Cake

I took a cake decorating class! Check it out:











before











during











after

Pretty cool, huh? And it tastes good too...Baby proves it!

And here is a total unrelated photo:

Baby and I had some photos taken to send to Hubby for Valentine's Day. I have 100 of them (literally), but I thought I would just share this one.

Other news. Mmmm. Well, I guess there isn't much, really. Baby's second birthday is on Saturday. How did that happen? How is it possible that 2 years have gone by? And that I hardly remember what it was like before her? On that note, I hardly remember what it's like not to be functioning as a single parent, but that's a whole different topic. And only 193 days left of that anyway, so it's hardly worth addressing. Except that it totally consumes my being at the moment. Today has been a good day. Probably has something to do with the 3 hour nap Baby enjoyed. Now I'm just listening to her cry b/c I won't give her her pacifier, and I'm sorta wondering why I'm not. I wish I had a fantastic answer for that, but I think it boils down to the fact that I told her she wouldn't get it, and now I can't give in, right? I mean, I'm soft enough...every now and then I just pick something to get tough on, and this is it for the moment. Note to self: next time I choose to get tough, choose something that is easier on me!!! Ah...quiet. That wasn't so bad (as long as it sticks!).

It's funny how I seem to compartmentalize God sometimes. For some reason I'm not really worried about Hubby. I probably have every reason or right to, but I don't. I just have to surrender his safety and well-being to God and get over it. I can't do a thing about it but pray, so that's what I do. On the other hand, I worry constantly about Baby. Mostly how this year is going to affect her long term. Not in that she will remember anything, but in my parenting. Which is getting lazier and lazier because I'm worn weary. The lazy part is how we got back on the pacifier. Well...that's just one example. I think I might let her boss and sass me, which isn't good. How do you discipline a 2 year old? Good thing I'm going to MOPS tomorrow...discipline is the topic! How timely. Maybe "how" isn't exactly my problem, though. I think the problem may be that it's just easier not to (lazy). And then you end up with a 20 year old who won't go to college or leave the house and probably does drugs and disrespects everything you do/say. Great. Agghhh! And then I like to think I'd be so much "better" at all this if Hubby were here. Mmm. Maybe so, maybe no. Hard to know, I guess. It's easy to blame all my anxiety about motherhood on that, but if he were here I'd probably find something else. Has anyone else ever thought this parenting thing is tough (ha ha!). So, if I'd just take a bit of advice from other areas in my life and let God do his thing, I'd probably be a lot less anxious.

OK, getting over the deep stuff. Here are some cute things Baby has done:

-she runs to the front door and puts her face to it to hide from me

-she says "get you, get you!" when she wants me to chase her and tickle her (as in, "I'm gonna get you")

-she loves wearing sun glasses

-she eats her pizza upside down

-she kisses me on the forehead

-she has recently learned what a donkey says (hee haw)

-she takes my hand and says "bzzz" when she wants me to "tickle/sting" her like a bee

-she likes wearing Daddy's tags

-when she is upset she calls for Daddy (mostly when Momma is/isn't doing something she wants)

-she likes apple juice, which is confusing to me...she just started asking for it one day out of the blue. Where did she even taste it?

-she helps me put her toys away

-she tucks her elmo doll into bed with a blanket

-she likes to sing "ring around the roses" (she calls it "ashes") on the trampoline

-she likes me to jump with her on the trampoline (mommy, jump)

-her current favorite song is twinkle twinkle little star

-she likes watching TV in my room after she tucks herself into my bed (I don't like her on the bed, so I refuse to help her up there, but she climbs up there and tucks herself in! It's so cute I don't make her get out).

-she is way more cuter than any photo I've (or anyone else) taken

The End

More broccoli!

I'm the best mother in the world. Well, in the nutrition category, and for tonight only, maybe. But still! Baby asked for more broccoli! Who cares if it was covered in cheese?! So, she got her second helping of broccoli, you better believe it.

So, I'm pretty much worn down to the bone and think this whole The Iraq thing is for the birds, but I can't do a thing about it but complain. So. Here I am. Complaining. Mmmmeehhh. Only 198 days to go. That's nothing, huh?

Seriously?!

So, naturally I open all of Hubby's mail. Get this...the most recent piece was a recruiting flyer from the Army National Guard! Seriously? If he wanted to know more about what it was like and all the so called "benefits" of volunteering, he needed to only call his local recruiter. If I wasn't up-to-date with the awful suicide rate of army recruiters, I mighta just given a call and told them what they could do with their recruiting flyer. I would hate to contribute to anything harmful, but, seriously? There was even a picture of an army uniform with his name on it so he could get the idea of what it must look like.

Well, I'm slowly getting over a 2 week allergy/sinus infection bout. Or at least I think I'm getting over it. At any rate, I'm living through it. Baby is still the sweetest thing you would ever know, and still getting up at 6:30. Ug. Her newest trick is talking in (mostly) complete sentences! It's fun to have a baby conversation with her. Her birthday is in 3 weeks! We're celebrating with our friend Curious George.

Elmo Likes to Potty

So, there is this stupid Elmo potty book I ordered thinking it might help with this potty training business, and it might have (still a LONG way to go), but when you say something like, "Baby, Elmo likes to potty! Let's go potty!" ya know what Baby does? Runs and puts ELMO on the potty and refuses to sit on the potty herself. I guess it makes sense, given the title of the book and all. So, I'm sure Baby is all kinds of confused when I tell her that Elmo likes to potty so SHE can potty too, and then I tell her Elmo isn't allowed on the potty. Mmm. How is that supposed to work, Momma? If Elmo likes to potty, shouldn't he sit on the potty? Good point, Baby. I'm writing a new potty book. It's gonna be called Elmo likes it when YOU potty.

We had a great day today. We did a lot, so I guess it's really best when we are busy. Here is where we went today: the Y, the library, the park, and Chic-fil-a, where, BTW, I did not order enough food for either me OR Baby. We both finished our dinner (chic-fil-a sandy for me, fruit, milk, and 1 chicken strip for Baby), and said, "More, more"! So we had to split an order of 3 more chicken strips. I guess maybe next time I'll just start out with those yummy fries and try not to be so virtuous. It's no surprise Baby has such a great appetite given her mother's.

Ah, time to start puttering around the house to get ready for tomorrow.