Happy Halloween!

I know there are a lot of people out there who think Halloween is an awful and evil day but I refuse to let it be that. It is a fun day where kids and adults can dress up in costumes and eat candy. What's not to like about that? How can a day where I get to dress up Rex to look like a penguin be bad? He's adorable! So I got Rex his penguin costume a few months ago thinking that the nice padded outfit with feet and a hat would be good because certainly it would be cold on Halloween. HA! It's almost 70 degrees today. We took cookies and candy to my former place of employment so he could wear his costume somewhere since he's not going to be trick or treating. We were going to take cookies to Rob at work too but one outing in the outfit was all he could handle. So more cookies for us- that's not so bad.

We've had a lot going on lately. We had a wonderful visit from Rob's sister (Rachel), her husband (Jon) and our niece (Lucy) about two weeks ago. They had not been to Iowa yet so Rob showed them around a little and they were able to meet Rex for the first time which was great. I was trying to get a picture of Rachel with the kids but trying to get a 20-month old kid and a 4-month old baby to both hold still for a photo at the same time is impossible.



The day after they left, the three of us headed to the airport so we could all go to California. Rob was going to work on a race car and Rex and I could visit family. Rex did great all through security and waiting to get on the plane but when we were seated on the plane, I thought he started looking a little iffy. I knew he was not too sure about what was going on and was definitely uncomfortable with all of it. Then the pilot started talking and the speakers were pretty loud and Rex just totally lost it. He's only cried like that two other times where he was just screaming and inconsolable. I realized that the flying thing was not a good idea. So Rex and I got off the plane and Rob went to California to race. He had a pretty good time when he was racing but we were all pretty miserable other than that. We decided the family being apart for a week was not a good idea and that we would not be doing that again. Hopefully he will get better about it but I don't think we'll be trying flying again for a while.

Pure Genius

I was having trouble getting my pictures to upload to my blog here and to Flickr so I decided to make an appointment with the Genius Bar at my local Apple store last Sunday. Then I noticed there was a workshop on the new software that I use for photos and video so I signed up for that too. I learned so much at the workshop and was so glad I went. I had my appointment right after and the guy that helped me with my computer was totally a genius- they don't call it the "Genius Bar" for nothing. He synced up my email with the mail program on the computer, he figured out how to get my computer to recognize the video camera and solved my problem with uploading pictures. Flickr and Blogger need to help us Mac users out though because their sites don't work with the new iLife '08 software and I have to do more work to get my pictures up. This probably isn't too exciting for anyone else, but for me it was huge. So here is something probably everyone does want to see..



Notice the rolls on the legs. Oh yes, that's a lot of rolls. I tried to weigh him a week or so ago and he weighs 18 pounds. Whoa! That's a big kid. I took out all his 6-9 month size clothes this morning and started washing them up because it's about time to move up to that size. His pants are looking a little Payne Stewart-ish these days.



On my trip to Des Moines I also stopped at Old Navy where I got Rex a cool "Super Robot Ninja" shirt. I also went to Barnes and Noble and got him a stuffed T-Rex and this awesome book. Seriously, how cool is that book?! Rob thought I was a little crazy for getting our baby a scary T-Rex when most kids have teddy bears but he seems to like it just fine.



The visit with Rob's parents was wonderful. We all had a really good time. Pop did some chores for us around the house, like putting together Rex's jumperoo which is going over really well.



We didn't do too much as far as going out places or even eating out anywhere- it's just too difficult still with a 3-month old baby. Now I'm preparing for our next set of visitors that arrive on Friday. Yay!! Here's some pictures of Rex with his Gram and Gramps and then I better get going because I have a long list of chores to get done and Rob wants to know when I'm going to make the Chex Mix that I bought all the ingredients for a while back. I have caught him eating the peanuts that go in it so I better get to it before my ingredients all disappear!

Technical Difficulties

So I know it's been a while since I've blogged but things have been a little crazy at our house. Rob's parents were visiting for the past week and it was so great to watch Rex with his Gram and Gramps and I didn't feel much like blogging- I was just enjoying watching them and visiting. I have also had some technical difficulties lately. I upgraded the Mac to iLife '08 which updated iPhoto (the photo program on Macs for you PC people) and now I can't seem to email or post pictures. I need to work at it a little more but right now, I think I will probably end up uninstalling the program. Hopefully we will be back up soon with pictures and more stories!

Keep On Rollin' Baby

Rex has a new trick!



He started on his tummy but by the time I got out of the way and got the camera going, he was already over on his side. He rolled over twice yesterday morning and this morning he has completed about 10-15 rolls- all tummy to back. At just a little over 3 months old, I'm quite sure this makes my child a genius. And I'm very concerned about what Rob and I are in for in the future!

Writer's Block

Rob's watching Rex and the presidential debates so it's a great time for me to blog but I'm feeling uninspired and having a tough time thinking of things to write about. Rex has been sleeping great through the night this week. He has been going to bed between 9:00 and 10:00 at night and sleeping until between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m. He eats and then goes back to sleep for anywhere between 45 minutes and 2 hours. Here he is yesterday morning- he actually slept until 9:00 a.m. that day! It made me a little nervous and I kept checking on him often but he was fine- just pretty tired, it would seem. Hopefully I didn't just jinx him by telling everyone how great he is doing.



Let's see... What else? I'm doing a LOT of baking and cooking these days. I really enjoy baking quick breads and cookies and now Rob has threatened to take my oven away if I make him fat. Hmm- better be careful I don't make either one of us fat because I don't want to end up there either. Anyhow, my latest batch of cookies was my happiest moment in the kitchen so far. My friend Carrie (from jr. high and high school) always had the best cookies at her house- her mom made them and all I could remember is that they had rice krispies and white chocolate chips in them. I've tried to find the recipe but I don't know the name of them or anything. I finally discovered the recipe in my Allrecipes.com Tried and True Cookies cookbook. Rob came home yesterday and I said, "You have to try one of my cookies- they're in the pantry!" He got one and then walked in the living room and said, "These just may be the best cookies you've ever made!" I said, "I KNOW!" So I told him about my friend Carrie and how I wanted these cookies but could never make them because I didn't have the recipe. Now that I do, look out. I made pork loin with pears from my Dream Dinners cookbook the other night and it was very tasty. Rob's parents will be here next week and I'll be making it again while they are here. So good and so easy because you can make it in the crock pot. I went to my bunco group last Friday and cooked up some apricot and raspberry cream cheese thumbprint cookies, pumpkin bread and artichoke dip (this recipe only without the peppers). All were enjoyed very much by the ladies and now I'm nervous for next month because they are expecting something really good again! I think I'm going to try this pretzel peanut bark I watched Paula Deen make this week. I think I'll do a test batch next week for my visitors and see how it goes over.

We took Rex's 3-month old pictures last Saturday at a place that I will never be going back to. I made the appointment about 10 days ahead and when we all got there, the idiot who I made the appointment with had not put it in the computer and now someone else had our appointment. I showed my appointment card to the girl to verify that I had been given that time but she did not seem to care. So the two girls who were also there got their pictures taken and we got screwed. They ended up doing our pictures about 45 minutes later because, as the dumbass employee told me, I was "lucky that the next appointment canceled." Really??? What about my day seemed lucky? I was so mad and upset about it all- I kept my mouth shut through most of it because if I had started in on her, I don't know that I could have stopped. Trying to get a 3-month old dressed up and transported to get his picture taken without having any spitting up incidents or without him falling asleep is no easy task. We actually managed to get a clean, well-dressed and happy baby to the place EARLY and then that happened. What a bunch of crap. Thankfully, the pictures turned out well and we can pick them up on Wednesday- and that will be the last time I ever set foot in that place.

So that's about it for us- I guess I found something to say after all!

Hey Kicky!

I have more to blog about and will hopefully get to it later today but here's a little something for now. Make sure the volume is up so you can hear him kicking on his chair- it's too funny!

Coo Monster

Rex was really chatty this morning (sooo cute!)- here's a sample.

I Don't Have A Job!

It is so crazy for me to think that I don't have a job anymore! Taking care of the house and my family is work, yes, but I don't have a job with an employer that I claim on my taxes anymore. Friday was my last day at work and I got a beautiful surprise from my parents. Very thoughtful of them and I love the autumness (I'm making up my own word here) of the arrangement.



Monday was my first day as a stay at home mom (now referred to as a SAHM) and I was sooo busy. I just don't want to stay home and eat and watch talk shows and soap operas all day. That's not what this is about. I got showered and dressed, I gave Rex a bath, had both sets of washing machines going, had the dishwasher going and had cleaned both bathrooms by 9:00 a.m. I took a little break for a while and then did some more laundry, went to the grocery store (Rex's first trip there- he slept) and made dinner. I think I got just a little too excited about everything and went a little nuts. I did not accomplish as much on Tuesday but I got to take Rex on a walk and made French Dip Sandwiches for dinner. They were pretty good- I like mine salty though and these were not salty enough. Rob liked them though and they were healthier without so much salt. There is still a lot of the roast left so I'm trying to think of something else to do with it now to mix it up a little. Rob asked for bierocks being the good German guy that he is. I've had them but never made them- might have to check in with my wonderful mother-in-law to see how she made them. I made some lemon bars too last Sunday from my 101 Things To Do With A Cake Mix cookbook.



Rex is still doing really good. He seems to be a lot like me when I was little- resistant to cuddling most of the time and unwilling to take a nap when one is needed. When he's unhappy now and cries, he has tears which makes him look even more pitiful and makes me run that much faster to get him what he needs. I think he's starting to figure out that mom is a soft-touch and will do whatever he wants. Now that I am home, his sleeping seems to be improving. He has slept 6+ hours for the last few nights and then even more after that. Yay!! I tried to weigh and measure him at home yesterday and I came up with 16 pounds and about 25.5 or 26 inches. Wow that's a big kid! Here's a photo of him from last Thursday.

This Sucks

How cute is this?




Although I was a thumb-sucking fool myself, I have mixed emotions about Rex being one. Not that he even is one but it seems to be happening more and more lately and I fear that's where he's headed. It was so hard to get me to stop- you can't take a thumb away from a kid, after all. My mom also tells me about how my thumb would get all chapped and cracked in the winter. With the winters here, I'm sure it would be even worse for Rex. I don't exactly know what to do about it or what I want to do. Let him go ahead? Try to get him to use a pacifier instead? I'm sure there are a thousand opinions and ideas out there which makes it even harder to know what to do for him. We'll figure it out though, I imagine.

It's Not Much But It Has A Great View

The view out my window at work today:



These are the three construction workers on a scaffold right outside my window who are NOISY! It sounds like they are going to be coming right through the wall any minute. I can't even hear myself think so you can imagine how productive I am. And can you say awkward? I want to put my blinds down but I don't know what kind of message I'm sending with that. They can't see me when I'm at my computer anyhow so I'm just going to leave the blinds where they are. They are working on a skywalk between my building and the next- it used to have 3 windows and now it will be all windows. A very nice project (the old ones looked worse than what's in Rex's diaper) and I'm glad they're doing it even if I never get to enjoy it. But couldn't they have waited until Monday when I won't be here anymore???