Sarah D and The Doctor

Back

2011-09-09T13:58:00.000-07:00

In not quite 4 years I have met and married and my husband, giving birth to two ridiculously wonderful daughters, gained and lost 50 pounds twice, moved 3 three times, said good bye to two dogs, gotten one new puppy and caved to a severe cafinne addiction.

My Georgia Peach and my Hazenut are approaching 23 months and 9 months respectively. They are delightful, laughing, lovable little ladies whom I have no idea how I every lived without.

The home we are in now is just that, our home. Not a house. Not a place to live in for a few years until x, y, or z happens. But our roots planted, pictures hung, home.

Our new dog Roscoe is a wonder dog. He is such a good puppy we know that he will be a great dog. He is only 4 months old and he has already started babysitting for me. He stopped Georgia from jumping from the table to the couch then went over and watched the baby for me while I cooked. He's amazing.

I've officially lost all of my baby weight from both babies and thats pretty awesome. Weight Watchers online and a good jogging stroller is my prescription for that. It was a long stretch to feel so out of my own body like you do when you are pregnant....for two years straight.

My family is as adorable as every and my computer's hard drive is filled with their pictures. So until I get all of those safely moved onto CD's and my portable hard drive you're just going to have to take my word for it

I am beginning to rise above the ashes of sleep deprivation.

I miss writing like I miss playing the piano. My fingers ache for it and my mind writes all day long. Much like Cher or NKOTB I'm making a comeback, again.

Hello words. Its nice to see you again.

I Pledge Allegiance

2011-09-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, And to the Ducks who play on Saturday, one season under God, Indisputable with LaMichael and Barner for all.

A Mother's Prayer for her Daughter by Tina Fey

2011-06-14T11:36:00.001-07:00

The Mother's Prayer for Its Daughter by Tina Fey'

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.
May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the the Beauty.
When the Crystal Meth is offered,
May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half
And stick with Beer.
Guide her, protect her
When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the nearby subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock N’ Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.
Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance.
Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes
And not have to wear high heels.
What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.
May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.
Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.
Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long,
For Childhood is short -- a Tiger Flower blooming
Magenta for one day --
And Adulthood is long and Dry-Humping in Cars will wait.
O Lord, break the Internet forever,
That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers
And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.
And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister,
Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends,
For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.
And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord,
That I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 a.m., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.
“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck.
“My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental note to call me. And she will forget.
But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.
Amen.

Parent', don't dress your girls like tramps- CNN

2011-04-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

Another article worth sharing in my parenting opinion. This one is written a father, LZ Granderson writes a weekly column for CNN.com. A senior writer and columnist for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, he has contributed to ESPN's "Sports Center," "Outside the Lines" and "First Take. Here are his words about they way some people dress our little girls.

I saw someone at the airport the other day who really caught my eye.
Her beautiful, long blond hair was braided back a la Bo Derek in the movie "10" (or for the younger set, Christina Aguilera during her "Xtina" phase). Her lips were pink and shiny from the gloss, and her earrings dangled playfully from her lobes.
You can tell she had been vacationing somewhere warm, because you could see her deep tan around her midriff thanks to the halter top and the tight sweatpants that rested just a little low on her waist. The icing on the cake? The word "Juicy" was written on her backside.

Yeah, that 8-year-old girl was something to see alright. ... I hope her parents are proud. Their daughter was the sexiest girl in the terminal, and she's not even in middle school yet.

Abercrombie & Fitch came under fire this spring for introducing the "Ashley," a push-up bra for girls who normally are too young to have anything to push up. Originally it was marketed for girls as young as 7, but after public outcry, it raised its intended audience to the wise old age of 12. I wonder how do people initiate a conversation in the office about the undeveloped chest of elementary school girls without someone nearby thinking they're pedophiles?

What kind of PowerPoint presentation was shown to the Abercrombie executives that persuaded them to green light such a product?
That there was a demand to make little girls hot?

I mean, that is the purpose of a push-up bra, right? To enhance sex appeal by lifting up, pushing together and basically showcasing the wearer's breasts. Now, thanks to AF Kids, girls don't have to wait until high school to feel self-conscious about their, uhm, girls. They can start almost as soon as they're potty trained. Maybe this fall the retailer should consider keeping a plastic surgeon on site for free consultations.

We've been here with Abercrombie before -- if you recall, about 10 years ago they sold thongs for 10-year-olds -- but they're hardly alone in pitching inappropriate clothing to young girls. Four years ago the popular "Bratz" franchise introduced padded bras called "bralettes" for girls as young as six. That was also around the time the good folks at Wal-Mart rolled out a pair of pink panties in its junior department with the phrase "Who Needs Credit Cards" printed on the front.

I guess I've been out-of-the-loop and didn't realize there's been an ongoing stampede of 10-year-old girls driving to the mall with their tiny fists full of cash demanding sexier apparel.

What's that you say? Ten-year-olds can't drive? They don't have money, either? Well, how else are they getting ahold of these push-up bras and whore-friendly panties?

Their parents?

Noooo, couldn't be.

What adult who wants a daughter to grow up with high self-esteem would even consider purchasing such items? What parent is looking at their sweet, little girl thinking, "She would be perfect if she just had a little bit more up top."

And then I remember the little girl at the airport. And the girls we've all seen at the mall. And the kiddie beauty pageants.
And then I realize as creepy as it is to think a store like Abercrombie is offering something like the "Ashley", the fact remains that sex only sells because people are buying it. No successful retailer would consider introducing an item like a padded bikini top for kindergarteners if they didn't think people would buy it.

If they didn't think parents would buy it, which begs the question: What in the hell is wrong with us?

It's easy to blast companies for introducing the sexy wear, but our ire really should be directed at the parents who think low rise jeans for a second grader is cute. They are the ones who are spending the money to fuel this budding trend. They are the ones who are suppose to decide what's appropriate for their young children to wear, not executives looking to brew up controversy or turn a profit.

I get it, Rihanna's really popular. But that's a pretty weak reason for someone to dress their little girl like her.

I don't care how popular Lil' Wayne is, my son knows I would break both of his legs long before I would allow him to walk out of the house with his pants falling off his butt. Such a stance doesn't always makes me popular -- and the house does get tense from time to time -- but I'm his father, not his friend.

Friends bow to peer pressure. Parents say, "No, and that's the end of it."

The way I see it, my son can go to therapy later if my strict rules have scarred him. But I have peace knowing he'll be able to afford therapy as an adult because I didn't allow him to wear or do whatever he wanted as a kid.

Maybe I'm a Tiger Dad.

Maybe I should mind my own business.

Or maybe I'm just a concerned parent worried about little girls like the one I saw at the airport.

In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls issued a report linking early sexualization with three of the most common mental-health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression. There's nothing inherently wrong with parents wanting to appease their daughters by buying them the latest fashions. But is getting cool points today worth the harm dressing little girls like prostitutes could cause tomorrow?

A line needs to be drawn, but not by Abercrombie. Not by Britney Spears. And not by these little girls who don't know better and desperately need their parents to be parents and not 40-year-old BFFs.

Did you do anything today?

2011-04-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

I write an aweful lot of blog posts and journal entries in my head these days, but I cannot seem to find the time to actually put them down on post or paper. So in lieu of my own thoughts and insights I am posting someone else's, with whom I agree and whose work I was actually able to read. Albiet in four sittings, plus another three to simply cut and paste and write one paragraph. Motherhood is busy, and I cherish every moment.

From the blog Kellymom.com
My husband came home today and saw me sitting on the couch, toddler on one knee, and baby nursing on the opposite breast. I was trying to turn the pages of a book with the hand not attached to the infant,while listening for the sound of the stove buzzer, which would indicate that tonight's pork chops were at the stage between "well-done" and "the dog gets tonight's entree."

My Darling husband looked at me innocently, and asked "So, did you do anything today?" It's a good thing that most of my appendages were otherwise engaged, as I was unable to jump up and throttle him to death. This was probably for the best, as I assume that asking a stupid question is not grounds for murder in this country.

Let me back up a bit, and explain what led me to this point in my life.

I was not always bordering on the brink of insanity. On the contrary, a mere four years ago, I had a good job, steady income, and a vehicle that could NOT seat a professional sports team, and me, comfortably. I watched television shows that were not hosted by singing puppets. I went to bed later than nine o'clock at night. I preferred sex to sleeping in. I laughed at those people who drove halfway across the country hauling a tent trailer, three screaming kids, a drooling dog, and called it a holiday.

Now I have become one of them! What happened? The stick turned blue.

I have traded in my Victoria's Secrets lingerie for cotton briefs and a firm support nursing bra. Good-bye, Garth Brooks. Hello, Raffi, Lois and Bram. My idea of privacy is getting the use the bathroom without a two-year old banging on the door, and the baby spinning the toilet paper roll from my lap. And I finally understand that the term "Stay-At-Home Mom" does not refer to a parent who no longer works outside the house, but rather to one who never seems to get out the front door. So here I sit, children in hand, wondering how to answer my beloved husband.

DID I DO ANYTHING TODAY?

Well, I think I did, although not much seems to have gotten accomplished. I shared breakfast in bed with a handsome young man. Of course, the breakfast consisted of a bowl of porridge and leftover cookie crumbs found between the sheets. Then a handsome young man is about thirty-four inches tall and only gets really excited at the sight of bugs, a little blue dog, trucks, cars and Pancakes.

I got to take a relaxing stroll in the woods. Of course, I was on the lookout for frogs and lizards, and had to stop and smell the dandelions along the way. I successfully washed one load of laundry, moved the load the was in the washer into the dryer, and the dryer load into the basket. The load that was in the basket is now spread out on the bed, awaiting my bedtime decision to actually put the clothes away or merely move them to the top of the dresser. I read two or three classics. Of course, Dickens and Shakespeare cannot take credit for these works, as we have moved on to the works of Seuss and Sandek. I don't think I will be making any trips to the Adult Section of my local library anytime soon. In between, I dusted, wiped, organized and rearranged. I kissed away the owies and washed away the tears. I scolded, praised, hugged, and tested my patience, all before noon.

DID I DO ANYTHING TODAY? You betcha!

I will now understand what people mean when they say that parenthood is the hardest job they will ever have. In my LBD (life before diapers) I was able to teach young minds how to divide fractions and write complex sentences, but I am unable to teach a strong willed three-year-old how to use the toilet. I was once able to navigate urban streets while talking on the car phone and looking for a decent radio station, but now I can't get the wheels on my stroller to all go in the same direction.

I've graduated from a university, written newspaper articles, and won awards, but I can't figure out how to get carrot stains out of the carpet. I used to debate with my friends about politics, but now we discuss the merits of cloth versus disposables. And when did I stop talking in sentences that had more than five words?

So, in response to my husband's inquiry, yes, I did do something today. In fact, I am one step closer to one of life's greatest accomplishments. No, I did not cure AIDS or forge World Peace, but I did hold a miracle in my arms. Two, in fact. My children are my great accomplishment, and the opportunity to raise them is my greatest challenge. I don't know if my children will grow up to be great leaders or world-class brain surgeons. Frankly, I don't care, as long as they grow up to be happy and fulfilled. They are my greatest joys, even though I sometimes cry myself to sleep at night in frustration. The point is, that today I got to watch my children take another step on the great journey of Life, and I even got to point out some of the sites along the way.

As challenging as parenthood is, it is also equally rewarding, because we are using all our wisdom, our talent and skills to help forge a new person. It is this person, these people, who, in turn, will use their gifts to create our future. So every nursery rhyme I recite, every swing I push, every little hand I hold is SOMETHING!

----- by Cyndi Devlin

Hazel Rae

2011-03-03T12:21:00.001-08:00

Sweet Hazel Rae and I one day shy of 11 weeks old. She is a remarkable baby. Calm, smiley, eats well and sleeps like a dream. Hazel sleeps better than Georgia does on most nights. Two nights ago, at only 10 weeks old, she slept from 9pm to 6:40 am! Incredible.

I do feel that Hazel is more fiesty that Georgia by nature. Which will stand her in good stead against her fabulous sister who is pretty certain she is fabulous too. Hazel Rae is happy unless she isn't. She doesn't seem to have any in between. But then as soon as the issue has been handled she is smiling and trying to laugh again. This could prove to get exciting when she's a teenager, or toddler for that matter.

While I was pregnant I never bought into the notion that once you have one good baby the next one is destined to be a nightmare. I wasn't about to put that expectation on my precious unborn child. And in our case I was right. I have been so blessed as to have two easy babies in a row and I am immensely grateful.

My beauties

2011-02-11T14:29:00.000-08:00

Mom what if I have ugly babies?!" A question I once asked my mom. She likes to laugh and remind me of that these days.

I know I am biased, but I'm pretty sure I bipassed that fear and have been blessed with a couple of true beauties.

Daddies girls

2011-02-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

A dad and his daughters. Every girl deserves to feel like a daddies girl, and I think my two are well on their way.

With Georgia about 10 days old

and with Hazel about 6 weeks old

We love our Ducks!

2011-01-12T08:12:00.001-08:00

Our Duckies may have lost to Auburn by a field goal in the final seconds of the BCS Championship game but we don't care. This family wears green and gold come rain or come shine. The girls and I suited up at home for the big game while Daren was down cheering on our team live and in person.

An 11 Step Program

2011-01-06T16:56:00.000-08:00

Here is an 11 step program for people who think they may want children. It cracks me up. Currently lesson #3 is my favorite.

Lesson 1

1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2

Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3

A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)

Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4

Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6

Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

My Girls

2010-12-31T10:05:00.000-08:00

My heart. My girls.

Hazel Rae is 2 weeks old today and Georgia is 14 1/2 months.

Easy as 1,2,3...

2010-12-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

One, two, three and we are four. The blessings abound this Christmastime in our home as we welcomed our second daughter 6 days ago today. We are stunned that we have been blessed with two special girls to call our own. I was so certain that we were having a boy that I almost took the girl going home outfit out of my bag before heading to the hospital. So when, after a mere 6 hours of labor and three pushes Hazel Rae made her way into the world and into our hearts, we were thrilled.

It was as easy as one, two, three.

ONE

One last belly shot at the hospital

TWO

Epidurals are from heaven.

THREE

Hazel Rae was born on December 17th at 3:06pm at 6 lbs 7 oz and 18 1/4 inches long

WE'RE A FAMILY OF FOUR!

This is our very first family photo of the four of us.

SISTERS

Georgia has loved her baby sister since the first moment they met.

Morning hugs are our newest tradition

Public Service Announcement about Pregnancy

2010-12-15T15:50:00.000-08:00

Seeing as I am days, hours or minutes from delivery of my second child thought I would post this friend PSA from the site Pregnant Chicken

10 Things Never to Say to a Pregnant Lady

1. "You look so big/small." Remember when you were a teenager and you didn't want to be unique in any way? Well pregnancy is the same and nobody wants to be told they look huge or teeny because it just scares them. Anything different from other pregnant women = weird = giant freak baby or creepy peanut baby.

2. "Haven't you had that baby yet?" If that woman's pregnancy seems long to you I can almost guarantee that it feels like about 30 years to her. Pregnant woman who are asked this question should be legally exempt from murder convictions.

3. "You look tired, you must be having a girl because they steal your beauty." Someone actually said this to my friend. So really what you're saying is "you look like crap". Thanks. I think the response to this should be "And you must be upside down because all I see is an a**hole talking". (I just made that up.)

4. "So do your nipples look weird? Mine went all crazy." Pardon? Unless this pregnant woman is someone that would tell you about her anal leakage or an odd growth on her armpit, then don't ask this kind of stuff and don't share this kind of crap with anybody. Ever.

5. "Sleep now because you won't get any when the baby gets here." What the hell does this mean anyway? It's not like you can bank sleep. It's like saying "Don't eat this year because an all-you-can-eat-buffet is opening up next March". Plus, who says that the woman you're saying this to is sleeping now? She may be a congested ball of heartburn, hemorrhoids and back pain so this kind of thing just adds insult to injury.

6."I hate that name." Really? Oh okay, then they won't name it that. Nobody cares that a girl named Angela took your oatmeal raisin cookie in grade two so don't lift up the tarp covering your mental baggage. On a similar note, if they want to name their kid Adolph or Kleenex just nod and say "nice" – that will be the least of that kid's problems anyway.

7. "Were you hoping for a girl/boy?" It's not really anyone's business and if she ain't sharin' don't you dare ask. If you're asked this you should answer that you were actually hoping for a puppy that could fart rainbows then just walk away.

8. "Was this an accident?" A woman's reply to this should always be "suck it." It's a nice, clean, confusing retort for someone that is rude enough to ask this kind of question.

9. "Did you use fertility drugs?" I don't want to get all misty here but all babies are miracles and by asking a question like that you're somehow implying that babies that were conceived with 'help' are different from babies that weren't. Not cool so don't ask.

10. "Should you be eating that?" This whole website is about people embellishing myths and half truths to scare the crap out of pregnant ladies. So unless she's about to accidentally snack on dog poop, don't say anything and let the poor girl eat.

Finally, there are Three Things You Always Say to Pregnant Women:

1. "You look fantastic" Even if she is a sweaty, wheezing Jabba the Hut with swollen ankles and a maternity top that no longer covers her fish pail, tell her she looks fantastic. She is making a person and that's pretty fantastic.

2. "That's wonderful" If she tells you she's going to give birth squatting in a Mr. Turtle pool surrounded by chanting Tibetan squirrels, you say "that sounds wonderful". Every pregnant woman makes about 200 declarations of what she is and isn't going to do and about 4 stick. Don't ruin her moments.

3. "It's going to be alright" When she starts crying because the pizza shows up wrong or she panics because she used regular detergent to wash the baby's onsies so she'll be a horrible mother or simply because she threw a reciprocating saw at your head because "you're too much of a moron to understand what she's going through". This is when it's a good idea to pull out "it's going to be alright". A side car of "you look fantastic" couldn't hurt either.

Break it down for the Holidays

2010-12-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Our family of four breakin' it down for the the Holidays.

Merry Christmas from Daren, Sarah, Georgia and Due to Arrive Any Day Now Baby #2.

Suck It Spica!

2010-11-23T20:07:00.000-08:00

On this date, Tuesday November 23rd of Two thousand and ten Hip Dysplasia can suck it.

Georgia is walking!

Black Friday

2010-11-22T08:16:00.000-08:00

To some, it is an occasional outing to catch a good sale. To others, its absurd.

But to us, it is a long standing, highly respected, well trained for, much anticipated, girls only ( except for that one year that Uncle Dave came, but you can really take him anywhere) family tradition.

We are fairly certain this commercial was modeled after our family.

Here we come Black Friday. You know who we are...

My little creative

2010-11-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

While busying myself with my normal chores of being the family homemaker I turned around to find my sweet child busying herself with her brand new skill, coloring! My very own little creative found herself a crayon that had been floating around on the floor and put it together with the pink paper she sees Mommy write lists on several times a day.

The rest of this morning will be spent beaming with joy and pride at our first piece of refrigerator art.

Mompetition

2010-11-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

* Caution this is really funny and a tad crass with a touch of bad language and a whole lot of truth*

It has embedded funny so you can only see about 3/4 of the screen. I don't know how to fix this, but you can click on the button that says Go to Video to see it better.

Naptime

2010-11-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

My week has been a perfect storm. Georgia has a cold and isn't sleeping well at night and has been refusing to nap most of this week, this has been crying nearly all day every day. I am having pregnancy insomnia like I have never seen combine with pregnancy related Restless Leg Syndrome. My sleeplessness has gotten so bad that I have anxiety about going to bed because I know I will be up so soon and for so long anyway. Daren is as busy as he can be leaving the house before 7:00 am and not getting home until 8:00 or 9:00 at night. In addition this is the week that has finally made time slow down, and not in the good way. I have physically slowed down so much with the belly weight and pressures and pains of a dropping and growing baby with about 6 weeks left.

To be our capstone this week, yesterday afternoon Georgia fell off of our bed onto her head for the first time. We rocked in her glider, both of us sobbing. She recovered much more quickly than I did.

About 11:30 this morning I was asked if I had any prayer requests by the table leader at my bible study. I said, "I need some sleep" no more explanation than that.

Georgia fell asleep on the way to lunch with my Mom and was so tired from her nursery playtime that she slept all through lunch and then slept on the way home. She had slept all of her precious nap hours away, I was certain.

We got home around 2:30 and I cuddled my sweet sick girl while I gave her a bottle and worked to muster up my courage and whatever reserves I had left to face to rest of the day, feeling more than exhausted and knowing that she was going to cry until bedtime.

When, against all odds and any schedule she has ever been on, Jesus put us both to sleep for the next hour and a half!

Jesus promises rest to the weary and today he gave that to me in the most literal of ways.

Thank you God, for my nap.

God is good, all the time.

We told God to leave us alone and now the world is going to Hell

2010-10-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees... I don't feel threatened.. I don't feel discriminated against.. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .. If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about.. And we said okay..

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben S

When I'm Overwhelmed

2010-10-26T10:32:00.001-07:00

On the days I feel most overwhelmed about how I'm going to handle our nearly Irish Twin babes I think of this and am grateful for my opportunity to even be overwhelmed by my children.

" our baby will not________"

2010-10-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

Its incredible how time can slow down so much yet pass so quickly. A short trip to the garbage can now takes several minutes as my one year old pleads with me to grab her hands and let her walk with me there and back, yet I have never seen a year fly by like it does when watching your child grow.

It is also incredible how having a child of your own changes you. No matter how determined you are to "not let the baby run our house" or " not let my baby go around with a dirty face" and our personal favorite pre-parenthood proclamation "we will not let our baby into our bed."

Daren with Georgia 10 days old

Daren with Georgia 12 months old

Parenthood changes you, no matter what you think. And its the most wonderful, constant, exhausting, and fascinating gift God has ever given.

You've got personality

2010-10-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

A brief glimpse into the developing personality of my fantastic child.

This morning while sharing breakfast at an outdoor cafe I turned back to Georgia just in time to see her drop her piece of croissant to feed the friendly white bird that had come over to say hi. I laughed and said " no feeding the birds, baby". I then tore off a few more pieces of our shared croissant and put them on the table for Georgia to eat herself. I said one more time " this is is Georgia to eat. Georgia eats this, don't feed it o the birds".

With that my girl picks up a piece of bread, holds it up to her mouth until I drop my bird guarding hand then launches her food down onto the ground and the bird. Very clever Little Miss!

I laughed out loud at her new found tricks and sly ideas. The elderly lady at the next table over didn't find it nearly as funny, so I pretended that I didn't see her throw the next few pieces.

As the quote says " never apologize for your children Because those with kids will understand and those without never will".

Your day of all days

2010-10-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

If we didnt have birthdays, you wouldn't be you.
If you'd never been born, well then what would you do?
If you'd never been born, well then what would you be?
You might be a fish! Or a toad in a tree!
You might be a doorknob! Or three baked potatoes!
You might be a bag full of hard green tomatoes.
Or worse than all that...why you might be a WASN'T !
A Wasn't has no fun at all. No, he doesn't.
A Wasn't just isn't. He just isnt present.
But you... You ARE YOU! And now isn't that pleasant!

Come on! Open your mouth and sound off at the sky!
Shout loud at the top of your voice, " I AM I!
ME!
I am I!
And I may not know why
But I know I like it.
Three cheers! I AM I!"
Sing loud, "I am lucky!" Sing loud, "I am I!"

Today you are you! That is truer than true!
There is no one alive who is you- er than you!
Shout loud, "I am lucky to be what I am!
Thank goodness I'm not just a clam or a ham
Or a dusty old jar of sour gooseberry jam!
I am what I am! That's a great thing to be!
If I say so myself " Happy Birthday To Me!"

- dr seuss

Happy birthday my sweet girl, my joyful Georgia.
I love you just because you're you.

As of late..

2010-10-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

As of late I have been sick, Georgia has been sick and then teething, and Daren has been working like crazy leaving before 7:00am and getting home anywhere between 7 and 10 at night. Toss in there the fact that I'm now 29 weeks pregnant and having the occasional break down/freak out about how to handle two non-walking babies on no sleep and it has been a few weeks of being tired and a little teary. When Daren came home late from work on Monday he came up the stairs to find both of his girls crying in the nursery.

Still, Georgia has found the time and energy to learn a few new tricks. We are quickly approaching the Official One Year Old mark and she is learning new things all the time. She can say Hi, Dada, Doggie, tell you what a doggie says, and Hot along with having her 6 signs. She loves to use her signs now and can sign milk, more, all done, water, eat, and occasionally she will bust out the Mama sign. She says Hi and waves to literally everyone we pass in the grocery store. The girl is a social little communicator. Daren has high hopes that she and I will be able to talk so much to each other that he won't have to say anything at all!

Here she is performing her newest feats of intelligence and dexterity.

This last one is just gratuitous cuteness of her sticking her tongue out and being adorable before bed.

The Greatest Show on Earth

2010-09-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were treated to The Greatest Show on Earth. For the last several years my mom has taken all of her grandchildren and their mothers to the Circus and has made us "Circus Celebraties" . This means that we get to sit in the front two rows and at one point during the show are all paraded down onto the three ringed floor and we get to watch certain acts up close and very personal. It is a great time always had by all!

This was, of course, Georgia's very first circus and she rocked it! She didn't cry but once when she wanted another french fry. She laughed and waved to the clowns and marveled at all of the lights and animals. I was so proud of her!

Here she is in her first ever Reserved Seat

The show is about to start and its exciting!

And sometimes nerve wracking,

My mom with her two Granddaughters. One is eating cotton candy and the other french fries. My mother was so proud!

Notice cousin Kate, who is 11 months older that Georgia and the only other girl in the family, taking care of her with her sweet arm wrapped around Georgia's tiny shoulder.

Tired Girl, tired Mom.

The End.

I'm in that place

2010-09-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

Its been three nights since I've slept well. I've been up for everything from the sudden increase in trips to the bathroom, rain on the windows, the dog rolling around the having his own personal play date at midnight, my husbands sleep sounds, my baby crying and of course, my favorite of all of my pregnancy symptoms, Restless Leg Syndrome.

It may be the tiredness, but I suspect its the knowledge of what's to come that is keeping me in this place. Georgia has been sleeping perfectly through the night like a champion sleeper for two months now. Once she hit 9 months old her sleeping habits rounded to bend and she began to sleep from 7 p.m. to 7 am like a dream. Now after a 2 month break from my nighttime routines, she is back up and I have no idea why. We were up last night for a good 45 minutes and she was very sad and I still have no idea why. Together we rocked and rocked in sweet silence until her eyes finally drooped closed and I placed her back down in her crib, which she promptly responded to by waking up and wailing. Eventually the combo of crying it out and soothing visits from me did the trick and she fell back asleep for good until about 6:30.

In the meantime, at 5:15 am I received a text message from my best friend telling me that her grandpa has passed away at 5:00 am this morning. I've met her Grandpa Jim and I still refer to him as "Turkey Butt" because thats what he also called me. Having lost my own grandpa just under a year ago I feel an extra amount of empathy for her and her family as they now navigate these waters of grief and funeral planning.

When my husband rolled over and wrapped his arms around me for some much needed quality cuddle time all I could think about was the coffee brewing downstairs and my future sleeping patterns.

While pregnant with Georgia I was nervous about how I was going to handle it all, How in the world was I going to get through life on such little sleep? I made it through but not without landing myself in some dark emotional corners and falling asleep in the most random of places. Now as I look to the next year of my life I'm just plain scared.

I know what I'm in for.

I have yet to decide if I think that these last two months of Georgia's perfect sleeping habits are a blessing or a big joke. It has been blissful to sleep through the night so many nights in a row and sometimes even wake up before her, but now as my nights are breaking up into little pieces again I wish I didn't quite remember how lovely sleep really is.

Two of the biggest blessing of this second time around are one; that I fully understand that the newborn months are a phase that pass you by in a blink and that it does get easier and two; that Daren and I have been through this before as a couple and are already laying out plans to bypass some of the tough times that befall a married couple when welcoming home the biggest change of your life who is wrapped in a swaddling blanket and weighing in at 6 lbs. 3 oz.

As I near the end of my second trimester I am finally feeling pregnant and moving like I am pregnant. My workouts are feeling harder and are starting to wear me out for the whole day. My moods are starting to change more rapidly and I can't stand myself moody. My body looks nothing like the body and figure I recognize and I still have a long way to grow before it starts the long haul back to my skinny jeans. Still, for this being my second pregnancy in as many years and I am only up 25 lbs total from my pre-pregnancy weight, I count that to be a victory that I am doing my best to hold on tightly to.

Nevertheless, today at 25 weeks pregnant I am in that place where I feel like I have been pregnant for a very long time and that I still have a long way to go. ( To be fair I have been pregnant for 15 our of the last 20 months). I had to pull my foot up across my knee to put on a pair of boots over the weekend and I thought to myself " Aw Man, I'm not going to be able to bend in half again for another 6 months!" I don't know if its the current lack of sleep, the changing weather, or the daunting prospect that I may not sleep again for the next year that has me in this place, but I'm there.

I'm in that place today. That place that all pregnant women pass through on their journey toward Motherhood. That place where you feel nothing like your former self and are not yet your future self. I wouldn't change it for the world, I wouldn't give up the opportunity to grow and carry our babies for anything.

Even still, I am in talks with God about some sort of Sleep Exchange Program, I'm pitching the idea of eating more ice cream to get more sleep. Some sort of pints of Cookies and Cream to Hours of Sleep ratio. I'll keep you all posted.

As for right now, the coffee is hot.

Ladies and Gentlemen, It IS Duck Season

2010-09-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

DUCK SEASON 2008

DUCK SEASON 2009

DUCK SEASON 2010

WE LOVE THE DUCKS!

Good morning Road

2010-09-03T10:04:00.003-07:00

My Belly, My Running Shoes, and The Road.

I'm no Kara Goucher or Paula Radcliff, but I made it out there.

I want this to be a girl...no boy...no girl...no boy

2010-09-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

This baby is baking away perfectly in my belly. We are in our 24th week which means we have entered into Viable Baby Zone and are nearing the end of our second trimester. Daren and I choose to take the high road and not find out early who we are having. We love it and it lines up perfectly with who I am. My favorite part of Christmas is that moment right before you open your presents and are filled to the brim with anticipation. I have never been a present snooper. So much so that you could put the box right in front on me, unwrapped, and tell me not to peak...and I wouldn't. So why would I peak in on this, the biggest and best, of all gifts given to me.

We have made it through our two ultra sounds successfully not finding out who we are having. Still, in any given week I sway back and forth between wanting one or the other.

The standard saying "I just want this to be a healthy baby" fully applies in all cases.

I want this to be a Girl because:
- We have one girl and she's fabulous. Why not have two fabulous girls?!
- I already know how to fall in love with a baby girl so it just makes more sense
-I don't have a sister. When I was little I was jealous of my two brothers because they each got to have a brother and a sister and all I got were two brothers.
-The Mother/Daughter relationship is intrinsically complex, rich and deep, and I think it would be even more so if there were three of us.

Why I want this baby to a boy:
- Georgia was born at 2:34 and until about 2:35 last October 15th I had only ever seen myself as the mother of boys.
-I love the rough and tumble home of a home with boys over the perfectly prissy house of all females
-I like the balance having a brother/sister duo would bring to them. He would be invited to her tea parties and she would have her own GI Joes.
-A beautiful girl with an athletic brother in the locker rooms is harder to talk about and/or date.
-I adore my two brothers. Always have. Always will.

Only God and Baby B know who is in there, and I figure God still knows best. So whomever we meet in late December will be the perfect addition to this family and a dream come true.

Milestones

2010-08-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

At 10 months old my Georgia Girl can sleep through the night, feed herself finger foods, roll over every which way and pull herself up when holding onto you hands, both of these being extra exciting after all of her months in various forms of braces and casts due to her hip dysplasia, she can sign Eat, Milk, More and All Done.

And as of today she can do this!

You must've been a beautiful baby

2010-08-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

My heart. My Girl. My baby.

I'm having a bit of a baby breakdown today. Make that a full on baby breakdown. I'm not ready for this beautiful baby girl to no longer be my baby. I understand that I will not be trading out babies at the hospital or anything. I know that they are not going to make me give one over for the other, but still, its a weird place to be. I remember the day I took my pregnancy test for our Sweet Surprise. I woke up, nursed my tiny baby, then received a positive pregnancy test. It was weird.

I love being a mom. I sometimes had dreams of running a fortune 500 company, but my lifelong dreams were of being a wife and a mother. I'm living my dreams is so many ways. Still, I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around raising two babies today. Two tiny babies.

I don't know how I'm going to split my time.
I don't know how I'm going to split my heart.

I don't know how I'm going to go grocery shopping.

I feel overwhelmed, grateful and sad all at the same time. There are times when I feel this tiny 23 week old baby kick in my belly and smile ear to ear marveling at the utter blessing that we get to do this twice. Then there are times, like today, when I cuddle my 10 month old and cry because I'm not ready for her to be my big kid.

God brought me to this and I am certain that he will bring me through this. I can also understand in my head that I will fall totally in love with my second baby and still remain completely in love with my first baby, my heart just doesn't know how yet.

gCloth Diaper Diary

2010-08-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

I have been cloth diapering my sweet babe for one week now.

Day 1
Diaper one and all I can think is "I don't like this at all" and "This is so wet!" But I've resolved to give it the old college try and stick to it so I put on another cloth diaper and forge ahead. My process is still pretty inefficient since I don't want to change everything and invest in the wetbags and whatnot if I'm not going to be using cloth diapers for a very extended amount of time. Right now I've decided to toss the dirty cloth diapers into the diaper pail and I already have and toss out the wipes. Then I plan to do one load of diapers at night that will then be ready for use by morning.

Day 2
I feel like she is always damp! The website says that your baby has to be changed every 2 hours or they will get diaper rash but they say nothing about this always damp feeling that seems to be covering her at all times. I don't feel like I know what I'm doing yet. I'm still trying to find the best way to pull out the wet insert without it touching everything in site and just figure out this whole cloth diapering thing period. The hybrid inserts were so easy to adjust too but I'm have more frustration transitioning to the cloth inserts. Still, I'm going to keep on keeping on.

Day 3
I'm getting better at this and it is slowly beginning to feel like I might be able to do this. I'm still fighting the always damp feel and I don't like my baby to smell like urine so I don't know how often I am really going to need to change her in a day. This feels a little crazy, but not as crazy as it did three days ago. It is working out pretty well to just dump the cloth inserts into the diaper pail I already have, the big downside is that at the end of the day I have to reach in and pull each on out by hand and transfer them into the bathroom garbage can to carry them downstairs to the laundry room. HA! I really want to love using these cloth diapers. I really want to love this and save my family money. If I do end up in love, or at least in deep like with the gCloths, I will need to get a pail liner that I can pull out rather than the dipping my hands into the bin every night.

Day 4
For this time I have gone all cloth all the time. I pack a gallon size ziploc bag with me to use at my wet bag and have Georgia in gCloths and only the cloth. I figure that if I'm going to do this I want to do it all the way, and after I'm used to it I can decide if I want to take the disposable hybrid inserts with me when I'm out. For this time, it is easier for me to only use one diapering system at a time. With that said, I am taking all of my cloth diapers to the Farm with us for the weekend. One full weekend away with the cloth diapers.
In a HUGE positive, I have been putting two cloth inserts on G at night and we haven't had one leak or problem. She is actually staying very dry and comfortable at night. And that is a big giant relief and positive points for the gCloths.

Day 5
Finally! Finally I have solved the always damp issue. After doing some more research on the gDiaper site I reread that the liner needs to go in the creases of the legs, just like underoos do, and after adjusting the liner to fit into its place the dampness has gone away. Hooray! Now I feel like my baby girl can go a reasonable amount of time in one cloth diaper and not smell or feel damp after 45 minutes. We are out at the Farm and I'm really starting to get the hang of this. I have a few Ziplocs where I'm tossing the dirties and then I am still one the same schedule of washing my one load of diapers at night and have them all ready again in the morning.

Day 6
This is getting easier. I don't hate cloth diapers today. I know what the expect with a normal cloth diaper change and that is probably the most helpful thing. I feel that I know how to handle the wetness and the dirtiness and have a simple plan in place for how to store the diapers and how and when to clean them. Today, I am not in deep love with the gCloth diapers but I am not loathing them either. This is getting better.

Day 7
No pins. No folding. No soaking. As far as cloth diapers go, I believe that these are about as easy as they come. I am feeling more confidant in this process and feeling like I can do this for awhile. I do need another pack of the gCloth inserts since I use up my whole stock in a day and it would be nice to have a few more in the drawer each morning, just in case the nightly load isn't dry. After getting home from the Farm I found that I needed to use one of the hybrid inserts while the diapers were in the dryer and was shocked with what I found. At changing time, I felt that the disposable inserts actually took longer to deal with post change than the cloth! My beloved flushables take more time post change to tear, tear, swish and flush than it takes me to toss the cloth in the bin. I laughed outloud when I had the thought "I wish I had a cloth!"

I may be a full convert yet.
The pigs are not soaring through the skies flying with freedom and flare, but the pigs have sprouted wings and gotten off the ground. The unthinkable, the unlikely is starting to happen. I am starting to actually like the cloth diapers.

gDiapers takes on The Fair, Camping and Overnights

2010-08-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

For days 5-9 gDiapers went on the road with us and proved to be a very accommodating travel companion.

First gDiapers came to the county Fair. It was the first time I had to changed one of the gDiapers in public but it turned out to be nothing, to be even a smidgen easier than changing a disposable. I have found that I don't have to "preload the Little G" like they tell you too on the videos on their website. So I can leave my baby's bare bum resting on the liner inside of her Little g pants and and then life her legs and slide insert right in. Being able to do this at the Fair made it so that her tiny little toosh was spared from any splinters the wooden bleachers may have tried to impose upon her. It was quick and easy and I tossed the insert with my empty peach milkshake cup and we were done with it.

Then gDiapers took on tent camping with us in Central Oregon. She swam in her blue little swimmers, I think it was her Shilo Pitt moment wearing boy cloths. That or I bought the wrong ones! Then she wore her Little G pants for the rest of the day and slept in the remaining Pampers diapers that I had taken with us. Not one leak or problem the entire weekend. Plus, I felt a nice sense of accomplishment about tossing away the biodegradable inserts while camping out in the wilderness.

Once home I was finally out of the back up Pampers. Now I was no longer just getting my feet wet, I was swimming. It came to be that Georgia had to sleep overnight in her Little G Pants. I checked it out on their gDiaper website and it suggests that you put two inserts into the Little g's for over night. So with fingers crossed and plans to do an entire load of crib sheets and baby cloths in the morning I doubled up the inserts and put her to bed. Much to my happy surprise she woke up dry! Again no leaks, no rashes, no trouble.

All in all gDiapers took on The Fair, Camping and Overnights like a champ.

Now onto today... The cloth diaper portion of this trial has officially begun with Miss Georgia Sweet sitting next to me right now wearing her first ever cloth diaper.

Now, time to see if pigs really do fly...

gDiapers days 3 & 4- The Flood

2010-08-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

Day 3- The Flood

Georgia had just woken up from a perfect morning nap. Two full hours of sleeping gave me some great time to clean the kitchen, make the beds and enjoy a lovely cup of coffee and then she woke up at just the right time to get her ready to take her to her hip doctor appointment, which by the way was the best hip appointment we've ever had. She received a perfect on the x-rays and we don't have to go back in until she is 15 months old, that means January. The longest stretch between appointments we've been allowed so far and the closest thing to an "all clear" we could have gotten.

The day was lovely and the picture of perfection.

Until it all went down, or didn't.

It was day 3 of my gDiaper trial and I was sold. Loving these flushables and the sheer cuteness of the Little gPants. Everything had been so easy for three full days and I was proud of my diaper find. Then in the matter of minutes a too close for comfort catastrophe.

Rip. Rip. Swish, Flush...flush. Followed by the tell tale phrase "Go down! Go down! Ah crap, go down!!" and I reached for all of the towels in the bathroom in a flash. The gDiapers flushable refill was not flushing and the third story toilet in our 101 year old craftsman style house was seconds from overflowing. I reached for the plunger and shoved it quickly into the bowl.

Splash! Whoosh! Then the sound of way too much water flooding over onto our tile floor, the tile floor on our top floor. And it was still running!

I did the first thing that came to mind and grabbed that little thing that stops the water from running and in a MacGyver type moment grabbed for the only things I could reach, a hair ribbon and a pair of scissors. I tied the hair ribbon around that thing inside the back of the toilet, wrapped it around the scissors and hooked the scissors onto the handle and then quiet. It had worked! The water was stopped. It has since been pointed out to me, by both my mom and my husband, that I could have reach down and turned off the water. But that didn't occur to me at the time and I prefer a little MacGyver in my life anyhow.

I dashed out the door to the linen closet and pulled out literally everything it was holding and threw it with great force onto the flooded floor of our third story bathroom. Praying all the way.

Reaching for the trash can, I tossed all of its contents into the sink and began to scoop out as much water as I could and throw it into the bathtub. It was effective and I was able to lower the water level enough so that each plunge of the plunger did not splash more water out onto the sopping wet towels.

Plunge. Plunge. Plunge. Plunge. Faster. Then slower.
It wasn't working.

It was time. Time to reach into the bowl and see what I could find.

What I found was that a small bit of the inner liner of the refill had found a secret place to hid within the layers of the outer liner and once flushed had formed a gel ball that was lodged securely in my toilet.

First I tried with my bare right hand, up to the elbow in toilet water, and with each grab and tug small ineffective pieces came out in my fingers. Next I tried with my bare left hand with the same result. Before the end of my half hour escapade as the Bare Handed Plumber I had tried the swish stick, scissors, tweezers, and lots and lots of pleading prayers to Jesus.

Finally, with a new fangled technique of bare right hand work and a spinny pully moved I created with the swish stick the gel ball budged. Again I pulled and twisted. Two more times of the pull, twist, pray approach and it was free! We were all free!

Flush went the toilet!

And not a moment too soon since Georgia was more than done with her independent play time in her room around the corner.

I soaked up all remaining standing water, rolled all of the wet towels up into my bath mat and walked the nearly 50 pounds of wetness down the three flights to the laundry room, already preparing myself for having to tell Daren that I had I flooded the tip top bathroom in our house. Side note: He took it pretty well.

I believe that The Flood was cause by a combo of user error and product. Daren and I have decided to walk the flushables downstairs to the lower bathroom for the remaining days of the trial just in case. No diaper is worth a ruined house and the cost of a remodel or mold removal.

Day 4- Falling in Love again
I love these stinking gDiapers. Mostly because they don't stink! They go away and I love that. Plus they are crazy cute on Georgia's little baby body. I don't know how feasible it is to actually walk each diaper downstairs to flush them for the rest of our diapering days, but its what I'm doing for the time being.

Now is the time you check to see if there is snow in Hades, because I, part of the "I will never ever in my whole life use cloth diapers" team, am seriously considering trying out the pure cloth diapers for the second week of this trial. The cloth diapers are really where the true savings are. I may pick up one pack of the cloth inserts and give it a go.

Plus, I figure if I love them great and if I hate them, well then at least I will know firsthand what I'm talking about when I proclaim that cloth diapers suck.

Here goes nothin'....

5 months, 5 Miles and a 5 K

2010-08-09T09:18:00.001-07:00

When Julie ran her marathon I cried.

As I sat in the chair in our living room with my cell phone in hand anxiously receiving text updates as she passed each marker, talking to my mom on our land line and my computer screen filled with the Seattle Rock-n-Roll course map, pace sheets, and the live feed of the finish line I cried. I cried joyful tears for Julie, for as long as I have known her a Marathon finish has been one of her biggest goals and I cried bittersweet tears for myself.

Sitting there in the throws of first trimester sedation and nausea, still adjusting to the fact that I was two months pregnant as my then 8 months old baby napped upstairs I cried.

When would I ever run again? Really run.
When would I ever feel like an athlete again, let alone actually be one?
When would I be me?

And I was inspired. For the first time in many months I began to envision myself crossing finish lines. I imagined how I would smile at the cheering sections. I thought of hearing my husbands voice as he cheered me on at a hard mile marker during some big race. I dreamt of the t-shirts I would make my children wear for family photos at a big post race block party. I dreamt of feeling like myself again, tough and athletic with an easy laugh and enjoying it all.

The next week as I poured over Julie's blog detailing her entire marathon experience I clicked on the Skirt Chaser 5k link. For a moment I was back. I felt the athletic drive and that old friend the competitive spirit swell up inside my gut. A quick check of the family calendar and I sent my husband a text proclaiming "We are running the Skirt Chaser 5k. I can totally bust out a 5k!" He was in and we were registered.

I had already been an active member of Baby Boot Camp where we work out with jogging, lunges, wall sits and resistance bands for 60-75 minute sessions all while pushing our little ones in strollers. So my fitness level was good and I was cleared to continue running.

A month ago Daren and I took Georgia on our first family fun. We ran for three miles around our neighborhood and I was so proud for making it the whole way and so grateful that Daren pushed the stroller. As a dating and newly married couple running together was our thing. We would meet up at the trail head for an evening running date or head out early on a Saturday for a long run then hit our favorite breakfast spot all sweaty and beaming with endorphins. We ran together, we raced together and we fell in love together. The first time Daren even said "I love you" was after a big hard race up in Seattle. Running was part of who we were as a couple and since I got pregnant with Georgia, that had been missing.

During my first pregnancy I was too afraid to run. Too afraid to do much of anything other than walking and some yoga. And I lost myself. I gained many many lbs and struggled with the massive physical changes and the mood swings that accompany any baby baking session. I had not completely come back to myself, or to Daren, when we found out we were expecting our second child.

Two weeks ago I ran five miles at five months pregnant. Daren, once again got me out onto the road and told me that he was certain that I could run the whole loop. I told him absolutely not and that I would be turning around at the 1.5 mile marker and heading back home. The mile marker came and went and I never turned around. I ran five miles. I ran five miles with Daren. I ran five miles with Daren, the only running partner I've ever had, while five months pregnant with our second baby and it was awesome.

We were back!
We were back because I was back.
I was running.

Saturday we ran in the Skirt Chaser 5k! The women started three minutes before the guys and they had to chase us down, chase the skirts if you will. I took off knowing that my main man would catch me and when he did, about the mile and a half in, I was so happy. I was so excited to see him! The conditions were hot and muggy and I was starting to overheat so for the sake of the baby in the belly I walked for a bit, and Daren being the incredibly supportive race partner that he has always been, walked with me. Then ran me all the way into the finish line.

We were us. We were Daren and Sarah the couple, more than Daren and Sarah the parents. We were running a race together and we loved it and we loved each other and it was wonderful.

And I am me.
I am running.

Running has saved me in these last few months. Its saved me from the pregnancy blues and the massive weight gain I had the first time around. It has brought me back to myself, even while pregnant, and in fact its even lifted my bum a little!

So thank you to the road and to the miles, though few today will be fast and far again soon.
Thank you to Julie for inspiring me to Run Like a Mother.
Thank you Daren for running with me and pushing the stroller.
And thank you to my body, for holding together and holding my babies.

Running I love you, even when I hate you.

gDiapers trial day 2

2010-08-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Today is day two of my two week trial with the gDiapers and I still like them and find them adorable.

They actually are simple to use. In truth, they are not as simple as a true disposable diaper but they are still easy. With a disposable you take it off and wrap it up on itself and toss it into the bucket. With these you there are a few extra steps with the loading of the gDiaper, the tearing of the sides, swish and of course, the walk to the bathroom. All in all those steps only take a minute or two more and I am curious to see if that time lapse shortens even more once I have a routine in place. For me, when my rating scale of easy to hard diaper changes runs the gauntlet from normal disposable diapers all they way up to Spica Cast diapering, these are pretty stinking easy.

I did have one small set back this morning when the inner lining of the insert fell not into the toilet where it belongs but onto the floor of my bathroom. The insert was swinging back and forth while I held it by a corner and worked to tear the two sides off and splat, onto the floor it fell into its tiny disintegrating pieces. Therefore I had to proceed to wash my bathroom floor while half dressed about ready to step into the shower. I don't know many women who like to spend that much time in the reaching for the floor to clean position while in that particular state of attire.

Today's enlightened moment was when I realized the simple notion, that if we go with these gDiapers permanently it would be very handy to have a swish stick next to each toilet in the house. That way no matter where you change your baby you can walk it to the nearest bathroom, not just hiking it upstairs to the one with the sparkly clean floor.

I was laughing today as I exclaimed to Daren what a silly sense of accomplishment I feel as I flush these things. It just feels like "Ta Da" I just flushed a diaper!

Miss G in her LittleG's - gDiaper trial day 1

2010-08-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

As life would have it, I have found a touch of hippie in me and Motherhood has been really trying to bring it out. I've been trying to make my own baby food, but Georgia won't eat it. This fact makes me laugh every time I think of it. She prefers the organic stuff in the jar over just about anything I mix up in my new Magic Bullet and offer to her.

When I say a touch of hippie that is exactly what I mean. More like a smidge or a dash of hippie. I recycle, as long as its convinent. We eat the mostly organic food, the dirty dozen of fruits and veggies and much of our meat and dairy but if there is a sale on something non-organic I don't hesitate to go that route and Doritos and Hershey's Bars have yet to be seen with an organic stamp. I like to use all natural Butt Paste and washes on my baby if I have them, but it doesn't bother me if we're at the farm and I use whatever is available. I nursed my baby the best I could for six months but when it was time to switch to formula I was not afraid that I would be giving my baby "poison in a can". I enjoy pursing the most healthy options I can find for my family but sometimes it is not the most economical way to stay on budget.

So a smidgen of hippie it is and today I purchased our first two week trial of a cloth/disposable hybrind diaper called gDiapers.
I have been so surprised by how much I spend on diapers each month. And with another adorable baby booty on its way I started to look into other options that were affordable and easy. My priorities in finding a new diapering option are 1.Affordabliity. and 2. Ease.

I know that, especially in the part of the country I live in, I'm supposed to be this all organic, cloth diaper loving, baby food making, non-chemical wearing, music class going, non-spanking, no sugar giving, always covered in sunscreen mother and I'm just not. Its the new Super Mom of this decade. As Mother's we're no loner looked down on if we don't work outside of the house, but we are looked down on if we give our children sugar and choose an epidural over an all natural delivery. As women we all get to be whatever kind of mother we want to be and we each mother out of who we already are and I was not the Earth Mother before I became Georgia's mother. Though I am finding I am turing into a bit of a hybrid, just like the gDiapers.

My cousin first introduced the brand to me and after much research I have decided to give them a try. According to my math, after the initial invesment the insterts are cheaper per diaper than the disposables that I use. I bought the starter kit at the Whole Foods up the block which includes 2 LIttle G pants, a swish stick, and 32 biodgradable intert refills. The refills either flush, compost or toss. The website has videos of each and I am going to flushing route during the trial while we're at home and then the tossing when we're out and about. I just flushed my first one and it actually did break up and go down without any problems in our 101 year old plumbing.

Four hours into my two week gDiaper trial and I like them. We'll see how I feel in two weeks and if it does actually end up to be a more economical choice for our family.

I'll keep you posted.

Here is my Miss G sporting her gPants this morning.

A moment

2010-08-03T16:38:00.001-07:00

I was trying to capture a fun posed picture with Georgia smiling and then this happened and my heart grew.

Its the first picture of my two babies.

20 weeks pregnant with Lil B The Sequel and my 9 month old Georgia.

How to woo your wife and build a fort

2010-08-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

I have yet to find anything sweeter than finding my husband playing with our baby. To hear him reading her a bedtime story through the baby monitor melts my heart like never before and she sparkles the minute he walks into a room. As I was cooking breakfast recently I heard squeals of laughter coming from the living room. When I walked around the corner I found this, Georgia's first lesson in Fort Building by Daddy.

Thats better.

2010-07-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

Every other picture in this shoot she looks appropriately like my baby. And then there are those two where she looks like a little girl! She is starting to assert her independence more and more too and as I told Daren this weekend "We're about to get a kid out this baby"

Here are a few more where she looks much more like the nine month old Little Miss that she is

Wait a minute...

2010-07-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

I am entirely uncomfortable with how old she looks in these photos. Unquestionably adorable! But much much too mature for my liking today.

This combine with our first Mother Daughter "I can do it myself" episode yesterday and I can't believe we are here already. Next thing you know we'll be shipping her off to college!

Time really does move faster once you become a parent.

Nine Months Old

2010-07-15T20:47:00.001-07:00

Our Miss Georgia Sweet is Nine Months Old today. She loves to dance, talk, laugh and smile, see the cows at the Farm and pet, pat, hit and pull at Boomer, who takes it all in perfect stride. Her Daddy is the funniest person alive according to her and she screams with laughter nearly every time she sees him. She and I make perfect sense together and seem to understand one another very easily so far. Every trip to the grocery store is filled with people who stop to talk to her and tell me how cute she is. She is so social and seems to have an innate ability to make everyone around her feel special. I'm looking forward to watching this trait in her play out throughout her lifetime.

Each month has gotten better and better. I love her more than I can express and more than I had ever imagined. Daren and I are so in awe of this little being that we get to call our own, with his expressions and my eye color. It is exactly as incredible and as indescribable and everyone told us it would be.

And we thought we loved her on the day she was born!

I love you my sweet girl! Aka: Miss Georgia, G, G Money Sweet, Georgia Sweet, Georgie, Georgia B or if you must Georgia.

Bravery

2010-07-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Georgia came up with a brave new game.

Part of me thinks "Hooray! She's brave!" and the other part of me thinks " Oh no. She's brave." Either way, our brave nearly 9 month old rocks.

Happy Birthday Me

2010-07-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

Family photo shoot out at The Farm on my 31st Birthday Day. Georgia and I made special shameless shirts out of glitter and paint. Mine said "Happy Birthday Me!" and hers said "It's my mommy's birthday". We had intended to make handprint fireworks but as soon as it was clear and Georgia hated the hand painting idea we improvised and the fabric markers subbed in.

Everybody says how much Daren and Georgia look alike, and I think they prove it well in this series.

It was the kindest thing he could have done

2010-07-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

It was the kindest thing he could have done.

Georgia is hands done one of the happiest babies God has ever created. Her temperament is sweet, silly, laid back, calm and smiley. Many a friend who only gets to see her every so often will finally hear her make a baby noised comment on something and reply "Oh my gosh! Thats the first sound I've ever heard her make." Combine that with her super smiley way of living and she has become a fast favorite at our local neighborhood grocery store.

She is a pure joy.

A pure joy without any teeth.

My brother has been kind enough to curse me with the phrase " Georgie when you get teeth I hope you cry all night long." So it is no wonder why I was so mad at him while I lay with my scream crying child in our guest bed all night last night. As far as I'm concerned, last night was Ryan's fault. Especially since we still don't have a single tooth showing through this morning!

Daren has Friday's off throughout the summer and usually loves his extra sleeping-in time. This morning when our sweet sad little girl woke back up bright and early she also woke up her Dad. As I rocked her in the glider in her room, with my eyes so heavy they were shutting all on their own, I heard him moving around to the bathroom and back. I was expecting him to reclaim his right full place in the middle of the bed for some summer snoozing when I heard him sneak into the nursery. I couldn't even get my eyes to open until I felt him lift our girl up and out of my arms and into his. He smiled at me quietly and walked the two of them out of the room.

It was the kindest thing he could have done.

Two hours later when I walked down the stairs I found Daren, Georgia and Boomer all laying together on the floor smiling at me and talking about The Farm.

It was the kindest thing he could have done.

Long time no blog

2010-06-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

I've been terrible at taking and posting pictures lately. And even worse about doing any writing.

Here is why!

These were taken the week Georgia turned 6 months old. That puts me at 15 weeks right now and finally wrapping up the random bouts of nausea and sedating exhaustion and our babies 14 months apart.

We are really looking forward to having these two little baby buddies running around our home.

It is the Veteran.

2010-05-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

It is the
VETERAN,
not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the
VETERAN who
salutes the Flag,

It is the
VETERAN
who serves
under the Flag,

We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

God Bless them all!

Seven Months Old

2010-05-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

And still Fabulous!

Rollin with the Homies

2010-05-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

YES! The cast is off and Miss Georgia is officially on the move and ready to catch up to the rest of the class.

I had no idea how proud I would feel!

Good job Georgia!

Calving Time!

2010-05-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

It was calving weekend out at our family farm this weekend. The whole darn family gathered into the farm house for the weekend anxiously awaiting the birth of several, if not many, new baby calves. We were off to a good start when 10 minutes after Daren and I showed up I spotted baby #1!

I am still so proud that I spotted our first calf ever.

Then we waited.

And waited.

And waited. Either by the window in the living room, bathroom or office with the binoculars or from the Kabota out in the field.

Those dear ladies left us waiting all weekend long. As my six year old nephew Connor put it, "These cows have had like 23 million subtractions with just the one baby!"

Finally, after I had us running out to the fields on a false alarm Daren spotted Mama #7 just as she was about to deliver her baby. We rounded up the everyone who was out there and all got to witness baby boy #7A come into this world. We were a big line of cameras and binoculars at the fence line for the full hour. It was a nice reward after "staring at cow butts" ,as my nephew Levi put it, for so many hours waiting on our calves.

Hopefully by the end of the week we have all of our babies running around the fields.

Spontaneous

2010-04-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Spontaneous photo shoot at six and a half months because I cannot get enough of this face and these eyes.

Bottle Love

2010-04-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

Georgia is a girl after my own heart in her love of eating.

Here she is enjoying a Mum Mum teething biscuit for the first time. And I do use the word enjoying loosely.

This video is mainly for the Grandmas, most other people will probably find it boring. Ha!

Here she is showing you how much she loves her bottles.

You've gotta love a girl who love to eat!

Sleeping

2010-04-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Oh melt my heart with such sleeping sweetness.

Because He Lives

2010-04-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

And everything other good thing.

Cutest Hospital Gown

2010-03-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

Two feet tall and in the cutest hospital gown ever.

She knows she's cute.

Here she is telling us something very important before her procedure.

Three days and counting

2010-03-09T20:05:00.001-08:00

Three days and counting until my beautiful bare baby gets all covered up.

Georgia was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at her two month check up. We have no real idea where this comes from. It is a genetic disorder that is most often seen in first born girls. So right out of the gate she had two of the top risk factors and then one of us passed this gene on to her.

Neither one of us have any known family history of hip dysplasia, so its anyone's guess. I like to go back and forth on which parent is to fault. On a good day I like to accept that it comes from Daren and on my bad days I'm certain that I've done this to my baby girl.

She was put into a Pavlik Harness and has been wearing that for various hour combinations for the past three months. I cried the day the Dr. put it on her. But then we got used to it and learned how to change her diaper with the brace on and which onsies looked the cutest with the two pairs of pants that I could fit over it.

Last Friday we went in to see our pediatric orthopedic doctor to have her new x-rays done and find out any further course of treatment. Call it a hunch, call it a mothers intuition, call it God but I knew I was not walking out of that room with good news. Having to wait in the exam room for nearly 30 minutes while our Dr. read out x-rays wasn't a good sign either. When he finally entered the room his first words were " I don't like these x-rays". He throws them up onto the light and walks me through what we are seeing. Georgia's femur bones are clearly too high and a little outside. They are still dislocated. This means casting.

I start to cry.

The nurse comes in with my paperwork to talk scheduling. She has a sweet smile and knowing eyes, the eyes of a fellow mother who has heard disappointing news from a Dr.

"I'm sorry." I say.

"Every mother cries" She says with tears in her own eyes as she recounts for me the time her son had to undergo surgery.

Georgia will be put into a hot pink Spica Cast Friday morning. She will be in the cast for a total of 9 weeks. The cast will start at her nipple line and run down both legs to her ankles. It will be challenging. It will be sad. It will be funny. It will work.

You can follow our unabashedly honest journey here at Pink Spica Cast.

The perfect combination

2010-03-08T16:27:00.000-08:00

Pink and Camo.

She's Back!

2010-03-05T11:43:00.000-08:00

Day 10 of our 10 day Virus

And she's back! Smiling and talking up a storm with her new all natural mohawk.

Learning to Sit

2010-03-03T16:00:00.001-08:00

Look Mom, no pillows!

Wait a second...

Whoa!

Ah man...

A little help here?

Sneak Peek

2010-03-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a sneak peek of Georgia's 4 month photo shoot. She is normally the smiliest baby but this was the day her smile went away and her cough came in its place. Still, Nicci of NiccoleW Photography captured her beautiful eyes and precious sleeping face.

Sick

2010-03-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

Sweet and sad sick eyes on her best day in a week.

Breathing treatment plus nose suctioning plus tylenol gives me this

Day 7 out of a 10 day virus.

Sugar and Spice

2010-02-26T08:15:00.001-08:00

Sugar and spice

And everything nice,

thats what Little Girls are made of.

Thats also why Georgia smiles at me when she wakes up and refuses eye contact with me when she's mad.

Affidavit to my Family

2010-02-22T20:34:00.000-08:00

We will

We will celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and good grades

We will have Valentine’s Day dinners and St Patty’s Day breakfasts

We will go on walks, hikes, and bike rides

We will go fishing

We will have last day of school parties and first day of spring parties

We will celebrate Christmas, Easter, and sometimes Tuesdays

We will play board games and video games together

We will laugh

We will love

We will have inside jokes and food fights

We will have dinner as a family and prayer before bedtime

We will have Funny Hat Day and parade ourselves through office buildings

We will have curtains that double as cover from water balloons and closet monsters

We will deliver May Day flowers to the neighbors

We will have Father’s Day surprises and Mother’s Day gifts

We will fight fairly and hug it out

We will have dance parties in the kitchen

We will celebrate each other

We will be a family.

Those Baby Blues

2010-02-18T15:59:00.000-08:00

Nothing but beautiful baby blues in this family.

And a Snow Cave.

Who says?

2010-02-10T14:29:00.001-08:00

Who says a dog is only man's best friend?

Athlete

2010-02-08T13:24:00.001-08:00

" If you can't be an athlete, be and athletic supporter" Principle McGee, Greace

And she wore her most athletic outfit to cheer at the Super Bowl Party

Little Mirror

2010-02-06T07:37:00.001-08:00

If you've ever wondered what my husband looks like angry,

He looks like this.

Nature vs Nurture

2010-02-04T12:50:00.000-08:00

I don't know if its nature or

nurture but my daughter likes to watch three things on TV

1- Project Runway

2- Football

3- The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News

We are certain that this means she is a well rounded genius

A weekend at The Farm

2010-01-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a perfect weekend at The Farm

The girls played Blokus. Which is a game, as Daren put it, is a lot like Tetris... but slower.

My 15 month old niece Kate was attacked by a sucker.

The red and white sucker got stuck in her hair more than once

But she knew it was worth it

Georgia took a nap with Grandpa,

Posed for a self portrait with Mommy,

And all in all remained very content.

Georgia Full of Joy

2010-01-14T09:04:00.001-08:00

Georgia, my joyful girl,

You are my answer to prayer and so much more. For months I prayed for joy to fill my home and had no idea that I was actually praying for you.

I thank God for you every second, of every day for every month and every year.

Your name means Cultivator of the House of God and I wait with an expectant heart for all that the Lord has is store for you, my sweet, sweet joyful girl.

Laugh on, baby girl, laugh on!

~Mom

How to cure an ingrown toenail

2010-01-08T16:52:00.001-08:00

1. Tell your husband that your toe hurts a little.

2. Have him look it over during a commercial break while you watch TV on Monday.

3. Pay only a mild amount of attention to it and figure it will go away

4. Realize a few days later that you may not be able to wear your new shoes Friday night if your toe hurts.

5. Ask your husband to fix your toe.

6. Remind him to bring home some sort of foot tool per his request

7. Get up and stand on the toilet seat with your hair in rollers on Friday

8. Tell your husband "I don't want this to hurt!"

9. Watch closely as he works some sort of podiatry magic that only hurts a little

10. Wear your new beautiful shoes and love every minute of it

It happens

2010-01-08T09:14:00.001-08:00

Here is something I have learned as I close in on the end of my first trimester as a mother....

S*#t happens, sometimes all the way up to your ears.

So you clean it up, cry it out and just keep going.

Young Love

2010-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Don't most hope to find a new love in the new year? Seems my husband and my brother have succeeded...

Red Shoes

2010-01-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

I've worn red shoes to most of the important events in my life. Like my college graduation, my wedding, dinner on Tuesdays...

So it is most fitting that my baby girl was given a pair of red heels to wear on her first Christmas Morning.

Nothing highlights a pink Pavlik Harness like a snappy pair of red heels.

*** Note on the Pavlik Harness. Georgia's left femur is a little loose in her hip socket and will be wearing this stylish pink harness for 6 weeks to 3 months.***

Good Converstation

2009-12-31T12:42:00.000-08:00

A good conversation between Baby Georgia, 2 1/2 months, and Baby Kate, 1 year, caught on camera. The only two girls in a family full of boys sharing the first of a lifetime of their inside jokes.

Goods for Grandmas

2009-12-26T23:21:00.000-08:00

A few Christmas pictures for the Grandmothers of Georgia.

I think we're starting to look a bit alike.

Dee Dee with all six of her Great Grandchildren

Oh you've got to be kidding me! This little face is such perfection in my eyes.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

Visions of Sugar Plums

2009-12-22T05:42:00.000-08:00

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads...

Kristin Chenoweth the Tree

2009-12-14T23:00:00.000-08:00

Sunday we got our tiny tree.

A tiny tree to go in our tiny house with our tiny girl.

Meet Tiny Kristin Chenoweth, named after the tiny and fabulous star of stage and screen.

Daren and Georgia braving the cold and drinking coffee.

Here I am with Georgia in the forest of Tiny Trees

Thank goodness we brought the truck to haul this monster home!

Kristin bares it all on the dinning room table.

Georgia and I placing her first ornament, a very traditional Pink Flamingo in a Santa hat.

Our Tiny Tree, Kristin Chenoweth, fully dressed and ready for her close up.

You're gonna get it

2009-12-13T21:20:00.000-08:00

She is seconds away from reading her Dad the riot act. She can also switch moods at a moments notice like any good woman! Daren just may have met his match...

Sunshine in the rain

2009-12-11T22:37:00.001-08:00

For Dee Dee,

Four generations of dark haired blue eyed women.

Sugar

2009-12-07T14:16:00.000-08:00

As sweet as it gets.

First Civil War

2009-12-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

Last night was the night of the infamous Civil War football game between the Oregon Ducks and the Oregon State Beavers. This game was, literally, for all the roses. The winner of the game was guaranteed to go to the biggest bowl game on the west coast, The Rose Bowl.

Here are Daren and Georgia watching the game. Daren is already so proud of our little Ducks football fan and called her our "Third generation female football fan". Which is true, since most of my Sunday afternoon memories involve hearing my own mom yell at the tv screen while watching any and all Sunday Night Football games. And now, I am a true blue football fan myself trying to call our plays and guess the penalties from the comfort of our couch cushions.

Georgia wore her green and gold pjs in a show of family solidarity as we bond together and shout loud and clear "Go Ducks! On to Pasadena!"

A few pics to get you by

2009-11-25T11:22:00.001-08:00

Daren's first time feeing Georgia

They really do nap together

Learning

2009-11-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

This I have learned from my one month as a mother:

-Its OK to do one thing at a time and focus on only that one thing.

- Giving one person your undivided attention it priceless and necessary. Facebook, texting, email and the news will still be there later but this moment will not.

- Don't procrastinate. If you don't do it now, it may not get done at all.

- The difference between procrastinating and putting something off because you really need the rest.

- Selflessness meets many of your needs and actually feels better than selfishness.

-My body has done something incredible and miraculous and it deserves to be treated with kindness in thought, word and action.

- God's love for us is unfathomable. He loves me more than I love her, and He loves her more than I love her. Unfathomable!

- Its OK to need to put the baby down just so that you have nothing and no one touching you.

-Making marriage a priority needs to be a priority.

- Even when totally sleep deprived and hormonal you still get to choose the words you let come out of your mouth.

- Its OK to ask for help when I need it.

- I love my little family.

One month old

2009-11-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

Same girl. Same shirt.

Four weeks later.

I don't mean to brag

2009-11-15T22:03:00.001-08:00

I don't mean to brag... but I totally do.

My sweet baby girl is one month old today and is fresh off of her first overnight trip to the Seattle area where we attended the 7th out of 9 Glow girl weddings. As any good new mom does, I purchased our first pack-n-play on the way out of town and had my husband huck it into the back of the truck along with the plethora of baggage I had packed for the two day event.

Now, I understand the risks associated with testing the fates of motherhood and jinxing whatever good behavior or patterns are emerging in your children with very little actual work from you, the parent. But for this I am willing to take those risks.

Little Baby Georgia slept for 7 hours straight, two nights in a row, in a hotel! I, of course, did not sleep all of those hours straight as I woke up at our usual times to reach over and feel the breath coming out of her nose or to jiggle her just a touch to see her move. But my month old baby slept through the night twice. It was shocking and incredible.

I had to sing at the wedding and was especially relived that I didn't have to spend the whole night awake and have my voice be iffy for my good friends special day. God was smiling on us in that hotel room, I think.

Here is the little champ lounging away the hours in her new favorite place to sleep. Look how she is even smiling a little! There really is nothing like a good nights sleep.

Signs Sleep Deprivation

2009-11-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

Sleep deprivation will do funny things to a person. It can change you into a different person all together in only a few weeks and make you do things that are completely out of character. Case in point...

Last night I offered half of my cupcake to my husband.

I live and breathe by my very strict "I do not share dessert" rule. No, law. This is a family law that has been tested and proven year after year and I stand very steadfast in this. But...

Last night I offered half of my cupcake to my husband.

"Do you want half of this?" I said after just one bite. He did a physical double take with his head that reminded me of a shocked George Jetson or Fred Flinstone when Judy or Wilma did something crazy.

"I'm that tired" was my response. And he smiled and snatched his half of the cupcake before I could change my mind and devour the entire sweet thing right in front of him.

Sleep deprivation can make you do funny things and shock those who love you most.

Last night I offered half of my cupcake to my husband and...

Even Georgia was surprised.

His and Hers

2009-11-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

She may look like him, but she sleeps like me.

Family Roles

2009-11-06T10:49:00.001-08:00

Mother and Daughter- We really like each other

Our baby girl turned 3 weeks yesterday and it seems that all of our family roles are beginning to form.

Boomer The Gentle Babysitter

He likes to site next to her when she's crying and next to us when she's nursing. He still gets up with me at night when I'm up to check on her, if she happens to sleep longer than expected...you know to check to make sure she's breathing like any good new mom, and when she eats he wakes up and plays with something until we go back to sleep.

Burl the Enforcer.

Burl is not one to lean toward the gentle side, instead he tends toward the protective. He gets very anxious when she cries too much and will follow me around the house, with his little fast feet dancing, to make sure I'm solving the problem. I often find him at my feet while we are at the changing table. Here he is with our nephew, Nathan, just stopping in to make sure he is ok to be holding her.

Georgia's First Real Bath

2009-11-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

Baby girl's first real bath. She wasn't convinced it was a good idea.

Mom and Dad both lending a hand to help

Our family photo after we all made it through our first bath

Halloween

2009-10-31T23:24:00.000-07:00

Georgia was a doctor for her first Halloween in scrubs that match her dads. The color brings out the blue in both of their eyes!

She and I seem to have the same feelings about hair bows.

Paging Dr Benson...

Tummy Time at 2 weeks

2009-10-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is two weeks old today. She had her two week check up yesterday and is back up to her birth weight and weighs in at a perfect 6 lbs. Its amazing how much she eats for only a few ounces! We are starting to see more of her fiery side too. She is a sweet combination of mellow and feisty. When getting her standard follow up PKU test yesterday the Lab Tech said it well when she said "She is little but she's a fighter!" I am so proud.

Today we started Tummy Time and here she is getting a little emotional support from Boomer.

Since this is how she felt about it

And it sure is sweet being the one who makes it better.

I think we love her more every morning.

Who do you think she looks like?

2009-10-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

Who do you think Miss Georgia girl looks like?

I know I have my guess!

Georgia loves Daddy and The Ducks

2009-10-25T10:27:00.001-07:00

By Request

2009-10-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

More photos of my Miss Georgia have been requested by Aunts and Grandma's. Twist my arm to show her off!

Daddy brought her her first flowers

Her best Zoolander "Blue Steal"

One Week

2009-10-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

We've made it one week! And so far so very good. As far as Georgia's mom and dad are concerned she is still the best baby on the block...and in her first pair of pants today.

First Bath

2009-10-21T10:32:00.001-07:00

We think she has curly hair! Look at that tiny baby afro.

Home

2009-10-17T20:44:00.001-07:00