Halloween rocks

I am a huge fan of Halloween! I always have been... I love all of it: Dressing up, decorating the house, going to haunted houses, trick or treaters, and of course the candy. So, even though I did nothing but bitch about being pregnant during the hottest summer on record, how perfect was it for me to have a baby right smack dab in the middle of October? I'll tell you: absolutely perfect! This poor child will have more Halloween themed birthdays than you can shake a stick at. With some TX-OU football themed parties sprinkled in as well...

Stratton may have only been two weeks old, but that did not stop us from dressing him up for his first Halloween experience. No, it is not cruel! It is cool! Campbell and I struggled for weeks over what The Bean would be. We had no idea how big he would be, if he would comply with wearing a hat, if he would have an opinion about his costume, or... say... if he had an aversion to the color yellow. Thankfully, he is a good and cooperative baby. Campbell threatened to use her Fairy Witch powers on him and turn him into a toad if he misbehaved... lucky for us he was on his best behavior.

Top Banana

Mmmmm chocolate

Practicing for the big day

Peace Out from Campbell's Baby Brother

Hello World!
They call me Stratton Alister Codina. I arrived Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 2:15p tipping the scale at 7 lbs 6 oz.

Please don't tell my sister that I've already hacked into her blog...

Much love from the smallest Codina in town!

Peace out from Campbell's baby brother,
Stratton

Almost GO-TIME

The Cake!

Alan successfully made it through his 40th birthday!

He didn't turn "evil," but he was pretty darn close to invisible. I knew it was a good party when he actually asked how the party ended...
Jagermeister, Red Bull, great friends, and an 8 1/2 month pregnant wife to drive you home! What more could a guy ask for?





With that under our belt, we are under a week and counting!
And, I am pleased to report that I am almost ready...

Here is my remaining To-Do List:

1. Clean the house one more time
2. Pack the Bean's bag
3. Pack my bag
4. Buy some bottles. I don't know why this one is such a struggle for me. I just don't know which freaking bottles to buy. I go to Target, I stare at the bottles, I put some in my basket and then I take them out... I know, you've heard the stories... I suck at breast feeding... just pick some bottles already. I will, I will! That is why it is on the list.
5. Get my hair done- simply must be done. Cannot have 1/2 roots documenting the day of the Bean's debut.
   
6. Mani / pedi deluxe spa appointment on Wednesday
7. Nice dinner with Alan and Campbell on Wednesday night
8. Thursday- Have a baby!

Seems like this thing is in the bag, if you ask me. Yeah, right.

I'll have someone, post some pics of the Bean as soon as possible. As I recall, Hootie has successfully hacked in a couple of times to Campbell's House....

Here are some pics to tide you over.
Peace out from Campbell's House!
xoxo
Campbell's Mom

4D sonogram

Who needs 4D sonograms when modern technology can actually PREDICT what your babies will look like?!

Funny what a little "nesting" will drop into your lap.

I found this lovely blast from the past this morning. This handsome lad would be about ten by now... that is how old the picture is... at least!

Don't you just love the Elvis hair? Very fitting for a Vegas vacation baby. (I am talking about the kid's hair!, not mine!! Although, I am not sure what I have going on either!)

Sadly, his "sister" must have been lost in one of our moves. Maybe Lady Luck will drop her in my lap one day, too. I do remember she had blonde (?) curly (?) hair AND a five o'clock shadow!
Ah, good times!

Peace out from Campbell's House!
xoxoxo,
CAMPBELL'S MOM (Thank goodness!)

At least it wasn't cigarettes or beer

or Big Red

or cupcakes for breakfast...

But it was her very own cup of iced tea... at 7:00 a.m.... "just like Mommy- with a straw and ice"

In my defense, I did water it down a little. And, I take my tea straight up, on the rocks. No sugar for me so no sugar for her.

I know I have issues. Need proof?
As I was pouring the tea into her pink cup over the requested ice cubes I was saying (aloud- to no one), "This way ,there is no cross contamination. We each have our own." And then, as I let her choose a straw out of the straw container (she chose purple, btw... same color as my straw) I thought, "There are worse things than tea in a sippy cup..." and the mental list making began.

Perhaps, I should fore go the college and wedding funds and start saving for all the therapy she is going to need.

Peace out from Campbell's House!
xoxo
Campbell'sMom

Maybe we'll name him Trip

M&M&M
(Mom, Me, and Melva)

I have great women in my life. I have noticed over time that there are not all that many women that I truly like. So, the females I have in my life are special and very dear to me.

Hootie, Colette, Orca, and Jill

My lovely girl friends and family gathered a couple of Sundays ago to shower the Bean and me with love & affection and completely AWESOME presents. This little stinker is going to be a fashion plate just like his big sister! In fact, her Majesty scored some pretty snazzy stuff, too! It truly is a joyful feeling to be surrounded by those I love.

Las Mariposas
(Kay, Mom, Campbell, Sandy, Me, Opal, Hootie, Meg, and Wanda)

We had yummy brunch. (Campbell ate....... waffles: straight up- no butter, no syrup- she's weird. Opal ate her way through an omelet, half of my omlet, and requested another... girl likes eggs!)
And, I saw some suspicious looking champagne flutes full of OJ being enjoyed by some...
Less than two months to go before I can partake again! Alas, I just made up the calories in the delicious cupcakes! I have a feeling this baby weight is going to be a tiny bit harder to get off!

And then it happened. Gifts were loaded into the car- time to go home and put things away. Click, click, click. I was walking out the door of the clubhouse. I pushed the door open with my right hand and... SPLAT. Completely wiped the hell out! Totally. Down to all fours on hands and knees on a pebble sidewalk with an audience of about 8. It was just as lovely as you are imagining.
Headline in my head: ORCA TAKES ANOTHER TUMBLE

Before you even ask- I was/am fine. The Bean is used to it- I am a spazz and we've had a couple of spills and lots of near misses. Let's hope he gets Alan's coordination!

Love to all!

Peace out from Campbell's House
xoxoxo,
Campbell's Mom

Dinner sponsored by the #8

She is getting too smart.
I know you are bored with hearing what an inconsistant and finicky eater Campbell is- trust me, I am just as tired of the meal-time song and dance. Anytime she wants more of anything besides chocolate we all scurry to get said requested "seconds."

This weekend Grita came to town. Opal also came to town. Ptown visitors = overstimulation for both toddlers and not much eating for Campbell...
We ventured out into suburbia for some Mexican food- see for yourself how things went.

Yes, those are chicken strips at a Mexican food restraunt- barely touched I might add...

And, yes, Opal is backwards in the highchair approximately 6 inches from the table.

As Peggy so eloquently puts it: We had our asses handed to us on Saturday!

Later that evening, Her Majesty announced that she wanted chicken for dinner.

Ugh.

Me: Ok, how many pieces of chicken would you like?

Campbell: Ummmmmmmmmmmmm........ eight.

Me: Ok, how about two?

Campbell: No, eight.

So, I heated exactly 2 chicken nuggets....

four freaking times!!!

The kid ate EIGHT chicken nuggets for dinner!!!!

So, she is either:

A. Brilliant and can already multiply

B. She was starving

C. She was teaching me a lesson. Eight means eight, Mom.

Peace out from Campbell's House!

xoxoxo,

Campbell's Mom