And The Oscar Goes To...

Dear Diary,

So I watched the Academy Awards last night. For some reason these award shows have a hold on me and I just can't get enough of them. You'd think after watching every other award show this season and being pretty confident in who was going to walk away with the Oscar, I'd rather spend my evening doing something else, but nope, there I was, sitting in my PJ's, in bed, with my giant ice water and bag of peanut butter M&M's. And even though James Franco and Anne Hathaway did a lousy hosting job and there were hardly any upsets, I did enjoy myself. Maybe it was the peace and quite or the entire bed to myself for a couple hours that did the trick, but either way, I had a pretty good evening.

Lets be honest, I didn't really care who won for Best Visual Effects or Best Documentary, all I really tuned in for was the dresses. And if you care: Mila Kunis got my vote for best dressed, Sandra Bullock was by far the most entertaining presenter, and Michelle Williams made me wish I could pull off that short hair and flawless, simple makeup!

After spending my evening judging everyone else, I am extremely thankful that no one was watching in their bed at home and doing the same to me. I would certainly be on the worst dressed list. Especially after they notice that not only do I choose sweats and Garrett's KU Fleece as my "go-to" outfit, but that I am a repeat offender. Addalyn would definitely win Best Lead Actress with all of her shenanigans and Garrett would walk away with Best Supporting Actor for his role as the fuel to Addy's fire. It's safe to say he is just "slightly" wrapped around her little finger. Toy Story would win Best Animated Feature Film as it NEVER leaves the DVD player and if Best Animated TV Series was a category, nothing would stand a chance against Sid the Science Kid. Best Foreign Language Film would go to Addy's everyday dialect while Best Sound Editing would go to me as I spend my day deciphering the "words" coming out of her mouth while teaching her new ones (My current favorite: "Please," which sounds more like "Peas" making it so much cuter). Best Original Song is Garrett's award for sure because no one can come up with more wrong lyrics to a song than that guy. And finally... the Best Picture goes to... Alright, lets be honest, not us! The Forsythe's are far to boring, but we would jump on the train like everyone else and say, "Wow, we are so thankful to just be nominated."

Alright, time to quit living in the celebrity world and get back to the world of chores and errand running. Just think what it would be like to be a celebrity and have a housekeeper taking care of the laundry, a personal assistant doing all the grocery shopping and a nanny taking care of the children... Eh, who needs em'? =)

Sincerely Yours,

4 Weeks, 5 Reasons

Dear Diary,

Well we are 4 weeks away from the big baby day! Things could always happen sooner I suppose, but I am not counting on it. By this point, I would think, most women are ready to be DONE. I remember getting the question a lot when I was pregnant with Addy, "Aren't you scared about labor?" And while sure, I was a little nervous about how things would go, I was to the point where I didn't care how long it took, how much pain I was in, or how they had to do it, I just WANTED THIS BABY OUT OF ME!! Some women love pregnancy. They claim they love their body, that they've never felt better, and that it was a special bonding time. While I agree there's nothing much cooler than being the home of a growing baby, I am NOT one of those "happy to be pregnant" women. And while this pregnancy has been MUCH better than my last, I still can't say I thoroughly enjoy the experience.

As I am getting down to the last few weeks of carrying my little girl, I am starting to look forward to all those "non-pregnant" things. In my typical fashion, I have come up with a list of the top 5 things I am anxiously awaiting post pregnancy.

1. Being Prenatal Vitamin Free

Ugh, prenatal vitamins. I have never been a good pill-swallower. I have learned to handle ibuprofen and Tylenol due to my headache problems, but even those small pills take me a good few minutes to get down. It's embarrassing and hard for the rest of you to understand I am sure. As Garrett always says, "What's so hard about it? Just swallow it!" Well yes hunny, thanks for your words of wisdom, but if I could, then I would. So, when I got told I needed to take prenatal vitamins every day that are the size of a skyscraper, I wasn't looking forward to it. How do I handle it? Well, it takes a lot of pudding. I chew my vitamins and chase the nasty taste down with chocolate pudding. Imagine doing this EVERY day. Let's just say if I don't see another cup of pudding after this pregnancy, I'll be happy.

2. Doing The Little Things

I cannot wait to be able to put on pants and not be tired afterwards. Or to not take 5 minutes to roll from one side to the other in bed. I can't even remember what it felt like to just hop off the couch, or easily stand up after sitting on the floor. I can't wait to tie my shoes, clip my toenails and shave my legs without having to maneuver around this gigantic belly in my way. I am excited for Addy to be able to climb all over me without having to worry about her hurting something and for her to be able to sit in my lap and snuggle much closer than she can now. I can't wait to be able squeeze through narrow places by turning sideways (I still find myself turning sideways now to shuffle past something even though sideways is clearly not my "smaller" angle). And finally, and probably my current least favorite pregnancy issue, I CANNOT wait to make less pee trips to the bathroom. I have more important things to be doing and being interrupted about 20 times a day (literally) is getting extremely annoying.

3. Coffee

Not much explanation needed here. When you are pregnant you are limited on your caffeine intake and for someone who typically drinks coffee every morning, this is a huge sacrifice. I can't wait to fill up that pot and drink away as soon as I wake up! And believe me, I'll probably need all the coffee I can get with an 18 month old and a newborn on my hands.






4. Getting In Shape

I don't know what I am looking forward to more, meeting my baby girl, OR getting some kind of a body back. Okay, yes, I am exaggerating, of course I am more excited to meet my baby, BUT getting back in shape is a high second place. I never fully got back in shape after Addy was born, which I guess was fine because I was pregnant again not long after. So I can officially say that I am tired of being fat, unhealthy, and out of shape. And believe me, I realize I will never look like I used to, but I can at least try to get in the general area. It's going to take awhile and it probably wont be fun, but it needs to happen, and I am honestly looking forward to it.

5. Clothes That Fit

I am ready for pants that stay up and for shirts that stay down. Period.










I won't bore you with another list of the things I am dreading post pregnancy, but let's just say I am not looking forward to pain meds, the hum of my breast pump, sleepless nights, bottle washing, and getting back into a monotonous, all day long schedule of a newborn.

It goes without saying that having a healthy, beautiful little girl makes all of these things worth it. After all, I wouldn't be doing it again if I didn't believe that. So, while I bear through another four weeks of pregnancy, I will remember that seeing her for the first time, watching Garrett fall in love again, bringing her home from the hospital, observing Addalyn interact with her baby sister, and sharing life with my new little family will make these 4 weeks completely do-able!

Sincerely Yours,

Major in Life with an Emphasis in Motherhood

Dear Diary,

On days like today, when the weather is warmer, the wind is blowing, and the sun is shining, I picture myself walking across campus, ready to turn in a freshly typed paper.

I am sure to most people, college memories include dorm room fun, football games, sorority or frat shenanigans and bar nights. Well I didn’t live in a dorm, I was hardly ever in the bleachers at the football games, I couldn’t even name you the sororities or frats at my college and while I did spend time here and there in the bars, it was definitely not my home-away-from-home.

What do I remember about college? I remember loving to pick out my classes and organizing my schedule. I remember how I loved to get a paper completed and I loved even more the days we got them back with notes from the teacher on top. I remember coffee and muffins in the mornings. I remember the first day of a new semester. I remember finding a good spot in the library. I remember baseball games, baseball parties and baseball functions. I remember kickboxing and some of the regulars who took my class religiously. I remember living with roommates and living on my own. I remember my creative writing classes, and while they were only taken for credit hours, they meant the most to me. I remember sitting in the same seats, parking in the same spots and taking my major courses with the same, familiar faces. I remember fun with good friends. I remember presentations, final papers and portfolios. And I remember graduation day.

And while I remember feeling relieved that I would never have to write another paper, take another test or prepare for another presentation ever again, I think this is what I miss most about college. Crazy? Maybe. Nerdy? Most definitely.

I loved finishing something and finishing it well. And I loved getting good feedback even more. I picked a major that didn’t involve a lot of test taking, but rather A LOT of paper writing, speech preparation and presentation building. I think I loved having something to show for my hard work. And even now, 3 years later, I still like looking at my work, which makes it hard to throw any of it away (And believe me, Garrett has tried).

Maybe this is why I like writing this blog. Not only do I like sharing my everyday stories, but I LOVE getting the feedback even more. I love spending time on something, and finishing it just right. I love having something to show for my work and I love, love, LOVE spending a few minutes every week writing.

SO, thanks for listening. Thanks for the feedback. And thanks for giving me that “college” feeling every now and again. The nerd in me appreciates it! =)

Sincerely Yours,

The Little Shop of Awesome

Dear Diary,

To most, Valentines Day means a day, night, or weekend with the person you love. It's all about the best gift, the delicious dinner, and the perfect romantic story to tell your friends.

But, for the past few years, Valentines Day has not meant any of that to me. It has meant hard work, long hours, LOTS of flowers, and time spent with women I love! Agreeing to take a part time job at the Flower Shop was one of the best things I ever did. Not only did I acquire the perfect college job, a new talent I didn't know I had, and a home away from home, BUT I gained mentors, second mothers, and true friends for life.

It all started with an offer to take a delivery job for a family friend, MELISSA. In the beginning it was only her, another designer and me, working together to run the shop the best way we knew how. If I remember correctly, my first day on the job was hardly ideal as I had gotten off route, had to make a delivery out of town and I am PRETTY sure at my last stop, I opened up the back end of the car and broke at least 2 vase arrangements. Don't worry, my second day was much better, and before long delivery became a piece of cake compared to the new skills Melissa was teaching me in the shop. I got to learn design from THE BEST, and I mean that. Melissa started me off with bow making and bud vases and before long I was working on easels and casket pieces. I had a true love for it, and in trying to keep up with the amazing designs of my boss, I only got better and better.

The shop was soon blessed with the usually late, always fun, and wonderfully talented BRENDA. She was also a part-timer like me, designing and helping out where she could. She fit in right away and I think Melissa and I can both say the days were always better when Brenda was in. I officially had two "second-moms" that I could talk to about anything, and believe me, I did. Work not only became the place where I earned my income, but a place where I could relax, get things off my chest and ask for advice about anything and everything in my life.

Then came my true MOTHER, who I think decided since she was spending so much time at the shop anyhow, she my as well get paid for it =) I'll be honest and say that I was a little nervous when Mom said she was going to start working for Melissa full time. How would I like working with my Mother everyday? Well I will tell you, it was fantastic! She was my Mother, sure, but she was also a friend. And I must say the dynamic in the shop got that much better as we were all having more fun than anyone should be allowed at work!

THEN came the move, and with the move came the new Little Shop of Flowers, and with The Little Shop of Flowers came some employee fires and some employee hires, and with the employee hires came another perfect fit, KRISTIN! They say things happen for a reason and Kristin joining THE FLOWER SHOP GIRLS was definitely meant to be. She fit in to our little group perfectly, and it helped that her designs were great too!

Many people have come and gone over the years, including many family members. I think all the Cedeno and Boler kids have made, and our continuing to make, their mark. Every one's husbands have been assigned duties here and there, including Garrett who delivered part time during baseball season =) And while the core of THE FLOWER SHOP GIRLS aren't related in the slightest, we are all family. The crazy stories are abundant, the good times are countless, the talent is incredible, and the friendships are everlasting.

I was truly bummed that for the first time in a long time I wasn't going to be spending my Valentines Day working my butt off in the Flower Shop. Due to doctors orders I wasn't allowed to travel to one of my favorite places in the entire world and work alongside some of my best friends. That didn't stop them from sending a little Valentines Day humor my way though. No one but THE FLOWER SHOP GIRLS will understand, but when I received the dozen mixed carnation vase arrangement on Friday, it made me laugh and miss you guys even more!

SO, while you are all exhausted and don't think you can look at another order, remember that if you weren't there, you would be at home like me, wishing you were! And while Pittsburg is missing out on some great designs by YOURS TRULY, I have no doubt that everything will be just as beautiful and perfect as it always is. You guys are awesome, ALL of you! And to all the past and present Little Shop of Flowers employees -

Once A Flower Shop Girl, Always A Flower Shop Girl!

LOVE YOU!

Sincerely Yours,

I Dont Give Hugs For Free!

Dear Diary,

As Valentines Day approaches, I thought I'd write about something related to the topic:

AFFECTION

If you know me well, you know I am not a touchy-feely kind of person. Simply put: I don't give out hugs for free. If you aren't a family member or very close friend, you probably aren't going to get a hug from me.

My reason? Well, I don't really have a good one. I don't really have one at all. For as long as I can remember I have avoided being emotional. I was NOT the girl that cried during movies. I remained DISTANT from anything that could potentially spark an emotion. And even though I loved the idea of having a family someday, I NEVER felt the need to hold a newborn baby. In fact, I recall comparing holding a newborn baby to holding a brick. I didn't understand the fascination. "Why do I need to hold it? I can see it from here!"

And please don't get the wrong impression. I wouldn't say my heart was made of stone, although I was told that once when I admitted I didn't shed a tear during the movie "The Notebook," but I would say that my softer side has taken years to present itself.

I remember how often people would talk about the emotional roller coaster of being pregnant. And I will be 100% honest to tell you that THIS was what I was most worried about above everything else. Morning sickness? Sure, I'll take it! Being in labor for a few hours? Bring it on! Recovering and taking care of a newborn baby? Easy, Smeasy! Crying in public for no apparent reason? NO THANKS!

I embarrassed myself more than once during my pregnancy with Addy. And while I tried my hardest to control myself, my efforts were to no avail. Three stories come to mind: The first was the day I woke up to no morning sickness. After throwing up everyday for 4 or 5 months, I was under the impression that it was finally over. I should have known better than to get my hopes up because before I left the house for work that morning, I threw up not once, but twice. I cried the entire way to work, mostly feeling sorry for myself, but I gathered my emotions and walked in with my head held high! That is, until someone made the mistake of asking me how I was doing. Well the waterworks started and couldn't be stopped. I wasn't even able to see my first patient because I couldn't stop crying long enough. And all I really remember doing was apologizing to my coworkers because this was just "not like me at all."

The second story involves a meltdown with my sister over a decision to not go shopping. Apparently her disappointment in my decisiveness to just stay home really hit a sore spot and I spent the rest of the morning upset, crying and mad for reasons I am still not completely aware of.

THEN there's the day I decided to watch "Marley and Me." NEVER have I cried during a movie and I certainly didn't think a movie about a dog was going to be the one to do it. I tried to hide my face from Garrett but there was no concealing the tears streaming down my face.

So needless to say, with pregnancy came the rush of my emotions and with the birth of my first child, came the embrace of them. I am no longer embarrassed to show my softer side. I was HAPPY to shed a few tears when my baby laughed for the first time. I ENJOY the rush of feelings I get when I think how blessed we are. And there is nothing I LOVE more than when she wraps her arms around my neck, lays her head on my shoulder and squeezes as hard as she can, for there is nothing greater than a hug from my little lady.

So, as my life has unfolded, I have welcomed my emotions more than ever before. Do I now like to cry in front of others? NO. Do I enjoy tearing up during a silly movie? NEVER. Do I feel the need to hug people just for the satisfaction of a hug? DEFINITELY NOT. But, at least I know now that if I do, there is nothing to be embarrassed about! And I have certainly learned that holding a newborn baby is not at all like holding a brick =) I will ALWAYS give those hugs for free!!

Sincerely Yours,



The Super Bowl was on?

Dear Diary,

The Super Bowl was on last night?

It's no secret that the Forsythe's are baseball people. You won't walk in us watching a football game and we definitely aren't die-hard chiefs fans like everyone else we know. So what do we do when the Super Bowl is on? We have a DATE NIGHT! It started last year. We decided to go out to eat during the game and, after seeing we were maybe 1 of 3 tables in the entire restaurant, we decided this would be the perfect night to go out to eat every year. We would pick a place that is normally busy and get seated right away and have excellent service because everyone else in the world is at home eating pizza and glued to their television sets.

Last night was no exception. Not only did we want to enjoy a nice dinner out, but we just wanted to get out of the house. With Addy not feeling well the past few days, we were all ready to do something other than watch cartoons and play with something we've already played with a million times. She had a good day yesterday so we bundled her up and had a family DATE NIGHT!

It's nights like these when I realize how good I really have it. I admit I have probably been a little bitter lately over the fact that my little lady hasn't felt well and instead of having fun all day and sleeping good at night, we have been pushing through the mopey moments and breathing treatments and getting very little sleep at night. But, as I was sitting at dinner with the guy I love and the little girl who I don't think even stopped smiling to eat her food, I realized that moments like these make up for all the bad moments combined. The little girl at the table next to us may have had a lot to do with making Addalyn so happy, but I will pretend she was just soaking in the wonderful moment with her parents who she loves dearly. =)

We got home in just enough time to catch the halftime show, which I have to say wasn't worth watching. Someone needs to tell Fergie that lip syncing might be a better route for her. Then I heard Christina Aguilera messed up the words to the National Anthem? Yikes, not a good entertainment year. I do admit we did watch some of the second half. For anyone who cared, it probably was a rather exciting game.

So here's to next year! While football fans are already discussing who will make it to Super Bowl 2012, we will be planning another DATE NIGHT! 

Sincerely Yours,

Snow Discoveries

Dear Diary,

Three snow related discoveries:

1. I have "snow days" everyday.
2. There is a snow ghost in our yard.
3. Snow brought us sickness.

Snow Days:

So here's the common Facebook status updates that I have been seeing over the past few days:

First: "Blizzard coming, hope we get a snow day tomorrow!"
Second: "This snow is crazy! Stuck inside and being lazy all day!"
Third: "Snow day again tomorrow, ALL RIGHT!"
Fourth: "Sick of being stuck inside, Soooo bored."
Fifth: "Well another snow day tomorrow..."
Sixth: "OMG, I cant be stuck inside any longer!"

etc, etc... You get the idea.

I love how everyone went from LOVING the snow days, to being so bored and tired of being indoors that they can't take it anymore! I think it's pretty safe to say I have a "snow day" most everyday. 3 out of 5 weekdays I literally don't leave my house. The other two days a week, my only outings are to places like the grocery store, the bank, or Kohl's. It's safe to say that I look forward to the weekends for a little more exciting ventures. All those "snow days" are never boring though. Keeping track of two toddlers 3 days a week keeps me on my toes, and keeping my own child out of trouble the other 2 days isn't an easy task. And of course the "housewife" duties keep me plenty busy on the side. Staying home isn't for everybody, and I can definitely understand why a lot of people prefer to not do it, but for me, it's exactly the kind of job I want!

Snow Ghost:

We had a snow storm a few weeks ago that left us with about 6 inches of snow. A day or two later, as I was getting Addy's lunch ready, I looked into our back yard to see what appeared to be footprints in the snow. Knowing Garrett nor I had been back there since it had snowed, I started some investigating and discovered the footprints started in the front yard, came through the gate and ended somewhere by the deck, never reaching the back door. Freaky? Kinda. But what was even weirder was that the footprints in the front yard started by the driveway, went straight into a tree in our front yard, and continued on the OTHER side of the tree. As if the person just walked right through the tree!

So today, I look in the backyard for one reason or another and I see what appears to be MORE footprints. Again, they don't come up to the backdoor. Instead, they end about 5 feet from the door by our grill. And guess where they begin? On our side of the fence that separates our yard from our backdoor neighbor. As if someone just walked right through the fence into our yard!

Now this may sound silly, and who knows, they may not be footprints at all, but for a true "ghost lover" like myself, I am loving pretending it could be! =)

Snow Sickness:

Well Addy started this week off with a small little cough and runny nose. That cough has gradually gotten worse, and by this morning she sounded like a 90 year old woman who has smoked most her life. So we thought a trip to the DR may be a good idea. 45 minutes and one not-so-fun breathing treatment later, we leave the DR with an entire sheet on RSV, or Bronchiolitis. More or less, Addy has a wheezing cough that is often accompanied by a running nose and fever, although we have yet to have a fever thank goodness. The good news, we are on the worst day so hopefully the cough only gets better from here. The bad news, it can least as long as 6 weeks!! Ugh, poor kid. She's handled it like a champ though. Despite a few mopey moments and being sick of getting her nose wiped, she's been her normal self. Let's just hope the DR is right and the worst is almost behind us!

Sincerly Yours,