Leibster Award

My bestie and most hilarious friend, Brianne nominated me for a Leibster Award, which is a fun way to inform a blogger that you enjoy their posts and want them to keep coming.

And, because I don't feel like doing anything else right now, I'm going to take some time to fill this thingy out!

These are my rules...

1. Post 11 random things about myself.

2. Answer the 11 questions my nominator asked me. 
3. Create 11 questions for my own nominations.

4. Nominate 11 different bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.
5. Let them know they're nominated.

Okay here goes. Eleven random things...

1. I am the only redhead in my immediate family. It's true. There are no other redheads of my generation in my extended family, either. Both sides. Surprising I'm sure, since every single one of my kiddos has ended up with the color.

2. I put my pinkie in my belly button when I'm stressed. I just rest it there. Yes, it's strange, and I honestly don't know why except that I've done it since I was a baby.

3. I cannot stand having dishes in my sink. If no one is coming over, I let the house go a bit, but the dishes ALWAYS have to be in the dishwasher or cleaned already and put away. This is why I don't do well in places without dishwashers. I don't hold others to this standard, though. Just those living with me.
 

4. I like to give a sincere compliment to everyone I talk to during the day. Generally, it ends up being about the clothes they're wearing because I'm working on my future wardrobe, and I like to see what others can pull off wearing.

5. I am an over-sharer. I will tell a stranger on the plane, train, bus, or even someone I'm just standing next to every single detail of my life even if they didn't want to know it. 

6. I pay attention to detail. I notice when things are different.

7. I am a horrible storyteller. I forget what I'm talking about a lot. Typically I forget mid-sentence as my mind wanders ahead of what I'm saying. I also give every.single.detail of a story to the point that I don't think my listener is really listening anymore. I don't blame them.

8. I love exercising. I love it so much that it is an absolute priority. I seriously feel fat if I miss just one day. I give myself Sunday off, but even then I feel semi-sluggish.

9. I am a scheduler. It's really pretty bad. If I don't get something done, like chores, that I've put into my "schedule" that day, I usually push it to the next day, and if by Saturday it's not done, I do it all in one day and wear myself completely out. I've learned to become more flexible. But, the flexibility has yet to be completely accomplished as I kinda stress out over things not done...

10. I sleep in my makeup. Not because I want to or feel uncomfortable without it. It's only because I'm too lazy to take it off. I purposefully buy BareMinerals so I can sleep in my makeup without feeling gross.

11. I dream really big. Too big, probably. Like, I want a big house that is completely planned out in my head. I would like to hire a maid, a personal trainer, dietitian, and a cook. All of this just so I can get done what I want to get done at home without necessarily having to be at home because even though I want that big house, I don't want to clean it; even though I love food, I'd rather not make a menu or cook; and I need someone to plan out my meals, push me harder when I workout, and just hand me the food so I eat well. I guess I'll need a nanny for when I'm working out. So, that too.

Moving on...

11 random questions my super awesome nominator asked.

(You really don't have to read on...if you're reading this at all...)

1. If you could have any profession (other than what you do right now) what would it be? Well, I'm a mom, so the possibilities are endless! I'd be a professional musician or maybe a ballroom dance competitor...Ooo! A professional on Dancing With the Stars. That would be awesome.

2. If you had to live on one food alone for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Hmm. This is hard because I love food. If I had to choose, I'd pick ice cream. Or...if it actually has to be a "food" not a "treat" then pizza. Yup. Pizza. All the meats. I'm a total junk food junkie and carnivore, apparently.
 

3. What is your favorite book? Well, it's a series, but it's the Harry Potter Series. Those are the only books I've read multiple times (not going to tell you the exact amount or you'll think I'm nuts and want to re-evaluate our friendship).

4. And what about your favorite movie? Emperor's New Groove. Plus, I'm a total sucker for the long version of Pride and Prejudice, but when I don't have the time I watch the new Kiera Knightly version. 

5. Pets or no pets? Dog or cat? No pets, but if I'd have to choose between a dog or cat, I'd get a dog...or neither because I don't want pets. They smell.

6. Where is the one place you would love to visit/vacation? I want to go everywhere. Literally. But, if I had to pick one place, I'd say Hawaii. Shocking with my lack of skin color, I'm sure.

7. What do you do at night to wind down? Brush my teeth. Lilia goes to bed too late to have any winding down time, sadly. But, when she does actually start to go to bed at a reasonable hour, I'll do what I did before and that's either watch a show or read. Sometimes both.

8. Favorite kind of accessory? Oh man, I love them all. But, I feel funny when I go out the door without earrings...so earrings.

9. What do you do for "me" time? What's that?...Yeah, I know, pretty sad. The only alone time I have anymore is when I shower. And, sometimes not even then. When I do have "me" time, it is usually spent with a choir of some sort.

10. If you won a million dollars, what is the first thing you would buy? Land. Then I'd hire a contractor to build me that big house I have all planned out in my head. Then, of course I'd also do everything else I want to with my big dreamin'.

11. Do you think it is okay to pair brown with black? What about navy and black? Brown and black, yes. Navy and black, no. Navy and all the shades of grey leading to black, though.

And, now, my 11 questions:

1. What is your favorite thing to do outside?
2. How long does it take you to get ready for the day?
3. Would you consider yourself creative?
4. What is your favorite music genre?
5. Would you change anything about your house?
6. Where would be your ideal location to live?
7. Have you ever broken a bone?
8. Do you enjoy shopping?
9. Would you consider yourself OCD?
10. Do you have a favorite pair of shoes?
11. What celebrity would you like to meet?

And, 11 nominations...*

1. Savanna
2-7. Everyone who is a member of the Collier family.
8. Lindsey C.
9. Haylee
10. Others I'm thinking of don't really blog anymore.
11. Everyone else I can think of has already been nominated elsewhere or has a private blog so I don't know if they want their name on here.

*if you're not mentioned but would like to do this, you're welcome to be my 10 or 11. :)

Thanks for thinking of me Brianne! This was fun.

Flown

It's seriously the end of January?

 

And, I've blogged how many times?

 

Taken how many pictures?

 

Yeah...

 

I don't know what happened to this month.

 

Oh wait, yes I do.

 

First, it went to being sick.

 

Then to getting mastitis for the seventh time.

 

Yep!

 

SEVENTH time.

 

I mean, seriously, how many people do you know have gotten it that many times?

 

Well, now you know one.

 

Third, it went to tending to the babe who seriously takes up almost every second of my time.

 

Porter wasn't nearly as high maintenance.

 

I honestly feel sorry for Porter because of how much time I need to spend with Lilia.

 

He gets a bit attention deprived sometimes.

 

I guess it's good for him?

 

Because of getting mastitis over and over, I am required to pump after every feeding as a prevention.

 

This means my freezer is filled with breast milk.

 

Totally serious about that even if it is kinda gross.

 

Even though I have a high maintenance child, I love every minute.

 

Even when we start going stir crazy to the point of insanity.

 

An earlier and better schedule will be made as of next month since, according to the sleep bible I'm reading, that is the golden month to start letting the baby cry herself to sleep.

 

Hopefully we can be better at time management after that.

 

Or, it may have to wait until she's weaned.

 

Add a possible milk allergy, a visit from the parents, from a sister, and going to two families homes (sometimes more than once), and that's been my month.

 

Getting out the door has been a miracle.

 

Now, to the pix and vids...

 

(That's the part y'all like anyway)

 

Lilia's first laugh was for her Daddy!

 

 

She laughs easier and harder now, but I haven't recorded it.

 

Porter is still really cute with Lilia.

 

He keeps trying to help out in any way he can.

 

One day, he kept putting her sock back on.

 

And, she'd just kick it right off again.

 

So he would keep trying...

 

 

Success!

 

 

We've had some pretty impressive snowfall...

 

love that my Christmas stuff was still out halfway through the month.

Seth even got to go ski.

 

In fact, it's snowing about like that right now!

 

Gorgeous.

 

As long as I'm not driving in it.

 

 Lilia has given us a taste of her spitfire personality...

 

 

...and her angelic side...

 

 

...which only shows up when you're doing egg.zach.tly what she wants.

 

(And, yes, everything was taken with my iPad because it was on hand and I was too busy having a date with my machine at the time of adorableness)

 

We sure have had an interesting, yet awesome January!

 

Love all the moments with the little ones.

Loving Brother

Porter was so excited that Lilia let him hold her today, it was too sweet not to snap a picture.

She sure has a good big brother.

Little Spitter

We get random spits from Lilia all day.

 

 

And, every time, it makes us giggle.

 

So, we try to get her to do so on cue...

 

 

 

...I guess she's not much of a performer yet, but she sure has a gorgeous smile!

Happy

After a nap (and hearing some complaining) we walk into our room where Lilia’s crib is and see this…

…waiting for us.

And, that’s not even as big as it was before I took the picture.

It’s nice to be so loved.

Look What Lilia Discovered…

 

Baby girl has found her tongue.

3 Months

Who turned 3 months?

 

 

I wonder..

 

…is it…

 

This girl!!??

 

 

Lilia turned 3 months!!

 

Now just imagine that in themostannoyinglysqueakyhighvoicethatmakeshersmilebutdriveseveryoneelsenuts and that would be what I sounded like while taking those pictures.

 

With a little chain-smoker added to make it extra creepy.

House Full of Sickies

Everyone except Seth caught a nasty cold.

 

And yet, somehow it didn’t phase these two much.

 

 

I was the only one incapacitated.