Yellow Bird

When Marcella came to visit us in July, she brought Remmy a stuffed animal. Since Remmy destroys all stuffed animals and leaves the remains scattered throughout the house, we decided that the stuffed animal should go to Christian. (Side Note: Remmy has stolen about 10 of Christian's toys, so it was only fair!)

Since then, the plush chick has been dubbed "Yellow Bird". Yellow Bird is one of Christian's favorite toys (if not his favorite). He plays with Yellow Bird much like he plays with his pillows. He loves to laugh at Yellow Bird and will sit and stare at him...it's pretty freakin' cute.

Mommy even happens to know a song about a yellow bird that her Daddy taught her...it goes a little something like this:

A yellow bird

With a yellow bill

Was sitting on

My windowsill

I coaxed him in

With crumbs of bread

And then I smashed

His little head

Now, isn't' that endearing? (By the way, I do not condone violence against animals...just in case anyone was thinking of calling PETA.)

Three Year Tribute

Our first Picture Together

Hay Ride in North GA

Three years of marriage and so much to be thankful for. How could I ever describe the twists and turns that led me to my loving husband? I will never deserve him, and I will forever cherish him. He is simply the best man I have ever known.

On vacation in the mountains

My birthday at the Melting Pot

Our Wedding Day

The tattoo I got on our honeymoon

At a coffee shop on our honeymoon

Out to dinner

In South Beach

At the aquarium

First visit to the OBGYN

Easter

On vacation in Florida

Ken's Corner: Interesting Logic

Mommy, while blowing on Christian's tummy: "I think Christian is going to have an outie!"

Daddy, while cleaning up the kitchen from dinner: "Why would he have an outie? We both have innies."

Mommy, while inspecting Christian's belly button a little closer: "I think it has something to do with how they cut the cord..."

Daddy (still cleaning the kitchen): "Probably. But I don't want him to have an outie. I want him to have a belly button like ours."

Mommy: "Outies are cute! Why do you want him to have a belly button like us so bad?"

Daddy: "So we all match."

Mommy: laughing and appreciating Ken's interesting logic

Under(pants) Progress...

Ahhh...pregnancy! A glorious time in a woman's life when she can celebrate the life growing within her and dream about the child soon to be had! Right? Anyone? Hello?

Ok, ok! So I was NOT the most pleasant pregnant woman. Hell, I was miserable! But part of that can definitely be attributed to the fact that I gained a whopping 65 pounds. Yeah. I have no shame. I'll admit it. And it wasn't exactly my fault. I mean, if Christian had not had a craving for ice cream every day, I wouldn't have eaten it every day. (And, for the record, I have no idea how this child didn't weigh 12 pounds at birth...)

HOWEVER! Guess what? I have lost 40 of the 65 pounds! I am back to my pre-pre-pregnancy weight! When I got pregnant I was super skinny because I had just lost 25 pounds (Murphy's Law...). And I feel I can best represent my weight loss, and my future weight loss, with this picture...

 

From right to left...

The Institution Panty: Super comfy and super durable. Amazing stretch capacity. Will not arouse sexual attention from husband (unless removed). After one has lost enough weight, The Institution Panty will: bunch up in pants, sag in bottom, not arouse sexual attention from husband (unless removed). 

The "Look-I-Can-Fit-Into-Semi-Cute-Undies" Panty: Also comfy and durable. A slight bit less stretch capacity. Small embellishment and/or color other than white improves chances of sexual attention from husband (chances also improve upon removal).

The "I-May-Be-A-Mom-But-I-Look-Like-A-Sexy-CoEd-In-These-Little-Things" Panty: Comfy only if you are a waif. Durable? Who cares. Stretch capacity? Not much, unless you like rolls hanging over sides. The "I-May-Be-A-Mom-But-I-Look-Like-A-Sexy-CoEd-In-These-Little-Things" panties will ensure sexual attention from husband.

So now you see where I have been, where I am, and where I'm headed. My goal is to be at 130 by January. That is where I was happiest and felt the best about myself. 

I know weight is only a number...but it wasn't about the number for me; it was about the feeling. I want to be fit and I want Christian to understand the importance of being healthy.

I can use all the support I can get! I am committing to three days MINIMUM in the gym per week and will tack down a meal plan in a week or so. I find that being accountable is super motivating. Updates to follow! Any words of wisdom, support, tips, etc. are welcome!

A Solid Start (The Remix)

There is a time for everything and everything has a time...that's how the expression goes, right? No? Well, you get the idea. What I am trying to say is that Christian is ready for some solids! How do I know? Because at dinner tonight, he tried to eat his Bumbo seat. Really. I'm not kidding...he tried to eat his Bumbo seat while watching Ken and I eat our meals.

After our last ordeal with solids, I decided to follow my La Leche book to the T when introducing solids...again.

Step 1) Offer food to him during the family meal time.
Step 2) Hold the spoon sideways to his lips and let him lip the food into his mouth. Coax him to eat just like when you breastfeed...don't force him, but offer.
Step 3) Let him put the food in his mouth. If it gets messy, so be it! Babies who feed themselves are less messy in the long run. (And honestly, we're at home, so it doesn't matter anyway!)
Step 4) Put the baby in the bathtub ASAP!

Christian LOVE, LOVE, LOVED his organic spinach and carrots!

Ken's Corner: Pillow Calisthenics

How does Daddy ensure his son has big strong legs? Why, he makes him do pillow calisthenics!

Every little boy should be getting his daily exercise! 

And with Daddy's help, Christian has entered into a daily routine of strenuous pillow lifting.

Check it out!

The Crazy Kidsignment!

Who doesn't love a good deal, right? Well, good deals were many to be had at Gwinnett's Kidsignment sale this past week.

I decided to go with my BFF, Stephanie (Yes. We are Stephanie Squared.), and her daughter, Lily, to see what kind of good deals we could really find. Steph's advice, since she is a seasoned Kidsignment goer, was to make sure you know what you're going there looking for. In other words, have a list. Christian's list included clothes for 6-9 months and 9-12 months (since he has NONE!) and some toys (since he is starting to play with things instead of just his feet and hands).

Because I work in retail, sometimes I think I'm a little jaded as to the "good deals" that consignment can bring. I know how much something costs once it hits the clearance rack, and I know that some of the prices of some of the used articles of clothing were a little ridiculous. I am an avid couponer and know how to work sales with coupons in order to get the most bang for my buck. So whereas the hunt of consignment shopping is fun, it isn't always the best deal.

Packed out parking lot...

One thing that shocked me was the price of toys! I was expecting garage sale prices (Like, $2 or $3 for handheld toys)...ummm, no ma'am! We're talkin' $10 and even $15 for little toys! When I told Stephanie that I felt like the prices were high she told me that new toys in the stores were like, $30!!!! I was a little shocked. I realized that I had no concept of what baby stuff actually costs. But I decided that $10 was all I was going to spend on used toys. I found a Johnny Jumper in good condition for $10 and was reassured by several shoppers that that was, in fact, a good deal. So, Christian now has his Johnny Jumper...if only he could figure out how to use it!

The toy building...

After leaving the toy building, (Yes, they had TWO buildings!) we headed over to the clothes building. Oh. My. Goodness. I have never seen so many clothes! They had everything from maternity clothes, to Halloween costumes, to adult sized clothes. It was a lot to take in, and I felt a little overwhelmed, but once I found the 6-9 month boys section, I was a little more focused! We narrowed down about 9 outfits that were in good condition and would be good for winter time. I have a hard time buying a lot because who knows what size he's going to be?! I mean, he's still wearing pants and shorts size 0-3 months! He has no hiney...

One VERY SMALL section of the clothes building...

The line for the checkout was loooong! It was wrapped halfway around the building (Which, according to several people in line, was not that bad...). However, I was approached by a lady who was working the sale, and she very quietly asked me how many items I had. She asked me if I had less than 10 items, and I replied that I had about that many, but that I was in line with my friend who had a lot more than 10 items and I would prefer to stay in line with her instead of going to the express line. Apparently, I had committed the mortal sin of Kidsignment shopping! You have to be chosen...yes, chosen...to go to the express line. Even if you have 10 items or less, they have to give you a ticket to actually go to the express line. It's a very big deal to be one of the chosen ones and my refusal to move to the express line was like winning the lottery and telling the lottery people to keep the money.

The line from H E double hockey sticks...

The coveted Ticket to the Express Line...

Anyway, Stephanie (the other one...) was insistent upon getting into the express line...she ditched a few items in order to be one of the chosen few. I was approached again by a worker (I probably should have played the lottery that day...I mean, who is approached twice in one day to go to the express line?!) and told her I wouldn't go unless Stephanie (the other one...) could go. The worker finally relented and allowed us to go to the express line. I will never forget the faces of the women around us as we walked to the express line...envy was never so green!

All in all, Kidsignment was a good time and a good experience. I think the best deals to be had are on the 25 and 50 percent off days...I figure if what you want is still there on 50% off day, then it was meant to be. Next year we are going to to try to consign some of Christian's stuff, and we will definitely be going back!

Christian and Lily ready for their big day out!

Stephanie Squared!

Lily was out like a light after lunch...

Christian and his Scary Frog

Ready to shop? or A little scared?

Stephanie and Lily waiting in line

Finally asleep...

Christian and Mommy waiting in line...

Very Dairy

 While we were on vacation in Ohio we made a little pit stop at a dairy called Toft's. When my family vacationed in Port Clinton, Toft's was a 20 minute drive into Sandusky. The ice cream there was the best ice cream I'd ever had in my entire life...and it still is!

I always remembered the ice cream cones being being ginormous and super cheap. They give you about 5 scoops of ice cream for $3...and that's their SMALL! So, of course, when I suggested going for the large, all of the associates gathered round and began daring me (and some even warned me against it)...it was pretty funny. I opted for the small after all was said and done (I didn't want to embarrass Ken...I could just hear the peanut gallery's thoughts, "Oh look at that handsome man with the fat wife. She probably didn't need to order the large ice cream cone...she'll never lose that baby weight!"...)

Because it was a special trip, I wanted Christian to try the ice cream...just a little bit. I don't think he liked it at all. How about you?

I'm afraid Christian may suffer from the same disease as his mommy...eat-a-ton-of-ice-cream-itis...it's a horrible affliction in which the victim wants ice cream after every meal and sometimes in between.

One of the coolest things about the dairy (Besides the fact that they had the nicest, most helpful, genuine staff ever! Even after I chose my ice cream flavors, I wanted to try the blueberry pie ice cream, so the manager told the associate to put an extra scoop on top of my already huge ice cream cone!) was that they used windmills to help power their plant! And you know Ken loves it since he is a professor of alternate energy! I snapped a shot just for Ken.

We had such a great time at Toft's! Our next visit can't come soon enough! (Just ask Christian...)

Mommy Of The Year Award

"And the 'Mommy Of The Year Award' goes to..." (drumroll!)..."Stephanie Clark! Stephanie failed to follow the instructions of her Le Leche League book and now her son has a horrible allergic rash! Congratulations, Stephanie! You not only win the 'Mommy Of The Year Award', but you also win a month's supply of guilt and kicking yourself in the butt!"

It's true. The one and only time I fail to follow the advice of my Le Leche book, my kid breaks out in an allergic rash all over his body. Fabulous. We noticed a rash under Christian's chin at his 4 month checkup and began applying Desitin. Well, Desitin obviously has no effect when your son is ALLERGIC to cereal! His rash kept getting worse and I finally said, "No more! I'm takin' this kid to the doctor!" The doctor said to hold off on cereal since he is (obviously) allergic for about two months. I told her he wasn't really interested anyway and she said to just go back to breastmilk only.

I wish I could copy and paste what my LLL book says on starting solids before your child is ready...seriously, Christian is like, a poster-child for that section of the book. He's not interested in solids as far as eating them is concerened...he's just interested in looking at your food! He's not trying to grab your spoon to feed himself...he's trying to grab your spoon because it's "Shiny! Ohhh! Look at the shiny thing Mommy keeps sticking in her mouth! Want the shiny thing!" The other thing it clearly states is that if you feed a baby cereal and a grain of cereal gets to his bloodstream (through coughing...which happens a lot because he's learning to masticate), his body will develop an allergy to it. Well, guess what? His did..good job, Steph.

Well, lesson learned! We won't be starting solids until he is truly interested in them...and with the way this kid loves the breast, that could take a while...

In the Army Now!

Hey, Guys! It's me, Lt. Christian James Clark reporting for duty!

The secret to any good army crawl is to stretch! Touch those toes!

Always make sure to bring your best buddy in case you get stuck in a foxhole somewhere and need company!

Ok! We're ready to army crawl!

And that's how you army crawl!

Reliving a Memory

When I was a girl, my family spent our summers in Port Clinton, Ohio on the shores of Lake Eerie. Some of the most endearing memories of my father come from that time and place. I remember my dad being so happy there; fulfilled and at peace. He was at home on the lake.

We would haul our 26 foot Chaparral behind our extended cab diesel Dooley through the Smokey Mountains and then the flat lands of Ohio. I remember learning all the words to The Phantom of the Opera on one of these trips, and every  Hank Williams song known to man. Sometimes, if we drove into the night it was the voice of Crystal Gayle or Patsy Cline we played on the radio. And I learned to love Bette Midler...she was our favorite.

I can't say that I knew my dad all that well. I was a rotten pre-teen when he died and I'm not sure he knew how to relate to that. But I know that when Ken and I took Christian to the place where I spent all those long summer days, I felt my dad's presence. And for what it's worth, his ashes have probably settled at the bottom of the lake according to his wishes.

We found the old cottage we would rent every summer. It wasn't anything special. Even when I was a kid I remember thinking it was kind of a hole in the wall. But it was filled with family and food and late night card games and memories...so it was ok if it was a little run down.

I think the main reason my dad insisted on this particular cottage was because of the dock we used that accompanied the weekly rate.

One of our favorite things to do at the cottage was to watch the swans that lived in the harbor. They would likely have little cygnets trailing along behind them. The swans were almost magical as they floated so gracefully in the water...never getting close to any people or boaters...aloof almost, as if they knew they were supposed to be a mythical entity untouched by mankind.

And everyone who used the harbor protected them. I remember one time, some foolish teenagers on wave runners tried chasing them, and it was so sad to watch. But the harbor patrolmen immediately came to the rescue and were able to put a halt to such cruelty.

...I guess that's why I began crying when I saw the swans and their cygnets. There they were. Just as I'd left them all those years ago. And it seemed that everything was in its' place. Nothing was changed by time or technology. Nothing was missing, except my dad...

There was also a secret path that I loved to walk along as a child. It was unknown to the public. Only people who visited the harbor regularly knew of its' existence. So, of course, I wanted to take Christian on the path. The best part about the quarter mile trek is that at the end of the trail, it opens broadly into a beach that hardly anyone knows about (because no one knows how to get there...).

 While Christian wasn't crazy about the water (it was a smidge cold for his delicate sensibilities), it felt so good to splash through the water like a little kid myself. Remmy joined in the fun and probably had a better time than anyone! She loved the beach and the water that lapped along the shore. She reminded me of Lady, the German Shepherd mix we had when I was a girl.

We stayed at the beach for only an hour, but it made me feel years younger. I was so glad that Christian was able to visit the place where I have only the best memories. One day, when he's older, I'll tell him all of the stories and secrets of that place so dear to my heart, unchanged, from long ago. And perhaps, one day, he'll come to know and love the shores of the lake where his grandfather's spirit abides.