Grandpa, you quack me up!

You know you are blogging too much when 1) you're lying awake at night and you start blogging in your head, 2) you have a dream in which you blog about your dream, 3) you actually blog about blogging. I'm in need of a new read, anyone have any book suggestions?

Chick Belize (technically a duck) and Brannon, puppy Naya and Zoram. 2 generations of BFFs. This week Belize's added to her vocabulary: tractor, cheese, agua, woof woof, and bzzzzzz (like a bee).

What ARE the lyrics to this song? I thought it was one ton tomata?

Naya: "Tranquila, you're rocking the cart Bise. What are you so excited about?"

Belize: " (comment Belize's response below, the funniest response will be posted)."

Grandma Gregg is in town from Wyoming. She's a trooper and went shopping about 3 times yesterday so we all could spend time with her. Aren't both these ladies cute?

I thought I would be all artsy and take a cute leaf picture . . . well, while I was taking the shot Belize took a bite and swallowed. Guess I'm not getting a Mother of the Year award after all. ;)

This week we went to the zoo on an amazingly sunny day. It was a completely different experience now that Belize can walk around. She LOVED it, it makes me sad that its practically winter now so that going to the zoo won't be such a frequent activity. Note the drool on Belize's shirt in every picture, perhaps she's permanently teething. This week she also started shaking her head, although i don't think she associates this with NO yet.

Some days Belize likes her shoes and others she doesn't, this is one of the latter, but i just thought her face was priceless.

The day started out horribly. Please, on behalf of all mothers with small children, do not call us earlier than 9:30 in the morning. Yes, chances are that we've been up since 7, but if by some small chance your baby sleeps in, the worst thing that can possibly happen is to be awaken from your luxuriously indulgent sleep by the PHONE!! And if by some freak accident, it is an emergency and you HAVE to call, please dial the correct number so you don't wake up an innocent bystanding mother, totally oblivious to your evil plan. Hope that there wasn't really an emergency and everything is fine, Nancy (the woman the caller was really trying to reach).







Brannon was on call today, which means i won't see him till tomorrow afternoon and I had nothing scheduled for Saturday the 20th, nothing at all. I started by calling my friends to see if they were likewise bored, but I only got answering machines. Belize took a nap, I got dressed, the button on my sweater fell off, I chose to continue wearing the sweater. After Belize woke up and ate lunch, I decided we needed to get out of the house or go crazy. Belize needed new shoes, so perhaps we'd make a run to Target . . .














First we went to the local Blockbuster to return Transformers, a day late. If you know where the Blockbusters is by our house, you know that there is no direct route to I-5, so I choose the closest, and headed south on Sandpoint Way.














Well, I should know better by now, but I forgot to check the game schedule and of course, there is a Husky game. And to BOOT!!! The montlake bridge is up! Curse you, montlake bridge! So Belize and I sat for 20 minutes stopped in traffic, 2 MINUTES away from our house.



















We finally get to Target and the parking garage is full. Let me repeat myself, the GARAGE at TARGET is FULL! Is it the day after Thanksgiving? the day before Christmas? a gigantic once in a lifetime sale? Nope, just full. So after sitting in traffic again, and scavenging a parking space, we walk through the Target doors.














The only cart that was left was one with a baby seat, so I spent most of the time, wrangling her to sit down, although near the end, she figured out she could make it bounce. And which line do we pick? The one with a woman writing a check (which has to be cleared by a manger . . . yada, yada, yada). Overall the mission was a success, two new pairs of adorable shoes, but we were glad to be out of there. Then something wonderful happened - A friend called me back (proof A. that i have a friend and B. that she likes me!) and we decided to go the yearly Corn Maze gathering w/ some of Brannon's med school friends, without Brannon. And although Belize's new pair of boots were ruined by mud, I realize that my day wasn't so bad after all.

Finally we got to Bob's corn maze! Yeah! Then my very bad day turned into a good day. Belize had a fun looking at pumpkins and dogs. She thought the tractor ride was the best - cause it jumped. Anders, Jarred, Hannah (not in picture), and Aaron helped me stroll (slide) the stroller through the muddy corn maize. She seemed to get a big kick out of Aaron, I think she was confused as to if he was her Dad or not.

Brannon snuck out of a lecture to come home for 3 minutes and 20 seconds to see his girls during one of his 32 hours shifts. 2 1/2 weeks down, 3 1/2 to go. Brannon still enjoying the cool stuff he gets to do like incisions and stitches but Belize and I are getting lonely. Actually, I just think Belize is sick of seeing my face. She gets so excited when she hears her Dad walk in the door, she gets a huge smile and starts clapping, then runs for the door to climb up in his arms. On a side note Brannon got his scores back from first rotation (OB/GYN), which were HONORS (my smart man), apparently that's very impressive so EVERYONE, be impressed.

Last week Belize got 4 new teeth in, so I was very happy when she took one of these. That makes 8 teeth total now, she's practically a shark.

The only time Belize ever sits still is when she's tired. She's a sweet happy little girl, who sleeps hard, brings me things when I ask, gives lots of hugs and kisses, and loves to dance. I have lots of fun with her and couldn't ask for a better baby.
I'm glad she's mine!

A uniquely volumizing experience.

I just can't keep up with this girl, first the crawling, then the walking, now the climbing. That's right folks, we've got a monkey on our hands! So far it's only into little things like laundry baskets, drawers and the dishwasher, I feel like maybe if I glued her feet to the ground . . . .

Belize and I spent a lot of time at my mom's last week since Brannon is few and far between. When Belize walked out of the room we said, "Bye, Bye." She would wave bye-bye. Then when she walked back into the room and we said, "Hello," she did the a peculiar thing. She put her hands on her ears as if to say, "I can't hear you!" This behavior has continued repeatedly ever since. Independent thought is a terrible thing I tell you. :)

Creamcheese filled chocolate cupcakes:

Just make regular ol' chocolate cupcakes using a box mix. When cooled cut out (in the shape of a funnel) the middle of the cupcake, about 1/2 inch from the edge and set aside. Make the filling with 1 pkg. cream cheese (softened), 1/2 c. butter (softned), 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 c. pwd. sugar (sifted). Beat until smooth like frosting. Spoon mixture into the hole in cupcake. Then pipe the frosting onto (or if you don't have frosting utensils, just spoon it on top). Finish it off with the round cupcake top (the one you set aside earlier).

Choco-holic cake:

*1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
*1 little pkg. (3.4 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
*1 c. milk
*1/2 c. sour cream
*4 eggs
*2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
*1. c. chopped walnuts
Powdered sugar
Raspberries (opt)

Preheat 350. Grease and flour bundt pan or other round tube pan. Combine cake mix, pudding, milk, sour cream, and eggs in mixing bowl. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, the beat on high for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into pan and bake for 55-65 minutes. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, invert onto plate or wire rack and cool completely. Sprinkle w/ pwd. sugar; garnish w/ raspberries. Makes 24 servings.

If you guys want any of the other recipes just let me know!

Her little grin says it all, this must be the coolest toy on the planet!

*Premier Cranberry creamcheese bars
*Chocolate creamcheese filled cupcakes
*Chocolate chip cheesecake
*Chocolate Truffle Tart
*Chocoholic cake

This week has been crazy busy. Brannon started his surgery rotation and his schedule is as follows: 4:30a.m. - 7ish p.m.every day including weekends! Also, every 4th day he spends 34 HOURS at the hospital on call. Despite his overloaded schedule he's said such things as; "I had a great day!", "I really like the people I work with!", and most importantly, "This is so much better than stinky family med." He's at Harbor View so every time I hear about someone getting stabbed, shot, or ran over by a car, I ask Brannon if he's seen them . . . and he says, "Yes, the doctors had to have blah, blah, blah."

For me this week has been dessert week. I'm on the R.S. Enrichment activity committee for our church (which is a great calling- there are only 4 activities a year!). Anywho, we have an activity this week entitled, "Death by Chocolate". Yummy. So far, I have 4 chocolaty desserts in the fridge and one in the oven. I've also gained 2 pounds, not really.

Belize recently had a playdate with the Medlocks cat. She quite obsessed now and can say, "DaT", its so darm cute! She also got her first pair of shoes, I splurged, thanks to Abuela and got some fancy shmansy See Kai Run shoes. She tried them on the store and promptly planted her feet in one spot (her basketball skills manifesto), she would not budge as if to say, "Mom, if you put these things on me, how do expect me to walk?" After a while she tested them out by lifting each foot one at a time and wiggling them slowly. Finally after 10 minutes she was coaxed to walk, lifting her feet high off the ground. I WISH I had a video camera, it was so comical. She's been in a great mood this week, minus Monday when she had a breakdown over an electrical socket and the living room lamp, which is now in our bedroom.