Happy Birthday Mommy!

Making Mommy a homemade birthday cake with Grammie!

Liv was in charge of the party decorations - Care Bear hats, Disney 

princess party favors, balloons, and a banner - the works!

Liv also engineered the "surprise" - she played a drumroll on her drum as I walked out with my eyes closed and when she completed her drumroll, everyone yelled surprise!  This plan was set into motion at least a week prior to my party and Liv made sure we all knew our roles (including me!)

The birthday girl with the party planner!

(Speaking of a good start for 2011, I forgot to mention that I am going to be an aunt - again!  Holly and Matthew are due to have a baby in August - hooray!)

I got not only the monogrammed rain boots I wanted...

But also my brown riding boots!  I must have been a very good girl :)

My homemade cake, made with love by Grammie and Liv.  I think this may have been one of the best birthdays ever and it certainly softened the blow of turning 32!

A Good Start

As I hoped, 2011 has started out much better than 2010.  For starters (drumroll please) JEREMY HAS A NEW JOB!  (Loud cheers and applause).  As of Wednesday, January 19th, Jeremy is the Director of Internal Audit/Compliance at Madison Bank in Richmond, Kentucky!  Jeremy has been on the road since we were married in 2002, so we could not be more elated that he will no longer be traveling across the country and will finally be home every night with us.  And for those of you who are wondering, we have not yet come to blows - I hear that the "honeymoon" period is about 6 weeks before he starts getting on my nerves (I, of course, could never annoy anyone).

(At this point, Jeremy is standing over my shoulder snickering loudly).

I, for one, am really enjoying having him home.  I actually read not one, but THREE books this week.  I know you probably don't think that is a big deal, but it is to me.  One of my biggest stress busters is reading a book and I LOVE to read.  So when you haven't been able to read a book for over a year (and I do NOT exaggerate), it can be very difficult.  But now that Jeremy is home, I find that I actually complete all the items on my to do list.  We can fit in Lilly's therapy, a home cooked dinner, baths, bedtime, and everyday household chores in before 9, which leaves me a whole hour to myself!  We also get to spend time together and aren't rushing on Saturday to cram a week's worth of chores and errands into one day before he heads back out on the road.  These days we look at each other and just say in wonder - so this must be what a normal family is like!

As for the girls, Lilly has started walking and she is into EVERYTHING.  She took her first steps before Christmas, but one day recently she realized that walking was not as difficult as she first thought and just took off.  She bumps into walls, face plants into the floor, and trips over toys, but nothing stops her - she just plows ahead.  It is funny to watch her waddle along, particularly because she is so small and looks so much younger for her age.  I have a feeling she will be running before I know it.  She has also taken to sign language and can sign to us when she wants her milk, to eat, and when she is "all done."  She has picked up a few more words, waves and claps loudly, and has become so interactive.  I see her growing into a toddler so fast!

Sadly (for me), she has become a Daddy's girl, not caring much for Mommy unless she is hurt or feeling bad.  I keep trying to get her to come over to my side, but no dice - she loves "da da."  I guess I shouldn't be surprised since I can't pry Olivia from my hip :)

Unfortunately, at this moment Lilly is into Mommy since she has developed a nasty cough.  I tend to get very nervous when Lilly falls ill, so we are starting a round of antibiotics in hopes that will kick it.  We have increased her chest therapy and added an inhaler too, which eats up a lot of our time, but hopefully it will all pay off in the end and this bought of sickness will pass quickly.

Liv is back into the swing of things with school and her new ballet/dance/gym class.  She LOVES the Little Gym and begs to go back there for camp (she attended a morning camp over the Christmas break) and dance class.  She also is doing well in preschool and we have been so pleased with St. Elizabeth Ann Seton that we enrolled her for next semester for 4 half days a week.  As I mentioned in a previous email, we have decided to grow Liv's bangs out and when she wears them back, she looks so much older!  I guess I shouldn't be surprised since she turns 4 in just a couple of months.  She has already hit a growth spurt and grown out of her 3T clothes, which has left me scrambling to find cheap winter clothes until the Spring - not easy to do at this time of year.  The worst part is that she is too big for her 3T clothes, but still a little short and skinny for her 4T clothes too.  So she either looks like she is wearing highwaters with a tight mid-driff shirt or is swallowed up in a sweatsuit with pants that continually slide further down her (non-existent) "bum" and hips.  Oh well - I just tell her to pull her pants up and we move on!

All in all, 2011 has gotten off to a good start, so we are crossing our fingers that things continue to move in a good direction!

Etsy Fanatic

So I have become a complete Etsy fanatic!  For those of you who don't know, is a website where anyone who makes anything can sell their wares.  There are SO many creative homemade items and vintage pieces on this website, it is a shopper's dream (and can be very overwhelming!).  For my first purchase, I found these adorable knitted owl toboggans for the girls.  The seller is Babeestiches and she makes some adorable items!  I am seriously about to snatch this giraffe toboggan up for Lilly (as if she needs two toboggans) ...

While I was in a creative mood (and clearly a mood to shop), Mom and I also found some beautiful jewelry, the proceeds of which go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  I found this necklace at Lora Elizabeth Stamped Jewelry .  This woman's jewelry is beautiful, but even more important, she created this piece with her daughter, Grace, in mind, who has Cystic Fibrosis.  When I saw it, I had to have it. 

It is a good thing I budgeted for Christmas or I would never be able to afford my new expensive habit of shopping for unique, handmade items!

P.S.  If you are inspired to check out Etsy, you should also check out my Nanny's Etsy site - Whimsy Bits by Ash.  She made matching t-shirts for Liv and Lilly like this one...

And matching pompom t-shirts like this one...

And a necklace like this one for me for my birthday!

As you can tell, she is very talented!

C...A...T...S...Cats! Cats! Cats!

I have discovered that Liv is a much bigger basketball fan than a football fan (compare these pictures to those going to her first football game).  I think she likes the cheerleading outfit better than the oversized sweatshirt and toboggan.  As you can see, we are growing her bangs out and while the process is painful (most of the time she refuses to wear it back in a barrette), she looks so adorable with no bangs.  It makes her look so much older, don't you think?  My baby is growing up way too fast!

Dancing Queen!

Liv starts her spring semester at the Little Gym on Richmond Road this week.  She graduated from her Funny Bugs/Wiggle Worms class and we have enrolled her in a dance and gymnastics course.  It involves tap, ballet, and gymnastics.  Of course, she is only 3 1/2, so the regimen is not too rigorous, but I thought it sounded fun.  We had to buy her tap and ballet shoes (do you have any idea how expensive those are?  I paid almost $50 for both at Payless Shoes of all places!).  She absolutely loves the tap shoes - surprise, surprise.  We also bought her a few dance outfits and inherited a few dance outfits courtesy of Anderson Bowe for her to wear - because honestly, the fun of taking a dance class is twirling in your tutu, isn't it?  This is a picture of Liv trying on her new dance outfit and tap shoes.  She loves to twirl!

Buh-bye 2010! Don't Let The Door Hit You On Your Way Out!

I would like to say that I am sad that 2010 is over, but I am not.  I am relieved.  Sad to say, but it was one of the most difficult years of my life.  The first four to six months of 2010 are a fog to me - I barely remember anything but grief and sadness.  Lilly's diagnosis really marred 2010 for me and it makes me quite angry that I have disliked the first year of her life so much.  This should have been one of the best years of my life, but CF really put a wrench in it.

The latter half of the year has been an attempt to recoup, but 2010 has continued to pound on us.  Earlier in the year we lost my eccentric Great-Aunt Edna and by Labor Day we lost my Papaw.  Less than a month later we almost lost my Uncle Freddy.  Uncle Freddy continues to attempt to recover at St. Joseph East, but after multiple surgeries, he is yet to be healthy enough to go home.  Finally, we lost my Great-Aunt Rainey, my grandmother's sister, and one of the matriarch's of our family.  Frankly, as far as health goes, this year has just plain sucked.

All this was on top of us attempting to adjust to the financial and emotional strain that a second child (particularly one with a chronic health problem) places on your marriage and your life in general.  I think I spent most of 2010 on my feet and I cannot remember the last time I actually laid down and read a book (this is compared to me reading 2-3 books a week a year ago - a stress buster I desperately miss) and just talked with my husband about something other than money or kids.  Add the additional stress of trying to care for 2 small children while your husband is gone for most of the week, and I can safely say that 2010 was exhausting - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

That said, the year still had its moments.  It is, after all, my first year with Lilly, who alongside her sister, light up my life.  Anytime I get down, all I have to do is to look at those girls, and my spirits lift.  They are truly a blessing.  I also finally found the courage this year to recognize how unhappy I was in my professional life and found a new job that both challenges me and gives me the balance I have always sought.  Further, Jeremy and I have learned that we can handle so much more than we ever thought.  We are a much stronger couple, and much stronger individuals, than I ever imagined.  I can't complain in that regard.

Regardless, I have counted the days, hours, seconds until 2010 was over.  I am praying that 2011 is happier and healthier.  Every year, Dear Abby posts a New Year Resolution poem in her column.  I think a portion of it is exactly what I wish for 2011, as 2010 has taught me to take it one day at a time:

Just for today:  I will live through this day only.  I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow.  I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once.  I know I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.


Just for today:  I will be happy.  If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.


Just for today:  I will accept what is.  I will face reality.  I will correct those things I can correct and accept those I cannot.

So 2011, I will just take you one day at a time and pray that you will be kind to me and my family.

Liv's New Bicycle

Geared up and ready to go!

So excited!

A long way from home...

"Daddy, I can do it all by myself!"

Mommy and Lilly bringing up the rear...

So excited to be out in the 60 degree weather 

(after half a foot of snow only a week prior)!