Crazy girl in the tent! 9/365

I love her. She is SO silly in this tent! This was right before bath time after dinner tonight. She was playing with Daddy and flipped it over!

Today involved a little bit (okay - a lot) of panicking, sleeping in, visiting with friends, yummy dinners, and loving my boyfriend.

Panicking: Abby needed diapers, so we headed out to CVS to stock up on some pampers. I was pulling out of our parking spot and noticed a sticker on my rear window. I got out to check it out, and it was a parking violation - a note saying that my car would be towed at their convince and at my expense. What the hell? I turned around to make sure that I hadn't pulled into a handicapped spot by accident last night, but I hadn't. I looked a little closer and quickly found the issue. My tags. Long story short: In July I got a parking ticket. It got forgotten about, and the $50 ticket went up to $150, we payed it. My tags come up for renewal, they won't let me renew them because they claim they never received the payment for the parking ticket that was taken care of MONTHS ago. It has been a total pain in the ass, but my mom and I *thought* we had it all figured out - until I got this damn note this morning! Needless to say, my heart was racing, about to have a heart attack when I finally got in touch with my mom and turns out we can FINALLY go pick up my renewed tags tomorrow. In the mean time, lets just hope the tow truck guy stays clear of my car. Yikes!

Sleeping in: Abby slept in until 1pm today! Only I would have a child who sleeps like this, I swear! She *has* to be going through some major growth spurt or something. She got up at 5am, and considering she wouldn't go to bed until midnight last night - I was like, um no way child! & got her back to sleep - thank goodness! She woke up again around 8, and I changed her diaper, was about to start breakfast when she said "Baba, pacie, night-nights!" and rubbed her eyes, so I thought what the heck, worth a try and laid her back down. The kid slept until 1pm! How did I get so lucky!!

Visiting with friends: Nicole and Christian came to visit us today!

Christian was grumpy and Abby actually ended up falling asleep again (crazy kid!) so we didn't get to do too much, but its always good to see them!

Yummy dinners: I made the BEST dinner tonight. To me anyways, ha ha. Jake isn't a huge fan of Mexican and cheesy things. Me on the other hand? I could eat it all day long!

Creamy chicken enchiladas! I got the recipe over at I ♥ Naptime! I love her blog! Not only was it super yummy but it was so easy to make! I followed her instructions exactly, only I used pre cooked grilled chicken strips which I shredded up to save time! I also used whole grain tortillas and low fat cream cheese in hopes of making it a little less fattening, lol.

Loving my boyfriend: I love him. I simply just love him. I don't know what it is with this new year, but my heart has been filled with so much love lately. I'm not sure why, but I'm not complaining! My heart literally feels so full when I'm with him, like its growing in sizes! I have been feeling this way towards him and Abby both lately. Its like falling in love with both of them all over again, its amazing (not that ever stopped loving either of them, its just for some reason I just want to go scream at the top of my lungs HEY YOU! I LOVE MY BOYFRIEND AND MY DAUGHTER SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

And the next couple days I will not be seeing much of my girl, and for that I am sad. I have to work for the next 4 days! :( Tomorrow my Grandma asked to spend some extra time with her, and since I'll be working until 9 and I'm sure Jake wouldn't mind being able to take a nap, I agreed to let her stay at her house most of the day tomorrow. I will get to go pick her up and bring her home and get her ready for bed and then I'll be off again Saturday morning. Saturday I won't get to see her at all! :( I will be out the door before she's up and she's having a sleepover with my mom that night. Earlier this week my mom had asked me if Abby could come over and spend the night this weekend, and I said yes not thinking or realizing that I'd be at work all weekend. Jake said he wants to take me out on a date though, so for that I am excited :)

I love her.

Lately I have had this overwhelming love for Abby. Obviously I always have crazy heart wrenching love for her, but for some reason the past day or two its like a rush of having her all over again. Its like we're on a brand new level of mommy-hood/baby-hood. We are best friends, we can communicate now, and I love it. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her. Just had to get that out there today.

We went to our first "baby gym" class today. I'm kicking myself in the butt for not taking the camera! I didn't know if would be okay to have it, but turns out lots of Mama's were snappin pics. Oh well :(

We had so much fun! It was interesting to see her personality bloom around other kids her age. She was a little bit shy, but eventually opened up and had fun. She kept to herself mostly and was very concentrated on her surroundings. She loved the slides and tried to steal balls from all the other babies :p It was pretty obvious that she's not around other babies too much, making me feel a little guilty. Almost makes the ridiculous monthly price seem worth it. I do think this particular class may have been a little young for her though. She was one of the older babies there and she was NOT interested in sitting my lap and singing songs and clapping her hands. My baby wanted to explore. She did really love the big parachute though. All the Mama's held the edges and all the babies crawled/ran around in the middle. She cried when they put it away!

Tonight before bedtime I was just giddy over my love for her. We had dinner together (mac and cheese with hot dogs!) and she ate a ton! My girl finally got her appetite back! I am SO happy and SO relieved because I swear the kid was getting skinnier on me. We played after we ate in her ball pit. She is SO cute. We played peek-a-boo through the little holes on the wall of the tent and she laughed sooo hard the whole time. She squished her face and made a piggy nose on the clear plastic part and I laughed SO hard. Oh, and she pretends to sleep now. She lays down on her belly and kicks her feet behind her and pretends to snore. It is HILARIOUS! She knows I think its funny so she did it about 50 times tonight, and I laughed just as hard each time :)

After our bedtime bath I combed her cute little curls that I am SO excited about her getting, rubbed Johnson's bedtime lotion onto her pudgy little baby skin and clipped her little baby finger nails. She cuddled on the couch with me and snacked on her apple cinnamon puffs. Eventually I laid her little self to sleep and wanted to cry watching her lay there because I just adore her. Simply adore her. She is awesome.

Some where between here and there I also cleaned my car and got my oil changed. Yay me! Considering I've never taken my car to get its oil changed one single time (Jake or my Dad has always done it) it was a pretty big deal for me :p And I even got the lady to take off an extra $5! Whatever they did stopped the annoying squeaking my car was making, thank god. Now I just need to get a bumper!

In other news, I just back from the gym. For the second night in a row, yay me again! New year, new me..right? Haha, I say this every year. We'll see how long it lasts! I'm not totally uncomfortable with my body but I could be a lot happier, so for once in my whole life I'd like to feel okay in a bathing suit this summer. Last summer I was 8 months postpartum (didn't look TOO terrible) and the summer before that I was 30 weeks pregnant. This year? It will be almost two years since I'd given birth. I have no excuse anymore. I need to get back in shape!

I bought a huge tub of cottage cheese and I'm trying to eat more of that, more water, and make more home cooked healthy meals. Wish me luck!

A year in review

1. Me

Picture of yourself (you don't have to show your face). What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2010?

I am proud of my daughter. She is only 15 months, but I absolutely adore the sweet, loving, funny, shy, and silly little girl she is becoming.

2. I love you

Picture of your husband, boyfriend, children, pets, etc.

3. Still Laughing...

A moment you're still laughing about now...tell us a story.

4th of July. Nakie baby in the pool. Enough said. Needless to say she was the life of the party..

4. Winter Wonderland

A picture that reflects Winter.

5. Birthday

Share a birthday picture (your own or someone you love).

6. Friends

A picture with friends (this could be your friends or your children with their friends).

I did my own friends instead of Abby's because I have realized how truly amazing mine really are this past year. This picture is missing some though!

7. I was in Inspired

Could be a picture of your inspiration (person or thing), or inspired by...

One of the very few good pictures I've been able to take with my lame little camera. I don't know why it inspires me...but it just does. Inspires me to take more good pictures someday? Haha. It just reminds me of laughing and having fun and summer. Three of my favorite things :)

8. Spring Fever

A picture that reflects Spring.

9. Travel

A picture taken on vacation or on a recent travel experience, OR of a place you'd like to travel.

10. Summer Days

A picture that reflects Summer.

11. A day in my life

A picture of a typical day in your life.

12. All Smiles

A picture that makes you smile or of smiling faces.

13. Autumn Harvest

A picture that reflects Autumn/Fall.

14. Family

A picture of your family or a picture that represents family for you.

15. Celebrate!

A picture that reflects a celebration.

16. Lets do it again!

A picture of something you'd like to do again soon.

The holidays are over. Now the cold is just boring and depressing. I'm looking forward to sinking my feet into a pool under some warm sun again very soon!

17. I miss you

A picture of someone or something you really miss

My Nana. I just saw her on Christmas, but it seems like lately every time I see her its for a family gathering and we have no time to talk. I want a sofa sitting, face stuffing, up till 4am catching up session asap Nana!

18. Beautiful

A picture of someone or something you find beautiful.

19. Dress Up

This might be a picture from Halloween or not...but someone who is all dressed up!

20. Holidays

A picture from the Holiday of your choice.

22. My Favorite

Share your favorite picture or memory from 2010.

23. Don't ever change

Something you love about yourself, someone, or something that you never want to change.

Our relationship.

24. Just because..so there!

Share any picture(s) that you really want to share, but doesn't fit in any other category.

Oh my goodness. Isn't she just the cutest? I love this picture. Strolling around Old Navy in my favorite boots and hat! With two of my favorite people as well, Daddy and Auntie Jackie!

25. Hopes and Dreams

Share what you hope to come or dream for 2011. Feel free to share an image of your choice.

More time for us just being us. I hope for a relaxing, fun, and calm year for the three of us!

Sunday

Due to the legnthly-ness of the last post I decided to start fresh for today's story.

We found Abby's baptism dress! A whopping $60 it was (no idea they were so expensive) but my Grandma and I just couldn't resist when we saw my little one struttin' her stuff in the JCPenny's infant department. We lost it, laughed at squealed at how adorable she looked and had to get it. First dress we tried on and it was a winner. Can't wait to post pictures of her in it next Sunday :)

It was so special to get to spend the day with my grandmother today. She's my mom's stepmom (but obviously still just as much my grandmother as the blood related) and I never get to see her, let alone it being just the two of us. We caught up and had lunch at the local diner..while Abby made a mess of her spaghetti and her and I munched on nachos and blt sandwiches.

I came home, made some brownies, bathed Abby for bedtime and watched Shark Week on the discovery channel with Jake...and that's pretty much it for today.

That's okay that today was so mellow. It's so very rare that we just get to chill, Abby, Jake and I. & With a stroll around the mall and lunch with Grandma, home made brownies & a sudsy warm baby bath & new shows to watch..it makes for a perfect Sunday, just chillin with the family. I really couldn't ask for anything more.

Back to work tomorrow, the last shift and then I'm finally off for two days instead of just one. (read my previous post, it explains)

With that said, it's already 1am and the sleep deprivation cycle will continue through tomorrow night, and Wednesday morning.

Thursday things should finally be getting back to normal.

Best friends & Updates

"A woman should always know where to go when she needs to relax and be at peace, weather it be a private cabin in the woods or her best friend's kitchen"

I'm totally with the whole best friend's kitchen part..and I did just that tonight with my best friend, but only in my kitchen. Although she was just heading over for an hour or two after Abby was in bed to help me make some food & drinks for a concert we're going to tomorrow..we both knew she'd be here for all hours of the night. She stuck around and watched The Jersey Shore marathon with me and Jake, she went on my late night walmart trip with me, and once we finally started cookin after Jake went to bed around 11, it was a 3 hour long process..filled with more laughter, gossiping, old country songs, and me squatting on the kitchen floor because I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee myself..than there was cooking. & Sometimes..that's all you really need. I don't see any of my close friends too often since I'm always so busy with work and school, and I'd rather spend most of my time with Abby..so its really nice on nights like tonight, where we just sit and laugh and catch up while my precious baby sleeps in the next room. That's the good stuff.

Tomorrow Jake is having a baby/daddy night & I'm going to the Jason Aldean concert with a couple of my girlfriends. The ticket was free, so I guess it will be fun. But I do have to say, after leaving Abby last Saturday night, and then again tomorrow night...I'll be done spending time away from home for quite awhile. I usually never do things like this, and while I know it's healthy and good to get away sometimes, twice in one week is just a bit much for me :/ I miss her.

Anyways, and update of today & yesterday are as follows:

-I found out the hard way that I could spend thousands at Michaels (a HUGE craft store) & their new fall and halloween display are making me so super excited for the autumn season (but i'm still enjoying summer for now! :p)

-I found out about a store right next to Michaels, has really cute..but cheap expensive name brand clothing, and I'm really excited I found it! They have the $30 shampoo I love there for $16. Woo Hoo, you gotta love a good bargain!

- I was also reminded once again how simply amazing a Starbucks White Mocha on ice is & even though I juggle Abby on one hip, a cell phone nudged between my ear & shoulder, and trying to some how push the stroller with the other..all while ordering & picking up the heavenly drink..it doesn't even matter. It's so worth it.

-I also last minute planned Abby's baptism, a week from Sunday..yikes! The pastor who I really want to do it (he married my mom & stepdad, married Jake's sister & her husband, and is great friends with my Grandparents) lives out of state at the current time..but he got in touch with me & said that he'd be home the weekend of the 8th and would love to do Abby girl's Baptism if I was able to do it. Needless to say, yesterday was spent calling family members & trying to scramble together some sort of an after party at my mom's..but we have tons of willing participants to help, so I'm hoping it will go as smoothly as possible!

- I stayed up super late last night, and had to work this morning. & Had to leave Abby with daycare :( We only leave her with the daycare lady (who is my best friend's aunt) when none of my close family who watches her when I work can do it. It's always hard to leave her there, I feel like she'll be said being in a place where she doesn't really know anyone. But Jake always says when he picks her up shes in a great mood..so I guess she adjusted okay. Needless to say..I was tired, unshowerd, running late, and tired..overly tired because my dumb self decided to take a sleeping pill at 1am to help me fall asleep which totally knocked me out, and made me drained all day long. Oh AND it rained all day. It wasn't the greatest work day of my life.

- I hate working 12 hour shifts because it's always almost 8pm by the time I get home and Abby is soo sleepy, so I only get to spend like an hour tops with her and I hate it :( A LOT.

Well, that's my hodgepodge of updates for now. I need my bed, and more time to spend with my baby girl. & My boyfriend. Ugh...I need some family time! Wah.

Home again, Home again

The worst part about vacation is always coming home. Although the ride back always seems to go much quicker - your left with a weeks worth of cleaning to do & mounds of laundry to do and things to unpack. We've been lazy since we got home..so none of this has even been questioned until today when I woke up & decided I didn't have a choice but to start scrubbin' & sweepin'

I can't believe I'm about to do this..but have a look at our just-back-from-vacation & not-feeling-like-doing-a-damn-thing apartment.





...Yikes!

I got things moving & although I had a little girl who insisted on making more mess or doing this:




...I was able to get the majority of the house work done before noon. Afterwards:




I hate cleaning. But Jake is right. When it comes 1oclock & Abby goes down for her afternoon nap, I do feel so much more refreshed & rejuivinzed sipping my tea or coffee on freshly fluffed couch pillows & freshly vaccumed carpet, and watching my shows on a freshly dusted TV ;)

After Abby's nap I noticed a weird rash on her ankles and feet. I examined her more & noticed that it was also on her belly..arms, and head. I immediately checked her temp & it was a low grade 100.1..hmm. I called her ped who wanted to see her to rule out Chicken Pox. Well, it turns out she's apparently in the clear. I'm not completely convinced yet..but she apparently thinks that since the rash started on her lower extremities & went upward..it's probably not the pox, and since the bumps aren't pussing or itchy yet then their probably not chicken pox. She thinks she must of either got some bug bites or had a virus & the virus broke out in a rash. But, I don't know how she could of gotten 20 bug bites today, since we were just hanging around the house & she hasn't even been sick. So I'm kind of stumped, but her ped thinks its nothing to worry about. My mommy instincts are telling me something else is going on, but we'll see how she feels in a couple days. I could just be over reacting & being a worry wart first time mama..but like I said, we'll see!



Doesn't seem to be bothering her much though, eh?

Day #4: Repacking, Ocean City, & Fussy Babies at the Boardwalk

This morning around 10am we packed our cars back up (thank god mine wasn't as packed this time, we had Jake's truck for extra storage) kissed my family goodbye & hit the road towards Ocean City. Bye cute little beach town, I will be seeing you again..I do promise you that.





It was about an hour long drive to get here, down lots of quite country roads which made for a long boring trip with just myself and a sleeping baby in the car. But we made it here, and while I do absolutely love the country scene of my Aunt's place..I must say, its pretty exciting to be in the vacation resort city.




We got settled in, and then headed down to The Marina Deck for dinner, a place I've gone to with my mom and step dad for as long as I can remember. We walked the docks and ooh'd and ahh'd over the million dollar yhats, we sipped wine and green tea, we tried to catch lobsters out of a live lobster claw machine, I ate steamed shrimp & Jake had hot wings & cheese fries (so typical) and little Abby had her first real 'out to dinner' meal. & By that I mean we actually ordered her a dinner off the kids menu, and she ate it. She's getting so big. She very much enjoyed her kids spaghetti and applesauce on the side. Oh, and she knows how to drink out of a straw! No idea how she learned it, but she was just sipping away my ice water right out of the sraw like a big girl! She was so funny while we were there, even the other tables close by were cracking up when she was playing "where's abby?" with her dress. Such a classy girl.

After dinner we headed down to beloved boardwalk.




I've been excited to go there since this whole vacation got started, but my little one had other plans. We spent about 20 minutes in the arcade before she decided it was about the right time to have a melt down. I should of expected it, really. It was late, and it's been a long few days. Jake won her a ball out of the claw machine, which kept her entertained for a little bit, but not long enough. & On top of her sleepiness, we forgot her stroller so we had to buy a little tiny one in one of the shops & she was not feeling it. Neither were we, no place to put our bags or lay her back & give her a bottle while we pushed her around..honestly, our night probably would of been much better if we had our normal stroller. We had just enough time to stop at Dumpsters Dairy Land & get Jake a chocolate dipped ice cream cone & a mint chocolate chip milkshake for me before Abby literally was basically hanging off her stroller screaming bloody murder. Jake was frustrated, I was frustrated..we had a million bags to carry & not enough hands and poor Abby just wanted her bed.

Needless to say we got home an hour ago & little missy hasn't even left her car seat yet because she's in such a deep comfy sleep I just can't stand to wake her. When she's uncomfy or wants to stretch out, she'll wake up..right? In the mean time I'm enjoying sitting on the deck with a glass of sweet tea people watching off Coastal Highway. Jake's in bed..and I believe it's about time for me to join him. Night y'all :)

Day #3: More Beach, Southern Hospitality, and The Wizard of Oz

Another morning and afternoon spent at the beach today. Seriously, I could do this every day. Especially now that I have Jake here with me. We all laughed and loved and just enjoyed each other. This time Abby decided to take her extra long nap at the beach. Which was quite convenient for mama, I got to work on my sun tan! The tide was way out today, making this weird but perfect little pool at the coast that my Aunt and I sat our sun chairs right in and sunk our toes in the wet sand. We squealed like little girls when a big wave would come & almost knock us over, and then laughed so hard at each other trying to not float away we almost peed :p Abby woke up & her big cousins dug her, her own little pool to play in..which she just loved, of course. & Can I just say how much I love having Jake here with us now? I really really love him.




















After we all got cleaned off Jake and Abby and I decided to head down to main street to check out the town. I want to live here. I want to live here. I want to live here! It's so cute & small and it's always what I dreamed of myself raising a family in. A cute, small, every-one-dies-famous-in-a-small town type place. This is it. And it's on the beach? Even better. I want to live in an old, but nice and big southern house on main street. A street where American flags are hung by every light post, where you can just stroll the streets and see pictures and crafts for display..rather than a man in a suit fussing into his cell phone. Where people park their tractors in their driveway, where there's cute little beach shops filled with paintings and funky t shirts and cowboy hats and old used books, where your local movie theater looks like it was built in 1950 but is still up & running and showing two shows a day at 3 and 7, where there's adorable little southern tables set up outside coffee shops with warm welcoming smiles from your friendly neighbors, where there's an old ice cream parlor..an ice cream parlor that's run out of someones house, where you can walk in the streets with your baby because no cars will come zooming by..and if they do, their going slow enough and just kindly go around you, and smile and wave as they pass. This is the way life should be. The city life is not for me. I'm a southern girl at heart and this little town has just amped up that inner Dolly Parton more than you could ever know.











We belong here. & Clearly Abby agrees ;)

Later on the whole group headed out on the town & went down to the local arcade. They had go karts, games, moon bounces, climbing walls..every one had a great time..besides my little one. I think the sun has gotten to her these past couple days, and she's just really freaking exhausted. We've been doing so much & she's just not used to it. She was super sleepy the whole time we were there, I felt so bad for her. I snuggled her up and followed the crowed around as they won prizes and zipped up the climbing walls like they were spider man. There were times here & there where she'd laugh and giggle and point and have fun..you could tell she really wanted to have fun but she was just too tuckered out, poor baby.






Every one was headed to go get ice cream afterwards & my little cousin Joey decided he was with Abby - sleepy and fussy. They were all on bikes, and the line for the ice cream shop was super long and Jake hates long lines..so he offered to ride Joey back home so he could get Abby in bed..and I would just ride Joey's bike home. Well, yeah. I haven't rode a bike in about 5 years, and it was very entertaining (to say the least) when I was first getting started. People laughed and pointed as I waddled across the intersection because I was too afraid I'd tip over if I tried to cycle across. Once I got going..I loved it. My aunt and I fell behind the crowd and were just wheeling around under the summer stars. I did pretty good I must say! The only times I almost crashed were because I was laughing so damn hard. It was so windy and I made some comment about how I felt like I was in the wizard of oz, and we both burst out into huge, hard, belly laughs as I hummed the "witch on the bike scene" music and she shrieked out I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too! It was extremely hilarious & I'm still laughing thinking about it. It was fun.

The fun ended quickly once we got closer to the house. We noticed that every one was still outside, and I thought it was really strange that Jake, Abby, and Joey were all still sitting in my car. It wasn't long before we realized that we were locked out. Thank goodness there was an after hours on call service that was able to bring us a key. But in the mean time while we were waiting, I stood outside of the car while Abby and Joey sat inside in the AC..sweaty with frizzing hair & getting eaten alive by 1000's of mosquitoes..because that's whats moms do.

It's been so much fun spending time here with my Aunt's family, so I'm kind of bummed to say we'll be leaving in the morning to go another island close to here to spend some time with my mom & step dad for the rest of the week. I'm bummed, but excited at the same time. & really hoping they have some sort of wifi hook up :)

We shall see what adventures tomorrow brings :)