nutty

Remember how back in February I broke out in hives from drinking a soda? Well the strange food reactions are at it again, although this time the reaction isn’t as miserable, just rather annoying.

Yesterday I hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch and so I grabbed a piece of garlic bread out of the fridge as we were headed out the door. Not the healthiest food choice, I know. Anyway, the first bite tasted awful and bitter and I wondered how bread that was only a day old, and tasted delicious the previous day could have spoiled so quickly. I downed a half bottle of water to wash away the taste which only made it worse. As the day went on, everything I tasted left the same strange bitter metallic taste. I thought maybe I was coming down with something.

When I woke up this morning and brushed my teeth, I was startled to find the taste hadn’t gone away. It wasn’t there all the time, but only when I ate or drank something. So I went on with my day, had some coffee which is bitter anyway, but sadly the taste was still there at lunch and dinner. I mentioned to Tim that I was starting to worry that there was something seriously wrong with me. I didn’t have any symptoms of a cold or sore throat or really anything but the taste. My vivid imagination started to get the better of me and I wondered if it was a brain tumor and suddenly I’d start having blackouts and hallucinations ala Izzy Stevens.

Well after trying unsuccessfully to knock out the bitterness with some sweet ice cream, I Googled “bitter taste in mouth” and the third thing I saw said “bitter taste from eating pine nuts”. Are you kidding?! I just snacked on a handful of them right after work! Turns out that spoiled pine nuts can cause a weird taste reaction that shows up 1-3 days after eating them and can last for several days to weeks. There are a TON of sites that tell you all about it… bunches of people with the exact same weird symptoms. Well I love pine nuts and had some left from a recipe, so they’ve been my little high protein snack for a few days now. Little did I know this evening when I was looking for something to get rid of the taste that I was actually making it worse. I’m hoping this weird reaction doesn’t last too long, but given my hives experience, it will probably last the better part of a week.

On the bright side, if everything I eat tastes bitter, this may be just the thing I need to lose those last 5 lbs of baby weight.

teething bites

The little Henry-monster’s cute gummy smile isn’t quite as gummy these days. There are now two little teeth poking out at the bottom. They are cute and tiny and white, and SHARP, and have caused him a world of pain. Which means he has been a pain. Eating, napping, sleeping, playing are all a fussy ordeal and we’re going through teething rings at an alarming rate. I must get to the store for some teething biscuits pronto. However, watching the cuteness of his attempts at brushing his own teeth almost makes up for the fussing. Almost.

Two down, 18 to go.

someday…sigh

Did you know I’ve never been to NYC? Sad, but true. Its one of the top places on my list to visit and one of my top events to attend is the National Stationery Show. The past few years I’ve been drooling over photos of it on all my favorite design blogs and this year is no exception. Nole of Oh So Beautiful Paper has some beautiful photos of the show booths on her blog and to me it looks like heaven on earth.

Someday I will go to this show and if my dreams come true, maybe I’ll even have my own booth. Until then, I’ll just visit vicariously through the blogging world – here, here and here.

Hammerpress is one of my favorites – located in KC

Baby book I adore from Binth, booth below

Beautiful invites from Smock

(all photos courtesy Oh So Beautiful Paper)

6 month monkey

Today is Henry’s half birthday, which happens to fall on a Friday, just like the sweet day he was born.

Looking back over the past 6 months its funny how awkward and nervous we both were with our new little man. The first few months were a mix of elation and a little fear; amazed at this little person we created and worrying if he was breathing/ eating/sleeping/pooping normally, but not really understanding what normal even was. We were sleep deprived zombies just trying to figure it all out. While I will cherish every memory of those days, I’m so happy to say that we’re finally getting the hang of it. We have a routine down, balancing working and time at home as a family. We have regularly scheduled feedings, baths and bedtime; and we sleep. Most of all we are just having so much fun.

Henry has such a personality now. He wakes every morning with a big gummy toothless smile. He rolls and scoots around on the floor and reaches for his toys. He has discovered he has feet. He is a little flirt. He is eating and enjoying solid food. He smiles and kicks his feet in excitement when we get home and loves to be held. Plus he does not object to being kissed 500 times a day, which is my favorite part.

The first 6 months of Henry’s life have been the craziest, busiest, happiest time of mine. Happy half-birthday sweet boy.

better than a red rabbit’s foot

Last weekend was a fun but busy one. Besides being the first easter for the little man, it was also his first ever Cards game. We lucked out with a beautiful, sunny, Saturday afternoon and arrived at the stadium just in time for the first pitch, decked out head to toe in Cardinal red. By the way, I do believe Henry has more Cards gear than Tim and I combined.

Although it would be a memorable event for our little family regardless, of course we hoped we would see a good game. However we never guessed that we would be treated to an 11-2 victory, complete with a Pujols grand slam and 3-run homer! I think that Henry might just be luckier than the red rabbit foot keychain that I brought along every baseball game as a child. Looking back, it doesn’t seem to make sense to give a child a dead animal apendage dyed red for luck, but I digress. Our little lucky charm had quite a day and we had so much fun introducing him to the best fans in baseball.

this post is for Tim

honey, I just know you have something wonderful planned for my first mother’s day, but in case you need any help, here are a few gifts that i would not secretly return when you aren’t looking…

baby birthstone necklace – its extravagant, but i’m sure you think i’m worth it.
adorable little dish – customized with my little man’s moniker of course
new momma tea
gift card for a massage or mani/pedi

oh and here are some more ideas in case you plan to get your own mom a gift for a change. don’t worry I’ll get a backup gift just in case you still forget.

ps. mothers day is sunday, may 10th

solid

Henry enjoyed his first taste of solid food on Saturday, if you call runny rice cereal mixed with milk a solid. He didn’t quite know what to expect when we got out his bowl and spoon, but I think he could tell it was something to eat. He got really excited, started kicking his feet and huffing like he does whenever its time to eat. He even opened wide for the first spoonful, which isn’t that surprising since he likes to put everything in his mouth lately. After that he powered through the whole bowl, smiling after each bite. I think I might have a little foodie on my hands, but we’ll wait and see how vegetables go.

more pics

facebook is killing my blog

Well that’s only half true. Working full-time, caring for an infant, a dog, a cat and a house (and a husband), takes up most of the day. However even with all that, I used to post during my lunch hour at work. Now I split that hour between expressing milk (that’s a whole other story) and facebook.  Initially I fought against joining facebook, thinking at the time that it was just for the kids, but my persistent brother kept on me until I finally caved. Now over a year later it seems like everybody and their brother is on it and very active at that.

I do enjoy the opportunity to keep up with old friends and new ones, share stories and photos with my family and get updates from groups and businesses that I’m interested in. I’ve become as addicted to it as anyone, and it seems that so have my friends. I don’t even get regular emails anymore, only facebook messages. I login to facebook and reply to their message so that they get an email that requires them to login to facebook to reply back. Geez. Its no wonder I can’t find time to blog.

So until facebook has finally run its course and is no longer the favored method of communication amongst my friends next to texting – don’t even get me started on that – it looks like my little blog might be limping along for a while. In the meantime, you know just where to find me.

congrats brother!

I’m very excited to announce that my baby brother proposed to his girlfriend this weekend! (and she said yes of course). I think they are one of the cutest couples ever and have hoped Molly would be part of our family not long after I met her. My brother had planned a whole weekend trip for Molly’s birthday to one of her favorite places, Galena, Illinois, and proposed on a beautiful snowy drive in the woods. He even planned a dinner to celebrate with a surprise appearence from Molly’s parents.

You might remember that my sister was engaged in August of what was a very eventful 2008, and it looks like 2009 is off to quite an exciting start as well! Our family is rapidly expanding with no signs of slowing down, and we’re sure keeping mom busy with all the big events.

Congrats Dave and Molly! Love you guys.

itchy and scratchy

Well by yesterday I had finally recovered from a weekend cold that kept me from hanging out with my sweet baby and husband and from enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. The day started out well, Tim left the house on time with a full, clean, dressed and happy Henry in tow and I got on the road in enough time to stop by Starbucks on my way into work. It was already really warm by then and was going to be the warmest day of the year so far. I had a quick morning at work and was focused and efficient. I had just finished reading a creative review of the new Pepsi logo and the subject matter and warm weather left me craving a soda. I scrounged up enough cash, yes cash (1.50!) for a Cherry Coke Zero and went back to my desk. Little did I know I’d regret that overpriced soda for days. About 15 minutes later and halfway though the bottle I went into the restroom and noticed a raised bump on my cheek that looked like a bug bite. I didn’t really think anything of it and left for lunch, but on my way my left eye felt strange and I looked in the mirror to find it was swollen. Shortly after, my stomach started itching and by the time I grabbed a quick drive-though lunch and returned to work, I had hives all over my body. I took some benadryl and drowsily made my way through the rest of the day at work thinking that it was no big deal and would be gone by dinner.

Wrong. Its over 24 hours later and despite rounds and rounds of benadryl, calls to my internist and Henry’s pediatrician, an office visit, more meds and even a prescription for steroids, I’m still a blotchy, itchy mess. Hives stink.

To top it off, I feel like a rotten employee and a neglectful mother. How ridiculous is it to call in sick to work and miss an important meeting because you drank a soda? How silly do I feel that I have to use up my whole emergency milk supply because I can’t feed my baby on steroids, because of a SODA? My doctor doesn’t think my newly found allergy to Splenda is all that funny, after all your body does all sorts of weird things after being pregnant, but days of hives from a soda? really?

This feels like one big practical joke. A very itchy, scratchy, miserable joke. I just pray it doesn’t last much longer.