The Mason Bunch

Best. Mom-Move. Ever.

2012-02-02T16:43:00.000-05:00

I'm certain this will be one for the record books...and hopefully Isaiah will look back and appreciate my creativity. I was out with him today and needed to feed him his bottle, but alas, I had no bib. I wanted to go to the library with him and didn't want him to have a shirt that was soaked in milk-drool drippings. As I dug around in the diaper bag, hoping by some chance a bib would materialize, I saw that I had some extra diapers. *Cue lightbulb moment.* Diapers absorb liquid and also conveniently have adjustable tab things...voila: diaper-bib was born. I don't think he was too fond of the idea but I'm the parent...sort of like the "because I said so" answer my parents always gave me. But, he is so cute, I don't think it would matter if he had a diaper-bib or a standard bib, he would still charm the pants of anyone with those baby-blues.

What's is Love??

2011-12-02T20:34:00.000-05:00

Baby don't hurt me...no more. Why yes, I am sitting here bopping my head back and forth to this amazingly hip song. In case you want to, click to enjoy: What is Love Song.

Now, back to business. I was washing dishes tonight (because Chris's usual idea of "cleaning" the kitchen is to put some dishes in the dishwasher and the rest in the sink...does he think these magically get washed on their own?) and I started thinking about this song and what it's saying...what is love??

I'm getting anxious about the holidays; I always do. This is a time that should be spent relaxing and enjoy the true gift of love, Christ. Instead, I am often times wrapped up in buying gifts, volunteering at church, taking the kids to see Santa, and an endless list of other things that fill my calendar, that I forget to remember what Christmas is all about. Most often I stress over stupid family stuff...people and feelings I can't control. I stress over money and how we are going to afford to buy gifts, gifts that most likely cost a lot because my worldy mind thinks that spending lots equals big rewards. Well, and the fact that I always wait til the last minute to shop and by then I can't think of a creative gift to give or make because I don't have time. And tonight, I was thinking about all of this and a scripture came to mind. "Love keeps no record of wrong". So, if I truly love, whether it's in general or someone specific...I should do just that! That doesn't mean I can't be hesitant or cautious with people regarding my feelings. I have been hurt too many times by people I care and love. But I can't let their attitudes towards me dictate my behavior. I don't have to like them and they don't have to like me, but I can still love.

So, in case you need a reminder, here is what love is:

"No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

   Love never gives up.
   Love cares more for others than for self.
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
   Love doesn't strut,
   Doesn't have a swelled head,
   Doesn't force itself on others,
   Isn't always "me first,"
   Doesn't fly off the handle,
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
   Doesn't revel when others grovel,
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
   Puts up with anything,
   Trusts God always,
   Always looks for the best,
   Never looks back,
   But keeps going to the end. Love never dies."

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

A-Z About Me

2011-12-02T17:45:00.001-05:00

One of my friends recently posted this, from another person's blog so I figured I'd play along. Maybe you'll learn something about me...if you do, let me know!

A. Age: 26, though my birthday is Jan 7th...I love presents.
B. Bed Size: King. Once you go king, you never go back.

C. Chores you hate: Cleaning the shower. UGH. I'd rather clean 50 toilets than 1 shower.
D. Dogs: 1, Maddie. She is a bichon. I actually despise her and somewhat look forward to her going to heaven. She just peed on my carpet after I spent $85 to get them cleaned.
E. Essential start to my day: If I have the money, a diet coke from McDonalds. Best. Thing. Ever. Best $1.09 spent.

F. Favorite Color: I'm not partial to one color, I enjoy them all.
Gold or Silver: Silver. I feel like gold is for old people.
H. Height: 5'5"
I. Instruments you play: I dabble on the keys, though I wish above all that we had a piano in our house (remember questions "A"...)
J. Job Title: Mommy, house cleaner, custodian, grounds keeper, maid, babysitter, psychiatrist, etc. The list really doesn't end...
K. Kids: 2: Avery, who is 2 1/2 and Isaiah who is 9 months.

L. Live: Carmel. Well, we are in Westfield, but our address is Carmel. I don't understand it.

M. Mother's Maiden Name: Danette, though she also goes by Molly

N. Nicknames: Apes/Ape
O. Overnight hospital stays: Other than childbirth, I have not stayed overnight in the hospital.
P. Pet Peeves: Lots of things...people who avoid confrontation, dirty windows, a messy house (yes, I am perpetually peeved about this...I can never get mine to stay clean), oh and above all: when there are 2 doors that open into an establishment and people going in and out are just using one side. Then there becomes a huge congestion of people waiting to go in or out because they are only using one door. There are 2 sides for a reason; use them both! One side for coming, one side for going. It's not rocket science.
Q. Quote from a movie: Where do I begin?! Pretty much anything from Dumb & Dumber... "Here Lloyd, this helps!"

R. Right or Left Handed: Right

S. Siblings: My older brother, Josh. He is awesome. I wish he and my parents lived closer so I could see them more often.

T. Time you wake up: Recently, it has been 5:12am so that I can haul my lazybones to the gym before the world wakes up.

U. Underwear: Yes please. I prefer American Eagle's underwear if you must know. Covers my butt and it's cheap.

V. Vegetable you hate: All. Not really...but most I dislike but choke down because they are healthy and good for me. I will not, under any circumstance, eat peas. Barf.

W. What makes you run late: Avery and Isaiah, and the constant planning that goes with them. Whether we are going or they are staying, here is what I have to deal with: Do we have diapers, wipes, bib, spoon, food for Isaiah, clean bottle(s), formula, changes of clothes for Isaiah, change of clothes for Avery, underwear for Avery, pacifier, burp cloth, Avery's blanket, Isaiah's blanket, Avery's lambie(s), toys to occupy Isaiah, dvd's to occupy Avery, shoes, socks, hats gloves, coats...Now, do you understand why I'm late?!

X. X-rays you've had: On my wrist when I fell taking a charge in high school basketball. No break, just sprained. I got a sweet wrist support that I had to wear. It was very attractive.

Y. Yummy food that you make: Pretty sure everything I make is yummy. I love cooking and baking and I think I'm pretty darn good at both. However, I recently made a delicious chicken tortilla soup and took a picture of it just to show how good it was:

Z. Zoo animal: I love the penguins! I love to watch them swim and play around. The monkey's are cool too.

Baby Stuff for Sale

2011-11-22T16:26:00.000-05:00

I feel like the list of items I need to get rid of grows on a daily basis. So, here are all the things I want to sell that I no longer need!

1. Graco Silhouette Swing. ($70) Holds babies up to 30lb. Has 6 swing speeds with auto shut off. Nature sounds or classical music options. 3 seat recline positions.

2. Evenflo Expressions High Chair. ($40)

3. Diaper Genie Elite system ($25) Has step open lid. Used, but like new; NO odor. Also includes 1 NEW refill.

4.Fisher Price Rainforest Activity Gym ($25)

5. Changing Pad - Contoured ($10)

6. Bebe Pod Seat & Tray ($10). I am missing the white pommel, but it isn't a necessity for the functionality of the seat. Adjustable tray included.

7. Fisher Price Go Baby Go Kickin' Bobbin Bear Gym ($10)

Anyway

2011-11-18T20:43:00.002-05:00

If I may be transparent with you, I am battling some tough situations within my extended family. There have been many times when I have really wanted to react in a very negative and un-Godly manner. And I have; in my own home, with my husband. I can't tell you how badly I have wanted to call some people up and give them a piece of my mind...but, I can't let my flesh have control. I just can't....so, tonight I was reminded of a poem a friend of mine shared...maybe it will encourage you in some way.

Anyway, by Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Where have I been?

2011-11-16T16:01:00.004-05:00

Wow. I didn't realize it had been FOREVER since me last post. I'm sure no one really cared...but, in the event that there is someone out there that did, here is what has been happening...

In mommy world, Isaiah is rolling all over the place. I can tell he wants to pull up on things, but hasn't figured that out yet. I don't think he has a strong desire to crawl. He does get up on all fours and sort of, humps the air, as if he's willing his body to move forward. He still has no teeth and I have a feeling that when they do come, it will be all at once and my life will be miserable for awhile. Avery is doing good. She's potty trained, though needs help wiping and getting her pants on. She has been taking things into her own hands lately, and tries to go "all by herself"...in which case there ends up being poop smeared in several spots in the bathroom and lots of toilet paper used. We'll get there.

As far as my own personal, non-mommy world goes, I'm doing great. Honestly, I wasn't for awhile. I was struggling with PPD and was on several meds to get it right. After awhile (and much prayer to feel normal) I wanted to be off the meds and just try and be me without them. My first attempt at this failed and I had to go back on them. Several months later, I tried again and now I feel like me again! I'm thankful too...I like me. I just started going to the Crossfit gym so I'm hoping to lose some weight and gain some muscle and strength. I get very frustrated though because I want to be at like a level 7, but I'm only at a 1.5. And it's going to take time and effort, which I wish wasn't the case. I'll get there. I'm committed though!!

We recently had to spend a butt load of money getting our furnace and AC replaced. So things have been tight in the cash department. However, we continue to pray that God will provide. He hasn't let us down yet! It would just be awesome to find a big box of money on our front porch one morning, with a note from Jesus that said "Here, thought you could use this". We are thankful for parents who continue to provide us assistance though. Without them, we'd probably be...living at their house.

And that's that. I'm super excited for Christmas. I can't wait to bake cookies with Avery to leave for Santa. And to see her face as she opens gifts is going to be awesome. Now that she actually understands what's happening, it's going to make opening gifts much more exciting!

I am rich!

2011-07-21T19:49:00.004-04:00

Owen: Nikki, God will give you the desires of your heart. He will give you anything you ask for.
April: Well, my desire is to be rich!!
Owen: What are you talking about?? You are rich! Have you seen your house? You have 2 beautiful kids, you're alive!

After having this conversation with some of our best friends, I reflected on it further, which is something I don't usually do. For some reason though, I just couldn't shake what Owen had said. It really made me think about my life.

Unfortunately, I've had a couple close friends (or people who I thought were friends) break off our friendship simply because of what we have; our things. Possessions; here today and gone tomorrow. I can't even describe to you how hurt I was (and still am) over this falling out. Everything we have, everything, is simply because God has given it to us. I have done nothing to earn or deserve what I have; I am a sinful human who screws up all the time. But, I know that the "stuff" is just one way in which God shows his love for us for obeying him. My kids, my health, my house, even my crappy car are all gifts! Why some people feel the need to judge us for our things is beyond me... I just want to be thankful and share the things in my life that I love and have been blessed with, to others. Isn't that what it's all about? Love one another.

I have to start having a Godly mindset...I am rich! Rich in God's eyes. My thought when Owen made that comment was, "I want to be rich; filthy stinkin' rich! Money to buy anything and everything! No need to stress over bills, food, vacation, etc.". But I was thinking of richness from the world's mentality. Just because I don't drive a brand new car or live in a million dollar house doesn't mean I'm not rich. God thinks I am and his opinion is all that matters.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

Famine and Adoption

2011-07-21T19:00:00.007-04:00

I was reading one of my favorite magazines, "The Week" and came across an article on the rising famine epidemic in Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya). Then again tonight on the NBC Nightly News, there was another story about this dreadful problem. It was so difficult for me to watch the images of people being driven from their homes in search of food and water. My heart broke over the thousands of children who are dying because of this; little aid is being provided and with nothing else left, they simply die from starvation. Coincidentally, I was in the middle of feeding Isaiah his bottle and looked down at him; my chunky baby, who has formula and food at his disposal. His cheeks look like they could explode, he has fat rolls on his thighs that are worse than mine and, as my brother says, he has "rubber bands" around his wrists.
I have several friends who have adopted and who are wanting to adopt a child from another country. I know so many wonder why anyone would even want to adopt another child, and even if that were the case, why a child from another country when there are plenty of kids in America who need homes. These questions can simply be answered by the pictures below. The children in America don't have these conditions; even the one's in foster care are better off then any child from a third world country. How could anyone not look at one of these children and not want to scoop them up and love on them?? I just hope one day I get that chance.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'

"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

"Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'

"Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?'

"He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.'

Matthew 25:34-45

Body Image Issues - Children addition

2011-06-23T10:49:00.000-04:00

I saw yesterday on Good Morning America a story about a girl who was 6yrs old and was worried that she was fat. Here is the link to the video and article...PLEASE WATCH! (Body Image Issues: 6-Year-Old Girl Worries She Is Fat - ABC News She came home and asked her mom why her tummy was so fat? Her mom responded with "Why would you ask me this" and the daughter replied that a girl in the bathroom said that she had a fat tummy. In a recent survey, half of girls age 3-6 were worried that they were fat. Doesn't this outrage anyone else but me?! How is it that these young girls are concerned with being fat, when they should be worried about how to tie their shoes or which swing to play on at the park. The 6yrs turns out to be totally normal and healthy according to her pediatrician, who said her BMI is completely okay.
I found myself worried about what sort of message I am going to send to my kids regarding body image. I have a song that I sing to Avery when we go to the gym that I made up "...oh we're going, oh we're going to the gym, so Mommy can get thin...". After hearing this news story, I stopped, and wondered that this is exactly why our kids have such negative body images. I can't even love myself and enjoy my own body. You can ask Chris too...he can for sure attest to the countless time I've sobbed uncontrollably regarding how fat I am, and I need to lose weight, eat better, etc. I try on ever piece of clothing in my closet, only to end up in elastic pants and a baggy shirt to hide all my insecurities. How can I teach my kids to love themselves when I don't love the way I am? Of course I can try but if I don't practice what I preach, isn't it moot?
I just hope that I can work to show my children that what truly matters is on the inside...the condition of your heart and how you treat others. God wants us to put on love: "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12-14). And for the record, I've stopped singing my "get thin" song.

Weeds of Life

2011-06-09T21:48:00.002-04:00

This past week I have spent quite a bit of time outside doing yard work. While I enjoyed getting a good tan, I did not enjoy the back breaking work of laying mulch, spraying for bugs, cutting grass, and pulling up vine ground cover. Lame. However, I was out spraying weed/grass killer around the driveway and sort of had an epiphany. I saw these weeds growing along an area of our driveway and wondered how in the world they were able to grow there! In an area of poured cement, sealed for years, how in the heck could a small piece of weed find itself in such an isolated area? It made me think about our lives...we can feel and look put together, but given the tiniest and minute of space, a weed can weasel itself in and cause an ugly space. We must constantly find ourselves at the feet of our Gardener. Thankfully God doesn't prune us as often as I tend to my yard.
How thankful we should be that we don't have to live with those weeds...that God is always there to accept us and forgive us, no matter if we are a field of just weeds or have some flowers scattered in too. Jesus is our RoundUp!!

Heavy Stuff...

2011-06-03T07:32:00.003-04:00

I recently heard about an acquaintance who was under investigation for sexually abusing his 4 year old little girl. While my mouth hit the floor, I was in shock at how something like this happens. Sadness, anger, disgust, sorrow...so many emotions for that family. And combine it with the recently news about Elizabeth Smart and her abduction and assault, it makes me sick. How does anyone person trust another person to watch their kids? Or how do you ever let your child our of your sight? I know we live in a sinful world but I struggle with how such horrible things happen to innocent children.
I think about when our kids get older, meet friends at school and want to have sleep overs or go and play at their house. I'm certain that I will always say no and they will be forced to have their friends over here. I remember when I was a kid, my parents would let my brother and I ride our bikes all over the neighborhood. We'd be gone for hours. Did they worry too or just trust us and our neighborhood? We would even play outside in our own backyard unsupervised. Maybe my mom secretly checked on us without us knowing or seeing her, but still...I'm sure someone could have snatched us in a minute.
I don't understand what the thrill or arousing thing is in doing such dreadful things to children. It's moments like those that make me wish I did have a bubble to put my kids in for the rest of their lives. I pray every night, if for nothing else or anyone else, I pray for my kids. That they will be safe and that when I wake up in the morning, they will be there. I just hope God always keeps them guarded.

Floyd Farewell

2011-05-25T08:47:00.003-04:00

I wanted to dedicate this blog to our friends, Kyle and Nancy. We have known them for about 5 years now and have become even closer to them over the past year or so. We live just down the street from them and even have a weekly Tuesday dinner date, which is awesomeness because every other week, I get a night off from cooking. Nancy makes some pretty amazing meals too, which is of course an added bonus. However, this weekend they are moving back to Nashville, TN. *insert sad face here*
When they told us awhile back that they had been praying about this move and that it was basically inevitable, I told myself that it probably wouldn't happen. I figured, even IF it did, and that was a big IF, it wouldn't be for at least a year or two. I hate when God's right and I'm wrong...because it seemed like only days went by and they said it was a reality. Kyle had been offered an amazing job and with their house on the market and close to selling, they were shipping out.
The decision for them to move is, I know, the right one, but it is super hard for me to accept. I find myself shutting down every time we talk about it...we are losing our best friends. I get jealous thinking that our dinners will be spent with someone else, our coffee dates will be with other girls, and even walks around the neighborhood will be spent with some other "replacement". After Chris and I got married, I struggled hard with finding a good group of friends, and even a good girl friend to open up with. I prayed so hard that God would give me those relationships...most all of my other girl friends had moved away and I desperately needed those connections. He gave us Kyle and Nancy and I was thrilled. I remember after we met the Floyd's, I told Chris that I really liked Nancy (if you've met her, how could you not like her? I mean, come on) and hoped to become good friends with her. He would always ask me "Have you talked to Nancy lately?" or "you girls hanging out??" When we moved up to Carmel and into their neighborhood, I was more than excited. I've always wanted one of those relationships where you just walk right into your friends house without knocking; you know where everything is in their kitchen; you feel comfortable being barefoot on their floors; your kids would be safe with them if something happened.... And now they will be gone...
It is the right decision for them to go; they are following God's will which can only be right. It is hard for me to put aside my selfish desires though!! I know God will continue to bless them and me...but this change is hard. I know it doesn't mean our friendship is ending by any means, but things always change when people move away. I have friends that live far away and while we are still friends and talk occasionally, we aren't involved in the day to day stuff. And over time, those close bonds always seem to stretch themselves thinner and thinner. I just have to pray that God will keep us close...because they can't get rid of me that easily!!!
So, to the Floyd's: I love you. You will be greatly missed, not just by us, but by so many others who also consider you family. You will always be welcome in our home. Avery is going to miss you so much but I know she talks to you on her fake phone so just don't let that get out of control. She does have a bedtime... Thank you for being such great friends to us; for praying with and for us; for supporting us and always opening yourselves up to be real with us. You have been the greatest ass-kicking best friend neighbors of all time.

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T14:37:00.003-04:00

This year on Mother's Day, I had an extra special gift...we dedicated Isaiah to Jesus! I was very excited to learn a month ago that the next dedication at Lakeview would be Mother's Day. How awesome is that?! Our family and friends, whether present or not at the service, I know have been and will continue to pray for us. I love that on a day where I am honored, I was able to give back to God what he has so generously given to me. I can only pray and hope that Isaiah is like David, a man after God's own heart.

Isaiah Update

2011-04-27T20:31:00.003-04:00

Well, my little man is 2 months old! Whoa...crazy how fast it's gone. He is 11 lb 4 oz; chunky monkey. So far, he's a healthy baby. My only complaint is he's been fussy and crabby for awhile, especially during feedings. I finally couldn't handle the craziness anymore. The Dr. thinks he has some mild reflux, so he's been put on some med to help with it. I can definitely tell a difference being that I don't smell like baby spit up after every feeding. Nice.

He's been on formula now for a couple weeks. It has definitely alleviated pressure and stress on me and I am very grateful. Now that Chris can help, especially during the night feedings, I am very happy. I wish I could have breastfed longer, for the health benefits, but I figure 6 wks is good. I feel loads better and it has improved my mental status greatly.

Other than that, things are going good! Until next month...or breakdown, whichever comes first.

Avery Do

2011-04-06T21:40:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to give an Avery update! My little girl is slowly growing up. Eesh. I love it. Every day I look at her face and think it has changed in some small way. She is almost 2 and I can't believe how fast it has gone. I look at Isaiah and think it's going to take forever before he's at the same stage Avery is...yet I know it will go by so quickly.

Avery is talking up a storm. I realize almost daily that she uses a new word, one that I haven't even "taught" her, yet she hears me or Chris say it and then says it later. Weird. She is also combining words to make "sentences" and I love to hear all the funny things she comes up with.

She is definitely gaining her independence. With nearly everything, she always says "Avery do!" because she wants to do it. When I put her diaper on, "Avery do", when I wash her in the bath, "Avery do!". I asked her if she needed help getting on the swing yesterday and she said, "No, Avery do". Of course she struggled and I asked again, of which she did ended up letting me help her. She's an independent woman.

Along with this independence, is her need to take her diaper on and off. Yesterday when I got her up from nap, it was off and she's standing in her crib naked. She said "Mommy, diaper off, trash." Thanks for the tip Avery. I'm not sure if she is doing it because it's something new she's discovered that she can do on her own, or if it's a sign she's ready for potty training. I tried putting underwear on her last week for a day, but she peed in them and continued playing as if nothing seemed wrong. She has just started within the past couple days of telling me when she has gone poop so maybe that's a promising sign that she's getting closer. I think if I had a solid few days to work with her, without taking care of Isaiah, we'd be able to get it. I think she's cognitively ready but with me being too distracted, I think it might have to wait a bit.

Avery is very into all things Toy Story. She also loves Shrek (and she always says Shrek Donkey!), Finding Nemo, Mickey Mouse, and Handy Manny. Chris said he thinks it's weird she isn't into the Princess movies but I said that will come later. She's too young to be into Prince Charming, dress up, make-up, and true love. She has a couple pairs of Toy Story PJ's, t-shirts, and a Handy Manny shirt, all of which she wants to wear, usually at the same time. I can understand now why toddlers are usually dressed in cowboy boots, jean shorts, a tutu, shirt, 4 pig tails and jewelry. They like what they like.

Kool Aid Play-Dough

2011-03-30T10:57:00.008-04:00

I decided that I need to be doing more craft projects with Avery...rather than having her watch Shrek or Toy Story all day, we need to get our hands dirty!
I found some recipes for edible play-dough online and thought this was a perfect way for us to work together and create something awesome. I wanted to make the peanut butter one, but it required honey which I didn't have enough of. SO, we made Kool-Aid play-dough. It was super easy to make and smelled just like Kool-Aid. Though it is edible, I don't think anyone would be caught eating it since it has 1/2 cup of salt and tastes disgusting.

Here is what it looks like when you mix all the ingredients together

After it heats up, it forms into play-dough. I then put it on waxed paper to knead it until it was cool enough for Avery to handle.

Avery loved it! It felt JUST like actual play-dough.

I figure it's a great recipe to keep on hand, in the event we want to make different colors (especially for themed color day, which is coming shorty), and, it's cheap. Here's the recipe in case you want to make your own!

Kool-Aid Play-Dough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
3 tsp cream of tartar
1 pkg unsweetened Kool-Aid
1 cup water
1 TB oil

Add all ingredients into a sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Stir constantly until thick and forms into dough. Knead until cool. Makes about 2 cups worth of dough, which is alot. I would even suggest cutting recipe in half (but still using whole package of Kool-Aid). Dough does have a slight gritty texture from the salt too.

Breastfeeding: My insight on the boob.

2011-03-25T15:37:00.003-04:00

I'm certain that I have professed my feelings on the topic of breastfeeding, however, I'm sure it's okay to relive them.
After the 1am feeding this morning, I was lying in bed thinking about all of this and couldn't shut my brain off. So, in order to sleep tonight, or rather, have something new placed on my brain to think about, here was what I was thinking:
I feel that there are 2 kinds of breastfeeding moms:
Type 1: Breastfeeders who do it for the "bonding" with baby. I have found that more often than not, these moms are also the crazy ones who have their kid on the boob when they are 4yrs old. Gross.
Type 2: Breastfeeders who do it begrudgingly, and merrily for the health benefits. Oh and it's free.
Now, I'm sure you can guess which one I am... I for one hate breastfeeding. It is such a pain in the butt (or boobs). I probably feel this way since my milk supply is on the hyper-active setting but regardless, it sucks. I hate constantly feeling tied to either my baby or the pump. I've got to carry one or the other with me wherever I go! If I've got the pump, then I have to remember extra batteries, ice packs, wipes/water to clean the parts afterwards, and then finding a location to actual do the pumping (normally this is my car. If you see Petey parked randomly in a spot in the middle of an abandoned parking lot, most likely it's me). I hate how my boobs feel...engorged, lumpy and when the milk "refills" in the ducts, I can feel that and it hurts. My whole entire day is planned around my boobs. If I haven't fed/pumped in the morning, then I can't shower because all that hot water is going to produce"ol' faithful" results from the girls. Which side I sleep on at night even depends on which side I fed last and which side is on deck. Ugh. And even after the doc gives the all clear for sex, the boobs are still off limits. Constantly being in a bra, buying nursing pads to prevent leaks, nipple cream...evil.
And how can anyone "bond" with their baby while doing this?? I don't get it!! If I want to bond with my baby, it isn't going to involve fluid gushing out of my body parts, parts that are normally reserved for my husband's use. I want to cuddle watching a movie, play outside, sing songs or dance even. Bonding shmonding.
The times I have the baby with me and I'm out in public, watch out. Those are times that make me want to crawl in a whole. I hate feeding in public! I even have a nursing cover, blanket, and burp cloth, all at the ready, covering every inch of my body so nothing goes flying out. But still, it's a pain. And the looks from people are astounding. It's like I have malaria or a deformity or something. Like, "how could I possibly be breastfeeding a baby?! The nerve!" I could totally understand these looks and feelings if I had my boob all out for the world to see and/or I was feeding a toddler. But a newborn? Really? It isn't necessary society.
Which takes me back to type 2...the health benefits. Pretty much any and all kids I know who were not breastfed, are constantly sick. Even the ones not in daycare. It's amazing to me. Avery has had 1 ear infection in her 2 yrs and that, I think, is incredibly good. Formula is expensive and that is also why breastfeeding, for me, has to work. If it wasn't so costly, I'd give up the boob now for the bottle but I know that it isn't something we can afford. Well, we could, but then we'd probably have to eat ramen a couple nights a week.
So there you have it...my insightful reflections on breastfeeding. More to come later I'm sure!

Post-Partum Bod...

2011-03-23T19:52:00.004-04:00

I wanted to write a bit about me...my feelings and thoughts post-pregnancy. I don't AT ALL want anyone to think this is a sob story nor am I "fishing" for compliments. I simply want to be honest and real and share what I'm going through. Maybe it might help someone else who may be going through the same thing...and maybe someone has gone through it and can relate! Either way...here goes...

I am now 4 wks post-partum...while I realize this is a short amount of time, on the other hand, I feel like "Gosh, 4 wks is long!". I don't feel like I've accomplished much of anything as far as a diet or exercise plan goes thus far. I am still a bit sore where my incision is, but regardless, I'm still WAY out of shape. Like, scale from 1-10, I'm 1...or 0 even. It's so hard to get motivated when I am sleep deprived from having a baby attached to my boob, chasing after Avery, cleaning up after Avery, Chris and myself, grocery shopping, making dinner, and the list goes on and on. Besides, when do I have time?! Even IF I get an hour or two where both kids are sleeping, all I want to do is put my feet up and relax.

I gained 30 lb's and was 176 when I went into the hospital. Today, I am plus/minus 154. While I realize that's 20lb's and is great, I also realize I need to still lose about 20 more lb's. And the later will be way harder to take off. Lame. The icing on this fat cake, is my stomach now looks funky from where my incision is. My worst fear was that I'd look like one of those contestants on "The Biggest Loser" who has some sort of scar and their fat grows over it and then they look deformed. I'm sure it might look somewhat "normal" if I were to drop those 20lb's but that's if I can even accomplish that. Ugh. High five to having babies!

On top of all this, the worst is how I feel towards Chris. I know he's totally ready to have his wife back, especially since now I don't have a giant belly that moves when he touches it. I'm not pregnant and therefore my mind says I should look and feel not pregnant. But that's not realistic. And the thought of sex (sorry, I'm sure my mother in law is reading this...might be sort weird for her...) just grosses me out. How can I feel sexy and attractive when I've got all these body image issues running through my mind? Even if Chris by chance happens to touch my stomach or my butt, my mind immediately thinks "Oh no! I hope he didn't feel what I see in the mirror!" UUUGGHH. And to complicate it even more so, Chris is in the best shape of his life...chiseled features and tight muscles...yeah I'm sure he'd just love to get with this!!

So, I guess I'll get back to you when I figure it all out. Hopefully I do... in the meantime, I wonder if I have any ice cream downstairs....

Isaiah James

2011-03-21T09:45:00.004-04:00

Finally, baby boy Mason is here! My little man arrived Feb. 24th at 7:49am via c-section, 7 lb's 4 oz and 20" long. Chris and I still weren't even sure what to name him as I was getting prepped and ready for the c-section either, which only added to my nerves about the surgery. The night before, I was driving home and heard a song on Klove. At the end of the song, there is a little boy who reads Isaiah 40:28-31:

"The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

I can't even begin to describe how this moved my heart. I was so anxious and nervous about having my belly cut open and this verse just helped soothe me. I got up early the morning of my surgery and wrote it out on a little piece of paper, which I carried with me up until going into the OR. I remember reciting it during the surgery until I heard my little boy scream!
Before hand, Chris said, "Hey, how about the name Isaiah??" I shared with him how God spoke through the song and verse and felt like it was confirmation that maybe this what we were to name our son. Alas, Isaiah it was! I think it suites him too, though at 3 wks old now, who knows!

Sweet Moment

2011-02-16T08:43:00.002-05:00

I was driving the other day and just had one of those "God moments". You know, times when you get this overwhelming feeling of his presence and I was oh so grateful for it. Let me explain...

As I was driving home from dropping Avery off at my mom's, I looked in the rear view mirror at her empty car seat. Ahhh, such a quiet place now that she is gone... Anyway, I had a flashback to being in high school and remembering all the things that took place in my back seat, or someone else's. Now, most I'm not proud of and will spare you the details of those moments, but other's were fun and innocent. I remember being piled into Joe Venn's SUV with a group of people, and Candace and I "dancing" and acting a fool, on our way to a basketball game. I remember my spring break trip to Florida, with Candace, her sister and friend all in my car, and the idiotic stuff we pulled that vacation. I remember proms, other vacations, and other crazy moments spent in the car and I realize how different things are now! Instead of soda cans and fast-food bags (though I still might have one of those occasionally. I can't help myself!), I've got sippy cups and animal crackers. Instead of school books and homework, I now have children's books and etch-a-sketch.

It's a BIG change, one that I am happy and thankful for in many ways. Gone are the days of me-centered living and thinking. I now have a family; responsibilities. I'm not gonna lie, being an adult sucks. But it's a change that I am learning to really love and appreciate. I can't imagine my life any different. I'd trade those irresponsible moments of younger days for one minute of laughter from Avery, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the back seat, any time.

It even more amazes me that had I not had that miscarriage, Avery wouldn't even be here. All that pain and suffering, hurt and loneliness...all for her. God's plan is something larger and bigger than we can imagine. He can use the worst of situations for good; in his time. I'm just glad he did with us!

Waiting for Baby

2011-02-04T20:14:00.004-05:00

I don't really have much to say today or recently... I've just been really anxious about having this baby. I'm ready and waiting. I found out yesterday that he is in fact breech, which is really worrying me. I know it's not a big deal but the thought of having a c-section is frightening to me. I think it's the fear of it all; the unknown. Plus, I just have this vision of a scar on my stomach that makes me have a bulgy non-flat stomach. Like those contestants on the Biggest Loser who have surgery and afterwards they just have this huge indent where the scar was and then all this fat that sort of caves inward. Gross. I also watched a c-section when I worked at the hospital and it's frightening to me! The tiniest incision is made then all these retractors are put in with people pulling hard. The thought of being conscious whilst I'm being cut open is also not so appealing, regardless of the spinal. I just hope he turns on his own and I don't need to have the version to move him.
Thankfully my mom came over yesterday to help me get some cleaning and organization done. I just haven't felt like doing much of anything lately and it was awesome that she helped out. We went through about 8 huge tubs of Avery's clothes that she had outgrown and filled an industrial garbage bag full of ones to donate. We also got out all the baby stuff for the new baby...bath tub, car seat, swing; with it all set up now, it makes me feel like he'll be here any minute.
I've decided to get rid of our dog Lexa too. I hate to do it...I love her so much and she's my dog. I love how great of a cuddler she is, how she loves to play fetch, and how much joy she brings Avery. But, she hasn't been doing well (come to think of it, she's pretty much been this way since we got her) with going potty outside. There are so many times that she pees on the floor and I just can't handle it any more. The stress is making me crazy! I'm very serious about having a mental breakdown, especially with the added stress of a new baby, and I don't want to hurt myself, the dogs, or the kids. So, I think the best thing is for us to find a new home for her. I put a listing out on petfinder, and at the end of the 2 wk listing, if she doesn't have a new home, we are going to take her to the humane society (no kill). I cry every time I think about it. I hate to say goodbye; like I'm giving up. But I just have to think about my sanity and the safety of my family. Ugh. I hate it.
In the mean time, hopefully I can get rested and relaxed before our new baby comes. We still have absolutely NO idea of a name so that's my homework for now!

Life's Better with Baby

2011-01-12T15:24:00.002-05:00

I was lying in bed last night thinking about this blog post. I almost got up at 2:30am to write it but decided I'd wait. I just have so much to say and my mind was racing! Here is how it all began...

I sat down to read a lovely magazine, "American Baby" and happened upon an article "Life's Better with Baby". As I skimmed through it, the summary was basically looking at the benefits of becoming a mommy and looking on the bright side. Here were some of the examples:

1. You've got an adoring fan
2. You belong somewhere
3. You'll make new friends
4. Your heart opens wider than you ever thought possible

Can I just say, LAME. Let's talk about a little thing I like to call, reality, for a minute. While I agree that the outcome of pregnancy is totally worth it, it's by no means fun. Now, being that I am on #2, I think I have some good insight. First time around, it's all so new and exciting...you have that "glow", you enjoy your growing bump, the excitement of all those kicks and movements. And then #2; you are soon departed from the fantasy land of baby joy and you arrive at reality. Your growing bump starts growing alot quicker than previously, thus you feel huge from the get-go. Since you know what to expect, you can feel the movements much sooner and thus have to deal with all that crap even longer. And it isn't so exciting anymore!! I don't want to lie in bed at 3am feeling my belly with a smile on my face like I did the first time. I WANT TO SLEEP! But unfortunately I can't because the baby won't stop squirming. I am in no way comfortable, whether lying down, standing, or sitting. Knowing what is to come; breastfeeding at all hours of the day, blowout diapers and poop everywhere, crying...on top of chasing a 2 yr old...Lord help me!

So, while it's nice to hold on to the idea that things will be all "so heavenly" and "lovely" once the baby is here, it's also nice to throw in what it's really like. I wouldn't change anything (ok, maybe a few things, like waiting a bit longer before getting pregnant again, but it's a bit late for that) and I love Avery and this baby boy. But I want to be realistic too. Life is better with baby. But I also want to take a nap, take a shower, go out to dinner, have adult conversation - all without baby sometimes.

New Year, New Addition

2011-01-05T17:36:00.002-05:00

Finally! We have reached January! Alas, I only have 8 weeks left until I birth this baby...hopefully he even comes a bit early and then it will be a bonus. This pregnancy has been great and I am thankful that I haven't had any issues. With that said, I have never been more ready to be done with this pregnancy. With Avery, I think it was all so "new" and "exciting" that I really enjoyed it. Second time around, the newness has worn off. Quick. I'm ready to rid myself of all the squirming and moving, especially at night. I want to be able to not have heartburn all the time. To not pee when I sneeze. To not feel like I'm turning around the Titanic when I roll over at night. The list is literally, endless.

I'm actually terrified of the challenges that await me though. I guess that's one reason why it's nice I haven't popped yet. I know I've said it before, but caring for 2 kids, 2 dogs, 1 cat, a husband, a house, and myself...that's going to be rather difficult. Plenty of women have these issues though and survive. But will I survive? or end up in the nut house? I remember moments with Avery where I thought I was going to implode. The stress of it all, crying, hormones whacked out, etc. Now I will have that plus everything else. We were living with my parents when Avery was born so I always had backup a room away. Not so much now. I guess that's why they make happy pills!

Avery is talking so much more these days. She is good at repeating mostly anything we say to her, which is hilarious. She doesn't pronounce the words very well but it's funny to see her try. Chris said "sass" the other night while playing Jeopardy and Avery repeated him. Except she left out that first "s". Awesome. Her first bad word and it wasn't even on purpose.

She loves Handy Manny and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She also loves playdoh. She is excellent too at "pretend play". She will stir pots and pans in her kitchen, pretend to drink out of cups, pour coffee, etc. She also has been great with pretending her dolls have pooped. She gets out a wipe and diaper and will even take them to the potty just in case. I think this is a good sign that she will be such a good help with her baby brother! Though she isn't as willing to potty in the toilet herself. She tries, which is a good thing, but she mostly just plays. She'll go up and down the step to the potty, sit there for awhile, then get down. When I ask if she's done, she says NO and gets back on the potty. She then freaks out when I try to put her diaper back on. We'll get there!!

What does Christmas mean to you?

2010-12-21T14:16:00.006-05:00

I was cleaning the basement Sunday and wondered over to our bookcase to find a book to dig into, since I was procrastinating finish up my work. I happened upon The Nativity Story and decided, what a perfect time to read such a book, right before Christmas. It was only 200 pages so I knew it would be a quick read....

All I can say is WOW! What an amazing story. Of course we've all heard the story of how baby Jesus got here, hundreds of time in fact, but the way this particular version put it made me have a new found appreciation for the entire cast. There are so many details I could go into, which I will spare you from, but mainly the way Mary and Joseph handled themselves and the news of their baby was incredible. Mary taking the news from Gabriel by faith; believing that whatever God's will was, she wanted to be used, regardless of what it meant for her life. She was honoring God, yet at what cost I'm sure she had no idea. Joseph, deciding to marry Mary after knowing she was pregnant, he wasn't the father, and apparently they were to raise the Son of God. Talk about pressure!! If only I could reflect their spirit and attitude in my daily life.

From the book, Mary's thoughts: "How was she to raise the Son of God? What was she supposed to do when he got sick? Would he get sick? Would he stub his toe, skin his knees, cut his chin? Would he cry with weariness and wail when he got hungry? Would he run to her arms when he needed comfort, or would he look to Adonai? Would she be a comfort to him...or a disappointment? For she was only a woman, prone to mistakes, too quick to worry, and sometimes too slow to reveal the deep affections of her heart." I myself have wondered these exact things...would Jesus throw a tantrum when Mary told him no, like Avery does?? And even the fact that she was raising THE SAVIOR...incredible!

It's just amazing what a true miracle the birth of Christ was. I feel as though we've become so obsessed with Christmas in the sense of gifts, lights, decorations, Santa, parties, etc. that we sometimes forget what we are truly celebrating. We worry over how many Christmas's we have to attend, what presents to buy our family, snow and traffic, cookie platters and the list goes on and on. I myself have wondered about starting new traditions with my own family but I think the one tradition I must make a priority, is teaching my kids what the meaning of Christmas really is: One Child, sent to earth to change the world.

Randomness

2010-12-17T09:08:00.002-05:00

Last night I watched a few kids for a church near us. There were 3 girls, a 2nd grader, 4th grader, and 5th grader, plus a 2 yr old and then Avery. The 3 older girls were listening to an ipod (which just floored me. an ipod? i had a little red tape player i carted around. makes me feel old...) and singing songs that I didn't even know! Then they started talking about Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, and Demi Lavato....and I'm sitting there just flashforwarding to when Avery is that big. I just had this realization of how impressionable kids are! How much they soak in, how much they remember and understand, even when I might not think so. It scared me. Let's not go there...

Pregnancy update: Things are going smoothly. I passed my glucose test so no diabetes! I also had blood work done by my endocrinologist and my thyroid is acting normal this pregnancy which is fabulous. I'm 29 wks and still going strong. So far I've gained 13lb which I'm very happy about!! At this point with Avery, I was up about 19lb so I'm feeling good! No Braxton-Hicks thus far which I think is also a bonus. Other than that, I'm just ready for him to be here. Only 10 more weeks...

Avery is talking a lot more now which is great! She blabbers mostly but she does use some words. I LOVE that she now says daddy and mommy, rather than dadda/momma. It just is the sweetest sound. Some words though that sound similar I think she thinks they are the same word. Like Maddie vs Mommy and chow vs cow. I asked her to say chow and she started mooing. She's also getting more bruises and scrapes from being so active and all over the place. My mom said that I was definitely not like that as a toddler so it must be Chris's influence. I am seriously praying that this next baby is more laid back and calm. Otherwise, me and the kids might be medicated.

Avery has also been throwing some more elaborate tantrums, which sometimes drives me near insanity. She will run off to a corner, screaming and crying, and then sit down and pout. I can't stand it! Thankfully she has yet to give this performance in public but I know that day is coming. It's hard not to give her a cookie when she asks (usually right before bed time) but I know it will teach her that she can't have everything she wants. We have to have boundaries. But I guess she'll be pushing those for the next 20 years or more so I might as well get used to it.

The Dreaded "Mom Stories"

2010-12-02T09:56:00.012-05:00

We do not have cable and therefore only get about 4 real channels (plus 23 "Jesus" channels). Last night there wasn't anything on so I ended up settling on "Cougar Town". I've watched the show before and haven't been too impressed...though there are some funny one-liners or quotes everyone now and then. Last night though, I found a few things quite interesting and even laid in bed awhile afterwards thinking about the meaning of what was said...

The episode was "Let Yourself Go" (season 2, episode 2 in case you want to watch). I was focusing on the couple Ellie and Andy who have a son, probably 8 months old. They don't like talking about their kid around other people. Ellie refuses to tell "mom stories" because she thinks by doing so, she will be dull and unsexy. Andy can't resist though and tries telling a story about their son and the friends standing by soon pretend to fall asleep and act out a murder/suicide in order to get out of the story altogether.

Alas, the great inner debate begins. How often is it appropriate to discuss your kid (and even pregnancy) around your friends?

Double whammy for me, being that I am now involved in both of those criteria...I feel like a magnet sometimes for these discussions though. More times than I wish to count have I been caught in what suddenly appears as the "mommy group"; moms that somehow gravitate towards one another and feel this "urge to purge" all their latest, most detailed stories regarding their child. Whilst I myself do enjoy the occasional chat with other moms, sharing tips and secrets with each other and learning what works and doesn't for their kid as well as my own. But soon enough, I often times find myself feeling uncomfortable...

I understand I am a parent and I am also pregnant...but does that mean I have some free pass to openly discuss these things with any and all people who will listen? I realize these things are important to myself as well as others, but I also understand that some people don't care that my kid had a massive poop that shot out her diaper or that I pee a little bit when I cough or sneeze because of all the pressure this baby is putting on my bladder. I sometimes have to remind my husband that while I know he enjoys working out, triathlons, biking, etc., that others don't; so we both have to make conscious decisions when around others to not talk constantly about the things we love.

I also want to be sensitive to those around me who don't have kids or who aren't pregnant. After my miscarriage, I was so angry when I was around a pregnant woman, even if she happened to be a close friend. I didn't care what was going on because I was hurting. Sometimes I wish others took to heart this message... We don't know what others are going through or what kind of day they've had. I also want to be sensitive to others who, maybe like myself, have a child but sometimes just don't care. When I get together with people, especially if there aren't children involved, I want to feel like an adult!! In those rare instances when I don't have to deal with a wild 19month old ripping through my house, wiping snot from her nose, cleaning poop off her butt, and feeding her goldfish, I want to feel "normal". I don't want to think about my child or the fact that I look like a whale. I want to have conversations about real things, not Mickey Mouse or Shrek. Is that too much to ask?

Now, I don't want to seem harsh, like I never want to discuss my baby or what she's doing. I'd LOVE to tell anyone that will listen about how perfect she is; and I'm sure I often do! But suffice it to say there is a time and a place for it all. I take such joy in all that Avery does and am so excited to see her growing, but I realize that sharing those things with others is sometimes okay and sometimes not okay (or okay to a certain point).

So now that I have your attention, I've got just the story about Avery to tell you. Oh....not the right time is it?

Thanksgiving Blues

2010-11-30T14:08:00.003-05:00

Well this Thanksgiving wasn't quite the success I was hoping for. Avery had been having a runny nose a couple days before, which I figured was just teething or who knows why. Kids are kids and their noses run, right? Well, I could tell something was wrong Wed. when after she got up that morning, all she wanted to do was have me hold her. We sat on the couch for an hour and she just cuddled up with me...naturally, this sent up a huge red flag! Avery is never one to cuddle!! Thanksgiving comes and my poor baby still isn't feeling well. She was fussy all day, didn't sleep well the night before and didn't nap well either. Of course that was also probably due in part to the loud commotion over at my in-laws where the entire extended family was, some of whom were camped outside the room Avery was in hopes that she would wake up faster. At this point, I wasn't feeling too good myself and figured it was just allergies due to my brother-in law's dog, which I've always been sensitive to. We got home that night and I was planning for some midnight black Friday shopping...wrong. I was up until 2am with Avery that night. She was not a happy girl...I could tell something was bothering her because she'd fall asleep for 20 min and then wake up screaming. It was horrible. I was crying too! I wanted to make it better but couldn't and felt so bad that she was hurting! Long story short, we left the dr.'s office Friday with an antibiotic for her first ear infection. Not to bad that we got to almost 19months without an ear infection.
Thankfully, she is doing much better and seems to be back to her old rip everything out of its place, hollering as she goes self. She still has a runny nose and I can tell she isn't 100% but no more cuddling that's for sure! :)
I just hate that from now on, most likely any time our kids are sick, we the parents are going to be sick. Whatever they drag home, we are inevitably going to face ourselves...lame. I'm certain Avery got her sickness from the nursery at church, which makes me not want to take her back. I guess I can't put her in a bubble and hope she never gets sick but sometimes I wish I could.

Terrible Two's...Already?!

2010-11-15T13:05:00.002-05:00

Let me begin with Avery's 18 month check up. She was 24 lb 1 oz and 32" long. Big girl!! According to her percentiles, she's basically right in the middle, which I guess means she's average. I had to fill out a paper for an autism check, which she passed. She also got 2 shots, flu and hepatitis...not a happy camper. Thankfully, the dr. has popcicles for such a time and Avery was fine after that. She has 12 teeth, 4 molars, and 8 front teeth which seems crazy. I can't wait to be over the teething process... Other than that, my baby is normal and healthy. Probably not for long though with odd-ball parents like us...

Avery has been acting more and more like a toddler these days. It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to take her out to eat, unless it's McDonald's, or even go to the grocery. She is just constantly on the move! Ask anyone who knows her; she is a mover. I can't get her to sit still. She also has become quite the actress with her crying skills. She can fake cry at the drop of a hat! It makes me want to pull my hair out. My mom says it's payback...

Avery has also learned how to take her clothes off. Again, my mom insists this is payback since I did the exact same thing when I was a kid, especially when we were in the car. Naturally Avery has taken after me in this regards and loves to take her shoes and socks off anytime she is strapped in. She tries to get her shirt off as well but can't figure it out yet with all the locks and straps. However, she is becoming a master at taking off her pj's. If they are footed ones and there isn't the strap at the top to keep the zipper in place, she will be in a diaper or naked come morning. Last night I put her in pants and a shirt and she had the pants off, hanging nicely over her crib when I walked in this morning. Grr.... How I'm going to chase after her and care for a newborn is beyond my mind.

Time Management

2010-11-05T13:02:00.003-04:00

Since I have some spare time right now, I figured, what better way to spend it than writing a new post!

With baby #2 on it's way, I have been very overwhelmed and anxious in thinking about all that is going to change. Not only was I scared to death of taking care of 1 child, now that I know what all it entails, I will have another one as well. I have no idea what it all looks like, when I'm going to get stuff done, and more importantly, when I'm going to sleep. As a woman, I also worry about my ever changing body, hormones, stretch marks, etc. I dread dieting again and working out...I'm certain the last thing I'm going to want to do after caring for 2 kids, 2 dogs, 1 cat, and a husband is go to the gym so I can "get back in shape"! Ugh.

To help with some of these issues, I have enacted the "chore chart". We started it Nov. 1st so we haven't been doing it that long, but so far, I am VERY excited with the results. I realize that my job is to stay home and take care of things here, and Chris's job is to go to work to make money so I can stay home. However, I get so bogged down sometimes with all the things that need done; I need help! So, we are practicing now that way when baby #2 comes, we will be skilled at our jobs. While I am doing most of the things around the house, Chris is also helping and learning some things as well. I want him to be self-sufficient and know how to do things...mostly so that if something happens to me he will know how to do a load of laundry. But also, so when the kids get older and ask, he'll be able to show them that "daddy knows"!

The chore chart has also really helped me stay ahead of things too! Mondays in the past were usually the day I tried to cram everything in during Avery's nap. Of course nothing ever got completed and I would spend the rest of the week catching up. Now, Mondays are just laundry days. Tuesdays are bathroom days, etc. It's also nice because now I can actually try and rest during Avery's nap rather than do every little detail around the house.

I've also decided that the reason why people have kids, is so that one day their kids can do all the chores themselves and then the parents can actually take it easy! :) That's my plan anyway. Avery already "changes" her dolly's diaper, which I think will really help when the baby comes and she can take over that area. She helps me load the washing machine, wipe off the counters, and feed the dogs. Cinderella, Cinderella...

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T21:27:00.002-04:00

Well, we survived trick or treating this year! My little lioness did a wonderful job going door to door...well, only about 4 doors but nonetheless. She did excellent in her hand-made costume and seemed to actually not mind being in it. I can't wait until next year when she's even more aware of what is happening. And hopefully she'll be able to enjoy some of the candy benefits too. Until then, I guess daddy and I will help out. :)

My little baby is becoming a big girl every day! She finished her sign language class and probably knows 30-40 signs. She does such a great job of listening to us and knowing what we say...it's just hard to interpret what she's saying! She's still only saying one syllable of a word, but I know one day I'll hear her say a sentence or something. I'm not worried or rushing it...she'll do it when she's ready. I know she's smart and understand things...and she's communicating with us, whether in a sign or grunt!

I can't believe her 18 month check up is only a week away. It's hard for me to comprehend that we are adding another baby to the mix as well. I just can't picture myself with 2 kids. Scary. Hopefully Avery will be able to help me out! I would definitely think so...she's already tried changing her monkey's diaper, she cleans her lambie's ears, and helps push her dolly in the stroller. If only I could get her to run the vacuum and wash the dishes...

Growing Girl

2010-09-24T09:28:00.002-04:00

Well, I think it's official...Avery has now transfered from 2 naps to 1. Boo. While it's nice that she sleeps later and takes 1 long nap, I just don't like not having much flexibility anymore with her schedule. Before, if she missed one nap, I felt okay about it because I knew we had another to fall back on. Now, it isn't that way! I can see why some parents get very crazy during this time in making sure they are always home for the nap. Blah.

Avery's sign language classes are going great! She did a few signs in class yesterday and the teacher was very impressed. I think it's so great that she is catching on and able to tell me things she wants or needs. Hopefully it will make the coming months and years more bearable as I think most tantrums are from miscommunications in needs and not being able to express them. She knows the sign for book, more, food, milk, drink, bird, fish, love, up, done, and others that she's made up are sun and monsters (for watching her movie). She still isn't talking words yet, but she is making sounds that sound like words...she did "bir" for bird the other day and still "da" for daddy and dog. I'm still not worried. I know once she learns how to talk there won't be any way to get her to stop. I'm enjoying this time of silence. Although, I have notice she babbles a lot more. In the car the other night she was just non-stop "talking". I don't know if she was singing or what but it didn't stop!

She has all 4 of her front teeth now and 2 molars. Her other 2 are coming in but haven't poked through yet. I just can't wait for this teething process to be complete. A friend of ours is a pediatric dental surgeon and she said it's so sad to see the teeth of some toddlers. Parents not brushing their kids teeth or giving them mountain dew in their sippy cups. Sometimes they have to pull all of a kids baby teeth because they are so decayed. After that conversation, I decided to brush Avery's in the morning and evening, just to make sure hers don't fall out.

That is all for now. Stay tuned for future pictures of our first trip to the pumpkin patch! I can't wait for Chris and I to take her. We only get one "first time ____" and I'm very much looking forward to seeing her pick out her pumpkin.

Falling into Fall

2010-09-08T10:20:00.003-04:00

With all this cool weather, I am eagerly awaiting pumpkins, candy, and trick or treating! I am even more excited to dress Avery up this year, since she will be even cuter than last year. I still can't decide though as to what she will be though...does it really matter? She will be adorable in anything!!

So here is a "quick" update on all things Avery, who is 16months old!

1. She LOVES Monsters, Inc. She has a made up sign that she does when she wants to watch it, along with her pointing to the tv and grabbing the remote control. It is nice that it keeps her quiet and occupied, but I don't want to get in the habit of her watching it 24/7. Hopefully this is one of those phases I hear about...

2. Books, books, and more books! Avery loves flipping through books, pointing and blabbing about things she sees. Every morning, when I get her out of her crib, she points and says "bo" to where I keep her books in the bedroom. Sometimes she sits still enough for me to read one, but she mostly likes to turn the page and look at pictures.

3. Potty training! While I haven't officially starting this glorious endeavour, Avery has mastered all the mechanics of doing so. She grabs herself, runs to the potty, gets toilet paper, sits on her potty seat, and even wipes! She just doesn't understand the actually pottying part... I'm hoping by 18months though, to start really working on it with her. I've got to get it done before baby #2 so I don't have 2 kids in diapers!

4. Talking is still not happening. While she does get the first sounds out, like "du" for dog or duck, "da" for dadda, etc., she doesn't say any actual words. I've been teaching her some sign language, which has been helpful so she can sign some of her needs. She knows "more", "milk" which she uses for any sort of drink, "food", and "baby". We've signed up for a class this month too to learn even more signs. I'm very much looking forward to it!

5. Belly time...for some reason, she is very in to her belly. She is constantly lifting up her shirt and pointing to her belly. She then wants to lift up anyone else's shirt to point to their belly. It's strange... But she doesn't know all of her body parts, which is nice. Ears, toes, tongue, etc...and she knows if I say, "where are mommy's eyes?" she will point to mine. Such a smart one!

And there you have it...my baby is growing up!!

Feelin' Hot Hot Hot

2010-08-13T11:51:00.002-04:00

Not much new to report since my last post... I've been feeling pretty good, although this heat doesn't go well with pregnancy. If I'm outside for too long, it makes me feel like blowing chunks. In other good news, I went to my 12wk check up and heard the baby's heartbeat, which is the sweetest relief.

Avery is growing up so fast. She is 15 months now... She has been really working on getting some teeth! She just had 4 for the longest time, but in the past couple weeks, she has about 2 more on top and 1 more on bottom, plus she's working on some molars. And she has been quite the peach let me tell you! I feel bad...I wish they were just born with teeth so they didn't have to experience it later. She has been biting me too, which is not enjoyable. I smack her and tell her "NO that hurts!" and she just cries and cries. It really hurts though!! Ahh, I can't wait for the "terrible-two's"...

I have signed Avery and I up for a baby sign language class. I've been working with her on some signs but I don't know every thing (shocking I know) so we joined a class at the Monon Center. I'm very excited about it! She seems to do well with some signs but others she just stares at me like, "Why are you moving your hands so much?" She has been getting so good at doing hand motions though to songs. Her favorite is the Itsy Bitsy Spider. I love watching her get so excited about it! Sometimes we watch videos on YouTube and she gets very upset when I tell her no more.

I hate all this heat! I want to take Avery outside, to play at her water table or go to the park where there are water areas for kids. I just can't stand it out! Plus, I worry she'll get overheated too. I just want some relief... I guess this is where it would be nice to have my own indoor pool...

Baby #2 News

2010-07-21T17:40:00.002-04:00

Today was my first OB check up and ultrasound for baby numero dos. It was exciting to finally be at this point; although I feel more like I'm 16 wks pregnant than 8. The heartbeat was excellent, 156 bpm. Other than that, there isn't much to meet the eye at an 8 wk ultrasound. The baby sort of looks like an alien fish and is about the size of a strawberry so there isn't much to see. But I got the peace of mind that there is a heartbeat and thankfully, only 1 baby. My due date is set for Feb. 26th, 2011. Eesh. I can already feel it creeping up on me...

I am absolutely exhausted, 24/7. I feel like everyone sees me as lazy, since our house is a disaster, the dogs are dirty, the lawn needs mowed, blah blah. I don't have much energy to play with Avery during the day and when she naps, I nap. I know I'll get passed this but this is the reason why I wasn't ready for a baby yet. I guess I was hoping for Avery to be more self-sufficient and able to help me with things around the house before I got knocked up. It's extremely difficult to handle stuff and I don't even have a paying full time job. I have much regard for women who work on top of taking care of a household. Yikes.

Dinner is a no-show...I haven't had much of an appetite. Even when I do, I go through the whole process of preparing and making the meal, only to taste one bite and want to throw up. Just makes me not want to cook anything or go out to eat, since it's a hit or miss as to whether I'm going to like it. Thankfully I haven't been sick, just extreme nausea. This too shall pass.

I'm excited for this next chapter. God has given us another miracle; something to be celebrated. It will be interesting for sure how the transition is from 1 to 2. Plus, seeing Avery with another kid, having to share (toys, mommy's time, food, and who knows what else) and learning from each other will be fun. Cheers!!

Top 5 Pregnancy Must-Have's

2010-07-21T16:53:00.006-04:00

Since I haven't been sleeping the greatest lately, I have had lots of time to think whilst lying in bed. Last night, I came up with this list that I thought would be beneficial for some of you first-timers out there.

5. Lotion: Once you skin starts stretching and pulling, you are going to need some good quality lotion. My belly and back were the worst; just itching all the time. Invest in some nice lotion that will be sure to help your dry skin. I don't necessarily buy into the "no stretch mark" lotion, but I do like the Palmer's Cocoa Butter one, for it's smell and creaminess.

4. Bella Band: I know there are other techniques for keeping your pre-pregnancy pants longer, but the bella band is one thing you will want. I LOVE mine, and used it throughout my entire pregnancy and thereafter. I like mine because it helps keep maternity pants up, sort of acting as a belt, but without being too tight. I also wore it after I delivered, because I couldn't fit into regular pants and my maternity pants were just a bit too big. I even tried the knock-off brands but I just wasn't as pleased with the quality of the material and durability.

3. Weekly Bath Time: Set aside some "you" time, at least one night a week. Whether you have kids or not, it's always nice to spend some time alone. Once your bundle of joy arrives, you won't have much time for you anymore, so take advantage now! Get some Calgon Bubble Bath, a couple magazines, candles, music, whatever it takes to help you relax. Tell your spouse to leave you alone for an hour and unplug.

2. Snack Bag: Oh the joy of cravings and nausea! I always have a snack bag, whether in addition to my purse or in the car, always keep food on hand. Get a cute bag and fill it with all the things you like... I usually put in a bottle water, ritz, saltines, granola bars, pop tarts, etc. Anything that will help curb an appetite! With the invention of 100 cal packs, it makes it a heck of a lot nicer to carry food. I don't know how many times I would get stuck in traffic, be waiting for a table for dinner out, at the movies, whatever and I would be dying for something to eat! Might as well get used to carrying another bag anyway with the future of the diaper bag at the ready.

1. Body Pillow: My number 1 item...the body pillow. Mine is the Leachco Smart Snoogle...and it rocks. Sleeping gets more and more difficult, the bigger you get. I'm a stomach sleeper so trying to adjust to side-sleeping is horrible. I hate it and can't ever get comfortable. With the help of the body pillow, I can sort of sleep half stomach/half side for a bit longer. Then, when it gets too uncomfortable, side sleeping is definitely easier. It helps not put so much pressure on my shoulders, which is why I love it. Get one!

Dog Days of Summer

2010-07-16T16:07:00.008-04:00

VACATION! Wow, what a neat, exhausting, fun, stressful time that was! I can see how taking your kids on vacation is nice but I can also see how mommy and daddy might need their own vacation too. The trip started off well, with us flying down to Pensacola. Avery did so good on the flights down; she slept most of the way which was very nice. Of course once we got to the house we were staying at, she wanted to explore her new surroundings.

plane ride down. ahh so peaceful.

our house for the week

She behaved nicely the whole week we were there and I was quite surprised. She didn't really fuss or whine a lot, probably because there were 8 adults willing to entertain her at any moment. She did great at the beach and really liked to play in the sand. I can't imagine living near the beach though and having kids bring back half the beach with them. There was sand everywhere and in every bodily crevice.

avery wanting to make sand angels.

then she found someone's sand castle and destroyed it!

The plane ride home was not so much fun. Daddy kept Avery awake the whole 2 hr trip to the airport so I think she was quite tired and crabby once we got there. His hope was that by keeping her awake, she would sleep. It definitely backfired. Avery isn't a baby anymore so holding her while she sleeps is always a bad idea. We had no choice though and she just didn't like it. She cried the entire plane ride home! I felt horrible and I know Chris was even more mortified but there was no pleasing her. We tried the entire bag of toys, food, snacks, drinks, suckers, etc. She just wanted to be off that plane, as I'm sure the entire fleet of passengers would have agreed.

Anyway, it was a nice time to spend doing nothing and relaxing for the most part. It's tough though, having a child. Your entire day is spent planning someone else's schedule...when is nap time, lunch time, next nap, if we go out what do we need to take? food, diapers, wipes, toys, etc. It's a constant job of entertaining, teaching and learning. I'm ready for her to be more self-sufficient and able to do things more without my help. One day I guess...

Growing Pains

2010-06-15T13:31:00.002-04:00

Today I was suddenly overcome with the realization that one day, my sweet baby girl will be a grown up. She will no longer desire me to tuck her in at night, to kiss all over her chubby cheeks, to squeeze her, and hold her as long as possible. No, one day, she won't want any of it. I tried thinking about doing these things to my mom when I was a kid. Of course I don't remember doing it but I'm sure she does. Although, with my mom's record of recollection, I might have a good chance that she doesn't remember... At any rate, I know it will be here before I know it. I might as well cherish the few moments a have in comparison to her lifetime.

My "grown up" baby is on the move. She is walking everywhere and all the time. It isn't too bad keeping up with her yet. She doesn't go far from me if I do let her walk when we are out in public. I know soon enough though, she will see it as a game and want to run from me always.
She has just started to actually point at things, which is so neat. Before, she'd just stick her whole hand out and grunt. Now, she puts her tiny pointed finger out and grunts. It's quite an improvement!
And alas, she has said "momma". Although I don't think she is saying it with any intent on recognizing her primary caretaker, but beggars can't be choosers right? She doesn't really say a whole lot, but I know she understands me. I can tell her to "get her dolly" or "give me that" or "where's your belly?" and she will kindly obey my commands. Sometimes I feel like she is a dog though...always teaching her new "tricks" and constantly showing people. I need to get a bag of treats to start rewarding her with. Some kids focus on different things though...with Avery it's her motor skills instead of speech. Which I'm fine with! I know once she learns words and their meaning, she most likely won't stop talking. I might as well savor the silence.

Mommy Advice...

2010-05-28T15:01:00.002-04:00

Calling all Mom's! We are going on vacation and we will be flying with Avery. This will be our first flight so I am very anxious as to how she will do. I'm not worried so much with the crying, but rather, the sitting still for more than 2 min. part.
The dr. told me that we could get some benadryl and that might help to sedate her a bit...So I want to know, what do other families do when they travel with kids? Have you tried this? Does it work? Any other suggestions or tips for flying with kids?
Also, how are the airlines with food, drinks, toys, carseats, etc. when you have kids? I'm sure we'll have a small stroller, plus a million other things. And what about changing a diaper on an airplane?? That does not sound fun...
I just want some advice and tips that you have from your experiences in this. Thanks!

One year and on the Move

2010-05-23T20:34:00.004-04:00

Finally! The biggest milestone yet...1 year old! I can't believe what an incredible journey the past year has been. I look back at those first few weeks and now I realize, that was the easy part. The rollercoaster I've been on has been fast and crazy at times, but I know it will only get better. Despite the toddler years approaching, I'm very excited to see what my sweet baby will do.

Here's what she's been up to the past few weeks...

Avery started taking her first few steps at about 11 monts old. Ever since then, I suddenly am more aware of how quickly she is growing. One day it was 2 steps, the next day 5, then 8, 12, 20. It's crazy! Now she tries to run even though she hasn't mastered the art of walking completely. At 11 months I also took away her beloved bottle and switched her to whole milk in a sippy. That first week was so tough! She was very attatched to her ba-ba and it was stressful for me to break her of that. I figured, since she was already mad at me, I might as well take away her pacifier too. Needless to say, it was a rough week. But, at nearly 13 months old, we've moved past those difficult times and my baby is a big girl now!

My mom always said you quickly forget those beginning stages; the process of pregnancy, birth, first few days as a family, etc. and I hate to say, she's right.

Update

2010-05-02T17:12:00.003-04:00

I guess my goal of blogging every week has sort of been shot. Oh well. I'm trying right? Lots has been happening since my last post. We went on vacation April 19-24...the day before we left, Avery stood up on her own. Amazing. I was so afraid she would walk while we were gone but thankful she didn't. She has since taken 5 or so steps on her own, which is absolutely the coolest thing to watch. As much as I hope she walks before her birthday next week, I'm terrified of what she'll be like once she masters the skill. She already is non-stop talking, moving, going! Once she figures out how to walk...I think I'm going to have to leave her in the back yard and let her run off all her energy.
She still has yet to say momma. Ugh. So disappointing. She mainly says dadda, dog, ball, and sock. She does blabber and make noise all the time though. I wish I knew what she was thinking! It's neat to see her work through things and try and figure out where something goes and how it fits into something else.
Since Avery will be turning 1, we've definitely taken some steps to better our lives. She'll soon catch on to what we're saying, eating, doing, etc. and I'm sure in no time immitate those behaviors. We've stopped drinking soda, which has been difficult. I love me some Coke Zero!! But, it's nothing but sugar anyway and isn't nutritional whatsoever. We've also been trying to eat healthier; fresh veggies, fruits, etc. Most of the green veggies I have to force myself to eat, but I know it's good for me and I want her to eat those too. I can't justify telling her to do or not do a behavior, when I'm doing just the same. I also have been strict about no texting or cell phone use while driving, even at red lights. So, sorry to all of you who try and get ahold of me during those times. It's terrible that people do those things anyway; there's really no need. It is hard though but I know I don't want her to do it when she drives so I have to set a good example.
We've switched to whole milk, which wasn't that bad of a transition. However, the no bottle transition wasn't as easy. She loves her bottle so for about a week, it was pure rage against me. Plus, I put baby locks on all the cabinets in the kitchen, which she loves playing in. But, she has gotten over her bottle cravings and is doing perfectly well with the sippy cup only. She is such a big girl!!
Other than that, she's just getting bigger every day. I can't believe she'll be a year old this Friday. Time has flown by. I think you notice it more when you have a kid...hopefully it doesn't get worse when you have multiple kids.

April Showers

2010-04-06T22:07:00.002-04:00

Oh how the tears are flowing. I think Avery has discovered a bit of her emotions and the expression of them. Lately, she's been very, shall I say, vocal, in this new found personality trait. She has discovered that when she cries and wails in the middle of Meijer, that I will have no choice but to pick her up and hold her. Ugh. She leaves me no choice!! I tried pushing her around, letting her cry these huge tears when the looks from fellow onlookers started to pierce my skull.
Even at night, before bed, she seems to be extremely needy. She's even started to not want other people hold her at certain times. Sometimes I'll be holding her and she won't go to Chris, other times my mom will hold her and she won't come to me. Not sure what that is about.
She's still working on the walking. She'll push a chair or one of her toys around while holding and walking. She's taken a few accidental steps which I don't believe were intended. She has started to try and stand up on her own from a sitting position, without holding onto anything. It's so exciting! I love seeing her work out little things. She is just a sponge!
Tears and sponges. What a fabulous April...

Bathroom Blunder

2010-03-29T11:49:00.002-04:00

I'm wondering today, as I'm in the bathroom at Meijer, how any woman is supposed to use the bathroom with a child in tow. I can't even imagine how mom's with more than one child can juggle it! Let me give you the mental picture...
I'm shopping at Meijer today and it hits me, the ever pressing urge to use the restroom. Unfortunately, I am not like my husband in the fact that he can hold it for hours, even days before he goes. When it hits me, I must go immediately, or else be doomed to go in my underwear. So, Avery and I make our way up to the front of the store. I park the cart, unbuckle Avery, grab my purse and at last, head into the bathroom. Thankfully the handicap stall was open, otherwise this would have been even more of a struggle. I go in, lock the door and stop. How am I supposed to get my pants down? Even more to be thankful for, I had on sweats. If jeans were involved with zipper and button...yikes I can't put Avery on the floor...as laid back of a parent as I am, I call it at public restroom cleanliness. I can't put her on the changing table because she would roll off. I'm pretty sure my cart won't fit through the door either so that's out. What? I somehow manage to get my pants down and out of the way, all while jocelling Avery. It's sort of awkward too with a child 2" from your face the entire time you're going to the bathroom. How is that even sanitary? Oh, and I forgot; how are you supposed to lay out toilet paper over the seat while holding a child? You sure as heck can't hover holding one! And Meijer doesn't have those toilet seat covers either, but even so, try putting one of those on! It's like a circus act in this stall!
Needless to say, I did my business and got out of there, all while Avery got a first hand view of how big girls go potty. I don't understand how no one has invented some sort of chair for the handicap stalls for kids to sit in while mommy goes potty. Is that too much to ask?? We have sham wows but no holding tank for kids in the restroom. I thought we lived in America? How has no one invented such a contraption?

March Mayhem

2010-03-27T07:39:00.002-04:00

Avery, I believe, is teething. What a terrible time f0r baby and parents. She has a runny nose, coughing a bit, refuses food, and wakes up constantly at night! Last night, she was up every 2 hrs, then cl0ser to evey 30 min. UGH! I know she's just a baby and it hurts and I got up loads more often when she was firstborn but this getting up all the time business sucks. I'm not used to it anymore. Plus, I am a big fan of sleep so these interruptions aren't nice. My body gets used to waking up like that after some time so then I find myself waking up at 2am just because?!
She still hasn't walked yet. I'm begging it happens before we go on vacation. I just don't want to miss it! However, I do think it might be awhile before she does on her own. She now occasionally will push something and take a few steps. But then she figures it out and would rather crawl since it's much faster.
I'm struggling with breaking her of the bottle. I've tried giving her formula in every form of a sippy cup and she won't drink it. She takes a few sips and then discovers, this isn't the bottle. She'll drink juice from the cup, but not her formula. I bought some milk and have been putting that in the cup to try and get her used to it too. She still doesn't like it much so I don't know if it means she isn't ready or what. I can't just not give her her bottle...she'll be hungry. Plus, she doesn't understand me withholding the bottle because I want her to drink from the sippy. I just don't know what to do to get her used to not drinking from the bottle. I've tried giving her 4 oz in bottle then 2 oz in cup; I've tried mixing formula and milk...it's just frustrating.
Still no mamma either. She says dadda, a word that sort of sounds like dog, sorta ball, and sorta sock. Oh and ba ba for her bottle. I know though once she figures out how to talk, there will be no shutting her up. She'll be just like me in that regards, and I'm sure Chris too.

March Madness

2010-03-18T21:34:00.002-04:00

Clearly it's been awhile since my last post. I feel like my life is an endless pile of laundry, that just never seems to get done. I think this is the closest I'll ever feel to how it was when Jesus fed the 5,000. I know now what those never ending baskets of fish and bread must have been like.
At any rate, things have been busy with Avery. She's still "cruising" as some call it; walking along furniture and basically anything she can hold on to. She can stand on her own, but only for a few seconds before she falls down. Chris claims she took her first steps a couple days ago. However, I think it was more falling gracefully. She tries though, but I just don't think she's strong enough yet. We'll get there. Although it had better happen soon because we leave for vacation in a few weeks!
I'm trying to feed Avery more human food and less baby food. This is very easy in the fruit and snack department, but veggies and meat is more of a struggle. I'm looking forward to the whole milk switch too.
I also must say, as much as I hate the pacifier, I've lapsed and given it back. She did great for a week, then got really sick. I felt horrible and so did she and I thought it would be something to make her feel better. So I caved and gave it back. However, only at bed time, none other. I at least feel good about that.
I just love all the new sounds, noises, consonants and all that she does. It's so exciting to see her grow. Hopefully she'll say mamma soon enough. For now, all is dadda.

Baby Proofing

2010-02-25T10:41:00.002-05:00

I remember reading an article once about kids in America vs. UK. It talked about how parents in UK are so much more laid back when it comes to parenting and especially childproofing, vs. Americans. While we have every gadget known to mankind and how to prevent baby from getting into said object, other countries are more relaxed in this approach. Since we've been this way with Avery from birth, this is the approach we are taking.

If you don't want your kid in your toilet, don't let them play in/near the bathroom. I don't need a lock to do that simple job of telling my kid "no". However, with things like outlet covers, we figure we don't want Avery to die electrocuting herself, so we did buy those. She just a few days ago has also figured out how to crawl up the stairs. So baby gates were also a must. She likes to stand at the top of the stairs though, and throw any/all toys down the stairs. Awesome. Cleaning up is now exercise. We also need to get a cover for her crib because she keeps biting the front edge of it and it now has teeth marks all over it. Things to keep in mind for #2's crib...

I just hope that whether it's our approach to babyproofing, parenting, discipline, whatever, that Avery isn't a spoiled child. I don't want to give her everything and do all that I can to cater to her every need. Life isn't that way nor will it treat her that way once she is older. Not that I don't want to do all that I can for her! Just, in a different sort of way.

Avery News

2010-02-11T08:20:00.002-05:00

Finally, a tooth has started to emerge! Chris notice Sunday (7th) that there were bumps on Avery's bottom gum and alas, she has the beginnings of a tooth. It hasn't yet broken through yet to see white, but I'm still excited she's actually getting teeth! She's been handling it okay I guess...she will be fussy occasionally throughout the day and has been waking up before 6am, which isn't fun for me. She'll also wake up a few times throughout the night but she'll go back to sleep on her own. I'm also not giving her the pacifier this week. Trying to ween her from that, since my biggest pet peeve is children over 1 yr who still have a paci. I decided that they are basically more convenient for parents, rather than kids. I know she'll sleep without it, but it's a matter of her falling asleep in 4 seconds with or having her fuss for 5-10 min. without it before falling asleep. Sure, I hate standing, rubbing her back or laying her back down but I guess that's all apart of being a parent.
She has figured out how to crawl with toys in her hands now. She usually has something in both hands and crawls all over with them, placing them up on the couch or table. She's still pulling up on everything and has started to let go, trying to balance. However, she can't, so she falls right on her butt. She can go from one end of the couch to the other, holding on so I imagine walking isn't too far off.
Feeding times are going much better. She's eating more solid foods, which is super nice. I can't wait to feed her whole milk too! The cost will greatly decrease and I'm very much looking forward to that. She likes cheese slices, pears, goldfish, grahams and cheerios. Still not a fan of pasta, which she must get from Chris. I could eat an entire tub of pasta. Covered in butter. With some parm cheese.

Baby Blues

2010-02-03T21:48:00.002-05:00

Avery has really taken to pulling up on pretty much everything she can get her hands on. I don't want to be over-protective either...constantly hovering to make sure she's okay. So I usually let her explore on her own. It seems it doesn't matter if I'm right next to her or in the other room; it only takes a split second for her to fall and bust her head on something. She pulled up on the dining room chair a few days ago and fell and hit her head on the table. She had a HUGE bump on her head and I felt terrible! Today, she was holding on to my legs standing by the computer and she fell and hit her nose. She has a scratch on it and it was very red. AH! I feel so bad that she keeps getting bumps and bruises! But I have to let her learn how to do it. She stands holding something and then can't figure out what to do! She usually can't figure out that she simply needs to sit back down. That's why she falls because she doesn't know what to do. I'm sure she'll figure it out soon enough. In the meantime, I promise I don't hit my child. She hits objects in her path.

Other than standing, she is still waving. Usually if I say "HI" she'll wave. But it's not perfected yet. Still no "momma". Only dadda and diddi; which she keeps repeating and is getting quite old to hear. No teeth either! But I didn't get my first tooth until 9 mo 1 wk and I read where tooth beginnings are hereditary. I figure she must be taking after me on this one.

Feeding is still a struggle. Sometimes I think she just likes to feed herself. She seems to throw a fit when I try to spoon feed her. But then other times it's the opposite. I just feel clueless! For example, tonight, I gave her 1/2 jar of squash, which she ate. Then I tried some spaghetti-o's, which she took 4-5 bites of and then refused. So I tried some cottage cheese - same result. Then I tried some bread and she took maybe 1 bite of and then didn't want anymore. I'm just trying to introduce new textures and tastes...sometimes I don't know if it's over kill or not but I guess she's fine. She isn't starving and with those rolls in her thighs, I think she'll survive. I just wish she could tell me what she wants. I'm sure those days will be here before I know it.

2010-01-23T09:26:00.003-05:00

Good Times!

Random Nonsense

2010-01-19T16:22:00.004-05:00

I just have a bunch of thoughts floating around in my head and felt like sharing...

I think it's funny how I can be in a totally separate room and I can smell Avery has pooped. Or have the radio on in the basement and somehow hear her cry in her room upstairs. Weird. Sometimes, I even wake up at night like my body subconsciously hears her crying, and she's at my mom's house. I wonder if there is some sort of connection between moms and daughters, that develops from them being in your belly for so long.

Avery is 8 1/2 months and still has no teeth. Still no signs of teeth but hopefully soon she'll get some. She has started waving, which is really cool. I'll say, "Avery, say bye" and I'll wave. Then she does! But only sometimes...it isn't a consistent thing yet. She's also started being really talkative in the car. She's just making noises or putting "words" together, "da da, ba ba, ya ya, etc. but sometimes she just yells DA! really loud and long. It's so funny. I keep trying to get her to say momma but she always repeats with da da.

She has started getting into everything. She's constantly pulling up on things, opening cabinets, drawers, books...basically anything within her reach. I caught her yesterday in the dog food bowl, with a piece of dog food in her mouth. She's also pulling up to standing in her crib, but since she isn't very strong, she falls over after a few seconds. She has bruises all over her head...I'm still trying to find a helmet for her so people don't think I abuse her.

For awhile, Avery would cry hysterically at dinner time, when I tried feeding her. I have switched back to Gerber 2nd foods, which seem to be going much better. Maybe she thinks they taste better than the others. I've tried giving her 3rd foods, but she still struggles with getting the bigger chunks down. She doesn't understand the concept of chewing and swallowing. She just holds everything in her mouth. I fed her some egg yolks and she ate them fine. But 5 min. later had every piece just shoved in her mouth like a chipmunk. I am struggling though with what to feed her...so I try to add in new things and textures so she can get used to them. Cottage cheese, chunks of cooked carrots, bananas. But again, she can't swallow them well. It's a work in progress. She is much better at feeding herself too. I gave her some puffs and she had it down, the hand to mouth action was excellent.

Bath time is quite fun. She just noticed the water running from the spout a few days ago. She tries to grab the water and it's comical to see her facial expressions when she realizes she can't hold it. But she keeps trying. And she wants to crawl around in the tub for her toys which is hard since she is so slippery! I never honestly knew that babies were so slippery when wet. They should come with a warning label. She keeps pulling up in the bath tub too which is again dangerous yet cool to see her growing.

I feel like blogs are the new baby book. When Avery was firstborn, I was religiously writing in her baby book. I haven't written a thing in there for probably 4 months. Plus, I've taken 1,349 pictures, all of which I want to cram in there but know they won't fit. How am I supposed to narrow the field by choosing "good" pictures? I think they are all good and cute! It's like scrapbooking. Who has time to do that?! In the 3-4 hours a day that Avery is napping, out of all the things for me to do, updating her baby book is not high on my list. Hopefully I can archive these blog posts for her one day...

Figure Friendly

2010-01-12T09:12:00.003-05:00

I guess there comes a point when you can no longer use the "I just had a baby" excuse before you realize the need to lose some poundage. For me, it was about 2 months after...and still going strong. Why is it we always have such a huge desire to be skinny, eat healthy, get fit, etc. yet the execution of such said desires is the hardest?
The added pressure from the hubby doesn't make it easier. After receiving those "you look weird" glares throughout pregnancy, it gets even worse afterwards. Your belly is all jiggly from being stretched. Same for your boobs. After lack of sleep, breastfeeding, and sore parts, the glares become "don't you think it's about time to get in shape darling?". Ugh. Even now, 8 months later, I'm still feeling those glares. I know he only means well, and part of keeping the marriage alive is pleasing my husband's needs of having an attractive wife. However, I feel like those carbs, sugar, and fattening foods have much stronger voices and stares than my husband.
Why is it that I only have 12 pounds to lose and yet I feel like I'm a contestant on the Biggest Loser?! My body is in so much pain from working out (yes, all 2 workouts I've done in 4 days), and I've got 2 Ironman training crazy men barking at me to eat more foliage. And all I want to do is have some french fries and a milkshake and call it a day. That's why part of me just wants to be pregnant again...I love the feeling that there is no pressure to suck in my gut along with the added bonus of it not mattering that my belly hangs over my underwear.

Avery Update

2010-01-06T09:37:00.002-05:00

With so many intelligent thoughts running through my head on what I can blog about next, I forgot to update you all on Avery!

She is nearly 8 months old, which is very weird to say. I know I'll blink and she'll be 16, going to the prom. But before we get there, focus on now. I'm assuming she's mabye 20 pounds, although I have no clue. She still has no teeth and I don't think they are coming any time soon. I have this feeling that she'll be at her first birthday, gumming her cake like some 98 yr. old woman. Oh well. Oral hygiene of her is one less thing I have to worry about and add to my to-do list. I've decide today that she is offically crawling. Earlier, I put my cell phone across the room on the floor and she immediately crawled over to it. Ugh. My days of plopping her down in one spot and returning 12 min. later and she's still there are over. She has also decided to try and pull up on things. Not so exciting. She isn't strong enough so she gets sorta there and plummets to the ground. Cue the tears. She has this plastic tree thing and she tried pulling up on it...and since it weighs 1.4lb's, she immediately fell over and hit her head. I think people are going to start thinking I abuse my baby! She has more bruises than a peach. She's constantly running into things, falling over, hitting herself. And the bath tub is the worst! She tries crawling around in there and slips and bumps her head or falls back. This must be why parents put their kids in bubbles...
Side bar. I looked at some figures yesterday, and in baby food, formula, and diapers, we spend close to $165 a month! SO, I have this genius idea, which I must share. 1 jar of food is ~50cents. I bought a bag of frozen green beans for $1. I steamed them then blended them and added some water. This makes ~6 jars worth of food...which clearly will be a substantial savings. Chris said we would be spending $60 on food, whereas with this idea, it would be about $20. Holla. I'm so pumped! I'm going to test it with fruits too. I can't wait!

Crazy Stages

2010-01-06T09:04:00.003-05:00

Don't you ever wonder, why there are so many crazy people in the world? They all seem so more apparent when you are either trying to get pregnant, pregnant, or have had a kid. It's like, all the sudden some magical magnet gets turned on in you and these people are just drawn to you.

The Before: This is the stage of either trying to get pregnant, or just simply not being pregnant. It's like, the second after you get married, people are always asking "When are you going to have a baby!?". As if it's any of their business to begin with... I mean, can't the enjoyment of marriage be had first? And then, after it's been a couple years, the previous question turns into "Don't you even want kids?" or "Do you not like kids?", etc. What is it with these people? Or even worse, you get those comments, most often from women who have kids, such as "Well, when you get pregnant, you'll just love it so much. It's the best thing ever". First, have these women not had a cupcake from the Flying Cupcake? Because I'm pretty sure that might be the best thing ever. Second, what is fun about gaining 30+ pounds, stretch marks, internal movements and hiccups, lack of sex, slimy birth stuff and then the prospect of actually getting the baby out of your poor body. Yes that sounds grand. Where can I sign up?

The During: This is when you are pregnant. Which is nearly the worst stage, however, stage 3 I think is far worse. Along with said items listed before, you now have crazy people talking to you wherever you go. Strangers ask you when you're due, is it a boy/girl, do you have a name, is this your first, do you have the room decorated, are you going to breastfeed, yadda yadda yadda. Like I want to share what I'm doing with my breasts to complete strangers. Then of course you get everyones advice on all topics of pregnancy, birth, and parenting. I'm pretty sure the majority of parents out there need to be seeking professional help in parenting, not giving advice on how to parent. Oh, and the constant belly touching is weird, especially from strangers. It's like they see that belly and they reach, instinctively. Maybe that's where the magnet is housed. That must be why your belly gets so big...it's the magnet growing to only enhance the radar of the crazy's.

The After: Post-birth. In my opinion, the worst stage. Babies must transfer the stupid magnet that was housed in your womb, onto themselves. The attraction is now intensified whenever you have your baby with you. Now you get all sorts of people, asking even more questions that are uncomfortable. I had Avery dressed in all pink, bows in her hair, her ear are pierced....and still had someone ask if she was a girl or boy. Honestly?! Additionally, the constant parenting advice that so many seem adamant to give is very annoying. Some from people who are terrible parents...whose children run wild and have very strict rules, from breathing, sleeping, eating, etc. Yes, the epitome of perfection...please, I want your advice!! "Well, when my kid was a baby, we did such and such and it was the best". "You know, if you don't do this, your baby won't develop." Blah. I'm the first time parent here. Let me figure it out and experiment on my kid myself. I'm pretty sure feeding my baby pretzels or giving her juice is not going to hinder her SAT scores.

So, I hope so many of you heed this advice...the next time you go to touch a prego's belly, give parental advice, or make comments regarding any female in any stage, try and think "Is this an obnoxious question that I will one day hate to be asked myself?" This is why I now don't say to a pregnant woman "Gosh, you are so huge! You look like you are going to explode!"

Baby Language - My Rant

2010-01-05T14:32:00.003-05:00

Why doesn't someone invent some sort of baby translator? Instead of wasting money on leap frogs, gap clothes, organic everything...why not have something that translates what your baby wants??
I have no freakin' clue what Avery is crying about at the moment.. She took about a 45 min nap this morning, which is usually 2 hours. I left her in her crib after she woke up for probably an hour, thinking that she'd go back to sleep. Of course not. Instead, she's rolling around, jabbering, sitting up, throwing her pacifier, blah. So I put her down for her afternoon nap and go figure...she's back up awake within 30 min. As if I wasn't irritated enough from the earlier episode. So, I decide, maybe she just wants to be held, which I am VERY MUCH AGAINST. Babies need to learn how to sleep on their own, by themselves, in their own space. Otherwise, when they need to do that, they don't, because they are used to being held in order to fall asleep. Anyway, I hold her for probably 10 min. and she still cries. I figure, what's the point? If she's going to cry whether I hold her or not, might as well put her back in her crib. This is why a device, which simply interprets their cry to let me know what is wrong, would be so very useful.
See, this is a perfect example of why nothing gets done. I feel as though people (men in particular) have this idea that stay at home moms do nothing all day. Dinner should be ready, the house should be spotless, etc. because I'm at home all day. What else do I have to do? I haven't done anything productive today!! I'm constantly in and out of the nursery, feeding Avery, changing Avery, yelling at the dogs, blah blah. This is why people go nuts.
But, I guess we all just keep going. And we even are insane enough to have more kids! I am guilty of wanting 4. After today, I am rethinking that strategy...

New Year, New Blog

2010-01-04T13:02:00.002-05:00

Well Friends, I'm sorry to keep you in the dark for some time now. It has been ages since I've last posted anything and I do apologize. Loads has been going on and I just haven't had the blog as my top priority. Alas though, I have come to my senses! One of my many resolutions this year it to update the blog more often than once a month...or quarter. I'm also going to take a slightly different approach to the blog. Avery is such a huge part of our lives now, however, there are lots of other things going on that are impacting them also. I want to let you know about all that is going on. So let me clue you in on all the latest!

1. Life change - Relocation. We purchased a house! Finally...I was beginning to dread my mom and dad, and seeing them every day and every night. Sometimes in the middle of the night. In their underwear. After much searching, and walking through TONS of houses, we finally found the one. Well, God had something to do with it too. We now are residence of the lovely town of Westfield. I was very anti-northside prior to the move. I was afraid of an unfamiliar area, no safety net, no parents/family within 15 minutes, and being alone with Avery. But, after the move, I truly believe this is where we are to be. God wants us here, to raise our family, grow in our friendships, and become amazing people. Well, even more amazing. We are pretty much at the top there on that scale.

2. Life Change - Stay at home Mom. I quit my paying job to now have a new job, which pays in smiles. I guess I'd rather have smiles than money...right, who wouldn't??!! As I said before, I was terribly afraid to be alone with Avery. Every since she was born, I had my mom and dad there to take her whenever she had a meltdown, I was tired, bored, etc. But now, it's all on me. And things are going great! I have no idea how it all happened, but I am TRULY blessed beyond measure. My calling in life was always to be a mom. I am satisfied now that I am fulfilling that desire. Every day I thank God that he has blessed us in ways that I never expected, this being one. I'm thankful Chris took a job (which I don't think he likes much) so that I could stay home and raise our family. He has sacrificed so much for me! Thank you Chris.

3. Life Change - Budgeting. Yuck. I feel like budgeting = old adult. However, it's part of life. Part of making it happen, being responsible, blah blah. When we were living with the 'rents, we "budgeted" but not on a strick scale...we had no bills. However, now, we do. Plus, with me not working, we don't have that cushion to have addition fun when we want. So, now things have to be more planned and set out in advance. While this sucks, I'm sure we are just doing what all other people do to save and make a living. But still, I say boo to you, budget.

4. Friendships. I ran out of life change titles... Since our move and my lack of job, I feel like I can focus more on the important things in life. Being closer to our friends has had a tremendous impact. Surrounding ourselves with solid, Christian friends is hugely important to us. They are there for us when we need prayer, uplifting, laughter, help, babysitting (thank you Floyds), and most of all, food. I am excited to see us develop even better relationships this year.

To be honest, I feel like we are following the will of God precisely. In no way am I bragging because we do have hard obsticles to face. But things are falling into place and we have been trusting Him that we are making the right choices in our lives. My hope is that 2010 is an awesome year, with lots more great things to come. If He is for us, who can be against us, right?

Operation October - 5 months

2009-10-27T19:39:00.004-04:00

Goodness...I have not had much time to keep up on the blog the past couple months. My apologies for those of you who take the time to read my blog!
Normally, I try to post at the beginning of the month but now it is nearly the end. So, for this month, much has been going on...
For starters, we bought a house! We don't close until Nov. 16th but we are very excited nonetheless. I truly feel that this is totally a God thing and that we are moving to where we are supposed to be. I am so excited to finally have a place we can call "home"; a place to have friends and family over; a place to have Christmas; a place to walk around in my underwear!! We are looking forward to having some privacy again and hopefully focusing more on each other and not being so concerned with my parents being in the same space.
Avery is of course growing bigger. I was gone for about 36 hours without seeing her and I swear she grew! Her fingers looked bigger and I think she got a smidge taller. I honestly don't know how I'm going to handle a week without seeing her when we go on our cruise in April. I don't want to dwell much on that...
Well, in getting back to the post title, it was our mission this month to get Avery to roll over, consistently. Mission accomplished!! We spent every evening putting her on her tummy, trying relentlessly to get her to roll onto her back. This past weekend, she successfully completed the full rotation of roll. She's been perfect since about the beginning of the month rolling from back to tummy but once she got there, she was stuck! We got down on the floor, showed her how to roll by rolling ourselves, helped her, and alas, she got it. Although, she only goes one direction, I'm not holding it against her.
In feeding times, she is now on #2's... For those who don't have kids, you start out on #1's then, #2, then #3, then pure solids. She loves banana's and squash and doesn't like peaches or apples. She is really getting the hang of eating with a spoon, although she still tries putting her feet in her mouth while you are trying to feed her. So you always end up with peas or sweet potatoes on her toes.
Now onto poop....I know some of you don't like talking about it but it's just a fact of life. And once you start on those baby foods...oh my. Operation October then has a whole new meaning. It gets more solid and hard, more like adult poop. I think it has the consistency sometimes of silly puddy. So don't be frightened one day when your baby poops out something like this! And if you thought it smelled bad when they were newborns...just wait. Those peas and carrots smell even worse on the way out...
I think that about covers it. Head to toes! Operation October was a success!

Silly September - 4 months

2009-09-17T15:14:00.002-04:00

Avery went in for her 4 month check up and shots. She is growing so fast it scares me sometimes! She weighed in at 15 pounds exactly! Chunk... She also is 25.5" long, which apparently is quite lengthy for her (85%) but she is healthy as can be. She got the ok to start cereal and oatmeal, which we have been trying for a couple days now. It is the funniest thing to watch her try and eat with a spoon, when she has no idea how to. The vast majority of it ends up coming right back out. Which, note to all moms-to-be...always buy waterproof bibs or bibs with the plastic backing. This will ensure your childs clothes stay dry from food, formula, spit up, snot, etc. Whoever invented those bibs that look pretty but are just cotton, must not of had kids.

In developmental news, Avery is rolling, side to side and with a little help, from her back to tummy. I've only seen her roll from tummy to back once and she isn't too keen on trying again. I think she will master it in no time though and then it's only a matter of time before she's crawling, walking and dating.

She has also discovered how yummy her toes taste! She usually tries to cram her toes, hands and pacifier in her mouth at the same time. While she does have a big mouth, I assure her it isn't that big. She is constantly putting her feet up there though, and seeing if they'll fit. She's also chewing on her fingers, which makes me think teeth are not far off.

She seems to constantly talk, which I'm sure she inherited this trait from her father. She is giggling and smiling so much too! There really is nothing better (so far anyway) than walking into her room in the morning and seeing her lay there and smile up at me. I love it!!

Mouth Cavity

2009-08-27T21:07:00.002-04:00

Alas, Avery has discovered she has a mouth. Yes, this little, tiny, cute orifice is actually quite loud! She has been busy making all sorts of squeals and high pitched noises. It is the funniest thing to hear her cry in the morning and when I go into the nursery, she sees me and immediately smiles and coos. As if she's saying "that's exactly what I wanted mom, I was just fibbing on being upset. I just wanted you to come hold me!"
Dresses are now becoming a pain too with her constant motion of shoving the hem in her mouth! So not only will her hands be covered in spit, but now her dress is too! And any toy or item place in her hands immediately goes right in there too. I am dreading the days when where she puts her hands becomes a problem when they always end up in her mouth.
In addition to the mouth activity, she has been kicking lots too! When she is on her back, she kicks so hard and arches up that I can tell she is almost ready to roll! I never thought these types of milestones would really be all that exciting. Before, when people told me their kids were doing things like this, I'd just shrug, "yeah cool..." I really didn't care much. But now, it all takes on a new meaning. I simply say this to all of you who don't have kids and you give me that same reaction when I explain things about Avery. I understand you don't really care. You will one day!

Astounding August - 3 months

2009-08-10T16:37:00.002-04:00

Avery is growing so quickly! She is trying to find her voice, which is quite comical. I've noticed that it's usually in the evenings, about 7-8:00 that she gets this burst of energy and decides to "talk" to us. She just makes all sorts of noises, squeals, yells, and cries. She is trying to laugh, which is also funny. She'll make noises when she smiles, but there hasn't been an audible "ha ha" yet, but she is oh so close! My cheeks really do hurt when I'm watching her do all of these things because I just can't keep myself from smiling so much!
She doesn't like being on her tummy much so I feel as though we are lacking in that department. She can lift her head up but she can't push herself up yet. My book says she should be able to after 3 months so hopefully she can get her push ups down. She is getting stronger though; she can sit up fairly well, especially in her bebepod. I look forward to her sitting all on her own though!
Avery has also discovered that she has hands. I don't think she knows they are her hands but she is constantly holding them together, putting them up to her mouth, and moving them around. She hasn't associated them with her body though, yet. She'll suck on it and try to fit the whole thing in her mouth, but the she'll move and out it comes. She hasn't figured out that if she leaves it there, it stays.
I can't wait for all that is still to come! I am excited for her to reach out to me to hold her, for her to say anything and know what she's saying, for her to be sitting/standing in her crib for me in the morning, and everything else in between! Of course crawling, walking, first day of school, first tooth, etc. the list is endless! But I will keep you posted as to her latest developments!

Ahh...Weaning

2009-08-07T17:16:00.003-04:00

Weaning. Being that I've never had to do this before, this first go around is a bit crazy. I have no idea how to do this, only what I've read online, which how reliable can all that be? So, I decided to make this monumental decision after a couple weekends ago... Chris and I took Avery to a fellow work associates house for a mid-evening concert. He was having a Dave Matthew's cover band play for a couple hours. Well, I had to leave the party, which meant leaving Chris alone with tons of people he didn't know. I had to go sit in the car, which was about 98 degrees being that it is August. As if this isn't a pretty enough picture, it just gets worse. I'm sweating, there isn't a breeze, and I have to duck everyone someone walks by the car so they don't see me sitting there in all my glory. Later than evening, we went to the Symphony on the Prairie. Well, I had to leave in the middle of that to go pump too! So as I'm sitting in the car, in the middle of a field parking lot, scared that someone is going to come by and break into the car while I'm in there because it's 10:00 at night, it starts raining. I freak out because I can just envision Chris trying to load up Avery, the wagon, diaper bag, cooler, blanket, etc. in the pouring rain. So I shut down the operation, sprint back to Chris (which took way too long being that I haven't done much of anything active in quite some time) to load up our stuff. It was after this experience that I decide, it's time to wean.
Which leads me to my next point...why is it that there is such a negative connotation to breastfeeding and weaning to begin with? I'm sure some of you are sitting there, reading this and wondering "Why is she talking about this? It's such a person thing!" Like pooping or farting, breastfeeding just has this taboo about it that people don't want to see or discuss. Why? Granted, I don't like seeing a woman just flop it out in public; at least use a cover up, but nonetheless, it is a natural part of life that is very healthy and beneficial for your baby. Obviously a baby, not a 3yr old...I do have serious issues with women breastfeeding more than a year old...when your kid can ask for a sip, it was time to stop 8 months ago. But anyway, I just wish it was more of a socially acceptable thing. Us women can't leave our boobs at home when we leave our baby, so therefore we must either take them or pump. Yet anytime a woman is discreetly breastfeeding her baby in public, if feel like all eyes stare, mouths are wide open, gasps can be heard! Just boobs and milk. Get over it.

Baby Poo

2009-07-20T17:03:00.003-04:00

Well for all you mothers out there I'm sure you can relate. For those who aren't mothers, enjoy!

Apparently breastmilk is a natural laxative, which I'm beginning to wonder why I even chose to breastfeed because of this. Let's just say Avery's plumbing is that of her father's. The Dr. said that we shouldn't be alarmed if Avery were to go a day or 2 without pooping because it's totally normal. I assured her that day would probably never come. Avery poops about 6-8 times a day...And not just regular baby pooping, we are talking explosive, shoots out every crack in the diaper, goes all over the place, pooping.

Story #1
While attending a lovely wedding reception of my best friend Candace's sister, I decided that it had been quite awhile since I had changed Avery's diaper. So I stood up to go, but got caught talking to someone who wanted to Ooh and Ahh over her. Well, thanks to that person, we never made it to the bathroom. All the sudden I hear "I think she's leaking!" and look down to see a run of poop streaming from Avery's diaper, down her leg, and puddling onto the floor. Thankfully we were outside so I wasn't ruining someones carpet! So, I stripped her down naked, bagged the outfit, and changed her right there in the chair. Embarrassing moment, thanks.

Story #2
Avery's baby dedication was reserved for a fancy, white dress. I was so nervous about having a blowout in the middle of church or right before, but she was good! Until we got home. We decided to take some pictures and when Chris got her out of her car seat, BAM! Poop spilling out! All over the white dress! White! So I did what any mom would do...wiped her down with baby wipes, put a new diaper on, and continued on with pictures, just angling her so the poopy dress wasn't in the shot.

Story #3
I sent Avery off to Grandma Sue's this morning. I made sure to put her diaper on extra snug too. As soon as Chris gets there, apparently she poops and it shoots out on his dress shirt. Which, coincidentally, last time he wore, he spilled coffee all down the front, and a time before that spilled hot sauce. Needless to say, he's throwing away the shirt because it's bad luck.

I'm sure there will be many, many more times of getting covered in baby poop. I hope this prepares some of you out there to what you can expect from your tiny, delicate, sweet baby. I've learned in my short 2 1/2 months of motherhood, that I will never again wear anything nice. It will be covered in poop, puke, spit up, or urine, if not all of them at the same time.

July Jubilee - 2 Months

2009-07-17T16:26:00.006-04:00

Well I apologize for not updating this since Avery was born. As I'm sure you can imagine, life has been busy. I am starting to get into a schedule and Avery is starting to adapt. I will certainly do my best to post some stuff every week, but don't be surprised if it's longer!

Avery had her 2 month check up this week. She received 5 vaccines, 4 of which were in the form of 2 shots. Her little legs were so sore! She even produced tears at the Dr.! But that Tylenol works wonders! Put her right to sleep. In fact, I'm thinking about making it an evening ritual...

She was 11lb's 14.5 oz and about 23" long. Dr. Collings said she is just great and doing just fine. Soon she will start grabbing for things, hopefully rolling from tummy to back, and maybe even cutting teeth. She's been drooling more that's for sure! But it's just her body preparing her for those pearly whites. She has been sleeping through the night for about 2 weeks now, which is awesome! She gets swaddled every night, which I think helps keep her under control. She's like me when it comes to sleep and is just constantly moving around.

We are having her dedicated this Sunday at church. I am actually nervous about it! Who wants to get up in front of their entire church for any reason? But, I am thankful we have the opportunity to proclaim publicly that we are promising to raise Avery up the right way. I don't care what sports she plays, what awards she wins, or anything else...as long as she grows up loving the Lord and following him, all the other stuff will just fall into place. Please say a special pray for us, that God will guide us as parents.

I'm sure most of you check out our flickr page, but I wanted to post some pics anyway. So, here is Avery!

She's Here!

2009-05-09T09:04:00.002-04:00

Finally! Avery Lynne has arrived! I delivered her on 5/7/09 at 11:44am. She weighed in at 7 lbs 1 oz. and was 20 3/4 in. long. I still just can't believe that she was all curled up in my belly...no wonder I had trouble sleeping with her pushing and kicking! I think I'm still just in shock over the whole thing. I can't believe I'm a parent! It makes me feel old, in a grown up sort of way. It's absolutely amazing to me that God can create something so beautiful, out of a little egg and sperm no less.
We hope to post some pictures soon. It's a little hectic and crazy right now but as soon as we can get a schedule and get some free time, we'll post some. Chris has created a flickr page also, check it out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37903826@N08/

Any day now!

2009-04-28T17:38:00.012-04:00

Someone once said "Patience is a virtue," and I'm starting to realize that person never had any children. This wait is brutal! April and I have been doing our part as soon-to-be parents by cleaning, organizing, charging camera batteries, and going on daily walks but the list has run out. There is nothing left to do. All that remains.....is time.

We have both been told(over and over again) to appreciate the quiet while we still can and to sleep as much as possible, but who could possibly do that at a time like this? We both lay awake at night, imagining what it is going to be like without any sleep(ironic?). This is like a life changing Christmas Eve, combined with that Groundhog Day movie...it feels like we have done this repeatedly for days, and we will probably just wake up and do it all again tomorrow. In the mean time, I figured we could share some of the pictures that we had taken "pre-baby" (courtesy of bdpphoto.com)

On her way!

2009-04-13T13:23:00.001-04:00

Baby Mason will be here soon! As of today, I'm 36 weeks 5 days. I am packed for the hospital, the car seat is ready, and now all we need is the baby! Chris and I are very excited to meet her and can't wait to share more of her with you.