Our anniversary!

...I wish I could blog about spending my anniversary with Ben all day BUT the reality is I will probably see him for all of an hour tonight.  He left Monday for Shreveport / Monroe / you know, "God's country" and is scheduled to get home around 10:30 or 11 tonight.  I am sure we will tune into this week's 16 and Pregnant, drink a glass of wine and call it a night.  This week with Allie has been such a blessing.  I don't have the opportunity to stay with her solo very often so I relish when I actually get to.  She has been sick - diagnosed with a double ear infection on Monday, April 18th...didn't get better so we got two Rocephin shots, one on Good Friday and the other on Saturday, April 23, then made another visit to the pediatrician on Monday, April 25th because she was still miserable.  We are now on Augmentin, which I detest with an absolute passion, but I will say, the s*** works.  Poor Allie barely "toots" and craps out her diaper, she gets an AWFUL - I mean GOD AWFUL diaper rash that looks like I poured scalding hot water on her hiney and private.  We wind up on a topical diaper rash cream AND antibiotic to 100% heal it within 3 days of starting the damn medicine.  Can you tell I HATE Augmentin?

Anyway, my Allie - even though she's battling a sore "bum" (my English is coming out due to the royal wedding in less than 6 hours) she has been the happiest and most fun kid this week.

Today I had a parent-teacher conference with Ms. Crystal.  I brought her lunch (she's wonderful...deserves much more than just lunch) and when I got to LSU this is what I saw...Allie normally does not nap in her crib so it was awesome to see that she finally did!

When I got home, I found Roxy trying to pull an "ET" on me...can you find her amongst the aspidistra?

Allie always naps on our way home from school.  Today I jokingly put her shades on her face and look at their position when we got home.  I think I am raising a diva.  She clearly left them on her head the entire trip home...they simply fell.

Allie "Hollywood" ate a little Gerber Graduate meal for dinner - mac and cheese with peas and carrots...she devoured almost all of it then ate 1/2 a banana and 10 or so yogurt melts.  She has to be on a growth spurt.



After bath - which was semi-traumatic because her "bum" hurts - we played in the new play room for close to an hour.  I ordered a bunch of clothes for her from Gymboree and UPS delivered them today.  It's amazing how kids notice "new" things...the box and plastic wrapping were a real hit tonight.

After I finally got it away, she decided to scoot on over to the end table and discretely (I got onto her a couple times before) try and pull her new clothes off.  Turkey.

The 1-year anniversary of my mom's death is coming up soon, and I feel her presence every day.  I have a lot going on right now, and hope to share some good news within a week or two, and it is amazing how often she is around me.  Tonight I opened up the refrigerator to grab a Michelob Ultra and the "born on date" was March 9, which is mom's birthday...she would have been 53.  Something so blatantly obvious, staring you in the face...she's powerful!  (sorry this is sideways)

Allie Hollywood!

Over the weekend, Eric ("Dr. Bubba") McCathran and his amazing wife, Jill, came down to watch their youngest son, Matthew, run in a track meet at LSU.  Matthew (from Marshall) walked on to the University of Colorado track team and ran the 4 x 400...he's such a good kid.  Mrs. Jill (I need to come up with a nickname for her for Allie) bought her "Allie-gator" a pair of shades and she decided to give them a test tonight.  What...a...frickin'...ham BUT I love and enjoy every minute of my little class clown.

"Mom, I'm wearing my shades because you won't quit taking pictures of me."

Notice the lethal teeth on the bottom...

"I'll keep my shades on my head just in case I need them"

"I'm annoyed, please stop, feed me a bottle and put me to bed."

Making a dining room a play room!

My parents always taught (and showed!) us that you do whatever you can for your children.  You always want more for them than you had.  Perfect example...

Back in September, when Allie was a little over 3 months old, we realized the need for a small play "area" - a place with a rug or two (our house has hardwood floors) for safety and comfort where she could lay on a play mat, play with toys, etc.  So we did just that by turning our breakfast area (connected to our den and kitchen) into a play "area" (see picture below).  It was great because I could cook and let munchkin not only play but also watch TV.

Well...now that Allie is mobile - VERY mobile - and close to walking...not to even mention the fact that our toy collection has grown exponentially since October, we decided over the weekend to turn our formal dining room into a bigger play area.  While this sounds like an awesome idea, I now have so much CRAP to find homes for!

This was our formal dining room (hence the hanging light) but now it's munchkin's play room.  Eventually the couch will need to find a new home.  Anyone in the market for a sectional couch with custom pillows?  LOL

This was our formal living room...now the dining room.  Yes, I need to decorate.

View from den, looking at play room and formal dining room

What to do with all this stuff? 

Hallway...no idea why I threw this in here other than the fact that I love my new 20 foot runner!

Old play "area" - this is now a racetrack when she gets in her car (literally)

Allie's room!

This week...

13 years ago today...my best friend, RBR and I went on our first date.

...and 4 years ago Thursday (April 28th) I married my soulmate.  I love you RBR...enjoy the pics.  :)