The Royal Wedding aka Why I Need a Nap

I remember Charles and Diana's wedding like it was yesterday.  I was thirteen years old.  I don't remember getting up super early to watch the wedding, but I clearly remember seeing coverage throughout the day.

I also have a very vivid memory of sitting on my couch in our condo in the wee hours of the morning and hearing the news of Diana's death.  I was up nursing my then two week old first born baby girl.

That baby girl is now thirteen herself, and this morning, we watched together as Charles and Diana's son married Kate Middleton. 

Both my big girls said they wanted to get up early to watch the ceremony.  I woke them both up at 4:00 am.  The 13 year old asked if the wedding was right then, or if it would be a while.  I honestly didn't know, but told her the DVR was already set.  I think she was asleep again before I made it out of her room.  The nine year old, on the other hand, hopped right out of bed.  Truth be told, I was hoping she would opt for the DVR'd version too.  A few more hours of sleep sounded great to me.

So the two of us turned on the tv and started watching.  We flipped between NBC, ABC and CBS.  CBS was showing clips from Charles and Di's wedding, so that's where we spent most of our time.  We both dozed off a few times, so I set the alarm on my phone so we would be sure to be awake for the ceremony.

Just as Kate arrived at Westminster Abbey and got out of the car, my husband brought Baby Girl in to me.  He said she must have known all the girls were up watching, and she didn't want to miss anything.  My eldest joined us about the same time, watched the ceremony, stood up, said, "Goodnight," and crawled back in her bed. 

The nine year old asked me to please not let her sleep through the kiss.  Later we learned that the kiss wasn't scheduled until 8:25.  Her school starts at 8:20, so she was not happy.  She made me double check the DVR before she left for school.

This is a kid who claims to be a tom boy, not at all a girly girl.  She avoids pink at all costs.  I was pleasantly surprised at her interest in the wedding.

Our observations:

     *Kate's dress was beautiful.  Modest, classic, understated perfection.

     *Pippa's dress was gorgeous.  I wish I had the body to pull that off.

     *Harry's hair looked a little unkempt.

     *I loved how in awe Kate looked when she walked onto the balcony and saw that huge crowd.

     *I loved how both Kate and William kept talking to the little girls on the balcony.

     *I really hope William loosens up a little when they are alone.

     *I think my nine year old may be a little underwhelmed when she watches that kiss later.

All in all, it was a beautiful morning.  I had fun with my three girls.  

By the way, I took the nine year old to school, came home with Baby Girl, watched the kisses on the balcony, got my husband off to work and had him drop the 13 year old off to school, all the while dreaming of a short nap.  As soon as the last two left the driveway, I put Baby Girl to bed, walked out the bedroom door, and The Boy was standing in his doorway waiting to be let out.

There may not be enough caffeine in the free world to keep me in a chipper mood today!

Snake Wrangler

Our new yard backs up to a Boy Scout campground, a natural wooded area with plenty of room for a plethora of wild creatures to roam free. 

One of the first nights we were in this house, there was an owl right outside my window.  At least my husband says it was an owl.  It sounded like some weird creature that might have been the result of a very unnatural union between and owl and a turkey.

My 13yo heard it too, so I know I'm not crazy.  She calls it a "towl". 

From day one, we have had concerns about snakes, and we have discussed the fact that we need to keep an eye out, especially when The Boy is playing in the yard.

When my sister and her kids were visiting a few weeks ago, we saw a rather long black snake in our front yard.  He was wrapped around a bush right by The Boy's bedroom window.

photo courtesy Google images

A few days later, while eating dinner, we watched what may have been the same black snake slither through our back yard.

Just a few weeks before all the snake sightings, The Boy and I were in the car, and he started talking about snakes in water and wanting to pick up a snake.  I told him we don't ever touch snakes because they might bite us.  He said, "On my booty?"  I don't know why, but he believes that anything that bites wants a bite of his behind.

A few days later, we took the kids to the Alligator Farm where my camera battery promptly died, and I had to use my phone to get these pictures.

Yep, I'm sure he really got the point of my 'we don't ever touch snakes' conversation!

If you don't hear from me again, it will be because he touched a snake.  And I died.

The Love List 1~10

As I promised yesterday, I'm starting The Love List today.  I'm not using "What I Love Wednesday" as my title for these posts because there's already a "What I'm Loving Wednesday" out there.  Oh well, I like this better anyway.

I was so tempted to list my family as the number one thing I love, but My Nephew told me he didn't list anyone he knows personally in his hate list, so I'm not going to list people I know.  Too bad, my family is huge and would take up a lot of numbers!

1.    A good cup of coffee.

2.    The sound of kids laughing.

3.    Rain.

4.    Fresh basil.

5.    Finding money I forgot I had.

6.    My Burt's Bees lip shimmer.

7.    Quiet.

8.    80's music.

9.    A good book.

10.  Sleeping babies.

Inspired by My Nephew

I have this nephew.  Actually I have six nephews.  I also have six nieces.  I like things to be even.

But I digress.

My oldest nephew recently told me that for a school assignment, he came up with 230 something (I think) things he hates.

At first I was appalled.  That seems like a lot of hate in one 15 year old boy.  He told me he didn't list any people other than celebrites like Justin Bieber.  Knowing what I do about my nephew, most of his "hates" were probably about music.  He's very into music these days.  Especially '90's Grunge.  Kurt Cobain is his hero.

I worry about him.

A lot.

After I thought about it for a while, I realized that it's actually pretty easy to think of things we hate.  Just today, I have had thoughts like, "I hate when I think there's one last piece of chocolate in the bag, and really I already ate the last one."  And, "I hate that I have no will power to just stop eating the chocolate already."  I hate that my little people both have colds today.  I hate that my house is a mess.  I hate that a three year old boy moved my memory card reader, and I can't find the USB cord that goes with my camera, so I can't upload Easter pictures. 

I really hate Easter basket grass!

I could go on and on, and I bet it wouldn't take long at all to reach 230 something.

BUT.

I have decided that in honor of My Nephew I am going to come up with 230 something things I love.  Or at least that I like a lot.  Or that just make me happy for no other reason than that I'm a little weird.

I won't be listing all 230 something in one post because that would be long and potentially boring.

So, my intent is to post a few things each week. 

I think I shall call it "What I Love Wednesday". 

Maybe.

I'll get started tomorrow!

Feel free to join me if you wish.  Just let me know in the comments so I can read what you love too!

Any idea...

...what inspired

my

blog makeover?

Smooches

Gender Bender

When The Boy asked his daddy to get out the doll house for him, Daddy was a little hesitant.  He said doll houses are for girls and tried to talk The Boy into playing with something else.

The doll house does have a pink roof, and it is a little girlie.

Apparently it is also a fine parking garage!

Daddy can relax. The Boy is all boy!

Then again, his role in his big sister's "wedding" says otherwise!

Could someone please get my husband a valium?

A Big Month For Baby

My sweet baby girl has had some pretty big changes since I last posted.

Her six month well visit was great.  She's growing right on track, weighing in at 15 pounds, 9 ounces (45th percentile) and measuring 26.5 inches (75th percentile).

On her six month birthday, we introduced her to rice cereal.  She had been trying to get her hands on some "solid" food for a while, grabbing at our food, and even reaching past her bottle to try to snag a Samoa from my hand.

I have never seen a baby take to food like she did!  There was never a look of disgust or confusion.  She just opened wide and gulped down every bite!

We have been through almost all of the stage one baby food choices, and so far, there is nothing she doesn't seem to love.

Two weeks ago, she started sitting up on her own.  She's still a little wobbly, and she doesn't get into a sitting position on her own, but she loves to sit up like a big girl.

She is just such a joy of a baby.  She sleeps 12-13 hours most nights, and takes a good 1-2 hour nap twice a day.  She very rarely cries, and when she does it is usually because her big brother has done something to her.



 

Keeping her eyes on The Boy!



Ready

I am so ready for summer.  Hence the new layout.

Apparently, I'm also ready for a luau.

This is Florida, so in some aspects it feels like summer is already here.  But just as I start to feel like we should head to the beach, the weather shifts.

This was Monday:

This was Tuesday:

It's just a little past midnight, which means Baby Girl is officially 7 months old.  I have some new pictures to post, but they'll have to wait until tomorrow.  This makeover thing took much longer than I anticipated, and I still have a few kinks to work out!

Five Question Friday

I'm still trying to get things situated and settled in the new house.  

I promise I'll post pictures as soon as things are a little more organized.  It's not easy to unpack and organize while chasing a three year old terrorist and protecting his cute as a button baby sister.

But I've missed blogging, and I needed a jumping off point, so I decided to link up to Five Question Friday this week.

1. Have you ever had surgery?

Only gum surgery. 

It was actually pretty awful.  He basically cut my gum above my top front teeth, lifted it up, cleaned out the infection around the bone, which he described as looking like oatmeal  (You're welcome! Enjoy your breakfast!), then he sewed my gum back in place.

I was given strict instructions not to lift my lip to look at my stitches. Ummm, no problem, Doc!

Then I was told a horror story about a lady who had the surgery, then went to a comedy show.  She laughed so hard she ripped her stitches.

I was afraid to laugh for days.  And my kids and hubby are funny!

The worst part?  The surgery didn't work.  I ended up having to have my tooth pulled, and an implant put in by the doctor who will forever live in my memory as My Sadistic Oral Surgeon.

I guess that qualifies as surgery too?  I was knocked out (my request) for that one. 

I really didn't want to know what it sounds like to have a titanium screw drilled into my head!

2. Ever ride in an ambulance?

No, but I sat in one for a while.

I totaled my husband's car two months before our wedding.

The ambulance came, and the EMTs checked me out.  They offered to take me to the hospital, but my parents were there by that time, and I chose to just let them drive me. 

I was okay, just a little sore for a while.

3. How are you in a medical emergency? Panicked? Calm?

I always tend to hold it together during the emergency. 

It's after, when the "what if's" hit that I lose my cool.

I think my son will most likely test my ability to handle emergency situations quite a bit in his lifetime!

Growing up, I was the one with all the medical emergencies.  My mom was not the calm one. 

I once drove a go-cart into the front of a (parked) truck.  My mom was so freaked out my dad had to hit her to calm her down!

The gum surgery mentioned above?  Direct result of driving a go-cart into the front of a truck!

I do not recommend it!

4. Do you have a garden? Flowers or veggies?

No, but now that we're starting to get the house in order, I'm starting to think about the yard a little.

I don't want to do too much because we're renting and may not be here more than a year or so.

But I do want to add some color to the yard, and I might attempt tomatoes this year!

5. When did you move out of your parents house?

I was in and out throughout college, then I moved back in with them for a while after college.

I moved out for good a month before my 25th birthday. 

That's when I made the move from Georgia to Florida...for a BOY!

After 16 years of marriage and four kids, I think it's safe to say I made the right choice!