A Quarter Hulk??

For those of you not familiar with the figure on the left, this is the Incredible Hulk. This is the monster that mild mannered Bruce Banner turns into when he gets angry. You've heard the saying "Don't make me angry....You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!"?? Yup, that's him!!

For those of you not familiar with Sophie, she is the sweetest, sassiest, happiest, silliest little girl on the planet. Normally, these are the types of photos I can capture of Stinkerbell while we play.

Lately, however, these kinds of photos have been few and far between. My camera, when in auto focus mode, has a pre-flash light which is green. This green light remains on until focus has been achieved, which can sometimes be a few seconds. Something about that green light just sets her off. She begins to scowl, and if it doesn't go away at her angry face, she starts to breathe like Darth Vader and snort. It really is quite funny.

Duncans....doesn't she look like little Brooke in the first and third picture??

Wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley! Just had to note this for posterity.

Emmy of the Blogging World

I received the loveliest award from my sister....An honor bestowed on the lucky few who have the writing ability to make others anticipate their next entry. I would like to thank my husband and daughter for giving me so much to write about, and Teresa for not only pushing me to start blogging, but for being my blogging inspiration. Of course, I kinda feel like this is an undeserved award, because I only have two followers. Maybe some day I'll actually earn it.

Do You See the Family Resemblance?

Ever since Stinkerbell was born, I've been hearing "She looks just like Brandon." Personally, I just thought she looked like a baby, but the blue eyes, and blonde hair didn't help my cause at all. Of course my mother-in-law touted this claim, but of course she'd be biased. All my mom would give me is "She has your hands." I took solace in the fact that I thought Daddy was pretty darn cute, so at least it wasn't an insult, but now that Sophie is a little older I definitely see Daddy in her eyes, but from the nose down, She's a Duncan through and through.

My mom, who I never would have believed to be sentimental, saved all of my glasses from when I was a kid. While they've been lost in the moving shuffle for the past two years, Husby located them in a box in the basement a few days ago. I got my first pair at 18 months so I decided to try a little experiment. She DID NOT like this at first, but appeased Mommy enough so that we can have vote. Let me know who you think she looks most like.....

Mommy?? Daddy??

Or Lucky??Regardless of voting results, I really hope that the next one has dark hair and green eyes so they can look like me!!

The Challenge

I have Hashimoto's Disease. It's a somewhat rare type of hypothyroidism which is characterized by fluctuating T3 and T4 levels. Basically, this means that my meds are good and everything is going along fine and then BOOM!! You gain 10 pounds in a week and have to go back and do more bloodwork and get new meds again. This has put me on a lovely weight loss roller coaster than has fluctuated from 203 to 168 pounds and then back again. I actually had a 3 month period prior to my wedding where everything was consistent and I was able to diet and exercise and lose all of the weight, but wouldn't ya know it....I got pregnant on my honeymoon and was back at square one.

Me, with my gorgeous neice Meggie of 'Continuing the Journey' fame on the Big Day...which also happened to be my skinniest day in 5 years....Me and Husby, 7 months pregnant, and Me at Christmas.

The numbers don't mean that much to me, but the change in my appearance (and the thickness in my neck - I'm turning into Barney Rubble) make it obvious. As I was about to give up, I came across a book all about weight loss for the hypothyroid patient, written by Mary Shomon. There is a whole section in which she describes the problems many of us face while dieting and the special hurdles that a thyroidian (yes, I made that up) must jump to make it into Skinny Town.

I've been taking one of her recommended natural herbal supplements and while I have lost only two pounds, I have lost 3/4 of an inch in my waist, 1/2 inch in my tree-trunck neck, and 1 inch in the diameter of my baby pouch. Also, when I was updating my weight loss ticker I noticed that I had entered my height as an inch less than I am. Once that was fixed, my BMI tells me that today I am officially no longer obese, but just overweight. First hurdle down.....Skinny Town, here I come!!

For those of you that are new, the baby pouch is that fold-like pocket of fat that hits between your girlie parts and your belly button which, when you gain weight after having a baby, starts to resemble the Rolling Stones tongue. Measuring the 'baby pouch' involves putting a measuring tape around part of your butt as well, so it's not entirely a gauge of what happens in this specific body part, but could also indicate a lessenning of the derrier. Since I was asked once by a, let's call him 'special', co-worker a few years ago if I had any "sister" in me because my ass was starting to spread like one, I would be happy with a little bit less, either way. However, I will have to attribute this loss to the pouch, because instead of a fold, I have an out-dentation...kinda like how much I was showing at 3 months pregnant. Not the best, but better than the gravity-stricken deflated balloon of a stomache I had last week. I've included a picture of Fat Barbie below to illustrate the baby pouch for those of you still fuzzy on the idea.

Additional plus?? My cravings are curbed...I don't crave sweets at all, and I am able to eat for sustenance and not for pleasure. Also, the added energy boost is just enough to make me not too tired after work to be able to work out.

So, to anyone who is losing the definition in their neck, folding over their tummy, or training for the chocolothon olympic event on a semi-daily basis, I encourage trying, or at least getting more information on acetyl l carnitine with alpha lipoic acid. This combo supplement can be found at GNC stores or online.
My goal...to be able to chase after Stinkerbell and another little one someday without needing a daily nap, regardless of the number on the scale!! I do have to give special mention to my sweetie. His love and affection for me hasn't faltered at any weight that I have held. He even asked me if I wouldn't lose too much, because he liked me the way I am. I love you Brando.
And to Pookie...you know who you are... who has never been smaller than me, our entire lives, but now weighs 4 pounds less than I do.....YOU'RE GOING DOWN. I'm bringing my A game and my B lunch and we are gonna duke it out until the skinniest is left standing (probably because the fatter got winded and needed a nap) . If you aren't scared, competition ends at Nikki's wedding to see who is the smallest.

Who's a Big Girl??

This weekend, my office had their Holiday Party. I know, Christmas seems like FOREVER ago, but we've found that with 20+ schedules to contend with, we have the best luck with attendance when our party falls in January. Me personally, I LOVE Christmas, especially the music, so any chance to stretch that out a little bit, I jump right on board with. We had our party at the Shadowbox Cabaret in Newport, KY and it was a BLAST. Their generally raunchy R rated show was toned down to a modest PG-13 for their Holiday Hoopla and everyone, from our twenty-something Newbies to our retired seasoned veterans enjoyed the show immensely. I highly suggest checking it out, if for no other reason than to hear the house band "Bill Who?"s rendition of Transiberian Orchestra version of Carol of the Bells and to see the Santa Babies.

But enough about grown up fun. I know you are here to hear about Sophie. As our big girl nears the big "1", she is getting smarter, craftier and definitely sneakier. Her latest trick??

Sophie....Are you a big girl??

Sophie, are you a big girl??
Come on, Sophie, show us how big you are!!

Of course this is followed by so many 'YAY's and applause that now the mere mention of the word 'YAY' invokes this response. Followed by her clapping for herself.

Daddy has always been fond of flying her around and calling her Super Baby. Here is super baby at four months, followed by Super Baby today. He has to use two hands now, but it doesn't make it any less cute.

At different points in a child's development, they favor one parent over the other. With us, however, I think things are pretty well evenly split between Daddy and Mommy. I can't help but think that this is partially due to the fact that we really make an effort to get Sophie worked up and excited to see the other parent. Until recently, I was the one that woke Sophie up and we enjoyed a little bottle and snuggle time while Daddy got shaved and showered. When she was finished imbibing, I would stand her up facing the back of the couch and we'd look for Daddy. From our couch you can see (and hear) the bathroom door and she'd wait in anticipation for the door to open and Daddy to pop out. Some days I got her so worked up that she was jumping up and down on the couch waiting for him. And the smiles and squeals when he finally appeared!!

We have since found that Mommy's day runs a little more smoothly when the shower is the first thing she attempts, so we have now switched roles in the morning routine. Who wouldn't rush to get out of the shower if you knew this would be waiting for you?? I'll admit, that some days she's a little nonplussed (like today when she cried from the time I took her from Daddy until she was dressed and back up in bed napping.) But I'm working on not letting it get me down. I know that the next time she falls and bonks something, 'ma, ma, ma' will be coming out of her mouth!! I am not jealous that they have a good relationship, though. I love it. I love that I can randomly catch them snuggling and talking together on the couch on a Saturday afternoon. I want her Daddy to be her hero....and I'm pretty sure that right now he is :-) Yesterday we visited G-G-Ma Marge at the nursing home. Mommy had consumed a few too many cocktails at the Christmas Party the night before and her head was telling her she needed something greasy, so we stopped for lunch at Wild Mike's first. When it was Mommy's turn to occupy Sophie while Daddy ate, I tried to make it a game and have her grab french fries out of my mouth. I had no idea she'd go 'Lady and the Tramp' on me...

Yes, that's right. She came at me with her mouth open and took the fry from me with her teeth. It was SOOO funny that we had to get a picture. She did this a few times before I thought we should stop so that people didn't think I was making out with my little girl. We hadn't gotten to visit Marge last weekend, so she hadn't yet seen Sophie feed herself her bottle. The biggest bonus is that now G-G-Ma Marge can hold Sophie and snuggle while she eats. They were very cute together.

But as she gets older, she gets sneakier. We've given up on mittens. No sooner than you wrestle those little paws inside does she have them in her mouth - even with a scarf over her mouth - and bites them off. And of course, giggles. For a few days I kept them on their string through the arms of her coat so that people would know that I was a good mom and tried. Of course, my husband thought that was super silly, but he has NO idea how much moms judge each other. I can't tell you how many times I've been told loudly "At least you have enough sense to put a hat on your baby in this weather....Not like that WOMAN over there!!". Oh yeah, that WOMAN was always in earshot. Whether it was a hat, a heavy enough coat, or the elusive mittens, other mothers (mostly those that are now grandmothers) have no problems putting you down to someone else's face and making sure you've heard them. As yet, these remarks had never been said about me, only to me, and I've been trying so hard to not be the target. But I know I'm only biding my time, because, in addition to the glove battle, her scarf is nothing but a fuzzy necklace since she instantly pushes it off of her nose and mouth, and her hat is merely a chew toy.

I tell you, the guy that thought to stick pom poms on a kid's hat is an evil genious!

That's all for now. Wish me luck in my ongoing battle to keep Sophie ear-infection and frostbite free.

The Holidays Flaig Style

So, my sister, Teresa, designed this blog for me as a Christmas gift. Being an avid scrapbooker for the last 6 years, I'll have to admit that this blogging thing will take some getting used to. No stickers?? No colored, printed paper?? No quotes in bubble letters?? I have been assured however, that the benefits far outweigh the losses...the greatest of these being that all of my family and friends can access my blog and get Sophie updates without me having to send enormous emails filled with GIANT pictures of my Stinkerbell. So, now that 2008 has been successfully scrapbooked in my usual crafty fashion, I am going to try this blogging thing for 2009.

Here goes.......

This is Sophie. She is 10 months old and and bundle of energy and sass (emphasis on the sass). She is at that wonderful stage of a little girl's development called "Exploring the world with her mouth". If a toy doesn't make a sound, then, surely, it is for sucking/biting/eating, as are blankets, dogs, the couch, mommy's shoulder and magazines. She recently graduated to not needed her bath chair anymore and LOVES bath time. If we ever leave the bathroom door open, she beelines to the tub and tries to climb in.

Did you ever get misty when you saw those "Daddy's Little Girl" commercials where a man and his daughter danced with her standing on his feet?? Apparently my husband, Brandon, did. He is always trying to get Sophie to dance with him. As yet, she is not the most cooperative. Gotta love the guy for trying, though :-)

This is Sophie's first Christmas. Sophie is a honeymoon baby, so although this is not our first Christmas as a married couple, last year I was huge and uncomfortable and therefore a tree with a few ornaments was the extent of our Christmas decorating. This year we went all out, complete with garland and ribbon and our Abominable finally got removed from his plastic home.

Oddly enough, Sophie wasn't scared of him in the least. To commemorate Sophie's first Christmas in true Debbie fashion, I had some custom ornaments made for the occasion.

Sophie was 'hatched' on February 22nd, 2008.

We are no longer just a couple, we are a family.

Sophie doesn't generally get really dirty or stinky, so she doesn't get bathed on a daily basis. Of course, whenever she is going to see one of the Grandma's or Aunt Teresa (who says that heaven must smell like Johnson's baby products) she gets to have bath time. And of course, she has to munch on her rubber duckie.

That sweet, sweet face is made even more precious with the smell of baby oil.

Mommy is getting exceedingly frustrated with the "Is it a boy or girl" questions. My latest attempt at making her look unmistakably female.....

And she pulled them out and was chewing on them in ten minutes. Christmas Eve was the day that Sophie finally took to feeding herself her bottle. I still like to snuggle with her at night and in the morning with her bottles, but golly it's nice to have free hands during the day. I had the freedom to do some early Christmas dinner prep while she had lunch in the kitchen.

Christmas Eve was also the first day that Sophie really noticed the gifts under the tree. She was intrigued by the tree itself, but she finally realized that there were ribbons and bows under there.

Christmas Eve was spent at Grandma Judy's. Sophie had quite a time trying to crawl in that dress. She was bear crawling after a while (I couldn't quite get a good picture of it though). To try to tame the beast in this not-so-baby-proofed home, Daddy decided to give her a ride. It didn't work out quite as expected.

Finally, after dinner, it was time to put on her new Christmas jammies and open some presents.

She had quite an affection for mini Gloworm....

Aunt Sue's friend Bob decided to put on the Santa hat and get in good with the baby. I think this picture makes her look like one of the residents in Whoville.

Christmas morning was a special day in the Flaig household. Sophie was more interested in her ribbons and bows than the actual gifts. She liked them so much we thought that she should wear them.

The funniest of Mommy's gifts came from Daddy and Sophie. A book called "Be Happy or I'll Scream - My Deranged Quest for the Perfect Husband, Family, and Life". We all agree I'm pretty nuts - working more than full time, going to school, being a mommy and trying to maintain a household. Hopefully this book can give me some insights to help hold it all together.

Christmas Day involved a tradition with my sister Teresa and her family which we've been doing for the last 10 years. We always have a big dinner consisting of our mom's fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn (some times some other things are slid in, but these are the staples) before we head out to see a kid-friendly movie. This year was my first year to host, since I finally had a house, a husband and wedding china!! Sadly, Teresa came down with a nasty virus the day before and was still not up to par. She spent some time hanging out in the kitchen, but couldn't really contribute to dinner the way she had planned. Darling Meggie, her 16 year old, proudly donned a Ho Ho Ho apron and took her place.

She was extremely helpful and we had dinner in the oven in no time. In our downtime, Meggie couldn't pass up the opportunity to check on her favorite blogs.

While the chicken was baking, I snapped a quick family photo of the Berter Brood before we dug into presents.

As you can see, there's a little Asian boy in the picture. No, their mailman isn't Asian....Teresa and Kevin flew halfway around the world to adopt Carson last October. They are currently in the process of adopting another little girl from a neighboring province. Sadly, Molly Jayne will not be with us until March at the earliest. I couldn't resist getting her a Zoobie pet for Christmas anyway. Choosing the animal was easy - Teresa's favorite Christmas song is "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas". This Zoobie Travel Buddy is a stuffed animal which transforms to a pillow with the release of some Velcro straps, and releases a blanket from it's belly with a quick unzip of it's bottom. I figured Molly would get some good use out of it on the long flight home from China.

My first real, grownup dinner table.....

My family.

The cousins.

On December 28th all six of my siblings and their families gathered at Teresa's house to work on a grandiose collage of our family as a Christmas gift to Grandma Jane. This was also the day of another HUGE milestone for Stinkerbell. She had outgrown her infant car seat, so Daddy installed her big-girl car seat.

December 31st...New Year's Eve. We hosted a kid-friendly party for all who wanted somewhere to go, but didn't want to get a sitter. Sophie went down at her normal bedtime, but we woke her up at quarter til midnight so we could ring in the New Year as a family. She was still kind of groggy and a bit distrusting of Daddy's new noisy tongue.

We gave her some noise makers so that she could get in on the action, too. She woke up pretty fast after that!!

And on January 1st, she hit another milestone. She was doing so well drinking by herself with bottles that Daddy tried to give her a sippy cup. There's no looking back now. My little baby is growing up.

That concludes my recap of our holidays and my first blog. I hope you all enjoy watching my little girl and my family grow. Sis, I'll try to do you proud.