Round two- on SO many levels!

I realize I have been a terrible blogger. Really, life happens... and i say that just to make myself feel better :) The reality of it is, I sit down and have SO much i want to type, yet i let my Mac sit on the shelf with the green (fully charged) blinking light taunting me to just go ahead and blog, but instead I sit on my couch with my milky way midnight and watermelon with nerds slush and continue my daily battle with procrastination. Ill get better tomorrow, no really! (yeah, i don't believe me either!) Since my last post I have birthed another baby (9lb 4 oz baby girl via RCS, whom we call PJ), become an OCD vacuumer (and hoover floor mate-er as well), and a watcher of not 2, not 3, but 4 kids! How do I do it? Let me tell you right now, its not always easy. There are moments of sheer joy- the giggles, the witty 2 yr old banter, the smiles of the sweetest jack-o-lantern little boy (bottom teeth are in, and canines- no top teeth thru yet!), and then there are moments where I want to lock myself in the bathroom with a nice bottle of yellow tail (yes, i just said nice and yellowtail in the same sentence...we are fancy in these here parts!) and start a new routine of day drinking (of course with little big town playing in the background- and the sound of whining, crying and yelling of MOMMY/KK to accompany it- we all know the bathroom is the first GO-TO spot kids look for you.) I pick my battles though. It is like my life has become one of a poorly paid referree. I don't own any flags, or cards(well i do, but they are either flash cards or credit cards, and both don't help me in the problem solving dept unless one is purchasing me an all-inclusive trip to Mexico, and a margarita is in my hand with endless refills...just sayin!) The most ridiculous thing with toddlers is their inability to agree on ANYTHING. I mean, ANYTHING. They might HATE their little people bus, but the moment ANYONE else touches it...scratch that, glances at the general vicinity the bus is in, it is their favorite toy, and they want it. Its just the way it works! Of course, I throw out the typical mommy jargon "okay girls, you need to share" or "wait until she is done playing with it, then it will be your turn" or "she had it first, go get another ____(insert another random object, like a straw, or a block, or my flip flop). There are also things that i say on a regular basis, that just don't seem right.... like "please don't lick your friend" or "We do not write on things with our snot". The perils of motherhood at its finest, ladies and gentlemen! One of my favorite moments was my husband getting our oldest daughter out of her crib (she may be 2, but she doesn't climb out- and lets just be honest- as long as she isn't attempting to climb out, why fix what aint broken? #nojailbreakshere..oh wait, this isn't social media...hashtags don't work :) ehhhh she is nice and safe in her baby jail, and I will go along with it as long as i can ) anyways....he was getting her out of her crib as she now yells "DADDY!! I WAKIN" "DADDY! I WAKE!!!!" we know that is the cue for super dad time. He comes back out laughing hysterically with a diaper in hand- NO kid. Me- uhhhh?!? *puzzled look* B- I walked in and your daughter (yes, MY daughter- that means she was clearly up to NO good) YOUR daughter said "here daddy, i peed" and handed me this. She had taken off her diaper and taken it upon herself to remedy her "wet" feeling, then handed it to good ole daddy. Haha. It dawned on me then, that this may be my second time around as a mom, but round two was only going to get more interesting! I seriously DO love having my two girls (2yrs and the other is 3 mos, and watching my best friends kids 2 yrs and the other is 7 mos). It definitely keeps me on my toes. Plus, i get to experience the day-to-day conversations between 2 two year olds. OH MY GOODNESS!!! (yes, i say that a lot- and the 2 yr olds repeat it on a regular basis) They crack me up daily. I thought it would be hard for them to recognize I am H's mommy and S's KK, but they know. They freaking know the difference! If i ask my child who KK is, she points to me and says Mommy. If my child says Tori, S knows that its HER mommy. These girls are geniuses I tell ya, and their conversations amaze me CONSTANTLY. Today, as Im fake sleeping...(ok ok ok, maybe i was legit trying to nap... uhhhhhhh...any mom knows how funny and unrealistic THAT sentence just was and KNOWS I'm lying*) S came up to me and in the BEST frozen fashion lifts up my eyelid and asks "do wanna buil-a no-man??? OH MAN. I couldn't help but laugh (yunno, the legit out-loud kind). They have legit conversations with people (usually Tori) on their fake dora and elmo phones. They walk around with purses and babies and strollers and cell phones. Where are you going I ask them on a regular basis. Typically "to the store" or "maw maws house" or "gur-mas"(grandmas). In recent events, they were going to the store to get beer! I could've just about fallen over (now, before you go getting the wrong ideas here, we are training the girls to get the beers one day, so we have to teach them early- okay maybe that is the wrong-but-feels-so-right idea! #freelabor oh wait...dang social media autopilot again ;) haha) The second time around i am FAR more laid back than I was with my first. I realize i am NOT by ANY means supermom. I can let people help me out, and watch my kids and it doesn't mean I am a bad mom....it means I am a mom who deserves (yep! deserves, thats the word ANY mom is allowed to use) a break! It is okay to throw up your white flag after the first round and admit defeat. Wanna know why? cause tomorrow is a WHOLE new battle. One where you could make it to the end of the fight without feeling like your brain and sanity require an AMBER alert. You just have to roll with the punches (sometimes, LITERALLY!) and realize that life is crazy and that no matter what happens, you are living in the present and making memories for the future. That includes, the good (peeing in the potty, eating all their food, sharing a baby doll), the bad (the crankies, teething, potty training, meals) and the ugly (not remembering when you showered, poop where it doesn't belong, and haircuts that will come back to haunt the poor kid)!  Sometimes, round two isn't so bad after all. You just have to go to your corner (yes, mommy time out!!!) grab a drink (water, soda, wine- no judgement here) and prepare yourself for Round 2, because we ALL know its a fight in so many ways, on SO many levels....just Rocky it up and hang in there!!!

It's been awhile- spit happens? LIFE happens!!

So I realize I have not done anyone ANY favors by using my laptop as a coaster. (don't let me husband hear that!) Let's play catch up… I have a fabulously brilliant 19 mos old daughter, and am 5 mos pregnant with daughter #2. I realize that typically I have a quirky and snarky side to me posts, but today- it will be more factual, as I just "feel" the need to post this.
The fact of the matter is everyone has a "birth plan". You may openly share it, or just keep it in your head, but you have one. If you think you don't…then think about it. I guarantee you have ideas and opinions…thats part of your birth plan.
Before I gave birth, I knew a few things. I wanted an epidural, and I didn't want a c-section. As my pregnancy ended, a few more were added. I was going to wait as long as possible for the epidural, I wanted the kid out as she was measuring big, and only wanted my husband in the room. Wellllll….let me tell you, once you have people in your room, when doctors are examining your hoo hoo, your sense of privacy goes out the window! We plan, God laughs, right?!?! My husband, mom and mother-in-law were all in the room (i said they could stay! who cares? right??!?) and behind the curtain was my best friend, and my husbands best friend.(who was ATTEMPTING to be funny while I was pushing--it didn't end well! lol) AFter 21 hours of labor.. 3 of pushing, my delivery ended with a big fat c-section. Not a nice pretty one with a bow…one where the anesthesiologist had to ask me 3 times if i could "feel this". One where I could see three of everyone and was literally falling asleep in the middle of my sentences. So much so, my husband told me to just take a nap. Once he was in there I was slightly more coherent. I remember the oxygen itching my nose and repeatedly having to ask a nurse or the anesthesiologist to scratch my nose. I remember hearing the Dr say there was NO way I would have been able to physically have her vaginally (to which I thought, we couldn't have figured this out 3 hours ago?!?). I remember asking her stats and hearing her cry ( She was ALmost 9 1/2 lbs and had almost a 14 1/2 in head). Then my husband walked her over to me where I got to glance at her. I was too exhausted to cry, or feel much of anything really. Once I was closed and transferred back to my bed, they laid her on my chest and wheeled me back to my room. It seemed like an ETERNITY between having her, and holding her. I felt like I had been cheated. Like I had failed at birthing my daughter. Every once in awhile my husband will joke about how i didn't really"birth" her. Although joking, those are the kinds of things that make you feel like a failure sometimes. You tried, but it wasn't good enough. You pushed, but was it hard enough? Did your body fail, or did you give up? My only saving grace was the fact the Dr. had told me it would not have been possible any other way. That is how I look at it, and how I will always view it. I tried, and pushed my body beyond measures it could handle. Enough to get my poor daughter lodged in my pubic bone. Not only had I exceeded the limits, but I had been overzealous. I tried. We plan, God laughs! A vaginal delivery was not in my cards. I can accept that.
Now lets fast forward to the present…errr….well how about 3 1/2 months ago. You know its always interesting when the Drs remember you! haha Turns out my first appt was with the Dr who delivered H. We talked about everything that went on with her delivery, and decided although VBAC was very much an option, I was at a higher risk for the same thing happening again, since I have a pelvis that is narrow and for some reason wouldn't give enough to get a head thru. I have big babies with big heads, and I have already had a c-section. MY choice this time around, is a repeat c-section. I do NOT want to try to defy odds, or be some crazy superhero where I am barely conscious at the birth of my kid. No thanks, I will take enjoying my moments with my daughter being born CONSCIOUSLY not as though it were some hazy fog of a dream.
Today at my 20 week appt- I happened to have the same Dr again. (I see a team so no matter who is on-call, you know your Dr!) We discussed the c-section and what can be different this time around. Let me tell you….I have never been so happy in my life!!! She is willing to bring in a birthing mirror so I can watch the c-section (I know…some of you are feeling grossed out, but when you've seen a deer gutted, or been hunting before, and this is the ONLY way you can see your child be born, you take it!) She will explain everything as it happens. I can have a choice between an oxygen mask or the nose thingy (that is a medical term…ahem..) but I HAVE to wear it until she is born. My hands do NOT have to be restrained and they can undo the top of my medical gown so that once she is cleaned, weighed, evaluated, she can be placed on my chest and I can begin nursing her, even while they are closing me up. No more waiting, no more feeling out of control, no more feeling helpless or cheated. This is my IDEAL birth plan. NOW…It will be scheduled a week before my due date, and as long as she comes THEN, I will be great. The ONLY downside is if she comes early. There are no guarantees that the other OB team remember will agree to what she has agreed to (birthing mirror mostly) everything else would be okay. I know it sounds weird, but I really want to watch it so my husband can take pictures of her once she is out. I have been on cloud nine ALL day, and wanted to tell everyone I know about this amazing news I just received!!!!! It is minuscule in nature, but major to me!
It's funny how women have similar agendas - get pregnant, carry baby uneventfully, have said baby, happily ever after. What is crazy is that, the outline is the same, but the stories are SOOOOOO completely different. To all of you moms out there, whether you had your baby the way you had wanted, or felt cheated. Whether it was happy or traumatic, natural or medicated, vaginal or surgical, babies born crying or sleeping…the fact remains the same... You did everything you could, and it is YOUR story. It was written for you, by you and its unique. Cherish it because in the end, it is a memory worth holding onto- whether its good or bad. Life happens, Spit happens, and shit (yep! i said it) happens, and its up to you, what you choose to do with it all! :) Me? Im trucking along (with the heartburn and sciatic nerve crap to accompany it) but it is all worth it. MAN our bodies are amazing…wouldn't you say?!?!? :)

Mother's Day out (of luck!)

So first I'm going to apologize. I haven't the sliiiiiiiightest clue where my laptop is (the joys of being out of town for two weeks, and leaving the housework up to the hubs...yeah...now you see my predicament ;) ) so go ahead and pardon any fat finger typos :) with that out if the way. It's been awhile since I ranted, and there's been something that happened recently that made me feel like I was the new kid at school. When Harper turned 4 mos, I started taking her to The Little Gym. For those of you out there who weren't aware, it's FREE from 4mos-10mos! H enjoyed it, but I met some lovely ladies, and a few if which I keep in contact with. Well, before I left for Texas on vacation, I met up with H's little gym BF (yes, boyfriend...I know!) and his nanny. We decided to meet up at a park, because another mom we had met thru LG suggested it. I get a text that its a mommy group and my friend felt a little weird seeing as how she felt she was intruding. Now me, I don't care...you can ask anyone...I've never met a stranger! Haha So I was prepared. The weather was gross. It was humid and almost sprinkling (more like spitting, I felt like I was chasing my child thru a mister) and after about 20 minutes of random moms complimenting my daughter on "how cute she is" (most had boys) I joined into the little group and they were all talking. So I asked them how they all met. They said they were part of a mommy club. They meet once a week. I let them know I stay at home and am always looking for opportunities to socialize with other little ones. The next question threw me for a loop. The "founder" asked me where I lived. (Why does it matter I thought?!? But whatever) I let her know I was just across the river on the IL side of the bridge (this park was in MO). Another mom chimed in empathetically "ohhhhh, maybe there's a club over where you are" (you're kidding me right?!?) to which I answered, it's not like its that far of a drive! I was then told I had to live in a certain area in order to be in the club!!!!! REALLY?!! You're telling me that I can't come "play" because of my zip code?!? HA! Oookkkaay. That's ridiculous....but it gets better! Turns out this mom created this club because the same thing happened to her!!!! (There's nothing worse than hypocritical behavior- even tho we are ALL guilty of it from time to time, it sucks nonetheless) Now, most people would leave the conversation at this point...but not me :). Instead I (only slightly condescendingly)said, ohhh...so you started a club because you were "out of the area" and now are doing the same thing?!? She looked speechless. I just simply don't get it! Who died and decided to create clubs where only certain areas can join. It's like we're back In high school! What happened to moms getting together to enjoy things around your area?!? Why can't we all band together regardless of where we live! "That's just how it is". Un-be-lie-vable! So THAT'S IT!!!! Any mom, from anywhere, if you are in or around the STL area, or are visiting. I'm starting a new club: the Misfit Moms club. Moms, Mr. Moms, nannies... You are ALL welcome to join!! No matter where you live. period! Every great idea stems from a leader, but restricting people from it is just beyond me! It just makes me laugh and roll my eyes at the same time (while patting my head and rubbing my belly too- my multi-tasking at its finest ;) ). So I am only allowed to play with people in Columbia, and they are only allowed to play with people in Sunset Hills? We may as well have separate water fountains for crying out loud! Haha (I know...a tad dramatic :) ) I just thought it was the most asinine "rule" ever created. Now I'm just going to Crawl into my bed and dream of puppies, rainbows and unicorns in a land where all moms play on one big playground regardless of their zip code!! Heaven forbid their child play with one that doesn't fit the guidelines to the club! It is still a free country, right?!? :) now... I understand we could all play and it wouldn't be a big deal. I just can't get over the audacity of the founder who is doing the same thing that was done to her. SMH. Oh well....guess it was just a first (and last)Mother's Day out with that group, Mother's Day out of luck was more like it. Haha.

Perfectly Imperfect

So everyone has their moments.... yunno, those moments that bring the harsh reality that nobody is perfect. okay okay okay...we have a LOT of those moments, but just like mistakes in anything, you live and learn and let it go. No need to continue to relive it because others can't do the same. There are those moments that exist, we have all had them at some point. The humbling kind, that make you want to shrink down into a secret corner and then smack your hand against your forehead whilst repeating, "what the hell was I thinking?" A bit dramatic? maaaaaaaybe...but this is an instance where I don't know what I was thinking (I mean, I DO, but it definitely did NOT turn out in my favor). Let me start by saying this (and you may not agree with me, but its my opinion and well...
I'm sure you know me by now) :) People without kids, or who haven't had kids in awhile, or may think they are the "best" at parenting are usually the first to whip out that life-size magnifying glass to examine your parenting skills. So there you are...may as well be naked with a cell phone glued to your hand while dangling your messy faced, sugar indulged child by the feet while screaming at them to quit being a child. Am I right?!?! At least thats the stereotype of a "careless parent" that I am sure we can all relate to being compared to (even if its just in our heads) when something happens. Sometimes it is what it is. You are going to turn your back for 2 seconds, and it may not be the end all be all....after all- superwoman, and inspector gadget are make believe, but sometimes that's not the case. I have had my moments where i thought, "oh man, that could have turned out badly" (I know, at this point you are wondering...what did she do dangit?"Don't worry baby bird....I will feed you) :) BUT being a first time parent- I kinda have to fly by the seat of my pants sometimes. It was the morning of my goddaughters 1st birthday party. I had informed my best friend that I would come as soon as H woke up and we got ready. (I thought, I would feed her, and then put her down for a nap where the party was so i could really help- ingenious, right?!?) So i get everything ready, and decided since it was cold and rainy that I would just bring her in and put her down for her nap and then go run the necessary errands. OF COURSE she falls asleep on the way over (its like a crazy hypnosis, those cars!) I was jammin to my phone (which plugs into my radio) had the heat blasting, and pulled into the driveway. I thought to myself...hmm....I'm gonna be right back out here, so Im just gonna run her in really quick. I unlock my door, get out, close it (it is raining and 50 degrees) then go to open her door. Its locked. DUH, I only unlocked my own door manually. I reach to my drivers side door, and pull the handle...ITS LOCKED!!!! Are you freakin kidding me?!?! HOW DID THAAAAAT HAPPEN? My momentary freak out mommy bear mode kicked in. I look thru my heavily tinted rear window- she is OUT, like a freakin light. Colton Dixon blaring, heat going, phone in my car, no prayer in the world I am getting in that car. What do I do? break the window, try to pry my truck open and crawl thru the seat? wait- i have no key hole on my trunk!) I LAUGH! of COURSE this would happen to me! The mom who double checks baby gates, and the floor for small objects....and of course its on S's bday. I walk thru the door and as i'm greeted, my first words are "Sooooo...i locked my kid in the car" (I am laughing mind you) She is sleeping, the heat is on, the music is going, and we are in my best friends in-law's driveway. We got everything figured out. The gist is a friend of a friend had a lock out kit (since my husbands was still with his friend who had borrowed it awhile ago) She slept the entire time...only to wake up when the door was finally unlocked. It was probably a 45 minute nap from my house until the point of my car getting unlocked. The crazy part is, i STILL don't know how it happened. Maybe I hit the lock when i closed the door. I don't know....but let me tell you what.....that situation could have been A LOT worse. ALL day long I heard "yeah, well at least I didn't lock my kid in the car" It seemed like it was the first thing everyone heard (mostly from my husband) I felt like i may as well get a megaphone and announce it. ATTENTION EVERYONE...I LOCKED MY KID IN THE CAR. SHE IS FINE. AS YOU WERE. (In his defense. This is the second time i have locked myself out of my car. Altho the first time she was with me, and it wasn't my fault) **SIDE NOTE** When H was 3 weeks old, I traveled by myself down to Texas. I was breastfeeding (still am) and stopped to fill up with gas and nurse her. She had consumed a bad bottle (breast milk was pumped and sat too long) and had thrown up everywhere. I changed her, nursed her all in the back of my car while the heat was on, and windshield wipers were going. When i went to start my car- I had apparently run the battery down. Luckily 2 nice ppl helped me. He took my keys and tried to start my car, and of course it didn't work, so he left them in the ignition on the setting before it turns over. They hooked up and jumped my car. When he hooked it up the windshield wipers started going. When he disconnected it, they stopped so he hooked it back up again....well...when my car has the keys in the ignition even in the radio/air position and the door is closed, the door automatically locks- so he locked my keys in my car! Thankfully the tow truck came quickly and unlocked it but being so far away from home (I was in OK) and dealing with this by myself was overwhelming to say the least) **END NOTE** No one likes to make mistakes. BUt what is worse than making them, is having to relive them. You don't think I know it was a bad situation? Don't let the smile on my face or my sense of humor deceive you...It is just how I function. I didn't wake up and say "HEy! Today feels like a great day to lock my kid in the car!" But it happens to the best of us! Those are the moments that really take its toll on you. The ones where you all-of-a-sudden feel the need to defend every ounce of your parenting or to justify that you are a GOOD parent. It was at this time I received a call from my husbands grandfather. (this was the next day after the matter) I was over it :). He asks what H is doing. I let him know she was playing in her swing. His response "Oh I thought she might be locked in the car again". UGH...really?!?! AGAIN? Cant I catch a flippin break? I just take a breath and answer" Yeah Grandpa, she liked it SO much yesterday she asked me to do it again. So i put the swing in the back, turned on her jams and let her go!" He then proceeded to tell me that wasn't good. uhhh yeah, I am very well aware! I was at my wits end, really. How much more was I going to have to hear about this?!? The next part was the humbling part... He said "It's nice to know you aren't perfect. Guess that makes you normal like the rest of us now." HMMMM...he was right! I am NOT perfect. I am allowed to make mistakes. It could have been SO much worse. Why do we as parents have to beat ourselves up for a momentary mistake? No one was hurt, the world didn't end, I don't love her any less, she doesn't love me any less. PLUS- I learned my lesson. Either my keys come with me and I remote start my car, or I crack the window- EVERY time now! I think as a society SO many ppl are quick to judge. you see a mom on her cellphone and automatically think they are playing on Pinterest or FB and not paying attention to their child- when maybe their loved one is in the hospital or ill and they are simply responding to an update. We are SO quick to whip out our magnifying glasses and pass judgements. Those who know me, know I ALWAYS defend the person who isn't there. It may come off as justification or making excuses... but it is merely my ability to take a step back and try to see it form another view or side. I have my Dad to thank for that one! Because the reality is- you do what is best for you and your family. People will always have opinions- just because they are different than someone else's, doesn't mean the other person is wrong! I may have laughed off my situation, but it doesn't mean I wasn't horrified! I may come off calm, cool and collected...like a laid back mom on the exterior- but BOY OH BOY, on the interior, I freak out and stress out- it's just not in my nature to let it show! SO i challenge everyone who reads this to think twice before giving someone a hard time about their life or life choices. What it boils down to is everyone is imperfectly perfect. yeah....thats right! or perfectly imperfect. either way....it is what it is, and that's allllll that it is! TRUE STORY! :)

RSV...no Please

So you always hear about babies getting sick. Perhaps even going to the hospital and you think to yourself (Ha, that will NEVER be me, i clean my hands and my kids hands and the floor and the carpet and the air...you get where Im going with the, yes? ok..moving on) We ALL know getting sick in inevitable. It is going to happen sooner or later. Thankfully i kept H at bay when she got sick. She started off with just a little cold, that had a yucky cough. Then the cough turned into more coughing fits. I tried everything (in this case, I used everything AND the kitchen sink--ya know, steam bath and a towel, im not a crazy) Cool mist humidifier, steam baths, cold air while bundled up, ibuprofen, she already takes zyrtec, vicks on the feet, a vaposteam pad in her humidifier, nasal aspirator with saline 82376418726538 times a day (i know, excessive...where doooooes that snot come from?!?) At this point, she also had a yeast diaper rash, that seems to never want to go away. You ever get to feeling like you are spent? Like you try everything you possibly can, and you just cant seem to nip it in the bud? That has been me! (hence the no posting- or it could just be that I dont like you....wait...a blog is inanimate... ay yi yi) anyways, so we went to the doctor. Harper got fluconozole (since lotrimin just wasnt kicking it) and then we got to figure out what the culprit was. We figured out it had to be something she was eating. Let me tell you, this child has just cut her 8th tooth, and would eat a steak if youd let her! I kid you not, she is legitimately jealous of the food we eat. (its like we are holding out on her if we dont share.) So how can we resist? well...the classic yeast rash butt will do the trick!poor girl, come to find out, we think its sugar related. We have noticed that if she has a lot of sugar, it rears its ugly head. Another thing is she still is breast fed, so if i drink bear- the alcohol is metabolized but the hops, barley etc, can cause excess yeast, which can overload her system. Know what that means? Guess I will be switching to hard liquor or wine!(what? i give up milk, ice cream, and most cheese, i love beer, but i love my daughter more...i also love my adult bevs...dont judge!) Once we got the butt prob under control, thats when the cough/cold came. Of course mother nature is bipolar, and im guessing forgot to take her meds, because this all started when the weather carried on roller coaster style.  Her cough started on a Tuesday night, by Saturday it was super yucky (my best friend is a nurse and ssaid it just sounded like a wet cough from a cold) ON Monday I took her in because i could hear a little rattling/wheezing, and i knew pneumonia is something to be concerned with. Come to find out it was RSV- however, he said day 5 is typically the worst and all my crazy things I did helped! She was more than likely exposed at Little gym the Thursday prior and it has an incubation of 4-6 days (why it showed up Tues). Once the symptoms show- they arent contagious after 3-7 days... the cough can linger though. SO basically we found out she had it on the last day she would have been contagious.HA! I got to call my best friend whos daughter is 2 months older, and the boys H plays with 2 days a week. None of them ended up with anything! wohoo!! So I am thinking she must have only been "contagious" until Friday. She had her 9 mos check up today and everything was good. She is a happy, healthy, ridiculously crazy 9 mos old little girl, with places to go. Thank goodness my encounter wasnt so horrible. I know I am lucky. I need to throw a party! No RSV Please....its not necessary. ;)

Whoomp there it....went

Soooo it's been awhile and it's time to brush off the cob webs on this damn thing ( I think about posting all the time, but I usually only have my iPhone and with an 8 month old- one thumb typing loses!) it's been a helluva year filled with all sorts of craziness. Baby showers, squeezing a 9lb 4 oz child almost all the way out, and then have her dislodged from my pelvis via c section, a ton of firsts, engagements, weddings... I mean, SO much. We moved into our new house (which brings its own blog I swear!) battled our first ear infections (yup- plural and in this case it was not double the fun!) teething (we have top and bottom front 2 in, top right eye tooth is thru and just waiting in the other- patiently...while pulling out my hair that is :) ) she doesn't crawl yet, but has decided that standing and trying to pull up as well as rolling like a log all over gods creation is more fun- ehhhhh what can ya do?!?! (Take 4564235753 pictures of course) I've also taken on a small hobby of photography. I wish I knew more but it's a work in progress. I've come to be a lot more laid back. Whether it be the toddlers who have yet to learn "gentle" to her partner in crime trying to take her down MMA style, and solid food (we definitely have our faves and the faces we shall not capture for fear of a broken camera) and learning sharing. She experienced her first snow, met Santa Claus and loves eating oyster crackers and drinking from her sippy cup! She also has been sleeping in her own room since we moved. Here's the thing. Anytime anyone stats over, I feel like I HAVE to calm her down if she wakes up in the middle if the night ( and trust me, with teething- it's definitely not hypothetical) the problem is she's smaaaaaaart and her only word is "dadadada" which if course tugs my husbands heart strings (I of course unleash my inner diva and tell him to not get that baby outta her crib unless he wants to put her back to sleep too *insert z snap*) she also will fake laugh at him. Daddy's girl 100%. Anyways- it's late and there's too much to touch on- but I WILL get better. 2012 had far too many memories and stories not to share!

Wiggles and giggles

So...I know it's been awhile, and NO it's not because I've become famous for my outrageous witty rants and have decided to create a best-seller ;) (one could wish though, right?!?) the truth is...Brad and I are new homeowners! We close on our first home in less than 2 weeks. So, needless to say, we have been packing away....And leeeeet me tell you what, There's nothing harder than having to get an entire house packed up (since my husband travels for 95% of his job) while trying to keep a 5 month old, going on 2 year old, busy! She has been sitting since before she was 5 mos, but now does it all the time. In fact, I don't know how that sweet baby doesn't have a dang six pack! She practically does V sit-ups (for those of you who are trying to picture this- legs are straight out and raised off the ground, as is your head and shoulders....you're trying it right now, aren't you?!? ;) ) She is determined to go from laying to sitting up!!! She'll lean backwards over her boppy (my auto correct keeps trying to change that word to nippy! Ha it's MY nippy and she can't lean backwards over THAT) her head Will be touching the ground and then she's back up and leaning over sideways touching everything in her path! I use the boppy because I'm paranoid! she will face plant every so often when she's really trying to get something out of reach (we all do this, metaphorically or in my case more times than not..literally) :)
I know we discussed that lovely "wandering hand" when she nurses. It has now found my face. The newest place...UP my nose! (Don't worry, I told her about picking her friends and picking her nose, but not picking her friends nose....and the same applies to moms!!)
She talks non stop. Loves politics- she was glued for over 5 minutes to the vice presidential debate. She laughed at them too. Not sure whether it was Biden's teeth or Ryan's nose, but something was awfully funny to her! She does a fake cough and it will lead into a laugh. caugh? Lough? Its TOO cute.
We have almost conquered rolling from back to belly ( the girl loves cardboard and paper...Christmas just got a looooot cheaper :) ) those incentivize her. Sophie the giraffe (who the hell thought of using a squeaky toy as a teething aid?!? I bet they're sitting nice and comfy chillin somewhere laughing at all of us moms with their $20 dog toy marketed for babies!) she loves it though. Anything that makes noise including my mouth! I'm sure people think I'm insane or belong on the american idol out takes (you know the ones you watch, and laugh at..yeah, those!) she just loves music and when people talk to her. She'll talk back too (she doesn't want to be rude and let's not forget she's a girl...what girl doesn't like to talk?) I remember getting in trouble for it in grade school on a regular basis (once I hit 5th grade, it was putting on Chapstick too often..I guess my teacher felt soft lips didn't take precedence over algebra...she clearly didn't appreciate beauty!) Harper appreciates beauty though... she loves her bows (I just wish they didn't leave indentions!) She doesn't pull them out. She loves her color coordinated pacifiers (no i don't call it a passy, binky, nuk, or whatever else they can be called. They are just plain ole soothie pacifiers.) She chews on them like crazy (hello teething!) She is just learning and growing a mile a minute. The best thing is she studies every move I make for longer periods of time (I wish I was that patient...when someone tries to teach me something, I'm over it a minute later.) she will watch when I wave to her in a mirror and move her fingers like she's trying to figure it out. I know every mom says it, but I have the cutest lil 5 month old little girl, I swear!!! Even though I have to resort to ridiculous tactics to make her smile...her wiggles and giggles make it worth it!!! :) I will look crazy (willingly) any day, just to see that gummy little toothless (hopefully not for long) grin! :)