Yo, Yo, Yo!

Hey, peeps. It's me, Alex.

Sorry you haven't heard from me in awhile, but I've been a very busy baby.

Anyway, I basically love my life. When my Mom and Dad go to work, I get to hang out with my favorite 'Auntie' Jane and my friends Connor, Beth, Aly, Jack and Gracie. Connor is basically my best bud, and I can't wait until I am older so he can teach me really cool things like teasing the girls and eating bugs. He kisses me and hugs me every morning when I get to Daycare and I smile at him with my 2-tooth smile. Oh, and don't tell ANYONE (especially my Mom) but I have a little crush on Aly. She is really nice to me and looks just like that Dora girl I see on TV from time to time.

On the homefront, things are going very well. I'm digging the stage 2 foods and just started eating these weird things called "puffs." It looks different from the sushi and ice cream that Mommy and Daddy eat, but Mom always tells me its the same. I think she's tricking me, but whatever.

This thing you people call "Christmas" is probably the coolest, ever. I got to sit on this old, fat guy's lap (he totally copied my outfit, BTW) and ask him for all sorts of things. And what's crazy is that I GOT it all! Everybody spoiled me so, so much and now I have loads of new toys to play with. Strangely, the empty boxes were somewhat more appealing for a hot minute, but I've since changed my ways and gone back to the toys.

I'm seconds from crawling. Mommy says I do this thing she calls "rocking." I'm also very, very chatty and love to make sure that everyone is paying attention to me at all times. I do this by maintaining a high level of cuteness at all times. It's a tough gig, but somebody's got to do it.

Well, it's about time for my mid-afternoon poo. It's been real. It's been fun. It's been real fun.

Until we meet again, my peeps.
Alex VW

Merry Christmas!

This was far and away the BEST Christmas morning, EVER. Pics and videos to come.

Sending blessings, snowflakes and Christmas magic to you and yours!

Merry Eve!

Sorry for the lack of entertainment lately. I've been sucking up my time with my boys @ home like a Dyson on sale at Woot.com.

Today we're off to church and then we're heading north to Grammi and Poppi's for Alex's first Christmas. Kelli, David, Jill and Kyle will all be there too, so it's going to be a fab day. I am crawling with excitement.

In other news, I got a new cell phone: The Samsung Alias. I hate it. Returned it yesterday. Hopefully I will love the LG Chocolate Touch a little more (coming in the mail on Monday). I have a warm, snuggly place in my heart for all things LG, so here's hoping.

Have a wonderful, blessed Christmas!

Baby Jesus Birthday Bootcamp.

So my Mom texted me on Friday and said "Happy Baby Jesus Birthday Bootcamp!"

It took me a minute to get it...

So fun, right? So I decided that next year (and every year after) Joe, Alex and I will celebrate BJBDBC, too. I think it will be a fun tradition that helps to get back some of the Reason for the Season.

Therapy.

I realize that I made this blog public. And that I openly share pictures. And use my real name.

But for the love of all things cheesy, I wish for just this moment that I hadn't.

I'm about to explode due to some of the ridiculous things that are going on around me at this exact moment. However, because this blog, its posts and author are very, very public, I cannot.

It really is a shame because I assure you the laughter such a post would bring could be heard the world ‘round.

Merry Christmas To ME!

My HD Flip Mino came in the mail last night. Squeeeeals with delight.

Expect ridiculous amounts of beyond cute Alex vidoes to grace this blog in the days to come. Mommy loves her new toy!

Hair On Fire.

Yesterday I spent 40% of my day in bed. I totally just shut down and gave my body the rest it has been demanding from me. Don't worry, I'm fine...

Today, I'm back at it...but trying desperately to accomplish all that needs to be done in this crazy office before Friday, aka when the greatest vacation period ever begins. That's right, peeps...this girl won't be gracing Corporate America with her face again until January 11, 2010.

But before I can enjoy that delicious, delicious break, I've got a shit ton to do. Balls almighty, here I go.

Alex And The WIPpo.

I nearly forgot that today was the 15th! With all the hubbub around BDBC, Santa visits and Christmas shopping, time just skated away on me.

Nevertheless, here's my little man looking all chunky and fabulous at 8 months. Hard to believe this time last year I was as big as a house with enormously unapologetic cankles. Le sigh...

"Good morning Mommy and Daddy!"

"Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi."

I just love this one...he looks like, "I will gladly pay you for a hamburger next Tuuuuesday."

"Mom...this WIPpo fellow is very delicious."

And just for fun, here's a pic I snapped last night while we were all snuggly in our jammies watching "The Sing Off." (OMG such a good show...story for another post.)

Birthday Bootcamp Savings.

You'll notice that the BDBC freebies list is gone. I've cashed in on all the ones I'm willing to do, but I wanted to document the list so that I can have a head start on my hunt for free crap in 2010. I'm so proactive it hurts.

- Burger @ Red Robin
- Blizzard @ Dairy Queen
- Earrings from Helzberg Diamonds
- $10 from Victoria's Secret
- $5 from DSW
- $10 from Old Navy
- Car Wash from JAX
- HERSHEY'S® Chocolate Dunkers™ from Pizza Hut
- Drink of Choice @ Caribou Coffee
- 'Make Your Own Creation' from Coldstone Creamery
- Ice Cream Cone @ Baskin Robbins
- Dinner @ BD's Mongolian Grill
- Burrito @ QDoba
- Custom Perfume & Hand Lotion from Aveda
- 1 Topping Pizza from Buddy's Pizza
- Shake & 2 Tacos from Del Taco
- $15 from The Limited
- $20 from Vera Bradley
- $3 from CVS Pharmacy
- Large soda from AMC Theaters
- Lip gloss trio from Sephora

For the math nerds of the group, the above represents over $180 in retail value. Basically, that is awesome. I cashed in on about $170 of it...schwing!

Consider the documentation of this list a birthday present to all my readers. Cheers, peeps.

...and speaking of my fabulous proactiveness, have I mentioned that all my Christmas shopping is done? And wrapped? Yes, you may hate me now.

Santa, Baby.

Alex went to visit Santa on Sunday. In true VW form, we visited Santa at Bass Pro Shop in Great Lakes Crossing. Don't judge! You can't beat a *free* picture with the big man!

I actually think Bass Pro will become our new Santa tradition. Aside from the fabulously free photographs, they also had scads of fun and free things for the kiddos: a table with coloring things, crafts and letters to Santa (complete with mailbox, natch); a laser "shooting" range; ice fishing demonstrations; Wii games to play on big TVs; racecar games and more! Seriously, when Alex is old enough to actually participate and enjoy it all it will be something he (and his Daddy) really look foward to.

Here are some of the pics we managed to snap. Alex was so funny - totally expressionless and completely mesmerized by Santa.

"Dad...do you think Santa will bring me one of these?!"

"Oh...the ladies will totally DIG me in this!"

"Ummm...Dad? Maybe you should put that silly camera down and come rescue me from this very precarious situation?"

"Well, hello there, old man. What's that fuzzy stuff on your face?"

It was such a fun day...and wasn't he just ridiculously cute in his Santa suit? There's more cuteness where this came from - the 2009 VW Christmas Card will be posted soon!

Friday = No Fun.

You know how sometimes Fridays are very fun and relaxing? Starbucks in the morning...jeans day at work...a great day to just catch up on everything and get a head start on the week to come?

Today was not one of those days. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

Friday fail.

So to kick this day up a notch, please indulge yourself in some pics of my little man. Look at those toofers!

(pause for collective sigh of extreme cutness from the audience)

...let the weekend shenanigans begin!

Mmmmm...

You will notice that the HERSHEY'S® Chocolate Dunkers™ from Pizza Hut (in my birthday freebies list to the right) are crossed off the list...aka, the freebie has been cashed in.

Ohhhh. Emmmm. Geeeee.

They were scrumptious. Delicious. Unforgettably tasty.

Oh, and did I mention FREE?!?!

Epiphany.

This morning it hit me like an 18-wheel semi truck rounding the corner at a NASCAR race: Alex is mine.

I know what it might sound like to my readers. At least 75% of you are thinking, "Captain Obvious much? She's just NOW realizing this fact? Call CPS ASAP!" But really...it came straight out of the blue and just *wham* was all up in my grill, totally without permission or fair warning.

The realization of carrying him for 9 months and subsequently having him sliced out of my uterus has finally snuck up on me, and it's no small thing.

       He is part of ME.

       He is not rented, leased, on loan or just visiting for a long weekend.

       I am responsible for raising him to be a genuinely decent human being.

It's no small burden to bear, and it absolutely blows my mind to pieces to consider the gift of his life. I mean...think about it: I grew a person - a freaking PERSON - from scratch and now I get to take that person and introduce him to life and all of the opportunity it holds.

I honestly stopped breathing for a minute on the drive into work thinking about how magnanimous my job as a Mother is. Literally was near panic attack status.

But then I remembered that I am awesome. And that Joe is awesome. And that we are awesome together. And because of that, Alex will be awesome.

And now, I shall resume breathing normally and return my pulse to resting rate.

27 Is SO Much Closer To 30.

Let's open today's post by exposing the Fatty McFatterson Elephant in the room: I'm now officially on the other half of the half between 25 and 30. Ugh.

Ahhh, well. I'll live it up while I can. In the meantime, let's recap last night, shall we?

As much as it pains me to do so, I will admit right out loud that I was incredibly wrong in my prediction of last night's plans. I thought we were going to the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Detroit. 1) Because it's where Joe proposed 2 years and 364 days ago (well, technically it was in front of the waterfall in the Compuware building...but details, details); 2) Because we make it a point to go back every year and have dinner there on the anniversary of our engagement; and 3) Because the tree downtown is lit and the skating rink is open for bizz-nass so it's like a magical winter wonderland of JOY! Have I mentioned my intense love of Christmas lately?

Anyway, as I was saying...I was wr--. I was wro--. I was wron--. I WAS WRONG, DAMNIT! That doesn't happen often, just so we're all on the same page.

We went to Kruse and Muer in downtown Rochester (sweet baby Jesus their food is amazing) and took a little stroll up and down Main Street to check out the amazing lights. For those that aren't familiar with what Rochester does at Christmas time, you must see the below photo I snapped with my cell:

I knoooooooow, right? It's so, so, so, so awesome. Now imagine every single building for about 5 blocks (and up and down the side streets) with lights like that - literally from the sidewalk to the top of each store. It's breaktaking.

Today is a sad day...it's the first day of no BDBC. But...Christmas is right around the corner. Chin up, little bear.

BDBC - GRAND FINALE!

I adore my birthday. In fact, the only day that actually tops it is Christmas. And I'm relatively certain that if my birthday happened to fall exactly on December 25, the world would galactically implode into some alternate universe where up is down and black is white. It would blow. your. mind.

Day 7 has been fantabulous. My final card contained a sweet, sweet message and tickets to the Taylor Swift concert in March! I laughed and told Joe we will likely be the oldest people there, but you know as well as I that we'll be jamming and singing along with the 80 bazillion tweens in the audience like we're not a day over 14. I draw the line at waving my cell phone in the air, though.

I'm not sure what tonight holds. I know that I was explicitly instructed by Joey to make no plans and be out of work at 5 sharp. I have a leeeeeeeeeetle idea of what it might be, and if I'm right I'll let you know tomorrow. If I'm wrong, well...I'll never fess up to that.

Proof.

Alex is at the BEST Daycare in the world:

Best text message I've gotten all day. :)

Birthday Love.

Let it be known - I have the smartest kid and the greatest Mother-in-law on planet Earth, as demonstrated by this e-card:

BDBC - Day 6.

Day 6 was the best yet.

My spreesprise was left on the bathroom sink - it was a McDonald's gift card to get my Diet Coke fix on  and another perfect card. He knows me so, so well.

We went to church and then traveled north to Frankenmuth to Bronner's, the World's largest Christmas store. I could probably get a sleeping bag and a box of Cheez-its and live in their tree/lights section for the rest of my life in pure bliss. I LOVE it there. We purchased Alex's personalized ornament for our tree and some other odds-n-ends Christmas-y, fabulous items. We attempted to visit Santa, but it was a 3 hour wait. FAIL.

From there, we went to downtown Frankenmuth and walked around some of their weird, little shops. Then we met up with Mom, Dad, Kyle and Jill at Zehnders to partake in their famous chicken dinner. But get this - instead of dining in the actual restaurant, we went downstairs to the "Z Cafe" and had the same dinner that is offered upstairs but at 1/5 the cost (because it's served cafeteria style). For real! We had a 16 piece chicken dinner with 6 sides for a total of $31.95. A single chicken dinner upstairs is a ridiculous $24.95. Love it!

On the trip home we stopped at Target (le swoon) to pick up a present for baby Clarke (congrats Dave and Cassie!!) and then to Coldstone for freeeeeeeeee ice cream.

I love my life.

BDBC - Day 5.

Gotta make it quick today - I'm in Okemos for the *So Sarah* designs party. Next week I'll have a post  dedicated to Sarah and her wares, but here's a sneak peek at my current 2 faves - the cupcake half apron with ruffles and the Mommy & Me designs.

I know...so cute, right? More details and how to order next week. And yes, she does custom orders!

BDBC Day 5 is going smashingly well. Tonight's plans include a Mexi-fab dinner with the girls @ the party followed by a stint in Becki's hot tub. Could life BE any better?

And my treat from Joey? Another perfect card and a king size box of Milk Duds...my fave!

BDBC - Day 4.

First things first, I changed my posting setting in Blogger to the "new" version...loving it! You should know that I have a great aversion to change when it comes to all things PC (don't even get me started on the FB updates over the years), but I always tend to warm to the changes...eventually. Let's face it, serious computer nerds that are far smarter than yours truly update these things and I have to trust that they are making improvements to enhance and simplify my blogging experience. So, to the nerds of the world, thank you. I simply adore that my photos now upload at the insertion point, rather than at the top of all my blogs. Moving them is hard work! But that said - where oh where is spellcheck in this new version?!? Yes, I have an honors degree in journalism and also write for a living but this is just nonsense. A girl needs her schpell chek!

Back to le subject at hand - BDBC. I'm not gonna lie, Day 4 did not begin well. I hoisted my Princess and the Pea self out of bed to be at work for a 7 a.m. meeting only to dash into my boss' office a hot, sweaty mess at 6:55 to find it DARK and UNOCCUPIED. Angry and confused, I went back to my desk to find a loverly email timestamped at 6:29 to reschedule the meeting. Um, I was driving at 6:29.

Not. Cool.

I'm 93% over it (the coffee helped) and I'm just getting to my BDBC card and spreesprise, which were placed under my keys this morning. In my hurricane-powered frenzy to get out the door and to the meeting that never happened, I tossed it in my purse to open later.

Later is now.

And once again, my husband is just the best. I wish I could share what the cards all say, but that's something I choose to keep personal (I know, crazy...I will tell you crazy graphic stories of a baby failing to exit out my vajayjay but the simple, loving words of a card are too personal to share. Deal.). Today's little surprise was an ornament for our tree - adorable!

I think blogging has successfully simmered my morning rage. Let Friday officially begin!

Noon.

It was just the coffee.

Productivity be damned.

BDBC - Day 3.

Another glorious day of me. Are you sick of it yet? Cause I'm sure not.

My spreesprise this morning was placed on the toilet (lid down, thankyouverymuch) while I was in the shower. It was another perfect, loving card and the pop-up tape dispenser from Scotch. I've been eyeing it for awhile now...nice to know Joey pays attention.

I scored a grande Christmas Blend on the way to work and have since been as busy as a bee. Not sure if it's the insane amount of caffeine I've pumped into my body in the last hour or if I'm just having an uber productive day. I'll let you know around noonish.

In related news, last night's shopping trip/girls' night was a smashing success. You'll see I've updated the list @ the right to reflect the coupons I've cashed in on.

I got these at DSW, but in a grey color with silver buckles. I know...SO fab.



I also scored a pair of Pumas and some black pumps for work (both on clearance, natch). Plus, my purchase last night generated enough points on my DSW membership to get another $10 coupon in the mail soon - which means Joey can get some new kicks, too!

From there, I picked up my earrings at Helzberg. I just handed her my coupon and she handed me a bag with all sorts of goodies - earrings included! I'm wearing them right now...so diva glam.

Two additional stops at Hallmark and Vickie's and her Secrets were enough to get me in the mood to party. Simply add girlfriends, a martini and a margarita (or two) to the mix and it was a perfect night!

Oh, SNAP!

Post #3 today, but I promise it's worth the read...

XM23 Holly (the station that is played continuously at my desk from Nov. 1-Jan. 5 each and every year) just played "Last Christmas" as performed by the CAST OF GLEE.

Is Christmas music on this week's ep? Will it be on the 'Glee: The Music, Volume 2' CD that I ordered from Amazon.com yesterday? Can I download it (and others?!?!) on iTunes the absolute second I walk in the door tonight? Can the whole damn cast just come Christmas caroling at my house this weekend?

So many questions, so few answers! 'Glee' and Christmas music together at last. I can die a happy woman. Le sigh.

The Earrings.

Many have asked, some have begged. Here's your answer:

Much to my chagrin, the free earrings from Helzberg are not diamond earrings. They are freshwater pearl earrings on 10kt gold posts - a $25 retail value, so I really can't complain.

I got the email below and a mailer via snail mail, so I'm quite sure it's a legit offer. I purchased the necklace and cross charm that I gave Joe on our wedding day there, so I think that's how I got on their mailing list. Perhaps registering on their website will do the trick for you?

I'm headed out tonight to pick them up...I'll let you know how it goes!

BDBC - Day 2.

After a night of INSANE dreams (seriously, you'd think I did some serious narcotics before bed) I woke to a wonderful BDBC Day 2.

This morning, Joey left my card and spreesprise on the chair that I usually feed Alex in. The card was, again, perfect and the gift was a set of pink sparkly snowflake ornaments for our Christmas tree. Yes, he's the best. And sorry ladies, he's totally taken.

I started the work day with a 15 minute chair massage, which are offered every 2 weeks by our LiveWell program. I'm currently in a semi-permanent state of pure zen that not even 'The Devil Wears Prada' herself can ruin.

Tonight after work I'm headed out solo to le Mall to cash in on some of my birthday freebies. Then I'm meeting some friends for drinks...not for my birthday, but a fun night nonetheless. A group of girls (wives of the crazy Pike boys from WSU) get together every few months for good times, good drinks and a night away from hubbies and kiddos. Fab.

Snowflakes, massages, shopping and drinking. A perfect BDBC Day 2!

Oh...and you'll notice that my list at the right has significantly grown. Jackie @ Letters to Leighton opened my eyes to a whole new world of freebies. I heart her.

Birthday Freebies.

You might have noticed that I've started a list on the right with all the freebies I've gotten from various retailers and restaurants in honor of my day of birth.

The reason for this list is twofold:
1) So I remember to cash in on all of them.
2) So my delicious readers can get in on all the fabulous, free goodness! Head to their websites now and sign up for whatever email lists you can get on. It's worth the 128,943,278 useless emails/spam you have to sift through every year to get the free stuff!

BDBC - Day 1.

Ahhhh, glorious. The week of Kristi begins.

Not that every day isn't all about me, but let's just go with it, mmmmkay?

Alex woke up at about 5:30 this morning, which is very unusual for him. He's usually a snoozer so I took advantage of the extra hour and stole him from his crib to snuggle in bed with Joe and me. The perfect way to start BDBC, no?

While I was in the shower, Joe put a card and a treat on my makeup bag. Tricky, tricky! The card was perfect and the treat was a bag of Laffy Taffy candy. Purple is my FAVE...I even bought a $15 bag of candy from Costco for Halloween just to get the purple ones and there wasn't one stinking one in the whole bag! Hookers, the lot of 'em. And yes, purple is a flavor.

I'm now perched at my desk, where the yellow, pink and green taffys can be found in my candy jar. The purple ones? Well, if I told you I'd have to kill you...