Sore Throat Saturday. See a pattern? :-)

This has got to be the most boring Saturday on record. My stupid sore throat is no better, so today was blah. Jer has a work trip this week, so he spent most of today preparing for that. Colin and I are going to take the opportunity to spend the week with my parents, so that will be fun. As you can see...boring Saturday!

I was thinking today about how much I have changed since I had Colin. I remember a time when this sore throat would have grounded me. I would have spent the whole weekend in bed with magazines and juice and Jer would have catered to me by bringing me medicine and food. Sickness does not even slow me down now that I am responsible for my little man. That is probably why I am still sick...not enough rest. HOWEVER, I have learned that mothers don't rest that often. And Colin is worth it for sure. Have I told you that he thinks it is hysterical when I pretend to eat his food while I am feeding him? He literally rolls with laughter when I do it. So there I am tonight...throat on fire, blowing my nose with my left hand, feeding him with my right hand and making silly faces pretending to eat his food just so he will smile at me. This is the best time of my life...sick or not!

Sore Throat Friday

My throat is killing me! I was supposed to have lunch with Ellen today...it has been forever and I was really excited about it, but instead I ended up in bed during Colin's morning nap instead of getting ready to hit the road. BLAH! I am wondering how many Tylenol equals overdose...because I am keeping them in business this week! AGH!

I went back for my second visit with my new rehab doctor and he helped with my back yet again. It feels even better now! I don't love the hour of exercises they make me do afterwards...they HURT! However, doing those exercises is going to keep my back from going downhill again, so I am keeping them up! This doctor has really saved me...I was so scared to be left alone with Colin for fear that I would collapse again. Now I don't worry at all!! I have to go back again in a few days. It is just too bad he could not write me a prescription for my damn throat! :-)

The picture above is Enzo this morning. I moved Colin's chair to the couch while I cleaned up a spill and Enzo decided I did it for him. Crazy dog.

Colin's First Snow Day!!!

Well, today is the day! Colin got to feel snow on his face for the very first time! We just took these pictures in the front yard...Colin thought it was pretty neat! However, when the wind blew the snow in his face...that was not cool. ;-) We stayed out just long enough to snap these quick shots. The kids in the neighborhood are literally beside themselves. Ah, the memories. It rarely snows in our part of Texas, so this is a little kids dream! And by the way...it will be in the 60's tomorrow, so enjoy these pics. There won't be more for awhile. Ha ha!

Colin's AWESOME new playmat!

Okay, folks...best purchase, ever! This is just like the big foam mats that you find in daycare facilities. I ordered it last week after reading rave reviews on the product and it arrived today. We have hardwoods and tile throughout our house and I was looking for something that Colin could crawl/walk/play on. I found the perfect thing!! The shapes in the middle actually pop out like puzzle pieces for even more fun! It is nice and thick and sturdy...I could not be happier! Colin thinks it is the coolest thing ever. If anyone is interested, I can give you the link to the website where I purchased it. It was not expensive at all. It is also easy to move, so I can take parts of it to the kitchen to cover the tile if we are spending time there. Can you tell I am so excited? Boy, my life is really boring now. ;-)

Swings and Annoying Women

Jeremy taught the very early morning session this morning, so he was home by 12:30. The day was spectacular, so we took Colin for a walk at Bear Creek and ended the walk at a new playground they had put in. Colin went for his very first (albeit short) swing ride! He is still tiny for it, but he seemed to like it for a few minutes with me and his dad holding on to him. He was far more interested in all the kids playing. There was a big group there and they were loud and having a blast. Colin's eyes were glued to them! I could almost hear his brain working..."Wait...when can I do that?!?". ;-)

The other thing that I noticed at the park? I am going to have to work very hard to be a good member of a mommy group. I had the honor of overhearing some of the most inane conversations that I have ever heard today. It was not even really the conversations themselves, but the underlying tone that these women had with each other. I was in a very upscale area and these women were dressed to the nines (at a playground)...probably women who have never worked a day in their lives, etc...but it was still hard to listen to. I know there are also a lot of stay at home moms who are just like me...but what I heard today was mind boggling. I think my problem stems from the fact that I am not the typical girl in a lot of ways...I have always fit in with the beer drinking, game watching boys. My close girlfriends are all the same way. We just don't do annoying girly drama. Which is exactly what these women were talking about today as I was sitting at the park. As I am typing this, I see how hard it is to put into words how I feel without coming across like a royal pain. :-) I just hope to meet women like me in my new playgroup rather than the Juicy Couture and diamonds wearing bimbos that I saw today. How is that? hehehe!

Visit with the new Doc

Yesterday, I finally got in to see the sports rehab doctor about my back. I am pretty sure that he saved my life! We talked for a long while and he diagnosed me with "lower cross syndrome" which is basically a super weak lower back and some issues in my hips. This resulted in the spasms. He then proceeded to do things to my muscles that I am pretty sure almost killed me, but afterwards I felt SO much better! It was like a miracle! I actually teared up!! (I know, so sad!) He taped up my back and then we spent an hour teaching me all kinds of rehab stretches and exercises that I have to do several times a day. I also have to lay low and not lift (yeah right) and ice it as much as I can during the day. That part is going to be hard for obvious reasons! I told him that I had no choice but to lift Colin and he gave me pointers on how to do it the right way to avoid bothering my back. All in all, it was amazing. I go back again on Friday.

This also points out the obvious...I really need to get in shape. BADLY! I must figure out a way to make this happen....

Hot Mama!

During our weekend photo dig, we uncovered this jewel of my smoking hot mom! I had absolutely no choice but to post it! ;-) My mom will probably kill me, but oh well! HAHA! Anyway, she is a beautiful woman and we thought it was so fun to see what she looked like before she had to put up with three crazy kids!

Chalna circa A LONG TIME AGO!

Over the past few weeks, I have had lots of comments from parents and friends thinking that Colin was starting to favor me quite a bit. I also have been thinking that some of the pictures that I have taken lately of Colin faintly reminded me of something...so I went digging through old pictures when I was home over the weekend. The whole family flipped out when we started uncovering these pictures...it looks like Colin really does take after me! Everyone was laughing about how we have the exact same hair in our infant pictures. Pretty funny! Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share...and yes, my dad is a ROCK STAR in that suit. 1978, baby!

Now, can we talk about how unsafe my play yard looks in that picture? Can you believe us 70's babies actually lived!? ;-)

Happy Freezing Cold Monday!

Despite being a born and bred Texan, I am still shocked by the weather sometimes. Yesterday I had on shorts and a t-shirt and today it is snowing. NICE. Moving right along...

The short weekend at my parents house was lots of fun and a much needed break. It was really nice to have a household of people to take turns watching Colin. I was able to check email, wash my hair, put on make-up, go out to eat, and all at a normal pace instead of my 5 minutes here and there that I try to pack full of stuff. We even got to go out to eat with my sister on Sunday and stop in one of my favorite shops...all without a baby!! It was also lots of fun to spend some time at home with my parents. I missed them!! Colin had a blast playing with all the different toys that my parents have...it is grandparent central over there! We were able to pack almost nothing for Colin because my parents have it all! Colin also really enjoyed getting up in the morning and moving over to my parents bed. When he woke up, my mom was awake in bed, so we went in and Colin snuggled in right beside her and watched Playhouse Disney from their bed. It was so cute! It was a totally uneventful weekend, but exactly what I needed. I took a four hour nap yesterday, if that gives you any idea how tired I am! It was such a treat!

The pictures were at my parents house and I had to include the one of my sister Alieson because she is such a dork and just cracks me up! :-)

Also, great big hugs and kisses to my amazing friend Shannon who saved the day with her towel idea! Colin slept the whole way home! THANK YOU, SHANNON!! :-)

Hanging out with Mimi and Duke!

Yes, you read it right. For those of you who don't know, my dad is not grandpa...he is "Duke". Long long story, but it stuck and we love it! ;-) I will post my weekend stories later, but had to share the cute picture now!