Happy 18 Months.

I have a couple photos that the pumpkin and I took last Saturday that I want to share with you all. Since our computer is on the Fritz, I will be sure to show them to you all later. This photo is from a month ago, but it's one of my favs.

My 17th month list was so long. I can't imagine posting one that long again, phew...and since most of it still applies, I'm just going to share a couple things the pumpkin has been doing lately.

What you are about right now.

1.Mondays are hard for you. You cry, scream, and attempt to throw a fit every Monday when I drop you off at Daycare for the day. It breaks my heart every time, and I usually cry the rest of the way to work.

2. You slapped a little boy at daycare when he wouldn't give you a toy you wanted.  You had your first time-out.  The next day another little boy shoved you when you tried to take a toy he was playing with.  Hopefully, he had a time out too.

3.We think you may be ready for time-outs. Is 17 Months too young to start time out?? Since you turned 17 Months, you seem like you are needing them. The tantrums are beginning. Mostly when you're tired/hungry.

4. You are MILK crazy lately.  You want MILK all the time.  You will go to the fridge when you want milk.

5. You are still really into sticking your finger in your belly button. Which is just wierd and kind of grosse.

6. You LOVE to dance whenever you hear music. You went crazy to Brittany Spears yesterday. "Oops I did it again," and "Toxic."

7. You have a little buddy at daycare. You're second daycare boyfriend. I came to daycare early and caught you flirting with him during story time.

8. Caught you running around and playing with friends at daycare, when you didn't know I was there.

9. You are really into sitting in the Car pretending to drive, and pointing out trucks when we see them on the road. You make the steering movement and a "vrooooooooom" sound.

10. You know which items are the bed, dresser, lamp, table, chair, pillow, book, teddy bear, blanket, cup, diaper, wipes, etc.  You like to read the book so we can find the items.

Still signing. Cookie is the newest one.  Making "squirrel eating nuts" gesture is your most recent animal action.

11. Love to play with Daddy's tools and stuff in the garage.

12. Still love slides, hitting balls with a bat/golf club.

13. You LOVE playing outisde.

14. LOVE to be swung around, held upside down, and to spin around.

15. YOU LOVE RING AROUND THE ROSY, and everyone that is in the room has to participate. 

16. You love to sit in the computer chair and pretend to be on the computer, banging on the keyboard and spinning in the chair.

17. You have started making a "Cheese" face and say "zzzzzzz."  Obviously as an aspiring photographer, this is a nightmare for me. Hubs thinks it's funny.

18. You are really into saying please, which also sounds like how you say cheese, "zzzzzzzz."

19. You will stand on your step stool, look in the mirror, and pretend to rub lotion on your face like Mommy.

You also like to put lotion on me and you.

20. You love to brush your teeth.  You have to repeatedly have more training toothpaste and you like to suck the water out of the brush.

21. You like to sit in your booster seat and eat dinner. You don't like to sit at your own table as much anymore.

22. You like to play under a blanket like a canopy/tent.

23. You LOVE when I smell your feet and say "Peeee Yewwww, Stinky Feet" and make a face, hold my nose, and move my hand back and forth across my face.  You haev me do it over and over again.

24. I was driving and heard you sniffing in the back seat over and over followed by a little cry each time. I looked back, and you had your baby's feet to your nose, and you were smelling her feet and making a noise like Mommy does to you. It was too cute.

25. Lately you have wanted to be rocked to sleep, and you are really into running up to me and giving me big hugs/snuggles.  It's the best!

Well, that list also got a little long, but a Mom can't help it I guess.

Time is going by so quickly.

I'm sure 2 will be here before I know it.

Love you Baby Girl. Happy 18 Months.

Love you, Mommy

Top Two Tuesday!! Top Two Songs!

Hey y'all, it's that time again for Top Two at Tay's.  You can see Taylor's and many other Mommas and Ladies picks HERE!! Head on over there and tell everyone your top two favorite song picks!

I LOVE (yes, I say LOVE a lot) music, I love all genres music, and throughout my life, I know that I can say that I have had many "favorite" songs.  Music, to me, defines a generation, a time period, and age, and a lifetime. It can define a moment, an experience, a feeling, a time in your life.  I have many of these moments, and everytime I hear a song that relates to a feeling, and emotion, a memory, a time in my life, I am transported back to that feeling, that moment, that place.  Music is amazing that way.  I'm sure that I could find many favorite songs, and I'm probably forgetting about some really great ones, but these are my two favorite songs now.

1. "Dream" by Priscilla Ahn. Obv, this is the opening song that you hear when you access my blog, so this probably is not a shocker to any of you. You probably get tired of hearing it. But, I never do (okay after awhile, I will usually mute the sound if it plays too long, but...). IT drives Hubs nuts, and he'll scream, "turn that off," while I'm blogging.  I first heard it while watching this movie, which I loved.  My fav thing about this movie is Jennifer Anniston's character. I LOVE that she is a quirky, eccentric florist. I LOVE all the hats she wears, and the gloves with the finger tips exposed. I also have tons of hats and a couple pairs of those gloves.  She loves beautiful things, beautiful words, antiques, and well, hats.  Reminds me of me a little.  I LOVE that she writes unique words behind paintings, that she saves sweet greetings attached to flowers, and that she pretends to be deaf/mute when she first meets him.  Basically, I also just LOVE Jennifer Anniston.

2. "In My Arms" by Plumb

This is also on my blog playlist. I get chills everytime I hear it. I stumbled across this while I was pregnant with Nik, and looking for Nursery music.  I used to listen in lullabyes when I was pregnant before I went to sleep so that Nik would get used to a "bedtime" while in the womb.  The song always made me cry..still does. It emulates everything I feel as a Mother and a provider. And, Nik was born with blue eyes, no curls though. It is on their album of Nursery Rymes.

You can find the lyrics and video on line. Happy listening. 

I can't access the links here at work.

Have a Great Tuesday. Can't wait to see all your picks!

Hey y'all.

Happy Monday everybody. I don't have any pics to share today, or maybe for a couple of weeks, that is. Let me explain, see Friday night, I was on the computer (and hubs was asleep). I had actually already laid down, but got back up, bc I was having trouble sleeping. I was on Facebook (which I don't actually even use that much) when something popped on my screen. It said that my computer had been "infected."  The screen shot to a menu page, and these scanning bars came across my screen as if the computer was scanning my documents. Percentages were hiking in numbers beside the red bars. It said that if I didn't back up my work immediately that my information would be corrupted and destroyed. Of course, these red bars are going across the screen, and I'm reading these words, and I'm watching Nik's entire first year and a half in photos go down the drain. Against my better judgement, I clicked on the security icon that popped up, saying that I should back up my work. I knew I shouldn't do it, I almost just turned off my whole computer and ran into the room to hurriedly wake Josh. But, I didn't. I got scared, frantic, and was trying to save him from having to wake-up, I took matters into my own (incapable) hands, and clicked on it, several times. Then a huge red box came on my screen saying that there were "trojans" infecting our computer, and I would loose all our data/documents if I didn't back it up-telling me our computer was "infected."

I stopepd clicking on the pop-up security boxes and per the pop up box instruction, I went to "programs" I went under "control panel" and then on to "security panel."  I don't recall if I clicked on anything there or not. I was looking for an anti-virus program somewhere on the computer, so I could run it and stop the "trojans" and the "infection."  I closed all the windows on my computer, and when I couldn't find a anti-virus under programs anywhere. I viewed the desktop and found one. Hubs is really into security on the computer and he is always installing and running security programs. I clicked on the anti-virus icon, and watched it scan all my documents.   I watched every photo of Nik from the first year and half of her life get scanned for viruses, and after several minutes. It stated that "nothing was detected," no viruses found.  I shut down the computer, feeling shaky, and rattled, and worried, but hopeful that everything was okay. All of Nik's photos were still there.

In the morning, I told hubs what had happened, and hubs told me that he would look into it. I asked hubs if he thought that we should take the hard drive to a tech person to look at, bc I was really worried about Nik's photos, and hubs said that "if he couldn't fix it, no one could." After looking at it, hubs said that I may never get any of the photos back. He said that he has never seen a virus this "impressive" and "intelligent" are the words hubs used. When it comes to thieves, believe me, we roll with the best of them. No second class hackers for us, ha.

You know I take a lot of photos.  Apparently I have upwards of 14,000 photos uploaded on the computer. Hubs says that he has saved 178 of them so far. He says that he has to move really slow, so he doesn't loose them. He worked on it for a very long time this weekend.  He apparently had to completely reverse the whole virus.  It seems like he must be exaggerating that I have that many photos, but I guess, it could be possible. I dont delete photos of the pumpkin, I just can't. It's hard to explain but DSLR's sometimes take imperfect photos, bc a setting is off.  On the flip side, with a DSLR, a good lens, and the proper setting, you can capture many great photos that you could not capture with another camera.  Most of the times the ones that don't come out perfect, are ones that she got excited and moved, or made a big smile.  I just can't bring myself to delete those. I keep having this hope, that one day, I will sit down and attempt to correct those imperfect photos through an editing program. I may not be able to, but I know that I have to try. 

And the answer to your next question, is "no," I don't have them backed up somehwere else. Ironically, early last week, I decided that I was going to purchase another hard drive to back up the pumpkin's photos, but I was waiting till I got paid last Friday to purchase it. It is something I have been thinking about, but have not gotten around to.  As, I attempt to decide if I am going to start shooting in Raw and using photoshop, I have looked into the fact that I am going to need a very large hard drive to store and edit the images, and want to be sure to back-up our photos in the case of a system crash. I do use a 3rd party source, Flkr to upload photos, but I didn't nearly have all the photos backed up there, just some.

The reason I am sharing this with you all is so that you can be aware and informed in case this happens to any of you. I obviously, am not computer savvy, and I knew better than to click on this "anti-virus" link/window site. I did, I really did. But, I got flustered and nervous, and I made a rash decision when faced with the possibility of losing all Nik's photos.  I feel like I miss a large part part of her life as it is, and now, I am faced with the possibility of losing the only way I knew how to attempt to capture and retain the life/time that I feel I miss. Photography is how I try and give that time back to her and and I. 

Please be wary of the sites that you go to. I'm pretty sure I probably encountered this breach while logged into Facebook, but I could be wrong. And, be very careful of the anti-viruses that you install on your computer. Hubs says that by clicking that "anti-virus" icon, it probably allowed the source to gain access to my computer, where they installed the icon to my desktop, and I basically gave them free access/entry to our computer and all our information/documents.  Who would think that a 3rd party could create a desktop icon on my computer?  We're not sure excatly how it happened, but either way, all of it was corrupt. And, people do it in an attempt to steal your personal information like credit card numbers, bank information, etc. I bet they're sorry the tried me, they just got 14,000 random baby photos on their harddrive now, ha.  I'm just praying that hubs can get the pumpkin's photos back, at least most of the ones I don't already have backed up.

Also, hubs revealed to me that he is my "surprise mystery gifter" of the Pevonia products. I think I suspected that all along. Guess, I have just about the greatest hubs ever. Still scolded him for spending the money though, ha.

Hope you all have a Great Week.  Love ya.

No Day at The Park.

Almost Wordless Wednesday.

This is my Bench Monday Shot

(if I could ever sit down and learn photo shop, I might submit one, Ha)

I Love this One.

Who's Face is THAT??  I don't know. She's Crazy!

I soooo need to buy her a pair of shoes. 

This shot is so funny, I call it "My Old Man Shot"

(Bc she looks like an old man in those bibs with her stance like that).

She put her chalk down, and just went straight into that stance.

She buckled her knees, and stuck her back back, and threw her arms out with Gusto.

I have no Idea where she came up with that.

A little pouty.

A little Silly.

A big Smile.

Laughing

More Laughing.

"You want me to go down?"

Crazy Face!

Mama Wants a Brand New Bag!!

Oooooooooo.  Giveawaay, giveaway, giveaway!!!   Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!  Have you seen this giveaway from Hazel and Harlow????  Check it out on Tay's blog HERE!!!

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for this giveaway!  I have a great handbag that my Mother-in-law gifted me for Christmas in 2007, but that is the only nice handbag I have!  I have used it straight for three years, and it has held up grandiously, but I have been wanting a new fabulous, lushus, to die for handbag for a while now. Sadly, if I get an extra money, it goes to the Pumpkin.  I LOVE to buy for her, but obvs, the money I used to have for such luxuries for myself, is now extended to her. 

I WOULD LOVE THIS HANDBAG!!  It is too GORGEOUS and SO PREFECT for FALL!!  Please, please, please!!! Sigh!!!  Ahhhhhhhh!!!!  LOVE IT!!  I can just smell the Suede and imagine myself running my hand over it, as I wait in line at some Fabulous, Posh store. While all the girls, waiting in line with me Ooooooo and Ahhhhhhh over it, asking me "Where ever did I find such a fabulous Pasion Bags of Argentina, 'Espuma Bag featured in Sand'!"  "The color", "The feel of the fabric," "So Perfect for Fall," I can hear them now.

Ahh, wake-up, back to reality. But seriously, have you gone over there yet, and checked out their fab designers????  What are you still doing here, listening to me rattle on and on about my imaginary bag!  GET OVER THERE NOW!!!

BTW, check these out too, whil you're over there!!  Ahhhhhh!  I would die for a pair of these. I have so been coveting a pair like these fab bracelets. I LOVE them ALL!!  Can't you just see them dangling on my arm as I hold my Hazel and Harlow presents 'Espuma Bag in Sand.'

LOVE THEM!!!  THANKS TAY!! 

You Let Your Child Eat WHAT???!!!

Yes, soooooooooooo, last night I let Nikolina have 1/2 a Cashew Nut, no more. She has had a peanut before by accident and nothing happened, so she was begging for one, and I let her try one. I know, I know, 1 1/2 year olds are not supposed to have NUTS, yes, yes, I KNOW, I KNOW. I get it. NOW I GET IT!! 

This was my end of the conversation that I had with my mother this morning when I called to tell her what happened last night.  "Yes, Mom, Thanks Mom, Yes, I know Mom, that 1 1/2 year olds are NOT SUPPOSED to have Peanuts at this age, bc their can be allergic, and their throat can close up, and restrict their breathing, and go in to anaphylatic shock, yes, I know that. Yes, I know it's serious, yes, Mother, I know. Why do you think, I lay AWAKE holding her ALL NIGHT LONG, just in case her throat DID start to close up, or some other horrible thing.  Yes, I gave her Benadryl. It's not like I shove peanuts down her throat all day long, obviously, in hindsight, yes, it was not a good idea. Yes, I did think that at the time I probably shouldn't have done it. Yes, I only gave her 1/2 a cahew, yes, I monitored her all night.  Yes, she appears better this morning.  No, Mom, I probably will not be giving her any more cashews.  Thanks, Mom, Love you Mom. Talk to you later, Mom."

I won't show you pics of the poor pumpkin, but you can kind of get the gist from this pic below.   She pretty much had them all over her tummy and legs. 

I, of course, called the Pediatrician, yes, at 12:30 AM (Yes, I am one of those), this was before we knew they were hives, when they were just starting. I didn't really want to over-exaggerate and take her to the ER, if she didn't need to go (obviously). But, on the other hand, I wanted to be prepared if she would need a shot, if for example her throat started to close up or her breathing became restricted. I mean, he's asking me if she seems to be having a difficult time breathing, and I don't know what to say. Of course, I am a mother, so I over-react, and to me, of course, I think she is going into shock. I mean, at this point, I am already fully dressed, have the pumpkin fully dressed, my purse and diaper bag on my arm ready to fly out the door to the ER.

Thankfully we have a hospital about 2 minutes from our house.  Of course, she also has a cold and a cough (she has one every three days now, love daycare, love it:), so her breathing and airways are already restricted and congested.  It wasn't until after I got off the phone with our pediatrician that the hives worsened and I discovered she did in fact have hives, and that she was having an allergic reaction to the peanut, we think. I had hives as a child a few times, and my dad has had them a few times as well, so I was familiar with them, where Josh had no experience with them. 

They are basically harmless, unless they are in a child's mouth bc they can restrict breathing/pathways in throat/mouth. But, Nik's mouth never appeared to have any infection, thank goodness. They are hjust a little uncomfortable, as they can itch.  It's basically your body's reaction to a foreign substance, such as peanuts, or an allergy, it's your body releasing histimine to fight what it thinks is an enemy.

Since I gave her the 1/2 cashew, I volunteered to stay awake with her all night to make sure that she didn't start haveing trouble breathing. Nik will not sleep on your lap, or on the couch or bed, unless she's EXHAUSTED.  So, I had to put her down in her crib. Obviously, we figured that if she was going to have a reaction she's have had it, but I was being cautious.  I already prior to her inflamation, had the baby monitor up to my ear, and I could very clearly hear her breathing since has a cold, her breathing is kinda heavy. I also went and checked on her a couple times earlier in the night, and rocked her in the rocking chair, while she slept in my arms.. It's hard not to wake her though, bc our door creaks everytime you open it, and she always wakes up. But, I would rather wake her up, obv, then something happen.  Josh had gone and gotten her at 12:30 AM and brought her into the bedroom, and that was when we first discovered the rash starting. 

We gave her 3/4 tsp Benadryl and tried to make her stay up to make sure she was alright. She was having a good time playing, reading, and doing puzzles, till she finally became exhaused around 2, and we let her sleep in the bed with us, or rather, she was so exhausted, that she was able to fall asleep in bed with us.  Finally around 4 AM, I started taking little 15 min cat naps, bc she appeared Ok.  I was so in "mommy ready/aware/awake/protect mode" that I don't think I even got the 15 min cat naps completely in.  By morning, when she woke up right before 7, her hives had gotten much better, but were still kinda bad around her legs. 

I would've loved to stay home with her, but I have already used all my vaca (yes, I have to use vaca when my daughter is sick, stinky, I know) staying home with her in the Spring when she was sick frequently (love daycare:), and for other things, and she's in perfectly good spirits, so we just told our daycare provider to be cautious.  We are going to continue to give Nik the Benadryl until they are gone, per the doctor's instruction.  Hopefully, we have seen the worst of it, and YES, NOW I KNOW, NEVER TO GIVE MY CHILD EVEN 1/2 A CASHEW, no matter how bad she acts like she wants it.  Lesson Learned.

Nikolina says..."

I think...

That I...

Don't like Mondays.

Maybe, it's because I'm tired...

Or, that I couldn't find anything to wear...

And, that I miss my Mommy...

Oooo, Maybe

Tomorrow will be better."

Indian Summer.

(My Fav)

(Picking Flowers)

(Second Fav-My Sunflare...Eeek, Love It!)

(Cheesing)

(Hi'Ya)

(Marching...)

(Pouting, but love the clouds in this)

Last Saturday, Nik and I headed out to take some photos.  We left a little early, and I'm afraid we were hanging around for a bit with some harsh light, and Nik got pretty fussy right before my perfect light hit, but I did manage to bribe her to humor me for a few shots with some juice.  It was a lot of fun, and we got some  cute shots.  Tried to get her to wear her Hello Kitty Rain Boots for the shots, but she was having none of that.  And yes, that's a McDonalds Toy that she's holding. I bought it for her when I purchased a diet coke there one day, and I pulled it out of the car in an attept to bribe her as I neglected to bring anything else along with us.  Hubs cleaned the garage, and when we came home we went out for Barbacue at an awesome eatery we have here in town.  Where Nik had some Lemonade in a Big Girl cup, sat in a Big Girl Booster and you can see a smidge of Barbecue on her left (right view) cheek.  Mmmm Good.

Hey y'all-Not sure if you know this, but Julianna, over at a A Blonde Walks Into A Blog is having some health concerns.  If you can, head over there and offer her your support.  She is always so supportive and positive for all of us, I'm sure she's appreciate the love. Keep in her in your thoughts and prayers.

Love to all.