The Perfect Gift

My husband is really hard to buy for.  He has this list of everything he wants, but it's so specific and hard to find (and truthfully I think some of it doesn't exist, he just makes up his dream presents).  So this makes holiday shopping really hard.  I've started hunting for the perfect Valentine's Day present, something to show him how much I really love him.  Here's what I've found so far:

It's called a "Daddle."  A mix between a Daddy and a saddle.  Retails for $31. 

Not impressed by the Daddle?  How about this:

It's a decal for the toilet seat.  Everyday when he lifts up the seat to do his business he would know just how much I love him.  Retails for $9.95

These products really made me laugh.  What are you getting your special someone for V-Day?

What I've been up to

What have I been up to?

- God knows not blogging.  I have tons of good ideas for blogs, but I'm more interested in stalking other peoples blogs.  Don't mean to be rude but I'm kinda busy raising a kid.


- Still rockin this mommy gig.  We have a good lil schedule going.  Our day starts around 6:30 am and it's filled with giggles, toys, and homemade baby food.

- WTFug Ava seriously just woke up (it's 8:45pm).  I'm cursed.

tick tock,  tick tock

- Ok, baby's quiet again.  Just let out a few squawks and went back to sleep.

- Mike is sick tonight and it's annoying me because he's being quiet and not talking.  I know he didn't ask to be sick, but help a girl out.  This state of the union thing is B-O-R-I-N-G.

- Ava and I are in a WaterBabies class at the Y.  She loves it!  I love doing special things with her.  The water temp is usually around 84, BRR!  Much colder than our tub at home. 

- I am so sick of winter.  I want to wear a tank top.  I want to sit outside on the front step and eat popsicles with Ava.

Leaving you with a picture from last weekend:

 

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

- Ava, who decided to start sleeping through the night a couple weeks ago.  Like the whole night.  All the baby books define "sleeping through the night" as a five hour stretch, which she's been doing for months.  But that's not how I define it.  If you have to get up in the middle of the night, then you're not sleeping through the night.  I've been dreaming of this milestone for the past six months.  Actually, not dreaming of, because in order to dream you have to sleep, but you get the point.  Ava's been going to bed around 7pm and sleeping until around 7am.  PRAISE. THE. LORD.  I feel like a totally different mom now.  I am refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the world (or a six month old baby, whatever)!

NY Resolution

I've been thinking long and hard about my new years resolution.  I want to make one and actually stick to it.  Here's what I've come up with:

1. Be the best mother I can be.  Enjoy this precious time with my baby.  Be thankful that I have the opportunity to stay home with her everyday.  Cherish her sweetness.
2. Be the best wife I can be.  Enjoy my husband's company.  Be thankful for all he does for our family.  Cherish our time alone together.

Salt n Pepa

I did something bad.  Once.  I stole a salt and pepper shaker from a restaurant.  Let me explain...

A few years ago I went out to eat at this fancy restaurant in DM.  A drug rep was doing a presentation, and if you sat there and pretended to care you got a free meal (and wine!).  So I went with a co-worker.  We had a great time: giggling, sipping red wine, tasting fancy bread, eating a great meal.  I commented on how cool the salt and pepper shaker was.  It was the kind where the salt and pepper are in the same shaker, and you ground the pepper balls and salt crystals.  I had never seen anything like it.  After a few glasses of liquid courage (aka wine) my friend jokingly put the shaker in my purse.  I freaked out - should I take it?  Would they catch me?  What is the jail sentence for stealing a salt shaker?  Once it was in my purse I was scared to take it out.  So... the shaker was mine.  It came home with me.  It has sat in my cupboard for the past four years.  I have never used it.  I feel guilty every time I look at it.  I've never been back to that fancy restaurant... until tonight.

It's hubs birthday and he really wanted to go to that restaurant.  The first thing I thought of was the shaker.  I needed to return it.  So I stuffed it back in my purse and I couldn't wait to wash my hand of it.  Well wouldn't you know, they changed their salt/pepper shakers.  Tonight I had a dilemma.  Should I still return it?  Would they realize I stole it years before, look up my address via my credit card info, and come to my home and arrest me?  What is the statue of limitations on stealing a salt shaker?  I wanted to leave it on the table to clear my conscience.  Hubs refused, he made me bring it back home with me.  What do I do with it now?  It's too nice to throw away.  Any takers?

So What If...

- I feel more comfortable with strangers reading my blog than friends.  Strangers can't judge, well they can but I'd never know about it.

- I want a pair of Pajama Jeans.

- I get happy when my baby poops.  She didn't poop for three weeks once so now it's exciting.

- I like Sunny D better than regular OJ.  It's sooo creamy.

- I buy the most expensive food for my dog but I make my husband buy generic food for his lunches.

Squash, Santa and Sister

Lot of new happenings around here, but nothing I've felt like blogging about.

Last week I made some homemade baby food.  I tried acorn squash and sweet potatoes.  Both are foods that would never enter my mouth, but I want to give Ava every opportunity in life, and if that includes nasty vegetables than so be it.  The squash turned out great.  I plan to give her some bites today.  The sweet potatoes were a little hard because I don't have a potato masher so it turned out chunky.  I bought a masher so I'll try it again later.  As a control freak, I love knowing every ingredient that is in the food that I give my baby.  Gerber baby food is so easy, but it's also so processed and preserved.  And expensive! 

I am so excited for my family Christmas this week.  I love being at home in SC more than anything.  I feel so comfortable there.  The only thing I'm worried about is the traveling.  Ava usually does pretty good in the car.  But when things go bad, they really go bad.  If she starts crying she won't stop until she's out of her car seat.  I've tried feeding her, changing her, letting her play on my lap for a bit, but as soon as she gets back in the car seat she freaks. Let me tell you, 45 minutes of baby screaming is enough to make me want to jump out the window.  She just wants to be home.  Poor babe.  We have a few out of town trips planned for the next couple months and I'm dreading them because of the possibility of disaster in the car.

We took Ava to see Santa last weekend at Bass Pro Shop.  I decided to go there basically because the picture was free, and I'm too cheap to pay $18 for one 5x7 at the mall.  Ava slept while we stood in line and opened her eyes when I handed her over to Santa.  The pic was taken kinda far away, but I did my good deed as a mom and took my child to see Santa.  I secretly hoped for the classic shot of the baby screaming on Santa's lap.  But I will never complain about my content and happy baby!

My sister came to visit last weekend, since she will be with her in-laws for Christmas.  We always have the best time.  I miss living in the same city as my sister SO MUCH.  I could really use her help around here, Ava just loves her to pieces.  It was funny that after Ava got done eating she would pop her head up and look around for Brooke, then smile when she found her.  I was in shock at how Ava could tear the wrapping paper off her presents and she played with her new toys.  What a big girl we have.  She is becoming a little Momma's girl quickly, which I love.  As much as I dislike it when she cries when I leave the room or hand her off to someone else... It warms my heart to know that she misses me and loves me.