Yes, we are still alive!

Is this how you feel??? Where on earth is Allyson????

Sorry everyone for the lack of blog posts!! I can't believe almost a whole week has gotten away from me without a blog post! I know there are some of you that are probably pretty upset with me (LM?). I wish I could say we have been out and about doing so many things... but that isn't the case.

How about a recap since last Wednesday's post? It is a long one... you might need a potty break in b/w reading....

Last Thursday we went over to play with Sophia's new best friend that is only 6 days older than she.... Miss Lila Jane White (Michelle and Justin's little girl). We had a great time. Michelle and I laid Lila and Sophia on a blanket on their backs to look at each other. They probably laid there for 40 minutes. Wish I had my camera ... so precious!! We hung out for a few hours with Michelle and her boys and Miss Lila. I decided to be brave and call and schedule a haircut for Friday morning as well! I figure... making a 2:45pm haircut should be no problem at all b/c Nate was home all day long on Friday.

(There might be a little TMI for some people... so if you don't like hearing... skip down to the next paragraph -- but I am just trying to be real!)

Friday I woke up with horrible sharp pains in my right breast. Since Sophia wasn't up yet, I decided to pump. The pain wasn't much better. When she got up, I nursed her... which was horrible pain on the right side for the full 30 min nursing period. Tears actually fell from my eyes. I thought... heavens, what is wrong with me? Do I have a clogged duct? After trying massage, heat, warm compresses... the pain was still there. I call the lactation specialist at Methodist and she called back to confirm that I most likely had a few clogged ducts. Lovely!!! She gave me a few other things to try to relieve the pain and get rid of the clog... thank heavens by 1pm, I was on the road to recovery and was feeling some relief. I already had my morning plans (of a workout) ruined... and was beginning to think I wasn't going to be able to get out and go to my haircut. However, I was FINALLY able to get a shower and rush out the door. It was such a relief to get my haircut and have a little "ME" time. While I was gone, Sophia and daddy got bundled up and went for a short stroll around the neighborhood in the stroller. She loved it!! I think Daddy loved it more though!!

Saturday I was finally able to make it back to the gym... thank HEAVENS!!! In the afternoon, Aunt Sarah came over to help Sophia get a bath and get ready to head out on the town. Saturday night Sophia and I left Daddy at home to dine with the nurses that took care of me at the hospital. Mom, Sarah, and I met my two FABULOUS nurses at Dunnaway's for dinner. It was a really nice time....however, nothing is without drama with our family! My main concern with a dinner reservation at a nice restaurant at 6pm was a fussy baby... however, she slept the WHOLE time!! Couldn't even believe it!! (And even slept that night!)... The drama was with the adults!! We ordered our food and one of my nurses was craving steak... so she ordered a New York Strip Steak VERY well done. She said she didn't want any pink in her steak AT ALL. The waitress said that wouldn't be a problem. When we FINALLY got our food (after waiting FOREVER), she cut into it and it was very pink/red. She sent it back and said this is supposed to be well done... NO PINK. We suggested they fillet it or do a butterfly cut (since the meat think). Poor Lois, we all had our food and she didn't have anything... FINALLY they brought out her steak and it was very black on the outside (very very crispy). She cut into it again and it was still PINK!!! Are you kidding me? At this point, we stopped laughing and got a little ticked off. How hard was it? She asked for a new piece of meat and for it to be cut in half to cook it WELL DONE. The waitress felt really bad and took it away back to the kitchen. At this point we were all done eating and Lois hadn't even had her meal yet. We all felt so bad... mom really did... so she went downstairs to talk with the manager... He pretty much was a COMPLETE JERK and this was the conversation (for the most part)... (can you believe it, at such a nice, upscale restaurant)

Mom: Can I please talk with the manager?

Girl #1: Sure, let me get him...

Manager: Is there a problem mam?

Mom: Yes there is. My friend ordered a steak to be WELL DONE (no pink/red) and it has been brought out to her twice and it is still pink/red. We suggested they butterfly it and put it back on the grill... however it still wasn't done. We asked the waitress to bring her a new piece of meat that wasn't BLACK on the outside and pink inside... one that was actually done.

Manager: Mam, to tell you the truth, I didn't even want to give her a new piece of meat, but I had to b/c the waitress already told her that we would. When you order a steak well done at this restaurant, it is pink inside -- that is just the way it is...

.... AND then the manager just turned and walked away?????????????

Are you kidding me? Who does this? If the price of a 14 oz steak (the only size they have) is $36, don't you think it is their responsibility to cook it how the patron ordered it?? I don't care if most people may like it pink... no 14 oz hunk of meat is going to cook all the way through without being cut in half or full of black cancer causing particles on the outside!!

In the mean time, the rest of us are upstairs and her new piece of meat comes out FINALLY after what seemed like 30 minutes and looks great on the outside, but when she cuts into it... it is even WORSE than the first piece. It is bloody red inside! Lois just told the waitress to take it back and take it off the bill.

Then it came time to order dessert... poor Lois only had two pieces of bread and a wedge salad, so she ordered two desserts: banana pudding and fresh mango sorbet... Our dessert came and they only brought her one dessert... the waitress claims she didn't hear the second dessert.

Needless to say, our LONG night at Dunnaways was quite eventful and at least we were able to laugh about it by the end of the night.. well, most of us were!! My poor mother was so embarrassed... here she was trying to create such a wonderful evening out for the girls to celebrate Sophia's birth with the women that helped bring her into the world and it went up in flames!!!

Sunday we had church and Sunday school and it was pretty uneventful. Monday, Sophia and I had Becky and Isabelle over from church. We had a great time together. Isabelle is 10 1/2 months old and is just such a doll. I should have taken a picture of them together too!! We made organic white chocolate oreo balls! (Or I should say Becky made them while I nursed) YUM!! We had a great time relaxing and talking!!

Today, Tuesday, Grammie and Grampie Kiesel came up to spend the day with us. Nate ended up staying home and working from home b/c the weather was so questionable. I was able to escape to the gym and have a little "ME" time while Grammie and Grampie help Sophia and helped around the house! The 5 of us headed to Subway for lunch b4 the weather started getting worse and Grammie and Grampie had to leave to get home....

So that was our week... maybe you can understand why I haven't blogged in awhile... the other reason is that she isn't sleeping more than 10-13 hours/day TOTAL! Needless to say I am busy with her so much that I don't have much time alone to myself!!! She sure doesn't sleep the 18-20 hours/day that all the books say a newborn sleeps!!

I will leave you with a few pictures for your viewing pleasure....












Sophia is getting the hang of the paci... but she doesn't keep it in long... and it doesn't quite calm her down yet...














Great Grandpa Kiesel holding Sophia last Monday after our doctor's appt!











Great Grandma Kiesel

Well, thanks for reading if you made it to the bottom!!

Allyson and Sophia