Here... look at my Baby!

Sometimes I think that's all I say!  Well... maybe not say  it but that's how I feel.  I have always known I never wanted to be "That" parent.  You know what I am talking about.  We all know them.  They are everywhere.  The parents that post every photo of their kid, tweet, or status update about every little thing that they do.  Everything from their first tooth to pooping in the toilet.  No... I knew I didn't want to be "That" parent.       

But some days I feel like I have crossed that line too many times.  Not a day goes by where Ainsley doesn't do or say something funny or new. I am constantly grabbing my phone to capture it. It's not that I am one of "those" parents who has to share all the amazing accomplishments she does. I don't post them to brag about how advanced she is.  I post them so you... my family and friends... will not feel like you are missing out on her growing up. Or at least that is just what I tell myself to keep me feeling that I am NOT "That" parent.  I promise not to update you with every moment in her life.  Because I am sure you all don't want to know everything that we do. And... sorry... I will not be bloging or taping the potty training sessions.  Sorry!

Anyway...

 

Kevin and I have been talking about our goals for 2012 since before Christmas.  I am really excited to unveil our "OPERATION 2012" project in the next few weeks.  Instead of resolutions this year (which we always end up dropping by the end of January)  we decided to focus on the year itself.  What do we want to accomplish by the end of 2012?  And we have the entire year to "Make It Happen!" 

I bring this up because one of the things that I want to work on for this year is posting regularly on our blog.  Not just for us.  But for our kids in the years to come and for our family and friends.  Ever since we got the iphone posting has gotten a bit easier but I have needed the computer to do multiple photos and video.  That was until now.  This new iphone 4S is amazing.  And thanks to it I am able to take photos and video (sometimes) and instantly load them up to our blog.  So this explains all the multiple video postings of Ainsley these past few weeks. 

I would like to post more updates about Ainsley and the things she is interested in.  I tried to make this my goal last year but that sort of failed.  So I have made it my goal, once more.  This time with the goal of blogging at least three times a month.  So... I want to apologize if it seems like all I do some months is post photos or videos of Ainsley.  Because there might come a month where I cross that line again and become "That" parent.   

The Bar is Open...

Tonight (as we are driving up to Orlando) I came upon this post on BabyCenter. I usually ignore the "mommy complaint" articles but this one caught my attention. Maybe it was the title...

Anyway it was about how this group of moms pretty much have a vent session. And they call it "Bar is Open!" like your sitting at the bar venting to a bartender about your problems.

It got me thinking... I really don't vent to anyone about what's troubling me. So why not put it out there? Get it off my back...

So here I go...

"I have some sort of sinus infection that started yesterday. I cant stop sneezing and blowing my nose. I slept on a chair in the baby's room last night because I was afraid I would crush her and not know it because I was drugged up on Nyqul. Today (while I was making baby food) the baby fell out of her bouncer (I forgot to buckle her in) and onto our tile floor. I felt so bad I didn't put her down for 5 hours. We are now on our way to Orlando (hubby has a meeting tomorrow) and traffic is horrible. I'm sitting here listening to my husband talk about how tired he is, how over weight he is, etc. He says he wants an hour each day to exercise... I just want 10 minutes to take a shower.... Add just a few money issues and nothing to wear for a wedding on Saturday top off my day!

I never would do this in real life... But serve me up a Rita in a plastic cup with a straw... I've got a long drive ahead of us."

It actually worked. I fell so much better. I'm going to have to do these "Bar is Open" more often!

'twas the night before Christmas

And apt 913 left something burning... Next thing we know the alarm bells were ringing. We all hurried down the 10 flights of stairs... Looking around at lots of worried concern stares. The fireman came on their trucks filled with lights... Using their fans to blow the smoke out into the night. An hour or so they all reappeared... Not covered in soot and packed up their gear. It was safe to go back now to our festive night... And get ready for bed and Santa's delights.

My little 10th floor garden

Moving to this new place has me  trying new things:  Working out, cooking more at home, eating healthy...  I even started a little garden.  Now I have never had a green thumb.  Something that was never passed down to me by my Grandfather... but living here has me attempting a green thumb.   I still have Charlie "the cactus" that has been with me since before Kevin and I got married.  He survived living in NC 1 year so I got others.  I was able to keep them alive...  they even made the move down here to Florida.  Sad to say the last of my other cactuses died last year... :(  But Charlie is still kicking.  He has even sprouted other Charlies in his pot.  I honestly thought he was a goner when we moved.  He was all dried up but I decided not to give up on Charlie.  So I replanted him and gave him some Cactus Juice.  And a week later he was growing green again.  Then one night I was inspired after reading a kids recycling/ Green Earth book (that I got for work) to plant my own tomato seeds (from a left over tomato).  So I cut the seeds out of the tomatoes, let them dry, then planted them in a yogurt cup.  A week later... GREEN stuff!  So I headed to the Home Depot 2 weeks ago and got some more pots and other gardening stuff - I came home and replanted them and amazingly enough they actually grew...  and they are still green and still growing.    I may have to name him Bob (after the Tomato in Veggie Tales).  While I was at the Depot I picked up some herbs too.   I have decided to grow fresh Sweet Basil and Cilantro.  Yummy...  I love the smell of fresh basil.  And every time you step out on the balcony you get a sniff of it.  I am still in shock that things are actually growing and staying green.  Every time I look out there at my little 10th floor garden I get so excited... I made those!      

Miami Evenings...

Finally, the weekend has arrived!  I sat out on our balcony last night looking up at the night sky and watching the sun set over Dadeland.  After living in eastern NC for 18 years and living in the suburbs of Kendall I finally feel as if I live in a big city!   And I love every minute of it.  Last night I sat outside for about 2 hours and just watched the cars drive by, listen to the metro rail, goal tend the railing so the cats don't fall over, look at the city lights, and enjoying a glass of Strawberry Riesling (from that cute winery outside Tampa that I stopped off at last tour).  It was a perfect start to a much needed weekend after a really crappy Miami-Tropics wet week.  Kevin and I went to our old Target Thursday in search of the patio chairs he wanted.  Target just put them on sale and by the time we figured out - our Target was sold out.  So we headed to West Kendall.  There they were... we even got a new little chair for Lillian (not sure she liked the fact that I told her she had to share when Jayden and Tyler visit- cause I have to pry her out of it to get her inside.   Then again maybe she likes being outside on the balcony too.)  When we got back from Target we sat outside playing Phase 10 and drinking a bud for an hour and a half till I really needed to go to bed.  Last night I fell asleep out there waiting for Kevin to come home from work.  It's silly, but I think this is my new favorite room in our new place.  

Home Sweet Home

Our new home! We finally moved from the Hammocks to the Dadeland area (South Miami/ Downtown Kendall). WHOOOO HOOOOO!

You can see our place in this photo. Look at the traffic light. At the top of the pole go up one window. That balcony is our next door neighbor. The window right next to it (going back away from the road) is one of our bedroom windows. And our place takes up the entire side of the building.

We live on the 10th floor. IT is so cool to look out the window and see the Grove and then look the other way and see a city skyline.

We love this place! We are walking distance to everything - Target, Best Buy, the Metro-fail, Dadeland Mall (Banana Republic), Restaurants (Chilis, Panera, etc.). We are a short metro ride from Sunset Place to a lot of other restaurants (Outback and Carrabbas), Whole Foods, and Barnes and Noble. There is a pool and cool gym on the 7th floor, a coffee bar (with free coffee and free wi-fi) in the building, and the most importantly a garage. So hopefully we will no longer have any car issues.

The Snapper Creek (as in the Snapper Creek Expressway or the 878) goes right outside our window. During our first inpromptu party (thanks to Chilis happy hour) Colleen, Lucy, Pancho, and Sommer (with Kevin and I) stood outside on our balcony and noticed there was a baby manatee swimming outside our window. How cool is that?

This is an amazing place. I don't think I never want to leave here!

Happy St. Patricks Day

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!  

This March 17th- Kevin and I headed down to South Miami along with Zory and Jeff.  We had a great time hanging out at this new bar... Irish Times.  

We drank Guinness and I even ordered an order of Corned Beef and Cabbage!    I still have to crack up at all the Latino people wearing green "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" shirts...  there must have been at least 75 of them.  Any excuse to drink - I suppose!  

Things Arianne learned in 2007

Things Arianne learned in 2007

1. My Cars are not safe in West Kendall. Both of them… In the ghetto of the Grove… Yes! They even get a bath for free from the local drug dealer. But Kendall? Hell NO! And neither are the seats…. Which seem to be very popular… not the whole engine of my car… but the busted up seats.
2. Car payments suck! Even though I love my Mini! Debt is BAD… The Banana Republic is EVIL! And sometimes I can't help but be Bad with Evil! And bit by bit I am overcoming it all!
3. Heated Seats are indeed useful in Miami, Florida.
4. Turning 29 was not as bad and I thought it was going to be. Yes, I had my "Rachel" moment. But now… it doesn't matter so much.
5. There is always drama in theatre…
6. Wearing the Doodle Bird outfit for 45 minutes a day will help take off those love handles and flabby waist.
7. Its better to be with the drunk than be like a teenager with no alcohol.
8. It's ok to take time for me! If I don't – no one will! If I throw myself down over the puddle for others – they will walk over me!
9. I would have enjoyed The Mummy Ride a lot more those 10 times if I would have gotten my cup of coffee!
10. Face your fears – like being tied to a wire and swinging off of a trapeze swing! I can do anything! Especially when you have great friends cheering you on!
11. Massages are fun! And justly deserved!
12. I shouldn't take 6am flights anymore… I can't keep my mouth shut!
13. My nephew Jayden is one cool 2 year old! And he has helped me realize that I wouldn't be a horrible mom! I am no longer afraid to have children now. I'm ready! After I get back from Europe… ?
14. 10 years = tons of laughs and tons of tears! But I have the best friend in the world. And even though I tried to give up on us in the past – we are still together. He is my rock. I am his voice! And together we make one hell of a team! And our luggage (as matched as it may be) will travel the world together for another 10 years – and more…
15. The Red Sox are not just the best baseball team in the world… but a glimmer of hope for those who feel lost… Keep the Faith! If all you can think about when you get up in the morning is Baseball – then Honey you were meant to be in Baseball! And there's no crying in Baseball!

I can't wait to see what I learn in 2008

Just a day in the life...

Bored Arianne writes:

So we are sitting in the effects of our "FIRST" Tropical Storm of the season. Alberto is causing a little rain here in Miami... by the end of the week my transportation to work will be a boat. And we only have HOW MANY MORE MONTHS OF THIS CRAP?? 5??

I am sooooo wanting to move and we just moved here a year ago... Its either monsoon wet or so hot you are making your own puddle of water... ROFL... and the Air conditioning in my car has gone on strike or moved back to NC without me.... ROFL...

Today Kevin had the day off and was in the mood to go shopping (CLOTHES) so I immediately drove him to the nearest mall when we got cut off by this not so nice person (we were waiting to turn left into the mall and he cut in front of us so he can turn first as we were getting ready to turn)... so I honked the horn and gave him the Miami Salute and he rolled down his window and returned the salute so I yelled out the window "Learn to (Beep) Drive"... he then opened his door to and looked like he was going to get out... and then he shut it making his turn before the light turned Green for the other oncoming lanes... ROFL... leaving us in the middle of the intersection (cause we were there first getting ready to turn but stopped to avoid hitting his stupid head) and then when we turned into the mall he was there waiting for us and proceeded to follow us around the mall... so Kevin took him all around the ENTIRE Mall... finally he got the hint and turned... my finger on the send on my 911 cell call the entire time.... Kevin and I laughing the entire time... ROFL.... WOW... I will not be doing that again... anyway we get back out to US1 and Kevin says "I prefer the Falls anyway"... ROFL... so we head to the Falls. WELCOME TO MIAMI!

We headed to the Gap cause when I was home with my Sister and Mom I bought Amanda $100 in new clothes (cause she can't fit in any of her clothes or doesn't want to wear hoochie mamma clothes anymore).... so the Gap gave me a $25 gift card for my next $60 purchase... so we went there and got some shirts for Kevin and a pair of capris for me... Then we headed to the Banana Republic... I have been eying that store since I was in High School always wanting to get something from there... and today we found $30 pair of pants for Kevin and I could not pass them up... and that meant I of course had to get something too... ROFL... so I got two halter tops... I also saw another button down shirt for Kevin and he agreed to get it... I was 3/3 for the picking... I was on a roll....

After we left the mall we headed to Carrabbas with Gina and Kai for dinner... Yummy!!!

The Stuff that keeps Arianne sane

Arianne writes:

It's very odd when I find myself not running around with my head barely on... but today I have found myself with time to do things I love to do.... and as I was cooking dinner I said to myself "Self, share with the world what you have been doing." So here I am to share with you... about my cooking, my reading, and knitting fun.

Today I decided to make a Soup for dinner. So I looked on www.kraftfoods.com and found 2 recipes (Spiced Apple - Butternut Squash Soup and Carrot Soup). I decided to combine the two to make a Spiced Apple and Carrot soup. Right now I am waiting for Kevin to get home and try it.

I think I am going to serve it with my now Famous "Dottie's Bakes Spiral Bites". I took these to a New Years Eve party and people said they were good. Lucy could not stop eating them... so I changed the name in honor of her character in Noises Off! I think these are not only yummy appetizers but also a new way to put a different spin on the grilled cheese sandwich.

I am currently reading "Bone Thief". Kevin and I saw this book at Barnes and Noble last month and decided to give it a try for our monthly book club. Right now I am on page 55 so I really can't tell you much about it other than I am still reading it... ROFL... and that its about a Serial Killer...

I am also currently knitting a baby blanket for my soon to be born Nephew. Its a checkered pattern blanket... and right now I have completed 6 (5 complete knitting and pearling rows in each row set) sets. I think its going to take me at least 30 to finish the blanket... Hopefully I will get it done before I come home and visit the baby.

I am also listening to Michael Buble's CD that Hallmark was selling for the Valentines Holiday.

I just wish there were more days like this...

Discussions of Pants

Arianne writes:

It was a night like any other night... friends getting together to share conversations and most importantly food! The Kitchen has always been the welcoming center for discussions to unfold and develop... but I do believe I was never ready to hear what I was about to hear...

I hear myself saying out loud in a VERY loud volume "You paid how much for a pair of Jeans??"

Now before I am about to share the rest of this story I just want to give warning... because my opinion will change.

Me and my other female witness insist on proof. We want to see the $300 pants in person. $300!!! Hell, I didn't even spend $550 for my wedding dress. And there I was in the middle of the kitchen jumping up and down. I was demanding to see those Jeans. So after 10 minutes and asking if the pants were locked in the safe, we finally see the $300 pants walk down the stairs. The pants, the Italian Designer shoes, the really nice black button down, and several spritz of nice cologne. I see them. Ok, its hard to miss them. The "Lenny Kravitz" Jeans (as so he names them - PG version of course) or better yet (and my personal favorite and properly named) the "CFM" Jeans.

I hear his reasons... and I was still shaking my head... but the odd thing is... its not the view that I saw that still lingers in my mind... it was what he said...

And now (after a day to think about it) I start to see and understand... because Yes, they do make him look HOT! (He is going to kill me for saying this... But what is interesting is that the fruggle girl that I am, after several hours of mental debating, I understand why one would pay that much to feel good about oneself.

Its nice to hear a word (from the opposite sex) describing you as something other than "Cute"... mine was being called "Sassy"... I was a senior in college and the feeling that I felt that day as I walked backstage in with my new Hair cut, Black pants, black top, and "MY CFM" boots was uplifting. I felt like I could take on the world... I felt like I was eye catching enough for others to notice.

So now as I reflect on the $300 pants... I say we should all have something that was WAY TOOOO MUCH to buy... we should just bite the bullet and get it. Because in the end the compliments you receive will be worth more to your self-esteem than to your check book.

So now I am going to make a vow to myself to Love myself and get myself away from the SALE rack and get myself some Kick Butt Clothes... ROFL....

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday Amanda

Happy 18th Birthday, Amanda!  

to be continued...