who needs an alarm clock...

....when your child gets up repeatedly at 5 am. Someone shoot me please. Every day, no I take that back, every day except for last Wednesday, she has gotten up at 5 or 5:30, which I think is pretty inconsiderate since she obviously is not taking mommy's sleep into consideration. I wake up to "Mommy, Mommy, up, juice, Mommy, Mooooooommmyyyyyyyy, up!" I tell you , someone or something is going to get hurt real soon. I DO NOT know what in the hell is up with her. She is on me like white on rice. I love her and I would never trade her for the world, but seriously, Mommy's breaks are needing to come a lot closer together....and she will not stay with her Daddy for more than 30 minutes unless I am just not there. I can forget trying to take a nap. I just have to walk around in a daze for the rest of the day or doze off when she isn't looking. I know these are the precious times, but my arm hurts from holding her alllllllll the friggin' time and my eyes hurt from not getting enough sleep and my head hurts from all the screaming and crying. I just don't know what to do!!! I feel like such an inadequate mother. I find myself yelling at her and begging her to stop crying.....lawd, I know why there is shaken baby syndrome.... I threaten her with time out...which, believe it or not that is actually working with the crying. Anyway, I know most of you moms have gone through this so if you have any words of encouragement, shoot me an e-mail....or hell, just shoot me. Take your pick. Being a good mother is so hard!

Just to let you know how shot my left arm is....I was walking back to work with my lunch, in a plastic bag, and was carrying a coke in the same hand and my arm starting shaking and about gave out.....my muscles are shot on that side. I was talking to my neighbor the other day and I told her that I can truly understand mothers that say they can't put their infants down because all they do is cry, because I have that in a 23 lb. toddler. I understand now and will never judge another mom that says that again.

super easy smothered pork chops

These are so easy and so yummy for something a little different. I tried this last night and it was a hit!

4 pork chops
salt, pepper and garlic salt or powder
onion
mushrooms (fresh or canned)
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Season chops with salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Brown the chops, medium high. Add the onion (I use minced onions because I hate onions unless they are fried) and mushrooms (I use canned because I am cheap) and saute for approx. 1 minute. Add cream of mushroom soup. Cover and simmer on medium low 20-30 minutes or until chops are thoroughly cooked.

These were so good and so tender. If you try them, let me know what you think. I also have a great recipe for another kind of smothered pork chops that you brown in butter and cracker crumbs....that is TO DIE FOR....but fattier. :)

later peeps....

today is picture day

Today is Emilia's first daycare picture day. I am so excited. I put her in this super cute navy bandana type sundress that her Aunt Kristi gave her for Christmas. It is so cute. The only bow she would allow in her hair was a 4th of July bow, a red and white striped bow with a blue star in the middle. It might not necessarily match exactly, but she looks real cute. And true to form, I asked them to take her shoes off so I can have pictures of my little barefoot baby. One of her teachers, Ms. Meridith, said that they are going to try to take a class picture too. I was real excited about that. I would love to have one of those. Good luck to them with trying to get 24 one year olds to sit still long enough to do that. Anyway, once I get them, in about a month, I will scan it and post it.

terrible, terrible twos

If there was ever any doubt, before, if Emilia is in the throws of the terrible twos.....THERE IS NO DOUBT NOW! Spitting, hitting, slapping, biting, throwing hissy fits, refusing to eat unless she is held, or just refusing to eat at all, wanting to be held ALL the time, the crying, the screaming, the whining. This is undoubtedly the best birth control, ever!

I thought she just wasn't feeling good because she has basically been sick since January, but now I think it is just the terrible twos. And it is terrible. I am so exasperated, I just can't even get into any stories. Needless to say, Emilia and I stayed home all weekend....she is not going back in public until she is 25.

This too shall pass.
That that doesn't kill me, makes me stronger...