The thing about having kids

My babies have brought so much to my life. I have learned to change a squirmy babies diaper with one hand while playing barbies with the other. I have rediscovered my love of the Smurfs and found myself getting VERY into new cartoons, like Jack's Big Music Show. They have shown me how much I can love and care about a life that is not my own. And they gave me an excuse to have random, personal conversations with strangers at the store.

Yesterday I was at Once Upon A Child buying a used V-Smile game for Natalie (at $20 a piece new we will look for used ones thank you very much). They have a small area for kids to play while parents shopped and since I was doing Christmas shopping that I didn't want Nat to see I let her go play. There were two little boys already playing. They all had such a good time and were so nice to each other. When I had paid I went over to collect Natalie. At the same time the little boys mom was ready to go. The kids were having such great conversations that I didn't want to yank Nat away, and I think the other mom felt the same way...so we started talking. I had known this woman for a total of 10 minutes (and never even got her name ), but I did learn these things...
*she is having her third child, a girl named Genevieve
*her husbands eyes are very similar to the color of mine
*her first born is very laid back and easy going while her second is demanding and bossy
*she is glad she is having a girl because it is her last, which leads to.....
*she is making her husband get "fixed" very soon

I don't know that much about some people I have known for years! It was nice and very odd at the same time to stand there and talk to this stranger while our kids talked about the virtues of Chucky Cheese. I am nice to people at the store and I do tend to talk to cashiers more than the average person (that comes from working at Dillons in college and knowing how boring it is and also from my mom who will tell the person checking us out our entire life stories and why exactly we are buying the things we are. Off topic a bit, my wonderful mother once asked me while we were in line at Dillons if I had to "potty" because I shivered. I was, like, 15-years-old! Embarrassing!) So, finally we all had to leave. We said goodbye and it was nice meeting each other. How weird to talk like that and then know we will probably never see each other again!

So now, because of my kids, I have something in common with millions of women. It doesn't matter their skin color, or their age, or their income. It doesn't matter if they are married or single, gay or straight. All that matters is that we are all mothers and that, in itself, is truly something to talk about.

Only Natalie can get away with saying that!

***Last night, after we got home from a pretty stressful photo session at JC Penney's, Natalie and I were sitting together in the rocking chair. She had her arm draped across my stomach. Casually as can be she said, "Mama, do you have another baby in there?" I laughed and said no. She then patted my fat roll and said, "well, you have something in there!" Thanks sweetie. Nothing helps self esteem like your three-year-old telling it like it is!

In other news, Vanessa has learned to sit up by herself. She still occasionally tips over and that is pretty funny to watch. It's like slow motion and there she goes. But of course, now all she wants to do is sit! We have to be right beside her because of the whole tipping issue so we are doing a lot of sitting on the floor. I can't believe we are already hitting these big milestones. She has figured out how to get where she wants to go even though she is not technically crawling. I'm sure she will be before I know it. And then she will be walking and talking and well on her way to becoming a big girl. Where does the time go?

Not much else to talk about this morning. Vanessa didn't wake up during the night, but she got up before 7am. I don't know which I would rather have. I am just perpetually tired. I feel like if I had the chance I would spend the ENTIRE weekend in bed. Man that sounds tempting!!!! Too bad that our little world would fall apart if I did that. Larry is great at helping out, but when it comes to the girls, I am needed. I am the mom after all. And I guess that is how it should be.

Have a wonderful weekend.

I love me a good survey!

Three Things
Three things that scare me:
1:	elevators
2:	being buried alive
3:	ANYTHING happening to my babies
Three people who make me laugh:
1:	Natalie
2:	Carisa
3:	my mom
Three Things I love:
1:	my family
2:	my friends
3:	food
Three Things I hate:
1:	cleaning
2:	black licorice
3:	losing my patience with Nat
Three things I don't understand:
1:	how George W. Bush got elected....twice
2:	death
3:	religion
Three things on my desk:
1:	computer
2:	camera
3:	empty mini peanut butter cup wrapper
Three things I'm doing right now:
1:	typing
2:	watching "The Upside Down Show" with Natalie
3:	trying to decide what's for lunch
Three things I want to do before I die:
1:	travel all over
2:	watch my girls grow up
3:	LIVE
Three things I can do:
1:	drive with a consideration for others
2:	scrapbook
3:	make great pancakes
Three ways to describe my personality:
1:	sensitive
2:	caring
3:	fun (I hope)
Three things I can't do:
1:	whistle
2:	cross my eyes
3:	be positive 100% of the time
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A picture from Friday nights party

Sorry this is so small. I stole it from Carisa's page. I just thought it was a cute picture of the two of us.

So I said I would finish recapping my weekend and here I am! Surprised? Me too!



Saturday night the family piled in the car and headed to El Dorado for a friend's wedding reception. Natalie had a fantastic time dancing. OK, her dancing is more like just running around in large circles, but at least she does it with rhythm!! We didn't stay for too long because it is a good 45 minute drive and we were ALL tired.
The reception was very low key and casual. None of the classic wedding type activities. There wasn't even a cake (and we had promised Natalie she could have some cake all day!). It was fun though, and what the bride and groom wanted so I guess that's all that matters really.
It was kind of weird because the guy getting married was my first ever "crush". He is the son of my parents friends and they live out of town. We would go out for the adults to party and the kids to play. I don't think he really ever noticed me, and I NEVER said anything about my crush. I was always too shy. He did write me a letter once a long, long, long time ago but I was to nervous to write him back. And then I was too embarrassed to apologize!
So now we are both married and happy. I guess fate really does know what it's doing. It is hard to realize that when you are young and want things NOW!

Vanessa is scooting herself around the living room and trying to get everything she is not supposed to have. All the while a big pile of her toys lay unplayed with on the blanket she is supposed to be staying on. Go figure! I guess I had better go stop her from chewing on my bra. At least it's clean!

***I wrote this last night and for some reason didn't publish it. Sorry Michelle!!!!

Since my blog has been a bit boring lately, I will try to spice it up some tonight. It is just going to be a recap of our busy weekend, so don't get too excited.

On Friday my mom watched Vanessa for the first time overnight. She took both girls home with her after a trip to the mall and Wal-Mart so Larry and I could go to an early halloween party at my friends house. I did pretty well saying goodbye, but this was my first time away from Ness for more than 30 minutes. It was kind of hard. I have no worries about Natalie out there. She loves to be with her Nana and Papa. I'm sure Vanessa does too. Why wouldn't they? They just get spoiled rotten the whole time!!


So, Larry and I went to the party. It was pretty fun and I got a little tipsy. I have not even so much as thought of drinking much since before Vanessa was even considerd, so one vodka shot, one jager bomb, and 3 or 5 Pucker and Sprites later I was feeling no pain! It was fun letting loose and being "young"again. My mind kept going back to my kiddos, but since I knew they were fine, and if they weren't my mom would call, I was able to relax and enjoy myself.


Sometimes I forget I am only 27 years old. I am a wife and, above all, a mother, so I mostly do grown up things, like grocery shopping, and changing poopy diapers. But really, it was not all that long ago that I was going dancing every weekend and having my own big parties. There is definately that part of me that still wants to feel youthful, spontanious, and crazy. Most of the time I keep it smothered down deep, but once in a while I just gotta let it out! Friday was a nice release of sorts. But I still really missed my girls. I always think I am going to get this great, full night of sleep when my mom babysits. And I always keep waking up when I would normally if they were here. It really sucks! I wake up and then think angrily to myself, "go back to sleep you idiot! You don't hear anybody crying! You don't have to feed anyone a bottle! You don't even have to get up just to cover anyone up and make sure they are stil breathing! JUST SLEEP!!!!" So, getting back to sleep after that is not easy. The only really great thing is that I don't have to actually get out of bed until I want to. I can just lay there and be still. And quiet. And it's really, really nice.



Ok, this got kind of long so I will continue the weekend recap tomorrow. I am feeling wordy (Is that a word?) so this could go on a while. And I'm tired. I have grown up things to do tomorrow like take Natalie to school and run family "errands".

Back to reality.

What should I be for Halloween?

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

Candy Corn

What Should You Be For Halloween?

Name Games

I was asked recently why we picked the names Natalie and Vanessa for our girls. I answered honestly, they were the ONLY names both Larry and I agreed on. It was the big argument through both pregnancies for us. When I was expecting Vanessa I would go through book after book and write down names that I liked. Larry would go through my lists and mark off any he didn't like at all. The only one that ever came back unmarked was Vanessa. Natalie was a bit easier if I remember correctly and I just haven't blocked it all out. Natalie is actually my favorite name. I love it. I find it so pretty and feminine. I kind of feel bad for Vanessa, like she got a leftover name. But I really like it too, also very pretty and feminine. And it grows on me more and more every day.

So I got to thinking why I loved those names so much. I really think it all goes back to my name. I have grown to accept and even love my name as I have gotten older. As a child, I really, REALLY didn't like it. Growing up my main goal was to be like everyone else. I didn't want to dress differently, or talk differently, or do my hair differently, or be named differently. I was told it was unique, I just heard DIFFERENT!! My name was constantly misspelled, and more than once I have been called Lori, or my favorite "Low-knee". Why in the hell would Loni be pronounce like that?!?!? But I think the biggest problem I had with my name was that if anyone actually did know anyone named Loni, it was a male. I hated that. "Oh, I used to know a Lonnie! It was an ugly old man though." Gee, great.

So I ended up naming my girls familiar, long, girly-girl names. Not many people mispronounce either name. They are not the most common, popular names now, and I like it that way, but they are not names people have never heard before. They are just two pretty names for two pretty girls!

Come on 'Hawks!!!!

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!!!

GO KU!!

Beat the Wildcats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sleep deprivation, bananas wearing pajamas, and baby food

First of all, I am back to not being able to post pictures. I swear, computers are a pain in my ass. A necessary one, but still a pain.

Now, on to our lives. Vanessa has not once slept through the night since she was born. That is 23 weeks, 5 1/2 months, of interupted sleep for yours truly. I usually don't mind all that much. I kind of like that alone time we have at night since we very rarely have any during the day. But, it is getting just a bit old. I am tired. Really, really, really tired. I am just drained. I know in my mind that I need to do things, like clean, but getting my body to corroporate is another matter completely. I fanatasize about sleeping until I am ready to get up, not just until I hear little girl voices calling for me. Not that I don't love those little girl voices dearly and would be crushed if I didn't hear them. I just need a little sleep. Please!!!!

Natalie is doing well. She is liking school and dance class. She brings home the cutest craft projects from school. She painted a paper pumpkin the other day and is beyond excited to hang it up with our halloween decorations. Speaking of halloween, Natalie is going as a fairy. Her costume is beautiful. Her Grandma and Aunt Lesley found it at a little shop on Douglas. It is going to be so much fun dressing her up pretty. Vanessa is going to be a little butterfly. Too cute! Anyway, Natalie has found a new obsession. We got her a couple "Bananas in Pajamas" videos at a garage sale a while ago. She is seriously going to wear them out. She LOVES them. I had never heard of them before, but as the title suggests, they are bananas wearing pajamas. I think it's wierd, but how can you argue with the true bond of a three year old and giant pieces of fruit in clothing?

We have officially started feeding baby food to Vanessa and she loves it. She screams at me between bites because I am not fast enough for her. So far we have given her sweet potatoes, green beans, peaches, and applesauce. She has loved everything and is great at the whole eating business. I remember having to ease Natalie into using a spoon and the new tastes. Vanessa didn't need any easing. She was a pro from the start! Hopefully she won't be as picky as Natalie when she grows up!

Other than that we have been busy, but have had a lot of fun. Hopefully I will get my computer problems staightened out and will be able to post some pics of the family reunion this weekend. I have some really cute ones! Now, on to rest a little bit!