Baby Giveaway!

I'm giving away one 7.5 month old baby. She's current on her shots and very healthy. She's a little on the large size, but it's just proof she's healthy. The reason I've got to get rid of her is SHE NEVER SLEEPS!!!!

For some bizarre reason she will sleep at Stefanie's house but not at her own. It's not because she let's her cry (she says she doesn't at least). She's up every 3 hours at night and today she slept for a total of 15 minutes. I put her down for bed and she slept an additional 10 minutes and is now awake. I tried letting her cry after 30 minutes and snot running down her face I gave up. We've tried swaddling (used to do the trick, now she can just sit up and stand up and scream), music, a mobile, pacifier (she won't have anything to do with it). AUGH!

Working and trying to take care of a kid at the same time is NOT working! If anyone has suggestions I would be GLAD to hear them!! We are stuck between not being able to afford to pay a babysitter and not being able to make more money while not having a babysitter!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
We had a great New Year this year. We were glad to see the end of 2008. It was definitely a year of many ups and downs. Obviously our biggest up was the birth of Isabella and the jury is still out on if the lay-off is an up or a down.

My Mom flew in the day after we got home from Virginia. She was going to come out in the middle of January, but her cousin was having a surprise 70th birthday party, so she changed her tickets and came out early.

We all went to the surprise party. They did a great job of surprising him! He was definitely shocked. He's like an uncle to me, so it was great to see him and his family. He has done so much to be supportive of my mom and help her with us kids. When I was 18 and needed a break from my life he let me come and live with him for a few months. He participated in our wedding and again in Isabella's blessing. He has always been there for me when asked.

That party was early on New Year's eve. I wasn't going to have a party here this year because our November and December were WAY too crazy to plan one. It was just going to be Amber, Paul, Mom, Frank and I. Then Heather called the day before and said she had a babysitter, and so did Stefanie and Amy, since Amber and Paul were already coming over I invited them as well. Well, Paul got sick and Amber was jet-lagged from going to England so they both bailed. I was glad that I had invited my other friends as well, or it would have been a VERY boring New Year's Eve. They all came over after we got home from the birthday party. We ate lots of food and played Taboo. Boys against Girls. The girls ended up winning, despite the boys cheating! They were here until 2 in the morning! This was the first time in quite a few years that I managed to make it until New Year's day. There were lots of laughs that night, despite "someone having to invite their MOM!" :)

New Year's day Mom and I went to see Twilight with Stefanie, Heather, and Heather's MIL. It was a good movie. I wasn't expecting much. I tried to read the book and got 75 pages into it and hated it so I never finished it. I had heard good things about the movie, so I went with an open mind. I was quite surprised how much I liked it. Would I see it 6 times like some people? No, but I will probably see the sequel's and I might even read the book. All the hype about the guy in it being gorgeous is ridiculous. He's not at all!!

After we got back from the movie we went to Alyson's for dinner. For 6 months Alyson and I have been saying we would get together and have never managed to make it. She invited Stefanie and Wesley and Frank, Mom and me over for dinner New Year's day. We had a great time and it was fun to get to know her family more. Frank was excited that he would be able to have dinner with some of my friends and drink alcohol (Alyson's husband is not Mormon, either).

Mom was here the rest of the week until Saturday. We didn't do much except shop and take down the Christmas decorations. I should say, Mom and Frank took down the decorations while I finished Bevan's beanie from Christmas.

Christmas adventures

I hope everyone had as great of a holiday season as we did.

We had a great trip to New York and Virginia for Christmas. We spent 4 days in New York, until Christmas eve. It was nice to relax for the first time in a month, when I get my video camera fixed, I'll upload some video of Bella. Isabella got to meet her Grandpa Frank and all her DeVito cousin's, aunts and uncles for the very first time. She loved all the attention. She was such a good girl, she never once cried when someone she didn't know would hold her. She started eating 3 meals a day while we were there. She's a GREAT eater, she's yet to refuse a food. She has two bottom teeth now.

After New York we went to Virginia to see Frank's Brother and his wife and kids. We got there on Christmas eve and went to their friends (might as well be family) house. Again, Isabella was great with everyone! When we came in Renee (SIL) and Paige (Friend) and I all started crying
(they started it, I just followed). The kids wondered what they were crying about and Paige said, "We never thought Frankie would get married, let alone have a kid!" It was fun for me to get to see Frankie with Bella and his family. We we got there Isabella had just started to be able to scoot backwards and was getting up on her hands and knees, by the day after Christmas she was crawling!! (Again, I'll post video when it's working). Christmas day was a day of family and relaxing. We had Christmas Dinner and Vinnie and Renee's house with just the family.

We went into D.C. the day after Christmas to see the Newseum. It was a very cool museum! They had a video of 9/11 from the reporter's point of view. I'm always amazed at how many times I've seen tributes or museums of what happened that tragic day, yet every time I see them I'm brought to tears. I feel like it was the day our country lost it's innocence. They had about 80 papers' front pages from that day and the day after. It was amazing to see how the different countries were affected by the event as well.

In the Newseum they had a 4d movie. It was a 3d movie that seats moved and blew air and water on you. It was VERY cool!

We also went to the Marine Corp. museum. It was a HUGE museum with the history of the marine corp. from when it began. They had artwork that Marine's had done that was very touching.

We had a great time seeing our family. It's hard for us to be so far away from them, but it's great when we do get to see them. Hopefully, now that Frank doesn't have vacation days to contend with we will be able to make trips back East to see them more often.

Christmas in New York. . . Is there anything more magical?

I don't think so!
We got to New York this morning at 9 am EST. We were supposed to leave CA at 10 pm but our flight was delayed 3 hours because of snow in New York. I was a little nervous what this would do to Bella, getting on a plane at 1 am! She was an ANGEL!! She fell asleep the minute we sat down and I forced her to wake up to nurse when we were landing because I was worried about her ears, because she came down with a cold 4 days ago. Murphy's Law at work!!

Bella loves the other 1/4 of her family. She fell asleep on the couch with Uncle Tommy, she never does that with either Frank or me.

Tonight we are going to dinner with Frankie's sister and her daughters. Should be fun! Those of you that know the history say a little prayer for us!

coming up for air

I think I might be catching a breath of fresh air, but I'm going back under tomorrow.

It has been an ABSOLUTELY insane month. I thought having Frank at home would give me so much more time, unfortunately it doesn't, fortunately it does mean that he is doing his job and getting me LOTS of new clients!

I'll update all the details later but here's the overview.

I've been a crocheting mad woman before Thanksgiving. I gave all my nieces and nephews beanies. Nevermind Bevan's (the youngest boys) beanie, I made it WAY too small, so I have to make him another one. It's on my list.

We went to Utah for Thanksgiving. We had a great time, we were there for 10 days.

Since then all we've done is work. I FINALLY got my Christmas stuff up on Saturday, we are leaving Friday for New York and so we only get to enjoy it for 6 days. Oh well! I felt like we needed to for Bella's first Christmas. Not that she will remember or cares, but it made me feel like not such a slacker mom!

Frank and I decided we can't run a business out of our house without help. We are getting our nanny/assistant back starting in January. THANK GOODNESS! She came one day last week and will be here two days this week and then won't be back until after New Year's.

Last night was the ward Christmas party. Santa got sick, so Frank had to fill in. That's him in the picture on the top. He was such a good sport about it!

Hidden Talent

My friend Heather has been teaching me to crochet. I crochet Bella's blessing blanket for her this summer (with the help of my mom, she'd take over when my hands would get tired). She tried to teach my how to make baby booties (her specialty) I didn't do so great at those! Somehow I got the idea to start making beanies. I went with Heather to buy yarn during the yarn sale at Michael's and got some yarn to make beanies for my nieces for Christmas. They turned out so STINKING cute! On Tuesday when Frank took Bella to Stefanie's house he put the beanie I made for her on her. So Stefanie (being the amazing photographer she is) took pictures of Bella in it.

Enjoy!

I love this picture. Her face is hilarious! She has started sucking her bottom lip and pulling these funny faces.

Tuesdays with Mallory

I'm stealing this story and pictures from Stefanie "Mormons" blog because it's such a cute story and I want it in Bella's book at the end of the year.

Tuesdays while I work Bella goes to Stefanie's house and plays with Bella, or "Baby Beba" as Mallory calls her. Once she's dropped off, Mallory wants Stefanie to put Bella in the swing they have. She always turns the swing on, pushes the swing so Bella can "go high", and Mallory always makes sure Bella has LOTS of toys.

This last Tuesday, Mallory thought Bella would like to have Mallory's blanket, kitty, baby and the baby's bottle. I mean, who wouldn't want all those things piled on top of them?
"I'll share with her.""Here you go, Baby Beba"This is the face of sheer pleasure. I'm sure she's thinking, "Are you really going to just sit and watch this?"

Another story about Bella at Mallory's: Stefanie will sit Mallory on the couch with Bella to give her the bottle. After about 2 seconds Mallory will say, "Aw done, aw done, aw done," and proceed to start to push Bella off her lap. Of course Stefanie is always there to catch her, I think it's so cute that as soon as she's done, that's it, it's over.