Happy 1st Birthday, Miss K!

Since Miss K's birthday is on Christmas Day, we made the executive decision to have her birthday party the weekend before.  I figure we have at least a couple of more years to decide how we are going to juggle the birthday parties so that Miss K can have her friends there since a lot of people travel over the holidays.  My mom flew in on the 17th to spend her winter break with us, so she got to be here for the party!  We kept it pretty low-key here at Casa de D with friends and a decorate your own cupcake bar!  Thanks to Jessica at Party Box Designs for creating the adorable invites and cupcake toppers for Miss K's Cupcakes and Snowflakes party! 

Blowing out the candle with the birthday girl!

Friends having fun at the "cupcake bar"

Not so sure about this...

about 30 minutes into it!

I've not been as good at documenting the monthly milestones and pics of Miss K, but I have resolved to be better at it this year!  So to start it off right, here are Miss K's 12 month stats!

                                   Height: 32 inches                                

Weight: 24.2 lbs

Teeth: 8, with two more coming in

Clothes size: 18-24 months is a little big still, but 12-18 is getting too short! :)

Shoe size: 4 1/2

Diapers: size 4

Foods: peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, avocado, bananas, grapes, pears, peaches, oranges, blueberries, kiwis, applesauce, yogurt, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken, hamburgers, turkey

Words: Dada, mama, uh oh, hi, bye, ball, aye aye (I love you), no, shoes, nigh nigh (night night) 

Sign language: eat, more, all done- we are working on please and thank you

Miss K,

You are such a bright and happy little girl!  You amaze me daily at all the new things you are learning and doing!  You understand so much that daddy and I say and seem to soak up every word and action you hear and see.  You are an outstanding eater, not the least bit picky!  Your personality is starting to form and you have definitely inherited your mommies hard headedness!  You understand the word no, but like to see just how serious daddy and I are when we say it!  Not only is your personality taking shape, so is your temper.  It is very obvious that you are Irish and Italian as you are passionate and stubborn all rolled into one!  You are quite the daredevil, you love to climb on any and everything you possibly can!  You have been walking full time for a couple of weeks now, and love your new freedom.  You understand when daddy and I laugh when you do something funny and continue to do it just to see us laugh.   I have enjoyed being home with you this year, watching you grow and learn.  You are our sunshine and the most special thing in our lives!  You have added so much joy to daddy and I and we love you more than you will ever know!   

Happy First Birthday my sweet girl!!!

New Year, Better Me

Every New Years I reflect on the past year and come to the realization that no matter how great the year was, I never stick to the resolutions made.  Those broken resolutions don't take away from the events of the year, but I've yet to be able to take satisfaction in ending the "old" year with the same bang of welcoming in the "new" year.  I've had the same resolutions year after year, for as long as I can remember.  Lose 20 pounds, eat better, yada yada yada.  And I can tell you, usually by March those resolutions are long forgotten!  This year, I have decided to take a different approach and make resolutions that don't change who I am, but make me a better me.  A better mom, a better wife, a better friend, and a better me.  By putting my resolutions on my blog, I am hoping that those of you that read will help keep me accountable this year!

1. Run 12 races in 12 months. The plan is to start with a few 5Ks , then 10Ks, then a few half marathons.  I've started off on the right foot so far by running the Resolution Run on New Year's Day!  It was POURING down rain the entire race, but I did pretty good considering I haven't run a race in over a year.  My official time was 35:20.  I'm already signed up for my February and March races and can't wait!

2. Big Poppa and I both agreed that we need to plan more date nights.  With him travelling for work as much as he does, and just the hustle and bustle of life with a one year old, we have had very few planned date nights.  Hopefully we can get these dates into our calendars and get the sitter booked!

3. Read 12 books in 12 months.  I love to read and used to look forward to summer breaks when teaching so I could read for pleasure!  I would read 14 books in three months with time left over!!  You'd think being a stay at home mom, I would be reading all the time, but I'm not!  So, taking an idea from some of the other blogs I read, I've decided to assign myself a book a month.  If I read more, great!  If not, I've at least read 12!  (There will be a separate post with the books of 2011!)

4. We've been in Casa de D since July.  I'd really like to get more involved now that we seem to be settled!  I'd like to join Junior League since it's a perfect blend of volunteering and working in the community, but the county I live in doesn't have one.  The neighboring counties do, and I'm not opposed to joining one of one those, but I wish we had one here :(

5. Since we've moved so much in the last eight years, I've made some really great friends.  With that being said, those friends are of course scattered throughout the U.S.  While Christmas cards get exchanged and Facebook posts are swapped randomly throughout the year, I would like to get better about keeping in constant touch with everyone and trying to get together when possible!

There are a few more that I am still tossing around, but I think these five are for sure!  What are you going to do this year to become a better you??

The Cutest Pumpkin in the Patch!

It's hard to believe that next week Miss K will be 11 months!  I have no idea where the time has gone, and everyday she is acting more and more like such a big girl.  I am in full-on party planning mode and since her actual birthday is on Christmas Day, we are going to have her party the weekend before.  She's walking on her own a few steps at a time and has gotten really good at standing up from a sitting position without holding on to anything!  She loves to walk with anyone who will hold her hand, and will walk forever if you let her.   She is not a picky eater (yet), and will eat pretty much anything I put in front of her.  She's a pro with her sippy cups and I am going to work on weaning off the bottle and on to a sippy cup with her formula soon.  Any tips from seasoned mommies on this one are much appreciated!

I wanted to share a few pictures of Miss K at the pumpkin patch.  We went as a family, but of course got no family pictures!  There were some great ones of her and we actually got a few pictures of her and I! 

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Well, it seems like fall has finally decided to grace the ATL with its presence!  At least enough so that Casa de D has had the heat turned on for a couple of weeks, much to Big Poppa's dismay.   It's been a busy fall so far, hence the lack of posts.  We've had something going on every weekend and our calendar is packed until Christmas.  Literally we have (and have had) something every weekend!  Two weekends ago, Big Poppa and I went to New York City to celebrate our 8th anniversary.  It feels so weird to type that!  It seems like just yesterday we were getting married.  Now here we are eight years, four states, two dogs, and a baby later.  Insanity I tell you.  Where does time go?  Since all our wedding pictures were on film (there was no digital option then) and I'm too lazy to scan, here are a few from over the years!



Niagara Falls 2004



Florida Keys 2004





Napa Valley 2005

 



Puerto Rico 2006



Puerto Vallarta 2007



Padre Island 2009 (with Miss K in tow in utero)



Sadly, there are no pictures from NYC...we took some and then left our really nice camera in the back of a taxi for the next passenger. 

Happy Anniversary, Big Poppa!  Along this wild roller coaster ride that is our life, I love you more now than ever.  Thank you for being my best friend, my partner-in-crime, my biggest cheerleader, and the best baby daddy in the world!  I am so thankful that you picked me to love.  I can't imagine riding this roller coaster with anyone else.  I love you!

Happy Birthday to me!

I'm not usually one to get all crazy-celebrate my birthdays, or make big deals of them.  I've never thought of them any more than it's just another day, but I am always thankful for each birthday that rolls around!  For the past few years though, it seems like each year I get more festive about it.  Go figure that Big Poppa is out of town this week, leaving Miss K and I to celebrate together!  I made a pan of Halloween brownies last night in a bit of a pity moment but have decided that today, all you lovely readers get to celebrate with me by listening to my list of 33 random thoughts, thanks and reflections!  Enjoy!

1. Ten years ago (at the oh-so-young age of 23) I would have never imagined my life would be where it is now.  Four states and three teaching certifications later, I wouldn't change a single thing about it!  I truly believe that life is about the journey, not the destination.
2. I love that as I get older, my relationship with my mom gets better!  We've always had a great relationship, but it's been neat to watch it evolve into more of a friendship.
3. I really enjoy New Age wine.  If I could drink it every night without guilt or feeling like arse the next day, I would.  Does this make me a wanna-be alcoholic??
4. I find myself watching shows like Biggest Loser and Thintervention and thinking that I need to really jump on the healthy lifestyle bandwagon instead of dragging behind it holding on with one hand.  Then I go and make a pan of brownies in a moment of self-pity.  SIGH
5.  I miss working.  Don't get me wrong, I love being home with Miss K and am blessed that we are in the position for me to be able to stay home, but I do miss working.
6. I am slowly realizing that I don't have a lot of self motivation or accountability when it comes to my fitness.  Is it bad that I need someone to hold me accountable?  Any takers?  Inquire within.
7. I am really excited for our trip to NYC in November.  Big Poppa and I are going for our 8th anniversary and it will be the first trip that we are both away from Miss K overnight.  I love NYC but have never been there in the fall so I am super excited! 
8. Glee.  No other commentary needed.  I am a GLEEK!
9.  Did you know that I am now 33, and have never been to Las Vegas?  Is that wrong? 
10.  Staying at home, I am getting more into the whole cooking thing, but I feel bad taking it away from Big Poppa.  My idea of cooking dinner involves recipes and planning while Big Poppa's idea is a meat, veggie, and starch.  He's always been the cook and enjoyed it, but I think there might be a non-hostile takeover soon.
11. I am planning Miss K's first birthday party and really have no clue what I'm doing.  We're doing a Winter "One"derland theme, but event planner I am not.  Any pointers or ideas are much appreciated!
12.  Miss K has been going to a Mother's Morning Out two days a week for about a month now and while I said I was going to relax and enjoy myself during that time, the reality is that I use that time to clean.  I am still trying to come up with a daily cleaning schedule so that I don't have to marathon clean, but it hasn't happened yet.
13.  Speaking of marathon....I have had to pull out of Disney in January.  Between the move and the constant nag in my left knee (that showed up post-Miss K), there is no way I'll be ready.  My original goal was to run one by the time I turn 35 so I still have some time. 
14.  I am actually scared to have a second child because Miss K is such a good kid!  She is incredibly easy-going and I don't know if I could handle anything different!  Some would say this is a sure sign that I'm not ready for another one.  I whole-heartedly agree.
15.  I'm in a clothing funk.  I only like a few pieces of clothing in my closet, but when you don't pull in an income, it's hard to justify buying new clothes that aren't really necessary.  I have however devised a plan on how to make them necessary- I need to get my butt in gear and lose the 20 pounds I need to lose.  Again, accountability nazi needed.
16.  Are you still awake?  We're only halfway there!
17.  I think caffeine should be categorized with meth, crank, and crack cocaine.  I am an addict.
18.  Sister Wives.  Intriguing show.  A lot of questions arise for me from this show... If Kody rotates every four nights with his wives, does he really have "you know what" every night?  Think about it.   The show is like a train wreck.  I can't help watching.
19. I don't drink near as much water as I should.  I know that this is an essential key to dropping weight, but I don't drink a lot during the day to begin with.  Plus, Diet Dr. Pepper tastes so much better!
20.  I love our new neighborhood!  So far, everyone is so much fun!  Great ladies and lots of fun!!
21.  One thing I do want to do better (or need to do better) is keep in touch with friends.  Since we have moved so much, I have some wonderful friends scattered among a few states.  I unfortunately let life take over and don't keep up with friends like I should. 
22. To piggyback on previous, I really want to put myself out there to meet more people here!  We've been in Casa de D since July and I can't make any more excuses.  My only thoughts are going up to people that look like fun and asking them is they want to be my friend.  What do you think?  It works on playgrounds!!
23.  I notice I use WAY too many exclamation marks.  Sorry!!!!
24.  I seriously can't wait for Breaking Dawn to come out.  I read the Twilight series last summer after a lot of resistance and was hooked. 
25.  Miss K has just cut her 8th tooth.  She'll be 10 months on the 25th.  I think that's a lot of teeth for her age.. am I wrong?
26.  It's been awhile since I've had a really good laugh.  Like the laugh that makes your stomach hurt.  I need to have one of those soon, I love them.  Any takers?
27.  I really hate to clean bathrooms.  If I could hire someone to just clean my bathrooms once a week, I would.  With 4 of them to clean, I dread it four times as much.  I don't mind all the other cleaning, just bathrooms.
28.  I recently got a gel manicure for the first time.  I've heard how great they are and decided to try it.  LOVE IT!  I'm on week 2 of the manicure and they look like I just got them done.  And I am not easy on my hands.  Definitely worth it, no?

29.  I know you are all wondering how my Zumba-ing is going!!  It's getting easier, but I haven't been going as much as I want because the girl I like only teaches on Tues/Thurs and those days I have been walking 5 miles with my friend E and her little one.  Honestly, I enjoy our walks more and feel just as good! 

30.  I miss the fab frozen yogurt place back in NC.  The fro-yo places here don't compare.  Getting the daily flavor updates on Facebook makes me sad and miss it even more. 

31.  Big Poppa sent me flowers today for my birthday.  I'm not a flowery-type girl so he knows not to waste spend money on them, but when he does send them, it makes me smile. 

32.  Miss K is SOO close to walking on her own!  She loves to walk while holding our hands or holding on to things and she can stand on her own.  As soon as I step away for her to step towards me, she sits down.  It's too cute!

33. The last one is a picture.  Of the two most important people in my life.  I love these two with all my being. 

A pretty good reason to enjoy birthdays, don't you think??

White Girl Can't Dance

Until this week, I thought I had pretty good rhythm.  I enjoy dancing, frequented the clubs in college, have taken ballroom dancing lessons, etc.  While I have plenty of junk in my trunk, I have always been envious of those that can shake their junk and not look like a total moron.  Anywho, I have been proven TOTALLY wrong in thinking that I have had any sort of dancing ability by a little craze called Zumba!  I went to two separate classes this week at the Y and managed to make myself look like a total and complete arse.  I kid you not.  There wasn't one thing cute or remotely sexy and sultry about myself trying to Zumba.  Picture Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air trying to look sexy while attempting to salsa, tango and belly dance to super fast music.  That would be me- red faced, sweaty and all. 

As stupid as I looked, I will go back next week and hopefully make it to three classes.  Because while I look like the picture above, I am determined to look like the picture below:

But with shorter, blonder hair.  And a little whiter.  But you get the point.  So even though I looked like a goofball, I burned over 300 calories in each class per my Mio.  And I had fun.  And I want to learn how to shake the junk in my trunk.  I think those are all pretty good reasons to return, no? 

MIA, LOL and WTF?????

OK, so I know that some of you think that I might have fallen off the face of the world, but alas, I am still here!  This summer has been crazy to say the least.  With the exception of the two wonderful weeks at the Outer Banks, summer has been pure craziness at Casa de D.  And hotter than hell.  I am so ready for fall!  My chubby, white arms and legs are ready for fall too.  Oh, and my muffin buffet top is ready for fall as well.  Not that you came here to listen to me whine... So here are the key points that have made up the Summer of 2010. 
1. Notice the insanity of boxes.  Multiply what you see in this picture by about 20,000 and that's what I spent the better part of a MONTH doing.  No lie, there were 273 boxes delivered to our new house.  That's just boxes.  Do you know how hard it is to unpack, clean and put away 273 boxes of crap with a baby? 

2.  I think I will be finding and pulling these stickers until at least 2018.  While there were 273 boxes delivered, there were 404 of these lovely things.  On boxes and all the other items not in boxes.  I just found this gem the other day...and we moved in over a month and a half ago.

3.  Do I need to tell you how cute Miss K is? 

4.  A now-laughable mommy moment (no so funny at the time.  Well, maybe a little bit)- a few weeks ago, Miss K was protesting her morning nap by standing in her crib and banging on the rail.  I have been trying the whole "cry it out" or not going in at the first sound she makes when trying to go down so I let about 30 minutes or so go by before going in.  Mind you, she was not fussy or crying, just banging and talking loudly.  We had gone to the Y that morning and when we came home, I changed her diaper and put her to bed in just her top and diaper because her leggings had gotten dirty.  As I got to her crib to soothe her and put her down, I noticed that she had proceeded to undo one side of her diaper and was not only standing in a puddle of pee, but poo as well.  Nothing like a complete crib and baby strip down with midday laundry and bath time.  All that excitement = no morning nap.   It's one of those things that I again didn't learn in child birth class or any books I read.  Ahhh, life lessons.

5.  While Miss K gets cuter each day, she's also becoming more mobile which means that the D's have had to install not one, not two, but three baby gates at all the staircases!  You would think that gates at the top of the two staircases would be enough, but here would be why we already had to put a third gate at the bottom of the stairs in the great room.

She made it all the way to two stairs from the top...that's 14 stairs.  And yes, I was behind her the entire time.  Which is why we are now officially a three gate family. 

6.  I heart the Outer Banks.  Never mind that it now takes us a good 9 hours to get there, but it was well worth the trip both times.  Big Poppa and I have already decided though that next year we will either go for 2 weeks straight, or at least not twice in the same month.  That was a lot of wear and tear for us back to back like that.

7. A running update for those of you interested.  I'm getting in some runs when I can, primarily on the treadmill at the Y, but we have hit the greenway near our neighborhood a few times.  I'm still having some knee issues that seem to flair up after 5 or so miles.  Can't figure out the cause...have new shoes, had gait and mechanics analysis done.  And it's only the left knee.  Every time.  To the point that I can only go up and down the stairs one stair at a time for a day or two after.  Any suggestions or possible remedies would be appreciated!  I'm trying to avoid a doctor visit and to NOT wipe out our health savings account this summer!  One health issue at a time.

8. Which leads to the final acronym in the title, WTF?  A little medical background about yours truly: I've had stomach issues since right after college that spawned from a trip to Playa del Carmen that Big Poppa and I took after graduation.  I basically "caught" a nasty bacteria while we there, and I blew off the symptoms for a few months until it became unbearable.  An upper and lower scope showed that the bacteria had created a plethora of ulcers in my intestines, thus wrecking havoc on my digestive system.  A wicked dose of antibiotics cleared it up, but I haven't been quite the same since then.  Pair this with the fact that I have a family history of colon cancer (grandparent) which makes gastroenterologists a bit on edge and tend to error on the side of caution.  Enter about 4 months ago.  I was having some stomach issues with similar symptoms from years ago, but add in carrying a child for 9 months then having my insides removed and replaced after having such child via c-section.  I decided to be proactive and go see a gastro here in ATL and she scheduled a scope pronto after review of my medical and family history.  No ulcers, but low and behold a  polyp was found and removed that turned out to be precancerous.  WTF?  That was my reaction too.  I'm 32 years old, eat a fairly healthy diet, in good health and shape, don't smoke, and rarely drink.  I truly thought she'd say that I had some ulcers return, or at worst-  IBS.  But precancerous was not a word I expected or was prepared to hear.  At a follow up appointment a few weeks after the procedure, I was reassured that it would have been 10-15 years before that polyp would have become an issue, but if you think about it- recommended screening age is 50.  In 10-15 years, I'll be 47 at the oldest.  What if I would have held off and chalked it up to stress and all that my body has been through?  Talk about putting things into perspective.  Lesson learned- we as women have been blessed with wonderful intuition.  Although we may choose to initially ignore those little taps on the shoulder, eventually we listen to our gut.  Ironically, I believe that my "gut" saved my life.  I now have to go for a scope every five years, but this will keep everything in check.  My point in sharing all this?  Listen to your body and your intuition and be an advocate for your health. (Exiting soap box now).

I promise to be better about posts, even if they are mindless ramblings about nothing important!  If anything, you'll at least get to see cute pics of Miss K!!!