I've Been Tagged!

Okay, Sharla, Kim & Rebekah tagged me . . . So here goes! Here is some life changing info about me . . .

The Rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. (**if you’re a non-blogger, you can email them!)
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

8 Random Facts or Habits about me:

1. I have a mega-addiction to dark chocolate. Dove makes my current favorite, but just about any dark chocolate will do. Yummy! I also have a huge sweet tooth, really anything will do. Other addictions include reading and Starbucks.

2. I am a NEAT-FREAK. Not to be mistaken for a clean freak, although the two are fairly related. Seriously. I am already planning to clean out my guest room bedroom/closet, planning for Ben's big boy room, and I'm no where near being pregnant. I think b/c I was so sick when I was pregnant with Ben, I have a fear of not being able to get things done the second time around. So I'm pre-nesting. But the neat-freak part of me exists whether I'm pregnant or not! Greg calls me "Monica Gellar".

3. I have at least a ten-minute ritual for teeth-brushing. Flossing, Listerine and Water Pik included.

4. I love the fall. It's my favorite time of year. I love cold weather, blue jeans, hot coffee or hot chocolate. I love to make good soups. Love sweaters and socks. I love fall loafers. Sketchers, too. And the turning of the trees is one of my favorite gifts from God. Every year I just take it all in, and every year it seems to happen way too fast.

5. I have a TON of grey hair. Hi-lights aren't really doing their job anymore. Poor me.

6. I hate cheap stuff. If it's cheap, or marked way down, I'm like "What's wrong with it?" . . . I would rather save and save and save and get something high quality.

7. I do my own mani/pedis . . . I don't like people to mess with my feet. Plus once after indulging in a manicure I got an ingrown toenail. Then my poor mom got an infection after a pedi. I'm done for life. But I have a fully-stocked nail kit with all the goodies.

8. I met my hubby on the internet!

BONUS FACT. I hate wires. And outlets. They're ugly. I hate the computer cords so much that Greg bundled them all up and taped them behind the desk so that I don't have to see them. And I buy special extension cords (cream colored) when a cord is brown, if I don't want it to show up against my white base molding. Told you I was Type-A!

Type-A Amanda

For those of you that know me well, you'll get this. I love organization. Recently one of my precious friends Amy commented on how neat my pantry looked. I'm sure I beamed. I like things just so, just right, just like that. Benjamin has turned my neat-nick world upside-down and inside-out. And it's good for me. Today he brought Greg's shoes out (this is new morning activity), and then he sweetly put them up. Not where they go. But he put them where he thinks they should go. And I'm gonna leave them right where he put them.

Lovies

Ben's got two 'lovies', a blue blanket (Limited Edition, I can't get another one to save my life) and a little lamb that sings "Lullaby" given to him from my cherished friend Pat. Both are completely necessary in this house, to snuggle with, to sleep with, to console a teething toddler. Ben runs up to me with his lamb shouting "Mama, Mama" until I make it play the song. And the blue blanket, the poor blue blanket, gets dragged around this house all day long. It has to sit on the table next to the high chair while he eats. And he chews on the Amy Coe tag, until it's BROWN. Now the whole corner of the blanket is brown, but I think Ben likes it much better stinky and brown than freshly laundered with lots of Oxy Baby.

Dog days of summer . . .

Water Baby

Ben loves the water. Loves it. Bath time, swimming, playing on the patio with the rain water that falls off the roof. He now loves the big slide at the Country Club. I'm just thankful my swimsuit stayed on!

Toddler woes . . .

Ben has been a PILL the last few days. He is cutting two molars, so at least he has an excuse for his behavior. I think he decided he prefers life in Ruidoso to life at home with me. Last night he threw five fits in a matter of minutes, all on the kitchen floor. I ignored him, so the fits didn't last very long. The first fit was because I wouldn't let him eat the dog's food. The second was because he spit milk on the floor, so I took his milk away. The third was because he wanted more milk. The fourth and fifth, I don't even remember. I hope this isn't the beginning of the terrible twos!

Vacation

Midland, then Ruidoso, then back to Midland again! Benjamin had a blast on his summer vacation. He spent the first several days acting shy, then became Mr. Personality. Paige (22 months) was a little uncertain of "Baby" and "Amanka", and she never did warm up to Greg. Big Daddy (my dad) showed Ben the geese at the pond, which Ben found hysterical. Kate (my mom) introduced him to M&M's, another big hit. And sweet Paige shared her Mr. Potato-Head with anyone who would play with her. Ben's favorite part of the whole trip was swimming in the blow-up pools and the big pool at Ruidoso!

Tasty treats

Today Ben had his first popsicle.

He much preferred blue Crayola marker.

Summer nights

Mosquitos, rides in the red wagon, and Mom's Frappuccinos . . . That's summertime in The Woodlands! For the record, Ben cries if I don't share my Starbucks with him.

Loves me, loves me not

She loves me.Loves me not.

SHE LOVES ME!!!

How big is Ben?

SO BIG! At fourteen months, he thinks he's big. Big enough to start the dishwasher. Big enough to get on the elliptical (and fall off of it, too). Big enough to use a cell phone. The list goes on and on. He's still our tiny-mite, no matter how big he gets.

Triple Threat

Three's never a crowd with these cousins! Three's trouble for us adults, though! Ben, Caitlin and Jacob enjoyed a late evening sugar high at the golf course.

My camera is back!!

Fridge Art

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Table Manners

Etiquette is something that goes by the wayside with this little boy! He loves to gobble up rice cakes (never mind that he still won't eat PB&J), while he rests his toes on the table. A rice cake can go a long way during the cranky-before-dinner hour. I have to put Ben in the high chair so that the dogs don't take his cherished snack!

Boys Day Out

After a bunch of dental work yesterday morning, I needed some R&R, so Greg and Ben enjoyed a boy's day out. They hit the park, Home Depot and WalMart. And of course, they had a blast!

April news

Since my camera is in 'the shop', I've neglected the Blog a bit. Thought I would give all my far-away friends an update on Benjamin, sans pictures. Ben loves to say "Daddy", "Doggie", "Uh-oh". He can say "Mom", but I don't think he knows it's me yet. He loves sweet potatoes, French toast and blue berries. Loves, loves, loves walking around the house with a blanket draped over his head, and yes, he does run into things. He loves his MP3 Player from Target. Loves rough-housing with his Daddy every night. Loves to dance. He walks everywhere now, and has started to run just a bit. He does some version of touch-down, high-five, and sticking out his tongue. He gives really big open-mouthed kisses to anything and everything! He HATES peas and green beans. He's not crazy about corn, either. He cries every time we pull down the attic stairs (the sound, maybe?). He's scared of a little yellow bear that talks, and a green glow worm that sings a night-night song. That's all for now . . . Stay tuned for pictures as soon as I get my camera back!

Reality

I've been posting all of my favorite (sweet, posed, perfect) pictures over the last year, and some 'real' pictures seem long overdue. Ben loves, and I mean loves, sticking his fingers up his nose. I ignore him, and yet he persists. I suppose he is rewarded often enough for his efforts. Gross. And the last picture is his "I'm so cool, I did a one-armed touch-down for Mom" face. I love this kid.

One is fun!

Lots of firsts . . . First birthday, first candle, first massive dose of sugar. Ben had a great day! He seemed to know the festivities were planned, and so skipped his afternoon nap. He was quite the prince. When the last guest left and the sugar high wore off, thankfully, he took his nap.

Life with dogs

Benjamin loves, and I mean loves, his dogs. He also loves their accessories. Yesterday I found several pairs of my underwear in their water bowl. One morning Chloe was barking in the utility room (where I keep the water bowl), and the bowl was so full of Ben's toys that she couldn't get a drink. It's rare, but Ben does hang out in their dog bed from time to time.