Monday, December 29, 2008

Goodbye Little Buddy

I knew this day would come soon, but I really didn't think it would be today. Lilah had her 4 month checkup today, and is now free of her little buddy. The reports downloaded from her monitor showed no significant apnea episodes, so we are free and clear. I am extremely happy but I am sure Mike and I will be nervous wrecks for a while. I thought I would celebrate with a top ten list probably only my husband could relate to.

Top 10 Reasons Why I am Happy Lilah's monitor is gone

1. That is 5 lbs less I have to carry around
2. No more pulling the leads off
3. No more screatching alarms in the middle of the night
4. No more getting tangles in the cords
5. Lilah can wear pajamas that zip
6. Lilah can wear tights now
7. Much easier to move around the house
8. One less step to go through each day
9. No more forgetting to charge the battery every night or worry abut the memory being full and not recording something important
10. My baby feels like a baby

#1 Reason why I want Lilah's monitor back on

I am terrified something is going to happen and I am not going to catch it

Other exciting news, Lilah is doing good and developing right on track. She is 13 lbs 11oz and in the 5oth percentile, she is 23 3/4 inches and in the 10th percentile for height. She is flying through 3-6 month clothes and making her way in to 6-9 month clothes, at 4 months of age.

I thought Lilah and I would celebrate tonight. Did we throw back a few beers and burgers? Partly. I had a Whopper for the first time, yummy. And we topped off the night with her sleeping in pajamas that zip for the first time.

Yea Lilah. Now off to bed to sit there and stare at her all night long.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Merry Christmas?


We have been trying to plan the perfect Christmas for Jonathan. He was so in to everything this year, and it was Lilah's first Christmas too. Wednesday I got our make ahead breakfast's together and started getting the house cleaned up for Christmas. Wednesday evening around 6:30, Jonathan threw up. I was hoping it was from coughing as we have all had a cold the past few weeks. Nope. He did not stop. We did somehow manage to put out a plate with cookies, carrots, special reindeer food and Jonathan's Nuks. We even watch daddy sprinkle the magic reindeer food outside so they would know where to find us. Mike and I went to bed around 1 and Jonathan was still getting sick. I woke up around 6am with a belly ache to quickly find out I had the stomach flu as well. Jonathan was feeling a little better in the morning and enjoyed opening his presents, including his new train table. I managed to record about 45 seconds of it before having to get sick. I didn't get any pictures of opening presents. I feel horrible I missed him opening up most of his presents, but I could barely manage to get off the bathroom floor, let alone the bed. Mike's brother stopped over to get a pie we had for Christmas, and my sisters stopped over to get some gifts they had at our house. We had to cancel all of our plans for the day. My family did not come over and we did not go over to Mike paren's house as planned. We were all so disappointed but tried to make the best out of our day together. Not sure if we managed to do that, Jonathan and I slept away the flu as much as we could as Mike and Lilah chilled in the living room spending time together. My family stopped over in the evening with our stockings from their house and visited for a while. I hope no one else get's this horrible flu, we did our best to stay quarantined. I am hoping it is finally over.
I know, you love my hot hair.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

My Cup Runneth Over

I am so proud of Jonathan. We have been talking for the past few weeks how we are going to leave all his Nuks for Santa on Christmas Eve. Santa is going to take them and give them to little baby's that don't have any Nuks. Seriously, we talk about it every day. I was so afraid it was going to be a disaster. It makes me sick to even think about it. Well we talked about it this morning and when it came time for a nap, I told him we were going to "practice" for tonight when Santa takes his Nuks. He whined and asked for it a dozen times, but he did not cry or throw a fit, and . . . . he fell asleep without it. I am so happy, I think I just might cry. I hope tonight goes just as good. Now I think I might need his Nuk to fall asleep.

Wordless Wednesday


Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Yea, I Yuv Workers!

Jonathan is a fan of talking to the workers at stores. A typical coversation at the grocery store will go like this:

Jonathan: Hey, what you doin?
Worker: Working
Jonathan: I know, what are you doing?

He wants to know exactly what they are doing. Jonathan always wants to go to Nana and Papa's house. Last week when he asked I told him we couldn't go because Nana and Papa were getting new windows put in and there were workers at their house and we couldn't bother the workers. Last time we headed over there when I told him where we were going he said "Yea, I yuv workers!". He was diappointed when I told him that the workers were gone. Then he continued to tell Mike, "Mommy yuvs workers too". Yep. No I don't "yuv" workers. I "yuv" my husband, but I do appreciate workers.

Friday, December 19, 2008

My Superman

Conversation on our way home tonight:

Me: The roads are getting slippery.
Jonathan: Oh. I put salt out?
Me: No, it's okay.
Jonathan: I Superman, I fly fast, I keep you safe. I push car out.

I love my little Superman.

Jonathan playing with his trains:
Hey, you go to time out, I spank your butt. (puts train in engine house). Train put a tree on top of choo-choo train house. Get off my house, go in time out.


He cracks me up.

We just finished saying our bedtime prayers. I prayed for daddy to drive home safe and for God to take care of sick babies. I also prayed that Aunt Becky drives safe to work tomorrow. I asked Jonathan if there was anything else he wanted to pray for and here is the response I got:
"Pray for money so I go shopping tomorrow". Too funny. We never talk about money, unless it involves putting it in his "piggy pank". My kind of man. Now if that money would only show up . . .

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Monday, December 15, 2008

It's Final



As in, I am a finalist! In the Hallmark YourParenthood Father's Day Card contest. I received a phone call from Hallmark this evening notifying me that I am one of 12 finalists selected. That comes with a $250 cash prize, $250 donation to a charity of my choice, and my card will be sold in Hallmark stores and online. It will officially be announced in February and the voting will begin soon after. You better get ready to start voting because this is not the last you will hear of it. A big thank you goes to my husband for being a great father. I think I will buy 50 of these cards when they go on sale and he will get one every year for Father's Day.

I need help coming up with a charity to donate to. Please comment with a suggestion. I want the money to go to a good cause.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Do you know what makes me happy?

Jonathan woke up from his nap this afternoon and went pee. He came in and gave me a big hug. We were talking about how much I love him and how much he loves me. I asked him "Do you know what makes me happy?", he should say "no", then I should say "you do". Our conversation played out a little differently.

Me: Do you know what makes me happy?
Jonathan: Aunt Becky?
Me: Yes, Aunt Becky makes me happy. Do you know what else makes me happy?
Jonathan: Uh, Nana?
Me: Yes, Nana makes me happy too. Do you know what else makes me happy? You do silly.
Jonathan: Oh.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Wordless Wednesday


I know what Santa's bringing someone for Christmas . . .

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

CHRISTmas Traditions

I am freaking out about Christmas gifts for the kids and family traditions. I really have all of my shopping for them done, but I want to give them something special each year and start a family tradition. I figured we better start now if we want to do something like that. I decided that I want to get them each a special hardcover book each year and write them a note in it and date it. Sounds easy enough. I got that idea from a book I got for Lilah, "My Little Girl". I am unhappy with the book I picked out for Jonathan. I think I am going to return it. I want more of a classic, and something to symbolize where they are at in their life. I picked a Usborne book of stories for boys, It's cute, Joanthan will like it, but I don't feel it is special enough. We spend forever at Borders picking it out, adn I already want to return it. What about his first 2 Christmases? I don't want him to feel leftout, I think I should backdate 2 books. But I also want to get them special ornaments each year so they will have some for their tree when they grow up ( boo whoo). I would need to backdate that too. And Christmas pajamas, I want to get them pajamas too. I want to make a Birthday Cake for Jesus too, my mom always does that. This is so hard. What to do, what not to do. What book to get . . . I want Christmas to be special for them every year, like it was for me. I know it's not about presents at all, but I do want to start some traditions, and I don't want to wait until they are out of the house to do it. Any book ideas? I am stumped and don't want to leave Borders in tears. I want to do the book thing at least. What are your family traditions for Christmas?

Sunday, December 7, 2008

I want a Special Lunch!


We have a lot of food that seems to go to waste, so I have been trying to pack Jonathan's lunch more for daycare. He loves his special lunches. He get's so excited and starts telling everyone when we get to daycare what he has to eat for lunch. I have also started packing him special breakfasts. I have adopted the "Bento" concept with using smaller containers inside of larger ones. It eliminates all the plastic baggies so there is less garbage. I use smaller amounts of a variety of foods. He is such a good eater it is east to do. The lunch for tomorrow is pretty boring but I have been using our Christmas cookie cutters and he has had Santa and Gingerbread Man eggs for breakfast a few times, and a Santa and Christmas Tree Panini's. Those were a hit. I didn't like the Bento Containers from Japan. The plastic could not be washed in the dishwasher or microwaved, makes me wonder what the heck is in it. So I bought some of the take and toss containers and I use the silicone molds and pinch bowls. They work great in case only a portion of his lunch needs to be heated. You can microwave and bake in them. They also work great to put dip in or keeping things from getting soggy. So here is a picture of his lunch for tomorrow. Nothing fancy. A piece of Tilapia, two mashed potato Smiles, Ketchup, corn and some fruit. It's so easy to do. It saves waste, saves money, and it's healthy. If I want him to eat something he doesn't like as much, do something fun with it. Use cookie cutters and make it in a cool shape. Call it something new. Jonathan won't eat broccoli, but he'll eat "trees" every time. If you tell him there is spinach on his plate, won't touch it. But when it's "leaves", he'll gobble it up.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Just Drive

On our way to daycare this morning Jonathan and I were singing Christmas songs when he started yelling at me. I couldn't understand what he was saying for a few minutes but he kept yelling as I was singing. He was telling me to "Just Drive". Wow, must be pretty bad if you have someone who can't even wipe their own butt telling you not to sing.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

All I want for Christmas

You can't start with just one post, so here is another.

Yesterday evening on the way home from daycare Jonathan and I got in a discussion about Santa and what everyone wanted for Christmas. Previously when you asked him, his response was "train tracks", easy enough. However yesterday, the list grew by at least $100,000. When I asked him again, this was the response I got, "I want a big house like Ms. Di and Big Ed(our daycare providers/family) with big doors too". How the heck did we go from wooden train tracks to a new big house? Yea sweetie, mommy wants a new big house too, but unless we win the lottery, that's not going to happen.
Next, I asked him what mommy wants. "Oh mommy stuff, like new chapsticks", he knows me too well. According to Jonathan, Lilah wants pink toys and a little baby doll in a box, Daddy wants "Daddy stuff" whatever that may be, and Aunt Becky wants a "little door to go somewhere else", smart kid.
Come on over to my house, sit on Jonathan's lap, and he'll tell you what you want for Christmas.

P.S. Bring your checkbook, the wishes are big this year!

Welcome!

So I am a little paranoid about starting a personal blog. The first little sign that someone is stalking my family, or saving pictures of my kids, and I am done. With that said, I really wanted a personal blog for a few different reasons.

Share hilarious parenting stories (think my family is sick of me calling them multiple times a day)
Help me come up with more creative healthy meals for my family
Balance my personal and professional life
So I can print my blog in book form each year because I suck at keeping up with the baby books

I have a photography blog set up with my website, I have my flicker site, facebook and a myspace, and I do blog on myspace but it is way to hard to keep it organized. So what do I do, add something else. What intrigues me so, is the fact that I can easily have my blog put in to a book form and have everything recorded for my babies. I don't think anything has been entered in Jonathan's baby book since he got his last tooth, at least a year ago, and Lilah's hasn't even been started yet. Jonathan says way too many funny thing for me not to record them, and Lilah is always up to something.

I am a wife. I am a mom to a funy, energetic, 2 1/5 yr old little boy named Jonathan with a great imagination, and a beautiful, happy, 3 month old little girl named Lilah who has Silent Reflux and MSPI(Milk/Soy Protein Intollerance), and a wonderful dog named Haley who loves the kids, running around, and barking at every little noise she hears outside. I am an ex-vegetarian, as in I ate meat for the first time in 9 years last week, and I like it. I'm not granola, but I am a baby wearing, breastfeeding, organic buying (when I can afford it) mom that tries to be green. I work full time in Human Resources, and I also have my own photography business. Having to work full time, with my husband working a lot of nights, I try to think of fun things for us to do on the evenings and weekends when it is just me and the kids. Try to make the time that we do have special together. I know it will be gone before I know it. My house isn't always clean, sometimes I forget to return phone calls, every now and then I'll leave something odd like a box of crackers in the refrigerator, but my kids are happy, clean, well nourished, and for the most part well behaved. I like to make fun healthy lunches for Jonathan, somewhat Bento inspired, I like to play games with him, I like to take road trips and ride in the car with my husband, and I like to make silly faces to make Lilah laugh. I love my crazy, tragic, and sometimes almost magic, awful beautiful life.

So please, subscribe to my feed, bookmark my blog, and leave lots of comments, and maybe, I'll keep this going.

I know it's boring so far, but I promise, I will pimp it out soon.