I Just Want To Shake This Chick

I didn't plan on writing anything today, but then I happened to catch a segment on trash tv about Heidi Montag. She was being interviewed about her recent plastic surgeries...all 10 of them! I have to give the show props for at least questioning her about her motives and the message this sends to other girls and women instead of just telling her she looks wonderful.

For me, plastic surgery is a mixed bag. I am not totally against it, but when someone does an overhaul like Miss Heidi did I think it's a sign of a deeper emotional problem. I can understand the whole, "regain your confidence" thing (especially after seeing how pregnancy can change a body), but when you need to fix problem areas that don't actually exist, that's where I draw the line. I know this is a hot topic button for a lot of people, but I just had to put it out there. If I met Heidi I'd probably want to shake some sense into her (like any mother would) and then hug her and tell her that she is beautiful.

What needs the overhaul is her self perception and confidence, not her body.

Laundry Fail

So ya' want to know what's NOT fun??? That would be going through the laundry fail that happened to me yesterday. Domestic goddess that I am, I decided to multitask several chores so I threw in a load of laundry and went off to sweep and wash up the dishes. I heard the machine cut off went to the mud room to switch everything to the dryer. When I opened the machine, nothing could have prepared me for what I discovered.

No, it wasn't a red sock in with the whites...or bleach on my darks.

It was something that is supposed to help prevent messes. Yep, it was a pull-up. Let me rephrase that, a Busted Pull-Up! My Monkey still wears them sometimes at night just as a precaution, but no more. I'd rather wash sheets a hundred times over to avoid the mess I made yesterday. In my haste to accomplish maximum work in minimum time, I overlooked the pull-up that was in a pair of pajama pants. As I pulled each article of clothing out of the washer, I had to shake off a thousand of little gel pellets. It was an absolute mess! Two rinse cycles later, the clothes were mostly clean and I was able to dry them (no harm done). Moral of the story:

A bad job done twice is never as good as a well job done once.

...or my moral: feign incompetence and hope your hubby will do the laundry instead.

It's The Cuteness

My favorite place to shop for children's clothes is Gymboree. Absolutely adorable clothes for girls and boys (and cute boy clothes are hard to find) and when they run a sale, the prices are reasonable. I just used my GymBucks to pick up a few spring items which I'm saving for my Monkey's and the Bug's birthdays.

Just look at this cuteness!

...which I'm sure he'll insist on wearing to swim lessons every day!

The sweetest dress eva'!

Oh, she's gonna' be a doll!

Alright, time to do a bit of housework...trying to keep the clutter to a minimum these days to stick with my NY resolution! And just f.y.i, the Bug is still on sleep strike. No morning nap = cranky baby and a Mama who will need a glass of wine tonight!

Also, if you're looking to enter a fun little giveaway, hop on over to The Treat Girl and enter to win some sweet treats!

Weekend Highlights

Here's the highlights of the weekend (not because I don't want to write, but because the Bug is a demanding little thing that will not give me more than 2 minutes of peace).

Saturday:
Went to a baby shower for a friend...held a newborn...officially got baby fever again.

Got together with a group of girls from college to have lunch, talk, randomly decide to watch video of scary moments from my bachelorette party, then need a drink to erase it from my memory again.

The Bug decides that sleep is for the weak and reverts back to her newborn days of eating every 3 hours through the night and will only go to sleep on my chest.

Sunday:
Go to Sunday School because my Monkey L.O.V.E.S going to church! This makes me a very happy Mama!

Grocery shopping. Where I manage to spend a lot of money and leave with minimal food.

Bug repeats her eating/sleeping routine. I officially lose the baby fever I had caught.

Monday:
Sleep to 9am, awaken to breakfast in bed and the kids being sent to the sitter's so I can have a leisurely day to myself. Okay, this part was just a dream. Actually awaken at 5am to a screaming babe who demands to eat 4 times in 2 hours. Nurse twice, bottle twice. Can we say growth spurt?!

Go with my Mama and the babes to have Bug's picture taken in her Christening gown. They are lovely!

Ride out to land to see where the RedHead met with the contractor and marked the house corners.

Now you're up to speed and from the screaming coming from the nursery I'm guessing we're in for night 3 of this new bedtime routine. If you don't hear from me for a few days it's because I'm trying to get this child to sleep! Please send encouragement...

Top Five Friday...Southern Edition

photo courtesy of www.southernliving.com

Welcome to this week's Top Five Friday! I'm going to share with you a list that is near and dear to my heart. The top five things I love about the South!

#5. The speed of life. This one was hard to label because it is so abstract...a certain Je ne sais quoi, as the French would say. I like that life passes just a bit slower in the South. I know the buzz of a big city can be exciting, but I like a life that is a bit more leisurely. This quote sums it up best:

"In the South, the breeze blows softer...neighbors are friendlier, nosier, and more talkative. This is a different place. Our way of thinking is different, as are our ways of seeing, laughing, singing, eating, meeting and parting. Our walk is different, as the old song goes, our talk and our names. Nothing about us is quite the same as in the country to the north and west. What we carry in our memories is different too, and that may explain everything else."
--Charles Kuralt in "Southerners: Portrait of a People"

#4. The accent. Whether it's men, women, or children, I love to hear the drawl of a Southern accent. I know some people might take a few IQ points off the top when they hear me talk, but that's a risk I'm willing to take to keep my accent. (...and if they underestimate you, you can really show 'em who they're dealing with later)

#3. The respect for tradition. There are too many to name, but traditions involving church, family, sports, etc are respected and there's something to be said for that.

#2. The food. Oh my! Well, there's the biscuits, the cobblers, the sausage gravy, grits, and everything fried (which is personally my favorite category): chicken, okra, squash, and Fried Green Tomatoes!

#1. The men. I love the way they are gentlemen (at least some of them), their accent, and their work ethic. If all else fails, slap something seersucker on them and a bowtie and my heart melts!

These are the things I love about the South. What do you love about where you live (whether it's in the North, South, or out West)?

**If you're looking for a way to help those in Haiti, check out this lady. She's offering links to some great resources!**

Passing It Along

A southern thank you to Kelsey of Damask and Diamonds for this award:

I am supposed to tell 7 interesting things about myself and then tag up to 7 other beautiful blogs.

Here it goes:
1. I constantly struggle with wanting to be creative and right brained because by nature I am extremely left brained and great with numbers.

2. I have a tattoo on my back that means "Dream." I got it after I finished college and it has a special meaning to me.

3. I wanted a LV purse for a long time and finally bought one, but sometimes I feel guilty carrying it because I hate for people to know that I spent that much on a handbag...even though I love it and it goes with everything!

4. I am a 27 year old beginning ballerina.

5. I love to make a pound cake. I love to follow the steps, adding the ingredients in a specific order and it always reminds me of my Mamaw since it is her recipe.

6. I have dated my hubby (the RedHead) for 12 years...since I was 15!

7. I really want to adopt from China (I even have a book saved for my little girl if I ever get to one day. It's called The Red Blanket.)


Ok, was that the longest list ever or what! Sorry, but sometimes Southern women are long winded...people just have to live with it.

I tag these two ladies that I've been reading a while:
CK at Bad Mommy Moments

Jenny Penny at Welcome to the Momplex

And two new friends:
Laura at Cowboy Boots and Baby Booties

Julie at The Vuong Family

Get Low!

Another milestone in my Bug's baby life happened last night. I had put her to bed and like usual she was cooing (okay, maybe a bit of crying too) herself to sleep so I didn't think much of it...but she just. wouldn't. quit. I went back in to get her and try feeding her a little more and to my surprise the little priss was standing up in her crib! I should have known this was coming, but I think I'm in denial because I just want her to stay little a bit longer. So we lowered her crib mattress and I cried a few invisible tears because my baby is already taking steps away from being a baby! I've seen this happen before...
one day you have this: (My Monkey at 1 year)
And then you turn around and there's this:(My Monkey at 3 years)

I know these moments won't last forever and that is why I'm enjoying every minute of Bug being a baby.

On a side note, my first day tutoring went extremely well! I made it and believe it or not, my babes did too. I thought they'd miss me a little more?! :)