And 27 Months later

As I was reading my usual email updates from Baby Center, I receive one for Hannah every month and one weekly for Olivia. I am obviously a little behind on Hannah's but I came across this (above paragraph) and I couldn't help but laugh! This is the story of my life now! Hannah LOVES reading (me reading) the same books over and over and O.V.E.R!!!

Your 2-year-old now at 27 months

Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree again?! Oh yes. Reading the same book over and over provides a measure of comfort to preschoolers, who see the familiar characters and plot as an oasis in a world full of unknowns. But there are cognitive and language benefits to re-reading, too. Re-reading helps your 2-year-old connect the words he hears with the pictures he sees. This is an important kind of pre-reading that will be a useful skill in a few years when he learns to read. Hearing the same sentences again and again helps him decode grammar. Your child also gets a rush of confidence when you turn the page and he sees the expected next part of the story: "Yes! I knew that was going to happen!"

Let your child choose which book to read. If it's the same old favorite, mask your boredom and read it once again. (Hey, at least most preschooler books aren't terribly long.) He may well want to hear the same story several times in a sitting. Keep a wide variety of books on hand by making frequent library visits; eventually he'll be ready to switch to a new favorite or expand his repertoire.


Currently her favorite books are Emily Works Out and Nutcracker Twinkle Toes... 

Funny thing about Emily Works Out is that she has memorized every other page (at least), sometimes she will surprise me and read "my pages" with me.  I'll have to get this on video because it's too funny!  I'll start out by reading the title, then I'll read the first page "Emily skips down the street..." and she go on with "Dances to the beat" and then the next page I'll read and she'll read the following page.  Such a smart girl!! I can't believe how she has changed in the last 3 months.  It's unbelievable.  I am continuously amazed at her vocabulary and how she has picked up a certain way of saying things.

It's almost like she is having a conversation with herself. 
Like she will say:

• "No, paci for bed, nite nite only" then she'll say "No, it's not nite nite."
• Or the other day she had me rolling with laughter because Kyle and I were having a conversation and she all the sudden starts saying, " No talking, no talking, no, don't you do it, don't do it!"
• Another thing she repeats on a constant basis is Mommy/Daddy but it seems I hear Mommy WAY more lol! But if I don't answer her immediately then her tone gradually gets louder and louder until she is actually yelling MOMMMMMMY!
• She likes to ask 1932 times "Mamaw/Papaws?" I'll respond with a yes or no (it doesn't matter) she'll ask again "Mommy... Eat?" I'll again respond with a yes or no and then two seconds later she's asking again "Mommy... Mommy, Daddy, Hannah and Olivia's home?" Like I said even if I say yes Hannah we are going there she'll ask again with a different location instead. 
• Another favorite of hers is when I fix her dinner or we are out to eat she will ask "Mommy... hot?" I'll say no ma'am and she respond  with "Wam?" (warm) I'll say yes Hannah Warm and then right back like she is reassuring herself she'll say "Wam not hot"
• She is a CHATTER BUG and I adore it
• Her new favorite song is BINGO she'll sing it not stop and wants it to be played over and over again!
• I bought the Adele CD and I love it! I listen to it whenever Hannah doesn't HAVE to listen to her kiddie songs and I caught her the other day trying to sing to one of these songs!!!! I just about died! It sounded so strange hearing her sing about setting fire to rain... I couldn't help but laugh hysterically!
• The other day on our way home from school Kyle and I are having a conversation about something random when Hannah starts off with "No talking, No talking!" She wasn't screaming it or anything it's almost like she was repeating what someone had said.  She says again "No talking! No talking... Don't you do it! Don't! Don't you do it! No talking!" It took me and Kyle a second to figure out if she was talking to us or not.  She wasn't she was just pretending like she was telling some "imaginary person".  She wasn't even looking at us until we turned around and looked at her.  Funny, funny!

I can't believe that my precious baby girl is already 27 months old! I mean wasn't it last week that we were bringing her home from the hospital? Wasn't it just the other day that she cut her first tooth? And didn't she take her first steps yesterday? And to think her 2nd birthday was 3 months ago is mind boggling!  When I ask her for instance if she wants a big girl bed she responds with a shake of her head or when I say Hannah paci's are for babies, are you a baby? She nod meaning that she thinks she is still a baby! I'm perfectly fine if she doesn't want to grow up, because even if shes 30 she'll still be my baby!

My next goal is to get her potty trained so expect some blogs coming up about that! We've tested the waters a little bit by letting her pick out her "big girl" panties and I even put them on her for a couple of hours and unfortunately that must have confused her because she peed in the floor 3 times! YIKES! Looks like lots of messes are in my near future.... Oh boy! I know she has bladder control because sometimes she will go 2 or 3 hours without even peeing in her diaper but it is just getting her to put two and two together.  Wish me us luck!

Slowly but Surely

Today marks day 4 without an ounce of soda!!!!!!!!

Did you read that?  DAY F.O.U.R!!!!!!!!  I am so proud of myself for this accomplishment. Especially since I didn't even CHEAT! The first two days were the hardest but day 3 it wasn't on my brain 24/7.  I seriously think I was addicted to the stuff.  I was chewing my fingers like crazy because I was craving it so badly!  Today seems like an even more of an accomplishment because I actually DO NOT want it.  Sure I'd like one but I don't feel like I NEED one. 

Call me crazy/weird/strange, whatever you'd like but I'm seriously proud of myself!  I still get my caffeine fix but with coffee and I drink it with creamer but it's sugar free.  I'm trying to cut out a lot of sugars and FINALLY on day 4 I feel like I've conquered it.  Now don't get me wrong I still eat cake when its around and if I want ice cream with chocolate syrup all over it I'll help myself to some. But no more soda's for this girl!

I'm slowly trying to get myself back into a healthier me and I feel like I've conquered my biggest problem (besides working out and that is just laziness on my part). I have slowly started decreasing my portions when I eat and Ive replaced a few bad snacks with healthier choices and my meal selections are a bit healthier as well! Oatmeal instead of Toaster Strudels:

Nutrition Facts

Pillsbury - Toaster Strudel Pastries - Cream Cheese & Strawberry

1. Servings:1 pastry w/icing (54g)1 container (6 pastry w/icing (54g) ea.)

Calories	180	Sodium	180 mg
Total Fat	8 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	4 g	Total Carbs	24 g
Polyunsaturated	2 g	Dietary Fiber	1 g
Monounsaturated	3 g	Sugars	8 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	3 g
Cholesterol	5 mg
Vitamin A	0%	Calcium	0%
Vitamin C	0%	Iron	4%

VERSUS

 

Nutrition Facts

Quaker - Instant Oatmeal - Bananas and Cream

1. Servings:1 package1 container (10 packages ea.)

Calories	130	Sodium	170 mg
Total Fat	3 g	Potassium	105 mg
Saturated	1 g	Total Carbs	26 g
Polyunsaturated	1 g	Dietary Fiber	2 g
Monounsaturated	1 g	Sugars	9 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	3 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Vitamin A	20%	Calcium	10%
Vitamin C	0%	Iron	20%

 

I am also trying to eat SmartOnes for lunch instead of other meals.  I can only eat so much of them before I'm just sick of them. So we'll see how it goes.

 

 

 

So far my favorite are:

• Lasagna
• Salisbury Steak and Mac&Cheese
• Chicken Parmesan
• Spinach Alfredo

The list is growing but not much....

I know it's not much but it's a start!  And a week from Monday I'll be starting the Insanity workout DVD with a girlfriend of mine (as long as my girls cooperate) ha! I must be INSANE to try this but I'm hoping for the best of course as always!! What ways do you have to become healthier?  Vi Shakes, smoothies, meal plans? What works for you? Let me know so maybe I can try it!

 

Olivia is 4 months old!

Say whaaat? I'm almost in shock at this! I mean wasn't it yesterday that I was in the hospital delivering her? 

Well, you have been one busy little girl.  No you aren't walking yet but you are changing at an insane rate!

Whats new?

• Cooing at me it's the sweetest sound besides your occasional giggle that just tears me right up! I do whatever I can to hear that sweet sound bubble out of you which is seldom.  You smile so big and make this sort of hiccuping sound that I think it's coming, but then it doesn't. 
• You kick your legs when you are excited
• Bath time is a favorite time for you
• You have a touch of separation anxiety (but I don't mind it)
• You sleep through the night (since you were 10 weeks old)
• You've tasted cereal but are not a fan yet but I'm not really pushing it either
• You found your fist and fingers and LOVE them
• You also found your toes and find them very interesting.  It amazes me that a person, no matter how small, can practically curl up into a ball like that and reach their toes to their mouth without so much as a grunt!
• You are rolling from your stomach to your back.  You can roll all the way over to your side and stare at something but when you are on your back that's the way you stay unless we help you out some.  But you do not stay on your tummy long if we put you there, you roll right over on to your back.
• You focus on everything and get distracted with everything.  More and more every day do I notice you get distracted easier.  That means that you are growing and changing because you are getting further from that tiny newborn and closer to that curious infant/toddler stage. 
• You are falling fast in love with your big sister.  She cracks you up constantly and when she comes into the picture you can't stop looking at her.  This serious expression takes place on your face like you are studying her and then you burst into a huge smile/hiccup like you've just seen the funniest thing ever!
• You are officially the best baby ever! I may be a bit bias but I am also going off of what EVERYONE who is around you or has been around you.  They say your so laid back and easy going, such a happy baby, and half the time your content weather your laying down or being held. 
• You are in the 75th percentile in height and only the 25th to 50th percentile in weight.  I believe you are going to be long and skinny!
• Your eyes have changed! But I still cannot tell what color they will be.  No lie, sometimes they look dark blue, sometimes dark gray, then they will look a brownish gray, and sometimes hazel, sometimes they appear to be a lighter gray and then like today they looked a dark green! So who knows what color they will turn out to be!

I see the huge growth spurt you've had since your pictures at Maryvale not even 2 months ago! You will probably seem huge by the time you are 6 months old! I am absolutely crazy about this little girl and my love for her is no more or no less than that I feel for Hannah.  So many mothers feel anxiety when they are pregnant with baby #2, afraid they wont love them as much or afraid they will show some favoritism.  But trust me because I am going through this right now and I love both of my girls equally.  I often feel like my heart will explode because of the amount of love I have for them.  I am so proud of them and I love showing them off to family and friends.  I am overly protective of them both and I am sure I'll be that way forever.  I love them for their different personalities and I love them for their similarities.  No they are not perfect children and I am not a perfect mom but I know they are perfect for me and I am a perfect mom in their eyes (right now) and because of them I strive to be better every day!!!

Please, please, please don't grow up too fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

(NOTE: Every picture in this post her eyes appear to be a different color!)

I'd Consider it a Life Changing Event....

Over the past month Kyle and I have talked and talked and talked about; gas, school, my full time status at work, daycare and bills.... In my opinion none of those are fun topics to talk about and when you combine them all together into one conversation things start getting really tense....

So we discussed it until it taste's bad in our mouths and we've decided that with the money I make, the gas it takes and costs to fill up my van, the length of time it's taking me to finish school, and the cost of daycare it honestly doesn't pay for me to work OR work as much.  Starting May 7th I will officially be a part time employee and will be keeping the girls out of daycare. 

We told the Sister's yesterday and it almost brought tears to my eyes! Kyle's mom will be taking care of them on the 2 days that I work.  And because I have the best boss ever she is totally flexible with my schedule and understands that my ultimate goal is to finish school.  I'm thrilled to death to be able to spend more time with my babies but it is going to take some tons of self discipline to sit down and make a routine and a list of things that need to be done. With my dad retired, my mom who has a flexible schedule as well and my sister who is off during the week, it is going to take some getting use to when it comes to telling them no!

I am nervous and thrilled this is completely uncharted territory and either way if I were to work full time or part time it's going to be a struggle but at least maybe (hopefully/fingers crossed) this will actually save us some money.  It's time to start an entirely new budget that's for sure!

A Man as an Angel!

On Friday, April 13 my mom was told that there wasn't much more the doctors could do for my grandfather.  He had lung cancer again but he had also developed pneumonia.  The antibiotics could not reach the pneumonia because the tumor was blocking it.  Think of a bottle with a cork on it; the cork being the tumor and the pneumonia inside the bottle.  They stopped all meds and sent him home.  They were instructed to call in Hospice.  Late that afternoon the hospice nurse came in and evaluated his status.  At this point he was very anxious and talking up a storm.  The nurse stepped out of the room and after evaluating my grandpa she had determined that he probably wouldn't make it through the weekend.  We were all shocked into silence.  We couldn't understand, it's like my brain refused to accept that knowledge I mean he is sitting in the other room TALKING!

She explained to us that there are several steps to the "dying" process.  (He also had developed a bowel obstruction.  And so basically his body was shutting down because it couldn't fight any longer). So the nurse explained the process and had given a booklet on what to expect months to weeks to days to hours prior to death.  It's really a scary yet interesting process.  Click Here   to see the different signs. The one that really intrigued me was the Unexpected Alertness and Increased Energy sign.  This was the sign my grandpa was evidently showing at that time.  So family was called in for last goodbyes on Saturday, April 14.  Grandpa had been started on morphine so he was pain free and was slept the entire day.  I personally do not handle things like this well at all.  I find it too difficult to attend the Receiving Friends or Viewing when a friend or family member passes so I was pretty sure I had no desire to see my grandpa in a state such as this.  A dear friend to my family told me that I should at least try to see him for closure.  I did and I will admit that I do not regret it.  It gave me such a peace knowing that he wasn't in any pain.  It gave me a strength that I didn't think I had and it gave me joy in my heart to know that he will be with our Lord rejoicing soon.

On Saturday, April 14 at 11:42 p.m. my grandpa ascended into Heaven.  He now walks, talks and praises with our Lord.  It was a very sad time for my family.  I shed tears of course, but those tears were happy tears.  I know that I will see him again one day.  I know that this is not goodbye it's just see ya later.  And when I see him again I'll hug his neck and tell him how much I missed him.  He is in no doubt a much better place.  He will be missed not by just family or people in his county but he will be missed by thousands.  My grandfather made a mark, he touched the lives of EVERYONE he met.  He and my grandma made more than a huge different in the lives of children from kindergarten to college.  He was a great man who did great things and will be remember for years to come.  Here is an article that a kind reporter wrote on my grandpa in the Gaston Gazette Ron Haper Article.  Please read it and understand what a great privilege  it was to not just personally know this man but to call him Grandpa!

I'm a BIG girl!

We have officially stepped out of our baby ways... Meaning Hannah Grace no longer sleeps in a crib!!! We decided this would be a great opportunity when Ashley's Furniture was having a killer sale on queen beds (specific styles).  We checked them out and found one we loved!  In the meantime we were just "looking" around and decided that we would just pass our mattress and box spring down to her and we purchased us a new mattress and bed (king size!!).  So, Hannah's was obviously back ordered since it was a pretty popular item (really great deal) and ours came in today.  I decided now would be a great time to get her acclimated to sleeping in a bed without sides.  It helps too that it's closer to the ground because we have no bed frame for it yet, so if she rolls off it's less than a foot to the ground.  I am greatly hoping that she takes to it and the transition is a smooth one.  Only time will tell. 

I've taken some pictures of her room with the mattress in it but once the bed comes in we'll get her, her own comforter and stuff of that nature. 

Our new bed! It is WONDERFUL!

Her crib now in 5 separate pieces! BITTERSWEET!

Yes... Go ahead and tell me how bad it is that she still gets her paci at night....

And she successfully went to sleep....

Except she'd only sleep on top of the covers with a blanket....

Trying Something New!

Honestly it's been forever since I actually worked out.  Well, not forever but almost! The last time I stepped foot in a gym was March of 2010.  I love to work out once I'm in it but it's getting to there that seems the toughest.  Now it seems the word "workout" doesn't even exist in my vocabulary!  I'd been thinking how badly I needed to do something about that.  I know I'm "slim" but just like everyone else I have "problem areas" and those areas need some attention!! One of those areas is my stomach!!!!

When I got pregnant with Hannah its like I gained so much weight and stretched out SO much that my stomach had forgotten how to hold itself in...

I have this terrible Kangaroo pouch that just hangs out and drives me crazy at the same time.  I was complaining to my sister about it one day when she says "Oh! I forgot I had these ab DVDs called Hip Hop Abs Click Here !" She proceeds to tell me that they are from the guy who does the Insanity DVDs... Well that was great news I now had the means I just needed the motivation.  Ab workouts are my very favorite because I feel like you can see the results a lot quicker than anywhere else!  So I am plunging into the zone where I can hopefully work it into my crazy schedule... We shall see!

Urgent Prayer Request!

Yesterday I found out my precious grandfather is very sick.  He has some other underlying issues that I can't speak of right now at least until our entire family has been updated.  But I can say he is in the hospital and our family, especially my mom is in need of a huge prayer flow.  She needs the kind of strength that can only be received through prayers.  So please, please pray for my family today.  Please pray that whatever direction the good Lord chooses us to go that we will continue to trust in him.

They just celebrated there 60th wedding Anniversary on Feb. 12th!

Cruisin Time!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday we scheduled our big vacation of the year!!! We booked a CrUiSe!!!!  I am super excited we had to book it in December since I will be in class for the summer and fall semester's.  The funny thing is, is that we booked it on December 15th.... OK will have just turned 1 and it's the Saturday after my finals! Hallelujah!!!

We will be leaving out of Charleston which is perfect because, 1) A four hour trip is going to be long enough in the car with 2 little ones and I couldn't imagine how horrendous it would be to travel to Port Canaveral or Miami.  I have nightmares about a trip like that! 2) Kyle's brother lives in Charleston so we could just catch a ride with him to the Port and wouldn't have to worry about parking fees. 

Hannah will practically be three years old and OK will be one.  Some people think we are crazy to take them, that we should just enjoy a trip for just the 2 of us.  Honestly?? Kyle and I are very family oriented, we don't take or really like taking vacations without the girls.  We're really not even big on going out to dinner or stuff like that without our girls.  Don't get me wrong we definitely have our movie date nights and enjoy sometime to ourselves, but we really like doing stuff as a family more.  Even though I don't feel like I should have to justify why I'd want to take MY kids on a vacation like that I am obviously doing exactly that in this post.  Oh well! :)

I can't be more excited about this fun trip and new experience with my sweet family!  Don't want to forget to mention the fact that while everyone is here freezing wearing jeans and jackets well be getting our TAN ON!!!! Just that simple thought will get me through the next two semesters of school!!! hehe

This is the Carnival Fantasy we will be on this one!!!

Freeport one of the stops

And Nassau I can't wait to get me a bag from here!!!