Ouch!

I noticed Erin's first black eye last night and no one has any idea how it happened!!  It's on her eyelid and it's purple.  She took one fall that we saw, but we didnt' know she hit her eye.  Crazy.

Tried to take a good picture, but Erin wouldn't blink for me!!

Cowgirl Up!

Granny and Grandpa bought Erin a pink cowboy hat for her birthday and a little shirt that says "Cowgirl in Training".  The shirt is still to big, but I found some pink cowboy boots at Walmart today and couldn't resist the photo-op!

Up and At It

I realized I hadn't really put up a video of Erin just walking around.  Someone sent me a message telling me they hadn't seen her walking that much and I realized I hadn't filmed it.  So here's a little snippet of her in the kitchen. 

Did I Really Say That??

Okay, today I said something today that I never in a million years dreamed I would ever say.

"No, please do not put the mac & cheese in your hair."  (I very seldom have to say this to Tommy or Roxie....)

This is now my norm!  What a difference one year and one kid makes!!!

I Don't Like Erin But...

I really, really like her chair.

We had Daddy's birthday party at our house tonight.  Tommy and Matthew were watching football in the living room and the rest of us were visiting in the kitchen.  Tommy said, "Angela, get your camera".  I looked up and Roxie had climbed up into Erin's chair.  She did it all on her own with no prompting from us.

In the first picture she's just sitting there.  Then she decided to lay down and get comfortable.

Not Our Best Day

Erin woke up coughing on Thursday night. It has morphed into a snotty nose and watery eyes. I think it's a cold, but it might be allergies. We were supposed to go to a birthday party today, but we cancelled on them. I didn't want to be "that" mom who brings her sick kid to the party anyway.

Truth be told, I didn't want to embarrass myself when she pitched a major fit in front of everyone when I put her down!!

Instead of going, we played portrait studio again. These were more actions shots because it was just the three of us (Momma, Erin and Roxie). Daddy was upstairs working.

The Aggies play today so we have on our Aggie dress. Go Aggies. We all know where Daddy will be at 2:30!!

Almost Just Like Daddy...Almost

Here is the nap mat I made for when we start school.  Of course, she layed down on it the first time I showed her what it was but refused to do it again.  I got the camera out and Tommy tried to get her to do it and this is what we got.

Warning: This is a minute of your life you'll never get back - meaning it isn't exactly Earth shattering video.

Back and Forth...and Again

I shot this little video of Erin today.  She loves her little horsey.  She doesn't ride her in the traditional way, but chooses to push her.  She'll smack the wall, then walk around to the other side, then push in that direction.  It's so cute. 

During this video, she disappears into the bathroom/bedroom hall off the entry way, in case you were wondering what she was doing.  She is getting the horse from being stuck on the door frame.  I could tell by the noises she was making.  (Yes, this happens all the time :))

I Think...

I did this right. 

I totally stole the idea of putting the blog on Facebook.  My neighbor, Leanne, did it so I ripped the idea off from her.  (Shout out to Leanne - if you're reading this!)

So here goes, if you don't see me on Facebook look us up.

Three Mizes + One - it will populate and you can go in and view the blog. 

Fingers crossed that this works. 

Now, I'm going upstairs to the a/c.  The downstairs air went out yesterday and was still too frozen today for the guy to fix.  We had to let the solid 6 inch block of ice defrost for him to fix it tomorrow morning.   So, in the meantime, the Three Mizes + One are sleeping upstairs.  (Erin always sleeps in her room, but now Mommy, Daddy and Roxie are up there too!)  One big happy sweaty family!

Big News and a Project

Okay, after Florida we made the decision to get Erin on the waiting list at daycare.  So, I called around and we ended up choosing the school the boys (Jake & Luke) go to.  Gateway Baptist Daycare.

I called to get put on the waiting list week before last.  They told me Erin was like the 3rd on the list, so we figured it would be a couple of months.  Well, we got the call on Thursday that she was in and will be starting "school" on October 3rd.

Gram and Pawpaw are sad, but they know it's for the best too.  Erin is such a social kid.  She loves to be around other kids and I think she can learn a lot from being around the others in her class.

I toured the school and met her teachers.  They take a nap each day so the teacher recommended a "nap mat" for the cot she'll be sleeping on.  Enter Momma's latest project....

I looked on line and they were like $60 bucks for this mat and I really didn't like the material and didn't fall in love with any of them.  So, I decided to make my own.  I went to Joann Fabrics last night and found the material.  I printed 5 different sets of instructions on the web and built my own.  My friend, Sharon, at work told me to make sure it rolled up and that I made the pillow with it. 

Like any of my sewing, you don't want to look too closely!  But I think it turned out good.  I haven't put the carrying strap on it yet because I wanted to use it a couple of times we can figure out the best carrier.  I bought a nylon strap material in pink with white strip on it.  It will match perfectly (of course)!

Up close shot of the material for the pillow and blanket.

(This is the actual pillow I made.)

The bed after I tried to get Roxie to lay down in

it to pose for me. 

Ready for Erin.

This is how it would have to be for me to

get in it.  I can't stand an

un-straighten bed!!

The pillow is attached at the top

so it can be flipped up now

and used as a pillow later when we learn

what the heck a pillow is.

Rolled up and ready to go



A Day With Granny and Grandpa

We went to The Country today to spend the day with Granny and Grandpa.  We left early this morning and got home in time for Erin's dinner and bath.  She only took one nap today and it was only about an hour and 15 minutes. 

Here are some shots of her on the golf cart and in the swing with Granny.  She was also harassing Yella, but I think Yella actually liked it.  Poor Yella would be stretched out on the cool tile on the kitchen floor and Erin would run over there and "play" with her.  She had an old Diet Dr. Pepper bottle and was trying to give Yella a drink from it.  It was too cute.  I think Yella just wanted to sleep.

Erin was also fascinated by all the deer on the wall.  She saw them for the first time on this trip.  She was pointing at them and making one of the noises Tommy makes when they play together.  It was very cute. 

For the trip finale, we "drove to the back"...which means we all piled in Grandpa's work/ranch truck with the deer corn and drove around the back feeding the wildlife.  Erin got to see deer, squirrels and a rabbit.  She only really saw the deer, but they were very close and she did watch them.  Two of them still had their spots.  They are so pretty, skinny, but pretty.

All in all, a very good day!

All smiles as usual

 

Playing with a hand-me-down, hand-me-down, hand-me down from

Dylan & Tyler, and Jake.

Erin is just happy she doesn't have to share it on

this trip!

In my Great, Great Grandmother's rocking chair

I love you Yella!

Okay, I'll go play over here (with your dog toys...)

Honk honk!

Outta my way people!

I really like Granny's golf cart.



 

Me and Granny in the swing.

I got really, really sleepy.

I think they tricked me into a nap!

 

 

 

Erin's Book

Okay, we all know I love to scrapbook and that I can be pretty creative when the mood strikes. Unfortunately, with my busy life the mood strikes less and less.
The only pages I had all cute and ready to go for Erin's first year book were the ones I had done when I was still preggo! So, I did a digital scrapbook of our Destin trip as a guinea pig. Loved it! 

I scanned the pictures I needed and sat down and went to town on Erin's First Year. I actually started with the pregnancy test stick, included my maternity pics and then went into the Erin stuff. It turned out really long (read expensive) because they charge you by the page when you exceed a certain number. But in the end, it will be well worth it.  I really can't wait to see it all done up.  It's super cute on screen.

I loved doing it digitally because I didn't have to get out the folding table and spread everything out. It was all on my computer and I could watch bad TV downstairs while I was doing it.

Here's a peek at the cover. The book should be in next week and you'll just have to come over to see it!

Saddle Up Cowgirl!

Since Erin likes the carousel so much, Daddy put her on her little horse this afternoon. Of course, they had already ridden for a while before I was able to catch it on video. Erin had been squealing and laughing, but the minute I got the camera out she got all quiet. She just looks at the camera the whole time now!

A Walk In the Park

Erin is obsessed with the carousel at the mall according to Pawpaw. I haven't taken her yet, but Pawpaw learned there was an indoor carousel at the mall last Thursday and he's already taken Erin 3 times!

He and Mom took her on Friday and they got some good shots of her on the ride and then in the playground.

Ouch, That One Left a Mark

Erin had her first big boo boo today.  I think it hurt Momma and Daddy as much if not more than it hurt her.  Until today, I never understood that it really does hurt you as a parent to see your kid in pain.  (Not that I like seeing anyone in pain, but it especially hurt to see Erin hurt!)

She was trying to walk on her knees and drink out of her straw cup on the tile... need I say more?  She slipped and landed on the cup with it still in her mouth.  She immediately started crying and it was the huge sobs that no sound comes out for a minute while she was sucking in air.  Her little face just crumpled up and huge tears erupted.  It was heartbreaking.  Tommy and I were both right there when it happened.  I snatched her up and started loving on her.  Then we realized her little mouth was bleeding.

She would never let us get into her mouth to see if she split her lip or cut her gums with the straw.  She was so mad and hurt.  I tried to peek several times but she would cry harder, shake her head and throw her hands up in my way.  So, it's still a mystery as to what exactly got cut.  I got the frozen teething ring out but she wanted none of that either.  I ended up giving her some Tylenol and laying her down.  It was close to nap time anyway.  She settled down and was out pretty soon after I put her down.

Very emotionally draining.  Tommy and I just looked at each other after I layed her down.  She's good as new now, but man oh man.  We're not ready for this!!!

Erin's Big Adventure

Okay, I finally broke down and suggested Pawpaw take Erin to the mall to let her play on the little playground.  Pawpaw and E droppped Gram off at therapy and Tommy and I met them at the mall. I have held off on taking her until she was a little more steady with the walking. (And the germs just gross me out!)  I knew she would get run over if she was only crawling. I was right. It was lunch on a Thursday and the place was crawling with kiddos. I'm not sure when that playground wouldn't be busy.

Most of the kids were really well behaved, but there were some older kids that were probably a little too old and big for the playground.  I didn't want to tell the teacher on the on Erin's first trip, but I reserve the right to bring my tape measure with me next time to check that they're under 42 inches tall.

I think Pawpaw, Momma and Daddy had as much fun as Erin! She was a lot to keep up with too. She would crawl thru a tunnel and one of us would have to run to the other side dodging kids the whole way. Pawpaw was Johnny on the Spot with the cell phone camera, so here are some pictures. She was moving a lot, so they are a little blurry but you get the idea.

(BTW - Pawpaw nearly wet his pants when he realized The Woodlands Mall has an indoor carousel! He said they were going back tomorrow to try it out.  He didn't want to do too many things in one day.  Said it's all about pacing yourself.)

Rid'em Cowgirl!

Whoops, I keep falling down.  This walking is hard.

Mirror, Mirror on the Fridge

Okay, this one cracks me up. Erin loves, loves, loves mirrors. She will play with her own reflection for hours. Every night after her bath, Daddy puts her in the mirror to wave at herself. She has 2 mirrors in her playroom that stay dirty from kissing herself and the mirror on the fridge sees a lot of daytime action....

And yes, that is our first Hello Kitty t-shirt and her hair is in pigtails. (We ripped the bows out hours ago!)



I especially like the end when the velcro from her shoe gets caught on the rug and she drags it over to me.

Being Silly

Nothing too exciting here. Erin is just being silly and playing around.

Finally, Caught on Tape!

Just like those silly criminal stories where guys are caught on tape doing stuff, Erin was caught today actually walking.

We've been taking more and more steps every day. This morning she was all over the play room and living room but I was not fast enough to catch her. This is not one of her longer strolls, but you get the picture.

We've had some false starts on the walking, but I think it's going to stick this time!

Look Out Martha

Okay, little insight into my crazy mind...
I feel very strongly about the 3 or 5 (Gram and Pawpaw) of us eating together as a family every night.  We plan supper for 6:00 pm every night and sit down the the TV off to eat.  Erin has her high chair at the table and for as long as she could sit in it, I've been trying to do this.  Call me old-fashioned, but I think it's important for families to eat together.

Well, Erin does a lot of playing instead of eating.  It wasn't so bad when she was just on the baby food, because I controlled a lot of it, but now that we're mixing in real table food it's gotten messy. 

I went all Martha Stewart today and saved my kitchen wall!  I had to clean about a dozen splats with baby wipes before I applied it, but I think I found the magic Martha solution.

I bought a huge roll of that static stick vinyl off of Amazon and went to town.  I couldn't just slap it up there because the OCD nut case in my head wouldn't allow it.  I had to wait for Erin to nap. Then I got out the laser level, my craft mat/ruler and roll cutter.  Lot of measuring and sizing, but I did pretty good.  It's clear, so it blends into the wall without much notice. 

Ask me in a week if it worked!

ESPN or Something

Okay, when I was a kid my parents used to tell me that my mom had eyes in the back of her head. I can remember physically looking for them and never finding them, but she ALWAYs knew when I was doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing. Can't tell you how many times I rolled my eyes or stuck out my tongue only to be busted with "I saw that". ???? How???? Daddy would always tell me to be careful, I was going to get busted because Mom had eyes in the back of her head. 9 times out of 10 I walked away rubbing my butt and sniffling.  (Time Out was never big in the Wistner Household)

Today, I figured just how she did it. Erin is crawling around like a maniac and for those of you who have never met her, she is NEVER still. She will concentrate on something for about 2 minutes, then move on to something else. She is not one of those sit quietly somewhere and play with one toy kind of babies. She's very quick for a crawler and is so efficient at that you can set her down, and within the blink of an eye she's 15 feet away already.

Today she was crawling/cruising around while I was doing stuff in the kitchen. I was literally one step ahead of her at every turn while trying to get my stuff done. It was like that Mom thing went off and I knew exactly where she was headed and what she was about to get into. So, I finally figured out Sandy's trick. She didn't have eyes in the back of her head, she really had ESP.

For my next trick, I will select tonight's Powerball numbers.

More Florida Videos

I know.  They are not all that exciting. 

Jellyfish Sandwich



On the Beach



Hi From the Gulf of Mexico



Feel the Burn

Life Guard on Duty

Here's a couple of quick videos from Florida


The Mizes Own the Beach



Pirate's Booty



Tommy-Cam



Made in the Shade




Crawling in the Sand

Destin For Greatness!

Well we've been back since Saturday and I just haven't had the time to blog yet.  We got back Saturday night from our week in Destin, FL.  It was so much fun!

We rented a house on Santa Rosa Beach.  The Driftwood!  It had a private pool and was a very short trip to the beach.  We had the house busting at the seams.  We're already planning to go back next year, but we'll need a bigger house!!

While we were there, Erin decided the crib we rented was not good enough.  Every time we put her in it, she freaked out and screamed like crazy.  So, for the whole week, Momma, Daddy and Erin slept in the queen sized bed.  It is really funny now, but last week it was a little uncomfortable.  Erin took up SOOOO much room in that bed.  Tommy hardly slept because he was afraid he was going to roll over and smush Erin.  I didn't sleep well because I kept pulling her more to my side because I too was afraid he would roll over on her.  Erin slept like a baby!  (Pun intended)

Erin wasn't as impressed with the beach as I thought she would be.  She loved the water, but since she's still crawling instead of walking she kept getting a face full of sand.  With all the sunscreen I slathered on her, it was sticking to her.  She did figure out that it was better to bear crawl around the beach instead of using her knees.  It was hilarious.  Some people set up beside us for the week were even laughing at her.

I'm going to post some videos and pictures.  Feel free to skip the videos.  They aren't all that exciting!

Bottoms up!



Wait for me Daddy, I'm coming as fast as I can...

Me and Daddy on the beach!

I love the water.  I can see my toes!

Look what washed up on the beach!

Surf's up!

Beach ninja!

Luke and Daddy playing in the water

Toes in the sand

I wish I was there right now!

One night at dinner

Daddy's best date

I have a little something on my face!

There's a jelly fish in the back of the dump truck. 

They were fascinated!

Beach babes!

Happy Beach Bums!

Splish Splash in the pool

Giving Mommy wet sugars

I think Erin took something else from Luke. 

Poor Luke!

When do we get our pool Daddy???