Seven Months!

Dear Serena Camille,

Today you are SEVEN whole months old! How did you get to be over half a year old so fast? You have grown so much and changed a lot, even just in the last month! You started crawling two months ago (army style!) but have since began to do the regular ol' baby crawl a bit more. But still, when you want to get somewhere fast, you go back to the elbow over elbow crawl and just scoot faster than Mommy can keep up ;).

A few days ago you started to pull up to stand too! You first used people, always crawling over to Mommy or Daddy and pulling yourself up on us. The very FIRST place I saw you standing was in your crib though. You were very tired and for some reason not wanting to take a nap. I let you be for a few minutes and you were MAD to say the least. When I went back in there to comfort you, you were standing holding onto the crib railing with fat tears running down your chubby little cheeks and a "Mommy, why?" expression on your face. I had been frustrated when I walked in the room, but seeing you like that melted my cold, cold heart of stone and I scooped you in my arms for a hug. I also realized it was probably time to lower your crib mattress! Since then you have started pulling up on the couch too and taking a few tentative steps holding on to it if you see something you have to have. Just think, in a few short months you will take your first steps. Will you be an early walker like your sister? Time will tell.

Over the weekend you developed quite the adorable little personality! You started babbling "dada", "baba" and "gaga" sounds while smiling and laughing more. You think you are the cutest thing! (you are). Momma has been encouraging the "mama" sound and Calli has encouraged "calli" but so far you aren't biting.

This month you were on a veggie strike for a little while so you didn't eat as much solids as usual. I think you have straightened out a bit though. You are still not a fan of the Gerber puffs, so we tried Cheerios; you did not care for those much more. You tried yogurt for the first time a week ago and love it. You also really love water now. You are decent at using the sippy cup, but like it when Mommy puts some in a straw and puts that in your mouth. Your first Thanksgiving is coming up soon and I was hoping you would be able to eat some of the food since you are going to be nearly eight months, but I am not so sure now. I suppose I am too anxious to get you on table foods and should just back off a bit. But it's been two years since I've been through this so cut me some slack okay?

You celebrated your first Halloween on October 31st, 2008 and were a ladybug, along with your big sister. We took you out trick-or-treating with Calli, sitting in your stroller being cute while she ran up to the houses. You were content the whole time, just swinging your little legs back and forth and enjoying the walk. Next year you will be trick-or-treating right alongside Calli!

Well, it has been a pretty fun month with you. We went through some not-so-great weeks where you were extra cranky and I was sure you were teething. But alas, no tooth has popped through and you have returned to your happy ways. Who knows when those pearly whites will make an entrance??

Love you!

Mommy

Halloween Photos

Calli with the haunted house we made

The girls getting dressed to go trick-or-treating
Ready to go!
"Cool costume Sis! Mind if I take a look?"

Cute little ladybug. This is probably my favorite costume ever!

"Can we go trick-or-treating now Mom? Please, please, please???"

Mommy and her little ladybugs

And we're off! Starting our trick-or-treat journey

Serena enjoying her candy bag (it was just for looks; no, we did not actually collect any candy for her)

Calli started the night holding her pumpkin bag, but by the end it was so heavy I had to drag it around for her!

The first house (oops, no one was home!)

Checking out all the candy Calli got

Serena wants some candy too, "share with me, Sister!"

Calli got to eat one piece when we got home

Serena wanted a piece too ;)

And that was our night! We had a lot of fun trick-or-treating. Calli got scared at some houses and refused to go up, but she loosened up as the night went on. The first house we went to she ran up and immediately said "trick-or-treat, thank you!" It was cute and funny. She finally learned to separate the two though and did really well. Everyone thought she was just too cute. I sure am going to miss the days of having little kids when everyone squeals "ohhhhh how cute!" When does that end?? I would hope never, but they grow up eventually.

Happy Halloween!

Goodbye Linens N Things!

I got my first job when I was 17-years-old and just finishing up my junior year in high school. I had been job hunting for some time, but hadn't had much luck. When you are a teenager looking for your first job, it's tough. You have no experience, you're young, you have inflexible hours and you can only work part-time. So I went on many job interviews and turned in many, many applications, but didn't land my first job until my interview with Linens N Things. I remember being so excited when the manager called me the following day offering me a job as a cashier. And not only that, but I got to start making $7.00 instead of minimum wage, $6.75! I couldn't have asked for anything better.

I worked at Linens N Things (LNT) for fourteen months. To this day, aside from being a mother, it is the first and only job I have had. I loved it there so much. I made some wonderful, life long friends in the people I worked with. I actually looked forward to going to work most days. I looked forward to seeing my co-workers, to doing my job, to making money.

During my senior year, Richard joined the air force and left for boot camp. I was so happy to have a job to help pass the time and happy to have wonderful friends to talk to while I was there. It really kept me going some days. With my really easy school schedule (Monday I was out at 1:00pm, Tuesday/Thursday I was out at 12:20pm and Wednesday/Friday I was out at 10:15am) I began to request more work. It was just a nice way to fill my time before Richard returned home. When that day got closer and our moving day approached as well, I also loved having my 25% discount to buy things for my new home.

Now I read that LNT is going out of business. It is a weird feeling, knowing that when I return to California I won't be able to walk into that Folsom store and relive all my memories. Although very few people still work there from when I was there (and I doubt they would even remember me!) just being back in the building makes me happy. Now when my kids ask me someday what my first job was, it will have been at a store that isn't around for them to shop at.

I will miss it. It was a great store, where you could find all your home needs and a good deal or two on a clearance rack. Now I am stuck shopping at my sworn competitor, Bed Bath & Beyond! Oh the horror.

Officially Pregnant!

Meet the newest member of the family! Ratcliff Baby #3 is due May 12th, 2009 (which I just found out is very special. My mom informed it is my grandmother's birthday. She just passed away last month so how wonderful is this due date?!). I am already twelve weeks along, which came as a huge, but welcome shock to me. I am nearly done with the first trimester, yet feel as if I have only just began. I have been feeling better, morning sickness wise and am looking forward to the months to come. I am nearly in maternity clothes now, it seems to happen earlier and earlier with each pregnancy. Also, when you get pregnant so soon after the birth of the last baby, it's really a debate whether the pouchy stomach is due to pregnancy or that stubborn baby weight. At least being pregnant I can pass it off as the baby ;).

So my two littlest ones will be just thirteen months apart. Of course this will be a challenge at first, but I also am glad they get to grow up just a year apart and hopefully being the best of friends. I know a close age gap doesn't necessarily mean your kids will be close, but I think it definitely gives them an advantage. Even Calli, who will still be three, won't be too far ahead of the new baby. So I am happy they will all be pretty close in age. At one point all three of them will go to elementary school together!

We love you already little blob baby!

Bye Bye Cast...Hello Soccer Star!

(I don't know what is with the second picture, but I will try and fix it later)

Calli got her cast off on Friday. I don't know who was more excited, her or me. I felt like every time I looked at her arm it was a reminder of the terrible thing that happened to her. It reminded me that, for that one second it happened, I was a terrible mother. That I should have done something to prevent it. Even though I know I couldn't have.

We had to wait around all day Friday because her appointment wasn't until 4:20pm. Finally it was time to go, so we loaded up the car and drove to the doctor's office. They took her back to get x-rays and had us wait in the room. The doctor came in and looked at the x-rays and said her arm was almost healed. As in not completely healed. There was still a very small fracture, but they were going to take her cast off and just give her a brace to wear for the next two weeks.

When Calli had her big cast taken off a few weeks ago, she wasn't scared at all. They put the earmuffs on her to block the loud noise and she just giggled because it tickled. This time was different though. They didn't put the earmuffs on her and I think she was scared of how loud the noise was so she cried while they cut it off. But it went quick and after that they put the brace on her arm and we were good to go. I was initially really disappointed about the brace and her arm not being 100% because she was supposed to start soccer the next day and continue her dance classes the following week. So originally we decided soccer would have to wait for another two weeks. We had just taken a trip to the soccer store nearby to get her a pair of cleats, shorts, socks and a PINK ball in anticipation of her playing.

I did a lot of thinking between Friday evening and Saturday morning and decided, really, what harm could come from playing in a soccer game? Sure she could fall, but she can fall tripping over toys in the house or getting in the car. She could fall out of bed or slam her arm in the door. There are a whole list of ways she could hurt her arm that had nothing to do with playing soccer. And how competitive and physical were a bunch of three-year-olds really going to be? So at about 11am on Saturday morning I dressed her in her purple jersey and socks, black shorts, and cleats, threw her hair in a ponytail and we all headed out the door to make her 12pm game.

It was so amazing to see my daughter play in her first soccer game. For those that know me, you know that I love soccer. I played for the first time when I was four years old and continued to play, mostly competitively, for eleven more years. I tore my ACL and some cartilage in my left knee playing in a soccer game when I was fifteen and that did it for me. After the surgery and long, sometimes hard, rehabilitation I had lost the desire to go back to soccer. After having a daughter, I was so excited to think of her future playing (yes a boy would have played too, but having a mini me play soccer is so much better!). So I knew that I would live vicariously through her in the years to come. I couldn't wait for her to get older and play soccer. We have kicked the ball around in the backyard and of course she is awesome, it's in her genes.

So watching that first game of hers was really special to me. Even though she didn't do much and got a bit bored (she told us toward the end that she wanted to go home! We convinced her to stay and she said "okay, one more time!") I still loved every minute of it. I can't believe how big a difference there is between a three and four-year-old playing soccer though. I think if I had known I would have waited to sign her up next year, when she can play in the city leagues (we just play through the YMCA now since they are the only ones who offer the program for three-year-olds).

Who knows? Maybe this Saturday she will surprise us and score her first goal!

Eights

8 favorite TV shows

1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Desperate Housewives
3. Lost
4. Nip/Tuck
5. Private Practice
6. Dirty Sexy Money
7. Army Wives
8. Samantha Who?

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Red Robin
2. Chevys
3. Chilis
4. The Rainforest Cafe
5. BJs
6. PF Changs
7. Round Table Pizza
8. Macaroni Grill

8 things that happened yesterday
1. Read the Sunday paper
2. Dressed the girls in their Halloween costumes
3. Went to the Botanical Gardens for their Halloween celebration
4. Ordered pizza from Papa Johns
5. Watched the Raiders beat the Jets in OT
6. Watched Desperate Housewives
7. Swept the kitchen floor
8. Took a shower

8 things to look forward to
1. Baby #3
2. Finding out the gender of baby #3
3. Halloween
4. Thanksgiving food
5. Christmas and everything that goes along with it
6. Going home to California for a visit
7. All of Serena's firsts to come in the next year
8. Watching my first born play soccer just like her Momma!

8 things I love about fall
1. The cooler air (clearly I am not talking about the cooler air in Texas)
2. The leaves changing colors (again, clearly not talking about here)
3. Halloween
4. Thanksgiving
5. Christmas coming, I get so excited!
6. Being able to finally wear something other than flip flops...eventually
7. The shorter days
8. Turning off the A/C FINALLY

8 things on my wishlist
1. Have a quick and easy pregnancy
2. Have a healthy baby
3. Have a healthy family
4. A house in California
5. Come into a LOT of money
6. Live closer to my family
7. Go back to school
8. Happiness...for myself and my family, always

8 people I am tagging
1. You
2. You
3. You
4. You
5. You
6. You
7. You
8. Basically I am tagging anyone who reads this!