Long time, eh?

It has been entirely too long since I've written in here.

Really. M will be 3 in just over a month....and the last really solid post I wrote was when she turned 2.

Whoa.

A lot of everything has been going on around here since January 2012.
Pregnancies.
Loss of pregnancies.
A TODDLER who is very independent and open about what she feels, how she feels and shares it.
A husband who is working full time and going back to school.
A mommy who is working part time/SAHM the other 95% percent, going/went back to school (LONG story there but for now, I'm on hold) and now, pregnant.

Pregnancy the second time around, with an almost-3-year old who does not want to potty train, give her pacifier up at nap/bed AND who has discovered the power in the word "NO" with definite attitude...

holy cow, how did I EVER survive the first time around?!

right. no toddler. no working. lots of sleeping.

AHA! There in lies my problem.

But you know...I would not trade M for anything, even if it meant more sleep, less putting noses in corners, less messes (although I DO initiate a lot of those!), less worrying and less Caillou. Dora and PBS I can handle...Caillou, I cannot.

She gives me such joy and makes my heart swell with pride, my eyes with tears and just overwhelms me with her ability to pay attention to EVERY.SINGLE.DETAIL and remember things from months ago. Seriously - this kid was singing a song the other day and we asked her where she heard it.
"From Aunt Connie".  Oh really? When?!  (matter of factly) - "At Aunt Megan's wedding" with a look of "DUH, Mom!".

Her wedding was in the beginning of August. She has not sung that song until just a few days ago..

She is my wonderful peanut, my lover of dinosaurs, PBS, Sesame Street and all things sweet. This kid got THAT sweet tooth from her daddy...although I do love chocolate cake. With peanut butter frosting.

Really, ANY sort of cake will do (when I'm not pregnant - right now, the only sweet things that sound good are oreos with milk, homemade silky fudge and coffee with peppermint mocha creamer).

Like the one over at i.am.baker's blog.

IT HAS CHOCOLATE CURLS.... THAT ARE RED!
And the icing in the middle is all wonderfulness of red and green.

Seriously, it rocks.

See the wonderful cake?!?!

What's even cooler is that with this cake, there is an AH-MAZ-ING giveaway.

Verizon gift card and Droid Razr phone.

REALLY!

i am SO in!

I love cake and all fun giveaways.

and when my daughter wrinkles up her nose as her way of asking for a "nose" kiss - Eskimo kiss :)