He's here...Introducing Hamilton Ralph Siebach

Our second son, Hamilton, arrived at 1:22 p.m. on July 10th (Auntie Shelby's birthday). He weighed in at 7 lbs 15 oz and was 20 inches long. I still can't believe that I am the mother of two sons under the age of 2 but I know this will soon become my new normal.

Cuddling with Hamilton in the hospital

Hamilton cuddling with Grandma Pouliot in the hospital

Carter welcoming his new brother. For anyone that knows Carter you can guess he has been hugging and kissing him like crazy since being home.

The first week has gone pretty well. He is such a snuggler that he has been having trouble sleeping by himself at night but he is getting better each day. I was scheduled to be induced on Saturday (July 11th) but went into labor on my own on Thursday night and had him on Friday afternoon. A very big thank you to the nurses and doctors at Exeter Hospital that made my labor, delivery and recovery as comfortable as possible. It was such a better experience than Carter's birth and I have valued the follow up care I have received there as well. Also a special thank you to Auntie Shelbs for all the help with the boys and the awesome pictures she took with her paparazzi camera.

I'm Still Here...

So when AI was wrapping up, my friends and family joked that they wouldn't see a new post until the new season began next January. I of course protested, but evidently they know me better than I do. I know this post is late, but we have had a lot going on lately. Mike hates when bloggers promise to update on a certain schedule or vow to do better, so I won't make that mistake. However, I do think once I feel more in control of my schedule I will at least have more time to update. Here's hoping I can do better. I do miss feeling connected to my far away friends.

The Final Showdown

Adam Lambert - Mad World - Is this The Matrix the Musical? Simon seems to agree. In spite of the theatrics I just can't help lovin' that man of mine. He is so deliciously obtuse and over the top. I love how he doesn't have any reservations about wearing a full length black trench with an oversized collar and black sewn-on flower. Amazing vocal and I liked how he kept it as understated as he could. Grade: A+

Kris Allen - Ain't No Sunshine - I guess there must be something wrong with me (according to Kara)in that I am not moved with his performance. I agree that it was his best, but I just don't dig his whole vibe. I have to steal a line from one of my loyal readers, Emilee, and say he is too Talent Night at the Wilk for me. That being said, I will give him credit for a good performance. Grade: A

Adam Lambert - Change is Gonna Come - I thought this was a very odd song choice from the producers to have Adam sing a civil rights era R & B song but he did not disappoint as usual. Phenomenal vocals and complete control over his instrument and interpretation. I think because we hear his sing so well each week that we maybe think it is not as hard to sing like that...but it is. He has a way of doing something very difficult and making it look like the easiest and most comfortable thing in the world. Grade: A+

Kris Allen - What's Goin' On - I wanted to throw the remote at the TV during his performance. Between the grub stash, ripped jeans and sideways exaggerated mouth singing...ugh! Oh how social conscious!! In the real world the only people who would be listening to him are commuters waiting for their train to arrive....or coeds at an open mike night. I completely agree with Simon that it was too light and relaxed for this phase of the competition. Kara gave him props for being "true to himself" this whole competition, which I guess is true, but he doesn't really shake it up at all. I feel like no matter what song they give him he is going to either bring out the guitar and the bongo drums and sing every song in that fashion. What I think sets Adam apart is that he deliberately chooses and executes a vision and interpretation of that song that is unique and unforgettable. To me Kris is a singer missing a subway to sing in front of. Grade: C

Adam Lambert - No Boundaries - This is my least favorite tradition of the Idol experience...the "original" song that is written for the finale. Soft rock stations are already rejoicing at the upcoming addition to their playlists. He still proved he has amazing vocals and can do something relatively decent with a less than stellar song. I just feel sorry for him that his first "single" will be something that lame. Oh well, Kelly Clarkson has come a long way from A Moment Like This, Adam can too. Who can still wear acid washed jeans and look good? Grade: A

Kris Allen - No Boundaries - Of course as soon as I say he always performs with the bongo drums he comes out and, gasp! sings by himself in front of the mic. In reference to my earlier comment that Adams does something very difficult and makes it look easy, Kris does just the opposite. He sings ok and makes it look like he is running a marathon. Veins in his neck bulging and the one footed hopping. It is even more obvious to see who the clear leader is when they sing the same song back to back. What is with all the excuses from Randy and Kara with the comments about the key being too high? Vote on the season, not the performance? Ok, Adam still wins. Simon's comments were priceless--in essence--the first song was your best and it was all downhill from there. Grade: C

What a night! To be fair, comparing Kris and Adam is like comparing apples and oranges, prewashed cotton and velvet. What I love most about AI is that it draws such a wide group of people. The celebrities in the audience say it all--Katie Holmes, wait--Anthony Hopkins--what is going on? I nearly died when I saw him. Anyway, what did you all think of tonight's show?

Three's Company

Danny Gokey - Dance Little Sister - I thought this was a surprising choice from Crazy only because Danny usually does better with a ballad. He did well considering it was a faster song and he seemed to perform with confidence which is great to see. As far as the dancing comments go, he knows he is a square but at least he puts it all out there. He seems to be genuinely glad he has made it this far and is along for the ride. I think he realizes that if he leverages this opportunity well enough he will be able to become a recording artist. In my opinion it would probably be best if he doesn't win so he can do his own thing without being put through the Idol Machine. Grade: A-

Kris Allen - Apologize - Ok, so first I own that crappy free phone they gave him and it is an awful excuse for technology. Just had to say that and get that out there. Secondly, I HATE the song choice! This is a song that is way overplayed on the listen-while-you-work stations. Why two people thought that was a good idea is beyond me. It also made him look even more college talent night for me. This is definitely something I would have heard in Provo. I am rolling my eyes now and would have rolled my eyes then. In any case it was sub par and I was not impressed. Grade: C

Adam Lambert - One - So when he first started singing it looked like he was singing from the some war torn country with all the fog and back lighting. As usual he did a fantastic, unique performance of a very familiar song. Unlike Kris, he knows how to make a song his own and his vocals are spot on. I will say he is the Mariah Carey (old school Music Box Mariah) of the competition you know that somewhere in the song he will go needlessly high, but when he does it that well (as does Mariah), why complain? Grade: A+

Danny Gokey - You Are So Beautiful - Understated elegance and beautiful delivery. I liked how he kept some of the song the same and then changed it up near the end. He has great control over his voice and sings with so much passion. It somewhat reminded me of I Believe I Can Fly but less annoying. Grade: A

p.s. did anyone else think it looked like he had a member of Blue Man Group playing guitar for him?

Kris Allen - Heartless - What is this...Kris singing songs I hate night? I am one of the few people, despite popular opinion, who think Kanye is an overly cocky non-genius. Hearing his song sung in a Jason Mraz style did not help me any. I seem to be alone on this as far as the judges are concerned as well. I know a lot of people love Kris but for me I would never pay to see him or listen to his CD. Something about him just comes off as amateur to me. Grade: C

Adam Lambert - Cryin' - I love how Adam starts off by telling Ryan that he hasn't made that many changes to the song and then turns it into a true Adam Lambert way-up-in-the-rafters production. I also love how after a performance like that how he goes right back to mellow. What more can I say...he is a true artist and I would LOVE to see him live. Grade: A+

For me I think they all did well but I think based on performances tonight, Kris would have to be the one to go. I just don't think he did anything interesting or unique with his first song and the other gave two strong performances. What do you all think?

Rock N Rollas

Adam Lambert - Mark my words...the next version of Karaoke Revolution will feature an Adam character to choose from when you perform. Wow! Tonight was his most believable "straight guy" performance. I was blown away by his vocals and the piled-on guyliner. I cannot say how much I love this guy. To pick a song that is so huge and to do it justice is more than impressive. I agree with Simon, it will be hard for others to top that performance tonight. Grade: A+

Allison Iraheta - I knew Allison and Adam would be tonight's strongest performers. She has a natural rock sound to her voice and I think it was wise for her to pick another classic rock artist, Janis Joplin. It was also a wise choice for her to go to Adam's stylist to get attacked with a razor. She looked much more authentic and less like a made-up punk princess. Grade: A

Kris & Danny - Dress up time with the two guys most uncomfortable with tonight's theme. Danny's red button up shirt with a tug boat chain around his neck and unlaced Doc Marten's and the spiky-haired leprechaun dressed in all black with red electrical tape marking the spot of his belly button was hilarious. Surprisingly I agreed with Kara that the two "nice guys" of the competition singing Renegade was a bit of an odd choice, but they did the best they could. Grade: B+

Kris Allen - What Slash was trying to say nicely was that Kris is the most underwhelming performer. I am not that nice...for me, it was ROUGH. First, I consider the Beatles to be pop, not rock. Secondly, I don't think he is an intriguing performer. I know people like his style but for me, it was like talent night at college. I hate how he seems annoyed and put off by the judges criticism. He just doesn't seem to care. I agree with Kara and Paula that he did not have enough energy or presence tonight. Grade: C

Danny Gokey - The intro video had me more nervous than I can say. As did the prep school with chain costume. Even Paula looked unsure when he hit the screech at the end. She was of course doing her obligatory stand-up-and-dance but when he hit that note she kind of paused and stopped waving her arm. I knew tonight wasn't going to be his night, but this was not a great choice of song. Grade: B- (only because he did give it all and went for it)

Adam & Allison - King and Queen of the rock prom performing live!! What more can I say. I knew it was going to be great and it was. Again the costumes were hilarious. It is like they when to the local theatre and asked them for their "rock clothes". Maybe they should have a mentor for clothing as well. Grade: A+

Overall tonight is what I predicted...strong performances from Adam and Allison, good effort from Danny, and apathetic watered down singing from Kris. As those who read this blog know I think Kris is lucky to have made it this far, but I think tonight might (hopefully) be his last. What did you all think?

The White Knight

So when I heard it was Rat Pack night I half expected the mentor to be someone like, oh I don't know, Michael Buble. Evidently he was unavailable or was not up to par with the likes of Jamie Foxx. No one I know hates Jamie Foxx more than my bestie Courtney so I will be interested to hear her thoughts on tonight's show. As surprising as the choice of Jamie Foxx is I hope he will do a good job and steer them in a better direction than Quentin Tarantino.

Kris Allen - So it is well documented that I am not a huge Kris fan...and that is putting it nicely. But, tonight wasn't that bad and he didn't annoy me as much as he usually does. He has a good voice, it is mostly just his personality and style that I don't like. I agree with Randy that this was his best performance so far. I will give credit where credit is due. Good job, Kris...but I still don't think you will win the competition. Grade: A-

Allison Iraheta - As the only girl left in the competition, I really hoped she'd do well tonight. Her young age and skanky corset top made me a bit nervous. But once she started singing Little Bonnie Raitt did not disappoint. Her personality is a bit weird and I am not sure like Simon that she really thinks she could win. Grade: A-

Matt Giraud - Okay, so the intro video with the Foxx was laughable and I didn't agree with the advice he was given. I agree with Kara that there was not as much emotional connection as that song deserves. That is not a song that you end on a big money note. It is a much subtler song than that. Shelbs was on the phone with me before I even was finished writing my review of his performance...enraged. Not my fav. Grade: B-

Danny Gokey - Is this wacky advice night? Foxx is a combo of Corky St. Clair and a Martin Short's weird drama teacher on Get Over It. As strange as it was, at least it worked to his advantage. Danny seemed much more commanding of the stage and his performance tonight which was nice to see. He seems to be stepping up his game and showing that he wants to win. To me this was the first truly original arrangement and probably Danny's best night. Grade: A+

Adam Lambert - It seems like Adam has his own lighting and effects team working on his performances each week. Tonight Angel Adam descended a steep backlit staircase...dreamy. Over the top is where Adam feels his most comfortable. From the blindingly shiny white suit, diamond studs and pointy white shoes he makes Paula look understated. I have to say that I agree with Kara he is so strange, sleazy, and over the top but I like him in the weirdest way. Some of my friends have complained about Adam always being put last like he is always the grand finale but it has to happen that way for a couple of reasons: 1. The teamsters need time to set up Adam's light show, 2. Fox needs commercials/ad revenue while the best contestant is promised at the end, and 3. Would you really want to follow that performance? It is for the best he is at the end so the other contestants aren't compared to him for the whole hour. He is the guiltiest pleasure...and I am including Zac Efron. Grade: A+

So tonight was mostly strong performances (including crazy professor Foxx) and one of exceeding brilliance. For me, it is bye bye Matt tomorrow night. What do you all think?

Disco Inferno

In case anyone missed last week's results show or the plethora of articles covering the judges' save last week, AI was kind enough to replay the dumbest decision they have made yet. I honestly don't understand why they would save a contestant they don't think could win the whole thing, AND...more importantly, a contestant that has been voted out by America twice in the initial elimination rounds. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Matt or anything. I think he is talented and has done a good job. But, if America does not see him as the next superstar and they tell that to us three times, I don't know why the judges are so intent on forcing us to believe otherwise. Hopefully he will surprise/impress me tonight and I will understand their decision. Anyway, on to the reviews...

Lil Rounds - So Lil finally got the memo to sing a song in a genre that is closer to her own. And, in a real shock she actually looked like she was having fun. I didn't think she was as bad as they are making it out to be. I wasn't blown away, but I think this is one of her better performances. Grade: B

Kris Allen - Excellent explanation about why you chose that song to sing. "It's about a woman...who has a good work ethic". Oh, that clears it up. The song was near unrecognizable but evidently that was just what the judges were looking for. I can't stand listening to him/watching him do calf lifts during each song, but I appear to be outnumbered. Looks like the hobbit will be around for another week. Grade: C

Danny Gokey - For those who read my blog I have made it very clear that Danny is one of my favorites. However, tonight's performance in my opinion was not his best. I think Danny excels at slower songs that allow him to connect with the audience. He did have strong vocals but I agree with Simon that he is not the most fluid performer during upbeat songs. I still feel he is a strong contender, but not the best I have seen him. I really wish he would have done a Bee Gees song. Grade: B+

Allison Iraheta - Channeling Xtina during her Dirrrty years, tonight's performance was once again a bit of a costume show mixed with vocal brilliance. I didn't know she could riff that extensively and make it look easy. I, like the judges, was not crazy about the arrangement, but she is quite a performer who should be around for a while. Grade: A-

Adam Lambert - The Gibb brothers strike again! This is why I have been fans of theirs for years. Adam's vocals were dead on and he has a way of connecting what he is feeling with the audience that is truly a gift. I don't hide the fact that I am huge musical theatre fan and most of my love for the music comes from the actors' ability to make me feel what their character is feeling. I think that is why Adam has done so well in this competition because he has that experience and background. He understand and thrives in the world of make believe. He knows what to do and what to wear and what to say to make us buy the whole act. I cannot wait to buy his album and see him perform live. Grade: A+

Matt Giraud - Ugh! The woven fedora is back!! Why has no one taken that away from him yet? His performance tonight seemed like a frenzied, desperate attempt to stay in the competition. You could see the fear in his face as he sang. It reminded me a little of the Rock of Love girls when they think Brett is going to send them packing. Matt obviously has more movement in his face but you get the idea. Simon is the only judge who is willing to admit they may have made a mistake. The others don't want to look foolish, although in my opinion they are doing just that by validating a performance like that. I didn't like that he chose that song (someone does it every year) and he really didn't do something uber-original as was suggested. Grade: B-

Anoop Desai - When he started out slow, I got nervous for him because I don't want him to do the same thing each week. When the tempo came up I started to get excited that he was really going to fly with it but it stayed in a mid range. There were moments that I thought it sounded a bit like an Usher song, but it didn't quite make it there. On a positive note, he looked better than he ever has. I loved the little bit of growth and the powder grey suit. To me he looked like the guy I imagine with marry my BFF Courtney. We can dream right? Love ya, Cat! Grade: B

If I had to guess who would be going home this week it would probably be Matt and Anoop, possibly Lil. Kris would be going home if I had my way, but as I said earlier I doubt he will be voted off.

What do you all think?