Slacking

Not sure what my problem has been, just not in the blogging mood I guess. We have been busy and I do have some updates to share.

Samantha had her 18 month check up which she absolutely hated. The doctor assured us that this is one of the worst ages for doctor's visits, she is already weary of strangers and strangers who poke and prod are even worse, she cried hysterically the entire time we were there. She continues to be perfectly average with her height (45%) and now weight (55%) and of course he head is giant and in the 97 percentile.

I went to South Beach for Molly's bachelorette party and while I had a great time in warmer weather, Samantha had a fun weekend with the guys. She hung out with Dad, Andrew and Josh, went to Pearl Street, ate well and shopped. Three men and a baby.

On MLK day, Samantha, Judy, Sara and I went to the Stock show. From very early on, Samantha has been in love with animals, particularly dogs. We thought she would love the petting farm and checking out the livestock. She started out great checking on a cow, sheep and a few pigs in stalls. Then as we were meandering through about 100 cages of chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc. a rooster started crowing very loudly and Samantha went into hysterics. It was pretty much downhill from there. Later in the week she saw a rooster on television and once again burst into tears. She will probably be scarred for life.

Going Public and the Bridesmaid Dress

I recently read that to help with weight loss goals, Doctor Oz suggests (among other things) going public with your dieting plans to keep yourself motivated and accountable to your goals. So, I'm telling all of you, my faithful blog readers about my goal: 10 lbs and a nice fit in a yellow bridesmaid dress.

Dave's sister Molly is getting married to Brian Auld on February 27th. I am honored to be a bridesmaid in the wedding and have a very cute, sassy, yellow bridesmaid dress to wear for the occasion. When I originally ordered the dress it was much too small so I returned it for the next size up. When it arrived and was still a bit tight to zip up, I decided to keep it and did a quick diet test in September to make sure I could successfully fit in the dress. I accomplished that goal but since then, I have been eating and drinking to my heart's content during the holidays.

Now, I have less than two months to reach my goal. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Please Be Quiet!

I have realized over the course of the last year and a half that I have a sensitivity to loud noises. I have been trying to work this out in my head lately. I mean I was a cheerleader in high school, screaming things at the top of my lungs. I enjoy social settings where there is dancing and loud conversation. Come on, Sara Keane is one of my closest friends and she is the LOUDEST person on the planet. But, I also find great comfort and a strong need for quiet time.

I often refer to this as "Carly time". My dad blames this desire for alone/quiet time on the fact that I was an only child for 15 years. I am not the person who needs to have a partner to do errands with or someone to talk to 24/7. Samantha's naps and bedtime have become the perfect outlet for me to have my quiet time to read, watch television, drink a glass of wine, take a bath, etc. What makes me crazy and anxious is when people are loud during this time.

The first six months (okay year and a half) of her life I was looking at Dave as he banged dishes or talked loudly with friends during quiet time with an exasperated look saying "Seriously? Don't you get it? Keep it down!". My sister is the worst, she clomps around the house like an elephant while Samantha is sleeping, blasts her music and shouts while speaking with her friends.

I have learned that for the most part Samantha does just fine sleeping through music blaring, video game playing and even Sara. I'm working on getting in my quiet time without being overly controlling about the noise level all of the time. But, if she is sleeping and you are around, do me a favor and do your best to please be quiet!

New Year

When I lived in Costa Rica, my host mom (who was a real character) told me that on the first of the year you should spend your day doing what you want to be doing for the rest of the year. So, if you want to run a marathon, you should go for a run or if you want to travel, go for a quick trip.

I spent my new year's day napping, visiting with close friends who were in town and playing with Samantha. I can't think of a better way to spend the next year. A lot of my friends have commented on what a tough year 2009 was, one that they are happy to see over and done with. I definitely want the best for everyone but for me, it was a very special year as Samantha has grown and developed into an incredible kid. I love babies and I thought as Samantha developed and grew into herself I would be sad, but it really is amazing to watch as she grasps new things and understands more.

Lately she is doing all of the animal noises, that will have to be my next video! For all the fun photos, check here to see what I got during the holidays.