I should really post something already

Yeah, I should, but I ain't got nothing good to say and you know how the saying goes...

Been busy with work and some play and homeowners board duties and The Sick. Yes, The Sick came to visit us a month ago and seems to like it around here. It started with Boo Bear's ear infection and then I got strep throat and now she has Roseola in full force, complete with fever and rash, oh goodness the rash. She is covered from head to toe now with these little red dots and I thank God that they do not itch and they don't bother her. The fever isn't so bad although it worries me. Am I the only one who thinks that only treating a fever over 101 and only being concerned if the fever is over 104 is CRAZY!!!! My child rarely runs fever unless she is teething (which is what she was doing until The Rash showed up) so a fever over 100 concerns me. I know I'm a first time parent and all and I probably won't be such a worrier with the next one, but I hate calling the doctor's office and having them tell me to just give her Tylenol if her fever is over 101.

This Rowdy Roseola Rash is thankfully not bothering Boo Bear at all, but is putting a major kink in my very busy schedule this week. I had to cancel a work meeting today due to the lovely Ms. Rash. We are supposed to go out of town this weekend for my grandmother's 89th birthday, but if Boo Bear still has rash, it's a no go. Nana won't be around forever and I don't get to see her that often so I really wanted to go. I also have a work trip to Vegas next Wednesday that I will be pretty stuck if she isn't better by then. The doc says because it's viral, who knows how long it could take to go away. That's helpful. So I will sit here and pray that the Rowdy Rash goes down the drain soon.

See, told you I should have kept it all to myself.

So, what's new with you?

She's just like her father...

I brought the dust buster out yesterday to clean up the dirt that went everywhere when Boo Bear picked up the rug that sits in front of the kitchen sink to wear as a hat. I proceeded to have to play keep away from her to get the mess cleaned up and then I gave her the dust buster to play with, after I turned it off. I walked into the living to check in on work email and was sitting there responding to an email when Boo Bear walks in and hands me the filter for the dust buster. She had the filter in one hand and a handful of dirt and dust in the other. She had taken the thing apart. Just like her father.

Month 14

Dear Boo Bear:

You turned 14 months old today and are growing and learning so many new things everyday. First off, I still call you Boo Bear here most of the time, but in reality we call you Boo Ba mostly. I don't know how, but it stuck. Sorry kid, at least it isn't Shooter like your father calls me or Bean which is what my parents called me.

We have been having a rough couple of weeks. You got your first ear infections (both ears) last week. I knew you were sick because you let me hold you all day which you will normally only tolerate for about 30 seconds unless its really your choice, like when I'm in the middle of cooking dinner. You have handled being sick so well and I am so blessed with your temperment. I have also been blessed this week with my first bout of strep throat since about 1995. Fun stuff. Needless to say, our patience levels on both sides have been waning.

You are never without something in both of your hands. You like to walk around with say a toy in one hand and my deoderant in the other. Or my bra in one hand and myy underwear in the other. (No comments about my unders laying around)You are in constant motion, always from one place to the next, stopping only to pick something up or put something down.

You have started saying some "words" lately. Your favorite of course corresponding with your favorite food, bananas. You will sit under the counter where we keep the bananas and say "na, na" or will hold out while you are eating something else, hoping that if you don't eat what is set before you, I will give you a banana. I had to withhold them for a couple of days because you were getting so no matter what I fed you, you would refuse to eat it and sit your high chair saying, "na" over and over.

You have finally started saying bye bye, but only after the person has already left the room or your site. It's more close to "ba ba", but none the less, it's a farewell. You have continued to use "Gah" for all things animal, especially cats, but also for all other animals. You have started saying "baa" for bird though, I think. You have also started stringing the sound "ca" together over and over, "cacacacacaca". That's a lot of caca.

My favorite thing you say right now though has got to be when I ask you what the cow says and you say, "maaooo."

Melts my heart that right there. Of course, that is also what the cat says and the dog says and the pig and so on, but that's okay, it's so darn cute.

You are great at playing by yourself most of the time and will pull toys out of your toybox and bring them to me to show me. You love to open up books, put something inside them and then close the book on whatever it is you have shoved in there.

You have a newfound love for closing doors as well, along with cabinets and drawers. I encourage this most of the time, except for when you go into the dark laundry room and close me out. That big iron coat rack would hurt if it fell on you. You don't seem to mind the dark or the aloneness though and will promplty run to the other side of the room after you close the door.

You are really beginning to understand more lately. Yesterday I told you to go get your cup off the chair in the kitchen and you walked right over there and did it. I just kind of sat there with my mouth hanging open. I know you understand more than you let on too, you little stinker.

Lately one of my biggest patience drainers has been this scream you like to do. It's to get my attention it seems like, but you do it a lot when I am changing your diaper. It's a short, very loud, agh and you do it repeatedly, wearing me out completely. I have tried telling you "no" in a stern voice. I have tried telling you quiet voice while showing you what a quiet voice is. I have tried giving you a little pop on your butt and even (no so proud of this one) squeezing your cheeks. I have also tried the ignore it approach and in the car, the turn up the radio really loud approach. Nothing works. I know consistency is key, so I am really working on the quiet voice approach, but girl you are killing me with the screaming, especially right now with my aching head and 100 degree fever. I try to realize that you are having trouble communicating your needs and wants right now, but let's work on something else, please.

You are growing so fast and I can't believe we've come so far so fast. To think a year and a half ago, you were just a bump in my belly, an imagined dream and now you are so real. Your smile, with your 7-8 teeth is so cute, cashiers everywhere comment on it. At least now I know I'm not totally biased. Your laugh is the best sound in the world and I wish I could hear it more. You love to watch your daddy kick things around the room. This never fails to get a laugh out of you. You also love to jump around on the bed and will wear yourself out going from one side of our bed to the other, climbing over pillows and plopping yourself down face first.

I am so torn between work and being a mom and a wife and I feel like I don't always give you the best that I can. I'm sorry baby, I will always try to do better. Please forgive me for the times that I'm a bad mommy. Know that I love you very much and will do anything for you.

Love,
Mama

Announcing...Announce The Bump

The project? The super secret, but not really, project. It's ready to be revealed. I have started a new Cafepress store called announce the bump that features products for announcing that you are expecting. There are sections for Moms To Be, Duds for Dad, Kids Korner and Fabulous Family. I have also started a blog to share announcement stories, announce the bump blog. So go on over and check them out. Both are linked over on the side bar there, go on, you know you want to, and check it out. I would love to hear your feedback and thoughts on the store and the blog. Send me an email at shootersstation (@) gmail (dot) com (you know the drill, no parentheses, no spaces) with your thoughts on the two new sites. If you want to share your announcement story and pictures, send those to me at announcethebump (@) gmail (dot) com.

There, the secret is out. I am very excited about this new shop and I even sold something before I started promoting it anywhere. Please share with friends and family who might be interested and thanks for your support!

today was as good a day as any

Boo Bear has gotten her first ear infection. Both ears in fact. I knew something wasn't right by the constant screaming, but I really knew she wasn't well when she let me hold her for longer than 30 seconds. In fact, I think I held her for about 5 hours today. Poor thing would only sleep on my chest in the rocker or on the couch. My poor baby. I know, I know, almost 14 months and this is really the first time she has been sick. Go ahead and say it, lucky dog. But still, it sucks to see my baby in pain and suffering.

News of the project coming really soon, I promise.

this ain't my first rodeo

But it was Boo Bear's. We took Boo Bear to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo yesterday. She unfortunately didn't take a real good nap in the morning and didn't get her afternoon one at all so I was a little worried on how she would do. Luckily there were plenty of sights, sounds and people to keep her attention.

My little cowgirl.

Kicking up her heels.

Everybody needs a pair of pink cowgirl boots!

She stayed awake all night, but this was her two minutes after we got into the car. We didn't even get out of the parking spot hardly before she crashed. We had fun. We really didn't get to do the carnival at all, but we did get to see some of the animals which she loved and we got to eat some good carnival food and we saw the end of the rodeo and the calf scramble. Los Lonely Boys were playing and we were excited to see them. Unfortunately, whether it was their bad sound check or something else. The first song was so loud that you couldn't even understand the words. By the second song, I took Boo Bear out of the seating area and put us behind a wall so it wasn't so loud. Needless to say, we were there for about 4-5 songs before we left. That was okay though, it was a fun night with my MIL and hubby and baby. We got home about 10:30 as it was, so we probably left at a perfect time.

Yeehaw!