Especially for Kellie

Me? Party at 2 am? Of course not. I party at 1 am!

I have the cutest niece ever!

Shhhh...don't tell her Daddy. He's a Florida State Fan.

Is Scrapbooking for Dummies?

Any scrapbookers out there? I know you are Stephsky. I am finally going to make a scrapbook of my trip to New York City. I went last March. It was a weekend getaway for me and Blue Angel. It was awesome. My profile picture was actually from a little restaurant in Little Italy. Now, I want to put it all together. I have the scrapbook. That's it. I plan on going tomorrow, Baby S willing, and getting some paper and stickers and whatever else I see. Anybody have any suggestions or hints. I'm not very creative, so we'll just have to see how it turns out.

I need to head to bed since Precious S is asleep.

Pic from New York? You know you want to look. These are the only two pictures with ME in them that I have on my computer. Blue Angel took pictures of me with her camera so I have hard copies of those instead. Oh, well.

Ain't we proud

First, do you know what time of year it is?




Sweetart JellyBean time!!! The greatest candy ever. Between these and the Girl Scout Cookies, I'll never lose these few baby pounds.


Second, most of you locals probably have read this at some point. Thought I might give the out-of-towners a laugh. And if you don't want to read, scroll down to the bottom. You know there's a picture.




ANNOUNCEMENT: Mattel recently announced the release of limited-edition Barbie Dolls for the Memphis market:





"The Avenue Mall in Collierville Barbie" This princess Barbie is sold only at The Avenue Mall. She comes with an assortment of Kate Spade, Prada and LV Handbags, Rolex watch a Lexus SUV, a long-haired foreign dog named Honey and a 25,000 sq ft. patio home. Available with or without tummy tuck and face lift. Workaholic Ken sold only in conjunction with the augmented version.


"Germantown Barbie" The modern day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Windstar Minivan and matching gym outfit. She gets lost easily and has no full-time occupation. Traffic jamming cell phone sold separately.


"Orange Mound Barbie" This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, a Ray Lewis knife, Chevy with dark tinted windows, and a Meth Lab Kit. This model is only available after dark and must be paid for in cash (preferably small, untraceable bills) unless you are a cop, then we don't know what you are talking about.


"Cordova" This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of Rolls Royce convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card and country club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper. You won't be able to afford any of them.


"Covington" This pale model comes dressed in her own Wrangler jeans two sizes too small, a NASCAR t-shirt and tweety bird tattoo on her shoulder. She has a six-pack of Bud light and a Hank Williams Jr. CD set. She can spit over 5 feet and kick mullet-haired Ken's butt when she is drunk. Purchase her pickup truck separately and get a confederate flag bumper sticker absolutely free.

"Harbor Town" This collagen injected, rhino plastic Barbie wears a leopard print outfit and drinks cosmopolitans while entertaining friends. Percocet prescription available as well as warehouse conversion condo.

" Mississippi Cross the Bridge Barbie" This tobacco-chewing, brassy-haired Barbie has a pair of her own high-heeled sandals with one broken heel from the time she chased beer-gutted Ken out of Barbie's house. Her ensemble includes low-rise acid-washed jeans, fake fingernails, and a see-through halter-top. Also available with a mobile home.

"Downtown Barbie" This doll is made of actual tofu. She has long straight brown hair, arch-less feet, hairy armpits, no makeup and Birkenstocks with white socks. She prefers that you call her Willow She does not want or need a Ken doll, but if you purchase two Downtown Barbie’s and the optional Subaru wagon, you get a rainbow flag bumper sticker for free.




"South Memphis Barbie" This Barbie now comes with a stroller and infant doll. Optional accessories include a GED and bus pass. Gangsta Ken and his 1979 Caddy were available, but are now very difficult to find since the addition of the infant. LMAO!!!!




"Bartlett Barbie" She's perfect in every way. We don't know where Ken is because he's always out a-'huntin'.




Midtown Barbie" This versatile doll can be easily converted from Barbie to Ken by simply adding or subtracting the multiple snap-on parts.














Baby Eva with her favorite Aunt....ME!

She's still sleeping

Y'all, it's 6:00 am and my baby girl is still asleep. I am up before she is. I put her down at 9:00 pm last night, and she has woken up once. Mr S. was home, so he took that feeding. I'm sure it is just a fluke, although I did buy some different bottles yesterday, and she seems to like them. She ate really good at 1:45 this morning, so that's why she's still asleep. I guess I need to go back to Target (oh, darn) to get some more of those bottles. They're just basic Gerber bottles. Nothing fancy and they're cheap! I have been using the VentAir bottles.

Since Kellie fussed at me for not posting pictures the last couple of posts, I'll leave you with a picture of the cousins with their Valentine's Day presents from their Daddy Lou.

My sweet baby girl

My silly baby niece

The 'Mutha'

(as Kellie put it) And I'm doing it one-handed.


1. Are your parents married or divorced? Divorced from one another but both are remarried.

2. Are you a vegetarian?Heck no! Bring on the steak and chicken
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3. Do you believe in Heaven?Yes

4. Have you ever come close to dying? I guess it depends on if the guy really had a gun or not. (was robbed for some hydrocodone at work)

5. What jewelry do you wear 24/7? My weddingrings and anniversary band and my diamond earrings.

6. Favorite time of day? Sleep time

7. Do you eat the stems of broccoli? Most of the time

8. Do you wear makeup? For sure!

9. Ever have plastic surgery? Nope

10. If you did have plastic surgery, what did you have done?

11. What do you wear to bed? PJ pants and T-shirt

12. Have you ever done anything illegal? Well, I've sped, I got drunk underage, but as far as anything serious, No.

13. Can you roll your tongue? Yup!

14. Do you tweeze your eyebrows? When I remember. I'm really bad at it though. Anybody have any tips?

15. What kind of sneakers do you wear? My Nike's or New Balance

16. Do you believe in abortions? I believe it's a choice not to be taken lightly.

17. What is your hair color? Blondish

18. Future child’s name? Prolly won't have another child, but my baby girl's name is Ryan

19. Do you snore? I don't think so

20. If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? Somewhere tropical, warm, and beachy

21. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? Did when I was a kid

22. If you won the lottery, what would you do first? Set aside money for baby girl and invest the rest

23. Gold or silver? Either

24. Hamburger or hot dog? Hamburger (but those hot dogs in Destin were good, eh Blue)

25. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? POTATOES!

26. City, beach or country? Beach

27. What was the last thing you touched? I'm holding baby girl

28. Where did you last eat? on the couch...GIRL SCOUT COOKIES! Had lunch at Newks in Collierville yesterday.

29. When’s the last time you cried? yesterday, just a little

30. Do you read blogs? Guilty

31. Would you ever go out dressed as the opposite sex? Not likely

32. Ever been involved with the police? Well, my step-brother is a Narcotics officer, but other than a ticket, no

33. What’s your favorite shampoo, conditioner and soap? Caress soap and the green Herbal Essences

34. Do you talk in your sleep? I have before.

35. Ocean or pool? Ocean when on vacation

36. Sauna or whirlpool? Whirlpool

37. Starbucks or Krispy Kreme? Love some hot Krispy Cream donuts and an occasional Starbucks

38. Aisle or window seat? Isle. I don't like to see that there is nothing but thousands of feet between me and the earth. Ask Chrissy!

39. Ever met anyone famous? Dude, Keith Urban and Dierks Bently

40. Do you feel you’ve had a truly successful life? Well, I'm happy.

41. Do you twirl or cut your spaghetti? Twirl
.
42. Rikki Lake or Oprah? Oprah, but not so much anymore. She seems to be on her high horse.

43. Basketball or Football? Ugh!

44. How long do your showers last? maybe 10 minutes

45. Do you drive automatic or stick? automatic

46. Cake or ice cream? Ice cream

47. Are you self-conscious? most of the time

48. Have you ever drank so much you threw up? couple of times

49. Have you ever given money to a beggar? No, they need to get a job!
.
50. Have you ever been in love? Yes.

51. Where do you wish you were? I'm pretty happy here at home

52. Are you wearing socks? nope, slippers

53. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Yes. My stepdad is a paramedic and in middle school he would come by and pick me up and take me to bowling when nobody else could. How fun is that!

54. Can you tango? tango tango or the bedroom tango?

55. Last gift you received? for me? chocolate covered strawberries, I think

56. Last sport you played? I tried golf several years ago

57. Things you spend a lot of money on? I love to shop for anything

58. Where do you live? in my house

59. Where were you born? Memphis, TN at Baptist East

60. Last wedding attended? Blue Angel's brother's

61. Favorite position? on what? politics, religion, sex?

62. Most hated food(s)? hard to say cuz I usually don't try things I don't think I'll like

63. Most hated soda pop? Root beer

64. Can you sing? I am physically capable. I would NEVER do it with anyone else around.--me neither Blue.

65. Last person you instant messaged? my stepdad

66. Last place you went on holiday? Destin, FL this past summer

68. Favorite alcoholic drink? Strawberry Daquiri.....I still haven't had one sine before got pregnant...anybody?

69. Current favorite song? I haven't listened to much radio lately

Now it’s time to tag 3 friends. Here we go: whoever is left!

How old is too old?

I went shopping to Kohl's one day last week. I needed some jeans that fit me a little more comfortably. While I can squeeze into several pairs of my pre-pregnancy jeans, they are a little tight. While my husband thinks I have a nice ass, I don't like to accentuate it by wearing painted on jeans. Ladies, (and gentlemen?) I had to buy a size 5. Before, I wore a 1 or 3. So, I'm 12 pounds heavier right now, mostly in my nice ass, LOL, and really I am totally okay with that. What bothers me most is that I may have to buy more jeans when my others are perfectly fine, just a little small now. Mostly I'm upset about my jeans I bought in NYC last year. I can't wear them. They have meaning. Dude, I was in NYC!
So, I have a question. While my booty did get a little more jiggly, my hips are what seems to be the problem. Ya know, I guess they 'spread' to have a baby. DO THEY GO BACK? Like I said, I don't mind the extra junk in the trunk and thighs, cuz, well, it probably did me some good to gain a little weight. I know it's only been 4 weeks, but I do plan on sit-ups and running up and down my stairs in my house to get rid of the little belly bump.

Back to the title. While I was shopping, I realized I shop strictly in the Juniors section. At 27, am I too old. The Misses dept. seems to have clothes that are too, well, I don't know, not young. But when do you stop shopping in the Junior's dept. I did before because that's the only clothes that I could find to fit. With my new found hips, I might can wear some Misses stuff, or even the Petite stuff since I'm kinda short.

This got me thinking.

When are you too old to:

• Eat Fruit Loops and Cap'n Crunch (not only for breakfast but for any meal)
• Eat chocolate pudding in the snack pack
• Eat popsicles (cuz you know I love me some popsicles)
• Call your momma when your sick
• Wear pick fuzzy slippers (no, I'm not wearing them now...wink, wink)
• Get middle school silly with your best friend
• I do know that I am too old to be reading Cosmo magazine (you almost have to be a college slut to read that magazine)-sorry, hope I didn't offend anyone.

That's all I can think of right now. Anybody else have anything you do that you question whether or not you are too old?

When she's asleep

I have a post. It's just really difficult to type with one hand.

HAPPY LOVE DAY!

I confess, I'm from Tennessee

THINGS I HAVE LEARNED LIVING IN Tennessee:

Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.
There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 live in Tennessee.
There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in Tennessee plus a couple no one's seen before.
Onced and twiced are words.
It is not a shopping cart; it is a buggy.
People actually grow and eat okra. (I love fried okra!)
Fixinto is one word.
There is no such thing as "lunch." There is only dinner and then there is supper.
Iced tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you're two. We do like a little tea with our sugar!
Backards and forwards means "I know everything about you.
"DJeet? is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat?"
You don't have to wear a watch because it doesn't matter what time it is. You work until you're done or it's too dark to see.
You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH them.

YOU KNOW YOUR FROM Tennessee IF:

You measure distance in minutes.
You've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day. (For Sure!)
You use "fix" as a verb. Example: "I'm fixing to go to the store. (Again, right on the money)
"All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.
You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
You know what a "DAWG" is.
You carry jumper cables in your car . . . for your OWN car.
You only own four spices: salt, pepper, Tabasco and ketchup.
The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but require 6 pages for local gossip and sports. (not so much here)
You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.
You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit "a little warm."
You know all four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, still Summer and Christmas. (Yep!)
Going to Wal-mart is a favorite past time known as"goin' Wal-martin" or off to "Wally World."
You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good pinto-bean weather.
A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda, cola or pop . . . it's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor. Example: "What kinda coke you want?"
Fried catfish is the other white meat.

Really, we're not that bad. Of course, I've lived here all my life. And I do live in a suburb of a major city, so some of these don't really apply. Now, we do like us some fried catfish (I had some Saturday night, actually). "Fixin to" is standard vocabulary and everything is a coke.

Just thought I would share this. I saw it on Myspace.

Please don't judge us. Hey, Kenney Chesney is from Tennessee....yummy! And we do have the Vols and the Titans! The Grizzlies are okay, too.

Hi

Mr. S just left to go play golf. He asked me a thousand times if I was okay with it. Seriously, I am so okay with it. He deserves to go out and enjoy himself. I'm such a good wife. He did take Baby S this morning after he got home from work and let me sleep for several hours without interruption.



Be sure to check back on Valentine's Day. I took an adorable picture of my baby girl in a V-day shirt from my dad and stepmom.

Tired of pictures yet?

A Hospital Story

I'm here. Just kinda tired. This week has gone well though. It's been an adjustment trying to stay awake in the wee hours of the morning when Baby S wakes up. She only got up once between 9:30 last night and 6:00 this morning.

Some other news, Dave's sister gave birth to her first baby yesterday. She was 3 days past her due date. Her doctor was in no hurry to induce either. She lives in Colorado. She had a baby girl, 6lbs 14oz, 20.75 in. Dave's mom was convinced she was going to have a big baby because apparently she looked "huge" in her pictures. I hope she never told his sister that. Anyway, still funny to me that out of the three of us that were pregnant, I freaking had the biggest baby. I'm convinced it's because of all the milk I drank! Maybe? Good thing, the inlaws will be leaving for Colorado Sunday for a week!! Whoohoo, no calls. The bad news, they'll probably want to come over tomorrow to see Baby S before they leave. Maybe I'll just not be home.....I know, I'm terrible. But, if you knew these people, you would agree with me. Smoking is not the only issue I have with them, it's just that they aren't exactly the most intelligent people. Dave could NOT have come from these people. Okay, sorry enough about them. For some reason, they are just really bugging me now. This could become a problem.

OH, WAIT! I've been trying to remember to blog about the whole hospital incident with Mr. S's mom. Here's a little background first. (Don't you just love background?) Blue Angel and I have been best friends since we were 12, that means for 15 years. Her mom, or as I refer to her "Mom", is like another mother to me. She has been there for me and my family through thick and thin. She's a wonderful, unselfish person who has never judged me. She has taken care of me when I was sick, when I wouldn't live with my family, for whatever reason. She's been a mother to me. Blue Angel and I have seen each other experience everything from first kisses to engagments to, now a baby. I don't judge her and hopefully she doesn't judge me.

So, it was only natural that both Blue Angel and Mom were with me almost the entire time during labor. Just a few minutes after Baby S was born, my mom left the room for Mr. S and I to be alone with Baby S. A short time later, she came back bringing Daddy Lou (my step-dad) to see his newest granddaughter. He had to leave to go pick up my niece and nephew from their after school program, so he was the first one to come back to see the baby. Very soon afte that, Mom and Blue Angel couldn't wait any longer and made the decison to come see the new family. Nobody told them to or not too. But, they knew it was okay to come back. It was just that my mom hadn't made it back to the waiting room to get everybody. No big deal. She was actually about to do that. Well, apparently, the MIL (Mr. S's mom) decided that she was going to pitch a bitch and leave the hospital because Mom and Blue Angel went back before she did. She knew where they were going. They said out loud that they were going to see the baby. She chose to sit there. She got pissed and as Mr. S was heading down the hall to get her, he overheard her saying that it was a damn shame that she couldn't even see her granddauughter. Mr. S proceeded to ask what the problem was, and she said she would talk to him later. Well, see, if you tell Mr. S you'll talk to him later, then he'll talk to you later. He doesn't play games. That pissed her off even more because later she told him that he should have been "man enough" to walk out after her to stop her. Whatever. Again, Mr. S doesn't play immature games like that.

I felt really bad for my sweet hubby that his mom was acting like such a fool. He didn't deserve that. He said it didn't bother him though. Within the next day or two, the MIL called my step-dad, I think basically to gripe about the situation. She picked the wrong person to gripe to. My step-dad took up for Mr. S and told her he held Mr. S higher than his own son and to never say Mr. S was not a man for not following her. He also took up for Mom and Blue Angel, explaining that they had every right to be involved the way they were.

I think this is where alot of my new disdain for his family is coming from. Maybe it's just the new Mommy thing too. Maybe I've always had this strong dislike for them, and now I have even more reason to voice it. I don't know. I just know I try not to say anything to Mr. S. It's still his family whether he likes them or not.



Wanna see another pic? Sure you do. Here is Baby S in the arms of her Aunt Julie (my sister, baby Eva's mommy)

I made it!

My first night alone with my baby girl, and we survived. It wasn't so bad. She went to sleep around 9:45 pm, slept until 1:00 am, as I expected. Then she woke up again around 4:30 am, except this time she was ready to play. She was bright-eyed and awake for almost 2 hours. Then, we slept until 9:30 this morning. I am on my second cup of coffee. I am a only-out-of-necessity coffee drinker. But, I'm doing good so far today!

Last night, we went out to dinner for my mom's birthday. Yummy, steak dinner. I don't have much time right now, but of course, here's a picture of the cousins from last night.

It took me all day...damn Blogger

Did everyone have a good weekend? I had a pretty good one. Congrats to good ol' Peyton Manning. I am no football fan, barely even watched part of the game, but it was good to see the Colts win. I know the whole state of Tennessee is probably happy about that. Enough about that.

Baby S and I went to Target Saturday with my sister and Eva. It was interesting. I felt so strange walking into Target with a stroller (the whole carrier/stroller system). My sister and I both. We looked like stuck up (Collierville) moms. Actually, I hope not. We didn't stay very long. It was like Christmas time. The place was packed!! Ugh! It's a good thing I went with my sister. Getting the stroller out and carrier in place was fine. It was trying to get the carrier off the stroller that slowed me down. I didn't know how. We were laughing so hard. Imagine if I had been by myself. I would've have been calling my sister for help. My sister has the same time travel system. Then, though I had practiced, I couldn't get the darn thing folded. Took both of us. But now, I know. And it's really easy. Whew!

I then ventured to my mom's house. She hasn't gotten to spend much time with Baby S. Baby girl got rocked and snuggled by her Noni for two hours. It was the first time I had taken her over there. I was kind of putting it off only because that would open the door for Mr. S possibly wanting to take Baby S to his parents. I told him I wasn't ready to fight that battle yet. And, I think it's going to not only be a battle, but an all out war. Let's see how long I can avoid it! Any bets? I'm still dead set AGAINST taking my sweet little, tiny lunged baby girl to that smoke filled house. Remember. At the hospital, Mr. S's mom (I'm not too keen on calling her my MIL), would go outside and smoke 4-5 cigarettes in a row. Ugh! She calls almost every day. She came over yesterday to hold Baby S. When she coughed, she covered her mouth but didn't turn her head. I gave her a look, hopefully got the hint. Really, I just don't know what to do. I don't want to get into a big ol' fight with Mr. S. We don't fight, really, we don't. This subject is tough. It's his parents, but it's our little girl. I don't even want to think about it right now. So, that's enough for now. I'm sure I'll have to gripe about it some other time.

Tonight Mr. S goes back to work. I'm a little nervous about how to handle the overnight shift. I haven't really had to do that. I'm also looking forward to it. I need to see what it's like. I'll let you know.

Baby S had her two week check up today. She's up to 7lb 13oz and 21.5 inches. Wow, I can't believe how much she has grown. At her appointment at 4 days, she was down to 6lbs 14 oz, so in a just over a week, she gained nearly a pound and grew an inch! After her appointment, I made a solo trip to Kohl's. Just me and Baby S, to get her Noni a photo album for her birthday so she can show off her grandbabies. We did good. It was fun.

I wrap up today's progamming with a picture of the cousins, Eva and Ryan.

Aghhh!!!

A couple things:

• When do you stop checking to see if she's breathing?
• I am squeezed into my size 3 LEI jeans.....I mean squeezed, but they are buttoned and zipped!
• The boobs, gone.

Part II

First off, here she is this morning.

Okay, on with the story.

We get to the hospital, they sweep me off to a L&D room (love the pre-registering thing), and I get changed into a hospital gown. The socks, they stayed on! Why do we leave our socks on, ladies? I wait for the nurse to come in. I go to an all female OBGYN group. For a reason. I just wouldn't feel comfortable with a man down there. I don't know why. So, what nurse do I get. The only male nurse in Labor and Delivery, Earl. Yes, his name was Earl. He didn't look like an Earl. He was actually very kind and comforting. But, dude, a DUDE was checking me down there. So, out the window the modesty jumped, head first without a parachute. Earl wasn't my nurse the whole time. His shift ended at 7 am.

I get comfortable in bed (comfortable, yea, right! I'm in labor). I have to wait an hour to see if I am progressing. If I wasn't, then they would send me home cuz this hospital delivers TONS of babies. Whew, I progressed from 3 cm to almost 4 cm. I wasn't going home, regardless. I was determined to fight that battle. Hooked to an I.V. and filled with fluids to get ready for the epidural. Brrrrrr, the fluid makes you so cold until your body adjusts. Anywho, that went pretty fast. Good thing, too. I was ready for that epidural. Remember, excrutiating (sp?) pain.

Ahhh, the epidural lady. I was so glad to see her. I was prepped and shot up. Your right, the epidural part wasn't bad at all! Within 10 minutes, I was floating on air. I was in heaven. I felt like myself again, well, the top half of me. I think I got my epidural around 3:30 am or so. It's all such a blur. Time really did fly by.

Nothing much happened from here until about 2:00 pm. (Somewhere around 6-7 cm they broke my water). I pushed with the nurse for about an hour. Then the doc was called. I pushed with her, probably about 6-8 (might have actually been more) sets of three and finally at 3:44 pm, little Baby S made her entrance into this brightly lit world.

I cried, Mr. S cried, my mom cried. I couldn't help it. I was so overcome with emotion. I couldn't believe what I had just done.

Little Ryan came out crying, just like her momma did over 27 years ago. We all breathed a sigh of relief to see she was perfect. I will never forget seeing Mr. S holding our little girl.

Still now, he is so gentle with her. He has been so great. I couldn't ask for anything more from him. I asked him how he felt just as baby girl was born. He said it was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced. He said he was so worried about the both of us and was just waiting for the clean bill of health for us both. He was going back and forth between me and Baby S checking on us.

We stayed in the hospital for two nights. I really wasn't ready to go home after just one night. The doc gave me the option to stay, and I took it. Poor Mr. S was a good sport about sleeping on the pullout vinyl couch for two nights. The morning of Jan. 24, we left the hospital with a new baby in tow......