Looking back ...

Happy Almost New Year, everyone.

I've been inspired by all of the bloggers out there who have posted their end-of-the-year-summaries to look back at the year that has just flown by, and I'd like to give you all a small taste of it. A little bit in pictures and a little bit in posts. I started this blog in March, but didn't "go live" until April, so perhaps I have said a few things that might interest you to know about me? Or something like that.

Let's recap, shall we?

Best books I read this year:
* The Middle Place, by Kelly Corrigan
* The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, by Joshilyn Jackson
* Bright Lights, Big A$$, by Jen Lancaster

And for complete info on the books I have read in 2009 see this post for #1-44.

And my final batch:

#45: Bound South, by Susan Rebecca White
#46: Bitter is the New Black, Jen Lancaster
#47: The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, by Melissa Bank (I forgot to add this to my list, so I DID make it to 48 books!)
#48: Mrs. Miracle, by Debbie Macomber

Some of my favorite early posts:

* Is it too early?
* Take the Girl Out of the City
* Being a Mom Means
* A Jewish Girl in the South
* Does It Count?

And a few pictures to flash me back:








I thank all of my new blogging friends for the support and encouragement you have offered me over the past not-quite-year, and I am truly grateful for the friendships I have made thus far. I wish you all a wonderful New Year, and look forward to sharing much with you all throughout 2010!

Oh, and I'll be back tomorrow with a look at the year ahead. ;)

I'll never make it ...

Well, I finished #47! So that would mean there are 3 more to go for me to hit 50 books for 2009!

Yesterday I completed Mrs. Miracle, by Debbie Macomber. Today I am reading Christmas Wishes, by the same author. I would LOVE to say I'll hit 50 for the year, but hey, if I can finish 48 that isn't TOO bad, right?

I've already started a "new" challenge. It was supposed to be for 2010, but we started a wee bit early. Some friends and I are doing a 100 book challenge on Goodreads.com. We started on 12/17 (I think) and have a year from that date to reach the total of 100. I'll probably continue tracking my reads here, but I will hold off on starting fresh until tomorrow. It'll be a confusing thing having two lists, but hey, what the heck!

So, as we journey through the last day of 2009 together, what has been your favorite read of the year? I'm quite sure I have too many to list, but I'll peek back at my previous reviews and let you know!

And what books are on your "to-read" list for the coming months? I'm hoping that this link to my Goodreads to-read list works:

my to-read shelf:


Come and join me, if you'd like. Just find me on there and I'll help you join the challenge group once you do. The more the merrier when it comes to talking books, I think.

HAPPY READING!

Wordless Wednesday!

SO tired.

I am so friggin tired right now. I feel like it's been ages since I have had a complete night of solid sleep. My daughter woke up nearly every night while we were away, regardless of her sleeping arrangements, or the temperature of the house we were in, the hotel, etc.

Yesterday after twelve hours (yes, I'm saying it again, what of it?) of a car ride which she of course slept the end of (from 8-11, give or take) and I napped for a bit of, she was wide awake when we got home. Ah, the joy of it all. Next year we stay home. I mean it. Please feel free to throw the book (or your computer) at me should there be a change in that plan next holiday season.

Anyway, she woke up at some point last night and I went into her room to join her on the floor. I swear, the amount of time I spent sleeping on either the floor or a twin-sized mattress on the floor the past week or so puts my college years to shame. I kid you not. And that's quite a challenge. I mean, come on, you have to know what I'm talking about. I can't be the only one who has crashed, fully clothed, on the floor of someone's dorm room that wasn't my own, or squeezed my butt cheeks into bed with a friend. A bed that was way too small for the two of us, let alone a third person. Seriously. Back then I am sure I was smaller, but still ... I did plenty of squeezing. Let's just say that now, as a mom, with a not-yet-3-year-old who tosses and turns more than anyone I have ever seen sleep, I barely had room for one cheek, let alone two. Sigh.

So, back to last night, which was probably this morning, but I never checked the time ... we were on the floor and she eventually fell out. That would be after a wet diaper change, a poopy diaper change, and some chatter that lasted way too long. Hubby could barely open her bedroom door as we were directly behind it. I barely remember how I heard him, when I looked up and saw a hand waving at me through a crack in the door. Of course, I went to bed and left her on the floor, figured that if I moved her she'd wake up immediately. Well, whatever. I barely had about ten non-floor-sleeping minutes and she woke up.

And today, with a repeat of the runny nose that has plagued her for most of the fall straight into these winter-y days, she is a crank pot and a half. Seriously crying over EVERY.SINGLE.THING. I mean EVERY. SINGLE. THING. And if it doesn't stop soon I'm going to lose it. Lose my friggin' mind. I'm so fletching exhausted. I know she is, too, but if she won't nap I'm at a loss here. Just close your eyes, would you? At the very least STOP with the crying. There is no need to cry because you stepped in some water that YOU spilled on the floor, is there? Oh lord. Please someone let me know when I get a true vacation. I mean, after all of this time w. the grandparents, I should feel slightly rested, right?

What? Why are you laughing at me? That's really not very nice. I'm tired. Cut me some slack here, would you?

p.s. Ssssh, she's watching her new Disney sing-along DVD. Don't move a muscle, we might be in the clear for the next 15 minutes or so ... many thanks to my brother and sister-in-law. Whew!

p.s.s. GREAT. D@mned cat is trying to break into the Ziplock of donuts and I had to get up. That's the end of that. Argh!!! Calgon (how old am I, I know!) take me away!

Post-It Note Tuesday!

I rarely do this ...

But I am posting about a Giveaway over at Wee Share that I think you should take a look at.

I absolutely love Lauren's stuff over at 4 Sweet Cheeks on etsy. LOVE it. I have already sent some of her items as gifts to my friend who had a baby a few weeks ago. SO adorable. The personalization and the quality of the items were praised by my friend, and I'm so pleased with the turnaround, etc. that Lauren has given me with my orders, that I am proud to not only recommend her, but direct you to the giveaway for a gift-card from her etsy store.

So go on over to the site and enter this giveaway, or just head on over to Lauren and help a {fellow} mom ROCK THE ECONOMY!!!!

Chinese food for dinner ...

Where do you think we are now?

It is interesting how the eating habits vary depending on where we are. First of all, my in-laws don't have any delivery or take-out in their area. Any type of outside food places are a decent twenty minutes away. At least. The picture shared here is from last Christmas at their house. That's the view that I refer to as their backyard, but hubby explains as the "front of the house," as it faces their pond. Said pond is frozen over in the image above, and was this past holiday, as well.

It's so beautiful and relaxing there. Except it's not quite as relaxing as it was before I became a mommy. 'Cause, man, the reading I used to get done was a lot more. It was also a lot quieter when I only had one young (read = baby) niece, and not two crazy nieces and a crazy nephew. I love these kids SO very much. They're too adorable, and even more so when they are with my daughter. Sadly we don't get to see them as often as we'd like. Having moved 500 miles farther South doesn't help us in our attempts, and being a family of 3 + dog makes it difficult. Dexter used to be the 2nd co-pilot, now he's got first rank as I sit in the back with our daughter. Amazing how he seems to do the rides better than I do. He even needs fewer pee breaks! Back to my nieces, my eldest was in tears when we were loading up the car. This, of course, broke me and I cried as we said our goodbyes. I mean this child was sobbing. It was terrible. I promised her we'd see her before NEXT Christmas. And this year we mean it!

Anyway, I was talking about food. Go figure. Food in NY = bagels, pizza and Chinese food at ilke 7pm. Just to name a few. Food in ME = roast beef for Christmas dinner (at 2 in the afternoon) and and a few bites of what is yet to be determined as either chicken or turkey pot pie. It was pretty good, but I keep saying I think it's turkey, and hubby said that MIL said it was chicken. So who truly knows? Dinner in Maine is at around 2pm. My real dinner ends up being soup (corn chowder or chicken rice) later in the evening. When I suddenly realize I'm starving. The options are dessert-filled, like pumpkin whoopie pies and 5-minute-fudge (with butterscotch, let's just say one piece was enough for me) and yet healthy, like carrots and dip and cheese and crackers. Did I mention that our dog took off with a hunk of some sort of cheese? Amazing he hasn't had gastro-issues because of it. Not that we know of, anyway.

And so, we're back in NY at my parents' house. My brother/SIL/niece will be over later and we'll exchange germs, again, and enjoy some Chinese food. And hopefully I'll be able to pick up a dozen or so bagels in the morning to bring back to NC with me. FOR me. And it'll be great to be home again. And then we'll realize we truly do need a vacation.

'Tis the season and Tra La La La La.

What's on your plate for New Years?

How was your Xmas?

Does it offend you if I write Xmas? I have heard so many different reasons behind why it IS or IS NOT offensive. So who better for me to ask than the group of you out there who read my every word (he he. my minions!) and tell it like it is right back at me.

So -- what do you think? If I write Xmas, am I taking the "Christ" out of the holiday? I mean, for me, I mean no disrespect. I'm just a Jew (a lonely Jew) on Christmas who always used to write it that way, even in cards to my Catholic friends. And so I'm curious on the take out there. Ever since I had a huge discussion with a best friend of mine who is religious and observant of holidays and the like, and she said she wasn't offended and had no issue with it ... heck, she even wrote it herself sometimes ... I figured it was okay, but then I heard from people how offensive it was. And far be it from me to offend without intent. Kidding, I never mean to offend people, I just like to tell it like it is and all that comes with that. You know me. Right? Or you're starting to. Or you're saying to yourself, who the *F* cares? It's a holiday. Wish me a merry and be on your way, ey?

And speaking of ... how's your accent treat the word "merry?" I have a cousin named MERI who sounds like MERRY, but my father and his Yiddish accent say MARY, as does my husband and his Maine accent, although MARRY often sounds the same as the other two. Dare I go on? I think not. Happy Holidays and hope Saint Nick brought you loads of good cheer.

As for me, I got a stocking full of Sharpies (I kid you not!) and recipe cards (cool) and some Godiva chocolate covered strawberries (looking forward to digging into those on the drive home. But depending on the weather tomorrow, we should [might] be heading South to NY, but if the rain/ice/sleet hits the way it is expected we may be *stranded* here, which might be kind of fun, considering I tried my first frisbee-like-style sled tonight [if I am feeling generous I *may* share the video hubby took of me with you all, I just have not watched it yet.] What can I say? I grew up in Brooklyn, for goodness sake!)

Well, lookie at that!

I'm so used to begging for my followers to round me up to the *10s* that I am in shock when my peeps follow me without my asking. Thanks, friends, you helped me to hit 80, so that's two new followers in the last two days. Hooray! Smooches to you, and you know who you are.

Anyway, just logging in to wish you all a Merry Christmas Eve (how's that work, anyway?) We're home, at the in-laws, for Christmas Eve. We had family over today for lunch, 'twas interesting, anyone ever try a muffaletta sandwich? Me, neither. I don't eat many of the various ingredients, so let's just say my personal lunch was an ... uhm, interesting one. And I'll be OK if I never see another black olive.

That's the word of the day, I suppose. Or perhaps the holiday, since tomorrow's meal should be somewhat interesting, as well. You know, I forgot I have a bag of potato latkes in the fridge. Let me use this post to remind myself of that for tomorrow.

My wee one did not do well with lunch, either. She spent most of the time wanting cheese and crackers, but the cheese did not fare very well as our dog (YES, OUR DOG) snagged it off of the kitchen table and literally chomped down on a hunk of cheese. Ew. I'm assuming he is going to have some constipation issues (TMI? Perhaps. I truly love my dog) later tonight/tomorrow.

Right now I'm on hubby's work laptop at the kitchen table as he tries to make Oreo Balls. Save the punnies for another time, they're not schweaty, I promise. I'm just glad *I* don't have to make them. Let's just say they consist of Oreo cookies, cream cheese and baker's chocolate for dipping. My stomach is already ill prepared. I ate too many pb balls to be ready for these, but I did skip the apple pie that was for dessert today. Rule at MY house is that dessert NEVER immediately follows a meal. Hubby's family, however, does something totally different, and dessert comes out before the plates are cleared. How do you do it with your family?

But I went on a tangent there, didn't I? Again, I have no images to share with you, so forgive me in advance for the longish ramble of a post. I'm too friggin lazy to start up my own laptop when this one is so much easier and lighter and even quicker!

And so, here I am, been ready for bed since about 5:00 tonight, but we're not just awaiting the arrival of the man in the big red suit (yesterday was a bust, man, let me not even BEGIN to try to tell you!) but we're also waiting for my brother-in-law and my nieces/nephew. I'm sure it'll be utter mayhem when they arrive within the hour. In the meantime, enjoy the meats and sweets and treats you and yours imbibe in to celebrate the joy that is the season, and I'll be back again tomorrow with more updates from the somewhat-Great-White-North!

Oh! And let me not forget to add I finished another book for my not-quite-100-book-challenge for 2009. Bitter is the New Black, by Jen Lancaster. Love her. LOVE. L-O-V-E. Not sure what number read this is, I'll have to go check and come back with an edit in a few ... if you're new to my blog, I'm working on hitting 50, so we'll see how that goes. And on that note ... I'll hit *publish* now! (p.s. This is #46. I'm terribly slacking of late. Review to come within the week.)

Word-filled Wednesday!

OK, so I'm on hubby's work laptop so I don't have access to my image directory, and it's a quick hi from the snowy state of Maine. We arrived yesterday after a stop-over at a hotel at 1AM. Guess who slept from 8PM-1AM and then was awake until around FOUR? **Not me ...**

Today's agenda has us headed to a children's museum of some sort, and possibly a stop-over beforehand (after?) to meet Mr. Claus himself. Then there are dinner plans out later this evening (some place called the "Sea Dog" -- I think I've been there before, but people, I DON'T EAT SEAFOOD!!!!) where we'll meet up with my brother-in-law and his new lady friend. I'm a skeptic, and I'm trying to totally bite my tongue about all of this, but we'll see how it goes.

As for the wee one, she's crazy as ever, and has her Daddy sitting at the kitchen table playing with Play D'oh, the real stuff, and loads of accessories to help them create a ton of fun stuff. After a broken night of sleep where she stayed on a twin mattress and woke me by calling for me several times, I wound up sleeping on the floor and freezing some of my butt off (think that'll show up on the scales in a week or two? Probably not with the tray of homemade peanut butter balls, chocolate fudge and marshmallows sitting in my line of sight right now ...) until hubby woke me this AM and suggested I move into the actual bed.

Ah, traveling. It really is SO much fun. ;)

Happy not yet Christmas to you all. I'll try to be back later with a WW post. Maybe even a picture of Santa. Sshhh. Don't tell her we're going. We're figuring it would turn into an hour's worth of screaming for him as we drive into town. Oh, Lordy. Help me, please.

"Not Me" Mondays!

Ah, another Monday arrives and I reflect back on the week that has passed. I'm loving this meme from MckMama so much as it really reminds me that I'm not alone in the world, and that so many of us go through so many similar things throughout our days, and sometimes, just sometimes ... we HAVE to laugh, or we just might cry.

As for me, I would never take a shower and curl up on the aforementioned air mattress (before it deflated) and get a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day while my child played with her father and grandparents. I'd never take advantage of that opportunity in such a way. Ever.

And I'd absolutely never buy a CD for my mother for Chanukah, give it to her and then get ready to play it in my laptop when I *accidentally* imported it to my iTunes library first. Oops. Nope. Not this amazing daughter .... (it's truly OK, as I didn't even know my mom wanted this CD, but I bought it for her anyway, so I did good. But still, no guilt here!)

I'd also never take some time to write a blog post while my daughter talked my father's ear off during the prepping stages of making potatoe latkes. Nope, no way. I wouldn't take a few pictures and then come into the other room while she asked him for a play-by-play of each step in the process of preparing the potatoes. Nope, not me.

So, what's on your I'D NEVER DO THAT update for this Monday?

Sunday Fun-day

My beautiful niece turns three today. It feels like yesterday she was born. I was quite pregnant, and up for many many hours while we awaited her arrival at the hospital. Here's to you, my pretty girl. And to your parents for surviving the last three years. As we know, they are not easy, the early days of parenting. And yet, we wouldn't change them for anything in the world.

As for us, my beautiful daughter cannot wait to see her to celebrate and enjoy the fun. I am sitting here with wet hair, a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. She woke up again last night. 3AM. We slept on the couch for a bit, and then at around 5:30 when my tush was starting to slide off the couch and the other cheek was getting a bit numb I decided to move her to the crib again.

It worked for the most part. Until hubby knew it was time for him to get up, and he had observed that the air mattress we had been (read we = he, and the dog) sleeping on had started heading South. Literally. Hubby needed me to get off of the bed so he could stand up. It was our only option. And so I did. And I figured, well, it's still got enough air in it for me to fall back to sleep until she opens her eyes and I hear the familiar call.

Yeah. Right.

I laid back down and the bed enveloped me. It was the funniest thing I've never seen. Seriously. I don't know how my husband didn't pee himself. Or maybe he did and didn't tell me. I was in tears, and I didn't have my glasses on, so I was blinder than most bats. Again, funniest thing I could possibly imagine ever seeing. Absolutely hilarious. One of those things you replay in your mind and keep cracking up as if it were the first time, and I had to create my own visual.

And so, I've been up since after 7. With a few too precious hours of sleep behind me. And a wet head of hair ready to go out into the snow. But at least my daughter is dressed. And she looks really pretty in her XOXO outfit. Why, yes, that's my kid. Stylin' like you would imagine. What? Just 'cause she's a Southern girl she can't rock the good brands? She can. And she does. And who has to know that Mommy bought this $45 outfit on sale several months ago at TJ Maxx. Come on. You wish you were me, no?

Happy Sunday, everyone. Have a fun day. I'm ready to eat my weight in cake and cupcakes since my poor brother and sister-in-law have had people canceling left and right. Anyone up for frosting? Cheers!

Moms Rock The Economy: Jillybeans Jewels

So if you'll remember, I mentioned recently that I took the "Moms Rock The Economy" Pledge a short while ago. And since then I have been trying to make as many purchases as possible from fellow moms who have their own businesses.

I'd like to take a moment to review the business of a friend of mine who has some really pretty jewelry out there. Her name is Donna, and she is the owner of Jillybeans Jewels.

I am admitting a little bias here as I know her on a personal level. But when I looked through her stash of stuff a few months ago, I fell in love with a bracelet that I absolutely had to have. I don't wear it nearly enough, because I tend to take things that are special to me like that and "save" them (don't we all?) and I also don't always have the right moment or occasion to really spruce up my every day - hum drum outfits of sweats and t-shirts. But I digress a bit there.

Anyway, I bought this beautiful bracelet from her, and just had to show it to you. Now, I know you'll want it, and maybe she can make you one that is similar (but not identical, come on, be unique, would ya?) but you can't have this one. It's mine.


Isn't it beautiful? I mean, it's perfect for my chunky wrist, since it wraps around and I don't have to worry about clasping it. Another plus for often-1-handed moms, no worrying about how to get the dang thing on by yourself!

Now, on top of this bracelet I fell in love with, I also bought a few extra holiday gifts from her (that I can't discuss just yet ...) and I wanted to share this special order I requested.

Basically, my mom purchased this beautiful bracelet to celebrate being cancer free (that's a whole story in and of itself, but in my pre-blogging days my mom suffered from and subsequently BEAT the HELL OUT OF head and neck cancer!)


It's truly precious, and all I did was send Donna the link to the website and the picture. I didn't even know where to begin. She came back at me with three different pairs of earrings to match this bracelet. Not one. Not two. Three. They were all really pretty, but I knew which one I liked the best pretty quickly, as it seemed to match up most perfectly with the bracelet.

So today, for the last day of Chanukah, my mom got these:


Aren't they pretty? And my mom really loves them, and was totally surprised. A perfect gift for my perfect momma.

Anyway, if you are looking to browse, or looking for a special jewelry order, for yourself, or for someone you love, check out her website, Jillybeans Jewels, and then touch base with her. Feel free to tell her I sent you, or not, either way, just go on and check her out. Happy Shopping!

New Jersey sucks. New York rocks!

So New Jersey is the reason that our trip North had an extra two hours and then some added to it. SO not cool. We're in NY, and apparently we missed the "snow" that hit North Carolina yesterday. But that's okay, because we're getting doused with our own share of it here. Back in Brooklyn I have already happily had a bagel for breakfast, and a bagel with bagel-store-tuna for lunch. Which I ate after a long nap. That's what happens when your daughter wakes up at 5AM, wants "out of the crib," and to "go back to Carolina." Fun times. She also repeatedly asked for "boobie," which fortunately have been out of commission, as I posted previously.

Anyway, tonight's dinner is Chinese food. Assuming the delivery guy can get here. Because say what you will about New Yorkers, but even they won't deliver Chinese food on a bike in the snow. Teasing, of course. We haven't had bike-delivery here in years. And only when the place was literally around the corner. Gone are the days.

Oh, let me not forget the pizza we had for dinner last night. Wow. I haven't even been here for 24 hours yet. What a pig. But no worries. I don't do pork. We Jews do good Chinese food, but I, personally, skip the swine.

Well, shoot. That posted too soon. I'm rusty after a day of not checking in. But it's OK, I fixed it. Thanks to my newest follower. I'm at 78 now. I am so proud, I'm kvelling. (Showing my Jewish roots, I'm busting with pride!) Happy last day of Chanukah. I got my Christmanukah gift last night from my hubby, and I was completely shocked. We don't normally do gifts, or we try not to, but I was totally psyched and you will be, too. I promise.

I got me one of these:

And I'm happy as can be! Get ready for GREAT pics in the new year!!! And to all a good night!

Wal-Mart pizza and I've been tagged!

OK, so what do you think they put in Wal-Mart pizza that makes it so addictive? I mean, I'm a native NYer who is so picky about pizza that I can barely eat anything down here except for Papa John's (yes, I know ... but it's way better than Domino's or Pizza Hut!)

And yet when it comes to Wal-mart pizza, I'm completely addicted. It's not frozen, so maybe that's why. I can get it at the pseudo-grocery store, and it's actually pretty d@mned good!

I think that maybe they lace it with crack or something. Seriously. Is that cheesy for me to say? (Oh, man, what a horrible pun. Horrible.)

On another note, I've been tagged by Erin over at The Mother Load. I have to tell you all ten things that make me happy, and then tag ten people to do the same.

I have to get to bed soon, so I may just tell you to tag yourselves if you're interested, but my Top 10 go something like this:

1. A fantastic book and the time to read it.

2. A back/head/neck/shoulder/foot massage. By my husband, or a paid expert therapist will do, as well.

3. My crazy pets. They are nutty, but I love my critters.

4. A good cry. Sadistic? Maybe. But it feels really good afterward.

5. REALLY good TV. I'm a television addict. I have so many shows on my DVR. I think I probably should have said my DVR. It brings me my shows like Entourage, NCIS, Rescue Me, The Mentalist, The Office, Gary Unmarried, and my daily addiction of General Hospital.

6. A night/day out with friends. Sometimes there is nothing better. Whether we're at the movies, the book store, someone's house or grabbing a non-coffee, it's the best place to be when my friends are with me. There are too many laughs to count, too many deep breaths and too many moments where we don't think about anything we don't want to!

7. A glass (a bottle?) of Barefoot Moscato. Chilled.

8. Chocolate. Almost any kind. At any time. In any form.

9. My husband. I don't think I need to say more.

10. My daughter. Why save her for last? Well, she makes me smile (and makes me loopy) every single day. I stare at her in awe and amazement when she lays in her bed, asleep, fully vulnerable, holding onto my hand. She makes me laugh and act goofy, and do the silliest of things. She is my sunshine. Go figure. I saved the best for last.

So, thanks, Erin! And to anyone interested in responding, please do! Or share at least one thing in my comments section. Or maybe I should tag my most recent ten followers? Or maybe I should just get to bed ... ;)

'Tis the season!

And I couldn't resist! Enjoy!

Dear Daughter ...

I am feeling a little sensitive today, and in the mood to write a small Dear Daughter letter [that turned into a long one, forgive me, I'm not really one to just write and write and write for an entry, but that's where I'm at for right now.]

Dear Daughter,

I am so truly blessed to have you in my world. You make my days incredible, my nights sometimes not-so-much-so, and every minute is a surprise of entertainment. I try very hard not to laugh when disciplining you, but when you mouthed off at me this afternoon telling me, 'You don't talk back, Mommy,' it was a good thing I was sitting over on the couch, or you would have seen me smile right before I had to yell at you to get your little butt over here.

I have so many things to be thankful for, and with my being sick so often over the past few months I have felt that I have had less patience than I would normally for certain things. So I am sorry for raising my voice over the stupid things, but I am not sorry for when I really did need to mean it. I love you, sweetheart, but you need to start listening to Mommy and Daddy when we talk to you. There are so many things you want to do, and so many things you're a little too small for, or might put you in danger (like trying to stalk the cat for his toy, even though I said it was OK and I gave it to him) or cause you harm immediately (even though Neo is the nicest of our menagerie, he might truly attack if you're after anything held tightly in between his teeth. You know that, baby.)

Most of all, I want to talk to you about the end of our nursing experience. It will be about three weeks tomorrow, and you really have been doing so well. Aside from a few small inquiries (one happened today, so maybe you asking me for 'a little more milk' is what leads me to this letter. Or maybe it's been a long time coming?) one wouldn't even think that you were breastfed for as long as you were.

I, however, am truly experiencing a loss here. I mean, I'm much better this week, as opposed to the first week, but that's because we've now replaced that time before bed with more grown-up moments, such as laying next to one another on the floor beside your bed, holding hands, reading stories, and singing together.

I would never have imagined how sad it would feel to put you to bed at night without those moments of physical closeness. How strange it would seem. And how hormonal and moody and shifty it would make me feel. That first week was rough. I really couldn't tell you that, or your Daddy, because I kind of felt like he'd think I was crazy. But a very good friend told me it was totally normal. And that even when you're ready for it to end, it's still really hard to accept that it's over. And so that's where I was that first week. I didn't want to tell anyone or write about it, as I wasn't sure it'd be the truth if I spoke it out loud.

Then the second week went by, and suddenly we're into the third, and it's lasting. I mean, I'm sure I'm still producing (how will I tell when it's gone, I wonder?) but there's no output, and like I said, you're doing OK without it. And believe me, during this last week when you had the runny nose and awful cold, it was really hard to not offer you, since I knew it would help heal you and get you through it more quickly.

Now, I must tell you, your Mama is not one of those crunchy-granola types. I'm not even someone who is labeled as practicing AP (attachment parenting) ... mostly because I knew nothing about wearing you when you were a baby, except in a sling that was returned because it was recalled ... and I will be the first to admit that when you were first born and I heard about people nursing past 30+ months my eyes widened with complete shock that this would ever even be an option. And yet, 34 months in, and we're finally done, and I miss it with a small twinge, but I am proud. Of myself, and of you.

You're a beautiful little girl, my beautiful baby, and I will always be here to nurture you, even if it's in a boob-free environment. You make me prouder and prouder every single day to be a mother, and I thank you with my whole heart that you have taught me this love.

I love you.

Love, **Me

Wordless Wednesday!

I love a new meme (can't you tell?)

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, wouldn't you agree?

Please excuse this interruption. I [not so] recently received two awards I must give thanks for.

The first is from my friend, NYC Girl over at Discovering Me, who is just too sweet to pass along the Your Blog is Fabulous award to me. She is ab-fab (absolutely fabulous, no?) herself, and I encourage you to go on over and say hi.

How cool is that? Am I truly that fabulous? Is it even possible? I'm not quite sure. I think I am supposed to pass this along to 10 or 15 new blogs, but I'm picking my fave fabulous bloggers and tossing it their way!

* Elisa over at Diary of an Unlikely Housewife ~ I truly hope that Elisa knows, by now, that she is fabulous, but I am going to remind her anyway!

* Rhaven at Surburban Rebel Mom. Looking for someone to tell it like it is? She's your girl. I do have to add my disclaimer that I kind of know her in real life, and she's equally as fantastic as you'd guess from her blog.

The second is the 5-Diamond Award, that has been passed on to me by Erin at The Mother Load. If you have yet to check her out, please do so immediately. She is friggin hilarious. I wish we were neighbors so I could force her to be my newest BFF. I kid you not. Go. Run, don't walk.

And as for my sparkly blogging friends, I have recently added a handful to my blogroll for easy access and to remind everyone that they're out there, and they shine in a way I should share them with you here, as well.

* The Girl With The Flour in her Hair over at Peeling an Orange with a Screwdriver. Need I say more? Her name and her blog name should be enough to get you over there.

* Tamara over at The (Un)Experienced Mom. I found her through her Fill in the Blank Friday meme, and I really enjoy her blog!

* That One Mom, over at A Day in the Life, Chronicles of an Only Parent. She is real. She is open. She is fun. And she often posts pictures of hotties. Yum. Enjoy!

* And lastly, let me introduce you to Nancy. You can find her at If Evolution Really Works ... and more recently at Life 2 Us, a new blogging community by moms for moms that she helped create. Check out both sites, and I promise you will not be disappointed!

Oh, and Erin, I'm tossing both of these in your direction, lady. You already know you sparkle, but you're quite fabulous, as well.

Thanks for the awards, and I hope those of you I pass them on to recognize how much you make me smile when your posts show up in my Google reader. Feel free to accept, give a speech, pass them along, share or don't. No pressure here. I just wanted to take this opportunity to tell you that you rock, sparkle and SHINE!

"Not Me" Mondays!

Well, it's that time again. I had so much fun doing this one that I had to do it again today. Just couldn't resist myself.

Ah, so let's see. Where should I begin?

It was definitely not me who let my child play on the boxes [that thankfully arrived without images of what is inside of them, thank you Target and Toys R Us!] that arrived with her various holiday/birthday gifts, only to have one of them start "talking" to her the minute I stepped out of the house to check the mail. To return indoors and hear words coming out of thin air, and have my daughter pointing at the huge box while saying, "It's Dora, Mommy. Dora's in there." Nope. 'Twasn't me.

It was also definitely not my house that allowed Dora's friggin holiday special episode to play over and over and over again throughout the week. I mean, honestly, why would I ever allow that story about Swiper on the naughty list to be shown so many times? After all, my daughter is barely approaching three, and she hasn't yet truly celebrated Christmas. Sigh.

Oh, and I would NEVER eat a ton of sugar cut-out cookies that I made for my cookie swap that did not happen. No. I'd never allow all of that cr@p to pass through my lips and straight to my ... well, there isn't much room for my hips to expand to, so not there, but ... well, I'd never eat that much anyway, so there's no need to worry about where it would end up!

I'd also never delete two movies that my husband had recorded to ensure that we could record Bones [as if we'd EVER miss that!] and The Office that evening. I'd never delete his stuff before my millions of shows, like I'd never leave my episodes of Rescue Me on there from the spring, and I'd never let General Hospital take precedence over these movies that he recorded in HIGH DEF!

Oh, and I'd certainly NEVER leave my HD episode of the season finale of Glee on there over the aforementioned two movies, even though I had already seen it once in its' entirety, and then parts of it 2-3x after that. No. I'd never keep it just so I could re-watch that final number where they performed Kelly Clarkson's **My Life Would Suck Without You** and watch that absolute final moment where Mr. Schuester and Ms. Pillsbury (I swear it's her name, no wonder I love her, no?) finally connect just ONE.MORE.TIME.

So, what have you not even given a thought to doing these days? Fill us all in by linking up at MckMama's blog!

It's probably not a good idea

To sit online at 1AM and self-diagnose. But I'm doing it anyway. After my umpteenth coughing fit of the night I came downstairs, tried to (sorry, TMI) clear my nose as best I could, and really need to take some cough medicine.

I'm quite sure I have a recurring case of bronchitis. But I have figured out that my 2nd sinus infection in nearly as many months has a name, as well. Chronic sinusitis. That is what I have. Seriously.

These are the symptoms, as per the Mayo Clinic. And if you're going to believe anybody, of course it's going to be them!

Chronic sinusitis symptoms include:

• Drainage of a thick, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose or down the back of the throat
• Nasal obstruction or congestion, causing difficulty breathing through your nose
• Pain, tenderness and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead
• Aching in your upper jaw and teeth
• Reduced sense of smell and taste
• Cough, which may be worse at night

**Uhm, yeah, as if I don't ever not have any of those symptoms!!! OK, well, the first one is kind of gross, and it's not all the time, but the rest, totally me. Sense of smell, practically been gone for months. Helps with changing diapers, but not with ensuring that said diapers don't on the toddler child for hours (not really) prior to being noticed.**

And then they say ...

Other signs and symptoms can include:

• Ear pain
• Sore throat
• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Fatigue or irritability
• Nausea

The signs and symptoms of chronic sinusitis are similar to acute sinusitis, except they last longer and often cause more significant fatigue. Chronic sinusitis is sinusitis that lasts more than eight weeks or keeps coming back. Unlike with acute sinusitis, fever isn't a common sign of chronic sinusitis.

**Uhm, yeah. Me, again. Guess what? When I wake up in the morning I feel like I can't breathe and haven't been breathing all night. Why is that, you ask? Well, thank you for being concerned. Probably because I HAVEN'T BEEN BREATHING ALL NIGHT! (Sorry, I really don't mean to take this out on you! It's just that I see an Urgent Care visit in my future and I'm not looking forward to it. I'd rather see my doctor, but when you don't drive, have a 2-year-old and hubby works like a fiend, well, it's not always an option, ya know? Again, truly sorry for snapping. Maybe I should find a doctor who'll toss in some Xanax with whatever might fix this sinus issue?)** [I have no clue why this paragraph will not bold no matter what I do, and at this point I have no mindset to address it, so take it as an assist from Blogger, who obviously feels I am being too hard on my readers and wanted to soften the blow!]

And how I LOVE this part: When to see a doctor?

You may have several episodes of acute sinusitis, lasting less than four weeks, before developing chronic sinusitis. You may be referred to an allergist or an ear, nose and throat specialist for evaluation and treatment.

See a doctor:

• If you've had sinusitis a number of times and the condition fails to respond to treatment
• If you have sinusitis that lasts more than 7 days
• If your symptoms don't get better after you see your doctor

**Dare I say that I'm all of the above? Last year, about a month or so into this blog I wound up with some scary steroid medication, but man, did it help. I'm about to go beg for it. Despite the chance that I could wind up w. a puffy face, gain like 50 lbs and turn into a fierce and screaming b!tch. I mean, as if I am not all of those things already, right?**

Anyway, that's where I'm at at what is now almost 1:30AM. Hope the rest of you are sleeping well. Maybe I'll take a snifter of NyQuil to get me some ZZZs. If only hubby hadn't already done that. At least one of us has to be somewhat coherent enough to hear the child. Sigh.

HAPPY CHANUKAH!

HAPPY CHANUKAH to family, friends, and loved ones!

HAPPY CHANUKAH to my fellow Jews, my celebrating non-Jews, and all of you even remotely interested in celebrating!

Hope everyone has been enjoying the holiday so far!

Fill in the Blank Friday

Today's Fill in the Blank Friday statements are:

The children's show I can't stand is_____________.
But the show I secretly like is _________________.

The children's show I can't stand is The Fresh Beat Band. It makes me completely crazy, and although the songs are catchy, they stick in your head forever, the actors can't sing that well and they wear the same things every.single.episode. As do their child-counterparts. Not fun. Not fun at all. Maybe I despise them because the channel formerly known as Noggin advertised them so friggin much before their show even aired? And they changed their name from 'The Jumparounds,' and, well, they're annoying. Seriously.

But the show I secretly like is not really much of a secret. I totally love Charlie and Lola. They're adorable. Even if they don't have parents (in a Max & Ruby kind of way!) Oh! And I nearly forgot how much I love Peppa Pig! I wish we got more than the brief shorts, and really am ready for a 1/2-hr show! Something interesting in my enjoying the shows where the characters have a bit of a British accent, no?

Anyway, that's my deal. Click the button above to see more of what people are sharing about the shows their little ones enjoy!

Sick again ...

As if I ever have a day where I'm not blowing my nose ... my daughter's cold has hit me, just as I knew it would.

And I had to cancel my cookie swap for tomorrow. Anyone want a sugar cookie?

TGIF, I guess. Have a great weekend!

Have you ever been to a cookie swap?

Let me tell you about cookie swapping. It sounds kind of odd, doesn't it? I mean, who the heck wants to TRADE cookies, anyway?

Well, the first holiday season that I was living here in NC, I was invited to one by a co-worker of my hubby's who I had become friendly with. I told her I was totally clueless, and I had never baked anything from scratch in my entire life. She told me not to worry, and to just bake a dozen cookies per 12-13 guests. WHAT? I'd never baked that many cookies in one sitting in my entire life, let alone from scratch. Who was she kidding?

I tried to come up with a twist on the old slice and bake rolled cookies from Pillsbury. Did I mention clueless? And many months pregnant, don't let me forget that part. So hubby, who comes from a home where pre-made anything is rare and unexpected, came up with an idea of me making those peanut butter kiss cookies. He said his mom used to make them, so I could do them easily with peanut butter cookie dough and a nice variety of Hershey's kisses. I used all different flavors. It was kind of fun. I took some pictures of the stash when I was finished, just can't find them right now. So instead I'll share an image of my best friend when it comes to baking, you may know him well:


Second cookie swap, last year. I made TWO kinds of the same cookie. I felt like I was working from scratch, because I used my Kitchen Aid Mixer (you know the one) and it was a Paula Deen recipe. How cool was I? Not that cool, even Paula uses boxed cake mix now and then, and I loved her for it!

Now this year, well, I must be on some kind of drug or drugs ... because I not only participated in a swap last weekend through my mommies' group, but I am also hosting my own sort of swap this coming weekend! (Assuming my little one stays mostly healthy, but that's another post altogether.) So last weekend I made a medley of THREE kinds of treats. And I made two of them using this book of recipes:


And the last one using the recipe off of this box (the funfetti one!):
And for this coming weekend I've gone back to the book, and likely the box again, as well. Is it cheating to make cookies/bars from cake mix? I don't think so. You're [I'm] still putting in the hard work of making them, you're [I'm] doing more than I did that first year with the dough already ready for me, and, well, they're still pretty good!

So, the next (or first!) time you get invited to a cookie swap, don't say no because you're not a baker. Usually these things are much more casual than you'd think, and it's okay to just bring something simple and hang out with the girlz. I promise, I won't make fun of you or snicker behind your back. 'Cause what a hypocrite I'd be if I did! ;)

Wordless Wednesday!

Have you ever seen a fatter cat?

Info On Blog, Bid, Hope

If you are a member of the blogosphere you have probably heard by now about Anissa Mayhew. Although I have never met her, and only rarely spoken with her, I want to pass along the word on how to help her family through this difficult time.

Anissa is the mommy blogger over at Hope4Peyton. She recently suffered a massive stroke which has her in a hospital bed. Her hubby has been blogging for us with updates, and the entire community that she has touched is reaching out to help.

I learned that several blogs throughout the community are hosting an auction today with the proceeds benefiting The Liz Logelin Foundation and Anissa Mayhew. If you have not yet read the story of Matt Logelin, be prepared with a box of tissues, because there is more there than I could possibly sum up in one sentence.

And if you're interested in finding out what items are up for auction, and possibly placing a bid or two (or more, what the heck, right? It's for a great cause and you get something, too!) check out Mama Kat's site to find out about all of the incredible items available.

And count your blessings this holiday season. I know I already am.

If I cough ONE more time ...

I might scream. But if I scream, then I'll probably start coughing again. And want to scream again. You get the idea. It's a vicious cycle. And I hate it. I have been coughing for over a month. And while most of my days tend to be cough-free and stuffed up, this morning, for some reason, I'm suffering horribly with the bark-type cough that is so not fun.

I can't really drink water to make it better, I just cough that out again. I can't take deep breaths, I sound like I'm wheezing. I did take a nice, hot shower this morning, so you'd think I'd be having an okay day for a change. And my daughter slept in a bit, which gave me some extra bed minutes myself. But, alas, I'm coughing up a lung or two. And if we humans had more I'd be coughing those up, as well.

My hands are dry from the heat, it's cool and crisp out, but it's really overcast, so between a cough like this and the weather, I wind up with a headache to "beat the band," as my mother would say. What does that mean, really?

All I know is that I'd kill to be laying face-down on a massage table in a cabana by the water, George (Clooney, of course) as my cabana boy/masseuse, and a frozen daiquiri within arms reach.

And speaking of George Clooney, check out this recent post by That One Mom, so you can swoon a bit yourselves. Mmmn, yummy.

A Monday Meme

This is my very first "Not Me" Monday. For more info on this meme and what it's all about head on over to MckMama.

Now, as for me ... my week and then some (it's my first summary, I might as well give you some good ones!) of interesting nots is as follows:

* I would never attempt to wash my stall shower with baby wipes instead of actually taking the time to use real cleaning supplies, get in there and give it a good scrubbing. And I would certainly never do that several times. Over the course of several months.

* I did not sit my child down in front of the television today with a snack while I practically fell asleep on the couch, and that has never happened before, either.

* I've never spent some extra time in my bedroom with the hairdryer on after my shower so I could catch up on some reading.

* Oh, and I have never, ever had my back turned while my daughter put a bead up her nostril and she never came crying to me about it because I would NEVER be one of those parents who had that happen to them. I've never had to press down on her nose to push said bead downward and stick my nails as close to in her nose as possible to pull that sucker out.

Any "not me" experiences that you'd like to share? Feel free to go ahead and do so in the comments, a reminder that we're not alone is a wonderful way to end the day!

Manic Monday Morning!

Well, my brother, sister-in-law [though I refer to her as my sister] and niece left this morning, and it was a little manic for us all, I think. We had a wonderful weekend and last night I got a quick glimpse of what it might have been like had I had twin girls. To any mom or dad of multiples, I BOW to you all!!!

We watched parts of a movie (Bolt!) and played together, had snacks (love those GoGurts, frozen, best snack ever) we rolled cookie dough in flour, used cookie cutters and shared nicely, we ate pizza for dinner, played with Daddy/Uncle and then ate our 1-1/2 cookies for dessert. And THEN the fun started. The girls basically ran around for like 20 minutes burning their excess energy, or, what we would truly define as an instant sugar rush. Then they crashed and burned and actually both fell asleep pretty quickly. Me in one room with my niece, and hubby in our room with our daughter.

He moved our little one to her bed, and when my bro/SIL got home from the wedding they were at they moved their lil one to the crib, and the two girls shared the same room ALL NIGHT! What a pre-holiday miracle!!!

Anyway, it was a lot of fun, and we're mellowing out this morning watching Dora's Christmas Travel Adventure, or what I prefer to call Dora's Holiday Special. Ah, the joy of Nickelodeon, such power that channel has over us all.

Hope you all enjoyed your weekends!

The Can't Sleep Meme

So I've found out about a Sunday meme from Erin at The Mother Load.

Sunday Stealing: The Can't Sleep Meme!

Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed?
* Nah. Easy.

When is it hard to kiss someone?
* When you're falling asleep, your nose is stuffed and one or both of you has a fever.

You're trapped in a room with your most recent ex for three days, what do you do?
* Uhm, have a few really serious talks about our relationship, what our lives are like now, and what we're thankful for.

Does it matter to you if your significant other smokes?
* Yeah, he doesn't.

Have you ever regretted letting someone go?
* Not really. Maybe a friend, but not to the extent that I didn't feel it was the right thing to do.

Where would you go if you were butt naked and locked out of your house?
* I'd pray that the code for the garage door worked, otherwise I'd be reaching for our flag and wrapping myself up in it as best I could (it's not THAT big!) Then I'd run down the block to my friend's house and pray she was home.

Do you want to please everyone?
* Nope.

Have you ever been called heartless?
* Nope. B!tchy, maybe. But not heartless.

Someone calls you at 3:00 AM, who do you expect it to be?
* I am terrified that it's a family member and something is wrong.

Does it matter if your significant other drinks?
* He enjoys a nice brew now and then, and perhaps a rum and Coke, as I like my wine or my mixed beverage, depending on where I am. All's well w. that.

Could you go the rest of your life without doing drugs?
* Do prescriptions and OTC drugs count? ;)

Which is better, amazing eyes or an amazing smile?
* I enjoy both, but eyes are always what catches me first.

Do you want to get married and have children one day?
* I am already there ... so ... YES!

Are you easy to get along with?
* Yep.

Do you ever want to go to sleep and not wake up?
* There are certainly some days that I just wish I could sleep forever. I'm exhausted, sick, tired, overloaded, and wish I could sleep the day away. But forever, nope. See two questions up, I'm a mom, no way I'm checking out any time soon.

Are you shorter than your Mom?
* Nope, about an inch / inch-and-a-half taller. Which isn't saying much! ;)

Describe your life currently in one word:
* Content.

Are you on medication for anything?
* Uhm, yeah.

Who would you allow to read your thoughts for one day?
* My daughter. Maybe then she'd understand how exhausting she can be!

Are there things in your life that you will never be able to get over?
* Loss of a loved one is kind of difficult. I'll never forget the loss of my cousin's husband. He and I were both 27 at the time. It was sudden and completely unexpected. A terribly sad time for our family, and I truly believe that it changed our lives forever.

If you woke up naked next to the last person you kissed, what would your reaction be?
* Hey, you ...