Ten for 2010!

1. For some reason, my hair started having lots of natural wave this year.  And I love it!
2. I learned to cut Daniel's hair - and mostly the attempts have been successful.
3. Motherhood from 0-60 MPH!
4. Mommy intuition.  Wasn't sure how this was going to work, but I finally got it!
5. VBS preschool director - another 0-60 MPH experience
6. The Grand Canyon
7. Working, then not working (outside the house at least) and figuring out how to be at home all the time
8. Leading to chatty "lonely mom" syndrome whenever I see anyone - didn't know it was going to be this bad...
9. Loving my Keurig coffee maker and Crock pot even more THIS year!
10. And the best....our new baby girl!

Tales for 2010: Remembering the moment...

...that our lives changed!

Driving down the road on that Wednesday night, and I got the call:  you guys have been chosen; you are getting your baby as early as Friday!  [It ended up that our Gotcha Day was Monday, so we had a little extra time....]   I "abandoned" my dinner plans with friends that night and turned around and drove home.  Daniel asked what was wrong - why was I already home?  I was in shock and smiling so much.  It was happening.  The day was here.  It was happening soon.  It was happening NOW!
We panicked with joy and paced around planning, calling, thinking...  What to do?  What to do first?
That night we picked a name as we went to sleep.  And the next day I quit my wonderful job - to start a new one so very soon!  And we registered for our new FAST arrival!  Our friends and family were so wonderful with their excitement, gifts, love and joy.  I feel like many of them have been on this journey with us for the longest time.  And I'm so glad that we got to share this wonderful, happy time with them!

The registry worked as a "needs" (and of course wants) list for us.  I had been thinking when the time finally came for our adoption, that I would have time to make lists and a plan.  But there was NO time!  It was make a fast decision and go with it.  And thinking back, I'm kind of glad that there wasn't time to be all wishy-washy.  Because sometimes I do have a decision making problem.  I'm working on it.  And having just a weekend to get an entire nursery together, I think I learned how.  Don't allow myself time to think about it!  And that was probably one of the first of SO MANY lessons I've learned about myself, caring for a baby, motherhood and parenting this year.

So the rest of the weekend, we got the nursery all ready to bring our little girl home!  And on Monday, when we went with our family to meet her, the room was ready!  Diapers in the drawer, clothes in the closet.  Everything washed.  I wasn't surprised that I got everything done, but I was amazed.  It's amazing how different that week and the last week were!

God was amazing in all this.  In the long journey, He was faithful to lead us to where we needed to be.  He gave us peace and patience.  Maybe more patience that I would have wanted, but His perfect timing was so evident in the timing and the way that it all happened this summer.  Daniel had a four week sabbatical from work in June, when we took our great trip to the southwest.  And after getting back on Monday night, two days later we received that amazing call from our social worker, WHILE Daniel was still on his sabbatical.  When we got the baby - he had two weeks left on his month-long break.  That was totally God providing in a way that couldn't be planned.  And this provision was so evident throughout the whole adoption process.

Making on... Monday: Christmas dinner and fave of 2010

This year, I made Christmas dinner (well lunch, really) for my parents who came to us this year.  It was so nice to be at home for baby's first Christmas.  I have made a big lunch for the past three years now, but this was the first time that I cooked for my parents.  Actually, the first time ever to cook a meal totally by myself for them.  Amazing!  And we all really enjoyed it - and the leftovers too! 

We had a ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mixed veggies, peas, rolls, jello and chocolate mousse cake for dessert!  

I think my favorite things that I made this year were gift bags.  These are two from Christmas present-wrapping this year.  It's something that I've been wanting to learn how to do for a while.  And I did a few a few months ago, and with trial and error (and ripping) figured out the best way to do it.  And now I can make various sizes too!  I've now made several so it's getting easier and more fun.  Still messy though. 

Blessing & Gratitude: Thinking back on 2010

This year has had so many blessing.  So many changes too.  It almost feels like three different times in my life.  And I'm thankful for all of them!

At the beginning of the year, I was still working.  And thinking back on that, I really loved my job, the people that I worked with and worked for!  I was there almost 9 years before leaving to stay at home with the baby.  And I have such good friends there (present tense!)  I am so grateful for the time that I worked there and those wonderful friends, people that mean so much to me still.

And I am really grateful for the new friends that I made this year at my church.  I really wanted to get involved more, but sometimes hanging out with the ladies of the church (read: mostly moms) just hurt too bad.  But at the beginning of the year, I just jumped into a Bible study - my great work schedule allowed for that - and I am so glad that I did.  God really gave me the encouragement and peace to do that.  And then I went on a beach trip with the ladies at church.  It was a rough weekend at first, but the way God opened my heart and allowed me to meet and get to know so many people was amazing.  I made such great friends on that trip!

This summer, I had prayed that I would meet more people at church, be able to be active and make new friends - and just days after that prayer, I volunteered (well I WAS volunteered) to lead in Vacation Bible School.  I had done so many summers of VBS at my church growing up, but this was my first at our new church.  I loved being involved.  And I was amazed at the strength and joy that God gave me to be around so many children, before our little blessing came along...  And working that week at church really got me into the children's ministry and introduced me to many people that work regularly with the kids.  Which was a wonderful blessing for what happened just a few weeks later.

A week after doing VBS at church, we went on our amazing trip to the southwest.  I've never been out that direction and the Grand Canyon was one of the "last frontiers" of our country that I want to see (at least in the lower 48).  And it was amazing.  I love seeing the beauty of natural wonders of God's creation.  It really was even more amazing than I ever could have imagined.

And the amazing continued in June, when only 2 days after we had been home from our summer vacation, that we found out that we were getting our little girl - in FOUR days.  We had so much joy, anticipation, questions, wonder and amazement - that it was happening right now!!!  That our lives were going to change forever, so quickly.  But really that we had been waiting so long for this moment.  The days and years of our longing to become parents, for me to be a mother, were finally over.  The day was HERE!  What an amazing blessing and joy to bring our wonderful baby girl home.  I am so thankful every day for how God moved in our adoption, in our hearts, in our lives!  We want to enjoy every minute!

This Christmas was, of course, baby's first Christmas.  The Christmas seasons in the past have been joyous, but tinted with a sadness and a longing .  But we have our little one to share it with now.  Daniel said that this was the best Christmas ever.  I do agree.  And I praise God for the blessings big and small that He has given to us this year.

"Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."  Luke 2:19

Systematic Saturday: New year's goals

So here are my goals for the 2011 year.  I like to have a idea of how I want to enjoy my life more and do some things that are on my ongoing "list" - and if they are goals, even to use the word resolutions - then they are kind of more on my mind. I am ending this year so differently than I started it.  As a mother, as a stay at home mom.  And even very different personally than I was, which I guess with a major life change like that, it's bound to happen.
This year, I am sort of copying from the Unclutterer blogger/website - from her goals of 2010.  I like the format, and really even the goals, but kind of modified for me!  (oh and I love that blog - and her book!)

So I'm going to work on my goals quarterly.
1) The first being to get going and start on those things that I have been putting off for a while. Or the things that I really just WANT to do, and just haven't for some reason/excuse or another.  I have some corners in my house that need attending.  I have some books I have wanted to read.  I want to start (back) running.  I want to get back to knitting and "crafting" things regularly.  So why not start with motivation at the beginning of the new year?!

2) And so the next quarter is going to be FINISH it.  I'm going to make sure that some projects that I start get finished.  I'm notorious for being a two-thirds kind of person.  (or even sometimes just a one-third person).  I give up on a book - I have so many books with a bookmark somewhere near the middle.  And several knitting projects that are many rows in, but don't really resemble anything yet.  This is something that I really need to and want to work on.  And not just because I'm starting stuff in the first quarter.  But I need to learn how to finish.  Or just realize that I don't want to finish and just give it up!

3 & 4) The last two quarters of the year will be - trying new things and - nurturing.  I'm still thinking about which one will be first.   New things:  still to be determined.  Guess I'll know when I see it.  And nurturing:  this is from that blog - she thought about the things that are the most important (people, really) and did special things to nurture those relationships.  So I thought that was a really good one - and interesting.

Thursday Three: Getting motivated

1) Next week blog - special 2010 year end blogging

2) Baby's first Christmas!!!!

3) Thinking about goals for the new year.

Tales for Tuesday: Google TV

Today we got something that Daniel has been looking at for a while.  Google TV.  It basically hooks up your TV to the internet.  That's all I really need to know.  It's pretty cool now... searching the internet for videos online - tv, movies, whatever's out there (although many places are blocked...for now).  And eventually - like in the next few months - more things are going to be open to it, say, like Hulu.  Pretty soon it should be awesome, not just cool!  So this is hopefully going to eventually diminish the amount of TV that I watch - mainly just having it on for no reason during the day.
Also, it links quickly and easily to Pandora, which I have been enjoying recently!  So just having some music on during the day is going to be refreshing.
And just for fun... I did this blog on the keyboard that is really the remote for the new system.  So I'm just lounging on the couch, blogging on my TV! Fun!

Making on... Monday

This weekend, I did some crafting - Christmas gifts for friends and family...  And it was so much fun to get out my supplies.  They haven't seen the light of day much since the baby arrived!  But I am SO glad that (last year) I had decided to organize and pare down my supplies.  It made it much easier to dive right in!

Tonight for dinner - I made a Chicken Enchilada Casserole from the emealz for this week.  It sounded really good.  But when I got it out of the oven, it was more soupy chicken than enchilada.  But then it somehow all came together as more of a casserole and was really yummy.  I wasn't so sure what was going to happen when I caught my first glimpse of it fresh out of the oven....

Thursday Three: Christmas is near...

1) I love the cold weather! And that means it's hat weather - and I'm loving wearing my knit hats! But I'm not so much liking the static!  Everyone in the house is shocking each other!

2) Shopping online... So much easier & fun to get boxes delivered to the house.  Instead of going to the gifts, they come to me!

3) Christmas music music, decorations & jingle bells, which are baby's favorite!

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

Something I heard Laura Story sing - and some of what she said about the song before she sang (paraphrased by me...):

"...what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if your healing comes tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?"

She asked the congregation if anyone's life was JUST like they had planned it, just how they thought it would be.   And that life that you planned, was it really what you wanted?  That everything that comes in your life is filtered through the loving hands of God.

I had a "plan" for my life - and no, my life didn't turn out at all what I planned.  And I do think, I KNOW, that even though there was pain to get here - and there probably will be pain in the future - that my life is filled with blessings from God.  Blessings that I could never have even imagined, when I was "planning" my life.  And the wonderful blessings and joys of my life, filtered through the hands of God, are greater and more amazing than my feeble mind could have planned. 

Tales for Tuesday: The Fridge

Last week the refrigerator started making a humming noise.  And then it got a little louder.  So Daniel did some research online and came up with an option.  We could unplug the fridge for about 24-48 hours and see if the probable ice on the motor would melt.  OR we could schedule a repair.  Even though I really didn't want to wait for the repair guy and deal with all that, let alone pay someone for the visit, I voted repairman.  The weekend was getting closer, and after the unplugging time, it would be the weekend and I didn't want to get into a situation of "oh, we should have called..."

So Daniel found this place online that you can "register" for a call for an appointment.  And they called me first thing the next morning and were SO nice.  Really friendly and helpful.  And they said that they had someone that could come THAT afternoon!  Wow!  

So the repair guy came that afternoon - in the window (the small window!) that they gave me.  And he was so nice too.  I was thinking that, if the people that answer the phones are that nice, that maybe it is the whole company.  And I was right!  Amazing!  

Well, he couldn't fix it that day. The problem was in the freezer.  And there is a part that has to be ordered.  But he did say, that if we had waited much longer - like a day or two - that the ice would have burned out the motor.  That would have meant more parts to fix, more expensive and probably NO fridge for at least a few days.  But he scraped out all the ice in the freezer, around and behind and from EVERYWHERE.  He got out three HUGE chunks of ice.  Here is one of them, next to a peanut butter jar for size comparison.  No wonder the freezer was making such a noise!

Making on... Monday: On a roll

So I decided not to go to the grocery store last week.  We got a little behind on the meals that I had planned for the past two weeks, so I decided that we would just eat through what we had in the house.  And this weekend, it was crescent roll weekend!  Crescent dogs.  Crescent pizza roll ups.  I had lots of crescent rolls hanging out in the fridge.
This week, back to cooking new meals - and probably nothing to do with crescent rolls.  And I am looking forward to cooking Christmas dinner.  We are going to start some traditions this year - Christmas at home and baby's first Christmas!

Wednesday Wares: Steam Mop

So for Black Friday, I usually go out shopping pretty early - say about 5 or 6 - and drag Daniel with me.  He's more than willing to go, just maybe not one of his favorite things to do...  This year, with the baby, I just didn't think that dragging her along for the ride was going to be that great.  I decided on one store - Target - made a specific list for Daniel and he went out and got the loot.  Up at 5 and back - with a peppermint mocha for me - at 6:30.  This was a pretty cool way to do it, I thought.  He was already awake anyway.  Much more of a morning person than I'll ever be.  So me and baby slept, while he shopping.
I do like going out on Black Friday - with all the busyness and the shopping - it gets me in the Christmas mood.  I did do a little shopping on that Saturday - solo.  It was fun to get out a little.
So...about the title.  One of the things that I got was a steam mop.  I thought it was going to be pretty cool - for the kitchen and the hardwoods.  It is even better than I thought.  Clean, dry in seconds and no chemicals!  Love it!

Making on... Monday: Dinner tonight

So tonight I made this for dinner:
Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta

I did leave out the wine - and I didn't use as "fancy" of ingredients (for example, no fresh basil - actually no basil at all).  And I did the "use garlic powder" trick, instead of mincing fresh garlic.  Saves time, keeps the flavor!

Ingredients 1/2 pound(s) raw turkey sausage, Italian-style, casings removed    2 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin    2 medium yellow pepper(s), cut into 2-inch long thin strips    1 medium onion(s), thinly sliced    1/2 cup(s) red wine    1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic    28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted recommended    1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste    1/4 tsp table salt    8 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, fusilli    1/3 cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped    Instructions Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, to make sauce, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, stirring and breaking up meat with back of a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove to a plate. Heat oil in same skillet. Add yellow peppers and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are lightly colored and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add wine and garlic; cook until most of liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, crushed red pepper, salt and browned sausage; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender and sauce is heated through, about 10 minutes. While sauce simmers, add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add sauce and basil; toss to mix and coat. Yields about 1 1/3 cups per serving.

Blessing & Gratitude: The Christmas Season

After Thanksgiving, we put up our Christmas decorations.  It's so fun to see all the ornaments, old and new.  And to have that first night of twinkling lights from the tree and from outside.  The cold, the lights, the tree and the stockings all get me in the Christmas mood.  Thanksgiving kind of snuck up on me.  Christmas isn't going to do that!  I used to work at a place where you KNEW it was Christmas time - the season brought with it all the business.  But not seeing the piles of work to do, I guess I just didn't realize how close we actually were.  But now that the cold weather is finally here - and the decorations are up.  Now to focus on the the joys of the season.  And the new joys that this year's season will bring.  Our first Christmas with baby.  God has truly blessed us with the most amazing gift this year.

Tales for Tuesday: Thanksgiving

Today I spent most of the afternoon naptime packing the suitcase (and baby bag) for our trip to see the family this holiday.  Someone (no names here...) has said that I take WAY too much for even a day trip, and of course too much for a few nights.  That all the baby really NEEDS are diapers and formula.  Well, that is true, technically.  But travel with a baby and not have any of that other stuff.  How smooth is that trip?
So I started today packing and getting ready for the trip.  Not that packing ahead of time is really any different for me now that the baby is here - I've always been a planner and preparer.  (I even have this awesome packing app on my phone - it's great!)
So the bags are packed - mainly - so I can keep the running around in the morning to a minimum.  And hopefully avoid any pacing that has to be done by Daniel. He paces - I pack.
And now to focus on the actual holiday.  How is it already the end of November?  It feels like we just got the baby and that we are still in the summer.  The unseasonable warmth isn't helping with getting me in the November spirit.  And the Christmas stuff in the stores has been out since mid-October, so that is really no help in getting a mindset of the season.  But here we are.  Thanksgiving.  Oh, how much I have to be thankful for.  Where to start?
The joy that I have.  The baby that was a gift from God.  The miracle of her arrival.  My wonderful family and friends.  My home.  Getting to BE at home - that I don't have to work.  Our church home - and the new friends that we have made there.  Sweet baby smiles - and baby laughter filling our home. Everywhere I look, blessings abound.

Making on... Monday: Cake

Yesterday I made this chocolate mousse cake  Don't get too excited, it was from a mix in a box, but I actually did have to bust out the mixer and then layer 2 rounds together with mousse!   I haven't been baking in a while, and it felt good to be back baking in the kitchen.  I made it for our church group that usually comes over, but so many of them were sick or otherwise occupied, so I really didn't have a TON of people to share it with.  And with cakes, they can be so hit or miss with Daniel.  He'll either love it, or just think it's ok and forget about it.  Well, we did have someone come over to watch football and the three of us had the cake.  And I thought it was great.  And after our guest left, I asked Daniel how he really felt about it.  I asked, "Did you like it?"  And he said "Like isn't a strong enough word!"  So I guess it was good.

Blessing & Gratitude

Today was a nice relaxing afternoon.  I watched football and played on the computer and wrote in my journal.  It was a nice afternoon to do pretty much nothing at all.  Just to relax.  I needed that this week!

Systematic Saturday: Regrouping

I haven't been blogging very regularly the past couple of weeks.  I'm not sure why - but I just seem to be running out of time.  Baby has been getting up several times in the middle of the night - not for very long or very many times - but it's different from her sleeping through the night.  So I am just a little more tired than I have been - I have to get adjusted to this waking/sleeping pattern...
So my days are just a little slower and a little more sluggish than they were.  I have all these great ideas of what I need to do, what I should do, what I want to do - and with my slow-moving self, everything just isn't getting done.  I was going along pretty good for the first few months with baby.  But maybe it's catching up with me?
So this weekend, I had two cups of coffee and set to doing one of my tasks that has been looming over me.  The PILE - on my desk in the study.  The pile of stuff that kept growing and growing of "stuff I'll get to later."  Well, today was later - finally!  And I got through it.  I have a few more "piles" in other places around the house that I just have to get to before the end of the year.  I HAVE to!
These areas really aren't that big - but they are just kind of gnawing at me - always in the back of my mind. As a kid, I was the one that had to clean up my room before I could do my homework.  A neat space made it easier for me to think.  Translate that into adult land and I feel the need to clean and straighten up before I can sit down and relax.  But I think that if I can get rid of some of these junky places that are junking up my head, that I can be a little faster, a little more streamlined - and that I can get to something fun faster!

Four for Four Friday

Let's see...
Over the past two weeks, I've got to have at least four for four...

• I rearranged the den so that it looks a little more "purposeful."  [with the help of a friend who has such a good eye for those kinds of things!]  There was a random bookcase that just didn't get moved when baby's swing was added in with the furniture this summer.  And finally I got to clean that bookcase off/out.

• I did some recycling, by way of digging out the recycling items from the trash can - the big one that goes to the street.  There was a little mix up with the cans.  And I wasn't going to let my carefully collected recycling items get thrown away with the trash.

• I've had TWO girls nights!  One with dinner and coffee - the other to see the new Harry Potter movie.  Daddy has done great with the baby!  I didn't even worry that much about the two of them.  I knew he'd be great.  And he didn't even call me to ask any questions!

• And baby started eating veggies this week.  She has done so well with the cereal, and now to start on the next step.  I decided that I was going to make the baby food.  I think it'll be fun - and good for her too!  Here's my first one: sweet potatoes!

Wednesday Word: Sleep

Sleep.  That is what's on my mind today.  Baby does great napping during the day - which she defintely still needs.  But at night - she seems to be wanting to see what each hour looks like.  Baby, I will tell you what it looks like... it's dark.  So please just stay asleep!
We think that it's teething pain that is waking her.  She has been such a great sleeper for the longest time - going for about 9 - 10 hours without waking.  But for the past couple of weeks, it seems to be getting worse.  Guess it's that time for the peaceful sleeping to go away for a while.

Tales for Tuesday: procrastination

So here we are again... Tuesday.  And the topic of procrastination.  I never really thought of myself as a procrastinator, until recently.  I'm not one to put everything off till later, just some things.  And I'm really a 2/3rds kind of gal.  I seem to get almost done with a book, knitting, various projects - and then they just don't get finished.  I guess I lose inspiration or I just find another project that I want to do more.  Another thing that I've noticed recently is that I run out of time.  Not working outside of the home, I have more time, or at least I should.  And it seems with the more time that I have, I run out of time faster.  When I have LESS time, I can really get moving and motivated.  I seem to find that do have enough time for the work that I want to get done in the day, and I should have time for doing some reading or something kind of fun.  But just when I think I'm going to get started on doing something kind of fun, the baby wakes up.  I want to find a way to get it all done.  That may just be a crazy thought.  Or maybe I need to schedule in some "me" time into my day. Or just plan to do less.  But that way, I am putting at least something off until tomorrow....

Making on... Monday: gift bag

So I have wanted to make gift bags out of newspaper for a while now, since I got a gift in one last year.  I thought it was so cool - and a great way to recycle and reuse.  So I found a few sites online with instructions. I spent an afternoon (during naptime) making the first "trial" one.  And then I made two that turned out pretty good.  But then I needed one a little bigger for the gift that I was going to be giving (size: a pack of diapers).  So I extrapolated the "pattern" that I found online and made a bigger bag.  It turned out pretty good, I think.  After the glue dried, the diapers didn't rip through the bag or anything!  And they fit great too...

Everything was fine, I had tested the bag several times - picking it up, carrying it around a little.  But as I gave the bag to the recipient, the handles ripped out of the top.  Oh well.  I'm going to reinforce the top next time, as well as the bottom!  But it was cool while it lasted!   

And I count this as success for making gift bags!  

Blessing & Gratitude: Laughter

I am so grateful for laughter!  And today I got to do it a lot!  And really I needed it today too.  I'm exhausted from this week.  I'm not sure why.  I've gotten "enough" sleep and I really haven't done that much to tire me out. Just the basic everyday stuff and taking care of baby.  But for some reason, I've just been tired, and on the EDGE.  You know, THAT edge - the ever precarious edge of crabby.
So today was a great day for laughter!  I got to laugh with one of my friends at church.  She tried to grab this foam head - we were backstage.  They use the heads for lighting purposes, but still - it's a foam head.  And if you know me, you know how I love the "just heads."  She couldn't get to it and by then we were both laughing!
And then later today, after seeing some friends from work (at a baby shower) that I miss so much, I got to laugh - hard - again.  It involved one of my friends driving, and having to turn around.  But knowing what she was saying in her car and seeing the scene play out in front of me was just so funny.  It hurt I laughed so much!

Tales for...this week

So I was going to blog on Tuesday, and the topic was going to be procrastination.  Funny how it's Wednesday night and my blog for Tuesday didn't happen.
Well, Tuesday night, as I got in the bed to snuggle in with a DVD and a bowl of cereal - my favorite late night snack - my dog started looking a little sickly and acting just a little strange.  Well, I decided that the blogging could wait, I really wanted to start in on the cereal and the DVD.  And maybe if I settled down and turned off the light, then the pup would settle in too.  But then less than 5 minutes after I said to myself, I hope that she doesn't vomit, she did.  And A LOT of it.  She got the end of the bed, down in between the foot board and the comforter too.  And then, as she tried to "escape" that one, she went to the middle of the bed and did one even bigger than the last one.
Ok, so it's like 9:45 now, and that's late in our house.  I don't think that we have an extra set of sheets for this bed - and if so, then I'm not sure where they are.  And doing laundry is out of the question.  It's too late and too loud.  The sheets usually just go straight from the bed, to be washed, then right back on the bed, hence no extra set.  But oh, how I wanted an extra set that night.  Since this was the night I was alone - Daniel was still out of town and my company had left, no one was actually going to have to sleep on the puke side of the bed.  But the smell.  Oh the smell.
I did clean up the best I could - paper towels and probably every towel that we have in the house.  It took about 45 minutes to clean up the best I could.  I took the comforter and the top sheet and quarantined them on the washing machine.  I had to leave the fitted sheet on, so I layered the huge wet spots with towels.  I found a random sheet in the closet - I didn't even know it was it in there.  And I stole the comforter off the guest bed.  A full size comforter on our king size bed - again, glad I was the only one in the bed.  I even had to clean the dog off.  She was pathetically holding up her paw, because it was covered in it.  She was way more pitiful with the sickness than the baby was.
So now, everything is washed and dried.  The pup is feeling much better - she went all day acting and eating normally.  But there is still the smell of puke.  We have a mattress cover, so the mattress was protected.  And I thought I got it all.  Guess not,  But where is it?

Wednesday Wares: Rock Band Drums

So when I got home on Tuesday after lunch, there was a big box waiting for me on the front porch!  The cymbals expansion kit for the Rock Band drums.  MY Rock Band drums!  Daniel thinks that I need to have a little more challenge when we play....

So Tuesday afternoon during baby's nap, I put the drums set together!

And then I just had to try them out - quietly.  I played a few songs then, and then baby and I rocked out after dinner!  A little different - and adds more fun! 

Oh, and why the red drum is different and looks weird?  I have put felt on it to sort of push down this bubble that is on the surface.  Guess I've played them so much that the red one is warping a little! 

Making on... Monday

What I made today... Well I actually watched most of it being made.  A longtime friend came to town to hang out with me and baby while Daniel was out of town.  And she made a great lunch!  We were going to do breakfast for dinner, but then pizza sounded better for an evening meal - can't stop the craving for pizza.  So we had breakfast for lunch!  And it was yummy and very fall-ish!  We had whole wheat waffles (from scratch) with pear sauce.  Both were SO GOOD.  The waffles were very hearty and not too sweet. And the pear sauce, with its wonderful chunkiness, was just the right amount of sweet.  It was a great fall treat!  Thank you!!!
And even better, there were extra waffles and pear sauce, that are now in the freezer for a treat later too!

Blessing & Gratitude

I am so grateful for my friends (and family)!  It was great to have a friend to sit with at church this morning - then fun to talk to several people I haven't seen in a while afterwards.  And then a very good friend coming to hang out with me, while both of our husbands are out of town!  Very excited about the company - and, well, the help too!

Systematic Saturday: Time Change

My "systematic" project for the weekend is/was pushing the baby back an hour, so that when the time changes, she's on the right time.  "Fall back" is supposed to give us an extra hour of sleep, but with a baby, that just means the morning just starts an hour earlier.  And me, I'm not a morning person - understatement!  Not that I just don't like getting up, I just have a hard time functioning.  Carrying a baby, feeding her a bottle - those need some functioning motor skills.  So the time change is a bigger deal to me than my husband.  He is an early bird - he actually will get up earlier to do something (go to work so that he can come home earlier, or get up to workout). Totally not me.  I'm not a night person either.  I'm a middle of the day person - 10am to 2pm is usually my highest functioning time.  But I'm learning to be at least more awake in the early morning.
So I started on Thursday, trying to push baby's schedule back by 20 minutes.  It was a little rough - but fairly successful.  And the next day, I was able to push it back 40 minutes.  Friday was a little more on the fussy side, which just confirmed to me that, yes indeed, I needed to do this moving baby's time back in increments.  And today, she got up a little later than I thought she would - and had pushed herself back by the whole hour.  So we are ready for tomorrow morning!
It seemed weird to me that I would have to move the baby forward an hour, when the clocks are going backwards.  It took Daniel a while to explain it to me - and make sure that we were doing the right thing with the baby.  I don't know why I had a hard time figuring out this one.  But my light bulb came on when I thought about Back to the Future.  Einstein (the dog - when they are first demonstrating the car) jumped over that minute to arrive at the time we are now.  So baby has to jump over the hour that we are falling back to arrive at the correct time!

Four for Four Friday

Goals for this week - accomplished!

1) I cleaned out my closet and reorganized it.  And gave a few things to a friend who loves my hand-me-downs! She's so funny - I'd think with her three older sisters, she would be sick of them.  But she was excited!

2) Successfully - sort of - started moving the baby "forward" in time so that the time change this weekend isn't so abrupt.  I think it still might be a little rough.  No "extra hour" of sleep this year...

3) During baby's afternoon nap today, while daddy babysat, I went out for a fun "freedom" afternoon.  I went to a baby store and got some things for baby - and two friends that are each having babies soon! And then I went to the shoe store and found EXACTLY what I wanted.  Brown clogs - with detailing and studs around the edge.  That makes them sound weird, but they really are cute!  And they were on sale - clearance even!

4)  And my random photo - While I was out this afternoon, I got a call from the phone number "1000" - totally weird.  I didn't answer.

 

Thursday Three

1) The baby has been "talking" more and more these days. She has been doing some eh eh ehs - and then last week started with some bah bah bahs.  This week, I started hearing "words" that actually mean something.  Like when Daniel was coming up the stairs after work (and I didn't know that he was home yet), baby said "Dah dah" and then he opened the door.  It was wild!  Also, when I asked her "are you ready for your bottle?  We are going to the kitchen!" She said "kit ten."  And when Daniel asked if she wanted to sit with mommy, she said "mamamamama."  Yeah, they probably don't mean much yet, but they are so fun!

2) This week, mommy & daddy got their flu shots - for baby.  Our arms (and whole bodies) were sore for a couple of days.  This is for you baby!

3) We got Rock Band 3 last week and have started back playing - Daniel on guitar and vocals (he knows the words to most songs and guitar is more suited to singing) and me on the drums.  I LOVE playing the drums.  Being someone that has never been good at video games, I'm loving the new types that have come on the market in the past few years.  Like the Wii - I can work that (most of the time).  And the drums for Rock Band.  It's so fun!  It's musical and gaming. And after playing for a few years, I've gotten pretty good at it! We play on the "Hard" level.  We have tried "expert" but can't do it on all the songs.  But we can ROCK on the Hard level!  And on the drums this week, I got the rating:  "fistful of awesomeness" on one of the songs!

Wednesday Wares: Spot

Daniel got baby some Spot books this week.  We had one - the first one "Where is Spot?" We enjoy it, and I think that baby does too.  It's got flaps, and she really likes that!
So daddy got her Spot loves Mommy and Spot loves Daddy - and Goodnight Spot.  And for an even special surprise, the next day in the mail, we got a Spot little stuffed dog!
Good boy, Spot!  Thanks daddy!

Tales for Tuesday: The Weather Channel

I love watching the Weather Channel.  It's really fascinating to me.  I should have been a meteorologist.  I like knowing WHY the weather does what it does.  And well, also, knowing what it's going to do - well what it's probably going to do.  Daniel is amazed that a weatherman can be right 50% of the time and be great at his job.  This really comes into play in the wintertime, when talking about snow.  But weather isn't an exact science.  That's why I like to know - why.  If I know that the jet stream is doing this or that - then the rain that's in Texas is going to hit us directly or just go off the coast. So I kind of know what's going on.  I do like to be prepared...

One thing I love is the Local on the 8s.  The music they play during it is usually elevator Muzak stuff.  But it's been kind of different lately.  Last week, I heard REM "Radio Free Europe" - like the actual song.  Then yesterday, it was a muzak version of Sublime "What I Got" - which was kind of weird.  Then today - it was "Someday" by Mariah Carey (the actual song).  That was a weird choice, I think and a weird blast from the past.  Huh.  Who is choosing this music?

Making on... Monday

I made baby a cute little treat bag, just in case we went around and got candy last night.  It's really cute, an orange stripe knit fabric - with an orange ribbon as the handle  I even busted out the sewing machine yesterday to whip it together.
And a picture of it...  I was going to do that.  But it's IN the baby's room, and she sleeping.  And actually sleeping well, so no picture.

Blessings

Baby's first Halloween.  She was a cute little (and fluffy) butterfly.  We had a great time at our church festival.  She even had fun too!  It was so fun to see all our friends and snuggle the baby!

Systematic Saturday: Coupons

I have really gotten into using coupons.  With printable coupons from the internet, my goal is to try to only buy things that I can use a coupon.  While getting the things that I WANT.
After going to that coupon seminar a few weeks ago, most of the things that I learned finally are working.  It took a little while to build up several weeks of coupons from the papers - so that I have a larger pool to pull from.  And I changed my system to the way that was suggested.  And it's so much better.  Much easier.  I think in a few more weeks, I'm actually going to enjoy doing the coupons.  Right now the savings are great, but it's kind of a pain.  It takes too long, because I'm just not used to it.
I am headed in the right direction!!  Even more savings!

Four for Four Friday

I'm going to change up the Friday themes, making it "Four for Four Friday"

There are some things that I'd like to get done each week.  And I think if I plan to report them on the blog, there is a better chance for completion! So a little fun and a little encouragement! 

1) Living Simply (getting rid of stuff) - I really want to get going on this ongoing desire for my household!

2) Eco-friendly/green - little things every week will start to add up! 

3) A fun project...or at least do something FUN - I tend to forget about doing that, and I need to make it more important.

4) And then just for fun... a Photo for Friday!  "Great moment of the week" 

Since I came up with this plan/idea today, I only did 2 out of 4! Numbers 3&4

FUN - I read some magazines while watching the "Sound of Music" reunion on Oprah (TiVo-ed) - I rarely if ever watch Oprah, but so glad I caught this one!

PHOTO - I was having a rough afternoon the other day, so the baby decided to cheer me up, via her nap, pacifier and the video monitor.  The paci is STUCK to her face!  And she is sound asleep! 

Thursday Three

1)  Weather on Tuesday night interrupted the recording of some of our TV shows.  I am totally for weather being reported while there is an active warning in the viewing area.  But hello, you guys run the station, so please re-air those shows.  Sometimes they do, but I wish that they would post when and if they are going to: on the website, on twitter, run a ticker at the bottom of the screen.  But nothing this time - no re-airing, no notice.  So even if they did, I didn't know about it.  And playing 15 minutes of the show from the 30m to the 45m does not count as airing the program.  Boo!

2)  Baby is graduating up to size 2 diapers today.  It's about time.  She is going to be 6 months the beginning of November.  The 1s actually still fit; she's on the small side - the very small side.  But we have 3 huge cases of size 2 diapers - that were bought on sale or given to us - in the house.  And they "pretty much" fit.  I just don't have the heart to buy another big box of size 1 diapers when we have so many already waiting to be used.

3)  My receipt from Publix this week.  Not nearly as long as last week, but pretty good savings.  Those 2   -$5.00 were awesome!  

Wednesday Wisdom: Venting

I have been emailing one of my friends about certain mommy trials that have come my way.  She has such a cool outlook on things - and can usually make me laugh about what's going on...

This week, I was talking to her about communication and venting.  And she came up with this gem, that I can tell my husband before I "start in" on something:

"I need to vent for a minute.  If my head begins to spin, do not be alarmed or attempt a rescue.  It's merely my release valve functioning properly."

Tuesday: Green Project ...started

So I'm thinking about how I want to start my "green" switching.  I still haven't really come up with a plan.  That book I was reading that was really an ad for a certain line of products, well, it got better.  The personal care, baby and housewares chapters were actually pretty good.  So taking some ideas from the book, I've actually already done some things already.
I've got the BPA free plastic under control.  I'm using this new plastic storage in the kitchen that is BPA free - or just using glass pyrex for storage.  And I'm using BPA free baby bottles.  And never putting the bottles in the microwave!  And remembering that numbers 1, 2, 4, & 5 are ok, but to stay away from 3 & 7!

Making on... Monday: His and Hers

I made another hat for the baby this weekend.  An Auburn Hat! In honor of #1 in the BCS!




Daniel has been working on a project with his old baseball cards from his childhood.  He saw the idea online and figured out how to do it himself. (I helped only a little bit with suggesting what glue and providing the paper cutter)  He covered the top of an end table with the cards - at least one player from every team.  And then got a piece of plexiglass to go on the top.  I really want to find a place for it - a home for it upstairs - because it's an awesome little table!

   

Blessings & Gratitude

Baby was baptized today at church.  It was so wonderful to see several rows of our family there supporting and loving us.  And to also look around and see friends in the congregation that were so excited for us too! Today I feel so loved and blessed - to have the love and support that I had especially today - but that I have everyday!!

Systematic Saturday: The Green Project

So on my quest to be a little more green, I checked a book out at the library on the subject.  And after reading the introduction, I thought that it would be great.  But after the first "section," I have figured out that it is really just a book of advertisement about a certain LINE of products...  that the author's husband sells.  It's an informative book, but for products that she suggests to replace "chemical" ones, are all from this line I've never heard of and that's not sold in stores.
So...  back to my dilemma.  I want to figure out what, maybe, the top 5 "bad" ingredients to avoid and steer clear of those.  But the list that she has in this book is about 30 items long.  Too much to remember.  And way too complicated.  I'm still trying to figure out... Is the "green" stuff any better or should I rely on the advances of "science."
So my Green Project - is just to go one step at a time.  Change a few things gradually.  Organic is the key word for me. And changing them over time will be a little easier (not to mention cheaper).  And hopefully this slow and steady change will make for some new, good habits!

Friday, just Friday

So I was enjoying the "feats and fails" blogging for a couple of weeks.  It was fun for a while, but now, everyday seems like both.  And it's sometimes hard to think about the great things, if I'm in a "fail" moment.  And if I'm feeling good, then I'm not wanting to remember when I wasn't.  For a couple of weeks it was kind of encouraging.  But now it's exhausting.

So today, I was trying to think of what "Friday" could be.  Something that starts with an F - just for fun!
That was one of them... "Fun Friday" also thought of "Photo Friday" - even though it doesn't start with an actual F.

So any ideas?  Words that start with F?  I need some help here!

Thursday Three

1) A fun trip to Target today, getting a sweater and 2 hats for me - and a couple of winter-ish things for the baby!

2) A new network on TV - the HUB.  Showing kid shows during the day and then MY shows as a kid at night.  It's the "new Nick at Night"...  Doogie Howser, Wonder Years, Family Ties!!  Awesome!

3) The baby is teething.  Drool - check.  Fussy - check.  Restless - check.  Add the teething to the rolling that is will happen any day now, nap time and bedtime are getting ready to be really interesting.  Today's nap time was "interesting" enough.  Read: not good...

Wednesday Wisdom: Happiness

I was reading an article today and came across this line:  

" Being happy is really hard, but I don't think it's complicated." 

The article was about being happy, and where you find it.  It was talking about how if you think about things too much, sometimes it can eat away at the happiness.  But just being in life, living it, that's the best way to find the happy.  I wish that the article had expounded on that a little more.  Being happy is hard.  But I think that taking the idea from this article - and then also seeing the grace and blessings that God offers each day - can lead to true JOY. Even better than just being happy.  Because being happy IS hard.  Because sometimes you just can't be.  But true joy, which is what I desire, isn't complicated - it just has to come from the right place.  The only place.  The Joy of the Lord is my strength.  

Tales for Tuesday: Reading

A few years ago, I started reading - regularly, that is.  I just wasn't what you would call a reader.  But I always wanted to be.  I was inspired by a few friends that always have a book going - and that always had great recommendations for me.  So I just jumped in - starting with the Harry Potter series.  A great series of YA books, easy, yet GREAT reads.  And I could set myself a goal.  I started the series a few months before the fourth movie came out.  So I was determined to get those first 4 books read before I saw the next movie.  And I succeeded.
After that, I got going on several YA series.  I really do like the books in that section.  Not too graphic - in all meanings.  And they are fast reads, well usually, for me!
At the beginning of the year, I wanted to read about 30 books this year.  And I was on track to do it, too.  One of my friends, who read 96 books last year, just amazes me - with the speed that she goes through books and the excitement when a new book comes out.  I wanted to expand my horizons and enjoy a few more series this year.  Well, I started on that goal.  I even made myself a list.  I read 12 books - January through May.  And then June happened.  We went on our trip and then shortly after returned (VERY shortly) we brought home our baby girl!  So reading didn't happen much these past few months.
But I want to get back to reading.  And now I have a whole new subject to be reading about.  Since there were only four days to prepare for the baby's arrival, needless to say, I didn't read any books.  Getting the crib and the car seat was way more important.  But now we are settling in, and I've made a list of a few books that I'd like to read about babies, kids and parenting.  My plan was to read a few of those in the months that we waited for the baby to arrive.  Well, as I am learning everyday - plans are great ideas in theory, but not usually reality.
This week, I did finish a book that I had started in the spring.  After a couple "interruptions" this summer, I finally got it finished!  That was a victory!  And I even stopped by the library last week and got a book.  There are a couple of "green" books that I want to read - to maybe green up my cleaning.
So here I go... back into reading.

Making on... Monday: Dinner tonight

Easy Calzones 

- brown ground beef, mix in spaghetti sauce - place in center of premade pizza crust that has been cut into squares (or just smaller pieces...) - top with cheese - fold over and press edges with a fork.
Bake at 425 for 10-13 minutes.

Yummy!
Thanks E-mealz!

Systematic Saturday: Holiday decorations

I am so impressed by people that have decorations for every season - and get them out in a timely fashion.  I probably wouldn't be one to decorate with tons of stuff, but I do like to have a little something out for each season - or holiday, as the case may be.  Downstairs I have a little shelf/cubby thing with Valentines on the top, "spring" on the next shelf, "fall" on the next one, and then Christmas - taking up most of the space, as it probably does at everyone's house. And most of the time, these decorations make it upstairs in time to see their appropriate season.  But sometimes I'm just a little behind...  For fall, I did pretty good on the timing.  My neighbors that are going a little overboard with the decorations (we think they are having a contest...) reminded me that it was time.  


I do have two things that I change out for each season - I have 4 different doormats.  The fall one with leaves just went out.  And a candy dish.  The one for fall is a cute candy corn shaped one!  It's one of my favorites things for this time of year.  And this time of year, I buy one big pumpkin for the front porch.  Inside, I have a beaded metal pumpkin candle holder and a plush Snoopy, who's holding a jack-o-lantern.  But that's about as decorated as we get around here.  With all the leaves that are in the yard, I really don't need any more decorations!  

Thursday/Friday: Three Feats!!!

Combining my Thursday Three with the Friday theme! 

Here are my FEATS for this week! 

1) The bottom of my grocery receipt this morning!  

2) Actually being a little sore from a couple of workouts this week!  

3) Baby eating cereal every day this week, doing it well and enjoying it! 

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

Phrases/thoughts that have crossed my path this week:

- Wherever you go, there you are.

- Things are not going to change while you are on the bathroom floor crying.  But sometimes it does make you feel better.

It's been an interesting and weird week so far...

Tales for Tuesday: In the Mailbox

Today in the mail, we got three things.  One was expected. One was disheartening and confusing. One was totally weird and unexpected.

I got the Inchbug labels that I ordered.  They are these rubberband-like things that go around baby's bottle.  As much as I love my label maker, baby needed something a little cuter for putting her name on her bottle for the church nursery.
And then I got a box from my high school.  That was weird in itself.  Turns out, it was a coffeetable book about the history and growth (from establishment to present day) of my high school.  Weird.  I wouldn't have ever guessed that I would get something like that - especially randomly.
And then we got a letter from the government about our China adoption update.  We have to update our file with the US government every 18 months.  This includes having our fingerprints taken again (why?  fingerprints don't change... AND they are done digitally.)  We sent a request for a renewal and they sent it back to us.  The office has moved several times this year, and this was the NEW location. They were trying to simplify and consolidate.  But I guess this new place doesn't know that.  Because they sent our letter back.  Kind of upsetting, because now we don't know where to send it.  Neither does our social worker.  She's working on it...  The government has confused us all.  [This does not affect our adoption.  But we have to get this renewal in ASAP or it could set us back a little.]

So happy, confused, upset, surprised and worried...  so many emotions to come out of a mailbox.  

Making on... Monday

This weekend I put some baby hats together.  I got the hat & bows on sale! I put a football on the red bow - for my black and red football team!  I also got some little baseballs and put them on the white bow - for the end of baseball season!  This is not the hat pattern that I got a few weeks ago - this was assembly only!

The bows switch out with clips on the same hat.  It was so fast and fun to put together.  I think I'm going to do more!  Maybe make more bows that I can use on hats now and just as hairbows later!  Fun!

Also, it was baby's 5 month birthday this weekend.

5 months on 10-10-10!

So I made this little sign.  I wanted just a small little celebration "something" - so I made this!

Systematic Saturday: Closet Organizing

A few weekends ago - before the stomach bug and our weekend getaway - I organized my closet.  I like to go through it several times a year, especially when the seasons change.  I was also going through it to just organize and streamline a little more, to make getting ready a little easier and faster.  It's also nice to find things that I forgot that I had.
I did some rearranging too - adding a set of drawers to the existing shelving unit.  It freed up lots of hanging space - makes it so much easier to see everything now!
In mid-project, Daniel came in, seeing stuff piled up on the bed.  He asked "You are organizing something, aren't you?"  I asked him whatever gave him that idea...  He said: "You got out of bed today!"

Feats & Fails Friday

Feat:
I started CVS-ing today!  I got $5 in extra card bucks back - so I can start paying in CVS money!  I did have to spend about $15 out of pocket, but it was stuff that I wanted and needed.  I don't think I'm going to go crazy with the weird stuff just to get the "bucks."

Fail:
Tonight's dinner of Totinos pizzas, well the fact that one of them got stuck really bad on the oven rack.  Boo!  They are supposed to be party pizzas, not so much a party tonight.  One of them was pretty bad.  Sad pizza.

Thursday Three: Fall

Fall is here!

1) I can hear the nearby high school band practicing in the afternoon.

2) The leaves are falling in full force - I love hearing the rustle of them under my feet!

3) And one of my favorite things to do this time of year... sunroof open when it's slightly cool, with the heat on - just a little bit!

Wednesday Wares: Storage containers

I found a small set of BPA free plastic storage today.  They are pretty cute AND the lids snap on to the bottom (and to each other).  So healthier and more organized storage!  I'm probably too excited about this...

Tuesday Tales(a day late): Weekend Trip

We went to the Smoky Mt area this weekend.  It was the first trip with the baby - and it went so well!  She is so laid back and adaptable.  I hope that she continues this way, at least for a little while.  And maybe some of that will rub off on me.  The first two days we were there, it was pretty warm still, and the sky was beautiful.  We got a great sunset that first night.  

The next day, the clouds started rolling in.  And the sky was filled with beautiful variations of gray - my favorite!

It rained the third day we were there, but we had planned to stay in the whole day anyway.  It was great to just do nothing and listen to the rain.  It was getting colder by then, too.  Finally it feels like fall!  We loved the change in weather!  And baby finally got to wear some of her cute long sleeve & pants clothes, instead of just onesies!  After most of the rain had passed through, the clouds settled beautifully on the hills.  The changes in weather made our view different the whole time we were there.

After all the rain, the clouds lifted a little to give us this beautiful view of the sunset.  The sky looked like it was on fire - but in a gorgeous way.  The way the trees on the hill were lit up in this window of bright reddish orange was one of the most interesting sunsets I've ever seen.

The sun did come out for our drive home, but it stayed on the cool side.  This was a great "kickoff to fall" weekend.  And a wonderful first vacation for our family of three! 

Thursday Three: Great Days!

1) Today we had our court date to make everything official with the adoption!  Yea!  It was very low key and took about 5 minutes with the judge and our lawyer - including the time for the photo ops with the judge and the flag behind us...  

2) We are going on our trip this weekend - it's going to be great weather and everyone is finally all better!

3) And the weather...it's wonderfully cooler and the leaves are starting to change and fall.  What a great weekend to kick of Autumn! 

Wednesday Wears: Packing

We recently got a new suitcase that we are going to use this weekend!  It will be the first overnight trip with the baby!  I am very excited for many reasons...
• First of all, the suitcase is really cool.  It's made by Eagle Creek - they love lots of pockets and compartments, just like I do!  And it's got a really heavy duty zipper and reinforced corners, which I love, due to what happened to our old suitcase on our trip out west this summer.  Not pretty, hence the new one.
• And the trip itself is very exciting. We are going to a cabin in the mountains - it should be a great time of year for weather and leaves - and a great time to relax...
• After this week of vomiting - the whole house was sick - we are excited about getting away for a while and recuperating.

Tales for Tuesday: Badge #1

As one of my friends put it the other day, I got one of my first mommy badges this week.  I got vomited on - many times.  And I think that I've done about 15 loads of laundry, all sickness related.  But I think that's a low-ball estimate.  Over the weekend, Daniel and I had a stomach bug too. This added to the laundry situation.
After going to the doctor today for the baby, he thinks that she had the bug like we did, but unlike our 36 hours, hers is going to last about 7-10 days.  And on top of that, he thinks that the vomiting triggered acid reflux in her.

And I was thinking as I was looking around the kitchen during this week - trying to find things for me and Daniel to eat after being sick - about the meal plan I had made for the week and the grocery trip that I had just taken.  I saved over $40 this week on groceries, shopping the sales and using coupons.  But saving that money didn't really "save" much this week, since we aren't eating any of the food.  

Monday, oh Monday

Not much of a "making on..." today.  More of an addendum to yesterday.  About 10:30, the horrible virus struck Daniel.  And today, he has been out for the count.  It's been bad around here.  And the baby...  I thought she was doing better - it has gotten much worse.  She is not showing signs of the virus that we had, but something baby-related.  And tomorrow, we have a doctors visit (another one - she went on Saturday).  I am ready to have this behind us.  And have some answers.  And have all three people in this house healthy, happy and eating again!

Blessing & Gratitude: sickness leaving...

My blog for yesterday will just have to wait a week - I was too sick to get near the computer.  Both the baby and I have been vomiting this weekend.  Baby got a head start and started a little during the week.  It has been interesting around here.  Multiple loads of laundry, trying to choke down liquids to avoid dehydration and well, the obvious when tummy pyrotechnics are involved.
I am grateful that the sickness is gone for the most part - I think that baby and I are in the clear.  But Daniel is looking a little green.
I am also so grateful for Daniel - who has been amazing this weekend in caring for all his girls.  Getting me supplies from the grocery store - and bringing me drinks and whatever else I needed.  Taking care of the baby, including getting puked on, a 2 hour visit to the peds office solo, and then also all the daily feeding, changing and putting down baby for naps/bedtime.  And then on top of that, walking the dog and taking care of her (she can be pretty high maintenance sometimes...)  I was out of it - sleeping on the couch most of the time - and everything and everybody was taken care of.

Feats & Fails Friday

Fails: The tummies around our house this week.  The baby - and also mommy & daddy.  The baby was vomiting due to something totally baby-related.  The grownups, however, had some kind of bug that just makes you feel miserable.  I am the last to have the sick, and am still the proud owner of nausea.
However...
Feat: Made it through the first bout with vomit with the baby this week.  And now baby is feeling much better!  Happy day!

Thursday Three: fast version

1) TV premiere week

2) Hogwarts Castle Lego set!

3) Vomited on for the first (and now many) times by the baby.

Wednesday Wares: Monitor

We got a video monitor this week.  It's something that I had kind of wanted, but then kind of didn't.  I was wavering.  But we found a great price online, so I decided - yes, let's get it!
And now that I have it, I can't believe that I didn't want one or get one before now.  But I'm kind of glad that we didn't have one when we first brought baby home.  I don't think that I would have ever slept.  Just having the audio and listening for noises from the baby gave me a freedom to sleep those first few weeks.  But now that rolling is imminent, I like being able to check on her.  And especially during nap times, I don't have to wake her to check and see if the noise that she just made is just talking... or waking.  And today, she is a little sick - some vomiting this morning.  So during this naptime, I can keep an eye on her, without disturbing her rest.  Getting it this week and being able to have it today was PERFECT timing!
It is amazing - that even in a dark room, I can see her.  It's kind of creepy, but in a good way.  It's like night vision goggles on the baby!  It's great to be able to see just for a second, and not have to try to sneak in her room "quietly," which was sometimes done unsuccessfully! And there are no other babies or monitors in use on our street, so we don't have to worry about other babies on this channel, safety or interference.  This new monitor is so fun! Even on a day that really isn't.

Tales for Tuesday: Baby ESP

ESP for me these days means:  Eat Sleep Poop.  

I've heard from everyone - really for all my life - that babies mostly just eat, sleep and poop.  So I entered motherhood thinking this, along with the fact that "when baby cries, meet her need, which is probably one of those three."  Well, it's not a simple as everyone made it sound..
Here in our house at least, usually only ONE of those three are "normal" at a time.  Either she is eating well, but not taking very good naps.  Or she is napping & sleeping to the point that we have to wake her and then not eating much at all, even after crying her "hungry" cry.  When two of the three are not going as well as I would like, I start to worry. 


I'm a worrier by trade - I've always been one to over think, analyze, worry and ask WHY - I don't know if it's really actually true worry, even.  It's more of thinking and talking about something until the situation resolves itself or I come to acceptable conclusion or answer.  And for most things, I've been able to do that.  But with a baby - I've learned that they are one of the mysteries of the universe.  One of my friends has told me that babies will confuse and mystify you - and then once you think you've figured it out, they will have come up with another way to stump you.  So I've got to find a way to accept the daily mystery of BABY.  Maybe I do need the "real" ESP.  


One thing I have found out is that taking care of a baby has more waiting involved than I realized.  Waiting to see if there is a reaction to a new food or new product.  Waiting for the poop to come.  Waiting for the day the next size in clothes and diapers will arrive.  And with the waiting, you always have to be prepared for what you think will come - and what actually comes. And I've only got a 4 month old.  I have so much more to learn - to wait for - to wonder about - to be mystified by!  I do love my little enigma!  

Making on... Monday: nothing!

Well, I didn't really make anything this week - I have ideas, but nothing actually has happened.  I have been cooking more.  The e-mealz is nice to have, so I'm not having to be creative in planning a menu, I just cook it.  And I do enjoy the cooking.  

But I didn't cook anything on Monday!  Dinner brought by a friend that evening and I went out to lunch with my sister-in-law for her birthday!  A day completely out of the kitchen!  

Blessings & Gratitude

• The birdbath outside my window.  I take such pleasure in seeing the birds (and occasional squirrel) just dance around and drink in the water.  I'm not much of a "bird-watcher", but it's so fun to see them play!

• The fact that even if I'm freaking out about something (these days, it's baby stuff), Daniel tried to understand and has great patience with me.

• The music at church today.

• And that the Bucs won today.  2-0 for the season.  Compared to last years 3 win season, this is GREAT!

Systematic Saturday: Kaizen Kitchen

In order to make more room in the kitchen for baby bowls, spoons and cereal that will soon be used (in the next week or so!) I rearranged the kitchen.  Daniel "loves" it when I do this.  And this time, it was a big rearrange.  I moved the cups and bowls into an entirely different cabinet - which makes more sense.  The bowls are now near the cereal and the fridge (ice cream).  And the cups, too, are closer to the fridge - for better beverage-getting.  And now all the plates are together - in the other cabinet.  I did have them arranged by "style" - the blue ones and the white ones (that we use most often) separated.  But after several attempts at putting things here and there, I got it all to FIT (which was hard in itself) and now it makes sense.  Sort of.  Baby has her own shelf now!  

Now to just remember where I put everything.  

Feats & Fails Friday

Feats:
* I wore my new shape-up-like shoes to the mall today - to do a little indoor (cooler) walking and shopping.  They were fun to walk in and I did indeed feel the burn.  AND  I also got the last "pumpkin" hat they had - for baby - one thing that I actually went to get.
* Loved the coupon workshop last night.  I am so excited now about collecting coupons and NOT spending.  It looks like it's going to be fun and take some time to figure out, but well worth it - and fun for me!  And not being there at bedtime was hard, but I made it!


Fail:
* Not sure what happens between 2:15 and 3:15.  That hour flies by in about 10 minutes.
* My new insurance won't cover "maintenance" medication at the "retail" level for more than one refill.  So when I went to get my acid reflux medicine refilled, the very nice pharmacist told me that my insurance required this to be filled ONLY by mail order.  So now my stomach is torn up... and will be that way for about 5-7 business days.

Thursday Three: Busy Day

1) First, we had our second (and last) post-placement visit by our social worker - for the adoption.  It was low key and fast.  We just told her about our routines and how we are doing as a family of three...  We are doing great!!

2) Then baby and I went to Target.  And I got a curtain - unusual that I didn't get more than than, especially with a gift card in hand. I did get a white tank top.  Not very exciting...

3) And tonight, I'm going out with some friends to a couponing workshop.  Sounds exciting?  I am actually really excited about this!  I have my little system, but the world of couponing can be a little tricky.  And now that I'm not working, I want to save a little more.  And doing this kind of keeps my brain exercising - it's kind of fun to try to combine sales and coupons - and needs - to see how much I can save! It will be my first bedtime to not be there with baby.  But daddy will do an excellent job!

Wednesday Wares: Next size & highchair

Our little girl is getting bigger!  Recently, I have been trying on various sizes here and there to see how we were doing.  And today, the majority of the 0-3m onesies are just too short.  And not too roomy.  So I moved them out of the drawer, and started moving in the 3-6m onesies!  At four months she has finally grown out of most of the 0-3 clothes that we have!  But some of those 3-6m things are really roomy around the middle!  

We got the highchair today!  We ordered it online - and I love the design on it, which wasn't available in any stores.  Her pediatrician wants us to start feeding her rice cereal pretty soon.  So I did my research this weekend and found the perfect one!  It actually fits on one of our kitchen chairs - it's really cute and looks good in the kitchen.  We thought this one would be a perfect fit for us!  And baby LOVES it already.  No feeding in in yet, but we sat her in it, just to try it out, and she smiled SO BIG!  I think she's going to love the rice cereal too!