"I want Eeeeeeee"

Oh man, that is all I hear these days. I have been doing the alphabet with Reis on a website called Starfall.com and if I have done it once, I have done it a million times. I have all of them memorized as in what Starfall has after each letter..."e" is for egg, "s" is for snake, "i" is for igloo...need I say more? I love that he asks for it and wants to learn. I just wish I could find another site for something a little new...something, anything I'll take it:)

Ladies Night!!!!!!!

A couple of gals are going to grab dinner tonight, see the Time Traveler's Wife, and then grab drinks afterward. I am very excited. I think having a night out keeps me sane. Alan is going to take Reis to his girlfriend's house so the "men" can have a beer and the kiddos can play. It's so nice to have a theater, BJ's Brewhouse, and of course a Chick fil a literally right around the corner. I could walk if I was feeling frisky:)

Reis has a girlfriend

I don't think he realizes he does but according to Anna, she is his girlfriend. We were at the pool yesterday and Anna declared Reis was handsome and therefore, her boyfriend. So cute.

She's only 3, Reis looks like a baby standing next to her.

So very neat

Why didn't they have this kind of stuff when we were growing up? Crayons for the bathtub and dye to turn the water all these neat shades. I am tempted to steal them for my bath time:)

Forever

It feels like forever since I have blogged. I stayed with my mom for a week and a half for my surgery and she doesn't have internet. I have never felt so disconnected in my life...sad to say. I even started working the hubby for a Blackberry and he's slowly caving but now it may be iPhones for us both...woohoo. Anyway, back to where I was going with this. My surgery went well, it was the days following that were interesting. You can't eat after 12 the night before surgery and mine was scheduled for 12:15 so I hadn't eaten since 6 the day before. They actually took me back at 2:15. Everything went well, 2 hours and I was done. First thing I managed to say coherently was Chick-fil-a. My glorious new boob first meal. That was all I ate and then dozed off until the morning. I got up starving to make myself breakfast and started getting dizzy, hot, and sweaty. I knew what was coming so I sat in the chair and managed to call mom from her bed. Before I knew it, I was out cold...fainted. I have done this a couple of times before. My mom freaks out and calls 911. I came to shortly thereafter so she hung up and they called back to make sure I was ok. Just like to keep my mom on her toes is what I tell her. So, the next day, July 4th, I told mom to go do what she wanted I was content to lie in bed and watch some good reality tv. She got dressed and was about to leave and I told her my legs were numb, especially the right one. It felt like they were asleep and wouldn't wake up. I started to walk around thinking that would help to no avail. My mom started freaking out thinking it may be a blood clot but we didn't want to bother my Doctor; it was July 4th. We called his office and left a message but made the mistake of not paging him. So, off to the ER we go...woohoo...rockin 4th for me. We waited for 2 hours, my Dr. called and said he would have told us to stay home, and the ER doc said it was probably a weird thing due to the anesthesia. Go figure, something like this would happen to me. I guess I can say these pups are already working out pretty well. The Dr. gave me his card and said to call him if I had any trouble and he would get me right back without waiting...alrighty, I'll take that. Thanks Dr. Kirbo! The numbness mostly went away but the top of my right foot is still numb but I can tell it's slowly fading. The surgery was way worth it. I was sore the next day and couldn't lift my arms but by day 3 I was able to move around pretty easily. They are wayyy better than before I got pregnant...it's crazy! I would recommend it to all mothers anywhere and everywhere.

Judge Ye Not

Well, Thursday is the big day for me. Call me selfish or whatever but mommy is getting the girls a little overhaul...aka, a lift. No more than necessary, I would just like them where God intended them to be...before children. I am uber excited and a little nervous but my doctor is a longtime family friend so I know I will be fine. I am heading to Tallahassee on Tuesday, have my pre-op Wednesday, and then the finale on Thursday...yay! I may not be saying that on Thursday when the pain sets in. My rebuttal to those who ask if I am worried about the pain would be the one thing childbirth WILL prepare you for is any procedure postbaby. I believe there is nothing in comparison to the pain of childbirth so I think I can handle it. I will be happy to give anyone referrals if wanted:)

A little bit of seriousness

I'm not sure if anyone has ever dealt with someone with an addiction, but I feel like it is almost a death. Our family has been through the ringer and is still there with a glimpse of hope in sight. I have felt like an only child now for many years with the exception being that a lot of the time my problems came in a close second to my sister's. I was not allowed to have problems because hers often overshadowed mine. And, that's ok. I just want my sister back. I want her to know my son and my son to know her. And right now, he has no clue who she is. She has missed out on 2 wonderful years of being an aunt to a precious little boy. Not to mention a sister that I could call to complain about what I thought were "real" problems of mine at the time, someone who knows you better than anyone else...literally, your other half, one I can hang out with or spend a weekend at the beach, shop with, all those little things that sisters do and thrive on. I have not had that in a long time. Part of me is so angry about everything. But, I have to think her problem is bigger than one she can fix on her own. She has been given another gift or chance which is an offer to enter a treatment program called Teen Challenge. It is Christian based and a year long AND they have agreed to take her for free...it is not cheap. I hope this is an answer to prayers that have been sent up for a long, long time. I need and want a sister and my parents want a daughter...not one but two.

Gunky the Monkey

Reis had named his monkey that we NEVER go anywhere without "Gunky." It is so cute. He is starting to develop his own personality sometimes bad but for the most part he is pretty good. Although I wonder, is it normal for toddlers to sleep a lot at this age? By no means am I complaining but he sleeps a lot. Today he got up at 8:30 and I put him down for a nap around 1 and he didn't get up until 4:15...crazy! I am about to put him to bed and it's 8 so he gets his 12 hours in for sure. And, he goes through phases where he eats and then doesn't. I swear he has been 23 pounds for a year now...so tall and thin. But, I have to say, he is pretty darn cute.

Alan's mom took this pic and had it made as wall art with no frame for our new house...I had a fit.

Nothing to blog about

I haven't been feeling "bloggy" these days. Nothing exciting here really. We have moved and are settling in. My mom has been here for the past couple days but is headed back today. I told her she should buy the place next to us and be my full time nanny. I don't know that it will ever happen. According to her, we live in the "big city" and everything is confusing to her. I am proud she made it down here for the second time although it was quite interesting. I told her to call me when she got off the exit. I didn't think she would have to hang up the phone every time she had to switch lanes...it was pretty funny.

Alan went to Ft. Lauderdale this past weekend to see his family. He won $300 at the Hard Rock playing black jack. I told him that was payment for him being able to go out and me being home. I guess because we are mothers we will forever be the primary caretakers but sometimes it can be a little frustrating because you just want to get away too. It's not that easy though. It seems like it's a given that we take care of the little ones. Some days can be really challenging. I guess it comes with the age but you feel like pulling your hair out at times. I'm sure all mothers can relate. Anyway, hope all is well with everyone in blog land:)

This is pretty good

Subject: Installing a Husband...

INSTALLING A HUSBAND:

Dear Tech Support,

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.

In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as NASCAR 6.0, NFL 5.1 and Golf Clubs 4.1.

Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system.
Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.

What can I do?

Signed,
Desperate.



DEAR DESPERATE,

First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system.

Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme.HTML and try to download Tears 6.2 and do not forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update. If that application works as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5.

However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0 or Beer 6.1. Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Farting and Snoring Loudly Beta.

Whatever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your systems resources.)

In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0.

In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend Cooking 3.0 and Hot Lingerie 7.7.

Good Luck!

Tech Support

Moving sucks and I hate it...... But I really like my new house.

Some of the colors are hard to see in the pics. The office is a gray color, not purple like I think it looks in the picture. The painting and moving are done. Now I just need a little decor.

Tomorrow

Let the madness begin. We are closing tomorrow at 1 and Alan's parents are coming down to help us. Actually, his dad is going to be the greatest and do all of our painting. I guess that means I need to get my butt in gear and start going through stuff which I haven't. I have been sick since Monday with the whole sore throat and stuffy nose thing, but I woke up this morning and feel much better. I feel bad for Reis because he's been cooped up in the house with me this week while I've been feeling like crap. Hopefully, this weekend we can take him swimming or to the beach.

It's funny, but the saying, "It's a small world" is so true. Alan's company hired "a new guy" from Virginia and they invited us over last Saturday to swim and bbq. Come to find out, he and his wife moved from Alexandria, VA down here and his wife and I actually worked right next door to each other in Alexandria. My boss actually owns the building that she worked in. AND, we both have boys that are 3 weeks apart...it's so funny. So, we have mastered a plan to get the boys together to play and swim and then put them down for naps and we will head out to the pool to float, chat, and have some wine. Doesn't sound like a bad plan to me:)

After my mental breakdown at the Dr's office, I went to another doctor that a girl Alan works with recommended. She was having some of the same issues and said that her doctor was really great about listening and trying to figure out a solution which now I can say ditto to that. I saw her on Monday and she agreed that something was not right so she ordered more extensive blood work and I will see her again tomorrow. It was great to have someone that didn't think I was going nuts or just push me out the door with a prescription to fix ONE of the many issues I was having. So hopefully tomorrow I will know more.

Also, is anyone else completely addicted to Bravo's Real Housewives? Everytime a new season starts, I am addicted immediately. I watched New Jersey last night that I had dvr'd and it was really good...I can't help myself.

Any and Everything

Who can resist a good butt shot?

We spent lots of time last week in Grandma's back yard. This was before he got into an ant bed and I about had a heart attack.

I'm glad to be back home after 2 weeks. We close on our townhouse next week and I cannot wait. We had a notice on our door about renewing our lease, and I wanted to take it down to the office and show them my middle finger. If we renewed, our rent would have gone up another $75. So, our mortgage is basically going to be $275 cheaper than what we are paying in rent. That is crazy to me. Sayonara ole apartment...nice knowing ya.

I went to the Dr. yesterday about the results of some blood work I had done. I will probably never go back because I had a mental breakdown in her office and feel like an idiot and secondly, she wanted to put me on cholesterol medicine and would not listen to how I was feeling. I just want to scream, "would someone listen to me." Maybe that's what I am doing now:) I am so exhausted(like 1st trimester kind of tired), feel a little down, have not had what constitutes me being a woman since January, could cry in an instant and then be pissed off at the world, and now, have elevated cholesterol(which I have never had). My mom and sister both had the same problem with their cholesterol which led to them being hypothyroid. I do not feel like myself but since all my tsh levels are "normal" I guess maybe I am just going crazy, but I really don't think so. I feel deeply that something is off. I know exhaustion and mentally feeling crazy can in no way relate but it's like about 4 years ago when I walked around for 2 months with staph(yes, weirdo me got MRSA) and finally one day I could not walk and someone said holy crap, you gotta go to the hospital. Now, I just wish someone would say, "holy crap, you are not going crazy." Anyway, I have another appt. Monday and am going to try to get in with an endocrinologist so we'll see. Until then, that's my rant. I feel better:)

Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

The time has come and such a sad time it is. Reis has figured out how to climb out of his crib or maybe I should say scale the walls of his crib? It happened the other day when I put him in there so I could get a shower. I thought it was quite possibly, hopefully a fluke but no, he has Batman skills now and I'm not happy about it. What I am really not happy about is the fact that he came in and smacked me on the forehead the other morning at 6:45. Batman is growing up. I will give him credit for today because he didn't get up until 8:45. My peaceful showers are now a thing of the past...not to mention my sanity some days....moment of silence please.

Too Cool for School

Meanwhile at Memaw's

Reis was having some fun of his own.

Tennessee Tales

We went to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for our friend's surprise birthday this past weekend and had a great time. I must say I am proud of myself for keeping the secret since December and not spilling the beans. Ashley didn't know where we were going until we got to the airport Thursday morning. Seven of us rented a cabin on a mountain and that is the way to go. It is inexpensive when you get a group to go and we all had our own bedroom and bath which was nice. On Friday, the girls went shopping and came home to a house fully decorated for a Hannah Montana party. It was the funniest thing. The boys went and got party hats, favors, and a pinata stuffed with skittles and some other dirty things I won't mention(boys will be boys). I think playing an over 21 version of pin the tail on the donkey and the pinata were definitely one of the highlights of the trip. Who knew it could be so much fun? We went out in Gatlinburg for her birthday and the cab driver that picked us up mentioned first thing that he was bipolar and not on his meds. Just the thing one wants to hear when winding through narrow mountain roads with no barriers. Saturday, we drove up into the mountains to Cade's Cove and stopped off on the highway, scaled down and played in the freezing creek. It was gorgeous. And Sunday, we spent the day in Gatlinburg shopping and took a chair lift to the top of the mountain.

The front of our cabin

Me, Ashley, Melissa, and VanessaAlan and I at Cade's CoveThe freezing creekTop of mountainAnother shot of the top

Sprinter

I was at the gym today and had gotten off the stairmaster(that horrible thing could be another entire blog) and went to finish the last of my cardio on the treadmill which is right by the gym's entrance. It is in a medical center so there is a cafeteria right outside and then the door. About 2 minutes in looking unrecognizable due to the ginormous amount of sweat dripping off of me, who do I see? My son, hauling butt out the gym door. Apparently, he "escaped" while another mom was picking up her child. It is really scary how fast things like that can happen. I saw him and ran out the door and got him before the babysitter did. They were very apologetic but it could have been a lot worse. You have to watch them constantly at this age...crisis averted, whew.

"I have a 19 year old; I can relate."

These words spoken by Alan's boss when we were figuring out our travel plans for the end of the month. The last week of March, Alan is in Tallahassee on business and then April 2nd, we are leaving for a friend's surprise birthday trip to the mountains. So, we have been trying to figure out our plan and getting Reis to Memaw while we are gone. Alan's boss was going to fly his plane to Tallahassee but Alan mentioned that he needed to take the baby and dog to meet his mom on his way up. His boss added that his plane was a 4 seater so put the dog in a kennel and the baby in a car seat. It's no offense to his boss, but we didn't really feel comfortable doing that and we would also have 2 nerve crazed grandmas to deal with. So now, Alan is driving up and his boss says he will ride with him. Back to my headline, he points out that he has a 19 year old so he's not so out of touch with kids. I laughed and said good luck on that one. A lot can happen in 4 hours. By the time they get to Tallahassee, he will probably be covered in dog hair, have a lap filled with nuggets and fries, and the ENTIRE Backyardigans DVD memorized...he's in for a treat.

Retail therapy

Well, for Reis that is. He is getting so tall that his shirts are quickly becoming belly, baring midriffs. So, after his nap, we are going to run to Old Navy(and Total Wine...oops) and see what we can find. It is so not fair the amount of cute and girly stuff most stores have compared to the mundane, always the same clothes for little boys. It's probably a good thing I don't have a little girl because I would be beyond crazy with frilly stuff. Reis is still in 12 month shorts and has been 22lbs. for the past 7 months. I think he has been in Pampers 3 for the majority of his life. He has just shot up and not out, I guess.

I have started to think about getting rid of stuff before we move in a couple of months and wish I knew someone I could unload a ton of stuff to. Any suggestions? I have a swing, clothes, toys, bumbo chair, walker(barely used), stationary play thingy they sit in, stuffed animals...anything and everything coming out the wazoo. Someone told me to call The Salvation Army and they would pick it up. If I can't find anyone, that's probably what I will do because stuff is overflowing here. I am most definitely a non pack rat...I cannot stand clutter.

What gives?

I made an appointment with an internal medicine doctor today but can't get in until April 16th. I am going to have my thyroid tested again. I don't know what is going on but something isn't right. I am so tired, unmotivated, and kind of down for no reason really. I wouldn't think that irregularity would have this much of an effect on me but maybe, I am wrong. I have no idea. I have heard so much lately about bioidentical hormones and read Robin McGraw's book, What's Age Got To Do With It. I would love to have the entire hormone screening done but I don't think insurance covers it. My mom and sis have thyroid problems but there are a lot of other things that can be slightly off that can make a difference in how you feel. Gosh, I sound like a menopausal lady at the age of 27 but something is going on and I know it's hormones. I just hope internal medicine can do an in depth screening to help a crazy feeling mom out:)

On another note, I never have gotten into Dancing With The Stars but tuned in last night because I heard Melissa from The Bachelor was joining the cast. I must say, it was pretty good. Maybe it's the cast this season but I think I'll keep watching...kinda liked it.

Relief

I have to agree with Praisejunky's post...I have been so hungry lately too that it started to scare me. I have never been "regular" I guess you could say so I psyched myself out this morning thinking all this hungriness and lethargy and the fact that I haven't had my monthly blessing since the beginning of January HAD to be due to the fact that I was pregnant. Although, I knew(in my head somewhere) and know now(because I took a test) that I am not, because I ALWAYS take "precautions." But geez, come on already! No wonder I have wanted to chew out anybody and everybody and chew on anything and everything. I seriously need some relief...stat!

Just me and the dog

Alan is in DC this week on a business trip and Reis is spending the week with Memaw so I am all by my lonesome. I must say, it is kind of nice. I will probably anger some moms reading this, but I didn't get up this morning until 10:30. Who knew I could even still sleep in? It was heaven. I say I am enjoying all the free time but give me a day or so and I'm sure I will be kinda bored. But for now, it's not so bad:) I told the hubs I guess I will see him in April because he is in DC every week of March...not always the entire week but at least a couple days. Hopefully, he will have more work in Tallahassee so I can go with him and hang out. Not much else to report on this end except for peace and quiet:)

Hormones are raging

I am so pissed off. We got back from Tallahassee yesterday afternoon which was also the day our rent was due. Alan stopped by first thing this morning and the lady said it was late...ok, we can accept that due to the fact that it was our fault. Alan asks the lady if he can leave the check I wrote for the correct amount and come back later with the late fee because I had the checkbook in my purse or I could even run it down myself. She said no, she needs the entire amount...ok, whatever biatch. Our complex is under new management and is switching over the system so they cannot except debit card payments and haven't been for a couple months because of the transition. This happened one time before and the lady said to just call if you are out of town and pay over the phone to avoid a late charge. Ok, got it. Well, how the hell do you pay over the phone if they cannot except debit cards? Luckily, we came back yesterday or we would have had an even uglier note on our door than the one we got today. So, I went to take the dog out and stuck to our door was a THREE DAY NOTICE TO PAY OR GIVE POSSESSION or in other words pay or you have 3 days to get out. Alan JUST went by this morning to try to pay it and they wouldn't except it because it did not include the late charge. Doesn't one think that you should be just a tad bit more accommodating when it is YOUR fault that due to management turnover one cannot pay by card but instead only check? What would we have done if we had stayed in Tallahassee the whole week which was our original plan? Shall I book my rent payment a ticket on US Air and send it to you that way stupid lady?? She told me today that we needed to plan better. How do you plan better when you find out the day before you are going out of town? So now, they won't even take one our checks we can only pay with a money order or cashier's check. You know, maybe if we were scum who were trying to get by without paying ok, I get it, but when you are making every effort to get things in on time...screw you!

I am done now, thank you:)

What is that saying?

"I have PMS and a hand gun, any questions?" That's me. Am I the only one that feels like they are going crazy the week before they start? I have been a hermit and feel so out of it. Like I have lost my brain or something...not to mention the headaches, cramps, and all the wonderful things that go along with it...boo...that's about all I have to say!

Weekend Fun

Saturday was Tampa's annual Gasparilla extravaganza so Alan and I went out on a boat for the sea version I guess you could say. They have a parade downtown but also tons of boats that head to Tampa Bay where a pirate ship docks and the mayor hands over the key to the city for the day...kind of like a Mardi Gras on water minus the boobage or at least I didn't see any...lol. We had a good time; it was cold but we enjoyed it. Me, being the klutz that I am, dropped my camera in the water trying to get from the bow to the back of the boat. So all these pics are courtesy of Alan's boss that was with us.

Our pirate ship

Everyone heading to Tampa bay

One of the main pirate ships in the middle

On Sunday, we took Reis to the fair. I wasn't opposed to going because I secretly love going every year. But no one would ride anything with me. I took Reis on the carousel and he screamed the entire time. I told Alan I got the bum end of the deal. Who goes to the fair and doesn't ride the rickety rides? It's tradition I say! We had a good time except for the outrageous price of clog your arteries type of food we endured. Has anyone else heard of a fried pb&j? So wrong on so many levels. I found a chicken wrap that didn't look too scary. Would have posted a pic but the fishies are probably taking family portraits with my camera right about now.

Gotta Give the Little Guy Credit

Oftentimes on here, I blog to moan and groan about the difficult days I have had while being at home so I thought I would give little man 2 snaps for being really good yesterday. I always dread taking him to get his hair cut because lately he pitches fits, and I'm the mom with the unruly kid screaming in the chair. BUT, yesterday we went and he was pretty darn good. I have found this place at International Plaza in Tampa specifically for kids. It's called Short Cuts and here's a pic posted below.

I think this is the best idea ever!! Each station has a car and flat screen where the kids can watch Noggin-like shows and get their hair cut. Who knew before children these places even existed? So after a successful hair cut, we went and ate lunch. No nuggets or fries thrown on the floor so I figured little man deserved to run, play, and wear himself out for momma. There is a great play area in the mall also so we walked down, and I let him play for about an hour.

Not a peep the entire way home so yesterday was a good day:)

Why is it?

Why is it that when we(moms) are sick and don't feel good we can't get a day off because we have children, but when men are sick they get to lay in bed and sleep it off? I just don't seem to find it very fair. One might ask, "well, why don't you just nap when they do?" Possibly because, that one or so hour we get to ourselves must be to get our dirty butt in the shower because we might not have another chance to do so without a little one peeking through the shower and giving himself a bath at the same time or tearing any and all products out of our drawers and dumping them all over the floor...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Next time I get sick, I am checking myself into the Hilton right down the road:)

Dog Urine Remedy For Praisejunky

I tried to find the exact link again to post but couldn't so here it is:

1. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and pour over area. Use a scrub brush and work into carpet.
2. It said to let it dry, so I waited until the next day and then poured baking soda over area when it was completely dry.
3. Mix a half cup to a cup(depending on how much you need) of hydrogen peroxide and a teaspoon of dish washing liquid(Dawn, Palmolive etc.) and pour over baking soda and scrub again with brush.
4. Let it dry and then vacuum back over.

I did this and it seemed to work. From what I read, using the vinegar deters dogs from going back to the same spot to mark their territory...IE, Reis' bedroom door:)

I little bit of this and that

So, I have just discovered the Noggin channel? Do any of you other moms have any idea what I am talking about? I say blah, blah to the notion of too much TV. I may regret this later but these days I can barely get Reis to sit still for half a second but as soon as I turn Noggin on, he is in a trance. And, I get a little peace. Singing in my best voice, "hallelujah." The only down side to Noggin is that you may find yourself in the shower humming one of the many catchy tunes they play and that can be quite annoying.
While I am polling moms on here, has anybody had problems with their pets after introducing a new baby or in my case now, a toddler? Brutus has been marking his territory lately and it is really getting on my nerves. At first, I thought he just had to go, but then I googled it(shocker) and read that dogs can feel intimidated by "changes" or interruption of their usual routine. It happened a lot in Virginia and I just thought he was prissy and didn't want to get his feet wet in the snow but obviously this is not the case. So now, I have 2 babies who need equal attention...woohoo. Luckily, I did find a remedy online to get the stain and smell out of the carpet but how in the heck do you get them to stop? He BETTER get this shenanigans over with before we move and have all new carpet. Nobody wants chihuahua stew...only kidding...he is my baby too:)

The little rascal when he was a pup pup

I've been tagged

I was tagged by Mrs. Sofa to post the 4th pic from the 4th folder on my computer. I have got some kind of funk and am not feeling well so here she goes...

This is my sweet baby boy the day he was born. He looks like a little old man. It is so neat to see how much they change in the course of a year. He looks completely different. I think anybody I can tag has already been tagged so I am gonna take my sick butt to bed and watch The Biggest Loser:)

Update on estrogen and everything else

Mom ACTUALLY drove down this weekend on her own and made it with only one minor setback. On her way down, she got off on exit 275 from 75 instead of getting on I-275. She called and started freaking out but was able to make her way back to the interstate. For those who know her well, this was no small task. I honestly thought when my sister backed out she wasn't going to come(she gets lost and turned around in Tallahassee). So, I was proud of her that she came and went pretty much unscathed. Of course, she can't believe she has 1,000 miles on her car now...lol. Don't think I have mentioned how jealous I am of my mom's new ride. I will say "ride" because she got a 2009 completely loaded and pimped out black mustang..it is hottttt! I told her to get two but somehow that didn't happen. She is lucky a car seat doesn't adequately fit or I would have been begging to take it. Even more so than I have been. Why, when I was in school and my mom had to pick me up, did she not have this car? I keep asking myself that:) I am so bad about taking my camera or video camera(we got this for Christmas) when we go places. I HAVE got to be better about this. This past Saturday we went to Crabby Bill's on the beach and had lunch then went down to the water and let Reis run around and chase the birds. I could have gotten some really great pics because it was so pretty but of course, I forgot. We had a great weekend, drama free and I am glad she came.

Am I the only one that sat and watched the TV yesterday ALL day? No matter who you voted for, I don't think you can deny how moving everything was. It does feel like a sense of calmness and a "new day" has come. We'll see how he handles the pressure and responds, but I thought it was neat to watch. I told Alan it would be our luck that this takes place shortly after we left DC, but he said you couldn't pay him to get in all that mess. I still thought it would have been cool to be there. Although, I'm not too sure I could have handled the cold or crowd.

I am headed to Gainesville on Friday, minus one little man, to celebrate Mary Beth's b-day. Oh, how I am excited. Reis is starting to pitch fits, ball up his fists, and slap me when he doesn't get his way. Some days, it is enough to make me want to run and hide but then the next day, he is the sweetest thing. It got quiet for a minute while I was writing so I went to look for him and this is what I found. He was relaxing on the floor with Monkey.

The estrogen is coming

And oh, how Alan is thrilled. My mom and sis are coming for the weekend and Alan said he may dabble in the moonshine on the top of our fridge to cope. He's only kidding...I hope. My mother(am not sure if she reads this anymore, she's not the most computer savvy) is determined to "branch out" and be more spontaneous so she has decided "she is coming darlin." Well, for the past 2 days I have gotten calls saying one minute I am coming and then another saying it's gonna be cold...I can't leave the cat...I need to watch over the house...let the pipes drip and make sure they don't explode. It is the funniest thing. Maybe I am wrong but all of my childhood and every winter I heard when it's cold, "you gotta run the faucet just a little so things don't freeze or burst." Does anybody else do this? After all, it is Florida for Pete's sake. I never did it when we lived in Virginia but you can bet your bottom dollar my parents would call when they heard about a "cold spell" to make sure we did this. Don't wanna wake up for work the next morning with no hot water(this was mainly from my father). Anyway, today my mother is coming but then again it is only Tuesday.

Doing some life and future pondering

I think I may go back to school and get my teaching certificate. I was initially looking at a program at USF that only required 15 hours but evidently that does not grant you a license or certificate. I am a little lost with the whole process so I may make an appointment with a guidance counselor to review my available options. What got this bug up my you know what was someone telling me about the Florida Virtual School where students go strictly online. From what I can tell, you basically need your BA degree and teaching certificate. I definitely need some classes and training because if I was put in a classroom now or made to do lesson plans I think I might have a panic attack. But now, I think I might go back and get my certificate in elementary education. I am thinking about long term and maybe trying to finish and have my clinicals all timed out to when Reis could start school. Hence being at the same school as my son. I know it will take a big commitment or at least 27 credit hours to complete but I just think that when Reis starts school I might get a little bored being here. There are only so many days one can sit by the pool and sip margaritas...am only kidding. I have a degree and feel somewhat like I am wasting it. The good thing with elementary education is that I could teach in the school system or online up to 6th grade. I don't know, just a little brain rattling going on today.

No longer living out of a suitcase

The traveling circus(aka The Suskey family) is back from Christmas vacation, unpacked and taking it easy. Why is it that you are home for a week and a half but still feel rushed and never get to see or hang out with everyone you wanted or intended to? I feel like a slacker mom for not posting pics of Reis' Christmas but the truth is we were back and forth between 3 sets of parents and never in one place long enough for it to feel like Christmas. But do not fret, the little guy did not lack in toys. They are all over the house. I really need to unload about half of his room so I can put all the new stuff away. Do kids really need so much crap?

I was able to escape for a night and hang with the girls so that was nice.

They broke ground on our townhouse a couple of days ago so it should be done in 6 months. We meet with the builder in a couple of weeks to make sure everything is on schedule. Oh, how nice it will be to have a little yard or grass for Reis to play in. He is starting to want to run around and be a little boy. Plus, I am way tired of stairs. Hope everyone had a great holiday:)