............................it's been a LONG week and a half

And I've been exhausted and I'm very very sorry I haven't been updated. There will be lots and lots of pictures posted this evening when I get home but, at the moment, I am at work so do not have the ability to upload pictures.

Momma came into town on June 27th. It was so great to have her in town for awhile. She hasn't been in Key West since right after Lil Miss was born, so she hasn't seen her, in person, in three months. She's gotten much bigger, and I swear she grew an inch in the time that Momma was here visiting. She is sprouting like weed! She's at least thirteen pounds now. She's definitely going to be more than double her birth weight by six months!

We went to Orlando late last week so that Jimmy could interview for jobs. He looked at places in Orlando and also interviewed with a company on Ponce Inlet, near Daytona Beach. He was offered a job there the next day and took it. So we're moving to Daytona Beach! He and Momma are actually there right now (they drove up last night), finding an apartment and getting things settled. Then he's going to work up there for two weeks and I'm going to finish things up down here with Charles. He's coming back down the last weekend in July and we'll be moving up then. It's going to be a long two weeks without him here, but it will be good because both of us can work and get as much cash as possible for the move. Charles is calling around to see if anyone he knows or anyone else knows is working in Daytona Beach or the surrounding area and looking for help. Hopefully we'll be able to find me something quickly. Even if it doesn't pay as much as Charles is paying me, it would hopefully be full or mostly full time and, also, living expenses in Daytona are about HALF of what they are here.

Crazy, I know.

Mommy was happy to be in Orlando because you know what they have in Orlando? Targets and Walmarts. And I have some gift cards from when Miss Abby was born that I wanted to use to get her some 0-3 month clothes because she is finally growing out of her newborn stuff (I think she finally got too long for most of it this last week). I have lots of newborn stuff and lots of over 6 month stuff but now until 6 month stuff is a little less full. So I got a few things for her to fill in the gap. They also have outlets (including an OshKosh outlet!) in Orlando, but we did NOT go. It's good to know it's there, though, for when we need stuff down the line.

So Miss Abby had two firsts last week -- her first experience with Disney and her first experience with fireworks. We didn't go to a Disney park (Abby's a bit young for that, and they're a bit expensive to pretty much just go walk around in) but Momma wanted me to see the marketplace part of Downtown Disney, so last Saturday we went down there are walked around for awhile. Abby was fascinated by all the people and the stuff. Momma got her a stuffed Stitch that's almost as big as she is. She's still very attached to Raffe, but she does like her Stitch -- she hugged on him and chewed on him the entire time we were at Marketplace. Momma also brought me a stuffed Figment from Epcot, that I will most likely share with Abby. It's very cute and makes Mommy a VERY happy girl. I got Momma a stuffed Squirt to go with her stuffed Crush (from Finding Nemo) so she can remember to relax when she needs to.

I also found the "Team Mickey" store, which is dangerous. I do so love some of the stuff in there! And even though we're in Daytona, we're still going to be close enough to go to Disney pretty easily (it might be an hour and a half drive, and that's WITH hitting Disney traffic and going all the way to Ponce Inlet -- Port Orange (where we will most likely actually be living) is about twenty minutes or so closer). My goal is to be able to afford season passes to Disney and a few treats each year from there once Abby is old enough to really get it and have fun.

The fireworks were, of course, Saturday night. The hotel we were staying at was right by Celebration (it was called Seralago -- if any of you are going to Orlando, it's a great hotel, very comfortable and safe and perfectly nice, great for families and rather cheap. Good spot to remember), so we decided to go watch their fireworks. Traffic was, of course, horrible, so we pulled off into an office building parking lot and decided to watch from there. There were a number of other groups doing the same thing and, to be honest, it was perfect. We were able to avoid most of the traffic leaving and, while we couldn't see the really low fireworks perfectly, we could still see the fireworks just fine and were far enough away that the smoke and noise weren't too bad. I was worried about the loud noise frightening Abby, but she was perfectly happy and liked watching the pretty lights. She actually fell asleep towards the end though (considering that they started more than thirty minutes past her usual bedtime and by the time they were ending, it was almost an hour after she usually goes to bed). The noise didn't even seem to phase her!

Lil Miss travelled pretty well. She didn't necessarily LIKE being in her carseat all day for two days and a bit the rest of the time, but she dealt with it. And she was perfectly fine in the hotel (we took her pack and play, so at least that was familiar). She actually let Momma be the one to wake up with her most of the time she was here, so Mommy could get some sleep (though I still generally heard her wake up and would go talk to her). Momma swore up and down that she wanted to get up with her. I think she just wanted as much grandbaby time as she could get her hands on. It was cute. Abby likes her Grandma, though she definitely knows who I am. It's nice to see her face light up when she sees me, and Momma said that in the mornings, when she was up, she would watch the door waiting for me to come in. Very cute.

So it's been a very long week and a half, but it's good. It's going to be okay and things are going to get better. I just know they are.

And I'll try very hard to be god about this again! Love you all!

one more day

June 26, 2009

One more day til Grandma Lynn gets here!! Yay!! This makes us happy. Well, it make Mommy happy and, therefore, make's Lil Miss happy. Cause she likes it when her Mommy is happy.

We switched her to a new bottle. It's MAM brand and it's specifically formulated to "prevent colic". She doesn't get colic, but she does have some gassy problems, so we decided to see how it went. Since I switched her over (and I haven't changed anything but the bottle -- the formula is the same), she hasn't had a gassy fit. So I think it might be working. This makes Mommy happy. It makes me sad when she's hurting or when she has an upset tummy.

She did get very mad at Mommy today. I think she was actually more confused and scared than mad, but she definitely screamed at me. We stopped by the grocery store to get dinner after dropping off a file at work. I was just running in and running out, so I didn't take her car seat in. I just grabbed her and carried her in. Well guess what? The sky opened up while I was in there. When we came out it was pouring. Raining harder than I've seen in a while. We waited until it died down a bit but it wasn't going to stop any time soon. So Mommy put her burp cloth over her head and went as quick as I could to the car. She got wet and there were VERY loud claps of thunder that terrified her and set her off screaming. Then, of course, she was confused as to why she was sitting in her car seat, wet and cold, all the way home. So she screamed at me until we got home and into the house and changed and she got a bottle in her mouth. Then she was finally happy.

But she was NOT a happy camper for that little bit.

She rolled over today. I don't think she did it on purpose or really realized how she did it (she looked rather stunned once she was on her back all of a sudden) but she did it and I'm proud of her!

We also went and got her birth certificate today. It was pretty cool to see our names on it and her name in print. I love it! And there's a lot of new videos on her little site (http://www.youtube.com/angelynnsmommy). Go check em out if you want to see just how active and talkative (not to mention BIG) she is!

I think we may have a problem in the future -- she kept pulling her dress up. Is she going to be one of those little girls that wants to show off her "pretty undies" to everyone? *sigh*

still in key west, where it's too damn hot

June 19, 2009

Lil Miss got her first immunization shots yesterday. Oh good lord let me tell you that was NOT fun.

She was good, she really was. Don't get me wrong: She was not at all shy about letting Mommy know, in absolutely no uncertain terms, that "That fucking hurt!". Right after the needle went into her leg, she looked up at me for about two seconds in absolute shock, then screwed up her face and started screaming. She cried until the nurse was done.

However, she didn't kick. She let me hold her in place and let the nurse do what the nurse had to do without too much trouble. As soon as the shots were over, I stood up (to let her know it was over) and she got a little bit quieter. As soon as we got outside the building, and she was sure it was over, she stopped crying and just snuggled really close and sniffled. I held her and rocked her and cuddled with her in the parking lot for about twenty minutes before putting in her carseat to leave.

I gave her Tylenol like her doctor suggested and she never ran a fever. She was a little fussy yesterday afternoon, but I think that was more because she was in the car a lot yesterday (we took Daddy to the hospital in Marathon before her shots appointment, drove back to Key West for her appointment, back to Marathon to pick up Daddy, back to home to drop Daddy off, back into town to drop off his prescription and get him some OTC sleeping medicine then back home -- LOTS of time in the car) than from the shots. In general, she was so good.

June 20, 2009

It was a bit of a sad day. I had been hoping to be on the road to Orlando first thing this morning, but Jimmy's still sick. That wasn't happening. He kept saying this week that Lil Miss and I should go without him but I didn't want to leave him sick, especially on Father's Day weekend. I asked him if he was saying that because he WANTED us to go, if us not being here would make him feel better, but he said no, he wanted us here.

So we stayed.

Lil Miss misses him, I think. She hasn't really seen him much this week and he hasn't played with her. Every time she *does* see him (when he walks through to get something to drink or something) she grins at him and does the thing where she kicks her feet and reaches towards him, like she does when I go to get her up from her naps. It's a very cute thing to see and it makes me very happy. I'm sure it would make him happy if he noticed it, but Daddy is very sick.

Watching WALL-E tonight before bed.

Lil Miss got to "talk" to her Aunt Anjie today. She called to talk to me about an interview I have next week and Lil Miss was talking a little bit while we were on the phone. I tried putting the phone to her ear so Anj could talk to her (she did) and she could talk to Anj (she didn't). She apparently haven't picked up on the fact that we WANT her to make noise when we put the phone to her ear. Her family wants to hear her talk! Her Grandma Lynn wanted to talk to her this morning, but she was napping when Momma called and I was talking to her.

I'm sad we didn't get to go to Orlando, but Momma's coming down here next weekend, after her conference is over. So Lil Miss and I will get to see her, which is nice. And, hopefully, we'll all three be going to Georgia in the end of July, for the open house at Andy's new church, once they're settled into the parsonage.

It's hot down here. Hot and humid. I feel bad for Lil Miss -- she has GOT to be miserable. I try to keep her room nice and cool for her -- her Daddy likes the cold too, so we're pretty used to it. She's doing really well sleeping in her own room.

She's such a good little baby. Mommy is spoiled.

My liyyle munchikin, being grumpy for some reason.

baby one coming in for landing!

June 18, 2009

Yep, that is my little airplane coming in for a landing! She plays horsey with Daddy and airplane with Mommy (what? Mommy needs to tone up her thighs -- this helps!). She likes it -- she leans forward or she'll "Superman" while up there. It's very very cute.

Lil Miss was so good for me today. We went to work this morning and I knew it was going to be a busy day because Charles is leaving for Costa Rica for ten days tomorrow afternoon. While Lil Miss did decide that the best place to be when Mommy was typing up the dictation was in my lap, once she was there, she was perfectly happy. It was a bit interesting though -- have you ever tried typing with an almost three month old who can't exactly sit up well on her own sitting in your lap?

Let me tell you -- it's quite the experience.

Lil Miss is such a hit up there. The attorneys all love her -- none of them have young children anymore and none of them have grandchildren yet, so there haven't been baby-babies in their worlds for quite awhile. And now that Lil Miss does more than just, you know, sit there and sleep, they think it's great. The first thing Chip does when he comes in is come up to say hi to her and get her to smile (he says it makes her day). And Rae (the other assistant -- her daughter is twenty two and just graduated from West Point (we're very proud of her)) just LOVES Lil Miss. And Lil Miss grins at her all the time. She even lets Rae hold her (not many people other than family have held Lil Miss -- not even Natalie or her daughters. Mainly just me and Jimmy and Lauren, and Grandma Barbara and Grandma Lynn when they were here. Oh, and, of course, her doctor and the nurses). Now part of that is because most of our neighbors and friends are twenty something males that aren't exactly comfortable, you know, holding babies. (c: But mainly? I like holding her. (c:

The Drool Monster attacks again!

Lil Miss had a bit of a grumpy this afternoon (I think she was gassy) but it wasn't horrible and we dealt with it. Thanks for the idea, by the way, Grandma Peggy -- the leg trick worked great -- she stopped fussing right away. She's been trying to be so good for the past few days -- I think she's picking up that something is different in the house and Mommy's slightly stressed. She's doing well sleeping in her nursery. She didn't sleep much today at work and didn't take a long nap this afternoon, so she actually put herself to sleep about seven thirty. I'm fully prepared for her to wake up very very early in the morning. I am, however, going to go wake her up to eat before I go to bed. Also, because I want to put her in her jammies (she's sleeping in a onesie right now -- I didn't expect her to actually be putting herself to bed. I figured she'd wake up again before "bedtime").

Jimmy's still sick. I hate not knowing how to help or how to fix it. I'm still hoping, but I'm preparing myself to not get to go to Orlando this weekend. )c: That makes me a sad panda. I was looking forward to getting off the island and, most importantly to seeing my Momma!

Tomorrow, we have our shots appointment. Mommy is NOT looking forward to that. I don't like it when she cries the "hurt" cry! It breaks my heart. )c:

our little one is a drool monster

June 17, 2009

It was a bit of a better day than yesterday, though still a long one.

Lil Miss slept all night last night in her room, in the pack and play. Because Jimmy is sick and I wanted him to sleep when he could and because I wanted her to sleep as well, I put her in the nursery so they wouldn't wake / keep each other up. I slept on the couch so I wouldn't wake either one taking care of the other.

She slept very well and seemed perfectly happy. So that's a good sign.

I didn't work today. Lil Miss and I spent the day together like usual. We had to go down and pick up WIC checks and, while we were there, the nutritionist weighed her for me. She was twelve pounds and four ounces. She was, however, wearing a dress and had a bit of a wet diaper, I think. So I'm guessing she's right at twelve pounds. My worries that she's not getting enough to eat? Apparently completely unfounded. She's doing just fine. That makes me happy.

My little drool monster -- she was very drooly today.

Other than that? We hung out around the house a lot. We went to the grocery on the way home to get Jimmy more Gatorade. We did laundry. We packed Lil Miss' stuff (other than the things I use on a daily basis and therefore cannot pack beforehand) for this weekend. I'm still hoping we can go, though I'm not sure anymore. Jimmy isn't throwing up much anymore and he's sleeping now. Usually, that means it's almost over. We'll see. I'm not going to let him go unless I'm sure he's better.

After she went to bed? I watched NCIS and did some cleaning. It's been a rather uneventful day.

Oh -- I did get a call setting up another interview for a full time job down here. So, another possibility for something to come through. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

And now? Dinner (.........I forgot to eat today) and then bed.

*nom, nom, nom*

June 14, 2009

Don't you just love her little apple cheeks? I think they're precious!

We're going to Orlando! We're going to Orlando! So Momma has a conference (I'm pretty sure it's a Conscious Discipline conference) in Orlando this weekend and Jimmy has talked to a few jet ski companies in both St. Petersburg and Orlando that want to meet him and talk to him. So we're driving up to Orlando early Saturday, staying with Grandma Lynn at the hotel Saturday night and Sunday, then coming back by way of the companies and St. Petersburg on Monday. I'm excited to get off the island for a weekend and excited to see Momma. And she sounds pretty excited that we're coming too. Though I'm pretty sure she mainly just wants to see Lil Miss. (c:

June 15, 2009

She loves this game -- the let's eat everything game. You would think she was teething or something the way she chews on things but I know she's not because 1) she's too young and 2) even if she wasn't too young, she's not the fussy you would equate with teething. She just really likes to chew on stuff. It's her favorite pasttime.

My happy little baby on her leaf pad and boppy. That smile is the best thing in the world!

Grandma Lynn came up with a good name for the giraffe -- Raffe. It works. So that's what we're calling it now. She's even more attached to that thing that she was in the beginning. Now, there are times she'll be fussy and I can't figure out what's wrong and then I realize that Raffe is still in the crib. As soon as I give him to her, she's quiet. Definitely her security blanket. He's going in the laundry on Wednesday because he is awfully slobbery and I want him clean before this weekend. I'm trying to make sure she's not completely out of place in the hotel, since it's going to be a completely new place. She's never slept anywhere but here since she came home from the hospital, so I just want to make sure she's comfortable and happy.

Though I'm pretty sure as long as Mommy and Daddy are there, she'll be a happy girl.

My little baby at eight thirty last night, sleepy and so close to out cold.

So I have a job interview tomorrow. Probably in the afternoon, since I'm working for Charles in the morning. Send happy thoughts.

We really really want ONE of the many possibilities to work out, that's all I'm asking. And which ever one works out, that's where we're supposed to be. That's what I've decided -- that will be our sign. Something will work out and that will be the universe telling us where we're supposed to go.

And I'll accept that.

My little baby at four thirty this morning, wide awake and wanting to play!

And Mommy couldn't sleep last night (no clue as to why) so I was tired. So now, since I've been awake since then, I'm really tired. So I go sleepy bye now.

June 12, 2009

Mommy is horrible. I just realized that I didn't get a good picture of Lil Miss yesterday. )c: She was a sleepy girl and napped a good bit of the morning and early afternoon and then Jimmy and I were discussing a lot of things when she was awake and I just didn't get out my camera. I feel bad.

So there's a lot of things up in the air in our house right now and we're just hoping and crossing our fingers that something comes through. We'll let you know as soon as we know anything.

Though we do get to see Grandma Lynn in Orlando next weekend. That makes this Mommy very happy.

Lil Miss in her car mirror -- it's mounted on the back seat and we can see it through the rear view mirror. I love that thing.

I figured out a very good way to explain what's going on with Lil Miss: she's finally getting a personality. She likes things and doesn't like things. She talks (and talks and talks) in her own little baby talk. She is definitely going to be a talkatve child like her Mommy. It's very cute when soe of her "talking" sounds like English -- you can make out "Hi" or "Hey" a lot and, every once in awhile, when she's crying, it sounds like she says "Momma". I know she doesn't, but I still love hearing it. She makes the cutest noises (when she's not trying to eat her hand, which is officially her favorite game). She seems to know us too which is awesome. I love my little munchkin.

Attacking the giraffe after a "kissing attack" (check out the videos).

Yes, you read that right. Li Miss' Moo Cow is not a cow at all -- appartently it is a giraffe. So I have to find a new name for it. But I found the company that makes them and have sent them a message to see if they can tell me where to find them so I can get extras (it's made by Ganz. It's a Baby Ganz Hug A Long Giraffe).

She's growing, but she still isn't in a lot of her 0 to 3 month clothes. She's still wearing a lot of her newborn clothes. Most of her 0 to 3 month clothes (except Gerber onesies and a couple of dresses) still swim on her. She weighs enough to be in them but she's just not long enough yet and they're too big around. I dunno. I just put her in what she fits in (c:

Both my children napping. We inherited a rocker for her room and her big brother just loves it.

we have a little teddy bear

June 6, 2009

It's my sister's birthday. It's the second of her birthdays that I've missed. )c: That makes me a sad panda. I miss my big sister.

Lil Miss wore a new dress today. Well, not exactly "new" in that it's one of the first things we had for her (it's one of the ones that Natalie gave us) but it's been too big for her until recently, so it was the first time she wore it. It's a hooded dress and it has little bear ears on the top. It's the cutest thing ever and I love it. I might actually have to go get another one the next size up for when she grows out of this one. I love it that much.

Like mother, like daughter.

It was a good and lazy day, other than the waking up at three thirty this morning part. Which means, at this point, I've been awaky for nineteen hours, as it is ten twenty at this moment. I am a sleep girl.

Jimmy did some job hunting today. Looks like he's finally going to listen to me and find another job. There were a couple of possibilities that he's going back to talk to on Monday, including one that's right around the corner from the law office. So that one would be perfect, being there, you know.

Other than that, we hung around the house, doing some cleaning and moving a few things around, me putting stuff in the new dresser I "inherited" this week. We watched some of the Yankees game and then watched the Belmont Stakes (which Mine That Bird SO almost won) and talked to Grandma Lynn on Skype too. I tried to call Anjie today to wish her Happy Birthday, but I'm sure she and Andy are busy wrapping things up in Virginia. We did send her some Lil Miss pictures and birthday wishes though.

And currently? Jimmy and I are watching Finding Nemo. I LOVE that movie. "Mine? Mine? Minemineminemineminemine" I do a very good seagull impression. (c:

If you hadn't noticed, I'm feeling much much better. This is a good thing.

Miss you all. Love you. Talk to you all tomorrow.

My cute little teddy bear, passed out cold. Being a baby is HARD work!

it's been a long long day

May 22, 2009

A long day that started at 3:30 am.

I don't know if she's growing or if she had an upset tummy or what but Lil Miss was a grump most of the day. She woke up at 3:30 am (not uncommon), ate (again, not uncommon) but then refused to go back to sleep (VERY uncommon). She didn't fall back asleep until after we got home from work!

She didn't want to be put down in the late hours either -- from when she finished her bottle until about eight am, every time I tried to lay down with her or put her down to play or anything, she would scream. And her Daddy was still trying to sleep, as he had to work this morning, so we walked and bounced, bounced and walked for like four hours straight while Mommy was exhausted and wanted to cry. Luckily, she let me put her down long enough to get ready for work -- she was fussy but didn't scream. We got to work at ten am.

We left by eleven thirty. Because she started throwing a fit at eleven and I couldn't get her to stop. So I apologized to Charles (he said it was fine -- the most important stuff was done already anyway) and we came back home. She fussed on the bus ride, but didn't scream, thank goodness. As soon as we got home, the screaming started again. I had a baby screaming in my ear from the time we got home until the time I finally got her to go down for a nap (I think she finally just used up all her energy) about threeish I think. Between then and eight thirty, when she finally put herself down for the night, she would wake up to eat.

And be fussy for a good bit of the time she was awake.

She had a couple of short amounts of time where she was good for Mommy and Daddy -- that's where today's pictures come from. One of those about fifteen minutes. But all in all? It was a long freakin bad day.

Mommy is so exhausted she's too tired to sleep. Mommy's also a bit sad because her Momma's going to be in Florida in a few weeks (in Orlando) and it doesn't look like I'm going to get to see her.

I miss my Momma.

But now? Off to read and try to get some sleep. Daddy's home from seeing Wolverine now so I think it might be my bedtime.

Lil Miss in her bouncer -- she likes it. Mainly, I think, cause it has a mirror.

"butterfly in the sky, i can go twice as high"

May 21, 2009

She is, in that picture above, contemplating whether or not to scream. She likes warm water, but you'd think I was trying to kill her with the way she cries when I pour water on her head to wash her hair -- even if it doesn't go down her face!

This will probably be rather short, as Mommy is sleepy and has to work early in the morning.

Reading one of her new books with Daddy.

So we've learned, recently, that Lil Miss likes books. Granted, I'm not sure she can understand them yet, but she likes the pictures. And her Grandma Lynn sent her a book today that has textures she can feel and stuff -- she REALLY likes that one. And she likes books with pictures of other babies in them. She likes to look at them.

(But she likes to look at herself more. She loves the mirror I got for the car today (one of those that you put on the backseat, so you can see the rear facing car seat in your rear view mirror) because it means she can sit there and watch herself. And there's a mirror on her bouncy chair too. Lil Miss LOVES her reflection!)

She seems to like the TV too -- I think she likes the flashing lights. Momma also sent us some Baby Einsteins, so I'll probably put one of those on when we get home from work tomorrow, see how she likes it.

Daddy kisses -- she loves those.

We worked this afternoon while Daddy worked this morning. Lil Miss was a grumpy butt for some of the afternoon. I think because it was hot -- she doesn't seem to understand why Mommy can't just make the "hot" go away. And if I'm hot and uncomfortable, I know she must be miserable, since she can't regulate her temperature so well and I know she doesn't understand. I feel bad but really, what can I do? Poor munchkin -- I try to keep her out of the stifling heat as much as possible.

She's getting really good at holding her head up and controlling herself in general. She's almost in control enough that I can hold her on my hip. I can, now, but I have to hold her back cause sometimes she'll just pitch herself backwards. But she's really the cutest most bright eyed baby I've ever seen. She just loves to watch everything. I love it.

One of our neighbors has a grandson who's probably about three and he just LOVES her. Whenever he's here, he asks to see the baby and he just loves it when I'm outside walking her. I was outside with her earlier tonight and Natalie (the neighbor) and both her daughters, plus Julian (the grandson) were out there, so we went over and talked to them for awhile. Natalie and her younger daughter (who's probably 20ish) just couldn't stop cooing over her. I know they would babysit -- I know the daughter really wants to -- but I'm just not ready for babysitters yet. I can leave her with Daddy, but I'm not ready to leave her with other people.

She's my little one. It still makes me anxious to be away from her. I don't think that's ever going to go away.

Oh yeah -- and cookies to those who get the reference in the title.

Sitting on Mommy's lap while we type at work -- I'll have to try and get a picture of the actual typing. It's apparently really cute.

my first mommy's day with the munchkin

May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day to all the women in my world again! I got to spend all day with my own little Mother's Day present and it was, of course, good. She was a little fussy at times but, hey, what baby isn't? She was also VERY cuddly for a good bit of the day, which is always nice.

Playing hide and seek with the camera.

Jimmy's still sick. I don't know what to do to fix it and I hate it. He's taking his medicine. He's not eating anything he shouldn't (he's really not eating anything). He drinking lots of liquids. And he's still sick.

I hate this.

It's stress that sets it off, I'm sure. His work stresses him out like crazy (not the work, but mainly the people he works with). So I talked to Charles today and he said he could come up with some more hours for me. And I'm still applying for other things and he's putting in a good word for me at one of the positions.

Basically, we're going to see what we can make work. I'm not sure Jimmy's going back to work and, if he does, it will not be as much, just a few days a week. He'll take care of Lil Miss during the day and I'll work as close to full time or more as I can.

Being a fussy little monkey.

Lil Miss is so good to me. She's so good at work -- she really is! Since I didn't get to work Thursday or Friday, and since Charles has a trial starting tomorrow, I worked yesterday and again today. Charles was there for awhile this morning and remarked on how good she is and how amazing it is that she just amuses herself (I always make sure to have Moo Cow and I take other toys too -- there's a drawer in my desk that has a few of her toys and such that I just leave there). She was perfect the whole time he was there. She's was perfect pretty much all day. She got a little fussy towards the end (when we'd been there for five and a half hours already) but that's to be expected and all that I had left to do was stuff I can do from home anyway.

She saved the being really fussy for when we got home.

We had a long evening -- I think she was gassy, so she was crying and fussy and just wanted to be held. I think it was part gassy, part hot (it's Key West in May -- it gets a bit warm), part sleepy (that she was fighting really hard) and I think part just grumpy/sad/had a long week and needed cuddle time. She did let me talk to Momma on Skype for awhile (so I could show off how big Lil Miss is getting!) but got really fussy after about fifteen minutes so we got off the phone. And I basically held, cuddled and bounced her for the next four hours.

But now she's sleeping and I think Mommy's going to head that way. I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day. Love you all!

Burying herself in Mommy's shoulder. I can't help but melt when she does that.

look at me! look at me! (and mommy makes a mistake)

May 4, 2009

Look at her! She did that all on her own with no help from Mommy and held that pose for a good two minutes. I'm so proud of her -- she's getting really good control of her neck.

And she rolled over! She rolled from her tummy to her back all on her own with no help and no prodding! I tried to get her to do it again so I could get it on film (cause of COURSE I didn't have the video part of the camera on and I wasn't taking pictures at that moment) but Lil Miss decided it was not rolling over time. It was, instead, cuddle and love on Lil Miss time. So we cuddled and loved on Lil Miss.

When you hold her up at your shoulder (like when you're burping her), she holds her head up and looks around. She likes mirrors and likes things that move (like, you know, the flashing lights on the television). Basically, she likes to stare at and watch things. When we're on the bus (and she's not asleep) she picks a spot and stares at it very very intently. There was actually a debate today on our way home from work (the bus was very full) amongst the other bus riders about what she was or was not staring at.

They were also all exclaiming over how cute she is. Everyone tells me that. And I just say "I know!"

Sleeping on Daddy's bean bag chair. And no, that's not a blankie. That's a burp cloth. When she's half asleep when being burped, she grabs on. And Lil Miss has a death grip when she wants to.

She sleeps well when she's out, but she's also good at fooling Mommy -- being asleep when I'm holding her but, as soon as I put her down, waking up. So I've stopped putting her down unless I KNOW she's out. Like when the arms go loose, the legs bounce when I'm rocking her and, well, the head would flop back if I would let it. You know -- OUT out. And then, and only then, Mommy puts her down to sleep. And like I said, she sleeps pretty well.

Oh, so yeah, Mommy made a mistake today. I've actually made it a time or two and I need to stop with it!

So Jimmy and I haven't exactly decided on what we're going to call Lil Miss from day to day. Her name is kind of long and, my guess is, it will get shortened at some point. There are a number of possible nicknames from her name, but right now, we tend to call her Munchkin, Honey, Sweetie or (in my case) Bunny. But today, at work, she was being a little fussy and I was walking her (cause Charles was on the phone on my desk and I didn't want her talking to get in the way) and talking to her. And know what I said? "Hush, little Angie, it's okay."

Angie. That is the one nickname I swore I wasn't going to use on her because, well, Anj is Anjie. It would be confusing if there were two of them. Thinking about it, I think I've made the mistake a few times. It just comes out, you know? I guess cause part of me is so used to saying it (you know, considering the fact that I've been calling my sister that for what, twenty five years? (Good gosh that makes me feel old. I was actually walking and talking over twenty five years ago!)) so it just comes out without me thinking about it.

But I do not want to make Anj share her name, or make Lil Miss share her name. I would prefer not to have any of the "Big Anjie" / "Little Angie" kind of deals that I've seen in some families. It gets confusing after awhile.

So yeah, no calling her Angie. Bad, Mommy. No cookie for you! (but I don't eat cookies........so why do I care about that?)

Okay then -- no Sprite for you! (okay. That's a threat!)

Watching big brother Zeus watching her. They had a staring contest.
Was mondo cute.

So Grandma Barbara and her friend Laurie (or is it Lori? -- Uncle Camron's girlfriend's mother) are coming into town tomorrow night and we can't wait. We're very excited. Though it also makes me miss my mommy (but then again, I pretty much always miss Maminka). We've so got to try to make a road trip to Georgia and Carolina this summer!

Jimmy's still kind of sick. He's been asleep all day, so I think he's doing a little better, but he's still sick and feels horrible and there's nothing I can do about it and I HATE that. Oh, and I tripped on an XBox cord tonight and, being that I was holding Lil Miss at the time, I wasn't exactly able to catch myself well. Luckily, I didn't fall and I didn't drop (or even wake up) the baby, but I stepped really wrong and hurt my foot and ankle. )c: Not fun. It hurts.

But hey -- I've been there before, done that before. I'll deal and be fine.

I'm just glad Lil Miss didn't get hurt. I would never ever forgive myself.

could it be a birthmark?

May 2, 2009

I know, I know, I missed a day. I'm sorry! It's been a very long weekend.

Daddy called about noon yesterday to tell me he needed me to start a bath running because he was sick. )c: So Jimmy's been sick all weekend and Lil Miss was wide awake and fussy last night, so I just didn't get a chance to post. By the time she went to sleep, I was so exhausted, I just crashed.

So I spent yesterday during the day taking care of Jimmy, Lil Miss and finishing all the unpacking and getting the house all set up. Everything has a place and it's probably as "done" as it's going to be with a baby in the house. (c: Zeus is still investigating (I think he thinks that Lil Miss' room is actually his, though that's not surprising, considering that she doesn't really sleep in there yet) and I think he's decided that this house is acceptable. Jimmy and I love it and Lil Miss, well, she doesn't know what's going on. As long as she's fed and loved, she's happy.

May 3, 2009

So yeah, Mommy didn't sleep much last night. Between Lil Miss waking up to be fed and Jimmy getting up through the night, I don't think I got more than twenty minutes of straight sleep all night. I finally gave up trying to sleep this morning about 9:30 and Lil Miss and I got ready to go to work and then, of course, went to work. Because she was so fussy Friday, I had things I needed to get done before tomorrow morning. But she was pretty good this afternoon and let me get everything done (she mainly watched Mommy work and cuddled with Moo Cow. Yes, she is trying to eat his ear in that picture above).

Lil Miss is a rather talkative baby. I wouldn't call her a fussy baby, because most days she doesn't really cry that much unless I'm not making her bottle quick enough or she's telling me she's wet or pooping, but she does grumble and "talk" a lot. She grumbles in her sleep a good bit -- I think when she's dreaming but, of course, I don't know for sure. It's pretty cute though.

She also does this thing when I'm holding her that I call "petting". Quite often when being held, she'll end up in with one are behind me. And usually, when she's eating or being cuddled, she'll pull that arm to me so her hand is at my lower back and then she'll "pet" me. It's very cute and sweet and, though I'm sure she doesn't do it on purpose, I love it. She also tends to hold my hand or finger when she's eating and, when we're riding home on the bus, she tends to hold my hand the whole way (usually while sleeping -- the bus has a tendency to knock her out cold very quickly).

Sleeping at the office today.

So, do me a favor and look very very close at her forehead -- do you see that "V" right above the bridge of her nose? Because I can't seem to *not* notice it. It's not there all the time -- mainly when she is or has just been being fussy, when she's mad or (I'm assuming on this one) when she's sick.

Mommy has one just like it. Momma said it was how she could tell if I was really sick because it wasn't always visible -- only when I was angry, stressed, or sick. Are birthmarks hereditary? So I know that doesn't make any sense and they can't possibly, but seriously -- that looks just like my birthmark.

When will we know whether or not it's going to stay? Is it possible that there is something in my genes that I could pass on that would make it more likely that she would get a birthmark? I don't want her to have to deal with it all her life, so I'm hoping it doesn't stay -- but when will I know? Momma -- when did you realize mine was going to be permanent? Was it obvious when I was a baby?

i don't think lil miss has enough clothes...

April 30, 2009

My little bunny rabbit and I had a long day. (For some reason that pose above reminds me of a rabbit -- she does it a lot, which is one of the reasons I call her bunny)

Lil Miss decided to wake up at nine am this morning (not a problem -- Mommy's up at that time anyway) and then decided, specifically, that she was going to be so not tired! all day long. As in, from nine am until about fifteen minutes ago she didn't sleep for more than ten minutes at a time and those were few and far between -- she was awake all day.

She hasn't done that yet. And she wanted to be held most of the day too. Not bad, but makes things interesting. I learned to use the copier one handed today and I did a good bit of one handed typing. She was still a very good girl at work, I just had to hold her.

So yeah. Long day. Mommy is glad tomorrow is Friday, if only because it means the next day is Saturday. While I don't specifically get "a day off", I'll at least be able to be home all day and maybe get some more stuff done here.

She tried to pet a dog today. At least I think she was trying to pet her. Sarah Belle (Charles' dog) was at the office today like she is most days and Charles was in with a client, so Sarah Belle was sitting behind me. She decided to say hi to Lil Miss, so she started sniffing Lil Miss' foot and gave it a lick. Lil Miss immediately reached out for her. I think she was trying to pet Sarah Belle, which I found extremely cute.

Hey, Lil Miss pets Mommy, why shouldn't she pet the dog?

No, she doesn't have enough clothes at all!!!

Can't you just see the sarcasm dripping off the words? And that's not even all her clothes -- that's just the newborn / 0-3 month clothes that haven't been put away yet!!

Last night, when I was coming home from work, I ran into one of our old neighbors while she was visiting a friend across the street. Of course she had to see Lil Miss (she saw me walking by and came running out). Well, she has a little girl who is about a year and a half. She had kept all of her daughter's clothes because her cousins was pregnant, but her cousin ended up having a little boy. So she asked if I could use a few things and I said sure it couldn't hurt.

Well, "a few things" ended up being about four garbage bags FULL of baby clothes -- most of it under three month size, which is exactly where Lil Miss is. There are also some cute bigger things (oh yeah -- and none of the stuff Grandmas Lynn or Barbara have sent us are in the above picture -- that's ALL new stuff from today) which are in the pile (not folded) that's like half on the right of the picture. And there are so many cute things! I swear there are enough sleepers for her to wear a different one each night for a month!

We aren't going to keep all of it. There's just too many and we don't have room for all of it. I didn't realize just how much it was until I was unpacking. So I haven't put it away yet. I'm going to go through everything tomorrow and pick out the stuff I like the best to keep (and some of the sleepers are really probably too heavy for her anyway) and then put the rest aside to go to Second Hand Sams, or maybe home with Grandma Barbara when she's here next week to go to the flea market. But we definitely have enough clothes to last us for quite awhile.

It's amazing.

Watching Daddy adoringly. I think it's one of her favorite things to do!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand it's chocolate pie and then bath time for this Mommy -- then sleep. Love you all!

moving on up in the world

April 23, 2009

Yep, we're moving up in the world -- well, not in the world, per sae, but we are moving. I know, I know, but don't worry -- it's not far. Not even fifty yards from our front door! The address is going to be the exact same, it's just going to be "Apartment 1" instead of "Apartment 5".

So I leave yesterday to go to work and notice there's a moving truck in the yard and it looks like the people in apartment one are moving their stuff. So when we get home, cause Daddy came and picked us up, we're talking to one of our neighbors and she confirms that, yes, our neighbors moved out yesterday. So we call one of the landlords right away and say that we want the apartment if possible. He talked to the other landlord this morning and it's official -- the apartment is ours.

It's got two bedrooms, so we'll have a guest room / nursery. It also has a bathtub (YAY!!!) and a little yard and washer/dryer hook ups out back (so we're going to watch for a good used set -- two of our neighbors are probably actually going to split them with us and then we'll all have them to use). It's also right up at the front and the porch is larger. There's more room for storage and, in general, the apartment is bigger. It's great. We have the keys (actually changed the locks today, because they had broken the key off in the front door dead bolt and it couldn't be locked from the outside) and I'm getting the electric turned on tomorrow and the water switched to our name. (so that we can move some stuff this weekend and so they'll definitely be one when the other thigns are switch Monday). The internet and cable are being switchedmoved over on Monday. Jimmy has Tuesday and Wednesday off, so we can move in completely on Tuesday and still have a few days to give the old apartment a good cleaning and scrub down before the 1st (when we've told the landlords it will be ready for move in). I'm going to have the electric and water over there turned off on the 30th.

So we're excited. Well, Daddy and I are. Lil Miss and Zeus have no idea what's happening (though Lil Miss should be excited -- she's about to get her own room! (even if she doesn't sleep in it for a few more months!)) I'll go over and take pictures tomorrow when I have some light so you all can see it. Or maybe I'll wait til our stuff is in it. We'll see.

"Don't I look all snuggly and comfy?"

So the picture above is more for Grandma Lynn than anyone else. THANK YOU!!!!!!! for the sling we got for Christmas -- Mommy and Lil Miss are LOVING that. Now that she's awake more in the mornings, we're using the sling so she can be close to Mommy when she doesn't want to sleep or play but Mommy can still get things done (like cleaning the kitchen or putting away laundry). Also, it's great at work when she wants to be held but Mommy needs to type or when we need to run a quick errand (the bank, the post office, the drugstore) but Mommy doesn't want to drag out the stroller (there are a lot of businesses downtown (like the law office and the bank and the courthouse) that do not have easy ways up -- no ramps (if they have to have someting, they have lifts -- not easy), just stairs. Not always easy to navigate with a stroller. So I just put her in her sling and run the less than a block to the bank or whatever. It's great -- she's happy cause she's close to Mommy, Mommy's happy because she has both hands and doesn't have to worry about dropping the baby.

I love the sling. Every Mommy should have one.

So yeah, we went to work today (looks like I'll probably be working most afternoons, since she does so well -- YAY 20 hours a week!) and, as always, Lil Miss did pretty good. She slept most of it, since she'd been awake most of the morning. She did get to meet Sarah Belle (Charles' dog) today though. She hadn't met a big dog before -- our neighbor just has little dogs and Chip's client's dog that she met last week was a miniature poodle -- Sarah Belle is a full grown poodle. Charles was trying to lock Sarah Belle up but I told him not to. We don't walk on eggshells around Lil Miss.

Sarah Belle sniffed her foot and then pretty much ignored her. I think she figured Lil Miss was too small to pet her and therefore not worth her time when there was a full grown Mommy there to pet and play with her (Sarah Belle knows I love her! (c: ) Lil Miss didn't even flinch or wake up at all. Even when Charles was getting ready to leave and Sarah Belle, therefore, started barking (she always barks when she wants to go), Lil Miss just slept.

She's such a good baby. She's spoiling me!

She smiles! Really -- she does!!

i've grown!!!

April 20, 2009

It's official -- Lil Miss Priss is already growing up. *tear*

I measured her this evening because her newborn sleepers are getting a little snug (in the feet -- it felt like she was getting a little long for them). Miss Priss is officially 20 inches long! I tried to take a picture, but she wasn't cooperating. She wants to wiggle and squirm and kick and such. I'll try to get a proof picture tomorrow or some point when she's sleeping. But she's definitely getting taller and she's definitely gaining weight (we don't have a scale in the house, so I don't know how much she weighs, but she's definitely growing. My guess is eight pounds).

We got the last of the things we ordered from Target (thanks to her great-aunt -- thanks Anne!) today. Some more onesies and sleepers that are 0-3 months instead of newborn. They're a little big, but she'll grow into them. She still fits in her newborn onesies, so I'm holding off on the new ones (they're in her dresser for in a month or so), but she's already wearing one of the sleepers, because the other three all need to be washed and are getting slightly small. I rolled up the sleeves (just so they weren't hanging over her hands) and they're a little long, but they fit and are cute and she'll grow into them and be able to wear them for a couple of months at least.

She's such a cute little well dressed baby. (c:

We're on day three of cow attachment. I checked the card from the flowers -- they came from a local shop that's only a few blocks from work (heck -- anything in Old Town is only a few blocks from work!) so I think I may walk down there before or after one day next week and see if they can tell me how to get ahold of an extra cow or two -- maybe they'd be able to sell me just the cow. Especially if I showed them Miss Priss, asleep, with her death grip on Moo Cow. I told Rae (the assistant to the other attorney at work) this afternoon that the cow better be glad it's a stuffed animal -- when Miss Priss gets a hold of it, she is LOCKED on. The only time she lets go is when she's eating and gets so excited about the food (see? Porker!) that she forgets to hold onto Moo Cow.

My little one is funny.

She did good at work today. She was actually in a fussy mood today and awake most of the afternoon, but she never squalled and she let Mommy work while she was fussing. I've learned to feed or burp her one handed (I'm pretty proud of myself on that one) and type or go through filing or papers with the other hand. She whimpered some, but she never cried when I was on the phone and was really good when I tried to calm her.

I think this might work.

Apparently, though, bringing babies into work isn't all that uncommon, at least in most of the law offices down here in Key West. Rae and I were talking about it today. The law offices, like everything else down here, are a little more laid back than every where else, and with the whole cost of living thing, day care being expensive, apparently a lot of people have to work but can't afford day care (we could if we needed to, but I'm just not willing to leave Miss Priss with strangers, even well recommended ones). Rae says she took Jen into work with her until Jen was about three.

Guess I'm lucky.

buddah. belly. (and meeting family)

April 17, 2009

I know, I know, I said today's photo wouldn't be of her sleeping. But I have to share with all of you the wonder that is one of my (many) favorite parts of my little girl: her buddah belly. I think it's so cute and I just love it. She gets lots of belly kisses (from Mommy) and raspberries (from Daddy) at bath time cause we both LOVE the belly. Such a baby thing!

Besides, it can be difficult to get "awake" pictures when you're the only one around and, hence, the one playing with her and taking care of her DURING said "awake time". But I'll do my best. And get Daddy to take some on his next day off. We'll probably also take pictures tomorrow night at the UFC fight (no -- we're not going to the fight. We're going to watch the fight broadcast on the side of a house (even better than the biggest screen you've seen) with a bunch of our friends up on Rockland Key tomorrow night. Lil Miss gets to go to her first big fight! (Yes, I'm taking warm clothes. Yes, I'm prepared to spend most of the evening in the car or come home early if we need to) It's gonna be a good one!)

Lil Miss got to "meet" Anne, Noell and Laura, Judy, Miriam and Sarah Grace today via the webcam. I haven't seen most of them in I don't even know how long -- Christmas a few years ago maybe? Probably at least 3 years, maybe longer. The girls are growing up -- I could have sworn Miriam was Judy until I was told otherwise.

Makes me feel old. (c:

But it did mean waking her up and keeping her awake for a bit when she would usually be asleep, so now she's out cold and down for the count (for at least a little while). Mommy's going to take advantage of this and the fact that Daddy's home and go take a long shower.

Yay showers.

cuteness overload!!!

Lil Miss is sleeping right now, so I'll post her daily picture a little later. I want some of her pictures to be awake! (c:

We had a long morning. We had an appointment at the WIC office to get recertified and it took a long time. But, as expected, the nutritionist declared that Lil Miss is perfectly healthy and "thriving". That makes me happy. I worry sometimes because there are days that it seems she just cannot get enough food. I worry about her. But everyone promises me she's okay. Guess I should trust the professionals, huh? Yeah, I thought so.

Well, because the appointment took so long, I decided to go into the office to do filing and subpoenas and such tomorrow instead of today. Charles is fine with it. Besides, when I called Rae to tell her not to expect me, she said Chip had some people coming in this afternoon anyway, so it's a good thing. She's a good baby, but sometimes she is, well, a baby and she just needs to cry. It happens.

So when we got home today, there were two boxes from our mailman. And let me tell you -- CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!! One was a box of some of the clothes we had ordered from Target with a giftcard sent to us. They aren't "brand new baby" clothes, but they're the size between "newborn" and "3 months". We don't have much of that size and that's where Lil Miss is about to be. They're very cute clothes -- some onsies and sleepers, but also a couple of cute little outfits and a dress. My little one is a well dressed little girl. Also, there was a box from one of the ladies in the church I grew up in. It was very sweet of her -- a couple of sleepers, some bibs (including an "I love Mommy" bib that I love -- and let me tell you, Lil Miss is a MESSY eater, so bibs are GOOD things) and a book and a toy. All very cute.

So I'm going through and putting away all the baby clothes we've gotten in the past few weeks (thank you Grandma Lynn and Grandma Barbara (we need to figure out what your names are going to be so we can start differentiating!)) and I swear I'm going to go into sugar shock soon from the cuteness overload! (c:

I love baby clothes. Too bad they grow out of them so quickly!