Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Halloween.

On Sunday, we took a little pumpkin over to place on Jesse's headstone. When we were leaving I said, "Happy Halloween Jesse"

Miss O: What's Jesse going to be for Halloween?
me: He's going to be an angel.

Miss O: Oh.

Happy Halloween to the most handsome angel in Heaven.

Walmart + Halloween time = SCARY

Don't go to Walmart around Halloween! I have been all over the region looking for a stupid red wig for Miss O to wear on Halloween. As a last resort, I went to Walmart tonight. I saw numerous people who I honestly couldn't tell if they were in costume or if this was their normal attire, make-up & hair. I'm pretty sure it was the later, but around Halloween time, there's always that doubt!

I love fall

Fall is my favorite season! I love when the weather gets cool enough to break out the sweatshirts and sweaters. I love all the pretty fall colors. I love curling up on the couch on Sundays and watching football all afternoon. It seems like things slow down a bit - I find that we spend more time together as a family when the weather starts to get a little cooler - there's just not as much stuff going on.

On Sunday we had fun making 2 scarecrows. One has become Miss O's new best friend - she carries it around everywhere and wants to take it every time we leave the house. It was made to hang on the front door, but it hasn't made it there.

Tonight we made caramel apples and carved our pumpkins. Brian had to break out the power tools to carve his - what is it with men and power? Whatever happened to the little pumpkin carving kits?

Happy Fall y'all

Don't cry over spilled Diet Coke

I must confess, I almost did...twice! What is my deal lately with Diet Coke? It all started with my friend Aimee's post.
Yesterday I ran out to get something for dinner for Miss O and the babysitter. As I was out, I decided to run through McDonald's to get a diet coke. It was a very uneventful trip through the drive through this time. I had taken a couple of drinks out of it before I got home. I start walking through the front door and the cup slips out of my hand and goes all over the front porch, door, door jam, tile entry way...I could have cried! Fast forward several hours...Brian and I were in the city on a date for our anniversary. We went to the movies and got a HUGE diet coke. We didn't even drink half of it by the time the movie was over. We're leaving and I was getting ready to grab the drink from the cup holder when my purse knocked into it and it tumbled to the ground spilling every last drop. I started to cry out, but thankfully realized how ridiculous that would have been to cry over a diet coke in the middle of a packed movie theatre.

Happy Anniversary

Six years ago, I married my friend and we are living happily ever after.

I Shawnie, receive you Brian as my husband.
May we love one another with constancy,

live joyously, laugh freely and

support our marriage through the trials and triumphs to come.

As husband and wife,

we will remember the delight that we have discovered in each other's company

and accept the discoveries and treasures of growing older together.

In taking you as my husband, I am accepting one of God's greatest gifts to me.

I promise to be true to you and I will cherish you always as I do today.

We had no idea what kind of trials and triumphs we would face, but with God's grace we were able to support each other through some really hard times. I am sure there will be many more to come and I couldn't imagine facing these trials and triumphs with anyone other than my husband. I look forward to all the good times ahead of us and I'm honored to grow old with such a great man...he really is one of God's greatest gifts!

My dad didn't necessarily think he was a great gift!

Especially after he, in true Brian Barnett fashion, grabbed my ass in front of the entire church as he kissed his bride - actually, the pastor didn't say, Brian you may now kiss you bride. Brian wasn't able to make it to the meeting with the pastor to finalize all the wedding plans, so we decided to change things up a bit. The pastor said, "Shawnie, you may now kiss the groom!"

And we drove off in Brian's '92 mustang. And yes, that is smoke you see in the picture because Brian had to take off sideways from the church scaring everyone to death!

So, for our anniversary, we hired our 1st babysitter - yes I said FIRST babysitter. Thanks to the Lampens for their awesome training of Amanda over the past several years. We went into Chicago and ate at the India House and then went to a movie. We had a great time. I just love being in the city...I love living in Indiana, but I miss Chicago, especially when I am there. We got back home around midnight and low and behold, Olivia survived a babysitter!! Amanda did a great job and Olivia had fun with her. We will definitely have to do this more often!

Happy Anniversary honey, I love you.

I need your help

Our church adopted Protsman Elementary School this year and have been doing several things to offer support. One of the things include delivering goody bags to all the staff. I volunteered to put these goody bags together so I'm up to my eyeballs in candy. Here's the instructions I was given: fill the pumpkin bags with a variety of candy bars, M&Ms and candy corn and tie up with curling ribbon. We need to afix something to each bag indicating they are from Crossroads. Use your imagination but don't use the word "Halloween".
This is where I need your help. Can you think of something cute to put on the bags?
The only thing I can think of is "Autumn Blessings from Crossroads Community Church"
Sound stupid?

I'm a monster!

I've been taking a double dose of Clomid for 3 days now and I am a complete monster! I know I am being a monster, but it's like there is nothing I can do about it. I did something today that is really embarrassing...I can't believe I'm actually going to put it on my blog, but I have to - because it's kind of funny at the same time.
Last night I was on my friend Aimee's blog reading about a Diet Coke from McDonalds. I myself am a HUGE fan of McDonald's Diet coke. After reading her blog I was craving one so bad that I almost went out before bed to get one, but decided not to. So today after running a few errands, it was lunch time and I decided to drive thru McDonalds for some unhealthy junk and a diet coke. I pull out of the parking lot and I'm on my phone with Brian...about 10 minutes down the road I take a big drink of my diet coke only to discover it's not diet, but regular! I hate regular coke! I can tolerate regular Pepsi, but regular coke grosses me out - I have NEVER liked it and would rather stay thirsty then to drink a regular coke. I about start crying as I yell to Brian, "They gave me a freakin' coke instead of a diet" Brian says to me, "I'm going to let you go now." Smart man! So I turn around and head back to McDonalds. I get there, stop at the speak and let them know what happened in a nice manor and she tells me to drive around to the window. I get to the window and I have to tell the lady at the window what happened as well. I hand her the large coke and she turns it around to see that I had already taken the Monopoly game pieces off - it's something I do immediately so I really didn't even think about it. The lady yells to the manager, "she's bringing back a large coke that should be a large diet, but she's already taken the game pieces off"
Manager: "it's fine"
Drive Thru employee: "You know, you already took the game pieces off so I really should take them off of this one, but...."
me: "it's your fault to begin with and I shouldn't have had to turn around and come all the way back here. If it's that big of a deal you can keep the flippin' game pieces (throwing said game pieces through the window).
Drive Thru employee: "IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL"
me: "yes it is bitch!" and I drive off.
Miss O: "mom, why is she a bitch?"
me: "Don't' say that, it was a very bad thing for mommy to say and I'm sorry."
Miss O: "is it because she didn't give you a diet coke?!?"

Why does it take a 3 year old to put things into perspective sometimes? Boy do I feel terrible! I can't believe what a monster I am...I also can't believe that I'm putting this out there for the world to read how horrible I am.

A great message

Last Sunday I was out of town for a baptism and birthday party. When I got home I was talking to a friend of mine who goes to my church who told me that I should have heard the message at church. It's been over a week now and the Holy Spirit is really working on me and this message keeps coming up in my mind. This morning I decided to sit down at my computer and listen to the message online. (message date: October 14, 2007)
The message: Abraham - Genesis 22: 1-2 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
The message really hit home. Here's what Pastor Kris had to say...
Have you ever been tested? Have you ever been asked to give something up? Have circumstances come up where you have lost something that you didn't want to lose?
There were promises resting in that thing or person that you lost.
Like in my case - from the time you find out you are pregnant (sometimes even before) you start to vision the life that this child will have, his/her whole life begins to play out in front of you...there's so much possibility for this child - but none of it can happen if it's not God's will! Pastor Kris goes on to say that those we hold dear to us ultimately belong to God first. Our children aren't ours - God has trusted them to us, but they are not our possessions - they can be taken from us in the blink of an eye as we found out. How do we respond when God tests us with these things? Sometimes God does test us, just like he did Abraham. How do we respond to that kind of testing? Do we trust that God will provide? Do we know that if we give it up that God will give it back to us 10-fold because He loves us and we can trust Him?
We have a God who tests, but we also have a God who provides! We all like the God who provides...the heavenly ATM that I can go to at any time and know that He'll provide. But what do we do when we are faced with a test? Pastor Kris gave 3 things to do:
First, we have to recognize the test. Don't chop it up to circumstances - "stuff" does not just happen! God doesn't CAUSE difficult situations, but when you are in the middle of one, you can be sure that God is at work in the midst of them and He's bringing something good out of them. Like the Natalie Grant Song, "Bring it all together"
Secondly, we have to respond in faith. We have to be obedient. Put it all in God's hands without knowing what the outcome is going to be - Abraham trusted God - he did what God told him to do without knowing what the outcome would be! We have to do what God desires even when no one is looking!
And finally, we have to reflect the image of God. There is a world who is watching us. There are thousands of unsaved people watching how we will respond to testing. When we can recognize the test, respond in faith and reflect the image of God when we are faced with a test, what are we showing to the world?
People have said to me a lot in the past year and 3 months (WOW, exactly 1 year and 3 months since we found out that Jesse's heart was no longer beating) about how strong I am...I don't take any of the credit! I can't take any of the credit - I know I am not that strong, my God is though. He has given Brian and I strength that we can not even explain. And it doesn't stop there. I have also said that I have a sense of peace that doesn't feel right! I don't feel like I should be laughing and moving forward in my life? How can I be happy when my son was taken away so soon or when my other angels were taken away before their tiny bodies ever took any form? But I feel a sense of peace about it all! If you have kids, think back to a situation where they wanted to do something so badly, but you knew it wasn't good for them...they threw the biggest fit and was so upset, falling to the ground in a temper tantrum like none other, but the whole time you are there saying, "child, I know what is best for you and this is not it" It's the same with us and God. We are his children. Sometimes we can't have what we think we should have, we throw a fit, but the whole time God is up there saying, "child, I know what is best for you and this is not it." Psalms 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.
When we trust God, He can do amazing things through us! I pray that God will help me Recognize the test, Respond in faith and Reflect the Image of God.

I must be getting old

Ever had a fat lip? I have had one a couple times in my life and one of the first things I think when I see it in the mirror is hoping that it goes down soon because it looks ridiculous. Well, upon studying Jessica Simpson on the cover of In Style magazine today I noticed that she had a fat lip! Check it out.

The pic probably doesn't do it justice, when you have the magazine in front of you and you can really look at it she looks like she has a fat lip.

I know it's probably the injection of botox she probably got right before the photo shoot, but who thinks this is cute? I mean, even if she had a bad lip job couldn't they have fixed it? They can take 15 pounds off of a model who probably only weights 104, they can add muscle definition, take away wrinkles...you name it! Can't they fix a fat lip?

So what do you think about it? Is it as ridiculous as I think it is or am I just getting old?

Megzy's world

My friend Megan has joined the blogging world. Check her out at http://megzyworld.blogspot.com/

Wrong Rx Dosage

No wonder I didn't end up pregnant last month - Walgreen's filled the wrong dosage for me! I have taken 50 mg of Clomid in the past and I have not ovulated on it so last month my midwife wrote out a script for 100 mg of Clomid once a day. Well, Clomid only comes in 50 mg increments and the pharmacist who filled my script wasn't smart enough to know that I would have to take 2 of the 50 mg in order to get the write dosage that my midwife had prescribed. It's a good thing that this wasn't a medication I depend on for a life threatening illness! I was pretty irate in the pharmacy today so the pharmacist gave me my script for free - Woo Whoo, a big whopping $5! The more I think about it the more pissed I get - that's just ridiculous! I mean it's bad enough that I have to deal with the infertility problems, but then for the pharmacy to make a mistake that cost me yet another month just makes me really upset. Maybe I'm just exaggerating it because I'm emotionally involved, what do you think?

Roller Coaster Ride

If you've ever dealt with infertility then you know what a roller coaster ride every month can be. The first of your cycle is filled with disappointment as you accept the fact that your last cycle didn't work. Next, you start looking ahead with huge anticipation. You have sex when you're supposed to (every other day from CD10 to CD24 for me) and you KNOW that this month you were right on and everything is going to turn out great! You're hope begins to build and build...you're getting to the top of the big hill on the roller coaster ride...and then AF comes and ruins it all :-(
That's where I am right now - only it's worse. I REALLY REALLY thought I was pregnant. I mean in the past there have been cycles where I thought I was, but this time I pretty much knew - that's how sure I was. I was nauseous every day, throwing up 3 times last week. My breast were so tender I covered them anytime Brian or Olivia got close just in case they were bumped. I have been EXTREMELY tired...not just tired, but that tired you get when you are first pregnant - if you have ever been pregnant, you know exactly what I'm talking about. My period was also late - my cycle this month was 33 days. I didn't take a pregnancy test because of what happened with the last miscarriage. I had a chemical pregnancy - if I hadn't taken a pregnancy test I probably would have never even known I was pregnant. So I had decided that I couldn't deal with another heartbreak and it was better off if I just waited it out a couple of weeks before taking a test. That won't be necessary now!
My DH says to me last night (after I told him I started), "that's why I didn't want to get my hopes up" I understand what he's talking about, but how do you do this? How do you not get your hopes up? I mean at this point, I feel it's all I have! If I don't have the hope that I will be blessed with a healthy child eventually, then what else do I have? I guess I could start to look at it like Alexis Stewart (Martha's daughter). She was on Oprah last week. She's 42 years old and spending $28,000 a cycle to try to get pregnant. The following is from Oprah.com

"Fertility treatments can be time-consuming and emotionally draining. To keep things in perspective, Alexis says she tries to think of them as part of a job. "If I get too emotional about it, I'll be unhappy all the time or freaked out all the time," she says. "So I look at it as sort of a chore. … Not about having a baby, but what I have to go through to get there."

I guess everyone is different. I mean, it is kind of like a job - you have all these things you have to do each cycle on certain days and in certain orders, and then medicine here and there, but does that take the emotions out of it? It doesn't for me! I get very emotional about it - it doesn't mean that I go around "unhappy all the time or freaked out all the time". It sucks! Yesterday I was a bitch - today, I'm probably still a bitch - and tomorrow, there will probably still be some bitchiness going around, but eventually you pick yourself up and you continue on. You start looking forward to the next cycle.

I have a call into my midwife so she can call in this cycle's drugs, I'll start them on Saturday and we'll buckle up and begin another roller coaster ride. It's the cards I've been dealt! I'm not giving up and throwing in the hand, I'm playing with what I have a depending on a strong support group of family and friends and God to get me through it.

Happy Birthday Princess

Today is Miss O's 3rd birthday. I know in the blogging world you're supposed to write a big long story about the birth of your child on their birthday, but it's 11:30 at night and I'm probably going to keep it a bit short.
Miss O's birth story has changed a bit over the past 3 years - I know, you're probably thinking, 'How can the story change?' I guess it's my perspective. I didn't have a whole lot of positive things to say about her birth, other than the fact that she is here! There were so many things that went "wrong" - our nurse broke her finger in the overhead light during the epidural so we were without a nurse and didn't know what to do, the anesthesiologist poked me about 20 times before getting the epidural started, the epidural didn't work, Miss O didn't tolerate the epidural + Pitocin, overreacting nurse, 6PM on a Friday night, inpatient doctor, scared parents, no doula, unnecessary c-section with an epidural that didn't take real well, but I was too afraid if I complained anymore that they were going to put me out...But really, the only thing that matters is that Miss O was born happy and healthy and she's with us today! I used to complain a lot about her birth and the way things were handled, but I'd do it all over again to have her here.
I never had a kind thing to say about the doctor who delivered her either, in fact, I was in the process of writing her a pretty nasty letter when I was pregnant with Jesse. Would you believe that the doctor showed up at Jesse's funeral? When I first saw her I was full of rage. We talked to her for a few minutes. She said that she saw Jesse's obituary in the paper and recognized our names and felt like she needed to show up and express her condolences - I had family members that didn't come to the funeral...some that didn't even send a card or pick up the phone, but she showed up! I definitely know that was a God thing. My heart has been softened when it comes to this doctor and Miss O's birth story, it was a like a huge wake-up call for me. For almost 2 years I had been focusing on all the negative stuff surrounding Miss O's birth, but what really matters is that she's here with us today, happy and healthy!
She is definitely our princess and we love her with all our hearts.
Miss O - we love you to the moon and back.
Love mommy and daddy

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

In 1988 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the month of October to be Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month - specifically October 15 is recognized as a special day of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Remembrance.

"There is no greater tragedy in life than the loss of a child. Unfortunately, because our babies live only within our wombs or they live outside of the womb for a short period of time, an uneducated society often minimizes the importance of their short lives and, in turn, our grief is trivialized." Clair Baca

Some people only dream of angels...we held one in our arms.

Jesse, we love you and miss you so much. We look forward to the day that we get to spend eternity with you in Heaven. I never thought that such a tiny little boy and such a short little life would have such a huge impact on so many people, but you have done just that. There were things that you did in your short little life that some people NEVER accomplish - one of those things being your daddy's salvation - that's huge!

To our other baby angels, we never got the chance to really get to know you, but God formed your life in my womb and because of that you are so very special to us. We look forward to spending eternity in Heaven with you. We love you.

Safe in His arms forever

OUCH!!!

Sometimes the words that come out of little tiny mouths can really hurt! I was on the phone today and Miss O was screaming really loud. I have told her many times how I expect her to act when someone is on the phone. After I got off the phone I told her that I was very disappointed in her and that she needed to sit in time out. She flops down on the stairs and yells, "you're not my best mommy any more!"
Ouch, that really hurt!
What hurtful things have your children said to you?

Prayers

Please say a prayer for my friend, H. She is about 13 weeks pregnant. They had a Dr appointment this morning and discovered that there is no heartbeat. Pray for her and her husband that they will find peace and that our heavenly Father will wrap His loving arms around them and provide comfort for them. Pray that God will guide the doctor and staff to do exactly what's necessary for them. And if it's God's will, I pray that they find answers - I know it's so hard not to have answers, but sometimes there are none. I pray that they will be at peace with whatever information they find out.

"Be still and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10

The will of God will never take you where the arms of God will not support you,
where the peace of God cannot calm your fears, where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears.

Angels

Do you believe in angels visiting you on earth? Has anything happened to make you feel like there is an angel around? I never have really believed in this until about 6 months after Jesse died. Whenever my mom would stay that night at our house she would say that our downstairs (where the play room and guest bedroom are located) is very noisy at night. She would say that she'd just lay awake at night and just think about Jesse playing with stuff in the playroom. I kind of thought she was crazy until I started experience things as well. We live in a tri-level and the lower level in on a concrete slab - I say this because when you walk on concrete it's not like the floor vibrates or anything like it does on the other levels in our house - does that make any sense?
Starting about 6 months after Jesse died Olivia's rocking horse would make the trotting noise that it makes when you rock it, but no one would be near it! It usually only happened if I was downstairs or sometimes it would happen shortly after I left the downstairs...I never heard it any other time. Olivia also has a magic wand that makes a noise when you move it - it's very sensitive and sometime you only need to bump the toy bin it's in to get it to go off, but it would do it with no one around. I mean, I could be downstairs by myself sitting on the computer and it would just start. Is it a coincidence that these things started happening around the 6 month anniversary of Jesse's death? At a time when babies would start being more mobile - at a time when they are rolling all over the place and "raking" toys around them...I used to kind of be freaked out by these things, but when they happen now I just say "hi baby boy, mommy loves you", a little crazy, I know! Sometimes I still get a bit freaked out though and a few minutes ago that just happened! I'm sitting at the computer and all of the sudden a toy in the toy box starts making noise. I was listening to it and suddenly realized it was coming from a toy that I had taken out of the toy box on Saturday for my 1 year old niece to play with, but we couldn't get it to work and I didn't have the right batteries so I just put it back downstairs in the toy box. It's a toy that has a silly little song and some things that spin around - you push a button and it plays for about 30 seconds and then stops until the button is pushed again...only this time it continued to play...continued for so long that I was able to go upstairs, get my camera and come back downstairs to record it - I know, I'm weird!
I also think that children are a little more susceptible to angels then adults - I don't know if it's their innocence or what. Miss O has said certain things to me that makes me believe that Jesse talks to her.
Miss O: mommy, I hear Jesse
me: Oh, you do? Well what does he sound like?
Miss O: a baby
me: Oh, really? What is he saying?
Miss O: waa, waa, waa, waa (imitating a baby crying)
on another occasion, we were visiting the cemetery
Miss O: Jesse loves it when I dance for him
me: How do you know that?
Miss O: He told me.
So, am I crazy to think that Jesse sometimes comes to visit? Brian thinks I'm crazy! I don't care what it is, it brings me comfort thinking that my little guy is here with me and that he talks with his big sister. I don't know if God does these things to bring comfort or what, but I kind of like. Ever had an experience like this?

WE DID IT!

...or I guess I should say Miss O did it, because I still need them occasionally - hahaha! She took her nap yesterday without a pull up, slept all night last night without a pull-up and is napping right now without a pull-up! I know, give it a week and then see - it's only been one day! But what a big step!

Potty training question

I think we're at the tail end of potty training - it's been 12 days since the last accident. She has gone about 2 weeks waking up dry in the morning and at naps. She still wears a pull-up to bed. When do you stop putting pull-ups on your child if they are consistently waking up dry? I certainly would rather put a pull up on her instead of changing sheets at 4 o'clock in the morning. Miss O hates the pull-ups too - and their even princesses. She puts them on, stands there and says, "what's down there? Pull-ups feel funny". Is it time to get rid of the pull-ups?

This is not better

Brian, Miss O and I were in the truck...
Miss O: I have a booger in my nose!
me: hold on (searching for a tissue or wet wipe), here's a wet wipe, use it to get the booger.
Miss O: (trying to pick her nose with the wet wipe) Mommy, this (holding up the wet wipe) is not better; this (holding up her finger) is better!
and she proceeds to stick half her finger up her nose!

Happy Birthday DH

Today is my DH's birthday. I completely dropped the ball! I usually at least get him a card from me and miss O and with all the birthday planning for Miss O's party it totally skipped my mind. I made him a stack of pancakes, stuck a candle in it and we sang happy birthday while we took them to him in bed. We went to the Bass Pro Shop after church today and to Quaker Steak and Lube for lunch with my parents, Brian's parents and my niece. Brian was able to squeeze in some sports and a nap before heading off to small group at the Lampen's. I would say he had a pretty good birthday - he did some fun stuff, but most importantly he spent the day with friends and family. I know he doesn't care about cards, but I really do feel bad. I told him about a month ago that he wasn't getting anything for his birthday because he just bought his 4-wheeler, but I felt bad and tried to buy him a pair of gloves for his 4-wheeler at the Bass Pro Shop, but he didn't want them.
Brian starts his new job tomorrow so keep him in your prayers.
Happy birthday my dear husband - I love you very much!

Under the Sea

Miss O's birthday party was yesterday and it was a great party! The theme this year was Little Mermaid, Under the Sea.

For those of you who know me, I HAVE to have a theme, once there is a theme I fly with it! Our play room downstairs was "under the sea".

As you walked down the stairs there was blue fabric and spirally things hanging down (Olivia called it the waterfall) and a fishing net covering the wall.

Once downstairs the ceiling was covered in blue balloons, the lights were changed from regular bulbs to blue bulbs, there was a fishing net covering the window with sea creatures stuck in it.

There were fishing nets hanging from the ceiling with blow-up sea creatures stuck in them. And there were green spirally things to look like seaweed hanging around.

For food we had Submarine sandwiches, Octodogs (octopus hotdogs) and shells and cheese (this recipe will make you cry, it's so good) to go with the theme (and lots of other food that didn't go with the theme).

Everyone seemed to have so much fun! We were packed in the house like sardines (hahaha-it matches the theme too!) because it was too hot to go outside - I never thought I would ever have a party for Miss O and it would be hot enough to go swimming! I think the high was 88 on Saturday!!

Miss O's actual birthday is October 15 and she will be 3, going on 12.

Thanks to all the friends and family who made her birthday celebration so much fun, we love you all!

Birthday piñata

I do not like piñatas - I don't think I have ever been to a party where children didn't get hit by the stick while watching. I was completely against it, but Olivia spoted one in the store and she really wanted it. Since she's my princess and she asked so politely for it, I decided to get it - yes she has me wrapped around her little finger! But anyway, we actually pulled it off with no injuries! I have a broken broomstick (there goes my halloween transportation), but no broken bones. We ended up bringing out the baseball bat which put a small hole in the mermaids tail. A few pieces of candy dropped out and then I just tore it open. It was pretty funny to watch. Here's some pics of Miss O.

Balloon release

After the party was over we took all the balloons outside and released them to heaven for my angels to enjoy. Here's some pictures - it was beautiful!

Birthday cake

I made Olivia's cake to match the theme and it turned out really cute.

You can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends

There's a reason why you CAN'T pick your family - quite frankly, if you could there would be a lot of them that wouldn't be included!
I'm going to go on a little rant....Since Brian and I moved away from home (Indianapolis area) we have made EVERY effort to attend family functions. I can't even begin to count the many times we have traveled to Indy for things - and we really don't even think twice about it. Why, then, is it so freakin hard for other family members to return the favor. There's only one time a year in which I ask family to come up to our house - that's for Miss O's birthday party. You'd think we lived across country, but it's only a 2 to 2 1/2 hour drive! What's worse? Miss O's party is on Saturday - that's two days away - and some of my family has told my mom that they are not coming, but I have yet to hear from them - last I heard they were coming, you'd think they could at least call if the plans changed.
Quite frankly I could care less to have them here bitching the whole time, so they can just keep their rude and inconsiderate asses in Indy. I'd much rather enjoy the day with family who really cares and friends who we consider to be our adopted family. Never again will I go out of my way to make another one of their functions - you can count me out!!
Okay, I feel much better now!
I'm very excited for O's party, it's really coming together and it's going to be so cute. I'll post pictures and tell you all about it after the party on Saturday.
BTW thanks to all my family members who ARE coming - I know it's a bit of an inconvenience to drive 2 1/2 hours for a birthday party, but we really appreciate it and you are making a little girl very happy!

National League Central Division Champs

Go Cubs Go!

Baseball season's underway

Well you better get ready for a brand new day.

Hey, Chicago, what do you say

The Cubs are gonna win today.

They're singing ...

Go, Cubs, go

Go, Cubs, go

Hey, Chicago, what do you say

The Cubs are gonna win today.

Go, Cubs, go

Go, Cubs, go

Hey, Chicago, what do you say

The Cubs are gonna win today.

They got the power, they got the speed

To be the best in the National League

Well this is the year and Cubs are real

So come on down to Wrigley Field

We're singing now ...

Go, Cubs, go

Go, Cubs, go

Hey, Chicago, what do you say

The Cubs are gonna win today.

Go, Cubs, go

Go, Cubs, go

Hey, Chicago, what do you say

The Cubs are gonna win today.

Baseball time is here again

You can catch it all on WGN

So stamp you feet and clap your hands

Chicago Cubs got the greatest fans.

You're singing now ...

Go, Cubs, go

Go, Cubs, go

Hey, Chicago, what do you say

The Cubs are gonna win today.

Go, Cubs, go

Go, Cubs, go

Hey, Chicago, what do you say

The Cubs are gonna win today.

Giveaway

Aimee is having a giveaway for two bottles of Momspit. Check it out by October 7th for your chance to win.

Welcome Gabby

My new niece Gabby entered the world on September 21st after a very long labor at home. All babies are miracles, but it seems as though Gabby is a very special miracle.
Jason and Kristi had planned a home birth, but after hours of labor with no progressing Kristi wanted to go to the hospital. Her midwife and Jason talked to her and she eventually decided to stick it out at home - this turned out to be a huge miracle! Once Kristi had dilated enough to start pushing it took several hours to finally push her out because Gabby had a very short cord and it was wrapped around her neck. When Gabby eventually came out she had to be resuscitated. After examining the afterbirth it was determined that Kristi had Vasa Previa which carries a 50-95% stillbirth rate. If Kristi would have went to the hospital like she had wanted to earlier in her labor they probably would have wanted to break her water and this could have caused Gabby to lose a large quantity of blood in a very short amount of time. If this happened she would have bled to death before anything could have been done, even a c-section wouldn't have been quick enough to save her life.
We are so thankful to have Gabby here with us, she is truly a miracle. I got to visit her last week when I went to Indy and it was such a pleasure to hold this little miracle.
When you say your prayers tonight please thank the giver of life, our Father above, for the miracle of life and for the miracle of Gabby.