Whew...

Lately, Liara has decided that she only requires one nap during the day. She hasn't quite picked which one she wants (sometimes it is in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon) but she's pretty sure she only wants to take one. Unless it's a day like yesterday and there are other babies around... then she doesn't want to take one period. While this is all fine and dandy (as long as she's not cranky, it's ok with me), I have yet to get used to this idea as far as chores and things are concerned. It makes it a little difficult to keep things picked up when I don't have any time to re-group and put anything away. We cleaned for a few hours today (yes... Nic helped too!) and were able to get the house the way I like it (spic and span!), we'll see how long it stays that way.

She's been sleeping wonderfully at night still and that makes such a huge difference. It is also the reason that I'm not as concerned with her skipping a nap. She's been sleeping around 10-11 hours at night, then taking a two hour nap, so she's still getting her 12-13 hours that she's used to. It's quite nice for me too, since I usually stay up a few hours after she goes to bed to chill with Nic for a while alone, and I'm still getting like 7 hours sleep straight. It makes a huge difference.

I figured out why Liara's mouth has been hurting her so much (she's requiring her teething tablets and Ibuprofen this week). It's not just the top left eye tooth like I thought, it is the top two front teeth as well. The top right front poked through today and the top left front is just about to do the same. Poor baby has three teeth coming in all at once. I now understand why she's biting EVERYTHING she can get her little mouth on.

Laura and Duncan let us take home a bunch of Ella's old toys that she's outgrown (like a little play table, a giraffe that has a spiral ball thing around it, some electronic books, a box of blocks... etc.) and we've had a blast playing with them today. It's always nice to have new toys around, as you get bored trying to pretend the same ones are fascinating again and again. I'm pretty good at acting enthusiastic about pretty much everything, but it's nice when it is genuine every now and then!

We had dinner guests over tonight. Bob and Matt (one of his programmers from Canada) came over and we had yummy Mexican Lasagna. I had run out of Rotel and cans of chopped green chilies, so I improvised a little and put in some serano peppers instead. It made it a little more spicy than usual (I try to make it pretty mild when there's new people I'm cooking for in case they don't do spicy food), but it went over well. I love having company over, it's so nice to relax in your own house and not have to worry about getting home.

Speaking of home... We're going to go look at a different house to rent this week hopefully. It's in Ellon (a little north of where we are now), but it'd be about the same price as the one we are in and it's bigger. Hopefully the landlords there aren't completely crazy too. We'll see if we like it... if we do we might just be moving again before our trip home in December. Oh joy. That'd be the third house that Liara has lived in... she might just be competing for my record (I've lived in 25 houses and I'm about to be 27).

Ok... I'm off to bed, I've had a headache for the last two hours or so. I think I'm just going to sleep it off and hope it's gone by the morning.

It's been a while

I could just scream, I love this girl so much... she's such a happy baby!

I love this one... she really looks like my side of the family here. :)
While the flash is too bright, I love that she's laughing. I can't get enough!
Here's Liara in the high chair at the restaurant when we went out for my friend Paul's birthday.
And here's my devious little girl climbing in her little toy box for the living room. She's so stinking cute!

Sorry to you all for the lack of posts recently. I've been pretty busy lately and have severely neglected the blog... my apologies.

We've been gearing up for our trip home at Christmas time (yes, I know it isn't even Halloween yet) and trying to get everything planned. Because our trips home are usually pretty quick, I try to plan them all out so I know who I'm supposed to see when, and what we are going to be doing. I've tried super hard to figure out a way to stop by Amarillo, Plainview, and Lubbock, but I'm stumped. While there are a few days available, it would mean more traveling (there's only so many plane rides that a 11 month old can take without losing it) and it would mean trying to cram in three different families in two days. Plus, that's an extra 450 dollars or so that we just don't have at the moment. Hopefully we'll move home sometime soon and it will be easier to make a few trips to visit everyone we'd like to.

On top of trip planning, I've had one teething baby on my hands. While she's still a good girl and is so sweet, her poor gums are giving her a run for her money. She tries to eat everything she can get her little hands on and then screams because she's bit too hard and it gets sore. Bless her heart, she's a little trooper though and will smile for you as soon as it stops hurting. I've tried giving her ibuprofen, teething tablets, teething gel, teething rings, soft things to chew on, etc, and while most of those work temporarily, she's just in pain and it doesn't go away. Hopefully after this tooth comes through (the top left eye tooth) she'll catch a break for a little while. As for sleeping, she's been doing MUCH better. She'll go to sleep at about 9, then wake up again at 11, then sleep through until about 6:30 or so. I can easily deal with that.

Nic's been busy at work as usual. He has his annual review today that I'm excited about. This is his first "annual" review in three years, so it better be a good one. Considering that his programmers haven't done what they had promised so long ago and he has an incomplete product yet has still managed to sell it and make a profit for the company... I'd say he's doing great. The simulator is coming along and will be superb once the guys get their butt in gear and do their thing. It's a shame everyone doesn't have the same work ethic that he does...it's hard to get good help.

I've been doing the usual... cleaning, picking up toys, following Liara around as she explores, cooking, working on charity stuff, working on the stockings and have managed to have a few lunches with some friends. I'm not exactly sure what I did before I had Liara... man, I must of had some serious time on my hands!

Ok, I need to go, as Liara has found a pen and has written on the couch. Joy. I'll try to update more often again!

3...3...3...

I don't know if you've ever looked at the ticker counter at the top of the page. It tells how many months, weeks and days are left until Liara turns one year old. I only look at it every now and then myself, but today was one of those days. Today the ticker counter says there are three months, three weeks, and three days left. What?!

How is that possible? Where have the last eight months gone? I'm missing a large chunk of time, because you see, there is no way my baby could be that big. As far as I know, I just brought my beautiful baby girl home a few days ago. Is this how fast it always goes by?! If so, I'm going to need to start working on a time machine of some sort to slow down time as much as possible... I'm enjoying it way too much for it to be flying by so quickly.

I can tell you this- we are going to enjoy the heck out of the next 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days. They had better cooperate though and SLOW DOWN!

Need vs. Want

http://www.etsy.com/listing/56797395/1989-smiley-face-reshaped-t-shirt-dress

Do I need this? No... not necessarily. But do I want it? YES. This shirt (the original one, not this particular modified one) is the shirt that my father gave me when I was six years old. I slept in this shirt every night until it would no longer stay on my body (probably around 15 or so). My inner child is loving this shirt/dress, simply because it's like the one that my Dad gave me. Inside, I'm screaming I MUST HAVE THIS... but I'm trying to be a good girl and resist. I don't even think it'd fit me anyway. I just want it.

So, if you're going to buy me something for my birthday (in November...) or Christmas- this is high on my wish list. Nudge nudge, wink wink.

If only all dreams came true...

When I was little, my Daddy wrote me letters. They were almost always on yellow note paper and included a doodle of himself. He always called me Sweetheart and told me how much he loved me. He told me about what he was up to and mentioned how much he missed me and looked forward to seeing me at the next holiday. The letters always ended with "see you in my dreams sweetheart".

I cherish those letters. They are kept in a box beside my bed, along with other "Dad" memorabilia... his baseball glove, pictures, the 50 cent piece that he exchanged over and over again with Dado (my grandfather) right before he passed away, his death certificate, etc.

Lately, I've been the one seeing him in MY dreams though. It is so wonderful to be able to see and spend time with my father. I can't tell you how much I miss him on a daily basis. I am constantly thinking about him and wishing that he was here to see Liara. I always am a little sad to wake up and realize that it won't ever happen. Not in this lifetime anyway.

Today's nap time dream was about Liara's first birthday. It was such a fantastic time, and Dad was there, smiling away as usual. He told some of his same stories, and then shared some about when I was a kid... some I remembered, some I didn't. He had bought Liara a smiley face t-shirt to wear to bed, just like the one he had given me as a child. That is also in the box beside the bed... although it's a bit worse for wear. It no longer has a neck and falls off your shoulders, has holes all over it and is torn to almost shreds. I loved that thing though, and wore it every night. I'm going to have to see if I can find Liara one and tell her all about why it's special.

I miss my father. Every day. Here's hoping I continue to see him in my dreams.

What I live for...

This little girl right here. Liara can absolutely make my day, just by flashing this smile right here. Look at her sweet little teeth, and those adorable cheeks! I adore everything about her, and she makes my heart melt.

Here she is with her very own washcloth, getting ready to help Mommy dust. My least favorite chore has now become one of my favorites, simply because she does it with me. How can you not like dusting when you have a super helper like her?!

And, these two, my sweet little monkeys... are my life. They can make me happy, even when I've had the worst day ever. They can make me smile, when no one else can. They are who I want to see every second of every day, and who I couldn't live without.

I'm so in love with my family. It's funny, because people say that I'm a little over the top sometimes when it comes to my daughter, because I talk about her NON STOP and am constantly raving about how wonderful every little thing about her is... but here's the thing- it's honest. I know some people crave space and time to themselves. I'm not like that. I would rather spend every second of every day with these two people. Do you know what I do in my "spare time" (that phrase is almost laughable by the way... I have none!)? I look through the pictures of Liara, write in her journal or her baby book, or call someone to talk about her... I'm obsessed. But, who can tell me that it's wrong to do that, when it's what makes me happy? Is it wrong to adore your child and cherish every second with them? Does everyone not say to love every bit of it because it flies by? Then why tell me I'm crazy for doing just that? I don't get it.

I think another reason I try to live so in the moment is my crazy fear of dying young. I don't know why I tend to think this way, maybe because of Dad... I dunno. Nic and I were talking about it on the way home from the grocery store last night, and I couldn't help but bust out crying... that's how scared of it I am. I am properly terrified that I'll die before Liara will remember me. I'm afraid that I won't get to do the things that I so long to do with her (like take her to the park and watch her slide down the slide by herself, or swing super high... or have her first boyfriend (EEK!) or get married and have babies of her very own to love). Is that normal? I stay awake panic stricken about it sometimes. I think that's why I keep a journal for her actually... so that at least she'll be able to see in my own handwriting how much I loved her, and how I adored every second I got with her. How morbid is that?! I'm just so in love and I don't want it to ever stop. Ever. I live for every second with my husband and daughter.

Thankful

I'm normally a pretty positive person. I like to look at the brighter side of things and remember all the things that are going RIGHT as opposed to all the things that have gone horribly wrong. Lately, I feel like I haven't been doing this and have been dwelling on the things that haven't gone according to plan. I'd like to make an effort to stop this, and remember all the things that I have been blessed with... I'm so very thankful for so many things.

I'm thankful for my husband and sweet little girl. My little family means so very much to me and my life would be miserable without them. I'm so thankful to be able to stay at home with Liara and watch her grow... I know that most mothers don't get this opportunity. Sure, things are awfully tight and I may not get to stay home much longer due to finances, but hey, I've had nearly 8 months so far with my beautiful girl and I'm thankful for every second of them! We'll do our best to figure out a way to cut some more corners so that we can continue on the way we're going, as I really do know that no one loves her like I do and can care for her the same way. I need to look at it as an opportunity to be even thriftier and see how low we can get our bills to go! My husband works hard... and I mean that. He goes to work early and comes home late every day, and I'm so appreciative of that. He does his best to provide for our family and he makes sure we have enough to eat, a shelter over our head, and that we have everything that we need. I can't ask for more than that. Well, except that he loves me, and that means so much. We may not have all the money in the world, but we have love love love. That alone is enough to be thankful and happy for.

I'm thankful for our health. There are so many out there with sick children or parents who are unable to play and celebrate their children. I am so very thankful that we are all healthy and thriving. Yeah, we may have some creaky bones or aches and pains every now and then... but we're healthy overall and that's what matters. I hope that we are able to continue to stay that way and be able to fully appreciate all that life has to offer.

I'm thankful for our extended families. Whether it be my in-laws (who are AWESOME and are buying us tickets so that we can come home for Christmas!!!), my family (who have always been supportive of us), or family friends that may as well be considered family. We have an amazing extended family who cares for us and supports us in all of our crazy endeavors. I'm very appreciative of such a great support system and for all the ears lent our way!

I'm thankful for opportunities. How often do you see a couple get married at 21 (or 20 in Nic's case...lol), buy their first house at 23, and then move internationally that same year? We've lived here in the UK for almost three years now, and overall, it's been a good experience. We've made some amazing friends, helped to start a charity that is amazing and helping some people who really need it, and have experienced a whole different culture than what we're used to. We've got to see all of the UK (with the exception of Ireland) and have really been in awe of the beauty. We're ready to come home, but it's been one hell of an experience and I'm thankful for it. It's something I can tell my grandkids about.

There's a lot to be thankful for and plenty to be happy about... I need to focus on that and push those negative thoughts out the door! Happy Hump Day everyone! :)

Sleep is for Sissies.

Lately, my little love bug has decided that she doesn't need to sleep... at least, not in solid chunks of time. She's only been taking about a 45 minute morning nap, and a hour long afternoon nap (as opposed to two full hours for each), then going to bed at 8:30 only to wake up every hour (sometimes more frequently...) until about midnight. Then, she'll go to sleep for a little longer (perhaps two or three hours at a time) but will stay awake for a hour or so between going back to sleep. Then, at 5:30 or so, she's up and ready to play. Ugh. What happened to my great sleeper?! Was it because I bragged about how good she sleeps? Why did she spoil me so? She had been sleeping a minimum of 8 hours per night since she was 6 weeks old until we got back from our trip to the US. I don't know if it's because of her teeth (which have been bothering her quite a bit lately) or if it's due to the fact that while we were on holiday she slept in the same room (and often the same bed) with us the whole time. I've been bringing her into bed with us after midnight or so (sometimes I can hold off until the 2am waking), but that's only due to the fact that I'm a zombie and keep falling asleep in the rocking chair with her when I'm in there. Then, when I wake up, I'm in a slight panic, as when she wakes up she likes to try to climb things (like her bed rails or my headboard) and I worry about her climbing out of my arms and falling.

I hate to admit it, but I'm a grumpy gus when I don't get enough sleep. I mean, I'm properly grumpy. I think what's helping me to be even grumpier is the fact that I can't get anything done during nap times now because I'm either a) napping with her to try to catch up on some sleep, or b) in a rush since they are much shorter than previously. I don't understand where her energy is coming from... I wish she'd share some of it! We're going on three weeks now of this same cycle, and I'm looking a little worse for wear. Liara, on the other hand, is just a busy little bee climbing and trying to walk with EVERYTHING. She's a champ on pulling herself up to a standing position and staying that way, and now walks herself around all her standing toys/the couch/anyone sitting on the floor while holding onto whatever it is with one hand. She's so big it's scary.

Ok, it's almost time for morning nap (and man, am I going to take it today!) so I'm going to head off of here! G'night... er, I mean Good Morning!

Working Mom?

Some people say that I don't work.

I beg to differ.

My job begins at 6 am every day. No, I don't get dressed up (hell, most of the time I don't get out of my pj's), but I show up every single day bright eyed and bushy tailed. I don't get an hour to get ready, take a shower and have breakfast before I go to work. I sometimes even am required to show up early. I then proceed to feed my daughter breakfast (and occasionally eat some of my own) and keep her occupied while I iron my husband's work clothes so that he may go to his office looking semi professional. We play and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse until 9:30, when Liara goes down for her first nap. Occasionally, if the night before has been rough (meaning she got up more than 3 times...) I'll take her nap with her, but most of the time I put her down, and then continue to do some housework. This may include the dishes, laundry, or picking up the house. Her morning nap lasts from 9:30-10:30 ish. We then read for about 30 minutes, and then play some more until about 11:30 (every other day I bathe Liara since her skin can't do every day... so our bath time is this time as well), when I make lunch before Nic comes home from work. I'll also finish off the dishes if there were any left over (usually there are...). While Nic is home for lunch, Liara has her lunch as well. I'll eat my lunch once she's finished eating. After Nic leaves for lunch, I clean up from lunch time and play with Liara for another 20 minutes or so. At 2, it is Liara's afternoon naptime. I usually take this nap with her, and it lasts from 2-4. If I don't take it with her, it's only an hour like the morning nap... she doesn't sleep as well. At 4, I do some more housework (usually laundry and picking up the house again and vacuuming the floor so that Li doesn't eat anything). We then play some more, and if it's nice, go for a walk outside and visit the horses. We start getting ready for dinner time at 6 or so... right about the time that Nic gets home from work. Nic usually watches Li for the 15 minutes or so that it takes to finish up dinner, and then we eat. Liara eats as well. After dinner, we play some more until 8. At 8, we put on Liara's pj's and she and I go upstairs. We read books, she breastfeeds one more time (she still breastfeeds every 2 or so hours throughout the day), and rock and sing in the rocking chair. Then I put her to sleep at about 9. Lately (since we've been back from our trip to the US actually) she hasn't been sleeping well at night. She used to sleep through the night like a champ, but now wakes up usually around 9:30, then again at 10, then again at 11. She normally is pretty easy to get back down to sleep those times, but she'll wake up again at like 12:30 and fight it like crazy, so when she wakes up again at like 2- I'll bring her in to bed with me. Anyway, at 9, I go downstairs, pick up the living room and put all her toys away and spend some time with Nic. I've been working on our stockings recently though, so I work on those until about 11:30 or 12, then go to bed.

That's what I do every day. I don't get Saturdays or Sundays off... I don't get public holidays either. I've done that same thing pretty much every day (with the exception of days we have doctor's appointments or whatever) since Liara was born. It may not bring in a paycheck, but it is tiring. VERY rewarding, but tiring. I'm sick of people telling me that I don't do anything. I do a ton... I keep my house going and I educate my daughter. I am teaching her how to play and what the different colors are. We talk about shapes and read together. We learn about the area around us and we talk about the weather. We interact and learn what to do in different social situations. If I didn't "work", there would be no clean clothes, no clean dishes, the house would be a mess and there would be no food on the table.

So, for those of you who disagree that what I do IS work (though it may be the best job in the world!)... pbthththth. I didn't ask for your opinion!

Thanks for letting me vent.

Mama's Girl :)

Liara said her first word... and it was MAMA! I absolutely love that, and hearing it just makes my heart melt every time! She is saying it a lot now, I'll have to catch it on video... it's so sweet! It amazes me how fast she's growing, and breaks my heart all at the same time. I'm cherishing every second I get with her, but it is all flying by so fast! She's started eating cheerios and it's so fun to watch her use her pincer grasp skills to pick them up and feed herself. She's had some chunks of pear too that she's thoroughly enjoyed. I think I'll try some apricot chunks tonight instead of pureeing them. Geez, she's so big.

I'm working on our family heirloom stockings for Christmas now, we bought all the materials on Saturday and I've cut out the batting and am laying out the materials how I want them before I start sowing. Hopefully, they'll look similar to this: http://www.channel4.com/4homes/design-style/how-to-guides/how-to-make-a-quilted-christmas-stocking-steps-09-12-07_p_7.html when I'm done. I'm using different fabrics of course, mine are green, red, gold and cream. I've decided to go ahead and make four, in case we have another baby (who am I kidding... for when we have another baby!) that way they'll still all match. I have a heirloom stocking already (one my Mom made for me) but it's different and I can't find the materials to make one similar to it for the rest of my little family, so I'll just use that one when I'm at her house. I still love it, and it's still special to me, but I think I want to make all of ours the same (well... the same fabrics and general design, but a little different from each other so they are each special). Wish me luck... I'm starting early in hopes of getting them done in time! I always tend to be really into projects when they first start but then lose interest/dedication, so hopefully because these are for Li and Nic (and future baby A and myself) I'll get them done and stick it through. To be fair though, I started to make Nic one to match the one my mom made me like 6 years ago and it's sitting somewhere in a box in Houston. Lol. I'm going to do these.... they WILL get done! Nag me until they are please! I'll post pictures as I go along... or at least try to remember to!