Childhood Rabbits?

In the grand tradition of other holidays since having my little bookworm, I plan to get him a book for part of his Easter present. I want to try to find a rabbit/bunny/eastery-animal book that's not Easter-themed. I want a book I don't have to put away for the holidays but that still follows a theme.

There are SEVERAL books on my "wish list" of childhood books - but none really fit the bill besides "The Little Duck" - but that may not peak his interest just yet. So - I'm in a search for others.

So far I've come across a few that look cute - but I have a bad feeling I'm forgetting an old favorite or something. (Besides "Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth" which I've already got).

Anyone? Anyone?
Does anyone know "Knuffle Bunny", "Hey Rabbit" or "My Friend Rabbit"?

Bottle Battle?

For those who weren't aware - I stopped breastfeeding D several weeks ago. I made it not quite to 16 months and still can't believe it. Granted he was only breastfeeding at night and in the morning at that point, but still, it counts. I made it nearly 16 months - and I feel like that is something to be proud of. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd last.

That being said - I had to start getting my difficult sleeper to sleep another way besides breastfeeding - and that came in the form of a bottle. D's been no stranger to bottles as I work full time and that's how he's gotten his breastmilk since age 9 weeks when I'm not around. However, he wasn't having them at night or in the morning with me around. Luckily for me - he transitioned WONDERFULLY and even started sleeping better!

D was having 3 bottles a day - morning, after nap and night. He's cut out the afternoon bottle but still slurping away in order to go to sleep at night, and it's the only way I can get him to go back to sleep if he wakes up too early in the morning. (It's also what he looks for when he throws his cup of milk back at me in the morning on the days he actually sleeps until the alarm!)

I know that you're supposed to start the bottle weaning process at a little over a year - and in essence, I did. However, I don't know how we'll ever get off this night and morning bottle routine. I would push the issue - but for a kid who at a few days shy of 17 months that JUST LAST WEEK started sleeping all night - I just can't. In reality he's only had these two bottles for about a month.

I know he won't go to school with it, it's not hurting him (I don't lay him down with it - we rock or he props up on a pillow in bed with me in the morning), he's not unusual and there are worse things in life. However...it's still on my mind. But here's the bottom line: he doesn't take a pacifier so I'll never have to go down that road with "weaning". So if he needs his "comfort bottle" to go to sleep and to slowly wake up...so be it. I'll worry about it, yes - but I won't ruin a good thing with his sleep for ANYTHING :)

Photo Time...

My husband not-so-subtly pointed out that I haven't uploaded new photos to the computer or to the blog lately. SO - here are a few...sadly we haven't taken that terribly many lately :(


On his first walk - actually doing the walking - around the block

Doing some stirring at Grandma Denise's house.


Washing the windows with help from Penny. Seriously - if you give this kid a paper towel or wipe - he wipes windows/carpeting/faces - you'd think I keep a really clean house - but I don't!


Tonight's tubby. DOLL. We think he looks like Aunt Stephanie in this one.

Tiny Team

I did it! I'm registered for the MARCH FOR BABIES!

You can join my team (Tiny Team) and walk - or donate to the cause. See the link to my fundraising page on the sidebar.

Thanks! Let me know if you want to walk!

March of Dimes

It's that time of year...time for the March for Babies - benefitting March of Dimes. The March of Dimes is an organization that recognizes and benefits premature births. D was a preemie, 5.5 weeks early - and while we were lucky - others aren't.

I've blogged about March of Dimes before, during prematurity awareness month last November - and you can read it again by clicking HERE.

ANYWHO - there's a March for Babies - which is a walk to benefit the March of Dimes organization - in my area on April 25th (as well as other events all over the state and the country!). There is a walk in St. Charles AND in Naperville.

When you walk in March for Babies, you give hope to the more than half a million babies born too soon each year. The money you raise supports programs in your community that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. And it funds research to find answers to the problems that threaten our babies. We’ve been walking since 1970 and have raised an incredible $1.8 billion to benefit all babies.

I plan to sign up to walk. However - I'd like to start a TEAM to walk. So before I register - does anyone want to join me??

Another Show! Another Show!

No - not starring me - still a few more years before I commit to that much more time away from little dude.

However, my theater, Geneva Underground Playhouse has another show coming up which opens next weekend! It's Play Ball, and it's the play that was the inspiration for the musical Chicago, which most people have at least heard of.

Here's the poster image - created by yours truly:
It should be a good show. Those of the cast I'm familiar with are very talented, the director has produced some great comedies in the past with the old First Street Playhouse (and elsewhere), and hello(!) if it was the basis for Chicago it's got to be good!

If the success of our last show, Steel Magnolias was so wonderful that I'm hoping we can ride the coattails. We sold out several performances - and came damn close every show.

Come on down and support us!

Coffee Talk

I vaguely remember my post in October 2008, just before D was born 5.5 weeks premature. It was "Political Coffee" which was about the 7-Eleven coffee cups for the Obama/McCain presidential race.

This morning on my way into work, after a stop to gas up the old Prius, I went into 7-Eleven for a cup of my favorite beverage, COFFEE! I used to drink the coffee at work - but no one cleans the pot EVER besides me, and keeping creamer in the fridge there is a bit of a challenge since we have a dorm fridge for 25 people. So I typically pick up a cup of joe. I hardly ever stop at 7-11 though.

This morning I saw a display of cups entitled "Cup With a Cause" that were had an amazingly artistic design. For $1.79 I could get my giant coffee in one of the designed cups while donating to charity. I was in!
This cup was to benefit the Richie-Madden Children's Foundation - YES - as in Nicole Richie and Joel Madden...and it just started yesterday!The Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation is dedicated to bringing meaningful opportunities to children in the U.S. and abroad, while also striving to bring light and laughter into their lives through unique entertainment and special events. We want to do more than write checks. We hope our support will shine a spotlight on important issues facing children and will inspire and educate the public, especially young people, to get involved.

It turns out the 7-Eleven Cup With a Cause program will be bringing celebrity-designed cups into 7-Elevens throughout the country, all to benefit a cause of their choice. The charity will receive $250,000. The Richie-Madden Children's Foundation seems to be the first one - as the website has a spot for pictures of all the cups - and that's the only one up so far, with lots of spots marked "coming soon".
You can learn more at www.cupwithacause.com or just go into your local 7-Eleven and feel good about yourself just for grabbing your normal cup of coffee.