Ruffled Crepe Paper

Maybe I don't value sleep.
Maybe I'm crazy.
Maybe I want to win first prize in the un-spoke of best first birthday party contest.

But, I have spent the past three hours turning this...




Into this...



I'm not quite done, but it's 12:27AM and my machine is hot and I just ran out of bobbin thread for the fourth time and my eyes are crossed...

John Wayne did measure and cut all of the the strips of crepe paper for me...while chewing tobacco and watching a cowboy movie where they call each other son-of-a-gun. Don't worry John Wayne, your man card is still safe.

Stay tuned for pictures of the ruffled crepe paper in action at Saturday's monster bash.

Help! I hate Google Friend Connect...

When I follow a blog using Google Friend Connect, not only does an old profile picture show up, but neither of my blogs show up. The blogs I follow are listed, but not the links to Trailerhood Aristocrats or Toddling with Tressie.

Obviously, I am technologically challenged...if anyone can help me, I'd appreciate it!

Happy 1st Birthday Tressie!

What a great day!!!

11:50PM last night - Our Little Lady that usually sleeps solid through the night, awakens. Did she know it was about to be her first birthday?!?!

Grandma brought her to Limon today for visits to both Mama and Daddy's offices and lunch at Ruby's. What a special treat for Mama and Daddy!

This evening Grandma fixed us a great spaghetti dinner, and as usual, the Little Lady chowed down.

{Mama had to make a trip to the big city for work this afternoon, so T got a special birthday treat...balloons!}


After our delicious dinner, it was time for cake.


She started out pretty daintily...





That didn't last long!




Then she just got plum silly!


Next, it was time to open a few presents. Her party is on Saturday, but what's a birthday without presents?!?!

Great-Grandpa and Grandma Hammer came over for cake. Here she is opening her present from them: a new bank shaped like a cowboy boot (it's even red to match her room!) and money.

{You'll notice she had to loose her jeggings after cake. ***Note to self for Saturday...cake second!}



I LOVE her face in this picture!


Bubble bath and new towels - perfect! She needs a bath after enjoying her cake!



Happy Birthday Tressie!


Mama and Daddy love you so much T! Happy Birthday sweet Little Lady!

Happy Happy Birthday!!!

It's better that way...

Lop-sided, that is!

Tomorrow is the Little Lady's 1st birthday!!!

We're celebrating it on Saturday with her big monster bash, but of course we have to celebrate it tomorrow too.

I made her a cake tonight.



After seeing the results I had to laugh at myself for one thing I considered for the briefest of moments when planning her party...
ME making the cake!!!

I am a cake decorating drop-out you know.
(My second year of 4-H cake decorating, I made it half way through my first cake... more tears and screaming took place in that half hour then during the best soap opera break-up. My Mom then decided it would be a good idea if I go ahead and drop that project.)
Needless to say, Target will be handling the cake on Saturday. Mom and I will be busy making several dozen cupcakes though, but that will be just fine...my Mom is the cupcake wizard after all.


You know I am against store bought frosting, but...there is one exception...
FUNFETTI!



I'm guessing the Little Lady (and John Wayne who the cake is currently hiding from) won't care what it looks like!

They're here!

Today we got our Girl Scout cookies from our favorite girl scout E.

When I walked in the door from work with them, not one box was opened. Throughout the course of cooking dinner, I managed to open every single box.


T helped me sample them.



Don't judge us.
Yes, I am feeding my baby cookies, and before dinner at that.
Yes, she is still in her pajamas (she had a leisurely day with her Dad today).
Again, don't judge us.





The verdict is in - the shortbread cookies are good!
So are the other three boxes : )

March 1, 2010

This day is as crystal clear in my memory as if it happened just yesterday. I had a 10AM appointment with Dr. Lalonde and after a weekend of feeling pretty yucky: blood pressure issues, gall bladder issues, nausea, I knew that he’d be inducing me and even though all along I wanted to hold out as long as possible (partly because I had my maternity leave all worked out in my head according to my due date (rookie!) and I was admittedly nervous about being induced) I was finally ready.

I told Justin not to go to work to come to my appointment with me because today was the day. My Mom and Dad already had plans to be in the Springs for another appointment. Dr. Lalonde was the doctor on call that night at the hospital. All of the stars were aligning; we were going to get to meet our baby girl soon!

As expected, Dr. Lalonde told us to go have a good lunch and be back at the hospital at 12:30PM. We went home and settled Lucy and Lacy in and after lunch with my parents, we went to the hospital and we waited. I was admitted and shown to my room where I unpacked and methodically set up for “battle.” In my carefully packed bag I had EVERYTHING that any magazine, online article or friend had ever suggested. As it turned out, I really wouldn’t have time or the need for all the fun and games I had packed.

At 2:30PM, a nurse started me on Pictocin. Shortly thereafter, informed me she was stopping it because I was having good contractions on my own (my Mom had already figured this out from the monitors). I didn’t even realize I was having contractions, that’s a good thing! I saw Dr. Lalonde at 5:00PM, he broke my water (I instantly went from not feeling anything to feeling everything, threw-up and requested my epidural). Dr. Lalonde said we were probably looking at a 2 or 3AM delivery.

My team (Mom and Dad, Katie and Will) left to get some dinner. I made the team captain say with me : ) My nurse checked me at 7 or 7:30PM and I was at 9 cm. Wahoo, everyone was so pleasantly surprised! At 9:29PM, Miss Tressie Laine made her debut. My team got back from dinner just in time to meet the Little Lady. We have been in love and in awe over her from the second we laid eyes on her.


{And second best thing about March 1, 2010…as soon as the Little Lady made her appearance, nine months of nausea came to an end!}