The patio is done... and I have the blisters to prove it!

AHHH... the patio is done!!
• stone for patio (check!)
• table and chair set complete with a huge umbrella (check!)
• chiminea (check!)
• tiki torches to keep the skeeters away (check!)
• grill (check!)
• an alcoholic beverage garnished with an umbrella in my hand (let's not push it!)

We still have some more work to do... Dan is building me a flower bed as we speak and the sod is getting delivered on Tues but it is getting closer to BBQ ready!! YAY!!

One highlight from the above process:
Matt (the very talented, jack of all trades carpenter/mason) measured the future patio to be 40' x 47' (which was an over estimate, but not by all that much). The day we went to go order the stone, Dan couldn't get in touch with Matt so he over estimated, giving Meier Stone the measurements of 50' x 50'. Well after all is said and done, of the 22 pallets ordered and delivered... we had 13 left over. That's right, 13! What are we going to do with 13 pallets?!?!?!?!?! O and did I mention there are signs all over the store in large bold letters 'NO RETURNS. All SALES ARE FINAL'. O boy! I figured I would give them a call, using my maiden name because my cousin's office is right above them and he has a great working relationship with them. After selling my soul and offering up my first born, he said he would come pick them up and just charge a restocking fee!! THANK GOODNESS!! He thought it was hilarious that we (ah-hem Dan) made this blunder... saying I quote "Ya know, 30 years I have owned this company... and in those 30 years NO ONE has over ordered this much!" haha Leave it to my hubs! The owner is a great guy! We had a few laughs (at Dan's expense) and he came and picked them up, freeing up oodles of space :) Did I mention Dan had to go there today to get some other stone to make my flower bed?? hehehe

I am out of the running for the Mother of the Year award for 2010

I took Charlie to see Dr. Chi yesterday for her 9 month check up (a little early) and the poor baby has an ear infection in her right ear! I took her about a month ago because she was pulling on her ears, but they were clear... this time there was NO pulling, but an infection, go figure! Clearly, I have no idea how to read this kid... Dr. Chi said when babies under 1 year old get an ear infection it is due to either environment (daycare, etc) or genetics... in this case it is the latter... THANK YOU DADDY! Dan had such bad ear infections as a baby he had to get tubes :( I hope this is a one time only event, but according to Dr. Chi (a wealth of statistics) 90% of babies under 12 months that get ear infections will get another in the next 3 months... YIKES! In the meantime, Charlie is on Augmentin 2x a day and must take a probiotic 3 times a day (the same probiotic I took 1 x a day when I had thrush). I feel so bad for her, but she is a little trouper! You would never know her inner ear looks like a 'dunkin donut's bagel' (Dr. Chi's words!!) O and today my good friend Kristen is watching Charlie to help out because my mom is out of town... Kristen is almost 8 months preggers!! Of all the days for Charlie to be sick (and most likely miserable)!!! btw, it is supposed to be 88 degrees today and we have no A/C! Kristen may die!

O and side note... charlie is a bobble head! She was in the 10th percentile for weight, 75% for height and 95% for the size of her head!! haha That is one big brain in there :)

Jolly jumper 2

She means business people...

Jollyjumper1.MP4

Charlie loves her Jolly jumper!!!

Dadadada.MP4

Uploading this video has been the bane of my existence!!

lets try this again!!

Dadadadadada

Charlie has said her first word... DADA! If she only know how much further MAMA would take her!! Really, the only possible explanation as to why she said da-da first is because she thinks I'M dada!! haha



Check out my babbling babe! (For some reason it won't upload after I rotated it.. so hopefully u won't get a crick in your neck!!!)

It's Official... I'm a Slacker!!!

Ok, I know it has been WAY too long since I've updated, but in my defense I NEVER have time!! As it is, I am posting this while I'm at work (hehe)! All is well at the Russell household :) Charlie is growing like a little weed! (I'll post some pics later... I don't have any on my work comp!) She is quite the little actress these days! We took her to the doctor on monday because I was SURE there had to be something wrong with her... she was screaming at the top of her lungs, throwing tantrums while throwing herself on the floor! Well, Dr. Chi said she is perfect :) (I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!! <insert gag>) She is, however, teething something fierce! SIX, I repeat, SIX teeth are coming in at once! Poor little girl! And although I'm sure Tylenol would help her a little bit, given the recent recalls, she is going to have to tough it out! I know, I'm a mean mom.. yet Dan says I'm raising a wuss... so I just can't win! Since my last post, we starting giving Charlie some 'solid' food. I still don't know why its considered solid food because it's all pureed... I make it all myself, nothing but the best for my girl! So far she has had rice cereal, oatmeal, apples, pears, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, prunes and peas. The only one she still doesn't like is peas. So although it was a rocky start, she is doing much better with eating :) She still is not crawling, and has no signs of beginning anytime soon! My little lazy lady! She hates being on her belly, so when we put her on it, she just rolls over and laughs! Dr. Chi said most babies crawl between 8-9 months, so we haven't missed the 'average' mark yet! BUT he did say 15% of babies don't crawl at all... yes, I know, he is a wealth of stats! Now you are up to date! I will try to post more regularly!!