Family Pictures!

We took our first set of professional pictures this weekend. We went to Kiddie Kandids,

and even though my first impression was it was kinda cheesy and ghetto-ish...they still did a great job getting Ali to ham it up and take some great pictures. I was overall happy with how things turned out, and the prices allowed us to get a lot of every picture we wanted, without spending a ton of money. Here's a preview of my cute lil' family:

Looking over the finished product caused me to reflect back on the past 7 months...I realized how special my family is to me, and how they have become my entire existence. I mean, before Ali I loved KK and he was my life, but not my WHOLE life. I didn't devote every minute to him, or even want to. I have always been an independent person- and I made sure that I had my own activities outside of our marriage. Of course Kris had his too. We spent great time together and made each other a priority, but we often had nights where each of us would be doing our own thing, and we were both ok with that.
But ever since Ali came into our lives, our priorities have changed immensely. All that I WANT to do is be with her and her daddy. When we are home, we are always together as a family, in the same room, hanging together. Either KK or I is on the floor entertaining our little miss, and it seems our activities have now switched to include only the things we can do with each other and our baby. And you know what? I LIKE IT THAT WAY! I prefer my family over my alone time. Don't get me wrong, every now and again I look forward to a fun girls' night or having a nice long bath to myself.. but being with my family is what I prefer the mostest.
What I'm trying to say is that I really realize what I do have, and how lucky I am to have it. I have a wonderful husband who loves my daughter, who is my best friend, and who really loves me and enhances my life. I have a perfect, happy baby who loves her parents and looks to us to teach her all the wonders that life has to offer her. I need to soak it up while I can!

7 months already!?

Where does our time go, baby cakes? I cannot believe that you are 7 months old today! I feel like it was just yesterday I was proud of you for lifting your head off the floor.. and now you are sitting up, rolling over, clapping, and just becoming your own little self!

I hope you know that even though I am so busy, I still love you so much, and I feel it to be the most joyful, rewarding, humbling experience to be your momma! I love you munchkin-pie!

A baby and her best friend

Ali is absolutely in love with our doggie, Jack. She laughs every time she looks at him or Matty (he's our other dog, but doesn't really want anything to do with her). Jack, on the other hand, is such a nice boy- he let's Ali love on him, which includes a fair amount of tugging on ears and pulling hair.

She's also learned how to clap her hands! It is so cute... and amazing how proud me and her daddy are of her and her new trick!

...and from watching this video, you should hopefully get a peek into why this baby's nickname is Wiggles :)

March 17, 2009

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!!!!

Appetizers Please!

To all my domestic divas, cooking queens, baking aficionados- I need ya! Please send me some EASY recipes for appetizers and/or desserts! I gotta bring one to Bunco on Friday... and I got nadda!

Kthanx! :-)

Good Times

Although it is SNOWING currently... and on March 9th we've got about 5 inches of fresh snow on the ground... I have to say that my weekend was great! Got lots of good, quality family time in and my little girl really shined in her personality this weekend. She is coming to life and on a daily, almost hourly basis she shares with us another great perk of her personality. I love her more and more every minute I'm with her... I can never get over how thankful I am for her sweet self!

Ali enjoyed her first pancake this weekend... don't worry, she got it all !

We also moved her to her big-girl carseat(which by the way I got a great deal on, so click that link!)... so I had to take a last picture of her in her infant seat.

She's doing this no-lip smile thing lately, it's hilarious!








This is MY baby doll from when I was little... her name is Lauren, and Missy loves her as much as I do!

LOVE IT when she grabs her toesies!! Stubborn Miss won't roll over from her back to her tummy, but she sure does love to hold on to those piggies and roll from side to side!

For My Girls

Came across this poem today when I was prepping for Creative Writing class on Monday...thought y'all would get a kick out of it :)

Homage to My Hips

these hips are big hips.
they need space to move around in.
they don't fit into little petty places.
these hips are free hips.
they don't like to be held back.
these hips have never been enslaved,
they go where they want to go
they do what they want to do.
these hips are mighty hips.
these hips are magic hips.
i have known themto put a spell on a man
and spin him like a top
--Lucille Clifton

TGIFA!

Thank goodness it's Friday Already... and we only have students for 1/2 day... and softball practice was this morning- whoot whoot! That means I get a full afternoon to catch up on my work and hang out with my sweet baby girl and her daddy! And what else would we be doing on a Friday night? You guessed it- watching basketball! The local community college is hosting its conference tournament this weekend and that is where you'll find my family! Not my best idea of how to spend a Friday night, but you do what you can with a hubs obsessed with basketball (and who's trying to get hired at said community college as one of the assistants for next year's team)...

And I must mention AI's wild card pics last night. Although I am glad the judges stepped in and brought back some of my favorites:

I was sad to see Ju'Not go... I really liked that guy= he was a likable dude! And I was soooo happy annoying Tatiana (don't know or care how to spell that) and Nathaniel did not get picked- the hubs was threatening to ban AI in our home altogether had they squeaked in! ... and adding the top 13 was a great twist at the end- nice job producers on keeping Season 8 happening!

I'm not too sure yet who will win my votes; this season does not grab my undying devotion as seasons' past... but I'm not giving up yet! I am sure there will be 1 or 2 contestants that I will end up rootin for before all is said and done!

And one more thing about a certain contestant. Hubs and I were talking about how this year doesn't seem to have any rocker dudes or anyone that really sets themselves apart. I was telling him that I thought Adam might emerge as sort of a rocker. To this KK replied, "he's not a rocker, he's emu"....

but what he should have said is E-MO....

apparently he doesn't pay attention to the high school slang these days............ HILARIOUS!

... and now I'm off to use my plan period as a Starbucks run- I'm such a devoted teacher!

Have a good weekend !

My how things have changed..

I looked at myself in the mirror this morning and saw a tired shell of the woman I used to be. My hair needs to be dyed (think 2 inches of grow-out); I have zits covering half my face (hello, puberty over yet?); and the bags under my eyes! Oh geez, I never thought that I could have dark circles and bags such a I've seen lately on this face!! It's incredible what being a busy mother does to you. I look terrible! And I feel like I don't even have an extra 5 minutes to try and spritz myself up a bit. It's bad, people!
As I sit and type this, I am looking at a picture of hubs and I, taken the day before our wedding. I look so youthful- not a blemish on my skin... my hair is pinned and curled, with no visible roots.. and rested! Oh... the good ole days!
I feel like I need to take better care of myself- after all, I am only 27.. but I just can't seem to muster the energy, let alone the time....

Boundaries?

If you've never heard me talk about my mother-in-law... you're lucky... I mean, go here to get some background on my current bitch.

And for all of you who are not sick of me talking about this, here is what I'm currently annoyed with. The woman is all up in our business, all the time! Apparently she has developed a passion for cooking, and is now making dinner and bringing it over between 2-3 times a month. She doesn't stay and eat, just drops off random stuff, and I'm annoyed. Why am I annoyed at free food, you ask? Because I do not NEED dinner cooked by my mother-in-law. My husband and I are both capable people- HIGHLY FUNCTIONING ADULTS- who can run a household without her help. What I can't figure out is why she feels the need to do this for us. I just WIIIISH she would leave us alone!!! Why can't we just live OUR lives, without her having to make us a basket, drop off some random wreath to hang on our front door for EVERY FRIGGIN HOLIDAY, or decide we can't cook dinner by ourselves!
It's enough already, lady! Get your own life so you can get out of ours!!