Procastination

I am procrastinating on my week beginning.  Waaaaahhhhhh!  I am kicking and screaming my way into Monday.  We had family in town this weekend to celebrate Miss Priss' baptism.  She was just perfect!  I just watched the service online, and I am grinning like a fool, while Hubs is appropriately somber and respectful.  I was just so thankful that my baby was acting right!

Mama and I polished the good silver for a celebration brunch at my parents' house post-church.   I'm of an opinion that some of those trays are just dying to come live at my house.  Between both sets of grandparents, and all of her little buddies (it was toddler central on the back lawn), Miss Priss was in hog heaven.  I was too busy preening to take any pictures!  You can take my word- everything was just gorgeous!

So, now I am just beat. It's rainy, gloomy, and I need to be curled up watching my baby do planks and creep backwards, with some tea and leftover pumpkin bread.

In other news AK just sent me this picture of me a year ago.  It's so funny how instinct and hormones override our good sense sometimes.  I see this picture, and I think "Ooooh, pregnancy!  So fun!"

WHAT?  No!  I did not enjoy pregnancy a bit!  It just amazes me how our bodies are hardwired like that.  Don't fret- I'm  not pregnant, nor do I plan to be anytime soon.  Miss Priss and Buddy are all I can handle at this juncture in time.

Finally, did y'all watch the UGA-UT game?  What a game! Since I was watching with my in-laws and family, all clad in orange, I was discreet in my cheering- but everyone was stressed on both sides by the end of that one.  Whew!

Pea Soup

That's what my brain still feels like.

I threw a cocktail party Friday night, anticipating it would last from 7ish until around 9. It was a successful shindig (more to come on that!), and lasted far longer (which is lovely, I'm not complaining here!).  Miss Priss was a lovely hostess, and slept soundly in her crib throughout the entire party.  I collapsed into my red iron bed after midnight, while Hubs finished cleaning up the bar area.  Just as I entered the deep, dreamless slumber of a satisfied hostess, Miss Priss decided to wake up.  And then decided to have a temper tantrum for a couple hours when I informed her that the party was over, and sent her back to bed.

But, lack of sleep notwithstanding, I woke up with some pep in my step.  As soon as I got packed, cleaned up the house, wrote extensive notes for the babysitter, wished Hubs good luck with both the Big Orange game and fatherly duties, I hit the road for Atlanta to see this beautiful lady tie the knot.

Kara, sorry for the blurry picture ripped off facebook. I was too busy socializing to remember to take out my camera.  Having a child has made me completely lose my mind, I swear.  Kara's dad was giving a sweet  toast, and talked about how he felt when his little girl was born.  Margaret looked on in amused amazement as big tears rolled down my cheeks and I blubbered about Dell Harper's wedding day someday.  Law, I probably should have cut myself off from the white wine then!

Anyway, my histrionics aside, the wedding was so beautiful.  It was at Serenbe- have you been? I am dying to go there and eat now, since the wedding food was so delicious.  I had two plates, plus nibbles off a friend's.  She was not eating her fried chicken fast enough, and I was forced to remedy the situation.  After that I did a little dancing, had some more wine, visited with old friends, had some more wine, told people in detail how much I love nursing because it allows me to eat lots of cookies, and then had some more wine.  Lovely!

So more social activity, heel wearing, and white wine consumption in one weekend than I've had in months has led to pea soup of the brain.  I can't wait for it to clear, because I have recipes from the party, and an excellent late summer supper to share with y'all!

Back to hydration!

Game Day Ruminations

 I was rifling through pictures of games past, and laughing at the changes we have all experienced, thinking back to growing up with the characters and the trouble we got ourselves in.  Hubs is in for such a rude awakening when Miss Priss gets to high school, and goes wild.  Hopefully, she will take after her father and not exhibit such behavior. . .

I was sitting around with old friends this weekend watching the UT game.  Now these guys are dads, and professionals, and adults.  In my mind we are still sixteen, plotting how to get beer and what field we can throw parties in.  Instead, we are sipping beers at the country club, since it has free babysitting during the games, and talking about real estate deals.  Law!  We are getting old! I have no idea when this happened.  I still feel like I am playing grownup when I tell the babysitter when we'll be home.

Thanks to this munchkin, I don't think I will get down to Athens for a game for the second year in a row. And I fell asleep at halftime of the Georgia game!  Although, this might mean that I am excellent luck for the Dawgs while asleep, since the second half was awesome. 

Anyway, just experiencing that stunned feeling that comes when you realize how quickly time passes the older you become.

Now I have the Circle of Life in my head.  Thanks, Elton.

Wild Nights

Jessie and Clinton's party was an amazing tribute to the twisted genius of Anne.  There were flame thrower-eaters, a mini casino, and an ice luge.  Oh, and cigars with the happy couple's faces printed on the tags. When everyone continued the party and went out, I had to make it home to my pjs, although I rallied and hung out at 2:30 eating pizza and chatting for an hour or so.  Miss Priss has trained me well to middle of the night hang-outs, but not for continously staying awake past 11 or so.  We all have our strengths, I suppose.

In other wild night news, please check out these long lost photos of the Rolling Stonesthat were taken right about when Exile on Main Street came out.  Aren't they simply fantastic?

Source: vulture.com via Samma on Pinterest

Source: vulture.com via Samma on Pinterest

Source: vulture.com via Samma on Pinterest

Source: vulture.com via Samma on Pinterest

Please note Keith Richards beverage above.  Just a little hydration before the show.  He definitely wouldn't let a little baby stop him from having a wild night.

So Many Firsts

All dressed up to attend Miss Priss' first birthday party- her best little buddies, Audrey, Elizabeth, and Claire turned one on Sunday.  Miss Priss was too excited to nap all day in anticipation, then fell asleep on the way to the party.  Promptly on arrival, she woke up wailing, with an extreme diaper issue.  After a quick change and cuddle she was ready to enjoy the party, although quite embarrassed.  Hee.

After getting home, I immediately got in my pjs, and tried feeding Dell Harper some rice cereal.  Her doctor has recommended we try some rice cereal (in addition to her prevaicd and zantac, sigh) in the evenings to help with her reflux.

I don't know if it helped, but I was quite entertained!

I think she was a bit disappointed that it was not this ice cream business she has heard so much about from her Granddaddy.  When I was about Dell Harper's age, Mama came home to my Mama Faye (her mother), feeding me butter pecan ice cream!  Mama was completely nonplussed, but had company so she had to keep her mouth shut.  Now her and Daddy think it is hilarious to threaten to do the same with Dell Harper.  It did take a rather lengthy explanation of infants' digestive systems to convince Daddy that a little melted ice cream would be a bad thing.  I completely understood his confusion, as I have trouble convincing my trying-to-reduce-my-waistline self that a little ice cream would be a bad thing every night after dinner.

Charleston Wedding Weekend

I have just returned form a lovely wedding in Charleston celebrating Virge's nuptials.The weather held up, the bride was gorgeous and relaxed, and a marvelous time was had by all.  Congratulations Virge and Jake! Side note, the beautiful bride graduated from pharmacy school two days before her wedding, so she became a Dr. and a Mrs. all in the same weekend!

Miss Priss managed the car trip- we broke it up on the way there and stayed in Columbia for the night, leaving us just 2 hours on Saturday left to drive (the wedding was on Sunday night).  She had a break down the last 30 minutes because she was hungry, but was fine otherwise.  She attended about an hour of the bridal brunch, and was pretty grumpy.  I was disconcerted as normally she follows the dictum of good in public, bad in private (which is doable).  However, I think she just needed to get her bearings, as apparently she was lovely all afternoon and evening.  She was a smiley happy little thing on the long way home (praise Jesus!)

It was so wonderful to see all my dear friends and celebrate such a fun happy occasion.  I have to confess I was a ball of stress about being in a wedding with a baby in tow.  Luckily, her sweet little nanny came with us, and everything worked out fine. Haha, I did get a bit teary after being apart from Miss Priss all day long when I received a text from her nanny that they were giggling and snuggling up in bed before Dell Harper's bedtime.  Whoever would of thought I'd become such a mushball?  My mama is shaking her head at me right now I'm sure, thinking "I told you so, you twerp!"

Anyway, after traveling the last 3 out of 4 weekends with an infant, I am ready to hunker down at home, get her back on schedule (does anyone know anything about this four month sleep regression?  I believe we are dealing with that and I am not pleased), and get my life in order!

Except this is what my kitchen looks like (or did before we left).  Check out the original tile from 1963 the contractor uncovered.  Don't worry, it's not staying.

This is/was our family room.  The big open space used to be a wall.  There used to be a floor.   The ceiling is coming down any day.  Good gravy, what have I gotten myself into?

It's Friday and I'm Ready to Swing!

Hopefully this little chick will behave, as I am going out tonight!  This is her first time with a non-grandparent babysitter watching her sleep.  I am going to pump her a bottle for her middle of the night feeding because I am ready for a cocktail!  One will probably set me over the edge, but a ginger margarita from my favorite sushi place is calling to me.  Tequila might have an interesting effect on this sleep-deprived new mama. . .

Any margaritas in the weekend plans for y'all?

Walking in a Winter Weekend

This is while decorating the Christmas tree.  If I only had my makeup and hair fixed, this could be a Christmas contender. If I only had a brain.  Which clearly I don't, as I mailed 10 invitations the other day sans postage.

Anyway, Buddy does not like a Hubs-Samma hug.  No- if there is hugging going on he has to be right up in there.  We were laughing about it, and had to demonstrate for Mama.  

Saturday was a double header with Hayes one year old birthday party.

 His buddy Fletcher is almost one himself.

 Between having to change half the invites for my family's chili party to include new family members, and all the babies at the party, the amount of friends who have procreated in the past year was really brought into perspective.

Not pictured- Baby Benton, born Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Baby Wiley, born Saturday after Thanksgiving (and their mamas).

So we scurried home and got dolled up for Christmas cocktails.  I said goodbye to my baby, who was dying to scratch up my polka dot tights.

And did not take a single picture at the party, which was very photo worthy.  Why?
Well, according to this pic ripped from Facebook, I didn't stop talking the entire time.  It looks like I'm in the middle of an excellent story here, no?  Hee.

Sunday night got super cozy with a fire, Christmas tree, hot chocolate, and SNOW!

This is what we woke up to Monday morning.  I was too much a weenie to drive the Barbie Dream Car, so Hubs had to take me to work.

I should have sledded there.

How was everyone's weekends?  I love parties, especially holiday ones!  Any snow in your neck of the woods?
And here is one more gratuitous picture of my sweet blonde boy-

He does not like holiday parties.  He likes his parents to be home playing with him at all times!

Holiday Happenings

We have been trying to learn how to use the invisible fence.

 Watching squirrels and waiting for Santa Paws to arrive with a sack full of bones.

 Dance parties in the kitchen with new sisters.

 Christmas wishes

Christmas trees (plural- it was snowing and we couldn't resist).

Playing in the flurries with our little Buddy.

This weekend is chock-ful of parties of all sorts- I am bouncing with excitement.  What has been going on with y'all?  Waiting on Santa Paws? Decorating trees?

The Dog Ate My Pants Defense

So, after a fun-filled night in Athens for Kinger's engagement party, I groggily awoke and after consuming enough bacon to make me feel like a human being, I decided it was time to struggle into clothes and get on the road.  I pulled on my tee and cardigan, rooted through the clothes scattered around Kinger's childhood bedroom, and slipped on my pixie pants.

Which were quite drafty.

"Oh my word!  I have eaten entirely too much bacon and split my damn pants!" were the first thoughts that flew through my bleary brain.  Hmmm.

I was a bit relieved when I removed the air-conditioned britches and discovered chew marks.  Kinger's devil dachshund, Lula, had eaten out the seat of my pants. I was faced with a conundrum- I could wear my gold and black full skirted cocktail dress, bottom-less pixie pants, or my lime green and fuchsia cotton pj pants.  I chose the latter, and prayed I wouldn't have to get gas or you the facilities on my four hour drive home.

In case either of the above became a necessity, I chose to go home through the mountains- a bit longer than driving through Atlanta and Chattanooga, but far less probability of seeing anyone I know.

Zooming on up the highway, rehashing all the gossip from the night before on my phone, I was completely unaware that the speed limit had changed from 65 to 55. However, the cop that was behind me was quite aware.

Now, I was just too worn out to even attempt to get out of the ticket.  I merely queried when the limit had changed, then settled down to read my new Town and Country while he wrote the ticket.

Of course, I did have to explain to him that I was speeding for a perfectly legitimate reason.

I had to go to the restroom and the dog ate my pants!

Yeah, I still got the ticket.

Showcase Showdown

Even though I had a minimal amount of sleep and a couple too many glasses of wine at a birthday dinner the night before, I was ready to hit the streets for Race for Cure Saturday morning.

Brother, Emily, and I raced for the cure.  Then there was brunching, and farmer's marketing, and more golden retriever looking.  Then I hit up AC Moore and got my craft on.  Hubs and I attended a Halloween party which was celebrity themed.  We used a little creative leeway and went as  . . .

 Drew Carey and a Price is Right Contestant!  I also wore a sweatshirt which had my Price is Right name tag on it.  I was especially proud of Hubs' skinny mike which I constructed.

 There were nerds.

 And hated former coaches. Oh, and Fidel Castro in the background.

The night ended with a little leaf jumping.  I was far more prepared in my costume than I had been last week in my game day plaid skirt.  It was a supremely satisfying experience.

Although getting up and out of the pile of leaves was far more difficult than I remember from twenty years ago.

How was your Halloween?  The actual day was a bit of a failure for me (it involves tears), but more on that tomorrow.