Snow in Maryland

So, I wouldn't have believed it, but here is proof that it DID snow in Maryland! (Sorry they are a little fuzzy - had to take them through the dog snot and baby hand smeared window to keep said dogs and baby contained...)

Marianna shovelling
Neighborhood shovel out

Nick and Marianna shovelling

Our sidewalk

pretty pretties

Finally got the tree up and it's looking so cute! Belle is taking a nap now, so she hasn't had the opportunity to pull anything off yet! I'll let you know how that goes! :) But Jake sure thinks it was hard work decorating... he's been here all day...

Oh my freaking lord!!!!

What a day! Can I just tell you that I had THE WORST day! Sometimes I really REALLY hate the people I work with... and by "the people", I generally mean about one or two people... today, it was two. First, I have never had to work with "professionals" so incompetent as some of these that I work with and the complete lack of ownership just baffles me. I know I have said this before, but I was warned about the different (or lack of) work ethic on the east coast - but how was I really to expect this? Seriously??? I can honestly say, I have never worked with people like some of these... It REALLY makes me wonder just how the hell they grew up because, clearly, people who consistently blame others for EVERYTHING have to have been brought up completely different than me. I am so very happy to say that my family instilled a sense of honesty in me and I really hope that I can bring my children up the same way (another reason I can't wait to get home and out of this area...)

Today, for about the fifth day in a row, I have been proud of myself for figuring out how to do things that are not even close to part of my job, but the person whose responsibility it is, either a) has no idea how to do what I'm asking for or b) has no desire to help. Given this persons personality, I'm thinking it's more likely option a. This person is, generally, a very nice person and I really like them, as a person... but as a coworker, I just want to beat some heads in!!! Anyway, today, I figured out how to do a couple new things that I probably shouldn't have taken the time to learn (again, out of my arena), but it needed to be done and I wasn't getting the help I needed. I'm sure it will come back to bite me in the ass when someone figures out I spent two hours on something that I shouldn't even have been doing, but I guess I'll just burn - I mean, cross - that bridge when I get there... So, by lunch time, I was about ready for a drink because of this person...

Then comes after lunch... a little bit of background - last week I was asked to do 3 site plans for a project, even though we had 4 building options (I know some of you won't completely know what I'm talking about, but that's okay... this is just me blowing off steam). Anyway, I didn't really know what this person was asking for (honestly, the ONLY direction I got was an email saying prepare 3 site plans), so when I was ready to start working on it, I went to talk to this person to see exactly what they were looking for... Oh - by the way, this person is supposed to be the PM on the job and didn't bother to show up to the kick-off meeting last week, so that was awesome - anyway, I went to ask what exactly they were looking for and we discussed the three options. I was told one of the building plans was basically going to be tossed out - we just did it to show the client that we looked at it, but it wasn't going to be used, so we discussed the three other options and those were the three site plans I did. So this person - who, btw, shows up around 10:30 every day and leaves around 6 - I'm not sure how I get on that schedule, but I'm thinking if I become an alcoholic, it will help get me there... anyway, so yesterday, I finished my three plans and left them on his chair because he wasn't around and today I tried to find him twice to see if he had any comments on them, but he still wasn't around... So, about 4:30 today, this person comes to me and asks me where the other option is. And I said "I gave you all 3." And he said, "Well, there are 4 building options" so I told him, yes, I know that there are 4 and that I was told that one was a wash and that I did the three he asked me to do. And he told me "I need to use my head and we need to provide a site plan for every option." So I told him "if you wanted a site plan for all 4 options, I need you to tell me that you need 4, not that you need 3" and that I can do the other one too, that's not a problem, but I might need a little more time. Then he went on to say that I am being passive aggressive and that I need "to communicate with him." And when I told him that I need HIM to communicate with ME what he ACTUALLY wants, he said "I guess I'm going to have to write everything down for you since you don't get it. It's always like this with you." Yeah, it was awesome... I was HOT!!! I don't think I have ever wanted to punch someone's face in more!!! I just didn't even know what to say to that... So later, he sends me another email telling me I need to complete the fourth site plan, within the time that he allotted me originally and that it needs to be done ASAP. Well, guess what, F***er! it's probably NOT going to be done in the original time and if it is, it's because I'm a ROCK STAR not because of any sort of management skills on your part!!! How's THAT for passive aggressive??? Needless to say, it might be time to polish up the old resume and/or win the lotto...

And then I got to go pick up my precious baby girl from daycare and got a giant hug from her and everything was all better. :)

stuff

So, for all of you who DON'T know this story already... our little Belle has been sick for a couple months with a cough and a runny nose. We have been to the doctor repeatedly... This is the same thing that happened this spring and so the first time we went in, I asked about getting allergy meds since that is what finally got rid of it in the spring. And do you THINK they would just listen to me back in September??? NO!!! First it was an ear infection (this is sounding vaguely familiar... huh... EXACT SAME AS IN THE SPRING!) then when the antibiotic for that didn't help the nose or the cough, we went back... and then it was a sinus infection... Now I'll give them this one - that antibiotic worked for about 8 days... then back with the cough and runny nose. So back to the doc we went Monday and found out that she is starting to get another ear infection... and i asked about the allergy meds again and lo and behold! they gave them to us!!! And we have been on the meds for three days now (including today) and SWEET LORD we have had TWO FULL NIGHTS OF SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!! damn these doctors!!! If they would have just listened to me TWO MONTHS AGO we might have been getting some sleep all along!!! grrrrr. Frustration! Anyway, HOPEFULLY this is the end of the coughing and runny nose until spring!

Today, I thought I would try out some little pig tails and it was just too dang cute not to take a million pictures! :) Here are some for you!

She was crying until Daddy gave her a cookie...
Snuggling up on my feet.

Her new favorite past time - climbing on the pack-n-play.

New favorite place!

Eating a cookie and watching TV

This is what she was doing before she got the cookie... Not sure what happened, she just suddenly started crying when the dogs went to the basement (like she was missing them) and just kept crying until she got a cookie...

So, anyway, we can't wait to see everyone at Christmas! It's going to be so much fun! :)

Wonderful

What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had! Howard and Gloria came to visit and spent the week with Belle. We had a wonderful visit and can't wait to see them again in a month!

First Thanksgiving Dinner

Birthday hat from grandma.

Birthday Girl!!!!

Today is my baby's first birthday!!! I cannot believe that a year has already passed... I can't help but relive the whole experience one year ago and I miss it a little... I miss the whole experience of a brand new baby in my arms and who liked to snuggle... My little lady is growing into her own independent little self and is not so much into snuggling anymore and I just miss it! But, it's so much fun watching all the new stuff!!!! Belle is walking more and more each day and is starting to say words now... She said "no" for the first time at daycare yesterday. I think it's really quite hilarious! I'm sure I won't be saying the same thing in a couple months when she is saying no to everything!!!

Well, enough of the reminiscing... here are some pictures from today. I left work a little early to go to have a little party at daycare. Trevor's birthday is tomorrow, so we wanted to do a little party for both of them... anyway, I brought some cupcakes and party hats for the two of them. Then we came came and hung out till nick got home. We were going to do the birthday cake this evening, but the poor little hunny has quite a diaper rash and so I changed her diaper, she had a complete meltdown (SO SORE MOMMY!!!!) so we just went to the bath to let her soak her little bottom for a while, did some presents and off to bed. We'll do cake tomorrow or maybe just wait until Sunday's party... We'll see how the day goes! :)

Okay - really now - here are the photos...

hmmmm. what is this hat??
Belle and Trevor

Birthday girl!!!!

oooh! what's this?

and she stuffs the whole thing in her mouth!!! :)

not too messy...

but there's still crumbs!!!!

and now she LICKS the crumbs off!

a little messier now...

lounging in her new chair! i think she LIKES it! :)

opening up her present.

she loves her new toy! :)

We miss you all and hope to see you at Christmas! :)

DC for the Day

It was such a beautiful day today, we had to get out and do something... so we decided to go to DC for the day... here are many pictures for you to enjoy... (see how I am making use of my new camera with the Panorama on it??? I L-O-V-E it!!! Perhaps I will marry it!)

Isabelle strolling on the moon with the astronauts at the air and space museum.
Poking the new camera lens and about giving daddy a heart attack for doing so...

Vietnam memorial wall... It's so surreal and amazing. If you have never had a chance to go, you really need to. People leave photos, notes, flowers, flags, etc. there all the time. It's really amazing.

Someone else who was enjoying the nice weather!

Lincoln memorial

Nick, Isabelle and Abe

Washington monument and reflecting pool

Korean memorial

Korean memorial again... this wall is amazing - some absolutely amazing art. When you are up close, you can't even see the images carved in it - it is all just granite... amazing.

World War I memorial

I believe this is the Jefferson Memorial, but we didn't go up to it, so I'm not sure...

Washington Memorial and a pond (don't know what it's called...)

Well, that's it for now. :) Enjoy!

dancing for dinner

still sick

well, we went back to the doctor today for the second flu shot and i wanted doc to check her out because she still has this nasty cough and runny nose... good news is, the ear infection is cleared up. bad news is that she still has a sinus infection... ugh. on top of that, she is still teething (had another one break through saturday for number 8, but has 2 more coming in on the top that are hurting her). needless to say, our little munchkin hasn't been quite herself the last few days because she hasn't been feeling well. let's hope this round of antibiotics kick the crap out of this sinus infection! and we'll go back in about 20 days for a check up and the 12 MONTH well visit... 12 months... as in one year... how the hell did that happen????

17 more days and our girl will be one... yikes.

Happy Halloween!

Belle had her very first Halloween "Parade" Thursday... It really wasn't a parade by any stretch of the imagination - more like a bunch of kids walking next door to get candy... I took off from work early to watch and was somewhat disappointed, but it was great to see all the little ones dressed up! They are too cute! Here are a couple pics from Thursday...

Our little butterfly getting ready to "fly"
And she's off!!!

Isabelle and her buddy Trevor - neither one was too happy about us putting them down!!!

And the trouble starts here... trying to soummer sault down the stairs - she thought this was hilarious, by the way... I had a minor heart attack...

And all three "kids" on Belle's first Halloween!

on the way...

Well, my camera is B to the roken so it's going to be a while before we get more pictures... but in the meantime, I wanted to let you all know that it's not going to be long before Belle is walking!!! We have managed to get her to take a couple steps at a time. She's very nervous about it, but she does it and we make a big old production of it, clapping and whatnot and she claps too and then she'll do it again... :) SO i'm off to do some research to figure out what kind of camera to get!

Happy Halloween

Had a coupon for a free Halloween picture, so I jumped all over that! :) She's so cute!

Standing

Well, it has been a while (common theme lately) BUT I finally have this new computer up and running and while I still don't have my stuff set up for my camera, I figured out how to get the videos off of my camcorder onto this computer! So, here are some videos - some old, some new. :)

(but for some reason, they are all skewed, so everything is tall and skinny... haven't messed with it enough to figure that one out yet)

This one is a new one - from this morning. Our little Belle is now standing on her own for a few seconds!!!

The Sweetest Thing

So, last night, just as I was getting ready for bed, something spooked Jake and he started barking - right outside of Belle's room and he woke her up. Of course, she would not go back to sleep then and she would not stop crying when I left the room. So I ended up staying in her room last night on the floor, but while waiting for her to go to sleep, I was pretending I was sleeping so that she would maybe lay down and sleep herself. She kept looking over the side of the crib and smiling and throwing her toys out to me and throwing her paci's out to me... well, about 1:30, she finally sat down and was quiet for a while, so I opened my eyes to see what she was doing and I witnessed the sweetest thing. She was sitting up against the side of her crib, with her stuffed puppy in her lap and she kept covering her eyes then pulling her hands away and was playing peek-a-boo with her puppy!!! The she would pet the puppy and clap her hands and do it all over again... It was the sweetest thing. Even though we didn't get to sleep until 2:15am, I'm glad I got to witness that special moment! :)

Ticklish

Our Little Miss is VERY ticklish... She cracks up when Nick tickles her. :)

Learning to walk!

So, I got Belle a new little walker/bike thingy today. One of those little things that you put upright and they use it as a walker and then you can put it down and it's a little car thingy that they ride on. Well, it took her about 5 minutes to figure it out! She might be walking before we all know it! :) Maybe I should have waited to get this... oops.



Oh yeah - and she STOOD ON HER OWN today!!! It lasted about 5 seconds, but she did it! :)

10 months

Here are a few quick photos for y'all... The little spaghetti face is from a couple weeks ago, but I just realized I never put it up here... it cracks me up every time :)

Waking up from her nap - on her 10 MONTH BIRTHDAY!!!! Holy smokes! I'm not sure how we've already reached this point... Do I start planning a birthday party now??

Tall girl pulling up in the crib.

Giggling at the camera.

Sitting in the glider - and not looking too happy about it.... But see below - there IS proof that she does, to some extent, resemble me as well as Nick! Note the whispy hair on the sides! :)

Me - probably pretty close to the same age.

And finally - our little dare devil sporting her bruises... She is now climbing up on EVERYTHING and that also means FALLING on everything! But she's a champ! She only cried when she knocked the tray on her head and when she fell on the table... The mark on the eyebrow - no idea where that came from. She doesn't let us know, generally. She just giggles about it and goes on her way. I'm sensing a Cody, Jr. in the bravery department!!! :)