All About Me and a little about you

Check this out! I won a blog contest. This would happen to be my first time winning on any of these blog contests...and I enter a lot of contests. So I got to pick an item from Gap's Product Red and I couldn't decide (go figure). Here are my 2 favs:
I finally decided on the bag, with Andres' help of course. You like? I do and I like Aracely for buying it for me. Thanks, maybe I'll help you track down Oprah in Santa Barbara one weekend.

I found the camera, charged it and aimed! Of course it took me about an hour of floor time to get these 3 or 4 steps. Check it out for yourself:

My favorite it when she tried to sit in her chair, without lowering the sippy cup, and rolls right off. Classic!

Connor just started with new babysitter this week and we are so excited. She is our neighbor across the street(!) which is so great and convenient. I dropped her off for the first time yesterday and she never even looked back at me (which makes it that much easier to leave). She seemed to have lots of fun and when I called today she was singing with Madison (Tina's 3 year old) in the back seat. (I know, she's the cutest) Anyhow, the new babysitter really isn't the point of this post, it's kind of an introduction...a long winded introduction (which seems to be my usual trademark).

Back to my point...

Tina was stopping at McDonalds today and when I spoke to Andres and mentioned it he felt bad that we didn't give her any money. But how were we to know? I already know that the pay rate of babysitting is just about as debateable as 'thongs or granny panties?', but what do you do about spending money? Andres and I came up with, what seems to be, a great idea! We are going to put an envelope with cash (probably a 20) in the diaper bag for situations like this. Isn't that great...no need to comment if you already do this, let me have my moment of brilliance (damn it).

However, I have one problem with this so called 'mad money'... how do I make sure I don't spend it myself? Do you know how tempting it is to have that cash, sitting right next to you, and your not supposed to touch it? That's like placing a treat in front of a dog and telling him to stay. (not that I'm compairing myself to a dog, well maybe a cute cuddling puppy would be ok). But really? It's like setting the clock in your room 10 minutes ahead so your not as late as usual... you know it's earlier than it says so how is that supposed to work?

Will power...I think that's the answer... or give it directly to Tina and have her test her own will power... mine's being used up to resist the chocolate donut in the left drawer of my desk.

Connor took her first steps tonight and it was awesome! She took at least FIVE steps before falling on her butt and Andres and I looked at each other with dropped jaws. It was priceless...so priceless I didn't get it on film. I grabbed my camera but only got a one step moment. I am sure there will be many more attempts to come!

People have asked me several times if Connor has said he first word. Well, I could consider momma or dada her first words months ago but I don't feel she realized what she was saying. I believe that her first word has to be real and said on her own, without us prompting her.

This is my arm now... X-rays show no broken or chipped bones, just bruising and pain. I've got a matching bruise on my knee, but this one under my arm took the cake! (notice it spreads from my elbow half way up my arm! The picture lightens the color, it really looks much worse in person)

And I think that sums up our birthday party fun. I promise to let others help next time, I got in way over my head and have the scars to prove it! Thanks for reading and thanks for sharing in Connor Madison Casstro's First Birthday!

Why is it, by the way, that all kids pick picture day to be cranky? What a long weekend... birthday pictures will be up soon. (just gotta wait for my second wind)

Sunday we joined the Kelley's at Angels' stadium as they took on the Red Sox. Above is the view from our seats...what up high!

Someone found the cookies!










So someone else had to make some changes. I think weight watchers makes something like this because these locks are not easy to get past.

So this is the reason Connor kept us up till after 3 am monday morning... she swallowed our friend Abe. It all began in the laundry room and ended in the Loma Linda Ped's ER!


Sunday, around 4:45 i caught Connor putting a penny in her mouth and tried the finger sweep. After the 2nd attempt, she swallowed it and turned bright red. It was the most terrifying moment in my life. She choked, caughed, gagged and starting breathing again. I rushed her to the ER and the X-rays show Mr Lincoln waving high halfway down her feeding tube. After Riverside's GI specialist refused the procedure due to Connor being so little, an ambulance took us to the Loma Linda pediatric ER where the team took her on. Grandma Hootie was there every step of the way for 'moral support' and dad was trying his best to stay calm.
The procedure required Connor to sleep with the help of anastetia and it was the most amazing thing to see her little body completely relax. We left the room as the doctors used a breathing tube to protect her airway and a catheter down her feeding tube past the penny. They inflated a balloon and pulled the penny out. The procedure lasted less than 10 minutes and she was all better. Besides a sore throat and scratchy voice, she has recovered well.

So Connor just completed day 2 of being at the Blough house. She did much better I am told... actually took 2 naps and ate some lunch. Day 1 was ok, however she didn't want to nap or eat her lunch. Lisa said she clung to her pretty much the whole day and was a bit fussy. So yesterday I tried to write down and actually keep track of times, for anything and everything. I passed that on to Lisa and it worked better. We are actually gonna get this girl on a schedule, like it or not! I now realize, by me knowing what times she eat (milk or food) and naps, Lisa is able to do the same at those times, resulting in longer naps (hopefully) and actual lunch times. I realize and learn more and more each day and may get this parenting thing by the time she's.... 18?

I, on the other hand, did great! As much as I missed her and rushed out of work to get her, it was nice being productive again.

Thanks again Lisa, for taking on this task.