This Mommy Runs on Caffeine

This Mommy Runs on Caffeine

December 1, 2010

Welcome Little Ones!!!

I'd like to welcome my dear friend Kindle to MOMMYHOOD!  We met at work eight years ago and bonded over crackers and a hangover and a little paint mishap.  Although she carted herself across the country for her prince charming, we've stayed good friends across the miles.  She was a great shoulder to lean on during my fertility issues, and I was honored to be in her wedding.  I just knew when I received that exciting call back in March- a premonition if you will,  that she was having twinsies and sure enough: Kindle, and husband Brian welcomed adorable twins yesterday, November 30th.  I have to give her props too: she toughed it out all the way to 40w1d- I would have been waving the red flag a few weeks ago!

Eli is 19.5" long and 6lb8oz and Abby is 18.5" long and 6lb7oz.  Mommy is recovering and recouperating and the little ones are in good health- I hear they are enjoying getting to know one another.  I'm so happy for the new family and Kiera can't wait to teach them so many fun things!  Enjoy it while you can, it goes by so, so fast!

ABBY

ELI
  

November 28, 2010

My farm delivery box allows me the liberty to be creative with recipes- it's always fun to think up recipes (outside of soup, pasta or risotto!) with whatever comes in it. This week I received my delivery right before Thanksgiving and even though I was totally inspired, I was also so busy and swamped! But today inspiration and time were finally on my side! Mind you that my hubs doesn't like either ingredient in the title aside from "Apple" and "Pie" but I'm going to make him try it out anyways! I just had my first slice and it was D-lish!




(2) pre-made refrigerated pie crusts- room temp

1 pint of fresh cranberries

1 bunch of rhubarb (approximately 1/4 cup finely chopped)

4 medium apples- preferrable Fuji or other sweet apple- coursely chopped

1 orange- zest and then squeeze the juice and reserve

cinnamon

vanilla

1 c. of splenda or sugar, plus 1/4 cup

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 stick of butter



Heat oven to 425. Coursely chop the cranberries and rhubarb and place in a microwave safe bowl and add enough water to cover. Add 1/4 cup of sugar or splenda to the mixture, along with 2/3 of the fresh juice. Microwave on high 5 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Place one pie crust in a deep-dish pie plate and form against sides.

Strain cranberry mixture and add apples, mix and then spread into formed pie crust. Sprinkle with your preferred amount of cinnamon and vanilla. Mix together the remaining sugar and flour and add over filling. Dot filling with butter and pour remaining orange juice prior to covering with top crust. Add top crust, pinch edges to seal. Cut slits into crust and brush with a little melted butter. Sprinkle with some sugar and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crusts are brown and mixture is bubbly. Enjoy with some ice cream or fresh whipped cream!

November 23, 2010

Words of Wisdom

As a dear friend awaits the impending arrival of her twins any. day. now.... (she's made it longer than I did- Kiera made a surprise arrival at 37w and she's now at 39w3d- with twins!), we had a nice conversation that included my unbiased advice to a new mom- what words of wisdom did I NOT take to heart and wish that I would have oh, say, 15 months ago?  Well, where to start? First of all- cherish every single day even those when you are elbow deep in poo, haven't had time to shower at 3:45 p.m. and even your fourth shirt was now thrown up on.....  the both of us went through fertility to start our family, we knew what we were getting in to, but there are just 'those' days that you're not quite sure.... and they start once they tell you it's too late for an epidural!  Nothing will ever go quite as planned once you throw a little one into the mix- for planners (yes, that's you KL!) it may be enough to drive you stark raving mad, but that is exactly what you will remember most.  That night that there was nothing that made the baby happy and you had to crawl around on the floor to try to entertain them, digging out all of your safest kitchen utensils for them to use as drum sticks or chew toys.  Oh, wait- that was LAST night!

My first piece of advice is to let people help and tell them what you NEED.  The novelty of a 'new' baby (or babIES) wears off and the offers of help soon will as well.  I wish that I would have gotten just a few more days-hours, of sleep when my mom was staying with us for the few weeks after Kiera arrived.  I was worried that I would miss out on valuable bonding time, but instead, I could have gotten some much needed (and forever fleeting) rest to recover from pregnancy and delivery.   I wanted to prove to her that I would be a good mom right off the bat- rendering her feeling nearly useless and me very tired.  My stubbornness might have been part of what led to my post-partum depression and essentially was counterproductive to the bonding.  A tired, emotional and confused mommy has a hard time bonding with a stuffed animal let alone a new little baby.  So, we all know that you will be a good mom- but give your self a chance to rest- really rest because you have to save up that energy for the next 18-or-so years.....  and if your friends and family really want to help, tell them what you really want- like just an hour to take a hot bath, the floors swept and mopped or bring in a few groceries. 

Next, take lots of pictures- you will be amazed at when you look back- even after just a few months- how much they change and grow.  Jason always teases me about being a 'mamarazzi' but I'm so glad that we have all of these wonderful moments captured on film (and now video).

Also, live in the moment- don't worry about milestones- every baby will progress on their own timeline (if the pregnancy and delivery isn't any clue...) and try not to "can't wait" every one of those milestones away because some day you will look back and long for those days when you could set them on their blanket on the floor and still be there after your quick potty break instead of half-way up the stairs.  Be there for your children.  The laundry and dishes can wait until 2017- you think that you should be getting them done, but trust me, a quick little dance or game of tag is much more important.  It will be hard to fully accept this piece of advice, see above and make sure you have the camera ready....

And speaking of you- take good care of yourself.  The mom (not sayin' that the daddy isn't important) is the hub and needs to think about herself first and foremost to be the very best Mommy possible.  Mentally and physically.  Being a mom is the hardest job I've ever done.  There is no "time off" (even if you take words of wisdom #1), "sick time" or otherwise, however, there is downtime and take advantage of it- to TAKE A NAP! Make sure that there is something that you enjoy on what little "break" time you get.  A clear head makes for more enjoyable parenting.  For sure.  And this goes back to asking- no one can read your mind- let us know how we can help.  It really does take a village.

And those little "ugh" moments- they're far and few between and the first time you see a real smile or hear "mama" makes it so worthwhile.  All that lost sleep; 3:54 minutes of labor; post partum depression; poop patrol- it's also job security and the most priceless form of payment ever.   Enjoy being a mom...........

November 17, 2010

Happy Birthday!

Do you know that I find my husband a little difficult to shop for?  Well, on a budget at least!  I'd love to get him a Garmin GPS watch for his running so he'll quit cursing at the dang Nike+ and his iPod but that's over $300....  actually Kiera and I would love to get him a new car along with free parking near his new office site, but again, not in the budget.  Of course I could get him something that I would love too- like a new SFR camera or big screen tv for the bedroom, but that's not exactly fair since it is HIS birthday, so I'm giving him the next best thing that money can't buy: his picture splashed all over the internet and professing my love so everyone else can read....  wow!  Now, that's a gift! ( ;

Happy Birthday Jason- thank you for being you: thank you for being a super wonderful dad to our wonderful little girl and thank you so much for choosing one of my favorite restaurants tonight for dinner!  I love you!  Now I just have 364 days to think of a fabulous present for your big FOUR-OH.....






November 12, 2010

TGIF- Yes, I am Thankful:

I really wish that I would have really understood what all of my more experienced mom friends meant when they said that it would go by fast.  I had no clue.  Really- one day I'm in labor and the next she's running (not walking) around saying "Haaa-ppeee" and "Up, up" and watching everything that we do like a little hawk to learn, learn, learn.  At nearly 15  months, Kiera is a veritable sponge- for further proof- see below at her saying 'trick or treat'- I only said it a few times..... I'm amazed when I watch her figure out how to do something on her own at the sheer brilliance of such a little person.  It makes me shake my head; it makes me shed a tear and appreciate that we were blessed with an amazing little girl.  I'm so thankful to be Kiera's Mommy.....

August 25, 2010

My Crappiest Post Yet....

I'm starting with the full disclosure that this post should not be read on an full stomach, or when you're hungry, or if you have no sense of humor.... it's about poop... yep, number two- so don't say I didn't warn you

Being a parent means that you are going to deal with bodily functions quite often- projectile vomiting (not yet, thank goodness and knock on wood), dirty diapers, snotty noses, spit-up- a definate right of passage when you are a Mommy- or in this case, a Daddy.  On Monday, after a fun and free (thank you Sacramento Zoo!) afternoon hanging out with Grandma H, we decided to go out to eat dinner (never mind the 400 lbs. of food left over from the birthday bash....) we went to a local pizza/ restaurant- a nice one- cloth napkins and two forks even.  So the three and a half of us settle in for a leisurely dinner and the dinner convo rolls around to poop (somehow reminds me of the family dinner table during high school) after my dear hubby- who is holding the 'half'- states that he feels a bubbling on his leg and thinks she's 'makin' a present.'  I confirm just by looking at her- she has the cutest little poopie face that you could ever imagine (sometimes accompanied by fists of fury too).  After the childish giggles subside, he slings the diaper bag over the shoulder and ventures to the bathroom for a change.  Usually this is a quick turn to let me know that there isn't a changing 'table' (I use that term loosely for those annoying but necessary plastic contraptions attached to walls in public bathrooms) and passing the girl over to me (I will hold the rant for lackof said changing tables in most 'family' venues to another post).  I instead suggest that he go out to the car- the empty trunk, or the stroller is much more convenient.  Kiera HATES those hard changing tables, so I try to avoid using them if possible- I'm becoming so proficient at 'car' changes!

After a few minutes, being the loving wife that I am, decided to go help knowing that she can be a handful when you try to re-dress her and am surprised to see him heading back my way.  Much to his surprise, her 'present' had somehow 'bubbled' out of the side of her diaper (pull out the ruffles!) and right onto his white shorts.  Don't ask me how I managed to not laugh out loud because I was ROFLMAO inside!  Yep- there was a ginourmous pea poo-green streak across his shorts at mid-thigh level. And me? I'm worried that she got any on her.... nope- none on her OR even in the diaper really.  It's all on Jason... who goes inside to clean up.

So, I change her, and return to a nearly empty (thank GAWD for Jason's sake) restaurant to finish dinner... sort of.  We were still a bit childish and couldn't help but laugh at the sheer talent of the mini one of how she could position herself to miss the diaper and hit his leg.... thankfully he wasn't wearing his running shorts with the shorter inseam!!!  Or worse??  Ewww....  Well, it was so bad, and I'm such a crappy (ha!) wife, that I made him walk home. (Just kidding!  Kiera had fallen asleep in her stroller so he decided to walk her the 1.5 miles home instead of having to wake up the birthday hung-over sleeping babe).

As  you very well know that 'fun' stuff always happens in pairs or sets, so leave it to 'Mr. Murphy' for Kiera to pick the moment that we set her in a bath (perfect storm- she usually gets the bath in the evening but since she was so tired from a day at the zoo and playing with Grandma, we put her straght to bed; I had a fleeting thought to wait a few minutes as she's pretty 'regular' so we didn't have to give the bathtub a bath also.  Yeah.  Not sure which one of us noticed the poopie face first.  So, what do you do?  Grab a diaper and try to patch the hole?  Empty out the water (yep, full of water)? Aim her over the toilet?  Nope- fish the bath toys out of the water and wait.  And yes, the bathtub and bathseat also got their own bath prior to Take Two.  Er, no pun intended....

And for the trifecta?  Instead of peeking into the next diaper- he sticks his finger down her back.... yep.  Surprise!  Oh, they joys of parenthood and learning the hard way! ( :

August 24, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET, SWEET GIRL!

I can’t believe that it has been 365 days since you were born- from the first tentative days that we spent together getting to know each other to today where I cannot imagine my life without you in it , each has been a blessing. Your Daddy and I had to work so hard to have you and every second of that emotional journey was worth it a hundred times over.


You have brought so much joy to our lives! Each day you wake us up with an infectious, sleepy little smile and in essence changing Mommy into a morning person (sortof!) We never know what the day will have in store, but as long as you are our little ‘partner in crime,’ it doesn’t really matter because you make us laugh and smile and allow us to view the world from your little viewpoint- full of wonder and delight. And we’ll continue to do our jobs as parents to protect you so that you can experience being a child for as long as you want!


This past year has been such an amazing time; just yesterday I went through hundreds of digital pictures of your life to pick out my favorites (impossible, by the way!) and was in awe of how quickly you’ve developed into an awesome little person. My heart swells with pride just thinking of you and the accomplishments that you are going to make in your life; right now it’s going to be mastering the ‘walking’ thing, but hey, that’s overrated, so you go on crawling with your bad little self! You have though mastered the usual baby-development stages: holding your head up (7 weeks); sitting up (3 months) holding your own ba-ba (6 months); rolling over (also 6 months- you took a bit of encouraging on that one!); crawling (8 months); first word- although it’s pretty much been your ‘only’ word (10 months) and charming the socks off of anyone (Day 1). You are a smart cookie- it didn’t take you long to learn patty-cake or that your little sqwunchy smile would get you whatever you wanted. And cute? Check, check.


I could go on forever and ever about you…. It’s easy to do. But the point of this is to tell you that we love you so, so much. I could have never dreamed how you would change my life for the better. Being a Mommy is the best job in the whole world. I’m so in love with you and your little spirit. You are amazing. Thank you for letting me be your mom. Happy First Birthday sweetheart. I’m looking forward to spending so many more with you.

NOTE: Kiera's Bday was actually August 18th, and her party was the 22nd.... with all of the preparations and family in town- this has been sitting in "draft" mode but I had to post for prosperity's sake......  you know, fellow Mommies, what it's like!!!! LOL


August 21, 2010

Are You Freakin' Insane?

I think its official- I've lost it.  Thinking that I could singlehandedly pull off a First Birthday Party Blowout could've been one of my wackiest ideas ever.  So what's the big deal?  It's just a party. For a One Year Old.  Yes, but we have 65 people coming (only 21 children!)- it's almost as large as our wedding although thankfully not as expensive- yet.  (Just kidding, honey)  And I'm a corporate events planner.  It's a cinch planning a medical conference for 200 people, or an awards luncheon for 700;  however it gets mighty interesting when it's for your own little one and you want everything to be perfect. 

The invites were handmade (I just couldn't seem to find a commercial butterfly-themed one that I liked) and sent weeks ago; it was exciting to get the first non-family RSVP (they really like us!) and then I watched the list grow, and grow.  Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy that there are going to be so many people sharing in such a wonderful occasion for little Kiera.  It means alot to us.  It also means that the house has to be in tip-top shape, digging up enough seating and tables for everyone, and trying to NOT go overboard with the menu or the budget.

We're now at T-minus 31 hours until the big shindig; last night before bed I decided to glance at the "to-do" list one more time and had a coronary that I wasn't going to get it all done.  I popped a few Motrin (should've been a Valium) and decided to get to work- washing baseboards, sweeping- redecorating. REDECORATING???!!!  At 12:30 a.m. my insane twin decided that my house wasn't up to par and decided to re-hang and accessorize and move stuff around.  The list said: "Hang Kiera's Frame" not repaint the candle holders, et cetera.  I did get all of the blinds dusted, the cobwebs down, fixtures dusted though.  It was just accomplished on the Type-A side.

Who does this for a birthday party?  I Googled it and found out that I'm the norm and really NOT insane, just a bit of a Martha when it comes to entertaining.  (Don't worry, I am using disposables, but the all had to match and although it is burgers and 'dogs, I want to make sure they are super tasty.)  So, I'm off to go bake a cake, finish cleaning, wrap presents, get the guest room ready for mom and have a stiff drink.  Kahlua in the latte at 8:30 a.m. isn't frowned upon in some parts of the world........

August 17, 2010

Trade in and Trade up at Consignment Sales

I discovered my first baby/ kid’s consignment sale last March when I was early in my pregnancy but would soon need maternity clothing. A friend of mine had told me about it and I saw a few local television shows doing a live segment, so I thought I would check it out. I happened to stumble by on the last day of this local sale which coincidentally is also ‘half-off’ day and I hit the mother lode for maternity clothes. I managed to get a wonderful work and 'play' wardrobe for around $80- about the cost of two or three designer pieces. I was hooked! The next (there are two sales during the spring/ summer and fall/ winter sales in this area- well, now three- Wahoo!) sale was going to be right after I found out the baby’s gender and I was going to check out clothing, gear, etc. Since then, I’ve attended about eight of the sales and have participated as a consignor at four. It’s seriously addictive. So stop reading NOW if you don’t want to save money on your gently used clothing, toys, gear and more; or better yet perhaps make a little money too!

There is some preparation that does go into making your items salable, but it’s worth the effort, especially when you get your consignor check a few weeks after the sale! The first part is cleaning and de-cluttering your house and yard- when you are changing out seasonal clothes, go through them and inspect them for rips, tears and stains. If they are free from all of the above, great- it goes into the “Consign Me” Box. A good rule of thumb for what to sell is to ask yourself the question, “would I buy this myself” (yea, you’re getting rid of it now- but why? Is it just too small or is it because it’s not usable or completely out of style- think older than five years. If it’s just small, great, sell it, if you said yes to the other questions, pitch it in the garbage.) If toys are broken, missing pieces or have been recalled than those are not acceptable items either. You can certainly try to consign them, but it is either going to get rejected at inspection at the sale (and you’ve wasted the time prepping and tagging) or they are going to get pulled from the floor, or worse a happy-go-lucky buyer is going to purchase it, get really mad and contact the consignment sale management and you’re going to get a bad mark as a consignor. Remember, if you wouldn’t buy it in its current shape, most other people won’t either.

Once you have your “Consign Me” box nice and full and you’ve registered for whatever sale you are going to participate in, it’s time to prep items to take to the sale! I’ve researched the most popular ones on the internet and they all have a computerized tagging system for consignors to use, so you will need to have ready access to a computer and printer. Additional supplies include: Cardstock (60# or 67# stock- in WHITE or pastel color only); Safety Pins (#2 size <1-1/2”> and #1 <1-1/16"> are good sizes to start with- the really small ones are a pain!); Clear Packing Tape in a dispenser roll; Clear Plastic Ziptop Bags in Gallon size; Zip Ties or Heavy String (for securing shoes/ packages); Hangers- lots of them, and NOT metal ones (the metal ones are horribly inconvenient for organizing, shopping and breakdown at the sales- some sales prefer metal, but not the ones I’ve done- so check with the management to be sure); Scissors; Batteries (for toys- they have to work to sell) and optional is a “Tagging Gun” and Plastic Barbs to tag clothes. (Please note: Only use the tagging gun through clothing tags to avoid damaging clothing- it’s inevitable that the barb will make holes in garments if tagged elsewhere.) Also handy: a lint roller; rolling rack; steamer; Magic Eraser (for toys and ‘solid’ items to remove scuffs); tubs and plastic to store your wares until time to pack up and transport to the sale.

Clothing should be sorted into seasons- my particular consignment sale only allows clothing for that particular season- so heavy jackets, winter holiday, rain/ snow gear and such are only allowed during the August/ September sales. The same would go for shorts, bathing suits and water toys for April/ May sales. However, there is still a need for some lighter type clothing for Fall (it’s often warm here well into the end of October) and layering clothing for the Spring (we get some chilly breezes in July too!) Maternity clothing is usually all season as are any type of children’s school uniforms.   Now that you’ve sorted seasonally, time to size! Sort items into gender and sizes and then the fun begins!

What to price your items: There are a lot of variables. Knowing that you are selling to a bunch of other like-minded budget savvy moms; your best reference will be to think: what would I pay? (Yes, it would be nice to garner $10 for a set of two onesies, but it won’t happen, so use your own frugality to set your price point.) Also, quality of the item; desirability; name brand and quantity. If you are selling new items (not newer, new- like in a box or with tags) it’s safe to price your item at about 70% of retail. If not, I think that a good deal is when I find something about 50% or retail value. Also, remember that the goal is to SELL the item and get rid of it and not have to lug it back to your home and possibly store for next season’s sale. That’s money gone. You also have the option to have your items as those that go at 50% of ticketed price on the last day- so if you have a pair of jeans that you’d like to get $4 for, but you’d happy if it just sells, period, then select the half-price option in your tagging software. Trust me, it’s much better to get some cha-ching in the end- the quantity that you are selling makes up in the end. (If you live in an area that has multiple sales in a season with the same consignment outfit, you may be able to roll your items over to the next sale at that full price- it all depends on your preference) Most hanging items should start at $3; also only mark in full or half/dollar increments.

DESCRIPTIONS: I know that tagging can be monotonous, but taking a few seconds to type in a more detailed description of your item is of a huge benefit to you AND the volunteer staff if your item and tag is separated- it happens and if after doing a Boolean search for “Carter’s” in the computer and 1000 items come up, it’s a crapshoot if the tag gets remarried to your item. However, if you have a description that say: Carter’s 9-12mo 3pc set: Pink Butterfly onesie; striped pants and matching pink butterfly socks, there is a very good chance that your item makes it back out on the floor and off to a new, loving home. Additionally, if a piece goes awry, it can be tracked down.

ATTACHING TAGS: Tags should be on the right hand side of clothing (the opposite side of the hanger opening) or through the tags (not fabric itself); on flat part of other items (particularly the top) and secured with tape on at least two sides, but NOT over the barcode; if you are bagging items, the tags should still be attached to the outside. When printing tags, use a printer setting above “draft” mode to ensure clear barcodes for scanning.

CLOTHING:
I’m only going to ‘hit’ on the items that I can offer good tips on- there are so many categories and these are where I’ve often overheard people asking questions.

HANGING GUIDELINES: Use only one hanger- hang your first item with the hanger neck facing left (like a ?) and then pin the item at the shoulders to the hanger- this prevents the item from slipping off of the hanger and being tossed about and not visible to sell. You can then pin other items to the front and back in a nicely merchandised fashion- think like you see sets of children’s clothes at a retail store. Most sales have a minimum price point for hanging items- $3- due to space issues. I’ve seen consignors even go as far as to tape the safety pins, but in my experience, it hasn’t been necessary.

PANTS: Sets are always nice- secure to the hanger with safety pins. Even better- if you have a full outfit (pants, shirt, matching socks and/ or shoes, and even other accessories) bundle them all together on one hanger (include small items in a plastic bag secured to the hanger) and value price- these items are very popular!

COSTUMES/ DRESS-UP: Although seemingly more popular during the Fall sales, dress-up items are accepted at either sale. The more complete, the costume, the better- remember to include special accessories or even make-up if you have it. I went crazy here for BabyK- bought a very mini Minnie Mouse and an adorable fish costume- she had several “set” changes for her first Halloween last year and will probably never be the same. LOL Use a search engine to find out what the retail price is and go for about 40% of that.

Shoes: shoes should be free from scuff marks and as much dirt as possible; clean shoelaces are good too. You don’t want to go “Ewww” when you pick them up. If there isn’t a shoe box, use a zip tie through the eye holes to loosely secure them together and tape your tag against the zip tie. If there is a box, I would suggest putting it in a clear bag and taping. If you just tag the box, and not the shoes, your item will probably end up in the Lost Tags section and not make it to the cash register.

Books/ CD’s/ DVD’s/ GAMES: Tagging books is precarious- you don’t want to damage them, so just use your best judgment- if you are going to bag books together, the bag might get opened anyways. I’ve seen many consignors tie bundles together with twine or even wrap them in food quality clear wrap. All levels of books are popular- from parenting and pregnancy to baby soft books, chapter books, etc. Using regular office-style tape instead of packing tape lessens the chance of damage.

If you have smaller games with plastic coverings that won’t damage if taped, secure the smaller game to a large piece of cardboard (think something too large to ‘fit’ into a purse or bag) with packing tape. Receipts are checked on the way out, but using your own ‘inventory’ control is very handy!


I recommend that you only sell media with original covers- I’ve seen it either way, but some sales are more strict.


TOYS:
Anything goes here- it’s amazing to see what sells! Larger outdoor toys usually sell quickly for around 50% if they are in good condition. If you can use a zip tie to secure your tag, I would recommend that you do that and reinforce the top of the tag prior to hole punching; your toy will keep its tag until the register. Additionally, printing out multiple tags (1/3, 2/3) for a toy set (table and chairs for example) is also a good idea. Most importantly; install batteries and test (and then turn back off until you get to the sale)- if they don’t play, they go back home with you until it “works” again. (Carry extra batteries in your vehicle on your way to the sale!) If you happen to still have the user manual, include that with the toy and you can possibly increase your value (worst case, Yours will sell when compared to five others since it has a manual!).
Secure puzzle boxes (please, count the pieces- it’s annoying to NOT get a full puzzle!) in a clear bag and tape.

BEDDING: include as many pieces of the set that you can and put in a large bag or wrap with a clear plastic. Include a concise description on your tag so that curious shoppers are tempted to open the bag.

FEEDING GEAR: Popular items: clean bibs (sell in sets); sets of utensils; tableware; bottles (again, sell in sets- Avent and Dr. Brown are good sellers if priced correctly! I just buy new nipples for the bottles); even breast pumps sell! I’ve even purchased new, sealed formula or baby food.

POTTY TIME: High end fabric diapers are hot! As are any disposable diapers- we had a batch leftover when K transitioned to the next size and those all got snapped up on the first day of the sale. Wiper warmers; changing pad covers (changing pads or any type of ‘mattresses’ are not accepted in California); lap pads; diaper disposal systems (clean and deodorize please!) range from $8 to $15.

INFANT ITEMS: Toys/ rattles/ pacifiers- it’s all game- items sell best when packaged into ‘sets’ and still have lots of life left. This is one of the best places to score discounted infant gear.
Car seats usually have to be the complete travel system (base/ seat/ stroller combo) and less than five years old- you will have to sign off on a waiver prior to consigning. High chairs/ booster seats should have all straps and safety pieces.

OTHER STUFF: You are selling to moms- so think what do moms love? Craft items (you know that you have extras!) Party gear; new in box ‘regifting’ things- time to clean your house and make a little money!

If you have any questions that I haven’t answered or have your own tips, please feel free to comment!  (I am not affiliated with the Just Between Friends organization other than loving the concept and being a bargain-minded mommy!)


Happy Consigning!

August 15, 2010

That's Gonna Leave a Mark....

See the "boo boo" above her eye??
The small one is not yet walking (well, a few little steps here and there, but then she gets this panicked look and sits down...) but holy cow, she is still ever so mobile and faster than  you can imagine.  And of course, she is testing her limits and curious about how everything works.  For example, "Even if I shake it really fast, will the kitty's tail still remain attached;" "How would this little piece of (insert random thing) taste;" "How hard can I patty-cake Mommy's head before she says 'owww'?"  You get the picture.  Keeps Daddy and I on our toes for sure, and of course, she is always so amusing.  The reactions are priceless!

Being mobile and curious also means that there are tears and cuts and bruises to go along with it.  This is a shitty part about being a Mom.... having to remain calm and collected while you are trying to soothe boo-boos and stop the bleeding.  Yep, that's fun.  And seems to come in sets.  (Her first fall from a high object happened on July 4th, followed by a spill off of the couch the next day and not a hour later: bumping her head on the tile floor (she managed to find the very small spot that wasn't covered to touch down at!).  I know I'm not the first nor last parent that it happens to, but talk about making you feel like a horrible parent!  She's no worse for the wear.....  and then this weekend we had actual injuries complete with bleeding. 

Friday night she was crawling around in her room and while trying to use the glider ottoman for support, she fell down and hit her head on the corner.  When I picked her up, there was blood above her left eye;  fortunately it was a very small abrasion but I was worried on how hard she hit and if she was going to get a shiner.  A little infant ibuprofen, a cold pack and lots of kisses must have worked wonders because, the cut is almost healed already and BabyK doesn't hardly remember what happened! (So, I'm so bad: I was secretly hoping that there would be no evidence for her Birthday on Wednesday and of course the big party next weekend!)

This morning she was up at the crack of dawn... of course on a "sleep in" day.  (I know, everyone told me that those no longer existed as a parent of young children, but a girl can hope!) I decided to be nice to Daddy and took her downstairs so that he could go back to sleep and get some rest.  We had such a nice time playing and eating a lovely waffle for breakfast.... you know that it would have to be interrupted by a boo-boo.  Kiera bumped her mouth on an edge of her high chair when she was going to sit down..... I picked her up to comfort her and a few seconds later discovered blood everywhere down the front of me, her face, clothes... "Poor Kiera, what did you do to yourself?"  I couldn't see a wound through the bleeding.  I thought about getting Jason, but decided to just handle it on my own even though a baby writhing in pain and confusion is hard to contain to comfort and 'fix.'  A few minutes later Jason came down to see what all of the commotion was about and helped me to get Kiera calmed down after some mild compression, a little "boo boo" juice and Dusty kitty to coax out a smile.  I'm assuming that she cut her gums on the down-ward fall.  Ugh. 

Both were minor incidents, but make you feel horrible none-the-less.  I'm not squeamish around blood, but the sight of it on your own child makes you feel raw and irresponsible.  Short of padding our home in bubble-wrap, there's not much that we can do to shield Kiera from minor injuries- it's a part of growing up I imagine.  My outward reaction is to remain calm, but I still feel a bit nauseous- probably from the momma-bear endorphins kicking in to help my little cub.  One thing that does make dealing with this easy is to know basic first aid and have readily available a first aid kit stocked with age-appropriate essentials in dealing with accidents and injuries.  I received some of the items as a gift at one of my baby showers and it was a wonderful gift that keeps giving even now.  I just have to go find some fun themed bandagess for it now and perhaps a bottle of rum for mommy....

August 4, 2010

Fun with Baby Kiera- "Kiss the Baby"

Our sweet girl loves giving kisses-  to inanimate objects and stuffed animals!! Her family, on the other hand, definately has to work for kisses from Kiera!  Mommy finally thought to grab her trusty FlipCam Slide (luv it!) and actually shoot a video.  And I have to say that I'm proud of myself for getting it off of the camera within a day- yay Mommy! 

Kiera obviously loooooves other kids- she squeals with delight upon first sight of any random child when we are out in public.  And even in pictures, she is enamored (wish I would have captured the one of her and the mirror!) and then  her other favorite thing (next to food) is our cat, Dusty.  He helps keep the peace when we have a fussy girl.  Watch her react to both in this cute (so I'm biased!) little clip:

August 3, 2010

Fun with Baby Kiera- Food Style and HER First Word

Brain Freeze! Brain Freeze!
The past few days weeks months have just flew on by; each day seems to come to a close much faster than the previous one and I often go to bed at night thinking, "Exactly what did I get accomplished today??!!"  Aside from the 9 to 5, household organization is finally coming to fruition (thank you, thank you flylady.net!), I'm feeling more balanced, and I think I'm getting the hang of this "MOM" thing (it's only taken 350 days plus prego time??? LOL)!  Now if I can finally balance momblogging, viola!  ( :  Well... 4 out of 5 isn't bad, right..... 

I've neglected to take the advice of my dear friend Katie and have not written down the daily events of life with Kiera and have had to glance over my Facebook page to see what we've been up to (and even then, I'm inclined to leave off some details... like her falling twice in one weekend... )  Don't worry, I won't forget- yeah... so, Kindle, dear so-pregnant friend- I know you are reading this (and probably the only one who does!)- please make sure that you note the days' events with your two (yes, two!)  bundles of joy when they finally make their blessed appearances in November- you will get mommybrain and forget the little details that will be important to you later in life!  Looking back it seems like the only thing that we do is eat (posts on donuts: 9 in the last 2 months; posts on pancakes: 5; coffee:  um, decline to state as the price tag might be shocking!; fun pictures of Kiera eating- well, those are PRICELESS and hence, good blogworthy fodder!)

Me likey pasgetti Mommy!
Kiera loves to eat- she gets that from her dad- and has been "mooching" our food for months... a sure sign that she's ready for 'big girl' food!  And the next sign? That her first recognizable "word" was MORE(07/11/10) Yep, not 'mommy,' but more.  (I'm sure that she's been saying 'dada' for awhile, but it's interchangeable to both of us) However, her use of the word 'more' is clearly an attempt to ask for what ever we are currently eating/ drinking.  It's very comical!  Except for when it is followed by a "Heeeeyyyyy" in a larger-than-life-'outside'-voice inside of a restaurant.  (I'm a huge believer in table manners- but ask me that when she's two!)  On her yumm list so far: pasta (she gets that from me); cauliflower (I know- right?!); french toast; pancakes; crumb donuts (hey- she ate them when she was bakin' in the belly, why not now in limited sample sizes??); eggs; mac-n-cheese; watermelon; bacon; pears; applesauce; carrots; corn; beans; cereal; hamburger.  I'm-so-gonna-get-shit-for half of the stuff on the list so I might as well:  but she also loves soda and ice cream too, and certainly didn't make a yucky-face at Mommy's frappacino.  (Yep, peoples, I'm dosin' her up with massive amounts of sugar and caffeine, call CPS on me...). 

Mmm... Popsicle. (07/04/10)
We basically let her try our suitable food... and she's lovin' it; the downfall is that she wants NOTHING to do with the store-bought baby food now (read: save money!).  The added benefit to Kiera's dinner time, is that Jason and I actually sit at the table to eat now; previously it was just another unused flat surface!  Dinner time is family time and definitely chock full of entertainment value- those faces are priceless.  And to watch her contemplate whether she likes a new texture/ taste or not is also quite amusing.  There have been quite a few 'lemon- faces' too, and now when she doesn't like something, she sticks her tongue out until you wipe it off.  (Not spitting it out yet- thank goodness!)   I love watching her pick up the pieces and put them in her mouth; she then uses the side of her hand to ensure it's completely in her mouth and give her six little teeth a workout.

No honey, that's not an edible bowl!
The family dog is also beginning to love her- rather her leftovers- the ratio of ingested food to what winds up on her, in the high chair or on the floor is about 1:4.  A tasty puppy treat indeed.  Clean-up is always an adventure as well- shake the baby off over the sink and wrestle with her to clean hands and face!  Fun times.  Amazing- before I used to love to catch a movie or dinner with friends, and now I treasure feeding time with the little one.... ahhh.. mommyhood!

One of her first "finger food" experiences.. pureed carrots!

June 14, 2010

BabyK is on the Move.....

Just yesterday... well, actually 18 short days ago.... the little one started exploring her world at knee level.  What started out as a "stiff-armed inch-worm action" is now full blown speed-crawling!  She's a fast little girl.  It's so exciting, yet at the same time so sad- Jason and I are forced to acknowledge the fact that she is growing up so very quickly.  First, is was holding her own bottle and now it's a one-handed hand-pass thing.... and even standing- yep, I said standing.  Mommy made the mistake of showing her how to stand by propping her up against one of her toys last Wednesday, and now she is doing her best to stand with the limited furniture that we have for her to push herself up on.... which means that the stairs are now her favorite 'toy.'  As is he cat.... and I have video to prove it.  (Thank you to both my honey's for the new FlipCam for Mother's Day.... we finally picked one out and here is the debut video...... enjoy!)

June 9, 2010

Nature.... Nurture.... Bad Genetics?

I'm a small town girl turned coupon-clippin', bargain shopping, latte-sippin' yuppie; what I would call the best of both worlds.  Although I grew up in a blink-and-you-miss-it California town that didn't have much diversity, I 'summered' with my dad in Sacramento and was able to experience other cultures.  I wasn't sheltered, just was fortunate to live in small town where we didn't lock our doors at night or some even left their keys in the vehicle ignitions.  That changed when I was preparing to move for college:  I came over to do my matriculation and was going to meet dad for lunch.  I somehow got on the wrong freeway and while sitting at a gas station trying to get my bearings, I was mugged.  In broad daylight.  At knifepoint.  The creep didn't get more than $20, but also took my 'new' ring- a family heirloom that was a graduation present.  It was a horrible experience, however, I've never gotten lost since (and that was pre-GPS, peoples!) and it certainly heightend my sense about trusting anyone.   I still prefer to think that 80% of the population is generally good; but now that I'm a Mommy, it's much harder for me to grant people the benefit of the doubt.  I have my family to think about and I have no qualms about being critical now.  Had I really paid attention to my prickling hair when the mugger was approaching my car, I would have rolled up my window and possibly not have gotten mugged.  Perhaps.  I pay attention to the bat senses much more now. 

And I also have started to pay attention to things that, in the past, I would have waived off pre-Kiera.  I've always been a pretty open-minded liberal individual; just now I wonder what happened to the other 20% of the population that either makes a public spectacle of themselves or are plainly just bad individuals.  What sets them off?  Experiencing a bad childhood?  Bad parenting?  Bad role models?  Or just bad genetics?  And how do I sit down with my sweet little girl in five years and try to explain to her that sometimes the world just sucks

How do I show her that the train-wreck that is Lindsay Lohan will not ever be cool or a good role model- can you believe that she is the same cute little girl from Parent Trap?  I shudder to think where her train derailed; in this case I'm assuming that it was from irresponsible parenting and more concern about their gravy train rather than raising a normal child.  Ugh.  At least I have a very good basis for how I do NOT want my child to turn out. 

I could go on with other celebrities: Britney Spears, once a hot mess (but not as bad as Lohan IMO); struck gold at a young age and was forced to grow up too fast.  Her dad seems to have it dialed in, but Brit created her own Circus, hit rock bottom and has made an impressive comeback; thanks in part to good parenting

And although I like this teenager's dad since his "Achy Breaky" days, little Miley Cyrus needs a serious spanking.   I came across her live performance on Dancing with the Stars while channel surfing and had that united parental thought, "if that were my daughter..."  In full disclosure, I have to admit that I like the song but not the outfit and performance by the 17-year old....  I hope that Billy Ray tries to at least remember that she could be a good role model as long as they keep her 'tamed' until she's older- and no, not just 18; into her 20's.... now Beyonce (and even Justin Timberlake... every time I hear that song I think of the SNL parody and laugh) rocked the black onesie, but Miley.... not so much, it seemed like a little girl trying to be an adult too fast.

See what I mean?  I probably wouldn't have thought twice about something like this before I became a mom, it's just now....... hmmm.  Seriously. I'm not even really judgemental or catty; I just want to have a good environment and positive, normal role models for baby girl to experience.  Like Taylor Swift.... or even Drew Barrymore- a childhood star that started on the left path, but straightened her life out and rocks it now.  Although it sucks that I even have to show her good egg and bad egg analogies and teach her about stranger danger, it is my job as a parent.... I hoped and prayed and chose to have her and must be diligent in my lifelong job of raising a good person, a positive role model and productive citizen.... nature- nurture- genetics- whatever- with good parenting, it should all turn out good in the end.

May 28, 2010

Transmission is No Longer Stuck in Reverse!

It's been so interesting watching Kiera explore her new world; I can only imagine what every day must be filled like when you are constantly experiencing something new..... I know that most of us can only handle so much change and then we are like, "STOOOP!" Babies, on the otherhand are like, "Bring it on!"  Can you remember the last time that you were so very interested in something as simple as a straw (thank you, thank you.... it's occupied her attention a couple of times in a restaurant or the car- how long until it loses it's luster!)  I'm trying to make sure that I take the time to actually observe the little one's reactions to daily life- not necessarily that it will make blog fodder, but because it surely is a hell of alot more entertaining than 90% of television.... especially now that my Law & Order and Trauma were cancelled... (I am a rare person to have not watched Lost, Glee, or any of the vampire crap.... ever)

 I digress.  I have something much more interesting for you to watch anyways.

I was so very fortunate to have been able to actually find my camera when an important moment came along, and although these weren't the very first little 'steps,' I did catch her first attempt at crawling within seconds.... last week she learned how to bring herself to a sitting position; now she will be roaming around the house.... oh crap!  Mommy was promised a flipcam for Mother's Day- that shall be an order of business over this nice holiday weekend.   

Enjoy the compilation! 

May 19, 2010

Growing Like a Little Weed

It's been nine months since our little girl has blessed our lives- everyday has been a mixture of joy, fear (of the unknown, of what am I doing wrong, of what if's period...), learning, laughs and most of all love.  It's funny that when you have dreams of having a family that you seem to imagine the larger milestones like walking, the first day of school, a first date, etc. and not so much everyday life with your new little person.  I know that my heart will swell with pride when we do experience the "big firsts" but it's the little daily activities that I truly relish.  An average trip to the grocery store is always interesting, especially now that Kiera is so interactive.  She always seems to draw attention from at least one person when she flashes that little four-toothed smile;  Mommy is biased and knows that she is cute but the positive reinforcement helps!  ( :   I like to spend the time in the store showing her things- a bumpy, round orange; bright purple flowers with the crinkly wrapping; soft, warm bread....  sometimes I get strange looks- both from her and passers-by, but I don't really care.  Part of my job is to enrich her world and let her experience 'things' and learn in a fun, easy way.  I've been trying to also integrate the baby sign language that I know if appropriate.  I imagine that someday she's going to stand up in the cart and ask for a warm crinkly orange..... 

Kiera likes to go shopping!  YAY!  (Daddy says, "Boo!")  I let her experience the world upright from the seat of a shopping cart (as opposed to her car seat attached to it) a few weeks ago (love, love the shopping cart/high chair cover by Eddie Bauer) and she was so funny to watch.  She was totally excited about this really cute baby that she met... who just happened to be herself in the mirror at Old Navy!  She's a 'people person,' I tell ya- tries to engage with anyone that she comes across.... this is great for making new friends but a bit frustrating when you are trying to feed her and she just wants to chat with a new friend! Between Old Navy/ Target, Grandma BB and her and I were out for a few hours and she didn't make one protest- I'm sure that she felt like such a big girl hanging out doing Mommy stuff! ( :

Kiera is right on par with her development; I sometimes think that she's grown just from the time I dropped her off for daycare at Grandma's to when I pick her up to go home!  She's not yet crawling- pretty close- but rolls everywhere like a little speed demon.  (We're set to baby-proof- I mean parent-proof- the house within the next week or so.) She's been sitting up unaided for a few weeks, but only sits up from lying down every so often....ya- why work the abs on your own when one of your peeps will prop you up!?! 

I love to hand her a new toy and watch her turn and investigate it from all angles- her favorite, of course is to taste it. Now that she has sprouted four teeth (she waited until eight months and got them all within about 10 days...) everything is going in her mouth, which means we have to be diligent in watching her.


No matter what we are doing, the three of us just have a blast together.  She's mostly a happy baby girl- a few rough days here and there when her "teefs" are bothering her (bless you Hyland's teething tablets!) or she's ultra-tired and doesn't want to go to sleep in fear of missing out (Mommy much?) on something good!  Little Kiera is our little sunshine- we both beam when we see her, but the way that her Daddy melts in her presence is just amazing- we're some lucky people!  But is it going by so fast- she's growing like a weed, the time is flying by;  everyone tells you to enjoy it while you can and I think I'm finally realizing why!

April 13, 2010

All I Need is a Lemonade and a Rocking Chair.....

I'm sitting here with the Lakers/ Kings basketball game playing in the background (and despite being a King's fan...hoping secretly that the Laker's actually win so that I don't have to hear my dear husband curse up a blue streak....) also doing one of my new favorite past times: Kiera- watching.  She has noticably gone through a huge developmental stage since February.  At about six months, within just a week she was holding her own bottle and discovering that she could play 'bongo' on every surface imaginable and even sit up unsupported and quite wobbly!  Now, at nearly eight months, she is even more fun to play with- one of her new favorite things is to roll around.. all over.  From front to back, back to front and even left and right, she rolls around all over the place (note to self: get the carpets cleaned and fast!) exploring things that she encounters in her small little world- like spots on the carpet or the many toys that we place around her.    And she's fast.... like a little Tasmanian devil rolling all over the place.  Her first few attempts to roll over unaided were a slow and frustrating process; but once she figured out to fling the arm up she's now a champion flipper!  She has also found her voice within just the last week and obviously has something to say!

I love to listen to her tell us all about her day in her gravelly baby voice,  'dadaaa daaaaa da'  she says and looks up so proud.  Of course we know that she is telling us about her fantastic day at either Nanny Barbara's or Gwamma's.... and we pretend that we completely understand.  I'm thoroughly entranced by watching life thorugh my daughter's eyes.  I love to watch her get so excited when she sees one of us for the first time in the evening; or how her BFF- Gyaffgyaff pacifies her; how she makes a funny face at the first bite of her solid foods or the wide-eyed wonder of watching Dusty cat stroll on by.  The simple things... pure innocence.  I hope that she gets to stay that way for a long time- innocent, happy, gentle and sweet.  I also hope that I can protect her from the big, bad world out there and that she keeps happily rolling through her day.........

April 1, 2010

Good Enough

How do y'all do it?  How can you possibly stay sane and feel like you are giving 100% to everything that you do?  Life was hectic before Baby Kiera blessed her with our pressence; and it's still the same, but I just want to make time stop so that I can spend every waking moment focused on her and spending quality time with the one thing in my life that matters most.

I feel torn; I feel torn between the "professional" me- trying to be a good employee, and a good business-owner with my direct sales business; and then the "personal" me- a loving mommy; a good wife; a loyal friend- there just aren't enough hours in the day for me to accomplish things perfectly.  I asked a dear friend who has a few kids and works part-time how she does it and she says that the best advice she ever got when she had her first baby was to aim for 'good enough' and move on.  Now, that's some very practical adivce to ensure that I really don't go insane!  However, my history of following good advice has not always been on target.

And my goal this year to be an awesome blogger?  Um.... no the last post wasn't really dated a month ago....not because I don't have anything to say (I'm sure Jason is thinking to himself, "that will be the day!") or Kiera hasn't done anything fabulous; it's just trying to find the time to write a quality blog entry, or actually upload the pictures that I've taken and put them to some enlightening words!

There are so many things in addition to bloging that I have to do on my 'to-do' list- actually that has been my first step in helping to manage my craziness is pulling out the old planner.  As much as I *heart* my trusty iPhone, there is so much benefit to having my life in a little book that I can look at even if I have a dead battery.  I even found a new planner when I went to Tar-shay to pick up the inserts... go figure: get two new planners for a little over $10 or one set of inserts for $15!  So far, the organization thing is helping a bit.... but there is a still alot to be desired- sometimes I take a look at that lengthy list, and toss the planner in the corner.....

... and sweep up little Kiera in my arms and mentally cross of the A1 item on today's page: spend quality time with my daughter.  This isn't good enough... it's heaven....

March 2, 2010

An Open Letter to Our Daughter: Welcome to Half a Year!

Dear Kiera Mckenzie;
    You, my heart, are already six months old…. You’ve blessed our lives for a whole 26 weeks now- it feels like so long ago, yet just like yesterday that you decided to ‘pop’ into our lives. I do know that I can’t imagine NOT having you in my life; or how I, we, ever existed without you.
    You were Mommy and Daddy’s dream for so long; we endured five years of hoping, trying and heartbreak before we found out about you and then for the next 37 weeks we could hardly contain our excitement. We wondered what you would look like (Daddy was hoping for a little red-haired angel; I was just hoping for hair, period- not bald as an eagle like Mommy was, but a cute little curly red-head, blue eyed doll would have been my order), prayed that you would be healthy and strong; how you’ve exceeded- already- all of our wonder, prayers and expectations.
     When they first meet you, everyone remarks how adorable you are; we are the first to agree although we are certainly biased. With big blue-gray eyes framed by long wispy eyelashes; chubby, rosy little cheeks; a cute little button nose and a 5,000 watt smile that lights up any room and melts any heart, you, my sweet girl, makes anyone fall in love with you at first site. But that’s just the beginning- as you will soon find out that looks aren’t everything (but they do help!)- you are ‘the total package.’
     You are a very happy, content little baby and have the sweetest disposition. You have just three cries- one when you are hungry and nothing else will do; one when you are fighting going nite-nite; and then the third is the one that breaks my heart- when something is really, really wrong. We’ve only heard that a handful of times so far, but that’s been enough (remember your three-month shots? Probably not, but we sure do!) So when you aren’t hungry or tired, you are my smiley-bug. And how that smile after a long day of work just makes everything I do for you count. It also makes me want to hold you tight and never let you go. When we do hold you close, you like to give us slobbery but welcomed and cherished kisses. And then you look at us and smile because you are so proud of giving loves! You are just learning how to give hugs, and until then, we’ll take the kisses.
     We’ve only been away from you for one night since you were born- we left you in Grandma K’s very capable hands while we had an overnight escape to Reno. We missed you to pieces while we were gone and thought about you every second! In fact, Mommy is having the hardest time letting you sleep in your big girl crib- you do fine- she doesn’t. I promise that by the time that you are 16; you will be very comfy in your own room!
     We’ve watched you sprout like a little weed right before our eyes- you’re a healthy growing girl- you’re now over 17 pounds and 26” long- but Mommy is in denial that you no longer fit into those petite little NB clothes. Although you haven’t really mastered rolling over yet (tummy time is too stressful!) you are nearly sitting up on your own unaided. You held your bottle all by yourself just the other day, and you smiled so proud- Mommy was proud too. You’ve also been enjoying big-girl cereal and food for a few weeks; almost as much as we enjoy watching you eat it. You sit in your Bumbo anxiously awaiting the yummy delights that we are going to spoon into your little mouth. Your first food was sweet potatoes and you weren’t too sure, but then loved it. That was followed by carrots, green beans, peas, prunes and apple sauce. You aren’t very fond of the peas (can’t blame you there!) but you love the prunes and apple sauce. When you know it’s dinner time, you chatter, chatter and then nearly knock the spoon and bowl out of our hands because you can’t wait to see what is in store for your tummy! Such a big girl!
      There are very few things that you dislike- one of them is getting cleaned up after above said big girl food and the other is well, despite a closet packed to the gills with every darling outfit imaginable, just getting dressed is your worst nightmare. You are our resident nudist and love to show off your baby-supermodel physique. If you are grumpy and we let you play on a fuzzy mat in your birfday suit, you are sooooo happy. It’s magic! You also work up quite the appetite kicking and playing. Speaking of kicking, you love taking a bath, especially if it is in the big yellow duck. The first time we put you in it, you kicked up a little tidal wave and all of the water was on Daddy and the floor. It was fun for us all- we took video to prove it.. and someday we’ll even show your boyfriends! ( :
    It’s no surprise that you have a toy box that rivals current inventory at ToysRUs, however we’ve been careful to not overwhelm you with too many. You seem to especially like the ones that have smiles as big as your own. Your most fave so far is Jaff Jaff- the colorful giraffe that smiles at you even as you put the death squeeze around his neck and chew on his ear. He doesn’t mind, he’ll always keep you company and tell you good jokes. As for jokes, your ladybug friend on your bouncy chair must tell you the best jokes because you have been smiling at her for weeks and weeks. We figure that you two have shared some good stories during Waggoner-spa time (that’s when we put you in the bathroom to steam you if you’re congested- you also like the sound of the water- that was a secret trick that Mommy figured out about two weeks into life with Baby Kiera). And despite Mommy’s best attempt at trying to get you to love her favorite Eeyore, you LOVE Winnie the Pooh. Perhaps its his bald little head that sort of matches Grampa’s or that nose that you like to chew on, I mean kiss. We often prop you up on the bed with various Winnie’s and watch you hold a press conference with them and they are certainly entertained by all that you have to tell them; you are already so wise beyond your short six months. (Is it the Judge Judy, Law and Order or football that makes you so?)
     You have quite the fan club already: several sets of grandparents, all of whom claim to love you the ‘most;’ your Aunties (aka: all of Mommy’s friends); your Nanny-Auntie Barbara, and even Daddy’s bachelor friend, Todd, thinks you’re pretty cool. We haven’t met a soul yet who doesn’t marvel over our little miracle. And as for Mommy and Daddy, we love you with every fiber of our beings- you are the pride and joy of our little family. Everyone fights for your attention, and we’re so happy that you’re so popular (yes, your social life is so much busier than ours already!) We are honored to have you in our life and happy to share you with anyone that loves you- meaning pretty much anyone who is lucky enough to meet you!
    You are our partner in crime and we love to include you in all of our adventures- from ordinary trips to the grocery store or Saturday morning ‘treasure’ hunting to feeding the ducks and family road trips. You happily go along for the ride watching with wonder from your comfy car seat the world outside. We can’t imagine not having you there with us (ask Mommy about the time that she wanted to sneak you up to Reno…) and are so excited to expand your horizons with whatever other adventures life has in store for us.
   We will always be here for you- we’ll always love you and support you. I know that you will grow up to be something special- you will change your little part of the world (heck, at just six months, you’ve already done that!). You will be successful at whatever it is that you want to do- be a mom, cure the world as a doctor, make Grandma H proud and race cars, run a Fortune 500 company- or maybe even the country! Do whatever makes you happy. All that we ask is just that you are always kind, fair, and empathetic and forgiving; let your self be a kid, laugh loudly and often and don’t forget to be fun-loving and lastly it’s important that you are always true to yourself. We love you sweet little girl.


Love and Kisses,


Mommy and Daddy