Amazing Giveaway!

Go check out Jaci at Ravings of a Mad Housewife's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G Giveaway!!! She is hosting an amazing giveaway where 4 Fiestaware place settings are being given away! If you are the winner, you get to pick any color! It's all up to you! How awesome is that???? I'm so excited, and really hope I win! Go check it out.

My Miracle Baby

During this festive season, we celebrate the birth of a miracle baby. Of course Jesus is the miracle baby, and this certainly isn't to take away from Him, but I have a miracle baby of my own. Here's Julia's story.
On Julia's birthday, 9/23/06, I made it very clear that I wanted her placed on my chest as soon as she was born. I had read that it was the best time to start bonding, and I could NOT wait to see her. So after my 4 hours of pushing, Julia finally arrived. I was completely exhausted after that, but I was anxiously awaiting them to pull her out and put her on my chest. Only, they didn't. I saw the doctor and the nurse exchange the "look" and they took her to the little table where they examine the babies as soon as they were born. It didn't really hit me that something was wrong, I just thought that maybe they had forgotten. I heard Julia crying, and thought everything was just fine. And thank God, it was. No one ever said anything to me about Julia's "problem". They never explained to me why they didn't grant my wish. Until the next day. Julia's pediatrician came into the room and told me what had happened. Apparently the second Julia was born, she had an aneursym in her umbilical cord. The SECOND she was born. Dr. Donna told me that had it happened one second before it did, she would have died instantly. I still get chills down my spine thinking about it. One second made the difference between life and death. Our doctor also told me that in all of the 20 years she had been a doctor, she had never seen that happen in a full-term baby.
So I thank God for that. I truly do think it's a miracle that the aneurysm didn't happen when she was still dependant on the cord. And I certainly can't imagine my life without Julia!!

Christmas Pictures

Ahhh yes, December. The time of year when all cute little two year old girls put on their frilly cute Christmas dresses and head out to get their Christmas pictures taken. They laugh, they giggle, they dance around, and they get giddy just at the thought of seeing Santa and having their picture made with him. And then there's Julia:

I'm thinking at this point that she might quite possibly start cussing the photographer out at any moment.

This lovely picture shows off the adorableness (is that a word?) of her expensive dress. Please just overlook her overwhelming joy.

"Surely things get better when she sees Santa" you're all thinking. Here's the BEST one:

I'm seriously thinking that I may never get another good picture of Julia. Seems like after she turned 1 she decided that was it for her. No more smiling. No more cute little cheesy grins. UGH.

Caution! Slippery When Iced Over

Hrmmm, that sign sure would have been helpful Tuesday morning. I was running late (as usual) on Tuesday. Julia and I were running all over this house like mad women. Me, trying to get out the door; Julia, just because that's what she does. I finally got coats on and out the door we went. Our front porch has six steps down to the ground. So apparently when it's 21 degrees outside, those steps freeze over. They are stone, so I couldn't see ice on them. I hit that first step and there I went. I don't remember it, but apparently I let go of Julia's hand and grabbed on to the rail on the way down. As I landed on the bottom, I heard Julia screaming. I just knew she had gotten hurt and frantically tried to find her. Turns out, she was still up at the top of the stairs and had not fallen at all. She was just crying "Mommy Mommy". I guess it scared her pretty bad. I dragged myself up the steps to hold her and tell her I was ok. After a few minutes, she said "Mommy, your shoes" over and over. Turns out she was pretty worried that my shoes were down on the ground instead of on my feet. Ok, that part is pretty funny...she's starting early with the whole women love shoes thing. I finally got up the nerve to put pressure on my leg to see if it was broken...I just knew it was. But nope! Thank God! I am pretty beat up and have a nasty place on my shin, but other than that, I am fine. I am so lucky...it could have been a lot worse than it was!!!
And oh yeah, I was late. Fortunately, my boss is pretty cool about stuff like that.

Speaking of best friends...he is starting the adopton process! I am so happy for him and can't wait to be an aunt!! I've never been one of those before :)

Rebel For A Cause

MckMama is hosting a wonderful fund raiser event for an excellent cause, String of Pearls. This organization helps parents who have had to deal with the terrible pain of loosing a child. It's a wonderful cause, and if you donate on MckMama's page, you are entered to win a fabulous Canon Rebel Camera prize package. Go check out her page and the contest by clicking on my button to the left.

Sunday Night Sweetie!

Here's miss Julia playing in her egg chair from Ikea. Her aunt Stacey loves that place and bought this for her there. Apparently it spins all the way around so that became a great game...getting in and closing the cover and having her aunt spin her around and around. Sponge Bob had a good time being spun around too.

Sleeping?? Shopping?? Relaxing With the Family?? And other random stuff.

Nope. Here I sit at work. UGH. I'm pretty sure I work for one of the only corporate offices that is actually open today. We might as well not be, since 99% of the people who work here took the day off. Seriously, the other side of the 4th floor doesn't even have the lights on. But since someone has to send the wires out, and that is my job, here I am. I must say though, I am getting a lot of internet shopping, emails, and blogging done :) Here's Jenn (the only other girl on my floor) and me goofing off:

So I really hope none of my bosses read my blog :) If so, I'm in hot water.

Let's move on to Thanksgiving, shall we, since we have all day. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving day with your families! Mine was half way wonderful! My MIL came over and we did the whole turkey thing. It was delicious, and Julia promptly passed out afterwards for a 2 1/2 hour nap! I totally took advantage of that and took one myself. Of course we had the left overs for supper, and they were just as good. It was a great day! The reason I say half way wonderful is that my parents went out of town for a little vacation. I really missed not being with them. I understand why they did it, but I still don't have to like it!

I just remembered that I never put up Halloween picutres. Wow, I'm slack. So...here's my little pirate. Every time someone would open the door at their home, she would say "Aaaar Matey". It was too cute!!!

Ok, I think I'm done! Hope you all have a great day, whatever you might be doing!!