Next Food Network Star

So, here's a confession for you. I could literally sit for hours and watch the Food Network. And I should tell you this while I'm at it-I used to keep a notepad and a pen by me at all times during the show just in case I needed to make note of a certain recipe. I have improved slightly and haved since realized that I can just go look up every recipe on the website.

I love to cook and bake. But I am a recipe kind of girl. I feel obsessive about measuring and just recently have taken to not measuring things such as vanilla because there is no point. This is rebellious in the compulsive world that I live in.

And so today, when I tell you that I made up my very own pancake recipe, you should stand up and clap. Cheer, even. Because let me also tell you this: they were delicious. And I will definitely be making them again. Mint and chocolate can never go wrong in my world (sort of like cheese). Especially when they are together. I made chocolate peppermint pancakes today for Leanne and myself. I had five and resisted the urge to eat the remaining five

So to get my own show on the Food Network, I just need to work on trying my delicious creation on camera. I don't think the eyes rolling back in my head and repeatedly saying Mmmm would attract a very great audience, or I should say an audience that tuned in regularly.

The only way to do that will be for me to keep making up my own creation so I can practice. And since I busted out of my comfort zone, nothing can stop me now.

A few of my favorite things...

[at the moment]

Recipe surfing; blogs, allrecipes, and the food network

root beer and vanilla coke; I'll just put it this way-I currently have an unhealthy relationship with both and I keep going back to them despite my efforts to stop with the soda.

Watching Ruby learn something new each day; I also love that she says hi to everyone and every animal that she ever sees. Mostly because it's so shrill and drawn out and just precious.

Being home with my baby; we have lazy days and productive days, both of which I just cherish. We are so blessed that we are in a position for me to do this right now-I can't think of a better or a cuter boss to have. ;)

The Holidays! I am so excited to decorate for Christmas, I can hardly stand it. I plan to make some of my own creative decorations, but mostly I just want to see the Christmas tree light up our house and fight Ruby every second of every day as she can't resist the ornaments and packages and all of the other red and white. I also fully intend to make a ridiculous amount of Christmas cookies and candies. As in, days worth of baking.

Off switches on all of Ruby's new toys. Need I say more?! I kid, but I do try to rotate the toys-I already have most of the tunes/songs memorized and she has had them for less than a week. I would hate to have any toys just disappear from our living room but it may be in our future.

Snuggly nights in with my cute little family (that may be biased-I couldn't rightly say). I just also say weekend mornings here-a time where we just enjoy Ruby's entertainment.

Forever21; enough said. I love their clothing.

Etsy; I think I may have a problem, but I could browse that site for days at a time. And um no, I'm not exaggerating. Sad as it may be.

Birthday Festivities

Ruby's first birthday didn't kill me, that isn't the reason for the prolonged missing in action status. But it has taken me awhile to unwind from the big bash, which practically lasted the entire week.

Papa, I don't know what you want me to do here!

My dad has been counting down the days until the big one year birthday arrived so that he could feed her sugar. I made the mistake of giving him the magic age, and he has informed Ruby of the number of months, and more recently weeks and days, until she could raid his candy drawer.

So, I let him feed her her very first sucker. She didn't love it, and in fact she generally wanted nothing to do with it.

We went to dinner that night with family and Ruby got to eat her very first helping of spaghetti, which she inhaled. I, of course, didn't remember to take my camera so I don't have any good pictures of Ruby in her orange-faced glory. It was so cute seeing her suck up those noodles.

Ruby cleaned up in the present area-I'm thinking of calling off all gifts for Christmas! We would rival the local toy store. You know, if we had a local toy store.

Ruby was upset when I pulled her from all of her little friends so that she can smash her cake, but she quickly got over that. She was curious as to why we were all looking at her and singing, and she loved the cake...

What a mess!! We bathed her in the sink right when she was finished.

We had a great time. Despite my poor planning for various things, it came out okay and we had a fun group of people to help us celebrate.

Annnd, I still can't believe my kiddo is one. Just today, she wore a hooded sweatshirt and jeans and I thought she looked SO much older.

Happy Birthday, Ruby!

Sweet Girl,

This is it-you hit one year old. I didn't break you and you didn't break me in the first year of your life. And instead, I would consider it an amazing journey where we both learned a tremendous amount of things. What a joy! It seems like just yesterday that I wrote this:


Hi Punkin Head!

I must say, I'm SO ready to meet you. Sure I have things to get done before your arrival (like, say packing my hospital bag!), but I'm ready to stop gaining this weight-I feel like a cow. Going to be weighed in every week has become a miserable chore. I am retaining water like you wouldn't believe-my ankles are...well they are no longer ankles. They're so puffy and icky, it's quite disturbing. I won't be surprised if I end up with stretch makrs on them too-I've seen some pretty bad ankle sprains where the foot swells incredibly big. Mine surpass that.

I have 17 days to go until the big due date. I can't tell if I'll go early or late (or right on time!) right now, but I'm sorta wondering if karma will pay me back and you'll be content to stay in there a little longer (I was two weeks late). I'm starting to get reeeeally curious to know what you are-boy or girl! It's funny, it really hasn't been hard to bond with you (as some people claim) despite not knowing if you are a boy or girl, and it's been much easier to keep your gender a secret than I thought, but now I'm wondering how I went this long. It's sorta like Christmas-it's so close now, I'm just dying to know!

Your room is all ready and looks beautiful! We also have quite a few baby accessories around the house-we're no longer looking like just a married couple. Your swing and bouncer are set up and waiting for your cuddly little self to sit in them. Your bassinet is up and ready too. Here's hoping you can sleep more in that than wake up-mommy does not get good sleep these days!

I'm starting to get the ridiculously stupid comments from people about having you. One time last week, someone looked at me and said, "Wow, can you even still walk?" This was as I was walking by him. People seem to think it's okay to say things like, "You look like you're about to burst!" and other things just like it.

Despite things being much more difficult than I ever imagined, I absolutely wouldn't trade this for the world. I like that we share a special bond and have had time to "get to know each other" for the last nine months. It's like we have this secret between us-I can be sitting there doing other things and no one around me knows if you're kicking me or hiccuping or anything. I love being pregnant with you and I cannot wait to see your precious face. I want to kiss those toes that seem to LOVE spending time in my ribs, and I want to just snuggle you for days and days. Come out soon-I don't want to deliver a 12 pounder!

Mommy and Daddy love you so very much!

Love,

Momma


--

You transformed from a tiny squeeky little being that rarely opened her eyes to a full blown miniature person. Your personality is starting to shine through so much at this point, and I think you learn something new every single day.

You have started talking on the phone. You refuse to do this if someone if actually on the other end, but if I let you play with the phone, you will have a conversation about something with whoever it is you believe you are talking to. Complete with inflection in your babbles and knowing where to put the phone, it's so precious.

Chasing the dogs remains your favorite pasttime. And with the giggles that produces, I find it so hard to act on the dogs' behalf and make you stop. We're working very hard on the word gentle and you do understand it but sometimes, it's like you find it so hard to contain your excitement that you go at the dogs (or someone's face and hair) full throttle and just yank at their hair. When I remind you to be gentle, you stop what you are doing and start these tiny little pats.

And speaking of pats, one of the most endearing little things you have picked up lately is patting me on the chest or back while I am carrying you someplace.

Your vocabulary is expanding right before our eyes, and I know it's a matter of time before that just explodes. You have said mama and dada consistently for awhile, but you now also say, papa, hi, bye, up, and hi dad! Since you have learned to point, I take this opportunity to tell you about things around you as you incessently point. We are also starting to talk about where body parts are and some animal noises.

Mimicking is one of your favorite activities at the moment and I have been so suprised by the number of things that you will do. The funniest have been squinty eyes, sticking your tongue out, and the noise that comes from making a sound like ahhhhh while intermittently cupping your palm over your mouth. Via the mirror game, you have also learned how to give high fives, fist pounds (blame your daddy-but this has been about the highlight of his year!), blow kisses, shake your head from side to side, wave, clap, point, and the universal signal for a touchdown.

You are a charismatic, sparkly-eyed, sweet little baby and people are just drawn to you. We can't take you out for errands without me questioning my possible celebrity status because people are that into you. You wave and eat up the attention, which just makes it impossible to get anything done in a timely manner.

There are several things in our house that just can't be babyproofed and so you have heard no several times with them (cords, turning the television on and off, playing with the phones). Now you have started to shake your head no as you do these things. I try so hard not to laugh because I know you will get the wrong idea, but honestly it's the cutest thing and I have a really hard time stifling the laughter.

You have no real interest in walking, but you have mastered standing up and cruising the furniture. We occasionally help you walk across the house, but you seem to be over that after just a few steps. Crawling is what you prefer and you are so quick!

Your eating horizons have been broadening with each passing day. I was so relieved to find you would open your mouth for food after the whole amoxicillin fiasco when you were sick last week. I was afraid I had ruined your views on opening your mouth and trying new things, but you have since proved me wrong. You still nurse here and there but I know you aren't nearly as attached to this as you once were. Some of my very favorite moments with you are at night as you drift off and in the morning as you try and wake up. Stroking your hair as you fall asleep or wake up is such a simple thing, but moments that I cherish endlessly.

I think you just get cuter by the day, and I would have told you that was impossible previously because how can the cutest little thing in the world get any cuter?! As you can tell, I get worse and worse with each passing month at choosing a few of my favorite pictures. I have hit an all time high with this month, but who can resist a gorgeous girl in a tutu?! Not me, apparently.

God has blessed us with a precious angel. You are the center of our world, the receiving end of millions of kisses, the source of endless entertainment, and the definition of true love for your daddy and me. You are more special to us than you will probably ever realize. I wish I could have never-ending access to your sweet baby breath, your fuzzy, wispy hair, your contagious laughter, your soft skin, and your zest for discovery and life. But I know you have to grow up, and these things will have to change. One thing that I never want to change is the special bond we share. I love you with all of my heart, and you mean so much to me. Here's to another year of watching you change and grow; one full of love, laughter, and discovery!

XOXO,

Momma

Birthday Eve

Here we are, the last day in the first year of Ruby's life. Once again, I sit here and think about where I was 365 days ago. Too fat to move off of the couch without a hand from Jimmy, too depressed to do anything but eat some more and complain that I probably would be pregnant forever (because this happens often). I complained to Jimmy going to bed on the Sunday night that I was just ready to be done. Little did I know I would be meeting that mystery person that had taken up comfy residence in my belly in just a few short hours.

You can read the birth story here if you wish to relive this experience as I do so often.

I really can't belive it. I can't get over time's ability to fly right past my eyes, dragging me along with it whether I'm ready and willing or not. Prior to having Ruby, I made fun of those people. The ones that constantly remark about time flying and how fast kids grow up. I found it rather annoying, quite honestly. Now, I have clearly gone to the dark side and become one of those annoying people. It's all been put into perspective for me, and I sit here, being dragged through time by some powerful force and all I can do is sit here in shock, recounting all of the memories.

At the end of my pregnancy with Ruby, I panicked a little about bringing a life into this world and knowing that my own life would never be the same. Never again would it be just the two of us, and we were suddenly responsible for this life; there was no returning the baby to the parents at the end of a night of babysitting. All of the baby gear was ours. There was certainly no turning back, but there were some moments that I definitely wondered What have we done?!

One year later, I have responsibility of a life that has forever changed mine in a way I never could have anticipated. It's an unreal feeling to know that you have only known someone for such a short amount of time and that they are and always will be the center of your entire world. True love.

One year later, there is no mystery of that little person wiggling inside of me. Instead there is pink stuff everywhere and we prepare to celebrate her very existence and wonder just what more of her little personality is yet to be revealed.

What a blessed life-this year has been an amazing ride.

Wordless Wednesday

amoxicillin woes.

This little angel is on a roll today.

Amoxicillin is currently the bane of my existance (and Ruby's).

It's a nightmare to administer.

It has stained the majority of my belongings a disgusting neon pink color.

And it has caused horrible diaper rash.

In an attempt to air out Ruby's little naked bottom, I sat her with Jimmy while I ran her bath.

As I came back to get her, she peed all over him.

He did not find this funny.

I, however, could not stop laughing.

Guess I had it coming when she decided it would be appropriate to poop in her bath water.

Twice.

She was never really diagnosed with anything but I am convinced she had an ear infection (one ear couldn't be seen because it was clogged.

That seems to be gone (what a nightmare the sleeping thing was when she refused to be anything more than 90 degrees.

However, I do believe she had an ear infection on top of something else because it has taken her quite awhile to recoup.

Whatever it is, it has kicked her butt. On Sunday she had had enough and just couldn't keep her little eyes open any longer (if you know Ruby, you can understand why this was so odd. She never falls asleep just because she is tired. Normally, there is quite a little routine involved. And sadly it doesn't involve Daddy because well, he can't provide the thing she's looking for).

The lighting in this video is poor, but I couldn't help capturing her exhausted little self.

In the meantime, anyone want to volunteer to give Ruby her amoxicillin for the remaining days (which happens to be until Sunday)? I'll pay good money for it. And maybe we could just throw in a laundry agreement while we're at it. I'm up for a good bargain.