One week

In one week Mary has learned so much. She is nodding yes, sometimes no, climbing furniture and jumping between the couch, ottoman & chair (oh great), signing thank you - sometimes this turns into the Indian sound. More often than not we know what she wants or can figure it out pretty quick. She was just giggling in her sleep I am glad she has happy dreams. She isn't eating very well at all - she eats seconds at baby school I guess Mom's cooking isn't as good. I got to take a shower today while she watched Elmo in her crib - without crying!

Courtney has been a huge help laying down with her for a few naps it actually has given Jim and I a little time to get some things done. He started playing his guitars again, I cleaned the closet, did wash, and a few little research projects. I can't believe my time at home is more than 1/2 finished and I go back to work on Wednesday.

Christmas is over

Kind of happy - kind of sad. I look forward to the holidays, prepare for the meals, shopping (online of course) for gifts, try to carry on the traditions we haved formed over the years and then poof its gone. The highlight this year was seeing Mary's little face when she saw what Santa brought her. Thanks for all the tips about not wrapping the gifts from Santa and having the other presents ready for her to play with when she did unwrap them. Why Fisher Price puts 200 twist ties on everything I will never understand. On Christmas Eve Jim, Courtney & I put togeather her Fisher Price house (really its just a door way) she seems to like it - mainly she likes to climb on it. Here are some pictures:

I hate Fed Ex

For whatever reason they are too busy to deliver the package that was supposed to be delivered today to my office that must be signed for. I have spent a good part of the day trying to get it delivered and now rerouted to the house for Monday delivery.

Have I mentioned it is my Christmas present from Jim? Now the entire mess has polluted my mind about the gift, maybe its a sign that we have lost the Christmas spirit and had we handled things more in the traditional method this would not be an issue. "Material Things" seem to bring their share of problems.

Buy that kid a piano

One of my favorite quotes from my brother in law Chris G. - referring someone who talks about how smart their kid is and comparing him to Schroder (Schroeder is an infant who has learned to sit up in order to play Beethoven on his toy piano) from “The Peanuts “

Anyway here is the story, I picked up Mary from baby school yesterday (I prefer that to daycare) and Miss Jessica told me when she asked the class what the train said little Mary (who doesn’t say much) said “choo choo”. Of course she wouldn’t repeat it - Mary is like ER Hutton when she talks you better listen. Miss Jessica also said “when a child is advanced in one area some of the other lag behind, Mary is advanced as far and figuring out things and putting things together” Now I knew I needed to remember the exact words used because I was going to get the third degree from Jim. I fully expect him to ask her "what is the derivative of x?" this weekend. Or perhaps present her with a pile of steel and the welder and tell her to come up with a design for a horse stall. Now that someone has confirmed what he has known all along we will be filling out applications online for the Harvard class of 2029.

My heart goes out to our oldest daughter Courtney having to make some difficult decisions and changes, please remember her in your prayers that the Lord gives her the strength to stay strong.

Crabby!

Not just Mary - Courtney too! I am not sure if Mary doesn't feel well or is just going through a phase but she is not too pleasant right now. I am not sure if Courtney is feeling the effects of not being an only child or not a child period but again also crabby.

Courtney is going to say its because she is "overworked" but I submit to you Exhibit #1 my online cell phone records which tells me she was on the cell phone 221 minutes yesterday (over 3-1/2 hours). No one who is "overworked" has that much time to be on the phone. Now granted 2 hours of that was after 10:00 what does she and Glenn have to talk about for 2 hours? Jim and I haven't talked for 2 hours the entire month. So maybe she is crabby from lack of sleep.

I was up at 4:00 a.m. putting away things for the maids the house is still pretty cluttered in spots. Melba and Ed are coming tonight so I ventured to the great unknown - Courtney's room now Monday she told me she was cleaning it. Unfortunately I did not follow up to see if she actually did clean it and the answer is no! She must have 20 loads of dirty clothes up there how can you go that long without doing wash? When I asked her about it she said "it's not that bad". I wish Courtney would multi-task and clean her room while she is on the phone then everyone would be happy!

Milk

Not much happening here. The highlight of my day was Mary sitting up in bed and repeatedly showing me the sign for Milk so at 2:30 a.m. we got up and I poured her a bottle (with one hand). I am hoping this is not a new pattern. She knows sign language for about 6 different words, more, please, milk, hungry and bird - pointing and ugh ugh ugh when all else fails.

Melba & Ed are coming Wednesday I am hoping Mary remembers them.

Oh Christmas Tree

Mary’s favorite ornament is the Elvis ornament that Theresa bought me about 5 years ago that sings All Shook Up” right now he should be singing “All Broke Up” because he had been hot glued three times this weekend since “Butterfingers” can’t seem to hold on to it. He is now hanging above her little hands but she goes in there and points and says uggh uggh uggh so one of us presses the button and he sings (usually about 6 times) and then within the hour it starts all over again! I am relieved once again I have some concrete evidence they used my eggs!

p.s. the cookies went out this morning!

Its the most wonderful time of the year...

Then why do I feel so stressed out? I can't even write this blog without going back and forth to my "To Do" list to add something. The bright spot of my day having a conference calls with the sisters, you never realize when you are little how wonderful it is to have them. Maria pointed out we have almost hit all the time zones but we would need one more sister to do that. Maria sounds like a little ball of stress I hope things calm down for her. I am plugging away at the Christmas shopping. I have gotten my parents and Jim's mom taken care of, all the nieces and nephews taken care of and I think I am done with Courtney & Mary. I am trying to get past my Mom's idea that everything had to be equal. There really isn't a good reason to spend some more money on Mary just because I spent more on Courtney right?

I have a big weekend of baking planned if all goes well the cookies will go out Monday!

Maybe I need therapy

We all know I cannot delete the Gymboree sale emails. I am starting to think my obsession with Mary's clothes and now bows is out of hand. I got a spam email from Paypal so I checked my account to make sure the Spam message was just that and I totaled up my purchases and realized I spent $131 for bows for Mary's hair in November. Holy smokes I have a problem! Normally I am very value oriented but when it comes to this baby my judgement goes right out the window. I just added it up for the year and its $223 for a one year old's hair. Now granted they are toddler size and she can wear them for many years but I need to slow down, actually my bow lady needs to quit offering made to match Gymboree bows for that is my weakness.

Cookies?

I see someone posted an "Anonymous" comment asking about cookies this year. I am wondering which one of your "lily livers" didn't put your name. I am HOPING to bake cookies this weekend and send them on Monday. So many things could go wrong with my plan and they all include Mary and Mary's Dad they are both exceptional at throwing a monkey wrench in my plans.

Footed PJ's

Mary wore footed PJ's for the first time last night. She kept feeling the bottom of her feet. She was in a good mood last night. I had to chase her around to get the phone back after she finished talking to Jim. She is just so darn cute right now.

Not much going on with Courtney, Glenn is in town so my Christmas stuff IS STILL under the stairs.

So Big

Mary is just learning to do so many things all at once. She points to her hands, fingers, hair and toes when you ask her where they are. She does get eyes and nose mixed up. She also messes up her hair if you tell her it looks pretty which isn’t always so cute after I finish fixing it. She couldn’t get enough of us reading books this weekend especially Jim. He got home Thursday night and all of the sudden she is a Daddy’s girl. I must say I enjoyed the break!

The police stopped by for a visit at midnight on Saturday night. The “wolf pack” was barking like crazy because they thought Courtney was getting home (loud trucks). Also Bonnie is in heat and Bucky & Sam are nuts. So at midnight I am trying to get them all in, I have a broken crate, two males that are “in love” and won’t come in the garage and a female that won’t shut up because she wants to come in. Throw in the other crazies who are just barking because they are in the garage and the others aren’t and it’s pretty loud. So Jim got to answer the door with Hopey going nuts, holding Mary and wearing only his boxers. I told him it’s a good thing I didn’t answer the door I would have offered to make a donation to the police department K-9 unit. So Bonnie and Angel are at the place until in separate horse stalls until Bonnie is out of heat. We are going to start a “spay/neuter” program shortly! I am sure our neighbors hate us right now – can’t say I blame them!

It got really cold here on Sunday it’s only supposed to be 40 for a high all week. I don’t know who I feel worse for Courtney or the horses.

Dad missed me

I got the email from Dad - complaining about the lack of blog, I am relieved he is back to reading it.

I still am not ready for Christmas, the inside of the house is not decorated, I am really going to need some help from Courtney as far as getting out the stuff but she hasn't found time yet. I think I am done shopping for Mary I went a little nuts its just so great to be able to buy her the things I could never think about getting for Courtney at this age.

On a more serious note I am feeling a little inadequate and perplexed as far the the goodwill towards man part of the season. Jim Courtney & I choose an angel off the Angel Tree. I asked Courtney to go shopping for her and she picked up her wants and needs and a few other things.

There are good things that are done for people in need during the holidays but it is really just a bandaid. Giving someone a good Christmas is nice but I want to change someone's life. I just don't know how or where to begin. What really made me think about this there was a story on a radio station I listen to sometimes in the morning about a 30 year old mother working at a Dairy Queen with 6 kids that ranged from 4-12 and her husband died in January. The radio station gave her a $250 gas card and a $500 gift certificate, it will help them have a good Christmas but this woman needs real help throughout the year. She needs a better job, a better place for them to live (they live in a single wide trailer) etc. How do we help the people who truly need it?

Boring

I realize I don't have much to say but I feel obligated to keep up with the daily events of our life.

Issue for the day:

• I have no idea what to get Courtney
• I just realized I spent more on the boys than the girls - quick phone call to Theresa problem solved
• I have no idea what to get any of our parents
• I need to place food orders but am wondering if I should change that up
• No Christmas decorations are up in the house yet
• The good news - the Laxton kids are taken care of except for some wrapping

I guess the good news is I am not trying to do all of this and take care of a newborn.

Scared of Santa

As you all may have predicted Mary cried as soon as we put her on Santa's lap. Maybe we should have eased her into it a little. Santa looked less than thrilled to have our screaming Mary on his lap. I bought a small package of their pictures and thank goodness I did since I brought my older camera and the settings on it were all screwed up - I have no idea how. Santa looks a little tense in the picture doesn't he?

We don't have the tree up yet we need to - maybe this week then I will spend all of my time convincing Mary not to touch it. Jim said the first thing I need to work on is Mary not laughing at me when I tell her "no no".

Not much going on with Courtney have I mentioned how great she is getting and keeping Mary asleep? They took almost a 3 hour nap on Saturday.

Ho ho ho

We are going to take Mary to see Santa this weekend. I see the potential for so much to go wrong:

1. She will lose her patience (the impatient gene x 2) standing in line
2. She will be scared of the old guy with the beard
3. We are going to end up with a picture of Mary crying or I will have to be sitting on Santa's lap too - not exactly the picture I had in mind.

I need to get serious about Christmas shopping as usual I am wracking my brain trying to figure out what to get everyone. I have had some great ideas in the past (like the red Kitchen Aid mixer for Melba & Ed) but they are few and far between.

I have no idea what to tell Jim when he asks me what I want. I thought about letting him buy me new earrings (every year he asks "do you want jewelry") but it seems like such a waste there isn't anything wrong with the ones I have now. I thought about getting a new watch but then again I hate wearing watches the one he bought me in 1992 would probably still work I just don't wear it. Maybe I should just ask him for a gun safe and make him happy!

p.s. Dad do you think the writer's strike applies to you or have you realized how boring my life is and have nothing to say?

Step away from the sugar

Everywhere I go in the office there is candy and goodies! How am I supposed to lose weight with snickers at the front desk and brownies in the kitchen?

I have an extra 45 minutes to try and entertain Mary tonight because Jim is taking a later flight. His original one got delayed until 8:30 so he is taking one out of Dulles and sitting in a middle seat! I looked for a Santa around here but the closest mall around here was on the news last night for purse snatchings that is all I need while I am dealing with a stroller and a diaper bag.

Oh bummer I just realized I am not going to get home for the beginning of Grey's Anatomy oh the sacrifices I make to be the airport shuttle! Never mind its a rerun.

Smarter than the average bear

So a few posts back when I was talking about the family pictures and Jim said get what you want by the way I know what you can get me for Christmas... Well by making his new rifle a "gift" it has now turned into my problem! Remington only manufactures it on a special order basis and it takes 4-6 months to manufacture so he is "wondering" if anyone else just happens to have it from someone else special ordering it and not picking it up. Because guess what he doesn't want to wait 4-6 months!

I wish I would have told him my new camera was "a gift" and let him do all the leg work and research where to get it!

Decorating for Christmas

Oh what to do. Courtney has already started on the outside but I am dreading doing the inside since I have no idea how I am going to keep my very busy little boogie away from everything. She has no concept of "no" or "you can look at it but don't touch" she thinks its hilarious if she bangs on the front of the TV I rush over there and tell her "no no" and then she laughs or claps her hands. Short of putting the tree in the play pen I have no real solution.

I am also kind of bummed about Christmas all together, no one was here last year. I thought Melba and Ed were coming this year but it sounds like they are not. Our little family doesn't really fill up the house as much as I would like but then I get crazy when we have a full house because I feel like there is so much to do. I have the perfect solution I need the entire family here again like Mary's birthday then I have my sister's (both sister's don't get your panties in a wad Theresa) help!

Gobble gobble gobble

It was great to see everyone at Aunt Dorothy’s for Thanksgiving; the only thing that would have made it better was if Mary would actually let someone other than me hold her! She cried a little this morning when I dropped her off but after being home for 4 days I kind of expected it.
Not much going on with us this weekend, it rained pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday, Jim is still trying to get well from Mary’s cold, Glenn flew in for the weekend, Courtney is planning the outside Christmas decorations and I started writing the Christmas letter.

Proofs are in

Well as expected the family pictures weren't great but they are a picture in time right? As usual this darn Blog program errors out so here are the links:

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I am not sure which one of these three I like better or what size to get. Jim said "get whatever you want I don't care if you spend $1,000". Then quickly followed that up with "I know what I want for Christmas or my birthday or both" he wants some kind of rifle and scope - I couldn't tell you what kind.

Gymboree has another new line out today "Cupcake Cutie" and its Gymbucks time again. I just looked at their stock price wondering if I had somehow influenced it since Mary was born and I noticed it is near the 52 week low. Now if Jim were smart he would buy Gymboree stock! Unfortuntely my need for Gymboree is short lived, Mary will start wearing uniforms when she moves to from Infant 3 to Toddler Club (probably in the Spring) and will only wear real clothes on Friday's.

A big old pile of "shiftwork"

I am not a big Kenny Chesney's fan like Courtney but that song plays in my head throughout the day. I am covered up in "shiftwork" here at the office and can't seem to get through it. That being said I am taking the five minutes to write the blog.

Once again I am waiting for the pictures to go up on the website from the photo shoot with Hopey last weekend. I sure hope some are good, between Mary, Hopey and the fire ants it was rather stressful.

We sent a ham to Aunt Dorothy's for Thanksgiving but I still feel like I need to "make" something so I am hoping Courtney will watch Mary while I whip up a couple of pans of brownies.

Another exciting weekend!

Sorry for the lack of blog on Friday I was pretty busy at the office and feeling somewhat uninspired.

On Saturday morning we had yet another round of family pictures this time just us and Hopey and Hopey did not like the photographer or his wife and barked and lunged after them the entire time. They were afraid of her and asked if we let Mary near her? Speaking of Mary she got bit by fire ants again probably no less than 20 times and never even cried. The last shot I sat in a fire ant bed with her on my lap and they got her more than they got me.

Jim is still trying to recover from the cold Mary the carrier monkey gave us - as I have said before its a good thing she is cute because I think she may be deadly.

Glenn didn't come down this weekend because he is flying in Wednesday but Courtney did have the phone attached to her ear a good part of the weekend.

The pics are up!

Now the same dilemma what to get and what size?? Not much else is going on around here we have our last photo shoot for a while Saturday morning with Hopey we are hoping to get our family Christmas card picture from that and a picture to hang in the family room of all of us. It will be interesting to see if there are any where Mary and Hopey are both looking at the camera.

I will pick up the other picture from the shoot with my family this weekend so I will hopefully get them sent out Monday. I can't believe its been over a month since Mary's birthday where does the time go?

Waiting...

I have been waiting all day for the email saying the pictures were ready for us to look at. Here it is 4:10 on Wednesday still no pictures, come on how long can it take to upload them?? I am trying to be patient and I know all the checking in the world is not going to change the outcome but I still can't help myself and hit the send/receive button every time I go into Outlook. Maybe Mary gets the impatient gene from both of us?

I talked to Jim's Aunt Dorothy this afternoon it sounds like the entire family will be there for Thanksgiving. It reminds me of my first Thanksgiving with Jim's family and how we have kind of come full circle. There must have been 50 people crammed into Grandma & Grandpa Smalling's little house but there was plenty of food, room and genuine hospitality to go around.

That was the wonderful thing about Jim's grandparents no matter how little they had there was always plenty to share with others whether it was food, time or love - there was always plenty. When we decided to have another baby I had a feeling we would have a girl and knew who she should be named after, Grandma Smalling. So now 22 years later we will all be together at Aunt Dorothy's and although Grandma is gone she lives on through our little Mary.

Happy Mary

Mary woke up happy and stayed that way while I got ready AND didn't cry when I left her at daycare. Maybe she didn't want to be in the car for six hours again today and was happy to see me go. Today so far has been pretty normal (knock on wood) other than Jim telling me he was feeling much worse.

My 7 hour commute!

I left the house this morning at 6:15 to take Jim to the airport looking forward to my stop at Starbucks after dropping Mary off at daycare. Unfortunately I showed the rash on her belly to her teacher. She said it had to be shown to the nurse who then said I needed a doctor's note that it wasn't contagious. Now keep in mind there are kids with RSV, bronchitis and croup in Mary's class not to mention the nasty stomach flu she already had and they are worried about a little rash?? I said OK and got back in the car with her for a 90 minute drive back to Wylie so I could wait for the Dr to open and get an 11:00 appt.

Let me just say Mary is past the days of sitting on my lap quietly. She was running around like an idiot getting into everything you don’t want your kid to touch, wall sockets, fake plants etc. Finally they put me in a room with her (I needed a padded room at that point) and she is playing with the Doctor's chair trying to use the stool to climb up on the table basically climbing the walls. The doctor comes in and she freaks out doesn't want him looking in her ears her mouth listening to her lungs she was berserk! The rash is not contagious - not sure what it is maybe eczema? But she does have a sinus and ear infection - great! Did I mention she has given the entire family a horrible cold? So we get in the car again, drive to the area around my office, pick up lunch for Mary and I to bring with us. Go to daycare they decide she can’t go into her class because they already had lunch and are napping so I take her to Infant 2 so she can infect a whole new class with her germs. I dropped off her prescription at the pharmacy then finally roll into the office at 1:00. You may be saying why did you bother coming in - let me tell you this is the only place there is any peace in my life. Between the one year old who thinks she is going through the terrible twos and the pack of wolves I need some quiet!

When Jim complained last night he had to leave in the morning and travel 1000 miles away when he was sick I wanted to say sign me up! I would love to have a week away from this madness. I know I am complaining about my baby and it sounds horrible but it’s the hardest job I have ever had!

The "Bobless" Blog

All week comments from my Dad have been pretty scarce. As I (and others) have said the funniest part of my blog is Dad's comment. Which leaves me to wonder what is Papa up to? I will go with the theme from Mary's favorite book "Where is Baby's pumpkin" Is he busy at work? Is he remodeling the house again? Is he upgrading computers? Is he enjoying someone else's blog? Its hard to know.

I got "the" email again Gymboree is having their "Circle of Friends" sale I sometimes wonder if Gymboree has a better friend than me? GYMFRIEND is the code to use for you other addicts out there.

I took Mary to Mimi's Cafe again last night for dinner to kill time before I needed to pick up Jim from the airport. She is becoming quite the little ham waving to everyone, smiling and acting silly when people talk to her.

Mary was in a good mood this morning she gave out kisses to all of us before I took her to school and didn't cry when I left - maybe she is just tired of me?

Nothing really new with Courtney we are all still trying to recover from the plague that Mary brought home.

Fa la la la latte...

Normally I don't want to think about Christmas or want to see anything resembling Christmas until Thanksgiving is over. The notable exception is the eggnog latte at Starbucks which quite honestly is what I picture as part of heaven. Eggnog latte please - no weight gain!

I occasionally watch "Dancing with the Stars". My only comment is how in the world does Jane Seymour look that good at 56? I don't even look that good at 41! She even had twins 11 year ago at 44 - talk about Super Mom.

I am losing my voice which isn't all bad, I will be wishing I had lost my hearing at 9:00 when Carla gets in and comes in my office!

Another one bites the dust...

Make that another baby in Mary's class that is home today with bronchitis. Mary wouldn't eat dinner for Courtney last night just wanted to be held. Courtney said she acted like she was looking for me.

I got my hair cut and highlighted last night I think its a bit extreme, I think I will have her put a toner on it before pictures Saturday, its really light! Maybe I will probably wait until Jim gets home and see what his reaction is.

Mean baby germs

As you may have guessed Jim, Courtney and I all got what Mary had in a much bigger way. What's even better is there is a kid at daycare with RSV so that is what we will probably get next. Being the pro-active Mom I started Mary on breathing treatments since she sounded like she was going to hack out a lung Sunday night.

Courtney slept downstairs with me from about 1:00 a.m. in case I had to make an emergency bathroom visit and experience the full joy of sleeping with Mary. At least she wasn't getting kicked in the face like me!

I am absolutely exhausted but I am hoping the highlights I am getting tonight breathes new life into my tired old self!

So why did we get flu shots?

Mary woke up about 1:00 a.m. Friday night and proceeded to hurl all over our bed. So we did round one of changing the sheets only to do it twice more before we got up. She puked again at noon on Saturday in her highchair (lunch was definitely over) then the big D hit. That enough would have made for a crappy weekend (so to speak) then last night Courtney got it then Jim. Let me just say I have never heard anyone puke as loud as Courtney her stomach must be in her feet. But at least she was in a bathroom, Jim filled up the "Puke bucket" in bed no fewer than 10 times and guess who got to dump it and clean it out again for the next time. Needless to say I didn't get any sleep. As of right now it has not hit me but maybe God knows there is no one to dump my puke bucket! I did take a huge chance and eat Chinese food for lunch I hope that doesn't come back to haunt me.

The good news is I am typing the blog on the new computer slowly but surely I am making progress transfering everything over.

New computer is here!

Needless to say the blog will be short since I will need every spare second I have to set it up ! Actually not much going on here except me thinking about the donuts in the kitchen here at the office.

It was the best of times it was the worst of times

We survived Halloween! It had its good times and bad, Mary loved the little bit of candy I let her eat but not too excited about putting on her costume. She loved walking around to go trick or treating like the other kids but did not want to hold my hand or stay on the sidewalk. The pictures below should give you some idea of how the night went.


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She is becoming quite the little waver - she waved at all the kids we passed out candy to. Kind of a sad commentary on our block only about 6 of the houses had their lights on but I have never seen so many kids! I have always suspected people drop their kids off in our neighborhood to Trick or Treat. At first I kind of had an issue with that but Jim pointed out what was really wrong with parents wanting to take their kids to a safe place to trick or treat? Now something I do have an issue with is teenage kids that are not dressed up trick or treating. I told Courtney to give them candy I don't want them egging the cars later.

Happy Halloween!

Since Dad said my blog yesterday was boring I have felt a little uninspired and hoped something would come to me. I am also busting my butt to try to get things done at work so I can leave early to take Mary trick or treating. I am fully expecting a melt down when I put the costume on her but hoping for the best.

I am pretty bummed I was trying to upload pics to my computer of Courtney & Mary carving pumpkins and I didn't see them. It took forever to load since all the birthday pics were on there so I thought I would just delete everything on there since it was on my computer. Well the pumpkin carving must have been on it somewhere and I just missed it but I will never know since I deleted the entire card I am such a moron! I even tried using a undelete program on it no luck. That will teach me!

The Joseph picture order has also been placed everyone's price seemed to go down considerably after they applied the package discount I asked for except mine I am not sure why. I really can't figure out how they came up with the price but its done. I will pay closer attention on the next order and try to order exactly to their packages.

Temper temper...

Last night Mary wanted something that neither Courtney or I could figure out and she was mad! I felt bad because I tried everything but never really figured it out, I think she gave up on me having a clue and got over it. Going right along with her Jekyll & Hyde personality she was in a great mood part of the night too, we read "Snuggle Puppy" at least three times and "Yummy Yucky". She also wanted to help Courtney carve the pumpkin until I let her touch the pumpkin goo then she was not interested. Mary doesn't like to get her hands dirty. She is starting to nod her head every now and then I am sure shaking her head no is not far behind.

Tomorrow night is the big night! I am not sure how we are going to work it just yet, I would like Courtney & I both to take her trick or treating, we won't go to many houses I am thinking just the neighbors we actually know. We have lived there since 1989 but not too many of our original neighbors are still here I can only think of two off the top of my head.

Courtney's engaged

I am still in somewhat of a state of shock. Glenn asked Courtney to marry him last night and she said yes. This is so much for me to think about, planning a wedding, Courtney being some one's wife and eventually a mother and Courtney not living at home. I know the birdie has to fly the nest sometime but my little birdie seems to love the nest. I never really thought about Mary growing up without Courtney living at home - I don't know why. Regardless I wish both of them all the best - good luck Glenn I hope you know how to wash clothes!

Poor little Mary got bit by fire ants at the place, we had no idea never even saw them she didn't cry. School called this morning and said she is crying when they wash her hands, poor baby.

Travelocity called the house someone booked a trip to Bangkok with our credit card. I looked at the balance online and noticed they purchased trip insurance - good thinking dummy. I wonder if that kicks in because you can't take a trip because your dumb ass is in prison for stealing a credit card number?

But mostly I am sad the Gilbreath's aren't going to the World Series and the Rockies are going to wait 6 weeks to mail me a check but charged my credit card within 24 hours - thanks alot!

6,028 minutes?

How in the hell do you talk for 6,028 minutes on your cell phone? That is over 100 hours. 25 hours a week, more 3.5 hours a day 7 days a week! I cannot comprehend how this could happen.

I opened the bill and noticed "Cinder Courtney" (as my Dad likes to refer to her) talked that many minutes. So next time you tell me how "busy" she is please refer to this blog.

I got to go I have a phone call to make.

It's my turn!

I am getting a new "work" computer! It amazes me how cheap they are now even "maxed" out. Given that I have had mine since 2003 a lot has changed and improved. I am so excited I don't know how I forgot to tell Jim. New car, new computer - what a great week!

I took Mary to buy her first set of "Tennis Shoes" we went to Stride Rite her right foot is 1/2 a size bigger than her right. Not surprising trying to fit Jim in clothes in the stores is near impossible. He is the king of the special order. I am hoping between his narrow feet and my "Fred Flintstone" feet Mary ends up somewhere in the middle.

13-1 I guess we don't have to worry about a "Rockies sweep" I sure hope there is a Game 5.

Game 5

I am happy to say the Gilbreath’s have tickets to the World Series! I am praying there is a “Game 5” since that is all I could get. The online ticket sale was nuts! There were 4 of us trying to buy tickets so Luke & Lauren (and of course their parents) could go. I got in 4 or 5 times but the website moved so slow I would lose the cart before I could get my information entered. Talk about stress – but at least I don’t have to be the one who has to tell poor little Ellie she isn’t going. Maybe another dog would help soften the blow?

Courtney decorated the house for Halloween it looks great! I meant to upload the pictures last night but Mary was ready for bed by 8:00 so I didn’t get to do much except SHOP online at Gymboree. They have the cutest new line!! Perfect for the family Christmas card picture now if they just had a matching doggie outfit for Hopey. I will have to find some matching fabric and make her a bandanna to wear.

Brrr

Its only 46 degrees here! That is down right chilly. We tried on Halloween costumes last night Mary was not too happy about it I am hoping she was just tired and wearing a costume won't be an issue. She looked the custest in Piglet so I guess I will save the honey pot one for next year. There was a "Stich" costume too but unless I could get Courtney to dress up as Lilo probably no one would get that one.

Here is a picture of Jim and Mary in the new Suburban

That new car smell

Finally it is my turn for the new car! My last new car was a 1995 Camry (after I rolled the 1993). We bought a white Suburban with all the gadgets. Mary and Courtney watched ” The Little Mermaid” on the way to Oklahoma yesterday. I think Courtney was more excited than Mary. There is even plenty of room for Hopey dog on the floor (we got the bucket seats for that reason)

So now I am just praying nothing else comes up it seems like every time we “choose” to spend some money poop hits the fan.

Still laughing

I still can't come up with anything to top Dad's comments from last night along with everyone else's. Things are back to normal around here the "Pre Papa" stress is gone from my life. After all he saw the dirty glass on the back door and the crappers in the driveway how much lower could I slip on the messy daughter list? I was thinking maybe Jim could read the blog and comments to see what he missed over the weekend, I don't think he has gotten around to it yet.

I am now on the search for the Christmas card picture outfits - it never ends?

Change is good!

Unlike my husband who ate tuna & pot pies for 4 years for lunch, I get tired of the same old thing. I spent a good part of last night looking at different templates for my blog but since I downloaded the pictures from Mary’s birthday from Photobucket I can only use one column layout. So I am redesigning that day’s post to upload the super cute Halloween layout I found.

I am laying awake at night trying to figure out where to put all these pictures I am getting and planning locations for future ones. I am still trying to figure out if I need to take Mary to Portrait Innovations for her one year pictures; I think the answer is yes so they are consistent on the wall for 4 months, 6 months 9 months and then 1 year. Also the studio that took them for school does not offer a 10 x 13 only an 11 x 14 and they want $150 (mounted whatever that means) a piece for them!

Now if Courtney is reading this she is going to say “there is only one picture of me when I was Mary’s age - one at 10 months old and then not another one until I was 2!” The answer is simple you were not in daycare and we were BROKE! The choice was food or pictures, Mary just came along at a better time financially of course we are going to have to eat cat food during retirement but we will have a ton of pictures of Mary to look at while we do it!

All roads lead to Maria

I feel like everything is up in the air today. I am waiting to hear from Maria before I know what we are doing on a car. I am waiting to find out if we are getting a car this weekend before I schedule pictures for Mary. I am waiting to figure out if we are going to Oklahoma to check on the horses depending on pictures for Mary and the car. It all goes back to Maria! My little sister is holding my future in her skinny little hand.

On another note we received the proofs back from the photographer yesterday so I have started compiling the order. I heave heard from everyone except for Maria – back to Maria again?

Courtney and I took Mary to “On the Border” for Bosses Day dinner last night. She was waving to everyone. She also drank out of her sippy cup by herself amazingly well. She has pictures today at daycare - I know pictures again! I went by Gymboree and bought her a super cute fall dress.

This morning the other Mom's and I were talking about how big the babies were on the way in we saw Ms. Barb and Ms. Karen. Mary's first two teachers, they both said "their baby's are growing up". I just hope Mary doesn't cry in the pictures she really is afraid of strangers.

Be afraid

I heard through the grapevine my Dad has been working his "trip report" from this weekend. Since no one can control what comes out of the man's mouth or in this case his computer I am already plotting my defense.

The shots yesterday were relatively uneventful. She did go to bed earlier than usual but other than that she was pretty much herself. I could not believe I told her "the shots hurt but its better than getting the measles, chicken pox, hepatitis or the flu" that is totally a Bobo comment! She weighs 22 pounds 5 ounces is 30-1/2 inches tall and her head is still 18.5 inches. So she is in the 70th percentile for weight 90th for height and 90th for that brain filled head of hers.

The Denver bunch is excited the Rockies are headed to the world series. I have no real allegiance to them since they came to Denver after I was already gone. I am not a real big baseball fan anyway. Besides there is only one Denver team for me - that's right those Denver Broncos no matter how bad they are there is always next week or maybe next year.

Now what to get Mary for "Bosses Day"?

Mary is 1!

Wow what a weekend - the girl had more camera’s on her than Brittany! I am not exaggerating when I say in excess of 500 pictures were taken. I uploaded 300 to snapfish between my camera and Theresa’s. The shocker – she didn’t want anything to do with her cake, she even cried when I tried to get her to eat it. She loved seeing her family especially her cousins. She would walk up to Ellie and just hug her. We had a photographer take family pictures (my side of the family) on Friday we are supposed to have proofs emailed to us today. I can’t wait to see them.

Jim, Courtney & her boyfriend Glenn were out bailing hay until almost midnight and then we were up at 4:15 a.m. so he could fly out this morning for a flight that so far has been delayed for 3 hours because of the rain in Oklahoma City and now here!

Mary has her doctor appointment today and has to get 5 shots - tonight should be fun!

The race is on

I know I know the blog is late. It took me almost an hour this morning to get a flippin rental car for Mom and Dad. Courtney and I drove around the airport like idiots for 45 minutes and could not find where to go to rent the cars just return them. Finally I ended up cutting through parking lots and walked my happy butt to the Hertz parking place to find the perfect car for Dad an Escalade just like Tony Soprano. Then I was at the dentist for almost 3 hours! What a morning - again its good thing I have (or should I say had) a lot of vacation time or they would just fire my butt!

Auntie Maria arrives tonight to begin working on Mary. I fully expect for her to be even more rotten (if that is possible) by the end of the weekend. Our house is going to be bursting at the seams but that is a good thing! Everyone is coming to celebrate our special miracle's birthday. Boogie will be 1!!


Here is Mary actually holding her cup. See she can do it - she is just like her Dad she prefers I do everything I possibly can for her!

I really wish I knew how to design the format (colors etc) of my blog without using their templates but I guess that is a problem for another day.

I'm going through the big D and don't mean Dallas

I am home with the diarrhea girl today. She screams every time she pees or poops and of course when I change her. It is heart breaking. It’s a good thing I have 4 weeks vacation because I have used virtually all of it with this sick girl!

I got up at 5:00 a.m. and Courtney slept with her so I could get a little real work and housework done. Wish me luck that she is at daycare tomorrow.

Stay at home moms have it rough

Staying home with your kids has to be the toughest job in the world. I have no idea how you Mom’s get anything done! Mary is a full-time job. For us to get anything else done one person has to be watching or holding Mary. The girl has no concept of “no, no” in fact she laughs at me like it’s the funniest thing she has ever heard. Watching a litter of puppies is easier than watching Mary! She finds trouble where the normal person would assume she would be perfectly safe. It’s a good thing she’s cute!

Speaking of puppies we actually sold one! We are now down to 7 dogs. Anyone looking for a pre-owned 20 month old puppy? We have a male or female take your pick.

I would normally say something about the Cowboy game but then I have to think about the Bronco game and that is just too painful. CBS actually switched the game over to the Baltimore game here – Dad said I was lucky they turned it off since they kept it playing in Denver.

The whole car thing is still up in the air. A dealership here is quoting $2,000 less for the same car than the dealership near San Antonio (who actually has the car) but the dealership in San Antonio won’t trade it to them probably because I called them to get a quote. They are saying “a friend of the owner is coming today to buy it” What a mess!

The final countdown

Busy weekend before the in laws and outlaws get here. Mary is taking a nap next to me and I am watching the Broncos who are losing again (17-0)at the moment.

• New ceiling fans installed -check
• New toilets master bath & Courtney's bath- check
• Haircut for Mary - check
• Cabinet in the living room from storage for my scrapbook stuff - check
• Took more pictures to figure out how to use the camera - check
• OU beats Texas - check

The guest room still needs to be tackled, the garage, the backyard mowed, shrubs trimmed, locks switched out (we are slowly going from brass to brushed nickel) and Courtney and I need to figure out what we are wearing for the family picture.

The fantasy football team I am on just sucks! We are currently in last place, last year I had an excuse I had a newborn to think about now I am forced to realize the team sucks and the one's that don't suck are hurt. I am kicking myself for pushing to pick Brees instead of Brady.

I just ordered Mary's birthday presents this morning they have been in my shopping cart at Amazon for 2 months. I don't know why I waited so long to order them but I am not going to pay $60 in shipping to make sure they are here by Thursday I guess I will just hope for the best.

I am taking a vacation day tomorrow, Mary has teacher in-service. They are coming to fix the one board in the living room that is cracked and hopefully fix my bedroom floor that I suspect no one used glue on that creaks like its 100 years old. I also have a mani/pedi appt!

The heat is on

Not in the house its still in the 90's here - just in my life!!


I just found out my scrapbook organization stuff will not be here until Tuesday! I hoped for Monday since I have to take a vacation day anyway. I was hoping to get the guest room organized before Lauren and Ellie have to sleep in there. The Joseph "clean gene" hit poor little Lauren hard I am afraid the clutter will be too much for her. Quite honestly I suspect that is why Maria is staying at a hotel, she had to sleep in the guest room after I had Mary and it sent her into a ding dong eating frenzy - no doubt from the stress.


I took Mary to Luby's last night for dinner. Our first trip out with just the two of us. There was so much activity she didn't eat much but mostly watched everything. She also spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out how to get her placement off the table (it has suction cups that stick to the table). My little engineer girl is always thinking! The biggest challenge was holding her and signing the credit card receipt she really wanted to help me.


Mary is now giving squeezing huggies and open mouth licking kisses (hopefully not a sign of things to come) when you ask for a huggy or kissy, she seems to understand that better than loves & sugars.


This whole car thing is a pain in my ass! I am working with 6 or 7 different dealerships and no one can read. Trying to get a quote is a complete whipping because you have to start at square one every time, is it 4WD, is it a 3/4 ton frame, is it white. Then I find out one or two of those things are not the case, I again reiterate it must be 4WD and must have a 3/4 ton frame I am becoming more flexible on the color but I would prefer white. Then I find a couple that come close to fitting the criteria and find out they are either sold or not in stock and they have to see if they can "trade" another dealership for them - talk about Bait and Switch!! The Durrango actually seems to be running a little better I wonder if I got bad gas or it knows its days are numbered?


I am still hoping for 25 pound weight loss miracle before next week.

It's Thursday!

That means Daddy is coming home and Hopey and Mary both seemed to know what I was talking about - Hopey was so excited she drank her water too fast and puked all over the floor - "Courtney"! I am going to take Mary somewhere to eat dinner and kill time since Jim's flight doesn't get in until 6:50 and I don't have time to take her home then make it back to the airport. Courtney is hauling hay today for her Dad driving his truck and trailer, I pray to God all that goes well!

Mary is getting her bangs trimmed on Saturday I hope she is good! I need to spend more time with the camera this weekend to be ready for the BIG DAY!!

Quick blog today

I am so behind at work from being at home I can only take a minute to write the blog. But Dad gets so upset if there isn't a blog I can't just skip it! I was car shopping online while Mary was snoozing until about 10:30 last night. Several dealers have emailed back with quotes on the wrong model, wrong color not 4 WD etc. Don't people read anymore - why did I bother going through every option and model on the GM and Chevy website for 20 minutes?

Mary started her first day in Infant 3 she cried a little but wasn't crying when I walked out the door so that's all that matters right? We really need to do more to baby proof the house she is so limited where she can go and what she can do. I put up a gate seperating the kitchen and family room yesterday and that helped but then Hopey is shut out too. I guess the only solution is for her to get older!

On the mend

I am home with Mary - all is well. She only had tubes the adenoids are enlarged but not enough to be removed. She is taking a nap right now in our bed while I blog away next to her. She is bringing books to us alot to read sometimes she just stays for a few pages sometimes it the whole book. The family will be here in 10 days, we are not going to have the family room done the fireplace is still up in the air so no wood floor yet.

I tried to get Mary to watch different things on PBS today other than "Elmo's World" she had zero interest. Didn't even seem to like the Baby Einstein video, I may not be able to park this one in front of the TV with a Disney movie -which I know is good. I just would like to be able to go to the restroom without the toilet paper puller and toilet flusher with me.

No blog tomorrow!

Mary is having surgery and I anticipate having to cater to "little miss" quite a bit. I have taken a ton of pictures with the new camera and I suck! I have a lot to learn. I am not sure I see the difference in quality yet. Maybe the rest of you can - here is a picture with the new camera I think I see more detail. I have to work on it alot more before I will be ready to take pictures for her first birthday.

I am watching the Broncos for the first time this season too bad they are losing to the Colts or should I say beating themselves! Looks like Cutler finally figured out what a quarterback sneak was. They just cut to his parents his mom was telling someone to shut up they are in Indy good for her I would be the same way! Mary is taking a nap in the crib! She has been doing it a little more lately maybe we are turning the corner.

The Camera is here!

Even though I got a free pass from Papa not to do the blog "Due to the circumstances of the past week, and the fact that Courtney is on her way to Chicago you are hereby officially excused from publishing the Blog today." I had it drafted so here it goes!

I have to squeeze in some time this weekend to take some pictures and figure out the new camera! The good news is my car is fixed (for the moment anyway) so I can pick that up. Courtney's truck is also home but the fuel gauge is broken so she just needs to watch the odometer and fill that beast up more often. Jim's computer wouldn't turn on at all yesterday a.m. but it is magically working today.


Courtney is meeting Bobo in Chicago to visit Grandpa D who turned 87 this week. She was a little nervous about the whole airport/flying thing but I am sure she will do fine. I am ordering Mary's cake this weekend so we will take a field trip to Garland to a little Mom & Pop Bakery I got great reviews on. I hope the cake is good.

When it rains...

This probably would have been a good day for Dad to guest host. I think I am going to be accused of whining again, which I am but I feel completely overwhelmed right now!

We have 2 cars that are in the shop. A baby that is having surgery Monday. Courtney is leaving this weekend to see Grandpa D, so we have the horses and dogs to deal with. A birthday party to plan (cake, seating and food are my biggest worries right now) Daycare is closed Monday the 8th for "teacher inservice" (seriously its a daycare) so I guess I will be taking a vacation day. The end of the month is coming so I need to do Jim's billing this weekend. My dining room still has dishes all over the table that need to go in the china cabinet - unfortunately Mary wants to help me put them away so not much is getting done there. I really need a pedicure, eyebrows waxed, my roots touched up and a magic pill that will help me lose 30 pounds before I have to be photographed with the "skinny sisters". Most importantly I need time to figure out how to use my new camera!!

Lisa you are right why don't you start your own blog so I can read yours and realize things aren't as hectic as I think they are.

Do I look stupid?

Got the call from the dealership of course they came up with $2,000 worth of work! This of course prompted Jim to say “tell them to do enough to get it running I am not putting that much money into that car we will buy a new one”. It is 7 years old with 120,000 miles on it so in the great scope of things I guess it’s not horrible. After buying the hay bailing equipment, putting in wood floors and my new camera it figures we would have to plunk money down on a car! It’s the curse of deciding to spend money. We had the same thing happen last year when we ordered the cabinets it started a whirlwind of spending that about emptied the savings account. The upside is I have gotten to spend a little more time with Courtney as she has become my chauffeur.

Now I just have to decide do I want a Tahoe or a Suburban?

Blog is late

Got the email again from Dad "where the blog is the blog"- this is starting to create some pressure!

When I got in the Durrango after dropping Mary off it wouldn't start. So I had to have it towed to the dealership and am waiting to hear how much it will cost! I guess I was lucky it happened in the driveway of the daycare versus the highway or an intersection somewhere. So I am here without a car and Mary has a pre-op Dr. appt @ 4:45. Can you see where this is going? Good old Courtney is going to get to spend 2+ hours picking up Mom, taking us to the Dr. and then out to feed and get her stuff done.

The good news is ordered my new camera and it will be here in time for me to learn it (I hope) before Mary's birthday.

Where are my Broncos??

OK seriously who sets the football TV schedule in Dallas?? Once again the Bronco game was not on TV. Washington and the Giants – why in the hell would I (or anyone) want to watch that, maybe I will protest and start watching the history channel on Sundays. OK I am not that crazy! They lost anyway but maybe with Mary and I cheering them on they would have won like the Cowboys did.

Since I couldn’t watch the game - here is a picture of my favorite cheerleader. She seemed to like wearing it and wanted to put it back on after the blowout in her onsie. She is eating a lot of table food seems to really like it. She had Salmon for dinner Saturday night and for lunch on Sunday.

Planning for Mary’s birthday is now is full swing. I am hoping to have it outside in the backyard (minus the 7 barking dogs). We did get a couple of calls this weekend and one couple came out to look at Sam & Freedom but they are going out of town this week and not making a decision until after they come back.

Infant 3

Mary is moving up to Infant 3 on October 1 - or in reality when she gets back from ear tube surgery. She transitions next week, a few hours every day. I am a little worried because she really doesn't handle change very well. She is really into her routine. They have a set schedule and only take one long nap. I wonder if the teachers know what they are up for with her! She actually naps decent at school and in a crib but then again there are no beds and no Mommy's and Daddy's to lay down with.

Exciting day for Jim he is buying hay bailing equipment hopefully this will eventually deflect from all the money we spend on hay. I also used this as an excuse to finally break down and buy the camera and lens I have wanted quite a while. Its in my cart at Amazon I just have to hit "proceed to checkout". I keep going back and forth and now I am wondering if the latest model the 40D is what I need?? I just sent my buddy Sheila another email with dumb questions - sorry!

One down!

The wood floor in the living room is done. I think it looks great - we will see what Jim thinks when he gets home. So that is one room done. I have serious doubts whether the family room will be done. We are still stuck on the fireplace issue. Mary is having ear tube surgery and maybe her adenoids removed on October 1 so I will need to be home with her and need her routine to be as stable as possible – i.e. no construction, dust or noise! So that leaves this coming week or the week of October 8th and that is cutting it a little close since everyone is going to be here on October 12th.

I really need to get her birthday invitations done. I am still trying to decide on a time, I will serve food etc so I am thinking 4:00 so that people can eat an early dinner but I wonder if that is too late?

They were my eggs!

I’ve never considered it a secret Mary didn’t come about the “natural” way. That is just what happens when old people try to reproduce. Every day I thank God that medical science has evolved to the point that is was possible to have her before I got too old! That being said with invitro there is always a possibility there was a mix up. From Day 1 I knew she was Jim’s but I was a little worried that she looked nothing like me. Slowly but surely I am getting conformation and last night I was sure! I turned on the Elvis from Las Vegas show (thanks Melba for telling me it was on) and Mary went NUTS she started dancing and waving to Elvis on the TV like she knew him.

I got a little glimpse of it this weekend. Jim and Mary laid down for a 2 hour nap (go Mary) and she woke up because she heard “That’s All Right Mama” in the movie Jim was watching. I started thinking then maybe the wild arms and wrinkled nose wasn’t just a coincidence. Personality wise and she is exactly like Jim and she does look more like him than me but maybe the Elvis gene did come through!

Singing Bee

Love that show!! I can’t believe how many people don’t know the words to the songs but think they do. Last night Mary and I watched it and she acted like she was singing (of course she was supposed to be going to sleep). I tend to yell at the TV and tell the people the right words but with trying to get Mary to sleep I had to tone it down a little. Mary still doesn’t really know crazy Mommy. She got a little glimpse of it while I was watching football two weeks ago and she just looked at me a little confused and then clapped.

Normally I would have Monday Night Football on but who the hell wants to watch Washington & Philadelphia? I did however flip on Invincible again – the movie about the bartender who made the Eagles team in the 70’s! I love football movies I can’t think of a bad one except maybe North Dallas 40!

Analysis paralysis

This is a phrase coined by my little sister about her husband. We now have it too. We thought we would get the fireplace revamped and put in wood floors before everyone comes for Mary’s birthday. We are completely stuck on how to lay the tiles on the fireplace. We spent a good part of the weekend looking at it –drawing it out and I think we are still at square 1. So now Jim is thinking about just doing it himself and if he doesn’t like it tearing it back out and starting over. I just hope everything isn’t torn up for her party!

We were on our own this weekend, Courtney went to Oklahoma for a horse show Saturday morning so I had dog duty, Jim had horse duty - Mary, Hopey & I went out to help him. Hopey keeps biting the horse’s noses sometimes she does not listen very well! Courtney did well at the show, won two ribbons not bad for the first time out. Mary is walking everywhere!

"The Screamer" - Day 2

I love Mary’s daycare – especially the Infant 1 teacher Ms. Barb if I could adopt her for an “in state” grandma for Mary I would do it in a heartbeat. I am not as thrilled about what seems to be a never ending parade of other teachers in Mary’s class - Infant 2. Her main teacher Ms. Karen is there from 8:00 to 5:00 so I rarely see her unless we run into each other when I am walking in and she is walking out. The other teachers that I do see are pretty much fillers and I think Mary knows it and doesn’t like it. She seems to like one out of three of them and the one she does like isn’t in there as often as the others. When I picked her up yesterday she was on the bye bye buggy (which she loves) but had her paci in her mouth and looked tired – maybe bored. I talked to Jack's Mom (a kid with a head bigger than Mary - yea someone has to have one since she is in the 90th percentile) and he just moved to Infant 3 and he loves it and his mom loves it.

They start teaching sign language in Infant 3, one of the “fillers” suggested doing that with her now since they think her screaming is her way of coping not being able to communicate. Really is she so different from any other 11 month old on the planet, she wants something and can’t tell us what it is. This really is not that unique yet for some reason Mary’s way of telling people is disruptive, my girl just wants to be heard! Nobody puts Baby in a corner!

Does she scream at home?

That was the question I got yesterday afternoon and this morning from daycare. Apparently my sweet little Boogie has started screaming in a high pitched screech that scares the other babies. There are a couple of theories going around with the teachers:

• She wants her favorite teacher Ms. Barb (her first teacher who had her from January 2nd until June 1st) to visit her from the Infant 1 class. Mary hasn't fully accepted Ms. Barb is not her teacher and makes a beeline for her class every chance she gets. All too often I have to leave her with Ms. Barb in the morning because she won't let anyone else take her from me.



• She is frustrated and can't communicate with words (no kidding) and they don't know what she wants. That is an easy fix they need to pay attention to her every whim like we do at home. She is just like her Dad she wants everyone to focus on what she might need -they are clearly paying too much attention to those other babies!

Since no one really knows what she wants so they try to feed her and give her the paci but she even screams with the paci in her mouth.I think she thinks its funny she is getting a reaction (kind of like when the little booger bites me) so she keeps doing it because it freaks everyone else out. I bet she sits there and laughs at them too. Here are the two sides of my girl Devil & Angel (click on the picture to see them bigger.

11 months and CRABBY

Mary turns 11 months old today and despite wearing a super cute outfit to school she was so crabby this morning!! When I got her to daycare I gave her tylenol for her teeth and discovered poopy pants and boogers in her nose maybe that was the issue.

I wondered if she was keying off my mood the maids come today and I was stressed because as usual Courtney had not done everything I asked her to do - I got the old "don't worry I will get it done" which drives me NUTS because that is later followed up by "I forgot" or "you didn't tell me to do that" YES I DID!! I guess the alternative is doing everything myself but I figure since I am at work or driving to and from work for 12 hours a day I think I deserve a little bit of help from the girl riding the gravy train right?

OK back to the daughter who can't say "I forgot" yet she is starting to copy what we do and remember things. Like Jim patted the pillows on the bed and said you can lay down here, she has been patting the pillows and then laying down its really cute. She will sometimes make the Indian sound with her mouth but not all the time like when I try to get her to show Jim! Here's hoping she is in a better mood tonight - I want to take pictures!!

September 11, 1918 – Happy Birthday Grandma

Rather than remember a day the terrorists gave us I would like to remember the day my heritage gave me Grandma Damato’s Birthday. Irene Pierscionek was born to two Polish immigrants who came over on the boat not long before she was born. She was the oldest daughter of 9 children. Sadly her father died when she was a child and she had to help her mother raise the children. She was not allowed to attend school past the 8th grade as it was more important she work so her 7 brothers could attend school. However none of them graduated only her little sister my Aunt Aggie in the mid 1940’s.

As I child I had no idea of the lack of childhood she had. She couldn’t have known all of the carefree days, few worries and love from two parents that I had. Other than to hold one of us I remember Grandma always keeping busy even if she was watching TV she was ironing (a great source of arguments between my grandparents was the “room divider”) she crocheted, did needle point - I always remember her having something to do.

Even though we lived in Denver and they lived in Chicago I felt very close to them, they usually came out for several weeks during the summer and often times we went there too. For many years every holiday 3 matching dresses would come in the mail for us to wear. What sticks in my mind the most is we knew how valued our mother was to them. To hear Grandma & Grandpa describe Mom she was the perfect child. They never seemed to tire of telling us stories of her growing up and we loved to listen to them.

I regret as an adult I did not make more of an effort to see her, they came to see us numerous times when Courtney was growing up but I only made it to River Grove once before she died for their 50th wedding anniversary. Since Mary was born I often think about the six great grandparents she will never know and how they would have enriched her life and how much they would have loved her. I hope we do a good job telling her about all of them and how she is a part of them.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Monday Monday…

Jim flew to Seattle again this morning so he was up at 3:30 to catch a 6:55 flight (that didn’t actually taken off until 8:30 –thanks American Airlines) so I had to get Mary ready and loaded up all by myself since Courtney had to take Jim. Waking Mary up is kind of like waking up a grizzly from a long winter nap. You never know if she is going to be happy to wake up and eat or if she will be mad! This morning she was pretty happy until I walked out of the room to get my blow-dryer then the screaming started. Seriously there is no one else in this world that cares if I walk out of a room other than Mary! I suppose I should be flattered she thinks she needs me that much.

While we (Mary and I ) were watching football yesterday she put her hand on the ground and her butt in the air (like the linemen) I thought it was pretty funny I am sure Jim wondered how many hours she had watched football when I told him about it - just one game at that point.

While I am on the subject who would have thought Tony Romo would throw more touchdowns that Peyton Manning? During the Cowboy game last night Jim changed the channel to the History Channel (I turned the game back on after he fell asleep). So without really saying it I think that means he wants Mary to be a Bronco fan - so I will be ordering a cheerleading outfit for her to wear on Sundays.

I understand my Dad is still having chest pains from yesterday’s Bronco game so he may not be able to join us here today.

The most stubborn baby in the world

The sleeping issue has once again reared its ugly head. Over the last few weeks Mary doesn't want to be rocked to sleep. We have to lay down with her, even for naps. Since I think we are going backwards its time to get this mess resolved. So I am listening to her cry in her crib. In two more minutes I am going to go in and check on her - lay her back down and the screaming will start again. I wonder if Dr. Ferber ever had a baby like Mary when he wrote the book?

I just went in there she is screaming louder than ever, I feel like I am just torturing her. She has no idea why she is in the room with the door shut she probably just thinks we are being mean to her. She is completely hysterical now - we are going to pick her up.

She cried for over 30 minutes then it took me that long to settle her back down. She is whimpering in her sleep in my bed. I guess I am going to have to use bribery when she is older to convince her to sleep.

C is for Cookie

Mary definitely has her parent’s sweet tooth! When Courtney was a baby she didn’t have any sugar until she had a piece of her first birthday cake. Being older parents (more like spoiling grandparents if the truth be told) Mary has had little tastes of this and that starting with the Rice pudding in River Grove when we visited Grandpa Damato. I try to limit it to the weekend only and no more than maybe a ¼ of a cookie or a little square of graham cracker. So far I think her favorite was a little less than ½ of a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup (I know I broke ALL the rules with that one) but she kept saying MMM MMM while she was eating it. So far I think we have done pretty much the opposite of everything we did with Courtney.

As my sister in law Lisa pointed out I am much more laid back about finger prints too. When her kids were little I practically followed them around my house with the Windex and paper towels now Mary’s hand prints are a work of art across the bottom of the TV. Between Mary and Hope I don’t stand a chance anyway and who really cares?? Except for maybe my Dad and he isn’t there!

Late on the Blog

I was feeling uninspired so I thought I might skip the blog today but then I got the following email from my Dad.

"Where the Blog is the Blog. I’ve read the newspaper, watched the morning news, gone out and done 3 jobs, checked on my crews, made all my phone calls, and still no Blog. I am being denied freedom of Blog."

Maybe I should have Dad "guest host" the blog for a few days. His comments are more entertaining than my blog most of the time.

Not much happening with us, $1,200 of repairs on Courtney's truck, 2 puppies that need a home and Hopey not sleeping in her bed which kept me up all night. Mary is getting more and more vocal about what she wants and doesn't want. Too bad I can only figure it out 1/2 the time so she either cries or yells at me. Jim is coming home a day early maybe that will put her in a better mood tonight.

We are a little more than a month away from her first birthday I can hardly believe it!

Gymboree is stalking me

I opened my email and its another email from Gymboree - THEY ARE HAVING ANOTHER SALE!! I can not take the pressure. Mary looks so cute in their clothes, I can almost see her little face looking at me saying "Mommy buy me more clothes Daddy won't mind". Its also Gymbucks time (you earn Gymbucks in increments of $25 to redeem in October). I have 17 items (9 pairs of socks) in my shopping cart now I just haven't hit "checkout". Does she really need 9 pairs of socks the girl only has 2 feet? But again to get the sales price you have to buy 5 of one kind, 3 of another and the ivory ones are on sale do you see where I am headed with this madness?

Fantasy Football

Today is the day that could change my family's life. It is draft day for fantasy football. This is the year Mary will learn how to love watching football with Mommy and hopefully none of the bad words Mommy sometimes uses while watching football. With Jake Plummer not playing for the Broncos perhaps I won't swear as much! Thanks to Aunt Theresa she has a Bronco cheerleader uniform - it will be a little big but so what. Maybe I will buy her one for the Fall and she can wear that one in the winter.

If my team does well in fantasy football I will become a woman who is possessed and my husband will ask "Is there anything else on?" every time he sees a football game on the TV. I can't even believe he asks that - well yes there are a million other things on but nothing I want to watch as much as football. How can he be married to me for 20+ years and not know that?

Of course if the "Jim gene" comes out in Mary she will just fall asleep instead of watching the game. Which isn't such a bad thing since she is fighting nap time now too.

Da da

In the truck on the way to Oklahoma Mary looked at Jim and said "Da Da" like she had been saying it for months! Now its her new favorite word and she keeps saying it. She even said "Hi Dada" while she was eating her dinner last night.

We went to see Jim's cousin Brett. Courtney rode one of Brett's horses. She is going to a horse show with he and Ninya in a couple of weeks. She is pretty excited about it and is trying to figure out how to get down there to ride the horse a few times before the show.

You'll notice in the picture (click on it to see it larger) Mary now has 4 teeth - she is getting so big so fast!

Don't read if you are suicidal - it may put you over the edge!

I’m just too drained to write anything witty today. I feel like I am being pulled in twenty different directions and could use some time to do something I would like to do. For instance work on my scrapbooks which I haven’t done in nearly two years. Now with Mary it’s nearly impossible since I have to keep an eye (and preferably all of my attention on her) I don’t want to sound like I am complaining as Courtney has said many times “you wanted to have a baby”. which I did and thank God many times every day for the miracle she is. I guess I wasn’t fully prepared for how little time I have to do anything I want to do. Quite honestly there are so many things I need to do I feel guilty doing anything I actually enjoy.

It amazes me how much of my time gets eaten up doing things like making bottles, putting things away, going through the mail, feeding Mary dinner and getting her ready for bed. It really doesn’t sound like much but that is my entire evening. I check email, read message boards and email myself "To Do Lists" in bed while she is sleeping next to me. I just feel so inefficient right now.

Oldies?

Do the Oldies stations really have to change with the times? When I was driving home Monday Mary woke up a little early so I put on KLUV the oldies station here in Dallas. Courtney used to like to listen to it when she was little I was thinking we would hear a little Surfin USA or Return to Sender. They are playing Billy Squier (you remember “The Stroke” from the early 80’s) singing The Locomotion now everyone knows its Little Eva who sings that – Billy Squier covering it come on! I kept listening and they played a song from the 80’s! The 80’s - that is not an oldie!! Oldies are 50’s and 60’s music ask anyone!

Three strikes your out!

I took Mary to another ENT today (the third) he also recommended surgery, but maybe not her adenoids he said he would make the decision when he saw them putting in her ear tubes. I got to work about 10:30. My job seems like a vacation compared to wrestling with a 22 pound 10 month old who doesn't want to sit still. This morning was the longest hour and 45 minutes of my life! I just don't remember Courtney being so active. I also decided to leave the stroller in the car - big mistake I bet I carried that kid a mile, my arm was cramping so bad when I was walking out to the car I was afraid I would drop her.

Then I get to the office, open my email and there is one from Gymboree - damn them!! A Labor Day 20% sale off already reduced items!! They know I am eyeing the sweetest horsey outfit for her its now in my cart - its 40% off! Jim should be proud of me I have been eyeing it since it was full price. Tell me my little Boogie wouldn't look so cute in this to visit her horses. Maybe I will wrap it up as a birthday present.

It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Not Mary’s favorite food but her favorite song. Courtney started singing a variation to her then we found the original and she LOVES’ it!

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=areyUfCNFxY&mode=related&search=

I played it last night and she couldn’t climb in my lap fast enough to see the dog dressed as a singing banana. While I had her there I played the Jailhouse Rock video and Chubby Checker doing the Twist (she looked mildly interested) but a dog dressed as a Banana singing about Peanut Butter Jelly time – that seems to beat it all!

Until Bobo gets here and teaches her about Mashed Potato time!

Daddy = food

For months Mary hasn’t been very interested in what we are eating – all of the sudden she has figured out Daddy has the good food. This weekend she begged like a little dog and not very politely, she about ripped the bowl of ice cream with the cherry turnovers right out of his hands. Even when I got her own ice cream she was not interested she wanted Daddy’s! Avocado dip, chocolate chip cookies even his hamburger had Mary right there trying to get it. She makes Hopey look like a model beggar just sitting there looking at you with those big brown eyes.

Speaking of eyes – Mary’s are still up in the air –grayish green is the closest I can come up with for a color. Not brown (yet) and not blue (any more) – sorry Daddy.

Mary's walking

Mary's walking - short blog today!

Regrets I've had a few...

Now all good Elvis fans know those are part of the lyrics for “My Way”. Anyway I digress - my big regret for today is that we did not pay the contractor last year to build the room over the garage. It has turned into a big PITA they want architect drawings, engineering plans to certify the beams etc. Last year they just wanted $27,000 to completely do it and I would have a room! It seemed like too much then since we were remodeling the kitchen; Jim bought a new tractor, Mary being born etc. Of course “Mr Fix It” thinks with a crew he could have it done over a long weekend. It would take him the entire weekend just to shop for at all the tools he would want to buy to do it!

Another big regret – not watching my weight better when I went through my 3 rounds of invitro in 2005! I must have the world’s most sluggish metabolism I am lucky to lose a pound a week. I do have a plan though, I am going to see how close I am to morbidly obese, if I am close I am going to eat whatever I want (hello Ice cream!) pack it on and get lap band or gastric bypass surgery - something where people drop a hundred pounds overnight. If I can’t win one way I will win the other!

Gymboree

Am I obsessed with Mary’s clothes because we didn’t buy anything for Courtney until she was 3 (we were broke - the grandparents weren’t)? Or is it because I was forced to wear orange striped jeans (orange stripes blue background) with an orange zipper – I already hear my Mom saying “you wanted to wear those” it’s not true I just didn’t know any better.

While I love Gymboree I do not love their prices – Jim would crap if I spent $50+ an outfit on clothes she will just wear a couple of months. So I look for the sales on Gymboree.com (I have outfits picked out and pounce the second they are ½ off) and stalk the NWT (new with tags) listings on EBay. I can’t have my baby wearing strangers used clothes, that’s like wearing someone else’s underwear. I got into a bidding war this morning with someone for a Valentines Day outfit for Mary. But now I am suspicious it was someone trying to drive up the price because they had no feedback so I am pissed about it. It’s a cute little outfit, pants shirt and cardigan (don’t make fun of me Courtney – Mary will look cute in it)

At first I loved Zutano clothes which I still like but Courtney called them “Geranimals” another childhood reference making me think I was not so cool. So anyway I am now buying for fall and winter and a little summer next year if I see a good deal. I even bought the nieces some outfits for Christmas - don’t freak out it’s from the store not EBay!

Mary Lou's got a new pair of shoes

The maids found the shoes! They were wrapped up in the blankets on the couch! Oh well I could have saved $30 but at least I didn't lose my mind!!

Mary’s first words…

I am afraid with my commute her first words will be “Thanks Jackass” which is a phrase you hear all too often in my car – with a few other choice sayings. With my 47 mile commute (yep each way) I see all sorts of drivers. I often ask myself when someone cuts me off “is that person stupid or inconsiderate” not that I will ever know the answer but I can’t help but ask the question.

Another pet peeve – the speed limit is also the minimum of how slow you should drive especially in the left lane. If the speed limit is 60 and you are going 55 in the left lane - get the hell out of my way! Also if you cannot talk on the cell phone and drive hang up! I cannot tell you how many times I am behind someone who hits the brakes for no apparent reason then I see the cell phone on their ear. Answering the phone does not require that you hit the brakes! I have also noticed quite a few men driving slow in the left lane talking on the phone, again if you cannot drive the speed limit (or faster) hang up the damn phone!

Jim’s idea of a perfect car for me is a Hummer – not the little mini Hummers but the full size ones - now if it just came with an assault rifle so I could get all the idiots out of my way so much the better!