Taco night

My wee lil' bit is messy. And when I say messy, I don't mean normal-baby-messy, I mean like train-wreck messy. Like, she makes me wish the long-sleeved bibs she owns came with a hood. Like, bathtime is not because its part of our "bedtime routine", but a total necessity, messy. Like, she's a total disaster, messy. And I adore her. Me, the one, who freaks out at the slightest mess. Me, who arguably has a dog for the sole purpose of eating the crumbs off my floor (sorry Cass), adores her mess. Because that's so freakin her...And I adore her.

Wordless Wednesday

Mindfulness

"Do you ever have those moments in life...where everything is OK? Just for, like, one moment, everything is great...When you, like, catch yourself in a moment...and you're saying, wait, I'm happy here in the moment. And then it just goes away really quickly. I know I've had a couple of those...I always forget them, but I know I've had them." -Reality Bites

I sometimes, ok frequently, feel utterly overwhelmed. I feel like my mind is always going. I'm always thinking, planning, anticipating the next thing I have to do. When I'm feeling especially frazzled, I find myself taking my to-do list with me even to sleep, and when being woken up frequently by my favorite "night-screamer" I can't seem to fall back asleep because the minute I move from an unconscious state to a conscious one, my inner day-timer (yea, I still use the old-school planner) begins reminding me of what I need to accomplish. Sometimes, ok frequently, I literally exhaust myself.

I seem to find it especially difficult to stop and smell the proverbial roses; to really be present in the moment, because I'm so focused on the next task at hand. I think this probably prevents me from truly enjoying myself at times, because I'm unable to be content right where I am. At that moment. In the now.

From the moment we bring a baby into this world we are innundated with to-do lists, with goals and milestones we as parents are responsible for the child reaching. From weight and height goals to when they sit, crawl, and walk for the first time. When they get their first tooth, say their first words, eat solid foods for the first time. Heck, when you go in for those regular check-ups with the Doctor, you are basically given a checklist. If you can check most things off on the list the Doctor deems "age appropriate", you breathe a sigh of relief, and then receive a new checklist at the end of the visit of the next things you need to anticipate/agonize over. We compare milestones with other parents, and sometimes total strangers to make sure our children are hitting those very important milestones. We seem to gauge our parenting on how quickly and easily these things happen. Our society places so much empahasis on these things, that it clouds us from just enjoying the child in its normal state. And then we wonder, as moms why we seem to have such a hard time letting go of the to-do list.

Every once in awhile, and not often enough, I find myself taking a pause. Slowing down long enough to just STOP. To look around me and truly see what my husband and I have created here. Not two beings whose needs seem to be constant; another diaper to change, a playdate to make, an oww-ee to be bandaged, a sippy-cup to be refilled, a doctor's appointment to be scheduled, but rather two amazing little people that, miraculously, somehow I helped to create. Sometimes, in these moments my eyes well up with tears. I watch them in amazement. In amazement of their beauty, their humor, and of their little souls just trying to figure out the world. It is utterly overwhelming in a whole other sense.

One of my newest goals for myself and my own personal development is to have these moments more often. To STOP more often. To appreciate more often. Because that's the funny thing about to-do lists, they are never ending. And that's the thing about childhood, it is ending, and it comes to an end more quickly with each passing day. And that is something I really don't want to miss.

My Crazy Party Weekend

My family and I have been suffering from a horrendous stomach flu this past week, beginning on Monday night when my Mom got it while visiting. Wednesday night, sweet Annabelle came down with it, and on Friday Sabrina and I came down with it.

Here's how it all went down (as posted on Facebook, August 14th 6:42 pm)
True Story: Part 1: just walked into kitchen & picked up baby to give her a smooch. Baby turns head and vomits on shoulder and over shoulder onto floor. As I react in some sort of "Oh, poor baby!" fashion, baby turns toward my face and throws up ALL OVER MY FACE. Jeremy, feeling quesy already, grabs baby and puts her in the sink, turning green as he attempts to clean her off…

True Story: Part II: All the while Jeremy is gawking at the puke and now tears streaming down my face. Annabelle, hearing peeps in distress comes running into the kitchen with her toy teapot asking what happened. Dog enters room and I am now, puke dripping off my face, attempting to keep 4-year-old and dog out of pukey floor puddle…

True Story: Part III: I throw dog out onto deck in order to avoid the inevitable, which will avoid mentioning here, but you know what I mean, and Jeremy curtly asks Annabelle to fetch towel for formerly pukey sister, now currently clean. Annabelle can not seem to rid herself of this f-ing teapot, which continuously plays “I’m a Little Teapot” while this whole scenario transpires.

True Story: Part IV: I now look at Jeremy and find him to be quite green, and claiming he is moments away from blowing his own chunks. Annabelle comes downstairs with the towel, we whisk baby up to her room for a wardrobe change, and deposit both infected chitlins into Annabelle’s room to take a breather. A few minutes later, “Mommy!! Sabrina just threw up again!!!” “All over my doll!!!”

And that my friends is a typical (ok, not-so-typical) Friday night in the life of a parent.

Later that evening, I awoke suddenly to my own gastrointestinal distress, which lasted through the night, leaving me completely incapacitated by Saturday so, I missed this:


All I can say is thank God for Hubby was off work when I needed him the most and thank God for the technology to caputure this amazing moment.

Wordless Wednesday

"I love my sis-ter. She's the bee-eest! She's cooler than any other girl that I have ever met..."

Four years ago today...

My sweet Annabelle,

Four years ago today I was at Fort Sanders Regional Hospital eagerly awaiting your arrival. I was admitted into the hospital on August 2, 2005 for a scheduled induction after you your due date of July 31st came and went. At 5:30 pm on August 2nd,, we arrived at the hospital and I was given Cervadil to prep my bod for the pitocin they were to begin administering at 6 a.m. on August 3rd. By 7:15 p.m. that evening, I had my first MONSTER contraction. At approximately, 3:30 am August 3rd, I felt and heard a "pop" and woke up your Daddy, who was crashed out on the sofa bed next to me. As he helped me to the bathroom, I realized my water had broken. The nurse came in to help me back into bed, and she called the anesthesiologist to bring me my epidural. The nurse predicted we'd see you later that morning. Hours went by, followed by 1 hour and 45 minutes of unproductive pushing. Then the Dr. arrived to look at the monitors and told me that due to your dropping heart rate, we should opt for a c-section. Nana and Grandad came into the room to give me a kiss and wish me luck during the operation. I was whisked away to the OR, and Daddy came in shortly before surgery began. I was so incredibly exhausted, I had trouble keeping my eyes open. About 30 minutes later, we heard you cry for the first time, and Daddy brought you over to me all swaddled in blankets. You were the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. I never imagined I could love anyone or anything as much as I loved you.




With each passing day, I love you more and more. You astound me with your kindness, sensitivity, intelligence, and your inner and outer beauty. I am the luckiest person in the world that God chose me to be your Mom. I will be forever grateful for August 3, 2005 and I vow to continue to love you more and more each day. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for changing my life for the better. I am so proud of the little lady you are growing into and as you grow, I look forward to celebrating your accomplishments and will be the shoulder for you to cry on should you fall. You hold a special place in my heart as my first-born daughter and I will always be here for you. I love you forever, my sweet Miss Lou.



All My Love,
Mommy XOXO

Sugar and spice and everything nice...

Saturday was Annabelle's much anticipated "Powerpuff Girls" themed birthday party at our favorite local bounce house, The Jumpity Jump. We all had an absolutely fabulous time! The in-laws were in town for the festivities and really enjoyed themselves as well. I found these adorable "Belly Washers" with Powerpuff Girl tops as the guests drinks and party favors and I think the kids really loved them. We got a personalized PPG birthday tee, and I managed to hunt down the three figurines for the cake. I could not have been more pleased with the way the whole party came together. I have never seen Annabelle so incredibly happy!


Before the fun begins, first, the safety video...

And then they were off!!






The look on poor little Sabrina's face! This picture kills me!











Imagine my surprise to turn around in the front seat and see this looking back at me! Totally warms my heart...

LOOT!!!