Wordless Wednesdays.....Sort of

Justin has been getting a little jealous because of Mommy and Me Mondays, thinking we don't like him all that much.  When in fact we actually think he is pretty fricken awesome (well most of the time at least....I'm not saying he still don't get on a couple of my nerves every once in a while.  I will say though that he helped create like the most beautious little being EVER!!!)
Anyway, for your viewing pleasure:

Don't you just kinda want to eat her....in a very non violent kind of way!

What the shit did I just put in my mouth

The other day whilst out shopping with my sissy we picked up some apple cider vinegar from Trader Joes.  Apparently there is a plethora of health benefits a person can receive from drinking a couple of tablespoons of this a day.  I learned about apple cider vinegar from a wondeful bloggie friend and decided that I should try this because...well...why not?  I'm trying to be all healthy and want to loose a couple (a lot) of LB's so yeah...I'm so gonna do this! 

I decided last night before dinner that I was going to try it.  This was after my sister and a good friend already told me that IT WAS NOT GOOD.... NOT GOOD AT ALL!!  But...hey...I'll try it if it helps me loose some weight and is good for my skin.  So I grabbed Justin and told him to come into the kitchen with me because if I'm going to be all healthy and what not so is he and he has to drink this magic drink as well.  I went first and seriously.... WHAT THE SHIT DID I JUST PUT IN MY MOUTH???  Not good...not good at all!!!!  Justin was hesitant but I told him to just do it and not be a f'ing baby....I mean, I just drank it and didn't gag too much....it's not like I almost barfed or anything!  He manned up and took his tablespoon, after which he asked if I hated him and if I wanted him to die???  "No wonder why people loose weight....I don't want to eat anything after that.  Nikki, I'm pretty sure my esophagus is burned to all hell".....words of wisdom from my lovely husband! 

Needless to say we survived the apple cider vinegar and are no longer apple cider vinegar virgins!!!  And yes....I'm going to keep drinking it because thats just what I'm going to do and it gives me something to bitch and complain about.  And yes.... I'm going to make Justin drink it as well because thats just what I'm going to do.  If I suffer he suffers...so he might as well get some health benefits from it!!!

Mommy and Me Monday

I'm totally loving these Mommy and Me Mondays!!!  I love that I have to make Justin take pictures of me and Mee's.  Because, honestly, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE having my picture taken.  (Just ask my seester Deb, she'll tell you!!) I know it's vain and all that self involved stuff but I don't care.  I'm usually the one with the camera so I have to ask for someone to take a picture with me in it!!!  So this is a perfect excuse!!!
Anyway, here ya go!

She gets so involved with looking at the camera (you know, that big f'ing thing that's always in her face) that she forgets to smile!  She's just so damn cute though!!!

So, I had this whole other picture to put up on here but blogger is not being cooperative.  It took almost two hours to get the first one up so I guess I'll just leave it at that!!

Hosted by Krystyn

Healthy Goal Numero Uno

It's been a goal of mine for a LONG time now to really start eating healthier and...well... overall living a more healthy lifestyle (my french fries and cheeseburger from McDonalds today was not necessarily part of the plan but I figure I need some kind of protein, carbs and dairy somewhere in my diet....Right???).  Anyway, Justin and I have been talking about some changes that we can make and all that good stuff....so far it's just been talk and not so much action.  We aren't awful eaters, like eating cookies and donuts for dinner or anything but we could definitely benefit from eating and living a little better than we do!  And it's not that we don't like healthy food sometimes easy is just....well...easier!!  (I'm in search of some easy, healthy meal ideas, I really want to enforce this especially when Mia gets a little older....I don't want my kids eating shit all the time).

Natalie (lil sissy) had to return some stuff to Kirkland Homes today so I decided to go with her (which I shouldn't have...that's a whole other post...spent way too much money....we'll just leave it at that for now) and we decided to stop at Trader Joe's.  We had never been there before.  It was this whole other grocery world.  I was a little confused though, I didn't know if everything was organic or what the story was.  Well it's not all organic, some is all natural.  WHAT THE HELL IS THE DIFFERENCE???  I have no f'ing clue!!!  I'm so confused....why is trying to be healthier so fricken confusing (and expensive)????  I obviously need to read up on some things and figure this shit out because I have NO idea where to even start.  I'm really wanting to go organic with some stuff but where do you start.....I can't just jump head first into this whole thing. I JUST WANT TO EAT BETTER for the love of god!   I did however buy some organic Apple Cidar Vinegar which was recommended by a new blogging friend of mine, Heather.  (Haven't tried it yet but Natalie got some as well and said it tasted somethin awful!!!  Not real excited about it but I'll try anything I guess!) 

So my goal this week is to research a little more and figure out where the best place to start is.  I can only hope that I will achieve this goal this week....I'll let ya'll know!!!   Side note goal:  NO french fries this week!!!

Tan fat rolls are better than white ones!!!

This week has felt like it has gone on forever and ever and ever.  Actually I think this winter has gone on forever and ever and ever.  It's been so nice lately with the sun out and being able to enjoy somewhat warmer weather....by warmer I mean 45-55 degree weather....it's like a mother f'ing heat wave around here!!!  With this glimpse of warmer weather and peak of sun it just reminds me of how pastey and pale I am.  And let me tell you, Nikki, pastey and pale do not go well with each other.  I HATE it!!  NOT PRETTY!!  I'm one who LOVES the sun.  I know it's not all that good for you and whatnot but I LOVE IT!  I'm aware of the whole skin cancer part of it all and sadly that does not deture me from the sun (I do, for the most part, wear sun screen outside.  Although I am also one of those people that the sun actually helps my skin....or so I tell myself). 
Anyway, today I decided that my pale and pastey self needed to see some sun....or at least some artificial sun.  Yes, I hit the tanning bed today and loved every minute of it.  It was so good to feel the warmth radiating off my skin (pretty sure though that my lips might be burnt because everytime I put chapstick on it disappears within minutes....oh well) and to get some color back in my cheeks.  I also think that most people look good with a little color to them....it brings life back into some people, it definitely does for me.  And personally it makes the white, pastey, pale fat rolls and dimples not look so bad.  Instead of pale fat rolls it's tan fat rolls which for me works and makes me feel a little better about myself!!!  And if this helps my self esteem then so be it!
There really is no purpose to this except I feel good tonight!!  And I'm so excited for some warm weather and the sun to show up and stay for a while!!  It's time to open some windows and get some fresh air!!!

Winging it!!

The blogging world for me has been very intimidating since I started mine in October.  I didn't know what to write and didn't have very many posts. I still don't know what to write so I usually just wing it!!  My uncle just sent me an email this morning about my blog.  He was encouraging me to keep going, let go and JUST write. He gave me some good advice.."We all have an inner being that never gets out so I would suggest you find that inner person."  It's SOOOO true.  I need to find my inner person and just go with it.  Write from the heart, write how I feel, write how I speak and basically write about me and my life.  And maybe even make some shit up sometimes....just because I can and who knows maybe it will make someone laugh and actually be funny!

 Recently I've gotten really obsessed into doing more posts and found that I really, really love reading other blogs.  I've found SO many wonderful blogs that I can totally relate to, that make me laugh out loud and that make me feel not so alone in this whole new mommyhood world.  It's so nice to know and read about other women who are experiencing the same things that I am.  It's encouraging to see how other people write and tell their stories.  It's fun to read those stories about families and kids.  Being a mom, I think, connects us on so many different levels.  I'm sure there are people I talk to that don't care about Mia eating solids for the first time or me having to pack all of her 3 month clothes away and the devastation that it brought me!!!!   This is such a perfect outlet for me to journal all of these things and get them out and receive comments from others who are going through the same situations and emotions! 
I hope that I can continue to explore my inner self and "meet" new friends and I hope that when someone reads my words they can relate to something that I've shared or even possibly laugh out loud!! (I'm hoping I'm sort of funny!!)

Wordless Wednesdays...Sort of

Bath time fun time.  She loves being naked which could end up being a very serious issue!!!!

Pretty sure she has her dad wrapped real tight around her pudgy little fingers!! 

Justin can get her to smile at the drop of a hat.....sucka!!!!

Where does the time go??

Last night was a sad evening for me.  I came to the realization that my child is getting bigger and is no longer this tiny ( her 8 pound 14 ounce self that I managed to squeeze out) little person.  I decided that since she is going to be 6 months old in a couple of weeks it was probably necessary for me to start packing away her 3 month clothes!!!  I didn't think it was fair to her.....I didn't want people wondering why her ass is eating her pants or why it looked like she was waiting for a flood!!!  Needless to say, I am now dressing her in her 6 month clothing. I did realize though that I don't have as much in this size and need to go shopping.....Justin, not so excited about this part of the plan!!!


Anyway, the point of all of this is babies grow up way too fast.  I want to tell her to slow down and stay my little munchkin.  There are times when I can't wait for her to be walking and talking ( I know that when this day happens I'm going to curse myself out) and be this whole little people person.  And then there are times that I look at her and can't believe that half of her first year is already almost over.  Everyone always tells you how fast it all goes....I guess you never realize the truth behind that until you are directly faced with it everyday! 

Mommy and Me Monday

Krystyn over at Really, Are You Serious, has started Mommy and Me Mondays.  I'm so excited to start this!!  I love photos, I love taking pictures of Mia and I love it if I can sometimes squeeze myself into a couple of those photos!!!
I'll make it a priority to have Justin take a couple of photos of Mimi and I each week. 

We are just hanging out on the floor in our usual place!!  I seriously can't get enough of her!!!

Hosted by Krystyn

New Blog Name?

When I started this blog I didn't know what the hell I was doing.  I still don't know what the hell I am doing!!  Obviously "The Westbrock Family" is not too creative of a name but thats the best I could come up with at the time and on the fly!  I've been wanting to change it for a while but have no idea what to change it too.  Now that I've been reading so many more blogs I realize how uncreative I really am!!  So many of these women are so gifted and talented with the way that they write and their abilities to tell a story.  I want mine to be something fun and catchy plus I don't just talk about "The Westbrock Family".  It's so much more than that.  I could call it "A bunch of Crazy, Highly medicated Obnoxious Italians"  but I'm not sure my family would appreciate it that much. 
I don't know the "blogging" rules regarding a name change but I'm going to do it anyway.  I might do it again down the road.  Because lets face it after I rename it today, tomorrow I'm going to think it's stupid and come up with another idea!! 
So, for now, I think we are going to go with "My Fantabulous Wonderful Life".  I like fun made up words and I do think my life is fabulous, fantastic, wonderful and all of the above!!!  Plus depending on how I do with this whole blogging thing, that name would look so much cooler on a button than The Westbrock Family.

Pizza Gene 2010

As promised the other day, I'm posting some pics and a quick recap of the events at the Frascone house on Saturday.  It was our annual Pizza Gene day!!!  It was fabulously fun and loud and crazy and hectic.  Just another normal weekend out at the house with all of us together.  It really can't get any better!!!! 

This was Mimi's first year helping, she was such a good little helper.  So much so that she didn't think it was necessary to take much of a nap throughout the day.  Needless to say....not so happy later on!!

We were supposed to be to Mom and Dad's by 9.  Deb....not so much.  Why you ask??  Well she thought it was a good idea to go out for some beverages the night before.  Hence the sunglasses!!!  This is pretty much the extent of her abilities for the day!

Bina and Justin elbows deep in some filling.  As you can see B loved every minute of it and ended up with a slight case of hypothermia.

My two favorite little girls.  They are just too cute that I couldn't not put this pic up here.  A warning to everyone right now.....watch out for these two!

Rolling some dough!  Which is also a great arm workout after rolling 90+ loaves.  Sad to say, but my arms seriously hurt afterwards.  I think maybe that should tell me something!

The Big Man!!!  Best dad ever and the head of it all!!

Carter did the best job of everyone throughout the day.  This little boy might be the funniest little person I know.  Carter's phrase of the day:  "Hey, What doin?" or "How doin?" 

Rolling some more dough with the best little helper!

Working real hard!!!  Two of my most favorite people!!  We are pretty fun....just ask us!

The day was awesome and no one punched the shit out of anyone.  We started at about 9 and finally went to bed around midnight or so.  It was a long day but lots of fun and lots of laughs!  It was definitely a successful day.  Can't wait for next year!! 

Pizza Gene

Tomorrow is the day that the whole Frascone clan looks forward to every year......Pizza Gene day!!!  It's a family tradition and recipe that we make only once a year right around Easter. 
Pizza Gene can only be described as mouth wateringly delicious.  It's kind of like a calzone but not really.  It's dough, rolled out very thinly and then stuffed with a mixture of egg, Italian cheeses, pork, pepperoni and seasonings.  Then baked in the oven until done. 

Some may wonder "Why only once a year?"  Well I can tell you it's because we make about 100 loaves of this deliciousness.  There are ten of us (brother, sisters, mom, dad, significant others) that partake in this annual event of low calorie food!!!  We start at about 9 in the am and are usually not finished taking the last loaf out of the oven until about midnight.  By that time the loaves are gigantic and we really don't give a shit.  Mostly because we (some and/or all) are usually in some kind of food coma or drunk or both!  Because not only do we eat Pizza Gene all day but we snack on various other foods.  This year tacos, nachos and cocktails!!!  This is not a day for the weight watchers!!!

This is one of those family traditions that I'm so excited for Mia to become a part of.  We have a blast with each other and it shows the kiddos that family really is everything, no matter what!  Even though, sometimes, by the end of the day we all want to punch the shit out of each other and self medicate ourselves.  The joys of being part of a big, loud, obnoxious Italian family!!  I wouldn't trade it for the world. 

Here are some of last years pics. 

Rolling some dough....Deb and the fleoure!!

Eat up everybody!!! 

Stuffing some stuffing all up in it!

I'm so looking forward to this year because last year I barfed all day thanks to my beautiful daughter!!  So hopefully the rest of my family won't want to beat the shit out of me!  Pretty sure they wanted to last year.

I will, hopefully on Sunday, post some pics of this years events and I'm sure (knowing my family) I will have some kind of random ass story as to someone being a dumb ass!!  I can only hope that I can capture it on camera!!!

Photos

Most people know that I am somewhat of a picture fanatic.  I love photographs....I love taking them and looking at them.  Last year Justin and I bought a nice SLR Canon camera.  Since then I've been trying to teach myself how to use the damn thing.  So far it's usually in Auto mode.  I would love to take some photography classes but finding the time to do that right now is, well, not so much!!!

My most favorite people to take pictures of is Carter, Belle and Mee's (as long as they cooperate, Carter usually wants nothing to do with the camera, Belle loves it and Mia could care less).  I'm really hoping that I make it more of a priority to teach myself about my camera.  I think pictures are timeless and so important in capturing the everyday stories of your family!  I want to make sure I do that!!

Mia and her daddy!

Little Man

Old Lady Belle

Diva girl!

Addiction

So, I have acquired a new problem.  Some (Justin) may think it's serious while others (me) might think it's more of a hobby!  I never really participated in this activity much before Mia came along and now thanks to my fabulous friend Tully I can't seem to stop!  She decided that it was a good idea to share with me links to mommy/baby steal websites.  Yeah, not such a great idea for a person who loves a good sale. 
So now, thanks to Tully, I visit around 6 or so of these websites daily just "browsing" the next fabulous, have to have find.  Because somewhere down the road Mia is definitely going to need little baby Klean Kanteen's and a gourmet lunch tote (those were my recent purchases).  I've also gotten into a little the whole organic thing.  Now that I have a child I'm definitely more aware of all the shit they put into everything.  I'm sort of trying to be all green and whatnot.  So along with these sites there are organic sites in which I've purchased the softest most wonderous wash cloths and burp rags (also known now as Mia's chew "toy").  I love these things.  They get softer the more you wash them....go figure that huh?! 

Now the problem with all of this is the fact that Justin already thinks I spend too much money on "shopping" when in reality it is the necessities!!!  Or at least thats what I usually tell him.  Anyway, the other day, the day that I ordered the lunch tote and Kanteen's, was the day that he thought it was necessary to check the balance of our joint account.  BAD TIMING!!!

Conversation goes a little like this:

Justin:  What is this Ecobabybuys stuff on here?
Me:  Not sure what you are talking about.
Justin:  Now what did you order from Babysteals?
Me:  Oh that stuff, well it's like the coolest shit ever!

Not much else said for the time being except that I can see him thinking and contemplating really hard at the computer.  I decide to not say much else.

Conversation about 10 minutes later:

Justin:  Hey Nik, do you think "we" could maybe cut down on this whole online ordering thing for a little while?
Me:  Sure, do you think you could cut down on your whole fishing thing for a while then???

End of conversation!!! 

It's so funny how men can go and spend hundreds of dollars on fishing and hunting trips and licenses and ice shacks and hauling fees and gas and beer and all the other shit that goes along with it but when I spend $30 fucking dollars on some wash cloths and sippy cups you'd think I'd gone and spent our last penny.  Because now I'm pretty sure we are going to end up living in a nice big appliance box somewhere in my parents back yard!!!  I just need to ever so nicely remind him of this (above conversation) and then it's all good again.  Because it is necessary for Mia to have all the bargains that I can find!!!!

Goals

I'm trying to figure out a way to get myself to write more. So far, I haven't yet figured it out!!  I read all of these other "mom" blogs and am jealous of their ability to share their family and their life with such familiarity, ease and humor.  Why can't I write like that?  Why is it that it is so hard to find the words when I have so many?  I talk all the time and yet when I sit to write I draw a blank.  It's so much easier sometimes to "tell" a story instead of "write" a story or a feeling or a thought.  I'm thinking I should have paid a little closer attention to all my english/writing classes.  Which, funny enough, I did very well in.  Then again I need to remember that that was close to ten years ago. ( Holy shit that means I'm almost 30!!) 

My goal is to try to write a few times a week....whether it's me going on and on about my fantastically wonderful daughter that I know everyone can't wait to hear about or my crazy ass family or just stupid ass holes that piss me off!  I want to get better at this whole blogging/writing thing.  I want people to want to read my posts and not just read them because I email them the link! (How sad am I??  I'm almost begging people to "like" me).  Oh well....hopefully someone someday will relate to or laugh at something that I write.  I'm hoping that the more I write the more confidence I get in myself and the better my posts become.  I want people to enjoy The Westbrock Family because I most definitely do!!!!

The 5th Month

Today Mia, you are 5 months old already going on 13!!  I didn't think that was possible yet at this young age but you have proved your father and I wrong.  You are quite good at getting what you want by using those wonderful little set of lungs you have.  It's not so a much a cry now as it is pure screaming and yelling.  It's important that we remember that you are only 5 months old and not 13!!! 

This past month has been fun watching you grow and try new things.  The beginning of it was not so much fun with the continuous visits to the doctor ( I really think they should have given us some kind of discount for being there every other day) and the medicines and the RSV and the ear infection and the thrush!  I'm hoping I'm not forgetting anything!! As of now though I think we are on the up and up.  And hoping we don't have to go back anytime soon.  Not fun for you and not fun for mom and dad.  We just want you to be a healthy happy little girl.

We tried starting you on cereal this past month.....that was a treat!  Trying to get you to eat is like trying to get a two year old to sit through church service.  You were not having it.  I'm not sure if it's the taste or the texture or just that you didn't want to have anything to do with it but I actually felt a little bad because it made you gag and yes I kind of laughed!!  So instead of cereal we tried pears.  You are slowly getting the hang of what to do with your tongue and how to keep the food in your mouth and not spit it out all over the place.  It has definitely been fun feeding you without a bottle and watching the wonderfully funny faces that you make when eating. 

You have become so much more animated in your everyday little life!  Your dad and I can't get enough of it.  You have found your voice and the noises that come out of your mouth are hilarious.  If I could record all of it and play it for everyone I know I would.  Because yes, I am one of those mothers who probably shows too many pictures and tells too many stories about you but you want to know what I have to say about that.....I don't care.  I'm going to continue to show pictures and tell stories until I'm blue in the face and if people don't like it well then they can suck it!!! 
Your laugh is absolutely contagious and your smile can make the shittiest day the best day in an instant!  With that being said I often wonder if it is possible for infants to have some form of bipolar disorder??  You can be laughing and smiling and playing one minute and in a blink of an eye you turn into beast.  A pure terrorist!!!  I'm pretty sure this might be because you are a little spoiled and this is something that your father and I argue about and I'm sure it will be something we argue about until the day we die.  He's ok with letting you cry it out sometimes (not all the time but he's ok to leave you be for a short while to see if you can calm yourself down) whereas mom here would rather pick you up and give you everything you need right in that instant because god forbid you cry more than a few seconds if you don't have too. (On a side note, this exact scenerio played out this morning.  I ever so nicely asked your dad to pick you up because obviously something must be wrong because you were screaming.  He picked you up, you looked at me, stopped crying and smiled!  At this point I knew I had been had and just laughed and tried not to let your father get a 'I told you so' in there.).  Yes I know this is going to come back and bite me in the ass, I realize this, but I don't care right now! 

You have also decided that you are a big girl now and don't think it's necessary to sit....ANYWHERE...for extended periods of time.  You need to be standing or us standing holding you because you're nosey and if we don't do this you stiffen your entire body and do that whole yelling and screaming thing that I was talking about earlier.  On the flip side of this you are holding your self up so much better and wanting to know whats going on in the world around you.  And with this whole sitting up thing comes the "I want to shove everything I can get my pudgy little hands on in my mouth" stage.  Which in turn leads to an overabundance of drool and laundry for mom. 

Lucky for us you love your crib.  We are able to lay you down in there awake now for naps and bedtime and you fall asleep all on your own.  This is a surprise to me since you slept with your dad and I for the first 6 weeks of your life and after that we would snuggle with you until you were sleeping and then put you to bed.  It does make me sad though because you are at a time right now where you like your space and don't necessarily want to snuggle much anymore.  You want your bottle and then you like to spread out and do your own thing.  I wish you would want to snuggle just a little more.  You are getting too big too fast and it would be nice for mommy if you could just slow down a little bit. 
It's very cute though now because in the morning which is your best time we are awakened not by screaming but by you talking and playing in your crib.  It puts a smile on face every morning and I can't help but smile and laugh.

You are becoming so aware of the people around you now.  You have started reaching for people which completely melts there heart.  You love your two most best friends in the whole world...Carter and Ella....and they love you!  The two of them are so anxious for you to get bigger so they can play with you more.  I can and can't wait to see what kind of trouble the three of you get into. 

I know I say this all the time but you continue to amaze me with what you do and I can't wait to see what this next month will bring us!  Hopefully more cute and less Diva!!!!  I think I'm already starting to get grey hair!  I love you Lou Lou!!