What is going on??

I've now slept during Loren's nap for the last 3 days. I'm so pooped that I can barely make it until her nap time.

Is this kid sucking every last ounce of energy out of me?
I don't remember being this tired with Loren.

Now, PROPS! Erin (Sher-Bear's BFF) gave up her recipe for the BEST Gooey Butter Cake EVER! I made it today and YOW-ZERS! It's so amazing . . . . St. Louis Chefs are KNOWN for making the best "Oops Recipes" known to man. . .Toasted Ravioli and Gooey Butter cake!

(In late 1942 or early 1943, Johnny Hoffman of St. Louis Pastries Bakery was working on a Saturday and made what eventually turned out to be Gooey Butter Cake. It was a mistake! He subsequently called Herman Danzer, my dad, and told him he thought he may have something and asked to come to my dad's shop on Spring & Gravois to see if they could duplicate it. They worked all Saturday, and through many trials and errors got it pretty good. The final batch they made, my dad suggested they add glycerin to get it really gooey. It worked - whereupon my mom, Melba Danzer, came into the shop from the store to see what these two guys were doing. When she tried it she said "this sure is gooey" subsequently, the name.)

Here's the Recipe

Gooey Butter Cake with Drunken Berries

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 9x13 inch cake pan or several (about 8) creme' brulee' cups for individual servings.
2. Melt the butter or margarine. Stir melted butter or margarine along with 1 egg into the cake mix. Press into prepared cake pan.
3. In a large bowl mix cream cheese, vanilla, confectioner's sugar, and the remaining 2 eggs beat for 3 minutes with an electric mixer set on medium high speed. Spread over top of cake mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes (a little less for individual cakes) and until browned on top. Allow cake to cool before cutting.5. Top with drunken berries (see below) just before serving.

DRUNKEN BERRIES:
Three types of berries (I use blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries), about 2-3 cups
A few fresh mint springs
A dash of sugar
About 1/2 cup Amaretto liqeuer

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and allow to sit in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally to ensure all berries absorb the flavors.

So excited!

I'm so pumped! I'm making a quilt for my daughter's THIRD birthday! It's going to be a twin-sized quilt! Here is the squares! I haven't stitched them yet so the pieces are just laying there. Obviously there will be antennas attaching the buttons above the head. I'm so excited to be doing this!! YIPEE!

Let's play a game. . .

Here's the game. . .guess how big my baby is going to be when he is born!

so far, I'm 31 weeks and the baby is.. . .Are you ready for this!

FOUR POUNDS EIGHT OUNCES! yes, i already have an almost 5lb baby! WHAT THE HECK!

I proudly gave an old man a new rear-end today!

I pulled up to Walgreens today and proceeded to do my regular "Get the Tot out of the Car Routine." I tossed my keys on top of the car, grabbed her milk, unbuckled her, and HOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

I turned to see a car waiting there to pull into the space next to me and he goes, "You want to shut the door there" in this "geezer" tone.

Ohhhhhh PREGNANT HORMONAL WITCH CAME OUT TO PLAY! I turned to him and said in my most rueful tone, "First of all jerk, there are 4 EMPTY spaces right next to you, why do you need this one. Secondly, I would like to get my baby out of the car first JERK!"

I have never disrespected the elderly before but I could NOT believe him! I mean LITERALLY there were four empty spaces right next to the one he was trying to pull into. Secondly, it wasn't like I was taking my time, I do my "Get the Tot out of the Car Routine" quite quickly. I was seething!

To make matters worse, Loren repeated the whole way into the store, "Baby out of the car JERK." "Baby out of the car, JERK."

Little pictures. . . .I know. . . .

First Ice-Cream Cone Ever

I gave ice-cream to her in the car and it was so fun! She had a blast. . .well until Mom took away the soggy mess that was the cone! S*C*R*E*A*M but it was fun :)

Oh My!

I've got my Loren Michelle back and my poor body is killing me :) !! I had a week off from the lifting, carrying, crawling, rough-housing, etc. I can definitely feel it! Oh my! Plus I was not a very smart girl and I took her on a walk to the Library and I am dying right now. It is so wonderful to have her back!

Loren has done well using her potty chair. She likes to use the potty! however, she wants to wash her hands, wipe, then use the potty. . .we'll get the order down one of these days :)

Ughghghg I don't wanna

So begins my busiest time of pregnancy. Ughn! Not only do I start my weekly visits with the OB I start my weekly visits with the Perinatalogist. Not only do I start my weekly visits with the two doctors I ALSO start my weekly visits to the non-stress perinatal lab for my 1.5 hour non-stress tests. 11 weeks of this. I will be out of the house 3 days per week doing dr. appointments and non-stress tests. It really makes the time go SLOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!

So anyway, I have my second appointment of the week today and I just feel like calling and canceling. Grrr.

In very good news though: MY BUNNY IS COMING HOME TODAY! MY BUNNY IS COMING HOME TODAY! Hurry up Bon and Bob! MY BUNNY IS COMING HOME TODAY!

Here it is!

Here is the nursery that is very scary!

Here is the old breakfast room

And the new. . .the color is chocolate brown. I haven't put my decorations up on the wall.

Eventually I want to put an antique silver coffee server here:

I had to put a picture of the GORGEOUS crown molding that Mike did.

So I heard. . .

Some of you met my fearless little angel! I told you, she gives me a run for my money! "Loren, don't climb the bookcase: Loren, we don't hang from drawers: Loren, please don't scale the outside of Mommy's shower." It is a DAILY battle! I seriously mean it. . .WHEN she ends up with a broken limb, not IF! :) Mike said he had the best time re-connecting with everyone! I felt a little left out :( Oh well, next year hopefully!!!

LOVE TO EVERYONE! I MISS YOU!

Bittersweet Weekend

It was absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe it! You will never believe this: I got the entire house cleaned in 2 hours as I didn't have a toddler running behind me destroying it (Kaki, I feel for you with 2. . .soon 3)! It felt so good. Then I went to my moms and we sat on her couch and vegged watching TV all night. I slept through the entire night then!

Then on Saturday I got a book on CD and worked on some things around the house because. . .I could! Saturday night Sheri came over and we went out for Chinese. We spent 2 hours talking. Holy Moly! It was amazing. I had a wonderful female deep conversation (okay lots of gossip) for 2 hours without any "MOM!!" Then we came back home and both of us drank an entire bottle of wine each (Mine was alcohol free of course!) and an entire pot of coffee! We also had a piece of cake without sharing any bites with kiddos! We watch Moulin Rouge and Walk the Line. At 2:00 am we climbed up to my bed and zonked straight through until 8:00 am!

Today I am staying in my PJs and am working on getting rid of my recipe magazines (I'm getting my favorite ones on the computer).

On the flip side of this wonderful weekend. . .my arms are aching! I miss my Bunny Rabbit! I want her back and I don't get her for 4 more days! Mike and I are going to have a week to ourselves! I can't wait but I cannot wait to see my girl again!

Now here is my promise, I will get pictures posted of the new kitchen nook and the very scary baby's room!

Big Helper?

So Mike was reading Harry Potter to me outside the other day while Loren played the best game ever: Run around the patio table. Anyway, unbeknownst to Mike his little "princess" snuck up on him and stuck her finger up his nose and said, "Daddy, No-ren get yous booger." I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time. . .until she promptly marched over to me and stuck her finger up my nose and said, "Mommy, No-ren get yous booger." Complete with the "Yickie, Yickie" and finger flicks afterwards. My little stinker!

Behind the potty training at 20 months

Here's the reason why I'm doing it now even though Loren is still very young. Sometimes she's very interested. Sometimes not. . .I don't want to do this flip-flop thing. If we are going to do it, then let's do it. I just don't want to sit on the potty one week and then the next not. I guess I just want her to have some consistency.

I don't want to be overbearing about it. . .I just think maybe we will do a potty sit every hour (with a prize for peeing or pooing) but do diapers still. I don't know. . .I'm still kind of confused by it. It would be nice to have her out of diapers by time CoCo Bean is born but I don't realistically think that will happen. Besides, I'm not set on it as I think she's too young. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm the trials of being "Mommy" :)

On another note, I have a bachelorette weekend starting tomorrow! Mike is taking Loren and Melinda up to Michigan for the weekend! I am on my own for the weekend! I am having 2 slumber parties! Friday I am having a slumber party with Mom and Saturday I'm having a slumber party with Sheri. . .Sheri the Shiraz and Fre White Zin is on to chill. . . I'm so pumped! Mike is coming back early Sunday and we have a week of no kids (well kind of as this one is kinda attached right now!) bonnie and Bob will be delivering Loren Thursday! We are so excited! I am going to finish my breakfast nook and get the nursery together. . .I promise there will be "before and after" pictures of both.

Back into a routine

Loren has had 7 weeks "off" from ummmm. . .how do we say this. . . tough mommy love/rules. She has got in a horrible habit of flinging her food, throwing toys, talking back and disobeying. Gotta stop! Momma won't handle that! She is such a good girl but all to ready and willing to "rule the roost." She needs to realize that she may be "princess" but Momma is "queen!"

Any ideas. . .

Now for those of you experienced "potty trainers," any tips? I have no idea how to do this :)