Here you go Joni...

And for anyone else who still checks....... Blake takin' the mic

I love this one because you can see her face through Darth Vader's (sp?) eye hole

Blake with uncle Barry
She didn't love the mac and cheese as much as she loved using her own fork

Computer hog...this is why I can't get on to blog anymore

B got a huge misquito bite on her ear and it swelled up. I didn't think it would ever look the same again...but it does.

Playing in the sprinkler

Yea!!! mommy stopped being lazy and finally posted about me!!!

Blogging Sabbatical

By definition a sabbatical is a rest from work. I have not been doing that AT ALL. But I haven't been blogging...obviously. We are trying to get some stuff figured out in our lives and I thought taking a break from the blogging world would help but it really hasn't. So I'm back. And since it has been so long here is a list of things that have gone in my life during my "sabbatical". I hope this isn't boring...

1. My parents took Blake to Abilene for a long weekend so Ryan and I went to Dallas for a mini vacation.
2. I tried bubble tea for the first time...amazing.
3. We went to IKEA.
4. Worked in the yard...picking up leaves.
5. Mom got Blake a sand box and we filled it with sand and she plays in it all the time! It was a great purchase.
6. Made a list of things that need to be done around the house.
7. Cried because they stopped publishing Cottage Living.
8. Tried to join Facebook three times and it wouldn't let me...guess I'm not cool enough.
9. Caught Blake playing croquette (sp?) in the backyard with the spatula from the grill and a dog turd.
10. Started my spring break by going to Edmond to visit Ryan's family.
11. Went to Abilene during my spring break to hang with mom, dad, Heather, Laine, Bowen, Robin, Linda and Reegan. It was great fun.
12. Audrey came to visit me at the end of my spring break because she is moving to London...ridiculous.
13. Shauna and her fam came over while Audrey was in town for a cookout.
14. Picked up some more leaves...
15. I went back to school...it's a hard thing to do after a week off!!!!!
16. Took Blake to the Dallas World Aquarium
17. Played outside...A LOT!
18. Spilled an entire cup of coffee on my pants in the parking lot of my school one morning
19. Ryan showed up at my school to bring me my pants but forgot my pants at home...
20. Wore sweat pants and a t-shirt that I found at school to teach the entire day...my underwear smelled like coffee
21. Went back to Abilene for Easter: we decorated eggs, hunted egss and played!
22. Finally got on Facebook...who wants to be my friend?
23. Started reading several books that I still haven't finished including: Gang Leader for a Day and The Shack...
24. We've been to Central Market to listen to music several times...one of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice
25. Got a bone density scan and it said I have a low bone density...Calcium supplements anyone??
26. Had a fun night out with the girls for Tara's birthday!
27. Started using one of those gradual self tanners because I am W-H-I-T-E! I can't decide if I like it yet.
28. Realized that I am a different size than I was last summer so none of my shorts fit...I hate buying shorts.
29. Getting ready for TAKS...it's this Thursday. Please pray that all my kids will pass and in order for that to happen, pray that the test is easier than last year!!!!
30. Heard the song "It won't be like this for long" on my way to school one morning and cried through the whole thing!
31. Been loving the age that Blake is right now...she is hilarious!! I love her more every single day!!
32. Gaining a deeper understanding of God's love as I watch my baby grow!
33. Picked up more leaves...have I ever mentioned that we have 36 trees in our backyard????
34. Got two...that's right two...tickets from those dang cameras for running red lights.
35. Working on what our future holds in terms of jobs, our house and where we want Blake to grow up
36. Started playing tennis again
37. Had a crick in my neck for a week...maybe it's because I have old woman bones
38. We've gone to the dog park a few times since the weather has been great!
39. Ryan and I have a new "deal," if you leave something in the living room and don't put it up you have to clean one room of the house chosen by the other person.
40. I have been counting down the days until summer since spring break
41. We went to the Main Street Arts Festival
42. We ate at the Love Shack in the Stockyards...best hot dog ever!
43. Ryan brought me flowers and a four pack of Virgil's rootbeer(the best ever) on a random day...he's the best!
44. We have a plague of disgustingly huge june bugs on our porch...the other day I needed to mail something and found about 700 in our mailbox....yuck!!!!!!!!
45. Have been spending way too much time watching American Idol and Biggest Loser...
46. I have cooked several new recipes lately
47. Since officially starting my facebook page yesterday (meaning I looked for friends etc) I have checked it about 10 times.
48. I have been writing this post for almost an hour and I am struggling to think of two more things to make it an even 50
49. Decided to go on a trip to Vegas with my mom and sister right after school is out
50. I missed blogging and checking other people's blogs...but I'm back now so please don't be mad anymore!!!

Sorry this was just a list and there are no pics...one thing at a time people.

si-ick

Tonight Ryan and I went to play tennis at some courts near our house. We let Blake wander around and play (i.e. dodge the balls we were hitting to each other). After a few minutes I look over and she is chewing on something..."Blake, what's in your mouth?" She opens it and chewed up gum falls out. siiiiiiiiiiiiiick!!!!

Bad Mom of the Day

First of all, I am a blogging maniac. This is my second post within 24 hours. Lookout!

Today I am playing stay at home mommy. I love to skip work for this! We started off the day with homemade french toast and then played while Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was on (I am in the habit of turning on cartoons in the morning. She does not watch them AT ALL. She loves the songs just not the cartoon. But secretly I love them!)

Then we got dressed and headed off to Target. I need a black shelf to put on the wall in Blake's room. Right when I got the cart she started moving her legs around like a martial artist so that I couldn't get them in the leg holes on the kid seat. So, I put her in the basket part. I do this all the time. She sits in there and looks around and sometimes stands but I go very slow. Yeah, I know. I am breaking the rules on the flippy down seat thing. It definitely has an X through a picture of a kid standing in the basket. AND NOW WE KNOW WHY...

I was in the book section looking at some books for Ryan and she stood up. The next thing I know she is reaching for something, puts her foot up on the side of the basket (she is climbing on everything lately) and FLIPS OUT OF THE BASKET!!!!! I had enough time to grab the back of her sweatshirt to break the fall a little but she flipped completely over and landed on her back. Somehow, she did not hit her head. I freaked! I picked her up and then immediately looked around to see who saw! Luckily, no one. I felt bad enough, I did not need anyone around to see what happended and freak out with me. She cried for about 30 seconds really hard until I found the pacifier in my bag and she stopped. I checked for bumps and bruises and amazingly there were none. I was sweating profusely.

We ended up leaving without a shelf but managed to find several "I'm sorry I put you in the basket and let you flip out on your back" purchases including: some sidewalk chalk, bubbles, a new stroller for her baby (the last one broke because she sat in it all the time) and some easter eggs.

Vegas...Here we Come!

Mimi, did you teach Blake a new trick on Monday?



Blake's rash...the rest of the story.

Blake's fever finally subsided and her rash disappeared. I have no idea what was wrong because I didn't take her to the doctor. By Monday she back to her old self!

Crate Training

We have been trying to crate train Stella. We tried with Lola too. We did really well... she slept at the foot of our bed for almost two years. We decided that we could not go through that again. So Stella has finally learned to sleep in the crate at night. She wakes up at the crack of dawn to pee but no more whining during the middle of the night. If you have ever had a puppy, or should I say a spoiled puppy, then you know it is very similar to having a baby. They wake up in the middle of the night and cry and whine and they need to go to the bathroom a lot and the pee on things and you have to clean it up...just like a baby.

The crate training worked so well with Stella, we thought we would try it with Blake.

Here she is going to bed...night night Blake.

It only took her a few nights to not get freaked out when we shut the door. We even gave her a blanket to sleep on. When she starts to get scared we just talk to her through the door and give her a treat every now and then.

Aaahhhh...nice and rested. As soon as she starts whining we hop out of bed and let her out to pee. Works like a charm.

Calling all mom doctors...

Blake's sick. It's Sunday. So I don't have many options. I could go to Care Now (yuck) but I would rather not. So, I need your help. Here are the symptoms:

Fever last night and the night before but not really during the day.

Did not sleep well...at all.

She still has an appetite.

Seems to be feeling ok.

Rash all over her tummy, under her arms, around her armpits and on her back.

And she has been making this face...

A LOT.

Ideas?

Our New Addition...

No, it's not a baby. Well, actually it is a baby but not a human baby. This is Stella Penelope Ware (Penelope is not her official middle name but it just came to me and I thought it flowed nicely) aka "Stelly". We decided that Lola needed a friend since we play with Blake more than her these days. Stella and Lola are bff.

No words...

Blake's 1st Birthday

First of all, sorry I didn't do this yesterday, Joni. And, sorry I didn't get a video. I tried. I have three of Blake standing in front of me trying to get the camera and me saying "Can you say Daddy? Can you say dog? Can you say peekaboo?" No, apparently she couldn't. Sorry, friend, this is all I've got. I also tried to record her saying "Thanks, AJ, for my sweet shirt. I love it!"

Here are some other things in life that I am slacking on...it's not just my blog!!!

1. I just unpacked my bag from our trip to Edmond. (We got back last Thursday, as in not this past one, the one before that.)

2. Our Christmas tree is still up. All the decorations are off, thanks to my mom, but it is still standing in front of our window.

3. Two trees in our front yard still have Christmas lights on them... from last year.

4. I was supposed to clean the house today but our bathroom and bedroom were so gross that I didn't have time for anything else after Blake woke up from her 2 HOUR NAP.

5. Ryan and I are "training" for a 10k. I ran twice... the week before last.

6. I have two finches for class pets. They came home with me over the break. I was running late every morning last week so I didn't take them to school with me. If I had, I probably would have noticed that they were out of food...Saturday I wondered why they weren't chirping. It's because they died.

BLAKE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY

We decided to only have a family party for Blake's first birthday. And in hindsight, this was a genius idea. Read on to find out why...

On her birthday (the 23rd) we were still at home and had lots of errands to run because we were leaving that night to head to A-town for the rest of the week. She did not feel good and had to get in and out of the car A LOT but we did get to turn her carseat around. Yippee!

This was probably the best part of her day. In fact, at one point I thought "I bet your birthday last year was better than this!"

We had Blake's party on Christmas Eve when the rest of my family came in town. She was still sick and desperately needed a nap. This face pretty much sums up how she felt about the whole thing.

But, we still tried to party on anyway. We sang, she blew out her own candle and we practically force fed her a cupcake to try to get the cute cupcake and icing all over your face picture. It didn't really work.

She did manage to open a few presents before nap time. And of course, loved the boxes just as much as the gifts themselves.

Any guesses what this was? Great wrapping, Paco!!!

After a few doses of some benadryl and some tylenol, we did finally get her to eat some icing at the end of the day.

Happy first Birthday, Blakester! I love you with all of my heart!

"Attention Passengers...

there will be a 24 hour layover on our journey. Sorry for the inconvenience. Might I suggest unloading all of the Christmas presents, checking out the after-Christmas sales for an hour or two, trying to do all of your laundry, exchange a few presents for different sizes or colors, wash and clean out your car, and re-pack all of your things to pass the time before we continue on our trip? Thank you for traveling with Ware-Express."

On this day in History

(actually just last year...I happy enough to remember exactly what I was doing on this day last year, there is no way I remember for any other year.)

It was Saturday December 22. I had just finished teaching my last classes the day before. (There were two other girls at school due after me and they both had their babies before me. I remember sitting at a faculty meeting on Thurs. the 20th and they announced that one of them had their baby the night before, everyone was like "yea that is so exciting", said in your fakest excited voice, and I said "That sucks!")

Ryan and I had some Christmas shopping to do so we were out and about all day. I can't remember all of the details from that day but I do remember that evening we went to Target to shop for stocking stuffers. We set a limit of $20 and each picked a letter. The other person had to buy stuff for your stocking that started with the letter you chose. It was really fun! And required quite a bit of creativity. Being 10 months pregnant I had a major case of pregnancy brain: I shopped for about 10 minutes and had a few things that all started with the letter I wanted and not the letter Ryan wanted so I had to start over.

Then we went over to Pei Wei for some supper. I ordered Pei Wei spicy with chicken and fried rice. Did I mention that I was 10 maybe 11 months pregnant at this point?? So I was willing to try the spicy food mumbo jumbo. When our order came I piled on the spicy mustard. Ryan just stared at me with his eyes wide.

We headed home and crashed on the couch for some tv movies, I wrote this entry at some point and I went to bed fairly early. Little did I know, I had a big day ahead!!!

Today, Blake and I met Mary Catherine and Alex at the mall for some last minute shopping and lunch. Blake played at the mall playground and has almost mastered walking. She stayed with Paco this afternoon so I could run a few more errands and is now sleeping soundly. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES!!!!

I realized last night at dinner that since this was a leap year Blake will be 366 days old tomorrow!

New Pics Like I Promised...

I am awesome!

My Hiatus

I just tried to log in and put in the wrong user name and the wrong password twice. That's how long it has been. I have not been posting for a number of reasons. And I also haven't been reading other blogs either. I get this weird guilt trip about not posting and I don't feel like I "deserve" to read other blogs when I don't update my own. So I have been out of the blog world for about a month!!! Lots of catching up to do!

I have many, many things to post about. I think that is another reason I haven't blogged in awhile....too overwhelming! I can't find the time to make one post, especially since I can't freaking log on at school anymore :( So thinking about all the topics I need to update about makes my head spin. I decided that I have enough going on in my world right now and bloggin should not be something to stress over. So, I am going to play catch up. Little by little. Maybe several new posts at once. If anyone is out there, try to keep up!!

Here are a few pics to hold you over until tomorrow (or maybe the next day!) Son of a .... you have go to be kidding. I just sat here for like 20 minutes waiting for these pics (and catching up on some blogs... it was totally legal because I wrote a post) and they didn't load!!!! Ahhhhh!!! I am giving up and trying again tomorrow! Night, night.

Poop

Update on Blakester: (I know this is what most of you care about anyway)

1. Blake's first Halloween was a success. We went with Joni, Beau and Grant to Boo at the zoo on the 26th and then went trick-or-treating with the Williams' and Mimi and Paco on halloween. So Blake was able to sport the chicken outfit twice, and what a cute chicken she was!!




2. Blake is saying a few "words". I put that in quotations because, really, most are hit or miss. But she does have some that she says consistently.
-bye (and waves)
-boo
- peekaboo
-mama
-dada
-og (for dog)
-she can't say "all done" but she can sign it (not with a pen, with her hands)


3. My favorite trick right now? She will fake sneeze. If she sneezes or you sneeze or you just fake sneeze, she will say "aaaahhhhhh cha." She will also fake cough very dramatically.


Side story:
(I was wanting to post this last week but I decided to wait until Ryan actually got back in town so no creepy internet people would find out where I live and kill me while he was gone.)

So, Ryan was out of town all last week for a thing for work (which was really an honor for him because one of the families that he works with was chosen by the state to come and speak at a conference and be an example for how well the counseling program Ryan uses works...did that make sense?) and this brings with it many challenges. Number one, Ryan is the one that drops Blake off in the mornings. So each morning I had to get both of us ready. Did I have to wake Blake up and get her out of bed. Nope. The sweet girl was still adjusting to the time change and was rising and shining at 6:15. Wednesday morning Blake was playing in our bed while I was trying to make myself get up and I see what is best described as snot coming out of her ear. Yes, her first ear infection and Ryan is out of town! She busted her ear drum and all kinds of grossness was oozing out of her ear. But she felt fine the whole time. So we can check first ear infection off of our list of things to do.


4. This isn't really an update on Blake but...we have started putting her in cold weather pjs and they are so stinking cute. See how excited she is?!?

5. And, drum roll please, Blake took her first steps tonight!!! Real steps. Not walking around the couch steps. She was standing in the middle of the room holding a pair of pjs and decided she wanted to play with her giraffe rocker (thanks, Robin!) and she took two steps over to it!

6. Also, Blake is having a lower GI done this Thursday at 10:00 to see if we can figure out what is causing her constipation (this inspired the title of the blog...). There are several things that could be causing it but they want to rule out some major stuff first. FYI, Blake has had poop issues her whole life, all 10 and a half months of it. It is really painful for her to poop but her tummy doesn't seem to hurt otherwise. So hopefully this is something she will grow out of or can take some medicine for. So, if you think of us, please say a prayer for Blake on Thursday!

THE END