And the Mall Goes up in Smoke...

Galleria Mall goes up in smoke. The news says it's blocking out the sun, and after looking at it from my street I have to agree. This picture was taken when the fire first got big around 1:50pm

3pm. Fire fighters finally are able to start spraying water on it from the outside. The boys wanted to see what I meant by saying that the mall was burning down, so I took them to the Costco parking lot across the freeway and this is what we saw.

I'm an Adult

Trying to take a trip down memory lane I purchaced a box of marshmallow cereal (rice krispies because it was cheaper than lucky charms) and removed ALL the marshmallows to a bowl.

Something you always wanted to do as a kid, and were never allowed to.

I ate the entire bowl (it takes an entire cereal box of marshmallows to fill a bowl)..... and then I understood why it's not advised.

It's a diabetic coma  in waiting. Such and extreme sugar rush that I can walk away and I can say I did it, but I won't be doing it again.

Twelve Months

• Walks on her own
• LOVES playing in the pool and splashing in water
• Likes to play in the sand
• Begs for any food you're eating
• Calls out for 'Ala' (Alex)
• Gives hugs and kisses
• Blows kisses
• Sleeps though the night (in her own crib)
• Drinks from a straw
• LOVES yogurt!
• Loves Violet and babies
• Talks to her baby doll and calls her 'beybe'
• Can find her belly button (and yours)
• Points to your nose when asked
• Finds her bellybutton
• Points to your nose
• Points to your eyes and mouth (but not as often as with nose)
• Plays peek-a-boo by covering her own eyes
• Likes her water icy cold



Don't touch my PB&J

Chewing on her rib bones

She likes to eat her corn WHOLE

Eleven Months

• Stands up without holding anything for balance (and can do squats too)
• Right top tooth popped through 5/20/10, 3 more trying to come through
• Shakes her head 'no'
• Doesn't like dogs very much
• LOVES to empty and fill boxes or containers
• Doesn't like carrots very much
• Top left tooth came through 5/26. 2 more top teeth came in 6/1 for a total of 6 teeth
• Says "go". "No". "Yes".
• Likes to figure things out and do them herself
• Wants to eat whatever you are eating
• Loves plain yogurt
• Doesn't like it when she is left in the backseat of the car alone
• Likes to play with the water hose
• She dropped a large can of Snapple on her left big toe on 6/7 leaving it black and blue and waiting to fall off
• Loves to swing at the park
• Not to sure about horses and doesn't like pigs 

Ten Months

• Dances to music
• Loves to close things
• Wants to lick everything
• Bites and chews
• Likes to feed herself
• Wants to eat off of adult plates
• Whines if you don't feed her what you're eating
• Clicks her tongue all the time
• Loves car keys, remotes, and cell phones. Throws tantrums when they are taken away
• Walks along the couch
• Likes to walk with your hands
• Doesn't like strangers and freaks if Cliff or I leave the room when there are strangers
• Kicks and complains when it's time to change her diaper
• Laughs when she hears others laugh
• Shakes her head 'no'
• Likes soupas
• Does NOT like barking dogs
• Walks around the house with the help of a walker or your fingers
• Not sure about the way sand feels
• Plays chase (tag) and hide and seek (baby version of course)
• Gives kisses (opens her mouth and covers yours with it) but only when she wants to
• Pinches my arms whey she's nervous or tired

Nine Months

• Pulled herself to her feet all by herself using the couch
• Loves oranges
• Likes crackers and cereal
• Raises her arms when she wants to be picked up
• Getting used to how grass feels, but still tries to avoid it
• Started filling and emptying things (like drawers)
• Started crawling on knees
• Repeats "Mama" and "Dada"
• Clicks her tounge often
• Spent her first night away with Mamaw on Easter
• Can easily stand up and sit back down
• Likes to lick everything

Wedded Bliss

Wedding planning is miserable. Don't get me wrong, there is some level of fun about looking at everything you can do, picking out your dress, location, cake, etc. but it's really very, very stressful. The morning of I was so relaxed and peaceful just knowing that all my planning was done and the time had finally come so that I could just enjoy all my months of planning. But the truth is, in the end, the day passes too quickly (especially when you arrive an hour late) that while you do enjoy yourself, it's not nearly as much as you hoped for.

I have learned that why we plan such an extravagant event is as much for our own enjoyment as it is anyone else's. It is the ONE and only time you will ever see the bride and grooms separate worlds collide and meet in a single location. It is a joy I wasn't expecting, but greatly enjoyed.


My day had flaws, but in my eyes it was absolutely perfect. My dress and hair looked great; My cake was delicious and beautiful; my room was put together perfectly; I LOVED my ring; My groom was perfect; The food was fantastic; my photographer took great pictures; and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

At the end of the day, it was worth every last over-priced, budgeted penny and every single moment of stress I complained about. I will never (EVER) plan another one, but if I had to do this one over again, I would... and I wouldn't change a thing (okay, I have learned I'd probably do a few things a bit simpler on myself, but you get the idea).

Wedded Bliss

Wedding planning is miserable. Don't get me wrong, there is some level of fun about looking at everything you can do, picking out your dress, location, cake, etc. but it's really very, very stressful. The morning of I was so relaxed and peaceful just knowing that all my planning was done and the time had finally come so that I could just enjoy all my months of planning. But the truth is, in the end, the day passes too quickly (especially when you arrive an hour late) that while you do enjoy yourself, it's not nearly as much as you hoped for.

I have learned that why we plan such an extravagant event is as much for our own enjoyment as it is anyone else's. It is the ONE and only time you will ever see the bride and grooms separate worlds collide and meet in a single location. It is a joy I wasn't expecting, but greatly enjoyed.

My day had flaws, but in my eyes it was absolutely perfect. My dress and hair looked great; My cake was delicious and beautiful; my room was put together perfectly; I LOVED my ring; My groom was perfect; The food was fantastic; my photographer took great pictures; and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

At the end of the day, it was worth every last over-priced, budgeted penny and every single moment of stress I complained about. I will never (EVER) plan another one, but if I had to do this one over again, I would... and I wouldn't change a thing (okay, I have learned I'd probably do a few things a bit simpler on myself, but you get the idea).

Baby Food

I decided that I wanted Evelyn to have homemade baby food. It's closer to what real food tastes like without all the unnecessary additives and preservatives. Every night after dinner starting when she was a little over 5 months old I would steam fresh vegetables, puree them, and freeze them in ice trays. I did this for weeks, and every time I gave Evelyn a bit of the vegetables to try. She showed no interest no matter what I did. We tried oatmeal with milk and she would just spit it out. She took a few bites of oatmeal with water and that just pushed my buttons, Naturally she wanted the thing that took no work and came from the store, but not the one that I either made in the kitchen or spent hours pumping.

After running out of room in my freezer (it's still pretty overtaken by bags and bags of milk) I stopped and occasionally would pull out a vegetable cube for her meal but she still wasn't very interested. I got desperate and moved on to fruits (which I did NOT want to feed her first) but still she didn't want it. During a meal of pears when she refused to even open her mouth I decided to show her the chocolate Milky Way bar I was enjoying. And who would of guessed it, but she opened her mouth to suck the chocolate off the bar. Often. I guess that's what happens when you spend an entire pregnancy eating chocolate.
We tried a bite of pears again and this time she took them, Oh thank goodness!

After that spectacle we started trying foods more often, usually fruit, and got some success. Never lots of success, but some none the less. Since she eats so little of the solids I'm still not making food, it's just not as shelf stable. I've joined the rest of the schmucks and started feeding her organic baby jars.

Since that time I've discovered baby rice crackers that she LOVES to chew on. She likes sweet potato cereal (from the evil Gerber company) too but I don't like to give her very much. We've had a few run-ins with oranges. She loves them, but gets pissed off when you take them away. Also let her try pickles expecting a silly face but it turns out she really likes them. I've learned she wants to eat food like a big person or an experienced baby (which she refused to be even though I tried) and gets pissed off when you don't let her. I'm gonna be battling temper issues with this little bug.

Eight Months

• Finally started showing intrest in food, starting with the chocolate coating on a milkyway bar
• Tried pears, zucchini, bananas, peaches, apples, squash, peas, soy beans, avacado, lemons, and oranges
• Likes to try to chew on bananas
• Doesn't want mashed food. Would rather have solids
• Military crawls everywhere
• Getting stranger anxietys
• Thinks the swings are fun

Seven Months

• Two bottom teeth came in
• Can scoot backwards, but doesn't do it very often
• Claps hands together often
• Can pass items from one hand to the other fairly well
• Mimics people
• Has minor stranger anxieties and sometimes panics when Mom leaves the room
• Giggles and cries at the same time
• Pulls herself forward in attempt to crawl
• Loves to stand up and bounce or jump
• Makes the indian call all by herself now

Six Months

• Holds conversations with her toys and with people. Sometimes very loudly
• Sits up by herself (still falls over sometimes)
• Caught swine flu but stayed in a good mood the whole time

• Still a grouch when woken up, but super plesant the rest of the time
• Can hold toys easily, and starting to pass toys from one hand to another
• Giggles often
• Cries when she hears the lower notes on the harmonica, but is over it now
• Loves to tear wrapping paper
• Loves paper
• Talks, squeals
• Plays Patty Cake
• Tried solids. Oatmeal, Zucchini, Butternut Squash, and Apples. None went over well, but Apples did make it across the kitchen
• Likes it when you help her make the indian call