Product of the Week

I have been following Tiffanie's blog for a while since I read about her sweet baby boy and his special heart. I just adore her blog, sweet baby, and all of the products she has her eye on. I am so happy that I finally got my act together for my product of the week.

Now, I want to preface this post by saying that I WANTED to post about my plain jane Cuisinart SmartPower blender simply because it was the "magic" tonight that helped my sweet 15 month old eat her veggies. 1 apple, 1/2 of a banana, frozen strawberries, a huge handful of Kale, and a splash of milk and this kid went to town. I might be on to something...but I don't think the readers out there would have appreciated a mediocre blender on the product of the week!

So, without further ado... the product I am OBSESSED with this week (and every week) for that matter is my Sarah + Abraham dish set. My daughter was gifted the most adorable personalized plate and bowl  from Angela. I LOVE these dishes! They are so darling. They are the perfect size, BPA free of course, and they can be put in the dishwasher.

They make the perfect baby shower, birthday, or special gift. Or you can buy them for your own kids because they are so stinkin' cute! I love how they can be personalized to look like your own little sweetie.

Check out other Sara + Abraham products here.

Now on to the other products of the week!!! Thanks ladies!

A Surgery for Grams

Today, Grams went in to have surgery on her knee. This surgery was a long time in the making. She has gimped around for about two years, and it was time to get that knee fixed up and get back in action. I know she would never admit it, but I am sure it has been hard for her to chase the baby around with a bad knee.

I have been worried about her because she hasn't been feeling great. Before her surgery, she had some test results come back a little worrisome, but it all ended up to be okay. After a series of tests and results, she was cleared for surgery. She had her surgery this morning, and it went well.

I stopped by after work to see her and bring her some books. She was resting. I am so happy she has taken this first step to take care of herself. I want her to start feeling better and get back to living her life to the fullest and of course be with her baby girl.

 Get better soon Grams! We love you!

Monday Morning

Today marks a big change in our family. My daughter will spend her first day away from home and away from a family member. She is making a transition to a babysitter for a lot of reasons. Her Grams, who has taken care of her since she was 3 months old, is having surgery and needs some time off. Plus, I have a desire for Kay to learn and play with peers. She can socialize and adjust to new situations. She will even be with her BFF Addie, but I am still nervous, stressed, and emotional.

I am lucky enough to have found a wonderful babysitter that I trust and respect. My new babysitter used to work at my school, and she has worked with kids for most of her life. She loves kids, and I know she will give my daughter tender loving care. She watches kids in the comfort of her own home. She has such a nice, safe set up with more toys than little Kay could imagine. She even gave up some time on her weekend to have a private meeting for Kay so she would feel comfortable and happy.

At our meeting yesterday, Kay zoomed right into the house without any hesitation and started playing with the toys. She smiled and went to the new babysitter easily. This eased a momma's anxieties big time. I know that this is going to be right for my baby girl. 

My momma is having surgery, and she needs time to rest, recover, and get herself feeling better. She will still watch Kay, but Kay will now split her time between her Grams and her new babysitter. 

I think this will be great... I am sure I will cry tomorrow, but I am just so happy and relieved that Kay will be in great hands and make some new friends! 

A Resolution

This year, I have a goal. My goal is to read all of those unread books on my bookshelf and then some. Last year was the worst year of my life in terms of reading for enjoyment. It was crazy hectic, and I left my poor old book sitting on my nightstand. Night after night, I would look at it with longing, but I was too tired or too consumed by the internet to pick it up. I LOVE reading. I LOVE books and I am BACK BABY!

So this year will be different, I have so many books that I am dying to read. I have so many books that I want you to read.  I am going to attempt to start a new blog series.

What's On My Nightstand...

My inspiration for writing about what I am reading was Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth. I have had this book for over a year and I have been dying to read it. I am so happy that I finally decided to pick it up. It is indescribably amazing. I love this book. I never wanted it to end.

The story takes place in the 1100's and 1200's in England. It follows different characters through the building of a cathedral. There are so many intriguing characters some that you end up rooting for and some that you can't wait to see them fall. Now, I never thought I would be interested in monks or church building, but this story made me see the error in my ways. I am obsessed with the priors, bishops, lords, and masons. This story has so many dimensions, but my favorite (of course) is the love between two of my favorite characters. I mean ...come on... she searches for her man on horseback with a newborn for a year from country to country.  *Sigh*

It is a big book, but the story flies. Please, please read this book. It would make me happy.

Pillars of the Earth is on my nightstand...what is on yours?

15 months old!

When you say 15 months, it feels like an eternity, but the past 15 months flew by in no time. Kay is officially 15 months old. She is a feisty spitfire with a strong will and an intensity that rivals only her momma's. She is happy, smart and playful. This little girl is full of life at 15 months. 

At 15 months, 

- She weighs 20 lbs. and is 30.5 inches.  She has really filled out from her early days of being a ridiculous peanut. 

- She walks and walks and walks and walks some more. It is so cute to watch her stand up and just take off. 

- She understands so much of what we say...she gives high fives, points to her nose, and claps. She doesn't have any words yet, but she "talks" all day long. She may say "DaDa" but it isn't consistent yet so I can't tell! She stacks her toys and climbs everything.

- She has finally transitioned to one nap a day.  She sleeps like a champ!

My sweet baby is now a toddler. Aside from the eating problems we have, she is a peach. I love you Kay Kay! 

Lexi Girl

My google search history... mast cell tumors, cancer in dogs, vinblastine, and (as if I am not depressed enough) JT wedding proposal. I am having a rough week. We finally were able to get Lexi in to Penn, and we left with bad news.

First of all, everyone there was extremely nice, knowledgable, sympathetic, and understanding. I can see why they are some of the best in the country. After a long 5 hour day at the vet, we learned that Lexi's cancer has spread to her lymph nodes. She is in bad shape, and she will probably not live much longer. She is not a candidate for surgery since the cancer has spread to more than just the lymph node that is visibly enlarged.

The poor thing had an ultrasound of her belly, and she is sporting another new do.

I just hope it grows back quickly. I know she is freezing, and she deserves to have her fur. My hubby and I have decided to attempt chemo for Lexi. It doesn't have the same effects on dogs as it does on humans, and we hope that she won't get sick or have many side effects. If she does get sick, we will stop it right away. It may help stop her tumor from getting even bigger so that at least she will be more comfortable for the rest of her sweet little life.

Lexi is the best dog around. I don't think anyone could find another dog as good, smart, and sweet as this little pup. It just baffles my mind as to how a 4 year old dog can get cancer. I used to think humans got cancer from environmental things...pesticides on food, technology like cell phones, microwaving plastic tupperware, etc. You know I thought so many of the things we do day to day can cause cancer. But what about a dog? Someone said to me maybe a dog can get cancer from walking on a pesticide treated lawn... it feels to me like cancer is everywhere and can affect everyone. It is some scary shit.

Anyway, say a little prayer for Lexi girl. My only hope is that she never suffers or feels any pain. I hate the big "C" so much.

On the Go

This was my sweet girl taking some of her first steps. This was the week before Christmas. Over Christmas break, she took off and never looked. She is officially a walker and I love it! I love watching her walk around with a huge smile on her face beaming with pride. She is fast too. She even starts to run a little when she gets excited! She never really crawls any more, and I just can't believe we reached this milestone!

What happened to my baby girl?

By the way, I love the new youtube. After I downloaded this video, my "channel" starting playing old videos of Kay, and it was amazing to see her as an infant rolling over for the first time, giggling for the first time, and crawling for the first time.