Lets face it...

Lets face it, when you are a mom you don't always get a shower.  I only have one baby so it has to be harder when you juggle multiples.  Proudly I have only missed taking a shower once this week.  I wouldn't call myself a dirty person for this, it is just a challenge some days.
One minute you are doing one thing and the next another, always go go go.  I seem to think at times that I have plenty of time during Savannah's naps to do it all.  I can finish the dishes, blog, eat breakfast, clean my room, straighten the house, have some personal time, and shower.  Yea right!!!  Then there are those mornings when I have slept eight hours but I feel like I slept only 4 or 5.  Those days I need a nap.  So what is compromised???  A shower.  Some days, in order to get a shower, I have to take one with Savannah.  She loves it because she is with me and in water; two of her favorite things.  I prefer to shower alone but I have to take what I can get.  Other days, I put the shower as a priority and get just about nothing else done which can make for a stressful evening.  I don't like being in messes and clutter no matter how big or small.  When Savannah is asleep and it is me and Josh time I can't just relax with a mess on my hands.

I am ready for congratulations.  I showered, vacuumed,  straightened, and blogged already today.  Yippee!!  I can tell this will be a great day.

See the world

I want to see the world!  I decided that from time to time I will post about places I need to experience.
Have you heard of The Cinque Terre?

This is a place right out of a fairy tale.  I need to visit this place so bad.  I heard about it from two New Zealanders while in Roma,
Italy.  The Cinque Terre was their next destination while mine was Nice, France.  I could have made a detour to visit so that I could marvel at The Cinque Terra.  I chose to stick to my plan.  Had I chose to make the detour I would not have made it home.  On my second day in Nice I bought my ticket to Paris; I found out the train was going on strike the day after my ride back to Paris.  If I delayed my visit to Nice I would not have been able to make my flight home because the train would not be running.
The Cinque Terra is arguably the most beautiful coastline you will ever find in Europe.  It is made up of five neighboring towns.  It is an awesome site; olive groves and vineyards cling to the hillsides with the five villages right above the sea and coves in the cliffs.
Can you imagine eating in a restaurant where you look over to the left and you have an amazing view of the sea that just drops down.  There aren't any cars or big buildings.  If you don't want to pay for your stay in body parts you will stay in La Spezia or Genoa and take a train or bus part way and walk the rest.
This is a place where your cares melt away.  The ultimate in relaxation.  The main things to do there are walk through the villages on trails with amazing views, swim in the Mediterranean and soak up the sun, and eat eat eat amazing local food.  Because this gem of a place has been discovered I have heard to keep your visit to the weekdays so you can fully enjoy this place with out an abbundance of tourists.  You need to experience The Cinque Terra as it was meant to be experienced.  Happy Traveling!

P.S. I would love to learn Italian!  In my life time I want to become many-lingual.  Who has room in their vocabulary for just one or two or even three languages?  I don't know how many are in my future but that is a special goal I have.

{The Cinque Terre pictures courtesy of QT Luong www.terragalleria.com}

{Globe picture courtesy of Nick Greene www.about.com

every mom is a super hero

I never thought of myself as a super hero until I had Savannah.  Josh thought of me as a super hero before I did.  He got me an eye exam for Christmas and on the information page he had to fill out he put that I was a "Super Hero" under the spot for occupation.  So, I have concluded that I am not the only super hero; every mom is a super hero.
Like super heroes, moms fight against evil and protect those they love from harm.  We are armed with love, kindness, and a firm hand.   I almost forgot to mention our apron and spatula; every super hero needs a costume.  We cannot forget our super powers.  We have so many it is insane.  Let me tell you about some of them...

Hearing: We have super sonic hearing, how else can you decipher the slam our kids give us when they are mad they don't get their way.  And we can't forget when our kids are little and learning how to talk being able to translate their gibberish for what they really want.
Running: We have this uncanny ability to run at the speed of light when our kids are falling or going to touch something they shouldn't like a knife or a hot stove.

Flying: We defy gravity every day.  When we run to the rescue sometimes it is so fast I don't think our feet touch the ground.  This is the ultimate of defying gravity.  Sometimes it isn't us that we fly, it is out kids.  We fly them around the house and help they to defy gravity.  This brings me to...

Super Strength: We have to be able to lift our ever-growing children.  Not to mention the need for opening that pickle jar for snack.



X-Ray Vision: We can see through their body to their hands behind their back holding something they know they shouldn't be.  Or when they hide things not meat to be hidden.  And my favorite, being able to find their toys and treasures when they are lost and our children ask, "Mom, please help me find it."

Juggle: Who else do you know can do 20 things at once?  We play with the kids while talking to Dad on the phone while making dinner while doing laundry while cleaning the house.  We are AMAZING!

Super Chef: Making meals and snack in the speed of light.

Body Transformation: The ability to squeeze ourselves into tiny places like a fort or a playhouse.  Being able to fit into narrow ways to rescue a stuck child.

Bullet Proof: No amount of tantrums or little kicks and punches prevent us from our goals or raising good children.

Super Comforter: The power of a hug to dry wet eyes.
Heat Generation: Snuggle and hold to warm even the chilliest of little bodies.

Enhanced Senses: Knowing the right time to change those dirty diapers.

Super Mechanic Technician: We can fix anything from a broken toy to a falling self.

Lazar Vision: Melt the rough exterior of our children with one glance.

Speed Reading: For those nights when the kids want their bedtime routine but their bedtime has past or when they are so tired they aren't going to make it.

Super Voices: Reading books should be fun!

Super Intelligence: How else can we answer their every question?

Super Spelling: For those nights when you need secret communication with your husband and you don't want the kids to know what is being said.

Accelerated Healing: We can't afford to be sick; our immune system is in over drive.  Why else do we not get sick every single time our kids want to share their snacks?  And we can give super healing to those we love, just a little kiss on a boo-boo with some Neosporin and a band-aide.

Body Part Substitution: When you are holding a curious baby in one hand and a potholder in the other you need your foot to be a third hand in opening the oven (when the oven is broken and won't stay down by itself).


Mind Control: Kids need to think your brilliant ideas are their ideas.  Convincing them that they need to eat their vegetables or take their bath.

Empathy: Reading their emotions when they try so desperately to hide them.

Invisibility: To make yourself disappear when you need a moment alone.  To make others disappear when actually in plain sight.

What other super powers can you think of?

Pie as far as the eye can see

I love pie!  It warms my heart.  Pie can be sweet, pie can be savory and, no matter what, pie always has a place in me.
The only kind pie I have tried that I really don't like is nut pie.  All other pies shine in comparison.  I love a flakey, tender crust, all golden brown...yummmm.  I like to flavor my crusts with seasonings, stocks, and even fruit juices or nectars.  I will eat pie with a plain crust but it just doesn't move me quite like a blast of flavor.  You know when you are almost done with pie and you have a piece of crust left, you normally don't finish it off.  I think that is sad, the pie deserves ever crumb to be consumed.  That is why flavored crusts are such winners.  When its flavored there is no doubt your plate with be licked clean.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about lemon tarts.  I really want to get a few tart pans and try my luck at a lemon tart.  I don't care for lemon unless it is a lemon tart or even a lemon pie.  Don't mistake my love for lemon pie with lemon meringue because that meringue isn't worth chocking down.
You know what I really want?  Its a deep pie tin.  Not one of those regular shallow ones, I want one that could hold its own.  I want to fill my pies to overwhelming heights and goodness.  Just thinking about pies makes my mouth water.  Let me share with you some of my most favorite pie flavors:

chocolate pie with a chocolate cookie crust
berry pie with a streusel topping or even a lattice sprinkled with raw sugar
sometimes only pizza pie can hit the spot
And the ultimate---CHICKEN POT PIE

I make an amazing chicken pot pie.  I got the original recipe off of the Food Network but I changed a little more over a half a dozen things in it so now its my very own.

I love pie and I couldn't imagine my life without it.  Here's to many years of lovin' you...

Beauty Rest

I love to sleep!  Since having Savannah, sleep has been a challenge.  At first I was waking up frequently but now I am waking up way too early!  Savannah has been waking up without fail anywhere from 5:30 to 5:50 every day.  She is not allowed to get out of her crib until my alarm goes off at 6.  That doesn't mean she is alone for 10 to 30 minutes (however much time she has to wait), I get up to check her and let her know it is still sleepy time.  I have tried putting her to sleep later but that doesn't help, she still wakes up with out fail.  About once a month she will sleep until 6 or 6:30 but that is definitely the exception.  I wish there was something else I could do.  I would be so grateful for a child that wakes up at 7.
Anyway, this morning it wasn't so hard to drag myself out of bed.  Last night I was so tired that I fell asleep at 8 instead of 10-10:30.  I got the reverse of sleeping in~Woo Hoo!  Josh tried to wake me up at 8:30 so that I could clean up but I ignored him.  Then he tried again at 10:30, this time he said "take out your contacts" and that made me bounce right out of bed.  I hate going to sleep for the night with out taking out my eye balls, washing my face, and brushing my teeth.  I just don't do it.  If he hadn't got me up I would have woke up in the morning so MAD.  It is the worst thing for me, not getting ready to go sleep.

Facts Facts Facts

This is my first tag!  I hope to do you all justice.  Are you ready for my 6 facts/habits?!?!?!  You better be!  Brace yourself because you are in for a treat...
1. For a good while in high school I belly danced.  I even danced in front of my high school twice for our annual International Day.  I didn't keep with it long enough to join a troop but I had a ton of fun along the way.  For a while, some of my girl friends requested I teach them how to dance.  I gave in and we had a little dancing night.  It was so much fun!  I got into it at a really young age but I had to wait until I was 15 before I could take classes.  My mom and dad took classes when I was 5 (almost 6) while mom was pregnant with my sister Dianna.  Mom told me stories about how she would take me to the classes and I would join the group in dancing in the circle.  I took little breaks when I got a side cramp.  I don't remember for sure but I think around the time of these classes I learned to roll my stomach because I was able to do that years before I was able to take classes.  I have a Halloween picture where I dressed up as a belly dancer when I was 6.  I should scan it and share it with you.
2. I bite my nails.  It is a horrible habit!  When I am not biting them I pick at them.  I am not one of those gross biters that bite their nails as far up the nail as they can.  I stick to biting what you clip with clippers.  You can't tell unless you catch me red handed.  I don't ever do it in public, just in the comfort of my own home.  When I do it it isn't as glamourous as Marilyn.
3. I love the beach.  I hate getting sand in my nails and every where else it hides but I love love love the beach!  I enjoy laying in the sun after lathering myself in sun screen (not tanning oil).  I love exploring tide pools.  I love having little picnics and bonfires with friends.  I love the smell of the sea unless it smells really rotten.  I love the tradition Josh and I have getting a carmel apple on the Pier in Santa Cruz.I love those days when you look out and see sea otters or sea lions and an occasional whale (only seen this in Santa Cruz like twice in my life).  I love the jelly fish season when you walk along the beach and tons of jelly fish are beached.  I love playing Smash Ball or Volley Ball in the sand.  I love those big sun hats that seem to fan out for miles.  I hate how cold the water is but then there is always Hawaii.  I don't care for sea gulls, they are every where and they don't leave you alone but if they weren't there it wouldn't be right.  I just love the ocean.  I used to live just 30-40 minutes away from the beach but now I live so very much farther.  A lake definitely comes in second place as far as favorite water spot but it isn't the same.
4. I love colored shoes.  I could care less about day to day shoes being colorful but I care about my dress shoes being colored or unique.  I don't have many because my pocket book doesn't allow this indulgence.  Nothing is better to me than getting ready for church or some special occasion and then putting on beautiful shoes that just POP!  I have these amazing red shoes by Franco Sarto that I just adore.  I bought my sister some BCBG shoes that cost a pretty penny for Christmas a few years ago.  She didn't like them because they have a pointed toe; not an ugly point, a classy point.  Now she adores them and shares my appreciation for delicious shoes!  I do have a pair of black shoes that I heart.  You would think they aren't anything special but that is until you see them.  They have BLING the size of a golf ball.  I feel so stylish when I wear them.  I don't wear them often, you wouldn't either.  That would be like wearing Veeda Wang, Louis Vuitton, or Dior gown to the grocery store - totally disrespectful.

5. I love board games!  They bring me the kind of joy and fun that many things just can't.  Before Savannah was born we played at least one game every day.  It was something we always looked forward to.  Some of my favorites are Canasta, Yahtzee, Rummikub (I thank my Grandma Mary for instilling the love for this game in me), and Phase 10.  There are many more favorites but there isn't enough room on a blog to name them all.

6. Facials!  Facials bring me so much joy.  At any moment of any day no matter the circumstances if I were asked or given a pamper it would be, hands down, a facial.  I can't afford it now but for a little over a year just before I got married I got a facial every month.  It was the best time of my life (figuratively speaking).  If I could continue that forever I would. I don't have to say anything because if Josh wants to get me a gift he has no problem knowing the one thing I won't refuse or be disappointed about.  The days of wracking his brain over gifts for me have never been, he knows what I like and he knows how to give it to me.  Although that doesn't mean I get it every time or that he doesn't mix things up a bit and throw in a surprise, because he does.

I tag the following: Cassy, Dianna, Molly, and Dana.

Changing the "Rejected" Approach

Savannah  hasn't come around but my direction changed.  After trying the advice of not giving her anything and she will have milk when she is hungry enough wasn't working for me.  Hour after hour passed and I didn't feel good about it.  When I am hungry I eat and I don't always like or want everything available.  Savannah can't just go to the fridge when she is hungry or thirsty and that is why I am there for her.  I am going to keep offering her my breast and pump to keep up my milk supply for when her strike is over but I won't let her starve!

Bring on the solids and H2O!!!  She is better off getting some calories instead of no calories!

We are the only species that drinks milk after we are weaned.We only drink milk because we are trained, taught, and educated to.  If this strike turns out to be weaning then so be it.  As long as she is gaining weight she don't need no stinkin' milk! 

Rejected!

Savannah rejected me yesterday afternoon.  I am really concerned because milk is still supposed to be her staple.  She hates the taste of formula, won't drink from a bottle, rejected her cup (and spoon) about two months ago, and my pump isn't very proficient.  I pumped last night and held the cup while she drank.  She didn't even drink 1 whole ounce which is all that was pumped after 30 minutes.  About half way through she decided she didn't want to drink it she wanted to touch it-UGH!  When she wakes up in the morning she has breast milk.  Not this morning, so far our day has been full of tears and a lot of stress.

At first she wouldn't let me touch her, she would move away from me and suck on her lovey with tears streaming down her face.  Once Josh left for work she let me be with her and comfort her.  She has to drink some kind of milk that doesn't come from an animal that moos.

I hope she will when she gets hungry enough.  I feel like a bad mother not giving her anything to eat.  In my defense she has to drink some kind of milk and if I give her real food she will fill up on it and won't give any milk the time of day.  Today sucks!  I hope she gives in soon.  On the happy side she fell asleep for her nap and I didn't think she would on an empty stomach.  Don't worry some of you mothers out there I have given her and plan on continuing to give her water to prevent dehydration.  Wish me luck and we are welcoming prayers!  With Savannah's stubborn streak we will need them.

"Pumpkin Head" a post for the sake of a post

I didn't post yesterday and I feel like I lost my momentum because of it.  I sat here and went blank about something to post.  I keep a little list on my printer for such occasions.  I can't let my faithful readers down.

I call Savannah "Pumpkin Head" not because her head is shaped like a pumpkin (because it isn't).

Jack loves to shower affections on Savannah with hugs, kisses on the top of her head, and cute little pet names.  I call her Pumpkin Head because last year, sometime in the summer, Jack called her Pumpkin Head but meant to call her Pumpkin Pie.  I thought the mistake was so funny that Pumpkin Head suck.  Oh, my darling Pumpkin Head....

I LOVE YOU!!!

You leave it, she will find it

Savannah is the best vacuum cleaner I have ever seen. On any given day I can follow her around and she will find ever speck of dirt or dropped crumb of bread and try to eat it. I don't need to vacuum or sweep because with her as my tool I can get everything as clean as if I cleaned with the right tools myself. Of course this isn't entirely true but sometimes I feel like it. The other day Savannah found something that was left on the floor and some how made its way between the couch and wall. When Savannah noticed it she just had to have it.
So, her adventure began.  She stuck one leg in first only to realize she couldn't fit.  She tried another approach...
What a success!!!  Head first is usually the way to go.  Just a little squeeze here and a wiggle there...
...and she is in!  Turning around was the hardest part.  She ended up with one leg in and one leg out and unable to move.
Try after try exerting all her energy and strength she couldn't budge so the call for help came.
She was a little red in a face and really irritated so mom swooped in for the rescue.  In all the frustration Savannah let go of the prize but when her hero was on the way she quickly snatched it up and awaited freedom.
Ah the glory of a job well done.  Savannah isn't normally allowed to play with the trash she calls treasure.  I usually snatch it up and discard of it before an attachment can be made.
In this case I made an exception seeing as how she worked so hard for it.  Shortly after this picture the empty 100 Calorie Treat bag was given its final resting place in a large white receptacle never to be in Savannah's hands again.

A Valentines Day Poem

Josh wrote me this poem for Valentines Day 2005 and sent it to me in California. I thought he got it from a poem book or something but he wrote it by himself. I will keep it and remember it for many Valentine Day's to come. I love you dearly! Good Job Babe!!! I am the luckiest girl in the world!

To the one I love...

I lavish my move on you every day with words that I say and the actions I take.  I am not big into Valentines Day but it is another excuse for me to show you I care.
From the day I called almost 10 years ago saying I couldn't live with out you, my love has grown stronger for you every day.  I never stopped thinking about you even when I wanted to.  I always loved you even when you made it hard.  Here we are now, deeply in love with a precious baby girl.  Thank you for coming to your senses.  You mean the world to me.  You are my most favorite person.  Here's to many more years loving you!

The snow is melting...

For the past few days the sun has been shining and the snow melting.  This means icicles are a thing of the past, at least for now.
While that may be great for those of us who love warmer weather it is sad for a little girl I know who enjoys an occasional icicle treat.
Don't worry Savannah, I suspect there will be more icicles for you to enjoy...there is a snow shower coming our way.