Just Around the South Bend

Grandma and Daddy

2012-01-21T10:58:00.000-08:00

I realized I don't have long to write much on this post. I looked at the time and saw that it's time to feed Mason...again. Amazing how quickly these 3 hour increments roll around. Kev's mom (aka "Grandma" to Elliott and Mason) came for a visit last week. Kev was able to take these photos of Grandma and Mason bonding. So sweet!

Mason and Daddy hanging out. I can't believe our little man will be 4 weeks tomorrow! So amazing!

Okay...I'm off to feed the boy!

Mason's BIRTH day

2012-01-19T18:39:00.001-08:00

I have been thinking about this post for a while just haven't sat down to actually type it. As time has been flying by, I figure I better write it soon or we will be celebrating his first birthday before I know it. Slight exaggeration, but time does seem to be passing quickly.

We obviously had a successful outcome from the delivery, but I will say that it was different than I expected. As I have contemplated his birth, I think I went into the whole experience with unreasonable expectations. Elliott's birth was uncharacteristic of a first birth. First, she was a week and a half early. Not common for your first baby. Since she was early, I (and my doctor...and everyone else for that matter) assumed I would go into labor early. Obviously that didn't happen and I was actually a day late. Second, with Elliott, I went to the hospital at 9pm and delivered her at 12:06am...3 hours later. Apparently that's not normal either. So with that information, here is Mason's story.

I had contractions off and on several weeks before I actually went into labor that I thought for sure were labor signs. Not so much. My OB doctor was actually leaving town on Christmas Eve, my due date. My due date came and went and I had almost no contractions on that day. My mom flew into South Bend on Christmas Eve and Kev and Elliott were able to pick her up from the airport. I had resigned myself to the fact that Mason was coming in HIS timing, and just tried to make fun plans for the next day, Christmas. I woke up at 1am Christmas morning with pretty intense contractions. They continued to get harder and closer together, so when they were consistently 3 to 4 minutes apart, I decided to go to the hospital. This was at 6am. The best part was my mom was there, so we didn't have to take Elliott to anyone's house. Such a blessing!

When I got to the hospital, they checked me and said I was dilated to a 5-6cm. This was exactly what I was when I got to the hospital with Elliott. My nurse said she thought I would deliver by 11am with my previous experience. When we checked in, they informed us that the doctor on call for my doctor had a family emergency so a doctor from a completely different group was going to do the delivery. Fantastic. Just what I love...unpredictability. The hospital in South Bend was very different than my experience in Norman. They had lots of options for working through your labor...a jetted tub, walking in the halls, birthing ball, a rocking chair. They also did not require continuous monitoring so the nurse would listen to Mason's heart beat once every hour and then listen continuously for 20 minutes every 3 hours or so. They also let me drink clear liquids the whole time and I even got to eat some crackers. This was a huge blessing because I ate a bowl of cereal at 1am when my contractions started so by midmorning, I was starving! Not to mention nauseated when Kev started eating a Christmas meal from the cafeteria while I was having intense contractions.

So, Kev and I got settled in and tried to make the contractions more consistent by walking in the halls and around the room. They continued to increase in intensity so I decided to get into the tub. It was really relaxing but made my contractions slow way down...I don't think that was the intent. So I got back out and tried to do more walking. The doctor came and checked me around 11am and said I was an 8. From 11-2:30, my contractions definitely got worse and I was having TONS of back labor...something I didn't experience with Elliott. The only relief I could get was every contraction Kevin would put pressure with his hand on my low back. Not fun! I started feeling more and more pressure so I finally asked my nurse to check me again at around 2:30. I was still an 8.

I felt TOTALLY defeated at this point...definitely the low point of the day. I had been at the hospital for over 8 hours and had only dilated 2 centimeters. The nurse mentioned that she was afraid Mason was OP instead of OA (meaning he was looking up instead of looking down). I felt like every time I had a contraction, he wasn't being able to engage my cervix (my cervix was still apparently pretty posterior as well and had not rotated forward) instead his head was ramming into my spine. Not comfortable. My nurse recommended I try a few "techniques" to try to get him to turn. First she had me lay on the bed in a very awkward position. For me, laying while having contractions is one of the MOST uncomfortable things. We did that for about half an hour and then she had me doing lunges on the bed during contractions. You heard me right...LUNGES. I remember thinking, "What in the world am I doing?" I was in so much pain, disheartened, emotional, and weak. I decided at this point, we needed to reevaluate our course. I had Elliott naturally, but I decided at this point in the game, I needed some relief. I decided to have an epidural. I have always had a healthy fear of epidurals so this helped me deliver natural the first time. However, I was at the point that as they covered the risks of paralysis and death with an epidural, I really DIDN'T CARE!! Whatever helps take this pain away. The nurse also warned me getting an epidural might slow my labor down and push my delivery back. The epidural process wasn't too bad besides having to sit still while you're having intense contractions. Then they made me lay flat on the bed with instructions it would take around 20 minutes for the epidural to kick in. Again...not comfortable but doable. About 15 minutes after I had my epidural, I was still having pretty uncomfortable contractions but my doctor checked me and said I was a 9 with a bulging bag so she broke my water. REALLY? That's all it took? Apparently, sometimes if your body is able to relax just a little it allows the baby to turn. Well, my epidural finally kicked in and I felt so much more comfortable but was able to fully move my legs and feel pressure. The doctor came back about 45 minutes later, checked me and said I was complete and ready to push. I think I pushed 3 times and Mason just popped out. SOOOO much easier than with Elliott.

So, if anyone is actually still reading this, there is Mason's birth story. Not what I expected but TOTALLY worth it. Even though I wasn't necessarily planning on having an epidural, I don't have any regrets, and yet I don't have any regrets I went sans pain medicine for so long either. It happened how it was supposed to. I will say, the epidural definitely improved the actual birth, and I was able to enjoy holding Mason way more than I did with Elliott after he was born. Here is a few pictures from our hospital stay.

Just born. Kev says this is his "scary" picture.

Hanging with Dad.
Sweet Elliott. Entertain by hospital ice.

Love this guy (actually, both guys in the pic)!

Ready to go home.

To keep me sane...

2012-01-14T11:52:00.001-08:00

It's hard to believe that Mason will be 3 weeks old tomorrow! Time flies with newborns...truly amazing. When I had Elliott, I felt like I was in a foggy haze for at least a month, we kept the blinds closed almost all the time because I would sleep at all times during the day, and we rarely left the house. This time around has been so different. We leave the house on a daily basis (because we want to get out) and I rarely take naps in the day. Part of the reason is the second time around all the details are not nearly as exhausting or stressful, but I've come up with a list of things that have kept me sane these past 3 weeks:
1. A supportive husband. Kev has been so helpful and simply amazing. He has cleaned the house, done countless loads of laundry, helped prepare meals, and taken the lion share of caring for Miss Elliott. Plus, every night he has gotten mason back to sleep after I finish feeding him. I'm not kidding, this helps tremendously and I can actually function when I wake up in the am.
2. A cooperative daughter. Pre-Mason, Elliott woke up every morning at 7 or 7:30...without fail. Since Mason was born, she started waking up at 9. That's right, 9 am. Incredible. We still put her to bed around 7-8 but she just sleeps later. Thanks Bean. She also has started taking 1 long nap a day so she'll sleep anywhere from 2-4 hours in the afternoon. I think this might be a much needed break time for me when Kev goes back to school.
3. EmergenC. I tend to get sick when I'm not getting sufficient sleep. Fast. I try to take emergenC on a daily basis and it makes a huge difference.
4. Coffee. Love me some coffee in the morning...and occasionally in the afternoon. I'm glad it doesn't seem to affect Mason.
5. My iPhone. One handed entertainment since I'm spending so much time nursing and holding the boy. I can have my quiet time and be totally caught up with all my social media while sending pics to relatives and friends. Love it.
6. Supportive friends and family. So many people have brought us meals, visited, called or sent messages. It has made us feel so very loved and supported. Thank you guys for loving us!

I'm sure there are many other things bit these are the things on my mind right now. I know you wanted to know.

Dates

2012-01-09T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have had lots of numbers in my head recently. Like 2...as in this little guy is 2 weeks. I can hardly believe two weeks have already gone by since he was born. Time flies when you're getting limited sleep and changing countless diapers. No seriously, Mason has been such a good baby. He rarely cries and is going 5 hours in between feedings at night. I'll take it. He is a great little nurser, and I can totally tell he is getting bigger...take a look at the double chin in this picture. Love it.

He does have extremely active bowels. I seriously don't remember having to change Elliott's diaper as often as I do his. Not only that, but he has peed and pooped out of more diapers than I can count. Ridiculous. There is nothing like going through multiple outfits...in the middle of the night. Love this little guy!

17...Miss Elliott is 17 months old. This past month has been filled with super fun times but also frustration as well. She is learning so much and her little personality is becoming more evident, but she has also thrown more fits and tries to exert her independence which has created so many questions for us on how to parent and discipline. It can definitely feel overwhelming at times. But she is still such a sweet little girl, and I know we're all learning through this process.

30...as in how old I am as of yesterday. It's hard to believe I am 30, no longer in my 20s. It sounds so old, and yet I don't feel that old. Interesting how that works. I have had an amazing 30 years, and feel so blessed at each day God has given me. I wonder what the next 30 years (Lord willing) will hold?

8...as in the number of years we have been married as of tomorrow. I feel like this is a major accomplishment. 8 years is a long time people. Kev figured out we have been married for approximately 26% of my life...pretty amazing. I have loved the past 8 years and I am so thankful for the amazing man that God gave to me as a husband. I love him more and more every day and thankful we get to journey through life together.

Snow!!!

2012-01-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

There are so many post ideas I have buzzing around in my brain, but it's been a little hard to find a moment when my hands are free and I have the time to write them. Not going to lie, when Elliott lays down for her afternoon nap, usually writing a post isn't on the top of my priority list. Instead, I have to decide between showering, napping, cleaning, being productive, returning phone calls, or just spending a few minutes snuggling my sweet baby boy. Usually I choose snuggling...and resting. Let's face it, aren't those the two best things on the list? :)

So instead of going in order and posting about Mason's birth story or Christmas, I decided to post some pictures of Elliott's first experience playing in the snow. Yesterday, we toted all our snow gear over to some good friends' house to let our daughters play in the snow.

It took a while getting all their gear on. Snow boots, check. Mittens, check. Hats, check. Coats, check.

Elliott was OFF as soon as her feet hit the snow.

She LOVED the snow...even when she fell and face-planted in it.

She loves her Daddy!

Group picture. Don't worry...Mason was warm and cozy inside. It's hard to tell in this picture, but Elliott was throwing a fit because she wanted to be down playing in the snow and did NOT want to be picked up. Oh the drama.

Mason and I snuggling inside. He is 10 days old here.

It looks like we've got ourselves a little snow bunny. I guess it's good that we now live in a place that gets lots of snow. Also good that her Daddy loves to play in the snow too. However, I'm sure we're all going to be sick and tired of the snow and cold weather by the time this winter is over.

He's here!!

2011-12-31T18:02:00.000-08:00

Mason Everett was born on December 25th...that's right, Christmas day...at 4:34 pm. Nothing was quite as I had anticipated but he made his arrival according to his timing, and we are so blessed that he was a healthy baby boy. He is amazingly perfect and we are SO in love. I have enjoyed our first week with our precious baby boy so much more than I did with Elliott. I loved my first week with Elliott but I was anxious about so many things that I feel like I missed the sweetness of the moments you have with a newborn, not to mention I was still surprisingly uncomfortable from having a baby. This time around, I have been able to enjoy the sweetness of snuggling Mason, even if it is in the middle of the night, I have enjoyed seeing his funny expressions and hearing his little noises, I love feeling the softness of his newborn skin. He has been so much fun! All this being said, I'm definitely tired and look forward to sleeping for greater than 3 hour increments sometime in the distant future, but for now, I'm trying to relish these sweet times, because I know they pass oh so quickly. I'm planning on posting more details about his birth etc...hopefully soon, but no guarantees. I'm sleep deprived and have a very active toddler to chase around. My new normal.

Elliott's first meeting with Mason. She gave him lots of kisses!

Our first picture with our son after his delivery.

Perfect little footprints.

Such an alert little guy.

39 weeks, 3 days...and still pregnant

2011-12-20T17:03:00.000-08:00

I know I'm not even to my due date, but it feels like I have been pregnant F-O-R-E-V-E-R. How do women go one or even two weeks past their due date? I have serious respect for them. I think what has made the waiting the hardest this time is I expected to go early because I did with Elliott...makes sense history would repeat itself, right? Wrong. Nothing makes sense in the world of babies. Here are my most recent belly shots...taken a couple minutes ago.

And for kicks, here is a picture when I was 38 weeks, 3 days with Miss E. I even put on the same shirt for nostalgia's sake.

I always think it's fun to look back. And because I can't resist posting/saying a couple things about Miss Elliott, here are a couple pictures I took of her and her BFF Maryn the other day.

Elliott has a "secret" hideout she found under the counter. She opens this cabinet door frequently to go to her place and takes many items with her...her ball, baby, friends. It always makes me laugh.

M decided to check it out too.

This age has been SO much fun! Some things I don't want to forget:

She says night-night to the Christmas tree for every nap and at night.

The first thing she insists on doing every morning is plugging the Christmas tree in. Can you tell she has a small love affair with the tree? :)

She LOVES Christmas lights and points them out all the time.

She loves to spin in circles.

She loves singing...today, Kev and I were singing on the way home and as soon as we stopped she signed more over and over. Then emphatically nodded that she wanted us to sing more.

I can't wait to see how she will respond to her baby brother!

Christmas fun!

2011-12-18T18:48:00.000-08:00

No...I am still not in labor. Still waiting. I am 39 weeks and 1 day...aka the most pregnant I have ever been. Elliott's "day" she was delivered on (38 weeks 5 days) came and went, uneventfully. I guess Baby Boy wanted his own arrival day.

In the mean time, we've been enjoying Kev being off school and have watched lots of Christmas movies, went looking at Christmas lights while drinking hot chocolate, went to the movies to celebrate the end of the semester (we watched Sherlock Holmes...good movie), and have had lots of family time. It has been really fun! Tonight we had a little Christmas party with our small group. We decided to dress the kids up in their Halloween outfits and take some pictures...why not, right? What kid doesn't like to dress up? I was actually really excited because Miss E never got to wear her Halloween outfit since she had the croup at Halloween.

Rapunzal, Yoda, a bee, and a ladybug...such a great combo.

The 2 little insects

I think Elliott really liked her costume. She didn't try to take it off and she kept petting her antenae. So funny!

Then we had some sugar cookies...yummy!

What's this green stuff all over my hands?

What do you have over there?

BEST.Sugar.Cookie.Ever (at least I think that's what she was saying by this somber stare.) :)

No news...

2011-12-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

No news in the world of delivering babies...at least for me. It's a little hard to not feel like I'm just waiting...waiting for our little guy to decide it is time to make his grand entrance. Wouldn't today be a good time? I'm not sure if he and I are on the same page. I had Miss Elliott when I was 38 weeks and 5 days. I will be 38 weeks and 5 days TOMORROW. Tomorrow. Doesn't he realize he should follow in his sister's footsteps? If so, he needs to get a move on it because the chances of delivering tomorrow are looking more and more slim.

I'm still *trying* to enjoy my time now. Time to sleep through the night, time to sleep until 7:30 (can you tell I like to sleep?), time to play with our precious daughter, time to enjoy the anticipation of Christmas, time to hang out with my husband. But in the back of my mind, I'm also waiting. Waiting to see his sweet little face and see if he looks like Elliott or totally different, waiting to feel his warm little body snuggled in on my chest, waiting to see how Elliott responds. So many conflicting thoughts and emotions.

I am definitely to the stage of pregnancy where every phone call I make, I have to preface the conversation with, "No, I'm not in labor" because everyone else knows it could be any day...or it could be a week away. Who knows but GOD? I wish he would give me a hint though so I wouldn't go to bed every night wondering if this could be the night....

16 Month Stats

2011-12-10T13:57:00.000-08:00

Elliott went to the doctor Friday for her 15 month appointment (although she was 16 months). I was so glad to learn that she was finishing up the last of her routine vaccinations until she is 4! So exciting! I just wish she realized that. She still was pretty sad to get her shots. :(

Here are her 16 month stats:

Height-33 3/4 inches (99%)

Weight-27 pounds, 13 ounces (95%)

Head-19 3/4 inches (100%)

I'm amazed she is still in the upper 90s for all her stats! She seems like a normal size to us, but I am always amazed how much taller she is than her peers. I've even had several people ask me if she is 2...no one EVER guess she is not even 18 months yet. So funny!

I'm feeling more and more prepared for Baby Boy to be here! I'm not sure if Kev would say the same thing (he's still working on studying for a final/final project), but I feel like I have accomplished some major things recently. We finally went on a tour of the OB floor at the hospital today so we now know where to go when I go into labor, I've frozen 4 or 5 meals in preparation, I washed his clothes and crib sheets, I've sent out Christmas cards and almost finished all my Christmas shopping, finished almost all of my thank you notes, and we finally got his bedding on his bed.

Did I mention he has to sleep in our room? Our house has 2 rooms and a "sleeping porch." Before we moved here, we just assumed we would use the sleeping porch as a bedroom, but when we got here, we quickly realized there were some serious drawbacks to that idea. First, the room is not well insulated so it it gets REALLY cold during the winter...not necessarily something you want for your kiddo. Also, the only way to get to it is through Elliott's bedroom. Many obvious problems with this, namely, 2 awake kids in the middle of the night=insanity. Then we came up with our second idea...we have a large closet in our bedroom that we're not really using and we originally thought we would put him in there, until we realized it was just big enough for the crib but would be difficult getting him in and out (not to mention change the sheets) and the closet is really cold. So finally we came up with the option above...him sleeping in our room. We bought PVC pipe and curtains so we are going to section the room off...we'll see how it works. Oh the fun NEVER.STOPS. We're ready for our little man to be here!

16 Months Old

2011-12-06T18:05:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Miss E is 16 months old! I have been really terrible with her monthly updates after she turned 1 years old, but I have been looking back at my previous updates to complete her baby book and it is SO fun to see what she was doing. It is also AMAZING how much I have forgotten already. So with that in mind, I thought it would be fun to try to right more consistent updates. We'll see how long my resolve lasts. :)

She is wearing 18-24 month/24 month/2T clothes. 18-24 month clothes are actually getting a little tight. I typically buy 2T shirts because they are a little longer in the torso.
She just started wearing size 5 shoes.
She wears size 6 diapers...size 6! I think it's the largest diaper they sell at the store. Craziness! Guess the next step is to potty train her. :)
She is definitely a much pickier eater than she used to be which is SO sad to me. She doesn't really like any veggies and very limited fruits. I started buying the baby food packets (that are ridiculously overpriced in my opinion), and she will eat those. Her favorite foods include peanut butter and honey sandwiches, eggs, any carbohydrate/bread, and CHOCOLATE! I have given chocolate to Elliott several times only to see her have a *complete meltdown* when I wouldn't give her more. It was not pretty. So I'm unsure how much chocolate she'll be getting. My mom also introduced her to orange mango juice which she LOVES. She actually has never drank juice at all until she tried the special juice...she may never be the same. As soon as she finishes her half cup, she frantically starts signing more and pointing to the refrigerator. Pretty hilarious. At least she still loves water too.

Don't you love the actual boxes under our tree? I'm not sure if E will try to unwrap the presents so we're just not even dealing with that battle right now. Elliott loves to sit at the step at the bottom of our stairs. It's pretty funny.

Elliott feeding her baby her water bottle.

Elliott runs CONSTANTLY. She is constantly on the go and into EVERYTHING. She loves to explore, open/close things, take things out, etc. We were playing in the living room the other day and the room was a mess (no surprise), but as I looked around, I realized there was maybe 1 toy out and everything else was just nontoy things she likes to play with...things in drawers, coasters, books, etc. Why do we even buy toys?
She still LOVES Truman and recently has wanted to try to stand on him. We try to discourage this, but she thinks it's pretty funny.

Recently, she started walking around on her toes. It is so funny! She also loves to walk backwards...she always gets a funny smile on her face when she does it.
She has never been into her babies or stuffed animals, but recently she has really loved her baby. She wants to wrap her up in the blanket (or have me wrap her), then she unwraps...repeat. She also wants me to put her shirt on so she can take it off. She sits in her chair and pats her baby's back. Hopefully those motherly instincts continue when Baby Boy gets here.
She LOVES Praise Baby DVDs...she immediately gets calm when she watches them. She also loves to watch videos we have taken of her on our iPhones. It is our go-to if she gets fussy or we need to give her medicine or any other unpleasant task. Is that bad?
She has so many more opinions and thoughts about EVERYTHING...the challenge is just trying to figure out what she wants sometimes. She is getting much better about communicating and nods her head emphatically when I guess right.

Downing her water. It obviously works better this way.

This age is SO much fun! She is learning so much and so inquisitive about everything. It is also a very exhausting age because she gets very angry/frustrated when she doesn't get her way. Not always easy to know how to deal with these fits but we're learning...as is she...hopefully.

There is SO much more that she is doing, but this post is definitely long enough...and I need to go to bed. We love our little Ellie Bean!

37 weeks

2011-12-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

I have done a terrible job posting pics of my "bump" progression, but here is the picture we took today...37 weeks (and 1 day but who's counting?). I definitely feel pregnant, back pain and all. I'm to the stage where I feel the need to audibly grunt when I stand up. It's really attractive, I assure you. :) But the good thing is Baby Boy is growing and for that I am SO very thankful! I saw the doctor last Thursday and she checked me and said my cervix was thinning but no dilation yet. SO...I guess we'll see.

I was able to check a major thing off my list tonight...I finally completed AND ordered Elliott's one year baby book. I have been making a book for her on Shutterfly for, oh the past YEAR, and 101 pages later (the max), I finished it. I must say, I'm quite proud of myself because I was able to order it 50% off, with an additional $10 off, and free shipping. I saved a total of $115. Still not a cheap baby book, but I think it will be totally worth it!

When I was downloading these pictures of the bump, I found some cute pics of Miss E we took over a month ago at the park. We had walked to the park and let her swing for a little bit. Gotta love a little girl in a hat and gloves!!!

I feel like I need to post this disclaimer. When I first saw the pictures, I noticed her lips are BLUE! It was chilly but not that cold. Talk about making me feel like a negligent parent. Then I remembered that around this time she had a nasty fall and almost bit through her lip. Her lip was blue for a long time. So I think it was the injury, not the cold weather, causing the blue tinged lip. Okay, I feel better.

Survival

2011-12-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

That's the mode we're in these days people...full out survival. Why, you may ask? Several reasons. First, we're right in the midst of finals for Kev. There are definite perks about him being back in school...he gets a month off for Christmas and summers off, he has a pretty flexible schedule and so far has been able to watch Miss E one day a week when I work, among others. Finals week is NOT one of those perks. I have found myself reminiscing about "the good ol' days" when he just had a normal job and was free in the evenings and weekends. He has not been super stressed and has handled all his papers/tests very well, but I still find myself counting down the days to Christmas break.

Finals probably wouldn't be as bad, but they're combined with another factor...I'm 37 weeks pregnant and chasing after a very active, very opinionated, almost 16 month old. Needless to say, it is slightly exhausting. I do pretty well most of the time, but then I hit a wall of absolute fatigue and survive is all I can do. Sometimes I feel like a whiney mess which drives me crazy, so I'm sure it must be driving Kev crazy as well. I'm sure we'll all be thankful when this first round of finals is over.

In the midst of this survival mode, we have had really sweet moments. We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with some sweet friends here that weren't able to travel home either. I did a terrible job taking pictures, but you can see some here on Billy and Kate's blog. I realized tonight that Thanksgiving (and Christmas) will be the first 2 holidays that I have EVER not spent with my family (and I think the same applies to Kev). Kind of crazy. It was a really fun time and the food was delicious!

I have also felt so overwhelmed at the love and support we have felt from our friends here, especially with all the business of life. Several of my friends hosted a church shower today for Baby Boy and there were people who came that I hardly even knew. So amazing! I feel like our friends have also been more than willing to help out with Elliott both now and when Baby Boy gets here. I think in Norman I would have expected the support because we knew people well after living there for 11 years, but I feel like we are still getting to know people here and yet they are going above and beyond what I would ever expect. We feel so thankful to have found "family" away from home.

So thankful!

2011-11-24T17:39:00.000-08:00

I am so very thankful for this precious little girl. Although being a parent is hard work, it is also the most incredible blessing too. Sometimes I think how simple and uncomplicated our lives were before kids, but I would never want to return to those days and miss the joys that raising a child brings. I feel like I haven't shared much about Miss Elliott lately, so I thought I would take today to share some things in her I am thankful for.

I am thankful for her excitement for life. The girl runs all the time (or her version of a run). She is never satisfied to sit still and is constantly exploring, constantly moving. Her new trick has been learning how to climb. The other day I turned around to find her standing on Truman's huge bin of food. Gulp. Visions of her crashing to the floor flashed through my mind as I realized we have entered a whole new stage of potential for injury. Elliott is not a huge talker but one of her favorite words is "wow" and she uses it OFTEN. Apparently there is a lot that "wows" her.

I am thankful for her independent spirit. She loves to do things on her own...feed herself, climb up stairs, I think she would change her own clothes if she could just figure out exactly how to do it. The reverse is she hates to do things she does not initiate, such as getting her diapers changed. It's funny to see such a small girl try to exert such independence (and have such strong opinions about things...that's putting it nicely).

I am so thankful to see her act more like a little girl and less like a baby. It's amazing how much she understands! I can tell she is actually comprehending what I tell her, whether it be what we're doing or when I give her simple commands. It seems like every day she is understanding more too. I can now get her to throw things away for me (the trick is getting her to leave other things in the trash), and I'm hopeful that by the time Baby Boy gets here, she'll be able to get a diaper for me. We'll see how that works. :)

I'm thankful for the moments she still needs her mommy. It warms my heart when she gives me kisses or lays her head on my shoulder or reaches for me when she gets hurt. Although she is a busy little girl, I always get to see glimpses of her sweet side.

Joyful independence!

We took these pictures about a month ago, but I feel like they show such a joyful side of her (especially since she is not smiling in so many pictures we take). She is truly our little miracle, and we are so blessed!

Preparation...

2011-11-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

How is it possible that Thanksgiving is in 2 DAYS?? And that Christmas is in 1 MONTH??? I feel like I'm in a whirlwind of activity and time is flying by. And with each day that flies by, I keep thinking, how is it possible that our little baby boy will be here in 5 weeks or less? I had Elliott when I was 38 weeks 5 days so I realize there is a possibility he could come a little early. I'm not sure I feel ready. Don't get me wrong, this body is TIRED of being pregnant. Wow...not sure how women have like 10 kids. Pregnancy wears.me.out. I do love feeling baby boy move, and I love knowing he is growing, but this stage in the game is just uncomfortable and I would say I'm definitely more uncomfortable than I was when I was pregnant with E.

Part of me wonders if I am physically ready. The pain of birth is no surprise now...no mystery. I know it hurts...bad. Also, although I am uncomfortable now, I'm not sure I'm ready to be completely and utterly exhausted from waking up in the middle of the night. Newborn babies are SO sweet, but there is nothing like getting only small segments of sleep. We finally got baby boy's crib set up, but beyond that, I don't feel like I have much more ready for him. Poor guy doesn't even have a name yet!

Finally, I'm not sure I am mentally prepared to have 2 children. Elliott is at a super fun age as we get to see more and more of her little personality, but she also is at an age where I am constantly questioning how to be an effective parent. It's so easy to second guess how and what you do and wonder how to best raise them. What's going to happen when we throw in a completely helpless baby that demands our attention?

We are SO excited to meet our little guy, and I don't want to seem ungrateful. I am so thankful for this precious life growing inside me, but I definitely have had more emotions as his due date draws near. I think in some ways my fears stem from my desire to want to have all my "ducks in a row." I like to feel totally prepared, totally on top of things, and I just don't right now. It's probably just preparation for our lives with 2 kids, but it is hard for me to let go of the control.

Where we've been

2011-11-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

Where do you even start when you've been gone for a greater than 2 week blogging hiatus? So much to share, especially since we were gone for most of this time. I'll try to make it brief, but I warn you, I decided to limit the words so I could post more pictures.

Elliott and I decided to make a girls trip to Texas to see my first niece/her cousin.

Isn't she precious?

We actually flew into Oklahoma City first so we got to spend a couple of nights with our sweet friends...

they even hosted a come and go party for us so we could see other friends since we weren't able to hang out with everyone one-on-one (of course I took no pictures of this event). Then we stayed a night with Kev's parents and E got some play time with her cousins

and Aunt Lisa.

No pictures with Uncle Seth! So sad!

Then we drove to Texas and spent a week with my parents (my dad was there too...promise).

My middle sister and her husband came up for the weekend so we got to see them too.

Hanging with Uncle Josh.

Checking Baby H out.

Did I mention I did all of this when I was 33/34 weeks pregnant with a 15 month old that weighs 26+ pounds? Not going to lie, all of the travel was slightly exhausting but TOTALLY worth it!

The flight to OKC was slightly traumatic...we missed our first flight due to poor time management and having E's diaper bag run multiple times through the scanner then eventually searched (I guess the snacks I brought looked suspicious). Definitely a bad start to an already potentially stressful day. Don't kid yourself, I was definitely that token pregnant girl walking through the airport bawling when I called Kev to tell him. Not my best moment. Things got better from there, and thankfully the missed flight only extended our travel time by a couple hours (which can feel like an eternity with a toddler).

The flight home from Amarillo was much more smooth even though we had one extra stop, and we only had one leg of the flight where a very large man sat in the middle seat so we had very little room in our seat by the window. Did I mention the plane was hot as well? Not a good combo for this girl. I packed new toys/stickers/coloring book, tons of snacks, put videos on my iPhone, but I hadn't thought through the fact that I can no longer bend at the waist. This probably made flying the most difficult because I had to rely on the people sitting next to me to get things for me. By the end of traveling, I wised up and put everything I thought we could potentially use in the seat pocket in front of me.

It was quite an adventure but we survived! It was pretty amazing to see Kev's face in Chicago though. Life is definitely easier with him! I'm just SO thankful we got to see Baby H! She is absolutely perfect and I'm just sad we don't live closer so we can see her more often.

Sick baby

2011-10-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend we intended on being very productive, but all our plans were put on hold because Miss Elliott got sick. She was a little hoarse on Friday, but on Saturday, she developed a full blown croupy cough which of course sounds TERRIBLE, a snotty nose, and a low grade fever. We were planning on going to a pumpkin patch/corn maze with some people from church but it was pretty obvious at the beginning of the day, that was not going to happen. We had a forced rest, which was actually kind of nice, but would have been nicer if she wouldn't have been sick. We got to watch lots of Blue's Clues.

I HATE to see Elliott sick. It truly hurts my heart, and I would gladly take the illness on myself if I could. She has not been sick very often, and I am so thankful for that, but every time she does get sick, I kind of amaze myself at how poorly I respond. All my medical training goes out the window, I can't seem to think straight, I just hurt for her. It gives me a perspective at how difficult it must be on a parent for their child to be diagnosed with a chronic illness, or even something just more serious than a virus....to have to spend days, weeks, months in the hospital hoping and praying their child will get better. I don't know how they do it. We have 2 days where Elliott can't breath well, and I turn into a complete basket case. It also reminds me of how thankful I am for each and every day we get to spend with our precious daughter. She is truly a blessing from God!

I guess I feel emotional tonight. Can I just blame it on the pregnancy? :) So I feel like we're entering the week a little off, and Elliott and I are actually flying to Oklahoma...by ourselves...on Thursday. I'm just praying she is feeling better by then. I'm having flashbacks of our trip to Florida. A wonderful trip but I swore I wouldn't take another trip without Kev. Oh how quickly I forgot apparently.

I thought I would share a few pics of our other "child."

Truman with his splint.

Notice how much blue wrap is missing...hence the cone. Truman was not a fan, Elliott thought it was awesome.

Here is a picture of what it looks like now. Notice the gray blob attached to his right leg (it kind of looks like an extra appendage or something). That is what he has to wear for 8 weeks. It kind of reminds me of putty and you can see the screws poking into it. He licks it obsessively, which is slightly annoying (especially to Kev), but it's really hard to get him to stop. Oh the drama in our lives. :)

I'll leave you with this...because it's basically the cutest picture EVER! My two most favorite people!

Visitors and injuries

2011-10-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

Life has been a little crazy at our household recently, evidenced by the my lack of posts. Kev had fall break last week so he was off the ENTIRE week. It was amazing! Definitely a perk of being in school again. Of course I was not off for fall break, but it was nice because he got to watch Miss Elliott all week. Then his parents came for a long weekend visit. We had so much fun showing them around our new "home," sharing some delicious Irish pub food together, and we laughed a lot.

Fun shot on campus. The gold dome is in the background.

Kev did a grandparents "photo shoot" on campus. Elliott *kind of* cooperated. Story of our life.

He got some cute pictures of E too.

Another thing that made this past week a little crazy is we had a major family injury. Kev and I went on a walk on Friday while Elliott was napping (Kev's parents stayed with her), and we decided we would take Truman so he could get a little exercise. Truman does not do the best on the leash, and so a lot of time we'll let him run off the leash and he does really well to stay with us. We were almost home, when a squirrel darted out across the street and Truman ran after him. A car just happened to be driving down the street at that exact time, and we watched in horror and complete helplessness as Truman got clipped by the car. It all happened in an instant, and it was terrible! Thankfully, he didn't go under the car, and as soon as he got hit he ran off the road. So to make a long story short, he broke 2 bones in his front leg, one bone went through the skin, he had to be put in a splint and then he had surgery Monday where they placed 6 pins in his bones. He'll have the pins removed in 8 weeks. They told us to make sure he doesn't run or jump and try to keep him calm. Really? They obviously don't know our dog. So that's all the excitement in our household. I'll try to do better about posting though.

The pacifier debate

2011-10-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

I survived my first week at work! Yay! Actually, it went very smoothly. Everyone that I work with is extremely nice and helpful, and everything with childcare went great. I'm so thankful! The hardest thing about working was packing our lunches the night before. I have GOT to get more creative with what I pack for Elliott. Pretty sure peanut butter sandwiches are only going to work for so long. I feel like she has gotten a little more picky lately (I promise I'm not complaining), and she used to be better at eating more fruits and veggies. Lately, she will eat grapes, apple sauce, and maybe an occasional green bean. I think I'm going to have to become more sneaky at incorporating vegetables. The funny/annoying thing is if I put anything on her tray that she doesn't want, she quickly tosses it off. I hear ya loud and clear, Elliott, you don't like that. I always feel like it is her emphatic way of telling me, "I don't even want to look at the food, Mommy. Something better please."

Our big dilemma lately is when to take away the loved/hated pacifier. Weaning her from breastfeeding was a breeze, taking away bottles a cinch, but I literally cringe every time I think about taking her pacifier away. She has loved her pacifier from the beginning which has been a blessing/curse. I have been SO thankful for it many times, and always hated it just as many times. Lately, if she doesn't want to take a nap, she throws it out of her crib and then she definitely won't go to sleep. Drives.me.crazy. I also feel like taking it away will help her sleep better because there are definitely times she wakes up and I think she starts crying if she can't find it.

Originally, we had October as our goal month. In our thinking, she would be transitioned from the move, but then be without the pacifier long enough before the new baby comes to hopefully not regress. October seemed so far away when we made the plans, but now it's here...and the month is already half way over. This weekend is probably the best weekend to take it away because Kev is off all next week for fall break, but I keep second guessing myself. Is it really that important that we take it away now? Maybe we'll just prolong the sleepless nights, mental agony, crying child, until she's at least two. But I definitely don't think it will get any easier so why not just do it now. Oh the decisions. I can't decide if I should throw all her pacifiers (we're down to 3 anyway) away so I can't second guess myself, but then I may be sending Kev to Walmart at midnight to get a pacifier. Why can't this be easier?

Chicago

2011-10-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Oh Chicago. I must say you exceeded my expectations. I know much of that was due to the amazing company, perfect weather, and beautiful Fall colors, but I will happily visit you again and hopefully soon.

So like I said in my last post, we had such a wonderful time in Chicago over the weekend with our sweet friends David and Anna. David was an incredible tour guide since evidently he had been there with his family quite a few times. I actually lived outside of Chicago for a year when I was like 5 years old, and the only thing I really remember about the city was the aquarium which we visited when we first came. I really wanted to explore more but never really knew where to start. This weekend was the perfect start of our exploration of Chicago.

We started off the day with deep dish pizza at Pizzeria Uno. One word...AMAZING. Probably not the healthiest choice but totally worth the calories. We made up for the unhealthy meal by walking a ton.

Cute family pic!

We loved seeing "The Bean" in Millennium Park. It is made of 168 stainless steel plates welded together but there is no visible seems. It was pretty amazing.

Looking up in the middle of "The Bean."

Had to take a slightly awkward belly pic. Anna is almost two weeks behind me in her pregnancy. I LOVE that we get to be pregnant together, I just wish we still lived close.

The bean with "The Bean." She loved it...really.

We got to enjoy some delicious coffee at Intelligentsia. Yummy lattes. Aren't they pretty too?

We can't get enough of these Fall leaves!

I also made some great purchases at H&M to help extend my work wardrobe. It was a perfect day just entirely to short. Thanks again for visiting us David and Anna! Let's start planning for next year.

Friends for the weekend

2011-10-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing weekend with friends visiting from Oklahoma! We felt so blessed that they would take time out of their busy schedules to come see us. It was such a fun, refreshing weekend. They got here late Friday night, then we sent Saturday just hanging around South Bend...walking around campus, watching OU beat Texas (what better weekend to have fellow Sooner fans in town??), showing them our favorite spots, and just catching up. Then we had a glorious day in Chicago on Sunday. I don't have time tonight to write an adequate post on our amazing day in Chicago so I'm saving it for tomorrow...and I have lots of pictures. Here is just a small taste.

My lunch is made, purse is packed, outfit laid out...tomorrow's the big day. My first day back at work. It's hard to imagine getting out of the door by 7 when that's usually what time I'm lazily eating breakfast and drinking coffee. Let's just say it *might* be a small adjustment. That mixed with the fact of dressing up again. Don't get me wrong, there is a part of me that likes to dress up...just not the part of me that is pregnant. A little more difficult feeling cute in dress clothes. Oh how I miss you scrubs. Lord give me strength!

Napping dilemma

2011-10-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

We have been having some issues with Elliott's napping lately and I am completely worn out trying to figure it all out. She has always been a fantastic sleeper, which I know is not the case with all babies. So for a while she has gone to bed at 7:30 or 8, sleeps until around 7, then takes two 1.5-2 hour naps. Don't get me wrong...I'm SO thankful for her sleeping habits, but I think I was spoiled.

Ever since she started walking, I feel like she basically decided she really didn't want to nap anymore. I assumed it would be the opposite...it made sense to me that she would be MORE tired when she started walking. BABIES NEVER MAKE SENSE. Remember that Lacey. As soon as you think you are in control and have it all figured out, they totally mix things up. I think they just want to mess with their poor Mama's mind. Lately, every nap is a battle. I usually try to put her down about 10 and then again at 2 or so. I don't want to lay her down too late in the evening because then she doesn't want to go to bed. Call me selfish, but I need my evenings to recuperate, people. We go through the same rituals we always have when I lay her down (give her her pacifier, read her a couple books, hold her for 5 minutes or so), but she cries EVERY time I lay her down. On a good day, it's just a cry of protest as I leave but then she falls asleep. On a bad day, it's full out screaming like I'm trying to torture her by putting her in her crib. She has yet to fall asleep when she starts really screaming.

I have had two theories: 1. I have not let her get tired enough, or 2. I let her get too tired. Both seem to make no difference. So then I started thinking, maybe she is ready for just one nap, even though everything I have read said that 14 months is a little young to drop down to one nap. This would make sense, except for the fact that when she doesn't get two naps, she is SO grumpy and EXTREMELY dramatic. Every fall, taken away object, or you name it is the end.of.the.world. Imagine dramatic crying and laying on the ground. She obviously is tired. When I can't handle the drama any more, I end up rocking to her, singing to her, anything to try to make her fall asleep, which she usually does.

I feel kind of at my whit's end. I was reassured by this post that we're not alone in these sleeping issues. Anyone with young kids have any thoughts or recommendations?

A new job

2011-10-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

So I officially start my new job on Monday. I actually accepted the job about a month ago, but it has taken that long to get my Indiana license and get credentialed with the hospital. I am SO tired of paperwork. It has been especially irritating because most of the documents I need are in Oklahoma, so I have spent LOTS of time on the phone. So much fun, I assure you.

I feel very blessed to have found this job. I will be working at the hospital that is about a mile from our house, everyone I have met so far is extremely kind and friendly, and they are letting me work part time (20 hours, 2 & 1/2 days). I feel like I have so many conflicting emotions as this new endeavor starts...excitement, nervousness, sadness.

I don't love always love change...starting all over...and I feel like we have experienced so much change so far. Now I get to experience change in the arena of my job. Miss E and I have our little daily routines so it's hard to think about disrupting that, but I feel like our time apart will probably make me appreciate the time we have together. It's also hard to know I'm starting something completely new knowing I'll be taking a "break" when I go on maternity leave here in 3 months or so. I also never feel completely "normal" when I'm pregnant, so I'm meeting all these new people feeling not *quite* like myself.

I know it will be good when I can just get started instead of waiting and overthinking it. BUT...it's sure going to be difficult leaving this sweet girl!

Enjoying the fall

2011-09-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Remember how I said I like the Fall here? First of all, it's hard to believe that was two years ago and second, I posted that in November. November, really? Apparently the Fall comes a little earlier in Indiana. The leaves are changing here and we are LOVING it! I feel it absolutely to point out the beautiful trees to Kev or anyone else who's riding with me even if we seen them 100 times already (our neighbor's tree being one I point out every time I drive by).

Yesterday, we got to admire the trees on campus. We have a weekly routine of meeting Kev on campus for a picnic on Thursdays (here was another example of our picnic). This week, we decided to sit underneath the most stunning tree EVER.

Pictures don't do it justice! I love the combination of red, yellow, and orange with even a little green sprinkled in. It was ideal...sitting on our blanket eating our picnic lunch. The only thing that was NOT ideal was apparently some geese thought under the tree was a good place to walk around and poop. Geese poop was EVERYWHERE. We quickly exited the area when we finished eating.

We had such a fun time. I'm dreading the cold weather that will keep us from picnicing (don't think that is really a word) outside. I guess we'll have to find an alternative.

Miss E was admiring this tree as well. What's not to love about the FALL...beautiful weather, changing leaves, hot coffee (instead of iced) at Starbucks, pumpkin ANYTHING, and college football. Definitely a great season!

Bittersweet

2011-09-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

Elliott and I took my mom (aka Mimi) to the airport today and it was so sad to see her go. Our time together was so sweet, it just makes her leaving that much more bitter. We are so abundantly thankful that she was able to spend a week with us. It's just amazing how quickly time flies when you're having fun.

She totally spoiled us while she was here....giving Elliott her undivided attention, cleaning the house, being great company for me (especially since Kev had lots of studying to do), buying Elliott winter clothes...I think we are all going through withdrawals since she left. Definitely one of the hardest things about moving north is being so far from family...hands down. Does this ever get any easier?

Here are a few pictures we took while she was here.

We love you Mom/Mimi!!

27 weeks and a date

2011-09-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

I've been a little MIA lately, but I have a very good reason. My mom is here and it has been AM-AZ-ING!! I don't know if I am going to let her leave (she is scheduled to fly out on Wednesday). One day left. Makes me sad thinking about it. Among the many things we have done, she let Kev and I go out for a date night on Friday. We had a fun time with a night on a town. Dinner, dessert and lots of conversation...without a little girl.

We got to dress up (okay, dress up for me) which was fun. I even got to wear my new maternity jeggings...I know, I'm such a stylish preggo. :)

Love this guy!

Here is my 27 week belly shot. I feel like I'm getting bigger by the day...literally. I don't remember it happening this fast with Elliott.

In case you were wondering what I looked like at 27 weeks with Elliott, here ya go. I am definitely bigger now. It makes me a little nervous to think I still have 3 months to go.

The park

2011-09-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful day in South Bend today...the sun was out and it was in the 70s. I know these nice days are going to become a rarity, and it if the forecast is correct, we are looking at some rainy, cooler days for at least the next week. Elliott and I took a little trip to the park with our friends Kate and Maryn.

The park at this age is fun, but the girls are still a little too young to fully enjoy the experience. As soon as we got there, poor Maryn did a face plant in the wood chips. So sad! Then Elliott was trying to eat wood, sticks, rocks, acorns, anything that should NOT be eaten, she tried to eat, and was throwing a major fit when I took them away from her. Lovely. Next summer I'm sure they will LOVE the park, and hopefully it won't be quite as exhausting for us moms then.

They did enjoy a little swinging.

Just checking things out.

Elliott was determined to not look at the camera...and she succeeded.

Kate and I thought taking a picture of the girls on the slide would be so cute...if only they would actually have looked at us. I love Maryn's face in these pictures, just calmly watching Elliott. I also love the fact that E looks like a giant compared to her (she is a little bit in the foreground in her defense).

Overall, it was a wonderful trip to the park with our friends. And tomorrow...my mom's coming to visit!!! Yay!! We're all so excited to see Mimi!

Gameday

2011-09-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Norman was a BIG college football town which we LOVED, so even though we weren't Notre Dame fans, we were pretty thrilled to be moving to a town where college football was a big deal. Kev, Elliott and I got to experience our first Notre Dame game day yesterday when they *finally* won their first game of the season against Michigan State and we were not disappointed. We didn't actually get to go the game (didn't figure going to our first Notre Dame game with a one year old would be the experience we were hoping for), but we really enjoyed just soaking up the atmosphere.

I love the hustle and bustle of game days...excitement in the air, random school chants breaking out as people walk to the stadium, walking in a sea of green or blue (even though I was a total rebel in gray with red beads...silently supporting my Sooners). It was the perfect day for a football game...70 degrees and sunny. We were thankful we got to go before it gets unbelievably cold. We met up with some of Kev's classmates who were tailgating, then walked to campus.

The famous Touchdown Jesus. A few random facts:

This is the southern facade of the main library and it faces the stadium.
It's made of a mosaic of different colors of marble.
His head is 8 feet tall and it is 40 feet from hand to hand.
Contrary to popular belief, this has nothing to do with football.

I'm sure you all wanted to know that, right? I thought it was pretty interesting.

The Bean, just taking it all in in her stroller.

After Miss Elliott's nap, we watched the game with some friends from church then that night we hosted some friends from Kev's program to watch the OU game. And can I just say BOOMER SOONER! We were so glad we beat the Seminoles. Not an easy game to watch. What a fantastic Saturday!

Nicknames

2011-09-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

I remember all growing up, I ALWAYS thought it would be so cool to have a nickname. Well, let me tell you, "Erica" does not lend itself to many nicknames. I tried to make Er stick for a while, but that doesn't really have a great ring to it, and my sisters would call me Eric just to make me mad. The best nickname I had was when coaches would call me by my last night, but that's really not a great nickname either.

The name Elliott, on the other hand, lends itself to lots of potential nicknames...Elle, Ellie, etc. We actually get asked ALL the time what we are going to call her (after people hear her name), to which we respond, "Her name...Elliott." If she wants to go by a shortened version when she gets older, that's fine with me. However, I like to make nicknames for every possible name, so I started calling her Ellie-Bean (you know, like Jelly Bean...so creative, I know). Well then we started shortening it, so now we just call her Bean. Bean...that's right, like green bean, black bean. I'm sure she is going to love that someday.

Our little "Bean"

Random picture before we left Oklahoma with her friend B. He's not so sure about her.
Checking each other out.

Picture from the aquarium in Chicago. Some reason this pic makes me laugh. Love it.

Independence

2011-09-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

Elliott has really turned the corner in her walking abilities. One day, she would just walk when I coaxed her, now she walks EVERYWHERE! It's so fun to see her gain new-found independence. As an example, last night we went to Notre Dame's equivalent of OU's Campus Corner. Kev was talking on the phone so Elliott and I were just walking down the sidewalk. In the past couple of weeks, she usually likes a hand to hold (especially since we weren't on a smooth surface and she was wearing shoes), but when I reached down to hold her hand, she made it very clear she wanted to walk. Without my hand. Completely alone. Such a big girl.

This is her typical walking stance. At least one hand is always up in the air to help with balance. Precious.

The thing I've discovered with her new independence is a strong disliking to boundaries. What do I mean by this? I'm sure anyone who has a child can picture this...a screaming, arched back child, who most certainly did NOT want to go this way. Don't get me wrong, I want her to explore the world. I realize there are times she will fall and I won't be there to catch her. And that's okay. But there are most certainly times when mothers (and fathers) really do know best...even if she doesn't think so.

Sometimes it makes me wonder if sometimes I behave the same way. If I kick and scream and throw a fit (at least inwardly) because things didn't go the way I wanted them to go. And the whole time, God being an abudantly loving parent (so much better than I could ever be), is working what is best because He ALONE can see the big picture. Such a humbling thought. Thankful for my sweet girl who keeps me humble and teaches me new things every day.

Date night + the girl

2011-09-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

Kev and I try to have date nights once a week. Sometimes we're alone but a lot of times we bring Miss E. We're finding it slightly more difficult to bring her to restaurants these days, unless it's a loud place (distracts her and also covers her screaming if she gets upset) and a place where it is appropriate to throw food on the floor (always happens that she has a "food circle" surrounding her high chair after the meal).

So last night we decided to eat at home (another new delicious soup recipe in our books...I'm on a role), and then go out for dessert.

We've been wanting to try this place since we moved here and it did not disappoint.

We all three enjoyed a piece of "Chocolate Explosion" paired with some decaf coffee (water for E). Yummy!

Elliott was not a fan of the overstuffed bear...

but she loved the fake "tree house" play area in the back.

We will definitely be frequenting this place again. We might even take anyone who decides to come visit us. Any takers?

Recipe-Chicken Enchilada Slow Cooker Soup

2011-09-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

I have done such a terrible job taking pictures lately. I don't know what my deal is. I have these grand ideas of getting really artsy pictures of Elliott outside or of the rest of our house, but unfortunately my house is dirty and it's rainy outside. No excuse I know. I plan to remedy this today...hopefully.

So instead, I thought I would post one of the new recipes I have tried recently. Sidenote: when I told Kev I posted the recipe for Quick and Easy Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole, he said, "I think you have made better enchilada casseroles before." Thanks for the vote of confidence honey. So we discovered that although while he liked the recipe, he is not as big of a fan of green enchilada sauce while I, on the other hand, could probably drink the stuff. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. So there is my disclaimer on that recipe...proceed with caution if you don't like green sauce.

For this recipe, he gave his whole hearted approval that it was a "blog worthy" recipe. So here you go.

Chicken Enchilada Slow Cooker Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken

breast halves

1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn,

drained

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

including juice

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles

1 white onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to

taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts, then place into the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the corn, tomatoes, chicken broth, enchilada sauce, green chiles, onion, cilantro, bay leaves, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.
2.	Cook on Low for 6 hours. Transfer the chicken to a large plate, then shred the meat with two forks. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and continue cooking for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

I only had one chicken breast (definitely not a pound), and it was mostly frozen.
I added two cans of beans to increase the protein (black and pinto)...beans make everything better.
I added a can of Rotel.
I added more chicken broth to thin it out a little bit.
I topped our soups with the cilantro instead of adding it to the crockpot.
We topped our soups with grated sharp cheddar cheese and tortilla chips. Yumminess.

My thoughts:

Very easy recipe! I basically just dumped everything in my crockpot then shredded the chicken right before we ate it. You could definitely cook it on low for longer than it says.
It tasted very similar to tortilla soup (which I love).
It was a little spicy for Miss E's taste. I think she would have liked it better if we wouldn't have put the can or Rotel in it.
It tasted great left over. Always a positive in my books.
We will definitely be making this soup again! I'm so excited to be building the list of crockpot recipes I can make.

24 weeks

2011-09-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

The sound and feel of Fall is in the air here in South Bend. As I sit here on my couch, I hear the leaves rustling, feel the coolness of the air, and it feels like Fall. We had a couple of warm days last week (it got up to 96 degrees), and with just two warm days, I was ready for some cooler temperatures again. It was a cool 53 degrees when Miss Elliott and I took our morning walk today and it made me realize 3 things:

I LOVE the Fall!!
Fall means that Winter is right around the corner (and I'm bracing myself for truly experiencing a winter for the first time in my life).
Elliott and I are in desperate need of a new wardrobe. She has outgrown most of her cooler weather clothes, and I have never been pregnant in the winter. I must admit, although it's slightly exciting to think about getting new clothes, shopping for maternity clothes is not *quite* as exciting. I always feel very irritated they charge such high prices for mediocre clothes because they can. Taking advantage of us poor pregnant girls. :)

I was 24 weeks on Saturday so I thought I would post a few belly pics.

Baby boy's growing!

Although I have still been feeling pretty well, I started having some intermittent groin/sciatic pain. There was a day a couple weeks ago I literally could hardly walk. As I was contemplating crawling around to avoid the intense pain, I started to panic. How could I function trying to care for a baby with such limited mobility? I NEVER had pain like this when I was pregnant with Elliott and I'm convinced it's because I am constantly carrying around an almost 25 pound child. 25 pound girl+lax ligaments=serious pain. I have adjusted the way I carry her and have been trying to carry her less and the pain has definitely improved. I still have 16 weeks to go so I'm expecting it to get worse as I get farther along.

Anybody else ever experience this type of pain? What are some fun Fall adventures you plan on doing?

The zoo...again.

2011-08-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

Elliott and I ventured out to the zoo today with several other moms and their kiddos from the small group we've been going to.

She really liked the zoo this time...

Promise.

Her favorite animal was the leopard. It was pacing right in front of the glass which gave her a very easy view. She tried talking loudly to it, waving to it, then she tried to call it like she calls Truman. Pretty funny. My favorite were the pink flamingos. They were so beautiful!

I didn't get a picture with all of the other kids just Miss E and her friend Maryn.

After dinner tonight, we ventured out to Let's Spoon...the one self-serve (that we know of) place in South Bend. Norman has like 5 which is a little overkill in my opinion. I had pretty low expectations of the place, but it was actually REALLY delicious. Elliott LOVED it and kept saying "Mmmm" after every bite. I think she has a sweet tooth like her Mama.

The good of South Bend

2011-08-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

We have been in South Bend for 4 weeks today...kind of crazy. I must admit, it still kind of feels like an extended vacation to me and that we'll be headed back to Oklahoma any day now, but there are definitely things I have enjoyed about being here. I thought I would make a list, because pretty sure there *might* be some sad days ahead...like when I realize this is no vacation.

The weather-High of 81 degrees today...enough said.
Our walking path-It's the small things that make it home, right? We have a beautiful path I try to walk every day that is right alongside a river. We pass a duck pond with lots of ducks (downside to this is their poop that covers the sidewalk) and lots of cool, old houses. It energizes me every day.
The beach-We're 30 minutes from Silver Beach on Lake Michigan. Who would have thought we would be that close to a beach? We've only gone once, but I love the fact that it's close.
Our house-Overall, I really like our house. Yes, I can see myself getting extremely tired of walking up and down the stairs multiple times a day (especially when I'm 9 months pregnant), but I love it's character and all of the great natural light. Slight side note...our house did lose a little appeal last night because we found a bat...in our house...flying around. I think I'm forever scarred. Thankfully Kev caught it and released it into the wild (aka our backyard).
Restaurants-One of our favorite things to do is find new places to eat. This has been a fun adventure in a new place, except we're realizing it is getting a little more difficult to eat out with Miss Elliott.
Campus-We came from a college town and we still live in a college town. I love that! One of our favorite things in Norman was to take walks on campus and we can still do that!
The library-We just discovered this little gem and we will definitely be taking advantage of this when winter drags on for 8 months of the year (#1 will definitely not be on the list).
The diversity-There seems to be a lot of diversity in this town-ethnicity, cultural, social, beliefs-and it has been very refreshing. It's a good reminder that not everyone is like us. :)
The people-I feel like we've met a lot of people so far...people in our neighborhood, through church, through Kev's program...and everyone has been very friendly and welcoming. What a huge blessing it has been to us!

We're slowly finding our "normals"...favorite grocery store, favorite places to eat, things to do, etc. All of this definitely makes South Bend feel more and more like home!

Home sweet home-Part 1

2011-08-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

Finally...pictures of our house. I thought I would break up the posts by room so I could post more pics per room (and it gives me more things to post about). So without further ado, the living room. I feel like this is actually a really cool room and it's the first room you see when you walk in the front door.

The windows are in the front of the house. The room is painted this funky green/khaki color, but I feel like it really works with our furniture and decorations.

I LOVE all the light from the windows and the front door, but the one thing I hate is Truman can see every person who walks by on the street or comes to our front door. Not a big deal, you say? I guess it's not a big deal unless said dog tries to literally tear down the front door in a barking fit EVERY time someone comes to the door. This happens on a daily basis...when the mailman delivers our mail...during Elliott's nap. You can see why I love the door.

This is the view from the front door. The right door leads to the kitchen, the left door leads to the dining room. Please excuse Truman's behind. He wouldn't get out of the picture.

View of the room from the dining room.

This picture and the rug were our new purchases for the house so far. Definitely need something else on the other side of the mantel. Any thoughts?

The TV is in the bottom right corner.

The stairway...aka Elliott's new favorite toy. We actually have a gate at the bottom of the stairs which she stands at and tries to open the door.

Like I said before, the house was built in the early 1900s in a craftsman/bungalow style. I LOVE all the beautiful woodwork, but I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate our style with that style. We really haven't hung any pictures in this room yet (except over the mantel) so that's on the top of my list. What else would you do?

She's a walking girl

2011-08-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

It was a momentous day in our household...Miss Elliott took her first steps! She is such a big girl. She kind of acted like she had been walking for a long time. I know some people really dread their kids walking, but I'm really excited about it. She has been so much happier since she can cruise and crawl, so I think she'll really enjoying her new found independence.

We met Kev on campus today for a little picnic. So much fun! The weather was perfect...low 70s, sunny with a nice breeze. What more could you ask for? I brought my camera but it was dead, so we had to settle for poor quality iPhone pics.

Not a great picture with the sun, but I love how she has her tongue stuck out!

"You're pretty cool, Dad."

I know we need to take ADVANTAGE of these beautiful days!

Mexican food time

2011-08-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

CAN YOU believe i'm posting again? ummm, yeah, have a little more free time on my hands since kev officially started school on tuesday and i don't have a job yet. so i guess i blog...and do other much more productive things, i assure you (like kill gnats and such). it was kind of weird for kev to start school (even though that's obviously why we moved here). we figured out he hasn't been a full time student since 2003. kind of shocking. even though it has only been 2 days, i can tell he is really enjoying it and loving this new season of life (hopefully that continues when he has 500+ pages to read in a week and papers due). i should have taken a picture of him on his first day of school and posted it on facebook with everyone else...my little student.

anyway, quick update about the gnats, i feel like the vinegar trick is really working! yay! one caveat...i was informed you are also supposed to put a little dish soap in the vinegar so it changes the surface tension and somehow makes them drown. i can't tell you the satisfaction i get every time i see dead gnats at the bottom of the cup. makes me feel successful. i also had kev pour ammonia down our drain (read that on the internet) and went out and purchased sticky paper today as well as more vinegar. apparently gnats are common in this area with all of the moisture...this secretly made me feel relieved that we weren't dirty people they were drawn to.

i thought i would post a little recipe we tried a couple of nights ago. several things drew me to this recipe:

1. love me some mexican.

2. love simple recipes.

3. love me some green chilis.

it was honestly really nice to try something new because i have really been stuck in a rut as far as menu planning.

Quick and Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

halves

garlic salt to taste

18 (6 inch) corn tortillas, torn in half

1 (28 ounce) can green chile enchilada

sauce

1 (16 ounce) package shredded

Monterey Jack cheese

1 (8 ounce) container reduced fat sour

cream

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
2.	Season chicken with garlic salt. Arrange in the prepared baking dish. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Cool, shred, and set aside.
3.	With metal tongs, char each tortilla half over the open flame of a gas stove burner for about 1 minute, until lightly puffed.
4.	Pour about 1/2 inch enchilada sauce in the bottom of a medium baking dish, and arrange 6 tortillas in a single layer. Top with 1/2 the chicken, 1/3 cheese, 1/2 the sour cream, and 1/3 of the remaining enchilada sauce. Repeat. Coat remaining tortillas thoroughly with remaining enchilada sauce, and arrange on top of the layers. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top with any remaining enchilada sauce
5.	Cover, and bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool slightly before serving. Recipe taken from allrecipes.com Here are a few thoughts/changes about the recipe: I didn't char the tortillas (way too complicated in my books). I combined the sour cream to the chicken and added an extra can of green chilis (see #3 above). I only used 2 large chicken breasts...chicken is expensive people. I actually planned on adding a can of pinto beans to the chicken mixture (beans=cheap protein) but I forgot. I sauteed a green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and 1/2 an onion and added that to the layering (per a recommendation by another cook). I removed the foil the last 15 minutes. It probably could have been cooked a little longer because it was still a little moist (but not super runny). The leftovers were fantastic! If I made it again, I would probably have the chicken precooked and shredded because it would make it a much faster recipe. Hope you enjoy!

Gnats and farmers market

2011-08-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

When I was in college, several of my girl friends and I were renting an old house just blocks from campus. We had an ant infestation, and I thought it was the worst.thing.ever. They got in our sugar, our cereal, all over our counters, and everything else you can imagine. I felt utterly helpless and completely disgusted. Luckily, Kev's dad is an exterminator and he gave us the best ant killer EVER!!

Then, when Kev and I were living in our house in Norman, we had an unbearable fly problem one summer. What started off with a couple of flies literally turned into hundreds...and I'm not exaggerating. I think one day I killed 90+ flies. How could it get worse than that, right?

Now....we have gnats. They look pretty harmless at first. Not as pervasive as ants, and initially not as annoying as flies, but I think they are getting worse by the day and it is driving me CRAZY!! They are really hard to kill because they're so small, and I have felt that same helpless feeling I had with the ants. My friend told me to put a cup with vinegar in it, put seran wrap on top, and poke small holes in it. Apparently they are drawn to the scent of the vinegar, crawl in, but then can't get out. I've discovered they DEFINITELY like vinegar, but I'm not sure if I made the holes too big/too small, because there seems to be the same number in the cup every time I go over. Maybe the other gnats are just smarter than the ones in the cup. Who knows. All I know is they ALL need to die...SOON.

So enough about gnats, on a happier note, Miss Elliott and I decided to venture out to the Farmers Market today. I loved the Farmers Market in Norman...it was open two days a week during the summer and we got many great veggies there. Well this new market did not disappoint.

It was bigger than the one in Norman, and they had lots of things beyond fruits and veggies (meats, cheeses, honey, dressing, eggs, etc). It is inside so it is open all year long...awesome! There were TONS of selections of fruits and veggies, all very reasonably priced.

I got all of this for less than $5.

Here's Miss E, chilling in her stroller.

Here she is again AFTER she decided she didn't want to wear her hair up any longer. This is a battle we are dealing with all the time lately. We are trying to grow out her bangs, so when her hair is not up, it gets all in her eyes. We affectionately call her "shaggy dog." Drives me nuts that she won't just leave her hair up!

When I was downloading pictures off my phone, I found a couple of other cute pictures. This is Elliott and her new friend Maryn. They are a month apart in age and we're convinced they will be BFF. They have a lot in common...they both LOVE to swing,

and they loved to look at each other while they ate lunch.

This picture makes me laugh every time I see it. We have a REALLY difficult time locking Truman outside when anyone is here. He goes CRAZY and basically has a panic attack. In Norman, we were able to lock him in our laundry room. No such luck here. But we have found he will calm down if we put him in his cage. Elliott LOVES when he is in his cage. She walks all around his cage and just talks to him...pretty hilarious.

22 weeks

2011-08-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

It's so hard to believe I am already half way through this pregnancy! Time has gone much more quickly this second time around. When I was pregnant with Elliott, I felt like time crept by because I was so excited to meet her. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to meet this little guy (still can't believe I'm having a little guy!) but I feel like a lot needs to happen between now and then.

My new doctor actually moved my due date up to December 24th (Christmas Eve baby), so I am actually 22 weeks today! I'm not having any reflux, my nausea is mostly gone, don't really feel excessive fatigue, feel our little guy moving lots, so I guess I am at the "good" stage in pregnancy. I do feel tired in the afternoon but I think that is probably due to the fact that Miss E is extremely ACTIVE! She does not sit still...EVER. Actually, I take that back. She does love to eat and sits still when she eats. Other than that, she wants to explore and get into everything. Her most recent discovery...toilet paper. She loves unrolling the toilet paper when I turn around for one moment. She heads straight for it when we go into the bathroom now. Such a funny girl!

I thought I would finally post a belly pic. This is actually the first picture I've taken this pregnancy. I am 21 weeks here.

Our sweet little ornery girl!
She loves boxes!

Hello world!

Exploring

2011-08-19T12:25:00.001-07:00

I'm back in business!! We finally got internet yesterday and I feel like a new woman today...well, maybe not a new woman but pretty darn good. It's amazing how helpless you feel without internet. It always makes me consider using the internet less, then I think, "Well that's a silly idea." :)

Our house is slowly and surely coming together, which I'm so thankful for. I'm still planning on posting pictures soon, I just want to get a few more pictures up. I really like our house in South Bend, but sometimes I don't feel like it fits the decorations we used in Norman. It is definitely a bungalow/craftsman style which is really neat and unique, but our house in Norman definitely was not craftsman. Just a little different look.

Don't hate me Oklahoma friends, but the weather has still been absolutely gorgeous here. It feels hot today and the high is 85. We have been taking at least once a day walks (and we don't have to leave at 7 to beat the heat), and it has been pretty fantastic. Don't get me wrong...I do realize our weather will definitely NOT be good all year. We have had many locals give us advice on how to prepare. My two favorite tips...don't wait for the first snow to buy a shovel or boots because the stores will be completely out. So fascinating to me. I definitely did not own a pair of snow boots in Oklahoma.

When my parents were visiting, we took a day trip to St. Joseph, Michigan. It is a really cute town that lies right on Lake Michigan. They actually have sandy beaches, volleyball nets, a carousel, splash pad, etc. We had a lot of fun exploring but came grossly unprepared without our swimsuits, beach towels, or really anything applicable to a beach. Here's a few pics from exploring the town.

We tried to get some cute pictures of Elliott sitting on a bale of hay...definitely did not happen. She was WAY too distracted by the hay.

Elliott was not cooperating with pictures. I realize this as I look back and see she wasn't looking in any of them.

Elliott sitting on the "corn dog" statue. It probably would have been cuter to actually see the corn dog. Oh well.

Riding the carousel with dad and Papa.

Pretty flower we found while exploring.

Such a long post I know. Hopefully I can find more interesting things to post about!

Happy Birthday!

2011-08-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

So...life has been a little busy lately. Not very conducive to blogging. Actually, I have had lots of blog topics in my mind but we STILL don't have internet (and won't for another week). Highly annoying and inconvenient. But it brief recap, we made it to South Bend after 2 grueling days in the car. It actually wasn't that bad, but pretty sure we couldn't have made it without my mom and dad. Kev drove our enormous U-Haul, pulling one of our cars and my dad rode with him, and my mom entertained Elliott while I drove our other car. We stopped in St. Louis for the night to visit my aunt and uncle.

Once we got to South Bend, my parents stayed with us for a week to help us unpack, clean, etc. They were LIFESAVERS!!! I thought multiple times, "no way we could have done this without them." They left last Tuesday, and it was definitely a tearful goodbye. Kev doesn't start school for a week so we have just been hanging out, exploring, and trying to finish the last 20% of things to do in our house. Oh, did I mention we have been trying to soak up all of this beautiful weather? The high has been in the 80s every day...it reminds me of Fall in Oklahoma. We have been taking multiple walks a day and just enjoying being outside. I know that will change soon enough when the cold hits...don't remind me.

Elliott has adjusted to our new home like a pro. She doesn't act like anything is any different. Truman is a different story. I would definitely say he has been the MOST traumatized out of us all. He has been particularly anxious and down right annoying, but he seems to be calming down some. Poor guy misses his doggy door. So I definitely plan on posting pics of our house soon, but I thought for today I'd post some long overdue birthday pics. Enjoy!

The spread.

The dessert.

Birthday girl!

So I hadn't given Miss E any sweets until her birthday. She definitely enjoyed her cupcake...but not as much as she enjoys her eggs. :)

Yummy

Happy girl excited about her presents!

Such a big girl!

I can't believe she is actually 1!!!

We had SO much fun at her birthday (and I think she did too). It never ceases to amaze me that a year has already passed!

Totally anticlimatic, but I'm having a little BOY!! So fun!

10 and 11 month update

2011-07-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

We are up to our eyeballs in boxes and our time in Oklahoma is rapidly coming to an end, but that is NOT a good reason to neglect our monthly updates. I can't believe that 2 months have already passed...and Miss Elliott is doing so much that I don't want to forget.

She is wearing 12-18 month clothes and sometimes she can wear 18-24 months. 2 words...big girl. :)
She is in size 5 diapers which seems crazy big to me, but size 4s were getting tight and she started have multiple blowouts. Those of you with kids know one blowout is too many blowouts...especially when they are eating normal food and have such stinky poo. Sick!
She still loves to eat and wants only food she can feed herself (except yogurt). She still loves cheese, all fruits, yogurt, cheerios, but some of her new favorites are scrambled eggs (she will eat 2 in the morning...with cheerios and a banana), lasagna, meat loaf, and pretty much anything else we're eating.
I decided to take her off formula and bottles cold turkey. Before you think I'm cruel, we ran out of formula about 3 weeks ago, so instead of buying more and slowly transitioning her to milk, I just decided to totally switch. She didn't really like milk for about the first week, but I just offered it to her frequently. Our pediatrician said it didn't matter if she drank a drop of milk because there are so many other dairy products babies can eat.

However, after about a week, she started drinking more and more milk. Yay! She hasn't seemed to miss her bottle one bit. Now her paci is a whole 'nother story. I cringe to think about taking that away.
She started crawling like a champ and pulls up and cruises on EVERYTHING! She loves her new found freedom. We like it too, but a crawling, extremely inquisitive baby and a house full of boxes and chaos is not always the best combination. You can imagine.
She doesn't really like toys as much as playing with everything she is NOT supposed to have...TV remotes, cords, outlets, plastic. If it looks slightly dangerous, she MUST have it.
She babbles constantly but we're still not making out a lot of words. She says "dada" constantly (she LOVES her dada), has said "mama" occasionally, and says "wow" (or something that sounds like wow).
She has SO many funny faces now. Her favorite is giving people a closed mouth smile with a wrinkled nose. So precious.

She is still taking two 2+ hour naps daily.
She sleeps from 7:30 or so pm to 7 am...unless we're on vacation, because who sleeps in on vacation? She never cries in the morning but she has discovered how to get books from the side table through the slats in her crib so we typically find her "reading" in the morning. So funny!
She will make funny faces at people, sometimes give them 5, but she typically wants to stay with mommy or daddy.

She loves waving and clapping...so cute!
She does throw the occasional fit when you take something away from her. It is shocking to see such a small child be so ugly, and has definitely caught us off guard.
She also went through a hitting phase this month (especially in the face) which also includes scratching. Not a good thing. We tell her no or hold her hands. She actually seems to be getting much better. Her cousin said she had "Wolverine claws" if that tells you anything.
She still loves to read and especially loves books with peek a boo flaps.

She is getting big SO fast and we can't imagine life without her!

Guess what?

2011-07-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know already...I'm pregnant! I had all these lofty aspirations of announcing it on the blog by putting some cute picture up of Elliott with a shirt that said "Big Sister" or something else creative. Then I realized, I am NOT in a season of my life where I can be creative. So boring announcement it is!

I am actually 15 weeks today and our due date is December 28th. No, it wasn't an accident but it wasn't a total surprise. Does that make sense? We weren't necessarily planning on getting pregnant this soon but it took me a long time (at least it felt like a long time for me) to get pregnant with Elliott and we decided we would rather get pregnant a little early and maybe try to prevent the whole "trying" phase.

Here are a few of my thoughts of this pregnancy versus the first one:

1. It's amazing how quickly I started showing. The first pregnancy, I was able to hide it for a long time. This time around, I feel like I took the pregnancy test and then my clothes wouldn't fit. Shocking! I look at least 20 weeks pregnant right now...literally. Kind of crazy. I know other women have said the same thing, it's just weird when it happens to you.

2. It's amazing the different response I have gotten this time around. My first pregnancy, everyone was excited! This time, people act shocked and say things like "you know how this happens, right?" Wow, really?! I guess it must be because I'm still totting around a baby, but it still is a surprise to hear.

3. It's amazing how little I have been able to focus on this pregnancy. I was a nervous wreck my last pregnancy. I analyzed every symptom I had and drove myself (and probably those around me) crazy. I was always secretly jealous of women who loved being pregnant because it was such an emotional and mental struggle for me. This time around, chasing an almost 1 year old around the house and moving across the country really takes your mind off of it. So much more enjoyable!

4. It's amazing how NOT fun it is to me to be pregnant during an Oklahoma summer. I have been pregnant for TWO consecutive Oklahoma summers. Yeah, I did not think this through. As if the summer isn't miserable enough, add a little extra weight and nausea...it's pretty fantastic. :)

I'm sure there are other things but those are the main things I have thought about. We are really excited and feel very blessed to be having another kiddo even though it can be slightly overwhelming to imagine. Miss Elliott has been such a tremendous blessing to our lives and we're thankful to be adding to our little family of 3.

It's a...

2011-07-04T18:52:00.000-07:00

My sister had her gender reveal party the weekend before we left for Florida so I never got to post the results. Please notice the cute banner I made for the party. :) I know, I'm creative...what can I say (and if you really know me you'll know how NOT true this statement is).

The wives tales said boy...

the crowd said boy...

but the cake can't lie...it's going to be a GIRL!!

We are SUPER excited about this because girls are totally awesome...not that I'm biased or anything. Plus, they have way cuter clothes. I'm just saying. Marcus and Lacey are going to be great parents! I'm so excited for their little girl to get here!

Cute pic of Kev and I.

The family without Josh and Anja. We were sad they missed it!

And how could I not put a picture of Elliott on here...because she's the cutest! Love this girl!

Hello Destin!

2011-06-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a "girl's trip" with my mom and sisters...my dad came along as our chauffeur, bag carrier, navigator, errand guy, and just great company. :) Here are a few pics to document our trip.

Chilling at the airport in her stroller.

A late night trip to the urgent care. Unfortunately, the first night we were there Elliott developed a nasty sounding cough, hence the trip to the urgent care. Not what you want to do on vacation.

E drank LOTS of water during the trip.

And she took OFF her sunglasses countless times...what a fun game.

We had a lot of fun times at the pools at our condo.

The girls getting ready to go to the pool.

Hanging out with Papa.

We ate at many fantastic restaurants, one being Pompano Joes. It was overlooking the beach, so although it was slightly warm and humid, it was a great view!

Anja basking in the sun a the beach.

There were some major waves the last day we were there. This picture doesn't do it justice.

And we spent some more time swimming at the pool. The beach was absolutely beautiful, but our pools were relaxing, had very comfortable lounge chairs, no sand to get caught in your bathing suit, fresh water, and drinks on demand...all steps from our door. Hard to beat.

Elliott loved splashing in the water. I don't feel like I got to take her to the pool as often as I wanted because she was coughing so much I didn't want to make it worse.

It was a wonderful vacation, however it was not quite as relaxing as I was anticipating. Miss Elliott was up EVERY single night at least once and the latest she slept was 6:15. Since my mom and I usually slept in her room, it made for some long nights for us. She apparently did NOT realize we were on vacation! Since she was not feeling well, she was more whiny, clingy, and not quite as fun to be around. I think both of my sisters were slightly traumatized about traveling with babies. Plus, it was difficult not having Kev there. I never realized how much I depend on him for help. However, I was unbelievably thankful to get to spend quality time with my family. Such a blessing since the move is oh so rapidly approaching!

Fun summer!

2011-06-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to post these pictures for a while but have not gotten a chance. Sooo...there a little old but too cute to not post. Several weeks ago, we participated in Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) walk. This is the second year we participated in the walk because our precious "fake nephew" who is four was diagnosed with Type I diabetes two years ago. Obviously, this has DRASTICALLY changed his life and we want to always support him and his family in whatever ways we can.

Cute little family. Ummm, yeah, virtually impossible to get one where we are all looking.

My mom was in town for the weekend and got to participate in the fun.

So tired after missing her morning nap but so hip in her new shades.

After the walk, we got to go to Benton's first birthday party.

He was absolutely precious and was the best first cupcake eater I have EVER seen. He ate the whole cupcake in about 1 minute. So funny!

My friend Jen (Benton's mommy) who is pregnant with twins and looks FANTASTIC!

Elliott enjoyed the watermelon...and the plastic spoon apparently.

My little sis is having a gender reveal party this weekend so I'm super excited to join her in celebrating this new little one! I'm sure I'll have some great pics to post after this weekend!

Sickness and life update

2011-06-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, I was thinking to myself, "Elliott hasn't been sick in a long time." I spoke too soon. That afternoon, she started having a runny nose and felt a little warm. Wednesday night she was up all.night.long. NOT FUN! I know we were up a lot when she was first born, but our bodies are out of practice. Needless to say, we walked around a bit like zombies yesterday, but thankfully, she slept through the night last night! I was SO thankful!

She still has lots of snot coming out her nose (lovely) and has been running fevers off and on. I think she's better today, but definitely not a 100%. No real fevers yet today but she has been SO whiney...about EVERYTHING. Like I said above, she hasn't been sick for a while so we haven't had to deal with the snotty nose issue lately. Miss Elliott HATES having her nose wiped (like I'm sure every kid), but now that she's older, she can resist much better. She basically throws a fit while covering her nose with her hands. So to wipe it, I have to hold both arms down with one hand and wipe with the other...quite a fiasco. So as I see snot running down her face, I have an internal debate...is it really worth the fight? Sometimes it's not, sometimes it is. Today I had to ask myself this question when we were in a store, and at that moment, I decided it was not worth it. So yes, I was "that" mom walking around the store with a snotty nose kid. Don't judge until you've been there.

So what else have we been up to (hence the no blog posts)? Well, we're in the midst of selling our house. We have had lots of showings which is really encouraging and I don't want to complain, but I am REALLY tired of cleaning. Cleaning is definitely NOT my first choice when E is down for her nap. I am also in the process of training a new girl to take my position at work. I think she will be fantastic, but it's all a little bittersweet as I am "replaced." I guess this next month and a half will probably be bittersweet (WOW...is it really less than 2 months?), but I know we'll survive.

I had every intention of doing E's 10 month post, but Kev took our computer that has all our pictures on it to be serviced. I can't promise anything, but I will try to be a better blogger. :)

Austin

2011-05-30T19:26:00.000-07:00

We spent Memorial Day weekend in Austin with our dear friends. We have been on two vacations with the Edwards, to California 5 years ago and to Seattle 3 years ago. This was our first vacation together WITH kids. I must say, vacationing with kids is a totally different ball game. Gone are the relaxing dinners, long days of site seeing, leisurely shopping, quite evenings. Hello CHAOS! Our trip consisted of parks, frantically stuffing meals down, waking up tired because your child was up in the middle of the night, and making late night grocery runs so your child will have something to eat. Although it definitely changed the nature of our vacationing, it really was a lot of fun! Kids, chaos and all, I wouldn't change it for the world. Here are some photos to recap our trip.

We rented a house together...you know you're good friends when you all stay in the same house...with 3 kids 4 and under.

The boys made us breakfast every morning. Love it!

While the girls were shopping, the boys found a lizzard!! They were SUPER excited. Glad we came to Austin for the lizzard.

Gotta love morning bed head. E LOVED hanging out with the boys. Never a dull moment. She thought all their toys were pretty darn fun too.

Sweet moment reading a book...and they didn't try to put it in their mouth like Miss E does.

We went to Zilker Springs for a couple of hours one day.

This girl thought swinging was pretty fantastic. I love this picture...pure joy on her face.

We had a picnic lunch,

and went on a pretty cool train ride.

Austin is always a fun place to visit...fun music, great grocery stores (I'm serious), quirky people, eclectic restaurants. It was a perfect weekend, but we are looking forward to sleeping in our own beds and Elliott sleeping in her own room. Oh the simple pleasures in life.

9 month stats

2011-05-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

Elliott went the doctor on Friday for her 9 month well child visit. Here are her stats:

Weight: 21 pounds 5 ounces (84%)

Length: 30 inches (98%)

Head Circumference: 18 3/4 inches (100%)

So she's still a long big girl, and apparently she has a large head. NO ONE has a bigger head than her. :) It's really not a surprise because her mommy and daddy both have big heads. Better to wear hats, right? We actually have to go back to the doctor in 6 weeks to have her head remeasured and if it has gotten much bigger, they will set her up for a CT scan. I'm not super concerned because she seems fine developmentally, but we'll see.

It definitely was the best well child visit so far...no shots! Yay! Also, they told us she just needs to be drinking 16 ounces of breast milk or formula daily. I was really expecting them to say she needed more, and she has just NOT been interested lately. Pressure lifted.

8 and 9 Month Update

2011-05-18T18:08:00.000-07:00

The eventual post...like I've been planning on posting this for, oh, months now! If I wait much longer, I'm going to have to include Miss Elliott's 10 month. Wow! I'm sure I'll miss some things, but here are some highlights of our past 2 months:

Wearing 12-18 month clothes. This girl is growing like a weed! I do think her growth is actually slowing down a little bit, but it still seems like we go through clothes pretty quickly. At least summer clothes are less likely to get too short like jeans and other pants.
Wearing size 4 diapers. Blowouts are a thing of the past, but stinky diapers are now the thing. I'll take stinky over a blowout any day.
She LOVES to eat these days...especially finger foods. She is becoming a real pro these days at picking food up, and everything she drops, Truman enjoys. Who needs a vacuum cleaner or a broom when you have a dog? SO much easier. She eats 3 solid meals a day with a combination of baby food and finger foods.
Her favorite foods so far is cheese...a daughter after her daddy's heart. If we don't portion it out, she will shovel it all in her mouth. When she sees me get out the package, she gets excited. Pretty funny! She also loves watermelon.
She is still nursing/taking a bottle four times a day. I'm actually only nursing once a day, soon to be none. More to come on this. She is totally not into nursing/bottles these days ever since she started real food.

She loved spending time with my cousins' kids several weekends ago. She LOVES kids!

She has really started fighting bed times these days. Not my favorite thing. Before, she was ready to go to bed at 7 or 7:30. Now she goes to bed closer to 8, and she usually cries at least for a little bit when I lay her down.
Still sleeping until 7am. I'm a morning girl so I'm not complaining.
She is usually taking 2 naps, 2-3 hours in the morning and 1-2 hours in the afternoon. We love naptimes. :)
She has become quite an active girl and she loves to stand...constantly. She wants to pull up on your hands all.day.long. Cute but kind of exhausting.
She is no longer content just sitting and playing with toys in front of her. This entertains her for maybe 5 minutes, then she wants to be doing something else (preferable standing). Our sweet little laid back child is not quite as laid back as we thought.
She is still not crawling but starting to scoot forward. I think it's only a matter of time before she's actually crawling. I think we're in the "frustrating" movement phase because she wants to move more but just can't quite figure it out.
She had her first injury in these past two months. She fell off our bed. Broke.our.hearts. Thankfully she survived without any long term consequences, but we realized no more unattended bed time (Kev was in the room and looked away for one second).

Such a snuggler when she's tired. She loves her Mimi!

She now has 3 teeth (2 on the bottom, 1 on the top), and another one coming in on the top. She can bite...HARD.
She loves to be outside! She stays with my in-laws one day a week and I think she spends almost all day outside in their great backyard. Heaven.
She does smile and laugh more, but she can still be a serious girl. Definitely not cheesy. Our daughter the thinker.

Hanging out with Aunt Anja. Had to show this picture of her big smile...they are caught few and far between on camera. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of Aunt Lacey and Elliott this weekend...so sad!

I know I'm forgetting SO many things, but this is what I can remember right now. Oh how we love our sweet little girl more and more each day and have loved to see her grow!

The zoo!

2011-05-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

I have really been doing a terrible job at taking pictures lately, sad I know, but I never posted these pics from the zoo several weeks ago. This was actually Elliott's first trip to the zoo. This was her face the whole visit.

So not impressed mom. Truman's wilder than any of these cats.

I went with several other moms, and some of their kids were a little older to actually enjoy looking at the animals. Besides it being a little chilly, it was such a blast! Apparently we went on a great day because ALL the animals were out (or so my friends who were the "zoo experts" said). Unfortunately, the baby elephant was not out yet. We will definitely go back. Here's a few pics of the group.

The mommy brigade

The babies

My sweet friend Jen and her adorable little guy.

And last but certainly not least, my oh so serious child. So funny!

I also wanted to give a big thanks for everyone's words of advice/encouragement on the whole breast feeding issue. It was SO reassuring that I nor my child is disfunctional and others have gone through a similar situation. The good news is I am almost completely healed from our little biting episode, so we're just trucking along. I'm trying not to worry if she doesn't eat as much, and just trying to go with the flow. I think my big hang up with quitting is I hate to start her on formula when we're so close to a year. It just seems like a headache I don't know that I want to handle. I guess we'll see.

2011-04-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

And I forgot to mention that about a week ago, sweet Miss Elliott bit me while nursing...hard...so hard it made me bleed. So ever since then, it hurts so bad to nurse and pump. It's like starting all over again. Not fun. Chalk that one up on the "stop nursing" side. :)

Questions

2011-04-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

I have really been feeling an internal struggle lately about when I should stop nursing Miss E. If you don't want to hear about it, read no further. :) I have REALLY enjoyed nursing and have been so thankful that Elliott has always been such a good eater. However, probably about a month ago, I feel like the whole experience has gotten more stressful. I think several factors contributed to the change. First, she really started enjoying other foods and really wasn't as interested in nursing. Also, we went down to four feedings a day which has been fabulous for Kev and I (she goes to bed at 7 so we have good hang out time at night), but not so fabulous on my milk supply. I still pump before I go to bed (gag), but I still can't seem to pump as much as I used to.

So typically the last feeding is the worst (especially on days I work). She acts fussy, she won't nurse normally so it takes longer for my milk to let-down. I literally switch her back and forth until finally she will eat a little. BUT in the mean time, it is miserable. I am always paranoid she's not getting enough, and there have been times I have just given up and defrosted milk to give to her in a bottle. Then she acts totally happy.

Part of me thinks, maybe she's just not as interested any more, she's eating other foods great, I have some milk still stored, she's almost 9 months, let's just stop nursing. I absolutely HATE pumping, and right now I'm pumping every night on top of the 3 days I work. I know some people have it worse, but I am SO tired of pumping...especially at work. There are some days I don't have time to pump twice so I just get one time in, so then of course I feel guilty. Sounds like a fairly strong case to quit, right?

Well then another side of me feels bad/guilty to stop nursing. I think I had the expectation to nurse for a year so I feel like I'm throwing in the towel too quickly. I also start wondering if it will be more difficult/inconvenient to stop nursing because I won't have a "bottle" always available. Also, we would probably have to do some formula and that's whole new can of worms that sounds stressful.

There is something so awesome (maybe selfish?) about being the only person who can feed your baby, especially in chaotic times with lots of family around. You can take a little break and you get to have a moment with just you and your baby. No one questions you or asks to do it (that would be really weird), and it's a need only you can fulfill. I feel like I will miss that. So many thoughts and yet I know there is no "right" answer. I go back and forth and still seem no closer to a solution.

Any thoughts??

Easter cuteness

2011-04-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

Worst.blogger.ever. No one's going to read my blog because I've stopped posting. In my defense, we have been crazy busy with some life changing things...and I'm not just exaggerating by saying they're life changing. We are actually MOVING to South Bend, Indiana in August so Kev can start his PhD. He has thought about going back to school for a long time (I was secretly hoping he would change his mind), and doors continued to open and now we're here. It has felt so far away for so long, but now it feels like the date is rapidly approaching. Is it really almost MAY??? Really?

How do I feel? Well, I love security, routine, and where we are now, so yes, it is definitely out of my comfort zone to think about moving across the country, away from all our family and friends, to an extremely COLD place (in the winter at least) so Kev can go back to school. However, God has been so gracious in confirming our decision in so many different ways, and I am so thankful! I know that it will be a good experience and we will learn so much, but I feel like I'm in the grieving, chaos stage.

So yeah, we've been a little busy. Preparing our house to sell, trying to find replacements at our jobs, thinking about where we will live when we move, trying to think about jobs for me in Indiana, spending time with family and friends, while just doing "normal" life. Needless to say, I have remembered many a task AFTER I was supposed to have them done. *Sigh* I know it's only a season. So at least that catches you up, and maybe you'll be a little more understanding of my lack of blogs. Hopefully I will be more faithful now...and hopefully you'll be interested to hear about the craziness of our life.

And for my family, some seriously cute pics of Miss Elliott from Easter in her adorable Easter dress!

Just hanging with Dad.

Such a big girl!

Had to post this because you can see her two bottom teeth so well. These suckers are sharp...more on this later.

She looks like a doll to me in this picture.

Love this girl!

2011-04-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

Wow, life has been busy...obviously, since I haven't posted in over a week. Not to mention that I am one week behind her monthly post, which I do intend to do...eventually. In the mean time, I thought I would post some pictures from this past weekend. We drove to San Angelo to visit my sister and her husband. It was a 6 and 1/2 hour drive which is the longest drive Elliott has been on so far. She actually did really well...some fussiness, but I get fussy in a 6+ hour drive. We did a little bit of light reading...

played with a Nalgene bottle...

and lots of other fun things, but needless to say, we were ALL thankful to get there. We had a really fun time, and I was really impressed with San Angelo. Yes, there were lots of rock lawns, cactuses, mesquite trees, and it was 97 degrees already, but it was really a nice town. I said it reminded me of a little San Antonio.

It was really great to spend some time with my sis and brother-in-law and see their new house.

Elliott loved seeing her aunt. Anja was excited too.

Anja was determined to get a picture with Elliott smiling/looking at the camera. We resorted to holding rose petals in front of her...it didn't work. Anja got some good pics with her camera but I was just taking pictures with my phone.

I did catch a sweet moment between Kev and Elliott. She loves her daddy!

We also took a little family pic.

Oh, and did I mention we FINALLY bought a car. I actually blogged about looking for a car, oh, over a YEAR ago, and we finally got around to buying one. We decided on a Honda Pilot. We like the fact that it is a little bigger, little more room. It's used, but I can honestly say it's the nicest care I've ever owned. I feel nervous to drive it. Plus we're planning on it being Elliott's first car so I better keep it in good shape. :) Here is a few pics of it.

Cuteness!

2011-04-04T18:33:00.000-07:00

I have been such a bad blogger lately. Amazing how quickly time passes these days! I blame it on long work days and an increasingly busy little girl. I feel like I have had several blog posts in my head, I just haven't gotten a chance to sit down and write them. Does anyone else do this? You start to think in "blog," as in what your next post will be. No? Maybe it's just me.

Jeggings...my absolute favorite baby clothing. Nice stretchy waist (for big bellied babies) and yet so trendy.

Food is GOOD these days...unless it has weird texture like homemade squash or green beans.

And my new favorite hairdo on Miss E...PIG TAILS!!!

Cutest.look.EVER!!

Who is this little girl and where did my baby go? Sigh.

Night out

2011-03-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Kev and I got to have a night out with our sweet friends Stuart and Amy on Friday for Amy's 30th birthday. We had such a wonderful time! Elliott is still small enough that we still bring her with us frequently when we go out to dinner, and although she is a really good baby, I can never truly relax because I'm worried she's going to grab something she shouldn't (like a cup full of water or a hot plate), or I'm trying to entertain her by dangling toys in front of her or giving her a straw to play with, or I'm trying to feed her. Regardless what I'm doing, I feel like I end up shoving my food down and not truly able to enjoy dinner conversation. Friday night was such a great time to just chat, enjoy a delicious meal and dessert from Legends, then we got to go to Scandals at OU.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Scandals and USing?! So much fun for multiple reasons. 1. It's like watching short Broadway shows. They are SO good and I think they get better each year. 2. I love to see the "college" fashion, although it usually makes me feel sadly unfashionable. Amy and I really enjoyed people watching, and seeing what the "kids" are wearing these days. Does that make us old?

We look pretty cool for a couple of moms, right? :)

My little sister came from Texas for the weekend and watched Elliott for us on Friday. It was such a huge blessing! We loved getting to spend time with her this weekend, and Elliott thought Aunt Lacey was pretty cool! Love ya Lace!!

The dreaded short nap

2011-03-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Does anybody know what I'm talking about? It can look different and happen at all times of the day, but I hate each and every one of them. It's the kind of nap that allows her to feel just rested enough that she doesn't want to go back to sleep but totally grumpy/needy because she didn't get enough sleep. I have found that she almost ALWAYS falls asleep when we go on walks...I guess the movement of the stroller is just too darn relaxing to stay awake. It doesn't matter if we go at the first, middle or end of her wake time...she always ends up asleep, and I can never transfer her to her crib and she won't stay asleep in her stroller. It's basically an impossible situation. I guess I could walk for two hours, but that doesn't seem worth it.

The other place she falls asleep is in the car. If I can get home shortly after she falls asleep, I can transfer her to her crib. If not, it's the curse of the short nap. Then I've got a whiny, "don't put me down", "I'm not happy" kind of girl on my hands. If she gets a good nap, it is a happy day at our house. Amazing what a difference sleep makes.

A "good" nap. The camera flash didn't even wake her up.

Miss Elliott has been going through a new phase lately. She just got her second tooth a couple of weeks ago, so she has been going through the "bite mommy while I'm nursing" phase. It's loads of fun, let me tell you. I feel like I'm talking to Truman, saying "Elliott, don't bite" over and over. Most of the time, she just gets a big grin on her face when I say that. Hmmm...something must be getting lost in translation. Sometimes I wonder if she thinks it's all a fun game. Don't get me wrong, I love to see her little teeth, but understandably not a big fan of getting bitten by them in a sensitive area. Anyone have any recommendations? I figure/hope she'll grow out of it, but surely others have had experiences with this.

First family picnic

2011-03-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post these pictures for several days now, but obviously it hasn't happened. It is amazing how difficult it is to find the time to blog some days. I think I'm seeing this happen more frequently because the older Elliott gets, she is taking fewer naps and when she is awake, she is more active. I'm sure it's only the beginning of total life chaos. I can't wait! :)

Last Friday, we met Kev on campus for our first family picnic. Although it was a little cool and breezy, we had lots of fun, and I hope we are able to have many more picnics in the future. After we ate, we just walked around campus...never gets old.

Elliott was loving the grass. She had never seen such green grass before...almost looked good enough to eat. At least that's what she thought.

Gotta love midday daddy time!

Our sweet little family. Excuse her terribly mismatched outfit. I wasn't expecting it to be so chilly.

I was going to type more but the girl is awake so I guess I better go feed her lunch.

Family visit

2011-03-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

My mom, dad, and one of my sisters were able to come for a visit this past weekend, and we had such a fun time together! Of course we didn't take any pictures together (welcome to the world of parenthood), but I did get some cute shots when they were playing with Elliott.

Papa "eating" Elliott's feet. She thought it was pretty funny!

Of course Truman ALWAYS wants to be part of the action!! My sister was amazed at how much Truman was like a strong-willed child. He is very demanding and always wants attention...unfortunately these traits worsen when we have company.

"Mimi, this necklace is fabulous! I must get one."

Just chilling with Aunt Anja.

Why do kids love to be upside down? I mean, do they really like the feeling of all the blood rushing to their head? I think the last time I stood on my head (which was quite some time ago), I felt like my eyeballs were going to pop out. Not fun!

"Love my Mimi!"

And I thought I would throw in a picture of me getting home from work. She was really excited to see me...I'm sure of it. :)

7 Months

2011-03-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Oh I feel like our baby is growing into a little girl so quickly! It's amazing how much she changes from month to month. Here's some things that were happening this past month in Miss Elliott's life:

She got her first tooth! It actually came in when she was 7 months and 2 days, but I decided to include it in her 7 month stats. I have been trying to get a picture of the tooth (bottom left), but Miss E is determined that I don't. Her tongue sabotages a good view every time!
She also has gotten way more into eating solids this month. Yay! So far, she eats anything I give her pretty easily. We still haven't tried her on any meats (gross!), and we're still introducing different veggies and fruits. I generally try to feed her oat cereal twice a day mixed with veggies/fruits/or a combo. I think she definitely prefers the stuff I've made (I think it tastes better too).
I think she says "mmm" when she eats (although she might say it at other times too). I feel like she has looked at me and said "mama" but it could have been a total accident. :) I like to think it was intentional.
She is down to eating 4 times a day (6-7 oz per bottle when we give it to her) and then I feed her solids with her morning and evening feedings. I'm thinking we might add a lunch solid feeding soon.

She is wearing 9-12 month clothes but mainly 12 months! Such a growing girl! I feel like when we moved up to 12 month clothes we moved into the "toddler" section in some stores which is so crazy to me. No more onesies or one piece outfits!
Wearing size 4 diapers and we're definitely having less blowouts...which might be due to the fact that she is eating solids and now occasionally struggles with constipation. I'm not sure which is worse...pooping all over yourself frequently or not being able to poop at all. It's a toss up.

I think she has started developing some stranger anxiety and there are definitely times she just wants her mommy or daddy. She has started "reaching" for us...melt.my.heart.
She is generally taking 3 naps a day still. She generally sleeps 45 minutes to 2 hours. It's always difficult to predict. I would like to transition to 2 longer naps, morning and afternoon, but this is proving to be more difficult than expected. She has gone through this phase where she wakes up after 45 minutes and won't go back to sleep but is grumpy. Drives me crazy!
Since we moved down to 4 feedings, she has been going to bed at 7 or 7:30 and sleeping until 7. Fabulous! She does sometime wake up at 5 wanting her paci but will go right back to sleep.

She loves reaching for EVERYTHING! Gone are the days of holding her while we eat. She grabbed my soup bowl tonight...scary!
She loves throwing things. When we let her sit and play, we usually surround her with toys. In, oh 2 minutes, all those toys are out of reach. Pretty incredible.
Not showing any interest or signs of crawling, which is nice for us. The only times she scoots around is when she's in her bed.

She loves to chew on anything and everything...her toys, our clothes, her clothes, pillows, anything she can get her mouth on.
She still loves to hear us sing. She has also started enjoying playing peek-a-boo and patty cake.

She still LOVES Truman! He's pretty much her favorite. If she is ever grumpy, we can just watch him and it makes her feel all better. He's still pretty indifferent to her, but he LOVES to lick her.
She loves to flap her arms, especially when she's excited. Makes us laugh.

She is such a precious girl and we are so thankful for every second we have with her!

Long weekend

2011-03-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

I am loving this weekend for several reasons. First, Kev took off on Friday and I don't work Fridays so long weekend for us...yay! Second, we tried to plan minimal things this weekend so we could have extended time to hang out as a family. LOVE LOVE this! Don't get me wrong, I like busy weekends too, but since we made it back from our trip, I have been playing catch up and sadly failing (think a really dirty house with lots of laundry). Now, our free weekend has included some cleaning, laundry, and time with friends, but it has been very casual and unplanned which has been so refreshing.

So excited!

Tonight is "date night" and we're trying a new restaurant on Campus Corner. Exciting!

Random side note...E is going through a stage where she does NOT want to look at the camera. So the only way I can get her to look is by holding a toy up...hence the always looking away pictures. :) But it's either that or looking down.

6 Month Stats

2011-02-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

Miss E went to the pediatrician on Friday for her 6 month well child check and here are her stats:

Weight: 19 pounds 5 ounces (91%)

Length: 29 inches (99%)

Head Circumference: 17 3/4 inches (95%)

So our little girl is not so little. One more inch and she actually is the length of her car seat. Darn. One more thing we need to get. Just for comparison sake, I thought I would include my stats when I was 6 months old.

Weight: 19 pounds 3 ounces

Length: 27 inches

So as you can see, I was no small child. I was shorter than her and weighed just slightly less. Like I've said before, she didn't have a chance to be petite. :)