More Photos from Paradise

Someone got into Grammy's jewelry box!

Daddy came to visit!

And taught her some new bad skills

Under the table...

Here we are at Ko'olina lagoon...our favorite baby beach. No waves...so nice. The water was COLD though.
Kisses for Mommy and Nana!

Eating at the famous North Shore Kua Aina Burgers...SO GOOD. (and soooo fattening. whatever.)
NAKED BABY ALERT!! Here we are getting ready to play in the famous North Shore surf of Waimea Bay. This is a very dangerous beach but it was pretty flat that day. Even so, Veronica got hit by one wave and decided she should play with Nana on the sand. This is the beach where the famous surf contests are held with the 40 foot waves. It's INSANE. I was there for it last time and it's crazy. They have to haul the surfers out by helicopter or waverunner. It's a wonder more people don't die.

Here's an example of when the surf's up at Waimea!

See that wave? That's Waimea when it's calm.

There are lots of interesting places to sleep at Grammy's

Popo and Veronica have style!

Aloha Suckers!

To all of you poor folks suffering in the Midwest in below zero temps, ALOHA! It's 75 degrees and the sun is shining on this side of the Pacific Ocean. We made it! We couldn't have been happier to be off that plane. Flying these days is like riding a Greyhound bus. They make you pay for everything (including a pillow and blanket for $9.95. I spent $16 on bad crackers and cheese and we froze because I wouldn't spring for the designer polyester blanket/pillow set) and you could end up sitting next to a guy from a third world country, carrying fatal TB and a chicken. The flight attendants also treat everyone like they have TB and a flea-bitten chicken. I guess I can't fault them too much considering what they have to put up with (drunks, terrorists, screaming super-models) but I can't really understand why they insist on scolding everyone for the entire flight. Where is the attendance in flight attendant? Every time I rang my bell it felt like I was disturbing someone's bridge match.

"Yes?" (raised eyebrows, annoyed expression)

"Could I have some more water? And I have some garbage here I need to dispose of."

"Sure. What's in the garbage? Is there a diaper in there?" (Accusatory tone.)

"Well yes, but it's a wet one and it's completely wrapped in plastic and in the throw up bag"

"We don't do that." (Very stern teacher voice) You're going to have to take it to the lavoratory" (what is a lavoratory anyway? Why don't they call them bathrooms like everyone else?)

"Well, I would, but my child is sleeping without a belt on and I can't just leave her there"

The flight attendant and the man with TB and a chicken simultaneously say, "I'll watch her for you"

"Okay" I say, ashamed that I tried to pass off a diaper on a flight attendant as regular garbage. I spent the rest of the flight too embarassed to ask for anything else.

Veronica is still very tired and jet lagged. Yesterday she took a 2 hour nap, then woke up and continued her nap in Grammy's swing for another hour. The tropical breeze put her right out. It was so sweet. She had the best nap of her life.
Other mommies get dandelions. Look what I got! Giant RED GINGER!!!

Veronica is learning how to garden with Grammy. She's the best teacher around! Veronica came running to me with a flower as big as she is saying "big flower!" So cute!




More to come!

Birthday Pix!

Veronica's 2nd birthday party was at her favorite place. The Oak Lawn Gymnasium! What a blast. There's so much to do!


Here's Elizabeth going down the slide with Chris watching over her. She's so adorable.



Kayla had fun on the trampoline!

I think the adults had as much fun as the kids. Here we are doing our favorite thing on the trampoline...BOUNCY BOUNCY BOUNCY!


Gramma and Pa had fun too!

Elizabeth knows good Elmo fashions when she sees them.






Dancing on the trampoline!

Look at Kayla fly into the foam pit! I see Amanda and Cassie in there too. I hear from a good source that Cassie was pretty sore the next day.




Gayle and Thomas and Buddy sitting down to have their pizza. I think Buddy had the best time of all. Wait till I post the video! He is hillarious.

Abbi and Quinn (Mom, these are Kim Treizenburg's kids...aren't they cute?) Chase is the baby and I don't think I got a picture.



Still haven't figured out how to blow out candles...but we tried!


Veronica loved her cake. And I think that's what put my muffin top over the edge. It was delicious. Chocolate and white cake with banana cream filling on one side and strawberries with mousse on the other....mmmmmmmmm.

More later!

Muffin Top Update

As of weigh in this morning I'm down 5 lbs! 5 lbs in a week! YAY! And that's with a brownie breakdown yesterday.

Muffin Top Blues

Over the winter, here in the frozen midwest, many of us put on what I like to call "winter padding", which manifests itself on me as jiggly thighs and a muffin top. The theory is, if you have a little extra fat around the extremeties you'll be warmer on those coldest of days that would send anyone running for the nearest meatloaf. There's just something wonderful about comfort foods (and way more than is necessary) to make you feel cozy and warm all winter long. Unfortunately, the inevitable result leaves me standing naked in front of a mirror, shocked and horrified.

Why God? Why can't fried chicken and all things buttered make me thin? What is this test? Is not life hard enough without having to abstain from the pleasure of real food? I have spent the day today eating salad and whole grains and, while I am by no means hungry, it's depressing! And it wasn't a bad salad, on the contrary, it was delicious. But really, who cares about salad? Would anyone choose to eat it if everything else was as healthy? (I can hear Beth saying "I would" right now, but you're a freak, Beth. No one else would choose salad over (insert anything else here). Which is also why you look like Linda Hamilton in T2 and I don't.)

Jason and I have decided to have our own reality show contest. We've been watching The Biggest Loser and they're doing so well we figured we could lose a few pounds. So we've made a bet. We have 13? weeks to get to goal. Closest one wins a wardrobe. And by God, I am going to win that wardrobe if I have to eat my weight in parsley. But in the meantime, expect more angry diatribes.

Potty Tales

So I have to share potty stories. I can't help it. They're too funny. So if potty humor isn't your thing go back to whatever you were doing before getting my email. Since Veronica turned 2 I decided it's time to start seriously potty training. I bought this really great online book for $8 and it's really terrific! It focuses on making potty time fun and a happy event. I'm happy to say I've succeeded! Every time the timer goes off I shout "It's POTTY TIME! POTTY TIME!" All the while dancing and jiving all the way to the bathroom and she's started to do it too! Now when the timer goes off she runs ahead of me flailing her little arms and dancing to the potty! Then when we get there, if she pees she gasps and smiles and it's so funny. And when she does number 2, she LAUGHS hysterically at every splash. It is so funny. I would video it for you but I think she might then have ample ammunition against me should she ever employ some mother-hating therapist, who would then blame me for her inability to poop regularly...or whatever. But it's the cutest thing ever. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks so. But really, I've never seen anyone so joyous over poop!

Letter to Veronica

My dearest Veronica,

You turned 2 this week. I can't believe how big you are and how fast it happened! You're my cuddly nugget and I love you so much. Right now, we are the best of friends. We do everything together. We have never been separated for more than a few hours at a time. We're like siamese twins!

When you were born, I felt completed. Like I had finally done whatever it was I was supposed to do. Nothing I have ever done has made me happier than you. I said so many times, I'll never forget this moment, or that moment and so I didn't write it down and now I know I've lost so many things. So many moments are gone already. I want to record everything that hasn't gone to wherever lost thoughts go. So let's start with the day you were born.

January 23, 2006

Right after you were born, I wasn't able to hold you because of some complications so you got passed around from Daddy to Nana to Gramma to Popo and Pa before I even got to hold you! I was busy passing out (and having smelling salts shoved up my nose!) It wasn't pleasant. But when I finally got to hold you I couldn't take my eyes off you! And I wouldn't let them take you to the nursery. You stayed with me the whole time we were there. And you were a good baby right from the start. You took to nursing like a pro! No one had to show you what to do.

When we took you home, we had some adjusting to do! You slept with me for 9 whole months! And when we tried to put you in your bed, it was a struggle. But we got through it. You were always a sunny baby. So sweet and cuddly! Popo once asked me if I was ever going to put you down! When you were brand new, I strapped you to me in the baby wrap and you went with me everywhere! For the first 2 weeks, I don't think I did put you down! I ate dinner with you on my tummy, I slept sitting up with you on my tummy...I just didn't want to let you go. I think the rest of the family was getting a little annoyed. I was a Veronica hog! Daddy especially loved it when you would sleep on him. The first time you saw your Daddy, the day you were born, you smiled at him. And everyone says that newborns don't smile. But several people witnessed it. You smiled. You wrapped him around your finger in that moment. My child, you shall never want for anything as long as you ask your Daddy. He's a sucker for you.

Strangers always commented to us when we took you out at how shocked they were at your good behavior! I joked that you were my "fine dining" baby. We could take you to a 4 star restaurant and no one would even know you were there! You just loved being with me. And I with you.

I am so in love with every little part of you. Your button nose and your perfect ears. We sat around and stared at each other a lot in the beginning! And my camera is full of close ups of your toes, ears, chubby fingers...you were simply stunning. The most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

I'm not very good at being organized, and I meant to make you a baby book and I meant to keep track of all of your accomplishments and all of your "firsts", but I got sidetracked. So, while I don't remember when you rolled over, I do remember you were so proud of yourself! And I remember when you first pulled up all by yourself in your crib at Grammy's in Hawaii. You had so much fun on that trip. You crossed an ocean four times before you were a year old! You learned how to walk in Hawaii. Only 9 months old and you were walking!

And I know your first word was "mama" and I loved hearing it. Now, you call me Mommy. And I love that too. You're talking so much now. You can put two and three words together and it's so cute. Right now, as I'm writing, you're playing with your clay and you've made a baby and you are telling me, "Ur baby sleep! Yes, baby sleep!" And you are rocking your baby to sleep. You've grown so much and your personality is becoming so solid. You're just like your Daddy. Somewhat anti-social, you like to pretend you're asleep if anyone new wants to talk to you, shy of strangers, and so loving and so sweet. You love kisses and huggies. When you wake up from your naps you love to be held and hugged. I love your cuddly nature.

Here are some other things I love about you.

1. The way you say "Laura", sounds like "Warra" (one of your favorite Veggie Tales)

2. The way you hum when you kiss me

3. Your cheesy smile

4. Our quiet time in the morning when you come to bed with us

5. They way you love your dog, Iz and how gentle you are with her

6. Your sparkly blue eyes

7. The sound of your voice...

Basically, I love everything about you. You will always be my baby, no matter how big you get. I would be lost without you. You are so special to me. I am so proud of your accomplishments and how you find joy in little things. I think you're bright and sunny and a delight to be with.

When things get rough, and they will, and we don't agree and you want another mother, just promise me you'll read this and try to remember when you and I were like peas and carrots!

I love you, Sweetiepea. I'm so glad God made me your Mommy.