Too many pictures...

Austin at The Little Gym. We take her there on Mondays for "gymnastics class", I put that in quotes because it is really just semi-organized chaos.


Austin being a goofball in between some of the bars.


It was entirely too nice to be at work on Friday, my parents happened to agree so we all took the day off and went to the Pueblo Zoo. It was sunny and 75 degrees, not quite January weather but that's why we all love Colorado. In this picture Austin is calling Grandma like you would a dog and patting her legs...like "comon' Grandma catch up". And you can totally tell that my belly is getting bigger everyday and I definitely think it's bigger this time around than with Austin.

Austin could only be bothered by each animal for a couple of minutes before Little Miss Independent had to move on.

Grandpa helped her get up on that camel which totally made her whole day.

Here we are eating Mexican food before the Zoo, Austin's new favorite thing is anything "spicy". I think she sees it as some sort of challenge.

Austin and Grandpa petting the metal bears.

Looking at the big hairy cows.

Me trying to convince Austin to look at Grandma instead of me.

She loves any place without boundaries where she can just run around (preferably without hills so she doesn't fall).

Holding Grandpa's hand to make it over the bridge.

Austin's New Book

My Mom recorded a book for Austin for Christmas and last night was our first time letting her read it. I thought her expressions were too cute to pass up. :-)

A whole bunch of nothing...

Sigh***well I just got the call that went on to say that I was not affected by the layoffs. Always nice to hear that, kind of sets the tone for a kick ass weekend. Although I did get hit up by a recruiter yesterday but of course it would be a job that I would not do while sitting in my yoga pants, glad that I can continue to raise my girls and hang out listening to the Today show. :-)

Austin went to her first session at The Little Gym, which is basically a version of organized chaos where they attempt to teach little ones gymnastics. She was terrified at first since there were 4 Dad's there...damn those Dad's, LOL. But then warmed up and ran around like she was lit on fire rolling and tumbling and drooling (if you don't know us Wells' well enough, trust me we all drool when we get excited...I think it's the big lips we inherited from our Dad).

I took down the Christmas tree while Joe was up snowboarding last weekend. It was wonderful to have it taken down however I am sure that I scared the neighbors by balancing on a chair on the stairs yanking with all my might to take apart the dang thing. I was covered in sweat, glitter and pride...a pretty good feeling.

I keep forgetting that I am pregnant so when the baby kicks it runs through my mind for a split second, holy cow I am probably going to crap myself with my stomach making those kind of motions.

My family and I went to the boat and RV show last weekend, thank goodness my credit looks like a Vietnam vet right now because I was sitting there thinking to myself...if I buy this boat and this fifth wheel I could stop on the way home and grab a new Chevy diesel and be set. While most people think that I must be joking...J knows better. She was with me on a Wal-Mart trip for snacks where I bought a hot tub on impulse. :-)

Austin's Kitchen

Some people expressed that they haven't seen Austin's new kitchen. Thanks to Marmee and Papa she has this bad ass kitchen to play with in my office (I wait until she's taking a nap and organize it for her :-) ).

Austin!

Oh yeah and why every little girl needs a kitty....

Joe's Officialy Out-numbered

Austin's going to get a little sister in May, we found out yesterday at our appointment. Of course the best part about the whole ultrasound was to hear that she is absolutely perfect, I am 21 Weeks 3 Days and she measures exactly that. :-) Two arms, two legs a strong heart and straight spine.

Of course we have already gotten a lot of those "well but don't you want a boy, you know so you have one of each?". I guess I didn't realize we were collecting a set or anything, but on a more serious note...I never had a sister and would have killed for one. Not that Tadd and I aren't as close as two siblings could be but obviously our genders have prevented certain things in our lives from happening, i.e. we play a lot of basketball together but only pick up games and if we were the same sex we could have dominated out there together. He's still my favorite teammate and always will be but our jerseys never matched.

I am just super glad we were able to give her a sibling. We have a couple of friends that have only one child and when they come to parties and what not the poor kid(s) just hang out by themselves, so no matter the gender now Austin will officially have a partner in crime. Oh yeah and I can quit buying gender neutral like Joe asks, you thought things were pink before...ha ha ha you ain't seen nothing yet. :-)

Layoffs

Working in IT for the last 12 years layoffs have just become part of the atmosphere, something you take for granted...what's the current 401K match and what would my severance package be if I don't make it out alive? On one hand it's hard to know that at any given time they could just let you go (as if you were a fish hanging on a hook), but on the other hand people like me just get used to it. When one door closes another opens, it also helps that I have only been affected by one layoffs in all my years...spent one month looking for a new job and landed one that gave me a 25% raise. Needless to say I don't really have a bad taste for these RIF's (Reduction In Force, which is the new PC word for "you suck but we don't want to have to deal with firing you").

Even with my cheery attitude about these expected cut backs I have noticed an alarming new trend, one that I refuse to partake in. The complete and utter lack of motivation and pride in one's work. I take absolute pride in everything I do and couldn't imagine slacking off, what if today's my last day sucking air and I am remembered as the person that didn't care enough to do their best? Nope won't happen.

I bring all of this up because we have another round of RIF's happening on January 20th. When MCI was acquired by Verizon we consisted of 45,000 employees, which in comparison to Verizon that is 250,000 strong we were a small company. Of course there were a lot of overlapping personnel that didn't need to be around and I appreciate Verizon keeping their own and laying off us MCIer's. But to this day people like me that were included in the MCI purchase are still stigmatized...my name is Crystal Wells fMCI on all my paperwork, for former MCI. Our once 45,000 person staff is down to 1,800 and we are losing another 11% in two weeks. Like I said though, I am not scared of this but rather embrace the fact that my title could finally lose that stupid little "f" that I have carried around for years if I were to get laid off and find a new job.

With the pending layoffs coming up it's like my emails are disappearing into thin air, I send out one asking for testing or support and get nothing. I understand why people are reluctant to give it their all for a company that clearly wants them gone, but comon' people, I don't know about you but I am still getting a paycheck. Very frustrating.

The New Year...

Obviously the New Year brings an abundance of "newbies" to the gym each year. We watch as they painfully misuse the equipment while in their jeans and flip flops and slowly but surely the numbers trickle off to the die hards...all of which can be easily spotted on any given day by their correct use of machines. This has always been the standard in my life, the same as not realizing that you are out of milk until after you pour the cereal...until this morning. J and I hit the gym at 5 AM and while it did seem a bit busier it was full of the usuals but with a new zeal for life on their faces. Of course we did see the phenomenon of gym tackiness at 7 AM when we were leaving. So I have deducted in my infinite wisdom that if you'd like to make that New Year's resolution last just a bit longer...get up long before the sun does and drag yourself to the gym then. You can't possibly have any other plans at 5 AM, trust me I have tried to come up with them and it will keep you from coming up with the inevitable excuses.

I am pretty sure even those that hate gay people, love Ellen. Currently her show is playing in the background and she is actually attempting to have a normal conversation with Snookie. Of course since it's the New Year the conversation is about losing weight and Snookie working out. It is absolutely priceless to watch her in 8 inch heals attempt to show Ellen how to use a workout ball.

Why we're fat....

So I have been giggling all morning about these statistics, this is why our country's waist lines are out of control.


* Most people break their New Year's Eve resolution within 4 days.
* 90 % of Americans believe they have healthy diets.
* 11 % believe they are overweight or obese.
* 68% of Americans are ACTUALLY overweight or obese.
* 60% say they eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables and believe that fruit snacks and fruit drinks (soda) count.

We are still sick in this house, a not so gentle reminder of our travels. But hopefully we will be right back to our normal selves here soon. Right now the sweet smell of Christmas has been replaced by the pungent odor of Vick's VapoRub. It poses an additional level of difficulty because Joe is the only one that can take any type of medication, while Austin and I just take turns coughing and wiping noses he appears at least when comfortably numb from DayQuil to be quite fine.

I am finding it increasingly hard to imagine our home without our Christmas tree, J and I have been talking about just decorating it to match the current holidays as they come, not sure that Joe is completely sold on the idea.