First real puke

Tonight Lily threw up for the first time. It was so gross! She spits up all the time, or well, at least she used to, now she only does it about once every couple of days. Tonight she woke up screaming after being asleep for about an hour. I was walking around trying to get her back to sleep when all of the sudden I heard this big splat. I looked over my shoulder to see what it was and before I could even look Lily had puked all over me. I was drenched in vomit. It started on my chin and all down the front of my top, inside my top, in my hair and on my feet. By that time I figured out what the splat was the moment before. Then, one more good vomit but this time on herself. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to even begin to clean this up and Lily was still screaming. I ran into my room and laid her down on my bed (dumb move, now I am having to strip the duvet cover) and took off her pajamas. She stopped screaming for a second and then I realized that I was dripping vomit all over the place and couldn't figure out how to get my shirt off without getting even more puke on my face. By the time I got my shirt off Lily was screaming again so I just had to twist my hair up into a bun, puke and all. I was hoping that she would quiet down and go back to sleep now that everything had come up, but no luck. After 2 1/2 hours of her screaming while I walked around the house trying to soothe her she finally gave up and passed out. I have been processing shipments for about half an hour and she is crying in her sleep every few minutes so I don't think I am going to get any sleep tonight. :(
I hope that I don't have to take her to the hospital tonight because Ross took the jeep and I don't have a car seat so I would have to walk there! errrrrrr

Anna Nichole Smith

I am so disgusted by the media these days. I would completely expect to hear about Anna Nichole Smith's rotting body or her daughters paternity questions if I were watching E! or Entertainment tonight or those such shows, but when I turn on the regular nightly news, MSNBC, Fox News, it doesn't matter the source, all they are reporting these days is Anna Nichole and Brittany's new haircut!
Last night Ross and I were tuned in trying to find out about the police officers that were arrested here for racketeering by a two year long FBI investigation and after fifteen minutes of Anna Nichole drama they spend less than 30 seconds on the story about the cops. Our local nightly news! One of the officers is one of Ross's golf partners so he was really concerned and interested in the story, but nothing. Our local station had live streaming coverage of the courtroom while they decided the fate of Anna Nichole's body while real news and important events were pushed to the back-burner.
I am so happy that I have a DVR so I can only watch the shows that I taped and fast-forward through the commercials and soundbite updates of this circus. And I LOVE that NPR broadcasts their shows in podcasts so I can listen at the gym.

Addicted to Rockabilly Originals

I seem to go through phases with my sewing. Right now I am in a sew constantly phase. I can't get enough. I go to sleep coming up with new designs and ideas in my head. Lily is definately tired of it. She fusses as soon as we walk into the studio. I even moved her big play-pen in there in hopes of making a couple of extra minutes to sew. I think about other times when I will go weeks without sewing anything. This past week I completed 5 items up for sale on my website and will finish another 2 tonight and have 4 more in various stages of completion. Also, I finally put myself up on my website. but only because the two most recent dresses are size 12 and all of the girls who help model for me are way smaller than that. If you wanna check out my work click here

on the move

I can officially say that Lily can crawl!

I don't know exactly what constitutes the first crawl, but what she did today was indesputable. She has been able to pull herself where she needs to go and she has been able to get up on all fours but now she can get on all fours and actually go! Well, only a little bit, but enough to get what she wants usually. Her motor skills are improving exponentially. She can steady herself when she gets wobbly and can go from sitting to laying and then back up to a sit again all on her own! She also tonight tried to pull herself up onto the fouton. She didn't get very far with that one, but was able to catch herself from falling over, so I am still impressed. We have been trying to kid proof the house and we are failing miserably at it. Ross bought all these child locks for the cabinets and they turned out to either not do a thing or made it impossible even for an adult to open the thing. I don't know if it was the locks themselves or our not-so-handy handywork, I'm guessing the later. I also have been vacuuming twice as often as I did before but still need to vacuum even more often. We cut a hole in the door to the studio for Zelda because we figured the only way to child-proof that room is to keep the door closed. The only problem with that is the room isn't airconditioned. Right now it is fine, but I don't see myself getting much work done in the summer. Hopefully maybe I can find someone to install a window unit for me. That is probably an unrealistic dream considering our home improvement history. But I am still hopeful!

I have downloaded a few videos. I got a video the other day of Lily going from laying down to sitting (I was trying to catch her attempt at crawling) but now I can't find it on my hard drive. Hopefully it is on the other computer! Anyway, this video is of Lily eating meat. I took it because it is so funny to me. She hates meat and I think that she looks like folks do when they are taking a shot of something really strong at the bar. She even shakes it off!

This next video is of last weeks attempt at crawling. It is so cute because she is working so hard that she is worn out.

Sick

Lily got so sick on Friday :(
I was out with a friend and came home to Lily and Ross sleeping on the floor together. He had set up a pallate on the floor so that he could sleep with her because she was waking about every 5 minutes. She had a fever because her ear infection had worsened. She has had a snotty nose for a month and had the ear infection for about 2 weeks. We took her to the doctor again and they gave her a stronger antiobiotic than she had the first time and this time gave her a script for the cold too. Yesterday she slept the entire day and night. I had to wake her from time to time to make sure that she got fed! She woke up today with a clear nose and so happy. It is amazing what a good nights sleep can do (for me too!)
I have included pictures here from Valentines day. Ross left gifts for the whole family on the counter so that we would find them when we woke up. We cooked a nice meal and got dressed up and ate dinner on the back portch pretending that we were at a nice restaurant. Now that we are parents we have to improvise for awhile. I dressed Lily in her pretty red dress that Olivia gave her. At the gym and the grocery store everyone loved her.

10:30....Why is she still awake???

All day Lily has been cranky. She took her usual naps and everything went as normal all day, except for the crankiness. She has been so easy to care for lately that I have been really spoiled. Today was tough. In the afternoon she usually gets cranky right at 3 when we feed her then put her down for a nap. Well, today she started getting cranky at about 1:30. I didn't want to feed her early because we have done so good getting on a routine that I don't want to mess it up, so I dealt with the whiny child. grrrrrr. After her nap she was still cranky! She usually always gets cranky right before bathtime so that was normal. Then, at bedtime I figured she would go right to sleep because she has got to be tired, I know I am. Well, usually she is asleep by 8:15 or 8:30 and it is 10:41 and I have a wide awake yet cranky baby in my lap. We got up at 6:02 this morning.....I want to go to sleep!!!!

Bruise on her head

Lily has a HUGE bruise on her big ole noggin. Last night she was playing on the floor with her new favorite toy (the lid to the formula container) and fell over trying to go from sitting to crawling. Well, she still doesn't officially "crawl" per se, but she can get herself wherever she needs to go by scooting. I know I have to not worry to much because she is going to get alot more bumps and bruises along the way, but I feel so guilty every time I look at her. I just know that everyone who looks at her is going to take one look at me and think I am a bad mom!

Great day gone bad

Today was the nicest day! Last night I was exhausted and Ross was going out to celebrate Jaime's birthday so I got in bed at 8:30 when Lily went to sleep. She woke up twice in the night screaming but went right back to sleep both times. This morning I woke up on my own at 8:30AM and freaked out because Lily NEVER sleeps that late. I ran and checked on her and she was breathing so I went and took a shower. I NEVER get to take a shower first thing in the morning! By the time I got out Lily was awake and talking to herself, doing her normal morning thing. It is amazing how nice it is to have gotten so much sleep!
Then, as I was feeding Lily I checked my emails and got great news! Well, half good news anyway. Marje is coming to visit on the first and staying for a month. It is still questionable wether or not Tony gets to come, but we are keeping our fingers crossed. So, this means that Ross and I get to take a vacation!
After we packed up some clothes to be sent out and did some sewing, Lily went BACK TO SLEEP!! She napped from about 10:30 until Noon.
After her nap we went to the gym. This is the first time I took Lily and she was an Angel. She took to the girl there right off the bat and when I came back to get her she was playing on the floor with a toy and hadn't even noticed I was gone. It felt so nice to work out again. My arms are going to be sore tomorrow and my abs already are, but I love that feeling so I am so happy.
After the gym we went shopping and then came home for another nap.
Everything today was great all the way until Lily went to sleep and I checked my messages.
I don't know what to do about this situation but I am really very very concerned about the idiot that Brandi is dating. She is completely "in love" an is completely blind to the fact that there is a neon sign hanging over him screaming "ABUSIVE". She is showing signs of being in an abusive relationship and has been making excuses for him for months now. Tonight her roomate called me telling me that she is moving out because she is afraid of Brandi's man and that Brandi keeps letting him come over even after she begged her not to. Now, doesn't that say something? Someone is so afraid of your boyfriend that they will move out of the house! Brandi's phone has been off for weeks and I have no way of getting in touch with her either. I don't want to go over to her house because honestly I am afraid of this guy too and I don't want Lily anywhere near him. ohhhh and that brings up another thing! A couple of weeks ago Brandi babysat for me so I could go to the Live concert. I had her drop me and my girlfriend off at the venue because we knew we were going to do some drinking and then we took a cab home. Brandi tells me the next morning that her boyfriend had gotten released from jail that night and so she put Lily in the car and drove to the jail to pick him up! I cannot express how angry that makes me. I have very strong convictions about criminals and would have NEVER taken Lily to the jail to pick up anyone. Not even if it were Ross in jail! And the thing is, Brandi doesn't even see the problem. She thinks that it was a perfectly normal thing to do. He went to jail for killing someone!! We aren't talking a minor offense! Can you understand my fear? I am also in a bind because she is my only source for a babysitter and now I can't trust her to watch Lily, not even in my own house!
Am I a completely horrible person for posting this up on the internet? I grappled with wether or not to post this, but I figured I would in hope that someone might be able to help.

Joined a Gym

Tuesday I finally joined a gym. I went yesterday and met with the the trainer. They make you do a fitness test because it is run by the hospital and I guess they do that to prevent getting sued. Well, according to them I am in good cardio-vascular health but higher than normal on the weight scale. Well, I wasn't supprised about the weight thing, but I was shocked to find out that I am in good health otherwise. I certainly don't feel that way. The dude told me that I should only do cardio for right now but I am going to jump right into the weights! I can't wait to be sore again. Also, the baby care part is so nice. It is so clean and there are mostly all older kids so the lady that worked there said she was excited to have a baby there. That makes me happy because I know that means that she is going to be extra good to her.
Now I just have to start eating right again and I'll be back on track.

AHHHHHHH

Another new thing that Lily does is this AHHHHHHH thing. The video captures a moment of it but she does it almost constantly. I am very happy because it is so much more pleasant than the banshee scream that it replaced. Today we went for a mile long walk and she was alternating between AHHHHHH and DA DA DA DA the entire time. This started about when she got her teeth. I don't know if it related or not. Also in this video you can hear her chewing on her toy and doing her funny tongue thing. The box is actually a set of mats that can be made into a box that was a Christmas present from my Grandma and is wonderful! She can't get enough of it. The tongue thing is funny because she can turn her tongue completely upside down like kids used to do to gross one another out at the lunch table in elementary school. I think she is just moving it around in order to feel her new teeth, but it is a cool trick regardless. She is also obsessed with teeth right now. She is constantly wanting to feel our teeth. I would love to think that it is because she knows that she has some now and that she is making comparisons, or that maybe she wants to become a dentist, but I am sure it is all coincidence.

That box/mat thingy... totally saved me the other day when I was sick. As you may be able to see in the pictures that there is a pallat made on the floor. That isn't for Lily, it was for me. I made myself a bed on the floor and moaned and groaned while Lily happily chewed on her mat/box.

Lily and her best friend Zelda

We always knew that they would become the best of friends, but I am very suprised at how early Lily and Zelda started playing together. Zelda has been great with Lily right from the start although she does get jealous sometimes. For awhile now I have been able to entertain them both at the same time by holding Lily on my lap and throwing the ball to Zelda. Lily loves to watch Zelda, altough Zelda is a little quick for her to keep up with sometimes. Recently, ever since Lily has gotten so good at sitting on her own Zelda has begun to bring her ball to her. Usually Zelda brings us her ball and wants to play tug of war for a little bit and then we throw it for her to fetch. Well, it has been really sweet to watch Zelda bring Lily the ball. For the longest I have been just taking it away from her because I don't want it in her mouth, but the other day I just let it go to see what would happen. Lily picked up the ball and held it over her head looking like she was going to throw it. I cracked up. She never did throw the ball but it made Zelda believe that she was going to and that was enough to entertain Lily and I. I should teach Zelda to fetch the sippy cup because that is the only thing that Lily seems to throw.
In the mornings when I do my web work and sewing Lily hangs out with me in her bouncy chair. Zelda gets up on the chair with her sometimes to play. She is so gentle with her that I don't even worry about it.

Catching up

I really don't know how working moms do it. I mean, I AM a working mom, but usually, aside from this past month, I only work outside of the home 2 days a week. For the last three weeks I have worked full time and had Lily in daycare. I come home exhaused and feeling guilty for leaving Lily in the same room all day with all those other snot nosed babies. My work isn't physically difficult, but when you get up at 6AM play with Lily and get her ready for school, get to work by 10 and once five o'clock rolls around I have to take a deep breath because I know as soon as I walk in the door I will have an extra 18 pounds on me for the next few hours. I guess it is because Lily is really attached to me, but she doesn't let me put her down in the evenings. It wears me out. Then once she is in bed I have to do all the work for my website. I try to think about all those super-moms who work full time and have more than one kid and I don't know how they do it. I feel like a wimp or a whiner complaining about being tired. But I AM!
Now that the super bowl is over I go back to only working twice a week but decided to leave Lily in daycare another week so I can get caught up and have some sanity time. Lucky I did that because I got food poisioning! Sunday was Ross's birthday and I made him a beef stew and being the horrible wife that I am, poisioned us both. Sunday night I did not sleep because of all my trips to the bathroom and Monday morning I had to just leave Lily in her swing with her bottle to feed herself while I was in the bathroom. I woke poor Ross up after he had only been in bed an hour and begged him to take Lily to school because I just couldn't do it. Finally, now that it is Tuesday afternoon I am feeling better. The sickness hit Ross last night while he was at work (poor thing!) and he is still not feeling good AND he has to work again tonight. As horrible as food poisioning is, I was really lucky to have the relief of daycare and then Lily was kind enough to go to sleep last night at 7:15 so I was right behind her at 7:45!
She has gotten so easy to take care of because she is getting so strong. She still gets frustrated that she can't crawl yet but she can drag herself to get what she wants. She is also starting to show her independance. She lets you know when she doesn't like something and will slap away food that she doesn't like. And the really rewarding part... the REAL laugh! She loves Zelda and the two of them play together now. I got one time on video but I haven'ty uploaded it yet. This video is of her great laugh.