My sweet baby

My baby is growing up, a little too fast for me though. She's now six months old - half a year old. At her doctor's appointment last week, she weighed in at 15 pounds, 10 ounces (25th percentile) and is 26 inces tall (95th percentile). She's quite a good size baby. She's already wearing a few 12 month outifts, which to me is crazy because as I pull those outfits out, I remember Brooklyn getting them at her first birthday party. And, she's already wearing a size two shoe, which once again Brooklyn wore at age one, but Brooklyn does have small feet.Kevin and I have decided that Tierney will be even more mischevious than her sister is or was simply because she watches everything her sister does and we can tell she's taking notes. The other night as Brooklyn was running back and forth from our living room into the kitchen, Tierney who was playing in the living room started screaming and crying as Brooklyn ran past her. When Brooklyn would stop, so would Tierney. She has an amazing grip and go-go-gadget arms that fly in every direction to grab the thing she wants, and she most always gets it. She sits up pretty well, but loves being on her tummy so much, she'd rather do that. And, even though, babies don't typically crawl until they're nine months, she has got the army crawl, scoot across the floor thing down pretty good. On her tummy, she can turn in a complete circle just for fun, or she'll roll across the floor to get what she wants. She isn't quite strong enough to hold up her body and actually crawl, but I have decided that it's okay, because once she's mobile, oh how things will change! She's been eating solid foods for about two months, and I really haven't found anything she doesn't like. She'll eat it all. So very, very different from Brooklyn, my non-sweet eater. The only challenge we have with Tierney is she really isn't interested in sleep, day or night. I think there's too much going on and too much she feels she might miss out on if she sleeps. But, give the girl a nice warm bubble bath and a massage with lotion, and she will sleep a little longer than normal. We have a few other techniques we've been using to help her fall asleep and stay asleep longer. And, while the nighttime awakenings can be very tiresome, she always puts on a pretty smile and cuddles, so it's all okay.

And, since I get to stay home with my girlies, I get to watch how they play, love on and irritate each other on a regular basis and I can say nothing is sweeter. Brooklyn really loves being a big sister, I think now more than when Tierney was first born, simply because Tierney is a bit more mobile and actually able to play a bit instead of just lay there. And, Tierney is the sweet little sister whose eyes light up when she sees her sister walk into the room or when she pays attention to her. They're going to be the best of friends, I can already tell.

I was always worried before Tierney was born that I wouldn't be able to love another child with the intensity and passion that I love Brooklyn with, but I was wrong, I can. Your heart just grows as my mom told me and it's so true. My life wasn't complete without my sweet baby Tierney, just as it wasn't without Brooklyn or Kevin in my life. I feel so very, very blessed for my family and love the chance to get to be a part of my girl's everyday, every moment life.

35 months & 6 weeks

Brooklyn is exactly 35 months old today and it's also Tierney's six week birthday. These milestones, if you will, are leaving me with the distinct feeling that my girls are growing up way too fast. I look at Brooklyn and I no longer see a toddler, she's totally a little girl, having lost all of her baby look. She can carry a conversation like she's an adult. And, Tierney is growing like a weed. At her one month appointment last week, she weighed 9 pounds, 5 ounces and was 22.5 inches tall (that's almost 2 more pounds and 2 inches taller that when she was born). She's smiling and cooing. It's so incredible. Both of my girls will always be my babies, no matter how big or old they are, and I feel so blessed to be their Mommy. I love them more than they will ever know.

Here's a few fun current photos of them...

Brooklyn in Daddy's wig

demonstrating how old she's about to be

An attempt at catching Tierney's beautiful smile

Sisters before their baths, just talking away

A trip to the grocery store

Brooklyn has found a new catch phrase that she throws in from time to time when she's surprised by something, and even though we don't really want her saying it, I am going to borrow her phrase: "Holy Crap!" I'm saying this in response to the amount of money that we saved at the grocery store this afternoon.

Our neighborhood King Soopers had a grand reopening today. They sent out a 10% off coupon to either everyone with a King Soopers card who shopped at the store, or most likely to the residents within a certain mile vicinity of the store. We got that coupon in the mail last Thursday, and I called Kevin and work all excited and told him our weekly grocery shopping trip would wait until today. So, Kevin worked a half day today because he covered the election last night at work, and when he came home we ran a few errands with the last one being to the grocery store. As we drove up, we knew that we were not the only ones with this wonderful idea. The parking lot was so full it quickly reminded me of the mall parking lot around Christmas time. Cars were going up and down aisles, circling around trying to find a spot. We found our spot and joined the other hundreds of shoppers eager to explore the new store, sample the food and drinks that the staff was providing and to get a deal on their groceries, just like us.

It really was a mob scene at the free sample stands. I couldn't help but notice these two girls, who I assumed were sisters jumping from one sample stand to the next one. I also noticed or rather bumped into who I think was their grandmother at the sushi sample stand. There was two pieces of sushi left to sample and there was her and I, so you'd rationally think that there was one for me and one for her. Nope. She looked at me and then at the samples which the two girls had just almost cleared out and said I suppose you want one too. I said yes, but if she was wanting both, it was fine. She grabbed her one very quickly and told me to have the other, which I did and gave it to Brooklyn to try as she didn't miss a beat with interest in having the free samples. As we wandered further into the store, I noticed the two girls were moving very fastly from stand to stand several times devouring all the free samples. So, my thought was the grandmother figure that brought them there clearly was using this grocery shopping experience as the girls after school snack. I just felt sorry for the other people that the girls were running over in their pursuit of a free snack.

Then just a few minutes later, over the intercom, we hear that everyone needs to check their grocery carts to make sure that the cart they're pushing has their groceries in it and not someone else's. I just kind of chuckled to myself and looked at Kevin. He said that there was a man who lost his cart, and was looking for it. After the announcement, Kevin said he saw the man going up and down aisles and when he came down the one we were in, he looked in our cart to make sure the food in there was not his. Okay, first off, how sad and lazy that someone took another person's cart, but then you start to wonder why doesn't the guy just start his shopping over. I realize that yes it would be frustrating and probably a pain in the butt to have to start your shopping again, but I guess as long as you didn't pay for anything, have a kid or your wallet in the cart, it can be done and it will all be okay. The guy did end up having to grab a new cart and start all over, but he didn't look too happy about it. I guess the lesson here is hold on to your cart, you never know who you're grocery shopping with.

When we finally made our way to the checkout lanes, I got to say hi to the very friendly cashier that I always try to go to when I go to the grocery store. She was on the 15 items and under lane, so that didn't work but I did get to say hi and show Tierney to her. We talked a lot when I was pregnant and she asked about my baby before I even had a chance to show Tierney to her. As the checkout lady was scanning our groceries with Brooklyn's help of handing groceries to her, she asked if I had my King Soopers card. I said I did but wanted to wait until the end to put the number in. After the final item was entered, I put in the phone number for the Soopers card, and watched as the amount that was due dropped further and further down. And, then I handed my coupons to her (the 10% off coupon amongst them), and watched the amount drop even more. Kevin got to see it too, and let me tell you that yes, I may be a dork, but watching the amount drop so fast and at the end of the order before you have to pay just makes my day. And, how much did we save you might be asking? Well, we saved 38% of our entire order which came out to $64. That made my day, and it made this grocery shopping experience so memorable that I had to share it here!!

There's only one October

Our family just loves this time of year with the leaves changing and the temperatures dropping from the hot summer heat to the cool crisp fall air. The cooler weather means that it's time for our annual trip to the pumpkin patch which can only mean Halloween is right around the corner, followed closely by Thanksgiving, Brooklyn's birthday and Christmas. The last three months of the year are just the best.

Here's a few shots of our annual pumpkin patch trip.

And, our pumpkins with their pumpkins... Brooklyn and Daddy all dressed in their Halloween best...

(Tierney went as a baby and Mommy went as well a Mommy of two!)

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Next up for our family: Tierney's baptism on Sunday.

Happy Birthday Daddy & Tierney!

Today is a special day in our household. It's Kevin's 29th birthday and Tierney's 1 week old birthday ... both October babies! We've had a great day. Kevin got to indulge in some of his favorite foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and well Tierney, she's a breastfeeding champion. Not only do Daddy and Tierney share October as their birth month, they also share the same hairline and the same fingers and toes. It's always fun to see who your children look like, or better yet, which features they have of each parent or in our case of our other child. She definitely has Brooklyn's little nose! We're ending the night with some great family time, and we're really enjoying being a family of four - it's just the best!! And, as per my sister-in-law's request, here are some more photos of Tierney enjoying her first week of life.

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Tierney - 6 days old

Sisters & Best Friends

Mommy & her girls
Flying baby
Our dancing baby

The Waiting Game

We've officially entered the stage of pregnancy that I call "The Waiting Game." This is the period when my baby could be born, and she would be okay healthwise, but at the same time, I want her to stay put until she's just a bit more baked. (I know, the comparing the womb to an oven seems odd at times, but I guess it makes sense.) So, we wait. We don't know when she'll decide it's time to join our family. It could be tomorrow, it could be on my actual due date, or it could be after it. I was two days late with Brooklyn and I remember those last four weeks just droning on forever and ever. I never thought that the days would pass, let alone weeks. But, they finally did and what did we have to show for all our waiting? Our precious Brooklyn.

To be honest, I am not the most patient person in the world. It's something that definitely doesn't come naturally to me, but it's something I work on every day. Having patience as a mother is pretty important especially when you're trying to set a good example for your kids and help them gain this trait. I will admit that I am not always perfect in this department, actually often times I fail. So, when it comes to having to be patient for the arrival of my baby girl, it's a definite struggle, especially when I keep having contractions on and off all day long and some of them are way more painful than others.

We have her room complete. The walls are painted. The new bumper pads and curtains that my mom made are in their places. The new carpet is installed. All of the baby clothes size newborn to three months are washed, and put in their spot either in the closet or in the dresser. The carseat, swing and bouncer cover are washed and all items are ready to be used. The letters are strung across her wall, announcing that yes, it is her own room. (We're not releasing her name until her birth). Our family room has been rearranged to make room for baby items, such as a baby swing, a Graco bed, etc. The outfit Brooklyn purchased for her is washed and tucked neatly away in our new diaper bag. The only major thing left to do is moving Brooklyn's car seat over and installing the car seat base in the back of the Mommy-Mobile. That and packing hospital bags, but really I don't like to do that too soon because I'm afraid I will have to wait even longer. We even have solid arrangements made for where Brooklyn will go when Mommy and Daddy are at the hospital having her sister. We have preregistered at the hospital and have taken a hospital tour to know what to expect on the big day. And, my weekly doctor's visits begin next week.

But, there's still one thing that is missing from all this baby preparedness and that's our baby. Brooklyn asks me from time to time when her baby sister is coming. I tell her I don't know. One time she responded to her my not knowing with "maybe November." Hmm, baby girl, I don't think so. That would drive this pregnant mama a little insane, and besides my doctor wouldn't let me be that overdue. But, when she said it, it did bring a smile to my face.

We cannot wait to meet our little girl. The one that we found out in January we were going to have. The one that we struggled (I mean really struggled) to come up with a name for. The one who will reside in the purple room in the southwest corner of our home. The one who will make our first-born princess a big sister. The one who will depend on us for everything that she needs. The one that will grow our hearts even more. The one that will change the dynamic of our family. I am reminded of the saying that the best things come to those that wait? So, I guess, let the waiting game begin...

From the mouth of babes

As we headed back toward home after my 34-week check-up today, Brooklyn and I were talking about what the rest of the day would hold for us. As we talked about how fun it's going to be to spend part of our evening blowing bubbles after dinner, I looked in my rearview mirror to find a little girl that looked like she was just about to go to sleep any minute. We kept talking, and when I told her that I had to make a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up not only a few things for dinner, but also a few things that we needed in order to make the muffins that she had picked out, she started breathing harder. She told me she needed to talk to me. She said, "Mommy, I really think I need a nap. I am tired. We will go home, read books, have milk and take a nap. You're exhausted too." When I told her that I promise that the grocery store trip would be short and then we'd go home and nestle her in her bed for an afternoon nap, she started over with the same thing. She said it a few more times. When I made the right hand turn instead of going straight which would have led us to our garage, she started crying a little telling me that we had already talked about it (twice) and that she didn't want to do anything but take a nap. When we arrived at the grocery store, she immediately turned her attention to looking for beetle bug cars, a favorite car hobby of hers. By the time we ran into the store, picked up our items, and were in the checkout, I was holding her and she was laying her head on my shoulder. As we neared the checkout lady, she noticed a few magazines behind me. She looked up from my shoulder with this huge grin and said, "look Mommy, it's Nastia Liukin." I turned around and did see the same magazine cover and asked her if she would like to have this magazine since she was so brave and such a good girl for doing something that she really didn't want to do in the first place. She got an even bigger smile as I placed the maagazine into the cart. As I was buckling her safe in her carseat I thanked her for being patient with me as I had to run that quick errand. I told her that now we could go home and take that long awaited and desired nap. She looked up at me and said, "You're the best Mommy." Sometimes it really is the smallest things in life that remind you how blessed you are and how much you have. I really feel lucky.

A Perfect Description

If you ever wonder exactly what I do for my job, the video on this blog post sums it up perfectly.

A little update

There's been so much activity going on in our little household, here's an update of some of the highlights...
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Our baby girl's nursery is painted. Thanks to nods from my doctor's office and Brooklyn's pediatrician, we made it a family affair. I had been obsessing over what colors to paint the room for over a month and finally as we stood there the night before buying the paint, we reached a decision, a creative agreement on what colors to paint. I wanted a two color scheme, but was having the hardest time deciding between purple and turquoise or two different shades of purple. And, then there are the color tones to consider and how to actually paint the room. We decided and painted two-thirds of the room from the bottom up a dark purple and then the remaining third of the room plus the ceiling a lighter shade of purple. With Brooklyn's help, we completed this task on a Saturday morning before lunch. The room now feels so warm and inviting and no longer our office, but the room where our new baby daughter will have just for her.
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Within a span of a week and a half, we celebrated my dad's, mine and my sister's birthdays - all separate celebrations. My dad's birthday is July 7, but we celebrated at a local seafood restaurant on July 12. It was one of the best times I've had with my family. We all had fun talking, sharing stories and enjoying each other's company. It was such a wonderful evening, that none of us wanted it to end. We stood outside the restaurant for the longest time continuing our conversation and starting new ones. We went out again this past Saturday for my birthday. Again, a very nice meal, great conversation and great company. And, then yesterday, was our final celebration for my sister's 21st birthday. Kevin took the first official photo of her sipping her first legal drink - a cosmopolitan. I cannot believe my sister is 21 - makes me feel kind of old!!!
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We have finally decided (or narrowed down to be exact) names for our baby girl. I'll admit this has been quite the struggle. Poor Kevin, every time he would come up with a name, I would shoot it down because I didn't like the nicknames associated with, the meaning of the name, the sound of the name or the origin of it. I have been seriously very, very picky over what to name our new addition. With Brooklyn, the name just came to me, and when I mentioned it to Kevin, it stuck as we both just loved it and thought it would be perfect. We hadn't had that feeling with all the names we had come up with the new baby, until now. We have a good list and I don't know if we'll narrow it down to one or just wait and see what names best fits her after she's born, but I can tell you, I am so excited with the prospect of the ones on our list.
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This Saturday marks the beginning of my 30th week. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy seems to be flying by. When I was pregnant with Brooklyn, there is no way it moved this fast. Maybe it has something to do with being pregnant in the summer and the summer always flies by in our household, or maybe it has something to do with having a toddler already. I don't know, but it's flying by. When I look in the mirror, I can no doubt tell that I am pregnant, but it really depends on what I am wearing how much it shows. When I look at my friends that are pregnant or others that I know of that are pregnant, everyone looks so much bigger than I am. I never got too big with Brooklyn, and this baby is turning out to be the same way. At my 28 week appointment, I had only gained 3 pounds. I'm always amazed at this, especially this time, since my cravings have all been sweet and sugar-related! I only gained 17 pounds with Brooklyn and it looks like I might be on pace to do the same this time around. The baby is super active always kicking and moving. Her most active times are when Brooklyn talks directly to my belly button (the baby's ear as Brooklyn believes). It's sweet that they are building a bond even before she leaves my womb. It makes my heart melt to see how excited Brooklyn is and how much she wants to be a big sister.
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And, lastly, I'll leave you with a bit of fun news. One of my closest friends is in the hospital right now in labor. Her due date was yesterday, but after her doctor's appointment today, she was walked over to the hospital and admitted into labor and delivery. This will be her third child. I am so excited for her and can't wait to meet their newest addition. I'm sure it will make me long even more to hold my baby in my arms, but all in good timing, right!?

Our Surprise

We had a bit of a surprise on Thursday morning when after a second elective ultrasound to learn that we are in fact having a GIRL!

At our first ultrasound, the technician guessed that it was a boy because he didn't see any girl parts and thought he saw some boy parts. So, we began preparing for what a baby boy would be like in our family. We had a name already picked out and we began designing (in our minds) what the nursery would look like. My mom made Brooklyn's bedding and curtains and has offered to do the same for this baby. So, this past week, we made a trip to look at fabric swatches and found a pattern that we just loved and thought would fit the room just perfectly. We took along our camera and shot a few photos of each of the fabrics. We then designed a theme and idea for painting the room. We, of course (and thank goodness) didn't make any purchases.

So, there we were getting ready to walk into the ultrasound office to get a chance to see our little man again. Brooklyn had been talking about how excited she was to see her brother again. As the ultrasound began, the technician told us he would try and determine the sex of the baby for us first, or just confirm that we were having a boy. After watching our baby's bum for about five minutes, I asked the technician if he knew yet. He responded with, yes, he knew right away but was trying to get a clearer image for us to be able to see. After moving around a bit more, he focused on these three little lines between the baby's legs, indicating that this baby was actually a girl NOT a boy. In fact, the technician didn't know how anyone could have thought this was a boy, but said he has seen this type of thing happen a lot. I looked over at Kevin and he looked at me. We were both in shock and truly surprised. The technician carried on with the ultrasound showing us the baby's face, hands, feets, back (a very straight spine), rib cage, etc. He went back a few times to the baby's bum and each time we saw those three lines confirming a girl would join our family around the beginning of October.

Now, we are back at square one for names and room decor. But, that's really okay. It will be fun coming up with both. As we told our families and friends about our new realization, some asked if Kevin was okay with the news. He, in fact, is very thrilled and excited to be having another little girl. He absolutely adores Brooklyn, and even though she's a girl, she loves to pick up a hammer or screwdriver and help him fix things around the house. And, she is fascinated when he is shaving his face in the morning to the extent of pretending to shave her face too. She is very sweet and affectionate sometimes too, and he just eats that up.

Who knows what our new little girl will like and be into, but we are very excited to meet her and welcome her into our family, and we know that the relationship between Brooklyn and her will be something worth watching! And, yeah, I'm excited about having another little girl in the family...girls are so precious!

Building A Great Cathedral

This is a wonderful story and a great inspiration to all moms...

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, and she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Sharon, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Sharon. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime, because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot see if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Pregnancy Brain

There's very little hope for me.

Pregnancy Brain has struck me, and struck me bad. After Brooklyn was born, I gained what I like to call Mommy Brain. With Mommy Brain you forget where your car keys are, if you unplugged your hair straightener, if you turned the coffee machine off, etc. It's basically a malfunction in your brain that leaves you from fully functioning in daily life when it comes to remembering the simplest of details. Pregnancy Brain is much like this, only for me, it appears to be so much worse.

I'll the start the story here.

I was in line at a local drive-thru today waiting to get a drink I had ordered. I grabbed for my wallet, and reached for my debit card. No where to be found. In its place was my Sears MasterCard. Hmm.. My first thought, who moved my Sears card up a spot to where my debit card usually is? I didn't. I called Kevin right away thinking my cards had fallen out last night and he put them back and maybe my debit card was still left out, or maybe my purse tipped over spilling things out and he put them back. I had to leave a message. My second thought, or actually, my real first thought but something I pushed out of my mind was who in my office took my debit card. I know, I know, I can't assume that someone took my card. After frantically looking through my wallet over and over and over again, I called Sam's Club where I had been right before going through the drive-thru to see if perhaps my debit card had fallen out at the cashier's station when I pulled out my wallet to write a check. Nope. I started retracing my steps, looking in my car, dumping my purse and wallet over and over and over again. I checked my online banking to see if there was any suspicious activity. Nope. I called the bank to double check. Nothing. I tried to relax and get on with my work. That wasn't working. I called home and asked my grandma to look around in the bedroom near the dresser to see if my card was laying there. Nope. Nothing.

I got a nice distraction when I had a couple of incoming work calls to deal with. Then, Kevin called me back. He didn't touch my wallet or purse last night or this morning. His first thought was let's cancel our debit cards. I said I really didn't want to and that I was watching our account for any fraudulent activity. If we would cancel our cards, we wouldn't get one for another week or even longer, and we're gone all next weekend, so it would be more of an inconvenience than anything. I started trying to track down where I used the card last. I had used it yesterday at 7-11, so I called that store. Nope. Nothing. Not there.

I kept checking my online banking over and over and over again. Still nothing new. Okay, that's good news. But, then I noticed that a few purchases I made on Tuesday and then yesterday that were not appearing and that seemed odd to me. So, I called those places checking to see if perhaps I had left my card there. Nope. I went back into my wallet and grabbed my Sears card because I wondered if there were any weird charges on it. After a quick phone call to Sears customer service, I realized that oops, I had been using my Sears card as my debit card. Oops! I then tracked back to the last time I used my card (Saturday) and called those places, but they don't have my card either. I called home once again to have my grandma look in the backpack we used on Saturday and in a pair of pants. Nothing.

So, this leaves me to search my house up and down when I get home in search of my debit card. But, it leaves me to ponder why haven't I noticed my missing card until now. And, why in the world would it not have registered to me that I was using my Sears card until today? I don't know. I am blaming it on my Pregnancy Brain. But, hey, I really hope I find my card tonight when I go home. Good luck to me!

Update: I got home last night and looked under our bed on my side, and there lay my debit card. Hooray! Now I am getting teased endlessly by Kevin about him using the Sears card or our Pet Perks card to make purchases. Ha.

UGH!

A couple weeks ago I was talking to one of my co-workers and she mentioned the age difference between her three children, and how it worked for her. I looked at her and said I thought you had two, does the other one live out of the state? She looked at me and said, no she died of leukemia when she was nine. Oh! I immediately apologized. I had absolutely no idea. She went into the whole story of when they found out, the six years of treatment, what it was like watching her daughter die and how long it took for her family to be “okay” again. I just stood there, feeling so terrible that I had made her talk about this. When she was done with her story, I gave her a hug and apologized again. She said it wasn’t my fault, how could I have known, after all she doesn’t ever talk about it. She said she knows she will never, ever have to do anything that hard again, so she’s okay with talking about it sometimes. But, oh, why oh why, did I have to inquire about her third child?!

Today, the same co-worker asked me what I am doing for lunch. I told her going to the refrigerator, indicating that I had brought my lunch. I told her that my husband has given up fast food for Lent and I am being supportive by not having any either. She laughs and says, I’ve given up men for Lent! I laugh along with her, and say, what about your husband? She looks at me and says don’t you know. Oh, my gosh .. what have I stumbled on now? Ugh. She tells me that her husband left her last year on Good Friday. She couldn’t believe that I hadn’t known that because she was absolutely certain that everyone at work had talked about it a time or two when she wasn’t there. I told her that I don’t listen or partake in office gossip, and that when someone’s name who isn’t present gets brought up in conversation, I leave because I want no part of it. She told me that her and her husband had gone on a very nice vacation the week before and had a great time and really connected, but then on Good Friday, he up and left her with really no explanation. She said she was in shock for six months, and that around Christmas it really started to sink in, especially with the finalization of their divorce. I once again apologized for inadvertently sticking my nose in her personal business. I had no idea she was divorced from her husband, I thought he was just being a jerk or something. But, again, why did I have to inquire?!

I have vowed that the next time she says something that I don’t understand, I will just nod along and not ask questions, or have a comment. I really hate it when I do this. I feel just so very terrible. I wish I could take it back, but I can’t. I am not one to pry into other people’s personal lives, especially not at work. I’ve always considered myself friendly and a people person. I love to hear other people’s stories, to interact with them and even from time to time learn something from what they tell me. But, my intention is to never make them share difficult personal stories, or stories that they wouldn’t necessarily share with me until I stick my foot in my mouth by asking a question. Neither time was my co-worker upset with me, but I was upset with myself. I hope I have learned my lesson and the next time a situation like this comes up, I will remember this story, and not stick my foot in my mouth. But, we’re all human, right?!

My Addiction

It all started in November. From the first moment I tried it, I was hooked, and really couldn't live without it. Maybe it was because I had a lack of other things to view, or because I never got to view it as a teenager. My mom always told me I was too young and when I was older, I wouldn't be able to follow along, so it was banned from our house.

What am I talking about?

Beverly Hills 90210.

This show followed the lives of a group of teenagers living in the posh, star-studded community of Beverly Hills, California. These teenagers all grew up, some left the show, some returned and some stayed for the whole 10 years the show was produced. It began with the Walsh family moving from Minnesota to Beverly Hills and ended with a wedding and a promise of a relationship viewers had waited years for.

I haven't seen all the episodes quite yet, but my trusty DVR is set up to tape the reruns on SoapNet. As time allows, and most likely in the evening, I turn on an episode. Now, the only person that has any objection to me watching this show is my dear husband. When he sees it on, he says, oh is it a new episode?! I have seen the end of the show and the beginning, now I am in the middle.

I wonder to myself, once I have seen ALL the episodes, will I rewatch the reruns? Probably. Why? Because this show intrigues me. I love the characters and the story line. And, because, yea...I'm addicted.

A stolen moment

The clock read 5:48 a.m. Almost time to get up to get a jump start on the day. As I lay there in bed listening to the baby monitor, I hear a little voice whisper "Momma." I immediately jump out of bed, go down the hall and find my little girl standing up in her crib waving at me. I smile at her, tell her good morning and then scoop her up and carry of to bed with me. Even though I know that she's awake for the day, I still want to cuddle and enjoy the next few minutes together. I lay her down in the middle of the bed, partially on Daddy's pillow. As I go to lay down next to her, she puts her arms out and says "I hold you." So instead of putting my head on my pillow, I rested it gently on her chest. She wrapped both of her arms around me and holding me so tightly while she said "Mommy, I miss you." I told her that I loved her and missed her too. We chatted about how we slept, what we learned at church last night, what we dreamed about, what the day ahead was going to hold for both of us. Then as I begrudgingly had to get up to shower, I placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and she grabbed my head pulling me back down to give me a big kiss on the lips, and told me to "get clean." This was such a wonderful way to start my day...

Brooklyn's New Year's Resolutions

Being that Brooklyn is now 2, and it's the new year, we've decided it's time to help her set some New Year's Resolutions, or rather goals to strive for in 2008.

Losing Pappy
Pappy is Brooklyn's coined phrase for her pacifier. They have been together since Brooklyn was really little, like 2 weeks old. It is by far her most precious and treasured thing. She has gone through a lot of pacifiers, due to size, them getting old or losing them. This past Easter, she had an Easter egg hunt, and four of the eggs were filled with new pacifiers. She loved them all! She loves to carry them around with her, one in her mouth, and one in each hand. She swaps them out almost every other minute. She sleeps with it, rides in the car with it, plays with it, goes shopping with it, she has even showered with it...the only thing she doesn't do with Pappy is eat with it, and that's because Daddy and Mommy ask for it before she gets her food. She has become a bit addicted to Pappy, so much so that we really feel it's time to start breaking her of the habit. We started yesterday, only allowing her to have it during naptime and when we put her to bed. She asked for it a couple of times, had a couple meltdowns, but then with our fast redirection of her attention, all was forgotten. She even went to bed without it last night. She slept almost 9 hours before waking up to realize she needed it. Daddy gave it to her, but this morning Mommy asked for it back, explaining that she is indeed a big girl now! It went with a few tears, but she was and will be okay without it.

Potty Training
Brooklyn has become the all-too-predictable-go-to-the-potty kind of girl. Potty in the sense of her diaper. She is very private about this matter, and will most of the time go under her new Dora tent, under the dining room table or in a closet to take care of business. But, before she does, she says "I poopy." She has been doing this for some time now, and in fact, I know when she has to go before she says anything because I'll ask her and she'll run to a spot and take care of business. Now, I don't have a clue when she goes Number 1, and she doesn't make any kind of announcement, so we'll learn together how that will work. The question has come up if I am going to buy a potty chair, one where she can watch TV in the family room while drinking her "bucha" aka milk, and my answer has been "No." I want her to learn to use the real toilet. They have those little kid toilet seats that you put on the actual toilet seat, and I think that is what I plan to go with. I know my mom used the potty chairs, and there is really nothing wrong with them, I just feel like potty training has to be right for the family for it to work. Brooklyn knows that Mommy and Daddy go to the bathroom to take care of our business, and I want her to learn the same thing. I don't want her going poop in the kitchen while she's eating crackers. That just seems yucky to me. Maybe I'm wrong and will change my mind when we actually cross that bridge, who knows!

Getting Dressed & Undressed
Brooklyn is quite the fanatic of checking for toe jam, and has become all too interested in pulling up her pants after I change her diaper, or when they are falling down a bit. So, this last resolution/goal should be fun. She loves to pick out an outfit to wear, and loves to get all dressed up in it. And, as I have said before she loves the prospect of being independent and doing things all on her own, so I think she will love learning to undress herself before bed or a bath, and getting herself all dressed again. She knows how to work a zipper, can put her own shoes on - even on the right feet some of the time - and definitely knows how to take off her own socks, so learning this skill should involve some fun and laughter on all parts.

Here's to 2008!! Happy New Year everyone!!

Fall Lineup...right around the corner

Our household doesn't watch an exorbitant amount of television. However, I'll admit there are those shows that we have become addicted to. Ones that we have on a pedestal, where we know each character intimately as if they were our real life best friend. Some of these shows came with being married, others we discovered as a couple, or introduced to one another. For the most part, it's one to two shows a night Monday through Thursday that we just have to see. And, over time, our shows have changed as several have been either canceled or have run their course, and are no longer apart of our weekly lineup, and their time slots have been replaced by a new show.

Mondays
Past: 7th Heaven (ran its course), WB/CW; Everwood (canceled)WB
Now: Prison Break (ready to start its 3rd season - this show is one of my favorites), Fox

Tuesdays
Past: Gilmore Girls (sadly, very sadly the show was canceled), WB/CW
Now: ?? - No clue

Wednesdays
Past: Dawson's Creek (canceled), WB; Smallville (moved to Thursdays, lost our interest) WB/CW; The Apprentice Martha Stewart (ran one season in 2005...I only watched this!), NBC

Now: One Tree Hill (will premiere their 5th season in January 2008, used to be on Tuesday nights - one of my favorites!), WB/CW

Thursdays
Past: Friends (ended after 10 amazing seasons), NBC; The Apprentice (would watch if it were on...I personally love Donald Trump!), NBC; Joey (canceled, but hey, we were BIG Friends' fans!!), NBC
Now: The Office (4th season starts September 27 - Kevin's absolute favorite), NBC


We tune into other shows that are on from time to time such as: CSI (the original); Buffy the Vampire Slayer (reruns), ER (it's just changed to much for us to watch all the time); Beauty and the Geek (1st season only -- with the annoying Richard!); The Girls Next Door (I think this show is pretty silly!), and on and on. Who hasn't tried watching a different show now and then again though, right!?! However, none of these shows held that "special" place with us to commit us to tuning in week after week to see what the characters were up to.

So, what's the point of this post? We're excited about the new fall TV season and all the season premieres...

Are we sad?

Then you stand...

There are times when the roller coaster of life can get you down, and the struggles that you are faced with seem more than you can take.

At work, a song came on that inspired this post. As I listened to the chorus, I started thinking about my grandpa. My grandpa taught not only me, but my whole family to be strong in the face of hardship and struggles. He lived his life in this manner. He let nothing get him down. And, this song, particularly the chorus, really reminded me of him, and this great lesson he instilled in all of us.

"Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you’re made of
You might bend ‘til you break
Cause it’s all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you’ve had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you stand"

The Ride of Life

There are a few things in life that make you just stand back and take them in slowly. And, then there are times when you want to fast forward through time to make them happen faster. Right now, I am somewhere in the middle.

I have this amazing daughter who is a 16 month old going on a 3 year old. She is extremely advanced, incredibly smart and very independent. She goes through life discovering something new every day. She impresses me with how much she remembers and how much she picks up on from what we do with her and what she sees her friends doing. There's not a skill that she isn't trying her best to master. One of these days, all the babbling that she is famous for will turn into words, and then, very soon, sentences. She is growing by leaps and bounds, not only in her height, but in her development. Sometimes I find myself just sitting back and watching her explore her world, and I am saddened that my baby is no longer a baby. At the same time though I can't wait to see what she is like when she turns 2 - what will see be saying?, how much hair will she have?, how tall will she be?, etc.

And, then there are things in life that just make me, a 26 year old woman, feel old.

I have two women in my life that are preparing to embark on the journey of marriage. One is my sister-in-law, Kristi and the other is my cousin, Sarah. Both are incredible women and their fiancees complement them so well and really are the loves of their lives. It makes me so happy to hear the joy, excitement and anticipation in their voices and see how in love they really are. And, I have to keep reminding myself that they are both old enough - Kristi, 23 and Sarah, 23 in a few days. But, I seriously have so many memories of both of them way before marriage was a factor in any of our lives. I remember Kristi riding in the back seat of my car on the way to high school sitting so quietly and almost appearing to be shy (which she isn't) as she never mouthed a word. I remember her telling me on my wedding day, minutes before the ceremony to "take care of her brother." I remember slumber parties with Sarah at our grandma's house where we would play house and try and rule the gamut as we were the oldest girls there, and we felt we knew it all.

And, then, there's my sister, who for the longest time I have seen as my "kid" sister, is turning 20 this year. She is no longer a kid, and really hasn't been for quite some time. She's been faced with some really challenging times, but has overcome them all to be the strong woman she is today. I couldn't be prouder of her. Now she is living on her own, in her own apartment about 30 miles away from our parents and from me. Over the last year, she has taken great strides of maturity and is really working on building a good life for herself. I am having a hard time fathoming her turning 20. I realize that it's a natural process in life to age and get older, but a part of me wants to hold onto the little girl that I grew up with who decorated the walls of our basement and garage, who would slide notes under my door apologizing after we had a fight, who was there to play with at any hour of the day or night and who after having a bad dream or bad day would jump into bed with me to cuddle.

I guess the best thing to do is hold on tight to the memories, savor the present and look forward to the future.