Today is a great day!

Well, obviously I have a few reasons that make today a great day, but I have one specific reason in mind at the moment.

I am NOT throwing up!  Yes, I'm queasy and it has gotten worse over the past week.  But I am 7 weeks pregnant today and have not thrown up once!  I've gagged and I've opted to toss food out rather than eat it, but I've kept everything down!

When I was pregnant with the twins I began my hate-hate relationsihp with HG at 6 weeks 2 days.  I am ecstatic to have passed that date without one running-to-the-bathroom-with-my-hands-pressed-against-my-mouth episode!!!

Now if only this will last.  I'm being positive and thinking it will.  :-)

Wherein Amanda learns you can't buy everything

As in, you can't buy simple appreciation for what you have.

Christmas morning was pretty darn good this year.  We did very little for the boys and they were overjoyed with what they had.  Of course, had they not gotten a single item they would've been just as happy.  Ah, the joy of the innocent!

Christmas evening was a little hectic.  We packed up the kiddos, the presents for my family, all the kiddos stuff, and ourselves then drove across town in the monsoon-like rain.  (can't complain too much about the weather since it was 70-something degrees and all.)  Once at my sister's house chaos ensued.  The boys were past ready for a nap (but come on! it's Christmas! we don't need no stinkin' naps!), Tim and I were starving, my sister felt as soon as we got there was the best time for her to go upstairs and play with her daughter and her billion and ten zhu-zhu pets, my BIL was completely engrossed in a football game, and my Mom couldn't find anything in my sister's ill equipped kitchen.  Ugh.

I was finally able to get my sister back downstairs (she was supposed to be cooking but "hadn't gotten to spend any time with [her daughter] all day!!!". We swapped presents. Merriness ensued!

Then we headed back into the kitchen to finish up the meal while the men watched the kids.  BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! MEN WATCHING KIDS....HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  Every couple of minutes one of her kids would end up in the kitchen asking for candy or drink or something or another.  Once we finally got it through their heads the answer was "no" regardless what the question was they quit asking for stuff.  Well, they kind of did.  Then they needed to come through the kitchen a billion times.  Why? Because they didn't like the toys they had in the living room and needed to find another one upstairs.  (we had a baby-gate up between the kitchen and den and it seemed to torture her kids to have a barrier.)

WHAT?!?!?!  These kids had piles and PILES of toys all over the living room.  I know this because there was almost nowhere to move in the blasted place!  Their paternal grandparents had spent several hundred dollars on each child, plus the gifts from their maternal grandparents, their parents, various aunts and uncles, and from Santa.  PILES OF GIFTS! But they didn't want to play with them.  And that's the attitude they seem to have in general.  Nothing seems to have any value to them.

I know a lot of children grow up with that attitude, but I don't remember it quite that way.  I remember having little, loving what I had, and although I wanted more I knew I had to be happy with what I had.  And I was.

I want to raise my children to appreciate what they have and to be grateful for gifts they receive.

Rant over!

Putting it out there.

****If you are NOT in a good place right now, please do not read****

Merry Christmas

May all your Christmas wishes come true!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Perfect Moment Monday

This just made my day today.  I was driving home and saw a series of signs posted on the boulevard.  I just had to share!

I'm glad he made it home for Christmas!

I Capture
Perfect Moments.

One Full Year - Jack

My big boy...Jack...

[caption id="attachment_1286" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="This is my very first picture! It's a little blury, but Daddy is so proud."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1290" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="My first smile was in January!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1289" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="By February I am totally cuter than Daddy!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1291" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="March brought the realization that jumperoos are AWESOME!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1293" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="I could hardly contain my excitement in April"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1294" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="Food? Is THAT what this is? (May)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1295" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="In June I decided "up" was a great position to be in!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1296" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="In July I had a wonderful time with my Grandparents"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1297" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="Munchmunchmunch August was yummy munchmunchmunch"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1298" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="I CAN STAND!!! (september)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1299" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="Baths were more fun that Trick-or-Treating in Octboer"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1300" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="What do you mean I have banana on my face? It was all the rage in November!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1301" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="yumyumyumyum Cake is GOOD yumyumyumyum Oh and toys rock yumyumyumyum"][/caption]

It's hard to believe that it's been one year since my baby boy made his way into the world.  Again, saying the time flew by is an understatement!  My baby boy started out at 6lb 7oz and 18 1/2" long; He's now 21lbs and 29 3/4" high.  He's also built just like his Daddy...solid.  Jack started out this little bundle of sweetness that seemed to take everything around him in and not much has changed but his size.  He is still so curious about everything and will stare and fiddle with something for the longest time until he figures it out (he knows how to open the baby gates but doesn't have the strength. figured them out months ago).  He's also such a sensitive little thing; telling his brother "no" sets him into tears just as his brother "yelling" at him does.  I think this little one is going to have so much to teach me and look forward to it every day!  Happy Birthday Jack-Jack, my little love-nugget!

One Full Year - Trip

My little guy...Trip...

My very first picture - 1 day old in the Level II Nursery

Because this is how I spent a good bit of January

I could smile, but no one could catch it on film in February

2 hour bottles have made me happy and round in March

Sun & Fun in the park in April

I don't like food too much in May, but I Love Mommy!!

Tummy time in June isn't quite as miserable as it used to be

[caption id="attachment_1272" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="This water stuff is kind of cool...especially in July"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1273" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="Is it still a raspberry if you do it with blueberries in your mouth? (august)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1274" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="September brought my first cold. Do I look sick to you?"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1275" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="By October I've realized that I AM the most beautiful baby in the mirror!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1276" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="In November I realized that banana was GREAT for styling my hair. Don't you agree?"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1278" align="aligncenter" width="374" caption="This December I got to eat a lot of cake and got fun new toys and got the Happy Birthday song sung to me a billion times (I counted)"][/caption]

It's been a year since my little Monster made his way into this world.  It seems almost unreal!  To say the time flew by is an understatement.  My little guy started out at 6lb 5oz and 19" long; He's now 18.8lbs and 29 3/4" high.  He started out this little bundle of baby that had a problem with his oxygen levels and wailed because the nurses wouldn't leave him alone; Now he's this super smiley little toddler that loves to hear his own voice and thinks climbing on things is just the most fun!  He changes and grows and changes some more every day.  Each day (even the bad ones) is a blessing that I wouldn't trade for anything!  Happy Birthday Trip, My little Monster Man!

Please No Presents!

Jack-Jack & Trip-Monster are turning one year old this Friday.  I. Cannot. Believe. It.  We're having a small party for them on Saturday, since, you know...Friday sucks for most anyone gainfully employed.  We're even having the party in another state to make it easier for family to come.  Isn't that so nice of us?

Well, it's about to be not-so-nice.

We are driving 4 1/2 hours Friday afternoon (you know...the boys' birthday).  Why are we doing this?  So we can throw their party 1/2 way between Tim's parents.  This is done in the hopes that both of his parents will be able to make it.  The FIL is definitely going to be there.  Tim was going to drive and get him if his doctor hadn't released him to drive, yet.  The MIL?  I've got no clue if she's coming!  Well, that's a lie.  I've got a couple of huge clues that she won't be there.  Really woman?  You've got a valid reason to miss your only grandchildren's first birthday party?

The MIL has told the FIL, because even though they've been divorced for 20 years and all of their children are grown and they live in different states they talk all the time, that she doesn't know if she'll have the money to come.  I'm not sure why she wouldn't have the money.  It's not as if we didn't plan this party months ago.  It's not as if she didn't borrow money from someone for gas to drive across two states when FIL had his recent heart-attack.  It's not as if we've asked her to bring any presents.

But what has the MIL told us, you ask?  She has been extremely vague until tonight.  Tonight she told Tim that the doctor told her she couldn't ride in a vehicle for more than 30 minutes because her foot would swell and she has a blister on it (MIL is diabetic due to very poor health habits AND she smokes).  Hmmmm...that sounds a little odd since last week I was told her doctor had released her back to light wheelchair duty at her job which he knows is almost an hour drive away.  This is also a little odd since she told me about the blister the same time she told me about being released back to work and the doctor hadn't said anything at that point about any of this.  Plus, why can't she prop her foot up in the backseat while her good-for-nothing husband drives?!?!?!  It's not like this is just some random event she's been invited to...this is her only grandchildren's first birthday party!!!  And I can just about BET that these will be the only grandchildren she'll ever have and can guarantee this is the only first birthday they'll have.

To be even more convenient to the in-laws (and in all honesty some other friends that were invited that I know are on a beyond shoe-string budget) I wrote in large lettering on all the invites "Please no presents!"  Did you guess that she also tried to use the no-money-for-presents excuse?

To say Tim is upset about this is an understatement.  The fact that his mother abandoned him for some guy when he was 9 was forgivable.  The fact that she has fed his brothers' addictions and co-dependancy is forgivable.  The fact that she doesn't feel the need to call when his grandparents are deathly ill is forgivable.  But this. Is. Not.  He's already said (many many many times) if she doesn't show up for their party then she's out of their lives.  I will no longer email or mail any pictures or videos or other updates.  He will no longer call her so she can hear the boys giggling and "talking".  She will be written out until she can get her priorities straight.  (did I ever tell you about driving up to visit her only me and the boys just so she could spend time with the boys and she ended up planning something else at the same time. she'd had two months notice I was coming and was only home for an hour while I was there.)

Needless to say, I support this 100%.  It wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit to not have to listen to her say "Twiiiiii-iiip! Can ewe say Mammaw?"  His name is TRIP and YOU are NOT his Mammaw.  MY Mom is his Mammaw; like I told you BEFORE they were born.  (She said she didn't want to go by Mammaw-"last name" even though my Mom has been called Mammaw for almost 12 years and I'd really rather not confuse my boys.  There needed to be some way to distinguish the two.  My Mom was even nice enough to say she'd go by Mammaw-"last name" too!)

So that's the drama we're rolling into this weekend.  I honestly hope the woman isn't there just so I don't have to play nice.  She's a good person, but plain sucks as any form of maternal figure.

*****************************************

On a completely good note I keep getting requests for stuff that I've been crocheting!!!  That excites me to the Nth degree!!!  Of course right now I've got so much left to do for Christmas gifts that I haven't been taking many requests, but that will change very soon.  My neighbor even came over today and said she'd get her 15yr old son to give me an idea for a design that he'd like and then he'd take it to the skate-park that he frequents.  If the guys there like it I'll probably consign a load of them to the owner of the park.  Apparently true skateboarders are really big into supporting local people.  That rocks for me!

Well, I got sidetracked with Etsy and Ravelry just now and completely lost my train of thought (me?  imagine that!) so I'm going to stop here.

Wish me luck!

Confession (not a bfp announcement I swear)

I had to add the no-bfp to the title because I've seen posts on other blogs that start out similar to that and then announce someone starting their second trimester.  Yeah, don't want to do that to anyone.  Now on to my confession.

I. Feel. No. Pity. For. Her.  None at all.  Not one single iota.  Who am I talking about?  Evil SIL.

It turns out that doctors are really wrong about Evil SIL.  They told her ages ago that she would never have children.  She now as one that she constantly neglects.  She's had a minimum of 2 miscarriages.  She has also now had her second ectopic pregnancy.  I felt badly for her with her other losses, but with this most recent one I have no pity whatsoever.

My Mom called me to let me know that I needed to pray for Evil SIL because she was in the hospital.  My mind jumped to OMG-is-she-about-to-die?  Since I'm confessing here I'll admit that I was hopeful this was what was happening.  I'm sure that makes me a horrible person, but this thing my brother calls his wife is a miserable excuse for a human being and not even remotely an excuse for a wife or mother.  Aaaaanyway...back to the story.  My Mom then explained that she was having an ectopic pregnancy and was being rushed into surgery to have it removed.

I did pray for Evil SIL.  So did my Mom and Sister.  We all prayed that she came out of the surgery OK and that the doctors found the need to remove both tubes.

I DO feel sorry for my Mom, though.  This is another grandchild that she will never get to hold.  That breaks my heart.  Even though she shares my feelings in regards to Evil SIL she would have loved that baby just as much as she does her other grandchildren.  As a matter of fact, she would have had a very close relationship with her because she would be taking care of her at least every other weekend like she does my nephew (Evil SIL's son).

So there.  I got it off of my chest.  My brother and his wife are both losers to the Nth degree and I feel no pity for them that this pregnancy was not successful.  I pray that this little life will be born to amazing parents that truly want her and will love her like she deserves to be loved!

ps I wouldn't have actually wished this on her, but I have wished sterility on her and continue to.

HALP!

I've started an etsy store.  I've been really getting back in to my crochet and have decided to start selling some of what I make.  I've still got to build up my stash of ready-to-ship stuff before I start doing custom orders, though.  Until then I've got a couple of wipe cases and burp rags and bibs to sell.  I've decided that I'm also going to start making these things.

So here's my dilemma...what should I call my store?  I'm going to sell crocheted items and handmade baby items (not clothes).  Right now it's called "Trip over Jack crochet".  Please give me some ideas!!!