Baby Stuff: Sam and Mom's Favorites (0-3 months)

Oh how those first three months flew by!  And today Sam is in daycare for the first time.  I'm at home today and return to work tomorrow...  lots of emotions, but so far I'm doing well.  I think I got a lot of my crying out last week, but hey - it's only Monday.  So today I've been a mad woman getting things done at the house!  And I was also determined to finish this post today.  I've seriously sat down at least 5 times working on it.  It's so hard to find the time and energy to get a big post like this done these days!

So over these very fast few months, I've conjured up a good list of favorite baby items.  This would be my own personal "must-have" list, hind site being 20/20.  But we all know every baby is different.  And mommas, too.  So I'm sure your list looks nothing like mine.  But it's fun to share these things and see what other babies and mommas are into at different stages.  This is a rather lengthy list of faves, so in case you're just breezing through here, I'll give you my top 5 baby items first...

1.  Bosom Baby Nursing Pillow

I must credit my sweet friend, Pammy, for introducing me to this fabulous pillow.  In my opinion, it puts the widely-loved Boppy to shame.  I do have a Boppy - I registered for one anyway because I heard they're great for propping up baby (their original purpose actually), but I'm SO glad I held out and snagged one of these Bosom Baby pillows, too.  First, they are HUGE - lots of room for baby, your elbows, and whatnot.  Second, super soft and cushy (the Boppy is a lot harder).  Third, V-shaped so they fit any size momma, whereas there is no way the Boppy does (though it claims to).  It also serves more than one purpose - it makes a great pregnancy pillow.  I also have the My Brest Friend pillow (which another friend recommended).  That's a good one too, but totally different.  For breastfeeding purposes, I rate these three as follows: #1 Bosom Baby, #2 Brest Friend, #3 Boppy.  Note that the BB pillow is a little hard to find.  Amazon carries it.  Atlanta ladies, the women's shop at Northside Hospital carries them.  BRU or BuyBuy Baby do not stock these - at least not last time I checked.  I lucked up and caught mine off BabySteals.com for half price.

2. Boppy Changing Pad Liners

Thought I'd share this other Boppy brand product next since I just slammed their nursing pillow... ha!  We actually have the Boppy brand changing pad covers (the tan one pictured above), which come with one of these white waterproof liners that just sit on top.  And then Boppy sells extra liners in packs of three.  Um, we have like 10 liners - we go through them like mad!  I absolutely love them.  I have to change the actual pad cover far less often.  If Sam spits up or pees or poops while on his table, the pad takes the hit and we just swap it out.  Now, sometimes a good pee-attack hits a 6-foot wide radius and you're screwed.  But more often, it's just a quick liner change.  LOVE these.  Great for cribs and bassinets too when they're itty bitty.  Only annoying thing is that the washing instructions say to not run them through the dryer.  Um, yeah I totally do and they're fine.  If they wear out faster, so be it.

3. Fisher Price Cradle Swing

Apparently babies either love or hate the swing.  Well, Sam friggin LOVES it.  And so do I.  If I can't get him to go down in the crib, the swing is nearly fail-proof.  Even if he fusses while I buckle him in, he ultimately succumbs to the rocking.  But I especially love this model because the seat can be turned three ways.  It can go back and forth like a traditional swing (facing either direction), or you can twist the seat to face you and it rocks from side to side like a hammock.   We registered for this swing, but were also fortunate enough to get a hand-me-down swing for upstairs (so we'd have one on both floors).  But if we hadn't, I totally would've put up the cash for a second one after learning how much Sam loved it.  My parents also have one at their house - it's a must in our book!

4. Aden and Anais Swaddling Blankets

These blankets are simply the best... huge (44"x44"), square (best for swaddling), and breathable (made of thin, muslin cotton).  Sam always cuddles up with one in his swing.  I have 13 of these total and I'm constantly going through them.  I never leave the house without at least one.  This brand has other great products too (I love the burpy bibs and the security blankets), but the blankets are my absolute favorite.  I wish they made king size sheets out of this fabric.  Seriously.

5. Baby Bjorn Active

Sam and I have already put some serious mileage on our Baby Bjorn.  He loves it.  The first time I put him in it, he immediately relaxed and passed out.  And he just now is able to face forward in it, which is super fun for him.  I'm a big fan of baby-wearing (I also have the Moby Wrap and he likes that too, but I'm afraid he's going to protest it now that he can face forward in the Baby Bjorn).  I don't like fooling with a car seat by myself... if I'm out shopping anywhere with a buggy, Sam is in the Baby Bjorn.  Keeps my hands free and I don't have to worry about him because he's attached to me.  Plus, convenience aside, "they" say it's better for baby not to be in the car seat ALL the time.  And he's working on his neck muscles and such when I'm wearing him.  So it's a home run no matter how you look at it.  I wear it a good bit around the house too - Sam's a good little helper.  Couldn't live without this thing!  And the "active" style provides more back support than the original Baby Bjorn.  I think that's the main difference.

Other Favorites (0-3  months)...

Carter's Keep Me Dry Pad - I have several "sheet saver" type products for the crib.  This is the cheapest one I got and it beats the other fancy pants ones.  The flannel like fabric kinda clings to the sheet, so it stays put.  Love these.  Just throw it over the crib sheet and you rarely need to change the actual sheet.

Bright Starts Ingenuity Automatic Bouncer - Sam's Mimi got him this!  And boy are we glad because our boy loves it.  It's a great way to read to him now too - when I'm using big picture books.  He's so wiggly that it's often hard to keep hold of him and handle a book at the same time.

Chicco Keyfit Caddy Stroller - I knew I wanted to get a "snap-n-go" type stroller for the infant seat.  We got the Chicco Keyfit 30 seat, so when I heard Chicco came out with its own version of the snap-n-go, I immediately registered for it.  And it is awesome.  I did not want a big travel system and I'm so glad I stuck with my gut here.  The Keyfit Caddy is ridiculously easy.  I can lift it out of the trunk with one hand and pop it open in seconds.  And the storage basket underneath is huge.  Like I-could-stuff-a-dead-body-in-there huge. 

Baby 411 - My favorite go-to reference book.  I have several books and this is by far my favorite!  Plus it's funny and entertaining.  I've already bought two other copies for friends.

"The Merry Goes 'Round" by Jewel - Sam loves him some tunes.  So much so that he's been known to wail in between tracks.  We constantly have music going in the nursery.  This new CD by Jewel is one of our favorites!  I must say, the first track called "Sammy the Spider" sold me.  But the whole thing is awesome and something adults can actually enjoy too.  I love Jewel anyway, so it was a no brainer for me to get her children's CD's (Sam also has the lullaby one).  Another one we love is the Rockabye Baby CD with classic rock tunes made lullabies.  So fun!  Sam's awesome Auntie Jenn hooked him up with that one.

Mirrors - Sam has this particular one for the car, but mirrors in general are a BIG hit right now.  Particularly in his play gym, Sam spends a good 30 minutes or so several times a day just staring into the mirror giggling and cooing at himself.  Highly entertaining, apparently.  I'm constantly moving his gym mirror back and forth from the crib.  I'm sure I'll eventually break down and get one just for the crib!

Sleep Sheep - A sweet friend told me I'd need this and she was right!  We have both the regular size and travel sizes of this item.  It's a stuffed sheep that velcros onto a crib or bassinet or whatever and plays several different white noises on a timer.  Sam's favorite (or Mom's really - because it puts him in a trance!) is the Ocean noise.  We have an ocean noise on his regular white noise maker, but it's not as good.  We have kept the travel sheep on his car seat until he started daycare (today) - so now the mini one is on his crib at school. 

The Jesus Storybook Bible - I cannot fully explain the awesomeness of this book.  Just get it for yourself and you will see! I had no previous knowledge of it - we received it as a gift and I am so grateful now that Sam and I have been digging into it.  It basically walks through the entire Bible, in short-story or chapter form - showing that the Bible is one big story, where every little story along the way whispers Jesus' name.  OMG... like I seriously cried when I read about Adam and Eve.  It is SO well written, so beautifully illustrated (every page is full of color from edge to edge), and honestly - forget kids... if you want a better understanding of the Bible in general, get this book.  Yes, it's written in a very simple way that appeals to children, but it's not watered down.  I adore this book.  I know Sam and I are going to wear it out!

Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes - I told you Sam loves his tunes.  This is a great little inexpensive toy that plays several songs at the press of a button.  A lot of the music on baby toys is very grainy and makes you cringe a bit - but the sound quality on this little gadget is actually really great.  And Sam loves it.  It has little lights that blink in sync with the songs. 

Munchkin Portable Nightlight - This was a big help in the very early days when there were several night feedings and Sam was still in the bassinet.  Great little portable nightlight that goes off automatically after 30 minutes.  I think it was also soothing to Sam as he was falling back asleep after a feeding.

Plain white onesies - I love all the fun baby clothes, but really... is there anything cuter than a baby in a plain white onesie?  I make sure I have a set of these in short sleeve and long sleeve at every stage.  Carter's bodysuits are my favorite but Gerber onesies are OK too (just know their sizing runs WAY small).

Tummy Tub - This product has probably brought about the most laughs of anything we have.  Sam looks so friggin hilarious in this thing.  It's simply an upright tub for baby, so they are always in water and don't get cold.  We either bathe him in this or just on a body sponge (also pictured) in the regular tub. 

Tiny Love Take Along Mobile - Another great recommendation from my friend Pammy.  We never did get a full size mobile for Sam.  But once he started getting into his crib toys and play gym, I thought he'd enjoy a mobile.  So I decided to try this mini travel one, and he loves it!  It is awesome because you don't have to wind it like you do a lot of mobiles.  It just has a simple on/off switch and runs for a good 30 or 40 minutes.  But the coolest part is, it attaches to almost anything.  And the top pieces comes off and will strap to a car seat or stroller.  He's become such a big fan, that we sent it off to daycare with him today and I just hopped on Amazon and ordered a second one.  Love it!

Dr. Brown's Bottles - We initially tried several recommended brands of baby bottles to see what Sam preferred.  Honestly, that boy loves to suck anything so I'm pretty confident he'd do fine with any of them.  But Dr. Brown's won out in the end.  The original size (not the wide-neck) have smaller nipples, whereas the other bottles we tried (Avent and Playtex) had honkin' huge nipples.  Sam seemed to have a little bit of an easier time with the Dr. Brown's bottles.  But what swayed me in the end was the fact that Dr. Brown's bottles fit on my breast pump.  None of the others did, so that sold me.  Now that Sam has moved past the 4oz bottles, I can still use them to pump and store breast milk.  Win, win.

Skip Hop Diaper Bags - I have several bags that I rotate and two of them are Skip Hop.  The best feature of their bags?  The stroller attachment straps.  So anytime I know I'm going to be using the stroller, I make sure I carry one of my Skip Hop bags.  Love it!  Very affordable and they come in a huge selection of fun styles and prints.  The green messenger style pictured is my personal fave!


Phew! The funny thing is, now that we've passed the 3-month mark, we can already see Sam's interests and needs changing.  Can't wait to see what our next round of favorites are!  Stay tuned...

Birthday Week!

Today's actually my birthday... woot!  But I like to stretch out the celebration as long as possible.  I've been meaning to get on here and post my maternity goodies that my mom got me when we did a birthday shopping trip last weekend, but I've been tired and sick this week.  I know, right? Of all weeks.  Just a little cold, but it has definitely slowed me down.  Work is very busy with another approaching deadline, but I've been doing my best to take it easy at night and go to bed early this week.  Because tonight, we're heading to the Fox to see...

Can't wait!!!  This show has been on my must-see list pretty much since it opened nearly 10 years ago.  So yeah, it's been a long time coming.  The hub got us tickets for my birthday - a BIG splurge for us.  But seeing as this is my last birthday before Sam gets here, we figured we better live it up!  I think we're gonna hit Baraonda before the show for some pizza... mmm... one of my faves!  So fun!  Don't you just love birthdays?  I think 34 is going to be pretty darn awesome.

I just haven't met you yet.

I know this song is about finding love, but it speaks to a different kind of love for me. Every time I hear this song I tear up a little thinking of all our babes on ice waiting for us. After all the struggles, all the waiting, I know it will be so amazing... but for now, I just have to keep fighting for you.

I Just Haven't Met You Yet

Michael Buble

I'm not surprised

Not everything lasts

I've broken my heart so many times

I stopped keeping track

Talk myself in

I talk myself out

I get all worked up

then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it

I came up with a million excuses

I thought I thought of every possibility

And I know someday that it'll all turn out

You'll make me work so we can work to work it out

And I promise you, kid, that I'll give so much more than I get

I just haven't met you yet

I might have to wait

I'll never give up

I guess it's half timing

and the other half's luck

Wherever you are

Whenever it's right

You'll come out of nowhere

and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing

And, baby, your love is gonna change me

And now I can see every possibility

But somehow I know that it'll all turn out

And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out

And I promise you, kid, I'll give so much more than I get

I just haven't met you yet

They say all's fair

in love and war

But I won't need to fight it

we'll get it right

and we'll be united

And I know that we can be so amazing

And being in your life is gonna change me

And now I can see every single possibility

And someday I know it'll all turn out

I'll work to work it out

Promise you, kid, I'll give more than I get

You know it'll all turn out

And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out

And I promise you, kid, to give so much more than I get

I just haven't met you yet

I promise you, kid, to give so much more than I get

I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet.

iLove it.

I tried to get this video up yesterday, but youtube was crapping out on me. Our church opened up with this last Sunday at the main campus - a few Christmas tunes done completely with iPhone and iPad apps. The local news even had a spot about it last night. If you don't have time to watch the whole thing, fast forward to the 5:00 min mark to catch Feliz Navidad. Pretty amazing!



Hope your weekend is full of Christmas cheer! We've got two parties lined up to get our jolly on. Have a good one!

"Dolphins are just gay sharks."

Brittany: I don’t wanna do Britney.

Kurt: Why no Britney, Brittany?

Brittany: 'Cause my name is also Britney Spears. My Middle name is Susan, my Last Name is Pearce… That makes me Brittany S. Pearce. Brittany Spearce.

Not only am I *huge* un-closeted Britney Spears fan (duh), but Brittany is probably my favorite character on Glee. So the Britney/Brittany episode last night was over the top for me! So glad that Brittany (Heather Morris) got a whole episode to truly shine! And damn, can that girl dance. I'm so glad she finally got to show off her moves. Here's a few fun facts about the talented Glee actress you may not have known...

• Heather auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance (season 2) but missed the top 20 by one vote.


• She toured with Beyonce as a dancer and danced with her in several music videos, including "Single Ladies"


• She was originally hired on Glee as a dancer (and of course was key in teaching the "Single Ladies" routine to the football team)


• Brittany's character was not originally supposed to be so air-headed, but apparently she gave a particularly dim-witted look one day at shooting and from that point on, Brittany was declared dumb.


• A lot of the one-liner's are Heather's own ad-libbing.

Brittany: I’m more talented than all of you. I see that clearly now. It’s Brittany… Bitch.

Emmy Favorites

Y'all know I'm an awards show junkie... and the Emmy's last night did NOT disappoint! Jimmy Fallon did an incredible job hosting. Lots of great laugh-out-loud moments. And of course seeing the stars glammed up is at least half the fun. Probably my favorite moment was the Glee-inspired opener...




Another fab moment was Jimmy's musical tribute to the shows we lost this last year. I of course especially loved his Billie Joe Armstrong imitation. He totally nailed his quirky head gestures - haha!




And of course there was the obligatory "In Memoriam" segment highlighting all the lost actors and TV crew members. But one of my favorites, Jewel, performed her song "Hole in my Heart" as the images played in the background - wow. This obviously isn't an Emmy clip of the performance (couldn't find one), but this is the song. I've seen her in concert several times. She's simply amazing. She usually just stands up on stage casually with her guitar, as in this video, and does her thing. Incredible...







I of course had E! on with red carpet highlights as soon as it started, but was running around the house getting stuff done. So I wasn't as glued to the tube and probably missed a lot of the glam. But the standout star for me? Claire Dane! WOW! My so-called hotness! Congrats to her for her big Emmy win for Temple Grandin.








And also big Hoorah's! for Jane Lynch taking best supporting actress in a comedy for her role as Sue Sylvester on Glee! SOOOO deserved and what a gracious acceptance speech...



Great show overall. Kudos, Jimmy Fallon! Loved it! What did you guys think?!

Alright, time to get this week rolling. Hope you all have a great one!

Summer Concert Series

OK so I just heard from the hub - sounds like we are definitely on for the concert tonight. This is the 3rd of a month-long series of free concerts at a neighborhood/community up here called Sterling on the Lake. We went a couple of weeks ago to the '80's night one and it was so fun! You can bring in coolers, chairs, and whatnot - some people go all out with tents and tables. Only cost is a $5 per car parking fee. Each concert has a theme - tonight's is country. I'm not a huge country fan, but our friends sure are. It'll be fun. They have a great amphitheatre area on a big lawn, so it's a great casual venue for an outdoor concert. Tons of kids there and doggies are welcome too!

So if you're up in the Gwinnett area, definitely check it out. It's a fun, cheap evening for the whole fam. Tonight is kuntry and then next week (the last one for the year) is Motown.

Hmm... guess I'll have to shower afterall.

Santa never fails.

I hope you all had a fabu Christmas! We certainly did. Santa loaded us up with some fun goodies. I am loving my new Kindle!!! I just ordered a pink case for it off Amazon so I can keep it safely tucked in my purse and with me all the time. We also got a Keurig coffee maker and are loving it so far. We had the Senseo one for years but it was about to crap out on us. Besides, the Keurig has a LOT more variety as far as coffees and teas you can brew. So fun!

The hub also got an air popcorn popper - something he's been wanting forever. I think he eats more popcorn than anyone else on the planet. Seriously. I guess there could be worse vices. At least I don't have to buy Costco size boxes of microwave popcorn anymore - that'll save us some bucks!

We spent Christmas here in Atlanta with my family and then drove up to Knoxville afterwards for a couple of days with the hub's family. We got more goodies up there, including my requested Lady Gaga CD from SIL. She is my not-so-guilty pleasure. Funny thing is, I saw her open for NKOTB like 18 months ago and I remember turning to Lucky saying "Who the hell is that?!" Fast forward to December 2009 with me blasting her CD and singing along while driving to work. It's a great CD too, girls ("The Fame" - her first one, pictured below). It's one of those rare CD's that you can pop in and let it go. Not just a few hits and a bunch of filler shit. It's all good stuff - I'm loving it!

Here's a litte *Christmas Collage* of some of our loot - we must have been good this year!

After a whirlwind Christmas, I'm taking most of this week off from work. I did go in for a few hours yesterday to make sure there weren't any fires to put out, but I'm off now. And I have all these things around the house I need to be doing, yet I have no motivation whatsoever to do any of them. But I'm terrible at doing *nothing* so I find myself playing on the computer when I need to be doing laundry and cleaning stuff. Hmmm...

Plus this weekend - I can't believe it - is Lucky's wedding! So I'm also getting geared up for that. I'm putting self-tanner on my legs so they don't blind everyone at the ceremony. Dear me. I don't do hose, so that's not an option. But no worries - I won't be orange. I use this brand a lot (Loreal) and I just do a couple of "doses" a few days out so I'm not quite so pasty. I'm not actually trying to look tan. Just less ghost-like.

Oh and get this - I'll be doing my own hair. Everytime I get my hair put up by a pro I think, yeah that's nice but was it worth $90 or whatever? Yeah, no. I'm pretty decent with updo's - certainly decent enough to save me $90. As long as my hair cooperates, it'll be good. I'll try to remember to snap a pic for you to assess my skills. I've done other bride's updo's before - just not my own.

Now I'm trying to figure out what to wear to Lucky's rehearsal and dinner...

Oh and let's not forget New Year's Eve... want to take a guess at what we're doing? Our crew might be the only ones there over 18 and I'm hoping I don't hurt myself. Any guesses?!

(P.S. This spacing thing drives my perfectionist self INSANE! Does anyone know how to fix the double spacing or whatever the hell it's doing?! Insane, I tell you.)

The party shoes.

Aren't these so fun? Mine or black, as is the dress for Lucky's wedding. But you can see the bow detail (in the 2nd pic below) better in red.






And this is the bridesmaid dress, in case you forgot...




It's such a fun party dress - very young and playful. As are the shoes! The shoes are way cuter on than in the pic. It's so fun having a new shoe box in the house... I mean, it's been over a year since I bought new shoes!

OK so you're dying to know how KISS was, right? Haha - it was fun. We had a good time. I was a little disappointed that more fans weren't in full on costume, but there was a good bit of face paint. But the main ensemble of choice for concert goers last night? A black band T-shirt with jeans. Seriously - like that's what 95% of the people there had on.

We actually had really great seats. Lucky's hubby-to-be got them free through work and we found out they were $137 tickets - geez. Even though I only know a few of their songs and don't really call myself a "fan," I must say it was pretty surreal seeing them on stage, so close. I mean, like 'em or not, you can't deny the fact that they're iconic rock 'n roll figures. But after about three songs, we were all over it. Been there, done that. I can now mark "see KISS in concert" off my bucket list. Had no idea it was on there, but it's checked off now. Oh and the hub, as per usual, got one of his earplugs stuck in his ear and had to go to one of the medics at Philips. This seriously happens EVERY time we go to a concert. All I can do is laugh at my goofy husband - gotta love 'im.

Alright, nighty night girls! It's past my bedtime. Oh speaking of - I think our "let's get the dogs used to the sound machine" the last couple of nights has turned into "we can't sleep without the sound machine!" Too funny... no wonder babies dig it.

Rock 'n Roll all night and party everyday. That's me!

Thanks so much for all the fab advice on the white noise machines!  I went in Target and found nothing on Friday.  But inbetween showers on Saturday I had two amazing finds... first, shoes for Lucky's wedding in January, and second, a white noise machine for only $16!  I'll tell you about the shoes in a minute, but we found the sound machine at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $19.99.  It was the same brand as one of the machines you all recommended, so I figured it couldn't be horrible.  And kuntry bride was like, "do you have a coupon?  I have one in my car!"  So she gave me her 20% off coupon and I got it for $16!  Awesome. 

 

We tried it out in our bedroom that night with the dogs.  Belly was a bit freaked out at first.  Charlie kept whining and trying to get out the door.  Gertie didn't notice a thing.  But once we all settled down, they all were fine with it and we slept through the night with it going.  We used it again last night - no issues whatsoever.  It seems pretty loud - I think it will definitely work fine for crating the doggies in the basement.

 

As for the shoes, I'll have to come back and add pics, but they are so fun!  I did feel guilty buying shoes, even though it's something I had to do before the wedding.  As dumb as it sounds, I did not have any black dress shoes that will work with the bridesmaid dress.  The only black dress shoes I have (and by dress I mean like for formal occasions) are strappy heels with a huge crystal butterfly on top.  Don't think Lucky would go for that.  Neither would I.  I usually wear metallics with more formal stuff, so I have my fair share of those.  But I am super excited about these new shoes.  And while handing over three $20 bills at DSW was rather heartbreaking, I'm proud of new me.  Old me would've insisted on something Italian and much more expensive.  How stupid.  Though I'm sure my expensive shoe fetish will somehow make its way back into our budget once we get debt-free.  I'm just sayin'. 

 

OH so girls, guess what I'm doing tonight...  Nope, not even close.  I got talked into going to see KISS tongiht at Philips Arena.  Hahaha...  not *exactly* my usual crowd, but it should be interesting, huh?  I do like a couple of their songs but sure don't have any of their old albums.  I'm sure they put on a great show though.  And it's GOT to be great people watching, don't you think?  I bet there will be tons of fans in full-out makeup and costume.  Perhaps a better drag show than a Madonna concert!  My mom keeps saying, "Be careful, I'm serious, be CAREFUL!"  I think she's afraid the hub will get into a fight with some obnoxious Gene Simmons impersonator or something.  

 

Yeah, so yet again I've got another action-packed week ahead.  But of main concern right now is when the heck my spa dude is going to work me in this week.  My brows are about to need their own zip code.  Ugh.

 

OK Halloween is like here and we still have not figured out our costumes.  My dream idea?  To be Emma Pillsbury and Ken Tanaka from Glee.  OMG that would be hilarious.  One of my friends said to me today that I look just like Emma... don't really see it, but I do think she's precious so, OK!  That would require a red wig for me and some incredibly tight football shorts and a fanny pack for the hub.  Hmm....  pretty sure the hub will NOT go for that.  Plus he thinks Glee is stupid and says "no one will know who we are."  He does not comprehend Glee's awesomeness.

 

Alright y'all, gotta bust out of here and get ready for Kee-us!  I'll let you know how it goes on the other side...

Back to the drawing board.

Hey all! Hope you had fabulous Labor Day weekends. Mine was really good - Britney was awesome on Friday! Our seats were great and it was extra awesome considering it was *FREE*... and the funny thing was my boss called me that afternoon to tell me he had two spare tickets and wondered if I wanted them. Of course I would've snagged them had I not already been going. I was just destined to go, wasn't I?! The show was pretty much the same, as expected. But she did change up all her costumes! All but one... it's pretty sad that I know them so well, but yeah, I knew which pieces were repeats and which ones weren't. OK but another new addition that honestly freaked me out was one of her true "circus freaks." I hate to call this girl a freak, but for purposes of the show, she was a real circus freak. She basically had no legs. Which, OK that's not all that off-the-wall, but it wasn't like they were cut off at the knees... no, she had NO legs. Lucky and I were trying to figure out if she had a crotch or not. She was doing trampoline tricks with another dude who was tossing her around. Maybe I can find a picture... OK no luck, sorry. You'll just have to go catch Britney and see for yourself!

What else... my parents' party went really well on Saturday. The Georgia game? NOT so well. We'll just move on. Ahem. The hub's parents were in town for the party and stayed with us Saturday night, so we had a nice visit with them. And Sunday was pretty chill. We took the doggies to the lake and that was about it.

I went in to work Monday to set up my new office and I'm so glad I did because my computer was MIA for a couple of hours. We found it though in someone else's office and my dad helped me put together all my computer junk. I took it all apart (OK, unplugged it) but I wasn't about to try to put it back together by myself.

And also on Labor Day, we took a pregnancy test... I thought the fact that we'd be testing on "Labor Day" might be a good sign. You know, *labor*... haha. Right. Well, not so much. Looks like this 3rd IUI cycle was a bust, but that's OK. I've been the most care-free about this one for whatever reason, so maybe God was just helping me prepare for the answer I didn't want. I of course (duh) was really hoping this one would work out because we're not sure what our next steps are. So many unanswered questions... What are we gonna have to do? How the heck are we going to pay for it? When is it going to freaking happen already? Did you notice I'm AGING here?!? Well our plan (with my doctor) was always to do only 3 IUI cycles before moving to IVF. But since my doctor switched me to Femara last cycle, I'm wondering if he'll want to try IUI again a time or two. Whatever the answer is, I think we've decided to chill this next cycle. Being at the doctor every week starts to really wear on you. As soon as Flo arrives I'll be calling to set up an appointment to lay out our plan, but yeah we'll probably cool our heels for a bit.

Work has been super busy, especially with the move to the new office, so that's kept my mind off things. This whole week is going to be bizzy. Shoot, this whole month is bizzy. But it's all good. Alright... I've got to call it a night. I'm exhausted!!! xoxoxo

Oh P.S. Who else is freaking excited about the premiere of Glee tomorrow?!?!?! We'll be out but my Tivo is SET!

Just like a circus.

Oh, be jealous girls. Tonight's my date with Britney! OK, so there may be like 20,000 other people there, but whatever. I saw her back in March and the show was awesome (hop over here for my full report), but this time we'll be in a suite! I've seen a couple of shows at Philips from suites before and it is totally fun. What's not to like? Then tomorrow my parents are hosting a BBQ / garden party type thing so the hub and I will be helping out with that. Sunday I've got a paper order to work on plus a million other little things, and then it looks like I'm going to have to work on Monday (groan). I know, on Labor Day. But 9/15 is a huge deadline for us and with our office moving over the weekend, today is pretty much killed since they're taking the network down. And with my job, there's nothing you can do without the 'puter. We're mostly packing up our offices and heading out today, so I guess I still get a 3-day weekend sorta. Just too much to do next week and honestly I'll feel better if I can come in Monday and knock some things out. No big.

Last night was our first meeting with our small group and it went really well! I actually attended solo because the hub has been feeling really crappy the last couple of days. I knew if my spinach dip couldn't coax him into going, he was truly ill. Anyway, it was a very casual first meeting and everyone seems really cool. We'll start telling our "stories" at the next meeting which is always really eye-opening - you get to know people pretty fast that way. That's usually how all our groups have started off and it's just really interesting to see where people came from and how people got to where they are with the God stuff. Most of the couples do have young kids and naturally, the "mom club" quickly formed and everyone was suddenly talking about what Star Wars character their kid was into. And then, as always, they turn to me and ask, "do you have any kids?" "No, just doggies right now," like I always say. And then it's that awkward couple of seconds where they smile and don't know what else to say to you because you're not a parent. Oh, but I was totally expecting these moments last night so it sure didn't throw me for a loop or anything. But one of the good things is, our group leaders are a little older and don't have kids (nor do they want any), so they kinda help keep things on track and I don't feel so alone in being foreign to kid world. But any awkwardness aside, the group seems like it will be great and I'm really looking for the getting to know these other couples with the hub.

Well I'll be running around a lot this weekend, so not much time for the 'puter. I hope you gals have a FAB Labor Day weekend! Be safe and enjoy! xoxoxo

One week down. A busy one to go.

That's right - we're half way through our 2-week-wait. I actually haven't been thinking about it TOO much really. Just been busy at work with deadlines approaching and busy at night with other stuff. So my mind hasn't been too wrapped around it, but I do feel like I've seen more pregnant women in the last week than in like the last year. And not just random people out and about... Project Runway last week had a maternity challenge. Every flippin' magazine cover in the checkout aisles had something about pregnant women. It just seemed to be everywhere. Well it always seems like it's everywhere to me, but it REALLY seemed so this past week.

Friday night I had a girls' night out - with myself. I had a massage and back facial after work and then headed home, took a shower (to get the oily massage funk off) and snuggled up with my pups to watch a movie. The hub and some of his buddies made an impromptu trip down to Cape Canaveral Friday to watch the space shuttle launch. He was on cloud 9 - he LOVES all things NASA and space. This was his first one, so he was just on a high all weekend over it. But the kicker was - they drove all the way down there (about 7 hours), watched the launch, and drove straight back. Crazy boys. Sounds like torture to me, but he was all about it. Needless to say, he was pretty worthless on Saturday. But I must give him props because he still was a good sport Saturday afternoon - we had to drive up to Athens to visit Christmas Bride and her new baby, and then immediately hit GroupLink at church that evening.

Christmas Bride's little girl was too cute to boot. She snuggled up on my chest and started snoozin' away. I don't know what the hell you moms are whinin' about... looks pretty easy to me. Hahahahaha... that's always our joke when we visit other people's babies because they always seem to act like little angels around us. Though the hub will tell you it's his doing. So I call him the baby whisperer. Christmas Bride invited us to come back about 3am that evening and see just how fun it was then...

So after getting back from Athens we ate really fast at the house and headed over to the church. GroupLink went REALLY well. I was feeling good about it when we went. They did a much better job of dividing up the geographic areas this time versus the last time we went to a GroupLink there. So there was a true "Buford/Suwanee" area this time instead of "everyone southeast of the church." We found a group that's lead by a great couple in their early 40's. They don't have any kids, but most of the couples in the group do. BUT the group has a babysitter, so the kids are off in another room. This is a big, big deal. I'm cool with being in a group where people have kids, but I don't want the kids AT the group meetings. It's just incredibly distracting. That's happened a few times in past groups where couples who had babies started bringing them to group every session. And it's not because I'm sensitive around babies and want to throw cement blocks at your fertile uterus, it's seriously just distracting. Especially to the hub... we'll be in the middle of reading some serious scripture and I look over and he's making googly eyes at the baby. So anyway, we're really looking forward to getting started and to see how the group works out. Our first meeting is this Thursday, so I'll give you the scoop later this week.

OK so in other SUPER exciting news... guess who's going to see Britney Spears Friday night! ME, ME, ME!!!!!! OMG. Last Friday afternoon, Lucky emailed me and was like, what are you doing Friday 9/4? And I was like, getting my hairs cut (also super exciting as I haven't had a hair cut in - gasp - 6 months). Then she was like, how would you like to show off your new do that night? OK... what do you have in mind? Um, she totally scored FREE box seats at the Britney concert!!! Her firm is apparently "looking into" renting a skybox at Philips Arena and they were given a bunch of Britney tickets to woo them. Lucky was able to get two of the tickets and she asked me to go (because she knows I'm in LOVE with Britney)!!!! I'm soooooooooo excited! Just such a fun surprise. We saw her back in March (or whenever it was) when she hit Atlanta the first time, but I can't wait to see her again! Super fun! Aren't you jealous?!?! You should be.

Alrighty... my to-do list here is barking at me. Gotta run, dear readers. xoxoxo

Oh P.S. - question for you Pottery Barn fans. I looked on the website, but only see return policy info for web/catalog purchases. Do you know if the stores will take back merchandise without a receipt for a store credit? Don't laugh, but we are seriously thinking about returning the flatware sets we got for our wedding (um... 7 years ago). They still sell the collection, so I'm hoping we could get a store credit for what they're currently selling for. We only got 5 place settings and they literally have been sitting in drawers for 7 years in their boxes, unopened. So perfect condition and all... anyone done this there? It would be over $200 of a store credit which would be fab to use for Christmas and shower gifts!!!!! Thought some of y'all might know off hand. I'm probably going to run by our PB this week to find out.

A dose of Harry and Billie Joe

So last night we went to see Harry Potter on IMAX - they finally booted Transformers off the screen this week and let Harry have his reign. It was so fun to see it again and catch things I didn't catch the first go around. Plus, the first few scenes are in 3D on the IMAX version, which was really cool - you really felt like you were *in* the movie. Good stuffs! We also were feeling crazy and ended up seeing The Hangover immediately after. Actually Lucky's hubby-to-be talked us into it. Ridiculously hilarious... and I don't think I've ever heard the hub squeal quite like that. A must see, for sure.

Tonight... in just a few minutes actually... we're heading out to see Green Day! They are pretty much my favorite band ever. I always go when they come to town, so of course I'm there!!! They're awesome as is, but they always put on a great show. Every concert of theirs I've been to, they end up pulling up three kids on stage to play the instruments for one of the songs while Billie Joe does the vocals. What a thrill for those kids.... and he always gives his guitar to the kid who played lead. So precious!

And I don't know why he does it for me, but I'm just mesmerized when Billie Joe is singing on stage. I become a total 12 year old girl at a Jonas Brothers concert. OK maybe not that bad... But isn't he the cutest little rock n' roll guy?

OK y'all are thinking, um no. (I know bestest thinks I'm nuts.) And he's totally not my type in the real world... but in my fantasy rock world, he's top notch. He totally rocks those tight pants. He's probably smaller than me - he's a tiny little thing. I'd like to bottle him up and take him with me places. I have a thing for punk and glam rockers. David Bowie totally makes me swoon. I know, I'm weird. But I'm OK with that.

Anyway, so I've been blasting all my Green Day CD's in the house all day today to get geared up. Soooooo excited!!!

Full of Glee

Hey, all! So Harry Potter was TOTALLY awesome. They of course changed some stuff and left some stuff out... but it was fabulous. Lots of great funny moments - my favorite being when Harry took the Felix Felicious potion... SO funny. Daniel Radcliffe is really turning into a good little actor. Lavender Brown was hilarious - as was her Won-Won. Snape was delicious as always. Great movie and I can't wait to see the IMAX version on the 31st! We went ahead and got our tickets while we were there.

What else... we've got 5 doggies with us now. They've all been pretty good so far, but I do feel like I'm running a doggie day care! Really meal time is the most challenging part... because some of the lot will go bonkers if the other doggies get near their food. So it takes a little careful planning. Not much else going on this weekend though... I did have my 3rd ultrasound yesterday and my lining has thickened some, but it's still not where it needs to be. My doctor still wants to go through with the insemination this cycle, but he said if we don't get pregnant this turn, he wants to discuss more advanced measures. Not sure what that means... I'm just trying to focus on this cycle for now. I'm hoping I don't get a surge over the weekend so that my lining has time to continue to grow. So we'll see... looks like the IUI won't happen till Tues/Wed unless I surge before then. Ya know I'll keep you updated!

OK so anyway, seeing as summer TV totally bites for the most part, I get my hulu on a lot - especially while on the 'puter. Did y'all catch the sneak preview of Glee back in May? The show premieres on Fox this fall, but they ran the pilot this past spring to get you hooked.



And OMG what a teaser, because I totally took the bait. AND I've watched it again on hulu - I can't even tell you how many times. It's so brilliantly written and the cast is just great - the characters are hilarious. And really, I just love any good high school parody. I think if you love musical theatre you'll absolutely adore it, but it's fun to watch even if that's not your thing. (Bestest - this is right up your alley!)

It's basically about a high school teacher, Mr. Schuester (played by Broadway cutie, Matthew Morrison) who decides to take over the Glee Club after the former leader was fired. His pool of interested students is rather lacking, so he ends up trying to recruit some of the popular kids to garner some interest in the club. Each and every character is so well written... I especially love germaphobe Emma, another teacher at the school, who's obviously head over heels for Mr. Schuester AND whose entire head-to-toe wardrobe appears to be from J. Crew...

It's just absolutely delicious and I can't wait for the show to get here in September! Do go on to hulu and watch the pilot and see if you don't fall in love. The ending number - a remake of one of my favorite Journey songs - is probably my favorite part. But the whole thing is fab, so take a peek and tell me what you think!

Vera Bradley Giveaway!

OK so I let my official 2-year bloggaversary pass by this month without any recognition. So while this is a little tardy, Happy Bloggaversary to me!!! And in celebration, I'm doing a fun little giveaway... so get excited!

Up for grabs is this fabulous Bowler bag from Vera Bradley in Citrus. Citrus is now retired, but it's an uber fun summery pattern with some cool blues and lime green. The interior pattern is a super cute blue paisley with elephants.


The Bowler is one of my very favorite styles... I have several bowlers in different fabrics. It's a great bag because it holds deceivingly more than you think it can. It has a million little pockets and zipper hideaways - love it! Plus it opens up very wide so you can SEE what's in there (always one of my issues as I like to carry my entire life in my bags).




The current Bowlers retail for $72, so this is a great lil prize, y'all! So what do you have to do to get in on this giveaway? Easy...


1. Leave a comment on this post, you get one entry.

2. Become a follower (or tell me if you already are), you get a second entry.

3. Become a follower (or tell me if you already are) over at my other fab site, Make Room for Style, you get TWO more entries! Shazam!

4. Post about this giveaway on your own blog, another two entries.

5. Finally, if you're feeling a little crazy... in honor of the late pop legend, please give me your favorite Michael Jackson memory! Mine would be sitting on the lawn at Fulton Co. Stadium for his Thriller tour. (I had a huge thing for MJ when I was a kid... oh man... that Thriller LP with the white tiger photo? Yeah.) So give me yours, that's one more entry.


If I'm counting right, that's a total of 8 chances to win, girls! Super fun. OK y'all have till Friday, July 3rd at 5pm to get those entries in. Good luck!!!

It's Britney, bitch.

That's what you had written across your chest on your homemade baby-T at the Britney concert if you were cool. No, actually, those were the girls trying to be cool. The really kick-ass girls were wearing those blossomy long tunic-like tops as dresses... Oh geez... I gotta find a picture for you to apprecitate this.... hold on.......

Damn. OK you know it's bad when you look on Bebe's site and all those dresses are "too tasteful." Hold on... Alright seriously, where the hell do these girls find these dresses? Hoes 'R Us? [You should know that I googled the correct pluralization of *ho* and found no clear answer.] OK, I resorted back to Bebe because this is the closest thing I could find...

Now this is the concept, but picture it much, MUCH tighter and significantly shorter. Because really, in the appropriate setting, I think this model is pretty darn cute (minus the weird posing). But pretend this chick tried on 4 sizes smaller and she put her boobs in some kind of contraption that lifted them up to where they're almost touching her chin (I believe that's called surgery). Combine that with 5 inch stilettos and you have the standard uniform for the 20-something's at the concert. And this was whether you were a size 2 or 22.... didn't matter. No shame, I tell you... no shame. Lucky turned to me and said, "Oh damn... where are Stacy and Clinton when you need them?!"

Now there were some hot girls there for sure... I mean if you were a single dude, you should've choked up the money for a Britney ticket. Because chicks in tight dresses + alcohol + the fact that half of Britney's songs are about gettin' it on = a high probability of a very good night for you. Oh, but if you were really cool, you were fully covered in J. Crew cords, a denim jacket and ballet flats. Oh wait... I mean if you're *old* like me. Yeah, Lucky had on a blazer and jeans, and kuntry bride had on jeans and a sweater with a winter coat and scarf. We totally looked like chaperones. I've never felt closer to 40 in my life... At one point when we were walking down the street towards the arena, a couple of club promoter people tried to get our attention... "Hey girls, where are you going after the show?" Lucky answers, "um... we're going home," as if, wasn't that the obvious answer? It's a Thursday night for crying out loud. I was like "yeah, we're going to bed." I mean the concert alone was putting me way past my bedtime here and I knew I'd be feeling it after lunch on Friday. The club people found this pretty funny. Now I'm really feeling old. But I'm starting to put together why these girls are dressed like ho-bags.... these young people go out after concert! Ohhhh....

I swear I think I was always like 10 years ahead of my true age... I mean I went out and had my fun in college and all that, but not to the degree that some of these girls do. And I certainly was clothed. I never ever felt the need or desire to put my body on display. It'll get you attention, sure, but certainly not the kind of attention I want. Guess it just depends on what you're after... but honestly girls... yes, ho-bags, I'm speaking to you... you're a dime a dozen. If you're after a random hook-up or perhaps just attention, then good for you -- mission accomplished. But if you're seriously trying to meet someone (a real someone), put some damn clothes on. Trust me, there is nothing sexier to a guy (I'm speaking of real guys here - not someone looking for a one-night-stand), than a cute, confident girl in a kick-ass pair of jeans. If you really want to be different and stand out in a bar or club, that's how you do it.

Geez, these hussies got me off on a tangent! OK back to Britney! Yes, so the people-watching alone was highly entertaining, but the show was phenomenal! My favorite little misfit did not disappoint! The stage was set up in the center of the arena.... I LOVE when artists do this because you have a good shot of the stage from any angle. I've seen several shows like this... Prince, Justin Timberlake... and now Brit! I absolutely love it. The Pussycat Dolls opened up the show. They were great - they did all their hit songs. That Nicole chick can really belt it - she was great. Kuntry bride leaned over to me and was like, "um... what do the other 4 girls do? Do they even sing?" Hahaha.... yeah a little bit, but they mostly just do back-up for Nicole and work a stripper pole. Apparently they were also supposed to have some back-up dancers, but they backed out at the last minute. Who does that? Whatever. OK I realize this pic is tee-tiny, but that's Nicole on the far right...

They were on stage for a good half hour or so... then they got the stage ready for Britney... this is a lousy pic, but here's our view of the stage before she came on...

One of the best parts was Perez Hilton's introduction!! I totally loved it... he cracks me up. I found a taping of it from the Atlanta show on you tube... it could very well get yanked, so have a look while you can. It's not the best video, but you can get a feel for the screaming girls and hear most of what he had to say....

That screen was like a cylinder that went all around the center stage (or "ring"). Don't know if you can really catch that from that film, but it showed video from every side. I must admit my heart was totally thumping with anticipation at this point... omg I love her! Hahahhaha....

She opened with "Circus" of course, and then did number after number, costume change after costume change... her shows are always very theatrical and full of props and dancers and pyrotechnics and whatnot... and yes, she does lip synch for 90% of the show - she always has. So if that turns you off, then I guess her show's not for you... but she's running all over the place, dancing like mad, being thrown and tossed around, changing costumes every 30 seconds... I mean it's not possible to have any kind of a voice with all that going on. It's really more about the show. And hello, we all know she doesn't have the most incredible voice ever - she's more about the show. But y'all, it's a damn good show. The costume changes alone are totally entertaining. I snagged some photos off photobucket so y'all could see a few of them. After Perez's intro, she dropped down to the center of the stage in this...

As is par for the course with Britney, lots of corsets and hooker boots (remember that bit about not bringing your 12-year old daughter?)...

She and her dancers all donned this kind of Indian look for "Me Against the Music." Pretty cool mix on that song...

This was kuntry bride's personal fave...

This is her during the one song where she actually did sing... "Everytime" - her song to JT (admittedly or not). You think he still boo hoo's over her? I'm thinking no.

And here was her final look of the night...

Me likey. Now I realize Britney's wearing even less clothing than the girls I dogged on mere paragraphs ago, but hello.... she's on stage. There's a TOTAL difference. And I guess this just gets lost in translation to so many... hmm.... But here's the difference... if I was on stage and I had a rockin' body and I was performing the kind of stuff Britney does... hell YEAH, I'd be sportin' the corsets and hooker boots! But you wouldn't catch me dead in that on the street. They're costumes... not streetwear.

Oh and I must share these photos from Lucky's friend who was right down front. They're not good pics - you can't really even see Brit's face (I think her camera setting must've been on a really slow speed or something), but you can appreciate how dang close they were!

Yep, those are boobie tassles. And here's one stage shot I found...

So yes, overall - a fabulous show! But mommas, be warned... like I said before, this is not one for the pre-teens. There's a LOT of sexual moves, videos, lyrics... you name it. Lots of S&M references... There was this video montage of a lot of Britney's old music videos and photos... totally awesome, but also not something I'd want my 12 year-old daughter to see. I mean if you listened to any of her last few albums for 5 minutes, you'd realize her concerts are probably not kid-friendly. So it always surprises me when I see moms there with their daughters who are in shock over what they're seeing. Geez moms, do a little research! This ain't the same ole Britney from the Mickey Mouse Club!

As for Britney herself... I can safely say that the girl is back! She put on an awesome show, and she looks amazing. I can now give her the thumbs up on the hot pants and corsets. She's back in tip top shape. I mean, how can you not be after rehearsing for that show? Wow. She must burn 5,000 calories each night. But no really, she's looking good. I don't think she'll ever be back to the shape she debuted at the 2000 VMA's...



I remember when she tore off that black suit... I was like, holy hell, Britney! Girl's been working OUT! But y'all, she's popped out two kids now and she's approaching (gasp!) 30. So I've got to hand it to her -- the girl looks awesome. Way to go, Brit! Momma's so proud of her favorite trashy little pop princess!

So if it isn't obvious, I give the Circus tour a totally enthusiastic two-thumbs-up. And I have to give special thanks to kuntry bride and Lucky for tagging along. They are not crazy fools for Britney like I am... and would probably never dream of going to see her in concert, but for going along with me. They both were conspiring with the hub the day before to find us all tickets. What a wonderful hub and fabulous girlfriends I have! They made my Britney dreams come true!!!

Alright girls... glad I finally got my Britney post up. I've been so busy but I had to do her justice. Now I've got to run and get dressed and get to work. Ew... But tonight is date night! Woo hoo! Our church has put together these awesome suggestions for date nights and we're going to try it out tonight. Should be fun! Hope y'all have fabu weekends... back later!