I'm going to tell you Our Thoughts on Things

I've started a review blog.  Our Thoughts on Things.  Nothing major... just another mommy giving her opinion.

Wait.  It's not just ANOTHER mommy.  It's ME!  Telling you what I think.

I know you're all dying to know what I think about things... so if you have a minute go see what I think about the Activity Bus from Plan Toys!

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Do we like Oreos?

Oh... I don't know.  Maybe just a little.

Grace in Small Things - 67

1.  Naps

2. Advil

3. Dayquil

4. Benedryl

5. Niquil

So????

(If you are reading this in e-mail or a reader or another place.... please click on over to my actual blog and take a quick peek.)

I think I've got my site all working.

A new look is installed (thank you Gisele for the free template!).

My comments are working
-JS-Kit/Echo reinstalled (I had to go about it in a way I really didn't want to... but oh well)
-CommentLuv reinstalled (Now if you have a blog and enter your info your most recent post will be shared as a link!)

All of my "stuff" is moved around a bit.  Some tidying up has been done.

I BELIEVE it's all working.

So????  What do you think?  Is it all working?  Anything you see that's off?  Like it?  Love it?  Hate it?
Whatta ya think????

Codes... and html... and templates... oh my

I've been spending time trying to set up a new look for A Madison Mom.  Let's just say I'm slightly blog frazzled right now.

I can't exactly justify paying for a whole new look (although I would absolutely LOVE to get my very own one of a kind look) so I've been searching high and low for a free blogger template that might make me happy for a little while.  I finally found a cute one from Gisele Jaquenod (isn't her name the best?).  Eventually I may have to give in and pay for my own look... but for now... I think I like the free one I found.

It's not the first time I've changed my template.  I've actually made quite a few changes over the last couple years.  I started out with a 2 column layout that was on the blog start up list (Christina and I matched for a while when we first started out). 

I decided I wanted to try 3 columns because I started to collect a lot of blog "junk" (you know what I mean).  I did a search and found a "blogspot for dummies" type of site that gave me a step by step on how to add a column to my current layout.  I succeded at that.

I got bored with the colors and the set header.  I tried to change it up a little and got annoyed.  So, I searched for a free template that would allow me to not only switch up the layout and colors but also let me play with the header.  I've been really happy with the current look I found at Our Blogger Templates for quite a while now.  I think it's because I could easily change out the header... even though I only changed it 2 times.

But... I got bored again.  I wanted something fresh.  Something warm.  Maybe a little cutesy for a change.  Less sterile?  I first looked to Our Blogger Templates again.  I just didn't find anything that called to me.  So... I googled and googled and googled.  I finally found Gisele's site.

So, I found a template that I kept going back to.  I bookmarked it.  I e-mailed myself a link.  I downloaded it.  (Actually... I downloaded 2 of them... because I'm starting a review site... and I thought it would be nice if they sort of matched.  lol).  I settled on using her templates.

Then started the work of the transfer.  Gisele's site (and others') warned about saving widgets and losing widgets and transferring widgets.  I never really worried about that before... but over the years, much like in real life, I've collected things here on my blog.  A BlogHer ad over there... a feedburner count over there... oh, and the lilypie down the bottom... just to name a few.  Yikes!

I followed a link Gisele suggested and got to work.  I made a test blog.  I uploaded the template.  I opened the layout on both the test site and this site.  I opened the dreaded html edit page.  EEEKKK!  I started copying widget html and pasting html and tried to remain calm.  Much like when you move in real life... I took the opportunity to lessen the widget load.  Weed out what wasn't necessary.  It was good. 

You know what?  It all pretty much worked.  It looked nice.  It was warm and comfy.  And it was almost perfect.

Almost.

You know what I couldn't get to work?

Comments.

How can I leave my blog with a template that doesn't have the comments functioning?

I have to first say... it isn't the templates fault (Gisele's template is beautiful).  It's my comment widget I think.  I'm having issues with the JS-Kit/Echo widget.  First of all... it's been updated to start using Echo.  It was automatically updated.  I did have to click some link to do some synchronizing.  (which I stalled on and lost some comments temporarily... but all is good there now.  They just reappeared.)  Echo seems cool.  I like the whole concept (from what I understand).  It's pretty much the same as it was... but can now link to your twitter or facebook or who knows what else.  If you link to twitter or facebook (or ?) it will post there "I just commented on "..."  There's a link that says "add a site" and you can type in your blog address if you want your comment to link and show your blog.  Cool stuff.

But since the change I've been finding a few things that I haven't had working properly with it.  Like my sign in doesn't really connect to my blog admin. account.  Or... I made my account... and then I made my sign in... but I didn't get it hooked together properly.  Or something.  And the online support system has changed.  And the frustrations just go on and on.  But that's really a different issue.

My missing comment form.  That's the issue.  I was thrilled with my change and then realized not only did the JS-Kit not transfer... but the blog comments didn't work at all.  I realized I needed to find the JS-Kit widget.  I reinstalled my "old" template (ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS download your template before making changes.  ALWAYS) and all was right with my comments. 

I went to work searching for the widget I missed in the html page.  I finally found it at the very absolute bottom of the code.  Talk about headache.  Ever want a headache?  Try reading through html code.  Ugh.

Anyway, I found it.  I copied it.  I pasted it.  I redid the whole install thing.

It still didn't work.

I reinstalled the old... I tried again... I reinstalled the knew... shampoo, rinse, repeat about a dozen times.  Still no comments.  So I'm giving up for the moment.  Welcome to my old template complete with working comments.  (Oh dear God I hope they're working).  I've filled out a couple of help forms with the JS-Kit's new support site.  I've e-mailed Staci @ Just Bloggled who happened to just write a fabulous tutorial on how to fill out the JS-Kit/Echko comments form.  If I ever get it all working properly again I'm linking to Staci's post again... because she does a great tutorial. 

Oh... and I think I lost my CommentLuv widget in the process.  Although I think that may have disappeared earlier with the Echo upgrade.  Or maybe not.  I don't know.  I can't find it.

And Nick took the Advil to Japan. 
sniffle sniffle sob

Giving up.  Sigh.

Grace in Small Things - 66

1. Ana waking up at 5:30 am... but going back to sleep on her own until almost 8 am.

2. French toast sticks.

3. Thunder and lightening.

4. Sales.

5. Fresh sheets.

Ana is 1!!!

Ana had her 1st birthday on July 10th. Just like Zoe... I had hoped to write this beautiful reflective post. She's not even "1" any more though. She's already past the 13 month mark. How does this happen? I just gave birth to her, like, yesterday.

Ana isn't a baby anymore. She's a full blown toddler. She put off crawling until she was almost 10 1/2 months old... but she didn't waste any time moving on to walking. Just past 13 months and it's like she's a pro or something. Next she'll be moving onto running, and climbing, and riding bikes. Time just needs to slow down a wee bit.
Ana is a big girl. I was shocked to find myself pulling out Zoe's 24 month summer box yesteday. The box of clothes Zoe was wearing when she was almost 2. Those are the clothes that fit Ana now. She's still wearing the 18 month clothes... but the 24 month clothes definitely offer her some room to breath a little more. That means she may very well be leaving me with 2 full bins of clothes she will never wear. Sigh.
Ana is the happiest baby I have ever met. She rarely ever cries. She is just full of smiles and laughs and silly sounds. From the time she wakes up until the time she goes to bed she is just generally in good spirits. She is almost ridiculously content all the time. (This morning I could hear her babbling in her crib at 6am... she would chatter, get quiet, maybe sleep again, babble, get quiet, giggle... I finally went in to get her at 8am when Zoe was up and dressed. Ana never cried. Just content.)
Ana does have a temper. She's usually so even tempered and easy going that it seems impossible that Ana would ever get angry or frustrated. But, if she wants something... she wants it now. If she doesn't get it... she blows up. That sweet little face turns fiery red and that platinum blond hair looks shocking. The fists clench, the jaw tightens, the body shakes. We're going to have to look out as she gets older. She just may blow up.
Ana is becoming a total parrot. She tries to say almost anything I ask her to (if the mood suits her). Her clearest words are definitely Mommy and Daddy. She also says "row, row, row" while she leans forward and back. She "woofs" if she sees a dog. Her most impressive word is thank you (or "tank q" as Ana says it). It's most impressive because she actually uses it properly. How crazy is that? She's going to be a chatter box just like her sister.
Ana seems to love everything. She loves to eat (obviously). She loves to be in the water. She loves to walk. She loves to laugh with Zoe. She loves to get in the car. She loves music and loves to dance. She loves Moose A. Moose (on Noggin). She loves ice cream. She loves broccoli. She loves to take a bath. And she LOVES to sleep. I can't really think of anything that Ana just doesn't like. (So far)

I don't think words can explain how much I love Ana. I could cuddle and squeeze this girl all day long. When I hold her close I just want to breath her in. She is so happy and loving. I just love her to pieces. She is just my big chunka-munk.


Some Ana stats...
At 1 year old Ana weighed 26 lbs 3 oz. She was 31 1/2 inches tall. 97th percentile all around. She had only 2 teeth. Her feet are measuring a 6 wide.

A glimpse of this morning

Zoe is quietly watching Miss Spider's Sunny Patch on Noggin. She is sitting in her "anywhere chair" all snuggled under a light down throw blanket because she is "freezing a little bit". She's calm and quiet. Serene.

Enter Ana into the picture.

Ana has decided that a fun thing to do is to sneak up on Zoe (if a newly toddling child could tip toe I think she would) and yank Zoe's hair from behind.

Zoe turns and screams at Ana.

Ana startles and falls down and laughs.

Zoe screams "MOM SHE'S PULLING MY HAIR!!!"

I say "Ana, no pulling hair. Not nice."

Zoe snuggles back in.

Ana crawls away and plays with some Fisher-Price zoo animals.

Repeat.


Is it wrong for me to just watch the whole scene play out a 1/2 dozen times before really stopping it?

Grace in Small Things - 65

1. Sparkle crayons.

2. The pitter patter (er... make that stomp stomp stomp) of Ana's new talent.

3. Brand new Stride Rite shoes.

4. Zoe's decision that a tiny ant was her friend... right up until she squished him.

5. Noggin.

Zoe is 4!!!

Zoe had her 4th birthday on June 30th. I had such hopes for a post reflecting on the 4 years of her life... some sentimental words... some updates on the amazing things she's doing... a little blip of who she is becoming. But she's been 4 for over a month. The last month has just slipped away from me. Oh, forget the last month... the last 4 years have slipped right past.

How is this girl possibly 4 whole years old? How did she grow from being that 6 lb 13 oz baby into this 35 pound girl? When did she grow from being the 21" long peanut into this tall thin 40 1/2 inch tall string bean?
She's totally amazing. Her personality is just bigger than life. She wakes up in the morning glowing with sunshine. She sees everything. She hears everything. She wants to know everything.
She is the friendliest girl I think I've ever met. She talks to everyone. Every person she sees could very well be her newest best friend. And, she needs to tell every friend she has every thing she knows. Talk about a chatter box!
As wonderful and well tempered as Zoe can be... she can equal it with the way she gets frustrated and angry. The girl has a temper. An attitude bigger than the room. Not always... which can sometimes make it shocking.
And she can be calm and quiet and reflective if the mood strikes her. She loves books. She loves to color. She loves to "write" and then tell me the story her little squiggly lines tell. She wants to know how to write every letter and spell everyone's name.
And did I mention silly? The silliness is never ending. If she's not making me laugh with her humor or her questions she's making me laugh at the things she thinks to do. Her mind is always working on what to do next.
Zoe is every bit of 4 years old. She is smart and funny. She has a memory that shocks me. She is loving and thoughtful. She is everything I could possibly want my 4 year old daughter to be... and more.

Oh how I love this girl.

Grace in Small Things - 64

1. Climbing into your own bed after being on vacation for 2 weeks (and then enjoying deep sleep every night all week).

2. Finally getting re-organized after getting home and unpacking.

3. Zoe's tan lines. She's like the Coppertone Girl. (By the way... did you know that Coppertone actually stopped showing the little girl's tan lined tush? I didn't realize until I just searched for a link.)

4. Having hours of DVR to catch up on (it's actually fun to watch an entire week of General Hospital in one sitting.)

5. Uploading the vacation pics and relieving it all a little bit as you go through the slide show.

Wiped out

We're back from Florida. Actually, we've been back from Florida since Sunday. We spent a week at my parents' house and then a week at the Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort in Cocoa Beach. Zoe might have gotten a little water logged... and Ana became one with the sand. We had a wonderful time and I have tons of stories to tell and pictures to share. I have so much to catch up on... and I feel like I just can't catch my breath yet. Hopefully the rest of August will include sharing what we did during June and July. How is it possibly August? I think I might need to ship myself back off to Cape Caribe and take a few more turns around the lazy river. I'm definitely not quite ready to catch up with real life.

Is anyone else having a whirlwind, rushing by, type of summer?