Here Comes the Sun

sweet & sour

2012-02-10T08:15:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I am 23 weeks pregnant today. It makes me a little sad. I don't plan to be pregnant again for awhile after Sully is born, and I'm not ready for this pregnancy to be over yet! I'm working on my birth plan and will be posting it soon.

I realize that I've been a bad blogger lately. If you met my child, you'd understand why. He does NOT approve of computer usage while he is awake/nearby. Not at all. How could you ignore a face like that?

I'd rather enjoy my time with this darling boy, anyways!

Elliot is SO full of personality, and is still so stinking sweet and cuddly. It seems like every minute he is either doing something that will make me laugh or say "awww." Every time he finds or comes across a blanket, he will lay his head on it and cuddle with it for a minute. He also refuses to come out of his crib in the morning until after he has hugged and kissed both of his blankets and his teddy bear. Another thing he really loves to do lately is to brush the dog or cat and give them both kisses. It melts my heart. Don't let him fool you, though- one of his other favorite things? Unrolling toilet paper and ripping it into a million tiny pieces. And dropping things into the toilet.... like my tweezers. Lovely.

Oh, and I've been trying to enjoy my time with the other man in my life, too... especially knowing that he will be deploying again soon, which makes me really sad. Elliot's face lights up whenever Aaron comes home from work, and he immediately either crawls over and clings to his legs or {if I'm holding him} launches himself at him. He sure will miss his daddy.

Daddy's home!

I love all three of my little men... but let's slow time down a little bit so I can enjoy my precious time with Aaron and Elliot before Sully arrives and Daddy leaves!

22 weeks!

2012-02-03T11:41:00.002-05:00

click HERE to read my 22 week post with Elliot.

How far along? 22 weeks!
Baby’s Size: a papaya- 10.5 to 11.8 inches & 12.7-20.8 oz (he was 16 oz at 20w5d)
Total Weight Gain: 11 lbs, still doing good so far!
Bellybutton: still in! Goes flat when I lay down :)
Stretchmarks: nope!
Maternity Clothes: still none, but wearing my bella band with jeans.
Gender: a little brother. :)
Movement: allll the time. Judging by where I feel the kicks, I think he is breech like Elliot was.
Sleep: No complaints. I'm exhausted when my head hits the pillow and sleep until about 8am, when Elliot wakes up.
Symptoms: nothing to complain about, feeling braxton hicks regularly.
Food Aversions: none, really.
Food Cravings: chocolate and ice cream, yum!
Best Moments this week: getting to see little Sully going wild on the ultrasound, and finally deciding on his name.
What I miss: I miss my flat tummy every once in awhile, when I put one of my favorite shirts on and it just looks... awkward. I love my little belly most of the time, though.
What I am Looking forward to: getting so close to viability!
Milestones: 5 1/2 months pregnant! wooowwww.

sh*t crunchy mamas say.

2012-02-01T13:15:00.001-05:00

One of my friends posted this on my facebook wall, and I just HAD to share it with you guys!
I have totally done or said about 85% of these things!!! haha!

Oh, the glamourous life of a crunchy mama...

raisin addict.

2012-01-27T15:38:00.001-05:00

Ever since he got his first taste a few days ago, Elliot has been a raisin addict!!! He seriously cannot get enough. He also apparently doesn't digest them very well, so I'm not sure how many he should really be eating. He loves them too much to deny him, though!

What are your babies/toddlers' favorite foods?

oh-em-gee, mom gave me the WHOLE BOX!

now is that not a happy kid? :)

baby brother has a name!

2012-01-25T18:09:00.000-05:00

Introducing, Elliot's little brother: Sullivan Grey! :)

I had my anatomy scan today. After they examined every tiny part of his organs and extremities, they declared Sully "superbly healthy." There were no defects that they could see, and he was still measuring 1-2 weeks ahead, weighing in at exactly one pound (16 oz). SUCH a relief! <3

Sullivan was, what the doctor described as "outrageously active." During the scan, he flipped himself into the transverse, breech, AND head-down positions, before finally settling back into the breech presentation {just like his big brother} and curling up with his little hands by his face. He also waved, mooned us, grabbed his toes, and insisted on smashing his feet flat against my uterus while they were trying to get pictures of his feet, making it nearly impossible. He's a wild one!

They did notice right away that my cervix was already quite thin- alarming but not too surprising, since the same thing happened with Elliot, although it was a few weeks later than now. For now, they told me to try not to worry too much, to relax and keep an eye on my braxton hicks, and that they would reevaluate the "situation" in 4 weeks to see if it has changed. I pray that little Sully isn't planning a super early arrival- I can't go on bedrest this time, not when I have to take care of Elliot!

I'm so happy that my little man is healthy and active! Such a relief!

elliot + baby in my belly + sunshine = love.

2012-01-24T13:06:00.000-05:00

Look mom, I picked a flower for you!

... maybe I'll EAT IT instead.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, it has been hot and sunny in Texas, so Elliot and I have been spending most of our time outside.

I had an OB appointment yesterday. Baby boy's heartbeat was 142. My OB was thrilled with my weight gain, and everything looked good, other than the fact that my blood pressure was low. I told her about my braxton hicks contractions, but she didn't seem too concerned at the moment. Hopefully baby boy doesn't look to his big brother as an example and try to come super early like Elliot did!

Tomorrow is my anatomy scan with the perinatologist. I pray that baby boy looks healthy and they don't see any birth defects or problems!

Yesterday, while I watched Elliot crawling around and exploring in the grass, I wondered how it is even possible to love such a little guy so much. Seriously. And then it occurred to me that I have another on the way. I think my heart may explode!

20 weeks!?!

2012-01-20T11:03:00.002-05:00

How far along? 20 weeks!!
Baby’s Size: a cantaloupe- 6.5" and 10.6 oz.
Total Weight Gain: 9 lbs, which I'm really happy with. I'd already gained 15 when I was 20 weeks with Elliot.
Bellybutton: still an innie, but shallow.
Stretchmarks: no!
Maternity Clothes: still none, just wearing my regular clothes. They are obviously fitting differently, but still comfortable.
Gender: another sweet baby BOY!! :)
Movement: He's a mover, that's for sure!
Sleep: I'm sleeping really well, straight through the night, but when I wake up, I have to pee SO bad.
Symptoms: Nothing much... some braxton hicks here and there, and my ankles get sore by the end of the day, particularly if I do a lot of walking. But I'm still feeling great!
Food Aversions: I don't think I have any.
Food Cravings: bagels with cream cheese, and dark chocolate.
Best Moments this week: We had our elective ultrasound and found out that we're having another little boy!
What I miss: Nothing!
What I am Looking forward to: OB appointment and anatomy scan at perinatology next week! Praying for a healthy, healthy baby.
Milestones: HALFWAY through this pregnancy?! How is that even possible??

Where does time go?!

more reasons why we need to decide on a name!

2012-01-17T17:34:00.002-05:00

You know, it's really bothering me that we still haven't been able to agree on baby boy #2's name. Why, you may ask? Well, first of all, I'd just like to know his name!

Second, I have a lot of crafting and decorating ideas that I'd like to get started on, but can't until we, of course, decide on his name. Because his name or at the very least his initial is involved.

I want to put all four of our initials (A, J, E, and....? along with a big G) on a wall in the living room, something sort of like this:

Source: bhg.com via Jess on Pinterest

or THIS:

Source: s461.photobucket.com via Jess on Pinterest

I also can't wait to add baby boy's name above Elliot's on the nursery wall. I plan to use chip decor letters and fun scrapbooking paper again, so they coordinate well with Elliot's :) Some other interesting ways to do nursery baby names are below:

Different sized letters- not sure why I never thought of this?

Source: google.com via Jess on Pinterest

and how cute is this?

Source: Uploaded by user via Jess on Pinterest

Cute, right?!
I know, I know... just pick one! If only it were that easy!

I may be brave enough to narrow our choices down to just three:
1. Sullivan Grey (Sully)
2. Finnian Jude (Finn)
3. Milo Benjamin
... but I'm not sure that I want to let go of Cyrus Grey yet, though... so we'll see.

Part of me thinks that the perfect name is still hiding somewhere, and we just haven't found it yet...

I've been driving my husband nuts with this name thing. So I'm sure we'll decide soon... if for nothing else, just so we can be done with it and my husband won't have to listen to me talking about names 24/7.
I'll be sure to let you all know when we do!

Elliot: 13 months!

2012-01-16T19:40:00.001-05:00

Another month has flown by, and Elliot is already 13 months old! I can't believe it. I really can't.

This Month:
♥ Elliot weighs 20 lbs
♥ he is wearing mostly 9 month pants, and just recently started fitting into 12 month onesies and shirts. He still wears a lot of 9 month shirts, though.
♥ he seems to be weaning himself off his naptime bottles, only drinking an ounce or two before falling asleep.
♥ he is still taking two very predictable naps- one around 10am, and between 2-3pm. They last anywhere from 1-3 hours, with about 1 1/2 being the normal.
♥ he is an eating MACHINE! He loves any and all food- he will happily eat a plate full of veggies still, which makes me happy. His favorites lately seem to be grilled cheese sandwiches, a bagel with cream cheese, peas, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, tomatoes, and green beans.
♥ We are completely done with baby food of any kind- homemade or jarred. He basically eats what we eat, minus the meat.
♥ He has been SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT reliably for a couple months now. He normally goes to bed around 7:30pm and sleeps 12-13 hours until 8am! I'm LOVING it!!
♥ He is still choosing to crawl and/or climb everywhere. Every once in awhile, if he is distracted by holding something in both hands, he will stand on his own for a couple seconds. The minute he realizes what he is doing, he sits back down.
♥ Three or four times, he has bravely let go of the table/couch/etc and taken a couple steps independently to me. I really believe he could walk if he wanted to, but he just doesn't want to right now!
♥ He is still the cuddliest baby I know. He offers kisses and hugs all.the.time and will get very offended if you don't notice right away that he's trying to kiss you {aka coming at you with his mouth wide open saying "ahhh"}
♥ He LOVES to "help" me clean and one of his favorite things to do is push our lightweight vacuum around.
♥ He really loves to play patty cake and peekaboo
♥ He starts asking for his "ba" or "baba" when he's tired
♥ He still likes to feed himself, but ever since he started experimenting with his own utensils, he'll let us feed him again, too... which means he gets to enjoy a lot of yummy foods that he couldn't the last month or two {like yogurt!}
♥ he loves loves LOVES reading books... but only ones with a sentence or less per page. He doesn't have the attention span for anything longer.
♥ he is figuring out how to put his mega blocks together by himself, but still prefers to pull apart our creations :)
♥ he loves to play rough with daddy!

it's a...

2012-01-15T22:42:00.001-05:00

Well, I originally wanted to wait until we decided on his name, but it's obvious that we aren't going to magically decide right this minute. We're getting closer, though! So, I won't keep you waiting any longer.

Baby number two is a...

BOY!!

I won't lie. I was disappointed at first. But now, as the idea of having TWO little boys is starting to sink in, I'm excited. I hope this baby will be a cuddly mama's boy like his big brother. If so, I don't know what I'll do with myself. I don't know how I'll be able to handle so much cuteness all at once!!

We've narrowed down our list to five names:
♥ Sullivan Grey (Sully) {Sullivan is my maiden name}
♥ Emmett James {Too close to Elliot??}
♥ Finnian Jude (Finn)
♥ Milo Benjamin
♥ Cyrus Grey

big day tomorrow!

2012-01-10T10:36:00.001-05:00

Our ultrasound is

TOMORROW!!

What do you think?

Boy or Girl?

I'll definitely update you all tomorrow- not sure if it'll be right away though, because I'd like to announce the name at the same time, and we have a long way to go before we decide!

Last chance to view/vote on our names!

18 weeks!

2012-01-06T11:46:00.003-05:00

Click HERE to read my 18 week survey with Elliot.

Sorry I haven't been blogging, guys. I've been home in Michigan on vacation, and didn't bring my laptop with me, so I haven't uploaded any pictures yet. I've been trying to simply enjoy my time with family- taking a little blogging break has been nice. You can expect LOTS of pictures soon!!

How far along? 18 weeks.
Baby’s Size: a sweet potato :) 5.6" and 6.7 oz.
Total Weight Gain: 7 lbs. I've been eating a lot of junk since going home for the holidays, so I expected more!
Bellybutton: in... but I think it will pop out this pregnancy.
Stretchmarks: not yet!
Maternity Clothes: Still wearing all of my regular clothes. I think I'll be able to go longer without maternity clothes this time around.
Gender: we'll find out in only 5 days!!
Movement: I can feel baby moving all day long now, and I love it! He/she seems to kick a lot when I'm holding Elliot.
Sleep: Elliot's sleep has been fitful since we're away from home, but I'm still sleeping alright.
Symptoms: Nothing to complain about right now. I've been leaking colostrum, though, which never happened during my pregnancy with Elliot. Maybe I'll have a better supply this time?
Food Aversions: Nothing, really.
Food Cravings: I've been craving healthy breakfast foods lately- fruit & yogurt Special K cereal, strawberry yogurt, bagels with cream cheese... yum!
Best Moments this week: Being home with family and seeing Elliot interact with his grandparents. It's also been great to feel the little one moving so much lately.
What I miss: Not a thing!
What I am Looking forward to: My ultrasound on the 11th. I can't wait to get another look at this baby and to find out what we're having! For me, once you find out the sex of the baby, everything seems much more "real." You can name the baby, and even just being able to say "he" or "she" is much better than always saying "the baby" or "he or she".
Milestones: first time flying with a toddler while pregnant.

16 weeks!

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

HERE is my 16 week update with Elliot.

How far along? 16 weeks 1 day.
Baby’s Size: The size of an avocado, 4.6" and 3.5 oz.
Total Weight Gain: 6 lbs. At this point in my pregnancy with Elliot, I had gained 10 lbs. I'm hoping to gain a little less this time, so being 4 lbs lighter so far makes me happy!
Bellybutton: innie.
Stretchmarks: nope! Just started using belly butter again, too. I don't really have time to put it on as much as I did the last pregnancy, though. Right now I'm doing it at morning and night.
Maternity Clothes: Nope. I still fit into my regular leggings, jeans, and shirts. I've decided to start wearing a Bella Band with a few of my tighter jeans though. I can still button them, but it's uncomfortable.
Gender: I'm really nervous about this! I keep second guessing myself. We find out right after I get home from Michigan. I just hope I won't be too disappointed if it's another boy.
Movement: Still feeling the little one move here and there, particularly when I'm laying down on my back.
Sleep: Elliot is STILL sleeping through the night {can you believe it?!}, and I'm taking full advantage of it. I'm so tired by the time I hit the pillow that I fall asleep unbelievably fast.
Symptoms: Headaches- really bad headaches... usually in the evening. Other than that, still feeling fantastic!
Food Aversions: Nothing really stands out to me right now. I still cannot STAND the smell of our neighbors grilling out, though. It really makes me want to vomit. So weird.
Food Cravings: Anything and everything sweet. My mom has been baking up a storm and I'm SO excited to eat a few of her Christmas cookies (or 10).
Best Moments this week: Having Aaron home and spending lots of time together as a family. It's so nice to have him around to help.
What I miss: Nothing at all!
What I am Looking forward to: Heading home for the holidays on the 26th! I can't wait to see my parents, my little brothers, and my in-laws! And most of all, for them to see Elliot! He was only 6 months old the last time they saw him... and he has changed a TON since then.
Milestones: How am I already starting my fifth month of this pregnancy? It's really flying by, and it's making me a ~~little~~ really sad. I'm trying to live in the moment, but I honestly can't wait to actually look pregnant.

one year ago... surgery day.

2011-12-23T08:00:00.010-05:00

My favorite pre-surgery picture of Elliot, taken the day before his surgery.

Exactly one year ago, on December 23rd, 2010, Elliot had his primary closure surgery to put the rest of his intestines back inside his belly, reconstruct his abdominal muscles, and close up his belly.

I seriously have no words, guys. So, instead, here is a quote from the original post.

"Elliot went back for surgery at about 12:30pm, and I cried like a baby as I watched them wheel him away. It is so hard to say goodbye to your brand new, five pound baby boy before he leaves for surgery."

Wearing a Christmas hat, the day before his surgery.

Elliot swaddled for the first time ever, getting ready to go into his transport isolette.

Getting settled for transport.

Minutes before we said goodbye to him and left him in the hands of the anesthesiologist. I'm pretty sure I couldn't even see my camera screen, because I was crying so hard.

I look at my healthy, happy, baby boy today, at how far he's come... and I just can't believe it. I really can't.
I cannot believe it's been a whole year!

the sun came out yesterday...

2011-12-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

All summer long, when it was in the 100's, the sun shone in Texas. Every. Single. Day. Now that it's ~~winter~~ autumn, however, the sun has been hiding behind clouds... and those clouds have been pouring down buckets and buckets of rain. Seriously! It has been raining here for over a week. A week! That's unheard of around here.

So when the sun finally made an appearance yesterday, and it stopped raining, you can bet your bottom dollar that we took advantage of it and walked to the park!

Oh hey dad, I'm in a tree!

Want a shock? Read these facts about the US Economy

2011-12-20T12:39:00.004-05:00

Disclaimer: this post will not contain cute baby pictures, and it may just make you angry. Sorry.

I've always been interested in politics. I took many political science classes in college and was originally planning to make it my double major. So when I saw this article, I couldn't resist posting it! I'm not going to go into my opinions or anything... this would be the longest post ever, and I'd rather not start a heated debate. Just thought you could read this article and form opinions of your own!

50 Shocking Facts about the US Economy
1. A staggering 48 percent of all Americans are either considered to be “low income” or are living in poverty.
2. Approximately 57 percent of all children in the United States are living in homes that are either considered to be “low income” or impoverished.
3. If the number of Americans that “wanted jobs” was the same today as it was back in 2007, the “official” unemployment rate put out by the U.S. government would be up to 11 percent.
4. The average amount of time that a worker stays unemployed in the United States is now over 40 weeks.
5. One recent survey found that 77 percent of all U.S. small businesses do not plan to hire any more workers.
6. There are fewer payroll jobs in the United States today than there were back in 2000 even though we have added 30 million extra people to the population since then.
7. Since December 2007, median household income in the United States has declined by a total of 6.8 percent once you account for inflation.
8. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 16.6 million Americans were self-employed back in December 2006. Today, that number has shrunk to 14.5 million.
9. A Gallup poll from earlier this year found that approximately one out of every five Americans that do have a job consider themselves to be underemployed.
10. According to author Paul Osterman, about 20 percent of all U.S. adults are currently working jobs that pay poverty-level wages.
11. Back in 1980, less than 30 percent of all jobs in the United States were low income jobs. Today, more than 40 percent of all jobs in the United States are low income jobs.
12. Back in 1969, 95 percent of all men between the ages of 25 and 54 had a job. In July, only 81.2 percent of men in that age group had a job.
13. One recent survey found that one out of every three Americans would not be able to make a mortgage or rent payment next month if they suddenly lost their current job.
14. The Federal Reserve recently announced that the total net worth of U.S. households declined by 4.1 percent in the 3rd quarter of 2011 alone.
15. According to a recent study conducted by the BlackRock Investment Institute, the ratio of household debt to personal income in the United States is now 154 percent.
16. As the economy has slowed down, so has the number of marriages. According to a Pew Research Center analysis, only 51 percent of all Americans that are at least 18 years old are currently married. Back in 1960, 72 percent of all U.S. adults were married.
17. The U.S. Postal Service has lost more than 5 billion dollars over the past year.
18. In Stockton, California home prices have declined 64 percent from where they were at when the housing market peaked.
19. Nevada has had the highest foreclosure rate in the nation for 59 months in a row.
20. If you can believe it, the median price of a home in Detroit is now just $6000.
21. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 18 percent of all homes in the state of Florida are sitting vacant. That figure is 63 percent larger than it was just ten years ago.
22. New home construction in the United States is on pace to set a brand new all-time record low in 2011.
23. 19 percent of all American men between the ages of 25 and 34 are now living with their parents.
24. Electricity bills in the United States have risen faster than the overall rate of inflation for five years in a row.
25. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, health care costs accounted for just 9.5 percent of all personal consumption back in 1980. Today they account for approximately 16.3 percent.
26. One study found that approximately 41 percent of all working age Americans either have medical bill problems or are currently paying off medical debt.
27. If you can believe it, one out of every seven Americans has at least 10 credit cards.
28. The United States spends about 4 dollars on goods and services from China for every one dollar that China spends on goods and services from the United States.
29. It is being projected that the U.S. trade deficit for 2011 will be 558.2 billion dollars.
30. The retirement crisis in the United States just continues to get worse. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, 46 percent of all American workers have less than $10,000 saved for retirement, and 29 percent of all American workers have less than $1,000 saved for retirement.
31. Today, one out of every six elderly Americans lives below the federal poverty line.
32. According to a study that was just released, CEO pay at America’s biggest companies rose by 36.5 percent in just one recent 12 month period.
33. Today, the “too big to fail” banks are larger than ever. The total assets of the six largest U.S. banks increased by 39 percent between September 30, 2006 and September 30, 2011.
34. The six heirs of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton have a net worth that is roughly equal to the bottom 30 percent of all Americans combined.
35. According to an analysis of Census Bureau data done by the Pew Research Center, the median net worth for households led by someone 65 years of age or older is 47 times greater than the median net worth for households led by someone under the age of 35.
36. If you can believe it, 37 percent of all U.S. households that are led by someone under the age of 35 have a net worth of zero or less than zero.
37. A higher percentage of Americans is living in extreme poverty (6.7 percent) than has ever been measured before.
38. Child homelessness in the United States is now 33 percent higher than it was back in 2007.
39. Since 2007, the number of children living in poverty in the state of California has increased by 30 percent.
40. Sadly, child poverty is absolutely exploding all over America. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 36.4 percent of all children that live in Philadelphia are living in poverty, 40.1 percent of all children that live in Atlanta are living in poverty, 52.6 percent of all children that live in Cleveland are living in poverty and 53.6 percent of all children that live in Detroit are living in poverty.
41. Today, one out of every seven Americans is on food stamps and one out of every four American children is on food stamps.
42. In 1980, government transfer payments accounted for just 11.7 percent of all income. Today, government transfer payments account for more than 18 percent of all income.
43. A staggering 48.5 percent of all Americans live in a household that receives some form of government benefits. Back in 1983, that number was below 30 percent.
44. Right now, spending by the federal government accounts for about 24 percent of GDP. Back in 2001, it accounted for just 18 percent.
45. For fiscal year 2011, the U.S. federal government had a budget deficit of nearly 1.3 trillion dollars. That was the third year in a row that our budget deficit has topped one trillion dollars.
46. If Bill Gates gave every single penny of his fortune to the U.S. government, it would only cover the U.S. budget deficit for about 15 days.
47. Amazingly, the U.S. government has now accumulated a total debt of 15 trillion dollars. When Barack Obama first took office the national debt was just 10.6 trillion dollars.
48. If the federal government began right at this moment to repay the U.S. national debt at a rate of one dollar per second, it would take over 440,000 years to pay off the national debt.
49. The U.S. national debt has been increasing by an average of more than 4 billion dollars per day since the beginning of the Obama administration.
50. During the Obama administration, the U.S. government has accumulated more debt than it did from the time that George Washington took office to the time that Bill Clinton took office.

Source: Yahoo News. Read the original article HERE.

Also, some of my facebook friends (and thousands of others) shared this. Our US Budget broken down for everyone to understand- this was posted a few days ago, and the US debt has since risen to over 15 billion.

Flying with a one year old.

2011-12-19T11:53:00.005-05:00

Elliot and I will be heading home to Michigan in exactly one week!

Source: minimocha.blogspot.com via Jess on Pinterest

If only the real thing were this fun...

Elliot has flown a few times in his life- the first time, he was 2 months old, and the second time, he was 6 months old. It went pretty smoothly both times, thankfully. Nowadays, though, Elliot is MUCH more mobile, and he has an extremely short attention span.

So, do you have any tips for traveling with a one year old/toddler? Were there any magical toys or other things that kept your little one busy?

We have two fairly long layovers, so my plan is to stuff him full of some food, give him a bottle, and push him in the stroller until he hopefully falls asleep and naps. Honestly, I'm not too worried about the layovers. He can probably crawl around a little- I'll bring lots of wipes and hand sanitizer. There will be fountains {sure to amaze him} and music. Plus, there will be plenty of strangers around... and Elliot is an avid people watcher and quite the flirt.

We've all seen it- that look of horror on someone's face when they realize that, {gasp!} the woman with the baby was going to be sitting next to them.

It's the plane rides themselves {all 3 of them} that make me nervous. I do NOT want to be "that mom" with the screaming child driving my neighbors nuts. I'm not too sure about noisy, annoying toys, either. If you were flying solo for the holidays, which would annoy you more? Sing-songy toys, or crying? Because if he's not crawling around, pretty much the only thing that entertains Elliot are food, loud toys, and a couple of his board books {only if read in a high-pitched voice} and not sure how long new snacks and treats will keep him busy.

My goal is to make it through the day with as few tears and irritated travelers as possible.

Cake Smash!

2011-12-17T22:02:00.000-05:00

Elliot had a fantastic birthday.

There were a few kinks in our day, though. First of all, Elliot slept in until 8:15. At first, I was really happy about this- but when it was noon and he still hadn't taken his nap (which is usually at 10), I started to get worried. He finally crashed around 1pm... for a whopping forty minutes.

That afternoon, when my husband arrived to pick up Elliot's smash cake, he was informed that his cake was "the one that hit the floor," so they had to remake it. The new cake looked absolutely NOTHING like the original. No giant colorful polka dot sprinkles- the most important part. My poor husband, bless his heart, had no idea what the cake was supposed to look like, so when he called me on his way home, I flipped out. By that point, it was too late to fix it. Elliot didn't care, though. He had a blast smashing his cake anyways!

He decided not to take his afternoon nap until fifteen minutes before we were supposed to leave for dinner. Great timing, right? Wrong. We pushed back the meet up time... twice... but we were still fifteen minutes late. Oh well. We ate at Genghis Grill, and Elliot had his own stir fry bowl with broccoli, zucchini, squash, carrots, water chestnuts, green beans, and steamed rice with a tangy lemony sauce. He devoured it.

Hey dad, can I steal your blower?

Our little family of 3 (soon to be 4!)

At first, all he did was scrape all the frosting off. Once we showed him that he could dig into the cake, though, he went to town!

Mmmm...

He definitely likes it!!

Apparently, party blowers are yummy, too...

One Year Ago...

2011-12-16T08:00:00.008-05:00

Exactly one year ago, at 10:08 am, Elliot Reid Gougeon entered this world, weighing 6 lbs 3 oz and 19.3" long, and my life changed forever. I wasn't expecting to be able to hold him, but they suddenly plopped him on my chest. In the minute that he lay there, I couldn't do anything but stare at him and cry. I fell in love. I saw past his bright red skin and the fact that his intestines were spilling out all over my belly, to his dark hair, his cute button nose, his long eyelashes, his tiny tiny fingers and toes. He was perfect; he was mine. I knew that from this moment on, my life would never be the same.

The moment I wrote about above- when they unexpectedly put him on my chest, seconds after he was born.

Just a few feet away from me, being prepped by the NICU team. He was being placed in a sterile bag so they could take him down and examine him. I couldn't see him at all, because he was SURROUNDED by doctors. Aaron was straining his neck trying to see what they were doing, and my parents held cameras up above and just fired away- not even sure what they were taking pictures of.

All settled into his isolette.

A couple hours after he was born, they FINALLY brought me down to the NICU to see him. They probably got sick of me constantly asking, "Can I go see him yet?" I wasn't allowed to stay long, and the nurse kept asking me if I was ready to go, and I kept saying, "no, not yet. Not yet." When they finally wheeled me back up to my room, I bawled my eyes out. I could not stop crying. All I wanted to do was stay with him. Leaving your newborn son in the hands of strangers is something that takes awhile to get used to. In fact, I cried every time we left the NICU for the next several weeks.

The first time Mommy and Daddy touched baby Elliot.

Pure perfection. Who would have guessed that olive skinned, dark haired baby would turn into a fair blondie?!

My sweet, sweet angel. ♥

Happy Birthday, Elliot!
Mommy and Daddy love you so, so much. ♥

Kreativ Blogger.

2011-12-14T09:00:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, Kelly-Marie from Our Footprints on the World gave me the Kreativ Blogger award, which was very nice of her! Thank you, I am so flattered. :)

This award is pretty easy. I am supposed to tell 7 things about myself and then pass the blog award love on to 10 others. I can do that ;). {I've been pretty bad at accepting/posting blog awards in the past. I promise I'm trying to get better!} I'll even try to use NEW facts, instead of old ones I've shared before on this blog. That could get tricky, though.

So:

1. My husband first caught my attention, when we were 14, by randomly coming up and standing next to me at Ash Wednesday Mass. Then, a few weeks later at Family Faith, he flirted with me by throwing sticks of gum and markers at me.

2. I have had two miscarriages and one baby with a birth defect. We have no idea whether these two facts are related... but thankfully, so far, the baby currently residing in my belly seems to be healthy.

3. I am currently taking classes to become a certified dog groomer. :) I plan to be a stay at home mama for several years yet, but want to be able to enjoy my work once the kiddos are off to school. And I am INCREDIBLY excited to be a groomer. I LOVE animals. Plus, there has been a high demand for qualified groomers in every city I've ever lived in- even in this crap economy. It's a win-win, to me.

4. I absolutely LOVE the Twilight series- both books and movies. Yes, I just admitted that.

5. I used to be a runner, but I think I have spent a grand total of maybe 5 hours running, jogging, or working out since becoming pregnant with Elliot. If you do the math, that means 5 hours out of the last... let's see... 22 months?! Yikes. I'm hoping to lose the baby weight as easily this time as the last. And to actually break out the jogging stroller.

6. I am a Christmas FANATIC! Yet I married a scrooge. I don't know how I let that happen. Oh well. He loves animals and babies... so at least I got that part right.

7. I want to have four children, and desperately hope that God will grace us with at least ONE girl. Just one. I don't think that's too much to ask! If not, I might be willing to try for more... although my husband might not agree. lol!

Now, I'm passing this award to a few other amazing bloggers...

1. Jennifer from This Yellow Brick Road
2. Mandy from A Sorta Fairytale
3. Laura from Between the Lines
4. Tara from Our Journey
5. Shawntae from A Little King and I
6. Rin from Little One, I Know You Grow
7. Sonya from Shutter Mama
8. Kristin from Our Growing Garden
9. Amanda from Our Little Men
10. Deanna from Delirious Rhapsody

more baby names.

2011-12-13T13:38:00.005-05:00

I seriously couldn't sleep last night because I had baby names on the brain. Sooo, here are my new name lists... some of these I like as middle names, some as first, some I'm not even entirely sure I like/would use. I'm just trying to make some big ol' lists to share with Aaron.

Boy:

Flynn Finn Sawyer Cade Jude Graham
Kellan Milo Finn Porter Channing Griffin
Reese Beckett Skylar Kyler Holden Atticus
Grey Tanner Kieran James Asher

my favorites: Flynn, Sawyer, Cade, Graham
his favorites: Sawyer, Asher, Reese, Finley, Holden

Girl:

Elsa Willow Eden Ada Aurora Mira
Loralie Sawyer Maisie Harlow Lenora
Hazel Eliza Ender Elsie Monroe Edie
Arden Violet Scarlett Wren Cora Mara Rose
Hadley Grace Rowen Ruby Luciana Briar

my favorites: Elsa, Ada, Hazel, Eden, Mara, Willow
his favorites: Willow, Aurora, Sawyer

Suggestions are always welcome!

14 weeks!

2011-12-12T13:35:00.001-05:00

HERE is my 14 week update with Elliot.

How far along? 14 weeks 3 days... that is going off my old due date. At my ultrasound last week, the baby was measuring over a week ahead, so I could actually be 15 weeks. They aren't officially changing my due date until my next ultrasound, though, so for now I'll stick with the old one.
Baby’s Size: The size of a lemon, 3.4" and 1.5 oz.
Total Weight Gain: 3 pounds.
Bellybutton: innie.
Stretchmarks: no way!
Maternity Clothes: Nope, still wearing all of my regular clothes.
Gender: Although I'm still thinking it's a girl, at my ultrasound the tech very hesitantly guessed boy... but she said it was still too early to tell. So who knows.
Movement: I finally started feeling movement! I usually feel the little one moving while Elliot is getting a bottle (and cuddling my belly) and when I'm laying in bed.
Sleep: Elliot has been sleeping through the night reliably, which means I'm getting a full nights' sleep for the first time in over a year. It feels amazing.
Symptoms: I'm seriously feeling GREAT!
Food Aversions: Meat, mostly, and for some reason I couldn't eat the pudding that I made last night... and I LOVE pudding.
Food Cravings: French fries and dark chocolate!
Best Moments this week: Seeing the baby on the ultrasound, hearing that everything looks normal so far.
What I miss: Not missing a thing!
What I am Looking forward to: Finding out the gender on the 11th!!!!!!
Milestones: Well, Elliot, baby, and I went to our first Tastefully Simple party last night, and we will be hosting one next month.

sorry for the bad quality!

Christmas recipes!!

2011-12-11T12:54:00.002-05:00

Blame it on the holidays, or the little one growing in my belly, but I have a SERIOUS sweet tooth lately. So I thought I'd share some of the recipes I want to try this Christmas season!

Peppermint oreo meringues:

Source: nestofposies-blog.com via Jess on Pinterest

Cake Batter Cookies:

Source: chef-n-training.blogspot.com via Jess on Pinterest

Mint chocolate cupcakes:

Source: annies-eats.net via Jess on Pinterest

Little Christmas tree cookies:

Source: bhg.com via Jess on Pinterest

Peppermint Bark:

Source: domesticgoddessadventures.blogspot.com via Tina on Pinterest

Swirl Cookies:

Source: ouritaliankitchen.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

One word: YUM!

a quick visit from Florida!

2011-12-10T08:30:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the lack of blog posts lately. My mother-in-law called us about a week ago, wondering what we had planned this month. I told her our calendar was pretty much wide open, other than doctor appointments and Elliot and I heading home on the 26th. Not too long after, they hopped in their Prius and drove all the way here from Florida!

Elliot and Grandma Karen.

It was a good visit. We took Elliot to the mall to see Santa, beneath our tree is now bursting with presents, and Grandma and Grandpa even babysat Elliot for us so Aaron and I could have a rare date night!

Elliot after seeing Santa. He didn't cry at all. In fact, we even got a little smile out of him. He was delirious because he missed his afternoon nap, but surprisingly too distracted to be fussy.

We even managed to get a few quick family shots of the three of us. We have very few family pictures since Aaron was gone for so long, I'm usually behind the camera, and we don't have anyone else to take pictures for us!

presents!

baby #2 update (after nt)

2011-12-06T13:37:00.000-05:00

I had my NT scan today, and it went wonderfully! The first thing they noticed, right away, was that the baby was larger and more developed than they expected. Originally, my due date was June 8th (based on my LMP). Then, after my first ultrasound, they changed it to June 10th. By that due date, I am 13 weeks 4 days pregnant. On the ultrasound, however, the baby measured between 14 weeks and 14 weeks 3 days. In addition, the NT fluid was already dissolving and almost gone... which doesn't happen until the fourteenth week of pregnancy. I have a follow up ultrasound in four weeks, so they will probably change my due date (to the beginning of June or even late May) based on that.

What was left of the NT fluid measured normally. Once the ultrasound technician was done, she brought the doctor in and told him that our son had gastroschisis. After hearing that, he also closely examined the brain, heart, and facial features, and everything looked normal, as far as he could tell. THANKFULLY, the belly was also properly closed with the intestines tucked safely INSIDE. :)

14 weeks (ish) belly!

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-12-05T08:00:00.016-05:00

It was a rainy, cold day, so we decided to finally decorate our tree. I had visions in my head of all of these beautiful pictures with Elliot in front of the tree... but as it turns out, he wasn't in the mood. He was WAY too distracted by the tree to sit still for any pictures. So far, he hasn't tried to pull it down, thankfully. Since he isn't standing or walking on his own yet, all he does is crawl up to it, sit down, and touch the branches. He likes to take the ornaments off, though. He broke two of them. We since moved them all out of his reach, hopefully solving the problem.

This morning is my NT Scan. I am 13 weeks 3 days, so at the very very end of my "window." Hopefully they can still get the measurement. I'm not looking forward to getting my blood drawn again {last time they took EIGHT vials!}, but I'm dying to know what's going on inside my belly. I've been praying this whole time for a healthy baby and a smooth, "normal" pregnancy. This will be our first chance to screen for any birth defects. Please pray for good news! :)

EDIT:After we got Elliot set up with a sitter, drove all the way to main post, circled the hospital parking lot(s) for 15 minutes, walked from the furthest parking spot ever in the freezing cold, we arrived at my appointment just to be told that there was a "scheduling conflict" and my NT scan was rescheduled for tomorrow morning. Wow, would've been nice to know that ahead of time...

And now, for a few festive pictures! I hope to get much better ones in the next week or two.

Bellies pop much sooner the second time around...

2011-12-03T14:11:00.000-05:00

13 weeks 1 day belly... definitely starting to show a lot sooner with the second pregnancy!

I look terrible. It's been rainy and cold here so... I haven't put much effort into my appearance lately. Aaron also has a SIX DAY weekend, so we've been lazing around the house. :) Even Elliot is staying in his jammies all day today.

Click below to see our updated name list.

My favorites are Ada, Elsa, and Eden.
Aaron's are Aurora, Willow, and Sawyer.

13 weeks, new names, & my Ellie belly.

2011-12-02T10:52:00.004-05:00

First of all, thank you for all of the suggestions and votes on our names yesterday. I also asked for help on facebook {if we're not already friends, you can add me here.} By the end of the night, my status had 65 comments! In all, Aaron and I have over FIFTY new names to look over. I like a lot of them, but I'm sure Aaron probably won't, so it should be easy to narrow it down a little. I'll be updating our name list within a day or two- I'll let you know. :) Some of my favorites, off the top of my head, are Ada, Lenora, Loralie, Eden, and Elyse. I'm also toying with some of the really unique ones, such as Ender, Monroe, and Finn + Sawyer (as girls' names).

Second, today I am 13 weeks pregnant! Almost in the second trimester! Praise God! If you know our history with miscarriage, then you understand why I am so happy to have those first 13 weeks behind me.

Last, but CERTAINLY not least, some pictures of Elliot. Can't forget about him!

{excuse the nose crusties. He has a cold, HATES getting his nose wiped, and I didn't even notice how gross his nose was until AFTER I put the camera down, of course}

His new favorite toy. Thank you, Target!

I haven't asked in awhile. Could we get a vote? Comment that you voted and I'll vote back!!

The Great Name Dilemma

2011-12-01T15:10:00.004-05:00

Naming another human being is a big responsibility. I mean, he/she will have this name for the rest of his/her life. It makes them who they are, it defines them, it is an identity. To be honest, picking the perfect name stresses me out!

Like I said before, I'm fairly confident that we're having a girl this time. Either way, we've already narrowed down our boys choices and are happy with them (Finn & Sawyer). It's the GIRL NAMES we are having trouble with. Everything I like, Aaron hates, and vice-versa. I literally FELL IN LOVE with the name Ruby, I had dreams about a little girl named Ruby, and everything... but Aaron shot it down and said we could only use it as a middle name.

What I want in a name:
- a shorter name that cannot be turned into a nickname
- we really love vintage, classic, beautiful names
- easy to pronounce and spell
- most importantly: NOT POPULAR!! (preferably not in the top 200)

Our name list is below. Please read, vote, comment, etc. Suggestions are also welcome.

We have an elective/gender ultrasound scheduled for January 11th, 2012!!

My {almost one year old|} baby boy...

2011-11-29T08:00:00.027-05:00

You haven't seen or heard much of Elliot lately. Bad mama, bad blogger... I know. So let me tell you a little bit about what he's been up to lately.

He's a very silly little guy. And yes, I do mean little. Those jeans literally fell off of him (he kicked them off the rest of the way). They were size 6 months, and Elliot is about to turn 12 months old. So, yes, he's small. Honestly? I love it. I get to hold onto my "little baby" for longer.

He's a typical boy. He loves to play in the dirt (see his dirty face there?) and he loves to throw things. His hair is getting much longer, and it's very blonde. Neither Aaron or I have blonde hair, so don't ask me where he got that from.

He still likes to play with things he's not supposed to, like my laptop, for example. His favorite toys are his gumball machine toy (a recent purchase from Target), his Melissa & Doug wooden blocks, and his wire bead maze (a mini version of the kind in doctor's offices).

He is absolutely OBSESSED with this book. He will let you read it to him 2, 3, or sometimes even 4 times in a row. He has an extremely short attention span (we usually only make it halfway through Dr. Seuss books) so this is a big deal.

He also really likes to pull all the books down off his bookshelf and take all of his diapers out of their bins. He does this at least three times a day... which means I put them all back three times a day, too.

He likes clapping and waving. We also like to blow kisses back and forth.

Remember THIS?

Our cat Charlie and Elliot are still really good friends. Elliot loves to kiss, hug, and lay with him. We actually brought another kitten home recently, but Charlie still follows Elliot around most of the day.

Above all else, he is a HAPPY and LOVING little guy. I've never met a little boy who laughs, smiles, or gives kisses and hugs as much as he does. I love him so gosh darn much. ♥ I'm not sure how I'll be able to feel so much love for TWO! :)

12 weeks!

2011-11-28T12:11:00.001-05:00

Okay, I decided to do one of these every two weeks. :)

How far along? 12 weeks 3 days.
Baby’s Size: The size of a plum, 2.1" and .49 oz
Total Weight Gain: 1 1/2 pounds.
Bellybutton: innie.
Stretchmarks: not yet!
Maternity Clothes: If I was wearing maternity clothes already, something would definitely be wrong. lol!
Gender: I still think it's a girl, and pretty much everyone else agrees. Even my OB told me that she "bet it's a sister."
Movement: Still not feeling anything yet. Looking forward to it!
Sleep: I've still been sleeping great, except when I have to get up to pee. Bedtime is my favorite time of day.
Symptoms: I'm feeling MUCH better now! The only thing I can really complain about is that I don't have much of an appetite and nothing really sounds good to me...
Food Aversions: Soup. Yes, I think it's weird, too. And above all else- the smell of charcoal, or ANYTHING cooked on a charcoal grill. Ugh. It makes me want to vomit just thinking about it.
Food Cravings: Mozzarella sticks, pumpkin pie, ice cream.
Best Moments this week: Hearing that nice strong heartbeat at my OB appointment, and cooking (and eating) a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.
What I miss: Right now? Nothing, really. Just loving being pregnant again.
What I am Looking forward to: Getting closer to the second trimester! Can't wait to be out of the first!
Milestones: Second Thanksgiving in a row where I was pregnant.

the boy and the feather.

2011-11-17T14:42:00.002-05:00

I don't think I ever told you about Elliot's obsession with feathers. You see, our apartment complex has a duck pond. Naturally, there are duck feathers randomly strewn about in the grass, and if Elliot happens to see one, he will do anything and everything he can think of to try to get to it. To Elliot's dismany, duck feathers are off limits. Ducks are cute... but probably not the cleanest animals in the world. Of course, that only makes him even more determined to get them!

Elliot has always had a dream catcher hanging above his crib. Both Aaron and I had dream catchers above our beds as children, and it was a little tradition that we wanted to continue on with our kids. You can see the dream catcher below (old picture):

WELL. At some point, last night, Elliot must have gotten bored, finally noticed that feather, and decided to get his hands on it. He got it, all right!

He ripped it right off! Today, he found it on the floor next to his crib.

... and put it straight in his mouth, of course.

Delicious.

Guess I need a new dream catcher! (Or feather!)

hi there, belly.

2011-11-16T13:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, at 10w4d, I suddenly realized that... woah... I have a baby belly! It just appeared out of nowhere!

Elliot: 10 & 11 months!

2011-11-16T08:00:00.007-05:00

Elliot is 11 months old. That means, people, that he will be ONE WHOLE YEAR OLD in just one little month! Excuse me while I try not to faint...
(Alright, I completely missed last month. I realize that. Yikes! Sooo, I'm just combining this into one big post for both months.)

This Month:
♥ Elliot weighs 17 1/2 lbs. He doesn't seem to be gaining much weight lately.
♥ he is wearing mostly 6 month pants, 9 month shirts (some 6 months) and 12 month sleepers because he's loooooong!
♥ he eats 1-3 8 oz. bottles a day. He always gets one before bed, but lately he's not too sure if he wants one before his naps. Sometimes he'll take one, sometimes he won't.
♥ he knows how to hold his own straw sippy cup, and is OBSESSED with it. We don't give him anything other than water to drink.
♥ he LOVES food. Seriously. We are no longer restricting any "big people" food other than peanut butter and meat. I don't plan to give him meat until he is at least 18 months. His favorite foods are macaroni and cheese, pancakes, and oatmeal... but he likes everything. He has never once turned down anything we've offered him.
♥ I am no longer making baby food for him, he just gets steamed veggies instead at home. He does get jarred baby food sometimes in the car or on the go, though.
♥ He goes to bed around 7:30pm. For the last two months, he was sleeping HORRIBLY (waking up 4-6x a night) but he's just now starting to get better, only waking up once. I'm crossing my fingers it stays this way.
♥ He is still crawling like a mad man and has completely given up trying to stand on his own or walk, because he knows he can crawl or climb to get anything he wants. He can climb up onto the couch and he knows how to duck down to crawl beneath the dining room chairs, which are pub height so they have foot rails.
♥ He absolutely loves to climb up the back of the couch to look out the window and play with the blinds.
♥ Our cat, Charlie, is still his best friend. They follow eachother everywhere and Elliot kisses him every chance he gets.
♥ He loves to blow raspberries on my neck when I'm holding him. He also LOVES giving kisses and usually gives 2 or 3 or more in a row. Love it!
♥ He doesn't mind diaper changes as much now but will still try to roll away if you are taking too long.
♥ He learned how to clap, wave, and blow kisses, and really loves doing all 3 of those because he knows he will be rewarded with a big, enthusiastic "GOOD BOY!"
♥ He will start clapping if he hears anyone saying "yay!"
♥ He will wave if he hears the words "hi" or "bye"
♥ He doesn't cry anymore when he wakes up. He plays and babbles in his crib instead. It's precious.
♥ He is VERY demanding while eating. If food isn't continuously being shoveled into his mouth, he will bang on his tray/the table and yell "BA BA BA BA BAAAAA!" loudly. Ba Ba is his universal word for food.
♥ Favorite toys are: wooden bead maze toy and cookie jar shape sorter. He'll play with those by himself for a LONG time.
♥ it is absolutely impossible to do anything on the computer while he's around. The minute the laptop opens, he crawls right over and starts banging on the keyboard.
♥ He is still obsessed with cords but we got a new entertainment center that hides them, which is good.
♥ The vacuum scares him but likes to "help" me clean by following me around with a spray bottle and/or washcloth.
♥ He gets SUPER excited when Daddy comes home.
♥ At any given time, if you ask him, "Where's Charlie?" he will strain his neck and look everywhere until he finds him, then squeal and crawl over to him.
♥ Cardboard boxes are great fun... until he starts taking bites out of them.
♥ He somehow managed to eat a candy wrapper... and it came out in his poop.
♥ The dishwasher is one of his favorite things. He tries to climb into it whenever it's open.
♥ I have to hide in the kitchen to eat anything or else he demands to "share"... aka eat all my food.
♥ He likes to try to hand me toilet paper when I have morning sickness. Thoughtful, huh?
♥ The toilet is another one of his favorite things so we have to be VERY careful to keep the lids closed if he's in the bathroom with us.
♥ He is still taking tubbies in his little whale tub because he is way too crazy to sit in the bath tub on his own.
♥ He is SUPER TICKLISH!!
♥ He's very sensitive and makes what we call "the boo boo face" if his feelings get hurt.
♥ He really likes to share his food and toys.
♥ My teething machine now has NINE TEETH!
♥ He is, above all, a sweetheart and a snuggler. He loves to be held and carried around, and can't get enough hugs and kisses.

Pregnancy #2: 10 weeks!

2011-11-12T12:01:00.003-05:00

As you probably remember, I did one of these surveys every week when I was pregnant with Elliot. Now that I'm pregnant with baby #2, it's been fun to be able to look back at those. I also enjoyed doing them, so I think I will do them every 5(ish) weeks this time around. :)

How far along? 10 weeks 1 day.
Baby’s Size: The size of a prune, about 1.2" and .14 oz
Total Weight Gain: nothing so far.
Bellybutton: innie.
Stretchmarks: not this early!!
Maternity Clothes: Nope. Still wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans (from before I had Elliot!)
Gender: Although I'm not as confident as I was early on with my first pregnancy, I think I'm guessing a girl this time around. I'm about... 65% sure. :)
Movement: Not yet, can't wait!!
Sleep: Well, other than waking up for Elliot, I've been sleeping great! That's what happens when you're exhausted!
Symptoms: nausea, lower back pain, headaches, fatigue, digestive system is crazy.
Food Aversions: Pickles and red meat. YUCK!
Food Cravings: Anything sweet and dessert like.
Best Moments this week: Celebrating Veteran's Day with good friends at Applebee's :)
What I miss: Being able to go longer than an hour or two without eating, and not feeling like I'm going to vomit.
What I am Looking forward to: EVERYTHING! Can't wait to find out what we're having and decide on a name!! Plus I have an OB appointment next week.
Milestones: Already a quarter of the way through with this pregnancy.

10 weeks 1 day pregnant with baby #2. I feel like I was showing more when I was 10 weeks with Elliot. What's up with that? I thought it was supposed to be the other way around!

Happy Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T10:37:00.008-05:00

Today is Veteran's Day.

"It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you."
-Author unknown

(Aaron arriving home on emergency leave from Korea)

I just wanted to say a sincere thank you to all soldiers who serve or have served our country.

My husband was lucky enough to make it home alive, with a metal plate in his skull, but alive. That might scare some of you, but we are so blessed that he made it home. Not everyone is that lucky. Aaron lost many friends while he was in Iraq, and more die in the middle east every day that we don't hear about on the news because it's "depressing", "discouraging", or "old news." To me, that's sad.

It's not an easy life, but somebody has to do it.

Thank you for keeping us free.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Some great songs to listen to today:
"American Soldier" -Toby Keith
"'Til the Last Shot's Fired" -Trace Adkins
"Have You Forgotten?" -Darryl Worley
"Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" -Toby Keith
"If You're Reading This" -Tim McGraw
"Arlington" -Trace Adkins
"Drive On" -Johnny Cash
"If I Die Before You Wake" -Dustin Evans
"God Bless the USA" -Lee Greenwood
"Come Home Soon" -SheDaisy
"Iraq and I Roll" -Clint Black
"8th of November" -Big and Rich
"Message from Home" -Lonestar

hello from sickland!

2011-11-08T16:49:00.003-05:00

After feeling better the last couple days, I am REALLY, REALLY sick today. I won't go into details, but trust me... it's not pretty. You know, if there's one thing that I definitely took for granted about my pregnancy with Elliot, it was that 99% of the time I felt really great in the first trimester. Granted, it all got a whole lot more complicated starting at 14 weeks... but up until then? Picture perfect pregnancy.
I swear I must be having a girl!!

I'm not too sick to cuddle with my baby boy, though!

As promised, a quick snapshot of my new hair. :)

birthday flashback...

2011-11-07T22:38:00.003-05:00

Last year, on my birthday, I was 32 weeks pregnant.
This year, on my birthday, I am 9 weeks pregnant.

... I'm a baby making machine!!

Thank you for all of the birthday wishes. I had a great day.
I got 7 inches chopped off my hair, had a delicious dinner at Old Chicago, and then we went to the pet store to oogle at all the adorable critters. :) Now that's a good birthday, if you ask me!
PS: Elliot somehow managed to eat an entire kid's meal. My skinny mini is a little piggy!

randoms.

2011-11-06T18:34:00.000-05:00

First of all, my birthday is tomorrow. I will be 23 years old. Craziness.

Second, for the entire month of November, Aaron is on a detail guarding an ammunition holding area (AHA). This means he works 12 hour days with four days on and two days off. He had Thursday and Friday off, so he had to work this weekend. It has been more than a little strange to see all the military couples and families in our area out and about spending time together while Elliot and I are stuck home alone. It's also really weird to me that he does not have a steady schedule with dependable workdays and days off. He even has to work on Thanksgiving!
Um, can November be over already?!

Lastly, Elliot's sleeping has reached an all new low lately. Last night, for example, he woke up at 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8. Being in the first trimester and a full time mama is tough to begin with, but now I am so utterly drained and exhausted. I'm not sure what's going on but his sleep has been getting worse now for weeks and weeks. Nothing has changed- we eat dinner and play for a bit afterwards, then he takes his bath, has a warm bottle, and is asleep in his crib by 7:30. Yet he's been waking up over and over and... over. I don't know what to do. I'm the only one who gets up with him and I really hope this gets better soon. I AM EXHAUSTED. Add that exhaustion to the normal first trimester fatigue and nausea, and you have a recipe for a disaster.

eating healthy for a healthy baby

2011-11-04T22:06:00.002-04:00

I'm 9 weeks pregnant today. Yay! Pretty soon, I'll be 10 weeks, which, to me, feels like the first big milestone in pregnancy. If you tell someone that you're ten weeks, they will no longer stare at your ~~gut~~ bloated belly with a mixture of surprise and disdain on their face.
Speaking of bloated bellies. I'm making it my mission to eat much healthier this pregnancy than the last. You see, the last one started off well. In fact, I was even eating mostly organic in the beginning... but then we found out about Elliot's condition, and it all flew out the window.

Eating a snack while watching TV with my feet up. Basically, all I did every day while I was on bed rest.

I'm an emotional eater in the first place, and then my OB kept telling me how small the baby was, that I needed to eat more so the baby needed to get bigger and stronger. I really took that to heart. In fact, I basically ate anything and everything in sight. I gave in to all of my cravings- no matter how processed, greasy, or sweet they happened to be.
Stuffing my face + laying around all day on bedrest = weight gain.
In the end, I gained around 45 pounds.

36 weeks pregnant with Elliot.

Luckily, I lost the weight easily and quickly, but I know I might not be so lucky this time around. Now that I'm back to my starting pre-pregnancy weight, I'm trying to do it right this time. I want to eat healthy both for myself and the baby. I keep reminding myself that whatever I eat, the baby eats. He or she deserves nutritious, delicious, healthy food! Sure, I'll still give in to the occasional craving... I'm not superwoman, after all! Overall, though, I hope to eat plenty of:

lean meat:

Source: kalynskitchen.com via Ashley on Pinterest

salad:

Source: lindawagner.net via Dani on Pinterest

fruit:

Source: tumblr.com via Camille on Pinterest

vegetables:

Source: gettyimages.it via Edna on Pinterest

yogurt:

Source: annies-eats.net via Sara on Pinterest

and whole grains:

Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com via Shannon on Pinterest

the most wonderful time of the year...

2011-11-02T17:52:00.003-04:00

I don't know if you realize this, but Christmas is right around the corner! Sure, there's that other holiday, Thanksgiving, in there too... but since Aaron and I will not be able to spend it together, I'm not dwelling on that one too much. Besides, Christmas has always been my favorite holiday and time of year. No, it's not just the presents, it's the whole atmosphere. I love it all- Twinkling lights, falling snow, freshly baked sugar cookies, stuffed stockings, Christmas music on the radio, delicious food, parties, receiving Christmas cards, the old tv specials on ABC's 25 Days of Christmas, cheesy Santa pictures, the exhilarating scent of a freshly cut pine tree... everything.

This will be Elliot's second Christmas, but our family's first Christmas together in our own home. Last year, Elliot was in the NICU and Aaron and I were staying in the Ronald McDonald house. Needless to say, it was an extremely stressful and emotional time. My favorite holiday was just not the same. We did, however, receive the best Christmas gift you could ever ask for: we were able to hold our son for the very first time.

Last year:

This year, I want our Christmas to be really special. I haven't really made up my mind about how we are going to do things, but I do know this: I want to create some lasting Christmas traditions that (I hope) Elliot will always remember. I want my son to love this holiday as much as I do.

What Christmas traditions (or memories) do you treasure the most?

I'm making a list of things to do this holiday season. Help me add to it?

My list so far:
1. bake and decorate sugar cookies
2. cook a big Christmas morning breakfast
3. take Elliot to the mall to get his first pictures with Santa Clause
4. have a festive family photo shoot
5. send out Christmas cards
6. go to Christmas Eve mass
7. donate food to a local shelter
edited 11/3 to add some reader suggestions/ideas:
8. give Elliot a different ornament each year, so that when he gets married, he'll already have a whole box to decorate his tree.
9. cut down our own Christmas tree

Halloween weekend recap: a big scare and lots of treats

2011-11-01T09:59:00.000-04:00

I figured it was about time to update you on our whirlwind of a weekend.
Friday we went to the Task Force Odin Halloween night on post. Aaron was busy working in the haunted house most of the time, but there was lots of good food and company. I enjoy meeting and socializing with other army wives. They had a trunk decorating contest and the kids got to trick or treat. Elliot met lots of other cute babies in costumes, and the best part? We entered him in the costume contest and he won SECOND PLACE for his age group! :) I was one proud mama. I guess I wasn't the only one who thought he was the cutest cow baby around!! He won a cute teddy bear in ACU's, a halloween cup, spoons, a bib, some jars of baby food, and some lollipops.

Smelly Ellie the cow.

Elliot and mama trick or treating.

Saturday morning, around 5am, I woke up because Elliot was crying and realized that I was covered in blood... a lot of blood. I had soaked through my underwear, pantiliner, shorts, sheets, and a bit of the mattress. I had been spotting lightly for a few days before that, but it was nothing compared to this! I woke Aaron up and we rushed to the ER. On the way there, I had this sinking feeling. I could still feel the blood coming out of me, and I was convinced I was having a miscarriage. I just kept praying that the baby would somehow be okay. Several hours, four attempted (and one sucessful) IVs, a pelvic exam, and ultrasound later, we found out that the baby was alive and well. I've never been so happy to see that little flicker of a heartbeat on an ultrasound in my life! The bleeding seemed to be slowing down, so I was sent home with instructions to drink lots of water and rest, so I did just that. Elliot blessed us by taking a 3 hour nap (probably because we had to get him up so early!) so we all napped together. We had planned on going to a pumpkin patch at a nearby Christmas tree farm, but decided to postpone until I was feeling better.

discharge papers.

Sunday Aaron got up with Elliot and let me sleep in until 9! When I woke up, the bleeding had stopped, and I felt much better, so we decided to take Elliot to the pumpkin patch. Unfortunately, Elliot's late nap meant we missed our opportunity to go to the farm that I wanted, so we had to settle for a church pumpkin patch instead. He still had a blast though.

Look mom, I found a gourd!

He was absolutely OBSESSED with the straw and cried whenever we tried to pick him up. He cried so hard as we finally left (after he played in the straw for over 30 minutes!), poor guy. Maybe after the new baby is born I'll just buy him a bale of hay to keep him occupied, haha!

Monday was Halloween. We had fantastic weather. Elliot wore his cow costume again and we went trick or treating in the neighborhood. He got lots of compliments and you should've seen the look on his face everytime he got to reach into a candy bowl! It was priceless.

Well, there you have it! A busy, scary, and (mostly) wonderful weekend!How was your Halloween??

it gets me every time...

2011-10-27T21:08:00.000-04:00

Please tell me I'm not the only one who gets teary-eyed during this commercial.
I'm sure it's just my pregnancy hormones... but it really tugs on my heartstrings.

And then I see pictures like these and I get super excited to have a tiny newborn again...

Source: beautyineverything.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: google.it via Jess on Pinterest

8 weeks tommorrow!

doctor doctor

2011-10-24T21:49:00.000-04:00

Today was my very first OB appointment for baby #2, and things are already a little chaotic.
Before I explain, let me tell you this:
I am 7 weeks and 3 days pregnant, and my official due date is June 10th, 2012

Our first glimpse at Elliot's little brother or sister! ♥

Now, onto the drama.
Our first OB appointment, which normally lasts only fifteen minutes or so, quickly turned into an hour and a half. Why? Well, my new OB had to go over my medical records, which takes awhile in itself, and then it came to her attention that Elliot was born with gastroschisis. Mind you, the fact that I had a birth defect baby was clearly stated on my paperwork, but apparently she skipped over that little detail. Well, because the cause of gastroschisis is unknown, there is a chance I could have another baby with a birth defect. For example, if it were caused by a hormone imbalance, that same hormone imbalance could make something else go wrong this time, too. They really don't know.
Suddenly, my seemingly "normal" pregnancy was turned over to perinatology, maternal-fetal medicine, and genetic counseling. Things I am all too familiar with.
So. 9 vials of blood, a pap smear, ultrasound, and flu shot later... I headed down to pharmacy to pick up my new prescriptions feeling pretty defeated. I guess I was just hoping for a smooth, stress-free pregnancy this time around.
I have a two hour appointment with a geneticist tomorrow to discuss which tests I will be having to screen for possible birth defects.

The good news?
Everything looks normal so far.
Let's pray for a healthy baby and pregnancy!

winner, winner, chicken dinner!

2011-10-23T11:21:00.000-04:00

Like I said in my previous post, this drawing is way way wayyy overdue. Sorry!

Congratulations Sarah from Nurse Loves Farmer! You won!
I'll be emailing you :)

and the worst blogger award goes to...

2011-10-22T23:20:00.000-04:00

ME!
I've really been dropping the ball lately when it comes to blogging. I know- and I'm sorry for that. I've had some great posts in my head for days now and some equally great reviews/giveaways to put up... PLUS I just realized today that I {still} haven't drawn the winner for that fleece soaker giveaway from weeks ago. Ooops. I'm drawing it tomorrow- I swear.
I haven't been blogging as much lately because, to be honest, I've felt like poop. Don't get me wrong- I am absolutely thrilled to be pregnant again and I know plenty of my readers would LOVE to have morning sickness because they'd just love to be pregnant. But, happiness aside, I've been super super nauseous and super, super tired. No, make that exhausted. All. The. Time. Elliot has a giant tooth coming in... I think it may be a molar, so he's been fussier than usual. Poor kid. He also hasn't been sleeping well lately. I'm just praying he'll start sleeping through the night sometime before this baby is born... because there is no way I can get up with TWO babies every night!
I also started school again recently, so if I'm not using my extra time and energy to study, fix myself something to eat, or clean... you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm sleeping. Or trying to, at least. I've been having crazy crazy vivid/scary dreams lately. Seriously. You should see me tiptoe into Elliot's room in the middle of the night to get him and jump at every tiny noise.

It's really starting to sink in that I'm pregnant and I am getting more and more excited! We've been talking about names, what we need to buy, and how life will be different with 2 under 2 and I just love it all.
My first OB appointment is on MONDAY!

Well, this is the lamest blog post ever.
Can I make it up to you with some pictures?

This just reminds me of Lady and the Tramp!!

Guess who FINALLY learned how to hold his own sippy?

Big, CHEESY smile :D

annnnd another.

water baby

2011-10-17T22:59:00.000-04:00

Now that we're finally pretty much settled in Texas, we're finally making friends and {gasp} actually going out and exploring this great state!
On Saturday, which just so happened to also be Sweetest Day, we explored the Lampasas river with our friends Jay and Susan. The guys had a blast trying to spear fish with homemade spears, climbing trees and rocks, and jumping into the water. Boys will be boys, at any age!
It made me excited for when Elliot will be old enough to explore and get dirty. For now, though, Elliot enjoyed being carried around in the bjorn and then sitting in a shallow part of the river where he could feel the current on his back and bum. Even though the water was a little chilly, he was right at home!

If that's not a cute face, then I don't know what is.

He thought this was absolutely HILARIOUS!

Elliot and mama

Hanging out with Daddy in the water.

There's a monkey on your shoulder...

Silly face!

Give a boy a stone, and he's happy!

He was leaning forward to get some stones of his own...

The minute we took him out of the water, Elliot started shivering, poor baby. So we promptly dried him off, put him in some clean clothes, wrapped him up in a towel, and headed home. We grabbed a bite to eat, put Elliot to bed, and then Jay and Susan babysat Elliot so that Aaron and I could go out by ourselves for the first time in a LONG time. It was only the second date we've been on together in over two years! We were both tired (hey, it was a long day!) so we decided just to go to the movies. We both had a good time, and at one point, Aaron whispered, "this is a really good movie... but I miss Elliot!" That pretty much melted my heart. Of course, this pregnancy has my hormones all out of whack so it doesn't take much these days.

Before I forget: Elliot turned TEN MONTHS old yesterday!
I promise to do his monthly post tomorrow.

Oh, and one other thing. We want to get another baby carrier, one that is somewhat similar to the bjorn but for older/larger babies, because even though Elliot is nowhere near the weight limit of the bjorn, I've read it doesn't support heavier babies correctly and soon enough the new baby will be using it! If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment or email me! I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

love for Daddy

2011-10-12T13:54:00.000-04:00

As you all know, my husband was gone for months 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Elliot's life. When Aaron came home, he was {understandably} disappointed and sad because Elliot seemed to want nothing to do with him. Sure, he would let Aaron hold him, but I was the one he really wanted. If he was hungry, fussy, sleepy, or scared, he only wanted mama. He screamed every time I left the room. It really crushed my husband, who claimed that Elliot "didn't like him," even though I knew that he did.
Recently, things have finally started to turn around. When Aaron comes home from work, Elliot's whole face lights up in a smile. Before he can even get his boots off, Elliot literally launches himself at him. He knows that there are certain things that he can only get away with when mama's not around, and he knows that Daddy is the one who "roughhouses" with him while playing. Elliot absolutely LOVES when his daddy throws him up in the air, spins him around, hangs him upside down by his feet, etc. It used to nearly give me a heart attack, but now I've gotten so used to it that I just sit back and watch Elliot squeal and laugh. Aaron is definitely WAY stronger than I am and he actually has hand-eye-coordination, while I pretty much don't. So, for that reason, I never try to do these things with Elliot, and he knows that Daddy is the one to go to if he wants to play like that.
Elliot is definitely still a mama's boy- he snuggles more with me, and I'm the only one who can put him to sleep. He still clings to me at times or cries randomly when I leave the room, but it's different now because it's obvious that he loves his Daddy, too- and Aaron knows that. It just makes me a little sad to think that Aaron will be deploying again not too long from now, and Elliot won't have anyone to swing him around or hold him by his ankles. Even worse- he's going to miss even more of baby #2's first year of life than he did with Elliot.
I've learned you can't dwell on those things, though. That's just military life. All you can do is treasure the time you do have together and {in my case} take lots and lots of pictures!

hungry?

2011-10-11T14:08:00.000-04:00

Let me share my first craving {this pregnancy} with you:
PIE!

Source: bakeat350.blogspot.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via pinkleo on Pinterest

Source: simplebites.net via Jess on Pinterest

Source: myrecipes.com via Jess on Pinterest

Oh, and I completely missed the fact that the votes were reset! Could you vote for us? Pretty please?

He's sick, I'm sick, we're all sick.

2011-10-10T12:19:00.001-04:00

Although Elliot has been out of the NICU for seven months now, his immune system is still really low. So, surprise, surprise- he's sick again. It's been cold and rainy here, and I've been horribly nauseous and exhausted anyways, so we've been hanging out in our PJs together lately. It's quite glamorous. ;) Okay, maybe not. But I love cuddling with my baby boy and I also love being pregnant, so I can't complain too much!
I'm hoping all this nausea means that this little peanut will be as strong as his/her big brother was in the belly. I've been spotting a little but not too much. I can't wait to go to the doctor next week to find out my beta levels, see our little bean on an ultrasound, and make sure everything is okay (so far).

The medicine must be working. Look at this silly boy!

I think he'd rather be outside-

But he'll have to wait awhile!

Thank you so much for all of the congratulations and support on this new pregnancy! I can't wait to share this journey with you all. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a healthy baby and a much less stressful pregnancy this time!
PS: I promise to catch up on all your blogs soon!

Big News!

2011-10-08T23:28:00.002-04:00

I realized today that, until now, I hadn't blogged in over two weeks. THAT, my friends, is the longest I've ever gone without blogging. I blame it mostly on the fact that my camera battery charger broke so I couldn't take pictures, and I was also sick and just plain exhausted.
Well, I'm back and with some super exciting news:

I'm pregnant!
or, as my husband would say- "my eggo is preggo!"

That's right. We're expecting baby #2 in early June 2012.
I don't go to the doctor until next week, but since my period was a few days late and I was suddenly feeling very sick to my stomach, I took a bunch of pregnancy tests and guess what? They ALL came up positive.

And what's more? The positive line is WAY darker than the control line. My test results when I was pregnant with Elliot were never this dark, even when I was 6 weeks pregnant!
See?

We are SO excited!!

Now I just need Elliot to sleep through the night again so I can figure out how to juggle an 18 month old and a newborn while my husband is deployed...
Oh boy!

If...

2011-09-21T17:07:00.002-04:00

I've seen this on a few of my favorite blogs, and it looks fun, so I decided to join in! :)

•If I were to get pregnant again I would be THRILLED but a little worried about how I'd be able to care for Elliot, who would be a toddler at that point and a newborn while Aaron is deployed.

•If I could have any job in the world I would probably be an animal control officer. I'm addicted to Animal Cops. I'm definitely an animal lover and would love to be able to help abandoned and abused animals! The only problem with this job is that I'd have to put Elliot in day care and I don't think I could do that! I love being a stay at home mama and don't think I could trust anyone else to take care of him.

•If I had a day to myself I would probably just sleep the whole day. I'm not even kidding!

•If I could get married all over again I wouldn't change a thing. I love my husband, our marriage, and our life together ♥.

•If I could live anywhere in the US I would probably either stay in Texas or move to Arizona. We really love life down south and I definitely don't miss the cold Michigan winters at all! I love how people down here are friendly and proud of their state/home. You don't see a whole lot of that up north... after high school graduation, if you asked any of my fellow graduates what they wanted to do, most of them simply said, "get the heck out of Michigan!"

•If Elliot would have been a girl he would have been named Maisey, Adie, Eliza, Willow, or Shiloh... we never did really narrow down our girls' name list completely.

•If I could have any talent in the world I would love to be able to paint really well.

•If you met me in real life you would probably say "you don't look like you had a baby!" since that's what everyone says lately, and it's starting to really annoy me. It's awkward!

•If I could go back to school and get a different degree I would go for veterinary medicine.

•If money were not an object we would settle down somewhere warm, buy a house, and have a TON OF KIDS! Like probably 10! lol

•If I could meet one celebrity I would probably want to meet either Ellen or David Bromstad from "Color Splash!" on HGTV because I LOVE him!

•If I could only shop at one store for the rest of my life it would definitely be Target. I love that store way too much!

•If we get another pet it would {and will hopefully soon!} be a puppy because my husband and I love dogs and we want to get a puppy while Elliot is still a little baby so they can be raised together. And because as much as we love our cat Charlie, we can't take him outside for walks and Elliot LOVES dogs and gets SUPER excited whenever he sees one outside.

•If I could go on a trip, RIGHT NOW, I'd go out east to Massachusetts to see all of my family.

•If I had to chose between a house cleaner and a personal chef, I'd DEFINITELY pick the cleaner. I am super OCD about having a neat and tidy house and I feel like I'm ALWAYS cleaning right now, even though it's hard to do with Elliot around.

•If I had the option of plastic surgery I'd probably get a nose job to fix my nose and MAYBE small breast implants so that I'd feel more womanly. I don't know about that though because I feel like they always look unnatural. I just wish I had boobs!

why I haven't been blogging as much lately...

2011-09-19T18:16:00.001-04:00

My child is cute! He makes funny faces!

And he now has seven teeth. That's right- another one just popped through.

He likes to bounce up and down in his crib...

... and thinks ceiling fans would be pretty fun toys.

Lately, he decided that taking all the pots and pans out of the kitchen cabinets and rearranging our drawers is a whole lot of fun... along with pushing doors shut, ripping all the books off his bookshelf, and ripping out handfuls of mama's hair.

He laughs at the word "NO", or puts on an innocent face and pretends he didn't hear you.

Oh, and did I mention he likes to dive off beds?

And he enjoys throwing his food on the floor just so he can watch me pick it all up.

He has a whole roomful of toys, but prefers to put things like lens caps, pens, shoes, and wires in his mouth.

Yes, he is a wild man.
...but it just makes him that much cuter ♥

Elliot: 9 months!

2011-09-16T13:09:00.000-04:00

Another month has flown by, and Elliot is now nine months old. He is a wild, crazy little man now. He hardly sits still for anything, except to eat. He's too busy exploring and getting into trouble. He's a handful but lots and lots of fun!

This Month:
♥ I'm guessing Elliot weighs around 17 lbs. {Dr's appt next week}
♥ he is wearing all 3-6 months clothing, and just started wearing 6-9 month sleepers because he's so long
♥ he eats four 8 ounce bottles a day: when he first wakes up, before his morning and afternoon naps, and before bed
♥ he can't get enough of "big people" food. Some of his new favorites include pancakes, rice, and scrambled eggs
♥ he is eating 5 oz of homemade babyfood 3x a day, oatmeal in the morning, and he eats some of our dinner every night
♥ my big boy now goes to bed at 8pm and wakes up at 5:30am. He's been waking up around midnight lately, but falls back asleep in just a few minutes
♥ we moved his bedtime up, so he changed his nap schedule. He takes a morning nap around 10 and an afternoon nap around 2, and no longer takes his evening nap, which makes bedtime much easier!
♥ he crawls all over the place and walks along the furniture and walls while barely holding on with one hand
♥ he figured out how to crawl up the stairs and learned to open and rearrange our drawers
♥ if you tell him "NO", he will stop for a minute and then laugh and do it again {little stinker!}
♥ he cries "mum mum mum mum!" while crawling after me if I leave the room {he was calling me mama and now he decided he likes "mum" better}
♥ he will look at Aaron and say "dada!" and he whines and squeals for his "baba" {bottle}
♥ he sits in shopping carts like a big boy now!
♥ he is super ticklish
♥ he is ALWAYS blowing raspberries and sticking his tongue out and spitting if he's happy. It's cute but... messy.
♥ give him a pot and a metal spoon and he's happy as can be
♥ some things I had to fish out of his mouth this month: a cricket leg, a small rock, a candy wrapper, a wadded up sticky note, and the door stopper caps
♥ if you ask him for a kiss or a hug, he'll give you them, and it's so precious!
♥ he really, REALLY hates diaper changes so they usually involve me holding him down with one hand, changing him with the other, and giving him something he's not usually allowed to play with, like my cell phone
♥ he has finally decided that the carseat is not a torture device- as long as I'm in the backseat with him.
♥ he and Charlie are still best friends.

Happy nine months, baby boy!

londonware review and giveaway!

2011-09-14T07:30:00.000-04:00

Elliot is a heavy wetter. And by heavy wetter, I mean he soaks through ANY diaper, cloth or disposable, in less than an hour. I'm not kidding. Trying to find an overnight option for him was one gigantic headache. It seems like no matter what we tried, he always woke up in the middle of the night with soaked jammies and sheets. Left with no other option, I resorted to changing him every time he woke up at night. We both hated this because every diaper change turned into tears and a tantrum. As if it weren't bad enough, THEN Elliot started sleeping through the night... and we really had a problem on our hands.

Enter Londonware fleece soakers. These are sized fleece covers that go over a diaper of your choice- cloth or disposable- which wick excess moisture from the diaper beneath and help prevent {or, in Elliot's case, prolong} leaks. They have an extra layer sewn into the wet zone, making them amazingly absorbent, and they're waterproof until absolutely saturated. Plus, they're CUTE! I love ours! I'm not going to try to fool you, these did not 100% solve our problem. They have, however, enabled Elliot to go much longer and leak less than he did before, particularly at night. Elliot never goes to bed without his fleece soaker, and I smile every morning when he crawls around while I'm picking out his clothes for the day because these things are just so darn cute.

Elliot sporting his favorite soaker:

Want to win your own fleece soaker?

Giveaway:
to enter:
- leave a comment with your name, email, and which print and size cover you like most from Londonware's store.
- winner will be chosen Wednesday, September 21st

extra entries:
- tweet about Londonware fleece soakers
- follow me on twitter
- vote for this blog
- tweet about this giveaway {with link}

Good luck!

Oh, hi!

2011-09-12T17:22:00.000-04:00

I've been slacking a bit on the blogging front. I blame this on the fact that Elliot has been waking up at 5:30am lately and crawling all over the place destroying the whole house... which equals one very tired mama! I'm going to try harder this week, though. I have reviews and giveaways to post, too! Yay!

A couple pictures from last night:
Nom nom nom!

Charlie and Elliot are still best friends. They are always stealing each-other's toys and Charlie literally follows Elliot EVERYWHERE still... he even watches him take his baths, even though he hates water! It's pretty funny. These two are just too cute together.

we will not forget.

2011-09-11T07:45:00.000-04:00

On this day, ten years ago, in 2001:

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin' against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out in pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?
{song lyrics from "Where Were You" by Alan Jackson}

Where were you?

Do you remember? I was sitting in my classroom in Riverton, Wyoming. We all sat in silence, confused, as the live report on CNN was playing on every TV in every classroom. Minutes later, we were all sent home from school because everyone thought that a nearby missile tower was going to be another possible target. I was confused, angry, and most of all- terrified.
I didn't know it at the time, but the events of this day would begin the same war that, years later, my husband would spend months fighting in overseas.

My heart aches for all those grieving the loss of someone that died in one of those three planes, in the towers, or at ground zero. It also hurts to think about all of the troops that have died since on the front lines in the War on Terrorism.

We will not forget.

God Bless the USA!

love to clean? have I got a review for you!

2011-09-05T07:15:00.000-04:00

I love to clean. Yes, it's true. I sometimes I actually beg my husband to watch Elliot for a few minutes so I can clean up scattered toys, bits of food stuck to the floor beneath the highchair, tiny fingerprints on the windows and mirrors, and puddles {yes, PUDDLES} of drool. How does one baby create so much mess? I have no idea, and I wonder how the parents of multiples do it. I don't think I'd survive. I don't feel like I can breathe easily unless our house is clean.

So, when I received the opportunity to review Stanley Home degreaser concentrate, I literally thought, yessss! I'm all over this! When I first unpacked it, I wondered why the heck it didn't come with a spray pump. Then I read the instructions, and I'm glad I did, or else I probably would have used 10x more than I needed to. To use this as a typical spray cleaner, you only need to add one tablespoon to 16 oz of water. One tablespoon! That's it! I was a little skeptical, but I prepared the mixture as instructed and tried it out. The verdict? This stuff is AMAZING! Splattered grease? No problem. Stuck on day old melted puffs? Piece of cake. Scorched pots and pans that the husband forgot to soak? Sparkling! It works. FOR EVERYTHING. It's a good thing this stuff comes in a gigantic bottle, because if it didn't, I'd probably hide a stockpile of it in the pantry.

If you're a mom, you need this stuff!
Not convinced? Here's a nifty list of 50 different ways to use this little wonder product.

someone got ahold of our debit card...

2011-09-04T20:27:00.000-04:00

You know how earlier I said that something always happens? I think I jinxed myself.
Someone got ahold of our debit card information.
And they made 75 purchases in the last four days. SEVENTY-FIVE?! I mean, really? So, now our account is negative, and some of the transactions are still pending... which means MORE overdraft fees.
We cancelled the card, but I can't actually file a claim until tomorrow... assuming they work tomorrow, since it's Labor Day.
I am so ANNOYED!!

meal planning

2011-09-04T11:56:00.001-04:00

Being a stay at home mama is something I do not take for granted. I feel so blessed to be able to spend each and every moment with my son, watching him learn and grow. The ~~days~~ weeks are passing so quickly lately that I simply can't imagine what I would do if I had to go to work. I'd probably spend 95% of my day thinking about him and wondering what he was doing. It would be hard to focus! Missing all his milestones and having to hear about his "firsts" from a nanny or day care provider would just about kill me. Not to mention the fact that I'm exhausted every day simply from caring for {and chasing around} my son. I can't imagine doing it after having to work eight hours- and somehow finding time to clean and cook, too! Crazy! I want to give all you working mamas out there a big round of applause. You inspire me!

My husband is a soldier. He makes a decent living but you know, there are bills to pay and it seems like we have the worst luck ever- there's always some kind of unexpected expense. Almost every month. Since I'm not working and obviously not contributing to the household {other than the little bit I get from doing blog design} I try to find ways to spend less and save more whenever I can. My latest fixation? Grocery shopping. I've been doing some research lately and was absolutely shocked to read that some people spend as little as $50 for a week of groceries. I've always prided myself in being a "smart grocery shopper"- buying store brands, looking for sales, never shopping on an empty stomach, sticking to my shopping list, and using coupons {this is something I need to do more!}, etc... but our weekly grocery bill is definitely nowhere near $50.

One of the big things I've been doing lately is meal planning. So far, it has really helped us to save, eat healthy (and at home more), and to avoid those spur of the moment shopping trips where you always come home with twice as much as you intended to buy. Next month, however, I'm going to take it to the next level and try once a month shopping. I first read about this on Melissa's blog, Happy Homemaking in Texas. I knew I was going to try it before I even finished reading.

I'm going to do a few more posts entirely devoted to this topic as October draws near, since we've already gone grocery shopping for the first half of September, and I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty excited about it. I'm working on a monthly meal list and master shopping list.
But right now? My first priority is creating a nifty meal planning board like the ones below.

Source: makeandtakes.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: orgjunkie.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Jess on Pinterest

Adorable, right? And so functional!

I'm doing some more reading about meal planning, particularly monthly meal planning, at sources like the ones below:
The Organic Sister
Organized Home
Simple Mom

Do you meal plan?
What have you found helpful?

happy weekend!

2011-09-03T18:49:00.001-04:00

I am in a fabulous mood today. It's labor day weekend, which means we get to spend four whole days together as a family. We've been celebrating by staying up late, sleeping in {until EIGHT this morning... is it sad that we think 8:00 is sleeping in?!}, eating good food, and spending plenty of time outdoors. It has only been in the 90's today, so I even took the camera out with us.

Happy weekend, friends! I hope you're all enjoying it as much as we are!

by popular demand...

2011-09-02T01:02:00.000-04:00

Many of you asked if I made the letters above Elliot's crib. I did! I made them when I was still pregnant, and it was a quick and easy project. In fact, right after I made them, I actually did a blog post about it!
CLICK HERE to read it. :)

pictures?!

2011-08-31T13:25:00.002-04:00

My new battery charger came. So, of course, as soon as the battery was charged, I snapped a few pictures of Elliot. He's changing so fast now and doing something new practically every minute, so I feel like I need to have my camera around my neck 24/7 so I don't miss anything!

right after his morning nap. Moments before I snapped this picture, he was squealing, "Mamammamamamamaaaaaaaaaa!"

Oh good. You're here.

We changed and went downstairs, and Elliot kept crawling over to the stairs and trying to climb up.

Cheeeeese!

Back in the safety of the living room, crawling towards another forbidden area... the kitchen. I may have to gate off the whole house soon!

Do any of you have one of those bottomless play yard areas? I'm thinking of getting one for the living room. I've always thought they were a little tacky, but I'm running out of options. I always spread out a quilt and cover it with toys, but he refuses to stay there and instead goes off crawling towards more ~~interesting~~ dangerous things like cords, stairs, hot ovens, and toilets...

amazing.

2011-08-30T12:15:00.006-04:00

Last night, I was hanging photos when I came across some pictures of myself when I was pregnant. As I looked at my round belly, I smiled. Then, it occurred to me that my baby boy used to be inside me. It's kind of a strange thing to think about- that I carried this fantastic little person inside of me for nine whole months.
He's only been alive eight months, but it's hard to remember what life was like before he was here. When I was pregnant, I had no idea what color his eyes or hair would be, whether he'd be outgoing or shy, or what kind of personality he'd have. One thing that I did know, however, was that I loved him completely- more than I'd ever loved anyone. Then, he was born, and I loved him even more. Moments after his birth, he was whisked across the room to be examined, stabilized, and prepared for his trip to the NICU. I squirmed and tried to see through the wall of doctors and nurses, and I finally caught a glimpse of my newborn son. He looked exactly how I'd always imagined. I knew immediately that I would die for this person that I had just met. My life was forever changed.
It's crazy to think that this little boy, the center of my world, started off as nothing more than a tiny bundle of cells and then grew in my tummy for nine months before making his grand entrance into this world. Even harder to believe? He's already eight and a half months old.

It all began here:

And now he's grown from this:

to this!

All in just seventeen months!
Pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood is amazing.
It truly is.

a photo wall? yes please!

2011-08-29T08:57:00.002-04:00

Today, I got 100 of my favorite pictures of Elliot developed. Okay, they're not ALL of Elliot... a few of the other important people in my life managed to sneak in there too... but they're mostly all of Elliot. And by mostly I mean 96%.
So, tomorrow I think I am going to tackle a new project: creating a photo wall. Since this will be the first one in the new house, I plan to make it as simple {and cheap!} as possible. No fancy frames, different sized photos, or anything like that. I simply don't have the time right now. Nonetheless, I'm excited and can't wait to finally put up some pictures of Elliot {somewhere other than my blog.
For some reason, I still feel like this "little" project might turn out a whole lot bigger than I think it will. Creating a photo wall is is item #11 on my day zero project, and I gotta start somewhere, right?

Inspiration:
via pinterest. You follow me, I'll follow you.

Source: thecreativemama.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: walkslowlylivewildly.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: paisleepress.blogspot.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: dreamgreendiy.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: paisleepress.blogspot.com via Jess on Pinterest

when I feel more adventurous:

Source: google.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: style-files.com via Jess on Pinterest

Source: chutzpahrummage.tumblr.com via Jess on Pinterest

I'll be sure to post a picture of the finished product... once my new camera battery charger arrives, that is. UPS assures me that it is on its way.

I'm starting a Day Zero Project... and you should, too!

2011-08-26T13:57:00.005-04:00

Source: icecreamisbetterwithafork.tumblr.com via Jess on Pinterest

Have you ever heard of the Day Zero Project? I've seen "1001 in 101" projects on a few different blogs lately. So, being the ~~curious~~ nosy person that I am, I googled it. And you know what I decided? The Day Zero Project is pretty freaking amazing! It's simple. All you do is create a list of 101 things you want to do in 1001 days. With that much time, you can put both short term and long(er) term goals on your list.
Being the obsessive list-maker that I am, I had already started thinking of ideas before I even fully committed to the project. And I decided that I will blog about each goal as I complete it.

My list so far:
1. Send Aaron love letters during his next deployment
2. plant a tree
3. tie a note to a balloon and let it go
4. take a photography class
5. try a new recipe every day for a week
6. buy a jogging stroller
7. start running again
8. watch a sunrise and sunset in the same day
9. start a 365 photography project
10. be debt free
11. paint a picture
12. take a second honeymoon
13. eat vegetarian for a week
14. don't use paper or plastic bags for one month
15. adopt an animal from the animal shelter
16. have dinner by candlelight
17. take a picture for each letter of the alphabet
18. take Elliot to the ocean
19. make chocolate chip cookies from scratch
20. learn to knit
21. become a licensed groomer
22. meet up with a bloggy friend
23. write a poem
24. make my husband breakfast in bed
25. read a book to Elliot every night before bed
26. send my mom flowers
27. create a budget and stick to it for 6 months
28. read a book in one day
29. start going on weekly date nights
30. go home for the holidays
31. get 100 new followers on my blog
32. blog every day for a month
33. create a gastroschisis/NICU journey photo book
34. organize my closet
35. have a second child
36. learn more about photoshop
37. send out Christmas cards with a letter inside
38. take Elliot to the zoo
39. volunteer at a NICU
40. pick up garbage on the side of a busy road
41. help a stranger
42. teach Elliot to say please and thankyou
43. create a photo wall
44. go to a Red Sox game
45. visit two new states
46. read ten classic novels
47. eat at five new restaurants
48. get a new car
49. Meet another gastroschisis mama and baby {in person}
50. organize our "junk drawer"
51. create a fun bulletin board
52. donate clothes
53. read the bible
54. go to a range and learn how to shoot a gun
55. write a letter to myself to open in 10 years
56. record a day in Elliot's life- in photographs
57. dance in the rain
58. take a picture of a rainbow
59. Complete the 30 Day Shred- all 30 days
60. go to a wine tasting
61. make homemade crayons
62. walk for the March of Dimes
63. bake bread
64. repaint my childhood dresser
65. wish on a shooting star
66. feed pigeons on a park bench in a big city
67. walk in central park
68. go on a family bike ride
69. ride in a hot air balloon

I'm going to put this as a new page in my navigation bar soon :)

voila!

2011-08-24T08:00:00.004-04:00

As you can see, we have a new look.
I redesigned my blog last night because I just wasn't feeling the old color scheme. I wanted to try something simple and pastel so... ta-da! Much different than anything I've ever had on here before. I like it.
There is also a new page up there in the navigation bar that you should check out ;) Okay, so maybe I just made it for myself so I could scroll through pictures of Elliot as he ages and tear up...
Nonetheless, Change is good.

Two other blogs I recently designed:
Adventures in Mommyland
and
Erin Miller Photography

Craving a new blog design?
visit J. Ashley Design!

recipes, anyone?

2011-08-23T09:15:00.021-04:00

Like I said earlier, I'm making an effort to post about things other than just Elliot on this blog. One thing that I really love to do, but rarely talk about here, is cook. Cooking is fun, even with a baby running through the kitchen in his walker, running over my toes and pulling down the dish towels. Call me old fashioned, but I love having dinner ready for my husband when he comes home from a long day at work.
When we moved to Texas, Aaron and I made a goal to try at least one new recipe every week. That means my lucky readers will have the pleasure of discovering new recipes along with me!
To kick things off, here's our very first recipe!

White Cheddar Broccoli Mac n Cheese {from the Craving Chronicles}
I absolutely LOVE Macaroni and Cheese. Seriously. Even the over-processed kind that comes in a box with a packet of bright orange cheese powder. For some reason, though, I've never really tried to make it myself. This will be my first attempt! To sweeten the deal, this recipe features one of my favorite veggies, broccoli. I don't know about you, but my taste buds are excited!

Ingredients
3 cups frozen baby broccoli florets
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups milk
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated
salt to taste

Directions
Steam broccoli 5-10 minutes, until tender.
*the original recipe said to microwave the broccoli, but we avoid using the microwave whenever we can.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add elbow macaroni. Boil according to directions until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to form a paste (roux). Cook 1-2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste. Slowly pour in milk, whisking briskly to remove lumps. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk mixture thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in shredded cheese. Add salt to taste.

Add drained macaroni back to pot. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni, add broccoli, and stir to combine. Devour.

how sleep training worked for us

2011-08-22T14:08:00.010-04:00

Not too long ago, putting Elliot to bed was getting to be so difficult that I dreaded bedtime every night. As bedtime drew near, Elliot would start screaming, kicking, and arching his back. Nothing I did seemed to help. After one, two, or sometimes even three hours, he would finally fall asleep... only to wake up an hour or two later. This continued ALL NIGHT LONG.
Before we started sleep training, he was waking up an average of five times between 10pm and 8am, and was drinking 24-32 ounces of formula throughout the night {which is unheard of at his age}. We were both exhausted and cranky, he was soaking through his diapers, I was washing his sheets daily, and we were going through a LOT of formula.

Desperate for something, anything that would help, I started googling different sleep training methods. I decided to try the "less tears" Dr. Sears method.

The rules:
• Put the baby down in the crib awake
• Whenever your child cries, console and comfort him, using any method you want, as long as it doesn't involve removing him from the crib

Click here to watch a video that we found helpful.

Those rules seemed awfully tough to me. Especially since Elliot was still drinking so many bottles at night, and not being able to pick him up meant he wouldn't be having bottles, either. In fact, I broke the rules often, picking him up and continuing our tiring routine of walking him around the bedroom until he fell asleep and then trying {in vain} to put him in the crib without waking him up. I also picked him up the minute I walked into his room in the middle of the night. At this point, though, when I was only trying sleep training here and there, breaking rules as I pleased, Elliot continued to wake up every 1-2 hours, and he would still cry miserably every night at bedtime.
It wasn't until Elliot became extremely cranky during the day {due to lack of sleep} so clingy that he literally wouldn't sit by himself for even a minute that I decided something needed to be done. I couldn't eat or go to the bathroom unless he was sitting on my lap. He wouldn't play with toys unless I was playing with him. It was exhausting. I couldn't stand it anymore. So I decided to give sleep training another try, for real this time.

Here's what I did:
• Followed our usual bedtime routine {going for a walk outside at 7:30-8:00, bathtime at 8:30, followed by a bottle. Then, I rocked him for a couple minutes before laying him in the crib.
• At first, he would start crying the minute he touched the mattress. In fact, he'd stand up and shake his crib bars angrily. I'd gently lay him back down, while talking or singing softly, and pat his back. He'd stand back up. I'd do it again, and again... and AGAIN. The first few nights, this was a long process. He cried a lot, but I was always there to comfort him. Eventually, he'd fall asleep, and I'd cover him up and leave his room. Whenever he woke up in the middle of the night, I'd do the same thing- lay him down, pat his back. Thankfully, he always fell back asleep quicker in the middle of the night.
• As the days passed, I could get him to fall asleep in his crib by tickling his back after only a few minutes. He'd usually wake up after I stopped, though, so I'd resume the tickling and patting, and try to leave again, however many times it took until he didn't stir once I stopped and left the room.
• after about 8 days {Elliot is stubborn like his parents}, Elliot got the message. He realized that bedtime wasn't scary, that he didn't need bottles at night, and that it was perfectly okay to fall asleep without being held.

Elliot happily standing and waiting in his crib after a nap.

Now? About two weeks after we started sleep training, Elliot falls asleep in about five minutes {while I tickle his back and face}. He usually sleeps 6ish hours before waking up around 4am, and then doesn't wake up again for at least another six hours. Lately, he's been sleeping in until nine or even nine-thirty! He's a happy, balanced baby again. He will happily run around in his walker and play with toys while I clean or cook or eat. Bedtime is no longer a long and stressful process. I actually look forward to it.

I couldn't be happier that we finally decided to try sleep training, and how well it worked. I have my happy baby back, and we're both getting more sleep!
I highly recommend Dr. Sears' less/no tears method of sleep training. It might not be for everyone, but it worked very well for us.

oh no!

2011-08-21T17:40:00.003-04:00

I can't find my camera charger!!
... and I've looked everywhere. So I guess there won't be any new pictures on here until I find it. :(

a little boy's best friend

2011-08-20T08:30:00.002-04:00

The little white kitty we brought home last week is now eight weeks old, and we renamed him Charlie. Well, according to Aaron, his full name is "Charles Xavier," like in X-MEN. Yes, my husband's a bit of a geek. I've just been calling him Charlie, though.
He and Elliot are getting along fabulously. They're like two peas in a pod. They do EVERYTHING together! Anywhere Elliot goes, Charlie is right behind him. If Elliot cries, Charlie cries. If Elliot's napping, Charlie is curled up into a ball somewhere nearby. It's really ridiculously adorable.
Before we brought him home, I always wondered how a cat would get along with a baby versus a dog... and apparently, I had nothing to worry about. Elliot is sometimes a little rough... ~~patting~~ hitting him when he's excited, pulling on his ears and tail, and he always crawls over and steals whatever toy poor Charlie is playing with. "Gentle, be gentle, be nice Elliot, play nice with the kitty, don't hurt Charlie..." those are frequent phrases in our household. Charlie has never once tried to bite, scratch, or even run away from Elliot, though. He takes it all like a champ. Don't worry- Elliot isn't ALWAYS so, uh, excited around the kitty. Whenever Charlie comes up to him, Elliot almost always greets him with a gentle hug. He also likes to copy me and pet "his" kitty, which Charlie clearly loves, judging by all the purring.
Elliot and Charlie are best friends.

If you have a minute, would you mind voting for us? I have two giveaways coming up! :D

great deals at Planet Gear

2011-08-18T15:59:00.000-04:00

Planet Gear is a women operated and owned business that focuses on healthy living and a healthy planet.
This week {until August 23rd} they teamed up with some wonderful companies (TwoOwl, Sustainable Kids, and Green Bottle) to offer all you mamas out there fabulous organic, sustainable clothing and products at a great price for back to school!

Look at some of the cute and eco-friendly clothes they have to offer!

What are you waiting for?! Go sign up! IT'S FREE!

Wee Bit of Me Wednesday

2011-08-17T15:44:00.000-04:00

I'm going to start doing these again.

{one} what was one thing that you valued when you were a kid?
I loved to help take care of my little brother when he was a baby. After all, I'd been coddling baby dolls for years- now that there was FINALLY a sibling in my life, I was going to soak up every single moment I had with that chubby, redhaired little baby.

{two} what was your favorite (+ least favorite) subject in school?
English was my absolute favorite- I took every AP english/composition class offered at my high school. My least favorite was DEFINITELY math.

{three} do you remember your first love?
Why yes, I do! He was my high school sweetheart, and I'm married to him now. :) ♥

{four} what one pet would you love to have?
a miniature vietnamese potbellied pig. SO CUTE!

{five} would you rather live in the country or in the city?
Neither. I prefer the suburbs, ideally about an hour from the big city. It's a nice happy medium.

{six} what do you love about blogging?
All the people I've met. Oh, and the fact that someday I'll be able to go back and remember the early days when Elliot was a wee baby.

{seven} what is the first website you visit everyday?
Facebook.

{eight} will you or have you joined google+?
I probably will. I always get sucked into the newest "thing" online.

{nine} what is your favorite scent of candle/air freshener?
Mulberry. Delicious!

{ten} how would you describe your style?
Simple, bohemian, and bright.

life as a military wife

2011-08-17T09:00:00.049-04:00

As most of you already know, I'm a military wife. It's not something I talk about often on this blog. Well, I guess I haven't really talked about much of anything on this blog lately other than my day-to-day life with Elliot. Although *I* find every tiny little thing he does exciting and adorable... it probably gets a little boring for all of you. From now on, I'm going to make an effort to post about other things in addition to my life as a SAHM, because there is more to me (and my life) than that!
So, first up? My life as a military wife.
Here are the best and worst things about being a military wife:

The good:
1. Being a stay at home mama. A huge number of military wives are stay at home moms. Thanks to the benefits, such as great healthcare, we are able to do this. I feel so blessed to be able to stay at home with my son, to get to watch him grow and help mold him into a little person. Not everyone has this opportunity.
2. Sense of Security. I don't have to worry about my husband losing his job, even in this unsteady economy. We always have a roof over our heads, clothes on our back, and food on the table, and I don't take that for granted. In addition, I fall asleep easily knowing that I am safe- my soldier can protect me, and I feel safe in his strong arms.
3. Friends and community. Even though we've never lived on base, there have been military families surrounding us everywhere we've lived. It's been so easy to make lasting friendships, friends to lean on in the tough times. Other military wives understand how tough deployments are, they actually know what you're talking about when you talk in acronymns... they just get it.
4. Pride. I feel proud of my husband every single day. He is brave. He serves our country, he helps to keep us free, he risks his lives to save others. Everytime I see him in his uniform, I smile. I love my soldier.
5. The opportunity to travel. We move every two years. To some of you, that may sound horrible, but I actually enjoy it. Every move is an opportunity to start fresh and experience a different place and (often) culture. It's hard to fall into a rut when you are constantly moving!

The bad:
1. Deployments. Nothing is harder than having your husband gone for a whole year (or more). He's across the world in a war zone. In the meanwhile, you're all by yourself, holding down the fort on your own. Communicating can be difficult, and it's easy to get yourself all worked up over nothing. I tend to change the channel when anything about the war in Iraq or Afghanistan comes on the news. The hardest part though, isn't really the worrying or loneliness- it's being a single parent while he's gone. It's not just a year of MY life that he's missing every time he deploys, but a year of Elliot's, too. A lot changes in a year- particularly when kids are young. It makes me sad to think about how many of Elliot's "firsts" Aaron missed while he was gone, and how many more he will miss in the coming years. It's tough, but that's just military life. You learn to cope. And you know the saying, "distance makes the heart grow fonder"? Well, that couldn't be more true!
2. War changes people. My husband spent 15 months in Iraq {as infantry}, where he was shot, stabbed, and blown up a few times. He did and saw terrible things, things that I prefer not to talk about. He struggled with PTSD and memory loss for awhile, but is doing better now. He's not the same person that he was before he left for war, though, and probably never will be.
3. Long hours. The army isn't a 9 to 5 job. It's basically 24/7, and with each promotion comes more responsibility. Aaron works long days, and often gets called in in the evenings and on weekends. He leaves for work every day at 5:30am and doesn't usually come home until about 5pm. When he walks through the door, I'm usually ready to get out of the house, and all he wants to do is stay in and relax. This is where compromise comes into play.
4. Lack of control. Decisions are made by supervisors and are always out of your control. Paperwork takes forever to be processed, and things often aren't finalized until it's almost too late. For people like me, who literally LOVE planning and making lists, it makes life kind of frustrating, but you learn to let go. Things always work out in the end.

So there you have it. I could probably go on and on, so if you have any specific questions, feel free to leave a comment or email me and I'll be sure to get back to you... maybe I'll even do a follow-up post.

Military life isn't perfect, but it's perfect for me.
I love being a military wife!

Elliot: 8 months!

2011-08-16T16:18:00.002-04:00

Elliot is eight months old today. I barely batted an eyelash when he turned seven months {after all, it was right after Daddy came home!}. In fact, I was so busy and distracted that I completely forgot to do a seven month post! But don't worry, folks. When Elliot woke up today, he crawled over to me and started smacking me in the face while squealing with delight. It was as if he was saying, "Wake up! I'm EIGHT MONTHS OLD, mama!" What a nice wake up call, right?

This month:
♥ Elliot weighs 16.95 lbs and is 28" long- that puts him at the 5th percentile.
♥ he is wearing all 3-6 month clothing
♥ he is eating 7 ounces every 3-4 hours during the day and I'm happy to announce that he now goes SEVEN HOURS without a bottle at night! He has a bottle before bed {between 9 and 10pm}, and I don't offer him another, even if he wakes up in between, until his 4-5am wakeup
♥ we're working on sleep training Dr. Sears style. Thanks to that, he USUALLY sleeps 5 1/2 hours before waking up at 4-5am, when he comes to bed with us. He usually wakes up again around 6am and gets up for the day between 8 and 8:30.
♥ he eats 4-5 ounces of homemade fruit or veggie purees 3x a day. His favorites are sweet potato and peas.
♥ he loves to eat fruits and veggies in his mesh feeder
♥ he fell into a very reliable schedule and almost always naps at 10, 2, and 5.
♥ he has SIX TEETH!
♥ he has mastered sitting up on his own, crawling on all fours, RUNNING in his walker, pulling up to stand, and cruising along furniture
♥ he loves to "swim" and splash in the pool
♥ he has started throwing tantrums by arching his back and flinging himself backwards in your arms or throwing himself on the floor. He hates to be told "NO."
♥ he still LOVES to go outside and gets very cranky if he's cooped up inside
♥ he is fascinated with a number of things which he isn't supposed to touch/ play with: the door stoppers, which make a fun "BOING!" sound, wires and cords, and blinds
♥ our new apartment complex has a duck pond and he loves to feed the ducks!
♥ he always tries to crawl away during diaper changes
♥ he often cries when I leave the room {even if he is happily playing with Daddy}
♥ he is VERY talkative. He's always babbling away, loves to blow raspberries, and squeals when he's excited

and now, since I haven't said it yet {you knew it was coming}
Holy cow! My baby boy is EIGHT MONTHS old!

our newest addition

2011-08-14T23:18:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! My husband spends way too much time working, so we like to enjoy every minute of our weekends together as a family. Things have been busy around here! Elliot is now not only pulling up onto everything but CRUISING along furniture. He is constantly getting into things or falling over, so someone literally has to be a foot or two away from him at all times.
We are finally settled into our new house, so I'm happy to say that Elliot is back in his cloth diapers and eating homemade baby food again!
The other big piece of news? Our house is finally starting to feel like a home because we added a furry new addition to our family- a seven week old kitten named Winslow. ♥
There were a lot of other kittens to choose from, but we picked Winslow based on what his previous owners told us about his personality- that he loved to play, but he also loved to snuggle. They were right! He absolutely loves chasing toys, wrestling with our hands {or random discarded socks?}, and zooming through our house and up and down the stairs. But he is also a real snuggler and loves to be held and cuddled. Winslow is fitting into our family perfectly so far. He doesn't seem at all put off when Elliot grabs his tail or ears {we're teaching him to be gentle, but Elliot gets really excited so it's hard}. Every time he approaches Elliot {which is quite often- he seems to like him a lot}, Elliot greets him with a hug. Half the time, Winslow is already off exploring something else before the hug can be completed, leaving Elliot hugging nothing but thin air... but other times, Winslow leans into him and purrs and it just melts my heart.
Here are a couple pictures of the new addition- he doesn't like to sit still long enough for me to focus on him.

waiting to see the nursery??

2011-08-09T16:48:00.001-04:00

I haven't posted pictures of Elliot's brand-spanking-new nursery yet because I'm waiting to get the final touches- the wall art! Here's what I picked out:

vintage alphabet wall cards by art and philanthropy on Etsy

"better together" by design by maya on Etsy

"dotted owl" by design by maya on Etsy

"up" by design by maya on Etsy

"nice day" by design by maya on Etsy

"red balloons" by design by maya on Etsy

poor little guy...

2011-08-08T18:20:00.001-04:00

My sick baby!
Elliot has a nasty cold. AGAIN. I swear he has the worst immune system ever. I hope he starts feeling better soon- he spent most of the day today crying, whining, and clinging to me. It breaks my heart.

107 degrees? No problem, mom!

2011-08-06T15:46:00.002-04:00

It's been 107 degrees and sunny for several days in a row now. Our new neighbors probably think we're nuts since they see Elliot and I outside all the time in this heat. Little do they know, if Elliot doesn't get his daily dose (or two, or three...) of sunshine, he GOES NUTS! Seriously! He gets extremely fussy if he's cooped up in the house all day. The kid has more toys than any other baby I know, but nothing is as exciting as going outside. He can be in the middle of a meltdown, and the MOMENT my feet hit the pavement, he stops crying. He just LOVES being outside!
So yes. I take my baby outside even when it's 107 degrees outside. Don't worry- not for too long at a time. He's regularly slathered in spf 50, of course, and we try to stay in the shade.

two years

2011-08-04T11:07:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I have been married for two years today. Somehow, I love my husband even more now than I did on our wedding day. It has been a crazy, beautiful ride so far... and I wouldn't have it any other way. We have lived in three states, been separated for a year, struggled through a difficult pregnancy, and brought our beautiful baby boy into this world. He held and supported me while I cried a million tears during Elliot's NICU stay. Most importantly, has been the best father a little boy could ever ask for, even when all he could do was hold Elliot's hand while he was in the NICU or talk to him on the phone while he was overseas.
I couldn't have asked for a better partner through it all.
Happy Anniversary, Aaron Patrick! ♥I love you.

Life in the new house.

2011-08-03T15:38:00.000-04:00

Well, we moved into our new townhouse on Monday! We've basically just been living in an empty house for the past few days, because all of our furniture and possessions aren't getting delivered until tomorrow. Daddy has been at work so Elliot and I have been finding creative ways to entertain ourselves... the pool and duck pond are our two favorite places to spend our time!
It's been 107 degrees two days in a row now. It's a nice dry heat, though. I LOVE IT! Honestly! The locals think we're nuts but Aaron and I are just loving this heat and soaking up the sunshine.

Elliot is learning things at an incredible rate right now. Every morning, he wakes up and does something new. It's as if he has "impress mama" written on his little mental to-do list. Just in the last few days he has really mastered pulling himself up to stand {using almost anything}, crawling on his hands and knees, going from sitting to crawling all on his own {he used to yell for me to put him on his belly if he wanted something... now he can take off on his own!}, ripping the elephants off the toy bar on his pack n play, and drinking water out of a cup.

I'm also pleased to announce that he slept in HIS ROOM for three nights in a row now. And he's only woken up 3-4 times a night! Hooray! This is nice for three reasons:
1. He can listen to his music all night long and WE don't have to
2. Our air mattress is simply not big enough for the 3 of us
3. We don't have to worry about Aaron waking Elliot up at 5am when he gets ready for PT.

Here are some pictures of him playing in his new {empty!} room this morning. I'll be sure to take pictures of our new place either tomorrow or the next day once everything is put away!

One of his cutest new habits: carrying things in his mouth like a puppy when he crawls.

I'm gonna get those ellies...

Smiley boy :)

I'm sleep deprived.

2011-07-31T16:44:00.000-04:00

Ever since we got to Texas, Elliot has been waking up at least every two hours. I'm the only one getting up with him most of the time because Aaron has to wake up so early. Last night, he woke up every hour SCREAMING his head off. Consequently I'm throwing away full bottles of formula every morning and I'm just... exhausted.
Why is he doing this? I'm not sure. Teething? Tummy troubles? Nightmares? I have no idea and since Elliot obviously can't tell me what's wrong, we're pretty much helpless. We move tomorrow and I'm REALLY hoping that once he settles in he'll develop better sleeping habits. If not, I might pull all of my hair out!

Ouch!

2011-07-28T18:02:00.001-04:00

We made another trip to the emergency room today.
After waking up from a nap, Elliot was happily playing in his pack and play and then suddenly started screaming bloody murder. I rushed to pick him up and his right arm was hanging completely limp and he cried even harder if I tried to touch or move it. After he cried for about an hour straight, my husband was finally able to come home from work so we could go to the hospital.
Turns out, while trying to pull himself up to stand, Elliot managed to hyperextend and dislocate his little elbow. It was a pretty quick {but PAINFUL!} fix- the doctor just had to reset it for him. He certainly didn't like it, though! As we were instructed, we gave him a dose of tylenol for the swelling and pain, and he's been sleeping ever since we got home, for over two hours now.
Poor little guy!

Christmas in July :)

2011-07-28T12:20:00.001-04:00

I was recently given the opportunity to review a christmas ornament from Christmas Ornaments.com At first, I thought, what a strange time to review an ornament! After all, Christmas is a long ways away! When I stopped to think about it more, though, I realized that summertime is the perfect time to shop for ornaments {and other Christmas things}.
If you're anything like me, come November and December, you're running around frantically trying to plan holiday parties and vacations, hanging Christmas lights, and trying to finish all of your Christmas shopping... so finding the perfect decorations is usually the last thing on your mind.
Ornaments can often make the best gifts, especially if you take the time to personally choose something that fits each individual person. Our tree is full of ornaments we received as gifts. Each year, as we dig the ornaments out of their boxes and place them on the tree, we relive the memories connected to each one.

The ornament I chose to review was the "Snuggle Bunny", which can be found here. It reminded me of my little snuggler Elliot and, quite frankly, it's adorable! The ornament is very well made. It would probably even survive being dropped once or twice, which is important when you have small children. I can't wait to hang it on our tree this December!
To get your own ornament, visit this wonderful website today!

Life in the hotel.

2011-07-27T15:19:00.002-04:00

Like I said before, Elliot and I are bored out of our minds in the hotel all day while Aaron is busy inprocessing all week. We go for a walk every afternoon, but you can only stay out in 104 degree heat for so long, especially when an infant is involved. And to my dismay, Elliot can't even play on the grass in the shade because the ants around here are ANGRY and they bite... hard! So, here are a few random pictures I took today.

Peek-a-boo! I see you!

Elliot is trying to pull up on EVERYTHING lately. Luckily, he hasn't quite figured out how to do it in the pack and play yet... but it probably won't be long! I helped him up for these pictures :)

Pardon the drool. He has five teeth now and is working on his sixth!

Dangling. {Don't worry, I was holding his foot in case he decided to make a dive for it}. This morning, when I was 2 feet away quickly folding something, he crawled across the bed and launched himself off the edge. He has a little red bump on his forehead, but is otherwise fine. I think his dignity was more hurt than anything else.

Wild child! Who knew links could be so fun??

Silly :)

Macinaw pictures- finally!

2011-07-26T16:48:00.005-04:00

Life in this hotel while Aaron is at work all day is boring. REALLY boring.
To make it worse, we don't have any of Elliot's favorite toys or his walker or anything, so he wants to be played with or carried around all day long. Seriously. He cries or whines the SECOND you put him down, walk away, stop looking at him or playing with him, etc. He's such a high needs baby. I really love spending time with my little man, but it's hard to get anything done!
It's good to know he loves his mama, though ♥.
He also happens to be the cutest, happiest, friendliest baby I know- as long as he's getting attention. So that's great too. Don't get me wrong- I have a REALLY well behaved baby. I just wish I could get a break every once in awhile, that's all.
I'm really loving Texas so far though! The weather is beautiful! We're moving soon. The waiting list was significantly longer for bigger houses, and to be honest I don't know how much longer I can last in this hotel, so we're just getting a 900 square foot 2 bedroom house. It'll be small, but cozy. We move in August 5th and I can't wait!. Everything will be better when we have space and a yard to play in.
I FINALLY edited the Macinaw pictures last night. Here are some of my favorites:

Family picture in the Butterfly House. Elliot was WAY too distracted {and hot!} to look at the camera.

A really friendly butterfly that kept coming back to us.

Yes, there it is again!

And again.

Elliot absolutely LOVED being in the bjorn all day.

On the ferry ride home. :)

Well, we made it!

2011-07-24T15:10:00.000-04:00

We're here!!
In Texas, that is. A cancelled flight, unexpected drive to Detroit, 3 hour plane ride, missed shuttle, and $180 cab ride later... we're here at sunny Fort Hood. Elliot was WONDERFUL for the every moment of the 12+ hours we spent traveling. It's currently 104 degrees but it's a nice dry heat. We're staying in a suite at the hotel on post for now. Tomorrow, Aaron is going to the housing office to find out exactly how long we'll have to wait to move into a house on post. We've been on the waiting list for quite some time now, so hopefully we won't have to wait long.
We had a FANTASTIC time at Macinaw Island. Elliot was SO well behaved and had a blast while Aaron wore him in the bjorn for 6+ hours in the humid 90 degree weather.
I really do have such a wonderful baby and husband. I love being together again!
Thank you so much for all the kind comments lately. I promise to catch up on all of your blogs soon and to actually start posting regularly soon, too. I also have a bunch of Macinaw pictures to post!

HE'S HOME!

2011-07-19T17:21:00.001-04:00

Aaron is home! Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been trying to spend some quality time with my husband now that he's finally here.
Seeing Elliot and Aaron together absolutely melts my heart. They are perfect together. I don't know why I was so worried about how Elliot would react to Aaron, because he took to him immediately. It's as if he never left!
To top it off, ever since the first night Aaron was home, Elliot has been sleeping seven hours straight every night! SEVEN HOURS! It was hard to get used to at first, and I kept jumping up every time Elliot moved, just to find out that he was still sound asleep. I'll tell you what, though- I haven't felt this well rested since the first trimester of my pregnancy. I'm not sure how long this will last, so I'm soaking up every last minute of extra sleep while I can! Let's hope he doesn't go back to waking up every 2-3 hours.

Here's a recap of what you missed:

Thursday night Aaron flew into Flint, and even though we left Gaylord with PLENTY of time to spare, we had some car trouble and ended up being late to the airport! I felt terrible but we were so happy to finally be together that it didn't really matter too much.

Friday we celebrated Aaron's homecoming by going out to eat for breakfast and just relaxing together before making the drive back up north with Elliot- and I'm sorry to admit that Elliot spent almost the entire three hour trip back out of his carseat. He screamed so long and hard on the way down the previous night that my ears were still ringing the next day.
I insisted on doing a quick family photoshoot, of course!

Saturday was our first trip to the beach as a family. It was bright and sunny, 95 degrees in the shade, and we had a blast.

Sunday was a special day- Elliot's baptism. My favorite part of the ceremony was when Father James said to Elliot, "I claim you for God." Now that's a powerful thing.
There were FOUR other babies being baptized during the ceremony, and Elliot was definitely the most well behaved, which is a small miracle since it has been in the 90's here and our church isn't air conditioned so it was SWELTERING in there. When they poured the water over his head, instead of crying, he looked around like, that's it?! I want more! He was also enthralled with the candle and kept smiling at it. I completely forgot to bring my camera, so I'll have to steal some pictures from someone.
Elliot decided to sleep through the entire party {even though he was the guest of honor} so I didn't get many pictures then, either! We had a great time with family and friends, though.

Greasy Elliot with his godmother, Shannon.

Monday the movers came, packed up all of our furniture and belongings, and sent them on their way down to Texas.

And that brings us to today. Elliot woke up early, but Aaron took him upstairs and let me sleep in until 9 and then made me breakfast!! What a great husband, right?We took a walk together and since then we've just been relaxing. Tonight we're having a big turkey dinner with both my parents and the in-laws.
I still can't believe Aaron's home. Every time I look at him, it feels like my heart will burst. I love this man so much, and can't believe what a wonderful husband and father he is. It is absolutely wonderful to have him home.
Tomorrow we're going to Macinaw Island- I can't wait!

5 Hours...

2011-07-14T17:48:00.000-04:00

In just five hours, Aaron will be home. I can't believe it. I remember when this was 99 days away and I was excited to get into the double digits. And now, he's almost here!
I can't wait!

Come back tomorrow for LOTS of pictures of our family finally together again!

YAY!

2011-07-12T16:31:00.000-04:00

My husband will be home the DAY AFTER TOMORROW!
and that is all :)

If you're a woman, you need to read this

2011-07-09T16:26:00.002-04:00

As a woman recovering from an eating disorder, posts and articles about body image, self acceptance, weight issues, etc practically jump right off the screen at me. So when one of my favorite bloggers, Laura from Between the Lines suggested this post, I read it immediately. And I couldn't agree more- if you're a woman, you need to read this post. It's fantastic!

Click below to read:
a post about Body Image

I've gotten many requests to do a post about my journey through pregnancy {and beyond} while recovering from an eating disorder.
Well folks, I'm finally getting off my butt and WRITING that post.
You can expect to see it soon. Very soon!

Massive photo dump.

2011-07-08T22:35:00.000-04:00

I took ninety-seven photos of Elliot today. NINETY-SEVEN. I might have gone a bit overboard, but I haven't been using my camera as much lately and Elliot is changing so fast that I just wanted to get a bunch of pictures of him just... being him. Not doing anything special. Just our day to day life, when he was 6 months old, before daddy came home.
I picked a good day, because Elliot was in SUCH a good mood! He is just so much fun right now! Full of energy, always moving, always laughing, go go go go go! He's really looking and acting like a little boy lately, rather than a baby, and it makes me kind of sad.
Without further ado, here are twelve of my favorite shots from today. Hey, cut me some slack. I started off with 97... I think I narrowed it down quite nicely. Don't you? :)

If this one doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what will. {He was chasing after me and yelling happily}

He is really starting to get some meat on those thighs!!

The face I was greeted with when I went in to get him after his nap. He always plays and rolls around in his crib and/or pack and play when he wakes up now instead of crying. It's so cute!

He was super into investigating the grass.

Poor giraffe!

Chewing on his paci. The only time he actually sucks on it anymore is every once in awhile when he's sleepy. Usually, he just uses it as a teether/toy.

Chloe's Closet Bib WINNER :)

2011-07-08T21:15:00.000-04:00

and the winner is...
Comment #38: MH @ Pup and Tot!
Congratulations! I will be emailing you shortly! :)

Busy, busy, busy

2011-07-07T22:56:00.000-04:00

Aaron comes home in ONE WEEK!
I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Luckily, I have a lot to do over the next seven days to keep my mind off of it, because otherwise, all I can think about is: Aaron's coming home, Aaron's coming home, Aaron's coming home!
This morning, the moving company sent over a consultant who meticulously inventoried all 4,000 pounds of the stuff we'll be moving to Texas. I found out that they will pack everything for us. EVERYTHING! In fact, she said not to bother packing anymore because they'll have to unpack and repack everything. So, that's one thing I can cross off my to-do list.
Then, this afternoon Elliot spent the afternoon at my in-law's house while I practiced parallel parking with my father-in-law. My driving test is on Monday and I'm a little nervous but feel much more confident driving now than I used to. Yes, you read that right- I have a driving test on Monday. Yes, I'm 22 and I don't have a driver's license. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk about it on my blog, but then I figured, well, what do I have to hide? I don't have a driver's license because I had a scary driving instructor when I was 16 and was deathly afraid of driving for years. I would even go so far as to call it a phobia. I was just TERRIFIED of driving. But I know that it is something I need to do, especially now that I have a child, so I'm sucking it up and FINALLY getting my license. And I actually don't really mind driving anymore... in fact {dare I say it?} I actually kind of enjoy it now.
This evening I had a preparation class for Elliot's baptism. It was really interesting and I am so happy that we decided to finally have him baptized. Faith has always been important to me. I hope to be a good christian role model as Elliot grows up and hope we can go to church together every Sunday like I always did growing up. I'm also thrilled that Elliot will be baptized in the same church where Aaron and I met! There will be four other babies being baptized on the same day as Elliot's baptism... so that could be interesting. Apparently, summer is the busy baptism season in the catholic church! I'm very much looking forward to that day. I hope to do a more in depth post about this soon.
And now, as a reward for listening to me ramble for so long, you deserve some cute pictures. So here is my favorite bath baby!

How we celebrated the 4th... aka my baby is crazy!

2011-07-06T17:04:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday! I know that I personally would have enjoyed it better had Aaron been home {I always seem to miss him more on patriotic holidays}. We did, however, still have a good day! My father had his annual fourth of July extravaganza at his house... fireworks galore! Elliot loved it all... the noise, all the kids running around, all the attention he was getting... so much so, in fact, that he stayed up past his bedtime. WAY past his bedtime. He didn't go to sleep until 1:30am. ONE THIRTY in the morning!! He's been sleeping in lately, so I figured, well, at least he'll sleep in. Nope! He woke up right at eight o'clock. What can I say? My baby is crazy!
Other than, you know... the fact that I battled a screaming baby for two hours straight, I had a good time. I did what most people do at parties and ate entirely too much food and stayed up way too late. Oh well!
Some pictures from our day:

Our family- I will miss these guys when I move away in a couple weeks!

Elliot is currently cutting his third tooth {right next to the ones he already has!} so he's been pretty clingy and fussy the last couple days. That, and all the planning/packing/etc I've been doing lately, is why I haven't posted the last couple days! Aaron will be home in EIGHT DAYS!! I can't believe it.

but mom, I'm not tired!!

2011-07-02T20:00:00.001-04:00

Elliot has started fighting his sleep lately. Actually, fighting sleep doesn't really explain it. It all starts off fine... he has a nice big bowl of food and a relaxing bath, followed by a massage and a bottle. Well... as the bottle nears empty and his eyes grow heavy... that's when it all goes downhill. For some inexplicable reason, Elliot starts SCREAMING. We're talking Defcon 5, Help-Me-Mom-I'm-Dying, screaming on the top of his lungs. All the while, his eyes are little slits, with giant bags beneath them, and he can hardly even hold his own head up.
I just don't get it. I've tried everything- rocking him, singing to him, laying down next to him, even just laying him in his crib and seeing if he just needs some time by himself to compose himself. NOPE. Nothing helps.
It's almost as if he knows it's bedtime and just doesn't want to go to bed... but I'm pretty sure he's not old enough for that yet.
Thanks to all of this screaming, Elliot hasn't been getting to bed until 11 or sometimes even MIDNIGHT lately, and consequently hasn't been waking up until 10:00 or 10:30. His schedule is way off. Poor guy.

Chloe's Closet Review & Giveaway

2011-07-01T11:53:00.004-04:00

Elliot drools ALL DAY LONG and is also an extremely messy eater. I tried every bib I could find, but nothing was working- the neck holes were always way too big, the bib was too small, or he'd soak through it in five minutes.
I was searching Etsy one day and found Chloe's Closet and decided to give her bibs a try. After all, if nothing else, at least they were cute! From the moment I first put the first bib on him, it was history. I knew I'd never use another kind of bib. It was soft, large, bright and fun, and fit perfectly. And better yet- he could wear one bib almost all day without soaking through! I was sold.
Since then, I've bought many more bibs from Chloe's Closet and they are the only ones we use now. He has one on at all times. They are quality printed cotton on one side, and soft, absorbent chenille on the other. They close with a snap so there is no velcro sticking to all of his clothes in the dryer. Simply put, they are the best bibs I've ever found!
Visit Chloe's Closet Boutique today to pick out some of your own handmade little luxuries!

Printed cotton on the front, soft chenille on the back.

Elliot with some of his favorite bibs from Chloe's Closet.

Giveaway:
To enter:
- visit Chloe's Closet and leave a comment telling me which $9 bib you can't live without
- Winner will be chosen by 8pm est on Friday 7/8

Extra Entries:
{please leave a seperate comment for each}
- tweet about Chloe's Closet
- vote for my blog
- tweet about this giveaway
- like "Chloe's Closet" on facebook
- follow me on twitter

Good luck!

avocado face!

2011-06-29T13:22:00.004-04:00

Elliot tried avocado today. At first, he wasn't too sure about it... but it was really thick, so I added some water. After that, he gobbled it right up!

Making avocados was super easy! All I did was cut a chunk off, scoop out the flesh, mash it up, and add a little water.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a really great review/giveaway!

sixteen.

2011-06-28T08:00:00.004-04:00

16 days!
Our new furniture has been delivered {it's gorgeous!}, the movers will be here in just over a week, and we've been moved to the top of the housing list. To top it off, plans for Elliot's baptism and our little retreat to Macinac Island are almost complete.
Life is good.

circumcision in the media.

2011-06-27T12:01:00.003-04:00

It looks like my husband and I are not the only ones who think circumcision is not medically necessary.
Medicaid no longer covers circumcision in eighteen states.
Read the article here.

"That's a good thing, because paying someone to amputate a healthy functional body part from an unconsenting minor is not just a waste of taxpayer money — it's also a violation of human rights."
-Matthew Hess {I couldn't have said it better myself!}

As natural parenting moves into the limelight, controversial topics such as breast feeding in public, cosleeping, cloth diapers, and circumcision are making their way into the media more and more. In fact, circumcision rates are going down rather quickly. In many US hospitals, it is now close to 50/50. Times are changing. Parents are challenging the status quo, instead of blindly doing "what everyone else does"- in all different areas of parenting. I think this is a very good thing.

Are you pregnant and wondering whether or not to have your son circumcised?
I recommend the following links:
Peaceful Parenting's "Are You Fully Informed?" circumcision resource page.
Circumcision Resource Center
Kids Health: Circumcision
Mothers Against Circumcision

{I realize that this is a very touchy subject. I'm not condemning those who chose circumcision. Either way, it's YOUR decision and nobody can tell you what you should or shouldn't do. I just wanted to provide some information and sources for those who may be trying to make this difficult decision. Luckily, I had a wonderful OB who presented me with a bunch of pamplets and printed articles on the subject. I know not everyone is so lucky!}