Bean's Blog

365

2010-09-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

it's been 365 days

365 days of mothering two

365 days of nursing

365 days of staring into his eyes

365 days of siblings

365 days of waking up next to my boy

365 days of being home with my children

365 days of loving more than I knew was possible

365 days of having a momma's boy

365 days of rocking him to sleep

365 days of loving this boy something fierce

365 days I wouldn't trade for the world

**crazy**

as I type this Simple Man starts playing...

I sang this to Chase while holding my belly just a short year ago tonight...

dancing around the office.

I wondered what it'd be like to have a son

what will he look like?

what things will he like?

will he love me?

Chase,

I hope you will be a simple man.

I hope you enjoy the small things in life.

I hope you love yourself as much as I love you!

Most of all I hope you are happy

and you always know just how happy I am to be your momma!

Love you anything baby boy!

Baby be a simple kind of man...

be something you love and understand

baby be simple kind of man

would you do this for me son if you can... if you can

6 months

2010-03-10T05:48:00.000-08:00

Happy HALF Birthday Chase!!!

Wow I can't believe it's been six months,

time flies when your having fun!

You are so happy all the time and your smile is contagious!

You are now really really good a t rolling,

you can get any where you need to go rolling!

This month you went on your first trip to NC this made dada happy.

You met Grandma and...

Uncle Jassan and cousin Ava and...
cousin Natalie

and Gma & Uncle John's dog Daisy's had puppies

So we brought one home...

you love Jumbo and taking baths sitting up like a big boy!

On 2/25 while in NC you started sitting by yourself!

You can do it now!!

All by yourself...

(and only fall sometime your poor head)

You made your dada so happy when you said "dada" this month too...
You are enjoying the nice weather and new things outside.

This is going to be a fun summer and I can't wait!

You Capture: Kisses

2010-02-19T14:44:00.001-08:00

I stopped by I Should Be Folding Laundry's blog today.

She does a "You Capture" post every Thursday where she gives her blog readers a topic and they can post pictures related to her topic and link up to share. I enjoy checking out others pictures but I have never participated.

Well yesterday's topic was kisses.

KISSES I thought...I know I have lots of pictures of kisses.

This first picture was taken by my friend Sue at The Way We Were Photography.

I love Sue and I love all the pictures she has taken for us!

This next picture was taken this past weekend at Disney.

We were having so much fun just being together.

It was an unexpected kiss too...

I thought he'd smile with me, but instead I got the sweetest kiss.

After 10 years, I still can't get enough of his kisses...I LOVE THIS PICTURE!

I Love this picture too and I love the love they share!
This happens all day long at our house, she can't stop kissing him and neither can I!

Here we are in bed, doing what we do every morning...cuddling and smooching!

Now he kisses me back...I'll have to get a picture of that soon! I guess we are just a kissy family!

In his eyes...

2010-02-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

In his eyes I see my reflection

In his eyes I see happiness

In his eyes I see hope, a future, dreams

In his eyes I see joy, innocence, purity

In his eyes I see his words, his feelings

In his eyes I see curiosity and wonder

In his eyes I see his sissy and the bond they share

In his eyes... I see LOVE

(he loves sucking that bottom lip in, so cute)

THIS JUST IN...
Chase signed for Milk!!!

Every time he eats I say milk and sign it, but today he did it first!!!

I picked him up while talking to Aunt Meggie and he put his hand in front of my face and signed for milk. We went immediately to nurse and he smiled, made the sign and closed his eyes to eat! So proud!

Things I Love Thursday...Babywearing

2010-02-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

This is my first "Things I Love Thursday" post and I'm so excited!!!

So I thought my first should be about something really special to me, something I use and love a lot...my Lovey Duds Wrap!!

The material is beautiful, light weight and soft. It's so comfortable too...for me and Chase. He spent two days in it recently while we visited Disney and just loved it. It was cold so we kept each other nice and warm! He never even felt heavy (& he's almost 20 lbs)

I love having him close,

I think that's the reason I love my wrap most!

5 months

2010-02-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

I started this post with the title 4 months... then I realized I was wrong. 5 months, how has it been 5 months?! I DO know one thing, it's been amazing, it's been fun, it's been magical

This month your little hands have been very busy.

They have been figuring out new toys and how to pull sissy's hair.

This month you started eating yummy food. Your first was my favorite, bananas! You enjoyed them while celebrating Grammy and Ma's birthday.

You went to The Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios on two VERY cold days. You were perfectly warm and happy all snuggled up to me in the wrap. Have I mentioned we love our wrap?
You got your first Mickey Mouse and he's just your size!

You also watched your first sporting event, the Super Bowl. You sported your Colt's jersey, a Christmas present from the Millers, our favorite Colt fans!

I promise to make sure you get your share of sports. We might have to send you to RaRa's or Bubie & Dillon's, but somebody will help you out where momma & dada lack.

Oh my big Chunky Monkey you are growing up so fast.

Everyday I'm home with you I know just how lucky I am.

I'm thankful for each and every moment.

You still go to work with me early in the morning, while the rest of the world sleeps.

You don't mind it and you always just chill and let me work.

You are still such a pleasure, such a happy baby,

and that makes me such a happy momma!

Love ya big boy!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-10T05:51:00.001-08:00

~ We were given more then a gift~

~we were given memories~

~we made beautiful, happy memories~

Sleep

2010-02-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

Before we had kids we thought we were prepared.

We knew what we were going to do.

We had watched enough Super Nanny.

We'd put them to bed in their bed because "THEY" say it's best.

Then she was born...

She was so tiny.

So precious.

Her room was ready... But we weren't.

She slept in there for a few months.

Then we went on a trip & she slept with us.

When we got home she got sick & slept with us.

Then...well ever since then she's slept with us.

"They" say she should sleep in her bed.

"They" say it's best.

But she didn't want to.

We didn't want her to.

We worked all day.

At night she was all mine.

Mine to cuddle since I longed to all day.

I missed her so.

At night there was no where to go.

Nothing else to do, but to be with her.

I missed her so.

Then my belly grew

and the bed shrunk

It was time

We made a big girl room.

She loved it and slept in her bed.

Then we went on a trip & she slept with us.

Yep...then she was back with us.

He was almost here.

We couldn't move her out and him right in

So she stayed

then he was born

and joined us

Now I wake to two babies

My babies

But things have changed

He likes his space

He likes his crib

So a few weeks ago I gave him

his blankie

his paci

& his music

I kissed him and said good night

I laid him down

and I walked out

It was hard...

for me

Not for him

He went to sleep

And slept and slept

She asked where he was

"In him's own bed?"

She went to her room

and into her bed

Now that's where she's been

We went to bed alone last night

and the night before that

and maybe even the night before that

But somewhere in the early morning

she sneaks in

He wakes around 5 to eat

so he joins us

The last few hours of slumber

they are with me,

snuggling,

cuddling,

loving,
it's perfect!

I will...

2010-02-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

I have so many posts in my head,

so many things I want to write about,

things I want to say,

but I procrastinate.

I have memories I want to record,

letters to write to my kids,

so many feelings, emotions, opinions,

but I procrastinate.

I want to talk about

cosleeping

mothering two

weekly excursions

disipline

weight

planning

I want to

play more

sing more

be ME more...

But I don't

I don't want to procrastinate

I don't want to do it tomorrow

I want to do it now

and I will

I will write

I will remember

I will

For ME

[I'm worth it]

Four months

2010-01-10T16:18:00.001-08:00

My chunky monkey is 4 months~

You celebrated your first Christmas,
you wore jammies that matched sissy's first Christmas jammies
(Thank you Aunt Meggie, Uncle Jeremy, Robbie & Dillon)

We took our first family photo!

You grad and touch more. I love your little hands, the way they reach for me, the way you rub my arm while nursing or hold my shirt tight.

You went to your first parade.

As the parade began I nursed you in the car

watching the fireworks in the review mirror.

(we parked in the parking garage overlooking the parade route)

I wore you throughout the parade and you were as happy as always.

You meet Santa!

Sissy thanked him for you and asked him to bring

Aunt DeeDee babies this year!

AND HE DID.... she is due in September!!!!

(as I was last year!)

You celebrated your first Christmas.

Santa brought you an exersaucer.

You love love love it.

You bounce every morning and love all your new toys!

You love Raffie the Giraffe. You hold him and fall right to sleep!

Momma gave you kisses to bring in the new year!

You rub your eyes now too, and it is just so cute!

You are getting so big!

You want to sit by yourself.

You can for a bit and then you get so excited,

arch your back and fall...you are almost there!

At your doctor appointment this month you were over 17 pounds 95percentile)

and 27 in long (off the charts!)!

My big big boy!!!

You took your first bath in the big tub!

It was a short bath,

but you enjoyed it until you bumped your head!

Sissy, like Daddy, always fixes the shoes.

She gathers them and puts them in a row.

This was the first time yours were there too.

Eight shoes,

A family of four,

A mother of two...

One sweet sweet boy!

I love you Chase!

Momma

Almost...

2010-01-04T13:21:00.001-08:00

Right now I should be in a meeting.

Right now he would be in a room full of other babies.

Right now he'd be wanting to nurse and I wouldn't be there.

Right now I'd be holding back huge painful tears, hiden behind sunglasses.

But I'm not... And he's not... And neither is she...

Instead I'm laying here nursing my boy listening to by daughter snore all snuggled up warm in my bed.

This is where I belong and this is where I'll be.

Everything else will change...just like I had wished for back then. Everything else, the things, dont matter, we matter, right now matters. I want to say I know I'm making the right choice, but I'd by lying if I said I wasn't scared. Someone said choosing my children is never the wrong choice, so how can I go wrong?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Rethink Your Shrink Week One

2010-01-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

It's time to shred this baby weight...again. I'm excited to join The Sisterhood of Shrinking Jeans and participate in this 7 week challenge. I'm excited to have people to do this with, it adds the accountability I need. I'm going to weigh in on Wednesdays and actually post my weight, I think that's what I need to give me that extra boost! I'm nervous and excited and can't wait to start! I found the sisterhood through Crooked Eyebrow, and like her I just had a baby.

He is 16 weeks now and since he was born I'd lost 26 of the 35 pounds that I gained. I've since gained 10 of those back, thanks to the holidays!

I can't believe I'm gonna say this but.....

I weigh...(damn this sucks)

180....I was 165 before Chase and 150 before Jillene

I want to be 169 by the end of this challenge! That's 11 pounds in 7 weeks, I can do it! And I'm gonna do it!!!!!!

Three months

2009-12-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

" Look I've got a foot!!!"

You found your feet this month. You can hold small things like your rattle.
You love bath time too.
I put your bath tub in the shower with me.
You splash and kick your feet in the water, giggling and having a blast!!

You went on your first plane ride to NJ. You did great!!!
You are the easiest baby, so happy all the time! I wore you in the wrap while traveling and it worked out great. I was able to feed you in there too, and know one could even tell!
I LOVE wearing you Chase and you love it to!!!

You met MiMi and PopPop and Uncle Mike and Aunt Rachele.
MiMi put you to sleep each day, she had a special touch!

On Thanksgiving morning everyone went to the high school for a football game.

You and I stayed home. You wore your sissy's Thanksgiving Pajamas,

ones she wore at 7 months; yep you are a big boy!!

We watched the Macy's day parade and talked about Thanksgiving,

just me and you...and that was perfect!

(I was drinking a really yummy cup of coffee too)

Your first Thanksgiving dinner.

You slept through it and sissy watched TV in the next room,

she had snacked so much she wasn't hungry anymore!

But once dinner was over and everyone left the table, you woke.

You were ready to try something yummy.

Sweet potatoes it was, just like I had as a baby and sissy too!

You loved it!

You also had pumpkin bread too, just little crumbs but they were oh so yummy!

You and sissy both went bowling for the first time.

She loved it and can't wait to go again.

We sat outside and watched sissy play in the leaves with Mike and Rachy.

It was so beautiful up there, it looked like winter.

And you just love your bumbo. You can watch sissy better that way

and she is so much fun to watch!

You are getting so big so fast!

I'm loving every little bit of it!

You are such an amazing little boy and I'm so happy I'm your momma!!!

You make parenting two much easier than I thought it'd be.

There are moments I struggle, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

I'm in love, you've won my heart.

I might even get to stay with you much longer then expected, I hope...maybe!

I want it more than anything.

I love you my chunky monkey!!!

Momma

She said it best

2009-11-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

Erin of School Teacher by Day, Superhero by Night said is best. She wrote a post yesterday that put into words what I haven't been able to say. I cried as I read her words; I understood each one. I was supposed to go back to work on November 9th, but things worked out so that I was able to wait until January. I feel so blessed to get these extra days. These are two months that I almost didn't get. Two months of smiles I almost missed. I don't even want to think about not having them.

While I do feel blessed to have had this time, it is the end that is so real. It's knowing that soon these day long snuggles will end. My heart breaks knowing that all too soon someone else will get more time with my son then I will. I'd give anything to stay home, I don't want to leave him, oh how it hurts.

I remember the day I dropped Jill off for the first time and cried all the way to work. I hid in my office and went to nurse her on my lunch break. Then I left early, I couldn't take it any longer. It was a very painful day. Knowing how painful the day is going to be makes it that much worse.

Maternity leave is never enough. No matter when I have to go back to work, I'll always want one more day. Just one more day, and another, and another...

Two months

2009-11-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

Today marks two months.
Two months that I have had a son.
To months that Jill has been a sissy.
Two months that I have had KIDS.
Two months as a family of four.
Two of the best months ever.

Dear Chase,

I just love being your mommy. I am so happy to have a son. You have been the best baby, so happy, pleasant and content. You hardly cry. Little grunts if you need to be changed and little wipers if you’re hungry. You wake and smile and coo and play with your hands. You sleep like a champ. You usually go to bed around 10, wake around 3am to be changed and eat, and again at 6:30. Then you’re up for awhile and we talk and smile. You like your play mat and you have already rolled over. At three weeks I put you on your tummy for the first time and you rolled over, and you’ve done it every time since. You prefer to be on your back to play. You also love your bouncy seat like your sissy did. There is a bird on there that you two find fascinating. You have been able to grab the ring and make them chime. You were very proud of this and told the birdie all about it. You love taking showers too!

You have grown so big; you are already over 13lbs. You started wearing size 2 diapers at 6 weeks and you wear 3-6 month clothes already! We had to move your straps on your car seat and for Halloween you wore the same pajamas your sissy did at 6 months old. I can’t believe how fast you’ve grown. You smile all the time now too. Big cooing smiles, oh so cute smiles!!! I get lots of smiles while nursing, you are still only nursing.

My first smile came in the middle of the night while in your rocking chair. When you are hungry you reach for my shirt and babble at me. I imagine you saying “Hi momma I’m a little hungry, can I eat now?” You are always so peaceful and calm. I love holding you and looking into your eyes as you doze off to sleep. Being up with you at night is heavenly, not that I wouldn’t like to sleep some time, but I enjoy that quiet alone time with you. There was a full moon this month and sitting next to your window rocking and looking at you by moon light and knowing that I was able to give you all you need was empowering. I’m so honored to be a mother, there is so much responsibility in that word yet so much joy that it make my heart sparkle.

This month like months to come was filled with many firsts. Your best buddy Dillon James was born October 14th. You celebrated your first Halloween. You dressed up and went to your first pumpkin patch. I celebrated my first birthday with you, and took you to my favorite pizza place Giordanos!

Newborn Pictures

2009-10-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

My friend Sue with The Way We Were Photography came over when Chase was two weeks old and spent almost all day photographing my little man.
This one will be on my desk at school!

Her mom made all the hats and diaper covers

and she brought all of the baskets and blankets with her.

This was right after Chase peed in Eric's face!

I'm so sad I missed it!

Jillene loves her "broder"!

Precious little hand,

and tiny little feet.

This picture hangs in a store window in a local town. The owner loved it so much she asked the owner of the frame store next door to frame it. It is now the center of her display of sock monkeys, my boy is already famous!

Ummm, I love this sweet boy!

My gifts from God.

One Month

2009-10-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

One month ago today this is where I was. In room #211, the same room Jill was born in.

We were supposed to be at the hospital at 8AM to be induced, but we were late of course. We had to stop for gas.

Being induced had not been my plan. I really wanted to go on my own this time, but I guess Chase had other plans. I had been contracting for two+ weeks on and off. At my last two appointments the doctors said they didn't think I'd make it to the next appointment and that scheduling the induction was just in case. Well it was a good thing they did, I don't think my little man was planning on coming any time soon. He was pretty comfortable in there, and now as I look back I was pretty happy with him in there too. Yes those last few weeks I was so anxious to meet him, but I felt great and loved being pregnant with my boy.

Once nurse Judy got me settled in my room Dr. J checked me at 9am and I was 4cm and 100% effaced, all ready to go! She decided to go ahead and break my water. It feels so icky being wet. I see chicks on TV (too much of TLC's "A Baby Story") walking the halls after their water breaks and I don't get it? Mine gushed too much with both kids; they'd have to follow behind me with a mop! So that part wasn't very enjoyable, but I knew that brought me one step closer to meeting my son. Once my water was broken real contractions started on their own.

I was happy to know that my body was ready.

RN students from a local college were following nurses that day. My nurse Jenny was working with a student named Krista. I was asked if Krista could start my IV and since by brother is working towards nursing school I thought of him and agreed. Well that was the most painful part of my labor and delivery. Krista's teacher walked in as she began and she was asking her questions while she was stabbing me, not very reassuring.

By 10:30 I was at 5 cm and really feeling the contractions. With Jill after receiving my epidural I was able to relax and went quickly from there. So I decided to go ahead and get the epidural. They started pitocin at the same time. By 1:40 I was at 6cm and at 2:10 I was 7cm, I knew it wouldn't be long. At around 2:30 I started feeling the contractions again and then a lot of pressure. My nurse had me roll over and said if I still felt them in 10 min she'd increase the epidural. Well 10 minute later the pressure was really getting strong so she called for the anesthesiologist.

Then I had to push. I asked her to check me and at 2:52 (the time Jill was born) she confirmed I was ready to go. But as luck would have it, my doctor wasn't there, she was at the office. So I waited and waited, it was challenging, but I like a good challenge!
Since Eric had prior experience (he delivered Jillene), Dr. J let him get suited up and deliver Chase as well. After less than two minutes of pushing E got to be the first one to touch him and watch him take his first breath. At 3:28 we welcomed Chase Alexander into this world. Eric put him on me right away and it was just amazing. His birth was such a peaceful and joyful experience. It was perfect from start to finish.

I was so unbelievably happy!

Since coming home Chase has been a great baby. He is very easy going, cries only if he needs to be changed or if he's hungry. He eats like a champ, latched on great from the start. He is a great sleeper too. He's asleep between 8-9 PM and sleeps until around 12-1. He eats and is back out within 30min and then sleeps until 5-6, then sleeps again until 8-9. Then he's up for the morning. He started smiling and cooing and is especially happy in morning. I can't get enough of him, I could hold him all do; I think I did the first few weeks!!! He loves taking baths and sucks his thumb. He doesn't really like the paci or drinking from the bottle (BM), but since I have to go back to work, bottles are something he has to get used to. This breaks my heart; I'd give anything to be home with my kids...sigh.

Jill was so happy to meet "broder".

She loves him so much and wants to do everything for him. She loves holding him and even changed his poopy diaper! She loves him a little too much sometimes, but we are working on that.

Have I mentioned that she named him? Chase was a name on the list, along with many others. She heard us talking names one day and declared his name to be Chase. We weren't sold right away. One day Daddy and his friend Nick were hanging out with her by the swing set and again discussing names...this made her very unhappy since she had already told us his name. On that day she declared his full name to be "Chase Alawander" as she says it, Chase Alexander to us! We are now hooked and according to her "broder told me that's his name" so how could we name him anything else!

We are so happy to have this little boy home! This is one of my favorite pictures of him. He had his first photo shoot with Sue at 15 days old.
I'll be posting more of the pictures she took in the next post.

Chase,
I'm so in love you baby! You are amazing and I look forward to each and every day with you. I'm so proud to be your momma and I'm thrilled to have a son!

Tomorow, tomorrow...

2009-09-07T15:42:00.000-07:00

my due date's tomorrow

it's only hours away!!!!

(you know, to the Annie tune)

(5 weeks)

From this to this in nine short months

(39 weeks)

The thing is it doesn't feel like hours away, it feels like it'll never get here!!!

I really can't believe I'm still preggers, with Jill I was holding a two week old baby when her due date rolled around. If he hasn't made his appearance by Thursday, I'm set to be induced...... or shall I say he's getting evicted!!!

I didn't really want it to happen that way, but I want to meet him and that seems like the only option at the moment, I'm desperate to meet my boy!!!

I still feel great, actually better these past few weeks since he dropped. I had major back pain for most of this pregnancy but that's gotten so much better lately. Maybe that's why he's still hanging out, he knows I feel great. I even still have ankles and toes, and I can even see them (well kind of!)

I'm headed out to start walking, maybe that will help...wish my luck!!!

CHASE COME OUT AND MEET YOUR FAMILY!!!!!!

Love ya Little Man,

Momma

Hours? Days? or Weeks?

2009-08-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

It could be any of those before I meet my boy. His due date is in 9 days, but at this point with Jill she was already in my arms. He's already baked 8 days longer then his sister. I know every pregnancy is different but I just can't wait any longer...I want to meet my boy!

At my doctors appointment on Thursday I was 1-2 CM and at zero station and the doctor said he didn’t expect to see me next week, and that sounded perfect to me too, I’d rather not see him either! I’m feeling so anxious and ready. I’ve been cleaning floors every night, I have all the laundry done, I’m done with BR work and I have weeks 1-4 of lesson plans done for my students. Now I just need my boy in my arms. I woke up Thursday morning at 4:30 feeling what I thought were real contractions. I’ve had BH Contractions for a while now, but these were different. Major cramps very low and into my upper thighs. They stopped me in my tracks. There were three good ones about 6-8 min apart and then they became sporadic. I went on to school where they continued but not getting any stronger. Friday was the same. I woke up sporadically through the night and they continued that way all day, but that was it. They didn't get stronger or closer together. This weekend they pretty much stopped. I've tried eating really spicy things, mac-n-cheese with A1 sauce, we at the Mexican restaurant I ate at the night before Jill was born (even had the same thing) and nothing. I've been walking, I even climbed about a million (OK it felt that way) stairs at the water park today to take Jill on a tube slide. Getting my butt into the back of a double tube must have been a funny sight, it was pretty challenging but I did it and we had a blast!

So I guess I will have another week with my students. The plan is for Friday to be my last day since my due date will be the following Tuesday and school is closed Monday for labor day. At this point I think I may still be pregnant that week too. It feels like he'll never get here. I now I probably sound silly since I still have over a week until I'm due. I'm just so anxious. Since Jill came before I expected her too I never had the "when is the baby coming" feelings, she surprised me (as she still does daily!), so I guess that's why this feels weird to me.

I just want my boy!!!!

Chase,
I can’t wait to meet you. You are so close yet you seem so far. As I rest my hands on you I feel you move, but I want to feel you moving out here. Your sister can’t wait to meet you too. I think she may be more anxious then daddy and I. I can’t wait to see what you look like, hear your cry and see those cute little toes. The closer it gets to the end the longer it seems like it’s taking. You are the missing part to our family puzzle and we need you to come join us and make us complete. The Grandfathers (or farters to your sis), Grammy, Mimi and Pop Pop are so excited to meet you too. Your Aunt Rachele and all your uncles are waiting too (there are so many of them you'll have an endless supply!) We love you big boy, please come meet your momma! I know I've asked you to wait September for the last nine months (because I love sapphires) but if your ready come on!!! August is a good month too, I'm sure that birthstone is pretty!

I love brother...

2009-06-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Brother loves me

We're a happy family

With a great big hug and a kiss from me to him

Won't he say he loves me too!
This is the song Jillene has been singing. She is so excited about having a brother and just can't wait to meet him. Every morning they have their special time together. I'm so thankful for this summer, it gives Jill all the time she wants to spend with him without the rush of tiring to get ready to be somewhere each morning. She wakes up, tells me good morning and kisses me and then goes straight for the belly! She tells him good morning, hugs him, lays across my belly just waiting for him to kick her. She gets so excited every morning like it was the first time she felt him. She tells him what they are going to do that day, or what cartoons they are going to watch. She always asks him if the plans/show is OK with him, pauses a bit and then says "OK brother", and says brother is excited too. I just can't wait to see them together! She will be the first one in the room with us once little man is born and will get all the time she wants alone with him.

As a mom I feel so happy/proud that I can give my daughter a sibling. It makes me cry just thinking of them together. There are times that I am sad that the days of just me and my girl are almost over, but then she walks up and touches her brother and tells him she loves him and I know she wouldn't have it any other way. I hope the love she has for him know never fades, I pray it grows and grows. I have made sure that this summer if full of wonderful memories for Jill. She and I are doing many special things together, just she and I...I'll post about those adventures later.

Today also makes 30 weeks, 3/4 of the way there, he'll be here before we know it. We go for a 3D ultrasound tomorrow. I'll post pictures and maybe even belly shots too. Next Sunday I'm having real belly pictures done and then the next week is Chase's baby shower. Jill calls it brother's party or Chase's party and is so excited to be a part of it. She can't wait to go. She always looks at the pictures from her baby shower and comments on the smiles on every ones faces (especially mommy's). She knows we're all smiling because we were soooooo excited that she was coming and she wants to be smiling at brother's shower so he knows how happy she is that he is coming!!!!

Peek a Boo Brother

(see her peeking around him?...too cute)

***Disclaimer...

I can't believe I'm posting pictures of me in a bathing suit, normally I wouldn't do this not preggers, but I just love love love my belly this pregnancy and I actually like what I look like in a swim suit now! OK maybe the hormones are making me crazy, but for now I'm liking my preggers self!

The Paci Fairy

2009-06-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

I want to start by saying how proud I am of my little “big” girl. It’s seems like the day she turned three she really blossomed into a little girl and grew out of the toddler stage. She is talking in more complete sentences, I mean she did before but now there is more description and explanation in them. We have real conversations now, she asks great questions and I just love watching her learn. She is working on the days of the week and uses "today", "yesterday" and "tomorrow" correctly. She knows it's cold in the winter and hot in the summer (that's all she needs to know in FL) and knows that when it's "summa time" we don't have to go to school and get to be together ALL day!!! We both love SUMMA TIME!!!

She surprises me everyday…and the biggest surprise was giving up her beloved paci. I know, I know…we should have done this way before three but we didn’t. She did many other things early and this was her one thing she was hanging on to, her comfort and I wasn’t ready to take it until she was ready to give it.

So to prepare for giving up the paci, I started talking to her about the “Paci Fairy”. Yes I created an imaginary fairy that comes and takes pacis to babies and gives the child giving them up a big surprise. What surprise you ask??? Well you get anything you ask for. We walked the toy isles looking at toys that where worth giving the paci for, she found many she liked but none worth the paci. I let it go, talking about it often, but not pushing the matter. At her three year check up her doctor suggested lollypops! That sounded good for a while, but then that too wasn’t worth the paci.

Well in the mean time, for her birthday my family and I pitched in together to but her a playset for the backyard. The one she got from her uncles for her first birthday was just way too small this year (but still perfect for little man). So it arrived the week before her birthday and we were just waiting for everyone to have a day off (at the same time...that never happens) to get it put together. Well E’s brother surprised her and came down from NC for her party (May 2nd) and would be here for the weekend. So Sunday her Daddy, Grampa, Uncle Jassan, Uncle Nick and daddy’s friend Nick spent the afternoon putting the beloved playset together.

While this was happening Aunt Lisa and I did all we could to keep her from looking out back. When we ran out of things to do inside we decided to go to Walmart. As we walked in Jill saw a playset outside. “Momma,” she said, “if I give my pacis to the Paci Fairy will she bring me a big girl slide and big girl swing?” OMG I couldn’t believe my ears…she was actually suggesting own her own to give them up. “YES, YES, YES Jill she can bring a slide and swing” (little did she know they are already in the backyard!!!). She got so excited and couldn’t wait to get home.

When we got there I gave her a baggie and she went around collecting all her pacis. We took them to the mailbox, she put them in (another shock) and pushed the flag up and yelled “Paci Fairy come get my pacis and bring me a big girl slide and big girl swing!!!”.

Here she is with the bag of pacis she collected, so excited to give them to the paci fairy.

She put them in the mailbox with a smile on her face.

Gotta put the flag up and yell "Paci Fairy come get my pacis!!!!"

TA-DA!!!!!!

We went back in to eat lunch and while Aunt Lisa kept her occupied I went and got the pacis and put the flag down. After lunch she went to check and saw the flag was down and got so excited (yet another shock…I expected a breakdown) and wanted to go look in the backyard.

She ran in and to the back window to find everyone hard at work on ht playset. Man I wish I had a picture of the look on her face…it was priceless. It was dark when it was finally finished but she waited paitentialy with her My size Barbie she named “Me” that she got from Miss Josie for her birthday ready to try out her new slide. Uncle Nick caught her and ‘Me” as they came down the slide, he helped them both cross the monkey bars and pushed them in the swing (after we tied the ropes around “Me’s” arms). She came in so tuckerd out, she showered and cried less then ten minutes for the paci and was out. Somewhere during that time she told the paci fairy to come get her slide and swing and bring back the pacis, but come morning she was relived to see her playset still there. She said “I no want paci fairy to come get my slide and swing, she can have my pacis!” Another shock to me and another proud moment!!! I have told her so many times lately how proud I am of her, she is such a big girl!

She did ask for it the next few days in her car seat but I gave her a peppermint or lollypop and she was good as gold. The 2nd night she asked for the paci a few times, but there were no tears and by the 3rd night she asked once and then remembered the paci fairy had them and laid right down. It’s been so much easier then I could have ever imagined, I’m a proud momma!!!

Mother's Day

2009-05-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

I awoke to a kick…a kick from my little man. This is the first time he’s woken me up this way (not the last I’m sure).

I think this was his way of being the first to wish me a happy mother’s day.

Once Jill woke up we hung out in bed watching cartoons while E made breakfast. We enjoyed scrambled eggs, bacon and a bagel outside on the porch. After breakfast we put on our swimsuits and headed back outside to lounge by/in the pool all day. It was a perfect relaxing day of fun! After soaking up the rays, we headed in to shower and get ready for diner at my favorite restaurant, Giordano’s. They make the best pizza in the world, no joke! Once home, Jill and I headed to bed to finish the day as it began, in bed watching cartoons, gotta love Scooby Doo!

Jillene thanks for making me a mommy and making my day the best ever!
Little Man I can’t wait to share this special day with you too next year, it’ll be twice the fun!

Oh I almost forgot, I could see my belly move for the first time too. As I laid in the sun you could see it jumping all about. Jill and I floated together in the pool and she was facing me laying back on my legs so her butt was at the base of my belly and he kicked her butt! She thought it was so funny. Then in bed before she fell asleep she could see my belly moving too, she was wide eyed and amazed!!! I can’t wait to see them together!

My little lady

2009-05-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

My baby has become a little girl.......

It's bitter sweet!

Happy 3rd Birthday Bean!!!!

Before I begin I must warn you that this isn't the happy post about her best birthday ever.

This really was the best year and party, but the day of her birthday was hard for me (and her too). I'm sure hormones have a lot to do with it...but preggers or not it was a rough day;

here's why:

This was the first (and hopefully last) year that I was not able to be home with her on her birthday. Schools are out of substitute money therefore we can’t miss school unless its an emergency. With little man on the way, I’ve already missed too many days/hours lately. It makes it hard on the rest of my team (we have to split the kids up between the other teachers in my grade level). So I thought bringing cupcakes to her at school (while my students were at PE) would be the next best thing. I’m glad I went but I never realized how hard that would be on Jill (and me too) when it was time for me to leave. She broke my heart as she begged me to take her with me. She begged me not to leave her on her birthday and promised she’d be good if I took her with me. Did she think I was leaving her because she isn’t good? I explained I had to go back to work and that I’d be back soon, but nothing helped. Her teacher had to pry her off me, kicking and screaming and begging me not to go and saying how much she loved me. I felt like the biggest piece of ****, the worst mommy ever…I just wanted to kick and scream and cry too!!! I went back to school a wreck. How could it be her third birthday and I’m not with her (and to think I’m about to do this all over again with little man).

I know this is normal for a lot of moms, but I don’t want this to be normal for me, I had a baby because I wanted to be with her, raise her and teach her. Just yesterday she sang me a song I didn’t know she knew and that broke my heart. I should be the one teaching her songs, I should KNOW what songs she knows. I didn’t teach her her ABC’s, colors or how to count...none of it. That’s my job and it’s so not fair that someone else gets to do it. I couldn’t help but cry, I was an emotional wreck!!! I can’t miss any more.

Everyone said it gets easier with time, but they lied. Every time she cries for me when I leave it breaks my heart. I know what those teachers are thinking, even if they are the greatest teacher, no one likes a cry baby and I know she cries for me everyday. When I pick her up the afternoon teachers say that when she wakes up from her nap she realizes where she is and that I’m not there and it starts again.

I went to daycare as a kid (only for one year when I was 4) and I remember that feeling I’d get when my mom would leave, it never got better, I hated everyday of it. The school was fine and I had friends but I ONLY wanted my mom and only she could make me better. I thought that Jill would be adjusted and used to going before she could really “remember”, but she remembers things now and I know she’ll remember this at that makes me cry even more.

I can’t take this, especially x2.

Jill was born at 2:52pm and I was not with her…I wanted to scream! (little man better be born in the evening so I can ALWAYS be with him, no wait then I’ll feel guilty for being with one and not the other…man this just sucks!!!)

Here she is enjoying her cupcake...she loved them!

All was well until she knew I was leaving...I hate this, I want to be a SAHM!!!!!!

So anyone know the lottery numbers so I can quit my job?

Boy, oh Boy...

2009-04-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

WE ARE HAVING A BOY!!!!!

I can't believe it but it's true.... I'm going to have a son!

It was a total shock, I thought for sure Jill had been right about having a sister, of course I knew it was 50/50, but for some reason I believe her. When he showed us he was a "he" I just couldn't believe it. The look on Eric's face was priceless, he was SO excited to be having a son.

We didn't get a picture of us face, there is only one thing he wanted to show us:-) So I go back in two weeks for another ultrasound, so hopefully we'll get a good look at his face then and I'll post pictures.

His heart rate was 146 and he is measuring 10oz.

Different but the Same

2009-04-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

The title makes me laugh! I love it when someone says something like..."I have that same shirt except mine is blue, not pink, and mine has a long sleeves, not short, and mine has more buttons" and you are left thinking well then that isn't the same shirt at all. I guess that's what I've been thinking about this pregnancy. There are so many things this pregnancy has in common with my first, yet many differences too!

I found out I was pregnant both times on Friday the 9th, with Jill it was September 9th, with this one January 9th. I always felt Jill move for the first time each day around 10AM and always on my right side. I started feeling this baby move consistently last Monday April 6th (17w6d) and it was 10:10 and on my right side and each day since it's been the same (Daddy felt the baby too on Wednesday and then Aunt Ra Ra on Thursday!!!). We found out Jill was a girl 4 days after Christmas and will find out about this one 4 days after Easter.

With Jill I had none of the typical pregnancy symptoms, no morning sickness, no heartburn, no mood swings...it was the perfect pregnancy, I was happy all the time. This baby made me sick from week 6-9, and then a crazy rash that made me itch from week 11-15. And don't ask my poor husband about mood swings, let's just say he's been very understanding!

I just wonder now if they will have the BIG question in common...will they both be girls or is it time to introduce some blue into the house??? Tomorrow is the big day and I'm so excited and sad at the same time. Not sad like I want to cry, but sad that the dreaming and imnagining will be over. Today I can wonder what it'd be like to have a girl and a boy, or two girls. Or if I'll have two little dresses to buy next Easter or a cute little sweater vest to match Jill's dress. I'm so excited to KNOW who is in there, yet the what if's will be over. I totally WANT to know, don't get me wrong, it's just reality that tomorrow changes things. Jill has ALWAYS said this baby IS a girl, so we keep saying "she", I wonder if she's right..and if she isn't I'm going to have a very sad little girl! Eric and I will be exicted either way. Jill and I will be going shopping after the ultrasound so I'll post pictures of the baby's clothes tomorrow. Will they be pink or blue???

Kick me Baby!!!!

2009-04-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday 3/28 (16w5d) we were visiting on of our favorite places and took a break to enjoy some yummy grapes when I felt something. It wasn't really a kick or a flutter but more of a push from the inside, nothing like the first time I felt Jill. I wasn't sure if it really was the baby. I wanted to feel it so bad I wasn't sure if I was imaginig things.

Then on Tuesday I had a doctor's appointment and Jill, E and Grammy got to come. My doctor (who also delivered Jill) Let Jill use the wand to find the heartbeat. They searched all over my mid belly, but didn't find it right away like they had before. The doctor tried off to the right side (kind of near my hip bone) and there it was!!! That happened to also be exactly where I had felt the push:) So I'm now convinced that was the baby. We were having such a great day that I'm sure the baby just wanted me to know she/he was enjoying themself also.

Invitation!!!

2009-04-03T02:40:00.000-07:00

We love love love Wee Little Designs and will never get cards anywhere else again. Jamie is so awesome to work with and makes the most perfect cards. Here is the invitaion she made for us this year...

We are so happy, isn't it just amazing???

Jill did so awesome having her picture taken this year, she is such a big girl these days. She posed just as the lady asked and smiled right on cue. Every picture came out perfect the first time. This was the easiest visit yet...now next year with two I'm sure will be different:) But I can't wait.

Land of Polk A Dots

2009-03-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

Today our family of

took a plane ride over to the next town over to enjoy lunch with Aunt DeeDee.

We wanted to do something fun since Daddy FINALLY had a day off.

The FOUR of us...

(this is the run way we landed on and just happened to be then number of people in the plane!)

Daddy

AKA Pilot E...I mean Echo (that's pilot talk:)

Mommy
(see I wasn't scared...OK we were still on the ground!)

Jillibean

sporting her own headset the world's greatest Daddy bought her

and eating popcorn...the girl couldn't be happier!!!

and Baby Bean #2

(this was the baby's first plane ride...no kicks so I think the baby liked it too)

So why is the title Land of Polk A Dots? Well that's the first thing that came to mind as I enjoyed the beautiful view. The area we live in is FULL of lakes, big, round, gorgeous lakes.

It looks like the land of Polk A Dots!

I've said I'd like to live further north where there are seasons, where the leaves change color and where it's actually cold at Christmas.

But today as I looked out my window I realized how lucky were are to live in such a beautiful place..I think I kind of like it here:)

What an amazing place God's created. His view is spectacular!!!

We even saw Grammy's house from up above!

It's the one on the main road (running from top to bottom) with the pool and the "L" shaped driveway.

Daddy was such a great pilot he put Jill to sleep with his superb flying skills.

We love you Pilot Daddy and we're sooo proud of you for living your dream!!!

Bean or Blob

2009-03-03T15:36:00.000-08:00

Introducing Bean# 2

or is it a blob???

Just kidding!!! Well last Thursday we all got to see the bean growing in my belly. Jill was so quite and just gazed at the monitor in amazement. We heard the strong heartbeat, at 160 bpm, which I'm told means it's a girl (but who really knows but HIM). For Jill's sake I'm hoping it is a girl since she wants a sissy so bad and I think we have settled on a girls name but have no idea about a boy. E and I would be happy either way, and we'd have 20 weeks to prepare Jill, but man would she be the happiest girl ever to get a sissy!

I found out today I my follow up appointment that I'm starting this pregnancy 16lbs more than when I started with Jill, this shocked me!!! I didn't think that I was that much bigger now:( I've also gained 4 lbs in 2 weeks which makes no sense since I've been really good, especially staying away from sweets. I'll keep working on being good...my goal is to not gain any before the next appointment..think it's possible?

Tomorrow

2009-02-25T15:26:00.000-08:00

I can't wait until tomorrow. At 2pm Thursday, we get to see the first glimpse of the little bean growing in my belly and I'm so excited. Eric and Jillene will be there too (of course) and I can't wait to see the look on Jillene's face when she sees her "sissy" for the first time. She insists it's a girl and Eric thinks it's boys, yes the "s" was no mistake. He's always thought he'd have a girl then twin boys. Lord help me if he's right:)

I went for my first appointment last Tuesday the 17th. Everything went well and to calm my fears of the "M" word (I dare not say it), she said she would try to find the heart beat. I was 9 weeks and my doctor said to not worry if she couldn't find it because it was still early, but within seconds she found it. It was loud and clear and beating strong. After finding it quickly, she moved it around and heard it again. Before I could comment about the baby moving a lot for being so small, she looked at the nurse and asked her to schedule an ultrasound. She assured me all was OK, she just wanted an ultrasound to get a better idea of how many weeks I was (I'm not completely sure of my LMP).

The next day one of my friends was sharing with her doctor about my visit. Her doctor seems to think I'm going for an ultrasound because there is probably more than one in there?!?! Eric and now her too. Then today another wonderful friend says she had a dream about twin boys?!?!

So we'll see tomorrow if I'll be keeping my sanity (with one baby) or losing my mind (with two).
**OK if it is two, I know I'll be fine (and probably really happy) after I wake up from fainting!**

Emotional

2009-02-16T18:11:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been full of such great news (and a little worry, but I'm sure that will be OK) and with it brings so many emotions. Emotions now just seem to make me cry. So as I danced with Jill to Wide Open Spaces, the song I always sang when I was preggers with her, I was thinking about her growing up and wishing she is blessed with friends as incredible as I have been blessed with.

Then I start thinking and of course crying:)

I LOVE my friends so much it hurts sometimes. Some are near, some are far. Some old friends and some brand new. I wondered just recently how/why I was blessed with so many BEST friends, I was even just given a new one. My mom always said you can count your true friends on one hand, and my hand is now full:) I guess god knew I needed one more, I didn't know I needed another, but can't imagine the days without her!

They've been there forever, and gone through so many changes with me.

Thank god for those events that just happened to bring us together,

even those forced upon us:)

(The song "I need you now" just started playing...more tears)

They were there for all the important things in my life.

We love like sisters. And I love their sisters like sister too:)

To Jill they are family (again I'm crying!)

I just can't imagine life without each of them. I'm such a dork and love them all so much I took something to remind me of each of them with me to my first doctor's appointment with baby #2. I was wearing the shirt Meghan gave me, the jacket Desiree gave me, the ring Kristin and I both have, the necklace Robin gave me with Jillene's picture in it and Jen and I went for pedicures and a yummy lunch afterwards.

Man I love my friends, I hope Jill is blessed with friends as wonderful as mine.

I love you guys!!!!!!!

I'm so Happy

2009-02-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

...Happy, Happy, Happy!!!!

OK maybe happy isn't the right word...um...ECSTATIC yeah yeah that's the word!!!!!

My friend rocks and that's all I can say. She knows show she is, she knows how much I love her and she knows I couldn't be happier. Man I love it when "he" calls me!!!!

XOXOXO you're the best, and in Jillene's words "we love you anything!!!!"

AND there is more great news...

CONGRATULATIONS Aunt DeeDee and Miro, well I guess he's Uncle Miro now!

Today on a romantic picnic he proposed and made my sister (from another momma) the happiest chick ever:) She got a big, fat, shiny rock too!!!!

WOW what a great day, I'm so happy for my girls...Love you both

Angel Babies

2009-02-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

On 1/17 I had posted some exciting news and then removed it today. I'm so sad that I have to write this...but a dream was lost, not forever but for now. My secret got out last Friday 1/30 and I called her that afternoon and said I hope I didn't jynx myself, watch something bad happen this weekend. And it did, just not to me. It started Sat 1/31 and her Dr's nurse confirmed Monday what she already suspected. They told her it must have been a false pregnacy, but how can 5 at home PT and another at the Dr just 2 wks before all be false? It just doesn't make sense. We were gonna do this together, I was giving her the craddle and bassinet, they are/were her's. Why? Then just yesterday two other bloggers, friends of Steph's, lost their babies too, what is happening?

Oh sweet baby in my belly please stay where you are, your sissy just can't wait to meet you, and I don't want to break her sweet little baby heart. She "loves you anything" please come and meet her (in 7mths), I know you'll love her!

Great bloggy giveaways

2009-01-26T17:04:00.000-08:00

Can you believe one of my favorite bloggers, Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing, is giving away a gift I just gotta have...a sling!!! I can't wait to meet my new little bundle and I especially can't wait to wear her. Yes I said her since according to Jill it's a girl, her sissy, and since she "asked" Santa for a baby and got it, I'm thinking he probably gave her her choice and made it a girl, but we'll see. Either way I can't wait to get a sling and I just hope I win!!! Stephanie's first sling was from Kimz Kreations and Kim is so awesome that she is letting Steph give one away. Please please please let it be for me:)

Today makes seven weeks too, and this week has been better than last, thank goodness. With Jill I didn't have any morning sickness, heartburn, moodiness...nothing, I was sooo lucky. Well last Thursday the 15th, I realized I wasn't going to be as lucky this time around. For almost a soild week, morning, noon and night I felt terrible. "Morning" sickness just isn't the right word, it's more like ALL DAY sickness. It's been better, I just hope the worst is over. It's hard to stand in front of 20 kids and pretend like you feel good, I'm not a good faker, but I survived (and lost 5 lbs). Jill is so cute and excited about the baby (her sissy). She talks to my belly every morning and even came in the other day, lifted my shirt and raspberried my belly just like her Grampa did to her when she was in there. It was the cutest thing, I wish I had the camera ready!

Baby Bean we can't wait to meet you and if you are not Jill's sissy, sorry for calling you a girl:) We love you!

Jill's late Christmas Present....

2009-01-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

just arrived. I guess if you ask Santa and you are a really good girl you (or your mom) will get what you ask for:) Oh my gosh..... I don't know if I'm going to scream, cry or laugh...but I am going to but a sling! Nonny & Boo here I come (actually I've already been there!)

Merry (late) Christmas

2008-12-29T07:30:00.000-08:00

This was the best Christmas yet! Jill gets it this year...she knows it was baby Jesus' birthday and that Santa brought her presents and she could not wait

She asked Santa for a baby, but not a baby doll, she said she wanted a REAL baby. By Christmas morning she was ok with a doll, but really was hoping for a real one:)

Maybe next year Jillene!

She says all the time "It's Christmas time!?" with such enthusiasm!

We began our break with a visit from our best friends, Meghan & Robbie!

We had the best three days and made so many memories. We began with breakfast at the last place Meghan & I ate while we were pregnant and went from there to the airport where E took them on an awesome ride.

From there we took the kids home and E watched them while we went for pedicures and lunch with Jen. That night we went to see Christmas lights and ended up getting a house drawn carriage ride through the neighborhood.

Sunday we took the kids to my school to play on the playground, went shopping (again without kids) and then to eat the best pizza ever at Giordano'sand finished the day at Downtown Disney.

Were they even saw Santa!!!

(They saw him again at lunch the next day, he's everywhere!)

For our last day we headed to Tampa early, went to my favorite place to eat as a kid, Mel's Hot dogs, to my old elementary school to feed the ducks and play on the playground. From there we went on the wildest adventure... Nordstroms. Bet you've never been fitted for a new bra with two kids, two strollers, your amazing friend and the most patient sales person all in ONE dressing room. Meghan keep the kids busy feeding them gummy lifesavers...well at least while they lasted.

Then they took turns opening and slamming the door (of course I'm standing there top less while this is taking place). Oh yeah and there were people walking by the door too...yes it was lovely, memorable, a once in a life time experience! Meghan there is no one else I would have wanted to share such an experience with. Thanks for the encouragement to finally get sized by someone who knows what they are doing (and doesn't mind ALL of us), my boobies thank you too:)

I love you Bubie!!!

Our First Day Back in the Real World

2008-08-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

While we have had sooo much fun this summer, like all goods things, it must come to an end. That brings us back to the real world, no more sleeping in, breakfast at 10AM and naps when ever we want them. We can't even stay in our jammies all day, and the worst of all, I don't get to be with the cutest, most fun and amazing girl ever 24/7.

I've been dreading this day for weeks and today it's here and it wasn't that bad. I was actually excited to get back there and get my room together. I love my school, staff and teaching, but I love my girl more than ANYTHING and leaving her every morning will always be hard!!!

Here is our day in pictures...

6:30AM came way too early for this little girl

"What? I can't take may paci to school???"

"Seriously? Come on please????"

"Hold on and let me make sure I have everything!

1. Dora backpack......Check

2. Dora shirt.......Check

3. Dora Shoes....???

Check!!!!

Well Mommy, I guess I'm ready to go!!!

I got banana and my backpack and I'm ready to go!

What's up "Two's Room", I'm Jilli

and I'm BACK!!!!!

While she was having fun with her new teachers and eating her banana,

I headed off to school and this is what my classroom looked like...

Like my pink boxes???

This is a new room for me, so my stuff is in all the boxes and the

previous teacher's bulletin boards are still up.

I have LOTS of cabinets!!!!

The desk was in the middle of the room???

But not anymore!!!

I can't wait to post after I finish it.

All of the bulletin boards are going to be pink and black,

I can't wait:)

4:20 AM

2008-08-08T01:20:00.000-07:00

Yep that's what time it is...so why am I awake you wonder??? Well let me share.

This sweet Girl started wearing

these, three weeks ago today.

She insists on wearing them at night too, so I let her, and she did great!!

We had no accidents untill like 20 minutes ago:)

I couldn't sleep and was tossing and turning when Jill started to stir too.

She scooted in close and snuggled up to me and then......

she did it.....it was nice and warm and wet:)

Just what I wanted at 4 AM!!!

But really once in her first three weeks,

at bedtime or naps...I can't complain!!!

We blew up the air matress in the living room last night and watched HappyFeet and Toy Story. So when she warmed the sheets, I cleaned her and moved her to the living room and went back to clean the bed. As I was finishing the bed she came walking in with Maddie and said to me "me an Mannie need to watch cartoons, we no can sleep"

So I write this as Bean and "Mannie" watch cartoons:)

I love you more than anything Bean!!!

Good Morning Little Bug

2008-08-07T07:06:00.001-07:00

This morning while laying in bed about to

watch Bean's favorite new Cartoon...

The Wonder Pets!

In case you don't know...

The Wonder Pets is a cartoon about the adventures of a guinea pig, a duckling and a turtle, who travel the world in their flying boat and use teamwork to help other animals. It's Ming Ming, Tuck
And Linny too!

Well before her show started

Jill sing's me my favorite song...

it's her version of the song her Daddy sings

to her every morning .

His song goes...

Good Morning Lillte Bug

Good Morning Little Bug

It's Time to Wake Up

Good Morning Little Bug

This is her singing

Good Morning My Daddy

And here is

Good Morning my Mommy

I love You My Bean!!!!!

My Cuddle Bug!

I love you more than Anything!!!

Tag, Daddy, You're it....

2008-08-06T18:30:00.000-07:00

I LOVE.....

2008-07-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

I LOVE BEING TWO!!!!!

I love wearing Big Girl Panties and
my camisol too!

I love eating almost anything,
and I'll even share with you!

I love chocolate and so does he.

He's my Grampa, and he loves me!

I love giving Grammy kisses,

and steeling her soda.

Eating all her gum is fun

and so is peeing on her rug:)

This is Uncle John and he is so much fun.

We went to Key Largo together to play in the sun!

I LOOOOVE DORA

and band aids too!

I love Dora

and so does Roo!

(Bean and Roo at Diego Live!! Yes Dora was there too!!)

I love riding on my quad

and wearing my backpack!

I love mac-n-cheese

but I call it cheese-n-mac!!!

There are so many things I love these days

Jewelry, bracelets and my ring

And I tell my Mommy everyday

I love her more than anything!!!

Hi Robbie

2008-07-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Na Na LOVES you!!!!!!

One Week

2008-07-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well after my last potty post things have changed. On Friday as I was buying anouther package of pull ups and spending way too much I saw all the cute panties she could be wearing. I decided to but a package of panties too. When I got home Jill saw the Dora panties in the bag and declared she was going to wear them NOW. I told her she could as long as she went potty on the toilet. In she went, took off her pull up and did her thing and then proudly put on her Dora panties. And she's been wearing them ever since. Today is day 8 and she has done awesome!!!

Her first full day, we went to a Cypress Gardens, riding rides and playing in the water park, with now accidents!!

Day two we went to breakfast and got to visit the bathroom three times to visit all the stalls. Third time was the charm and she went again. We went from there to the next town over and spent the day running around. She only had one accident, sorry Mom I hope your rug has recovered!!!

Day three we left for the Keys, a FIVE hour drive. She announces she has to go on a long streach of road with nothing...except a lone porta potty. We stopped and tried but she could not sit the way she is used to, so she couldn't go. But she held it till the rest stop and went there.

Day four we were out on Grampa's boat most of the day, another day with no accident's!!

Day five we drove back home. Another long day, another day of visiting all the pottys from Key Largo to home, well it felt like it at least!!

Day six was our only day at home all day!! We stayed in our Jammies and played all day, what a great day!

Day seven another day in the car all day, but not one accident. Did I mention she is sleeping in her panties too?? She will not let me put the pull ups on, even at night, but not even a little dribble!!!!!

Day eight is Great!!!!! It's been over 36 hours without any accidents at all!!! That's my girl!!!!

YEAH I'm a big girl now!!!!!

My mommy is soooo proud of me!!!

Potty Like A Rockstar

2008-07-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

Our plan was to potty train this summer while I was home with Jill. I thought we'd wait untill we got home from our trip to Indiana to really begin. Well Jill had other plans. Our first morning there we were at Robbie's Doctor's office and she asks to use the potty. I take her in and here diper is dry from overnight!!! She used the potty all day doing all her business like a big girl:)

The morning we left for Chicago she said she did not need to go, so I didn't push it. Then as soon as we get on the highway...yep she has to go. Before we can get somewhere she goes and floods the carseat. It was lovely! The rest of the weekend she did great, not going everytime, but doing fantastic. She went many times in the hotel, at Aunt Meggie's and even on the airplane!!

I am so proud of her! While we were in Indy she was rockin her potty skills, then we get home and everything stops. She has not gone once, I ask, she says no?? I don't get it, I know she knows how to, she did it for a week, alot, and now ... nothing??? I'm confused!

The BEST Birthday Invitation Ever!!!!

2008-04-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

OMG!!! I LOVE IT!!!

Jamie at the amazing Wee Little Designs made it for us

and I can't thank her enough!

I can't wait to mail it out, I know everyone will love it!!

Thank You Jamie there is NO where else we'll get our cards from now on, I'm hooked:)

Happy Easter

2008-03-22T14:37:00.001-07:00

Hi “Airpane”, wacha doin?....

2008-02-21T13:51:00.000-08:00

I was off work Monday so it was a Jilli/Mommy Day, just girls all day!!!! These are my favorite days, just me and her doing what ever we want. I can not wait for summer just to be with my girl all day everyday, oh what fun that’s going to be.

Well we started off our day delivering something to Daddy at thhe airport (he’s been working there fixing planes, that makes Daddy VERY happy). Jill just loves airplanes, she could sit outside and look up to the sky looking for “airpanes” all day. This is sometimes the first thing she asks for in the mornings, “Mommy, me see airpanes?” When we got to the airport I parked so she was facing the rows of planes, she perked up all excited to see them and says “Hi airpane, wacha doin?” It was the cutest thing. We made a few stops and were on our way to the last one, our favorite place, WalMart. When I pull in I find my sweet girl sound asleep. If I wake her up after only a few minutes, that will be all the nap she gets, she will not go back down later. So I decided to go home and we could both nap. As I pulled into the garage I look in the rearview mirror and see her stairing back at me. With her paci still in her mouth she says "Hi Mommy, Wacha Doin?"

In the last month she has been talking so much more. She sing songs and is working on her ABC's, it's something new everyday!

Just the two of us!

2007-12-30T06:15:00.000-08:00

Since I've been home on winter break Jill and I have had E or my Mom here with us. So I was really excited about Friday, our first and only day for just the two of us. We stayed in our monkey jammies and played all day! It was a day of many firsts. We had out first tea party, we took care of our first baby doll (feeding, changing and putting her to bed) and Jill did her first summersault all by herself, I didn't even ask her to do it. She just stood up said "ummersalt" and did it!!!! We were so busy having fun I didn't take any pictures, but I did today! Oh how can I forget we also played with her new kitchen Ma and Grandpa got her, I think it's her favorite thing ever!!! She has pots and pans, dishes and lots of food includeing her favorite things, doughnuts and french fries. (I know it's bad, but when Jill sees the McDonalds sign she says "me fench fies?" and the DD sign makes her say "doughnuts peas", and of course she gets one since she always says please!)

She has changed so much in the past 4 months. My baby girl turned into a little girl who knows what she likes and now has the words to express herself. She is also very independent and likes to do things by herself, and if you try to help your asking for trouble. She gets up and down from the couch, highchair (scary to watch) and our really high bed with no problem.

While I was posting a blog last Friday (can you belive I got two done that day???) I heard the toilet lid slam and thought "oh no what has she has she gotten in to?" When I got to the bathroom she said "Mommy me nose" and grabbed a tissue from off the back of the toilet, blew her nose and put it in the toilet. I was shocked and amazed. The little girl who hates to have her nose cleaned just did it herself. That must have been the problem all along, she just wanted to do it herslef! Miss Independant!!!

I have a song I sing to her about her name. Her name is long So I spell it out in our song to help her learn it. At the end of the song when I spell her name she used to say the last letter of her first and middle names "e" she would say "eeeeeeee" while I was spelling it. Now she says "my name"

This morning Jill took one of her letter magnets the "I" and put it up to her ear and shoved another"I" in mine and said "Heyo Mommy!" Ihad to think for a second, then remembered I got a Bluetooth for Christmas and now I guess Jill has one too.

I just found this post on here from December, I guess I forgot to post it!

Growing more and more each day...

2007-12-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

Jill and my love for her. It seems like it multiplies day by day. She has grown up so fast and changed so much since I wrote last.

I have been teaching now for 16 weeks (not that I’m countingJ) and it has definitely been the most challenging thing I have ever done, yes more challenging than being a mom. As a mom I don’t seem to second guess myself much, I just do what feels right. But as a teacher I have 20+ (just in my homeroom, 60+ in all) children that I am responsible for making sure they are safe 35 hours a week, keeping their minds engaged, and hoping and praying that they learn something!!!! With your own child you know what makes them tick, how to handle them. Trying to learn 20+ kids at the same time when they have you figured out on day one has been tough. I am a very kind, soft spoken people pleaser, or a push over as E would say. These traits have proven to be my down fall. It has taken some time to toughen up and to be firm, but I think I might be getting the hang of it. I have had some difficult days, but I’m not a quitter, I will succeed and be the best I can be. I love these kids and I am so grateful every day to be where I am. My school is the greatest place ever, filled with the kindest people. I know this is where I belong; I just have to remind myself of that on some days.

Not only am I teaching, but I still work part of my previous job as well. Having two jobs has not been easy, but it’s been my soft place to fall. I am so used to being confident in my job, I knew what was expected of me and I knew how to do it. Teaching has been the complete opposite. It’s like someone telling you how to swim while you sit on the side of the pool and then pushing you in and hoping you remembered all they said to do. So it has been very comforting to leave school and go back to my office where I know what I’m doing. Most days I’m exhausted and just want to collapse into my bed, but once I walk in and see the people I love, I feel like I’m home! School has begun to feel like home too, but it’s different. Like when you move into your first apartment, it’s now your home, but it’s not like being at home with your family.

Working two jobs has had me stressed, tired and really missing my family. I know I’m not the best I can be at home, but there is just not that much of me left but the time I make it there. I miss my family…..but it is getting better. Each day is better than the last. My winter break is half way over but I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. Just getting to be with Jill all day every day has really rejuvenated me. I know I’m ready to get back to my kids (I have really missed them) especially knowing summer will be her before I know it. 4 months of Mommy and Jill, oh how I can’t wait…………..

It's Jill & HO HO!

2007-12-20T16:10:00.000-08:00

I call him Santa and she says Ho Ho, so I guess he is now Ho Ho.
She loved visiting Ho Ho and ran right to him when it was her turn. I wasn't sure how she'd like him this year, but it went great. She was so excited. She is really getting into things this year. She loves all the lights and decorations, especially snowmen, or to her "nomen".

She also picked out her own shoes. I bought her pretty dress shoes to wear, but she insisted on wearing her summer flip flops that are 3 sizes too small. Since its Florida and still in the 80's I guess it's ok to wear flip flops to see Santa, I mean Ho Ho.

She had fun decorating the tree this year too. She only broke three ornaments and they were all just balls. Hopefully that will be all that is lost. She likes to take the ornaments off so she can put them back on. Oh what fun we've had! She says Hi to the tree when we turn it on and night night when we turn it off. She even posed for Christmas pictures and smiled when I said Cheese!!!

She is talking so much these days! When she sees a nativity scene she says "Baby Zesus?" And our Christmas Present was "'I love you" which she now tells us loud and clear! She has said it a few times before but not consistently or when asked to. But not any more!!! Thursday night E and Jill were home and he said it to her and she said it back. When I called home she got on the phone and told me too over and over again!!! I was so awesome.
She loves to put this one over and over and over...
I love this mischievous look and the beautiful dress Grammy (I mean Gammy) got in NY!!!

THIS IS GONNA BE THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!!!

One week down.....

2007-08-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

And 35 to go, not like I'm counting or anything! I was ready for a career change and looking for challange. Now with 11 boys and 10 girls to keep me on my toes and I have definatly got what I asked for. The first day went pretty well, everyone was on their best behavior. We got right to work, began with our first spelling list and then on to our first story. And they even had homework the first night, spelling 4 times in cursive (that created panic since hand writing is not really taught, but thats another post) AND they had to read for 20 minutes and complete their reading log. I know what a mean teacher giving homework on the first night, but thats my job:) There are so many rules and requirments that teachers are required to follow, so many things that are required to be posted at all times, specific things that must be on bulitain boards it has been pretty overwhelming, manageable, but very overwhelming.

You can call me Mrs.R.......

2007-08-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well my first name is changing to Mrs., as in Mrs. R a fifth grade TEACHER!!!! It is official!!!! I am now a 5th Grade teacher!!!
Teaching is what I have always wanted to do, and July 13th (yes lucky Friday the 13th) I was offered a job at the school I really wanted to teach at. It is the school the Bean will go to and is less than 5 minutes from home:) Our school has the best staff and they have been so welcoming and helpful. I could not ask for better people to be working with. As eagles (our mascot) they have surely taken me under their wings and guided me along the way. Having been with PFC and with "momma bird" for almost eight years leaving was very hard to do. At PFC I felt like a baby bird in my soft little nest, always loved and taken care of. I have been so happy in my nest that I wasn't sure if I'd ever spread my wings and fly. But I am now an Eagle ready to soar into my future of teaching and inspiring new little birds. I hope they feel the love in our nest because I love each of them and I am so happy and proud to be their TEACHER!!!! I'm including pictures of my room because I'm silly like that:)

The biter has been bit....

2007-06-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

Yes my girl has been a biter and unfortunately a hitter too. I know it’s hard to believe that my sweet little angel is a bully, but it’s true. She hit one of her friends one time when she was in the infant room, but once she moved to the toddler room on May 1st the fun really began.

At the end of her stay in the infant room it was just Jill and her two friends, Hailey and Eva. The three of them got along pretty well and Jill loves her friends so much she kissed them every morning, yes kiss not bite. Well one day Jill wanted to sit on Dinda’s (Ms. Linda’s) lap but was not happy to find Hailey already there. So she picked up a toy and tried to hit her with it. Dinda intervened, told her we do not hit our friends and put her in her first time out. Her time out was in an exersaucer she plays in every day, but knowing she was in time out mad my girl very sad. She cried and made Ms Linda want to cry too. It only took a few minutes and when she was let out she gave her friend kisses to apologize and all was good until the she moved to the toddler room.

Eva had moved two weeks before Jill, so we thought having her friend already there would help make the transitions easier for her. Well for some reason instead of being happy to see Eva she began hitting and biting her. At least twice a week we’d get a report that she had done it again. Most of the time it was out of jealousy, Eva had something Jill wanted. I guess since she can’t really talk or communicate exactly what she wanted she found another way to get other’s attention. A few weeks ago she bit so hard she broke skin (that has only happened once).

That afternoon Jill and I had a “talk”. I showed her the report that was sent home about what she had done while she sat in her high chair eating her snack. I said to her “Jill, look at Mama, we need to talk.” She looked down in shame. “No ma’am, look at mama’s eyes,” so she looked up. “This report is going in your permanent record (baby book) young lady. Mama and Dada will not tolerate this type of behavior. You may not bite your friends. You love your friends and bite your food, do you understand? Show mama how you bite.” And she chomped her little teeth together. “Now show me how you bite food.” She bit down on her pretzel. I held up a pretzel in one hand and showed her my other hand and said “you love on people and bite food, but you can NOT bite people.” She reached up and rubbed my hand and then took the pretzel from the other hand and bit it. E and I looked at each other surprised! I think she gets it and I think I’m actually an adult, a real authority figure. When did this happen?? She didn’t laugh at me or try to hit me; she actually listened and did what I told her to do!!

And she has been good ever since, not one bad report, until yesterday. But this time was different; we were on the other end of the report. It was our Bean that was bit, I hate to say it but she finally got a dose of her own medicine. But surprisingly the bit did not come from someone she has bitten; it was an impatient little boy. Jill was in front of him going down the slide. She had climbed all the way up, sat down and was about to slide down, but I guess she took too long because her bite her on her back before she could go. He didn’t break the skin, but left a nice red/purple mark that I’m sure will leave a bruise. She now understands that bites hurt. If we say bite she says “ow-ie”. I’m glad she gets it now, hopefully she is now a recovering bully and will not need to join BA (bullies anonymous) Hi my name is Jill and I’m a bully….

Most Precious Touch

2007-06-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Last night as Jill and I lay in bed I experienced the most precious touch ever. As she was falling asleep, her eyes were closed, she had her bottle in one hand and with the other she rubbed my arm. She rubbed up my forearm, up my hand and then gently squeezed my pointer finger. She then reached out her little fingers to find my thumb and squeezed my finger and thumb together. She played with my finger nail and then back down my arm she went. Just watching her fall asleep, so peaceful and content, amazed me, she amazes me! I am so grateful to be her mom or mama (well unless she is mad then she calls me by my first name, but that’s another story). The hugs and kisses have gotten even better too! She squeezes so tight and gives kisses all the time, especially Rudy and Maddie too, she loves her doggies so much and they lover her too!!!

Has anybody missed me????

2007-05-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

OK probably not, but it’s been way too long since I have posted regularly. Well I think the beginning of our year was cursed. 2007 has been a really tough year and it’s only just begun, well kinda sorta! We were sick from January through the beginning of April, if it wasn’t one thing it was another. Since the Bean is in daycare she gets and brings home everything and I guess we’ve done our share of taking illnesses to school as well.

We’ve done the head congestion thing, we’ve had sore throats mixed with ear infections with a side of pink eye and our ultimate favorite (add sarcasm) the roto virus. That’s the one we got from our friend’s kids. Jill was with them for about 5 minutes on a Sat and on Sunday night she woke up about 9:30 pm fussing which is really unlike her since she loves her sleep. So I took her in the kitchen and was trying to make her a bottle thinking she must be hungry, why else would the queen of sleep be up. Well luckily I had my back to the sink and Jill had her head on my shoulder when the eruption began. She covered both sides of the sink, it was so lovely. But then that was it, she laid her head down and went back to sleep. I held onto her for a while anticipating more, but she was done. She never had fever or any other symptoms, so we took her to school Monday morning. Our friends called Monday to let us know that their kids were really sick, we told them what happened but that she was fine now. Well by the time we picked her up that after noon and got home, E and I began our fun. We were sick from 7pm to 7am, I slept in one bathroom and him in the other, literally on the bathroom floor, I could never make it further away that that. And then this lasted ALL week, Monday night thru Thursday night, up sick all night major cramps all day, what a miserable week for E & I. Jill never got anything else but did manage not give it to the others in her class who gave it to their siblings in other classes and before the week was up kids in all classes were affected by it, so I guess I can not complain about anything we get from school, nothing can be worse that what we spread around there already.

In February E’s Grandfather passed away, so we flew up to NJ for the funeral and arrived to find his whole family with the flu, and it was BAD. I spent the next few days trying to keep Jill away from sick people, which was impossible. E got it our 2nd day there, so Jill and I slept in another room trying to keep her well, but that didn’t work. She fell asleep on our way home from the airport (which we were stuck at for over 4 hrs after the plane landed, E laying on the floor sick as a dog. We were told our luggage could be on any flight coming from that city that day and we had to wait on all flights to land before we could report our luggage missing. It arrived on the third flight of the day and we were on the first, gotta love Air Tran) and as soon as we got home she woke up with a terrible cough and then the rest of the fun started. Luckily I didn’t get that one so I took care of them.

They got over the flu and then Jill got another ear infection before my grandfather was admitted to the hospital the middle of March with congestive heart failure. He was there for a week before going home and luckily he is doing a lot better. He just had a pace maker/difibulator put in on Tuesday and is home and doing well. The week after he came home my great grandmother was admitted to the hospital with heart trouble as well. She had leukemia also so with that and the heart trouble her outcome was not as good. She passed away on March 24th and I miss her so much. When she was admitted to the hospital E and I talked about how we needed to make time to visit her more often and make sure she got lots of time with Jill, but we were only able to do that that last week in the hospital. She was an incredible, faithful and beautiful woman and I miss her so. I got a plant from the girls at work giving their condolences that I now keep in my room. I have never been able to keep plants alive, but this one is beautiful and thriving. It makes me think of great grandma everyday when I wake up and before I go to sleep. I feel like I think about her more now than when she was here, that makes me happy and sad at the same time. I guess I just took her for granted, I knew she was getting older but I thought she would pull through this like she had in the past. Although I miss her it gives me comfort to know that her true love and her daughter were waiting for her and I know she isn’t in pain anymore. I actually had a dream that she came to my house and when I opened the door she was standing there with her back straight, standing tall and proud, as beautiful as ever and with no cane or walker, she was so happy and I know that she IS happy, she wanted me to know that. Well now that it’s getting heard to type through tears, I’ll end our year’s troubles there.

It’s all over now, we are all well and the year is back on track. The next post will be a happy one, all about Jill’s changes and accomplishments, she’s no baby anymore she’s my big girl now!!!!

Better late than never...

2007-05-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

I am posting this picture of myself for a Bloggers Without Make-Up contest Adventures in baby Wearing is having. I have never done one one of these contests before but since I never wear make-up, I figured this one was for me:) So hear I am with my first baby Maddie sitting on my very preggo Belly with the Bean inside.

THE BEAN IS ONE!!!!!!

2007-04-30T18:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Bean!!!!

I hope you enjoyed your special day!!! We had a great time spending the day with you today!!! We took you to Cypress Gardens for the first time. We spent the day in the water park playing in the water, splashing and floating on the lazy river. You are so much fun and it's amazing watching things through your eyes. We love you so much Bean, thank you for the best year ever!!!!! I love you Bean!!!!!

Dinda Dinda!

2007-03-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well I'm still here! It seems like we have been sick all year, if not all of us at least one has come down with something every Sunday since the New Year! We seemed to be getting better the beginning of February then E's Grandfather died and we went to NJ for the funeral and E got sick there and then Jill got it that Sunday when we came home and it all began again. Last week was my 3rd week of the year (out of 10) to make it everyday (and all day) and that is so not like me, I never miss work. But when the baby is sick what are you gonna do?

Well you must be wondering what that title means huh? Jill and I (OK just me) sing a song on our way to school in the morning about going to see Ms. Linda her teacher. Ms Linda is the one there in the morning so we sing about going to see her. It's goes like this

"Linda.....Linda.....We're going to see Ms. Linda"

I know I should write songs huh? OK maybe not, I'll leave that up to Dada! Well this morning as I was singing Jill sings with me "Dinda....Dinda" and made her mama oh so proud!!! Linda thought she heard her say it once before in Jan but she had not said it again until this morning. So Linda and I were so happy this morning even though Jill would not say it again for her, maybe she did once I left.

I don't think I have ever posted about her teachers before so let me tell you about them. They really shouldn't be called teachers because they are so much more than that. They love the babies (especially my Jill) so much and they feel more like family. I know they work there because they truly care about and love being with kids. I know when I drop her off each morning she is in the best care possible. Right now there are only three girls in her class, Hailey is two weeks younger than Jill and Eva who 16 mo, she is Jill's partner in crime. They are both walking (YES MY JILL WALKS that will be the next post) and love playing with each other. So with only three kids they have two teachers, Ms Linda and Ms Mary. Jill is so lucky to have them both and she just loves them and her friends!

So much has happened since I posted last, Jill has two teeth, she is walking and eating so well (she had her first kids meal last night and almost finished it all) but I'll have to post about all that later, maybe tonight!

My heart breaks....

2007-01-16T08:45:00.000-08:00

everyday when I leave my girl. I thought this would be easier with time, but it just seems to tear me apart more and more. It's been almost seven months now, you would think it would be easier, but instead the thought that it has been SEVEN months just makes me cry. That's seven months that I've missed out on her smiles, her coos, her new discoveries. I miss her more than I can ever begin to describe. Jill I'm so sorry I can't be with you, I'm sorry we couldn't play under the covers this morning, I'm sorry you can't sleep till you want in the morning, and I'm sorry I'm not there when you nap or when you wake up. You know no different and for that I'm sorry too!Jill, I know you love your school and your teachers and friends. I know they take great care of you and you have a blast everyday, I just want you to always know, you are not there because I WANT to be somewhere else, you there because I HAVE to be somewhere else, and for that I'm am sorry too. What I wouldn't give for a little apartment, a used car and to be able to have my Bean at home.

Visiting Santa

2007-01-10T18:41:00.000-08:00

O.K. so I'm late on the Christmas Posts, but I got Christmas Cards and Presents to people BEFORE Christmas, which I don't think I've ever been able to accomplish.

So Jill got to see Santa four times this year. Her first time was when we were in NJ for Thanksgiving. I was not allowed to take pictures of her with my camera and their prices were outrageous. Jill was sick and not dressed to see him so we don't have pictures. But I wanted to see how she would do on Santa's lap, and she did great. She stared at him and was intrigued with all his hair and wanted to play (and probably eat) it.

Then E and I took her to the mall and again no tears just bright eyes and curiosity. She went with Grammy to see him, and to our surprise it was animal night. Jill enjoyed hanging out with all the Adas (her word for dogs) while waiting to see Santa. Her final visit was on Christmas Eve. Growing up we always went on Christmas Eve to wish Santa a safe journey, so we are doing the same with Jill.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

This year we celebrated New Years with our friends Chris & Laura and the cutie Rayne. Rayne was born the day we found out we were expecting, she is 16mo. now. We had a great night and ate lots of yummy food. The girls slept for a while and we played some games. They woke up just in time to watch fireworks with our neighbors to bring in the new year. We had a great night and the girls did too. Having Jillene here to celebrate the New Year made this the best ever, she makes everything better!!! Happy New Year!!!!!

8 Months

2006-12-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

Well my girl is now 8 months and couldn't be better! All I can say about her is she is perfect! We are so blessed to have such an incredible, happy, healthy daughter full of so much personality. Words can't descibe the way I feel about her, she makes me so proud, so happy and honored to be her mommy. I have such a great love for her, beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I have felt such a stronger connection to her this past month. Not that I didn't feel connected to her beofre, it's just now she can show her feelings back now. Now I can make kissy faces to her and she come towards me to kiss me too. She crawls over and pulls up on me to give me a hug. She lets me know that she knows I love her and she loves me too. Well as of this past Thursday she can now tell us she loves us! I said to her "I love you Jill" and she siad back "ah oh eww", so it's nots the three words by any mean but it's three syllubles that she uses to tell us she loves us and it's the best sound!!!!

So as she has done every other month, yesterday December 30th Jill stood in front of me holding on and just let go. She stood there steady for at least 15 seconds long enough for her Daddy and I both to stare in amazement. Oh my gosh, The Bean is standing, watch out world here she comes!!!!

She now has crawling mastered and is pulling up on everything. It if has wheels then she'll push it around walking behind it. She has tried to climb up onto the couch to get to Maddie Or Marbles, or "Ada" to her. She has one of those toys where you push (or pull, switch...) the botton and the little door opens and a toy pops up, you know the one I'm talking about right??? Well she pushed it up to the couch made all the animals pop up and then tried to climb up them to get to "Ada". Well when she stood on the little animals they would push back down and the door would close, making the toy about 4 inches shorter and not helping the baby get to the top, making the baby mad. She kept yelling and and fussing at the toy while she opened them all back up and tried it again with the same results. She tried a few more times and then gave up, but shes gonna get up there, she just needs a toy tall enough!!!!

Her words now consist of:
Mama
Dada
Ada (this meant Maddie, then Rudy too, now all dogs and sometimes the cat Marbles too)
Hi
Up
Ah Oh Eww ( her version of I love you)
Hu Hu Hoooo (Ho Ho Ho)

She also celebrated her first Christmas this month and she had sooo much fun. She enjoyed her trips to see Santa, she never got scared, she opened all her presents
and loved eating the paper and bows, she had a blast with all her family and loved playing with all the new toys. She ate Christmas Diner with us and
loved it all. She was great all day took a few extra naps and made it trough the day like a champ!!! Every time she would fall asleep she would wake up to more presents, so at bed time she went to bed as usual but woke up about an hour later wide awake and ready to go she was so happy, probably thinking it was time for more presents. So we let her play with her toys for another hour and then she was ready for bed, again. She had such a great day and got to have all her family come her to see her on her first Christmas. It was so nice not to have to drive all over on Christmas and was even better to have everyone come here to our home. This was by far the best Christmas ever!!!

A New Year

2006-12-29T05:32:00.000-08:00

Instead of making New Year resolutions this year I have some projects I want to accomplish, Finally! Things I have wanted to do for a long time but never seem to find the time to do it. I can never find the time because I spend too much time doing things that are just not THAT important. Could the house use a sweeping everyday, yes, but I realized this year that in the end it doesn't really matter. There are too many other things that I'd rather do that will make a difference in the end. I want to make memories, I want to focus on what really matters What matters is my family.

Complete the photo album from our honeymoon
Start Jill's Baby Book
Start Jill's scrapbook
Put Pictures in the scrapbook I have done
Redo Jill's bathroom

A Great Day

2006-12-28T19:08:00.000-08:00

On Sat Dec 23rd I had a fabulous relaxing day with on of my best friends Kristin. For my birthday her gift to me was to take me for me pedicure and out to lunch. So the night before I stayed up finishing what I had left to do to get ready for Christmas. Got the house clean, all the presents wrapped, the laundry done and made out my list of the few things I still needed. Now I could relax and enjoy my day with Kristin.

She came over early to give Jill her gifts and watch her open them. This was the second time Jill has opened presents. She got an octopus with different things on each leg and an aquarium with fish in it that make noise.

We then went for our pedicures and oh to lunch at a yummy Mexican place we both love. I had my favorite, fried chicken chimichanga and a strawberry margarita. It was great.

She graciously agreed to go to Walmart with me for the "few" things I still needed. Well I needed way more than I thought and you can imagine what Walmart was like two days before Christmas. I sucked but having K there with me made it sooo much better! We got stuff to make pinacoladas and went home to lay by the pool and enjoy the sun. Yes two days before Christmas and I was laying by the pool getting some sun, well for a little while at least. It started to rain so we went in to watch a movie. We ended up falling asleep during the movie and slept till E and Jill came home from Christmas shopping. E brought home diner and after we went across the street to our neighbors for a Christmas Party. Oh what a day!!!! Thanks Kristin for all the fun, I love Ya!!!

A VERY late 7 month post.....

2006-12-28T17:53:00.000-08:00

Well Jill was 7 months on November 30th, about 29 days ago. So I am very late, I'm sorry, I do my best and with the holidays, being out of town and trying to do all of the Holiday Prep stuff with a baby is a new and challenging adventure. But in the midst of everything I wanted to make sure I took the time to write about all that happened during Jill's 7th month.

Well my girl is consistent, like the past 3 months on the 30th, her Birthday, she does something new. And this month the vocabulary grew. She said "up" to her teacher Ms. Linda and then said "hi" to her also. When we got home she sat in her highchair and we waved to each other and said "hi". She also waved for the first time this month. When we were in NJ at E's parents house there was a wedding picture of ours and since our dog Maddie was part of the wedding, we were holding her in this picture. R and I showed Jill the picture and told her to say Hi to Maddie and she waved and giggled at Maddies picture! I was so excited, I show her pictures or we look in the mirror and I wave and tell her to say hi and she just watches and giggles, so I was shocked she did it this time!!!

She is also eating a lot more now. She gets strawberry whole wheat oatmeal and a 4oz bottle at about 8:30 and jar of fruit and a 6 oz bottle at lunch time another 6 oz bottle with her snack at about 3 pm and 2 jars and 6 oz for diner at 5:30 on. the. dot. every night and then she also eats some of what we have for diner. She'll try anything we give her, and likes it all, she loves to eat just like her momma! She ends her day with her bedtime bottle, another 6 oz.

She had lots of lots of first like her first plane ride,
vacation and night in a hotel. She had her first bath in the big tub by herself (she usually sits in her seat in our shower with one of us) and also one in the sink. She looked cute but slipped around too much. She is pulling up a lot more and is steady on her feet. She is also giving hugs and kisses now, she squeezes tight and plants an open mouth kiss on ya, it's the best thing ever!!!

Jill's determination has shown through this month and she is very inquisitive or nosey! Has to check out everything and loves to be the center of attention. The kids all nap around noon at her school, except Jill. If all the other kids are napping then she gets all the attention and gets to go out in the hall and hang out with all the teachers. She is too smart, figuring things out fast!

Every month I say I can't believe she is growing up so fast and I can't wait to see what she'll be doing next month, and since it's almost the end of the next month I know just how much fun it has been. But you gotta wait two days to find out.

She also had her 6 mo check up on November 17th and she weighed in at 18.1 lbs (90%) and was 25 3/4 in (50%) and her head was 43 cm (75%)

I love you Jill and thanks for the best Thanksgiving and 7 months ever!!!!

Thanksgiving

2006-12-04T14:21:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Night

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day

This year for Thanksgiving we went to New Jersey to be with E's family. We had such a great time. Jill enjoyed E's brother and sister, M&R, just as much as they enjoyed her. R took care of Jill the whole time, they were always together and Jill could not have been happier. It was a wonderful vacation full of firsts for Jill. It was her first night in a hotel, airplane ride, vacation from home, so many new foods like lasagna, banana bread, a little of everything from Thanksgiving Dinner, really anything we had she had and she loved it.

Jill in her dress and this is
what we saw the most that day:)

Our Thanksgiving table full of family and lots of yummy food! See Jill at the far end of the table :)

R in the tub helping give J her
bath, she took such good care of her.

M and J chillin on the

couch, she had lots of

fun wearing M's hat.

She finally figured out how to

go up the step, she was very excited!

Chillin in her stroller in the airport on our way home. She was so good the whole time. We were in the airport for a few hours and she was great , no trouble in the airplane or anything!

Check out the cute outfit Thanks to Mimi and Pop, M & R:)

Thank you guys for everything, we had the best time and can't wait to see you again in May!!! We Love You:)

Thanks.....For nothing!

2006-11-13T07:39:00.000-08:00

Well I was overwhelmed at all the comments on my last post from everyone trying to help me figure out the clues to where my boss was taking us, it took a long time to get through the ZERO comments I got. I started this just for my memories, but sometimes it's nice to know others read it too, but I guess they don't. But that's OK I'm here and I read it and I will one day read it to my Bean.

So this weekend RB surprised our team and took us to the #1 spa in North America, The Ritz-Carlton Spa. I experienced "A subtle bouquet of citrus drifts through the air, and all around you the gentle spirit of the tropics prevails. At The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Orlando, Grande Lakes, you will experience a relaxing retreat from the world outside, a place where the sense of touch can relax the spirit and refresh the soul." I had an incredible day, we arrived at 8am in a Hummer limo to enjoy a beautifully displayed breakfast buffet, including made to order omelets and every breakfast item you can think of, yummy yummy!!! After breakfast we were all given customized itineraries for the day including a massage, facial, body scrub, manicures and pedicures.

When we arrived at the spa we were taken to the locker room where we were each given a locker with robe and slippers to change into. The robes were soo comfortable and beautiful and RB let us each pick one out to take home after our day. So we all stayed in our robes all day and were pampered and rubbed and polished, oh what a day!! We even ate lunch together outside by the pool in our robes, it was so peaceful and rejuvenating. My favorite thing was getting my butt polished. Well they did more than that, but I liked that the best:), it was the Cafe Latte Invigorating Polish it "stimulates circulation, energizes tired muscles and re-awakens the mind. A seven-head vichy shower warms the body while a unique blend of Dead Sea salt and finely ground Arabica coffee is used to gently exfoliate pore-clogging skin cells and draw out impurities, while natural essential oils soothe and moisturize. An enchanting coffee blossom essence body lotion to soften and moisturize provides the finishing touch." It was awesome having someone bathe you, I felt like a baby! Now I know why Jill likes her baths so much. It was such a great day.

All the clues were just to throw us off, but one of the chicks guessed it on the first day with the clue "I"m taking you back to my roots." She thought since RB is from Missouri and there are pigs is Missouri and pigs roll in mud and there is mud at spas we were going to the spa. I think she could have made any clue into spa since that is what she was hoping for. So all the clues after that were just way off to confuse us. I wore a camouflaged shirt with a pink peace sign on it and jeans and an army green hat kinda off to the side, it was cute but probably not for the Ritz! It was a very special day, we are so spoiled!!!!

Calling all Bloggers!!!!

2006-11-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

OK guys I need your help!!! My boss RB took our team on an amazing surprise trip last year to New York City for the day. She told us all we were going to a conference for the day. It was to be held at a Hotel that is in an airport, but is well known for holding large conferences, so when we arrived at the airport we had no clue we were really going anywhere. Well this year she has decided to give us clues and that's where you come in. I need your help figuring out these clues, here they are in the order we received them:
1) She's taking us back to her roots. (she was born and raised in Missouri & she is a blond but born a brunette)
2) Think bootcamp
3) Trucks and rocks can hurt your bones but orange is always good for you.
4) Lunchbox
5) For this excursion dress in layers, bring your ID and dress for inclement weather

I should get another clue today and a final one tomorrow and the journey begins bright and early Saturday morning....... So give me your suggestions, maybe all these things relate to where one of you might live??? Who knows, I just need all the help I can get, so come on and give it to me!!!

First Halloween

2006-11-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

Jill's first Halloween was a blast! Well I hope she had fun. Her teachers asked me to bring her to school in her costume, I asked if all the kids were
wearing their costumes and they said no, we just want to see Jill in her's! So it was so cute to bring her in, the only one dressed up, they took her all around the church and took lots of pictures of her, and she was spoiled as usual! I love her teachers and her school; they take great care of her. I picked her up at 3pm and we went to my office and she dressed up again so everyone there could see her adorable costume, she likes putting it on and never got upset wearing it, she just loved all the attention. Em had her sitting on her belly and we would say "Get the baby out! Get the baby out!" and she would kick her arms and legs and laugh it was so funny. We put her
ladybug back on when we got home to greet the trick-or-treaters. We wanted to take her trick-or-treating but we thought everyone would think we were trying to get candy when really we just wanted to show off our girl!:) So she just sat in the front yard and we watched the older kids. I think she enjoyed the grass and eating the strap to her spider more than anything. She also decided Halloween night that she can feed herself while kicked back in her boppy, this was the first time she's done this, as you can see she missed her mouth a few times, but she did good, we were very proud! Then she put on her Halloween jammies and went off to bed, too cute!

He's here.....Finally!

2006-11-02T11:29:00.000-08:00

My friend Em finally had her baby boy at 3:30AM this morning. She was in labor since 2AM yesterday. She was 4 cm when her contractions started and only got to 7cm 21 hours later and after being on Pitosin and having her water broken, so they ended up having to do a C-Section. Camden James was 9lbs 8oz and 21 in long, so it's no wonder why she couldn't get him out, he's so big and she is small! Mom and baby are both doing great now and we can't wait to meet the new little one! Congratulations Em & J!

Baby Baby, Bring on the Baby!!!

2006-11-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

My good Friend Em was scheduled to be induced this morning at 7:30AM, but she decided to go on her own at about 2AM. Yesterday at her last Dr appointment she was already 4 cm dilated and 100%, so she was all ready to go, well except that she had nothing packed and her car was a mess. So we went and had lunch, cleaned out her car, well she just supervised and directed the cleaning out and then the car wash cleaned it while we chatted:) We went to Wally world to get the last few things she and Baby Cam needed and then back to her house to pack. I was instructed not to leave her alone until her mom got home from work. So I took good care of her while I had her (and enjoyed every minute of it) and then took her home to be safe and sound with her Mom. And any minute now she too will be a Mommy.... Good luck Em I love you and can't wait to meet Camden XOXOX We'll see you both soon Beans and Baby Bean!

Oh Yeah, my friend Michele just became an aunt this morning to a 9lbs 10oz baby girl, the first girl in the family, she and her family are so excited and my blogger friend Maureen is having her baby girl tomorrow!!! What a great week!!!! Three wonderful new bundels of joy!!!

Happy Half Birthday Bean!!!

2006-10-30T18:15:00.000-08:00

"Hey look I'm crawling, see my knee down there, I'm really doing it!!!"

I can't believe how much I love my Bean, I mean I had no idea love this great even existed. She wows me everyday and I can't get enough of her. This month she has changed so much, she seems more like a little person than a baby. I guess her independence has a lot to do with it, and she is a girl who knows what she wants. And sometimes (or all the time) what she wants is a scary green monster. She must have the monster while she plays,
eats or sleeps, it must go everywhere cause she loves him. This is the first toy that she has really done this way, she will hold it with one hand and play with the other or just sit and hug him! This month, like the last two she has completed a big accomplishment on the 30th, and this month it was crawling. She began scooting on her 5th month birthday and had started trying to crawl. Sometimes she would be on her knees for a few movements and that back to the scoot, but on October 30th she began her speedy crawl and it's only gotten faster! She also began pulling up this month and I was honored to be the first thing she pulled up on and I couldn't be happier about that!!! She has been jumping a lot this month too, I loved the Johnny Jumper when I was little and so does my girl. She could jump all day or until she spots something she must have then it's back to crawling! Sometimes what she wants is to just hang out by the pool, or in the pool. We told her it was too chilly in the pool (for mom at least) but not to Jill she loves hanging out by the pool, especially with her Daddy. This month she has been testing out some new food, she loves to be able to feed herself. Or I guess play with her food by herself is more like it but it makes her happy and that's what matters most, messes can be cleaned later. And finally this month we lowered the crib since she has began pulling up. This hasn't bothered her at all and I love to come in and see her little head peaking over the bumper, what better way to start your morning!! I love you Bean!!!!!

Fall festival

2006-10-29T17:04:00.000-08:00

We took Jill to a Fall Festival Saturday dressed in her Lady Bug costume! Here she is in her costume with her Halloween bags I got her. Pottery Barn Kids had a pumpkin, ghost and spider that were just too cute! I liked them all so much and couldn't decide which one to get her so I bought all three! They all have her name on the back too, I love them!!!
She enjoyed all the things to see at the festival
while spending some time with her Grammy, Great Grandparents, her Uncle Nick and Herbert. She went on her first hay ride and she loved it. I thought she might not like it since she didn't dig the hay at the pumpkin patch, but this hay was fun! There where some dogs there in costumes that she found very intriguing. I'm glad my girl had fun and I can't wait to do it again and again!!!

Getting Arrested or a Pumpkin?

2006-10-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

You might be wondering why we are posing with a cop car? Well that was not the intent. You can kind of see the hay behind us, well it was some hay, pumpkins and a few scarecrows but I guess we are blocking most of that and there happened to be a cop there getting his pumpkin too and he was parked right behind the little set up. Plus the guy taking the picture couldn't figure it out and then Bean turned, so so much for a family picture! Here is E and Bean walking up to the pumpkin patch. Well as close as we have to a pumpkin patch, it's a bunch of pumpkins on the side of a hill off the main road through town. So not really a patch, but it's all we got! We set Bean down and she was ok for a few seconds before the crying began. She has never really played in grass so I thought that might have scared her, so we
tried standing her next to one, this didn't make her happy either. And of course she wouldn't look at the camera! Oh well, she was happy if being held, and we both love doing that!!! Well this morning I find an ant bite on the side of her big toe in between the toes, poor baby I guess thats why she was crying. Well we got a pumpkin and didn't get arrested so the trip was successful! Next year when she is walking will be lots of fun, we'll be chasing her through the pumpkins! Well Bean I hope you enjoy your first Halloween, just wait till we crave the pumpkins, oh what fun that will be!! We love you!

Check out my highchair!!

2006-10-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about my new highchair. Mommy has been using the bouncy seat to feed me and to let me hang out in the kitchen with her. But this weekend I decided I was going to sit up in the bouncy seat and lean over the side to get my food myself. I got the spoon out of the jar and into my mouth with food still on it and only got a little on my bib. But Mommy didn't think it was too good for me to be leaning over the side. She told Grampa & Grama the story and they said "Well let's go get a highchair!" So
off we went to Toy's R Us. I got the coolest highchair. It's the Aquarium Healthy Care Highchair. It's has fish all over it and toys hanging on the side. It has a cool toy too that plays music and has fish that swim around. I can take it off and play with it on the floor too, I love it!! Mommy feed me my dinner in it tonight and it has two spots for each jar of my food just outside my reach, I don't understand why they put them so far away? I can feed myself now remember! Oh well Mommy was happy they were out of my reach. It also has seven levels I can be on. So if Mommy and Daddy are sitting on the couch they can put me down low so I'm on their level and if Mommy is cooking she can put me up high so I can watch her. I can sit straight up to eat my food or lean back a little to drink my bottle, I couldn't ask for anything more I love it!!! Thanks you so much Grampa & Grama!!!!!

Rise & Shine

2006-10-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

We had the best morning today! It's so funny for me to say that since I have never been a morning person but to wake up everyday to the happiest most beautiful girl how can every morning not be great. I used to cry and pitch a fit if I had to get up before 10AM on the weekends, but now if I sleep till 7AM I get all excited!! This morning Jill was extra happy, I think because when she woke she realized she still knew how to say Dada. So we all laid in bed and cuddled and played and said Dadadadada all morning. When we got up Jill and I took out the dogs and found the most beautiful morning. The breeze was blowing and it was nice and cool. Fall is finally here. Jill and I just stood on the porch and let the wind blow in our hair and enjoyed the cool morning air! We watched and listened to the wind blow through the trees and the birds chirping with the same excitement we shared. I love this time of year and wonder if Jill will too. I happy I was able to share this beautiful day with my girl. Hope you enjoy your first Fall!!!

DaDaDaDaDaDaDaDa

2006-10-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

Jill & Dada just chillin!

E had to have surgery on his nose so he hasn't been able to give Bean the attention she has wanted this week. She loves him so much and it's been bothering her that he can't hold her and play with her. Well we've been saying DaDa to her for a while and she just looks at us like we're crazy and has tried nothing that sounds anything like it. Well yesterday she sat on the floor playing with her toys and looked up to the spot on the couch E has been camped out on since Wednesday. She puts her arms out to that spot and says DaDa! Then she doesn't stop. All night it was dadadadadadadadadadada over and over. It was the cutest thing ever and just what her Daddy needed since he's been in so much pain for days. When she woke this morning he went in to see her and the first thing she does is start her dadadadadadad all over again. It has continued all day and she is so proud of herself. You knew just what to do to cheer your Daddy up! Thanks Beans!!! Oh Ya, she still says Mama too, but only when she is sad and crying then the mamamamamas begin!

Thanks Jamie!!

2006-10-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

Avary mom's Jamie http://jamieandkyle.blogspot.com/ helped me finally figure out how to arrange pictures within the text. I have been trying to do Jill's 5 month post for about two weeks but just couldn't figure out how, but with Jamie's help I finally got it done. Now all I need to know is how to post movies I have saved my youtube.com and how do I make it so you can click on someone's name and link to their site??? Since Jamie's so smart maybe she can help with my new dilemmas!

Thanks for you help Jamie!!!!!

She's On the Move

2006-10-08T16:22:00.000-07:00

Jill started scooting on her 5 month birthday!

Thank You E!

2006-10-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank E for giving me the best gift ever, Our Bean!!! She is the sunshine of my day, she brings so much joy and happiness to our home. She is the greatest baby too, she's not fussy, always happy, goes to bed and sleeps all night with no problems, she was even perfect when I was pregnant, I had no morning sickness, heart burn (and she had tons of hair) nothing! We couldn't ask for a better baby. We love and adore her more and more every day. She makes everyday feel like Christmas!

September 30th, 5 Months

2006-10-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

Happy 5 month Birthday Jill!!!!!

This month, like all months, seems to be the best ever. Each month she changes so much

and it seems like each day is a new adventure. This month she has reached many new miles stones. First off check out the pigtails! Are they the cutest thing or what? Miss Mary, one of her teachers, loves doing her hair, I was tickled pink when I picked her up from school one day and she had pigtails. Love the swooping bangs too! She began sitting up on her own. She is still a little wobbly and when playing with her toys she still needs her boppy around her since she gets a little too carried away swinging her arms. She is really into her toys now too. She has so many now they fill a basket in the living room. She knows that the basket is hers and that makes her so excited! I got her the ladybug she is playing with in the picture. The wings are crinklely and each of the legs makes a different noise like a rattle or bell. It's also a book. It's belly opens up to tell a cute little story. This is what got us through our first church service. We weren't sure how she'd do but as long as she had her butterfly she was happy. When she plays with her toys she likes them to be in the basket so she can take them out. She sits and looks them all over and then reaches in for the one she wants. Once she has pulled them all out she is done, but if we put them all back in she is good to go all over again. She has been discovering the textures of her toys too, like the duck in the basket has fur on his head and she carefully holds him in one hand while she rubs his hair between two fingers delicately with her other hand. It's amazing to watch her discovering things. She has also found out how much fun her dogs are.
We have two dogs Maddie, a dashound, and Rudy, the Golden Retriever she is playing with. He loves her so much and is very gentle with her. He comes over to her when she us on the floor playing and slowly lays down next to her and waits for her to notice him. He loves the attention and is just
as excited about her as she is about him. This month he come over to the bed one morning and as I held her she reached over and pet him gently between the eyes and that was the beginning of their friendship! She has now started crossing her feet when she is relaxing, it the cutest thing to see her kicked back with those cute little feet crossed she also does it when she is on the floor playing on her belly. She just lays there playing while rubbing her feet together. Isn't that little diaper butt just the cutest? I love those chunky thighs too!!! She has become mighty noisy too. She has to let everyone know she's around. If she gets too quiet she's probably doing something she shouldn't! She began the scoot on September 30th, her 5th month Birthday. She saw the cell phone and took off. The cell phone and the controller really get her going. Oh and the dogs too! She loves going after them, but they are still too fast, just little longer and they'll be wishing they could run faster!! She loves too eat too!! We began baby food after her four month check up and she couldn't be happier! My girl loves to eat, like mother like daughter! This is what diner consists of: first she begins with an appetizer; she enjoys her yummy toes while I gather the main course. She has a jar of a vegetables and about a half a jar of fruit and a six ounce bottle. She doesn't really have any favorite; she has liked everything I've given her. So far she has had bananas, applesauce, mango, guava, peaches, pears, carrots, sweet potatoes, and tropical fruit. She has been holding her own bottle too! She is very curios about what we are eating too. She wants to see and try as much as she can, especially if her daddy is eating it, then she has to have it or the grunting begins! She usually eats around 6:30 and then snacks on our dinner too. She gets her bath around 7:30 and another bottle while we read a book around 8:30 and then she is off to bed. If she doesn't fall asleep while eating we put her in her crib with her passy and she rolls over and goes to sleep. She is such a great sleeper. She will sleep through the night till about 6:30 when she wakes up just as happy as ever! Oh this is her new thing to do in the car. As soon as the car starts she grabs the sides of the car seat. By the looks of her you'd think I'm a bad driver or something?! But I promise I'm not, she's just a scaredy cat like her daddy. She doesn't like to be up high or spin or go to fast. So, like her daddy, I guess she will not be riding all those scary roller coasters and spinning rides I love! Figures since she is so much like him in everything!! Well thank you Jill for the best five months ever, Daddy and I enjoy every minute and look forward to all your future adventures and discoveries!!

We Love you Bean!!!

I'm SO Sorry Bean!!!!

2006-10-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

Bean,
This morning at 7:35 we had our first accident. I am told it will be one of many, but that doesn't make me feel any better, that just scares me even more. I try so hard to protect you and do the best things for you and would never put you in harms way, but this morning you rolled off the bed. I took my eye off you for a second and you were gone. A second is all it takes and my world could have changed forever. Luckily you were fine, just a little scared but no injuries. I realized in that second how careful I must be and how I have to stay one step ahead of you, well two with as fast as your growing up. Here's what happened....

I laid you at the foot of Mommy & Daddy's huge king sized bed to get you dressed. After I put your pretty cherry blossom outfit on you, I stood in front of you while I got dressed too. Daddy has been helping Mommy lose weight and this morning my pants were very loose on me so I thought I might try a belt. This was the beginning of your trouble. I left you on the foot of the bed while I took two steps back and four steps into the closet, grabbed a belt and turned and took two steps out of the closet when I heard the thud! I was out of the closet in a second to find that you were no longer on the bed, and you were not on the floor in front of where I left you either. You started to cry and I found you laying on the floor in front of Daddy's nightstand. You love to chew on Daddy's pillow and must have rolled up there to get to the pillow and got a little carried away with the rolling and rolled right off the bed! I am so sorry Jill! After some cuddle time you were back to your happy self! I'm so glad nothing was wrong with you and I will do my best to always keep you safe, since I keep hearing this isn't the last of the accidents, I just hope they all turn out this well!

Welcome to My Photoshoot

2006-09-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

Hello:)

Here are a few of the 127 pictures we took of Jillibean Sept 9th!

Photoshoot

2006-09-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

Watching Daddy jump up and down in the pool!

My Daddy is the funniest:)

More laughing at Daddy

Love the hat!

Another relaxing day by the pool!

Giving Maddie love:)

This flower sure is yummy!

Thanks Uncle Jassan!!

Say Cheese!

Me and my girl:)

Tummy Time!

Another Weekend and Another Milestone

2006-09-26T12:39:00.000-07:00

It seems like every weekend Jill has accomplished something else. Then every week I say "I can't believe she has done...." but that's really how it feels. Not that I don't expect her to grow and learn new things, it just feels like as soon as I'm used to her doing something she has moved on to bigger and better. This weekend it was rolling. She has been rolling from her back to her belly for a while now, but this weekend I leave her playing on the living room floor on her belly and walk by a few minutes later and she is on her back. I thought I must be mistaken, but then she did it again in front of me. Rolling from her back to her belly took some practice and I knew it was coming, but this was out of the blue. I had never seen her try it before, guess she did not need any practicing, just the will to do it.

Yesterday I was playing with her on the floor and she was on her back and grabbed the corner on the blanket and rolled onto her belly and again onto her back rolling her self up in the blanket. She had her face covered too, so all you saw was the top of her head and her two little fists holding the blanket. It was too cute! We kept saying "Jill where are you?" and she was tiring to get her head out to show us but it took a little time. I thought she might get scared or frustrated, but she didn't, she just kept trying till she got it and boy was she excited to see us!

The only bad part to this rolling thing is that she gets herself stuck in bed. Last night she woke at 3:30 and had tried to roll from her belly to her back and had ended up against the side so she wasn't completely on her back and she had one arm stuck under her, which I don't think was to comfy and is probably what woke her. But she'll get the hang of it soon. There is more but it's time for me to go see her, so I'll finish later!

Feeling Wanted

2006-09-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

Since Jill was born I have always put my hands out to her and said "up" before picking her up. She would just lay there and look at me like I was crazy, until this past Saturday. We had her in her exersaucer out by the pool; she was watching her Daddy jump up and down in the water which she finds to be the funniest thing ever. When she was done playing I put my hands out to her and said up and she reached up and took both my hands. She completely caught me off guard, I was not expecting that at all since she had never even tried a little or done anything close. I was soooo excited, but figured it was just a fluke. I took her in to change her and tried it again when we were done. She reached up again and took my hands, but this time she started laughing when she did it, she knew she had done something big. So we clapped and cheered and I told her how proud I was and then I put her back down so we could do it again (not to be mean I just wanted her to practice) and she has done it every time we have picked her up since. It makes me feel so wanted and loved when she reaches out to me, I now know she wants me too!!!

On Monday morning we were playing with her in bed and Rudy, our Golden Retriever, came over and laid his head on the bed next to us. Jill reached out to touch him like she has in the past, but usually she just grabs at him or pulls his hair, which he doesn't mind a bit, I know he can't wait for her to bigger so they can play. But this morning instead of grabbing at him she pet him gently between the eyes, it was the cutest thing ever (ok every thing she does is the cutest thing ever) I wish I had the camera handy it would have been a great picture.

Oh ya, I almost forgot she started sleeping in her own room Friday the 8th. I usually give her a bath, read her a book (she really likes Goodnight Moon her Aunt Meggie sent her) and then she eats her last bottle and falls asleep by about 8:30. I put her in her crib and she sleeps till about 6:30. Last night she was still awake at 9pm so E laid her down in her crib and within a few minutes she was sound asleep, no crying or anything, she just rolled over and went to bed. I guess with how easy she is being the next one will be a terror, or at least that is what everyone keeps telling us. But hopefully they will all be like their mommy, perfect little angels!!!

A year ago September 9th

2006-09-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Wow I can't believe a year has gone by since the day my life changed for ever. Last Saturday, the 9th, was a year from the day I found out my Bean was on her way. All day I kept thinking about how I was felling and what I was thinking at that time the year before. It was the best day of my life until the day I found out she was a girl and only topped by the day she made her entrance to the world! The day before we found out we were expecting our friends C&L had their baby girl Rayne. She was born at 26 weeks and weighed only 1 lb 13oz and was 11 in long, she was TINY and struggling for life!!! Well a year later and we were celebrating her 1st Birthday. She has come a long way and is doing great, she is a little smaller than most her age, but just a little and is doing everything a 1 year old should be doing. She just had too many things she wanted to do here on earth so she needed a little extra time so she joined us a few months early. Well we are glad she did and Bean can't wait to be able to keep up with her so they can play more than they do now. Happy Birthday Rayne!! God gave us precious gifts when he gave us girls!!! We wouldn't trade them for the world!

Suri Cruise

2006-09-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

The first picture of Suri Cruise!!

Let the controversy begin......

Well Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes finally released pictures of their daughter Suri. She was born the week before Jill but they have been keeping her hidden which has lead to so many rumors of why. It has been speculated that Katie wasn't really pregnant and that Tom can't have kids so they were faking the pregnancy and then going to adopt. Well the pictures have been release and now all the speculations are flying. This morning on the MJ Morning Show callers thought she was wearing a wig and they thought she looks around 8 or 9 months when she is really 4 months old. Hearing all these comments was really upsetting me. How can people be so critical of a baby. Do you really think they would buy a wig for a baby?? Why would they????? Babies are soooo different just like adults. There is no right size or right amount of hair. We were at the mall this weekend and Jill was playing in her stroller and another baby passed us playing in her stroller too. They were the same size, both sitting up playing but the other baby was 8 months old and Jill is only 4. That doesn't mean one is too small or the other is too big, they are just different babies. I know some people who have one baby with a head full of hair and their next one is bald. I just wish people would leave Suri alone. She is a beautiful little girl, just let her be a baby!!!!

Here is a picture of Jill. Look at all the hair my girl has! That is the first thing people say when the see her "Oh my look at all that hair" Wonder if they think I put a wig on her too?!

Happy Birthday!

2006-08-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Robbie & his cousin Brooklyn Elaine

Well Folks, Peanut is HERE!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday Peanut!!!!

HE, yes he, made his grand entrance this morning at 9:45AM Robert Michael weighed in at 9lbs 4 oz he is 20 1/2 in long. He and Meghan are doing well and she is happy she went with the c-section since he ended up being even bigger than she thought he'd be, the last ultrsound estimated his weight to be 8lbs 11oz. Jeremy said to tell Jill her husband was born:) Well we can't wait to see pictures of our new little guy. We love you Meghan & Jeremy CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!

Happy 4 month Birthday to my Girl too! Thanks for the best four months ever, I love you Jillibean!

Today is the Big Day

2006-08-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

Well Meghan's plans changed yesterday and they decided to do a C-Section this morning instead of inducing tonight. It is scheduled to start in 36minutes. I can't stop thinking about her, I'm so excited!!!!!!! So Peanut and Beans will both have birthdays on the 30th. As soon as I hear some news I will do another post. Today is a great day. Oh I'm also home with the Bean today since we are under a tropical storm warning with TS Ernesto making it's way up the center of the state. A day with my Bean and the arrival of Peanut the day couldn't get much better:)

Another Milestone

2006-08-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

Everyday it's something. This morning in bed I propped Jillene up against the pillows and went to turn the on TV for her to watch cartoons while I got ready. As soon as she heard Fairly Odd Parents, her new favorite cartoon, she sat right up and turned towards the TV. She sat all by herself for about 30 seconds before toppling over, but she did it! So tonight we are going to work on it some more after she eats dinner. She started eating baby food daily last Friday, so its been a little over a week now and she is loving it. So far she has had applesauce, bananas, peaches and pears. She did not like the peaches too much, E said they weren't that good. He was brave enough to try them, but not me, I will only eat bananas and I think that is her favorite too.

I can't believe I have forgotten to talk about Peanut. My Meghan(yes she is my Meghan:) was due to have Peanut Saturday, August 26th and so far (as of 10AM this morning) no peanut. I would call and check again, but I promised I would only call once a day. Well that was today's promise, on Friday I told her I wouldn't call her over the weekend so that she could rest, well that didn't last long, I had to call her Sat and check on her and again this morning! I can't help myself I'm sooooo excited. Meghan and I are a lot a like and have to plan and be prepared for everything so I was shocked she and Jeremy decided not to find out what they were having. But as the day approaches I guess I understand why, but the suspense is making me crazy and so excited. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited to find out who Peanut is; is it Robbie or Marie? Since it's taking so long I'm thinking it's Robbie, but Aunt Tara bought the baby a rattle from Tiffany's so that makes me think maybe it's Marie, because girls love Tiffany right? Well if Peanut doesn't make his/her arrival by Wednesday the 30th, Meghan will be checking into the hospital that night to begin induction and we should have peanut here on Thursday!!!!

The more I talk about Meghan, the more I miss her. It's not fun being so far from someone you love, but Jilliben and I will be in Indiana soon to meet Peanut. I can't believe Meghan & I are moms, it seems like we were just kids going to Walmart (yes MFM you used to go to Wally World) to get watermelon Bubbalicious bubble gum wearing our Loonytoon shirts talking about what boy we loved thisssssss much. Now life is all about babies and being moms. Wow how times have changed..... I love you Meghan and your Peanut too!

The Perfect Weekend

2006-08-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

I had Jill to myself for three whole days!!!! And I loved every bit of it, I'm sure you were wondering! E and my Dad went to my Grandpa's house in the Keys for a boys weekend. His bass player went with him and his chick stayed with me and we ate all weekend, seriously! We went grocery shopping Friday and began making our creations that night. I have been SO good for three weeks now, no sugar, soda, chocolate (for real I went 3 weeks) nothing bad at all. AND I've been swimming every night and some nights jogging too. Guess who much weight I've lost, come on guess.......... You guessed it 0, yep nothing a big fat (like me) ZERO. E's lost like 9lbs, but not me. I'd lose 1 and gain 2 then loose 3 and gain 2, up and down, but always back up...So this weekend I ate all the things I shouldn't, if it wasn't full of sugar, I didn't eat it.. Here is what we had for diner Friday we bacon with BLT's, but we put sugar on the bacon while it was cooking, it makes the bacon oh so yummy! We then made Gooey Butter cake and marshmallow Cream Fruit dip. For Saturday's breakfast we had French Toast (on Texas toast) with powdered sugar AND syrup with sausage. We snacked the rest of the day on the fruit dip, cake and we made dill dip that we ate with rye bread. Some friends came over and brought cookies, brownies and another friend brought ribs covered in BBQ sauce, guess that didn't fit the theme, but we needed some kind of meat. We went to bed sick to our stomach, but we were troopers and got up the next morning to have cinnamon rolls with double expressos (also full of sugar). I must go, all this talk of sugar is making me hungry and today starts the beginning of being good again, let the fun begin.....

4 Month Check-Up

2006-08-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

I just wrote 2 month check up and started typing before realizing she's not 2 months anymore, she's FOUR!!!! Oh my gosh, time flew by. My baby has doubled her weight and grew almost 7 in. She now weighs in at 14lbs 4 oz and is 25in long! She is doing great, she is in the 75th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for height and she's doing all the things a baby her age should do. She is allowed to eat cereal and start baby food, she gonna be happy about that. My girl loves to eat! Shots went much better this time also. The first time she got shots she was miserable. It was so sad to see her in so much pain, it lasted for about 24-36 hours. Her little legs were so swollen and sore, she couldn't even wear a diaper it hurt her so much. She just laid there and whimpered with a blanket around her, it broke my heart.

But not this time! She cried when they gave her the first shot and didn't catch her breath till they had finished the third. They quickly got the fourth one in there, I picked her up and she stopped crying. I had a bottle all ready for her so she ate and went right to sleep. This was the routine last time too, but when she woke up the pain had started. Not this time, my girl woke up the way she always does, full of smiles! She is always soooo happy. I had found out that some kids have an allergic reaction to the "P" part of the DTP shot, so this time we didn't give it to her to see if this is what caused all her pain last time, and with the results I think we were right, no more "P" for her. It's not worth the risks or the pain it caused.

So we will be going back to the Doctors in November for her SIX month check up!
Time keeps on slippin slippin slippin into the future.......

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin.....

2006-08-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

Well she did it, she rolled over last night for the first time. She has been trying for about a week now, but couldn't figure out how to move the arm that ended up on the bottom. I mean she lays on her back and tries rolling to her right, but her right arm gets stuck under her so she would roll back to her back. OK I think now I'm confusing myself:) But she figured it out, one quick throw of her left leg and she's over. She slept real well last night too, so I got up to check on her and sure enough she was on her belly. She's a happy girl now that she's sleeping on her belly, she didn't even want to get up this morning. I washed her face, changed her clothes, brushed her hair all while she slept, and once her clothes were back on she flipped that little left leg and rolled herself back over and never even opened an eye.

E picked her up early from school yesterday and they were playing on the floor, he went to get her a bottle and came back and there she was on her belly. So neither of us got to see it, but I said that's why she did it, if we both couldn't see it then neither of us could, my girl likes to play fair:)

She is really starting to enjoy the pool more now too. She has fun splashing or she just leans back and chills in her float. Her little laughs are becoming so funny. She cracks up at us and is so loud when she laughs it's hysterical! She thinks monkey noises are hilarious, it cracks her up. I can't believe how big she's gotten so fast, I just had to buy her size 2 diapers, no more newborn. I think it's time for her to start sleeping in her own room soon, but I don't think I am ready yet. What age did you move your children to their own room? I don't want to wait too long and make it hard for her to adjust but I don't want to do it too soon either, any suggestion?

"MaMa"

2006-07-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

SHE SAID IT!!!!!

We were driving home from her school on Wednesday July 19th and she was a little fussy. When she is sad she makes the "ma" sound but has never put two of them together. I kept saying MaMa to her trying to get her to copy me but she just looked at me like I was crazy. Well my phone rang, it was Ma (my grandmother) and as soon as I started talking she yells "MaMa" loud! I was shocked, I told Ma I had to go since someone was wanting my attention! The rest of the night I kept saying it to her but she wouldn't say it again, so I thought it was a one time thing. Well this morning her teacher said she said it a few times the beginning of the week, but the past few days she has been saying it all the time. I cant believe she said it! I wonder when she will know that I'm her "MaMa".

Reflections

2006-07-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday E got off work early and picked Jilli up from school. They got to play and have fun all afternoon. Jilli's swing has a mirror above it that she had never noticed before, until that day. She looked up and saw herself and freaked out! She was screaming at her reflection until he Daddy came to the rescue. He looked into the mirror with her and that seemed to help. They also shared a pudding pop that afternoon. On Sunday we were eating pudding pops and E decided to let her try it. Well, my girl loves chocolate just like her momma! The last time he let her lick it her little tongue was going a mile a minute licking the pop. Then she sat there with her mouth open staring at her Daddy making loud noises trying to get his attention, it was so cute! Yesterday she was in her bouncy and was trying to sit up! It's something new everyday! My little girl is getting soooo big and changing so much it amazes me everyday! How can you love something more and more everyday? She makes life so fulfilling! I love you baby girl!

Smooches

2006-07-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

Jill gave her first kiss on Saturday and I was the lucky one to get it!!!! She was chillin in her bouncy chair hanging out with her friend Birdy having a great time when I gave her a kiss on her check. She turned her head and put her lips to mine, I was schocked! So I kissed her other check and she did it again, I couldn't believe it. It's the cutest thing ever, I'll have to get E to take our picture tonight kissing! If you kiss her anywhere on her face she will turn her lips to yours. She is too young to be kissing already! People keep telling me she is advanced for her age, but I don't know since she's my first. Is this normal for a 11 week old to be able to kiss already? She can also put her passy back in her mouth if it falls out, she reaches for things and can pick things up, when you carry her she sits up on her own (like you can carry her on your hip and she sits there) she will look at you and make noise to get your attention when she wants something (like her daddy's chocolate popsicle, yes we let her taste it!), she also recongnizes some people. Maybe this is all normal, just wondering?

"Schnockles"

2006-07-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Jill had her first case of the schnockles. That is E's word for being congested, sneezy and stuffy. She woke up last Sunday night at 11:30 coughing and schnockley. I took her to the Dr Monday morning to be told it's just a cold. By Wednesday she was having high fevers so we went back and the cold her settled into her ears and become an ear infection. So Jill was home all last week, which means mommy was too! I hate it that she was sick, but I love being with her and having an extra week was nice. I held her from Sunday night till Saturday morning when she started feeling better. She was coughing so much I sat up right at night holding her so I could help her if the coughing became too bad. Any excuse to hold her all night works for me! I would hold her 24/7 if I could, but I know it's not good for either of us. By Saturday she was back to her perky self. I think she stored all her energy cause she was full of it this weekend. Her personality is coming out and I love it. She's such a happy baby, even with the schnockles!

She found her hands!

2006-07-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

Jillene changes so much everyday it's amazing! On Sunday she was able to grab the butterfly ring on her bouncy chair and pull it hard enough to make the butterfly spin. She was so excited! We were just sitting there watching TV and the song starts playing (it plays a song and the bird spins when you pull the rings hard enough), I look over and the bird is spinning and she is laughing. She was holding the ring in her left hand and pulling it over her shoulder and pushing with her feet on the bottom of the chair, she was very determined and she did it. It amazes me how alert and inquisitive she is. She is always studying things, like when you talk she watches your lips and tries to make hers do the same thing. She will copy sounds we make to her like Boo, she loves that one, especially if her Daddy is doing it. On Monday she was able to grab both rings at the same time, that made her happy too. It's like she gets proud of herself, it's so neat to see her learn all of these things we take for granted, like knowing we have hands. This morning she was looking at her hands then touching them with the other, she was crossing her fingers between each other while she watched in amazement. It's just neat to know that today she realized there are things attached to her that she can control and move, she found her hands! She has been holding onto things more too like her blanket or her lamb that she sleeps with. She has been reaching out to touch me too, before her hands just kinda moved all around, not really controlled, but now she reaches for me when she is eating or falling asleep. She is just amazing and to me she is the best thing in the world, she is my world!

4th of July Weekend

2006-07-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

We had a great long weekend. We didn't do much, mostly hung out at the pool which was great! E had shows Friday and Saturday, so we just hung out at home on Saturday and on Sunday we got ready for our visitors. D and her family came over on Monday and it was so good to see her. I wish she lived closer so we could see each other more often. Her little girl is going to be 8 years old this year, it seems like just yesterday D called to tell me she was pregnant! I miss them so much! We had a great time swimming, eating and just hanging out! We did not go anywhere on the 4th, we just stayed home and hung out with our girl! We watched fireworks from our back porch, they were going off all around us, we had the best seats! Next year we will take her somewhere, but she's just too little now.