Neigh

Just had to do this. I saw it briefly on another website when following comments.

You Are A: Pony!

Who doesn't love a pony? You are one of these miniature horses, renown for your beauty and desired by many. Full of grace, you are a beautiful and very special animal, full of strength and majesty.

You were almost a: Kitten or a Squirrel
You are least like a: Turtle or a DuckThe Cute Animals Quiz

B-DAY

No, it's not my birthday (yet! a month and half still left)....It's Baby Boot Camp day! I begin today on a 6 week workout plan. I will go Mondays and Wednesdays and on the other days I will workout with Denise Austin from the tapes my mom has made for me of her workouts. Today I am 145 lbs. I want to be 130-135. I have no doubt that by 6 weeks from Wednesday (my last day of bootcamp) I will have reached my goal.

I'm also embarking on my organizing adventure today. My mom and I went shopping yesterday and bought a bunch of things to help me organize my home. I'm also taking some tips I've heard on several blogs and a tv cooking show and I'm pre-making a bunch of dinners on the weekend and then using them during the week. I still have to sit down and plan my meals but I will do it.

I'm just so excited!

Today I get to make my oldest daughter's costume which I'm very excited about. I got pink tulle to put under her skirt to look like a petticoat type thing that they wore in the fifties.

Anyway, I have to be there in an hour and Lord knows it will take me that long to finish getting ready and get the little one ready.

I'll write when I get back between organizing, making my daughter's costume, doing the everyday cleaning and hyperventilating! But I really feel good about all of this!

I'm posting a pic of the baby from the other day. Her hair looks SO LONG and she looks like such a little girl, I can't believe it. She was in one of our desk chairs and daddy and I were pushing her back and forth between us. She thought it as great fun....I think she's gonna love amusement park rides! HOORAY!

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

I'm so excited today for so many reasons.
#1...Today is the 5th Anniversary of my hubby and my first date. It started as brunch and and art museum and ended up being brunch, art museum, basketball at the YMCA, Lunch, the mall, a movie and dinner. We've been together every since. What a wonderful beginning to a wonderful 5 years and 100 more!


#2...Thanks to Robin I ordered a book by Karol Ladd called A Positive Plan For Creating More Calm Less Stress. Like Addie said so well I am an organized person trapped in a disorganized person's body. I'm so excited to make a change and just get a grip on my home and life. I feel like right now I'm just keeping my head above water and I don't believe it has to be that way.

#3...So, on that same not, I'm gonna go WAY OVERBOARD...yesterday my mom bought me the book called Emilie's Creative Home Organizer by Emilie Barnes. And last, but not least, my mom is ordering Organization Transformation by Liana George. This is thanks to a comment left on Robin's Post by Susie.

Now I just need to find time to read....hmmm...

#4...We're going out to lunch today with some of my hubby's old friends...I love going out to eat and we don't do it much anymore.

#5...I got the stuff to make my oldest daughter's costume. She's gonna be a 50's girl. I'm so excited to put it all together. My baby is gonna be a poodle. I'll have to post pictures of them when they get dressed up.

UMMMM....I know there is more. It's just an all around beautiful day today so that helps too.

OH YEAH
#5...My mom bought my little one the Praise Baby DVD Collection. They are like Baby Einstein except they use all praise and worship music. I LOVE THEM (so does my daughter)! I have all of the Baby Einsteins(I think there is 17 or 18) and now all of the Praise Babies (there are 3).

SO FAR...that is what I'm excited about today...there are a few other things but I gotta go play with my daughter.

How was that for linking like crazy? Whew! I'm glad that's over. Ok, I'm going now.

My Girls

Comics Online

I love the internet, as I've said before, I can find ANYTHING...just ask. Why didn't I ever think about comic strips. I've always loved the comics but never EVER thought about looking for them online.

Then I saw on Leslie's and Addie's blogs they posted about Dilbert having a blog.

Now I've found an entire website of comics.

Now there is something to laugh at everyday. It's got a ton of different comic strips.

I just thought this was fun.

When did that happen?

I had to share pictures of my baby...

Here she is one year ago...

Here she is six months ago


Here she is 3 days ago.

My little secret....

Today I bought a 5.1oz bag of Lindt Lindor Truffles - Dark Chocolate with a Smooth Filling" (chocolate filling of course)and ate the whole thing. Every one. All 12. Yes, I did it. Monday I start Baby Boot Camp and there's no turning back so I had to go out with a bang...and I did.

My name is Stephanie and I'm a Chocoholic.

Now I have to go make those phonecalls I keep putting off while my little crazy kid is asleep.

I could pass 8th Grade Math!! Hooray!

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 8/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

I hated math when I was younger but now I really think I like it. I love these Blogthings Quizzes

My little one's voice

Ok, I thought this would be fun. Here is my baby giggling and saying "Hi" and kissing the phone.

My Big Brother Cody

When any of you have the time, visit my brother's website. He just redid it today. I'm so proud of him (shhhh, don't tell him I said that).

He is a Youth Pastor in Burlington, NC at Brookwood Church. Him and his wife Kristina have been through a lot in the recent years trying to conceive a child and then adopting. They have a wonderful story of the adoption's trials and tribulations and then the miracle of my beautiful neice Mia Rene. And, to top it all off, the story of how after my sis-in-law returned to the states after 11 months or so in Guatemala, she found out she's pregnant.

His website is really cool and he has his testimony and a link to a website about Mia's adoption.

www.mooseministries.org in case the links don't work for some reason.

20 Minute Naps

Thank the Lord for 20 minute naps. I feel revived for now. The baby went down and 8:20 and I went down at 8:30...at 8:50 she awoke due to some poopers in her diaper (she refuses to sleep if she's poopied...). Now I'm making a list of all the things I have to get done today.

Here's a couple more things to add to my list of things about me.

-I love being on the computer. I can find anyone or anything in a minute. My hubby calls me his Tech Department

-I would love to be a police detective, in another lifetime maybe. My hubby also calls me Detective Stephanie. I always want to investigate things. I notice details. I love Court TV and some of those A&E shows about crime and crime solving.

-I hate making phone calls. If I could live by email or instant messenger I would be perfectly happy.

-I love making lists. I have about a million at a time and I keep consolidating them to a new one. It makes me feel like I've accomplished something I guess.

-Just like Addie, I cannot tell a lie, even if it's a surprise or joke. When I married my hubby my oldest daughter was 7 and still believed in Santa and I could not talk to her about Santa. My youngest will not believe in Santa because I just can't do it.

-Steak - Medium Rare, ALWAYS...and favorite Restaurant=Outback (My hubby calls me a carnivore...)Rockhampton Ribeye, Baked Potato Loaded, Salad/Ranch.

-My 10 year class reunion is this weekend and I can't go. Boo Hoo...I attended Lynchburg Christian Academy (in Lynchburg,Va...Jerry Falwell's School Private School)

-I have attended 4 colleges.

-I have my paralegal certificate but have never used it.

Ok, reading everyone else makes me keep adding to mine. It is kinda fun to do.

Anyway, I'm off to do a couple things on my list. Can you believe I have 5 phonecalls to make...UGH!

I'm downloading more Country music today...Brooks and Dunn, Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna and Reba.

I gotta go.
Bye Ya'll! :-)

A Mom's Facts of Life

No matter how much you vacuum and sweep, there will be cheerio's in every corner and under every peice of furniture for the rest of your life.

One morning out of a hundered, she will want to wake up at 5:30.

So here we are. Me on the computer, her in her fuzzy chair with a blanket over her lap and her doll in her arms watching Baby Monet. I know she's sleepy, you can see it...but this morning she just wanted to talk to me and point at everything in her room. So I decided to just make it morning. Meanwhile, my hubby is in our nice warm bed, under the covers, snoozing away (only for another 10 minutes, but still).

Today will definitely be a nap day for me. I bet she's out again by 8:30am (or I guess I should say..PLEASE GOD, LET HER BE OUT AGAIN BY 8:30am!)


My hubby just left to get our oldest and take her to school. Today she's back home with us...HOORAY!

The baby is becoming a little bit grumpy. Sausage is already made, all I need now is chocolate milk.

A picture is worth 1000 words, these may be worth more....or less!

Click here are some funny and interesting pictures. They are from a website call Worth1000.com where they have photo contests. There are a bunch there.

It is amazing what can be done with a computer these days.

It was kinda hard for me to figure out how www.worth1000.com worked (maybe I'm just slow but I'll help you guys too, just in case). If you scroll down to the "advanced photoshop contests and galleries" and click (or click here) you can choose from one of like a trillion galleries of really cool and funny pictures. You can even vote or enter if you have a knack for this kinda stuff.

Happy Wednesday

Well, here we are. It's Wednesday already. Today my oldest had a half day of school and is spending the afternoon here before going back to her other mom's. Hooray. Right now she is working on her 6th grade math which even gives me a challenge!

My hubby had a terrible allergy headache so he came home and took two antihistimines and crashed out. He's still asleep.

Baby girl had a pretty good night last night. She only woke up 3 times, part of the reason being that I fell asleep and slept for 2 hours in the chair with her in my arms. She went down at 8:00 and woke up for the day at 7:30. Better than usual! She is down for nap now and has been since 12:40 and it's 1:55 now. I'm so happy about that.

I just made my world famous chicken salad ("world" meaning my hubby and my daughter, oh and me too). Yum yum.

BY THE WAY...here's a new factoid about me (i'm going a little crazy with this one, I guess I have a lot of quirkiness in me)...I have to have mayo on both slices of bread, and lots of it. I don't like mustard and I don't like pepper. I don't like tomatoes but I like everything made from them...

Alright. I'm going no to eat more chicken salad.

Just one more post before bed mommy! Please!

My husband says I'm addicted to the internet, I couldn't tell you why. (He's in bed, I'm still online....hmmmm...)

Ok, here goes...some interesting Tidbits about me...


My first language was Englis. Working on Spanish being my second and doing pretty well.
(ok, I caught this in proofreading but I thought I'd leave it cuz it really got me giggling)

Mom was a SAHM until my parents seperated, my dad is a rancher/truck driver and a myriad of other things.

Name would've been Carrie Elizabeth if my mom had it her way. She likes Stephanie Lynn now.

I am the youngest of 3 kids, two older brothers. I am the only girl.

I laugh hysterically and uncontrollably at just random silly things, especially at the hint of being tickled (drives my hubby nuts when he's trying to be sweet or romantic)

I've traveled to 1 continents(Europe), 1 other country(England), about 25 states.

Mom mom was a missionary based in Stokenchurch,England and she lived there for 3 years while I lived in Virginia.

I've been on lots of mission trips, but none out of the country.

Favorite Movie: really so many I can't think of them or narrow it to one but Elf is literally the funniest movie I've ever seen in my life.

Sock, sock, shoe, shoe

Toilet paper falls toward user. I agree with Bekah, there is absolutely no other way.

I was a ranch kid! Riding & grooming horses, riding 4-wheelers, fishing, camping

Went to the ER twice for getting hooked by the SAME fish hook...once in my lip and once in the back of my leg behind my knee.

Nicknames: Steph, Stephie, Sophie(HS French Name just caught on), Daphne(old boss for some reason called me that)

Place of Birth: Lancaster, PA

Favorite Color: PURPLE PURPLE PURPLE

Favorite Ice Cream: Haagen-Daz Mocha Almond Fudge or Haagen-Daz Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Bars

Favorite TV Show: TLC's "What Not To Wear."

I always cry when I watch Extreme Home Makeover.

I HATE movies with sad endings.

My biggest pet peaves are aggressive or just plain bad drivers and poor customer service (like I'm putting them out!)


I went to Middle School and was friends with Ivana Ma from the second season of the Apprentice.

My favorite drink: I can't have caffeine currently (nursing still) but Sweet Ice Tea and Coffee...I'm a caffeine-aholic for sure!

Planned my wedding and had it in 7 weeks, married 1 year and 1 month after our first date. Dating 5 years on October 29th. Married for 4 years on December 8th.

My hubby is 11 years and 1 month older than me.

I am a music LOVER! I love all types. I'm almost always listening to some (currently Vince Gill - I Still Believe In You...I'm on a country kick right now)
All time favorite COUNTRY song: John Deere Green - Joe Diffie
All time favorite CHRISTIAN song: hmmm....still thinking
All time favorite SECULAR song: hmmm.....still thinking
All time favorite HYMN: It Is Well With My Soul
All time favorite PRAISE AND WORSHIP: Blessed Be Your Name - Tree 63

So there. This is in honor and celebration of Bekah coming back to blogworld after a hectic month so do this on your site and leave a comment to let us know you did it.

Country Girl at Heart

Ok, I should go to bed but I have this one last post I've been thinking about writing.

I was born in Lancaster, PA...I lived in Elizabethtown, PA the first 4 years of my life. Then we moved to Virginia where over the next 19 years we lived in Middleburg, Hume (Front Royal area), Manassas and Lynchburg. (since then I have moved several more times, I am not 23 anymore). I have two older brothers(stick with me, it will all come together in a minute). My oldest brother has always been into rap and r&b music and I idolized him. He was 7 years older than me so for the most part that is the kind of music I liked and still like. My other brother is a REDNECK. He worked at the country Radio Station in Lynchburg. For awhile I listened to country music but then I went back to what I'd always listened to.

Now, in our house it is nothing but Christian Music. Any type of Christian is welcome...rap, hip hop, r&B, rock, hard rock, pop, contemporary, gospel, hymns, praise and worship, we listen to it all (See my Favorite Music on my profile page).

Well, my hubby came home from the office the other day with the Montgomery Gentry CD and played a song for me called "If You Ever Stopped Loving Me" and we've claimed it as ours. Now, I have gone and found a million old country songs I use to listen to and I've already made a CD. (From around 1993-1995 or so) I love it. I admit it, I love it.

Ok, now I've said it...it's been on my mind all day as I was singing Martina McBride, John Michael Montgomery, Vince Gill, Faith Hill and even some Garth....I really am just a country girl at heart.

NOW I'M GOING TO BED....Thank you!

I'm sorry honey, I can't hear you over the silence!

Tonight, 2 1/2 min of crying after our new routine. Now, she's silent. 20 min of silence to be exact. (Why am I not in bed by now?) I haven't exactly done everything I planned in the rountine but I have extended our little four stories 2 songs to 35 minutes of calming activities. Soon to be 1 hour of calming activities if I ever get my act together. So there is the beginning of our sleep through the night plan....

BIG PLANS...Ok, #1...My hair is naturally a dirty blonde, light brown, nobody ever really knows what to say my hair color is except I think it's BORING! SO...I died it blonde back in like April for my hubby's sake. He's been begging me for 5 years and I used to dye it all the time so I finally gave in. WELL...in Nov or Dec I am going to go have it dyed close to my natural color only maybe a richer brown with some highlights and lowlights. This is a color it's never been and I'm so excited I made this decision. I just had to share. I can't wait

#2...I had planned to finish my degree as fast as I can and when babyhead goes into pre-k I'd start teaching at the high school. Well, I decided to wait until babyhead is in the 1st grade so I won't have to do the daycare thing with her. That gives me what, 5 years? I only have like 40 hours left but now I won't have to take full loads. I love it when these things just come to you and all of a sudden a huge weight is off your shoulder. (I don't believe any thing just comes to you...I believe it was an answer to my prayer for God to help me understand His perfect will for my life) Anyway, HOORAY on all counts.

Funny Thanksgiving E-Card

Happy Early Thanksgiving! Hope you all can get a good laugh out of this one.

On a more postive note

I like orange. When we buy a house I want at least one room painted orange.

I was pleasantly surprised when i walked into the kitchen and realized i had done the dishes earlier. I don't have a dishwasher and between the dishes and the laundry....ugh...anyway...Hooray! The only thing in the house really needing my attention is my daughter (duh) and the laundry so that's not so bad...right?

AND....yesterday my husband brought home two boxes of Almond Roca...now, never having had it before I didn't really know what it was and I thought I wouldn't like it, based on the name I guess or something...anyway...I just had one and YUM.

Ok...there you have it...a positive spin on the day.

Where' s my maid?

it's 4:00...i'm sleepy...my daughter keeps pushing the button on her old macdonald toy and it keeps mooing and playing the song...as she's watching van gogh....zzzzzzzzz....i'm hungry and i have loads of laundry to put away that have made their home on my couch...again...our second closet. There is a load to be folded in the dryer and a load to be dried in the washer. Please note, this was not a huge day of washing...this is the last 2 or 3 days of washing that hasn't been put away yet. My husband really is a saint.

The baby took a nap this morning in my arms for an hour and 20 min but wouldn't go down for one this afternoon, although she is tired. I let her cry for 40 min and then went in and got her. Could the problem be I'm sending her mixed signals? I'm using two methods of parenting....Ferber Cry-It Out method and Pantley's No Cry Method, kinda...my poor little baby girl. I'm working on getting it right.

Did I mention I'm sleepy? I'm so hungry. I gotta go make something to eat and feed us.

HTML Is Fun

I'm so silly. I went back and HTML'd the post before the last one too. I'm gonna link EVERYTHING from now on.

I'm not sure how Trackback works, like below when I referenced Megret's Blog, would I have used Trackback for that? and how?

Just wondering.

Funny Video

Check out this Funny, Funny, Funny video.

I got this off of Megret's Blog. I thought it was too funny to pass up putting on mine and emailing out. This is the first time I've HTML'd on my blog so I hope it works.

Good feelings

Tonite I feel good about things. I'm keeping 4 charts on the baby....I say baby but let me remind you, she's a walking and occasionally talking 14 month old. I'm keeping a chart on her nightwaking, her naps, her prebedtime routine and what I'm feeding her. This may sound silly or riduculous to some but keeping track of things gives me a sense of calm. I like to keep track of everything, i'm weird that way. So even though she woke up 5 times last I felt more rested this morning because I knew what time, how long, how she fell back asleep and all kinds of things.

I got that book by Elizabeth Pantley, The No Cry Sleep Solution. It's not that I'm against crying, it just got the best reviews on Amazon and I've read a lot of good things about it. So far I've gotten as far as making the charts and coming up with a better bedtime routine and feeding her more and better during the day and before bed....I haven't gotten to the part of how to get her to sleep through the night or even how to get her to sleep, but I'm getting there. So for now, it's nursing or crying. Tonight I did a pretty good 35 minute, prebedtime routine and put her down at 8:00. She cried until 8:10 and has now been sleeping for 1hour and 11min...that's good for me!

Anyway, I'll get to the plan part of the book tomorrow if I can, but for now, I feel more organized regarding her whole day, sleep and eating and not so chaotic...that makes me feel a lot less stress.

Today she took a nap from 1210-230 and I slept from 105-230....MUCH NEEDED let me tell you, after these days of being sick and taking care of a household of sickies....THANK YOU JESUS!!!! It felt wonderful to sleep.

Well, I'm off to bed for another adventurous night. I'm gonna try sleeping in the same bed with my hubby again. Hooray. Between his nose blowing and coughing, and the baby's frequent wakings I wasn't getting any sleep so I've been on the couch or in my oldest daughter's room on the nights she isn't here. We'll see how it goes tonight.

It's gonna be a good night I think.

Buenas Noches
Hasta Mañana

My Guestmap

I got my guestmap from http://myguestmap.lorca.eti.br/index.jsp
I think it's neato.

Why am I having issues publishing? All of a sudden, everytime I go to publish it just flashes at 0%, so I have to go back and try again. Sometimes it takes like 8 times of trying....

Anyone know?

PS. Apparently, this time, it published each time so I had 6 entries of the same post...hmmmm....very strange.

Time to wake up

Isn't it funny...I've been so tired and I've been sick the last few days so I've been to tired to write...but I did spend quite a bit of time changing my template, adding my guestmap, moving my blog counter and changing my picture.

Everyone is doing quite a bit better, although this lovely cold that has visited us is still lingering a little. I've started to keep a detailed sleep log for the little one and she woke up 5 times last night. The longest she slept was 3hrs and 30min, which for me felt like a full night sleep...it was just the beginning that she seemed to have a hard time with...I really believe tonight will be better.

I'm about to make breakfast, I'm starving.

I cleaned like a madwoman yesterday...2 hours while my wonderful hubby played with the baby. Thank Goodness. I felt like I had to disinfect the whole place, AND I DID!

We didn't go to church yesterday because my hubby has a hacking cough and stuffy nose and we thought it might be a bit distracting to others if he was coughing and blowing his nose! We watched it over the internet again.

Saturday we took my oldest to cheerleading and it was fun. I love watching her. She's already improved so much and she's just getting better. She stayed with us an extra night this week because her mom went out of town on Saturday and didn't get back until really late....always a good thing for us when she stays extra nights.

Oh yeah, Friday night we had a small surprise party for my mom's birthday...her birthday is on Wednesday. That was fun...me, my 2 girls, my mom and my mom-in-law and the lone man....my hubby. We watched Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Very cute movie.

Saturday night we had a birthday party for my sis-in-law Rebecca. That was fun too. They have a bunch of kids so it was a lot of fun to see the baby interact with big kids...and I must say, she did pretty well. She also loves her Tia Rebecca so much. She just sat on her lap forever and played.

So, it was quite a busy weekend and I'm glad it's Monday. My baby girl has become obsessed with putting stickers (actually notebook paper reinforcements) on her face. She's been getting them out of the drawer and we would put them on our faces and on hers and now she's finding them all over and trying to stick it to her face. She's so silly.

Well, I better go make food before there is two of us screaming from hunger.

Until later...

Naptime

So, after 47 min of crying, she finally went to sleep at 12:52...6 min ago. Thank the Lord. I promise she would stay awake all day and just be tired if she could.

My oldest daughter came home from school today. Seems we all have a little of something. I feel ICKY as can be. Stuffy head, sneezy, kinda sore throat but more just funky....just yuk, my hubby is coming home early today as he's feeling icky too.

ONE BIG SICK BAY IS WHAT WE ARE....

Last night wasn't to bad thank goodness. We all crashed. We slept 40 min later than usual, not on purpose.

Today I just want to eat Cream of Wheat all day...actually I like Cocoa Wheats (cream of wheat w/chocolate syrup of course)...I gave it to the baby and she loved it....surprise surprise.

We're going to my mom-in-laws tonite for dinner and a movie...i'm thinking dinner will be enough and then we'll have to crash. We shall see...

I'm gonna straighten up and relax a little.

Until later....

Another night arrives

Well, we both got naps in this afternoon...however, I'm sitting here listening to her screaming right now. 10 min so far. Bedtime has rarely been a battle but tonight she fell asleep after I sang a few times and I put her down, then I went to pick the blanket up and put it over her, not realizing that part of it was under her and I woke her up by pulling on it....I tried reading and singing and nursing....everything...she falls asleep nursing and screams as soon as I pick her up so I just decided I had to let her cry...the hardest part...my poor 11 year old is next door to her and has school tomorrow. It's already late. My hubby and I both have started to come down with this cold, he took Nyquil and is passed out and I'm here listening to her scream. She quiets down a bit and then starts back up....

I really need divine intervention on this one...I'll take those other nights, before she got sick, over this anyday.

She's quiet....like 30 seconds now...oh Lord please......I really think this is God "guiding" me to becoming more consitant in my life....He's using this as an illustration for the importance of consistancy and the consequences of not being consistant. I've said it before, it's just never been part of how I do things...I'll start something and then stop after a few days....

She's still quiet....2 min or so (10:07)

Her normal bedtime is 830...today our naps ended around 530 so it was hard for her to go to bed at 830...I tried at 930 and that's when this last fiasco began....I believe it's ended now...shhhh...

Anyway, consistancy...very important for me and truly as I was writing this blog it came to me that this is what God is trying to teach me. I've been trying not to be angry with God and instead look for what His will and purpose is. I don't ever remember being angry at God, I mean, who am I to be angry with the Creator of all mankind? But I began having those feelings because I just couldn't see what His point was in all of this....so I prayed and begged and prayed and begged...Now I feel alright...well, still sicky, BUT spiritually, alright...

TOMORROW begins my life of consistancy....oh yeah, I thought it was funny how stupid ole' satan read my blog yesterday and saw that I was planning on having a good day today so he tried to make it bad...well, on the outside to many it may not have looked like the best day but looking back on the last 24 hours, my daughter and I have had some fun times being awake together so much....and I'm learning a lesson SO, ha ha ha satan....

Ok, I'm exhausted as you can tell by what I just wrote, I'm going to sleep.

Goodnight and God Bless You.....(shhhhhhhhhhh, still quiet, Thank You Jesus!)

My power napper

Well, she's doing ok. She's very sleepy, you can see it in her eyes, but we've been rolling the ball back and forth and just playing. Hopefully she'll take another nap in a little while. Meanwhile, I will just keep pushing along in my tired state. It's all part of the job. I'm sure I've made it on less sleep that this so...

I'm sure there is a Bible verse somewhere that applies to my day. I know there is a reason for everything and maybe God is trying to teach me something. He's always teaching me something because there is so much I need to learn.

I better go, she is emptying out one of our office drawers as we speak and now has little sticky circles all over. Oh well...
cya

Why oh why oh why oh why

My poor baby. I know she doesn't feel good. She didn't go back to sleep until 1130...now she's awake again...she woke up right at 12:00. Now I don't know if she's just being spoiled or if she doesn't feel good. I gave her Ibuprofen Cold (no antihistimine this time) so I would think if anything were hurting or bothering her that would take care of it.

I just don't know what to do. I'm so exhausted. I'm going on hardly any sleep from last night and now there are airplanes flying over our house every 5 minutes making tons of noise. I guess I'll go get her and bring her out here and nurse her and let her sleep in my arms....this is where we got into trouble the last time. she had just begun to fall asleep and stay asleep well and then she got sick and used to being nursed and held....oh well, i guess it's my calling to teach her the same thing OVER AND OVER AND OVER huh? It's been 10 min of her crying. I said I'd wait 20. She gets quiet every once in awhile, no doubt sleeping while she's standing...but the silence only last about 30-40 seconds and then she realizes she fell asleep and gets really mad.

Oh, my poor little girl...how I wish you could speak what you're feeling so I could better know what I should do.

My throught is beginning to be sore so if I'm getting what she's getting maybe she has a sore throat (oh my word, the first time I actually spelled that "throught"). Who knows, who knows.

Here I go to get her, my little one....I hope this passes quickly. I hate seeing her like this.

Until later

This is funny.

I'm tired. This is funny. I saw this on someone else's blog but now I can't figure out where, but i found it on the internet. Check it out. http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/numa.php

Didn't get much sleep. I'm praying the baby just conks out here soon. That medicine really messed up her sleeping. She slept from 830-12:00, then 2-530. She's tired but I think the medicine has to wear off a little more so i'm just letting her play until I see she's ready to sleep. I know I'm ready!

I just pray I can get the house straightened up today to where I feel good about it. Yesterday she wanted to be held most of the day and was fussy so I didn't get much done. My mom came and helped me last night. She did my dishes while I helped my oldest daughter with her math.

Gonna go...I know today will be good no matter what.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I'm praying and praying....I just put her down. It's been over an hour since she woke up. I made it out of the room without her protesting. After watching Baby Bach we went in and read 5 stories and I sang My Jesus I Love the 3 times through 2 verses each time....I really didn't feel like she was asleep but I finally put her down. Ok, there is still nothing so I'm going to sleep while I can.

Praise the Lord! Good Night...Morning...Night......whatever.

Excuse me ma'am, do you have the time?

It's 12:50am...I'm sitting here in the living room watching Baby Bach with my little one...you remember her runny nose from the other day...well it has turned her into a fussy, runny faucet nose, sneezy baby....Since yesterday, or uh, today or um, WEDNESDAY (whenever that was) I've been giving her Tylenol Cold and Cough..it has an antihistimine. Well, that's all well and good for the most part that she except slept from 830pm until now, and now she is WIDE AWAKE...well, actually, it's more like she's tired but can't sleep. We laid down in the bed in her room and she rolled around and sat up....so finally I decided it was making me more sleepy to lay down so here I am...I just gave her some more tylenol cold and cough...hopefully buying another 4 hours or so of sleep until morning. Baby Bach (in the Baby Einstein Collection) is very calm and I find it really calms her down.

She really is so cute. Her little cheeks are red and she's got to best little disposition. She tries so hard to be as happy as she can be. Tonight my oldest daughter and I were sitting at the table. I was trying to get the baby to eat something and my oldest was doing her math homework (when I was her age, 11 in the 6th grade, this stuff was College Math). The baby was fussy and didn't want to eat so I, jokingly, said in a whiny voice "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNTTTTTT"....I didn't even really raise my voice, except for emphasis.......OH MY WORD, my little one's face got all scrunched up as she inhaled to let out the most pathetic cry...she almost couldn't get any sound out....her forehead began to get splotchy and HUGE tears welled up in her eyes....I think, for the first time, her feelings were hurt....I couldn't get her out of the high chair fast enough. My oldest daughter and I nearly began crying ourselves. I kept saying, "mommy was just being silly, Mommy's not mad, Mommy's so sorry"....I was patting her on the back and my other daughter came around and began to pat her on her back....she was whimpering a little, and then...the baby began to pat ME on the back. What a cutie....

well, it's been about 15 min since i gave her the medicine. Hopefully another 15-20 and she'll be out. Man oh man, tomorrow should be fun. It's all about mental attitude. I'll have a great day tomorrow, right?

Oh well, I'll keep you updated...I just ask for prayers that my little one can get the rest she needs. I don't know if this Tylenol is a blessing or a curse, but I think I'll skip it tomorrow and just give her the Ibuprofen Cold medicine that doesn't make her sleepy.

Thanks everyone, Good night, or morning or....well, whatever

My Carpet Smells Like Ravioli

Ok, so the only reason I named my post that is because my daughter just pulled her little can of raviolis onto the floor and the ravioli juice splattered everywhere, and well, now my carpet smells like raviolis.

Honestly, this has really been a good day. I went to Baby Boot Camp, and let me tell you...they're not playing around. I had so much fun and oh my word, what a great workout. I've signed up to do it twice a week for 6 weeks starting on October 31 so this extra 10 lbs doesn't have a chance. Happily, my new workout pants are smalls. I guess I'm getting close. Just a little extra around the middle. I'm gonna be in better shape than I was before I had the baby. HOORAY!

I've gotten a lot done around the house too. I can't believe how I've been keeping up. I don't know how mother's of multiple toddlers and infants do it. I have one and I feel like I'm always a step behind. BLESS YOU ALL!

On a not so cheerful note, my daughter was playing and being so cute, and I was on the computer reading blogs and just surfing, and she turned around and ran to me.....with a trail of snot running down her nose....AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH.....Please Lord, don't let her be sick...Please, Please, Please.....I'm picturing nights on the twin bed in her room all scrunched up patting her on her back because she can't breathe.....oh that's right, my hubby asked me last time, why don't I just bring her into our bed....ok, now I have a plan...If she's sick, we'll see how it works out to have her with us....It's been awhile since she slept with us...like, 6 months or so I think. This should be interesting.

Anyway, she enjoyed Baby Boot Camp too. She was so quiet the whole time. I guess she was just taking in all of the new things to see and the people and their babies. We met at a park and ran, and walked, and did step-ups and push ups, and ab exercises and used resistance bands to do arm exercises. We made it the whole way around the park by the end doing different exercises as we went. It was really awesome. The leaves were turning yellow and it wasn't to hot or cold. There was an incident where there were, shall we say, older women playing tennis and complaining because we were disturbing their serve by jogging one lap around the tennis courts. The same older woman, later on, was yelling and screaming at another lady because the other lady had her dog off the leash and was breaking the law. Literally, a 70 or so woman YELLING in this other woman's face....uh, I see her point but I think there are other ways of handling that situation....anyway...we scooted past that altercation as quickly as possible and moved on.

Baby Boot Camp really is worth checking out to see if they have it in your area, if you're interested in exercising and losing weight. SO MUCH FUN!!!! www.babybootcamp.com

This is where they have them right now.
Arizona
Maryland
Pennsylvania
California
Massachusetts
Texas
Colorado
Nevada
Utah
Connecticut
New Jersey
Virginia
Florida
New Mexico
Washington
Georgia
Ohio
Wisconsin
Hawaii
Oregon

Ok, I gotta go to the grocery store.
Until later

Les Miserables

No, I'm not talking about us...although, well anyway....After my little cherub finally went to sleep last night my hubby and I watched Les Miserables with Liam Neison. I remember I watched it when it first came out but I have a terrible movie memory so give me a couple weeks and I could watch a movie for the second time and not remember how it ends nor any of the story lines or scenes. Anyhow, it was really a great movie. I always thought Les Miserables meant The Miserables, go figure...it means poor wretches. Ok, for some reason, when you just type in "Miserable" in google the first 3 websites that come up, in order, are George W. Bush's biography on the White House's website, Jimmy Carter's biography, and Micheal Moore's website.....huh? What the heck?

Today I begin Baby Boot Camp. www.babybootcamp.com
I'm so excited. Since I moved here 4 years ago I haven't really made many friends. I'm a stay-at-home mom....I went to school but all the kids at the time were at least 4 years younger than me....my church is really huge and I haven't taken the time to join any small groups. I signed up for the Woman's Bible Study but I was notified that the nursery my daughter was to be in was already full....and my husband is 11 years older than me so any of his old friend's wives are also quite a bit older than me....when it comes to other mother's at my oldest daughter's school...well, she's 11, I'm 29(in Dec)...most of the other mother's are also about 10-15 years older and I've just never hit it off with any of them. SOOOOOOO....i'm so excited to go to baby boot camp. There will be other mother's of toddlers there, hopefully closer to my age. (the mother's not the toddlers) Plus, I get to exercise and be outside and I know the baby will totally love it. I have to be there by 9:00 and it's already 7:30...we have to eat breakfast, get dressed, go over my check list 50 times to make sure I have EVERYTHING. I tend to over pack when I go out to do anything, but I want to make sure I have everything in case anything happens....

My daughter is sitting in her little furry Dora the Explorer chair, with her feet on a pillow in front of her (like a footrest) with a furry blanket over her lap and her arms around her little stuffed pig. She's leaning back like she's really lounging. She is so funny.

Last night she went to bed at 9:10 because I didn't feed her until late and she takes forever to eat. She woke up around 11:00 I guess, I got her back to sleep and got back in bed at 11:08...at 11:23 she started screaming....I went in, nursed her, she was so fidgety and not really eating so I stood up to rock her but I was so exhausted I couldn't stay awake, so I decided I just had to let her cry. I put her down and she cried for 20 min and was out. By this time it was 11:45...I slept on the couch so my hubby could shut the door and get some sleep. She didn't wake up again until 430 so I went in and nursed her and she slept until 710. Overall, I think it was a pretty good night, with only waking up twice really.

Here she comes....she's being so silly.

I gotta go. I want to make sure we're ready and there on time. CYA!

Thank the Lord for HUGE Miracles

Last night and just now, my baby girl went to sleep without a fight. She let me read all 4 stories and sing both songs and walk out and she didn't fight or fuss at all. I just want to take the time to thank GOD for giving me a bit of a reprieve from all the recent hulabaloo before naps and bedtime.

I'm starving and I'm going to eat now. Pray she has a long good rest. Hopefully this is signs of things to come. Then all we have to work on is the night waking....anyone have any suggestions?

Until later...CYA

Boo Hoo, Weekend is Over

This was a fun weekend. I guess they all are. Friday night my oldest daughter and my mom went to see the Wallace and Grommit movie. THEY LOVED IT...they said it was hilarious. Saturday I was so excited because my oldest decided she wanted to start at the cheerleading school here because she wants to try out for cheerleading for next year. I love cheerleading. I cheered 1 year in middle school and 1 year in high school. I would've done it more but at the time, in high school, I just didn't want to commit to the time it took. She had so much fun on Saturday, it was great.

On Saturday, we also went over to the storage garage where we have some of our stuff kept. It's actually the garage at the rental duplex my mom-in-law owns. Our stuff has been there since March of '04, when we moved out of our apartment into my mom-in-law's house. We moved into this house this past March and got most of our stuff out of the garage but there was some stuff still in there. I found my big Rubbermaid container with all of my yearbooks and photos. I love pictures. For Christmas '03 my mom-in-law gave me a digital camera and I now have about 6000 pictures on my computer. I LOVE PICTURES....this tupperware tub was from before the digital camera so I bet there is a couple hundred pictures in there plus old photo albums. I'm so excited.

Yesterday we went to church. I love going to church. Our church has services on Sunday and Wednesday so we go twice a week. It's so a respite from the hectic week and it helps my get my focus back on God and off of myself and the hectic pace of life. We are studying the letters to the churches in Revelation and this weeks church was Thyatira (sp)....Our pastor talked about how they were making idols of other things and not focusing on their real and direct relationship with God. They focused on works too. It was a really good message.

After church we went out to eat. It was me, my hubby, our two girls and our moms. My mom goes to the same church as us and his mom comes to church with us sometimes too. Then, our oldest and I practiced cartwheels in the front yard. I'm trying to help her be the best she can be and she's such a hard worker, I think she'll be great.

So then she had to go to her other mom's so my hubby took her. She doesn't have school today, she was really excited. Last night my hubby and I rented The Interpreter with Nicole Kidman...it was really good. Only one thing I found objectionable and it lasted all of like 4 seconds. The movie overall was really good if you like suspense and drama.

Well, since our oldest doesn't have schoo that means my hubby doesn't have to take her. It's 750 and he's still in bed. Baby girl woke up at 7:00. I think her and I are hungry so I'm going to make breakfast for us.

I'll write again later today I'm sure.

Crazy Me

Well, she went to sleep after crying for 27 min tonight. Hopefully she'll sleep good tonight, I hope that every night. I'm really tired.

She's so full of energy and excitement and adventure and I feel so guilty cuz sometimes I just don't feel like I can keep up. I just want to lay on the couch and not move and not do anything for anybody.

When she has fits I feel like it's a reflection of me. I know it's not...at this point it's not...but it's hard to not feel responsible when she has a fit in front of someone.

PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG....my child is so well behaved. She is darn near angelic 99.9% of the time, literally....I couldn't ask for a better kid....but these fits are new...she's never done this before except for a few days when she was about 10 monhts, she didn't want to go on the changing table, high chair, or carseat, but that ended really quick.

When we are out she almost never acts up...I can't even remember one instant. But even 2 times a day to me is too much when we're at home. UGH....i keep thinking of so many things to say about it but the bottom line, I KNOW, is that it's normal for this age. She can't communicate her feelings, she gets frustrated, sometimes she's overtired, sometimes she wants to nurse....she just can't communicate how she feels, she doesn't want to sleep cuz she's learning so much all the time that it's hard for her to wind down....OK, OK....I guess I should just come read this blog everytime I start crying wondering what I've done wrong.

Again, a little disclaimer, everything to me right now is magnified 100 times due to certain hormonal happenings going on right now. The pebble in the water analogy is so appropriate for me this time of the month. Sometimes I just have to sit and breathe and tell myself these feelings aren't real, they are my hormones talking AND Satan taking advantage of me. Sometimes I have such extreme frustration and anger and I know it's Satan whispering in my ear and I just have to pray him away...shu Satan (how would you spell that?), don't bother me! You have no power over me.

Ok, now I'm going to make a big glass of chocolate milk and sit on the couch. The girls are asleep and my hubby is here beside me. Ah, peace.

See you in the morning...I'm sure

Where did my little baby girl go?

I know they say it happens to all babies around this age but I thought for sure not mine. Not the way I've been raising her, she'll never do that or be that way.....however.....it's happening. It's been building up over the last couple weeks but last night was the worst. She hasn't been letting me read to her before her naps...she just screams and yells and arches her back so I sing and she screams and yells. Well, bedtime thus far, has remained pretty normal until last night. She screamed so much when I started to read so I quit reading and skipped straight to singing...she screamed through every verse...normally she's been giving in by the end of the 1st verse, but not last night...last night it was scream scream scream...I put her in her crib, walked out and went to my room, shut the door and cried. Having my hormones in the state they are in right now certainly doesn't make it any easier.

Today, however, for her nap....I sat down and started to read and she began to scream and I let her...I just read over the screaming...we got to a page where she particularly likes the illustration and she stopped and looked and pointed...from that point on she let me finish all of the books, she let me sing and she fell asleep on my shoulder. I put her down and she didn't make a peep for an hour and a half.

Overall, she has more fits (I wouldn't call them tantrums cuz they never last too long) then ever and I know it's normal but it's so taxing on my whole being. She's so cute and polite for the most part....always ALWAYS saying thank you in her little voice and mixed up words and she giggles and laughs and plays and she's so wonderful....why must this happen...why can't she just stay the way she's always been? I know I know, this will pass and things will get better but sometimes I wish they'd just never change. Probably not true but I surely feel that way today. She's being silly now and keeps coming up to me to get crackers and she says thank you...it's so cute.

I really do feel bad for her too cuz I know she can't communicate the way she feels or what she wants, I should've worked more on that sign language thing. I've heard that really helps. Oh well. I gotta go get my oldest daughter from school. Hooray! I love it when she's here.

I haven't exercised or done any devotions/quiet time all week. That's what I need....why don't I make that a priority? Oh, when I get back I'll write about my new adventure I will be starting on Tuesday..BABY BOOT CAMP! I can't wait.

Until later...

Wonderful Day

Good morning....this morning so far, everything is pretty much done as far as the house. It's so weird how I'm keeping up finally. My challenge today is getting out of the house. I find it much easier to stay at home and do everything from here...however, Wal-Mart doesn't come to me so I must go there. It's like my second home anyways so it isn't that bad.

I must clean off my desk today. That will make me feel better. Now that I'm miraculously on top of my daily cleaning I want to take on other things. I want to unclutter my house. I had clutter but I somehow always end up with it. We'll start with my desk and go from there. How fun.

Baby is doing well this morning. She's watching Baby Shakespeare and eating bananas. She's already eaten about 2 sausage patties.

The "handy women" are coming today. Our landlord hired this company to do some work on the house, they are women which i find cool. They should be here soon, and then I will take off for Wally World. Unless, of course, it's my daughter's naptime, then we shall wait until after that. I'm flexible.

My goals today are....my desk, exercise, Bible study, walmart.....I know I can do it.

Hmmm...nothing much else going on this morning. I will share my Bible study after I do it.

Until then.....

Tired Guardian Angels

No black eyes, no recurrent bloody nose, NO NOTHING...she woke up several times, surprise surprise...but she was fine today. Thank the Lord!

Today I did a whole lot of BLAH...we went to church tonight. I love Wednesday night church. I was telling my hubby...Sundays EVERYBODY goes to church no but Wednesdays it's the one's who really want to be there to worship. Tonight's message especially had meaning to me. It was on Acts 15:1-11, where the Jewish Christians were arguing about putting the yoke of the law on the Gentile Christians. Our pastor talked about how we unfairly put our yokes on other people (and in my case myself) when we can't even carry them ourselves and how Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 the His yoke is easy and light. We carry burdens that we don't need to carry. If it feels to heavy and is bogging us down it isn't of God. AND He's yoked together with us to help us bear what burdens we do have. ANYWAY....I have this other person that takes over my body about once a month and it gets really bad. She began to show her face tonight. This whole thing with the baby not sleeping well and fighting every nap and now fighting on the changing table AGAIN (I've already been through this once and I thought I broke her of it, guess not)...I started wondering what the heck I'm doing. I must not be doing this right. I was sitting listening to her cry in her crib thinking WHY WON'T SHE GO TO SLEEP????? SHE'S TIRED!!! I'm so inconsitant yada yada yada....insert negative internal dialogue....I got her and nursed her and she did fine in the nursery at church and went to bed perfectly when we got home.

My hubby keeps telling me to pray for God's guidence and wisdom and comfort....and I always say yeah, yeah, yeah...but I don't do it. This other me that begins to take over intensifies all my feelings by about a million and I spiral into a dark place that it's so hard to come out of. This is another area he tells me to pray about and I keep saying...but it's hormones, it's not my attitude, I know these feelings aren't real....HELLO! Who created me? Why do I feel I have to bear this all myself?

Matthew 11:28-30
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I'm not spending any quiet time with the Lord and my prayer time usually consists of before meals and while I'm begging God to just let the baby go to sleep.

Our church is having a ladies Bible Study right now and I had signed up but the walker's nursery filled up so I couldn't attend the Bible Study HOWEVER, thanks to the internet, they are all online and I have the book now SO starting tomorrow, I will begin this Bible study and share what I'm learning.

The Bible Study is on Elizabeth George's Putting On A Gentle & Quiet Spirit...this should be good!

Well, it's another night...my wonderful hubby brought me flowers today...he's so thoughtful and he's so supportive during these times when I get out of control. What would I do without him? He's snoring over on the couch right now. He was listening to Pancho Juarez on his MP3 sunglasses (the are neat, Oakley's). But, the sandman got him. I'm recording more of Pancho right now for him to listen to tomorrow.

I'm gonna go....thanks to all of you who have visited and read my posts.

Until Tomorrow....

Lord Help Us, She's Just Like ME!

I was a very, let's say, active child. I had a multitude of mishaps, injuries and accidents. Well, you know what they say about your children paying you back for what you put your parents through....

TONITE....my beautiful, delicate angel (that's how i see her) was being silly as ever. It was bedtime and we had said our goodnights to daddy. We proceeded to her room and I laid her on the changing table, which usually evokes tears, yelling and some arching of the back and occasionally rolling over (like, on every occasion almost!) Apparently she doesn't have the time to have a diaper change and it has become a big bother to her. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to see her giggle at me, for some unknown reason, and as I smile at her she begins to turn over....i'm still unsnapping the legs on her pajamas as she makes it to all 4's and in a matter of milliseconds she hops like a frog, her little nose landing on the the wooden end of the changing table.....CRACK....I scooped her up in my arms and went running for the living room and daddy...she's crying hysterically in my arms as I sit down and we are discussing what part of her face she may have hit...that's when the blood began to run from both nostrils....i was horrified...

Now, I know these things happen and will continue to happen and she will be ok and yada yada yada...but when you look at your little child and there is blood pouring out of her nose and tears streaming from her eyes and her face is blotchy from the initial screaming...IT IS HORRIFYING

Luckily for me, my little one is a toughy...within about 2 minutes the crying had subsided and the giggling had resumed...this time at daddy. A few minutes later she began tugging at my shirt and whining a little (it was way past bedtime by now) and I wasn't ready, after such a traumatic experience, to let her go...I sat and nursed her and she fell sound asleep. I wiped her nose and cleaned her up and as she slept I buttoned her pajamas back up and after 30 min I put her down in her crib.

Needless to say, I will be in there a few times tonight, whether she cries or not, to check and make sure she can breath ok, that it's not swelling to bad etc....

This, by far, has been her worst accident to date...13 1/2 months down, 60 years to go....

Is that the sun?

It seems like forever since the sun has been out I forgot what a sunny day looks like. I'm not complaining....we needed the rain and we live were it is perpetually sunny so it was nice for a few days I guess...

Baby girl almost went down for a second nap and then daddy came home and all was lost. That's ok, I suppose...she hasn't been taking a second nap for the last few days and right now she is rolling and throwing the volleyballs, her pink ball and the softball all over and having a blast.

I made her 15 month doctor appointment today. It's still over a month away but I can remember those first few. She was so tiny and my hubby had to come along to help me because I was not sure what the heck I was doing. Now her and I are sidekicks. I can handle anything she throws my way, and vice-versa! How funny that in my world 15 months in nothing but to her it's been her whole life (not counting the 9 in my belly ;-)

I got all the laundry put away and the dishes are all done. Why did this all seem so hard 2 weeks ago? I think I might exercise now. I didn't yesterday but I still have a chance to make it 6 times this week.....here I go...........

Tales from the House of the Non-Sleeping baby

I got so much done yesterday after that last post. The whole house was clean and I finally made the Caldillo. YUMMY! This morning I just had to throw a load in the laundry and do a couple of dishes and overall the house is pretty much done.

The baby didn't sleep good at all last night. I'm sure last night something was wrong. Teething, upset tummy, it looks like at some point she busted her lip...it could've been any number of things. Usually, on a normal night, the three times I have to go in she goes to sleep within 10-15 min. This time she screamed when I left and then fell asleep, then she woke up and then fell asleep...this went on for an hour (After 30 min I went back in but she just cried again when I left). From 1130-1230 she cried on and off. Definetly not her normal M.O....
She has always had an issue with milk making her gassy and I laid off the tummy medicine I'd been giving her cuz i realized i was just giving it to her all the time...now I remember why...she is always really gassy and sometimes it makes her fussy. Also, I'm wondering if she's finally getting her back teeth. She has 9 teeth right now and we've been waiting for the back ones to come in. At the grocery store last night my mom gave her the pack of hot dogs to play with. By the time we got to the check out she had turned them into minced hot dogs.
Tonite I will be giving her some Ibuprofen and some Anti-gassy tummy stuff before bed. We'll see how that goes.

Well, she's sleeping right now. The electricians are here to fix a few things but she seems to be sleeping through it all right now. 42 min so far. Hopefully it will last at least 30 min longer. I think I'm just gonna relax a little today. Put away some laundry and clean off my desk and I'm done for the day. Just me and my baby and playtime! Hooray.

I'm gonna go. Cya

What was that again???

Here is a list of words my baby girl can say or understands now. She will be 14 months on the 17th of October.
She can say:
Daddy = Daddy
Nigh Nigh = Night Night or Good Night
Na Na = No NO
Sairrrrr = Sara (our poodle)
Diya = Her sister's nickname
Tee Toe or anything similar = Thank you
Hi-yee = Hi
GG = GG also known as Gram Gram (my mom)
bah = ball
dow = down
shhhh = shhhhh
doe = nose
ticka ticka = tickle tickle
uh oh ______(unpronouncable word) = uh oh spaghetti o's
duh - all done

She understands:
get down
lay down
sit down
where's your chocolate milk
chair
blow kisses
say bye bye
Come here
Smile for mommy(usually for pictures)
Not mommy's phone
Not mommy's glasses
where's ___________(anybody...chula our german shepherd, sara, her sister, me, daddy, gg...)
Time to change your diaper
Time to go night night
Where's your belly
How old are you?
Tickle Tickle
Be gentle

I'm writing all this down because lately she's blown me away with how much she understands and responds to me. I want to remember all of this because it's all happening so fast.

I'm sure there is more but for now this is what i can think of.

Days like this...

I have a problem, actually I have a few.

I don't seem to have a knack for scheduling myself so once I get to a certain point in the day, if I haven't begun doing what needs to be done, I just don't do anything...then it gets to this time of day and...i get a headache and my shoulders hurt because I know I haven't done anything and it's already after 2:00. I come up with these mental blocks of why I can't do this or that and I get stuck in neutral just idling. I made a list this morning of what needs to be done and I don't think I've done one thing. This is something I really hate about myself.

I did extaordinarily well last week keeping everything clean and done. I even exercised 5 days! I want to keep that going. I have plenty of motivation, setting an example for my girls, having a clean home and food when my hubby gets home from a long day...but somehow those things get lost in my mind somewhere until just before it's time for them to get here. I have good days and I have bad days...I just want the good ones to outnumber the bad ones like 6 to 1 instead of being about equal.

It's so frustrating. I'm going to start now and just do it. Then maybe tomorrow won't be like today...no I need to say it like this...TOMORROW WON'T BE LIKE TODAY...and neither will the following day...

here i go

Is it morning already????

This morning came so fast. 3 times she was up last night, although at the moment, the times of her awakenings escape me. I nursed her all 3 times (shame on me) cuz I was in mid-sleep each time I went. A couple times I didn't even remember getting out of be to go in and then I would wake up in my bed wondering how I got there. She went to bed at 7:00 because she missed her second nap. My hubby and I drove around looking at the Parade of Homes 3 most expensive houses, in the pouring rain no less. Beautiful...then we used the gift card that the volleyball team gave him and we went out to eat.

My mom came over with pictures of her trip to NC. Pics of my niece who is exactly 1 year older than my little one...she turned 2 in August....she's amazingly cute. She was adopted from Guatemala...I will tell that whole story in a later post or you can visit my brother's website at http://www.mooseministries.org/miarene/ They have an AMAZING story of how God works in mysterious ways but how everything works together according to HIS will....basically, My sis-in-law is now 5 1/2 months pregnant after trying for like 8 years. They finally decided to adopt because they were told it was near impossible to conceive...she spent almost a year in Guatemala, away from my brother (her hubby-duh) and with the baby. She arrived back here with my niece at the end of April, they came to visit us at the beginning of June and told us they just found out 3 days before they came that she was pregnant. AMAZING AMAZING....it still blows me away.

Mom also had pictures of her and Petra...they are so cool.

My oldest brother sent pictures of my other niece. She is turning 10 this month. Hard to believe. I remember when she was born and I would watch her on days my sis-in-law had to go to school. I still think of her as being a 2 or 3 year old. The last time we were together was 2 years ago. I miss her. My sis-in-law and my niece are HOPEFULLY moving to California. That's a lot closer to us than Connecticut. My brother would come out this way to. He works and is on the road but he could move his "area" to the midwest or the west. It would be awesome to have them all close. My sis-in-law and my niece would only be 12 hours from us. That's nothing compared to like 30 or 35....Quick flight too if we wanted to fly.

I better get started on breakfast before little one realizes she's hungry. I'm working on feeding her better and not nursing until tonight...if that. She does well not nursing if I just feed her regularly but I still forget and she gets so hungry so I just break down and nurse her so she doesn't have to wait. We'll see how it goes. Sausage, chocolate milk, a banana (or two) and some cheerios...that's the 4 food groups.

She just walked up to me and said in her precious little voice "Hi yee".....OH SHE IS TOOOOO CUTE.

Cya

Top 100 songs of 1995

- Go to http://www.musicoutfitters.com
- Plug the year you graduated high school into the search engine at the top left of the page
- Copy all of the songs from the Top 100 list.
- Bold the ones you actually like.
- Italicize the ones you never heard of (or don't remember)
- Slap it in your LJ or Blog

I am a huge music lover so I remember or at least recognize every one of these! I'm not proud to admit to all of the ones I liked (past tense). I just think it's fun.

Top 100 Of 1995
1. Gangsta's Paradise, Coolio
2. Waterfalls, TLC
3. Creep, TLC
4. Kiss From A Rose, Seal
5. On Bended Knee, Boyz II Men
6. Another Night, Real McCoy
7. Fantasy, Mariah Carey
8. Take A Bow, Madonna
9. Don't Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days), Monica
10. This Is How We Do It, Montell Jordan
11. I Know, Dionne Farris
12. Water Runs Dry, Boyz II Men
13. Freak Like Me, Adina Howard
14. Run-Around, Blues Traveler
15. I Can Love You Like That, All-4-One
16. Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?, Bryan Adams
17. Always, Bon Jovi
18. Boombastic / In The Summertime, Shaggy
19. Total Eclipse Of The Heart, Nicki French
20. You Gotta Be, Des'ree
21. You Are Not Alone, Michael Jackson
22. Hold My Hand, Hootie and The Blowfish
23. One More Chance-Stay With Me, Notorious B.I.G.
24. Here Comes The Hotstepper, Ini Kamoze
25. Candy Rain, Soul For Real
26. Let Her, w Hootie and The Blowfish
27. I Believe, Blessid Union Of Souls
28. Red Light Special, TLC
29. Runaway, Janet Jackson
30. Strong Enough, Sheryl Crow
31. Colors Of The Wind, Vanessa Williams
32. Someone To Love, Jon B.
33. Only Wanna Be With You, Hootie and The Blowfish
34. If You Love Me, Brownstone
35. In The House Of Stone And Light, Martin Page
36. I Got 5 On It, Luniz
37. Baby, Brandy
38. Run Away, Real McCoy
39. As I Lay Me Down, Sophie B. Hawkins
40. He's Mine, Mokenstef
41. December, Collective Soul
42. I'll Be There For You-You're All I Need To Get By, Method Man-Mary J. Blige
43. Shy Guy, Diana King
44. I'm The Only One, Melissa Etheridge
45. Every Little Thing I Do, Soul For Real
46. Before I Let You Go, BLACKstreet
47. Big Poppa / Warning, Notorious B.I.G.
48. Sukiyaki, 4 P.M.
49. I Wanna Be Down, Brandy
50. I'll Make Love To You, Boyz II Men
51. Dear Mama / Old School, 2Pac
52. Hold On, Jamie Walters
53. Keep Their Heads Ringin', Dr. Dre
54. The Rhythm Of The Night, Corona
55. Roll To Me, Del Amitri
56. Scream / Childhood, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson
57. Freek'n You, Jodeci
58. I Wish, Skee-lo
59. Believe, Elton John
60. Carnival, Natalie Merchant
61. You Don't Know How It Feels, Tom Petty
62. Back For Good, Take That
63. Tootsee Roll, 69 Boyz
64. You Want This-70's Love Groove, Janet Jackson
65. Tell Me, Groove Theory
66. Can't You See, Total
67. All I Wanna Do, Sheryl Crow
68. This Lil' Game We Play, Subway
69. Come And Get Your Love, Real McCoy
70. This Ain't A Love Song, Bon Jovi
71. Secret, Madonna
72. Player's Anthem, Junior M.A.F.I.A.
73. Feel Me Flow, Naughty By Nature
74. Every Day Of The Week, Jade
75. The Sweetest Days, Vanessa Williams 7
6. Short Dick Man, 20 Fingers Featuring Gillette
77. Brokenhearted, Brandy
78. No More "I Love You's", Annie Lennox
79. You Used To Love Me, Faith Evans
80. Constantly, Immature
81. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me, U2
82. 100% Pure Love, Crystal Waters
83. Ask Of You, Raphael Saadiq
84. Sugar Hill, Az
85. Good, Better Than Ezra
86. Brown Sugar, D'angelo
87. Turn The Beat Around, Gloria Estefan
88. 'Til You Do Me Right, After 7
89. 1st Of Tha Month, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
90. Like The Way I Do If I Wanted To, Melissa Etheridge
91. I Live My Life For You, Firehouse
92. Dream About You-Funky Melody, Stevie B
93. Cotton Eye Joe, Rednex
94. Thank You, Boyz II Men
95. I'll Stand By You, Pretenders
96. I Miss You, N II U
97. Give It 2 You, Da Brat
98. Best Friend, Brandy
99. Misery, Soul Asylum
100. Can't Stop Lovin' You, Van Halen

Rain Beautiful Rain

I love rainy days....

My hubby, me and our youngest (our oldest is at her other mom's) are hanging out listening to the rain watching The Scorpion King.

My mom got home from NC last night.

My oldest had a party at a pizza place for the whole volleyball team yesterday afternoon. Yummy pizza. The baby ate a whole piece herself...it was her first piece of pizza ever. Certainly not her last. My oldest and I exercised together yesterday to Denise Austin. That was fun....I exercised on Friday too for 20 minutes. That means WHEN (not if) I exercise today I will have exercised 5 days this week. New world record. I feel better already.

Could somebody tell me how to get my 13 month old to sleep all night. Until she was 5 months she slept through the night but since then she's slept through the night once. I let her cry before and it cut her wake ups in half....now it's about 3 times per night and I've gotten in the bad habit of nursing her back to sleep each time. However, I want (#1)to wean her by January and (#2)to sleep at least 6 hours in a row. Last night she went to sleep at 830, woke the first time at 1045 - at that point i went in, changed her diaper, sang to her and put her back down. When I first picked her up she was throughing a hysterical fit arching backwards and just mad....i calmed her down by singing...so anyway...I got back in our room at 1100. At 1108 she started screaming and i let her cry...10 min and she was out...BUT THEN....1230ish she woke screaming again and I thought I better feed her cuz her body has gotten use to it so she may really be hungry...she went back to sleep. At 400ish she woke up again and I did the singing thing again and she went back to sleep until 645 when she normally wakes up....ANY SUGGESTIONS? I always worry that (a)her diaper is full, and she really hates that (b)she's too cold (our house is old and gets pretty cold) or (c)she's too hot (when I do run the heat her room gets so hot....so I always have to check her...anyway

We didn't go to church this morning...we watched it over the internet, which is nice on days like this...I know people do it all the time but I hate taking the baby out when it's pouring like this. We watched our church sermon over the net and listened to another sermon by Pancho Juarez of Calvary Chaple Montebello in California. http://www.ccmtb.com I love the internet...there are so many awesome resources at our fingertips now days.

I have to get groceries, do the dishes and do a small load of laundry and I'll feel pretty caught up today. I'm making a big pot of caldillo in a minute...it is so great on days like this and into the winter. It's the greatest comfort food. Here's a link to a recipe for it...http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/3542/ There are different variations to it...i add a couple cans of beef broth and some flour to make a nice thick sauce and I use hamburger meat. You can also skip the green chiles if you don't want them or can't find them...it's very simple but very very tasty.

Oh, i'm gonna do something I saw on another blog but I will do it as a new post so this one isn't a mile long.

I can't think of anything else so i'm gonna go...

later

Cold again!?!?!

When I first got on the computer this morning it said it was 52 degrees...it was 630am....why is it 848am now and it's 50 degrees? I'm sorry for complaining...I know I know, it's God that is in control of the weather...It's so hard for me to get use to the weather changing to cold from the beautiful hot weather.

A little bit ago while I was on the computer my little one walked up to me and said something twice and I didn't look down at first and then I realized she was talking to me....she was handing me a little piece of something off the floor and saying thank you....Everytime she gives us something we always say "thank you", and every time we give her something she says "thank you" (more like "taa daa") but I realized 2 days ago that every time she gives us something she says "thank you" too...So there she was saying "taa daa", "taa daa" holding a little piece of napkin up for me to take...how cute is that!

Right now we are eating our sausage and chocolate milk breakfast. Yummy.

Today my oldest only has a half day...hooray...she gets out at 1130! They didn't win the volleyball game last night so the season is over for them. On to other things...Gaidojutsu for example...there is a guy here in town that teaches this form of martial art. My oldest had taken karate for a few years but we stopped a while back. Now my hubby wants to get back into it at this place which is cool with me. This guys wife teaches a women's self defense class so my oldest and me will be taking that starting next month...then in January she wants to start at the cheerleading school here (yes they have cheerleading schools) so she can try out for cheerleading at the end of the school year. She's so excited. I, on the other hand, need to exercise more (duh) to get in shape a littel before I embark on this new journey of martial arts. I think it will be fun but I need to be in better shape or I think I might end up in a lot of pain!

So many reason to exercise, so few excuses not to...and yet...

Well, I think it's like day 4 of no dirty dishes no dirty clothes...who am I and what have I done with myself? My house is so clean and I've been keeping up with it really well. I think it's just easier now, as the baby has gotten older, to get things done...I don't know, maybe I've just run out of excuses for myself and I'm tired of disappointing myself. I would go through stages of having a really good housecleaning day and then 3-4 days of feeling like I couldn't keep up and I'd just give up basically....not anymore...I'm doing so awesome and it makes it easier to keep doing it everyday...which brings me back to exercise...i've got plenty of time, I should just go do it now.

Ok, that's my plan...if I do it today and tomorrow and Sunday...that will be 5 times this week so all is not lost and then starting monday I will just keep doing it.

My brother's church hosted Petra last night on their farewell tour. My brother is the Youth Pastor there and MC'd the concert...how funny...my mom was there for it too. When I was a kid my other brother loved Petra and my mom hated them, she didn't want him to listen to them...then she got ahold of the lyrics and realized that they really were a good influence. Now, of all things, my mom was hanging out with them most of the day yesterday and after the concert last night. isn't it funny how life works out. She got to tell them that story too.
http://www.petraband.com/

My daughter (the 13 month old) has managed to get up on the couch and she is rolling around like a maniac...that's my cue to go for now....

CYA!

Oh yeah

I never finished about the weather. Yesterday it was around 85 I would say...this cold front BLEW in last night and right now it is 53....my house is so cold and for some reason and won't turn the heater on. Luckily for my little one she has a little heater in her room keeping her warm, I however, have opted for socks, jeans, longsleeve T-shirt and a warm fuzzy blanket.

When will it be July again?

Oh well, what can you do....

Cold Cold Thursday

I love the summer...I love hot weather...I am not liking this cold front that come through last night. We had winds in excess of 50mph all night. There were things flying against the side of the house. My poor little one would wake up every 45 minutes so I finally decided to lay down with her on the twin bed we have in her room. That worked for about 4 hours, everytime she'd stir a little I'd just pat her. But then, at I think 3:19am, she woke completely out of her sleep, stood straight up on the bed and fell on top of me (not with out rolling onto tickle me Elmo first and making him giggle...not so funny at 3:19am). I decided to change her diaper and nurse her to get her back to sleep...she stared at me the whole time, never shutting her eyes. I begged God to help her fall asleep as I had to use the restroom desperately. Finally I just decided she would have to cry and we all would have to suffer, temporarily of course, until she finally gave in to the sandman.

After I put her down and she began to yell at me, and after using the restroom FINALLY, I slipped into my 11 year old's room and told her I had to do it and it shouldn't last long. By the time I got back into my warm sweet bed next to my warm sweet hubby....silence. Oh, how beautiful.

This morning however, actually I guess it's after noon now huh? Anyway, my neck and back are so sore from laying on one side for 4 hours, I'm a tummy sleeper and don't do well on my side, for some reason my right side is the worst and that was the side I had to sleep on. Oh well...she's napping now and has been for 20 minutes. I'm drinking my chocolate milk and reading blogs.

My hubby stayed home today. He likes to take Sundays and one other day off to just read and study the Bible and spend time with the family.

Today is the first game in the 6th Grade Volleyball Tournement...Pray for our girls as my husband is one of the coaches and my daughter is one of the players. It would be so great for them to do well.

I think I will lay on the couch and watch the end of one of the vidoes my mom made for me. I don't know if I've mentioned it in any previous blogs but we have no cable TV so my mom tapes HGTV, TLC and FOOD NETWORK shows for me. I love home makeover shows and people makeover shows and I LOVE FOOD SHOWS. Alton Brown is absolutely my favorite. I'm gonna finish watching his show on pizza now...hmmm...sounds like a plan for dinner tonight. YUMMY!

Till later...cya

My Picture

I put this picture of me in because I wanted it for my profile and I needed to have it published on a website to put it in my profile, so I published it in mine. I was 26 weeks and 4 days pregnant when this pictures was taken and although you can't see, I WAS HUGE! I gained a total of 60lbs during my pregnancy. I started as a size 4/6 and I was 135 lbs at 5'4....I ended up being 195! My baby was a whopping 7lb 14.5oz (ha ha)....I don't know where all the weight came from but I guess she needed it cuz I'm back down to an 8 almost a 6 and I'm almost down to 140! This is my incentive for working out. So far I have 2 days in a row. I'm on a roll! My hair is a lot blonder now than in this picture, my husband begged for 4 years for me to go blond (I was blond when I was younger) so I finally caved to the pressure.

It's 8:11 and my baby isn't up yet even though the dogs all over the neighborhood are doing there best to wake her with their barking for some reason. She went to sleep at 825 but she woke up this morning sometime between 4-5 and wouldn't go back to sleep. After nursing her and singing to her I put her back down to cry...then, as I lay in bed I remembered I didn't check her diaper and for some reason lately she has had very wet diapers in the middle of the night SO I went back in, changed her diaper, read 2 books and sang our songs. She cried after I left but drifted off to sleep within 10 min. If only I had thought about her diaper when I went in an hour earlier...

I'm surprised she's still out but not complaining. I hear the occasional bit of talking but then back to silence.

Well, I am hungry, still in my pajamas...it's actually chilly in here and I don't want to change out of my warm pj's....I should've laid back down to catch a few more zzzz's but once i get on the computer I can hardly pull myself away.

Oh well, cya later.

a picture of me 

Peace and Quiet

My beautiful child. I saw no point after 30 minutes. I got her up and she and I played and played. I gave her a bath which is always an adventure. At 8:25 she quietly drifted off to sleep. No fighting or yelling or crying. 4 stories (which, by the last one she was trying to close the book and turn toward me) and our 2 bedtime songs and "Nigh Nigh" as she says in her sweet little voice. For 35 minutes she has been asleep and I have since cleaned up the toys and I've been reading other peoples blogs that I have found through all of my searches. I've even commented on some of them.

I made it through a lot of my list today. My house is clean, I exercised...I even left the house for the grocery store (I never did go back like I wanted to though). All of the clothes are actually in their closets or drawers. What a good feeling.

My hubby had volleyball practice and then took our oldest to her other mother's house. Only after going to buy her a protractor and compus which then led to her being hungry so they stopped and ate and by 730 they were going the wrong way off the highway because the right exit was closed. Then he called and said he had to go back to the office to do a couple things (he's a realtor, work never ends for him, which is fine for me...we had long discussions before we got married about it). Now he should be home any minute.

I can't believe it's October of 2005. I can't believe my little baby is actually almost 14 months old. I promise I still think of her as a newborn....like I just had her...where did the time go? She's walking and has a huge vocabulary. Her hair gets longer everyday and it's curly on the ends. Everyday she does something to astonish me.

Motherhood is like nothing I ever expected but it's better than chocolate milk by far! (chocolate milk is one of my favorite things in the world) I came into motherhood when I married my husband and my oldest was part of the package. She was 6 when we started dating, 7 when I met her for the first time and turned 8 the month after we got married. Now she's 11 going on 30...she's beautiful and mature and still a little girl at the same time. She's got such an amazing faith in God that she blows me away sometimes with how she handles certain situations. She's really an old soul, ya know....she's so funny too.

Anyway, this is what happens when I have time alone and no cleaning to do.

It's 9:19 now. I should go to bed and savor the moments of peace while I can but I have to wait for my hubby. In 4 years of marriage I have rarely gone to bed without him. I just don't feel complete without him here.

Good night! Sweet Dreams! May God bless you and your family!

Naptime

When your 1 year old I guess naptimes are just pure evil. Her first nap she went down without a fight. This nap however, is a whole different story. I nursed her and she fell asleep, I carried her in and she woke up as I laid her down. We sat down and read and then I picked her up and rocked her and sang and again, sleep....I laid her down 16 min ago and have heard nothing but yelling and yelling since.

We both know she's tired even if she wants to pretend she's not. And we both know that if she doesn't sleep now she'll be exhausted by bedtime which makes for a very unhappy little girl. But she insists on yelling at me. She keeps teasing me...she'll be quiet for like 20 seconds, which doesn' sound like a long time but in this situations it really gets me thinking she's fallen asleep.

3 out of 4 times she doesn't cry but the times she does I hate I hate I hate....Oh yeah, I exercised! Good for me...do you know that Denise Austin is 48 years old! My word woman! She looks awesome! My mom taped her one morning for me and that's what I've been working out to. I took a picture of myself yesterday in workout clothes so I could see my body change as I lose weight. I've realized that I look pretty good from the side but when i look at myself from the front I have excess stuff hanging out every which way....Not for long....I'm gonna do this. I've been the most inconsistant person on earth but I'm planning on changing that. I will do this and I'll be so happy. We're at 20 min of crying and apparently the airport is directing flights over our house AGAIN....Loud 747's flying low, preparing to land...not a recipe for a happy, napping baby....we must be lined up perfectly for the "cloudy windy day" runway....we are less than 10 miles from the airport so they are pretty low by the time they are above us.

Oh well, I'm hungry...as always...TURKEY SANDWICH AND CHOCOLATE MILK, HERE I COME

Later