My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you....

For two days now, and for the first time, Qiana has cried when I leave her at daycare. I hate it. My poor baby is growing up, and apparently has hit that stage where she realizes that mommy leaves her. Not cool.
But besides that aspect of her "growing up", everything is fantastic.

Qiana is really growing quite a silly personality and it is so much fun to hang out and play with her. She LOVES her mommy and would rather be anywhere that I am, as opposed to playing or exploring on her own. This means I don't have to worry much about her getting into things, but that also means that bathroom time has now become a group sport.

She absolutely adores Yo Gabba Gabba, and will stare and wiggle her body around throughout the whole show. The show is majorly trippy, but I am huge fan as well. For Christmas, Auntie Em got her the Yo Gabba hat that plays music as you dance...can't wait for it to fit her.



Q's dancing skills have really gotten better, as she has added circles (either standing up, or sitting down on the slippery kitchen floor), pelvic thrusts (no joke..she lays on her back and then lifts her pelvis up and down...don't know where she learned this), and clapping (sometimes even to the beat). It's a good thing too, cause I think I would feel like I failed her as a mother if she didn't have rhythm and couldn't dance...priorities right?

Q babbles like crazy, but has yet to really say anything that resembles english. Sometimes I make up english words for the babble she has just spouted, but perhaps I am fooling myself. I read to her and obviously conversate with her a lot (since sometimes she is all I am around on the weekends)..and yet no words have been said. I will try not to stress about this, since Elsie wasn't a talker either and now she is doing fine.

High 5's are Q's favorite form of saying either hi or bye, but lately she has been pulling out an actual hand wave as we leave sometimes...good job. Soon I will work on a peace sign for her "peace out homies"...cause how cool would that be?

I am so glad that Q isn't a very picky eater and will try most anything. Although her favorites are chicken, waffles, rice, mac'n'cheese,chef boyardee mini ravioli, corn, peas, carrots, green beans, toast, potatoes (mashed or french fry), and cereal (dry rice chex or life).

She loves to smile and laugh. Loves to be flipped upside down. Loves to be tickled. Loves to sit on mommy's lap. LOVES to snuggle. Loves to play in my shoes. Loves her plush blankets. Loves any toy involving music. Loves kitchen utensils and exploring the utensil drawer.



Loves me...and I love her.

Q at 15 months:
Height: 29.5"
Weight: 22.9 lbs. (only up .6 lbs from her 1 year visit..I was concerned but her Dr. said because she was a chubbier baby, it was her bodies way of saying "hey let's not go down THAT path" and self corrected to a weight and growth path she should be...)
HC: 18.5"



On another note: Mitch is now gone, which is so sad. Q gets so used to having him here, that for about a week after he's gone she is walking around the house trying to find him.

We had a great time though. Watched movies, ate, got him into "jersey shore", played with Q, played games, and just had a great time. I seriously love that kid.



We all do.

Back, Back on th Block...

Mitch is back...and all is right with the world.
We love having him here.
Already we have ate at Tacos El Rey (with mitch eating 5 tacos, and taking a burrito to go), watched Hoarders and Bad Girls Club, and watched Q have a field day with his Iphone.
WE love Mitch.

Time keeps on slippin slippin slippin....

Man, What have I been up to?

watched some great movies: The Hangover, 500 days of Summer

killed time with some guilty-pleasure television: Jersey Shore, Secrets of Aspen, Frank the Entertainer:a basement affair, Tough Love, Real World 23: Washington DC

Randomly watched the "Kennedy Center Honors" and now have a huge fascination with Bruce Springsteen, and want to download some songs...any suggestions? I am also planning a Robert Deniro movie marathon, also inspired by the Kennedy Center Honors.

I debated about chillin at home alone for the rockin eve, but decided to hang out with Clinton, Rachel, Emily, and other "single warders" at their festivites in othello...it was...interesting.

Made my first ever pot roast (also my first time using my crock pot I got two years ago). Complete with vegetables, biscuits, and homemade mashed potatoes and gravy. I'm not gonna lie...it was awesome.

and attended a couple wedding receptions of cousins...younger cousins...much younger cousins...
while I began a new year like every year before...single. (haha) But that topic is for a whole other post.


But I have managed, amidst all that craziness (sarcasm), to spend some time contemplating my new year's resolutions. Often I dread making them, because most likely they become, yet one more thing in my life that I fail at...but this year I am determined to make them happen.

1. I will be the best mom that I can. I want to make sure my time with Q is quality time. This year she will be the age where she can really interact with me, where our time together will make a difference...and I don't want to fail her. She may be the only thing I got. So any ideas of fun things to do with a 1-2 year old?...small activities or big.
2. I will figure out my future. This year I will either leave Moses Lake, or decide to stay for good and become "okay" with that. Any advice is welcomed....but may not be followed (haha)
3. I will not "waste" my gym membership, and try to go at least 5 days a week, if not more. (this morning I was there at 4am---and man, I am feeling it). I don't need to be hardcore, but I need to at least put as much effort into working out as I do into eating. Helpful tips on how to stay motivated?

So that's the resolutions...failure is not an option....right?

And now I will leave you with this....

3 albums that are rockin my world right now:
1. Mary J. Blige- Stronger with each tear. Favorite songs: "the one" "each tear" "color"
2. Boyz II Men- Love. Favorite songs: "time after time" "back to good" "when i fall in love feat michael buble"
3. Alicia Keys-The Element of Freedom. Favorite songs: "Empire State of Mind (broken down)" "try sleeping with a broken heart" "doesn't mean anything"

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?....

December is almost over and feel like the whole month has slipped away from me.
Christmas has come and gone. It was so much fun. Hanging out with family, playing games, eating until my food baby was ready to pop, watching tv, talking, playing with kids, and most of all seeing the faces of the kids christmas morning when santa had arrived. LOVED IT ALL.
And now it's time to catch up on sleep, put the decorations away, and get ready for the boring winter months ahead....maybe I'll work on a Happy New Year newsletter and family picture...cause you may have noticed a lack of a christmas card from Q and I this year...
see what I mean about the month just passing me by.

i heard it through the grapvine...

This past Saturday was Emily's big birthday bash and it turned out pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

We had lots of people come, and a majority of them actually came in costume! It was super fun. We had areas for games, karaoke, lounging, and of course a dance party. We had plenty of food, treats, and pop

...good times!

Michelle, from work, was kind enough to watch Q overnight so momma got to participate in the festivities and even sleep in a little...it was weird.

but any night that end with this

is a good time indeed!

Party go-ers came as everything: twinkie the kid, the red baron, morton salt girl, mr. peanut, sugar daddy, doublemint twins, flo the progressive insurance lady, the wal-mart smiley, milton bradley, the pringle guy, tony the tiger, a shredded wheat, and the bubble bee tuna bee.

Michelle as "a poptart"


Emily as "Wendy"


Me as "the Sun Maid Raisin girl"

Happy birthday Em!

Flashing...lights...lights...lights...

I mentioned before about Qiana's rough day with her 1 year (approximately) pictures. Poor Melanie had to try and get some cute shots, amidst the crying, dirty looks, and complete fussiness of my child. But the final product is in, and I am so very pleased!














she is not smiling in this next picture, but this face cracks me up so much that I had to keep it. look at those eyebrows!

Ain't nuttin but a gangsta party..party

Jared is famous for giving his children multiple nicknames...and apparently I have inherited it.

Lately I have been playing around with Q's name and making up all sorts of nicknames using word play.

Q short
Q diamond Phillips
Q-san Lucci
Q live crew
Q bega
Q ball
Q edition
Q kids on the block

You get the idea...

but my favorite one, made me smile instantly and inspired this picture...





Q-PAC SHAKUR!

This is what happens when Em and I get bored. :)

i miss you most at christmas time...

You would spend so much time making sure all of us kids had the same amount of presents, so that no child would get done first in the present circle.

Each child would have the same amount of money spent, so that we knew we were equally loved.

You would write "From Santa" on the present, but we knew it was your handwriting.

When I got older, you allowed time for me to get ready christmas morning, so that I wouldn't look bad in pictures...you understood.

You knew that decorating the house and tree was incomplete unless the Jackson 5 christmas album was playing

You would keep your tree up, for weeks (sometimes months) after christmas because you "liked how it looked"

You always made sure we had the chocolate advent calendars. I loved those.

When buying things before christmas you would always say "okay, but this will count towards your christmas"....but it never did. You couldn't resist getting everything we wanted.

You would watch each child open their gifts with a smile on your face, just as excited about our reaction as we were about the actual gift.

You always supported our participation in the Earl Family christmas eve talent show...even the year I thought it would a good idea to play the clarinet. I cried, but you were so proud.

Shopping for you was always so difficult, because you never asked for anything

...just the family... together and happy.

'Cause I'm real (The way you stare, the way you look, your style, your hair)

Q debut her winter coat today. It's Auntie Em inspired...cause we all know she loves shiny, furry, and slightly "hood" looking clothing items. :)

But I think Q pulls it off nicely.

Now all she needs is some tight jeans, hoop earrings, and high heel boots.

i'm safe up high, nothing can touch me, but why do i feel this party's over?

I haven't taken a single picture in a whole week, and thus I feel at a loss of what to blog about.

Thanksgiving was good. calm. It was a small group, but nice. The rest of my weekend was filled with comfy pants, tv, and time with Q.

I was planning on decorating for christmas on sunday. Then I got sick. I am really getting sick of being sick. I will decorate later this week when I feel better. Besides, I really should decorate when Q is asleep...I have a feeling the trees, ornaments, and lights are gonna be a huge temptation for her. uh oh.

The harlem globetrotters are out of the amazing race. Do I even care to watch the finale? Can i stand to hear "shut up dan! shut up dan!" one more episode..I don't know if I have the strength.

I love glee. It is single handedly saving my sanity. I wait in anticipation every week for wednesday night. I have all the songs downloaded. I change my status on facebook to a quote for each episode the moment I hear it. I love it. love it.

I have settled on a costume for Emily's "advertisment mascot" birthday party. It wasn't one of the my original choices. But money, options, and sewing skills are all lacking so I had to come up with something.

my wig should be here soon.

I could brag that I'm pretty much done with christmas shopping, but I only had Q and a sibling to shop for...so it wasn't really a huge feat. Although that sibling was Jared...and he is NOT an easy one to shop for.

I have started playing my christmas mix at work and it makes me happy. When those jingle bells kick in on 'all I want for christmas is you' I instantly smile. Oh Mariah! Although I have taken a major liking to "holiday road" this year..maybe it's because Jimmy Fallon and the Roots sang it on his show...but man I love it.

Is it bad for me to like Justin Bieber's music. Sure he's only like what 15, but man that little kid has stolen my heart....in a very non-creepy way...I promise.

I have absolutely no trips, vacations, or fun activities planned in the near or distant future. This depresses me. I feel it's easier to get through the boring day-to-day happenings of life knowing you have an small escape coming soon. I don't have an escape.

I have always been a little on the pessimistic side, but my job has really made me not trust people even more. Some shady shady people in this world.

I understand the economy sucks right not, But hearing the word "economy" is like nails on a chalkboard for me. It's now on the same level as "bling" "connection" and "bromance" as most annoying and overused words ever!

Speaking of this economic situation....I watch tv to escape reality. So all you tv writers quit writing the recession, or references to the recession into your scripts cause it just bums me out. Especially you Nip/Tuck...I don't watch your show for it's realistic portrayals of life, so just get back to normal and quit making sean and christian go through money issues. it's depressing.

I watch a lady write a check for $450,000 on "Million Dollar Listing" last night...as a down payment on a condo....try telling her we are in a recession!

My new favorite guilty-pleasure show. "Platinum Babies". Think Platinum weddings but for baby showers, nurseries, and baby photos....oh my gosh talk about an absurd spending of money. wow! and has anyone else ever heard of a "push present"? apparently the husband is supposed to buy his wife something nice *preferably diamonds* as a thank you for "pushing out his child" and to make her happy after birth. WHAT!

hey look at that....I guess I did have something to say after all.