Quinn at 17 months

 

If I could describe you in two words right now, they would be these: strong willed

It’s your way or the highway (aka tantrum)

 

Likes:

 

You know where your eyes, nose, mouth, ears, head, hair, belly and belly button are. You can say the word eyes and regularly point out the dog’s eyes, much to their dismay.
 

You love reading the book “The Monster At the End of this Book”
 

You love turning your music on and especially love turning the volume up wayyy too loud
 

You love the song “Down By the Bay” by Raffi – it always gets you dancing
 

You sometimes have full conversations with yourself in the car. We have no idea what you are saying.
 

You love taking your socks off
 

You still sleep with Baby Addie (your Cabbage Patch doll) and Glowworm. You love playing with Baby Addie’s hair while you fall asleep. Baby Addie now has dreadlocks.
 

Sometimes you take Baby Addie out of your crib to play and when it’s time for bed we have to go on a hunt to find her. I’ll say “Oh no, silly Addie is hiding” and you laugh and laugh.
 

This month you decided you like tomatoes.
 

Your favorite meal is Chicken Divan. It’s the only way we can get you to eat broccoli.
 

You also love blueberries, strawberries, bananas, oranges, crackers, yogurt, Daddy’s yogurt popsicles and chicken.
 

You give the best squeezy hugs
 

When you say goodbye, you always blow kisses
 

You have started putting your face in the water while having your bath. You think it’s pretty funny.

 

You just learned how to say ‘turtle’ but it sounds like ‘toytoe’. It’s the cutest thing ever. We make you say it a lot.
 

You learned how to climb up onto the couch and are very proud of yourself.
 

You love to cuddle up with Mommy and Daddy on the couch and read books. We love it too.

Dislikes:

 

You don’t like unsolicited help
 

You don’t like poop, especially when it miraculously appears while you are in the bathtub.
 

We have started talking about poo poo and pee pee and how they belong in the potty. You know how to say the word poo poo and you have a very concerned look on your face when you say it.
 

We’ve sat you on the potty and told you to push which you do but we haven’t done an actual poo poo in the potty yet.
 

When we take you off the potty, you know to shut the lid and flush the toilet.

 

The other day you made sure to let Daddy and I know that one of the dogs did their business in your room. You came and got me and brought me to the scene of the crime yelling “poo poo”.

 

You get scared when you toot in the tub because you think it means you are pooping.
 

You are such a little character.
I always think I can't love you more but then you do something new and I fall for you all over again.

 

This quote is so very accurate:

 

"For you see, each day I love you more
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow"

Rosemonde Gerard

xo, Mama

Busting out a bench

 

When my hubs gets excited about a project, he gets really, really, really excited. It consumes him completely. When I casually sent him this link about a kitchen bench I didn't really think he'd be down with a new project. I was wrong. Very wrong. Since I planted that tiny little seed into his mind, he's measured the area in our kitchen about twenty times, researched Ikea cabinets, decided on a cabinet and was asking me what fabric we should use for the cushion this morning at breakfast.

Good lord man! Don't you have a Master's thesis to work on or something?!

I really shouldn't complain though. 

Its actually pretty adorable that he's into home projects now.

I found the inspiration photo above over at Little House Blog. Not only is the bench functional as a seat but also has a ton of storage as well. I'm picturing tablecloths, placemats, dogs paraphernalia and kiddo stuff being stashed away in there. The hardest part about the project is not the bench itself but the cushion topper. Looks like I finally get to put the sewing machine I got for Christmas to good use! 

This is where we are at so far: 

The cabinets have been purchased and assembled and Simon is just starting to figure out how to build the bottom frame. 

And because this is my domain and I am allowed to say whatever I darn well want, I just want to declare that I was adamantly against the wine rack you see at the right of the photo. While I busy keeping Quinn happy at Ikea, Simon busy was sneaking the wine rack onto our order. 

Toddler + toddler-height wine rack + wine bottles + ceramic floors = TROUBLE.

Aside from the wine rack I am super pumped! 

Let the fabric shopping begin! 

xo, Vicky

Spring Roll Lovin'

Quinn loves spring rolls. 

That is all. 

Happy Weekend!!!

xo, Vicky

To my darling husband

 

This post is dedicated to one special person.

The person who makes me laugh all the time. The person who loves me at my worst. The person who gave me our beautiful daughter.

He is dedicated, motivated, witty, hilarious and generous.

Today the man I married turns 29.

 It is not traditionally a milestone birthday, but I happen to think it is. This year is his last year being a twenty-something. Next year he joins the ranks of the thirty-somethings.

Quinn and I promise to help you make the last year of your twenties a memorable one.

 

Here's to you babe!

Thank you for loving me, loving our daughter and being you.

 

xo, Vicky

Leesha Bobeesha

 

 

Top 5 reasons why I love my sister:

 

1) She is hilarious

2) We just have to look at eachother to know what the other is thinking

3) We like all the same things

4) She knows all my faults but has to love me because we are related

5) She always took the fall for all the bad things we did growing up

Bonus - She sends me pictures of Birthday Oreos and Cadbury Cream Egg filled cupcakes

 

 

 

 

Yes, I ate a cupcake in my car and took a picture of it.

In fact, I ate 3 cupcakes.

I justified it by making them my treat for having bloodwork done.

I am such a child.

 

Yes, there is such a thing as Cadbury Cream Egg Filled Cupcakes.

My life is now complete.

 

xo, Vicky  

Embracing the hobo look

Remember this piece of crap post about me doing Spring Cleaning?  

I have literally accomplished one item off that list. It must have slipped my mind when I wrote that post, that I'm a lazy S.O.B. who would rather spend all her spare time watching Lost while drinking coffee. Yes, coffee. Remember that other piece of crap post I wrote about having to quit coffee? Well I did in fact give it up but then the stupid time change came along and blew that idea all to hell.

Any professional organizers/cleaners out there looking to take on my house pro bono?

 I have a cute kid that could entertain you / undo everything you have done while you work.... eh, EH?

I've booked Friday off work as my 'personal day' so I can clean my m.f-ing house and prep for a super fun day I have planned on Saturday (more details on that later).

But the real reason for this post was to share a few thoughts on looking like crap and not giving a damn.

I went out last Friday night.

Like went, went out.

To a bar.

I can't tell you the last time I did that. It was a fun time. I drank some drinks, I laughed, I gossiped, I caught up with friends I hadn't seen in a while. It was glorious.

 One of the best parts of going out for me these days is the getting ready to go out.

 B.C. (before child) I dreaded getting ready. Picking an outfit took forever and doing my hair and makeup felt like a menotinous chore.

A.C. (after child) I love it. I lock myself in my bathroom, turn on some tunes and go to town.

The reason I love it so much is because I so rarely get to do it.

This ecard sums it up pretty well:

via

Before Quinn came along I NEVER went out in public without at least some makeup on. Nowadays I'm lucky if I have time to slap on some undereye concealer and mascara. 

But you know what?

 I love it.

I love not fretting about how I look all the time.
 The time I used to spend getting ready is now spent keeping a kid alive, nourished and loved.

 Its freeing.

 Plus, I feel like a supermodel when I do get some time to doll myself up instead of always feeling in a rut about my appearance.

Yes, I look like a piece of poop the majority of the time but is my kid alive, dressed, fed and happy? If the answer to any of those is yes, its a good day.

xo, Vicky

To hell in a handbasket

As my grandmother used to say, "this shit is going to hell in a handbasket."

Ok, she probably didn't say 'shit'.

And what does this crazy expression from the past even mean?

Regardless, my body has officially gone to hell in a handbasket.

 

I had this internal converstation with myself today:

"Hi, zit on my throat. You hurt, please go away."

That's right, my throat.

 

My hair is a mess, my nails are crappy, my skin is a ghastly shade of white and I'm breaking out like its my job. Plus I hate all my clothes and shoes.

 

If you haven't already guessed I'm celebrating one hell of a pity party over here.

I'm in a rut and they are expensive little buggers to get out of.

Effffff.

 

Welcome Spring.

You bring sunny skies, bunnies, spring/summer collections and the realization that I let myself go all winter.

 

If I could send myself a greeting card right now, it would be this one:

 

 

xo, Vicky

Spring Cleaning

via

Spring is just around the corner. Thank baby jesus.
The sun is shining, the birds are coming out and we can finally spend time outside without fear of losing an appendage from frost bite.

Spring is awesome.

Spring cleaning is not, but my house is in dire need of some TLC.
We try to keep the place tidy but only get around to actually cleaning it a couple times a month so needless to say it's high time this house gets cleaned AND organized.

Here’s what we have on our To-Do list:

1) Organize and backup all photos 

2) Make photobooks (FINALLY)

3) Clean, sort and organize kitchen cupboards

4) Clean, sort and organize bathroom cupboards

5) Clean, sort and organize closets and linen cupboard

6) Organize and sort baby clothes and toys

7) Clean kitchen sink (I thought it was called ‘stainless steel',WTF)

8) Clean and organize fridge

9) Clean and organize freezer

10) Clean dishwasher
 

11) Clean washing machine

12) Donate old clothing and shoes

13) Donate old electronics

 

PLUS everything on this list

I don’t know about you, but I need to be in a certain mood to clean. If I am not in that mood and am forced to clean, I'm a miserable human being. Simon can certainly attest to that.

One way to get me in the ‘mood’ is a great playlist. Specifically an oldies playlist. I'll get on Grooveshark or 8tracks, stream some golden oldies and by some mystical and mysterious reason I actually begin to enjoy cleaning. Based on my list above it looks like we'll be listening to whole lotta oldies music for the next few weekends.
At least I've got Quinn helping me out with dusting duty.

xo, Vicky

And so it begins...

Woah.
Our journey into the mysterious world of reproductive endocrinology has begun.

We had our first appointment with the fertility clinic today and it went well. The doctor we saw was sympathetic, informative and concise despite what ratemymd.com told us. He seemed genuinely interested in helping us and ordered a battery of tests for Simon and I. 

We both had a karyotype bloodtest today which will be sent off to the Children's Hospital for analysis. This test will determine if Simon or I are carriers of chromosonal abnormalities. Apparently the results for this test won't be back for 9 months (WTF). We could have paid $475 each to have our samples tested at a private lab but even if one of us had chromosonal issues there isn't much that could be done other than keep trying for a baby. Needless to say we went the free route on that one.

 We did however have to prepay $200 for a sperm analysis test. I nearly died laughing when the secretary told us the sperm collection date was booked for March 21st - Simon's birthday. If that isn't a birthday treat, I don't know what is! If you aren't aware of what I'm implying let's just say the appointment involves a room full of 'magazines' or possibly 'movies' and a cup. Poor guy.

Here's the rest of the game plan for my next cycle (next month):

Day 3-5

1) Baseline Ultrasound

2) Bloodtests for the following:

• Estradiol (estrogen produced by follicles)
• FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone - responsible for producing eggs)
• LH (Luteinizing Hormone - regulates menstrual cycle, triggers ovulation)
• Prolactin (associated with milk production, inhibits FSH and gonadatropic-releasing hormone - GnRH)
• TSH (Thryoid Stimulating Hormone)
• Testosterone
• DHEAS (steroid hormone produced by adrenal glands)

Day 6-12

1) Hysterosonogram  - a lovely ultrasound test that involves stirrups, speculums and catheters. Google it if you dare. Not looking forward to this procedure.

Day 21

1) Bloodtest to get progesterone levels

Bloodtests, stirrups, catheters, oh my!
xo, Vicky