It's that time again!

SummerTime!!!

365 Down

I made this and yes I am going to hang it year round!!

I can't believe how fast 365 days can go when you have the greatest baby in the world!
Sadly I can't remember the first 2 months of Lena's life...and if I did then I would be able to remember where I put my wedding ring

Okay so the day has finally come and it was so much fun. On Sunday we had a rehearsal B-day party
As you can see the rehearsal was very much needed since she had no idea what was going on and why we were all singing to her, she kept looking at us like we were crazy.


Now all that practice the day before really paid off. I think today she was actually able to get all her cake on her face/head/ears/eye lashes/up the nose
Uhh Lena...you have something on your face


The moment she hit that awesome sugar high WALL she was dazin' for a few minutes

This picture brought to you by my friend Rileigh!! And the letter T
(All other pictures where taken by me and my "i have no idea how to take pretty pictures" skillz)

Lets just remember last year shall we:
me +hospital bed+the drugs=Happy
Lena+being taken from womb without her permission=not so happy

Here is to another 1 million ba-jillion more days my sweet love!! Next year's b-day theme...Casino night!

Welcome to the Family!!

Brenton and I decided that we wouldn't purchase shoes for Ms. Adalena until she is walkin' around.

This last week she decided that she crawled long enough, and has been walking all over the place it's still so foreign to me.
You could only imagine my surprise when I didn't have to bribe my husband to let me go buy shoes, and he participated!!!

Her Smile lights up my life

For the last 358 days this beautiful little girl has been in my life and her smile just melts my heart! I double dog dare you to look at these and not smile!

My first Mother's Day!

I love this girl...no I really really love this girl.

I love that her eyes light up when either daddy or I come into the room. I love that she giggles whenever I touch her nose and make a honking noise. I love that she is so happy and smiles all the time, even when she is crabby and wants to cry she will still give us courtesy smiles or laughs whenever we try to make her happy.

I love that she loves to dance, and if she hears anything from itsy bitsy spider to a commercial jingle she will shake what her mama gave her.

I love that she is a great sleeper, and she will lay quietly in her bed until we come and get her in the morning. I love that when it's nap time she will go lay down quietly in her bed and even if she is not ready to sleep she will just talk to herself and then sleep.

I love that she is adventurous and will eat almost anything I put in front of her, so far she has rejected bananas due to texture and red bell pepper was a test and of course she didn't find it yummy. I love especially that she knows that the ice cream carton looks like and comes booking it over to get some.

I love that no matter where we go she feels that people are there to adore her and she eats it up. She can play shy or just be outright adorable, girl can work a crowd.

I love when she gives me slimy Lena kisses and snuggles, they don't happen too often so you always feel special whenever she gives them. I love that if I walk through the door and don't go immediately to pick her up she will throw a fit, needy is an understatement!

There are so many things that I love about my Adalena, most of all I love that I get to have her forever and eternity! I would have never thought that my life would change so much with one tiny little girl, but it has changed and all for the better.

Sunday movie

Reason #647 Why I Love My Brenton

To all his ex-girlfriends....Nee-ner Nee-ner Nee-ner!

This Year's Halloween Costume

A BOTTLE OF PEPTO BISMOL

In Other News:
I am having a difficult time trying to figure out how to teach Lena that the word NO should mean for her to stop what she is doing....
(my mom just smirked and thought something on the line of payback)

See she has this thing for the electrical sockets
Note they are covered, which only added an additional challenge to her, but did not stop her. This picture is taken right after I had just said, "Lena No!"
(in my very serious mom voice of course)

The reach for it anyway

Then I give her again, the Lena NO! She will briefly stare at me with this face processing what I had just said. I am confident she is just counting to 10 before she will return to the socket.
At this point I go over to her and remove her from the area but then the hunt for the closest socket starts all over again...

And since The Brenton claims he was only spanked twice in his life and I...had been spanked a little bit more than that...it is proof that she is indeed my child!

I am still here!

Hi There readers...if there are any of you left!

I know I have been horrific at blogging for the last year....and the only thing I can say is...

it's her fault!
Okay so I only feel that a post dedicated to catching you all up on us is due...so sit back and enjoy the Livingston Catch Me Up Post...

Okay so we have been in Maryland for exactly 9 months
(huh I could have had another baby by now!)
Here is us 9 months ago
and us now..
note since we do things usually by ourselves we do not have so many pics of us together..sad but true.






















The Brenton has been working his tush off going to school as of now he is completing a Russian major and an Arabic minor...we hope to see a cap and gown in the spring of 2012.
If you recall he is going to the University of Maryland
GO TERPS!!!

We love living here in Maryland, it's so beautiful and full of things to do...but it's not cheap....so I have been a working mom (I know insert sad music here)
But it's all worth it because eventually The Brenton will make us millions and then I can sit by our pool and order the pool boy Paulo to bring me another lemonade!

I work at a veterinarian hospital which has been so great for us. And the rest of our time we sit and adore our Adalena...so now The Pictures
Grumpy or Happy??



Yup she was grumpy. I guess she doesn't like a random camera being shoved in her face..go figure!

She will be 11 months next week!! Here is a little video to show you awesome she is.

Okay well it was my idea

Grow My Little Pretties Grow!!!!!!!
Basil..................Mint
Spinach.........Rosemary
Tomatoes.. ..........Zucchini
Empty.............Snow peas

The Brenton seems to think that since he planted them, they are his "pretties" BUT I thought of the idea and bought the seeds....I think I should get some credit here!

Annapolis, MD

What I found on our day trip to Annapolis (35 min from home)

My next door knocker!! How cool is that? I don't even know how it works, but I want it!

The Naval Academy: Note: On our way there I did ask Brenton for Pre-forgiveness for oogguling the Navy guys, luckily the only 2 I saw[in uniform!! Hollar] looked to be 12![frown face]

The male fashion trend of cargo shorts with a button down collar shirt...Brenton gave it the thumbs down...I still don't know how I feel about it! I feel it's kind of like the mullet...businesses up top, party on the bottom.

I liked these two so much I asked if I could go home with them!

70 degree weather and a day by the water! Who wants to come visit?

9 month update (it's a little past due!)

These are the stats from Lena's 9 month check up, given all in her %....

I still get confused on exactly how it all works, I think the % is based on her age and where she falls from 1-100%(??)

Now her weight % was double digits at her 6 month check up, as you can see we fell below the yellow line (Biggest loser reference) ..this girl is taking the term Petite to a whole new level!

100% her father!!!

The helpless mother

Warning...the Following Post has Pictures that may just break your heart!

So we almost made it the winter without Lena getting really sick...almost being the key word.

Mr. RSV introduced himself to Lena and she didn't take it so well. Luckily it was taken care of quickly and she is home recovering....so here is my

Aftermath Observation"

1) Hospital baby cribs resemble cages, which I understand is for safety issues...but it's the saddest thing to see your baby inside this crib all enclosed and crying...needless to say, she didn't spend too much time in that crib!

2)The quickest way for a nurse to get body slammed by The Brenton, is to not notice that the IV kinked inside his daughter's delicate little hand and have it swell up to twice the size and almost turn blue! Poor girl looked like Popeye the Sailor man! 3) The quickest way for a nurse to get sucker punched by the mom is for her to have her parents hold their baby down while she takes 5 min of moving the needle INSIDE the baby's hand trying to find the vein...for the 2nd IV!
(now I know it's not an easy task, but really it took WAY too long)

Note: I am not angry at the nurse in anyway, She was just trying to do the best she could and she was very pleasant and helpful!!

IV #1
IV #2

4) It is odd to see the "head dr." come in, whistle at little Lena instead of talk to her, listen to her lungs, say "it sounds good" and then leave, to never be seen again. I am excited to see how much she is going to charge for that visit!

But really, the staff at Howard County General (sounds like a good TV show name!) was fantastic, they took extra good care of Lena and we are very lucky to have had them!

Lena now has issues with strangers, but it's nothing that can't be worked out with some good Therapy!!