Blog The Recession

During one of my regular reads, Motherhood Uncensored, I found she was doing a great thing called blogging the recession and wanting to help in anyway, I've joined the bandwagon. It's really simple to do and you're helping out some fabulous writers. All you need to do is read some blogs from the feeder, click on a few posts (old and new), you don't have to leave any comments if you don't want to (although comments are always welcomed). Every click you give them helps.

So go on, click away and help them out.

:)

A New Addition (Soon)

This coming Tuesday, my brother in law's wife will be induced to have their daughter. Just thinking about how Shay (the wife) is and what excitement lies ahead, makes me all weepy and nostalgic. This, of course, brings back memories from when we were waiting for Roo to be born. I remember that fear, that never-ending waiting. I remember how nervous I was, how scared I was that I wouldn't know what it felt like when my water broke. I remember being admitted to the hospital, how upset I was that my husband wasn't with me and how relieved I was when he showed up. I can remember the sound of my daughter's cries echoing off the sterile hospital walls.

Oh, I could go on and on and on. The point is: I remember it all!! And what mother doesn't? What mother doesn't think back when a relative or friend is about to have her baby?

I was thinking about what advice I should pass on to Shay when Morgan is born. Should I tell her that it was nothing sort of crazy when I brought Roo home? Maybe I should mention that swaddling your child is guaranteed to give you an extra hour of sleep? There's so much I can pass on to her, so much information that will save time and money. But should I? When I was pregnant I was bombarded with advice, both solicited and unsolicited. There was so much information to take in, I literally had to take notes (I still have those notes to this day). Of course as soon as I stepped over the threshold with my daughter, I couldn't remember a thing and I did not have a spare second to consult my notes. It was all such a blur of emotion, dirty diapers, screams and uncontrollable tears of joy, that I could have cared less what other people told me.

It was a powerful moment when holding my daughter that I discovered no matter how much information I'd read or been told, that I could do this by myself. That I didn't need to follow the rules or go by the guidelines in the parenting manuals. I realized that the most joyous part of being a new parent is learning and having both failures and successes. As I stumbled through days and nights, utterly exhausted and filled with a delight that couldn't be labeled, I learned how to be a parent.

The proof that I'm doing a good job is asleep in her crib, warm and dry and happy and that is the most fantastic feeling in the word.

I'm going to give myself a well-deserved pat on the back now.

Another Great Website!

Today has just been a hellish day.

I did my good deed of the month and got up super-duper early, 530am early, to take my husband's grandmother to the airport. I haven't gotten up that early (and stayed up) since Roo was little, very little. Let's just say I'm too old to be getting up that early and had to take a nap this afternoon to recover (to this hour, I have not recovered yet). There was also two, yes two, spats with family relations today over stupid, stupid stuff and while it was a great idea at the time, we had dinner at Steak and Shake. I feel like my belly is full of lead from all the calories.

But on a good note, I found a great website and wanted to share it with you: Parents Connect
It's full of great advice that is easily found through key words or drop down menus and has a feature where you can put in your zip and get tons of fun activities in your area. I definitely recommend this for families of all sizes.

We're off for a walk with hopes of feeling a tad bit better.

Catch you on the flip side! :)

Help is Always Nice

I cannot tell a lie... I have help with my blog.

:) You don't mind, do you?

Those Lazy Summer Days

Today was quite an eventful day for the family. It started out early as a trip to McD's (yes, I feed my child McD's, bad I know). We literally planned on it being a quick run for breakfast and we'd come back to the barn and figure out our day from there. But somehow, we ended up driving into Orlando. Our first stop was a great little park in the city of Winter Park across the street from the Alabama. It's one of our favorite places because it has huge cypress trees and is a fabulous spot to take pictures.

So we did that and headed to the photo store to get some rolls developed (side note: photography is my passion and my hubby's occupation). While waiting for that to get done with, we went here, home of the best hot dogs in town (and the whole damn state) and found this little gem.


This little gem was BEAUTIFUL!!! My husband had scouted it for some model photo shoots and wanted to explore it more so we took off on the trails that winded by a stream. While I admit, it was hot and we were sweating, it was really nice. There was this cool tunnel that reminded us of New York (oddly)

After tromping through all the great scenery and greeting a local mounted police officer, we picked up our film and headed home for naptime.

Our adventures continued later and we ended up here and found this

It was overall a perfect day. No where to go, no time limits, nothing. Just simply a lazy day of goofing off and discovery with my family. Does it get any better than this?

I think not.

These are a few of my favorite things

Being me, I love to shop. I love it so much I spend endless hours on the internet while my daughter naps gazing adoringly at webpages with stylish diaper bags, retro toddler clothing and hip shoes that my daughter would outgrow as soon as I hit the checkout box.

But that's besides the point. My point is I love baby/toddler stuff so much I wanted to devote a post to it.

A few of my favorite websites are:
My Retro Baby
Knucklehead Clothing
Cute Baby Shoes

I love anything unique, personalized and adorably cute, especially since my daughter is all three. :) This place is great for unique, personalized and adorably cute stationary and here is where you can purchased unique outfits.

And I love love love diaper bags. I recently purchased this at an amazing price ($5 at a local TJ Maxx store) and have fallen in love with it. It easily slings over my shoulder, carries just about everything (except for the kitchen sink) and it's color coordinated with 95% of Roo's clothing.

I'm dying to test out this, but sadly am a SAHM (stay at home mom) and cannot afford an Oi Oi Diaper Bag.

As I continue my shopping I'll keep you updated.

The Great Introduction (All About Me).

Let me just start this whole thing by making an announcement: I do not know it all.

I am not a model parent.
I'm not even a star parent.
But I am a parent... one that loves my child, my homelife and my husband very very much. Everything written on this blog is my opinion, my beliefs, my whatevers. You can take all the words here for whatever you want, but please do not bash me for anything I believe in. We are all different people and do everything differently. My blog is simply for my enjoyment and my desire to write.

I feverish wish you enjoy my words and enjoy me... I am a lot of fun.

:)

Now to the fun stuff. I do have a real name and it's SuZ (don't ask for my last name unless you're writing me a check!). I'm 27 years of age and have a gorgeous, fun, spunky, spoiled daughter who shall be known as Roo.

I'm married to my bestest friend and have been for over seven years. We live in the Sunshine State with my in-laws on 24 acres with 50+ horses, 5 dogs, 6 pigs, 3 turkeys and a bazillion cats.

I am a stay at home mom who is at constant odds with my own mother and am leery of my mother in law.

I have my Bachelor's Degree in English and plan on going back for my Master's as soon as my child is old enough.

My favorite color is pink, I love love love trashy reality shows (think Rock of Love and the Hills), and trashy romance novels even though a historical fiction is a juicy treat for me as well.

My husband and I enjoy all of the southern treats Florida has to offer including (but not limited to): mudding, fishing and hunting.

I love love love red meat, hate to eat fish and have a serious weakness for chocolate.

I am a runner who has finally decided to pursue a marathon and have given myself two years to complete this goal.

I'm sure you will find out everything else there is to love and hate about me in the posts to come... so please, enjoy, I know I will. :)