Busy Momma

I know I have been slack about posting. I swear I am so busy I can't get anything done. It is like my brain is overwhelmed and is boycotting by shutting down. My mom is currently in town visiting for the rest of the week so I am hoping to get some breathing room.

For those of you that haven't heard the blog will be transforming into a travel blog in the next two weeks as Mommy and Daddy run away to Europe with the threat of never returning! Michael had an exciting opportunity to go to training in Germany and Switzerland for two weeks. I decided to tag along and we added four additional nights in Paris. Needless to say I am super excited. Unfortunately the trip is being thrown together at the last minute and my normal OCDness of planning Nazi (no Germany pun intended) is not getting its fix. I need my iternaries people!! So my blood pressure is high with the stress of planning the wonderfully exciting trip. I feel I should menition until today there was the added stress of waiting for my passport (which per the nice government lady was shipped today). I booked my plane flight without having the passport in hand which was an extreme stress on my pocketbook. Delta offered no refund for such shinangins. Not smart but necessary to get a decently priced flight. So that is the deal with that.

Then Michael's work tells us last week they will be sending him away for three to four days to California right before Europe. Eek! I have to pack for a two week trip (three for Michael) and take care of the baby by myself. Pack her for the two weeks to go to grandma's, get my dogs squared away...thanks to everyone helping avoid a $500 dollar boarding bill. I need reenforcements people. Please come to my house next week and relieve me. I will feed you I promise. It may be a frozen pizza but it might be all I have time for.

On top of that I have Lily's Par-Tae this Saturday. I have the cake confirmed, the food ordered, the decorations (minus balloons) bought, and the tent, tables, and chairs rented. Whew. Now to survive the scorching hot day at a cool sunny and 96 degrees. Maybe I won't have to worry about all my stress if I keel over from heat stroke during the party. That reminds me...add fans to my list of things to get.

Michael and I are going to try and squeeze in a date tomorrow night and take advantage of my Mom being in town. But the date may become a planning date. I am think B&N and wireless internet. We are just now getting hotel rooms booked so I guess we need to figure out where we are going now. You know train tickets, etc.

Poor Michael is worse off than me with the added stresses of work. It is sad that a great oppurtunity is turned inot a stressful event! I am hoping once we get there and start drinking heavily this stress stuff will melt away! It will probably be replaced with anxiety of being away from babygirl. Luckily I am so busy I can't think about leaving her for that long.

I will end this post on what my head is doing right now.....screaming AAGGGHHHHHH!!!! TOOOOOOOO MUUUUUUUCCCHHHHHH TOOOOOOOOO DOOOOOO!!!!

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I AM ONE!

We had so much fun today on Lily's Birthday. We had cupcakes at daycare, had a small party with just us three at the house, opened some presents, played outside on her new water table, ate cake for dinner. It was pretty much awesome.

Although we did have her 12 month check up today (aka shots!). I am a cruel mother I know. Who gives their baby shots on their birthday?? That's just cold. But anyhoo. She is 25 lbs 5 ounces and 28.75 inches tall and still has a huge head for her huge brain. I didn't get a number but it's still 90th percentile. She also got her MMR and Prevnar shot today. We go back next month to get Chickenpox (maybe). He said she looked great and was bright. Of course she was showing off by playing with the books in front of him. He also said I could keep her on 2% milk if I wanted but it really didn't matter between whole or 2%. I can't stand whole milk anymore so we will stick with 2%. I think she gets whole at daycare so we are all good. I don't think she is hurting in the fat department.

I did get a teaser picture from Nicole. Well I begged for it really. Poor Nicole I am the worst client ever. Actually I just am sooo impatient. I confess it is why I always loved Portrait Innovations. I got the pictures that day. In Nicole's defense I always get them really quick. But with her birthday being today I guilted her into just one to tide me over. Isn't she adorable?? Nicole did an awesome job if this is any indication. Can't wait to see the rest.

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To My Darling Daughter...on her birthday

Dearest Lilybug,

It is hard to believe it has been a year since we were blessed with you. You bring so much joy to our lives and remind us of the simple things like looking at flowers or reading a book. Yet for some reason this birthday has been difficult for me and I can't help but wonder if everyone of your birthdays will be the same. Maybe it's because I know that you will never be that little baby that I can hold in my arms again. I know I cannot get that time back. You have grown from that little baby to a girl full of life and personality. But with everyday I know I have something new and exciting to share with you. Every morning that I pick you up out of the crib the smile you give me reminds me that I have a special gift in you.

I remember the moment we met. On June 10, 2008 at 6:20pm I remember hearing you cry and Daddy talking to you and immediately you were quiet. After an exhausting day the nurse finally put you in my arms. You were so small and precious. Right then everyone in the room, your Daddy and Grandma and all the nurses, just disappeared. My chest felt like it could explode right then and there. I never knew I could love someone so much, especially someone so little. You weren't crying anymore. You were just calm and quiet as if you knew who Daddy and I were already. It was an amazing feeling to know someone needed me as much as I needed them. I just sat there and stared at you. This became one of my favorite things to do for weeks to come. When you would wake up hungry at 2AM on the dot every night without fail I would just lay with you in our bed and stare. It was always our special time. Everyone was asleep and it was completely silent with no distractions. I want you to know how I enjoyed those times so much.

I see little pieces of me in you more and more. Like the stubborn little girl that won't let Mommy feed her anymore and turns her head yet picks up that same piece of food to eat. Or the independent girl who doesn't want Daddy to hold her because she can walk by herself. I hope you keep that. Remember that you don't need anyone to help you and you can do it on your own. But I hope you also learn to take the help on those rare occasions you need it and that Daddy and I will always be there to help guide you in the right direction. I have no doubt you will succeed because I already see how bright you are. Just like your Daddy. I like to think you got the best of the both of us. Sometimes when I am really lucky you stop walking...look up...and reach for my finger to help you walk. Those are the moments I love. They let me know that you don't need my finger but you want it.

This year I have seen so many firsts. Your first smile, first laugh, first tooth, first word, and your first steps. It has been so much in what seems like such a short time. But that just reminds me how precious each moment is with you. Each day you change so much and you change me so much. It may be hard to believe but at one point Mommy had less patience than she does now. You gave me what I have. You make me see what is important in life.

A year ago today I saw a little precious baby and today I see a big girl eating her cupcake, running around outside and opening her presents on her birthday. So today on your birthday know that I love you so very much. Although you are getting bigger and bigger every day you will always be my little baby girl.

Love Always,

Mommy

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Rave Reviews- Kmart

I am not a big proponent of Kmart. Especially since I found out it is owned by my arch nemesis Sears. Many of you know my hatred of Sears and the many battles I have endured with them. Kmart is kind of dirty actually. But I will say this....if you ever have a toy you cannot find due to popularity go to Kmart. They will undoubtedly have it. And you know why? BECAUSE NO ONE SHOPS THERE! It's amazing. Our Kmart is right next to our Walmart. There are hundreds of cars at Walmart and maybe twenty at Kmart. Half of which probably worked there.

We went all over town looking for a water table for Lily's birthday present. Not a sand/water table but just water. I was having a hard time paying 60-80 dollars for ones that we found. Toys R' us had one on sale for $30 so of course everyone in the area was sold out. Target had the $80 ones that had sand/water. And Walmart only had them online for the cheap ones. Finally it dawned on me to try Kmart.

I am a shopping genius. They had like six of them. It was a little more expensive than the sale TRU price at a whopping $40 but I found it! And she will have that water table to open tomorrow on her birthday by God!!!!

So remember when all else fails....try Kmart!

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My Husband the Absent Minded Plumber

Imagine this: You're sitting on your couch relaxing thinking about taking a nap because your husband is watching NASCAR which ranks right up there with golf for TV watching. The baby is playing, all is good. You glance up and see two water spots on the ceiling. Que screeching halt to calming background music.

MICHAEL...did you leave the water on upstairs LOOK! Like a deer in headlights he sits there. WELL GO CHECK!!!! No sense of urgency he goes up stairs comes back down and says no. But he did have the garden tub filled up with bleach water so he could clean it. Just so you know that is a lot of water if that thing is full! Well did you drain it.....no. UGHHHH! I ran upstairs and throw some toys in Lily's crib and set her in it. Que screaming baby and run into the bathroom to drain the tub. Then I hear STEPH! Something is VERY wrong. Que cuss words. I touched the sealing and now water is draining into the living room. I run downstairs get a bucket throw it under the leak and head to the main water valve. This situation is quickly going downhill. I drained the lines but that didn't stop the leak. So Michael being all gungho decides he needs to cut into the ceiling to stop the leak. It is obviously coming from something in the Master Bath. By now I notice a water spot in the hallway as well. Michael gets the drill and drills a hole in the ceiling and water starts quickly draining out. To me it seemed like a LOT of water. He claims it wasn't that much. Let's put it this way it was more than I like to see draining out of my ceiling.

So then he starts getting cut happy. With a butter knife. Seriously? But whatever at least it wasn't my good knives. But the leak wasn't there. So he cuts again. But the leak wasn't there either. Then he cuts a huge strip down the side and the leak wasn't there. By the way the baby is still screaming upstairs. And I am having heart attack. I have like fifty people coming in two weeks for a birthday party and my living room is going to have a skylight to the Master Bathroom Toilet! I am sticking pots under stuff to catch water there is drywall everywhere. This is bad. Real bad. Finally after our friend Glen came over we stopped the leak and figured out it was definitely the garden tub but not sure what in the tub. The he says well I didn't have to cut into the ceiling I could have went through the back of the closet to get to the tub. WHAT!!!! On top of that we still don't really know what's going on and we need a plumber. And a drywall man. And now a divorce lawyer or maybe just a defense lawyer to get me off on insanity charges if he turns up murder with a butter knife.

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