365 Days of Everything Georgia

February 8, 2012 - "Frosty!"

2012-02-08T13:11:00.004-05:00

Coffee filters + construction paper + scissors + stick glue = Frosty!

February 7, 2012 - Sick x 2

2012-02-07T14:09:00.005-05:00

After a trip to the pharmacy at 2:30 a.m., then staying up with a sick baby until about 3:30 this morning and then getting up back up at I don't even know what time to carry her back to her crib from our bed, today's post is going to be a short and sleep-deprived one.

Oh yeah, Georgia got whatever funk I have. That makes two out of three sick people in our home. And when baby is sick, no one is happy. :( Those scrapey-sounding, hacking coughs coming from her wee little body just scrape right across my heart. They are so sad. And that scratchy little voice... breaks whatever part of my heart isn't already all scraped up.

Our saving grace (and reason for my trip to the pharmacy) in the wee hours of the morning:

And what makes any sickness a little more bearable for my little? Balloons from daddy, of course!! Someone raced home on his lunch break to bring Georgia some happy colors.

February 6, 2012 - Word of the Day, "Excavation"

2012-02-07T00:36:00.007-05:00

We went a digging... for some lions and tigers... buried in goopy gelatin... then splashed with some red and blue.

Oh yeah, our word of the day is "excavation."

We started with some gelatin...

and zoo animals...

then that gelatin in my bundt pan...

and those animals in the gelatin...

Our "excavation" project went into the fridge, and came out looking like heaps of fun and discovery.

Then Georgia dug in and excavated her new toys.

Add some colored water, and the fun becomes a zoo!

Toddler activity success!!

February 5, 2012 - The Sick Sickies Got Me!

2012-02-06T00:08:00.008-05:00

For the longest time (in the longest time), I haven't been sick. I'm usually the one who catches every, little, single germ floating around, but lately everyone around me keeps catching the crud going round... but not me. That is, until now. And this crud - I don't even know where it came from!

I was so out of it today that I certainly feel like I neglected my little. And this was the weekend day her daddy went to get some personal work done, so she was stuck with me and my comatose self. Poor thing. I fell asleep on the couch and even missed her lunch time. She woke me up when her movie ended, asking me to start it again, and that's when I realized it was her nap time and lunchtime was long gone. So we did a late lunch and then we BOTH went down for a nap.

I guess she was feeling kind of lucky that she got to watch a movie in the morning - doesn't happen on my watch - and she got to watch TV past 10 a.m. Maybe she was enjoying my sick day more than I realized. When we woke up from nap, guess what? We turned on some more Netflix. Ughhhhhh....

I did have enough energy to make some popcorn. I mean, if we're going to watch movies all day, why not add some popcorn into the mix? And Georgia got her first taste of the popped delight.

(Yeah... I didn't even have the energy to go get my camera. Enjoy the smartphone pic!)

Take two handfuls of popcorn and call me in the morning. We'll see if that works.

February 4, 2012 - Winter is for the Beach!

2012-02-04T22:14:00.007-05:00

65-degree weather in February? Yes please!

Beautiful blue skies? Yes please!

The beach and waves and seashells and seagulls? YES PLEASE!!

This season, winter weather is beach weather. So we headed to the beach, and let me tell you, Georgia was ready!

And the beach didn't disappoint.

We built a sandcastle...

Oh wait, it's a "tower."

and the hubby made a turtle for Georgia...

which Georgia just HAD to sit on top of!

and then destroy...

(forgive the smartphone pictures. This momma AGAIN remembered her camera but left the memory card in the laptop at home... oops!)

Our new hometown certainly has its pros and cons, but a beach within an hour drive... HUMONGOUS PRO!

February 3, 2012 - Yelling = Guilt

2012-02-03T01:28:00.005-05:00

Oh... the guilt. You know it's coming. Then you hope maybe this time it will pass you by, but you realize you probably deserve it. And then, as your temper calms and your anger drips out of your body... you feel that twinge. Oh, here it comes! Guilt. GUILT. It sits heavy in your stomach and thick on your brain. And your heart, don't get me started. I'd rather just be stabbed than the slow and all-encompassing pain of knowing I just lost my temper with my dear, dear toddler - as infuriating as she can be at times.

Today, for what seems like the millionth time, Georgia messed with my laptop. After being told a million-plus times not to touch it without asking mommy, she turned it off while I was uploading edited pictures to a website. No biggie, right?

Except maybe it took a million times to make me snap... and I YELLED. I yelled and then yelled again.

And you know what happened next. Her bottom lip quivered, her shoulders scrunched up, her chin tilted down slightly, the tears welled up in her eyes and then they spilled over and she cried and cried.

Stab.

Stab right through my heart.

So I quickly snapped her up in my arms and cuddled and soothed and whispered in her ear. Was it more to soothe my guilt or to quell her tears? I guess it probably helped us both.

There's something about those moments that you know you can't take back. I try and try my damnedest to keep my temper at bay. I know where my temper comes from, and I know how that person's temper affected me as I was growing up. Some of my most vivid childhood memories involve that temper. Kids do remember, and my temper is the last thing I want Georgia to remember of me when she's grown and looking back on her younger years. I want her vivid memories to be of laughter and smiles and love. That is my job as a mom. Days like this make me feel like I need 100 days of happy for her to balance it.

I heard a quote the other day, "once said, never unsaid." I'm working on that and taking it to heart.

Sorry pumpkin... mommy will do better. We're learning together.

February 2, 2012 - I Heart These!

2012-02-02T00:43:00.004-05:00

I don't know what I'm more happy with - the fact that I actually finished a project more than a week ahead of schedule or how well that project turned out.

The valentines for Georgia's class are signed, sealed and just waiting for the 14th to be delivered!! This, for me, is an amazing accomplishment. I am a serious procrastinator. No, I really mean it... Mrs. Last Minute. Typically I would buy everything for these valentines on my way to work on the 13th and then stay up until two a.m. or so getting them put together. Or worse yet, I'd have this great vision for beautiful, unique valentines, and I'd put it off so long that I'd just have to rush out and buy the ones in a box.
But look at these!

Now if you follow me on Pinterest, you know my inspiration came from there. I can't take credit for the idea. But you know what... I like my finished product.

I can't WAIT for Valentine's Day!!

February 1, 2012 - Toddlers Will Eat Anywhere But the Table!

2012-02-01T01:08:00.004-05:00

That had to have been the quickest January EVER!! Holy crap, where did it all go? If I had only listened to my mother way back when she told me time goes faster as you get older. I don't really know how that would help slow time down now... but darn it... I should have just listened to her.

But how many times have I said that in my life?

So I'm learning something else as I go - toddlers (at least mine) must be allergic to tables. When given the choice, will they ever sit down and eat at one?

Today, Georgia preferred the floor. And not just the floor, but the floor covered with her coloring books and comic books.

Why we spend good money on tables and high chairs and booster seats is a question I am still trying to figure out.

January 30 & 31, 2012 - Make It Monday and a Taste of Tuesday

2012-01-30T12:58:00.006-05:00

Sometimes I feel like I'm running in circles every day, over and over again. They are the same circles, just different days. My circle had a little 90-degree angle added to it Tuesday - I had to be into work 30 minutes early for a meeting. Hence the dual day post because I missed my 11:59 p.m. deadline to get January 31st posted under the month of January... oops! Let's hope I'm soon back running in my circle.

January 30, 2012

It's a Make It Monday! It's not a craft so much with Georgia today, but one for Georgia (and maybe my sanity). I made a calm jar.

You fill a jar with colored water, glitter and some corn syrup to thicken it up.

Then you super glue the lid shut.

The idea behind it is that when someone needs to calm down, um, I don't know, say a toddler throwing a temper-tantrum, you shake the jar and watch the glitter fall. By the time the glitter settles, hopefully that tantrum has too! (although I don't know what little angel in our house would dare throw a tantrum...)

I haven't tested it yet, but something tells me I won't have to wait long.

January 31, 2012 - A Taste of Tuesday

I had a long day at work and didn't get home until after midnight, so I'm exhausted. So here's quick glance, or taste, at/of our Tuesday.

Georgia and her daddy eating lunch when he came home on his lunch break.

And Georgia not happy that I was photographing their meal...

They are my loves... my true loves.

January 29, 2012 - A Walk in the Woods

2012-01-29T19:23:00.007-05:00

Daddy's home!!!

I have had to spend several days and nights away from my daughter during my job hunt about six to eight months ago. I always had to leave town for job interviews. So I know well that tug at your heart when you know you'll go without seeing that little smile today or wiping that messy little mouth at lunch time or getting those fabulous hugs throughout the day or that sweet goodnight kiss as the day come to an end. It sucks, it really does. And while a day and night (or two) away can bring a little peace and quiet, really, who wants that when there's lots of love in all that noise at home?

Georgia daddy's just got his first real taste of missing her when he went out of town for work the last two days. So today was all about time together. So we found our own peace and quiet - together - with a walk through the woods in a nearby national forest.

This is some serious lichen!

Over the river and through the woods... right?

Or maybe it was under the tree...

Maybe it's the bit of southern girl in me, but there's just SOMETHING about Spanish Moss hanging in a tree.

Wait mommy, are you coming?

After all the energy we used up walking through the woods, a re-energizing stop at the ice cream shop was a requirement. :)

Life is a whole lot sweeter with daddy home. We missed you daddy and are very, very happy you are home!

January 28, 2012 - Girl's Time, Part 2

2012-01-28T12:59:00.005-05:00

It's day two of just me and Georgia. Me and Georgia. Me and Georgia.

So let's go chase some birds!

We also fed the seagulls.

... and Georgia.

A lot of seagulls here.

We also took a walk by the rivers. There's this bench/art work where you can talk into this funnel-like thing, and the person on the other end at the other funnel-like thing can hear you. Georgia tried talking to her daddy...

And what's a girls' day out without some sweets, right?

Daddy comes home tonight from his out-of-town work... and we can't wait to see him!! But I will be a little sad to lose my mommy/daughter time - it has been a sweet two days.

January 27, 2012 - When Daddy's Away...

2012-01-27T00:16:00.007-05:00

The hubby is out of town for work, meaning Georgia and I have two days of girl time!

I treasure my time with Georgia when it's just the two of us - for those moments it's just her and me and the rest of the world just fades into the fuzzy outlines of our life. I love that. Her feelings and emotions - good and bad - toward me are pure and raw and not diluted in any way through another. They are times I will always remember and pull off the memory shelf when I need a smile. But these days are hard work too, right? It always makes me wonder how single moms and dads do it every. single. day.

Well, we started mommy/daughter day one with an AWESOME morning at the library. Friday is story/puppet time there, and while I'd love to show you all the adorable pictures I had planned to take, this momma remembered her camera but forgot to grab the memory card out of my laptop. Sooo... no cute pics.

I did snap one or two with my phone while we were looking for books after tot time.

Riding home with our finds.

We went home with four books, and I was sure to get a shot once I was reunited with my memory card.

Georgia still went to daycare for a few hours so mommy could get some much-needed errands done - work suits altered, meeting at the bank for a mortgage, etc - and it was great to finally get to be the one to pick her up. I'm always the "bad guy," dropping her off every day while daddy scoops her up and rescues her after 5. Today, she turned to see me with that humongous smile and a beautiful "mommy!". It was a highlight of my day.

How to wrap up our day? A marvelous dinner out at an Italian restaurant of course!

Mmmmm... Baked Ziti for Georgia and Chicken Marsala for me. It was delish, but what was best was laughing and talking our way through dinner - and thoroughly entertaining the older couple sitting next to us. Dessert went home with us - tiramisu - and was just as delightful as dinner.

I actually held off tucking her into bed for an extra 15 minutes because I didn't want our day to end. So I'll certainly mark this one down as a super good day. Good night my sweet, it's just you and me again tomorrow, kid.

January 26, 2012 - Paper Bag Puppets

2012-01-26T00:43:00.005-05:00

Hmmm... do I wash the dishes that are impatiently waiting by the sink?

NO! I'd rather spend time with my little. So we're making it a crafty day in our house!

Lunch sack paper bags + various items from our craft box =

Georgia's puppet:

and my puppet:

The hardest part is having the patience to wait for the glue to dry!!

January 25, 2012 - A Winter of Picnics

2012-01-25T01:46:00.004-05:00

Yes, you read that title correctly - winter and picnics in the same breath. I'm loving this whacked-out, overly-warm winter on the NC Coast!!

When Georgia and I were walking back from the playground this morning, I asked her what she wanted for lunch. She answered, "a picnic." Enough said, little one, enough said. A turkey sandwich, some sliced fruit and a juice box later, and we were sitting in the sun on a quilt made by my grandmother and great-grandmother.

Delightful!

(and yes, I do realize a picnic post comes dangerously close to being my third lunch food post for the week, but... yeah, I've got nothing. enjoy!)

January 24, 2012 - Life's Everyday

2012-01-24T13:29:00.005-05:00

Now matter how much I hope every morning when I wake up to make that day different and special and full of excitement for Georgia, let's face it, life is full of the same things over and over again.

To prove my point, or should I say my point is backing up my photography of the day, my pictures from today are again of lunchtime. I know, you're wondering right now "why am I wasting my time reading about some kid's lunch again?" I think Georgia was thinking along the same lines here when I pulled out my camera - "you want to take a picture of my lunch, again?"

Might I add it was a triangles and squares kind of lunch?

Oh, and remember "Larry the Octopus?" He is finally complete.
(he was once an empty paper towel tube)

Good lunch to you all!

January 23, 2012 - Octopus for Lunch???

2012-01-23T13:47:00.003-05:00

Well... not really octopus, but that's what we are calling them.

This:

plus this:

equals this:

Turkey dog octopuses! Yum!

January 22, 2012 - Empress Baker

2012-01-22T21:06:00.006-05:00

Score today at one of my favorite stores... Michaels! We not only picked up MORE tidbits for all the arts and crafts I have planned for Georgia, but they were giving away free princess crowns and Georgia snagged one.

But the hubby was quick to point out Georgia is much cooler than some powerless princess and instead, she is Empress Georgia. And after dinner, she was Empress Georgia the Baker - as we had a date with some cupcake mix.

Deliciousness.

And no hoity-toity girl here - my little Empress Georgia digs right in to the chocolate!!

Maybe she's just what some royal family needs - a dose of reality and messy chocolate!

Hail Chocolate! Long Live Chocolate!!

January 21, 2012 - A Day WITHOUT My Camera

2012-01-21T00:16:00.005-05:00

The hubby went to get some work done today, so Georgia and I had a girls day! We headed to two places where we always find fun - the aquarium and the beach.

Although my fingers were twitching, I did not let myself take my camera. I wanted to focus solely on Georgia and our time together. So today you will not see a post filled with snapshots of the moments that filled our day. But we did have a beautiful day filled with a lot of laughter, giggles, smiles and talking. I love out time together!

However, I did not leave my smartphone at home. I took one picture, and one picture only, of Georgia and I building a sandcastle at the beach.

We walked and ran through the aquarium twice, and we stayed at the beach until Georgia fell down in the sand and a wave came up and got her wet. She kept saying, "it got Georgia." She's too cute.

I live for days like this.

January 20, 2012 - Everyday Errands

2012-01-20T13:11:00.003-05:00

A morning full of taking the dog to the vet (again!) and then waiting in line at the bank's drive-thru.

Passing the time (and boring errands) with mommy's phone.

But the bank visit comes with a perk - a lollipop! This is the first time I actually let Georgia have one.

Ah... everyday life.

January 19, 2012 - Hearts

2012-01-20T01:04:00.003-05:00

Let the Valentine's Day arts and crafts commence!

When will she learn everything does not go into her mouth first?

She is so intense... I love it.

January 18, 2012 - Thank Goodness for Having the Outside Inside

2012-01-18T00:51:00.004-05:00

Brrr.... it was cold out there today. This weirdly warm winter has made me into a wuss, I can't even handle the 50's all of the sudden. So it was too cold to play outside today and Georgia has cabin fever after one day.

But if there's one more thing I can add to my "like" list about our new home, it's that so many of the homes around here have sunrooms. It's (almost) like being outdoors while you're indoors.

And when my little muse gets tired of all the pictures, which is happening more and more often these days, she hides.

It might be cold, but no snow for us. So my daughter will have to grow up with the same kind of snow-covered "trees" that I did as a child growing up in Florida...

Georgia and I also played around a little bit more today with my new photography "toy."

Her "smile" still makes me smile.

January 17, 2012 - Countdown to Love Day!

2012-01-17T13:28:00.004-05:00

With Christmas gone, we are turning our attention to the next "holiday" that will dominate our arts and crafts, decorate our home and show up on some kind of themed treat Georgia and I will bake. Valentine's Day is less than a month away.

I've been busy finding what valentines Georgia and I (mostly me) will make for her classmates, and I've already been scouring Pinterest and blogs for some Valentines-themed craft ideas for kids. It will be fun.

Today, I used the build up to love day as my backdrop for finally trying out my Christmas present from the hubby - my new Savage backdrop stand!!! Squeee!!

Georgia was pretty in pink... and quite the character.

Wait... we don't eat the plastic props??

One of my favs, although I wish I could see both of her eyes!

I even have a Valentine's Day board that I'm filling up on Pinterest! Come follow me if you're a Pinterest addict like me.

January 16, 2012 - Precious Time

2012-01-16T00:56:00.006-05:00

I won't say much about today's post - I'll show you a few moments of the day instead. But I will say this, I had the day off of work - four in a row - and every moment spent with my family is as precious as moments get in life.

After a lot of mommy/daughter time while the hubby was at work, he came home to dinner as a family and then play time. Shockingly (insert slight sarcasm here), Georgia chose Play-Doh.

Look at the concentration!

No, not Georgia's face - daddy's! :)

All that concentration resulted in a lot of Play-Doh snakes.

Then we put the second coat of paint on the empty paper towel roll that will hopefully become Larry the seven-armed octopus. (hey, I never said I was good at evenly cutting eight segments)

Umm, I'll keep you updated on Larry's status... but the status of this family day is just FABULOUS!

January 15, 2012 - Digging Out of My Funk

2012-01-15T21:33:00.004-05:00

OK, so I'll admit, yesterday just sucked. No need for details, but we all know life has good days and crap days. I guess I was due a crap day.

But after the storm comes the sun, and baby, that sun was shining today.

After a morning full of Play-Doh, cooking in the play kitchen, drawing smiley faces and watching a few Sunday-morning cartoons - Georgia, the hubby and I headed to the local history center to check it out.

Have you ever been to a history center that makes you work? This one did (if you're into that) - it was a re-creation of work in 1835.

We had to find supplies in the dry goods store:

We also had to make turpentine! (well fake turpentine)

After all that back-breaking labor, a stop for brownies and coffee was in order.

Georgia is turning into a little chocolate-loving ham!!

We finished up our family afternoon with a walk behind the history center and some fun time on the play ship there.

Anyone for walking the plank?

OK, how about jumping off of it.

A quick cuddle time with daddy before heading home.

It's just beautiful here.

A beautiful scene to match our beautiful day. Funk be gone!

January 14, 2012 - Life's Ups and DOWNS

2012-01-14T00:20:00.005-05:00

There is no picture today. Life is full of joy and sorrow, but I feel more inclined to take pictures on the days filled with joy. I know, I know, I should capture all of life. Maybe my heart will harden and grow cynical, and I'll be able to do just that. After all, we all must face reality, right?

Life is funny - I say that a lot - because when life slaps you in the face, what else can you really say?

I showed the devil my heart, and the devil laughed at it. The devil is laughing still...

January 13, 2012 - Love and Baking

2012-01-13T00:40:00.008-05:00

My mother's baking was always filled with love.

You could taste it in the ooze of a still-warm chocolate chip or the flakiness of a pie crust.

You could hear it in the slap of a rolling pin onto dough or the scrap of a cookie sheet against the oven rack.

You could see it in the expression on her face as she stirred, chopped and kneaded her next creation.

You could touch it in the softness of a cookie or the moistness of a piece of pumpkin bread.

You could smell it in the richness of her Boston Creme Pie or the spices in a cake.

You could feel it all around when everything combined into a delicious treat which my mother always found time to bake because she knew we enjoyed it.

I had a day off of work today, so I decided to pass on some of that love to Georgia. We made chocolate chip cookies.

(I'm now using the timer feature on my camera so I can finally be in some pictures!)

While my baking will never compare to my mother's - I'm a cook not a baker - I still hope the love will surround Georgia as we measure, mix and bake these little morsels of yumminess.

As the blue genius known as Cookie Monster said, "C is for cookie. That's good enough for me."

Love and baking. Love your baking, bake for love.

January 12, 2012 - My Enemy ~ Cleaning

2012-01-12T00:36:00.008-05:00

"Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy." ~Author Unknown

Right? Because who wants to spend all their time cleaning house and miss out on just living life? Not me... just take a look around my house right now. Sometimes I'll be driving to/from work or sitting on the floor with Georgia or just taking a few minutes to veg out in front of the TV, and I'll think of all the things that have to be done at the moment, and I'll admit it gets me frazzled a bit. But then I think of all the things I would have had to stop doing or won't get to do if I take the time to get it ALL done - that picnic in the backyard with Georgia, that Play-Doh date we had at her table, the circles we danced to her favorite Mickey Mouse song on TV or the time we spent just cuddling on the couch and doing nothing. No thanks on the wall-to-wall cleaning, I'd rather keep all those moments and the dust bunnies too.

But of course we must chip away at the mess little by little, otherwise I am fairly certain it would smother us. So today Georgia and I did some laundry.

Unlike me, and I'm pretty certain her daddy too, Georgia likes doing laundry. In fact, she likes helping me clean. She just says the entire time, "Georgia is helping" and "Georgia helps."

And she is such a big help. I mean, without Georgia's help, who would I have to iron out the laundry by rolling on it?

Or how would I ever find the time to see what articles of clothing fit over my head?

Mommy's top - yes

Daddy's pant leg - no

Mommy's T-shirt - kind of

Mommy's fuzzy sock - um... definitely not

And Lord help me, without Georgia's help, who would point out when I didn't fold my jeans just right and then snap them up and go running across the room with them to teach me a lesson?

Georgia's help just makes those house chores fly by, and even if it doesn't, it sure makes for more memories.

January 11, 2012 - Like Mommy, Like Daughter

2012-01-11T01:32:00.006-05:00

Georgia and I might as well post a sign in our home, "Say NO to Crust!" We do not like the crust on our sandwiches. My grandmother would be so disappointed.

I swear, I did not sway her in this direction. When she started eating sandwiches, I left the crust on hers and actually ate mine to set a good example (yuck!). But time and time again, she'd eat her sandwich but leave those crusty outlines on her plate. So, now I cut the crusts off her sandwiches and the dogs are extremely happy about this!

I have a long history of crust-hating. I don't know if my mother ever tried to make me eat my crusts because my earliest memories are of her cutting them off for me. She understood me and my crust defiance. My grandmother always told me I should eat them because the crust was more nutritious than the rest of the bread. You know, like the skin of some fruits (actually) hold more nutrition than the meat of the fruit. Um... I didn't buy it - I was a smart kid. And then I had this teacher in pre-school who obviously hated crust-haters as much as I was one. At one point, she MADE ME eat my crust. I threw it up for her. She sent me home. I won!

So I hope Georgia one day realizes she has it pretty good. She has a mommy who fully understands what it's like to just wish for a world of crust-less bread.

January 10, 2012 - An Obsession With Stuffing and Polyester

2012-01-10T13:17:00.007-05:00

Meet "puppy."

"Puppy" is Georgia's best friend, security blanket, cuddle buddy, emergency pillow, partner-in-crime and constant companion. In fact, I can't believe I haven't dedicated a blog post to "puppy" until now. She (Georgia has determined "puppy" is a she) is a permanent fixture in our daily life.

Now I know it's not unusual for kids to have something they cling to for their early years - whether it be a blanket, stuffed animals or some of the more odd items I've heard mothers describe (read Georgia's further down in this blog) - but this lovey is actually a new phenomenon in my life. I don't remember ever having one, nor do I remember any of my three siblings having a strong attachment to something. But now there is a "puppy" in my life, and Georgia's attachment to her is actually quite cute.

Well, cute, until we have to go to daycare. "Puppy" is not allowed at daycare, so all Hell breaks loose when we have to put "puppy" down and walk out the door. I would like to say it's gotten better in the last week of daycare... but... would you want to leave this face?

So "puppy" I can handle, but "puppy" is having to learn to share Georgia a little bit because "Christmas Hat" moved in just before, well, Christmas. This is now Georgia's other (and slightly odd) obsession!

She wears "Christmas Hat" around the house almost all the time, to the grocery store, to the park, out on a walk and ALWAYS to bed. Yes, "Christmas Hat" has become the evil twin to "puppy." I get "puppy" and I accept "puppy," but that damn hat and I don't see eye to eye... or eye to fuzzy ball.

It makes her head sweat excessively at night (of course, the damn thing's polyester and therefore not breathable), it makes the static in her hair uncontrollable, it smells, it also cannot go to daycare, it's always there to mess up the hair brushing and barrette placement I just finished, and it ain't Christmas anymore.

I know, I know what you're saying - she's two and she'll move on eventually. I know you're right and that's why "Christmas Hat" is still around. But I'm hoping this polyester obsession will soon be in the company of the lights and bulbs and garland living happily in those green and red Rubbermaid bins in the attic.

January 9, 2012 - Jobs With Benefits

2012-01-09T12:40:00.003-05:00

I started a new job six months ago and my husband started a new job a little more than a week ago. Starting a new job is never easy. You have to figure out where everyone stands and where you will fall into the mix. You have to develop a new routine. You have to figure out where the break room and bathrooms are. You have to feel out your new managers and how they will be to work for. You basically have to start from scratch and figure everything out all over again. It sucks, actually, it really does, especially when we had both been with our previous employers for a decent amount of time and had become very settled.

So while we are both, no doubt, still adjusting to it all and most certainly comparing the pros and cons versus our last jobs, both our new jobs certainly offer one big benefit that was not possible for us in Omaha - we get to come home for our lunch/dinner breaks!

That means more family time which, as we all know, is an absolutely priceless benefit. In Omaha, our commute was just too far but here - 10 minutes for the hubby and 15 minutes for me, and I get the added benefit of an hour and a half dinner break.

There's just nothing like a home-cooked meal with family. Mark down a "pro" for the new jobs.

January 8, 2012 - Bacchus & Bailey

2012-01-08T13:28:00.006-05:00

Georgia's arrival into our lives more than two years ago made my husband's and my life amazingly better... in ways we never knew were lacking. Those of you who are parents will know exactly what I mean. All the sudden this little, screaming, red-faced baby enriched our lives to the millionth degree and made us a complete family.

However, I can't say her arrival did the same for two others in our family - Bacchus and Bailey - our dogs. Before Georgia, they pretty much ruled the house, got attention and playtime all the time and treats pretty regularly. But Georgia knocked them right out of their thrown without so much as an "I'm sorry." Georgia's arrival was a complete shock and rude awakening for our two four-legged babies.

It has taken awhile - many days of hair pulling, ear yanking, nose poking, scary screams and laughs at the top of her lungs, toy snatching and the like - but I think Bacchus and Bailey are finally coming around to this "new" family member. Sometimes, she ain't all that bad.

By the way, this is Bailey.
Bacchus is an old man and not always up to getting in on the fun.

And Georgia is having a pretty good time with the dogs too!

Even daddy is getting in on the fun...

I mean, that's almost a dog smile, isn't it? ... almost...

January 7, 2012 - Freezing For a Reason

2012-01-07T23:08:00.004-05:00

They call it "freezing for a reason" and that's exactly what I did today. I jumped into the water... in January... to raise money for Special Olympics.

Originally I jumped at the chance to do this event because I'd always wanted to do a Polar Plunge, I just never got up the nerve to do one in Omaha where they had to chip the ice away to make room for the swimmers.

But I also knew I was doing it for another reason - those Special Olympic athletes. I have done numerous news stories on the Special Olympics during my 10+ years as a journalist, and those amazing athletes have touched my heart every, single time. Talk about a never say die attitude - and always, always with a smile on their face.

So today, I got to judge a sandcastle contest, draw some door prize winners and hang out with 400+ others like me who raised money (thank you very much dad!) and then jumped into some pretty cold water.

We had a blast!

I was blessed to have a child born without disabilities... the least I can do is help raise money for those who might need a little more help to get through life. If you ever have a chance to volunteer at a Special Olympics event - DO IT - you will wonder why you didn't sooner.

Here's the link to a quick piece my station did on the event: Polar Plunge 2012
You'll see me run in and out around 1:03 and 1:12 into the video. I'm wearing the red shirt and dark shorts.

January 6, 2012 - Dear Mother Nature, I Love That You're Confused...

2012-01-06T13:43:00.006-05:00

... because 60-degree weather in January ROCKS! I hope you continue to think we are in the midst of Spring and not Winter.

Today called for a morning spent in the backyard... without jackets... and without shoes. Yipee!!!

Georgia and I even had to dump a little sand on the ground, so we could put our toes in the sand and imagine we were at the beach.

Today would not have been complete without a picnic. Come on, when can you have a picnic in the backyard in January?

Ah, Mother Nature, keep it up please, keep it up!

January 5, 2011 - Jump Up! Jump Down!

2012-01-05T13:19:00.006-05:00

You know, because when Sesame Street is on... movement is a requirement. Didn't you know every episode was an aerobic workout?

Elmo says jump up...

Elmo says jump down...

And while you're at it, some CRAZY dancing doesn't hurt either.

Just another day in our wild and crazy home.

January 4, 2012 - Where Can You Find Dried Play-Doh in Your Home?

2012-01-04T00:19:00.004-05:00

... because you can find it just about anywhere in my house. Um, add my daughter's hair to the list. Georgia is a Play-Doh playing machine. I am a Play-Doh scraping and vaccumming machine.

We got our Play-Doh fix again this morning.

This is still her "smile"... it's too cute.

January 3, 2012 - Handing My Daughter Over to Strangers

2012-01-03T23:58:00.004-05:00

The good news is - my hubby got a job in our new hometown. The bad news is - Georgia has to go back to daycare.

Today was D-day - that's daycare day in our home.

I guess we've been a little spoiled for almost the last year. If anything good came out of my being laid off, it's that Georgia has had a stay at home parent since February 9, 2011. First is was me, and then starting in July, it was my hubby. She has flourished having one of us home, but sadly, our bank account has not. So we are now a two-income household once again.

We prepped her for this day - we told her all about the new friends she would make, the teachers she would meet, the new toys she could explore, the playground she could play on - she seemed pretty ready and a little excited. That is, until about 30 minutes before she and I needed to walk out the door. I can honestly say I think I witnessed her worst toddler tantrum... yet! She would not even let me put her shoes on (I was lucky to have dressed her much earlier) and forget brushing her hair. I had to carry a squirming, SCREAMING and kicking child to my car and buckle her in. She then SCREAMED the entire way to the daycare. When she saw the building, the tears and screams subsided a bit and I finally got those shoes on.

And she let me take a picture:

(so much for those cute shots of her getting ready and walking to the car with her backpack that I had imagined)

So how did she do? When I left her - after prying her death-locked arms from around my neck - she was crying those big, heaving, ugly sobs while all the other kids started at her. But when my hubby picked her up just three short hours later (yes, she only goes three hours a day), he said she was playing with the other kids and appeared happy. Thank goodness.

Let's just see if we make it out the door tomorrow with shoes on.

January 2, 2012 - Be Creative

2012-01-03T23:57:00.001-05:00

Want to find creativity? Have a kid - creativity and imagination ooze from their every pore. I don't think a single day goes by in our home where Georgia and me or Georgia and her daddy aren't coloring, painting, crafting... something. She is constantly searching for an outlet, like if she doesn't release that imaginative energy, she might start to swell from the size of it and eventually just float away like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon.

Today, this is how we released our creativity:

Thank you Aunt Jenna for the awesome easel!

And going with the creative flow, I also let Georgia do something today that is usually pretty well off limits - she got to touch my camera. And not only touch it, but take pictures with it (supervised of course, I had one hand on it the whole time - I'm not clinically insane). But she could point it at whatever she wanted to and hit the button.

So here's photography through Georgia's eyes:

Here We Go Again - and I'm Kicking Off the New Year with Craziness!

2012-01-01T23:24:00.010-05:00

I must be crazy because I'm starting the new year with a new 365 challenge. I did it in 2010 and had to take 2011 off, but I thought hey, why not push myself to the brink again? The challenge means I will take a picture (or more) a day for the entire year. The first time I did it, everything had to be connected to Georgia in some way - after all, this is her blog, right? This time around we'll see how things go... it's still a little fluid at this point.

So... drum roll... here's the first post not only of 2012, but of the new 365 project.

How did my family start off life in the new year? We visited the dead of years past... years way, way past. Yes, yes we did.

This is the "Old Burying Grounds" in Beaufort, NC, and we've been wanting to check out this cemetery for quite a while. It's one of the oldest cemeteries in North Carolina with the oldest recorded grave in 1756, but it's said there are some older than that. It's no surprise, it was a very peaceful and beautiful place in its own way.

There's the grave of a little girl who died in the 1700's on the ship on her way back to Beaufort from England. Her mother had not wanted her to go, but she had begged to see her homeland and went on the trip with her father. Her father had promised her mother to bring her home, so after the girl died, instead of the traditional burial at sea, he sealed her body in a rum keg and brought her home for burial.

People leave gifts on her grave, so Georgia left her a pink flower.

After our peaceful walk... we finished off the first day of the year with a visit to a much more lively place - the beach!!

We flew Georgia's kite...

... fed the seagulls...

... and just soaked in the unusual but very welcome temperatures in the 60's...

I hope 2012 holds many, many days with our toes in the sand and the sound of waves hushing the world. Bring it on 2012!

Counting Down to 2012...

2011-12-31T21:25:00.013-05:00

2011. What will I remember as I look back upon this year? No doubt whatsoever - this will go down as the year of change.

There have been so many changes in so many places of our lives - jobs, day cares, cities, homes, climates, friends - but that aside, our little baby has become a girl.

Georgia astounds and amazes us every day. I can't believe this is what all parents see happen and change in their child's life, and I never knew how truly amazing it was until now. She makes me smile so many times every day... and there's some pulling out of my hair mixed in between some of those smiles, she is two after all. She loves laughing and smiling, she loves reading books, she loves singing songs, she loves her ABC's, she loves learning, she loves her "phone" (which is really her LeapFrog Pad), she loves Christmas and the lights and Santa, she loves "puppy" (her stuffed dog), she loves arts and crafts, she loves being outside, she loves Elmo and Sesame Street, she loves trying to do everything we do, she loves taking walks, and most of all - she just loves life. It's beautiful, it's really, really beautiful.

At the start of this year, I was laid off at work and that prompted so many of the other big changes in our lives. I got a new job as a main anchor and we moved from Omaha, Nebraska, to New Bern, North Carolina. We moved from a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom house to a small rental where we are crammed in for the time being. My hubby went from well-employed to unemployed by choice, to allow me to take the job in NC. Georgia went from going to daycare to having a stay-at-home mommy to then having a stay-at-home daddy. But my hubby will be starting the new year with a new job, so it's back to daycare three hours a day for Georgia. We also went from being far away from family to within driving distance to mine, meaning we spent the week after Thanksgiving there. Family time is good time.

It has been the year of change - some of it not-so-great and some of it very good - but all of it change, which always seems hard and I'm a slow one to adjust. Here's to a much calmer new year, maybe 2012 will be the year of calm.

I'll leave you with a look back at some of my favorite pictures from 2011:

January:

February:

March:

April:

May:

June:

A visit to my childhood home in the Florida Keys.

July:

Our first trip to the beach at our new home.

August:

September:

October:

November:

December:

May you all be happy and blessed in 2012!

Ho, Ho, Ho and a Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T23:07:00.013-05:00

It has truly been a Merry Christmas for me and my family. Even though it's her third, in a way, today felt like Georgia's first Christmas. It was the first she looked forward to Christmas, talked about Christmas and pointed out everything Christmasy anywhere we went. It was the first time she got the magical kid gleam in her eye and that look of ecstatic excitement on her face when we talked about the tree or presents or Santa or anything to do with the big day.

I know for a fact that Santa was in our living room, assembling Georgia's presents and putting them under the tree, around 3 a.m.

Yeah, late night for Santa... and an early morning for mommy and daddy.

But this little girl and her pure, true, unfiltered and over-flowing joy on Christmas morning... well, what more could you ask for? -- sleep be damned!

Funny, at one point I panicked and thought there weren't enough presents to put under the tree. I needed to be slapped because by the end of this morning, I was thinking we need to hurry up and buy a house big enough for all the new stuff!

So here you go, just a few of the things Georgia found under the tree this morning:

In the first minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the second minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the third minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the fourth minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the fifth minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, table and chairs just her size, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the sixth minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, a puzzle map of the U.S., table and chairs just her size, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the seventh minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, more Play-Doh than any child needs, a puzzle map of the U.S., table and chairs just her size, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the eighth minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, a moment to be overwhelmed, more Play-Doh than any child needs, a puzzle map of the U.S., table and chairs just her size, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the ninth minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, a clock to learn telling time, a moment to be overwhelmed, more Play-Doh than any child needs, a puzzle map of the U.S., table and chairs just her size, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the tenth minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, wait - no that's my hubby (he's gonna kill me!), a clock to learn telling time, a moment to be overwhelmed, more Play-Doh than any child needs, a puzzle map of the U.S., table and chairs just her size, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the eleventh minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, markers, paints and chalk, wait - no that's my hubby (he's gonna kill me!), a clock to learn telling time, a moment to be overwhelmed, more Play-Doh than any child needs, a puzzle map of the U.S., table and chairs just her size, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

In the twelfth minute of Christmas my darling did unwrap, a room-consuming amount of toys, markers, paints and chalk, wait - no that's my hubby (he's gonna kill me!), a clock to learn telling time, a moment to be overwhelmed, more Play-Doh than any child needs, a puzzle map of the U.S., table and chairs just her size, a humongous cardboard castle, paint and a standing easel, play food from her Grama and a pink and retro play kitchen.

I hope your Christmas was as magical and merry as ours. Merry Christmas... and God Bless Everyone!

Happy Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T13:20:00.006-05:00

It's Christmas Eve. The presents are wrapped, the assembly-required gifts are on standby and waiting for their date with a screwdriver tonight, Santa's elves paid us a visit last night and left a few Christmas Eve presents under the tree and the big man himself will make an appearance at some point tonight.

Oh, and Georgia and I decorated a gingerbread house. I've decorated one every year for the past several years, but this year was my first attempt with Georgia's "help." It was so cute, but I think she missed the point of putting the candy "on" the house. Somehow our doors and windows kept ending up in her belly!

So we were going for this look:

Uh, I think we got close:

Tonight we'll sip hot chocolate and hot apple cider, listen to Christmas music and watch some Christmas Eve present (Frosty the Snowman, shhh, don't tell Georgia) that Santa's elves left under our tree last night.

It will be a wonderful way to welcome Christmas. Happy Christmas Eve everyone, and here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!

Angel

2011-12-17T01:56:00.003-05:00

I am still amazed - truly, purely, utterly amazed - at the things my two-year-old daughter says and imagines and comprehends. Watching her watch the world and learn from it holds tight to my fascination. To say it simply, she keeps me in awe.

Georgia said something the other day that stopped. me. in. my. tracks. I still cannot fully grasp or explain it. First, perhaps a little background.

Since my mother died two years, two months and six days ago, God and I have not been on the best of terms. We argue, we stop talking to each other, we pray, we yell, we curse, we apologize - OK, it's actually pretty one-sided and not going both ways at all... but you get the picture. Part of it is a deep-seated, fire-breathing anger, but part of it is the lack of "her." I don't "feel" my mother anymore. I don't "sense" my mother. I don't "see" my mother. I keep telling myself if there really was a God and there really was a heaven - why can't I sense my mother from time to time? Where is she?

Now I know there is this discussion we could go into about God and faith and believing - it's a conversation that could and already does fills books and church sermons and lectures and... I'm not getting into that here. We each have our own beliefs and our own level of beliefs, and I still say to each their own - you believe what you want to believe. These days I find myself sometimes envying those with unwavering faith. I once thought I had that - but loosing my mother and the continued lack of ANY hint of her presence, well that has shaken my faith with hurricane-force winds.

But that's enough background for what I started to tell you. In the days before we bought our Christmas tree, Georgia and I were discussing all aspects of said tree. We talked about ornaments and how we would hang them from the branches. We talked about the colorful lights and how they would twinkle and blink. And then we talked about the top of the tree.

I asked her if she knew what we would put on the top of the tree. She answered, "a star?" I told her no, we had an angel. We had never talked about our tree-topping angel before, hence the need for the explanation.

Then, and I still don't know why, I asked her if she knew who gave us this angel. Without blinking, without hesitation, she answered, "Oma." It felt as though every molecule in my body froze.

Georgia and I don't talk about Oma (my mother) very much. She knows of her and there is a picture in Georgia's room, but I certainly don't go out of my way every day to make sure Georgia knows exactly who my mother was. That will come in time and with maturity. And that is why Georgia's answer shook me, I don't know where it came from.

Why the angel (my mother loved angels) and why this angel? It was the closest I've come to sensing my mother since she took her last breath. This moment with Georgia took MY breath away.

And if you're wondering, yes, it was my mother who gave me the angel. She gave me an angel to top my Christmas tree like an angel had topped hers in all the years I can remember.

An angel, my angel - and that night, for a while, God and I were on speaking terms again.

Christmas Parading Down the Street

2011-12-16T01:42:00.003-05:00

It was our first Christmas parade. I can't remember ever going to a Christmas parade and my husband can't remember going to any parade. So when I learned our new home area has a Christmas parade in almost every town, there was no question we would head to one of them.

So we headed out Saturday morning to Morehead City, NC. It's the city near the beach area and one that we drive through often as, if you read this blog at all you know, we are always at the beach. It wasn't hard to find the parade route, people were already staking out spots. But they had blankets and chairs and... oops... we did not. Mommy mis-step #1,327. OK, I'm making a mental note of that for next time.

So we found our spot and sat down in the grass. About 20 minutes of toddler-fidgeting later and... here comes the parade!!

We live in an area with several U.S. Marine bases, so of course the Marine band was first up. Georgia loved the music and kept saying "trumpet."

And what parade near the beach would be complete without a boat... or two.

Georgia though, quickly discovered her favorite thing about the Christmas parade... and it wasn't Santa. No, it was the candy. Holy crap did they throw a lot of candy. Forget Halloween... there's Christmas parades here and you just sit. The candy comes to you!

As the parade went on and Georgia's candy pile grew, her tolerance for the loud bands and sirens did not.

The Christmas parade was more awesome than we even imagined, and it lasted more than an hour. I'm starting to like our new home state more and more.

Phew... Our Christmas Cards are Ordered.

2011-12-11T01:11:00.005-05:00

The Christmas cards are ordered... and only a week later than I had planned. (that's actually pretty good in this house)

After my the first picture I chose for the cover was met with some unflattering comments from the hubby, he said Georgia looked constipated, it was off to the back yard for a flurry of new pictures.

They turned out OK for some last minute snaps...

And the finished product, well, just the front...

For those of you who will be receiving this card in the mail, there's much more inside the card so it's still worth opening. Don't just throw it away thinking you've seen it all! Enjoy!

Santa Success!!

2011-12-09T01:04:00.006-05:00

Georgia has never sat on Santa's lap. She has never met Santa. In fact, except for a brief brush with a candy-cane bearing man in red at the grocery store, Georgia has never been in the same room as the mighty HO, HO, HOer.

So I had the genius idea of doing a breakfast with Santa this past weekend. What could go wrong, right? Dozens of kids running around on a pancake syrup high and a jolly bearded man dressed in red waiting to pose for pictures and listen to the Christmas desires of said kids on sugar highs. Did I mention there was also cookie decorating (and eating) at breakfast? Genius... pure genius.

The cookie decorating went very well (no surprise there):

(as you see these pictures, forgive the mom-fail that my daughter did not have a Christmas outfit on. I never bought one! I'm still learning...)

And as I've said before, Georgia is ALL about Christmas this year and loved all the Christmas decorations:

And then we waited and waited and waited in line to see the big man himself. Notice though, the hubby and daughter were keeping themselves entertained! :)

Did I also mention Georgia right now is quite shy around men and boys she doesn't know? Women too, it's just worse with the male portion of our society.

Then (after 45 minutes) it was our turn! Santa was just a stage length away!! My hubby walked her up the steps and I assumed my mom-with-camera position... and...

She loved Santa! Ran up to the present-king with open arms. It could not have gone better. My husband was a little sad that Georgia left him behind so quickly, but what a great early Christmas present for these two parents - a good breakfast and a happy girl (on her own sugar- and now Santa-high).

The Lights are Shining Bright... Just Not in My House.

2011-12-02T22:25:00.002-05:00

Georgia is fascinated by Christmas this year. No let me rephrase that. Georgia is FASCINATED and slightly OBSESSED with all things Christmas this year.

As we drive around during the day or dare walk into a Target or Wal-Mart or any store really, all we hear over and over is "Christmas stuff!" and "Christmas stuff, Mama!" and "Christmas stuff, Dada!". As we drive around at night, it's pretty much the same thing, just replace the word stuff with lights. It's cute really, it really is.

So tonight I just had to fill my daughter's eyes with this:

Our town of New Bern, NC, lit its Christmas tree tonight. It's our first night back in town after almost a week in Georgia visiting my family (more to come on that later, I promise), and even though I was hoping for just a relaxing night at home, I knew we couldn't miss the tree lighting.

And I was right. Just look at this face the moment the flipped the switch.

Georgia spent the night alternating between dancing around in circles to the Christmas carols, smiling shyly at the other kids around her and touching all the ornaments on the tree within her reach.

We had a great time and what a great way to kick off the Christmas season in our new hometown. And after all, there's not a single Christmas light in our house yet, so Georgia had to get her shiny fix somehow.

I think it's time to go pull down the Christmas boxes from the attic...

Happy Thanksgiving - Eat Some Turkey for Me!!

2011-11-24T12:50:00.002-05:00

While it's easy sometimes to focus on what we don't have and the things that are not going the way we had hoped (and trust me, this has been an easy year to do that), I'm glad there is at least one day a year when we change our focus to thankfulness. It's something I know I should do much more often and not just wait for the holiday. Even my Thanksgiving this year could leave me wishing for more -- I missed the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in I don't know how long, I don't get any turkey today and I have to go to work.

But pessimism... I'm refusing to give in to you!

I woke up in a warm bed inside a warm house in a safe neighborhood this morning. I walked into the living room to be greeted by a smiling and healthy two year old and a wonderful and loving husband. Even though I didn't get turkey, I DID get a warm lunch at IHOP, more than many will have on this holiday. And even though I do have to go to work today, I have a job to go to, again more than many can say right now (including me a few months ago). And I will get my turkey thanks to my wonderful sister who is helping me do a Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday.

I AM thankful, I AM thankful, I AM thankful.

I mean, just look at who I have to keep me thankful:

Oh yeah, HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone!!

My Mom's Boston Cream Pie

2011-11-23T00:33:00.004-05:00

My birthday post led to a request for my mom's super awesome Boston Cream Pie recipe. It's my favorite, and I'm telling you, it's the icing that makes this cake... or pie... or cake... It's a dual-personality dessert.

Anyway, here's the recipe - ENJOY!

Kathi's Boston Cream Pie

1 box of yellow cake mix
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding
2 3/4 cup milk
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
hot water

Mix and bake cake according to directions using 8" pans. Cool cake.

Mix pudding according to directions, except use 2 3/4 cups of milk. Refrigerate pudding until cake is cool.

When cake is COMPLETELY cool and pudding is set, slice each cake in half. Divide pudding between both cakes and fill cakes with pudding.

Melt chocolate and butter over LOW heat. When melted, remove from heat and stir in confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Add 1 tsp. of hot water until proper consistency is reached. You want it thin enough to pour/spread over cake, but not too thin that it runs off the top of the cake or soaks into the cake. Divide icing between two cakes and spread on top of each.

***Here's a few of my notes***

- obviously, this makes two cakes. Unless you have a big family, you might not want both at the same time. I usually cut one cake and wrap the other in saran wrap and stick it in the fridge. I put half of the pudding in a container in the fridge as well. And I half the icing recipe. Then we eat one cake over a few days and when it's done, I finish making the other. It equals a week of Boston Cream Pie in my house - heaven!

- I used 9" pans because I don't have 8". It works fine, your layers will just be a little thinner and harder to handle after you cut them in half. At least one of mine normally breaks a little, but I also remember this happening to my mom when she used 8" pans.

- if I'm in a hurry and don't have time for the cake to cool on the rack, I cut it in half and stick it in the freezer for about 5 minutes. You do want the cake completely cool, otherwise the pudding will get runny and the icing will not set.

I hope you enjoy the cake as much as I do. I actually like it better the next day after the icing has hardened a little in the fridge. Now I want to go make another one!

I'm 29... Again.

2011-11-16T02:00:00.004-05:00

Wasn't 29 a good year? Why can't I just stay that age (and weight and lack of wrinkles and amount of energy) forever? What's wrong with that?

I had a birthday (again) this weekend.

Wow, to think back to 29 and remember how different my life was. There was no Georgia. My mom was still alive and healthy. My parents' house was still standing with all my childhood memories safely tucked inside - no sign of fire. I wasn't married. I was working a not-so-great job and had not yet moved to Omaha for the job that I would eventually get laid off from. My two dogs were still youthful. I did not have baby fat I fear I'll never lose. I was living on a lake in Georgia.

Life was VERY different.

Not that life at 29 was any better or worse than life is now. It was a year in my life that added to the person I am today at 30... something. It was a year like all the others in that regard - snippets stolen from that year that I still hold onto and live in my present everyday and snippets that I would rather do without and have pushed way back into who I am -- but a bunch of snippets that no matter what esteem I hold them in, all have some impact on the me of today... and tomorrow.

Would I go back in time to 29 if I could? I don't think so... I'm pretty good where I am right now. Although maybe I'd go back for a minute if I could and give my mom the biggest, strongest, longest hug she'd ever had. Yeah, I'd like to do that.

My mom made the BEST Boston Creme Pie - it's my favorite. Moist yellow cake, creamy pudding in the middle and the best darn chocolate icing you've ever had. None of that wussy milk chocolate icing. This stuff has bite and it makes sure you know it's there. She made me that cake for almost every birthday of my adult life.

I pulled out that recipe on my birthday this year, and Georgia, my hubby and I made that cake together.
(excuse the cell phone pic)

Mom, it was really good.

And before the cake, we dined on NY Strips and garlic asparagus. Yum!

Oh, and this will come as a big surprise, we spent the day at the beach. No pictures of me though, just Georgia. Come on, my birthday's not that different! :)

I think she enjoyed my birthday as much as I did. She was so proud when she and her daddy brought me breakfast in bed and she got to hand me her card. The cutest darn little girl EVER! And she kept telling me "happy berd-day" all day long.

How could I ever want to go back to another age after that?

No thank you... 30ish is just fine.

It's Still Beach Weather Here!

2011-11-09T19:36:00.007-05:00

Well, it's still sort of beach weather. This past weekend our beach visit required jeans and jackets... but I was still barefoot! And our old home has already had its first snowfall of the season - so take that! OK, OK, maybe I'm getting a little too excited about all that, but it was a fun day spent at the beach.

We had another first for Georgia - her first kite.

After mommy successfully got the kite flying high, Georgia and her daddy took over the controls. I think she had fun, and she's had a pretty strong fascination with kites for a while. She loves seeing them in the air.

It was a great start to our beachy afternoon. Then we took a walk and discovered for some reason, dozens of jellyfish decided to commit mass suicide... or something like that. They were washed up on the beach everywhere, and Georgia began this weird game of having to step on every one. They were dead already, so no animals were harmed in the making of this blog post.

I don't know why, but obviously stepping on jellyfish is a fun past time for two year olds. Who knew?

We also stopped a while to play in the sand (the sand that didn't have jellyfish bodies littering it), and Georgia took delight in burying her feet over and over again.

And we also watched the surfers catch waves by the fishing pier. Georgia kept calling them "Silver Surfers," I'm sure it has something to do with her daddy's thing for comic books.

And toward the end of our walk, I captured some of my favorite shots in a while of my little one. Pictures that gave me a glimpse into her soul. I love when a photo can do that.

Here's to some Happy Trick-or-Treating!!

2011-10-31T13:45:00.004-04:00

In just a few hours, a lot of fun will commence for our family. It is time for trick-or treating! I think I'm more excited than my two-year-old daughter right now, that is, until she realizes she gets candy in exchange for a few simple words tonight at every door we stop at.

Last year, when she was one, trick-or-treating was more for my hubby and I and the thoughts of Halloweens that would be. Well, now that our inquisitive little daughter is learning and memorizing the world, I believe this year she will "get" Halloween and it will be all about her. I love that!

So I hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween!

We started the weekend with a Halloween Parade of Preschoolers, and Georgia loved showing off her Elmo costume. She loved it so much, she wouldn't take it off when we got home. I think it's a preview of what the night holds for us.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Let Them Be Little - I Heart Faces Challenge

2011-10-25T13:17:00.006-04:00

The photo theme at I Heart Faces this week is "let them be little." Don't we just love watching our littles be just that... little?

I shot this picture down at Atlantic Beach, NC, of my husband and daughter. She wanted to fly, and my husband gives her wings in so many ways, least of which is spinning around in circles while raising our daughter up and down.

Check our more little ones at I Heart Faces:

Potty in the Potty!!

2011-10-25T00:06:00.005-04:00

Years from now, when Georgia is a teen or ::gulp:: a young woman, I wonder if she'll decide to read this blog I have kept of her life. If she does, this will be one of the posts that makes her roll her eyes and give me that look (I know the look it will be because I'm well-versed on the look myself). Then she'll say, "really mom, really? That's disgusting, thanks!" Me, I will just laugh and then promise to give the link to this post to any boyfriend she has in the near future.

But until we get to those days, we have these days... which are currently filled with tiny panties splattered with hearts and rainbows and Dora scattered around the house, a pink plastic potty resting next to the ceramic version, constant reminders of "don't forget to tell mommy or daddy if you have to go potty" and the occasional yellow puddle on the floor. Yes, as of last Thursday, this house and all of its occupants are in potty training mode.

It took a day or two for Georgia to really get it, but now I think we're having more successes than misses, and we've almost filled up Georgia's potty sticker chart.

But - and here's the part where moms and dads will nod their heads in understanding, Georgia will one day scream "mom!" and everyone else will wrinkle their nose and say gross - up until today our potty successes have only been of the number one variety. That is, until today. Georgia pooped in the potty!! There, I said it, it's out there. Potty success!

I must admit, it is slightly odd that we parents beam with pride and do silly "potty dances" due to a lump of, well, you know, in the pink plastic potty. But hey, it's all relative... and we have one less diaper to pay for today.

Pumpkins are in the Air.

2011-10-24T01:21:00.005-04:00

At the first hint of fall, how many of us rush out to buy or collect armfuls of pumpkins, gourds, colored leaves, cinnamon pinecones or brooms (a southern favorite), scarecrows and anything else that conjures up the emotion of autumn? How many of us start to perfume our kitchens with the scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and pumpkin spice? Then there are the hay rides and pumpkin patches and evenings spent up to our elbows in pumpkin "guts" and carved faces.

Yes, for many of us, fall has arrived in full spirit, yet I find that I have done almost none of these things so far this year. It's a shame, because I truly look forward to fall all year, so I don't know why I'm slow to the gate this year and am not sharing in the pumpkin-spiced rituals with my daughter... yet. Well, I have a list of reasons in my head, but I won't bore you.

But finally, finally, a bit of fall graced our home this weekend.

First, we actually bought a pumpkin (and two tiny ones too) at the grocery store. I know, the grocery store? But the next thing will remedy that. I also made a reservation at a local farm for an animal tour, hay ride and pumpkin patch visit for this Tuesday! Georgia will (hopefully) love it.

And then comes this morning... and the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon. Have you ever made pumpkin pancakes? They are heavenly... and Georgia helped me make some for breakfast.

(puppy had to help)

(yes, this is my daughter eating butter... pure butter!)

Ahhh... a bit delayed, but welcome fall into my home. I'm sorry I didn't open the door sooner. Fall is just lovely.

And those pumpkin pancakes were pretty darn lovely too! :)

October Should Start with an "F"

2011-10-18T01:39:00.008-04:00

That way I could have a blog title with a great alliteration - F____ Festivals or F____ Fairs! I mean, every single weekend of October is filled with festivals and fairs. Since Oct. 1, we've had the Seafood Festival, the MUMfest, the Coastal Carolina Ag Fair, the Chili Festival, the Mullet Festival (the fish, not the haircut... although that would be cool), the NC State Fair and too many county fairs to count... and that's just in our area! Talk about too many choices on the weekend.

So no "Foctober Festivals" for my title, yeah, that doesn't even sound good, does it? I guess I could make do with "Fall Festivals" if I want some alliteration that much. Or maybe the "Festival Family" since we've been to a festival every weekend for the last three weekends! And although funnel cakes and some kind of fried candy bar on a stick have become must-eats at festivals as of late, should I mention I haven't eaten either? Georgia and I did share one of those honking-big turkey legs though... yum. And she got her first taste of cotton candy.

This past weekend was the Coastal Carolina Ag Fair. I figured Georgia would like the animals. Well, there were a few... like chickens.

But while there weren't as many animals there as I had hoped, there were ponies!

Georgia did not want this pony ride to end - she LOVED it! She cried when I pulled her out of that saddle. So we had to find a substitute.

Enter the horse on a stick:

Have I ever mentioned how much she loves merry-go-rounds? But who doesn't?

The festival the weekend before was a two day event for us. On Saturday, I had to make a public appearance at the MUMfest for work. So while I stood under a tent and greeted people I've never met and signed autographs (something which is still weird to me)...

... Georgia and my husband went off to explore the festival on their own. I missed out on the family fun.

So, when the hubby wanted to go do some work of his own on Sunday, Georgia and I took off so I could enjoy the festival with my little lovely. And enjoy we did. Remember that big, tasty turkey leg I mentioned earlier? Don't for a second think Georgia's too girly not to dig into that thing with both hands:

And there's cups of lemonade that compete in size with Georgia...

And where there's people eating food by the water, there's seagulls. So we chased them for a bit.

Funny, we never caught one.

Georgia found amusement and laughter and happiness in everything around her:

And I found my happiness in just one:

Ah... FALL FESTIVALS... I wonder which one next weekend will hold?

She's 2, She's 2... I Can't Believe She's 2!!!

2011-10-14T00:12:00.008-04:00

How can I put into words the last two years? For a woman who makes a living talking and writing, right now I'm coming up a little dry.

My baby turned two yesterday!

Let's see... who is this little brown eyed girl today?

She loves Elmo, he lights up her face every, single time. She sings "La, la, la, la, Elmo's world" often. She asks to watch "Elmo's World" most every morning... and afternoon... and evening. She loves her Elmo T-shirt her daddy bought her at Target. But it's not all Elmo. Cookie Monster, whom she just calls monster, and Super Grover get honorable mentions in the obsessed department. Sesame Street is a pretty big hit in our home.

But there is something else Georgia loves even more than Elmo, and it's something that makes me very happy. The girl loves books. Her favorite right now is "Wacky Wednesday" and "The Cat in the Hat" and "There's a Wocket in My Pocket." She sometimes will disappear into a corner and just read and read aloud to herself. It is honestly one of the most precious things I've ever seen. And she's really good at making up a story to go with the pictures. She also is very insistent that mama and dada read to her regularly... and don't dare try to tell her your busy.

Georgia sings her A,B,C's, and she can get through the entire alphabet. She counts to at least 15 and is getting better and better at actually counting objects correctly. She knows her days of the week, sung to the tune of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Georgia identifies the colors red, pink, yellow, black, white, blue, green, brown and orange. She is always very proud when she gets a new pair of shoes and delights in taking them off herself. (Do we have a shoe-hound on our hands?) My little lovely loves to dance and loves to sing and loves to smile. She has just started smiling for pictures when I ask her to, and it's adorable! She loves to go for walks and Dandelions, watch out! She picks every one she can find.

Georgia is also a daddy's girl and sometimes fights for his attention with me. We have our squabbles and stare offs from time to time, but can I blame her? Georgia's daddy is the best. I'm glad she adores him so much.

On that note, Georgia's independent streak can be as wide as a canyon sometimes, but then like any child, it becomes as narrow as a needle. But when the canyon appears, temper-tantrums and a battle of wills become common. My daughter is not one to step down easily. I hope she keeps that with her always, to a degree. It will serve her well in life.

This year's birthday celebration was a little changed from last year. For birthday #1, we headed back to Georgia where 20 or so family members and friends gathered to celebrate the day Georgia came into our lives. Today, it was just the three of us - Georgia, mama and dada. It was perfect. A day of smiles and love and celebration.

We headed to Georgia's two favorite places. First, the aquarium...

Then we went to... come on, you know!... the beach!!!

We ended the day with cake and presents and the singing of "Happy Birthday." This year, Georgia didn't cry when we sang. I guess mama and dada's singing is just better. :) And the party was full of red, lots of red, and you can probably guess why... ELMO!

And did I mention the presents... and presents, and presents? This little girl has finally figured out what brightly-wrapped bundles are all about...

My little girl. How I hope and dream for you every day, and I know as the birthdays continue to come, one day you'll have your own hopes and dreams. I can't wait to see what they are, but my hope is that my dreams carry you a little longer so you'll stay my little girl for a time. Watching you grow up is beautiful but at times, bittersweet.

Happy Birthday sweetheart... the girl who will always have my heart.

Who Sees a Trend Here??

2011-10-04T01:18:00.003-04:00

Weekend = Beach.
Weekend = Beach.
Weekend = Beach.
Weekend = Beach.
Weekend = Beach.

But can you blame us? One of the reasons I wanted so badly to move back to the East Coast was to be close to the beach, and we are now even closer than I had imagined! So of course the beach is always on my to-do list. This past weekend was no different. We headed to the North Carolina Seafood Festival on Saturday.

The festival was only minutes from the beach, so after we walked a lot and ate our fill of seafood, I don't think my husband was too surprised when I said a walk on the beach was a necessary stop.

This is why...

Give me the most stressful week and this can just wash it all away, wave by perfect wave.

Or maybe this is why the beach is a must...

Our little one LOVES every moment spent with her toes digging into the sand or flying above it.

Or maybe it's searching for shells nestled in the sand...

I think with each one I pick up, I pick up a little bit of lost sanity from the busy and hectic work weeks.

Or perhaps it's what a stick or a rock or just a finger can create when it meets wet sand...

Georgia delights in her wide open sand canvas.

Or maybe it's the cries of gulls...

Or the lullaby of waves...

Or the constant laughter of a truly happy little girl...

No matter what it is that makes this place so wonderful, I will take more of this...

... any time I can get it. It's my sandy soul survival.

Mommy's Mess... er... Makeup

2011-09-23T00:58:00.005-04:00

What little child wouldn't be intrigued by a goodie bag brimming with shiny boxes and sparkly tubes? It's a menagerie of soft brushes and pastel gels and powders that shine. Add to that the fact that mommy digs into it every day and... voila, we have one of Georgia's favorite things - mommy's make-up bag.

While I am quick (hesitant) to share my not-so-cheap make-up with my little darling, she is just as quick to get those little fingers working on the latches, prying open colors with names like "sugared maple" and "smoldering plum" and "like mink." Fingers that just as quickly smear a rainbow of neutrals and earth tones on Georgia's cheeks, forehead and sometimes nose.

For a few moments, Georgia joins the realm of the grown-up world, and for reasons I'm still trying to figure out, she loves it! And I love finding that missing tube of "tenderheart" lipstick in the couch cushions three days *after* I needed it.

Beginning of the Path to Georgia...

2011-09-13T23:57:00.008-04:00

First comes love... then comes marriage... then comes Georgia in the baby carriage.

Well today is the celebration of that middle one. It's my hubby's and my three year wedding anniversary. Our marriage started us on the path to Georgia because I'm one of those traditionalists. I wanted to be married before there was a baby. And thankfully, I was able to convince my hubby of the same. And it has been three wonderful years.

Here we are on that glorious day in 2008:

Thanks to W Scott Chester Photography - you guys rock!

Our wedding was perfect, the day was perfect, the pictures were perfect, my dress was... OK, you get the picture. And the best part is, although it has its blemishes and bumps here and there like everything in life, my marriage is pretty darn perfect.

I could not ask for a better friend, a better husband and a better father for our daughter - and honey, I mean that! (yeah, he reads my posts) Thank you Ben for all you give to Georgia and me. With you, we always see "la vie en rose."

When he takes me in his arms
And speaks softly to me,
I see life in rosy hues.
He tells me words of love,
Words of every day,
And in them I become something.
He has entered my heart,
A part of happiness
Whereof I understand the reason.
It’s he for me and I for him, throughout life,
He has told me, he has sworn to me, for life.
And from the things that I sense,
Now I can feel within me
My heart that beats.

-The chorus from "La Vie En Rose." It was our first dance.

Blogging a Birthday Best!

2011-09-08T23:50:00.002-04:00

I'll admit, my memory is about as long as a flea's jump. I just do not remember certain things well. Dates fall into that category, in this particular case, birthdays. I can remember the birthdays that have been drilled into my head for decades - my sisters, my brother, my cousins (some of them), my parents', my grandparents - and then of course there's my husband and daughter. But beyond that, forget it.

So Dolores, this is my way of saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I hope you had a wonderful day, I hope Ben remembered to call you and I hope you have fabulous memories of this special day. I will try to do a better job of remembering next year, I promise.

Georgia sends her grandma sweet birthday wishes as well. We love you!

Making Memories...

2011-09-08T00:42:00.005-04:00

When Georgia looks back on these days 10 or even 20 years from now, what will she remember of them? Well, probably nothing because she's not even two yet (but oh my God, she's so close - I can't believe it), but if she does remember our days at the beach, I hope she remembers days like this.

Dear daughter, remember these: the tinkling sound of the shells across the sand as they dance with the arrival and departure of each frothy wave; watching the sand pipers flirt and flit as they chase and then run from the waves; the taste of peaches and plums mixed with the salt of the ocean and a few mischievous grains of sand; a rainbow of sand toys - shovels, sifters and pails; the way sea oats hula to the ocean breezes; the cry of a gull; the approach and fly over of a flock of pelicans; the search as we walk for an "even better" seashell; the perfect crookedness of a sandcastle; watching footprints melt beneath a wave; the pure joy of sand between your toys.

Whether they're sharp in her mind in 20 years or not, the memories will be there and they will always be smiling.

Video Catch-Up

2011-09-04T20:30:00.006-04:00

I don't know why, but I always forget I can post videos on this blog as well as my photos. Maybe it's because this blog started out as a 365 day photo project, and in my mind, I always think of photos first. Maybe it's because I'm obessessed with taking pictures of my camera-hog daughter. Maybe it's because half of my Monday through Friday job revolves around video, so subconsciously I ban the stuff from my personal life. Who knows? However, since I have family members who I know read this blog and don't see the videos I post to Facebook, I'm playing some video catch-up today. These are all fairly recent, so this is Georgia in the "now."

At the beach today:

Georgia eating her first popsicle:

Georgia doing her "push-ups" with her stuffed monkey on her back:

Georgia "helping" my hubby do his push-ups:

At the beach a couple of weeks ago:

Are You Wearing Teal Today?

2011-09-02T12:59:00.004-04:00

Today is "Wear Teal Day 2011." It's one more way to raise awareness about Ovarian Cancer. Just like pink is for Breast Cancer, teal is for Ovarian Cancer.

Here's my teal:

And you better believe I'm wearing sandals that show off my teal toes today! My teal toes were the first thing my daughter noticed when she saw me this morning, and same with my husband, so I know they grab attention. I hope they will bring comments and questions my way today so I can tell people why my toes are teal and make sure they're aware about this "silent" killer.

If you haven't read Georgia's birth story to the right of this page, Ovarian Cancer took my mother from us two days before Georgia was born almost two years ago. The picture you see by my toes is my mother and I not long after I was born.

I miss my mom so much still, and I know I always will. It's something I deal with every single day, several times a day. I hope you or your family never have to - so know the symptoms!!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER!!!!

My mother's symptoms presented as a bladder infection. Her doctor missed it the first few weeks, and my mother didn't go back to him as soon as she maybe should have because she didn't want to be a bother to anyone. That was her, ALWAYS thinking of others. But ladies, put yourselves first and know what things may not be right. Don't wait a minute more if you think something is up, because every day this nasty stuff gets to grow is one more day it has to get harder to beat. By the time my mother's cancer was discovered, about a month after her initial symptoms, she was late stage 3 to early stage 4. She fought so hard for 2 1/2 years before the cancer finally won.

She fought hard for herself, hard for us and hard to get the chance to meet my daughter. I love you for your strength, mom, and every single thing else about you. I miss you.

Evacuation, Heavy Rain, Broken Glass, No Sleep, Work Through the Weekend - Irene, I Hate You!

2011-08-30T01:38:00.008-04:00

Hurricanes, those damn acts of Mother Nature. Really? Do we need them? Do they play some role in the weather chain like I'm told mosquitoes do in the food chain? You know, because both seem very unnecessary to me. Regardless of what I think though, Hurricane Irene came and went through Eastern Carolina this past weekend and caused one big headache for me and my family. Oh, and did I mention NO SLEEP!!!

My hubby and daughter evacuated two hours inland on Friday morning, before the storm. I, however, work in the TV news business if you did not know, so my journalistic butt got to stay right here to wait for the storm. I went into work (early) Friday afternoon and the outer bands of Irene moved in not long after that. Thank goodness my family evacuated to a safe and QUIET location. I made the decision not to sleep at work Friday night and came home around one a.m. OK, so technically Saturday morning, but whatever it was, I barely slept. As the winds and rain increased outside, and I tried to sleep in this still unfamiliar house, every noise, every crash, every creak scared the crap out of me and left me thinking I was about to die. After all, there are really, really big trees all around our rental house. At some point, I threw my comforter and pillow on the floor beside my bed and slept halfway under my bed, thinking if a tree came crashing through the roof the bed would somehow protect me. Oh, did I say sleep... no, I cowered there halfway under my bed, wrapped up in my sheets and comforter. When the power flickered for the last time around 5 a.m., I took that as my cue to get up.

That crash I heard in the night, it was the windows in the sun room being blown in by the wind and raining glass upon the floor.

(this was taken after Irene was gone. it was certainly not this sunny Saturday morning)

I spent the next hour moving still unpacked boxes into the house from the sun room as the rain flew in through the now naked screens. Looking out of those screens, I could already see the flooded canal snaking its way toward my back door.

And even Hurricane Irene's weakest winds had started a hailstorm of branches falling around my home.

Heading into work around 7 a.m. Saturday morning, I passed by the beginnings of Irene's fury. The brunt of the storm had not yet hit, we were still just in the outer bands. But this is what I passed:

The marina by my house already claiming an adjacent parking lot

Traffic lights out

A fallen tree in the road

The road just after my turn into work disappearing into a newly formed river

A power line in the road which I had no choice but to drive over to get into work

A fallen tree and flooding in front of the TV station

Arriving into work, there's was the steady chaos of phones ringing, scripts flying, producers quietly yelling, lights shining, computer keys clicking, hairspray spraying, make-up glossing and the anchor desk perched solid, quiet and waiting. ::breathe in, breathe out:: I am home, and there is nothing like it. I spent the next 10 hours at that anchor desk, riding out the most Irene could throw at us with thousands of North Carolinians - whether they were listening to my voice via TV or battery-powered radio. At times like this, I have the greatest job ever. It's not often I get to feel like "I did something good."

Then the replacements make it in, and I'm back off through the storm to get home. I went into work with three days of clothes packed and an air mattress, but I needed to see if Irene had flooded or smashed my home. I would not be staying the night at work.

The drive home was not too bad, after all, Irene's worst was gone. It is Saturday night and there is not a soul on the road as I made the trek, it's only me and the fallen trees, downed power lines and flooding. Thankfully, my home was no worse off than when I had left it 12 hours before. There were more fallen trees and limbs, but all had missed my house. There were also a few more broken windows in the sun room, but I'm a renter, so I'm not as concerned about that. Thanks to 30+ hours without power, I also lost all the food in the fridge/freezer. But all in all, not too bad.

And the best part about coming home Saturday night? Without Irene banging on my front door... and roof and windows and walls and whatever else was there to bang on... I finally got some sleep!! Good thing, since I had to be back into work by 6 a.m. the next morning. That meant a 4:30 wake up call. Ugh.

But if that was the most of my worries, I'll count myself lucky. Some people had worries like this:

And my pictures don't even begin to show the devastation some people endured, and are still enduring, in Eastern Carolina. These pictures are just what I saw on my drive to and from work. And then there's all the poor souls in the Northeast. I know we are blessed to come out on the safe end of this storm.

So what will we take away from our first hurricane experience in our new home?

1.) always evacuate the hubby, kiddie and doggies
2.) buy a bigger cooler and a lot of ice BEFORE the storm
3.) don't leave the safety of work to go home and sleep if I'll only end up cowering under my bed
4.) have better food and beer stocked in the house as hurricane rations
5.) be thankful every day for being one of those lucky ones who will only remember Hurricane Irene as a storm that passed through, and not a life-changing and devastating event for my family

The Calm (and fun) Before the Storm

2011-08-25T02:09:00.005-04:00

As the end of this week nears, so does something else - and it's not something as welcomed and happy as a Friday and subsequent weekend. A hurricane is churning out in the Atlantic Ocean and is getting closer and closer to me and my family (and a few million other people) with each word I type.

Well, there's goes our beach plans for Saturday! Instead, at the normal time we'd be heading to the Crystal Coast, I will be about six hours into a 12 hour shift at work since we start wall-to-wall coverage Friday evening; my husband and daughter, Georgia, will be two hours away in Raleigh (far enough inland to be protected from the hurricane's worst); and the beach that normal makes us laugh and smile will be rain-soaked and wind-racked as Hurricane Irene pounds the NC Coast. Yeah!

So, I figure now is a good time to finally get up my post on our beach visit this past weekend.

My hubby and I dug a Georgia-sized hole in the sand, and our little pink polka-dot didn't even let us finish digging before she plopped her little self right down into that wet sandy depression.

Ha, ha - but getting out wasn't as easy...

But sandy holes and sandy hands weren't enough to stop Georgia from taking a break in the umbrella's shade with one of her new favorite fruits - plums!

The saltiness of beach lips on the sweetness of the purple fruit - ah, perfection. Growing up minutes from the beach, I spent many-a-day covered in sand. I remember well the summer-ripened plums my mother would toss on top of the ice in our cooler, making them cool and refreshing when I finally bit through the fruit's tangy skin. It makes me wonder what Georgia will remember of our beach trips 30-something years from now. My memories are just as sweet as those plums.

Before we stopped at the beach, we also visited some bricks and mortar a little older than my plum memories. Fort Macon was built in the 1800-somethings and used in the Civil War and even World War II.

While my husband and I enjoyed the beauty and history of this amazingly-intact fort, Georgia preferred running circles 'tween the walls.

A mix of new memories and old made for another fabulous day on the NC Coast.

Surrounded by the Choo-Choo

2011-08-22T00:44:00.005-04:00

Is a gift that is given but yet not known it is given sweeter than other gifts? I think so.

We have this train set for Georgia. It's been packed up in a box for almost a year now. I didn't think she was old enough yet, and maybe she's still not quite there, but my mom would have thought she was close enough. My mom always knew we were ready before we ourselves seemed to, and since this gift came from my mother in a round-about way, Georgia is getting it now.

The train set was bought by my mother to keep at her house for the grandkids when they came to visit. But when my mother was taken from us, and I knew that playroom would sit empty, I took a few things for Georgia to have from the happy room she would never know. So here we are with a train set.

Georgia loves trains right now. She loves to say "choo-choo" through her shy smile. And as soon as I set up the tracks and that train was whistling around the turns, where do you think she sat down to eat her lunch? Right in the middle of her new toy!

I love this little girl, and I love that every time I see her playing with this train and hear her "choo-choo," a little bit of my mother will be right there along with us.

Did I mention my mother's birthday was this past week? Yeah, Georgia got the train on that day. Happy birthday mom, I'm sent your wish up to heaven. I love you.

A Trip to the Big City!!

2011-08-16T00:48:00.007-04:00

It's funny, one month ago we lived in a place commonly referred to as "the big city" by many. Basically, if you lived in Nebraska or western Iowa and did not live in Omaha, then Omaha was the "big city." It has shopping, it has restaurants, it has crime, it has traffic, it has suburbs - all the conveniences (and inconveniences) we have come to associate with larger cities. If you lived on a farm or in a small Nebraska town, Omaha was the place you headed every now and then because you needed some new school clothes or you wanted a fancy anniversary dinner or your favorite singer was in concert - but you never stayed long, after all, it was the big city. By God, they had shootings there!

Fast forward one month to now... now I'm the one heading to the "big city." The big city in our life now - Raleigh, NC. It's about two hours from us, and it's the home of my husband's best friend - his former Air Force buddy and the best man in our wedding. The friend, Shane, is the kind of friend who didn't hesitate to drive four hours round-trip when we first moved to New Bern just to help us unload our moving truck. Is it ironic that he also drove hours to help us pack our moving truck when we moved to Omaha 5+ years ago? So when Shane, who typically works weekends, got a random Sunday off - we didn't hesitate to drive four hours round-trip to see him and enjoy a cookout at his house in Raleigh.

Georgia has only met Shane (now) twice, and has taken to him every time. She cutely says "Shane" which sounds more like "sane," wearing a proud smile every time she remembers his name. And on Sunday, that smile was plastered full-time on Georgia's face when Shane took us to the awesome playground by his house!

We hit the swings...

Even Shane got some time in...

Then there was the sand box...

And this thing you can jump on...

We left with sweaty brows, a few new mosquito bites and big smiles.

Shane also invited over a couple who has a daughter one month older than Georgia. It was so nice to see her play with someone her own age again. I still feel guilty for ripping her away from her little friend next door to us in Omaha. So for an afternoon, we all remembered what it was like to have friends close at hand. It was nice. I won't say I started to feel at home yet in this new state, but it's as close as I've been since we made the 1,400 mile leap here. It was just around the corner... I swear!

I Am Torn

2011-08-12T01:07:00.002-04:00

OK, when am I not torn these days? So much change, so much upheavel in our lives, so many adjustments that we're making - confusion just seems to follow. But now comes one more conundrum.

My husband had a job interview this week. Yeah! Of course, we don't know yet if he got the job, but the interview alone has led to so many feelings for me to contemplate. I know my hubby is feeling pulled in different directions as well.

Before I was laid off, we'd always been a two-job family, and Lord knows with what we're about to lose when we sell our house (literally more than I made at my first three TV jobs), we can use the second income again. But for six months now, Georgia has not been in daycare because there has been a parent out of work and at home. And now there's a chance that could change. It's hard. We know the reality - we both need to work - but the last six months have spoiled us and given us a peek into life without daycare. Honestly, I think it's a peek we didn't need. We were never thrilled about putting Georgia into daycare at three months old, when my maternity leave ran out, but we never knew it any other way so we did it. It was hard, but it was easy. Yeah, I know that doesn't make sense. But the easiness came from ignorance - the ignorance of not having lived the stay-at-home parent life.

But here it is. It could possibly be the last time Georgia has a parent with her all day. Could. Who knows whether my husband will land the job? Who knows if it will even pay enough for him to accept it? Who knows how we'll handle Georgia going back to daycare? Questions, quesions, questions - life is pouring questions these days. I stop to wonder if we could make the single income-family thing work, that is until reality comes and wallops me upside the head.

I know what the future holds, but for now I'll just keep questioning it. I'll hide from reality, for now, behind my questions and contemplations.

Mommy/Daughter Day in the Gardens

2011-08-11T00:03:00.007-04:00

If you read my last post, maybe you realized before I did that Georgia and I were in some serious need of mommy/daughter time - no daddy allowed. So when my husband needed to get some work done Sunday, I decided Georgia and I would head out alone. There would be no daddy to block her blows or tantrums!

Despite that fact that it's August and we're now on the Carolina Coast, I thought we'd take advantage of the once-a-month, free day at the Tryon Palace gardens. The palace is a historic site, the first state capitol of NC. So with a car thermometer reading 100 degrees and plenty of sunblock and water in the diaper bag, Georgia and I headed out on our own.

We stop for some deep fried sustenance on the way:

And then we stop for a sailboat to pass by:

(I can't tell you how happy I am to live once again in a place where drawbridges are a necessity!)

We parked on the street just a few hundred feet from the palace entrance, and as soon as I opened the car door, the sounds of a band filled the air. It wasn't just any normal-sounding band - it had the sound of colonial times - the raspy drums, the high pitched flute, the patriotic tunes. Georgia was delighted.

This was our first trip to Tryon Palace:

Georgia loved the twisty-turny paths through the flowers, but she wasn't so fond of those white sculptures in the background.

And every water fountain or pond sent her into a squealing fit, running straight for it as soon as she spotted it.

At almost 22 months, Georgia has her first encounter with a cannon. Is this significant? I have no earthly idea, but she thought it was cool.

The cannonballs, however, were another matter. They frustrated the hell out of her that she could not pick them up. All I kept hearing was "ball, ball, mommy, ball." Then the grunts of a frustrated toddler trying to pick up a heavy metal ball welded to 10 other heavy metal balls.

Oh, and try taking a toddler to a public garden where they're not allowed to pick the flowers. I promise you, the only thing they'll want to do is... yep, pick those flowers.

But hey, who's going to miss a blossom or two?

Amid the flowers and trees and paths and water fountains and buckets of sweat on this day, Georgia and I discovered some things.

We discovered it's really hot in New Bern in August. We discovered all the doors on the palace grounds are, indeed, locked.

We discovered cannonballs are heavy (especially when welded to others). We discovered hidden corners.

We also discovered that we still can get along with each other. There was not one tantrum, not one swing at mommy's head, nor one evil look in my direction.

We discovered a beautiful day.

My Daughter HATES Me!

2011-07-27T01:08:00.009-04:00

Yes, that's how I put it. My husband tells me hate is too strong a word and that Georgia is only 21 months old - she doesn't know how to hate and that she would never hate her mommy. Well, he hasn't been on the other end of her attitude for the past several months - attitude (hate) that has only gotten worse since we moved to North Carolina and my husband starting staying home with Georgia every day. Trust me, the girl can't stand me.

My sweet, little, innocent girl who once wanted only me and my milk-filled breasts is gone. I wish I knew where she has gone. Maybe there's just lingering anger over the whole milk-going-away thing. Who knows? Who would have thought I'd be worrying about my daughter's anger issues so early on?

Since I work nights, I'm the last to wake up in the mornings. But when I do and I walk into the room, and as soon as Georgia sees me, she yells at me and makes a not-so-nice face. If I sit too close to her or her daddy, she hits me. If I try to pick her up, she yells and hits me. If I get anywhere near my husband, she yells and cries and hits me. I could go on and on with one situation after another, but I won't. I'll just say almost every one has a similar outcome to the ones I just described. Georgia has sat in the corner so many times for hitting me in the face and head that at this point, she thinks time-out is some kind of game and she doesn't mind playing it if it means she can pummel me. I'm getting my butt kicked by a 21-month old - how's that for embarrassing.

I will say, as my husband is quick to point out in her defense, that this all smacks strongly of jealousy issues. My daughter seems to be jealous if I have a relationship with her daddy or if I intrude on daddy/daughter time. She seems to want my husband all to herself. SHE'S 21-MONTHS OLD!!! REALLY??

I'll admit, it hurts. It hurts a lot. But I try not to be the "oh woe is me" type. It's not about me, it's about her. But it is hard not to let my pained heart have its way sometimes and just feel deflated. All those months of not drinking while pregnant and breastfeeding, no caffeine, no raw foods, very little processed foods, being the only one to get up at all hours of the night to feed and comfort her, the efforts I went through to breastfeed - no dairy for me, the painful Mastitis, the surgery, pumping at work (near impossible in my field) - all of it I did for her without a thought of myself in my mind. So yes, maybe it's a little childish that I know cry "this is how she repays me?" because I did all those things early in her life, not to be "repaid" some day, but just so she was taken care of in the best way possible and had the best start in life.

I just want to figure out how to calm the waters. I don't want her angry, and I don't want her mad at me. I hope this is not an indicator of the relationship she and I will always have. What does that say about me? Have I already failed as a mother in just the first 21 months? Did I ever act this way as a toddler? I wish to hell my mother was still alive for me to ask her that. Have other mothers gone through similar situations with their daughters?

Let me tell you, forget the toddler hits, it's my mind that's truly getting pummeled as I wonder about all these questions and concerns. Who ever thinks their daughter will act this way toward them before she hits those crazy teen years? I would be prepared for it then - an over-hormonal young woman trying to figure it all out and lashing out at me - OK. But at 21 months? That wasn't in the "Kids for Dummies" manual.

Moms, am I alone in this?

The Day of B's

2011-07-26T00:27:00.011-04:00

With all the moving and juggling and unpacking and juggling and address change paperwork and juggling and new job and juggling and... OK, you get the picture... with all of the things that come with moving half way across the country, after three weeks in our new hometown, we needed to get out (again). Georgia was climbing the walls! So I'll bribe you to forgive the world's longest sentence with some pictures of our sightseeing day in Eastern Carolina.

We made it the day of B's (unintentional, but it made for an easy title). We first headed to Beaufort, NC. Yes, there is a better known Beaufort, SC, but there is a big difference between the two - pronunciation. Southerners obviously can not agree on how to pronounce "Beau," but I'm going to side with North Carolina here. Most of us know Beau is a traditional southern name, and it's pronounced "Bo." And in NC, Beaufort is pronounced "bo-furt." In SC, it's "bew-fort." So we headed to the seaside port of Beaufort.

We took a walk along the docks and enjoyed the scenery - boats, birds and beauty. (see, more B's!)

So almost three weeks of living only 30 minutes from the beach and no stop yet at the beach?!?! So guess what the other "B" of the day was?? BEACH!!!!

Georgia was giddy as we walked along the shore, our bare toes digging into the sand.

She even came up with her own little "happy beach dance" as we walked along, and she'd give my husband and I a laugh every few minutes with her rendition of it. She would try to chase the waves when they wouldn't come to her quickly enough, and then she'd giggle and giggle when they finally did.

Her happiness was truly infectious.

Everything's A Changing...

2011-07-10T20:58:00.010-04:00

"They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom." ~Confucius

Well, if Confucius had it right, my life should be fireworks and puppy dogs and giggles and pure sunshine mixed together with a Master's degree from Harvard.

My life has been full of constant changes, many of them in the last five years, and I just capped it off with a big move halfway across the country for my family and I. We are now on day seven of being gone from our old home town and on day five in our new town. We're still living in a hotel, our dogs are still at the kennel and we hope (hope) to have a place to rent squared away in the next two days. It has been a longgggggg seven days.

We left our Omaha home on Monday...

... drove through Iowa and Illinois...

... Indiana and Kentucky...

... West Virginia and then Virginia...

... and we reached North Carolina at night (so no pic). Georgia and I were in my car...

... my husband and the dogs were following us in his car.

Georgia has virtually lived in her car seat and has grown to hate it so much more, but with everything she's gone through in the last week, she has been amazing. Yes, we've had more than our fair share of toddler tantrums, but she is taking all of this change in stride. She is my little trooper. And my husband and I have survived more than our fair share of stress so far. I've decided that if a marriage can handle a major move like this, then I don't think there's anything that can crack it. Although we will all be living in a small, two bedroom rental for at least the next six months, so I might change my theory sometime in the near future to "surviving six months in a super small rental."

So in one week, we have gone from this:

Omaha, Nebraska

... to this:

New Bern, North Carolina

Today is my last day before I start my new job. Remember, I haven't worked since the beginning of February, so this will be interesting. I will miss so much I feel I have gained in the last five months - time with my family, dinners at home, days with my daughter - but I will also be happy to regain some of the things I miss about working. I go into this with very mixed emotions.

But that said, today was (as much as it could be) Georgia's day. After another breakfast at the hotel, we headed to the aquarium.

Georgia loves aquariums! We had a great one at the Omaha zoo, and I'm glad we have one now about 35 minutes away.

So that's where we spent some time today, and Georgia just ran circles around the place.

It's the happiest I've seen here in a week, and you can't imagine how much that warmed my heart. Of course, she ran and ran and ran until we made it to the gift shop where she promptly parked herself amongst the stuffed animals.

Aw, my darling hasn't been changed too much by the move.

I'm sure while much in our lives has changed, it won't be long before we find our rhythm and return to some new "normal." After all, the only thing that never changes in life is change, right? I just hope that calm returns and hangs around for a while - I could use it... and I think my husband could too.

MIA!!

2011-06-24T17:16:00.005-04:00

Hello! ::knock, knock:: Is anybody home?!?!?

This might be what you're asking if you've stopped by here lately. Where the heck is that woman? Did she fall off a cliff? Well, kind of, if that cliff is called normalcy and sanity. Let's just call my cliff I-got-a-job-and-I-have-to-move-my-family-halfway-across-the-country-in-two-and-a-half-weeks. Yeah, now you know why sanity is GONE! Oh, and time to write any new blog posts.

So the bad news is I could probably temporary qualify for the looney bin. Hmmm... that sounds relaxing actually.

The good news though, I'm moving here: (insert big, cheesy smile)

OK, so not right here, but this is the view from downtown New Bern, North Carolina. It's quite the leap from the cornfields of Nebraska (sorry for the stereo-typing - NE is much, much more than just cornfields). I am the new main anchor of FOX Eastern Carolina and will also work for the ABC affiliate, WCTI. I start July 11th (I know, really freaking soon!). So I will try to pump some life back into this blog in the next week or two, but don't hunt me down if I don't. But after that, I hope a new normalcy starts to creep into my life and you will find me back here much more often again.

Thanks for sticking with me and Georgia in the meantime.

Family Vacation... Yipee!!

2011-06-13T11:45:00.011-04:00

I don't know why they say you can never go home again. I just did, and it was fabulous!! I took my own family to the place where I grew up - The Florida Keys.

It's the place where I earned the title of "Conch," where I learned to swim at nine months old and learned to deep sea fish with my grandfather and catch dolphin. (if you've been there, you know I'm not talking about Flipper) It's the place where I combed the beach for hermit crabs, let my toes get nibbled on by minnows and wore an almost constant crust of salt from the dried sea water on my skin. Oddly enough it's also the place where I developed my passion for horses and rode mine on the beach whenever the chance presented itself.

At the time, I hated the place. But in retrospect, I had a magical childhood. How many people can say they watched the 4th of July fireworks from their boat EVERY year, rode a school bus over at least a dozen bridges every day just to get to school, caught lobster and snapper (with hot dogs) under their dock for dinner and woke up every morning in a place most people long to go for vacation? Well, I can. And I was so happy to finally take my daughter and husband there.

Travel along with us, and I hope you enjoy the pictures.

This vacation was a family affair. I still have aunts, uncles, cousin and grandparents all still living in Marathon, and my sisters were also both joining me for this trip! But before they arrived, Ben, Georgia and I took a trip down to Key West.

Ernest Hemingway's former home:

And the descendants of his six-toed cats:

Yes, she kissed one. She's into kisses right now.

Coloring and daddy kisses while we wait for a yummy lunch of conch cerviche and grouper sandwiches! (OK, so Georgia had chicken fingers)

Picture overload yet? Oh just wait, this is just the beginning!!

We spent great time with family and added great new memories to the vault.

Georgia even got some "sharing" lessons from her cousins. (the girl does NOT like to share her crayons!)

And Georgia LOVES airplanes right now and guess where the flight path is for the local airport... right over my grandparents' home. Heaven for Georgia! She watched them land and then flew just like them.

Florida is all about its beaches, right? We hit three different ones while we were there. Here ya go:

Sombrero Beach:

Aunt Jodi took Georgia into the water. She loved the water but hated kids wearing snorkel masks. Go figure.

Jodi's dog Tom joined us too.

Bahia Honda State Park:

Here's Georgia's cousin Emily in one of those dreaded masks!

And there's an awesome, old bridge right next to the beach.

Coco Plum Beach:

This beach is a little on the natural and wild side, which is why I love it.

More flying:

So much exploring to do!

Home sweet home, we loved you.

I've Been Slacking...

2011-06-06T11:37:00.005-04:00

... because it has been quite a while since I have put a new post up here. Yes, I have several excuses - don't we always?

1.) The job hunt has been keeping me busy.
2.) My family and I just got back from a week-long trip to visit family in the Florida Keys.
3.) I've been very busy getting another blog up and running (and doing the two family shoots you'll see profiled so far):

Jaime Otero Photography

If you're wondering, no, I'm not going professional right now. I just want to take my hobby to the next level and get experience shooting people other than my husband and daughter (not that I won't keep doing that until they're sick of me!).

So check it out and I promise to have vacation pictures up here real soon!

Yellow - I Heart Faces

2011-05-24T21:02:00.004-04:00

The photo theme at I Heart Faces this week is yellow. It's such a fun color, and something that always make me happy are bright daisies with their yellow centers.

I shot this picture of a friend's daughter just the other day after she picked a fresh bouquet from a field.

There's more yellow at I Heart Faces:

Grandpa and the Bike

2011-05-19T23:53:00.005-04:00

We received a pleasant surprise this past weekend - a visit from Georgia's grandpa (Ben's dad).

Georgia hasn't seen her grandpa since she was two months old, but she took to him instantly! It was so precious.

And what family trip would be complete without a trip to Omaha's awesome zoo?

Oh yeah, and didn't I mention a bike in this blog's title? Georgia is obsessed with bicycles right now. A kid rides one down the street, and she points and excitedly says "bi, bi, bi." She sees the Toys 'R Us catalog and I hear "bi, bi, bi." A cartoon character on TV pulls out a bike and there it is again, "bi, bi, bi."

So when Georgia's grandpa was looking to get her a gift on this trip - enter the red Radio Flyer bicycle.

She is in love, and in less than a week, she's already getting the steering thing down. And we're hearing even more "bi, bi, bi" in this house.

It is such a sweet, sweet sound.

A New Take on Face Cream...

2011-05-17T23:59:00.005-04:00

I learned a lesson today - don't leave the Desitin within reach of the toddler!

If you do, you just might find this:

I can't tell if she's sticking her tongue out in concentration or because of the DISGUSTING taste of diaper rash ointment! Yuck.

She was polite enough to offer me some though.

Manners - check!

What gets spread on your face versus what gets spread on your butt - um... let me get back to you on that one.

Delayed Chocolate (Crime)!!

2011-05-11T11:51:00.004-04:00

Yes, as my title suggests, I firmly believe waiting to eat perfectly yummy chocolate that is in your possession is a crime. However, that's just what I made Georgia do when it came to her chocolate Easter bunny.

OK, I am ready to be taken away in cuffs.

But there was so much other Easter candy that the kid was on a permanent sugar high, so can you blame me? Add in an entire chocolate bunny - holy moly!

So we finally popped open that colorful box (mmm... chocolate smell) and gave Georgia the sweetest bunny she'll ever meet. Well, until next Easter.

Welcome back sugar high! We've missed you (OK, me not so much).

Green Thumb in the Making?

2011-05-10T23:18:00.003-04:00

Georgia has a new love... she loves to help me water the plants. No - scratch that. She loves to drown the plants.

She waters and she waters and she waters, each time turning up the pitcher and then looking at me and saying "muh." So I indulge her, and give her (and the plants) more water.

Um, I'll update you later in the season on whether I have herbs or fish swimming around in the pots.

Mothers. Smiles. Tears.

2011-05-08T23:53:00.014-04:00

Mother's Day is not supposed to end with tears, is it? Yet here I sit, covered in them. All it took was a picture - oh, and a lifetime of memories and emotions, things I'm learning not many people truly understand.

I. need. my. mom. I'm 34 years old and yes, I still need my mom. Problem is the closest I can get to talking to her is that damned picture. The one where I'm dressed in white and we have our arms around each other and those kind of smiles you just can't stop no matter how hard you try - yeah, that picture. It was taken about two and a half years ago, just before I married a really great guy. It was taken about one year before my mother was taken from me and so many others.

Others like my little girl who will never truly know how much was taken from her, the "Oma" she missed meeting by two days. It is by far the sharpest pain I know, my little girl not having my mother, and I'm still amazed that pain doesn't kill me. I guess I'm glad Georgia will never know the true extent of the loss, that way she'll never know the pain.

Others like my mom's best friend who started her Facebook page on October 2, 2009, to keep in touch with my mother. On October 11th, my mom was gone. That friend hasn't touched her Facebook page again until today, one and a half years later. I guess I'm not the only one still hurting.

The hurt is especially hard on days like today, because don't I owe it to my daughter to be 100% happy and all into this special day? Doesn't she deserve to have a mommy who is loving the day for all the love it celebrates instead of one who is choking down the day one breath at a time? Doesn't she deserve a mom who is 100% enjoying the magical dinner (and it was) at a cozy Italian restaurant instead of a mom who keeps glancing at the surrounding tables, angry and mad that other women have their moms there? Doesn't my daughter deserve a mom who can focus - focus on her and her love and her gifts and her time and her memories made on a day like this? And a mom who can just write warm, lovey-dovey, happy, fuzzy, dancing teddy bears posts for Mother's Day?

Maybe she did sense something though. Do your Mother's Day pictures look like these?

And my dear husband - he doesn't realize the bubbling inferno he's walking into sometimes when these "mom" emotions are boiling (sorry). I don't think he'll ever understand the raw emotion and anger this loss brings to the surface, but how could he? How could anyone who hasn't faced this, this - OMG, does it even have words or bear description? Perhaps Hell... trapped inside a really nice life. Because trust me, take away this one detail and my life is fabulous. It is really, truly great... and wonderful... and happy.

So why the anger? How long will it last? When will Mother's Day just be Mother's Day again? Why the moments where I just want to scream and slam this laptop into the wall? Why can't I still watch a freakin' Hallmark commercial without breaking down? Why the love/hate relationship with God? Why this intensely deep hole of loss and pain and nothing that some days threatens to literally make me disappear? Why can the loss of one single person - ONE PERSON - have such a profound and unexplainable impact on almost every moment of my life from here on out? One word - mother. It's why a mom is special enough to get this day. The bond is permanent, and it ain't going anywhere. Sure, we all might feel it and express it to a different magnitude, but look inside you and it's still there. It's the same bond my daughter and I now share and why she runs to me with a card clutched between her hands, so happy to hand over those simple words - Happy Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day... Happy Mother's Day... Happy Mother's Day - it is happy, isn't it? 99% of me knows it is.

Thank you Georgia, and thank you honey, for my Happy Mother's Day.

Childhood Love: Bubbles & Chalk

2011-05-03T22:47:00.010-04:00

Are there many moments better on a warm, sunny day than the sun on your back, a little by your side, bare feet on cool grass, laughter and bubbles in the air? Ahhhh. It makes me stop, take a deep breath and exhale.

OK, so it was Georgia and her daddy exhaling as they blew bubbles into the lazy, afternoon breeze. We watched as the bubbles floated up, did zig-zags and disappeared over our neighbor's home or popped upon hitting the grass.

Who am I kidding? We live in Nebraska where our lazy breezes blow over puppies and small children. But the wind did really carry those bubbles!

Like how my hubby was blowing bubbles while Georgia wasn't looking?

OH, OH, OH... PLANE!!! Have I mentioned Georgia has an obsession with spotting planes as they fly over our house. "Ah-pin, ah-pin!!"

And that chalk? Georgia's first time making art on the sidewalk, and she was using chalk the Easter bunny left in her basket.

Perfect day.

Pet Faces - I Heart Faces

2011-04-26T15:53:00.005-04:00

The photo theme at I Heart Faces this week brought to mind one of my favorite all-time pictures of my daughter Georgia. She just adores our two dogs, and I was able to capture this moment between her and our Boxer, Bacchus. He is an old man - 11 - but he never minds when Georgia tugs on his face or ears, bats at him or does really anything to him. He just returns that faithful love dogs are so well-known for.

To me, this picture is love.

Go check out some other cute pet faces this week at I Heart Faces:

Happy Easter!!!

2011-04-25T00:09:00.011-04:00

Boing, boing, boing! That's the sound bunnies make in our house, and boy did the Easter bunny leave a lot behind as he/she boinged, boinged, boinged right through our home. But let's not put the bunny before the egg. Before the Easter bunny comes the egg dying, and this was Georgia's first time.

To say she had fun would be a great understatement. My baby truly dug the egg coloring thing!

Um, that last picture is what happens when you have way too much fun coloring eggs and accidentally (totally on purpose) squish one between your fingers. I would not recommend it.

In the end though, she did a great job!

Now back to that bunny. In our house, you have to work for your Easter basket. There are clues to follow and be found, and it all starts with the first clue sitting on the dining room table.

The egg hunt is a tradition my mom (and the Easter bunny of course) started for me and my siblings, and it will always remain in my house. I can still remember hunting for those clues tucked inside plastic eggs as a child.

Now it's Georgia's turn.

At the end of the hunt, Georgia's Easter basket!!

Oh yeah, and a new slide.

Georgia's grandmother (my husband's mom) also sent some goodies this way. Georgia is rockin' the new shades!

Her papa (my dad) also sent her a box of goodies as did her Uncle James. The little one cleaned up this Easter, my goodness! And it was a very happy day for her and all of us. I hope your day was just as fabulous.

Now boing, boing, boing on out of here!

Just a Lazy Evening Outside

2011-04-20T01:25:00.004-04:00

Before winter decided to show its frozen, windy, 30-something degree head again, we spent Sunday evening outside getting the flower beds ready for the warmer weather I know is coming. Trust me, there are rain dances, I'm out doing the freaking Spring dance and I don't care what kind of crazy get-up I have to wear to make it happen. So flowers - get ready to bloom!

My most perfect flower though is blooming already. Isn't she beautiful?

She would rather take the dirt out of the flower bed and examine it (and taste it too), than leave it in there for the flowers. But hey, dirt for plants to grow in is over-rated, right?

It doesn't hurt that Georgia and I have quite the guy to serenade us while we work!

We are two lucky ladies. Now if only he can do something about the weather...

18 Months and Growing So Fast!

2011-04-14T08:47:00.006-04:00

We hit another milestone in our house yesterday - Georgia turned 1 1/2 years old!! I keep waiting for life to just slow down and take it easy, but I might as well wish for my own pet unicorn, right? I always did want a unicorn though. That would be pretty cool you have to admit!

Since 18 months is a more significant age than 15 months or 17 months (there's just something about 1/2 years), I went to the store with Georgia yesterday and bought her a cupcake, a cake and a balloon. When the lady at the cash register asked if someone was having a party and I explained the reason for our celebration, she responded, "well... she's a very... loved little girl, isn't she?" I think she meant spoiled, I was getting the "your kid is spoiled" vibes, but she was nice enough to interject the word "loved" instead. Ha!

So here's my know 1 1/2 year old lovely enjoying her cupcake.

Look at how seriously she takes her cupcake eating:

Um, until the sugar rush gets to her head:

Happy 1 1/2 my love!

Spring Makes Its Return

2011-04-04T00:16:00.004-04:00

This weekend, we got outside as much as possible. With temperatures in the high 60's, it appears spring has decided not to leave us after all. Yeah!

In the backyard on Friday afternoon, Georgia found the only standing water in the whole place and was sucked right in. Why is it kids just seem magnetized by water!

Not to mention, it was gross water sitting in the Christmas tree stand that never made it back to the garage after Christmas. Did I mention our Christmas tree is still in the backyard too? Yeah, sad, I know.

But what could get a kid away from gross, yucky water? Teasing the dog with his tennis ball that he is obsessively attached to.

After the ball thing, I think Bailey might have been laughing when Georgia did a face plant in the grass!

Wishy-Washy Weather!

2011-03-28T16:14:00.006-04:00

It seems like just the other day I was writing a post about the beautiful, warm weather here in Nebraska, and how Georgia and I were able to get outside and soak every last ounce of it up. Wait... that was the other day! But a few days later, you'd never know it.

SNOW... and quite a bit of it for late March. Somewhere around five inches fell overnight. So much for those thoughts about pulling out the shorts and T-shirts. Instead, Georgia and I stayed inside today, bundled up in our jammies.

Since we didn't go out in the snow, we brought the snow inside to us.

It doesn't take a refresher of that middle school science class to know in the warmth, snow will turn to water. Georgia liked that science lesson... a lot.

My kitchen floor - not so much.

Notice the water is NOT going back into the tub.

I would say let's hope it starts getting warmer quickly, but as I write this, the flakes are falling outside my window... again! So much for spring weather in Spring.

Slice of Life - I Heart Faces

2011-03-26T23:49:00.006-04:00

My daughter and I do so much throughout our day, each moment a little slice of life. So many moments to chose from for this week's I Heart Faces theme, but I think it's the simple slices that speak to me most.

At 17 months old, one of my daughter's new loves is coloring. She colors in her books, on her face, on the walls, on the appliances, on the couch, on the carpet - yeah parents, you know the drill. But I love to watch her when she gets lost in her next masterpiece, which was just what she was doing in this slice of our day.

Go check out some other slices of life this week at I Heart Faces:

New Adventures... Right in Our Own Backyard!

2011-03-25T00:44:00.008-04:00

I know every parent of a child thinks it. Heck, they must think it 1,000 times at least before their kid turns two.

It must be amazing to see the world through the eyes of a child.

As adults before the diapers and bottles and crying and smiles and tiny socks and everything else hits our lives, it's easy to forget the wonderment of childhood. We certainly don't remember that long ago. But add a child into the mix and wow - watching them watch the world - it's nothing short of amazing.

For Georgia and I, it just took some warmer weather (finally) and a trip to our backyard. Everything - EVERYTHING - got an oh or an ah, that cute pointing finger and the face full of wonder that turns to me as if to say, "oh my gosh mom, did you see that?" She had to touch every new texture - the wood on the deck, the stone wall, the blades of dead grass, the blades of living grass, the dirt, the mud, the tree, the fence, and on and on. I was waiting for her to go for some dog poop. Phew, not on this outing. And when birds flew overhead, well my goodness, that just rocked her little world.

I want that! I want to remember, no, I want to do it - find the magic in every little thing. When did I lose that? Ah, but watching my little lovely brings it back a little, even if just through the smile that forms on my face watching her live life in awe of the simplest things.

Georgia also loves that in our backyard, you can find two hairy beasts. Right now after a long and cold winter, two very dirty and stinky hairy beasts. And she has figured out that it is fun to steal the tennis ball from the little "ball addict."

I think they were in a stare down over who would end up with the ball. Georgia opted for the dogs' water bowl instead - it's fascinating. Really, it entertained her for more than a half hour.

Don't think she gave up on the ball though. Why have just one when two is pure wonder...

... and torture for Bailey.

And by the way, I'm still looking for my lost wonderment. Let me know if you find it.

A Few of My Favorite Things.

2011-03-20T00:46:00.010-04:00

We all know how easy it is to get caught up in the every day realities of life. We're all going at top speed, trying to accomplish an hour's worth of stuff in 10 minutes. It's easy to get pulled along by our hurried flow, in fact, it's almost imperative at times just to get everything we think needs to be done... done. We're always trying to do it all, NOW!!

I am the multi-tasker queen. Trust me, I have the scars, burns and bruises to prove it. Hey, I never said I was the perfect queen. But, and I get this so very honestly from my mother, I am ALWAYS trying to do many,many things at once. Just like right now, as I write this post, I also have my photo editing software (Lightroom) open, my Facebook page open, a photography message board open and my hotmail account open. I'm switching back and forth between them all, handling, learning and checking several things at once. Sometimes I try to make myself stop, slow down, do one thing at a time - but it. is. so. hard.

My husband asks me to slow it down because sometimes my overload reaches Georgia. Like when I left the baby gate open after letting the dogs outside and then starting cleaning the kitchen, only to realize the gate was open when Georgia brought me something from downstairs. Yep, she went up and down the stairs without me hovering over her. Good thing we've been practicing that one! I tell my husband it's a centuries-old complaint from women, that we have to do so many things; otherwise, they'll never get done. He argues it's conditioning - we women only multi-task the hell out of everything because our mothers did. OK, looking at my earlier comment, he might be onto something.

Soooo... I am at least making myself slow down enough to take notice of all the little things I love right now about Georgia. She's growing so fast that I know if I miss them now, and don't stop to commit them to memory, they'll be gone soon. And that, my friends, would be unacceptable. There are too many things to list them all, but some of the things I'm loving right now about my little lovely:

- when I lift her out of her crib in the morning and carry her to the living room, she reaches behind my head and plays with my hair.
- when she realizes she is the center of attention (which is often), she really tries to ham it up.
- her little fingernails always seem to have dirt or something under them these days.

- she is NOT a fan of socks or shoes. Ah, I know who she gets that from! ::smile::
- when I sit cross-legged on the floor, she thinks my crossed legs are the perfect reading chair.
- she is a very dainty eater... usually.
- her hair has finally gotten long enough that I'm wondering if I need to pull out the scissors.
- she LOVES to read.
- she likes to cover her stuffed animals with a blanket and tuck them in. She's also starting to offer them food and water.
- she finally tries to blow her nose. Oh so cute!

- she learns and says new words every day.
- she loves seeing pictures of herself and pointing at them. "door-da" (um, that's Georgia for those of you who don't speak Georgia)
- her big toenails grow funny. (yes, I think it's cute)
- the way she's all cuddly when she is ready for a nap or just woke up from one.
- her voice, the sound is magic in my life.
- her singing, mostly just the ABC's right now.
- her wacky hair dos when she wakes up

- her evil laugh. (even when it really IS evil, but usually it's just to get a laugh)
- she says "uh-oh" around 100 times a day.
- she is ticklish.
- she says "dank-do" almost every time you give her something. ::melt::
- she looks so much like her daddy.

So there's a few of them, OK, a few more than a few. :) But I love everything about my little girl, and the list is growing every, single day. I can't think of better reasons to take a breath and slow things down.

Run Screaming... Hide!!!

2011-03-18T12:29:00.005-04:00

It's the stuff of nightmares, maybe the true monster under the bed. It brings the same reaction Freddy Kruger would if he came sneering into the room. It's terrifying, horrific, alarming, dreadful, shocking, horrendous, spine-chilling and every other synonym my thesaurus can come up with.

This is the face of hell in our house.

Um, yeah, it's my daughter's new baby doll. Scary, huh? She seemed fine with it in the store.

But we got that green-eyed baby home and wham! - pure hate and fear. She wouldn't touch the thing, and if I got it near her, she'd pull away like I was holding a cobra with its hood flared.

This was the closest she would get after a few hours - a look from a distance.

Then the "if I don't see it, it isn't there" approach.

It's funny, I thought the ritual of buying the "first" baby doll would be a sweet memory shared between Georgia and I, a mommy/daughter bonding moment. Well, if that includes scaring the hell out of my daughter - memory achieved!

Cheap Entertainment... Funny Hats.

2011-03-16T16:48:00.003-04:00

When we've done all the coloring our fingers can handle, when we've stacked and knocked down and stacked and knocked down all the blocks we have, when we've read board book after board book after board book, when we've exhausted peek-a-boo, stuffed animals, singing, fridge magnets, chase, tummy tickles and other forms of entertainment, there is still a trick I keep up my sleeve - the tupperware drawer!

The drawer usually stays locked, but Georgia quickly becomes giddy when I push down on the child lock and open the drawer all the way. It's such a simple thing that brings such joy to my little lovely.

Today I had to wear a funny hat too.

Georgia would only allow me to photograph her while wearing these balanced on my head.

When It's Cool to Have a Mohawk!!

2011-03-15T16:05:00.004-04:00

So my husband would argue it's cool to have a mohawk at any age, and I'm sure he's right, but I'm a little more, um, traditional. (some might say uptight, conservative, or some other undeserved title) But there is one time when I think mohawks rock... when they're shampoo mohawks!!!

From her smile, Georgia agrees. But the kid also thinks bath time is a great time for a swig from her sippy cup. (how this is any different from mommy taking a glass of wine to the bath with her during pre-baby days... well, I'm just not going to get into that!)

Or better yet, some bath water. God only knows what's lurking in there.

But that bath water does make for cute little semi-curls.

And lots of fun!

Can You Tell Me How to Get to... My Old Sesame Street!

2011-03-11T11:52:00.009-05:00

Whoa! Sesame Street today is not the Sesame Street I remember from 20-something years ago. When did they start rapping the number of the day? And where did all these characters come from, I remember about seven or eight. Now there seems to be some new, neon character every time I look. And when did Gordon get so old? Is that even the same Gordon? And he had a cell phone! Where have I been that I never noticed all these changes? (Oh yeah, childless and living in a purely adult word - hello childhood again!)

OK, maybe I'm really aging myself with this tirade of questions and observations, but the Sesame Street Georgia will grow up watching is much different from the Sesame Street her momma grew up with long, long ago. So if you haven't guessed, Georgia and I watched Sesame Street for the first time today. She's usually napping when it's on, but as she proceeds to drop (and fight dropping, yeah for me!) her morning nap, she was awake for the first 15 minutes of it.

Even the open to the show is much different than I remember, all flashy and jumpy and stuff. I just wanted to close my eyes, plug my ears and rock back and forth while softly and slowly singing "can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?". I was able to control myself thankfully, otherwise Georgia would have proof her mother is crazy. The number of the day today - one - which was rapped in a song (can you call it a song?) by someone I have never seen before. Obviously, I need to catch up on my hip-hop artists and probably any other entertainer who is considered "cool" and "popular."

At least I knew who Elmo was, even though he is a post-dinosaur age addition. Hey, I've even met the overly-hyper, blazing-red character in person:

And today, Elmo was the one bouncing character Georgia recognized on the TV. She even says "Elmo." It does sound a little more like "Eh-mo," but that's OK. So in honor of our breakthrough Sesame day (or my break down), "Eh-mo" got to go along on our afternoon walk.

After days, weeks, months, eons it seems of snow, ice, freezing temperatures, beyond freezing temperatures, wind chills that make you wonder why ANYONE would live here - after all of that - today reached like 70 degrees. I love you spring! And that made a trip to the playground a necessity.

Look mom, more kids!

She would not release her death-grip on the sippy cup.

So back to that educational TV show. (yeah, I'm not letting it go yet) Did Georgia learn anything today from Sesame Street? Probably not, but she has years ahead of her for that. However, I was quickly and thoroughly schooled in the fact that I am old, and that things have changed A LOT since I was a kid. Even that sweet street that kids are still asking directions to all these years later. Really, don't we have Google maps for that these days?

So What Do We Do These Days?

2011-03-10T11:52:00.007-05:00

Ten hours. TEN HOURS!!! That's how much time I must fill each day, or rather fill for a 16 month old little girl. And she is a girl who is quickly growing, changing, learning and asserting her independence on an amazing level (i.e. fighting my decisions and choices about half the day). Now I know this is nothing new for thousands of moms across the world, they stay at home with their children every day. But for someone who was thrown kicking and screaming (at least a little) into the stay at home realm, well filing 10 hours is a little bit of a shock. OK, that 10 hours is the elephant and I'm the mouse kind of shock.

I have never (ever) thought the job of a stay at home mom was easy. My mom stayed home with us for many years, and I saw how much she worked. And it's not just the work, it's the mental and emotional drain that some days can be - that I am now learning first hand. It's not easy to entertain a little one for hours on end and make sure a good portion of that entertainment is educational. Then mix in the meals and the diaper changes and the house cleaning that I do when I can - phew! There's a reason I've never yearned to be a stay at home mom.

Of course, it must be said that although our days have their challenges, I REALLY, TRULY do love being with my little girl so much. I've already seen the way she treats me change (for the better) since I've been staying home. She's more cuddly with me, more gentle most of the times and more likely to cling to me (which probably isn't the best thing). It's cute and very endearing. And I know I will treasure these days for the rest of my life because we have mommy/daughter day every day right now.

So back to what we do. It's evolving daily, and I'm constantly on the look out for things the two of us can do. But here's a recent day. Now you can all take a look and see if I'm passing or failing. I know it's not a test, but it kind of feels like one sometimes, doesn't it? Or maybe I'm alone on that one?

We watched the garbage truck as it drove down the street, stopping at each house. Georgia hears it coming (along with kids a mile away), and starts saying "kah, kah." That is car is Georgia-speak.

So we watched the garbage truck, still in our pj's.

For our afternoon activity, I bravely introduced this for the first time:

Thank you Aunt Jenna.

Georgia dabbled in a little painting, but decided crayons were still easier to handle. We'll have to try this one again.

The clean up from the finger painting turned out to be her favorite thing of the day. No surprise... it involved water after all.

So Georgia spent a while in the kitchen sink and screamed and cried when I finally thought there truly were little prunes attached to her feet and I removed her from the sink. Mean, mean mommy.

So add in all the things in between, like the all-important eating, and poof, 10 hours is gone. But the best thing is, mixed in with all the happenings of the day are timeless memories being made that will never, ever end. Maybe this stay at home thing isn't so scary after all. :)

Another Change.

2011-03-04T23:07:00.006-05:00

I can't believe it was almost 14 months ago that I was here, crying every day and dreading dropping my little baby girl off at daycare. Today those tears unexpectedly returned for a much different reason. It was Georgia's last day at daycare.

Now that I am not currently working, Georgia has no need for daycare and honestly we need to save that money. So this morning I packed Georgia's lunch box as I do every morning, put on her jacket and boots, strapped her into her carseat and we were off. But we made a stop along the route to daycare... we just had to pick up some cookies and goodies for the ladies who have taken such good care of my little lovely.

One of those ladies in particular played a much more important role then she will probably ever know, although more for me than Georgia. When Georgia first started at this daycare, I had just lost my mother to cancer three months earlier. I soon found myself telling this lady, a grandmother herself, all the things about Georgia I would have been telling my mom if she were here. The new thing Georgia did that day or the funny little quirk she had that morning or the attitude and personality she was starting to show. It wasn't the same, but it helped. It helped. I will miss her. I wonder if Georgia will too. At her age, will she realize these ladies who she has grown close to have just disappeared from her life? I'm sure she will.

So good-bye Miss Carol, Miss Dawn and Miss Kristen - you will be missed.

Of course, what's a post without some pictures. Georgia's inner girl is coming out, she's making jewelry from her toys. Today her stacking rings became bracelets.

We're Breaking Out!!! Ah, Escape.

2011-03-02T21:57:00.005-05:00

I'm tired of playing room shuffle. You know, when you've been trapped inside your home for so long that you just have to move from room to room to keep from losing your mind. And let's not even go into how quickly a toddler can get bored of a room. She makes me think we need a bigger house just so we have more rooms for her to explore in the winter time. As we're nearing the end of winter, with each passing day these rooms, this house, seem smaller and smaller. Yes, I need (we need) to get OUTSIDE!

So thank you God, Mother Nature and whomever else might control our weather. We finally had a beautiful day where we could escape into that bright beyond where our eyes were blinded by this massive burning object in the sky. Its name will surely come back to me at some point. We put on our walking shoes and scurried to the park across the street. Yeah!!

And oh my gosh did it feel good, even if we still had to bundle up a little and dodge snow-melt puddles the entire way. I'll dodge any size puddle if it means the snow is melting.

OK, dodge might be a slight understatement in some cases:

But I don't care, ding-dong the snow is gone... OK, I don't know where I'm going with that except I'm equating the snow to a witch right now. Truly though, I really do like the snow... in December. By March, eh, I'm over it.

And so is my little one. Look at how happy she is when she's outside.

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
-Anne Bradstreet

I guess winter is good for something. Ah Spring... bring it on!

Monkey See, Monkey... You Know!

2011-02-23T22:55:00.004-05:00

Just when I thought Georgia seemed to be mimicking (or trying to) everything I did, she put that sucker on warp speed and somehow started copying everything even more. Holy crap! I brush my teeth, she wants to brush her teeth. I brush my hair, she brushes her hair. I eat my cereal, she wants to eat my cereal. I use the TV remote, she uses the TV remote (successfully, I might add!!). I type on my laptop, she types on my laptop and deletes or somehow messes up everything I had open. Sometimes she even changes things that I have no idea how to change back, gosh darn! I load the dish washer, she tries to load dishes (this one will come in handy one day). I blow my nose, she blows her nose. We'll end with the bodily function examples there. :) The list is never-ending, let me tell you, and something tells me it will get longer and longer. I'm already telling myself I really need to watch that language in the car, or before long I'll hear the parrot in the back seat, "get out of the f****** fast lane you slow a** son of a b****!!" Oh Lord no!

Today, in addition to all the scrutiny I receive from that tiny pair of eyes, the dogs fell into her cross hairs as well. I let them back into the house from the backyard, and they quickly stopped to lick up some Cheerios Georgia had dropped on the floor. I shooed them away and turned around to find this:

So the dogs lick things up off the floor, Georgia has to lick things up off the floor. Yeah! Thank goodness I don't have to worry about the dog's language as well. I just hope I don't find Georgia trying to lift her leg on a tree one day.

The Cookie That Roared!!!

2011-02-22T22:06:00.007-05:00

Or at least you would have thought it was roaring after Georgia's initial reaction. I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few things and somehow ended up in the bakery section. My, my, I don't know how that always happens. There in the cookie case were these adorable iced cookies smiling back at me. Yes, I swear, their little faces overloaded with sugar were smiling.

So I picked up the lion one for Georgia.

Here it was, her first large cookie covered in liquid sugar. I just knew she would have so much fun devouring it bite by bite. Funny though, no one told Georgia that's how she should react.

When she first saw that happy, innocent, smiling cookie - she was scared of it! So much so, we took it away and tried again later. Oh my goodness! But this time, she decided to at least touch it, a little bit. Well, that was after I stuck a finger-full of yummy icing in her mouth.

And then, it was on... kind of. Not quite the devouring I envisioned, but the girl likes her icing!

Take that scary (and yummy) cookie!