Guest Post: Babies vs. Dogs

Happy Monday guys and gals...are there are any men folk reading this?  Nikki from Que Sera Sera here guest posting for Annahita and I want to talk about babies and dogs.  Or Twilight and Hunger Games...take your pick.  Okay okay babies and dogs.

Up until Annahita's big news we've had very similar lives.  We both have big rolly polly dogs that are pretty much our children.  I realize that people with actual children don't care for this comparison, but since I don't know what it's like (aside from babysitting) to have an actual baby, this is all I have to compare your trial and tribs to.  Plus...there are a lot of similarities between babies and dogs you can't deny (oh now you're really mad aren't you ;)

1.  They poop all the time

2.  They whine at you when they want something (using your freakin words!)

3.  They require toys, naps and constant attention

4.  They never clean up after themselves

5.  They want to sleep with you and they dig their toes into your back

6.  You can never have nice things

7.  You just wish it would stop raining so they can go play outside

8.  They act up when you have guests

9.  You worry about them when you're apart

10.  Sometimes you wish you'd never had them...but you can't imagine life without them



639-+     <===   That right there was my dog Issy...see I can't even find time to blog without interruption.

So Annahita, I hope you'll remember your first baby when this human one comes, and go easy on those of us who can't relate 100% ;)

Do you guys watch The Office?  I loved this clip...so funny.  We're all so judgy, we can't help it.

knock, knock...

that's right friends... 

so exhausted and my big baby....

today is one of those days where I am just utterly and overly exhausted. I'm so thankful that it's Thursday because that means Friday is just around the corner AKA the weekend. I'm so ready for it, so so so so so ready. This week hasn't been overly challenging or stressful, I'm just beat. I'm ready for some R&R [with a 10K thrown in there]. 

I did feel good about myself this morning, did my good deed of the day and helped an old man on the train. Don't you just love old men? Not like that, just their sweetness and cuteness, reminding you of a grandpa... I didn't really know either of my grandfathers but I like to pretend they were like the grandfather in Parent Trap (don't you love him?).  

Anyways, off my tangent on old men... there isn't too much going on in my little world - just quality fall TV programming [there's so much, I don't know where to begin?!] and QT with the boys... speaking of the boys... let me stop rambling and talk about the big baby for a minute - no not DJ, Oliver...

Oliver is a big baby...
need proof? check this out... 

does your dog cry like this?

seriously. I have never heard anything like it before.

...is it wrong that it makes me laugh [and that I record it]?

did you think I was going to say I was exhausted because there is a big baby growing inside of me?
you're crazy.

fever rising....

love.

baby fever, hitting hard.

...still haven't changed a diaper but sure do love the snuggles. 

puppy love.

lots of baby talk going around, just needed to remind everyone [and myself] that I've got a sweet baby boy at home already...

  how can you not love that sweet [smushy] face?

Max's First Birthday Party!

our littlest nephew Max turned one last week, and we celebrated his birthday at a Dr. Seuss themed party this past Saturday... it was a great time with family and friends [and food]...


the little guy checking out some presents...

like father/like son [DJ's brother Mike and his son/our nephew Greg]...

yum, cupcakes...

decorations...

our beautiful grandma & beautiful mom.... [max's great-grandma & grandma]

birthday boy and his mommy opening presents...

Happy Birthday Max!

 oh babies, they're so cute - until they have a dirty diaper, then you're real excited to give them back...

happy birthday max!

thanks for letting us celebrate with you! 

happy birthday max!

our littlest nephew max turns one today - crazy to think it was a little under a year ago we met him for the first time...

he's definitely grown a tremendous amount over this past year and has a big place in his aunt hita and uncle danny's hearts...

so excited to celebrate our little max's birthday with the family on saturday!

go the f--k to sleep...

one of my friends needs to get knocked up so I can buy them Go the F--k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach...

seriously. amazing and genius.

even if you're without child and still want a laugh? 

download the audible copy of this book for free 

[it's narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, get ready].

hysterical.

warning, not for those that dislike profanity.

30 before 30 - the list is complete!

get excited.

the list is complete.

some exciting, some mundane, some cost $$, some are free... just a wide variety of things that I'd like to have "notched" off my belt by the time I turn the big 3-0. I'll keep the list here permanently for you to be able to check in on my progress as I go. There are a few things on the list I've already done [travel outside the country, skydiving] but I want to experience those WITH my Danny J - he just makes everything that much better.  

To be honest, I realized as I  made the list there are a lot of things that I'm really lucky to have accomplished at a young age that are on a lot of people's bucket lists [four continents, held a baby kangaroo, spent a month in Italy, snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef, spent time in Wine country, lived at the beach, been all over the country, and so on] and of course there are many other things that I would LOVE to have accomplished by the time I was 30, but let's be real - I'm not rich [humble state servant pleased to meet your acquaintance]. So, some of these adventures are definitely costly and I tried to keep those to a minimum.


let's just hope the "rapture" doesn't happen at 6pm tonight and I can actually work on this list for the next year and half!

well, anyways.

I know, you're on the edge of your seat...

so here it is...

Thirty before Thirty

1. Travel outside of the country with DJ

2. Make a quilt

3. Make a rainbow cake

4. Run a 5K

5. Run a 10K

6. Run a Half-Marathon

7. Take a cooking class

8. Bake a pie (from scratch)

9. Start working towards my pHd [or another degree]

10. Eat carb-free for two weeks [or longer if I can take it]

11. Sew something as a gift for someone else

12. See BNL in concert

13. Visit my father's grave in Iowa

14. Visit the Biltmore

15. Visit 101 places from the 1001 Places to See Before You Die book

16. Family Photo Shoot [DJ & Ollie]

17. Go Skydiving with DJ

18. Go to a professional baseball game

19. Go to a professional football game

20. Go to a college bowl game

21. Eat vegetarian for a month

22. Go on a honeymoon 

23. Go to Las Vegas 

24. Try 30 new recipes

25. Visit Harry Potter World at IOA

26. Visit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens

27. Visit the Coca Cola factory 

28. Visit Sweetwater Brewery 

29. Change a diaper

30. Take steps towards having a baby

I know, #30 is crazy, but don't get all excited - I don't turn 30 for almost two years and it states "take STEPS" not procreate. woof.

thoughts? 

what's on your list?

I've got a fever...

...and the only prescription is more cowbell

...puppies...

english bulldog puppies to be exact... I think Ollie needs a little friend. I was just reminiscing on how little and sweet he was [he's still the sweetest boy in the world, I just think he wants a friend].

here's our baby boy when we first got him -- don't you just want to SQUEEEEZE him so tight!?!

aah. 

so what does any desperate for puppy cuteness self-respecting adult do? 

turn to youtube.

where I found these adorable english bulldog puppy videos...

but wait...

what's cuter than puppies? babies.

what's cuter than babies? english bulldogs + babies.

maybe Ollie needs a different kinda friend.

nah, we'll stick to one little guy for now.

daily dose of husband cuteness....

there's something about watching my husband play with babies - he's just so good with kids that it almost makes want to have a baby with him... ALMOST.

I mean, yes, I want to have a baby with him - just not yet... give us a year or two! I will admit though, sometimes when I watch him I feel that proverbial kick in the gut (ovaries?) telling me to get a move on it... then the baby cries and my gut (ovaries) get all twisted and I get anxious and sweaty... ah! 

...one day we'll give Oliver a baby brother or sister - but for now, he plays very well on his own (such a good only child). Anyways, enough baby chatter... mom don't get your hopes up - you still have a good year or so before you get anything more than your "four legged grandchild" (yes, she calls him that). Enjoy your daily dose of husband (and nephew max) cuteness... look closely at the first few and you might get an extra chuckle (yes, we're very mature).

yup. he's a keeper, my sweet Danny J.....

they just keep growing...

remember this post... it was when danny and I went down to Georgia to visit family and meet our brand-new nephew Max... he was just a few weeks old. Well, we were lucky enough to spend the weekend in NYC with DJ's brother and his wife (Mat & Summer) and our two adorable nephews (Max and Noah)... it was crazy how much bigger Max has gotten - he's like a whole new baby... and don't get me started on Noah - he's smarter than me, no joke. They're such amazing little people. :)


July:

October:

isn't he amazing?

and because I know you love babies (from a far) just like me
here are some more cuuuuute pictures of our little nephews from this weekend:)

max, just being max... aka being adorable

noah, our little man.... 

I call this montage "why do Uncle Danny and Aunt Hita always smell like mouthwash?" yup, I'm classy... and clearly - still not ready to procreate!

I can't wait til December til we get to see these little guys again they're amazing (and of course our other niece and nephew who are equally amazing and cute) - we're the luckiest aunt and uncle out there!