Waffle House and a Bunny

Okay I had to post a few more pictures. The first is of the bunny and burp cloth that I talked about in a previous post. My mom and I made this little hopper together. I put my mom on the head shape because she is a perfectionist and I knew that if the head wasn't right, it wouldn't look right. She did it perfectly... as expected. It took us a while, we got frustrated because we didn't have a pattern, but the end result was really cute. I love the burp cloth too. I am going to have to make myself one in a boy theme.



On Sunday, we got up and decided to get ready for church and go to Waffle House (then church, of course). Anyway, I thought I was doing great by staying within what my allotments of carbs and sugars were but obviously not. I had the highest number I have had so far. ugh. eating out is not working out for me. I think I am going to have to quit eating out until after the baby comes. Anyway, Kaylen wanted milk in a coffee cup... she thinks she is so big. She also needed two straws, one for her, and one for her bear. They both had milk. Too cute! These are fun times.

Playhouse Disney

For the past 3 weeks or so we have been using our Playhouse Disney Live tickets as incentive to get potty training under wraps. It really has been successful. She is doing great with everything. We are still having some accidents but are very close!! Anyway, Kaylen was so excited the entire evening. She woke up saying it was Playhouse Disney day!!!

We decided to stop by Taco Bell on our way and grab some food and eat it outside. We got a great parking place and had a nice dinner. Kaylen kept saying, "Go away, you mean, old duck!" The dinner of choice didn't sit well with my sugar levels... so I felt a little shaky all night. But look at the smiles in these shots: I just love seeing her this happy.



Here we have found our seats and she has decided that Daddy's lap is the best place to view the show from.

This is her face the first time she saw Mickey. Utter Joy!!!

I had to include a picture of the Little Einstein's because she said they were her favorite part of the show.

Here she is with her first little light toy. She played with it for about 15 min and then decided that she wanted the other "magic wand" instead. So sweet daddy went back downstairs and exchanged for the one that cost $2 more. (of course) She was happy though and is still playing with her new wand. Sadly I didn't get a pic of it.

I couldn't leave out Tigger and Pooh. They were obviously a hit with K. She really loved every second of the whole show. Her favorite times were when they were all singing.

So of course we had to go potty during the show so daddy took her (I felt too shaky to take her down those stairs by myself). When they came back they had cotton candy and it came with a hat. Look how excited she is to stuff that sugar in. I was good and smelled it. Allen gave me a taste the size of a dime. I couldn't even taste it because it melted before it touched my taste buds. Oh well. It sure did smell good!

Here she is with her new hat. She was loving playing peek-a-boo with this thing. Cracks me up! She is still wearing it around the house a lot.

I decided to put together a bunch of pictures of her standing by the balcony dancing her little heart out. We tried to video it but it was just too dark to get anything. Our seats for this thing were perfect. We were second row, balcony, end seats. So she stood and watched and had the best time. I must say, if you have little ones, take them to these shows!!! It is so worth the money. Way more worth it than any concert or play I have ever been to for myself. I will never forget being able to watch my little one have the night of her life. So thrilled to see all the characters and experience everything. Kids are too much fun!!!

Stairs and Gest. D. Update

I was going to abbreviate Gestational Diabetes but decided that GD didn't sound all that great. So I guess I will have to come up with something else. The class was very informative yesterday. I did feel like I was in there with the dregs of the earth. I am pretty sure the lady behind me was a meth addict... she didn't even have teeth. And they were concerned about the sugar she put in her body?!?!? Anyway, everyone else in there weighed well over a deuce and a half. One lady had to be tipping the scales at around 350 or more. Then there was me. I had taken a bath recently, was wearing clean clothes and actually brushed all of my teeth since I still have them all. Square peg, round hole. I have been writing down every morsel of food that goes into my mouth and counting carbs like crazy. I will be drastically increasing my intake of peanut butter and cheese. And drastically decreasing my carbs and sugar of course. I must say, I did have a breakdown yesterday. I was overwhelmed with all the changes that needed to happen. I couldn't wrap my brain around it all. But I am feeling better now and it is ALL due to my husband.

I love this man. He doesn't ever check this blog so he will never see this (unless he hears about it). But last night he sat down and looked over my diet plan and determined what I would need to do and went to the grocery store (he was gone for well over an hour!). I stayed home and made an appropriate dinner. When he got back I got out the zip lock baggies and went to town measuring out snacks and meals. I figure if things are already planned out it will be less stressful. So as if that act of kindness wasn't enough... Allen got up this morning and made me breakfast. He scrambled an egg, cooked two pieces of turkey bacon, salsa, shredded cheese, and a tiny dollop of daisy all wrapped in a tortilla. Not too bad!

Anyway, I have never felt so grateful to him. Anyone who knows Allen, knows that the morning breakfast was a gigantic sacrifice for him. So this would have all been much worse if it weren't for him. He is awesome.

Okay... on to the stairs: The runner was installed on Tuesday and I love it! I do think that I need to paint the little space between the riser and the wall that is caulked in... I left it white but it looks like it needs to be black. Other than that... I am pleased!!!

Gestational Diabetes

Well I thought after not hearing back from the doctor for so long that it must be good news. Wrong. They called last night and said that for some reason they didn't get the results until Friday and they were closed that day. So it's official. I am going to be birthing a toddler instead of an infant. In all honesty, I will be going to a 4 hour class that my sweet husband will have to attend with me to learn what to eat. I will have to check my glucose 4 times a day and eat 6 small meals a day. Thankfully, I have a friend who has been there and done that. Emily was diligent in her efforts with Rylie and she had this much worse than I do. I will probably be able to control my issues with diet where as she had to give herself insulin shots. So this is not the end of the world. I just really, really hope that the baby comes early. I don't want to have a c-section. I really want to deliver this little one naturally.

So my prayer in all of this is: 1. that Tripp will be healthy. 2. that he wont be so big that I have to have a c-section and 3. that I will do a decent job of controlling this with the diet plan I am given. NO CHEATING!!!! ;)

On a side note, I have started waking up at 4 am every morning. I end up falling back asleep around 6 and my alarm goes off 30 minutes later. I am a zombie. It is so frustrating. I am keeping Allen up because of all of the flopping I keep doing to try to get comfy (which is all for not). So night time isn't the most pleasant for us. Sweet Allen hasn't ever complained but I feel bad.

So there is the news. As soon as I got it! Oh, and please pray that they can get me in for my training session tomorrow. If not, I will have to miss a day of testing and that is a big no, no. A certified teacher has to administer the test so if I am gone, it is a huge deal. Everyone gets mad at you. I don't to be that guy. All of you teachers out there understand what I am talking about.

Spring Break

My spring break was full of projects. I started off by painting the stairs... here is a before and after. Tomorrow our carpet runner will be installed and I will post a final picture of the end result. I must say that Allen isn't fond of the black risers but I like them and most of them wont show once the carpet is down. So I think we will both like it then.




Here is the painting I did for Tripp's room. Sorry Jodi... it was my fav. and it got the most votes.

I made this out of fabric and applique to go above my stairs. I don't have anything on the walls in this area and it is so drab. I decided that I needed something bold for that space. This was fairly inexpensive as well. I think it cost me (including the frame) less than $45.

I also did one more project that took the most time. It was definitely a labor of love. I made it for a very dear friend who reads this blog so I can't post pictures until after her shower (which is this Thursday so you don't have to wait too long). This was probably one of the most challenging things I have ever attempted. I didn't realize it would be until I got into it and discovered the difficulty level. If I would have had a pattern it would have been a cinch but I had to figure it all out myself. I needed an engineering degree... maybe I should have told my friend to make it herself since she has one of those! ha! she probably would have done it better... more precise. Anyway, whatever it is that I did, it was the first and last of it's kind. I do think it turned out very cute and the fabrics reminded me of her. I hope she likes it. I must say that I had been excited to do it for a very long time.

Oh yeah, and the project that isn't finished... a table runner for my kitchen table. I would have been much further along with this one but my sweet, precious daughter found a blue sharpie and decided to color on half of it. I have to keep reminding myself that it was an accident and it could have been on something more permanent than what it was. So I will cut off the ruined pieces and redo that area and continue on.

Now, I did more than just projects. We let the kids have an art day outside. Amy, Kelly and Emily brought their little ones over and we played outside with paint dabbers, finger paints, and chalk. The kids seemed to really enjoy it and we only had one mishap. Poor Andrew tripped and skinned his nose. It looked really bad but he is tough as nails. He just wanted to go back outside and play. Anyway, check out Kaylen's concentration in this first pic.



After the arts and crafts Rylie and Kaylen needed a bath. They had quite a blast playing in the foam soap. It was a mess but they had the biggest smiles on their faces. I didn't post any of the bathtub pics... K is getting too old for those pics. But here is a picture of the girls after their bath. They are still full of smiles and happiness.

Start of Spring Break

Well, I have been getting a lot done over Spring Break (and it's only Monday)! I painted my spindles and risers on my stairs and picked out a carpet runner. It will be installed next Tuesday. I bought a double jogging stroller. I ended up with a tech tyke 360 or some sort of tongue twister like that. I drew out the painting I am going to do for Tripp's room... sorry Jodi, I ended up with the last puppy dog... It is on a canvas so I can get rid of it when he gets older. I had my couch and chaise cleaned by stanley steamer. And I went to Hancock and got a lot of things for some sewing projects. I am about to work on a fabric thing that I will be hanging in the stairwell. It is so plain in there so I am framing a piece of fabric and doing an applique W on it. I think it will add a splash in that area.

Anyway now for the not so great news. I failed my glucose test. Again. This is the first test that I failed with Kaylen and now again with Tripp. So tomorrow I get to go in and sit there for 3 hours getting blood drawn every 30 min. ugh. I tried really hard to pass this time. I didn't eat sugar at all last week. I made a serious effort not to! grrrr. I guess there is nothing I could have done to prevent this from happening. So please be praying for me tomorrow as I get stuck and prodded for hours on in of my vacation time. Also, while you are praying... My dad is also having some very serious health issues. They were supposed to come to visit me towards the end of the week but now they aren't sure they will be able to make it because my dad has to figure out his health issues first. (I may get some of this wrong because my mom threw a lot of stuff at me at once) I think the biggest concern is due to his kidney. He was born with 1 that is abnormally large (so he can't have a transplant since no one has a kidney like his). Anyway, it is not functioning properly. It seems to never work correctly but it is backing up and leaking into his system? or something like that. Additionally his triglycerides are over 300. His bad cholesterol is over 100 and something. His bottom number on his blood pressure is really high. And he has been falling a lot lately. They think he has had a mini stroke or something like that. So all that to say, he has a dtr. apt. with the urologist and the endocrinologist. Oh, did I mention that he is only 49?

So not the most healthy week!

Oh well... what can you do? Pictures will follow next week as well as updates.

The Dragon

Yesterday I was in the kitchen getting ready for some company when Kaylen came in and told me she drew a dragon. I looked down at it and I asked her if anyone helped her... but I don't know why I asked her that because I was the only one home with her and I know I didn't help her. She said very proudly that she had done it all by herself and she showed me the eyes, nose, mouth, arms, belly, head... I really am so impressed!

The only downside is that it was drawn on the inside of one of Allen's books but I think that just added to the value of the book! ;)

I need your opinion

I am going to do a big painting above Tripp's changing table. I don't have much of a theme in his room per say. There is a color theme but that is pretty much it. So any of the animals would do. I have mixed emotions on all of them so that is why I need your vote.

Okay... the first one here is cute but I am not too sure that the style would lend itself to what I have going on in the room. If I were to do it I would use scrapbook paper and paint.


I think this one is more along the lines of the style in his room but it doesn't add any color and I think that is needed in here. I could frame it in a red wooden frame.

Okay... disclaimer: In the next two I had to change colors with paint instead of photoshop because I got a new work computer and haven't loaded my programs on it yet. So that being said, I like this first one but I think I would leave off the top hat... too stuffy or something. Also, the diamonds would be red, not orange. I painted them red but they came out different... who knows with paint?!?!


I am currently leaning towards this one (but don't let that sway you). I worry that it doesn't fit with the style of the room... I just don't know! I feel lost right now!!! Anyway, your advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

Phil and Ted's E3 Double Stroller

Okay, I have been researching strollers forever! I have found one that I am in lust over. I am thinking that I might just sell all of the current strollers I have on Craigslist or something so that I can splurge for this one. I love how it has 4 positions (infant, toddler, toddler/infant, and 2 toddler). Also it is sleek (I hate bulky) and I can jog with it as well as take it to the mall or a park. Anyway, it's one drawback is that it has limited storage in the double positions but you can purchase bags that attach to the sides. Oh, and there aren't cup holders/treys for the kids but I am okay with that.

Kaylen's room

Since I posted pics of Tripp's room I thought I would show you some of Kaylen's. I don't have very good shots of her room. But we did paint the furniture in her room. She has been sleeping in her room so well lately. She even does fine after getting to sleep with us the night before. It really helps to have the freedom to do both with ease. She is getting so big so fast!




These last two pictures are what happened after a game of hide and seek that took too long to be found. I heard her singing in my closet for a while and then I realized that I hadn't heard her in a while. Usually that means trouble so we started looking for her immediately. We found her fast asleep in a box of clothes.

March 1 - Alabama Snow!

Since it never snows in Alabama, it was such a shock to wake up on March 1 to snow. My sweet little one had a bit of an eye cold and so we couldn't stay out long but there was no keeping her inside. She woke up and her eyes were sealed shut from crustiness. I had to get a warm washcloth and rub for quite a while before she could open them. I felt so bad for her because she didn't understand and just kept saying that she couldn't see. But as soon as we could see we ate, got our snow clothes on and headed out to have some fun. She was so excited the entire time! I know, I have posted too many pics and videos but I wanted to remember them all.


She was so excited to see and touch snow. I just love to see her so happy. (I know this has to be so strange for all my northerner friends that are checking this blog out. It was just a dusting.)

Kaylen wasn't the only one sooo excited. Muggs was running around so fast! This was the best shot I could get of him. We went for a walk on the golf course and it was like he had found the land of milkbones and gravy.

Kaylen wouldn't dream of walking on the completely melted sidewalk... she had to walk on whatever snow was left. It was so cute.

These last two shots are of her warming up. Her hands were "freezing, oold". She said that about a million times. You can sort of tell her eyes are "sick" in the second shot. She didn't have pink eye like I had thought though.


Here she is after we were all warmed up and snuggled inside again.