Happy Halloween!

So sorry it has been so long since I posted. With pecan season under way I am sure my posts will get fewer and fewer. My goal is to get in at least one a week.

Daily Dose of Dotty...

Dotty has not been feeling well lately. I think it is her teeth. Of course I have been saying that for the last 10 months now so who knows. She still only has one tooth right in the front on the bottom. It is getting huge! She looks like some old hill-billy woman who lost all of her teeth due to chewing tobacco or something. I think another tooth is trying to come in beside it but who knows...I am just a mother and not a dentist or a psychic!

I took Dotty to take some Halloween pics by Shannon and Holly Flemming's house the other day. Shannon and Holly are too sweet to Dotty. They just listen to her scream and still try to love and hug on her. We are so lucky to have them as friends. Dotty did okay as you can see in the good shot. It only took about 100 pics to get that one. But as you can also see she was not happy to be getting her picture taken. She is such her Daddy in that respect. I love having my pic taken...just make sure you take it from the waist up, on my good side, and give me 10 minutes to fix my hair and makeup! : )

All in all things are good. She is getting so big. Running around everywhere! I don't know what we will do when it is too cold to go outside. She loves the outdoors! She is learning so many words now. Of course my mom swears she can say half the dictionary by now but I think it has to do with her hearing (or lack thereof) and the fact that she is just a proud grandma. Although Dotty did look at me the other day and say "coke"...Dr. Yap would kill me if he knew what was in her sippy!

This, That, and the Other...

Tony and I have done some fun things lately. We went to the UT-OU game a few Saturdays ago. What an awesome experience and such a good game. We are going to hear Willie Nelson tonight and then go to see the Cowboys play tomorrow. We are looking forward to a "date" weekend. We also can't wait to hear Willie but the game may be not much fun depending on how the Cowboys play.
Tony is about to start basketball games so life as we know it will be filled with basketballs and nuts from now until about Feb. I just hope Dotty will grow up to like at least one of the two (and Tony hopes for basketball!).

Please keep my Aunt Betsy in your thoughts and prayers. She has lost hearing in her left ear suddenly and they are still planning on doing some tests to see if they can find out the cause. I know the possibilities are worrying her and her family so please say a prayer if you are so inclined.

Have a nice weekend and if I don't get to blog again until after the fact...Happy Halloween!

Homecoming

Dotty went to her first ever Homecoming Friday night and it was actually the first ever football homecoming for Byers too. She did pretty well. She had a little mum and everything. She did not even try to take it off all night long. She did however want to get on the field and "play" with the other "kids" and she also could not figure out why her Daddy, Papa, and Uncle Jarrod could not hold her (they were working the chains for the game).

Then on Saturday we ended up at Cabela's and Dotty had fun playing in all the fish and snake toys. She also loved looking at the stuffed animals. We heard a lot of "growls" and "grrrrs" that day. Plus she knows what an elephant says but you really have to see her arm motion for that and I am not sure how to spell the sound she makes!

Mom was right...

...when she used to say "this is going to hurt me a lot more than it hurts you". Of course being little I SOOO did not believe her. Now, as a mother myself, I know how true that statement is. Tonight we had some friends over to eat and they stayed passed Dotty's bedtime (they have little girls around Dot's age and she was having a blast playing with them). After everyone left Dotty had such a meltdown and we could not get her to calm down, stop crying, take her bottle and go to sleep. Tony finally said we should just lay her down in her crib and let her cry herself to sleep. I have only done that once before and that was when we were having a bad storm and I was worried about Tony (who was having a district golf tournament right in the middle of where a tornado was headed) and I was trying to check the weather, talk to him, and I just had to put Dotty in her crib and let her cry herself to sleep. That time it was a must and I was so worried about Tony I was not hurting as bad listening to Dot cry. But tonight was awful. I had to go take a shower so I could not hear her cry. Tony stayed in the living room and when I got out I asked how long she cried...he guessed about 5 minutes but I don't know how he could stand it. It was breaking my heart. Even after I went in to check on her asleep (and she was not even doing that whimpering kind of sleep that babies do after they have cried really hard) I still wanted to pick her up and hold her and rock her and kiss her sweet cheeks. I just hate to see her cry REAL tears...especially when I can't really help her.

I don't know what I will do the first time I really have to discipline her. Her "terrible twos" and "teen" years are going to be tough on all of us I have a feeling. My heart still feels like it is hurting and she has been asleep for over 30 minutes now. I just might cry myself to sleep too.

This "Mom Thing" can be hard on a girl.

Good Times, Good Times...

In a recent comment from a friend she mentioned some "Good Times, Good Times" so here are some random thoughts that remind me of Good Times...

Cheese Bun
Fish Sticks (and the other that I will not post on my blog)
Cruella D'ville
Synchronized Swimming (Olympics 2012 here we come)
My 4 Dance Moves (Done twice)
Charlie's Answering Machine
Hunan's Christmas Party
My Black Boots (and Tammy's pair she got for free)
The 4 gifts I got that were the same (yet different)
Driving with the roof down in below freezing temps
Granitas!!! I want one now!
Designing Women reruns
Christmas Dinner around the world (on paper plates)
Floating the River
Any time Dotty laughs so hard she toots...and then looks at me like I did it.

For those of you who know what I am talking about I hope these thoughts brought back great memories for you. For those of you who don't just know I have had some funny times in life most of them involving Tammy and Tracey/Betsy. That should tell you a lot right there if you know those people in my life.

I hope you all have good family and friends to make you laugh, laugh at you, and to laugh with you....TGIF!

Words for thought...

From the Couch...

I just got finished reading a book that I will probably have to read again b/c some of it was over my head but some of it made sense. It is called "The Four Agreements" (at least I think that is the title...I lent it to Mom so I don't have it handy).

Anyway the book is basically about 4 ideas...here you go...

#1 A person should be impeccable with their word. The book talked about how what people say can change not only their world but even other people's worlds. Take Hitler for example. He caused a World War by the things he said and by how his words caused people to act. Crazy how one man could have such an impact. While I may never have as powerful words as someone like Hitler (and I sure as heck don't want to cause a war...not even in my own family much less the world) the book made me aware that my words can impact people I love, friends, coworkers, even strangers...and of course Dotty. I want to be a good mom and that means saying good things or as the old saying goes...if I can't say something nice I should not say anything at all.

#2 Don't take things personally. I am having a hard time with this one. It seems all of life is so personal but I do get what the book is trying to say. Most of the time when people say harmful things to me it really isn't about me at all. It usually has much more to do with them. I know when I am mad and say hurtful things I usually do it to someone who has nothing to do with what I am upset about that person just happens to be at the wrong place at the right time. The book also talks about that as an individual we should be secure in ourselves and not need the things that other people say to make us feel one way or the other. We should like ourselves enough to not be hurt when people say mean things to us and also not to be too overjoyed when people compliment us. The truth is how we feel about ourselves matters more than what someone else says.

#3 Do not make assumptions. I do that a lot. I assume people are mad at me or feel certain ways (good or bad) or think like me or not like me...whatever. I make a lot of assumptions. The book says to not make assumptions but to get clarification by asking questions...a lot of questions. I am trying to do better in this area. Mainly b/c I seem to always assume the worst and then that makes me worry about things that don't even exist and that causes a terrible cycle.

#4 Do your best. The book says that your best is not perfection...it is not even the same from day to day. You just have to try your best...your best at doing #1, 2, and 3...your best at being you...and that is all we can do. If we do our best then we can be happy. If we fail we can try again. That is something to look forward to. We will fail. We always do. But we can always try again.

My wish to all of you is that you fail one less time than you try.

The Tooth Fairy Came...

Your Daily Dose of Dotty...

I have been meaning to post that Dotty FINALLY got a tooth!!! She got it a week ago and it still is just barely visible but REALLY sharp! I have been so worried about feeding her stuff b/c she has no teeth and thus she is such a bottle baby but now I am hoping that she will get a mouth full of those little pearly whites and start eating food.

Although I have a feeling I am going to pay for my raising. I was such a picky eater (I have really grown since Tony came into my life) and Dotty is going to be just like me. So far all she likes is bananas, bread, and Dr. Pepper. I know, I know...bad mother. Trust me I know.

My pediatrician told me at her 1 year checkup (in which at that point she had no teeth) that I had to start feeding her more and start cutting out bottles. I in turn asked him when he would like to sign up to go on Dotty duty for the weaning process. I tried to cut out her noon bottle today and after 1 hour of screaming and crying I caved and gave her 4 ounces in order to get her to sleep.

Any advice would be great!

Making Comments...

To all of you who have been making comments on my blog I really appreciate all you have said, the offers you have made, and the advice you have given. However, for those of you who do not have a blog your comment comes to me as "anonymous" so I don't always know who is making the comment. If you don't have a blog will you sign your comments. I can figure some out but not all of them. If you want to be anonymous then that is fine too but I would love to reply to some of you on the nice things you have said.


Thanks!

New Pics!!!

Enjoy!

About a year ago...

Tony and I drove home (very carefully) with our new baby girl...Dotty Marie Nichols. On September 8th, 2007 at 5:55pm to be exact, she had come into our lives and filled our hearts with a love we did not know we could have for someone we just met.

I have learned a lot in one year. Here it is...

...I still have a whole LOT to learn!!!

What a year. Maybe some day I will be able to take time to reflect on it. Right now I am chasing a one year old around who loves toilet paper, taking things out of the fridge, and throwing things into the bath tub.

Being a mom is the best job...ever!

What a difference a day makes...

It is so funny how one day life can seem so full of problems and the next all your questions are answered...and the answer is one that you like.

I have been looking for a place to take Dotty 2 days a week so Mom and I could be at the Pecan Shed together...because believe it or not we do both still work there...sometimes. I kept having the problem that most places did not want to take a 1 year old only 2 days a week and if they would take her they were going to put her in with the infants b/c she still takes a bottle.

Dotty is a walking, talking, at times screaming little ball of energy. I don't think a 2month old would appreciate her fish face or her quacking noises nearly as much as other 1 year olds. So I was torn. What to do, what to do.

I had called several people I knew watched children but all were full with kids. I was so worried and just about to cry when I got up the nerve to call one more person.

This woman had been the one who I had said since before Dotty was born that if she ever decided to start watching children I would make sure Dotty went to her. She is a retired elementary teacher and she is the sweetest, nicest, most loving person you will ever meet. She is very active and she even plays piano (or organ...not sure) at her church. Her name is Kathy Westmoreland and she was what I was so wanting for Dotty but just felt like I could not get my hopes up that high.

I called her today and she said....drum roll please...are you holding your breath like I was...YES!!!

My child will be with one of the best ladies I know. I am sure she will learn so much and be well taken care of. I know there are numerous people out there that would have done a great job...trust me I called them but this arrangement seemed to be what both Kathy and I had been praying for.

Dotty starts going to her on the 15th and will go 2 days a week. Wish us luck...or rather wish Kathy luck. I know she has been around a lot of kids but Dotty has quite the mind of her own and is not too shy to tell you about it...loudly. Lets all hope Kathy has earplugs or at least a really good sense of humor and a whole LOT of patience.

What a Wednesday...

Comments from the Couch...

I am not sure whether to talk about how perfectionism and motherhood are sworn enemies or how much I am glad I am not a single mom (or a mother of multiples).
As I sit here having just got Dotty to bed and then picked up the entire house, folded clothes, packed her diaper bag, and then made a list (a mile long) of what I need to do tomorrow I am discovering that my need for order and for perfectness (is that a word) and my need to be a sane mom are not going to happen at the same time.
I have finally given up trying to clean as the day goes on. I now just let the house look like a tornado hit it and then when Dotty goes to sleep clean it up and then sit and admire my work. I have also learned that I need to get myself ready before Dotty wakes up and then never look in a mirror again b/c it will just depress me.
I have also learned that going to work (without my child) is a good thing. It is not a day off but close.

As far as the single parent goes I thank God every night that I am not one for whatever reason. Of course as I write this Tony is hanging out with a friend and has spent a total of about 30 minutes with Dotty. But he does do things that I am thankful for...most importantly loving Dotty with all his heart and loving me when we are both not too tired.
I can't imagine doing all this by myself. I don't know how other women do it. Or how women do it with twins, triplets, or more. Or how women do it who have children with special needs. It is crazy to me. Just when I start to feel sorry for myself I read Ang's Blog and with her great attitude she reminds me how lucky I am...thanks Ang!

Your Daily Dose of Dotty...

I don't think I have mentioned that Dotty can make duck noises...quack, quack! She has a rubber ducky that covers the faucet in the tub and she loves quacking at it. We are working on other animals now but so far the duck is ruling the farm. She still can't (or won't) say Mama...much to my dismay. She also still has no teeth and I have been home with her all week b/c my mom has had my niece Presley and Dotty has been in a bear of a mood. I am not sure if it is teeth or just her personality but man I wish some of those pearly whites would break through and soon!!!

This, That, and the Other...

If anyone has any good (and easy...emphasis on the easy) slow cooker recipes I would love to have them. With sports picking up and pecan season about to start I am looking for ways to provide meals that don't come from a box and require a microwave every night!!!

I love subtitles...

So after doing this posting thing a few times I now think I may have a better way to let people know what to expect.

If you see the subtitle "Comments from the Couch" then you are in for some personal therapy time...feel free to skip that part if you like.

The subtitle "Your Daily Dose of Dotty" means...you guessed it...all Dotty and nothing but Dotty. I am sure this will be a popular part of my blog.

Finally the subtitle "This, That, and the Other" means all other news. Basically stuff about Tony, work, friends, whatever else.

Hope this is helpful!!!

Warning...rambling...

As I write this at 10:30 at night (after Dotty has gone to bed very early because she only had a 30 minute nap today and she bumped her head so hard she cried herself to sleep and Tony is asleep b/c his first day of school was today and that always wipes him out) I am reminded of how little personal time mothers or perhaps just women in general get.

I started this blog b/c I thought it would be a nice way to let people know about Dotty and the happenings in my family without having to blast out an email everytime and send it to those who may or may not want to read it. After a few posts though I have a feeling this may be a combo of Dotty updates and therapy for me.

Being a new mom is hard. Harder than I ever imagined. I am always tired, always wondering what I should be doing for Dotty that I am not doing, always wondering if Tony and I will ever talk about the stuff we used to (those things that did not involve poopy diapers, who had to get up the most the night before and what we would like to do but can't b/c we have already asked out parents to watch Dotty too much this week).

I worry I am not being a good mother, wife, daughter, friend, employee, person....

I worry I will forget all the cute and funny things Dotty has done b/c I did not catch it all on film (still or otherwise)...

I worry I will never get Dotty's baby book finished...

I worry I will never start Dotty's baby book...

I worry....

But then as I write this I realize that I am sure many women/moms are worried about the same thing (or have at one point in their lives). I know my mom never did a baby book for me and I still think she is a great mom. I know several of my friends who have told horror stories about their ealy days as moms and their kids have not gone to jail or on Oprah yet. I look at all the moms I know and think everyone of them is doing a pretty good job...or at least the best they know how to do. I have learned lessons from them and I have learned a few good jokes too. I hope some day I can pass on valuable (or at least humorous) information to a new mom too.

Motherhood is the best job I have ever had...and the hardest. I don't get paid for it (unless you count goofy grins, slobbery kisses, reaches for hugs, and snuggles in sleep...all of which are priceless). I have not gotten a lot of publicity for it (except for when Tony thanks me for Dotty or my family and friends say I am doing a good job or when Ruth Ann says she is happy to have me as a daughter-in-law...all of this means more to me than any award or write up in the paper). Motherhood has really not improved my looks. I have bags under my eyes from sleepless nights (I also have the joy of knowing that when Dotty cries sometimes she just wants her mommy to hold her). My hair is usually up in a sloppy pony tail b/c I did not have time to wash it (mainly b/c I had to give Dotty a bath and it was too fun to watch her splash around so I hated to make her get out so I could have a turn). My clothes are still two sizes bigger than what I would like them to be (b/c I love to eat...sorry no cute Dotty story here).

I may never be on Regis and Kelly as one of the world's greatest moms, I may never get rich off of some wonderful idea I had on how to survive motherhood (but I spend a lot of money on other people's ideas), and I may never win a beauty contest as the best looking mom on the block. On the other hand as long as Dotty thinks I am great then I will be rich in ways money could not buy and I will be happy in ways no contest could make me.

It is funny how when I started this blog I was very down and now...not so much. I may even go to sleep with a smile on my face...of course Dotty will cry an hour later but I have a feeling it will be okay then too.

New Pics of Dotty...

For those of you who have hinted (some of you numerous times) that I need new pics of Dotty here you go! The one of her with the tissue box was one night when I was washing dishes and she was being extra quiet. I should have known something was up. The other is of Dotty trying to drive. She hates her car seat but she loves to sit in Tony's lap. Granted we don't go far so don't turn us in. We usually just go around the block. She likes to peek over the steering wheel and say "vrooom". I guess we may have a race car driver on our hands...or at least someone who will be impatient to turn 16 and get her license. I love the one of her with the toilet paper. She loves to pull it off the roll...and then eat it!

I promise more soon.

Still Learning...

Blogging is such a new thing for me I am still learning as I go. For those of you who tried to comment on my page and could not I talked to my friend Andrea (her baby Heidi is 10 days younger than Dotty and sooooo cute) and she told me how to fix it...hopefully.

So now feel free to Comment to your heart's content!!! Remember the old saying though...If you cannot say (type) anything nice then don't say (type) anything at all!

Plus, Andrea told me how to moderate the comments so when you first send a comment it will go to my email first and then I decide whether or not to publish it...so if you are being tacky then you are being deleted!!!

Lady Longhorn...

I have bad news for the Aggies in my family...it seems Dotty is a Longhorn already. Tony has a stuffed toy BEVO that plays the UT fight song and Dotty has me play it over and over again. She drags it from room to room and just loves it.



I have even been trying to get her to hold up one finger when I ask her how old she is and now she holds up one finger when the fight song comes on. Sorry to those who graduated from A&M I don't know what to say. I even got out the A&M sandals Mother gave her (that are still a little too big) and tried the on her but all she wanted was the BEVO.

If anyone can find me a Revelle (not sure on spelling) I promise to give both schools equal play (pun intended).

Rain keeps falling on my head...

...and it can keep coming as far as I am concerned! It has been so nice these last few days it is hard to believe it is August in Texas. My yard and my flowers were just about to become dust so it has been so nice to see everything turning green again...of course Tony hates the fact that he will have to start mowing again!

Mom and Dad are both on their way home from their seperate vacations. Mom went to near Cancun Mexico and Dad was at Falcon lake near the Mexican border. Both seemed to have had blasts. I guess after so many years of marriage it is best to travel seperately.

Dotty is now taking a lot of steps together. In fact she is walking about 7 or 8 steps at a time. I think she would take more but she loves to be carried too much...and I love to carry her. She can point to your nose and sometimes your mouth and your eyes...but only if you clap for her...and then she claps too! She loves her books and her Dora DVDs. She hates her car seat and when she gets told "no". She is cute as a button and it is a good thing because she still does not sleep through the night so if she was not a cutie she would be in serious trouble!

Enjoy the rain!!!

The Dotty Days of Summer

For all of you who care here is an update on Little Miss Dotty Marie Nichols...

Dotty will be 1 year old on September 8th. Can you believe it??? It has gone by so fast. She is taking 6 or 7 steps (not really walking but wobbling). She says "Dada" and "Nana" really well. She can point and grunt (or scream) at whatever she wants and she lets you know what she wants let me tell you.

Dotty, Tony, and I just got back from the Nichols Family Vacation in Ruidoso, NM and she did remarkable well for the trip. We broke up the trip going out and we stayed at a lovely cabin. Everyone was lots of help with Dotty (even Payton was great at entertaining her...she loves his wrestling men) but Ruth Ann was the most help of all. She was so awesome and really allowed Tony and me to enjoy our time.

We made the 9 hour (thanks to a one hour detour) trip home on Wednesday and Dotty survived and so did our ears. She did really well with only a few minor melt downs. We were all happy to get out of the car!

She has been staying with Tony since we got back since Howard and Ruth Ann are still gone and Tim and Molly are both vacationing...thus I think Tony is ready to go back to school. It is amazing at how tired an 11 month old can make a person.

I hope to post pics soon of Dot. I am still learning so give me time. More to come!

First Blog...

I feel so much pressure with this first blog. I think I need to say something grand, emotional, or awe inspiring. I think it must provoke people to do great things or become better people. I think it must provide insight, knowledge, or at least a good recommendation for some type of beauty product.

I think none of this will happen with this blog or perhaps any future blogs. I am sure the only people to find anything interesting in what I have to say will be family members and close friends and I am sure most will only care about what I have to say about Dotty (which will no doubt be a lot).

I am scared to discover that my life has no real exciting news or even that I am not an interesting person. Perhaps I will discover something else...perhaps not. I guess we will all just have to wait, read, and see.

Hmmm...guess that is it! As for something thought provoking here you go...

"Pain is weakness leaving the body." I agree with that statement a lot except when pain means a little 6lb. 9oz. girl...then that means the greatest joy of your life is leaving your body to be placed in your arms!