Don't, Shhhh, NO!

I want to eliminate three little words from my daily vocabulary:

"Don't, Shhhh & No".

These three little words seem to always creep out of our mouths, when we're speaking to Estella.

I constantly hear myself telling Estella: "Don't do this, don't do that", "shhh, shhhh, SHHHH!", or "No, NO, NO!". And its bothering me, a lot. She'll look at me with those beautiful big brown eyes, in confusion and hurt. And at the end of the day, my heart hurts.

I hope I haven't ruined her.

I read a poem in one of my parenting books, it caught my attention. It now resides on the fridge door... as a daily reminder.

If I had my child to raise all over again.

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eye off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

By Diane Loomans

Got Milk?

I feel like a "Moo Moo"!

The hospital called and said "You forgot to take your milk home, we have 2 bags full" What? 

  I seriously need to look into donating this milk.

There's No place like home, There's No place like home

After 2 months and 4 days of being in the Hospital, Victoria Madeline sleeps soundly in the comfort of her own home.  

Estella is ecstatic her baby sister is finally home. 

And Jacob & I ... 

well, what we feel is "There's no place like home". 

Time in The Ranch

A Thursday morning outing, we left the house half past nine, and arrived in Rancho Santa Fe before 10.

We met the Duncan's at The Pancake House.  It was nice catching up with each others lives, I really missed them.  They couldn't get enough of the belly, it was sweet.  After breakfast we headed to their home in Rancho Santa Fe.   Squeals of excitement is what you heard in my car, the girls were so excited they were going to ride Freaky the pony, they kept asking "Are we almost there?", I couldn't help being excited for them.

Estella and Freaky getting reacquainted

Estella showing proper Equitation

she said "ok, I'm ready"

Happy girls at the end of their ride

Freaky ready for some lunch... hay that is, not the Corgi

Savannah

 I fell in love with her

sitting pretty

Here I am, sitting pretty at 33 days to go

Can we speed it up, please?  

Things I'm whining about lately: Swollen feet, lower back pain, constant visits to the bathroom (especially in the middle of the night), shortness of breath, and the unbearable heartburn... Are there really 33 days to go?  

Thankful for: My neighbor Bonnie, for having Tums late last night, for My darling Jacob for picking up the Tums, and Estellita who will out of the blue lift my shirt (anywhere) to kiss & talk to the belly and say "Hiii baby, I love you baby", chocolate, chocolate and some more chocolate, and to God, for giving me patience when I most need it.

Apples!

We took a little road trip to the country, were we picked apples in Julian.  It made me want to move to the country.  We got a little car sick along the way, but that was Ok, we'd do it again.  

I loved watching Estella race up & down rows of apple trees, shouting "Apples!", giggling, and picking apples along the way to have a taste.  

We came home with a 5 lb. bag of various apples, and prepared them in many ways.  Estella enjoyed them the most al natural, and Jake and I as apple crisp, with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, please.

We hope your day is as sweet as Apple pie

or better yet,

 as sweet as her :)

Trick-or-Treat song... then REVISED!

JUST FOR KICKS & GIGGLES

A SILLY LITTLE SONG, FROM US TO YOU

I WAS ASKED TO REVISE SONG BY DADDY-O,  

WE OBLIGED

rated G version

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!