Ooops...It's Been Awhile Again...

Okay okay...I'm slacking off on my blogger duties... So here goes, time to play catch up. Now, I know what you're thinking. Here she is, making a valiant attempt to reclaim some sort of blogger status, and she's promise to blog a heck of a lot more than she has been. True, I need to get back in the blogger world. I will try to blog more. But things get hectic around here more and more, and when it all comes down to it, I'm exhausted!

I went to the Spa yesterday and used the gift certificate that Andy gave me for Christmas. I switched out the pedicure for a facial--not due to having a huge fit when someone goes near my horribly crooked toes. It was a more of a "my feet are icky, they hurt, and should probably seek some form of medical treatment prior to exposing themselves to god knows what at a spa" type of situation. So off I went to the spa, for some "me-time". It was beyond worth it. Two and a half glorious hours of perfect solitude and relaxation. I had a 1 hour hot stone massage, which was amazing, followed by an intense facial--translation: "multiple layers of goo, scrubs, rubs, masks and creamy stuff--oh and 15 minutes of suffocating steam being blown on my face"--making my skin amazingly smooth. Then she suggested, more like went ahead with something incredible. She tinted my barely there, invisible, blonde eyebrows--to match my hair color! It was intense at first, I mean, I've gone almost eyebrow less for as long as I can remember, so you can imagine my reaction when I go to the mirror and see brown furry lines above my eyes! Not to mention alot of red skin around my eyes, due to waxing that area... I felt so incredible when I left there, and can't wait to go back!

Have had a rough week with Liam, mostly with molars/teething. Today was one of his best days th0ugh, and he didn't nap!! The spa definitely gave me a much needed break, as Liam had become alot of work this past week, and I was at a breaking point! He has been non-stop lately, exploring everything in his world and loving every minute of it!

I won a pretty new digital camera! I won it at Safeway, on those pull-tab tickets they give away at the cash register. I was in shock! Usually all I win is a few airmiles! Never a camera! Should be ready to pick up in the next few weeks! YAY!

Should run though, will try to blog more tomorrow! Night all!

I'm Failing As A Blogger... or am I?

Okay, so failure as a blogger is not something to take lightly in my world. Especially if I am the failing blogger in question. It has been almost a month since I last blogged. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging and all that it entails. Having the general public read about my mishaps, teething woes, food finds, random rants, and other crap-ola. But I digress...

Liam has been teething the past few days... yep, we're right back where we left off. He takes it pretty well, except for today, when, nothing went right for him. Mommy and Daddy couldn't figure out what show to put on for him, what he wanted every second. Apparently he had deemed us utterly useless, and went around howling to prove it! We finally figured out that he wanted to watch the Wonder Pets save the silly nutcracker for the 10 millionth time--and apparently "millionth" is a word, as my spell check didn't catch it! Score! He has been sleeping better though, which is always a good thing. That child doesn't function well without sleep--wonder where he gets that from--I'm looking all innocent, I swear.

I managed to badly sprain my wrist last week. Not just any wrist, my right wrist. I was trying to get into bed, and not crush Liam in the process... rolled my wrist, heard and felt a pop, and then my hand went numb. This was at 1 in the morning, no way was I going anywhere. Waited til the morning to get it checked out. Had popped a tendon, pulled some ligaments, and I think pinched a nerve. Nonetheless, it hurt like a bugger, am still wearing a brace, but it's getting better every day. Still have some tingling in my fingers, but not as bad.

Other than that, did a trip to the zoo, as the weather had been really nice. Have been going for lots of walks, trying to get Liam used to the grass... He's doing well on it now, wasn't too sure at first. Have been trying to get caught up on laundry, as there was a few pukey nights... sigh...

Went for Easter dinner with the family last night, at my Aunt and Uncle's house. Had yummy turkey and all the fixin's, and I made Apple Kuchen for dessert. Will get back to food blogging and post a recipe soon! It's sooo good! There was only one slice left, so it must have been good! And my cousin Kris, was amazing with Liam--they became buddies right away, walking everywhere. Who would have thought a 13 year old would have so much interest in a little guy?!

Did Chuck E' Cheese awhile ago too, for Aidan's b-day. Had a blast, but it was super busy, and I argued with a dad who was throwing the balls at skee-ball. Sorry again Manders, just didn't want Liam to get pegged in the head--was sooo close to it!

Should run though, need to check my email and watch the movie "Bedtime Stories". We bought the blu-ray, as we had a $10 off coupon for it from the Disney website.

Take care all! Cheers!

Birthdays, Turtles & Employment

I admit, it's been awhile since I last blogged. My dedication seems to be somewhat lacking as of late. I promise my few but faithful readers, I will blog more. I swear. I promise. Yeah, we all believe that, now don't we?!

Went to Miss Emma-bean's second birthday party on Sunday. Definitely had a great time, once Liam realized that all the people there are okay to visit with, and that Aidan's room will always be there--he sort of gravitated to it. He's not used to large crowds of people, so he sought comfort in Aidan's room apparently-he especially liked the big boy bed! Emma was absolutely adorable--she wouldn't have it any other way--and was amazing at opening her presents! Thank you so much Manders for having us!
We are now the proud owners of 2 aquatic turtles. There is also a blood parrot fish--they always look like they are smiling--you can see what they look like HERE . The turtles are fantastic, very entertaining, and very healthy eaters. They were eating feeder fish and butter worms today, along with dried shrimp and romaine lettuce. Tasty combination for them, I guess! They know when it's feeding time and when it's night time, and are always curious when we go past their tank. They have taken on the names Hide and Seek for now, makes sense.

Liam is still teething, but the problem one finally cut, so it's a little bit easier on him. His gums are still swollen and he still has more to come, but as long as he has lots of sleep and bits of tylenol, he's his normal happy self. He's become quite the little ham, always ready to put on a show for anyone who cares to watch. He has learned to blow his nose, and also blows insane amounts of raspberries. He continues to amaze me more and more everyday!

Finally...I got a job. I am going to be doing personal care at a nursing home. The nursing home is beautiful and the grounds are very scenic--definitely different than some in the city. I start next Thursday--I can't wait. I mean, I love spending time with Liam, but I need a bit of a break. I also need to figure out/prove to myself if I can do it. It's part time, they're flexible with scheduling, and the pay is decent. We shall see how everything works out. Poor Liam has to be up 3 hours earlier than usual though, just so I can get him to my dad's house, as Andy is working my first day. Might make it easier on my dad, being so tired, Liam might crash easily for his nap. I've got 2 pairs of scrubs, will still look for a third. That way, I won't be having to do laundry all the time. But, the main part is, I have a job. The nursing home is giving me a huge chance, as I don't have very much experience, just the training I completed through school. So, off I go, to prove everyone wrong, and show them I can do it!

Tomorrow, we are off to the Science Centre hopefully. The weather is getting better by the day, so might as well get out and enjoy it while we can! Not sure what we will do on Saturday--time and weather will tell, I guess. Until next time, I'm off to bed! Cheers!

Traffic Court, Teething and Turkey

Thank you Rubbermaid, for making extremely durable storage boxes. Liam decided it was the perfect place to sit today!

It has been awhile since I blogged last. Things have been hectic lately, but I am actually able to sit down for a few minutes and ramble! I went to Traffic Court on Monday to give a statement against the person that pulled the hit-and-run on me last year. Thankfully Liam wasn't in the car at the time, and I wasn't hurt. And also, chasing him down, though stupid, was definitely worth it. So, off I went to court, expecting to take the stand. Was informed that the reason I was there, was because he was fighting the careless driving charges, but pleading guilty to the hit and run charge. After sitting through other traffic offense cases, his name was called, the police and lawyer talked to him, and convinced him to plead guilty on all charges. I was more than happy with the decision, as it meant I didn't have to take the stand--I've done enough of that lately, and still have more of that to do in the future.

Liam has been teething like crazy lately, working on a stubborn tooth that finally had a point cut through today. He has other molars coming, which are making him a little unpredictable and fussy, but nothing like he could be. Otherwise, we've been spending lots of time at home, playing and watching his favorite shows. He got a copy of the new Wonderpets DVD today, so he was watching alot of that--thank you Mr. & Mrs. H.

Have been battling a head cold the past few days, which hasn't been fun, but it's not too bad. I've had problems with my sinuses all my life, so it doesn't really phase me now...

Made a huge and very yummy turkey dinner last night. Thank you mom and dad for the bird--it was perfect! I did the stuffing in the slow cooker, made mashed taters, veggies and gravy. Sooo good! We went to Coffee n' Scream after dinner to let Liam play, which wiped him right out. Makes me wonder if he's catching my cold, or if it's the possible chinook that will be coming, or all teething... Hmmm...

We bought an ice cream maker the other day. We found it new on the classified ad web sites I check out all the time. It had never been used! We have made 2 batches of ice cream so far. Last night we made a 5-Layer Bar Ice Cream--toasted coconut, sweetened condensed milk, pecans, graham cracker chunks, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. So scrumptious and completely sinful! Tonight we made an eggnog ice cream, which would be fantastic to top a fruit crisp with!

Tomorrow will be a lazy day. Andy goes back to work tomorrow night, so will be sleeping during the day. I really would like to get caught up on laundry--mostly putting it away, so we shall see. Will definitely try to get in a nap again tomorrow--had one today and it was amazing! I felt alot better when I got up...

Should run, gonna watch some TV then curl up in bed... I love my sleep! Cheers!

Stress, Teething and Exhaustion

Grandpa P. & Liam
Haven't blogged in a few days, mostly due to being extremely tired. I tend to get overtired and blah when I get stressed, and my MS tends to flare up quite a bit. As well, I have an extremely sore left jaw. I think I have been clenching my jaw at night when I sleep, and I also suffer from temporal mandibular dislocation with both jaws-meaning, my jaw doesn't line up properly and clicks rather loudly. I can actually say I have a big mouth! So, needless to say, it hurts. Motrin has been helping alot and I know if I de-stress myself, I will feel better.

Went to Chinook this morning with Liam and my parents. Did a big mall walk, well, run. Liam was moving it pretty good today, and was so proud of himself. Dad and Liam went on the carousel--watching Dad turn white and look sick? Not good. They should really slow that thing down! I think that is why there is barely anyone riding it at any given time-they know better!

And Liam is getting smarter by the day. If I say "no" or "ta-ta" to him, he sticks out his forehead for a kiss to say sorry. If I am not facing him, he grabs my face and turns it toward him. It's absolutely priceless! He was a bit grouchy today, mostly due to teething--yep, he's still teething. It's been non-stop! He also hates being in his stroller now, as he loves to walk! Can get a little frustrating when we're in a busy store, but we make the best of it. I am going to take him to a quiet mall tomorrow morning and let him walk to his hearts content.

Tomorrow afternoon, I am off to court. This is one of the reasons for my stress and exhaustion. This is different than my own court case. I am going to give a statement against someone who did a hit and run on our car a few months back. He not only did the hit and run--but I caught him about 8-10 blocks away--but he only had a learners. And it wasn't his car. So, that's the plan for my afternoon tomorrow. Andy is going to get up early (he's off tomorrow night) and look after Liam. So a mall walk in the morning to tire Liam down is probably a good idea, as anyone other than me getting him to nap? Not easy.

Needless to say, I'm enjoying the vomit free days and nights now. Just get tomorrow over with, and I will feel a bit better. Get my own court date in May over with, and things will be alot better. There are still some other issues I want to deal with, but will keep you posted on the results.

Should run, am going to have some soup. Comfort food. That's where it's at. Might even curl up in bed with a book and ear plugs--just kidding about the ear plugs...maybe... Night!

Better Days Ahead...And Losing Pounds

So we went vomit free last night. We cut down his milk yesterday, increased his solids, gave 2 doses of tylenol, and a dose of his anti-gas meds in the evening. Seemed to do the trick. He went down at 10:30pm--I know, it's late, woke up 1/2 an hour later with a nightmare, woke at 2am to sleep with me, and we woke up at 8:15am. Rested, happy, and puke free. And, he's already down for his nap, a whole hour earlier. We'll just keep it up--it's basically guess and test with him, meaning it's alot of work. But we shall keep going, as we seem to be making progress!

Went for our weigh-in today. Andy lost a whopping 8.6 pounds--in a week! I lost 1.6 pounds, so am down 4 pounds in 2 weeks! We're definitely back on track. We did a treat mini-lunch after weigh-in, which we like to do. It definitely keeps us motivated and not feeling completely treat deprived. And moderation is key. And being active. I know that we are more successful come the warmer weather, ut we are looking into going to a gym soon, so we shall see. Should be good to see what happens in 2 weeks at our next weigh-in! And I didn't fall this time, thank goodness! Their sidewalks were completely clear and the clinic owner was very apologetic and worried for us.

We're taking it easy the rest of the day, letting Liam relax with his constant teething. Might try to get to the zoo tomorrow, as the weather is supposed to be nicer. And visit my parents tomorrow, bring up some things for storage.

Until next time.... Cheers!

More Vomit & Needing A Break

I had 2 nights of Liam not vomiting. I apparently took it for granted, as he was sick and miserable twice tonight. To all of the medical professionals that say that teething does not affect babes, please come and see me. They can come and scrub my carpets, wrestle him to bed, do endless loads of laundry, and dread bedtime as I do. It was a 2 hour long fight, he's been down for not even half an hour, and he's stirring again. I broke down after I got him to sleep. The frustration and lack of sleep was building, and I just had to run back down and settle him... Tomorrow, we'll cut down more on his bottles, monitor his solids, and give him some of his anti-gas meds and see how tomorrow night will be... he definitely needs to cut down on his milk.

We are off to Grandma's tomorrow to do her biweekly cleaning. We'll see how Liam is in the morning, if he's iffy, I might leave him with Andy and go myself. I would prefer for all of us to go, that way I can get her cleaning done, and she can visit with them. We shall see what the morning brings....

On the plus side, as I am starting to relax now, Liam was doing so many new things today. We tried fingerpainting again, with more success. Granted most of the paint didn't go on the paper. It was on his booster chair, me, him, his forehead, the table... everywhere. But the finished product, as you can see, was worth it. Then I got busy in the kitchen doing dishes, and left him in the livingroom to watch In The Night Garden. He gets really into the show, so silence doesn't surprise me... He doesn't really get into anything, so I didn't worry, but checked on him. He was laying on his side on the couch, watching his show, drinking his juice from his sippy cup. It's new to us, as he has sensitive hands, so he doesn't tend to hold things. But there he was, curled up, chugging his juice. Then at dinner, he was playing with his ride-on car, swung his leg over and got on. He moved it back and forth with his feet, sitting proud, then got off, and managed to do it a few more times... So the nights may be hell, but the days make it worth it... usually... he's stirring again... sigh...

This doesn't mean that I don't want a break. How I would love a couple hours by myself, with no worries. I am going to see if my parents will watch him Friday after dinner, then I will go and pick up groceries and unload them. They said they would watch Liam next week so Andy and I could go for dinner, which I am looking forward to alot! I just need a break. And some help. There is alot of laundry and cleaning to get caught up on, and I got behind after I slipped on the ice. So the next few days, I get to play catch up while Andy looks after the kiddo... Thankfully... I did have a hot bubble bath tonight though, after having amazing takeout from Montana's... It hasn't been too bad, all in all. I just dread bedtime, as I worry for Liam... It's always a guessing game with him puking... sigh...

Tuesday is weigh-in. Definitely glad we're back on track. It feels good to be doing it, and I love revamping favorite recipes to make them healthier--I'm always up for a challenge...

Should run...am getting caught up on recorded shows... Survivor... ahh... Cheers!

Late Naps & Happy Heart Day Tomorrow...

Then & Now...what a change for sure!!!!
Am having an early break today, as Liam is having a very late nap. We had a rough night last night, but he slept until 10 this morning, so I can't complain. He was fussy about food this morning, tired, but wouldn't sleep. Went to the mall with my mom, walked around, bought him a soccerball, which he loves. He finally crashed at 6:15 tonight, and is still sleeping an hour and half later... So, we shall see what tonight will bring.

My dad is having a rough time. He seems to have gone backwards with his progress, and had to use his cane. I desperately want to help him, but I'm not sure how to go about it. I hope he takes it easy and focuses on recovery, instead of pushing himself to the limit, which he tends to do. We shall see...

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I agree with you Manders, it has become highly commercialized. We agreed not to spend very much on each other, but to spoil Liam instead. You shouldn't need a day to show how much you love someone. You should show them you love them throughout the year equally. I find it's the little things that he does, that makes my heart melt. I was crying the other day, as I was upset, and he took my hand and just held it. Or when he treats me to something from Lush or watches my shows with me. I love how he is now with Liam, they walk around together, play on the floor. Andy looks out for us, provides for us, and takes care of us. I appreciate him and what he does for both of us more and more each day. He keeps me going, makes me laugh and teaches me new things. He's my rock, my best friend and my everything. I don't know what I would do without him! We definitely have our adventures and we have sure made some amazing memories. We stand by each other through everything, and he fills in for what I lack--I hope I do the same for him... Through my struggles with MS, other health problems, emotional problems and the court case, he has been there, with open arms. We definitely complete each other, and no matter what, I always know he'll be there...

Tomorrow is still up in the air, and is dependent on the weather. If it's going to be super cold, then we're staying in. But if it's half decent, I'd like to get to Superstore to pick up a few more jars of baby food, Liam's milk, and a few odds and ends for the week. We shall see what tomorrow brings, I hate the cold weather! I also need to figure out something to make for a "romantic dinner" tomorrow night... hmm...

Should run...peanut butter and jam are calling my name... and motrin, am still very stiff and sore... Cheers!

UPDATE: Liam got up at 9:00, and didn't go back to bed until 11:45pm... my goodness... hopefully tomorrow will be a bit easier... but he didn't throw up!!! Yay! A break from laundry...for now...

Vomit Night #4, A Green Elbow, Exhaustion

He's such a cutie!!
So Liam threw up again tonight, making it the 4th night in a row. It always happens around 10ish, so I know to possibly expect it. I altered some of his eating and bottles today, making sure he didn't take in too much milk. Sadly, he's teething really badly, and his gums are just bulging! This always happens when he teeths, so I get used to it. But I'm getting overtired from lack of sleep with him, and having to stay up to finish laundry nightly. Last night, it was my clothes, his clothes and my comforter, then a 2nd round of vomit produced another load of laundry. Tonight was nothing compared to the past 3 nights, probably because I limited his bottles. I'm slowly figuring it out... Tomorrow I'm going to cut back more on his yogurt, not give him apples or pears--he gets too much gas, and take it from there... We shall see... I did some research online about his vomiting, his problems with solids, and so on... His pediatrician had mentioned he is a sensitive gagger. So, there is a condition of Hypersensitive Gag reflex. I read some parent's stories and concerns, and they are identical to the problems with Liam. It will definitely help to go to the nutrition clinic, they can offer help in how to feed him, as it is something he will have to grow out of... so what I learned is, patience is a virtue, as it might be a long road... there were a few 5 or 6 year olds that were still having issues. The upside of this is, it presents a challenge, which I want to tackle head on. Alot of the things we've been doing are correct, and we are not to force new or different foods/textures on him all the time. We should space them out, so we don't make his eating experiences traumatic. Others suggested doing 6 mini meals, instead of the pressure of 3 main meals. Others suggested starting over, with single foods, then mixes... So, we shall see. I'll make a few more changes tomorrow....

My elbow has turned a pretty shade of green, and both are sore and stiff. My back, hips and neck are still pretty sore and stiff, but it could have been alot worse. Bylaw was called, and they went out to check on it, so they will be maintaining it more often.

Walked Chinook Mall today, got Liam pj's and socks, and pj bottoms for myself. Exciting stuff... He sure loves his walks... Will try to get him walking tomorrow, depending on the weather. Looking outside right now, the snow is is falling... Should run... Cheers!

Puke, Flames & Broken Glass...A Week In Review

Liam in his new jersey from Mr. & Mrs. H, looking soooo adorable. And Liam on the couch with Daddy, ready for action.

So, almost another week has gone by...I've tried to blog more, I truly have. I'd love to know how many people really read this though! I know of a few, who don't leave comments, but definitely let me know you're here!

I'm sitting here watching the Grammy's. I absolutely love them, and make a huge point of watching them every year. It's definitely interesting to see the changes in music--and fashion--styles, from year to year. I'm still not sure if some of the artists actually look in a mirror before they go on stage, but it always makes for a good laugh.

The title of my blog simply describes our week. Liam had a 2 day break from teething, and was sleeping great. Then his teeth starting flaring up again, so sleep was lost, puke was expelled on numerous surfaces, and tears were shed. It's truly amazing how much puke a carpet can handle, but I think it will be reaching it's limit soon. We have been doing lots of mall walks, which definitely benefits all of us. It's absolutely amazing and adorable to watch Liam trotting around like a little man. So priceless.We bought him new shoes, as he was starting to outgrow his other pair--sorry, Mom, $55 shoes were adorable at the time... We went to Payless for his new ones, a cute pair of Airwalk skater shoes, with a skull stripe pattern. He loves them, and gets so excited when he sees his shoes, as he knows it means a walk.

I went to my first Calgary Flames game yesterday. It was an absolute blast! I went with Andy and his brother Craig, and hiked all the stairs, as our seats were at the very top. I'll admit, most of the time I didn't have a clue as to what was going on, but that didn't stop me from having fun! Granted we lost the game, the stairs were killer (I found an elevator after the first period), and if I jumped I could touch the ceiling. But it was loud, there were some good fights, and the concourse is very cool. Yes, I'll admit it: I came for the food! They have a Good Earth there. And Pocket Dawgs. And highly overpriced, but sooooo tasty, nachos. And peanuts in the shell. I felt so horrible just throwing the shells on the floor, which Andy thought was hilarious. It was definitely a fantastic time, and I would love to go to another game! But in closer seats. Definitely...

We thought we heard a gunshot outside our place this afternoon. I went to the kitchen, didn't see or hear anything else, so didn't think anything more of it. Andy went into the kitchen to grab a drink, and found the cause of the loud bang. A glass bottle of Perrier had exploded and shattered in our fridge. Apparently the top shelf of our fridge is extremely cold, causing the bottle to freeze and explode. So, we spent alot of time cleaning green shards of glass from every crevice in the fridge. Definitely crazy!

Tomorrow we are going to head to Chinook to do a mall walk, check out the carousel, let Liam strut his stuff. For the rest of the week, catch up on chores, sleep, and laundry. Until next time, Cheers! Oh, and enjoy the video I snagged from Hey Lola ! She is hilarious! Poor kid though! Gotta love the gas!

A Poop In The Hand Is Worth A Million Laughs...& a week in review..

It's been another week since I blogged last. I truly mean to blog more often, then things around here get hectic, and it falls to the bottom of my ever-growing to-do list. So here goes. We are now the proud owners of a van. We had been debating this for quite some time, and it came down to the fact that, we were outgrowing our car. Grocery trips were tricky, travel impossible. So, it was time for a van. Yes, Amanda, vans can be cool. I just beat you to the coolness factor. Just kidding! We bought a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SE. It's black, big (my goodness), and fully loaded. It has 2 dvd screens, so Liam is in heaven, slide-down windows on the sliding doors, a rear back up camera--so helpful, a hard drive to save music and Wonderpets, and lots more fun stuff. It has low mileage, and is in immaculate shape. I absolutely love it! And Mr. H., it does feel like I am driving the president around! Or the mafia, I'm not sure which. Sad thing is, the first night we were driving it, we managed to get it stuck backing out in the alley. Too priceless! Thank goodness for cat litter and alot of pushing from Andy--sorry! Oh! And it has stow and go seating! I love it!

We went to the Glenbow Museum on Saturday. It was a fun morning, and Liam walked every floor of the museum. The Mavericks section was Andy and I's favorite, definitely something to check out again. And the Marilyn Monroe exhibit was definitely something to see. We will definitely be going back there, even Liam liked it. He was knocking on the display cabinets, and thinking the rock display cabinets were fish tanks... priceless...

Have been doing alot of mall walks lately, and Liam can do laps of the malls now. He has been teething alot lately, and I hope for his sake mostly, that he gets a break soon. We're still working on solids with him, and will be going to the nutrition clinic to see if they can help. He has been climbing up and down on the couch like a pro, mimicking everything we say and do (no more trucker talk around here--f$%#!!!), and playing with poop. Yes, the child who hates things touching his hands, casually reached in his diaper today, and retrieved some poop. He thought it was hilarious, I panicked. And scrubbed him down. And sanitized. And scrubbed some more... He must have thought I had gone crazy! Definitely something to remind him of when he's older... priceless...

Went to the weight loss clinic yesterday for judgement day. Christmas was good to us... so was New Year's... and any other holiday that is observed across the world. We both gained, but it was a good learning experience. So, the main thing, we're back on track. Watching portions, drinking more water, getting more active. We're planning on joining a gym downtown soon, and they allow use of the pool too, which will be fun. Am also going to take Liam swimming to Mom & Tots swimming programs twice a month, and keep up the mall walks.

Am definitely enjoying the quiet time right now. There hasn't been alot of it lately, as Liam hasn't been sleeping well the past week. It's amazing that he can take up most of a queen size bed with me... Too adorable! I'm a bed hog too, though, so it's only natural. We fight for space... and speak of the devil.... Until next time... Cheers!

Makes You Wonder...

I have been really good at regular blogging lately. Could be the cold weather that keeps me in, or the crazy last minute shoppers bombarding my favorite stores (one of them being Wal-Mart), or just the fact that I have more to write about. Tis the season to blog apparently. Liam is finally napping, thank goodness. I'm really hoping that those teeth cut soon, he's having a horrible time with them. I have tried to take a peek in his mouth, but to no avail. He was even drooling today, and there is always something in his mouth to chew on. Poor little guy. He threw up a few times last night, and didn't have a good sleep, so this morning he was a little miserable. I have booked a check-up on Monday for him with the doctor. I need to be reassured about his lack of eating chunky solids, and hopefully figure out something other than ovol for his gas issues--which only affect him badly when he is teething...

Am patiently waiting for more Christmas cards in the mail. Have sent out 42 cards, with photos and letters (and this blog address), and have received 5 or 6 so far. I sent out around the same last year, and got around a dozen in return. Hmm...

Andy went out to Okotoks today to see his parents. He said the city roads on the way were slippery, especially around Chinook Mall, but the highway was perfectly fine and dry. Crazy. I'm glad he made it safely, and he should be returning soon with a full "sleigh". He'll be going to his Uncle's later to drop off pressies too. You'd think he was jolly old Santa himself!

Really need to get working on my foodie blog--I have a ton of recipes and food finds to put on there! And I will probably re-do the background and colors. I love it!

Am having a guilty pleasure moment--watching Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Is it a bad thing that I can still recite the opening song? I know some of you out there can do it too, you just won't admit it.

Might try to hit the mall tomorrow. Would really like to hit Lush for a few last minute pressies for Andy. I know it will be crazy busy, and I meant to get there last week, but the weather was horrible. So, I'm going to brave the crowds and craziness tomorrow. Will keep you posted if I come back in one piece or I have a shred of sanity left in me.

We're starting new Christmas breakfast tradition this year. We're going to make an "unusual" breakfast every year. Something we wouldn't have on a regular basis, or ever for that matter. This year, we are doing Captain Crunch French Toast, from the show Diners, Drive-In's and Drives--it's on every Friday night on Food Network. The show is fantastic, even though some of the dishes are a heart attack waiting to happen. Make sure you check out the show! Should be fun to come up with something every year for brekkie!

Should run, need to be a little more productive, but this dang couch is sooo comfy! Cheers!

He's Napping...Sort of..

So Liam didn't nap yesterday. He crashed at 4:45pm, in the car, after visiting with my parents. He slept until 7:30pm, then didn't go back to bad until about 11pm. Sigh. Whoever wants to tell me that teething does nothing to a little guy can come visit anytime. He's not miserable or fussy, don't get me wrong. Just very unpredictable, which can be hard, as he was on such a good schedule. His diaper rash seems to have improved--we found a butt cream that had a higher percentage of zinc oxide in it, and it's easier to apply. So far, he has been napping for almost 2 hours, which is amazing. He was so sleepy before he went down, that he would crawl to a pillow on the floor and fall onto it.

Am almost ready for Christmas. Will be doing a bit more baking, and putting together some treat containers for Uncle Fix-It (Jim), Andy's parents and my Grandma. Andy is heading out to see his parents tomorrow morning, and to load up the "sleigh". Thank you so very much for everything Mr. and Mrs. H., in advance and in general. We will be going to Mom and Dad's for Christmas Eve nibbly's, then after Liam goes down, we are going to watch Scrooged and National Lampoons Christmas vacation. Definite holiday classics!

Should probably run, will update more later. I love this new layout! Cheers!

A Long Day

Liam was up at 8:45 am this morning. Good and sensible time to be up. Nap time is usually 1pm-ish. Today? Not-so-much! He finally crashed at 8pm this evening, wasn't too moody, even though he couldn't sit up straight near the end. He is teething really badly, which usually means they are about to cut. I've changed alot of icky diapers today, put on and cleaned up alot of penatin cream--thank goodness for leather couches, and had pukey laundry created--after I had put the last load in the dryer this morning. Yes, it could be worse. I suffered minor bite wounds today, got a little slobbery, and got clung onto worse then static cling. It wasn't too bad. He's supremely cute at times when he is overtired. Bad part was, I was exhausted. I had stayed up the night before cleaning, doing laundry and decorating more for Christmas. Plus, we've been cooped up in the house together for the past 4-5 days. It's a wonder we're not plotting against each other yet. But tomorrow is another day. Hopefully his diaper rash will have eased up with the half tin of cream on his tushie. I'm going to get him out a bit tomorrow, get him a change of scenery.

Have posted the yummy recipe for Hamburger Minestrone Soup on my other blog. Perfect comfort food for these bitter cold days! Hope you all enjoy!

And Manders, I hope you have a wonderful birthday tomorrow! Sounds like last night was definitely fun! You're only 30 once! Huggers!

Should run, going to get back to my sappy movie watching... I can actually kick back and relax, as there's not alot of cleaning left to do--still have to make a few bottles and run the dryer... Night... and he stirs... Please stay asleep! Please stay asleep! hmmm...