Oh, Dilemma

So, on January 1st we are flying out to California for a wedding. I need a dress. I have one in my closet that I love, but I am now way to big for (and I wonder if my hips will even fit when I get back down to PP weight).

What is the dilemma?? Deciding when to go buy a new one. And an OCD planning control freak like myself wants to make sure I have a dress I like, so this stresses me. I can either start to look and purchase one now, which in my eyes would be ideal. But I am trying to lose weight...and with my luck I would buy a dress I loved...and then not be able to wear it in 8 weeks (which would actually be awesome...but not the point).

Or (and this option stresses me just to think about) I could hold off and go shopping during the CHRISTMAS SEASON while everyone else and their mother is out shopping at the same time. My dress would be closer to size, but I would come home with a migraine after shuffling through all those people.

Oh, I just had a thought...maybe I will find the dress I like...buy it in the size that fits and one size smaller...so that when the time comes, I can take the one that fits and return the other...before Christmas when everyone else is bringing in returns.

I love Christmas shopping...online. I love dress shopping...in person.

Red knees to prove it

Colin has been working so hard to get up on his hands and knees. Yesterday I noticed he got up onto his knees and his forearms. He trying to hard to support that torso and will probably get there sooner rather than later. I was taking these photos of him while we practiced sitting up (with the boppy for his inevitable random falls to either side).

Look at his poor little knees. They are so red from the carpet. Momma is going to go buy some more babylegs to cover those sweet knees while he is learning to move around. Why not just stay in pants?? Because I like him in jeans...and they just aren't efficient for learning to move.

He also wants to stand. All. The. Time. He loves playing in the Rainforest Jumperoo more and more every day. Yesterday, for the first time, I saw him playing with one of the toys on the activity tray that surrounds it.

Some pictures

I am exhausted. Colin was up frequently last night and after he got up for the second time at 1:30, I just never fell back asleep. I feel drunk. I am pretty close to useless today, although I am trying my best.

I haven't posted in a while, so I will at least leave you with some pictures of Colin from the past week.

Have some time to kill?

People of Walmart

I had to stop looking at it b/c I was laughing so hard I was crying. I am at work and the running mascara/raccoon look just doesn't cut here.

It almost makes you want to run to Walmart with your own camera to join in on the fun.

Help Santa!

I am not sure what Santa should bring Colin. We have picked up a few toys that I think Colin will like and that he may not use right away, but will give him a variety of toys as he gets older and learns new skills. Here is what I have purchased so far:

• Fisher-Price Stacking Rings
• Fisher-Price Shaped Blocks with Bucket
• PlaySkool Walk 'n Ride toy
• Little Tykes Drill and Screw Driver
• Fisher-Price Blockity Pop Dump Truck
• Fisher-Price Count & Build Snail Pail
• LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table

What toys did/does your child like and play with a lot at the 6-12 month age range?

What makes this a good day?

What is up on the top of my list of things that make my day great...pretty close to winning the lottery?

A clue:

D C B A

Figure it out yet?

A smaller cup size.

Yep, today I am wearing a new bra in a SMALLER cup size. They are finally getting back to their normal size. This will make me feel good about myself for at least another 2 weeks. =)

Hopefully not too much information...but it is the highlight of my week. Hope yours is going well also.

Advent Calendar

We don't have an Advent Calendar for the Christmas Season. I found this one and think it fits my personality perfectly.

It hurts me to think of paying $60 for an Advent Calendar that will only be used once.

I will settle for a box of 24 chocolates (or Lindt Truffles) - no fancy box needed - and I will count down the days to Christmas with that.

If you haven't had that chocolate before, it is wonderful. I can sometimes find it at Whole Foods.

What Colin did this weekend

He started Friday evening off by playing Superman with mommy...and spitting up directly into her mouth. I thought about your post, Casey, from a while back where Will spit up into TJ's mouth. I laughed then...and now I feel bad for ever laughing at him. It was incredibly gross and we don't play that game anymore. That was just the first in waterfall like spit up episodes we had this weekend.

Saturday morning we started the day with some time in the Jumperoo (thank you Hallie!). He is starting to get the hang of it, but right now just likes to put the little bug in his mouth (it will be thoroughly disinfected b/f we return it to you, no worries).

Then it was off to Walden Farm with a couple of sets of friends to pick out our pumpkin and enjoy a cold/wet fall day with friends.

Colin was pooped by the end of the day and napped almost all day. I got pretty muddy and tossed my jeans into the washer first thing when we got home. I had forgotten to take my BlackBerry out of my pocket before washing them though. I did win my first eBay auction ever and ordered a new BB Pearl (older model) to replace my destroyed one. So all is well...at least once it arrives.

Colin is getting more and more mobile! He can now manage to flip onto his belly and do a 180 to look a different direction. He does some grunting and pushing with the little legs, but eventually gets there. Last night I put him down in his crib with his head at one end and this morning it was at the other. I knew I heard him grunting a lot in his crib last night.

It was a nice weekend, but I am still tired and could use a nap today.

Tummy Sleeping

You see this tired little boy??


There is a tired mommy and daddy to go with it. Last night we started operation de-swaddle. Epic Fail. We were up all night replacing a paci and patting him back to sleep, because he would smack himself awake. So at 4:30, I decided to get up and just start the day - it is a lot of work trying to get him back down when he isn't used to having his arms free. He took a bottle and by 5:10, he was out cold.

So I laid him down in his crib so I could get ready for the day and eat breakfast. When I set him down on his back, he instantly rolled onto his belly...and was fast asleep. Kind of freaked me out, but I figure if he can get there himself, shouldn't it be OK to leave him there? I mean, come on. What am I supposed to do? Go in every 1/2 hour at night and flip him back over?

He finally slept soundly for 2 hours until I had to get him up and take him to my mom's. Don't worry, I check on him every 15 minutes because I am paranoid.

Is it so wrong to give into the tummy sleeping when he puts himself there? I am not placing him in the crib on his belly, so I am not encouraging it in anyway. Should I remove the bumper in his crib? If I do that, will he knock his head on the wood rails? I am honestly clueless. The pedi said once he can roll onto his belly himself, he is ok to sleep that way...but I am still nervous. I am trying to avoid going out and buying the $100 motion sensor baby monitor, but part of me thinks it might ease my mind.

I am going to see what he does tonight with out the swaddle and sleep positioner. (Oh, and he somehow manages to wiggle either out the top of or down the bottom of the sleep positioner. It no longer serves a purpose, so I don't feel it is safe having is in there.)

Christmas Shopping

Santa has started doing some Christmas shopping. He figures since he is spending money of toys, he may as well buy enough different ones to last until Colin's birthday.

So I have been looking at toys ranging in age 6-12 months. I found a toy that play music and is kind of like a "band" and eventually turns in to a pushing toy to help him learn to walk. I played with it in the car on the way home...and it was so completely annoying!

I returned it, and found one that did the same thing and doesn't require batteries and only makes "clicky" noises when we play with it. It is no where near as fancy, but it will keep me sane. I figure if EVERY OTHER TOY I have thought about getting him makes noise, he won't mind one that is a little more quite.

In my defense, it wasn't even a toy that just makes noises when he hits the piano or guitar button. When you flip this plastic piece that is supposed to be a page of music, this woman starts singing and DOESN'T STOP. It goes on forever. And the sound settings are Off-Loud-Louder.

No buying toys online until I try them in the store to asses the noise annoyance level. On a scale of 1 to 10, the one I am returning is a 10. I will only purchase the ones that are a 7 or less...and I may send the loud ones with Colin to Mamaw's house while I am at work. Just kidding - that's mean.

Celebrate with Starbucks

That is what I am doing this morning. Usually my run to Starbucks for some caffeine is because I didn't get a good night of sleep. Today it is because I am celebrating. I know that this new development may not stick around and may just be a fluke, but I celebrate anyway. Last night Colin slept 10 1/2 hours straight. 8pm-6:30am. How glorious. He did this on Monday night also but on Tuesday night he woke for a middle of the night bottle again. I am hoping he is adjusting and getting used to sleeping without waking to eat. The funny thing is, he only has done this on the nights that daddy is supposed to get up to feed him...not on my nights. I figure he just wants to spend more time with me...and daddy has a funny way of holding him when he feeds him that looks uncomfortable to me. It must be if he is willing to skip that bottle!

He has been rolling over like crazy the past few days - always going toward his left side. He is never happy when I place him on his belly, but when I put him on his back to play, the first thing he does is turn himself over onto his belly and he is very happy once he gets there.

This constant need to roll over is becoming clear when he sleeps also. We swaddle him in a miracle blanket (awesome by the way) and this morning we found him in his crib completely on the outside of the sleep positioner, arms our of the swaddle, rolled onto his left side trying to get on his belly. I think for safety reasons we need to start unswaddling him. He sleeps so good that way but I don't want him to roll over and be stuck because his arms are by his side.

Oh, and don't waste money on a Woombie - google it is you don't know what it is. I bought one and tried it last night and he would not go down for bed with it. Waste of money. It is free to anyone that wants to try it though. I am sure it works for some people!

My last thing: watch Bones tonight! A friend I grew up with is on tonight's episode! Drew James

This is us when we were about 4 years old. He is in the middle and I am up in the tree. That is also the only time I probably ever climbed a tree. I didn't know I ever did it. I actually wonder if someone placed me there for the picture.

Here he is today.

He plays the Amish boy in this episode. To see a clip from tonight's episode, click here.