Sunday Funday: Nicole 1 - 10

This morning I subbed three classes at the amazing Purebarre, so since 11:40 on the dot, our my focus has been relaxing, relaxing, relaxing.

Ah, it's so nice.

I mean, truly nice.

To really just chill out and give yourself over to relaxation?

What a long-gone concept.

Anyway, as soon as I got off work, our little fam bam took off for the Farmer's Market, which has become a Sunday favorite of ours. Not because of the home-grown, organic beyond all organic healthy goodness, but because there are tons of food trucks. Yep, food trucks, in all their greasy glory, are there to serve the good citizens of our little town. 

{You have to admit those things lucked out in the business department. Whichever big exec's idea it was over there at the Food Network really gave those guys a leg up. You go, food trucks!

Amazing.

Since I didn't shower in between work and Market {yuck, I know}, I was sticky.

And gross. And icky. I didn't even want my legs to touch one another under my dress.

{TMI?}

But now I'm showered, the Babe is asleep, it's quiet around here, and I'm itchin' to talk about a few things.

1) I'm going to do a name change on this here blog. Not until the end of the month, but it will be glorious. Although I think there's no better name than "The Cisneros Family," I'm just feeling the need. It.Will.Be.Awesome.

2) I'm reading Harry Potter 3. Sorry, hardcore HP fans, I have no idea what the subtitle for this one is, because I'm reading it on my Kindle and I just don't ask questions. {J.K. Rowling is not an e-book supporter, so it may or may not have been pirated. Say what you will. It's bad, I know. Also, I feel like a twelve year old for reading these things, but guess what? It doesn't matter. They are still wonderful.}

3) Carter could not eat some of the food Chad and I got today at the Farmer's Market because they contained peanut traces. My baby is allergic to peanuts. I know he's going to outgrow it {20% chance, man!}, but if not, at least half of America now has the same allergy. I wouldn't wish it upon anybody, but at least he's not alone!

4) Chad and Carter cleaned while I was at work. I mean, really, really cleaned. It was glorious coming home today. Glorious.

5) Steak dinner tonight at the Paplia's! Bow chicka bow wow. Here here to no dishes and great company!

6) I've had the world's best night's sleeps lately. Who says you can't sleep well while pregnant? Not I!

7) Adoption is a great thing. I have no idea where that came from, but it just is. One of my girlfriend's has the world's most awesome International campaign going on called Both Ends Burning {she is a founder, yes I'm proud}, and it's just amazing, both domestic and International. Either one, it is a beautiful thing.

8) Last week my DVR didn't record 19 Kids and Counting or The Little Couple. Maybe their season's ended? I love both of them. Say what you will. You have to admit, they are pleasant folks.

9) I want more cool work-out gear, but I don't want to pay for it. Does someone want to just mail me some unused, Lululemon wear? Of course you don't, because you paid an arm and a leg for those threads! Damn you, easy, breezy, overly-expensive, addictive work-out wear!

10) I've got ants in my pants. I want to move. I love it here, but we need to experience elsewhere. Chad and I talk about it all the time, most recently was yesterday. Oy. It will be interesting to see where we end up, but I'll tell you one thing: I will not live in Orange County from birth until death. Sound extreme? Well, it's not if you really think about it. What if we raise our kids here, and then they go to college here, like Chad and I did, then they meet someone in college, much like we did, and then they get married and have babies here in the OC? 

That means we're here for life! 

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

MARK MY WORDS.

{And let's continue the celebration of humongous pictures}

Woo!

Words of wisdom from father to son

While at the aquarium today....

Carter: "Dad? Dad? Dad? What's that?"

Chad: "A scary monster, Carter, hold my hand."

While cooling down.....

Chad: "Carter?! Oh, there you are. Now, see here son. A more efficient air flow can be attained by strategically placing your toy tunnel like so, and lying half way in it."

Oh, husband-o-mine.......

Well.....It looks like that guy's doin' something right.....

<3

Blog Swap: A Day in the Life of a Neurotic Nurse

Yay for another blog swap!

This time the adorable Casey from Stress Case and I have switched places,

so you can find me HERE today, so come on over and say hello!

Leave lots of love, and enjoy a "Day in the Life" from Casey! !

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Hello fans of the adorable Cisneros Family!  I'm Casey, and my little corner of blogland is right over here at Stress Case.

Nicole and I went to high school together, and it has been so fun catching up on her life with her sweet little family through her blog!  When she asked me if I was interested in doing a blog swap, I didn't even need a chance to think about it!  We thought it might be fun to do "A Day in the Life" posts, due especially to the fact that Nicole and I are the same age, graduated high school the same year, but lead very different lives (what with her being a well-adjusted mother of two [almost!], and me being a never-ending student and all around Stress Case).

So, friends of Nicole, join me!  This is A Day in the Life of a Neurotic Nurse:

The day officially starts when I half-consciously get a kiss from my Handsome Husband as he leaves for work around 7:15am.

My (first of four programmed on my phone daily) alarm goes off at 7:30 today,

so naturally I roll out of bed around 8:15.

This is the sight my Handsome Husband is lucky enough to wake up to every morning - lucky guy, that one.

About the only thing I put on before I leave the house.

By 8:30 sharp 8:45, I am out the door, makeup bag in hand.

Being that sleep is more important than safe driving, I do my makeup (and also sometimes eat breakfast) in the car.

Today, though, no breakfast.  We're out of breakfast bars, and I'm out of time for anything else.

I narrowly make it to work by 9:00.

Due to confidentiality laws, I can't really share any photos from work.

Okay, fine I'll share one:

Yep, our exam rooms have ocean views...it's the least we can do for torturing children all day long.

An average morning at work goes a little something like this:

Prepare exam rooms (clean, put paper on the exam tables, plug all equipment in)

Room a patient.

Chart.

Room a patient.

Realize I forgot my watch, and have to ask Nurse So Crafty if I can borrow hers.  Then spend all day not being able to tell the time because there are no real numbers and only 4 little markers on the whole watch :(

Dip some urine.

Chart.

Room a patient.

Give a shot.

Bathroom break where I realize my beautifully braided hair is already a mess due to running around all morning.

Give 2 shots.

Blood sample.

Chart.

Chart.

Chart.

Around 1:00pm, I get to take a little charting break and I am off to lunch!

Today (like most days to be honest, I am not great at brining my lunch), I treat myself to a little overpriced neighborhood market sushi.

The ridonculously overpriced Gelson's Market.

Lunch of champions.

The second half of the day goes much like the first, in that I am constantly running from room to room, torturing children with vaccinations, spending too much time close to urine, and having way too many sick children cough on me when trying to swab their throats.

Today is a long day at work, and I don't head home until after 6:00.

Clock some play time with Diego, our little kitty.

Costume change...Handsome Husband would gladly confirm that my laundry basket is most often the floor.  The laundry fairy (that Handsome Hubs of mine) seems to come in at night and pick all the clothes up!

Tonight, I am running with Cousin Tutor Girl, and need to change into my workout gear.

Do you know of a contest for most hideous workout clothes?  I would win.  Hands.  Down.

Here I am sporting a ripped shirt from a musical I wasn't even in from 8th grade, and shorts that say "Got Sand?" that are not even made for running.

I do, however, have these little beauts on my feeties.  I'll be posting about these guys in the coming days over at Stress Case, because there is a small little homage to the ol' blog.

Tutor Girl meets me at the park for our 3-mile run/walk with her sweet son, Lil C, who joins us via stroller.

We start running a bit after 7:00 and usually finish in less than 45 minutes.

We run the Mission Viejo Lake - we live in such a beautiful place.

12 minute mile aint bad for a lady with a stroller...not sure what my excuse is.

After the run, I head home for a healthy dinner.

A natural choice for after fitness.

At 8:30, it's time to hit the books.

Might be summer for some, but I always take online courses in the summer to stay focused.

Reading all about myself.

Okay, this chapter doesn't quite relate to me.

After about an hour and a half, I take a quick shower at 10:00.

After that, I decide that Chef Boyardee didn't quite hit the spot, and I need another little healthy snack.

My best friends.

I hit the couch and search the DVR for some good educational TV, but FIRST,

gotta put some glasses on cause homegirl can't see the teev from all the way across the room without them.

Quality television at it's finest.

My eyes are starting to get heavy, but my smile gets huge when this guy finally walks in the door at 10:30.

My Handsome Hubby takes an LSAT prep course 2 days a week, and is gone for so long on those days! Happy to see my man come home from his long day of work!

Handsome Hub gets something to eat, while I do some quick FB stalking and updating.

Shameless FB page plug.

Finally, at 11:15pm, Handsome Husband and I retire to our bed with a little bit of this awesome show to accompany us:

MAD MEN - if you don't watch this show, you don't know what you're missing!

And the day ends the very same way it started,

feeling warm, safe, and loved in bed with my Handsome Husband.

Isn't that the very best part of being married?!

Thank you for sharing you blog with me, Nicole, and I hope you readers enjoyed my slightly hectic, and completely all over the place Day in the Life.  Come by and read my ramblings on my silly little blog sometime!

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Oh, Casey! You are so cute!I hope y'all enjoyed a "Day in the Life" with Casey,I know I did!Thanks, Casey!

Extra wide

Now that I've got your attention

....with some off-colored humor, might I add. You sicko's....

{My mom pinning a piece from my sister's wedding dress to the tulle on mine}

Can we just appreciate how humongous this picture is?

It's huge!

And so wide!

{The Office?.....Eh? Eh? "That's what she said?".....Maybe?....Chad would laugh....}

I'm trying to ignore the fact that it's taken me too long to figure out how to widen the columns on this here blog. Yeah, that's right, I'm not ashamed! 

I'm tech-challenged and embracing it!

In all honesty though, this is a big deal.

Now I can post pictures without bumming myself out because they won't come out so tiny and fuzzy.

I can scourge my outrageously unorganized Picture-folder-thingy {oy....} with joy because I know that Babe #1, soon-to-be Babe #2 and wonderful family members will be represented in all their glory.

It's mui importante. 

So in the spirit of celebrating one more step towards tech-savvy-ness,

{One small step for Nicole, one giant leap for Nicole-kind}

I indulged myself with a few more photos.....

{Carter, six weeks old}

{I.Can't.Get.Enough.}

{Our whitey-white shoes at the beginning of our honeymoon}

{The dream team}

Glorious, I say, glorious!

Dating days vs. nowadays

{Caution: May or may not contain mushy material}

Ahh, the dating days.

{1. Sorority formal, 2. Sea World, 3. Relaxing night, 4. Our softball league}

Carefree.

Easy.

Light-Hearted.

Simple.

Casual.

Silly.

Dating truly is a joy. To be able to walk out of the house without

worrying about whether or not you have the appropriate

amount of diapers? What's that? To slam doors at 6:30 am while

getting ready for work without waking a sleeping baby? Who? Where?

To eat sushi last second, to jet-set off to the Bahamas,

to have that fruity cocktail with no obligations the next morning?

Unheard of! 

That was us. We were awesome. We were beyond awesome.

We were night owls. We were enjoyers-o-beer. 

We were perpetually Vegas bound.

We were...We were...We were....

And you know what?

We were never this happy.

{1. Friend Jenna's wedding, 2. Bath time, 3. Babe's 1st Halloween, 4. USC game}

We never had the impulse to check on a sleeping baby before 

lights-out. We never had to worry about ear drops, boo boos, 

balanced meals....We never had to worry about anything, really.

And I don't want that back.

I will never want that back.

Nowadays we walk slower because Carter is exploring the leaves.

Nowadays we say, "Hi, Carter" automatically while on the phone

because we know he's listening in.

Nowadays we pause the TV when we hear the slightest noise

from bedroom #2. 

Nowadays I can't get through a Disneyland fireworks show without

thinking about how much our little man would love to be there.

Nowadays....Nowadays....Nowadays....

I would say that nowadays trumps dating days any old day.

{Although a little more sushi in my life wouldn't hurt}

{And maybe that fruity cocktail every now and then.....}

What on earth.....?

Yesterday morning I experienced one of those ridiculously thoughtless
moments which resulted in me laughing hysterically and almost

looking like a psycho because I was just
sitting in the front seat of my parked car while doing so.

It may even qualify as a moment-o-the-blondes.

So what happened was I scooped Carter up to head down to the car

on my way to getting my daily McCafe, and on the way down the stairs

to the ole' parking lot, we quickly chit-chatted with one of our
neighbors about kids and whatnot, with Carter actively engaged
in our conversation {proud mama}. Anyway, I said good-bye and proceeded towards my car.

I pulled out the keys like any regular person would do, unlocked the car,

swung open the driver's seat door, and

PLACED CARTER IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT!

What?!

Yes!

Just like a purse!

What was I doing?!

What on earth was going through my head!

Oh my gosh, I thought, What the hell?

And then the giggles came.

I was laughing at the top of my lungs because he gave me this look like,

Uh, mom, what the heck are you doing?

{I wish the photo quality was better, but I had to act fast!}

And then he realized how potentially awesome this could be, 

and started playing with all the gadgets of the car.

It was one of those moments that blew my mind. What was going on in my head?! 

Finally, I uncurled his little fingers from the steering wheel and 

placed him in his car seat.
He was not too happy about it......

Oh, man. It was hilarious. Just that moment had me randomly

bursting into laughter throughout the day, and when I told Chad

about it later that night, I could barely get the words out.

Just hilarious.

<3

{I think God makes little moments like those to snap us back into the present and make us realize how incredibly sweet it is to watch over these little ones. So funny, and so thankful.}

Link up, baby!

Carter: Resistance Artist

My little man.

Happy as happy can be.

Smiley as smiley can get.

Mischievous as mischievous can become.

Wait, what?

Yeah, that's right, every once in awhile, {well, increasingly so}, my little bundle-o-joy turns into

Bloodnofsky.

{Anyone? Anyone? I don't blame you if you can't name that movie, it wasn't all that great, but he was an awesome character played by none other than that scary Nazi from Inglorious Bastards, which was a.ma.zing.}

Anyway, I've noticed that Carter resorts to one of three acts of resistance when in little-boy-trouble, all three of which make me want to laugh because they are so dang cute, but since I can't do that in discipline-mommy-mode, I will just giggle about them on this here blogular, because after all, isn't that what these babies are for? 

Laughing about life's moments when it's inappropriate to do so in the actual situation? 

I think so!

Here's are my Babe's resistance techniques:

* Going limp. Yep, you read that right. He goes completely limp from head to toe. This usually only happens whenever I catch him in some precarious position, and I grab his hand to maneuver him out of said situation. First he'll give my hand a little tug with all of his body, and then once that doesn't work, he'll simply unlock his knees, drop his head backwards, and hang from my grip. The first few times I thought his arm was going rip out of it's socket, he had committed to the limpness with such vigor, but now I just go ahead and drag. Yeah, I drag. Doesn't that sound awful? It's either I drag or I lift. Both of which sound weird, but you know what? It's better than leaving him in our shower with all the lights off and the door shut, which has become his new favorite hang out. 

* The ole' deflecting technique. Every once in awhile, Carter will be playing with his toys on the living room table, while I'm scurrying around doing whatever needs to be done. Then all of a sudden, he will throw one of his toys clear across the room. Not in a I'm-so-angry sort of way necessarily, but still, a throw is a throw, and since that's not going to fly in these parts, I turn on my disciplinary voice {which for some reason is low and manly sounding}, and say something like, "Carter, no throwing! You know better than that!"......And then the deflector comes out to play. He looks at me, knowing that he may possibly be in trouble, and starts pointing to other objects around the room while saying, "And this?" "And this?" wanting me to name off all the objects he's pointing at! I always name off everything because I know he just has a ravenous thirst for education {maybe? maybe?}, but isn't that a nifty little trick of his! He completely deflects from the throwing situation! Smart, those toddlers are, smart, I say!

* Bambi eyes. The oldest in the book. If he actually does something devious enough to earn himself a whopping ten seconds in time-out, he whips out the Bambi eyes. After I walk him on over to the corner, he looks up at me with those big, beautiful, bashful-at-all-the-right-moments hazels. Every single time it makes me want to melt. Ay yi yi...... 

Oh, the catch-22's of disciplining those tricky little toddlers!

So hilarious, yet so heart-wrenching-ly adorable!

Aww.....How could you not laugh?!

Link up, baby!