Sunday, May 27, 2012

Best-Laid Plans

I'm owning the fact that our plans are not our own.  I get it.  I'm overwhelmed.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Kitty Kitty Update

Apparently, we ended up with a cat with asthma.  He's on steroids and antibiotics.  No cause for alarm.

How many other kids will have my kid's name?

Popularity of the female name Hadley
Year of birth Rank
2011 178
2010 216
2009 363
2008 418
2007 469
2006 494
2005 624
2004 692
2003 702
2002 874
2001 857
2000 921
Note: Rank 1 is the most popular, rank 2 is the next most popular, and so forth. Name data are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.
Popularity of the female name Claire
Year of birth Rank
2011 50
2010 53
2009 53
2008 62
2007 66
2006 86
2005 95
2004 98
2003 92
2002 95
2001 82
2000 86
Note: Rank 1 is the most popular, rank 2 is the next most popular, and so forth. Name data are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Kitty Kitty

Around here, we are serious about our animals.  Our dogs are our "first kids."  Even though we aren't particularly "cat people,"  we have acquired 2 of them.  We love them.   Today one of our kitty kitties is sick, and I'm not really sure what his outcome is going to be.

Last April/May,  I think I was between 15-17 weeks pregnant.  I was getting my hair done, and we were at my sister-in-law's hair salon.    My husband went outside to get something and he heard a very sweet/sad little cry.  We, being animal lovers,  located the source of the cry.  We saw a tiny little black and white kitten who had leaves and a twig stuck in his eye.  He was very sad.  My husband retrieved him from under the porch, and that day, I knew we had a new pet.







He lived in our utility room in a dog kennel.  We found a vet's office that was open on Saturday.  The vet cleaned his eye, and what do you know, there's an eye in there after all!  He had some vaccinations.  My husband bottle fed him for several weeks.  We were smitten with our kitten.  You know, I just was standing by, because of the baby.

He quickly became one of the fog (that's what we call the pets when they're all following us around the house.)  He made friends with the dogs.

He helped us prep for baby.

He greeted baby when she came home.

A few weeks ago, he started trying to cough something up.  I just assumed that it was a standard hairball.  Today, we noticed that he is very short of breath.  He's not in distress, but his breathing is labored if that makes sense.  I'm not sure what's going to happen.

Prayers are appreciated.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

A Day in the Life...

5:30 A.M:  Alarm goes off.  This momma requires more sleep.  Snooze button!
6:00 A.M.:  Rise and shine.  World's fastest shower.  Get dressed. 
6:20 A.M:  DD wakes up.  Change diaper and fix bottle.  Lay DD on bed with bottle.  This has become much less time consuming since she started holding her own bottle. Finished getting dressed, do hair and make up.
6:40 A.M: Get DD dressed.  Pack her stuff for the day.  Pack lunches.  Grab breakfast.
7:00 A.M. : Out the door.  DH takes DD to the sitter.  I drive 35 minutes to work.
7:40 A.M. -4:10 P.M. -Work with a 30 minute lunch.  Patients, evaluations, treatments, paperwork. Oh boy!
4:10-5:45 P.M. Sometimes, I do home health visits after work for extra cash and experience.  If I do visits, then this is my HH time.  Someone else usually picks DD up.  If I don't have visits, then I pick DD up which is one of my favorite things to do.  80% of the time, she's in a walker at her sitter's house.  When I walk in the door, she breaks out in a huge smile and thrashes her arms all around.  When I pick DD up, we have extra time to play at home before I start dinner.
6:00 P.M. Home at last.  Put DD in high chair. Cook dinner. DD loves it when we cook, so that works out well.  When she's ready, DH gives DD a bottle
6:30-8:00 P.M. This is kind of a catch all time.  If dinner is really involved, then I'm cooking.  If not we're eating, and then we're playing.  DD bounces or plays on the floor.  Then momma gets her snuggles in.
8:00 P.M. Bath Time. I'm a little disappointed by baths, honestly.  DD doesn't love them or hate them.  She just chills.  Because of this, DH races through the bath. I dry.
8:30 P.M. Bed time.  Not negotiable.  Home girl needs her rest.
8:30-9:30 P.M. wash dishes, clean kitchen, laundry, etc.
9:30-10:30 P.M. finally have time with DH.
10:30 P.M. Bed.  Usually pretty much asleep before head hits pillow.

Just writing this out has been exhausting. Whew.

Monday, May 7, 2012

7 Months

Dear HC,

It seriously blows my mind that you are 7 months old.  You are a perfect, happy, healthy little girl.  You still sleep through the night, but are starting to show your stubborn side.  If you aren't getting your way, we better bust out the ear plugs.

You are getting into the food.  Your favorites are yogurt and lima beans.  You do not like peas.  At all.  In fact, when I gave you peas,  you got a helpless expression on your face, began to gag, and took your hand and scraped peas off your tongue.  You also like baby food bananas and don't like real bananas. 

You can sit unassisted.   For about 10 minutes, or until something catches your attention and you fall over trying to get it. 

You love to bounce.  You have a bouncer at your house and one and your grandmomma's house.  You will bounce for hours.   You bounce on the outside of your left foot or on your toes.  It drives your momma nuts.

You are a talker.  I know some people are skeptical about if babies really talk with meaning at this age, but about 3 weeks ago, you started.  We were at your grandpa's and you were sitting in my lap.   You were talking away.  Ababababadadadabababa, and then you looked at me with your big blue eyes and said, "Mama." and I smiled, but I kind of thought you were still talking.  I said, "Yep, I'm your momma."  I passed you off to your granddad, where you looked back at me, and said, "Mama" while reaching for me.    I shrugged it off.  It must have been coincidence.  Later that night, we were at home and your daddy was getting you ready for bed.  I walked into the room and you said mama. 

You now have me wrapped around your finger.

You took your first trip to the pool.  It was very uneventful.  You sat in the water very zen like.  There was no splashing, smiling or crying.  In fact, the most eventful part of the trip was when the alligator thermometer  floated by and you reached for it, almost throwing your self into the water.

You have officially mastered rolling from back to belly.  You do it frequently.  In fact, I almost always find you on your belly first thing in the morning.

You were size 2 diapers.  You are still in 3-6 month clothes.

And...on your very own 7 montherday, you sprouted your first tooth.  You sprouted your second tooth the next day.

I love you so much. 

Love, mama.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

April Birchbox

Ya'll have figured out that my blogging is a little slow on the up-keep huh?  Well,  in March, I stumbled across Breanna over at Counting Blessings and she had a post about a birch box.  You may be asking the same question I asked.

 First, what exactly is a birchbox?

Birchbox says that they deliver the best of beauty and lifestyle.  You sign up for a subscription and every month you get deluxe samples of beauty products delivered to your door.

Well, how much does this cost?

It's very affordable at only $10/month.  I noticed when I went back to their website for this, that they now have men's boxes.  I thought about subscribing to one for my husband.  He's kind of got a metrosexual attitude about that stuff sometimes.  He enjoys his toiletries.   Men's are $20/month though.

Because this is so awesome, where do I sign up?

This still doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.  You have to sign up on their email list and then wait for them to email you, and then you get to sign up.


What'd you get?



In my first birchbox,  I got:

Color Club Nail Lacquer - Age of Aquarius
Brighten blah fingers and toes with this on-trend neon polish.

Juicy Couture- Viva La Juicy
This scent will bring out your inner girly girl. Wild berries flirt with mandarin and soft floral notes to create a fragrance that's fun and happy.

Jurlique- Herbal Recovery Night Cream
This blend of eight powerful botanicals, plus moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid, works to rejuvenate skin over night.

Kerastase Elixer Ultime
Add this nourishing oil to your hair regimen to hydrate, smooth, and sleekify your strands.

Showstoppers Designer Fashion Tape
Celeb stylists swear by these double-sided tape strips, which will ensure that your party dress stays perfectly in place.


Now, for what I think of these products, I would love to tell you that I've tried all of them and give you the run down.  My dear, sweet HC has made has kept me stupid busy these last few weeks.  I mean, I think I got my birchbox on April17 or so.  I've been stupid busy.   Once I test everything, I'll fill all of you both of you all about them.

In baby news, HC turned 7 months old and I've almost made it through a whole week of weight watchers.  I'll give a lifestyle update soon.