Tuesdays

Today I went to my Weight Watchers meeting, as I do every Tuesday. Ever since Addison has decided to be a connoisseur of bottles and soy formula I have been packing on the pounds. Damn I miss the burning of 500 calories daily, as I supposedly was when I was nursing. However, now that Addison is teething, I can't say that I really miss nursing.

Somehow I managed to only gain 0.4 lbs over Turkey Day. I really should have gained 5...not from Thanksgiving dinner, but from the day after when Andy, Phelan and I decided to eat BW3's, Leona's pizza while playing Rummikube, Cribbage and drinking mimosas. A lot of mimosas. More mimosas that 3 people should be able to consume. The point being, after that day alone I should've slammed on several pounds, so overall I was quite happy with my 0.4 lbs gain.

To celebrate Addison and I met Christie at FlatTop (see the irony in celebrating a diet at an all you can eat restaurant??). I had their soup...DEELISH! I never before trusted Keelin on how yummy FlatTop soup is...I don't know why I would ever question Keelin when it comes to food. Plus, it was 100% diet friendly...as of today I'm back on the diet wagon.

FlatTop always wreaks havoc on my digestive system...it didn't effect me this time, but it did a number on Addison. I had to change a NASTY diaper while at lunch and just a few minutes ago, she made her father face the wrath of her diaper.

Yep, you read that right, Andy had to change a dirty, pooped-filled diaper. I might have had a clue that he'd have to do that when I handed her over to him. But, hey, all is fair in love and poop-filled diapers!

This picture is from earlier this month and has nothing to do with today, it just makes me giggle. Andy's coworker made her this hat, which I find adorable. Doesn't it look like Addison is saying "Hey, does this hat make my head look big??"....of course it's not the hat. She just has big head...90th percentile, baby!

Turkey GOOD.

Thanksgiving was a success! Addison napped, played, and ate....looks like she's getting a hang of holidays already. We enjoyed turkey, mashed potatoes, turnips, cranberry sauce, stuffing, popovers, fruit turnovers and, of course, wine. Lots of wine.

Addison got to meet her Great Gran Ruth (somehow I don't have a picture..I think grampa might though) and play with cousin Emmett, who has become such a big boy. By the time we headed home, little lady was exhausted and passed out in her car seat snoring. Around midnight, I woke her up, changed her diaper and clothes and gave her a bottle...boy did that piss her off. It was like waking a hibernating bear. Or Andy.

Gobble Gobble!

Addison & I started off the day standing in the dining room looking at the fluffy snowflakes floating in the air. Not only is this baby's first Turkey Day, but her first snow too! We are heading to Grandpa & Grandma Johnson's early in the after noon for our Thanksgiving Feast....but we wanted to say:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

She can't always work her magic

Last night I loaded Addison into the car and traveled north up to Rogers Park to meet Andy at the Loyola basketball game vs. Western Michigan.

Addison was totally entertained by the loud noises, the lights and all the commotion, although she didn't particularly enjoy the sound of the buzzer. She got to hear Sue boo very loudly, see her Daddy scream at the ref several times and listen to the pure disappointment of the LU fans. Even though Addison was suited up, Loyola lost to the Broncos 61-63.

Somewhere about 1/2 way through the second half, the game was just too much for my little girl to handle and she had to take a quick break...when she awoke, however, she cheered her heart out!

I guess she can't be a good luck charm for every team...let's just hope the Buckeyes are triumphant today, or she'll have a really grumpy Daddy.

Concentrating really hard

I'll let you figure out what is occurring in this picture. It makes me laugh...too bad you can't hear the grunts that accompany it!

'Tis the Season

The University of North Carolina Tarheels opened their 2007-2008 season with a win against Davidson. Addison & I didn't watch the entire game, but we saw enough to know the team needed a little extra support...Addison suited up and worked her magic. Please welcome the newest Neyer Tarheel....

Wednesday in the Suburbs

I thought I would make it to Costco or at least SuperTarget, but alas, that was not in the stars. My trek to the 'burbs was well worth it, however, as I got to hang out with Renata and her little man, Evan.

We sat in the living room and talked about our babies' bowel movements, the pitch of their cries, the funny things they do. We fed them bottles, changed their diapers and tried to keep Rocky happy and at ease. It was a fabulous. What treat to have another mom my age to talk to and revel in the fantasticness of our spawn. We ended this beautiful fall day with a walk in the neighborhood.

I must say the suburbs fit Renata very well -->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->

Did I mention that this side of 11 years ago Renata & I split a bottle of Gordon's Vodka for a fun Friday night? Things have changed a bit, eh?

Dainty dainty

When you have a baby, any day can be Halloween. While we have not brought the monkey suit back out, we did break in the flower outfit. Addison and I went for a walk yesterday with her dressed as a sunflower...when we returned she sat in her car seat and worked really hard on pushing out a poo. Her adorable face turned red and she grunted....that's what I'm talking about when I refer to her as my dainty little flower. My camera battery was dead yesterday so I wasn't able to catch that precious moment...but here she is as a flower today.

2:49 in the a.m.

That's what time it is right now. You must be wondering why I am awake. After all, Addison slept right through the last three nights....
Well apparently she knows who the sucker really is. She just finished a 6 oz bottle and threw a tiny hissy fit when I put her back in the crib.

It's now 2:51 a.m. Apparently I am the sucker.

10 hours of uninterrupted

SLEEP!!

Grandma Patty excitedly offered to get up with Addison while we were in town. Being very deficient in sleep and wondering what it feels like to sleep past 5 a.m. I readily agreed.

Addison went down at 10:00......and at 8 a.m. she finally decided to get up. WTF? Hey, Grandpa Johnson, I think she owes you an apology!!

21-7

Kelly, Addison & Brian...Suited up!

Hmmm. The Bengals won. Interesting.

Yes, Addison suited up...take that Uncle Brian!

Househunting is for the birds...

We've gone through a gazillion houses now, and still haven't sold ours. So sad. Cincinnati has some kicking houses...hopefully they stay on the market until we can buy one.

Addison has loved seeing her aunts and uncle...the whole family claims dibbs on her, and they have a holding pecking order. Grandma, Grandpa and Great Grandma always trump anyone else in line.
Addison has loved being held and snuggled...Brian and Kim are practically getting in fist fights over who gets to hold her more. Yesterday Aunt Kimmie bounced Addie into a nap, and then Uncle Brian snuggled her into his chest. Her life is HARD.

WOW!

Grandpa & Grandma Neyer bought a new house this week....we're headed to Cincinnati this weekend to check it out...as you can see, Addison is really excited for the trip! Now if only we could get someone to buy our condo....

Is that a chicken on your sweater?

For Grandma's sake I posted the above photos. My mom was concerned that the Ramblers picture made my dainty daughter look a bit like a linebacker instead of the the delicate flower she is. Grandma was also concerned that she didn't look so much like a little girl. I think having her in a pink sweater sitting with a lamb clears up any concern on her femininity...

ooooh, nookie nookie

So ever since Addison came to stay I have, as most of you know, become a lady who lunches. I have discovered that being a lady who lunches = being a lady who grows a spare tire around her mid-section. In an effort to not become a chunky monkey I am following a diet that only allows fat free milk products, no refined carbs and focuses on fresh foods. These are rules that are hard to abide by while being a lady who lunches. No restaurant believes in fat free cheese...for that matter, I don't really either.

However, this morning Karen, Michael, Addison & I went to Nookies in Boys Town for breakfast. Super duper yummy and incredibly diet friendly....Not only that, but Michael held her the entire time & I got to sit back and enjoy my big ass healthy cheese-free breakfast! What a treat...

And in this corner....

Heavy weight champion Addison Evelyn Neyer! Today Addie is 4 months old (I know I can barely believe it!). She now weighs in at a (drum roll please...) healthy 15 pounds and is 26 inches long. That is the 80th percentile for weight and 95th percentile for height...wow she is one growing girl!

If you think these cheeks are chubby, you should see my belly!

Ramblin' Woman

The Loyola Ramblers opened their season tonight. I am not even going to pretend to know anything about this team (or past teams for that matter). The only thing Andy has told me is that the coach called this group a bunch of "grunts" real "blue collar guys". Sounds to me like our kind of team.

Hope their ready for their newest fan.

Triple word score

Andy & I have always been a bit competitive. When I was in early labor with Addie we played several games of Rummikube at home...I am pretty sure I didn't win any of them. At the hospital during labor we played Scrabble to take my mind of the needles, pushing, inevitable pain. There I was receiving a fabulous epidural and we were playing Scrabble. For the record, I lost Scrabble too...I was spelling words like the, play, and while Andy slapped down words like practice, hooker, joy (he always gets the bonus squares too). It was a spanking of a game.

Today, after our open house, we introduced Addison to an old Sunday tradition of mimosas and Scrabble. She avoided the mimosas (she is underage after all), but was a quick study on the Scrabble.

I keep saying she's advanced, but this is ridiculous!!

Uncle Quinn

Last night was Grandma Johnson's birthday. We trekked out to Glenview for some good wine, red meat and yummy fruit turnovers. The biggest event of the night, however, was not Grandma's birthday. Instead it was that Uncle Quinn was home from college and finally decided that his niece and nephew were no longer breakable and he held each of them for first time! He did have the foresight to put his glass of wine down first...That Uncle Quinn is a natural!

Life is so hard in the Neyer household on Sunday mornings.

Sue sews Sue's socks

Last night Addison, Andy & I got to hang out with Sue Fedea. We love Sue Fedea because she is a party in a sweatshirt. Sue is highly entertained by college photo albums, commercial jingles and baby fat....my kind of friend. We ate Thai food and Sushi and let Addison flirt endlessly with Sue...they're a pretty cute couple. Sue discussed her love for Dr. Seuss' Fox in Socks. I believe this may be the most difficult book in the world to read aloud. In fact on the cover of the book it states:

"This is a book you READ ALOUD to find out just how smart your tongue is. The first timeyou read it, don't go fast! This Fox is a tricky fox. He'll try to get your tongue it trouble."

The first page says:

"Take it SLOWLY. This Book is DANGEROUS!"

I read it after breakfast this morning and I swear it made me light-headed! Last night, however, we decided it would be one hysterical drinking game.

This morning, Addison slept from her 5 a.m. feeding until 8:30 a.m. ~ what a treat. When she woke up she was smiley and covered in pee...she was wet, her blanket was wet, her sheets were wet, yet she was still as happy as can be. After both bottles (one at 8:30, one at 12:00), however, she was a pukey mcpukersons...to quote Christie, I looked like I was attacked by condors. I am on my 3rd shirt of the day.

Ah, the joy of motherhood.