Why Julia's Christmas present got mailed today

Ok so back in December just before Christmas we had a blizzard and I had to work a lot of extra hours and that put me wayyyyyyyy behind in getting things done. So I did not mail Jules Christmas present. I should mention here that it is to the UK and required some degree of paperwork and concentration. Then in January I asked her if there was anything she wanted from the states and she wanted a McCormick Spice - that should be easy that company is only about 20 miles from my house! BUT twice when grocery shopping I forget to pick up the spice. So early feb snowmagedeon in MD starts and that sort of threw all of us for a loop. Then since Saturday Daisy and I have been fighting a cold.

So finally yesterday I go to usps.com and print out that paperwork (you know the ones that makes you list the item and the value) It was handmade Christmas ornaments - hard to put a value on them. But you need this plastic sleeve thingie to put the paperwork in and I dont't have one of those. But my mailman at the office promises to bring one to today.

I wait all day, I tell Amy and then Mary that I have to see the mailman when he comes. Because now I purchased the $35.00 postage and it is dated yesterday which means it has to go out TODAY. Wouldn't you know the boss calls and the mailman comes and goes. CURSE CURSE CURSE. Boss says meet me with paperwork so I gather the box and the printed out postage forms and run for the car. WELL it's really windy out today and pufff there goes the paperwork - I chase down one piece in a puddle.CURSE CURSE CURSE CURSE And rush to meet the boss. After I meet the boss, I make a quick stop at a chic children's consignment store (NOTHING) and grab some lunch. (Gourmet, expensive and it SUCKED - gotta love when I try to go all chic and fancy and then hate what I am eating). Next stop the post office! WRONG. I ease in front of a cop with a blinker going 23 mph and he puts his lights on. ME increduously I think?? What the did I do? CURSE CURSE Mam he says You're tags are expired - so expired I am getting ready to call a tow truck. CURSE montgomery county and your low crime where your cops have nothing better to do. YES so expired - AS IN AUGUST. I say to this little pita well that just proves what a good driver I am that I have been driving for 6 months and no ONE has noticed. he takes my license and writes the ticket. he comes back and threatens that there are 3 tickets he could write - (isn't there something in the Bill of Rights about being charged for the same crime twice) and gives me a $60.00 TICKET. I want to tell him don't threaten me - I was getting my license before you were potty trained but I refrain. So I pull away from there and drive DIRECTLY to the DMV where I renew the tags. Oh at the DMV I drop my license but thankfully someone turns it in.

So I decide I have not had enough of my fabulous govemernment workers (the cop, the DMV people) for one day and I go to the post office with my wet customs form and my missing one. AND I get in the longest slowest moving line and FINALLY it is my turn. The lady says she will copy my form and give me the little plastic thingie...

AND so now Jules Christmas presents are on their way to her. on Febuary 25th!

I like to share

I recently have stumbed upon a new blog/website/magazine called Flea Market Style. The magazine is having is premiere issue - so run right out to the store to pick one up - and then tell me what you think. OHH and to promote their newness they are having some giveaways this week - yesterday is a Lisa Leonard necklace which I really really want!! They are charm necklaces and reasonably priced. Today is a product called Vintage Textile soak which cleans your vintage textiles and gets out stains!

Also my dear blogger friend Amy is running a special on her blog/ Open Sky shop and she has asked that we pass the word. The special is for a pdf to make this doll . I don't necessarily share this because of the coupon but because I truly think everyone should check out Amy's blog. She has been very inspirational and introduced me to many projects and products. Check out the baby room stuff here, and then here she tells you the story of her first foster experience which brings tears to my eyes and ALWAYS manages to renew my faith in myself as a mom! I adore Amy and I admire her. She has introduced me to Boden! I think Boden is awesome - lots of color and comfort!!

Both of these are from Boden and I am pretty sure I need both of them!

It snowed here...

I live in the mid atlantic - we get a few 3-4 inch storms here per season - and then about every 10 years we get a blizzard but this year so far we have had three blizzards. It has been all OVER the news - I know this because stuck in the house because of said blizzard rather than being able to watch a little mindless TV - NO I had to have endless snow coverage. Dear Newpeople - I got it record breaking snow - GIVE it a freaking break. Daisy only got out once to model her snow suit.

Her lounging around apres ski clothes are way cuter...

Contests for this week!

This one from Hostess with the Mostess for jewelry - I really want a mother's necklace! End Feb 8th.

Linda Albrect - oh me oh my have you seen her stuff - she is giving away Basic Gray papers! (no defined deadline)

And Margie - is giving away some of her new Girl's Paperie line! (no defined deadline)

Let me know if you come across any!

Peg shared a few - a new to me blog, Heidi is giving away an Anthropologie gift card. PS the more comments the higher the giftcard. So march on over there. Contest runs til the 14th.

Another cool blog - Andrea owner of One Hundred Wishes is giving away some copies of Where Women Create - cool magazine.

In winter I thrift!

On Saturday mornings in the summer, I am up and out of the house earlier than on a workday because I am a yard saler! I get a little sad about the end of October as I know another yard sale season has come to an end. During winter, I head out for some thrift stores. Last weekend I hit a consignment shop for littles - that was having a 75% off sale. I found a bunch of A DOR ABLE outfits for baby (ok only three were 75% off) and the rest $4.00. I also found a package of little missmatched sox for baby (LURVVE them) for $3.50 (I could not grab them fast enough and needless to say I felt I had SCORED.) I also hit a thrift store last weekend - my big score there was a NIP born free nipples level 3.

Today we hit the thrift store that is close to my house and does 33% off on Sundays. My big find was a Lilly Pulitzer t-shirt. It is a size 6x so I may save it or may unload it on eBay for some profit. Oh it cost .95!! I also bought 13 books - for .21 cents each!

How I do love a bargain!

Every day, I spend at least 15-20 minutes on Etsy - SUCH talent. I am going to get a running list of sellers I like:
Pretty Lil Things caught my eye tonight! Definately picking up a few things here!

Another blog contest!

Have you checked out Heather Bailey lately?? She is running a contest ! I really hope I win - but hmm maybe you will. Winner picked Thursday. (No winner annouced yet)

More jewelry giveaways! I never win anything but I know if I share with Mel - she will win! Saucy is one of the most fabulous blogs! Her giveaways are amazing. This one is picked 1/29 at midnight. (OVER)

Found another one - Pioneer Woman gives away some good stuff! But you do have to compete with 20K people. (this one is over!)

This is not a contest - but pretty cool. Go here and comment!!

Ali Edwards just posted this one and it will run through Sunday the 31st! That stuff from Blue Moon Scrapbooking is gorgeous!

A tribute to Fran

On Saturday, I said goodbye to my friend Fran. At her funeral, they asked if anyone had any stories - for various reasons I did not share. But this is what I would have liked to say.


The other two guys have portrayed the giving generous kind hearted side of Fran. But Fran also had a hilarious streak.

-She is the only person that lovingly referred to people as "Crackwh0re."

-She would tell me one of the estimators - he could mess up a wet dream.

-She ran our little vending area - and when the guys would empty out her truck - inevitabily something extra would come in. She would say those guys would bring in the seats to the truck if they weren't attached.

- She was never just hungry - she was starving - she would often say - I'm about to eat the tables and chairs, or chew off my own arm.


She wasn't just a coworker. I adored her and I admired her.

- She made everyone at the offices birthday special. She baked cakes for us and got gifts for us. The reverand said if you gave her $1.00 she would spend it on someone else. THAT WAS SO TRUE.

- Someone said she didn't judge. She loved everybody for who they were - some she thought were crazy but she never tried to change them.


Alison said - she loved miniatures and that extended to people.

- Once I told her that I was pregnant, she starting telling me I needed to have a girl. She bought enough boy clothes and she needed a girl. The morning before I left for the sonogram - she said "Don't forget it needs to be a girl" She was so happy when I got back and said "It's a Girl!" That was a Friday - Monday I came in to the office and was welcomed with a BIG bag of Gymboree clothes - all pink!


In life, you have friends and you have family and you have acquaintences. And then you have people that make you wonder what did I ever do to have someone so wonderful come into my life. Fran was one of those people.


Forever Missed!
If I could add songs to this blog, I would play Sissy's Song by Alan Jackson, Cryin' for Me by Toby Keith and Go Rest High on the Mountain by Vince Gill - all played at the service and they were so touching.

An online contest for stuff I love!

http://www.hostessblog.com/2010/01/surprise-giveaway-polka-dot-design/comment-page-8/#comment-66914

If you win, share with me. If you know of other blog giveaways. let me know and I will add to the post. There used to be a whole blog about blog giveaways but she shut down - anyone know of another one?

And now what you really come for -

December in Review

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

Second Glance by Jodi Picoult - not that great. She is definately a writer that got better.

What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?

You know, we don't have cable at my house so we rely on DVD's and the computer. I was so busy the first half of the month did not watch much of anything. During the Christmas holidays, we watched Four Christmases, The Proposal, The Ugly Truth, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Julie & Julia. All very chick movies and the only one I slightly recommend is Julie & Julia. I had high hopes for Girlfriends Past as I love Jennifer Garner and Matthew McC... it had a few cute lines and I still wonder why his Uncle called him "Dutch"?

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?

Perhaps my favorite was the office holiday party. I brought the baby to work - along with Nanny Grandma. I planned the menu, I bought the prizes. Things I will plan farther in advance - christmas music and how to do the give aways. But all in all it was a nice party. I truly love the company that I work for - really great people.

Did you take any trips or vacations or did someone come and stay with you at your house?

The end of the month, we headed up to NJ for a few days, visited with Jeff and checked on my mom's house. It was pretty quiet.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?

I will have to double check my amex - I really did not go crazy at Christmas. A few gifts for mom, a few for Jeff, something for Grammy and Grandpoppopa. Nothing for Daisy - oh well. I decorated the tree all for her. (Niki a picture for you!) I thought it was stunning and oh gee Jan 15 and it is still up!

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
None that I can think of.
What gifts did I give and/or receive?
Lots of wonderful Christmas presents.
What were my accomplishments this month?

What were my disappointments this month?

one small item - the ornament swap that I hosted did not get returned as planned. Oh and well there is some disappointment in my life with my bf/Daisy's dad. But I am not ready to talk about that quite yet. It is a long and winding road and I am not sure where I am along that road. Time will tell. (You see my life is not all pink Daisy's and baby smiles - but my blog is)
Anything else noteworthy to include?

There was a humongoud cowaboungous blizzard in Maryland in December. A good 24 inches - I worked the whole weekend BUT I got extra time off later in the week around Christmas so it was a great trade off.

525,600

How do you measure a year? in daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee...

I have been thinking about this post - and a FB (more on FB later) friend posted this song and I thought it was the perfect way to describe this year.

2009 was the most amazing wonderful happy joyous fabulous year for me - all due to the birth of my amazing daughter! I have always wanted to be a mom from 4 years old playing with my doll Mandy to every little face I babysat for (50-75 children) made me want to be the mom. Throughout my pregnancy, I was so happy but scared too! The day I gave birth to Daisy - there just are no words.

The first week after - was then the darkest time in my life - all the stress of pregnancy and delivery, with all the overwhelmed feeling of being a new mom, throw in the lack of sleep and I lost it. I had to seel medical treatment because mentally I was not well. Post partum is a very scary feeling and luckily I got quick treatment and was back on track quickly. I had to stay overnight at the funny farm at the local hospital. It was at this hospital that I met two angels on earth. The first was my delivery nurse - she was so perfect! the second was a security guard who just gave me some great advice. He reassured me. I think about the other moms that I met and wonder how they are doing. I pray for them - that they are recovering, getting good medical care.

Another great thing about 2009 - I was truly "showered" with love. So So many people truly showered me with all the things I needed for a new baby. and things I needed to survive with a new baby. Each time I use a gift I feel that person helping me and taking care of both baby d and I.

Only one other notable things in 2009 - Facebook! To me the greatest invention thus far in the millienium! I love that I can connect with my friend Chad who my mom babysat for when I was about a year old and now lives in Zambia (which I would not be able to locate on a map) to Amy who sits one desk away from me. Family and Friends and quick updates! I love that I now know more on a day to day basis how the people that have been special in my life from Ambler drive, to elementary school, to high school, to college, to ALL my scrapbook peeps to my family are doing.

If you have read this far - please take a moment to comment - it would make me happy to know who is reading and who even cares when I update! PLEASE.

and now some baby cuteness photo by www.AshleyLayfieldPhotography.com

Just a quick update!

Photo courtesy of www.AshleyLayfieldPhotography.com

When I start to get pissed off at my friends who have not updated their blogs in a while, I think Gee you have a little bloggy you could update. So here I am because Mel - the 4th of July is long gone!

Today baby D is 5 months old! I'll do a photo shoot tonight to capture the moment. She is 14 lb 14 oz and 2 foot 2! She is now eating bananas in her rice cereal. I tell her to think of it as a stepping stone to cheese steak hoagies!

Not much else to share - like everyone I am gearing up for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas and looking forward to all three very much. And trying to get inspired. I have NO none scrapbook girl trips coming up and since CE 2006 those have been what drives me. Planning the trips, and the shopping tours and the swaps and the circle journals and the classes and the projects and the outfits and making so many new friends. I was inspired. Now I miss my friends, I miss the events, I miss the planning. I found this http://www.teresacollins.typepad.com/ inspiring today!

Some baby goodness

For my facebook holdout - NIKI - I have included a shot. She also provides me with inspiration.

Today I will tell you the story about her charm bracelet. The first Christmas that Ernie and I were together, he bought me a charm bracelet. My idea was to make it a christmas charm bracelet - but he shops on Christmas Eve and so all that was left were angels. The next year, I was then pregnant and I gave him the charm bracelet to add to. He bought a pacifier and a pink, blingy ribbon (breast cancer) more purchased because I love pink, and bling and ribbons! (we did not know it was a girl at Christmas) Seriously I do love ribbon, I have TONS of it in the craft room, I adore Tinsel Trading, and have lots of books with craft ideas using ribbon. I never throw a piece away. I look forward to the day that I will be able to put ribbons in Daisy's hair. I'm not rushing that cause I know with that will come washing it, drying it, combing it, and having her fuss at it being fixed.

It is my hope that Ernie will add a charm every year symbolizing what was important in her life. And I find it special that it started with an angel.

Quick update!

The labor day weekend was very fun and went by much too fast. Miss Daisy has started on the level 2 born free bottle - big step in her 3 month old life. She also rolls back to front, front to back and if I would permit right on down the road! According to the books, if she would just do a raspberry she would be all caught up!

Friday I made a big list of all the things I wanted to accomplish - and got straight to work dying a chenille bedspread a lovely shade of pink. I plan to use the fabric for a Boppy cover and for a coat for Daisy. I then proceeded to do nothing else on the aforementioned list the rest of the weekend. On Thuesday my wonderful friend Mel sent me flowers to the office - the yellow roses tipped in orange with Daisy - so cute and fallish. It was a great almost surprise. She called to verify the office address when I was covering phones - it so surprised her that I answered she just talked to me.

Saturday, we all went shopping and I finally checked out the Pink Cabbage in Ellicott City. This store is awesome! It has tons and tons of shabby chic treasures. We must have walked around for an hour. I purchased a business card case handmade using my Vera Bradley pattern (Pinwheel Pink in case you were wondering), a pink flamingo, 5 magazines for $1.00 each and a dish that you write on. We lunched at the little general store next door. We even tried the fried pickles - yummy. We also had lettuce wraps from PF Changs takeout for dinner!!

Sunday Grammie and name yet to be determined (we are letting Daisy decide what to call her own remaining grandfather) came up for a visit.

Monday, I relaxed around the house. Watched Disk 2 of The Big Bang Theory and I have to say I adore Sheldon - he is soo soo funny.

Mark the calendar - I even did a little scrapbooking.

WHO WROTE THESE????? I would like to give credit.

I stole this from Heather's Blog... because they are the funniest LOL LOL things I have read in a long long time! I've bolded my personal faves.

Random Thoughts of the Day:

I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can’t wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that’s not only better, but also more directly involves me.

I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?

Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again.

Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actuallybecomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantrontest is absolutely petrifying.

My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us."Classy, bro.

Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

I would like to officially coin the phrase 'catching the swine flu' to be used as a way to make fun of a friend for hooking up with an overweight woman. Example: "Dave caught the swine flu last night."

I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

Bad decisions make good stories.

Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?

Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

While watching the Olympics, I find myself cheering equally for China and USA. No, I am not of Chinese descent, but I am fairly certain that when Chinese athletes don’t win, they are executed.

I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?Damnit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.

I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on theDonkey - but I’d bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snoozebutton from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There’s nothing like being made to feel like a fat bastard before dinner.

I had this thought and had to save it.

What everyone says is true - the minute they put that baby in your arms - all parts of pregnancy and labor become a distant memory - and you feel as though your life began at that moment!

I know that I did actually have a life prior to Daisy - there are remnants of it, my car is the same (although now I have an infant car seat and a mirror which I am supposed to see her since she rides backwards but usually what I see is either darkness or the roof of said car) and my office is the same. But I am not the same - I am the mommy! I am the magic fairy princess who makes smiles appear and while she is too little for real tears so crying disappear. I am the woman who is planning her first Halloween costume in August and her first holiday outfits (casual dress is done, fancy dress and jammies are still on the list) and yes I have even given thoughts to her first birthday - just 280 days away. I give thought to the fact that this time last year we were conceiving her, but that seems a lifetime ago.

My mind is just flowing with cool stuff!

I'll make a list:
.5 I know you'll ask first about this - baby Daisy is doing wonderfully, right now she is snoozing in the swing I think I have about 5 more minutes. She is a great sleeper, a great eater, a great smiler, and I count my blessings every 5 (1) minute. This is her on her 2 month birthday or 2 month anniversary - I am not sure what to call it when you are counting the months!

1. Tomorrow is my fabulous friend Fran's birthday! I have lots of treats planned and I am so excited.

2. yesterday I went to a great store in Waldorf called Time and Again Antiques and this girl has some great stuff at great prices. Very shabby chic! I would definately plan to hit there if you are in the area - or plan a trip - hit the quilt store in LaPlata on the same day.

3. I also went to Jane's to check out the new Stampin Up stuff - there is some great new stuff in the catalog.

4. We finished the day by going to the Moonlight Madness at Once Upon A Child in Crofton. Madness is was - get a load of this!! They advertised a sale that increased in discounts as the day progressed - I went about 9pm really to kind of get a feel for what was left and what is the rock bottom price. Well the system was confusing - green and orange tags (but must be summer clothes) were clearance for $1.00. I started going through and not much was speaking to me and I was tired so I just picked out one little top for next summer. I ring up. At the counter, I notice a sign that says 10-3pm - 60% off, 3-8pm - 75% off at 8-11pm everything is 1.00. I get to the car and realize that my 1.50 little tank top would have been cheaper earlier in the day. I go back into the store and speak to a manager owner type man and he says yes it is true that I would have paid less earlier. I explain that the ad in the pennysaver where I heard about said "SALE" did not explain it that way. He says we have been doing it this way for 6 years. I say Can I just return it - because it is going to irritate me every time I look at it. He says yes, I wait and then the woman cashier starts talking about all this info I have to give to do a return (oh hear is the kicker part - he says to me "Normally clearance merchandise is non returnable but I am not going to debate you." Debate ME - he was not going to debate me because can you imagine the uproar I would have created in this store at 9:30 at night when I started explaining to everyone in line their policy!!!!!!!!!!!!) so I say just forget it I'll keep the (explective under my breath) shirt. He also explains that for 3 WEEKS before summer stuff was 50% off (so understand this - 3 weeks ago, NOT late at night, NOT a saturday night) I would have paid .25 cents less for this item! I was so aggravated by this. I can't say I will never go back but I certainly! will start questioning their prices and their policies by telephone before I step into the store. OH and just in case you want to sell something to them - be prepared for how little they will offer you - .07 cents to less than 2.00 for brand new stuff with tags on it! SHAME on Once Upon a Child in Crofton MD!

Gotta run - she is still sleeping - I must have worn her out with all that running around yesterday!! We are having some guests this afternoon and I AM still in my jammies.

Checkin in - in case anyone still reads this

I am sort of getting the hang of this. I LOVE being a mom - I love holding my daughter. I may be biased but she is the cutest baby I ever did see. She is starting to smile - I mean she does but not on cue. She wakes up a little during the night sometimes she needs food and sometimes she just needs some cuddling. She is outgrowing 0-3 month clothes. She is long in the torso.

It brings tears to my eyes to think that she is mine.

She's arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The story of the birth of my daughter - Daisy! I put this here because I was starting to forget and I wanted to remember how I felt. This could be TMI - feel free to skip if birth stories are not your thing.

Last Monday night, Memorial Day, I sort of leaned over the chair and said whoo that is starting to get painful. From about 10pm to 1am, I had pains that I had to get out of bed and walk off. From 1am to 7am I starting timing between them and decided these were contractions. Went to the Dr, and he examined me and said nope - just braxton hicks and still just 1 cm. But I did not go into work because I was still in pain and having contractions. Again Tuesday night as I lie on the , Ernie says "We'll get through this, come on", he was so kind and gentle. He lit a candle upstairs, and took a massage ball and rubbed my back with it. This continued, I even took a tylenol thinking they would subside. The pain was all in my hips. I kept track but was never 5 minutes apart. somtimes 6 sometimes 12. I had a regularly scheduled appt at 8. I forced Ernie to go with me for some reason (divine intervention - there was no reason to think that todays appt was any different from yesterday's), even though we really did not think it was anything. He got dressed for work. We go in, they put me on the fetal monitor and she says well you are having contractions. The dr comes in and reaches in to check the cervix and says "you are 8 cm" and you are about to have this baby! I walked out of the door and said to my mom, change of plans, I am in labor, I'm 8 centimeters, and I have to go to Laurel Regional across the street. The women in the waiting room were congratulating me. I walked out of the medical building and into the car.

The hospital is just across the street - my mom dropped me off out front and I walked into the lobby of the hospital. The man says "you have to register." Calmly I tell him that I don't have to register because I am in labor and already at 8 cm. I then get escorted upstairs but I am still walking and still pretty calm actually. All the birthing classes, all the labor preperations (how to massage through the pain), the hosptal tour, everything for nothing because my labor was 80% over and I didn't even realize it.

Next, I meet the most amazing nurse - this angel sent directly from heaven - she will always be someone I count as making the most amazing day - the birth of my child so perfect - Marvera. She greeted me when I arrived on the floor, hustled me into my room, started my IV. She said she would try to get my epidural. I said I am ok without it. I had really wanted to go natural but if I was miserable I would have the drugs. Marvera spent the next two hours monitoring me, the baby, helping me though contractions, she found a fan, she got a cool cloth. Kim and Ernie arrived. Luckily we had my bag and pillows in the car although there wasn't even time to look in the bag. My water still had not broken but just as they were about to do it, I threw up and it must have broken then. Around 10:30 am, Marvera asks if I am ready to push. She quickly teaches Ernie how to hold my legs, the DR comes in and gets dressed in scrubs and what looks like a welding mask. He suggests some Pitocin - how much faster he wants this to go is beyond me. I am in no position to argue at this point. in my head I justify the baby will be out before the pitocin really gets through my system. I had been drug free up til now and really did not want it. Again, my guardian angel, we waited about 5 or so minutes and decided I really did not need the Pitocin. About 20 good pushes, it's a feeling I can never describe. It hurt but I was so happy that the baby was about to come and I was tired. When I said I can't - Marvera said it's the only way to get this baby out". It isn't something that you can practice so some of the pushes were me trying to get the hang of it. I did not have a mirror, and Ernie who I was not really sure how he would handle the delivery room, said you really could see the head. Daisy really wanted out - cause at 11:25 am on May 27th 2009, she bounded into the world. I did get to hold her for a few minutes but there were medical type things that had to be done for me and for her.

Ernie went to find the grandparents, and they came in about 30 minutes after she was born. The cameras started flashing at that point.

I am finishing this post 18 days later - because breastfeeding (I hated it, I quit after 4 days (the lactation consultant that came is horrified I know) and I failed and it made me feel so inadequate) and post partum(for someone who always had it together and thought she was so prepared - it hit me like a ton of bricks - taking me back to the hospital for a day which I will always always regret) , and getting used to having a newborn to take care of took over. The days do fly(Whole days go by and I don't even take one photo or bathe) . I constantly worry - is she breathing, is she sleeping enough or too much, eating enough or too much? is she too hot or too cold? Oh the patrol for poop is terrible. That was 48 hours - thanks Cori for giving me a little relief on that aspect. The books tell you so many different things - call the Dr for every little thing and then the Dr tells you that is totally normal. Her umbilical cord still has not fallen off and of course I am sure that I have done something wrong there. Not to mention every baby gadget takes a PHD in engineering to understand - the car seat and the stroller snap and go - what a crock more like snap and buckle and push and pull and go. I still don't know how to get the side down on the crib and breathe Megan breathe.

Another wierd part is I don't even remember what it was like to be pregnant - those 9 months seem like two years ago. I don't remember the pain of childbirth. That hour seems like nothing to the pain of watching your newborn cry and your not sure how to fix it or when they prick her foot for the rubi(something) test.

I am trying to get a grip and just love her and I do more than anything else in the whole world. Everyone says it will get easier or I'll just get more used to my new life. I won't miss sleep as much as I'll like waking up to see a milky sleepy face. I just can't wait to see what the next 18 days holds!

NOW

Checking things off the list, lots of lists

My mom has been here a week helping us to get ready and unfortunately Mother's Day was just filled with more preperations. We took a 3 session birthing class - the first one I had to leave a little early to get to the shower, Saturday was good and I stayed the whole time and Sunday was really quick paced which I loved. There were a few minutes of quizzing us and I wished there had been more of that - I feel like when you are quizzed you really know it.

Saturday we had to return something at Buy Buy Baby (those stores just overwhelm me! There are 4000 things but yet only one of something I need. I am better at a Yard Sale - one choice and the price is right!) We then got some lunch at Whole Foods, did a little more shopping and headed home. I was just so tired.

Sunday we grocery shopped - it was bad - I had fed the dog table food FOR THREE meals. I watched Marley and Me last night - my dog is the opposite of Marley. He is patient and gentle, and rarely barks (only when he means it) and I just know he is going to be a good protector of the baby. He eats whatever I put in his bowl and if I am out of food he just rolls with it. We made a nice dinner for Mother's Day but nothing very special.

Last night, we worked on the car seat. We are borrowing this from another family and so we had no directions. Luckily Ernie is a very mechanical thinker and he figured out how to move the straps, add the extra head protectors and how to get it out of the base. Now we just have to install the bases into the car and we are done with that part.

My suitcase for the hospital is slowly getting done - when I come across something that I think I might need or want, I put it in. I have no clothes in there but most of the easy to forget items are there. There are a few things I will have to add at the last minute.

Like I said checking things off the list.

I am truly blessed

Sunday was my third shower - this time with all of my wonderful friends from work and my mom and Ernie's mom were able to attend as well. The wonderful wife of my boss hosted it at her beautiful home. The super fun part is several of the younger girls were there (many of whom I babysit) and they were so excited to play the games and to show me the scrapbook. Gaby (you may remember two short years ago, I planned her shower) planned all the extras, as well as sent out the invites, and just worked endlessly to make it a really special party. All this and she is due with her second the end of June - it's a girl - we plan to have Daisy and Emily be the best of friends.

This photo shows the girls and I competing to put a diaper on the doll with one hand behind our back. OK I won but I was not about to be beat by a nine year old. And I admit I was sweating it a little. Lily before the game had the best quote "I don't even know how to put on a diaper with two hands!" Lily is all personality!

Again my little fashionista got oodles of cutie cutie outfits - including little needlework bunny slippers that were adorable. She got some great books too. And a few practical gifts too!

It was a fabulous party!