Collin is Handsome. Duh.

You guys. YOU GUYS?!?! You guys!

I.

Die.

From.

The.

Cute.

Diet Coke & The Yeahs

I'm a pretty big Diet Coke fan. I don't drink coffee & I can never make iced tea correctly, so Diet Coke is my only way of getting my necessary caffeine fix. Yes, I know it's bad for me.

Collin seems to enjoy playing with an empty can once I've satisfied my addiction. Today, he went back & forth between his sippy & an empty can of Diet Coke. I couldn't help but think how hillbilly he looked with just a shirt & diaper on as he double fisted his morning beverages.

Have I mentioned yet that I hate my brown walls & how dark my house is, yet? No? Well, allow me to say once again that I cannot wait to paint these walls a brighter color. I'm so sick of all my photos coming out noisy & blah.

On a brighter note, Collin's new favorite word is, "Yeah!" This is awesome & hilarious all at the same time.

Do you have an extra couple of seconds to spare? Would you mind giving us a vote?

Flashback Friday: Seester Trip 2008

My sister...or, as I like to call her, Seester...& I like to take trips together. We try to take one together alone. Just us. Once a year. I have been incredibly blessed to have a sister I am close to...I'm talking redonk close. Sometimes, we even text each other our bowel movements. Okay, maybe not that close. But she is my best friend (aside from Maria) & I love her so much. I believe we have soul mates in many different people. Seester is definitely one of my soul mates.

We took a week long cruise to Mexico together in 2008. We needed this week together. Alone. Seester had just returned home from serving in the Navy & a lot had happened during the years she was gone. I broke up with the only boyfriend she had ever known me to have...my high school sweetheart. I met Greg shortly after. I moved in with Greg. I married Greg.

We needed a soul mate reconnect. A Seester Trip!

I loved every single moment of our trip....



....our arrival & sheer excitement as we invaded our stateroom
with a balcony!

...watching the sun set on the endless ocean as we talked about

the adventures we would have.

...choosing & then rechoosing our nightly outfits & hair styles.

...drinking ourselves into a stupor of laughter that kept our neighbors awake until wee hours of

the morning. (..and my obnoxious pink tip manicure...hoootttttt!)

...endless cheersing for no reason other than to take pictures.

...crazy stupid drinks with obnoxious names like Miami Vice.

...sneaking into an empty bathroom for a necessary photo shoot.

...& a nod to white chicks& gang signs.

...parasailing in a dress because that sounded like a fantastic idea.

...helping Seester get over her first real heartbreak by raiding the

mini fridge & taking hot pictures in her hot dress.

...celebrating the end of our trip by opening a bottle of champagne. All by ourselves. Which neither of us had ever done before. And having a plethora of ridic videos like this to laugh at over & over again.

Did I mention Seester is a cop now? She will totally arrest you if you don't vote
for me. It takes two teeny clicks to save you 5-10 in the City Jail.

Dinner on the Town

Most of you already know I live in VegasLand. I do not like living in this town. I don't think it's a great environment for raising Collin & I'd like to move away, eventually. But right now, my home is in Las Vegas & I make the best of it.

I don't enjoy going downtown & avoid the Strip most of the time. Greg's parents come to town with a travel group three or four times a year & that's the extent of our wild & crazy nights in Vegas.

We went to Old Vegas & ate at Tony Roma's; then enjoyed the Fremont Street Experience. I have to admit, it's super fun showing Collin the huge show & seeing the old Vegas go dark for a six minute show. On the other hand, it's annoying when you have to deal with drunken Grannies who are trying to get you to hand your kid over to them. Uh, lady...you can barely stand in your ill-fitted leopard print high heels; you have a cigarette in your right hand & an obnoxious yard long margarita in your left. I am not letting you touch my child. Instead, I will quickly navigate in the exact opposite direction from which you came.

Regardless of drunken Grannies, it was so nice seeing Greg's parents. His Dad loves Collin so much. Watching them interact is captivating.



{  Rib-tastical.  }



He's a Toddler

Fair warning: The following may be a jumbled bit of words thrown together. I can't seem to gather all of my thoughts about Collin's first year. My brain is all over the place with sadness & excitement, both at the same time, for him. Apologies. I'm normally a very witty, organized blogger.

It's official. I am the mother of a toddler. Collin turned one on Wednesday, November 3rd. I have been a nostalgic mess for the past week. I've been pulling out his old baby clothes, pausing during a chore to stare at Collin while he played & exclaiming, "This time last year.." & going on about how I was a huge, swollen, pregnant beast, but still so excited to meet my baby boy to anyone who'd listen.

I hate to sound like the typical, "I can't believe how much my bitty baby has grown," Mom, but I've quickly discovered that all of that cheesy Mom talk that you swear you'll never do when you have your baby, quickly goes out the window once you have your own. It all happens entirely too fast. Appreciate every day. Even the poop-splosion, projectile vomiting filled ones.

Collin has accomplished so much in one, short year. His torticollis is nearly defeated, he's walking, "talking," learning & growing. It's completely surreal watching a baby grow & learn & discover, becoming a little person, with their own personality traits, likes & dislikes.

Collin hates peas, just like his Dad. He scrunches his nose when he's excited, like his Mama. His feet are ginormous, also like his Dad & his adorable dimples...those are aaallllllll Mama. His first words were, "cheeessseeeeee," (I know, how completely cool!) &, "uh-oh," which I hope isn't a foreshadowing of what's to come.

I finished Collin's one year video just in time for his birthday. I tried so hard to limit myself to one song, but I couldn't bring myself to remove any more photos, so I extended it to two songs. You've been warned.

This little man has yet to learn how much he was wanted; how much love he's filled his Mama's heart with; how much joy his little face has brought into this world. I thank the Lord every single day for this blessing; that he's granted me this unfathomable gift: to be Collin's Mama. This first year has been a crazy struggle. I've learned, I've laughed, I've sobbed & it's all helped form me into a Mom.

Happy birthday, Monkey!