Back with a Vengence!

Sit back, take your shoes off. Hell! Go make yourself a margarita!

This could take a while.

Button's new resident is moving in today and we could very well be slapped with a lawsuit from Captain Dickwad. First, we got phone call informing us that we should write him a check for around 4 thousand dollars, just cuz. Right. Let me get right on that. We didn't and he had his lawyer write us a somewhat threatening letter telling us to pay an absurd amount within 5 days. I don't know about you guys, but do people usually have 4 grand in between the couch cushions? What a dumb ass. The totally hard up realtor went and tried to find any way possible that he could get some money out of us since we fired his sleazy ass. I guess there is some clause stating that if a seller refuses a full asking price offer, commission is to still be payed. We were actually offered full price with the contingency of replacing the furnace ( a 2 thousand dollar contingency BTW) so we aren't too worried. Asshole.

Button's new resident is a girl I know. She is actually a single mom with a three year old son. She is super excited to be moving in. The day she started moving in, we were hanging out chatting when my other friend and neighbor walked a fresh baked apple pie over to my house. It smelled fantastic and was and still hot when I got home. Who knew you could be both a fantastic photographer and pie maker. Not to mention a Weight Watcher sabotager, hmph. Anyway, we sliced a piece and devoured it. I decided I should take a slice over to the new button owner. I got it all ready and told the kids I'd be back in one minute since she's right next door. I headed out the door, dropped off the piece of pie and Mason was directly behind me. We headed right back to get Harper who I could hear screaming at the door. I reached for the door and Oh, Shit. LOCKED! She must have been reaching for the door handle and spun the lock just enough to lock it. I ran around to the other 3 doors of our house, all locked. I started to freak out. Before I could think of anything else, I went into the garage, grabbed a screw driver and sliced the hell out of my bedroom screen. Mason was willing to be my little helper and crawled right in and unlocked the door within 10 seconds. Thank God for my little helper and my safe little girl.

I feel like after my writing slump, I all of a sudden have so much to talk about! Oh, and tomorrow, make sure to stop by. That's all I'm sayin...

9-21-07...

One year ago today, I woke up scared to death. Scared of giving birth. Scared to meet the little person I was growing inside of me. Scared of our nice little family changing. At 2:36 your warm gooey body was draped across my chest and I knew everything was going to be just fine.



We brought you home after only 24 hours and you were healthy and perfect in every way. At least your dad and I thought you were. Mason? He wasn't so sure. He loved to hold you and kiss you but he took a while to learn how share his time with you. It is unbelievable how things have changed.



You are so in love with your brother it makes my heart ache. You try to do everything just like him, even trying to mimic his occasional temper tantrums, squealing and then checking to see if we are all laughing with you. But more than anything else, I love how the two of you hold hands in the car. It is so sweet to look back at the two of you and see each of your arms reached across the middle seat hand in hand. It is truly amazing.



You are a very active little girl, walking all over. You started a little over 10 months and never turned back. You say a few words like Mama, bye bye, uh-oh, guh-boy (good boy). You are a great impersonator; If I blink hard you blink hard. If I blow a raspberry, so do you. Speaking of raspberries, you hardly eat anything. You prefer milky and that's OK with me; It is what I am here for.



The relationship you have with your Dad is a special one. Watching the two of you, I can feel the love you have for each other and it makes me love both of you that much more. I love to tell people how you have him wrapped around your little finger. When he tries to tell you "no", you just cock your head to the side and smile at him. He cracks every. single. time.
Good Girl!



I have to say though, you are still a mama's girl. For the majority of this past year you've not gone to anyone but your dad and me. At times it was frustrating but deep down we love it. We've learned that our babies are babies for such a short time and we need to soak up all the lovin' we can get. Your grandma was over last week and we talked about how shy you are. You are never short on smiles, but you are happiest in my arms.



Now, looking back on the past year I can say that everything was better than fine, it was amazing. Of course there were times that were hectic but I wouldn't change any of it. You've blended right into our family and brought out the best in all of us. You make me feel like the most special person in the world.



I love you baby girl!
Mama

Is My Zipper Open?

I've been really crazy busy lately. Not in a bad way, it has been a good busy. But, I am so far behind in my favorite blogs you'll have to keep me posted if I am missing anything good and juicy m'kay?

Are you wondering what the hell is going on here and why all my posts are so half-assed?

Here's the scoop, bullet style.

* Harper walks, like a woman on a mission.

*Mason poops. In the toilet. Everyday.

*Mason gets a big boy bike for said poop and rides it. Without training wheels!

*My 3 year old rides a two wheel bike! Like a champ!

*Mason also gets 2 fish from Ahma and Grappa for going poop. The fish poop all the time. They are sort of gross.

*Remember Button? As of Oct 1st she isn't ours anymore! Who-Rah!

*Tomorrow my baby girl turns one! Someone hold me. Where did the past 365 days go?

Hopefully I can keep my head on straight for the next couple of weeks. Bare with me.

Fashion Police

After a long debate on how I really feel about the trapeze style tops. I have deciped they are totally thumbs up. I can't think of a better way to conceal muffin top. Who-Rah!

Proud Mama.

Today we ate lunch at McDonald's. Every time we go (once every couple of weeks) we see the same lady. A deaf woman whos job is to wipe down all the tables and keep the floors tidy. We keep her very busy.

I have never heard a sound from this woman however she is always smiling sweetly. Today I talked to Mason about her. After she had come over to sweep underneath our table for the third time and I mouthed "thank you" to her. I explained to Mason that the woman couldn't hear - she was deaf and that she speaks sign language. Then we talked about the signs that he knows. "Thank you" being one of the few he remembers.

As we were leaving Mason pushed the high chair that Harper had used back to its spot. The woman was right there waiting to wipe it clean and took it from Mason. Again I said Thank you to the woman and Mason put is hand up to his chin and brought it out signing "Thank you" perfectly. The woman who never says a word immediately said,
"Aww, your welcome!" in her distinct hearing impaired voice. Mason walked away proudly and I held back tears. My heart nearly swelled from my chest. He had made her day and mine too. This sweet little boy is mine!

I couldn't be more proud.

Milestones

This kid is awesome!

Vote for Pedro!

Did you really think his name was Pedro? Really? Nope, it's not, but I hear latin men are fantastic in bed! Roooaaarrr! Pedro however doesn't have an ounce of latin blood in him, not to say that he is not fantastic in bed. This is getting weird; What was I talking about again?

Right. The story of Pedro. I think it was my very first post ever and I kept going back to look at my new blog that I just knew I was going to love. I noticed that some guy had commented that he thought I was a milf! I was so excited that I called Pedro to tell him.

"OMG! Some guy signed my blog and he thinks I am a milf! OMG!"

And then there was laughing. A whole bunch of laughing. And just like that my bubble burst. Pedro was my husband, not some guy from the internet who and found me out and thought I was totally hot.

It just stuck. Pedro.

Now you all know that deep down I am just a big dork with a husband who calls himself Pedro.

Flip this house. Flip-off the realtor.

Do you remember waaaay back when I talked about us buying a house? A second house that we wanted to flip? Yes? No? OK I'll recap. We bought this house that was vacant for around five years. It was this tiny little house that happened to be next door to us and was offered to us at a crazy low price. Like the price of a new car. I am not even kidding. So we took on the project and worked our hiney's off. OK, fine. Pedro worked his hiney off, I was big and pregnant. I picked the paint colors and painted them. They are fantastic colors too...

Anyway. We listed the house as the real estate market plummeted right into the sewer. Two months ago we agreed to let our over-baring neighbor re-list it. He is a creepy dude. Pedros reasoning...If he is that ambitious, maybe he can sell it? The man is an asshole. He is thinking about his own bank statement, not ours. Yesterday he came over all huffy. I was driving in.

"I bet you are looking for Pedro?"

"Yes."

"He had to go to Chicago for the week."

"He told me he'd meet with me today!"

"Sorry. I think we are going to decline the offer."

"Just decline and let the buyer walk away? I think you are making a huge mistake."

"Sorry. We just worked on this house too long and too hard to not even brake even."

"Why then am I wasting my money marketing it if you aren't willing to budge."

"The house is paid for and we really need to look out for ourselves and not lose money." (since you obviously aren't concerned about our best interest ASSHOLE!)

"Well I need to eat too." (WTF. Did he really just say that? I am done.)

"I'll have Pedro call you...(dickface)"

"OK have a goodnight." (I think he realized he just made an ass of himself.)

"Yup." (Trying to not jump out of the car and kick him square in the nuts.)

So tell me. When did it become OK for the realtor you hire to treat you like garbage? Isn't he supposed to be concerned with my best interest?

So now we are taking it off the market and hoping to rent it for a year or two. Who wants to be my neighbor. I bake things like cupcakes and cookies and take them to my neighbors...Now? Alright, fine. At least take a look at it. Click on the picture for the entire set.



She's cute isn't she? She is causing me all kinds of grief;I think I'm ready to name her. We may be together for a loong time. Betsy? Does she look like a Betsy to you?

test

Wow!

Yesterday we had a doozy of a storm. One that ripped one of our trees in half and laid it clear across the street. Also one that ripped the power cords from our house and had them laying in our back yard, SWEET! One that also kept us without electricity for 18 hours. Wow, I am glad that's over.

Thursday and Friday I agreed to watch my friend's daughter while she has to go back to work to prepare for the school year. I think having two kids is hard and for the next two days I'll have three! Wee!

Does anyone know what happened to summer? How did it fly by so fast? I think this has been one of my favorite summers ever. Until next year...

The weekend in photos- Now with more donger!

We had a fantastic weekend. Our friday night out was actually us celebrating our 6 year anniversary and our first time away from both kids in 11 months!I even got to wear a pretty dress!

We stayed out a whopping hour and a half, long enough for an appetizer, 2 mojitos and scallops with lobster risotto. The food was actually just OK but the time out was so nice.

self portrait in restaurant

Saturday morning we woke up and drove up to my parents cottage.

the always popular driving photos

It wasn't warm enough to swim and hangout in the lake, so we decided to take Mason and Harper to a Wildwood Zoo.

Mason couldn't ask for a more exciting day.

But, by far the Zebra was most excited!

Booya!

The End.

A-how you say- Date?

Tonight Pedro and I will be attempting our first night out since Harper came into our family. I am so looking forward to a fancy dinner without having to pick chunks of food off the floor or having little food crusted handprints all over my person. Cross you fingers and Harper doesn't flip out as we're walking out the door...I want to wear my pretty dress!

Pictures to follow.

I see you in me.

The past few weeks I've been down. I am not sure if I started evaluating my life or it just came and slapped my face, but the truth? It hurts. I've been thinking about the people in my life that are really there. Through thick and thin, when they don't want to be, when they've got better things to do, they still come through. For me, there are very few.

I think maybe I expect too much. I know that if I commit to something, I follow through every. single. time. Not everyone else is like that and I need to except that and stop letting myself get down. I think I take it personally. When people let me down I always play it out in my head as something else was more important. But really, that sucks. It sucks to feel not important enough.

My Dad is one of those people that is there, always. I know that if I really am in a pinch, he would move mountains to help me out. I was not raised to be all mushy gushy and expressive with my feelings so I never have been able to tell him how much I appreciate the qualities I've gotten from him.

We are both slow to warm-up and sometimes I think it's misinterpreted as coldness. However we'd do anything for people we love.

We are both stubborn.

We are both fun-loving.

We are committed and passionate about things we really believe in.

We walk exactly the same.

Someday I hope to be able to tell him how proud I am to have gotten these qualities from him. But for today, I sincere Thank You will have to do.

The Search for the Perfect Doll!

Wow! You guys have great taste. I have to say my faves were the natural nova dolls and the Waldorf dolls; the two were very similar. But, I am not going with either. I found one courtesy of a friend who read this and called me yesterday. She is soft all over, sweet and cute, blonde, simple with no frills and is reasonably priced at $25.00. The other ones I absolutely loved but I'd be nervous mommy might have a coronary if baby doll got a little dirty. So for now I am getting this one at a third of the cost of the others. Her name is Rosy Cheeks and I think she is as sweet as they come! Thanks Megan!

Introducing...Rosy Cheeks!

For Sale

When Harper farts it smells like cleaning supplies. Is this normal?

I decided today that Friday is the day. I am having a rummage sale. Pedro will have no part in it. My Dad hated them too when my Mom had them. Why is this? Why do men hate rummage sales. I think it is a great way to sell things that have served there time and then use the money to buy things needed now! For the last...oh, 4 years I've been holding onto Mason's tiny preemie things because I just couldn't let go of them; there were too many emotions attached to them. Now? I am ready. I have a perfectly healthy nearly 4 year old that will never fit into those tiny things, but I have him and that is way more important. The rest is just stuff. Stuff that will be sold on Friday.

I want to just keep a very few special things, that way if we have another baby we can use those very special things just one more time. I know I said we were done, but I am not sure anymore. People talk about "feeling complete" with their family. Is this a figure of speech or is there really a feeling of completeness? If there is an actual feeling, I don't have it yet, I don't think? Watch, 6 babies later and I am still waiting for the "feeling" only to find out it's just an expression. No need for a bunch of "I told you" comments about wanting more babies. I am starting to think you guys know me better than I know myself!

On a completely different note. Harper's birthday is coming up and I am thinking of getting her a doll. I just know that I want it to be special. I don't want a Cabbage Patch doll or any of those skanky girly dolls. What I do want is something soft all over and possibly a personalized one that looks like her? Are any of you familiar with a doll like this? Where might I find or order one. Because, soon, like Friday I'm gonna have a pocket full of bling!

Double your pleasure, double the fun!

We need to talk about something okay? Let's talk about the extreme changes we make from first child to second, m'kay?

The basics first. Food. With Mason, the food dropped on the floor and I was on high alert, dashing over to the fallen morsel scooping it up and throwing it away promptly before Mason would *gasp* try to re-eat it. With Harper the more she eats off the floor, the less I must vacuum! Eat away little Hoover-I mean Harper! Not exactly, but close. I have been known to put a little pile of cheerios right on the rug, instead of in a little bowl because a bowl? a 10 month old? Yeah.

Now toys. Harper doesn't have any. Really. I am pretty certain that we haven't bought the girl a single toy. Why? She loves Mason's toys, especially Matchbox cars. What! Babies aren't supposed to play with those? Then I probably shouldn't tell you about the scissors? I do have to tell you about the Nerf ball. Here, take a look.

This ball was in perfect condition until Harper started to realize it felt really cool to take bites like an apple and spit them out like watermelon seeds. And...we let her. Because she was quiet and happy and sometimes cleaning up a mess later is worth the few minutes of "quiet and happy".

I also have a feeling we are way past due on the baby proofing thing. Yesterday I caught Harper playing in a hill of Comet. You know the green stuff you use to scrub your toilets and sinks. Yeah. She only had a little around her mouth. I wish I were kidding, but I am not. She is fine. Today I found her soothing her sore teething gums by gnawing on a candle and also playing patty-cake in the toilet. You guessed it! There was pee in there too, thanks Mason!

Have I relaxed? Oh hell yes. Is it time to baby proof? Oh hell yes.

Funk with a capital F

What?



I know I know. First I am jealous, then I get all pouty and refuse to post, right? Ha. I've got the funk over here.

Harper is totally thumbing her nose at naps these days and I am not handling it well. At all. Now I totally understand why all those baby books tell you to put your child in their crib slightly awake. I get it now. Now . Now! It took me two children and a whole lot of misery to get it. I would nurse Harper until she was practically dead to the world and then ever so gently place her into her perfectly girly crib and tip toe out crossing my fingers that my knees didn't pop on the way out. When Harper would wake up, All Hell Broke Loose! Sometimes it was after 5 minutes, sometimes 3 hours. Usually it was about 45 minutes and I'd do the whole routine over again. It was all consuming. I was becoming a mean resentful Mama and my poor three year old son was fending for himself. Totally not fair. Things had to change. I borrowed the No Cry Sleep Solution and haven't had a chance to read it (remember, all consuming.) but I've come up with my own method and I think it is working! I nurse Harper until she is pretty zoned out and place her into her crib. If and when she wakes up I stay right next to her crib and sing and pat her bum until she falls asleep. Yesterday it took 45 minutes. This morning 25 minutes and she was totally awake when I put her in the crib. This afternoon 5 minutes and tonight not a peep. Hell yeah! I knew I couldn't just let her cry but I wanted her to know that she was staying in her crib and we weren't going to be the whole routine over and over. I want her to know I am there and I won't let her cry, but I do also think it is very important for her to know how to put herself to sleep without my boob every single time. The nursing a bazillion times during the night though, in our bed? We'll worry about that once the pre-bedtime routine is mastered. Baby steps.



Besides that, this is the week of the big fair. I mentioned this last year. It brings out the classiest folk. My friend and I were debating whether or not we wanted to walk down.

Me: I would go down there to get a corn dog and a funnel cake and then be done. But I am not even sure the food is worth it.

Her: I don't know? The fair makes me thankful for what I've got...like all my teeth!

Us: Roaring Laughter.

We didn't go. Not even to see Weird Al!

I told you I had the funk.

I am a raging stalker

If you went to Blogher this past weekend, first, you suck. Second, if you see a bazillion page hits they were from me. I stalked anyone I knew was going, hoping they were going to write tiny little updates during the day. I wanted to be there so bad! Next year I am going. I swear. Even if it's in Hawaii. Sweet! It totally should be in Hawaii because, Awesome!

Instead of posting pictures of myself drinking with a bunch of cool internets, I am posting pictures of my daughter. With dirty pants. Playing with her boyfriend Kael. Who was born the same day. Enjoy!

Kind of like a choose your own adventure from 5th grade Reading.

Hi. Remember me? Last week was kind of like spending a week in hell that I kept hoping would end. Harper started to decide that sleeping was totally over-rated. She just didn't want to have any part of it. It was driving me insane!

One of my favorite things to do here in the summer is going to these local family concerts. They are just these little concerts with small time performers that are almost always pretty good. There are always people I know there and it is just kind of nice to be able to get out of the house and talk to adults while listening to music. These concerts are also on the nights that Pedro plays basketball. Except basketball goes all year and the concerts are for 2 months. Are you seeing where this is going? Last Wednesday we went to the concert for a half an hour then we left so Pedro could make is game.

Pedro came hobbling in the house less than an hour later. He wrecked his ankle. Bad. I was having a hard time being sympathetic. Even more, it was downright annoying.

"Ow, ow, ouch."

"Hmmm? You got hurt again?"

"Yeah, bad! Ow, ow, ow. Probably the worst ever, ow, ouch."

"Okay. Enough with the ow stuff. I think you've said "ouch" 247 times since you walked in the door. I understand it hurts."

" I listened to you say that for 9 hours!"

"What?! When?"

"When you were in labor."

OH NO HE DIDN'T!

Oh Yes. Yes he did. Isn't it written somewhere that a man is never allowed to compare his pain to that of childbirth, Un-freaking-medicated!? Unless of course he has had the unique opportunity of shooting golf balls out of his pee-hole, which? Doesn't happen ever!

So today we are one week after the incident. Pedro has been to the Dr, has been referred to a Bone and Joint specialist and still has no answers except that he is in fact sporting one hell of a cankle.

Harper on the other hand is super sick. We think it is from all her floor licking. She licks every surface before she'll crawl on it. Strange, no? She gets it from Pedro. All she has is a runny/stuffy nose but it is severe. Last night I finally got her to sleep some time after 1 am. She was up probably 3 more times during the night and up for the day at 6 am. Party! I have not complained once about being tired today. Pedro? Every single time I talk to him it is about how tired he is after the "rough night". I am pretty sure he hasn't started lactating and it wasn't his boob she tried to soothe herself with all night long, but I cold be wrong. Wow, is he in my list today. It's a good thing he looks so good in his Speedo or I may have already gotten rid of him!

Pimpin' out the fam.

We made the cut! A bunch of our family pictures are up on this website. They are in the family gallery, #20 and up. I don't think I've posted any of them that are up at Grace in Design so take a look and tell Megan she took totally awesome pictures.

I've got more to tell you later, once I finish my post I started 3 days ago. I love chaos!