Sweet Caroline

Sunday, April 27, was Caroline's 6th birthday. I did not get to post a tribute to my sweet girl that day so I am going to make a list of TEN GREAT THINGS ABOUT CAROLINE (in no particular order):

1. She taught me almost everything I know about being a mom.
2. Caroline is a lot of FUN! She is always willing to try something new.
3. Her enthusiasm about everything in life.
4. Her imagination.
5. Caroline is one tough cookie. She stands up for herself and doesn't put up with crap from other people.
6. She is brave and not afraid to perform in front of a crowd.
7. She has an excellent sense of humor.
8. She is always ready to make a new friend.
9. She has a really good heart.
10. She rocks!!!

I could go on and on and on but I will sum it up by saying>>>>I LOVE YOU CAROLINE!!! I am so proud of you and you are growing into such a neat little person. You are my heart!!

Love,
Mommy

Why Liz is My Friend

I am really loving Liz right now. She is paying $25 to come with me to a stupid Junior League luncheon that she doesn't even have to go to so I don't have to go alone. That is a GOOD FRIEND.
Other nice things about Liz:
1. She always smells nice, like a mixture of cigarettes and perfume. Or Nivea. Do you even use Nivea any more Liz?
2. She always sends me flowers in the hospital when I have a baby.
3. When you go out with Liz, you know there will be a good story to tell the next day.
4. She comes to lots of activities for my kids, like dance recitals and school Christmas parties and Gumbo lunches. I hope to do the same for her twins one day soon.

The list could go on and on.....
So even though she made me pee in a hole in her backyard in elementary school and she once persuaded me to get naked and climb in a maid's cart which she pushed up against our counselor's door at Camp Gulf Park, I LOVE LIZ!
Here's to 25 years and counting of friendship and love! I wanted to post a picture but this stupid computer won't let me.

Penelope Ann Miller

Annie's blog inspired me to search out a picture of P.A.M. because she mentioned being told she looks like Sarah Jessica Parker (which she does not, but whatever). Have you ever been told that you resemble a celebrity? In college, I dated a young man who always said he thought I look like Penelope Ann Miller (he is/was a big fan of Carlito's Way). I disagree with this comparison, but it is better than being told that I resemble Blossom, which has happened before. I would be very delighted if someone told me that I resemble Michelle Pfeiffer, but we all know how much I am in love with her! If I was a lesbian, I would totally hit on M.P.
People used to think Knarf looked like Doogie Howser when we were in high school.... I can kind of see that. I feel that Archibald, when not in his ostrich costume, resembles the Lorax or perhaps the Grumpy Old Troll from Dora the Explorer. Or maybe even Brad Pitt! My friend Jaime kind of looks like Katie Holmes. And Lance always thought that J-Ro looks like Rebecca Demornay.
Of course, Lance himself looks like Paul Simon. Or Steve from Blue's Clues. But I digress....

Wow! 3 weeks already

Three weeks ago today, I was in a delivery room, probably watching E! and drifting in and out of sleep. I can't believe it has already been 3 weeks. Actually, yes I can.
This week has been very long and hard. On Saturday night, Jason and I actually made it out on the town and to 2 parties! The first was for the N. twins very first birthday. Those N. twins are some cute little devils, I must say. I am so glad they are here and growing up, considering that when I first met them they were in NICU. I wish I saw them more often but hopefully that will change. After we wished them a Happy Birthday, we headed over to the Beef's 35th birthday Karaoke shindig and I must say, that was a lot of fun! Jason sang "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys" and I did a duet with ML to "What a Girl Wants." We also got to see some friends that we don't get to see very often, which was really nice. But then the cell phone rang and it was Kiki reporting that C was running a temp. of 101.5! She said don't rush home, but then I spoke to C, who sounded very pitiful that I decided we should leave. But not before butchering a Dionne Warwick song and finishing my beer.
Caroline continued to run fever on Sunday so she stayed home on Monday and went to visit Dr. Traci. Turns out she has/had a sinus and ear infection and very red throat. She was home for 3 days this week! Let me just say that Baby E is becoming more alert during the daytime hours and 3 kids at home = not a lot of fun, especially if 2 of them are bored and fight all the time. I can't count how many times we have watched Alvin and the Chipmunks and Enchanted this week. Or how many times C and W have been sent to their rooms. Thankfully, today C is back in action and at school. They had a field trip to the zoo today and I am glad she did not have to miss that. And I am proud to report that today was my first day to drive C to school and we made it there on time!!! But SS called and offered to bring her home, which I am totally taking her up on!
In other news, I am tired. And a bit cranky. My house is a colossal mess and I am too ADD to clean it. I really need to go to Target but am wary of bringing both E and W. Perhaps I will go tomorrow when W is at school. Perhaps not. I'll let you know how it goes.

Early Morning Randomness

1. Baby Emily slept pretty good last night, for which I am very thankful.
2. Today is the last day that SS is going to transport C to and from school and that makes me a little sad. But I have to get back into business at some point!
3. I would probably die if I did not have coffee these days.
4. I am very much looking forward to the E! True Hollywood Story about the Kardashians that premieres tonight.
5. I am also very excited about the newest episode of the Ultimate Coyote Search that is coming on tonight.
6. Will I ever be able to quit wearing maternity pants? I know has only been 2 weeks and I should be patient.
7. I am purchasing a new stroller soon and I am very happy about that.
8. Emily's bellybutton stump came off last night THANK GOD!!!!
9. I really need to start reading more. I can do this while I am feeding E.
10. Even though I was shocked and not very thrilled when I found out I was pregnant last summer, I am really glad that we have 3 kids. I think if we had not had another one, I would never have felt 100% "finished" and now I do.
11. I am also very happy that the reproductive chapter of my life is over.
12. I will probably never wear shorts again. At least not this summer!!!!

A Busy Day

Today was my first day back behind the wheel after the birth of Baby Emily. We both had to go to the doctor today, which I think we mentioned before.
My 2 week check up with Dr. K was rather uneventful and I will see him again at my 6 week check up. I am going to have to have my damn hernia repaired again and that is going to suck. It is not so much having the surgery that is going to be a pain in the ass, it is going to be arranging childcare, not being able to lift things afterwards, etc. But such is life.
Emily's check up with Dr. Traci was more eventful. She pooped twice and spit up all over the examining table. She really spits up a lot and I hope to God this does not mean she is going to have reflux. It does not seem to bother her at all though. She also has a horrible rash that honestly just popped up today and I got lots of samples of cream to put on it. Her bellybutton stump looks awful but Dr. T assured me it is not infected. The good news is her jaundice is gone and she is back up to her birth weight, which was not the case last week and why we had to come back this week. She has been sleeping horribly and I am exhausted. I think she has been sleeping too much during the day. She was awake a lot more today and I am hoping and praying she sleeps well tonight.
We are looking forward to the N twins first birthday party this weekend and of course, the Beef's sake, sushi and karaoke party on Saturday night. I wonder what I should sing? I doubt they will have the classic song "Nobody" on the list. The Exhilirated Sausages did a wonderful cover of that song in the late 80's.
I think that is all I have to report. Must go help C with her homework now.

YAAAAAWWWWWNNNNN!!!!

I am one tired chick today. Baby Emily was up A LOT last night. I am trying to get her to sleep in her cradle instead of her carrier and she seems to prefer the carrier. Hmph. She really is cute though. Having a newborn is hard. I forgot exactly how hard! But so worth it. She is a doll! Warning: you are probably going to get very sick of reading on here how cute & enchanting my baby and older children are but hell, it is MY blog so if you don't like it, don't read it.
E will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. We have 2 dr's appts. One for me with Dr. K and one for Emily with Dr. Traci. I am very bravely going to strike out on my own tomorrow. I am ready. I can do it!!
I would like to say thanks to SS, who has been driving C to and from school all week. What a help she has been!
I bought tickets for High School Musical on Ice yesterday. Apparently they have been on sale for a year. Who knew? At least we got tickets. Very crappy seats. The good news is the tickets were only $15 each. The bad news is that I think I bought them for the same day as C's dance recital, which starts at 1:00. HSM on Ice begins at 3:00. Hmmm. I totally forgot about the recital. Oh well, it is all at the River Center so we can just rush over after she performs.
I am so excited about C's 6th birthday party. It is a Hannah Montana party and some ladies are going to bring costumes and wigs and microphones. The girls will have their make up and nails done and have a fashion show. For party favors, I ordered some cute little purses with nail polish, lip gloss, body glitter and stick on earrings inside. Fun fun fun!
Off to clean my bedroom and do laundry....

Hello, it's me......

Wow, where do I start? A lot has happened in a week!
I am overjoyed to report that Emily Katherine is home and happy and healthy. She is absolutely precious and resembles a small kitten or mouse. She is very sweet and doesn't fuss much, just when she is hungry or having her diaper changed.
My delivery was pretty uneventful... got to the hospital late of course and checked on in. Dr. K came by and checked me and said that the baby had moved up and he could not even feel my cervix to see if I was dilated any more or not. Started pitocin, started contracting, got my epidural. Checked and I was at a 5. Watched TV (E! of course) and napped a bit, felt some pressure. Called the nurse, I was at a 9. Got ready for delivery, Dr. K came back, pushed her out at 2:23 pm. This labor was a bit longer than my others because she was turned sideways. But it was pretty painless, which was most important.
And she was so big!!! Wow, 9 lbs. and 4.4 oz. I guess this is payback because I weighed 9lbs. 5 oz. at birth. She looks a lot like Caroline did as a newborn. I don't really see any William in her.
As soon as I was all stitched up, the medical staff cleared out and left us alone with her. And I immediately burst into tears of thankfulness that I have been blessed, yet again, with another beautiful and HEALTHY child. It was just all overwhelming. I will admit now that I was terrified during my entire pregnancy that something would happen and Emily would not make it into the world. I guess because I have heard some sad stories about moms losing babies at full term. This has happened to 2 people that I know in real life and it just really scared me.
When Dr. Traci came to examine Emily later that evening, she detected a heart murmur. She said not to panic because it was most likely something to do with some valve that often does not close until after the baby is born. I was not that worried because the same thing happened with my friend K's baby, but Jason was very worried. She said she was going to come back the next morning and listen to Emily's heart and see if the valve had closed. Well, when she came back it had not closed. Dr. Traci happens to be married to a pediatric cardiologist and she told him to come over and listen to Emily. Before he came, they did an EKG and said it looked normal but they had to let Dr. Traci's husband look at it. He came by later and said it was indeed normal and listened to her and said Dr. traci was right! It was just a valve that had not closed yet and all was well with Emily. Thank the Lord! Then he said although it was very nice to meet us all, he hoped he NEVER has to see us again. He is a really nice man. The next day, Dr. Patterson came by to discharge us and he listened and said he could not find the murmur at all and the valve was officially closed. What a relief!
Well, that is the birth story and pretty much sums up the hospital stay. I hear Emily snarfling around like she wants to eat so I will write more later.

One More Day

Today is the last day before our new family member arrives. I am very ready for her to come into the world. I can't even sleep anymore because I am so uncomfortable. I can't wait to check into the hospital, they treat you so good there!
I am happy to report that Kiki is on the mend. The children are going to spend the night at Uncle Neal and Ya Ya's house tonight. I do not have to drive myself to the hospital after all. Tonight we are going to go out for a family dinner and then drop C and W off. They are excited to sleep in sleeping bags. Uncle Neal took the day off work tomorrow and they are going to take W to his Easter program at school. Tomorrow is C's last day of school before Spring Break.
Speaking of school programs, last night was Caroline's school musical. It was pretty painful. We had to sit in the very last row and William was very tired and pretty much whined the whole time. He sobbed and said " I want my sister! Take me to my sister!" We had to get up and walk around for a while. My ankles were so swollen after that!
Well, I am spending the day doing last minute things around the house and getting it the way I want it when we get home. I also need to pack the kids bags. Have Happy Easter and I will post all about the big day as soon as I can!

Small Vent, Weekend Update

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope everyone is wearing green today. I am wearing a green shirt and so is William. Caroline had to wear her uniform to school but she wore a large green bow in her hair. I am not sure if Jason is wearing green because I was asleep when he left. I doubt it though.

Here is my small vent: I know it is not my mother's fault that she is sick but it sure as hell is crappy timing. I wish I had more helpful family members and 2 parents and in-laws like normal people do. Kiki was supposed to have the kids stay with her while I have the baby but she has been sick since Friday and today is Monday and she still sounds awful and is running fever. So now I have to drive myself to the hospital on Thursday morning. How depressing is that? I mean, I guess it is not that big of deal because it is not like I will be in active labor but still. I have to be there at 6:45 am. Jason is going to have to drop the kids off at my brother's house and then come meet me at the hospital. It will all be fine. Then I guess he will not be able to spend the night with me but since I am not having a c-section that shouldn't matter either. Poor Kiki is not going to get to meet her granddaughter for a while because I don't want her germs around my newborn. However, $100 says Kiki makes a recovery in time to go to the country club Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday. That is my vent. I am a tough chick, I can handle it.
We had a very good weekend. I can't remember what we did on Friday night but Saturday we went and had breakfast and saw the Easter Bunny and then saw Horton Hears A Who. It was cute. I was a little sad to miss all the parade festivities but I could not handle a parade at 39 weeks pregnant. Saturday afternoon, Jason took the kids to play golf and eat dinner and I watched a lot of TV. Very nice and relaxing. On Sunday afternoon, Jason took William to see Sesame Street Live and Caroline and I went to the mall and bought some shoes. Then I fulfilled her lifelong dream and let her get a makeover from Club Libby Lu. She was ecstatic. We met up with the boys for an early dinner of Mexican food and then came home and hung out. Very nice.

He bugs me so much

I can't really express how much Michael McDonald bothers me. His voice, his beard, everything. I have such a strong dislike for him, it kind of concerns me.

She will be here on Thursday

I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait.

Mother and Son

Today Weebs and I have a full agenda. First, we are going to purchase some new shoes. For him, not me. My feet are too swollen for new shoes right now. It is really gross. Then we are going to purchase a carseat for our new baby. I guess I need to hurry up and do that if I plan on bringing Baby Emily home from the hospital with me. After we buy the carseat, we will go to W's class Easter party. Then we are going to come home and hang out for a while and it will be time to pick up Caroline from school. The kids both have dentist appts. this afternoon. They love going to the dentist. We will probably pick up something yummy for dinner because the dentist appt. is kind of late.
Tomorrow I have an appt. with Dr. K and we will probably discuss induction. Which will probably happen next week. And then Liz and I are going to try and eat gumbo for the last time until next year. I have a strong feeling I am going to end up seeing Horton Hears A Who this weekend.

Randomness

1. I am so ecstatic that 101 Dalmatians came out on DVD. I absolutely loved this movie as a child and am so glad I can share it with my kids. Caroline watched it last night and was telling me this morning how much she loved it and is planning on watching it again today after school.
2. My friend Ashley is having a baby today and I am so very happy for her. This is her fourth child, but her first biological child.
3. I love our new chair. Last night, I sat in it and read my new issue of Glamour that came in the mail and also watched the 3rd installment of one of my favorite reality shows: Ultimate Coyote Search. This season almost slipped under my nose and I would have been terribly sad if I had missed it.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz!

I always dislike it when the time changes. It takes me a while to adjust. The kids are tired too. I know Caroline has got to be exhausted after a full day at school and William walked in the door and took off to his room, saying "Bye, Mama. I am going to take a nap." as soon as he got home from school.
You know what I hate? When you buy a present for somebody and then you find something else that they would like better and it is too late. Today I bought a birthday present for Jason's nephew, Kevin, who is turning 8 on Thursday. I don't know a whole lot (really anything) about 8 year old boys so I just picked some random thing that looked kind of cool. And then after I already paid for it, I was walking around the store while the lady was gift wrapping it. I saw a track the weather kit that Kevin would probably really like (according to his dad, he is obsessed with the weather) but by then the other gift was already wrapped and it was too late! Oh well. We owe him a Christmas present so maybe I will just give it to him another time.
Um... um.... what else. I am stuck at 2 cm and probably going to have the baby next Wednesday or Thursday. And I am tired, tired, tired. Damn Time Change!

The Birds Are Building Nests

I think the image above is 80% disturbing and 20% cute.
I woke up this morning with an unusual spring in my step and cooked breakfast for the whole family. Part of the reason for this was due to the fact that I ate the last of the Life cereal last night for dinner and I knew Carolina would not have anything to eat this morning. So I got my buns out of bed and prepared eggs, bacon and biscuits for my fam. They all enjoyed it very much and I really need to do it more often.
Lately, Jason has been able to get up and have breakfast with the kids before heading off to work and he has also been coming home for lunch every day. Sometimes he brings me home a yummy treat and sometimes he does not. It is always nice to see him in the middle of the day, especially yesterday when I had a very important website to show him that could not possibly wait until after 5:30 pm. He will not be working in the main office forever, but I am really enjoying the time with him while it lasts. I like JDC a lot. He's good people.
This week has been kind of S ~L~O~W and there are, of course, no new babies yet. Tomorrow I go to my weekly appt. with Dr. K and we will probably set up my induction. I am actually very okay with not having the baby within the next two weeks because they are going to FLY by! There are Easter egg hunts and class parties and Junior League meetings and Children's Council meetings and school musicals and Easter pageants and dentist appointments and Gumbo lunches to attend. Lots and lots of things to keep me busy and it will just be easier if the baby can hold off a while. But we shall see what happens.
Tomorrow I am having lunch with E and K, my high school friends, and I am very excited about this. For now, I must go fold laundry and clean the kitchen. Adios!

Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down

I freaking hate Mondays. Grrr. They should be taken off the calendar.
Today I have to do one of my most hated things: clean the house. I HATE to clean the house. It is not even 9:30 am and I am, of course, already sweaty and surly. At least my throat infection is gone and I feel somewhat human again.
This week should be quite pleasant though. Not a whole lot to do, just getting my hair cut tomorrow and Friday I am supposed to eat lunch with E and K, my friends from high school. I also have a dr's appointment on Friday.
Speaking of the doctor, I went on Friday and I am now dilated 2 cm. Dr. K told me that if I have not birthed this child in the next 2 weeks, he will induce me at 39 weeks. So I am thinking maybe March 20? Aunt Liz devoutly hopes the baby will be born this Friday, which is her birthday. Jason seems to think the baby is going to come on Wednesday. He says he has a gut feeling. We will see if he is correct. In the meantime, I am trying to get organized in case she DOES come out of the blue. I did eat a lot of jalapenos at my nephew's christening party yesterday in hopes to induce labor. It did not work, obviously. I was a little scared that my water would break while up at the Baptismal font yesterday at church, but thankfully that did not happen either. Actually, next week is a very busy week for me so perhaps waiting until March 20th is a good idea after all.
We had a good weekend, overall, even though Jason slept a lot. He is still having a lot of sinus headache issues. On Friday night, we had a delightful dinner at the new Chimes and then came home. Caroline and I snuggled on the couch and watched Freaky Friday on TV, the remake with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. It really is pretty good although the original with Jodie Foster is my fave. Friday during the day was actually very fun because Liz and I ate Gumbo with Caroline at school. This made Caroline feel very important. I hope we are able to do it again before the Lenten season ends. I figure that between the 2 of us, Aunt Liz and I have 5 children so we will have many, many opportunities for Friday gumbo in years to come.
On Saturday, Caroline got her hair cut by a new and exciting stylist. You see, our old stylist Miss Rebecca, disappeared in to thin air (actually, Maryliz saw her at the nail salon recently and she is selling gym memberships now) so we had to try someone new. I am now going to Catharine D., who I must say is fan-freaking-tastic, but I needed someone new for C. We went to a new woman who lacked a personality but made up for it with her hairstyling skills because C's hair looks super cute! Then we went home and I had a mild breakdown because J was STILL ASLEEP. He got up and helped me get the kids ready to go eat our usual Saturday afternoon lunch with Kiki and Gigi and then later he took them (C and W, not Kiki and Gigi) to throw a frisbee, so he redeemed himself. Sunday was my nephew's Baptism and it was a lovely day. The children all hunted Easter eggs at the after party and this thrilled them to no end. Then we came home and did normal Sunday afternoon things, like laundry and math homework. Dazzling.
Well, I must stop procrastinating now and get to the housework. Yuck. Vomit.

The Heat Is On

Why oh why am I so freaking HOT?? Oh yeah, I am 9 months pregnant. But seriously, it didn't even get out of the 50's today and I was one hot mama. I wish I could spend the remainder of my pregnancy in my underwear. How am I going to handle menopause?
My husband has had a terrible sinus type migraine for the past 2 days. Oh ick. This is seriously interfering with my nesting.
OKay, my kids are spazzing out and I need to go feed them. Will write mo later.

Too Tired to Post Much

Yuck. I am so tired today, I don't know what to do with myself. I did go to my aunt's house this morning and she is giving me a couch and a chair and it was much more attractive than I expected and in perfect condition so I am very happy about that!
We had a pretty enjoyable weekend, nothing too exciting happened except eating lunch at Dearman's and meeting Maryliz and Madeleine at the park. Jason is sick (yes, again) and was WAY overdramatic about it all weekend.
I did have some contractions over the weekend but nothing alarming and they have since stopped.
I watched a bit of the Oscars but got bored and switched to the Girls Next Door. Then I got sleepy and went to sleep.
I am really just too tired to post anymore.

Oh.My.Goodness

Today has been a good day.
Most importantly, William does not have pneumonia. Only bronchitis. He is feeling a lot better and still coughing a bit, but not nearly as bad or as often.
And guess what? I. AM. DILATED. Only 1 cm, but this is so exciting because I have never, ever been dilated before. Dr. K said he could feel the baby's head and everything! Quite a bit of progress from last week, huh?

What a harrowing day

I wish I looked as fit and firm as the above woman looks in her stressed out state.
So around 10:30 this morning, I loaded up the minivan with my 2 children and we headed to Dr. Traci's office in a huge rainstorm. We got to the clinic and of course had to park in what was probably the farthest parking place from the door. Of course, my umbrella is broken so we had to walk in the rain. I had to carry William and he is a heavy boy. By the time we got to the door, we were soaked. We went in the bathroom and made a half-assed attempt to dry off with paper towels, but it didn't really work out.
We got called back to a room fairly quickly but then we had to wait a L O N G time before Dr. Traci finally got to us. She apologized profusely and said she had been admitting another patient to the hospital. Poor other patient! She then examined Caroline and said she definitely is "hiving." And yes, it is an allergic reaction to the Omnicef she has been taking since last week. She gave her some Allegra and said the sinus infection is not completely gone so she prescribed some Zithromax. C feels pretty much fine so I am fairly certain she will return to school tomorrow. Then it was time to examine poor William. She heard some "crackling" in his chest which means he either has a) bronchitis or b) pneumonia. Knowing that W will not take oral antibiotics (her own son named William was the same way), Dr. Traci said she would give him a shot of Rocephin. Have any of you ever had a Rocephin shot? I have not personally had one, but the needles are big and it supposedly burns a lot and is quite painful for little kids. It took 3 adults (2 nurses and me) to hold the big boy down and he screamed and cried. If you have ever had to hold your child down for a shot or any other unpleasant medical procedure, you know that this ranks up there with one of the suckiest things on the planet. Afterwards, both C and W got lemon suckers and picked out stickers. Caroline took forever to choose her stickers, acting as if she was a young man choosing an engagement ring before he proposes marriage. I finally told her to get moving and we headed to the lab.
At the lab, Caroline and I could not go in the X-ray room with Weebs because I am with child and C has delicate reproductive parts. So my poor 3 year old, who was already traumatized by a shot, had to go back in the X-Ray room without his mommy. He handled it like a champ though and did not cry. However, when I was allowed back in and he saw me, he cried and cried. My poor baby. I love that kid so much it is painful.
Now we are back at home and W is limping around and surly. I slipped some Motrin in his juice cup and hopefully that will kick in soon and make his leg feel better. I am
anxiously awaiting the X-ray results. If it is bronchitis, the one shot today will suffice. If anything else shows up on the X-ray, he will need 2 more shots. I am not sure if either of us can physically or emotionally handle this. Please cross all fingers that it is just good old bronchitis.

Sausage Links

I can't wait to purchase the book shown above for my children.
So I was helping dress Caroline a little while ago and I noticed that she has hives all over her chest and back. Nice! It is probably an allergic reaction to the antibiotic she is on. Of course, we have no Benadryl in the house. I am keeping her home from school this morning and going to bring her with us to William's appointment with Dr. Traci in a little while and let her take a look. I think Mrs. C (the headmistress) would freak out if I sent Caroline to school all broken out in hives. Poor kid is itchy too. She was despondent about missing school but I told her that maybe she can go at lunch time.
William coughed a whole lot last night and due to my nephew's visit to the ER on Tuesday night, Jason and I decided to let him sleep in our bed. Which turned out to be a mistake and several times I ended up with a little pair of feet in my cheek. Around 2:00 am, Jason could not take it anymore and put William back in his own bed. I must admit, I was much more comfortable. However, earlier in the night, I was snuggling with Weebs and kissing his little head and thinking about how fast he is growing up and what a sweet and cute little boy he is. And then I realized that so0n our new baby will be here and Big Willie and I won't have as much one on one time with him anymore. For the past 2 years, we have had a lot of time to hang out together, just the two of us, while Caroline has been at school. And that makes me feel a little sad. I guess it is okay if this baby wants to hold off for a few weeks and I will just enjoy the last few weeks of Willie-time.

Happy Hump Day!

Today was a pretty good day. Caroline's play was very cute. It is Famous Americans Week at her school and every year the Kindergarten puts on a play about America. The kids all knew their lines so well and not a single one of them froze. A good job was done by all! I am really proud of Caroline, she did a great job and spoke very clearly.
After the play, William and I went to the grocery store. I must say, William is an excellent grocery shopping companion. He is so enthusiastic about everything I put in the cart. "Applesauce! I LOVE applesauce!" and "Bananas are yummy!" He did tell me that he had an itchy "fenis" in the middle of the frozen foods, but nobody heard. He was very excited that I purchased both he and Caroline a new Snoopy toothbrush.
Poor William is sick though. He has been coughing pretty bad for 2 days and was running fever when he woke up from his nap. So we have to go see Dr. Traci tomorrow morning and see what is up. Maybe she will look at my throat too.
In other news, nobody was rude or negative about my pregnancy at school today. In fact, all the moms said things like "March 22? That's just around the corner!" Which once again supports my theory that it is mostly post-menopausal women who make negative comments to young expectant mothers.

Voices Carry

I have not had much of a voice since Saturday. I feel okay but my voice is pretty much gone. This is very frustrating to me because I talk A LOT. And I need my voice! I also have a cough.

In other news, Caroline is going to be in a play tomorrow called "Proud to Be Americans." She will wear a bonnet and talk about the Gold Rush.

The countdown has begun

After leaving Dr. K's office on Friday morning, I felt a lot like the above picture. So now I am seeing Dr. K once a week and will continue to do so until Baby Emily comes soaring into the world. This means I have internal exams every week and he can tell me if we are making any progress. So here is the news:

Location of Baby: to quote Dr. K ... "High in the sky" This means she has NOT dropped into the birth canal yet.
Dilation: 0 cm
Effacement: 0 cm

Waaa! Oh well, it is still a bit early but I had been hoping he would say I was dilated a little bit or something.
I go back next Friday so I'll let you all know if anything changes.

Rude People

I haven't posted in so long, I don't even know where to start. So I think I will just recap the rude comments people have made to me this week regarding my pregnancy. What the fuck is wrong with people? I must say, most of these comments have been made by post-menopausal women. For example, here is a conversation I had today outside of church:
Random Old Lady: "When is your baby due?"
Me: "Oh, around March 22."
ROL: " Oh no! So you have a while then."
Me: "I guess. About 5 weeks."
ROL: "Yes, but 5 weeks is a long time."
Me: "Well, compared to 40 weeks, no, not really."
ROL: (sighs) "I remember those days. Those last 5 weeks."
Me: (gestures in direction of Caroline and William) "Yes, I do too."

On Tuesday, I was accosted by a midget at William's Valentine's Day Party. I think she was somebody's grandmother, I had never seen her before.
Midget grandmother: "When is your baby due?"
Me: "March 22."
MG: "MARCH 22??????? (she acts as if I said July 22nd). YOU MEAN YOU STILL HAVE ALL OF FEBRUARY TO GO???? 2 MONTHS???????"
Me: (feeling a little depressed now): "Well, about 6 weeks. Maybe less." <--- flares nostrils and walks away.

I have also had two friends say:
" Have you gained much weight this time? Because after you had Caroline, you were some kind of woman."
" Oh, you are only 35 weeks? You're pretty big to only be 35 weeks don't you think?"

I must say that one of these so-called friends was male and the other is female but has no children, so they are slightly excused. But seriously? If you are a) a mother, post-menopausal age or not or b) a man that has a child so you have dealt with a pregnant woman before YOU SHOULD KNOW SO MUCH BETTER.

I am sure I will get many more comments between now and March 22. It is becoming almost comical. I will keep you all posted.

Another Exciting Friday Night

And here I sit at Kiki's house, because we are still banished from our home. The weather was very lovely today and I took the kids to the park this afternoon and we stayed for a nice long time. I knew we had been there long enough because I told William that it was time to leave and he did not protest, he has to get his fill or else he throws a huge fit. They both got nice and filthy and we came home and took baths and ate pizza and now they are both fast asleep. Kiki is at her usual Friday night dinner date with Gigi, Chi Chi, Frank and Ridley.
Tomorrow I will be 34 weeks pregnant. I am reaching that point where I am starting to just have enough. My ankles are swollen, my face is puffy and fat, my back hurts and last night I woke up in the middle of the night and I couldn't move because my back hurt so bad. I really had to go to the bathroom but I couldn't get up. I kind of wanted to cry and I wished Jason was there to pull me out of bed or roll me on my side or something. In 3 weeks, baby will be full term and I am going to start making Jason do it with me every day, drinking red raspberry leaf tea, and walking a whole hell of a lot to try and start labor. My hopes are not high though. I have never been dilated or effaced or anything... as I have mentioned before I have had to be induced in the past and nobody has ever tried to exit my womb early, so why should she?
Apparently Caroline has been having some issues with the impending birth of her little sister. I am not sure what is going through her little head but I do know she is a very anxious child so I signed us up for a class for kids ages 4-8 that are getting a new sibling. Of course, she already has a sibling but she was not even 3 when he was born so maybe she does not remember? Anyway, I am hoping the class will get her excited. The kids play with dolls and have a tour of the hospital and watch a movie. She seems really excited about it. Poor Caroline... her life has been kind of in an upheaval since September with Jason being gone and now we are about to sell our house and move into another one ( as soon as we find one) AND she is getting a new sibling. I guess a lot to deal with for somebody who is not even 6 years old.
Well, I think I am going to go watch some TV and read the Chelsea Handler autobiography that Frank and Ridley gave my mom for Christmas. I keep reading bits and pieces and I am almost finished. I will write more later on such exciting topics as the Hannah Montana 3-D movie and my love for Valentine's Day. Have a great weekend!!

The Name Game

Most of you know that the name of our new baby girl is going to be Emily Katherine. We decided this pretty much right when we found out we were expecting #3. I did go through a phase when I really, really liked the name Julie (and was promptly shot down by my spouse, but I still like it) and Jason did suggest Sarah Frances, but I always, always, ALWAYS wanted her middle name to be Katherine. Katherine is my name (and hell, I am the one that is carrying and giving birth to her), my mother's name is Kay (a nickname for Katherine), my grandmother's middle name was Katherine, my great-grandmother's first name was Katherine, Katherine sounds really good with Emily, etc. etc. etc. The Emily is from my cousin, whom most of you knew personally, who passed away a few years ago. We had a complicated relationship (that is a whole other blog) but I loved her and I am glad to have the chance to name my bebe after her.
ANYWAY.... this morning Jason informed me that he wants Emily's middle name to be Calvert, which is his mother's maiden name. UM, HELL TO THE NO! Caroline is named for his mother (Carole) and even if she was not, NO NO NO NO NO!!! Usually I try to be very considerate of Jason's feelings and compromise but this just pissed me off!!! I refuse to concede on this issue! Emily Katherine it will remain!

Happy Mardi Gras!

Happy Mardi Gras Everyone! I wish that I was at a parade with a large daiquiri or margarita in hand, but obviously that is not going to happen today. Also, Caroline has bronchitis and is running fever. I had to take both children to the doctor yesterday and William has the beginning of a sinus infection and we got some medicine for him, which he promptly threw up all over me last night. So I guess he is going to have to get another round of Rocephin shots, we'll see how it goes.

I'm Baaaack

Well, it has been a while since my last post. I am back for a few days at least. We (me, Caroline, and William) have been staying at Kiki's house since last week because our house was being painted. Now it is all finished and it looks fantastic so Jason said we could come home for a few days. But we have to leave again on Wednesday so he can steam clean the carpets and our couch.
So here is what has been going on:
1. I FINALLY saw Juno and loved it! Jason loved it too.
2. I went to Dr. K on Friday and he said my blood sugars look so good that now I only have to test ONCE A DAY! Yippee!
3. As I mentioned before, our house has been painted. We hope to put it on the market soon and our house hunt continues.
4. Heather, my SIL, had a 4-D ultrasound and she is definitely having a girl.
5. My baby girl should be here in about 7 weeks. Maybe less, maybe more.
6. Caroline and I saw ANNIE on Friday night and it was W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L! We both loved it! Although, my date did fall asleep towards the end. But hell, it did not start until 8:00 pm and besides, we all know that Daddy Warbucks adopts Annie at the end.
We saw the following exciting people at the play:
a. Bobby Jindal, our new governor. He and his family sat on our row!
b. Dr. K and his daughter
c. Maryliz and Madeleine
d. Mrs. Lee, my 9th grade Algebra teacher

I think that is all the news for now. I am sad that we missed Mardi Gras this year but am glad that I can drink again soon. HAPPY MARDI GRAS everyone!!

Today was a SUCKY day

Today just sucked ass in every way you can imagine. In fact, my life really sucks right now. Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer. My kitchen really needs to be cleaned tonight but you know what? I don't feel like doing it. I want to put on my PJ's and lie on the couch and watch crappy reality TV shows. I hope that Rock of Love is on or something equally crappy. YEAH! So I think that is what I am going to do. Tomorrow will suck too because I have so much crap to do. Okay, I am off to put on my pajamas and my new glasses. Did I mention they are from the J-Lo collection? Dudes, our eye insurance only covers places like Wal-Mart, there isn't a whole lot to choose from. I wear my J-Lo glasses with pride.

I'll Be Back Soon

I have had some requests for a new post. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I am sorry that I have not posted in a few days. As you all know, JASON IS HOME! And he was sick and it was a huge pain in the ass. But now he is well. I am so tired so I will post more tomorrow. But I wanted you all to know that I am still here and I will be back tomorrow.

Childhood Pets

My favorite childhood pet was my Boston Terrier named Stinky. Her real name was Bonnie Brooke, but it morphed into Stinky because that is what my brother called her and it stuck. We got her when I was 7. My brother went and bought her after my mom distinctly told him not to. Oh well! We all adored Stinky and were glad that Neal disobeyed. Sadly, we had to have her put to sleep when I was about 20 and we all miss her still.
Before that, we had another Boston Terrier named Jill. But I called her Ficky because I was only 2 and trying to say she was "Frisky." Ficky disappeared one day and I remember my mom driving Neal and I around the neighborhood while we looked high and low and yelled "FFIIIIICCCKKKKYYYYY!" at the top of our lungs. Next came another Boston named Dolly, but we all called her Sweetie for some reason. I have no idea why my family names an animal one thing and calls them something different (we also had a cat named Murray, but we called him Kitty. Shitty Kitty to be exact). Anyway, Sweetie disappeared just like Ficky and that is what led to Stinky. RIP, Stinky. I miss you.
I also remember my friends pets. Such as:
Misty, the Carpenter's Collie.
Bonnie, the Depp's Chocolate Lab
Tooney and Andrew, the Middleton's Bostons. And of course, Josephine the Black Lab
Jacques, the Healey's Poodle
Muffin, the Abercrombie's Golden Retriever
Annabelle, an obnoxious little shithead black dog that belonged to Elizabeth Bullock's grandmother. She bit me on the leg and it freaking HURT.

Anyway, that is my little trip down memory lane regarding pets.

Food For Thought

I have never been one of those pregnant women who has cravings for pastrami on rye with peanut butter and olives or one that wakes her husband up at 3:30 in the morning to go fetch her a Nacho Bell Grande, but when I was pregnant with Caroline I did find myself purchasing and eating a lot of apples. Apples are not something that are often on my grocery list when I am not in a family way, in fact I very rarely eat them. After Caroline was born, I went back to my normal non-apple eating habits. When I was pregnant with William, I don't recall eating a lot of apples but I did want a lot of tuna salad sandwiches, much to Jason's dismay. Now here I am pregnant again with what appears to be another female (if she is actually a he, I feel sorry for him because he is missing some very important body parts) and here I am eating apples again! I bought a whole bag of them yesterday. So, does me being pregnant with a girl = mass apple consumption? Hmmmm.

Welcome Back, Kotter!

Guess what! After working in Alabama since the middle of September 2007, Jason Darrel Creech is returning home tomorrow! We are all very, very excited. I am especially excited for Caroline and William because they have really missed their dad. I am excited too, but a little less than the kids because this means I will have to start cooking dinner again.
In other news, tomorrow is Caroline's 100th Day of School! To celebrate, everyone had to bring 100 of something, but it could not be too big (because they are going to graph the objects) and the objects cannot roll. Based on these descriptions, I am guessing bringing 100 tires is out. Or 100 sausage links because they might roll off the plate. Caroline brought 100 heart shaped red hots. Small, easy to graph, and tasty!

RIP Heath Ledger

I am sad to hear about Heath Ledger's death. Not only was he incredibly hot, it is always sad to hear of a young person dying. And his little girl, Matilda, is only 2 years old.

Heart Attack on a Plate

Today I cleaned out my closet. I am not 100% finished, but pretty close. My children were getting antsy so we all got dressed and decided to go to lunch and then see the Veggie Tales movie.
For some reason, I have been wanting to eat at Bennigan's lately. I think this is for 2 reasons: #1 being that several years ago when I worked at EMC Mortgage in Irving, TX, my co-workers and I ate at Bennigan's a lot because it was really close to our office. I really liked the Turkey O' Toole sandwich and I ate lots of them when I was pregnant wih Caroline. I have not eaten there since we left Texas and I have been wanting a Turkey O'Toole lately. #2 We had a Bennigan's almost right across the street from our apartment complex in Ft. Worth and again, when I was pregnant with Caroline, we got take out from there a lot.
So today I decided it was time to go to Bennigan's again. I went in with the plan to get a Turkey O' Toole. But some kind of power took over me while looking at the menu and I decided on a whim to get the Monte Cristo sandwich. My friend Wendy used to talk about them a lot and I suddenly decided that I needed to try one! OH.MY.GOD. It was so freaking gross. I did eat part of it because I was starving but I could practically feel my arteries clogging as I ate it. What the hell? It is like a ham and turkey and cheese sandwich wrapped in a beignet. Ugh. I literally felt nasty for consuming even part of it. And Bennigan's was really gross and we will never return there ever again. However, our waiter Logan was really sweet and Caroline and William did get shamrock cookies.
The Veggie Tales movie was pretty cute. William fell asleep for part of it and Caroline was excited to see a little girl from her school and her family came and sat next to us. Then when we got home, a package from Gap had arrived with some baby clothes that I ordered for Emily. Which was a nice surprise because I did not expect a package on MLK Day! The little onesies are tiny and pink and oh-so-cute. I can't wait until my baby girl gets here!

A Rant

I know I am supposed to be cleaning out my closet right now BUT as I was putting on a load of laundry to wash, I started feeling pretty SURLY and I need to get a few things off my chest.

1. If you are going to LURK on my blog, create a screen name and post comments ON THE BLOG. Don't e-mail me nosy questions AFTER reading the blog. Post your questions here. I will no longer respond to questions that are e-mailed. I know you are reading it, it is not like you are an undercover spy. But you act like you are an undercover spy when you do this and it is kind of annoying.
2. Yes, I am pregnant. Yes, we are about to try and sell our house. Yes, we are hunting for a new house. Yes, this is horrible timing and it will all be a huge pain in the ass. I know this already. I have moved (many times) and purchased a home before. It all sucks. I have also had 2 newborn babies before. Newborn babies, while cute and snuggly, are also a pain. It's fine. We will deal with it. I have dealt with it all before. The house will be sold, we will find a new one, we will move in, the baby will grow. It is going to be fine. So please, quit making NEGATIVE comments. And if I quit answering my phone when you call, take the hint that you MIGHT BE TOO NEGATIVE. And I can't deal with that right now. Duck, this does not apply to you.
3. I am planning to breastfeed my baby because a) it is better for the baby b) I did it for my other 2 babies and c) most importantly, IT IS FREE. I am not a member of the La Leche League and frankly, I hate BFing. But it is just one of those things that I do for my kids because it is what I feel is best for them (and because it is free). I know it is a pain in the ass. I have done it twice before. Like I said, I hate it. YOU DON'T NEED TO REMIND ME OF ANY OF THIS.

Ahhhhhhh, I feel much better now!

Happy MLK Day!

I have to go start cleaning out my closet but first I wanted to post a lil' something.
I told Caroline and William if they are good and let me work in my closet today, maybe this afternoon we can go see the above movie.
Caroline and I are going to see ANNIE on Feb. 1 and I am so, so excited. It is coming to the BR River Center.
I think Kiki had a very good birthday weekend and our dinner on Friday was very fun. We also had some King Cake on Saturday. Courtney the baby-sitter did not kidnap my children or get drunk and pass out. In fact, Caroline said she was "very, very nice." I think we will use her again.

My new glasses

Here is a picture of me with my NEW GLASSES. Don't I look like a wise and sensual librarian? I am so glad to finally have a new pair of spectacles, I have needed them for about 3 years. I know that I need an eyebrow wax (I have an appt. on Tuesday morning) and my face is usually not that "full" but geez, I am 7 going on 8 months pregnant.
My appointment with Dr. K went very well. He said my blood sugar numbers were "beautiful" and that if they still look this good next week I can start testing only 2 times per day instead of 4! He also admired my new Mary Jane Crocs and said Baby Emily's heartbeat sounds a-okay!
From what I hear, Grandparents Day was a huge success. Tonight is Kiki's birthday celebration. I am hoping her birthday present arrives in the mail today!

Bowl Cuts for Everyone!

Today was a pretty good day. I must say, I have been feeling a lot less surly lately. I might have to rename my blog. Nah, I am sure there will be much surliness in the months to come when we have to pack up our house, sell it and find a new one.
In case you are interested, William's check up went just fine and he is as healthy as a horse. He is in the 75th percentile for weight and the 90th for height, he is a strapping young man. And the best part is, he did NOT have to get any shots. He left the office with a smile, a sticker with a lizard on it and a green lollipop. We also brought home some High School Musical stickers for Caroline to put on her folder. Dr. Traci did not have on an interesting outfit and I could not see if she had her toe ring on. I did not tell her that I still let William have a pacifier, but she agreed with me that now is not the time to potty train Weebs since we have a new baby coming and a move on the horizon. I won't brag about how smart William is but let's just say that he is pretty darn smart for a 3 year old and Dr. T was impressed with some of his skills.
In other news, Caroline got a new booster seat and the pattern is called "Tiffany". It is flowered and very sexy.
Tomorrow is KIKI'S 68TH BIRTHDAY!!! We are going out to dinner to celebrate. A complete stranger is coming over to baby-sit my children but I am cool with that. I am very much looking forward to an adult dinner. Hell, I might even have a glass of wine. Some of you might be wondering if Kiki was born with her bowl cut. The bowl cut is at least 32 years old, maybe more. There are photos of Kiki sporting the bowl cut while I am in utero. I posted a picture of Toni Teneille because that is the bowl cut that inspired Kiki to get hers. Except TT went on to other styles and Kiki did not. Oh well. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIKI!
Tomorrow is also Grandparents Day at Caroline's school and my 30 week appt, with Dr. K. I'll let you know how everything goes.

Dr. Traci, Here We come!

This morning we are off to William's 3 year check up. I am sure it will be full of shots and tears. I will let you know how tall he is and how much he weighs. And if Dr. Traci B. is wearing anything especially interesting because she is a VERY fashionable pediatrician.

The Diabetic Diet

The diabetic diet is not bad! Here are the foods I can eat:
wheat toast
grits
eggs
Cinnamon Life cereal, my very favorite (sorry Kristin)
Apple Cinnamon Cheerios (again, sorry Kristin)
Peanut butter and sugar free jelly sandwiches (the sugar free jelly is a little blah, but not terrible)
Bananas
Milk
Graham Crackers
Yogurt
Sugar Free Jello
Sugar Free Pudding
Coffee (Sorry Depp sisters)

I can have more stuff than that, but that is what I eat on a daily basis. My nutritionist told me that since I really did not fail the test by much, she was not going to restrict any foods. I had cake at 2 out of the 3 birthday parties we attended over the weekends and my blood sugar was just fine.


I can eat other sutff

Oh, This Quiz

Who was your favorite teacher? Miss Nelson

Where did you first encounter FWM? I am not sure when I *first* encountered him, but one of my earliest memories of him was when he had his toenails painted at the BRCC pool.

Who is your favorite Brady? Peter. I also enjoy watching Christopher Knight on My Fair Brady.

What is your favorite Mexican dish? Enchiladas

Who were the members of the Steak Club? Natalie Depp, Katherine Phillips Elliott Foley Kogos Holmes Creech, Scott Kirkpatrick, Blake "Steak" Middleton

What brand of underwear do you like? Body by Victoria

What is your favorite BR bar? The Happy Note, I guess. Although I don't think they serve mojitos. And I freaking love mojitos.

Of all the cars that you have owned, which is your favorite? I really liked my Cherokee.

Would you consider getting a bowl cut? I have had one before (in 4th grade) and it wasn't really attractive so I don't think I will repeat that hairstyle again.

Do you prefer your sausage in patty or link form? Patty. On a poboy. Mmmmm. Now I'm hungry.

Manic Monday

This morning I went and had my eyes examined and picked out some new glasses. I am very excited about my new glasses and they should be ready in 7 business days. I will post a picture when they come in. I also got a prescription for some new contacts and a loner pair. My eyes are all set.

Some thoughts about childbirth

Well, it is no secret to anyone that I am pregnant. Today marks the beginning of week 30. Which means my due date is in 10 weeks. Which *sounds* like a long time but when you think of it in terms of getting ready for baby, it is not all that long. My thoughts are this: will I go into labor on my own? I had to be induced with my other 2 babies. Granted, William was 2 weeks early, but the point is that I have never gone into labor so how will I know if it is labor? I also wonder if it will go fast or slow or medium (if I am not induced, that is). I had Caroline very fast (epidural did not work) and William pretty quickly too (epidural worked so it took a bit longer). I just hope that my water does not break in the middle of the grocery store or something. I guess those are my only thoughts on labor for now. My other thought is that I hope my baby will be cute. Because red hair runs in my family and I have dodged that bullet twice. Hope the third time is not the red headed charm.

Blah

I really have nothing interesting to say today. I had a very busy day. Dropped the boys off at school (boys being William and Risley) and then went to a clothing show. I ordered 1 outfit for each child. Then I went and met my friends E and K for lunch at Italian Pie. I graduated from high school with E and K and we try to get together for lunch as often as possible. Both are pregnant but they are due in June. Anyway, I ate a chicken caesar sandwich at Italian Pie and it apparently caused my blood sugar to sky rocket. Also, there was a news camera at Italian Pie because apparently they had been robbed the night before. I need to watch the 10 o' clock news and see if we are on it! I hope not.
So then blah blah blah I did some more errands and stuff and the after school we went and rented some movies and got some Happy Meals and C and W are now lying on their sleeping bags watching Madeline. We also rented An American Tail, which I cannot wait to watch. We have 3 birthday parties this weekend and I still have a buttload of laundry to do. My leg hurts very badly and I am going to put the kids to bed and eat graham crackers and watch I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Sorry today's post is so dull. I promise to post an interesting summer camp story soon but I am just too tired right now.
The above picture of Fred Flintstone is in honor of Jason. Some people think they resemble each other. You be the judge.

Did you know that

If you put my name in your Google search engine... the picture above will come up? A friend pointed this out to me earlier in the week. This photo was taken in October of 2007. I remember taking it but I never saw a copy. Shortly afterwards, Liz got schnockered on martinis from Sullivan's. Oh Liz!

This Darn Quiz Thing

1. Do you still have tonsils? yes

2. Would you bungee jump? no

3. If you could do anything in the world for a living what would it be? write for a magazine

4. How many tattoos do you have? 1

5. Your favorite fictional animal? Scooby Doo

6. One person that never fails to make you laugh? Maryelizabeth Forman LeBoeuf

7. Do you consider yourself well organized? absolutely noy

8. Any addictions? COFFEE

9. From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news? internet

10. Would you rather go to a carnival or circus? the annual St. James Fall Carnival

11. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? a teacher

12. Best movie you've seen this year? I have only seen Alvin and the Chipmunks this year and I highly doubt it will be considered the best. Last year? Superbad and Enchanted.

13. Favorite alcoholic drink? Mojito

14. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? press snooze

15. Siblings? Neal Jr.

16. (make up your own question here) Why am I such a procrastinator?

17. Have you ever gone to therapy? Sure.

18. If you could have one super power what would it be? Mind reader!

19. Do you own any furniture from Ikea? Nope

20. Have you ever gone camping? yes

21. Gas prices! First thought? Ugh.

22. Your favorite cartoon character? Bubbles the Powerpuff Girl

23. What was your first car? red Chevrolet Blazer

24. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? Not really

25. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? Cosby!

26. Do you go to church? I used to go all the time but have become quite a slacker

27. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? Judy Blume

28. What errand/chore do you despise? Laundry

29. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? I am so freaking tired.

30. Last time you puked from drinking? I think last May when Jason and I went to NOLA for Cinqo de Mayo.

31. What is your heritage? Irish and English and Francais

32. Favourite flower? pink roses

33. Disney or Warner Bros? Disney

34. What is your best childhood memory? Camp Gulf Park

35. Your favorite potato chip? salt and vinegar chips

36. What is your favorite candy? Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

37. Do you burn or tan? I fry like nobody's busimess

38. Astrological sign? Sagittarius

39. Do you own a gun? No.

40. What do you think of hot dogs? I love them with all of my heart and soul. Especially right off the BBQ grill. This disgusts my spouse very much!

Charlie and Lola

I just love these little British darlings.. the books, the TV series....they have a very cute clothing line but it is not available in the USA (at least not to my knowledge). I love them, my kids love them, we could just watch them all day long. Caroline and I are planning one day to have a cat named Charlie and a Boston Terrier named Lola.

It is only appropriate!

Natalie and Clinton both pointed out how much my dad looked like Phil Donahue. It is true, they looked a lot alike! Almost as much as Nana Middleton looks like Angela Lansbury. So here is a picture of Phil, for Nat and Clinton Gene, in honor of Big Neal.

I almost forgot!

Today is my dad's birthday. If he was alive, he would have been 68! Maybe I would have baked him a cake that looks like the one above! But probably not, I am not that talented.Happy Birthday Dad! We miss you!

Randon Thoughts

1. Wahoo! The kids went back to school yesterday! Caroline was so excited to go back, she flew out of bed in the morning. William was angry that I would not let him bring his Hot Wheels to school. Risley was happy to go back as well.
2. I need to go wash towels ASAP.
3. I still need to clean my damn bedroom.
4. I met with a nutritionist yesterday for my GDGD (gosh darn gestational diabetes). Although, she told me that my test results were really not bad and most dr's would have probably overlooked them. But not Dr. K!!! Dr. K takes good care of his patients. I am still convinced he saved William's life. Go Dr. K!!!!!
5. I really do need to make some lifestyle changes. I am a pretty gross eater, I know this. And I don't exercise at all. Well, I had JUST started exercising and had joined the Y when I got pregnant. I had some cute outfits and a new pink IPOD. But then I was too nauseous to exercise for several months. But now I am supposed to walk for 30 minutes a day, twice a day. Okay. I am 32 now so it is time to get my behind in gear.
6. I have soooo many thank you notes to write.
7. I found the CUTEST baby blanket yesterday at Target... it is sage-y green and has a little giraffe and a palm tree and a monkey on it. I am going to get Baby Marshall's name put on it and give it to him as a gift.
8. I am planning Caroline's birthday party now because I know once the baby arrives in March, I will be super busy. Can I just say it is going to be the most fun party a 6 year old girl ever had?
9. Jason would be very upset if I did not mention... GO TIGERS!! (I refuse to say Geaux)
10. Okay, I reeeaaaaalllllly need to get off the computer now and go clean and wash towels. And walk for 30 minutes. And fill my car up with gas and go to the bank. And pick up Caroline from school. And walk again for 30 minutes. See how my day can just fill up?

Last Day of Winter Vacay

Today is the last day of Winter Vacation and school resumes again tomorrow. Thank goodness, because my kiddos are getting very bored here at home. I am feeling cranky (as usual) this morning because for some reason I really, really don't feel like taking a shower, but I need to. I did not do any housework yesterday other than fold laundry so now I have a whole bunch of things to do today. And I think we're going to have to go to Target. This means we will spend entirely too much money because that is what usually happens when we go to Target.
My nephew Risley's birthday gathering last night was pretty fun and my newest nephew, Marshall, is an extremely cute baby. After the cake and ice cream, we went to eat at Schlotsky's with my mom (Kiki) and her friend June. June's husband Michael was also there. Kiki and June have been friends since they were freshmen at Baton Rouge High School. Apparently, June had some kind of Botox or something because she looks 50% younger than she did the last time I saw her. Kiki was extremely cranky and yelled at Caroline. I was annoyed and had flashbacks of my childhood with Kiki and her bowl cut always yelling in my face. No wonder I thought she was so mean. She has mellowed with age but she needs to cut out the yelling.
Tonight is the big! LSU! Game! and I have no exciting plans, which makes me feel a little sad. But I think it is very important to get Caroline to bed at a normal time tonight because she has to go back, back, back to school again tomorrow. Dance class is resuming as well so it is going to be a long day for us all. I wish that Jason was here and I could drink a large margarita from Zippy's and we could watch the game together.
Okay, I really need to go clean my kitchen before I have a nervous breakdown. And get this showering and Target thing over with.