. as by the time I would be so inclined to see one again, odds are it would be a new one anyway. They always ask me who my primary guy is and I never know.

[Andrea]

DH had the cheek problem too, started to spread to his arm and leg on the same side and was eventually diagnosed with atypical migraines. Go figure.

[Samantha]

Look at this! 2 comments in 2 posts! I guess lots of wine does that to you. . .Anyway, as a longtime faithful reader who rarely comments, I just have to tell you that seeing pictures of your kids is very heart-warming. I started reading your blog a couple of years ago, and I read through all the archives. It was so painful to read about all of your losses, especially because at the time I started reading, you "just" had Patrick. And now, to see your gorgeous family is just so great. I am so happy for you. Every story deserves a happy ending like yours!

[bethany actually]

I have no problem reading the main column, the color's fine.

I hope your face turns out to be nothing serious!

[Colleen]

I like the new look of the blog. However, I can't seem to access any of the other blogs in the "Blogs I Like" box. Any way to make those into links, like they were before? (I'm totally computer illiterate so I have no idea how one does this, but I really liked being able to access Julie, Alexa, Snick and the rest from your website). Thanks!

[AussieAndrea]

Just another shout out for Bell's Palsy.... my mother woke up one morning with half her face paralysed and it was pretty distressing until she got diagnosed...

It can be temporary, or it can be permanent - it's when a virus attacks the myelin covering a major facial nerve. If it's just the myelin that's damaged by the virus, then when the virus clears, the myelin grows back, no more paralysis... but if the nerve itself gets damaged, who knows?

Also, love the new blog look, it's totally readable and your children are just beautiful and I never notice their hair anyway.... they just always look lovely!

[Mary @ Holy Mackerel]

Love the look. The children are all delicious.

And your numbness is probably not-serious nerve stuff. I've had it before, and they haven't found anything...yet.

[Meegan]

I like the new look! I've been reading you for such a long time it took me a minute to realize that, yes, I was looking at Julia's blog. Change! Scary! But really, I like.

Edward does NOT look like a middle aged man! He just has a five-head. So do I, so does my husband and, go figure, so do our children. Big brains push those hairlines back. Makes for expressive faces.

GO TO THE DOCTOR, WOMAN! Jeebus. Just get on it.

[Casey]

I could dip all of your children in ranch dressing and nibble them up! Actually, who needs ranch dressing? They are all delectable as is! Keep the pictures coming.

[Sally]

Oh my - the pic of Caroline and her toes. You could label it "happy childhood" and send it to the dictionary.
I like the new blog pic too, but I vote for a new behind the text color. Maybe a seasonal change? Something springy? I see you as a pastels gal - um...not.

[Becky]

Charlie had the hairline issue as well. I think he started evening out around age 2.

For the fixtures... have you considered spray paint? It's all the rage with the frugal home remodel set- you could try doing just one knob or something and seeing how it goes.

[Laura]

As a type-whore of long standing, I say black on ivory is the most readable of all possible combinations. Go team Julia. And who said Edward resembled a little old man? Feh. A more gorgeous child never was created.

[rosie_kate]

On my end, the background color looks... pink. Of course, it is an eternal problem among web designers to pick colors that look good on most screens. It's still plenty light for readability, however. Still, I think a white area would be lovely, too.

Also- get you to a chiropractor! They do wonders for nerve problems and faster(better) than a doc. :-)

Oh-- love the new header pic! Hilarious!

[Bella]

One of my twin boys had the EXACT receding hairline and HI-LAR-I-OUS old-man face for so long. Looking back at the pics is so much fun now (they're 3). He is now totally cutesy/toddlery-ish, so it does fade and now I sort of miss his funky-grandpa look...

Love the new look. Ivory, white, pink. Whatever. I like it. It feels more "light" than the purple.

And may I say that your kids are freaking eatable? SO, SO freaking cute right now, all three of them. And so miserable looking too ;-)

[Kristin]

Love the new look of the blog!

[C.]

Please, please, PLEASE write a book! Compile all your blog posts, send me personal emails everyday with stories, SOMETHING.

Youre writing is so great and perhaps it is the kids or life, but your writing seems to be evolving and I just love. Each time there is usually a point where I laugh out loud to myself.

E is adorable no matter his hairstyle, C is a chick a dee after my own heart and P looks to be such a great big brother.

[cathy b]

Last year I went to the ER for a novacaine-kind of numbness in one side of my face, it crept up and over my scalp and from one elbow to the top of my wrist. I thought, eh--better rule out stroke since it's Sat. morn and my reg doc is on vacation. They took one look at my good insurance and kept me for observation.

My diagnosis (after CAT and MRI showed no aneurysms or tumors) was that the numbness was most likely a new presentation of a painless migraine symptom. I've had the pain-full types for years, but didn't know that some people get migraines without pain, but with other weird symptoms. (I have had the symptoms of flashing lights in my periphery and weird ammonia smell that no one else smells with some of my pain-migraines.) They said it was rare for migraines to start in a different way in one's forties, though, hence all the $$$ tests and that really boring day spent reading in a room that a nurse would wander into every so often to tell me how weird it was on her ward of stroke patients to have someone healthy.

I still get it every several weeks or so. My dr asked me to keep a journal of when and where I am on my cycle, but it always happens when I'm busy and when i find time to write it down I forget too many details and skip it. She thinks migraine changes are peri-menopause related.

[Sydnew]

I'm finding the background a little pink, but a slightly more ivory shade would work. It is completely readable, so if you love it, you should keep it.

[Anna]

Ditto to a couple of the comments above.

My grandfather had a bout of Bells Palsy and the symptoms were identical to what you are describing.

Also, when the new site loaded, my gaze was focused on the left-hand side of the banner photo and it looked like some sort of whipped-cream powdered-chocolate confection and thought, "a cooking blog?"

[Anna]

Ditto to a couple of the comments above.

My grandfather had a bout of Bells Palsy and the symptoms were identical to what you are describing.

Also, when the new site loaded, my gaze was focused on the left-hand side of the banner photo and it looked like some sort of whipped-cream powdered-chocolate confection and thought, "a cooking blog?"

[Anna]

Oh, and I like it.

[Emily]

Ads? Someone said there are ads? I see no ads. Totally devoid of ads.

White is good, though brutally bright.

More baby pics are better...your children are gorgeous!

[Pam L]

I don't see any pink at all. The background is a little cooler than the foreground, but not pink. It works.

[heatheribabble]

I like the new design! Especially the picture, it's probably just me (I'm weird like this) but the old one always had me doing a double-take because I saw something... well, let's just say at first glance I thought it was something dirty and I like this picture much better! I think its very readable with black on a white background as well.

[Jessica]

The facial nerve in that part of the face mainly has motor function. So, not so much numbness, as droopyness. But people tend to think it's numb because it feels "funny". Does the side of the face droop? Was that why you were thinking stroke? Can you close your eyelid?

Most numb tingley sensations are nothing. Some nerves have nothing better to do than act up. But better get it checked out to be safe.

[Jessica]

The first part of my post referred to Bell's Palsy and somehow got cut off. Huh.

[Ms Short-Term Memory]

I can't remember what the blog used to look like, so I guess I think the new design is fine.

[reenie]

Thanks to Jane and Emma I know what chilblained toes are. Thankfully, with warmer weather on the horizon, your physical ailments won't progress to blackened or lost toes!

I like the new blog look. I wondered how soon we might see a change when you mentioned your old look & the meaning behind the name.

I hope your numb jaw goes away soon. I had numb toes on my foot for a few weeks once. Very puzzling.