Patillo Pointe

Isabel is 3! Eva is 18 months! Long post!

2014-06-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

I'm so far behind. So, so far behind. Girls...when you read this later in life just please know that while my interest in blogging dwindled, my love for you did not! Ha!

Anyway!
On April 21st Isabel turned 3 years old! Seems unreal! We had a birthday party with about 12 kids at the Monkey House and she had a blast and I cleaned up nothing! I honestly kind of missed decorating for her party even though that normally stresses me out a little bit. We did have a theme and that was monkeys of course, so her cupcakes had Curious George on them and her little tank top had a monkey on front and the rest was handled by the MH people to whom we paid the big bucks! Lol.

She had her 3 year checkup and here are her stats:

Weight: 28.3 lbs (25%)
Height: 37 inches (50%)

She wears a 3t on top and in some bottoms, but honest to goodness she is comfortably wearing all of her 18-24 month shorts from last summer. Size 7 shoe. My teeny little girl. Lately though her appetite has really picked up and she wants to eat all day long.

Her likes: playing outside, jumping on the trampoline, watching Daniel Tiger, Dora, The Hive, and Leapfrog Movies, coloring and painting, anything involving water (baths, swimming, making mud)

She talks nonstop. When she wakes up in the morning, she starts talking about random things in her room and "what are we doing next?" before she's even really awake. She says the funniest things and half the time I'm wondering where she heard them. She is outgoing and wild around family members and shy and a little cranky around strangers. Ha. Age 3 has been hilarious and also challenging thus far. The girl can straight up throw a fit when she feels like it's necessary and that is often. Once she gets hung up on the idea that she wants to do something she has a VERY hard time letting that go, regardless of the consequences.

She is a big Momma's girl right now. She wants to be with me and know where I am when I'm not with her. She likes to sit in my lap or take naps with me when we're able to pull that off around little sister's schedule. She loves her sister and playing with her just so long as Eva doesn't touch anything that she wants. We're working on it. ;)

She is such a funny, happy (for the most part), smart little girl and a constant joy to our lives.

Here are a few of her "3 year" pictures.

On May 14th, Eva turned 18 months old!

Her stats:
Weight: 24.2 lbs (35%)
Height: 32 inches (75%)
Wears size 18 months in pretty much everything and a size 5.5-6 shoe. Size 4 diaper.

Her hair is so blonde and curly and she still has those pretty blue eyes that people like to comment about.

Likes: dancing, being outside, jumping on the trampoline, climbing everything, just generally making messes as fast as Momma can clean them up!

My wild child. Nuff said. I used to say this about Isabel....and then her sister came along. Neither of my girls are just calm and laid back little kids, but Eva takes the cake for being a wild woman! She is just on the go allll of the time. She hates to be confined in any way and we've all but given up on feeding her in a high chair except for maybe once a day. The rest involves her eating on the run, IF she will take out time to eat at all. And you can FORGET a stroller. She is like a 3 year old trapped in a 1 year old's body. She can climb and jump and do things that she shouldn't be able to do yet. Her coordination is unreal. She was running by 10 months old and she hasn't slowed down yet. And if that wasn't enough she talks like a 3 year old too. She says 4-5 word sentences and knows what they mean. At her checkup her doctor asked if she could say about 20 words and I just had to laugh. Uh...try like 60 words (or more). I'm so impressed by how advanced she is, but it makes me sad too because she should've been a BABY longer! Poor Momma.

She has the cutest little personality. So very ornery. She even has that ornery look about her face, like you know she is looking for trouble. She pushes limits and all we can do is push back.
She loves to dance and has got some pretty sweet moves, haha! We laugh so hard at her just dancing and spinning around and the facial expressions that go with those things.

She is also my little cuddler. She loves hugs and kisses and will give them to anyone! She does the open mouth slimy kiss which I happen to love, but it's not for everyone. ;) She will say "wuv you Momma" and it's so cute. But...I have to be honest, she is a Daddy's girl for now. 10x a day she says "Where Daddy go?" and I'm trying to explain to her that because I did the birthing, she has to like me the best. So far she's not convinced.

She has been so much fun and is growing up WAY too fast. We are so thankful God blessed us with our 2 sweet girls.

Oh the weather outside is frightful? Delightful? Both?

2014-02-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

I'm not one to really complain about the weather, at least not where a lot of people know about it, because I've never really understood the point. What good does it do? It sure doesn't change anything. Honestly, I was never a Winter person until probably the last few years when the hot flashes started ;) and I still think Summer is my very favorite season but with the amount of snow that we've been getting this season I can't help but be in awe of how just gorgeous it is. It's one of those moments where I have to wonder how someone could not believe that there is a God? Who created all of this people?!?!?!

Anyway, with that being said, I am ready for some sunny days. My reason is allll of the cabin fever! We've had a few days where the road hasn't been safe and then a few other days where it was just too wet and cold for me to drag my babies out in it (especially when they already have colds) and we have had just about enough of the inside of this house!!! JT has worked some extra hours this week on top of the enormous amount of hours that he already works, so it's been me and 2 little girls who already don't feel great, STUCK IN THIS HOUSE since Saturday. 5 days now. We're ready to get on outta here for a bit!!! What little bit of sanity that I have left is in danger of leaving me forever!!!

Anyway--some pictures! :)

Going off the grid...

2014-02-03T21:37:00.002-08:00

For starters, there isn't a whole lot of correlation with this blog and any other form of Internet that I was/am using, but just in case you're one of the few who sees it all and noticed, I went off the grid. On Jan 1st, I shut down my facebook account and my other blog and I didn't do the thing where you warn people...I just did it. Haha

There were a number of reasons of course but the one that is the most important is just that I get so consumed with all of that jazz that I am missing real moments of my life and my kids' lives. It's almost embarrassing to admit that. Why shut down? Why not just limit time spent on there? Good question! Because I am a weak little addict, that's why! Go big or go home!

I may eventually re-open my blog. Actually it's not "closed", I just have it set to where only I can view it for now. And I won't say that my facebook is a permanent thing, because I honestly don't know. For now, I don't miss it. And that's the truth!

So I'd like to start using this one again and not only for updates about my kiddos, but about the rest of my family and things going on in our lives as well. We'll see how it goes. I do have Instagram if you are someone I should be following and am not aware of it :), holla! I promise to blow up your feed with pictures of my kiddos, but not to spend nearly as much time stalking you as I did on FB. Promise! ;)

Stay warm!
Ashley

13 months and 32 months!!

2013-12-29T15:46:00.003-08:00

Just an update on my girls. I haven't posted about Isabel in a while and holy moly there is so much I could say...

My big 2.5 year old. She has changed so much! She's a talker and says the funniest things. Today just out of the blue she told me that her Pop was bringing her M&M's for Christmas. Everything she says is followed with Mama or Daddy. She tacks our names on to everything! She never sits still, EXCEPT to watch Daniel Tiger. That girl LOVES her some Daniel Tiger right now and Momma can pretty much recite every word from every episode. She also loves Lalaloopsy and Santa hooked her up pretty well in that area too.

She got a big girl bed this week. As in a full size bed and she looks so tiny in that thing, but she loves it.

Stats: 28 lbs. Not sure on height but lately she looks so long and lanky. Wears a size 2t, (easing into a size 3t for length although they are HUGE in the waist) size 7 shoe. Potty trained by day and size 4 diaper by night!

She loves to watch tv (we're about to start cutting that back down a bit), playing outside, taking baths, pretending, building "castles" with blocks, coloring, reading. She got a giant Mr. Potato Head that is filled with several little potato heads and she loves playing with those too. She loves to go shopping with me and say things like "Oh Momma that is SO cute!" about things like bras and paper towels. Haha! :) She also loves going to storytime at the library and going to Mothers Day Out once a week, even though she has been crying when I drop her off the past few times, the ladies tell me she is over it really quick and is always happy and playing when I pick her up. She always yells "Bye Grandmas!" when we leave. :)

Food: Barely eats. Haha. I know she is a toddler and this is just what some toddlers do, but some days I wonder how the kid keeps up her energy. She will drink and drink and drink the milk though. And juice when I let her have that. Foods that she does like are: grilled cheese, cheese of any kind, peanut butter, fruit snacks, crackers, green beans, tomatoes, cottage cheese, grapes, hot dogs, pasta, mac n cheese, pancakes, raisins, fig newtons, marshmallows, chocolate of any kind, or basically anything with loads of sugar in it. (just like her Momma)

Dislikes: hand dryers in public restrooms, the vaccuum cleaner, for her sister to touch her toys

She has been in a clingy phase the past month or so and just wants her Momma allll the time. If a stranger DARE tells her she is cute she will straight flip out on them. Gotta love the Terrible Twos!

She knows how to recognize all of her letters, say her ABC's, spell her name (by saying it), count to 20, sing many songs. She has learned a nighttime prayer that is the most adorable thing ever to hear.

She is sweet and will tell us that she loves us, or that we are "so cute", or pretty. At night I tell her to sleep good and I'll see her in the morning and she'll say "you sleep good too Momma".

She loves her baby sister just so long as she gets to be the boss.

I hate to jinx it, but I think after 8 short months of working at it, bless our hearts, she is about 99% potty trained! Like I mentioned above, she still sleeps in diapers.

All in all, we have a beautiful, rambunctious, healthy, strong-willed little girl and I'm just shocked at how fast she learns things and how smart she is.

And for this girl:

She is now and probably will always be my little wild child. I think it's funny how I used to think that Isabel was just high energy and in to everything (and she was), but this little girl came along and blew that title out of the water. Such a hot little mess! She started walking the day after she turned 10 months old and about 3 days later was RUNNING and has been ever since. Not joking. My Mom talks about how she never just toddled around like a baby learning to walk, she just didn't walk and then BAM she ran. Like Forrest Gump. ;)

She talks all of the time. Can repeat just about any word you say. She is seriously more like an 18 month old than a 13 month old when it comes to her speech and her coordination. Not to be confused with being graceful...she almost always has a bruise or a scrape on her head, somewhere.

Every time I leave her in the nursery at church, or at MDO, or even if I just have her in a public place somebody WILL comment about how active she is. I have to thank her though, she is the reason that I have not gained any weight through the holidays even though I've been eating for 12! She keeps me busy! My cardio plan!

Stats: Weighs between 21 and 22 lbs. Wears a size 12 months in most things but we've bought 18 months in some tops (for length). Size 4 in most shoes, but we have a couple of 5's. Size 3 diaper. She has a really long waist and short little legs. She is starting to slim up and it makes me sad that my chubby baby is turning into a big girl!

She has such a comical personality. She makes the funniest little faces and noises and loves for people to say Hi to her or talk to her in public.

Words she can say without being prompted: Hi, Bye, Momma, Dada, Sissy, Puppy, Baby, Uh oh, Ouch, Wow, Night Night, Bite, Pappaw, Cheese (for the camera)...I'm sure there are more. But like I mentioned above she will repeat ANY word, big or small.

She loves food and being outside! Those are her 2 favorite things. Some of her favorite foods are squeeze applesauces, peanut butter crackers, peas, carrots, green beans, bananas, pancakes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce (just found this out over the holidays), bread, hot dogs, cheese puffs.

She thinks big sister is hilarous! Loves to give hugs and kisses! Loves to make ginormous messes!!!

I could have never known how perfect of an addition you would be to our family Eva Jasmine. You keep us laughing and on our toes all of the time! I feel like you're growing up too fast and it doesn't seem to be slowing down at all.

We love both of our girls so much and are thankful for them!!!

12 months!

2013-11-14T19:53:00.001-08:00

Eva you are 1 year old today!!!!

*You weigh 20.12 lbs (40%) and are 30 inches long (75%). You wear size 12 months clothes and size 4 shoe. Size 3 diaper.

*You still have blonde curly hair and big, gorgeous blue eyes. I think they're here to stay! You have really started to slim up here lately. I think it's because you literally NEVER sit still. I think you even move around in your sleep. You've weighed 21 lbs for a few months now, but you're taller.

*You take one bottle at night and I think we'll try to cut that out over the next few weeks. Everything else is sippy and table food. You won't even eat baby food unless it's meat sticks or squeeze style. You prefer to eat with your hands! You love veggies--carrots and peas especially. We've learned this past week that you also like cupcakes! :)

*You sleep well most nights. You will wake up occasionally and usually go back to sleep as soon as I locate your paci. You still take a mid-morning nap and an afternoon nap. You go to bed between 8:00-8:30 at night and wake up around 7-7:30 most mornings. The time change didn't seem to affect you, even though it did your sister!

*You have learned to RUN. It's the cutest thing ever. You are a fast little girl for someone who's only been walking for 2 months! You have also learned to clap and you've added to your dance moves! You've actually been dancing for a few months but I don't think I mentioned it. You are also climbing up everything--into sister's bed, up on the fireplace, in and out of the bathtub! WILD WOMAN!

*You say Mama, Dada, Bath, Pop, Pappaw, Bye Bye, Hi!, Yay!, NoNo, and tonight you repeated me and said "cupcake". Occasionally you'll repeat a random word and then we can never get you to repeat it again, ever. lol

What an exceptionally fast year this has been! Unbelievable! Birthday Party this weekend! Love you baby girl!!!!

11 months!

2013-11-05T08:19:00.001-08:00

Eva Jasmine! Here is your 11 month update. Nevermind that you will be a year old next week. There have been technology problems that kept me from updating, but those are fixed! Yay! Anyway, on Oct 14th you turned 11 months old!

*You weigh 21 lbs. 29 inches long. Size 3 diaper and size 4 shoe. You are still wearing mostly 12 months in clothes, but have a few 18 month shirts just depending on the brand. You are so long waisted.

*You say Mama, Dada, Bye Bye (and wave), Hi, No no and occasionally you will just surprise us and repeat some off the wall word that we say. And then refuse to ever do it again. haha!

*Walking is a thing of the past, now you basically run everywhere. High rate of speed at all times and you can climb anything. When I pick you up from Mothers Day Out or the nursery at church I always have someone telling me that I must stay really busy and that you are climbing and all over the place. Yeah....I know. ;)

*We stopped giving you formula right at 11 months. You just prefer cow milk and weren't taking much of a formula bottle anyway. You take a bottle in the morning and a bottle before bed, but the rest of the day is a sippy and table food. The only baby food items you eat are meat sticks and squeeze pouches of applesauce, etc. You love to eat mixed veggies, anything out of a squeeze pouch, puffs, cheese puffs, bananas, cheerios, the Gerber raviolis, basically anything you can feed yourself. You basically refuse to eat from a spoon. We'll eventually have to work on that.

*You are sleeping much better. Most nights you go down about 8:30 p.m. and wake up around 7:30 a.m. Once or twice a week you will lose your paci around 2 a.m. and I will come find it for you and you go back to sleep. You usually take a mid-morning nap and an afternoon nap, although occasionally you will take one big one in the middle of the day.

*You currently have 5 teeth. 3 on top, 2 on the bottom. You have really blonde, curly hair and big, gorgeous blue eyes. So many people stop me in public to comment on how beautiful those eyes are! You are always smiling and have such a comical personality. You are also dramatic sister! You can throw a fit like a 2 year old!

*You love bathtime, being outside, and your big sister. You are always laughing at her and you love to play in her room. The 2 of you can destroy a bedroom in record time!!! Big sister loves you too! Sometimes....too much. :-/

You will be 1 in just a few short days. I cannot believe it! This year has flown by so fast and it makes me sad that my tiny baby is a toddler! We love you so much. You have the cutest little personality and I can't wait to watch you grow up, but hope that you take a loooonnnngggggg time to do so.

10 months!!!

2013-09-18T15:58:00.001-07:00

Eva you are 10 months old! (as of 9/14/13)

*You weigh somewhere between 19-20 lbs. Wear 9 month and 12 month clothing. Size 3 shoe. (that you will not leave on your feet)

*You have 4 teeth!

*You have cut way back on bottles. Getting you to sit still for any of them is a task. You are too busy!!!! You take maybe 4 a day at around 7 oz. You are eating mostly table food, with the exception of pureed meats. You love Mum Mums, puffs, cheddar puffs, and squeeze veggie/fruits for snacks. You also love when sister sneaks you bites of pop tarts too! You have started having a sippy cup of regular milk a day and have tolerated it just fine.

*You're still not really on a schedule with your sleeping other than you go to bed every night at 8:30 p.m. Some nights you wake up 3-4 times! Some nights we don't hear a peep. You take 2 naps on most days, one mid morning and one in the evening. And then some days I just get one nap out of you. Most mornings you wake up around 7-7:30, but just about the time I get used to that you start waking up at 6:00! Like I said...no schedule!!!

*I told everyone that I expected you to be walking by the time you turned 10 months. You turned 10 months on Saturday and then started walking the very next day!!! You showed me!!! ;) Crawling is still your preferred method if you're in a hurry, but you will crawl for a bit and then stand up and take several steps and then go back to crawling. You're still making up your mind about which way you want to travel through life! :)

*You say Mama, Dada, bye bye, and duck! If I say no no, you will say bah bah every single time. I guess that's how you're hearing it. You "shake it out" meaning if Isabel says, "Shake it out, Eva!" you will shake your head back and forth real fast. It's pretty cute. You love bath time and being outside just as long as no one is holding you or making you ride in the stroller. You want DOWN sister!!!! You think big sister is hilarious and just laugh at everything that she does.

We love you big girl!!!! 2 more months until your big day!!!

9 months!!!

2013-08-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

Eva you are 9 months old!!! (8/14/13)
You turned 9 months and then the very next day your Dad and I went on a trip so I am late with this update, BUT the picture is right on time. I promise! :)

*You weighed 18.5 at the doctor's office a few weeks ago. I would guess 19-ish right now. You have your 9 month checkup next week and I'll know for sure. You wear 9 months and 12 months clothes. No idea on shoe size but we're about to have to figure that out for Fall because you are about to start walking sister!

*You are pulling up and standing and then letting go. You push things all over the living room, while walking behind them. I keep thinking that any second you're just going to let go and take off walking down the hallway. I am SO GLAD that you decided not to do this until we got back from vacation because I would have been super sad to miss it.

*You have 2 bottom teeth still but just in the past couple of days I have started to feel one of your top front teeth trying to poke through. Your eyes are still BRIGHT blue. I don't think they're changing. And that hair keeps getting blonder and blonder. Other than your mouth, you look nothing like me! You're beautiful. I have so many strangers stop me to tell me that and also to talk about your eye color.

*You sleep well most nights. You still have off nights and even on the good ones you're likely to wake up once. Maybe once a week you'll sleep all the way through the night without waking up at all. You still cry for a bottle about 2 a.m. most of the time. You normally take about two, 1 hour naps a day. Sometimes they'll last a little longer than that.

*You are such a happy baby. You are always ALWAYS smiling. You've been saying "mama" & "dada" for awhile but now you'll repeat "uh oh" except that you just do the first part "UH" every single time. It's pretty cute. Your grandparents got you to say "bye bye" while we were gone and I've heard you do it a couple of times now. You are a talker and have been since day 1. You jabber all day long. ESPECIALLY when you're fighting sleep.

*You don't care for any of your baby toys, you'd much rather play with (and eat) household items. Electric cords, the alarm clock, and shoes are your top 3 favorites. You will put ANYTHING in your mouth. I am on guard 24/7. I literally just now got up and removed some paper from your mouth. Big sister is not much help because she just gives you stuff.

*You have started eating more table foods and less baby food. You like to pick things up and eat them rather than be fed with a spoon. I am still either giving you cereal in your bottle in the morning or feeding you a baby food mix of fruit and cereal. You usually don't want much "food" for lunch but I try to get you to eat some peas or carrots or green beans and some puffs or Mum Mums and a bottle. At night I try to give you a meat/veg/fruit variety. I'm still trying to work out the kinks in the baby food-table food conversion. You only have 2 teeth after all. :)

I am just in shock that I am considering what I want to do for your first birthday. I feel like the baby phase is just WAY TOO SHORT and I am just thankful that I get to be home with you and sister so that I don't miss any of it. You're such a sweetie and we love you very much little girl.

8 months!!!

2013-07-15T05:46:00.002-07:00

Eva you are 8 months old!!! (07/14/13)

*You weigh about 18.5 lbs. This is me weighing you at home. Your next checkup is at 9 months. You wear size 6-9 months or 9 months in clothes. You are pretty long so I think we'll bump up to 12 months in footed sleepers pretty soon. Size 3 diaper.

*You are still speed crawling and this past month you started pulling up on EVERYTHING. Lately you are even letting go of things, but you fall down pretty quick. Little daredevil. I'm going to predict that you'll start walking between months 9 & 10. We'll see! No hurry here!!!!

*You have 2 teeth, bottom & center.

*You take 4-5, 5 oz bottles a day. I make 6 oz but you rarely finish it. You eat one fruit, one veg, & one meat a day. Cereal in your bottle in the morning and before bed.

*You love Momma! You have started saying "ma-ma" but only when you are upset and you want me to come get you from wherever I have had the NERVE to put you down. ;-) You say "da-da" too but it's pretty random and not very often. You TALK all of the time. It never stops. Ever. It's pretty cute. You also like to blow raspberries and you do so several times a day for extended periods of time. Haha.

*You love your sister and think she is hilarious, most of the time. When she has you in a headlock, you aren't a big fan of that.

*You sleep through the night about 4 nights a week. The other 3 are pure torture. Just keeping it real. You will wake up like 2-3 times during the night and while it's easy to get you back to sleep it is IMPOSSIBLE to lay you back in bed and KEEP you asleep.

*You love bathtime & swimming! I have 2 water babies and I'm glad about that!

*You still have gorgeous bright blue eyes. I have so many strangers stop me in public to compliment them. You are starting to get quite a bit of hair also, but it is SO blonde. In pictures you look bald but actually your hair looks to be pretty thick. Blonde hair and blue eyes....what?!?!

You are a sweet happy baby! You are also persistent & stubborn when you want something you're not supposed to have or when you are sleepy but don't want to sleep! Little stinker!

We adore you! Can't believe you are going to be one in four short months! Love you baby!

Making Changes: 2 outta 3 ain't bad.

2013-07-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

It ain't ideal either though.

This past month I hit my goal of running four 5k's for the year. On July 4th I ran FreedomFest and ended up PR'ing which was another goal I've been trying to hit all year. My time was 29:21 which is 31 seconds faster than my previous PR. I worked hard for that too, people, because it got HOT fast! Summer running is not for the faint of heart.

But if you'll remember I had also set a goal of losing 10 lbs for the month, which I knew would be challenging because I don't have *THAT* much to lose anymore...but alas, I think I lost 1 lb or something. Basically I'm at a standstill and until I figure out a diet and stick to it, I will probably stay there.

My next 5k is the Color Vibe in August. It's starts at 9 a.m. meaning it will be 200 degrees outside, but it's not a timed race and I am running with my Mom who will be doing her very first 5k! Should be fun!

Hopefully I can report back next month with some weight loss!!!!

If one of my blogs just isn't enough for you!!!

2013-06-26T12:59:00.004-07:00

http://littlelovedrama.blogspot.com/

This one has become about updates. Kids and weight loss....well, you know if you've been reading it. I've had a few people ask me to do one about my parenting experiences. Actually, I MIGHT be getting Punk'd right now. Anyway...that link up there is the ticket...if you're interested. :)

7 months!!!

2013-06-17T19:38:00.001-07:00

Eva Jasmine! You are 7 months old! (6/14/13)

*You weigh about 18 lbs. This is an estimate since you weighed 17.5 at your 6 month appointment. You can still wear some 6 month things but are mostly in 6-9 or 9 months. Size 3 diaper. You are really long!!! The only pair of shoes that you own are a size 3-6 months and they still fall off. Both you and your sister have tiny feet so far!

*You eat about 5, 5 oz bottles a day. In the mid-morning you eat a fruit and cereal and in the evening you eat a veggie and half a fruit, usually. Just started meats yesterday so that isn't really part of the routine just yet. You actually seem to like veggies more than fruits. What?!?!? Your night bottle also has cereal in it.

*You have reverted back to being a newborn as far as sleep goes. This past month you have been waking up at least once and often even twice during the night and you're hungry. I try to just give you the paci and rock you back to sleep but you INSIST on eating. So we're doing that for now. I am sure it's a growth spurt or a phase. You still aren't really on a nap schedule. You usually take about 3 naps a day and they aren't long, maybe 30 minutes or an hour tops. You have also started to fight sleep. Aren't you too young for this?!?!?!

*This was an exciting month for new things. Between months 6 & 7 you began crawling and sitting up on your own. And you are IN TO EVERYTHING!!! You have a busy Momma just trying to keep you in the designated crawling areas!!! :) Today we even had to move your crib down because this morning when I came to get you out of bed you had half your body poked up above the rail! Big girl!

*You still babble alllll of the time. You are going to be a big talker, no doubt about it. And just this past week you learned how to blow raspberries, not only in the air, but also on my arm or face or whatever is close to you. Lol. You love to squeal and high pitch scream! You are a noisy little girl!

*Still no teeth and no sign of any. You gnaw on everything and you drool all of the time, but I feel nothing! No hurry. Your sister was a late teether too. You two have so much in common and are also so VERY different!

*You LOVE to bounce. The jumperoo is your favorite, but if someone will just hold you into the standing position you will bounce forever. Thighs of steel!!!

*You have always wanted to be held, especially by Momma, but these past few weeks you have started to try to get down on the ground whenever people hold you. You've got places to go!!!

*You have the sweetest little grin and laugh. You are so happy all of the time and really only get fussy if you're tired or hungry. You think everything is so funny, especially your big sister. I hope you two will always make each other laugh.

We Love You! SO thankful that you are ours. :)

Making Changes: 5k #5!

2013-06-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't actually weigh yesterday simply because I started the day at 5:30 a.m., was busy allllll day long and then ended it about 10 p.m. and never thought twice about it being the day I blog about weight loss...or lack thereof. What I can tell you is that today, I am not down a single pound since the 8th of last month. I have officially plateau'd, I think. Time to reconfigure or...you know, eat less.

Yesterday was my 5th 5k ever. 3rd for 2013. It was at Chaffee and I liked the course but it was hilly! I knew of one little hill at the beginning....yeah I didn't know about the FOREVER hill after Mile 2. Nevertheless I did a little walking and still finished with my 2nd fastest time ever. 30:14. Which is a little frustrating because had I not walked, I probably would have set a new PR and on a hilly course at that! I won 1st place in my age group and yes there actually were other people in my age group. :) The thing about races is that most usually people get faster the older they get. How crazy is that?!?! My group 21-29 was slower overall than the 30-39's. And it seems to be that way most of the time. I don't have it figured out but I need to speed up before that next big birthday!!!!

I was going to take off for July as far as races go, but now I think I have found one in Greenwood that I am going to do on the 4th. I haven't officially signed up, but I'm working on it. And then in August is the Color Vibe and I am (and have been for awhile) registered for that one.

I have plans to start back on the 30 Day Shred tomorrow, to continue my running and to start counting my calories again and I HOPE to drop 10# before the 8th of next month to make up for not getting anywhere this month. Maybe saying that on the worldwide web will kick me in gear!!!! Wish me luck!!!

Just some things...

2013-05-30T15:45:00.002-07:00

Isabel has been 2 for over a month now. There are so many things that I didn't put in her 2 year post that I want to try to remember and I know that even still I won't remember everything as I am typing this. She is a feisty little thing that has everyone fooled! I constantly hear how sweet and good she is for other people and I am grateful for that. Honestly, she is really sweet & good for me about 80% of the time. Okay, 75%. haha
She is the typical toddler, or what I think the typical toddler is like--persistent, temperamental, stubborn, ornery and she is also loving and hilarious. That kid always keeps me laughing. I love her more than life.
Some things that she's been doing lately: I can say "I love you" and she says "Love you too!!!" It's always energetic and so sweet sounding. She loves to sing. She's been singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Old MacDonald's Farm for quite some time and just recently has started singing Funky Town. LOL--I might be the one responsible for that. It is SO cute! When she says "talk about it, talk about it...." she for some reason develops an English accent so it's like "talk aboot it, talk aboot it".
She is potty training and so she sits on the potty and yells "BIG GIRL, GOOD JOB, SUCKER!" whether she has actually gone to the potty or not. Haha.
She loves to be outside and begs to swing 100x a day, regardless of rain, wind, sleet, etc. Must.swing.now.zomg!!!!!
She loves to give kisses. She and I have this thing where she kisses both of my cheeks and then my mouth and then I spin her around in a circle real fast at the end. She LOVES this. I love it too. :)
She is her Daddy's sidekick and likes to help him work on stuff. She loves for anyone to read to her. Right now she is hung on "Kitty Book" which is Katie and the Kittens.
I started taking her to a MDO program on Wednesday mornings so that she can get more kid interaction and she seems to really like going. The ladies there always brag on how cute and funny she is.
She surprises me all of the time with things that she says. Sentences that I've never heard her say before or like the other day in the car I was listening to KLove and I could hear her "singing" in the back seat. But the one word that I could make out very clearly was "Jesus" and she was saying it at exactly the time it was being said on the radio. Heart melted. Mind blown.
She is so smart. My mom has always worked with kids and she is amazed at the things that Isabel knows as a 2 year old. Letters, counting to 10, some colors, some shapes. I can drive by a family member's house and she will start yelling their name....and then flipping out if we don't stop and "go inside!!!!"
She's adorable and wild and she keeps me on my toes. My cup runneth over.

This weekend my parents took her to the rodeo for the first time. We're not big cowboys at my house so while she does have a couple pairs of boots, she didn't have a hat. Crisis averted. Thanks Nanny & Pop!

Our family pictures came back, here are a few for those of you who don't see my page on facebook.

The funny ones are my favorites of course. I like to keep it real. And when I said I would show you a few, I clearly meant 19.

Other happenings: I *think* we're getting a pool. My husband just all of a sudden decided he wants one real bad so he has been working on that idea. We'll see how it goes. I'll tell you one thing, if we get a pool in our yard, I am returning my "mom swimsuit" and buying well....probably another mom suit, but this one won't have a skirt. YES! A skirt. Sad deal. I actually found some one pieces that I love that are skirt free, but I am rocking some pretty gorgeous stretch marks at the tops of my thighs that haven't had time to fade, so tankini and skirt it is...but the tags are still on until further notice. I'll keep you posted. Alllll of you. ;-)

My Eva is crawling. So I've got a wild toddler and a crawling baby. Both of my girls are high energy. Ask anyone. So if you see me in public and my eyes are crossed and I am all jittery and drooling it's because I am busy yo. Real, real busy just keeping electric cords out of one kid's mouth and making the other one get down off of the pool table 1 trillion times a day. Why do we have a pool table anyway?

Taking a kidless day trip to Mt. Magazine this weekend to watch my husband and some friends run the 15k straight up the mountain. I plan on eating good food and laying out in the sun while they're acting a fool.

I'm still running. My Mom started training for a 5k (did I tell you this already?) so I am doing training with her a few times a week and then fitting in my own runs a couple times a week. I have another 5k next weekend and I really want to PR. Fingers crossed!

I think you're all caught up.

Happy Summer!

6 months!

2013-05-14T12:53:00.002-07:00

Eva is 6 months old today!

*She weighs 17.5 lbs (75%) and is 27.5 inches long (99%) and wears 6 months and 6-9 months in clothing. Size 2 diaper.

*Eyes are still bright blue and the very little hair that has grown back looks real light. Blonde maybe?

*Sleeps from about 9 p.m. until about 2 a.m., takes a bottle, and then goes back to sleep until about 8 a.m. Takes one long nap mid-morning and then a couple 30 min naps throughout the day.

*Is eating about five, 5 oz bottles throughout the day and eating one fruit and one veggie per day. Cereal in nighttime bottle and first bottle in the morning.

*She has started to talk! I hear "ba ba ba ba" and "ma ma ma ma" and lots of squealing, all day long! :)

*Gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth. Can go forward just by rocking that direction, but is not yet putting one leg in front of the other. Boy am I about to be busy! (er) Has started putting everything in her mouth, including her big toe! Drools constantly but no teeth yet.

*Loves bathtime and splashes all of the water out of her little whale tub. Loves her sister who she thinks is hilarious. Loves Momma!!! Likes being outside. Also loves eating food. I think she is about to starting wanting it more than milk!

*Happy all of the time. We are always hearing from strangers about how happy our baby is, especially here within the last month or so.

Time is flying and I think I say so every single update, but I still mean it. I cannot believe it's been 6 months of having this little girl in our life when it literally feels like we came home from the hospital last week! She has just been such a joyful addition to our lives and I'm so glad that God picked me to be her Mom. She is such a special little girl!

Making Changes: My Running Story

2013-05-09T05:27:00.001-07:00

First things first: This past month (4/8-5/8) I lost 8 lbs. This put me at a total of 24 lbs since January 8th. 24 down....16 to go!
I was pretty happy with this number ESPECIALLY since I didn't lose any last month. I still haven't measured to see how many inches I've lost. Maybe when I find that tape measure thing, I will be blown away! :)

A short version of my running story, because honestly the ONLY reason I am losing any weight is because of the running. My diet is still all over the place and I still have big plans to change it. lol

Let's see....on April 20th, I ran a 5k. It was my 3rd ever, but my 1st since having Eva. I did it in 31:47. If you're not a runner or don't run races anyway, what that time means is that I finished about right in the middle of everyone. It's not a bad time but it definitely can and will improve. More importantly I did NOT walk at all--and I never do in a 5k. That is always my ultimate goal. And then this past weekend (May 4th) I ran another 5k and my time was 31:30. Okay, that was an improvement, but what you need to know is that well before the race ever started I had allll of these people with gps watches telling me that the course was too long. Some friends of mine used their 5k app and showed me where the end should've been and it was WAY away from the finish line. I have no idea how this happened, but of course, when I hit that mark I looked at my time to see where I was: 29:00! Would have been a PR, but I'm not bitter or anything!!!!!!! (my fastest thus far is 29:52 from back in 2011)

Moving on....
Being a runner is a relative term I think. If you were to ask my friends and family who don't run if I am a "runner" I think they would say yes. If you were to ask my husband and some of my friends who are EXTREME runners, they might say yes, but they'd be rolling their eyes, I'm sure of it!
I didn't start running because I love it, I started because I had just had a baby (Isabel) and I needed to shed the weight. I did it because I am surrounded by runners and I wanted to relate. And you know what? The training is about as much fun as plucking my eyelashes out one by one. I have to force myself to get up in the mornings and go run. I'm always happier when I do and I always feel better about myself, but getting there is a chore. Standing at a start line waiting on a gun to go off so I can start running a 5k with hundreds of people all around me is nervewracking but exciting and halfway through the race I am always like "whyyyyy??????", but immediately after I finish I feel great and I am looking for another one to sign up for! And now because I have been making myself get up off of my butt and go run, I am sitting here today at 9 lbs under my pre baby weight (with Eva) and waiting on my husband and kids to wake up so that I can see them before I go shopping for a new pair of jeans because folks--there is nothing better than bagging up all of your fat jeans and taking them to the resale store!!!! And that's what I am going to do on this rainy Thursday (and yes I ran at 6 a.m. this morning.) :)

My goal for the year was to run four 5k's. I have 2 under my belt and I am registered for 2 more coming up in June and then August. Looks like for once I am actually going to stick to a fitness related goal! Ha! There are 2 more in the Fall that I plan to run, so here's to blowing my 5k goal out of the water!

Isabel is 2!!!

2013-04-22T20:53:00.002-07:00

My sweet, tiny baby turned 2 yesterday!

Today was her 2 year checkup. She weighs a whopping 25 lbs and is 33 inches long. 25% tile on both. My petite little girl. She wears size 18-24 months in clothes and a size 5.5 shoe, which is impossible to find, so we buy 6 and that is close enough! :) Size 4 diaper and size 2t in panties. Yes, we have tackled potty training! So far it's going pretty well I think. I can sit her on the potty any time of the day and she will pee. She strains real hard and makes it happen so she can have a sucker! Haha! She will also pee pee in the potty at my parents' house, but she is not to the point where she will tell me when she needs to go so when I put her in panties they last about 17 minutes before I get to clean up a mess, but hey--we'll get there! We get very excited for pee pees in the potty around here! Ha!

She takes one nap a day and it is normally around noon or so (if we're home) and usually lasts around 2 hours. She goes to bed at 8:30 p.m. and usually wakes up around 7:30 a.m.--most nights without a peep, but once or twice a week we will have off nights where she wakes up a couple of times and I go pick her up and hold her for like 2 minutes and she goes back to sleep.

Eating (or lack thereof): I've heard of the 2 year eating slump and I guess we're there. Actually we've been there for a few months. My kid loves to snack. I can usually get her to sit down and have breakfast in the morning (oatmeal, toast, cereal bars, pop tarts, pancakes, something of that nature) and course she has her morning cup of milk. I usually give her a mid-morning snack that can be anything from string cheese or yogurt to goldfish crackers or raisins. Snacking is her favorite. Lunch is iffy. Normally she is napping during the normal lunch time so she doesn't attempt lunch until around 2 pm or so. This seems to be the hardest time to get her to eat anything. She has just woke up and she wants to play. She cannot be bothered with food! So she usually snacks some more, whatever she can eat on the go that is halfway healthy and then she eats dinner with Daddy when he gets home and by eating dinner I mean takes 3 bites of whatever I put on her plate and then wants "down...play!" or "down, take bath!!!". I asked her doctor about her not eating and just all around tiny-ness and he said she is healthy and acting like a normal toddler. It does help that she drinks a TON of whole milk. I don't limit it at all, I just try to squeeze some water in whenever I can. Occasionally I will mix Carnation Instant Breakfast in with her milk for extra nutrition and it makes me feel like a good parent. ;)

Favorites: Being outside alllll of the time, swinging, riding the 4-wheeler with Daddy or me, playing in the dirt or water or BOTH, bathtime, "watch Elmo", "watch Dragons" (How to Train Your Dragon), raisins (I hear this request 72 times a day), her flash cards that have colors, numbers, & shapes on them, coloring, reading books, writing with an ink pen, marker, chalk...whatever she can get her hands on, "butter" (peanut butter), playing in my makeup, running, singing, "BAR!" (NutraGrain bar), Pop Tarts (wish I had never introduced her to them)

Not favorites: teeth brushing, sitting still for more than 5 seconds at a time, being told no about anything, coming inside our house after playing outside, the electric can opener, the vaccuum, the blender ZOMG!!!!

She is talking so much. Just in the past couple of months it is starting to become more like short sentences and not just one word phrases. There is still jibberish and I hope that sticks around for a while longer because it makes me happy, but about 90% of the time I know exactly what she is saying and she knows exactly what I am saying, even if she is choosing to pretend like she doesn't. :)

There are entirely too many words to list but some of my fave phrases: "in there"...examples: milk in there, blankie in there, Daddy in there....except it sounds like "in derr" so it's 4 trillion times cuter than I can type it. She also says "Daddy at work", "Momma's car", "Ssshhh Eva", "baby suck bottle", lots lots more! My little genius! ;) Speaking of, she knows all 26 letters of the alphabet (even when out of order)and can recognize them and tell me what sound they make and a word that starts with that sound. Not joking. She has been doing this for a few months actually. I would like to take credit for that, but she learned it from a Leap Frog video. True story.

She knows how to say several colors and shapes and can identify a few of each. She can count to 5. She just amazes me all of the time with little things she picks up on.

She sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" but it goes like this..."Tinkle Tinkle Tinkle Starrrrrrr" She skips the next verse and then it goes "Apple Apple Apple High" (up above the world so high) and that's the end. Haha.

She also sings parts of "Old McDonald". She sings "EIEIO" in all of the right places and says "Moo Moo derr, Moo Moo derr" and "Donald Donald Donald!!!!" Sigh. So stinking cute.

I have rambled a lot. To sum it up, my kid turned 2 way too fast and I am crazy about her and she is just a healthy, happy, spoiled rotten little girl and I am so thankful to God that he allowed me to be her Mom.

5 months!

2013-04-14T20:08:00.002-07:00

Eva Jasmine you are 5 months old today!!!!

*Size 2 diaper, size 3-6 months and 6 months in clothes. Feet too tiny for shoes! I don't know what you currently weigh right now, but I'd guess about 16 lbs.

*You still sleep like a dream and this past month your sister has been too. I won't lie--we haven't been up before 8 a.m. in 3 days. LOVE THAT!!! I don't feel like you're really on a schedule with your napping. I let you nap when you choose to do so and so far that is working out for us because you're still sleeping at night. I'll try to get a stricter schedule going when necessary. You still go to bed around 9 p.m. and wake up around 7:30-8:30 a.m. Maybe once a week you'll wake up in the middle of the night and I will feed you a bottle and you will go back to sleep. Mom's all over the blogosphere are freaking out!!! Haha. I'm not sorry. At 5 months old if you want a dang bottle, you can have one.

*Eating: you take 5-6 oz every 4-ish hours in the daytime and then like I said above, you normally sleep through the night without eating. We started solids this month and you have tried all of the 1st Foods except for squash. No reason other than I just haven't grabbed it out of the pantry yet. You really seem to like sweet potatoes, bananas, apples, peas, & carrots. You just tolerate prunes, pears and green beans. You are a good little eater. So far I have been giving you one fruit or veg a day, but I think we're about to bump up to a fruit in the morning and a veg in the evening.

*You are rolling everywhere! Full speed ahead! I try to lay you on a quilt in the living room floor and you immediately roll right off of it. I'm pretty sure it's on purpose. You somewhat like your toys, but you'd just as soon shove your taggie or a receiving blanket in your mouth and play with that. You like the paci, but you don't love it NEAR as much as your sister did. You love your Momma so much that sometimes you feel like you need to have an emotional breakdown when she lays you down, only to smile immediately and stop crying as soon as she picks you back up. Stinker. You are pretty much too big for your bouncer now. When I put you in there you push off with your feet and your head hangs over the top, lol. You're not big enough for the walker though. We tried that one out too. You want to sit up and never ever lay down unless you're sleepy. If I lay you on the floor you just pick that head up like you're trying to sit up. I give it about another month before you're sitting up unassisted.

*You are still so happy and smiley 99% of the time. That other 1%....INTENSE. I blame your Daddy for giving you and your sister these tempers! Seriously!

*You are slobbery and want to gnaw on everyone's hands right now. I keep feeling for teeth, but I don't feel any trying to break through.

*You still love bathtime and you like for your Dad and me to make ridiculous noises and "bite" at your belly. I could listen to your little laugh forever and never ever get tired of it. So sweet.

Love you so much little girl!!!!!

Making Changes: I cheated and it didn't help!

2013-04-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

I've been weighing in on the 8th of every month and posting afterward. On April 7th, I consumed everything on planet Earth that was bad for me...so I skipped the weigh-in post for that day....but honestly, I weighed anyway because that's what I do. And you know what? I wasn't up any, but I wasn't down any either. And I hadn't been...I already knew.

I was pretty frustrated with this. I'm not sure why...I mean, I diet about 3 days a week and eat crap for 4 so it's not hard to understand why my weight isn't changing very fast. Except that in the past month, I have gone down 1.5 pant sizes. (I'm in between sizes at the moment). Sooo, I'm guessing that I am down some inches. I am going to try to measure tomorrow and see. I have been running 2-3 miles, 3 times a week and so I guess that's what is making the pant sizes go down. I just need to see that scale move. I need to.

Today, I'm down one more pound. I keep *thinking* that I will get brave enough to post my weights or at least pant sizes. I think the farther I get away from that starting number, the braver I will be. I get like 15 hits on average per post, so the idea that even 15 people will read it makes me sweaty. lol
Nevertheless, you guys need some sort of a picture evidence right?

I'm clearly on the right. This is the day we left the hospital with Eva. Roughly 27 hours after I birthed her.

This is on Easter and it's not my most flattering picture, but it's the most recent and I'm standing somewhat in the same position as above.

The difference in these 2 pictures is 29 lbs.

I think I've said this every time, but slowly but surely seems to be the motto here.

Next Saturday is my 5k. My 3rd ever and 1st since having Eva. Originally I wanted to PR, but now I am just shooting to beat 30 minutes. Training with one baby was hard you guys...training with two and a husband who works insane hours....even tougher. I'll get there. I can already run the 3.1 miles without stopping, I would just like to get that pace under a 10 minute mile. Maybe by the end of Summer, I will. It's a goal!

Thanks for bearing with me while I ramble on about things that are only important to me. Haha.

Coming soon--my tiny baby turns 5 months old, and then the very next week my other tiny baby turns 2 years old! I can hardly believe either!!!!!

4 months!

2013-03-14T20:12:00.001-07:00

Eva, you are 4 months old today!!!!

*You are somewhere around 15 lbs. Your appointment is not for a couple of weeks, but this was what our scales at home say. I have no idea on length, but you are long. No doubt about that. You wear 3-6 months in everything but footed sleepers and you are in a 6 months in those for length. You wear a size 2 diaper. I bought you some 3-6 month shoes for Easter and they swallowed your tiny feet, so you won't be wearing those for a few more months. Both of my girls have tiny feet for their age and I have no idea how, because I wear a 10 and my husband wears an 11.5!

*You have lost most of the hair you started out with, but what's left is dark brown. I think your hair will be darker than your sisters, but who knows? Your eyes are still bright gorgeous blue. Your sister's were too until about 6 or 7 months and then they turned into a pretty green color. You have a big toothless smile and I love to see it!

*You have been such a happy little thing all this time, but this week has taken another turn, lol. We went to a birthday party this past weekend and you screamed the entire time. Seriously, for like an hour. I know you were having some gas issues so I'm sure that combined with the noise of 7 kids running around and screaming just flipped you out. And then yesterday your Daddy and I left you and Isabel with your grandparents for a date night and we were late leaving because you would not stop screaming for anyone but me. Goodness. Momma's girl perhaps?

*You still sleep great. Go down about 9 p.m. and *most nights* sleep until about 7 a.m. A couple of nights this week you have woken up around 1:30 a.m., taken a bottle and went right back to sleep. I think we have hit the mark for where you need more than just milk to keep you full. The past few days I have given you some cereal in your night bottle and then today we gave you a few bites of sweet potatoes for the first time. I think you like the taste, but you kept spitting part of it out just because you don't have that eating from a spoon thing figured out yet. :) You'll get there.

Other than that you eat about five, 5-6 oz bottles a day.

*You started rolling from back to belly about 2 weeks ago. I cannot lay you down without you immediately flipping to your belly....and then fussing because you can't get flipped back over. Haha. You haven't mastered belly to back yet. You have started to really like holding on to stuff like your taggie, toys, blankets, my hair!!!!!....etc. You like to cram stuff in your mouth--especially your thumb!!! You're just so-so about a paci, but you will trade one for your thumb any day!

*You have started to "talk" quite a bit. It's more like a shrill squeal and some growling, but you are smiling while doing it. :) So.dang.cute. You also have the funniest little laugh. You have started laughing quite a bit the past few weeks. And you are so ticklish!!!

*You love baths! Love them! So funny to watch you kick your legs and splash.

It's been an amazing 4 months with you in our lives, baby girl. Can't believe I get to keep you forever! :)

Edit: At your appointment you weighed 15.0 lbs and were 25 inches long. 70%tile on both. :)

Making Changes: An Update

2013-03-09T20:25:00.003-08:00

This is going to be short and sweet because we've had a rough week at our house with sick kids and such and I am TIRED and ready for bed!

Yesterday was the 8th, aka time for a weigh in. This past month I lost 6 lbs for a total of 16 lbs since Jan 8th. This also put me at 1 lb under my pre-baby weight and leaves me at 24 more lbs to go for my goal. Or 29.....we'll see how the 24 looks and feels. :)

Slowly but surely, folks.

My goal is to post before and "during" pictures for next time (April 8). And MAYBE if I am feeling brave I'll talk pant sizes. I'm talking real real brave.

Happy Weekend!

The PROOF!

2013-02-28T20:52:00.000-08:00

I was ready for a change with this blog. I thought about starting a new one and making it more public (i.e. posting the link on facebook) but I decided against it. I don't link up now, because of all of my infertility posts, which ultimately is why I started the blog in the first place. It's not top secret stuff--I mean it's the worldwide web that I've posted it on, but something about begging my high school acquaintances to read about my lady parts just doesn't feel right. Anyway, this blog was great for networking with other women who were struggling with infertility as well, and I am so grateful to know your stories. I still keep up with you all and I still pray for you all. I'm still technically "infertile", as in my husband and I have a 1% chance of actually conceiving children au natural (it takes a lot of science, people!), but I'm not in the same place that I was a few years ago either. Obviously we've been able to bring a couple of wonderful little miracles into this world. I'd love for all of you to continue reading, but I understand if you do not. Moving on...

King & Country have a song out that I am in love with right now. If you listen to Christian radio, you've probably heard it, but if not here you go--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-2dKOfbC9c

The lyrics....ahhh, they are just SO good. Anyway, I'm obsessed with the song and the band, and the verse that King & Country built the song around. And here it is:

1 Corinthians 13:1-13: "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

I am a perfect example of imperfection. (see what I did there?) I mess up daily. I question God's plan almost as often. I try to rush him. I want things to happen when I want them. I put him on the back burner. I get lazy about reading my Bible. I sin. I have to ask for forgiveness every.single.day. But you know what? I get that forgiveness. I am forgiven. And I hope that when people look at my life they see the PROOF that God is always working on me. And boy am I thankful for that, because there is a LOT of work to be done.

So, I've made some changes to by blog. Because....well, it was just time. :)

And here are some pictures for you, just in case you need PROOF that God has been good to me.

3 months!

2013-02-14T19:23:00.001-08:00

Eva Jasmine, you are 3 months old today! Happy Valentines Day!

*You weigh 13 lbs and are around 23.5 inches long. You are wearing some 3 month clothing, but mostly 3-6 months. Size 2 diaper.
*You still eat about every 3 hours in the daytime and you take 4-5 ounces at each bottle. At night you take a bottle around 9pm and then I put you to bed and I don't hear a peep out of you until anywhere from 5-7 a.m. After I feed you that morning bottle, you normally go back to sleep until around 8 a.m. I cannot believe my luck with your sleeping habits! The nurse at your doctor's office was in shock! I know it won't last forever, you will have bad sleeping phases too....but I am still so happy that you sleep so well for now and you have been doing this since you were about a month old.
*You love your bouncer, your playmat and taking baths! You are still SO happy all of the time. The only time we hear you cry is if we are late getting a bottle to you (you love to eat) or if you are having some tummy issues. You are the happiest, sweetest little thing!!!! You are getting to where you want to be held more. There for awhile you were more content to lay out and stretch, but now you prefer to be held more. I can deal with that! ;)
*If I lay you on your back, you will flip up on your side but you haven't flipped all the way to your belly. When we do tummy time, you grunt a lot and move your head from side to side, but you don't seem to have any desire to flip over. In all honesty, I need to lay you on your belly more. Having a wild toddler in the house makes this a little more difficult. You however, have GREAT neck control. You like to sit up in my lap and I can hold you around the waist and you hold your head up and look around for the longest time before you start to get a little wobbly with the neck.
*You smile and laugh all of the time. It is SO cute!!!! You have the biggest toothless grin!
*We're still trying to decide who you look like. If you are sitting in a room with your sister, you two look nothing alike. BUT, some of your facial expressions are dead on to what hers are. In some pictures you two also look alike. Some people think you look like me. No one thinks you look like your Dad....except for those ears. :)
*Your eyes are still bright blue and you still have *some* dark brown hair. You have the good ol' waller line in the back that looks like a little old man, but you still have quite a bit of hair at the top of your neckline and on the back of your crown. It's pretty thin in the front. Not a whole lot there.
*This month you got RSV. :( So sad. You just have this little wheezy cough and a stopped up nose. One of your ears was red like it was on the verge of infection, probably due to the RSV so you have been on antibiotics and albuterol. If it weren't for the coughing I would have had NO idea that you were sick. You still sleep like a champ and haven't even fussed like you feel bad. But oh that coughing....so so sad. :(

I'm sure I'll say this every month, but I cannot believe it's already been 3 months. It makes me want to cry. I feel like we've been home from the hospital for MAYBE a month. We LOVE LOVE LOVE you so much little girl. Thank you God, for bringing this sweet girl into our lives.

Sick kids and making changes.

2013-02-08T21:19:00.001-08:00

This post was just going to be called "Making Changes". It was going to be my update about where I am with my non-resolutions and what all I am doing to try and accomplish those goals. But....

My kids have been sick. Isabel (as I already posted) has had ear infections and she is set up to get tubes put in on Feb 28th. I asked around. Should we stay local or should we go to ACH in Little Rock? Our Pediatrician referred us to a local doctor and I spoke to another friend whose baby had tubes put in by him. She had nothing but positive things to say about it. I spoke to another friend who took her kid to LR to have his tubes done--nothing but positive things to say about that as well. Really the only "bad" tube story that I have heard came from my husband who heard it from a guy at work and I don't know what doctor they used, but it was not ours and his story seemed a little far fetched. SO....today as I took Baby #2 to her appointment (more on that in a minute) I decided to ask our Pediatrician why he chose locally vs. LR. His answer: ACH is a "learning hospital", meaning that any sort of minor surgery (tubes, adenoids, tonsils, etc) is done by a resident while the attending observes. First thing that popped into my mind--Grey's Anatomy! The local doctor that he referred us to has literally done hundreds of tubes on babies and HE does them, not someone he is training. That was enough for me to be secure in my decision to stay local. But even beyond that, he said that the drive home from LR (3 hours) is rough on a baby who has just had the surgery AND if there were a complication down the road that we would be 3 hours away from the doctor who would need to fix it. Makes sense to me! I'm not in any way saying that ACH is the wrong decision, I just needed to feel good about the situation that we are in and there you have it. Now I'll just pray a lot. :)

Why was I at the doctor with Baby #2? Starting Tuesday night, Eva started coughing a little. It was sporadic and I didn't think a whole lot about it. Then Wed it picked up a little and I noticed her nose was a little runny. I called our Ped nurse and she said to give her a tiny little dose of Dimetapp every 6 hours and see what that did. It did nothing. So last night she coughed all night long. Sad, tiny little baby coughs. She didn't cry. She still slept through the night other than to cough and go back to sleep. This morning she would cough and then gasp for air and also she went from taking 4-5 ounces each bottle to taking 1-3 ounces. So, I polled facebook as any other good Mom would do, haha, and got 40 different answers (of course) so I just decided to take her in. Better safe than sorry! Turns out I'm not that paranoid and my kid is actually sick. RSV sick! Goodness. Her ear was on the verge of an infection as well, so we were given prescriptions for antibiotics and for albuterol to help her breathe. Sad deal.

February has not been kind to my babies.

In other news, and what I originally wanted to post about. Back in December I made a list of "things" that I wanted to accomplish in the new year. Not resolutions....I don't like resolutions. Sure, I think it's important to set goals for yourself and work to acheive them, but a resolution implies that they need to start Jan 1st and when I decide to start/stop something on Jan 1st, you better believe that I will have failed by Jan 2nd! So....some things I started working on in December. Some things I said I was going to start in December, I did not, but actually started in January. Some things I still need to start, lol. But ONE of those things, of course, was getting my body back in shape.

First, let me just say a few things about this. My body has been put through the ringer in the past 3 years. I started off like a science experiment trying to get pregnant. Then, I did get pregnant and carried a baby full term, had a natural birth and by natural I mean the V word. And that baby was big. And then I lost the 35 lbs that I gained that pregnancy only to get pregnant again when Isabel was 10 months old. And only after once again being a science experiement. And then I carried THAT baby to full term and birthed her v...naturally and she was also pretty good sized. Nevertheless, I have quite a bit of work to do and I need to cut my poor body some slack--she's been good to me.

After Isabel was born, the pregnancy weight just fell off. I did nothing to help it along--it just went. I think I held on to the last 5 lbs for about 3 months before it came off, but I was literally in my pre-preg jeans when Iz was 3 weeks old. With Eva, nope. Nope, nope, nope. Probably because she is my second. And maybe also because I had her 1 week before Thanksgiving in which I ate a lot. And then came December and I had a birthday and I ate a lot. And then came Christmas and I ate a lot....notice a pattern? So my "goal" to lose all of the baby weight (37 lbs) by my 6 week checkup....well, that did not happen at all.

I've said all of this to say: I actually started dieting/exercising on January 8th and 1 month later (Feb 8th) I have lost 10 lbs. I'm nowhere near ready to post my actual weight but I will break it down like this: I checked into the hospital to have Eva with my extra 37 lbs. When I left the hospital I had lost 12 of it. (25 lbs left) After that, 10 more lbs came off within the next couple of weeks--you know, water weight and such. (15 lbs left) and then since 1/8/13 I have lost another 10 lbs, meaning that I still have 5 lbs of pregnancy weight to go. Eva will be 3 months old on Valentines Day, it would be nice to have it gone by then. And thennnnn......I have another 25 that I want to lose by Mother's Day. It will be tough, but I think that is a realistic goal.

This post is a novel. Soon, I will post about what I am doing to lose it. And also some other changes I am working on. And ideally I want to start posting on the 8th of every month to note my weight loss and keep me accountable by all of you thousands of viewers. :)
Not tonight though. I'm sleepy.

Double Doctor's Appointment!

2013-02-03T12:55:00.000-08:00

Friday we finally got in for Eva's 2 month checkup. She weighed 13.0 lbs (95%tile) and was 23.5 inches long (75%tile). I can't remember what her head measurement was, but it was in the 90%tile. She was perfectly healthy and definitely getting enough to eat. ;)
I did ask him about a little rash that she has on her neck, and it turned out to be a yeast rash. Basically she hides a lot of moisture down in those neck rolls and it caused a little rash to grow. We got some cream for it and it already is starting to go away.
She did really well with her shots and only cried for maybe 20 seconds. Her sister got upset because she was crying, so I had both of them crying for a bit...but other than that it was not bad at all.

Isabel had to see the pediatrician too, but not for a checkup. This girl's nose has been POURING for a week. I feared she might have another ear infection and boy was I right--in both ears! So we are set up to meet with the ENT next week for a pre-op for tubes. Ultimately it's my choice on whether to do them or not, but her doc recommends it and I don't want her to keep getting ear infections! So as any other Mom would feel, I'm nervous about her being put under, but I know that the tubes should help keep her from getting ear infections every few months like she has been. :( In the meantime, she is on antibiotics and cold medicine.

This weekend I was supposed to have a girls night on Saturday night and then go to my parents' house for the Super Bowl (JT worked all weekend), and had to cancel both. My sister in law also got baptized at church this morning and we missed that too! Not only is Isabel sick, but my Mom has some sort of a stomach virus. Talk about an unfavorable weekend! Ha!
The weather is nice right now and I need to GET OUT of this house, so I think I am going to take the girls to the park after Isabel wakes up from her nap. Hoping to put that double stroller to use and walk off some of the M&M's that I've been poking down my throat all day.

I'm planning to do a post next week about my post body progress and some other changes I've been working on.

That's all for now!