We saw Santa … before Thanksgiving.

THIS. IS. A. BIG. DEAL.

Let me first set the scene. I pre-registered my email address for McKenna to see Santa at Phipps back in like March. Maybe earlier. But seeing Santa at Phipps is like an Atlanta tradition and rumor has it, homeboy makes six figures in 2 short months because he is LEGIT.  Emails started going out to reserve your spot to see Santa [ yes, you have to make an appointment to see Santa ] near the end of September and they send out 300 emails per day until all the slots are reserved. Well. September ended and I still had not received my email and the panic that hard started, it got worse.  Then October rolled a round and daily, nothing.  THEN FINALLY on the 6th of October, McKenna Marie Shanahan was invited to see Santa at Phipps for the first time. And when I say I dropped everything at work to grab a spot… I DROPPED EVERYTHING. My children-less coworkers thought I was losing my mind, but I don’t care, McKenna was invited to see Santa at Phipps. And when I got to the page to book our appointment there was one weekend day left and the earliest Santa was available that day was 6:45 PM.  And I paid my $20 [ $15 of which gets credited to your photo packed ] and booked that 6:45 PM appointment on NOVEMBER 1st. Yes. McKenna got to visit Santa before Thanksgiving. But this is me not caring.  We got a coveted spot to see Santa at Phipps.

So fast forward. it isn’t even Thanksgiving and McKenna got to see Santa.  She told Santa she wanted books and an exersaucer and clothes and Baby Einstein DVDs and fun age appropriate toys {whatever those may be}.  BUT! She did really really well.  She was more confused what was going on and why there was a weird man shaking maracas at her. This all explains the dazed look.  But I will have to say, it was a good experience and not having to wait in a long line to see Santa is worth the pre-registration fee.

I cannot wait for the adorable Christmas cards we ordered this week! And I cannot wait to make this a family tradition.  Maybe in the future I won’t have to stress over if we will get an email invite or not.  But, it was well worth it.

Oh – and Santa came to daycare yesterday.  Evidently she did very good with that Santa too.  Wonder what she told that Santa she wanted. =D

Wear Sunscreen, Yo.

LIFE.
IT IS JUST THAT. LIFE.

So. Where to begin. Kyle’s sister and boyfriend came into town last weekend. It was fun. Low key and fun. I was glad that McKenna got to meet her Auntie Katie and “Uncle” Joel. And people. SHE WAS SO GOOD. This little baby of ours. Pure Joy.

McKenna is thriving in daycare. She is reaching for toys. and is like a few weeks away from sitting up on her own. and she is just so big now. I adore her and cannot wait to snuggle with her all weekend!

We have our 1st family 5k tomorrow and I am excited to bundle M up and get back to running and racing. I LOVE this 5k and I hope McKenna wins her age group. =D

And McKenna goes to see Santa on November 1. Which I am so excited about. 1st Santa at Phipps experience. We are so excited to start our traditions.  And. Santa at Phipps is one of those traditions.

AND.
IF I CAN BUG YOU?
CAN I REQUEST SOME PRAYERS?
PLEASE?

Last Friday I went to the dermatologist at the urging of Kyle and I am grateful he asked me to go. He thought some moles were odd. Nope. They were fine. But there were others that were odd. 3 biopsies later, I found out 1 was abnormal, but they think they removed it all {which I hope they did because hi, yeah, it still hurts 1 week later} and 2 came back not good. Melanoma not good. 1 worse than the other.

When you Google melanoma it pretty much tells you that is it dangerous and you will die. And you don’t even have to open a web site to see that – it is just there. BOOM. Thanks Goog for the high five of confidence. ‘Preciate It.  Then you tell people you have melanoma and they act like it ain’t no thing – that it can be removed and  you will be fine.  And then Kyle asks, “B, do you have Cancer” and I have NO IDEA how to answer that question because I don’t know. I guess? Maybe? Yes, but it isn’t a big deal? And then I feel like Cancer & “not a big deal” don’t belong in the same sentence. I don’t know what I have or anything about it. I didn’t think to ask questions. Honestly, I didn’t even know what she was saying until I googled the word “melanoma”. I don’t even know what questions to ask on Tuesday.

I just got a phone call telling me to go get an eye exam to make sure there is nothing wrong with my eyes {begin panic – is that why my vision has been blurry and wonky?!} since it can spread to the eyes. And to get a physical to make sure nothing has spread any where else. And  that the skin cancer surgeon will call me to get me in ASAP for surgery/removal.  And that I have to go to the dermatologist every 3 months for 1 year and then every 6 months for 5 years.  I mean – how can  you not worry when those are your marching orders?!  And then I now panic about any knife to skin since I had freaking MRSA after my C-Section. Y’all. I can’t.

So, Monday I have my eye appointment.  then Tuesday I have my mole removal surgery and then my physical is the following Monday. And I am being immature and petty and worrying about the wrong things, Like I should be worrying about the outcomes and if it spread, but my shallow, vain concerns surrounds me potentially not being able to work out post surgery. My documents say, “no working out for 2 months” because of where the mole is … and that just makes me RAWR.  I am loving my Pure Barre routine and my spin studio just opened in Alpharetta. I am finally getting OK with how I look post pregnancy and I can’t {correction, don’t want to} take 2 months off.

But. Deep Breath. Any prayers you want to lift up or good thoughts you want to give me or whatever you do, I won’t turn them away. And. I will keep you posted on how everything goes.

Until then. Have a rocking weekenddddddd! =D

Oh and Roll Tide, Beat Tennessee!

what barbies want for christmas.

i feel like an adult. i really do not want anything but money for christmas and with that money i do not want to buy anything but put it into savings because i really want a 4runner.  but if i had to ask santa for things for christmas my list would be...

1. a pair of nike free running shoes.  i am not interested in vibram 5 fingers but i do want to give the minimalist shoe thing a whirl and i have heard great things about the nike frees. size 10. color: while/pale blue-gray. on zappos for $85.00 picture. see right.

2. a personalized wedding dress hanger to hang my wedding dress on [when i get one]. It will make the wedding pictures so much cuter and i am all about personalization and i l-o-v-e this idea.  and i think i would want it to be personalized with barbie + kyle rather than mrs. shanahan since i won't quite be mrs. shanahan yet. [yikes that sounds crazy weird!!] and of course this was discovered on my favorite place ever... Etsy.  Go here to order/check it out.  I would also need a wooden hanger to hang it on.

3. a new RoadID. I somehow, somewhere lost mine. This go around I want the one that attaches to your shoe. (the shoe id).   Therefore I won't take it off and throw it somewhere... it will just stay put on my shoe. I do not care the color, but I want my blood type on this one. After almost being hit by a car this year I just really want as much info crammed on there as possible if my life needs to be saved.  Sounds logical right?!

4. a quesadilla maker. because i love quesadillas and i love easy dinners even more. [when did i become an old lady asking for kitchen items?!]

5.  speaking of being old and wanting household things... i also want an iRobot vacuum or a romba. and I want a NICE vacuum. I think I want the Hoover WindTunnel Pet Rewind Upright ... but those 2 things will end up on my wedding registry.

6. Nike long sleeve running shirts (size medium). This one to be exact. In any of the colors except white.  I also would not mind more Nike running tights (size medium).

7. Do not judge me on this one... but I want Alabama Shoe Slippers. I find them to be hilarious and since my feet are always cold why the heck not?!  How awesome are these?!

8. Bath stuff. From anywhere as long as the bubbles that are made are HUGE. So big they overtake my bathtub and make it hard to read my book!!! I have also heard great things about Joyful Bath Co. as a substitute for Epsom Salt for baths post long runs and I would love a packet to try. I heard they're great for both ice baths and hot baths. I am attracted to the 'Nilla Buttermilk, Green Tea, Gingersnap and Oasty Floatsie. 

9. a weekend at a cabin in the north georgia mountains so kyle and i can escape for a weekend a REALLY take a vacation.

10. A super high tech cool pad for my lap top so it will stop overheating and shutting off.  I like this one and it got super good reviews.

I think that is it... it is weird that I cannot think of things I want for Christmas... I remember as a kid wanting pretty much everything in the Toys 'R Us catalog and now it is hard to make a list of 10 things.... oh growing up....