Teatopia

Merry Belated Christmas!

The good news is, our Christmas was good for most of the day. I finally started feeling better after getting some antibiotics on Saturday, but then Olivia got sick Christmas afternoon and threw up all over her Santa outfit before she could even show it off. Luckily, she hasn't thrown up again, but she has a fever and bumps everywhere. I thought it might be hand, foot, & mouth disease, and the doctor confirmed it today. She has blistery bumps all over her lips, hands, feet, and behind. They aren't seeming to bother her, but she's fussy and I'm praying she doesn't get any blisters inside her mouth, which would make it hard for her to eat and drink. I don't know where in the world she picked it up. I'm always soooo OCD about cleaning things and wiping shopping carts and changing tables with anti-bacterial wipes, but that just shows me that I can't protect her from everything.

We had a fabulous Christmas. Olivia really understood it this year. It was so exciting to watch her run into the living room and see her gifts, yelling "Santa toys, mama!" Santa was good to all of us this year, even though James and I cut back on the spending for each other this year. I gots some great books and DVD's, among other things. James also got me some rare Starbucks memorabelia, which he knew I'd love. I'm such a dork. :-)

James took this Christmas morning before Olivia and I woke up. You can see the Rose Cottage we bought for Olivia. We probably should move to a bigger house just so there's more room for this thing. It conveniently folds up though and we just stick it in the corner.

While James was taking picture, me, my double chin, and Olivia were still sleeping.

top row: My pretty sister, my grandma eating a cookie*, Olivia admiring all her gifts
middle row: Olivia in awe, my blossoming belly, Olivia playing with her new doll at my parents'
bottomw row: my sister's bf drinking coffee while wearing "Billy Bob" teeth (hilarious!!), my awesome dad, Olivia in her Santa outfit before she threw up

*I believe this picture must be explained. My sister and I baked Christmas cookies-- very tasteful, appropriate cookies, but we realized that the dog bone shaped cutter we used looked quite, uh, funny, so my sister broke of part of it and turned it into something not-so-appropriate. Interestingly, although I have a religious family, they are hilarious, so we gave the cookie to my grandma to eat. At first she didn't get it, but when she saw it, she had a good laugh and played along. Funny! Hard to believe it all started with a perfectly innocent dog bone shaped cookie cutter.

Ok, I think I'll leave you with that. I do have something personal I want to talk to you all about soon. Probably in the next few days when Olivia is feeling better.

Merry Belated Christmas!

The good news is, our Christmas was good for most of the day. I finally started feeling better after getting some antibiotics on Saturday, but then Olivia got sick Christmas afternoon and threw up all over her Santa outfit before she could even show it off. Luckily, she hasn't thrown up again, but she has a fever and bumps everywhere. I thought it might be hand, foot, & mouth disease, and the doctor confirmed it today. She has blistery bumps all over her lips, hands, feet, and behind. They aren't seeming to bother her, but she's fussy and I'm praying she doesn't get any blisters inside her mouth, which would make it hard for her to eat and drink. I don't know where in the world she picked it up. I'm always soooo OCD about cleaning things and wiping shopping carts and changing tables with anti-bacterial wipes, but that just shows me that I can't protect her from everything.

We had a fabulous Christmas. Olivia really understood it this year. It was so exciting to watch her run into the living room and see her gifts, yelling "Santa toys, mama!" Santa was good to all of us this year, even though James and I cut back on the spending for each other this year. I gots some great books and DVD's, among other things. James also got me some rare Starbucks memorabelia, which he knew I'd love. I'm such a dork. :-)

James took this Christmas morning before Olivia and I woke up. You can see the Rose Cottage we bought for Olivia. We probably should move to a bigger house just so there's more room for this thing. It conveniently folds up though and we just stick it in the corner.

While James was taking picture, me, my double chin, and Olivia were still sleeping.

top row: My pretty sister, my grandma eating a cookie*, Olivia admiring all her gifts
middle row: Olivia in awe, my blossoming belly, Olivia playing with her new doll at my parents'
bottomw row: my sister's bf drinking coffee while wearing "Billy Bob" teeth (hilarious!!), my awesome dad, Olivia in her Santa outfit before she threw up

*I believe this picture must be explained. My sister and I baked Christmas cookies-- very tasteful, appropriate cookies, but we realized that the dog bone shaped cutter we used looked quite, uh, funny, so my sister broke of part of it and turned it into something not-so-appropriate. Interestingly, although I have a religious family, they are hilarious, so we gave the cookie to my grandma to eat. At first she didn't get it, but when she saw it, she had a good laugh and played along. Funny! Hard to believe it all started with a perfectly innocent dog bone shaped cookie cutter.

Ok, I think I'll leave you with that. I do have something personal I want to talk to you all about soon. Probably in the next few days when Olivia is feeling better.

Pictures, pictures!

First, belly pics as promised, though they're a bit late. I don't think I'm as big as I look. Some of it's bloating, but I do think some of it's baby as well.

Last night, we took Olivia to Aflac (where James works as an engineer) for a "lighting of the tree" celebration. The Aflac daycare kids performed (precious!) and a choir sang, and they served cookies and drinks. The best part was Santa being there. James didn't even tell me about the festivities until yesterday afternoon, so I hurried to wash Olivia's new Christmas outfit and change out of my sweats. I told her we were going to see Santa, who she hasn't stopped talking about since seeing him weeks ago.

Before we left, I snapped some quick pictures. She used to smile as soon as she saw the camera, but lately, when I say "smile Olivia!" this is what I get:

All the way there in the car, she talked about Santa.

"Santa hat. Santa beard. Santa buckle on belt. Kiss and hug Santa."

Then she sang Christmas carols, which I have yet to catch successfully on video.

"Frosty O-man. Happy. Frosty nose. Dooo-dooo-dooooooo! Eeeeee-bells! Eeeee-bells!" It's the funniest thing. She sings bits and pieces of songs she remembers.

The event at Aflac wasn't as thrilling as I hoped. It turned out to be not just an Aflac employees event, but a community thing, probably because of the free food. It was too crowded and there were some rednecks there who didn't have enough sense or consideration to be quiet while the kids perfomed and the choir sang. And please don't think I'm mean for calling someone a redneck. I love our Southern town, but some people really are rednecks. They might be nice people (I have some rednecks in my family), but they sure as hell can't keep quiet when it's appropriate.

We did get to greet Santa up close in spite of all the people, but Olivia chickened out again. She talks about Santa all the time, but the two times she's seen him, she's been scared. I'm not sure if we'll be getting pictures taken with Santa this year or not. Last year, I didn't even give anyone a picture of her with Santa because I had to hold her in the picture, and I looked so awful and fat that I hid them in a drawer.

Today, I have to pick up our poodle from the groomers, do major grocery shopping (it's pay day!) and run a few errands. Then tonight, the baby in my tummy is telling me it wants pizza, so I'll probably feed the baby what it wants. :-)

Our very unhappy Thanksgiving

Well, this Thanksgiving turned out to be the worst EVER. Some of this might be TMI, so I thought I'd hide the entry just in case...

James ended up staying home because he felt nauseous, but I went anyway with Olivia. When I got to the dinner, one look at the food told me I was getting something, too. It didn't feel like pregnancy-related nausea either. My mom drove me and Olivia home, and at one point, I yelled for her to pull over and I puked my guts out. When I got home, James was laying in bed with a bucket next to him. My mom decided to stay and keep Olivia, and thank goodness because I continued to heave over and over again.

At one point, as I was laying down to rest, I felt my pants get wet and saw blood soaking through my PJ pants. It felt like a nightmare. I kept thinking, I'm going to wake up any second now. I ran to the bathroom where I bled a lot more in the toilet and I passed a clot. At this point, I was sure I was miscarrying and I was hysterical. I know I freaked Olivia out, who started crying with me. James called the doctor on call for my OBGYN, and he had a different theory. He asked me many questions: had I been heaving hard? (yes) Had we recently seen the baby alive on ultrasound? (yes) etc. He said he thought that since I wasn't cramping, maybe I had burst a blood vessel in my cervix from straining and heaving. James, who was sick as a dog and throwing up constantly, ran out to the drugstore to get me some Phenergan (an anti-nausea suppositiry) to stop the vomiting, but it didn't help. I continued to throw up, and everytime I bled more. Then, the vomiting stopped and the bleeding did too. I've never had menstrual cramping, and no bleeding today. I think the doctor was right, but I have been instructed to rest and go to the hospital if symptoms continue. My sister, thank goodness, is a L&D nurse with much gyno experience, and she said she agrees with his theory, but that I should avoid strenuous activity and lifting. I see the doctor next Thursday, but I'm going to call Monday to see my own OBGYN and check things out. Although I'm confident it's not a miscarriage, I want to hear that heartbeat for peace of mind.

I'm still shaken up. I think that was the scariest moment of my life yet seeing that blood soaking through. All I could think was, I wish I hadn't already seen it waving its little arms on the ultrasound. I think things will be ok, but I'm taking it easy. Please keep me in your prayers. I'll update you as necessary.

Our very unhappy Thanksgiving

Well, this Thanksgiving turned out to be the worst EVER. Some of this might be TMI, so I thought I'd hide the entry just in case...

James ended up staying home because he felt nauseous, but I went anyway with Olivia. When I got to the dinner, one look at the food told me I was getting something, too. It didn't feel like pregnancy-related nausea either. My mom drove me and Olivia home, and at one point, I yelled for her to pull over and I puked my guts out. When I got home, James was laying in bed with a bucket next to him. My mom decided to stay and keep Olivia, and thank goodness because I continued to heave over and over again.

At one point, as I was laying down to rest, I felt my pants get wet and saw blood soaking through my PJ pants. It felt like a nightmare. I kept thinking, I'm going to wake up any second now. I ran to the bathroom where I bled a lot more in the toilet and I passed a clot. At this point, I was sure I was miscarrying and I was hysterical. I know I freaked Olivia out, who started crying with me. James called the doctor on call for my OBGYN, and he had a different theory. He asked me many questions: had I been heaving hard? (yes) Had we recently seen the baby alive on ultrasound? (yes) etc. He said he thought that since I wasn't cramping, maybe I had burst a blood vessel in my cervix from straining and heaving. James, who was sick as a dog and throwing up constantly, ran out to the drugstore to get me some Phenergan (an anti-nausea suppositiry) to stop the vomiting, but it didn't help. I continued to throw up, and everytime I bled more. Then, the vomiting stopped and the bleeding did too. I've never had menstrual cramping, and no bleeding today. I think the doctor was right, but I have been instructed to rest and go to the hospital if symptoms continue. My sister, thank goodness, is a L&D nurse with much gyno experience, and she said she agrees with his theory, but that I should avoid strenuous activity and lifting. I see the doctor next Thursday, but I'm going to call Monday to see my own OBGYN and check things out. Although I'm confident it's not a miscarriage, I want to hear that heartbeat for peace of mind.

I'm still shaken up. I think that was the scariest moment of my life yet seeing that blood soaking through. All I could think was, I wish I hadn't already seen it waving its little arms on the ultrasound. I think things will be ok, but I'm taking it easy. Please keep me in your prayers. I'll update you as necessary.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy some good food with your family and friends! I baked a cheesey squash casserole and a pumpkin cream cheese roll, and we are headed to my grandmother's house. Sadly, James and Olivia aren't feeling too good, but hopefully some good food will pick them up a bit!

I love Thanksgiving because it reminds me how blessed I am. I am so thankful for my family and friends, especially my daughter and the little one in my belly. I'm also thankful for all of you who I'm so fortunate to know.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Marital Dischord: who says a toddler can't have a gazillion Christmas gifts?

Apprently, James and I have different ideas about how many presents a toddler needs for Christmas. Case in point: the other day I came home from Toys 'R Us with about $50 worth of toys for Olivia and James quite seriously asked me if I was done shopping for her. Now, the toys were worth nearly $100 because I got some great sales and used coupons, but even so, I was far from done at that point. If I'm not mistaken, his wish list definitely totals more than $50, and we should spend more on Olivia than each other.

He doesn't think a toddler needs many gifts because he says she won't understand. I beg to differ. Yesterday, when Olivia woke up, she ran right into the living room and asked excitedly, "Santa do toys?" and I told her "no, not yet." (We've been reading "The Night Before Christmas" with my own explanations of Santa) Then last night, she met Santa in person at the grocery store, and she hasn't stopped talking about him. She keeps telling me, "Santa has hat and belt. Santa has eyes and beard. Santa has fanny." That's my favorite. She's told me a few times that Santa has a fanny. "Yes, he does." I told her, because he indeed does, but I can't figure out why she chose that feature. Although we are talking about the same child who's been putting balls in her shirt and telling me "boofs!" which is what she calls my boobs.

Anyway, I think I've been quite clever picking out toys for Olivia. She's obsessed with facial features and pointing out parts of the body, so I got he a Mr. Potato Head. I know she'll LOVE it. I also got her a baby doll and a bathtub and stroller for it. I also bought her a carrier to wear the baby on her chest. I figure she'll want to be like me when I have the little peanut in a sling. I also got her some puzzles and books. And just to show James just how not done I am, I am going tomorrow to buy Olivia a Rose Cottage. Have you seen this thing? I saw it in a catalogue, and then I was watching "John & Kate Plus 8" and the kids had one. It's awesome. It's like a real house. I don't know where we'll put the thing, but I'll think of something. This is what it looks like if you haven't seen it.

Obviously, no one NEEDS a ton of gifts. We're obviously not rich, but I've been writing these stupid paid posts to get extra Christmas money, and by golly* I'm gonna spend it! :-)

*I can't believe I actually used the words "by golly." I sound like my grandmother.

Possibly the best Saturday EVER!!!

On Saturday, I FINALLY used a gift certificate I received last Christmas to get a massage at a place called Heavenly Hands. My grandma had heard about the magic this woman works, so she got everyone in the family a gift certificate for a one hour full body massage. She's been bugging me to use it, and I'm sooooo glad I waited until now because I have never needed it more. My back pain has been almost intolerable. I forgot to mention that the results of the discogram I had showed an anular tear, which means the fluid in the center of my discs is leaking out into my back, causing me great pain, so you can imagine how great the massage felt! Her hands were like magic. After the massage, she asked me if I had been in an accident, and when I said yes, she told me that she hoped I had gotten some good money out of it because she could tell the extent of the damage just from that one hour. We haven't settled yet, so I could use your prayers about the whole settlement mess, which will be over by Febuary, exactly 2 years after the accident.

My mom has her massage right after mine, and then we had lunch at a local favorite around here, Country's. Later, my parents took Olivia out to eat and back to their house while James and I went to our first movie in a year. We saw Rendition, which was quite good!

It was a great day! I can tell you one thing, I will definitely be treating myself to more massages. I am in so much pain from the accident, and I am constantly carrying a toddler and lugging around a huge diaper bag (I seriously have everything but the kitchen sink in there and I can't seem to do without anything). I just want to treat myself while I'm pregnant. Although I don't feel as sick, I can already tell that my back is going to be an issue, so I want to take care of myself.

My fingers are so completely swollen. I had to take my rings off a couple weeks ago. Is it possible to be swollen this soon? I haven't had my first appt yet, but I hate to call just to ask about my fingers. I doubt I'll hear the heart beat at my first appt. I'll be 9 weeks, so I think that's too soon. I guess I'll hear it at the next one.

I am so curious as to what this one is. If it's a girl, I think I'll be relieved because I already have one and I have all the stuff. If it's a boy, there will be a moment of "oh crap! What do I do with a boy? What do I do with his penis while I change his diaper????" and then I think I'll feel excited because I'll be experiencing something different. We don't really know what we'll name either one, but it's already fun to talk about it. We don't agree on anything this time, so hopefully, when it gets closer, James will give in. :-)

Just had to share: Olivia is saying sentences all the time now. The other day, the check-out lady asked me how old she was, and I said, "18 months." She said, "What? 18 months? I just heard her say a whole sentence! She's amazing!" and I felt sooooo happy! :-) She asks questions, sings songs (not the whole song of course) and answers me in 4 words sometimes. She's great with pronouns too. She referred to my sister's bf as "him" and she differentiates between "that" and "those". I love this age!

When my money from Payperpost comes in, I am soooo buying these Robeez!!!

update in pictures and how I told James I was pregnant!

Well, the cravings have begun. I can't stop thinking about food. I'm almost hoping I'll get nauseous just so I'll stop eating. It might be the only thing that keeps me from gaining 25 pounds in the first trimester! Yesterday, I wanted Mexican food so bad, but my car was in the shop getting 2 flat tires fixed (must've run over something). I kept trying to think of a Mexican restaurant that delivered, but there aren't any, so as soon as I got my car back at 3:00, I went right out to a Mexican restaurant with Olivia. :-)

My boobs are really, really sore and nursing has become unpleasant. I'm hoping Olivia will wean herself. I get teary eyed just thinking about it, but we've gone 18 months, and it's probably time. If my boobs stop hurting though and she's still going, I guess I'll cross that bridge then. She nurses so little that I guess I could nurse two...

I told you I'd show you the Christmas outfit I bought Olivia. It's one of the most expensive things I've bought. I always buy her nice clothes, but I don't throw money around. I have a friend whose daughter is always dressed to the nines. I don't think I've seen her in something that didn't cost $50, seriously. Everything is embroidered, hand smocked, and from one of the few pricey boutiques. Olivia has some things like that, but I'm choosey and I look for sales. Anyway, here's her Christmas outfit. I definitely want to get her Christmas potraits done in it!

I had Christmas diapers made, too. They just got here the other day. I wanted them now because in a couple weeks, we're going to our annual Christmas craft fair and I wanted her to be able to wear them.

I have some Olivia pictures too. I can't believe my daughter is 18 months old. There's nothing that makes your life fly by faster than having children. Suddenly, life just speeds up!

Look at these curls! I could play with her hair all day, seriously.

Can you see the lemon? I can't believe how much she likes them. She makes faces, but she always wants more. Oh, and see the boo-boo under her eye? It actually looks much worse in person. She fell off a chair and hit her face. :-( I'm having a hard time accepting that getting hurt is part of being a kid.

Here she is in James's old (but clean) painting shirt. She pulled it out of the laudry basket and cried until we put it on her. Then she wouldn't take it off.

She was so tired and needed to go to bed, but she still wouldn't let us take it off. If we got near her, she'd yell, "No! Shirt!"

This is the shirt I bought for Olivia to wear the day I found out I was pregnant. I never really blogged about how I told James. He had no idea I was going to test because I wanted to surprise him. I went out and bought this shirt, and when he got home, I waited for him to look at the shirt. Olivia kept pointing to her shirt and telling James that she had a bow on her shirt, and he told her it was cute, but he never read it. I kept waiting and waiting and I was getting really impatient. I even asked him if he looked closely at her shirt and he told me he had. LIAR! :-) Finally, he asked me when I thought I'd test, and I said, "Oh, I don't know. Hey, have you looked at her shirt?" and again, he said he had. Finally, I yelled at him, "READ THE DAMN SHIRT!" :-) And he did, but he didn't get it. ??????!!!!!????? He asked me why Olivia was wearing a "big sister" shirt if I hadn't even tested yet. I asked him why I'd put the shirt on her if I wasn't sure? He said, "well you said you hadn't tested" and I explained that I was putting him off because I wanted him to read the shirt. We both ended up laughing and hugging when he finally put it all together!!

That evening, my parents were coming by, and James said he didn't think they'd get it either. I told him I KNEW they would, and sure enough, they noticed right away. James is just dense I guess. LOL!

Anyway, I'm still not sure if it's hit me. For a few days I thought it had, but now I'm not so sure. I don't feel that differently, and my mind is so consumed with thoughts of Olivia-- her constant chattering (she even asks me questions now), and her climbing, and "re-organizing" of everything in the house. I'm too busy to think about being pregnant! I sometimes wonder how I'll handle 2 of them, but I'm 100% busy now, so I guess it can't get that much harder.

Well, I'm off to make dinner. We're going on a walk after dinner to enjoy this cool air for as long as it lasts. Tomorrow, we're going to a fall festival in the mountains!

Fall and Olivia's Halloween Costume!

I love fall. It used to be my least favoite season as a kid. Fall meant the end of summer, which wasn't so hot back in Maryland so it was more enjoyable. Fall also meant going back to school, having to buy new clothes (I HATED trying on clothes as a kid). Fall was the bridge between my two favorite seasons and I couldn't wait for it to be over so we could have winter and play in the snow.

Well, now I live in unbearably hot Georgia where I'm eager to kiss summer goodbye! Winter doesn't really feel like winter so there isn't anything much special about it except for Chirstmas. I feel like since I reached adulthood, I've really started to love the fall. I love the relief it brings from the summer heat, but also, I love the smell of leaves, apples, ginger, and all things pumpkin.

I'm also excited because I just bought Olivia's Halloween costume! She's going to be a fairy. I initially had decided she'd be a lamb, but I think realistically she needs to be something that will still be apparent even without the hat which she undoubtedly will refuse to wear. So, a fairy it is.

Last year she was a pea in a pod, but that didn't go so well. She didn't like being so constricted in her little pod!

Any thoughts what your children will be for Halloween this year?

4th of July fun!

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! We had a cookout at my parents' new gorgeous house. We took Olivia down to the horse farm next door, and Olivia said "horsey", which sounded like "horshey". So cute! We were getting eaten alive though, so we didn't stay long. Does anyone know if it's safe to but insect repellent on a baby? Hmmm....something to ask her doc next time.

I also made Olivia's great great grandmother's blackberry dumplings. She gave us the recipe when we visited a few weeks back. They turned out so yummy, and they were easy to make. I can't wait to try the recipe again. I may even use another type of berry, although I can't imagine anything else being as yummy as the blackberries were.

I don't have an exact recipe. It's one of those family recipes that she has made for so long that she does it by feel, so you'd have to play around with it. Here's what I did:

Bring the following to a boil:
1 qt. blackberries
2-3 cups of water (it's up to you)
sugar to taste

In the meantime, make the dough for the dumplings:
mix bisquick and water until you have a thick consistency.

When you've got a rolling boil, add the dough in spoonfuls and let it boil. You can tell when they're cooked, but if you're not sure, spoon one out and cut it open to make sure the inside is cooked. These are so awesome. We had ice cream with it, but I'm sure pouring heavy cream on top (my fav when I was in England) would be amazing too!

We've laid low the last few days. I've been really tired, and afternoon showers have made the humidity even worse than usual, which makes it intolerable. Olivia and I have spent a lot of time playing and learning new words: chapstick (she shocked me with this one!), peach (peesh), water (wah-wuh), and glasses (all of a sudden, they aren't "eyes" anymore).

Can I just say again how much I love being a Mommy!?! Olivia is so funny. She makes me burst out laughing several times a day. The other day, while I was cooking, she sat down on a watermelon in our kitchen and just stayed there. She knew it was funny because she giggled the whole time. I always have watermelon and I leave them out on the floor because Olivia thinks they're balls and she rolls them around, yelling "ball." I guess she thinks they're great seats, too!

This is random, but if you drink coffee, you've got to try this creamer! I LOVE coffee, but I try to limit how much I drink (I should be drinking tea! I'm teatopia!) This stuff is so good, and cheaper than St@rbucks for sure.

This afternoon, we're going to head out to go shopping with my mom. I just hope the rain doesn't start until I'm back. It's such a pain to get a baby in and out of a stroller and car in the rain! I love the rain when I'm home. I like to open the front door and watch through the glass storm door. Gone are the days when I'd curl up with a book, but I'm trying to make more time to read. I took GFF's recommendation and picked up "The Red Tent" and I really like it. Makes me feel better to read about women who nursed toddlers. LOL!

Tomorrow, I'm planning on making a South African dessert that I LOVE, malva pudding (which in the British tradition is really a cake and not a pudding as we'd think of one). Sara and I e-mailed back and forth about it. I never could remember the name of it, and she e-mailed me about it and I was able to look up the recipe. Thanks, Sara!

Our somewhat sucky V. Day

Sorry, there won't be any pictures of Olivia in her dress. You'll just have to take my word for it that she was adorable. She even had red and pink heart tights to match! Actually, the reason we don't have pictures was the start of the sucky part of my Valentine's Day. Note to single friends: just because you are married/have a boyfriend does not mean Valentines Day=wonderfully romantic night.

We had a nice dinner-- waited forever for a table-- but it was nice. James took me to Starbucks after, which of course makes any night wonderful, and when we got home, we were already to take pictures of Olivia, but we smelled something stinky. James took her to the changing table to change her, saying that she must have farted because there was nothing in her diaper. He wiped her off and got another diaper, but when he pulled off the old one, poop flew all over the place. I guess it was just far up the back of her. So, we're trying to clean up, and she pees everywhere, as in all over the dress. So he put her in the tub, and I'm trying to clean up the pea. She saw me come into the bathroom to wet a rag, and she began screaming "mama! mama!" from the tub. James immediately wants me to take over. I said, "no, I'm cleaning" and he got mad and told me I was lazy and not thinking of her! Me, lazy? No sir! I get up with her a gazillion times a night and rarely complain, I still nurse her a lot, I make homemade Organic baby food, take her playgroups, for walks, etc. Lazy? Don't think so. Oh, and I clean better, which is why I wanted to be the one to sanitize where the pee and poop went.

Later, he explained that he thought if I should've taken over to make her feel better, but I explained that I can't come every.single.time. He is her other--and very capable-- parent and I was in the middle of something. Besides, it wouldn't have helped anyway because she didn't want me, she wanted out of the tub. She does this about once a week when she's tired. She cries and cries in the tub (even when I'm the one bathing her) because she wants to crawl around instead of sit in a tub. But he didn't think that's what she wanted, and I thought I was right because I always am. I'm the mommy. I know all. Kidding, but I know it wouldn't have helped for me to come over there, because she'd just scream for me to pick her up.

What ensued was a ridiculous arguement that probably could've been used for a comedy act script. We finally made up around 4:00 when I got up to nurse the baby and he reached over and started rubbing my back while I nursed in our bed.

Me: Um, what are you doing???

Him: Rubbing your back.

Me: Why? You think I'm lazy and a terrible mother. Don't touch me until we talk about it and you're sorry!

So we talked about it, he apologized, and things returned to normal.

Still, V. day was kind of sucky. No sex, no eating the strawberries and drinking white wine I bought, no opening presents (that happened today). Sucky sucky.

Oh well. Life goes on. We were overdue for a fight.

Anyway, Grey's comes on soon. Yahooooooooo! Should be interesting. I wish I'd finished Season 2 though. I'm about halfway through. I'm at the part where McDreamy got back together with his wife and I'm DYING to know when/how they broke up and when he and Meredith got back together!!! Just tell me this, did it happen last season or this season? Because if it was this season and I missed it, DAMN!

Anyone think McSteamy looks a bit like Leonardo DiCaprio?

Oh, and this morning, I get this text msg from my friend B:

"I wanted to send you something hot and sexy, but I couldn't fit in your mailbox."

He's way too much. At least a man said something sexy to me for Valentine's Day, even if he is gay!

Nighty night!

Happy Valentine's Day

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day! Doesn't matter if you're part of a twosome, tell someone you love them!!!!!

James and I are going out to dinner tonight. I'm about to go change and put Olivia's dress on her. We're taking my grandma out too, and James said how lucky he is to have 3 dates! :-) I'm not sure what we got each other. James came home with 2 shopping bags a few days ago, explaining that one was my gift and the other was his from me. He's never done that before, but it sure made my job easier! Off to go look at it and wrap it!

Pictures later of Olivia in her V. day dress and her new heart tights!

Changes in '07

I always thought I'd feel such relief NOT having to return to work after nice weekends, long holidays, etc. Instead, I always feel kind of sad because I'm being left behind while everyone else returns to a routine. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my "job" for anything, but it's always whistful not having James at home, or getting together with my family. I know it's even harder for them though.

It seems surreal that 2007 is here. The year of my daughter's birth is now behind us, making it seem as if life is just flying by. Weird.

I used to always make New Year's Resolutions, but in some ways, they're silly. It seems as if people seldom follow them. They're more like intentions really. So, here are my hopes, my intentions for the new year:

-- take more time for me. I need it, desperately.

-- Lose weight. I'd like to be in a single-digit size. It's do-able, but I'll have to work at it, which means making time to exerise.

-- Be more social. I'd like to make more friends, invite more couples over. Sometimes I feel lonely.

Someone I was best friends with in Maryland e-mailed me and told me she's pregnant. I'm excited for her, but it also made me sad that I'm not there to plan and shop with her. We've kind of lost touch, but I know if we saw each other, it'd be like old times. It just made me sad that someone I was so close to is going through something so big and I'm not there to share it with her. I think these feelings come from the fact that I felt so alone during my pregnancy. Many of my friends complained that "things would change" once Olivia arrived, which only made me feel more desperate for friends to share it with. It's not that I blamed them. I know it would've been weird for me to have a close pregnant friend when I so wasn't there myself, but I desperately wanted a friend to share it with who knew what I was going through, who was there/had been there themself. It's further proof how lonely I have felt during significant moments in my life since I moved here. I've written about it before.

I totally didn't mean for this to end on a negative note. I guess in this new year, I'm hoping to develop more of a social circle. I always had tons of friends in school, and in college. Ever since I've moved here, I just haven't really developed close, close relationships. Hope that'll change in '07.

Memories of 2006

Head on over to Mommy Musings and tell me what your most precious 2006 memory is!

Christmas 2006

Our first Christmas as a family of 3 was wonderful! It's been a busy last few days.

We had dinner on Christmas Eve at my grandmother's (dad's mom) house where we exchanged gifts and my aunt made Zuppa Toscana (the awesome soup from Olive Garden). She got the recipe from someone who used to work there. Then, we went to my mom's for a Christmas Eve party. We usually have a ton of food, but we ate lightly considering we'd just had dinner!

Olivia was dressed in a Christmasy outfit, but she promptly pooped when we arrived at my grandmother's, and she was so wiggly that it got on her clothes when we changed her.

Back at my parents':

clapping for her great-grandma (the one I always talk about)

After we ate (again), we sang Christmas carols, and Olivia clapped her hands and danced! Oh, and in other music news, Grammie the music teacher (my mom) has Olivia matching pitches. My mom sings "laaaaa" and Olivia sings "laaaaa" back at the same pitch. My sister and I started doing it at this age, so Olivia's right on target!

We woke up Christmas morning . . .

Olivia was more interested in the wrapping paper and bows initially, but she's had a blast playing with all her new toys.

Santa was good to us all this year. I got several books I wanted: Mothering Your Nursing Toddler (I think I'm going to nurse past a year, just not sure how long), Slow Cooker Precipes, an Organic cookbook, and a few novels, a new cell phone, some gift cards to various coffee shops, snack bars for nursing moms to keep in the diaper bag (those were in my stocking), a gift certificate for a massage from my grandma, clothes, bath goodies, etc.

I still have a ton of food pics to post, but Olivia just woke up, so they'll have to wait!

Track Santa!

This is the neatest thing! You can see where Santa has been so far on this website. What a cute idea for kids!

Just got back from dinner at my grandmother's (dad's mom) and we're about to have a small party at my parents' (with mom's mom). I spent the afternoon baking peanut butter filled peanut butter cookies for my dad. I give him some every Christmas. Now I'm off to eat again. :-)

Hope everyone is having a good night! :-)

It's Christmas Eve!

This morning at church, I was particularly emotional as we sang Christmas carols. I kept looking over at my daughter as she danced to all the songs. I felt so incredibly blessed. This is the best Christmas ever!

Merry Christmas Eve, my dear friends!

P.S. My mastitis is so much better after starting antibiotics yesterday!

Christmas Card Swapping

I plan to post pictures later of my hot self at the party, but in the meantime, while I have a few minutes (James took Olivia Christmas shopping-- I am alone in the house for the first time since April), does anyone want to swap Christmas cards? I wrote a cheesey Christmas letter and I'm using that picture of Olivia by the tree to go with it.

I am sending mostly to family, but if there's anyone who wanted to swap cards, let me know. I'm already sending one to Lisanne because she always sends me cards. :-) BTW, I love getting international cards, and I may not get any this year. V. depressing!

On the eve of Thanksgiving

I have so much to be thankful for this year.

Trick-or-Treat!!!

This is what I'll remember from Olivia's first Halloween: great food, lots of kids WAY too old to Trick-or-Treat who didn't even dress up (my grandma gave these kids the candy that had melted in her car! HA!), and how my little pea did NOT want to be in her pod! I figured she'd be right at home as a "pea in the pod" since she loves peas so much, but apparently not! Everytime a baby came to the door looking adorable in his/her costume, I felt the need to explain why my little pumpkin was wearing pink pajamas. I kept saying, "she was dressed up too, but she fussed until we took it off!" My stubborn little girl. She knows her mind. Wonder where she gets that from? :-)

Here are some pictures from tonight:

Olivia and her mommy:

Olivia and her Grammie (doesn't my mom look great for 51?):

After she'd had enough of being paraded around:

Gooey caramel popcorn balls:

Pumpkin Cream Cheese dip:

And from yesterday, after going to the pumpkin patch-- Olivia the sock snatcher trying to steal MF's baby's sock!

Boo! (and some gossip)

I am officially in Halloween mode!

Tomorrow night we're staying in and handing out candy. My mom, sis, and grandma are coming over and I'm making lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and gooey caramel popcorn balls for dessert. My dad is in Florida because his best friend is having surgery tomorrow after being diagnosed with cancer. Anyway, tonight I used my juicer to make homemade apple cider (I used a ton of apples just to get enough for the 5 of us!) which I'm going to simmer on the stove tomorrow with mulling spices. My house is going to smell *amazing!*

I think we're all going to dress up, but Olivia will definitely be the cutest. Can't wait to take pictures!

Today, Mary Ann and I spent a lovely (but too hot) afternoon at the pumpkin patch. I got some cute pictures I'll post with Olivia's other Halloween pictures.

Tonight, we ate dinner with my family at Red Lobster (their treat!) and then I headed over to Target to buy some Halloween plates while James picked something up at work. I'm about to get started on the popcorn balls soon!

Ok, and now for the gossip. My friends are interesting . . .

friend #1: my friend B moved in with his boyfriend of like a month today, leaving a note for his current roommate while he was at work. He cleaned out ALL his stuff and left with NO notice. Not cool. And I can promise you if he and his man break-up, he'll be at my door after Rebecca turns him away. She tried to talk some sense into him, but he's in love. He's thinking with something else right now, I'm afraid.

friend #2: she's in a not-so-good marriage, and has gone back and forth about leaving him . . . anyway, now she's gone off her birth control pills in the hopes of getting pregnant and her hubby is none the wiser. I'm worried for her . . .

Happy Memorial Day

Hope you all are enjoying your 3 day weekend! We sure are! My aunt and uncle are visiting from Colorado and we've been enjoying spending time with them.

Saturday, my grandma took the girls for tea about an hour away! My mom, sister, grandma, aunt, daughter (wow! that's sounds weird!), and I had a lovely time, even though Olivia fussed. The owner of the shop said she'd be happy to hold her so I could enjoy my tea, but I was afraid she'd spit up on her, and I told her so.

Yesterday, James and I went shopping at Target and just couldn't leave without spending $125 on baby girl. We bought her some new pionk pacifiers that say "I Love Mommy" (as if she needed any more of them), a drying rack/organizer for bottles and my breast pump, a Diaper Genie (we weren't going to use one, but changed our minds), some toys, etc.

Today is my sister's birthday, so we're going to a Hibachi restaurant tonight. Yum! I'd tell you to go by her blog and leave her b-day wishes, but she never posts anymore. Bah!

I'm thinking I may write a book titled something along the lines of: The Mommy Diaries: Adventures in Poop. Just a helpful hint, do NOT, under any circumstances, change your baby in a Target dressing room (or any dressing room). I went in one to nurse her, which was simple, until I had the brilliant idea of changing her in there. There was only pee in there-- at least until I took off her diaper and she decided to squirt poop 2 feet away into my purse, on the side of her diaper bag (it's so dirty, I already need a new one), and all over the dressing room. The best part was that she was pushing and tooting so loudly I was scared to come out. Only people with children would believe that a small, baby girl could let one that big!

I'll leave you with some new pictures of our precious Olivia, nicknamed the Tudor Princess (really meaning tooter) by my grandma. :-)

Happy Blogiversary to me!

I've been so busy with baby girl that I missed my blog's 2nd birthday yesterday!

The last year has been wonderful-- by far the best year of my life. Two dreams came true in the last year: going to South Africa and giving birth to my precious daughter.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, everyone! I'm sorry my mommy didn't post this sooner but she was too busy feeding, changing, and loving me. :-)

New Year's Yummies

Last night we went over to my parents' house for a great spread and a movie (The Exorcism of Emily Rose-- no less scary the 2nd time around). My mom made fondue: Swiss cheese and chocolate with some yummy things for dipping: bananas, apples, french bread, marshmallows, sour cream pound cake, etc. I made shrimp scampi and probably the best quiche I've ever made. The shrimp were really fresh and plump, and the scampi sauce I made was simple, but good. I sauteed a stick of butter with a crushed garlic clove and lemon zest from one lemon. Then I strained it into a dish, tasted it, and decided to add a few tablespoons of lemon juice.

When I make quiche, I generally add a bit of this and that, so I'll do my best to describe what went into this one. This one was a mushroom and spinach quiche. First, I sauteed an onion and about 2 cups of chopped mushrooms in a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. In the meantime, I cracked 8 eggs into my KitchedAid mixer and whipped them with a about 3/4 cup heavy cream. Then I added salt and pepper, 10 ounces of chopped, previously frozen spinach, and a cup of chopped ham. I dumped in the onion/mushroom mixture and mixed it on low while adding 2 cups Parmesan cheese. It baked in a 9 x 13 pan for about 40 mins, but I usually just do the toothpick test to determine when it's done. Basically, I add different things every time and it always turns out fine. I've done broccoli and cheddar, asparagus and swiss, ham and sharp cheddar, even chicken and broccoli. As long as you have eggs, cream, and a cheese, the fillers are completely versatile.

This morning, I prepared a quick New Year's breakfast. We had leftover quiche from last night, a small slice of leftover sour cream poundcake, and a small slice of chocolate bread I had frozen from my awesome BBM pal who lives in France. We washed it all down with some decaf Darjeeling Puttabong I made in an antique teapot. Those only come of the display shelf for certain occasions. :-)

I am really looking forward to 2006. 2005 will also hold a special place in my heart because of our trip to Africa and the tiny stow-away who came back with us in my belly. :-)

Goodbye 2005

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy almost New Year. 2005 was a special year for us, but I'm pretty sure 2006 is gonna be even better. (I get to meet my daughter!!!) Tomorrow I'm going to post pictures and recipes of the food I made tonight for our little party.

The Let Down

This day is known for 2 things: sales and disappointment. It's so hard to go back to normal after such a wonderful day yesterday. James and I took down our Christmas stuff today and did a lot of cleaning and organizing. The baby's room is still being cleared out, but we have made a lot of progress. I got kind of a late start this morning because I slept in late. I had a bad night last night with the acid reflux and throwing up. It's awful. I can't even sleep anymore. It's getting to the point where I'm scared to eat (and scared to go to sleep because I throw up in my sleep). My doctor said that if I have it this bad at 6 months, it'll only get worse as my uterus pushes my stomach up. Ugh.

Tomorrow is my dad's birthday, so we'll so something with him in the evening. My car also goes into the shop to get repaired from when that lady hit me last week. I'll be driving a rental this week. Other than that, I need to take it easy. My poor body is tired of aches and pains, nose bleeds, and vomiting. I need some rest. March 31 is my last day of work. It seems SOOOOO far away.

Merry Christmas!

So far, we have had a fabulous Christmas. We woke up early this morning to open our presents at home, and then we headed to me parents'. Santa was very good to me this year. From Santa James, I got some books: 2 Viatnemese cookbooks, a book on breastfeeding, "What to Expect When You're Expecting: the First Year" and a book on tea. Santa also brought me a juicer (I've always wanted to make homemade orange juice and it'll be great for making fresh juice for our daughter in a year or two), a heated blanket, bath products, Godiva Chocolates, tea, the Cinderella DVD, and more. Next year we'll be spending our money on our daughter, so I guess this year the hubby went all out. He seemed to think Santa was good to him, too!

My mom got me a gift certificate to a spa to get a pregnancy massage and also one to take a cooking class. I think I want to take a class on Chinese cooking because I don't know much about it. I've been very interested since Stef taught me a little. She also got the baby a beautiful book about the birth of Jesus, with illustrations by Thomas Kinkade. She wrote a message saying how next year we would read it to her and how much she was already loved. It made me cry. I got some girly goodies from my parents and my grandma got me some beautiful maternity clothes. My sister got me 2 beautiful scarves the softest slippers ever. I think I was spoiled rotten this Christmas.

One of my favorite memories of today was feeling my daughters hand (or could've been her foot) through my tummy. I felt it sticking out, and when I touched it, she felt me, and pulled it away. It was one of the first times I've interacted with her. This Christmas has been amazing, but next Christmas I am guessing will be even better!

I have found myself thinking a lot about Mary and what she must've gone through giving birth in a stable. I am already so stiff and uncomfy from all these holiday preparations and being on my feet, and I can't imagine how she must've felt when no one would take her in. She must've been so scared. We are so lucky today. I am warm and taken care of. I have great medical care and I'm even getting a pregnancy massage to ease my achiness. Poor Mary. I have a new respect for her this year.

I am off to bake a Cheesy Squash Casserole (yes, I know, I always bring one to everything) and then dinner with my family at my parents' house.

Hope you all are having a very Happy Christmas. Hope Santa was good to you. :-)

On the Eve of Christmas

I tried to post a few times yesterday, and for some reason, couldn't get on my site.

First of all, as promised, here are the pictures of the Christmas Tea I hosted on Wednesday night.

From top to bottom on the tiered tray: marshmallow fudge, cream cheese and ranch pinwheels (probably the most popular item of the night considering 7 people ate over 70 of them-- no joke!!!), and peach scones.

Cucumber sandwiches with garlic cream cheese and dill:

Fresh, sweetened whipped cream, pumpkin bread, and lemon curd:

Egg salad sandwiches (or Egg Mayonnaise as they say in England) on pumpernickel bread with sprouts:

Broccoli and Gruyere Quiche:

Ham and Cheddar Quiche:

I forgot to take a picture of the Peppermint Patty Cake, but it turned out yummy. It was a little too rich for me though! I also made a Christmas Tea punch with orange, cinnamon, and cloves. It turned out well too.

Today so far has been wonderful. This morning I chopped bricks of fudge I prepared last night (mint chip and marshmallow) for the Christmas Eve party at my mom's tonight, and some for our church-- a group leaves early Monday morning to help re-build hopes in New Orleans. Last night I also made spinach dip for tonight and peanut butter filled chocolate chip cookies for my dad. I have never baked/cooked so much as I have this Chritmas. I hope I have time to do it again next year when the baby is here. Speaking of babies, she had hiccups this morning. My whole tummy was bouncing and jerking and it was so neat to watch! We are headed to church in a bit, and then off to my mom's, as is the tradition.

On a sad note, I am having to limit eating all the goodies I've made because I have HORRIBLE acid reflux, so much so that I have been vomiting. It's just awful. Last night I puked in my bed. I haven't done that since I was a kid. My doctor has put me on a strict schedule of Pepcid Complete, alternated by Maalox. I hope it starts to work because there's not a lot that can be done. I am limited as to what I can take. Oh well. And to further complain, I have had really heavy nose bleeds over the last few days-- one that started in the middle of heavy holiday traffic and I had no tissue! Last night I had one that was so bad, I started to cry and freak out because it just wouldn't stop pouring and I was choking on it. I've always had nose bleeds in the winter, and they say it's worse when you're pregnant because you have 1.5 times the amount of blood you usually do. Ok, enough about my pregnancy woes. How are you spending your Christmas Eve?

Christmas Spirit?

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. I get in the Christmas spirit almost as soon as the first leaves are falling from the trees. I love this time of year. But for some reason, this year is different. I just haven't been feeling as festive as usual, and it's been bothering me. It could be that I'm pregnant and my hormones are different, or maybe that this year seems to be busier. I just know that I usually have more shopping done by now. I usually have baked some type of cookies. I am so worried that the season will pass me by, leaving me with regrets. This is my last Christmas before we have the baby. I may not have time to do everything I usually do next year, so I need to try to fit in as many Christmasy things as I can.

I guess it's normal to have an "off year," but I don't want a Christmas that's anything less than wonderful! Maybe these things I have planned will make me feel better:

-- the Christmas cookie swap party on Saturday
-- the shopping trip to Atlanta on Sunday with mom
-- the "Fantasy in Lights" at Callaway Garden on 12/20

Happy Thanksgiving

Here's a preview of some of the yummy goodness from Chez Hannah. Last night I baked a rum cake that turned out just perfectly. It really pays off to have patience and let the cake cool completely before turning the bundt pan over. And of course, the alcohol cooks off, so I can have some! What I really wish is that I could send you the smells coming out of my kitchen. When Emeril talked about smell-o-vision, he was really on to something. I'm not sure which smelled better, the rum cake, or the garlic I roasted under the broiler this morning for the roasted garlic smashed potatoes I made. Who wouldn't love something with a cup and a half of heavy cream, a stick and a half of butter, and a cup of sour cream? Yum! Currently in the oven is a cheesy squash casserole.

We watched the Macy's Day parade this morning, and my baby girl kicked me repeatedly, reminding me of what I am most thankful for this year. I even saw my stomach twitch slightly at one point-- my first outward view that something is indeed living inside me! I have so much to be thankful for this year, so here, by tradition, is the cliche "What I'm Thankful For" list:

--the baby girl growing inside me, and the knowledge that next year, our lives will be greatly enriched.
--my husband, James. A girl couldn't ask for a better partner.
--my family. We are headed my mom's in an hour. I am thankful for our many family traditions.
--my children in fur coats-- our puppies :-)
--our home. It's not new, we've been here for a little over 3 years, but I am as thankful for it as I was when we first married and moved in.

Halloween

I hope you all had a nice Halloween! We went to my parents' and ate pizza and handed out candy there. I was planning on dressing up as a nun again, but I forgot my costume, so I dug through my mom's costume box (she's a high school drama teacher) and found a black cape and this crazy, black wig. I looked pretty weird, but we had fun. :-) I baked a Halloween cake, which I sort of ruined by writing on the cake with what I thought was a tube of decorating gel, but ended up being food coloring gel. I had to scrape off all the letters, but it stil tasted good.

I was thinking that next year our Halloween will be so different. Our little pumpkin will be 6 months old. I can't wait to dress her up!

After handing the candy out, we watched "Poltergeist" (Lisanne, I read that you did too!) That movie has always freaked me out. Did you know that the little girl died while making the 3rd movie? Freaky. I also watched "Rosemary's Baby" over the weekend (kind of freaked me out since I'm pregnant), but it was fun!

What are your favorite scary movies?