Another bonus about this recipe you can change up the citrus to change to flavor of the pie! I made this key lime pie for my in-laws who are visiting from Pittsburgh and they loved it….and so does Lily!

Enjoy!

No-Bake Key Lime or Lemon Pie

1 Graham cracker piecrust
1 (8 oz) container of fat free Cool Whip
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
½ cup of key lime juice (or lemon juice), I purchased a bottle of Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice.

• In a bowl mix the key lime juice and the sweetened condensed milk.
• Fold in the Cool Whip.
• Pour mixture into the piecrust and refrigerate for 4 hours until it sets. Sometimes I save a little and pour it into a glass bowl to and chill. I crush up one graham cracker on top and eat it like that!
• Cut and serve when ready!

Not sure about what to do with your left over key lime juice? Head over to Nellie & Joe’s website where they have plenty of recipes for cocktails and marinades for your leftover juice.

We are starting our Friday off by paying a visit to my friend Rachel’s new home and having an outdoor play date with some of Lily’s buddies. Mike gets home from a two day work trip and we start the weekend off right with sushi for dinner. Junior year in college my roommate convinced me to try a California roll and now yearn and obsess of getting my raw fish fix.

So to start your Friday off right take a minute for these hilarious links!

The labor pain simulation has been hitting up the Internet by storm…and of course it is! I think every wife would like their husbands to experience this so they would really know.

Still on a Mother Day high here is the cutest ode to mothers. This kid cracks me up and his giggle is contagious!

Prenatal Pole Dancing??? Of course Funny or Die thought about making a video about this and Christina Applegate kills it!

Lily will watch videos of herself forever. The videos on my iPhone have saved me more times to count from a public tantrum. From the createters of JibJab (those funny videos you can make of elves dancing with your face) comes a cute website Story Bots. There you can upload a picture of your child’s face to a robot’s body and y’all can laugh and sing along to your mini robot while they dance along to some classic songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider and Old McDonald. Your robot kid can even star in his or her own online book! They have an app for your iPhone too and it’s FREE called ABC Videos by StoryBots where your kid can learn their letters in a fun and interactive way. That’s robot Lily singing “With a Cluck cluck here…”

You know you’re a mom when…

Somehow you can function on 3 hours (and that’s not continuous) sleep.

You head to the mall for some retail therapy and you leave with 3 pair of shorts and five tops that can be mix and matched, a bathing suit and a pair of Toms…all for your kid. This is because tiny Sperry’s and a blue gingham one piece are just too darn cute to pass up.

Or you head to the mall and you get five minutes in a store when your angel turns into a crazed psycho yelling, kicking, spitting (yep that’s a new one!) and hucking Cheerios all over the nice display of folded sweaters and you put your beat red face down and quickly leave (but as you’re driving home frustrated and embarrassed you realize that the tantrum tired your kid out and the nap might be a little longer!).

You learn to accomplish everyday tasks with one hand.

You don’t think twice to use your own shirt, hand or arm to wipe up that two inch snot rope that your child is about to lick because there is nothing else close by and you will gag when your kid slurps up that “rope”.

The one time you get to shop alone you start to hum the theme song to Yo Gabba Gabba or the hot dog dance.

You run to Target or the grocery store in tennis shoes, black yoga pants, oversized t-shirt and a sports bra….because this has become your uniform.

When you get home from Target or the grocery store you realize that you had vomit, dried pieces of banana or snot smeared all over those black yoga pants or shirt.

Getting a shower and being able to blow dry your hair is considered a victory.

You get a check for your birthday and your first thoughts are upgrading your stroller instead of the Jack Rogers thong sandals you have been eyeing.

You can’t remember the last time you went pee alone or with the door closed.

You have snacked on Goldfish crackers (& yogurt melts!) while driving because you were hungry and they were there.

You could easily scrape up a cup of broken or smashed Goldfish or Cheerios from the floor of your backseat.

You offer up your hand to catch chewed up Cheerios (because your kid wants Goldfish instead) or Vomit (to protect your couch) or an explosive diaper.

You think of visiting Disney World instead of St. Thomas for your five year anniversary (true story!) because seeing your kid freak over Minnie Mouse is priceless.

You spell out half of your conversations with your husband.

Sleeping to 7:45am is considered sleeping in.

You start to DVR a majority of your shows so you can pass out for that early wake up.

You realize that cleaning up during the day is a pointless activity.

You believe its perfectly acceptable to smell your child’s butt to determine if a diaper change is necessary.

Going to Target or the grocery store alone gets you giddy.

You get nervous and cross your legs when you feel a sneeze coming on. You also cross your legs while laughing too.

Your recommended products on Amazon are Melissa & Doug puzzles, cheap diapers and coloring books.

You watch a full episode of Jessie, Shake It Up or Sofia the First when you realize you put your kid to sleep an hour ago.

You can change a diaper in the dark but when you get to the grocery store you forgot the only two items you needed.

You constantly use your dog’s name for your kid and your kid’s name for your dog (damn that “pregnancy brain”).

You quickly place your baby or toddler on the other hip when a complete stranger starts to reach out to touch them because who knows what germs they are carrying (even though you may or may not have puke or boogers on your pants).

At the end of the day you finally notice you shaved only one leg.

Your topic of conversation with your husband over dinner is the change in the color of poop.

You find an Elmo racing car in the freezer.

You start to purchase toys depending on their annoying sounds.

You reach for your morning coffee and it’s cold.

When you pause a movie and tell your husband you “have to go potty.”

You refer to your self in third person.

Do you  have any other funny ones to add??

Sorry for the fuzzy iphone pictures! Most of these can be found on Instagram…come take a peak at more photos at @lilyandbliss!

You can find this recipe on food.com and you will find this is a very forgiving dish to prepare. If you don’t have enough cumin…no problem. Want to add more lime juice…go for it. Don’t have red bell pepper…use a jar of roasted peppers you already have in your pantry. You can’t really mess this up unless you make the couscous too mushy.

There is a Mexican flare to this dish so you can pair it with tacos or flank steak. Even with the cumin and beans you can still serve it up with some fried chicken…or maybe it’s just me & the fact that I will eat this with practically anything! While my in-laws were visiting I served it with steak kabobs.

Want to make this completely vegetarian? Just sub the chicken stock for a vegetable version! Add feta or black olives or cucumbers. If you want to give it more flavor add more cumin or limejuice. My advice is to make the recipe first and taste it. You can always add more of the dressing. Again this is a very forgiving salad!

Enjoy!

Black Bean & Couscous Salad

1 cup couscous, uncooked (I purchased Rice Select that takes 5 minutes)
1 ¼ cups chicken broth (use vegetable for vegetarians!)
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, well drained (try and get the low-sodium kind)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 green onions, chopped
1 cup frozen yellow or white corn kernels, thawed
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil (I use the light version)
2 tbsps lime juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper

• Bring chicken broth to a boil and add the couscous. Stir, cover, remove from heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl mix the beans, red pepper, corn (make sure they are thawed), green onions and cilantro.
• In a small bowl whisk together the oil, lime juice, red vinegar and cumin.
• Pour dressing over bean mixture and toss to coat.
• To fluff the couscous take a fork and rake over it to break it up. Once it is fluffed mix it in with the bean mixture.

You can serve this warm or cold. My suggestion if eating this cold would be to take this out of the refrigerator and have it come to room temperature to get the most flavor.

So take a peek at some of my favorites lately!

1. Drapey Woven Shorts from Loft $39.50
I’m a huge fan of Ann Taylor’s Loft brand. When I went searching for some cute but comfortable shorts for our trip to Disney World I was so thrilled when I stumbled upon these. The sorts are a light linen, perfect for Florida heat, and the elastic waist bumps that comfort level even higher. I loved these so much I purchased three pairs in black, rust and grey.

2. Viola Flower Sandals from Loft $39.50
Sandals are a staple for Florida living. As a stay-at-home mom to a toddler slipping on sandals to run errands makes my life easier. These charming flower sandals are so light weight I went ahead and picked up another pair in black (I got them on sale too!).

3. Gapfit drapey tunic from Gap $26.95 $24.99
Now that I’m getting back to pre-baby shape (finally) I purchased this work out top so I could feel prettier when I worked out. I don’t know but there is something about actually looking good while I attempt a burpee or running jumping jacks that keeps me going back to my trainer. I’m starting to like my body again and I‘m tired of sporting oversized shirts! This shirt is ridiculously soft Lily rubs her hands back and forth on it just like her lovey!

4. One Shoulder Applique Dress from Soma $89 $64.99
Have you heard of Soma? This store has more than just intimates and loungewear! Sometimes I have been able to find some super cute dresses and they are so comfy that I could sleep in them. I own two maxi dresses from them but the one above is my favorite. You can dress it up or wear it to Panera with flip flops. I’m obsessed with the super soft stretch knit jersey material. It receives major points for removable foam bra cups that help shape and conceal on those days I just don’t want to put a bra on! If you head into their store check out their pajamas. I have two pairs and they are my favorite pjs, but warning for the young hip momma some of the prints are a bit scary…but there are plenty of options!

5. Dior Nail Glow from Sephora $24
This stuff is fab. When your just not feeling a specific color apply Dior’s Nail Glow to give your nails a shiny light color of pink. Your nails will appear as if you went and got an American manicure!

6. Lowercase “L” letter initial necklace in gold from Olive Yew
My dear friend Emily Ley gave me this sweet neck candy for my birthday. I had been wanting a light weight necklace with Lily’s initial and Emily must have been reading my mind. The 17 inch chain hangs at the perfect length and for someone with sensitive skin I have had no problems wearing this sweet charm. (Thanks Em!)

7. Gold Envelope Clutch in gold from Gap $39.95
It’s nice to own a cute clutch for the rare times I leave the house without my diaper bag! You can’t beat this price either.

8. DVF babyGap Wrap Dress from Gap $45
Fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg is back with her second collection for the wee ones at Gap. Known for her wrap dresses I picked up this bright snorkel blue print for Lily. I purchased a white eyelet wrap dress when she was one and the material was a bit crisp and Lily wasn’t comfortable in it. This time around the material is stretchy cotton that has me full of envy over that tiny size t-3 (I got it in a bigger size so she can wear it longer!) Because the material is so soft I will be picking up another one before they sell out again!

9. Embellished flower jelly sandals from Gap $16.95
Memories of my jelly sandals as a child hit me when I saw these and of course I needed to get Lily a pair. With spring and summer weather these shoes are perfect for errands or trips to the beach or pool. Gap sells another style with a strap across the foot and I found that these are a lot easier to get on and appear to be more comfortable for her feet. I may or may not be going back for the neon yellow and blue sandals too!

10. Gingham one-piece from Gap $24.95 $19.99
Gap had me at gingham. Yes the weather in Florida has already allowed us to wear bathing suits and this one was too cute to pass up!

I was too stressed over the whole heartbreaking emergency room visit to really grasp the no baths or pool time orders from the doctor until the next day. There is no real easy way to keep a toddler’s finger bandaged and wrapped in a metal splint…and that hit me the first morning when I heard her whimpering in her crib. When I walked in I saw the entire bandage and splint laying on the floor outside of her crib and Lily had her hand held above her head with fingers fully spread. She wasn’t whimpering she was freaking out over the laced up finger. It was pretty scary looking. She attempted to take it off 3 more times that day and the last time had me in tears while I stood in line at the grocery store.

The next day I went to the store for new bandage tape and a smaller splint. The new metal was the perfect size and would allow Lily to move her finger and hand more easily….which helped take her mind off removing it!

The timing of this third visit to the ER in 7 months (oh yes I thought child services would pop in for a visit!) was perfect because my in-laws were visiting one day later. The first few days of stitches on a little one are the most important because they are more susceptible to germs and infections. So my plans for taking Lily with her Gram and Pap to Bush Gardens or even in our pool were of course scratched. So we spent majority of the time inside.

She had plenty of sweet bonding time with her Pap over their shared love of technology.

Story time was an easy task with the finger, but it was the iPad for the win.

And I broke out a new toy, multi-colored bean bags, to help keep Lily (and all the adults) from going stir crazy.

And yes we had to tuck in the dress to prevent any tripping….anything to protect the finger.

It is SO true that you can take life’s easiest task for granted and I can link that proverb to the finger. Imagine trying to keep the finger clean and dry during three meals. I posted a picture on Instagram (I’m @lilyandbliss) where I pulled a McGyver with tape and plastic wrap to keep the finger clean during dinner. Getting splashed was really the only snag with bath time. No baths with the finger. Lily gets to use our shower and getting splashed is an understatement. Before we can even get into the shower we place her entire hand in a plastic bag and wrap it with loads of tape to prevent the finger from getting wet. Before the finger I could take Lily in the backyard for playtime. No way can I do that with her obsession with digging in dirt! So we have two more days left of the finger before we can go back to normal toddler life. BUT seeing how our last seven months have gone…a double ear infection from our first bath post-the finger is predictable.

1. Fage greek yogurts and a banana. The banana is a no brainer for an easy fruit option for breakfast. Fage (pronounced “fa – yeh”) has become an obsession for me. The cherry flavor tastes so good it could easily be mistaken for a cherry cheesecake. Don’t believe me?? Mike even likes it and he’s not a fan of healthy foods.

2. Oatmeal. Yes you have to cook this…but in the microwave!! So no excuses. Before I even head in to get Lily from her crib I will mix ½ cup of old fashioned oats with 1 cup vanilla almond milk and heat it for 3 minutes. After getting her up and brushing her teeth I check on the oats. Sometimes I will cook it for another 30 seconds. Sprinkle some cinnamon, add 1 tbsp of peanut butter and drizzle a little honey (or agave nectar) and you have a something so good your toddler will want seconds. Yep Lily LOVES this stuff.

3. Pancakes. Sure you can get the ones in a box and heat them in the microwave or toaster. BUT you can have healthy pancakes with 30 seconds if you remember this tip! Next time you make the huge mess of making some healthy pancakes from scratch, make a little more and freeze them! Most pancakes only take 30 seconds to heat up (watch out for over cooking them, they will turn rubbery!).

4. Yoplait Frozen Smoothies. Oh my husband loves these. Yoplait takes all the hard work out of making smoothies for you, you just have to add milk and then clean the blender. Open one of their frozen packs and dump it in your blender, add low fat milk and blend until you have a yummy smoothie. I pour mine into a plastic cup and drink with a straw if I have to take this on the go. I have tried without a straw and I always end up with a wall of frozen yogurt up my nose and all over my neck and shirt!

5. Green Monster Smoothie. For a healthier smoothie try this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats. I became obsessed with this yummy green drink during my 30-day eat clean challenge. The best part is that Lily LOVES this drink too and with four cups of spinach I am happy to let her slurp it up! My adaptation of the recipe is = in a blender place 4 cups of baby spinach, 1 tbsp of peanut butter, 1 frozen banana (make sure you peel your banana and cut in in half before you freeze it to make it easier for you!), 1 cup vanilla almond milk.

6. Egg White & Spinach Omelet. Spray a pan with cooking spray and place egg whites in a pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. When the egg starts to firm on the bottom of the pan, add a handful of spinach and sprinkle some goat cheese (you can use any cheese you like!). Using a spatula fold the egg in half to form the omelet and flip after 30 seconds. Continue to cook until the egg is cooked.

7. Scrambled Egg & Veggies. Apply some cooking spray to a pan. Add chopped bell pepper (any color) and 1-2 tbsp of chopped onion, a few spinach leaves. Saute until onion turns translucent. Add 2 mixed large eggs (or you can use egg whites) and salt and pepper to taste. You can scramble the egg and veggies or create another omelet. You can also pour the egg & veggie scramble into a wheat pita and sprinkle some low fat mozzarella on top.

8. P.B. & B on a Muffin. Toast a wheat English muffin and add a tbsp of peanut butter to each piece (or you can use almond butter). Slice a banana and add the slices on top of the p.b. You can make it even sweeter by giving it a light drizzle of honey, but ripe bananas give it the sweet flavor already!

9. Mexican Egg Roll. Similar to the scrambled egg & veggies, but you scramble up 1 large egg, 1 tbsp of mild green chilies (I always have these in a Tupperware container waiting to be used), handful of spinach and ¼ cup cooked black beans. You can toss washed canned black beans in while you cook the egg. Also purchase the lower sodium option for beans if available. Once your Mexican scramble is cooked place it on a tortilla. Spoon some salsa on top and cheese (if you want) and roll the tortilla.

10. Cereal….but the healthy kind! I am a big fan of the multi-grain cheerios and serve that up with some vanilla almond milk and I’m golden. I also grew up eating Grape Nuts, and milk with a sliced banana. I used to add three heaping spoons of sugar to my Grape Nuts as a kid, but the banana and vanilla almond milk makes it sweet enough.

11. Fruit Parfait. This breakfast is so good I have it as dessert some times. Grab a bowl or cup (red solo cup if your on the go!) and spoon some vanilla yogurt (If you have a Publix- you MUST buy their fat free vanilla yogurt….it’s so good it’s sinful!), spoon some granola (I love the Naked brand), toss in some blueberries, add some more yogurt, granola and then blueberries again. SO SO GOOD!

12. Mike’s favorite. Scramble up 1 large egg, add salt and pepper to taste. Toast an English muffin and then spread some hummus to one slice. Top that slice with the scrambled egg, sprinkle some cheese and then top with the other toasted English muffin for a yummy breakfast sandwhich!

• Do your research! Head to Disney’s website (click here) and get familiar with the park. Locate where the rides are that you want to take your kid on. Their website allows you to pull up rides and attractions that match your child’s age group! Also get familiar where the bathrooms are or the baby care centers where you can take your toddler after diaper explosion!
• Another great source of Disney information can be found at Mouse Savers (click here). You can find out everything from how to save money on tickets, hotel information and where to dine to save money!
• Early bird gets the worm. Get there before the gates open and when the gates do open head straight to the rides that usually have the longest lines or the rides that you are most excited to take your toddlers on.
• When you first get there make sure you grab the weekly schedule paper (each park has one) that lists the times for all the shows, parade information and where to find characters for pictures and signatures.
• Instead of grabbing the paper you can download Magic Guide ($4.99). This guide gives you an interactive map at your fingertips. You can find the current wait times for rides, menu options for the restaurants (even the ones near your location in the park), park hours and show times and the app works for the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

• Disney’s Photopass card. You will notice that there are many professional photographers all over the park. They will snap pictures of your family in front of the castle, with the characters or action shots as you dance along with the parades. They will scan a photopass card that has an your own i.d. number that you can enter online to pull up all the photos from your trip when you get home. You can print the pictures you like, have coffee mugs made with them or even personalize the photo by adding Tinkerbell to them. If you head to their website (click here) you can even upload your own photos that you took with your family camera and have those personalized!
• Dress for comfort! Dress for the heat and make sure you pack an extra outfit in your diaper bag/back pack just in case the kiddo gets wet or has a big mess. Pack a swim diaper too because there is a small little water park to help cool off your kids right next to Dumbo. If you’re going to let your kid get wet bring a Ziploc bag to store the wet clothes.
• Comfy shoes. Your feet will thank you at the end of the day. Remember that in Orlando the weather is HOT & HUMID so wear appropriate shoes for walking in this sticky climate! You might want to put some Band Aids or Blister Blocks (from Johnson & Johnson) in your diaper bag/purse just in case you, your husband or your kid gets a blister from all the walking in the heat! Moleskin (used for bunions) are great to have for blisters too, but make sure you have scissors because that stuff is impossible to rip off.
• Diaper bag. Well duh Amy. Of course you are going to bring your diaper bag, but re-think the actual bag. A backpack might be a little easier and more comfortable than your one shoulder bag!
• Bring the stroller. Your kid will not walk the entire park and don’t let them or you will get some tantrums. Bring the stroller or you will be shelling out $$$$ to rent one from Disney. There are areas where everyone leaves their strollers so if you have a popular brand attach a cute ribbon or bow to make your stroller stand out from the rest!
• Bring snacks and drinks. Yes Disneyworld now allows their guest to bring snacks and drinks into the parks! I brought two water bottles for Mike and me and Lily’s sippy cup filled with water. Because Lily was preoccupied with all the characters at breakfast she barely ate, so the snacks came in handy multiple times before we sat down for lunch.

• Take your kid to a character breakfast. Watching your kid eat their waffle and then flip out that THE Minnie Mouse is right in front of them just makes the trip even more magical.  Make a reservation way in advance!!!! You can call them at (407)000-0000 or make a reservation online (click here). We had planned to grab quick lunches so we never made a reservation. I wish I did because the second day I really wanted to enjoy a nice sit down lunch, but it had a 25-30 minute wait…and you can’t wait that long for food with a tired and hot toddler!
• Enjoy the parades! What toddler doesn’t enjoy music, dancing and a chance to see the Disney characters in real life? Throughout the day there are numerous live shows that require no waiting in lines! The only waiting is finding a spot on the curb or along a walkway to get a chance to see Mickey or a princess float by! Lily’s favorite was the Shake It parade where you get a chance to dance in the street with performers while Minnie and Mickey stay on the floats. The Magic Guide app along with the paper guides the park hands out list all of the daily times for each live show and/or parades.

• Make sure your kid gets the nap. Just because your kid looks and is acting like they could keep going for another 45 minutes, just head back to the hotel and get them down for that nap. Plus it’s a great time for you to prop up your feet and have a beer or glass of wine while your kid takes a snooze. After their battery is recharged you can head back for some more fun and fireworks! Some kids might take their nap in their stroller so make sure you back their lovey or binky to help them fall asleep and try and find some shade (we found that frontier land had the most shady areas). Sadly Lily will never sleep in public so that’s why we went back to the hotel.
• The mouse is no longer ‘dry’. Yes The Magic Kingdom now serves beer and wine to help soothe tired and frazzled parents. A new area in fantasy land opened up and at the Be Our Guest restaurant there is a long menu of beer, wine and even champagne! Unfortunately you cannot leave the restaurant with your drink, but for many just being able to grab a cold brew at lunch is fabulous. I brought a six pack of Pacifico and placed it in our room’s refrigerator so it was perfectly chilled for us when we got back!
• SPF/hat. Make sure you apply this before you leave the hotel room so you don’t forget and keep applying it. There are only a few areas that provide shade and the sun & heat in Orlando is wicked!
• Bring mini fans. Like I said the heat is horrible and we were already sweating walking in through the gate. Head to Walmart and pick up their super cheap hand held fans (under $2) and pop that in the bag. The fan is made of foam so it’s safe for a toddler, but it delivers a strong breeze to help keep you and your kids cool! Plus it was a great distraction while waiting for a ride.
• Back some aloe in your toiletries just in case you forgot to keep applying that SPF. If your hotel room has a refrigerator place your aloe in there to get cold. Cold aloe feels so good on sizzled skin.

• Take snack breaks. With the Florida heat you have to remember to take some breaks to hydrate and fill those little bellies so your toddler doesn’t break into a tantrum fit. We carried our backpack with us on the rides so we could give her some animal crackers and sippy cup while we waited. In between the rides we took full advantage of the snack kiosks and enjoyed chilled chocolate ice cream! While we waited for the Shake It parade we grabbed a frozen chocolate banana (a summer favorite of mine) and it was exactly what we needed while we stood in the blazing heat. On day two we munched on a box of fresh popcorn in the shade of a huge tree near Tom Sawyer’s island. Don’t worry Disney offers healthy snacks like apples or a banana, but I’m sorry the face of a toddler enjoying ice cream on a hot day is priceless!
• Most importantly be happy with the rides you do get on. You might not be able to go on every ride you planned because of long lines, tantrums, diaper timings etc. Just remember that it’s all about your kid and the experience and memories you’re creating as a family.

Last time I was brushing my teeth and in an instant Lily grabbed a bottle of Alkalife, twisted the top of (something she’s never been able to do) and drank half of the bottle. She was standing right next to me. Read all about the nightmare here.

Monday night was just like any other night as I was holding Lily on my hip as I prepped her dinner. I started to open a can of green beans…and yes I have achieved those awesome mom skills to hold an almost two year old on my hip, clip on the can holder and then twist it open while singing along to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Now 9 out of 10 times when I open a can I always leave the lid attached. Yet my super mom skills must have been lacking because the lid completely popped off and fell to the floor.

As I lowered her to the ground to pick it up, Lily exhibited her super toddler speed and reached it before me. As soon as she touched it she let go and started screaming. I didn’t realized what had happened until she swung her tiny hand up to my face and I saw her bloody finger. As soon as I saw it I knew it was bad enough to need medical attention.

Wrapping her finger and hand in a kitchen towel, I started to dial my mom on speaker, hoist her back on my hip and reached for a bag of lollipops at the top of the pantry. Mike was gone for business and times like these are when I’m so blessed that my mom lives so close. I had her hold Lily on her lap while gripping her hand in the kitchen towel while I drove to the ER.

Oh the waiting room was brutal. I’m assuming the pain subsided for her because she cheered up for some snacks and a few episodes of Mickey Mouse on the iPad. And then Lily decided to clap her hands along to the music and bless her heart she must have hit the top of the finger because she started to scream. She would cry off and on until we were finally called back.

I laid with her on the bed as a male nurse held down her legs and body and I held back her head and arms while the doctor injected numbing medicine into her finger. I have never ever heard my child cry out in pain like I witnessed Monday night. The sight was nauseating as her tiny finger received 5 stitches. Her wails calmed to a small cry that then ended in sad deep sobbing breaths. She was bandage up and a metal splint was used to keep her from further hurting the stitched area. Doctor orders are to stay away from baths and swimming in the pool for 10 days…oh and to keep it bandaged…awesome orders for toddler!

My mom and I got her home and we said goodnight to what I thought was a traumatic day. Today my mom came back over so I could clean up the house for a visit from my in-laws on Wednesday. Yes the ER visit was timed perfectly huh! Lily hates Band Aids or anything sticking to her so leaving these bandages on for 10 days is going to be a pain. Lily attempted to take the metal splint off twice with my mom and I watching her. I don’t know why she tried after the first time when she realized the amount of pain it would cause her.

When she woke up from her nap I thought I could take her to Publix on my own and she would be in toddler heaven with the free cookies. Boy was I wrong. She started to have a fit so I gave in and headed for the check out. Right before I got in line Lily let out a cry in shear pain. I looked down and she angrily ripped her bandage again and this time she ripped it off further than the previous times. I reached out and held the splint and her hand so she didn’t do anything to the stitches. A Publix employee walked by and I asked him if he would kindly help me unload my groceries. There was an older couple checking out in front of me who had stopped us in an isle in attempts to make her smile after noticing her whining. The woman started to help with my groceries and I just started to tear up. Then another employee came up behind me and asked if she could get Lily a balloon and I just lost it. The guy stopped and put his hand on me and asked if I was all right and I told him yes and that I didn’t understand what was coming over me. The lady came back with the balloon and proceeded to calm my daughter….and me! I took out my sunglasses to mask my teary eyes from Lily and called Mike to see how close he was to getting home.

Lily stopped crying as long as I held on to her hand and the lady helped check us out, walk with us to my car and load the bags (something I never let them do as the heat in Florida is brutal and I walking the buggy back counts for exercise right?). Mike showed up two minutes later, took Lily and her hand and got in the back seat. That sweet lady gave me the tightest hug and whispered some kind words. I have come so close to sobbing in public, but have always been able to keep it in. Today I just cried like a baby in the last isle at the grocery store with plenty of onlookers. As we drove off I started to sob again to Mike in the backseat. It has been a rough 24 hours and I have 9 more days of keeping that metal splint on her hand. I’ll have my in-laws for five days so that will help keep Lily busy and a nice bottle of wine that my dear friend Kelsey dropped off for me! So again sorry for not getting that next Disney post out to ya’ll…it has been a little crazy over here!