Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Oh snow you didn't...

Oh yes it did.

Let me remind everyone that my last post was about Sunday brunch in the 75 degree beautiful sun. Tuesday, snow. Texas weather is as about consistent as our mood swings during our favorite time of month.

It was absolutely beautiful to me, I love seeing everything covered in white. For those of us that don't get this often we can truly appreciate the ambiance it creates.

Everyone, except Brooklyn.

We were so excited to take her out to play in it after work. We got home, got all bundled up and took her out...

It lasted all of one HOT minute.
She hated it. It was cold...and wet...and new...and stupid as far as she was concerned. There were no family shots frolicking in the snow, building snowmen, snowball fights, ending with a cup of hot cocoa. Oh noooooo, not in our house. The fit started outside and lasted a good 15 minutes inside as she was PISSED we would subject her to such cruelty.

We woke up this morning to the last bit of snow still melting away, our temperature was back up in the 50's by days end.
Thanks for coming to visit us snow, we'll see you again in about 10 years.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

That's what friends are for...

Remember that song? Keep smiling, keep shining, KNOWING YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON ME, for sure, that's what friends are for..........

Apparently this hot mess has never heard that song, neither have her friends. If they had they would never let her come out of the house looking like this.

AT SUNDAY BRUNCH.

I met some of my best friends out today for brunch and we had an absolute blast. They had bottomless Mimosa's, me, bottomless water. The weather was perfect, too perfect almost and I actually got some SUN. Uh, what?

Then this showed up:
Sorry I had to take it (pic doesn't even do it justice). I don't normally exploit people like this but seriously, can someone please tell her that this is the Lord's day! Any of my girls came out looking like that and I would literally drive my car off before they could get to the door. There was a little of her and a little of Jersey Shore going on. It was fantastic people watching today.

We named her Madonna Lauper, hot mess.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Babyproofed.

Apparently we have some work to do.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Weekend good deed FAIL.

I made dinner for my mom and I Saturday night. We had gone shopping and found lots of goodies for the little one on the way, more to come on that later. I dropped her and B off at home and ran back up to the store to get the goods.

Found myself in the checkout line behind a woman and her two kids. The oldest boy was probably around 5, the youngest just a few months old. I wasn't paying too close attention but her and the cashier were going back and forth about something, next thing I know they took her gallon of milk and said something to her about WIC??? I know a little about what it is but have no clue what the "rules" are. All I see is young mama, two kids, couldn't afford milk.

It's my turn and I just had a few things, I asked the cashier to go ahead and put the milk with my stuff, definitely had $1.99 to spare that day. I paid and quickly rushed to get out the door so I could give the woman her milk, but as I exit I see she is standing there with her oldest son looking through her purse. I walked up to her cart and placed the milk inside - she looked at me - looked back at her son and proceeded to get out her wallet.

Okay...wonder what that's all about. She looks at me, says thank you, opens her wallet and hands her son some CASH so he could

GO BUY GIRL SCOUT COOKIES.

I'm sorry - WAH? WHAT? WTF? WHAT! I'm not saying I don't want your kid to have the girl scout cookies but what the hell is wrong with you and your priorities. Oh you don't have them? Shocker.

I honestly felt like such a dumb ass as I walked away. I don't need acknowledgement for doing a good deed but at the same time I'd like to publicly announce I probably wouldn't be as inclined to help out next time in that same situation. There are good people in this world, no doubt, but there as just as many living off the system going nowhere, feeling okay about it.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Maternity melt downs.

I'm going to come across as quite the hypocrite in this next post but I'm emotional and pregnant, so it's allowed. Or something.

I'm a hypocrite because when writing about Lena I emphasized what is important to focus on, how to be balanced, cherish the days, etc...and while I do truly mean ALL of it, I am still human. And female. And pregnant. Have I mentioned that yet? ;)

I'm almost 22 weeks along which means I'm for real showing now. I no longer get the "wow, Heather's put on some weight in the belly looks" because it's starting to look like a basketball shoved under my shirt. Not a full sized basketball yet, but getting there. I've slowly given each of my regular pants their 'last wear' (queue TAPS to play in your head), and hung them in the back of my closet. I've busted out the few pieces of clothing I still have from being pregnant with Brooklyn, and here we are.

Except I was showing with her starting about April/May timeframe, i.e., it was hot out. Totally different set of clothing needed for days like today where it's 37 degrees outside.

I had a melt down in my closet twice this week. MELT.DOWN. Probably changed clothes at least 4 times each morning, throwing the majority of them back on the ground, settled on something, left my house giving no response to "bye honey, love you." My poor husband. Not once I did this to him, but twice.

I am hitting that phase where I no longer fit into anything the right way and I needed to fully embrace my need for maternity clothes. Best way to solve that problem: suck it up, go to the mall, suck it up some more and go into Mimi Motherhood or whatever the hell it's called, and buy something.

Nevermind that half of the shirts have the pattern of your grandmother's table cloth with a string under your boobs to accentuate your ever growing belly. As if you really WANT to look MORE pregnant. And what's up with the small dressing rooms? Has anyone else noticed this? In case the owners of those stores forgot, we're PREGNANT. Give us some freakin room.

Then there is the "how much do I spend" conflict. Depending on what I'm buying I usually don't think too much about the price, as long as it's reasonable - but maternity clothes, they get you. You're trapped, you're the sucker, and next thing you know cha-ching, they hand you your receipt for all the clothes you just bought that you just wear for the next 4-5 months. "Oh really? You think I look great in this over sized trash bag looking blouse? Really? Oh okay, sure, I'll take it!

So what if this is my vanity getting the best of me. For me, I still feel the need to be slightly tasteful in my preggo attire and sorry if I don't want to look like I stepped out of the Duggar family trailer. I mean - love their denim and plaid, really do, but not for me.

For the love of baby jesus, and all babies for that matter, can someone please design cute, afforable, (I shouldn't even say it - gasp!) stylish maternity clothing!?

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Not a day goes by.

I think of my baby cousin often. Daily, really. She was taken from this life way too soon, I'm convinced of that, and although I do believe everything happens for a reason I can't help feel so much emotion surrounding her death. I know it has a lot to do with the fact she was just 3 years old and died so tragically. So helplessly, in an instant. I think of my Aunt and Uncle, struggling to just survive as each morning they wake up fighting a war, alone.

Having my child makes this situation all the more real to me, as it did when she first died. I couldn't stop comparing it to what I would do if anything ever happened to my sweet baby girl, who I live for, who is changing every day - talking, comprehending, suprising us at every turn with something new. She makes us laugh, pushes us to the limits, and makes memories for us that we could have never predicted.

I hear and read stories about people that neglect their children. The woman in Houston who starved her child, she died at 8 years old weighing all of 15 lbs. The father that forced his 4 year old daughter's head into a kitchen sink full of water 3, 4, 5 times because she wouldn't recite her ABC's. These two stories released in the last two days, I'm sure if I went back a week I could have 5 more just like that of individuals who should have never become parents in the first place and take it all for granted.

I work hard to maintain balance in my life, and since my cousin passed away I think I've found success in achieving it. With that comes a great sense of peace that in the distant past I struggled a great deal to find. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her, how quick life changed for everyone, and how there is nothing in life like living in the moment. My bad days are still bad, I have normal 'freak out' sessions, tears for no real reason, my husband staring at me with that blank look of WTF is happening to my wife. :) I'm sure the pregnancy elevates all of this to new levels, in fact I know it does, but I can come back down and level out better than I ever have before.

We all miss you Lena, and I don't take for granted what you have taught us in your short life of 3 years. Rest in peace always sweet girl, we miss you every day.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Taming the Beast.

When I was pregnant with Brooklyn I had crazy heartburn. It was SO much fun that I had to fall asleep sitting up some nights because it hurt that bad. There is an old wives tale that says if you have really bad heartburn your kiddo will be born with a full head of hair.

They were right.
Lots of people told me that she would lost the baby hair and 'real' hair would grow back in it's place.

They were wrong.

She never lost any hair really, it just kept growing and doing its thing.


This morning she woke up looking like this:
If that's not bed head I don't know what is. I think that's a good sign she slept well?

My husband won't even go near "it". When I was traveling for work last week he took her rubberbands to school and had her teachers do it. God help us when she's old enough to do it on her own and mommy is out of town. Not everyone has the mama skillz I do at TAMING THE BEAST.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

BLUE

Last week Dom and I headed off to get an anatomical screening ultrasound (fancy for penis or vagina) and there it was, LOUD AND CLEAR, if it made noise. It's a BOY!!! I don't have a digital copy of these pictures just yet but in the event I get one I will share, for Dom's sake, as he was pretty proud of the little guy showing off his junk. His chest stuck out a little further that day and I think he and the male doctor doing the ultrasound exchanged some looks, secret hi-fives, things men do when it comes to the size of their man parts.

What does it mean to me? A whole new world of baby. I have my little girl, who I love more than life, and all that comes with being her mom. Raising her to be kind, strong, and independent without being a raging feminist, loving shoes and handbags, but not afraid to get dirty. Pigtails, dresses, nail polish, and PINK.

In about 20 or so weeks I'll have BLUE. Those of you that think it's lame to be so gender specific with colors, sorry, but I'm somewhat traditional in that regard. Love yellow, green, blah blah blah, but my babies will be distinctly different. BLUE means cars, trucks, sports, hunting, fishing, bad sci-fi movies with Daddy (probably my daughter too), and teaching him also how to be strong and independent, but loving and nurturing like his father is.

I'm beyond grateful, blessed beyond measure to have the opportunity to be a mama to a little boy. I can't wait to meet him, snuggle him, and love him every day as he grows up - even when he drives me crazy and one day brings home a girlfriend. I know I have plenty of time but I'm announcing here and now that the day he does that and she has on the slightest thing skanky and he's all into her, doing what she says, whatever, mama will need a drink. Many drinks.

For now, I can't wait to focus on his tiny fingers and toes, saving him from his big sister, being 100% responsible for a beautiful, little life. We are looking forward to meeting you, little man, adding the last addition to our crazy family. Keep growing like you are, enjoy the peace and quiet as I guarantee the moment you arrive, you will have none.