The Bailey Chronicles

Bailey is 18 months old today!  I wouldn't trade life with my daughter for anything.  It has been such an amazing experience to raise this little girl.  She is my little ray of sunshine on even some of my most miserable days.  I was a little nervous about giving up my freedom to be a Mommy, but I can't even remember life without her.  It definitely wasn't as fulfilling!  Seeing John as a Daddy made me fall in love with him all over again.  She is my little side kick, with me every where I go no matter what I am doing, always trying to "help".  I just adore her!  I love hearing her little baby jibberish, and watching her little facial expressions as she is trying to tell me something very important.  I love how she sneaks up on us and RAWRS at us!  I love how she drags her little blanky around the house draped over her shoulder.  And I love finding her new hiding spots for her many treasures.  I love how she waits for me to fill up her sippy cup with her hands behind her back.  I love how she comes up behind me and hugs my leg.  I love her ut-oh face.  and I love how she picks things up with her toes LOL.   

I have been working out like a mad woman and it feels great!  I have never been successful working out at home, but being part of a gym makes all the difference.  When I am at home I always manage to put it off until it's too late and then I think tomorrow and it never happens.  But with the gym I am pushed to do this before John leaves for work, and once I get in my car and head that direction I am fully motivated.  It's a nice break to get a little "me" time.  To focus on my goals.  I have a long road ahead of me for weight loss, but I feel motivated and have made some adjustments to our life style now that I have a car.  I haven't yet braved taking Bailey into the gym's daycare because I have never left her with a stranger before.  I know I would be right there, but I still have anxiety towards all of that.  I do feel positive that she would probably enjoy it, I just have to work up the nerves to feel comfortable with it.  I know it's silly and over protective, but I'll get there sooner or later!  I am sure it will help break me in for when it's time to enroll her into a preschool, which we both agree we would like to do that as early as possible a few days out of the week.  

Our cake business has been blowing up lately!  We have had at least one or more cake orders for every weekend booked up passed July along with tastings.  Last weekend we did our first and last Jeep cake.  The bars gave us so many issues on that Jeep that it almost doesn't feel worth it LOL, although I think if we did have to do another one there would be easier ways to achieve the desired result.  We have a guitar cake next weekend that we are going to try to make play a song along with a grad cake.  and the pics I have posted are of my Wedding Paper Divas invite project.  

We got back from our trip Saturday and then Sunday was Mother's Day.  We were still a little exhausted from traveling so we planned for a nice family meal at home.  We invite Nanny and Poppy, and Aunt Candi, Uncle Kobi, Cousins Bella and Skylar over for fajitas.  Last year I cooked for everyone, but it was so much work that this year I requested John to be the chef.  He grilled, his specialty :)  and went all out on cooking with beef, chicken, shrimp, and veggies, mexican rice, and black beans.  Candi brought dessert and Mom brought the wine.  I love it when everyone comes over, makes it super easy with the baby and is always a fun time.  John and Bailey got me a card that I haven't seen yet, because it is recordable and he wants a Bailey sound bite before he gives it to me LOL so that might take a minute, and I also got to go the next day to 24 hour fitness and finally sign up.  I've been wanting to do this for a while because for obvious reasons I need to regain my physical health back, but I have not really been able to commit to a gym membership until now because of the one car situation.  I am so excited to meet with my personal trainer tomorrow to get a fitness plan started and to focus on myself for once!    

We went shopping on Monday to get John a few new dress shirts... got to bulk up now that he can't wear his Best Buy blue shirts any longer.  And I bought Bailey some new summer clothes.  She is still in 9 month clothes... and even some of those are too big for her!  I am always so stumped on what to get her because she is almost 18 months but is still so tiny, fairly tall but tiny.  and now that she is running around she is slimming even more.  I swear I feed her, and she eats really well, but some how she has some crazy metabolism maybe?  Last summer's clothes were 3 month outfits, which she can still wear but she's a little tall for most of them.  I usually go on ebay and buy her large lots of name brand clothes for cheap but was scared to buy a ton in case she hits a growth spurt and catches up to her age group some how.  Is it because she's a girl?   

As you read in my previous post my Dad had invited us out to Lake Buchanan for a mini vacation.  He told me he would talk to his friend and see if the cabin was free for us to stay in and didn't really tell me in detail anything else about this place.  I didn't think to ask much about it since the plans were up in the air on if we were even going to be able to go.  We got confirmation on Tuesday that it was free, and headed out Wednesday morning.  

Cabin is an understatement.  Apparently this was some oil Tycoon's piece of land large enough to be an entire city in acreage, and the "cabin" is actually a 4000 sq ft ranch house built in the 30's.  The land was really neat, full of trees, wildflowers, lakes, and cacti.  And the wildlife was pretty interesting as well.  We were greeted on the ranch by a roadrunner, who ran beside our vehicle for some time.  There is a rancher that takes care of some large cattle and horses that are free to graze the land.  And there are a good many of wild pigs, turkey and deer that roam the land as well.  I am sure there are more random breeds of things but that is the list of interesting creatures that I met on my stay.  

Although the land is quite captivating, I found it to be more of a boys club than a nice family oriented vacation spot.  The boys left Bailey and I at the ranch house a good majority of the trip to hunt and fish.   I might have enjoyed myself more if the house wasn't such an interesting place to a toddler.  Being out in the country they get the occasional varmint in the house, so they had mouse poison hiding in every nook and cranny.  Bailey enjoyed the scavenger hunt of finding the hidden poisons... fun.   And the unlocked cabinets filled with mason jars.  And climbing up the giant stairwell every time my back was turned.  and sneaking into one of the bathrooms to clog up the toilet with the contents of the waste basket.  I hovered the entire time trying to prevent such issues, but it only takes a second.  

Despite the many tears and tantrums over mean Mommy telling her no and taking away her newly discovered treasures, she bonded even closer to me because of all of my CONSTANT attention.  I did my best to keep her entertained and distracted from crazy things that parents don't want their toddlers to have access to, so she cuddled and loved on me way more than normal.  She was actually really really good (curious, but good).  She listened when I said no, she slept in her pack and play no problem, even went down for naps (which has been an issue with other trips we've taken) and was very social to all of the relatives.  And even though they played separate both John and Bailey had a great time, it was more tiresome and stressful in my shoes.  I wouldn't mind going back, but I really don't think it's the best vacation spot with a toddler... so maybe without Bailey next time?  Or maybe not for three days, keep it limited to shorter time slots so it's not so exhausting.  I don't know, I'll have to plan it out better if I dare to try again with her.  

Also, as I mentioned before, John had to leave one of the days to go to a job interview.  And he got the promotion!  He is now a Territory Finance Solutions Manager.  We are so proud of him!!  He will be over his district that he has been working in out of Dallas, and also the west Texas district.  It will require some travel, but in general his hours will be better, it gives him multi unit experience, and lots of networking opportunities.  YAY John!!!!  We knew you could do it!

Last week we took Bailey to Benihanna's because a dear friend of mine, Downen, was celebrating her birthday and requested us to be there.  It's not like she had to twist my arm or anything I love both Benihanna's and my friend a whole lot!  Originally we tried to find a sitter however our anniversary was the following day so we opted to just take Bailey along because she is pretty behaved at restaurants as long as I bring tons of snacks and toys to keep her happy in the high chair.  Turns out she LOVES Benihannas too.  Well, she never really tried the food, but she totally loved the hibachi performance.  She clapped and giggle for the man in the funny hat, and the more she cheered him on the more he hammed up his performance for her.  Seriously this little girl was cracking up so loud that it had our whole table in stitches.  So even though we had her out way past her bed time, shhhh don't tell, I am still happy that we didn't leave her with a sitter for the night since she enjoyed herself so much.  

And as I stated previously the following night John and I celebrated two years of marriage which we left Bailey at home for.  We went to the Studio Movie Grill, for you Austinites it is much like the Alamo Drafthouse, both of those places have been our favorite date night spot because we both love movies, food and drinks.  We had planned on seeing Date Night with Tina Fey and Steve Carrell however it was opening weekend and was sold out upon arrival.  The only other option was How to Train Your Dragon in 3D.  I was totally excited to see this movie, but every time we have gone to see a movie since Bailey was born it always seems to be a G rated movie by default.  Lol oh well, date night isn't what it used to be!  This was my first movie to view in 3D which made it extra special.  And we both thought the movie rocked so even though it wasn't the first choice it still made for a good plan b and a nice night out.  

Currently I am working on a mudding truck cake for a 16 yr old's birthday and a display wedding cake to be featured in Wedding Paper Diva's blog.  Both are awesome.  My hairdresser contacted me asking to make a trade hair and highlights for her 16 year old's birthday cake... I get my hair done and I get to make a totally awesome cake??  Deal!  We have a rock crawling Jeep Cake coming up in 3 weeks so this will give me a little practice for that next cake too, even better.  I'll let ya know how this little guy comes out, it's my first vehicle cake to try so I am hoping that it rocks.  My fear is that it will come out cartoonish and be totally lame for a 16 year old so I will do my best to prevent that from happening.  The good thing is that I get to cover a lot of it in "mud" aka chocolate so for it being my first vehicle cake I have a lot of give on it.  The cake for the Wedding Paper Diva's blog I am really falling in love with.  I have one other element left to complete on it and then it will be ready to photograph.  This one I love because I got to pick out one of their invites that I took a liking to and come up with a cake that matched it but has my own twist on it... so it's more inspired by their design but it truly unique.   

And coming up John is on vacation starting tomorrow!!  I have made plans with my Dad to head down to Austin on Wednesday.  The plans are still a little fuzzy as to what is happening.  A.  we will be staying at the cabin on Lake Buchanon or B.  in Earl's rv by Lake Travis.  YAY!  Can't wait!  John has an interview Friday for a new District Accounting position that has opened up in our area for Best Buy so he might have to leave us Thursday night and then come back Friday... doh inconvenient time for an interview, but it'll be totally worth it if he gets that promo!  So keep him in your prayers!  Bailey also has her K9 teeth trying to cut so she is a little moody at times.  Man ever since she turned a year she has had a new tooth or teeth trying to break through every month.  I think she will have a full set in no time!   The end!