So, there are the excuses for posting this on Wednesday. Lol

Anyway, there isn’t really much to report, unfortunately. I had zero loss (but also zero gain) in both pounds and inches. I did okay with exercise, but I kind of sabotaged myself with my eating on Thursday and Friday. Oh well, there is always this week!

But, on the exciting front, I’m posting this from my new toy…my iPad!

Let’s visit Little’s fourth birthday one last time…

Since Boo’s birthday in April, Little had told me that she wanted a rainbow cake for her birthday. I had it all planned out in my mind – ways to ensure all the layers of the cake turned out (unlike Boo’s), what icing to make, how to decorate it, what to serve it on. Then, the Saturday morning prior to her birthday she and I were out running an errand and on the way home she told me that she changed her mind, she wanted cupcakes instead.

I kicked back into idea mode and began figuring out what kind of cupcakes we might make. I considered borrowing the Wilton Big Cupcake cake pan, but Little really wanted individual cupcakes. Next, I thought of those pull-apart cakes where you use a shaped pan to make a variety of different cupcakes that make one “cake” (yeah, that description isn’t great, this is what I’m talking about). Finally I settled on just plain ol’ cupcakes.

The next challenge was finding a strawberry cake recipe. I have a recipe from my grandmother that I really like, but it uses gelatin and boxed cake mix. Since we are trying to limit our processed food consumption I was trying to find a recipe that was truly a from-scratch recipe. Thanks to dear ole Google, I stumbled upon a recipe at A Dash of Sass and it was wonderful.

Since we weren’t doing a rainbow cake I decided to do several colors of icing so the cupcakes would look pretty in the cupcake stand. I settled on vibrant blue, pink, purple, and green. I was very pleased with the colors. (the icing is a double batch of Wilton’s buttercream icing made fairly stiff and divided into fourths for tinting)

I used a large tip to pipe the icing on in swirls. (Funny story – the couplers I had were too small for my decorating tip. I had to forcefully hold the tip on the bag with one hand while piping the swirls. As long as I held it in place tight enough everything was fine, but if the tip slipped icing went everywhere) Then I placed the cupcakes on the stand. Matt added some sprinkles to the blue iced cupcake on top – per the birthday girl’s request. The candles were put in place and lit.

All that remained was the blowing out of the candles and the eating of the cupcakes.

Based on the icing on faces and the rapid rate of cupcake depletion, I’m pretty sure they were a hit.

So, here I am again, challenging myself to get fit and lose some weight one more time. Only this time there is a little twist…Lindsey, Stacey, and I will be doing this together and blogging about our results every Monday (well, except Stacey since she doesn’t blog). The “official” challenge begins today and goes through October 18. I’m hoping that the additional accountability and encouragement will help keep me from losing momentum as I go.

I have about 30 pounds that I would like to lose, but that is a totally unreasonable goal for me for the next 10 or so weeks; so my challenge goal is to lose 15 pounds (and then hopefully retain momentum to lose the other 15). Each Monday I will record my weight loss/gain for the week, my inches lost/gained in several areas (waist, hips, thighs, arms, chest, etc), and a little about the exercise I’ve done and anything else (stress, holidays, etc) that might have effected my loss.

I plan to use some combination of T-Tapp, jumping rope, walking/running, and some other workout videos as my exercise each day. I will also be following the “No S” diet (no sweets, no seconds, no snacks except on days that start with “s”) to help control my caloric intake.

If you’d like to join us, we’d love to have some company. Here’s to a good 10 weeks!

All she has talked about for months is being able to wear a seat-belt instead of the 5-point harness on her carseat. She’s excitedly proclaimed about a million several times that, “When I’m four I’ll get to wear a seat-belt!”

Matt’s parents came into town for the weekend, and the kids had lots of fun playing with Nonnie and Pops. It is always nice to visit with them since we don’t get to see each other nearly as often as we would like! On Saturday, Matt’s grandparents (Grandma and Papa John) came for a visit. Little was very excited that everyone came for her birthday (which she shares with Pops).

Her only birthday requests have been a horn, a drum, and a guitar. Any time anyone has asked what she wants for her birthday, her reply has been a horn, a drum, and a guitar. [editor's note: Mommy & Daddy were not thrilled by the prospect of instruments but knew that one set of grandparents or the other was sure to buy them]

So, of course, her Nonnie and Pops found a music set that included a horn, a drum, maracas, a tambourine, and a pair of cymbals. [editor's note: Mommy & Daddy were really not thrilled about the cymbals] And, she got a new carseat that doesn’t have a 5-point harness. She was very excited!

She also got a bunch of art supplies (thanks Aunt Lu and Sarah!), several games, the adorable fishy outfit that she’s wearing in the first picture (thanks Grandma and Papa John!), and a variety of books and other gifts. And she gets to celebrate again this weekend with Bebe and Grandad.

I think she had is having a great birthday!

Now I am six months old and…

…I am sitting up unsupported.
…I get on my hands and knees and rock.
…I still nurse exclusively.
…I love to be worn in the BabyHawk.
…I tolerate the stroller now that I can sit.
…I don’t like my baby containers (swing, bouncy, etc) anymore.
…I like to lay in the floor & play with toys (especially Sophie the giraffe).
…I like to pull down the bumpers on my crib (so Mommy took them out).
…I am still wearing 3-6 months size clothes (and a few 0-3 months).
…most of my skin issues have cleared up (except occasional flare ups).
…I love my cloth diapers.
…I am a very happy baby and love to smile and laugh.
…my Mommy is way behind on writing this post.

This Little bit of girl turns four this week:

This little Boo decided it was time to potty train:

And this Baby Girl started army crawling and got her first tooth:

All in all, a good week!

~ Suck it! The REAL Way to Prep for Breastfeeding @ Parenting.com – as a veteran nursing mom I find this article hilarious; if you are expecting (read: Lindsey) don’t let it scare you, it’s usually not this bad…usually

~ Why Having a Toddler is Like Being at a Frat Party @ Suburban Snapshots – absolutely, laugh-out-loud, hysterically funny

~ I Don’t Want My Children to Be Happy @ It’s Almost Naptime!! – The only non-funny link in the bunch. I read this several months ago and think about it often. Right in line with much of our parenting philosophy.

~What Your Email Address Says About Your Computer Skills @ The Oatmeal – I’m married to a web programmer. ‘Nuff said.

And finally, my new favorite quote (seen recently on Twitter): “Unless life also gives you water and sugar, your lemonade’s gonna suck.”

Happy Friday!

This girl. Our first born. Our almost four year old. Our Little. She keeps us laughing. Sometimes she talks like she’s grown. Other times she babbles while she pretends to be a baby.

Over July 4th weekend my parents were visiting and over dinner one night we were conversing about cocktails, specifically mojitos. Matt was talking about how you smash the mint leaves in the bottom of the glass before pouring the drink into it when Little piped up with…

“You can’t smash me, Daddy, because I’m a woman!”

We all burst into laughter. I’m not sure which was funnier, that she misunderstood “mint” as “men” or that she referred to herself as a woman.

Little has discovered that she really likes Chinese food. Or, more accurately, that she really likes eating with chopsticks (and she’s quite good at it, actually).

Last Friday we met Matt when he got off of work and went out to lunch as a family. Ahh…Friday afternoons off are so nice. Little wanted to eat at Pei Wei so that’s where we headed.

After our meal we had to have fortune cookies, of course. The fortunes in fortune cookies are always funny, but Boo’s really made me laugh.

“The best times of your life have not yet been lived.”

For the two year old. Well, yeah.

The last few weeks have been pretty busy around here. We’ve had playdates almost every weekday for the last three weeks, had VBS in the evenings the last week of June, had a visit from my parents over July 4th weekend, been adjusting to Matt’s new job and schedule, and doing laundry, lots of laundry.

Nothing real exciting has occurred, but life is good. We’re enjoying Summer, trying to stay cool, and beginning to gear up for school-time activities.

Hope everyone is having a great Summer!

About a year ago, Nap, Inc. introduced a new carrier, the Boba, designed for older infants and toddlers (9 months to 4 years), and as soon as I saw it I wanted one. They retail for $100+, and I just couldn’t justify the cost since I don’t have that many opportunities to wear Boo right now because I’m usually wearing Baby Girl. I did, however, begin entering any Boba giveaway that I came across and hoping that I might get one that way.

So, imagine my surprise when I received an email from Lindsey while I was out of town in which she casually mentioned seeing a comment on my blog from Drea about me winning the Boba giveaway on her blog. I was so excited! It had been a few days since Drea left the comment, so I quickly e-mailed her hoping it hadn’t been too long and she’d drawn another winner. It hadn’t! I soon had a shipping confirmation and the package was scheduled to arrive at my house the day after we got home from our trip.

The delivery guy in brown dropped my new Boba off during naptime, and I couldn’t wait until a child was awake to try it on. So, I unpacked it and put it on right away. After Matt got home I tried it on with Boo and wore him around the house for a few minutes. He didn’t want to get out, but he had to so Matt and Little could try it out. Little loved it, too (she rode again for a few minutes the other night when I was showing it to a friend and didn’t want to get out).

Finally I have a carrier that Matt hasn’t deemed too “girly” for him to wear! It is the Aspen pattern; very neutral, very lovely. And I think he liked the idea of wearing one of the older kids while I wear Baby Girl.

Now we just need the weather to cool down a bit so we can go hiking!

Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated for this post. I’m just excited about winning this carrier. And I love Nap, Inc. products and would recommend them to anyone.

It’s been several weeks since I participated in Ten on Tuesday, but I enjoy answering the random (and sometimes bizarre) questions so I thought I would play along again this week. For more Ten on Tuesday, visit Root and Rings.

1. If you could trade lives with another blogger for a day, who would it be and why?
I thought of a couple of answers to this question, but I think I would have to choose my sister Lu. If I traded lives with her for a day I would get to spend the day playing with and loving on three of my nephews and she would get to spend the day with my kiddos.

2. Do you prefer receiving handmade or store bought gifts? Be honest!
It all depends on the gift, and I don’t mean that as a non-answer, it’s the truth. A couple of my all-time favorite gifts have been the beautiful apron that Matt’s grandmother made for me a couple of years ago and the various quilts my grandmother has made for me over the years.

3. Would you rather camp or stay in a hotel?
I prefer to stay in a hotel if we are going to be doing anything other than staying around the campsite. If we are going somewhere where all of our activities will be outdoorsy (hiking, playing in the river, etc), then I really enjoy camping (or at least I enjoy the idea of camping, we’ve never been camping with our kids).

4. What’s your favorite comfort food?
That’s gotta be either homemade mac & cheese or mashed potatoes.

5. You’re having a really bad day at work. How do you unwind when you come home?
Since my work consists of staying home with the kids, I like to get out of the house (either with the girls or alone) for a bit. If that’s not feasible, I hang out with Matt in the evening and/or read, blog hop, or watch TV.

6. What’s your favorite chore? (Or, the chore you hate the least)
Hmmm…It’s not that I mind cleaning the house, I just try to do it as little as possible. My favorite chore is probably laundry – I can throw a load in and go do something else until it’s done.

7. What got you interested in blogging?
I started reading blogs (Amy’s Humble Musings was the first one I read regularly) in late 2005 or early 2006. Matt has blogged off and on for several years (and is a web designer and developer), so when I found out I was pregnant with Little I asked him to set up a subdomain on his domain for me to blog about the pregnancy (we had recently moved away from all of our family and friends, so it was a way to keep them informed – most of these posts can be found in my archives). In early 2007 I decided I wanted to pick blogging up again on my own domain, and sidetrack’d was born.

8. Are you currently reading a book? What is it?
Currently I’m reading Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger and Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. I highly recommend Don’t Waste Your Life.

9. Do you have a favorite artist?
I’m taking this to mean all forms of art, not just visual art. But still I can’t say that I have a favorite artist that I can think of.

10. Have you ever met someone famous?
I met one of our state congressmen when I was in 5th grade, but I think that’s the closest I’ve come.

Today I would like to compose a coherent and thought out post, but I can’t seem to string sentences together. What’s with that?? I would also like to post about our trip to my brother’s house, but I want to upload pictures and that’s not happening either (I can’t figure out how to get them from my phone to the computer).

Instead, I’m posting some random bits and pieces from our lives lately…

~Matt starts a new job on Monday. This is exciting and a bit disconcerting at the same time. We’ve drawn a paycheck from the same place for the last 9 years. Although I am thrilled for Matt’s new opportunity, there is a sense of stability lost at the same time. I have no reservations about him taking this new position, but there is a bit of “fear of the unknown” that I’m battling.

~One of our big changes with the new job involves budgeting. For 7 of our 9 years of marriage our primary income (the one we budget on) has been paid monthly. Matt’s new employer pays weekly. I have to change my mindset as I approach our budget for next month.

~One of the great things about Matt’s new job is his schedule. He will work 7 to 5 Monday through Thursday and 7 to 11 on Fridays. Because he is trading a 40-45 minute commute for a 15-20 minute commute his time at home won’t really change Monday through Thursday, but we’ll have an extra half day every weekend!

~Matt had to make this statement to Boo on Saturday: “Don’t ride your horse n@ked in the living room!” File that under things you never thought you’d have to say.

~Saturday I asked Little a question and she answered, “Indeed!” Sometimes she talks like she’s 30 years old.

~One of my bestest friends is having a baby in a few weeks. I’ve bought 4 gifts for her. I really need to stop (it’s not like I don’t have my own baby girl to buy for).

~Matt’s Father’s Day gift was more coffee preparation paraphernalia. We have a friend who refers to Matt as Mr. Coffee. There’s a reason for that.

~The baby is teething. She’s been a bear the last couple of days.

~She also turned 5 months old last week. I’m struggling with the fact that she’ll start solid foods in less than a month.

~Little wrote her first sentence yesterday (in Matt’s Father’s Day card). I love you. I had to spell it for her, but she wrote it all. I’ll have to post a picture.

~I just bought Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I’ll let you know how it goes. This experience could be a deciding factor in whether or not we homeschool next year.

~I bought a new cloth diaper last week (in amethyst). I know you’re surprised.

~I got the kids a small inflatable pool today. They were so excited you would have thought we bought a water park.

And I think that’s all I have for now. Hope you’re having a happy Monday!

These last couple of weeks, blog posts, like so many half-finished thoughts swimming in my mind, have failed to make it into words.

Now I want to write, but typing on my phone is cumbersome.

I’ll be back soon, though, recording this thing I call “life”.

I am four months old now, and…

…I’ve decided to be a thumb-sucker.
…I roll all over the place.
…I’ve learned to scoot around and get to my sister and brother’s things.
…I smile and laugh and squeak a lot.
…I love to watch my siblings play.
…I love to interact with my siblings as long as they’re being nice.
…I’m being a little better sleeper these days.
…I’ve moved into mostly 3-6 months size clothes.
…I like to play on the floor with my Mortimer Moose and froggy rattle.
…I weighed 12 lbs. 13 oz. and was 23.5 inches at my check up.
…I’m just a little peanut.
…I’m learning and developing so much!
(sometimes Mommy says I’m growing too fast)

Matt ordered a Dos Equis.

When the waitress delivered it the mug was wet, but we didn’t think a whole lot about it; maybe she overfilled it, maybe a little spilled on the way to the table, whatever. At the time, Matt was holding Baby Girl; he passed her to me, and when our food came I put her into her carseat (which was on a highchair at the end of the table) so I could eat. When she got fussy I picked her up again and the back of her outfit was wet. The wet spot was in a place where there was no way that it was a diaper leak, so I touched my fingers to it and smelled them. Yep, it was beer. There was a puddle of beer in her carseat. Oops!

Then a little later in the meal we had this conversation:

Little: Daddy, can I have a drink of your drink?
Matt: No, sorry.
Little: Why not, Daddy?
Matt: This is just a Daddy drink.
Little: It’s not for Mommies?
Me: Some Mommies drink it, but this Mommy thinks it’s gross.
Little: Why is it just a Daddy drink?
Matt: It just is. It’s a drink only for grown ups.
Little: Because it’s a Minne-SODA?!

Some days are long and terribly difficult, and other days we breeze through. But at the end of every day I am worn out. Ready for Daddy to get home and help with the parenting, ready for time without three littles demanding my attention.

I love my children, but raising children is hard work. I feel for those mothers who are doing this parenting thing alone, who have husbands who travel, or who have husbands who have to put in late nights and long hours at work.

Yesterday, my sweet sister-in-law, Lu, posted about her tough week last week and how she is trying to change her attitude to make this week a better one. In the comments, someone posted this quote:

“This is the season of long days and short years.”

Oh how true that is! I spend far too many of my days looking forward to naptime, then bedtime; just a little quiet in my world. And then I look at my children and think how time flies.

So many things seem like they occurred just yesterday, yet so long ago. How can a month feel like a week and a year at the same time?

These little people of mine are growing, discovering, learning so much right now. It keeps us all busy and often a bit frustrated (them at the learning process, me at the constant whining and tugging).

But truthfully? I would not trade these long days for anything. Because I recognize that the years are all too short.

And one day, sooner than I might imagine, these little birds of mine will fly all on their own.

Just the same as most days. And most moms.

I think I would like some caffeine.

But the half-life in infants is about 14 hours.

Which makes it a no-no for this breastfeeding mom.

Especially since the baby doesn’t sleep well anyway.

Which probably explains the tired.

wop-wops – flip flops – as in “I wear my wop-wops ow-side”
aww man!
socca ball – any ball or piece of sporting equipment
whoooa {Boo}! – said any time he slips, trips, stumbles, or falls
Jerge – his stuffed Curious George or anything having to do with George
tuckers – covers

When Boo turned two it was like a switch flipped and words started pouring out of the boy’s mouth. He is putting together four and five word sentences now, can carry on conversations, and speaks well enough that people can understand what he’s saying most of the time.

Today the doctor said he speaks really well for his age. I guess that couldn’t have anything to do with having an uber verbal mother and big sister!

They discovered that if they lay in front of the air intake vent while the a/c is on it will suck their hair into the vent.

I love seeing how little children’s minds work!

Check out more Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Seriously, I feel like I should have some sort of intro on this post every week. Well, this week, this is all ya get. Enjoy…

1. What was your high school superlative (if you didn’t have one- what would it have been)?
I was most likely to succeed, most intellectual, most athletic, and most school spirit. And yes, I did go to a very small high school.

2. What sports did you play in high school?
I played basketball and ran track (kind of).

3. What was the best part about your wedding (if you’re not married yet, what are you looking forward to)?
The best part of our wedding was that we were able to get married in Matt’s grandparents’ garden. We have beautiful pictures to remember it by.

4. It’s your last meal– what Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Entree and Dessert would you choose?
appetizer: fried pickles, soup: Olive Garden’s pasta e fagioli, salad: a really good caesar, entree: J Alexander’s chicken salad sandwich and fries, and dessert: cheesecake (either Godiva or Cheesecake Factory)

5. What song is your guilty pleasure?
I don’t really have one. I do have several albums that I like that I can only listen to when the kids aren’t around though (i.e., Radiohead, Elliott Smith).

6. What is your favorite professional sports team, and why do you like them?
Hmm…tough call between the Boston Red Sox (I’m a huge baseball fan, and Matt converted me to a Red Sox fan, although I’m still a big Atlanta Braves fan, too) and the Tennessee Titans (also a big football fan and the Titans are the home team).

7. What is your favorite reality show and why do you like it?
The Biggest Loser. I like to see the transformations from the beginning of the season to the season finale.

8. How would you classify your home decorating style (modern, classic, french country)?
Traditional. We have very functional and family-friendly decor.

9. Pizza- deep dish or thin crust? White sauce or red sauce? What toppings?
Oh, just pizza. I’ll eat just about any of it (except barbecue, chicken, or anchovies). My favorite (which I’m currently unable to eat thanks to baby girl) is Pietro Pizza (local pizzeria) ham and pineapple.

10. Favorite weekend getaway within a two hour driving radius?
Um, not so much weekend getting away with three small children and no grandparents in town. There is only one place within two hours that I can even think of that I want to visit. However, when we were in East Tennessee, we loved to visit Asheville, NC for the weekend (or even just the day).

So, I’m going to remedy that now.

On Little’s actual birthday, we had a mini-celebration with her friends. She requested chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing and sprinkles, so that is exactly what we had. Her best friends came over for a playdate that morning, we had pizza and cupcakes for lunch, and she opened her gifts. That evening, we celebrated as a family with dinner at Chick-fil-a and her gifts from Mommy and Daddy.

A few days after her birthday, my parents came to town and we celebrated Little again. She spent the day with Bebe, Mommy, and Boo going to Build-a-Bear, having lunch in the mall food court (her choice), and riding the carousel. Unfortunately, Grandad wasn’t able to join us due to having a sick leg.

A couple of weeks later, Matt’s parents were able to make the trip to see us, and we had a fun birthday weekend with them. We took them to visit our zoo one day and spent the rest of the weekend enjoy spending time together.

I hate that I didn’t do a better job of documenting her birthday in a timely manner, but at least I do have a record of it now.

I am so glad you were born. Each day you bring joy, laughter, and love into my life. I thought my heart was full until you came along, but with each of you I’ve discovered a new depth in my ability to love.

I am so glad you were born. Sweet voices, precious baby giggles, adorable belly laughs. Unexpected bear hugs around the knees, snuggles on the couch, kisses from cute little lips. These things fill my days, my home, and my heart.

I am so glad you were born. We have our share of tantrums, whining, and tears (sometimes from Mommy, too). But the good days far outweigh the bad. Even in the midst of the hard times, looking into your eyes makes me glad that I’m the one you call Mommy.

I am so glad you were born. Watching each of you grow, seeing your personalities develop, observing your discovery of the world. God made you, He designed each facet of you for a purpose. His purpose.

I am so glad you were born. The days are sometimes long and hard, filled with teaching and training, with correction and cautions. Other days are fun, filled with light and laughter, with playing and pretending. But each day is a gift that we share together.

I am so glad you were born. We were given to each other for very specific reasons. I am to prayerfully help you become the women and man God has designed you to be. You help to make me a better person, mother, and Christian.

I am so glad you were born. You are gift like no other. It is a privilege to be your mother. I love you more than you will be able to fathom until you have children of your own.

I am so glad you were born.

This post was also entered into a contest to win a $100 gift certificate to Cottonbabies. If you’re a cloth diapering Momma you should check out the contest and check out the Cottonbabies website.

Enjoy!