Joseph's Little Things

I love seeing what Joseph finds to play with these days. I can really see his imagination developing. I hear him make little pretend nosies...like the ssshhhh of pouring water or the shaking of spices onto food. This day I was putting away dishes and when I turned around he had all his little cups lined up and was arranging his bottle nipples in the dishwasher. He was so into it until I caught his attention.

And of course the broom back there is an all time favorite right now. He is very "helpful".

This was a favorite lately too. He had a whole mess of things that he was toting around playing with. I caught up with him in the laundry room to get a closer look...

Quite the collection there! Give that child anything sharp or long and pointed and he'll have a ball! Ha!

Now yesterday and today he loves to play with Josh's container of disposable, neon orange ear plugs. Josh bought those when I was pregnant and started snoring so bad he couldn't sleep. It's a huge container....I guess he was really worried about hearing me snore. Ha. Joseph came across them and has had the best time dumping them out and putting them back in. He makes very distinct little piles too...one for the floor, one for the coffee table, one for the tractor; one for the floor, one for the coffee table, one for the tractor....I love to see the concentration on his face when he is so busy like that!

Glad he has fun with simple things...it's not always all about flashing lights and beeping toys. He is really trying to figure it all out these days and it's a hoot to watch him when he gets his hands on these random "toys". What a cutie!

She's here, she's here! The angels are singing! The heavens have given us a little baby! We have been blessed with a perfect, 10-fingered, 10-toed, sweet and beautiful baby girl! Miss Ada-Grace Caroline was born yesterday at 5:11pm at Presby Dallas. She weighed 6lbs 10oz and is 18.5 inches long. She has blond hair and the cutest beauty mark right below her lip, and the most beautiful mouth. That's my favorite part of her so far - those defined, petite, pink little lips had me from the first cry. And cry she does!

Right after she was born and we all got to meet her, I went with the fam to get some dinner. Summer was going to be in recovery for about an hour and then transferred to her post partum room. When we got back from dinner Summer was just being moved so we went to the nursery to stare at Ada-Grace. We got there just in time to watch her first bath!

She was by far the most beautiful baby in the nursery. Without question!

Summer is doing good today - but when I called she was sleeping so I visited with Jason for just a sec. I can't wait to hear how the first night went. Jason said Summer is still a little nauseous, but hopefully ok other than that.

Half the babies in the nursery had Nokleberg on their crib sign...she is one busy Doctor around there! Ada-Grace was delivered at 5:11 and Dr. Nokleberg delivered the one next to her at 4:23. Busy gal!

So the angel is here and we are all smitten. New babies are so special that way. I've felt an overwhelming sense of pride and joy, almost like Summer is more than just my best friend, more than a sister. It's like a maternal instinct; happiness and a want to protect her and Ada-Grace, more than words can tell. When I see her holding Ada-Grace, it's a feeling that I would need 10 thousands words to describe. When Ada-Grace is crying and Summer is trying to soothe her...I'll never forget the look on her face - only hours after meeting each other for the first time. It's something that is so special. They will be just fine, indeed. They are going to do great.

Silly Boy Shot of the Day

"Hey, Joseph...that doesn't belong in there!"

Recycling has always been one of my things. I remember probably the first eco-friendly thing I ever learned. If you put bricks or a gallon jug with liquid in it in the back of the toilet, you don't waste as much water when you flush. My dad was big on that and turning off the lights. Maybe a lot of it was just saving money vs. solely for ecological reasons, but I know he was one of the first, if not THE first, to instill those values in me.

I always took it personally when I saw people throwing trash out the window of the car and felt so sad for the earth and the future generations. I still do - although I know I am making a difference now days. I feel like we are definitely on the right path to keeping the earth alive a little longer than it would have been had the mentality of the previous decades not changed. I remember freaking out when my friends would litter and often picked up their trash. Maybe sometimes I'd be silly about it just for show and to be a clown, and other times it truly offended me and I would get pissed. It's just one of those things that I never understood. Because there is no reason to litter. Ever. That's all there is to it. It's nasty, ugly, wastes my tax money, ugly, its bad for the earth, ugly, it wastes my money, it's bad for the earth and ugly.

Then I became a home owner and now I can really make a difference. I can recycle everything under the sun that is recyclable, and we do! Our 95 gallon recycle bin is full to the brim every other week when it's time for pickup - and if I may brag, that's with the cardboard broken down - and it makes me feel so good to be a part of the solution. I may not be able to always buy stuff from the grocery store that has less packaging, or replace all our appliances with low energy ones...but I can take a trash sack on our walks and pick up trash as we go, and I can make an impact on a small level. It makes me feel good and more importantly, I can instill these values in Joseph.

So our neighborhood started participating in a recycling program where you get points for how much you recycle, and they can be redeemed for coupons towards all kinds of different things. I was very excited and signed up as soon as I got the mailer!! I thought it sounded like such a great idea....but it's been a pretty big let down. The main participating retailers offer their coupons for online shopping - which I never do - or you have to have a bajillion points to get anything, or it's for places I never shop. I'm still seeing my points add up every two weeks and I keep browsing the different categories of things I can redeem for...but I saw a feature where you can donate them to a local organization, so I think I'll do that. But even cooler than all these points is a tracker for how much oil and trees I've saved with what I've recycled. I haven't saved a whole tree yet (and how big is that tree, anyway?), but I have helped save lots of oil (about 33 gallons). Of course I don't know exactly how they figure that, and I'm sure the specifics aren't exact...but it's still super cool and satisfying to see my "trash" in that respect.

The Live Green Expo for Plano will be here in a few weeks and I am so excited! I am totally an eco-nerd! I can't wait to see all the new eco-friendly things that are being developed! But most importantly, Ed Begley is the keynote speaker. I really hope he isn't speaking during Joseph's naptime. I really don't do festivals and big events like this but for THIS one...I am pumped! I hope I actually make it, I'll keep you posted!

Now that I am all riled up and thinking of my love for the earth, off to bed...

Banana in the Backyard Boy...

A few of my favorite things to do these days:

• Clean the coffee table. By the end of the week there are so many smudges and finger prints that after I clean it, it looks so nice!!
  
• Wipe, pick, and clean snot noses. Not any random child necessarily, but more so my own. There is nothing more gratifying than the satisfaction of having a clean nosed little boy.
  
• Cook fish. I am really into fish right now. With some good veggies and rice (or my new favorite butter bean side), not only is it healthy but it's not heavy. I hate feeling heavy right before bedtime.
  
• Sweep the back porch. I love to sweep, but especially the back for some reason. Since we've been in the back yard a lot lately I've been able to give the back porch a good sweep. And I mean busting out the big compost recycling bag and using a dust pan and everything. Now, that's satisfaction!
  
• Go to Starbucks for a Chai Tea Latte. It's bad. I know it's bad. I don't do it often but every now and again I go through these phases where I crave them so bad.
  
• MySpace! I've started surfing MySpace again these days. There was a good month or so where I wasn't on it at all, then all the FaceBook rage started...but I've really enjoyed MySpace the past week. Be on the lookout for a comment coming your way! ;) (But not Tammy, who hasn't been on in over a year! I guess you're dunzo, eh?!)
• Dream of and plan my grand garden plan for the spring and summer. Emphasis on dream. It's what I find myself daydreaming the most about these days.
  
• Lovin and huggin and kissin my husbie and baby! Come on, I had to throw that one in there...
  

I felt like typing, blogging, but don't really have much to say. (Now laughing because I know this will end up being a good long blog post after "not really having much to say".) Josh and I have been getting over a little something the past few days. Joseph threw up last Saturday night and has had the bad poops most of the week, so maybe we caught what he had. I just figured we would have gotten it quicker. Who knows. So Wednesday Josh said he didn't feel good...then Thursday I woke up feeling nasty. I was super achy alll day. Like couldn't get off the couch, haven't been this achy since I was a little girl type of stuff. It was horrible trying to take care of Joseph. I finally asked Josh if he could leave "on time" - the real "on time", at 5:00 - since "on time" now days is anywhere from 5:30 to after 6:00. Luckily I didn't have to get him to come home earlier. The worst of it hit right about when he got home. I was sooo achy it was ridiculous. Then Friday he came home from work around 10:00 because he was feeling pretty bad again. So we had him home for the day...although we were half sick. It was still nice. We could tag team Joseph. Feeling much better this evening and hopeful for a nice productive (or relaxing - I'll take either) weekend. We knew we needed to eat cause Saltines, water and 7-Up can only get you so far, so I threw on a big ol pot of soup. I didn't have any chicken - which is what we really wanted - so I made some beans and veggies with turkey sausage. It was nice and brothy and really hit the spot. There is just something about a big pot of soup that I can't explain. I know it's partly nostalgic, and partly the fact that it's good ol comfort food. And it makes the house smell good. It was a pretty big turn around from yesterday where I hid under two blankets on the couch all day.

I guess if you have to be sick, three days of nothing but rain is a good time for it. Poor Joseph though, hasn't been outside in that long. No wonder he was acting crazy this afternoon. I was afraid he had what we had (either again or for the first time if it was different from what he had Saturday), but I think he may have just been stir crazy. We got a nice warmy bath in and watched Sesame Street until bed time to bide the time.

Josh got an early birthday present today. He went and got himself an iPhone and has kept busy with that all evening. It is really, really, really cool! I kinda wish I had one. I never cared much for the Blackberry but that iPhone is awesome! I'm pretty excited about his birthday party next Sunday too. We decided to have the family all over for some fajitas with homemade salsa, guac and all the fixings...and cake. And maybe best of all...a repeat Rock Band extravaganza! I gotta get-ta practicing!

I've felt change in the air lately. I am on the edge of ambitiousness. Not quite there yet, but I feel a list forming. Maybe it's Spring in the air...maybe it's the end of a natural low - lots of relaxing and building up of energy - that will bust into PROJECTS! My favorite! Not Josh's. There is so much that needs to be done right now...list, list, I need to make a list. I'll blame it all on Spring. I gotta make sure we're all better first. After everyone is feeling 100% again, then I put him to work. Ha. Maybe I'll compromise and let him help me with The List...

I looked up and Joseph had this block precariously balanced on his collar the other day. He loves to put things on his neck and shoulders...it's funny! Then I got this little video below...

You're Guess is as Good as Mine!

Joseph's alphabet blocks have all kinds of little pictures on them, but there are a few that have left Josh and I laughing and scratching our heads. Funnily enough, they are the exact same designs as the same blocks from years and years ago. Instead of updating the little pictures, they've been replicated exactly over all these years.

Now some of these look easy enough to identify at first, but once you really study it then you see something that "really doesn't go there", or "that could be....no, wait..." and "well, it kinda looks like..."

My first thought - a trailer. Like one of those retro aluminum Streamline trailers. But then why is it on stilts? Are those supposed to be wheels but they ended up out of proportion? Why is the windshield so small? What is it really?!


A slingshot? Or turn it sideways and it becomes a half of a rabbit with a big circle ear. I may be reaching on that one. Or what about the little moving rabbit that the dogs chase at the track?


Crazy helicopter? Ski lift? Why would children's blocks picture a ski lift?!


I love this one! Is it a cat with no ears? A seal with a funny tail? Why is the front leg squared off and the back leg rounded?! What is that thing!?


And lastly, the spaceship-house-crayon-with-a-chimney block. This one always gets me turning the block round and round, trying to get a different angle on it, and tilting my head to the side. What is that?!

Race for a Cure

The ladies association that I (claim) to belong to (when I can make the meeting and functions despite a busy family life) had two bikes in the 2nd annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 12 Hour Ride for a Cure. We split up the times and I rode the first hour of the event. Many teams spit up the event like this but there were about a half dozen that were riding the whole 12 hours - including the founder and super mom, Monica, who's little boy was diagnosed with type I diabetes at 21 months old.

It was a great event! I was really impressed at how well put together it was for only the second year. Sign in was easy and everything was really organized...since it could have easily been an overwhelming mess because it was so huge. I can't remember how many participants she said there were but it was an amazing number, with huge donations made by many of the big Collin County companies, like Frito Lay, Sam's Club, and Nestle Waters just to name a few. It would be awesome to someday have a bigger part in efforts like that - like a big hands on part. I wish I could really get involved in more fundraising activities that make a difference in people's lives.

I guess I was so surprised at the hugeness of it all because after meeting Monica and seeing how humble and normal she is, I just didn't expect it to be that big of an event. Frisco Athletic Center seeked her out to host it. There was one room, like a hospitality room. full of food and drinks, massage tables, fruit, etc. for the participants, then in the cycling room there was a DJ and an audio visual extravaganza with projectors showing videos to help pass the time. Monica teaches spin class so she was at the head of the room with her mic on telling us about diabetes, providing funny anecdotes and keeping morale up. It was really fun! I only wish I could have ridden longer than an hour....BUT....I had Summer's baby shower to go to so not only did I have to jet out without enjoying the hospitality room but I chose not to really get after it on the bike because I was trying not to sweat!! I know, crazy...but I seriously had to go straight to the baby shower so I just couldn't give it my all. So I was bummed about that. But I am pretty psyched to get started in a spin class at the YMCA!

All along the hallway where we signed in were posters made by kiddos who have diabetes explaining what it's like for them and what they have to do to stay alive. They thanked us for riding to help find a cure and it was really inspirational. My bike was right behind a boy who was probably about 9 or 10 who has diabetes and he was just pedaling away with us. Once or twice when I caught myself watching the clock counting down the minutes, all I had to do was glance at him to remind myself how great this cause is. He was really cute!

Many people decorated their bikes with balloons and streamers, had air horns and clappers, and all kinds of fun stuff. I wish I would have thought of that!! Next year I will! Maybe I can talk enough of YOU into it to get a team of my own with YOU guys! I was so pleased at everyone who donated to sponsor me and I made $171 for the cause! Thanks so much to everyone who helped with that...it means so much to me. The total came in at $118,000.00!!! I know Monica and the folks at JDRF still can't believe how this event has taken a life of it's own. I definitely look forward to helping again and riding next year.