so random

Feeling a little blah today.  A few things from my neck of the woods.  

Winter decided to finally show up.  Now I am not complaining about the snow (I see you Shannon) or the ice even.  But Blakely is SO VERY OVER IT.  She asked me this morning if she got to go to school today.  And when I told her no she was a wee bit pissed.  Our entire town shut down today just because there was snow in the forecast and not a drop had even fallen.  This is the third day this week and it was shut down 2 days last week.  So we are a bit tired of being in the house and I have run out of movie ideas for my girl.  Right now she is watching Toy Story for the second time this week.  And it is snowing...so there is that.  She is for sure going to want to go play in it and I am for sure NOT.  Last week when we just had ice I let her play in the from yard while I sat right inside the front door watching her.  She kept asking to go sledding and I told her I couldn't.  I felt bad because she wanted to play with other kids so bad but there was no one to play with.  Bless her heart.  She looks super adorable though!  

Sidenote....I am so buying a legit snowsuit next year.  This whole searching high and low for snow/ice appropriate clothing is insane.  Nothing is waterproof so it all gets wet and then she still wants to be out so I have to find more stuff while the other stuff dries.  I don't care if she wears it once.  Buying it!  

Lonnie doesn't get to be "snowed in".  Obviously he has to go to work no matter what.  Yesterday he drove in on a sheet of ice but he made it.  Today he will be driving home in the snow.  He took my 4 wheel drive so I am not worried I would just rather him be here.  AND AT LEAST HE ISN'T ON CALL OMG.  

I am feeling so much better than I have been the last 2 weeks.  I really didn't even know how awful I felt until I started feeling better.  I think I had been working on that bladder infection for about 2 weeks.  I knew I was having low pelvic pain but I just figured...twin pregnancy.  Looking back I think it was bladder spasms all along.  That's not to say I am just bounding around with tons of energy and no pain or anything.  I still have to sit down as much as possible and by then end of the day my back hurts and my tummy is super tight.  I had my 25 weeks appt yesterday and all is looking great.  I go back in 2 weeks for my glucose test and a growth ultrasound.  I had a few contractions last night but once I got comfortable on the couch I was fine.  I didn't move the rest of the night.  

Speaking of that I need to just let y'all know how great my husband is being.  I mean seriously.  He works all day long and then when he comes home he does everything for Blakely.  Makes her dinner, gets her cleaned up, plays with/entertains her, bathes her, brushes her teeth and puts her to bed.  All so I can rest.  I try to sometimes help with some of those things...like have dinner ready or something...but generally he does it all.  He also does every thing for me.  Makes my dinner, gets me refills of water, etc.  I know he is worn out and I am trying to let him know how much I appreciate everything he is doing.  Kind of makes me teary thinking about it.  He is the best.  

Juanet didn't come to clean this week (eff this weather) so I am slowly trying to get the laundry and dishes put away today.  It is slow going.  It is ridic how much I depend on her!  

We were supposed to move out the king bedroom set last weekend but my friend got stuck in Kentucky because of the snow.  So we are going to do it this weekend.  Then I will have an actual baby room and can start going through baby clothes.  That sounds super fun!  I just got an email that her furniture is on backorder until mid March.  So she will be living without a dresser for a while but we will make it work!  

Also I need to just stay off E.tsy.  I mean seriously with the adorable twin baby clothes.  

I think that is all the randomness from here.  I am off to fold another load of laundry and eat more pasta.  Or maybe more Oreos.  I haven't decided.  ;)

a whole lot of random!

• Did anyone watch the Grammy's?  Sam Smith rocks my world.  Not even kidding.  I could listen to him sing forever.  Amaze.  

• So fired up about my Pats winning the Super Bowl.  Did you watch?  That ending was so crazy.  I could not pick my jaw up off the floor.  This was the first year I watched it without Sarah so we texted about 400 times during the game.  I told her never again!  

• The house is coming along but we've reached the point where I want it done.  Like now.  I know it takes a little time but I am ready to have the rooms set up and all this shit out of here.  I am hoping by mid March that will be the case.  I sold our bedroom furniture and they are coming to get it on the 20th.  They are also moving all of Blakely's furniture into the baby room that same day.  I need to get the second crib and go ahead and order B's furniture and then the basics of the rooms will be ready.  I have been waiting to order Blakely's new stuff until we actually had a place to put it!  

• The weather is getting better here although I am sure since I say that it will be 25 tomorrow.  Arkansas weather is so weird.  One day it feels like Spring and then 12 hours later it will be bitter cold with a serious wind chill.  

• This is a pretty busy week for me.  Busy for pregnant with twins me not just regular old me.  
• Monday-I sent B with Juanet, ran to Walmart to get stuff to make Valentine's for B's class and stuff for their parties and then came back home.  Jennifer (the girl helping me organize and prep for the garage sale) is about to be here and we are going to work all day.
• Tuesday-take B to school.  Juanet comes to clean and Jennifer is coming for a half day.  My MIL is coming in the afternoon with groceries (thank God).  B has dance at 5.  
• Wednesday-take B to school.  I WILL REST AFTER THAT.  I WILL.  She has dance portraits at 3:20 so I have to pick her up around 1:30 and bring her home to get ready for those.  Then take her to those and come home.  Lonnie is on call so I am on B duty all evening.  
• Thursday- Brenda's first day on the job.  B has gymnastics at 9.  Come back home and work around the house with Brenda and Blakely.  This is a kinda "getting to know you and your house phase".  I feel a little awkward about it but I know it is going to work out.  Just have to get through these first few times.  But the main reason she is starting now is so I can get some rest if needed.  Well you tell me but I think it is pretty impossible to just lay on the couch while someone is in your house!  Especially since I kind of need to show her what I want her to do, what is off limits, etc.  I'm nervous.   
• Friday-B is home with me all day.  I have to take her to my aunt's house at 1200 and meet my mom there.  Then I am going with mom to her pacemaker appointment in Litt.le R.ock at 3:15...it takes a little over an hour to get there....while B stays with Jenni.  If I feel up for it we are going to stop at Babi.es R u.s to check out cribs and strollers real quick.  
• Saturday-Can I get a day date with my honey?  Please?  

• Yesterday was the first Sunday without football and it was weird!  I wasn't sure what to do with myself so I got my craft on.  I'd show you what I am working on but I need to see how it turns out first.  It is for the twins room.  Blakely is trying to help me because the girl looooves to craft.  

• Well Jennifer just called and she isn't coming.  Grrrrrrr.  I am not happy about it but I understand (family stuff).  So now I have until B gets home to myself.  I want to get some stuff done (laundry, clean out my closet, dishes) but I know I should take this opportunity to relax.  

• I guess that is all from here.  I am going to prop up on the couch and, well, I don't know.  My mind is telling me a million things I want to get done but my body is telling me to chill the eff out.  I am sure I will find a happy medium.  Happy Monday friends!  

I'm still here...

...but barely!  After a whirlwind couple of weeks I am hoping to catch up on life now.  

Things have just been cray.  Blakely was sick for a good 2 weeks.  Then Lonnie was out of town.  And then...

The pregnancy sickness hit me.  And wow.  I was not sick with Blakely so this is a whole new world for me.  I do okay for a few hours in the morning but then the nausea sets in for the rest of the day.  I am also STARVING OMG GET ME SOME FOOD NOW so that is cool.  Yesterday was a good day but I've already thrown up twice today.  Really hoping this passes quickly.

We took a quick peek at the babes the other day and they are both growing right along.  I think at that ultrasound I started feeling like okay this is actually happening.  I have another official ultrasound tomorrow with labs and if all looks good I can start weaning off my medications.  Which I am very happy about because my ass is one giant and painful bruise from the daily progesterone shots.  

We went to a Halloween party at a friends house for all the kids on Saturday.  It was really fun and the kids were all so cute.  I love watching Blakely want to play with the big girls.  She just follows them around trying to do everything that they do.  She even went into the "spooky room" with them which surprised me.  I struggled through the entire thing.  I had scoped out a distant bathroom early on just in case I needed to make a run for it.  I almost did because of all the food smells.  But it was fun anyway.  :)

Then on Sunday we FINALLY had Blakely's birthday party.  She loved it and keeps saying she wants to do it again.  Ha!  Honestly, I am so glad the thing is over.  It just felt like the longest lead up to a party ever.  Since we had to postpone it for 2 weeks I had all the decor already set up so I was ready to get the show on the road.  We had a good turnout and it is always great having my family and friends together.  Lonnie hates having parties but then once we have them he says he is so glad that we did.  So yeah...we will continue.  

Blakely is having a Halloween party at school today and then another one at dance tonight.  Let me tell you, once Halloween is over she is not getting any more candy for a long time.  I had a piñata at the party so we have had a few bags full of candy in this house for 2 weeks and she knew it.  She snuck some, Lonnie snuck her some and I have bribed her with some. So we are all guilty but I am putting a stop to it!  The good thing is that she wants to brush her teeth about 4 times a day!  (Maybe Lonnie and I need to stop eating candy too!)

Speaking of brushing teeth...  She has always been really good at letting me do it but the last few weeks she has been putting up a major fight.  Ugh.  Well the other day we were waiting at the doctor's office for her flu shot when she asked me for a sucker.  I said no.  She begged and finally I got frustrated and told her that if she eats candy and doesn't brush her teeth then her teeth will turn brown and then fall out.  Her head jerked up and she looked at me with huge eyes.  Then they started filling with tears.  The child started hard core crying and pulling on me to leave saying through her sobs, "Let's go home right now and brush my teeth!  I don't want to have brown teeth!".  I couldn't believe it.  I felt terrible but it did get through to her.  So now she brushed them multiple times a day! 

That's all I've got for today.  Hoping to get the birthday party post and her three year post up this week but we will see.  No pressure ;) 

Well...

I have quite a bit to say but about zero energy to type to all out but I am going to try!  We just got home from Blakely's first three year old gymnastics class.  We have been in the Mommy and me class for almost 2 years but I don't get to go into this new class.  She did really good.  It makes me tear up to watch her from behind the mirror.  Just seeing my big girl with eager eyes watching everything that is going on around her and trying to learn all the things at once, man, it pulls at my heart strings.  This class is quite a bit more structured and that is a good thing.  She wanted to run off to the trampolines a couple of times but didn't.  She will get used to following her teachers.  

She is finally back to 100%.  It seemed like she was ill for the longest time.  It all started with a runny nose for a few days and then the puking started.  She had never thrown up before so she was and still is completely traumatized by it.  The last time she threw up was Saturday night so she went to MDO Tuesday morning like normal.  About an hour in I got a call that she broke out in a rash.  They sent me pictures and then I went to pick her up.  It went away after a few hours so I chalked it up to being part of the virus...common.  She was fine the rest of the day so I planned to sent her back to MDO on Wednesday but that morning while getting dressed she broke out again!  Her hands and feet turned really red and she said they itched.  She had a few splotches on her face and chest.  Weird.  So I started wondering if it was some sort of allergic reaction.  I called the doctor but he was out sick until today.  I didn't want to see the nurse practitioner so I just gave her some Ben.adryl and it went away and she was fine the rest of the day.  Mainly I didn't want to go sit at the office waiting to be worked in and expose both of us to all the germs.  I said if she did it again this morning I would take her in but she didn't.  So I am thinking it was just the end of the virus she had.  Lets hope it doesn't happen again.  

We are planning on having her birthday party next Sunday.  She is so excited about it again now that she is feeling better.  Since it was a last minute cancellation I still had to pick up the cake.  It was so adorable and I am going to have her make another one for the actual party. We are still eating on this one but I think I am going to throw it out today.  Must stop eating cake.  

We are having some fall type weather here and it is so nice.  I've got my doors and windows open today.  I also have my fall candles going and I am making soup for dinner tonight.  Love this time of year.  I am ready to paint pumpkins but my house is still decorated for the party that didn't happen.  Kind of in a holding pattern on that for now.  

Lonnie has to take his board recertification soon and I am not thrilled about him flying through Dallas with all this Eb.ola stuff going on.  Now I am not one of the many that are panicking (I have seen some crazy stuff out there.  For example...I saw someone on FB say that Ob.ama had the first guy infected so there would be an outbreak to help with population control.  I mean....I had to delete them immediately).  If Lonnie was flying through any place else I wouldn't worry at all.  I just worry about someone who was exposed to the patient who died getting on the airplane like they are not supposed to do.  I told him he has to take a mask and if anyone is puking or bleeding then rent a frickin' car.  Ha!  Lonnie has assured me not to worry.  I'm trying boo.  

And if you made it through all of that then you are rewarded with this.  I am so exhausted.  Like literally can't keep my eyes open past about 11 am and I am ready for bed at 6 pm Thank goodness Blakely still takes naps because I am ready for one right about now.  But I guess that is to be expected when you are growing two babies.  TWO BABIES.  

TWO BABIES!!!!!  

Like what I did there?  Now I am going to nap with my sweet three year old and dream about how in the world I am going to tell her she is going to be a big sister....times 2!  :)

playing catch up!

Things have been a bit nuts around here.  In a good way.  Lonnie has had some random days off and the weather has been nice so we've had quite a bit of fun family time.  I keep meaning to blog about certain things but I forget!  So here we go with a miss mash of a post and some pictures thrown in!  

• FIRST OF ALL.  I found out late last week that all three of our embryos are chromosomally normal!  Can I get a hallelujah?  I nearly flipped when I saw the clinic number on my phone.  But she immediately told me it was good news.  I cried.  Like full on silly cry.  I didn't mean to do it but it snuck up on me and I couldn't stop.  We have a phone consult with Dr. S on July 3rd and we are tentatively looking at a frozen transfer at the end of July/early August.  OMG.  

• Blakely is still going to MDO 2 days a week.  They aren't usually open during the summer but they decided to give it a try.  I am super happy about that because Blakely would have missed it so much!  I wanted to take a comparison picture of her from the beginning of the school year to the end.  It amazes me how much she has changed.  I mean, I expected it, but, she just looks so grown up!  And tall.  

• We have been going to the pool pretty much every weekend for the last month.  The first few times Blakely didn't really want to "swim".  She had to have me holding her AT ALL TIMES.  She didn't even want to get down in the water much.  Well fast forward to yesterday and all of the sudden she can swim all over the pool with her puddle jumper on.  Deep end, shallow end, jump off the steps, spin herself around, climb up on the floaties.  It is amazing.  I was so surprised at how much progress she made in just one day.  Something clicked with her and she realized holy crap I can swim around here!  Ha!  We are hopefully starting swim lessons soon.

• I found a co-op in my town!  I can't tell you how excited this makes me.  I have been wanting to find one for a while but I couldn't.  I am not really one to just go to the farmer's market, chat them up and ask if I can buy food from them on the regular.  I was reading one of our local magazines and boom, there it was.  The best part?  Besides farm fresh food obviously, is that you order online!  I just placed my second order and I was so thrilled with my first one.  Everything was so fresh and just beautiful!  This time I ordered some meats as well as veggies and fruit.  Eventually I would like to get all of my meat from them but I am starting slow.  See?  Pretty!

• On Fridays, after gymnastics class we go to my dad's house.  Last Friday we took a little boat ride while we were over there.  Blakely had a blast.  For about 20 minutes.  Then this happened....  I've told you before...boats are magic toddler sleep machines.  

• Last week at MDO they had water week.  They had some little pools and sprinklers set up outside and the kids got to play.  Well since then, Blakely has been begging to "play in the water and play in the little fishie pool and play in the sprinkler and run run run through the sprinkler like we did at school please Mommy please".  Everything is an elaborate run on sentence around here.  So I dug out the little pool I bought when she was a baby and the child was thuh-rilled.  I set up our sprinkler and she was a little timid about it at first but after a few tries she was running around like crazy.  So  much so that I went online right then and bought another ball like sprinkler for her.  I love summer.  

• Lonnie and I have been playing co-ed softball again this year.  Have I mentioned that? It is fun but it is hot.  Last week we had 2 games and it was 95 degrees with like a million percent humidity.  Towards the end I thought I may just lay down in the outfield. I think we have about 3 weeks left.  Good news is that I haven't been injured yet!

• I got Lonnie a Keu.rig for Father's Day.  Why did we not purchase this like 5 years ago? And why did no one tell me that it makes a lot more than just coffee?!?!?  I don't drink coffee so I never paid a bit of attention to the thing.  Hello Kelly (autocorrect tried to change that to Hello K.itty.  WTF).  It it so much more than a coffee maker.  I may have just placed a very large order of tea, cider, hot chocolate and lemonade.  B will flip over the lemonade.  Girl is obsessed.  She helps "make coffee with Daddy in his new coffee maker we got for him for Daddy Day yesterday and I sit on counter with Daddy and help him make super hot coffee".  Love that girl...

• The other night I put Blakely's pajamas on and forgot to pull her hair out of the neck.  A few minutes later I looked over and saw this.  How cute would a little toddler bob be?  Not going to happen but I had to take a pic of the cuteness.  Although I am about to make her an appointment for a trim.  Her very first one.  Just a trim...

Okay.  I think y'all are caught up!  Happy Monday!  

Just checking in

Happy Friday y'all!  

• Blakely is finally feeling better.  I texted Lonnie today and told him that she was back to normal.  He asked what did I mean.  My response was that she has said no to every single thing I've asked her to do today and she fought her nap for a good 30 minutes.  So yeah.  Back to Blakely!  

• I, on the other hand, am completely exhausted.  She hasn't been sleeping good since Saturday.  Multiple wake ups in the middle of the night and isn't satisfied unless she is snuggled up with me.  So just a few hours of broken up sleep each night for.  I feel like I have a newborn.  That will be changing tonight.  

• I stopped drinking caffeine a couple of months ago.  I don't usually drink caffeine anyway but I had gotten on it hard around Christmas I guess.  Anyway, yesterday I was a total zombie.  Could not hold my eyes open.  I tossed Blakely in the car and we ran to the "arches" to get me a coke.  I needed a pick me up or I wasn't going to make it through the day.  Whoa.  It worked.  I was zipping around the house cleaning all the things and feeling jittery all day.  It was awesome.  But now it's over.  Boo.    

• We are supposed to have perfect weather this weekend and I'm thinking we may go hiking tomorrow.  Or maybe camping.  We just want to do something outdoors since Lonnie doesn't have to work/be on call.  

• Blakely's imagination is soaring these days.  Most of it is pretty funny and cute but I can tell she is starting to pretend things are scary.  Which then leads to her actually being scared of the imaginative thing.  Last night when I was putting her to bed she started telling me that there was a crocodile in her room.  At first she was being silly but then she stared to get stressed.  Which then led to hysterics.  I save the details but seriously.  THERE IS NO CROCODILE!  I mean what in the world?  We haven't talked about crocodiles or seen them on tv.  None in any of our books.  I have no clue where this came from.  Hopefully that was a one night thing because it was a little rough.  

• This is totally random but the whole post is random sooooo.  I *think* Blakely may be left handed.  I know they say you can't tell yet and I could be wrong but she really does most things with her left hand.  She uses her right hand too but just not near as much as the left.  She eats and colors and throws mainly with her left hand.  I'd say about 75-80% of the time.  I have started noticing that if she is trying to do something that requires fine motor skills she uses her left hand.  For example, she painted my toenails with both hands, although mainly her left, and when she was trying to put the brush back in the bottle she would always do it with her left hand.  Who knows but it is interesting to guess.  Do your kids have a preference or do they use both hands too?  If your kids are older when did you know which hand they preferred?  

• It is storming here this afternoon.  I can't wait for Lonnie to get home so we can curl up on the couch and watch basketball.  Lonnie would say grrrrrrreat.  More basketball. He doesn't really like to watch basketball (he is a baseball guy) but there are only a few times a year that I get control of the remote and Mar.ch Madn.ess is one of those times.  Thanks honey!  

Hope you all have a great weekend!  

February photos

Yesterday when I was searching for that gem of a picture I realized I have a few photos from February that I don't think I posted on the blog.  It's hard to keep up with all this social media.  What was posted where blah blah.  Anyway, I would like to have them on the blog and I know you are dying to see more pictures of my child.  No?

Yes.  It snowed.  And yes I took her outside.  Unfortunately Lonnie was at work so I got the job of bundling us up and going out in the freezing cold.  May I remind you that I live Arkansas.  We are not prepared for snow playing...hence the jeans.  But she loved it and I survived it.  Win.  

I even let her swing!  

I can't remember if I've mentioned this on the blog but my girl absolutely loves a photo booth.  We discovered one in the mall and now we can't go in that entrance anymore because it is FIVE DOLLARS A SESSION.  I am not even kidding.  In this picture I told her I turned it on but really I didn't.  HA!  

Blakely has done that thing with her tongue since the day she was born.  She used to put the back of her hand against her mouth when she was doing it but now she usually just twirls her hair.  Sleepy sweetie.  

He is her chair.  

Have I ever said that she is a teeeensy bit sassy?  

We went on a lunch date for Valentine's Day.  Here she is eating potato soup like it's her job.  She ate the whole bowl.  

I got her a bunch of princess socks and Min.nie socks as a present.  She loves them with all of her heart.  We have exactly 2 matching pairs now.  I found an Ar.iel one under the couch the other day and proudly exclaimed to her that I FOUND THE OTHER AR.IEL SOCK (that she was so sad she couldn't find).  We went to her sock drawer only to discover the other Ariel sock that had been found was now missing.  Socks are assholes.  

This was at the end of Lonnie's 20 day run at work.  He came home and fell asleep in my lap on the couch.  B decided to snuggle up and we read a book.  Please notice that she has on a nightgown, Daddy has a nightgown over his face and I am "wearing" one too.  She carries these things around all the time.  They even go in the car with us.  It is so funny the things she latches on to.  

I got to go on a date with this bearded guy.  Super grainy pic but I felt the need to document the fact that he was not wearing scrubs and I had on makeup!  

Since this is Arkansas, about 2 days after it snowed it was 70 degrees.  So we went to the park.  She was thuh-rilled.  

While the weather was still warm (because it is 15 today or something stupid) I took B to GranDi's to play.  

When I picked her up I found this.  Just singing away.  Pretty sure they had been doing this the whole day.  OH!  And I will post some videos of her singing later this week.  She let me take some when I told her it was for the blog ("bog")  :)

I'm not even sure what to say about this one....

Last week I got over my germaphobe craze and decided to take Blakely on a little day trip.  We drove to Li.ttle R.ock to go to a super fun play place and have lunch.  We had a great time and I only sanitized her hands 47 times.  

Playing cashier.  Lots of kids wanted to be the cashier and she said "oh no.  Me do it.  See?" But she did end up taking turns with them in the end.

And I know they would all hate this picture BUT I own the blog soooo.....  Last weekend we had a girls night at Jenny's house.  We drank wine and played games and I got home at 1:30 in the morning.  It was glorious and I can't wait to do it again.  Girl time was much needed.  

Good for you for making it through that post!  You're a saint :)

Because errrbody loves a bullet post...

• I went to the gym this morning for the first time in 2 months.  After Sarah's wedding I just sort of bummed out, got lazy and ate everything in sight.  I have to say...it was awesome!  Ha!  But my clothes are getting a wee bit snug and I am feeling yuck so I knew it was time.  Gah, it felt great to be back there and to sweat.
• Speaking of Sarah, she said I could steal (is it still stealing if I asked her?) a bunch of pictures from her FB of the wedding and post them here.  SO I will work on that because seriously...it was awesome.    
• Did y'all watch the Super B.owl?  What an awful game!  I mean the Seaha.wks did amazing but I like it when the games are close, ya know?  Anyway, my cousin lives in Boulder CO, and is a huge Broncos fan.  She bought B a Mann.ing jersey for Christmas so I let her wear it yesterday.  No we are not cheating on Tom...but if it couldn't be Tom we were sure hoping Ma.nning could get that ring.  Boo.  

• I did lose a bet to this same cousin 2 weeks ago when the Pats and the Broncos played.  So I will be sporting a Broncos bathing suit cover up to the beach every day on our beach trip in May.  Awesome...
• I'm pretty sure a lot of my readers also read Bridget's blog but if you haven't you should be checking it out right now.  Seriously, now.  She has been doing some awesome research on essential oils and since she mentioned it to me I have too.  I bought a starter kit and have been using them for about 5 days or so.  I'm loving them!  
• I got sick (again!) on Friday and was completely miserable Saturday.  On Saturday the only time I didn't feel like death is after I would do my little concoction of oils.  It was the only relief I could get.  I was using peppermint, breathe and lavender.  I would inhale them and then rub them on my chest.  Then I would also put a dab on my sinuses and it would relieve some of the intense sinus pressure and sinus headache I was having and my nose would immediately start running trying to get that junk out of there.  I did the same thing every couple of hours.  I was amazed actually.  I've been putting the OnGuard on Blakely and Lonnie so hopefully they won't catch what I had.  So far so good.  
• We have taken Blakely out of MDO for a couple of weeks.  A few kids had the flu there and I just didn't want to risk her getting it.  I don't have to go to work or anything so she doesn't HAVE to go.  I would feel terrible if she did get sick just so I could grocery shop alone, ya know?  
• Can spring just get here?  I am so tired of the germs and the sickies and the cold.  I am sure all of you are as well. 
• We are on day 8 of 20 days in a row of Lonnie working.  So far it hasn't been pretty.  Not only has he had crazy full days with difficult cases but he had a busy weekend and has had to go back to the hospital at night a few times on call.  It isn't fun but he is off a week at the end so I am focusing on that.  Focusing on that...  I'll stop complaining about that now.  Sorry.
• Speaking of work.  My friend that manages a clinic close to my house and who I also went to ultrasound school with mentioned that they may have a PRN ultrasound job at the clinic.  I think I may be interested.  I need to know more.  What I do know is there would be no call and no weekends (I wouldn't even consider a job that did at this point).  Clinic hours and I could possibly make that work with MDO hours and with Juanet's help.  I'm thinking about it.  
• I just got my blog book in the mail.  I get it printed every year and I love having all my posts all in one place.  I can't stop flipping through it.  So many things I already forgot about.  
• I am devouring books on my iPad.  You guys have any good book suggestions?  I'm not picky...I read all types of books.  Bring it!  
• Now that is a whole lot of random.  Happy Monday!  I'm off the eat the rest of the dips I made for the game last night.  

Random things...

It has been one thing after another here lately and I can't seem to find the time to sit down and blog.  Here are a list of random things for your midweek!

• Blakely is in the "obsessed with bandaids" stage.  You can usually find her with one on each cheek and she will be carrying a princess that is covered in them as well.

• We had our wine dinner last night and it was super fun.  I love getting dressed up and going out with my husband!  No pictures because it was a mad dash to get ready and get out of the door.  I will say that I was about 6'2" with my shoes on...but still shorter than my Lonnie.  :)

obsessed with these.  may wear them to every holiday party...

• Lonnie was off last week so we had a lot of family cuddle time.  It was cool and rainy most days so we got to build a fire and watch movies each night.  Blakely watched The Li.ttle Merma.id which she LOVED (we've watched it 3 times now) and Cin.dere.lla which she liked but not as much as Ariel (Ay-dull).  I have waited my whole life to watch movies with my baby girl.  It makes my heart smile.  Lonnie even looked over at me and said "you are so happy right now"...he was right!

• Since Lonnie was off Blakely just got a whole bunch of Daddy time.  She loves it but probably not as much as he does!  Here are a couple more from the week...

he wore those stickers on his face the whole time we were at breakfast.  and he let her crawl all over him so I could eat.  he is the best.  

• I am getting so pumped up for Christmas.  I have already started working on some Christmas presents for family.  And I am in the process of making the Christmas Countdown list too.  MERRY MERRY!  
• Lonnie and I are having a party this weekend for Sarah and CJ who are getting married in a few weeks.  Once that party is over the Christmas tree is going up!  
• Do your children love to be naked?  I can't even tell you the struggle it is to get B dressed in the mornings.  And the second we get home each day she screams "ME NAKEY" and starts stripping down.  Fun.  
• Aaaaaaaand Lonnie has taught her how to pee outside.  Which she thinks is the coolest thing ever.  I have to say, it is pretty funny and she is darn good at it!  Ha!

this was right before she showed me how she "pee pee out-shide grash!" 

• We had to cancel our family pictures because of the rain last week.  Totally sad about it.  We haven't had family pictures since B was born and I was really looking forward to it because the leaves have been so so pretty this year.  Lonnie isn't off again until mid December so we rescheduled for then.  So, winter family pictures?  I guess so.  Weird.  I need to think of what we are going to wear because our "fall" outfits just aren't going to cut it.
• In one of my fantasy leagues I am 10-0.  Did you hear that Kalyn?  Undefeated...can't even believe it!  
• I'm off to go pick up my baby girl and take her for ice cream!  

I just need to ramble.

Life seems to have kicked into high gear here lately.  We have many things going on and I just haven't been able to find the time to blog.  Here are some quick notes.  

1. Blakely turns 2 next Sunday.  We are having her party at our house just like last year.  Most of my free time (I have free time?) has been spent getting things ready for that.  I am not even close but it will be fun anyway.  I can't wait to share with y'all!  
2. Lonnie and I had our 6 year anniversary yesterday.  He's my man.  I love him.  I won't get all mushy but just know that he took me to Buff.alo Wi.ld Wings yesterday so I could watch football without an *almost* 2 year old on screaming at me at the top of her lungs.  He loves me.  Good man, that one.  
3. I can't lie, Blakely has been kicking my ass the past 2 weeks.  Apparently someone told her that she was the boss.  She is not the boss.  She does not understand this.  The other day I told her that Mommy was the boss and that meant that she had to do what mommy told her to do.  Her exact words, "NOOOOOO!!!! Blakely Boss!!!"  Then she proceeded to chant that while throwing wet wash cloths out of the bath tub.  I am very scared.  
4. I have some serious mommy guilt going on.  Lately B has been much more difficult to put to bed.  Or just much more difficult in general?  Anyway, I mentioned a while back that she is super attached to me.  Well this means that she doesn't want anyone else to put her to bed.  So I do it most every night.  Which is fine.  But NOW she will not let me leave the room.  She wants me to stand there and hold her hand while she falls asleep.  If I walk out of the room she gets hysterical.  Not just normal crying.  I'm talking sobbing, coughing, gagging, holding her breath hysterics.  Now, let me just tell you that a part of me, and not a small part, wants to jump in that bed with her and hold her sweet little hand all night long.  Deep down I know I don't want to get into that routine so I try my best to comfort her in other ways.  But I mean really.  The child just wants to touch me while she falls asleep.  It is the sweetest thing ever and It is breaking my heart to not do that every night.  Last night I slept in her room.  Tonight I will try not to.  
5. I have 1,000 things I should be doing other than blogging right now.  My carpets are being cleaned as we speak and I am supposed to be doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen.  I hate carpet, by the way, and can't wait for the day when we get rid of it all!  
6. My mom and I took Blakely with us to the craft fair this weekend.  I looooooove going to the Arts and Crafts Fair.  My aunt used to have a booth where she sold hand painted signs so I've been going since I was little.  I got some cute stuff but we didn't get to spend as much time there as I would have liked.  It was like 100% humidity so we were worn out after a while.  I've gotten B some adorable knit hats there the past 3 years and I may have gone overboard this year.  Oops.  
7. I am in 2 fantasy football leagues.  It is getting hard to keep up with them both.  BUT in the one with all the boys I am 5-0!  Kicking ass and taking names!  Oh and the name of my team is A Woman Among Boys.  LOL!  In the other league with just my girlfriends I am doing ok....need to step it up though!  
8. Must.  Go.  Do.  Laundry.  
9. Happy Monday!!!!!  

Things

I am full of randomness on Wednesdays

• Lonnie gets to avoid surgery.  For now.  His weakness has gotten better but it isn't normal yet.  The doctor said it could take 4-6 weeks to go back to normal.  We will see. He can't play softball this year and he can't run anymore.  He is not happy about any of that.  Thank you all very much for the well wishes for him.  He appreciates my bloggy friends :)
• Speaking of softball, we had our first 2 games last night and I got my first softball injury.  A nasty scrape on my elbow from doing a beautiful head first slide into third for a triple. No.  That is a lie.  It was from doing a major face plant in the outfield because the ball was stroked over my head and APPARENTLY my upper body moves faster than my lower body.  Hence, the face plant.  Oh and that was the FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME. I told my teammates that it was okay to laugh at me.  I would laugh at them.  Let's hashtag this one out, shall we?
• #iamnot17anymore
• #getwiththeprogramlegs
• #icannotmovethismorning
• #ididawesometherestofthegame
• #wellmaybenotawesome
• #itwasstillsofun
• but most importantly #iamnot17anymore  Let's move on.
• Is it cooling off where you are?  (not you Fiona ;) )  I'd say it is trying to cool off a little here.  Low 90's and upper 80's on sunny days.  You can smell fall in the air though and I am pumped.  We had a gloriously mild summer (which I am sure means a hellish winter) and I do feel like we took full advantage of it.  Now I am ready to take advantage of the fall weather.  Already on the search for a pumpkin patch.  
• You know what it is time for right?  PUMPKIN PAINTING!  Sarah and I have already been discussing our color schemes for our pumpkins this year.  I am leaning towards traditional Halloween colors but am always looking for ideas.  I am really wanting to do lots of purple.  Maybe shades of purple with some gold.  Or purple and black and white.  I'm not sure yet.  Do you paint pumpkins?  If not, you should...it's easy!  
• I am about to go on a pinning spree.  I am looking for some great (and preferably clean) fall recipes.  Doesn't the change of weather make you want to change your meal plans?  Not that I am a great meal planner but I do try.  I am ready for soups and crockpot meals and pumpkin anything!  Feel free to share if you have any ideas.  
• We have got to get some family pictures done.  The most recent one we have is from our beach trip in May and it is of our backs looking out on the ocean.  This is not acceptable.  I think I'll call and schedule today!  
• And because it doesn't seem right to have a post with no pictures I will leave you with this one from Saturday during the Razorback game.  

Just a random Wednesday

Linking up with Megan today for a bunch of randomness!

• You want to know what is embarrassing?  Having to go to the doctor and have your ear cleaned out because it is impacted with wax.  Yesterday morning when I was using a q-tip {I know} all of the sudden my ear just sealed up and I could not hear a thing.  I took B to school and then went and worked out hoping it would get better.  No.  It was driving me so crazy that I couldn't even wait for Lonnie to get home with some utensils to clean it out himself.  Off to the doctor I went.  My doctor cleaned it out and it felt amazing.  It was totally disgusting and I wanted to die when I saw what he got out of there but I was so happy even though I was embarrassed.  And then all of the sudden I was not happy....I was insane dizzy.  Like almost fell off of the table dizzy.  Apparently shooting water that is too cold in your ear causes vertigo.  So I sat there for about 10 minutes trying to get back to normal.  I can't tell you how weird it was to be so so dizzy but not nauseated.  I have vowed to never use a q-tip again.  Oh how I will miss them though...
• B is going to school 2 days a week now {which is why I am able to blog in the middle of the day...yay!}.  She loves it and I love that she loves it.  She woke up this morning chanting her teachers names.  I think she probably dreamed about them and school all night...ha!  
• When I picked her up yesterday this is what she did all the way home.  Non-stop.  I think they talked about letters at school?!

• I have no idea what to do with myself when she is gone.  I am literally able to do things around the house that used to take me hours when she was here with me.  For example, I paid bills this morning in less than 30 minutes.  That used to be an all day process full of interruptions and toddler "helping".  I am so much more productive and when she does get home I am able to focus on her instead of trying to do other things during my time with her.  
• Ok.  I am saying it.  She is potty trained.  The last time she wore a pull up was on our trip to Pittsburgh.  She did well the whole trip but did have a wet pull up a few times.  But she wasn't scared to go potty in the airport, on the airplane or at Bridget's house.  She even showed off her potty skills to Emily!  It was pretty cute.  I was nervous about her regressing on the trip and once we got home but she hasn't.  So I ditched the pull ups and we are panties full time now.  Even at school and she has stayed dry.  I do not miss cloth diaper laundry!!! {fingers crossed this doesn't jinx us!}
• I finally decided on a theme for B's 2nd birthday party.  I am excited about it after not being able to get that way for a while.  I think I am going to do a Sunday afternoon party that is a little more low key.  The Saturday of her birthday weekend the Razorbac.ks play at home so I wanted everyone to be able to go to the game {3 hours away}.  And if I do Sunday afternoon then I don't have to have as much food so maybe it will be less stressful?
• I still haven't gotten my refund for our last IVF.  I was supposed to get a check in the mail soon after I spoke with the nurse about it.  Well, that was 6 weeks ago.  To say we are frustrated would be an understatement.  They have had plenty of time.  Lonnie is calling today and demanding answers.  He is doing it and not me because 1) I would probably cry and 2) they will be way more scared of him (I hate confrontation and am terrible at it anyway).  
• Y'ALL.  This is the most important bullet in this post.  NFL football starts tomorrow!!!  OMG.  You know I love me some football and I may be a *little* obsessed with fantasy football.  I am in 2 leagues this year.  The one with all of my girlfriends that we do every year and then another one with some people Lonnie works with.  I used to work with them too so I know most of them.  There is only one other girl in that league so I named my team A Woman Among Boys.  HAHA!  I am seriously so excited and I will try not to talk about it on every post.  Unless you want!  Who do you root for?  Do you hate football?  Lonnie hates it but I think it is mainly because I love it so much.  He is more of a baseball guy.  :)

Happy day before the NFL season starts!  

randomness during nap time...

• B had a great first day of MDO yesterday.  Until about 3:00.  Her teacher said she noticed that Blakely was just looking different than she had all day and so she went and held her and felt like she was hot.  They took her to the office and took her temp.  104.  Great.  They were calling me to come pick her up right as I was walking in the door.  They brought her to me and my girl looked so pitiful.  We are heading to the doctor in about an hour.  
• Potty training is going well.  She is in panties most of the time now.  I do put her in a pull up for MDO and for gymnastics class on Friday.  Mostly because I think she is having so much fun she forgets to tell me/her teacher that she needs to go.  For the most part, the pull up stays dry.  We spend a lot of time like the picture below.  She will wait to pee just so she can play in the back seat.  Oh, and it is about 100 degrees with the humidity of a sauna.  So this is always fun.  No...

 {isn't she going to love this picture later?}

• Lonnie has had an amazingly rough stretch at work.  2 terrible weeks and a call weekend in between.  When his work is crazy, everything is crazy.  He is off for a week starting this weekend and it can not get here fast enough!  Although he may sleep the whole time...
• Do you use the Timehop App?  You can sync it with your FB or Insta.gram and it will tell you what you posted one, two or three years ago!  I love it but must it make me tear up every day?  This is what it showed me the other day.  WHO IS THAT BABY???

• B is obsessed with this pink hat.  If she doesn't know where it is then she roams around whining "Boppy pink hat" until I find it for her.  {Boppy=Blakely}

• I can't seem to get motivated to plan B's 2nd birthday party.  What is wrong with me?  I have an idea of what I am going to do and I have made a few purchases but no planning beyond that.  Get with it mama!
• One more random thing.  This little family of mine is taking a weekend trip (4 days) pretty soon.  Any guesses where we are going?!?  {It is in the US}  Happy Wednesday!