Got Milk?

Good Bye Formula!!! Hello Milk (organic, of course!) Delaney has had juice from her sippy cup before......

But.........................

She was much happier drinking milk from her bottle.........

Wordless Wednesday

March 29, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.......

This is when Delaney was "suppose" to be born.........(but she had other plans!) CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING HAD TO WAIT FOUR MORE DAYS FOR HER??

Delaney's 12 Month Check Up

Delaney and I had a busy day today so we set the alarm for 9:00 a.m. (and yes, it went off) and got ready for her 12 month check up! I think all of the kids who didn't get to go on Spring Break had to go to the doctor's office today! We were there for an hour which is unheard of. Delaney was so different to take to the doctor at this age since she constantly wants "down". Well what kind of mother puts her child "down" in an office of sick kids???? Not this one! After a 1/2 hour, we finally got things underway. Delaney weighs 21 lbs and is 29 inches. She is in the 50th percentile in both categories and the 75th percentile for her head circumference which would make her daddy so happy because he didn't give a hoot about height and weight---all daddy wanted to know was how big was her head because he said a big head meant a big brain! ha ha I have been curious to see what Delaney's doctor's "take" was on keeping her rear facing in her car seat until she's two (which I just can't wrap my mind around) and as suspected he said "TURN THAT BABY AROUND, SHE WILL BE FINE". So, just as soon as I go to a couple more stores to stock up on Kleenex, I'll be getting out the convertible car seat and we'll be hitting the open road "forward facing".................... She is fine to eat "anything" now and I have FINALLY bought my last can of formula!!!! wooooo hoooooo........... Is it too soon to start microdermabrasion on Delaney? The doctor told me there is nothing I can do to get rid of her little "bumps"........... Shouldn 't good skincare start as soon as possible?!?!?!?

And yes, she got two shots today (and did great!) Have you ever seen anything so cute (I have no idea why it looks like Delaney is "sucking it in")??? I hope Delaney doesn't get any ideas wearing Camouflage because that would mean she'd have to leave home..........................

Hey Ya'll

I know ya'll are wondering where the heck the birthday post is! I am in the process of editing (I know, I sound like I am a professional photographer here don't I???) Some of you may not know but this blog (well, the first year at least) will be put into a hard bound album thanks to www.blog2print.com so I want to make our very last post for the album a good one. It may take me a few days to get it up so bare with us. I also want to thank everyone for calling, texting, emailing, etc. before, during and even after to wish Delaney a happy birthday (and for those of you knew to check on me! ha ha ha). It is quite hysterical to think that so many of you knew to "check up on me" on her birthday. The day was so busy that I didn't have time to break down! Anyway, for those of you who can't stand a blog post without pictures of my girl.....her 12 month (notice I refuse to use the term "one year" pictures are up) so mosey on over to www.marciralphphotography.com and the code for her gallery is Newsom11.....you won't be sorry!!! I only have a week to decide which ones to purchase! I have it narrowed down to 8 (which isn't bad since there are 56 proofs!) I think they did a great job of capturing Delaney's personality!!!!!

I had the strangest dream...................

It was so real, it was Delaney's 1st Birthday and everyone came. Delaney's grandma and grandpa were there....................My sweet little girl stood at our front door waiting for her guests to arrive for her party (and no, the cowgirl boots didn't stay on long---GOOD THING we went all the way to Texas to get them)!!!! Have you ever had one of those dreams where it's so real? Well, this was one of them, I mean it was so vivid. Delaney's great grandma Purichia was there (who by the way does NOTHING to mess up her hair so the fact she put on a hat for little Delaney Catherine was huge---in my dream of course!)..........................

And cousins Jenny and Adarrah were there (and even had a dual)...............

And great aunt Catherine and uncle Mark were there (and in my dream uncle Mark was so excited for Delaney's party he got online and ordered a new western vest to wear)...................

And grandma Terry was there.....................

And even great aunt Trina...............

And I was there of course (but like I said, it was only a dream).................

And in my dream I ordered this adorable cowgirl onesie from Etsy for Delaney (when she was a newborn!) but like I said............

And all the guests ate from pie tins and were famous cowgirls and cowboys....(Annie Oakley was there of course)................

And in my dream I "burlapped" everything I could get my hands around.................(including large soup cans and used them as vases for fresh flowers)

And there was a buffet of "western" food----there was Buckaroo BBQ, Bootstraps Baked Beans...................

Cowgirl cornbread--courtesy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks (and in my dream, I used an iron skillet that was too large so the cornbread was thin and was way too dry----good thing it was only a dream!)

And there was Mustang Mac N Cheese.......................

And Saddle Up Potato Salad.........(also courtesy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

See what I mean about the burlap----ice bucket and mason jars aren't just ice buckets and mason jars at the Newsom Ranch! And there was a "waterin' hole" to quinch your thirst complete with "Cactus Juice"............

And root beer and Sweet Tea (thank goodness there was a McAlisters in the Wild West)..........

And of course there were.....................

including a school bus (but I explained to Delaney those were for kids whose mommy's let them leave the house and go to school)...........

And of course there was cake (chocolate with raspberry filling to be exact!).......

See what I mean about the burlap?????

And in my dream I told EVERYONE I know about this new found discovery of mine...THE BEST ice cream in the Wild West!! Thank goodness the Wild West also has Meijer because "in my dream" that's the only store where I could find it.

And there were cupcakes too (strawberry with buttercream icing!) Cupcake wrappers and toppers from Etsy (of course!)................

And YES, I even let Delaney have one (in my dream of course) and the little dainty thing didn't like to touch it so she just put her face in it AND LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (oh and yes, in my dream I also decorated her high chair). Notice not only did she lose her hat and boots but her tights too!

And Delaney sent all of her guests home with party favors......(wrapped in guess what??)

But let them know they were all welcome to.............................

But like I said, "it was only a dream"......................................................

*****I'd also like to record this..........................(which SADLY WASN'T A DREAM) Last night, Delaney was up more times than I care to count, remember, record for this blog. She woke up at 1:30 a.m one of the times and when I went in her room, I picked her up, sat with her and rocked her in her chair (that is rarely used) and realized "I bet it's 1:39 a.m.---the exact time she was born". I think the girl just wanted to be up ON HER ACTUAL BIRTHDAY!!! As much as I enjoy my sleep, I thought it was pretty neat that we had that moment together.

"I Blinked".....................

I underestimated how hard this would be...............I underestimated how easy this would be.........




I underestimated what unconditional love really is.............

I underestimated the pure joy you would bring to our lives......

I underestimated a parent's need to protect their child and keep them safe.....

I underestimated the sweet smell of "stinky" feet..................

I underestimated the "unimportance" of putting on make-up everyday.......

I underestimated what it meant when people said "a baby changes everything".........

I underestimated the definition of "priorities".........

I underestimated how many times a mom can check on her sleeping baby.......

I underestimated a mother's love for her child...............

But mostly, I underestimated how fast 365 days REALLY does go by..........

Dear Delaney Catherine,

I must have BLINKED because here we are on your 1st birthday........365 days have gone by.........I know I have probably made 1,000 mistakes in the last year but one thing I do get right Every.Single.Day is making you my number one priority. Some would say I have an unhealthy obsession with keeping you safe, healthy and happy!!! For 35 years I lived without you and now I can't imagine a world without you in it. You make the sun shine brighter, you make music sing louder, you make EVERYTHING BETTER! I can't put into words how much you mean to me. You have made such an impact on the people who love you in just one short year! You are such a sweet and precious baby (in fact, I wanted to name you Precious but daddy said no!) I just knew you would be the sweetest thing! Before you were born, I would sit in your room (mainly because I couldn't get out of the rocker!) and try to imagine what it was going to be like to have a baby living in your room....and here you are!! (Although I was just sure you'd have dark hair and your daddy's big brown eyes!) I always knew when I had a baby I wanted to be a stay at home mom. I NEVER KNEW I would enjoy it as much as I do. I could just sit all day and watch you learn, play and discover. It is so fun to just "watch you"...you are such a curious little girl. I just know that you will grow up to be strong, confident and independent (but not so much that you don't always need your momma!)

I don't know what the next 365 days will bring but as Dr. Seuss says.."oh the places you will go". We are going to have so much fun together you just don't even know!!

Happy Birthday Delaney Catherine Newsom!!!!!




Here is what you are up to:

• I am not sure what you weigh because we don't go to your one year check up until March 28th but somewhere around 20 lbs

• Same goes for height

• You are being introduced to table food and you like pretty much everything I have given you except cottage cheese and mandarin oranges

• You are taking a few steps but not walking yet on your own (thank goodness!)

• You are a little motor mouth and talk NONSTOP--still trying to figure out where you get this from! ha ha ha

• When we are home, you are really good about taking daily naps and nap from about 1-3. And, as much as I love that you nap, I miss you so much when you are napping! I know it's just 2 hours but what can I say---I am pitiful I know!

• On a typical day you wake up around 9, take your morning bottle and cereal and then about 11:30 you eat something else, a banana or something small. You take another bottle at noon and then I try and put you down for your nap at 1. You get up at 3 (I think because you don't want to miss Dr. Phil) and take another bottle at 4 and then you have dinner at 5. You take another bottle about 7:30 and then go to bed at 9. However, you are such a flexible and "go with the flow" (you totally get this from your daddy and not your type "A" mommy) that if we are out and you don't get a nap or we are off on your eating routine, you pick up right where you left off. You are such an easy baby!!!




• You have started wearing your 12 months clothes





• You wear a size 3 shoe WHEN YOU KEEP THEM ON!!

• You say "da-da" NONSTOP and have said it for months---of course you have no desire to say "Momma"---I always knew you liked your daddy better! ha ha ha





• You wave "bye bye"




• You have started saying "night night"




• You have 4 top teeth and 4 bottom teeth and 2 bottom molars and 1 top molar is coming through. People can't believe how many teeth you have!