Big boy beds and Tator chunk

Dear Landon,

You are my sweetest man! You have a hard time listening to Daddy and I, but you are 3 and that's exactly what we expect at this age. We are showing you the right way to be, and you are learning! You love your Sister so much, I know you do. I love it when you hold her hand on our walks around the neighborhood, and teach her how to jump!
You got your big boy bed last week. You picked out Star Wars bed sheets and a Transformers comforter. and you have a bright green lizard on your wall. You are very diverse :-p

Dear Nevaeh,

Hello my little slice of Heaven! You are 18 months old, and you are full of personality. Ornery, as you showed today when you were all over the mall playground. Sweet, because you'd randomly run up to give me a big hug. Ornery again because you'd then take off full speed, arms and legs pumping, cracking up! You really look up to your Brother. I see you copying little things that he does. I'm so glad you have him in your life!
You are a picky eater. You used to be my little foodie, but every since you turned 13 months, it's been downhill. Come back my Food Lover!

Baby,

I knew you were here before any signs. Daddy and I had been trying for you since September, so of course I was looking for signs. I got the same feeling with you that I did with your sister Nevaeh. I just knew you were there. So I peed on a stick 5 days before my missed period. It was so faint, barely there. But it was there! You will be here in early November. I cannot wait to know more about you, sweet baby. Daddy has nicknamed you Tator Chunk!

New Years Resolution

Most people either believe New Years Resolutions are stupid and pointless, or they attempt them knowing full well they'll give up by January 2nd, or they just dream about doing something better. I used to fall into all of those categories at one point, and I think it was because of my definition of Resolution. Climb a mountain, write a book, lose twenty pounds. Ridiculous, pointed goals. Setting one high standard and then giving up when I realized it wasn't going to happen.

So this year, I'm going small. Simple tasks that I hopefully would have done anyway, but probably not unless I had this Resolution sheet printed and framed. Which is exactly what I plan to do. Print it in big black font, frame it, and hang it where I am forced to look every single morning. Maybe a new tradition?

My 2012 New Years Resolution(s)

1. Print and organize all the pictures on my computer and place them into photo albums. 
            -I can't hold myself to the expectation of doing the fancy scrapbook work I keep dreaming about. I never accomplished that goal before babies, and I'm certainly not going to accomplish it now. But to get them place IN an album, in some frames and hung. That's all I want. To know that my picture memories are not left to the fate of technology, and I have physical copies that I can touch and preserve and show my kids years from now when CD's are as ancient as floppy disks.

2. To better my use of coupons and drastically reduce our grocery bill
             -This has already been something I'm working on, but I need to keep the momentum going. Consider myself a Work at Home Mom, and my job is Couponing. I will bring in money by saving the money my husband brings home. I cannot wait to see the fruit of this labor. Saving as much money as possible will allow even more luxuries into our lives. Disney World, a house of our own, a new car, college for the kids. So many doors will be opened with more ease.

3.  To move into our new house and paint every single room.
              -This of course won't happen until our lease here is up in June. I am done with townhomes, ridding us of apartments. A house is next, and hopefully one that is OURS or has the potential to be. I will paint every single room, get the decorations how I want them, and finally feel like I am settled into a home for the first time since I lived with my mom (and that's not to say I'm not at home with my husband. It's just to say that we've moved at least once a year for the 4 years we've been together, and I can't fight that feeling of "It's temporary, we should live out of boxes.")

4. Bake brownies from scratch.
               -I love to cook and bake. Love it! I'm starting to get more "Homemade" about it, and have gone 1/4 organic in our house. The one thing I haven't baked from scratch are brownies, and that is unacceptable. This should be an easy Resolution to meet, several times over.

5. To begin working on a book again.
               -Even if I don't finish it (like the hundreds of books I've attempted before). Just something to get my foot back in the door of creativity. Feel my juices flowing, sink into that fictional world that I am completely in control of. Finishing it will be a bonus.

6. Do at least one physical activity every day.
               -Excluding cleaning, playing and sex. Play the kinect, do some yoga, go jogging. Something to get my heart rate up and my scale number down. No set goal on what to lose. Only a goal to gain stamina and satisfaction.



Simple as that! Tasks that won't overwhelm me, and for the most part will truly interest me. Nothing I need to drag my butt out of bed at 5am for, nothing I'll hate myself for if not completed. My resolutions will no longer be things like "Spend more time with family" or "Do more good deeds" because those are a given and should never be a goal I have to force myself to do.

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2012 brings many beautiful and prosperous things for you all!

Catch Up

Apparently I took a hiatus from blogging...I just lost the urge, and then every time I wanted to do it, I wasn't inspired, didn't have the time, or something like that...The kids are growing! So full of personality. Nevaeh is a riot, she never ceases to bring a smile to my face. She still dances like it's her job, but she's added some creative moves in there! Downward facing dog yoga pose, twirling in circles. Love it! Landon loves anything artsy. We did a paint craft tonight, he loved squishing the red paint through his fingers lol

Nevaeh started walking in the beginning of November. Landon loves to cook with me. 

I'll be getting better at this from now on, because I don't want to forget the things my kids do, and I want them to be able to read through these and see what it was like! But for now I'll sign off with Interviews. This will be a yearly tradition, asking the same or similar questions to see how they change and grow.

Interview with the kids, Landon at 3 years old, Nevaeh at 16 months (Ok, Nevaeh's is what I think she would answer if she could talk lol)

1. What is your favorite color? Red!
2. What is your favorite toy? My Lightening, it’s my favorite one! (Lightening McQueen)
3. What is your favorite fruit?  Banana and strawberries
4. What is your favorite tv show? Umizoomi
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Umm food! Oh, chicken BB! I like chicken!
6. What is your favorite outfit? Underwear! That’s silly BB
7. What is your favorite game? The controller, ya know on the boxing game! Like this, pow pow! I got you BB
8. What is your favorite snack? Chocolate, can I have some? (break for chocolate)
9. What is your favorite animal? I ride on it (Me, what?) I ride on it! (Me, a horse?) Yeah! Neighhh!
10. What is your favorite song? Fight it Fight it (I have no idea what song he is talking about, but he insisted that was his answer)
11. What is your favorite book? Once Upon a Time (I’m assuming any book that starts with that…but I know he loves the Transformers book too)
12. Who is your best friend? De-Bay-Uh (Melt my heart!)
13. What is your favorite cereal? The yummy kind that I eat
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Walk
15. What is your favorite drink? Bug juice…no, pop! (Not at my house!)
16. What is your favorite holiday? Holiday is Christmas, with presents!
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Spongebob blanket, and I like to sleep with you BB! (Aww!)
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Poptarts
19. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Chicken and mac n’ cheese
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Monster! A big one, Rawrrr!

1. What is your favorite color? Green
2. What is your favorite toy? Elmo toy with the microphone (head, shoulders knees and toes)
3. What is your favorite fruit? Peaches
4. What is your favorite tv show? Fresh Beat Band
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Turkey, PB&J and bananas
6. What is your favorite outfit? Neon pink chucks, Elmo shirt
7. What is your favorite game? Ball (she has a good throw, and can catch it!)
8. What is your favorite snack? Goldfish
9. What is your favorite animal? Duck (Ck-Ck)
10. What is your favorite song? Bootywork
11. What is your favorite book? Katy Duck, Who Lives on the Farm?
12. Who is your best friend? Mommy and Daddy J
13. What is your favorite cereal? Reese’s and Lucky Charms
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Swing/Swim
15. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk
16. What is your favorite holiday? My birthday!
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Paci (Working on getting rid of that), stuffed giraffe
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes!
19. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Chicken, fruit, mac n’ cheese
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Dancer, artist (Girlfriend can bust a move, and loves to color!)

Jibber Jabber

Nevaeh is 13 months old today! She is talking up a storm. Well, jibber jabbering really, but she is mimicking very well and has learned so many words just in the past month! I wanted to write a blog about it so I will always remember what and how many words she can say at such a young age :-)

Dada/Dad/Daddy-It depends on her mood and time of day. I put her in bed with Chris in the morning and she smacks his back or his head and saids "Dad...dad...dad...UP!" Daddy is when she's being very sweet and loving, and Dada the rest of the time.
Momma-<3 or Mummmm, and the occasional "Ma!"
Up-This is the newest word. Sometimes she'll say Up, other times it's more of a "Peh, Peh"
Dog (Dah)
Kitty (Tiddy)
Moo (Moooommm)-I'll either ask her "What sound does a cow make?" or just point to a cow
Quack (Dadadaaaack)-I'll either ask her "What sounds does a cow make?" Or point to a duck
Whoa!-She says this when she says an airplane, because Landon always does that and so do I
Hi/Hey-for Bye, she waves
Baba-Though not so much anymore, since we threw away all the bottles when she turned a year, and she now has Sippys
Mmmm-for Food. She's very good at telling us when she's hungry. She'll find a spoon or bowl and set it in my lap and say "Mmmm"
Ball-"Bah" and she throws it. Like a pro! She loves to throw the ball back and forth. Also she'll find one of Landon's golf clubs and wander around saying "Bah?" looking for a ball to hit. Girlfriend can even golf.
Bark-The neighbor's dog barks whenever he's outside, and Nevaeh will hear him and bark back. More of a "Back, Back" sound, followed by "Dah" for Dog.
Here/Here You Go-Heh for here, Dee Doh for Here you go. She'll say that when she hands you something (Which, by the way, she's really good at sharing or giving you something if you hold your hand out for it!)
Muah!-more of a "MmmmmmAH!" but always followed by a sweet peck on the lips <3 sweetest kisser ever! She purses her lips and sort of bites your lips with her lips :-) Then she pulls back with a sweet smile and waits for you to say "ohhh thank you pretty girl!"
Speaking of...if you call her Pretty Girl, you are one of her best friends ;-) I've taught her well!

-She laughs whenever Chris farts. and you can't fool her with a fake mouth fart either, she knows the real deal. If you fake fart, she'll blow raspberries.
-She loves to share. She'll hand you a toy and say "Heh" then wait for you to say Thank you! then hold her hand out for you to give it back.
-Her memory is amazing. Don't think you can take the remote from her and expect her to forget about it, or to not notice where you stash it. She'll remember, and she will find it!
-She is right handed. I can tell. She'll hold things in her left hand, but does everything with her right.
-All of a sudden she's picky. :-( Where oh where did my foodie go?!?! I raised her on homemade foods and she'd eat anything and everything, but ever since she turned a year she suddenly doesn't like chicken, and a lot of flavors bother her. She doesn't like potatoes anymore. Please please please let this be a stage :-(
-Headstands! She does that downward dog yoga pose and looks between her legs and dissolves into a fit of giggles! She knows she's funny, too. As soon as she does something funny she bursts out "HA!" before we even laugh ourselves!
-She points. She'll point to you, which means she wants you to put your pointer fingers on hers. She thinks it's hilarious. She'll point to me or Chris and we'll either say "No, YOU!" and point back, or do the "EeeeTttt" thing. Either way she laughs.
-Still loving the "Nevaeh how big are you?" SOOOO BIG! She'll throw her hands up before you finish the question. Also she dances still, like there's no tomorrow. She dances to the washing machine, to the bathroom fan, to a whistle. Anything with any tiny scrap of rhthym, she busts a move. "Booty work" "Pretty Girl Rock" and the Hot Dog dance from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse are her favorite songs.
-She reads like I do. She'll turn the TV off most of the time, and even if a show is on that she likes, she'd much rather read her books. She'll dig each one out of the drawer and flip through it, pointing to the pictures and "Reading" it to me, and she'll give me a book and wait for me to read it to her. I do awesome voices! Her favorite books are "Moo goes the cow" "Oh say can you say?"-Dr. Suess "Jungle Gym" "Katy Duck" and "Who am I?"-Sesame Street
-I have a feeling she's going to take off at a sprint the second her cast is off. She can stand on her own, walk along furniture, climb and crawl like it's nobody's business. I'll always wonder when she would have walked, had she never had the cast, though.

I may come back and add to this as I remember things, but that's what I can think of for now. And she's been hitting my foot with Landon's golf club for a few minutes now and it's starting to hurt lol so I must go find her a golf ball :-)

Walmart Flasher

I'm convinced. Something is in the air at Walmart that possesses my daughter to do terrible, humiliating things.

I started my "Research" when Nevaeh was about 8 months old and decided to go all Pooptastic on me. I made the horrible mistake of going to Walmart without the diaper bag, and my daughter had her award winning, drip on my toes, stink up the check out lane, blow out diaper. Lesson learned? Always bring the diaper bag, even when running in "real quick" to grab deoderant.

I was next led to the Pacifier Mystery, which I have not blogged about but upon looking back, it's definitely blog worthy. The floors of Walmart have a Paci Magnet, I'm positive and if I confirm these suspicions I am going to sue! Every time we go to Walmart, Nevaeh is compelled to throw, chuck, drop, spit, or hide her Pacifier. Usually I notice it happening and pick it up, wipe it off and either return it to her (to be magneticaly drawn to the floor again) or put it in my purse and later give it back because she's going to have a hernia if I don't. Several times we've gotten down to her last pacifier and are halfway home (In the stroller, as we live in a townhouse right next to Walmart) when she and I realize it is missing and it is truly the end of the world. Those incidents end with me painstakingly retracing my steps through Walmart, looking like a fool while bobbing up and down looking under shelves and clothing racks until I find it perched on an egg carton. Or giving up and buying her a new pacifier because I'm still in the excuse stage as to why I "can't" get her off the pacifier yet (we just moved, she broke her ankle, she's teething, etc etc)

Cue hissy fits vs. full on melt downs, Sippy cups thrown on the ground at just the right angle to cause the lid to pop off and spill water/milk everywhere, and countless items knocked over even though I could swear her arms were not close enough to reach those things!

Today's Walmart induced curse has me considering boycotting the Super Store altogether and making the two minute drive down the road to Kroger. My face found a new shade of red and it repeated that color up and down every aisle because the man this incident happened in front of was, by the gates of Hell, everywhere I went.
He was hot. Sooooo soooo HOT. Like Joseph Gordon-Levitt meets Orlando Bloom kind of hot. He was making his way down the aisle and I spotted him right off because, although a happily married woman, I still like drooling over eye candy.
I was wearing a black tank top with a black bra. Simple gold necklace. I'll admit, I was feeling pretty confident with the way my ladies looked in this shirt!
Nevaeh had been in a crabby mood today (yes this happened today) because a molar is shoving through her poor little gums, and when she is crabby she does not like to sit in the cart. Lucky for me (unlucky) her Cast prevented her from climbing out and standing like she usually does. However, this luck (unluck) bit in the butt tonight. She wanted out, and I was at the point of mildly ignoring her because she was being unnecessarily fussy and dramatic.
Cue really hot guy. He's right beside the cart. Cue slow motion movie action when right as their eyes meet, IT happens. Nevaeh lunges her body towards me, arms outstretched, determined like a bat out of hell to hook her hands around me and pull herself out of that cart.
Only her hands didn't hook on me. They hooked on my shirt. Aaaaand my bra. And she pulled, like a bat out of hell. Shirt and bra separated from lovely ladies, hot guy got a second's worth of oggling, Momma got a new shade of red face while hot guy got a belly full of laughs. Nevaeh too, of course, because if anyone within hearing distance is laughing, she must laugh with them. And I'm positive she knew she had done something "Hilarious" because she laughed extra hard.
The whole thing really happened in about 10 seconds, but I swear it was the longest humiliation of my life.
Does this mean I can call myself a flasher??
Walmart sucks :-(

Worst Mother Ever

When Nevaeh was about two weeks old, I held my phone above her to take a picture. I dropped the phone. Luckily it landed on her belly and not her face, but she still cried and I felt like the worst mother ever. I held her and rocked her and I never took another picture from above her again.

When she was a few months old, I made her bottle a little too hot, even though I tested it on my wrist. From then on I made sure the bottle seemed a bit cold instead of a bit warm, and I felt like the worst mother ever.

Sunday, I ran upstairs to get dressed while Landon and Nevaeh played in the living room. In her usual fashion, Nevaeh realized I was gone and took off towards the stairs. The baby gate stopped her of course, but she, again in typical fashion, stood on the step holding onto the gate, shouting “Momma!” Five seconds is all it took for me to grab a shirt, but I heard a thud and then a screaming cry, and assumed she had fallen. This had happened a few times, and I expected to give her kisses and rub her head to check for bumps. Nothing felt out of place, and after a few minutes of snuggles she was fine and eventually fell asleep for her nap. About an hour later she woke up, and I stood her up against the couch. She let out a screech and sat down, and I picked her up to examine her. No bumps, nothing was swollen. But when I put pressure on her left heel, she screamed and dissolved into tears. I assumed she had landed on her foot wrong when she slipped. Maybe a pulled muscle, or bruised heel? I let her favor it for a while, but 2 hours later she was still screaming when pressure was put on it, and I got worried. I took into the ER, fully expecting them to tell me I was silly and she was fine, just another Owie to add to the books.  We waited 3 hours just to see the Doctor, and he ordered an Xray, for which we waited another hour. Even the Doctor said it’d probably be nothing, and he gave her some medicine for the pain. She was smiling and giggling as long as I was holding her or she was sitting down, so I really wasn’t worried. Xrays were done (through which she screamed hysterically and gave the technicians dirty looks) and we waited for the results. Dr. said something looked buckled on her ankle, but again he didn’t seem concerned, so they did another Xray focused in on her ankle. By this point Nevaeh was giving dirty looks to anyone who came near her, because all they did was poke at her leg or hold her down on a table and flash a bright light at her. She was not a happy camper. Dr. came back again and seemed as stunned as me! She has a Torus Fracture on her left ankle, which is basically a bow in her Tibia. She needed a cast. All right, I said. I can deal with that. Few weeks in a pretty purple foot cast would be fine. Nope…not a pretty purple foot cast for a few weeks. 4-6 weeks in a full leg cast. Pretty purple at least, but this thing comes up to her thigh! Her left leg is completely immobile. She is handling it like a pro, shuffling herself along in a gimpy crawl like movement, and she is a determined little thing so she even manages to stand up against things, though she can’t walk of course. She gets frustrated a lot, but she’s doing good.

Me on the other…talk about a Worst Mommy Ever moment L  I was fine the whole 7 hours in the ER. Maybe because I was keeping it together for her, I don’t know. I didn’t really feel upset, more just bummed. When we got home though, our friends came over with their two girls, and Nevaeh tried to play with them but couldn’t get around so kept crying. I absolutely lost it. I went upstairs and bawled my eyes out. My heart is just broken for this poor little girl! She is 1 year old, her prime time to be running around. She zips around faster than any child I’ve seen, and now she gimps a few feet and sits like it’s not worth the effort. She made me feel a little better today, because she still dances and she has pulled herself up to stand against things.

I can’t protect her from everything. Accidents will happen no matter how vigilant I am, but that doesn’t mean I won’t feel horrible when they do. I wouldn’t be the loving mother I am if I didn’t! I am taking this “Opportunity” to be more active with her, with things that don’t require a bunch of movement. I’ve got several Baby Laptimes planned at various local libraries, trips to a few different parks where I’ll swing her until she’s dizzy with laughter, probably a Zoo Day. Good excuse for me to snuggle her even more! Chris is working thirds the next few days so Vae gets to share our big ole bed with me J and while she will now be considered a “Late Walker” that’s ok. She was taking 3-4 steps out from things and walking amazingly with assistance, so I have no doubt that when this cast comes off she’ll take off running!

There will be many more times where I feel like the Worst Mother Ever, and I’ll blame myself for boo boo’s or mistakes she makes. But we’ll get through it, our bond will be tighter because of it, and we’ll be stronger and encouraged to truly get through anything! For now, Vae is rockin’ her purple cast.

I can't wait to see your beautiful self dancing like this again!

Crisp and New

I walked outside today and was overwhelmed with the crisp cool air that assaulted my nostrils. Fall is here! Or on it's way, at least. Something about the first day of a new season. It's fresh, like a new beginning. The songs on the radio take on a new feeling, stir up different memories than the last season. I'm now anxious for hot apple cider, pumpkin patches, leaf piles begging to be jumped in. I didn't really decorate for Christmas last year since I had a new baby and just didn't feel like it, but I'm feeling the Holiday spirit this year and I'm itching to hang all those pretty lights and snowmen! I can't wait to play in the snow with my babies and show them how to make snow angels :-)

Chris and I are knee deep in life and choices! We still aren't 100% sure where we'll end up. I think we will know more next Spring/Summer, as far as whether or not Columbus is our "Settle down" place. Even with his Associates degree he can go far, and he plans on getting his Bachelors when the time is right so that will only take him further. I am just anxious to buy a house and decorate and have a place to call home, instead of just saying I rent a place here or there for now.
I also find myself looking further into the future at times. Like Nevaeh's schooling, playdates, ear piercing. Imagining the little lady she is already becoming. She is such a lovebug, and I hope that never changes! She definitely loves her Daddy, but right now she is a Momma's Girl <3

I'm also happier. I'm keeping myself more relaxed, though I do still have my irrationally stressed moments. I'm kicking that mild depression in the rear and I am making myself a promise that I will not let Winter mess up that progress. I am getting myself out of the house, and I want to look into finding somewhere Nevaeh and I can go to meet other Mommies and Babies, get us a bit of a social life. I have made a very good friend from my Mommy blog, Our365.com, but unfortunately she lives in PA. We have made plans to travel to each other once or twice a year, but I am secretly (Ok, not so secretly) hoping fate brings us closer together. It already brought us together via interweb. I really do think God played a part in our blossoming friendship. She is the friend I have needed. One who thinks like I do, holds the same values without being rigid. We understand each other and that helps us in our times of confusion and question, and sadness. We can be honest with each other about who we are, and we never had that awkward, beginning of a friendship stage where you wonder where the boundary line is. No "Proceed with caution" signs. Only "Leaps and bounds" of connection.

My best friend since kindergarten is expecting her second baby!! I am so unbelievably excited!! I knew they had been trying and was awaiting that special message, and I got it on Friday :-) I am Godmommy to her first daughter Lauren, and she is as special to me as all my nieces and nephews. I wish we lived closer so I could see them all the time! I think God and I need to have a talk about all these amazing friends of mine living so far away from me :-( Maybe He can help me create an Oasis where all the people I love can live together! I can't wait to know more about this new little peanut starting to grow in her belly. If I do her pregnancy pictures this time around, I'm creating 5 freaking backups of them! I did Lauren's and as soon as I finished editing the pictures, my Nightmare Roommate used my computer and caused a huge virus to infect my computer, and the guy who fixed it couldn't save anything and had to wipe it clean. I was extremely upset and while Kathy understood, I know she was heartbroken too :-(

On to photography...I'm trying to get my B Photography business a little more steady under foot! I created a Facebook page for it. I don't use it too much, since I'm only freelance and light time, but whenever I do a session I'll put the pictures on there. Hopefully I can promote myself more. I don't want to be a huge photographer who's so in demand I have to turn people down, but I am so passionate about it that I want to bring happiness through photos to those around me. I am doing my friend Kelly's wedding in March, and have already done her engagement pictures. I also had tons of fun recently doing my pride and joy's 1 year pictures :-) She's a little photo diva! I point that camera at her and she poses like she was born to! Probably why my maternity pictures turned out so adorable and she had been kicking the whole session <3

I'll make this a shorter post. Well, shorter for me. I just wanted to give a little update about my family as of today. We are growing and thriving and happy as ever! We miss all of our friends and family, spread throughout Ohio and beyond, but we are in the right place for now. Who knows where the road will continue to take us! We are very excited to find out :-)