Asheville, NC

We had nothing planned. We just headed up there and did some light shopping, much eating and found a place to stay on a whim. It was a great time, minus the weather.
Here are some pictures from around town: Our Trip to Hippy Town
I'm zonked and am gonna hit the sack early.

What a pair

I can't tell you how happy I've been this week. Tim is on vacation and it's almost like Heaven. Yay! I get to hang out with my husband for more than 15 minutes a day. He makes doing the monotonous everyday thing fun. Also, it's a kick to see him and Audrey interact.
Yesterday, we decided to try some place new for breakfast. We found ourselves at the Carrol Street Cafe in Cabbage Town. That's where these pics were taken. It might have been a little overpriced, but I tell you what, I had the best bagel I've ever eaten there. It was just perfect.
I could go on about that bagel, but I won't.
It was chewy on the inside, just the right amount of hard on the outside and not too dense, it was perfect.
I had to work last night and tonight, but tomorrow we're headed to Ashville for the night. I'm so excited. A mini-vacay! I'm just hoping we don't get rained out.

Plans for the rest of the week:
~Clean out and go through every thing we own and do a Goodwill drop
~Maggiano's with the Sherman's Friday night (YUM!)
~A trip to Ikea to spend my gift card (YES!)
~Get my party on with the old-married-with-children friends

I can't stop grinning!
The best thing of all is, after being really sick 3 times in 4 weeks, I can smell again! (For those of you that didn't know..I haven't been able to smell ANYTHING in almost a year.) I'm just praying that I can keep my sense of smell. You don't know how awful it is to not be able to smell your baby's poo poo diaper. What's even worse is when someone has to tell you, "Hey, I think you need to change that kid's diaper!" Yes, it's happened to me more than once. How embarrassing, right?
2006 is gonna be a GREAT year.

I hope everyone's having a wonderful holiday break. I don't want it to end.

Merry Christmas!

Audrey Rose's first Christmas!
It was so heart-warming to watch her open her gifts. She had a few that really stood out like her cowgirl boots and her naked baby doll. She gnawed on them both.

She won't be able to wear the boots until she's a little older and hopefully walking. And the baby doll, if your wondering, came with clothes, but we neglected to dress her because, well, it was funny.

I told you once before that Tim was/is the best gift-giver. Take a look at that cute face and guess what I got for Xmas.... could it be? Yes it be! ZOOM-a-ZOOM-ZOOM!
I'm having so much fun with this camera that I fantasize about becoming a photographer now. Anyone need a session? I'm for hire!
This is my most favorite picture of the day. I seem to have a knack for catching Audrey at the silliest moments lately. At least she's parking her tongue in her mouth as of late. I was beginning to get worried.

All in all, aside from the commercialism, which we all pretend to hate but don't mind so much anymore, Christmas (this year) was a scream. I had such a great time that I didn't want it to end.
I decided that, next year, I'm really going all out.
If you're interested in seeing the rest of the photos from the day you can see them here: Christmas 2005

Our More-than-friendly Neighbors

We are so lucky to have Santa and Mrs. Claus live across the street from us. Screw the mall! No lines! No wait! They called us for an appointment!
(Click on picture to enlarge)

Update: The first round of antibiotics didn't do a thing. Audrey now has an infection in BOTH ears. Despite how much discomfort she feels, she goes on smiling.
I'll post party pics later. Boy, someone got crappy. I'm a horrible mother.

Happy 13th!

Today she's 7 months.
RIGHT NOW...
My favorite thing about you is: The fact that you never put your tongue in your mouth. It is ALWAYS hanging out. And my, what a very long tongue it is! My goal is to get some photos with your mouth closed. It's much harder than one might think.

The most frustrating thing about parenting is: Having a sick child. It's awful to have to worry about you all the time. When you were really feeling bad it just hurt my heart. I have no idea what mothers of cancer babies or the like must go through. You get a simple cold and an ear infection and I'm freaking out!
The other frustrating thing is your explosive poo-poos. I'm a college grad, but when you shit all up and down your back and all over me, I find myself scratching my head and saying, "How do I go about this?" Do I undress first and then take care of you, or what? It would be easier if you could stand. I could just stick you in the shower and hose you off.
What I'm most looking forward to is: You crawling. You are SO close now. You're up off the ground and rocking...and it's too cute. Really. You are too cute. I know you'll be into everything. I guess I better get on that child-proofing thing.

One of the most endearing things you've done this month: It happened just minutes ago. I got home from work tonight and bustled about the room. I startled you with my coughing and you woke up crying (the most pitiful cry I might add). I lifted you out of your crib and you snuggled your head up under my neck. You never do that. I've always wanted you to do that. You must have been really tired. Those few minutes of snuggling were precious. Thank you.

Something you've done that surprised me: I gave you your sippy cup the other day to try again. The last time you tried to use it you failed miserably. The other day, it was like you've always been drinking out of it. I was floored. I watched as you picked it up with both hands and laughed when I heard 'suck, suck, gulp!' You looked over at me and laughed too. You had me fooled. Who knew babies could play jokes on their mommas?

Ah ha ha ha ha ha!

"Tim, will you come here for a second?"
"Why?"
"I want to try something."
"No."
"Please?"
"Okay."
"Okay, I'm gonna take your picture and just do something."
"Okay, but you can't look."
"Alright." "Are you ready?" "GO!"
I had my camera propped on my shoulder and my head was turned away so that I couldn't see what he was doing. I could hear him though, and that was almost as funny. Here are the results of my experiment. (Make sure you move the speed dial all the way to the left so it will be 1 sec increments rather than 5.)
Cheap Fun
We nearly wet ourselves, then Tim said, "Do it again."
"Okay." "Hold on." "Are you ready?"
"Yes. Don't look."
"Okay, GO!"
This is the most fun I've had in weeks.
"Are you still sick?"
"Yes. I am. Thanks for asking."

Not Normal and Loving It

We almost finished our Xmas shopping today.
We were in my most favorite store in the world, Anthropologie, getting rang up when the lady at the register said something about Audrey. I don't remember exactly what she said, but we all laughed. After that, she mentioned that she's "having one of those" in July. Tim and I congratulated her and said the experience will be nothing short of awesome. She said, "It's great to see not normal parents like you two." I was so flattered and proud that I stuck out my chest and replied,"We vowed never to be conservatives." She further informed us that she is a photographer and her boyfriend is a tattoo artist. I said, "Well then, you don't have to worry about being normal either!"
She gave us some boxes and we said our Happy Holidays.
We walked out with our purchase and upon exiting I looked at Tim glowingly and declared, "We're not normal!" (While simultaneously making that arm motion that football players or golf guys make when they do something astounding.)
Who would have thought that statement would ever be received as a compliment?
Proof that random conversations with total strangers are sometimes worthwhile.

This is weird!

I'm about to go into work, but I came across this scary website and had to share: Lingerie isn't just for women! BARF!

What's Grosser than Gross?

You're not going to believe what I did last night.
I was getting ready for bed and Tim was already half asleep on top of the covers. I went into our adjoining bathroom and grabbed the glass that was near the sink. I asked him, "What was in this glass?" No answer.
I shrugged my shoulders, filled up the glass with cold water and threw it back.
It wasn't until this morning that I'd realized what I'd done.
Last night Tim had used that glass and filled it with salt water to flush out his sinuses. He sucked up the solution with a nose bulb (you know..that thing you use for babies..to suck out their boogers?) and flushed out his nostrils repeatedly.
I drank his snot last night! UGH!
Again, I shrug my shoulders and keep on living.
It could have been worse.

Snot and more snot

We've all managed to get sick this past week. Poor Baby Poo Poo got the worst of it. I had called the pediatrian earlier on in the week and she said to let it run it's course. We thought Audrey was getting better until last night. She woke up every hour and her temperature was running a bit high. This morning when I checked, she had a fever of 100.5! I rushed her to the doctor.
I thought it was the congestion. I thought maybe it had gone to her chest and that's why her recovery turned sour so quickly. Much to my surprise, after the once-over, the nurse diagnosed an ear infection! I felt like a horrible mother, but the nurse reassured me that there was nothing I could have done differently. Do you think they're required to say that?
Once again, no one prepared me for this. It's like someone pierced my heart with a million tiny little needles. I hate to see her like this. She's pitiful.
10 more days, (if this antibiotic works) and I'll have my playful, mischievious little creature back just the way she was.
She's going to start sticking her bottom lip out at me because that's what I do every time I see her now. I can't help it. It's so sad.
I called in to work tonight just so I can be with her.