Strike A Pose

Apparently, these two had a little impromptu photo session with my camera phone last weekend! What a joy it was to find these pictures of two of the biggest Goof Balls I know...




Instead of stating the obvious, I thought I would draw it...Little Devils!



Love you both!

Baby's Got Some New Overalls Y'all

This morning while I was getting ready, I overheard the hubby and Cookie just laughing away. Together they create the most infectious laugh. I peeked my head in to find Cookie dressed liked this...



And then found myself having the following conversation with the hubby...

Hubby: See Honey they are perfect for Cookie, for Mommy's not so much

RM: Oh Honey, you loved my big girl pants aka overalls

Hubby: Nope not really

Okay so here is a little bit of a background. The hubby is not much of a fashion kind of guy. Give that boy a pair of khaki's, crocs, t-shirt and an Astros cap and he is one happy little camper. Since 1997, he has never questioned my fashion sense [what little I have, thanks to Lucky Magazine] that is until November 18, 2001. You know the day after we said our marriage vows and apparently the day when those little things that have been bugging you about one another are discussed...such as my overalls! For me I layed down the law on tooting, it was not to be within the same room at anytime. That lasted a good...60 seconds.

[Side Note: Here is a little tip for all of your tootin' hubby's, I recently established "No Tooting" zones in the Cook household. They are basically everywhere except for OUTSIDE. You should try them they work really well.]

Now looking back on my overall wearing 90's years I have to admit he was right, they weren't that great looking. I found that out the hard way when I made the mistake of trying to squeeze into them during my third trimester of pregnancy. Pregnancy and overalls not a very good combination.

Oh that hubby you may think that I tune you out sometimes and that I don't take your advice, but you were right on this one. Okay there is your one Right Moment for the year, now go and enjoy it. I will be at home pulling out the overalls and finally putting them to rest. Yes I have to admit, a year ago I gave you one pair, but I secretly kept another just in case they...came back in style.

As for my Yoga pants and cotton T's, if you have a comment just wait a few year and then tell me! I am enjoying this trend a little to much right now.

Love You!

It's A Great Big World Out There

83 and Another Year Wiser

This past weekend we all got together to celebrate the birthday of the one the only..."Grandfather Sir."

It was a great celebration! Of course in true Collins Fashion we rounded out the night with everyone sharing their best "Pootin'" stories. Now if you don't know what "pootin'" is well then I will let you just ponder that one...let's just say it rhymes with Tootin'.

In preparation for Granddaddy's birthday, we pondered a lot about what to get the young man and most importantly how do you light 83 candles. By the end of the week we had it all worked out. Cathy & Chris detailed Granddaddy's truck that by the way is three years old and has a whopping 7,000 miles on it and the rest of the gang installed ceiling fans outside. As for the candle we found the thickest one Grandma had in her candle stick and WA LA...Happy Birthday to you

Introducing Aunt Joan and Uncle Dave-O

Diva In Training

Oh the good life. Lounging by the pool by day and...




Putting together the perfect outfit for a night out on the town.

Sisters by Chance, Friends by Choice

Fresh Food "Miracle" Feeder

Come one come all...the teeth are breaking loose and they have our little Cookie all worked up. Cookie teeth are starting to come in like crazy and just like her Mom she wants it to happen quickly.

Let me tell you, those little choppers are dangerous. Just like a little Jaws looking for anything she can feast on. Cookie has never been a fan of the pacifier which is great because I hear that in the long run it might save me a few trips to the orthodontist office. However, that left me up to my ears in Orajel and Organic (not so cheap) teething magic potions. My options were dwindling fast.

That is until I found this nifty little device...

The Fresh Food Feeder is available at Wal-Mart and Target and even cheaper than a tank of gas. Now that is a bargain. Okay so hear is the sales pitch from Munchkin, which is the one that Cookie has.

"This award-winning product allows your baby to enjoy lots of delicious foods without the choking risk. Simply put a piece of fruit, vegetables or meat into the mesh bag and snap shut. Your baby can chew, suck and enjoy all the whole food goodness and taste, with only the tiniest, digestible pieces coming through. Your baby gets great flavor and you get great peace of mind!"

Ahhhh, worry free of any choking hazards and a good distractor for at least 20 mins. Just enough Mommy time to relax. 20 minutes these day of relaxation is 20 minutes of sweet precious little don't bother me, mommy time. I will take it when I can.

Just recently we entered into the land of stage 3 foods. The land of holding your breath each night in hopes that each piece is chewed and swallowed. Cookie is getting the hang of it but the Fresh Food Feeder has really helped her out because it not only relieves her teething aches but it is also helping her learn how to chew.

Great Grandma's Hugs

Great Grandma's Hugs Are Made Of Love!

Everything my great grandma does
is something special made with love.
She takes time to add the extra touch
that says, "I love you very much."

She fixes hurts with a kiss and smile
and tells good stories great grandma-style.
It's warm and cozy on her lap
for secret telling or a nap.

And when I say my prayers at night
I ask God to bless and hold her tight.
Cause when it comes to giving hugs
my great grandma's arms are filled with love!

Want A Ride

A big old Texas size hug to my Aunt Michelle and my Uncle John for my new wheels. I love it! I even went for a spin this morning. Thank you, Thank you!



I love you very much and my cousins too.

XOXOX

Cookie

Top Ten Suprises of New Parenthood

As a RM I am constantly referring to the web for new tips and tricks for our little Cookie. This morning I came across the following article from http://www.babycenter.com/ on The Top Ten Surprises of New Parenthood and I just had to reflect on these wonderful suprises.

So here it goes...


Surprise #1: Your relationship with your partner will change

RM: If I could have looked in the future and seen what an amazing father my Hubby would have been, I would have had children much earlier. He surprises me everyday with our partnership and his drive to be the world’s greatest daddy.

Surprise #2: You'll have no idea where the time goes

RM: Just yesterday I viewed the pictures of Cookie as a baby and now we are approaching the one year mark. If I had my way I would roll back the clock and enjoyed more of the sleepless nights and not worried so much about trying to squeeze in that one last conference call.

Surprise #3: You may look different

RM: Yep, you got that right. Let’s just say that size 8 is the new 4 and it’s all about the cotton….a little wiggle room goes a long way in Yoga pants.

Surprise #4: You'll join an exclusive worldwide club

RM: The best membership you can ever have. It never expires and the dues are priceless.

Surprise #5: You'll be stronger than you ever imagined

RM: It is no longer about me or the Hubby it is all about Cookie. Each day the Hubby and I want to learn how we can make this world a better place for her. We want to ones to ease her pain and wipes away her tears.

Surprise #6: You'll make "mistakes" you never anticipated

RM: Yep, and learning each day from them. We just chalk those up as our "Brittney" moments.

Surprise #7: Your friendships will change

RM: Bring on the Chardonnay Play dates. What once were talks about fashion and US Weekly is now talks about the latest parenting tips and tricks. It really does take a Village to raise a child.

Surprise #8: There'll be times when you hate parenting

RM: You can’t hate what you don’t know. We have found that you can’t predict what type of parents you will be you. We have learned that Parenting is about growing each day. The Hubby and I might not always have the best solution but it is the team work that get’s us through the rough patches.

Surprise #9: You'll be overwhelmed by love (and other emotions)

RM: The Hubby and I had the opportunity to fall into love, but on the day we were blessed with Cookie we instantly felt a love that we never knew existed.

Surprise #10: You'll have to let go sooner than you think

RM: I don’t even want to imagine it!

Oh the joy of the years to come, the mistakes we will make and the lessons we will learn from one diaper at a time. Team Cook is our motto!

Seriously

Seriously, do I look like I am happy!?! 101 photos of me standing is not going to make me walk any faster.

Calculator of All Calculators

Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer posted a great conversation starter that we have asked at least once in our Mommy Careers...How much to pay a sitter.

When the Hubby and I decided that it was time to venture into the world of date nights, we dusted off our dancing shoes, combed our hair and put on an outfit that didn't have the baby couture label (La Enfamil). Only one obstacle stood in our way, the selecting of a babysitter.

We first asked our neighbors and they graciously offered up their Nanny and then we were stumped. What do we pay their Perfect Nanny to watch our precious little newborn?

So I did what most Americans do, I referred to my friend Mr. Google and sure enough this much wised search engine held the answer... A Babysitter Calculator from Sittercity.

This is a great tool to share with all Rookie and Veteran mommies. A guaranteed quick answer to solving the mystery of what to pay a sitter. All you have to do is just type in your zip code, the number of children, years of experience and the age range of the babysitter and bam, you have your rate. It even explains the cost adjustments for overnights, special events, twins and newborns and doing housework. Another great site to view is Babysitters for other great tips one selection checklist and reference questions.

Now if there was only a calculator that computed how many HOURS they will sleep through the night…

Daddy Does Dishes

The hubby did the dishes last night and I got up this morning to find this...



Who needs dish washing soap when you have a paper towel and space in the refrigerator.

That's okay it gave him more time to do this...

Glorified Poop Catchers

We had a super duper Fourth of July weekend. Lots of good food and fun all weekend long.

The Hubby and I even managed to squeeze in a date night...which meant I had to befriend my hair dryer, and dust off the high heels. It was a big night in the Cook household. Of course the camera enjoyed the night on my kitchen counter.

During the weekend if we weren't expanding our waist bands we were feeling 10 lbs lighter while floating in the Cook swimming hole. Cookie has a blast in her little swim suit, little swimmers, and floaty. Swim lessons have really paid off...she can lounge in her float 100 times better now.

While in Florida my sister in law informed me to be careful with the Little Swimmers and not to put Cookie in them until we get to swim lessons because they are basically just Glorified Poop Catchers.

Unfortunately, in a rush to get Cookie to her last swim practice a few weeks ago we quickly changed her at school. While waiting for swim lessons to begin the Hubby felt a nice warm feeling on his shirt...

Cookie marked her Daddy right before swim practice. Hoping that nobody noticed we quickly did what any parent would do...removed the evidence and dipped her in the water.

My advice change your little ones at swim lessons...or yourself and/or Hubby's could end up a marked man.

Luckily over the fourth of July weekend the little swimmers worked like a champ and Cookie didn't have any Baby Ruth moments if you know what I mean..wink wink

Happy Fourth of July

Wishing Everyone a safe and happy 4th of July!

Under Construction

As you can see Cookie's blog is under construction...stay tune for the AWESOME updated Rookie Mom 101 Blog design.

What Goes Up Must Come Down

Last night we decided to have Chinese Food for dinner. As I got all of the ingredients together (phones, chinesse menu and check), Cookie was playing. When the timer went off for dinner aka door bell rang, I looked over at Cookie to see her doing this...



Then I was able to get this video...The only problem was she wasn't really sure how to get down...

We Go Round and Round...

The Daddy Cam got some great footage of Cookie going round and round and round...

Licking to Freedom

With God as my witness I will lick my way out of the play pin...