Help, help, HELP!!!

This little girl is killing us! Don't let the sweet face fool you. She is being a stinker.

She has decided recently that going to bed is for the weak. I take that back. She has decided that sleep in general is for the weak. She has dropped down to one nap a day. On occasion she'll throw a second pity nap in for us, but usually just the one nap. And if it were a good nap, okay, but it's usually about an hour. Not nearly long enough.

And now she's decided to completely ignore all bedtime rules. We have had the same routine for months and months. We have dinner, play a bit, tub, stories, snuggles and bed. Well, all of that is the same except when it gets to the snuggles and bed part. Now she will snuggle and sort of pretend to go to sleep, but as soon as she thinks we're headed for the crib...bad news.

She grabs on like a spider monkey and starts howling. She absolutely refuses to go down. It is heartbreaking. We know she needs the sleep, we know she's tired, but still a huge fight to go to bed. It's only been in the last week or so, but it feels like forever! The interwebs said it's the 55 week development spurt, but I don't know...

Please help! I can't stand her crying and getting so upset before bed. Suggestions, thoughts, high proof alcohol to share?

Flashback Friday {Who Are They?!}

I usually do TRDC writing prompts on Friday, but man, I just can't make my brain...you know...do that thing it does...think? So I'm going to join up with Christopher and Tia's Friday Flashback for the first time. I've seen it around for awhile and love getting these glimpses into people's past. It feeds my nosey-ness :)

You see those kids? Those babies? If you guessed it is Husband and I from a million years ago you'd be right. This was taken in a photo booth in a tiny mall (affectionately called the small) near my college within a few months of us getting together. So I'd say somewhere towards the end of 1997, maybe November...
Don't recognize us? Hang on...let me add Husband's crazy beard and some gray hair for us both. Okay, lots of gray hair.

Better? Yeah, I bet that helped. Heh. And that little heart in the bottom corner you ask? Well Husband and I were walking into the room we had booked for our honeymoon for the first time and something right outside the door catches his eye. He bends down and it's this little confetti heart. We have no idea where it came from, and never found another one, but it's been with us ever since.

You can click on either picture to enlarge. If you want to see much younger us in that much detail. Okay maybe you don't want to click...

That was fun...thanks Christopher and Tia for such a great linky!

Hooray! Free Stuff for 3 Winners!

So continuing the Grand Opening Week of Home Made Happy we're going to give away some free stuff! Who doesn't love free stuff...who I ask you?!

We'll have 3 winners. Yup...3!! HOORAY!

First Place = $50 HMH Store Credit
Second Place = $30 HMH Store Credit
Third Place = $15 HMH Store Credit

Okay so there are LOTS of ways to enter:

1. MANDATORY! Become a public follower of Unofficial Mom. (1 entry)
Sample comment: I follow UM.

2. Go to Home Made Happy and tell me what you'd pick if you win. (1 entry)
Sample comment: I'd get one of each product (heh).

3. Add the Unofficial Mom Button to your blog. (1 entry)
Sample comment: I added the UM button at blahblahblah.blogspot.com

4. Add the Home Made Happy Button to your blog. (1 entry)
Sample comment: I added the HMH button at blahblahblah.blogspot.com

a href="http://www.homemade-happy.com" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Home Made Happy" src="http://i742.photobucket.com/albums/xx63/sdenison/HomeMadeHappy%20Elements/HMHbutton-1copy.png"/></a>

5. Blog, Facebook, Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link. ( 1 entry each)
Sample comment: I blogged about this giveaway at blahblahblah.blogspot.com

And don't forget to leave your email so I can get in touch if you win!!

Good Luck!!!

Giveaway ends Thursday, February 3rd at 11:59 pm (Eastern). Winner will be announced Friday, February 4th.

Wordy Wednesday {A Year Later}

January 25, 2010 at 5:00 pm was huge for us. In this state there is a ten day period after an adoption, during which the bio parents can change their minds and regain custody of the child. No questions asked. The way they figure out the days is an odd system, but the big thing is that the tenth day must be on a business day.

It was the longest ten days of our lives. On the tenth day we sat staring at the phone, waiting for the call. 4:45, no call. We just need to wait. 4:47 still no call. More waiting. 4:52, 4:53 no call. 4:55:07, 4:55:28 no call. We were a ridiculous mess. It was 5:01 when we found out that all was good. We called Pie's Bio Mom and she had basically forgotten about the deadline. She had been at the library and had gotten absorbed in whatever she was doing. While we spent ten days (well actually 13 days) on pins and needles, she had gone about her life. She had made the decision and it had been final. There was no need for the waiting period as far as she was concerned. That was so reassuring to me.

This picture was taken about 5:15. There was crying, squeezes, champagne, hoorays, kisses and more crying.
And this picture was taken last night (January 25, 2011) one year later, at about the same time. Oh how things change in a year. This time instead of tears of joy, there's simply joy. This time instead of shock and awe, there is only awe.

Okay, so now I'm crying. What a sap! I am so madly in love with my family. And I am so lucky. So, so lucky.

Good News, Everyone!

Bonus cool points for anyone who thought of Professor Farnsworth after reading that title.

After months of crazy hard work by me, Husband, and the fantastic Laura Jane of Call Me Laura Jane and Laura Jane Designs (who also designed this blog) I'm beyond happy and excited to announce the grand opening of my very own store!

Home Made Happy is the result of lots of encouragement and a desperate need to find a creative outlet. I really hope you guys will take a second and look around. Everything was made by hand and with lots of love!

Later this week there may be some free stuff up for grabs :D

Party Overload

So this is Part 1 of the birthday recap. The post of a million pictures.

I think I mentioned that we did a Winter One-derland theme, so lots of ice blue, silver and white. And it started with the invite that I put together in photoshop. The real version looked a little better spacing-wise, but the blog edit throws it off some.

And there were lots and lots of decorations and goodies around.


The birthday girl made her grand entrance all dressed up, in a shirt Middle Sister had made for her (thanks sisso!) She originally had on some black, high-top chucks too, but those got ditched early on for easier running around.


And then presents...

And then cookies and cake. All made by Kristin at Kuppy Kakes by Kristin. They were gorgeous AND delicious. What more could you ask for?! The little cookie pops (so cute) on Pie's smash cake spelled her name. And were the perfect size for her!

And here's a good shot of the highchair banner I made for the party.
And now...she's ONE!

TRDC - Talk the Talk

This week's assignment:
Hemingway was famous for his super sparse writing. He used almost only dialogue in many of his works. Write a piece in which you use ONLY dialogue.

The Result:

"Uhhh! They're finally asleep," Mary sighed as she flopped onto the couch. "I swear Henry would have had a gallon of water if I'd let him. He kept swearing he was still thirsty. And Mags wanted to read every book she owns."

"Deep breaths, love. Deep breaths. This margarita should help too." Dan said as he joined her on the couch.

"Oh I knew there was a reason I loved you. What are we watching?"

"I don't think there's anything on, and nothing new on DVR. I guess let's check the On-Demand stuff."

"What channel does that start on?"

"I think 400 or maybe 450."

"Oh!" Mary said in surprise, "Hello adult content. Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Nooooo. But since we're here, let's just take a look."

"Well, Busty Booty Bus 2 looks like a real winner."

"We can't watch that one." Dan said quite seriously.

"Why not?"

"Because we didn't see the original Busty Booty Bus. So we won't know any of the backstory, or how the characters made the decision to ride the Busty Booty Bus. Or why the experience was so good that they felt compelled to ride it again."

"Good point," Mary said, "I mean, how could we possibly follow along. And, of course, there's the bigger issue of how involved the bus driver gets. I'm guessing he just occasionally glances in the mirror otherwise they'd never get anywhere...if you will."

"Maybe it's like a tour situation where there are pre-planned stops where the driver can get involved with the bustiness."

"Or the booty-ness depending on his preference."

"Of course. Maybe both if he's feeling frisky. But I think the the more interesting question is whether or not Busty Booty Bus is the name of the bus line, or if it's like a certain tour that Greyhound offers."

"Clearly there are too many uncertainties for us to get involved with this movie. How about we watch Shrek Forever After instead."

"Yeah, that's...that's just as good."

*Blogger is being a total jerk and completely ignoring my formatting. So please excuse the non-paragraph paragraphs.