"How do you feel about Sharon Osbourne, Stevie?"

So, I DID get my hair cut short. Jenna did such a wonderful job. I left feeling sassy and chic. Everyone loved it, including Steven. Then I went and did something I've been known to do . . . I dyed it.

I dyed it a dark cherry brown. The color is very beautiful, and I loved it when my hair was longer. But there was something off about it. I loved the color, I even though it was flattering with my skin and eyes, but something was definitely off.

This morning I figured it out. I look like Sharon Osbourne! You see I have VERY thick hair. When it is cut short, it looks even thicker. When it is cut short and dark, it looks RIDICULOUS! It kind of looks like a hair piece or a helmet or something. It is so sad to me, because it was DARLING before. Why did I do this to myself?!

Tomorrow's goal is to successfully strip the color off my hair and dye it back blonde. Good thing it is already short . . . that way if it falls out, it won't be as drastic to me.

A Rebellion Against Feminism?

I've heard women complain about their husbands input on how their hair should look or what clothes they should wear. I must be strange - because I so badly want to know Steven's opinion on these things. I ask him so many times what length does he like my hair the best. He always answers, "I like your hair however you wear it." What do I do with that! "No, what is your FAVORITE way?" I demand. "I like it how it is now." So the other night I told him I was going to get hair extensions (knowing he'd hate the idea). He finally revealed that he didn't really like my hair long. He liked it short. FINALLY!!! And here I was keeping my hair long and annoying because I thought men (my husband) liked long hair. I'm going to get my hair cut within the next week and I'm so excited to do something that makes me feel pretty and special for my husband.

Now if we could just agree on clothing.

Steven often tells me what he doesn't like in the clothing department. I like that he is opinionated, although I don't let on. If he only knew that I would let him do ALL of my clothes shopping . . . but I'd be afraid he'd buy only climbing gear, haha. He has excellent taste and he knows me well. I'm lucky to have him.

So, although I think those women have a right to choose their own hair cut or color or whatever, I am glad to know what my husband's opinion is . . . and I'm glad that his opinion isn't a bad one.

Success!! Sort of . . .

I'm really afraid for the whole speaking too soon thing to happen, but I have to share our break through!

As some of you know, my mommy mind has been occupied for a few months now with getting this child to drink out of anything other than a bottle. It took forever for her to not get angry when she even saw a sippy cup. But now that she is 14 months and knows how to get liquid out of one, I figured we should start getting less dependent on bottles. I researched hours and hours online and in books and with mommy friends on how they did it. I thought gradual sounded good, but I didn't think Davie would go for it. I thought cold turkey sounded miserable for a few days, but at least it would be done with. So after talking to Steven about it, I decided in a week or two we'd do cold turkey - but there's just too many things going on right now to try it.

Last night was one of my nights to sleep with my grandmother. Steven was going out of town this morning, so I took Davie with me. She sleeps in a pack and play in the closet and usually does well enough. My nephew Max was there too, and my mom gave him a sippy cup of hot milk before bed. Davie saw him drinking it and wanted it BAD!!! So we quickly grabbed an identical one and put some warm formula in and gave it to her. She loved it. WHAT?! No kicking, screaming, crying . . . like I had experienced any time I even showed her a cup when she was hungry. She went to sleep last night a little late, but not fussing. I was worried about what would happen in the middle of the night if she woke up wanting a bottle. But I figured if she could give up her last bottle of the evening without a fight, then she can do this. So she woke up a couple of times, the last of which she would NOT go back to sleep. For an hour and a half I offered her the sippy cup. Rejected. I also offered her a bottle (with the nipple hole stretched bigger) full of very watered down formula. She didn't want it either. Finally, I let her cry HARD for about 4 minutes, and then she was out til morning.

So for now, we have been bottle-free for about 22 hours. By the way, if you were wondering, the cup that won her over is some Playskool brand with a hard spout and a flip top spout cover that she likes to play with. She also likes anything with a straw.

Although I didn't get much sleep last night between her and my grandmother, I feel like it was worth it to keep that going.

Meet the Flintstones!

I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

What is it I can't take, you ask? THE DOG HAIR!!! MY HOUSE IS MADE OF DOG HAIR!!!

I have dealt with the black hair that Scout leaves behind for 4.5 years now. Every house we've lived in, it's the same story. No matter how many times I sweep, vacuum, change the air filters - it seems to make no difference. I even put up with my child wading through it on hands and knees coating her clothes to where it looked like she wore a black angora onesie at all times. Disgusting.

Recently, we've been talking about improving our little abode. Maybe some new windows, some exterior paint, working on the curb appeal. In a couple of years, we'd like to move somewhere a little more dream-homey. But in that new home, my dream does not consist of layer upon layer of black dog hair all over everything. I told Steven that in the next house we move to Scout will have to be an outside dog. He said she's already conditioned to be an inside dog and she's too old to change that now. I disagree wholeheartedly.

I want to make a few changes now. I want to install a doggy door into the garage, and add a few more dog beds to our lives (in the garage, outside, and in the house). When we do have Scout in the house, I want her to stay on the dog bed - not on the couch, and NOT on our bed!!! She can sleep in the house at night, but during the day and when we are out of the house, she needs to be outside or in the garage (barring there is no bad weather).

I'm a housewife at the end of my rope right now. "This is why we can't have nice things!" Haha.

Anyways, what is your pet situation at home?

More teeth!

Davie currently has 11 teeth . . . maybe 12. She's getting some way in the back. That should account for some of her sleeplessness lately - but definitely not for that outrageous fever. Thank goodness she is over that mess.

Davie has learned to kiss. She lifts her head way up until her neck gets pencil thin, sucks her lips way in her mouth and then smacks them at you. Sometimes she will lean in to actually put her lips on your face, but not always.

I think Davie knows what all kinds of words mean . . . except for Mama. Wouldn't you know it?! The person she spends nearly 24/7 with, and she doesn't know my name! Maddening. I'll say, "Where's Scout?" and she points right to Scout (our dog). "Where's Daddy?" and she looks over and smiles at her dad. "Where's Mama?" nothing. She continues to do whatever she was doing before. It may be because she doesn't hear my name said, because much of the time it's just she and I. Ah well. She'll know it soon enough.

My grandmother is in the hospital with a broken hip. She was doing a little better today, more alert, eating some soft foods after surgery. My mother is having surgery on her gall bladder this Friday. I'm praying for a speedy nausea-free recovery for her also. Lots of things going on right now during this sick season. Everybody try to stay healthy out there!

Babies are resilient.

So Davie's temperature got up to 104.6 degrees last night around 1:30am. The fever made her throw up. I was nearly in tears. But minutes later she was dancing in my lap as her skin nearly melted my pajama pants.

She does not have the flu. It's some kind of virus . . . I guess, the doctor didn't really know. She is not congested, not coughing, no tummy troubles. She is . . . delightful. A little lethargic. A little clingy. But delightful. She just has had a really high fever for more than 24 hours now.

I'll keep you updated. For now, she sleeps.