We're home.

Meet Eloise Matilda Place. Born Janurary 21st, 2010, at 11:35 am.
Born 6lbs 6oz with blue eyes and blond hair. (That last one shocked me!)
You'll see more of us later. For now we are recovering at home. Thank you for all your kind words! I loved reading them through the haze of Percocet:)

Pica

For the past month I've been experiencing the pregnancy symptom known as Pica. Which is basically a medical disorder characterized by an appetite for substances largely non-nutritive (e.g. metal, clay, coal, soil, chalk, paper, soap, mucus, ash, gum, etc.) Isn't that strange? One thing in particular....bath salts. The smell is intoxicating. I'd equate the urge to smell and eat them to a strong pregnancy craving for pickles and ice cream.

Specifically, this brand and smell. Lucky Chic Mandarin White Orchid Bath Salts. Brian bought some as a stocking stuffer last year at Big Lots. I ran out just as I realized how much I craved the smell. When I told Brian he went out and found more and surprised me with them for Christmas. It was the BEST $2 ever spent!

My only problem is keeping myself from actually eating them. I wonder if I'll feel this way after the baby is born? Has anyone else experienced similar urges while pregnant?

Farewell Charming Christmas Chill

When it's Christmas and cold everything is charming and lovely. The moment December 26th hits that enchanting nippy nose weather turns into something more depressing and bitter.

This morning we woke up to find all of our Christmas garbage that we set out the night before scattered across the lawn and several of our neighbors lawns. Our recycling bin is no where to be found. And it's so cold I can't imagine going outside to pick it all up.

I also want to go out to the fabric store and buy something for a 50s maternity dress I have in mind but the wind is blowing so violently and the only thing that feels comfortable on are dresses. It's one of those days.

I might have to put on a pair of snowpants to do some errands.

I AM A SHABBY APPLE FINALIST!!!! VOTE #7

I AM A SHABBY APPLE 'DARE TO DESIGN' FINALIST!
VOTE HERE FOR #7!!!!

Wow. We were on the edge of our seats for two days. Then finally last week the results were in. Brian looked up at me with the computer in his lap and said, "They're in. Do you want to know?"

Me: "No. Let me look."

Me: "No. Just tell me."

Me: "No. I'll just look."

Scroll down....1....no....2....no....3...."Oh it doesn't look good for me." 4...5...6....7...."AHHHHHH!!!!!"

I do the game show dance. (In case you're wondering what that looks like, it involves singing and waving your arms around).

For the next couple hours I am bent over the computer evaluating all the details and comments and just EVERYTHING!

So....if you commented on the "Lawn Frock" or entered the giveaway or have just been a fan of Grosgrain, please, PLEASE go here and leave a comment with your vote for #7. You would make my LIFE!

You can only vote once but that doesn't mean you can't get your friends and family to join in. Right?! RIGHT! My parents are too computer illiterate to figure out how to vote so I need all the help I can get:)

Create a Link if you'd like to share this news!!

Future Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce

I wanted to post this a couple days ago but I've been so sidetracked this week. Did any of you watch the season finale of Mad Men? What did you think?

Here were some of my thoughts....

Bets and Don: I don't think everything will go well with Bets and Francis. For some time I was getting really jaded by Don's constant infidelity. I thought that storyline was getting stale. Then Betty comes in and mixes it up by running away with Henry Francis. I thought I'd be more 'you go Bets'! But actually I find that I'm really annoyed at her as well.

Rodger and Joan: For a long time there was just no good way for these characters to be together. Joan is a 'do-the-right-thing' character. She wouldn't sleep with a married man who she also happens to work for. But now that Rodger divorced this wife and remarried this young girl who Joan despises, there's room for them to reignite their -------------------------------------------------------------------attraction. I look forward to it because I -------------------------------------------------------------------don't like Jane either.

Peggy Olson: I was wondering for a while this season how she was going to climb up the ladder. I feel that the writers have always had a path in mind for her. She's the 1960s career gal who had to scratch her way to the top in a man's world. In the past few episodes she's been really stepped on and that bothered me. I LOVED how she stuck it to Don in the season finale and made him eat some humble pie. Man, was he being an ASS! I think this new change will allow her to take on a higher position of rank. I'd like to see all of them working for her someday.

Pete Campbell: I don't know what will happen to him. But oddly, I like watching his character. He does slimy things but he feels guilt over them and he has the ability to be wounded. I would really like to see some progress on the 'Peggy/Pete' secret baby storyline but I don't see any development in the recent scripts for this to happen. Maybe in two more seasons.


Paul, Harry, Ken and Salvatore: With Paul and Ken still at Sterling Cooper and Harry in the newly formed Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, I don't know how their dynamic will be affected. But I think this might leave a little bit of room for Salvatore to find his way back to the show.

Well, that's all I see in my crystal ball. What say you?

Hair Rut

It's been a very rare occasion that I've made a hair decision that I did NOT live to regret.
Soooo.....on that note....I've been thinking of getting high bangs.

Happy Halloween!

Funny.

Have a great weekend!

My two girls were my treat!

Last night we celebrated Trick or Treat. Lily and her friend Kim spent two hours combing the neighborhood for sweeties. Brian, me and Molly tagged along and had a GREAT time. This year for the first time Molly reached that point where she understood the concept of accepting candy. It was absolutely ADORABLE!

As you can see, she was Flopsy from Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'. I made the costume with a little red cape just like the triplet bunnies wear and a little wicker basket with red gingham lining. I also padded the butt of the costume so her behind looked quite plump....too cute! I'll be featuring it on Grosgrain soon.

Despite my love of making costumes, this year Lily wanted to go out and pick out one from the store. So she and her dad bought a princess costume covered with Disney characters. She was so delighted by it I didn't mind a bit.

Too good to be true?

I've dyed my hair so many times it's horribly dry and damaged. I could probably go weeks without washing it and it would still look like straw. So I've only heard good things about this Keratin Hair Treatment. It's supposed to work better, the more damaged your hair is. Has anyone heard of it? Or have tried it? It's like $300 to have it done in the salon but I've seen the solution selling on ebay and online for $40-$60 and I found this video explaining how to apply with a friend. I don't know, what say you?

Lottery purchase #4

Someday we will have an RV. We'll go for weekend trips to the beach and week long trips to Key West. I fantasize about the layout of my RV the same way I fantasize about my dream home. I doodle on random scrap paper when I'm bored. Or imagine the layout when I'm driving and the radio dispenses a row of dull songs.

I know I go on and on about charm but I want my RV to be more functional than charming. If I wanted charming I'd fantasize about a Tumbleweed House. I want something that we can all be in while driving, has full air conditioning, a TV, plenty of unfolding bed space, full electricity and water and of course a master bedroom, oh AND LOTS OF WINDOWS! Someday if I win the lottery. But it would have to be the state lottery not the Powerball so that I only had enough money to buy a house and a few extra niceties...if I won the Powerball I'd just get a Hawaiian villa.