This and That

Sickies

2012-02-15T20:42:00.000-08:00

Logan has the stomach flu. Ai yi yi.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T21:42:00.000-08:00

Part-Time Working Mom

2012-02-10T10:20:00.000-08:00

I am linking up again with Kelly's Korner to talk about my gig as a part-time working mom. I have only really been a stay at home mom for about three months (other than maternity leave), but I know that working part-time is the best schedule for me right now.

Technically, we could pay our bills and I wouldn't have to work. But it wouldn't be fun. Living in Southern California is expensive and there wouldn't be much left over for savings, vacations, or emergencies. I like having the extra income to be able to pay for the "fun" stuff-Logan's dance classes, a trip to Kauai next October (yes, we are going!!!), Disneyland passes, etc. It's also nice to put some money into savings with the hope that we might be able to buy a slightly larger house in a few years.

I am also lucky enough to have my mom living 15 minutes away, and she is my "nanny." This makes it really easy for me to work whenever I need to during the week. Some weeks I work one day a week, other weeks I work three or four. I do pay my mom, so it's not a free arrangement-I think this works best for us. She makes some extra income in retirement, and I know that someone who loves my kids as much as me is taking care of them!

And as much as I like to complain about practicing law, I have a pretty good gig going on. I do a lot of freelance work through my freelance network, Montage Legal Group. The money is good and I mostly work from my home office. I am self-employed and get the whole home office tax deduction, so I like that. I can see my kids off and on throughout the day while I am working, and I have still been able to nurse Holland eight months, even though I have been back working since she was about a month old. I also find that I kind of need a little separation from my kids. I am a better mom (though busier) when I work 10-20 hours a week. I feel very blessed to have such a good work arrangement.

It's not easy trying to practice law part-time AND raise two kids AND take care of a home. I try to do a lot of the stuff that stay at home moms do-laundry, clean up around the house, cook dinner, etc. However, Steve is a really big help and always does his share. He unloads the dishwasher every morning, has been doing most of the grocery shopping lately, and always gets the girls ready for bed every night. I also work a lot from home at night, when the kids are sleeping, which can be exhausting. However, I am the type of person who thrives on being busy, so working part-time is the perfect solution for me and our family!

The Girls

2012-02-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

My poor girls have both been sick off and on for the last few weeks. Holland even got croup last weekend and I had to take her to the ER on Saturday night for decadron (a steroid) to help her breathing. January through March always seem to be the worst months for germs!

I think Holland is also about to have her first tooth pop up, so that is just adding to the misery. The poor, sad munchkin.

And a little wild, sisterly love before bedtime.

Pinterest is Dangerous

2012-02-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

Saw this necklace on Pinterest and decided it was for me.

Good thing it was only $29!

My brother, Garrett

2012-02-02T19:27:00.000-08:00

This is definitely going to result in my brother freaking out, but it's worth it. I'm linking up my blog to a singles match-up on another blog in hopes that we might make a love match for Garrett!!! :) It's about time he found a wife!

Anyway, this is my brother, Garrett.

He just turned 29 on February 1 and will graduate from Wartburg Lutheran Seminary this May. He currently lives in Iowa, but will be returning to Orange County, California after graduation and we hope he will find an associate pastor job at a Lutheran church somewhere in California.

Hmm, what can I tell you about Garrett? Obviously, he is a religious guy, but not annoyingly religious. You have to be cool with being a pastor's wife. :) He is super smart, has always gotten great grades, and might aspire to be a professor some day. He also has a funny sense of humor and can be a total goof. But you have to know him to get the goofy side.

He's a health nut-eats very, very healthy and loves to workout. You will not find any mayonnaise in his refrigerator! Sometimes I wish I had as much healthy eating discipline as he does, but then again, I do love eating birthday cake a little too much for that. Anyway, you should probably take joy in eating things like salmon, almonds, and roasted brussel sprouts. Not a requirement, but helpful! He does enjoy a beer or wine with dinner, so it's not all healthy all the time. ;) Garrett also likes outdoor activities, like running and beach volleyball.

Some things I can tell you about Garrett-he's into reading, he's pretty good at fixing cars (or at least changing oil), he likes traveling (and spent a summer session during college in Europe), he graduated undergrad from Pepperdine in Malibu, CA, and he loves animals. I have already tried to pawn off one of our annoying dogs on him after he finds a job, and he just might take her!

Garrett is also great with kids. He loves his three little nieces, and will play with them and entertain them. I think he will make a great dad one day. He just needs to find the right girl! If you are interested, please post a little bit about yourself and your email in the comments, so he can contact you.

And here are a few more pics:

(on the left)

(on the left in sunny California at a family get-together)

My husband thinks he looks a little bit like Tom Brady, ladies, so come on, who's interested???!??????

Sorry, Garrett, I know you are going to die when you see this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing to say

2012-01-30T20:52:00.001-08:00

It's that time of the year and we are all sick, sick, sick. Hopefully we will all be feeling a little perkier very soon . . .

A mishmash of stuff

2012-01-22T21:39:00.000-08:00

We've had a lot going on here. First, Holland turned seven months old on January 11!!!

At her check-up last week, she was 27.5 inches and 17.75 pounds-81st percentile for height and 61st percentile for weight. When Logan was adjusted for being a preemie, she was almost identical in terms of percentiles! Holland can sit up unsupported for short periods of time, and roll both ways, but doesn't care to do either. I call her my lazy baby. She much prefers to be held and cuddled, or to just play on the ground (on her back-she HATES tummy time). She loves toys and is into her exersaucer lately, which allows me a few minutes to cook dinner or feed the dogs. She is also loving baby food-all fruits and veggies, and has now moved on to the mixed cereals and dinners. The meat ones taste a little bland and like dog food to me (don't ask how I know what dog food tastes like), but Holland loves it all. She is still nursing seven times a day, but is pretty much sleeping through the night-from 7 pm to 5 or 6 am, eats, and is back down until 6:45/7 am. She takes 2-3 naps a day, but is still a catnapper. I am not destined to have nap-loving kids. At least she sleeps a lot at night! She is also a very happy and smiley baby. Logan was such a sober baby, so it's fun to have a baby who actually smiles and laughs!

Logan is still loving preschool. Her school had daddy day on Saturday morning, which consisted of 75-minutes of preschool with daddy (or grandpa, uncle, etc.). It was an underwater/ocean theme, and the preschool put together a lot of cute things for the kids to do with their dads. Logan had so much fun!

I've been spending time updating our family room a little bit. Last fall, we thought about selling our house. However, we are so underwater on it that it doesn't make any sense financially to pay to get out of this house because it would be a ridiculous amount of money to do it. We then thought about renting out our house and buying a new one in the same area, but that won't work because the mortgage companies require you to qualify for both mortgages for the first two years of renting out your first house, and since I'm self-employed, that's not possible for us. It's not worth it for me to go back to a firm full-time (or even part-time) just to get a slightly bigger house, so it looks like we are going to be in this house at least a few more years. It is so frustrating, though, because we could buy a bigger house in our same area and have a smaller mortgage payment than what we have now. Oh, well, I need to stop dwelling on it. Hence, I have decided to do a little updating of our family room to make more room for playing and toys. It was way too claustrophobic with our huge tv cabinet and the Romper Room toys. Even with a majority of the toys in the playroom, toys were still taking over our family room because our tv cabinet took up too much space. So, we got rid of the tv cabinet, bought a smaller one for the corner of the family room, and got a sectional. Now we have a lot more open space for the toys and the kids to play. The room is still in transition because I am looking for a bigger rug and the ottoman is getting a fun, new slipcover. However, here is what it looks like right now.

You can see that our current rug is a little too small now for the couch. I love the print on it, but unfortunately, it does not come in a bigger size. I am actually being frugal and going to check out one this week that I found on Craig's List. I don't like to spend a ton of money on family room rugs because they always get dirty from the dogs and/or the kids.

And for the big excitement tomorrow, I am finally getting my permanent crowns. Thank goodness these horrible temporaries are coming off!

Baby Boy Shower

2012-01-14T20:19:00.000-08:00

My friend, Christine, had a beautiful shower today for her first baby, due in just four short weeks. I had a great time hanging out my Christine and our two other good friends, Shannon and Vicky. We met while wedding planning (we were all married at the same place-Rancho Las Lomas), and we've been good friends ever since. I don't know what I would do without them!!!

Lake Arrowhead

2012-01-13T20:21:00.000-08:00

We headed up to Lake Arrowhead for a three day break after the New Year. I wish I would have taken more pictures, but I was SO out of it from lack of sleep (the girls sleep terribly when away from home, and basically Holland refuses to sleep in the pack and play), and my temporary crown was falling off constantly, which was a huge distraction. I did get a few shots in, but not any great ones.

The great thing about Lake Arrowhead is that it's only about 90 miles from our house. The bad thing is that you have to go up and down some very curvy roads which resulted in Logan throwing up all over the car on the way down the mountain. I think we need a break from Lake Arrowhead for awhile!

Brush your teeth, boys and girls

2012-01-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

I had two crowns done this week. Only the temporaries are on right now, and the permanents aren't coming until next Friday. Well guess what? A cheese panini pulled off one of the temporaries tonight and I can't get to the dentist until the middle of next week. I now have my temporary glued on with Polident. It's crooked and the nerve is burning from exposure. And, apparently this might happen every day until I can get in to have it re-cemented. Oh, the joys of being 35.

December

2011-12-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that December is coming to a close. I love the Christmas season, and I try to make it last as long as possible. I am still listening to Christmas music-after all, it's still Christmastide until Epiphany on January 6! I will, however, take the Christmas decorations down on January 1 or 2. Since I have to get back to work next week, there won't be much time to take anything down on January 5 or 6.

Holland turned six months on December 11. I love the 6-12 month age-so lovable and cuddly! The poor thing had a bad ear infection that resulted in a ruptured ear drum a few weeks ago. It's still healing and not totally better, but I am hoping that it doesn't return. She had a rough few days when she was really sick.

Logan had her preschool musical and a classroom party afterwards. The kids were too cute!

We went to church on Christmas Eve.

Naughty or nice this year???

My mom hosted Christmas Eve dinner for us and some other family members, and the kids were crazy, being out too late and Logan not napping. We pulled out the pajamas long before we left since Logan was running around naked at the party. And no, I'm not kidding about her running around naked in December at a party!

Christmas morning was chaotic fun. I cooked a biscuit and egg casserole, drank a Mimosa, and wanted to die from being so tired. I was all partied out by that point.

The highlight of the morning was when Steve suprised us with his full body Christmas pajamas. I got a good laugh out of that!

We spent Christmas afternoon and evening at my sister's house.

We also sang happy birthday to my sister (Christmas baby) and Jesus-we do this every year!

And then on the 26th, we had a get together with my dad's side of the family at my cousin's house down in San Clemente. We took a cousin picture, and geez, I look old and like a "mom." I'm chalking it up to the lack of sleep and too many parties.

Christmas Cards

2011-12-21T21:27:00.000-08:00

Well, I went a little crazy with the amount of Christmas cards I sent this year, and actually ran out of cards last week! My reorder just arrived today. Therefore, if you still don't have one from us, it's in the mail tomorrow. In the meantime, here's the internet version of it.

Holiday Appetizers

2011-12-20T14:39:00.000-08:00

After sparkling wine, appetizers are my second favorite part of any holiday party. I like my appetizers easy and a little bit 70s (I was born in the 70s, so what do you expect?):

-Pigs in a blanket (mini hot dogs wrapped in 1/2 of a crescent roll and baked at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes-a kid and adult favorite)

-Ranch dip and chips or vegetables (my mom makes the best ranch dip with the dry packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mixed w/milk and mayo; another option is dilly dip and my mother-in-law makes a great one!)

-Spinach artichoke dip (this is a baked dish, served with tortilla chips)

-Cheese and crackers (any assortment of cheese will do-brie, blue, gouda, or whatever you like, along with water crackers)

There's so much cooking that goes on for all of these parties, why spend even more time making elaborate appetizers? Or at least that's my thinking!

Bubbly

2011-12-19T19:59:00.000-08:00

There's nothing I like more than a glass of sparkling wine to celebrate the holidays! I tend to like my sparkling wine a little on the sweet side, so I am a fan of Prosecco. Plus, if you know me, you know I love all things Italian ever since Steve and I took a fantastic two-week trip to Italy a few years ago. (As an aside, when we arrived at our hotel in Venice, we were presented with two glasses of Prosecco and introduced to the hotel dog "Fausto." We still talk about how fun that trip was!) Anyway, I like to choose wine that has "meaning" to me-I've visited the winery, I had it on a previous memorable holiday or occasion, it was a gift from someone, ~~it was on sale at Trader Joe's~~, etc. Some of my favorites are:

Zardetto Prosecco-easily found and very affordable; reminds me of our Italian vacation oh so many years ago

Mumm Cuvee M-a little sweet, very affordable, and a fun tasting place to end a long tasting day up in Napa

J Cuvee 20-love this sparkling wine; slightly higher price point at around $25, but worth it; the tasting experience was a little too crowded for me, but the winery and tasting room are beautiful

Iron Horse Sparkling Brut '05-this one is good, but there are quite a few different Iron Horse selections out there that I like; the winery is my kind of tasting experience-all outdoors, under a tented area, and you toss whatever you don't drink into the brush on the hill!

And of course, I made a trip to BevMo yesterday to stock up for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after. I'm sure I'll be back for New Year's, too!

The Weekend

2011-12-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

Haha, only I would drink two peppermint mochas (skinny!) this weekend and then think that I felt dizzy because I had a cold, not because each one contained an espresso shot (I don't normally drink coffee). I finally figured it out yesterday afternoon when the crazy feeling started to wear off-no more caffeinated mochas for me this holiday season!!!

I started my Christmas baking yesterday, but I am so far from done. I've only made three things, and I've got at least four more to go. Looks like I will be baking each night this week. I also have a million presents to wrap. Maybe next weekend??!!???

Here is another shot of the girls from our professional pictures last weekend. Can't wait to see the rest in a few weeks!

Christmas Prep

2011-12-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

We were busy all weekend long getting ready for Christmas. We purchased our tree, set it up, decorated it, took family pictures (and Holland's six month pictures), addressed our Christmas cards, made a gingerbread house, and listened to Christmas carols. I love the holiday prep!

The weekend fun . . .

Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T19:44:00.000-08:00

We had a busy, family filled Thanksgiving weekend. Steve's parents, brother, and brother's wife flew in from Minnesota for the long weekend to spend Thanksgiving with us and attend Holland's baptism today. The kids were so spoiled getting constant attention all day long! I think they are both very sad to see this weekend end.

We had a big crowd on Thanksgiving day-my family and Steve's family. It was a great time. Too bad I didn't get any group shots on my own camera. Still need to get those emailed to me from my mom!

My sister and brother-in-law all dressed up for Thanksgiving.

The older cousins had a "picnic" with appetizers in the playroom.

Family picture after Logan insisted on changing into a "party dress," and about five seconds before she choked on a cookie and I had to dig it out of her throat with my fingers. Never a dull moment around here. Not to mention that later that night I ran the self-cleaner on the oven behind us and it proceeded to melt the thermofoil right off the cabinet drawer below it. Ugh, so hoping our home builder will fix it even though it is likely not covered by the warranty anymore.

Friday was spent putting all of the Thanksgiving stuff away (china, silver, decor, etc.) and decorating for Christmas. Bring on the next holiday!!!

On Saturday, I stayed home with the grandparents and kids while Steve, my brother, my brother-in-law, and my sister-in-law all went to the 'SC/UCLA game. I was sad to miss a blow out and what was probably Matt Barkley's last game. Either way, I was happy with the big win!

Today was Holland's baptism. I saved Logan's baptism outfit and Holland wore it. Of course, this was not without incident. When I pulled the laundered and preserved outfit out of the plastic bag that it had been sitting in for three years, I discovered that the entire top was stained yellow. For some reason, yellow spit up stains always show up after time, not right away. I doused it in Oxy clean and it faded a bit, but the poor kid had to wear a somewhat wet sweater top to her baptism. Oh, the life of a second child.

The baptism itself was very nice. My cousin and her husband are Holland's sponsors and it was so good to see them! Their kids were once little and wild like mine are now, and it makes me feel better. :) My brother was also able to do part of the baptism since he is almost done with seminary, so that was very nice, as well.

After the baptism, we had lunch and cake back at our house while the guest of honor napped.

Santa

2011-11-20T13:11:00.000-08:00

Logan and Holland visited Santa yesterday. This was the first time in three years that Logan hasn't freaked out! Santa was a success!!!

Five Months

2011-11-15T22:01:00.000-08:00

Holland was five months old on November 11. I can't believe how fast the time has gone!

She LOVES to chew on her feet.

She weighed in at the doctor's office today at 15.8 pounds (68th percentile) and measured 26.4 inches long (90th percentile). She's also rolled over twice now from her back to her stomach, but she's not impressed by it at all. I think it will probably be another month before she really likes rolling around. Neither one of my kids have been early on the gross motor development, but that's ok because less mobility is easier for mommy. Logan ran the day she started walking and then never stopped, so if Holland is anything like that, she can also wait until almost 17 months to walk!

Nighttime sleep is not bad. She's down by 7 and up between 2 and 4 to eat, then back down until 7. I've been trying to get her on a three naps a day schedule, but sometimes it's four naps if the other naps are short. She still won't take a bottle so we've resorted to pumped milk in baby oatmeal and sippy cups. It's working good enough for me to be gone for 4 or 5 hours, so that will just have to do until she's eating more solids. She loves her oatmeal, and the ped gave the go ahead for other food, so we'll be trying some veggies next week. Sweet potatoes? Aunt Brooke's mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving??!!?? We'll see. This baby loves her cereal so much more than Logan ever did, so perhaps I have a bigger eater on my hands.

Sunset Magazine

2011-11-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

I must be getting old because I can't stand reading my fashion magazines anymore. They all say the same thing, have the same pictures, and offer the same make-up and clothing advice. Seriously, I have heard it all a thousand times. On the other hand, I LOVE Sunset Magazine. I've been getting it for at least seven or eight years and I look forward to receiving it every month. Last night, I made a wild mushroom and butternut squash bread pudding recipe from my most recent issue.

I improvised to make it a little bit healthier-whole wheat bread, organic 1/2 & 1/2, a little less cheese, and I roasted all of the vegetables instead of roasting the squash and then sauteeing everything else. It was a good, hearty (vegetarian) dish for a cold, fall evening.

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

Steve and 11 three-year olds carved a pumpkin on Halloween morning.

Logan got into the treats before our Halloween party started. Of course!

I took a few pictures of the decor and my witch hat!

Logan and Holland had fun at the party, but Logan really just wanted to get out there and trick or treat. This was the first year that she was really into the whole trick or treating thing.

It was a fun night, and even better having friends to trick or treat with. I think we might do a Halloween dinner/party beforehand every year!

Halloween Party Prep

2011-10-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

I spent most of today prepping for our Halloween party tomorrow. I made:
vegetarian chili (heating in the crockpot tomorrow)
brownies
chocolate dipped marshmallows
macaroni & cheese (will bake tomorrow)

Tomorrow I'm doing the vegetable platter with ranch dip and pigs in a blanket. My mom is bringing cornbread. I haven't cooked this much for this many people in a long time and I'm exhausted!

We also had a busy weekend with Halloween parties and pumpkin carving. Friday was Steve's office trick or treating, and then I had my Montage Legal Group party the same afternoon/evening. Logan and Steve carved her pumpkin today, and yes, it was a balmy 85 degrees here.

Logan is a kitty for Halloween. My great-grandmother made me this costume and I wore it when I was three. My mom saved it so that her grandkids could wear it. I can't believe it lasted 32 years!!! Logan has named the kitty costume "Karma." Not sure why, but it sounds like a Logan thing to do.

I bought Holland a kitty costume from Carter's. Easy, cute, and matches Logan!

Logan practiced her pumpking carving skills for tomorrow, when Steve brings a pumpkin to carve with her preschool class.

Great Weekend!

2011-10-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

I love it when we beat Notre Dame! Last year's game was such a bummer, and I was thrilled to see us win this year after everyone predicted we would lose!!!!!

And this is my favorite blog to read during football season.

Four Months

2011-10-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Well, she's almost four and a half months now, but at four months, Holland was about 15 pounds, 5 ounces, and 25 inches. She's going to bed around 7 pm and waking to eat once a night around 3 or 4 (though sometimes it's twice), and then waking up for the day anywhere between 6:45 and 7:30. She's still a cat napper like Logan and takes anywhere from 3 to 4 40ish minute naps a day. She will now put herself to sleep in her crib, too, so life is a little easier! Holland is not rolling over yet, but I think it will be fairly soon. She definitely has the strength to do it, but doesn't seem interested. She's also STILL rejecting the bottle (and has been for about a month now). It's causing me a lot of stress since I need to go places for work. I actually started her on a little bit of baby oatmeal mixed with milk today so that I can be gone longer than two hours (and yes, she eats every two hours during the day, so it is really hard to go anywhere without her).

It's hard to believe that one year ago in mid-October I found out my embryo transfer worked! The little frozen embryo is now this . . .

She also loves Logan, though Logan is a little more ambivalent. :)

Logan is having a lot of fun these days doing "big girl" things-preschool, birthday parties, riding bikes, etc. Last week was my niece's fifth birthday and it was a cowgirl theme. Logan was decked out.

I think she looks more like four to me, not just a little past her third birthday. They grow up too fast!!!

Cooking

2011-10-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to get back into cooking since Holland will watch Logan play (or watch tv, my insta-babysitter) while I cook. It doesn't always work out that I can get something made, so I've been cooking on Sunday with enough leftovers on Monday, and then trying to do the same for Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday has been paninis with fancy cheese from Trader Joe's, and Friday and Saturday are almost always take-out or something easy, like eggs on toast. I think it will still be another few months before I can actually get on a good meal schedule again, but I have found some good recipes. I've found several in Real Simple's family edition, and I've gotten a lot of mileage out of them-shrimp chowder, vegetarian enchiladas, and kale flatbread. The kale flatbread is sooo good (I use TJ's whole wheat pizza crust), and even Logan will eat some of the kale. I've made it twice in the past two weeks!

The chowder and enchiladas were tasty, too. My enchilada handiwork:

For the enchiladas, I skipped the grated sweet potatoes and just did onions, black beans, corn, and cheese inside. We ate them for three nights! Such is life when you have two little ones, a part-time job, and a desire to avoid fast food (if possible-I still love Del Taco).

So Little Time to Blog

2011-10-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

I've been working so much that I've had little time to blog. It's good to be in demand, but my goodness, I can barely keep up with my life right now.

A few weeks ago, we got crazy and took both kids to the USC football game. We left before halftime. Don't think we're doing another football game with the two of them until next year!

Logan loves tailgating. Soda and a cheese stick-what more could a three-year old ask for?

Holland preferred posing on the bed before we left. Regardless, I think she was easier to handle at the game than Logan was. At least Holland can't run away from us yet!

We've also had a slew of birthday parties. The past few weeks, we've had invitations to two or three birthday parties every weekend! Today's was Ella's second birthday, and it was a balloon theme. Logan was obsessed!

Holland pretty much just watched the kids run around on sugar highs. Thanks, Temre, for all of the sweet treats!!!

Preschool Songs

2011-09-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Logan learns a lot of songs at preschool. Though I am not sure if I have any "yer."

Fun article!

2011-09-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

I was featured on Blooming Betty about my work for Montage Legal Group!

So Tired

2011-09-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

Ah, it's the story of my life. But in my defense, Holland was sleeping so well the past few weeks and then this week, was back to getting up around 2, then 4 or 5, then 6. Growth spurt? Not sure, but I really hope it ends soon.

Logan had her first day of preschool on Monday. She is going M/W/F to a little Christian preschool in our area. She loves it and was so ready to start school!

I had lunch with some of my best college friends (and sorority sisters) last Saturday. I miss them! They live in LA so I don't get to see them as often as I would like to.

Logan and Holland have a few of the same outfits. I love to dress them alike. Reminds me of when my mom used to dress my sister and me alike. And we HATED it. Haha.

Holland was three months last Sunday. She measured in at 24.2 inches and was 13 pounds, 3 ounces at her check-up last week. She is growing so quickly-the baby stage is flying by. I kind of wish I could freeze time right now before she starts walking, talking, and throwing temper tantrums. However, I am looking forward to the day when she is consistently sleeping through the night! She's given me a few days here and there when she's slept from 7:30/8 pm to 6 am, but it's not sticking yet.

What do you all think? Do they look alike? Here's Logan at three months . . .

I think they look very similar, except that Holland still has darker hair. Also, being full-term, she is just a much bigger baby than Logan ever was.

Oh, and here's a pic of Logan when she was almost four months old, which would put her at the same gestational age as Holland at three months. Now I think they look a lot alike!

Three Parties in Three Days and Back to Work

2011-09-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

And I'm exhausted. Yes, you read that right-three parties in three days and now I am back to work today, with maternity leave officially over. We had a bbq on Saturday, a late family bday celebration for me on Sunday at my mom's house, and family over on Monday for Labor Day. I managed to get a few pictures of Logan, one of Holland in the swing, and Steve took a few random ones of me during the birthday celebration.

The kids had their own table at the barbeque. Logan had so much fun playing with her friend, Gianna (the cute curly haired one!).

Nothing like a little bubbly for your 35th birthday.

And lemon cake. A childhood favorite!

Logan practiced her curtsy for us on Monday.

I've made a tomato pie for dinner two weeks in a row. Mine is more like a baked pizza. I am addicted.

Recipe (with my modifications noted):
TOMATO PIE -1 store bought pie crust (I used the whole wheat Trader Joe's pizza crust)
-3-5 ripe tomatoes (I like TJ's organic heirlooms for this)
-1/2 white onion sliced thinly (um, forgot to put this in, oh well!)
-3/4 cup mayonnaise (used TJ's organic nonfat yogurt, as Steve won't eat anything with mayo)
-1 teaspoon hot sauce (used Cholula)
-2 cups grated cheese (used all organic mozzarella)
-1/4 cup fresh basil julienned
-salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS Lay tomato slices on paper towels for about 30 minutes to an hour to help remove excess water. Pat dry.
Mold pie shell/pizza crust into pie dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Mix together mayonnaise (or yogurt, in my case), 2 cups cheese, hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
Start layering in the pie shell: Onions, tomatoes, basil and 1/2 cheese mixture. Repeat layers one more time. You should end with the remaining cheese sauce on top. Sprinkle a little extra cheese over the top.
Bake at 375 degrees about 30 minutes or until cheese bubbles. I baked at 350 for 45 minutes instead, since yogurt-based mixes need to cook at a lower temperature so as not to separate.

Oh, and hello fall??!! Not today, at least. Typical California September weather-it was over 100 degrees here today, and tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter! I wish I was swimming at the pool every day, not working! On another note, trying to work from home with two kids (even though my mom is here watching them) and nursing is challenging, to say the least. I'm feeling a little crazed and it's only day one of Operation Back to Work. Today entailed ballet/tap for Logan, a chiropractor appointment for my still messed up back (from pregnancy), a doctor's appointment (and shots!) for Holland, two conference calls, and Logan's swim lesson. I'm tired just typing it all out.

Newborn and Family Pictures

2011-08-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

We had professional pictures done in mid-July by the talented Lyndsey of Jack and Lola Photography. She is the only photographer on earth who can actually get Logan to smile a real smile! Lyndsey spent over three hours with us on a Saturday morning, trying to get some good shots of Holland, who refused to nap and was a bit of a grump that day. She managed to get some beautiful shots, despite the challenges of photographing two uncooperative little ones. I'm loving all of the pictures and we are using a few for Holland's baby announcement.

Saved two of my favorites for the announcements, so you all will have to just wait and see!

August is a Busy Month

2011-08-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Logan's birthday is the 5th, our anniversary is the 21st, and my birthday is the 25th. We celebrated my birthday in true mommy style-ballet lessons for Logan in the morning, swim lessons later that afternoon, and take-out Mexican food (and wine, don't forget the wine!!!) eaten on TV trays after swimming. I don't mind because I'd really rather forget that I am now 35. Yikes.

Seven Years

2011-08-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

The last few years have been hard-a preemie in the NICU, a brain tumor, infertility, and finally another baby. But, it's been worth it! We are so blessed to have each other and our two beautiful daughters.

We went to Mastro's Ocean Club last night to celebrate (a day early). Haven't been there in several years and I forgot what a scene it is. The people sitting behind us needed a hotel room-seriously. Who does that at a busy restaurant??? It was so bad that I actually cropped them out of the picture below. Anyway, we had a fun time, laughing at all of the stereotypical "OC" types and eating until our stomachs popped.

The biggest onion rings on earth-of course, I needed them.

They comped us the warm butter cake for our anniversary. So delicious!

We didn't do much today to celebrate, other than exchange gifts. I got Steve some new kitchen knives and he got me a new watch. We are exciting, huh? We went to church, took the kids to the park, and I made a roasted vegetable lasagna. We also broke open a bottle of cab franc which we picked up on a trip to Napa in 2010. Logan was pretty much a pill the whole day (hungry, tired, still getting those two-year old molars, and who knows what else), so it wasn't exactly relaxing!

Still, we had a nice anniversary. Happy seven years to us!

Back from Vacation

2011-08-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

We're back from a fun week in La Quinta. It was actually a cool week in SoCal, so the weather was only in the low 100s in the desert. Perfect for a pool vacation in August! I love the dry, hot, desert weather.

Logan was a fish the entire week.

Holland spent a lot of time indoors because it was a little too hot for her.

The cousins all wore the same outfit one night.

We cooked hamburgers on our night to cook dinner.

Holland turned ~~three~~ two months on August 11. Ok, clearly I'm delirious from lack of sleep-I don't even know how old my newborn is!

She spent a lot of time in a diaper, keeping cool.

The big girls swam until the very last minute of vacation. It was a wonderful break from life!

Three

2011-08-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

Our first baby turned three today! I originally planned to do a small family party and wait to do another big party until she had preschool friends. However, Logan kept asking about having a "real party," so at the last minute, I threw together a play date birthday party at the waterpark. It was casual with lots of kids snacks, pizza, and cake, and no decorations. A good way to go when you have an infant at home! Logan and her friends had a blast, and I think the moms had a good time, too.

We gave Logan a "big girl" bike for her birthday.

Then we had more party time with a birthday dinner at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor.

Holland slept through the entire dinner. Guess that's what the two-month shots (yesterday) will do to you.

Then it was back home for MORE presents.

Finally, it was bedtime. Wildness ensued because a certain three-year old was too wound up from such a fun day!

Back from Minnesota

2011-08-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

We spent last week in Minnesota (at Steve's parents' house) for Steve's brother's wedding. My mom went with us since Steve was in the wedding (as was Logan) and we needed an extra set of hands with everyone being so busy with wedding activities. It was a fun (and hot) trip!

Our adventure in pictures . . .

Life With Two

2011-07-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

Can be absolutely CRAZY. Some days are better than others. Yesterday morning was not good. Holland does not want to nap anywhere but in my arms, so she spent the better part of the morning screaming while I tried to get out of the house and over to my mom's house. Good thing she is a good nighttime sleeper and will sleep in her nap nanny! I will take good nighttime sleep even if it means some rougher days. She also continues to despise the carseat. It makes any sort of driving with her absolutely miserable!!! I try to stay home as much as I can to avoid the unavoidable screaming. I am hoping she grows out of her carseat hate very soon! Good thing she is cute!

She is also turning into a little butterball and has gained three pounds in three weeks. I have an abundant milk supply and the girl likes to eat, which is the complete opposite of how Logan was.

Logan has been having fun as the big sister, but also likes to revert to her baby stage every now and then (with a pacifier in her mouth).

She also insisted that I take a picture of her in our laundry basket. Silly girl.

Four Weeks

2011-07-10T22:36:00.000-07:00

We survived the first four weeks!

Holland is such a sweet baby. She will definitely let you know when she needs something or is mad, but she loves to cuddle and sleep on my chest. Logan is not too thrilled with that, but is getting better about it. And sleep-well, dare I say she might be a better sleeper than Logan was. I know I said she was awful, but I've had an easier time getting her to sleep this past week and last night she even slept six hours in a row! Logan didn't sleep six hours in a row until she was seven months old!!! I'm sure last night was a one-time thing for the time being, but it was nice to get more than a three hour stretch. We are having some fussy periods at night from about 7 to 9:30 or 10 (though twice last week it was until midnight), but it's nothing that I can't deal with.

As for me, I feel great. Tired, but physically I am fine. I reactivated my gym membership last week, and am trying to get rid of these last five pounds and the spare tire around my waist. I didn't have this with Logan (I was back to normal within two weeks), so it's definitely true that it's harder to bounce back the second time around, even though I ended up weighing the same at the end of both pregnancies.

I even felt so normal and well rested today that I managed to cook dinner-a black bean and polenta casserole. A little nighttime sleep last night renergized me!

Fourth of July Weekend

2011-07-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

We didn't venture out much since Holland was not really in the sleeping mood. I spent five hours on Saturday morning trying to get her to nap! What three-week old stays up for five hours in a row? Mine!!!! Anyway, we did manage to get out to my mom and Dick's house for dinner last night, and then we took a trip to the waterpark this morning. Finally, we wrapped up tonight with dinner again at my mom and Dick's house. Holland hates the carseat and pretty much screams the entire time we drive, so we have to make our car trips short and sweet!

I do think Logan had a fun weekend. I got her a hula hoop and she went crazy playing with it. Now I just need a bigger hula hoop for myself (and my mom!) so that we can hula hoop with her.

The best family picture we could get.

Sprinkles cupcakes for dessert tonight. Yum!

And a few sparklers before bed.

Swim Lessons

2011-06-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

Logan has been taking private swim lessons this summer and has become quite the little fish. She's jumping in the pool on her own, going under water, touching the bottom of the pool, and all kinds of fun stuff. The private lessons have made a huge difference!

Holland slept through Logan's lessons last week.

However, it looks like the sleeping all the time period has come to an end. Just in time for Steve to go back to work! I thought we would definitely get a better sleeper this time, but once again, I have a little one who fights sleep all day long and is staying up for up to four hours in a row (which is a lot for a newborn, who is supposed to be napping after 1-2 hours). Steve and I were both non-sleepers as babies, so I guess it's in the genes . . .

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

My poor husband ate leftovers for dinner on Father's Day without a complaint. Pretty much the best dad out there. Logan and Holland definitely agree!

Logan's first dance recital

2011-06-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

Logan's first dance recital and some pictures (she's the second from the right in the video)...

We're Home

2011-06-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

Just busy getting adjusted to the two kids and no sleep thing. I think maybe it was harder the first time around. Knowing that I'd be bone tired with a newborn has made it easier. At least it wasn't such a shock to the system!

Going Home Day

Hmm, looks like we have TWO babies!

A few more pics

2011-06-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

She's Here!

2011-06-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

Holland Georgiana was born at 7:27 this morning, weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces, and 18 1/2 inches long. She is doing great!

Yes

2011-06-07T12:47:00.001-07:00

I am still pregnant! My doctor said last Thursday that she thought I'd have the baby in the next 2-3 days, but I'm still sitting here pregnant. I think this baby might hold on until June 15 . . . Just counting down the days now.

35, 36, and Memorial Day

2011-05-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

Steve turned 35 today. Happy Birthday hubby!!! We went to dinner last night (Grammy babysat) to celebrate Steve's birthday and get in one last hurrah before this baby is born.

I also hit 36 weeks yesterday. Only 2.5 weeks until D Day. Thank goodness! I am feeling really tired with a bad back ache. Not to mention heartburn, a thousand trips to the bathroom both day and night, inconsistent and painful contractions, and well, it's not a pretty picture!! It's amazing what an extra 25 pounds will do to you. Still wondering if this baby might arrive a little early . . .

To celebrate Steve's actual birthday, we went to the little waterpark in Ladera for an hour this afternoon, and then my mom and Dick came over for dinner and cake. I'm pretty sure Logan thought it was her birthday, too. She spent the entire weekend demanding cake for every meal, and then stuck her face in her piece of cake tonight. She's been quite a character lately. She also had to put on a "party dress" for dinner tonight.

The two-year old molars are coming in (finally!!!), so somebody has been a little demanding lately. And naked. The child loves to be naked and/or wear clothes that are way too small for her. It's a losing battle, and one that I don't intend to fight right now.

New Babies

2011-05-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

I always get a little laugh out of brand new moms who claim their baby is the "best baby," sleeps all the time, eats so well, never cries, etc. Most of these moms are saying this in the first few weeks of the baby's life. Hey, I remember claiming boredom when I was at home with Logan and she was still in her preemie haze-all she did was sleep and eat. But, then she woke up, and oh my, it never stopped. Yes, some babies will continue their good sleeping, eating, sleeping patterns, but most of them decide that there's more to life than sleeping and eating, and that's when the fun begins. I'm just glad I know better this time around and there won't be any surprises when Holland decides to stop napping and start screaming her head off after the first few weeks of newborn bliss.

Last Summer

2011-05-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

This was me last June, exactly one year before this second baby is due.

35 weeks pregnant and 25 pounds later, I'm not sure I recognize that person anymore. Hopefully she will make a comeback!

Girls' Night

2011-05-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

I drove with my sister up to LA last night to see our friend Wendy and her new place. We met up with our other friend, Katie. We missed you Diana! It was nice to get out and have some fun before this baby arrives. Only 4 weeks and three days left. And yes, I am on the countdown.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that last year I was pretty miserable on Mother's Day after a failed IVF. It was still a nice day with Logan and Steve, but in general, I was feeling pretty down. Things sure can change in a year! I only have 5.5 weeks left until the big induction day, if I make it that far. I feel very, very blessed this Mother's Day.

Steve is such a good gift buyer. Not only did he get me my new diaper bag, but he managed to get 25% off when he bought it because they accidentally shipped the wrong one the first time!

I managed to sleep in this morning (as much as I can in this state of pregnancy), had pastries from Cinnamon Productions for breakfast, went to church, took a nap, and went to my mom's for a Mexican food dinner.

Our Mother's Day in pictures . . .

Diaper Bag

2011-05-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not one to carry a traditional diaper bag. I only have one real diaper bag, but it's brown leather with metal studs all over it. Most people are surprised when I tell them it's a diaper bag. It's fairly worn since I used it a lot with Logan, and now I'm lusting over this Tory Burch handbag to replace it:

It's leather, but has a denim look. It's the same size as my other diaper bag and the long strap would work well for hanging on the stroller. I really want it, but the question is, do I need it? It's pretty expensive and ever since I stopped working at a firm, I have cut back on my expensive handbag collection. I wonder if it will go on sale soon . . . This is totally a Lindley diaper bag.

Boat Cruise & 32 weeks

2011-05-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

It was a long week around these parts. Logan came down with Hand, Foot & Mouth disease last Monday and it was a week of misery, houseboundness, and misery. I'm so glad she's finally feeling better!

I hit 32 weeks today. My doctors won't let me go past 38.5 weeks because the Factor V causes early deterioration of the placenta, so only 6.5 weeks to go. Thank goodness, since I am starting to feel the "end of pregnancy" misery. Steve and I did get a little child-free time today at the USC Town & Gown Jr. Auxiliary of OC boat cruise/auction. It was a beautiful day in the Newport Harbor for a cruise, appetizers, and cocktails (and Coke for me!).

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

Dyeing Easter eggs with Logan was a little messy. Steve and I both had to change clothes after dye splashed all over us!

Logan was very excited to put on her Easter dress, first thing Sunday morning. The clothes were more important to her than the Easter basket!

Hmm, a new toothbrush.

Perfect, since I am going to eat a chocolate bunny (or two or three) for breakfast!

I made The Pioneer Woman's monkey bread for breakfast, but Logan only had eyes for the chocolate bunnies.

The best family picture you can get after church with a squirmy 2 1/2 year old and a very pregnant mother. Steve is the only normal looking one of the bunch! I think I have gained 10 pounds alone in my face. Yikes.

Nursery

2011-04-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

It's pretty much done. Yah! With Logan, we were still putting the room together while she was in the NICU. Like I said, I'm not making the same mistake twice. Of course, this baby will probably go full-term. At least I will be able to relax (well, as much as you can with Logan at home) for the next eight weeks.

Getting Ready

2011-04-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

I'm packing my hospital bag nice and early this time. The last time, I showed up with a purse and that was it. I didn't really think I was going to have a baby so early and poor Steve had to go home with a long list of things to bring back. I won't make the same mistake twice!

Sprinkle

2011-04-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

My sister and mom had a "sprinkle" for me yesterday with some family and a few close friends. It was really fun! Lots of little girls running around and one more will be joining the party in about 8 weeks (and hopefully not any sooner).

And here I am with my friend, Christine. I was trying to look as thin as possible. Haha, tough to do at 30 weeks pregnant!

Dancing

2011-04-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Logan loves to dance. She especially loves to dance to the Happy Birthday Song from Yo Gabba Gabba's "Brobee's Birthday" episode. If you don't know what I'm talking about, don't worry-it's just a two-year old obsession! We spend at least 30 minutes every day watching this segment with Logan rocking out to the Birthday Song.

Baby Bedding

2011-04-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Holland's new baby bedding arrived today. I don't have it on the crib yet, as I can't seem to get Logan OUT of the crib. She loves her big girl bedroom to play in, but won't sleep in it. Operation Big Girl Bedroom starts next week. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek of a few of the fabrics I had done for her bedding:

I love how it turned out. It makes the green walls in the bedroom look 100 times better! If anyone is in the market for baby bedding, I would highly recommend the Etsy seller (birdshaveflowers) who made this new set.

Third Trimester

2011-04-04T19:47:00.000-07:00

I made it!

Pregnancy Update

Weeks: 28 weeks, 1 day

Gender: Girl (Holland Georgiana)

Weight Gain: 19 pounds

Feeling: Tired

Cravings: None really-feeling too full to eat a lot these days

A Summer Day

2011-03-31T20:25:00.000-07:00

in Spring. Thank goodness-we really needed this warm weather day!

The water table is my instant babysitter.

Somebody also still loves the teacups at Disneyland.

Getting Ready for Baby

2011-03-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

Baby book ordered tonight:

Now I need to find a going home outfit. It's stressing me out, which I know is absolutely ridiculous. Logan wore a a little bitty onesie with matching socks and a hat (and even in a preemie size, it was falling off of her). I'd like to find something similar, but so far, haven't found anything that catches my eye. For Holland, I also want a preemie or newborn size since the 0-3 month clothes always run big, but there just aren't many options. Any ideas on something cute but comfortable?

Remember This?

2011-03-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

That was back in mid-December. The back of our house sprung a serious leak and it rained in our house, coming in through the window. It only took six weeks to have the whole thing fixed. Well, today I was having shutters installed in the kitchen and the installer noticed that one of the kitchen windows is having the same problem! I have a call into the builder to come out and see/fix it . . .

Sick Again

2011-03-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

We are sick AGAIN! It's pretty crazy how sick we have been this cold/flu season. This is my fifth cold since I got pregnant in October. The first three were manageable but the last two have been horrific. I spent most of the weekend laying around-thank goodness I have a husband who doesn't mind being on Logan duty all weekend long! Poor Logan had a low fever yesterday and then woke up this morning burning up. Guess she is getting sick, too. Just hoping that Steve manages to avoid it!

Even though it's spring here, our spring weather disappeared. It's been rainy and cold (in the 50s and low 60s). Now I am just dreaming of hot weather and our desert vacation this summer!

I can't wait to lounge in the pool (it has a swim up bar-fun!).

There's even a second pool in the front courtyard for the little ones.

If you are so inclined

2011-03-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

Please help carry on Maddie James' name by donating to her foundation, The Maddie James Foundation.

Maddie was the daughter of a colleague of Steve's (and my former colleague), who died this past Sunday, just two months after being diagnosed with an inoperable malignant brain tumor. Unfortunately, Steve and I know all too well about brain tumors, but this is such a sad, unfair thing to happen to a five-year old. My heart aches for her parents, family, and friends.

Ready for Spring

2011-03-10T20:08:00.000-08:00

We've had some nice weather here this week (70s and 80s), and now I'm ready for spring. Of course the weather forecast has clouds and 60s for the next week or so (and maybe even some rain come our way). I despise the little spring teaser we get every March before another bout of cool weather. I'm a spoiled SoCal girl and I need my warm weather back! Plus, spring means just one more season and a mere three months until my due date.

Of course I'm in love with some spring/summer clothes. I'm ready to ditch the maternity clothes and get back to some regular clothing!

Sleeping Blues

2011-03-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

We have been having a rough go of it the last few weeks when it comes to Logan's sleeping. She started off a horrible sleeper-we'd have to rock her for hours before she fell asleep, she'd wake five or six times a night, etc. When she was five months old, we did the dreaded cry it out for falling asleep and it worked a miracle on her after just two times. She fell asleep quickly and started waking only one or two times a night. Around 10 months, she started sleeping through the entire night, from 7 pm to 6:30 am. This has kept up until recently. Potty training has thrown a wrench into all of this sleeping. She's completely potty trained for day and naps, but not overnight (and therefore, she has to wear a diaper at night). Well, she's figured out that she can yell about needing to go to the bathroom at least twice before she falls alseep for her nap and it will delay naptime. She's also figured that out that she can delay bedtime-she just wets her diaper a tiny bit and then screams "I have a wet diaper." I don't really want her to sleep in a wet diaper because she's potty trained and I think it's counter-productive to make her do that. On the other hand, we've been changing up to FOUR diapers in a 45-minute timespan before she'll fall asleep at night. She's also been waking up one or two times a night yelling that she needs a diaper change. It's like having a newborn all over again. Tonight, she had a horrendous fit, but we refused to change her diaper after the THIRD diaper change. I am simply not going to go through four diapers every night when she's potty trained. It's a manipulation tactic by her, but it's also really sad to hear the crying and screaming, especially since it's always "Mommy, I have a wet diaper. I need to rock. I need a kiss." It hurts my heart when she says things like that, but I also know it's for her own good that she re-learns to fall asleep without a hassle and learns that playing these little games is not going to get her anywhere. I really hope this gets better, especially since she's occasionally been sleeping in her big girl bed and that just adds to the problem, since she climbs out of bed and yells for me at the bedroom door.

23 Weeks

2011-02-27T17:17:00.000-08:00

With Logan at 23 weeks:

And this time at 23 weeks:

I think my stomach looks about the same, or maybe just a tad bit smaller. I've actually gained more weight than I did with Logan at this point (just 3 extra pounds), but since I started out a little lighter, I still weigh about a pound less than I did at the same point the first time around. I'm wearing all maternity pants, but can still wear long non-maternity shirts/sweaters. Hopefully I can keep that up for awhile-I despise maternity shirts!

Hiding

2011-02-21T18:55:00.000-08:00

The three of us have basically been hiding this entire three-day weekend, thanks to a horrific cold we all have. It's been brutal and poor Logan seems to have gotten it the worst. We managed to make it out on Saturday for a birthday celebration for my brother, but I felt so bad that I didn't take one picture. I am SO ready for this cold/flu season to be over! It's been a brutal one.

Steve did manage to put together the double stroller-the Easy Walker Duo. So far, Logan is impressed. Of course, it helps that Steve pushes her around in it, spinning and jerking it, and calls it the teacup ride. We'll see if she'll actually sit it in come June.

Hopefully Logan will wake up feeling better tomorrow so that she won't miss her ballet class.

She looks so tiny in the ballet picture, but at her 2.5 year check-up on Friday she was 38.62 inches (97th percentile) and 30.6 pounds (70th percentile). She's taller that I was at that age, and TEN pounds less. I was a chunk!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T20:11:00.000-08:00

My two Valentines during dinner tonight.

Before our Valentine's dinner out on Saturday with Steve, showing off my 21-week belly.

Logan, the horse lover, riding a pony at a birthday party on Saturday. Let's just say we might be having pony rides at Logan's third birthday. She rode the pony three times and was completely and utterly obsessed. She might look serious, but she was having the time of her life.

Logan Bogan

2011-02-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

We've been busy.

First visit to the dentist

Ballet class

Eating grapefruit

First real hair trim (no cuts here-just a trim!)

Disneyland with friends

Making cupcakes

Baby Items

2011-02-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

We don't need much for this second baby. She will be born in the same season as Logan, so I'm hoping to use all of Logan's clothes (which I have been saving for 2 1/2 years!). We're using the same crib, same furniture, same bedding, etc. The one thing I debated on was a double stroller and ultimately, I decided I just wanted a double stroller for running. However, my sister alerted me to this EasyWalker stroller on Zulily this evening which is more of a regular stroller but allows you to lock the wheels for running:

I liked it, a lot. So now I'm the owner of it. I also got the pram attachment so that I won't need the whole infant carseat attachment thing, which I personally find to be annoying (though I know a lot of people love just popping in the carseat).

Guess that's my "big" purchase for this pregnancy!

Window Treatments

2011-01-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

Window treatments can make a huge difference in the look of a home. Of course, they can also be super expensive. When we first moved into our house six and a half years ago, we'd just paid for a wedding and put out a huge down payment for our house. There wasn't much left for window treatments! At the time, we did some curtains, but mostly white wood blinds. The wood blinds are decent enough and functional (and lots of people have them), but I've always wanted plantation shutters. Well, I finally decided that I worked hard enough in December and January to order them for the downstairs. The living room ones were installed last week, and the kitchen/family room ones will be installed in a few more weeks. I seriously love these shutters!

Little Girl Clothing

2011-01-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

I wish I could sew. I have a lovely sewing machine, and I've tested it exactly two times. I need to take a class, but this part-time working, pregnant mother of a busy toddler can't seem to find the time. So since I can't sew, I just buy handmade dresses off of Etsy (or when we visit, Steve's mom always has a couple of cute handmade outfits for Logan, too!).

This is one of my favorite stores on Etsy. Check out the adorable dresses she makes (she did Logan and Thea's Christmas dresses, and Logan owns a few others, too):

I am such a sucker for these dresses. Logan and new baby Holland will soon own some matching dresses for the summer. :)

Oh, and we decided on a name for baby girl-Holland Georgiana. Now I can go crazy with the nursery name decor!

My Big Girl

2011-01-16T19:32:00.000-08:00

We said bye-bye to the diapers (other than naps and bedtime) a few weeks ago and haven't looked back. It's a miracle!

Logan loves reading to herself. She's memorized all of her favorite books.

She's almost ready to move up to the next gymnastics class, which means no more "mommy and me" class.

And she's ready to drive. With my sunglasses on.

Weekend

2011-01-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

I wish I could say we did something fun and exciting this weekend, but basically the weekend consisted of me trying to catch on sleep. Even though I've been sleeping 9+ hours every night, I am finding that I need a nap during the day to make it through. This second baby thing is sucking the life out of me! I am not used to having so little energy. I am just praying I make it through this week, as I have lots of work to do and naps will probably not be happening until next Saturday.

The only mildly interesting thing I did was buy a set of BabyBliss hot rollers.

I'm hoping they will give me the same effect as the curling iron with a little less damage to my hair. I'd love for my hair to grow longer and since pregnancy seems to make my hair grow quickly, I'd like to take advantage of it and add a few inches on to my hair length.

Food

2011-01-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

I am an eating machine. Seriously, something about the second trimester throws me into nonstop eating mode. Potato chips, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, whatever, it all tastes good! Good thing the weight gain seems to slow down in the third trimester for me, or I might gain 75 pounds.

I still try to eat healthy foods to round out my junk food tooth. Last night I made bean and veggie burgers from the January issue of Martha Stewart Living. Pretty tasty! And with Steve, there are lots of healthy eating options around anyway. But I love my cereal. And potato chips are a new pregnancy craving. Though, I am still into pizza like last time. Yum, pizza. You can definitely see where my mind is right now.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T18:46:00.000-08:00

We are home this evening, me with a cold, and family plans canceled due to the stomach flu at my mom's house (yuck). That's ok - take-out Thai food and a movie sound pretty good to me. I've never been so happy to have a New Year's Eve when I can't indulge in some bubbly! Here's to a wonderful 2011!!

Christmas Week

2010-12-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I've ever had a crazier Christmas week. It started out nicely with the Christmas cantata at church, but then we had a random visit to the emergency vet, a major leak in our house from all of the rain, and just general last-minute Christmas craziness, and now I still don't feel recovered three days later.

The cantata was lovely, but Logan lasted all of about 5 minutes before she ran off to the nursery.

Our house sprung a leak on Sunday during the torrential rains. At least it's still under warranty, but it was a real pain with water everywhere. Won't be fixed until late next week!

Christmas Eve was church and then my mom's house for Mexican food and a few early gifts.

We spent Christmas morning at home, opening gifts, and then it was off to my sister's house for the family celebration and her birthday.

(Actually looking a little pregnant here?)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas Fun

2010-12-14T19:46:00.000-08:00

It wouldn't be Christmas without a visit to Disneyland to see the Christmas decorations.

Logan and Thea love the teacups. My sister, not so much. She waited for us while the rest of us spun around.

Not too happy about the carousel ride coming to an end.

She hates Santa, but LOVES Minnie Mouse??!!??

Logan wasn't too impressed with the Christmas tree lot (which is really just Armstrong Garden Center-which, by the way, has the best Christmas trees that are so fresh and lovely). She spent most of the time trying to run away and play in the water fountain.

The finished product. I love the smell of a fresh tree, annoying pine needles and all.

And it wouldn't be Christmas without all of the candy making. In years past, I've gone all out, making 8-10 different kinds of candy and bars. This year, I am so exhausted from the pregnancy that I am sticking to my basics-buttercrunch, peanut butter fudge, cracker cookie candy, peanut brittle, and a new bar (cranberry orange streusel bars, which were NOT worth the effort). If I get motivated, I am going to do the pecan prailines tomorrow night. Those are easy and very tasty.

Peanut brittle yumminess

Life

2010-12-10T12:45:00.000-08:00

I've been having a difficult time posting much, mostly because I am feeling sick. Because I am pregnant! The frozen embryo transfer actually worked and we have one little baby due June 26. Because of my various issues with blood clotting and a previous premature baby, I've had weekly ultrasounds and I will be closely monitored the entire time. It's a little nerve wracking with all of the medications I am on and the various things that "could" go wrong, but that's really the case for any pregnancy. Anyway, the first trimester screening ultrasound looked good this morning, and the perinatologist is pretty sure it's a GIRL!!! She'll confirm in a few weeks, but we are excited to add another little one to our family!

Accomplished

2010-12-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

The Christmas cards are done, the tree is up and decorated, the indoor decor is out, the lights are up on the outside of the house (Steve did those on Thanksgiving weekend),and about half the gifts are purchased and on their way (online shopping is key for me). Now it's on to the candy making, one of my favorite things to do during the holiday season. I'll save it for this weekend, though, when I'm not scrambling to respond to 50 work emails a day. Oh, and if you still haven't ordered your holiday cards, I love http://www.tinyprints.com/. That's where both my mom and I ordered our cards from.

Purple Christmas Tree?

2010-12-04T14:30:00.000-08:00

Yo Gabba Gabba Live

2010-12-01T15:11:00.000-08:00

The concert was last Friday night. Logan had a blast rocking out to all of the songs.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

at my mom's house.

We had a wonderful time at my mom's house. Now it's time for some sleep!

Lazy Days

2010-11-22T13:38:00.003-08:00

Between work and the holidays, I've been trying to catch up on some rest lately. Good thing Logan has been agreeable. She loves resting in the "big bed," reading books (well, and jumping on the bed, too).

Somebody Still Hates Santa

2010-11-13T14:43:00.000-08:00

Guess you could say the Santa visit didn't go too well!

Halloween Weekend

2010-11-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

Of course, Logan was sick this weekend! She was sick last Halloween, too. Anyway, we kind of pushed the limit by taking her to the USC game on Saturday night (even though we left at hafltime) and she ended up being pretty sick on Sunday. Though we had to miss out on the little party that we were invited to, we did take Logan to a few houses so that she could wear her costume and go trick or treating.

Mommy felt bad that we dragged a sick Logan to the football game, so I bought her a $20 'SC necklace that she was obsessed with. It was worth the $20-she has been wearing it nonstop since Saturday.

Logan and Steve carved Logan's pumpkin on Sunday morning.

Once Logan got her costume on that night, she went completely nuts. She wasn't really excited about the candy-just the costume!

Disneyland and Early Halloween

2010-10-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

I'm finally finding time to post the Disneyland pictures. We met up with my friend, Angie, and her daughter, Sienna. And lest you think that I put my child in a huge sparkly flower clip to go to Disneyland, please be advised that Logan picks out all of her own hair clips-she's definitely into the glamour!

Not so sure they like each other.

Hmm, too close Logan!!

Steve's office has a Halloween party for the kids every year. Logan wasn't exactly into the party, as she got distracted by the doll and stroller that she found in the playroom at Steve's office. Oh, well-maybe next year!

Crash

2010-10-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

My plan was to post some Disneyland pictures of Logan last night, but Sunday went crazy when we got into a car accident on the way to church. Five cars on the freeway-we were the fourth one in line. Some crazy person decided to slam on his breaks when he got a flat tire and stop in the middle of the 5 freeway, which led to two cars slamming into him. The car right in front of us swerved, and missed the cars. We braked and stopped about an inch from the car in front of us, but the car behind us couldn't stop and slammed into us, which slammed us into the cars in front of us. Fortunately, we are all ok (and yes, Logan was in the car), but Steve's new car took a beating. So Disneyland pictures coming sometime this week . . .

Weekend Fun

2010-10-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

Cousin Thea had her four-year old birthday party last weekend. She had a "princess tea party" at a local tea house that's designed especially for childrens' birthday parties. Logan had a blast with the jewelry, nail painting, make-up, and dress-up clothes. I think Thea had a pretty good time, too, dressed as Snow White!

Yesterday, Steve and I went to the USC game with some friends while Logan stayed home with "grammy." It was a good game-hopefully we will continue to keep playing as well as we did yesterday!

Logan then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening (after we returned home) playing with my childhood dollhouse, which my mom brought from her house. She is obsessed with it.

Today

2010-10-08T17:48:00.001-07:00

I am thankful to be alive. Apparently, after years of birth control pills, a pregnancy, and IVF, I'm lucky to be here, no blood clots and feeling great. I had the transfer this morning and hopefully we will be blessed with a little miracle. And if not, well then, we are lucky to have Logan and each other. And no blood clots. :)

A little excitement before the embryo transfer

2010-10-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

and not in a great way. I had some additional blood tests and the results came back that I have two different blood clotting disorders-MTHFR (one gene of each, which means I am heterozygous and am at a higher risk for strokes, heart disease, and some types of cancer) and Factor V Leiden (just one of those genes, but it still means I am much more susceptible to blood clots, miscarriage, stillbirths, and other lovely things). In the past 24 hours I've filled three new prescriptions, including a new one for an injectable blood thinner that burns going in. I'm also having problems with my progesterone injections, which are with a super big needle. I did these injections for the IVF and had no problem, but something is different about the new medication (came from a different pharmacy) and I had to scream at Steve to come finish pushing all of the medication in because I couldn't get it to fully inject. Fun times here.

Long Week

2010-10-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

It all started with Logan catching a bad cold. A few days later, I got the same thing. Unfortunately, I cannot take any medication because of my upcoming embryo transfer. Not to mention that I am also on immune-lowering herbs (from my acupuncturist) to hopefully help my body from rejecting the embryos. I felt like death on Thursday and Friday. Yesterday, a little better, but still not great. Feeling much better today, but still have a lingering cough. Anyway, with the dreaded sickness infecting our house, I could not motivate to do anything other than watch a thousand Yo Gabba Gabba episodes with Logan!

I do have a few more cute pics of Logan. This is from our family photo shoot back in August. We received the CD about a month ago, but of course, I am just getting around to posting the pictures.

Things

2010-09-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

1. Potty training a 2-year old is hard work. It's definitely not for the lazy. Amazingly, we've only had four accidents in two days, but still, naked toddler, constant vigilance about using the toilet, little bladder control and 100 degree weather makes for a loooong weekend. Not to mention she's got a cough and a low fever. Fun times here!

2. I got a haircut and I'm not so sure I like it. My longish hair is now shoulder length. I spent the better part of the last year growing my hair longer, only to find that I don't have nice long hair. Actually, I've always known that, but I keep hoping the half curly/half straight, frizzy thing it has going on will disappear on its own and I'll have long, glorious hair that air dries perfectly. Unfortunately, age has only made its 80s perm texture more pronounced. So, off went the long, stringy locks and back came the mid-length hair. But right now, I'm just not sure how to style it and I feel like I have a mushroom on my head. Nice.

3. Frozen embryo transfer in a few weeks. Not sure if I should be hopeful or try to stay noncommital. With my track record, noncommital is probably a better bet.

4. MRI time for Steve, too. I'm always pretty positive about this one, so I'm sure things will look good. But extra prayers never hurt!

5. Still wondering what I did to deserve my current work situation (which is good, btw). I spent years slaving away in law firms, billing thousands upon thousands of hours a year, and now I've got a great, part-time gig doing employment law counseling and "fancy" contract work. It's just enough to keep me busy and in touch with the working world. I'm really happy with my work situation, which I've never really been able to say until about six months ago.

Minnesota

2010-09-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

We spent the better part of last week in Minnesota, going to various sporting events and visiting with Steve's family. It was fun (but cold!)!!

Logan was in awe of the backyard and the leaves. She is actually afraid of leaves and Steve ended up having to carry her back in the house. She kept saying, "uh oh, leaf" over and over again and then refused to move. Weird thing to be afraid of!

Steve's parents have a lovely and huge backyard. I can only dream of that in Southern California.

Steve's brother gave us his Twins tickets for Friday night so that we could go to the game and check out the new stadium. How weird that we ended up sitting next to some guys who went to my high school. They were four years younger than me, so I didn't know them, but it was a strange coincidence.

Meanwhile, back at the Fraley house, Logan practiced turning a lamp on and off, and insisted on wearing a pile of hair clips.

Steve and I then headed over to the Minnesota game on Saturday. The stadium is brand new and the nicest college football stadium I've ever been to. There was someone cleaning the womens' restroom every time I was in there, including polishing the silver faucets on the sinks! The other great thing about this stadium is that they sell hot, mini doughnuts in the stands during the game. The Coliseum could definitely use some of these!

First Home Game

2010-09-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the first home game for USC. Suprisingly, we actually had FUN! Last year was a bit of a nightmare with Logan. She absolutely would not stay in the seat, on my lap, or anywhere, and only wanted to crawl all over the dirty ground. Combined with having to get there 3-4 hours early for parking and tailgating, the games were exhausting. This year is so much better! Logan is finally into tailgating, walking around, and sitting in her seat - "my seat" as she calls it - at the game.

Logan and her touchdown move.

Logan made a new friend, Chloe.

Sitting in "my seat."

Crazy girl even stayed up until 10:30 on Saturday night. That's late when you normally go to bed at 7!

Napa

2010-09-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

I love wine country.

After all, what's not to love about food?

Wine?

Lovely little bed and breakfasts?

Beautiful scenery?

And a swollen foot squished into Sperry Topsiders? All things considered, the shoes actually did a pretty good job of helping my left foot. Just wish I could be a little more religious about wearing them. I'm still more of a sandals and flip flops kind of gal.