My husband, the "thief".....

Richard went to Lowes this morning because we got an ad in the mail the other day advertising $25 pre-lit Christmas trees for Friday only. I've been wanting a pre-lit tree for a while now. I hate putting the lights on a tree. It's such a hassle and usually Richard and I end up in a fight over it.

Richard comes home around 7:30 after he got off of work. HE GOT A TREE! THE LAST ONE! Here's the story behind it. He said that he walked in and there were people everywhere. He looked for that particular tree because it was 6.5 feet and he knew that it was marked down to $25. He didn't see one on the shelf. But guess where he found one? In a cart! He said it was all alone and "hidden"....like someone hadn't made up their mind about it and didn't want it "gone" while they looked for other trees. Richard stepped up to that cart and looked to his right and then looked to his left and didn't see anyone that gave him the evil eye, so he walked off with the cart! LOL!

It's now almost 10:00am and we have a tree up with lights and tinsel. When Maeve wakes up later, we'll put all of the ornaments on it. I'm so thrilled to have a smaller tree too. I can actually reach the top of it without standing on a stool! Kyra is so into decorating and is so excited to be putting it all up today.

I never shop on "Black Friday", but I guess getting the ad in the mail and having Richard check out the store this morning wasn't such a bad thing. And it was Lowes....it's not like I sent him to the mall at 5am with all of the other lunatics.

Rate my life....

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7.7
Mind:	6.7
Body:	8.4
Spirit:	6.8
Friends/Family:	6.6
Love:	7.3
Finance:	7.5
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish all of my family and friends a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that God has blessed you in many ways over the past year and you have lots to be thankful for! Enjoy this wonderful day and remember to take a moment for yourself and reflect on the blessings in your life!

Risky Business....

Tom Cruise makes me sick. I really can't believe that I ever had a crush on the guy. He's a creep and a weirdo.

His latest purchase is a sonogram machine so that he can view his baby with Katie Holmes at any time that he pleases. Someone needs to tell Tom that too many sonograms can be harmful to the baby. Word on the street is that when she gives birth, he's going to "donate" it to a hospital. Yeah right. You'll just keep it for your next "alien" kid.

Then he said in an interview that Katie doesn't have to be "silent" during the birth, but just "quiet". Yeah like that's any better. I really hope that Katie poops all over him during the delivery and squeezes the shit out of his balls to help cope with the pain. He said that he just wants things to be "comfortable" for her. Uh huh. Take the girl to a hospital and let her have an epidural and then she might be comfortable. Poor girl. She has no idea what she's in for.

Oh, and now he's saying that they won't marry till at least summer or fall of next year because Katie wants to have the "fairytale wedding" without having to wear a maternity wedding dress. I guess that this is a good thing because hopefully by then Katie will have come to her senses and realize what a moron this dude is. I know that her Catholic parents must be so disappointed, but at least there are no strings attached (well except for a little alien).

And all of these Scientology creeps that have to "chaperone" Katie 24/7 are getting on my nerves. Leave the poor girl alone and at least allow her to get photographed solo.

I have 3 words for her: "RUN Katie RUN!"

Something in the water....

Babies everywhere! It seems like I have a ton of friends and family members that have recently had babies or are expecting! WOW!
-My friend Krishna and her husband Richard had a little girl, Avery, in the beginning of October.
-My friend Anna is due with a little girl around Christmas. She and Jeff are naming her Jocelyn (I think). ;)
-My friend Emily is due in mid-January with a boy. She and Kent are naming him Timothy (again, I think).
-My cousins Roxie and Darren are due at the beginning of February and it's a surprise!
-AND today I found out that my cousin Megan and my cousin-to-be Mike are expecting as well! I'm so excited!

Do I know you? Chances are you could be pregnant next! LOL! ;)

Weekend woes....

It wasn't all bad, so I'll hit up the good things first.

-Jen came to visit on Saturday and brought the girls some cute stuffed puppies. Thanks Jen! Kyra is carrying hers everywhere. Thanks for a great visit as well!

-My dad came on Sunday. He kept Kyra busy all day. She adores him. She even got him to play on the computer with her which was hilarious. My dad has never even looked at a computer.

OK, now for the woes:

-Kyra woke up at 5 on Saturday morning. Maeve woke up at 6. *yawn*

-Kyra's allergies are really bothering her. This morning (Monday), she threw up a lot of mucous at 5:30. So once again, she was up early. Maeve followed around 6. When will these kids sleep past 7:00 again?

Do your flippin job!

A month ago, I called my OB office to let them know that I was running out of the samples of Zoloft that they had given me and they needed to fax over a script to the pharmacy. Weeks went by and I never called and checked to see if the script was there. I still had some samples left. Yesterday, I called the pharmacy to see if the script ever made it there. Nope, it didn't. So, I call the OB office and they say, "We'll fax it right over right now." So today I call the pharmacy and guess what? They *still* have NOTHING.

Is it that damn hard to do your job? All it takes is a freakin fax machine! Two seconds! Ugh. I hate calling the doctor's office and gently reminding them that it's not over there. That's not my job. I don't get paid for being the 3rd party. Ugh.

I'm waiting till 2:00 when they re-open after lunch and then I'm letting them have it!

And in celebrity news.....

I don't know why I bother reading trash about all of these people, but it's like a bad train wreck.....you just can't look away.

Britney/Kevin- So K-Fed has been out partying ever since little Sean (aka Cheeto) was born. I think that Brit's getting ready to kick him to the curb. Rumor has it that Kevin and his ex planned his little rendevous with Britney a long time ago so that they could get $$$ when things didn't work out and a divorce ensued. I guess Kevin might go back to his ex. He was also caught dancing....no wait....bumping and grinding at a club with Ashlee Simpson. Gross. There was also a rumor going around that Britney checked herself into the Four Seasons Hotel on the same day that none other than Justin Timberlake did. Guess Brit wanted him to meet little Cheeto without a huge visit from the paparazzi.

Tomkat-These two really freak me out. He looks old enough to be her daddy. A few weeks ago, we saw pics of her with this HUGE belly. Lately, the belly has magically gotten smaller. Hmmmm..... Now they are saying that she miscarried. Either that or she got tired of wearing the pillow under her shirt. Someone said that the "War of the Worlds" comes out on DVD next week. These two will do anything for publicity. Even Oprah admitted on her Monday 20th Anniversary show that when Tom jumped on her couch that she thought that he was "gone" and that it was all a "ploy" for publicity. DUH!

Tidbits:
-I don't get all of the hoopla surrounding Lindsay Lohan. I think she's ugly.

-Please let there be just one day where Paris Hilton isn't in the news.

-Nicole Richie needs to gain some weight. She's a walking corpse.

-Matthew McConaughey is the "Sexiest Man Alive". Oh yeah!

-After watching the Johnny Cash special on TV last night, I'm 100% in love with Joaquin Phoenix. I HAVE to see that movie!

This n' that....

Richard came home from work with a large peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks just for little ol me. Awww....he was thinking of me on this cold morning. I almost didn't want to drink it because the scale HAS NOT been nice lately. But, I drank it anyway and thanked him for it.

Maeve now knows what to do to get mommy's attention. She "fake" coughs or she'll start panting like a dog. It's annoying, but pretty darn cute too. My little drama queen.

I'm really wondering why dogs sleep all the time. Jen, do you know? I swear that Mia sleeps 23 out of the 24 hours in a day. She's a lazy a$$ dog.

I went to the doctor today to have him check my ears. One has been throbbing from time to time. Turns out that the ear is fine. I am having bad sinus troubles right now. He wanted to prescribe me something, but stopped dead in his tracks when I told him that I was breastfeeding. I told him that as long as it wasn't an ear infection that I could put up with it. He also commended me on losing a lot of weight since the last time I was there. Um, newsflash: I HAD A BABY! I honestly think that he thought that my pregnancy weight was my pre-pregnancy weight and that I lost from there. Yeah right. Dude, I have a loooooong way to go.

This chick on the Food Network is massaging a turkey and she looks like she's enjoying it a little too much. Ewwwwwwww!

I think I have found someone that has more of a leash on Richard than I do. Her name is Kyra.

Can't you read?

I specifically put a sign on our door today saying, "Please DO NOT ring doorbell OR knock on door. Baby sleeping." This was for the UPS man because we are expecting several deliveries this week. Our UPS man is cool, so I figured that he'd have no problem reading the sign and abiding by it. Those of you that have been to our house know that Maeve's room is right around the corner from the front door.

Anyway, I get home from teaching around 2 and Maeve is napping and I'm sitting here at the computer *thinking* that I'm hearing someone knock at the door. Sure enough, I look out the peephole and it's the same black guy that knocks on the door every freakin week. I don't answer. He knocks again.....this time louder. I still don't answer. Then he's BANGING on the door and by this time, Mia hears it and she's having her usual heart attack when someone is at the door. I still don't answer it and he goes away.

So did my sign that was taped to the door fall off? Nope. It's still there. And conveniently, Maeve is now awake as well as a result of the banging and the dog barking. Lovely. There goes the first 45 minutes of her afternoon nap. It's going to take me FOREVER to get her to go back down.

My blood was boiling. I put that on the door this morning in hopes that we'd get an uninterrupted day. Couldn't this guy read? If not, then he has no business going from door to door trying to sell whatever it is that he's selling. I see him in the neighborhood....walking and waving to people like he's in a flippin parade. Richard thinks that he's just begging for money. I don't care. I won't answer the door for anyone unless I know them.

I have had the occasional desire to answer the door with a baby hanging on a boob though. I bet that would make them never want to come to the door again.

Candy cane cuties....

Here's what my girlies did today!

Reasons to be happy.....

Things are going pretty well this week thus far. I just don't want to jinx it. I'm happy because:

-Maeve is FINALLY over her cold (flippin doctors' offices).

-I get to go to my favorite step class in the morning.

-We are getting lots of company this week! Anna is coming over tomorrow, Jen is coming on Saturday and my dad is coming on Sunday! WOOOHOOO!

-I'm slowly, but surely getting all of my Christmas shopping done online.

-We aren't going anywhere for Thanksgiving. I could be bummed, but I'm not. I would dread packing for 2 kids and travelling by myself with them (Richard has to work). So, we'll just hang out here and watch the parades that morning.

-Kyra started singing the jingle to the local radio station (KVET) this morning. Clearly, we listen to too much radio in the car. But it was funny to hear her singing!

-Richard is pretty close to winning the football pool tonight. Come on $70! Mama needs a night out on the town!

-A COLD FRONT is coming in the morning! It will FINALLY feel like Fall around here!

Tales of the gym and the mall.....

I took Kyra with me to the gym this morning. We went to a different one than we normally go to, so she was quite unfamiliar with it. I wasn't worried though. I figured she'd be fine. I went to work out upstairs on the cardio equipment and I could see her from above. She was so cute. See, Kyra is very shy and very sensitive and doesn't approach kiddos that easily. If they approach her, she's fine. She'll play with them and talk nonstop. It was sort of sad seeing her having a tough time approaching kiddos. I could tell that she wanted to play with the other girls, but she just didn't have the guts to go up to them. I've noticed that she still "parallel plays" in that she'll play by other kids, but not with them. School is a totally different story though. She has her friends and she interacts, mingles, holds hands, etc. She even learned more names this week! I'm so proud of her!

Then we headed to the mall. The first thing that we notice are the huge, elaborate Christmas decorations. Then we see none other than Santa himself. Goodness. Looks like Santa might just be making an appearance on the 4th of July one of these years. How early does he arrive? I remember when he would arrive after Thanksgiving. Boy times have changed. Kyra begged to sit on his lap, but I told her that Maeve would be very upset if we forgot about her. She understood. Besides, I want to dress the girls in matching shirts and take them. I'm hoping to get them in there soon because it's going to be a madhouse after Thanksgiving. Plus, Maeve still does pretty well with strangers which is another reason we need to go soon. Maybe I'll take them next week.

Me, the Nurturer....

Try this personality test:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/
mind/surveys/whatamilike/index.shtml

Here are my results:

Your answers suggest you are a Nurturer
The four aspects that make up this personality type are: planner, facts, hearts, introvert

Summary of Nurturers

Care for the important people in their lives
Strive for harmony and avoid confrontation
Think of themselves as gentle, conscientious, and mature
May have trouble making decisions that could hurt others

More about Nurturers

Nurturers are quiet people who believe in order and diligently look after the people they care about. They focus on the needs of others and establish routines to help them meet their commitments.

Nurturers are the most likely group to say they prefer a job where the same thing happens every day, according to a UK survey.

Nurturers remember details that are important to them, such as their friends' birthdays and anniversaries. People with this personality type value others' feelings and may challenge behaviour they think is insensitive.

In situations where they can't use their talents or are unappreciated, Nurturers may feel bitter and seek support by complaining to their colleagues. Under extreme stress, Nurturers may become preoccupied with the worst possible outcome and believe that they are heading for disaster.

Because they are so caring and loyal, Nurturers run the risk of being taken advantage of.

Nurturer Careers

Nurturers are often drawn to jobs that allow them to help others.

It's important to remember that no survey can predict personality type with 100 percent accuracy. Experts say that we should use personality type to better understand ourselves and others, but shouldn't feel restricted by our results.

***Yep, that about sums me up! ;)

Food for thought....

Crap. The holiday season really is around the corner. The entire downtown area is adorned with decorations and today I saw huge wreaths being hung on all of the bank buildings. *sigh* I'm really not ready this year.

I just realized that the Christmas tree will have to go up soon. This *could* be a good thing because Maeve is so clingy to me and perhaps this will provide some entertainment for her. OR this *could* be a bad thing because it just might give her more incentive to become mobile. Let's pray that doesn't happen. I'm not ready for that either.

Tonight Kyra prayed for ladies, daddies, fans, lamps, doors, and children. I love that kid. She's strange, but I love her.

I was in the car and listening to the radio and heard that a certain station is a mix of the 80's and 90's. I started pondering what we'd call this decade when it's over with. The "zeros"? LOL! Anybody got better ideas?

I absolutely cannot stand roadkill. When I drive by it, I look away or close my eyes for a second. That really can't be good when you're driving.

I hate the scale.

I cracked up laughing last night when Richard was imitating his late grandfather. It was so funny. (Shhhhh don't tell him, but Richard reminds me more of his grandfather everyday.....his grandfather's name was also Richard!)

Did I mention that I hate the scale?

If one more person comes to the door and rings the doorbell during Maeve's nap, I'm going to open the door and spit fire at them. I'm NOT kidding. I guess I'll have to make my "Don't knock or ring doorbell....baby sleeping" signs again. Not that they know how to read.

I wonder how many trees could be saved by obliterating all of the junk mail. I swear that's all that's in my mailbox these days.

Where is the cooler weather? I'm sick of running the a/c in November and I'm itching to dress the girls in their fall/winter attire!

I'm in "Photograph"

If you read a blog entry below, you'll see that I like Nickelback's "Photograph". And well what do you know? My name is in the song! Here's the verse:

Kim’s the first girl I kissed
I was so nervous that I nearly missed
She’s had a couple of kids since then
I haven’t seen her since God knows when

Now there's even more reason to like that song!

Oh and by the way, I bet that song will be "the song" for the Class of 2006. The rest of the lyrics have "high school" written all over it.

Mixed feelings....

For some strange reason it hit me today that Maeve is 1/2 year old. I started thinking about the amazing development that happens to a baby during their first year of life. It's really mind boggling. To think that they go from this tiny, innocent being to this free-spirited, extremely energetic toddler in a year's time is nothing short of a miracle. They say that you will never "learn" that much so quickly ever again in your lifetime. I believe it. Time flies. Soon she'll be talking and walking and whining like her sister does. ;)

Speaking of sisters, Kyra is freakin hilarious at bedtime. We have a routine where she potties and I help her brush her teeth. I read her a book and then she says her "own" prayer. This prayer has become a long, drawn out one where we pray for everyone and their dog. I love hearing her pray because: #1) I just love hearing her little voice speaking in this cute, yet soft tone and #2) You never know what she's going to pray for. The last few nights, she has prayed for things like doors, space aliens, "stuff", the lights, clothes....I just get such a kick out of hearing her come up with the most random things.

Oh, and if you're reading this blog and also have a 4 year old (you know who you are), please tell me that your kid BEGS for food as much as mine does! I swear that Kyra could eat all day long. It's NOT a growth spurt......this is just how she is. She'd eat me out of the house if she could! I often wonder if she ever gets full! Oh and Alien, I too wonder if I will ever be able to eat in peace again. Some day......

Kenny Chesney has a new CD out today. One of Randy Rogers' songs is on it. I'm not too sure how I feel about that. I'm happy that someone came along and noticed how much of a talent Randy is and how his songwriting is nothing short of amazing. I know that the CD will do well and that Randy will be reaping the benefits. BUT having said all that, I feel a little sad that Nashville has picked up on our "Texas Music scene".....like it was "our little secret" or something. I also hope that Randy gets all of the credit that he deserves if "Somebody Take Me Home" becomes a huge hit. I'd hate to think that people would like to give KC all of the credit for that song. Sure he recorded it, but Randy wrote it and recorded it first!

OK, I MUST go to bed now. Tomorrow is another day......

Body Flow blog....

http://bodybalanceflow.blogspot.com/

A wonderful blog for Les Mills Body Balance/Body Flow enthusiasts like me!

ABC's

A is for age: 28
B is for booze of choice: Frozen margarita
C is for career: Domestic goddess and mommy
D is for your dad's name: Charles
E is for essential items to bring to a party: chips
F is for favorite song at the moment: "Photograph" by Nickelback
G is for favorite game: Skipbo
H is for hometown: Victoria
I is for instruments you play: None :(
J is for jam or jelly you like: Grape
K is for kids: Kyra Marie and Maeve Elizabeth (and we're DONE!)
L is for living arrangements: Me, Richard, Kyra, Maeve, and Mia in a cozy house!
M is for mom's name: Delores
N is for name of your crush: Joaquin Phoenix....that's as of today. LOL!
O is for overnight hospital stays: 3 (miscarriage, Kyra, and Maeve)...that's 3 separate occassions, but many nights because of the c-sections.
P is for phobias: Fire
Q is for quotes you like: "Be kind to your kids.....they'll have to pick your nursing home."
R is for relationship that lasted the longest: This one
S is for sexual preference: Um, I prefer the male species! LOL!
T is for time you wake up: It varies....this morning it was 6:45.
U is for underwear: Yes. Old Navy thongs....I will not wear anything else.
V is for vegetable you love: Carrots
W is for weekend plans: None :)
X is for x-rays you've had: Just dental ones
Y is for yummy food you make: Apple Dump Cake....I laugh when people ask for the recipe....there really isn't one!
Z is for zodiac sign: Pisces

My rejected crayon

You are

What Rejected Crayon Are You?

*sigh*

-There's a house in our neighborhood fully decorated with Christmas lights. *sigh*

-Maeve is congested and I hate seeing my baby so miserable. *sigh*

-I went to a baby shower today and there was a lady there talking about how she just bought her daughter her 1st bra. *sigh* I'm so not ready for those days.

-Um, it's 80 degrees in early November. *sigh* Where is Fall?

-I'm really hooked on "Grey's Anatomy". Sundays are usually pretty busy around here though and Richard doesn't like to watch it. *sigh* I wish it were on on Wednesdays when he's at work.

-I told Kyra that I want to be a Grandma one day. She got really upset and told me that she "doesn't want me to be a Grandma because then I won't be her Mommy." *sigh* She really doesn't quite understand that concept yet. I'll always be her Mommy. :)

Whoppers.....

I just saw these on the Food Network on a show devoted to candy. YUM! I could eat these things all day, everyday! LOL!

Let the countdown begin.....

I went to the grocery store today and noticed that the "seasonal" aisle is now in transition. The candy corn is now being replaced with candy canes. Wrapping paper is starting to take on a look that reflects that all important day in December. The card aisle contains colors of red and green. Yep, it's coming folks.

There are a few important things that I must do this year. #1 is to make/find Maeve a stocking. Since our local mall is now full of the fancy, schmancy stores, I doubt that there will be a Christmas store this year. That sucks. I'm almost 99.9% sure that I'll have to make one on my own. Heck, I'll head on over to Hobby Lobby and find a stocking, some glitter, and some glue and get Kyra in on the "arts and crafts" project. She'll love that. #2 is that I must get Maeve a "1st Christmas" ornament. I got one for Kyra and it has her little picture in it. So it's only right to have one of her sister adorning the tree this year.

Ahhhh...the Christmas tree. That should be fun this year. See at Christmas, I'll have an 8 month old. I have a feeling that mobility with strike with Maeve right around the same time. Lovely. I guess since I've survived Christmases with Mia and Kyra, I'll survive this one too with Maeve. Hopefully all will go smoothly without a trip to the ER.

I have VOWED to myself that I would do ALL of my Christmas shopping online this year. So, I'm starting this week. I got on the Old Navy site tonight, but it kept wigging out on me. Turns out that they are doing some site maintenance right now. Geez. Of all freakin nights! I want to shop NOW! I want the bargains NOW!

I can't wait to take the girls to see Santa. Kyra will be thrilled. I just can't wait to see what Maeve does. She really doesn't have that "stranger anxiety" yet. I bet it'll hit soon though....just in time for pics with Santa. I can see it now. I'll have one kid that's giddy beyond words and one that's screaming her head off! LOL!

Is your town haunted?

See if anywhere you've been made this list:

http://www.theshadowlands.net/places/texas.htm

Weekend highlights....

-Went to Megan and Mike's Couples' Shower on Saturday. Had a good time with family and friends and ate some delicious stew prepared (I think) by my BIL Nathan. Good job buddy!

-Stayed at Lisa and Nathan's house on Saturday night while they stayed down the street at Joe and Glenda's (because they knew they were going to get in late). We got back to their house from the shower and poor Calli (their Yorkie) was still sick, so Richard spent a chunk of the evening and night cleaning up poop (sorry TMI) and bathing the poor dog.

-Noticed on Saturday evening that toofie #2 had popped through. Poor kid. 2 toofies in 2 days=miserable baby.

-Despite the toofies, Maeve slept through the night on Saturday night (probably because she was exhausted) and I was pretty eager (read: in pain!) to feed her on Sunday morning. Too bad Maeve's little internal clock wasn't in sync with the new time because she awoke at 5:30 am. Soon after that, Kyra woke up. *yawn*

-I did manage to sneak in a long nap yesterday afternoon. Lisa and Nathan have quite a comfortable bed because that's not the first time that I've napped really well in that bed.

-Lisa helped me make a Christmas gift. Yep, that's one down and about 15 to go. *sigh*

-I watched parts of Grey's Anatomy with Lisa and Nathan last night (we stayed there on Sunday night too and came back this morning). It was apparently too much for Richard because he left the room and went to bed. LOL!

-Took another LONG nap this afternoon before the thunderstorm hit. Can I just say how great that was? Ahhhhhh......

-Richard took Kyra to the library this afternoon AND took her trick or treating this evening. He's such a good daddy.

I knew it!

***You Are a Bloody Mary***

You're a fairly serious drinker, who's experimented a lot with different drinks.You're a drunk, but a stable drunk. You don't ever let your drinking get out of control.

What Mixed Drink Are You?http://www.blogthings.com/whatmixeddrinkareyouquiz/

Come on down!

I went to the gym yesterday and walked/ran on the treadmill. I actually walked for about 25 minutes and ran for about 15 minutes (the running part I'm very proud of....haven't ran since right after I found out I was pregnant with Maeve). Anyway, Price Is Right was on, so I thought I'd watch it. I haven't watched that show in years. Not much has changed though. Bob Barker is still the host and I assume that he'll host the show till he meet his Maker. I do worry a bit about his ticker when these people tug and pull on him and jump around like they've won the lottery. But I'm betting he's pretty used to that by now.

One thing I did notice was that ALL of the people that were initially in contestant's row ALL had homemade Bob Barker/Price Is Right t-shirts on. I guess that ups their chances of making it to the stage. They have to do some sort of screening process though. I highly doubt that they just "randomly" pick people. I'm sure that they pick the people that fit the bill for good TV.

Oh and I'm wondering if they play "Plinko" on every show or just one time a week. The crowd went nuts like the biggest rock star stepped out on stage. I did feel sorry for the lady that played the game though. She won 5 Plinko chips and every one of them landed in the "O" slot except the last one. She ended up with $500. So much for $50,000 Plinko.

One game that I'd love to go on is Wheel of Fortune. I've gotten a lot of the bonus round puzzles when the people haven't. I find myself YELLING at the TV and ticked off when they don't guess it within those 10 seconds. Ugh. Plus you have the opportunity to win a heck of a lot more money on there than you do on the Price Is Right.

The funniest game show out there was Press Your Luck. Remember the whammies? LOL!

Yum!

We have a toofie!

I put a finger in Maeve's mouth this afternoon and noticed something above the gumline. Yep, she cut a tooth! WOW! She doesn't seem all that bothered by it, but she won't nap today. *sigh*

My baby is 6 months old tomorrow. *sniff, sniff*

Kyra had her Noah's Ark Halloween carnival at school today. She came home with the motherload of goodies. I can't believe how much stuff she got! She had fun and said they got to play a lot of games (which is right up her alley).

Overall it's been a good day (so far). We'll just see how tonight goes. ;)

The good life....

Life has been kind of hectic and a little rough lately. So, I thought instead of being negative, I'd post a few positive things that I'm thankful for.

1.) Fall is here! I just love that cool, crisp smell that's in the air right now. The weather was gorgeous today!

2.) Kids are healthy. Granted Maeve is up several times a night, but she's fine. She's thriving. She's laughing at me in the middle of the night. *yawn* But she's fine. Kyra never ceases to amaze me. I swear that kid is wise beyond her years. Some of the things that come out of her mouth just floor me.

3.) I've had more time for working out and that alone has improved my mood.

4.) We are going out of town this weekend! I need to get away and see some family!

5.) I made some $$$ at the consignment shop today, so I turned around and bought some clothing for the kiddos and only owed $4! YIPPEEEE!

6.) I calmly asked Richard if he would be so kind as to pick me up my favorite beverage on his way home from work this week. It's a peppermint hot chocolate from none other than Starbucks! He said, "Sure!" YUMMMMM!

7.) House is quiet. Ahhhhh.....

8.) My sister is finally going to show me how she makes those cute blankets by taking two pieces of fleece fabric and tying them together. That's going to be a weekend project and I can't wait!

9.) The Bill Miller's down the road is almost complete. I'm gonna get me some BBQ!

10.) The Astros are in the World Series. Now they just gotta win some games!

The Material Girl

I watched the last half of a documentary on Madonna on Friday night on MTV. It was called, "I've Got A Secret" and it showcased her recent concert tour. Honestly, nothing "wowed" me about her at all. Is anybody else under the impression that Madonna is trying to revive her youth? She was up there singing her hits like, "Holiday" and "Like A Prayer". I honestly thought that she did an interview where she said that she didn't like all of those songs. I guess they were before her "reinventing" stage. I think her age is starting to show too. Maybe that's why the entire show was in black and white (or maybe it was shown that way because it was a documentary....who knows).

Another thing that bothered me was that they showed her kids a lot. They showed Lourdes teaching her mom phrases in French. Yeah, we get that you pay top dollar for this kid to know 5 different languages. Madonna also was laying on the bed with Rocco and she asked him, "Who's the queen, Rocco?" He said, "You are mommy!" Gag.

And what is name anyway? Is it Madonna? Esther? Madge? I swear she's always in an identity crisis. Or maybe it's the media that loves to give her different names for their notoriety. Who knows.

I just think that her 15 minutes were up a long time ago.

The need for speed....

Kyra and I went to the grocery store this evening. We walked in and I saw that there was virtually NOBODY in the checkout lanes. GREAT! We got 3, yes, 3 items. We get back to the checkout lanes and there's people everywhere! Isn't that strange? I swear it was a matter of about 1o minutes and all lanes were full!

One of the lanes had a sign by the number that said, "Fastest Checker In An Hour". I'm not kidding. As one would guess, yep, there were a TON of people in that guy's line.

First of all, how do you determine that one is the "fastest checker"? Is there someone standing there taking note? Do the computers tell them how many customers they check out in an hour?

Second, I would NEVER want to be known as "the fastest checker". What pressure! Dude has this long line and you know that people are standing there thinking, "This guy is slower than molasses!" I'm just wondering how long he got to keep that title. LOL!

Ahhhh....the joys of going to the grocery store on a Saturday night. There's nothing like it. ;)

The idiots at the video store....

This is funny! Soooooo outdated!

Newborn nostalgia....

I was watching some of the baby shows today on TLC and realized that I have never witnessed a vaginal birth. Both of my babies were c-sections. Something in me wants to witness that experience one day....not on my own, but through someone else. I'm happy and content with the way that my babies came into the world because I feel that it was God's will for it to happen the way that it did. But I often wonder about the apprehension and excitement that would come with giving birth vaginally. I hope that I'm lucky enough to get that phone call one day to come up to the hospital and be there for the big event. It might be my sister or it might be someone else. Whatever the case, I'll be ready. And I hope that I don't pass out! LOL!

Cops....

Today I had to get into the correct lane to turn and notice that I had to cut in front of a cop. Not that it's a big deal, but it makes me feel uneasy.....like I cheated on a test or something. I did all of the right things like putting my blinker on and checking my blindspot. :)

So then the cop ends up in the lane next to me and a few blocks down the street, he's in front of me. Fine. What does he do when he nears the light to make a right hand turn? NOTHING. He just slams on the brakes and turns. That is a TOTAL pet peeve of mine. Why can't they turn on their blinker? Ugh. It ticks me off when they expect us to enforce all of the rules, but don't do so themselves. I hope for Anna's sake that it wasn't Jeff in front of me! LOL!

Also, where do cops get gas? Have you ever seen a cop car at a gas station? I haven't. Do they have their own secret pump somewhere? Do they fill up all of the cop cars in the middle of the night? What gives? If someone knows, please tell me!

On the verge....

So I stayed up to watch the Astros last night. Maeve was awake again, so I thought I'd just stay awake to see them win. Um, not gonna happen. What the hell did happen? They were 1 OUT AWAY! 1 OUT! Richard was in here and I was just speechless. I swear that my heart stopped.

I seriously think that some of these sporting events must send some folks over the edge. During that game last night, I think one could experience every emotion there is to experience. Good grief.

So Jen, how are ya doing? ;)

100 things....

1.) Maeve slept through the night last night for the first time in months.
2.) I felt rested this morning.
3.) Kyra and I spent some time together this morning.
4.) We went to the gym and to the library.
5.) She loved it.
6.) I’m currently watching the Food Network.
7.) I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite channel.
8.) I hate to cook, but I like watching others cook.
9.) My favorite personality on there is Paula Dean.
10.) Richard likes Rachael Ray.
11.) I find her annoying.
12.) So does my sister, Lisa.
13.) Oprah is giving Rachael Ray her own show.
14.) I guess she’ll be the next Dr. Phil.
15.) I also find myself watching The Weather Channel a lot.
16.) I heart Jim Cantore.
17.) What is it with me and meteorologists?
18.) Now I’m watching the Astros.
19.) I wish my Granny were here.
20.) She was the biggest Astros fan ever.
21.) I miss her.
22.) Kyra mentions her a lot.
23.) My mom had birthday last Wednesday.
24.) Kyra brought her up out of the blue that exact day.
25.) Her angels must be talking to her.
26.) I’m sick of this hot weather.
27.) October is pretty much my favorite month of the year provided that the cooler weather arrives.
28.) Kyra is going to be a Care Bear for Halloween.
29.) The costume is too small.
30.) But she insisted on getting it anyway.
31.) Maeve is going to be a piggy.
32.) It suits her perfectly.
33.) Have you seen my “chunk” lately?
34.) She still can’t sit up by herself.
35.) But she can roll both ways.
36.) Kyra was pulling herself up to stand at 6 ½ months.
37.) Frankly, that scares me.
38.) I think Maeve is going to do that later on.
39.) She hasn’t cut a tooth yet either.
40.) Kyra cut one at 4 months.
41.) I’m proud to say that I’ve never had a cavity.
42.) My dentist says that I have “virgin teeth.”
43.) I think that’s kind of funny.
44.) By the way, Jen, I love flip flops. ;)
45.) My black Old Navy ones are my favorite.
46.) I wear them everywhere.
47.) Richard and I both can’t stand for closets or cabinets to be left open.
48.) It freaks us out.
49.) I also turn my pillow over several times per night.
50.) I like it when it’s cool on the other side.
51.) Kyra only gets her blankie at naptime or bedtime.
52.) She’s adjusted quite nicely to that.
53.) Her new best friend at school is named Becca.
54.) The other day when they came in from chapel time, they were holding hands.
55.) How cute is that?
56.) I can’t believe my baby will be in Kindergarten next year.
57.) I’m having panic attacks just thinking about it.
58.) Where did the time go?
59.) We are going to get another female Chihuahua one day.
60.) We are going to name her “Ellie”.
61.) We haven’t decided on a color though.
62.) I’d like a chocolate or a black one.
63.) When we got Mia, we were planning on getting a male.
64.) Richard went to pick her up and she was the only pup left in the box.
65.) He said that he couldn’t leave her there.
66.) We should have gotten a dog a lot SOONER than we did.
67.) Mia is now 6 years old.
68.) We got her just before Y2K.
69.) Mia and Calli (Lisa and Nate’s Yorkie) have a love/hate relationship.
70.) Mia and Raider (Lisa and Nate’s Chocolate Lab) have a hate/hate relationship.
71.) Right now all I teach is Body Flow.
72.) I want to get certified to teach Body Step one day.
73.) I don’t know if I can handle more than 2 programs though.
74.) The gym starts to really “die down” during this time of year.
75.) But come January, we’ll be packed again.
76.) Then by February and March, those New Years’ Resolution people mysteriously disappear.
77.) I’m getting pretty bored with The Real World-Austin.
78.) They HAVE NOT showed the gym at all.
79.) However, the Dizzy Rooster is getting lots of airtime.
80.) So are a lot of the other bars on 6th Street.
81.) I have to say that the girls are a lot prettier on TV than they are in person.
82.) Thanks to fabulous editing, I’m sure.
83.) Kyra just told me that “I’m the best mommy ever.”
84.) She tells me this like 10 times a day.
85.) I swear I’m not bribing her and that she says that on her own free will.
86.) I don’t think I’ve ever heard her tell Richard that “he’s the best daddy ever.”
87.) How sad.
88.) Maeve laughs when I “fake” a sneeze.
89.) I’ve had so many people comment on her beautiful blue eyes.
90.) I swear that she’s the mailman’s kid. J
91.) Richard’s mom swears that some Great, Great Uncle had those eyes.
92.) Hmmmmmm……not sure I believe that.
93.) We are done having babies.
94.) I’m fine with that.
95.) I have decided that I really like not being so sleep deprived.
96.) Richard is my hero.
97.) A month ago, he got the “snip snip”.
98.) He said that he doesn’t know what the big deal is about it.
99.) Recovery was a breeze.
100.) I’m at 100!

Awaiting Fall....

I'm so anxious for this "cool" front to come through tomorrow. This summer has been brutal. I am thanking my lucky stars that I was not pregnant during this heatwave. I loved having late April and mid June babies.

That chill in the air gets everyone excited. I went through one of Maeve's drawers today and actually found some stuff that Kyra wore that I had saved. That'll come in handy. The "pumpkin patch" downtown will be more enjoyable to visit as well. I plan on taking the kids there soon. I don't want to wait till most of them are gone. I'll let Kyra pick one. I've never carved a pumpkin before, so it should be interesting.

The kids are wonderful. Kyra is loving school. They have so many fun activities planned there. Last Thursday, they had a bunch of moonwalks set up and the kids jumped in those and played some "carnival-like" games. Next week, they are having a petting zoo come to the school. The local fire department will visit as well with their trucks.

Maeve is so incredibly fun these days. She can roll from tummy to back and back to tummy with no problem at all. She even "army crawls". I tried to see if she could sit up by herself today, but she's a little "top heavy" yet. hehe! I haven't started her on solids yet, but I will when she hits that 6 month mark. Her ped. and I were in no hurry to start sooner. I think she'll do just fine. She loves her breastmilk, so we'll slowly add fruit and veggies to that.

Mia is my last "kid" to update on. She's really taking a liking to the baby. She smells her and licks her if she gets a chance. Maeve is just in awe of the dog. It's hilarious. She gets this look on her face like, "What in the world is that thing?" Mia and Kyra are best buddies. They "play" and Mia snuggles up to Kyra in the bed at night. They are like siblings. I'll be interested to see how this all plays out once we add another dog to the mix. Hopefully, my husband will want to wait till Maeve is a little older. He's talking about getting one early next year and that's waaaaaay too soon for me! I'll have a newly mobile little girl to chase after!

Kyra said to Maeve the other day, "Maeve, I love you more than the bunnies." Yeah, what bunnies? ;)

Someday I will....

-get a full night's sleep again.
-get to go to the bathroom ALONE.
-wear my "diet" clothes again.
-get to take a kidless vacation.
-cook a full meal without being interrupted.
-take a shower without Kyra coming into the bathroom. I swear that kid has a radar for me.
-wear a bikini and feel good about it.
-sit outside at a live music venue while sipping a margarita.
-sit through an entire Mass without a kid asking, "What's that?" or "Is it time to go yet?" Ugh.
-do a triathlon.
-do all of my Christmas shopping online (I actually hope that it'll happen this year).
-have an actual "date" with my husband without there being a child or a pump involved.
-get my boobs back.
-bask in the warm sunshine on a tropical island.
-not have to shave my legs.
-get a much needed deep tissue massage.
-learn my Body Flow on time.

One can dream right?

Boarding up....

Just because I think this is funny....

Dodging a bullet.....

Well we were pretty much spared by yet another hurricane. The scary thing is that they keep hitting more and more westward, so maybe next time we won't be so lucky. I pray that this season ends soon. It's been way too busy and catastrophic.

On that note, I'm sick to death of the people on some of the Houston TV station message boards criticizing officials for making them leave and then criticizing the forecasters for not making the right predictions. Um, with EVERY hurricane, we know that these things have a mind of their own and they'll go in where they want to go in. These people should just be thankful that they have their life to savor and a home to go back to. I think we all learned a lesson from Katrina in that you MUST be prepared and ready to go because you never know when the "big one" will hit and you never know what kind of damage it'll do. As much trouble as it was for everyone to get out of there, I'm glad they did. I hope that they are glad that they left too. Better safe than sorry.

I'm speechless when it comes to poor New Orleans. I really don't know what to say. The levees didn't hold and the city is under water again. It's so disheartening. It makes me wonder if this is God's way of telling them not to rebuild. But if you don't rebuild, then what are you gonna do? Let the city be part of the Gulf? Plus who's going to want to go back to live there? That's a tough situation. I pray that God watches over everyone working down there and that God watches over the people who are starting new lives elsewhere.

Richard's family came to stay here for a few days when we thought that Rita was going to hit closer to Victoria. My dad went to stay with my sister. Lisa and my uncle went down to Victoria and collected all of the photo albums. When they called me that day to say that they had done that, that's when it hit me. One of these things could wipe out my entire hometown. Scary. Very scary.

And to my Aunt Rita....I still love you. :)

Kyra, the babysitter.....

It's no secret that Kyra is a very independent little girl. She thinks that she can do everything....everything from dressing herself to getting something to eat by herself. Can you already see where I'm going with this? ;)

This morning I left to teach at the downtown gym. Richard was resting in our bed and Maeve was napping. Kyra was probably either playing on the computer or watching tv. We've never had to worry about her wrecking the house if we are asleep. We trust her a lot and she's just not the type of kid to make a huge mess.

The monitor stays in our room, but either it was off or Kyra turned it off. In any case, Richard didn't hear Maeve and she woke up. He didn't hear her, but guess who did? That's right. Her sister did. So imagine Richard's surprise when he gets out of bed and see Maeve sitting in her Bumbo seat in the living room! He said that he almost had a heart attack. Kyra said, "See, I can be Maeve's babysitter!" She had gotten her out of her crib and carried her into the living room. I've played that scene over and over in my mind and the thought puts me on the verge of a panic attack. I absolutely cannot believe that Kyra picked Maeve up! Maeve is probably about 17 lbs. now. I'm grateful that she got to her to the Bumbo safely, but what if she would have dropped her?

Richard and I sat Kyra down and told her that although she's a HUGE help with Maeve around the house, she SHOULD NOT ever pick her up. I told her that she can "babysit" without picking her up. Bless her heart though....she was just trying to help and be the wonderful big sister that she is.

I swear there's never a dull moment around here.

Sisterly love....

The girls were so cute tonight. I was giving Maeve a bath in her tub in the sink and Kyra was sitting at on one of the barstools and was singing. Maeve started giggling at her. Then Kyra would laugh. Maeve would laugh too! Finally, Kyra decided to start telling Maeve her "knock knock" jokes. She went on and on...making up the dumbest jokes I'd ever heard. Funny thing is by this time, Maeve was kicking and flailing her arms and laughing hysterically. I told Richard that Maeve must be the only one that thinks Kyra's jokes are funny! :0

It was the first time they've really interacted with each other. Sure Kyra walks around the room and Maeve follows her with her eyes. But this time was different. It was as if they were both on the same page.

I love my girlies!

Girl talk.....

The girls are doing ok this week. Kyra's allergies started bothering her over the weekend. They've gotten better but now Maeve sounds horrible. Ugh. Richard also has them and has almost completely lost his voice. I think there's good ol Mold in the air right now. Lovely. Looks like the girls are following in my footsteps with being highly allergic to that stuff. :(

Maeve has been rolling over constantly. She's all over her crib now. I never know how I'm going to find her when I go in there in the mornings. Last night I also discovered that she's VERY ticklish. I love those sweet belly laughs. She also loves for me to talk to her and she loves to babble back. I love this age where they aren't infants, but they aren't mobile yet either. I wish she could stay like this forever. :)

Kyra continues to crack me up. She came in my bed in the middle of the night because she was having "bad dreams". I asked her what her bad dreams were about and she said that "daddy and Spongebob's teacher were trying to take away my blankie." LOL! Guess she's been watching too much TV. Her imagination is running wild these days. Yesterday, she told me that she has affectionately named her blow-up toy from Sonic. His name is "Bob". Um, ok. She drew a treasure map the other day and was going around the house looking for things that were on that map. Amazing, I tell ya.

We did have a horrible drop-off at school this morning. Some other kid was crying so Kyra decided that she would too. By the time I walked out the door, she was screaming, "Mommy don't leave me!" My heart was breaking. I made a mad dash to the car with Maeve and we got the heck outta there. Poor kiddo. We still have days like that. Tuesday she was fine, but today was another story. I guess it just comes with growing up. I KNOW that Maeve will do it too.

A heavy heart.....

I hate to write about depressing things, but writing is therapy, right? That's just what I need right now.

I'm so saddened by the devastation left by Katrina. I feel a lot like I did after 9/11. I often turn on one of the news channels and just sit there....staring at the images with an enormous sick feeling. I want to turn off the TV, but I just can't. I feel so helpless. I can't imagine how those trapped must feel. I can't imagine how families that are waiting to hear word from their loved ones must feel. I can't imagine how those that fled and are seeing the horrific aftermath on TV of their own city must feel.

I sit here in silence. My kiddos are asleep. They have been bathed, fed, tucked in, hugged, and kissed. My husband is at work, but at least he has a job. We have a house and two working vehicles. We might not have the best of things, but we have luxuries that others do not have and might not have for a long time.

When I think about it being hot outside, I think about those that don't have a/c or electricity. When I packed Kyra's lunch for school tonight, I thought about those that have nothing to eat or drink. When I think to myself that I need to go to bed soon because Maeve might be up during the night, I think of those that haven't slept at all since this nightmare began.

All of my "problems" seem so small now. I pray to God that somehow, in some way, these people can piece their lives back together. My heart goes out to all of the people affected and my thanks goes to those helping them to safety.

You never know when the end is near so you should always let your loved ones know how you feel. So chances are if you are reading this, you know how much I love and care for you.

Green with envy.....

My friend Lynette emailed me this morning. Little background on her. I used to teach aerobics with her in my hometown when I first started teaching. She and I have remained friends through the years. She's been to hell and back (long story). Anyway, she got through it and now is enjoying life to the fullest. I'm so darn proud of her. She really is an inspiration to me.

Earlier this year she was in the Czech Republic and visited various countries around there. She emailed me this morning and said that she's in Tossa Del Mar, Spain! WOW! She said that she's getting a tan and is staying at a place overlooking the Meditteranean Sea. I'm so jealous. Hopefully I'll be able to see the world like she has one day. You go girl!

I emailed her back, but like I told her, my life seems boring compared to hers! LOL!

More HEB tales....

I run into the store today to get Maeve some teething tablets. I was making my way next door to the nail place and thought I'd grab a magazine to read while I was getting a pedicure. I walk to the area where all of them are and notice that they have moved the stand where they have all of the loose candy that you just bag and weigh. They used to have them in the produce section (makes sense since that's where the scales are). But, now they are by the magazines (and that makes sense too because I'm sure many parents stop there and have kids with them that will want the candy). In any case, there was this kid that was taking pieces of candy and eating and eating and eating.....all while standing there and looking around. It was so obvious that he was "stealing" candy. I chuckled to myself and walked off. I don't know why I find happenings at the grocery store so interesting. Richard said that I just like to "people watch". Yeah, either that or it's the fact that I don't have kids with me and notice more things going on. I don't know. Our HEB is packed 24/7, so there's always someone to take note of.

Today Kyra hid a mini spider in a James Avery box and called it her "pet". I think the thing was dead in there from the get go. Anyway, she must have closed the box and smushed it. She was upset and said, "Look, I told you that I dead (killed) it." The way she says things sometimes cracks me up. When it's bright outside, she doesn't say, "It's bright outside." Instead she says, "It sure is glarey outside." LMAO! I love that kid.

Yawn.....

Maeve decided that 4am would be a fine time to wake up this morning. When that happens, I usually just take it in stride and sit there and nurse her while I scroll through the DVR...trying to find something that will keep me awake. I forgot that I taped "Tommy Lee Goes To College" earlier in the week. I had missed a few episodes and wanted to get caught up. Let me first say that I don't particularly care for Tommy Lee. But this show is interesting to me. It's funny to see him "trying" to fit in on all aspects of college life. Of course they throw in the "hot tutor" for him to drool over too. He got a chance to march with the band at a football game and next week, he'll try to join a fraternity. While he never enrolled as a student at Nebraska, it still makes for some good TV. Well, maybe it's not "the best" reality show, but it's better than some other ones that are out there.

*yawn* I'm ready to go back to sleep now.

Roly poly....

Maeve rolled over last night. Richard and Kyra were at Cabela's and I just sensed that she would do it. I grabbed the camcorder and started shooting. I got it! Or so I thought. Richard came home and I just had to rewind it and show him. Nothing. Crap! Either the battery went dead or the tape ran out. I'm not sure. I was bummed last night so I didn't bother to check. LOL!

She did it so nonchalantly too. As if to say, "Well woman, if you'd just put me down sometimes I could show you a lot more tricks that I've got up my sleeve."

She did it again this morning. ;) My big girl. *sigh*

I have a bone to pick....

Damn that Nick Jr. and Noggin! Whenever a new episode of a show is airing, they announce it like 2 weeks in advance. Hence Kyra gets all excited and becomes obsessed with watching it NOW. When she finds out that it's not on as soon as she'd like it to be, she cries. Ugh. Disney is a little better about it. They'll announce it a day or two in advance. That's better for me too because then I can remember to set the DVR to record it.

Speaking of DVRs, Richard needs to put his 10 hours of "Into The West" on videotapes. They are taking up precious room! LOL! Actually, we need to call Time Warner because Richard swears that you can now get a box that will allow you more recording space. 40 hours just isn't enough for us! ;)

I hope that there are some good shows on this fall. I think that they took my favorite one, "Committed" off of NBC. Sucks.

My nearly 4 month old!

This is how I find Maeve in her crib when she wakes up. She's propped up on her elbows and looking around and "talking". She's quite the little chatterbox these days. She loves to hear her own voice. She hasn't rolled over yet, but she's getting there. Heck, I don't care. I love this age where she's NOT mobile yet. Last night, she laughed at me for about 5 minutes straight. I kept telling her that she was funny and she kept laughing. My heart was melting.

I haven't updated in a while. The first time I blogged this week, my computer decided to shut itself down. Grrrr! The second time I blogged, Kyra in her computer savy fashion, decided to just close the window. Guess her games are more important! LOL!

Celebrity musings....

-I heard that Christina Aguilera is dissing Britney Spears by saying that she's "let herself go" and won't have a career anymore after she has her baby. That might be true, but don't you think Miss Christina is trying to buy herself a little publicity with her comment as well? Ugh. What year are we in? Because this sounds sooooo 1999!

-Speaking of Mama Britney.....couldn't she dress herself up a little more these days? I don't think that she's completely "let herself go" but she's going to freak in a few years when she sees pics of herself with that bump. Those boots and short dresses are all she's photographed in! Surely she has enough money to buy some nice things. Oh wait. I heard that she was putting a rush on a new record because she's running out of money. So maybe she is shopping at garage sales. Who knows.

-Corey Clark of "American Idol" was being interviewed on a local radio station the other morning. Yep, he's using Paula Abdul's name to get his own out there. He wouldn't stop talking about her on the radio. It was kind of creepy.

-Kyra really likes Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl". She starts dancing like crazy every time it comes on the radio.

-Richard really likes Mariah Carey. LOL!

-I don't know who my choice of celebrity is. Any ideas?

He did it!

Richard called me from work tonight. I was in the shower, so he left a message. I play it and he's yelling, "174! 174!" Then he hangs up. OK, what the heck does that mean? I went along my merry nightly routine with the girls and then called him back at work. Turns out that he weighed himself and he weighs 174! LOL!

If you've known Richard all his life, then you know that he's always been a string bean. He's 6 foot tall and was around 150-155 forever. Looks like Mr. Metabolism has finally caught up with him! YAY! Honestly, he's gone into "I need to work out because I feel so fat mode". I don't know why. He's a man.

I can't wait to diet again. I've lost all of my pregnancy weight, but I have another 10 or so pounds to go to get where I was when I was at my smallest on the diet. And dieting while breastfeeding is pretty much a joke. I don't have time to take a shower much less watch every little thing that I put into my mouth. I'm trying to eat healthy, but salads are getting old.

But I'll get there one day.

Kyra's brain....

Last night Richard and I were rolling because Kyra was jumping around singing and dancing to a song that she had made up. Just to make sure, I always ask her where she heard something or "got that from" as I say. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: "Kyra, that's a cool song. Where did you hear that? On TV? At school?"

Kyra: "No mommy. I just used my brain to make it up."

DUH!

I swear we should have had it on video. It was hilarious how she said it.

How much is too much?

We had an interesting poll on my message board yesterday. It was titled "How many kids do you think is A LOT of kids for one family?" I had to sit down and think about this. I have two kids and am done having kids. Three kids doesn't seem unusual at all to me and neither does four for some reason. So, my vote was for five. I don't have anything against people having tons of kids....each to his own. But, if I saw a woman in Walmart with five or more kids in tow, I'd probably be like, "Wow, that's a lot of kids."

I wonder what the average number of kids per family is in the US. I bet it's three or more. While the cost of raising kids gets more and more expensive, I don't think that's keeping families from having them.

My mom and dad are both one of three kids. All of my grandparents had two or more siblings. Big families were very common back then. They needed help around the house and on the farm.

We've been in this house for a little over two years and I'm already convinced that we've outgrown it! LOL! But as Richard says, "We ain't moving for a while!"

Houston, we have a problem....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8720825/

This is very scary. To think that almost the same exact thing happened to Discovery as did Columbia in 2003....only not in the same spot and not as bad. I wonder how those astronauts feel right now. To think that something could go wrong on its way back to Earth is very unnerving. WOW.

I have nothing against NASA, but they really need to reconsider how many things could go wrong on these shuttles that are so flippin old in the first place. A 20 year old car IS NOT going to be in the greatest of shape either, is it? Things get old. Things break.

Makes me angry though how NASA is so gung ho on sending shuttles into space to gain the public's respect without thinking about the lives of the astronauts and how their deaths could impact their families and future potential astronauts. When I was a kid, I heard "I want to be an astronaut when I grow up." all the time. Back then parents thought, "Sure. Great." If Kyra said that now, I'd be pretty darn skeptical. The future of NASA is uncertain. And I think with these turn of events, even NASA knows that now.

Manic Monday.....

Took Kyra to the dentist yesterday. That was at 8:30. By that point, I was pretty exhausted. Maeve had quit sleeping through the night a few nights ago. Ugh. Kyra did GREAT at the dentist. See back in January, she wouldn't let them touch her teeth. Yesterday, she let them clean and flouride them. I was very proud of her. I'm happy to report that she doesn't have any cavities!

After leaving there, we made about 4 stops at various stores. We got home around noon and we all took naps in the afternoon. Good thing because evening came and things got worse around here.

With the sleeping issues with Maeve came a lot of fussiness. She just hasn't been my mellow kid lately. I can't put her down without her crying for me. And, she was pulling off while eating, so I thought I'd put a call in to the lactation consultant. She called me back after I cried most of the day. She thought that Maeve's issues weren't breastfeeding ones at all (I thought they were). She suggested that we take her into the doctor. I look at the clock. It's now 5:30. Crap. So, I put in a call to the After Hours clinic up in North Austin (God Bless that place). We get an appt. for 6:45. We get there and the nurse practitioner looks at Maeve's ears and sure enough, her right ear is red. Yep, ear infection. Lovely. Kyra has NEVER had an ear infection so this is all new to me. We left with a script for Amoxillin and head to Walgreens to get it filled (our HEB pharmacy would have been closed by then). While we waited, we grabbed some pizza and headed to Tom and Mona's (our old neighbors) for a visit. We got home around 9:30.

What a day! Maeve is on antibiotics and I've been giving her Tylenol to keep her comfortable. Here's hoping that she's better in a few days. I REALLY want to go to Victoria this weekend!

Blogging about bloggers....

The KXAN Weather Team has blogs that you can read on their website. Nothing like blogging about the weather! LOL! I love how they get all fired up over these tropical systems. It's quite funny. I bet they're ready to blog about "the big one" when it comes in. Go here to read what they've written so far.....

http://www.kxan.com/Global/link.asp?L=159135

I'm a little tired today, so I think I'll catch a nap this afternoon. Maeve decided to wake up around 3:30 and stay up till about 5:00. However, she did go back to sleep till almost 10 this morning! I'm finding that uninterrupted sleep is golden, so I'm very thankful when she does sleep through the night.

Kyra has a dentist appointment in the morning. I'm taking her and Richard is staying here with Maeve. The last time Kyra went to the dentist was in January and she wouldn't let them touch her teeth. So, we'll see if anything's changed within the last 6 months.

I'm also teaching Flow this week. I went to a practice yesterday and soon found out that I've missed it dearly. I haven't taught since the end of February.

We are heading to Victoria next weekend for Kasey and Nick's wedding! Should be fun!

Back into the swing of things....

Well Maeve is almost 3 months old and after having the entire summer off, I'm going back to work in August. I start teaching again next week and then I'll go back to work at Dodd Studio on August 2nd. It'll be nice to get back into a routine, but gosh am I dreading leaving my baby! Here's what's going to happen.

I'll work all day on Mondays and Tuesdays and Richard will be home with the girls (it's his days off). On Wednesday, I'll teach my class downtown. I'll be off on Thursdays and then I'll work on Fridays and take the girls to Mona's (our old neighbor) and she'll keep them. So, the week will be broken up a little.

Still, Maeve is so used to mommy that I'll worry. She and I have FINALLY stepped into a wonderful nursing relationship. Those first few weeks weren't easy, but I think we're where we should be now. I love it and I know that she does too. She's 12 weeks tomorrow and I always told myself that I'd at least try it for 12 weeks and if didn't improve, then I'd stop. Now there's no way I could stop. We both enjoy it so much.

I know that a lot of people think that nursing is just for nutritional means, but it's really more than that. It's a way for a mother and a child to bond and build a trusting relationship. It's a means of comfort to her. It's also a self-esteem boost for me. Nothing makes me happier than to look at her and realize that she's growing and thriving both physically and emotionally because of me. This time around has been so different. I say that I regret not nursing Kyra, but I really think that formula feeding her was the best decision that I made at that time. I was not emotionally ready to take on a HUGE task like breastfeeding. Breastfeeding isn't for everyone, but I encourage those even thinking about it to try it out. Things are very tough for the first 6-8 weeks, but then they improve dramatically and it's smooth sailing! It's so beneficial for both mother and baby.

So within the next month, I'll be really busy so I apologize if you don't hear from me too often. I promise that I'll try my best to answer emails and keep in touch!

Could it be?

Maeve's eyes are still blue. They are bluer than Kyra's were before hers turned brown. That has me thinking that they might just stay blue! I can't remember when Kyra's turned. I wish that I could though.

NOBODY in my family has blue eyes. Richard's mom and sister have blue eyes and his dad had blue eyes as well. That's the ONLY blue ties that we have. Richard's eyes are a yellow/brown and of course, mine are dark brown. Kyra's are brown, but they aren't as light as Richard's and they aren't as dark as mine.

I've dreamt of having a child with blue eyes, but I never thought it would actually happen.

Richard's mom was up here this past weekend and she swears that Maeve's will stay blue. I went to see my OB on Monday for a check-up and I took some pics of Maeve with me and she swears that they will stay blue too!

Watch them turn brown tomorrow. *sigh*

About me.....

What were you doing 10 years ago?

***Ahhhh good ol 1995....the best summer EVER! I had just graduated from HS. Spent a week with Richard up in Medina at his grandfather's place. Spent the rest of the summer chillin at every picnic in the Schulenburg area....good music, good friends and great fun! Let's just put it this way...if my dad would have known where I was (or wasn't!), he'd have killed me!

5 years ago?

***Summer of 2000.....had a 5 year HS reunion that was a blast! Was getting ready for Shannon and Kyle's wedding too and found out that I was pregnant in September!

1 year ago?

***Getting ready for Lisa and Nathan's wedding. I think it was around this time that we had their couple's shower. Right after....I mean RIGHT AFTER they were married in August, I found out that I was pregnant.

Yesterday?

***Taking care of the kiddos and did Body Flow yesterday afternoon. I also have been cleaning house because Richard's mom and his sister are coming tonight.

5 snacks you enjoy?

***Popcorn, carrots, strawberries, grapes, crackers

5 songs you know all the words to?

***Can't think of anything in particular.....they are probably too embarrassing to list here!

5 things you would do with $100 million?

***Buy Richard an awesome bass boat, put $$$ away for kids' college funds, buy us a new suburban and a new truck, build a brand new house out in the country, RETIRE!

5 locations you would run away to?

***Anywhere in Hawaii, Medina, Gruene, Lake Austin, Susan's house! LOL!

5 things I like doing?

***Being a mommy, being a wife, surfing the web, taking a shower, working out


5 things I will never wear?

***Anything plaid, anything "see-through", Wranglers & boots (bad memories), and right now, a bikini

5 biggest joys at the moment?

***Richard, Kyra, Maeve, my family, my health

5 favorite toys?

***mp3 player, treadmill, laptop, DVR, cell phone

Willie and Walmart.....

Willie Nelson has a new regae CD out (yes, you read that right). I heard a bit of it on the radio and had to laugh. I love Willie, but I have no idea what he was thinking when he did this. That brings me to my next topic of discussion.

The front of Willie's new CD features something that he's notorius for....marajuana leaves. So every store that sells his CD has this cover.....well almost every store. What's the one store that they made a separate cover for? You guessed it. Walmart. Walmart's version features palm trees instead of marajuana leaves. I guess Willie's label made an exception for Walmart since a bulk of CDs must be sold there. I had no idea that Walmart was so "holier than thou". Apparently, they have refused to sell CDs with explicit lyrics in songs before. The first person that I think of when I think of explicit lyrics is Eminem. So I went to Walmart's website and did a search. They do sell his CDs, but they are "edited". I guess Walmart always gets its way.

The other week, CNBC was running a two hour special on Walmart. It was really interesting. The part that made me laugh the most was these people that protest putting a Walmart in their town. Like they're doing any good? Walmart is the most powerful store in the world. They showed how much of an excellent market they have over in China. I had no idea that there were Walmarts in China! There were these Chinese women doing their little Walmart chant. It was cute!

Bottom line: Don't mess with Walmart.

If you can't take the heat....

Good Lord, this heat is BRUTAL! I seriously don't know how we are going to survive this summer. Thank God I'm not pregnant anymore! I'd really be a pain to live with! We had our a/c unit checked out a while back because I swore that it wasn't cooling right. Turns out that it's fine. It just cannot keep up with the afternoon heat. Ugh. We've even resorted to putting a window unit in our bedroom. Richard loves it because he doesn't hear a thing when he's sleeping. That's the coldest room in the house. I could stay there all day long!

My dad complains that he must be getting old and can't take the heat anymore, but I'm 28 and I can't take it either! I love, love, love the winter months. I'll take them any day of the week. Seriously.

It rained the other night......a whopping .30 inches. But, I'll take it. Maeve was in bed and Kyra and I just talked while in the presence of a lonely flashlight. The power was restored within 10 minutes, but we had an interesting conversation about storms.

A never ending battle......

I'm tired. No, not physically tired. Maeve's been sleeping pretty well lately (slept through the night for the first time on Saturday). I'm tired of cleaning my house. I swear that it's a wreck 24/7. I clean it and then it's all messed up again just hours later. I don't know why I bother. Really. And I don't know who makes the bigger mess....Kyra or Richard. Good Lord. Of course, I'M the one that has to clean it up. Why? Because. Because I'm the mom. And because I'm the wife. Tonight, they all trampled to bed at 9:00 and left little 'ol me to do everything. Must be nice. I would have said something, but I was nursing Maeve to sleep and they tucked away without a peep. I'm sure they are in dreamland by now. Ugh.

They are two peas in a pod, those two. I'm just worried that Kyra will pick up Richard's lazy habits. He doesn't set a good example for her and I think that she thinks she can get away with not putting things away. Granted, he tells her to sometimes, but it's not consistent. I'm almost glad tomorrow is Wednesday and Richard goes back to work and I can be the disciplinarian for a few days to get her back on track. I think I'm going to start making a sticker chart/chore chart for her so she has daily duties to fulfill. We've discussed this on my message board and we've come to the conclusion that 4 years old isn't too young to assume a few responsibilities (like feeding the dog, putting food away, cleaning up toys, etc.). That will make it MUCH easier on me. I think Kyra will take to it too.....once she fills up a chart, she gets a reward. Hmmm.....may have to use that on the hubby too. ;)

Sorry I'm in such a crappy mood tonight. OK, rant over. Carry on.

Happy 4th!

Well, this year we decided to skip the long standing tradition of attending the St. John picnic. I figured that it would be no fun with a 2 month old....breastfeeding in the heat. So, my dad came up on Sunday and we spend the day together and he enjoyed his time with the girls. He spent the night and left on Monday morning. The girls miss him....especially Kyra and Mia!

We took it easy the first half of the day. Then Melissa called and wanted us to come to their house so that Kyra and Jake could go swimming at their neighborhood pool. So, we packed up and headed out to their new house (we've actually been there 3 times already! hehe!). Maeve and I stayed at the house while Richard, Kyra, Dean, Melissa, and Jake went swimming. They got back in the early evening and we grilled bratwurst and hot dogs. After we were all done, we headed out to central Austin to find a place to view the fireworks. Our plans were foiled when lo and behold the parking lot that they sat at last year was under construction! After jumping a few curbs, we found a descent spot. We enjoyed it, but I must say that we needed to be closer. The most AWESOME fireworks are at High Hill picnic on Labor Day weekend. Perhaps it's because you can be much closer to them to get the full effect. Kyra LOVED it last year. The noise didn't bother her at all. We told Dean and Melissa that they have to take Jake. Maybe we'll all go this year.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday and made it back home safe and sound!

Out of the mouth of a 4 year old.....

My previous post was one regarding Cabela's. Well, Richard and Kyra ventured over there the other morning to check things out. Richard was tired and needed to go to sleep, so they didn't stay there long. I warned Richard about the obscene amount of taxidermy that's probably in that place. He said that I was right....there must have been a few hundred pieces.

Richard had already gone to bed and Kyra and I were discussing it. Kyra said, "Cabela's is like a zoo except all the animals are dead!" LOL! I'm actually really surprised that she didn't come home freaked out. I'm sure there were birds in that place and Kyra HATES birds. She's got a bird phobia. If she sees one or one flies near her, she screams. I have no idea what set that off. I had a dog phobia when I was a little girl. I hated dogs....especially big ones. Even the ones at my grandparents' house scared the heck out of Lisa and I (shame on my dad for not letting us have a dog). I have to admit that I was a little scared of Miss 1 pound Mia when we got her. But, I got over that real quick. Now I realize what great companions they can be....big or small.

We WILL get another dog. We are thinking of getting one when Maeve is about 2 years old and knows not to hurt a puppy. We want another female chihuahua and I'd like a little black one. I want to name her "Lola", but Kyra says no. :(

A sportman's paradise.....

Yep, today is the day. Cabela's has officially opened its doors to the public. I was up with Maeve this morning at 5:30 and it was all over the news. They showed people lined up outside the store about 2 hours before it opened. One guy had been there for 4 hours!

They have closed the closest southbound exit to Cabela's on southbound 35. Makes no sense to me, but whatever. Instead they'll have to take OUR exit. Great. I can see Richard cussing to and from work! LOL!

My dad is coming up this weekend. We'll have to go check it out. I just hope that all of the roadwork and construction that they did was worth it. I'm going to be ticked if there are traffic pileups all the time. Ugh.

Oh, and they said that they expect 20,000 visitors today. Lovely.

A worn out welcome.....

So I watched The Real World-Austin last night. I mean how could I not? All of the places shown last night are very familiar to me. I just wanted to see what it was all about.

I have to say that this is a group of crazy kids (yes they are kids to me because I'm nearing 30! LOL!). Within the first 20 minutes of the show, two girls were kissing each other on a dare. Lovely. The 2nd half of the show included 2 of the male castmates almost getting arrested and one getting in a brawl bad enough to send him to the ER with a fractured bone near his eye. Yeah, they're really smart.

One thing I've noticed is that the first episode of each season is pretty much run the same way. The cast members arrive and are in awe of their new place. They meet each other and congregate in the hot tub. They immediately are talking about who is going to hook up with who. It's actually kind of "blah" to me. I think that in essence EVERYTHING has been done on this show. There's nothing surprising to me. There's been gays, lesbians, rich, poor, cowboys, sorority girls, frat guys...the list goes on. It's all very redundant to me. The cast last night seemed to be outspoken and "daring" because they know that's what's expected of them while being on the show. I just don't know how much is "real" and how much is "fake" anymore. I know there's a LOT of editing going on because they air 22 30 minute episodes and they lived here for 5 months. So, a lot doesn't even make it to air.

All in all, I think the show's days are numbered. It's in its 16th season right now. It's the granddaddy of reality shows. But it's kind of like "Friends" or "Everybody Loves Raymond" in that there's only so much you can do with a show. Then it's time to leave.....or is it? I guess it's still popular because there are people out there like me and when curiosity kills the cat, they get viewers tuning in to see what the roomies are up to.

Get into the groove....

Yesterday I did the new Body Flow release that I'll be teaching in August! Oh my gosh! I haven't done Flow since I was about 30 weeks pregnant. My body can tell. It's really amazing how quickly you lose flexibility. It's a shame because it takes so long to build it. It was a great workout and I took a long nap later in the afternoon. I was so relaxed. I really miss teaching Flow and can't wait to go back next month (hopefully). I'm sore today, so I know that I did everything right. It's funny because Kyra was laying on the sofa and soon fell asleep while I was working out. Guess the music relaxed her too! LOL!

Oh and Jen, I'm going to pop in the Pilates DVDs soon too. I just work out in the living room when Maeve takes one of her naps during the day. It's too hot in Richard's shop right now since he put the window unit in our room to keep cool. :)

An easy way out.....

I saw a commercial this morning for kids' vitamins. I think it was for Flintstones vitamins. They were pushing off the fact that their vitamins now had Cholate in them...."an important ingredient for proper brain development THAT'S FOUND IN BREASTMILK". It amazes me how all of these companies try to make these products "like breastmilk" just so people will buy them. It's NOT the same! It's also very demeaning to breastmilk and breastfeeding moms. As one myself, I want others to realize that nothing is better than the real thing. Gosh just watch a commercial for FORMULA and read the ITTY BITTY fine print at the bottom of the screen. It says, "Pediatricians recommend breastmilk as the best source of nutrition for baby's first year of life". DUH!

I could go on and on. I read something recently that said that there's 30 ingredients in formula and over 300 in breastmilk! Amazing! Gosh how I wish I had done this the first time around!

4 years ago....

My Kyra Marie is 4 years old today. I remember that Saturday morning well. After enduring almost 24 hours of labor, my doctor suggested that we do a c-section. I was terrified. But all of the pain went away when at 9:30 that morning an angel came into my world and made me a mommy. The beginning with Kyra was hard. She was very colicky and had reflux. I suffered from some postpartum depression. But, we sought help and within a few weeks all was fine again! The joy that Kyra has brought into my life is immeasureable. She is the brightest and kindest little girl. She's always worried about others and seldom worries about herself. She's a very sensitive little girl. She wants to make people happy too. My favorite moment is when she comes and sits on my lap and tells me that she loves me and that I'm the greatest mom. My heart just melts. She comforts me when I'm sad. She is the best daughter that I could ask for and I love her dearly.

She's already talking about turning 5 and going off to kindergarten next year. I don't think that mommy is ready for that quite yet. *sigh*

I scream for ice cream.....

Well it finally happened. Blue Bell's Wedding Cake ice cream is out. Richard has been waiting on pins and needles for this and has been checking the freezer section at HEB for the past month or so. He came home all giddy on Saturday morning. I knew why. HEB had it and he picked up 3 containers of the stuff! LOL! He's stocking up since we have the freezer outside (and will stock up at the end of the summer too). Let me tell you, this ice cream is sinful! It's got coconut, pineapple, cream cheese, and vanilla wafers in it. It does taste similar to actual wedding cake. Some of the Blue Bell flavors are seasonal (like this one) and you can only get them during a certain time of the year. We ate a lot of this ice cream last summer and Richard was ticked off when it was all gone. However, the ice cream tales don't end here.

Two summers ago, Blue Bell tested a new flavor called Cinnamon Caramel Crunch. Let's just say that this flavor put the Wedding Cake to shame. It was that good. We loved it. It was a seasonal flavor and by the end of that summer, it was gone. Fast forward to last summer. Richard went looking for it in the stores and it wasn't there. SO, he calls Blue Bell....yes you read that right, HE CALLED BLUE BELL. What a stalker! LOL! They told him that it wasn't successful enough, so they weren't making it anymore. I haven't seen him upset about many things, but he was ticked about this. He told all of his friends about it and suggested that they call or email Blue Bell and complain!

Bottom line: Richard likes his ice cream and he'll do anything in his power to get his hands on his favorite flavor.

Nocturnal bliss.....

God bless you, Jennifer! You rock! Jen sent me two books to read: "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and "The Happiest Toddler on the Block". I skimmed through the baby one and we have used some of the 5 S's for the past few nights and it's been WONDERFUL! Granted Maeve doesn't sleep through the night, but she has slept for 3-4 hour stretches. What an improvement! The most amazing thing is that she sleeps IN HER CRIB! She'll sleep there or in her swing.

For those that want to know, the 5 S's for getting baby to sleep better and quit crying are: Swing, Swaddling, Shhhh (white noise), Side-Laying Position, and Sucking. The ones that have been extremely effective for us are swaddling, shhhhh, and sucking. Richard and I have been swaddling Maeve up really tight before bed. Think of how tight they swaddle them in the hospital. It's like that. We found (and the book states this) that Maeve was waking herself up a lot by flailing her arms. This is because babies have an immature nervous system. I'm sure you've seen how babies do this with their arms and with their legs (they kick nonstop). Swaddling with their arms and legs in the blanket eliminates this. Babies LOVE to be swaddled. For the shhhh, we put a little radio on AM and don't get a station (on purpose), so that all Maeve hears is static. This works well too. Her Godmother also bought her a heartbeat bear that mimics sounds of the womb. That's another thing that helps. And yes, Maeve takes a pacifier. Kyra never took one. Maeve is obsessed with sucking. She'll definitely be a paci child. Kyra is my blankie child.

Richard goes back to work this week. I'm pretty nervous about not having his help at night. But, his mom is here this week, so I'm safe! Maeve hits the 6 week mark this week and she should be sleeping more at night. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

TV tales.....

When you're home all day and sitting on the recliner nursing a little one, you get pretty in tune with the TV and what time certain shows come on. I soon found out that with our DVR, we get a ton of channels...some of which I never really knew existed. The Discovery Health Channel has a ton of baby shows. They have one called "Birth Day" and one called "Adoption Stories". All of the birthing shows usually have me in tears, but I didn't think that the adoption ones would too. Good Lord. I cry and cry like a baby. Adoption is very special in my book. Someone near and dear to my heart is adopted. I think that it's the ultimate sacrifice and act of love as a birth parent. There's nothing "bad" about giving a child a better life that you couldn't provide for them. The adoptive parents are some of the most loving and caring people. You can just sense how thrilled they are to raise these children. It really touches my heart. If I had the money and the resources, I definitely would adopt a child.

On another note, I'm so sad that American Idol is over with. I'm bored on Tuesday and Wednesday nights now. I've been taping every talk show that Bo Bice is on. *blush* I told Richard that we'll be buying his CD when it comes out. :) I still wish that he would have won.

The Real World Austin starts on June 21st. Lord help me if I'm on there somewhere.

MOOOOOOOO!

I'm a human cow now! LOL! It's really going great though and I'll expect that it'll get better as time goes by. We have introduced a bottle to Maeve and she takes one from her daddy in the middle of the night while I pump. She's such a great baby. She only cries when she wants mommy and the goods!

Richard has been off of work since she was born and will have to go back on June 8th. I'm not looking forward to it. He's been such a big help with the kiddos.

Kyra is the greatest big sister EVER. She kisses Maeve and pays attention to her every move. She sings songs to her and draws her pictures. She is really looking forward to her sister being her best friend.

Mia is oblivious to it all. She's just as sleep deprived as we are and it shows! ;)

Maeve is now 4 weeks old and I can't get over the changes in her within the past month. Time flies!

Hope all is well with you. I'll try to update more often IF I get a chance. We are busy these days, so we shall see.

My sleep deprived state of mind.....

As I sit here to type this, I barely know what day it is. In fact, Richard asked this morning and we both had to think about it. It's now almost 2:30 and I'm still in my nightgown, which by the way is NOT clean.

Thank God Richard did laundry and ran the dishwasher this morning. I sincerely don't know what I'd do without him. Lisa left yesterday and cooked a ton of food while she was here. I so appreciate that. It's the little things that help out tremendously.

I just woke up from a nap and all of the others are still napping. We'll see how long that lasts.

I have a few appointments this week and I'm praying that I remember them all. I need to start making lists.

Maeve is doing fabulously with nursing. I stress the word "FABULOUSLY" because I'm starting to think that she loves it a little too much! ;) I'm so proud of Kyra too. She's handling everything like a champ and has been a HUGE help. I still cannot believe that I have TWO girls. As they both were sleeping in the car yesterday, I almost cried. I cannot believe that I've been given these wonderful gifts. Today, Kyra told me, "Happy Mother's Day!" and gave me this huge hug! Richard was astounded that she knew that it was Mother's Day.

As hard as this time is, I keep reminding myself that I've done it before and SURVIVED! I also keep saying to myself, "This too shall pass......" I can't wait till it does.

Our new arrival....

Maeve decided to come a little earlier than expected. She was born early Thursday morning, April 28th. I went into the hospital with contractions about 3 minutes apart, but still wasn't dilating and had no change in my cervix at all. Because at that point I could have labored a LONG time, we elected to do a repeat c-section. At 1:59 am, Maeve Elizabeth entered the world. She was 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 21 inches long. Her daddy had guessed her weight the day before and was right on the money. WOW! We finally got to go home on Sunday around noon.

Maeve is nursing beautifully and Kyra is so in love with her sister. It's really amazing. We are smitten by her as well. She's perfect.

We are a little sleep deprived these days, but it's so worth it. Our family is complete.