Has it really been 6 weeks

Well, as of tomorrow, yes. I have to go back to work tomorrow. Part of me is really sad, but the other is kind of happy to get back into some kind of routine and make some money. I have really enjoyed staying home with Nora Claire. I wish I could stay home all the time, but oh well.

I just realized that I haven't posted anything about football. How could I have forgotten. Well, right now Notre Dame is 3-0. Their first home game is this Friday against Iowa. It should be a pretty good game. I think this starts their district play, not really sure. Hopefully, I will get some pictures to put up here.

We are coming to Monticello on October 17th (Friday). We are staying until the 19th (Sunday). I know it's a really short stay, but at least we are getting to come up. On the18th, we are going to be out at UAM tailgating. Anthony is going to fix some of his jambalaya. So if you are out that way come by and see us. Yes Blake, you can have some food and we might even let you take some home for Michael. Anthony is getting really good at cooking it too. I can't wait for it to get cold so he can fix some gumbo.

1 month old.

Yes, our baby girl is one month old. It just seems as though time flew by. Before we know it she will be one, but I don't want to think about that right now. These are mine and Anthony's attempt at taking pictures at home. I think she is a perfect blend of Anthony and I. She has some of his traits and then some of mine also.

Tonight we go meet with a new babysitter. She is the grandmother of two of my students. She just moved like 3 blocks from my school and she substituted some for me last year. So I know her pretty well. We had a babysitter, but she had a 1 yr. old and a 3 yr.old. Before Nora Claire came that was alright, but now that she is here I don't think she can give her the attention she will need. And I have called her three times and she hasn't called me back yet.

Oh, by the way Shelley...these pics were taken with no flash. They don't even compare to the ones that you take.

pics from Gustav

These are some pics from around Crowley. Yes, Anthony went out on his bike and took some pics around our neighborhood. No, none of these were in our yard except the one by the fence. As you can see Nemo had to investigate everything.

We have survived...

Sad face. No she wasn't crying which makes this picture even funnier. She just stuck her lip out.
This is the "I'm working on Daddy a REAL good diaper!" look.

3 1/2 weeks with Nora Claire. I can't believe she is almost a month old! These pics were taken today, Anthony set the date wrong on the camera. She is such a joy except at 1 a.m. when she is screaming. Just kidding. She is a really good baby, just growing too fast! Anthony has started calling her our hurricane baby. She has survived two hurricanes, so far.

cont. from the post earlier...

Let me elaborate a little bit on my post earlier. I greatly appreciate some advice...when asked. Feel free to give all the advice that you want. I might take it with a grain of salt or put it to use. It just depends.

Let me explain why I am letting it bother me. Someone told me to prop my daughter up while she sleeps on 2 or 3 pillows. This is alright if I am sleeping with her, but definitely not if I have her napping. Okay, maybe not even if I am sleeping with her. Too many things can happen. She has figured out how to scoot down while she sleeps also. No Haley I am not talking about you.

Then the same person told me not keep her wrapped in a blanket so much. She gets sicker going from hot to cold. Well, if you would keep her wrapped up then she wouldn't be going from hot to cold now would she. The way I look at is this...yes, it is hot OUTSIDE. But what do people turn on INSIDE to make it cooler...the air conditioner. So, it become COLD INSIDE right?!? I have a problem with feeling my daughter's arm and it is cool. I am sorry, I'm weird.

Then, someone proceeds to tell me that I need to try to get into a daycare because you can't depend on a babysitter. I'm sorry, I am not putting my 6 week old in a daycare (that is when I plan to go back to work). This person said to go ahead and let her build up her immunities, yeah she will be sick at first but then she'll be fine. First off, she won't have any shots at 6 weeks. So if she catches something, it could be really really bad. I don't want my child to be one of 20 kids that 3 people have to watch. If she can get one-on-one attention, then she is going to get it.

This is just a little bit of everything. But I am not letting it bother me. I am going to enjoy every minute I can of holding her and letting her sleep on my chest or in my arms. They are only small once and I am going to enjoy every last minute of it. Thanks Rosjuane!

Do people really think before they open their mouths and say things? I am not going to mention any names-other than my husbands.

Yes, our daughter is sleeping in the bed with us right now. Yes, I know we are spoiling her, but she is only 3 weeks old-today. Like Anthony said, do we want sleep...yes. So she sleeps in the bed. I am not directing this to anyone inparticular. Well, maybe but she doesn't read this so I guess I can. And yes, our daughter is one of those babies who likes to be held, but not by 30 different people in one day. If you want an explanation for that one, email me.

Now on to the big topic at hand. Yes, my daughter HAD a runny nose and small cough. We needed to get her 2 week checkup done anyways, so we went to the dr. She is fine. Just all of this climate change-going from LA to AR back to LA. All that is needed is a little saline solution and a sucker. That's it. He did say that a humidifier wouldn't hurt. Now to the good news, sad for me, but Nora Claire now weighs 8 lbs. and 10 oz. and is 22 in. long! She is growing way too fast. Hopefully she will sleep some today and let me get some pictures uploaded.

Gustav

Did I really come to Arkansas to escape Gustav...yes. But here is the real question, did I escape it...NO!!! According to Anthony, we are getting way more rain than he got at our house. The only bad thing is is that we still don't have electricity and probably won't till the weekend.

But back to the subject at hand. Last night around 3 a.m. I was up feeding Nora Claire and thought I heard a large clap of thunder. Well, come to find out it wasn't thunder. A tree fell on my Dad's house. I will explain more later and post some pics later also. I think it's just funny that I came to Arkansas to escape everything.

Oh and can't forget. I am staying at my mom's due to my dad not having electricity. I went out to take a picture of the flood water-college street was really flooded. Sorry, I thought it was pretty fascinating. Anyways, I was walking back to the house and some girl in a blue grand am decided to speed up to go thru the flood water. I had to run to my mom's sidewalk so she would not splash me. So, being from the south, I proceeded to show her "the bird." Yes, I know that I should not have done that, but how rude is it that you would purposely try to splash someone that is walking down the sidewalk. Then she yells out here window, "F*** Whore." I am sorry but it blew me away.

Just heard from Anthony

Anthony just called. He went by and checked on the house and there is no damage yet. There are tree limbs down everywhere. A tree fell on some powerlines and that is why they don't have electricity. Luckily he was on the west side of Gustav. That is "Good" side. Anthony did talk to his brother in Baton Rouge. They have alot of winds and rain, but they seen the worst yet. He also talked to his cousin in Franklin. The houses are fine, but there are alot of trees down everywhere. They had winds about 110 consistently for a little while. But everyone is safe right now. Thank God.

Update from Anthony

As of the 3 p.m., all Anthony could say is is that it was pretty cool. He is getting to see all of the wind and rain come through. He left the house this morning about 9 going to the school. He got there before the wind and the rain started. So he is safe. I talk to him about every 2 hours, but the last time he said that the electricity just went off. Hopefully he will be able to get service to call me here soon. So keep the prayers coming, they are definitely working!! When we went to bed Saturday night, we thought Gustav was going to hit at a category 5. Luckily those warm dry winds coming off Florida helped out.

We haven't heard anything from Anthony's family in Baton Rouge. Hopefully, by the end of the day, we will have heard something. The eye of the storm was passing over Franklin the last time I checked. Maybe there won't be too much damage. As soon as I know more, I will update everyone. Crowley is getting alot of rain and wind right now, according to the weather channel.