Thirteen Love

'Nastics

2012-01-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

When Carly concluded her episode of care for her physical therapy with Cook Children's, her AWESOME therapist suggested that we enroll Carly in a gymnastics class. She said that it would not only provide good, therapeutic physical activity, but it would also give her the chance to be around other children, watch them in gymnastics and then try to imitate them. She was right. And, as a bonus, Carly LOVES it!

Each class starts with trampoline time. When we first started back in September, Carly wasn't jumping - she wasn't even thinking about jumping. Now she tries so hard and is so very, very close. I imagine that it will probably happen in the next month or two.

Her friend Laine is a great example to Carly.

This girl can JUMP!...and seat-drop, and doggie jump and jump tuck...

Carly especially loves to show off her skills to Coach Nicole.

BTW- Coach Nicole needs a medal. This girl is beyond patient and so, so, so, so good with kids.

The second station is circle time. There is always a new song with instructions and also a cool prop.
Carly's attention at this station has increased tenfold since we first started.

Then there is the rope over the foam pit. Carly used to not be scared of it. Coach Nicole and I would hold on to her and swing her out over the foam pit. Her muscle tone comes in to play on this one. Currently, she can't hold herself on the rope very well. A few weeks ago, she was holding on really well on her own, so Coach Nicole sent her flying over the foam pit. You should have seen the look of terror on her face! She immediately let go and started freaking out.

Since then, I can barely get her to even touch the rope. When it comes time for her turn, she shakes her head and her little hands and says "no, no, no, no. done, done, done, done." I am not sure how to make her overcome this fear.

Laine, on the other hand, LOVES to soar over the foam pit. She just won't let go and drop in to it yet. It is so funny to watch her because when she swings out, she looks at every one of the moms to make sure we are all watching her. Then, on her third swing, we all shout at her to drop and she just grabs the rope tighter and smiles. Little stinker!

The final station is floor exercises. This station requires the most amount of work from the mommies. Here she learns the basics - out, together, out, together...

forward rolls - which she is amazing at- ...

"cartwheels"...

Bear crawls - another exercise that I have seen great improvement in over the last few months -...

The bars. Carly is not a fan. She let go once and fell on her head. Ever since then she hasn't liked them much, but she will occasionally just hang on them or TRY to flip.

And there are several other floor exercises, too. They change them up each week.

And here is Carly with a few of her gymnastics friends - E and Laine (I can use Laine's name because her mom blogs about her).

We love us some 'nastics!

Park Date

2012-01-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

Also over the holiday break, Carly and I met up with our sweet friends K,K & their mom...K at the park.

I have decided that (unless thier mom blog sand uses thier names) I am going to refer to all of our kid friends by thier first initital. You know, for a little bit of privacy on this crazy thing we call the world wide web.

Carly loves playing wth the K twins. They live just a few streets away and are just a few months younger than she is. It is so fun to watch her get excited about playing with her friends! Especialy since she used to not like anybody except me and Freddy.

You know me - I had to take this opportunity to snap a few pics of my cutie and her cutie friends!

Suckers!

We love playing with the K twins!

Here's hoping that I can choose Carly's friends for the rest of her life based on how much I like their parents!!!!

January To-Do's

2012-01-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

Looking back at my December To-Do's...

I tried the (skinny) Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks. It wasn't for me.

I did clean up my ipod (thanks, Charlie, for the help) and I organized my photos, but not my digital picture frame...yet.

This month's to-do's:

1. Cook a butternut squash recipe

2. Re-purpose the sugar mold I bought in Canton SEVEN years ago!

3. Re-decorate the wall/table in the entry way

4. Make a new wreath for the front door.

What are you doing this month?

The zoo is closed

2012-01-08T16:16:00.000-08:00

Also while I was on my two-week break from work...We made plans with Rachel, Morgan and Jonah to meet up for an afternoon at the zoo. Did you know that the zoo closes at 4:00 p.m. on week days during the winter? Neither did we until about 2:30 when we were already on our way there.

So we opted for Trinity Park in Fort Worth instead. We could all rode the mini train together and then the kids played on the playground. It was a beautiful day and made for a great visit with friends.

Best Friends and their babies.

Jonah did so good on his first train ride!

We stuck the dads together. They looked kinda funny.

The Conoly's

Jonah took Carly for a ride in his truck

We had some spills...

And some near-spills...

But we all had a good time and I even managed to get a few cute pics.

After playing at the park, we headed to Pappasito's for dinner.

Jonah put the chip basket on his head.

Not to be shown up, Carly put a crayon on her head. Ha!

Side note:

After you become a mom you resign to the fact that your clothes will forever be covered in...stuff.

You never really know what all it is, do you?

When we were leaving the restaurant, Carly grabbed Jonah's hand and they walked through the restaurant and parking lot like this . Doesn't it just melt your little heart?

And since I couldn't get Blogger to move this picture, please enjoy this picture of Jonah as a parting gift.

Christmas Day

2012-01-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas day at Freddy's parent's house.

Carly didn't get any presents.

Ha! Yeah, right. She made out like a bandit AGAIN. Third time in less than 24 hours.

Nana made Carly an adorable Mickey Mouse blanket (and also a matching pillow and a matching mini blanket for her baby doll). That blanket is her new favorite. She has to have it every night when she goes to sleep. It's a super-thick fleece blanket, so I don't know what she is going to do in a few months when the Texas summer heat hits!

Christmas with the Clark men ALWAYS includes new tools.

And this Christmas I got a special Christmas surprise.

We bought bedroom furniture for Carly's big girl room from one of Fred and Lynn's neighbors.

It was raw furniture and they painted ALL OF IT as a surprise to me. I was grateful because I wasn't sure when Freddy and I would ever get to it.

The best feature of this furniture? The under-bed storage. It is perfect for creating extra space in her small room. Now to paint the walls in her bedroom...

Carly loved all of her Christmas gifts. She was eager to get in there and test them all out.
She had quite the set up, didn't she?

Christmas is also Papa's birthday.

So after we all fill up on a super delicious Christmas Day lunch, we also get birthday cake!

This Christmas was another special one for the Clarks.

We are blessed to have such wonderful friends and family who make every day of the year so special for us.

Christmas Morning

2012-01-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas morning with our Family of 3.

Santa came. Oh, boy did Santa come. Carly made out like a bandit and, as I mentioned before, she was really in to the opening of the presents this year.

I am not the best blogger, but I think that I do an adequate job of chronicling our little life. What I am horrible at is remembering to bust out the camcorder. But we didn't forget this Christmas morning!

Carly's big gift this year was her Leap Pad. It's a learning tablet for kids.

Leap Frog makes it and I LOVE Leap Frog products.

She doesn't quite understand the device, but she enjoys playing with it.

She has, however, already managed to change her username from "Carly" to "yig".

Freddy's big Gift was a very cool looking golf bag with all of the things he wanted a golf bag to have - lots of compartments, a "kickstand" as I call it and a unique color that will make his bag easily-recognizable. I did good.

Carly and I had to show off our 2011 Christmas pajamas, of course!

I had my traditional cup of coffee in my Santa coffee mug and we were off to Nana and Papa's house!

I am so blessed to have a sweet family to share my holidays with. I would tell you that I don't need another Christmas present as long as I live as long as I have my sweet family, but I won't. Because my husband would take me up on that offer.

Merry Christmas morning from the Clarks!

Christmas Eve

2012-01-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years, Freddy and I have established a holiday routine that works well for us.

We spend Christmas Eve with my family, Christmas morning with our family of three and Christmas Day with his family.

This year, my parents were in Minnesota spending time with my Grandpa and helping my Uncle Bob get my Grandpa settled in to a long-term nursing facility.

So...We hosted my siblings at our house.

Charlie spent several hours updating my ipod for me. It was having issues. And why wouldn't it be? I don't think that it has been updated since I got it 3 or 4 years ago. Oops! Thanks, Charlie.

Carly was really in to the present-opening this year. It's amazing what a difference a year makes! She loved opening presents - and not just hers. She loved to help everyone else open their presents, too.

She helped Lola try out her new dog bed (which Lola is CRAZY about).

Carly even played Santa, handing out presents to everyone - even the heavy ones.

Carly played with her new toys.

And modeled her (upside down) new shades.

But most importantly, she got to spend some quality holiday time with her family.

Aunt Cathy, Uncle Charlie and Carly

The Brougham Kids.

Our Little Family of 3.

The girls.

It was a very Merry Christmas Eve!

Friend-Filled Break

2012-01-08T13:17:00.000-08:00

I loved having two weeks off over Christmas. It meant that I got to spend every day with Carly. And we got to spend lots of time with friends.

We went over to Landri and Bailey's house.
The girls played and I got some much needed catch-up time with their mommy and one of my besties, Kristi.

Our new friends Erin and Laine invited us over to their house for a Kid Craft Day.

Carly got to make reindeer food.

Davis (and her mommy, Cheryl) were there, too!

Carly LOVED decorating her waffle cone tree.
She ate way more mini marshmallows than she decorated with.

Laine - she always busts me when I try to take her picture

Carly also went to Alexis and Brett's house where she and Alexis modeled their high heels

And this isn't even all that we did over the break. Can you see why I didn't keep up with the blog? It was a busy, fun, busy, fun-filled and BUSY break. And I loved every minute of it.

Deck the Halls

2012-01-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

This (past) year, we didn't pull out all of our Christmas decorations, but that's okay because Carly helped decorate and that made it much sweeter.

She decorated her very own pink Christmas tree.

Every year I buy (at least) one special ornament for Carly.

09 ornament - rattle for baby's first Christmas

'10 - Pig ornament because she was in a phase where she LOVED pigs

'11 - What else? A Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ornament!

Putting up Christmas decorations with a toddler may take longer and it may not produce the perfection that you are used to, but it certainly is Merrier!

Those of you who know me will be SHOCKED by this next decoration.

Not a big "character" person, Carly has only one shirt with Minnie Mouse on it.

And I've never been a pro-holiday-inflatables. I've never been ant--holiday-inflatables either.

Then I found this one for $20. I knew that Carly would love it, so I bought it.

It was raining the night that I brought it home, so we blew it up in the house. You should have seen her face.

She talked about that Mickey and Minnie for WEEKS. As we pulled in to the neighborhood, she would tell me either that "Mickey is sleeping" (inflated) or "Mickey is up" (deflated).

She was beyond excited. Best $20 I ever spent.

Friday Flashback

2012-01-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

Remember how tiny Carly used to look in her crib?

I have to look back at old pictures in order to remember.

Well, look at her (and all of her stuff) now...

*sniff

Fall Photos and Feedback

2012-01-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my wonderful and talented friend Amanda with Wanted Photography we got some GREAT family pictures taken this last fall. Sorry for not sharing them earlier.

Now, if you notice, I have numbered three of the photos. I want to turn one of them into a 16x20 canvas print (I got a GREAT deal on Groupon!), but I can't decide which one, so PLEASE feel free to leave a comment with your favorite.

And if you ever need a photographer, I highly recommend Amanda. She shot Carly's 2 year old pictures and we loved them. And the fact that she got so many great pictures of Carly with her eyes OPEN and not "cheesing" is a miracle in itself. She was so great with Carly!

Marker Magic

2011-12-27T09:04:00.000-08:00

THIS is why the markers now live on a high, high shelf in our house.

Snuggles

2011-12-26T20:12:00.000-08:00

This cold weather lately has all of us snuggling...even Lola.

Sara got to snuggle her two favorite girls - Carly and Alexis. These girls ADORE her!

And this picture isn't so mich "snuggles", but rather hugs from Brittany and Hag.

We FINALLY got out to Rockwall to see their beautiful new house.

North Pole Express

2011-12-26T19:06:00.000-08:00

Other than teaching, not many jobs give you two weeks off at Christmas. With pay. without having to use your PTO days. I am blessed to have a job that does just that. And I wanted to make the most of those two weeks!

One really cool thing that Carly and I did was go on the North Pole Express with our new friends Laine and (her mom) Erin. We met them in gymnastics (more on that soon) and we really enjoy spending time with them. Carly and Laine are only 2 days apart in in age!

Anyway... We went on the North Pole Express. It's a real train that drives through Grapevine.

Since we were there pretty early, there was enough time for the girls to decorate an ornament.

After watching a short (and somewhat cheesy) stage show, we boarded the train - which was decorate for Christmas complete with tree and singing elves.

Carly and Laine

Don't they look adorable in their holiday pajamas?!

Laine and her mommy, Erin

Finally a picture without her eyes closed!

Laine cracks me up! She is such a funny kid with THE BEST expressions. She was singing along to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, one of the elves sang "like a light bulb!" or another one of those interjected lines. I guess Laine hadn't heard that before because as soon as she heard that, she shot the elf a disapproving look and I don't think she trusted her the entire rest of the ride.

Santa Claus himself made and appearance and handed out bells to each of the kids.

It took Carly three.long.days to loose interest in that bell.

Carly and I had a great time on the train ride. Thanks, Erin and Laine, for inviting us!

December To-Do's

2011-12-26T12:28:00.000-08:00

I know it's December 26th, but I wrote this earlier this month and forgot to post!

Holy cow! I have been doing monthly to-do's for over a year now. It sure doesn't feel like it. There are months that I ROCKED my to-do list and other months that it rocked me.

This month, there was very little rocking.

I did take a sewing class, and while I haven' sewn something yet, I already have a few projects in my head and can't wait to get started.

Carly and I didn't do a craft together, but I do have one in mind for this month, so stay tuned. We did do quite a bit of cooking and baking. And even that that has become a regular occurrence in the Clark house, I still think it's cute when she slides the chair all the way across the kitchen to help me.

But the November To-Do List was not a total bust. I did go through Carly's clothes. See?

We started with this hot mess:

And ended with this more organized hot mess that can now be stored (mostly) under our guest bed and out of sight. Not that it was in sight in our office considering the door to the office is always shut - for this reason exactly!

And this month? This month I will be busy. I plan to transform Carly's room in to a Big Girl Room! Despite that great undertaking, I still plan to make a December To-Do List.

1. Try a Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks

2. Clean up the songs on my i-pod

3. Organize my digital pictures and update the digital picture frame

Wish me luck!

The cutest little Christmas Angel

2011-12-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

Carly starred in her very first program earlier this month. I know that staying "starred" may be taking away from the other kids in the program, but if you saw how she was working it, you would call it "starring", too.

Her preschool put on a program called "The Greatest Story Ever Told" - which we all know is the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The songs were your typical Christmas carols like Jingle Bells and Joy to the World, but then there were some really, really cool ones like Three Wise Men set to the tune of Three Blind Mice and Nine Little Angels (sounds like 10 Little Indians).

Carly's class got to be the angels - not a big stretch for these cuties. See her in the pink pants?

We had some wardrobe malfunctions with the headband halo, but she persevered and managed to be the cutest angel on the makeshift cloud.

Can you tell how hard she was trying to do all of the hand movements?!

After the show, it wasn't "no autographs, please" but rather "no photos with mom and dad, please". These were the best that we got.

Merry Christmas from our little angel, Carly!

Carly's fifth hair cut

2011-12-22T13:34:00.000-08:00

I think that one of Carly's best physical features is her hair. And her eyes and her eyelashes and her cute little nose...I could go on and on. But I won't.

Carly is constantly getting comments on her long, thick, gorgeous hair. Moms of babies with little hair are constantly giving me dirty looks. I am constantly asked if I curl her hair. No, I do not.

Carly is no stranger to haircuts.

Remember when we cut her Baby Mullet?

And let's not forget her First official hair cut. After this particular hair cut I started taking her to my hair dresser, Carry. The first go-round was a bit of a mess. Lot's of tears and Carry having to chase Carly's hair with the scissors.

The second hair cut with Carry was when we discovered the secret to a happy haircut - a Dum-Dum! It keeps her happy and preoccupied enough that Carry can cut her hair without having to duck, swivel and turn while she tosses her head around. The only downside is hair on the sucker, but if she can deal with that, so can I.

And now her haircuts are fun.

We even discovered the trick to getting her to keep her head down so that Carry can cut the back of her hair - Mickey Mouse playing on my phone - at her feet. My husband is a baby genius!

Even though her hair is still really long, I think it looks short now. I'll get over it, though, because I know we have many, many haircuts ahead. Bring on the Dum-Dums!

Eww at the Zoo...and Happy Birthday Emily!

2011-12-14T08:38:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been to a birthday party at the zoo? We hadn't until this past weekend. In fact, Carly had never been to the zoo at all before this past weekend. I know, I know. A nearly three year old that has never been to the zoo. It's an epic fail in parenting. My fellow-blogger Amie would be so disappointed in me.

Last Saturday the Clark family headed to the zoo to celebrate Emily's third birthday. Birthday parties there are great. Each party gets their own room where you can have cake, open presents, etc. The staff actually bring four different animals in to the room.

We all know that I am not a fan of bird's. So what do you think the first animal was? A macaw, of course. Seeing as how I was already seated front-row Joe on the floor with all the other mommies and their kiddos, I decided to tough it out and not look like a total wimp.

Of course this particular bird was skittish. It didn't like noise or streamers. Why, you ask, would they choose this bird to attend kiddie birthday parties? I have not a clue. I got a little anxious each time it spread it's wings, but I made it through the bird exhibition.

I cannot say the same, however, for this next beast. When the zoo girl took this possum - yes, possum! - out of the mini trash can, I did what every good mother would do. I abandoned my child on the floor and ran to the back of the room, exclaiming that "I am out" and that Freddy "was up". Not only is the rodent DISGUSTING, but it was cross-eyed. Out. Out, out, out. No thank you!

Is a possum even a zoo animal? Where were the penguins? the mini monkeys like the one on Friends? Would it have killed them to bring in a koala bear instead?

I can't even bring myself to look at that picture. I covered my eyes and quickly scrolled down. Yuck!

Next came a mini owl. Cool. I can handle that. Even the wing flapping didn't freak me out.

Then there was the baby alligator. I could have done without that, but I preferred that more than a snake, I guess.

Happy third birthday to sweet, sweet Emily.

And then we were off to the zoo to enjoy the elephants,

and tigers...

...and lots of other cool animals.

We did not, however, partake in the Parrot Paradise. Nope. We sure didn't.

We also rode the train - which Carly really liked. Too bad it was such a short ride.

And at the end, we commemorated the occasion with a new stuffed animal. Freddy got a little upset with me when I tried to push the stuffed elephant (or panda or penguin) onto Carly. But she held her ground and left the zoo with...Monkey.

Carly really enjoyed herself, so I think that we will definitely be making more trips to the zoo. We will, however, be skipping the possum exhibit. And Parrot Paradise.

Carly Flashback

2011-12-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

Carly used to sleep like this:

Remember? She was breach, so this was comfortable for her.

So when she was sitting like this the other night, we weren't the slightest bit surprised.

I'm kinda liking this "Carly flashback" post, so maybe I will have to dig up a few more.

Jingle all the way

2011-12-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

Freddy and I have "participated in" the Jingle Bell Run for the past two years. I say "participated in" because what I did behind that jogging stroller last year could hardly be called running. Or jogging. It was an ugly first-time-out for Carly and the jogging stroller.

While in Minnesota with the family in October, I invited my sister Cathy to join us. The things is, I never actually signed up for this year's run. So when her and Charlie came to stay the night with us a few Friday nights ago, I had no idea that they had been running and secretly signed up for the run to surprise us.

I figured since I was the one that talked them in to it, I needed to run it with them. So we all got up early the next morning, I donned my Christmas present shirt and off we went. Carly and Freddy stayed home, though. It was a cold, wet morning.

I didn't exactly rock that 5K, but I had fun doing it. I think that Cathy and Charlie did, too. Hopefully this is the beginning of a new tradition and many more 5K's together.

I enjoyed spending the day with Cathy, Charlie and Christy.

And of course Carly soaked up all the love and affection that her aunts and uncles were showering her with.

Happy Birthday, Lola!

2011-12-13T11:27:00.000-08:00

Our sweet Diva Dog, Lola turned SIX on December 2nd. Like every year before, she got a doggy birthday cake. She LOVES these things. So much so that she can't even take the time to pose for a picture before trying her best to wiggle away from me and dig in.

Not only did she get a cake, but she also got some cookies, too. Gotta love Three Dog Bakery in Southlake!

This is the best picture I could get of Carly and Lola. Lately it has been next to impossible to get a picture of Carly with her eyes open.

Happy birthday to Lola. I never thought I needed a dog, but now I don't know what we would do without her. She's Carly's bestie and my first baby. She is the most awesome dog I have ever known!

Thankful

2011-12-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

We had another wonderful Thanksgiving!

This year we had a few special people over to our house for a Turkey Feast.

There was Aunt Christy

Nana and Papa

and Grandma and Grandpa

We are so thankful for all of the blessings in our lives. Our family, friends, jobs, etc. But most importantly we are thankful that our love for God and our faith in Him are what guide us, shelter us from evil and lift us up. God is good.

Hello, Brooks!

2011-11-30T17:53:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month Carly and I brought dinner to our friends - The Blackmons: Chelsea, Ross and Cambree. I mean, if someone is going to let you hug on their newborn baby boy for an hour or two, the decent thing to do is bring them food, right? And hug and love on him I did. I only let that sweet baby boy out of my hands when Carly had to go to the bathroom - which was about 4 times in the hour and a half we were there. Why are "new" bathrooms so exciting to little kids?

These two friends need to have more play dates. They really like each other whenever we do get together.

Welcome to the world, James Brooks Blackmon!

Carly would have loved to have gotten her hands on Baby Brooks. She LOVES babies and can spot a baby carrier from a mile away. But since he was so new (just a few days old), I only let her touch his socks. But since I really talked up baby feet and baby socks on our ride over there, she was happy enough to just touch the socks. One day she will catch on to me and my games.

The Blackmons - a sweet, sweet Family of Four now.

Of course my baby fever is even worse now!

Choo-Choo Fun with Friends

2011-11-28T05:16:00.000-08:00

I work full time. This means that sometimes our weekends are filled with errand-running and various other to-do’s. I wish our weekends could be filled with zoo trips and play dates at the park instead. I think that one of my New Year’s Resolutions will be to expose Carly to more things, to take her on more adventures and give her more opportunities for exploration. I would give you some examples of stuff we haven’t taken her to do yet, but that would just make me feel like a bad mom, so I’ll leave that part out.

What I will tell you about is a recent mini-adventure we had with my friend Cheryl and her sweet baby girl, Davis. We rode the mini train that runs along the trinity river in Fort Worth. It was adorable! At first Carly didn’t want to get on the “Choo Choo”, but luckily she let me plop her down in the seat and she was ready to go. We were only a few short yards out of the “station” and she was loving it!

The cost is small ($6.50 for Carly and I), the ride is the perfect length of time for a toddler (about 45 min) and the fun factor was BIG for Carly. It was a hit.

Now on to the adult talk. Cheryl cracked me up with a comment that she made on the train ride, so I had to share. As we were chugging along down the less-than-beautiful, somewhat sketchy looking Trinity River, this conversation took place:

Other Cheryl: It’s times like this that I think I am going to have a Law and Order Moment.
Me Cheryl: A Law and Order Moment?
Other Cheryl: Yeah, you know…like I’ll just look over and there will be a dead body in the river.
Me Cheryl: I don’t ever think that I am going to have a Law and Order Moment, but I do think that I will have a What Would You Do Moment.

Other Cheryl: I watch too much Law and Order.

Halloween 2012

2011-11-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

Halloween this year was WICKED!

Okay, maybe not wicked, but I needed a tie-in to this adorable picture of Carly and Lola - still besties!

Carly liked dressing up as Minnie Mouse this year. She probably would have preferred going as Mickey Mouse because he is her fav, but I didn't ask her. So Minnie Mouse it was. And an adorable Minnie Mouse at that!

She did not understand trick-or-treating. She was very skeptical about going up to doors and asking people for candy. She liked to hang back and watch the other kids and then Freddy or I would have to walk her up to the door. Maybe she will catch on next year?

She got to see her friends all dressed up in costume, too.

Even Freddy got in to it - for about 2 minutes.

Of course we stayed with tradition and the neighbors all came to hand out candy at our house. We set up camp on the driveway, so the kids get fours houses worth of candy at once. They love it!

Carly had more fun just hanging out with us, watching the kids as they walked up to get their candy. And also she got to hang out with Lola on the tailgate, which is much cooler than knocking on doors and asking strangers for candy that mom and dad will likely end up eating anyway.

October Happnenings

2011-11-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

Some things that happened in October:

I got to meet Melanie's newest baby Benjamin Michael.

I left Carly, Freddy and their koodies at home because I didn't want them getting this sweet baby sick.

I held him for well over an hour and my womb was doing cartwheels the entire time. While I may no have full-on baby fever, I am feeling a few of its symptoms. And can you blame me? Ben is stinkin' adorable!

Melanie and I have known each other since elementary school and I am so glad that we have re-connected.

Carly has made up her mind on how pictures should be taken.

Outside. By the front door. And/or with Lola.

Our neighborhood had their first ever Halloween Carnival. Carly had fun with her friends.

In other news, Carly was scared to ride this tiny merry-go-round without holding my hand. Freddy and I were dare-devil children, so we dont' know where she gets that from!

Alexis, Brett and Carly

Our neighbor Becky helped organize the whole thing.
Fingers crossed that they don't end up moving back to Nebraska.

We busted out Carly's Cowboys shirt. The Cowboys have busted out a crappy season.

And don't get me started on the Colts. Yes, she has a Colts shirt, too, but I might have to donate that one.

I think that Peyton Manning may be in the running for MVP despite not being able to play a single game this year. My football heart hurts.

But she is a gorgeous little Cowboys fan, is she not?

November To-Do's

2011-11-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

October was a bit..busy? stressful? upside down?

And yet, I was still able to not get everything on my October to-do list done.

How do I do it?!

I still plan to take a sewing class this month.

I did make the dry-erase board that I saw on Pinterest. But I stepped it up a notch.

At my grandmother's funeral I decided that I would make more of an effort with prayers. Ultimately, I would like to become a "prayer warrior" like my grandmother was, though I know that it doesn't happen overnight. So what better use for the dry-erase board than to use it for a prayer board?

1 picture frame + 1 sheet of scrapbook paper (trimmed to 8x10) + window crayons + peel and stick velcro = my cool new prayer board. The only thing that I would change is the window crayons. Do they make window markers? Those would be better.

And now for my Novemeber To-Do's:

1. Sew something

2. Go through Carly's clothes again and put them in under-the-bed-storage-bins

3. Do a cool craft with Carly

What are y'all doing this month?

My Grandma

2011-11-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

My grandmother passed away on October 11, 2011.

I have been thinking a lot about what I would say about that - and her - on my blog.

I still don't know what I am going to write, but I guess that doesn't matter because what I remember is more important.

She was wonderful. Loving, kind and caring.

I remember her hugs and sitting in her lap.

She taught me many, many things.

She was a great example.

She had an unshakable faith in God.

She was a Prayer Warrior.

She was loved.

Her passing has taught me things.

Always reach out - even if you think that person doesn't know or understand...and pray that they do.

Prayer is powerful.

Your children and grandchildren are your legacy.

What got me through it was my willingness to praise God. I praised God for choosing me to be my grandmother's granddaughter. I praised God for the time He shared her with us. I praised God for all that she did for me and how she helped to make me who I am today. I praised God.

Here I am - on earth - wishing she was here. But I know that she is heaven, wishing I was there, but enjoying watching over me, Freddy, Carly and the rest of her family.

That Girl

2011-10-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

I wish I was that girl. You know the one. The one who...

Donates blood on a regular basis
Takes fashion risks and pulls them off
Uses the key-finder string in her purse

Knows all the rules of AP style writing
Keeps her work email inbox empty at all times
Always has a clean car. And office, closet and house, too.
Can turn down brownies and cakes without blinking
Has many different ways to wear her hair - not just two like I do
Wore TOMS shoes when they were a cause, not a trend.

These are my new trendy TOMS

Irons her clothes before hanging them up
JUST LISTENS and isn't thinking about a response while the other person is talking
Looks good in a baseball cap.
Is witty and always has a great comeback.
Can hold her liquor.
Can "name that musical artist"

Oh, that girl, with a little hard work and will power, maybe I can be you.

Potty Training

2011-10-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of October I decided to take a long weekend and potty train Carly. She had been showing signs of readiness for a while - Actually, she was already going on the potty (for MONTHS!), she just wouldn't tell us when she had to go. I opted for hard core potty training - No pull-ups. No padded panties. No mercy. I used lots and lots of positive reinforcement and never uttered a negative word. We high-fived and cheered her victories together. She was so proud and excited. And so was I.

Carly "threw away" her baby diapers and pull-ups (we gave them to our friend with twins just three months younger than Carly).

We played outside most of the time (better for cleaning up messes, my dear).

Successes were rewarded with m&m's. I called her "non-successes" "learning opportunities."

note to soon-to-potty-train-mommies - I recommend Smarties instead of m&m's. I never knew that they could be so messy!

As an update: I am so proud of how great Carly is doing. She has mastered the home potty, the public potty AND the airplane potty. However, she does still have the occasional "learning opportunity" at school, but we are seeing progress there, so I know that it is just a matter of time before she is 100% "learning opportunity" free.

We could have never mastered the public potty without this beauty- a foldable, portable potty seat that is perfect for little bottoms on big potties.

Interested in what I Pinterested?

2011-10-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

My latest addiction is Pinterest. It's a virtual pin board where people share recipes, diy crafts, home decor, etc. Remember...I got the idea for my makeup brush holder and t-shirt scarf from Pinterest.

But the thing that I have made the most of...FOOD, of course!

I haven't taken pictures of all of the recipes I have tried, but here are a few:

Oven-"fried" Zucchini Chips

They were pretty good, but I wish that it had been crispier like real fried food.

I guess that is the sacrifice you make for healthier food, huh?

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin - in a crock pot!

This is my favorite recipe so far - and it was soooo easy!

I snapped this picture after we tore in to it, so it isn't too flattering. Oh, well. Still yummy!

Mini Pizza Muffins

Super yummy. Super easy. Marinara sauce for dipping is a MUST!

I packed these in Carly's lunch.

I also packed them up in my lunch and popped them in the toaster oven at work.

Crock Pot Chicken and Rice

This was my first attempt.

Other than game-day foods like queso, meatballs or chili or my mother-in-law's pot roast recipe, I don't do much crock pot cooking. So when a co-worker of mine assured me that I could leave this in the crock pot all day while I was at work (as long as it is on low) and it would be okay, I trusted her. Wrong. It cannot.

My second attempt, which happened on a day when I was working from home and was able to stir it, was much more successful. This dish was delish! Although, next time I may not add the entire package of Italian Seasoning.

I have tried a few other recipes and 36 recipes pinned to my food board (which I have named "Get in my Belly"). I guess I need to get cooking!

October To-Do's

2011-10-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

My September To-Do's were...less than great.

I did do something crafty...It just didn't turn out as great as I wanted it to.

I kinda did something new and exciting with Carly...I potty-trained her! (more to come on that)

Okay, okay. I know that doesn't technically work and neither does "played with play-doh for the first time", so I guess I owe her one in October. I am already thinking about a trip to the zoo or the aquarium or a ride on the train from Grapevine to Fort Worth (and back).

I did not buy a skirt outfit, but not from lack of looking. I just didn't fall in love with any. The hunt continues.

On to my October To-Do's -

1. Take a sewing class (thanks, Pinterest, for the increased desire in learning how to sew)

2. Make a dry-erase board for the kitchen (thanks, Pinterest for the idea)

What are y'all doing this month?

I've been published!

2011-09-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

I did it. I finally made my blog in to a book.

Well, 2008 anyway.

I used http://www.blog2print.com/ and it was super easy!

The quality of the book is fantastic!

I used the program that auto-formats it for you, but keeps the pictures in the places where you had them in your posts. You can take the time to format the entire book yourself, but this was MUCH easier.

It did however, waste some space on some pages. Not enough for me to spend HOURS formatting it, though.

I love that I will have this forever. I love that Carly will have them ("them" being blog books from every year I blogged) to read, too. It really inspired me to be a better blogger. By that I mean that I want to document more of our lives on the blog. I don't care how many "followers" I have. I do this blog not to entertain people, but rather to document.

And if I happen to capture the hearts of many along the way, so be it.

Random Happenings

2011-09-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Just some things that we have been doing...

Carly and I went to a baby shower for Baby Brooks who will be here SOON!

We also went to a shower for baby Denli, but I forgot to take pictures.

We discovered that Carly is not a fan of cheesecake when she spit it out on to the remote control.

That poor remote control. First it gets the spin cycle, now this.

Nana and Papa bought us a collapsible wagon - Very cool and super handy for storage.
Carly and Lola LOVE it! well, Carly does anyway. Lola just tolerated it for this picture.

Austin doubted the greatness of the ear candle until we made him use it.

People, they really work. And they're really gross.

We had our first Sharpie incident. Can you see it on the chair? Any suggestions on how to get it out?

This, friends, is why I plan to look for Carly's big girl bedroom furniture on Craig's List. I'll refinish it to make it super cute, but I don't want to spend big bucks on it. Remember what she did to the crib? I can only imagine dropping a small fortune on furniture that will "last her forever" only to have it Sharpied beyond recognition. No thank you.

Carly is a true Clark. She loves football Sundays. But she could care less about the football. It's the cheese puffs, the pasta salad, time with "Saysah" and also time with her little friends - Brett and Alexis.

I worked the Big Brothers Big Sisters Clay Shoot and ~~demanded that I have~~ got to have my picture taken with The Musers - the morning show on The Ticket (a sports radio station and my addiction). I need to get this beast framed so that I can put it on my desk next to the one of me and The Hardline (the afternoon show). See the guy in the white? That's Craig. He's my fav.

Labor Day in Midland

2011-09-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

This past Labor Day, the Clarks packed up and headed to Midland, Texas to visit our friends, Andrew and Kacie. And boy did we pack up! You don't realize how much toddlers require until you have to pack it all!

This was Carly's first long road trip. It is about a 5 hour drive without a toddler, so it took us just over 6. Carly did surprisingly well. Mickey Mouse dvds didn't work their magic (pun intended) like I thought they would, but (mess free) Color Wonders markers did.

As one would expect. Carly's tolerance for the restraining car seat faded as the road trip progressed. She especially hated being put back in to the car seat after being out of it during our pit stops.

The neck pillow was a bust. I should have gotten a smaller one - like baby size - because this one just pushed her neck forward.

Once we got there, we had a great weekend.

Freddy was able to show off Carly's "bring us a beer" trick. Andrew was impressed and Carly was very proud.

Freddy helped Andrew set up a new tv inside.

And install another one outside.

Carly had a great time playing with Kacie.

And she made best friends with Bear

And Zoey. Especially Zoey.

It actually dipped down in to the 70's while we were there. A nice change from 100 degree weather we have been experiencing all summer, but this mama was not prepared. Kacie had to fashion Carly a make-shift shirt to keep her warm.

We dined out, grilled out and chilled out while we were there. Freddy and Andrew were able to get in some dove hunting and a round a golf as well. Kacie and I also managed to get a way for a mani-pedi at the salon. I love me some mani-pedi. It was a great weekend escape and something that we should have done a long time ago. The last time we ventured to Midland to see our friends was when they got married - 5 years ago!

I tried

2011-09-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

I tried to turn an old, warn maternity shirt in to a t-shirt scarf. Don't think I am too crazy - I actually saw this do-it-yourself-project on Pinterest. BTW - if you aren't addicted to Pinterest, you must not have ever been on their site. It is a must-check-out.

Back on track...

I followed the directions:

1. grab some cotton t-shirts you don’t wear anymore. larger sizes tend to work better as do non-ribbed shirts with no side seams. small logos on the shirts work fine, too.

2. grab a pair of fabric scissors if you have them, otherwise any scissors will do.

3. lay the shirt out on a flat table in front of you.

4. cut the hem off the bottom and put it aside.

5. cut the shirt into 1-1 1/2 ” horizontal strips all the way up to the armpit.

6. grab 3-4 shirt strips in both hands, and gently stretch them out. the strips will naturally curl into themselves.

7. once you have done this with many of the strips, it is time to get creative. try draping them, wrapping one end with excess fabric, combining colors, braiding them, attaching beads, pins, old jewelry, etc.

I wasn't getting the results I wanted, so I even wet the strips and threw them in to the dryer hoping they would curl in to themselves better. No luck, Chuck.

This was the end-result (and the most flattering picture of the scarf that I took). I was not in love. Maybe it's the stripes?

Conclusion: Not every Pinterest Junkie will be able to successfully execute every project they attempt. This scarf was my failure.

My Pinterest success was this new make-up brush holder.

Pluses:

Adorable

I already had the vase, so it only cost me $4 for the coffee beans

Makes my bathroom smell like french vanilla coffee beans

Not-so-Pluses:

Makes my bathroom smell like french vanilla coffee beans

Makes my brushes smell like french vanilla coffee beans

Pulling brushes out sometimes brings coffee beans out, too - more clean up

I may have an equal amount of pros and cons, but I plan to keep the coffee bean make-up brush holder. That is, until the coffee beans get dusty (I am not about to clean coffee beans).

Anything is better than the plain, old cup I had them in before, right?

I also plan to make a recipe tomorrow that I found on Pinterest - I'll keep you posted. Who knows...Maybe my Pinterest Posts will be a regular thing on my blog.

The Weekend 2011

2011-09-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was "The Weekend 2011".

The Bells (mius Megan who had to work - boo), Clarks, Connallys, Conolys and Hagamans headed to the NYLO hotel in Irving for a relaxing weekend of...well, just hanging out and spending time together.

Kacie and Andrew arrived in town on Thursday, so we caught a Ranger game with them and the Pendletons. The next day Kacie and I hit the shops (who is surprised that I was shopping?) and our husbands hit the golf course.

We met back up at the hotel where we the boys played Battleship. Yes, Battleship. The NYLO has a great game room that just happened to have Battleship.

Kacie and I did not play Battleship.

Later that evening, the Hagamans arrived, so we all headed out together for a fantastic dinner at Papa Bros. Yumm-my!

We met up with ~~Finch~~ Matt at the hotel after dinner. Megan had to work or she would have been with him. We really missed not having Megan there.

Hag had his party pants on all weekend and even enjoyed a drink or two. Go Hag!

The next morning the girls headed to breakfast and then to Painting with a Twist in Grapevine (where we met up with Rachel) for some good old fashioned girl time - and mimosas. Of course mimosas.

While we were painting, the guys were playing at Speedzone. I wasn't there with my camera, so you'll just have to imagine this part of the weekend.

We all met up later and just hung around the pool - and man, was that nice. Just sitting around, talking, hanging out.

I love these girls. I am so excited about being in their lives for a long time. They're stuck with me.

I can't wait to spend time with their kids (hurry up, Kacie and Brittany!), to ask them for advice and to give some in return and to eventually be able to look back over decades of friendship.

The guys hit the pool. The girls did not. Only one of us even packed a suit.

These guys. They love each other. They have for a long time.I know that they really enjoyed their time together - especially the time alone without the wives.

That night we all went to dinner together at The Ranch in Las Colinas.

Freddy introduced everyone to chicken and waffles. I would tell you how they were, but I didn't eat any. I just wasn't feeling it. They did, however, get rave reviews.

This picture of Hag...we'll be able to laugh about it eventually. Until then, I'll leave the explanation alone.

We ended The Weekend 2011 with breakfast together at Cracker Barrell before we all went our seperate ways. Finch to Abilene. Us to Keller. Morgan and Rachel to Stpehenville. Kacie and Andrew to Midland. And Hag and Brittany to Rockwall.

And this. This is the official The Weekend 2011 t-shirt that Rachel designed for us.

The entire weekend was nice, stress-free and just a great get-away. "The Weekend" is annual tradition. Now that everyone is married, we know that we need to make an effort to see each other. Eventually, I hope for this weekend to include kids and to be in more "exotic" places than Irving. But it was a nice to start to a great tradition.

Paint your own Pottery

2011-09-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

Do you remember how I stole the Half Birthday cookie tradition from the Parr Sisters?

Well, I decided that those half birthday cookies needed an official half birthday plate, so I headed to a local paint-your-own-pottery place with my long-time friends Lisa and Leah and we painted works of art!

Carly Update

2011-09-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I first told you all about what Carly has been going through, so I thought that I would fill you all in. Things are GREAT!

Carly completed an entire "Episode of Care" at Cook Children's for her physical therapy. Cook Children's does episodes of care where they set goals for your child - and once your child reaches those goals, they give the child some time off. They don't want to keep kids in therapy forever and ever amen. Carly's episode of care was 15 weeks long (she went once a week) and, after a few weeks of needing to warm up to her physical therapist, she feel in love with Miss Lindsay and so did this Mama! Lindsay was caring and sweet and (most importantly) she bonded with Carly. At the same time, she was structured and firm in a way that most moms (me included) aren't when it comes to making their babies do stuff they don't want to.

She did all of her therapy in her AFO's - Ankle Foot Orthotics - or ankle braces. These braces put her feet and muscles in a position that forces her to use her muscles and build her muscle tone. She wears the braces all day every day unless she is taking a nap (or swimming, of course!). She has been great about wearing them - until she gets in the car and then they come straight off, but I think that is more about keeping herself busy than discomfort. They have truly made a difference in the way she walks. She walks straighter and with more confidence. We have had many people in her life mention to us how much better she is walking!

This is the first set of braces

When we first began this journey, Carly could not go up or down even small steps without having to hold on to someone or something. She still likes something to hold on to, but she can take small steps easily now. Big steps still require the security of a hand, wall or railing. For your reference, "big steps" to me are the average step and curbs.

In June, we saw Deborah - her Orthoticist (?) - and she agreed with Miss Lindsay that Carly was doing so well that we could put her in smaller, shorter AFO's that give her ankle a little more movement. Her braces limit her shoe choices considerably. In other words, all she can wear is Crocs. I bought her Crocs in dark pink, light pink, black, white, teal and khaki. Carly only wants to wear the white ones. Anyone need Crocs in a size 4/5?

These are the new braces

Side View. Excuse the dirt and random hair band.

What else? What else?

Carly was also receiving physical therapy through Early Childhood Intervention from January - July. They were a good resource for us in several areas. ECI is a great organization that does great things for many, many families. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best fit for Carly, so we decided to focus on other forms of treatment . "Other forms of treatment" has come to mean gymnastics classes (among other things) and Carly loves it!

We had genetic testing done and it all came back fine. Hooray! We met with her neurologist a few weeks ago (he's the best pediatric neurolgist EVER, by the way) and he said that not being able to find any answers through genetic testing is a good thing. I think so, too, because that means that we only have to deal with Hypotonia (low muscle tone). He also told us to expect Carly to need therapy for a decade. Fine. We can handle that.

After several months, many phone calls, some helpful advice from our insurance company and cooperation from many sweet, supportive professionals at Cook Children's, I think that we finally got our ducks in order and submitted the proper paperwork to insurance to get Carly' speech therapy covered! I know TOO MUCH about in-network, out-of-network, deductibles, copays, out-patient facilites vs. private practices, etc. But now I am glad that I do. She will be in speech therapy once a week for six months. Fine. We can deal with that.

Last night I was thinking about all of the stuff that we have been through in the past eleven months and I thought, "Moms with entirely healthy babies have no idea how lucky they are", but then I quickly took that thought back. I am the lucky one. Freddy and I are the lucky ones. Carly is the lucky one. I know that God put some extra time and thought and LOVE in to picking our family and I will forever be grateful to Him.

I am Carly's mommy and I am the lucky one.

Halfy Birthday Carly!

2011-09-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

Carly celebrated her Half Birthday on September 13. She is 2 1/2! Can I just say...Holy. Cow. Time. Flies.

This is the only face I seem to get these days when I ask her to smile for the camera.

Daddy helping her make a Mickey Mouse cookie.

Mommy helping her add some sprinkles (that Carly Dilyn picked out)

The Halfy Birthday plate's first half birthday.

See that bite she is taking? That's pretty much the only one she had. She isn't a big sweet-eater. Must take after her dad.

I can not tell you how hard I tried to make Mickey Mouse shaped cookies. I failed miserably. Note to self for next Mickey Mouse cookie-making-attempt: Bake cookies THEN cut out Mickey. It may waste cookie, but at least the cookie won't look like a big blob.

Blue Dress Babies

2011-09-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Do you remember favorite clothes from your childhood? I do.

And one of the pieces that I remember is a blue dress I had with jingle bells sewn in to the underneath of the skirt. I remember twirling in the spare bedroom of my grandparents house, listening to it jingle. I adored that dress and I couldn't have been much older than 2 years old because the dress is a 2T.

I found that dress when I was looking through a chest at my parents house. I thought it would be cute to take pictures of Carly in that dress to share with my mom and my grandma.

Here is a picture of me in the dress (making a HORRIBLE face) - circa 1982.

And here is Carly in that same dress. I loved seeing her play in it; swinging the skirt to make it jingle. I may just have to sew some jingle bells in to another dress for her.

Why is our dry cleaning bill so high?

2011-09-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

Because Carly is going through a phase where licking mommy is HILARIOUS!

No one else. Just mommy.

First Day of School

2011-09-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

Carly started her first day of her second year of preschool on August 22nd.

Last year she was 18 months old and she was in the "nursery". This year she is in the "Two Room".

Last year she cried for an hour and half after I dropped her off. This year she simply hugged and kissed me and told me bye-bye.

Last year she went twice a week. This year she goes three times a week.

Last year I was nervous that I was doing the right thing by taking her to "school" instead of leaving her with my mom. This year I am glad to give my parents some more free time and am excited about all stuff she is learning.

Perhaps this is preparing me for her first day of Kindergarten. Perhaps I won't cry on her first day of Kindergarten. But I doubt it.

September To-Do's

2011-09-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

My August To-Do's are To-Done.

We took Carly to get her first snow cone. The snow cone stand didn't have umbrellas over their tables and it was over 100 degrees outside, so opened the back hatch to my car and sat in the back.

Carly took a few bites of our snow cones, but quickly moved on to the movie that was still playing on the dvd player in the back seat. Good thing we didn't buy Carly her own snow cone.

I also FINALLY ordered a blog book of the first year I blogged - 2008. I used http://www.blog2print.com/ and it couldn't have been easier! I just wish I had found a valid coupon code. I plan to do the same for 2009 and 2010 soon as well. I love that I will always have these books to look back on. I love me some pictures, but having my thoughts and commentary to go with them is just icing on the cake!

Now on to my September To-Do's.

The last skirt that I bought was right after I had Carly - over two years ago. The last skirt that I bought before that was probably in 07. Needless to say, I dont' have many skirts in my closet that fit my mommy body. It's time for a new skirt. But not just a skirt - an entire skirt outfit because that last thing I want is for the skirt to just sit in my closet because I don't have a top to go with it.

1. Buy a skirt outfit

2. Do something new and fun with Carly

3. Complete a craft project (I am now accepting ideas. Until I find a good one, you can find me on Pinterest.)

What is everyone else doing this month?

Dear Bahamas, I miss you

2011-09-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

Three months after the fact, I would like to tell you about our trip to the Bahamas. That's right. It's September now and we took the trip back in JUNE!

We went with our friends Andrew and Kacie who are quickly turning in to our traveling buddies. We've been to Mexico, Las Vegas, San Antonio and now the Bahamas with them. Not to mention several out-of-town weddings. We also have another Las Vegas trip booked for January, but more about that in January.

We stayed at a Sandals resort and LOVED it. This is the first time we have gone adults-only and it was a very good decision. Had I seen cute toddlers toddling around the resort with their parents I would have had some serious mommy guilt that likely would have ruined the trip.

This cat found Kacie and wouldn't leave her - or her flip-flop - alone. I advised Kacie to either sanitize or destroy that sandal. Stray, foreign cats surely can't be vaccinated.

This was me pretty much the entire trip - laying on a lounge, reading the Kindle. Sure, I could have done this at the Holiday Inn down the street, but it was so much nicer in the Bahamas. And hey - this was my vacation and I wanted to spend it reading, so I did.

Thank goodness Andrew and Kacie were there to keep Freddy occupied. Thanks, guys!

Maybe you can spot the restroom sign in this picture, but I couldn't. I wandered down the stairs (per the directions of the bartender) thinking that once down there I would be able to pick between the men's or women's restroom. Wrong. This staircase led ONLY to the men's restroom, as noted on the poorly placed sign. Lucky for me I quickly noticed my mistake and was able to make my way back up the stairs without being spotted.

The piano bar was TONS OF FUN, but the man in charge wouldn't let anyone sit and watch. Everyone had to sing with him - even me, one of the worst singers in the world.

A little piece of advice for anyone wanting to try piano bar singing - Kokomo is NOT a piano-bar-friendly song.

The resort served only Bahamian beers, which Freddy and Andrew were able to doctor with a little lime. But when the Mavs beat the Heat while we were there, they guys won a bet with the bartenders and were able to score a few bottles of their favs - Miller Lite and Coors Lite.

Dirty Bananas - Yum-Me!

The only downside to this gorgeous resort was the birds, for me anyway. I HATE birds. I think that they are gross, they carry diseases, they invade your personal space for the chance to scoop up even the tiniest of crumbs with their nasty, pecky, pointy little beaks. And don't get me started on their talons and beady eyes. Yuck!

Regardless of my feelings for birds, even I had to admit that this white peacock was pretty cool.

Fancy-Shmancy, no? This, blogger buddies, is the seating area in the before-mentioned downstairs bathroom. I thought it was fun.

The food at this resort was very good. In this particular picture, Freddy is being tossed a piece of fried egg - and he caught it in his mouth - unlike the 3 newlywed husbands!

Freddy and I ventured out one morning to the straw market. It gave as an opportunity to experience local public transportation, which was interesting.

This picture does not do it justice. It was isles and isles of straw products and knock-off bags. I learned quickly that you can negotiate the price of the bags, but not of cute straw hats.

This was the cute straw hat I bought for $25. It saved me! However, it is only for laying out. If you wear it while walking to the brick-oven pizza stand (which we ordered from every afternoon while we were there), it flops in your face and you can only see about two feet in front of you. I heart that hat. Fingers crossed that it will reshape after being stuffed in my bag for the trip home.

See that guy catching the football? That's my husband. Sorry, ladies - he's taken.

It was a wonderful trip with wonderful friends. It was nice to get away, but I sure did miss my baby and my puppy. We will definitely be trying more Sandals resorts in the future.

Twenty Dollars Well Spent

2011-08-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

Good buys. We all make them. I probably make more than the average person - but only because I make more purchases all together!

Anyway...Around Christmas last year I found a Leap Frog Zippity for $20. Those suckers retail for $80, so I snatched up. I love Leap Frog.

Anyway...the suggested age on it is 3. Carly is almost 2 1/2. The plan was to save the Zippity for a Christmas gift.

I didn't make it. We busted it out last week and it was a HIT! You would have thought the real, live Mickey Mouse was in our house. Carly was acting more excited than I did when I saw 98 Degrees in concert on 1998 - front row!

It ROCKS Our World

2011-08-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

Newborn Carly had colic. For eight weeks. For eight weeks she screamed through the night for1.5 - 4 hour stretches. As hard as this mommy and daddy tried, she could not be comforted. Her nighttime sleep came in tiny little 1-2 hour windows. Hence, so did ours. I was lucky enough to get 12 weeks off from work, so I was on colic duty during the week.

"Sleep when the baby sleeps" - I heard it a million times. And so I did. I ~~slept~~ napped all the day long. I even sacrificed showers just to catch a few z's (unless, of course, we were expecting guests - you're welcome, guests). I barely left the house. I barely functioned. My hair straightener rusted and my makeup molded, but my pajamas - those beauties were worn thin.

Now when I see new moms showing off their newborn babies mere days or just a week or two (or three or ten) after giving birth, I want to throw something at them. And if their is fixed, their makeup perfectly applied and they're actually wearing an outfit that is coordinated - with accessories - I want to throw something at their head.

But I digress...

After eight weeks of colic, Carly suddenly, magically, miraculously slept through the night. Nine hours! Over the next three or four days she worked herself up to 12 hours. And there she stayed, solidly at 11-13 hours per night. God bless her. This was her sweet gift to us. Tie a red ribbon on it and re-gift it every holiday from now until the end of my life! It was glorious! It still is glorious. Until...

Until those crazy one-off nights where she actually wakes up. Freddy and I hear the cries come across the monitor and it ROCKS. OUR. WORLD. We don't know who we are, where we are, what to do, what that noise is...We are completely out of it. Lucky for us our flailing arms a legs smack the other one and we're up.

Getting her back to sleep is simple enough. Hold her, lay her with us for a few minutes until she falls back asleep and then plunk her back down in her crib. Done.

But the other night we experienced something different, something a tad more pleasant. We woke around 3 am to hear our sweet girl not crying, but talking and playing. She was saying hello to Mimi (Minnie Mouse) and PeePee (Mickey Mouse) and jibber-jabbering up a storm. She was having a play date in her crib at 3 am.

Freddy: Carly's awake
Me: She's not crying. Go back to sleep

Later that morning, we were getting ready and Freddy says to me: I think we need to take her "friends" out of her bed at night.

I'm okay with stuffed animal play date. I will take it ANY DAY over 1.5 - 4 hour screaming sprees.

August To-Do's

2011-08-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

I guess the key to completing my monthly to-do's is "think small".

Last month I only had two to-do's:

1. Make bolognese sauce from scratch - Check

I used Rachel Ray's Bolognese Pizza recipe.

It was alright - but it was no Coalvine's Bolognese pizza!

2. See a movie by myself - Check

I saw Crazy Stupid Love and LOVED it.

Check out the release date of July 29 - nothing like waiting til the last minute.

As for this month -

1. Put my first year of blogging in to a blog book and actually order it!

2. Take Carly to get her first snow cone.

So, there you have it. My to-do's for this month. What is everyone else doing this month?

Happy 3 month anniversary, Hagamans!

2011-08-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Anyone can post about a wedding right after it happens.

I am not just anybody.

I had to make the Hagaman wedding post special by:

1. accidentally deleting a bunch of great pics from my camera, including some really great shots from their wedding weekend.

2. posting this on their 3 month anniversary as a sort-of gift.

A good friend will always speak kindly about another friend's wedding.

My kind words? They are not an exaggeration.

This wedding was SPECTACULAR!

It had all the traditional elements with modern twists here and there.

Every detail was perfect - and there were a lot of details!

There was a surprise dance tribute that shocked and awed the bride and guests alike.

Lots of friends were present - mostly because we had to personally witness John Hagaman settling down.

Freddy was really nervous about his speech, but he did great! His friendship with Hag means the world to him, so I know that it was a challenge for him to put his emotions in to words. We are just so grateful to have such great friends in Hag and Brittany.

Of course, there were more dance tributes as the evening went on.

At the end of the evening, everyone left well-fed, entertained, and full of happiness for the new couple -

John and Brittany Hagaman.

Thank you both for including us in your special day.

Carly's latest addictions

2011-08-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

Yogurt. Yogurt in a cup. Yogurt smoothies. On-the-go Go-Gurt yogurt. Princess yogurt. Low-fat yogurt. Small yogurts. Big yogurts. Carly loves yogurt. I wouldn't be surprised if she turned into a live culture.

Sunglasses. Mommy's sunglasses. Daddy's sunglasses. Any one of her 5 pair of sunglasses.

I knew if I just kept putting them on her she would eventually grow to love them - and she has!

Warning: Mamarazzi at her finest

2011-08-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't resist posting these adorable pictures of Carly trying to stay cool in this SCORCHING heat.

Busted!

2011-08-06T12:21:00.001-07:00

In Carly's World, ranch dressing is an entre, not a condiment.

I totally busted her licking the ranch dressing off of her plate!

Carly and Cambree

2011-07-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

I can still remember their first dinner together. And other dinners, too.

My how they have grown since then. Just 8 weeks apart in age, it's nice to have a mommy friend with a baby so close in age.

No-Shopping-Spree

2011-07-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention...I have taken a vow of shopping silence. For a month.

I love to shop. I mean, I LOVE to shop. I also love to accomplish goals.

So, I decided no shopping for a month would be a good task, just for giggles.

Here are the rules:

No shoes, clothes, purses, make-up, jewelry, accessories of any kind...For me.

Also no knick-knack home decor like vases, frames, etc.

I am 7 days in and going strong.

How have I managed to suppress my shopping appetite?

Freddy and I bought much-needed new bath towels, I ordered Carly some clothes and bought her some Disney DVDs.* I have also been making a lot of hair bows for friends with new born baby girls and little girls with birthdays coming up.

What has been tough?

I ~~want~~ need new running shoes. Does that count? I mean, they're function, not fashion.

Sunglasses. Mine broke and I am currently using my scratched-up back-ups. If those go, I will have to resort to toddler shades.

Wish me luck, friends.

*I bought the dvds on ebay for $12 each - brand new, unwrapped - Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid and Aladdin. ~~Mommy needs a break from Mickey Mouse Club House~~ Carly needs to get know her princesses!

More Potty Talk

2011-07-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

This contraption pictured below is a BRILLIANT idea.

A toilet seat with a mini toilet seat built in to the lid.

There is a magnet that keeps the mini lid from flipping down whenever it feels like it.

Benefits:

No baby toilet seat that sits on the regular toilet seat that has to be taken off and put back on DAILY.

No awkward moment for house guests as they wonder if they should a)attempt to detach the add-on baby toilet seat or b) if they should instead try to work around it.

Obstacles:

While it is the perfect size for most toddler tooshies, toddlers with a size 12 month waist find it difficult to keep their tooshie from falling through.

Toddlers who love routines and familiarity prefer their add-on baby toilet seat. But we're getting there.

July To-Do's.

2011-06-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you noticed or not, but I took a short two-month break from the monthly to-do's. To be honest, I did this because I was buying more time. I wanted to complete my April To-Do's. I did complete my shelf project (picture to come) and I did get a library card. But that's it.

I didn't stain the Adirondack chairs (apparently they need to be sanded first?). Nor did I do anything to the flower bed and well, frankly, it's just too hot to even think about finishing that to-do any time soon! I also failed to shampoo the living room carpet or take pictures of all of our possessions for insurance purposes.

I will continue to ~~ignore~~ work on those, but wanted to get back in to the habit of making a monthly to-do list. So, here is July:

1. Make bolognese sauce from scratch

2. See a movie by myself (I have never done this!)

Let's stop there. we all know what happened the last time I got ambitious with my to-do's.

Carly's Water Park

2011-06-22T05:01:00.000-07:00

Our backyard is slowly turning in to "Carly's Water Park".

We have pools, a mini-water park, splash table, sprinkler and a few other small water toys.

It's a great excuse to gather with our neighbors and let the kids play.
But poor Sara. Carly never lets her relax. She always has to have her right beside her.

And while the kids play, the ~~big kids~~ adults stuff giant marshmallows in their mouths.

Still Besties

2011-06-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Hag!

2011-06-20T05:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Wonderful World of your THIRTIES, John Hagaman!

"Kiss Me - It's my birthday!"

52 card pickup- anything to keep her entertained.

Potty Progress

2011-06-19T05:25:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. If you aren't a parent, you could care less about potty training and you are completely skipping this post. I'm okay with that.

Well, we've been holding steady at "will potty when put on potty, but won't tell you when I have to go" for about seven months now. I don't want to push it.

So, almost two months ago I created the Potty Sticker Poster. I know, not a very creative name. Sue me.

I thought that if I rewarded Carly with stickers when she went potty, it might motivate her to initiate the pottying. We now have TONS more stickers on the Potty Sticker Board, but no initiating on her behalf.

I did find some panties that will fit her size 12 month waist - Yay!

They are by Potty Patty and are more absorbent than regular panties, but less absorbent than PullUps. I plan to take a day or two off of work later this summer and plan a long weekend with Carly, Potty Patty, juice, water, milk, popsicles, etc. - whatever it takes (in a nurturing, no-pressure atmosphere, of course!). Wish us luck!

P.S. Any coupons for carpet and upholstery cleaning post-potty training weekend are welcome.

Super Clean Remote Control

2011-06-18T05:39:00.000-07:00

This little cutie likes to help with laundry.

Apparently we need to talk about what can and cannot go in the washing machine.

Good news...Once it dried out, the remote control still worked - despite having gone though nearly an entire cycle in the washing machine.

Brittany the Bachelorette

2011-06-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

My friend Brittany may be a married woman now, but for the sake of this blog, she is the Bachelorette.

We celebrated one of her last weekends as a single lady with mimosas (except for Meredith who couldn't because she was pregnant)

Shopping and pedicures (my personal favorites!)

Dinner, drinks, dancing and...what's a word for friends that starts with "d"?

There were girls who danced the night away

And girls who people watched from the patio

Stories were told

Beer bottles were hidden in planters

And other beers were watered down and went unnoticed

But fun was had by all.

Congratulations, Brittany!

Holy Cow!

2011-06-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

Holy cow! Not only did I accidentally delete a whole bunch of pictures from my new camera (including a GREAT picture of me and Carly on Mother's Day), but I am also pretty sure that I didn't correctly reformat the memory card when I was swapping cameras and...and our Easter pictures were among 2 monthsof pictures that are now gone. GONE. Boo.

Just some pictures

2011-05-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging out of chronological order here, but thought you might enjoy seeing some pictures that I took of Carly when we went to dinner the other night. Once I stop being blog-lazy, I'll post about Easter and the Hagamans!

Carly and Sara!

A special visit

2011-04-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

Back in March my Aunt Karen and Uncle Jim came in from Indiana to visit. This was there first time to meet Carly, though they are devout followers of my blog and are able to keep up with all of our crazy happenings via "Thirteen Love".

We spent an entire day with them - visiting, catching up and just relaxing. It was a wonderful time and I am so glad they made the long trek to Texas to visit us and that they were finally able to meet Carly.

Turning 2 is Tutu fun

2011-04-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

Shame on me. Shame. On. Me.

I spent a ton of time and energy planning Carly's "Tutu Birthday Party", but I barely took any pictures. Boo for me.

Regardless of the pictures (or rather, lack there of), we had a great time.

This year was break-down free!

Carly had lots of friends and family there to celebrate with her.

Cambree, Emily and Carly were all born within a 3 month span.

Carly's role models - the ever-trendy Landri and Carsen.

Aunt Cathy (and the twins in her belly) were there, too!

Bailey was all smiles (even after getting smacked in the face with her own hair bow).

She gave her future husband, Jonah, rides on the back of her quad while Hudson supervised.

Future family!

The bigger the mess, the more fun that was had, right? She had a LOT of fun!

Thanks to everyone who made Carly's 2nd birthday extra special!

Belated Birthday Blog Post

2011-04-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

There is a difference between a bad mom and a bad blogger.

Just because it took me nearly 2 months to post pictures of Carly's first birthday doesn't make me a bad mom. It makes me a bad blogger.

Our sweet Carly Dilyn turned 2 (holy cow!) on March 13.

She weighed in at a whopping 23 pounds.

She wears size 24 month shirts, but 12 months pants and skirts.

She is well on her way to potty training (knock on wood).

Her personality is really shining through and she is the LIGHT of our lives.

We spent the day doing what I she loves best. We shopped.

We hit up the Mattel Outlet and got not one, but TWO...trikes? Bikes? Whatever they are called, we got tow because they were such a good deal and so that there would be an extra one at our house for other kids to ride. (Update on the bikes coming in another blog...stay tuned!)

We also tried to find some tennis shoes that Carly could wear with her braces. No luck. Crocs, Crocs, every day Crocs. But we did find a Minnie Mouse balloon on a stick. Lola hates it. She gets bonked in the head with it alot.

Carly D also got an awesomely cute patio table and chairs.

We had her birthday dinner at Olive Garden. I tried to snap some cute pics while we waited for our table. These are the best I got.

Happy Birthday, sweet Carly Dilyn. We love you!

Wicked Weekend

2011-04-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

A long, long time ago (early March), I took a girls weekend and headed to San Antonio with some friends. We spent an entire afternoon shopping at the Outlets in San Marcos. Let me tell you, I could have shopped those shops for a week! If you haven't been, GO!

The weekend brought some firsts for us.

It was my first time to encounter a "multiple choice" flusher.

Rachel nearly had her first anxiety attack when we picked up lunch in a restaurant with an overflowing toilet, re-heated pizza and an incessant cougher patron.

Karol convinced us to "thread" our eyebrows for the first time.

While sitting by the pool, I rolled up my pants and let my legs see sun for the first time since last summer. My legs blinded the poor sun.

And, the whole point of the weekend - we saw Wicked for the first time!

Fun times, girls. Fun times.

Still Besties

2011-04-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

Carly and Lola are still Besties - even if all of the hugs are a bit of a beating for Lola sometimes.

Like Mother Like...Blogger?

2011-04-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

Carly got a "leaptop" (Leapfrog laptop) for her birthday. She loves to pretend to blog just like her mommy. When you push one button it says "new blog entry".

Love. It.

Fabulous Finds Friday

2011-04-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

The only thing I love better than a good deal is bragging about it.

We all know that I love to read. Freddy, unfortunately, does not share that same passion. I remember the excitement of checking out library books as a child. Freddy remembers checking out all of the cuts and bruises he got from playing outside. We hope that Carly loves both the outdoors and a good book.

I have been eyeing the Tag Junior since Carly was born. But $30? When I am not sure if she is ready for it yet? So, I waited. UNTIL...Until our trip to Walmart this past Sunday. Freddy headed for the register and I headed for the clearance section. There it was. In all of it's Leapfrog glory. The purple Tag Junior. And the most beautiful part was the price tag. $13! I was so proud of myself that I practically skipped my way to the register. No exaggeration.

Yes, I realize that the picture quality is horrendous. I had to take it with my phone because my camera is STILL in the shop. Tomorrow, it will have been THREE WEEKS! I just got off the phone with the repair place and they said that they expect it to be another 7-10 business days. Boo! My fingers are still crossed that they can't repair it, or can't get the part and have to replace the camera - under warranty - with an upgrade!

I will also try to upload some pictures from the memory card this weekend. But don't hold your breath because it is a busy weekend - again - for the Clarks.

April To-Do's

2011-04-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hello, April. You make me feel...ambitious.

But first...How did I do with my March to-do's?

I scrubbed the kitchen floor (the day before Carly's birthday party - BAD idea. I should have waited) and sent not five but SIX cards to people that I care about. I have in hand a recipe for a yummy salad complete with homemade dressing. Once I make that, all of my March to-do's are done.

On to April. Dare I tell you everything I want to get accomplished? Will you be disappointed if I fail you again? Oh, well. It can always carry over, right?

1. Stain the Adirondack chairs I got for Mother's Day last year!

2. Complete my "shelf project" - you'll just have to wait for pics of that one.

3. Clean the carpet in the living room

4. Take pictures of all of our TVs, jewelery, etc. for insurance purposes.

5. Get a library card (so I can download e-books to my Kindle for FREE!)

6. Do something - anything - with the landscaping/flower bed

So there you have it. What's on your April to-do list?

Down Time

2011-03-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends.

I dropped my camera last week. I broke it. The insides are turning, but strange, strange sounds are coming out of it and no pictures can be taken. Off it went to Best Buy. Thank you, sweet husband, for knowing that I would do something like this and for buying the super-duper warranty that covers breakage from droppage.

As you may be able to guess, my blog is going to have some down time. Unless I can get Shelby to bring me that thing-a-ma-jig that allows me to download pics from my memory card without the camera.

On the bright side...I kinda hope they can't fix it and have to give me a new one. Did I mention that they don't make the Nikon D40 anymore and I think that the "comparable" camera is the Nikon D3000 - a bit of an upgrade. Fingers crossed that I broke it beyond repair.

Wouldn't it be handy?

2011-03-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

I have SO MANY blog-worthy stories that, sadly, you will never hear. Not because I don't like you, blog followers. No. You won't hear them for fear that the person they are about might read my blog and rip me a new one.

Wouldn't it be handy to have a list of people who read your blog and know that no one outside of that list would EVER read what you wrote?

But if ever you are in town, call me up. We'll have a cocktail and I will tell all - except for the stories about you, of course.

March To-Do's

2011-03-11T07:03:00.000-08:00

We've had a lot going on lately. Needless to say, I never did get around to making up a February to-do list.

However, I FINALLY cleaned my closet! (Pause for applause)

Update on January To-Do's:

I did try a new restaurant - Martha's. That's where I had "stocktails", remember?

I also made a new header for my blog. Yay! - Now if I can just get a free tutorial from Lauren on how to center and align it all.

I did not, however, replace the broken blinds in our bedroom. Boo!

But we all know the rule by this point - what doesn't get done one month carries over to the next.

Even though March is nearly half way over, I still want to make a March to-do list.

1. Make my own salad dressing

2. SCRUB the kitchen floor until it shines (figuratively, of course)!

Swiffer Wets don't count and no, even the Steam Shark thingy doesn't count - I'm talking a bucket, a washcloth and me on my knees scrubbing away. Hello, elbow grease!

3. Send 5 cards to people I care about (birthdays dont' count).

One...Two...Three...GO!

Thirteen Love

2011-03-03T08:07:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I have officially changed the name of my blog to Thirteen Love. Why Thirteen Love? Because Freddy and I were married on the 13th and Carly was born on the 13th. I have much love for the 13th.

When I asked for feedback on a new blog title, Lydia made a good point. What if our next child (not planned yet, so don't go there) is not born on the 13th? Well, friend, I thought of that, too. But since I have to schedule the birth (c-section) of every child from here on out, I can PICK the 13th for his/her birthday. See? Just another benefit of having your child cut out of you.

Here are some pictures of sweet Carly D for your enjoyment.

My friend Amanda took these for us for her 2nd birthday invitation.

She did an AMAZING job, don't you think?

She can take YOUR pictures, too!

And since Blogger hates me and won't let me upload more pictures right now, I will have to do a separate post about her totally adorable invitation whose theme and wording were 100% high jacked from my friend, Melanie.

Sweet Carly D

2011-02-23T08:40:00.000-08:00

Alright, here we go. This is sure to be my longest post in my blogging history, but I want to let my friends and family in on what has been going on lately in Carly's World (and ours). I will try to make it as to-the-point as possible. Don't worry - she's fine! She's wonderful! She's just had a lot going on lately.

Carly walks with her feet turned out, on the inside of her foot and sometimes she seems to drag her left foot. We mentioned this to our pediatrician at her 18 month check- up (since that is when she started walking). She said to give it a few months. Two months later it wasn't getting better and we felt like her balance was getting worse. We told the doctor this at a sick visit and she referred us to a pediatric orthopedist.

After x-rays, the orthopedist said all was well with her bones. Since she was a late crawler (11 months) and late walker (18 months) and kind of a late talker, he referred us to a pediatric neurologist and ECI (Early Childhood Intervention - a state and government funded agency that provides at-home therapy to families with little or no cost to them).

First...ECI. They evaluate all aspects of Carly's development and if she is more than three months behind in any area, she qualifies for their services in those areas. Her nutrition was great, but they did recommend physical therapy as well as some basic development. So Kelly and Elizabeth visit us every other week. They give us exercises that we can do with Carly that will strengthen her core and her legs. Kelly also recommended that we have Carly evaluated for orthotics (braces for her ankles), but let's hold that thought.

Two weeks ago we had our appointment with the neurologist (it took 3 months to get in to see him!). (Flashback: When Carly was about 6 months old, our pediatrician ordered a CT scan of her brain to check for hydrocephalus - aka water on the brain - because her head measured big and that is a sign of hydrocephalus. She didn't have it.) Since we had the CT scan at Cooks Children's Medical Center and the neurologist is also with Cooks, he was able to pull up the image of the CT scan on his laptop during our appointment.

He noticed some things that weren't necessarily "wrong", but not the norm. Assuring us that nothing was wrong, he wanted to take a closer look at her brain and spine - just rule out the possibility of something neurological being the cause of her banormal gate (walk). He said his hope was to call us and tell us that he didn't find anything.

So he ordered an MRI and wrote referrals for a physical therapy evaluation, an occupational therapy evaluation, a speech therapy evaluation and a referral to a geneticist (to rule out anything genetic). He also wanted us to have her evaluated for orthotics. He called in a favor and they (the people who do the orthotics) were able to see us that day - even though the clinic was closed due to snow and ice.

Deborah (the lady who evaluated and fitted her for orthotics) immediately recognized LOW MUSCLE TONE in Carly. This is something that can be addressed through orthotics (to correct the positioning of her feet) and therapy. Carly gets her braces on Friday!

So. last week we had the MRI. Yes, our sweet baby had to go under anesthesia, which is no fun for parents, FYI. We found out yesterday that the MRI did not show anything bad! Nothing neurological! Praise God!

Now we are in the process of getting evaluated for all of the different therapies and coming up with a comprehensive therapy plan that includes private therapy through Cooks as well as continuing the therapies with ECI. We're learning a lot about how everything works together. By strengthening her muscle tone and core, she will have the muscle strength to fill her diaphragm with air and say her vowels better.

Carly is amazing! I can't say that enough. We are thankful that her abnormal gate is nothing more serious than low muscle tone. While we realize that this is a challenge God has set before us, we have faith that He will bring us through it. Carly is healthy. And happy. She is also a very determined little girl and Deborah said that will make her a STAR in therapy. Most importantly, she's loved. Trust me - this email makes it sound more "extreme" than it is. If you know her and see her all the time, you know how great she is.

So there you have it. That is what has been going on with our Sweet Baby Girl. I plan to post updates on here, so feel free to check in from time to time to see the progress that Carly is making. Thank you all for your love and support.

And for those of you who read this post all the way to the end, here is a sneak-peak at some pictures that my friend Amanda took of Carly for her 2 year birthday party invitation.

Look at those long locks!

2011-02-21T04:31:00.000-08:00

When I was pregnant with Carly, even before I knew that we were having a girl, I wished for a baby with a lot of hair.

I also wanted a ~~fat~~ chubby baby.

One for two ain't bad.

Up, up and away!

2011-02-18T05:21:00.000-08:00

Minnesota; land of 10,000 lakes and 10 million potholes

2011-02-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we took Carly on an Adventure of Firsts.

First time in Minnesota.

First time on a plane (she did GREAT!)

First time to meet her great-grandmother and take a picture with four generations of mothers and daughters.

First time to meet her great-grandfather, too. Oh, how special!

First hotel stay. She loved it! However, since she was in the same room as us, we had to turn the tv off when it was time for her to go to bed. Needless to say, we all got some good nights of sleep with early bed times. Am I complaining? Heck to the No! I love to sleep.

First time to see snow piled up taller than she is. And, in some places, taller than her daddy!

As a side note, I had to take a picture with "the statue". The statue that came crashing down on my head when I was just a toddler. The statue that left a visible scar in the middle of my forehead. I remember the statue being much, much bigger.

I'm sorry. I didn't realize they were uncovered. My apologies.

The snow was beautiful in some areas, but not worth the trouble of all the shoveling, salt damage to the cars, etc. that Northerners experience. And don't get me started on the potholes.

The visit was wonderful. I loved getting to spend time with my grandparents, introduce her to Carly and watch them interact. I wish we could have stayed longer. I wish a lot of things.

New blog name

2011-02-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

While "Team Clark" suites our sports-loving family just fine, I think I want to change the name of this blog.

Here are some new ones I am throwing around. Please, please, please offer your feedback.

1. Thirteen Love (since we were married on the 13th and Carly was born on the 13th)

2. It's the Simple Things

3. Straight from our life to your computer

4. Close-Up with the Clarks

Of course, I am always open to suggestions. Ready?...Go!

Things she would never know if we didn't tell her

2011-02-17T07:01:00.000-08:00

My heart melts at least 1 million times a day.

Examples? Okay.

Carly has taken my face in her hand, turned it to face her and kissed me.

If Carly hears someone sneeze, she fake sneezes.

I asked Carly yesterday if she wanted any cheese and she "cheesed" like she does for the camera.

I didn't have the camera or video camera handy for any of those heart-melting moments. But I want her to know about them.

As another example, every night I will go in to Carly's room and check on her after she is asleep. Prepare yourselves, moms...I pick her up. I pick her up and hold her. She used to fit in my arms, but now she overflows them. And sometimes she will point back to her bed and tell me, "nigh-nigh". As in, "Mom, I'm tired. Put me back in my bed." So I put her back in the bed, hand her her stuffed puppy and every time - EVERY TIME - she feels around on her puppy's face until she finds his nose and eyes. Then she goes back to sleep. I was able to capture that memory with the camera, but I won't be able to capture them all.

So I stole and idea that my friend and coworker, Sara, shared with me. She has a notebook where she writes down all of the funny stuff her little girl says or does. She has entitled it Things You Would Never Know if We Didn't Tell You.

I went to one of my favorite websites - www.etsy.com - and found a vendor who made personalized books. It is 8.5 x 11 inches and has...oh, I can't remember...120 or so blank pages in it.

I plan to go back and think of things that have happened over the past 23 months and then just start adding to it as she says or does something that melts our hearts. It will likely end up being disorganized, with dates all out of chronological order with different colored inks (if you know me, you know that will drive me nuts). But it will be a wonderful keepsake for Carly when she gets older. I can't wait to start writing in it.