You know you're a "Mom Blogger" when THIS is your Funny Friday post...

It's Friday. Our brains our fried. My kids have been puking all week. So instead of typing a blog post with any kind quality content, I will simply share this bit of mindless hilarity with all of you. If you're a parent, you can relate. You must watch this.

Have a great weekend friends!

*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife   

This is your brain on parenting... Any Questions?

Friday!! It's finally here! I am so done with this week. I've had a very challenging week in the "parenting" department. For the most part, my kids were well behaved, so thank God that made it easier.  But I just had to make so many appointments, and be so many places, and make so many choices. I'm tapped out here. So please pardon my lack of a "real" post today.

I'm sure that ALL of you remember this commercial (and if you don't... please don't tell me, because then you are probably very nice, and young, and fresh, and I hate your guts I'm jealous of your energy.):


But I really think that the narrative should say:
"This is your brain."
"This is your brain on parenting."
"Any questions?"

I dunno... maybe they could use it as an ad for birth control, energy drinks or Ginkgo Biloba supplements, or something?  Because My. Brain. Is. Fried. this week. Any questions?

Please tell me that there have been times when you can relate?!

*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife     

DIY Crib Mobile Makeover

 I've been trying to get my ducks in a row to post this for over a week now. I needed to take the photos and edit them a bit, and it just never seemed to happen for me. So today, I'm happy to finally be sharing this fun project with you!
My Little Lady turned 2 in July. For her birthday she got some "big girl" bedding, and moved out of her original nursery bedding. Even though she's still in a crib, it was time for a fun change. She got her new, bright and cheerful, bedding and the room also was touched up with several other fun accessories.
She really loves her mobile though, so I didn't want to take it away. But it just didn't match anymore.

I also wanted to enhance her view a bit. I always felt like her original mobile (as are many of them on the market) was designed more for the people looking at it from a standing view than for a baby laying underneath it, and what's the point of that?

This view sucks. What baby would want to look at this?

I just kept thinking that I'd find a more colorful one on clearance somewhere, or at the thrift store. That never happened. It finally occurred to me that I could give her existing mobile a makeover!

I went to the fabric store, chose a bright and fun fabric, and got to work. I started by removing the pieces from the original mobile. Easy Peasy. Then I spread out on the floor, and just kind of started winging it. I didn't have a pattern, I didn't sew, and I didn't measure. Because seriously, I'm kind of a lazy crafter who has time for that kind of stuff?

I was really happy with the way it was looking by this point. Little Lady was watching me from nearby, and she was showing her excitement already.
I had gotten these great little felt flowers on Etsy from Blessed to Create. The price was great, and the colors were perfect!

So after not so much time and money, I had a fabulous new mobile, that my little lady could still enjoy for a long time, was much more esthetically pleasing, and her view was better now too.

I think this project would be great for anyone who's expecting, and finds a random mobile at a sale, or as a hand me down. Super cheap, super easy, and totally customizable. What's not to love?

I'm sharing this over here (there's TONS of other awesome link ups there too!)

*********************************************************************************
Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife     

Just for Fun Friday (again): Mini Photo Shoot with my Little Lady

I finished with my yucky errands and whatnot today a little bit early, yay me! It was such a lovely day outside, and my sweet little lady was just looking oh so cute, so I decided to take her out to the yard for a few snapshots. I'm pleased with the way they came out. I wish my boys would let me take photos of them like this...

Chase your kids, and count your blessings...

After a day of chasing your kids, are you worn out? When your toddler learned to walk and started getting into things, were you frustrated? Or are you dreading the day your infant starts to crawl or walk?
I know the feeling. I was there once too. They are certainly a handful when they become mobile, no doubt about that.
But now... now I pray for my daughter to stand up independently. I pray that she will be walking, even with support, within the next two years. I even pray for her to sit up without wondering how long it will be before she falls over.
You see, I am the mother of a child with special needs. What a once took for granted is now like a daily punch in the gut. When a friend posts on Facebook that they are dreading their 6 month old child learning to walk, because they will be chasing him/her all day long, I want to cry. I want to scream. I want to kick something. My two year old daughter has the gross motor skills of a six to eight month old. And we have worked very hard to even get her to this point. I want to clean up her messes. I want her to get into trouble. I want to have to worry about her running off. I want to kiss her skinned knees and put ice packs on her booboo's.
I want to tell my friend to count her blessings.
I want to chase my daughter.

When another friend complains about how quickly their child wears out their shoes... I want to tell them to give thanks for that expense! Because if they weren't dealing with worn out shoes, that would mean their child wasn't running around, playing outside, using those shoes for what shoes are intended.
I want to buy new shoes for my daughter because she wore hers out. I want to see dirty shoes.
I want to tell my friends to count their blessings.

 

So my friends, next time you are frustrated with chasing your little tot around, or picking up after them, or baby proofing... just count your blessings, and be glad that those are your problems, and not the alternative. Next time you are faced with the expense of buying new shoes, remember that some of us wish we had that problem. Give thanks for your happy, healthy, active children. Count Your Blessings.

Playing a little catch-up and Menu Monday

More days than usual have passed since I have written a post. I've been missing my blog, but at the same time, it was a nice little breather.
Saturday we celebrated my Little Lady's 2nd Birthday with a small family party. I made some delicious (from scratch) strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream frosting. They got rave reviews from the party guests, kids and adults alike, which made me happy.

(I got the great printable shown above HERE)

Sunday was her actual birthday. I took her to get her ears pierced.

 It was a day of mixed emotions for me, for a few different reasons, and honestly, I just didn't feel up to posting my normal "What I Love About Sundays". But her new 'bling' is probably something that would have made the post. I think they look so pretty in her sweet little ears!

Yesterday, I missed Menu Monday, so here will be a quickie version:
Monday: Homemade Chili with Flour Tortillas
Tuesday: Take-Out
Wednesday: Chicken, steamed veggies, green salad, pasta or rice side.
Thursday: Taco's and Refried Beans
Friday: Pork Chops
Saturday: Pasta Casserole (similar to baked ziti) green salad, garlic bread
Sunday: To be determined.

My sister in law is out visiting from Florida right now, so she took The Boys to the Aquarium of the Pacific today.  Shortly after they left I said to Little Lady "What should we do today while The Boys are gone?" and then I replied to myself  "Duh, we should go to Disneyland!". And so we did. Yay! It was her first time going!

I sent a message to my friend Illy asking her what she was doing and she said "Wishing I was at Disneyland". Now if that wasn't kismet, I don't know what is! So she met us there! Another awesome thing about this day was that today was the 57th Anniversary of Disneyland opening, and we were there! Fun!
We  had a fabulous lunch, rode a few rides (Little Lady LOVED them all!) and she got to see Mickey, who she was very smitten with. She gave him kisses.

We have a few more things going on this week, but hopefully not anything that will keep me away for too long. So now that I feel like I am no longer neglecting my cyber-baby blog I will go get a few hours of shut eye.
*******************************************************************************
As always, I LOVE new Followers!  So please feel free to follow me via Google Friend Connect on the right sidebar, or through Bloglovin'.
I would also be Super~Dee~Duper Excited if you would "like" me on Facebook.

Letter to my Little Lady on her 2nd Birthday

My sweet Little Lady is turning two on Sunday. Here is my birthday love letter to her:

Dear Little Lady,
Happy Birthday my Love! How did these two years pass already? My sweet girl, I have so much to say for you. And so many hopes for you. Do you know that? I think that you do.
After your brothers I thought our family was complete. I didn't think I wanted any more babies. And then, out of nowhere, I knew I wanted another one. Two months later, I found out that you were growing inside of me. What joy I felt!
My pregnancy with you was full of emotional ups and downs. Far more than with your brothers, but I still cherished growing you inside of me.

Photo by Rebecca Staley

The day you were born was one of the happiest days of my life. It was also one of the scariest, and most exhausting days.We didn't know it while I was pregnant with you, but after you were born, the staff told us that "there's something wrong with her legs". I had no idea what that meant, but I knew that they just took my baby girl to the NICU. What a blessing that you weren't there very long, and you were able to come home with us. It felt like forever before we started to get some answers about your condition.

 We have some answers, but we still have so much to find out. Mostly, the scariness is gone. Mostly.
Being your mommy is hard work. Not because you are a hard child. Your sweet disposition and sunny smile fill my heart. The hard part is all of the appointments, and therapies, and putting you through so much. I wish that you were able to just enjoy being a baby toddler. On those days when we're rushing from physical and occupational therapy, to some Dr, and missing naps and getting cranky... what I wouldn't give to just be able to take you to the park and play any time we want. But you handle it with such grace. Never in my life would I have thought that I'd be saying a two year old handled things with grace, until you.
The love, the bond that I have with you... it's different than what I have with your big brothers. Is it because you're the only girl? Because of your special needs? Because you are my youngest? A combination of those, I think. It's not that I love you more than them. But it is indeed very different... so hard to explain.

Photography by Allison Hays

Photography by Rosa Moore with Moore Photography

Photo by Rosa Moore @ Moore Photography

I jokingly tell people that you are my sidekick or my partner in crime. I don't mind spending so much time with you. I love it, actually. I look forward to so many more years of it. I hope that you will always feel the same way.
You stole my heart Little Lady. I never even knew that I wanted a little girl, until I had you. Now I can't imagine life without you.
I'm so proud of you. I am proud of how happy you are all the time. I am proud of how long and how hard you work to learn and do new things.
I am just so glad that you are mine.
You help me appreciate the little things. You help me remember what's really important.
You make me smile, laugh, cry, scream, and fight. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Happy Birthday my sweet little girl. Thank you for being you.
Love Always,
Mommy