Thursday, December 30, 2010

Week in Review

I haven't had much time to blog lately with all the holiday festivities so it's more like a couple weeks in review, just to catch everyone up before the year comes to an end.
Towards the beginning of last week, my brother spent the night here and we made a big mess and made some Christmas cookies...it was a lot of fun decorating them....not so much cleaning up! I wrapped a ton of presents and thankfully everything that we ordered online made it here in plenty of time.
The night before Christmas Eve we got a little present from Sophia...she rolled over for the first time!! As I've said before, she really dislikes tummy time so when we put her on her belly we were surprised that she was really up high on her arms and looking pretty content...no crying or whining at all! Then all the of the sudden she just rolled right over!! Michael and I both were there and saw it and started cheering really loud....and we scared the crap out of poor Sophia, who had no idea what the heck was going on, haha.
Christmas Eve we went to mass and Sophia was a really good girl. After that we packed our SUV to the hilt and drove over to have Christmas Eve dinner at my Aunt Robin's house. Then we got Sophia in her cute Christmas pj's and spent the night at my parents house.
Christmas Day was really nice.....my sister, bro-in-law and nephew came and we opened up lots of wonderful gifts....Sophia sat in my lap and watched cousin Cooper but didn't really partake in the festivities....and eventually fell asleep. She was a good baby the whole day, while we had a delicious meal and lots of family and friends over. It was a very nice first Christmas for her, not that I think she'll really remember it!
We mostly relaxed the day after Christmas....tried out some of our presents...including the Michael Jackson dance game for the Wii...it was hilarious, what a seriously fun game.
On Monday, my mom, sister, Sophia and I spent the better part of the day at Lenox Mall. It was packed. But Sophia slept most of the time we were there and we found some good buys.
Tuesday we had planned to go to the GA Aquarium but we got a late start and it was really crowded downtown. We ended up strolling around Atlantic Station...it was chilly, but not too cold and we warmed up with some hot chocolate.
Today was kind of a lazy day...although I spent the day doing laundry and getting together our stuff since we are heading down to FL to visit with Michael's family for a few days tomorrow morning. Hopefully Sophia will be as good on the long drive as she was the last time.
I can't believe the year is over. It has been such a great year, the best part being the addition of our sweet little Sophia Rose to our family. I am excited, interested, intrigued to see what 2011 holds for us!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Bad Day Turned Great

Today didn't start out so great. To explain exactly why, I have to first tell a little bit about yesterday. When I woke up yesterday morning I noticed that my left eye was a bit red and bloodshot...not much white showing. I tried to not panic, figured maybe there had been something in it as I slept that irritated it....anything but the dreaded pink eye that I had so often as a kid. I took a Claritin in hopes that maybe it was an allergy thing?? By the end of the day, it was not at all better. I took 2 Benadryl when I went to bed, sure that it would be clear by this morning....especially since I had to go to work. And especially since pink eye is gross and contagious and the last thing I wanted to have was something gross and contagious that I could possibly pass on to my baby (not to mention my husband or co-workers and customers).
I woke up early to get ready for work this morning and saw that my eye actually looked worse than yesterday. I knew that I really shouldn't put in my contacts and debated for a full half an hour if I should head to urgent care instead of work. I was actually looking forward to making some sales at work since it is the last Saturday before Christmas and I figured since I go in so infrequently now, if I am going to make any sales at all then today would be the day. But I did realize that my Frankenstein eye was not going to go unnoticed and besides infecting the customers it would probably scare them away. I emailed my boss my regrets and off to the Immediate Care I went.
I hate the Immediate Care. I was there almost a full ten minutes before the place opened and stood in the cold drizzly rain with what looked like 2 other people until the doors opened. Oh. The lady at the front of the line was actually standing in line for both of her non-English speaking Asian parents. Ugh. Whatever. So I am technically patient number 4. I sign in, fill out forms, etc and then wait. Patient number 2 gets called back first, but not for quite a while. I figure I might have a shot to be called back next, I really only have a quick thing that needs to be looked at and it seems the Asian couple is sick and also wants some vaccinations. I am not called back next, the Asian couple and their translator daughter win out over me. It is then that I hear the front desk girl and a nurse mention there is only one doctor there. UGH. After a full hour I am finally called back. There is one other guy who is in the waiting room with me and after about 10 minutes waiting to see a doctor in my little examination room, I hear them call him back. And then more waiting. After quite a long time, probably about 45 minutes, I actually hear the doctor talking to THE GUY THAT WAS CALLED BACK AFTER ME!!!! In fact, I can hear pretty much everything going on, all my waiting room "friends" are still there. At this point, I get really annoyed. Finally the doctor comes to see me. Good thing I wasn't an emergency. He assesses my eye, prescribes me some drops and another medicine and I am out of there at an even 2 hours. After another extremely annoying hour at Walgreens, I finally have my prescriptions and can head home to my daughter....who I have to try and stay away from as much as possible, just in case I haven't already passed her my germs. It is probably close to 1 o'clock at this point and the day is crap.
But later on something totally awesome happened that turned the whole day around. First, it was a small thing....Michael had Sophia on the changing table and he thought she laughed a little when he was doing something silly to make her smile. I wasn't in the room to hear it for sure...but yesterday when I was playing with her, just the two of us, I thought I heard something similar. I wasn't 100% sure it was a laugh though, it could have been some gurgling or something like that and I didn't have anyone else around to hear it.
A few more hours pass and this time I am changing her since Michael is in the kitchen doing something. I think I tickled her a little near her neck, something like that, and there it was again...but this time it was louder and longer and a lot clearer. A laugh!!! And Michael heard it from the kitchen too. It is such a cute little sound, totally out of nowhere and it made me so excited. I completely forgot about my crappy morning and literally spent about an hour trying to get her to do it again. I think I got one more the whole day but it was SO worth it. I can't wait until she laughs and laughs at all the stupid things we do just to hear that sweet sound over and over. I thought that the first time I ever heard her cry when she was first born was the best sound I had ever heard...and it was definitely awesome...but now I know that my little baby girl laughing is the best sound ever. And I can't wait to hear it again!

Friday, December 17, 2010

The Friday Five

Wow, Friday came around quick. I don't think I really have 5 random things to say that occurred during the week (since there isn't much random about trying to get a 3 month old into a routine....feed, change, nap, repeat) so this will be a themed Friday Five....things I am thankful for this time of year.
1. The obvious...I am so thankful to have my little baby girl Sophia. I can barely remember not having her, but I know that things weren't quite complete until she arrived.
2. I am thankful that I don't have to work full time and can go in to my job every once in a while, even sometimes bringing the baby with me. I can't imagine leaving Sophia every single day for the entire day...I would miss her like crazy and never get a thing done. I love my time with her.
3. I am thankful that my husband works so hard to take care of us. Plus he helps with cleaning the bottles and changing the diapers and he will cook for us and lots of other things. I definitely ended up with a great husband and I love him.
4. I am thankful for my family and friends. I have no idea what I would do without them. Or how I would get through a week not talking to any of them. I get a little sad that I don't get to see some of my friends (or even some of my family) as much as I would like to, but thank God for all the different ways of communication these days that keeps me in touch....I literally would go crazy if I were alone.
5. I am thankful for all the things I have. Some people literally have nothing. I might think I live in a small condo or might think I need a new pair of shoes but I don't really need a thing...I have plenty of clothes and food and things...more than enough. Plus, looking at the previous 4 things I am thankful for, the most important things to me aren't really things at all. I am very lucky. I know there are so many out there that aren't even half as lucky as me and that is a sad thing. I donate my old clothes/shoes/books/etc to the Goodwill a couple times every year when I am cleaning a closet or trying to make room for something else (more things) but I am going to try to make time (ambitious of me, I know) to get a big bag of donations ready before Christmas (or at least before the new year) since this is a good time of year for giving and that will put me in the Christmas spirit even more than presents or trees or baking cookies. :-)

Thursday, December 16, 2010

What a Weird Question

Lately I feel like I have been blogging about those who annoy me or get on my nerves or do downright stupid things, etc. Either I am getting too touchy about things or just need a good long break from reality (not going to happen so it's probably the touchiness that is the issue).
I had to go into work a few days ago and thankfully I have a great boss who doesn't mind if I bring Sophia with me. She was a really good baby on this particular day and just stayed asleep in her carrier almost the whole time. But the carrier is near me at the desk so all the customers can see her......not something I mind at all (showing off my little cutie!)....until I start to get the weird questions. Sure, a lot of the questions are typical (whose baby? how old? what's her name? is she your first?).....but one older couple that came in actually asked me this weird question and oddly, they were not the first to ask it of me....."When are you planning on having another?"
I answered with my standard "Not for a while" line but after the fact (and for the past couple of days) I have been thinking about what a strange question that is and why in the world do so many people ask it. This particular couple doesn't even know me (or my husband) so why do they care when and how many kids I have? Why does anyone else (besides me or my husband) really care so much about this topic? Is it just something to say when they can't think of anything else? It is seriously annoying since there is absolutely nothing wrong with the adorable 3 month old baby that we have now and this question over and over makes me think maybe she was a good try but we need to keep trying for that "perfect" baby or something like that.
I have started to think of some good remarks to the next people that dare to ask me this question.....
1. We only live in a 2 bedroom condo so we don't have room for any more kids. Sure, they may think we are poor but that should leave them feeling a little uncomfortable.
2. We don't make enough money yet to support another baby....we barely make enough to support this one and the two of us! Again, that should get them squirming a bit.
3. There is nothing wrong with the little baby we have so until there is we won't try for another. And no, we don't ever want anything to be wrong with her. She is perfect and always will be.
4. Is our reproductive schedule your business?? Nope, didn't think so. This one is a little rude and snarky so I'll probably just say that one in my head.
5. We aren't trying to compete with the Duggars so we'll have another when we feel like it. Hopefully I won't have to go into who the Duggars are since that will weaken my comeback quite a bit.
All that being said, if I really thought about the question, I don't know when we will plan to add another baby to our family. I feel like I love the one we have SO much and we are getting to know her and love her more every day that I can't imagine having to split that love between more kids. But I would definitely like to have more kids and I know I will end up loving them just as much. Just right now my whole life is about Sophia and I am fine with that. Plus there is some truth to some of my snotty comebacks....we would need a bigger living space and more income to support a larger family. Which I know those things will come as well....in time. So everyone (family, friends, and strangers alike) can just relax....we'll have more kids but it won't be anytime too soon and we will let you know when it happens for sure.....just don't ask me that question for at least a couple years!!!!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Birthday Shout-Out!

To my little brother, Dillon James.
Seventeen years ago he came into the world and the Mercer family was then complete. Cheesy, but true! (See my sister's wonderful blog for the details of that day as she remembers it and her own b-day shout out to him)
Mostly I just want to say that I am very lucky to have such a wonderful little brother....he has gone from adorable baby to handsome young man and I am very proud of him and the person he has become. Sure, he knows about a thousand ways to annoy me but that just comes with the territory of any younger sibling! I definitely consider him my friend and a wonderful uncle to my daughter....as much as he is grossed out by her spitting up (which she unfortunately does often) I can tell that he loves her as much as she loves him....and he is going to be a great Godfather for her.
I hope that I tell him enough how much I love him and am proud of him....seventeen years has flown by and before I can blink I will probably be blogging about him at college and his wedding and his kids and all his great accomplishments....hope it doesn't go too fast, I am looking forward to enjoying all those moments with my favorite brother! :-)

Friday, December 10, 2010

The Friday Five

I have seen some other fellow bloggers do this and thought I might do the same, if nothing more than to make sure I at least post one blog a week! Basically it is just five completely random items that have to do with me, my family, my life, my week....just whatever! So, here we go.

1. Sophia HATES tummy time. We put her on her tummy a few times a day and she puts her head up for like 3 seconds and then gets mad and smashes her face into whatever we have put her face down on. So, we know she can do it, she is just stubborn and dislikes it immensely. Not sure yet how to fix that problem!!
2. Michael had his last class of grad school on Wednesday. I am SO SO happy about that. Not only will he now have an MBA, he will be able to stay home with us every night and we can do normal family things together.
3. We are going to Michael's work Christmas party tomorrow night. I have attended it every year (except last year) since 1996. And that is not necessarily a good thing. At least the last several times haven't ended with any throwing up, haha.
4. In relation to item #3, I have to actually put on a nice, normal, non-maternity party dress. Ugh. Even though the scale says I am finally the same weight as before I got pregnant with Sophia, the mirror says gross, go get a personal trainer or liposuction...or both! Ugh. Needless to say, the dress is black.
5. Despite items 3 and 4, I am actually in the Christmas spirit and excited for the holiday. The last couple of years I was so busy with working extra hours (in retail) and so tired that I didn't even decorate....this year we have a real tree and lots of decorations and plans to make cookies and a gingerbread house. Oh yeah, and we have Sophia! I think that even though she won't know what is going on and won't even remember it, I want to make her first Christmas really special. :-)

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Need to Just Stop Watching.....

Reality TV!!! I admit that day time television is pretty lame and I get stuck watching all sorts of weird and worthless shows when Sophia and I are cuddling on the couch during the day. I will often TiVo shows that I know Michael won't watch so that I can have at least some shows of interest for us to watch during the day so we are not at the mercy of the daytime line up. Unfortunately some of those shows are just as bad. I know that I have blogged about this particular show in the past (and really just need to stop watching it altogether) but I can't help but comment on a situation that occurred in a recent episode of 16 & Pregnant.
I really truly do not expect mother-of-the-year awards for any of these young (and very often unfit) teenage moms but I guess I am just naive or stupid enough to expect a little common sense....some maternal instinct that would kick in to suggest some activities are just not appropriate to do with your newborn.
The episode actually seemed to be going quite well (I mean, as well as a show about a pregnant teenager could go)....the girl had supportive and present parents and a baby-daddy that actually wanted to be involved and marry her and all that. Her baby was born 5 weeks premature but healthy. So how did this show go so wrong in my eyes? Well, at about 5 or 6 weeks old, the girl decides to take her baby horseback riding with her. Yeah, you read that correctly. She decided to take her infant preemie son on a horseback ride with her. What in the world?? I'm not even sure where to start on this topic as far as the thoughts going through my head. Like for example, her parents or at the very least, the baby's father, didn't find anything wrong with that?? She put him in a baby carrier and strapped it to her chest.....but as far as I could tell, the baby was probably too little for even that. And then she practically crushed him as she hoisted herself up onto the horse (with the help from her baby's daddy)!!! After jostling him around (I was holding my breath as his tiny head bounced around) for a good ten minutes or so she finally decided it wasn't going to work out. No kidding.
I have GOT to stop watching this stupid, stupid show. After 3 or 4 seasons I think the world gets it...don't have a baby as a teenager. Thankfully I really don't have to watch it to learn valuable lessons about what NOT to do with a baby. No horseback riding for me and Sophia. Check. No spending all our income on giant speakers for the trunk of our car (compliments of last weeks episode). Check. And both Michael and I have graduated high school AND college already so we don't have to try and squeeze in studying for our GED. Phew.
I really do feel bad for these kids. I also feel bad that there seems to be SO many teenagers that are reproducing....it's pretty easy these days to figure out how to keep that from happening, even if your parents and your school don't offer up all the various ways of prevention. I guess MTV feels like they are "helping" by showing all the sad stories of kids having kids....but I think they are missing the mark. If a teenager doesn't know that she shouldn't put her infant baby on a horse then another teenager might not get the "don't have a teen pregnancy" message.
I have actually learned a very valuable lesson from this show though..........
STOP WATCHING IT!!!!!! Guess my own common sense failed me on that one. I'll just go back to watching regular daytime television now!!

Monday, December 6, 2010

There are No Words for Some People...

I had a great weekend and will update all that in a minute, but first the main point of today's blog....
Today Sophia and I ventured out to the mall so I could get some shoes for the party dress I already bought for this coming weekend (Michael's work party). Sophia wasn't really feeling the shopping but with the party so soon I needed to get out and get the chore done and she had no choice but to come with me. I ended up finding TWO cute pairs in Macy's at a really good discount and stood in a short line to check out. As I was finishing up with paying, a sales associate noticed my stroller and came around so she could "take a closer look at the baby". Well, ok, whatever. She takes a good look and laughs and says loudly "Oh, she's so FAT, what are you feeding her?"
What. The. HELL??!!!
Was that supposed to be a compliment? Cause you sure missed the mark, lady. I would take it personally if someone flat out called me fat (and I at least really could stand to lose some weight) and I took it quite personally with someone calling my baby fat. Especially since she is really not fat at all...she does have some cute chubby cheeks, I'll give her that, but we've only been in size 1 diapers for several weeks now and she is between 0-3 month and 3-6 month clothing...and she is 3 months so that seems pretty average. The doctor has said she is right at 50th percentile on the charts for weight. To me that does not say fat.
As a mental explosion went off in my brain, I tried to just chuckle a bit as I answered the lady, "well, since she's only 3 months we still only feed her formula". And I walked off as she said something else, who knows what, probably that the fat apple didn't fall far from the fat tree or something equally rude. She's lucky I didn't tell her what I thought of her! Needless to say, our shopping trip ended shortly after that. At least I got what I went for.

On to more positive topics. This past weekend was really busy, but really fun. Friday night I met my mom and sister at the movies to see Burlesque while Michael watched Sophia. The movie was great and Daddy and baby had a good time together....till she screamed for about an hour at the end, haha. She must've missed her mommy!! Saturday morning we took Sophia and my sister brought my nephew Cooper up to Michael's work to see Santa....Sophia didn't mind the old guy but Coop wasn't having it and my sister had to sit on Santa's lap too to get the picture! We had a great afternoon watching the Auburn game (War Eagle!) and then Sunday I did a little shopping with my mom and sister and we ended the evening with the whole family at a nice Italian restaurant. All in all it was a wonderful weekend and all the fun Christmas festivities seem to be in full swing. I am glad that I am getting in to the Christmas spirit, I think having Sophia in the family has really made it so the holidays are fun and exciting!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Wow, Time Flies!

So I can't believe that 9 weeks have passed since my last blog! I have a 12 week old baby now...and she is growing fast and changing everyday. Sophia Rose definitely keeps me busy and on my toes. But I love being her Mommy and wouldn't have it any other way. :-)
Good news, we got a new laptop computer this week. I think it will be SO helpful to me to have an actual functional laptop, at least where blogging is concerned! I can just fire up the laptop in any room I am in (mine, Sophia's, the living room on the couch...which is where I am right now...with Sophia laying on the couch right next to me!) and blog away. I am glad I should be able to keep my few followers more in the loop on my life, haha. Now I just have to figure out how to get all my pictures loaded on this computer so I can add those to the blog as well....lots and lots of Sophia pictures!
Well I guess this isn't much of an update but I wanted to let everyone know that I am not completely off the map and will be blogging much more frequently in the future....can't wait!!