Revisiting Poor Baby!

This past week has been one of the roughest yet for Adelaide. First of all, she’s teething two of her back molars.

Which I discovered one day when I tried to fish a penny out of her mouth.

OW!

(That’s all I have to say about that.)

Secondly, she’s got a nasty diaper rash that is holding on for dear life. It’s probably from the sheer amount of recent poopy diaper changes. I lost count Thursday at ten! And couldn’t even bear to count yesterday.

I mean, enough is enough.

(You know it’s enough when your three-year-old exclaims “I don’t BEWEEVE it!” when the baby poops in the tub, yet again.)

So, there’s that. (Red Fiery Bottom, let’s call it.)

And then she pulled the cord of my hair straightener down in the bathroom and it came clambering down and landed encircling her thigh.

And, yes, it was on.

So, the poor baby’s got a burnin’ bottom and a burned leg. And those pesky burnin’ gums.

So needless to say, she’s not feeling so hot. (Pun totally intended.)

Yeah, poor baby.

Getting back into the swing o’ things

I feel like I’m finally at the point where our house looks like our house. Like, from before. But there are a few things that are very different.

The most obvious change is the bedroom setup. Drew and Madeline were small toddlers at the time and shared a room. Adelaide was only 2 months old when we left. So now Drew has his own room and the girls share. Makes sense.

(Which also means we lost ourselves a guest room. Sad, sad day.)

Our renters ripped out the carpeting in the kids’ rooms. (I KNOW! Don’t even get me started.) So that means there is hardwood throughout the house. Which is beautiful.

But loud and creaky.

LOUD, I tell you. Especially when a certain sleep-deprived mama is forced to change the sheets on a certain little boy’s bed at 2:23 a.m. because she forgot to have him go potty before he went to sleep, 6 hours previously.

(Don’t you just love giving middle-of-the-night baths? Yeah, me too.)

I put area rugs in their rooms and that helped cut down on the echo. And then yesterday I made the girls a door snake. I originally saw the idea in a Martha Stewert magazine a couple of years ago and wanted to make one ever since. They filter out some of the noise from the rest of the house.



I had that fabric and ribbon on hand because I had to add some length to their curtains. The windows at the other house were a little shorter and I had hemmed the drapes to fit.

I’ve also painted the girls room and have it mostly finished. I’m saving that for a later post so you’ll just have to stay tuned. Drew’s room still needs practically everything done, but I have started in on it.

And I’ve already shown you my room. I still can’t decide on the green. I’d never return to the red it was before, because I’ve completely tired of it. But I did like the cream we had in our bedroom at our last house.

Pictures of the rest of the house are also forthcoming. As soon as I can keep it clean long enough to snap a few. And I still have a few wall pictures to hang...

Plus there are several piles o’ random junk that I have to attend to. (WHERE DOES ALL THIS STUFF GO?!)

Another big change is we took the fireplace and mantle out of our living room. So there’s more space, even though we filled part of it up with the piano. And we acquired (ahem) a TV cabinet that had to be squeezed in, so the living room furniture is set up completely different than it was before. I haven't decided yet if I like it.

And the last obvious change is our renters also stripped one (one!) wall of wallpaper in the kitchen. (Don’t get me started on that, either.) So I eventually need to strip the rest and paint the whole room.

All in good time, my friends.

All in good time.

You're So Vain...You Probably Think This Blog is About You...

(I swiped this from Jo-Lynne.)

Here are the rules for this meme:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
   
   
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.

I can't wait to see your responses. Come on, be a sport and play along!

My first attempt at vegan baking

I tried an experiment today. Drew loves muffins and begged me to make some this morning. I've had this box of milled flax seed in my pantry and according to the side, you can use a tablespoon of it mixed with 3 tablespoons of water in place of an egg.

Which is perfect for vegan living. (I mean flexitarian living.)


They turned out perfectly yummy. You'd never know they were egg and dairy free.


Vegan Banana-Walnut Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup regular flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon milled flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup rice milk
1/4 cup cooking oil (veggie)
3/4 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

One of those days

I managed Wal-mart, Target, Aldi, and Bi-Lo by myself with the kids today. And believe me, it was no easy feat.

Drew and Madeline (to my utter horror and embarrassment) ran like mad around the aisles at Aldi, completely heedless to my calling their names. I almost started pretending I had never seen them before.

Whose kids are those? (With disdain.)

WHERE IS YOUR MOTHER?

Anyway, I had to get the items on my list, otherwise I probably would have just hauled everyone back out to the car. Thankfully, we pulled into the drive just as Andy got home and he, bless his soul, took them straightaway to the playground.

I made pasta and red sauce (otherwise known as spaghetti) for dinner and whenever we eat that, Adelaide is sure to need a bath. I plopped her in, only to hear her wailing a few minutes later.

I don't even need to tell you what she did. It's been well documented here.

After that cleanup, I let Madeline get into the tub. She said she had to go potty, so I picked her up out of the bath and set her on the toilet, and somehow she managed to pee all over my hand.

Yeah.

One of those days...

Talkin' Girl

I am not even kidding when I say that Adelaide is starting to talk. A few she's consistent with are 'mommy,' 'daddy,' 'baby,' 'bottle,' 'uh-oh,' 'bye,' 'ball,' 'watch,' 'NO!,' and 'good girl.' The last one is especially funny because she'll say it and clap for herself, nodding enthusiastically.

Andy and I were trying to get her to do it for Josiah and Liz this past weekend, and I held her banana slightly out of reach while saying, "good girl?"

"Adelaide, say 'good girl!'"

She looked up at us and, I kid you not, said (rather emphatically) "Nooooo!"

We all just about died laughing. It's so funny hearing real words come out of such a tiny little person.

We went to Atlanta.

Yesterday could only be classified as a Very Fun Day. Andy and Josiah went golfing. The kids had a very sweet babysitter who played with them outside even though it was hot. Liz and I hit Starbucks and then went shopping. (Ann Taylor and Loft, DSW, and White House/Black Market.)

Hello my name is Moriah and I just spent way too much money.

(But it was Andy's idea. So it's his fault.)

(Or something.)

And then we went to dinner at the South City Kitchen for good ol' Southern food. Emphasis on the good. Wow.

We had the fried green tomatoes and a butterbean hummus with flat cornbread crackers to share as appetizers. I personally had the caesar salad as my entree with croutons made of fried chunks of garlic grits. Quite amazing, actually. And it was garnished with fried okra.


And lest you think me too healthy, (eating a salad for my meal and all), I also had a side of fries.

I am my mother's daughter.


Thanks, guys, it was an awesome weekend.

Ta-dah!

Okay. I forgot to take pictures of the main parts of the house (I will later) but I do have a few from my room. When we lived there before it was a deep red. The renters changed it to this pale sage-y color. I can't decide if I want to keep it or change it.




The thing is, Madeline's room is a lime green (with pink accents) and I had planned on also painting the kitchen a shade of green (Sherwin Williams' "Haven.")

Can you have three different green rooms in just one small house? I don't know!

Be a dear

and click on my new ads! I'll love ya forever.

I'm sitting in the front seat of my van, the kids are watching "Red Toy Movie" in the backseat and we're on our way.

(Yes, I'm mobile. Thank you Andy's old job.)

I'll post some house pictures, as requested, when I get to where we're going and have an outlet since the laptop battery is about to die.

Until later then...

Thursday Work Day

Today I finished the bathroom (looks even better than when we lived here before), one of the hall closets, and put a sizable dent into my bedroom. (Which is good because it was the last frontier.)

The boxes are gone! Actually, I think there is one left in Drew's room (which I won't open until after I paint his and the girls' rooms). Oh, and there are two in the laundry room of old office stuff that needs to be sorted through. But there aren't any boxes remaining out in plain view.

(Cue the Hallelujah Chorus.)

We're going on a little out-of-town getaway this weekend with some friends. Should be fun. A babysitter is even written into the agenda. (As well as shopping, a possible spa outing, and dinner that I don't have to prepare or watch the kids eat.)

Which is perfect timing because this unpacking thing is wearing me out.

I should be asleep, I know.

I had a bunch of errands to run today so I bribed my kids with the purchase of a kiddie pool for their good behavior while out shopping.

It mostly worked.

But, really, I would have bought one anyway because IT IS HOT.

I blew it up with my hair dryer (on cold shot) and an extension cord. (I know, I'm full of genius ideas!) I even got in it with the kids because did I mention it is hot?

It's hot.

And tonight Andy held down the homefront while I did the errands I couldn't do with kids in tow. And I have a little confession.

I bought some paint.

I could not help myself.

What can I say? I'm an all-or-nothing kind of girl. (When it comes to home decorating, anyway.)

Yay for sparkling floors

This morning was rough. Adelaide woke up pretty early and let the whole house know about it. This house only has three bedrooms so the girls are in one together. Needless to say, Madeline took it as her cue to start the day, regardless of the time.

And then I ended up driving Andy up to work, pajamas and all. (Shh, don't tell!) These are the days I'm thankful coffee can travel in a to-go cup.

The rest of the morning I spent scrubbing the floors (all wood) in the dining and living rooms. I don't think our renters mopped, like, ever.

But what can you expect from a bunch of single guys?

I'm finally to the point where I wouldn't be embarrassed if someone popped on over. The two front rooms and kitchen actually look like a home instead of a box-filled, cluttered, disorganized mess.

Now, for that paint.

(Kidding!)

And, yes, we had take-out for dinner. By the time mealtime rolled around, I had met my maximum quota for work in one day.

I do have my limits.

Goings-On

We went to church with a friend on Sunday morning and ran into a girl from my SIP class from ye olden college days. It was a little surreal. And then we got a lunch invitation from the dear Wykoffs (one of my cousins, her husband's family).

We make it a practice to never turn down food.

It was such a wonderful afternoon. Madeline totally hit it off with Mandy, and the kids all had a good time together. The girls even twisted Madeline up in the swing and let 'er fly. I really could not believe how fast she was whipping around. I was sure she was going to be sick.

"Can I do it again?!"

And also there was chocolate cake. See? Good day.

Later yesterday evening we hung out at the playground with peanut butter and jellies and even more friends. I can't believe how much cooler it is here than it's been up North where we came from. There was even a coolish breeze. Definitely abnormal for a July evening in the South.

Today I ran some errands and scrubbed the life out of my kitchen floor. You really do not want to know how bad it was. I could eat off it now (not that I would).

And then, being the social butterflies that we are, we had dinner tonight over at another home of (different) close friends. Delicious, as usual.

And more chocolate cake.

Oh, and quality coffee.

(Decaf.)

It's been so much fun to catch up with people, in person. Lots of things feel exactly the same (it's only been a year). Other things are totally different (it's been a whole year!).

Good to be back.

Tired, thanks, and you?

So... Fourth of July...

I unpacked my china cabinet in the morning (not so much because I care about that particular piece of furniture, but because the boxes were taking up precious real estate all over the room) and then late afternoon we went over to a friend's place for a little birthday party combined with a 4th-of-July BBQ. Oh, and also a small Welcome Home Us was thrown in for good measure.

Dolly and Ethan came up for the festivities and ohmyword it's been way too long. They are some of our closest IRL people. And, of course, it seemed like we'd never been gone. Don't you just love friends that you can utterly be yourself around? I didn't even bother with make-up because, hello, swimming.

(Not that I even got that far into the water. Two words: ICE COLD.)

We scarfed down our veggie burgers and then later gathered around the drive to set off a collection of do-it-yourself fireworks (which are perfectly legal around here, bytheway). The kids even were allowed to "help," under careful adult supervision and they LOVED it.

I even heard Drew yell, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULY!!!" in his excitement.

I have no pictures to share because a) my camera batteries are dead and b) the aforementioned no make-up.

Today we had a little more time with E/D & kids , sandwiched by more unpacking. I managed to run several boxes and rubbermaids up to the attic this evening, so it's not quite as cluttered as it was. I even did a couple of loads of laundry and started the dishwasher (my reacquainted bff).

I, for one, am looking forward to resting tomorrow.

This post has nothing to do with July 4th but it is in fact July 4th, just so you know.

Coffee?

More.

MORE!

Ahhhhh.

Okay. Now we can have us a chat. (Do people blog on holidays?)

My plan worked! I was able to run to Walmart and then get the kitchen almost done after the kids went to bed last night.

I KNOW!

It gives me a reference point to move outwards from and maybe we can start seeing some real progress soon.

(I'm also trying to ignore the urge to repaint all the walls. Priorities, you know?)

In other silliness, I discovered something yesterday. Madeline thinks toes are called 'piggies.'

Like, for real.

Like, you might go to the doctor with a broken toe and he would reply, "well now, the x-ray shoes the fifth piggy is in fact broken."

In all seriousness.

But I can't bring myself to correct her.

At least for now.