Cakes, Mistakes, and Learning From Them

This first cake was my first attempt at basketweave, my second at drop flowers. Thankfully, there are so many drop flowers that by the end, I think I finally got them down! This cakes major error? I should have turned on the a/c and let it get nice and cold. The icing melted horribly and I had to put it in the fridge every few minutes so I could work with it. And the coffee in the mocha buttercream started to separate so the bottom rope has dark spots.




I made my first "novelty pan" cake this past weekend. Boy, do I have a lot to learn. I think it turned out great considering, but there's a few finishing touches that it could use. For example, how on earth can I get the sides smooth when it's a shaped cake??? Regardless, it was a delicious spring cake mix with lemon buttercream icing.

Diary of Early Potty Training

We have been debating how to potty train our daughter for some time now. As soon as she could sit unsupported (which was rather late...almost seven months) I started taking her into the bathroom with me when I had to go number one so she could get used to being in there. Even more, we were hoping this would help encourage the "Ooo...Look what Mommy's doing..." and she would want to as well. For some time now, she has been signing "poop" after she fills her diaper so between that and sitting up, we thought we'd give the ol' potty training a go.

The next step was to choose either a training seat or a potty chair. After much research and debate, we chose the Potette Plus - 20in-1 Portable Potty & Trainer. First off, 50 reviews and it still has 5 stars? One, please!!! And secondly, we decided potty training would be a lot easier if she had something she was comfortable using outside of our home. Our daughter is a little small to be completely comfortable on it, but it's a great seat and she's gotten rather used to it. All in all, I'd say it's a very good buy.

With the training methods research done and a training seat in hand, we set out to the bathroom. So far, so good. She's no pee pee prodigy, but give her a break...she started at nine months!

Week 1: Little V went potty twice on the first day of using the big people bowl. Go, girl, go! She has since developed a slight fear of being up there during the rest of the week and won't go even if I run the water in the tub or sink. Hmmmm.... Not sure what to do about that.

I've also noticed that if I give her 1/3 of a sippy cup of apple juice all at once, she's ready to go in twenty minutes. It does not work the same for a bottle.

Saturday and Sunday we left town and failed miserably at getting her to the toilet. I'm continuing to sign "bathroom" every time we go in, but she hasn't picked that one up yet.

Week 2: I am so under the weather, this just isn't going to happen...

More updates to come!

#3: Tough love. 'Nough said.

Intimates Shmintimates

Over the last seventeen months, my body has changed. Dramatically. I am tall, thin, and have always been "underweight." I say this not to make people jealous, not to brag, not to have weird internet stalker guys drooling, but to hopefully be of some help.

The reason my body has undergone numerous sizes is because I had my first child. While I loved every second of getting, being, and recovering from being pregnant (yes, even the throwing up on the side of the road, the stitches, and the wondering if I'll ever fit into my favorite jeans again), I recently have had difficulties shopping.

During my pregnancy I gained somewhere around 35-40 pounds. Most of which was gained in my belly. From there, the bulk of the weight wound up in my bra. And herein lies the reason for my post.

I read a statistic somewhere that 80% of all women are wearing the wrong bra size. I can believe it! I am very particular about the bras I wear and purchase. They must first and foremost be comfortable. Supportive comes in at a very close second. I then need something very mommy-friendly with a hint of sex appeal. I am, after all, a woman!

I've waited over eight months since having my daughter, and more than a month since I stopped breast-feeding to be sure I am at my new size. In all honesty, I expected to be a tad bit larger but I am in fact smaller. Or at least I'm too small for the bras I had been wearing. I decided to do things right so I hit up Google for some tips on bra fitting and used Victoria's Secret and HerRoom for measurement suggestions. I made sure to try on the size the links suggested as well as a band size and cup size one step up and down. I probably tried on about a total of fifty bras from six or seven different manufacturers and settled on two types:

Gilligan & O'Malley's gel push-up padded bra: I love the push-up part for support but it isn't over-done! This brand matched my measurements and band and cup size exactly.

Rene Rofe: plain-Jane generic white necessary for the underwear drawer of every woman. This particular bra ended up being up one band size and down one cup size.

All I need now is a strapless I feel supported in and I'm set!

I am very excited at having a bra that meets all of my criteria, which is why I've written this post. Sure, it's a bit personal, but if it helps even one woman out there find something that makes her feel great about her body, then it was worth the discomfort of everyone who happened across this by accident!

Good luck ladies, and happy bra shopping!

Valentine Cake

Cake:
Duncan Hines white cake mix
Buttercream icing
Raspberry whip cream filling

Note: I had a hard time getting the icing to smooth for multiple reasons. The biggest reason is that I was afraid of adding too much milk and ending up with runny icing. A friend of mine suggesting using heavy whipping cream instead. Definitely going to try that next time!

Mocha Magic

(Recipe by Wilton)

This was for a couples' game night in honor of some friends getting married. They are having a wedding at the beach and a Hawaii honeymoon!

Cake:
Duncan Hines Devil's food cake mix
Mocha buttercream icing
White chocolate cream cheese filling
Fanci-fill pan

Shells:
White candy melts
Peanut butter filling

Mommy Adventures

1. I'd never thought I'd hear myself say, "Please stop rolling in the dirt and trying to chew on the car battery." This was said to my daughter while we were in our house. No, I'm not a bad mother. Yes, it's cleaning day.

2. I smell of vomit.

3. My daughter will eat anything I put in her mouth. An-y-thing. So when she throws up from it twenty minutes later, I feel personally responsible and wonder if I've somehow lost a bit of her trust.

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Baby sleeps!

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Dial white tea and vitamin E = love. Refill package = major love.

First Words

Because my own mother couldn't remember how old I was for my first tooth, I pulled out my baby calendar and looked it up myself. I was almost nine months. I highly doubt my mother-in-law knows when my husband got his first tooth, but I'm hoping it wasn't much later than that. Baby can't be feverish forever. I also noticed that before all the teeth that are chronicled, it was written that I "had a very runny nose and a bad cold." How funny is it that everything we read now says that a runny nose is a symptom of teething?

But again, I digress. I also found my first on the calendar. They were, in this order: Mama, Nononono, shut up.

Interesting. Not much has changed.

First Word

Little V signed her first word today. I guess technically she typed her first word the other day while video chatting with grandparents. She typed, "n,uuuuuuuuuuuuuuk" and I was so proud ;) But I digress.

Today while changing a poopy diaper, she was playing with her hands for once instead of trying to touch her bits and pieces. (She's finally realized that when I open her diaper, there is stuff down there. Yay.) She was fussy during lunch so when she finished, I laid her down again. After twenty minutes or so, V had settled down so I went to get her. Realizing she had crapped her pants again, I laid her down on the changing table and she started playing with her hands. Twice today, the "playing with her hands" was really her signing, "poop." Only my kid would have that as a first word!

Valentine's Card

This was a fun idea that came into my head for the upcoming Hallmark holiday. Generally, I don't do anything out of the ordinary, but I figured there are some people out there who would love a little snail mail from my daughter.

Supplies: In addition to what you see, I used 3-D heart stickers and ultra fine point Sharpie markers in Valentine's colors. Also, instead of using fancy adhesives, a glue stick would have worked just fine. My favorite thing about this project is that most of the supplies were from the dollar section of Target! Also, I love the Value pack of plain cards and envelopes from Michaels, purchased with a 40% off coupon of course!

Step 1: Be sure to have a wet cloth ready! Use a sponge brush to paint the bottom of baby's foot. Quickly roll it onto plain white paper. Do this for as many cards as you will make leaving plenty of space.

Step 2: Do the same to the opposite foot. Line up the heel of baby's foot with the heel on paper and make a "V" shape while rolling the second foot. Let the heart feet dry and move on to the cards.

Step 3: Stamp the inside of your cards. Then write simple Valentine's notes inside.

Step 4: Cut craft paper to fit the outside of your cards and attach to the cover. Embelish with two thin horizontal strips.

Step 5: When heart feet are dry, cut them out in heart-shapes! I am terrible at free-handing anything so I folded mine first to make the hearts somewhat symmetrical. Be sure to look at both sides while cutting so all toes make the final cut!

Step 5: Adhere the paper hearts to the front of the cards. Add a 3-D sticker as the finishing touch!

Step 6: Stuff those envelopes and, if your child is old enough, seal with a lipstick kiss!

Raspberry Fudge Cheesecake

Wilton Recipe

Currently reading: Emma, by Jane Austen.

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Gotta love recipes off the back of a Stove Top Stuffing container!

#2: Driving 13 miles out of the way to go to the store so sick baby will fall asleep for a nap on the way there. Then proceeding to walk very slowly through said store to give baby a longer nap.

Testing testing 1 2 3...

Why is it that my texted blogs aren't going through? This is most certainly not good...

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This and That

Saturday at 11:30 a Rescue worker is coming to pick up our little boy and bring him to his foster home. Our poor little dog is no longer happy in our home and is becoming aggressive. Unfortunately, we think it's best to give him up so that another family can love him and make him happy again. While V absolutely adores him, it isn't worth the risk that his aggression will be directed towards her too. We got the call yesterday that a foster home is ready for him. I laid in bed awake last night thinking about packing his things.

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Nostalgia: a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time

My past is haunting me again. Though bridges haven't been burned, I've definitely cut those ties. I feel like part of me has been lost. I'd like to get that part back again. My husband hasn't known that side of me, but I'd like him to. Being complete will add to an overall one-of-a-kind person and make for an undoubtedly unique stay-at-home-mom.

Next Home

Requirements for our next purchase:

-located closer to the beach
- >1200 sq. ft
-3 br/2ba
-family room/den/office
-lots of counter and cabinet space in kitchen
-closet space galore

Bonus if it has:

-4 br
-fireplace
-lawn service
-garage
-community park
->1600 sq. ft

It can be done.

Mad Mom Skillz

I've decided to randomly post some of my exceptional talents (a.k.a. the things I do well as a mom) because a lot of the little things go unnoticed and under-appreciated. They won't be posted in any particular order except chronologically as I give myself a, "Well done, Baby Mama, well done."

Without further ado:

#1 The ability to hold down the arms, legs, and head of an infant who is fighting it while wiping major snot from her nose.

Just Finished Reading

Frankenstein = Love.

This morning was the last time I will ever breastfeed my daughter. I'm not sure yet how this makes me feel. If weaning was because of age and not out of necessity, I think it would be a lot more emotional.

On a happier note, it was also the first time in six months that I've had a cup of coffee (although technically, I had 3) and all I can say is helloooo Jamaican Sunrise!

I also started a new bottle of foundation today and am feeling like a rock star. It's more likely a result of the shirt I'm wearing, but who cares. Every girl loves fresh makeup!

Let tax season begin.

To Sleep or Not to Sleep

I watched Kite Runner tonight with my husband. I still feel nauseous. Thankfully, I don't have an immediate need to go to bed. My rather vivid imagination and mild paranoia causes some interesting dreams that lead to sleep walking and I'm not in the mood for half-conscious fear for my life.

On another note, V slept two nights in a row without needing added assistance. After the first week home from the hospital, we haven't had any problems during the night. That is until about two weeks ago. The joys of teething are constant drool, chewing, diarrhea, diaper rash, refusal to eat (which has never happened in her seven month history...even for oral vaccinations), snot rockets and bubbles, and the late night scream fests.

Here's hoping to a merciful evening.

First Post

I always feel anxiety when I've created a blog. The first post is supposed to be enlightening, engaging, and thought provoking. While I could explain the ways of Venus and Mars, tell a tear-jerking anecdote of my childhood that defines who I am today, or create an editorial of the latest health care happenings, I will instead blog about nothing. Why? So I don't let the first-post jitters create a precedent for blogs to come.