Fun-tabulous Fall Friday

Reasons why it's fun-tabulous:

Fat Baby's costume arrived last night & fits perfect. He is a total hoot walking around roaring and growling!

I lost 1.5 pounds this week (even with water-weight gain), for a total of 5 pounds in 3 weeks. Slow and steady wins the race, and I've found that a slow, consistent loss is better than a quick, unhealthy one.

It's rainy and chilly, and I am going to surprise the President with some Friday night Family Fun. I bought pumpkins, kids' carving kits, halloween cookies to bake, popcorn, s'mores...we're going to light a fire and enjoy the season. These are the things I hope my kids remember when they grow up.

It's my dad's 58th birthday today, and we are going to visit him tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Pop!

I just found a note I left myself on the kitchen counter that says:

hot chocolate
whipped cream
pictures!!!

Now get your minds out of the gutter!!!

I forgot to pick up hot chocolate (The President's all-time favorite) for our family night, so I've got to get it when I pick him up from school. I'm also reminding myself to take school pictures to hand out to the grandparents this weekend. (Why did I put the exclamation points? Will that really make me more likely to remember?)

If something happens to me, somebody please come & get rid of the note...can't you just hear my kids in therapy?

Scary!

Nothing says Happy Haunting like this tampon ghost...oddly appropriate, as I am expecting my monthly visit any minute now. You can find more creative uses for feminine hygiene products here.

Picture Perfect

While running amok around blog-land, I came across Cheeky's handmade, oh-so-crafty Christmas cards, and that got me thinking....this is the time of year when I begin to plan my annual Christmas card photo op for the boys. I pride myself (i.e., I probably take this thing waaaay too seriously!) on having a memorable, and oh so fabulous card every year. The pinnacle of my all-time holiday greetings was the year that Fat Baby was born...I took the picture in late October, a beautiful and sunny day. With borrowed props from our church's upcoming Christmas program, I created a nativity scene with pudgy, 3 month old baby in the manger, and sweet 4 year old brother kneeling over him as a shepherd in prayer. It. Was. Georgous. People are still talking about it. It was a lifetime dream fulfilled. So, that was two years ago, and I set the bar pretty dad-gum high. Here are some things I have done in the past:

The President's first Christmas, I had an open box with tissue coming out, and ribbons everywhere. He had a red bow on top of his head & was propped up on his tummy, wearing only a diaper. You could only see his chest, and all that adorable chubby baby-ness.

His second year, I could barely get the Pres to sit still. Click, click, click...a picture of him in striped jammies in front of the fireplace.

Third year was a totally spontaneous moment, and a favorite of mine. The Pres had a battery-operated 4-wheeler that he was riding through the living room. He drove straight into the Christmas tree...he has a look of pure terror on his face & Southern Fried Mom runs for the camera! It was so....us.

Fourth year, black & white in front of the tree. Mom is newly pregnant & just glad to get it done.

Next....the oh, so fine nativity card.

Last year, the boys in matching pjs in front of the tree. Cute because I found the same pattern in footie pjs for the baby & 2 piece for big boy at the Children's Place (a great place to coordinate matching outfits for children of varied ages).

Any suggestions for this year's card...and yes, I know it's not even Halloween yet! BTW, last year I even sent photo Halloween cards...they were a huge hit! This year, I just hope to get the costume on time for Trick or Treat. Does anyone else do photo cards of their kids? What have you done?

Trick or Treat

Yea! I just got an e-mail that Fat Baby's frankenstein costume has been shipped! I love nothing more than to shop on-line and then stalk my purchases until the UPS man rings the doorbell...am I the only one who does that? Anway, I am usually ahead of the crowd on the Halloween thing, because I love costumes & I always try to do something cute and creative with the boys. This year was a challenge because The President had some definite ideas about his own costume, and didn't want to do a theme with his brother, or anything creative. He wanted to be a ninja like so many 6 year old boys. We have been looking online, and finally went to several costume places this weekend. I was prepared to pay whatever price as long as he chose something that I thought was cool. I tried to talk him into being Robin & Fat Baby being Batman with the big muscles....ummmm, no way mom. After nothing fab-u-lous came our way, I ended up letting him get a ninja costume at Target...even after buying the sword to go with it, it was way cheaper than anything we had looked at online. So, he was happy, & it was cool, with a plate of muscled armor & gauntlets....looks a little mideval. I'm happy that I'm only out a little over twenty bucks, and everyone wins. But Fat Baby is going to be the BOMB in his Frankenstein costume...he loves to roar & growl already. I'm worried because it only came in one size (2-4) and he is, by all accounts, "a big ol' boy." I'm crossing my fingers. He is two years old (just turned two a couple of months ago...) and weighs 42 pounds. He wears extra extra wide shoes, and size 3T pants (elastic waistband, please!) He is in a 4T shirt. All that being said, he's not like some of those fat babies whose eyes are barely visible in all the pudge. He's very well proportioned, but solid...a brick wall of 100% boy!

Get your fat ass to the gym....sweetie

So, I've been battling with my weight for as long as I can remember. Well, that's not entirely true. I quit fighting for a few years, and the chub won. I was overweight by anybody's standards when I became pregnant with my first child. I had a perfect, healthy pregnancy--I even had no swelling. That gave me such a false sense of security. I had always assumed (i.e., heard my mom's voice in my head telling me) that big girls always have dangerious pregnancies. HA! I thought, I beat the system. Being big doesn't mean being unhealthy. (Yeah, right!) Fast forward four years and baby number two. I started swelling the moment I conceived....I swear my nose spread out when I was 8 weeks along. Then, I developed gestational diabetes (which my SKINNY sister had with both of her pregnancies). I might not eat healthy for myself, but I will do whatever I can for my kids. After 9 pound 2 ounce Fat Baby was born, I had lost 40 pounds of baby weight and mama weight through the diabetic diet. I joined Weight Watchers and shed 60 more. Well, guess what...if you don't follow the WW program, you don't keep losing weight. Some of those old pounds will come on back & they want to bring friends! So, before I can't wear any of last fall's clothes, I am determined to do what it takes to be a healthy weight. My Baby's Daddy has always been so supportive, and even at my heaviest, he never made me feel anything but loved and beautiful. So, a couple of weeks ago, it was our 11th anniversary. We usually just go out to dinner, or take a week-end trip, but usually don't exchange gifts. He was just so excited, though, because he had gotten me a present...He kept saying, "It's not really an anniversary present. Just something I thought you'd like..." Let me just say, My Baby's Daddy is a notoriously B A D gift-giver. I have asked him, "Do you really have bad taste, or are you just cheap?" We have long ago established our own "gift registry" system, and it works very well for us. He doesn't have to think, and I get what I want. I hadn't even hinted about anything I wanted, so I had no idea what it could be. He was nervous, obviously didn't want to get my hopes up that it might be something fabulous, like diamond earrings. It was an mp3 player--and guess what? I love, love, love it! I have been working out like a fiend. It's one of the best gifts he's ever gotten me, and I didn't even know I wanted it! It's hot pink, so he even considered the cute factor! Hooray for Daddy! He gave me that little extra motivation, without even trying. That's luv, baby! Anybody have suggestions for good work-out tunes? I'll try to post my weekly weight loss totals--the more accountable I am, the better!

A belated shout-out to one of my girls

Imagine my chagrin when I discovered that I neglected to mention one of my all time fav-o-rite blogs in my earlier post....this girl is totally nutz & I totally love her!!!!

Seriously....

I can not believe it has been a month since I last completed an entry...hasn't been a month since I started one, but for reasons too numerous to count, I haven't been able to record a coherent thought. I've faithfully read some of my favorite blogs every day, like mom-o-matic, busymom, and the domestic diva. I've even left some comments here and there. I'm having a bit of blog-envy for those who can come up with something to post every day and follow through with it. Actually, I have plenty to write, but I think I have soooo much to write about that I have trouble narrowing it down. Maybe if I write every day it will be easier just to update the latest snippet, instead of feeling like I need to write a novelette to catch you up on what's up with me.

Here's the Cliff's Notes:

My dad is 57 years old and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease a year and a half ago. (Fat Baby was 5 months old at the time...is it any wonder that my "post-partum" anxiety still comes and goes?!?) His medication has helped to slow the progression greatly. Only in the past couple of months have I really come to terms with his illness. I just wanted to spend time with him when everything would be easy and fun. I didn't call him as often as I would like, because I didn't want to have to hear him struggle if he was having a bad day. I was afraid. Recently, I have discovered that I can be with him when he's feeling bad & that's okay. It's just the journey that we are to take. There are plenty of people who lose loved ones in the blink of an eye & never get the opportunity to fully appreciate them. My dad & I butted heads a lot when I was growing up (as I now discover I'm a heck of a lot like him) and we just didn't have that idyllic "daddy's little girl" thing going on. A couple of weeks ago (just before my last un-published post) he came to visit me & we had a wonderful time. He has decided to share my family history with me, and give me the opportunity to write it for my children and future generations. It's so much more than just geneology...it's a gift. I'm coming to really understand him as a person. We stayed up until 2 in the morning & I took 8 pages of notes on a legal pad. And we're just getting started! My dad told me things he has never told another person in his life! Fast-forward to 10:00 p.m. (after he left my house at noon), and my step-sister calls. Dad is having really bad chest pains, and is en-route to the ER. He has heart disease & just had stints put in after Father's Day. I was so scared....I could not imagine not being able to continue this new level of our relationship. After a heart cath and some medication changes, he is recuperating nicely, thank God. The whole next week, I had such an overwhelmed, anxious feeling, like post-traumatic stress. I even developed a fever blister. So, I'm just now feeling like blogging about that. But you know what? When all is said and done, I feel so truly blessed.

Stay tuned for RFLMAO funny post ASAP...this heavy stuff is so not me!

Thank God, I thought of something funny & had to come back and add it in. I can't believe I didn't put this in my post. My dad has such a great sense of humor & every time he is in the hospital, he flirts with the nurses, and keeps everybody laughing. He reminds them that he is a real person & not just a chart. He refers to his illness, as "Big AL" like it's a part of the family! We all thought since he's moved in anyway, we might as well give him a name. So now, we all call Alzheimer's (AD) Big AL. For example, "Hey Dad, here we've been all worked up about Big AL all this time, and it's the heart disease that's kicking your ass!"