A Few of My Favorite Things

Because it's ONLY Tuesday. Because I'm 4 days into training for a new job and my head it about to explode. Because Cecilia has to get tested for RSV in the morning due to an outbreak at school. I thought I would try to find my happy place.

Birthday Weekend

Friday night we were finally able to get together with the Konows. Oh the fun we had!


We decided to venture out to a restaurant with the girls which proved to be a BIG mistake! Both girls were showing off and seeing who could yell the loudest. Cecilia pulled her classic "mmm-uh" when food was not streaming constantly in her mouth. I promised myself we would never be that family in the restaurant with the out of control kid but I was and I was ashamed of myself. It might be awhile before we take her back out in public!


After a quick exit, we headed to the Konow's for some playtime. That proved to be another disaster! Cecilia was being very unsociable and cranky! My first clue that the night was not going to go well should have been when I picked her up at daycare and she was sitting in an area by herself with the teacher watching her change the bed sheets. Her teacher said she didn't feel like being sociable. Oh and heaven forbid you make her do something she doesn't want to do!

Here are a few pictures I managed to get of the evening...



Clearly Cecilia was not digging Sydney sharing the same air space.

Finally getting over the 'tude.

I think if Jac and I ever want to actually have a conversation, the girls can't be in the equation!

On Saturday night, my parents came up to watch Cecilia while Brent and I went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. We actually got right in at the restaurant and had a wonderful dinner chatting and catching up without a screaming kid between us.

When we got home, we broke out the cake my mom and dad bought for me.

It was an ice cream cake with chocolate cake, hot fudge layer, then chocolate, chocolate chunk ice cream. The only part that wasn't chocolate was the icing. Mom clearly knows my love language!

Cecilia was asleep but the minute she heard the knife cut the first piece of cake, she was wide awake! So we let her come and enjoy cake with us.

She loved it! Like mother like daughter.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and some of us have a hard time excepting that...

She did not find it as funny as we did when the cake ran out!

Sunday, Brent had to work so Cecilia and I headed down to my parent's house to have dinner with them and my Nanny.

Cecilia got a little pre-dinner snack...

only grandparents give kids cookies before dinner!

Sunday turned out to be a very nice day out, very usual for February, and we needed to work off our pre-dinner snack so we took a little stroll around the neighborhood.

Cecilia's playmate (Nanny) finally came over and the two played in the floor until dinner was ready.

My parents fixed a fabulous meal and Mom even made another all chocolate dessert!

By the end of the night, we were all full...

and ready for bed.

Cecilia stayed behind and had a sleepover with my parents since Mom was keeping her the next day. I went home, crawled straight into bed and entered a food coma.

A nice end to my 25th birthday! (heehee)

Thanks to all who sent birthday wishes! Y'all know how to make a gal feel special!

11 Months

11 down and 1 more to go! At 11 months you are VERY mobile and crawl everywhere. I can't get too far without hearing the sound of your hands pounding against the floor trying to get to me at fast as you can!

You're wearing 12 month clothes, size 3 diaper and size 2 shoe. These measurements are by no means accurate but you weight around 22 lbs and are about 29 inches long.

You are getting really good on your feet. You can stand for a few seconds without holding on to anything and can catch yourself when you start to fall. I'm starting to notice that you are trying to raise up from sitting by yourself because I catch you in the downward dog yoga position a lot! I usually hear you yelling when you get stuck.

We feed you only table food now and you drink whole milk. You are a good eater and there hasn't been anything that you won't eat and you beg for more after it's gone!

You are into everything and I find your markings all over the house!

For some reason playing with you breathing machine medicines is your favorite. About as soon as I put it all back you are crawling right back to throw it all out again. I finally moved it out of reach but then you just pulled all the cookbooks out.

You are interacting more with Colt these days. You think he is hilarious and laugh at him when he runs away from you. You think it is a game and he is simply trying to save himself!

You all have regular standoffs with you always losing and running after him! He is getting a little better about you touching him but he still isn't so sure you won't pull his hair.

You have 1 small front tooth stilling trying to fully come in but I see no signs of any others. It clearly doesn't slow you down in the eating department. You attach food like you have a mouth full!

You shake you head for no when you don't want something and even when you know you aren't supposed to do something you shake your head no then do it. There are a few pictures at your level that you like to go to. You will look at me and shake your head no then try to grab them.

You haven't really added any need words to your vocabulary but you are trying to say more by yelling 'mmm-uh' and you are either trying to say nanny or banana. I haven't figured out which yet but you say it often.

I'm gearing up for an emotional month counting down the days until your birthday but hopefully with all that we have going on I will be too distracted to really comprehend that you are almost 1!

Gee, Daddy and I love you very much and love the way you have turned this house upside down! Our lives are forever changed because of you and we wouldn't have it any other way!

A Season of Pampering

Back in the fall my mom got me a gift certificate to a local spa as an early Christmas gift. I had to choose 3 different treatments from a menu of options.


I planned out my appointments so that I had one a month. It was wonderful!



I have LOVED every minute of my "me time" and it was much needed! I even managed to cash in 2 other gift certificates for a manicure and a massage.


The massage was a baby shower gift I got from my cousins and let me tell you...WORTH EVERY PENNY THEY SPENT!



I've never had a massage other than the mini ones they give you during a facial. I wasn't sure what to expect but it didn't take me long to lay back and relax. I think she rubbed every inch of my body that was legally possible. I'm glad I remembered to trim my toenails and shave my legs. And lucky for the both of us I worn my good Christian girl panties. That could have been embarrassing!


She did a wonderful job and I will be sending Brent to massage therapy school tomorrow.

MIA

Apparently I have been a little MIA this past week in the blog world. It's just our lives have been filled with such fabulousness I haven't had time. ha! If fabulousness = breathing treatments, doctor visits, and juggling finding a babysitter because of snow days.


I hate snow.

Us Southerns don't do snow covered roads. Freaks us out.


Luckily we were only in a panic for 2 days and it was back to slightly warmer air and sunshine by the weekend.


And speaking of the weekend, Brent's parents came down on Saturday to spend some time with us. We did a little shopping, eating and tried to figure out when the devil possessed my child.

I think it happened sometime last week but I can't be for sure. All I know is she has found her voice and uses it well. She has gotten in a real bad habit of yelling 'mmm-uh' when she notices there is no food being inserted in her mouth. It is particularly annoying when trying to dine in a restaurant. It is getting out of hand so we had to nip that in the bud.


Then to top it all off, she has become SUPER clingy. If she could climb back into the womb she would. WOW! Brent couldn't even hardly hold her. I ended up having to pack her around the mall Saturday to avoid a complete meltdown. I pray it's a phase. If not we could be in trouble!


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Yesterday we celebrated Valentine's Day with our little Valentine.

(thanks again Aunt Jac and Sydney for the shirt!)

I cooked dinner last night for us and I told Brent I would fix whatever he wanted. Having the sophisticated palate that he does, he decided he wanted chili dogs and tots. Of all the things! But it's what he wanted and about halfway through his first dog he told me he was our best meal yet. I married a five year old!

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Tonight Cecilia and I had girls night.

Brent had to be out of town so her and I have been hanging. We had another gourmet meal of mac n cheese.
And no girls night is complete without sweets...

It was a fight to see who would get the last bite!

She didn't have much of a nap today so it was an early night for her which leaves me plenty of time to fold laundry and dig into my new book. I think it could be an early night for me too!

Just Another Day

Brent and I brought home the pharmacy Friday night...

but that's what happens when you have a baby with a busted eardrum and when her "asthma like symptoms" come back.

I have never know anyone personally who has had a busted eardrum. Leave it to my child to be the overachiever and go big or go home. Dude! Of course, it's treated just like an ear infection with the added bonus of having to dig out the drainage. AWESOME! Ever put peroxide in a baby's ear? Try it. They LOVE it!

We're talking tubes at some point this year. Her pediatrician thinks later on and I'm saying now. Breathing treatments 3 times a day and an ear infection every time she has a runny nose is no quality of life for a baby.

Thankfully, as usual, she is taking it like a champ and acts normal other than being clingy to me and the occasional whining.

This weekend there have been lots of good naps...

which allowed me to work on her Valentine's Day cards for school.

I'm overly excited about Valentine's Day because I LOVED having parties in school and decorating a box and making the cards. Now that Cecilia is here all that loveliness is coming back! She will be the kid with the over the top box complete with feathers, sparkles, and whatever else we have laying around the house at that time!

And even though I have spent yet another weekend looking at these 4 walls (this time not getting out ONCE!!!!) we have had a good time with one another.

We've played...

watched a few movies and I think I said 'no ma'am' a million times!

What is it with kids and knobs? She is obsessed with the bottom drawer! And if I said 'no' 5 times I said it 100 for her not to mess with the drawer. Not that there is anything harmful in there I just don't want her used to pulling knobs.

Needless to say she was SUPER excited to see her daddy when he got home from work!

It's been just another day in the life of the Millers.