Let's Celebrate LIFE! A message to my family.

A little background on this one: my grandfather (Pawpaw) died of cancer last year, just two days before Thanksgiving, and my son (Baby DJ) was born just three days after Thanksgiving. Its been a tough start to the Holiday season for us all this year.

Good morning, family!

I'm sending out a quick reminder for 's 1st birthday party tomorrow @ 4pm. Though Pawpaw/Grandpa/Daddy/Buster is no longer with us, God did bring us . Let's take this time to celebrate life - both the one we lost and the one we were blessed with just one year ago this week. Pawpaw left us when he did so that he could spend those five precious days alone with .

I know we are all really upset right now (I'm crying as I write this message), but we can get through this together. Tomorrow is a celebration of LIFE!

I have been especially conflicted in the way I feel because I want to be happy and focus on nothing but my son's birthday, but it seems to be overshadowed by death. How can I be happy when I'm sad? How can I be sad when I have so much to be thankful for? My son's birthday is (and birth day last year was) so bittersweet.

The night before my Pawpaw's funeral last year, I cried on a nurse's shoulder when it really hit me that I wouldn't be able to make it to his services. Then I realized that he would never get to hold his great grandson, and that would never know his great grandfather. It was my nurse that night who helped me to realize that our family had an angel watching over our son. She said, "Sweetheart, they've already met..." I'll stop there because I will cry if I say anymore.

~ShamelessMomma

One year later.

Yesterday made one year that my Pawpaw passed away. I still can't get over the fact that I wasn't at his funeral, it was the day we brought Baby DJ home from the hospital. I feel guilty that I can't be 100% focused on Baby DJ's birthday without thinking about him. Its bittersweet, you know? Grandparents aren't supposed to die. Please pray for me.

I need a new hobby...

I already have a successful business with Passion Parties and I couldn't be more satisfied with my business, but I'm thinking I need to take up a new hobby. Problem is, I'm not sure WHAT that hobby should be! LOL

Years ago I was a religious blogger, then photography was my passion. I'm a crafting nerd already (beading, painting, building, etc.), but I want get into something new...

Here's what I'm considering:
*making lingerie (fun panties, actually)
*making cloth diapers <--- I REALLY want to dabble in this!
*making leather jewelry & accessories.

Thoughts?

I'm a lover of each of these so its hard to narrow it down to one, you know? The diapers will probably be the easiest to start with and since Baby DJ is beginning the potty training phase, I suppose I could also make his training pants...hmmm...sounds like I've just made my decision!

Cloth diapers & training pants it is!

~ShamelessMomma

Baby Transitions...NOT So Easy!

Now that my "Baby DJ" is almost one, I am working on two major transitions: bottle -> cup and formula -> cow's milk.

He's been drinking water, juice, and formula from a cup for quite some time now, so that isn't the hard part. The hard part is milk. (He was breastfed from day 1 and I'm SO proud that I was able to stick with it for as long as I did.) Anyway, back to the milk...I haven't tried it in his bottle w/ formula yet, but I may give it a go tomorrow afternoon.

This morning I gave him a cup of milk as I cooked our breakfast. His reaction? Big swallow (expecting juice, no doubt), frown, throw the cup at me, and storm off. LMAO! I wasn't quite expecting that one! I tried handing it to him a few more times, but he would either run from me, push the cup away, or fuss. All I could do was laugh and leave the cup where he could get it should he get thirsty enough to drink it. That never happened, though.

I'm going to keep this one short since I'm laying in bed typing on the BB...

Any advice from you pro moms out there?

~ShamelessMomma

SHAMELESS REVIEW (unsolicited): Fisher-Price Cheer For Me Potty (Save your $$)

My son is an early bloomer so I wanted to begin his potty training before his first birthday. I saw this potty and thought it would be great because he loves flushing the big toilets in our bathrooms. Singing, actual flushing motion, toilet paper...what kid wouldn't be encouraged, right?

Well...it was a huge disappointment. First, its VERY poorly made. It isn't sturdy at all so when my son tried to sit on it, he fell flat on his behind. Second, IT DOESN'T WORK! I bought bought fresh batteries when i bought the potty, but there was no sound whatsoever. Never has been. I tried a different brand of batteries, but still nothing. Imagine my disappointment when Baby DJ went potty for the first time, turned to flush, but looked puzzled when it didn't do anything. I was proud and heartbroken at the same time. Finally, "Fisher-Price" should call this potty "OVER-PRICED!" $30 for a potty that doesn't work? There's no way to get your money back, I was told that I was just SOL. I tried returning it the night I bought it, but Wal-Mart (who usually returns EVERYTHING) said that since it had been opened, I couldn't return it. Fisher-Price said the exact same thing.

I expected more from them. I won't waste my money on their family of products from here on out.

DISCLAIMER: This is a personal opinion and observation of my son's experience with this toy. I am in no way being compensated for this review!

~ShamelessMomma