Growth Spurts = NO FUN

It has taken me three agonizing days to finally figure out that Hallie is going through a growth spurt. It must be a big one. That has to be it...otherwise she thinks she is a bear and is preparing to hibernate for the winter. And speaking of bears, I have been one for a few days now. Wow, all eating and NO sleeping. Literally. My baby napped for a total of 1 hour yesterday. That seems crazy to me! By this past Sunday, the lack of sleep had finally caught up to me and I think I had mentioned my mood was not the greatest. Well, it still isn't the greatest, but I think my body is finally adjusting to the no sleep thing again. Hope this doesn't last much longer. Growth spurts sure make for a happy baby though...good thing too, because her smile-a-thons are about the only thing I have enjoyed the past three days. She is eating about every 3 hours at night and getting up super early and just staying up for an eating-a-thon until the sun comes up. I had devised a plan to pretend like I don't want to sleep, because I figured she would fall asleep in that case. I can't fool her. Her and dad have done there fair share of things to pull me out of the muck...on Sunday Hallie picked me some lovely flowers...from the neighbor's yard. Don't worry, the house next door is abandoned! Riley realized the flowers didn't work when he found them in the trash two hours later. He saved them from my bad mood though...

Hallie and I had been inside all day Sunday while Riley was doing yardwork. The monotony was getting to me I guess, but when Riley asked me if I wanted to go on a walk I said "no." Well I made my way into the kitchen later that evening and something caught my eye on the dry erase board calendar...Riley had written "September 26th- Ashley turned down a walk with dad." Now wait a minute. He didn't say let's take a walk together. I assumed he meant all by my lonesome. Of course I would have gone with the whole fam! Funny guy! So yesterday had the potential to redeem itself but that was short-lived because the internet wasn't working, "no name" puppy was barking and digging in the backyard, Emmi was covered in mud and dripping wet from our walk and had been banished to the backyard until I had a second to give her a bath, the muddy stroller was awaiting me on the back porch and it needed to be ran through a car wash to get clean, and Hallie was screaming and had thrown up all over herself. All the while I was making calls and sending emails trying to reach a shelter than wouldn't kill "no name" and trying to do some laundry and dishes. On this day, I didn't cry over spilt milk...no, it was pineapple juice. Everywhere. In every crevis on the counter. We attempted a nap...but it gets a little hard to sleep when you have a baby attached to you eating the entire nap. So the bad mood continued UNTIL...I found a home for the puppy. The puppy has been staying in a crate in the garage and it must have been affecting me more than I had thought. I must have been fooling myself and pretending not to care so that I didn't get attached. Once I found the lil guy a home I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. At times, I think I love animals more than humans...they don't expect a lot from you, just food, water, and love. I was out of my funk and ready for the day...at 5 pm. There it is folks...my big fat pity party. You all were invited I just didn't send out invitations. If you just read all of that above, here is my apology. I just had to get it all out.

Once I decided that life wasn't so bad and it in fact would go on, Hallie and I took our second walk of the day and the weather was gorgeous! (Our morning walk was a bit chilly and Hallie had to bundle up in her track suit and blanket. I closed the top of the stroller and she had a nice warm baby cocoon. She sure looks cute in a track suit!) I wanted to stay out forever in the afternoon breeze but Riley was getting home early and that happens once every eon so we headed home. I snuck out of the house to make my weekly trip to Hobby Lobby...but this just so happened to be my favorite trip of the year. Fall decor shopping!!!!! It's no secret that I spend half of my income at Hobby Lobby, and unfortunately, yesterday was no different. Oh wait, income? I don't have income right now unless you count poopy diapers. In that case, I'm makin' bank! I loaded up on fall festive decorations and headed home. On the way I got a call from the puppy foster home and decided that I would swing by the house and go drop him off. The lady lived in Moore so it wasn't too far to drive. I arrived at her home and was immediately greeted by all of no name's foster brothers and sisters..all 11 of them. And yes, you can just imagine what a house smells like that fosters 11 puppies. BUT the family was just the sweetest and no name fit right in. He took a while to warm up at first and he wouldn't leave my side. I will admit, I even shed a few tears when I said goodbye to the cute lil fella. I am so glad (as is Riley) that we found him a great temporary home. Mitzi, the foster mom, has already sent me an update to tell me that no name indeed has a name...Toby.

"Let me in!!!"

Hallie must've heard me mention to dad the other day that he and I should watch the movie 8 Seconds (Riley's favorite movie) because it had been awhile since we watched it... she woke up just in time to catch it on HBO at 3 this morning. Thanks little girl! In fact, she really liked the movie that followed it because she wanted to stay up and watch it as well! Before this growth spurt, she has been sleeping with the light and tv off (thank goodness) but lately mom has been getting pretty bored during our 3 hour feeding parties and the tv and Facebook are musts. Turns out Facebook is pretty dead around that time.

Riley and I have been enjoying the new fall TV lineup. Well, let me rephrase that. Riley has been tolerating the new fall TV lineup. Though we do have a new show that is "our's." OUR show is The Event. But it turns out, all of MY shows came on at the same time and the DVR didn't record OUR show... decision, decisions. Will I toss out Gossip Girl, Dancing with the Stars or Quints by Surprise? My mother would just say toss out all three. We will see.

Hallie's Corner

It's Fall here in Mustang. My first Fall in fact. I turned two months old yesterday! And I started my two month old growth spurt. So much for keeping my girlish figure...I am starving all the time. And I have gained a few ounces. Can you tell?

" So just how many calories are in an ounce of milk?"

So not only am I smiling and sticking my tongue out, but I have started to chat with my parents when I'm in the mood. Daddy just loves it! He has been singing to me to make me laugh...his voice is horrible but that is what makes it so funny. ;) This weather has had mom digging for some warm clothes for me. I bundled up in my track suit yesterday for our walk and this morning I wore my jacket...it's still a bit big but it sure kept me cozy...

"So this is why mom likes hoodies so much."

I will start daycare in 3 weeks. I am terrified. What will I do when the babysitter won't let me eat every ten minutes like my mommy? Will I get to take my swing to daycare? Because I think I will need it to get through the day. I hope mom sends an extra pair of clothes with me in case I have a blowout. ;) What will I eat??? I hope I don't have to eat chicken nuggets like the big kids...I haven't practiced that yet. The other kids seemed nice when I went to visit but they are a lot older and are awesome at coloring and playing pretend. Since I can't do those things yet, I guess I will just sit back and learn. I just learned how to track fun objects with my eyes. Just this morning I was throwing a fit and somehow mom distracted me with my mobile. I got pretty excited....

This past weekend was filled up with fun stuff and I got to see most of my family. I had fun and was a really good girl. Mom thinks that I sleep well when we ride in the car....what she doesn't know is that I'm wide awake and I'm silently giggling at her voice...how on earth could someone sleep in the car with her anyways, she doesn't ever stop singing! I heard her say that this weekend was going to be low-key. I guess that means a lot of relaxing at home. But I do know that we are hitting up Baby Gap for some new fall clothes for me. My first trip to the mall!  Someone should at least warn daddy!