Merry Christmas

This month... this year has gone by too quickly. This has been a wonderful year; a challenging year too as we found our new routine (please note challenging does not been bad). Brad and I had been going down the same path for so long. Our routine had been the same for years. We would get up go to work come home either make something or go find something to eat elsewhere. Run errands, run the dogs. Relax on the couch and then go to bed. We would visit PA, go on one wonderful vacation a year. I would travel with Brad when he would go on a business trip. We enjoyed traveling. And then in the wee morning hours of a day in April it all changed. Our once seemingly stagnant life was jolted. We closed one chapter of our lives and opened a new one. Do I still look back at that chapter? I do. How can I not? They were some of the most wonderful years of my life. But I am so in love with this next chapter. It was challenging, adapting is the key. You learn, and you learn quickly. And then 8 months later you will look back and think what a beautiful magnificent change, and you will smile because your life makes you happy.

Are you watching???

Sundays at 8:00 pm on ABC.

I am in love.

Same creators as LOST. Not the reason why I started watching, I learned that after the fact when I saw Henry eating an Apollo candy bar, and I thought "Hey, that is from LOST." You do have to watch it from the beginning or you will be very confused. So go watch it now on hulu you have until Mid-January then hulu only provides the most recent 5 episodes.

It's good. Real good.

And those who are already watching. Can you love Snow White and Prince Charming any more???

D.I.Ying and baby overload

I am not crafty. The only way I can do a craft is with my SIL, Andrea by my side helping me every little bit of the way. However, this pinterest has got me thinking maybe, just maybe I can be crafty, and possibly can be a D.I.Y-selfer. So I did my very first D.I.Y. project (all on my own). I have been seeing these tutu skirts everywhere. I know they can be easily made. I thought "why not?" And I have to say I really outdid myself. NOT only did I make the skirt, I made the onesie (not the actual onesie but the design) AND the bow.




Of course, there are many mistakes, many. The biggest being the actual onesie. It is suppose to be a Christmas tree, except I only realized after the fact that I didn't narrow it very well, so it looks like a big block with a bow on top. In fact, Brad had no idea what it was. The poor outfit was only worn about 3 minutes before it became a casualty to tonight's dinner of chicken with apples.

The bow. I wasn't even planning on making a bow, but I had all this left over ribbon. And my SIL (Andrea, yes) showed me this cool way to make a bow by wrapping it.

Now, it wouldn't be a project in this house if a dog wasn't victimized or used as a model. The victim, of course, being Dixie. Sweet Dixie, always wanting approval and love so much she is willing to wear a ridiculous tutu. She received treats for the humiliation. Well, worth it really.

T'Was Perfect

It was the perfect night to the chaotic day. It was one of those nights you would read in a Jane Austen book, or watch on the Hallmark channel. The ones that rarely happen in real life so when they do, you much capture it and hold it in your heart forever.

We kicked off Christmas. After a dinner of homemade soup we got cozy around the fireplace (BTW of a very clean house, yes mopped, dusted, AND vacuumed - it makes it that much better) as we sipped our Stephen's Hot Chocolate (the more hot chocolate I drink the more I love Stephen's Hot Chocolate), nibbled on wafers, we read Fancy Nancy to the babe, we read Luke 2. We just sat and enjoyed it. I love Christmas. I really do.

PS I have to make a shot out to my Nanny who is celebrating her birthday today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I hope I am as cool as you at 84. I know you are not suppose to reveal a woman's age, and most certainly not your grandmother's. BUT there comes a time that it is impressive to be 84, let me explain my Nanny is a facebooking, Jerseylicious watching, blogger - see impressed?

Alex, "What is Satisfaction"

A good hair day AND make up day (really, when does the EVER happen??). AND a happy/giggly moment with your baby. Simultaneously running into and old crush/flame who ditched you for the popular cheerleader type. Who tells you that he, at 28 years, is still figuring out what he wants to be. Really it's a tie between physical therapy, teaching, possibly becoming an EMT, but there is a fire fighter program that he just heard about from a friend. Also he is bald (yes, I know my husband is bald... but totally different.) Oh, but don't worry he proudly told me he finished ALL of his generals.

Yeah, I can get satisfaction. :)

Really?

I receive my weekly emails about the development of my baby. This week the newsletter was on how to ease your baby's allergies or colds. This picture was in it:

Ummm, yeah. I don't know about your babies, but the Apple certainly does not look like this when I put an aspirator up her nose. She is flailing, she is angry, she is pushing me away, she is crying. If only Parent's Magazine it was that easy to clear out my baby's stuffy snotty nose. Lucky, for us the runny noses only lasted a few days. I am crossing my fingers that is how it stays.

It Takes Effort to be this lazy

It is 10:32 pm (MST) I had to go downstairs for over a half hour now, I am terribly tired and would love to just go to sleep, but it is cold and I am cozy so I am putting it off. So instead of actually taking the one minute it will take, I have wasted 30 minutes perusing pinterest hoping my milk will make it to the fridge on its own (sorry TMI, but really that is the only reason why I have to go downstairs, and now you know that HAVE I to go down stairs and put it in the fridge or else I just wasted liquid gold which took FOREVER to pump). Please tell me I am not alone on this? Who else procrastinates on such things?

Found this gem...

In my photo booth hearts and all. It made me smile.

Really there should be a bajillion posts dedicated to her...

The smoke alarms went off to warn us the batteries need replaced. This is where she went. Gosh, I love this dog.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

From the only kitten I am not allergic to.

By the way, after 40 photos and 15 minutes of me going at every angle making every funny sound I can think of, this was the only photo she looked at me.


I have 39 photos of her like this:

The Harvest Continues

Nola, is a nurse I work with. She is the kindest woman you will ever meet, she also has an apple orchard. She lets me come down every year and pick apples. I cannot believe how delicious an apple picked off the tree is compared to the grocery store. Nola told me it is when they get boxed up and packaged where they add all the chemicals. I thought I had tasted a crisp apple before, no, no I never did until I took a bite of an apple I just picked. That my friends is a crisp fresh apple and the taste is divine.

Speaking of apples, here is our Apple with Nola.

All the apples I picked. Nola helped me pick them; it only took a half an hour (and all from one tree with PLENTY of fruit left - I want an apple tree). Most of the food the baby eats I make (the exception is prunes, I don't make prunes) but I blend it up and stick them in ice cube trays (holds about 2 TBL) pop one out and stick in the microwave when it's time to eat. It is not as time consuming as one would think it would be AND it saves money, you know what you are putting into your baby, and reduces waste (no plastic or glass containers).

Speaking of produce...

Here is my pumpkin at the start:
And now: I really don't have the heart to carve it up (is that weird?) I think I will actually make pumpkin pie from it.

And here we are on an evening stroll in the crisp, cool, autumn air.

A Peculiar Love Affair

I love the idea of traditions. Since the babe was born I have begun a love affair with them. I have a list of traditions I would like to have with my children. Will I do all of them? Probably not, but I do have my favorites. One of those traditions is in the autumn go to a local farm and enjoy the festivities. We have had beautiful weather this month, BEAU-TI-FUL. Last night we did our first annual pumpkin festival (and hopefully many more to come).

I believe I have mentioned before Brad has a thing for horses (okay, honestly the man has a thing for ALL animals, but especially horses.) If we are traveling and there is a field of horses off the road, guess what? We stop. Well, this horse wanted to eat our pumpkin.

And this cow. Adorable. This cow wanted Brad's pumpkin too, and she gave the cutest look. It was actually the same look Sydney gives you when she wants your food.

I love her face. i wish the photo came out clearer.

The tongue. Gets me every time.

**These last photos I was experimenting on in photo shop. And silly me did a silly thing, I never created a "save as" I only saved, so the only copies I have are the ones I experimented with. Oh, well.

First wagon/hay ride

Her Halloween outfit.

My little family.

Growing

grow
   \ˈgrō\, grew, grown, grow·ing.
verb (used without object)
1. to increase by natural development, as any living organism or part by assimilation of nutriment; increase in size or substance.
2. to form and increase in size by a process of inorganic accretion, as by crystallization.
3. to arise or issue as a natural development from an original happening, circumstance, or source: Our friendship grew from common interests.
4. to increase gradually in size, amount, etc.; become greater or larger; expand: His influence has grown.
5. to become gradually attached or united by or as if by growth: The branches of the trees grew together, forming a natural arch.

The outfit on the left was the outfit we brought her home in 6 months ago (it was even big on her). The outfit on the right is the one she wore yesterday (size 6 months).

So much has changed. She smiles throughout the day, she laughs, she squeals, she talks... a lot (wonder where she got that from?), she loves to eat books, she rolls over (tummy to back), she scoots backwards, she can't sit up on her own but oh, does she try (it makes my abs hurt watching her try to sit up), she seems to be a good eater (has yet to not like anything she has tried, the peas and beans took a little bit but now she seems to like them), she loves to look at herself in the mirror, she sleeps from 7:30 pm - 7:00 am, she takes 2 naps a day, she loves to chew on everything, when a new toy is presented it promptly goes into her mouth, after her nap (Sydney usually greets her first) she squeals when Sydney walks into the room (my heart melts every time).

I will never get over how fast time goes. My life has never gone so quickly since she came into it, I wish it would slow down a bit, but it can't so the only thing I can do is cherish every day.

I once had a teacher greet us one Monday morning and he asked, "How many of you wish it were Friday?" I am fairly certain we all raised our hands. He then said "Look at what you are wishing away." I have never forgotten that (obviously), and it means more to me now than ever before.

Survival Mode

We have been in survival mode this past week. We have been in pajamas all day every day, with the exception of Wednesday, when I had to go into the office. What we have dealt with: colds, the flu, coughing, sinus infections, ear infections, and pink eye. None of which were suffered by the babe. That's right folks, somehow the babe got through this with very sick parents unscathed. I called the pediatrician and told him how sick we were and how to keep the baby from getting it his response, "Wash your hands and nurse like crazy." Well, apparently it worked, because while Brad and I were in bed suffering she remained happy as a lark.

However, I believe we are on the mend (crossing fingers).

This left me speechless

And on the floor from laughing so hard.

**Edit**

After my husband learned I had this quote on my blog, he thought (out loud) what a very strange place to post such a thing. Here is the thing. After birthing a child, I have to admit I felt I was all powerful. I was in shock that I could do such a thing. I felt unstoppable. Really, the power I felt was exhilarating. Therefore, I have pride in all thing "womanly". And this quote summarizes my feelings. The day I gave birth I had this attitude "I dare you just try me, I am tough - I just had a freakin' baby!"**

What you said you would NEVER do and then you became a parent

I swore up and down I would never let my child watch TV before they were 2. I've read the studies, even read how they performed the studies. Absolutely, no brain stimulation whatsoever. A baby is better off watching you do something boring, like cleaning, than letting them watch television. That was before I had a child who would scream bloody murder in her car seat and before the flu struck our house.


The Apple hated her car seat (luckily, it is not so terrible now, but until a month ago she would scream, and it was that scream that would make you want to beat your head against the wall). Thank goodness for smart phones (I think now, "what did I ever do without the Internet on my phone" prior to that I would think "what did I do without a cell phone" etc, etc. Really the list goes on and on). But anyway, if we were on a longer trip (more than an hour) I would prop up my phone and play, Elmo. The baby loved that little puppet. The video that catches her attention the most is, none other than, Elmo with the scantily clad Katy Perry. She would go from the blood curling scream to perfectly content in less than a second. It was heaven for 2 minutes, once the video ended the screaming commenced just as quickly as it had stopped.

Then today. Brad had been sick throughout the weekend and last night the sickness from hell got me. I was up all night with chills, a fever, vomiting, and aches and pains, it continued through today. I was miserable. Luckily, the babe sleeps well so I was able to nap while she napped, and then I did it. I did the thing I said I would never do. Desperate times call for desperate measures in my book. I was still feeling horrible. I propped up my laptop and played Elmo and Katy Perry. On repeat. For an hour. She watched contently and I slept wonderfully. Don't judge. Brad called to check on me I told him I was a terrible mother, he tried to comfort me by saying "It's not like you do that everyday." And he is right, I don't. Sometimes a mother just needs a nap. Sometimes a mother needs to do something she swore she'd never do, so she can be a better mother for the rest of the day.

And for your viewing pleasure:

Reason to Celebrate

We learned from our vet that Sydney does not have cancer (there is a 95% certainty it is not, great stats for us)! Yahoo!! We will just have to watch the area. We celebrated with chicken and brown rice (from a can), carrots and, of course, plenty of treats.

Here she is with her doctor.

Last weekend while I had to think of the possibility of Sydney having cancer, I was home... alone. We had plans made, but the Apple got pink eye so we had to remain behind, while Brad continued on with the dogs. I was home alone, and well, I didn't realize how much I depend on those dogs (particularly Sydney). Brad travels, and those dogs are my company and my protectors. I could not survive a husband who travels without them.

Because I am a Sucker...

Because I am a sucker for all things sweetly romantic. Brad sent me this video in an email he said, "Because you like these kinds of things." Yes, yes I do.

Perfect Sunday Afternoon

A baby asleep in your arms.

The Sweet Tooth Fairy

I may be stoned for writing this post. Most people praise the Sweet Tooth Fairy, this is not that post.

I heard all about this place. "Best cupcakes on earth!" I've heard people proclaim. So I went. I got some delicious looking cupcakes in a cute little box. I bit into one, red velvet, it was blah. So dry. I liked the coconut they added to the cream cheese frosting, but that was it. And I didn't have just one, I had 3 (consecutively) all 3 were dry. AND for the record that is not normal of me to eat 3 cupcakes in one sitting but I was slightly depressed, and unlike my husband who is an emotional non-eater, I am and emotional eater (and nail biter). We found out Sydney may have cancer, I probably shouldn't be sharing that on here because we are not certain, but there is a pit inside of my stomach. She had these lumps on her gums they were removed, we figured they were nothing; we learned they are something. It could be 2 things. 1 of those is not serious, the other one is, and we won't know until the middle of next week, so I am a little sad. You see, I love that dog. She is my four legged furry child, whom I have done everything in my power to keep as healthy as possible, so she will live as long (and as healthy) as possible. Because the thought of losing her... is well, unbearable. (Yes, I am one of those dog owners). So all we can do is wait, and hope for the best. Don't worry you will know the results too :)

That is why I ate 3 cupcakes consecutively. Anyway, you want to know who makes a good cupcake? Her name is Betty Crocker and you can make 24 cupcakes for less than $1 (24 cupcakes less than the cost of one!)

On a happier note: After the call about Sydney I had to go to Petsmart. I walked in to find this cute little guy. He is a Bernese Mountain Dog. He was born without his right ear, so he can only hear out of his left (and he cocks his head with his left ear up a lot, cutest thing). And he made me smile... also his name... it's Vincent Van Gogh.

(I know bad picture, but he is a puppy he wouldn't stop moving)

Take Your Daughter to Work :)

My boss and our nurse manager are wonderful. After I left work to be a full time mom, in July they created a job in our department for me. It is a part time, work from home position, which I work as needed. So I work from 10 - 20 hours a week depending on the week (oh, and part of that is weekends). I don't have to be "logged on" certain times of the day, they tell me what needs to be done and I do it at all different hours of the day. Pretty awesome gig, right? Well, I needed to go in to the office to get trained, and the babe came with me.

I found this portable bed thing at Smith's Marketplace. Here she is napping at my desk.

With Auntie Stephanie.

Even David held her.

We went down and visited the PC Support department. Above, she is with Nancy (she is naked because she just had a blow out, on Nancy).

And with Troy (after said, blowout).

I feel very lucky, to have this job, and I am so grateful that I can be with my baby.

Harvesting

It's that time of the year again. When it gets dark by 7:30, and every night it's a little bit earlier. The time when I have to say good-bye to the sun. Really, it is not my favorite time, however, the harvest season makes it bearable... well, even likable. I do like the harvest, I just wish it was a different time the year.

There is a raspberry patch, which has the most gorgeous raspberries. The babe and I headed down and we (I, but she was a good sport) picked 8 pounds.

What do you you do with 8 pounds of raspberries? Lots of things but one of those is this heavenly dish:

Chris has been living with us this past month, just temporary (and I can't believe I am saying this, but I am going to miss him when he leaves) but he brought these peaches home from a client's tree. You know that saying "Nectar of the Gods"? Well, I have never eaten anything that I would use that phrase with, but these peaches; one bite and I realized that phrase was coined from a peach like that.

So I made a peach pie, and I dare say, one of the best I have ever made.

Another day gone another milestone reached...

The Apple is sleeping in her crib tonight... the first night... and, well, it's hard for me. She has been ready to sleep in her crib for sometime, she has been an amazing sleeper. She was sleeping 8-9 hour stretches since she was 10 weeks old and since she was 16 weeks old she was sleeping 11 hours at night. It was me, I wasn't ready. I loved being able to peep up and look into her bassinet and see her sleeping soundly. To check on her to make sure she was breathing, but above all I just loved having her close. But, I guess part of motherhood is "letting go". This is my first "letting go" experience. And really, it's not even "letting go", but you get my point?

Every day that goes by, every milestone reached is a reminder to me that my time with her is limited, and more importantly cannot be taken back. It is something that cannot be made up; and it gives me anxiety. Have I spent enough time with her? Do I read to her enough? Does she get enough tummy time? Do I talk to her enough? Does she know how much I love her?

I love watching her progress, but I love her being my baby too.

9.11.11

Most of the photos make me teary eyed, this one makes me cry. A father should not have to mourn the loss of a son.
(Source: Associated Press)

The Help

While I was back in PA (yes, folks I am now back to reality - after 2 weeks it's hard). But while back there I went and saw The Help with my parents, since we all read the book. The movie left me craving one thing... fried chicken and not just fried but fried in Crisco (gross craving, right?) (Side note: all my favorite scenes in the movie [comical and serious] contains Cecilia Foote. Well, I don't make fried chicken very much, I think I made it one time and I fried it in coconut oil (healthier option). But I was set on chicken fried in Crisco just like Minny.

Here we are with my breaded chicken and pan of Crisco:
Frying away...
The finished product:
The verdict: It tasted the exact same as fried in coconut oil! I really didn't know what I expected... heaven, that is what I expected. It was still good, but it didn't taste any different.

On an end note while we are talking about food: The Apple had Sweet Potatoes for the first time today, verdict: She loved them, gobbled them right up.