Caffeinated & Still Drowsy

This has been a really weird week for me. Monday I started a ‘diet’ with Brian (more on that later). I was not allowed to have any dairy, yeast, sugar or caffeine. By far the hardest thing was skipping my morning coffee. I substituted decaf with rice milk and Stevia for the leaded, half & half with sugar I usually have. Not tasty, but I thought it would be doable for the 10 days the diet lasts. I was wrong. By Tuesday at noon, I was miserable with a headache and felt like I was going to fall asleep at any second. I broke down and gulped a Diet Coke in about 2 seconds flat. Aaah. It did help some, but today I am thinking that it may be a flu I am getting that was causing the drowsy feeling and headaches. So, I didn’t even make it 2 days! So much for moral support. “You can do it, Brian! Now give me my coffee with sugar. STAT. Oh, and a chocolate bar”
The diet is under Brian’s new voodoo doctor’s instructions. He is seeing him several times for a month and then (God willing) his terrible allergies and anxiety attacks will be no more. I went to the first visit with him and Dr. Salas determined he was allergic to wheat and several ‘airbornes’ (pollen, grass, dust, cat dander). He also has a Candida (yeast) issue – thus the no yeast diet for 10 days while he gets treated. It’s all really holistic and different, but our hopes are high he can help Brian out. His success rate is very good. Will keep you posted.
Other new items…
Next Saturday I am doing a Polar Bear Plunge for the Special Olympics. It is supposed to be in the teens at night next week--should make for a VERY brisk dip in the lake. Eeek! The day should be fun though - there are a few of us jumping together. I'll be sure to post pics...

I finally got off my duff and saw a doctor about my knee. My self-diagnosis was right – it’s my IT band. I have physical therapy appointments for the next few weeks and after that I hope to have this behind me and try for another half marathon this year. In the meantime, I am looking at doing my first triathlon (or two) this summer. My swimming technique needs some tweaking, so I am enrolling in a swim class in February. The biking portion is what makes me a little nervous. Since adulthood, I’ve never felt very confident on a bike. Almost getting hit by a KU bus in front of my dorm freshman year didn’t help. Quite embarrassing and painful! So, I’ll be out there on my big ol’ heavy mountain bike trying to keep up with the real racers. Should be pretty interesting!

HP is doing great – talking up a storm. Some of my new favorite quotes are:
When asked if she wants to do something her answer is “Oh! taaay”
When I go in to get her up from naps she usually calls me “Mama, blue eyes”
If anyone drops anything, she says “Oops, sorry” even if she was not the one to drop it or no one else is around
Her new favorite show is "Max & Ruby" - called "Max & Booby"(which always generates a giggle from me)
She likes to peek from behind things and say, "See you!"
And my fave: “Dada, Mama, Ha-pearl…..Team Brooks!” (The ‘Team Brooks’ portion is typically accompanied by a fist in the air)

Camera download

So, no really good ones of the new haircut yet(the apron pic is the only one sort of showing it), but here are a few I just downloaded off my camera...

Holidaze

These blog posts are getting farther and fewer between…I’ll try to catch up here. Christmas came and went in a flash. It was BUSY. We were all over KC from the 24th to the 28th. It was all fun parties and stuff, but incredibly exhausting. Sunday at Brian’s parent’s house, Hattie ran up to me, jumped in my arms and put her head on my shoulder. I asked her if she wanted to go home (assuming a ‘no’ answer - - her cousins were there playing); she said yes. We left and when we got home, she smiled and walked around saying, “home…home…home”. Guess she was over it all by then, too.
We were blessed enough to receive several great gifts, that are now taking over our house. It is definitely time to start paring things down. Hattie got an easel (I’ve never seen a young kid so obsessed with art) and a kitchen, pots and pans, food and lots of other things. LOTS of things. Being a bit of a minimalist – I am having a hard time right now with all the STUFF. Either we are going to have the city’s biggest garage sale soon, or the Salvation Army will need to bring a semi to the house. Did you ever see that Oprah with the lady who could barely get out of her house with all the stuff she’d hoarded? Oprah may be calling us soon.
As for me, I got lots of cool running gear and a Wii. I’ve only got to play it twice, but it is pretty darn fun. I’m now contemplating the Wii Fit – I’d love some reviews from anyone who has it – I only got a small taste of it at my brother’s house.
So, all in all a very great holiday. I feel extremely lucky. I know I am.
New things on the Hattie front are:
A very stylin’ new haircut. Cute little bob. I’ll post pictures later. She is also putting words together like a champ. For a long time she had tons of words, but would only use one or two at a time. We’re moving onto sentences now. She’s doing great. She is also beginning to draw people and faces (sort of). I love the ‘big head with arms shooting out the sides’ phase kids go through. She’s done a couple of those. Love it.
Off to a much-welcomed slow day at work and a party at Jude’s tonight.
Happy New Year.

Backhand

We had a party for Brian's birthday on Saturday. One of our friends told me that I looked good. Then he proceeded to tell me that the last time he saw me I was pretty 'meaty'.
Um, thanks?
Ouch.

More...

Pics

Here are some pics from the big "2" bash yesterday. Will post more later...

The Amazing Adventures of Aquagirl

Hattie's been loving my swim goggles lately. And when you look this good in them, how could you not?!?
Halloween was a fun event. We finally coaxed her Daisy (from Oswald) costume on and went to visit the grandparents. I got no good pictures, but will post the only decent (kinda)one I got. In the evening, we set up camping chairs on our front porch to hand out candy. Hattie LOVED it...she would say "Kids!" when they headed our way and "Come on!". Then, when they left as quickly as they came Hattie would shout, "More!". We had a ball. Hope the goblins kept their distance on your ghoulish night.