Thursday Hopping

Joy to the World

Don't get anxious, I am not one of THOSE people that starts listening to Christmas music in August (not that there's anything wrong with that...LOL). It's just that something rather joyous happened today. I was watching my daughter as she quieted down for her nap, and suddenly I was hit by this overwhelming sense of happiness and in that moment I actually felt myself exhale a little bit.

Since Maggie had joined our lives, I have to admit that I have been a little tightly wound. I have had some moments where I didn't feel the great knot in my stomach, but they have been short lived. For the most part I feel like I have been holding my breath waiting for the inevitable other shoe to drop. But today, for the first time, I just took a pause to bask in the sheer joy of it all and let the breath go. Granted it wasn't a full release, but it was something.

I feel like I need to keep reminding myself to enjoy every moment, that remaining in a constant state of worry is really no way to live. I keep looking forward to a time when I won't have to worry and for some reason I always think that it is just upon the horizon. Friends and family are constantly advising me to live in the now, which is something that has always been a little difficult for me, but I am trying.

So for the pic of the day, here is Magalicious with her Auntie Breeyn, who BTW bought the beautiful party dress that she wore after the Baptism. Hopefully, Mags will take after her fashion sense....

2 Months

So Blogger was being a bugger yesterday so I couldn't post about the greatest part of my day yesterday....celebrating the Magster's 2 month bday.

First there was the photo shoot...

As you can see we were in a great mood right up until the end, and then we were done. It was so much fun.

Then we chose a new toy for her to play with. Daddy chose this time, and I forgot to get pictures, but he chose a little stuffed lamb rattle. It is adorable and so far Maggie thinks it is solely a chew toy.

So what has Maggie been up to this month??

• Growing a lot, I am pretty sure you are up to 11 pounds and maybe 25 in (Dr's appt. tonight)
• Wearing 3 month clothing (still a little big, but pretty much fit)
• Smiling, sort of giggling
• Getting more and more alert
• Grasping things
• More neck control- almost having her head all the way up during tummy time
• Sleeping through the night (almost every night)

Maggie, you are such a wonder, I can't believe how lucky we are to have you in our lives. You honestly make our lives so much better. I love you so much.

Top 2 Tuesday

Hmmmm two favorite songs??? That is a tough one, but if you put a gun to my head I guess I could pick my two favorite songs for today.

1. "Home"-Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Really catchy but very heartfelt lyrics. "Home is wherever I'm with you"

2. "Gravity"-Sara Bareilles
I fell in love with this song when I saw them dance to it on SYTYCD and it still gets me every time.

The Best of Times

What a wonderful weekend. We left for MD on Saturday and we made great time getting down there. Once there it was non-stop visitors all day. Maggie was constantly entertained and mainly being held at all times. The only time she wasn't was for a short photo shoot.




But then it was back into her admirer's arms.

On Sunday, Maggie's baptism day, it wasn't necessarily pretty outside but inside it was beautiful.

The dress fit and everyone made it (some people in the nick of time). It was everything we hoped for.
It was the best of times and we couldn't have asked for more!

Social Parade on Friday

Weekend plans

So I'm not sure why I haven't written about this yet, but Sunday is Maggie's baptism. I guess the main reason I haven't shared is because it all happened so fast. Here's the story...

My mother has the baptismal gown that she and I wore for our baptisms and we both really wanted Maggie to be able to wear it. Only problem is the gown is pretty small and we were afraid that it wouldn't fit. Originally, I had planned on having the baptism in the Spring, but she would definitely not be able to wear this gown then.

Not the best pic, but the baptism gown is the one in the middle. It is also special because my grandmother made it...

So I decided that it would be better to have the baptism sooner then later and called my family to see when we were all available and this weekend was the best bet. Then my mom suggested that we look into her church for the baptism, since the majority of my family still lives in MD and it would be nice for them to not have to travel up here for once. Also, I thought that would be pretty cool, since I was baptized at this church as well.

So there it is, this weekend we are traveling for the first time with the Magsters to MD, my home state. I have to say that I am pretty stoked. I can't wait for everyone to see her. Especially my mom. She hasn't been able to see her since she stayed with us the week after Maggie was born.

I also can't wait to be back in MD. I love that state and if it wasn't so stinkin' expensive to live down there we could move there. But alas we must squalor away up here in the boonies...(ok, it's not THAT bad).

I will be sure to post lots of pics when we get back! And here are a couple from this week...

Go Phillies!!!

Anyone else have some exciting weekend plans??

It's Almost Friday Hop

All quiet on the homefront?

Since I started blogging about a month ago, this is the longest that I have gone without blogging, and trust me it wasn't because I didn't want to.

Broken computer + internet out= Sarah no blog

So yea my computer has decided that it no longer wants to be a part of my world. I just got it last year for Christmas and I am pretty sure it should have lasted at least a year. Luckily my in-laws gave it to me and I think they got a warranty, so we should probably be able to get it fixed. So for now I am writing from the hubs computer, but I couldn't do that yesterday because the Internet was also out. Obviously the universe conspiring against me.

What has been going on at mi casa since then?

Well, yesterday we celebrated eight weeks for the Magster. Eight weeks ago yesterday we welcomed eight pounds of pure joy into our silly lives. Has it been roses and sunshine everyday? No. And that's ok. But there have so many more good moments than bad and for that I am lucky. I have a relatively pleasant child, who really only gets fussy when she is hungry or tired. She has taken to spontaneously smiling and as luck would have it, she always seems to have a whopper of a beautiful smile for me when I am at my grumpiest. She is grasping things a lot better and yesterday I swear she consciously pushed her pacifier back in her mouth as it threatened to fall out.

Things may be a little tough for us right now on the job and financial front, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I really don't care what we have to do, I am just happy that we are so blessed to have her in our lives. As hubs assures me, everything will work out and we will make it through.

PS: How great was Glee last night? Totally worth the wait!

B2S, B2B Week 2

In an effort to improve this little blog, I have joined the challenge, Back to School, Back to Blogging. Click on the button to learn more!




Your mission this week, should you choose to accept it, is:

Take any ONE topic from the Idea Bank list and use that as inspiration your post for this week.


Tell the story of meeting your significant other.

After 24 years of losers and well, more losers, I decided that it was time for a break. I was about to start my student teaching assignment which meant honestly I wouldn't have the time. No time to care about silly boys and their silly ways. I needed to keep my eye on the ball and let all the insignificant fall to the wayside.

Boys being the furthest thing from my mind, I walked into our first student teacher's meeting. In addition to the two other English teachers from my school, there were two other English teachers from another local college. I looked across the table sizing the two young men up.
"He's ok looking, very skinny, not a huge fan of the spiky hair..."
"Hmmm he's cute... man what is going on with those eyebrows???"

Momentary, fleeting, and then I was back to my focus. A week later, writing lesson plans in the computer lab, Brian (cute one with the eyebrows) turns around in his seat in front of me.
"Hey, can I have your screename?"
Huh??
"Uh sure it's...."(I'd rather not share it, it's an embarrassing name and I don't IM any more)
"Cool."
"Yea"

The next couple of days we started talking online. Mostly innocuous conversations. Talking about the weather and school. I remember one very titillating convo about how windy it was.
Me:"Man, it is so windy out. I almost got blown away."
Brian: "Don't get blown away that wouldn't be good"
Did that mean that he would be sad if I wasn't around? Would he miss me? Hey, wait a minute do I care if he misses me?

We shared sixth period almost every day. He had a "free" period and I had lunch. One day for lunch I brought an orange. Brian commented that he really liked the smell of oranges. For some reason that winter I decided that oranges were my favorite fruit and every day I had one at lunch. Again, the conversation at lunch was pretty pedestrian until Brian brought up the Celebrity Jeopardy sketches on Saturday Night Live. He was incredulous at the fact that I had never seen them and insisted on recreating his favorite.
"Alex, I'll take swords for 200"
"Name this continent...here's your clue...ASIA"
I laughed so hard I cried.

One day our online conversation took a turn.
Brian: "So our school has this formal next month that everyone goes to."
Me: "Oh that's cool. My sorority is actually having our Spring Formal next month too."
Brian: "Do you want to go to my formal?"
Me:"Do you want to go to my formal?"

And that was that.

Designer Blog Giveaway

The Paper Mama is having a Blog Makeover Giveaway sponsored by Designer Blogs. Find out more here!

Last Day: Back to Blogging

Last day of the blogging challenge, Back to Blogging...

It is being sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

The assignment is to answer the question: Why do I blog?

Why do I blog? I blog because it's fun. I blog because I like reading about other people's experiences and I think some days some people might like to read about mine. I also have a rather silly reason... that is I LOVE talking about my daughter and I like having a larger audience to do that with. I guess I could go on and one, but those are the main reasons.

Thirsty Thursday

Awwww thus reminds me of my college days!!!!!

Social Parade on Friday

America's next top baby model....

Here we come!!! I hate to gloat, but I took this picture this morning and it literally took my breath away. Of course I think my daughter is beautiful, but I think this picture really captures her beauty. Feel free to agree..LOL

Day four: Back to Blogging

Day four of the blogging challenge, Back to Blogging...

It is being sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

Here is the assignment:

Thursday, September 16: Write a new post about a woman who inspires you.

I debated for awhile what to do with this post. I do have some inspirational women in my "real" life that I could talk about. But since I'm blogging I might as well talk about a virtual inspirational woman. This woman without even knowing it inspired me to become a blogger. I have never met her and yet she has had quite an impact on my life.

About a year ago, I was directed to a blogging site from a parenting website I frequented when I while I was pregnant. I of course had heard of blogging before, but never really understood the hype. As I read this blog, it all started to make sense. Blogging created a community out there for moms who just wanted to know that they weren't alone navigating this crazy whirlwind of motherhood.

This woman was so honest and open about her life and experiences. She was so brave and allowed strangers to take a peak into her private life. She didn't hold anything back. I wanted to be just like her.

I love to read what she has to say everyday and she is constantly inspiring me. She is a wonderful writer and from what she posts, I can tell a wonderful mother as well. One day I hope to inspire someone as she inspires me.

Day three: Back to Blogging

Day three of the blogging challenge, Back to Blogging...

It is being sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

For DAY 3 of the Back to Blogging Challenge on SITS, the challenge is: "Re-publish a post with a title that you are particularly proud of and explain why."

Here it is:

[Blog post title : "Everyday, Everyday I write the book.."

Ahh... a little Costello to let you know that I am continuing to fill you in on our background story (aka the book....get it??).

How did we find out that we were with child, you ask? Well read on...

So the minute we were officially hitched I started thinking about babies. I didn't go off my birth control until a couple months later though (I couldn't see wasting good BC). So we got married in October of 08 (can't believe it will be two years in a month) and by February of 2009 we were 100% TTC. To say that I was anxious would be putting it lightly. I have had ovarian cysts in the past and I had been told that they may impede my fertility, so I didn't know how long we would have to try. Actually, I was pretty much convinced that it was not going to happen (I can be a Debbie Downer sometimes) and that we would have to have some medical intervention.

So every month I would chart my days and we would try, but inevitably Aunt Flo would come to town. Then in September I had a horrible episode of cramping and almost passed out from the pain. I went to my gyno and she said that one of my cysts had ruptured. I didn't really think anything of it. October came and it was a super busy month and I didn't have time to chart or really think about the situation.

November was pretty much the same craziness, when I suddenly realized that I hadn't gotten my period. Now I do not get regular periods off birth control and there were a few times that I thought I was late, took a test, and then the next day there was my period...so I tried not to get too excited. I talked about it with Brian and we decided to wait a little longer before I got a test (because normally I bought a test if my period was 6 minutes late and we would go in debt if I continued with this trend).
So we went out with friends that Friday night and I ordered a beer so as not to raise any suspicions, but only sipped it, I don't know I just had a feeling (but again, I had had these "feelings" before). Then Saturday, November 21st, we woke up and I just had to take a test first thing. I took a digital test because I was sick of thinking I saw a faint line when there was really nothing there. I sat there waiting for what seemed like an eternity (it was less than the three minutes) when I decided to take a peek. I had to look at it about a thousand times, and then I called Brian in. "Brian???" He came in and looked at the test. "Do you think I should I take another one?" "Yea I guess". Needless to say over the next couple of days I took about 8 more pregnancy tests (yes, I am ridiculous) and they all said the same thing....PREGNANT!!!!!!!

--Sarah]

I really liked the title of this post because I think it shows exactly what my post is going to be about. I do explain the reasoning for the title, but I think that it makes sense without too much explanation. I think this post is very important to my blog, so I needed a good title. I think it worked....

Day two: Back to Blogging

Day two of the blogging challenge, Back to Blogging...

It is being sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.


Here is the assignment for today:

Tuesday, September 14: Re-upload a post you wish more people had read and explain why it was important to you.

[Well I guess I should start at the very beginning. How did I end up with a beautiful one month old little girl and married to my best friend? I guess I would have to give Mickey Mouse the credit.
So after some lack of direction after I graduated high school, I got a full time job at a Doctor's office. It was an ok job, but I had always wanted to be a teacher and although I wasn't currently on that track, I knew that was what I wanted to do with my life. So I decided to go back to school, but I really didn't have the means so I started out at a Community College. Then because I had nothing really tying me down, and I figured, "Hey at this rate, I am trying to get my Bachelor's degree for the rest of my life, why not waste a semester"... I decided to do the Walt Disney World College Intern Program.
Basically I would move to FL and work in one of the Disney parks for a semester. I figured I would get away from my situation and see what was really out there. Maybe I would fall in love with FL and decide to move there...nothing was out of the realm of possibility. For my job I was placed in the Magic Kingdom in the gift shop that you have to walk through off of the Splash Mountain ride. I was in the Fall program and I would leave in August. Unfortunately I chose the Fall program of 2001 and two weeks after I arrived in FL, September 11th happened....TO BE CONTINUED

--Sarah]


I wish more people had read this post because it really shows who I am as a person. I know the main reason I follow a blog is because I think I have learned something about the blogger and what I have learned I liked. I don't expect everyone to like me, but I think if you give people a chance to get to know you, it may turn out for the best!

Back to Blogging

So I am trying another blogging challenge, Back to Blogging, and it can be found here:

It is being sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.


Here is the assignment for today:

Monday, September 13: Re-upload the first post you ever wrote on your blog. If interested, re-write that post, showing us a before and after look at the piece.


I haven't been blogging long, but here it is:

[Well Hello there!

So in celebration of Maggie's 3 week bday, I have decided to start things off on my new blog with a top ten list.

Top Ten Things I LOVE doing with the Magster:

10. Dressing her up in cute outfits.
9. Playing wit her toesies.
8. Looking into her beautiful eyes.
7. Playing with her luscious locks (really just rubbing her head...)
6. Reading to her.
5. Listening to the little noises she makes as she falls asleep.
4. Giving her a bath.
3. Having her Tummy Time on my chest.
2. Feeling her grip my finger with all her might.

1. Holding her in my arms and having her fall into a deep sleep.

Here are a couple of things that I am not loving right now... diaper rash, her blocked tear duct (so much green eye goop), her gagging/choking (that no one but me seems to be concerned about) and finally the fact that I don't really sleep at night anymore because I am so worried about her. Don't get me wrong, she is sleeping fine...almost 5 hours at a stretch, but I jump at every noise that sounds weird and I also jump when I don't hear anything. It takes me about an hour to get to sleep and then I am up all the time worried...I know this too shall pass...but right now it is pretty frustrating.]

Overall I would have to say that I wouldn't change anything abut this first post. It was my first post and I was just testing the waters, just to see what I could do. Maybe I could have written a little more, but as I said, I am pretty satisfied with my first post. I think it shows what type of blog I am trying to write and what type of writer I am. This is where I was 4 weeks ago and there is nothing I would change about that.