Big Girl Bed

My mom just got back from a two week trip to Georgia w/ my Grandmother. She found a toddler bed for DD at a junk/antique shop while there. I can't tell you how excited I am about this. I am so ready to have our bed back. Don't get me wrong, I loved having Celia close to us at night. It was nice because both DH and I work out of town. We only get a few hours a day with her so it was nice to get that time at night. BUT, I am now dying to get her out of my bed.

I had one of my horrible mommy moments this past weekend. She and I went to bed at 7:30 Sat night (early for me) because she was so tired and ill. However, I think she was too tired because she refused to go to sleep. She tossed and turned, moaned and groaned and continuously kicked me in the head, face or stomach. I was calm for a while, but by 9:30 I was sleepy. I was yelling to the top of my lungs for her to "be quiet and go to sleep".

Now I know she is only 18mos which is the reason I feel horrible for yelling. That wasn't going to do anything to calm the situation at all. But I'm sure we all have those moments. The one redeeming thing about it is that she isn't going to remember it.

I feel horrible that I haven't posted pics lately so I will remedy that this weekend. Until then, cross your fingers and pray that the transition to a big girl bed goes smoothly.

Dinner tonight

I've been a little under the weather today. My SIL called late this afternoon to see if I could go w/ her to see Prince tonight. REALLY??? I really wish I wasn't feeling bad today.

But since that's not the case I just put dinner in the oven. I am trying The Pioneer Woman's chicken spaghetti. I made it a month ago and put it in the freezer. I am really going to try to do this much more often. On nights when we don't have anything already made, it would be so helpful if I could just pull something out of the freezer. So here's the recipe:

Ingredients

* 2 cups Cooked Chicken
* 3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
* 2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
* 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
* ¼ cups Finely Diced Green Pepper
* ¼ cups Finely Diced Onion
* 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
* 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
* 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
* ⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
* Salt And Pepper, to taste
* 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Hope it tastes as soon as it looks.

RESULTS: It was fabulous. I would definitely recommend trying it.

Craft Projects

OK! So I mentioned last week that I had developed a shopping obsession since my DD was born. I am beginning to think that maybe I should learn to sew. My mom and grandmother are very talented and could teach me. For those of you crafty moms, do you think I should? Do you sew at all? Do any of you make your kids clothes?

Also, I would LOVE to learn how to crochet. Do you have any suggestions on where I could learn? Has anyone ever tried youtube to learn? I was wondering whether it would be easier to do this or go to a yarn store. I think this could easily save me some money with hats. Anyone agree or have any other suggestions?

Thanks!!

18 Months

I absolutely can't believe that my DD is 18 months today. It seems like I was pregnant with her for two years and that I just had her yesterday. DH takes her to her appt this Friday so I will post details then. My guess is that she has finally hit 20lbs. I hope and pray she has. She is a very healthy little girl, but she is tiny. Currently she wears 12mos in most clothes although I am putting her in 9mo pants which is OK because it is spring and they look like capris. I have to use 3-6 mo Ruffle Butts (obviously I think they run big). Her pedi was very worried about her for a while and she got the diagnosis of...

FTT - Failure to Thrive. Which annoyed the CRAP out of both her daddy and me. She has hit all of her developmental milestones on time or early. She hasn't been sick all of the time. Of course she has had the typical infant illnesses, but nothing extraordinary. And she got that diagnosis. I joined the FTT message board on Baby Center and those kids seem sick. A lot of them have horrible reflux or other digestive issues and some even have feeding tubes. Really??? Cecelia was breastfed and never had reflux even once. She is just skinny. Both her daddy and I were small when we were little. My nephew was breastfed and he was tiny too. Still is. Oh well.

I'll take skinny. It is a better problem to have than the obesity problem children today have. I want my child to have a great self esteem. I'll give details later this week.

OK - Blood Pressure

I started taking my BP meds a few weeks ago. I have only taken half of the dosage the dr recommended and it has worked really well. I feel better. Still tired, but I am beginning to think that isn't going to change until my DD is 20 and out of the house. I didn't take my meds Saturday night and by 4pm on Sunday afternoon my BP was 135/98. Really??? One dosage missed and it was up that much.

Teaches me my lesson. I won't be missing any more doses. I am that 30 something that has my meds in the 7 day a week pill holder. The sad thing about that is that I have been doing this for quite a few years. I blame this solely on the fact that I made fun of my FIL when DH and I got together 12-13 years ago

I am also going to try to walk every day this week. I can't promise that is going to happen, but I am going to try. We'll see.

Babes and Sages

I just wanted to give you guys a heads up. Please check out the link on my left for this very talented, crafty, soon-to-be mommy. She has some great products and we can all benefit if you click on her link from here. Hope you enjoy.

One more for Diaper Bag obsessions - LOL

Just wanted those of you with the same obsession to know that there is a Petunia Pickle Bottom outlet sale this week with the proceeds going to the Japan relief fund. Here's the link to register. I have bought both the discontinued and the seconds before and haven't had a problem with either. The one and only complaint I have ever had is shipping costs. But it can be worth it. Here you go:

http://www.petuniaoutlet.com/register/

And I promise, they didn't contribute to any of the blogs this week, although I certainly wouldn't mind some PPB sponsorship. LOL!!

Addictions

Since we started talking about addictions and problems yesterday. And I can use we since there are those of you that read the blog. (LOL) I saw that someone commented on the last post about a diaper bag obsession. I'll call it an obsession rather than an addiction. Doesn't that sound better???

I am in LOVE with Petunia Pickle Bottom diapers bags. I have three. And none of those are the diaper bag that is used every day. My MIL got me a Thirty One diaper bag with Cecelia's name on it that she takes with her to the baby-sitter ever yday. I love it as well. Does anyone have any brand of diaper bag they like more than others. I want a PPB Cake bag, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around paying that much for a bag. For a baby carrier, not so much, but a bag I haven't been able to do yet. If they do come out with a dark purple cake bag, I might have to bite the bullet, but it hasn't happened yet.

I am wondering for those of you that do wear your babies, what bag do you prefer. I want one that I can clip onto the wrap/carrier, but I haven't found one that I love yet. I need it to be big/small enough for 1 or 2 diapers, wipes, my money, CC and possibly keys. So it doesn't have to be big, and I do want something neutral enough to use with most of my baby carriers.

Give me some ideas people..... And try to keep them relatively inexpensive. ;-)

Images above aren't mine, but they are a few of the bags I have

Raising my hand

Hello. My name is Joy and I am a shop-a-holic. Is anyone here with me? Prior to giving birth to my DD, I was addicted to buying card making/scrapbooking supplies. I did make cards and still love the idea of scrapbooking, but I just don't do it anymore.

Since having my DD, I have been addicted to shopping for her. I don't think I have bought a single thing for myself to wear since having her. This could have more to do with the fact that I haven't lost nearly the amount of weight I wanted to. Therefore, I just wear my old fat clothes or elastic waists. LOL!! My DD, however, has more clothes than I could have ever imagined. And we have quite a few baby carriers. What can I say? I love to wear her.

Help me stop this madness!!!! Any suggestions??????

check out this awesome giveaway.

God and Sad Times - LONG

I hear so often, "where was God when this happened" or "how can you believe there is a God when so and so happened to such a good person and he allowed it?" You know how I know this, because I survived being so very sick for two years. I don't compare myself to cancer patients or people w/ acute serious illnesses, but I have chronic migraines and they got really horrible for a few years and I was essentially bed-bound or at least house-bound. In all honesty, had I not had God in my life, I probably would have ended my life. There isn't a shadow of a doubt in my mind, that God had a very active role in me getting better. Am I migraine free now some may ask. The answer is no. But they are so much better than they were for a few years.

I was sitting at work this afternoon and picked up devotional I have here. I haven't looked at it in over a year (SHAME ON ME). I have the One Year Mini for Women. AWESOME. I was looking at the pages for 3/1 - 3/3. It brought back so many memories of how desperate I felt during those days.

March 1 Devotion
My emotions go up and down. How can I best handle them?

God's Response
I cannot keep from speaking. I must express my anguish. I must complain in my bitterness. Job 7:11.

God created your emotions, and it's perfectly natural to experience highs and lows. However, your emotions can distract you from God if you worry too much, get caught up in doing the wrong things, or let anger control you. Don't deny your emotions, but don't let them master you or cause you to sin. God has given you the emotions of sorrow and joy, peace and anguish, love and anger, gratitude and doubt, and all can be used to deepen your relationship with him. Express all of your feelings to him and let him address your needs.

My HUGE newest Love

Of course, I think the majority of you know who I am talking about.   It is the little rug rat who is now running around much faster than I can keep up with.  I have had HUGE dreams of her for years.  I sometime wondered whether it would really come true.  But after 10 years of marriage, my dream came true.  And here she is.  One of my newest, but most special LOVES!!!

Her favorite place to sit on the sit and spin.  LOL!!

On the phone constantly

she shares pretty well though

Cheezin at someone

Trying to be helpful

Advice needed

OK.  I have been having some health problems lately.  I went to the Dr yesterday and was put back on my BP meds as my blood pressure hasn't been under control in a while.  I need advice on how to spice up my cooking and recipes w/o adding excess salt.  The problem is that I LOVE salt.  Unfortunately, it doesn't love me back.

Another thing I need advice on is how to transition my DD to her own bed.  DH and I have co-slept with her pretty much right from the beginning since I was breast feeding.  And I have loved almost every moment of it.  The problem with this is that I now want my bed back.  I am tired of being sicked in the back of the head, pushed out of my bed (OK, I might be exaggerating a tad bit w/ this one) and now waking up wet because she peed out of her diaper.  Please any advice would be greatly appreciated with this one. 

another LOVE

I am one of  the luckiest women on earth.  My DH is one of a kind.  He is my best friend, my greatest love and my partner in life.  I hit the jackpot with him.  He on the other hand, didn't get dealt the greatest card when he got me.  I got sick on our honeymoon, ended up in the ER when we had been married for 2 weeks.  In the 11.5 years since then, I have been inpatient 10-11 times, some for up to 11 days.  For the years I was out of work due to my migraines, I checked out.  I didn't do anything around the house.  And I mean NOTHING.  I stayed in bed for days on end.  If I did get up, I ended up in the recliner in the living room.  I didn't cook, clean, do any laundry or pretty much anything else.  And the bad part about it is that I didn't care.  I didn't think about what it was doing to my DH.  I don't mean to sound like I was mean, but I just didn't have the time or resources to focus on anything other than myself and trying to get better or die.  He still does the majority of the housework and does a great job taking care of our DD.  He is my hero.  And I LOVE him.  I just hope he knows how much.