Life Is Still Good

Sadly, the New Orleans Saints’ 2011-12 season of football ended on Saturday evening with a heartbreaking loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

As the last seconds ticked off the clock, we were not the ones celebrating an advance to the NFC Championship game.

Instead, we were reluctantly licking our wounds, acknowledging a commendable season but denying that it was truly over.

September suddenly seems very far away.

For a city and state that love the game, spring and summer last way too long.

Luckily, there are many things to make the off-season go by faster, at least for our family.

There’s a trip to Breckenridge in store for Kenny and I next month, which we are very much looking forward to taking, even though we will surely miss our boy desperately.

There’s also Lizzie and Doug’s wedding in early May, which will no doubt be the social event of the year.

And, most importantly, there’s the arrival of Aunt E and Uncle Jeff’s new baby in early August (or late July!) to anticipate.

Thank goodness for the distractions of vacations, weddings, and babies.

Otherwise, it would be a very long 8 months.

Video Monday: Conversation with an iPhone

I am loving recording Riley-bean using my phone because he is so fascinated with seeing himself on the screen. Here’s a montage of three videos I took one day last week. Enjoy!

Happy Monday!

On Wonky Sleeping

I don’t know what it is.

All I know is that it never gets old.

I just love peeking in on my sleeping boy.

Of course, it probably wouldn’t be the same if the wonk potatoes didn’t sleep so wonkily.

But I’m sure glad he does.

BCS Party in the Quarter

LSU may have lost the big game, but it was still great fun walking around the Quarter on Monday afternoon.

Nola, Nopsi, Riley, and I headed downtown after Riley woke up from his morning nap. We parked at QP’s, picked her up, and walked over to Felipe’s for lunch. There were people everywhere, mostly decked out in either purple and gold or crimson and white, eating, drinking, laughing, carousing, and generally having a good ol’ time.

We met up with Jeff, Erin, Trisha, and Jenn at Felipe’s and were lucky enough to score two tables next to each other. The food was great, it wasn’t overly crowded, and we had a really fun time. Riley had his first tortilla chip (as well as a taste of Nopsi’s long island iced tea…..), and he was his usual charming self to anyone that looked his way.

 

After lunch we decided to walk up to Bourbon to see just how crazy it was. I knew we probably wouldn’t be able to walk back that way because we had the stroller with us, but I’m glad we took a peak at the throngs of people crowding the Quarter’s most famous street. It looked just like it does during Mardi Gras. Riley didn’t know which way to look first, there were so many people and things to see.

  

On our way back to QP’s, we ran into Ashley and Greg, who were on their way to see Scott and the rest of the Tiger Pimp Nation at Embers Steakhouse. So we took a little detour and went back up to Bourbon to say hi. I’m so glad we did!

 

We said goodbye to Scott, Ashley, and Greg at this point and headed back to QP’s. Riley-bean was looking mighty tired but seemed content to relax in his stroller with his paci for the walk back. However, once we were up in QP’s apartment he got his second wind. After all, there was a kitty to chase, beads to play with, and a feather boa to try on. He stayed pretty busy.

I sure am glad the game was played in New Orleans this year. No matter what the outcome was, there was one heck of a party going on downtown. And huge thanks to QP for your hospitality……and the free rockin’ parking space.

Geaux Tigers!

Football Love and Loyalty

Unfortunately, the outcome of the BCS Championship game on Monday night was the polar opposite of what every LSU fan wanted. In fact, it was exceedingly painful to watch.

I’m not going to pick the game apart, even though there is PLENTY I could say. I’ll simply say this: Alabama deserved to win that game. Congratulations to the Tide.

So with that utter embarrassment now behind us, Louisiana’s attention returns to our other, more impressive football team: the New Orleans Saints, baby.

Drew and the rest of the boys won their wildcard playoff game against the Lions convincingly last Saturday night, and they’re headed to San Francisco to take on the 49ers this Saturday afternoon.

Geaux Black and Gold.

Like many other states with powerhouse professional and college teams, we take our football seriously down here.

We’re loud, we’re passionate, and we’re opinionated, but most of all we’re loyal.

New Orleans was only recently given a real team to cheer for every Sunday, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t support our Saints through the bad years. We may have had bags on our heads while doing so, but we were still right there alongside them. Wishing, hoping, and praying we would break through just once.

And, eventually, we did. The New Orleans Saints won Superbowl XLIV on February 7, 2010. And no one can ever take that away from us.

So yes, LSU may have lost the title game this year, but they still had a 13-1 season. And while we still reserve the right to yell and scream and tell the coaches what we would do, we’ll still cheer them on next season and every season after that.

Because, ultimately, we love the game. And because we are true and loyal fans.

And that’s just what we do.

Upon Awakening

I had to wake Riley up from his second nap more than once last week.

This is because the boy has been insisting on talking to himself in his crib for more than an hour after I put him down.

Then just when I am about to give up (even though he hasn’t slept a wink but because it’s approaching dinnertime), he suddenly falls silent.

This means all he gets is a tiny little power nap before I’m forced to go in and rouse him.

He usually wakes up from naps on his own, sometimes crabby but most of the time just chattering to himself, waiting for me to come in and get him.

But on this particular day, he was in a deep sleep, and it’s never good to be awakened out of that.

He usually cries really hard when I have to wake him up, and this day was no different.

I think, because he wakes up so suddenly, he gets really confused at first as to where he is and what’s going on.

But it rarely takes him too long to calm down and be happy again.

All it usually takes is for him to spot one of his toys laying on the floor, or Jem walking through, or a favorite book on his bookshelf.

And before you know it, I’m wiping his tears away and welcoming that smiling face back.

Riley-bean, you make me smile.