Goats and Peacocks and Possums...Oh My!

Part One of Two.

The last few weeks have been spent whistfully and wonderfully waiting for spring...and I've been snuggling and acquiring animals whilst I wait!

First a quick update - Infertility - 2, Erica - 0.  Round two was bad.  I think that the hormones were messing with my body so much that I started an entire week late.  An entire week that I took pregnancy tests like a crazy person, because I wasn't starting...so how could I not be pregnant?  Again?  Sigh.  I'm taking a breather.  We'll regroup and try again in a few months.

Now onto the animals!  Kelly's goats have been popping out babies for a solid month now.  Most of them nurse on the mamma just fine, but a few mamma's didn't make it, and a few didn't bond with their babies....so bring on the bottle babies!  Their moms or moms with extra milk get milked, and bottle babies get hand fed with that milk.  One never seems to have enough hands, or bottles.  They will nurse on your fingers, or your double chin (they're not really picky :) while they are waiting their turn.  Oh my God I love those little babies!

I'm the most popular girl in the barn. (when I have the milk).

Oh, Hello Ladies!

Babies in sweaters.  Seriously.

There are still plenty of pregnant mammas, so if you want to go love on some little lovey goats, just let  me know.  I know people.

xoxo, e.

p.s.  This post was feeling long winded...so, tomorrow I give you peacocks!

And the Vintage Gods Are Smiling.

*Disclaimer*

The results of this thrifting trip are not typical.  I am usually happy to find one wow item on any given trip.  This trip yielded the score of all scores.

On a recent morning, Joe brought me a cup of coffee as I sulked in that "can't get a positive pregnancy test or start my period" pit of despair.  Which is pretty much the worst time in the whole month long process of this.  Just something give already!

"Come on" he said.  "Let's go to the thrift store and be there when it opens...in your pj's.  Don't even change."  Awesome.  That man knows me like the back of his hand.

He poured to-go cups of coffee, and I threw on a hat and a flannel over my fleece  pajama pants (and that whole phrase sounds like a fashion rock bottom.  and it was.)  But I was still better dressed than most of the old ladies waiting in line for the thrift store to open.

I am methodical and routine in my shopping.  Jewelry, then dresses, then shoes, then everything else.  I give the place a little scan first to see if I have any competition lurking around...i.e. if I have to be panicked to get all of the good stuff before someone else does. (that sounds totally neurotic now that I see it in print). (maybe replace methodical with OCD?).

But I was all set on this particular morning.  Just me and the old ladies.  I started sifting through dresses and found a gorgeous 1950's party dress.  And then another.  And then another.  And then I thought to myself "ohmygodohmygodohmygod they put out someone's entire amazing wardrobe last night!"  Then I think I pushed a lady out of the way to finish going through the dresses.  I had a perfect cart full from the 1940's through 1960's.  Many with tags.  Seriously.  

And then I was all "what else did they put out of her's last night?!"  I ran to the fancy dress section, and there it was.  All lacey and satiny.  It wasn't till I was in line that I even thought to look at the label.  Sigh.  Gasp.  Oh my God this shit is for real.  Ceil Chapman's are breathtaking and fancy folks.

Then the cashier was all "Do you have a 1/2 off coupon?" ????  What?? I thought coupon's expired yesterday!  "No, tomorrow" she said.  And, up walks a lovely old lady who offered me one of her extras.   Because you make friends with the old ladies when you are waiting in line for the thrift store to open.  And sometimes it pays off.  I needed that half off coupon, because $1.80 was clearly too much to pay for a 1940's rayon dress with the original belt. (*note sarcasm here*).

Thanks Karma, I needed a solid today.  xoxo, e.

p.s.. if you were wondering about the cow in labor whom we left to get Chinese food (Confused?  see here), well...It's A Girl!!

Birthday Shots!

Yay!  Whoo...oh, wait, not that kind of shots!

This kind of shots ;)

If you are over my infertility already, you can stop reading.  But if you'd like the nitty gritty details, do carry on.

Score:

Infertility: 1       Erica: 0

Damn it!  We lost round one.  Our first try with IUI (intrauterine insemination) (turkey baster) didn't take.  So, as one is full of crazy hormones and has just started her period, one must decide immediately one is going to try another month of treatment.  (we call this my $1,000 period...because basically I will get a huge bill this month for not being pregnant.  jerks.)  One must call around and find the best prices on meds that one doesn't know the name of...on a Saturday...with no one calling her back...because I thought I needed the meds by Monday.  No one is clear about anything in this process.  It is bizarre the lack of information given to us.

So, last Monday I started on a different med that will hopefully pull down a few more eggs than last month.  On Friday (my birthday), Joe made an amazing fish fry dinner...then gave me my first hormone shot.  One shot a day, and then they will do an ultrasound on Monday to see how my eggies look.  Then we can decide if we would like to do another round of IUI or try timed intercourse (exactly what it sounds like ;).

But on to sunnier skies and greener pastures.  My birthday week was amazing.  I seriously believe in indulging oneself for one's birthday...we deserve it gals!  We did a lot of thrifting and antiquing this week, and lot of food indulging, and a lot of snuggling.  I love my Jojo Buns...he deserves a medal for taking care of my hot flashing hormonal ass!  (No, seriously, I have so many hot flashes because of the hormones!  If I had a nickel for every time I uttered the phrase "Excuse me, I'm having a hot flash - I'm all hopped up on infertility meds"...too much information for people?)  ;)

Joe and I went out for a delish lunch at Frita Batidos..

Then he took me to my favorite antique Jewelry store, Arcadian, and let me pick out a perfect 1920's locket!!

Then we attended the Friday night fish fry at St. Jojo Buns...

Then my sister sent me amazing birthday gifts!!!   Hand made bangles using embroidery thread (brilliant), an Urban Decay Naked eye shadow pallet in perfect bronzes and blushes, and an olive velvet clutch.  Becca rocks and I love her.  And I love you!  Happy almost spring!

xoxo, e.