Her favorite place to be

The video is completely black, but you can hear her laughing her head off in her favorite hiding spot. This was the day we were visiting Santa and Matt and I were so busy running around trying to get things ready that for a minute there, I seriously couldn't find her and started to panic. When I started saying "Acadia", I heard her famous giggle and felt pretty stupid that I had forgotten to check in her one and only hiding spot.

I remember Monday

I remember...going to the hospital the morning before you were born, to be induced. I didn't get a wink of sleep the night before I was induced because I was so nervous. Every woman thinks about her labor day and what it will be like, how it will feel and is nervous of the unknown. By the time we got to the hospital that morning, I had to sit down before we made it to labor and delivery just to catch my breath and try to calm myself down.

Once I was in labor, though, I didn't have time to be nervous. Daddy was amazing, as always, and seemed to know exactly what I needed. Whether it be ice chips, music, more hot water in the bath, a cool washcloth on my forehead. He was awesome throughout the whole process and I certainly couldn't have done it without him.

When you were about ready to be born, my doctor asked me if I wanted to reach down and deliver you. It wasn't anything she and I had talked about before I went into labor, so I was so surprised and excited...I reached down and pulled you out and onto my chest, which to this day was the single best moment of my life. Daddy and I both remember vividly that the second you were born and placed on my chest, you turned your head and looked up at each of us....you were meeting us for the first time, as we were meeting you. I will never forget that.

I forgot to even ask the doctor what the sex was, until I heard her shout, "It's a girl!" and I burst into tears all over again. It was at that moment that I let myself realize how much I wanted a little girl throughout my pregnancy.

The time shortly after you were born is a blur, as they cleaned you up and helped me with my recovery. You were born in the middle of the night, and the lights were off, besides the ones hanging over your little bassinet and the light they used to see while I was in labor. I remember thinking how peaceful everything was - it was dark and cozy, and just very, very surreal. I also remember thinking that I never knew how much I needed you until you were born....I love you, Cadi...

Ok, ok. We get the hint.

We'll turn up the heat...

Music at the library

On Tuesday my mom and I took Acadia to the library for music with Robert. Acadia LOVED him! She danced the whole time in the center of the room :)

To my fellow SAHMs

I found this article on Simple Mom...

http://simplemom.net/your-home-the-best-company-to-work-for/

Oh, Christmas Tree

The day we went to get our Christmas tree, I searched on-line for a Christmas tree project for Acadia. I found one and am so upset I didn't write down the website to share, because this was a cute one for getting to know your shapes.

I also decided to dedicate the top of our refregirator to daddy, so he can see what Acadia does throughout the day. When I was in New York for the day recently, it drove me crazy not knowing what she was up to, how her nap went, if she ate well. I was just so curious about everything and called a few times to check in and see what they were doing together. It occured to me how much Matt is away from Acadia during the day and I wanted to make sure he was involved in what she was doing throughout the day. I have been looking for a dry/erase board to stick on our fridge, so I can jot down what she did that day, whether it be learn a new word, do a puzzle, play in the snow, or.....pee in the potty like she did yesterday!!

TFT: Sissy

I have been thinking and thinking about what I should write about today and have had such writers block. Annoying. A while ago my sister e-mailed me and asked when I was going to write TFT and I said I had no ideas on what to write about. When I asked her what I should write about, I got a response with one sentence: Write about me. LOL!!

So. TFT will be about my little sissy pants :)

To say Miche and I didn't get along when I was younger is putting it nicely. I think it's fair to say that we actually hated each other. And there was none of this, "Oh, mom! Miche took my toy!" No. I would hit her. She would hit me back. We would pull hair. One time when my mom was gone, my neighbor actually came over to our house because she heard us screaming at each other so loudly. So, no....one could say that we didn't like each other very much.

When I left for college, things got much better. For one, we were away from each other and I think that absence makes the heart grow fonder. But also, we started maturing a little and stopped hitting each other....as much...

I can't quite pinpoint when she became my best friend. I suppose it happened slowly over the years as we have gotten older and become more and more alike. Honestly - calling her my best friend doesn't seem to do it justice. Soul mate? That's a little more accurate. She knows more about me than anyone else - more than even my husband does (sorry, honey), because she's been through everything with me; good and bad. She's funny, beautiful, caring, loyal, honest, sensitive and I honestly don't know what I would do without her!

Wordless Wednesday: Tomboy

I've been slacking

I haven't been putting the Christmas book on the blog in a few days:

Day 4 - Corduroy's Christmas Surprise by Don Freeman
Day 5 - The Snow Bear by Miriam Moss
Day 6 - A Magical Christmas by Claire Freedman
Day 7 - How Many Miles to Bethlehem? by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Day 8 - Merry Christmas, Geraldine by Holly Keller
Day 9 - Christmas Tree! by Wendell and Florence Minor

Rudolph craft

So easy - just trace your child's hands and foot. Acadia giggled the whole time I traced her foot - she takes after me - very ticklish!!

I remember Monday...

I remember...being pregnant for you and being over-the-top cautious about everything. I double checked everything I ate - would a non-organic apple kill you? I wasn't sure, so I looked up. Was shell fish on the "ok to eat list"? Or the "stay far away from" list? Who knows? So I looked it up.

I didn't touch a drop of caffeine, alcohol (obviously), sushi, deli meat, hot dogs, peperoni, stayed away from hot baths (this one sounds a little ridiculous now, but something about the baby not being too hot. It made sense at the time...LOL!)

I walked every day, ate a wholesome breakfast, snacks of fruit and veggies and drank the recommended amount of water. My rule was that if I wouldn't feed it to a newborn, I wouldn't eat it. No (or very, very little) cookies, cake, brownies, chips. I did have a little at first, but when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I stayed far, far away.

Daddy and I would read to you at night, he would talk to you and give my belly kisses. I would massage my belly throughout the day and talk to you about my hopes and dreams for you. I would name off everyone who loved you - friends, family members and most of all, mommy and daddy. I would ask you if you knew how special you were - that so many people loved you before you were even born. I prayed daily for you - that you would be born healthy and grow up to be a happy, confident and caring person.

I loved you so much before I even met you and thought I could never love you more than the moment I first saw you. But that's the funny thing about love....it keeps growing and growing...the more we get to know the little person you are, the more we love you. You are so loved, Acadia...you were loved the very second we found out we were expecting you...and you will always, always be loved....

Christmas crafts

We've been doing some Christmas crafts lately that I thought I would share (because I love reading other people's blogs to get craft ideas!). I get the ideas either out of some books I have, on-line or make them up.

Yesterday we made a Christmas place mat for Acadia. Daddy helped me with drawing the circles, hat, stick hands, nose and I cut them out. Cadi pasted them in place, so it was a group effort! I had some rolls of clear contact paper I bought sometime last year for Acadia's projects, and this worked perfectly to protect the art and turn it into a place mat.

Music class

We go to music time at the library every Thursday, which Acadia loves! This past Thursday we sang "Jingle Bells" for the first time, and it didn't take Cadi very long to get the "hey!" part down pat ;)

SO cute!

This is our friend Ky's son:

http://kypod.blogspot.com/2008/12/this-morning-maxwell-wanted-to-see-cadi.html

This is how she rolls

She found her Halloween costume in her room the other day and had to wear it!

Awesome Christmas idea

A friend of mine recently started her own business making personalized board books. She is one of the sweetest people ever, and I am so excited for her as she travels on this new adventure!! The books adorable and we can't wait to make one for Acadia's second birthday. I just thought I would pass along her website, because it would make a great Christmas gift!!

http://meandmypeepsbooks.com/

Feeling lonely

As a stay at home mom, I really look forward to Monday and Friday mornings, when I drop Acadia off at day care and get a few hours to myself.

Yet every single time I drop her off, I can't help but feel a little lonely on my way home. This morning I saw two yellow school buses in a row and my heart skipped a beat - I almost shouted, Guess what I see?!?! A "cool" bus!! But there was no one in the back seat to shout it to.

When I pass the farm with the cows, there is no one to say, "Ooooooh! Momma! Mooooo! Moooo, mamma!!"

When I come home, the house is eerily quiet. There is no one running into her closet and giggling like mad, as she has most obviously found the perfect hiding place from mommy.

So, yes, my breaks are nice and much needed some days, but I inevitably feel lonely and itchy to pick her up....as hard as parenting can be, I am constantly reminded of all the joy and laughter she brings into our lives...and for that, I will always be grateful...

Don't you just love a bargain?

I saw this cottage on a tv show sometime last year and wanted to buy it for Acadia for her first birthday. But when I saw the price, I knew I couldn't justify it - $80?! Forget it. Well, someone on my mommy board posted last night that it was on sale at amazon.com for $29.99!! I ordered one asap for Acadia's 2nd birthday and I can't wait to give it to her!! There are a bunch of little accessories you can buy for it - chairs, tables, a washing machine - it's soo cute! Come next summer, if you're looking for me, I'll be in Acadia's cottage with her having a bit of tea :)

TFT: Survival tips

One of my friends from my mommy board posted a couple of her "survival tips" the other day and other people added to them. I asked if I could post them here, because I know a lot of moms read my blog, and thought they could be useful. (Even if you aren't a mom, some of these cleaning/organizing tips will still come in handy!! )

Here they are:

I do 2 loads of laundry a session. One load that I need right away and requires folding and one load that I can run and leave in the dryer over night in case I run out of steam and just can't get it done. I choose towels or socks/undershirts ... just any load that doesn't need to be folded and/or ironed right away. It is nice to know that it CAN wait if I can't get to it.

Fun-shaped noodles, diced carrots, shredded cheese and diced up chicken nuggets make a fast, easy, somewhat healthy, cheap toddler lunch or dinner if you are crunched for time. And its easy for on the go too.

Barney may annoy me, but its a sure-fire way to get a good 25 minutes to myself in a pinch.

I put all of our socks in one basket in our laundry room. I try to do one big load of socks, plus I try to keep them together in once place so there isn't as many "lost" socks.

I put the bathroom back together again after my daughter's bath while she is still naked and inspecting the toilet paper, random rubber duckies, etc. It's really nice to not have to face a messy bathroom after the whole bedtime routine.I sometimes multitask during bathtime too. When my daughter is playing in the tub, I use that time to take out my contacts and brush my teeth!

Ditto the pasta and nuggets and frozen veggies! My daughter lives on meals like this! Easy to prepare enough for 2-3 quick meals and use throughout the week when you need to.We have mealtime down to a science- for now at least. My daughter sits at the highchair and eats cheerios while I make her dinner, then eats her dinner while we make our dinner, and then she eats dessert (fruit) while we sit down with her and eat our dinner. I know, crazy, but it works!

Once a week, my husband and I try to knock out the evening chores while my daughter is awake and then we get all that time alone to ourselves after she goes to bed. No hurrying to wash bottles, and oh one more load of laundry.... Next thing you know it's 9:00 and I am too pooped to do anything but turn in for the night! It works pretty well when we make the time for it.

Laundry - I try to sneak in a load before I run out for work in the morning, then when I get home, I toss that in the dryer and another in the wash. Cuts down on the Saturday morning madness.

Gift wrapping - I try to wrap as I buy so that it's not all waiting for me on Christmas Eve to be wrapped.

Shopping - during December we get 1 1/2 hour lunches so I try to tackle Christmas shopping during this time. Cuts down on the weekend and nightly crowds and doesn't seem so overwhelming a few times a week.

Take advantage of the services that make your life easy ....ie drycleaners that pick up/drop off at work, mobile oil changers that come to you/your office, drive through banking, etc.

Food - always have back-up in the freezer for the nights you just run out of time, even if it's bagel bites, or breakfast for dinner, etc. Takeout adds up quickly.

I also do the loads of laundry that can sit in the mornings during the week, and dry at night. The stuff that needs 'work' I do on weekends.

We will make bigger meals on the weekends....(i.e. big pan of lasagna or meatloaf, etc). Then we put them into individual servings and then freeze those. That way - we have meals ready to go in the freezer, all we have to do is warm them up.

Every time I cook, I double the recipe so we can either have leftovers or we can freeze it for a rainy day. I also make certain things in mega bulk, like Brunswick Stew or chicken soup (makes 8 gallons!) that I can also freeze to pull out when I don't feel like cooking- those batches last all winter long! I do the same thing w/ chicken pot pie innards, and we keep the freezer stocked w/ prechopped veggies, onions, peppers, etc for adding to recipes. Needless to say, we have lots of freezer space!

We have "Wash & Wax" Wednesday when we clean the whole house: vacuum, dust, scrub, and mop so we don't have to do it on the weekends. Then afterwards, we fold laundry.

I keep a toothbrush in the shower so I can clean the grout while my conditioner does it's magic.

Things I ALWAYS have in my house: Frozen bags of stir fry (green giant I think?) for easy dinners, box cake mix, canned frosting, brownie mix, frozen pizza, frozen/canned veggies.I save sour cream/chip dip/butter etc containers for leftovers and for my husband to take things to work in, its so much cheaper than tupperware and I don't mind if they are thrown away. I also throw away any tupperware type containers if they don't have a lid.

I always go shopping the day after a holiday (not thanksgiving lol!). I get most of my holiday decorations that way and I find cute cheap toys for my daughter. Everything is 50% off at least and there is usually a good selection. After Halloween I got a huge bag of small playdohs for $2 and a My Little Pony for 75cents and new placemats for next year for $2ea. The day after Valentines Day is really good if you have a girl.

I multitask during bathtime too. I can get my bathroom all cleaned up for the day by the time its hairwashing time. Then I only have to clean up her things and at least I have one clean room for the day!

While my husband does bathtime with one baby, I pick up any toys and things left laying around the house so we don't have to clean up once they are in bed.I unload the dishwasher while my children are eating a meal so I don't have 4 extra hands trying to "help" .I always have veggie patties or veggie dogs in the freezer for a quick meal for my kids and usually keep a pizza on hand for us in case we don't have much time to cook.

I always cook "big" meals in the beginning of the week so that my husband has leftovers for lunch. I always stock up on pasta, soup, waffles, etc when they're on sale for really cheap. I always freeze any extra sauce so that I can make baked ziti or another pasta dish really quick during the week. I clean up after dinner while my son is still eating, since he takes his time when he eats. yo gabba gabba is my savior when trying to make dinner!

I plan our meals out according to our weekly schedule and the weekly sale ads.

When I can, I do our laundry according to person. That way, once the clothing is dried, it takes me half the time to fold and put away, because I don't have to sort.

Quick cleaning necessities: Clorox disinfectant wipes, hand-held "dust buster", and febreze

Quick cleaning tips (when I know a friend is on her way over and I only have a second to clean up): 1) give the guest bathroom a quick clean by using clorox wipes in the sink and toilet2) fluff the pillows on the couch, for some reason it makes it seem more tidy3) if I don't have time to sweep real quick, I'll use the dust buster to pick up "things" that have newly appeared on the floors4) spray a bit a febreze5) start an easy (towels, blankets, etc) load of laundry so that the house smells fresh. I love the way our laundry detergent and softener smell. 6) open window blinds/shades to let in more natural light

TFT: What are your survival tips?

Christmas book, Day 3

Today's book was "Auntie Claus" in honor of Auntie Sissy. I swear that if I had a dollar for every time Acadia asked for Auntie Sissy, I'd be rich! Of course when I read the book to Acadia, I had to say, Auntie Sissy Claus. That was funny to me, but Acadia didn't seem to get it. Maybe when she's older.

Anyway, this book is sooo cute and I loved the illustrations! It's better for an older child, but Acadia loved the pictures in this book and continued to read it to herself when I was done the book.