What a Week!

Bun-bun love.

My poor little neglected blog. I have good excuses though. No, really I do. A week ago Saturday my sister flew in from Ireland just in time to babysit because my fit and healthy hubby had some sort of fainting/seizure thingie at work and was hospitalized for three days. My parents were driving down from Utah the same day hubby decided to be all dramatic. So we had a party. No, it was actually really great that I had them all here when it all went down. Not sure how Philip and Ellie would have coped. Philip still isn't the most confident babysitter. (He likes us to be around "just in case" when he watches her). So Simon is good and back to work. His doctor now just needs to figure out what the deal is with him. They eliminated all the really scary stuff with all the tests they did on him. Which is a very good thing. So all in all, things worked out well. My family was so helpful and I am so blessed I have them. I am really happy to have the hubby home again. (The dishwasher loading fairy took time off while he was gone). Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the biggest news of all. THE ELLIE IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! Life is good.
     

Mean Mom Pictorial

Playing in the cupboard is fun

Until you fall out

Hair

This is how The Ellie looks most days, peering through her hair. Cuz, she just won't leave the  clip in her hair.

This is how we wished her hair looked everyday.

But who's complaining?

My heart goes out to all the victims of Saturday's shooting here in Tucson

When Simon and I first heard the news of the shooting of our district 8 Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and many of the people there to see her on Saturday, we were just completely stunned. Then we were ashamed to be from Tucson. Then, as we listened to the stories of heroism and how so many people there responded to help in the aftermath of the shooting. We were so proud. Those were our neighbors rushing into help. From the first responders, to the man who hit the shooter with a folding chair and helped subdue him.

I confess, I haven't posted or taken one photo since the mass shooting here. I have been overwhelmed trying to process it all. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims. We have had so many conversations at our house now about it all. We have come to the conclusion that words have meaning. We need to weigh our words so much more carefully towards others. Not only in our own families, but in public forums and in public discussions. We need to teach our children civility. (Believe me, that ain't easy. I have a teenager. I know). We can not say anything we please, words have consequences. From the really painful things that kids say to each other, to the mean things that husbands and wives at times say to one another. We have to filter ourselves. In the heat of the moment or the heat of a tight political race. Words have meaning and you can't ever take them back. We need to teach our children empathy. We need to teach our children civility. We need to teach our children that others matter.

When little girl wakes up from her nap. I am taking the Philip and Ellie to pay our respects to all the victims of Saturday's shooting. We are so happy and really relieved that against all odds Gabby Giffords seems to have pulled through.  

   

Hey Da Da !!

Look at this Baby (She melts my heart everyday)

This photo is for the the prenatal nurse that questioned my sanity when I was 8 months pregnant with Ellie. The nurse was older, probably in her late 50's. She said, (as she was doing an ultrasound to check my amniotic fluid) "You do know that you will be sixty when this baby is fifteen years old don't you?" I laughed, and then I said my son is seventeen now and was a sweet and well behaved fifteen year old. So I don't think it will be that big of a deal. What I really wanted to say was...No Shit Sherlock, I can do simple addition, thank you very much! And really, is it any of your fucking business? (Sorry Mom for using the f-bomb, but it was appropriate). So Miss Judgey Judgerson Prenatal Nurse, just look at this baby. I would have missed this if I had been thinking like you.

Ellie's New Year's Eve Eve Present to Us

We went out to dinner last night after doing a little shopping. It was late to have little girl out and about but she was doing ok and wasn't fussing. She was just wild and yelling. But the restaurant was really noisy and no one seemed to notice the tiny, sweet, very loud little girl in the high chair. That is until she suddenly and without warning projectile vomited all over the table and floor of the restaurant. Hubby said he wished he had video taped mine and Philip's expressions as she vomited everywhere. I don't remember being that amused by it. Babies are not supposed to produce that much vomit. The waitress was sweet about it all. We left her a big tip along with the vomit.

I discovered what must have caused the vomiting. I inadvertently gave little girl sour milk in her bottle. Before we went to dinner we stopped at a Circle K and Simon ran in and got milk for her. I opened the milk and filled her bottle. Didn't think to taste it or smell it. (It is the no hormones whole cows milk that I have been feeding her since she turned a year old). (I am slowly trying to wean her from Momma's milk). So she drank a whole bottle full of sour milk. I thought to smell the milk I had given her only after she had vomited. Cuz I'm quick like that.

Christmas Morn

What the heck is this?

Oh, turtles.

Christmas Blueberries! Bet ya can't guess who put me in the high chair without a bib.

Philip, awake on X-mas morning and on the lap top trying to spend his Christmas money. Philip being awake anytime before noon on his Christmas break is a treat for us. Seriously, we never see him before dark it seems.

Look who's fixing Christmas dinner.

80 degrees and Sunshine

I took these photos the other day. The weather was ridiculously perfect. So warm, Ellie had on a sun dress. This was our sweet life before the gnarly flu knocked on our door and kicked our asses. (I must remember to look through the peep hole the next time). Ellie didn't get sick because she got a flu shot at her well baby check up. She has been crawling circles around us for week now. Philip has been calling us zombie parents. We must have been really pathetic because Philip volunteered to fix dinner for us one night. He has even looked after Ellie. So, contrary to popular belief; 18 year old sons can be useful. If I hadn't been so sick I would have taken a photo to document it.

Just Now

You Are My I Love you

Happy Birthday my tiny non-sleeping baby. I can't believe it has been a year since we brought all 5 lbs and 4 ounces of you home with us. So much has happened in your one year. I have no idea what life was like without you. (I have forgotten cuz of lack of sleep. I officially have Momheimers.) I think that is why I started this blog. So I could remember your babyhood.

Now that you are 12 months old you are talking up a storm. Not all of it is understandable or decipherable.  Here is a list of the words and phrases you have uttered so far:  Dada, Mama, mine, I do, I get, I want. "Mom, have? Mom, want? Apple, Bath, (pronounced baff) Gamamama, Philip or Bup. Puff.  Bunny or bun-bun, (name for your blankie). Num or nummy (when you want to nurse and take a nap).

You kiss the cats way more than we would like you to. You crawl everywhere. So far you have stayed away from the cat boxes. You still wake once or twice in the middle of the night if we are lucky. You love your fuzzy bunny blanket and sleeping without it is out of the question. You do something new everyday. You always have a smile for us. You love your brother. You are our Ellie Beans. You are My I love You. 

Watching Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with Daddy

This was the calm before the storm. I attempted to fix all of Thanksgiving dinner myself. Ok, Simon helped; but it was still a lot of work. It was lonely without any family here too. I missed everyone. No nieces and nephews, no aunties, and no Gammie and Grandpa. Just us. You all suck! Leaving us alone at Thanksgiving. So this is all the Ellie you get until you show up for her birthday next Saturday. Safe and happy travels. We will have Thanksgiving leftovers waiting for you. (Just kidding). Seriously, can't wait to see you peoples.

Happy 18th Birthday, My Sweet Boy

San Xavier Mission

Don't Use Your Momma as a Kleenex

Ellie has her very first cold. She is miserable, especially at night. Which makes Momma miserable, and everyone knows when Momma is miserable, everyone is miserable. Last night sucked. Ellie just didn't sleep from about midnight onwards. I finally escaped from her room around 4 AM. She woke up around 6:30 her usual time. Which was way too early. Simon brought her into our room. My eyes would not open. Simon wisely decided to take her with him when he took Philip to school around 7 AM. That hours sleep was so great. Thank you sweet husband.

So I am thinking that I need to get a humidifier for her room. Perhaps that will help with the strangling snot stage of her icky cold. (Here in AZ we have humidity of about 8% in the fall/winter. You can dry clothes on a hanger in the closet. It is that dry). So any humidifier advice would be good. I am a serious humidifier novice. Go figure. I had one kid already. I should be an expert. But the Philip didn't really have bad colds. He had Group A streptococcus. He had it 8 times. So if you want to know anything about Strep throat, I'm your man or Momma.

I heard a kids song the other day that made me laugh. The chorus was, "Don't use your Momma as a Kleenex." I laughed because Ellie didn't have a cold at the time. Now I am thinking someone needs to come up with a Kleenex dress just for Mommas during cold season. I would wear it. As long as it was in my colors.

Queen of Our Sleepless Nights

Simon's very cool Nightmare Before Xmas Jack o Lantern.

Flash photography sucks.

Seriously, Olan Mills, eat your heart out.

The Brother's Brio Set

We had no idea the Brio would go untouched for a decade or more before that next baby showed up. 

Sunday Morning Sunshine

She was a little sleepy.

Ellie went to sleep last night at 6:30 and then woke every two hours during the night and early morning. I thought I had a newborn. She doesn't have a fever. She doesn't seem to be teething. So this is the way I found her after putting her in the high chair for some lunch. She had been sitting there about 2 minutes. Silly baby girl.