A Suburban Housewife-In-Training

Meet the New Cast

2012-01-26T21:57:00.000-05:00

The votes are in and I'm happy to welcome Buddy to the blogging world!

Thanks for all your help guys.

It’s been a while since we introduced all the players, and with some new faces in the mix, I’d say it’s also about time to do it again. Here goes:

Suburban H.I.T.

Yep, that’s me. Pretty much your typical ~~Martha Stewart wannabe~~ Mama ~~with baby mama drama.~~ Ok, so I'm not really that typical.

Husby

My ~~unsuspecting~~ amazing husband. He had no idea what he signed up for when he married me. Good thing he has a sense of humor!

Babes

She is the spitting image of me as a child with all the spunk and sass of my husband. Killer combination, that will be TONS of fun when she enters the ~~teen years~~ terrible twos. She’s just learning to talk and we’re learning patience and how not to laugh in front of a toddler.

Buddy

Don't be fooled. This kid has us wrapped around his little fingers. A true mama's boy with a quick temper to boot; he's got some fire under his diaper. We can’t wait to watch his personality develop...

Mary Poppins

Our loving au pair who instantly became part of the family. She ~~survived~~ ~~endured~~ drove 20 hours with me and our two ~~screaming~~ adorable children in a car and ~~decided to stay~~ she still likes us. Enough said. She's a rockstar and ~~we never want to let her go. we want to keep her forever and ever.~~ we love her.

Well there you go. Welcome to Suburban H.I.T. 2012 - more kids, more laughs and hopefully more fun.

Rock the Vote

2012-01-18T13:58:00.001-05:00

Before I can introduce the newest cast of characters, I need some help.

What on earth should Baby H.I.T. be called on the blog?!?!?!

We have a few contenders:

My brothers immediately nicknamed him Dr. Tre - a take on the name Dr. Dre. He was also called Master P (as in popper) for a while, but I know a friend of mine calls her little one by that moniker.

I have always called him my little Snuggle Bug. He loves cuddling up into that crook in your neck, gazing into your eyes and falling asleep. It's absolutely adorable until he won't sleep in his crib alone.~~..or when he's older and his friends make fun of him.~~

With the kids born so close together (I swear, we planned it this way!), we had some help taking care of baby boy while Babes adjusted to life with a less than focused Mama. She would always ask how her Buddy was doing and he would just smile at her loving voice.

So, kindly take your opinions to the poll in the upper left corner of my blog and help a Mama out.

What nicknames do your children have?

Mommy Mush

2012-01-15T14:33:00.001-05:00

With the addition of our second child, my brain was replaced with a pile of mush.

I forget everything.

Even when it’s written down, I forget it. Post-it note on my coffee mug? Slips my mind. Red ink on my calendar? No way I’m remembering it. Lipstick on my mirror? Hard to wipe clean and I still forget it ~~(probably because I’m cursing myself so much while cleaning the oily smudge off the mirror)~~.

Here’s a sample of some of the things I’ve forgotten lately:

Putting on my shoes. I was out the door ~~before our amazing au pair (more on her later) mentioned I was forgetting something important.~~ I remembered.
The baby monitor. It gets left behind everywhere - my closet, the bathroom, the laundry room.
Placing the nipple in the bottle. The baby didn’t think milk all over his face was nearly as funny as I did.

I only remember these because I wrote them down. In 3 different places.

Welcome to motherhood with more than one child.

What funny things have you forgotten lately (if you can remember any of them!)?

Why, Hello There

2012-01-04T15:13:00.000-05:00

Here's what we've been up to the last half of the year...

We welcomed our son on July 26, 2011

Two days later, we brought him home to a less than thrilled Babes.

We enjoyed beautiful fall weather...

But still couldn't get the kids to get along.

Babes and I went on our first trip alone together. She was perfect!

We went trick or treating.

And by Thanksgiving, a miracle happened...

Now, we're one big happy family...

With two little kids in cahoots.

Happy New Year! Looking forward to seeing you again real soon!

Baby H.I.T. Nursery Reveal!

2011-07-15T14:35:00.000-04:00

Initially, we were planning on keeping the sex of baby number 2 a surprise, so I developed a unisex nursery theme. But after staring at the sonogram of our baby for over 45 minutes, I had to know the sex...

I was beyond excited when the technician said, "boy."

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out what would be his nursery theme. Then, over dinner while on vacation in Anguilla, Husby mentioned what he thought would make a great theme.

It was perfect!

I present...the new nursery for Baby H.I.T.!

and After:

We loved the idea of a nautical nursery, but it seemed cliche and overdone. That's when Husby thought it would be fun to design a pirate-themed nursery, complete with a treasure map mural on the wall. I loved it! It allowed us to create a soothing alcove for our baby that would be a fun enough theme for him to grow into.

Many of the main pieces are from Pottery Barn - fortunately for us, they launched a nautical room about a month after we came up with our theme - talk about perfect timing! The pieces that inspired the mural were three simple canvases I found at HomeGoods for $15.99 a piece. We had them framed and they fit the room perfectly. The ship wheel was a $30 find from Amazon! And we recycled the Serena & Lily glider we used in Babes room - we just re-stuffed the back cushion.

Being a deal girl, I was super excited to tell Husby that our nursery came in WAY UNDER BUDGET! We used Amex points for furniture, my dad and mom helped hang the curtain rods, and many of the room accents were found at places like HomeGoods and online sites like Zulily. We pieced together our bedding set since we couldn't find something that matched the theme and it saved us a ton.

Now that the nursery and attic are done, I'm busy ~~nesting in~~ organizing the office. Still no movement, so we'll just have to wait and see when Baby H.I.T. plans on joining the party...

T-Minus 2 Days to 37 Weeks

2011-07-12T12:03:00.000-04:00

And we're doing everything we can to keep this little guy cooking!

He's making quite the fuss these days. Here's a brief update:

- We're experiencing some pretty strong contractions throughout the day. Fortunately, rest seems to keep them at bay so I've been resting up a storm.
- As of last night and all day today, I'm now experiencing consistent lower back pain. When this happened with Babes, I went into labor two days later.
- I can't figure out if walking is uncomfortable or just difficult. Either way, I'm not doing much of it these days.
- The pressure is downright painful when I move around - just another reason why I'm laying down most of the time.
- As of last week, I began dilation and effacing. My next appointment is on Thursday, so we'll know about any more progress soon.
- I still have baby clothes sprawled all over the floor of the new nursery, but Husby has the room on lockdown until Thursday.

Husby keeps begging Baby H.I.T. to stay in until tomorrow afternoon - he has a big meeting tomorrow morning that he kinda needs to be at. I keep telling him to stop jinxing himself by asking Baby H.I.T. for favors.

We've alerted the tree that it looks like labor is coming soon in hopes that it would stop things (like when the minute you bring your car in to get fixed, the problem goes away), and we've had no such luck today. Maybe this post will help slow things down a little...

Until then, we'll keep you guys posted! Wish us well :)

The One With the Fly On the Wall

2011-06-15T09:19:00.001-04:00

Or, a conversations round-up post for my sister who is due any day now. Hope this makes you laugh Jess :)

Here are some things you’ve missed the last two weeks:

The One With the AC Unit

Apparently new AC units (for central air) aren’t meant to go below 70 degrees.

H.I.T.: Ridiculous. Shouldn’t I be able to determine how cold I want to be at night? I wake up drenched in sweat every night.

Sister: Husband is from California - we sleep with the AC at 73 every night.

H.I.T.: WHAT?! If Husby tried doing that, I’d make him dress up in some long johns, flannel snow pants, and an oversized hooded sweatshirt for his pajamas and I’d hide a heating pad on his side of the bed. How else can you teach empathy?

---

The One With the Wine Fridge

Following Babes around while she explores the kitchen:

Babes, stops in front of our wine fridge: Dada!

H.I.T., thinks, “Girl knows her father,” says, smiling: Yes, honey, Daddy.

---

The One With ABC’s

My daughter, the picky eater:

Avocados = YUCK
Broccoli = YUM
Carrots = YUCK
Salmon = YUM

I don’t even like salmon.

Watermelon = YUCK
Pickles & BBQ Potato Chips = YUM

I wonder if she inherited my pregnancy cravings for taste buds.

---

The One With the Splish Splash

In the kitchen*, cooking dinner:

Husby: H.I.T., where’s Babes?

H.I.T.: Playing in the hallway. She thinks if she stands at the bathroom door long enough, it’ll magically open and let her in.

Husby, looks down the hallway at Babes: Uh...H.I.T., it looks like Babes figured out a way to “magically” turn the handle and open the door.

We both run down the hallway to grab her before damage can be done...

Babes, laughing and splashing around in the toilet: Ha! Ha ha!

H.I.T.: She's mocking us. She's definitely mocking us.

Husby: That's our little girl!

*The hallway is less than 10 feet away from where I was standing and this happened in all of one minute. I think you get my gist...

Messy Month And a Half

2011-06-08T21:12:00.000-04:00

When we moved into the house last year, we thought it was the perfect size.

Then Babes arrived.

Along with all the baby ~~crap~~ stuff that you manage to pick up along the way - bouncers, toys, clothes, swings, toys, clothes, exersaucers, toys, clothes, etc. Did I mention lots of toys and clothes? Our once huge home with tons of storage was slowly being dwarfed by an infant.

We knew we were going to start trying again in October - we decided to take the "band-aid" approach to parenting and have our kids close together in age - but we hadn't totally thought it through. So once we got pregnant, we began to panic...

Where was this child going to sleep? All the rooms were taken. And we had so much stuff we really couldn't start shuffling things around. Easily.

So the sleepless nights began.

Until I had the brilliant idea...

To finish part of our attic.

Forget that all the baby ~~crap~~ stuff was being stowed up there along with a ton of holiday decorations and stuff from who knows where. It needed to get done. Now. Or else we'd be storing an entire bedroom furniture set in our attic (along with all the other ~~junk~~ stuff).

For the last month and a half, we've been living with our attic storage in our dining room, a bedroom and nursery set in the new nursery, and a whole bunch of miscellaneous items in our guest room (got all that?), all while a portion of our attic was being refinished.

Minus all the ~~crap~~ stuff and plus a few beams, here is what the attic looked like before:

And now it looks like...

A big huge mess! The carpet was finally installed yesterday and today all the storage was finally brought back up, so I've spent the last week and a half pulling together the final touches to finish up the attic. Now that it's finally done, I can actually work on organizing on the nursery and our new space, and emptying out the guest room to make way for some guests!

All while relaxing on doctor's orders.

So there hasn't been much time for blog posts or really much of anything. BUT, next week I'll have pictures of the newly finished attic and I might even have another giveaway ~~to make up for my lack of posting~~.

Hope you still puffy heart me. Because I still iridescent oily sticker heart all of you. And everyone knows those were the best stickers to get in a trade.

Happy Birthday To Me!

2011-06-02T13:05:00.000-04:00

I thought last year would be the best birthday ever - my first birthday as a mother, but after just one hour of being awake, this year has already topped it!

I woke up to a kiss from Husby and a serenade of Glow Worm lullabies (via Babes' monitor), the most amazing birthday gift (sure to cheer up any girl turning 30), and, later, a kiss from Babes when I picked her up from her crib (she NEVER gives Mama kisses). Pretty darn amazing.

Now we're sharing Cheerios on the kitchen floor and I couldn't be happier as my daughter smiles up at me from my lap while my son moves around in my belly. Life sure is good right now.

Later, we'll have an ice cream cone together and then it's off to celebrate with my family over dinner.

Who wouldn't want to celebrate with her? Happy Birthday to me!

Shabby Apple Winner!

2011-05-31T08:36:00.001-04:00

I love this part.

Really I do, it's so much fun to place all the entries in numbers, go to random.org and generate the winning number.

So without further ado, I present the winner of the Shabby Apple Memorial Day Giveaway...

Erika of Chambanachik!!!

This mama (her little Millie is ADORABLE), military wife and awesome blogger said this of where she'd wear Spanish Steps:

"I would love to have a (rare) date night with my husband, and feel glamorous in that dress! :)"

Hopefully your wish comes true Erika! We all deserve date night once in a while - even if it's just under the stars of your own backyard once your little one is asleep.

Didn't win? That's alright, because ALL OF MY READERS will receive 10 percent off any Shabby Apple order by simply using the code SuburbanHIT10off! Happy Summer everyone!

Don't Forget To Enter...

2011-05-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

My Shabby Apple Memorial Day Giveaway!

For a chance to win this:

Spanish Steps

Contest ends Memorial Day at 11:59 a.m. ET. Good luck!

The One With the Flavor

2011-05-25T08:05:00.000-04:00

Eating dinner last night:

[fart]

Husby: This is really delicious.

H.I.T.: Really?

Husby: Yes, really.

H.I.T.: No, really? Last night, I recall asking you to refrain from farting while we eat dinner.

Husby: It adds a touch of flavor to the air.

H.I.T.: Let’s leave the seasoning to me.

Shabby Apple Memorial Day Giveaway

2011-05-23T11:35:00.000-04:00

I first became aware of Shabby Apple’s fabulousness last year when a couple of bloggers wrote about their classically chic dresses. I searched through their inventory in absolute awe, hoping that an invitation would arrive in the mail to give me a reason to snatch up some goods.

Then, while three months pregnant I found out they made a maternity line! Husby and I had just booked our vacation to Anguilla with Babes and it seemed like the perfect opportunity! I happily ordered away. It fit like a button on vacation and afterwards it was set aside in hopes that the dress would still fit once the warm weather rolled around.

I didn’t have to wait long.

For Babes's ladybug birthday party, my sister (Me Sew Crazy) made Babes the most adorable ladybug dress and guess what matched to a tee? My Shabby Apple dress - Finding Out!

So when they approached me a couple weeks ago to see if I’d be interested in Shabby Apple providing one of my readers with a free dress, you can imagine my excitement! After all, look at these dresses:

Champs Elysees (little blue dress anyone?)
Seven Seas in Seersucker
Happy Talk
San Gabriel

How could I say no?

So once again, I scoured the women’s dresses in search of the perfect dress to giveaway and after much back and forth ~~and perhaps another small purchase for myself~~, I landed on Spanish Steps.

I’ve been dreaming about our Roman Holiday for quite some time now - reminiscing about all the fun we had and how I can’t wait to go back when our kids are older. This dress would have been perfect for touring the churches and heading straight to dinner afterwards.

Well, a girl can dream.

Until then, this number would be perfect with a little faux glow at a summer picnic or barbecue and it'll bring you right into fall with it’s earthy tones!

Here’s How To Enter the Giveaway:

In ONE Comment:

Tell me where you envision yourself wearing Spanish Steps.
Leave your e-mail address in the comment (or activate e-mail in your profile). If I can't contact you, you can't win.

For ADDITIONAL entries (let me know what you've done in the SAME COMMENT)*:

Tweet about this giveaway and leave the link to your status/tweet**. You will only receive one extra entry no matter how many times you tweet about the giveaway.
Create a giveaway button using Suburban H.I.T. and Shabby Apple, add it to your blog and tell me where to find it.
Become a Suburban H.I.T. Facebook Fan and Shabby Apple Facebook Fan (or tell me you're already a fan of both sites).***
FOR 3 EXTRA ENTRIES write a post about this giveaway and leave the link to your post (without the link, no extra entries). You must link back to this post through my blog title: Suburban H.I.T., and you must mention Shabby Apple as the giveaway partner, linking to their main page.

*You will only receive extra entries once, no matter how many times you tweet about the giveaway or if you write more than one blog post.

**If you have a private twitter account, you MUST add me as a reader so I can view the tweet. Otherwise, you will NOT receive an additional entry.

***If you use your personal name on Facebook and a different user name on Blogger, you must tell me your Facebook user name in order to obtain the additional entry.

Rules:
*Only open to residents of the continental U.S.A. (sorry folks – international shipping is a nightmare).
*Winners are chosen by random.org.
*Once selected and contacted via e-mail, winner has 48 hours to contact me in return, otherwise another winner will be chosen.
*Contest ends Monday, May 30th at 11:59 a.m. ET. Winner will be posted the following day.
*Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid. Blog author has right to refuse any entrant. Any attempt to obtain additional entries, beyond ways listed above, will cause entrant and all entries by that person to be VOID.

Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this post, nor did I receive a free dress or any other gifts as compensation. I was approached by Shabby Apple to host a giveaway for my readers and accepted their offer as I am personally familiar with the brand.

Photo Credit: Photo of Suburban H.I.T and Babes provided by Raya Ward of Ray of Light Photography. Thanks Raya!!

How Sweet It Is

2011-05-19T10:56:00.000-04:00

to be loved be loved by you.

Four years ago today, Husby and I recited our vows before God, family and friends, declaring our love for one another.

And oh how our life has changed in just four short years.

I’ve mentioned before that the song, “How Sweet It Is [to be loved by you]” by James Taylor was our wedding song. It represents our lighthearted nature and loving spirits, and we knew it was something we’d hear again and again during the course of our life.

But the song truly has a special place in our heart, so I’m going to share a story with you about loss, love and rebirth.

When I first became pregnant, we were beyond excited. I ate way too much, gained weight super quickly and ended up buying maternity clothes before the first trimester even ended. When we lost our baby 13 weeks into the pregnancy, we were devastated. The maternity clothes I bought one week prior all had to be returned - I will never forget when the saleswoman asked why I was returning everything. I wanted to scream at her. To shake her for her insensitivity. But, I realized she was just doing her job and wasn’t privy to my personal life and what I was going through.

After that, Husby and I decided we wouldn’t buy ANYTHING baby related until we reached the second trimester. We didn’t want to experience the pain of having to relive any single moment through returns.

Then I saw it.

It was shortly after we began trying to conceive again and we just found out we weren’t pregnant. It was a sign from God. A sign that our marriage and love was strong for one another and that, in one way or another, we would be parents.

I had to buy it.

After a short internal ~~argument~~ discussion, I bought it and popped the item into our closet storage at Husby’s parent’s house.

No one needed to know about this.

The following month, I was eagerly awaiting my period when it never came. Anxious, I bought a digital test to make sure there was no confusion about the results. When it came back positive I was beside myself with joy. I jumped in the car, drove out to the ‘burbs and picked up the item I so carefully hid away the previous month.

That night, when Husby came home from work, I had a little present waiting for him:

A baby bib embroidered with our wedding song lyrics and a positive pregnancy test that clearly read: Pregnant.

So you see, this song has a special place in our hearts. Not only was it the first song we danced to as a married couple, but it’s the song we think about when we remember the moment we discovered we were pregnant again. We knew there was something different about our second pregnancy. Everything just felt right.

Now, in each of our children’s rooms, we have the lyrics hidden into the murals painted on their walls, so they will always know how sweet it is to be loved.

I love you Husby.

May 19, 2007

Not Ready...

2011-05-17T20:24:00.000-04:00

I'm just not ready...

For words, although I can't help but smile every time you say cheese when a camera comes out.

For steps, although it brings me great pride to watch you try to use the bannister to walk up the stairs.

For fits, although I realize you are independent and maybe it's time I let you lead once in a while.

For the toddler years, although they're here, whether I want them or not.

You're growing up so fast it's hard to keep up. It seems like only yesterday we were laying on the floor dancing to "Heartbreaker," but now we lay on the floor laughing together over a fun game. I might not be ready for all that's to come, but you can't seem to get there fast enough.

Mind slowing down just a little so I can enjoy these moments a bit longer? I love you Babes.

To Roomba Or Not To Roomba

2011-05-12T07:48:00.000-04:00

That is the question.

Since Babes began walking, ~~let’s keep it real - since Babes began eating,~~ our once clean house now has food everywhere. Rooms that were restricted to water now contain puffs and I can’t count the number of times I’ve looked down and found a lone Cheerio on our kitchen floor.

~~At this point, my line of vision no longer includes the kitchen floor. If it did, I don’t think I’d ever stop sweeping.~~

Cue to a morning news show discussing Mother’s Day presents - robots for the home. I promised myself to never ask for an appliance for Mother’s Day, but I was oddly intrigued by the automatic stirrer (the review wasn’t so great) and robot vacuum (whose review WAS great - if you don’t own a pet).

And now I can’t stop thinking about it.

How wonderful it would be to walk barefoot on my kitchen floor, not wondering if I’ve just stepped on a Cheerio or an old piece of string cheese. To automatically set a timer for scheduled cleanings. To never look at my broom again.

Then came the ants...

Little buggers that find a way in no matter how many times you spray. We have baits out, but I’m thinking it’s time to stop avoiding the floor and fix the real problem that’s brought them here - toddler floor buffet.

So, before I shell out a ton of cash for a robot (hey iRobot, if you're reading - I gladly accept free gifts! Hint, hint. :) , do any of you have a Roomba? Which one and what do you think of it? I’d be using it on hardwood floors, mostly, and we don’t have any pets - but after giving birth my hair sheds about as much as a Golden Retriever in springtime.

How do you combat this never ending battle?

p.s. If you think I'm exaggerating, check out the photo I just posted on Facebook.

It's Been A While...

2011-05-09T12:04:00.000-04:00

And I miss you. So as my Facebook fans now know, I’m coming back!

Sorta...

I’m still pregnant. I’m 27 weeks and about to enter the third trimester, so things are about to get difficult. Maybe. But maybe not. We’ve been keeping a positive outlook on everything.

Truth be told - I think this little guy is going to arrive LATE. The doctors said it was unlikely that I would deliver early the first time around, and I did. Now they say it’s unlikely that I’ll deliver on my due date, so I’m thinking my body is going to do what it does best - proving people wrong. I’m thinking this baby will be cooking for the full 40 weeks or longer. We’ll see...

In other news, I do plan on blogging more regularly. I don’t know how regularly, but it will be more. I have a big project planned for June that I’ll tell you more about soon.

A note, my posts won’t be quite what you’re used to...I have major Mommy brain these days so my observation of anything not related to Babes and Baby H.I.T. is extremely limited. But who knows if they’ll ever be exactly the same. That’s the great thing about a blog - it evolves as your life does - but it may go back to the old ‘norm’ once things have calmed down a bit. But maybe once Babes starts talking, I might post her conversations instead of mine and Husby’s.

No matter what, I’m excited to be back. And hopefully, you are too.

One last note, I can’t thank you all enough for everything. All the support and love I’ve received through this blog the last year and a half is amazing. Thank you for sticking by me through each and every hiatus - for understanding that life happens! You are all such an amazing group of readers and I wouldn’t be coming back if it weren’t for you.

After all, it’s not the blogging I miss, it’s you guys.

Ladybug Picnic Birthday Bash

2011-05-06T15:52:00.000-04:00

1,2,3... 4,5,6... 7,8,9... 10,11,12 ladybugs went to the ladybug picnic!

After 12 months of watching Babes develop and grow, she finally turned one year old and it was time to celebrate in true ladylike fashion with a Ladybug Picnic soiree.

We loaded up our picnic basket, spread out a blanket and enjoyed some delicious spring fare while singing along to a Kindermusik session. Everyone had a great time and, afterwards, Babes passed out for a 3-hour long nap. I'd say it was a success!

Interested in hosting your own Ladybug Picnic? It’s easy! Here’s how I did it:

7 'Ladybug Picnic' Pompoms from PomLove $33 for lot
Apothecary Jars and Cake Stands from HomeGoods $12.99-$19.99 each
Red Party Tubs from Party City $5.00 each; covered with Black Avery dots $7.50
Magnetic Vases from DCI $34 with red/white Gerbera daisies $3 each
Ceramic Flower Pots from Michaels $1.99 each and ribbon from M.J. Trimmings $1.59 p/y (I used double stick tape to hold ribbon in place)

Picnic Basket from Walmart $12.99 (I tore out the floral lining and replaced with red gingham fabric using a glue gun)
Red Gingham Fabric from Joann Fabrics $4.49 p/y
Delicious Cakes and cupcakes by Pastry Prince

Green Vinyl Tablecloth from Party City $3.99 with Green Crinkly Shred from Creative Gift Packaging for grass-effect $4.75 for 1 lbs (I bought 4 and used 3 1/2)
Chocolate Ladybug Lollipops from Candy Crafts $24 for 24 pops in galvanized tins from Target $1 (I used foam to hold the lollipops in place)
Ladybug Sugar Cookies from Batches $24 for one dozen
Personalized Water Bottle Labels from Chickabug $15 for 15 labels

Flower Centerpiece using Boon Grass Drying Rack $17, 3 Gerbera Daisies $3 each and Mini Ladybugs $5.95 for a set of 6

Wooden Ladybug Clips from Michaels $1
Basket with Red Gingham liner from A.I. Friedman $10
Lucky Ladybug & It's Your Birthday Sugar Cookies Parent Parting Gifts by Sunshine Bakes $28.50 a dozen
Children's Goody Bags: Red Plastic Bucket from Party City $1 with Black Avery Dots $7.50; Ladybug Shaker $4.50; Baby Rainboshaker $3.36; Mini Pinwheels by Aubrey $18 for 20; Ladybug Treat Bags by Bug Lover Cards $13.50 for 18; Ladybug Bubble Bottles $15.79 for 24; Round Thank You Tag by Let's Party On (custom price for small party package - lawn sign, highchair bunting & sign)

And there you have it! One Ladybug Picnic Birthday Party to boot.

Initially, I was planning on making most of the dessert items myself, but the pregnancy got the best of me and required a bit more resting than anticipated before the party. Cake pops would be a great replacement for the Chocolate Ladybug pops and it'd be easy to bake your own sugar cookies.

What are some of your favorite first birthday party themes?

Happy Birthday Babes!

2011-04-11T15:08:00.000-04:00

One year ago today...

Our hearts filled with love as you entered the world.

Today...

How sweet it is to be loved by you.

We love you Babes, Happy 1st Birthday!

Photos from Victoria Souza. Song lyrics from James Taylor.

Daddy Duty

2011-03-31T08:43:00.001-04:00

In our house, there are some things that fall into the “Mommy” category, and some things that fall into the “Daddy” category*.

Cooking dinner = Mommy
Grilling dinner = Daddy
Taking out the garbage = Daddy
Grocery shopping = Mommy

So when we experienced something out of the ordinary over vacation, I immediately placed it in the Daddy category.

Nanny L and I were bathing Babes in the big kids tub, chatting about some of our funniest home video moments:

Suburban H.I.T.: When my brother was two, he called my dad a choice word in the bathtub because he turned the faucet off!

Nanny L, laughing: Seriously?! We have a video of all us kids picking our nose and farting - we had no idea we were being taped!

Suburban H.I.T.: Too funny! Wait, what’s that?

Nanny L: Is that what I think it is?

Suburban H.I.T.: Quick, get her out of the tub!

I run down the hall to our bathroom where Husby is showering.

Suburban H.I.T.: You need to get out of the shower now. I have an immediate Daddy Duty for you.

Husby: It can’t wait?

Suburban H.I.T.: No.

Back in the bathroom with Babes and Nanny L, Husby walks in...

Husby: You weren't kidding when you said Daddy Duty.

Suburban H.I.T.: No, we have some Code Red Floaters that you need to get out of the tub immediately.

So there you have it. While discussing our own mortifying family moments, Babes decided it was time to create one of her own and pooped in the tub.

I don’t know about you, but that definitely falls in the Daddy category.

*These are generalizations. Of course Husby cooks when we’re having tacos or fondue, and I’d be remiss to say I never took out the garbage, but generally speaking, this is how these chores are broken up.

The Explanation

2011-02-01T08:30:00.001-05:00

So I feel like I owe you an explanation.

All I told you was that my plate is full and I don’t have time, but who doesn’t have a full plate? Who isn’t busy? Usually I give you more and I’m sorry I couldn’t do it sooner, but here goes.

We’re pregnant.

Again.

Yes, we’re those crazy folks who go and get pregnant when their first child is only six months old.

Yes, we planned it.

We always wanted a family with lots of little kids running around and we are in the camp that it’s best to get the baby stage done and over with all at once - the so-called "band-aid" approach to parenting.

So why stop blogging? Because we didn’t plan for some of the difficulties that have arisen since becoming pregnant.

After my first sonogram at five weeks, we found out that my body wasn’t producing nearly enough progesterone (I was at a 2) to sustain the pregnancy. Pregnancy scare #1. Fortunately, my body took to the supplements and we safely progressed forward to the 11th week (when the placenta takes over). We have yet to breech the subject if this can cause future fertility problems. One pregnancy at a time...

Then the spotting started. Pregnancy scare #2. It was light at first, went away and came back with revenge. I was placed on bed rest until I went two weeks with no bleeding. After sitting indoors for almost three weeks, we are finally two weeks blood free and feeling great.

We knew this would be a tough pregnancy, but we weren’t prepared for the emotional toll it’s been as well.

At our first doctor appointment, we were told that I’ll be considered high risk once I hit 20 weeks, I’ll have to stop traveling at 28 weeks versus the normal 32, and that they are concerned I’ll deliver early again since we initially went into labor at 35 weeks with Babes.

Husby looked at me and said, “Are they trying to scare us?”

The answer, of course, was no, but they want us to understand the gravity of the situation. A baby born even a week early is at risk and the most important thing in our life at the moment is taking care of Babes and making sure our newest little one doesn’t arrive a moment too soon.

So I decided it was time to put blogging on the back burner.

Now my mornings are spent reading a few blogs, catching up on Facebook, and playing with Babes. And during her afternoon nap, when I used to blog, I curl up with a good book or some trashy television, but mostly, I rest. After all, I realize that time is precious and the more time my littlest one spends inside my belly, the better.

Attention Readers:
If you'd like to continue reading Suburban Housewife-in-Training, I regularly update my Facebook page. I post pictures, recipes and, now, pregnancy updates.

As I do plan on coming back in about a year, I've decided that I'll post a few updates from time to time to keep you abreast of what's going on. Besides, I~~'m totally narcissistic and~~ miss blogging like crazy.

Until We Meet Again...

2010-12-29T15:38:00.000-05:00

So I’ve been thinking about this all week. ~~Well, thinking about it whenever I wasn’t thinking about wrapping presents, baking desserts, cooking dinners, keeping Babes happy, keeping Husby happy, keeping me sane...I think you get the gist.~~

I’m done.

At least, I’m done for now.

My plate is just too full and it’s only going to get fuller in the new year. ~~And after the holidays, I’m a little too close with my friend Mr. Belly Bloat.~~

I love blogging.

It makes me look at life so differently - I’m more observant and remember small details ~~(usually for blogging material)~~ - but it also takes up a lot of my time. Time that I just don’t have right now.

I know I’ll be back. One day.

It probably won’t be in a month from now or even in a year from now, but I’m sure we’ll find each other once again. ~~Mainly because I still plan to read all your blogs.~~

So until we meet again, from my family to yours, may you all have a healthy and happy New Year!

Monday Mayhem

2010-12-21T09:17:00.001-05:00

What do you mean it’s Tuesday?!?

This week is flying by quicker then I can say “Christmas cookies.” ~~And not just because I still have to bake some...~~

We still have presents to wrap, groceries to buy, menus to plan, and, most importantly, a sick Babes to take care of.

Yep, that’s right. She was up coughing all night and woke up with a slight temperature this morning. Luckily, she’s in fairly good spirits, she just wants to nap. A lot. We’re headed to the doctor this morning to make sure there isn’t an infection lurking behind her cough.

With all this craziness we’re a little behind on more than just blogging.

So today, I leave you with some one-pot goodness, because if you’re house is anything like mine these days, one pot is all you have time for.

Just before simmering meat.

H.I.T. Arsenal Recipe #18: One-Pot Chicken with Bratwurst and Potatoes
This recipe was adapted from a recipe in Everyday Food September 2010 issue.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil
2 Bratwurst links, casings removed, 1-inch pieces
2 Bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed, halved
Salt
Ground Pepper
Penzeys Bavarian Seasoning
1 Onion, diced
1 lbs red and white potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 celery stalks, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
2 TBS red-wine vinegar

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring until brown all over, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a dish.
Generously season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and Penzeys Bavarian Seasoning, and add meat to pan. Flipping once, cook until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to dish with sausage.
Add onion, potatoes and celery to pot, season with salt, pepper and a little Bavarian seasoning if you wish. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 3-5 minutes. Return sausage and chicken, meat side up, to pan and add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until chicken is cooked all the way through and potatoes are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
Remove lid, increase heat and reduce liquid to 1/2 cup. Transfer chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm. Add vinegar and 1 TBS Penzeys Bavarian Seasoning to pan, stirring well. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage and vegetables to chicken platter.
Sauce should be thick, if not, reduce until desired consistency reached, and transfer to gravy boat. Serve alongside chicken, sausage and vegetables. Enjoy!

Cyber Sister Giveaway Winner

2010-12-15T14:52:00.000-05:00

Congratulations Jenn!

Please send me an e-mail at SuburbanHIT (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your homemade toddler bedding!

Threes

2010-12-15T07:30:00.000-05:00

They say life happens in threes.

And right now I'm getting hit. Again.

Thank goodness it's the third.

So forgive me for not posting yesterday and for this vague post.

I promise I'll give you an update as soon as I'm able. Just know that no one is seriously ill or injured.

A good friend of mine told me that you never get more than you can handle.

I certainly hope she's right.

M.I.T. Mondays: What Gives? A Holiday Party!

2010-12-13T15:57:00.000-05:00

Babes Age: 8 months

Don't forget to enter the Cyber Sister Giveaway! Contest ends tonight.

Last week, Husby and I attended a charity dinner for Volunteers of America and it got us thinking...

As the first (and only) grandchild for Husby’s parents, in addition to my own parents who love giving gifts, Babes is pretty much hitting it big time this year for Christmas, and that doesn’t even include Santa’s presents.

It’s just too much for one little girl.

So after talking it over with Husby, we decided to scale back on the gifts Santa is bringing, and, instead, give some toys to a local shelter.

I even managed to find a Lalaloopsy doll to donate.

Why toys? Why not something people really need like food, clothes, toothbrushes, or underwear? Because it’s Christmas and even the local shelter understands that almost all kids get excited opening up a toy car on Christmas morning, but when they reach into their stocking and pull out underwear, let’s just say they are less than enthusiastic.

And because it’s never too early to teach your kids to give back, we decided to make it part of Babe’s North Pole party and kindly made the request for everyone who is able to please bring a gift.

If you’re throwing a holiday party this year, why not add the gift of giving? It’s easy to ask guests to bring an item from their pantry, an extra Christmas present or some gently used or outgrown winter jackets.

There are shelters in almost every community seeking aid this time of year. Will you help?

Volunteers of America is a national non-profit spiritual organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives through human service programs, such as housing and health care. You can find out more about the work they are doing at www.voa.org.

In Case You're Behind...

2010-12-10T17:29:00.000-05:00

And didn't know I had a Facebook page, you can fan me here.

And you just might want to become a fan...

For Facebook Fans only, I'm giving away one* of my favorite products:

Apple TV,
8 GB iPod Nano, or
Two iPod Shuffles (one for you and a friend!)

But you'll have to check my wall to see how to enter.

Happy Friday!

*Winner gets to pick one of the three choices as their prize.

I Choose Yellow

2010-12-09T21:53:00.000-05:00

When I became a mother back in April, I learned a lot of things very quickly.

For instance, I learned the difference between the tired cry, the hungry cry and, my favorite, the I’m so annoyed with you cry. I learned that if you didn’t put a diaper under Babes’s old diaper, your hand would get peed on.

I also learned that there are two groups of parenting and very harsh judgements from both sides regarding the other.

I’m neither black nor white on this one. I choose yellow.

Since when is parenting a school of thought that incites debate? Every day, we’re all just trying to do our best to raise a happy, healthy child that follows as many rules as possible ~~(because some really are meant to be broken from time to time)~~. And it’s unfair for anyone to assume they understand the inner workings of any family beyond their own.

Parenting is tough enough without having to defend yourself.

It’s a battlefield - you win some days, you lose some days, and some days, you wave the white flag and party together. But in the end, it’s the team with the most support that wins.

I won’t judge you for parenting differently then me, and I all I ask in return is that you don’t judge me.

So what do you say? Yellow?

This post is not in response to any personal event that happened to me, but rather to a series of events I've watch unfold over the course of several months. Each event was unique and involved a different set of people. On another note, this post is not meant to condone abuse or neglect, it's simply a way of saying, who cares if you breastfeed or not, who cares if you co-sleep or not, can't we all just get along?

Secret Santa Giveaway Winner...

2010-12-08T09:59:00.000-05:00

And the winner is...

Kristen from Now You Know!

Congratulations Kristen! Kristen is getting married in less than a month so it seems perfectly fitting that she has all the luck to win this giveaway, but I don't have a way to contact her! Kristen, someone, anyone, please send me an e-mail at SuburbanHIT (at) gmail (dot) com or I'll have to pick a new winner... :(

The One With the Prologue

2010-12-07T09:28:00.000-05:00

Husby usually doesn’t brush his teeth at night.

Having a father who is a dentist, I’m sure you can guess how I feel about it.

~~Swamp mouth.~~

So when I noticed him brushing his teeth before bed last night, I had to take the bait:

H.I.T.: What are you doing?

Husby: Brushing my teeth.

H.I.T.: Why?

Husby: [wink, wink]

H.I.T.: I think you have something in your eye.

M.I.T. Mondays: All I Want For Christmas

2010-12-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

*Don't forget to enter my Secret Santa and Cyber Sister giveaways!

Babes Age: 7 months

As baby’s first Christmas’s goes, we’re feeling pretty lucky. Babes is able to crawl over to her present, rip the paper open (with a little help), and play with her new toys.

So, what do you get a baby on her first Christmas?

What’s on her list of course!

Here are a few of the toys Babes asked Santa for (and a few things Mama threw in):

JoJo and Friends, Follow Me Max ($24 at Walmart)

Organic Beige Hemp Linen Ballet Shoe ($32 at Bobka Baby)

Yookidoo Discovery Playhouse ($99 at FAO Schwartz)

Leg Warmers from BMOD Designs ($8)

Butterfly - Natural Teething Toy ($15 at The Bitsy Bean)

And here are a few of the things Babes picked out for her friends:

Made-to-Order Knit High Top Sneaker Booties

($12.50 at Krafty Lady Kreations)

Clip-on Uglydog Blue ($6)

Merry Christmas Stud Muffin Onesie

($22 at Casanees)

Hanging Natural Hair Clippie Holder ($13.50 at Everyday Clippies)

What are your babes asking for this year?

Jingle Ball Rock

2010-12-03T17:00:00.003-05:00

In two weeks, Babes is hosting her first party. The theme?

A trip to the North Pole of course! 

To set the mood, we sent Paperless Post invitations to all her friends.

While I love a good paper invitation and card just as much as the next person, there is something fun and whimsical about sending Paperless Post.

Maybe it’s because I can pick out an invitation sealed in an envelope with a liner to be sent out at such a low cost*? Maybe it’s because this is an unnecessary party and I like the idea that we’re saving maybe 1/10 of a tree? Maybe it’s just because of the instant gratification in knowing that I can pick something out and have it delivered that same day.

Which ever the way, they have great selection and are sure to make any Jingle Ball rock.

Here are a few of my favorites for the holiday season:

I clearly have a penchant for the simple white background.

The best part? When you sign up, you receive 25 stamps and 10 coins for free*! So what are you waiting for? Host an unnecessary party of your own this holiday season. After all, 'tis the season!

I was not paid or sponsored to write this post. Nor was I contacted by Paperless Post. I just really like their product and want to spread the word.

Christmas Classics

2010-12-01T09:44:00.001-05:00

Just as my family has it’s holiday movie tradition at Thanksgiving, Husby's family has theirs at Christmas. Every Christmas Eve they watch...

A Christmas Carol.

Not the Jim Carey version that came out last year, or the version that came out in the early 80s, no, they like to watch the version with Alastair Sim. The one that came out half a century ago.

It's also the one that frightened the bejesus out of me as a little child.

Far be it from me to deny Husby his family tradition, but while he was hiding under the covers to shield his eyes from the Spirit of Christmas Yet To Come ~~(to this day, he still won’t watch scary movies...)~~, I was gayly singing along to the Muppet Family Christmas or anticipating the next time The Christmas Toy or Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas would be on television.

So until Babes is old enough to handle the scary parts of Husby’s Christmas Classic, we’ve reached a compromise:

After all, what's Christmas without a little Kermit and Miss Piggy?

Blog Post Fail

2010-11-30T12:51:00.001-05:00

We're in the midst of decorating madness here at the H.I.T. household, so without further ado, you're blog post:

Don't forget to enter my Secret Santa Giveaway!

Contest ends Tuesday, December 7th at 11:59 p.m. ET

M.I.T. Mondays: Cyber Sister Giveaway

2010-11-29T10:19:00.002-05:00

Babes Age: 7 Months

Disclaimer: This post has absolutely nothing to do with Babes, but everything to do with her aunt and a giveaway!

When my sister began talking to me about blogging, I knew it would be a great idea.

Because she’s ~~almost~~ as funny as me.

~~Almost.~~

But she’s definitely more talented than me. ~~when it comes to sewing.~~

So when she came up with the name, Me Sew Crazy, I knew it was perfect.

Because she writes post like Cartoon Diary Entry, One of Those Days, and Emergency Evacuation Plan...for Birds.

And because she can make the most adorable toddler clothes like her Upcycle Project #3 - Pleated Skirt, fashionable purses like the Gathered Cosmocup, and can take my your grungy baby bedding and turn it into something new and fabulous.

Like me and don’t have the kahoots to sew?

Well it’s a good thing we’re hosting a Cyber Sister Giveaway!

Suburban H.I.T. and Me Sew Crazy are teaming up to give away one handmade toddler duvet cover and sheet set - just in time for the cold weather (or holidays or any other reason you can think of for hosting a giveaway)!

Made with the newly released fabric design, “It’s a Hoot” by MoMo for Moda Fabrics, this set is 100% cotton for pure comfort. The set was made to fit standard Pottery Barn Toddler Bedding (ex., comforter is 36” wide x 50” long).

Here’s how to enter:

In ONE comment:
1. Let me know that you are a follower of my blog (or become one).
2. Leave your e-mail address in the comment (or activate e-mail in your profile). If I can’t contact you, you can’t win.

For additional entries (please let me know what you’ve done in the SAME COMMENT above):

3. Let me know that you are a follower of my sister’s blog (or become one).
4. Tweet about this giveaway and leave the link to your tweet**.
5. Add the giveaway button to your blog and tell me where to find it.
6. For 3 Extra Entries*** write a post about this giveaway on your blog, linking back to this post through the phrase: Suburban Housewife-in-Training & Me Sew Crazy Cyber Sister Giveaway, and leave the link to your post in the comment (so you post first, comment/enter second). Without the proper link, you will not receive additional entries (so no just linking to the word “contest” or “giveaway”).

**If you have a private twitter account, you MUST add me as a reader so I can view the tweet. Otherwise, you will NOT receive an additional entry. You will only receive ONE extra entry no matter how many times you tweet about the giveaway.
***You will only receive three extra entries once, no matter how many times you post about the giveaway.

Rules:
*Only open to residents of the continental U.S.A.
*Winners are chosen by random.org.
*Once selected, winner has 48 hours to contact me, otherwise another winner will be chosen.
*Contest ends Monday, December 13th at 11:59 p.m. ET. Winner will be posted the following day.
*Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid. Blog author has right to refuse any entrant or entry. Any attempt to obtain additional entries, beyond ways listed above, will cause entrant and all entries by that person to be VOID.

Give Thanks With A Giveaway!

2010-11-25T07:23:00.004-05:00

From my family to yours!

It's important to give thanks for all our blessings - good test results for Babes, a healthy, happy family~~, blog giveaways,~~ and being able to stay at home and care for our daughter, to name a few.

Oh, so you didn't miss that?

Well be sure to check back on Cyber Monday for a sister-style giveaway. That's right, my supremely awesome~~r than all the rainbows in the world~~ sister (W~~hat? She's older than me and can totally beat me up. Maybe I should put the rainbow one back in...I kid, I kid.~~) at Me Sew Crazy and I are teaming up to bring ~~sexy~~ sister back! ~~Eclipse, eclipse, eclipse!~~

And, have you entered my Secret Santa Giveaway yet? You know, the one where you receive a gift that's tailored to your likes? I've added in a few more ways to receive extra entries...make sure you check it out!

Still not a Facebook fan? What the heck!?! ~~I promise it's more interesting than just post updates.~~ Want a good reason to join? How about, behind the scenes of H.I.T. posts before they're revealed here, more pictures of Babes and family, and a giveaway just for fans.

That's right. I said another giveaway.

We have holiday fever here at Suburban H.I.T. and will soon be offering a giveaway just for Facebook fans. So what are you waiting for? ~~Begin stalking already!~~

I Could Never Love Anyone Like I Love My Sisters

2010-11-24T07:51:00.000-05:00

I love the movie Little Women.

Ever since it came out on VHS ~~(for all you young folk, that’s what we used before Internet Streaming, Apple TV and DVDs)~~, my mom, sister and I would turn it on every Thanksgiving.

We hated how annoying Amy was, cried every time Beth died, and wished each and every time, that just once, Jo would choose Laurie over Frederick.

But despite all the anger, crying and shouting, we loved watching the movie.

Then, my sister married and began dividing Thanksgivings. On the off years, my mom and I still watched the movie, but it just wasn’t the same. Those Little Women moments became even more memorable than before, because our time together was so little and so precious.

Eventually, I married and began spending all my Thanksgivings with my husband’s family. It’s a big holiday for them and with marriage comes compromise.

The first year, I tried to get my mother-in-law to watch the movie, but her tradition was watching the parade. The second year was an “on” year, so I called my mom and sister and we tried timing the movie - we turned it on at the same time. It was fun, but different.

The third year, I had some prep work to do on Wednesday so I decided to turn on Little Women while I worked by myself in the kitchen.

I enjoyed every minute.

While marriage involves compromise, the holidays are their own cup of tea. At first, it’s a blending of family traditions, but soon you begin forging your own traditions for the holiday season.

So today, while I peel potatoes and prepare the stuffing, green bean casserole and apple crisp, I’ll be watching Little Women as Babes twirls in her exersaucer.

She may not be big enough to sigh at Jo’s choice or roll her eyes at Amy, but one day I hope this movie will mean as much to her as it does to me.

Something To Be Thankful For

2010-11-23T11:48:00.000-05:00

We received the call this morning.

The results are normal.

At a time of year when we give thanks for our blessings, we truly have something to be thankful for this year.

While this doesn't provide clarity as to what happened or why, we know that it's not neurologically related, which is the best news we could receive. Now, we'll be examining her diet to see if we can determine the root of the problem.

M.I.T. Mondays: Little Miss Dress Up

2010-11-22T09:26:00.000-05:00

Babes Age: 7 months*

I loved playing with dolls as a little girl. My favorite part was when we would sort through all the clothes and pick out our wardrobe. Full length ball gowns were mixed in with tennis shorts and a polo - the options were endless. After a while, though, it was time to put my dolls away and grow up.

Or so I thought.

I’d be lying if I said I hated dressing Babes up. Since 4-days old, our little ~~doll~~ girl has been humoring mommy.

I posed her.

But she began getting back at me.

I took pictures of her crying.

But she began making faces.

After five months, I realized it was time to grow up. Babes wasn’t a doll to be dressed up and photographed as I pleased, she was my baby! It was more important for us to take photos of the personality she was developing - not the one I was setting up for her.

And you know what? It worked.

Now she’ll smile for just about any picture we take of her.

Whether it’s in her pajamas while she plays.

Or for a birthday card.

But every once in a while the little girl in me comes out, and I dress her up for a special picture.

At least now it’s on her terms...like when I took her picture for our holiday cards.

*Now that she's older, I'm dropping the weeks.

Home Sweet Home

2010-11-20T12:06:00.000-05:00

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. If you follow me on either Facebook or Twitter, you know that Babes was in great spirits throughout the test. ~~and was the bravest one there.~~ And, considering we were at the hospital from 2 p.m. Friday until about 10:00 a.m. this morning, she was an absolute angel.

With the holiday next week, we're hoping to have the results early the following week, but what we really hope for is clarity. We can make it through any storm together, we just need to know what we're up against.

I'll keep you all updated on the situation as more information becomes available. In the mean time, hope you all are enjoying the last weekend before holiday season arrives.

When It Rains It Pours

2010-11-19T10:34:00.000-05:00

Naturally, since we're anxious about today, the hard drive of my year old MacBook Pro decided it was a good day to fail.

And naturally, I have yet to back it up since. In the full year that I've owned it.

Let's hope the Apple Gods smile down at us and decide that they aren't going to delete all the files (photos of Babes) that have never been saved.

And with everything we've been dealt this last week, we know that everything will turn out just fine. We are confident that we can overcome this obstacle together and move on to whatever else life has in store for us.

I'll do my best to keep you updated, but I'd recommend checking my Twitter or Facebook page since that's where I'm most likely to update first. I probably wont get back to a computer until Sunday or Monday.

Hope we all have an uneventful weekend!

Perspective

2010-11-18T10:17:00.000-05:00

This morning while I was playing with my daughter, she leaned over, turned her face and kissed me.

In shock, I moved backward to look at her. She stared back at me.

Then, before I could change my mind about whether or not she did indeed kiss me, she did it again! I was so happy, I smiled and kissed her back. Which, she reciprocated.

Sometimes I think my daughter is smarter than she really is, but this morning, something tells me she knew I just needed some love.

I know everything will be alright. I know that they aren’t going to diagnose her with something life threatening. And I know that she is in God’s hands, which are good hands to be in.

Feeling Blue

2010-11-17T09:34:00.001-05:00

You know the days when you just want to pull up the covers to block out those morning rays...and then the baby cries?

OK, well, maybe the baby isn’t in all your scenarios, but she’s certainly in mine and on those days the only thing that helps is ~~coffee.~~ ~~a good breakfast.~~ ~~coffee.~~ ~~a good breakfast.~~ coffee, then a good breakfast.

And nothing beats a good breakfast like cottage cheese pancakes with fresh blueberry sauce.

This isn’t something I grew up with - it’s something my Mother-in-law told me about. Yes, I really just used the M-word on my blog in a positive sentence. ~~They aren’t all bad, I promise.~~

I had my first bite a few years back when I was commuting back and forth from the suburbs to the city for work. Soon, I became the vampire of cottage cheese pancakes - unable to resist a batch and searching for new conquests each morning.

Then, I must have tasted a batch with some vervain or something, because I was thrown off the scent for a while...that is until this morning.

As the morning sun crept through our window, shedding light closer and closer to my face, I knew the only thing that would ~~keep me alive~~ satisfy my insatiable desire to stay in bed was ~~some cottage cheese pancakes with blueberry sauce.~~ ~~my daughter.~~ ~~some cottage cheese pancakes with blueberry sauce.~~ ~~my daughter.~~ seeing my daughter’s morning smile and then eating some delicious cottage cheese pancakes with blueberry sauce.

Hopefully these will help motivate you too.

H.I.T. Arsenal Recipe #17: Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

1 large container of blueberries, rinsed (or 2 small)
1 egg
1 4oz cottage cheese container
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

In a food processor, combine egg, cottage cheese and milk. Blend until smooth. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Continue blending until creamy.
Add about 1/2 inch water to a small saucepan. Add blueberries. Cook on medium until blueberries begin to burst, about 4-5 minutes. Continue cooking on medium-low and using fork, mash blueberries to create a syrupy consistency. Keep sauce warm.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add small amount of butter. Using a large spoon, add batter to skillet, creating desired pancake size, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula and continue cooking until browned on the other side.
Top pancakes with blueberry sauce and enjoy!

Have a baby that is past purees and want to make her breakfast too*? It’s easy!

Set aside one small handful of blueberries
Cinnamon (or a vanilla bean or whatever spice/flavor your baby would prefer best)
Vitamin-enriched Oatmeal for baby

Add a 1/4-1/2 inch of water (depending on how thick your baby likes oatmeal) to a small saucepan, add blueberries (and vanilla bean, if using). Cook on medium until blueberries begin to burst, about 4-5 minutes.
In cleaned food processor, add blueberries, cinnamon (or other spice/flavor) and 3 TBS of oatmeal (more or less depending on desired consistency for baby). Blend until almost smooth (or smooth, again, depending on desired consistency).
Cover baby appropriately with bib and watch her enjoy!

*Before introducing any new foods, especially berries, to your baby, it is important to first speak with your pediatrician.

M.I.T. Mondays: But It's Tuesday...

2010-11-16T13:59:00.001-05:00

Babes Age: 31 weeks or 7 months

I was going to wait until next week to do our M.I.T. Mondays post, especially since it's no longer Monday and all, but something came up that I need to share.

Remember back in September when Babes went through those shuddering spells? Well, her EEG came out fine and for a while, she stopped shuddering all together. We thought we were in the clear.

Until this morning.

We pulled up to our Sign and Sing class and Babes, who had fallen asleep the last 5 minutes of the ride, was just waking up. I walked around to take her out of the car seat and when I opened the door, I witnessed her entire body shaking. Her lips were tucked under her teeth with her mouth clenched. The entire incident probably lasted about 30 seconds...although it felt like an eternity.

I called our pediatrician who recommended we call the pediatric neurologist. When we spoke with him, he decided that we needed to conduct an overnight EEG to make sure we didn't miss anything the first time. We're getting an appointment for this weekend.

So for now, we're just sending up prayers and remaining positive. We have a few things on our side - the fact that her eyes didn't roll up, that she doesn't have a fever, and that within 15 minutes she was totally fine and playful (and remains that way even now). But the doctor called the episode "worrisome," which worries even the most positive of mothers.

I'm thankful that we have a capable doctor whom both my husband and I trust. I'm thankful that we live in a community that can handle these types of observations close to home. I'm thankful for all the love and support of our friends and family. And I'm thankful that He watches over us and has blessed us with such things to be thankful.

If it was easy, it wouldn't be called life.

Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back

2010-11-15T23:13:00.002-05:00

*Added in another way to receive Extra Entries!

We temporarily interrupt your regularly scheduled M.I.T. Mondays post to announce this urgent message.

Welcome to the new Suburban Housewife-in-Training site!

This has been a few months in the making ~~(and not just because it took me so damn long to get back to Krystyn)~~ (as I’m sure some of you noticed when the navigation bar was added a few weeks back), and is still in works while I finalize a few things (like my Favorites and Policy) but I’m super excited about everything.

I’ve added an About Me section, ~~what can I say, I'm the S.H.I.T.!~~, updated my badge, and will soon be available by subscription for your Kindle (or Kindle app on your iPad). I’m also available on Formspring if you want to ask me a question (nothing rated R please - I am a part-time Mommy blog) and I promise I’m going to start twittering again! If you want to follow me, just ask - it's only private to keep out spam.

And, most importantly, while I was busy being a ~~bad blogger~~ mother, I went and had my two year blogoversary...with no celebration what-so-ever. That just seems wrong. So I want you all to celebrate with me! That’s right...

it’s time for a giveaway!

Unfortunately, I don’t have any diamonds this time around (ahem, Kohl’s...if you’re listening...), but since it’s almost Christmas, I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway Secret Santa style.

Here’s how it works. You enter. You win. I go through your blog and/or ask you a ton of questions (if you don’t blog) to find out what you like and pick out a present accordingly.

So basically you’re entering a contest and have no idea what you’re winning.

Sounds like fun, right? Here’s how to enter:

In ONE comment:

Let me know that you are a follower (or become one).
Leave your e-mail address in the comment (or activate e-mail in your profile). If I can’t contact you, you can’t win.

For additional entries (please let me know what you’ve done in the SAME COMMENT above):

   3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave the link to your tweet**.
   4. Add my giveaway button to your blog and tell me where to find it.
   5. Add my NEW badge to your blog (or update my old badge with my new one).
   6. FOR 3 EXTRA ENTRIES*** write a post about this giveaway on your blog, linking back to this post through my blog title: Suburban Housewife-in-Training, and leave the link to your post in the comment (so you post first, comment/enter second). Without the proper link, you will not receive additional entries (so no just linking to the word “contest” or “giveaway”).
   7. JUST ADDED: FOR 2 EXTRA ENTRIES, become a Facebook Fan.

**If you have a private twitter account, you MUST add me as a reader so I can view the tweet. Otherwise, you will NOT receive an additional entry. You will only receive ONE extra entry no matter how many times you tweet about the giveaway.
***You will only receive three extra entries once, no matter how many times you post about the giveaway.

Rules:
*Only open to residents of the continental U.S.A. (sorry folks – international shipping is a nightmare).
*Winners are chosen by random.org.
*Once selected, winner has 48 hours to contact me, otherwise another winner will be chosen.
*Contest ends Tuesday, December 7th at 11:59 p.m. ET. Winner will be posted the following day.
*Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid. Blog author has right to refuse any entrant or entry. Any attempt to obtain additional entries, beyond ways listed above, will cause entrant and all entries by that person to be VOID.

You Know...

2010-11-12T16:50:00.000-05:00

You’re going to have a great day when...

- You wake up and your cup of coffee is already made.
- You slept uninterrupted last night for the first time in weeks.
~~- You actually finish last night’s episode of the Housewives of Beverly Hills before your daughter demands attention.~~
- You successfully schedule a playdate with friends you haven’t seen in weeks (see sleepless nights above).
- You’re able to shower, get dressed and eat breakfast all during the morning nap.

You know everything’s gone downhill when...

- Separation anxiety rears it’s ugly head on your previously independent daughter, leaving you to only socialize with the babies at said playdate.
- Despite all your efforts to pretend otherwise, you’re sick and need to leave a friend’s house early to run to the doctors office and get meds. (fyi, I'm not contagious).
- Each time you’re in the car longer than 40 minutes, your daughter chooses the 5 minutes before arrival to fall asleep.
- It takes 50 minutes to get home in what should have been 15 minutes.
- As a last ditch to get your daughter to nap, you put her in her crib and proceed to hear raspberries, screams of delight and other sounds that are definitely not made when sleeping.

You know things are about to look up again when...

- The clock strikes 4:30 p.m. and you can break open that bottle of vino.
- Husby decides that instead of making lasagna, we can just order it in at the local Italian eatery.

So what do you think - good or bad weekend ahead?

Happy Veterans Day

2010-11-11T07:31:00.000-05:00

To everyone that has served this country and to all their families who made the ultimate sacrifice so we can all live safely, thank you.

All I Want For Christmas

2010-11-10T14:14:00.000-05:00

Dear Santa,

I realize it’s been a while since I’ve dropped a line, but I think it’s time we got back in touch...

For Christmas this year, I’d really like just a few, small things:

- ~~Two front teeth.~~ A full set of baby teeth~~. With. No. Teething.~~ for Babes. See, I’m so thoughtful!
- More daddy and me time~~, so I can hightail it to the spa one afternoon~~ for Babes. I truly care about other’s needs!
- A regular nap schedule~~, so I can leave the house for once~~ for Babes. See how concerned I am for people’s health?
- ~~Mr. Belvedere.~~ Some magic elves to ~~quietly~~ do my household chores at night, ~~so I can finally catch up with my DVR~~ so I can spend more time with my family and less time cleaning. See how important quality time is to me?

I think it’s pretty evident from my Christmas list just how good I’ve been this year.

Thinking of you while I bake a few dozen Christmas cookies for Christmas Eve. You’re favorite is the Spritz cookie, right?

Until next year,
a H.I.T.

Playing Catch Up

2010-11-09T13:09:00.001-05:00

The tiresome part about household work is that it's never ending.

It's not like you can finish all your laundry and be done with it. Forever.

There's always something getting dirty, so within two days (one day, if you have a teething baby learning to eat solids), you have a full basket all over again.

So in honor of laundry day, I'm forgoing the long queue on my DVR in lieu for curling up with a mug of hot apple cider and a good book.

After all, part one of the last Harry Potter movie comes out next week so I need to catch up on my reading.

M.I.T. Mondays: Thankful For the Rain

2010-11-08T10:56:00.001-05:00

Babes Age: 30 weeks or 6 months

This morning, I was taking some photos of Babes for my girlfriend, Llama Tails. She made some bows especially for our little girl and I thought I would reciprocate the favor by giving her some photos of Babes modeling the headbands for her Etsy site.

I should back peddle.

Lately, Babes has been a total fusspot. Besides being sick, her two bottom teeth won’t budge past the gum line, and to top it off, her two top teeth decided to poke on through this weekend. Painful.

So when she woke up from her morning nap in a great mood, I decided it was the perfect day - freezing rain and all. I plopped Babes in front of a window to get the most natural light and for the first time all morning, Babes was quiet.

She was completely entranced. With the rain.

There I was, all morning, trying to get her to smile with light up toy this and musical toy that but it was something as simple as nature that made her content.

So this Thanksgiving, when we are all giving thanks, I will be thankful for the rain and my daughter. For they reminded me that it’s the small things in life we should be most thankful for, not all the things that we buy to entertain ourselves.

Still sick.

2010-11-05T11:27:00.000-04:00

After a week of being on the mend, things have taken a turn for the worse here in the H.I.T. household.

I'm going on the Z-Pack.

Babes's nose looks like a drippy faucet.

And Husby, is sitting pretty, healthy as a bat.

Figures. Welcome to motherhood!

Sleep Talk Monster Strikes Again

2010-11-04T19:07:00.000-04:00

This morning, Husby calls to tell me that I was super grumpy last night. Now, I remember feeling tired, but grumpy, no, so I ask him to elaborate.

He explains that he woke up in the middle of the night last night to a grumpy sleep talking monster:

Husby: That was weird, did you hear that noise outside?

H.I.T.: Huh?

Husby: The noise...outside.

H.I.T.: If it’s not the baby, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.

[H.I.T. sound asleep two seconds later]

Husby [to himself]: Because I’m really going to take advice from you on this one...

Clearly, I have my priorities straight, and, thankfully, so does Husby.

In Lust

2010-11-03T19:28:00.000-04:00

With these bleach Revas.

I'm thinking they'd be perfect with a pair of skinny cords and a chunky sweater.

Now if someone could please pass me my hot chocolate...

Elf, Reporting For Duty

2010-11-02T09:21:00.000-04:00

We are beyond excited here at the H.I.T. household. Last year, we were new homeowners, so many things, such as our new house, trumped the holidays. But this year...

it's Babes first holiday season!

And we're going all out.

I've found her Thanksgiving dinner recipes, finished her Christmas shopping (and almost everyone else's!), ordered all our decorations, and, most importantly, we're about to receive our Elf on a Shelf.

Why is that the most important?

Because this morning I was greeted by this:

We have a top secret scooter on our hands. I don't know when she began "army crawling," but clearly it's time we introduced Babes to her elf...the one who reports mischievous behavior to Santa.

Otherwise, I see many more of this in our future:

M.I.T. Mondays: Sick Day

2010-11-01T21:25:00.004-04:00

Babes Age: 29 weeks or 6 months

Babes has been sick since Saturday.

It was my day to sleep in. I rolled out of bed, inhaled my coffee and found Babes jumping in her bouncer with a face full of snot.

I looked at Husby, who was busy reading ~~Page Six~~ his morning paper, and asked if he took her temperature.

Husby: Why would I do that?

H.I.T.: Because she's clearly sick. Why didn't you wake me up?

Husby: She's not sick...

H.I.T.: Look at her nose! It won't stop running. Her eyes are bloodshot.

Husby: She definitely didn't look like that when I picked her up this morning.

H.I.T.: And I guess she didn't have a full diaper either.

Husby: At least she's in good spirits!

H.I.T.: I'm going back to bed and taking a sick day.

After wiping her nose several times and visiting the doctor, she's finally on the mend. Her eyes are still bloodshot and her nose is still runny, but at least her diapers are being changed.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T17:02:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween!

p.s. We did go with the spider costume for a Halloween party with friends, but seeing as Grammie bought Babes this costume, we wore this on Halloween day.

Caught In A Web of Costumes

2010-10-28T21:30:00.000-04:00

If you’re anything like me, you ordered your child’s halloween costume way back in August when they first became available online. A month later, you changed your mind. Then, you changed your mind again.

And again. And again. And again.

Until finally it was the weekend before Halloween and you ordered the very best costume you could find on Etsy.

You were so excited when it arrived...

three sizes too big.

As in, large enough to fit a 3 year old toddler.

So, four days before Halloween the search began. Again. And just when you exhausted every possible idea and were ready to give in to ~~those oversized plush animal costumes for infants~~ defeat, the curtains opened and lightening struck.

I hightailed it to Michael’s, made a quick stop inside Babies R’ Us, and rounded the trip with JoAnn’s before heading home and starting her costume.

Myself.

After all, why leave to others what you can do best yourself?

Oh, I almost forgot.

She's caught in a spider's web.

1. Carter's white long-sleeved onesie with iron transfer spider image.
2. Black long-sleeved Gap T-shirt with white puffy paint.
3. Carter's white short-sleeved onesie with iron transfer spider web image.
4. Homemade spider headband and semi-homemade shirt. Skirt by Amy Coe. Black tights by Gap.

Meet Fluffy

2010-10-26T08:08:00.000-04:00

Our pet spider.

We only let him roam free once a year.

It's easy to see why...

He bites.

But only when he's hungry.

So pet at your own risk.

1. Bloody font for sign from here.
2. Own dog mat and bowl.
3. Fingers and eyeballs from Michaels.
4. Spider body made by wrapping a feather boa around a styrofoam ball, attaching with sewing pins. Legs made with large pipe cleaners.

To Trick Or Treat

2010-10-22T14:14:00.000-04:00

On Halloween, the local police shut down my neighborhood. Car entry is prohibited. It becomes a pedestrian paradise for trick-or-treaters.

And this is our first year of joining in the fun!

We decided to give our house a little trick and a little treat as a witches lair - complete with spider guards.

1. Black spider web and spiders from GrandinRoad ($29).
2. Black floral wreath made by me, idea from Family Circle.
2. White spider webs and small plastic spiders from Michaels ($1.99 -$4.99).
3. White pumpkins spray painted with black metallic paint.

Starting today and every post leading up to Halloween, I’ll show you how to make a lair of your own.

Do you trick or treat your house?

The One With the Bathroom Toll

2010-10-20T07:24:00.001-04:00

Walking out of the bathroom doorway, when Husby stops in front of me:

H.I.T.: What are you doing?

Husby: Stop trying to touch my butt!

H.I.T.: I’m not... [Husby refuses to budge] Excuse me...

Husby: You are too, and I’m giving you the perfect opportunity.

H.I.T.: Fine. Toll paid. Good night.

Husby: Told you so.

M.I.T. Mondays: Vaccination Days

2010-10-18T10:15:00.000-04:00

Babes Age: 27 weeks or 6 months

Today is Babes’s six month doctor appointment which means lots of vaccinations for the little girl...

And, because it’s the fall, it also means flu shot.

I see it as the perfect excuse to snuggle and let her nap on Mommy this afternoon.

Happy Monday all!

Finally

2010-10-13T14:33:00.000-04:00

After what's felt like forever, we finally received the results to Babes's EEG...normal.

We are beyond blessed that everything turned out OK. While we still don't know what's causing her to shudder, at least we know that she is neurologically fine and we feel confident that things will continue to work themselves out.

I'll resume normal blogging next Monday. I need to go hug my little girl one more time.

M.I.T. Mondays: Matching Mommy

2010-10-04T09:24:00.002-04:00

Babes Age: 25 weeks or 5 months

My good friend over at Me Sew Crazy, aka my sister, and I were ~~laughing~~ talking about how I secretly like to wear matching clothes with my daughter.

If I’m wearing a heathered pink polo, she’ll wear a pair of antique pink and gold coveralls, if she’s wearing bright pink, I manage to throw on a bright pink belt. Cute without being over-the-top.

Most of the time.

When I know we'll be home all day and Husby will be working late, I'm sometimes tempted to throw caution to the wind.

After all, who wouldn't want to look like this adorable little girl?

Babes's Big Day

2010-09-29T09:25:00.001-04:00

So today is EEG day.

I know she'll do great.

It's me I'm worried about.

The thought of seeing my little girl with nodules glued to her adorable head is just too much. I hope they at least let me hold her or hold her hand...

On a positive note, her spells calmed down for about a week. She's had a few this week, but none that have caused a lapse or absence like the two that caused us to call the doctor. And, she's still reaching milestones (like learning to sit unaided), which is also a sign that things are moving in the right direction. All great news.

We are keeping our thoughts positive and feel confident that passing the doctor's in-office exam is a good indicator that she will also pass this test. We hope to receive results by the end of this week, early next week.

Until then, my blogging will remain on hold.

Thank you for all your support.

You Know It's Been a Long Week...

2010-09-24T09:34:00.000-04:00

When halfway through breakfast, you realize you're eating a regular burrito

instead of the tofu breakfast one.

Yum?

Update

2010-09-20T10:02:00.000-04:00

So the good news is that Babes passed the in-office exam. The bad news is that the doctor still wants to perform an EEG to make sure her shudders are not seizures.

Keeping our fingers crossed...

Mommy Woes

2010-09-14T19:53:00.000-04:00

I'm sure it's nothing. Just another Mommy moment where I'm overreacting...

but when your baby shudders it's scary.

Especially when it happens more frequently and more intense than before.

So...

I'm taking a small break to focus on what's important - my family - while we figure out what is causing this phenomenon. I don't normally do this, but if you wouldn't mind keeping Babes in your thoughts, I'd really appreciate it. Like I said, I'm sure it's nothing and she's fine, but a few extra thoughts and prayers never hurt.

Thanks for understanding guys. I'll keep you updated. xo

M.I.T. Mondays: Teething 101

2010-09-13T11:41:00.002-04:00

Babes Age: 22 weeks or 5 months

Well it's begun.

The dreaded teething.

How do I know? My once independent and happy babe now fusses all the time. She wants to cuddle instead of play. But the biggest indicator was when she screeched after biting Sophie the giraffe.

This morning while brushing her top gums (my dad's a dentist people), my suspicions were confirmed - she winced at something she used to love.

I'd make a great detective, let me tell you.

But even so, there's nothing I can do to make her pain go away.

My post on my niece's birthday present will just have to wait. Right now, I'm indulging my teething daughter by writing this post as a napping Babes sleeps on Mommy. After all, it'll all be too soon when cuddling with Mommy is a thing of the past.

This lemonade sure does taste sweet.

Friday Finds

2010-09-10T14:30:00.000-04:00

A roundup of my favorite deals around the net this week:

The adorable sleeper gowns by Mooncakes at Zulily are the perfect night time companion. Nothing says sweet dreams like pretty pajamas.
No art? No problem. The colorful prints of Unison Home pillows on Gilt Groupe will brighten up any room, and are sure to get guests talking.
Ollie the Octopus rocker by Rockabye on Hautelook gives playrooms a much needed break from the typical rocking horse.
I’m drooling over Whitney Pozgay’s new like Whit available on Swirl. In true fashion form, there's a price tag to match the oh la la style. Bummer.

Looking for more deals? Here are my recommendations on what to check out:

Zulily
WallCandy Arts - ends 9/14 at 7 a.m.
Fun letters to personalize any nursery, kid’s room or play space.

Mooncakes - ends 9/15 at 7 a.m.
Shanghai meets Palm Beach. I adore these sleeper gowns.

Lunchbox Girls/Boys - ends 9/14 at 7 a.m.
Send your little ones off to school in style with these mad for plaid picks.

Not a member? No problem! Sign up here.

Gilt Groupe
Unison Home - ends 9/14 at Midnight
Pillows that are more artwork then textile.

Stroll in Style - ends 9/14 at Midnight
Baby Bjorn carriers, Maclaren strollers and accessories, JJ Cole Bundlemes, Skip Hop goodies and Life Factory bottles. Need I say more?

Missed the Boat: Trumpette - starts 9/11 at Noon
Fun colored socks, shoes and tights for tots.

Not a member? No problem! Sign up here.

Hautelook
Rockabye Toys - ends 9/11 at 8:00 a.m.
Who wouldn’t want to rock the day away on these plush rockers.

Allen Ave. Designs - ends 9/13 at 8:00 a.m.
The stuffed toys in this sale are sure to add a punch of color to any room.

Not a member? No problem! Sign up here.

Swirl
Whit - ends 9/13
Parisian meets prep in this fun new line called Whit, by Whitney Pozgay. I’m particularly sweating the Puffed Sleeve dress and Belted Mini Skirt. Sigh.

No a member? No problem! Sign up here.

The Mini Social
Children Inspire Design - ends 9/14 at Noon
Decor for the under four set.

Kidorable - ends 9/15 at Noon
Fun gear for dreary weather.

Not a member? No problem! Sign up here.

I Never Thought...

2010-09-09T18:20:00.001-04:00

I would be the 'crazy' woman on our street.

Yesterday, the neighbor's kids ran into me. I happened to be banging a wooden spoon on a pot, charging a bush in our garden.

I definitely saw a finger point.

They definitely did not see the two deer I was trying to scare away.

While walking Babes today, I ran into two other kids from the neighborhood. They may or may not have made a drumming motion while I passed.

Oh well.

Might as well run with it...

after all, Halloween's around the corner =)

The One With the Steak

2010-09-07T12:30:00.000-04:00

Over a fondue dinner:

Husby: You cut my meat pieces way too large.

H.I.T.: Because you always complain that they overcook when I make them bite-sized...

[H.I.T. walks into kitchen to get something]

Husby: Really?

H.I.T.: What?

Husby: This piece is a full steak in some parts of the world!

H.I.T.: C'mon...

[silence, H.I.T. is still in kitchen]

Husby: I need to take your forks out.

H.I.T.: How come, did you lose a piece and need to fish?

Husby: No. I need to cook my steak.

H.I.T.: FINE! You win. I'll cut them smaller next time.

Roll to Me

2010-09-02T16:26:00.001-04:00

Since Monday is Labor Day, I leave you with an early M.I.T. post:

Babes Age: Same as Monday. Duh.

*Movie has been removed for privacy.

The One In the Other Room

2010-09-01T06:08:00.000-04:00

H.I.T. putting away groceries, Husby in family room with news on:

H.I.T.: Which dressing would you like in the fridge?

Husby: Whichever. I'm in hell right now.

[H.I.T. rushes over to see what's on the news/going on]

H.I.T.: Really? You're playing Plants vs. Zombies?

Husby: Yes. I'm in hell right now.

H.I.T.: Next time, could you lessen the dramatics. I thought it was something serious!

M.I.T. Mondays: Rugrats Sensor

2010-08-30T06:23:00.000-04:00

Babes Age: 20 weeks or 4 months

Babes is on the move. She’s not sure where she’s going yet, but she’s going places...on her back. She doesn’t know how to roll over yet, but girl knows how to move.

I discovered just how far she can scoot this morning. I left her alone on her activity mat, like I usually do, while I made breakfast and about 10 minutes later I hear her fussing. I look over and she’s hit her head on our couch...which is a good 5-6 feet from where I placed her!

My little Rugrat.

You know, that cartoon from the 90s where the babies used to break free from their playpen? My mom and I were talking, and we came up with a brilliant way to solve the Rugrat dilemma.

Mom: There should be a Rugrat sensor activity mat.

H.I.T.: A what?

Mom: A mat that sounds an alarm when Babes goes over the edge.

H.I.T.: Do-do Do-do Do-do Do-do.

[laughter]

H.I.T. [in alarm voice]: Scoot away from the edge!

Mom [in alarm voice]: Back off. Mommy is on her way!

H.I.T.: Border alert! Border alert!

Mom: Danger, Baby, Danger! You will receive a timeout if you cross this line.

H.I.T.: What a great idea, even if it’s only purpose is to make Mommy’s laugh.

There's a Light for That

2010-08-27T06:49:00.000-04:00

Remember back when we were TTC and I kept complaining about my What the F*kc Complexion Syndrome? Nothing would work.

I tried Proactiv, it bleached my towels. It helped a little bit, but I still looked like a teenager. Next.

I tried Clarisonic, it cleaned my face so well that the products I used absorbed too deeply into my skin, burning the top layer of skin. Try again.

Nothing helped. Until one magical day, I found it. My skin saver. My blue lighter.

My Tanda.

OK, so it's not really just mine, but this handy device’s blue light LED kills acne-causing bacteria. And the best part?

It really works.

Seriously. It works miracles. After two weeks of using it, my skin was CLEAR. If a bump dared to erupt on my face, Tanda would show him who was boss in. One. Day.

I became obsessed.

We’d be vacationing with friends and I would excuse myself to “blue light” upstairs. Husby began asking if he could “blue light” when I was done. “Blue lighting” was done every morning while reading the newspaper and then again at night while watching t.v.

I realize it's pricey, so here's a price comparison of treatments with similar results* - it's the same price as one and a half glycolic facial peels or one blue light LED treatments at a dermatologist office.

The only thing it didn’t help? Any scarring or pigmentation received from previous outbreaks.

But don’t worry.

There’s a red light for that.

*Average of prices offered from two separate offices in New York City. I chose not to include the price comparison for Proactiv and Clarisonic, because I do not feel that either product adequately compared to the results I received from using Tanda.
**Unfortunately, this product is NOT recommended for use during pregnancy.
***I was NOT paid to write this review nor did I receive any free or trial products from any of the brands referenced.

The One With the Name

2010-08-25T16:44:00.000-04:00

Driving in the car (I'm in the backseat with Babes):

Husby: What's going on back there hooker?

H.I.T.: Lafayette, please, I have a name.

[pause]

H.I.T.: I think we've been watching too much Trueblood.

Husby: Sookie!

M.I.T. Mondays: You Know It's Time...

2010-08-23T16:42:00.001-04:00

Babes Age: 19 weeks or 4 months

You know it’s time...

to baby proof your home when your little one begins scooting on her back in pursuit of toys.

to stop using the crockpot when you go to use it in the morning and realize it still has last night’s leftovers inside.

to get a pedicure when you little one spits-up at the sight of your toes.

to have a glass of wine when the clock reaches noon. just kidding~~, you should be able to wait for happy hour. still, just kidding.~~

And, finally, you know it's time...

to remove the blue tape when you husband barely remembers what you look like anymore.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-08-20T10:24:00.000-04:00

What’s a gal to do when the dead of summer hits with no end in site?

Makeover her blog of course! 

Next month marks my two year blogoversary and to celebrate, I’ll have some exciting announcements.

Not enough dirt to hold you over? Here’s a sneak peek of what to expect:

One giveaway, two giveaway, red giveaway, blue giveaway!
What is white and blue and gray all over?
No more little monkeys jumping on the bed!
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

Confused?

Good.

Grandma always said its best to keep ‘em guessing...

The Answer Is Rum. What is the question?

2010-08-18T11:30:00.001-04:00

We had a great time in the British Virgin Islands. Babes traveled beautifully and the weather was perfect.

Who could ask for more?

Besides how to travel with Babes, we learned a few other things I thought I would share*:

How to properly air guitar

How to play Plants vs. Zombies (instead of enjoy the beautifully sunny weather)

How to "strong arm" your beverage

How to sleep like a baby

But, mostly, we learned how to have fun as a family!

*Some faces were blurred out to protect individual identities.

M.I.T. Mondays: Three Bags And a Baby

2010-08-16T09:20:00.000-04:00

Babes Age: 18 weeks or 4 months

Did you really think that I would post while on a sunny beach vacation? With my family?!

I guess I was a little misleading when I said I would be blogging via iPad. What I really meant, was that I would write one post via iPad...

I know, how typical. Hopefully you still love me.

Before when Husby and I would travel, we each had one carry-on bag and nothing else.

What else did we need?

This time, we had our carry-on bags, a diaper bag, and 3 HUGE suitcases.

Yes, 3. HUGE. Suitcases.

One for Babes’s toys, one for her diapers, formula and other necessities, and one for us. That's right, the youngest member of the H.I.T. household had the most baggage.

Our efficient packing skills went out the window the minute that cute baby girl entered the picture. We used about half of the items we brought along, and created this list of real necessities for the next time we travel out of the country:

Diapers
Wet Wipes
Aquaphor (or whatever diaper cream you use)
Formula/Breast Milk/Solids
2 Bottles (and any other food-related items - spoon, sippy cup, etc.)
Small Dishwashing Soap (if staying in a hotel vs. villa/condo)
Burp Cloths/Bibs
Medicine (Fever Reducer, Pain Reliever, Antihistamine, Saline)
Sunscreen
Pajamas
Weather-appropriate clothing (plus one extra hot/cold day outfit)
Comfy from home (we used a blanket that she loves)
4-5 toys that can be rotated throughout the trip (number depends on how long you are traveling)

That’s all Babes needed. Is there anything you’d recommend?

M.I.T. Mondays: The One With the Raspberry

2010-08-09T09:12:00.002-04:00

Babes age: 17 weeks or 3 months

At the dinner table with Husby’s parents:

Husby: So H.I.T. called me at work today.

[silence]

Husby: I say hi and get a [raspberry sound] in my ear.

H.I.T.: I was trying to get Babes to laugh...

Husby: Then H.I.T. says, ‘She won’t [raspberry sound] laugh! She never [raspberry sound] laughs when I [raspberry sound] call you.’

H.I.T.: But, she doesn’t...

Husby: [raspberry sound] I think you [raspberry sound] just like [raspberry sound].

H.I.T.: And I think you’re just jealous that you haven’t heard her laugh yet [raspberry sound].

Vacation All I Ever Needed...

2010-08-07T08:10:00.000-04:00

Vacation had to get away...

to the British Virgin Islands for our first family trip. Wish us luck!

Don't worry, I'll be blogging via iPad.

Gap Striped long racerback dress, $25
K Jacques St Tropez Valerie T-bar leather sandals, $245
Hermes enamel bracelets, Hermes enamel bangles | Hermes.com, $660
Women's accessories - belts - Metallic leather belt - J.Crew, $35
Longchamp Le Pliage Grey, $145
Amazon.com: The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousins' War) (9781416563723):..., $13
Amazon.com: Fodor's U.S. & British Virgin Islands, 22nd Edition..., $13
iPad - iPad WiFi - iPad WiFi + 3G - Apple Store (U.S.)

Call Me Corny

2010-08-06T06:35:00.000-04:00

Every summer, Husby and I devour corn. It’s delicious. It’s sweet. And it’s ~~cheap~~ easy on the grill.

Every summer, except this summer.

The corn in our area just isn’t sweet this year. ~~Canned corn is better than this crap.~~ So instead of eating it straight off the cob, we’ve gotten creative.

It’s become the champion accompaniment. It's perfect on fish. It’s perfect on chicken. It’s perfect with pork kabobs. It’s the perfect accompaniment to just about anything.

Our favorite style for serving the yellow accompaniment goddess? In a delicious black bean salsa.

It’s going to be hard going back to the cob after this yummy creation.

H.I.T. Arsenal Recipe #16: Corn and Black Bean Salsa with Grilled Tilapia

3 cups of fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears worth)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, diced
1 red bell pepper, thinly diced
2 medium-sized tomatoes, thinly diced
4 green onions, only the green part thinly sliced
2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime
4 tilapia Filets
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Add 1 cup water and corn to a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes or just until kernels turn bright yellow. Drain.
In a medium bowl, combine cooked corn, black beans, avocado, red bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Carefully stir.
Cut lime in half. Squeeze half of lime in bowl. Stir. Squeeze second half of lime in bowl. Stir again. Refrigerate at least 1-2 hours before serving.
Heat grill. Place each tilapia filet in an individual "packet" of aluminum foil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Close up packet.
Grill tilapia packets over medium heat until cooked thoroughly, about 5-7 minutes.
Spoon corn and black bean salsa over each serving of tilapia. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Husby May Kill Me For This...

2010-08-04T06:42:00.003-04:00

But these were taken* at six weeks by Victoria Souza Photography - they were amazing to work with and captured Babes beautifully. Thank you so much Vicki and Erik!

Photos by Victoria Souza Photography.
Flower Applique Crochet Hat by Jamie Rae.
Muslim Swaddle by Aden + Anais.
Hand-Knit Blanket by Sheep to Shawl Knitting for the LAMB blogger.
Glider by Serena and Lily.

*If you live in my area and are looking for a good photographer, I would highly recommend. They are AMAZING.

M.I.T. Mondays: Wake Me Up Before You Go Girl

2010-08-02T12:42:00.000-04:00

Babes Age: 16 weeks or 3 months

Lately, Babes has been sleeping through the night - 10-12 hours of nothing but sleep. ~~(and maybe a little thumb sucking).~~

It started at once a week. Now, it's twice a week. ~~I'm hoping that next will be seven days a week since she's a bad counter.~~ So what's the problem, you ask? How can I complain about that?

I'm not.

I'm complaining about Husby.

On the nights that Babes decides to let Momma rest, this scenario will inevitably play out some time between 3 and 4 a.m.:

Husby, urgently shaking me awake: Hun, I think you need to check on the baby.

H.I.T., groggily: Why? What's wrong?

Husby, pulse quickening: She hasn't made a sound all night...!

H.I.T., looks at the clock and gives Husby the look of death: That's because she's sleeping. Something I should be doing now, too. Good night.

Now what's that saying about a mother never rests?

Magazine Muesli

2010-07-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

I’m a magazine junkie.

I easily subscribe to over 10 titles every month. And now that I’m a mommy, I’ve added another four or five to my repertoire.

What I really love, though, is when I magically receive one for free.

Like I’m a doctor’s office or something.

Maybe they think I am because of my subscription numbers. Either way, I love it, so when I received Family Fun in the mail, I tore into it. Unfortunately, the activities were geared towards kids a little older, so I passed it on to my sister, but not before I tore out two recipes. One of which was delicious...

after a few minor tweaks.

I present no cook muesli for your breakfast enjoyment. Perfect for kids, dieters, or anyone who likes good food.

H.I.T. Arsenal Recipe #15: No Cook Muesli
The original recipe called for maple syrup or honey as the sweetener, but by using brown sugar and cinnamon, you can give this breakfast to your younger tots too! Another option is nixing the mixed in sweetener altogether and topping with a light sprinkling of Penzeys Spice's vanilla sugar.

1 cup quick oats
3 6oz containers plain, 0% Greek yogurt
1 handful raw almonds
3 tsp brown sugar*
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Fresh berries

In a food processor, combine quick oats, almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon. Blend until oats and nuts are in small pieces (about 30-45 seconds).
Pour yogurt into three individual bowls. Divide oat mixture among three bowls equally. Stir to mix and top with fresh berries. Enjoy!

*I used 1 1/2 tsp of Splenda brown sugar.
**The recipe for the banana bread featured in the photo can be found here.

The One With the Blog

2010-07-28T08:39:00.001-04:00

Eating dinner:

H.I.T.: You’re really not living up to your end of the bargain.

Husby: Huh?

H.I.T.: You’re not giving me any good blog material.

Husby, leans over and farts: How's that for blog material?

H.I.T.: Great. Thanks. I’ll just take another bite of my dinner now.

M.I.T. Mondays - What About Me?

2010-07-26T20:08:00.005-04:00

Babes age: 3 months or 15 weeks

After we booked our first family vacation, I finally had an excuse to ~~buy~~ think about buying the iPad.

I kept hearing how great it was for traveling and figured it would be perfect if I could download some Baby Einstein favorites instead of lugging a bunch of DVDs across the ocean.

Wrong.

Baby Einstein® movies aren’t available on iTunes.

Neither are Brainy Baby®, Baby Genius®, or HBO’s Classical Baby movies.

Don’t bother looking for Elmo’s World or anything geared towards children under 2. Apparently they don’t exist in the world of Apple movies. Surprising, too, since first time parents are usually the ones who over buy ~~(not like I would know or anything)~~.

My next stop was Amazon, ~~because if iTunes doesn’t carry it, they usually do...~~but I was still out of luck. I was shocked.

Since I was striking out in the movie department, I turned to Applications. ~~After searching for several hours,~~ I found a few gems that would suit Babes perfectly for this trip:

Netflix*** (free) - Stream movies right from the Internet using your unlimited account. Get ready for lots of Wiggles, Barney and Blues Clues (to name a few...).

Sound Touch Lite* (free) - Explore 144 sounds and images (animals, birds, vehicles, instruments, and household items).

Baby Fun ($0.99) - Mesmerize your child with figures that float across screen. Watch what happens when baby touches them!

Bubbles ($1.99) - "Pop" bubbles as they float across the screen.

Tap Tap Baby ($1.99) - Follow this funny monkey through 3 clever games.

Wheels On The Bus ($1.99) - Award-winning, interactive musical book.

Baby Explorer ($2.99) - Bright fun colors and activities aimed to help hand-eye coordination. Designed for toddlers 3 months and up.

Sparkabilities Babies 1** ($4.99) - Engaging clips from Sparkabilities "Babies 1" DVD and eight sets of flashcards. Designed for babies 3-18 months old.

I also found a few useful apps for me:

Goby (free) - Bored? Not anymore - find fun things to do, whether traveling in the U.S. or staying home.

Baby Milestones ($0.99) - Comprehensive guide that outlines baby milestones for the first 12 months.

Baby Connect ($4.99) - Save paper and record almost anything baby related, including feedings, sleep habits, moods, and milestones.

So while companies ~~like a certain mousey entertainment giant~~ are failing to capitalize on a growing market ~~(they only offer a My Baby Einstein application for iPhone)~~, at least there are enough software developers creating applications that cater to the littlest members of society.

*The regular version is $1.99 and includes 288 sounds/images.
**There is also a Sparkabilities Babies 2 for babies 8-24 months old.
***Newly added. Thanks so much Beach Bum & Baby!

Gourmet Grilling

2010-07-23T09:03:00.001-04:00

Now that we’re half-way through the grilling season, Husby and I have slowed things down a bit.

As in, goodbye hotdogs and hamburgers and hello veal, lamb and other delicious delicacies..

My favorite recipe to date?

A grilling spin on the Caprese Salad.

I know, boring, but my mouth is watering just thinking about this again. And the presentation was simply beautiful. It was a bit tricky to tackle on the grill, but the taste was well worth the work!

H.I.T. Arsenal Recipe # 14: Grilled Caprese Salad*
This recipe was adapted from Cuisine Magazine’s Grilling Vol. 4. We weren’t fans of the salad with the basil sauce, so we simplified the recipe.

4 large tomatoes, sliced into thirds
Fresh basil leaves
6 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 slices**
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Turn on the grill and heat to medium-high.
Coat tomato slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill tomatoes, with top down, on one side for 1 minute, then flip (do not flip slices with stems). Arrange basil leaves on each slice (except stem pieces) and cover with a cheese slice. Continue grilling 1-2 minutes, or until cheese begins to melt.
Carefully assemble slices (they get a bit slippery) into stacks to resemble original tomato (two cheesey tomato slices topped with a stem). Drizzle with olive oil and vinaigrette. Enjoy!

*Photo to follow
**Not too thick - it needs to melt in 1-2 minutes.

Road Warrior

2010-07-21T20:46:00.001-04:00

Dear Pretentious Town Driver,

Why are you so confused?

If you cut someone off, forcing them to swerve into the emergency lane to avoid being hit, they will, undoubtedly, honk their horn. Several times.

So why did you give me the finger?

Classy. Do you think because you’re in a sporty BMW and live in Pretentious Town, USA that you are entitled to drive as you please?

Well I’m a mother now, so while I can’t return the gesture, I can greet you with a smile and pageant wave. Hopefully your day went a little bit better than your morning.

And I thought I was high strung.

Hugs and Love,

One Mommy Road Warrior

M.I.T. Mondays - Stylishly Preppy on Etsy

2010-07-19T09:32:00.002-04:00

Babes Age: 14 weeks or 3 months

Whew does time fly when you’re sleep deprived.

Shortly after Babes was born, I began scouring Etsy for homemade goodness. Luckily I didn’t have to search further than my inbox - Mommy designer and creator of Tula Designs already found little ‘ole me!

I was smitten.

Her adorable burpies and onesies can be personalized and they have just enough prep appeal while still remaining stylish for the stroller set. Who wouldn’t turn down a chance to review these pieces?

A few days later, our pretty package was waiting on our doorstep, ready to be freshly washed in Dreft.

I was a little skeptical about how the birds, flowers and other appliques would hold up in our high-efficiency washer/dryer. And it wouldn’t have been the first time that a homemade burpie fell apart by the end of the cycle...

Turns out my worries were ill-founded!

The clothes looked exactly like they did before I washed them. Perfection in an Etsy design! The onesies and t-shirts are made with 100% cotton, so the fabric was soft enough for Babes’s delicate skin. No red rashes here! And the burpie was made large enough to sit on my shoulder while catching anything that mistakenly drooled out of my little girl’s mouth (as if she would ever do something like spit-up!).

While the cost is a bit pricey ($11.95 for a single cotton burpie, Little Giraffe chenille burp cloths also cost $12), there is no skimping on the quality of these baby bits and the turnaround time can’t be beat.

My two cents?

Tula Designs is an ideal place to shop when you’re looking for something special, like a welcome home goodie basket for a new little bundle of joy.

We're Back!

2010-07-13T20:55:00.000-04:00

Next week.

Fooled you.

Babes isn't sleeping any later, but now that she's sleeping for 6 hour + stretches, it's not nearly as rough waking up before the sun rises.

And I finally caught up with my to-do list. All that's left is blogging.

Woohoo!

See you ~~later alligator~~ next week.

p.s. The more observant type might have noticed that I succumbed to word verification. I'm sorry. I hate it too. It's just until those pesky spammers leave me alone. I'm tired of deleting comments. Thanks for understanding.

I'm Not Normally This Flakey...

2010-06-22T08:53:00.000-04:00

But Babes is keeping me on my toes.

She keeps changing her schedule on me. Such a trickster, just like her dad.

So until she decides to sleep later than 5:30 a.m., which I'm hoping will be in the next ~~day~~ week or so, I'm on a little hiatus.

I can't wait to tell you all about a fab Etsy find, some delicious recipes and another room unveil from my home... I may even share nursery theme - we're not there yet, but it is on our ~~crazy~~ minds.

Vaccination Week

2010-06-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

Here in the H.I.T. household.

And Husby just had some wisdom teeth pulled...

So this little M.I.T. is exhausted.

I'll be back next week with an amazing Etsy shop, delicious recipe and possibly another photo of Babes. Stay tuned.

The One With the Heat

2010-06-09T07:30:00.000-04:00

Laying in bed last night:

H.I.T.: You’re really hot, can you please move over?

Husby: I’d love to! [moves closer to me, snuggling]

H.I.T.: No, I mean you’re really hot. Your leg is like a space heater.

Husby: Oh.

M.I.T. Mondays - Making Friends With Mommy

2010-06-07T10:06:00.000-04:00

Babes Age: 8 weeks

I admit it.

For a while, my only friends lived on Facebook.

After Husby and I moved out to the burbs we wanted to make friends, but it just didn’t make sense. We were 4 months pregnant and we knew that soon we’d be making friends with other parents, so we decided to wait.

And wait we did.

There were plenty of dinners with parents, date nights, and overnight visitors. More dinners with parents. More date nights. More overnight visitors. You get the picture.

Well the wait is over.

Two weeks ago, Babes and I began going to a Mommy & Me group. We’ve already made friends. It’s fabulous. And guess what?

We have our first playdate this morning!

The only snag occurred while exchanging information.

While passing out celling phone numbers, the quiet sound of texting was quickly replaced with the anxious cries of infants demanding their afternoon bottles. Later, we tried exchanging the rest of our vitals - home phone, email, twitter ID, blog, facebook name - but with all the ways to communicate these days, it was just too much info to cram into a single text message.

Welcome to the world of making friends with mommy, multi-tasker extraordinaire.

Mommy doesn’t have time to text message. Mommy barely has time to brush her hair, let alone her teeth. And when making friends, mommy passes out calling cards instead of wasting time entering information into a cell phone she never uses.

Go Go Snap

$48 for 250 cards

Sweet Prints Stationary

$35 for 100 cards

Bean Sprout Studio

$80 for 250 cards

Sara & Abraham

$46 for 100 cards

Maybe I should sign her up for kindermusik, infant yoga, little gym...hmmm...I’m predicting lots of dinner parties with babies in our future.

Can We Be Friends?

2010-06-01T20:43:00.006-04:00

Please?

Is it just me or does this couple look like alot of fun?

Something tells me the women in that "young women's" league I told you about last year wouldn't approve...

p.s. I realize this is a marketing video for a Sienna MV, but it's damn funny and I just had to share. Bravo.

Waist-Loss

2010-05-27T08:32:00.000-04:00

About 11 months ago, I had a waist. It was great. It fit into all my clothes. You know, the ones filling up my entire closet?

Then fabulousness happened - I got pregnant.

And with that fabulous news also came the magical expanding waistline. New maternity clothes were placed into my closet, pushing all my old staples to the far corners of the earth. Then, Babes arrived and I encountered a new type of waist - the disappearing one.

You know, the one that shrunk so quickly I no longer fit into any of my maternity clothes, but am still too large to fit into any of my old clothes?

Barring any thoughts of retailer conspiracy theory, I’ve set to do the one thing I said I would NEVER do. It’s a little four-letter word I liken to the devil.

Diet.

Two weeks ago, I started the South Beach Diet and have just begun Phase Two. I’ve already lost 6 pounds. AMAZING. Who knew an old fad could still produce such great results?

So why not the ever-popular Weight Watchers?

Maybe because the SB cookbook included a recipe for Tuna Tartare from one of my favorite restaurants in Miami. Or maybe because a Husby’s colleague just finished the diet with amazing results. Or maybe because I hate math and anything that involves a calculator.

Either way, I have 10 pounds to go and I’m thinking they’re going to be the hardest. So my closet has made way for yet another group of clothes - the waist-loss ones. You know, the ones you wear when you’re inbetween sizes. Now if only I had a bigger closet.

Husby?

M.I.T. Mondays - My Little Houdini

2010-05-25T13:38:00.000-04:00

A day late and a buck short, welcome to Mommyhood.

Babes Age: 6 weeks

When we were in the hospital, Babes was snuggled up nice and cozy in her swaddle. Husby and I asked the staff to show us this technique several times. When it was time to leave, we were pros.

Until we got home.

The minute we stepped over the threshold, everything we’d been taught was forgotten. At the hospital, we were cool as cucumbers. At home, we were nervous nelly’s who had no idea what they were doing.

Especially when it came to swaddling.

For reasons unknown to man, the Carters receiving blankets are shaped as a rectangle - not very conducive to swaddling when you need a perfect square. I would wrap her tighter than a spicy tuna roll only to have both arms break free in two seconds.

Even Houdini couldn’t accomplish that.

So a week later when Husby and I were shopping at BuyBuyBaby and I spotted Aden & Anais swaddle blankets, I quickly grabbed a package. It was the first time I had seen a blanket made for swaddling. Sure I could have wrapped Babes in a sleep sack, but let’s be honest - those things are just plain ugly Babes gets too hot in them.

I followed the instructions on the package to re-learn how to swaddle and guess what?

Babes was trapped.

In a good way and now I’m hooked. The soft muslin swaddles are light weight and come in fun, fashion-friendly prints (because doesn’t everyone match the swaddle to the outfit?). And at $44 for a package of four, they easily beat the $15-20 price tag for a single sleep sack.

I’ve already begun stocking up for baby shower gifts. Need another reason to jump on the Aden & Anais bandwagon? How about their Swaddle Love Foundation? Or all the charities they support?

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this, nor did I receive any product or outreach to write this post from Aden & Anais. I am simply writing about a product that I found, fell in love with and think that all of you should love too.

The One With the Cough

2010-05-20T08:47:00.000-04:00

While watching television, Husby has a coughing fit:

H.I.T.: Oh, that felt good.

[Husby looks at me like I’m crazy]

H.I.T.: What? While you were coughing, I farted.

Husby: That’s what I do. I cough so you can fart.