Picture Perfect Weekend

We spent a nice and relaxing weekend in Hill Country.  We got a chance to bond just the three of us and enjoy our little family.  The weekend was filled with projects, good food, basketball, and love.  :)

Note:  I am sitting on the couch, G is sitting on my lap, and Zoey is sitting on G's lap.  This picture was not posed.  My crazy dog does this all.the.time.  Thank God she is only 7 lbs. 

Looky Looky at What I Made!

I got crafty this weekend.  I figure I needed something to do while The Hubs watched basketball all weekend long.  I ended up making a bow holder.  I have been eyeing these ones on etsy since I found out I was pregnant with a girl.  I am pretty satisfied on how it came out.  (Who am I kidding, I am pretty darn stoked.)  I figured I had a 50/50 shot of loving what I made or wasting a bunch of money.

I am toying with adding a stitch look around the plaque and I need to trim the ribbons on the bottom.  I was too excited to wait until I did all that to post it. Here is my version.

Materials Needed:

Wooden Plaque
Paint
Ribbon
Wooden Letters
Wooden Bug
3 Buttons
Glue Gun
Paint Brushes
Needle and Thread
Scissors
Pencil
Measuring Tape

So we meet again, Mr. White Hair.

I first met Mr. White Hair in 2007.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  I was recently married and getting ready to start my day.  I was curling my hair when I saw him.  I was in shock.  Total disbelief.  Yes, I know that it is VERY normal to have white hairs, but I was 25 years old and a granddaughter to two 80+ year old grandmas with heads full of black hair.  White hair just shouldn't be happening to me, especially not so early, or so I thought.  I pulled that bad boy out and wrote my sisters and best friends a super long e-mail about how grief stricken I was that I found my first white hair.  They all rightfully laughed at me, told me to get over myself, and to stop being a drama queen.

This did not stop me from looking out for Mr. White Hair every time I blew out my hair.  If he showed his ugly face again I was ready to pull his ass back out.  I haven't seen him again until today.  3.5 years later I find him.  He is only a couple inches long so I figure he has not been growing for too long.

Can you spot him??? (Yes, I know I am a weirdo who takes pictures of my white hair.)

I did something I did not think I would do if I happen to come across him again.  I left him in.  I figured that at the rapid rate that I am loosing my hair I would be silly to pull any out on purpose, even if it is white.  

Happy Five Months, Pretty Girl!

Yesterday Gianna turned five months old!  My baby is growing up too quickly. As much as I would love to freeze time I cannot help but think of the adult that she will soon become.

I wish for her to be independent, strong willed, and a positive leader.  I want her to be confident.  Confident in herself and her decisions.  I want her to feel like she can go against the grain and not have to buckle under peer pressure.  I hope she will understand that the beauty on the outside is only a glimpse of the beauty on a persons inside.  Hopefully she will be caring, loving and genuine.  I would love if she had her father's amazing work ethic and ambition. Driven.  I want to teach her to be humble and gracious.  I hope she blazes her own trail in her life.  Above all, I want her to feel happy, healthy and loved.

I hope I can be the mother I need to be to guide my Pretty Girl to be a woman other women aspire to be.

Happy five months, Pretty Girl.

THE Pencil Test

Once upon a time long long ago a 7th grade C was hanging out in her bff S's bedroom.  S and C loved to talk about grown up stuff.  Sex, boys, blow jobs, you name it.  Well, this particular day we were talking about boobs. At this point I had the boobs that I would carry into my adulthood and S was still growing hers.  (They grew in quite nicely. ;) Love you, lucky bitch.)

She then told me about this little trick you can do to see if your boobs are sagging.  Bend over with your shirt lifted, lift your boobs up, place a pencil under them and then stand up.  If the pencil falls you are blessed with perky tits.  If the pencil stays under your boobs then you are not so blessed.  We both decided to try this out and were elated when our 7th grade boobs did us right and the pencils fell to the floor.

Fast forward to last night.  Stupid, stupid C decided to try out the boob test after her shower.  Sure and shit the damn pencil stuck.  PENCIL TEST = BIG FAT FAIL! WTF.  I had an inkling that my once perky B cup boobs were not so perky as they were pre pregnancy but stupid C thought, why not see how NOT perky they are.  UGH!

Please bow your heads and say a little prayer for my boobs.  They lived a long beautiful life.  May they rest in peace. Amen.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for living so close to Hometown.  I am fortunate enough where I get to go home very often and see my family and friends.

I am thankful for bunny ears.

I am thankful for brownies.  

And sunshine.  Lots and lots of sunshine.  

BFF's

If I could ask my daughter who her BFF is I am pretty sure she would say Zoey.  I think that Zoey thinks Gianna is pretty neat too.  Their friendship began the moment we brought Gianna home.  Although, Zoey at first was a little apprehensive of this tiny human who cried every three hours the apprehension quickly turned into curiosity.

The curiosity blossomed into love.  Zoey wanted and still wants to be as close as she possibly can be to Gianna.  She wants to lick her face, hands, ears, and toes.   If I would let her, she would nuzzle up and sleep next to her every chance possible. 

It's a good thing that my daughter is just as smitten with her dog as her dog is of her.  Zoey is her favorite form of entertainment.  Her favorite toy. Gianna loves to pull  Zoey's hair, hard, and Zoey lets her.  She just lays there and allows it.  Once in a while Zoey will begin licking Gianna as she yanks handfuls of hair out of her body.  

When Zoey growls and plays with her toys Gianna laughs and laughs. She thinks it the funniest thing she has ever seen.  (Which I am guessing by her reaction that it probably is.)  Zoey will then stop playing and kindly offer her dog toy to Gianna.  

They enjoy the same hobbies.  They love doing tummy time together, stuffing soft toys in their mouths,  and rolling around on the floor.  They are both great nappers.  While Gianna sleeps in her crib Zoey sleeps in the rocker in her room.  They are the perfect couple. 

I can only envision that their love and appreciation for each other grow as Gianna gets more into solids.  

In a funk

I decided recently that I need to take more of a stand in my own personal life.  I have found myself getting into a rut, a funk.  Far too often lately, I take my morning shower, turn on the tv, open up my laptop and cozy up with G and Zo and do almost nothing.  As the day progresses my energy dwindles.  At some point during the day almost everyday I am struck with an immense feeling of loneliness to the point where I just want to cry.  It's only gotten worse since snowmageddon hit here in Hill Country because before that I would at least try to get out once a day.  It's depressing the crap out of me and I need to snap out of it.  I told myself that as the snow melts I should be making more of an effort to get back into my life. I am lighting a fire under my own ass.

I have joined pilates.  The class is held on M and W from 7pm - 8pm.  It's my time regardless of what the day brings me to get the hell out of my house and surround myself with adults.  Its also making me do the one thing I dislike but need to do, exercise.  I do love pilates but I suffer from the lazys.  Too lazy to start exercising but love the feeling after I do it.  It's also a nice break from G, Zo and The Hubs too, because once in a while everyone needs a break.

I am restarting where I make a list every night of what I want to accomplish the next day.  I need to get back into the routine of getting out at least once a day.  I told myself that, yes, I may not know anyone here in Hill Country but that does not mean that I need to sit here and watch the days past by me.  I think setting myself small tangible goals everyday will help me immensely.

I am also getting out of the house and going for a walks.  Once G gets a bit older and the weather gets nicer I plan on taking her to the parks.  Fresh air never hurt anyone and who knows maybe we will both meet friends.

I am going to try to cook one new recipe a week.  I love cooking and I need to get back into the things I love.  I plan on setting aside some time once a week so I can figure out what I want to make and then just go for it.

The last thing that I need to do but have been holding off for a while now is joining a mommys group.  We may be moving yet again in April/May so as soon as I know what's going on with The Hubs job status I will either join the groups that I know exist here in Hill Country or research groups in the next city/state that we will be moving to and join them.

Hopefully this will all help unfunk myself.

Grazi, Prego, Ciao.

These are just a few of the words that my little family will be saying come September.  Heck yes, we are going to the mother country!!!  Not my mother country but my mother's mother country... and my father's too.  Still confused?  I am talking about this little slice of Heaven on earth:

The hubs and I are travelers.  We love to go travel and discover new places.  (Which I think makes living the gypsy life a bit easier for us then for most.)  We try our hardest to get out and see somewhere new at least once a year.  It could be only a few states away or it could be oceans away.  It doesn't matter.  Sign us up we are ready to go.

Well, I have not gone to the Boot and Ball in over ten years.  That is ten long years since I have seen my cousins, aunts, and grandmother on my dads side.  We both have really wanted to go for a while now.  I want to introduce MY family to my family.  The Husband has not been to Italy since he was a teen and even then remembers nothing due to going for a soccer tournament and not fully understanding what a great opportunity he had.

We decided that if we are going to go we might as well take advantage of airlines policy that no child under two has to pay full price for a seat.  We have been researching flights and seasons.  Trying to find the best time of year at the cheapest price.  We found it today so we booked it. For the three of us to fly to Rome early September, round trip, $ 980 total.  How fucking amazing is that!?!? In the scale of amazingness I give it a 10, no 11, out of 10. We are using our frequent flyer miles ($70 taxes and crap) to cover one tickets cost, paying $90 for Gianna, and paying $ 820 for the other ticket for two weeks in Italy.

Another awesome plus to this whole trip is that my mom, dad and youngest sister are coming with us.  Same flight and all.  This is going to be help out in so many ways.  1) More people to help us with Gianna for the two long 9 hour flights. 2) Interpreters for the foreign language. I understand everything but can not speak or read too well.  3) BABYSITTERS!!!!!  Nonna has offered to watch Gianna while The Hubs and I explore Italy.  I am not sure how much we will take advantage of this offer but if we want we can.  I am just hoping that my eldest sister and her family decides to come too.  It would make this vacation even more perfect to have my whole extended family there.

Now I have tons of planning to do....

Spring has sprung.

Its beautiful here in Hill Country and I enjoyed it to the fullest today.  The sun was shining and it was a  perfect 70 degrees! I told myself the dishes and laundry could wait.  Errands are for another day.  My girls are and I going for a walk.  I leashed Zoey, put a hat on Gianna's head and glasses on her face, and out the door we went.

I loved it.  As I was strolling along with my two girls I thought to myself that this is what I always dreamed motherhood to be.  It's the small things, like walk around the neighborhood, that matter.  I have to say, I think they throughly enjoyed it as much as I did.

Please note Gianna noming on her fingers.
Who needs teethers when you have such yummy fingers?

A week of firsts.

Being back in Hometown was not only wonderful and refreshing for me it was a week filled with first for our little family.

Gianna had her first taste of rice cereal.  In the beginning she was not a fan.  I put the food in her mouth and she would just keep it open and let the cereal/droll fall out.  Towards the end of her first feeding she got much better and polished the bowl clean.  Now she is like a new born birdy.  She opens her mouth and sways her head back and forth in eager anticipation for that rice cereal goodness.  I bought baby oatmeal today and am planning on giving it to her at night once she hits 5 mths when she starts getting two feedings.

Nonna brought down a box of old baby clothes that my sisters and I wore when we were babies and lo and behold there were some gems in there.  The one that got me most excited was our baby snowsuit.  I had yet to take G out into the snow and it was something I wanted to do before it officially became spring and all the snow melted.  It felt like the stars aligned for this moment cuz that the snowsuit fit perfectly, there was snow outside and it was a warm 45ish degrees.  absolutelyf'ingperfect!

She must take after her father because I would never be this happy to be outdoors, especially in the snow.

The first that I personally enjoyed the most was date night with The Husband.  Due to not knowing too many people in Hill Country and being so busy with family in Home Town we have never had the chance to go on a date without G.  I have not been on a date with him in over 4.5 months.  Grammy volunteered to spend the night at our place in Hometown and watch G while The Hubs and I went to a dinner and a movie.  

It was so nice.  So so nice.  I could just relax.  I did not have to worry that it was close to my baby girl's bed time and that the restaurant noise would keep her up.  I did not have to worry about if she will cry out in the restaurant and bother other patrons.  I did not have to worry.  But I did in a new way cuz that is what moms do, worry.  After a quick text to my MIL asking if G went down to bed okay I relaxed and enjoyed The Hubs company.  We held hands, hugged, and stuffed our faces.  

Afterwards, we saw The Blind Side and we both fully enjoyed it.  I love going to the movies.  I was surprised to see the movie theater packed with teens going to see Alice in Wonderland.  I mean PACKED. We were the only "adults".  I teased The Hubs that soon enough that will be our little girl.  He disagreed.  He said that she will stay at home with her daddy and watch movies with him until she is 24.  Yeah right.  Overall, the whole night was such a treat.  I am going to make sure that we do not wait another 4.5 months until our next date.  

We have earrings, folks!

Gianna has some new bling.  I was totally opposed to getting G's ears pierced at the local mall, tattoo parlor or any other scary place like that.  I wanted to go to a safe sterile doctors office but unfortunately the offices in the Hill Country no longer pierce ears.  I contacted my old family doctor in Hometown and asked if the office pierces ears and to my delight they did.  Not only that, they had an availability the very next day.  Wooooo hoooooo! Sign G up!  

The following day with nervous smiles on our faces, well actually only one of us had a nervous smile the other one just had her happy usual baby smile, we sat in the doctors office filled out our paper work and waited.  Then Nonna called and asked if we already got G's ears done and when I said no she said she going to play hooky at her work for a while and was on her way. 

When we entered into the room the doctor came in and asked how Gianna reacts when she gets her shots.  I told her that she cries for a couple mins and then after some comforting she is okay.  She then told me to expect the same with her ears.  We propped her up on the table with Nonna at one side and Momma at the other the doctor measured and marked G's ears.  She then took out this little plastic gun and bam the first ear was done.  We all sat back for a second just waiting for Gianna's reaction and what did she do?  She smiled.  She was looking around at us and was just smiling and laughing.  Go figures.  The doctor quickly did the following ear.  Again, Gianna was all smiles.  It was done.  No tears, nothing.  

Right after getting her ears pierced. She was too hungry for pictures. 

Hair loss low

Let me tell you a little story about hair loss.

Two months postpartum I stood up on one of my best friends wedding. Here I was sitting in the hair dresser's chair looking into the mirror and talking to the stylist about what I would like my hair to look like when she commented about how beautiful and thick my hair was. I proceeded to tell her my life story, cuz that is what you do to hair dressers, about how I just had a child and that through my pregnancy my hair has become as healthy and as thick as horse hair. I actually started lamenting that it was annoying me because it was TOO healthy. I said that I couldn't do anything with it due to it being so heavy and shiny and it would no longer hold a curl.

She asked me if I started experiencing any hair loss and I gave her a puzzled look. Hair loss? What is she talking about? I told her no that I have not experienced any hair loss and that I have never heard about this unfortunate post pregnancy circumstance. She began to tell me how many woman find themselves loosing a ton of hair after they give birth and that I may be one of the lucky ones who will not experience this. I nodded my head in agreement and said how I hoped that this was true while in my head I was calling this woman who has never given birth and has no idea what she is talking about a complete idiot.

Then month three hit. When showering I started to notice a few random strands of hair in my hands after washing my hair. I thought to myself... maybe this chick was not as dumb as I originally thought. Then I starting noticing hair on our bathroom floor. Then in G's crib. Then on my and G's clothes. It was everywhere. And like finding hair all over the place isn't nasty enough I began finding it in G's diaper . Fuck.

Oh, karma came back to bite me in the ass cuz I officially hit my hair loss low. After a recent shower where I washed my hair I found a rats nest in my butt crack. No joke. A handful of nasty clumped up newly washed hair traveled down my back and made a home in my butt crack. I wanted to gag and die. I officially hit my hair loss low.

God or whomever must have been a comedian. To give a pregnant woman thick beautiful horse hair when while expecting then he/she takes that away and some. Like I didn't already feel self conscious about my postpartum body I have to be suffering from hair loss worse than The Husband. Here's to hoping that I have some hair left at month five.