25 Days of Christmas...on TV

Let me first say that I am pretty excited about ABC Family's New Original Movie, 12 Dates of Christmas. Let me tell you a bit about it and I'm sure you will be too. :) It's made by Disney. It's about Christmas. It stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack from Saved by the Bell). It stars Amy Smart (queen of 90's teen movies). And, it has the same storyline idea of Groundhog's day. Do you not completely love it already? I do! :)  You can read more about it here: http://abcfamily.go.com/specials/25-days-christmas/blogs-details/12-dates-christmas/886324.

Next, are you not completely excited about the ABC Family 25 days of Christmas? The schedule that they offer seems to be getting lamer though. Here is the link to this year's schedule; it's on the right-side, about half-way down the page.

http://abcfamily.go.com/specials/25-days-christmas/

Also, at the link above, you can watch ABC Family Original Christmas Movies online - like Holiday in Handcuffs, Christmas Caper, Snow, Snow 2, and Christmas Cupid. I love Holiday in Handcuffs by the way; I highly recommend it. It starts Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez. I just love all of these 90's actors reappearing in their 30s. I simply love it.

Anyway, on to the schedule...the ones in red are my favorites or the ones I plan to watch.

Thursday, December 1st 
5 pm – Mickey’s Christmas Carol (ABCFAM)
5 pm – The Town Christmas Forgot (HALMRK)
5:30 pm – Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too (ABCFAM)
6 pm – The Santa Clause (ABCFAM)
7 pm – Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (ABC)
7 pm – Holiday Engagement (HALMRK) 
7:30 pm – Santa Buddies (DISNEY)
8 pm – CMA Country Christmas (ABC)
8 pm – The Santa Clause (ABCFAM)
9 pm – Finding John Christmas (HALMRK)

Friday, December 2nd 
4 pm – Battle of the Bulbs (HALMRK)
6 pm – Hoops and YoYo Ruin Christmas (HALMRK)
6:30 pm – Jingle All the Way (Cartoon) (HALMRK)
6:30 pm – The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (ABCFAM)

7 pm – How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Movie) (ABCFAM)

7 pm – Good Luck Charlie, it’s Christmas! (Movie) (DISNEY) 

7 pm – Debbie Macomber’s Trading Christmas (HALMRK)

9 pm – Most Wonderful Time of the Year (HALMRK) 

9:30 pm – How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Movie) (ABCFAM) 

10 pm – Surviving Christmas (TBS)
11 pm – Farewell Mr. Kringle (HALMRK)

Saturday, December 3rd 
9 am – Battle of the Bulbs (HALMRK)
11 am – Most Wonderful Time of the Year (HALMRK)
12:55 pm – Surviving Christmas (TBS)
1 pm – Debbie Macomber’s Trading Christmas (HALMRK)
3 pm – Holiday Engagement (HALMRK)
5 pm – Farewell Mr. Kringle (HALMRK)

7 pm – It’s a Wonderful Life (NBC) 

7 pm – A Princess for Christmas (HALMRK)
9 pm – A Princess for Christmas (HALMRK)
11 pm – Tim Burton’s the Nightmare Before Christmas (ABCFAM)
11 pm – Silver Bells (HALMRK)

Sunday, December 4th 
7 am – A Dog Named Christmas (HALMRK)
9 am – Jingle All the Way (Cartoon) (HALMRK)
9:30 am – Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas (HALMRK)
10 am – A Season for Miracles (HALMRK)
12:15 pm – Silver Bells (HALMRK)
1:05 pm – Disney’s a Christmas Carol (STARZ)
2:30 pm – A Dog Named Christmas (HALMRK)
4:45 pm – November Christmas (HALMRK)
7 pm – Mitch Albom’s Have a Little Faith (HALMRK)

7:30 pm – Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas! (Movie) (DISNEY)

9 pm – Mitch Albom’s Have a Little Faith (HALMRK)

Monday, December 5th 
5 pm – Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (ABCFAM)

5 pm – The Santa Clause (HALMRK)
6 pm – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys (ABCFAM)
7 pm – Charlie Brown Christmas (ABC)
7 pm – A Sing-off Christmas (NBC)
7:30 pm – Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice (ABC)
7:30 pm – The Polar Express (ABCFAM)
7:30 pm – The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (DISNEY) 
8:45 pm – A Christmas Carol (1938) (TCM)
9 pm – The Three Gifts (HALMRK)
9:30 pm – Mickey’s Christmas Carol (ABCFAM)

Tuesday, December 6th

4 pm – The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (DISXD)

5 pm – ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (ABCFAM) 

5 pm – A Carol Christmas (HALMRK)

5:30 pm – The Polar Express (ABCFAM)

7 pm – Last Man Standing (Series, Christmas Themed) (ABC) 

7 pm – The Night Before the Night Before Christmas (HALMRK)

7: 30 pm – Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (ABCFAM) 

7:30 – The Nightmare Before Christmas (DISNEY)

8 pm – A Christmas Story (TCM) 

9 pm – Mistletoe Over Manhattan (HALMRK)

10 pm – A Night at the Movies (Christmas Themed) (TCM)

Wednesday, December 7th

4 pm – The Polar Express (DISXD)

5 pm – A Very Pink Christmas (ABCFAM)

5:30 pm – Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (ABCFAM)

6:30 pm – How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Cartoon) (CARTOON)

7 pm – Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale (CARTOON)

7 pm – Debbie Macomber’s Trading Christmas (HALMRK)

8 pm – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Family Edited) (ABCFAM)

9 pm – Farewell Mr. Kringle (HALMRK)

Thursday, December 8th 
4 pm – Nightmare Before Christmas (DISXD)

5 pm – Jack Frost (Animated) (ABCFAM)

5 pm – The Christmas Choir (HALMRK)

6 pm – Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (ABCFAM)

6:30 pm – Cranberry Christmas (ABCFAM)
7 pm – Wipeout (Series, Christmas themed) (ABC)

7 pm – Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (ABCFAM)

7 pm – Mitch Albom’s Have a Little Faith (HALMRK)

7:30 pm – Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas! (DISNEY)

8 pm – America’s Funniest Home Videos Christmas Spectacular (ABC)

8 pm – Year Without a Santa Claus (ABCFAM)

9 pm – Miser Brothers’ Christmas (ABCFAM)

9 pm – The Christmas Card (HALMRK)

Friday, December 9th 
5 pm – Year Without a Santa Clause (ABCFAM)
5 pm – A Christmas Wedding Tail (HALMRK)
5:50 pm – Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure (DISNEY)

6 pm – Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (ABCFAM)

7 pm – Frosty the Snowman (CBS)

7 pm – The Santa Clause (ABCFAM)

7 pm – A Princess for Christmas (HALMRK)
7 pm – Four Christmases (TNT)
7:30 pm – Frosty Returns (CBS)
8 pm – Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus (CBS)

8:30 pm – The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story (CBS)

8:55 pm – Four Christmases (TNT)

9 pm – The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (ABCFAM)

9 pm – All I Want for Christmas (HALMRK)
10 pm – This Christmas (TBS)

11 pm – Miser Brothers’ Christmas (ABCFAM)

11 pm – A Christmas Wedding Tale (HALMRK)

Saturday, December 10th 
6:30 am – Snow (ABCFAM)
7 am – Most Wonderful Time of the Year (HALMRK)
8 am – Bush Christmas (1947) (TCM)
8:30 am – Snow 2: Brain Freeze (ABCFAM)
9 am – Eve’s Christmas (HALMRK)
10 am – Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (CARTOON)
11 am – Olive, the Other Reindeer (CARTOON)
11 am – An Old-Fashioned Christmas (HALMRK)

12 pm – Scooby -Doo Christmas (CARTOON)

12 pm – Elf (USA)

1 pm – Unaccompanied Minors (ABCFAM)
1 pm – A Princess for Christmas (HALMRK)
3 pm – Jack Frost (ABCFAM)
3 pm – All I Want for Christmas (HALMRK)

5 pm – The Santa Clause (ABCFAM)

5 pm – Serendipity (E!)

5 pm – Moonlight & Mistletoe (HALMRK)

7 pm – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (CBS)

7 pm – The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (ABCFAM)

7 pm – Annie Claus is Coming to Town (HALMRK)
7 pm – Fred Claus (TNT)
8 pm – The Flight Before Christmas (CBS)

9 pm – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Family Edited) (ABCFAM)

9 pm – Annie Claus is Coming to Town (HALMRK)
9:30 pm – Fred Claus (TNT)

10 pm – Elf (USA)

11 pm – Jack Frost (ABCFAM)
11 pm – Moonlight & Mistletoe (HALMRK)

Sunday, December 11th 
7 am – Once Upon a Christmas (ABCFAM)
7 am – The Town Christmas Forgot (HALMRK)
9 am – Twice Upon a Christmas (ABCFAM)
9 am – The Santa Incident (HALMRK)
9 am – Christmas in Connecticut (TCM)

10 am – The Polar Express (DISNEY)

11 am – Snowglobe (ABCFAM)

11 am – The Case for Christmas (HALMRK)
1 pm – Santa Baby (ABCFAM)

1 pm – Serendipity (E!)

1 pm – Annie Claus is Coming to Town (HALMRK)

3 pm – The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (ABCFAM)

3 pm – Mitch Albom’s Have a Little Faith (HALMRK)
3:35 pm – Fred Claus (TNT)

5 pm – Holiday in Handcuffs (ABCFAM)

5 pm – The Town Christmas Forgot (HALMRK)
6:05 pm – Four Christmases (TNT)
7 pm – The Simpsons (Series, Christmas Themed) (FOX)

7 pm – 12 Dates of Christmas (ABCFAM)

7 pm – The Christmas Pageant (HALMRK)

9 pm – 12 Dates of Christmas (ABCFAM)

9 pm – The Christmas Pageant (HALMRK)
9 pm – Call Me Claus (TNT)

Monday, December 12th

5 pm – Flintstone Christmas (ABCFAM)

6 pm – 12 Dates of Christmas (ABCFAM)

7 pm – I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (ABC)
7 pm – Santa, Jr. (HALMRK)

7 pm – A Christmas Carol (1951) (TCM)

7:30 pm – Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas (DISNEY)

8 pm – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Family Edited) (ABCFAM)

9 pm – A Christmas Wedding Tail (HALMRK)

10:05 pm – Elf (USA)

Tuesday, December 13th

5 pm – Merry Madagascar (ABCFAM)

5 pm – The Christmas Card (HALMRK)
5:30 pm – Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special (ABCFAM)
6:30 pm – The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (ABCFAM)

7 pm – Glee (Series, Christmas Themed) (FOX)

7 pm – Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Movie) (ABCFAM)

7 pm – Alvin and the Chipmunks (FX)
7 pm – Farewell Mr. Kringle (HALMRK)
9 pm – Alvin and the Chipmunks (FX)
9 pm – Holiday Engagement (HALMRK)

9:30 pm – Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Movie) (ABCFAM)

Wednesday, December 14th 
4:15 pm – Disney’s A Christmas Carol (STARZ)

5 pm – Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (ABCFAM)

5 pm – The Santa Suit (HALMRK)
7 pm – A Princess for Christmas (HALMRK)

7:30 pm – Beauty & the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (DISNEY)

8:50 pm – A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas (DISNEY)

9 pm – Lucky Christmas (HALMRK)
9:30 pm – Larry the Cable Guy’s Star-Studded Christmas Extravaganza (CMT)

Enjoy and I hope you enjoy the Holiday Season. Part 2 will be coming on the 13th!

Parents

Let me just say that parents are funny. I say that, all while forgetting I'm a parent too now.

I often discuss my family and how much I love them. I talk about becoming a mother and how thankful I am to be blessed...etc. Never do my parents comment on those types of statements. I occasionally get a comment about how cute Lucy is or possibly a chuckle over something I mentioned. But, after yesterday's post, both had something to say. Apparently the joke about my jeans hit a chord.

My mom asks out of nowhere, "You were being sarcastic weren't you?"

"What?"

"You were being sarcastic about the jeans."

"What? Oh, ha ha; I was just kidding."

I didn't really think much more of it, until I received a text from my dad just half an hour later.

"I really don't see that much wrong with those jeans-?"

I couldn't do anything, but laugh. I was kidding mom and dad. Of all the things, that is what they both comment on.

Now, I will tell you why I was kidding about the topic though, and I'm sure all children say this. My parents put my sister and I in some pretty hilariously awesome outfits through the years.

I would like to enter this photo into evidence, as Exhibit A.

My grandma made these dresses for us, which is pretty cute. :) And, velvet was in back then. However, the bows were just over the top. Ha ha. I laugh because I got the sweet end of this deal. My shoulder bows are only about half the size as the one on my sister's head. It actually flops to one side, because it weighed so much!

Please know that there are a lot more photos where that one came from; but, I don't have time to show you my childhood albums. :)

Oh well, what can I do now? I guess I do what I have to do. I, now, must put Lucy in embarrassing clothing. I can blame it on the heredity cycle. :)

Shout out to my parents (because apparently that phrase grabs their attention) - the joking is all in fun. The eighties and nineties were horrible to anyone and everyone.

Cough, tight perms, cough, shoulder pads, cough, mini-mullets...hmm, I must be coming down with something. :)

I love you mom and dad. Although most of my childhood photos are embarassing or are of me in the background of Nikki's photos, haha, I loved my childhood just the same. :) It was a good time. Thank you.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Here Comes Santa Claus

This is going to a positive and exciting Christmas-themed rant. So, if you are one of those people who refuse to acknowledge Christmas until after Thanksgiving, you may want to exit your browser.

For those of you who are still here, thank you for sharing in my Christmas madness! :)  Is it just me or is Christmas somewhat intoxicating? It really is. The way I feel at Christmas time easily surpasses any other time of year. Even going to work I am jolly.  Haha.....okay, maybe not AT work; but, you get the point. Everyone becomes a little less selfish. You wish, and hope, and pray a little harder. You believe in miracles a little more. Faith in mankind is at its all time high. Time slows. Reflection of your life no longer involves your house, your income, or your weight. You are just thankful...

Which brings me to another point that we probably shouldn't bypass like that old, high school acquaintance that you pretend not to see - Thanksgiving. Being thankful is a good thing. We try to teach our children about it; so, why not practice what we preach?

I am so thankful for the life I've been given. I am truly blessed. Thank you to all of my friends, family, and four-legged friends and family for taking part in it! :)

Now...what started this Christmas rant? Why, Santa Claus ofcourse! He is coming to our town tonight!  We are taking Lucy. She is going to freak! And when I say "freak," I don't mean the way I would react to an encounter with the gorgeous Matthew Lawrence. I mean the type of "freak" reaction I would have to a real-life Michael Meyers (that's the Halloween killer to those of you who aren't up on your pop-culture - tsk, tsk).

I expect a reaction similar to this:

Yep. That is a little Cori, clutching onto what we can only assume is some type of candy bribe to stand by this creepy stranger. Imagine the confusion in that tiny, blonde, mushroom hair covered head of mine...

"Don't talk to strangers? Unless they have a beard covering their entire face, they wear red, and give you candy? Sit on his lap? Whaaa?"

Just a shout out to my parents - those jeans are awesome. Thank you.

I lied. I think Lucy's "freak out" will be much, much worse than this. I expect the picture to be with her eyes closed, face red, limbs flailing, and doing the stiff leg. What is the stiff leg you ask? Oh, you know - when a child doesn't want to sit down, they stiffen their legs, and are no longer able to bend at the waist. It's very board like...and frustrating as hell.

I won't be upset tonight for a few reasons. 1) I've had time to mentally prepare for said "freak out". I deal better when it isn't in the middle of DSW and she flops on the floor. 2) I totally freaked out too. I don't want to be a hypocrite. 3) The pictures we will take will be hilarious when she is older. 4) If the picture is good enough, it could be Christmas card material. 5) I didn't properly prepare her for Santa.

I told myself that I would show her pictures and tell her how awesome he is. I planned to even give her candy whenever I introduced the picture of Santa - some real positive conditioning. I failed. Santa snuck up on me, to tell you the truth! Before I knew it, he was making his way to town.

So, tonight officially marks the beginning of the "festivities" and I couldn't be more pee-pants excited! Bring on Santa, bring on the fit, bring on the pre-Christmas (otherwise known as Thanksgiving)...haha..., and bring on Christmas!

Happy Thursday everyone! Be thinking about us at around 5:30 pm tonight, when we see Santa! Yippee!

Pre-Lucy Thoughts

Each child is different and each one may need different 'tactics'!

Of course all moms like to give advice and let me be the first mom to tell you that my way works best. haha. Just kidding. But, here you go...

1. What kind of diaper bag did you use? Purse-type? Diaper-bag type? Did your husband carry it? Did you use the straps to hold it on to the stroller? Did you also carry a purse?

First of all, wowsers! That is a lot of questions. That type of fast-firing of questions is how I imagine a chihuahua would talk, if it could. :)  Anyway - I had a larger, black diaper bag. I wanted one that didn't have pastels and animals on it. So, my husband researched for "the best" one he could. It was online and had the best reviews. It looked more like a luggage-type bag than a diaper bag or purse, or at least I think so. My husband did carry it, since it was so ambiguous. We did use the straps for the stroller; we also used the straps that hold it onto the shopping cart. It was really helpful! Most of the time I still carried a purse, unless we were just running to a family members house or something, then I just threw my stuff in the diaper bag.

2. When did you fit back into your pre-baby pants? Did you buy larger pants or stay in maternity pants after baby?

I think it is unrealistic to think you are going to just hop back into your pre-baby pants. However, you are talking to someone who gained 54 lbs while pregnant. :[ I know those types of "freaks-of-nature" exist (no offense to those of you out there); but, I was NOT one of them. I didn't get back into my pre-baby pants until, like, 6 months later. Before that I had to buy new, big clothes (boo!). Just remember that everyone is different and hopefully my story makes you feel a bit better about it! haha.

3. Favorite brands of diapers? Wipes?

We quickly became Pampers fans. We tried Huggies once when Lucy was a newborn and didn't like them. We never tried any other kind after that. For wipes, we prefer Huggies. That is weird; I know. We buy both though. Huggies are just a bit thicker and don't rip as easily when you pull them out. An argument for Pampers: Children's hospital uses Pampers - must be good! :)

4. Where did baby sleep those first few weeks (or longer)? Your bed? Bassinet? Crib? In your room or his/her own?

Lucy was our first, and it's me we're talking about here. So, the paranoia was through the roof! SIDS scares the poop out of me! I didn't want Lucy sleeping away from me for at least a month. It ended up, she slept in our room for 2 months before moving to her own room. She slept in a pack-n-play, in the shallow insert they have...hard to describe. The next one may move to his or her room faster; who knows? Lucy had a hard time soothing herself. Or, we had a hard time letting her soothe herself, something like that...

5. How long until baby made a public appearance? Where was baby's first public appearance?

Our family visited a lot immediately; so, we didn't really need to leave the house a lot. Since Lucy was born in the middle of winter, we were also encouraged to not let her be around a lot of people (flu!). I think her first real public appearance was to the doctor and back. I think we made a trip shopping all day when she was 6 weeks and that was a big deal - and tough! I honestly didn't feel like getting out too much; I was still really self-conscious and sleep deprived!

6. Most useful baby item? I ran into a girl shopping for a baby gift in Target & she was looking at hooded towels. I said they were useful but should have thought of more useful items!

It is really tough to say what was the most useful. We have had a lot of items that we really needed to get by. The most would probably have to be the boppy. It helped me support Lucy when I breastfed and she was able to nap in it. It comforted her; she felt like she was still being held. It was our infant savior!

7. Did you find out the baby's gender beforehand?

Yes. I wanted to be able to plan out clothing and colors and a name. I like to plan and be organized. Experiencing birth and seeing Lucy's face was enough excitement for one day. We wanted to have something revealed throughout the pregnancy. :)

8. How long was your hospital stay? Did your hospital provide any cool services (special meal, spa treatment, etc)?

We were there technically three nights, since I went in at 9 pm and was in labor all night. It seemed to be the perfect number of days for our first baby. The hospital had a special menu for the parents, where Heath was able to eat too. It was nice. :) No spa treatments though. :(

9. Were you induced? Have a c-section? Use drugs? Epidural? Or au natural the whole way?

I went into labor naturally, a couple of days before she was due. I was lucky. I was also able to have her vaginally, which is what we wanted. The labor was long and slow - 36 hours; however, Lucy did really well and they never felt the need to rush it or do a C-Section. My doctor actually claimed, "Lucy [was] loving the birthing process." I was offered something to "take the edge off" while I waited for the epidural. I said yes; I would take anything they thought I could have at that point. It really did help a little. Then, I got an epidural at 4 cm and about 26 hours in. I wouldn't have changed a thing.

10. Do you like when friends come to the hospital to congratulate you or would you prefer that time just for your family (extended or immediate?)?

I really liked everyone being there for Lucy's birth. However, it was a little overwhelming. I felt at my absolute most vulnerable. I just wanted to shower and cuddle my baby. However, two hours after and a shower later, I was ready to show her off. Most visitors respected our exhaustion though and kept their visits somewhat brief. But, I think I preferred the visits in the hospital to the ones when we got home. Visitors during the first couple of weeks at home really made it tough to get into a routine or to take naps. :[ Everyone is different though.  Perhaps adjusting with a second child is easier - ?

Have a good Tuesday! And, please mothers out there chime in all you want! :)

Scary Times: Part 6

Let's all cross our fingers that this will be the last installment of the "Scary Times" posts. Deal?

When you last heard from me about Lucy being sick, we had just gotten out of the hospital for the second time. Lucy had an incision about 3 or 3.5 inches long in her groin area. Two stitches were holding it together, loosely, and a tube was sticking out of the top. The tube looked just like a McDonald's straw, minus the red or yellow stripe. It was held in by one stitch.

We also had to give her antibiotics and probiotics throughout the day.

Oddly enough, we were able to put her in the bathtub with the tube in. Won't water get inside her? No idea. But, that is what they told us to do. "Cleanliness is close to Godliness," Dr. A said.

The idea of the loose stitching was that the "sore", if you will, needed to heal from the inside out. Dr. A said that he couldn't sew it closed, or the abscess would just come back. That made sense. One week went by. We went in to get the tube out. The cultures of the abscess had come back - more staph infection. We weren't surprised; that is what we had all expected.  He cut the tube stitch and pulled it out in, like, two seconds and we were on our way.

In the next few days the incision continued to kind of ooze. Gross - I know. Then, where the tube was, some skin started to emerge out of the "hole". When we went to get the stitches out, Dr. A said it was scar tissue. He took the other stitches out and told us that we would have to burn Lucy's scar tissue off. Now, doesn't that sound fun?

Sorry - can you sense my annoyance through my sarcasm?

We took home some liquid nitrate sticks. They looked like long Q-tips. Any skin it touched, it would burn. Daily, Heath and I had to hold Lucy down (it seriously took us both!) and would burn some of this scar tissue off. Lucy hated it. When I asked Dr. A if it hurt her, he said it would cause "mild pain" and "sting a little"...whatever that meant for a 21 month old. I dreaded that time of day. Bandage changing and "burning" was the worst.

The good news was that we no longer had to go see Dr. A! As long as the incision looked good in two weeks, we didn't have to follow up! Music to our ears.

Next thing we knew, the incision looked really odd. "The skin isn't touching anymore, right?" I asked Heath. After further staring and thought, we made an appointment with our regular doctor, Dr. B.

It had popped open. You could tell Dr. B hated telling us this. She went on to tell us, "All children aren't all this bad! I promise!" Then she told the nurse, "At this rate, they aren't going to let me deliver any more!" 

Then, she left to call Dr. A from across the hall. Heath stood by the door, trying to hear the conversation. We were nervous that she would be sending us back to Children's. "Please no," we both pleaded. We heard the conversation end. Dr. B conversed with her nurses and they started gathering supplies. The nurse carried in gauze, sterile water, and bandage tape. Whew! No needles or thread!

Dr. B said that Dr. A shared her same regret with this entire situation. It just never seemed to end! My thoughts were, "You're telling me!?"

We did a week of wet to dry gauze changes, while continuing the burning of scar tissue. Fun times. These dressing changes had to take place twice a day and they were more challenging to get in place. The tape made Lucy's groin so red and it started to actually scab in some places. We tried our hardest to move the tape around and not tape in the same place. There just weren't that many options. We looked for a better tape to use than what the doctor gave us. We found a paper tape; but, it still irritated her leg, if we could get it to stick at all. Ugh!

A week later, I took Lucy back to Children's. We had just finished the burning and the incision was looking better. Dr. A said it looked good too. I was worried; could you blame me?

The outcome - no more dressings! No more tape! No more burning! Just neosporin and a band-aid. I was excited! Oh, and no more Children's Hospital! Yay! Nothing personal; I just don't care to see any of them ever again...

I used all of my excitement to go shopping. It was therapeutic to say the least! :) I even splurged a little and got Lucy the cutest brown, suede boots.

Everything is going well and we are both impressed with how much better the incision looks. Now that Daycare is able to see it, without a dressing covering it up, they didn't think it looked too good. I had to kind of laugh to myself, because it was so much worse before.

Now, please join in my excitement (and prayers that it's true) as I type these two little words...

The End.

I'm "Such a Mom"

I always said that I would be "the cool mom." I'm going to stay up with the times and styles. I'm going to continue to listen to popular music. I won't wear mom jeans or otherwise embarrassing clothes. I won't talk about boys or sing along in the car, especially during sleepovers. I will understand shorts that are just shorter than the finger-tip rule. I will understand asking to shave early. I'll remember myself as a child...

I'm not doing so well.

I don't know if it is my getting older, having "real-life" responsibilities, or being a mom that has changed me. I just don't see things like I used to.

Scary movies are scary. Watching someone get stabbed in the torso repeatedly is not just a fun thrill. It is terrifying that those people are out there!

Nickelodeon is kind of smart-alleck-y.

What is with all of the toys these days for little girls? Bratz? Give me a break. But, have you seen the Monster High dolls?

And, now they have costumes for little girls.

Let's pretend for five seconds that this little girl isn't wearing makeup. Are those fish net stockings? Or knee high boots? Let's just file this one in the "Toddlers & Tiaras" file.

I realized that I was being a little more critical than usual; but, I was finally told by Heath that I was "such a mom" when I made one particular complaint. It was about a song that hit the top 40 list a few months ago. I think it's just awful. The song is "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People. Catchy tune - I'll give you that.

The lyrics include these lines:

Robert's got a quick hand.

He'll look around the room, he won't tell you his plan.

Yeah, he found a six shooter gun.

In his dad's closet hidden with a box of fun things, and I don't even know what.

But he's coming for you, yeah he's coming for you.

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun.
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet.

I feel that this song reeks of school shooting. It really bothers me. I sounds like an awful anthem! After hearing the actual lyrics of the song, I can't stand to listen to it. I refuse to support the song, the idea, or the band. We even googled it, to see if the band reveled the meaning. Someone online claimed that it was to "raise awareness of school shootings." Yeah, okay. I don't believe that. It wouldn't be so upbeat.

Am I really being "such a mom"? Am I too touchy? Because, I swear I didn't used to be like that.

What do you think? Any other "moms" out there?