In a pinch, a baby wipe can be used to clean red wine from a sofa cushion.

Things I've learned since becoming a mom:

1. In a pinch, a baby wipe can be used to quickly clean red wine from a sofa cushion...a fact I only discovered when I attempted to turn the cushion over, only to realize there already was a stain on the other side of the cushion.

2. The hardest part of parenting is worry.  I already worry about virtually every aspect of my life and adding a child to the mix has made my worrying, at times, unbearable.  It is cold and flu season and the first stomach bug has hit Ben's daycare.  I never imagined I could spend hours staring at a child, looking for signs of illness.  And, I'm not entirely sure what I'm scared of.  Is it fear of seeing my baby ill, fear of how I will handle his illness, fear that I will get sick?  A combination of all of the above, I'm sure.

3. A dog is an absolutely necessary household appliance after children reach the self-feeding stage.  I spent part of the Thanksgiving weekend with Chad's family and I was shocked at how messy Ben got the floors.  Food doesn't even hit the floor in our house, it is snatched by one dog or the other as soon as it leaves the high chair tray.

Thrush!

My poor little boy just can't catch a break!  What I thought was just milk residue turned out to be, upon further inspection, thrush.  Thrush is not usually a big deal and will clear up on its own, but Ben definitely seemed uncomfortable.  A quick call to the doctor and a late night trip to Walgreen's resulted in a prescription for Nystatin.  As usual, our anything but ordinary child willingly opens his mouth to receive the thick yellow medicine.  He definitely has us spoiled!  I can't imagine another child taking medicine as easily as Ben does!

Things I'm adding to my "Work Wishlist"

1. Adobe CS5.  Can I do my job with the prehistoric CS2 that I'm currently using?  Of course.  Would I be like a kid in a candy store with an upgrade?  Absolutely.

So, I'm abusing my priviledges at work and borrowing some chairs and a table for Ben's Big 0-1 party tomorrow.  I asked hubby if it was alright if I took his truck to work so that I would have more room for said table and chairs.  He hesitantly agreed.  This morning, he drove the truck out of the garage and left it running for me.  He then walked me to the truck and pointed out the specifics: clutch, brake, lights, etc.  I humored him and set out on my merry way.  A mere 10 minutes into my drive, my phone rings.  Without picking up the phone, I instinctively know it is the hubby checking up on me.  Clearly I should have regaled him with more stories from my teen years in my two-tone brown 1987 F-250, so that he might trust my ability with a stick-shift!

Boxes, boxes, boxes!

So, after having our house on the market for over a year, it has finally sold!!!!  I am shocked at the mixed emotions that the hubby and I are feeling right now.  We both have lots of complaints about our current home: too small, no closets, unfinished basement, one bathroom, etc.  But we also love our cozy country farmette.  In our minds, we know we need a larger home to accomodate our growing family.  In our hearts, we're going to miss our first home, the house we moved into all by ourselves, brought our baby home to, and the place we spent the first six years of our married life.  But, as I struggle to put away toys in closets that don't exist and wait my turn for the bathroom, my mind takes over and I begin dreaming of bigger and better things.

Things I have learned I cannot live without:

1. A closet just inside the door for coats and shoes:  apparently, some people have visible kitchen chairs, ones without coats draped over them!

2. A separate entrance for the dogs, possibly with their own tub to rinse before entering the main house.

3. Multiple bathrooms, I honestly don't believe God intended for man to share a bathroom with his spouse.

Oh, an if moving into a new house isn't stressful enough, my baby is turning 1 on Saturday!  One one hand, it seems like just yesterday we brought him home from the hospital.  On the other hand, it feels like he's been a part of our lives forever!  From eating, sleeping, pooping to crawling, toddling, smiling and laughing--it's hard to believe how much joy one person can bring into your life!

Things I've Learned

1. During the colder months, it is necessary to tap on the hood of my Explorer prior to starting it.  The cats love to snuggle in underneath the car to stay warm.

2. A cat snuggling underneath the car can cause a belt to fly off.

3. Cats truly have nine lives and can survive such a mishap with only a broken leg.

4. Said cat is likely to be slightly nervous around vehicles and the humans who drive them.

On a happier note, what a great weekend to be a Wisconsin resident or a Wisconsin football fan!  Great win for the Badgers over Iowa and the Packers over the Vikings!  There is nothing better on a rainy fall day than snuggling on the couch cheering on your favorite team.  We also witnessed the cutest occurrence during the Badger game; Ben has recently learned to clap and when Chad or I would cheer for the Badgers, Ben would laugh and clap along with us!  He is such a bright spot in our lives!  It is just amazing to wake up every morning and wait to see what new things he's going to do today!

As far as the cow's milk transition, Ben is loving the milk!  He had six ounces each day over the weekend!  We're still feeding him approximately 18 ounces of formula each day, but we're definitely looking forward to being bottle-free within a few weeks!

Patent Leather Peep Toe Slingbacks

Do you ever have those days when you need a little something to boost your confidence?  I had one of those days today.  I've got a stressful few weeks ahead of me and I knew my black peep toe pumps would give me the extra boost of confidence I needed to face my challenges head on.  I suppose everyone has their own confidence boosters, but for me, if I dress the part, I can act the part.  So I put on my gray shift dress, my pumps and hit the road.  I must admit, it worked.  Day one of the challenging time was not nearly as bad as I expected it to be!

One of my stressers traces back to my motherhood apprehension.  Ben is approaching his first birthday and we have begun to introduce cow's milk in a sippy cup.  It never ceases to amaze me how much advice can be found on all things baby.  So, now my mind is home to another battle:  No bottle after one year?  Introduce cow's milk as a beverage with meals?  Serve the milk in his bottle?  Am I hindering his development?  Am I taking away his security?  I know deep down that whatever decision we make, Ben will adjust because he is a very resilient kid.  That knowledge doesn't take away my worry, however.  I also vaguely remember hearing something about parenting and worrying going hand in hand, but I could be mistaken...

Fall Festivals and Warm Fuzzies

I just got out of a staff meeting so long I actually watched my fingernails grow while it was going on.  Hidden among the tedious topics that did nothing to shorten my "to do" list, was a report from one of our staff members who attended the fall festival at Vir-Clar Farms in Fond du Lac over the weekend.  Though I had a great time celebrating the Badger football win on Saturday, I really feel my time would have been better spent attending the festival.  It is a great example of a truly inspiring farm family reaching out to their community.  I can't begin to imagine the time it took to organize this event which drew thousands of people and featured farm tours plus face painting, a tricycle obstacle course and tons of other kid-friendly events.  Kudos to the Vir-Clar bunch for creating an event that was fun for the whole family and that was a great chance to teach non-farm folks where their food comes from.  I hope they continue to host this event in the future and I hope more producers follow suit and consider reaching out to their communities!

Aside from spending Saturday with great friends and family, we also crossed things off our household to-do list.  The hubby spent all day Sunday filling our basement with wood, which almost guarantees we'll finally sell the house we've had listed for months and months.  I pitched in during naptime, which got me the appreciation of my husband plus plenty of cuts, scrapes and slivers. 

So, I will go back to work and continue to lick my weekend wounds. 

Fall

Remember the scene from "Arachnophobia" when the spiders are coming in through all of the doors and windows?  Well, that's what is happening in my house right now, except that, instead of poisonous spiders, we have box elder bugs.  I spent all day Wednesday vacuuming the little buggers up.  Yesterday, I realized my efforts were futile and gave up.  I think I'll just give them the house. 

Oh, and, if my husband comes up dead and I am in prison, someone please come to my house and take a photo of the 17 water glasses on his nightstand.  That is all. 

For the Staudinger family, we are looking forward to a beautiful weekend!  Badger football game tomorrow and a little time on the lake on Sunday.