That was a strange sensation...

This was the scene in our household this evening. These two really do make quite a pair, don't they? Nobody makes Angelica laugh like Daddy can (even though I've been known to have her belt out a belly laugh every now and again)!

Take note of the outfit she's wearing before I continue with the following story.

Shortly after this picture was taken, Scott, Angelica and I were all laying on our stomachs on the floor coloring in her Dora coloring book, when she suddenly gets up, and runs into the kitchen...which was directly behind me and out of my line of view.

We hear her rustling around with the pictures we have in magnetic frames on the fridge, which include a couple of our engagement photos, a wedding photo, and multiple photos of her as an infant. We continue coloring (yes, we both just love coloring that much) while listening to her say "Mommy! Daddy! A-ca-ca!" as she rotates through the pictures.

Suddenly, I feel something literally leap onto my back. Wild laughter ensues as she delights in the fact that she has totally startled me and has tackled me in such a way that I can not only not see her, but I can't grab her and can't get up. All of a sudden, Scott laughs and says "Oh my goodness!" over and over again. I panic, thinking something's wrong, and reach back and...

I grab a naked leg.

If you'll notice in the picture above, she's wearing full overalls and a t-shirt! Somehow while in the kitchen she was able to completely remove her overalls all by herself, all without making a peep about it. She's been doing that with pants for a long time, but not with more complicated clothes (like overalls).

We laughed. Our little girl is growing up! (She is officially 20 months old now, after all!)

Baby Fever From My Own Baby

I am ashamed to say that, with the exception of a few random prints here and there, I have not ordered pictures of my daughter in over a year. I recently placed an order with a print lab I'm considering for my baby photography business to test their product, but I haven't consciously gone through and picked "must have" pictures and ordered them since October of last year.

Tonight, I started going back in time to try and pick some to fill out the photo album and scrapbook I've been putting together for Angelica's first year. This is a near impossible feat. She was a really cute baby, and I literally have thousands of pictures of her to choose from.

One side effect I was not expecting, though, was to look at pictures of her from a year ago and be overcome with a sense of sadness. At almost 18 months, she has shed every hint of babyhood and is a full-fledged toddler. She's traded the comfort of mommy's arms at to fall asleep for a story and "nite nite mommy, byebye!", traded the bottle for the sippy cup, traded the high chair for a booster seat (her choice, not mine!), traded baby coos for yelling and screaming. With all of this has emerged a (sometimes loud) firecracker of a personality with strong opinions and a very keen ability to say what she wants. The last remaining hint of babyhood is the diaper, but just this week she started pointing to the toilet while holding her diaper with the other hand and saying, "Mama...potty?" and asking to sit on it. While I'm sure (and hoping!) true toilet training is still quite some time away, the fact that she understands what it's for is bittersweet. I'm glad she's bright and catching on to things so quickly, but at the same time...I wish she would just slow down!

This time last year she was still not sleeping through the night, and now on some occasions we have to wake her up in the morning. My how things have changed! As I reviewed the pictures tonight, one particular photo jumped out at me...a six month old version of my daughter, curled up next to me in bed drinking a bottle...me, looking exhausted and disheveled from a night of being up with her, and her going down for her first nap of the day.

Looking at that reminded me how, at six weeks postpartum I asked my sister, 34 weeks pregnant with her second at the time..."She never sleeps, she never lets me put her down, I can't sleep, I can't shower, I can't eat! Why does anyone do this more than once?" Now I know why. If I could go back in time, I'd tell that crazy, postpartum version of myself that in 18 months she'd rather shove me away than snuggle. Maybe then I wouldn't have been so eager to put her down.

Our next baby, if we even decide to have one, is still a few years away, and at times that makes my heart ache because between the sleepless nights and crazy postpartum hormones, the sweetness and innocence of a new baby is just wonderful. Until then, I'll have to revel in the memories of my teeny tiny baby, while continuing to feel my heart swell with pride when I see the amazing little girl she is quickly becoming.

Our First Trick or Treat!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!

This year was the first year Angelica was "eligible" to go trick or treating. Last year on Halloween, she was only five months old, so we dressed her up in a cute outfit and took a couple of pictures, but we didn't go trick or treating.

[caption id="attachment_304" align="aligncenter" width="214" caption="Angelica on Halloween 2008"][/caption]

So, this year was a lot different! Halloween is probably my favorite holiday each year (though Christmas is a close second...I go back and forth on this every year), and both Scott and I were very excited to get Angelica dressed up and take her trick or treating. We had decided months ago that she would be a pirate...we were originally going to do a whole "pirate family" theme, but then decided to just focus on her.

We got her dressed up in her costume after her afternoon nap, and then let her run around and play in it. She really enjoyed it! We didn't really have any trouble getting her to wear it, and after she had it on, she really tried to act out the part.

In the days leading up to Halloween, we practiced saying "Trick or Treat" with her, and she picked it up pretty quickly! In fact, at one house she walked up to the door, pounded on it saying "knock knock knock!" and then when the man at the house answered, she said "cheetochee!" (which is how it came out when she tried to say "trick or treat"). I need to invest in a camcorder to capture moments like these.

Here's a couple of pre-Trick or Treat shots I took of her.
[caption id="attachment_309" align="aligncenter" width="214" caption="Angelica Halloween 2009"][/caption]




To make the day even more fun, we went trick or treating with my sister's family. Her son/my nephew is almost three, and her daughter/my niece is two months younger than Angelica. My nephew was the cutest firefighter you've ever seen, and my niece was the prettiest little princess. What a great bunch of kids they were (except, in the picture below, Angelica did not want to sit still...she had to be pulled away from the candy bowl in order to snap this very candid shot!)


Minutes after this shot was taken, five adults (my parents joined us) and three children, all under the age of three, began what was a very short journey around the neighborhood. We didn't get much candy (thank goodness) but had an abundance of fun.

(By the way, if you like these pictures and live in the Central Florida area, be sure to check out my photography site!)

One and done, or more than one?

I spent a little bit of time this evening catching up on reading a parenting message board that I used to visit frequently. I had been away from it for a bit, catching up on school work and work-work (and neglecting this blog, too!). I wasn't surprised to see some controversy break out on the discussion board about the number of children the Duggars are having. Yes, Michelle is having baby number 19!

One topic that really struck a nerve with me was one mom's suggestion that having only one child is selfish. It struck a nerve with me because I'm still not certain that I will ever be able to have another child...nor am I 100% certain that I want another at this point. I talk about having another, but when I look at the reality of it for us from a financial standpoint -- another daycare bill when we're already struggling to pay the bills we have now -- and from a physical standpoint -- considering the complications I had with my pregnancy with Angelica and how long it took for us to get pregnant with her, and let's face it, by the time I'm ready to get pregnant again, I'd likely be hearing the words "advanced maternal age" -- it just seems like a pipe dream. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love children. I've loved being Angelica's mom for the past fifteen months, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat with a second child. But I don't think it would be selfish if ultimately we chose not to have another. 

On the one hand, I want Angelica to grow up with a sibling she can relate to, and have a sibling to grow old with so that when SuperScott and I have passed on, she won't be without familiarity. She's got her cousins, but nothing is quite like having a brother or sister. On the other hand, nothing guarantees that siblings will have a good relationship. My sister and I fought like cats and dogs until we were both a few years into adulthood. She and I are best friends now, but there's not guarantees that all siblings can form this kind of relationship. That's always the one argument I can see for really trying to make ends meet so that we can have another child. 

At the same time, though, I don't think anyone should feel obligated to have more children than they want or more than they can reasonably support. I think those considerations are important and if they result in deciding to be "one and done", I'm all for it. Every family is different, and the number of children a couple has is an extremely personal decision. For me, personally, it's not that I don't have enough room in my heart for another. It's a financial and physical consideration, and right now, those signs point to no.

So, when I think about Michelle Duggar being pregnant with number 19...is it unheard of to have this many children? Yes. Do the parents want this baby and have the means to support him or her? Yes. So why judge? I say good for them. It's a shocking number to hear, and I know I could never do it. But if they can, they should. 

Of course, since they do have a national TV show, hopefully they are aware that this opens their family up to criticism...:)

Friday Five: Five Fun Things To Do In 15 Minutes

Imagine: The baby's napping, and you've finally got a chance to do something, anything for yourself! I know this is a rare occurrence (at least in my household) but it does happen from time to time. If you're like me, you probably spend that time getting caught up on chores, working on homework, or something else necessary but not entertaining.

But sometimes, just sometimes, the homework is done, the housework is done, and you've got fifteen minutes or so to yourself to do anything you want! When this happens, here's what I usually choose to do:

1. Pick up a book and read a chapter...or two, if they're short! This is how I managed to get through all four books of the Twilight series earlier this year.
2. Get involved in your favorite hobby or hobbies! For me, it's photography. The past few evenings and weekends have been spent learning the ins and outs of my camera, learning the tricks of the trade for Camera Raw, Bridge and Photoshop, and watching photography tutorials on the web. It allows me to indulge my creative side when most of the rest of the week is spent embracing the logical side.
3. Watch some trash TV! There are certain shows that are serious "guilty pleasures" that I can't get SuperScott to watch -- not that I blame him. During 15 minutes of free time, I can get through 1/4 of an episode of Intervention or 16 and Pregnant, though...long enough to decide if the show grabs my attention enough to really watch it later on.
4. Take a power nap. Fifteen minutes isn't long enough for truly restorative sleep, but this harkens back to the early days of parenthood when people always told me, "Sleep when the baby sleeps!" You might not wake up feeling fully rested and ready to go after 15 minutes, but at least you'll have had a little bit of time to decompress and relax.
5. Snuggle time with your hubby! Last, but definitely not least, don't forget that it's important to take time to reconnect with your hubby.

What's your favorite fun things to do in 15 minutes? Feel free to comment and share!

Moving Day

Apologies for the brief hiatus...the entire Minute family just packed up and moved this week! I was without Internet for a few days, but now we're back up and online and in the 21st century once again.

Our move was really, really simple. In fact, anyone who has a toddler, I recommend doing it this way if possible! We were living in a two bedroom apartment, which was getting really cramped with two big people and one little person and all of HER stuff in it, so we upgraded to a three bedroom apartment, which was so conveniently located directly across the hall from us. 

Yes, literally. As in, every morning when I left for work, the first thing I saw was the front door of the place we live now.

The move itself went quite well. We sent Angelica off to daycare for the first two days, and enlisted the help of a friend to help us carry our stuff the ten feet over to the new place. (Thanks Gary!) This is our third day here, and already we are almost completely unpacked and settled in. The only thing missing is a new desk for me (my old one was about to fall apart, so I'm sitting on the sofa right now typing this out on my laptop) and bedroom furniture -- which is something that in my 11 years of being an adult I have never owned. The bedroom furniture will be here next week!

Angelica's adjustment to the new place has gone really well. We did a quick walk through the day before the move, and she was nervous, probably because it was just big, open and empty (as opposed to crowded and cramped, like she was used to in the old place). When she came home from daycare on the day we moved in, she seemed a little overwhelmed, but by tonight it was if she's lived here her whole 13 months of life.

And so, that is what has been going on which has kept me from writing anything for the past few days! Keep an eye out for more new blog posts coming shortly -- including new Tuesday Timesavers starting again next week!

Jon and Kate Plus 8 Announcement - Divorce

Viewers across the nation are anticipating and trying to come up with theories about the big Jon and Kate Plus 8 announcement, airing tonight.

As someone who publicly blogs about my family, I've had to weigh the pros and cons of what I make public. I haven't made these decisions casually.

So, when I think about the TV drama that Jon and Kate Plus 8 has become, I feel uneasy. What was once a cute show about a unique family going through the trials and tribulations of raising eight children (six of which are toddlers) has become a real live train wreck. With that, a lot of things that I, as a parent, would never personally want broadcast to the nation, have become fodder for public conversation. Even SuperScott, who has never watched the show, knows what's going on.

To be honest, I have never been a fan of the show. I watched it while I was pregnant and on maternity leave but Kate always drove me a little bit crazy with how bossy and demanding she was. (Though I know, with 8 kids, what else are you going to do?) But my heart breaks for these kids, whose family is, as the commercial says, at a crossroads. Whatever the outcome is, the situation itself, and the publicity surrounding it, is bound to have an impact on their lives. The adults have a choice in the matter, but these kids are just along for the ride.

So, we'll see tonight what happens. I hope, though, that this once very cute show doesn't turn into a sad story of a marriage ending.

[Edit] And so it was revealed. Jon and Kate have filed for divorce. After the previews and the little bits and pieces of conversation sprinked throughout the episode, it wasn't surprising to hear that revealed. All controversy aside - the show's popularity, its impact on the family, the kids, and so on - it is still sad that their marriage fell apart, for whatever reason it did.

We the public will never know the true story - leave it up to the television networks and magazines to edit the videos to give it the spin they want to portray. Regardless, we can still take away some lessons from this and apply them to our own marriages. My takeaway from it was: Stand up for yourself in the relationship, but don't be bossy - and above all else, show some love and appreciation for your spouse.

Five Last Minute Mother's Day Ideas

So, you're sitting there, thinking to yourself..."Mother's Day is tomorrow, and the stores close in 4 hours!" (Give or take, depending on your time zone.) You haven't bought a gift yet, and you're in need of some ideas...now! As a mom, I've come up with five simple, quick, and inexpensive ideas that you can easily accomplish tonight and have ready to give to mom in the morning. (These last minute Mother's Day ideas will be geared toward husbands, but could really be used by anyone!)

1. Letters to mom
Depending on the child's age, either have the child write down what they love most about mom. If it's a baby, an adult can write the letter to mom for the baby. Put it in an envelope and give it to mom first thing in the morning. This would be a keepsake that, as a mom, I would treasure forever. (Especially since this is my first Mother's Day!)

2. Flowers
This seems like a given, but let me explain my reason for including this on the list. In my opinion, there is absolutely no reason why someone needs to order flowers and have them delivered -- so if this is what's stopping you from getting flowers -- either it's too expensive or the florist won't deliver by tomorrow -- don't let it.  Stop at your neighborhood grocery store and pick up a bouquet. (In my experience, flowers from the grocery store last longer anyway!)

3. Photo frame
Who doesn't have eight million pictures of their kids laying around? Even if you already have photo frames all over the place, pick up a special one just for mom. Find that picture laying around of mom and baby (or mom and teenager, as the case may be) and put it in the frame. 

4. Online gift cards
So, maybe you got off of work late and couldn't get to the mall in time to pick up a gift card for your favorite mom. It happens. Fortunately, a lot of online retailers sell e-gift certificates in many denominations. For example, Sephora.com sells e-gift certificates as low as $10. Makeup not her thing? Try Amazon.com, which sells e-gift certificates as low as $5. These can be sent right to Mom's email box to use whenever she wants! Amazon's even have special Mother's Day graphics that can be included. 

5. Hit the gift card rack
Here's another good alternative if you didn't get a chance to hit the mall. Many grocery stores are open 24 hours, and many of them have racks of gift cards for other businesses. When you stop to pick up flowers (refer to #2), why not grab a gift card to your favorite mom's favorite store? 

BONUS IDEA:
This one is the most important, and best of all -- it's FREE! While much hype is given to gift giving, ultimately, Mother's Day is all about celebrating being MOM, and the best gift of all is your thanks. Tell the top mom in your life that you love her, and thanks for doing all that she does.

Tuesday Timesavers: Crockpots

I'm testing out a new weekly feature: Tuesday Timesavers! Let me know what you think by comenting below!

As a working mom, who is also working on a masters, finding time to work in cooking at the end of the day is pretty difficult. By the time both Scott and I get home, we're wiped out from working all day. Angelica's also usually pretty tired from a full day of running around like a tazmanian devil at daycare, plus she's not very handy in the kitchen yet. This has resulted in many nights of takeout, which has been detrimental to our waistlines and our wallets.

What's the solution then? A couple of weeks ago I pulled my trusty crockpot out from the black hole where it was stored, dusted it off, and started making meals with it. One afternoon of cooking usually equals 3-4 meals for each of us. I'm kind of liking the whole "cook once, eat all week" idea. Plus, it's fairly easy to make healthy food this way!

Here are two of the recipes that I have made so far:

Bloody Mary Chicken
1 bottle of Spicy Bloody Mary Mix (appx. 33 oz)
3 boneless chicken breasts, thawed and cut in half

Put the Bloody Mary mix and six halves in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours).

Chili Pasta Bake
1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey (if you want to go healthier, use ground turkey breast)
1 1/2 cups of elbow macaroni
2 cans of diced tomatoes in water
1/2 can tomato paste
1 cup of chopped onion
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp dried crushed oregano
2 tsp of chili powder

Brown the ground turkey. Add the other ingredients to the crock pot first, then add the browned ground turkey. Cook for 3-4 hours on low, 5-7 hours on high.

Here are some other resources for crock pot recipes:

A Year of Crockpotting
Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens)
Cooking Light Cook's Essential Recipe Collection: Slow Cooker: 57 essential recipes

The Video Game Discussion

My dearest husband, Scott, and I just shared the following exchange.

Me: (Noticing Scott in the kitchen) Why don't you relax and play some video games.

Him: No, I have to do chores.

Me: No, seriously, go play some video games.

Him: But whyyyy???

Me: Because you've done the dishes all week, it's my turn. Go play some video games.

Him: But whyyyy???

Me: JUST GO DO IT ALREADY.

I may be embellishing a little bit, but seriously - if your wife is telling you to go play a video game, GO PLAY IT.

As I frequent mommy message boards and other mom blogs, I notice a lot of griping about husbands playing video games all the time and not helping out with the household duties and baby care. I have the opposite problem. My husband is AWESOME around the house and with the baby and takes good care of us, but won't do anything for himself. So tonight, when he said he wanted to play video games, I told him to do it. Then I come out and find him starting to clean the kitchen, resulting in the aforementioned disagreement.

I won, by the way. He's sitting on the couch playing something on the Playstation 3. And I'm wrapping up a homework assignment and will be cleaning the kitchen shortly. And I will be glad to do it.