210 Days of Mommyhood

As I hit day two hundred and ten of motherhood I can't help but pull out the calculator (math isn't my thing) and put some perspective on how many days we have to go till' it's day three hundred & sixty-five, drum roll please....155! When I look to the days ahead I realize that summer is going to come to an end and with the cold weather I've got pea coats, scarves & mittens in lieu of a bunting suit to look forward to.



My little Elle is more than I could have ever asked for. She's got rolling down and is well on her way to crawling. She's still figuring out how to maneuver her legs to get moving but it's coming together. She's definitely giving it her all with her head laying flat and her bottom in the air and her legs moving but just not the rest of her. One day she'll put it all together I just hope I can keep up! She still doesn't have teeth but they're on there way, right?! Our pediatrician's kid got they're teeth on the later end of a year so until there is something to worry about...I won't. Besides her pretty smile is all gums and there is just something so precious about it.

Me and Elle have come a long way when it comes to church on Sunday's. I'm so very proud of us! I want to start with our ride this past Sunday morning. The sun can blind my poor girl and this particular time I couldn't help but laugh. My first thought was Elle is definitely honors level material. She had the sun in her eyes but this time around she didn't just take it she actually moved her head around to get it out of the sun. I was impressed. But then decided I should pull over and put her sunglasses on. If she could understand that the sun was in her eyes then ofcourse she'd get that the sunglasses were there to help. In theory that makes sense; however, that was not the case. By the time we were getting back on the road she had taken them off! We kept trucking and when we got to a red light I tried putting her glasses back on but still no luck! We also scored with our parking spot too! There was a car pulling out but I passed them basically burned rubber and circled the parking lot to get back to it, it was in the very front of the church, primo spot. I did have to be just a wee bit aggressive in attaining it which I know isn't very nice but I've got a heavy baby to carry & it was either there or in the overflow lot, so cut me some slack! Looking back to the first time I dropped her off at the nursery, I was terrified. I'm pretty sure I spent the entire hour with an accelerated heart beat, but we made it! This Sunday though when I came to pick her up she was sitting and had her sandal in her mouth. No tears in sight and all smiles! I guess she's getting the hang of it. I know she gave the ladies there a run for there money and I'm so glad that they didn't buzz me at the first sight of tears and by tears I mean pissed off, fussy, tired theatrics...thank you sweet baby Jesus!

Time flies when you're having fun! XOXO

Elle & the carrots vs. Mommy

I lost & my white tank top was a causality! XOXO

Sorching, sweltering, sizzling...in other words, HOT!

Over the weekend me, Elle & my niece, Tatiana spent the afternoon with Tracy and her god daughter Ella. There was a festival going on at a park in the city and I couldn't think of a better way to get out and have some fun! There are the girls all buckled in and ready to go! Aren't they some cuties :)

We made it to the park right as things were getting started. After cruising by the booths we ended up at the playground and that's where we spent the rest of our afternoon. Tatiana and Ella had a fun time playing and me and Elle had a lunch break. As the girls were playing the inflatables were in the final stages of going up and Tots was all about em'! There was an alligator and a crayola playhouse that she had fun on. Ella did her best to keep up but it just wasn't in the cards for her. She's not quite there yet in the being able to play and jump without adult assistance, but she gave it her best! GO ELLA! The next thing to catch Tatiana's eye was one of those jumpy contraptions. I have no idea what they're really called but they strap you in and you jump. Well the sun had kicked in full force and was beaming down on us from above. Tots really wanted to do it and since the line wasn't very long, we were in it to win it. The waiting was unbearable for both of us for very different reasons. I'll start with her, she's an impatient four year old. She was just steps from being able to jump her lil' heart out. She kept asking me if it was her turn and I did my best to explain to her (several times might I add) that she had to wait her turn, everyone had to wait there turn, it's called being fair. I'm pretty sure she wasn't impressed with my answer but my next line of defense was to use a nick jr. cartoon to help explain things but something told me she just wasn't in to mood, she just wanted to jump! It was right around here where another mom and myself were ready to jump one of the guys working there. Apparently, there were two lines and when he went to strap in a kid who hadn't even begun to break a sweat we pounced on him. Actually, she took the lead and I played back-up, but don't let that fool you...I meant business too! But fair is fair and we just picked the wrong line...hahahaha! I thought our odds were better staying put and waiting it out with the little kids since the bigger ones would probably be better jumpers and would be able to last longer. So there were two kids in front of us and after me and another mom tried to beat up the guy working the activity, one of those said children was strapped in and we just had one little girl standing in our way. In what seemed like an eternity it was FINALLY our turn, WOO HOO BABY! Now this is where I'll give Tots some credit. She only jumped a few times and in just a matter of minutes she was scared and she demanded that the guy get her unstrapped, to the point where she was ready to un-do herself from it. I took my "mom's not playing, in this case auntie B means business" and told her to stop. After a quick diaper change & reapplying of sunscreen I was placing Elle back in her stroller & Tots was ready to take her sneakers off and put her flip flops on. We're so high maintenance!

On our way to the exit we stopped for a quick bite. I got Tots a slice of pizza and some pink lemonade. We stopped at a picnic area to enjoy it. And since the benches were hurting Tatiana's bottom we moved to another spot, I tell you it's always something with that girl! Next problem, the slice of pizza was too big for her to hold on her own. So being the great aunt that I am, I held it and fed it to her. All the while giving bites to Ella too! When we were all done Tracy took a moment to remind Ella that's how you share because prior to that when Tracy had given Tots one of her juices she had a small meltdown about it. Before we started our trek to the car we got a group shot!



After a few tears shed by Ella from not wanting to sit in her stroller in favor of wanting to walk, we were back at the car and loading the girls in. In no time at all they were all soundly asleep, GO VEE & TRA'!



The day before our perspiring park adventure we went swimming at Tracy's! And this time I actually put on a bathing suit so that Elle could fully enjoy the water. I know, I'm just a good mom like that. It took her a few minutes to warm up to it but before you knew it she was having a great time. Kicking her feet, giggling, and enjoying the water!

Here's to more fun in the sun. XOXO

Summer Lovin'

This past weekend are best summed up as two fun days in the sun!

On Saturday we went to Tracy's and lounged by the pool. It was Elle's first pool day! Oh, how I love the first's we get to experience together. It took us an unusually long time to get out of the house. I must have gone back in at least three times to grab something I forgot only to realize there was something else and oh yeah, one more thing too! Geez! But before you knew it we had the wind in our hair and our baby einstein cd playing our favorite tunes. Elle's acquired a new talent. She can get one of her shoes off (usually it's the left one), by rubbing her little feet together and then she proceeds to suck on it. She had her very cute white eyelet ones in her mouth pretty much the entire way we were on on way to Tracy's. I wasn't really up to fighting with her in the car so I let her go ahead and enjoy herself, who am I to ruin someone's good time?! LOL. Once we finally got to Tracy's I got Elle changed in to her swimsuit. It's a tankini & it's brown zebra print (ofcourse it's a print. mom has yet to meet a print that she didn't like!) and has pink accents. It's soooooo cute! It took me awhile to commit to buying Elle a bathing suit they are all so cute but I just hadn't found something I loved. Well finally one faithful trip to Babies "R" Us, I spotted it & it was love at first sight. As I was changing Elle's diaper, I had her on the floor and her diaper was open and she got me, like a little cherub fountain...LOL! It was actually very funny & it didn't even phase Tracy she's gotta a dog so she's familiar with the accidents that happen, kids and dogs I tell you! We headed out to the pool and went to dip our feet in the water. Maybe next time I'll put a suit on but I was in shorts and a tube top, classic Vanessa. And Elle thoroughly enjoyed herself! She kicked her little feet around but once I sat her in the water she had a minor freak out and well that was a enough of that. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the shade and after a bottle and sunscreen application Elle was taking a nap. We had a great time with Tracy and are both definitely looking forward to more pool days!



Sundays are reserved for Dizzy. And this Sunday she invited us to tag along with her to her 10 year high school reunion cook out. To say that it was hot was a gross understatement. The sun was shining and it was blazing! We were both in purple dresses (in support of the Lakers....ofcourse!) FYI-as it stands the series is tied 2-2. And speaking of the Lakers, Dizzy has a very cute picture of yours truly in my Lakers tank...hmmmm?! Well being that I was not a graduate of Mays, I didn't know anyone there but there were a few familiar faces; people that I've met through Dizzy. It made me think of my own reunion that is on the horizon and my first thought was there won't be that many black people there....LOL! It also made me very glad that I've chosen the school for Elle that I have. Diversity is so important and so is knowing that black is beautiful, in all of its shades. After about two hours we threw in the towel. Elle was sweating her lil' butt off! I think she was having fun but I'm sure she was happy to be in the cool air conditioned car. Once we got home I gave her a bath and we enjoyed what was left of the weekend together.

I laid her in her crib while I put away some laundry. And this is what my tiny acrobat did:





Auntie Sam thought this was very funny! She started to call Elle's crib, "baby jail" and in no time flat my niece had joined in :) PS-can we talk about how she's actually looking at the camera & is that a smile I see?! Oh yeah it is! Progress baby, progress :)

OH! I almost forgot. Me and Elle had another first this weekend. On Sunday morning at church I dropped Elle off at the nursery! This was a very big step for me but I was looking forward to being able to focus & it ended up being just what I needed to hear. They gave me one of those buzzers you get at restaurants when your table is ready. Even though I spent the hour in a silent panic...we both made it! Although when I went to pick her up she was crying she had been fine the entire time they said. She was just tired. As soon as I got her calmed down, in the car & pulled over to feed her, she drifted off to sleep. She was really sleeping because when I got into the house and got her out of her car seat she stayed asleep! SCORE! Mom got to enjoy a bowl of cereal :)

Summertime fun has just begun...XOXO

Ms. Poopy Pants

The last few weeks have been filled with all sorts of things. None of which I can actually recall right now! It's both funny & sad that I'm busy, tired, hungry, and as I sit here trying to recall it all...BLANK!

What sticks out most poignantly is the rough few days when Elle's pipes were just a wee bit out of wack. First time around I called our pediatrician while simultaneously doing a bing search. What the doctor said and my findings matched up (not that I value the opinion of some looney person over that of a degreed professional, just saying). The verdict was give a couple tablespoons of apple juice. Well, my mother was still a bit concerned so I knocked things up a notch and called an advice nurse. She said there wasn't anything to be alarmed about yet. Apparently, when it comes to diarrhea and babies what constitutes "diarrhea" is an increase in the number of times she's going versus the consistency. I know this may be more then you'd like to know but seriously this is my life. I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to! Later that afternoon I got a follow up call from our pediatrician. She just wanted to make sure everything was okay and she said we could give Elle some pedialyte too. Other than that we should stick to starches (i.e. bananas, applesauce & rice cereal) to thicken the poo up. After the pedialyte things seemed to be back in working order. WHEW! The worst one to date (since I know you really wanna know and who am I to not share?!) She got poo-poo all over herself, literally. It was like a grenade went off! I'm not exaggerating. It was all over her back, the back of her dress (which I had to rinse out and put in the dryer so it didn't disrupt the color scheme for the day), & the chair she was sitting in. I wanted to cry but it was too funny to do anything but laugh. All I can think is one day I might be able to return the favor!

Here's to potty training and big girl panties....

XOXO

180 Days of Mommyhood

We made it halfway! In another six months I'll have all the makings of a little person on my hands. I've decided it's a catch-22! One one hand I'm looking forward to what the next months have in store but on the other hand it's like my baby is disappearing right before my eyes. Sometimes I find myself looking at her and can't help but think, "WHERE DID MY BABY GO?!"

Elle's six month check-up was about eight days before her official anniversary. And me and her Auntie Sam took her. I hadn't been to the pediatrician's office since I entered back into the workforce from the glorious time I spent as a SAHM (AKA-maternity leave). It was great to see the doctor! Of course in true mom fashion I had Auntie Sam snapping pictures. Which our pediatrician has become accustomed to. She even commented about how I'd have the pictures on facebook later that day! Yes, she really is that awesome. Everything checked out well! She's actually above average in the weight dept. but no worries, she looks healthy & not fat! She weighed in at 16 lbs. & 13 oz. which was actually very funny because the girl weighing her said 26 lbs. at first. Me and my sister looked at each other and I asked the girl if she was sure, LOL! Elle was also due for some vaccinations. Three to be exact, one oral and the other two the good ol' fashion way. I'd have to say that Elle did a great job! She cried but after some hugs and kisses from mom & a bottle she was ready to get dressed and head out. The good news is that on her next visit she won't get any shots! Now if there was only a way I could let her know that?! Her next one's aren't due till she's a year. It's so weird to even type that. A year. She's gonna be a year!

That seems like the perfect way to segway into what I've recently just begun, as of yesterday to be exact...planning Elle's first birthday! I thought I had a plan of what I wanted to do and after just a few clicks all of that changed. I've got folder and after printing out a pretty informative article on how to plan a 1st birthday party, I'm officially ready! I think I've settled on the invites, the theme is coming together and the party favors are going to be fabulous! To say I'm beyond excited is nowhere close to what I'm feeling and let me remind you that we've got six months to go! I really feel like this birthday is going to set the standard. It's like it's a test. I know it's not really a test, but just go with it. I realize this isn't something she's going to remember so I'll hold off on the petting zoo & clowns until it's appropriate. Oh, yes! I mean birthday business baby :) If Elle knows nothing else early on she'll know this: I LOVE HER! I take pictures of everything. I'm not matchy-matchy but if I'm wearing yellow, she's wearing yellow. I plan everything! And it's that planning that means she is going to be having a blast & that's what is most important to me. I've already got the makings of a social butterfly on my hands. Her face literally lights up when we head out the front door and she's super friendly!

She's a tiny version of her momma! Six months down and six to go...

XOXO