Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are!!! ...well...we actually know WHERE you are, so...

It is so interesting.  Two years ago, Christmas was just a stepping stone... I wasn't impatiently awaiting until Christmas Day- I was impatiently awaiting THROUGH Christmas Day, waiting for Baby T.J. to make his arrival.  Things have changed so much since childhood.  When I was a child, Christmas took FOREVER to arrive.  It felt like we had to wait 3 years to get to Christmas.  As I got older and school became more difficult/time consuming, Christmas began coming earlier and earlier.  Finally it came once a year instead of once every 3 years!  Now as an adult with a child, Christmas pretty much comes every 6 months for me.  I feel like it JUST happened, and now, here it is again.  The worst part?  I know that shortly thereafter, my baby boy grows yet another year older.  =[

Well, this Christmas is going to be the most interesting thus far.  Christmas still gets to be something we look forward to, but it is still going to be masked by the fact that Baby Noelle (my sister's baby) is due before Christmas!  So yes, we are looking forward to Christmas sort of... but really we are only looking forward to it because by then Noelle should be here for sure!!!  Due date babies run in our family, but apparently not for Linds.  According to all of Lindsey's charting, Noelle should have been born on the 6th.  According to the OB's sonogram, Noelle should have been born on the 8th.  Obviously, she has missed both of her due dates- teaching her mommy patience from the very start!  Poor Linds.  I never had to go through being past my due date.  I "felt" late when I was a day over being full term for goodness's sake!!!  I was so ready.  Lindsey didn't really seem to start getting anxious about it till a few days prior to her due date.  She was more patient than I was.  That is when I heard her let Noelle know that we were all waiting.  ;]  The pressure is on, too, since I am heading out on Wednesday, the 11th.

Now we wait.  And walk.  And wait.  And walk.  And pray.

As much as I would love to be here for Noelle's arrival, I will be back for Christmas, so it isn't the end of the world if she doesn't arrive while I am here.  T.J., on the other hand, had only a few days to make it for Lindsey to see him.  She was in town for a couple of days after her cruise and had to get back to work in Texas.  T.J. fulfilled his duty to make sure he got to meet her!  =]  Noelle is chilling because she knows I am coming back for Christmas.  She doesn't need to come out right away, so she is staying warm and cozy (especially considering the Houston area has been in the 30s and 40s recently- brrrrr!).

Since we are on the subject of T.J. and his birth, I thought it might be fun to revisit his birth story.  Buckle up, it is long!  It will help pass the time while you are awaiting Lindsey's little bundle of joy.  =]  Please enjoy and leave feedback:

Sweet Newborn T.J.

Part One

Part Two

Things My Son Doesn't Need at the Beach

After going to the Discovery Beach Resort up in Cocoa Beach, Florida, I have made a profound discovery- ironic, eh?  My amazing, profoundly awesome discovery of fantastically genius proportions is as follows:  

All of the things that I think my child needs at the beach, he doesn't need.

My child doesn't need:

1. A towel to sit on.  And for that matter, neither does Mommy because Mommy will be chasing the toddler around the beach ensuring that he doesn't get kidnapped, hurt, or drowned (by himself- I think the ocean "calls to him"... that would explain the randomly wandering out there every once in awhile).

2. Copious amounts of snacks.  The beach gives Mommy the munchies, but it just gives toddler the runnies... well, ew, wait... I didn't mean that... it gives him the.... IT MAKES HIM WANT TO RUN AND FROLIC, OKAY!?!?  Either way... he doesn't need my stinkin' snacks for him- AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!

3. A hat.  Add one letter to hat and it becomes hate.  'Nough said.

4. A plethora of beach toys for his enjoyment.  He loves them!!!  ...for like a millisecond.  And he kept destroying my sand castle.  It is just overall upsetting to everyone involved.  The sand and water are enough to entertain him for plenty of time.  Not to mention, I think that he "walks" me like a dog... I think he exercises me at the beach because he just walks to the water and back up to our stuff over... and over... and over... I think my child thinks I am fat.  He is trying to help the situation as best he can.

5. Floaty devices.  Floating?  Where?  The water is too freezing for Mommy usually, and the water seems way awesome, until toddler touches it and decides to run away... but hey, it looks nice again... let's go test it and see if ::dips feet in::, NOPE!  RUN AWAYYYYY!!!!

6. A big ol' bath sheet-like thing.  (See #1)

Let's review by looking at things my child DOES need:

1. An extra swim diaper and wipes.

2. Water.

3. Extra sunscreen to apply (provided Mommy isn't totally exhausted chasing him up and down the beach for 30-45 minutes and feels like applying more so we can, indeed, spend MORE time walking back and forth).

Yup.  Learn from me, ye readers.  Learn from me.  Don't break your backs lugging a whole bunch of junk to the beach only for your child to spit in your face, laugh at your attempt, and cackle at your dismay!!!!  Or, you know, just be a toddler not even realize you brought anything to the beach and just run to the ocean, happy as a clam!  (Ha!  Get it?!  That was an ocean-referencing idiom!!!  ...Idiom?  Am I... am I using that correctly???)

What does your child simply not need at the beach?  Comment, por favor!  ;]

Much Needed Makeover

For my BLOG that is!  Although, I could probably use one as well!!  ;]  I hope you all enjoy the new layout, color scheme, background, etc.  I figured that it was time to change the old thing since we are no longer even living in New York anymore.  The blog was all dark and chic like New York (especially in the winter time when it would be pitch black at 4 pm!!!!), and, well, Florida just isn't like that.  It is bright and beachy.  Am I building these assumptions off of stereotypes?  Yes!  Do I care?  No!  It is my blog!  And dang it!  I will make it stereotype-y if I wanna!!!!

We interrupt this whine to bring you more "non-annoying" sentences.

So anywho!  I hope you enjoy the new... everything!  I am not going to put everyone through the drama of switching URLs yet again... that was a hot mess last time.  If you have any constructive criticism or lovin' for the new blog design, speak now in the comments section below, or forever hold your peas.

"We want to snuggle!"

 All right, ladies and gentlemen!  Hope to see some comments- lovin' or not-so-lovin'!  Thanks!  =]