gone, but don't forget me

i'm at the beach. it's blissful.

it's also bella's first ever trip to the sea. which is funny to realize considering she was conceived and spent more than half of her gestation living on an island. poor kid.

but, it's obvious that she was meant for the ocean. walking out into the surf for the first time ever, held right in front of me, she kicked her legs and laughed. the bigger the waves the more she would giggle, and when they crashed on us she would squeal with delight. i started dunking her down right before the waves hit us, and she would flap her arms, splashing the water, with a big grin on her face. she loves it.

and the beach? i fully expected her to put sand in her mouth, then rub it in her eyes and be done. but she navigates through the sand like a pro, digging with her pointer finger, smooshing it through her toes, picking up tiny shells and looking at them.

and she loves building sandcastles with her daddy. he dug her a little pool and stuck her in it, which she swiftly climbed out of.

so he dig it deeper.

then at least she stayed in one place for a moment.

we are here through saturday, so please forgive me if i am absent. living in the moment is hard when you are connected.

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time to pack!

we are going to the beach this weekend.

usually, when we travel, i like to go bare bones-just enough clothes for the week, a tube of hair creme, my little makeup bag and my rainbows. i'm a simple girl, and mostly, i just live in my bathing suit (at least, prior to getting all fat and stretchy).

i don't like to lug a bunch of stuff around and usually, try to get EVERYTHING into one small bag.

then i had a baby.

the list of things that i have to take is WAY too long.

and the majority of that stuff is just for the baby.

where did i go wrong? i even tried marking stuff OFF the list, but unless she wants to run around sans diaper, or without a bed, that's not going to work.

i think this officially means i have become a mom.

{cue opening credits of yes, dear.}

we are those people now. over prepared with everything we will ever need to have a "home away from home", keep the kid satisfied beach vacation.

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check out what i have been up to!

the good ol' days

you know, the ones where i could lay my baby down and she wouldn't go anywhere? i could lay her in the middle of the bed and go pee, because she couldn't roll over, or wiggle her way off. i could put her on a blanket on the ground and clean up while she "played" which meant "stared up at the ceiling fan". or even the days where i could put her in the excersaucer and it would entertain her for more than 30 seconds.

bella at 11 weeks. her first trip to disney and meeting her yaya

honestly, we didn't have many days where she was immobile. the kid was rolling over both ways by 3 months, sitting up on her own and army crawling at 4 months, crawling on her knees by 5 months and has been walking along furniture since 6 months. so, when i say i miss the good ol days, those were like 2 months and younger. but boy were they great. i remembered thinking to myself, "this really isn't so hard" and " what's all the fuss about?". and boy did i eat my words. i hate when that happens.

today, bella took a "stutter step" as i like to call it. i'm not going to say this was her first step. it wasn't. i'm pretty sure it was an accident, actually. she was standing up and started to fall towards me, so she put her foot out then swung her other one in front of it, and then grabbed my hands. it was like a controlled fall, more than real steps.

bella at 8 months standing and playing

but it just stands to remind me that walking is our next "milestone" and it scares the pants off of me. it means that soon, she will be talking. then going to school. then having friends SHE chooses. then talking back (which, really will, in all likeliness, start long before any of those other things). and that's when the real parenting starts. where her actions will be accountable. to me! where, when she gets in trouble, people will say, "i blame the parents" rather than, "oh it's just a phase".

my fear is that i'm not really ready for that. up until this point, i have never really doubted my ability to be a mommy. up until this point, i am proud of the decisions i have made regarding her health and well being. i don't leave her in hot cars. i don't let her put forks in light sockets. although i did catch her once chewing on the end of my computer cord. ok, that wasn't my finest moment, but i did take it away from her, so that counts for something, right?

yes. all this anxiety over an accidental, not-really-a-step, step.

i wonder what will happen when she goes to school?

letter to my husband.

dear joel.

i love being your wife. i really do. we have fun, we have adventures, we work well together. we fit. i love you, you love me.

now. that said, we need to talk.

your ABU pants have about 30 pockets in them. your blouse? somewhere in the ballpark of 15. i try to get everything out of them, your wallet, your keys, your phone, all the loose change, your papers that have been meticulously folded in the shape of little footballs, the 2 pens in your back pocket, the pen in your front pocket, the pencil and sharpie in your right breast pocket. i thought i got it all. but i missed that little mini pen in your LEFT breast pocket. curse that blouse, with it's special pen holder. i mean, heaven forbid you put all your pens in the same pocket.

because now, i have ink all over my favorite shirt. all over my big plushy beach towel built for 2. all over my unmentionables. all. over. my . DRYER. so when i threw the NEXT load of laundry in the dryer, they got all inky too. and what was that load full of? diapers. that's right my sweet husband. those fluffy little poop catchers that go on your baby's booty.

i'm not saying it's your fault. no. not at all. i just need a little heads up if you want to play scavenger hunt with your writing utensils. maybe just a number. "honey, there will be 10 pens in my pockets today, and one will be in a super secret place!" just a couple of clues, or maybe some hints worked into the other pens.

or even better, we don't HAVE to play games. you could just empty all of your pockets before you plop your pants into the hamper. i really wouldn't mind sitting the next game out.

i love games. i do. but let's table this one, for now. maybe revisit it.......well.....i don't ever want to play it again, if you don't mind. my clothes will thanks you.

smoochies.

me.

i have a new hobby

i mean, because, OBVIOUSLY i have too much time on my hands.

i have been playing around with some different little crafty things. frames, tutu's, sewing. nothing original. i just want to make stuff. and specifically, i wanted to make bella's halloween costume.

here are some of the things i have been working on. don't judge too harshly.

that is my first attempt at a tutu.

these are 2 frames i made with some scrapbooking paper. the pink one is for bellas room, and the orange one has entered the hall wall of fame.

that's all for today. i'm tired. and i have nothing clever to say.

my wipes have style review. and a little treat.....

i am doing my first ever product review on my blog.

::crowd cheers::

it's no secret that when i find something awesome, i like to talk about it. a lot. take my kid for instance. i found her one day, she is awesome and i talk about her all the time. hmmm....bad example. but when i find something that is really praise worthy or unique, i like to share the info with everyone i meet.

i saw these wipes cases offered in a giveaway (that i lost, by the way), and just had to have one. so i put in my order. it got here today and i could NOT be more excited to share!

pretty, huh!?

i knew it was in the mail, and it has probably been sitting in my mailbox for a day or 2 because i don't check my mail often enough. all told, it arrived in 5 days, as of today, which means really it got here in 4 or less since today is sunday. so first plus, super quick turn around!

the packaging was so cute, i almost didn't want to open it, but the good stuff is INSIDE the wrapping, so i opened it and immediately filled it with wipes.

it's a basic wipes travel container, so it fits the usual amount, only now i carry my wipes in style.

heater has TONS of different designs here.

these are handmade and would make a GREAT gift for mother's day, a birthday or for a baby shower. they come in 2 sizes-travel and full size and also are sold in matching sets.

the patterns are cute and fun and cover a broad range. they even have cute prints for boys!

and there is an option for a diaper strap on the back that makes quick grab-n-go diaper changes easy.

all in all, i think this was a totally "worth it" purchase, and i can't wait to start showing it off, er...using it.

and you? you are so lucky. because heather has offered you a deal you cannot refuse! $3 off any regular priced item! pick out your favorite case and e-mail her with your order at heather{at}stylewipes{dot}net

she will send you an invoice

use coupon code "anotherdayinparadise" at checkout for $3 off!! that's $7 for a travel case and $17 for a big one.

have fun shopping!

and don't forget to visit style wipes on facebook to see what's new and coming up!

*the opinions of this review are my own and were in no way influenced by the maker of this product. i purchased this item on my own and was not compensated in any way.

"fall is almost here week" link up

september 23rd is officially the first day of fall.

i.....am......so.........EXCITED!!!!!!!

i can barely contain myself.

fall is my most favoritest favorite season! i've been putting this post off because the weather forecast is still 95+ degrees and, well, i don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like fall to me. really, that doesn't even sound like summer. that sounds like hell (not the cuss word. the place. although living in it makes me WANT to cuss). but when i take my dog out in the morning, it's a little cooler. and when i go to pier one, there are lots of browns and greens and oranges, leaves and corn cobs. CORN COBS! what says "fall is coming!" more than a bunch of harvested crops!?!?

joel makes fun of me because i am a list girl. i make lists for everything. going shopping? make a list! need to clean?? list what i need to hit! vacation? packing list! chore charts! wish lists! bucket lists!

you get the point. i love a good list. so here, in no particular order is my "things i love about fall" list:

• football season-corn hole, tailgating, hot wings, wearing jerseys, face paint
• carnivals and fall festivals
• hot cider
• caramel apples
• leaves changing colors
• crisp mornings
• jeans
• comfy boots
• sweaters
• disney movies, like halloweentown and hocus pocus. i am a child. i know.
• cute jackets
• pumpkin spice latte's
• the way hot chocolate warms your hands when you are standing outside
• being able to straighten my hair and then going outside and it STAYING that way
• halloween. now that i have a child, it brings a whole new excitement of dressing her up.
• hay rides
• corn fields
• pumpkin patches
• fall candles scents
• soups in bread bowls
• mulled cider

really? my list could go on. I. LOVE. FALL. and everything about it. last fall was my first true fall in four years, and i didn't even realize how MUCH i had missed it. hawaii doesn't really get seasons. it's either rainy, or it's sunny. the winter is a little cool....like 70-75 rather than 75-80. so i mean. you know. BIG change there.

now go make your own "things i love about fall list" and share it with me! and since we are celebrating, make sure to visit other people and wish them a happy "fall is almost here" week (yep, i just made it up. it's what i do).

stick figure saturday: shopping

shopping usually never goes my way. for one reason or the other, i usually walk out of a store with my head hanging and leave the mall with candles, baby items, shoes, pretty much anything other than what i came for-clothes.

everything is either too small or too big, or too small AND too big. didn't think that could happen, didya. well when your bust is worthy of guiness (the book, not the beer) and the rest of you is "average", it's something you get used to.

i've always been stacked on top (my friends used to call me bustine. which worked when i played softball. but during the off season, was a little embarrassing), but once i had b and started nursing, it got to be a little.....ridiculous. to say the least. i'll just say they don't carry my bra size in most stores. not even lane bryant!

so today i set out on a seemingly impossible mission-to find an outfit for our beach pictures.

so we start out, me in high spirits, since i figured, how hard can finding a white shirt be. bella? well she was a little cranky pants because she didn't get a nap. her fault. she was in the car for 45 precious minutes that she could have been sleeping.

we head in to our first (and hopefully only) store, charming charlies, which really is quite charming. it's boutique-y and cute. and they are color coded, so i can NOT go wrong here. right off the bat, i find 3 (almost) white tops. to the dressing room i go.

you see how i didn't even swing? i was just seeing what we had, checking out the pitcher. you know, taking my time. those 3 didn't quite work, but there were some others i could possibly come back for, but i want to see what else is out there.

we head on to our next target-american eagle. AE never lets me down. it's like my dependable friend, who may not always be my first choice, but is always willing to help me out when i do ask. i always leave there thinking, "i should have come here first", but for some odd reason, i never do. today though, AE was not very dependable. we didn't even make it into the dressing room. we'll call this a ball, since technically i didn't try anything on. it's like i took a pitch because it had nothing to offer.

next, i go to gap, charlotte reusse and NY&Co. nothin. nadda. ziltch. really!? you people don't have WHITE SHIRTS!??! now, in defense of these fine retail establishments, they had white tank tops, but i am not a wife beater, nor can my big bajumbas be contained by spaghetti, so i don't even try. the disappointment is not good for the old ego.

at this point, a wiser woman would say, "today is not really my day. i'm gonna call it a loss and move on." clearly, i am more stubborn than i am wise, and a bit of a glutton for punishment, so i continue on. but i do decide to take a "shop for bella" break, because baby clothes always fit and are easy to buy. except no one had white baby dresses either. GAH! shoot me.

i had come full circle and was standing back in front of charlie's and decided to give it another try. i walk around for a good 20 minutes and pick up nothing. finally, i see a dress that i had seen earlier, but after one look decided it wouldn't fit/look right/cover my mommy mush and wrote it off. but i was feeling lucky.

the air was just right, no wind. the pitch? right down the middle. i start swinging.......

home. run. not only is it cute, but it fits. AND hides the pooch! it's fun and funky and cute and FITS!

so i reward myself. with starbucks. hey, trying on clothes burns calories, right? i think so.

8 months

i know these "sentimental letters to my child each month" are getting old. i think so too. i mean, each month i have to accept the fact that my child is one. month. older.

so, i will spare you. because i am in denial.

last night, in the tub, she stood up for a full 20 seconds. she was all, "look ma! no hands!" and i was all, "that's nice honey. now sit down before you make me cry hurt yourself."

i have this huge internal struggle going on. part of me wants to jump up and down and scream and yell and be all excited and proud of her. BUT the other part of me knows that once it starts, it doesn't stop....she will be walking tomorrow and running the next day and any semblance of a normal life i thought i had will be out the door because i will be chasing her around 24-7. she already crawls in her sleep, so what if she starts sleep walking!?

my mom has all these pictures all over her house of the baby at every stage of her life. which, while somewhat sweet, is a little creepy. i mean, if she wasn't bella's yaya it would be creepy. they are everywhere. i even had one under my pillow. it's like a "house of cards", but with pictures.

anyway, the reason i mention my moms obsession, er....love, is because i don't even recognize that baby anymore. that 3 week old baby seems so far away. i feel like at each stage of her life, she is "so big!", she is "so grown up!", and it seems like "the best age!". and then she ages a month. and our whole world changes, again.

here is where i brag a bit, because as much as i want to deny her growing up, it's one of life's certainties (and you thought the only 2 were death and taxes? oh you were wrong my friend. there are lots. like, "a mommies coffee will cool faster than anyone else's". it's true. but i digress).

-she stands, on her own, for up to 20 seconds (yet still not long enough for mommy to grab her camera and snap a pic. working on that).

-she feeds herself finger foods, including chunks of banana, chunks of mango, pasta noodles and her favorites, puffs and mum mums. as a matter of fact, she has very little patience for anything she CAN'T feed to herself.

-she says yaya, dada, mama, and baba, and i SWEAR yesterday she said "i fall down". it might really have been "yayoayow" but i heard what i heard, ok?

-she fights sleep like a pro. and when i come into her room to help calm her, she is sitting in the middle of her crib, head thrown back, tears streaming down her face. it kinda breaks my heart. i just want to scoop her up and hold her as tightly as i can. most of the time, i do.

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enter, sappy letter to my child.

bella, bibba, bibsy, poo face, puff pastry,

mommy calls you all kinds of silly things now. you have such a huge personality that one name cannot encompass it all. you are so silly, and are full of energy and life. it makes me tired sometimes, but i am so blissfully happy with the little person you are. sometimes, i look at you and i don't see a baby anymore. i see a toddler. a child. you have long arms and long legs, you aren't as awkward as you used to be. you go from standing to sitting to crawling and back to standing with the finesse of someone who has been doing it forever.

i hope that this personality stays with you forever, and i promise to do my best to foster it. you smile at everyone, you are determined, you are focused. you know your mind and are not easily deterred. you are playful and silly, and cannot sit still. i hope you fight for happiness just as hard as you do against sleep (though i hope the sleep fighting ends soon....).

and you LOVE to be thrown into the air and swung all around. the higher the better. it elicits squeals of delight followed by giggles so hard you can't breathe. and. i . loveit. i can't get enough of that giggle, in fact.

i love you my little diva queen extraordinaire. i can't wait to see what the next month brings.

love mama.

ch-ch-changes

alright, y'all. i had some time to think yesterday. i hope you visited my momma, and had a good life changing moment after reading about her experience with my kid. it. is. life. changing. if not, i'll let you take this time to go over there and say hi.

back so soon?

ok. so here is what i have been doing.

1-learning allllll about HTML. the hubby is a computer genius. i don't say that lightly. the man is incredible. he like, claps his hands and really cool stuff happens on computers. so i had him teach me a little, and then i did a tutorial, and then i created a button for my momma! (yes, that beautiful one above here) and then i made a new button for myself. and i figured that stuff out on my own.

2-chasing around my crazy accident prone baby. apparently she is just like her momma. oh well, as sad as it is, i like being needed and being able to comfort her and make her owies better. i wish that she didn't have to get hurt to be cuddled, but i take what i can get.

3-some craziness with my dogs. this was not fun. our new addition is in heat. i don't think i need to expound on that. please, don't make me. let's just say, september 10th (her spay date) cannot come soon enough. for either of us.

4-i've decided to do some awesome, incredible, amazing giveaways. you will not be disappointed. tell your friends. tell them to tell their friends. i enter every giveaway i possibly can, and i haven't won one YET! so i'm going to host my own! so stay tuned for some cute stuff from some great vendors. i'll keep you updated as the deets get hammered out.

5-and i have added some things around here. feel free to look around. i am going to start posting all of the yummy things bella has been eating, for one. the kid eats better than i do. hope you like what we've done with the place. and by we i mean me.

that's all for now. i'm off to try to re-learn how to be girly and curl my hair. having a baby has made me all lazy when it comes to things. like getting dressed. trying to remedy that.

i'm tired. but what else is new

we have had drama this morning. all before the ripe old hour of 10. lots and lots of drama. i don't even want to get into it, because it's embarrassing. to my dog. not me. let's just say, he is hurtin'.

and my coffee is cold. again.

so i am taking my comp day today. what's that you say? i don't get a comp day? well in paradise, i get what i want. when i want it.

so here. my momma has started blogging, and while most people would cringe at the thought, i am loving it. because my momma is a great writer. and she has a different perspective on things. like how awesome my kid is.

i get what i want AND i get to hear about how awesome my kid is. AND you get to meet a new cool blogger.

so here is my momma. go check her out. she calls herself yaya. and so does bella. it's real cute.

ONHD: what did he do this time?

it's no secret that i have been away, on and off, for 2 weeks.

i didn't leave my husband here to starve to death. i made lots of food for him that could be reheated before we left for NC. and when i came back, made sure the fridge was stocked with healthy options for him (also in hopes that, when i came back, there would be some healthy options for me).

this morning, i get up, go to the fridge, looking (foolishly) for my standard yogurt and granola, and a banana for the baby. when i open the cabinet i find this

exasperated, hungry and pre-coffee, i huff. and i huff again. because now i have to eat my 3 month old honey flax flakes, that i thought i'd like, but didn't really because they tasted TOO MUCH like flax.

he says, "what?" in that, get over it already tone, that drives me nuts first thing in the morning (remember, no coffee).

i say, "where is all the good food?? you know, with like one ingredient. preferably something that hasn't been processed to death and now resembles flavored astronaut dust."

he says, "that stuff is good."

to which we begin the great and ongoing debate about how there are chemicals and toxins and garbage in all this processed food, with words like "whole grains" and "organic" thrown in for good measure. blah, blah, blah.

::interjecting:: i have been called a food nazi. i claim this title with pride. bella eats the least amount of processed food as possible (i make 99.9% of it), doesn't eat sugar, and doesn't drink juice. i make every possible attempt to not buy food with high fructose corn syrup, or more than 3 ingredients for that matter. the more organic the better. i do eat out, and i don't always make the best choices, but at least the food i bring into my home will be nutritious and delicious.

moving on.

joel hops on the computer and starts reading to me about enriched white flour and the "health benefits". then he follows up with, "what are you "sources" that say that whole grain is better for you?"

oh......no.....he.....didn't.

see my husband will argue, just for the sake of arguing. he could be wrong (and he usually is), but he will argue you into the ground until you are CONVINCED he is right. and he doesn't discriminate when it comes to the "who" part of the argument. he will argue with anyone. even the baby.

it. drives. me. mad.

what drives me even more mad?? is that he also left THIS for me.

oh. no. he. DIDN'T.

ohyeshedid. grrrrrrrrrrr.

*disclaimer-my husband is generally a fine fella. who likes to push buttons. i apologize to any and all people who have been the victim of this abuse. i love him dearly, but have no control over his behaviors.

and this post has been brought to you by "oh no he didn't tuesday" from live and love...out loud*

reduce, reuse, regroup....that's not it....

i have no inspiration. no motivation. there are no exciting monday meme's. well. there is mcfatty monday, but i am too embarrassed by my mcfattiness to claim it and flaunt it on the interwebs.

i have to admit. i have been off my game lately. i missed stick figure saturday AGAIN! and was a day late to my own WINEsday wednesday. and when i have written without a prompt, it's been....lame.

the thing is, i have a lot to say. A LOT. i have started 5 posts today. and then they get all long and verbose. they ramble on about one thing or the other, and when i read it all i can think is BOOOOOOORING. and i'm not trying to lose followers.

i am off. i need to regroup. i need to get back on my schedule, back to my routine. we have been scattered for 2 weeks. we all have some recovering to do.

i think a tall one of these is in order

and by tall, i mean venti. and by venti, i mean 2.

florida fun

i'm running late for church and can't think of anything clever to say today, so i will leave you with a couple of pictures from our trip to florida.

not so much a fan of the mickey ears. even if they do say princess. which she clearly thinks she is.

my kid loves the water. and being thrown into the air. being thrown into the air while IN the water? even better.

after all the excitement of the day, she passed out. right there. on the chair. while mommy had a nice fruity drink.

it was a good day.

WINEsday wednesday: a day late

for all intents and purposes, we are going to pretend today is wednesday. because i forgot yesterday. because i was having too much fun NOT being at blogHer and instead romping around orlando and tampa with my momma and the babe. so, let's all put on our imagination hats and pretend it's still wednesday.

as some of you may know, we headed up to charlotte, nc, for a week to celebrate my sisters 21st birthday. and what better way to celebrate than with a wine tasting?! so i got to work, compiling a list of wines and the foods they paired with.

we picked out 2 reds and 2 whites to provide a full palate.

bottle number 1 (on the left) is purple moon merlot. a california red, bottled in 2008. paired with strawberries, pineapples and bananas, dipped in chocolate.

bottle number 2 is a bottle from oreana winery in downtown santa barbara. see that big smiley face? project happiness syrah. ::smiiiiiiiiile:: eeexactly. we paired it with 71% cacoa fair trade trader joes dark chocolate.

bottle number 3 is sutter home moscato. this is my favorite el cheapo, go-to bottle of wine. sweet, kind of fruity, and paired with fair trade trader joes milk chocolate. this botte, needless to say, was the first to go.

bottle number 4 is j.w. morris gewürztraminer. most similar to a bottle of riesling. paired with gouda.

all four of these bottles were purchased at trader joe's and all were under $5!

this one i want to feature

light, with a little spice, this was very "inexperienced palate" friendly. and for a 21 year old, who has never had a drop of alcohol in her life (uh huh. right. just keep telling yourself that, mom.) this was a perfect choice.

we actually made a spritzer out of this wine, mixing one part sprite and one part wine, for the birthday girl. though i didn't notice how many she had because i was too busy knocking them back. yes i KNOW it was my sisters birthday, but the baby took a bottle (finally!) and i was on vacation. sue me.

i know it's WINEsday, with the emphasis on wine, but i NEED to share a little about the food we had. because it was super yummy.

this, my other mother made (my mom's BFF for the past 19 or so years). mozzarella, basil and cherry tomato halves, drizzled with grape seed oil, and put on toothpicks like a mini kabob of caprese goodness.

i know this LOOKS like the after party. you know, like, you drank too much, stumbled across campus and then upchucked in a bush (which i have NO experience with, i promise). but honest to goodness this is yummy. and i made it. so even if you DON'T like it, tell me you do. because this is my blog.

it's black olives, kalamata olives and green olives, all pitted and chopped in a food processor. add chopped garlic. blend some more, then stream in olive oil while chopping. pour into a bowl and mix with crumbled feta cheese. serve on rosemary and olive oil triscuts. that's it. and it. is. so. yummy! it just doesn't photograph well.

the party was a hit. well. it was a hit with me. i thoroughly enjoyed it.

NYC wha? no thank you. i have a blog hop to attend

i am like, way too busy these days. especially too busy to go to some fun, awesome convention for bloggers. in some drab city, like new york. i mean, pshaw. who has time for THAT?

ok, so i totally have plenty of time. and would LOVE to go. but, well i just found out about it...like.....2 weeks ago. and i am pretty sure it's been booked since the beginning of time. like, adam and eve are probably going to be there. that's how awesome this thing is.

it's called blogher 2010 and it's happening now and i wasn't invited. so i am taking my toys elsewhere. like over to to be thode and musings of a marfan mom to their "no-go blogher" blog hop. it's going to be like, SO much better.

if that's what you are here for, welcome to paradise!

i started blogging while living in hawaii. i was young and in love....ahhh the good ol days (which by the way were the last 5 years).

i wanted a way to keep my friends and family back home up to speed on the goings on in the rainbow state and blogging seemed like an easy way to do it. then i sucked at it. i blogged like....5 times. and they were mostly rants about why mean people suck. some were worth reading, but mostly, i was just trying not to brag while also trying to talk about how awesome my life was. it was a struggle. daily.

anywho. i stopped for a while. then got knocked up. it was pretty awesome. i mean, it took forever to happen, but when it did, i was so excited that i tossed my breakfast out of the car everyday on the way to work! for 4 whole months.

then we moved to georgia. and that was less awesome. but i decided to start blogging again after my little devil was born because again, i needed a way to include my family in paradise, which now, has taken on a different meaning (clearly, because the humidity alone is enough to convince me that georgia is NOT, you know, paradise).

cute, right!?!?

i have written some pretty cool and not-so-cool posts about all the things we do here. and i drink wine. and i like to write about it.

so this week, instead of attending blogher and being one of the cool momma's, i am going to retreat to the sunshine state (what can i say, i like sunshine and rainbows. and unicorns) for some fun and sun and pool hopping around the disney resorts. that's right. when all the cool kids are having fun, i'll take my toys and go on a vacation.

so, take a look around. if you like what you see, feel free to prop your feet up on the coffee table. if you can get past the piles of drool and vomit, you are welcome to stay for a while. just don't ask me for a coaster, because i think the baby ate it. or maybe it was the dog.

making excuses for why i've been away

i know, i know. i have been a bit of a lame-wad the past week. or so. but the truth is, we were movin and shakin and couldn't get connected. do you know what it's like to NOT be able to connect to the internet for an entire week? seriously. i started having withdrawals. seriously.

but now that i DO have the internet (while, mind you, STILL travelling), i thought it might be nice to stop by and update a little on what we have been doing.

first things first, we headed to charlotte, nc to throw my little sister a surprise 21st birthday party!

we did a wine tasting, complete with all the pairings. mmmm. she was thoroughly surprised and had no clue that the baby would be there. that was the biggest surprise of all!

we captured a 4 generations picture while we were there too.

i swear, we didn't plan to all look like citrus fruits. it just happened. and it is fitting that b would be the grapefruit in the middle.

this was day one of our increasingly hectic week. day 2, bella met a new friend (the first of several this week). we headed north of charlotte to meet up with an old friend of mine who's little man is just a few weeks younger than bella. leah , from the molyneaux family, and i got our little munchkins together and spent the better part of 3 hours reminiscing and catching up. we have known each other since elementary school, but haven't been in touch in years.

figures that we BOTH have adorable kids.

day 3, we headed out to mint hill, to visit bella's nana and family. she met her great grandpa for the first time! she had a blast playing with her cousin rachel, and was not shy about showing her some love....

she's a lover.....what can i say. she kissed just about everybody this weekend, and while it is hilarious and adorable when she does it to adults, it's a little scary when she starts kissing her fellow babies. as you can see.....

we ate, we played, we laughed, we played some more. and after all that excitement, bella was pooped.

she needed a little help getting to the car....kept stumbling around. i think someone was slipping her martini's under the table or something.

moving on.

day 4, bella meets ANOTHER friend.

braydon is the grandson of my mom's best friend (of the past 19 years). the nephew of a friend i consider family. the son of her older brother. you see where i'm going with this? the kid's like family. we called it b and b weekend, in honor of the 2 finally meeting. my mom has big plans for these 2. most of which she has not informed me of. let's just say, she is as relentless as grandma's can be. it's all kind of disgusting really. but oh so cute. bella kissed him too. i'll use that as blackmail when she's older.

after all this excitement, we were all in need of a vacation. which is why we are now in orlando for a week, staying with my mom. nothing but r&r for the next 4 days, mixed in with a little pool hopping. we live a good life, i must say.

well, except for when bella gets cranky.

good to see some things never change....