Momma Needs Some Coffee

My Sweet "Littlest" Man

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:51:00 +0000

I'm not even sure where I start this. I'm writing this at 3:45am, awake, watching my little baby lay in a hospital bed on a ventilator, fighting a virus that for most of us wouldn't be more than a common cold. We've made a lot of progress since Saturday, but we aren't out of the woods yet. And I'm still terrified.

I want to go back to Christmas Day, when this was just a little cold and I could still hold him as much as I wanted. When he fell asleep on my husband's chest and gave us the best picture ever:

I can't stand seeing him like this. All these tubes, wires, and machines beeping day and night. I can't stand seeing his eyes closed. I love his eyes, they are so perfectly round, and normally wide open and curiously looking around(usually with a sideways stare in his big brother's direction as if to say "What on earth are you doing?")

I know there's a lot more I could be writing, should be writing right now, but for now this is all I can get out before the tears start. Besides, if I hurry, I can get in an hour or so sleep before my evil alarm goes off again reminding me its time to pump.

Fabric, fabric, and more fabric!

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:08:00 +0000

I did something I wasn't supposed to yesterday. I cleaned. Not a LOT, I just cleaned out/reorganized our Harry Potter closet and one section of our garage, but I couldn't stand it anymore. I promised myself that I would rest all day today and not get up unless 100% necessary to make up for it.

The closet has unfortunately become our "dumping ground" for anything we don't have room for anywhere else. It is also our pantry, and before I cleaned it, you couldn't even walk into the closet to get something that wasn't on the shelf in the front. It was bad. It's still not perfect, and won't be until I can convince my hubby with hoarding tendencies that we don't NEED half of the stuff he refuses to let go of, but it's at least an improvement.

On to the fabric story. 2 years ago, I decided I wanted to learn to sew. I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas, and I was convinced that I could teach myself. I was sadly mistaken. I got frustrated and gave up halfway through making a carrier for Little Man. My sewing machine now sits in the back of the HP closet, and next to it was a bag of fabric and what I thought was just other bags of miscellaneous craft supplies.

My mom has always been good at sewing, and made every single Halloween costume for my brother and I until we were too old, but if you know her, she is not shy about how much she hates it. My brother and I used to walk on eggshells the entire month of October because we knew how cranky she was going to be, but she did it out of love for us. I'm pretty sure there may have been some threats about "No Christmas" during those hell months over the years, but she must not have ever told Santa, and the threat was usually enough to make us stop fighting. But I digress. Even as much as she hates sewing, she has offered to teach me how to use my sewing machine so that I can finish all of the projects I posted about before. Have I mentioned lately how awesome my mom is?

Anyway, in true ADD fashion, here is what I found when I went through my craft supplies:

I also found some fleece for a sleep sack pinned to a pattern and cut out, but of course, never finished. I think there is a possibility I'm a fabric hoarder. Hopefully, I can change this with a little help from my mom in the next few weeks.

Anyone need any baby items????

Getting Crafty...oh look, squirrel!

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 20:28:00 +0000

Anyone who has known me for any length of time has probably figured out 2 things about me: A) When I say I have ADHD, I mean it, and B) As much I want to be Martha Stewart, my craft attempts typically wind up looking like my toddler made them. At the moment, I have at least 6 half-way finished projects stuck in various closets in my house that at one time, I had every intention of completing, but I gave up and waited for a chance to have someone help me, and then forgot I needed to ask anyone for help. It's a vicious cycle. So I've made it a goal that while I am stuck here at home, I'm going to complete those projects, plus a few more for gifts that I'm dying to give. I'm letting this blog serve as my accountability for that, and adding them to my "official" to-do list.

I'm going to try one project a week, and hopefully have them all completed well before my little Bug makes his debut.

Mei-Tei Carrier(I actually started this when Little Man was a baby-maybe now I'll actually get to use it!)

Shopping Cart Cover(I have the fabric for 3 of these, I would like to get them all made for myself and for gifts)

Restaining this shadow box, thanks to instructions and supplies from my amazingly crafty friend Shana(see her handiwork over on The 3 Boy Home)

Finishing up my surprise gifts for some good friends-I don't want to give away the details, I will be posting pics/tutorials once they have them though. :)

In the meantime, I'll try to let everyone in on what has(and hasn't) worked for me when it comes to being a mom with ADHD, even though it still feels like 1 step forward, 2 steps back most days.

Don't forget to subscribe to my emails and check out my Facebook page for more!

Getting your Baby or Toddler to Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 18:44:00 +0000

A late-night status update from a friend desperate for her 16-month old to sleep through the night brought back memories of a very long and exhausting first year with Little Man. Until I had him, I thought what I imagine most new moms do: Of course newborns wake up a lot, but once you get through the first 2 or 3 months, baby is on a schedule, and you have your sleep back. I was in for a rude awakening.

I read books, scoured the internet, joined groups on BabyCenter, anything I thought could help me come up with a plan to get him to sleep more than a 2-3 hours at a time. I was exhausted, working full-time, getting up all night with him, and dealing with some pretty major health issues of my own that left me feeling even worse.
We lived in a townhouse, and the second bedroom was on the opposite floor as ours, so his crib was in our room, something that I realize now probably contributed to our issues, but we had no choice at the time. Everyone had their own advice. Cry It Out, someone said. I just couldn't do it. Even if he hadn't been in our room, the thought of letting him lay there and cry was just too much for me. I had resorted to putting him in bed with us when he cried, just so he would calm down and not disrupt my husband, who works shifts and has enough trouble sleeping already, and to keep from disturbing the neighbors we shared a wall with. That worked for everyone else, including him, but I got even less sleep. So co-sleeping was out. We had already weaned him from middle of the night feedings, and STILL he woke up. I would try offering him a bottle, and he would just throw it back at me and keep screaming. I was at the end of my rope, having almost-nightly meltdowns where I just cried along with him.

Around the time he was 11 months old, we moved to a 3-bedroom house and were finally able to put him in his own room, which solved a lot of the issues, and at 16 months, we converted his crib to a toddler bed, and apparently solved his claustrophobic tendencies and the last of the night wakings. There were still a lot of sleepless nights in there, but over time things got better. I did eventually use a modified version of Cry-It-Out, but I never let him cry for more than 5-10 minutes, and now at 26 months, I know if he is crying and doesn't put himself back to sleep within 5 minutes, he's either sick or scared and needs me, without fail.

So let's all help my friend out, what advice do you ladies have, especially for an older infant/toddler who is still waking up?

Good News!(For once)

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 23:41:00 +0000

I had my bi-weekly appointment with my regular OB this afternoon, and for once, he isn't worried! This week has been a good week as far as my contractions go, I haven't had anything major since my 3rd(or was it 4th?) trip to the hospital last Saturday. So for now, it's still just rest, rest, rest, and take the Procardia-yuck, that stuff is as evil as the Brethane I was on from 24 weeks on with Lane. Right now, the plan is to keep me on that until 36 weeks, as long as everything keeps going like this week, and then stop it and let my body do what it wants at that point. We'll have to see what my perinatologist says next week, when they will actually check my cervix length again, but for now, everything is looking good!

Even though Little Man was born at 37 weeks, he was tiny-only 5 lbs 6 oz, and we were scrambling for preemie clothes while he was in the NICU. We ended up with only a few short-sleeve onesies, as that was all we could find 2 years ago, but thankfully, Carters and Babies R Us seem to have gotten on the ball since then, because there is quite a bit more out there this time! I'm HOPING we don't need these, but I'm trying to make sure I'm prepared, since apparently I just make small babies. I was feeling pretty down yesterday, so my mom took me on a short shopping trip, and I found 3 TINY outfits that are SO cute:

Looking at them last night, I forgot how tiny preemie clothes are! I can't believe that just 2 years ago, those clothes were almost too big for Little Man. Not that he would ever listen to anyone tell him he's small, he totally thinks he's one of the Big Boys. He's growing up so fast, I can't wait to see how he is going to be as a big brother. We had to buy him firetruck pajamas last night because he was trying to put the preemie clothes on in the cart, and no amount of explaining that it's summer and HOT was deterring him. I just can't believe he's already gone from this:

To this:

I'm so anxious to get to know this little one, although I'm pretty sure he's going to be a carbon copy!

RIP Laptop

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:35:00 +0000

My computer is officially dead, and it couldn't have come at a worse time! I have a business to run, blogs to write, and I'm couch-locked.

Since we are in the process of buying a house, a new computer isn't in our budget right now. I have an iPad(my Christmas gift to myself last year) and while I love it for MOST things, there are some things that are just a pain to do on it. It took me 2 hours to submit the order from a friend's Thirty-One party Monday night, and only the first hour of that was spent fighting with my laptop before I finally surrendered. Blogging is also much more difficult on there, although if anyone has any tips for that, I am all ears! Thankfully, I have a wonderful mom who is letting me use her laptop for now so I can still get my work done from bed.

I want to apologize for the random nature of my posts right now. At the moment, I am still deciding on the direction I would like this blog to go, and given how my ADHD-crazed mind works, that changes on a daily basis! Add the stress of preterm labor, bedrest, and worrying about having a preemie, and worrying about how this all is affecting my Little Man, and well, you get some pretty random thoughts from time to time!

Off to hunt for a budget-friendly laptop, and some business and productivity hints for my iPad!

Holding Pattern and Fluffy Butts.

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 21:45:00 +0000

That's what I feel like we're in right now. No cerclage because it's too risky, already at the max dose of the anti-contraction meds, so we just have to wait and hope and pray.

On a happy note, the fetal fibronectin test my OB gave me yesterday(so thankful I was able to see him instead of dealing with Labor and Delivery again, I'm already tired of going there!) was NEGATIVE!!!! I know most people have never heard of this test, I guess I'm just the lucky winner that has had this test in both pregnancies. Apparently there is a protein called fetal fibronectin that acts as a "glue" for the amniotic sac and is secreted into the birth canal around two weeks before delivery. The upside of this test? If it comes back negative, they can absolutely say for sure you will not deliver in the next 10-14 days. 14 days put us past the first important milestone: 24 weeks! Obviously he needs to stay in there MUCH longer than that, but at least I know that they can at least attempt to save him after that. Right now, that's huge to me.

So, I've been on bedrest for a little over a week now, and I'm still having a hard time letting people do stuff for me and asking for help, but I'm trying. This week I've been trying to focus on the things that still need to be done, and also doing a LOT of googling. Rian calls me the queen of Google for a reason. I honestly don't know how I would have survived parenting or adulthood without this magical invention. I think I would have had to be a librarian just to have constant access to information.If you know me, you also know this is how I handle the "scary" things in life. I have to have a plan. So far, my biggest accomplishment has been finding out Happy Heinys(Check them out, they make super cute and super awesome diapers!) make PREEMIE-sized diapers!

How cute are these?!?

We won't be able to use cloth while he's still in the NICU, pesky rules about sterile environments and all, plus I think the stress of the NICU will be enough for us to deal with without adding more diaper laundry. But I fully plan on having these washed and ready to go the day he comes home. :)

I'm also very thankful for some of the wonderful cloth-diapering mommas we have here in Vegas. After this weekend, I should have my newborn stash DONE and ready to wash and wait! I'm feeling pretty good this week about what I've accomplished even without getting out of bed!

Now if I could just find the perfect double stroller, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, I'd be set. On that note, off to Google some more. :)

I'm Back! For real.

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 02:01:00 +0000

I decided I might as well do something productive since I am stuck on the couch for the forseeable future(or at least the next 4 months). So far Luke is proving to be as stubborn as independent as his daddy and big brother, so it's going to take a lot of prayer, and an annoying amount of rest, to keep him cooking for a few more months. Ugh! I am SO not good at laying down and doing nothing. Thankfully, my mom is here, and due to an unfortunate accident involving a toilet in the apartment above her, staying with us for the next few weeks. I can always count on her to take care of me! She came home from a Target run today and made me an ultra-comfy bed on my couch:

Now at least I won't be miserable since I can only go upstairs once a day! Now if I could just find a tray or table of some kind to keep my giant glasses of water I'm downing in an attempt to keep the contractions away(it's not helping), I'd be set!

We find out tomorrow afternoon if I am going to need to get a cerclage. I'm not sure which way I'm hoping it goes. On one hand, I feel like the cerclage would give me some reassurance when I'm having all of "irritability" as the nurse called my lighter contractions Friday night. But if they say I don't need one, it means that all of the contractions over the last week haven't been productive and nothing has changed, which would be a good thing. Plus, my perinatologist said they would be giving me an epidural, and given my last experience with one, I'm not too confident in its ability to stop me from feeling what's happening.

On a happy note, my BFF will be here Wednesday night!!!

I am SO excited to her see and her awesome kiddos for 4 whole days! This pic is from the last time we saw each other, before Lane was even here. One of the upsides to living in Vegas is everyone wants to drive through or fly through here to see you. :)

I had a direction I wanted to go with all of this, but totally lost it. My mom's spaghetti just smells too yummy. With that, I'm going to go eat some dinner. Maybe I'll remember what I wanted to say eventually. Or not.

Pandora

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:58:00 +0000

I know, it's been a year since I last posted. I've let life, a job, a million other things get in the way. But I need to do this for me. And for any other woman who MIGHT read this someday, and be going through this, and think "THAT is what I needed to hear."

I'm not normally a cheesy, "lovey-dovey" person when it comes to my marriage, especially on the Internet. But right now, all I want is my husband. I need him to hold me, and Lane, and remind me that even though this is worse than it was 2 years ago, we have an amazing team of doctors, and a handsome, smart, and hysterically stubborn 2 year old son who has proven that our kids are fighters. Because right now, that's so hard for me to remember.

Of course, he's at work, so he can't. And can't really talk much either. So I'm stuck on a couch, in a house that's quieter than anywhere I've been in the last 2 years, and I have Pandora on just for background noise so I don't crazy and start hearing things.

I love Pandora. My brother got me hooked on it years ago before anyone even talked about it, and I honestly think it's one of the best inventions since Facebook. It never fails that whatever station it happens to be on at any point in time, there will be a song I need to hear. Lately, it's this one:

You and Me
What day is it? And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive
I can't keep up and I can't back down
I've been losing so much time

'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all other people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you

One of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping on words
You've got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here

'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all other people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you

There's something about you now
I can't quite figure out
Everything she does is beautiful
Everything she does is right

'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all other people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
and me and all other people with nothing to do
Nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all other people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you

What day is it?
And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive

For anyone who wasn't at our wedding, this was my processional. It seems that lately, when I feel like falling apart, this song ALWAYS comes on, and I'm back in that moment. And he's staring at me, and I know that no matter how many ups and downs we may have had, this is us. And we will get through this.

Whole Foods Trip-They make that?!?!?

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:53:00 +0000

I had to take Lane to get allergy testing done this morning. We are fairly certain it is a dairy allergy(with possibly soy sensitivity as well), but the dr is checking for everything just to be sure. On our way out the door, I realized we were out of his milk, so after the blood draw, I decided to stop in Whole Foods and check it out. I wanted to get some almond milk to try him on anyways, since we know for sure he isn't allergic to nuts.

First off, that store smells AMAZING!!! I could spend hours in there standing by the smokehouse section! But, what was most amazing to me was the huge selection. Am I the only person in the world who didn't know there were options for yogurt?!? I honestly thought there was NO way we were going to find a subsitute for yogurt(which Lane loves) if it turns out to be a dairy allergy. I was so wrong! They have soy yogurt, coconut milk yogurt, even almond milk yogurt!

I also fell in love with their salad bar. Too often, I buy veggies and produce for dinner, only need about half of what I bought(even if I buy the smallest quanity I can) and the rest goes to waste. So frustrating! I was able to fill a take-out container with just enough peppers and onions for tonights fajitas, and the prep work was already done!

Although it is definitely more expensive, I feel better knowing we have a LOT of options, whatever Lane's allergies turn out to be, and I also feel better knowing that our family is getting healthier, less processed foods.

Tonight's Dinner-Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa!

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:03:00 +0000

My name is Aimee, and I'm a Food Network-a-holic. I have it running in the background at least most of the day. My husband doesn't get it, but then, I don't get his obsession with those hunting shows(WHY do they whisper?? I can't STAND it!!) Anyways, Barefoot Contessa isn't one of my favorites-she has WAY too much time on her hands to plan all these dinner parties, who can do that all the time??-but every once in awhile, I see something she does and I think, "I need to try that, ASAP!" This is one of those times.

This is her Summer Garden Pasta, a no-cook sauce with angel hair pasta, which takes less than 10 minutes to cook. It does have to marinate for 4 hours, but that's not active prep. Halve the tomatoes, chop the basil, and throw it all together after lunch, then when dinner time comes around, all you have to do is cook the noodles! Perfect for summers here in Vegas-no heating up your kitchen! Enjoy!

Summer Garden Pasta

Ingredients

4 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
Good olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
18 large basil leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Directions

Combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for about 4 hours.

Just before you're ready to serve, bring a large pot of water with a splash of olive oil and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the package (be careful - it only takes 2 to 3 minutes!). Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl with the cherry tomatoes. Add the cheese and some extra fresh basil leaves and toss well. Serve in big bowls with extra cheese on each serving.

SOOO easy, and delicious!

I'm working on a redesign that I hope to have up in the next few days. Stay tuned!

Last day today...get organized in 30 days for FREE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:58:00 +0000

I found this through Krystal over at Money Saving Mom(quickly becoming one of my favorite resources, she is AMAZING!), and I got my download last week, have been following the daily challenges since Monday, and seriously, this is SOOO easy! 5 minutes a day, for 30 days, to finally have some peace without all the clutter that has overtaken my house! Go here to find out how, all you have to do is "like" her Facebook page and you will get the link for the free download! But today is the last day she is offering it for free, so hurry!

Happy Mother's Day! Some deals and freebies to share....

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Sun, 08 May 2011 22:47:00 +0000

Happy Mother's Day to all my mommas out there! This is my first one, and I got the best gift EVER-my little man FINALLY slept through the night after almost a year! It was amazing to wake up this morning and realize I hadn't been interrupted all night!

My Mother's Day gift to all of you is to share some deals and freebies I've found this week:

Head over to Recyclebank and earn some points to get a *FREE* 1-year subscription to Martha Stewart Living, or your choice of several other magazines(but who wouldn't want Living? I LOVE it!). Here's how:

   1. Sign in or register for an account.

   2. Go to "Earn Points" and complete the challenges(most of them take less than 5 minutes).
   The "Green Your Home" challenge takes awhile, but you can earn some major points on there!

   3. Once you have 230 points, or less, depending on the magazine you would like, go to
   "Get Rewards. Click on "Music, Books, and Magazines" and find the magazine you would like.

   4. Add to cart, complete the order process, and you're done!

*Full disclosure: The link for recyclebank is my referral link, so I do earn points if you register through it. If you would prefer to do it on your own, just go to www.recyclebank.com.*

Now through May 15th, Starbucks is hosting a Frappuccino Happy Hour, everyday from 3-5pm. What could possibly be a better afternoon pick-me-up than a $2 Frappuccino?!? Take a friend and it's like you're getting 1 free!

**********************************************************************************

That's all for now, girls, I am off to take my mom out to dinner before we head home tomorrow morning! I'll be back tomorrow with my weekly menu and coupon finds!

I'm Baaaccckk...New House, New Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Sun, 01 May 2011 04:37:00 +0000

Well this year has definitely NOT gone the way that I planned, it's been a roller-coaster health-wise for both Lane and I, and things have gotten WAY off track. But I can't let that keep me down, and I think I need a fresh start(mentally, anyways) so I can get back to where I want to be.

We are moved in to our new house and busy unpacking. It feels SOOOO awesome to finally have some space to move! But, bigger house, and carpet, means I have to tweak my routines(which I need to get back into anyways) and I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do that.

I've gotten into the habit the last few months of basically going non-stop, and that's one major thing that is going to have to change. My body just can't handle playdates every day on top of doctor's appointments, the house, and Lane's schedule. I get so caught up in wanting to spend time with other people, and wanting Lane to have that socialization, that I lose sight of what should be at the top of my priorities-my family. Lane needs consistency, I've noticed that his eating and sleeping habits both suffer when we are on the go so much, even if he has a blast and loves being around other kids. And my husband is happiest when he can come home from work and not be stressed about the house being a wreck, or laundry being piled up for days. I WISH with all of my heart, that I could be Superwoman and do it all, but I just can't. Whether it's the 11 months of sleep deprivation, or just simply my health limitations, or a combination of both, I'm not sure, but I just don't have the energy to go go go, and then come home and take care of things here. I've also noticed that when I go to a lot of things during the week, by the time Sunday rolls around, I'm so exhausted I don't make it to church. I'm making a major overhaul of my priorities starting now, and as much as I love seeing everyone a lot, we are just going to have to limit our playdates during the week to one or two.

I ordered the invitations for Lane's birthday party today, and I have to admit, I cried a little. I can't believe my baby will be one in just over a month! It's not supposed to go this fast! But I am so happy that he is growing and learning SO much every day! My only prayer is that his immune system will catch up with the rest of his body over the next few months so we can have a happy AND healthy little man!

Weight Loss Wednesday: My Journey Week 1

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:45:00 +0000

Wow. This hurts to post this, maybe putting it out there for everyone to see will help me stay on track this coming week! I am also making a tab for my weight loss journey, I will be posting all of these stats on that page sometime this morning, so you can all track my progress along with me.

I guess first I should post my beginning stats so that everyone knows where I started from back on Christmas:

Weight: 167 lbs
BMI: 29.53
Waist: 36 ins.

And since I never posted EXACTLY what my goals are in this department, I should go ahead and put those out there too:

Weight: 127 lbs.
BMI: 22.49
Waist: 28 ins.

Now that that's out there, here are my stats for this week:

Weight: 165 lbs.
BMI: 29.30
Waist: 35 ins.

Ugh, that is depressing to see, but a good motivator to me that I need to step it up big time! I've been trying to monitor my calories(using My Fitness Pal, a website that also has a *free* iPhone app and allows you to set calorie goals, as well as track your diet and exercise)

Some of you know what has been going on with my health, for those of you that don't, I'll give the short version(there is SO much more to it, but it would take forever to explain!):

Since about 4 months post-partum(after 2 regular cycles), I have been having some MAJOR issues, and have ended up in bed for several days every month, due to painful and extremely heavy periods. I've seen a couple doctors, and they agreed that the first step is a D & C and hysteroscopy, which was originally scheduled for February 15th(hence, my initial deadline for the first 20 lbs). I switched doctors due to some issues with the first one(which I don't want to get into on here), and they had told me with the new doctor's surgical schedule, it would most likely be March before it would be done. I got a call Monday morning though and they have scheduled me for the 21st of this month, so only a week and a half away! I am SO happy this is going to be done and taken care of, so I can get back to my life.

That being said, I don't think my 20 lbs by February 15th goal is going to be possible due to the fact that I will not be allowed to exercise for 2 weeks after the surgery. I'm working this morning on revising that goal and will let you guys all know when I figure that out. However, my NEW mini-goal is to lose 6 lbs by next Friday, when I go in. I'm gonna need some major motivation to get there, so HELP ME OUT GIRLS! Comment on here, or my Facebook, text me, call me(if you have my number) whatever you can, but PLEASE help me stick to my workouts!

Rethinking my Strategy, Meal-Plan Monday, and Time Out Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:10:00 +0000

Well apparently I am going to have to rethink my strategy for my Monday routine...as you can see, I never got around to blogging yesterday, as we were on the go from 8am on. But it feels so good to know that I got all of my errands done, Lane had his checkup, and we made it to our weekly playdate. Lane made a new friend! I am SO excited to have found another mom with a baby Lane's age(actually, born on his original due date!). Since I missed posting yesterday, I'm going to go ahead and post for both Meal-Plan Monday and Time Out Tuesday.

I don't usually "plan" our breakfasts, I just keep fruit, cereal, milk, and oatmeal on hand for weekdays, and I usually have some sausage and bacon for the weekends. I was buying lunchables, frozen lunches, and things like that for Rian to take, but his job is now providing lunch(Yay!!!) and I eat leftovers or fruit, cheese, and crackers most days when I'm at home, so that should cut down on our budget too! So, here is our dinner menu for this week:

Monday:
Leftovers

Tuesday:
Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry w/Steamed Rice

Wednesday:
Dinner and Game Night w/friends

Thursday:
Bertolli Skillet Meal w/Garlic Bread(Have you tried these? I LOVE them! They are SO easy and yummy, and the perfect amount of food for the 2 of us. And actually I found the Great Value(WalMart) brand version of these, and they are $2 cheaper!)

Friday/Saturday/Sunday:
We are going to California, so Friday and Sunday's dinners will be on the road, and Saturday will be eating at one of our families' homes.

This morning, since Lane is sleeping SO well(for the moment, lol) I am going to go ahead and take advantage of some good "Me" time. For me, that means coloring my hair(WHY do I already have grays? I'm only 25!), and exfoliating my face and using a mask. I have some commercial ones that I use right now, because they were given to me as free samples from Sephora. If you're a beauty addict like me, you HAVE to join Sephora's Beauty Insider program. One of the only things I refuse to skimp on is my makeup. I wore Bare Minerals for years, and switched back to Clinique a few months ago, and the Clinique has made a huge difference for my skin. Anyway, you get points for each dollar you spend there, and can use those points for deluxe samples, in addition to all of the samples they give you with each purchase!

If you don't have any commercial products, you can still easily do a mini-facial like this at home. There are tons of recipes out there for DIY facial products, and a lot of them over the years, but there are only a few that I really feel compete with the commercial ones, and these work for all skin types. So light some candles in your bathroom, put on some soothing music, and pamper yourself! I recommend exfoliating, then applying the mask, and letting it sit while you soak in a nice warm bubble bath. Don't forget to bring a bottle of water with you!

Exfoliate:
Mix a small amount of olive oil and sugar in a small bowl so that it forms a thick paste, then apply to your face and gently rub in small circles. Rinse off with warm water. This is my favorite substitute for my St. Ives Apricot Scrub(reminds me of my teenage years, but still my favorite ever!)

This one can be a little rough on skin, so if you have super sensitive skin, you can make some plain instant oatmeal, with less water so that it is very thick, and combine it with a small amount of olive oil and honey, then apply to face as above.

Mask:
Mix some honey and plain yogurt in a bowl, apply to face(avoiding eyes) and let sit for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. I love this, the honey is VERY soothing to my stressed out skin, and the yogurt exfoliates and moisturizes. When I use a store bought mask, I use the Mint Julep Mask from Queen Helene. It's an old standby you can find at WalMart or any drugstore, and I love the how refreshing it is.

I'm off to pamper myself! Enjoy your Tuesday, and remember, happy mom=happy kids, so take TIME OUT to take care of yourself!

Ready, Set, Go! My new routine

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 19:34:00 +0000

I spent all week trying to come up with a daily schedule that I could reasonably stick to. Like I said before, blame it on my ADHD, but if it's not written where I'm going to see it, or set as a reminder that pops up on my phone, it's not going to get done! I searched so many different sites, and got a LOT of great ideas. Finally, I have decided to stick with FLYLady. The FLY part stands for Finally Loving Yourself. Her routines are easy to follow, easy to set up, and even better-you can sign up for a FLYLady Online Calendar with Cozi. They even have an iPhone app(costs $1.99, but SO worth it to me, since I am never without my phone). For all you non-Apple addicts, there's an Android app as well, and mobile access for all other phones. This morning I sat down and got my Cozi account all set up. Obviously, this isn't a set-in-stone schedule, it will be subject to change based on things that come up throughout the day, but this is my goal for the way I would like our days to go. I also have Basic Weekly Plan set up on there that will hopefully help me achieve my goals for my house, this blog, and my Etsy shop.

If you'd like to see my daily routines, click here, or on the top at the top of my page. Other than those routines, here's my basic schedule I've set up for my weeks:

Monday- Errand Day. I am going to try to get most of my appointments for this day. This is also my grocery shopping day.

Tuesdays and Fridays- My Weekly Home Blessing Hour days(otherwise known as deep cleaning days) Tuesdays will also be my Baby Food Day, since I do my grocery shopping the day before

Wednesdays and Thursdays-so far I have nothing specific scheduled for these days, I would like to be able to focus on my projects for my Etsy shop, as well as my projects that are just for my own enjoyment/learning

Friday is our Date Night, provided we have a sitter! If not, it's an easy dinner and movie night.

Saturday is Family Fun Day, we usually relax at home, or go see friends.

Sunday afternoons, I clip and organize my coupons for the week and make my menu plan. If it's an "off" week( I make my plan my menu 2 weeks at a time) I will check the menu, and make my short list of groceries I will need that week.

Sunday evenings Rian and I sit down and have our weekly Calendar and Budget Meeting to make sure we are on the same page and working towards our goals.

I forgot to mention that I am aiming to exercise for 30 minutes every day. Hopefully within the next month I will be able to get that up to an hour a day, but for now, 30 minutes is enough for my panting, out of shape self!

Well, there you go! Hopefully you can all take something from this and maybe make some more sense of your daily life. My goal in all of this is to make me less frazzled, and make my house a happier place to be!

Blogging Goals for 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:53:00 +0000

Well I know I said I would be posting these yesterday, unfortunately the stomach flu has hit our house so we were all in bed yesterday...so far it was just me and Rian(and my in-laws) who had it, but I am waiting for Lane to get sick like I'm sure he will...

Anyway, a day late, but here are my goals for this wonderful blog for this year:

1. Plan my blogs according to the day of the week:

Meal-Plan Monday-Our menu for the week, plus Shopping Trip photos/cost breakdown, etc.
Time-Out Tuesday- A new idea every week for a little pampering/"me time" ritual
Weigh-In Wednesday- My current weight loss stats, plus whatever I'm struggling the most with that week
Trial Run Thursday- I want to try one new craft project a week(possibly lowering this goal to 2 a month depending on how cheap I can find supplies
Free Family Fun Friday- Free(or very cheap) things to do around Vegas for the upcoming week(plus ideas of how to adapt these to wherever you live if you aren't in the Vegas area)

For right now, I am only going to commit to posting on weekdays, until I get my new routine (thanks, FLYLady!) down pat. Sundays are our family day, so at most, I may be adding a Saturday post in the future. I also may post more than once each day, if the urge hits me, or if I find a deal I just can't pass up!

2. Write out as many posts as I can at least a week in advance, so they are ready to go when the day comes(leaving me no excuse!)

3. Increase my readership. I need some constructive feedback from my loyal readers-what do you want to see? What can I do better?

New Year, New Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:58:00 +0000

I hate New Year's Resolutions, they never stick. So this year I am making a set of GOALS for myself, and I am counting on all of you wonderful people to keep me going on them! Here are my top 4, I also have a separate set of goals for this blog, which I will be posting tomorrow.

* BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET* I am determined that this year we WILL get on top of our financial situation. I'm trying to get my husband on board with Dave Ramsey's "Zero-Based" system, it's completely different from anything he's ever known, and poor guy is *Very* resistant to change in his world!

* Lose 40 pounds by April 15* I know, EVERYONE says they want to lose weight every year. This isn't an entirely superficial goal. After all the drama with my pregnancy with Lane, I have been really worried about getting pregnant again(if I even can, which is a story for another day). After talking with my OB-GYN, the risk for developing severe preeclampsia again will be significantly reduced if I lower my BMI between pregnancies. I need to lose 20 lbs of my pregnancy weight, and my target for that is February 15th. After that, I need to lose an additional 20 lbs in order to get my BMI well in to the healthy range. I want to reach that in another 2 months, and maintain it until Lane's first birthday on June 3rd, then start trying for baby #2.

*Stick to a routine* I am HORRIBLE when it comes to routines, blame it on my ADHD, laziness, whatever, but it is nearly impossible for me to stick to one. Starting this week, I will get into a daily routine so that I don't feel so frazzled....I am going to try following FlyLady, they have recently released a FLYLady version of Cozi, and they have an iPhone app! I think of all my goals, this is the one that I am most excited about.

*Start my own Etsy shop* I really hope to be running my own Etsy Shop by Lane's first birthday. I have a few people that have asked me to make things for them already, hopefully the word of mouth can spread and I can get my own business going! I really enjoy being home with my little man, and really feel like that is where I'm supposed to be, I just have to find ways to make this work! What do you guys think? Would you buy one of these(custom made with your choice of fabric)

So there you have it! My top goals for myself for this year. I can't wait to share my blogging goals tomorrow! Happy New Year everyone, let's make 2011 AMAZING!!!!

Making Baby Food...Anyone else done this?

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:11:00 +0000

So now that Lane is eating solids 3 times a day, I REALLY need to get him to eat some veggies at least one of those meals. I have jars of Gerber green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots, but he absolutely HATED the green beans and refuses to eat anything except fruit and cereal. I want to try making my own veggie purees, and I'm hoping not only will he like those more, but that it will save me some money and be healthier for him.

Is anyone else doing this? I'm not really sure how to start, or what seasonings are ok to add. I just want my baby to eat veggies!!!

In other news, I got a sewing machine for Christmas! And a Wii Fit. And my Shark Steam Mop that I've been asking for for the last year! I have big plans for all of these, hopefully I can stick to them! I'm working on my list of New Year's Resolutions, I will be posting that sometime in the next couple of days once I get them all down.

For now, I have to get back to cleaning, I'm STILL trying to get my house back to normal since Christmas exploded all over it!

Christmas is Coming...

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:07:00 +0000

the goose is getting fat! Sorry, that song just popped into my head as soon as I said Christmas is coming...too many years of listening to holiday music I guess! Anyway, thinking about my baby's first Christmas, and our first Christmas as a family, I'm amazed at all that has happened this year. It hasn't been easy, but we have been SO blessed.

Last Christmas, we weren't even sure I would be able to carry Lane long enough for him to survive. We were afraid to let ourselves believe we really were going to have this baby. But thanks to a lot of prayer, and a lot of bedrest, I made it to 37 weeks. And thanks to even more prayers, we were able to bring him home after a week in the NICU.

Last Christmas, we were both unemployed and wondering how on earth we were going to take care of a baby when we couldn't even support ourselves. Once again, thanks to a lot of prayer, Rian got a job a week before Lane was born, and we moved to Vegas.

I was so scared of moving here. I've never lived more than 2 hours away from home, and here I was moving to a completely different state. But now I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. This is home now, and I have made some amazing friends in the last few months who have made this feel like home.

My faith hasn't always been what it should the last few years, but looking back on all that we have gone through this year, and the miracles we have witnessed, I have no doubt that God is working in our lives in a powerful way.

I'm thinking I'm of starting the book The Power of a Praying Wife for my morning Bible time.... anyone out there want to go through it with me?

Sick baby and convincing husband Dave Ramsey is right

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:54:00 +0000

This week(well week and a half really) has been exhausting to say the least. Even though Lane was only 3 weeks early, it seems like his immune system is more like that of babies who were much more premature. He's only 6 months old and we're on our 3 cold, he's also had whooping cough, a double ear infection, staph infection, a stomach bug, and a bacterial infection that came on with the stomach bug 3 weeks ago that we are still trying to get rid of. I feel so bad for my little man!

So for the last couple months, we've been trying to follow Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, but I have had to modify it a little because my husband is still holding on to the idea that debt is a fact of life and having a huge emergency fund is much more important. Since I am staying at home for now, we have had to cut pretty much ALL extras out of our budget until we can move to a cheaper house. He's been really upset that we can't go out on a date if we want or buy Christmas presents for everyone(since we weren't expecting me to be staying home already, we had been counting on my paycheck for Christmas). I think I finally was able to get him to see that while it isn't much fun making these sacrifices right now, in a few years, we will be debt free and have an emergency fund, and THEN we will have the "blow" money to be able to go out on dates and things like that.

If you don't already know about Dave Ramsey and his Total Money Makeover book, or his Financial Peace University, seriously, check him out NOW! We are just starting out, but I know several people who have made it through his plan and it is so worth it!

I didn't get to our grocery shopping over the weekend, so now I have to brave WalMart this morning, not looking forward to that! If I didn't have a gift card, I would be skipping WalMart and going to a grocery store, but that gift card is going to cut my bill for this 2 weeks in half, so I guess it's worth dealing with the Christmas crazies! I'm going to try to get over there early on this morning, so maybe it won't be too horrible, but I'm not holding out much hope!

Frugal Friday: I tried Menu Planning!

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Sorry I am a little(ok, a LOT) later in the day getting this posted, my Little Man is not feeling so hot today so he's needed a lot of cuddle time!

When it became clear that we were going to be a one-income family for at least the next several months, I realized that our grocery budget was not only out of control, it was non-existent. I had never even made a grocery list before, at least not a well thought out one. Everywhere I looked, the advice was the same: MENU PLAN! So I decided to give it a shot.

I searched online for several templates to help me get started, but all of them seemed extremely complicated. Finally I found this one for Excel, and it is SO easy. I spent maybe 30 minutes planning 2 weeks worth of meals, and then another 30 minutes clipping coupons.

I was still a little skeptical at how much I could REALLY save by doing this. But we are on our third week now, and I have managed to cut our grocery budget down to $30 a week! And that's not even the best part. There's no more staring in to the fridge and complaining about there being "nothing to eat". Now that I am planning, there's always HEALTHY snacks, and always something for dinner. We've gone out for fast food once in the last 3 weeks, and that was only because we had a buy one, get one free coupon for Chipotle(my weakness!). Before, we would end up in the drive-thru 2 or 3 nights a week.

I think out of all of the changes we have made in the last 3 weeks, this one has had the most impact by far. If you aren't already, I highly recommend you give this a chance!

Crazy Week...Holiday Photos done!

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:17:00 +0000

I HATE weeks where I just feel like nothing is going as planned and I'm too busy to even breathe...and this has definately been one of those weeks. We went to California last weekend to see hubby's family, and while we were there, had one of my AMAZING photographer friends take our family pics....If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have wedding photos, newborn photos of Little Man, or holiday photos. I just got the photos last night, and they definately make the trip worth it! A few of my favorites:

We are so blessed to have such a talented friend. If you happen to be in the LA or Bakersfield areas, PLEASE check him out! His Facebook page is Inspired Photography by Adam Arriola.

Now to create our Christmas Cards, and I am so thankful to Crystal over at Money Saving Mom for sharing this awesome deal! Through December 12th, at SeeHere you can get 60 photo cards(which is plenty for us!) for only $4.90 shipped! How to do it:

Create an account here

Create a single-sided 4x8 photo card and save it to your account

Add 60 cards to your cart(You MUST add 60 cards or the price will not be $4.90)

Use coupon code 50cards at checkout and your total will be $4.90!!

I don't know about you, but I think that is the one of the best deals I've ever seen for photo cards!

Come back tomorrow for Frugal Friday, I'll be sharing my menu-planning success and grocery deals of the week!

Starting Out

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:03:00 +0000

Well, due to some circumstances beyond our control, it looks like I'm back to being a stay at home mom for awhile! While this was our ultimate goal, we were planning on this happening when Little Man was around 18 months old, not 6 months, we are NOT prepared! But I am determined now to make this work, even if it means a LOT of sacrifices for awhile. I LOVE being home with my baby, and taking care of our house.

I'm hoping that as I figure things out, I can share this with everyone, and maybe help another family make this work too, I know how overwhelming it can seem, and how it feels to not even know where to start.

So, welcome to my blog, hope you enjoy our adventures!