Over, Around, and Under

We haven't taken anymore steps that are worth mentioning. But that does not mean we aren't moving, and moving fast. But our favorite thing? Going under things, anything. We have crawled through the chairs at the car dealership when we got a new car, through Grandma's coffee table, our coffee table, the ottoman our den, and spent most of our vacation in Arizona under the chairs in the kitchen. A direct result of this - I have little to no qualms about her crawling on the floor at most places. I'm sure quite a few people at the car dealership thought I was insane for letting my 9 month old crawl around on the floor. But I am also betting those people did not have a mobile active baby who DOES NOT WANT TO BE HELD all the time. So, I guess the question really is, am I a bad mother for having very low cleanliness standards when it comes to where she crawls?

In Arizona with our Pop

At the car dealership

Our new toy that we love to crawl through

If I am reading this from an outside perspective I have to say I would be thinking "Um, bad mother? maybe not. Idiot, yes. No wonder you guys are always sick."

I never thought I would be so happy to see October

I have never in my whole life been so thankful for the month of September to be over. Usually I love September, the weather gets cooler, football starts, and pumpkins take up residence on our front porch. But not this September. This September we spent the month sick, starting with day 2.

Tuesday, September 2nd - Sam had the sniffles during Labor Day weekend but woke up on Tuesday sounding wheezy which completely freaked us out. KC stayed home with her and took her to the doctor where they diagnosed...a cold, shocking, I know. And the beginning of an ear infection. So for the next 10 days we diligently gave her amoxicillan. Which she loved! And we did pretty good for the next week or so. We never really went back to being ourselves 100% but close.

Sunday, September 14th - We throw up all over Dad and herself. Sam threw up everywhere for the first 6 months of her life. This was no spit-up. It was full out vomit. The poor child had no idea what was happening and it absolutely terrified me. She spent Sunday sleeping on my chest. She didn't have a fever or anything else wrong with her, just a little clingy and very tired.

Monday, September 15th - in the wee hours of the morning she threw up again in bed. We called the doctor in the morning and they told us if she doesn't have a fever (she didn't) or anything else going on then just keep her hydrated and she should be fine. (This is also the fateful day that I got poison ivy on my lower legs that still won't go away.)

Wednesday, September 17th - she throws up all over me. I can not stress enough - ALL OVER ME.

Saturday, September 20th - We go back to the doctor. She still doesn't seem like her self. No fever, but just out of sorts still (very clingy, low appetite, whiny - which sounds mean but it was so unlike her). They diagnose an ear infection and since the first antibiotic didn't work they prescribe augnetim, name brand. Of course, this can only be found at a specialty pharmacy that opens on Monday. Figures.

Saturday afternoon - Sunday, September 21st - Sam develops a rash starting on her neck and covering most of her torso. We call the doctor again who thinks it may be a viral rash and if it doesn't go away by Monday or gets worse bring her back. At this point I am convinced that there is something terribly wrong. Something no doctor can figure out and we will spend the next few months trying to cure her. (Can you feel the overreaction coming on?)

Monday, September 22nd - Sam starts the new augmentin and seems to be doing a lot better. The rash is pretty much gone.

Tuesday, September 23rd - in the wee morning hours we throw up again. But it doesn't seem to faze her a bit so I am wondering if it is a reaction to the augmentin? And then as Sam and I are standing in the kitchen, completely dressed and ready to leave the house she pukes ALL OVER ME. Poor KC had broken 2 toes the day before, and I start bellowing for him to come quick and help me clean the puke that has now covered the kitchen. Sam and I head back to the doctor that afternoon. Since she still has no fever they do blood work to confirm that it is viral. And then it gets really interesting... While we are waiting for the blood work to come back (they ran it right there in the office) I start to feel nauseous. And hot and sweaty. So after shoving Sam in the arms of a nurse in the hallway I proceed to the bathroom to get sick. Yes, she has a virus and now so do I. (We also may need to find a new doctor since I will forever be the mom who threw up in their office.)

Wednesday, September 24th - Friday, September 26th - I think I am dying. I can't eat. KC and Loni (my MIL) get a touch of it. Thankfully Sam seems like her old self again. I told KC "I feel like we have our baby back."

Friday, September 26th we depart for our big road trip from Dallas to Phoenix (16 hours in the car. Yeah, we're a little nuts.) Both KC and I are not at 100% but we are managing. We arrive in Arizona Saturday night where I promptly come down with a cold. And to make matters worse - pink eye - in both eyes. Seriously.

So between, 2 ear infections, a stomach bug, 2 broken toes, poison ivy, and pink eye we were so very happy to see the end of September. And since you at least scrolled through the novel I just wrote about how September sucked in our house, here's a cute picture of Sam.

Now, I really might be back for good.

I'm baaaaack...

Kinda of. Sorta.

The last 2 and a half weeks have been really, really busy. I wanted to make sure I didn't forget everything that happened so here's a quick list. I am sure you will see most of these in another posting (with pictures). Plus my mom has only told me about 500 times that as cute as the picture in the cooler is she would appreciate a new one.

All of the crazy things we have been up to recently;

• We stand on our own, for a good amount of time. The funniest part? You can almost see her mind working. "These are some pretty fun toys. And I've got one in each hand. How cool is that? Whoa, one in each hand?! I'm not holding onto anything?!? What's wrong with me? Sit down! SIT DOWN NOW!" and plop, onto our butt we go.
• She will wave sporadically. It's a trick with only a 10% success rate at this point. We're working on it.
• Opening and closing doors fascinates her. I even found this Fisher Price house and she can open and close the door all day long and I don't have to freak out that she's going to smash her fingers.
• She loves to crawl under and through things. Our ottoman is her current favorite.
• I have been waiting for this milestone since she arrived - when you ask her "How big is Sam?" she raises both hands in the air! The first time she did it we looked at each other in amazement. We make her 'perform' on a regular basis.
• I jinxed this one - I was planning to write about how great of a sleeper she is but since she has had a touch of the stomach bug this week it's been like having a newborn all over again.

KC and I have had our own share of excitement. Our car died last week. We just had our 8th - annual Eagles-Cowboys weekend (5 house guests - a record low for this weekend), our laptop is pretty much toast (I'm using KC's work one), and we are getting ready for our big road trip.

But the biggest news of all...drum roll please....

We took 3 steps on Monday! And another 3 today! I'm sure it's not considered walking yet but we are moving in the right direction - literally!

(I know some of you thought I was going to say pregnant. Ha!)

Due to technical difficulties the adorable picture I was going to post won't be making an appearance.

You know you're a redneck if...

an Igloo cooler doubles as a playpen/highchair for your baby.

To be fair to KC (who was responsible for Sam during this time frame) he was running an errand at my Dad's house and needed to set Sam down for a minute. Well, if you have an active, crawling, into everything baby you know that an un-baby-proofed garage is about the last place you want to set them down. So he made do with a cooler, which worked perfectly, right up until the time when she started rocking back and forth. And then the fun was over.

Number #1

This website is pretty neat. It tells you what song was number 1 on the day you were born, or the day your kid was born, or the day you got married...you get the idea.

Here is the rundown for our family:


My birthday - Feb 19, 1979
Rod Stewart "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?"


KC's birthday - August 21, 1979
The Knack "My Sharona"


Sam's birthday - December 3, 2007
Alicia Keys "No One"


Our anniversary - July 4, 2004
Fantasia "I Believe"

Hitting the Bottle

First, let me start off by saying that I know sharing parenting opinion/criticisms is a touchy topic to write about. Especially since I had SO many preconceived notions of what I would and wouldn't do as a parent. As my mom has said numerous times to me "You are the best parent in the world until you have kids". Feeding is an especially is a tough topic and what works for one person may not work for another. (Nursing versus formula is one of the first things on my "Things to NOT discuss if ever invited to a dinner party" list. I told you I have lists for everything.) OK, with that said I'll get to my question.

1.) When should a baby put down the bottle and pick up the sippy cup? I mean put down the bottle for good. Sam already drinks out of a sippy cup with meals but takes 2 bottles during the day at Emily's.

I am not OK with seeing this a few years from now. In my opinion she is one of the best dressed babies but the bottle she totes everywhere certainly knocks her down a few pegs.

Of course, now that I have shared my distaste for the bottle at 2+ years Sam will surely be drinking out of one on her way to nursery school.

Battaglia a Fasciatoio

Otherwise known as Battle at Changing Table. We now fight this battle on a daily basis. I curse the day I chose a changing table with a lip on the back. Her little hand fits just perfect and she can turn over in a second. I have learned a nice distraction tactic though. As soon as her butt hits the table I hand her a tube (lotion, butt cream, whatever) and she will usually occupy her self with that while I do the dirty work. Sometimes she just wants to flip over though.

She's screaming in the beginning because I had just flipped her over, off of her stomach. Funny how fast she goes from a screaming demon to happy, smiley baby. Are we in for it or what?