What am I Thankful for?

Book Club of Sorts

one of my girlfriends from work and I are thinking about starting a book club at work. seriously, my mother would be so proud! For now, the books I'm trying to read quickly are the books that have been turned into movies, or the ones about to be released... I started The Secret Life of Bees, but wasn't able to finish it before my friends wanted to go to the movie, so I broke the rule and watched it anyway. Now I get why our mom made us finish the book before the movie because now, even though I loved her writing style and the story I was reading, I haven't finished it... next on the list:

• The Boy in Striped Pajamas


• Dear John


• Twilight


• My Sister's Keeper (I've already read it, but loved it and want to read it again)


• Marley and Me


• He's Just Not Into You

a few things...

• I've been crazy sick for three days now - I have no idea what's wrong with me but have a sinking feeling it's not going to improve anytime soon. I have switched from body aches and chills to a cough and this nasal congestion unparralled by anything I've ever experienced.
• The worst part about being so sick is not being able to hold or play with Bella. I try not to really be near her, and I definitely don't cuddle overwhelm her with kisses as per usual. It's bizarre because even though she's been home with us all weekend, I miss her.
• Bella is teething! She has four right now - her top front tooth has come in the most, there's one next to that and the two middle on the bottom. I've tried to get a good picture of it, but nothing yet... she's seriously the best baby, I read all these horror stories online of teething babies when I was preparing for it earlier, but she's barely flinched! we had one bad day, but that was after her six-month check up and I'm blaming the shots and the ear infection that she has. again.
• Speaking of the doctor's appointment - our big healthy baby is now 18 lbs 8 oz and 27". She's in the 90th percentile in weight (down from 97th, she's been doing crunches after nap time... ha!) and only the 75th percentile for height (down from 97th again, she was so proportional to begin)
• Bella was able to enjoy her first snow last week and we've been fortunate enough for it to stick around. If you listen to all the radio and TV stations around here with everyone griping about the weather you would understand all the weird looks we get with statements like that. I love the snow though and Bella will definitely be a snow baby
• speaking of babies... we found out someone close to us is expecting a baby and we're super excited for them! I haven't checked to see if they've told everyone yet though, so mum's the word for now, but we're excited to welcome a new family member and someone for Bella to play with (technically I didn't tell!)
• and finally... I've lost two fantasy football games in a row, and I shouldn't have. For example, I should have started my backup quarterback this week because at -0.3 points, he still scored higher than my starting QB. no good my friends.

the ol' pig skin

To make up for all the football I had to watch and fantasy football talk I had to pretend to be interested in last year I made Justin watch the Bachelor all season with me because my girlfriends at work and I made a fantasy bachelor league. it was hilarious, we earned points for the first girl to kiss him or get the one-on-one dates and lost points for crying or talking poo. Will you accept this rose?

This year I decided to step it up a little and accepted my cousin's invitation to play in an all-girl's fantasy football league. I figured if nothing else it would make me a cooler wife and I might make a couple dollars with a little beginners luck. Little did I know how easily this silly game consumes your life... or at least your Sundays. We haven't hurried home from church to doublecheck our rosters (yet) but it has been a big motivator in getting to the earlier service.

So far today I think we've watched about 4-5 hours of football and the Browns don't even play until tomorrow night... great. (I don't have any players left after tonight though so I might make him at least watch Gossip Girl with me between commercials. yes, I'm that girl. go ahead and judge.) I don't know anyone in my cousin's league, which probably is a good introduction to fantasy football because I get way too into this and there's potential I would seriously be mad at whoever beat me for a completely unreasonable amount of time. I'm winning by less than 20 points and she still has two players to go (doesn't paint a pretty picture for me) but I'm able to do the fantasy football dance with my husband twice tonight, made my baby girl laugh at the obsurdity and with the exception of Donovan McNabb's two interceptions and one fumble, it's surprisingly entertaining and totally worth my husband thinking I'm much cooler than I am.

Photo Blogger

I have the best intentions of telling all my did-that-seriously-just-happen stories but for now all I have the energy for are the pictures of the ones who light up my life... and I certainly think that's good enough!

I've seen you before!

Bella and Rocky are VERY fascinated with the new toy

she prefers sucking on her toe instead of her thumb - cracks me up!

I went in for a kiss, she had a different idea:
she confused my nose for a pacifier and added to my apparently receding hairline

Santos Labor Day - Part Duece

Isaiah was born at 2:04 a.m. weighing 8 lbs 9 oz and 21"

Talk about a full head of hair!! He has more than Bella already, and she’s six months old!

LOVE this picture – what a happy mama!

The (almost) family picture – Liliana is meeting him later today…

I can't wait to meet this guy at Christmas! AND it turns out my friend Erin was only two rooms down from Andrea and she gave birth to a baby boy (they didn't know the gender!) last night around 10:00 - AUGH I miss so much being a million miles away! I can't wait to meet her little guy too! Not even kidding, I think I'm going to bring back arranged marriages - what do you think Erin?! I'll let Bella go for a younger man...

Santos Labor Day - Part One

Of the three of parents' grandbabies, Bella currently holds the record at taking 17.5 sweet hours to finally make her grand entrance when she was born... I'm not sure if Andrea's going to claim she gets the new record with Baby Boy Santos since her labor day has been pushed back two times that she may try to claim 48+ hours. As bad as I feel for her, and as much as I feel her pain, Bella and I aren't sharing our record yet.

Andrea has pretty severe back pain from her years of elite volleyball, and with her first pregnancy it was oddly the first time her back didn't bother her at all. The story is not the same with this one. Her back is hurting her so badly with this pregnancy that her doctor told her to make the trek to Loveland (she's delivering there because she wasn't impressed with the hospital where they live) and they were going to induce. That was Friday. Saturday morning she was supposed to go in at 7:00 in the morning, which was pushed back to possibly the afternoon. That was pushed back to Sunday morning which was pushed back to Sunday late afternoon. Seven minutes before she was going to leave for the hospital she got a call that there wasn't enough room in the hospital and they'd try Monday morning.

Alex transformed into Superman at this point and drove to the hospital to argue Andrea's case that this wasn't just an uncomfortable pregnancy and pleading her case. When informed there may not be enough room, without hesitation he opens up his wallet and gets her a private room so she can be admitted. She was admitted first for her back pain but when they saw she's at 4-5 cm on her own, they've induced her and we expect Baby Boy within a few hours!!

I'm bumming pretty bad right now though because I want to be there so badly... this is my third nephew/niece and I've missed each of their births because I live too far away. As if it weren't enough, my best friend from my high school is in labor right now as well and she and Andrea are in the same hospital at the same time! She has one of the biggest hearts and best sense of humors of anyone I've ever known, and I know a baby was on her heart for a little while, so I'm just so happy for her and excited to meet her blessing baby!

splish splash

Bella's never been much of a fan of bathtime but recently she's started making it through each bath without crying and has even (get this) laughed and played throughout the whole thing! So now that we've made it through one bath without tears I'm determined to make it through the rest of them the same... but I always fill it way too high to make sure she has enough water to play in, as evident by the puddles all over the kitchen counters and floor by the end of her bath. oops?!

but cleaning up after cleaning her after a fun and laughter filled bath - totally worth it!

Year of the Brownie

To celebrate Justin's birthday I took him to a Browns game this afternoon - Tora helped me get tickets and they were ridiculous! We were in the club level (the only way to watch a football game in my small snooty opinion) and it was one of Ohio's few sunny days. It was perfect autumn weather, not too hot not too cold, and Tora babysat Bella so we got a chance to cheer loudly, high-five complete strangers, and just spend time together. At the end of the day the Brownies blew a 17 point lead and we lost - but I'm almost used to the comical sigh of frustration that comes with being a fan of Cleveland's sports teams...

Happy Birthday J!

Lesson Learned

...so we learned today that Daylight Savings isn't nearly as exciting with a 6 month old - that extra hour gets you nowhere except the rocking chair praying she'll go back to sleep.

God is love, Rev Run