Monday, September 17, 2012

Toddler Bipolar Disorder

If you don't have a sense of humor, please don't read this blog entry. It's mom satire, people.

I think my daughter has toddler bipolar disorder. This is a recent development. She can be perfectly happy one second, and then, poof. Temporary insanity strikes. The most recent example of this behavior happened today. We actually had a lovely day. No tantrums, a fun Little Gym class, and even a three hour nap. The madness struck unexpectedly after bath time. We'd had a perfectly happy dinner, a fun bath, and then it came time to put on her diaper and pj's. It took twenty minutes, and the two of us, to get her diaper on and then her pajamas. I have never seen more contorting, wiggling and screaming in my life. It was kind of reminiscent of The Exorcist, minus the vomit and 360 degree head rotations. She threw such a fit, that she literally fell asleep in my arms as soon as we sat down in the rocking chair. Our last episode with TBP was all day Saturday, culminating with dinner at El Fenix. Sophie was happily coloring one minute, sorting the sweetener packets the next, and then she discovered if she ripped the packets open, sugar would go everywhere. So when we took the packets away, a fit ensued. I don't think I even ate my dinner. Steven, of course, was able to finish all of his. But I digress.....

I think it's safe to say we've hit the Terrible Twos at 17 months. My friend Danielle told me other moms have told her they calm down at age 5. My response was that they go off to Kindergarten at age 5, so of course it must get easier!!!! Now I understand why moms of older children would look at me with pity when I would ask them when Sophie was a little baby if motherhood got easier. NO. It does NOT get easier. But it does get more fun. See, even though there are moments when I completely run out of patience and have to walk away, Sophie is wonderful. She is sweet, affectionate, loving, and fun. Her newest thing is when I tell her that I love her as I'm rocking her before bed, she reaches up and hugs me tight. It's like she understands what I'm saying, and the feelings behind the words, so even though she can't verbalize that she loves me too, her hug is a way of telling me. It melts my heart every time. We generally have a pretty good time. Taking her to the park has become a blast, because she can climb on everything and go down the slides by herself. She is giggly and takes pure joy in everything.

I've found humor helps everything. I try really hard to laugh when she is hit with temporary TBP. Of course, I'm not always successful, but usually I laugh. I'm grateful for my friends, especially Adriane, Abby, Jenny, and Danielle. I can be myself around them, and they always make me feel like I'm not alone in this journey called motherhood. Because motherhood is a WILD ride. But it's also the best ride ever, one I never want to get off!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Steven and Megan Do Disney

A view from The Beach Club
Well, we finally had a vacation, just the two of us. Our last vacation, just "us two", was May 2010, two months before I got pregnant with Sophie. Disney World is one of our favorite places, and we figured this was the last time we'd go without kids. Kinda hard to leave your 5 year old with her grandparents while you go see Mickey. I'm pretty sure that's child abuse. So, Steven and I spent five magical nights at the "Happiest Place of Earth". We had a great time. I truly had no idea how badly I needed a break from 24/7 mommyhood. My head hit the pillow Sunday night, and I didn't wake up until 9:00am. Nine hours of uninterrupted sleep. See, those of you without kids have no clue how dramatically your sleep will change once you have kids. Sure, you get past the newborn stage, the sleep training, and they're finally sleeping through the night. But from the moment you become a mom, you will always sleep with one ear open. When you wake up in the middle of the night, you'll check out the video monitor, just to make sure they're ok. You will have irrational moments of panic when you wait to see if they'll move, just to make sure they're still breathing. Toddlers are also NOISY sleepers, and since our room is so close to the nursery, each sound Sophie makes goes right to my ears. When she wakes up momentarily at 5:30 am, so do I. So- for five nights at Disney, I slept. Hard. It was great. I also didn't worry about nap time, wake times, is she eating, has she pooped, what time should I put her to bed...... I knew she was in very capable hands with my parents, so I just let it go. And it was great. We rode rides, ate long leisurely meals at our favorite Disney restaurants, swam in the pool, enjoyed cocktails poolside, I finished a book I bought in 2011 (silly me, who buys a book the year they have a baby), and we just enjoyed being "us two" for the first time in 16 months. Of course I missed her every second, but it wasn't overwhelming. We had fun figuring out which rides she'd like, and one of us was always exclaiming "Oooh, Sophie would like that!" By the end of the trip, I think we were both really missing her, because we began planning our next visit... WITH Sophie. We actually went into great debate over which hotel would be best for her, which park had the most for her to do, which parks to avoid, and where we could take her to eat. We may try and take her in the Fall next year.

Sophie had a fabulous time while we were gone, in case you were wondering. She stayed with Grammy & Granddad at Casa de Sparks. They catered to her every want and need. She went to the park, swimming, the Children's Museum, learned how to garden with Granddad, helped make grilled cheese, and played outside in my parents' great backyard. She and Hayley the Golden Retriever became best friends. My dad picked Steven and I up from IAH on Friday, and he described Sophie as "absolutely spectacular". Pretty amazing to be adored so much. Lucky, lucky, oh so very, very lucky!

My parents were both a little depressed when we left for Dallas the next morning.



Sophie and her new best friends, Mickey and Minnie. 



Monday, July 23, 2012

These are a few of my favorite things.....

I thought I'd compile a list of some of my favorite services/people who provide such services/products.

Hair Stylist: Emma @ Osgood O'Neil on Knox. Best hair cut of my life. In fact, if we move back to Houston, I might come back here just to get my hair cut. She can also help you with clip in extensions.... super fun!

Personal Trainer: Amanda Martinez. Super sweet, and super tough. She is also VERY reasonable. Works out of Fit 180 Gym on Lovers. She also teaches at Beyond Pilates.

Favorite out of the box workout: BEYOND PILATES on Lovers. Just go. You'll be glad you did.

Best Airbrush Tan: McKenzie Merrill. Owner of Custom Bronze. Apparently, Dallas agrees with me, because D Magazine just named her business as the best airbrush tan in the city. Which I've been saying for two years. DUH.

Best Skin Care Product: Natura Bisse Glyco Exfoliating Peel. My skin glowed for four days. Amazeballs.

Favorite Lotion: Kiehl's Creme de Corps. Super moisturizing, not oily, no funky scent.

Best Makeup Artist: Kristin Daniel. If Kristin isn't doing your makeup, you are not looking your best!!!!! She is also super sweet and puts up with my annoying texts constantly asking her product questions.....




Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Vacay, a new Rose is born, & a sudden, tragic loss


The first two weeks of July have been filled with so many different emotions- excitement, fun, happiness, sadness, and many tears. First, the good news! We left July 3 for Sophie's first vacation. My parents were kind enough to treat us to a vacation at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort. I was so nervous about how Sophie was going to sleep at the hotel, but she did great. We had a fantastic time. Her favorite parts of the vacation were walking up and down the long hallways, the splash pad at the pool, and being able to walk back and forth between our room and my parents.  She thought it was great that she just had to walk next door and see her Grammy and her Granddad anytime she wanted. We had adjoining rooms because Sophie slept in the bathroom....  Sophie sat on top of T-Bone the Longhorn, met Hoss the Dog, who is a Newfoundland and the mascot of the resort. We also took her on a wagon ride, and she was able to meet and pet a horse named Lady.  The resort has four horses, two longhorns, ponies, and donkeys. Sophie loves animals, and when she first saw the longhorns, she squealed DOG. We spent everyday at the pool, but much to my dismay the lazy river was Sophie's least favorite activity. Floating around on an inner tube relaxing is completely lost on my 15 month old! She much preferred the splash pad and wading pool. Luckily I was able to sneak back down to the pool while she was napping and float the river on the 4th with a banana daiquiri with my sister and her friend; and my mom and I snuck out Friday for two last floats, cocktails included! Thanks to my dad and Steven for napping with Sophie! I find myself falling more and more in love with my child everyday, and seeing the sheer joy on her face everyday was just perfect. Well, we were mostly joyful, as you'll see in the picture below!

We left the resort on Saturday. Steven had to head home, but Sophie and I went to Houston with my parents, to await the arrival of my niece, Caroline. My sister in law was already 6 days late, and went into labor Saturday morning. After 34 hours, sweet Caroline Rose was born on Sunday, July 8. I've been really excited about becoming an aunt, and I really hope Sophie and Caroline grow to be good playmates, since they are only 15 months apart. My mom, Sophie, and I went to the hospital Monday morning to meet Caroline, and hug the new parents. Caroline is perfect in every way, absolutely beautiful. My sister in law looked great, and the new dad was absolutely beaming. It made me so happy, and brought back many fond memories of when we became parents. It really is the most amazing experience one can have.


And now, the tears. Steven called me Saturday evening to tell me that our wonderful dog trainer, Carla Collins with Sit Means Sit Dallas, passed away unexpectedly at the young age of 48 on Friday. Hunter boarded with her while we were gone, and was so excited to be there when I dropped him off Tuesday. Carla was much more than a dog trainer, and that's all I can say about her right now. I've been crying off and on since Saturday night; I am heartbroken for her children, and her beloved search and rescue lab, Scooby. I'm going to write more about Carla in another blog, because she is such a special lady. However, I just can't do it right now. I've cried too much the past few days, even though we were not close friends. She greatly impacted our family by training Hunter. Below, I've posted a collage of photos of Carla doing what she loved most- training dogs, search and rescue, and just being with her beloved animals. One of her friends created this photo.



Sunday, June 17, 2012

Skin....Skin.....Skin.....

Instead of writing about Sophie, which I'm sure drives some people nuts, I've decided to blog about one of my favorite topics- skincare. So important. Your skin is the first thing people see, and not taking proper care of your skin can lead to premature aging, breakouts, and worst of all, skin cancer. I have always been blessed with beautiful skin. I never had problems with acne as a teenager, and until my 20s I could use a basic cleanser and a moisturizer, and my skin looked great. I had a few bumps along the road, like when I moved to Austin and my normal skin suddenly went dry. Same thing happened when we moved to Dallas. The humidity in Houston is awful, but my skin loves it.

Anyway. Beautiful skin. And then I got pregnant. You know that pregnancy glow people talk about? The opposite happened to me. My once clear & glowing skin turned into a nightmare. I developed rosacea, my skin just looked dingy, and for the first time ever, it was oily. I had really bad morning sickness for nine months, and I think between Sophie and the constant vomiting, there just weren't any nutrients left for my skin. Plus you have to be really careful with what products you use during pregnancy. So I went the ultra expensive route out of desperation, and began using La Mer. Truthfully, it didn't help. I think La Mer is for the most part, overrated. However, if you have super dry skin, there is no better moisturizer than Creme de La Mer. I have some samples and I am greedily holding onto them, only using a tiny bit when my skin feels super dry.

Fast forward 9 months. I give birth, and think, surely I will get my beautiful skin back. Nope. The first 3 months I was so exhausted, I could barely wash my face, much less take care of my skin. And then I went on hormonal birth control. And it was an epic skin disaster. I started breaking out like a teenager. Acne everywhere. My rosacea went out of control. It was awful. So on top of being 20 pounds overweight, I had horrible skin. I finally got in to see a dermatologist, and she prescribed Solodyne, which is an antibiotic for acne. She also prescribed Metro Gel for my rosacea. I also discovered the Natura Bissea skin care line, out of Spain. Miracles do happen, people. Within a month my breakouts cleared up, the rosacea was under control, and my skin was glowing again. I was back. I was still 15 pounds overweight at this point, but my skin looked damn good. NB is expensive, but it is worth every penny. I had a facial on my 32nd birthday, and the esthetician thought I was 25. She told me I was so young to be a mom, and was shocked when I told her that I had just turned 32.

So, here are a few of my favorite products. The Natura Bissea Tolerance Enzyme Peel is one of the most amazing products I've ever used. If you have rosacea, or very sensitive skin, you can't use scrubs, microdermabrasion, or chemical peels. This enzyme peel is a weekly exfoliator, and leaves skin soft, exfoliated, and glowing. It isn't cheap at $150, but should last 6-12 months, since you really only need to use it once a week. They also have a glyco extreme peel, and the esthetician swears I can use it, but I'm scared. I have samples, but haven't tried it yet. I also love their NB Tolerance recovery eye balm. The circles caused by sleepless nights have begun to lessen. Their AHA cleanser is fantastic, and if your skin is really dry, the essential shock cream is a must. The only product which I haven't loved is the Oxygen cream. I use it as a day moisturizer; it's ok, but not a product I would buy again. I've tried a few samples of their Tolerance Cream, and it's fantastic. Definitely my next purchase.

I am on the hunt for an excellent anti aging serum, and will probably check out the Natura Bissea Vitamin C line.  So ladies, head to Neiman Marcus. The nice ladies behind the counter will hook you up with lots of samples! Oh, and now I not only have my skin back, I also weigh two pounds less than when I got pregnant. But that's another blog....... :)

Monday, June 11, 2012

My baby is now a toddler?!?!

The last two months have been interesting, and jam packed. We did three trips to Houston in five weeks. A trip for Easter, my birthday, and Ella's first birthday party. Sophie had her first plane ride on May 4. She was incredible. No crying, no screaming. Sat in her seat for the duration of the flight! My little baby is rapidly becoming a little person, with flashes of toddler. She says several words now- dog, Hunter (the name of her dog), duck, yes, yeah, ma ma, da da, and THANK YOU! Sophie has also starting "reading". She will hold the book and look at the pages. Reading to her is difficult, because she grabs the book after a few pages, and tries to eat it. So, it was refreshing to see her mimic reading. Any child of mine has to have a love of books.... It is genetically programmed into her DNA.


But every now and then the toddler rears its ugly head. We went to Jamba Juice yesterday after the zoo, and when Sophie realized I did not buy her an apple cinnamon pretzel to go with her smoothie like I usually do, she threw a huge fit and screamed all the way home. Seriously. But mostly my new toddler is fun. She is my constant companion, accompanying me everywhere. I definitely never feel lonely with my Sophie around. She started school today, and it was rough. We are transitioning to one nap, which is also rough. But both will get easier as she gets older.

Sophie and I stay busy with Little Gym, Play Wisely, and swim lessons. Her first swim lesson was last week, and she loved every second. I had to drag her out of the pool. My girl and I share a love of water. We are taking Sophie on her first vacation July 3, to the Lost Pines Resort outside of Austin. My wonderful parents are treating us to a four day trip, and we are beyond excited. We started planning it last Fourth of July, after Sophie spent the entire weekend sick with an ear infection. I am praying we have a healthy trip this year! Steven and I are going to Disney World in August, adults only! Our first real getaway in two years. We love Disney, and are looking forward to great meals, sleeping in, lounging by the pool, and great rides. Sophie will spend five days with my parents, who will then need a vacation of their own to recover from a week with Sophie!

My next blog will consist of vacation tidbits and details about my new niece. I can't wait to meet Caroline Rose!

Friday, April 20, 2012

Sophie turns 1




The last 12 months have been a rollercoaster. They have truly been the most incredible months of my life. On April 15, 2012, Sophie turned 1. The weeks and days leading up to her birthday were filled with so many different emotions. Part of me was dreading it. I know that sounds terrible, but time has flown by so fast, and I think part of me fears that every year is going to pass as quickly. But mostly, I was excited. Instead of a recap of the weekend, I want to write about the last twelve months and my feelings regarding this fantastic milestone. My thoughts the last several weeks centered around remembering the early days. Remembering my pregnancy, the day Sophie was born, how it felt to hold her for the first time, the struggles with getting her to eat, bringing her home from the hospital, and the reaction of our animals. Gray the Cat tried to eat her. Hunter the Dog simply sniffed her head, gave her a small kiss, and then proceeded to try and kill the cat when he was hissing and stalking the baby. Hunter has loved her from day one. I also remembered how clueless we were. Nothing prepares you for a newborn. It doesn't matter how much you read, or how much people tell you, you are not prepared. You simply can't imagine the mix of emotions- the sheer joy, the terror, the awe, the sleep deprivation, and mostly you cannot comprehend how much love you feel towards this helpless baby that you've just met.


I remembered meeting a group of wonderful mothers in June 2011. We were all first time mothers, and luckily most of us clicked. Some of us spent a lot of time together that first summer. Meeting these amazing women and their babies changed my life, and in some ways saved it. One of the most joyous parts of Sophie's birthday weekend was seeing all of these babies and their mommies at Sophie's party. Seeing all of these babies, now toddlers, was so special. They have all grown and developed so rapidly over the past year. It is amazing how much Sophie has changed. She doesn't even look like the same baby!



Sophie learning to walk the week before her birthday just added to the emotion. It is such a big step developmentally, and it really drives home that your baby is now a toddler. Steven had a really hard time with it. I thought her new skill emerged at the perfect time. It just made everything more special. I thought I would spend the entire week crying, but I was so busy, the only times I really became emotional were during Kindermusik when Sophie was walking everywhere and the class sang happy birthday to her, and when I made the banner with thirteen months of pictures. Seeing how she's changed throughout the year was very meaningful. But mostly the tears came when she and I were alone, quiet moments, stolen during the chaos.

Spending this weekend with family was very special. We started the weekend off with dinner at Rise with my parents. Something my dad said touched me to the very core. He told us that he looks at Sophie, at how joyful and full of life she is, and his one wish is that he is still around to see her graduate from high school. Sophie has a special bond with my parents, especially with my mom, and it makes me so happy because I had such a special relationship with my Nanny and Papa.  We were so fortunate to have our entire family here for the weekend. Steven's parents, his sister and brother-in-law, and my sister celebrated with us. My aunt and cousin drove up from Austin, and our dear friends Matt and Abby came with their daughter Ella. It was truly the perfect weekend. Sophie is so lucky to have both sets of grandparents, and Steven's parents love her so much. They are very good to her, and we are grateful.

Aside from marrying my husband, becoming a mom is the single greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Sophie has changed my life forever. She has healed parts of me that I didn't even realize needed healing. It no longer matters that my body isn't perfect, that my hair isn't perfect,  and if I miss a workout,  I no longer beat myself up. She has taught me increased patience, understanding, kindness, and to be nicer to myself. She is a gift from God, and I thank Him everyday for sending me this angel.



Happy Birthday Sophie. I will spend the rest of my life making sure you know that you are precious and loved.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Belated Easter Blog!



This year officially marked Sophie's second Easter, but for me, it was really her first true Easter. She was only nine days old last Easter, and to be blunt, it was not the most enjoyable holiday. Sophie had just decided the night before that she would only sleep on my chest, and we were in the midst of sleep deprivation and nursing difficulties. This year promised to be a much happier day; I envisioned Easter egg hunts, beautiful smocked dresses, and special time with family. I was not disappointed! We started with my ABPA Easter egg hunt the Wednesday before, and then traveled to Houston to spend the weekend with our families. Saturday we had a delicious breakfast buffet complete with an egg hunt, pony rides, a petting zoo, and the Easter bunny at Houston Country Club with my in laws. Sophie loved the Easter bunny, and literally propelled herself into his lap from her daddy's arms. No fear. Sunday everyone else went to church, Sophie took a nap, and then we had Easter brunch at The Houstonian Club with my family. 

Easter weekend was also special because Sophie started walking. She began taking steps on Good Friday, and by Easter Sunday she was walking around my parents patio. They were overjoyed to be able to share this special moment with us, and Steven and I both got emotional. It was a great start to Sophie's first birthday week. But, that's another blog.......


Sunday, January 29, 2012

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

This recipe is courtesy of my friend, Mandy. I've tweaked it a little. I haven't specified ingredient amounts, because it depends on the size of your pot, and your taste. Some people prefer more veggies, some prefer more chicken. I use Knorr's Chicken Bouillon cubes. You can decrease the sodium by using one of those low sodium bouillon brands, or the vegan chicken flavored brand found at Whole Foods. It won't taste the same, but it will be healthier. I use all organic veggies, meat, and broth.

You'll need a big pot! Bring water to a boil. Add 3 Knorr's Chicken Bouillon cubes, and 2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cook the chicken about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and strain the broth, I usually strain twice. Set the chicken aside, and return the broth to heat. Then add your chopped veggies. You can use frozen veggies, but I think fresh veggies add more flavor. I typically add 1.5 pounds of carrots and celery. You can add any veggies you like- peas, squash etc. However, if you use peas, the broth will have a heavy pea flavor. If the amount of broth seems low once you add your veggies, simply add chicken broth. I usually add about 2-4 cups of broth. I also throw in 1-2 more bouillon cubes and add fresh pepper to taste. I like my broth really chicken flavored!  Cut up your chicken to the desired size. Once your veggies have boiled about 10 minutes, add the chicken back and your noodles. I use the wide flat whole grain egg noodles. Boil about 7-10 more minutes.

Enjoy!