Freddy doesn't know I can see him from the dining room. He's facing the window and barking some type of military commands to the dog right now while marching across the deck in his DJ Lance Rock t-shirt. It's serious, ya'll. :)

Cheesy I know. So far today I've traced a tangled piece of thread from around my leg in Freddy's room, down the hallway into Addie's room, across the floor into the closet where I found a lonely spool of thread from whence it came. Then later Freddy informed me that Addie was in the "dining room" and I wasn't too concerned. I figured I'd check it out a few minutes later to find that she had somehow pulled the baby gate loose at the bottom and crawled around into the laundry room and was quietly throwing cat litter into the floor. Thank goodness Jason scooped it last night! I wonder what else today has in store for me besides this monstrous headache.

I decided on a whim to make a gift for Kristina's new baby girl Ali. I managed to give this to her only a few days before Alie came into the world, she was early though. :) I had this brilliant idea that I may do a tutorial so I started out taking all these pictures, but it got to be a big mess and I knew I could never explain to anyone what all I had done/ripped out/redone. So, I'll just settle for these few pictures and you can dream up how I did it!

Here's the inspiration. The lovely "sleepsack" The problem is that the fleece ones are just too hot, so I had the brilliant idea that a cotton one lined in flannel would be more appropriate for this spring baby. I was wrong, it ended up being super heavy and is probably also way too hot! The other problem though, is that the fleece ones are ugly and get drab and pilly after a few washes. That problem was solved at least!

Stage one, traced the sleep sack, cut out two pieces each for the front & back. However, forgot to make the front slightly bigger to allow for the zipper.

I cut my front piece in half in order to have a nice, even, straight zipper seam. This is where I sewed over straight pins!

Finished product, whew! Do not take note that the right arm hole is slightly smaller. I don't know how that happened.

Addie agreed to model it for me. I figure if her arms go through, then this bitserton baby's can.


Here she is, you've probably met her on facebook already, Miss Ali Paige Pipkin!

I wish I'd gotten a picture of her dimples, they are extra sweet.

This baby was livin' it up under a heat lamp. She will like my flannel hot sack I made for her! ;)

So, here it is, the whole trip in pictures.

Branson...worst place ever!

Gas Station Changing Table

Fox Theater..Yo Gabba Gabba is about to start!

Glasses ready!

The fam...minus one taking the picutres.

Fully dressed, Plex Sweatshirt, DJ Lance Hat & Glasses

Daddy & DJ Freddy Rock

Freddy & Cousin Rora

Dinner after the show...the after party!

Hotel Lounging

Swimming

Isn't this sweet?!

Pappy's World Famous BBQ

Addie loves some chicken

So does Freddy, the owner kept coming by giving him a big thumbs up. Freddy said he was like santa claus due to an awesome biker beard.

The Zoo!

Real Bear

Stuffed Bear...Bass Pro Shops Springfield

Lambert's Home of the Throwed Rolls

Grocery Shopping at home!

I want to wear skinny jeans. I just do. I wish I didn't want to try them, but I do. I do not want to wear boots up to my knees over them or anything with a belted tunic so I look like Robin Hood. Just some ballet flats and a flowy cotton shirt. That's all. Here's the issue, no place makes mid rise dark wash plus size petite skinny fit jeans. Do they? I've looked and I can't find any. Maybe it's a sign and I should listen to Clinton and Stacy when they say that my body type should create a long line from the waist to the floor by wearing wider leg jeans/pants. I know better than to try the low rise ones that will just roll down under my gut all day. My regular jeans do that enough on their own. I need a petite inseam because I'm regrettably not tall at all. I know I need a dark wash for fat camo needs. The kicker is that if I did find these miracle jeans, they would be well over $100 and I wouldn't buy them anyway.

So, maybe if I ordered more Tall Half Caf, Non Fat, Soy, Sugar Free Vanilla Lattes instead of Venti Caramel Frappucinos, I could buy just some plain ol Skinny Jeans!

I love my kids, but I find myself looking at the clock throughout the day and wondering just that. Is it naptime yet? Is it bedtime yet? I need more energy and more patience. I need more of the nice me and less of the grouchy me. I also need the kids to have less energy, more patience, more nice, less grouchy. I need need need, me me me, now now now, I sound like the kids after all!

It is a strange thing to be overwhelmingly grateful and unafraid at the same time. I know this is quite the cryptic thing to say. I hear Addie talking to herself in her crib this morning, my coffee tastes good, I've gotten some work done, and there are only a million things to do. Freddy will throw at least two fits today and the dog will terrorize the cat. Jason will come home after school and be tired from being on his feet, but still find time to chase Freddy through the house as a tickle monster. These are good things!

I have always been fearful of losing things/people that I am grateful for. This concept is still terrifying, but thanks to some Beth Moore guidance and some Jesus help I've reached a better place. Maybe this is some serious divine revelation. I'm grateful for what God has given me, but I refuse to be burdened and crippled by fear of losing it! Amen!

I guess that Addie has technically been "weaning" since she started solid foods, according to the books anyway. Today is the first time that I have ever intentionally skipped a feeding though. She very naturally moved from 6-8 feedings, then 5-6, then 4-5, then 3-4, and down to three a day for the past two months. I never did any of this on purpose. Today is different though. She moved to going down for her morning nap without nursing, and she did this by herself. It just happened one day and then another until she was just too tired to even bother with it so we cut it out completely. I want her to move towards going to sleep better on her own and to eventually wean her.

Afternoon nap has continued to be a "nurse down to sleep" situation though, until today. I read the suggestions to develop a fun activity, a routine that you can continue at nap/bed time, but that distracts them from the fact that you would usually be nursing. I had to stay out of THE chair, so I took her to her room, turned out the overhead light and put just the lamp on. I turned her lullaby cd on very quietly and then spread a blanket on the floor. I laid down on my tummy and sat her beside me. We read a book, a good one that she could flip tabs up on and be involved with. Then we sang a few quiet songs together and by the end of it she was laying on the blanket too! She fussed for a few extra minutes when I first put her down, mostly because I initially forgot the pacifier (that will be a battle for another time!) but I brought it to her and a few whimpers later she was quiet! Hooray! The only thing I fear is that this may lead to much shorter afternoon naps since she won't have a full tummy, warm and cozy with the best sleeping potion ever. I can hear her rustling around even as we speak. Keep your fingers crossed, because if she gets up in 20 minutes I'm nursing her!

It's that time again, get a $10 credit for referring friends who complete their first order on www.diapers.com Enter my referral code AMAN0974 for a $10 discount on your first order of diapers and then refer others for a $10 credit. The details say "for a limited time" so hurry! The site has pretty reasonable prices on diapers and they accept manufacturer coupons if you mail them in ahead of time. There is also free shipping on orders $49 or more. This combined with credits and discounts can make for awesome deals!

This is my new blog/twitter idea. I refuse to start a twitter account during lent when I have given up facebook. I think that is defeating the purpose! Anyway, on to the idea.

So, my mom tells me things all the time. Sometimes I'm asking a question or for advice, and sometimes she's just in the mood to tell me stuff or excited about something new. Most of the time, I don't believe her. This is pretty typical for a daughter though, right? I've always been stubborn and wanted to "learn things for myself." I'm getting better though at giving her ideas a chance. Yesterday I sewed over straight pins. Other people probably know this, but Mom told me yesterday that I could pin in the zipper with my pins horizontal (I've always pinned them in on each side vertically) and then just sew right across them. I was skeptical, but since I had a few extra needles in case mine broke, I gave it a shot. VOILA, ZIPPER DONE!!

I've decided to maybe keep a log of things she's said and just let people Snopes them! I bet some are way too off for even Snopes. Leave me a comment on what you find out!

WARNING: MY MOM BE CRAZY SOMETIMES and the following information may prove difficult for the faint of heart, squeamish, or easily offended!

1) You can cook anything in a pressure cooker, including a whole chicken in 10 minutes
2) You can brush your teeth with bleach to whiten them
3) You can douche with bleach to prevent pregnancy
4) You can roll your own tampons with toilet paper & safely remove them
5) Racoons & squirrels can be tamed/trained family pets

Okay, your task is set before you. I'm certainly not testing any of these, well maybe the pressure cooker if I had one.

Pictures! BTW, I really hate blogger sometimes. I actually decided what order to upload these in and then guess what, it uploads them backwards!! So, there is no order or reason.

Wee, look at those eyes turning so green!!!

It was like 70 yesterday!

First Sink Bath

First Feaux Hawk

Dress Up Rock Band Night

Rachel & Addie, Razorback Twinkies

Mom & Tots Day at the Skating Rink

Freddy did so many laps around the rink on his tricycle and then for the last 10 minutes he abandoned the bike & just ran laps!

Here is Freddy impersonating DJ Lance Rock!

Snowman!

Addie and Daddy so sweet!

The Bebes in the snow

Do you remember that birthday banner? Well, there it is!

It is so beautiful outside today. The windows are open and Freddy even played in the backyard with full supervision since my bedroom/office windows face the back. Oh, and Rimshot was watching him too. Kristina and I were hoping to take the kids to the zoo this week, but work has gotten in the way of play! :(

Just a quick update though, the new computer is in and I'm soon going to get a chance to play with it. I am eagerly waiting for news on whether or not Freddy got a spot in the Pre-K program. We won't find out until next month, but I did learn that he would have to wear a uniform. Can you imagine?? I think they have "casual day" on Fridays. Geez, what has the world come to? I'm also waiting on the Spring/Summer schedule for the Arkansas Extended Learning Center classes. I'm going to take a knitting class, and I am so excited about it. My husband is awesome to encourage this and be perfectly willing to watch the kids during my every other week Bible Study and now a Knitting Class, hooray!

Addie has taken one step! Just one little step and then bam, sideways fall. She is so wobbly but she's getting braver. She may stand for a second and look around and she is much more willing to hold our hands and walk with us. Any time now I think, but I'm really hoping before Easter. I'd really like sweet baby girl to walk around and hunt some eggs this year!

Oh, biggest news of the day. The remote for the Playstation 3/DVD Player works from my bedroom! Freddy gets to choose his activity during Addie's morning nap and it is unfortunately usually television. I don't feel too guilty about this, because it's usually is only tv for the day and I desperately need this time to get the bulk of my daily work done. Anyway, he's constantly coming in to tell me his episode of Spider Man, Dora, Yo Gabba Gabba, etc. is over because stankin' kid shows only last like 20 minutes. Now, I can just hit play from my desk and he never has to interrupt me unless he is coming in to give me my "morning hug and kiss"! I'm an awesome mom, I know, you can save the flattery! :)