I wish I could stir my chocolate milk...

I wish I could stir my chocolate milk right now but apparently it grates on Clay's nerves. Here's the deal...I've had a MASSIVE sweet tooth lately. It weighs on me all day and all night. I try to resist this temptation and have actually done a pretty good job of it (Go me!!!). I avoid buying anything sweet at the grocery store as I know I'll eat it all in one sitting and I'm not really in to putting on extra pounds right now...bathing suit weather is around the corner...actually,we're hitting the neighborhood community pool on Saturday...Eeekk!

However, tonight I was desperate!!!! I felt like a Edward in Twilight feening for Bella's blood. I know this is a VERY strange analogy but I'm slightly obsessed with not only the Twilight book but now the movie ...I've seen it FOUR times already...can you believe??? I even forced Clay to watch it and he actually enjoyed...woohoo! Anyway, tonight I broke down and started scavenging our cabinets like a crazy person on some sort of crazy mission. All I could find was chocolate milk and a banana. I thought "Ok, this will work". I get the milk out, pour it in my cup, dump a table spoon (0r maybe two) of chocolate powder in and start stirring away. Then Clay starts yelling "I can't handle that...please stop!". Apparently this sound is like scraping fingernails on a chalk board to him. I go ahead and take a sip of my chocolate milk and IMMEDIATELY run to the sink to spit it out. YUCK!!! It's spoiled milk! Here's the best part (or worst depending on how you look at it)...I just gave Lola an entire bottle of that milk before bedtime...NICE! Looks like we'll be dealing with some diarrhea tomorrow. No fear though...I had a new thing of milk in the fridge and started making a new glass of chocolate milk but Clay couldn't handle the stirring so I'm now drinking milk with chocolate powder sprinkled on top...it works!!!

I had a couple thoughts tonight.... Firstly, I realized I'm weird for many reasons but here's why I'm saying this now...

To recap, when Lola was an infant I bit her fingernails while I was breastfeeding. I always heard the only way to trim an infant's nails is either when they are sleeping or when they are feeding. Well, since we have a baby who has never slept real well, I chose not to disturb her while sleeping so I bit her nails when I was feeding her. I know many people who do this so I don't think this is really weird but it gets worse (of course...imagine that!). Tonight I realized Lo's finger and toenails were getting long and needed some trimming. She won't let me cut, clip or file them so I just bit them all off (same way I did when she was an infant). Then I realized Lola is 14 months old and I'm STILL biting her nails! Before I know it she'll be 5 yrs old and I'll be doing the same thing. The worst part is I can say to her "Lo, Mama needs to trim your little piggies" and she actually lifts her little feet, shoves them towards my mouth and lets me bite them off (she's usually giggling while I do it). It was at this point that I realized this most likely isn't normal and in the future I should probably get out the scissors rather than biting Lola's nails. I mean she's still a baby but come on....it's a little much when your 14 month old lifts her feet for you to trim her toenails with your teeth (I'm saying this to myself). It reminds me of a story my dad tells about my Aunt Linda (he actually just told us this story again on Sunday)...basically, he remembers Linda, his sister, biting her own toenails when she was like 16...ha,ha,ha,ha!!! Oh man!!! This thought crossed my mind tonight when I was trimming Lo's toenails with my teeth...if I don't stop now, I could very well be teaching her to bite not only her fingernails but even worse her toenails when she is 16. OH MY...can you imagine!?!?!? So, we have to put a stop to this asap.

My second thought tonight was that I never post videos on the blog. I wonder why?!?!?! Probably b/c every time I turn on the camera it seems Lola freezes up and acts like a statue. But, I thought I would give it a shot tonight anyway. Of course, she did freeze up and started acting a little shy but I figure it's still better than pictures. I guess if I continue shoving the camera and video in her face she'll eventually get used to it and be posy posy like her mama. Enjoy!!!!

Fun times after eating and bath.



Lola conked out for the evening.




P.S. I think I pulled my rotator cuff somehow. I'm in SO MUCH pain! Can barely lift my arm. Ouchy!!!

And the week gets even better....

Yep, this week is going fabulous and seamless so far...yea right!!! Oh man....can I get a break?!?!?! I really need to know the secret to simplifying life (surely the book will help...if I can find time to read it). So, yesterday I was working away but nothing seemed to go right. I couldn't get anything done....just one of those days. Either websites weren't working or calculation weren't calculating or conference calls were lasting too long, etc. THEN, I start getting a massive migraine....tongue and finger tips started going numb and excruciating pain hit my left temple. Oh great!!! I'm thinking "I just got through a stomach bug and now I'm getting a migraine". These suckers can put me out for at least a day so I had to nip it in the bud quickly. As much as I don't like to take medicine, I scarfed down 3 aleves and some caffeine. Pretty healthy I know. It still took the rest of the afternoon and evening to get things back to normal.

Later in the day I took Lola to the doctor (another ear infection) and then we came home. Lola was running around like a mad woman...this has become routine lately. Anyway, she decided to dig through my purse and wallet. I always say if we were to be audited by the IRS, I would have to go to my purse for all the documents (speaking of...we need to do our taxes...EEEKK...one more item on the "to do" list) so the fact that Lola was digging in it was probably not the best idea. It was basically a huge mess....papers and receipts sprawled everywhere in the entryway. But, I didn't care b/c it occupied her for a bit while I got some things done. We've been challenged in this area lately...Lo hasn't been good with occupying herself...another time another blog. Anyway, she took my license out at one point during the digging process and I think she flushed it down the toilet. NICE!!!

Lola has really gotten into this toilet thing lately. In fact, she is very interested in it....weird huh...is this normal!?!?!?! She's always hovering around it, tossing things around in the very clean germ free water (sarcasm of course), playing with the flush handle, etc. Again, if it occupies her for a period of time then let her be....I just have to disinfect her after she's done. She's been known to put my wallet, sippy cups and more in the toilet and swirl them around. It's been a real joy! You would think we would just learn to close the dang lid but we don't. See....this is one thing that would make life more simple...just close the lid and you alleviate things being flushed down the toilet by your child (until she figures out how to lift it up of course). Well, we never seem to learn our lesson the first time or even second time for that matter.

So, to make a long story short (once again), I believe my license is in our plumbing system as we speak (or write). But, no fear!!! I've been known to have my license stolen and/or lost many times so I keep a spare tucked away in a drawer. I've also learned to keep a copy of my license so if it were to be lost, stolen and/or flushed down a toilet I can simply go on-line and order a new one. This is what I call organization...right!?!?!?! Now, instead of stressing over the fact that my license is gone, I can simply go on-line order a new one (and go ahead and update the new address in the process) and use my spare until the new squeaky clean license arrives.

Oh man...life with a baby....it's all fun right!?!?!? And very entertaining to say the least. Another thing Lola has been doing is grabbing my necklaces (which are still packed so she digs them out of boxes) and puts them on. It's the cutest thing....we never know what she'll come out wearing and if she'll have it on right. Once she gets the jewels on, she'll prance around thinking she is "Miss Thing".

Too adorable!!! The girl loves the accessories like her mama.
Now this is what I call maxin and relaxin. Nothing like kickin' back on the couch with a strawberry in hand....jewels and all.

Mondays...always crazy crazy!!!

Our backyard (a mess like everything else). Hopefully one day soon I'll be able to get some flowers planted and make it a beautiful get-a-way!

So, I was ready to start a new fresh week yesterday but as usual it didn't start as smooth as I would like....

I mentioned last week that I hate the fact that I eat horrible foods when I'm on business trips and feel like I gain 10 lbs every time I get home. Well, I took care of that this past weekend and I'll explain how. I was very very very VERY sick sick SICK (get the point)! I woke up Friday not feeling well at all (I think I caught it from my mom who thinks we caught from Lola) and it all went down hill from there. By Saturday, I was violently throwing up and thought I was going to DIE...literally! I even called Clay and said "Do you think I'm dying?". He of course said "No" and I'm sure he wanted to say "Will you quit calling me...I'm trying to sleep" but he didn't. What a nice hubby. It was pretty much HORRIBLE!!! I'm still not 100% but I'm getting there slowing but surely.

Anyway, I had a 7:30 a.m. doctor appt yesterday and I found out that I lost 5 lbs in a week due to the illness I guess. That was a nice way to start the week, however, the doc appt took 2 hrs...goodness gracious! Once I FINALLY got back, I immediately started working as I had lost valuable hours at the doc appt. Around 12:45 I jumped on a conference call. Now that we have a backyard, when it's nice out, I leave the back door open and let the dogs go in and out of the house. Well, I got off my conference call around 2:00ish and was in a hurry as I had to pick up Lola (who is also sick) from school and run her to the doctor. I quickly noticed that the dogs were nowhere to be found. OH NO!!! I panicked of course and went on a mad search to find them.

I thought they were gone for good as it had been hours since they had been gone. I called SPCA and animal rescue and put a report in for missing dogs. I finally went to pick up Lola (we didn't make it to the doctor) and the tears started rolling. I kept thinking "If they are gone, I hope they are in a good place and with good people"...Yes, I was already thinking negative thoughts which was "We will never see them again". Then I started thinking how much we've been through with the baby girls. They were there when we first got married in our newlywed house. They moved to NYC with us and experienced that. They moved back to Dallas with us and into another new house that meant so much. They were there when Lola was born. And, now, they have moved with us to Austin. All along through all these moves, they've always been there for us only giving unconditional love. Yesterday I thought "And, now they're gone".

To make a VERY long story short, I found them in a neighbors yard. They were both a little on edge and shaken up but they are ok now. What a relief!!! Needless to say, we can't leave the dogs in the backyard unattended. Clay had told me we wouldn't be able to but I thought there was no way they could find a way out...Oh, was I ever wrong. Those little hoodlums!!!

I can't wait to get the house done and finally post pics of the inside. I think it will be great and so cute once we can finally get settled (if ever). Unfortunately, our camera is broken so I have to find some time to get it fixed quickly or buy a new one so I can get some more recent pics posted. We tend to only have a 1 yr life span on cameras...not sure why. Here are some pics of Lola playing on the stairs...Oh yes...these have been quite a challenge for us. We're in the process of teaching her to come down the stairs on her booty...it's a work in progress....

Lola knows good and well she's not suppose to be on the stairs but climbed them anyway!!! She's something else.

Secrets of Simplicity

A friend posted this book on her blog. As soon as I saw the title I thought "I've gotta have this book" and I wondered "Is there really a secret to simplicity?".

Clay asked me last night "Are you doing okay?". It was crazy hearing this question come out of his mouth and with so much concern in his voice. It's such a simple question but I didn't know how to answer. I thought about it and my answer wasn't a straight answer but I told him I feel like I can't see myself "clearly" right now. Do any of you know what I mean by this??? I continued to tell him that if just one thing out of all the things going on in our lives right now could "let up" then I feel like I could think more clearly.

Lately, we're so busy....I've been sick but haven't been able to slow down, lack of sleep due to everything on my mind, work is crazy for both me and Clay, unpacking isn't happening as quickly as we'd like, therefore, we're living in a mess, we're still working on Lola's transition, I miss Lola, etc. All of this builds up to a certain point and then I feel like I can't think straight anymore. That's where I am now. I keep trying to take things one week at a time and hope the next week will bring some relief but it hasn't b/c I can't seem to get anything done and in turn can't free my mind.

I know it's not just me (or us) dealing with hurdles. Everyone has too much on their plate and life presents all of us with many challenges. But, I've learned it's how you handle those challenges and the stress of life in general that makes the difference. Unfortunately, once my stress gets to a certain level, I'm not one who handles it real well. I have to say though...I seem to toggle quite a bit before I reach my wits end. So, with that, I thought if there is a book out there that can tell me how to simplify things and possibly tell me how life can be less stressful than why not read it. We'll see if it provides some good insight.

Here is the description of the book:

Bulging in-boxes, out-of-control stress, and even climate change serve as reminders that when it comes to being happy and healthy, less is more. In this interactive journal, organization expert Mary Carlomagno leads readers on a journey toward release and discovery. Guided by the principle that the way you spend your time and money should reflect your true priorities, Secrets of Simplicity shows how to make practical changes to unburden your closets and calendars and make room for what's really important. Readers can record their successes as they de-clutter their homes and in the process their minds.

I'll keep you posted with my review. In the meantime, I'm about to get off the dang computer and start unpacking/organizing. If I can get through a lot of this mess this weekend, then hopefully we can start next week off right and the stress will start going away. I just don't know where to start....

We've enjoyed SXSW (http://www.sxsw.com/) this week. It's really unbelievable. Can't wait to post some pics of this amazing festival.....

"In its 22 years, SXSW has grown from a tiny music festival in the Texas capital into a massive, unavoidable media beast that reflects, discusses and showcases trends in culture and media but also often creates them." -National Post

How fabulous is that. I'm telling you...it's amazing!!!

Things I love...

This precious face!!!

And, this precious face!!!I couldn't decide which pic to post so I figured I would post them both. Lola looks like a little baby doll in these pics and I love them. She is too sweet and I miss her!!!

I'm traveling again this week. Getting a lot done which is great but I miss the fam. I know baby Lo is having fun with her grandparents and I know Clay is probably enjoying a break from me and all the hecticness but I sure do miss them. I also hate that I eat too much and don't sleep when I'm on business trips. Can't wait to get home!

Here's something else I saw today...I love this too:

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes...the ones who see things differently, they're not fond of rules. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things...they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do" - Steve Jobs

I think Lola is already starting to fit into this personality category and will not only always make a huge impact on our lives but will also impact others one day by being herself and pushing forward.

I also loved the book Twilight and read all 450 pages within days. I haven't had a chance to see the movie yet but I figured since I got to the hotel early tonight (9:30 p.m.) that I would watch the movie for a fabulous price of $14.99 + tax. Love it!!!

Party at the compound

Over the weekend, there was a Big Kid Party at the compound with pinatas and all!!!

How cute is this guy!!! He was beaten to pieces by the end of the night.

Lo munching down on dinner but still enjoying the party

How cute is this smile!?!?!?? Does it not melt your heart. This shows you how much fun she had at the party.Amy & Kristen (new neighbor) - The up-shot is always a horrible shot isn't it?!?!?! Never look good in the up-shot pics!

I mentioned last week that our neighbors were having a party at the compound. Well, they did and it was a blast! I initially thought it was a party for Kristen’s friend’s child since it was a “kid party” but it was actually a “kid party” for adults....a big kid party...Love it!!! I just thought this was too clever! So, there weren't many kids around for Lola to play with (unless you count some of the adults which could probably qualify as kids at points during the night) but she still had a blast and was a big hit.

It’s really amazing how good people can be. We met many more interesting/neat people. And, they were all so sweet to Lola….really…all of them. They didn't mind that a 1 year old was running around the party…they embraced her. It was really great to see this and Lola had so much fun!!! We’ll definitely have many more parties at the compound. Clay and I are ready to start planning a Crawfish Boil in April.

Needless to say, we ended up staying up pretty late on Saturday night. Of course, Lola doesn't understand when we're tired and need to sleep in until at least 12:00 p.m. (actually, this was one of the biggest adjustments to being a new parent...kind of over it now). So, she popped up at 7:30 a.m. bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to go. Clay and I have this unspoken rule that if I get up with Lola on Saturday then he’ll get up with her on Sunday and vice/versa. Well, I didn’t play my cards right this weekend. I “slept in” until 8:15 a.m. on Saturday (not real sure you can call this sleeping in) and Clay got up with Lola so on Sunday it was my day to get up with Lola. Let me tell you….7:30 a.m. came quick and it wasn’t painless…it was actually pretty painful.

Once Clay finally roused out of bed at 12:30 p.m. (Now, this is what I call sleeping in) we walked down to Guero’s (http://www.guerostacobar.com/) to grab lunch. We’re becoming quite the regulars at Guero’s....they definitely recognize us when we walk in and I’m fairly certain they will know us by name very soon. After lunch we hit up a few shopping spots and then went down to Joe’s Coffee Shop (http://www.joscoffee.com/) to watch the house band. Totally hip place. The band was great and play every Sunday...Woohoo!!! We were happy to meet more people. Gosh, everyone is so dang friendly here...not even kidding. After that, we went back down to Guero’s to watch another band.

What a fabulous town?!?!?!? I guess they call it the “Live Music Capital of the World” for a reason. Seriously, there is live music EVERYWHERE!!! Oh, it gives me such a good feeling and it's so enjoyable on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to sit out, watch bands, enjoy the weather and be part of a community. Lola just runs around, plays with other kids and enjoys the music along with us. What a way to grow up!!!

We’re ECSTATIC about South by Southwest (SXSW) this week and weekend. It’s basically the Sundance Film Festival for music and will be a riot. We keep thinking we need to pinch ourselves b/c we’re having such a great time in our new town....

Our Friday night...

Walking to South Congress for dinner and drinks. We're really putting the Orbit stroller to work now!!! I'm really happy we made the purchase!

Walking to one of our new fav restaurants...Home Slice. Oh so good!!! The BEST house salad in town (or at least out of the ones I've tried so far which is probably only 3)...it really is to DIE for and the pizza....FABULOUS...New York style...LOVE IT!!!

Waiting and waiting and waiting...it's kind of hard to keep a 13 month occupied for a 45 minute wait (thank goodness for Puffs). Luckily, there was another couple waiting with little kids so Lo played with them. Then we met another couple from Dallas that happen to live in our old neighborhood and know several people we know....it's a small world after all...they were really nice!!!

We finally were seated! Baby girl started getting a little fussy so the waitress swooped in with some dough for Lo to play with (If you say that out loud it rhymes....dough for Lo). Anyway, she loved it...she played with it and then decided to eat it and actually seemed to like it. This child will eat anything...

The Odom's are stuffed now it's time to walk home and work off all those calories!!! Please note, I can't be in any pics tonight b/c I look like hell.

We really LOVE Austin so far!!! I had so many doubts and was really scared to move to here (natural I guess) so I'm thrilled that we love it so much...it's just been great and we feel like we're "home". I knew it would work out in the end but the anxiety building up was tough. I'm so glad to be here now but miss friends and family.

So, I have to say...this has been a really, really, really, really emotionally draining week. Without getting into too many details (of course I've already revealed some of them) , let's just say TGIF. Luckily next week will be a new week.

Here's one of the things I love about Austin (amongst many)....I've not felt good this week which translates into lack of showers, no make-up, jeans and flip-flops, etc (Thank goodness I have the option to work from home!). Tonight Clay said "Let's go to Home Slice" which is actually a trendy/groovy/hip place on South Congress. I wanted to get out so I said "Lets do it". I walked in looking like HELL (as noted above - no shower, no make-up, flip-flops, etc) and what I love is I actually fit in or at least didn't stick out. You can be slummed out or dressed up for the prom and you'll fit in anywhere in this town. Everyone is accepted and no one stares at you funny. I love the low-keyness (not sure that this is a word) about Austin. I also love the fact that we finally have wireless so I can post blogs while sitting in the living room watching TV....Oh so nice!!!

Everyone have a fab weekend!!! I'll be in Big D next week then off to Atlanta.

The bane of my existence Part II

On Lola's 1 yr birthday. Obviously we didn't cut her off the bottle that day...

More recently but same situation....bottle still in hand and she's loving it!

As you know, a while back I wrote a blog about the bottle being the bane of my existence. I mentioned that pretty much everyone I knew cut their babies off right when they turned 1 yrs old. And, of course, the doctors recommend this too. Well, I thought about this a lot and made an executive decision to ween Lola off slowly but surely and if she was still taking the bottle at 15 months, then I would cut her off.

I can't really say this was a good or bad decision but I will say I think it's going to be much harder to cut her off at 15 months vs. 12 months. Why??? As you can see from the pics above, she LOVES her bottle. Luckily she also LOVES her toothbrush (see pic with bottle in one hand and toothbrush in the other...perfect!) so I'm hoping they offset each other. It should be noted that Lola has not always been attached to the bottle. As a matter of fact, at 12 months I don't think she was attached but she is now. We only give her the bottle around bedtime (or "nite, nite" time as Lo puts it). But, during these times, she basically cries out for the bottle and wants it BAD! She has also become quite picky as to how she wants the bottle fixed and the temperature/freshness of the milk. It's funny b/c she is not like this with the sippy cup. She'll drink milk that's been sitting out for 4 hours out of the sippy cup but it has to be warm and the perfect temperature out of the bottle. These babies are very funny and quirky....things like this never cease to amaze me.

So, anyway, we're still basically at square one. I keep thinking "I'm going to start weening her this week" but then something comes up...like a move or new school, etc. I'm already a little worried about her and feel she has so much going on that I don't want to take one more thing away from her right now. As usual, we would take any advice on the best way to handle this weening process....I'm fairly certain most of you will say "cut her off" or "don't worry about it". That's what I've seemed to get pretty consistently across the board.

I mentioned above that I'm a little worried about Lola. "They say" a move is a lot harder on babies than you realize. I've noticed she's been acting a little different and can tell she is off just a bit. When she saw our old house after everything had been moved out, she went from room to room and said "Uh Oh, Uh Oh, Uh Oh". This made us a little sad b/c we know she doesn't really understand what's going on. I know it's also been hard for her to leave her old school, friends and teachers. She's now starting in a new school and it's definitely been an adjustment. When we drop her off she cries and reaches her arms out while shouting "mama". It is the hardest thing to walk away from her when she feels this way but I have to....I too cry as soon as I get to the car b/c it saddens me so. Once again, I just wonder how long it takes to get through this phase. Despite the morning drop-off tears, Lola actually seems to like her new school a lot but I think she still lacks that sense of security which will come with time. Miss Gabby, the lead teacher, is doing a great job trying to make Lola feel comfortable and I can tell she is giving her special attention right now.

We're also trying our hardest to give Lola that sense of security at home too but unfortunately Clay has been working insane hours so he hasn't been here much and I feel like I'm an emotional wreck so we're probably not doing as good of a job as we should. Hopefully everything will settle down soon. I have been trying to pick Lola up a little early and we've been going on walks, playing outside, etc. It's all tough but we'll get through this like everything else....I've learned you just take it one step at a time.

Our little compound

The "compound" -

Looking in from the driveway/gate - Ours is on left and neighbors on right

Our House -

How cute is it!!!

Our neighbors house -

There is one on the right and a small apartment to the left - Kind of fun huh! See Lo running around. She LOVES it!!!

Looking from front porch back to street -

We're tucked away in our own little world...it's great!!!

Before we moved into our old farmhouse, we referred to the area where our house is located as a "compound". When we finally moved in, it seems the neighbors referred to it as a "compound" also. Max calls it a "Amish Compound" minus the Amish people of course. Anyway, I thought I would clarify why we call it a compound....

Our house is set back pretty far from the road. There is a long driveway that pulls up to our little "compound". You walk through a gate and there are three houses all built in the late 1880s with an adjoining courtyard area. We live in the big house to the left (ignore the mess...I'm telling you...still lots to do). Our other neighbors live in the house across the courtyard. The Travis Heights neighborhood is a great community but we also feel like we have our own little community within our "compound". It's very fun/funky and very Austin.

Over the weekend, we had a chance to hang out with our neighbors more. This is one thing that is great about the "compound"....If Clay, Lo and I are hanging out in the yard, it's easy for neighbors to stop by to join us as we have an adjoining courtyard area. So, Kristen and Kevin came by on Friday and we hung out for a while. We really like them and seem to have so much in common....Kevin plays guitar, we have similar taste in music, similar political beliefs, Kevin loves to cook like Clay, they love Anthony Bourdain and can quote nearly every episode (Clay's obsession), they want to start a community garden and are serious about it (hopefully we can get this started this weekend), etc. Anyway, we really hit it off with them. Next Saturday Kristen is throwing a kid's party for a friend. Apparently, there will be a jump house, a keg and all the other party essentials. So, it appears there will be a big shindig at the compound. Hopefully it will be a great opportunity for us to meet some more interesting people....exciting!!!

Clay and I have also taken full advantage of the fact that everything is walking distance from the house. We walk to have drinks, dinner and/or shopping. It's so great!!! My mom was in town part of last week and I even made her walk to the shops and restaurant. She really wanted to drive but I didn't allow it. She did end up taking a big fall on the way back so I felt a little bad...thank goodness she was able to save the pizza though.

We're also very close to the town lake (less than a mile). Now that we have daylight savings and will have more daylight, I hope to take Lola jogging down to the lake in the evenings. She loved her new jogging stroller on Saturday. Until I find a new running partner I guess Lola will be my partner. I haven't had a chance to meet the running group yet b/c they meet in the evenings at 6:00 and Clay hasn't been able to get home on time...maybe next week. With Lola, the workout is much more intense as I don't have my arms to help give me momentum plus the hills in Austin are crazy but I guess it's giving me a better workout.

I thought I would also attach some pics of Lo playing in the yard. Her hair is starting to get really long and I don't really know what to do with her shaggy bangs. I try to put clips in but she takes them out and eats them...Nice!!! Lo is also talking away. She has her own little dictionary full of words now...some of them only she knows the meaning to like Bigda which she says over and over and we're not quite sure what she's trying to say. She'll also do sign language and tell us she "loves us"...melts my heart. I didn't realize they were teaching sign language at daycare until I noticed consistent hand movements from her so I asked...pretty neat! Oh, she started biting too....HUH!!! This is for another blog of course as I'm not quite sure how to address some of these toddler challenges. It's always something!!!

We finally made it!

We finally made it to Austin. I have to say it's been quite a challenge getting to this point. I wish I had updated pics but I don't. Things are still a little hectic to say the least. I took vacation this week to try and pull everything together. Well, it's Friday and it's still a wreck at our new house. It's not coming together as quickly as I'd hoped...it never does I guess. Hopefully we'll make some progress this weekend.

With that said, we LOVE our new house maybe as much as our Dallas house (I didn't realize this was possible...can you believe?). When we left Dallas, it was really hard on both of us. Once everything was moved out of our house and it was empty, Clay had to drag me out kicking and screaming. I basically had a major break-down and the tears started pouring out. We both let go of a lot of tears that day. It felt good to finally let all of that out. Once we made it to Austin, it was all better and things have been great.

We've already met our neighbors in our "Amish Compound" (I'll explain later). They are all great and are very cool. One guy, Max, is in the film industry. He is 27, from San Antonio but lived in LA for 2 yrs before moving to Austin. He just got a precious french bull dog named Hitchcock (Hitch) who is adorable...he wears a little Harley Davidson t-shirt. Lola loves Hitch b/c she can pick him up and hug him. Our other neighbors are Kristen and Kevin. Kristin is in PR and Kevin is in Film Editing (lots of film stuff going on here...it's crazy). They moved here from California about a year ago. We're excited to get to know our neighbors better. We seem to have a lot in common with them and will have a lot fun times to follow.

Our neighborhood has tons of young people. You go out and people are walking around everywhere at all times of the day. Our neighbors across the street have a little girl about Lo's age. We haven't had a chance to meet them yet but hopefully soon. There is a park and community pool around the corner. Apparently, everyone in the neighborhood goes there on Saturdays...I guess it's a big social scene. I've learned this from a "new friend" who also lives in Travis Heights and has a 3 yr old. She has been great in showing me the "ropes" and "things to do", etc.

I had several things scheduled this week with my Meet Up groups but things have been so busy and hectic that I had to cancel. I am running the Texas Independence Day 5K tomorrow with several mom's in one of my groups. I have to go get a jogging stroller later. Should be fun! I'm excited to meet more people b/c so far everyone we've met have been fabulous.

Well, I'm going to go for now. Just wanted to quickly check in and give you status. There is so much I want to tell you about our new digs, neighborhood, friends, Lo's school, etc. Although this is a much smaller town, we get that same feeling we had in NYC as the people and environment are similar. Lo and I walked down to get cupcakes the other day on South Congress at the place posted in pic above. I love that Austin has these airstream trailors all around and they serve some great food too. I've also already found some new "favorite" boutiques. Hopefully we can get everything pulled together this weekend and I can post pics and other updates.

P.S. For everyone that got Lola a Birthday gift, I'm SO SORRY I haven't been able to get Thank You cards out to you yet. I promise they will be there soon....as soon as I get them unpacked.