And, we're back...(plus something extra)

Goodbye sick baby visits to the doctor. And, good riddance to fevers and colds.





Gillian Grace and I are finally feeling better and life around here is slowly returning to normal, whatever that is.

After a week spent resting and accomplishing little {except kicking our colds to the curb}, we headed over Saturday for a little poolside relaxation at my parents'. This was GG's first time in the pool since last September. As expected, she had a ball! Watching her smile as she splashed around made it hard to believe that this was the same baby girl that was so miserable from her first cold just a few days before. After not being able to do much to comfort my ill and suffering little munchkin, it made everyone's day {especially mine} to see her in such good spirits once again. What a difference a week makes!





Not only am I ecstatic to have everyone in our family healthy once again, but I'm thrilled to announce {wait for it...wait for it...}, my first giveaway. Webbisodes' first-ever giveaway features Mimi's Babies and begins today.

Scroll down to the next post {or click here} for more information about this fabulous giveaway.

And thank you, Francis@ The Fick Family Blog and Jennifer@ Life with the Lebedas, for passing along the Gorgeous Blogger award.

Giveaway

In the upcoming days and weeks, I'll be working on some changes around here. Though most of the changes will be cosmetic, a little nip here and a tuck there, some of the changes will be content related.

One of the changes has to do with today's giveaway. Since this is a family blog I wanted to create a separate location for posting all the information pertaining to Giveaways/Reviews, which why you'll now see a new tab {of the same name} on my menu bar.

Please be patient with me. As is with most improvements, there's bound to be a few hiccups and missteps.

Now, for the reason you're still reading...the Mimi's Babies Giveaway! Click here for all the important giveaway information.

And, don't forget to leave your comments {a separate comment for each entry} here on this post to qualify to win.

I demand a do-over!

When something doesn't turn out quite the way you planned, what do you do? Well, just ask the Federal Government {think Florida and the Presidential election of 2000} and they'll tell you, "You ask for a redo, of course!"

When you were six and the ball you just touched landed with a splat on the line of the four square box, did you give up and throw in the towel when the kid waiting to take your place shouted, "You're out!"? Heck no, you called for a redo!

And, after discovering that out of the 2oo some odd pictures your husband just took of the family there isn't a single flattering picture of you, do you just shrug it off, delete the pictures, and tell your husband thanks anyway? No, you demand that he channel his inner Ansel Adams and get busy capturing a shot that makes you everyone look good!

So when our Mother's Day didn't exactly measure up to the Norman Rockwell image I'd created in my head, there was little left for me to do other than to call for a do-over! With Gillian Grace giving my mother and me the most unexpected of gifts, a cold, it was hard to really appreciate and enjoy the day. Unfortunately, with all of us girls feeling so under the weather, I don't even have one picture to share {which if you know me would be like Donald Trump saying he didn't have a dollar}. And obviously, that is just not acceptable! So next weekend {provided the weather is good} we will celebrate together and snap a few pictures to commemorate the holiday. But hopefully this time we'll have less sneezes, tissues, and germs joining us in the festivities.

Since we weren't able to get any pictures yesterday, here's one of mom and me from Mother's Day last year. Please be kind, I was 7 1/2 months pregnant and as big as a house!

Between helping Gillian Grace beat this cold and getting better myself, I've got my hands full. So, I'll be taking a brief break from posting for a few days. But when I return, I'll have a surprise for everyone. And though it's nothing terribly Earth shattering, it is a first for Webbisodes nonetheless.

So you've read about mine, now I want to hear about yours. How was your Mother's Day?

Have a blessed week, y'all!

Happy Mother's Day

I've always known that I was loved, but it wasn't until I became a parent myself that I fully understood the depth of love that a mother has for her child.

Mom, seeing you with Gillian Grace reminds me just how lucky I am to be your daughter. My love and appreciation for you continues to grow each day.

Happy Mother's Day, and thank you for making all the little things mean so much.

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ~Robert Brault

Wishing you all the best this Mother's Day!

Happy Birthday, Bret!

31 years ago today, the Labor and Delivery nurses let out a collective gasp as the doctor welcomed you into the world...all 10 lbs. 11 oz. of you!

And through the years you grew...

And, grew...



And, grew.

You are a son...

A brother...

A husband...



A father...



And, a friend.



You've loved with all your heart, but have now come to know what it means to love unconditionally and unceasingly.



Your accomplishments are many, and your flaws are few. You are deserving of much, but ask for nothing. And even though it is your birthday today, every day we spend with you is a gift. Before I even had to ask, God answered my prayers by bringing you into my life.

Happy Birthday, Bret! We love you!

3 Fs Friday (Flashback and Five Question Friday)

Flashback Friday

Bret (First Birthday, 1980)

Too pooped to participate! Poor little fella, who knew turning one could be such hard work?!

Five Question Friday {Hosted by Mama M. at My Little Life}

1. What is your worst memory of your siblings?

I am an only child.


2. What was your naughtiest childhood memory? (Must be something you did, no pawning it off on someone else!)

Since my mom was a teacher at my elementary school, I spent many afternoons hanging out in her classroom. For days I remember eying this mechanical pencil in one of her student's desks. Now there wasn't anything extra special about this particular pencil. It didn't talk, light up, or solve a math problem, but for some unexplainable reason, I just had to have it. After days of resisting temptation, I finally gave in and took the pencil. Once it was mine, the red and gray Pentel pencil didn't seem so great. Funny how that happens! I was so racked with guilt, from my brief walk on the wild side that it didn't take long before I was spilling the beans to my mom. And as any good mom would, she punished me.

But here comes the ingenious part of her plan. Mom didn't ground me, banish me to my room for weeks, or even take away my privileges. Instead she made me return the pencil to its rightful owner and apologize in person. For some this might not seem like a big deal, but I looked up to those second graders in a way only a kindergartner could. Not only did I have to apologize to this boy {who's name I still remember}, but I had to see him at school everyday until he went to middle school. Looking back, I doubt if Dan even realized that his pencil was missing, and I'm fairly certain that he forgot about the entire incident moments after my apology. But funny thing is, it stuck with me.

Now I'm not Catholic, but that sure felt like a confession to me.


3. Where do you like to go to relax?

The place where the laundry magically washes and irons itself. The place where dinner is always prepared without me having to step foot inside a kitchen. And the only place where I can fall asleep on the couch confident that someone will be there to pick up the slack when I let my responsibilities slip...

Home...Well, not my home, but my parents'.


4. What was the last thing you won?

As embarrassed as I am to admit that I occasionally play the Lotto, I did win three bucks in the Powerball Jackpot a few weeks ago. Okay, so the jackpot was 282 million and I didn't so much win three dollars as I did break even. Details...details...


5. If you could be on a game show, which would you choose?

I have two favorite game shows that I watch regularly, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. And even though I've been known to kick a little Trebek booty during Teen Week, I'm fairly certain I'd never come close to passing the knowledge test required of all Jeopardy contestants my age. So that leaves me with, Wheel...Of...Fortune! I used to watch Wheel at my grandmother's and have just recently begun tuning in again while Gillian Grace takes her evening bottle. {She likes the clickety-clack of the wheel.} Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm fairly good! {Toot toot!}

Plus, I'd really like to see if Pat and Vanna's heads are as big in person as they appear on tv.


For more 5 Question Friday fun, head over to Mama M.'s.

Enjoy your weekend!

Bare Essentials

It all started innocently enough...



A grosgrain ribbon shoulder strap accidentally becomes untied during naptime.

Then one day you walk in on your daughter only to discover...



You're raising a full-blown nudist!



Yes friends, Gillian Grace has yet another nickname...



The Streak!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Does anyone else hear a mariachi band?

Olé!

Do you like my sombrero?

Adios, y'all!

I'm ready for a siesta!

Oops, I did it again...

The truth is God blessed us with a very content baby. Gillian Grace just doesn't fuss unless she's hurt or just not feeling up to par. So the other day when GG was acting a bit out of sorts, I began immediately running through my checklist of things that could possibly be troubling my tiny tot.

Teething? I gave her a few Hyland's Teething tablets.

Dirty diaper? Nope, a quick sniff ruled that out.

Thirsty? Nothing a cup of juice water wouldn't fix.

Hungry? Let's try a few Gerber puffs for a snack.

Tired? Nah, couldn't be! She just got up from her morning nap.


Finally I settled on the conclusion that it must just be one of those days.


So imagine my surprise {and guilt} when I discovered a little something extra in GG's onesie during a diaper change later that afternoon.



Since her post-nap diaper change, GG had been toting around a tube of tushie paste in her onesie. And we're not talking about a teeny travel size, but a huge full-size practically new tube of Desitin that spent the afternoon poking and prodding Gillian's sides and tummy while on a joy ride through her romper. Now I'm no Sherlock Holmes, and I've certainly never spent the afternoon with a tube of anything floating around in my underroos, but I was pretty sure I'd found the reason behind GG's irritability. I felt terribly for being the cause of her discomfort, but felt worse knowing that this was not the first time my sweet baby girl had spent an afternoon smuggling contraband in her britches no thanks to me.

Does mommy brain have a statue of limitations? I could really use a good excuse for my stupidity right about now.