No News

These are pictures from two weekends ago at my cousin Jamie's baby shower. Kendall wore a stylish purple party dress and sported her new white shoes. She also rode a see-saw for the first time with her cousin Maggie. Evidently Maggie is better at sharing playground equipment then I was. I bit Maggie's mom on the back of the neck (when we were little) when she was on my slide. I'm sorry Colette, I'm really embarrassed now!!

I'm psyched about the online class. There is still time to sign up if you are interested, we currently have a class size of 14.

I'm staying busy but I don't really feel like there is too much to blog about. I've been working on some Paper Chick orders lately, I've picked up some paint for a dresser that I want to paint for Kendall's room. I've also been picking up paint chips to help me decid on wall colors, I may do Kendall's room this week. Really no big news.

I do realize that I left you guys hanging on the "big changes" post. Sorry. It has to do with Brian changing jobs but we aren't really sure if it has all been resolved yet so I will just wait to update once everything has settled in that area.

Random Thoughts

Hello, my name is Ashley and I love magazines. There I've said it, admitting you have a problem is half the battle right? I'm not into the celebrity magazines (although I really try not to discriminate against any magazine) but I love the home themed and scrapbook themed ones. Total letdown all week...I open the mailbox and my breath catches in my throat, my heart starts to beat a little faster, I reach in and find...Business Week, Harvard Magazine, or Sports Illustrated. BUMMER! Where is the Better Homes & Garden, the Home Companion... (I could go on but I won't incriminate myself by listing them all).

Also, may I just say that Heidi Swapp makes pregnancy look just a little too cute to me. Muttering to myself: "I am NOT tempted, I am NOT tempted...I do not look that way when I am pregnant. I more closely resemble Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the original) when she ate the blueberry gum and inflated like a hot air balloon.

Kay, just had to get that all out of my system. Thanks for listening.

New Link

Another photo stolen fair and square from the Weires blog.

Just wanted to draw your attention to the new link added on the right. The Paper Chick will be offering an online class soon--->

Don't Wipe That on Me

Kendall and I spent the morning at church. Well, Kendall went to the nursery and I volunteered in the four year old room. All and all it went pretty well. It's amazing how much they change in just three short years, it's also amazing the difference between boys and girls. I was sitting on the floor building a Lego circus and one of the boys came over to squat next to me and tooted really loud. Later in chapel another little boy came to sit next to me and I caught him wiping his booger on me. I called him out on it but he wouldn't take it back so I took his shirt sleeve and wiped it off. Gross, makes me gag a little.

Happy St. Patricks Day

Just a day late. Brian got this special necklace for Kendall when he grabbed a drink with some work guys yesterday. She has carried around the Bud Light one that flashes all day. She even took it with her to the doctor today. She has been SUCH a GROUCH!! I felt certain that she had an ear infection or some other highly painful affliction but it turns out she doesn't...just a case of the brats. Gosh I love her but why is she so grumpy!?!?

Attack of the Crawling Baby...and stuff

Hmmm, what's that clicking and flashing going on, I think I'll go investigate.

Pay no attention to the pacifier, she hasn't been feeling well lately so I have been letting her have it just a tad more (usually it is just in bed and the car seat). She has a low grade fever and congestion, I know how she feels so I just want to comfort her in any way.

Remember when I said that one of my dreams was to have just enough work for the Paper Chick to be busy well, I do! I'm at a really good place right now, I have my big ongoing order (two albums complete and about six more to go), and Gram has been helping me out a lot by selling my cards and notes to ladies that she knows and now she ordered her change of address cards from me. On top of that I occasionally get a gift album every now and then. I have a new contact at the craft store here and she asked for my business card (she actually got me the other big order when she worked at the other store here in town) so I know she will promote my business. Very cool. The other night when Karin came over I worked on 'non-work' stuff and made a cute little album for Kelly that will be from Kendall (have to get that in the mail today) and a little froggy clipboard for Patrick to use to practice his writing.

Rain Rain Go Away...

...little Kendall wants to play.

Actually I like the rain, especially when I don't have to drive anywhere, I can just listen to it, feel the dampness, smell the wet grass. My favorite part of a rain storm is when it has just finished and the sun is trying to come through the clouds and it looks a little eerie but it's so beautiful.

Kendall was a bargain shopper today, she found this fetching coat with matching hat for only $4.
Have I ever said how much I love this neck? I just love to kiss it.

Karin's coming over tonight to scrapbook, gonna have some fun.

The Chick's List Part Deux

Today was a warm but rainy day so I decided that it was a perfect opportunity to bum around in comfy clothes and cuddle with the Snuggle Bug. Evidently, Kendall had other plans. She was fussy, clingy and just generally unpleasant to be around so I knew that we had to get out of the house (she has a complete turn around in attitude when she is in her big girl stroller flirting with complete strangers). She is a bit young for art museums and movie theaters and it was too rainy for the zoo so we went to the next best place...the mall. Seriously, it is a great learning experience when you talk about all the different colors and textures....and it is essential that she adds the following words to her vocabulary: Gap, Pottery Barn Kids, Starbucks...

I am oh so proud of myself because we made it through the entire experience without buying one thing!! Well, except for the cookie and Diet Coke but who could expect me to demonstrate such stellar self control without proper nourishment? Anyway, here is the Chick's list of goods that I would have purchased if I had won the lottery last week :)

Janie and Jack:
Ribbon Rose Embroidered Dress (would make the perfect Easter dress for Little Bug)
Lots more in this store that had great potential

Gymboree:
Corkscrew Hair Curlies
They also had "sweet pea" clothes (one of the names we call Kendall) but I can't find them on their website.

Pottery Barn Kids:
Chez Moi Four-Drawer Dresser: time to move from the changing table to a dresser
Kayla frames: for pictures of her family...cousins, grandparents...
Easter Basket Bucket
Patchwork Bumper Her bumper has had a meltdown and her pacifier falls out sometimes, it is so sad to go into her room and see her with her forehead pressed against the crib just looking at her pacifier on the ground and crying.
Ava Peg Rack and Ledge

Starbucks:
White Chocolate Mocha (this demonstrates the amazing self control that I exhibited)

This is a Test....and a long distance dedication **updated

So Kendall will soon be growing out of her Pampers Swaddlers (we hope). Let me just say that I love Swaddlers, they are so very soft and they fit so very well. We decided to try out some new diapers in preparation of the big step up (in diaper sizes) and I bought Luvs this week. Today I noticed a foul smell being emitted from my sweet baby girl and knew that the Luvs would be tested today.
Let me interrupt my own story to say this: I had a fairly easy pregnancy (except for the unfortunate amount of weight that I gained) I had no morning sickness and very few yucky cravings (just ham spread with cream cheese and wrapped around a pickle, but really that was good). The one thing that bothered me was the smell of buttered popcorn. Unfortunately, my husband loves buttered popcorn and I would have to lock myself in the bedroom every night around eight and not come out until morning just to avoid the stench. Anyway the ironic thing was that Kendall's #2's smelled like buttered popcorn forever!!!! With the introduction of solid foods the smell of buttered popcorn is no more and an odor best described as 'horrid' has replaced it.
Anyway, I digress. Before I dropped Kendall off at the nursery for my Bible study I changed her diaper because said odor was lingering. It was just a false alarm...the big one was still due to come. When I picked her up the ladies warned me that something bad would soon happen in that diaper, they too had been plagued by the foul stench. All day I waited and all day I was teased by the false alarms.
Tonight I took "Kick and Jab" at the gym and when I picked Kendall up the girls working in the nursery were all smiles for me. I noticed the foul stench but thought it must be another false alarm...Surely they would not hand over a baby that had a dirty diaper!?! We came home, Kendall ate a little food and I took her up for her bath. I grabbed the wet wipes just in case (Pampers, of course), drew the bath, opened the diaper and lo and behold the long awaited gift had arrived with only slight leakage out of the right leg hole. I guess the Luv's passed the test.

This post is dedicated to my pal Justin

Note: sorry about the 'big changes' teaser but I can't reveal it just yet. I'm thinking early next week once all involved parties have been properly notified.....and no we aren't pregnant.

**update: I knew that Cruisers were the next step up but she doesn't weigh enough to make the transition quite yet. I tried Luv's because I could get them in her size now, we'll try Cruisers once she has gained a little.

Big Stuff

Brian has the camera with him so I won't be posting any new pics for awhile. Here are a couple more from our photo shoot

BIG changes happening here at the 'S' household, I'm going to wait until things are a little more finalized before posting them though.

Kendall went to story time at the library today. She enjoyed watching the other kids but I think she thought everyone's attention should be on her (hmmmm, I wonder who she gets that from). We met Karin for lunch...love that gal...and then picked Alex up at school to go to our Fitness Ball class. Have I mentioned that I have triceps now?!? Well, I know I've always had them but you can actually see them!

Say Cheese

We had a family photo shoot today. Here are just a couple of the favorites:

Home

Today is a PERFECTLY beautiful day. It's sunny and in the 70s. This morning I was up and out of the house early (going to Bible study) and it had the feel of home. I always got up early growing up, I always had things I wanted to do, I had to fill the day. So as I was driving this morning, the sun was shining, the air was warm and I just had that same feeling that I always had growing up: happy to be alive, excited about what the day had in store, the inability to stop smiling, and it was as if I were back home in Florida again, I could almost feel the beginnings of a sun burn on my skin, man it felt good.

These are pictures from two summers ago at the beach house, I can't wait for July!!!

"This Isn't Mine"

Note: "Cheeky" picture was stolen fair and square from her Aunt Lorie's blog.

So I went to pick up Kendall from the nursery on Sunday and they tried to give me the wrong baby. I said, "this isn't mine" and so she yells to the other parents, "Kendall?" (as if she is holding Kendall and just needs to find the corresponding parent) so I respond, "Mine's name is Kendall but that one says Hayley" (really the name Hayley looks a lot like Kendall so I can understand the mix up). She goes back in and gets the real Kendall (not the Kendall imposter) and comes back, she actually had the nerve to say, "we would have caught it when we checked the security numbers." What!?!?!?! Like I wouldn't have caught it when I looked at the kid!? Or that I would actually try to take someone else's!?! Hmmmm, this one looks like she might sleep through the night, we'll take her instead. Oh brother.

Seriously, I have much respect for the nursery workers. I think that the babies have this crying chain reaction thing going on usually so I don't blame them for the brain malfunction.

This is an old picture of Kendall (with her cute cousin Dani) but I'm posting it because she is just getting SO BIG and I like to look at her little girl pictures sometime :)

Customer Service

I call Michaels:
me: May I speak to someone in the scrapbooking section?
them: Yes, one second.
tic, toc, tic, toc...(I'm thinking of the lecture I will receive on using too many cell phone minutes)
them: I can help you
me: I'm looking for top loading, 12x12 page protectors for strap hinge albums, do you have any?
them: yes, we have those
me: the top loading kind?
them: yes
me: great, thank you!
I load the infant unwillingly into the carseat, drive my gas guzzling SUV to Michaels, take pity on the infant and take her out of the car seat to sit in the "big girl" stroller, and trek into Michaels. BUT I don't find what I'm looking for. I do however find the exact guy I had spoke to earlier.
me: excuse me, could you help me? I spoke to you just a minute ago I'm looking for the top loading 12x12 page protectors for the strap hinge albums
them: sure, here they are
me: oh, these are slide on not top loading
them: oh, you want top loading
me: (grinding my teeth) yes.
them: sorry, we don't have those, I'm sorry
me: it's okay I drag myself out to the car, put the now heart broken infant back into the torturous car seat and drive my gas guzzling SUV back home.

Really it's not 'okay' why did I say it was?? Because he said he was sorry, and I actually believed him.

Note: All comments now have to be approved by me due to a mean stranger leaving inappropriate messages.

So This is Love

Just when I think I couldn't love her any more....the sun goes down, the sun comes up.....then I do.

Note: we had a cookie before bathtime today.

More BC pictures

Jenn just sent me her BC pictures and hers are so much better then mine, here is a sampling:

Kendall and Trevor show the Wilkeys who is boss

Sara and Kendall
Jeff and Justin (they say they didn't plan this)


Ladonna and Kendall, Ladonna and Matt, Matt and Kendall
Kendall and Trevor play peek-a-boo over the banister.
Matt and Justin catch a quick cuddle on the couch

Movin' Along, Singing a Song

Kendall is learning to crawl! Right now she resembles an inchworm but there is definite movement happening. Also, her second tooth popped through.

On another note. How do I not love Brown County? I hate thee because you cause 'hot tub foliculitis.' Yep, that is right, out of the eight people that spent time in the hot tub I am the one that got the bacteria that is trying to eat away at my flesh. Okay, maybe that is a little bit of an over exaggeration but it certainly seems that way. I'm on a low grade antibiotic (since I'm still nursing) but if it doesn't improve by the end of the week I have to stop nursing and get a stronger med. Oh boy, this will be fun!

Hopefully more BC pictures to come.

BC06 How Do I Love Thee? Let me Count The Ways...

I love thee because we have amazing dinners prepared by Chef Matt accompanied by amazing wine provided by our maitre D Jeff.

I love thee because we can be attacked, I mean awakened by our friends.

I love thee because we can go from a dip in the huge hot TUB straight into a game of extreme ping pong

I love thee because the boys somehow manage to simultaneously entertain themselves with incredibly long games of Risk as well as keep the babies occupied (see Kendall hanging in the background).

Seriously this is just the tip of the iceberg of pictures. More to come. This cabin will go down in Brown County history as one of the best. I had such a good time I didn't want it to end. Lots of good food, good talks, good chocolate (thanks LaDonna), well just good everything. Jenn, LaDonna, and I created a new form of ping pong where the ball is played regardless of what it bounces off of. We were leaping over babies, climbing under tables...It was so much fun. I could go on and on, can we do it again next weekend?

Kendall was terrific and managed to stay on a good schedule (except for the 2am 'play time' she felt she was entitled to). Since we have been home she has decided she wants to crawl and is inch worming herself across the floor now. Hopefully she'll become more coordinated as the week progresses.

Going "camping"

Here is my tent. Have a good weekend. I'll have lots of pictures on Monday.

Happy Love Day

Sisters L to R: Lorie, Sara, Kristy, Nancy, me


Three Generations







Brian and I
Tonight on my way home from my hair appointment I heard this song (and started crying). It got me thinking about love in all its forms.

She's never pulled anyone from a burning building
She's never rocked Central Park to a half a million fans, screaming out her name
She's never hit a shot to win the game
She's never left her footprints on the moon
She's never made a solo hot air balloon ride, around the world,
No, she's just your everyday average girl (but)

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her baby with a skinned up knee
A little kiss is all she needs
The keeper of the cheerios
The voice that brings Snow White to life
Bedtime stories every night
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero

She didn't get a check every week like a nine-to fiver
But she's been a waiter, and a cook and a taxi driver
For twenty years, there at home, until the day her girl was grown
Giving all her love to her was her life's ambition
But now her baby's movin' on, and she'll soon be missin' her
But not today, those are tears of joy runnin' down her face

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her daughter in her wedding dress
She gave her wings to leave the nest
It hurts to let her baby go down the aisle she walks right by
Looks back into her mother's eyes
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero

Thirty years have flown right past
Her daughters' starin' at all the photographs
Of her mother, and she wishes she could be like that
Oh, but she already is

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her mother in a rockin' chair
She runs a brush through her silver hair
The envy of the nursing home
She drops by every afternoon
Feeds her mama with a spoon
And that smile lets her know
Her mother's smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero

Anatomy of a Sunday

Can I just say that I love "Grey's Anatomy." I don't want to sound like a TV-aholic but if I had to give up every other show just to watch that one, I would. I really like how it asks important questions and how you can find the threads of different ideas woven through an episode from the beginning to the end.

Lorie took some really cutie patootie pictures of Kendall yesterday, here are a few of my favorites.

I'm really looking forward to Brown County this weekend. Ready to hang out with the girls, make up for some missed hot tub time last year (pregnant), and to kick some bootie in a few games.

Note: I've been trying to add these pictures since last night but the blog system was merphed up.

OH YA!

Completely forgot to mention the exciting news. Ya know the "job interview" that I went on a couple weeks ago, well I got the job. I'm scrapbooking (about 5-6 albums) for my client. Super cool, especially since I charge per page. I'm currently working on her travel album and have about 15 pages completed. I'm estimating about 40ish more for this album and then I still have to do her daughters and her family album (the family album has enough pictures to fill about at least three albums)

Super excited, I'm getting paid to be creative! Love it!

Beauty is in the eye of the mother.

I saw a link to this site on another blog. It's the (somewhat) new ad campaign for Dove. In the bottom left corner there is a link to a commercial with little girls in it that seriously brought tears to my eyes. Females are really critical of the way they look and since I have become a mother to a little girl I've started to look at other women and myself differently(actually I think I look at EVERYTHING differently). I can't imagine looking at Kendall and ever seeing anything but beautiful and I hate to think that she may some day look at herself and not feel that way.

We had her nine month checkup today. She has dropped in her weight percentile. Solution: feed her less frequently. Evidently she is snacking and so I'm supposed to feed her less often so she will eat more. We're going to start hanging out with Anna (see "Sprout's Spot" blog on right) more so hopefully Kendall will pick up on her appetite, ha.
Actually, we did go to lunch with Anna and her mom, Jennie, yesterday. I think that Kendall may take a little bit after Brian because she was a little quiet and just enjoyed watching Anna talk. I did realize that I have become the woman that as a waitress I dreaded seeing walk into a restaurant. There is a look of dread that crosses their faces when you walk in with a baby & fruit puffs. The table has to be artfully arranged with everything just out of reach from said baby and the floor has to be shop-vac'd upon our exit. I did attempt to pick up the majority of those soggy fruit puffs off the ground and luckily the glass that Kendall managed to get her tiny fist around did not break and it was "half empty". All and all we had a very fun time though. It's nice to talk to someone that is going through the same craziness that I am. The whole episode just reminds me of my new favorite line, "Life will never be the same" but as Martha would say, "It's a good thing"

The Real "Little Mermaid"

Kendall cried this morning when she woke up from her nap. The crying sounded a little more frantic then usual so I went to investigate and found this....(both legs in one pant-leg).

During swim lessons I was calling her 'my little mermaid', I guess she took me seriously.

You can also see her little tooth.