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!

Recipe Anyone?

I made this salad on Sunday and it was FAB. I am not a huge bean person but something about the combination of things in this salad made this so tasty and summery. It started as a "bumblebee salad" but I tweaked it so I'll give you my recipe.

Confetti Salad- cause it's like a party in your mouth! ( no cheese just corn-iness!)

1 can black beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 bag frozen corn (get good frozen corn)
I green or red pepper chopped fine
1 red onion chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper

Drain and rinse beans and corn in colander. Chop onion and pepper so everything is roughly the same size ( as beans and corn). Chop fresh cilantro. Throw everything into a big bowl and add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss and refrigerate.

I was skeptical with the lack of seasoning and almost added some of my own, but it needs nothing extra. It is seriously a great salad and very healthy. Mason couldn't get enough of it, and I ate it on tortilla chips the next day. Go on and try it, then tell me how much you loved it!

Do I need to mention what day it is?

Have I ever mentioned how superstitious I am? I am crazy superstitious. I believe in Karma 110%, or for the religious ones out there my friends mother-in-law says, "God'll get ya!" Or for the lay person, What goes around comes around.

I would have a nervous break down if I ever broke a mirror because Good God, 7 years of bad luck! When things have been going really well in my life, there is always a tiny little spot in the back of my head waiting for my luck to run out. It's kind of sad isn't it?

About a week after I had Harper I walked down to the park across the street. I met this lady who had three sons and we talked freely the entire time our boys played. It turned out that her husband is a Walk-In doctor who I had seen years earlier when Mason rolled off the bed at around 7 months old. I remember thinking to myself that I felt no judgement from him when I was expecting to be scolded for leaving Mason on the bed without my eyes glued on him for 10 seconds. He just assured me that "these things happen". When we were leaving she told me to call her sometime to get together. I never did but always thought about it.

A few weeks ago (fast forward 9 months) I ran into her at the pool. I went up to her and asked if we had met months ago at the park. We had and chatted again easily. I've seen her twice since then at random places.

Last night Pedro and I were talking before bed.

"You probably are going to think I am crazy but I feel like I am supposed to be friends with Lyla."

"Who's Lyla?"

"The lady with three boys that I keep running into. Our paths just keep crossing."

"hmmmmm?"

You probably know that I am not very religious at this point in my life, but I feel like there is some reason we keep meeting and I just haven't figured it out yet. So the next time I see her I am going to ask her for her number. I mean, I have to, right?

So today is the 13th, Friday the 13th. Do you walk around with your fingers crossed? Or am I just a total superstitious freak?

WooT!

Did you see that? I got nominated for a Rockin' Girl Blogger award by Rachel. How cool is that? I'm totally flattered and for the record, I think Rachel is pretty Rockin' too. It only took 4 days for me to figure out how to put that little pink image up there. I may be slow but at least I'm rockin'!

Harpy, Snarps, Harperina

I just realized I write very little about Harper. Maybe because my naughty, adorable, high-maintainance, quirky son is at such a funny stage that he gets all the glory. But Harper is pretty darn great too and I'm going to tell you all about her.

Over a month ago we went to the doctor for her 6 month visit that I am two months behind on. So whe was eight months old, exactly. She was 18 lbs 6 oz. and 30 inches tall. Basically, she is really tall and pretty skinny in comparison to her height.

Also at this time she started crawling. And standing up. I shit you not, on the same day. She is pretty close to walking; standing without holding on to anything for 30 seconds at a time. It is crazy to think she'll be walking soon since Mason was well over a year.

Last Sunday she started saying "bye-bye". The first 3 times I thought it was a fluke but by the 12 time I realized that she had made a connection. Of course I got all teary and proud like a total mush.

The girl hates food. Her doctor couldn't believe it when I told him that she eats just a few teaspoons of food a day. I wouldn't normally care in the least, but I feel like she barely nurses either. I guess she's just efficient.*

Over the past couple of weeks Harpers top two teeth have been working their way though. Good God I forgot how much that sucks. It really, really sucks. Thank You to the gods at Hilands. I love you and would make out with you all if given the opportunity.

Her sleeping leaves a lot to be desired. She is up a ton during the night. Stuck to my boob. *(Duh, or she gets all her food then!) Seriously most nights I lose count and am willing to bet she wakes up around 10 times. Remember when I would brag that she only got up once a night to nurse when she was just days old? Karma. It's a bitch.

She still will not go to anyone except for Pedro and I. And Mason. She LOVES Mason even when he is pinching her. Loves him. We kind of though all this would change this past week while on vacation( did I tell you we were on vacation?) since we were in close quarters with Mikes family. Nope. Not a chance. She cries like her heart is breaking that we let someone else take her. It gets hard but I remind myself that it is actually a really positive thing that she is that bonded to us and it won't be like this forever. Before I can blink twice she'll be telling me to get out of her room. *sob*

It really is amazing how different siblings can be yet be so very similar in other ways. Jeese! I am one lucky Mama.

Welcome Home.

We are home. We are still married. Both my eyeballs are still intact. Who knew?

Were there goodtimes? Yes.

Were there things that were bothersome? Hell yes.

Will we do it again soon? Probably not.

We've decided that vacations with family tell you just how different family members can be. Thank God for my little quad. I love them to pieces.

Still Alive.

I haven't tried to poke my eyes out yet. That's a good sign, right? A few backhanded compliments now and then in which I reply with a simple smile and knod and a hidden middle finger behind my back. But it's OK.

"This is really good for your kids. Now the next time you go somewhere it'll be easier."

Because we store them in a cave and they never see the outside world, NEVER! What the fuck?

We are in Traverse City, MI. Just blocks from the beach. It's beautiful here. But it's not the tropical vacation my snobbish side adores.

Now how about another picture?



My very tall, handsome husband and squirrely son.

Just Another Manic Monday

There are few things that I don't talk about on my blog. One of them, my in-laws. Tomorrow we leave for a 5 day vacation with them. This scares me, but I am hoping for a nice week. The End.

Now, how about some more pictures? I need to give credit where credit is due. I am super lucky to have two great friends that take amazing pictures. These were taken by my friend and next door neighbor at Grace in Design. She done takes some purty pictures, no?












Happy Fourth! I am not sure if I'll be able to update during the week, but If I can, I will.


Happy thoughts...