Happy Halloween

Saturday was a really busy day!  I had to go pick up my new glasses that I've been neglecting for about 3wks.  Then P1 and I had to get our hair done.  It had been months since we'd had a trim, so it was much needed!  She got her hair layered and it looks so cute!  She's getting to be such a big girl!  We also goofed around at the mall for a few while waiting to get into the salon.  We saw a cardboard cut-out of 'Edward' & 'Jacob' from Twilight and P posed for a pic with them!  LOL

Since the family hadn't been feeling well, we came home and rested before starting to carve the pumpkins.  In an earlier post, I mentioned that we might skip them and I fully intended to.  Then on Friday, the 30th, M and P decided that they wanted pumpkins!  So I went to Wally World and found two of the best I could find on October 30th!  It was slim pickins!!  After our naps, M and I started to carve them and P1 supervised.  P2 was still sleeping so she missed the festivities. :(   They came out pretty good and I got a lot of pkn seeds out of them so that was a plus for me!  I love making Sweet and Spicy pumpkin seeds!  YUM!   When P2 woke up, I tried to fit her into one of the pumpkins for a picture (got it from an idea from my friend, B) but she wouldn't fit!!   Oh well!  I did snap some pics of her wearing her "Baby's 1st Halloween" onesie and of sister wearing her Alice Costume. 

I did a big mommy foul and I didn't take a single pic of P2 in her costume on Halloween. :(  She did wear it and she actually kept the crown on, but of course I didn't capture it.  She had fun though, I think!  She actually had this stunned, deer in headlights look on her face though.  I know she was thinking: "Why am I wearing this?, WHAT IS ON MY HEAD?  Why are you pushing me around in the stroller, at night?  Who are all these kids running around?  What the heck are they wearing??  I'm cold, why aren't we going into any of those warm houses?  What do they keep giving big sister??  Ya, you people have completely lost your minds!!!!" 

We had fun though, despite the three out of four of us being sick.  The next day we cleaned and got ready for the week ahead.

It's VERY scary to think that this time next year we will have an 8year old AND an 18mo old Trick or Treating with her big sister!! 

My beef this week....

Hypocrites. 

Back home, Halloween was fun.  It was a time when the weather got cooler, the decorations started showing up on the neighborhood streets, we got to dress up and go to school in our costumes, and I got to stay out late at night with my friends roaming the streets & getting candy.  Ahhh, good times.  Now here, in TX, or the Bible Belt...it's "Satan's Holiday".  Huh?!  Never in CA had I heard of Trunk or Treat...or this time of year being referred to as "Fall Harvest" because "Halloween" brings up too many negative connotations.  Whatever.

When I was younger and much into my adult life, my former best friend (long story) is a Jehovah's Witness.  When we were younger, and I'm sure still to this day, her family would get together and have a large family meal on....hmmmm, Easter Sunday....or on the fourth Thursday in the month of November, or on the 25th of December.   But NOOOO, they weren't celebrating the holidays, they didn't believe in the holidays.  They were just getting together and having a family get-together.  Now this may offend you, but what the f*ck?!?!   How convenient that you do the exact same thing we Christians do, but you just call it a different name.  I never understood that. 

So, my point (and I do have one) is that here in the Bible Belt, Halloween at the schools is frowned upon.  There are no Jack-O-Lanterns, no bats, witches, ghosts etc.... but having a pumpkin patch at the school and having hayrides is A-OK?!?!?  Again, what the f*ck?!?!  Isn't it the same exact thing, but just with a happier name????  I just don't get it!!!!!  It makes me angry when religious freaks bend the 'rules' to accomodate their own belief structure.   If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a freakin duck!!!!!!!!  GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!! 

Halloween Eve & We're Sick

I'm just not feeling it this year.  Normally, Halloween is my favorite holiday, next to Christmas.  I haven't even decorated my house.  I think having a new baby, dealing with M's back ailment, and working 40hrs a week is taking its toll on me.  It doesn't help that 3 out of 4 of us have been sick for over a week.  P2 has been sick for almost 2 weeks.  She is getting better, but it's been rough on her.  This crud that she has is awful.  Also, with no antibiotics to give her, there isn't much we can do.  Thankfully she's not running a fever anymore.  M and I both have it too.  I think M is getting better while I'm still fighting a sore throat.  I wonder if I do have strep.  Since I have no time to take myself to the doctor and since I'm not running a temp, I guess I'll never know.

To add insult to injury,  it doesn't help that last Tuesday one of P2's two bottom teeth poked through (sigh).  She's growing up. :(  She's actually getting two at the same time and I feel bad for the little girl.  Not only to be sick and miserable, but throw teething into the mix and you get one unhappy 5mo old.  She's on the mend though.  She was able to stay home with daddy all week so I think that helped her.  I'm happy they got to bond this week. 

Family Pics

A few weeks ago a friend of mine volunteered to take some family photos for us.  It's the first ones we've had done since P1 was about 18mo and the first to include our newest princess.  It's LONG overdue!  Another friend volunteered his BEAUTIFUL garden for the shoot!  

I wish M would have worn 'fake' glasses, but I thought they still came out pretty well!!  The photographer messed around with the pics and I'm not sure I'm going to leave them, but here are some of my favorite! :) 

P1's Birthday Party

It was a success, but I'm so glad it's over.  P2 has been sick for almost a week and I've been fighting something as well for a few days.  Thank goodness P1 is well (knock on wood).  We rented out a party gazebo in a private park and it was a blast.  We had a huge playground, enclosed for the kids to go crazy in.  Crazy they went too!!  I think we had about 40 people there!  P1 made out like a bandit!  We had hotdogs, chips, juice, water, pickles, strawberries, candy, and the beautiful Tinkerbell cake!  No, I didn't make it, but I wish I was this talented!  Here are a few pics!  :)

This was the coveted gift!  She loves info-mercials and has wanted a Snuggie forever!  Here she is snuggling with her sister!  :)

October October October

To say it's been a busy few weeks for our family is an understatement.  I have the same thought every October, and that is "Oh, this month is just crazy because *this* is going on...it won't be like this next year."  Ummm, not quite.  October is like *this* EVERY year!!! 

I used to be super excited when Fall appeared!!  When P1 was little, by the time 10-1 rolled around, the house would be decorated, pumpkins ready to be carved, her costume would be ready to go and we would just have a dinner for M's birthday and a small-ish party for P1's birthday.  Now, Oct is just the precursor for the next 3 months to come and go at warp speed.  Leaving nothing in its path but a trail of destruction consisting of wrapping paper, turkey carcasses, and empty bank accounts.  YIPPY!

There is only one decoration at our house.  The costumes are made, but no pumpkins are to be found.  We might skip pumpkins this year. (I KNOW, can you imagine?!?!). We just have so much going on.  Not only do we have their birthdays, my newest nephew's birthday happens to be the same day as my youngest brother.  Plus, we have something else we didn't have last year and that's P2!!!  She's keeping me very busy too.  So even though P1's bday was last weekend, her real party is tomorrow. (EEK) It's going to be at a really cool park with rides and everything!   Wish me luck!!!

7 years already

I can't believe that 7 years ago today, my first daughter was born.  It seems like only yesterday that I tested that Easter Sunday morning on 3/31/02 and in that instant, with a positive pregnancy test, my life had changed forever.

It was a busy time in my life.  M had asked me, officially (ie, rock in hand!), to marry him in November of 2001 and we had planned a Spring wedding.  April to be exact.  I hadn't been feeling well for a few weeks and thought my period was about to start any minute.  I had been crampy and irritable; two sure signs that "Aunt Flow" was on her way.  M kept saying he thought I was pregnant, but I tested numerous times before and they were all BFNs (code for Big Fat Negatives).  So that Easter morning, it came as a COMPLETE and TOTAL shock that right there, glaring down in front of me was a BFP (Big Fat Positive).  I remember it was 5am in the morning and M was still asleep.  I walked into our room, test in hand, and I said "This THING says I'm pregnant".  He smiled, hugged me, and said "Congratulations, you're going to be a mommy".  To say I was shocked was an understatement.  I was under the impression that it would be difficult for us to conceive when we decided it was time.  I've had irregular cycles my entire life and since M and I were 'shacking up', we weren't being exactly careful (if you know what I mean!).  Well, I cried for three days.  Our wedding was in 13 days, out of state, and there was STILL a lot to do.  I was stressed, overwhelmed and quite frankly, even though I was 26, I felt too young to be having a child. 

To date the pregnancy, M and I went to a clinic. It was a Christian clinic and it was an interesting experience to say the least. Anyway, we found one that did sonograms early on and sure enough, I was pregnant. They guessed about 5wks pregnant. It was the most surreal thing, knowing there was someone growing inside of me that M and I created.  I knew we were blessed, but it was hard to see the forest through the trees.  What awaited me was beyond anything I ever could have imagined.

Once the wedding was done, it was time to switch gears and get ready for baby!!  I was due 11-17 so I had to get cracking!   Thankfully, both of our families were extremely supportive and couldn't wait for this baby to be born!!  M and I bought furniture, strollers, carseats etc etc... All the baby gear you could imagine.  There was one thing missing though; the baby's gender.  I had numerous sonos and not once could they tell the sex.  The baby had its legs closed or it was facing my back so they could never tell me if she was a boy or girl.  I don't care for the color yellow, nor did I want all green baby clothes so I was pretty upset that the baby wasn't cooperating! 

My pregnancy was pretty rough, even though I felt pretty good throughout it....my body was freaking out.  It started with a scare that took me to the ER shortly after getting that BFP.  I had started to spot and while at the ER, they told me it was a threatned miscarriage.  We were upset, but we would just give it to God and whatever was to happen would.  Thank goodness the hcg (the hormone produced by the fetus) kept going up, so that indicated a growing baby.  Then that was followed by two horrible cases of bronchitis.  I couldn't really take anything while being pg, nor did I want to.  I would cough so hard that I ended up vomiting more times than not.  Then, one day at work, I developed some really bad pains on my right side.  I felt like I was being stabbed in the kidneys.  After another trip to the ER, it was confirmed.  Kidney stones.  I passed them, but had to follow up with a urologist afterwards.  I tell you what, I was the only woman and the only person under 60 in there!!  He couldn't find anymore and sent me on my merry way. 

After that episode, I failed my glucose tolerance test.  Both of them.  My pancreas was not making enough insulin so I was sent to a dietician and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  I was lucky this time and was able to control it by diet alone.   

Just so life wouldn't get boring, I started having dizzy spells and headaches and my OB thought I could benefit from some PT.  So there I went for a few weeks to strengthen some muscles in my neck & back to hopefully stop them from happening.  Looking back, I think it was a warning sign of what was to come.

Towards the end of my pregnancy, my blood pressure started to rise.  Being overweight at the start of the pregnancy, it didn't surprise anyone that my blood pressure would probably start becoming a problem.  Well, a problem child it was, let me tell you!  It got so bad that I had several 24hr urine tests done (I had to collect my pee for one day) and a nurse even had to come out to the house to monitor me, make sure I was staying on bedrest and showed me how to use the BP cuff.  There were also a few nights in the hospital to monitor it. Those were awful.  Those hospital beds seem nice at first, but after one night you might as well start sleeping on the ground because there isn't a huge difference!

At one overnight stay, I was waiting for M to show up from work and while I was getting a sono, the gal asked if I knew the sex of the baby.  I said, "Can YOU see it?!?!".  She said she could and I asked her to write it down for me and seal it in an envelope.  I wanted M to be with me when we found out.  Later on when he arrived in the room, I showed it to him and told him what it was.  He let me open it and I exclaimed "IT'S A GIRL"!!  Inside the tech had written "Congratulations, it's a girl!!" We both got a little teary-eyed and hugged.  I still have that piece of paper!  I then quickly called my mom and told her "IT'S PINK" and the shopping flood gates opened!!!  Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma and the Aunts all went girl shopping!  That was two weeks before I had her. 

On 10-16, my old job hosted a shower for me!  We got SOOOO many nice things! We couldn't wait to bring P.A. home!  After the shower I had an appt with the OB who informed me that the high blood pressure was getting worse.  Off to the hospital I went.  This time, she told me I was done being pregnant and we would be having this baby in the next day or so.  YIKES.

I didn't even get to really clean the house like I wanted to.  I didn't get to wash all the cute stuff we received.  It just happened so fast.  Baby shower and then straight to having the baby!!  CRAZY. 

That was Wednesday evening, 10-16.  They were monitoring the BP and it wasn't coming down.  The next day it was still elevated and tests that were run the day before showed that my kidneys were starting to fail.  Add that to the list of ailments this little girl was causing me! :)   That was it.  No choice but to induce.  On the evening of 10-17, they started this cervix ripening gel that prepares your body for labor.  At first it was fine, then by 3 hours later I started feeling it.

PAIN. OUCH.  The nurse told me to take a shower that night because I was going to have a few different IVs and once I was hooked up, I wouldn't be able to get out of bed.  I remember being in the shower and feeling like I was having the worst cramps of my life.  I couldn't even stand up straight because I was hunched over in pain.  I remember telling M over and over "this effin hurts badly....this SUCKS".  LOL 

Once I started progressing, the doctor gave me some meds so I could rest.  More like medicine to knock me out.  It seemed like I was waking up every 20 minutes in pain
and M was right by my side the entire time.  Not knowing this, but the nurse had put a cathetir in me since I couldn't get up and walk around.  They gave me magnesium to prevent seizures from the high BP, so they couldn't have me up and about.  When I woke up in pain, I felt like I also had to pee!  I told M, in a whisper, "I have to pee."  He would say "go, it's OK".  "No!" I said.  He said "it's OK, you have a cathetir" "No!!!" I would say.  "I have to go really bad". Then right away I would fall back asleep again and 20 min later we would have the exact same conversation! hahaha  

Shortly thereafter I was told it was time for the epidural!  YIPPY!  For me, it was pain free and the guy who did it was VERY nice.  Once it was hooked up, I was OUT.   The next thing I knew, all of these people were in the room making a racket and I was told "It's Time!".  It was now the morning of Friday, 10-18.

M was by my side and I was told to push.  I couldn't feel much, but they said I was doing a great job, and I kept thinking "If you say so, crazy people!  I don't feel squat!".  haha  My lips were SOOOO incredibly dry.  M was giving me ice chips, but they weren't helping at all.  My mouth felt like I had a huge wad of cotton in it.  BLEH.  After about 4 pushes, I heard all kinds of commotion and then I heard the word "vacuum".  Afterwards M told me that P1's heartrate was dropping and they had to make a split second decision.  Emergency Cesarian, or using the vacuum.  She was stuck.  Since the nurse could see her head, that's what they opted for.  OH, I forgot to say that since this was at 5am, my OB wasn't on call that morning so I got some guy delivering me.  A complete stranger.  I was ticked, but what can you do really?!  Anyway, so they used the vacuum and she slipped right out.   At 5:25am, my beautiful baby girl was born.  5lbs 9oz and she was 18in long.  She did have trouble & they had to inflate her lungs to get her to breathe on her own.  She did quickly, but they still needed to check her.  I don't know if I said this, but she was born early at 35wks.  Normal human gestation is 40wks. 

One thing I was SOOO worried about was tearing during delivery.  After she was born and I made sure she was healthy, I asked if I tore.  They said I didn't and I was SOOOO relieved.  I didn't want to deal with that, as I hear it can be SUPER painful.  I figured I had been through enough with the pregnancy that God was sparing me from anymore pain.  hahahahaha  WRONG.

So about 30 minutes after I had her, the epi started wearing off and I could feel this (OK, TMI warning!!!!!!  TOO MUCH INFORMATION.  If you're squemish, quit reading now) ....where was I?  Oh, so afterwards I felt this stabbing pain in my va-jay-jay (or 'gina' as it's called in my house!).  I told M if felt like I was being ripped open from the inside out.  It was AWFUL, TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, EXCRUCIATING PAIN.  I demanded he go get the nurses.  They came in and saw that I was bleeding from the gina and they said it was normal after giving birth.  I sucked it up and tried my best to manage the pain.  They packed it with some gauze and gave me some vicodin pills.  Ya, that didn't do ANYTHING.  A short while later, this time I was hollering at M telling him I didn't care if he had to drag a nurse in by her hair, but to get someone in there ASAP.

A few more nurses came in and when they removed the gauze to check me, I heard "Oh My God, her doctor needs to get in here NOW!" Followed by "This is ridiculous".  Luckily my OBs office was in the hospital and they were able to get her to me quickly.  I remember her walking in, saying something to me and the nurse putting meds into my epidural.  THANK GOD it was still in my back.

Now this is what I remember next.  A bright white light above me,  in a bright white room.  My eyes were closed and I kept hearing "T?  Can you hear me?  Open your eyes".  I was dead...or so I thought.   I saw a man's face looking down on me and I could barely keep my eyes open.  I had an oxygen mask on my face and he wouldn't shut up with the "T, open your eyes".   I closed my eyes only to wake up back in the room where I had P1.   I heard a lady's voice.  She was talking about me.  I looked to my left and there was my OB, talking to my inlaws and M.  OK, so I wasn't dead.  Close, but nope.  Not dead.

This is what happened.

Since the dr. used the vacuum to get P1 out, part of the inside wall of the 'gina got sucked in there with it.  It ruptured a vein and I was bleeding out.  A massive hematoma (a large bruise) had formed and that's where the pain & blood was coming from.  When the nurses came in to check me the second time, when they removed the gauze, a HUGE GUSH of blood came pouring out.  Apparently it went all over the bed and on the floor.  After that, they dosed my epidural and rushed me to the OR.  My OB was able to find the vein, stop the bleeding and repair it...something she said is almost impossible to do (locate the vein that is hemorraging).  I did need two blood transfusions since I had lost so much blood.   I was alive though.  M's parents thought I had died because when they walked into the room, my bed was gone, there was a lady mopping all the blood off the floor, and M was crying with his head in his hands alone.  Of course they thought the worst.  Scary time.  My family is in CA so they could only go on phone calls that were few and far between.  I knew my mom was having a fit because I couldn't update her.  Sorry mom! 

Since P1 was born on Friday morning, I didn't get to hold her until much later that night.  I'm sad that I missed that time with her, but I know daddy was with her and I was still alive so I had a lot to be thankful for. 

Thankfully she was fine health wise and just a little jaundice.  I was able to go home the following Monday and she came home on Tuesday. My recovery lasted a LONG LONG LONG time.  It was very painful to do anything for a while. 

Ya, the pregnancy, labor and post-delivery were awful, but at the end of it I got the best prize in the world.  My beautiful, sweet, smart, and precious baby girl.  I love you VERY much Piper.  I never knew what unconditional love meant until you were born.  I never knew what it was like to love someone so much that you would die to protect them.  I never knew how much I could love another person until I held you in my arms and whispered your name for the very first time.  Instant Love.   God sent you to me to save me.  You give me a reason for living and I'm a better person because of you.  Thank you my honey bear.  Mommy loves you with every fiber of my being; and I ALWAYS will.

Just a few of my favorite pics of P1 through the years....

Big Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a big day.  We're going to a friend's house to have some family pictures taken!  Now that we're a complete family of 4 and P2 is almost 6mo, it's time!!! 

Now I tend to get a little stressed and totally type-A when it comes to stuff like this because I want the pictures to be perfect.  I want my kids to look perfect, I want my kids to act like perfect angels,  I want to look perfect, I want us to look like the 'perfect' family.  You know and I know that's a pretty high expectation that will NEVER happen and we all know I don't have the perfect family.  It's close, but nothing is perfect.  No one is perfect.  With that said, I'm going to try really hard to just chill and enjoy the time with my family.  All the non-perfect 4 of us!!  Wish me luck!! 

Happy Birthday Ube

Today is my baby brother's birthday.  A (aka, Ube) is 22yrs old today!   I remember the day you were born.  We had a large earthquake not a few days before and we joked that the quake put mom into labor. You were a preemie, but I think you were just ready for the world and ready to make some friends!  You were a little peanut.  In fact, that's what you were called.  You weighed in at 4lbs-something and you fit in dad's hand.  He could palm you like a football.  So tiny, but a beautiful baby.  We all called you the family baby.  I was almost 13, M was 8, so we were all aware of what a baby meant to our family.  Even though I REALLY REALLY wanted a baby sister (I cried the day I found out you were a boy!), I instantly loved you when I saw dad holding you behind the glass in the NICU.  You quickly gained weight and were allowed to come home.  We all had SOOOOO much fun with you as a baby!!  My favorite memories of you were:

• Calling you Ube (A variation of dad's song, "You Be, You Be, You be daddy's Baby"  Ironic now that the bastard isn't in our lives, but I digress...)
• Having you call me "Soiny" which was supposed to be 'Sissy'.
• Watching you slide down the stairs feet first on your belly.  Man, that was funny and you were QUICK!
• Watching you run on your toes in your walker.  You looked just like an Australian Flared Lizard when you did that.  It was hilarious.
• I loved our Halloweens when I got to dress you up!  I loved the Riddler and the car accident boy with the sign that said "Larry H. Parker got me SQUAT".
• The way you carried Simmy around in a headlock.  You were the only person she would let carry her that way!
• Last but not least:  Me: Who do you love? U: You. Me: Of course, who else would you love? U: Nobody.  Me: What are you supposed to do? U: Remember that.  Me: Applecore.  U: Who's your friend?  Me: YOU ARE!!!!!! 

We love you very much A!! 

Too many bdays in Oct

OK, once again life around these parts has to get interesting for me! Drama always seems to find me, even though I hide from it like the plague. (please don't mention this on FB- THEY are on there!)




So here's the latest....



My SIL has three kids: J1, J2, & J3.

P1's actual bday is this Sunday (18th).

P1's party is next Saturday (24th).

J1 is 8 and is invited to a fancy party this Sat (17th).

J3's First Bday is today (13th).

MIL mentioned having his bday for family at a Build a Bear, but never said when.

We moved P1's party (at my MIL's request) from the 17th to the 24th so J1 wouldn't miss her 'fancy party'.

We've scheduled family pics on the 17th since we moved P1's party to the 24th.

Now, my SIL is wanting to celebrate J3's bday on P1's actual Bday (Sun) and I'm not very happy about it.


We haven't made any definite plans for Sunday with P1, but we talked about either going to see a musical OR going to see Where the Wild Things Are. Ya know, just spending time alone as a family with her. Am I wrong to not want to go to my nephews party on MY daughter's bday? Especially when I've already changed my plans to accomodate their activities. I just think that since my SIL dragged her feet about J1's party, we shouldn't have to drop everything either.



Either way, I know I'm going to end up looking like the bad guy in this mess. Any suggestions. Right now I'm avoiding any texts/calls until I can talk to M and work this out.

Sisters

I took these pics a few days ago and I just have to share.  At only 5mo, their bond is so strong.  P2 just adores her older sis and P1 is the sweetest and most gentle big sister out there. The tone she uses with her just makes my heart melt.   (except there was that one time when P2 was crying in the backseat of the car and I asked P1 to give her her Paci and I heard P1 mutter "Do you want your stinkin' paci or not?!?") I know they will have their ups and downs, but I can't wait to watch them grow and become each others best friend. 

Freakishly Long

That's one thing my girls did NOT get from me...their freakishly long eyelashes!!  Lucky girls!  I have the shortest, straightest lashes on Earth and yet both my girls have lashes that most people could only dream of having!  They can thank daddy for that!  When P1 was born, she was 5wks premature, she barely had any lashes.  Then within weeks they kept growing, and growing, and growing!  Her Mimi teased that she was putting all her energy into growing those lashes instead of getting bigger, "afterall..." she said, "a girl has her priorities!".  So true!  Now it looks like P2 is taking after her big sis! 

Happy Birthday to my Hubby

Today my wonderful husband turns 33.  Saying "Happy Birthday" to the man who has changed my life in so many wonderful ways just doesn't seem like enough.  So instead I will say "Thank You" to the man that you are, to the wonderful father that you continue to be, and to the best husband any woman could ever dream of.   I love you.  Thank you for letting me share another birthday with you.

The Finished Product!

I finished P1's Tink invitations....well, the cover of them anyway.  I just need to print up the info and get them in the mail.  Lets just say the hard part is over!  YIPPY!  I made 31 of these in  5 days!  Everything was cut from cardstock and glued together.  P1 is quick to point out that she did help, A LOT!!  Now that she's getting older, it's great to have a little helper and I'm fortunate that she loves doing crafts!   Glad I was able to pass the creative gene down to her! 

TADA!!!!!!!!!!! 

Just because

            This is called TALENT!

She wasn't the only one

In keeping with the spitting out food theme...it was mine & M's turn last night. 

I first must say what an awesome chef my hubby is.  Everybody says 'Oh my husband can make a great steak" or "my husband can BBQ really well.."  That's great and everything, but my hubby can really cook...and not just BBQ either!  He's been known to make such yummy dishes as shrimp scampi, Alaskan King Crab legs, Chicken & Potato curry, pizza from scratch, etc...  I must also say that since we've moved from CA, fish doesn't wow me in TX like it used to (CA=ocean 20min away, TX=ocean hours away).   M loves fish, but I choke it down since he goes to the trouble to make it. 

While I was finishing up nursing P2 last night, M called for P1 that dinner was ready.  In the kitchen, I hear a disgruntled P1 complaining about the 'yucky fish' for dinner.  I thought, 'Oh great, time to eat a lot of sides'.  I sit down at the table and see that he's prepared steamed rice, Mahi-Mahi baked with a Chai Teriyaki Chile sauce over it and broccoli.  Although it looks OK (I'm guessing to someone who likes fish, it really does), it smells pretty fishy.  I think all fish smells too fishy.  Anyway, so I spoon a bit of the sauce with some rice and take a bite.  No fish on that bite either....and
YUCK!!!!!!!!!! I quickly grabbed a napkin and spit all of it out.  It was GROSS.  Exceptionally DISGUSTING.  P1 was cracking up and jumped on the band wagon saying she didn't want to eat hers either.  Did I blame the poor kid?!  Eeeewwww.  So I tell M I'm sorry, but I can't eat it and thankfully there was some leftover pasta from the night before so I decided to have that.  We, P1 and I, shared it.  M had already choked down his portion of fish.  He said it wasn't the freshest piece (although it had been in the freezer the entire time) of fish, but he ate it anyway.  He couldn't understand what my problem was....until he took a bite.

He said, as he was taking a bite, "I don't understand what the big BLAAAHHHHH" and he spit it out, not in a napkin, but all over his finished plate!!  It was hilarious because M will normally eat anything!   He said "OMG, this is ROTTEN".   I said, "I KNOW".  He said his piece wasn't that great, but this was just BAD.   We estimated it had probably been in the freezer for a few months, so he's guessing it was freezer burned.  YUCK.   I will have to say that the pasta was the best pasta I've had in a while!!!!

So ya, this mama won't be eating any type of fish again for a LONG time!!!!!   

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

I can't stand that song (Hollerback Girl- Gwen Stefani), but it's what I think of when I think back to P2 trying her first bite of fruit on Sunday night (10-4).  I was making dinner and M decided he was going to give P2 another round of cereal and see how she does.  After all, she IS a week older and things can change!  Well, she actually swallowed it this time!  We were all in the kitchen watching her again and she actually opened up her mouth when he brought the spoon near!  It was very cute and of course we all cheered for her.  She looked at us like we were crazy, but don't most babies?! 

So then M got the great idea that she should try bananas.  Not just the gerber baby food bananas I had in the pantry, but a REAL smooshed up banana.  She gagged and then she did a little shake like "yuuuuccckkk".  It was very funny.  We were laughing so she started giggling and out it came, all over her bib.  M tried to give her another bite, and again...gag followed by a shake of her body.  Guess she wasn't liken the real bananas.  We'll try them again in a week, the gerber B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Tinker Bell Invitations

I really shouldn't be on here posting....I've got 30 invitations to make for P1's upcoming birthday party.  I don't know why I can't be like other moms and just buy the pre-made invitations.  That would be WAY TOO EASY.  No, I've got to be difficult.  The truth of the matter is I love being creative.  Lord knows I got all the crap in the world to make them, but yet I drive myself crazy with the theme, color scheme, etc....  I do it because I love it.  Buying invitations, although SO much easier, just isn't my style.  I want my girls to grow up knowing that their mom was one of a kind that way.  When I was younger, my mom use to make all my Halloween costumes and I thought that was the best.  No store bought costume for me.  I guess I'm trying to carry on the tradition.  In fact, now that I think about it, only two of P1's costumes have been store bought.  The rest have been made (not be me, I'm not THAT talented!).  I guess I just like originality. 

This is the year of Tinker Bell.  The party is on the 24th of this month, and I was pushing for a Halloween theme (I LOVE HALLOWEEN, btw), but nope....princess wanted Tinker Bell.  Since I have a Cricut (http://www.cricut.com/) and I have the Tinker Bell cartridge, I might as well use it and use up some of the supplies I have.  M will love that.  I think he secretely likes when I get all creative and use the junk I've acquired in the years since we've married!  It makes all my purchases (ie, shopping sprees) seem worth it! So that's what I need to do today!  I will post back with the finished product when I'm done!!  Until then.....

She's really gone

I didn't want to admit it, but I think Melody Simba is gone for good.  Who is Melody Simba, you ask?  She's my cat.  Missy, Tweaky, Simmy, Pissy Missy, Brat Cat, Miss Meow, MelodyBimbitweeto, Mel Mel, Tweak, SimCat; all nicknames for my beloved cat. 

Melody came into my life on accident.  The year was 1994, I was 19.  I adopted a kitten from one of the rescue orgs that frequent local pet supply retailers on weekends.  Sassy was the kitten I brought home.  She was gray and white and so sweet.  She loved to cuddle and would let anyone hold her.  After a few days, Sassy started having problems breathing.  She was still perky, but just seemed to be having a rough time.  One night, Sassy had stopped eating and her breathing was really labored.  Before I could take her to the vet, she had died in my arms.  I was devastated.  I had only had her a week, but I loved this kitten so much.  I think my parents were even a little surprised by how heartbroken I was for her. 

One of the last sweet things my dad did for me was find an ad in the newspaper that read "Free Kittens" and we all took a trip to this woman's house.  There I saw them.  I think there were 4, all multicolored and 3 were all wound up and crazy.  Then there was this little one.  She looked like a cute little tiger-striped puff ball.  She was it.  I specifically remember my dad asking if I wanted the fatter, more playful boy kitten (my dad was trying to steer me away from another 'sickly' kitten).  Nope, my mind was made up.  I wanted this kitten and her name was to be Melody (I was majoring in Musical Theatre at the time) Simba (it was the year of The Lion King). 

On the way home, it was instant love.  She was there through most of my life.  15yrs I had her.  Through every boyfriend, heartbreak, move (that poor cat has moved more times than most adults!), marriage, and babies. Simmy was there.  She was known to plop on command.  Plop, meaning to flop on the ground and roll around on her back.  She also did sumersaults over my feet when she was in one of her frisky moods.  She was also very intune to my emotions.  If I was sad, she wouldn't leave my side.  Now, she wasn't always the most loveable cat mind you.  There was a reason why we called her Pissy Missy.  She is the only cat I've ever known who had a serious attitude when she wanted to.  In my description of Missy, a person said 'cats tend to take on the personality of their owner'...looking back now, BITCH.  LOL  That's OK, I love my attitude, pissy, bitchy, McDonald's french fry, ben & jerry's, string cheese lovin' cat!!!  She does sound like me. ;)

After the girls and I went to CA this summer to visit the family, she had been acting really weird.  While we were gone, she had gotten out of the house (oh, she has been indoors all of her life) and was gone for about a week.  She had escaped shortly after we built our house and she was missing for a month.  She came back though.  So when she started acting weird, I thought she was just rebelling because she liked the taste of freedom in the wild.  She would meow by the front door and I would let her out.  A few hours later, I would hear her at the door and I would let her in.     Back to her acting goofy.... She started having accidents on the floor.  In the 15yrs that I've had her, she's NEVER had an accident.  Hairballs, yes...but deliberately peeing on the floor, nope.  Well, she started to and it seemed every day i was having to clean up after her.  It was really grating on me.  In an effort to make her happy and to hopefully stop her from ruining our carpet, I would let her out more often and sometimes overnight.  One night though, she never came home. 

It's been over 2 months since I've seen Tweak.  Every night, when I look out the back door, I keep expecting to see her stalking her way across the yard like I've found her before. She had a collar on, but it was the kind that breaks-away if they get caught on something and I found that in the yard after the last time she got out. 

I've been told that when animals get ready to die, they know and instinctively wander away from home.  I'm hoping that's what happened to Sim.  I pray that she's warm, safe, and gets all the french fries, ice-cream and string cheese she wants!!  I love you Simmy and I'll see you again someday, brat cat! MEOW!

5 months already?!?

Tomorrow Pen will be 5mo old, if you count by months.  If you want to get all technical, well then she will be 4mo, 4wks, and 2 days...or whatever that ticker thingy says.  For all intents and purposes, she's 5mo (tomorrow), so there.

Where has the time gone?  Time flew by fast for P1's first year, but P2's is on warp speed.  I wish I could make it slow down a tad.  If I could, I would be a very rich woman.  So, my little Pen Pen is getting so big!  At her 4mo check up, she was 12lbs/10oz and 26.5in long!  She's a long beanpole.  I'm sure she's over 13lbs by now and probably over 27in!  She's also rolling around all over the place.  She rolled from her back to her tummy on Labor Day and she rolled from her tummy to her back before that!  My prediction is she will be walking, or close to it by Christmas.  Again, time, please slow down. 

She is such a sweet girl.  One of her teacher's at school totally loves her!  Everytime I go in there, Miss M is holding P2 or rocking her or always paying extra attention to her!  When you have a kid in daycare, it's a good thing to be friendly and personable with the caregivers...they end up treating your child a little bit better because of it.  It's not something I intentionally set out to do.  If I'm friendly to you, it's genuine.  If you know me in the slightest, you know that's no BS.  Anyway, so Miss M and I get along really well and in return she takes extra care of my little PBear!  It's a win-win!  For a proud mommy moment, she was evaluated in class yesterday and she did really well at just about everything that is appropriate for her age.  Another teacher left this comment about her: "P2 is such a beautiful little girl and soooo sweet.  She is very observant and smart.  She will always be quick to learn.  Keep up the good work.  She certainly is a joy to take care of.  We love her a lot."  Isn't that sweet?!  I thought so!!!!  I don't care if she wrote the same thing down for each baby!  LOL  jk!