Where is my sweet little baby girl?

To whomever kidnapped my child and replaced her with a carbon-copy lookalike, listen up:

I WANT HER BACK. NOW.

Somehow, you managed to sneak in here when she turned 9-months old, and switch her out with a baby that looks like her, and sounds like her, and pretty much acts like her, except at nap time and bedtime.

Here's the deal. Up until this point, Ansley was no trouble to get to sleep. Nap time would come, and she'd be put in her crib with binky and bear, and sleep. For 2 hours. It was wonderful.

And she'd do the same thing in the afternoon. One for Daddy, and one for Mommy. And at bedtime? Yeah, it was glorious. A few snuggles, rock rock rock, kisses, bedtime, sleep. And sleep went from 8:30 p.m. to 8 a.m., with only peaceful sighs in between.

No cries. No whines. NO SCREAMING FOR AN HOUR IF IN BED, AND PLAYING FOR AN HOUR IF UP.

This baby stands in her crib, and grabs the side and pulls it back and forth, making this super annoying clicking sound over the monitor. This baby woke up every hour last night because she had rolled to her stomach and didn't like it. Or had kicked off her blankets and was cold. Or wanted to play. At 5 a.m.

Please kindly return my sleep-loving baby, m'kay? Immediately. And, while you're at it, make sure the obsessive drooling goes too. And the chewing on everything, even toes. And, if you have to, go ahead and return her with a tooth if that will get things back to normal.

Kisses,
Tiffany

I promise. My hair is naturally brown.

I recently hosted a baby shower for my bestie. It was the first time I had ever hosted a party, and I didn't think it would be too difficult. Plus, I had a seasoned shower hoster helping me out.

Food. Check.
Decorations. Check.
Invitations. Check.
Contacting all the invites to tell them the right date since the wrong date was put on the cards. Check.
Games. Check.
Prizes for the winners of the games. Check.

We had such a fun time. The friend seemed to have fun, and the gifts were presh. Win. Or, so I thought.

So, last night, I was at a lingerie shower for a former coworker. We played a super fun game, with clever little candy prizes. The bestie leans over and asks, "So, is this the type of shower where you have to give the prizes to the person of honor?" WHAT? Give the gift to the person of honor??

Suddenly I traced back through the previous showers I had attended.

Why did everyone give the pregnant lady their prizes for winning that game?
That's funny. Why did I get this cute little blanket that a friend won at my baby shower?
Why in the world are these prizes all baby related? The only one here that's pregnant is the person the shower is for, and, well, me, but it's still a secret.
Why, why, why??

Suddenly, it all began to fall into place.

I didn't know that's what was supposed to happen at a shower. I've always kept the prizes I won. Man, I must have looked like a jerk. But that's not the best part.

Last night, I suddenly understood what was so funny during the shower I hosted. Three games. Three prizes.

First prize: lime green beach bag with matching water bottle.
Second prize: pink beach bag, with matching water bottle.
Third prize: blue beach bag, WITH A MATCHING WATER BOTTLE!

Absolute, complete, utter failure.

My 99 things

Per my sister...


99 things you should do before you die. A generic bucket list, if you will. Feel free to copy and paste, striking through the ones you've completed.

1. Started your own blog


2. Slept under the stars


3. Played in a band


4. Visited Hawaii


5. Watched a meteor shower


6. Given more than you can afford to charity


7. Been to Disneyland


8. Climbed a mountain


9. Held a praying mantis


10. Sang a solo


11. Bungee jumped


12. Visited Paris


13. Watched a lightning storm


14. Taught yourself an art from scratch


15. Adopted a child


16. Had food poisoning


17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty


18. Grown your own vegetables


19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France


20. Slept on an overnight train


21. Had a pillow fight


22. Hitch-hiked


23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill


24. Built a snow fort


25. Held a lamb


26. Gone skinny dipping


27. Run a marathon


28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice


29. Seen a total eclipse


30. Watched a sunrise or a sunset


31. Hit a home run


32. Been on a cruise


33. Seen Niagara Falls in person


34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors


35. Seen an Amish community


36. Taught yourself a new language


37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied


38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person


39. Gone rock climbing


40. Seen Michelangelo's David


41. Sung karaoke


42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt


43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant


44. Visited Africa


45. Walked on a beach by moonlight


46. Been transported in an ambulance


47. Had your portrait painted


48. Gone deep-sea fishing


49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person


50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris


51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling


52. Kissed in the rain


53. Played in the mud


54. Gone to a drive-in theater


55. Been in a movie


56. Visited the Great Wall of China


57. Started a business


58. Taken a martial arts class


59. Visited Russia


60. Served at a soup kitchen


61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies


62. Gone whale watching


63. Got flowers for no reason


64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma


65. Gone sky diving


66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp


67. Bounced a check


68. Flown in a helicopter


69. Saved a favorite childhood toy


70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial


71. Eaten caviar


72. Pieced a quilt


73. Stood in Times Square


74. Toured the Everglades


75. Been fired from a job


76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London


77. Broken a bone


78. Been on a speeding motorcycle


79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person


80. Published a book


81. Visited the Vatican


82. Bought a brand new car


83. Walked in Jerusalem


84. Had your picture in the newspaper


85. Read the entire Bible


86. Visited the White House


87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating


88. Had the chicken pox


89. Saved someone's life


90. Sat on a jury


91. Met someone famous


92. Joined a book club


93. Lost a loved one


94. HAD A BABY


95. Seen the Alamo in person


96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake


97. Been involved in a lawsuit


98. Owned a cell phone


99. Been stung by a bee

Now, I suppose some must be explained. I donated blood, so I count that as saving a life. I've had a caricature made, and I counted that as having my portrait painted. I fought the temptation to mark off seeing David and Old Faithful, because those two do not say "in person," but I decided not to battle over technicalities.

If anyone happens to be planning a trip to Europe and needs someone to tag along, let me know cause I have a lot of things still to mark off.

Happy Hump Day!

Little Girl

Dear Ansley,

Today, you turned 9-months-old. Do you know what that means? It means you have been an outside baby longer than you were an inside baby. Yay!

I am amazed at how much you've grown over these past 9 months. Not only in size, but in personality. It seems that each day you are trying a new thing to make us laugh. And, it works.

On Saturday, you started playing Peek-a-Boo. You put your arms up over your eyes, and quickly bring them down with a smile and giggle. But, sometimes you fool us. You start to bring your arms down and decide to go with a fake out, and laugh when we say "boo" prematurely. You're going to be a little jokester.

You've been an all-out crawler now for about 2 weeks. There is no stopping you. We've baby proofed the house, but you still somehow manage to find things that you shouldn't have. Like dog food. And diamonds that you happen to find in the floor (please feel free to continue to find those, btw). You love playing with my mixing bowls and spoons, though, honestly, I think Daddy enjoys it a little more than you do.

You are pulling up on EVERYTHING, including the dogs, chairs, legs and your crib. You prefer to have someone hold your hands and let you walk around, rather than just crawl where you want.

You are growing up, kiddo. I've tried to remember all the details of the day you were born, but some things are fading, and it makes me sad. But those memories are being replaced with new ones, that I'm pretty sure I won't forget.

Like when you said "ma-ma" and I knew you wanted me. And how if Aunt Crystal is holding you, sometimes you won't even come to me. And how excited you were when you first crawled. And how you would not stop yelling and blowing raspberries on my arm while we were in Victoria's Secret. You're supposed to be subtle in that store and not draw attention to yourself!

Sometimes, I'd like to know what's going on in that head of yours. You can have the most serious expression on your face, and nothing we do can cause you to crack a smile. What are you thinking during those times? And other times, the cat can simply walk by and you will roar with a big belly laugh.

Everyone told me that you would be grown before I knew it, and I didn't believe them. But, it's happening. And it's happening right before my eyes.

So, slow down, little one. You don't have to be in such a rush. Take your time, and give Mommy and Daddy time to enjoy each individual milestone instead of piling them on top of each other. Keep playing Peek-a-Boo. Keep giggling when Daddy blows raspberries on your neck, even if it's pity laughter. Enjoy the kitty, and the puppies, but don't chew on their ears.

Soon, you'll be walking, and then you'll be running out of the door for school. But just remember, that on the day you turned 9-months-old, your Daddy was your hero and Mommy was your best friend. Well, except for maybe that darned cat that you love so much.

I love you Ansley! Happy 9-months!

Mommy

Ansley Reese, 2 days old, 9-23-09

Ansley Reese, 9-months-old (minus 2 days), 6-19-10

If I were to get married today...

This has been the summer of weddings. There have been 4 already. One I didn't make it to, and we still have one more to go.

I went to a wedding of a coworker last week, and was simply astonished. She had 12 attendants. Not only was I not one of them, but several girls that she was good friends with in high school weren't part of the group either.

I don't write this because I'm upset that I wasn't included. That's not it at all. I write this because I was stunned. Of the 12 attendants, she was only related to 4. That means 8 bridesmaids were high school/college friends. I started racking my brain. If I were to get married today (just work with me here), who do I consider my close friends? Who is such an important part of my life that I would want them to share that day with me?

I got married right out of college. Literally. I graduated, and the next day, I was married. Wasted no time. I had 5 attendants, and 1 honorary. Would they change today? Yes.

If I were to get married today, I would still ask my sisters to be in my wedding. Not because they are my sisters (as was much of the sentiment 4 years ago), but because now, we really are friends. Occasionally, we can be the best of friends, but, let's be serious. We're still sisters ya'll, even if we have grown up.

My sister-in-law was also part of my wedding. We've grown much closer over the last 4 years, so I would surely want to share that day with her. But, I've also grown much closer to my other 2 sisters-in-law, and it would be difficult for me to ask the younger but not the 2 older. So, that would put me up to 5, if I were to get married today.

4 years ago, my college roommate was my maid of honor. Unfortunately, I think that would change. I still love her. To.Death. But, she's married now, and has lived across the globe, and more recently, 2 hours away since college. When we get together, it is like no time has passed, and it's great. But those times seem to be far between. We grew alot during college, and then, it only made sense to have her literally standing beside me. I think I would still have her in the wedding, because she was my roommate for 2.5 years.

Two of my high school besties. They would definitely still be a part of my wedding, if I were to get married today. I'm not as close to one as I was in middle school, but that's cause we spent every waking hour together growing up. We're both married now, and I'm pretty sure our hubbies wouldn't exactly go for up-all-night sleepovers. But years of devotion to boy bands cannot go unrewarded, even if you haven't had a sleepover in six years.

I didn't really know where I fit in high school. Amazingly, I'm still in contact with a large number of people I went to high school with. Partially thanks to facebook, and partially thanks to a young adult Bible study I attend. But there are some from high school that I was SO close to that I wouldn't have had a second thought about having them in my wedding if I got married before college. But college was a growing time for all four of us girls. Even though we happened to be AT THE SAME SMALL COLLEGE, we somehow managed to grow apart. And I'm not sure why. I don't know if it's because in high school, maybe I tried too hard to force my way into that group. But, if I got married today, I wouldn't even know how to contact two of the three, even if I needed them to be in my wedding.

I miss those girls, and very often wonder how they are doing. I've recently reconnected with one of the three, and it's wonderful to catch up on her life, and how she's growing and raising her own little family. And, it's great that no matter how much time passes, inside jokes are still just as funny as the moment it happened in gym class.

If I got married today, that coworker that got married last week would be in my wedding. Because, right now, she's part of my inner circle of friends. We went to high school together, as well as college (wow. I think I've finally realized that I went to college with A TON of people that I went to high school with.), but it's only recently that we've become really good friends. We talk about babies and sex (though that could simply be because it's part of our job). Her husband is fun and gets along wonderfully with mine. We've planned double dates, and I honestly cannot wait to have another married couple as friends.

[Tiffany scrolls back up and realizes how RIDICULOUSLY LONG this post is]

So, I'm at 9 attendants. There's always the one, in every wedding, that you're really not sure why they're there. You know, not related, and in the same circle of friends, but not the BEST friend? I would probably have 3 of those. Two of which, surprise, I happened to go to high school with, and a third that I suited with in college. One girl, in particular, I've only really gotten to know this past year. She's a ton of fun and has been grafted into our "Cool Kids Lunch" every week. The other girl, also from high school, I got to know better in college and try to talk to regularly.

So, that puts me at 12 attendants, if I were to get married today (and here I was thinking I used to have so many more friends). But, I have to say, I am so glad I'm not getting married today. Because Ansley wouldn't be here. And, sometimes, it doesn't seem to matter how many friends you have, and how many fun things seem to be going on. Because really, all you want to do is go home, pick up a book, and read to that little one, in hopes that you'll be called "ma-ma" once again. And maybe this time, it will be on purpose.

Ahh.

Sometimes the smallest things manage to put a smile on your face.

Like seeing a small puppy trying to climb up some steps.

Or watching a baby crawl to it's mother and reach to be picked up.

Or managing to ration your shampoo and conditioner perfectly enough to use the last of each during the same shower.

:o)

It's the latest rage: Chunks in hair!

The song practically writes itself:

Chunks in your hair, chunks in your hair. Lookin' kinda gross with chunks in your hair.

That, my friends, was my lovely lunch experience.

While playing with Ansley on my lunch break, I decided it would be fun to be on my back with her sitting on my tummy.

Before Paul was even able to finish saying "I'll laugh if she pukes on you," Ansley had indeed let the good times roll, as it were.

It was seriously one of those moments that time slowed down. I saw her make the face, and I knew what was coming. Before I could get her off of me, I saw that "beautiful" white fountain, aka, post-lunch bottle, erupt, and come forth in all of it's glory. And where did it happen to go?

Down my neck. Puddled in my curly hair.

I am a sympathetic puker. It seems to be getting better since I've been blessed with mommyhood, but, occasionally, it still rears it's ugly head. This was quickly nearing one of those times.

I called for Paul to get the baby and to bring me a towel. Instead of just grabbing his bath towel out of the bathroom, he walked around looking for the burp cloth he had minutes before. I wasn't sure if it would be better to remain in my position on the floor and wait for the towel to make it, or jump up and run to get the towel that I knew was in bathroom, yet risk the warm, milky, phlegmy goodness running down my back.

I stayed put.

The towel arrived, and once I was able to clean up the immediate disaster area, I took a closer look. Upon further inspection, it was revealed that much of the puke had indeed managed to add a nice crunch and crust to my curls. Lovely.

After a big sigh, I rinsed out the bottom of my hair. I didn't bother to change shirts, because none of it happened to land on my shirt. And I came back to work.

I guess once you're a mom, you can forget about smelling like anything other than baby puke and baby lotion. I prefer the latter much more.

Please?

Dear God,
It seems that you forgot to turn on the air conditioner this morning. I didn't know if it was merely an oversight, or if it is broken. But, I was wondering, do you know about how long it will take to come back on? It's awfully hot down here, and my daughter does NOT want to put clothes on when it's hot, and I'm not taking her to the grocery store in just a diaper.
If, for some reason, you are unable to turn the AC on, do you think you could at least get rid of the sauna? It really isn't fun when your clothes stick to you.
Let me know if there's anything I can do for you, m'kay?

Love you bunches-
Tiffany

No way. NO.WAY.

I didn't really get much of a chance to blog last week. For starters, my neighbors have been out of town so I'm pretty sure they turned their Internet off while they were gone. And, since their signal just happens to trespass into my computer room, their departure meant the Internet decided to stay home.

The more important reason I didn't blog? This week, I got to understand what it's like to be a single mom. And ya'll, it sucks.

Now before you run of thinking that the hubs hit the road, let me explain. Paul was going through some training during the day, and was working his normal shift in the evenings. So he was leaving at 7 a.m. and getting home, completely exhausted, at midnight, just to do it again.

Ansley found her way into my bed each morning about 7, where she used me as a jungle gym as we watched Arthur (which, by the way, there is an episode of Arthur about head lice, just an fyi). We got up at 7:30. Ansley had her rice and fruit, then a diaper change.

While I showered, she played in the bathroom floor. I fixed my hair, did the make-up and got dressed while she happily (normally) sat in the floor playing with Rascal or mommy's foam rollers.

Then I gathered everything up, put Ansley in the car, drove about 10 minutes out of my way to drop her off with my blessed sister who so kindly "offered" to watch the kiddo while I was at work. I arrived at work about 5 minutes late, which, considering I live less than one minute from work if I drive there, yet I still manage to be late, was pretty impressive.

I'd work til 5, then head back to pick up the kiddo and go home. Mornings were the same all week. Paul did get to come home early two evenings though (really three, but because he had to work 3rd shift that night, he slept from about 5 p.m to 9 p.m.). And what did I learn?

1. I learned I never want to be a single mom, EVER. Even though Ansley was fairly easy to handle, it was still a struggle to get myself ready for work, the dogs fed and put out, and Ansley ready to go. On top of that, trying to clean up after getting ready was nearly impossible, and I was lucky if my breakfast made it out the door with me.

2. I have a new respect for single moms. I've always respected them, but this week made it that much more real to me. Especially when they still manage to look gorgeous while doing it. How is that even possible?

3. Sometimes, you just have to let the babe cry, because it isn't a good idea to try and use a flat iron with the baby on your hip.

4. It is such a blessing to have a sister that is home visiting and considers it a PLEASURE to keep the kiddo for 8 hours a day for no money, but the status of "favorite aunt."

5. Crawling babies need more food, or they will become babies who wake up in the middle of the night hungry.

6. It doesn't matter how long you ignore the monitor and pretend to still be asleep, if your husband is tired enough, he's not going to wake up.

7. If you make enough appearances in public sans husband, people will ask you if you are still married.

8. Sometimes, it's worth skipping lunch just to catch a nap.

9. Never, NEVER take for granted the generosity of someone willing to hold the baby while you eat, or go to the bathroom, or breathe. It's beautiful.

10. Pop-Tarts are perfectly acceptable for dinner.

It is difficult when Paul works such a strange schedule. It's flippin' hard and I feel like I'm going to pull my hair out sometimes (like when I FINALLY get Ansley down and Bunker decides to run through the house barking and chasing the cat, that actually should be outside but isn't because I can't catch him because the dog is chasing him and the baby is crying and my cell phone is ringing and I'm missing the season finale of Glee), but I have that reassurance that my husband will be home. Eventually.

And, if I need him to, he'll stay up with Ansley, even if he's tired. Because he loves us. And, he'll even watch Glee.

Vogue

Today, I'll let my love do the talking.

After a brief description.

On Black Friday, I stumbled upon a Nikon digital SLR package. It included two lenses, the bag, a software package and a bunch of other stuff. It was a great deal, even though I'm pretty sure it cost more than my engagement and wedding rings combined. But, I'm hoping that it will eventually pay for itself.

So, enjoy these pictures, and hopefully you'll understand why I love my camera.

Now, I understand I'm not an amazing photographer, but I have two things going for me:

1. I used to work for a newspaper, therefore I can call myself a "published photographer," and

2. A friend used one of my photos as her Facebook profile pictures. That has to mean you're good, right?

Make that 3. My camera has amazing color on it, and though I haven't figured out all the gadgets on it yet, I can tell it to figure it out for me, and it makes wonderful adjustments.

I do love photography, though I don't have as much time for it as I would like. I hope to eventually get into some studio and wedding work, but that's pretty far down the line.

What about you? What is something you LOVE doing and hope to, or already are, making some bank on it?

Rockstars

World, meet your two worst nightmares.





It's Punky Baby and the Rockin' Rad Aunt.

Check your local autoriums for available tour dates.

The Best medicine

Next on my love list is baby giggles.

What's that saying? It's something like the giggles of babies is like the poop of 1,000 butterflies?

That's probably not it, but, what I mean is, baby giggles are precious.

Like I've said before, it should come as an understanding that I love my husband and baby more than I can express on a silly little blog. So, I'm focusing on the small things.

Baby giggles. It doesn't matter how many tears are in a room at any given time, baby giggles seem to serve as a universal Kleenex. But, seriously, don't actually use a universal Kleenex. That could get really gross.

Ansley is much more animated now. And things make her belly laugh. And some things make her giggle. As fun as the big belly laughs are, it's those giggles that send my heart racing.

The other day, Ansley was sitting in her stroller waiting for Daddy to get ready to go on a walk. She was starting to get restless, so I decided to keep her amused. What possessed me to do this, I will never know, and I can't guarantee I'll ever do it again, cause it made me throw up just a little.

Instead of garden variety Peek-A-Boo, I opted for one that involved mommy spinning around very quickly and suddenly stopping in front of the baby. Though Ansley filled the room with giggles and claps, I almost filled the room with my lunch. I'm getting dizzy just thinking about it.

Last night, after finishing off her before bed bottle, she was playing on my bed while I sorted the laundry (before you call and report me to children's services, know that I was sorting the laundry at the foot of my bed). She was on all fours, and I tossed myself on the bed beside her. She would pick her head up, look at me, giggle and hide her face. She repeated this process for about 5 minutes. Despite me being crazy tired and it being over an hour past A's bedtime, I let her play. Because she was happy. And because of the giggles.

I think one of the best things about the giggles is that they are reserved for a select few. Occasionally, strangers get a smile, and sometimes the fam will get a fake laugh. But the all out giggles? Those aren't easily accomplished.

So today, I leave you with a picture. I need to try to get some video of the giggles, but I'm afraid my readers may get motion sickness because of all that has to be done to get them out. This is a picture of Ansley's new grin. She squints her eyes, waves her arms, and smiles really big. Normally, this face shows up with the appearance of a bottle, or the sight of a rescuer coming to get her out of bed in the morning.

Is this what I signed up for?

When I was telling the hubs about the new blog series I started, he was offended that I first wrote of Ben & Jerry's instead of him.

I tried explaining that it is simply understood that I love him and our daughter, and these writings were to focus more on the things that make me who I am, to which he quickly replied "Aren't you who you are because of me?"

So to ease his conscience, I will share some things that I love about the hubby (please note that some of these things have taken time to grow to love).

1. I love his weird quirks, and occassional OCD. What, all the coffee cup handles aren't turned the same way? For me, no big deal. For him, it means taking the cups out of the cabinet and rearranging them. It has also grown to mean that I simply don't put dishes away, since I know he's just going to move them.

2. His passion for a beautiful yard.

3. His willingness to make chocolate chip pancakes for me every Saturday, even though he's not a fan.

4. His complete comfort in who he is, yet his willingness to make adjustments when I may not be. He will head to the grocery store in a shirt with holes, athletic shorts and tennis shoes with his church socks or knee high soccer socks, just pushed down. I get totally embarrased and he doesn't mind putting on nicer clothes for me, even if we're just going grocery shopping.

5. I have to get on to him for not letting the babe play with her toys because he's afraid she'll destroy what he has built.

6. He enables my Ben and Jerry's addiction.

7. Though I thought I never would, I love how he likes to have his back scratched before he goes to bed, and how much he appreciates it when I put toothpaste on his toothbrush for him.

8. He's a freakin' awesome athlete.

That's him, catching the ball!

9. I hate to admit it, but I do love that he doesn't let me spend money the way I want. If so, we would eat only ice cream and we would get new clothes from Old Navy each season.

10. I love that he's willing to work to provide for his family.

There it is. 10 reasons I love my husband, including his quirks (which, I honestly only really started to appreciate).

An Unhealthy Obsession

First on my list of things I "love" (mind you, these are in no particular order), has to be Ben and Jerry's Half Baked ice cream.

If you have been a reader for &some time, you know that I frequently reference that ooey gooey goodness.

Here'e the issue. On sale, it comes in at around $2.50 a pint. I get about 4 servings out of a pint, so, really it's about $5 a week. $20 a month. That means I spend 20 flippin' dollars on ICE CREAM. However, it must be stated that I don't buy it every week. Maybe more like every other week, or even once a month.

Granted, B&J is to die for, and if I was stranded on a desert isle with only one food for the rest of my life, I would have to figure out how to make a freezer cause I'd have to keep that nectar frozen. But, it may be nearing an addiction stage. Or, at least obsession.

So, you may ask, "Is it really worth the money?" HECK YEAH. I know all the different things I could buy with that $20 a month. Like buy Ansley clothes. Or buy me clothes. Or have lunch with the girls. Or put gas in the car. Or feed my kid. All those things are important, but doesn't a momma with a full-time office job and a full-time momma job deserve a little treat?

I have, however found a downside to my love of the cold comfort. It seems that my consumption has a direct correlation with my washer and drier shrinking my clothes. I haven't quite figured it out yet, and I should probably call the service guy to come out and take a look. If I can't figure out what going on and why all my clothes are shrinking, I may have to cut out the Half Baked and use that money to buy more clothes.

While I'm at it, maybe I'll just buy new appliances too, so my new clothes don't shrink. Then I can go back to my friends, Ben and Jerry.

Stalkerlicious

So, yesterday, I pretty much camped out over on one of my fav reads, The Heir to Blair.

It was her birthday, and in proper style, she decided to give away a ton of goodies. Like Oprah's "Favorite Things" episodes, Blair enlightened her readers on things she loves, from cooking, to Etsy, to pearls and the smell of home. Each of her "loves" offered the chance to win an associated freebie.

So, with each update she posted, I quickly commented in hopes of bringing home some totally awesome thing that Blair loves. Ok, I'll be honest. I feel somewhat of a connection to Blair, as I'm sure most of her readers do. But, seriously, check this out:

We're both southern girls who love sweet tea, our husbands and Jesus.

We're both miscarriage survivors.

We both say "ya'll" a whole lot.

We both have babies that LOVE to puke on us, or, even in some cases, in our mouths.

Anyway, her posts encouraged me to think about things in my life that I "love." Of course, there's the hubs and the babe, but what are those things that I so enjoy that really tell a lot about me.

So, I've decided to start a blog series about those "loves." Unfortunately, because I don't have super awesome sponsors that give things to me to give to my long list of readers (all 15 of you), I'll just have to tell you what I love, and you'll have to trust me on it, m'kay?

Sit tight, keep all hands and feet in the vehicle at all times, and keep a pair of dry undies handy, cause it may get funny.

Not the brightest crayon...

This weekend, we decided we wanted to get Ansley a little pool.

Since our dogs LOVE the water, we knew we didn't want to get one of the blow-up pools in fear that the pups would pop it or snag the soft plastic bottom. Like every other child in middle-class America, we decided we would get her one of the classic hard plastic pools.

We ventured to Wal-Mart and wondered around for a little while, finally deciding that we wanted to get her one of the bigger ones with the slide.

We make our way outside, where the plastic pools are kept, and stand there looking at the two available with the slides.

Finally, a guy comes over to help us.

Guy: "Can I help you with something?"

Paul: "Yes. We were wondering if you had any more of these plastic pools with the slides."

Guy: "Nope, those are our last two."

Me: "But they both have holes in the bottoms, and the support for the slide is gone."

Guy: "I'll sell it to you for half price. $15."

Me: "You want me to pay $15 for a pool with a hole in the bottom?"

Well, at least he was offering us a discount.

Stop it, Right now!

Ansley is 20 days from being 9 months old.

Let me repeat that. 9 MONTHS OLD.

I always hear people saying "Oh, it will go by so fast. Treasure every moment." I just wish someone had warned me that it would go by this fast. I haven't even finished her room yet!

Here's the latest:

We have a crawler...almost. I guess we have more of a lunger. She'll get on her hands and knees, rock back and forth a little, then lunge herself forward. 9 out of 10 times, it results in a face plant into the floor. She has mastered moving backwards though.

She may look like her daddy, but she has her aunt's attitude. No joke. When she first started eating solids, it was kinda cute to watch her sputter out what she didn't like. Cute is no more. If she doesn't like what you are feeding her, it will either end up on your face, or each bite will be followed by a loud grunting scream.

She's also becoming a fit-pitcher, turning bright red, clenching her jaw and fists, and then screaming when she doesn't get her way. Whether it's yucky food, mommy's sunglasses being taken away, or daddy not stopping to say hi while passing through the living room. Who knew babies could be impatient?

Sometimes, I'm pretty sure she's going to turn green and rip her clothes off. My family calls her Baby Hulk. It may soon become a reality.

We had our first real fever. It hit suddenly, and topped out at nearly 104. Yes, I kinda freaked out. Yes, I was one of those first-time mommas and called the doctor. Yes, I took her in and yes, the doctor said nothing was wrong, just to piggy-back Tylenol and Motrin. I thought Paul would be frustrated with my seemingly invalid concern, but he laughed and said, "Just getting closer to the deductible." Score.

The new puppy? Yeah, Rufus came to us with mange. Not the bad kind, but he was thoughtful enough to share it with Bunker. So, two trips to the vet, two skin treatments and one antibiotic later, Rufus now lives outside. Not just because of the itchies, but also because he mananged to squirt poop on my living room wall. Not sure how, but didn't want to risk finding out with another episode.

Ansley went swimming for the first time! The best part? Something happened with my SD card, and I lost all my pics of the inaguaral event. Ridiculous.

Life has hit an incredibly slow point at the office. As busy as the school year is, we all kinda start going crazy after one week of office time. Plus, I won't be getting off early, so Ansley will be with the sitter about three hours a day.

This is the summer of weddings and babies (well, that's more so the fall). We've made it to 2 weddings so far, and still have 2 to go. And, babies? 4. Three friends, and a sister-in-law. Time really is just flying by. Oh, and I've been married for 4 years. 4 WHOLE YEARS!

So, that's our life as of late. Nothing incredibly funny or sad to tell. We're looking forward to our vacation next month. Last year took us to Puerto Rico. This summer, we're staying close to home and spending a week in Ocean City, Maryland.

Sometimes, it feels like time just creeps by. When Ansley is fussy or just a handful, I find myself wishing away the few hours before bedtime, just so I can have some time to myself. But after I put her to bed, I find myself sneaking back into her room and I just stand there. I look into her crib, and just watch her sleep. It's those moments, when the tick of the clock seems to stop, that I take a deep breath. I breath in the soft scent of a freshly bathed babe, and sigh. Because even though it seems like nothing will steal that moment from us, I know that just a few hours will bring a new day. And, with that new day comes more milestones, more personality, and even less time as a baby.

She's growing up. Maybe I should glue my eyes open so I don't miss anything.