Minima

As you can currently see, the look of my blog is very minimalist...because I'm getting a new beautifully designed blog from Sweet Cheeky Designs. Traci does a beautiful job and I've seen a little sneak peek of what she's working on and I love it!

What else is going on....hmmm.

Riley was a tired munchkin today when I picked her up from Memaw Becky's house...she apparently ran circles in the backyard all day long. She was ready for bed at 7, which is just unheard of, she was still in the bath! I barely got her diapered and pajama-ed before she was telling me "good night night" and trying to climb into her crib.

Work is good.

Tomorrow is a wogging day. It's supposed to be 90. Where is our spring????

I had the best intentions of doing Easter cards and it just doesn't look like it's going to happen. I order through WHCC and they are fast, so I could get them here in time, I'm just not sure I have the energy to edit some pics, put them in a template, etc. Wow. That sounds really lazy. We'll see, I could probably order tomorrow night and get them by Thursday - yes, they are that fast.

Well, off to finish the laundry...my laundry fairy keeps forgetting to show up or something.

Future "Club" Scout Leader....

When I was a little girl, I loved the go exploring down the paths and creeks all over the ranch...and quite often, I led various people around on my adventures, tell them I was a "club" scout guide...looks like the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree :)

And There I Was...

I was doing so good, blogging 2 or 3 times a week...and then tonight, I look and it's almost been 3 weeks???? That just doesn't seem possible. I guess it's time for a run down. Where do I start?

• I think this is the first time I've been on my laptop in two weeks. Very unusual for me. I think it has to do with the time change. Uh, yeah, that must be it.
  
• Riley is good. We appear to have dodged a nasty tummy bug and hand foot & mouth disease. Thank goodness.
  
• Jody is fishing a lot and enjoying.
  
• Riley and I are going to Florida in June to visit my friend Kirsten and her family. They live in the Pensacola area and Kirsten's daughter Dani and RP are the exact same age - born within 10 minutes of each other I think. Kirsten has a handsome little man named Declan that is one year and one week younger than the girls. I can't wait to squeeze his cute little cheeks :)
• Ashley and I have decided to renovate one of the ranch houses...I'm sure my one blog commenter (and possibly sole reader) remembers the rock house at the ranch. No one has stayed in it for like 4 years, but it's in pretty good shape, just needs a good cleaning, maybe some paint, and some decorating work - I can't wait! As a matter of fact, we are going out to Shep tomorrow to start working on it. I just have so many great memories from when I was little of going out there and I want Riley to have the same. Before pics to come....
• I've just about had it with the wind.
• Riley calls everyone baby. I think it's because Jody calls me "babe" sometimes, thus answering the question "Are you a babe or a cupcake?"
• I took Riley to the bank today...the last time she was up there was the day after Thanksgiving when no one was there...she had a blast. She conned people into giving her rides on the escalator...she made herself quite at home.
• She's apparently half monkey, because she climbs on everything by the way.
• Oh yeah, I started running again...I guess it's more of a wog at this point...me and Carla are going twice a week together, then on our own most weekends. It's been fun, I've thoroughly enjoyed. Even in the stupid wind.
  

Ok, well, that's all for now. I have to go retrieve my monkey off the side table she climbed on to....have a great weekend!

615 Days

888,899 minutes.

Or

14,764 hours.

Or

615 days.

Or

87 weeks.

Or

2o months.

That is how long I can tell you exactly what I have done every night. Riley was born 615 nights ago and for 615 nights, I have been there for Riley if she needs me in the night. There are probably only a handful of nights where someone else has laid her down for the night....

But here I am in a Holiday Inn Select in Dallas, watching the Oscars, while in Abilene, Jody is going through the bedtime routine with my little sugar pop. About right now, she's had her bath, and she should have her pj's on be having a little quiet playtime/storytime. And then in 20 minutes or so, she'll go good night night.

Tomorrow night, they'll do the same routines and I'll probably get home to late to see her before bedtime.

It's good for Jody. It's good for me. I don't necessarily mind leaving her...she's in good hands, but I do hate that I had to leave on Sunday, which cut into my weekend time with her...and then I'll put in a 12+ hour day tomorrow...and won't really get to spend any time with her until Tuesday night.

Anyway, I'm having a nice time...dinner was good. Had Genghis Grill and just about hurt myself with the dragon sauce...wish we had gotten to the mall early enough to shop more, but I did hit Sephora and buy my all time favorite perfume Hanae Mori. I also bought some Lavanila Vanilla Coconut perfume. It smells like the beach. And some less exciting things, like Bare Minerals and some concealer. And I got a couple of free or discounted gifts since I'm a Sephora club member of some kind. Like Lip Fusion lip gloss for $10 when it's normally $38. That's a pretty good deal.

Anyway, now I'm watching the Oscars and playing on the computer.

Poor Baby

Riley had a collision today. I think it looked worse all evening long. Ouch!



Sent from my iPhone

7 Quick Thoughts

1. Jody is at Amistad this week. He won't be home until Sunday night. I leave for Dallas on Sunday and won't be home until God knows when Monday night because the training gets out at 4:30. In north Dallas. Yeah, that won't be fun.

2. I worked my tail off this week. Since I had Riley, I haven't worked late very often, it's just not easy to juggle getting someone to pick her up for me last minute...any way, I worked until maybe 6 one night and 6:30 another.

3. I am going to March of Dimes and Relay for Life this year. And I'm going to try to raise more money than I usually do. I think I'll offer entries in a drawing for every $5 donated and raffle off an Ally Zabba and maybe some cute bloomers.

4. I have read more books since I got my Kindle than I have read in a long time. I have also gotten less sleep. Possible correlation?

5. Riley said the cutest thing the other night...she was so tired and was just crying the whole time I diapered her and put on her pj's and she said "GO!!!!" and I said where do you want to go...and she said "go good night night." She's so sweet.

6. I'm having a dilemma on buying an extra car seat. I have a Britax, Mom and Jody both have Evenflow's, and my MIL has a Graco. Now I need a seat for Aunt Ashley, so she can help out with picking her up for me a couple of days a week. I have a friend with a used Britax that she wanted $60 for, which seems fair to me. But the manufacture date is 11/05 and apparently Britax puts a 6 year expiration on their car seats. So if I don't move her to a booster until she is 4, that would leave a gap in the expiration of that seat and her turning 4 of about 8 months. I have a bit of a thing about car seats, so I think even as good of deal as it is, I will probably pass. But it's probably a good buy for someone.

7. I am on a decluttering frenzy...I have put more stuff on ebay this week...and I really stink at figuring postage apparently. Oh well.

Randomness

I like the seven random facts format I used Saturday...that may be my new standard type of entry. It's easy, doesn't require a huge time commitment and you can really cover a lot of ground. And who knows, it might turn into 10 random things from time to time.

1. Still sick, but feel better. My voice is still (disappointingly) not Demi Moore level of sexy. Jody is sick, but not super bad. Riley has a gross cough.

2. Work kicked my tail end today. I stayed until after 6, thanks to Jody being able to pick up Riley. Tomorrow will be a rough day, but I'll get through it.

3. Had Fuji's for lunch today. We don't go very often, but it seemed like a good idea today. It was cold and wet out.

4. Speaking of cold and wet, it actually snowed some today. Big, huge, puffy white snow. But only for about 5 minutes.

5. I'm ready to get back to C25K. I just need my lungs to clear up. I'm pretty sure I would cough up a lung at this point.

6. Riley pooped in the tub tonight. Of course, Jody had just walked out the door to go to Academy (more fishing trip preparation, as I type, he's in the living room watching YouTube videos on how to use his new high powered fish finder) Anyway, yes, she pooped in the tub and was quite upset about it. I hate that she gets all upset, but on the other hand, at least she's aware of what's going on. Seems like from a potty training standpoint, that has to be a step in the right direction.

7. Wine is good. Even the cheap stuff.

8. (See, I knew I couldn't keep it to 7) Riley's picture in some super cute bloomers my friend Kirsten made was featured on one of her fellow etsy team member's pages. Kirsten has some adorable stuff, check out her store here.

7 Random Things

1. I'm still sick. Better than I was, but not well yet either. I do have a voice, it's just scratchy and kind of fades in and out. Bring on the sexy voice! Jody is a little under the weather, too. Riley has a gross cough, but it seems likes that could be that she's getting sick or it could just mean that she's a toddler.

2. Mom, Ashley, Riley, and I went to Perini's for lunch today. We all really had hamburgers in mind. Well, we got out there and decided we needed steaks. So yes, we had a $100+ lunch. But man, it was good. And it is a gorgeous day.


3. I kept my friend Trish's daughter last night. Sarah Posey is 2 months younger than Riley and they are BFFs for sure. They had a really good time. Sarah got tired and went to sleep on the couch about 8:30. Riley, who takes after me apparently, decided she did not need to go to sleep and spent a good 10 minutes torturing Sarah by tickling her, smooching her, poking her, and at last resort, literally climbing on top of her and using her as a pillow. Poor little Sarah never wiggled, she was so tired.

4. Jody is going on his annual fishing trip Thursday. I don't want to sound, uh, well, excited, but I kind of am...he and I always do better if we get a few days apart. I'm sure the next few days will be a flurry of activity, with him acting like a giddy school girl at the idea of going to Amistad for a few days with the guys ;)

5. I am leaving Riley overnight for the first time next weekend. It's kind of crazy to think that for 20+ MONTHS, I have been there to put her to bed every night or to comfort her if she wakes in the night. I have to leave on March 7 for a training in Dallas. It's just one night, not a big deal. I'm ok with it, actually looking forward to getting out of town - figure I can get in a little shopping and eat a good meal somewhere up there. The only trick will be I need to leave before Jody gets back from fishing, so we'll just have to do a little planning. Planning is fine with me, but J prefers to fly by the seat of his pants.

6. Riley is now obsessed with purses - or "pahr" as she calls them. Today, she decided she needed my mom's little Coach bag. To drag through the dirt and mud at Perini's. Good thing they are durable.
7. Is it wrong that I think Zac Efron is super duper cute?

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Riley finally got to experience her first real snow on Tuesday.

I happened to get sick on Monday and was home on Tuesday. If it hadn't been for the snow, I probably would have sent Riley to Becky's for the day so I could get some rest. But with the roads kind of iffy, I kept her home with me.

Ugh.

Last night, I had all these plans to write a really witty blog about several mundane things that were going on lately. Oh how I wish I could have written that blog, but alas, it was not meant to be.

About the time I was winding Riley down for bed, she started crying, holding her tummy and saying "poo poo poo poo". She was so pitiful. I wasn't sure what was wrong, but it didn't seem normal at all. But then again, I'm not sure life is normal with a toddler.

Anway, she tooted a couple of times and was all grins and giggles afterward. I put her to bed, no problem. About 5 minutes later, she starts crying and saying "mumma mumma" desperately. Not normal at all. So I go in her room, pick her up and she vomits all over me, projectile style, twice.

She had also thrown up in her bed. Poor baby. And poor mumma. I smelled. She was miserable. And Jody thought he had it rough, having to even witness any of this. Men.

Anyway, I got him to run her a bath and clean her up, while I set to cleaning up myself, the floor, her bed, her bear, and her blanket. And then he got sick.

What a fun night we had. She seemed to feel better after her bath. Until she threw up again. At least this time it was on Jody. As bad as I felt for her, I was happy she threw up on him. I giggled several times while I was cleaning her up again. This time, she let me rock her and was alseep in a matter of minutes. What a night.

Apparently, it was a bug, even though Jody desperately wanted to blame Pizza Hut. Four of the six babies Becky kept this week threw up either last night or today. Pretty sure we can't blame Pizza Hut for all that.

Maybe this weekend I'll get around to my witty posting. I doubt it, but you never know.

My New Favorite Picture....

I think this might be my new favorite picture of Riley....

Hewwo?

So today Riley has said/done two things that are new....

We went to my mom's for Valentine's Day / my mom's birthday.

Riley LOVES to play in her Gigi's room and immediately latched on to Gigi's iPod. I'm sure Gigi was quite thrilled ;)

Riley also was very interested in her shirt AND her bellybutton as always.

Then Riley puts Gigi's iPod to her ear. This is nothing new...the child has been "using" a cell phone for ages. I actually have a picture of her doing downdog WITH her cell phone in her hand. And yes, it was a real cell phone - just not an active cell phone :)

Anyway, back to the story...she put the iPod phone to her ear and says "Hewwo?"

I thought I was going to die from the cuteness factor. Her standard "conversation" on her cell phone consists of "Hi!" or "Go!", but never "Hewwo?"

Just more proof my baby is growing up!

Then, a little while later, Riley walks over to Lala (her aunt, my sister) and just slaps the devil out of her and then comes over to me for a hug...I squatted down to her level and said "Riley, it's not nice to hit, you need to go give Lala a hug and a kiss and tell her you're sorry."

So she walks over to Ashley and gives her a hug and a kiss and says "Sowwy." Another heartmelting moment. Granted it started with her slapping my sister, but still, at least she wasn't slapping me. :) Anway, that is the first time I've heard her say sorry. I'm sure we'll have many more sorry's and hewwo's to come, but those were just the first I had heard of them :)

Who Loves You????

This was going to be our Valentine's Day card:



And I absolutely LOVED it...it had a back, too. The template came from a great resource for photography: I Love Photography. I got the picture situated, made a back to the card, since I like the double sided press printed cards, uploaded to WHCC...and these weren't made with the crop/bleed edge...so my card would have been cut off. Anway, I thought these were super cute...and did I mention, the template was free on ILP's Share a Square? Yep, tons of free templates.

Really????

I know other blogs do Wordless Wednesdays or Not-Me-Mondays.

I'm thinking maybe I need to start Full of It Fridays.

I know this isn't a Friday, but the name works.

So, without further ado, I give you Octomom, supposedly surgery free.



Really???? Come on lady. I mean, Kate only had 6 at once and she had a tummy tuck, on air no less. Or maybe not on air, but the topic was televised. Anyway, I am so ready for this woman to go away.

19 Months....

It’s so hard to believe my itty bitty baby (if you can call a 9 pounder itty bitty) has grown in the rambunctious toddler that she has…what can I say about 19 months – she’s an absolute blast when she isn’t being a toddler terrorist. I think that pretty well sums it up. When she is good, she is so sweet and fun – but when she is bad, she is very, very bad.

• She talks all the time. Most of the time, I can understand her…sometimes, I just fake it. Or say “can you show me?” Most of the time that keeps her happy. I have friends that ask me how many words she uses…I don’t even know how to answer that – she repeats all sorts of stuff. Except what you really want her to repeat. I’ve been trying for I Love You or Love You for ages. Well, she finally said it – to the dog.
• She loves to do “ring ring” (translation: Ring Around the Rosey). No one is allowed to sit it out, 100% participation is required. And she is ALWAYS the last one to fall down. She has to make sure everyone really falls down before she, too, will fall down.
• She loves her babies - none of them of the human variety. She has a bunny baby, a bear baby, a monkey baby, a Who baby, and a bear dressed like a bunny baby. And she loves them all.
  
• She has highjacked my Mega Zabba. She has her own smaller version, but apparently she prefers mine to sleep with...and does so every night.
• Speaking of sleep, Riley is a good sleeper - she hits the hay about 8 every night and sleeps until we wake her in the morning. I can't remember the last time one of us had to get up in the night with her. No more rocking either. I weaned her around the middle of December and along with weaning went the rocking. Bedtime had gotten to be a struggle - she would fight me for two hours. We started just laying her down and it's worked like a charm.
  
• She loves her some macaroni and cheese. That's my go to meal for nights she isn't digging food.
  
• She tried fish sticks for the first time Tuesday night. She is a fan.
• She loves her jacket from Old Navy. Like to the point she doesn't ever want to take it off. Becky said yesterday, she literally wore it all day long - even during her nap.
  
• She does down dog on command.
• Elmo rules the dvd player in her room, but the Chipmunks are a close second.
  
• She loves to dance. Single Ladies will almost always get a reaction...she will even spank the booty....
• She loves to lead people around by the hand.
• I bribe her into getting dressed by telling her we'll go outside.
• She is all about going outside - or 'side 'side as she calls it. The biggest issue is once she's outside, it's pretty tough to get her back in.
  
• She takes one nap a day, for about 3 hours most of the time. Heaven help if you miss her nap, she gets a little mean.
  

S.H.I.T.

SO HAPPY IT'S THURSDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rocka Rocka Bye Baby.....

So Monday night, I'm getting Riley's bath ready and Jody is in the kitchen with her. When I go to get her, she's disappeared and Jody said she had gone my direction, so he thought she was with me. Turns out she was in her room, with her little Who snuggle pod baby, rocking the baby in giant recliner in her room...I watched from the door for a few minutes and then went in there...and she had found a "blanket" for her baby - a wash cloth. She was so stinkin' cute...I asked her if she was rocking her baby and her reply was "rocka rocka rocka."

She also "walka walka walkas" into Becky's house every morning....

I love this kid.

She Is So My Kid....

Yeah, Um....

I am a sucky blogger.

It's only been since August 2009 since I posted. And it was was more of a vent.

In all fairness, I DID start a post back in September about vacationing with a 14 month old and whether or not it really qualifies as a vacation when you have a 14 month old with you. But alas, it is sitting in post purgatory. MAYBE I will finish it someday. Maybe I won't.

Anyway, this is my obligatory "here I go, I'm going to post more" post. I really have no excuse. I mean, you can even post by e-mail. I could, like, do that at work. Or not. Since I never have.

Anyway, this is post #100. Maybe it's a turning point. I do know I was rereading some of my posts tonight and I'm glad they are there. I need to remember that...and try post at least monthly...that would definitely be better than my semi-annual posts of late.

Daily Update

Her rash is better! No pics tonight, but it's definitely better.

Let's see what else. My grandfather had his surgery today and it went as expected. He will be in the hospital for about 2 weeks.

I had a boring software demo at work today. The girl repping the software dresses like she is going to the bar. I have no problem with her clothing, but if you are going to a bank, I would probably wear a suit. Or at least something my boobs weren't falling out of. But that's just me :) Hey, it probably generally helps her....

Random picture of the day that I can scrounge up off Jody's laptop:
I took this from Sara's porch with a not very good camera to be honest. But it sure turned out good.