letters

Dear Diet Dr Pepper:

Is two cans a day too many?

Signed,
Addicted



Dear Calories:

Not really a fan of counting you anymore. Really wish you didn't affect the bottom line.

Or my gut.

Signed,
Still Sporting A Muffin Top



Dear Morning:

Although it should feel two hours later, I'm pretty sure you come much sooner on the West coast.

Signed,
Exhausted



Dear HGTV:

I love you. If I weren't already in a committed relationship, I'd be popping the question any day.

Signed,
Totally Devoted to You

finished

Three years, two degrees, one wife, one daughter, several dozen finals, stacks of recycled paper, piles of casebooks, two apartments, a handful of memos...

...six weeks in Tokyo, four weeks in Hong Kong, (a few) hours studying, countless road trips, thousands of photos, regular Cook Out shakes (vanilla for him, banana for me)...

...and he's (finally) done.

At least that's what I say.

He says a PhD sounds fun.

 Congratulations Mr. JD MBA MA. The dream is finished. 

For now. :)

moving is FUN

Moving van is packed.

Air mattresses are blown up.

Living out of luggage.
Kitchen is closed so fast food is the diet.

And we're almost outta here.

Judging by the face,

I think Belle's ready.

an attempted tribute

Yesterday, my mom told me that I'm the best mom she knows. Coming from the woman who is the greatest mom I know, there couldn't be a higher compliment. I am the mom I am because of the mom she is. And every day I hope I become a little more like her.

Although the words to thank this wonderful woman are nearly impossible to find, I tried to find them here.

If it sounds familiar, you're not crazy. I re-worked something I'd written previously on the blog. I edited my own work for once. :)

motherhood is

Before I had Annabelle, motherhood was my most ambitious goal, something I longed for with everything in me. I felt as though motherhood was a bit of a caged animal - trapped inside, just waiting for a baby to come out. Now, I realize that motherhood is so much more.

So much more. 

Motherhood is watching the rise and fall of your baby's chest, your ears listening for raspy breaths of sleep in the night. Motherhood is having a constant companion, one who does not share your agenda, but whose agenda you mold your life around. It is a guessing game, a constant yo-yoing of "maybe this, maybe that." Motherhood is a privilege and a blessing felt in the quietest corners of your soul. Motherhood is the ability to hear meaning in a cry. Motherhood is mastering the five minute shower, a quick shave included. Motherhood is a deep love, beyond description, the most selfless love you've ever known. It is the knowledge that you would give and do anything for another person. Motherhood is the ability to peel yourself out of bed in the middle of the night because your baby is hungry or sad or cranky. 

Motherhood is accepting that half your closet has become obsolete. Motherhood is the patience to be content with a life undone, an apartment not completely spotless. It is never getting one thing done and always multitasking. Motherhood is the ability to love without reason - I believe that if everyone acted as a mother, the world would know a different peace, patience, and beauty. Motherhood is balancing twelve grocery bags and a baby carrier up two flights of stairs. It is a bursting pride in small accomplishments - a smile, a wave, first steps without help. Motherhood is an aching hip and increasingly tired arms. Motherhood is fulfilled exhaustion. Motherhood is love at its finest, an unconditional type of love.

Motherhood isn't what I expected at all. It is more. How grateful I am to my mother for allowing me to experience this thing we call motherhood. I know she hated being pregnant maybe as much as me. But I also know why she agreed to do it four times over. Because motherhood is more than a simple goal or an objective. It is perhaps one of the most loaded words I've ever known. From my mother, I've learned that motherhood is forever. And among the many things that motherhood is, this is what I treasure most.

hungry hungry hippo

So for a few months, Annabelle was doing awesome with her baby food consumption. She took to baby food like I do to chocolate. Immediately. Then, one day she decided she was over it. (I wish I could just get over chocolate.) She stopped eating solid food almost altogether. Of course, we (including the doctor) weren't too worried because she's plenty "healthy" on milk alone. The doc told us to just do what we were doing - continue offering her food, and one day she'd take to it again.

Well, in the past week or so, the girl has taken to it again - in a big way. However, baby puree foods are still no longer allowed. Not even applesauce. This girl likes what we're eating. Among her favorites are: chicken nuggets, Mac & Cheese, bread with jam, apple bits (although she tends to gag on them because she can't properly chew with just the one tooth), yogurt (when she's in the mood), beef stroganoff, Asian noodles (seriously, and you should seriously make these too), and get this: York Peppermint Patties.

For real. I was eating my favorite treat one day, and she motioned that she'd like a bite. I thought, why not? I thought surely she'd be blown away by the intense mintiness, and why not teach her that candy is bad, especially chocolate. But that didn't exactly work out. Apparently she loves the mintiness. If she even smells it on my breath, she does a dance until she gets a bit. 

This photo appeared on the Daily Annabelle today. I think she looks so big, like a toddler. I guess she just has toddler tastes, and she was waiting for one of us to get a clue and hand her a peppermint patty, with a side of Asian noodles. Please.

baby boy?

So if you catch her just after she wakes up,

her girlish curls flattened from a good night's sleep,

and you strip her to her diaper,

and then you give her a cowboy hat...

...you get a good idea of what would happen if we had a boy someday.

Good thing our baby boys are going to be ridiculously cute as well. :)

THIS IS OF COURSE NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT. That announcement will be clear - shining lights, morning sickness, swelling, the whole bit.

let's pretend

Let's pretend that ten months haven't passed. Let's pretend that she's not almost walking by herself (just a few steps before she takes a flying leap into our arms).  Let's pretend that she hasn't officially added another word or two to her baby vocabulary (mama, da!, ba!(th), num num). Let's pretend that she isn't trying to actually put puzzle pieces back by herself. Let's pretend that she can't identify my nose and her nose, back and forth. Let's pretend that she hasn't figured out how to get one arm out of her car seat straps. Let's pretend that she sleeps through the night regularly (no really, let's pretend).

Mostly, let's just pretend that she was just born yesterday, that she isn't growing this fast, and that she'll always be my tiny baby.

Let's pretend.

nuzzle

 

 Everything changes when your baby

can tell you she loves you too.