When your best friend saves the day

Today was not a good day. I've been incredibly busy at work and had a 9am meeting with my boss this morning that would not have been bright of me to have been late for. Did I get my kids' lunch packed last night? No. Did I figure out what I was going to wear last night? No. There was more I won't go into but let's just say it was a morning. I was even 5 minutes late for the meeting with my boss. (Not gonna lose my job over it, but I REALLY hate to be late.)

So what do I do at work? Thrown into meetings from the moment I walked in I finally took a break to run to grab some food with my best friend, Melissa. And that's when the b*tching started. I complained...Melissa listened. That's what she's there for. I do the same for her. But it sure felt good to express it to someone I know cares about me and understands the stresses of being a working Mom (she's got three munchkins of her own - she understands WAY more than I do!) After lunch I went right back into meetings. When I got out - finally - hours later - this was waiting for me on my desk...

...with a message saying "Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride that is life!" So, let's just say that she's AMAZING. Mel - I love ya!

Plus, it's ALWAYS awesome to get back to your desk with a surprise awaiting you. Nothing like making the other ladies in the office a little bit jealous. I know who loves me and makes me feel better with chocolate dipped goodies. YUM-MO!

~Becky

Christmas (yes - I said Christmas) picture

Two years ago I enlisted my Dad to take a Christmas picture of my then four person family. Last year I refused, being as I was as big as a house (I had Allyson on New Year's Eve.) And even though some of our friends mock us endlessly for the picture in the Christmas card we decided to take one anyways. Family loves them - all the rest of you can get over it. :-)

One thing I discovered is that getting the picture with Steve and I and the two dogs actually looking at the camera was difficult enough. We now added a 10 month old into the mix - one that's not too keen on the camera as it is. Well - recipe for disaster you think? Yes, however, you only need one good one. Here's what we came up with:

We're in my Mom and Dad's backyard. Allyson's grabbing at my necklace and the dogs look a little scruffy. (Not two minutes before we took pictures Holly decided to jump in my parents pool - damn dog.) But this is the best that we've got - you should see the rest.

~Becky

I am not a runner...

So I did something rather unlike myself this morning. Something I never thought I'd ever do and may never do again. I got up and dressed at 6am (Allyson was still sleeping and Steve was getting in the shower) and went for a run. Well...let me detail this statement a little better.

Firstly - my heart does not usually start beating until around 9. And 6am at this time of year is PITCH BLACK outside! What on earth? Did I mention that I don't live in the best neighborhood? I actually thought to myself "criminals aren't awake at 6am are they? I'm better off being out here now than running at 8pm, right?" When a breeze hit the bush on the street I was running on I about jumped out of my skin.

Secondly - with a rack like mine, running has never really been an option for me. And a breastfeeding rack is even more cumbersome. This morning I put on a "full-figure" bra AND a sports bra. Worked out okay surprisingly. I managed to make it back home without any black eyes.

Thirdly - what I did this morning was not really running. Sure, I started out pretty good but after about, oh, two and half minutes I had to slow to a walk. I had determined my route as I was getting dressed. Nothing too far...this was my first shot out. I tried the run for a little while, walk for a little while method. Then I tried the jog for a little while and walk for a little while method.

So...I got home after my "run" this morning and discovered that I had only been gone 10 minutes. 10 minutes?!?! I thought my lungs were going to burst. Yes - I know I'm out of shape. We won't talk about the extra 10 that are hanging on after Allyson's arrival. But 10 minutes? Okay - my goal tomorrow is 20. Maybe I'll sleep in and take Allyson for a jog in the stroller. :-) Who knows if I'll ever see 6am in my tennis shoes again. I'd like to think so but I really need to go buy that mace.

~Becky

The Pups...

Came across this old picture of the pups and wanted to share.

Wyatt, the Miniature Australian Shepherd, on the right was showing Holly, the Australian Shepherd, his favorite spot. We adopted Holly at 8 weeks old so this couldn't have been much longer after that - she's double his size now. Since then, we've had to get new blinds and a new couch because Wyatt also showed Holly how to chew the stuffing out of the old one. Now there's a third added to the family with Allyson's arrival. That kid lights up like no other time when she's playing with her pups. I'll try to capture some shots of that but photography is not my strong point. :-) Maybe I'll get Steve to do it.

~Becky

Old is New Again

Over the weekend we took Allyson to the Pumpkin Patch. After a busy weekend away for a wedding in Ukiah we decided to stop in at a local pumpkin patch on the way home. We had a great time. Here's a picture of the kiddo enjoying some hay:

And another of her in a sea of pumpkins:

As you can see...the kiddo is stingy with the smiles. It had been a long weekend and she was severely in need of a nap.

I couldn't even begin to tell you the last time I was at a pumpkin patch. I was thinking that this is just one of those things you used to do when you were younger that fell to the wayside and now gets reinvented when you have your own children. I'll have to think back to my childhood and determine what's next. Don't know how I feel about sitting on Santa's lap...hmmm...

~Becky

They screw you with the baby stuff...

Did anyone ever say that babies were cheap? I know I heard that once or twice while I was pregnant. Either those people were independently wealthy, they didn't have children or they were delusional. Well...I'm here to tell you that they're not cheap at all. Quite the opposite. Sure...at the beginning they don't cost that much money. Diapers are expensive - yes...but other than that we really didn't have to pay for much. Thanks to three baby showers, incredibly generous family and friends and breastfeeding (i.e. not paying for expensive formula) the reality was that my kid didn't cost that much at first.

Well...enter the ninth month. Time for the kiddo to get her first pair of real shoes. She's standing and cruising along all the furniture. No doubt she'll be walking here before long (scary I know but more on that another time) but this shoe business is ridiculous.

We did what any self respecting parent of a nine month old ready to walk would do. We took our child to Stride Rite. That's what my parents did, that's what Steve's parents did, that's what we were bound to do. With so many choices of shoe out there for your child we chose a plain, sturdy yet flexible pair. She'll probably wear them for max two months but we thought they were perfect. Here's a pic:Here's where the screwing occurs. These shoes were $42! Can you believe that? Holy cow! I couldn't believe it when I went up to the register and got the total. I can't remember the last time I spent $42 on my own shoes. Steve couldn't either - we were floored. Not that my child isn't worth it - but come on! She's going to have to wear these morning, noon and night until she grows out of them.

So if this is just a sign of the future - and I know it is - we've really got to save our pennies. I have to admit that Chickie was freakin' adorable in these little shoes but I'm still a little shell shocked over the price tag. I'll get over it...

~Becky

Where does the time go?

I know that we all ask ourselves that question multiple times a day/week/month/year but I find myself asking that question more and more. Now that I have Allyson the year has fast approached the end at a seemingly supersonic rate. But I don't know that its just Allyson. For sure she's part of it. With a child born on New Year's Eve I know that I will now see the year as this far or this close to her birthday because now it signifies so much more than champagne and kisses at midnight. It signifies one marvelous day in the hospital (more on that another time.) But maybe its the new job (well not so new, I'm working on my seventh month) that's finally ramping up. As my father would say in his cliched (but endearing) way - I'm busier than a one armed wallpaper hanger. I must be thankful, however. I have a job that keeps me on my toes, a daughter I can't spend enough time with and a husband that loves coming home to his family. I really do have it pretty good. I just know that I need to focus on taking some time to myself to just think and be Becky. Gather my thoughts and get organized (well as organized as this chick knows how to be.) Don't have time to do that now though. Gotta get back to work so I can get to the grocery store and then home to my husband and daugher.

~Becky