tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17296114340940096162012-02-16T20:24:52.188-05:00welcome to the new normal.corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.comBlogger861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-45508089352335100022010-07-04T23:57:00.000-04:002010-07-04T23:57:58.342-04:00

Happy Independence Day, everyone!  As you can see, we dressed for the occasion.  All in all, it was a pretty laid-back day - church, a little afternoon rest.  Brian did grill some hot dogs and brats, but we stayed home and just had a nice family day. We let Xander stay up late tonight to watch fireworks on TV (A Capitol Fourth), and got the added bonus of being able to see some live fireworks

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-63405203236805053142010-07-03T22:46:00.003-04:002010-07-04T23:43:54.134-04:00

One of the subjects I focused on when I first started blogging about Xander back in 2007 is food.  Anyone who has spent any time with me knows I like good food.  I married a chef who obviously likes good food.  So when it was time to start feeding my precious baby boy solid food, I wanted to do it right.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find much direction on the web.  Hence, I figured I would try to

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-59863238849231108202010-06-30T23:27:00.000-04:002010-07-03T23:35:16.881-04:00

We're already past the half-year mark?  How did that happen?  Our little girl is sitting up, can roll from her tummy to her back easily now (even with the bar), and she's thisclose to rolling from her back to her tummy (it's gotta be hard to get momentum with those shoes!).  She's eating three meals a day and loves her food - we're working on the sign for "more", but she usually just opens her

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-67898441720681324502010-06-27T00:12:00.001-04:002010-07-10T11:26:05.946-04:00

Brian finally got the Father's Day we had planned last week before Xander got sick.  Yesterday we went to Five Guys for his cheeseburger dinner, and today we went to see Toy Story 3 in 3-D.  Unfortunately, we didn't get a picture of Xander in his 3-D glasses - the theater was too dark, and he (very responsibly) decided to recycle them after the movie instead of taking them home to play with.  He

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-76605981416443991322010-06-24T23:43:00.001-04:002010-06-27T00:25:39.775-04:00

We finally got a chance to visit the preschool on campus where Brian works today.  We've felt for some time now that Xander is ready for school.  He's very smart, and I think he's ready to interact with other kids in a more structured environment.  Not only do we get an employee discount on tuition, but the school is run very well and incorporates so many activities for the kids.  In addition to

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-82310693366338967092010-06-24T00:27:00.006-04:002010-06-27T00:36:50.503-04:00

Look at what Amelia has learned to do!  You can tell she's just happily babbling to herself - she doesn't even notice I'm there until about 20 seconds in.  Oh, and the coughing is her way of talking - kind of like a laugh.  Enjoy - this was one the bright spot of my day.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-25338050888508003542010-06-23T23:33:00.020-04:002010-06-27T00:26:04.228-04:00

I believe the sickies have left our house.  Xander was feeling much better yesterday, and today I let him resume his normal diet.  Bring on the peanut butter and waffles!  Brian didn't feel well last night, but he was fine this morning.  We're still not sure if we all had some kind of stomach bug, or if there was some bad pizza involved.  That was the last thing Xander ate before he got sick, and

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-43969085665971684642010-06-20T23:20:00.002-04:002010-06-27T00:25:07.424-04:00

Well, happy Father's Day...I hope all the dads out there had a better start to their day than Brian did.  He went in to check on a screaming Xander at 1:30 this morning only to find that he had thrown up all over himself.  Needless to say, Brian has been awake for almost ALL of his day.  Poor little guy didn't really rest last night, and today all he has the energy for is laying on the floor or

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-64630142124815171042010-03-01T23:32:00.001-05:002010-06-27T00:44:04.306-04:00

Brian's mom is in town this week keeping me company while Brian's in New York.  Today, that gave me the unique opportunity to spend a morning out with my boy - just the two of us.  We didn't exactly whoop it up while Amelia and Grandma had a playdate; our first stop was the doctor's office, where Xander got the second dose of his H1N1 vaccine.  It wasn't pretty, but the lollipop and Spider-Man

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-76109017165125661472010-02-28T21:57:00.000-05:002010-02-28T21:57:41.233-05:00

Happy 3-month birthday, little Amelia!  Our little girl is growing so quickly, and she's starting to smile and laugh and babble.  She is such a fighter, and I can't wait to see what next month will bring.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-87678013846582957512010-02-19T15:02:00.000-05:002010-02-19T15:02:35.481-05:00

Dear God,Thank you for food.Thank you for dinner.Thank you for games.Thank you for sun, for wind,For dark, for rain.Thank you for sunny.Love from Mommy and Xander.Amen. The photos are from dinner the other night.  He was looking for "clues" with his "woggle gobbles" (wobble-goggles, for those of you who aren't super fans of the Imagination Movers).  The prayer, however, is from breakfast this

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-74822783575135064792010-02-18T22:37:00.006-05:002010-02-19T15:01:54.810-05:00

So yesterday was a big day in more ways than one.  You already know about Amelia's surgery that went exceptionally well.  The other milestone is that yesterday marked the end of the two weeks that the neurosurgeon told us to to wait before letting Amelia be on her back as often as we (and by we, I mean she) like.  It's exciting and freeing not to have to worry about how long we have her out and

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-7017430422308873232010-02-17T16:36:00.000-05:002010-02-18T14:49:01.848-05:00

As someone who has only had maybe two surgeries in her entire life (does having my wisdom teeth removed count as surgery?), I am thoroughly amazed that my little girl has now had three surgeries before she's even three months old.  The first, of course, was her myelomeningocele repair at one day old.  The second, her VP shunt placement.  And today, we add a quad tenotomy (meaning the doctor will

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-84673603987501750572010-01-31T21:15:00.022-05:002010-02-04T21:22:07.634-05:00

  *Blink*...and our little Amelia is already two months old.  These last couple of months have absolutely flown by.  I remember driving to the hospital every day thinking that we were in an interminably long phase with our little girl, and now she's been home with us for over a month.  All that time in the hospital seems so long ago.  Granted, we get to drive down that way at least once every

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-7801594280130864952010-01-29T22:57:00.000-05:002010-01-29T22:57:59.385-05:00

Amelia says hi! She's really happy tonight despite the fact that she had two shots and an oral immunization today.  Plus, both shots had to be in the same leg since her cast comes up almost to her hip.  Poor thing. I took both Xander and Amelia to the pediatrician today.  Amelia for her two month checkup (Can you believe she's already two months old?), and Xander because he developed a cough a

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-90057574070684586812010-01-27T23:32:00.001-05:002010-01-27T23:33:52.933-05:00

Brian never calls in sick.  In fact, I can really only think of one occasion in almost eight years of marriage when he was so sick that he voluntarily stayed home from work.  Today marks the second time I've seen him call in sick.  It's that bad.  All the poor guy's been able to do today is sleep.  I'm praying I don't get whatever yuck he has because, um, moms don't get sick days. Xander's still

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-2858371644931138582010-01-24T20:24:00.001-05:002010-01-24T20:27:52.378-05:00

Poor Brian is sick I napped in the sun and breeze And made him some soup Amelia's cast came off at church today, too, but I couldn't figure out how to fit that in.  Besides, we managed to put it back on.  I hope it doesn't cause any problems.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-74444174359892296972010-01-23T22:37:00.003-05:002010-02-04T21:29:35.584-05:00

Brian put Xander's new bed together today.  I'm still second-guessing myself about the bed we decided on, but that's my problem.  I always get like this when we make any semi-big purchase.  I wonder if we made the right choice; if the color is right, the design something that both kids and anyone else can use.  Brian says to give it a few weeks and it will seem like the bed has always been here.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-69393019592925348882010-01-23T00:05:00.001-05:002010-01-23T00:05:46.099-05:00

Today was a rough day...Xander is being very two, and we spent the day in our pajamas. Not the good-lazy-do-nothing-spend-the-day-in-your-jammies kind of day, but the steam-rolling-fight-to-change-a-diaper-day-with-no-chance-to-change-out-of-your-pajamas kind. In fact, I think the only things that happened of note were that Brian picked up Xander's new big-boy bed and mattress, I finally saw

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-33740484256145805552010-01-21T21:34:00.004-05:002010-01-23T00:13:21.702-05:00

Amelia slept through the night! She slept from 11pm to 7:30am - of course, I was up at 5am, wondering why she wasn't. What's funny is she and Xander both slept through some crazy thunder last night that rattled our windows and caused several brown-outs. I guess that's what qualifies as a winter storm around here. So, fueled by a full night's sleep, I felt strangely motivated today to do some

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-72984041063872327212010-01-20T14:22:00.003-05:002010-01-23T00:15:58.159-05:00

Xander is a really good big brother. In fact, he keeps surprising me with how kind and loving he is toward his sister. I'm sure you've already seen how he sings to her when she's crying (the ABC's, of course), and I've already told you that he likes to bring her a pacifier and put it in her mouth, too (which leads to a lot of pacifier washing, since sometimes it takes a detour on the carpet as

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-91693353779509864272010-01-20T14:12:00.002-05:002010-01-20T14:18:21.088-05:00

I've been wanting to blog again ever since Amelia was diagnosed with spina bifida. I found very few blogs that documented what it was like to have a baby with SB, and I hoped that if I could chronicle our story, it might help another family going through the same thing. Unfortunately, being pregnant and having a 2 1/2 year old complicated things just enough so that every time I thought, "Hey, I

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-34232030782577551652010-01-07T00:21:00.000-05:002010-01-23T00:46:55.756-05:00

Today, Amelia and I paid a visit to the urologist.  He is the only doctor involved in Amelia's care that we never got to meet in the hospital, so I was eager to finally get to talk with him and ask some questions that Brian and I never really got answers to. Things actually look pretty good; the VCUG Amelia had in the hospital shows that she's eliminating well enough not to need a catheter,

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-57536721963898245482009-11-29T17:03:00.003-05:002010-01-23T00:18:19.871-05:00

Well, here we are...our last day as a family of three; Xander's last day as an only child; the eve of our little Hope's arrival. Emotions are running high; I'm nervous for both Hope and myself, and I'm marveling at how quickly all this snuck up on us. I still worry if having her a week early will be good or bad, but either way it's better than having her at 37 weeks (at the latest) if we had

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-50432333654081962402009-01-08T22:21:00.000-05:002010-06-27T00:26:45.504-04:00

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, filled with friends, family, and food...just like ours! Christmas this year was such a blast; Squiggles definitely understood the idea of presents better this year than last year, and had a lot of fun tearing the paper off his packages. I say "tearing" but it was more like controlled peeling. He would peel back the smallest

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-17517301299414767252008-12-26T13:09:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.016-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! We are all enjoying time with family and friends right now, but we'll be back to posting soon. Santa brought us a new camera, so get ready for an onslaught of pictures to make up for the last three months!Squiggles is just one bad Christmas sweater away from perfection right here...

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-15870973166151666172008-12-17T17:35:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.018-05:00

I just saw this great post on Lifehacker...apparently, you can dress up your Flickr photos by using Easter egg notes. Of course, I couldn't resist dressing my boys up as Santa...Brian looks really happy as Santa, don't you think? But Squiggles makes an adorable St. Nick!

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-82369394089197591292008-12-16T21:17:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.020-05:00

Squiggles tends to get a little antsy in that little stretch of time before lunch. Yesterday was no exception. I had lunch (chicken nuggets and tater tots, yum!) in the oven, but the waiting!I had left our bedroom door open, so he ran in and did what he usually does when he can get into our room; he asked to get up on the bed so we could play in the pillows. He loves to fall against them and

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-33220973332537213362008-12-07T00:50:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.022-05:00

I already blogged about our great, lazy Sunday last week, but it dawned on me a few days ago that Sunday was a day for a few anniversaries.Brian proposed to me on November 30, so it's always been a special day for me. He popped the question the day before I graduated from college. It was good timing because I was so focused on finishing exams and getting ready to walk at commencement that I was

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-74731555801948366192008-12-04T15:16:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.023-05:00

Squiggles did not take a nap yesterday. As in, no sleep at all. I should have known the path our day was going to take when I woke up at 9:30 and didn't hear anything on the monitor. Usually Squiggles is singing or talking to himself or, if I've been asleep too soundly, crying out for me. Yesterday there was nothing. He probably slept longer today because he was up for 30-45 minutes the

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-10217861103431989052008-12-02T15:04:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.025-05:00

Well, I failed at NaBloPoMo again this year. It is difficult enough to post every day, let alone to do it while I'm on vacation. I did much better than last year, though. I'm not sure if I'll do it again next year or not. I felt like I was clogging the web with silly posts on some days just for the sake of posting. Plus, I had to back-date my posts a couple of times.Speaking of which,

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-9671085148411241712008-11-30T22:47:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.026-05:00

No, not that Lazy Sunday.Today was a perfectly lazy day. We came home last night so we could have a day to recombobulate before diving into the week, and I have to say that it was a great idea. We loved spending the week with my family, but it's nice to spend some time just the three of us, too.Brian started the day off by getting up ahead of me and taking care of Squiggles. Then I got a

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-14766691056507514562008-11-27T22:19:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.029-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of family, fellowship and food. We got to watch the parade (Squiggles only paid attention off and on, but he loved the Sesame Street float), eat a yummy dinner, and spend time with family that we haven't seen in a while.It hit me during dinner that just a year ago, our little Squiggles hadn't even started eating solid food; this year he had a

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-49758298817618890822008-11-25T21:10:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.032-05:00

We've found a new slam-dunk toy, and we found it in the most random way.This is a basic bead maze. We've seen them at the doctor's office before, and although Squiggles seemed to enjoy them, he never was all that enthralled with them.Fast forward to last night. We went to a great little barbecue place near The Reservation (yes, we actually left The Reservation). We only had to wait a few

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-61627733661289712692008-11-23T20:22:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.035-05:00

Sounds like a bad combination, doesn't it?Friday was more laziness...drinking coffee and reading. Brian and I did go to a very nice restaurant at the Hilton on the beach and sat at the bar. We shared an appetizer and had a few drinks and just chatted. It was wonderful, as was the drink I had. I don't remember what it was called, but it was vodka muddled with orange, lime and lemon wedges.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-82344167823456295152008-11-20T17:54:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.037-05:00

It's almost 6pm, and instead of worrying about getting dinner on the table and trying to snatch away the loaf of bread that Squiggles is taunting the dogs with ('cause he steals it every time I open the refrigerator) AND trying to pick up the house before Brian gets home, I am sitting in a hotel room, watching Friends and surfing the web. I'm not even concerned about dinner (we're going out for

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-43413353929751695742008-11-19T22:57:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.039-05:00

Vacation time! Squiggles is on The Reservation with my folks right now while I'm with Brian on a business trip. As we left, I noticed how much gas prices have dropped. I remember that, over the summer, it was not uncommon to see gas near $3/gallon or more. Today? $1.87 per gallon! Can you believe it? I thought it would be a long time before I saw gas under $2/gal, let alone under $1.90. I

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-72825193523125405382008-11-18T22:44:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.041-05:00

I've had the baking bug the last couple of days. Maybe it's because I won't be able to bake Christmas cookies here like I do every year, but I wanted to bake some lovely things for Thanksgiving at The Reservation next week. So yesterday I made the dough for my Grandma's famous feather bed rolls; and today I made her pumpkin roll and some yummy ginger pumpkin pomegranate muffins. The muffins

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-81561104443418556722008-11-17T23:48:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.043-05:00

Brian's grandma - Squiggles's great-grandma - was down here last month visiting a friend, so of course we made time to visit with her, too. Brian's brother and his girlfriend came up and we all visited with Grandma at our house and then took her out to dinner. I was so happy I could show her our home down here and that she and Squiggles could spend some time together.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-566920683842421722008-11-16T22:29:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.045-05:00

Last night, we took Squiggles to his very first college basketball game. Brian scored some free tickets through work, so we decided that it would be fun to go and we wouldn't have to worry about leaving early if we needed to.And guess what? It WAS fun. Lots of fun! Until the end when Squiggles got hungry and tired of sitting still. So we didn't leave on the most positive note, but we still

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-3967836264867591672008-11-15T15:14:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.047-05:00

For some time now, Squiggles has been standing in this funny downward dog pose, with his head on the ground and his butt up in the air. We always laughed and asked him if he was going to do a somersault. Yesterday he did.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-20016803717996159272008-11-14T17:05:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.048-05:00

With Thanksgiving next week, I am reminded that we are hurtling toward December 25 (which seems impossible!). I know there is a lot of concern about toy safety these days, so I thought I'd pass along a site that I visit quite frequently.HealthyToys.org is a project of the Ecology Center, a nonprofit based out of Michigan. The site tests all kinds of toys, gear, and mealtime necessities (bibs,

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-43782318680873101622008-11-13T23:10:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.050-05:00

A little playmate we encountered at the park back in early OctoberAs I type this, I am wearing shorts and a tank top and we have the fans running on high. It's very humid here, and the temps were in the low 80's today, with more of the same on tap for tomorrow. Normally, I would kick on the AC, but there is something very, very wrong about doing that in MID-NOVEMBER!Adapting to the weather here

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-83138602101910703222008-11-12T16:32:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.051-05:00

It was such a gorgeous, sunny, mild morning here that I decided to take Squiggles out for a picnic in the park. My original plan was to take him to a wonderful park we've heard about which is only about 10 minutes away from us, but I was unaware of the $3 entry fee and didn't have the cash. So we just headed to our favorite free park and had a great time playing and enjoying our PB&J sandwiches

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-47926575395436461062008-11-11T16:15:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.052-05:00

We want to give our sincere thanks to all the men and women who have left their homes and families to fight for our country and our freedom. We are truly grateful.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-14476403740388300772008-11-10T22:15:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.053-05:00

I think I have a lead on what the problem is with our camera. Thankfully, it looks like a problem that Canon will fix free of charge. It's killing me not to be snapping 20 pictures a day of my little guy! In the meantime, please enjoy some of Squiggles' photos of the world through his eyes (literally - he took these pictures by himself!):He likes to start his day out with a little reading;then

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-38411671533251127942008-11-09T22:21:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.055-05:00

Ahhh...it's nice to visit my folks (and I'm so glad I got to see my sister - it's really sucked being so far away from her for the last few years), but it's so nice to be sitting in my recliner at home, too. Oh, yeah, and I missed Brian!We did jam a lot of fun in before we left, though: coffee and breakfast out, then back to the house to get ready, and then we went and played bocce ball (my

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-16522993113160063882008-11-08T22:07:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.056-05:00

Anyone else watch How I Met Your Mother? Funny stuff.So we did not go to the winery today. Squiggles is still not doing great, but he is doing better than yesterday, thank goodness. And we still had a nice day: my sister and her boyfriend came just before lunch, so we all got to spend the afternoon and evening hanging out and having fun. After lunch, everyone else went on a long golf cart

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-45913819032629855042008-11-07T23:45:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:07.058-05:00

I shouldn't have spoken so soon yesterday about bad things to come this weekend. Yup, you guessed it, it looks like we won't be going to the winery again. All I have to say is that somebody better be taking me to a winery pretty soon! I'm kidding. Well, not really.Squiggles eating his first lemon wedge - stolen from my salad plate - while we were at Myrtle Beach back in September.Why aren't

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-3760523018696367672008-11-06T22:38:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.389-05:00

Squiggles and I drove down to the reservation to visit with my parents for a few days while Brian works most of the weekend. And, since Tuesday is Veterans Day, my sister has a long weekend and is coming to visit, too. Yay! We're going for winery visit attempt #2 - they have their holiday open house this weekend with crafts and music and wine, I hope. We tried to go last month when they had

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-38607819322497254732008-11-05T22:48:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.391-05:00

Ugh. I've spent the day doing some administrative work - changing our address with the last few billers, enrolling in health insurance for next year, and getting new car insurance. That was the real energy-drainer. We've always dealt with a local agency, but now that we're in Florida, we've been forced to switch companies. After much research, we ended up going with Geico because they had the

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-7822709862235319272008-11-04T21:54:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.393-05:00

Happy election day, everyone! I hope you all went out and voted - Brian and I mailed our absentee ballots in last week since we haven't switched our voter registration from Ohio to Florida.Today was kind of a gray day here in sunny Florida. It reminded me of home though, which was kind of nice. Who knew I'd miss gray fall weather? Anyway, the day was pretty uneventful; however, Brian did have

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-43416034810400123912008-11-03T23:02:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.394-05:00

We decided to make the big drive from Ohio to Florida in the still of night. Hard on us? Yes. Easy on Squiggles? Yes! We left at bedtime, and he slept like a champ for almost the entire drive. There was an hour around 3am where he was awake, but he just stared out the window and eventually fell back asleep again. It kind of sucked for Brian and me (well, mostly Brian, who drove all the way

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-71102063023118061402008-11-02T22:55:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.396-05:00

Bad news. Our digital camera is on the fritz again. We had some problems with it last year, and Canon was very quick about fixing it, so I hope they can help us out again. If not, we'll be limited to cell phone or (horror!) traditional film pictures until we can get a new digital camera.So, since new pictures will be few and far between, I figured I'd update you all on what we've been doing

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-79043112541952194332008-11-01T23:40:00.000-04:002010-01-20T13:40:45.397-05:00

How sad is it that it's been almost a year since I've updated this blog? Very, very sad. Of course, a lot can happen in a year...lose your job, become a stay-at-home mom, celebrate a first birthday, move to Florida. I'm using NaBloPoMo to jump-start and restart blogging. Especially now that there are more of you who won't be seeing Squiggles with any regularity.

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-39337403558554689172007-11-30T10:32:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.399-05:00

NaBloPoMo, that its. Today is the last day of November, and the last day of daily posting. Not that I posted every day. I don't even think I hit the halfway mark. But I did post more than I've ever posted before, and that was my real goal. Can I keep it up? We'll see. I do have a vacation report to post, so there's at least a few more. And then there will be fun Christmas posts, too. I

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-56433667781659554862007-11-17T21:50:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.400-05:00

Well, we made it safely to Florida! The day wasn't without its stressful moments, though. Thankfully, none of them had to do with Squiggles. He was a happy baby all through the process of getting to the airport, checking our luggage, going through security, running to the gate, flying, and the reverse once we landed. I nursed him while we were taking off, and he fell asleep and slept for all

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-70860728335922938842007-11-15T16:04:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.402-05:00

I liked the dots that I had going on here, but it was so dark and kind of jumbly (Google tells me this is not a word, but I say it is and it's my blog. So there.), so I've decided to make some changes. We'll start with a little cleaner, crisper look. Maybe widen the post column a bit. I'll put my meager HTML skills to work! Any fancy design ideas or features you'd like to see? Let me know!

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-80181737598643018022007-11-14T22:32:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.403-05:00

We leave for Florida in just over two days now, so I've started reading up on airline travel with an infant. I don't think it will be too bad, as long as the following things happen:I remember to take all of the liquids/gels/creams out of Squiggles' diaper bag and put them in a 1qt zip top bag. Unless they are over 3oz, then they have to go in his checked bag. Oh, and I have to remember to put

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-81079753365640418122007-11-13T22:25:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.405-05:00

Ha-ha! Squiggles got a 2 hour nap in this morning, and guess what? He was happy the rest of the day, even with a shorter 1 hour nap in the afternoon! I am convinced that that first nap is crucial for him - if he gets a long morning nap, he's a happy camper; if not, well, we're in for a bumpy evening.He has been wanting to go to bed earlier, though, but I think it's just part of the new

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-37157964747330047462007-11-12T22:16:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.406-05:00

That's what I call Squiggles when, uh, he doesn't want to take a nap. Yeah, I'm not the most creative person.As I mentioned earlier, we're working on dropping a feeding (5 down to 4) and a nap (3 short to 2 long). I think he's got the feeding thing down, and I must admit I feel like less of a milking cow when he eats every 4-5 hours. The nap schedule, however, is still in flux. At the middle

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-90590885917965946452007-11-10T22:50:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.407-05:00

Squiggles managed to roll all the way over to our bedroom doorway this morning while I was getting ready.Our day with Sarah was great fun: pancakes, shopping, makeup, coffee...it was wonderful. I don't get to have days like that very often.I could go into more detail, and regale you with a few cute Squiggles stories, but I'm tired because somebody woke up at 3:30 last night and wouldn't go back

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-70775647443835301682007-11-09T22:12:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.409-05:00

So it's late - well, late for me, which is after 10pm these days. I remember staying up later on Friday nights, knowing that there would be some extra sleep coming to me on Saturday morning. But Squiggles doesn't care what day it is, or that the weekend is for relaxing. We're up at 6:30 and that's that. So I guess it's not such a surprise that I have a hard time staying up past 10:30

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-9208084126627469022007-11-08T16:29:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.412-05:00

I started back up with the cereal again today. Chef picked up some infant oatmeal at the grocery yesterday, so this afternoon I gave it a go while I was home at lunch. I say lunch, but it's really more like 2:30 in the afternoon because Squiggles eats around 11am and again around 3pm. Sometimes I come home for the earlier feeding, sometimes for the later one. Today was the later one. Don't

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-85322279163947734472007-11-07T14:11:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.414-05:00

I have an announcement to make: I am wearing prepregnancy pants today! In fact, this is the first time that I've worn pregpregnancy pants since, well, since they were simply known as pants.This whole recovering from having a baby thing is taking time, that's for sure; but here it is, not quite six months since Squiggles joined us, and I'm back into some pre-baby clothes. I'd say I'm back down

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-49853332079036673872007-11-06T12:04:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.415-05:00

Welcome to NaBloPoMo day, um, 2? Day 6? Curses for not starting on Nov. 1!Here's an update on the cereal experience: it's on hold for the time being. Yes, that's right, I haven't fed Squiggles his rice cereal now for about a week. Why? Well, it certainly isn't because he wasn't getting used to it.Not only was he getting used to eating cereal, it seemed he was even enjoying it. I had

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-56844940941821121992007-11-05T09:40:00.000-05:002010-01-20T13:40:45.417-05:00

So I've signed up for NaBloPoMo. Well, technically I signed up on Friday and promptly forgot to make any blog posts all weekend long. Please don't hate me, NaBloPoMo!This will certainly be a challenge for me. I mean, I haven't made more than 5 entries on this entire blog since I started the dang thing, let alone post every single day. It's hard to motivate yourself to update something that

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-14810086071877230602007-10-22T15:23:00.001-04:002007-10-22T16:40:48.623-04:00

When I got pregnant last year, one of the first things to go was my sense of smell. Within a few weeks, my sniffer went from enjoying various scents and perfumes to rejecting any and all fragrance. Seriously, at some point I was reduced to using only my philosophy Cinnamon Buns 3-in-1 (I could tolerate some food scents) and Curel lotion. I had to be very picky about which hair (Paul Mitchell)

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-62743822706823149832007-10-22T12:13:00.000-04:002010-01-20T13:40:45.418-05:00

Yesterday, we decided to feed Squiggles his first bites of cereal. Why? Well, he hasn't been napping very well for the past few days, and there have been a few instances where he'll still want to nurse after a feeding but doesn't really eat anything - he just kind of hangs out there. Granted, these things may all be attributed to teething (we saw white gums on top yesterday!), but we decided

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-27826466656025682752007-10-19T16:33:00.000-04:002007-10-19T16:52:54.379-04:00

...and I just can't hide it!We received a city newsletter in the mail the other day. I rarely read these things. A community participant I am not, so I usually just throw them into the recycle pile. But this particular city newsletter had a blurb on the front about recreation classes, which I have desperately been trying to find (it's not as fun schlepping to Cville just for a dance class now

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-20249269920755180682007-09-24T16:40:00.000-04:002010-01-20T13:40:45.420-05:00

No, I'm not eating ribs, even though today participating Chili's are donating 100% of its profits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (in case you don't have dinner plans yet).I'm talking about getting my happy baby boy back today. Squiggles has been out of sorts for over a week now, and he's just now coming back online. He's had a stomach bug for almost 2 weeks, I think he may be starting

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-41523904418993478652007-09-21T09:44:00.000-04:002010-01-20T13:40:45.422-05:00

Secret Agent Josephine posted today about helping her mom clean out her sewing room and what an emotional ordeal it was for them. I can kind of relate. My parents got rid of a lot of stuff when they moved out of my childhood home last year. I'm not sure they were pack rats in the true sense of the word, but after living in the same house for 22 years you tend to accumulate a lot without really

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-15270810690902722062007-09-14T12:36:00.000-04:002008-11-13T19:04:38.058-05:00

Some of my fave beauty folks are the Beauty Brains. At the Brains' core are the Left and Right Brain, two real-life cosmetic scientists who tackle the facade that the beauty industry has taken so much care to build up for us. They give the low-down on product formulations and ingredients, as well as break down the marketing hype in the industry.Today they've posted about one such marketing

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-3216596950245362772007-09-13T12:58:00.000-04:002010-01-20T13:40:45.423-05:00

Ah, a blog entirely devoted to my beloved Squiggles McGillicutty. Stay tuned!

corinneybhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822063003551467270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-45286423074292382782007-08-24T10:42:00.000-04:002008-11-13T19:04:38.250-05:00

Lately, I've been finding myself more drawn to websites and blogs for mommies rather than just the beauty sites of old (although I do still frequent them, just not as obsessively). So when the Parents magazine blog GoodyBlog posted about a blogging mom who was making her own alphabet flash cards, I just had to go look. Secret Agent Josephine is a freelance graphic designer and mom to 19-month

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-10423874848067234832007-08-21T12:45:00.000-04:002007-08-21T13:20:06.352-04:00

Ever wondered just how bionic you are? Well, you're in luck - NBC is promoting their new show Bionic Woman with a Bionic Assessment Test. The BAT takes you through a series of math, hand-eye coordination, memory, and visual-spatial tests to determine if you are, indeed, bionic enough.See What You're Made Of - Visit The Official SiteI guess 72% is pretty bionic. Let me know how bionic you are!(

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-29601032346307272262007-06-17T13:53:00.000-04:002007-09-14T13:17:47.451-04:00

Just wanted to wish all the dads a happy Father's Day today. This is hubby's first, and he's already a great dad to little Squiggles. We're having the families over this afternoon for a cookout, and then all three dads will probably watch some golf. Hope you all have a relaxing day!

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-49070122801746053502007-06-16T15:09:00.000-04:002008-11-13T19:04:38.364-05:00

...to me! I start the last year of my 20's today, which I'm not too excited about, but I'll get over it. Hubby and Squiggles got me a spa day and a haircut which I am beyond thrilled about, then we went out for brunch, and tonight we'll have dinner with our families and then...ice cream cake! It's a great birthday, that's for sure.

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-60284110822667959622007-06-13T10:00:00.000-04:002008-11-13T19:04:38.527-05:00

He's here! Our beautiful baby boy was born on May 17 at 12:56pm. He clocked in at 7 lbs 10 oz and 21 inches long. Isn't he beautiful? Hopefully, we'll settle into a routine soon and I'll be able to post more - and visit all my fave blogs more, too!

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-8550277617974865822007-05-14T12:59:00.000-04:002008-11-13T19:04:38.583-05:00

Happy belated Mother's Day to all you moms, grandmoms, moms-to-be, and everyone else who acts in a mom-like capacity! I celebrated my first Mother's Day (as a mom-to-be...still waiting on little Beanie to make his appearance!) with family - including my mom, my mother-in-law, and my AuntieP, who always cares for us like a mom or a grandma would. We had a lovely brunch, and after everyone left,

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-6959840564436767802007-05-07T14:04:00.000-04:002008-11-13T19:04:40.202-05:00

I just watched the latest episode of Ugly Betty ("Secretaries Day"), and, as always, it was chock full of laugh-out-loud goodness. In fact, the "fight" between Marc and Willhelmina almost made me pee my pants a little because I was laughing so hard! You can catch the full episode online on ABC's website.(screencap via Ugly Is In)

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-85006040558542550172007-05-02T09:53:00.000-04:002008-11-13T19:04:40.392-05:00

I happened upon Clinique's newest collection yesterday, and today, low and behold, there is an email in my inbox announcing its arrival. White in Bloom includes a limited edition Shimmering Tones Powder (Shimmering Whites), Blushing Blush Powder Blush (Snow Flake), Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad (Prism Whites), and Glosswear for Lips Sheer Shimmer (Camisole).I know the white, frosty highlighting

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-45338193352675976772007-04-30T14:08:00.000-04:002008-11-13T19:04:40.549-05:00

I have a confession to make: I am a mascara floosie (I would have chosen a different word there, but I'll leave it out just in case my mom is reading this...hi, Mom!). I flit from mascara to mascara, and I don't care if it's a cheap drugstore find or a high-end splurge. There are very few times that I can remember actually repurchasing a mascara. It's not that the ones I've tried have been

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-37790378328500001702007-04-19T12:38:00.000-04:002007-04-19T13:32:51.510-04:00

The Virginia Tech Alumni Association has delcared tomorrow, April 20, "Hokie Hope" day and a national "Orange and Maroon Effect" day. Please wear your orange and maroon tomorrow in honor of the victims of Monday's tragedy.Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine has also declared tomorrow a statewide day of mourning, and is encouraging everyone across the nation to pause at noon, EDT, and say a

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-75981376788477425952007-04-17T13:04:00.000-04:002007-09-14T13:20:03.102-04:00

I just want to say that my prayers are going out to the families of the students and faculty that were killed yesterday at VA Tech. As you may know, we are big Hokie fans; and although neither hubby nor I went to school there, many members of his family have, and we still have a strong emotional connection to the school. It made me sad and sick to see the scene unfold yesterday afternoon, and

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1729611434094009616.post-91743428587509846512007-04-17T10:38:00.000-04:002007-04-17T10:41:51.159-04:00

Ah...my first post! For those of you who know me, you know I have a lot to talk about, so I hope to use this blog to get out a lot of the stuff I have to say! I have a feeling this blog will handle everything from my skincare and makeup "hobby" to the tail end of my pregnancy and the arrival of our baby, to just life in general - so stay tuned!

corinneybnoreply@blogger.com2