Tea Pots and Socks

First of all how are we already 5 days into December? I'm linking back up with emyselfandi.com for Midweek Confessions and my first has to do with just that.  Its December and I've yet to do a Thanksgiving post.  I can't post what I've written because I can't load the pictures.  I am out of space on my hard drive and am terrified to delete anything.  Yes I have backed it up but I am a little paranoid about having things in more than one place since the flood. Chris is about to kill me.  Anyway hopefully I can get that going in the next few days.

-If I didn't already think I was going insane and completely loosing my sense of organization, I am convinced my child is plotting against me.  Of course her only pair of clean socks are in her teapot behind her crib.  It is the perfect storage spot.  Right next to the wooden spoon and pitcher I landed on when I climbed into bed :)

-E is starting to tell me when she has to go "potty".  I'm sure she didn't mean she wanted to actually put both feet in the toilet, which is exactly what happened in my attempt to get her there quickly.  Mommy fail.

-While trying to explain to my mom about the gift tags I'm using on our presents, it came out.."and that's how I'm labeling my patients under the tree".  Yes, that's what happens when you combine work and home and a very tired brain.

-I took my mom over to the house tonight to check on the progress. As soon as we walked through the front door Emerson loudly exclaimed "Mess!".  Out of the mouths of babes.  She stole the word right out of my mouth.  Maybe I'll let her write my closing email to the builder.

-I had the pleasure of operating one of the race car shopping carts for the first time.  Lets just say Publix should be glad its aisles are still standing and no patrons are suing them.

-And as a final reminder to myself.  Don't think you can "run" into Publix with heels on and snag a quick card without landing on all fours in front of customer service.  Thats what I get for breaking my loyalty to yoga pants and tennis shoes.  :)

Here's hoping y'all are feeling slightly more organized and steady on your feet as we kick off this Christmas season.

love this girl

17 months

This past month has flown by.  I feel like time always moves faster through the holiday season.  Somehow we have a 17 month old.  We are so thankful for her sweet and funny spirit.  We had a rough few weeks with 4 teeth coming in :/ But it looks like we may be in the clear. For now. She has been so chatty this month.  She will copy every word you say.  Chris thought it would be funny to teach her to say "sketchy".  She unfortunately latched right on.  She also tells Riggs to "sit", but has managed to turn it in to a four letter word.  She says it over and over as she trys to climb in her high chair or a bumbo.  Nursery workers, I'm sorry, its not what you think.  That being said, little miss is definitely learning to push her limits.  So far she has proved to be a little hard headed but a pretty quick study.  Poor thing says "no" whenever she sees a flower now, because she was intent on picking all of my mom's new neighbors bushes.  Hopefully I didn't scar her, although if she is anything like her momma she may have to learn to look from afar.  No green thumbs here.
My favorite new phrase is "wuv you".  I could hear those sweet words all day.  She has also mastered "orry" (sorry) Although this one is accompanied by a hand gesture we can't quite figure out.  It looks like she is thoroughly put out with having to say it.  She loves making towers from her stacking cups, collecting every gumball and acorn in site, and loving on her monkeys and babies.  She has gotten pretty good with the spoon and fork and is not a huge fan of assistance in this area.  We hear "outdee" a million times a day.  This girl could live outside.  Poor thing doesn't understand the week of rain.  Mama either for that matter.  We have solved it with extended play time on the big bed.  Our mattresses are on the floor since our bed is in storage.  She loves being able to get up and down and tell us "night-night" as she snuggles in.  Too bad she wont stay still for more than half a second.  This girl is all about her crib.  You can forget about it in the big bed.

I broke my number one holiday rule.  Apparently having kids has caused me to break a lot of my "rules".  I love the holiday season more than is probably normal, but I like it one at a time.  And in order.  No Christmas before Thanksgiving, with the exception of a Peppermint Mocha of course.  I like to shop at the stores that pledge to take it one at a time.  Nordstrom, thats you.  For Christmas I wish you would come here.  Anyways, my parents were in town and the Holiday Festival of Lights (didn't we used to just call it Christmas Lights?) were up so we bucked our system and took a ride through.  Emerson absolutely loved it.  She was in complete awe and the excited noises that came with each new display would bring the biggest cynic to tears.  In addition to causing you to break rules, like her riding in the front seat through the lights, having kids apparently causes you to be a complete sap.  I am so excited and we are so blessed to get to experience all the holidays through her eyes.  It forces you to slow down and take it in.  Appreciate all the little details.  Be captivated.  That little 17 month old is teaching her momma as much as I'm teaching her.

Trick or Treat

Halloween may be one of my favorite holidays.  Since living in a condo we don't see near the trick or treaters that I would like.  Thanks to my good friend Katie, I got my fix this year! We headed over to their house for some chili, costumes, meltdowns, and sugar.  This was E's first trick-or-treating adventure. She was unsure at first but by the end Chris had her rolling. Oh and another friend made this little number.  Maybe one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth.  Try it!

Yup, that about sums up the first hour.

Thank you Katie for the festivities!

apparently this nurse just finished her lunch break....hellloo chili face

sweet Addy breaking her in

Rootin' through her loot

the mens

sweet princesses with their rifles

It was a paci kind of night

and they are off

I'm sure we have this picture from 6 years ago...just without the babies :)

chilled out

And of course a little clean up to end the night

Just a friendly reminder...Get out and VOTE tomorrow.  If you're in town and need someone to watch your kiddos I am more than willing :) Seriously, no excuses people.

All Things Fall

I am a sucker for any holiday.  Seriously, a marketer's dream when it comes to seasonal stuff.  Fall is just the start of it.  And having a kid makes it even more fun.  And gives a good excuse to do all the ridiculous stuff I think up.  So we were obviously at the pumpkin patch on Saturday.  We got there as soon as it opened hoping for cooler temperatures so I could at least pretend it was fall.  Emerson loved emptying the baskets with the little pumpkins and seeing the animals.  But she was far more enamored with the plans overhead.  A small airport is just a few miles down the road so she had constant entertainment.  So did the other guests as I frantically ran around like a crazy person trying to give her the best view of the planes.  Its a good thing my husband is not easily embarrassed.  Once the planes died down we  ended up with a big ole pumpkin by the door that Emerson happily greets each time we come in :)  Emerson also got to try out Chris' favorite BBQ spot.  She was all about the okra and tomatoes.  Who knew?  Guess I'll have to add that to the line up.

plane watching

making her pile.  

Apparently the fence is as equally exciting as the pumpkins

she LOVED him.  

Her shy face.

first JB's meal

Last Year.  This blows my mind. 

16 months and confessions

Baby girl is 16 months today.  She is a million miles an hour.  Which may explain some of my absent mindedness that is to blame for my confessions today.  I already find myself forgetting some of the early things and am so glad I wrote things down.  So for the sake of documentation and because she's pretty fun, this is what she is in to at 16 months.

She would make her great grandaddy proud.  She can spot a plane before I even hear the sound.  We spend most of our time outside chasing down a better viewing of them.  Her newest word that we hear on repeat is "moonie" (movie).  Each time we put her in the car seat we hear it requested.  Poor thing is so used to all car rides being long ones she is having to readjust to just listening to Momma sing.  Trust me I feel pretty bad for her and will give into a moonie every now and then.  Her favorite snack is veggie sticks and blueberries.  Gotta love stocking up on out of season fruit.  But the girl knows what she likes.  I may or may not use them to bribe her into eating broccoli.  I'm pretty sure we will potty train with them.  Oh and we are officially adults.  We have discovered kids night at Barberitos.  Hello Tuesday night hang out.  I fear they will know us by name.  She learned how to "dip" her food in salsa/hummus this week and its hilarious.  She is so gentle.  But then the next minute she is on the ground at the park trying to pick up the worm.  I'd say she's a pretty good mix :) She still tells us "night, night- all done" when she is ready for nap and bed and I am forever grateful for her sweet sleeping self.  I think she too is scared of me before 7 am :) She has transitioned in to the new living space like a champ.  I wish I was as flexible as she is.  We love that baby girl!  

While she is running on all cylinders apparently I am not. 

In case you are wondering, a Keurig can do many things.  Opening cans is not one of them. So don't mistake it for a can opener.

Also, even if your car isn't supposed to lock unless you are in it...Be assured that if you put the keys in the ignition and close all the doors it does not know that you are not in it.  45 minutes, a patient husband, and AAA truck later I was able to retrieve the diaper bag, phone, and house keys.  Needless to say the errands never happened.  

I have also been very spoiled by DVR.  While we are in this transition period we decided we would do without.  So when a commercial comes on it looks like someone shot off a cannon as Chris and I both spring up to go get a drink or check the laundry.  Pathetic.  

Oh and on Saturday, I drug  Chris and I  went to see Pitch Perfect.  It may have been the best thing I've seen in 6 months.  Don't judge me too hard.  Chris actually liked it too.

On days I work, the alarm goes off and I sit there and debate if I want coffee or more sleep.    One of them has to be sacrificed.  This week it was coffee, and apparently it shows.  

Apparently she inherited my space estimation problems

Something in These Hills

Cliche? Yes.  True? Absolutely. There is almost nowhere else I would rather spend a weekend. Especially a fall one.  I know I am sentimental, but Clemson has my heart. No kidding, I would pack up and move there in a heartbeat.  It still feels like home.  Chris reminds that it could possibly feel a little different than it was when we were in college, but I believe I'm up for the challenge.  :) We were able to get up there on Thursday and re-lived our Thursday night tradition of Mexican and FCA.  Sitting back in Tillman at 9:19 is one heck of a reminder of how incredible the community is up there.  It was almost surreal being back in the same seats but with life looking so different than it did 6 years ago.

Thanks to one of my "travel agent" roomates, we were able to enjoy a townhouse on Lake Keowee for the weekend.  I threatened locking myself in the garage and not leaving when check out time rolled around.  But Chris had to have some Walhalla Steakhouse , so he dragged me out :) It may have been the most relaxing weekend we've had in over a year.

Alum

of course, seeing how its made

catching up on the latest Clemson news

hunter/gatherer