Everything’s coming up Roses…

So, here we are December 23rd and the past few days have been really crazy in the Rodriguez household. We have the good, the bad, and the ugly- what more could you hope to find just before a holiday? So, let’s start with the bad… Saturday night Eden’s high fever was diagnosed at Urgent Care as a virus, this was confirmed Tuesday morning when the fever broke and she broke out in a crazy rash…. yep- Roseola. Poor baby has been so sleepy and just in a funk for almost a week now. The doctor assures us the end of the illness is near and I just hope she is better for Christmas Eve frolicking with her cousins and her first Christmas morning Santa visit (since it appears we may not see Santa in person this year).

The good-we are blessed with Family that loves Eden and is willing to take care of her (even when she’s sick & irritable). AND- Aunt Traci turned the big 35 and I was able to make her requested dessert…. Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes. The recipe should be called “Wreck your Kitchen in Mere Hours” Cupcakes, but they were delicious and her enjoying them made the effort worthwhile.

And finally- we get to the Ugly. Of course, this label is the one I save for myself. Those of you that are thinking that I am just being hard on myself… well, prepare to be amazed! Ha ha. Just kidding, but here is the story. I had this mole on my ear that was suspicious…. bet you didn’t know moles were personified this way, but yep- mine was. Long story short, I went to David’s truly gifted Plastic Surgeon to have it removed. While I was there, we decided there were a few other things that should be removed from my face- so here I sit writing this blog post with- count them- SIX stitched patched surrounding my face. That pesky ear mole ended up being a little more troublesome (translation: deeper)than originally thought, which left my ear resembling Mike Tyson’s. Being one of the very best surgeons you can ask for, she  told me that she would need to shave off a little of my ear to even things out a bit- because anything less than perfect would not do. She even hid the scar around the back of my ear. So, knowing I was in the best hands ever- I told her I was trying to lose a few pounds anyway, so sure go for it! We both giggled as she chiseled away the edge of my ear…. gotta LOVE drugs! And so, here we have the ugly…

 

Once I have healed and Eden’s rash goes away, we will both thankfully be back to “normal”. Someday though, will look back on these Christmas photos together and I will tell her all about this crazy little Christmas.

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

Oh Fruitcake!

Our sweet girl was up most of last night (ok, we both were) with a fever and has spent most of the afternoon resting with the same fever. We were looking forward to an evening of watching her chase after her cousins, take part in her first REAL gift exchange, and getting to watch her enjoy Christmas as much as I did when I was a child with my extended family. But, alas- the fever wins. So- we will snuggle up together on the couch and watch some Christmas movies instead. Hope to see plenty of pictures of the rest of the kiddos and that Eden gets over this little bug in enough time that we can go see Santa this year. Since I needed a little pick-me-up from my bummed status, I decided to look back at last Christmas. I can't help but smile when I look back and remember her starting to crawl last Christmas and those chubby little cheeks! WOW- what a difference a year makes!

Autumn Outing!

Fall has always been my favorite time of year…. Pumpkin Spice Lattes, my Homemade Caramel Popcorn, that little nip in the air that makes it just cool enough for a sweater and all of the traditions of the holidays and family to enjoy.

This year, we decided that Eden was old enough to go to the Pumpkin Patch and since David has connections at Cal-Poly, what better place to go check out the pumpkins? Of course, I had this magical trip in mind where we would sit in a pile of pumpkins as a family and take our first Autumnal Portrait….. yes, I know…. I forget that the Pumpkin Festival is riddled with people and that I have a 1 year old that wants to do anything BUT sit still. Here are some of the photos of our Fall Fun!

  

 

The photos may not be what I had in mind, but I love the colors, I love seeing another first, and I love the people in them- they’re perfect!

Eden at Play

This past month has been hectic with both Mommy and Daddy working again, but Eden’s little personality is coming out more and more every day. When we are home, she entertains us with all of her new antics and we must confess, she gets as much attention as we can possibly give (and some new toys too).

Our neighbors gifted her a little lavender fur purse. That, plus the baby timer that has been re-purposed as Eden’s “cell phone”, have brought out her inner-diva…. boy are we in trouble!! :)

It was decided that she needed a tunnel to play in, so a trip to ToysRUs was in order. This one came complete with her own little Tinkerbell hut. Needless to say- She loves it! Mommy shocked Eden & Daddy by being the first to slither down the tunnel. (I couldn’t resist!) It looked like so much fun that Eden followed….

 

 

 

 

That looked like so much fun- Daddy gave it a try……

And got stuck! 

 

Don’t worry- we let him out…… eventually! (wink, wink)

Grandpa’s Birthday!!

August 21st is Great Grandpa’s Birthday, so just as we did last year- we all met at his mobile home and played in the park across from his house. Eden LOVES her cousins!!! Mostly- she just likes to chase them around and steal their toys, but I just love seeing her enjoy them so much. It reminds me of when I was young and hung out with my cousins so much! I love you family!!

Last Year!!!

This Year!!!

 

We had so much fun!! Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

We love you!!

Back to Work

As I do every year about this time, I have returned to work. It is just wild to remember how small Eden was (just 6 weeks old) and compare that to who she is today. What a difference just one little year can make! Last weekend, I was given a box of my old Cabbage Patch Dolls from my mom and decided to take one out to see if Eden would like them. I’ll let you be the judge…..

 

 

In other news….. Daddy has learned the art of the ponytail!!!! David has always done a really good job picking out her clothes, but taming her wild mane has continued to be a struggle. “Hey- I put a bow in it!”  NOT ANYMORE!! I love how sweet he is with her… Daddy’s little Girl for SURE!

Summer with The Rods

I realize it has been quite some time since I have added any new posts to the blog and I could lie and say that I just haven't had any time to post anything or that I didn't have anything to report, but the truth is... I was just enjoying my time being a "stay at home mom" this summer so much that I didn't want to take the time out to write a blog post. Since I am now back to work and Eden is staying the night at Grandma's house (David and I are working and Grandma and Aunt Traci are night and daycare), I decided to take out my loneliness on my neglected blog.

Let's see.... what have we been up to this summer?? We started out with David graduating with his A.S. in Fire Science and celebrating his birthday. I graduated off my Homeroom students, and our dear friends welcomed Rylie Lynn into the world and into our hearts.

Eden is growing so fast and entertains us with all of her antics.... she can walk, climb things, torpedo launch herself across the room, and feed herself (although spoon feeding is a little on the messy side). She has made toys out of things we would never expect, played until she dropped, and even invented a new way to sit in her highchair- note the butterfly position of her legs.

 

We celebrated our first family Fourth of July together with my extended family (the Wood's were even able to join us this year).

Then, it was Birthday time!! First, we attended Katelyn's (Eden's Cousin's) Tinkerbell Birthday and then we threw our Cupcake themed birthday bash for Eden. Eden just LOVES other kids! She spent both of those days following wherever the other kids lead and then she enjoyed the best sleep of her life (and so did her parents). I have included some of the photos of the festivities for you to see. The green dress is from the Tinkerbell party (Aunt Michelle loaned us one of Katelyn's dresses) and the other photos are from Eden's party.

 

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Aside from that, David and I went to Palm Springs for a couple days and we also set up Eden’s pink pool in the backyard for her first time “swimming”. She had a blast splashing around!

 

I wish I could say that I am glad to be heading back to work, but…. I can’t say it! Summer was TOO SHORT! However, now that I am back to the grindstone and my head is back in the game (don’t you love mixed metaphors?) the blog should be updated again more regularly. So, hope you enjoyed your summer as much as we did and love to you all!

Who's the Mama?

People are always stopping me to tell me how cute Eden is and how they can't believe she has so much hair. The other thing that is often said is "Is she yours? Oh, she must look like her daddy!" I tell them that she actually looks like both of us and they usually give me a look like- "sure crazy, whatever you say". I agree that Eden has her Daddy's dark eyes and hair, but it always seemed to me that she was a blend between us both when it came to her facial features. My family says that she does things and makes faces that make her look "just like me" and David's family has said the same thing about him. But when it comes to people outside my family, the consensus seems to be a disbelief that I'm the Mama. So, I am posting a picture of Eden along with a picture of me when I was somewhere between 1 & 2 years old. Maybe this will help me plead my case.... or maybe I'm just proving them right and I am crazy.

Who needs Toys?

It has always amazed me that children can be presented with toys-galore and yet they seem to love playing with everyday objects even more than the toys.

Remember when cardboard boxes were "forts" and a sheet thrown over a table was a tent? Don't you just wish you still had that imagination?

"To retain the simple playfulness of childhood through one’s riper years is what opens a person up to the creative possibilities within a situation." - Denise Shekerjian

Being a Mom

Before I was a Mom,

I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,

I had complete control of my mind

and my thoughts.

I went to work all day without wondering about home.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held a screaming child so doctors could give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy

Before I was a Mom,

I didn't wake in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment

or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,

Before I was a Mom.

I love you my sweet girl!

Revlon Run/Walk May 8th!

This weekend was a whirlwind~ in a good way!! We got up bright and early Saturday morning, packed up the stroller and the family and headed to the L.A. Coliseum to take part in the Revlon Walk for Women's Cancers. You might wonder about our motivation to walk for Women's Cancers... (yes David had cancer, but with those biceps he is clearly not a woman)! The answer is that we were invited to be on a team with David's Plastic Surgeon- Dr. Cassileth's Office. Lisa Cassileth, Kristen, and all of the people in the office are ANGELS!

Dr. Cassileth and Kristen (her P.A.) worked tirelessly to try to help David save his leg; muscle flap surgeries, wound care, hernia repair and pretty much anything we have ever needed. I knew he was in good hands when he was in a surgery with her. She was so committed that she even performed an 8 hour muscle flap surgery when she was 8 months pregnant~ she's a ROCKSTAR! So, when we had a chance to do something with them and for such a great cause- we jumped at the opportunity.

We met at the starting line, were given our stylish team shirts (grateful for good taste) and had some time to chat while the runners took off. Then, we lined up our strollers with a gazillion (yes- I counted) other people and inched our way through the bottleneck that started the course. Two miles of "mommy/daddy talk" stroller pushing & an impressive hour and 20 minutes later (the sign is a little off, since we didn't start when the clock did) we made it to a check point and decided to stop to take our family photo. We stopped a fellow walker and asked him to take our picture. As you can see-it is quite possibly the worst picture our camera has ever taken- even after I "photo-chopped" it! Eden had hit her max, so we completed about another 1/2 mile (which is where I strategically parked the car), loaded up our tired soles (& souls) and went to grab some well-deserved refreshments. It was a wonderful day, spent with people we really care about, supporting a great cause, and another of what we hope to be many firsts for our family. We just hope we get a better picture next time :)

First Family Amusement Park

I was a little frightened about our first visit to an amusement park with Eden in tow. David offered to take me to Disneyland for my birthday, but I couldn't imagine trying to go with just the three of us and I didn't want to go without her. So, when my BFF Cheryl offered to take us to Sea World for Free (yes FREE)- it seemed like the perfect choice. She was there to show me the ropes, having taken her baby Cali to Disneyland numerous times before. We borrowed my Dad's car, loaded up two car-seats, two babies, two strollers, two Mom's, and two Dad's... it was like the Noah's Arc of roadtrips (if you don't count the bun in Cheryl's oven).

It was the first time the girls had ever seen Sea World and while I am sure they enjoyed seeing all the new things, I think we enjoyed seeing their reactions to them even more. It was a good thing I had Cheryl there to talk me off the ledge when the girls were playing in the foam baby playground with about 20 other kids. Being the mother of one (and one who is never around other children) my Germ-alert was off the charts. But seeing her laugh and roll around with the other kids was really fun (once Cheryl was able to pry my nails out of our bench). Here are some of my favorite pictures of the day.....

Happy Easter!?!

Easter has been a mixture of emotions. Friday after work we took our little doll down to Victoria Gardens to have her picture taken with the Easter Bunny for the very first time. We hustled to Mr. Bunny's makeshuft house and waited in line for about 20 minutes when one of the workers came out to inform us that Mr. Bunny was going on a dinner break and wouldn't be back for an hour. It was getting cold and Eden seemed to be teething like crazy (she was a little warm), so we opted to go to Ontario Mills instead of wait it out. We arrived just in time for Mr. Bunny #2 to go on his dinner break. Again! BUT- this Easter Bunny must woof down his carrots in a hurry because he only has a 15 minute dinner break. So we got a quesadilla and waited for our turn. As soon as they placed Eden on the Bunny's lap she began to pet his arm and looked up at me with a HUGE smile on her face. "Mama! This is the best stuffed animal EVER!" After a few clicks of the camera, we were on our way to the car- as pleased as we could be.

Then, as I put Eden in her car seat, she seemed to be a little warmer then she was before. By the time we got home her fever was well over 101 degrees. So, after calling the pediatrician and a night of fighting back the fever, we were off to Urgent Care early Saturday morning. Diagnosis: some sort of throat infection that will need antibiotics and Tylenol to control the fever. After another day and night of fevers, (thankfully) Eden greeted Easter Morning with a smile and a relatively low 100 degree temperature. We enjoyed some time with the "Moore/Wagoner" side of the family for lunch and then we all cozied up together to watch the Princess and the Frog and take a nap. Not exactly what I had pictured for her first Easter, but seeing her little smile this morning was all I could have asked for."Your smile makes my heart bounce."- Winnie the Pooh