Our Life In Words

2009 Surveys

2010-01-01T22:55:00.000-05:00

39 Questions

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?

Got pregnant, quit my job, let my sister move in with me, and had a baby!

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Scrub the Walls-CHECK
Assemble Luke's cradle-CHECK
Get my hair trimmed by-monthly-NOPE! (more like 3x all year!)
Bathe the dogs monthly-NOPE! (more like 5x all year!)
Lose weight-CHECK (I was 193 when I got preggo in Feb. & 175 at the end of December!)
Grade papers in a timely manner-NOPE!
Get pregnant-CHECK

So 4/7 isn't too bad!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Well, I did, but so did all of my DIN (due in Nov.) DS mamas!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, I was very blessed and didn't suffer any losses this year!

5. What countries did you visit?

None

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

More money!

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Oct. 18, 2009--Luke's birthday!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting pregnant & having Luke (notice a theme yet?)

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not losing more weight before getting pregnant.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I got the swine flu the week before Luke was born...other than that my pregnancy kept me pretty healthy!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Everything we bought for Luke.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Tim's--for being such a great & supportive husband & dad!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Hmm..I don't know other than things I can't mention here...

14. Where did most of your money go?

Food, electricity, gas, and Luke.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Luke!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

I don't know that any song will remind me of this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. Happier or sadder? A million times happier, I was TTC a month after a loss this time last year.
II. Thinner or fatter? Actually thinner, I lost quite a bit since Luke was born!
III. Richer or poorer? Poorer--I quit my job!

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Relaxed before Luke was born...said no to people!

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sitting around doing NOTHING.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
This year (2010) it will be spent here with Tim's family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yep!

22. How many one-night stands?
None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
We discovered Dexter this year & I learned to like Sopranos.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, I can honestly say I don't hate anybody.

25. What was the best book you read?
The Twilight Saga

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I don't really have one..

27. What did you want and get?
To be pregnant and have a baby!

28. What did you want and not get?
A natural birth. I had to have a c-section.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Up.

20. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 26 in a very uneventful way this year...Tim stayed home & we slept in. We also went to Disney on Ice with my Girl Scouts.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to have the birth experience I wanted.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Maternity wear - comfortable and stylish~

33. What kept you sane?
My husband and Zoloft.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
None

36. Who did you miss?
My mom

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Luke

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Breastfeeding is worth every single minute of struggle!

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"Unforgettable, in every way."-Unforgettable by Nat King Cole

Stolen from A-Priori Mommy

Best Event: Luke's birth

Best Movie: Up

Best Over-Played Song: The country one about Juliet

Best Book: The Twilight Saga

Best New-ity of 09: Luke!

Most Shocking News of 09: Getting pregnant!

Events of 2009 in no particular order:
1. BFP!
2. Quit teaching
3. Our third anniversary
4. Chrissy & Carolynn moved in
5. Luke was born
6. Tyler moved in
7. Luke's firsts--Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years

And the biggie-I tried to work on all year:

JANUARY 2009

1. Who did you kiss on new years?

Tim

2. Did you have a new year's resolution this year?

Yep, bunches of them. The biggest two were to lose weight & get pregnant.

3. Does it snow where you live?

Rarely

4. Do you like hot chocolate?

Yes, especially when I'm sick or cold.

FEBRUARY 2009

1. Who was your Valentine?

Tim of course

2. When you were little did you buy Valentine's for the whole class?

yes

3. Do you care if the groundhog sees its shadow or not?

nope & I couldn't tell you if it did or not!

4. What did you get for Valentines?

I don't think we did anything. We were very busy that month getting pregnant...

MARCH 2009

1. Are you Irish?

Nope, Italian!

2. Do you wear green every year on St. Patrick's Day?

No, but I did wear my light up button at work!

3. What did you do for St. Patty's Day in 2009?

Nothing, other than wear my button.

4. Are you happy when winter is pretty much over?

Oh heck yes.

APRIL 2009

1. Do you like the rain?

No.

2. Did you play an April fool's joke on anyone this year?

No.

3. Do you get tons of candy on Easter?

No, we only bought a few things. One of them was Fun Dip. I was seriously craving fun dip!

4. Do you "love" the month of April?

No, why would I?

MAY 2009

1. What is your favorite flower?

Daisies

2. Finish the phrase "April showers":

Bring May flowers? is there another ending?

3. Do you celebrate May 24th:

No, what is it?

4. Is May anything special to you?

Nope. School's almost out & SOL testing was a pain in the butt, this past year.

JUNE 2009

1. What did you do for Fathers Day?

Got Tim a card, and went to Tom and Peggy's

2. Did you do anything fun during this month?

Not that I recall

3. Have a favorite baseball team?

Nope

JULY 2009

1. What did you do on the 4th of July?

Neither of us can remember. I think Tim ran sound...we were busy I recall but not w/ holiday stuff.

2. Did you go to the fireworks?

No.

3. Do you tan in the day?

Not this year. I wore SPF 55 all summer...

AUGUST 2009

1. Did you do anything fun to end the summer?

I had day-care kids in August, so we did lots of stuff. I also spent 2 weeks on bed-rest.

2. What was your favorite memory of summer?

Feeling my baby move in my tum-tum!

3. Did you have a sunburn?

Nope

4. Did you go to the pool a lot?

Nope, like 4 times all summer!

SEPTEMBER 2009

1. Were you attending school?

No.

2. Do you like fall better than summer?

No.

3. Anything special about September to you?

My baby showers! Sept. 5 in PA & Sept. 20 in VA

OCTOBER 2009

1. What was your last Halloween costume?

Nothing and we didn't even really celebrate!

2. What is your favorite candy?

Reese's Peanut Butter cups but I can't eat them since I have given up nuts until I'm done BFing

3. What is your favorite thing about this month?

Luke's birthday!! Oct 18

NOVEMBER 2009

1. Whose house do you go to for Thanksgiving?

This year we went to Tom and Peggy's, in 2010 we'll be wherever Mom and Dad are

2. What is your favorite thing about November?

Election day--how dorky is that

3. Do you wish on the wish bone?

Not since I was a little kid!

DECEMBER 2009

1. Do you celebrate Christmas? Yes!!!

2. What are you thankful for?

Luke

3. Get anything special last year?

My parents got me the Willow Tree nativity with a handbuilt creche!

4. What do you want this year?

Luke to be happy!

5. Where did you begin 2010?

At home, on the couch, kissing my hubs and holding our baby in our arms!

Body After Baby 2010

2009-12-29T21:22:00.001-05:00

This year I'll be participating in Body After Baby 2010!

I'm excited to get to participate in this challenge in order to reach my weight loss goal!

My goal is to lose about 40 lbs before January 2011. It is important to me to lose this weight because I would like to start trying to conceive our second child then & I know I won't be able to conceive or carry a baby in anything less than top physical condition. I'd love to try for a VBAC (even though my c-section wasn't bad) and I know I'll need a lot of stomach/abdominal muscles in order to make that safe.

My plan is to start daily walks with Carolynn & Luke, get on my Wii Fit at least 3 times a week, and eat healthier while drinking more water.

I still need to:

--Take my "before" pictures and measurements before the new year starts.
--Participate in the weekly Meme on Wednesdays.

Wish me luck!

Friend Making Monday

2009-12-28T18:28:00.000-05:00

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Hmm....what are my resolutions for the coming year.

Well, before I can answer that question I have to think about what 2010 will be bringing for us.

Jan 18-Luke will be 3 months old
Jan 23-Tim and I will have been together 6 years
Feb 18-Luke will be 4 months old
March 18-Luke will be 5 months old
April 4-Luke's first Easter
April 18-Luke will be 6 months old
May 18-Luke will be 7 months old
June 14-Tim's 28th birthday
June 18-Luke will be 8 months old
End of June-Chrissy & her kids are hopefully moving out
July 7-Carolynn's 3rd birthday
July 18-Luke will be 9 months old
Aug. 5-Our fourth anniversary
Aug. 18 Luke will be 10 months old
Sept. 18-Luke will be 11 months old
Sept. 25-My 27th birthday
Oct. 18-Luke's first birthday
Nov. 18-Luke will be 13 months old
Nov. 25-Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania
Dec. 18-Luke will be 14 months old (talk to doctor about TTC)

So, I would like to get into shape before Jan 2011. That's when we plan on starting to TTC our next baby. Luke will be 15 months old & I need to be in top physical shape so I can have a successful VBAC. I weight about 180 right now & my "ideal" weight is 140 so I've got 40 lbs to lose. That's 1.25 lbs a week or 3.33 lbs a month. It would be great if I lost it faster, but I don't want to set an unrealistic goal. The ways I plan to achieve this goal are walking with Luke & Carolynn daily, getting on my Wii Fit as often as possible, and watching what I eat.

I'd like to get our finances worked out a little better so that by Luke's birthday in October we can have a SMASHING first birthday party. Mark your calendars Oct. 16, 2010--party day! I want to get him a Thomas the Train table and lots of Thomas accessories. The ways we plan to make this goal possible include paying off my car (with our tax return) or getting rid of it, managing our finances/budget even better, and cutting our grocery and gas bills.

I think those are my only resolutions. What are yours?

Sunday Update- 7 & 8 & 9 Weeks Old

2009-12-16T22:48:00.001-05:00

Week 7
Mon. Nov. 30
Another "smile" caught on camera! It's hard to catch the actual smile--but I promise you, he has a nice big grin!

Luke and I spent most of the day getting Tim's oil changed at Priority Toyota. I used my Bjorn carrier & was able to nurse him at the dealership.

Tues. Dec. 1
Melanie came over during the day. She took care of Luke while I showered & then we went to Greenbrier Mall so she could buy ballet shoes for the girls. Afterwards, I had my 6 week doctor's appointment.

I got stuck in Virginia Beach because there was an accident that closed down one of the major bridges. I went and visited with my old neighbor's on Lineberry Rd. and then went to Tom & Peggy's for a while.

Luke even gave Peggy some smiles!

Weds. Dec. 2

I guess we did nothing important!!

Thurs. Dec. 3
Finally napping on a nest of pillows!

Tyler and Luke, snuggling before bed. Tony is so cute--every night he asks to hold the baby at least 2 or 3 times!

Fri. Dec. 4
Laura drove down from Pennsylvania & came to visit around 4. We spent a couple hours chit-chatting while she visited with Luke.

Mom, Dad, and Frankie drove down from Pennsylvania. They got in around 7. I made hamburgers, gravy, French fries and something else for dinner. We all ate dinner & Mom & Dad took turns visiting with Luke.

Sat. Dec. 5
We had dinner at Amanda's house for Tony's birthday.

Sun. Dec. 6
Luke's baptism. We had a great day! We got up early to make it to church on time. Luke's baptism went well, he didn't even cry! He looked absolutely darling in his outfit! Afterwards, we made breakfast for 16 people. We had breakfast casserole, bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast. Mom, Dad, Frankie, and Laura all had to leave right after breakfast. Chrissy and Amanda headed out pretty early too. James and Missy hung around and visited until about 3. It was nice to get to spend some quiet alone time in our house, with our friends, just relaxing! After they headed home, we started getting ready to go to Va Beach. We went to dinner with Tom and Peggy at Max and Erma's. It was so-so.

Week 8

Mon. Dec. 7

Tim was off. Tony was home too. I did laundry & "sunned" my diapers. Luke fits into small SBBs now. It's sad, he's growing SO fast! We went 16 hours without using any bottles!

Tues. Dec. 8

I had a huge day--it's easiest to just copy & paste from Diaperswappers, so here ya go:
Pump
Shower & get dressed
Go w/ my sister to get my nephew in school
Girl Scout Council to do paperwork & visit MIL
Subway (MIL took me out to lunch)
Water Store
Take fliers to school for Girl Scouts
Visit w/ Teacher friends
Get gas & nurse
Call Girl Scout parents (from car)
Food Lion for groceries
Home to unload it all & get ready for Scouts
Girl Scouts
Drive-thru at Wendy's
Dinner @ home

Weds. Dec. 9

We were up early (7 am) to get ready to go to an IEP (special ed.) meeting for my nephew's new school. He's going to school in my city now.

The meeting dtarted at 9 & I got there at 9:20. Oopsie!!

In my defense, I accidentally felted a cashmerino baby blanket & I spent a bit of time blocking it out on the drying rack to try to save it.

We both got washed & dressed early though which was nice.

The meeting went until almost 10:30. Afterwards, I straightened up my room while Luke napped. Around 12 my sister headed to work, leaving me to babysit Caro for the first time since Luke was born.

I fed Luke & then laid down to nap w/ him. I told Caro to either color (at the foot of my bed) or sleep w/ us.

I woke up @ 1 & she was still asleep! I mixed up brownie mix and then Luke woke up.

Thurs. Dec. 10--See Post

Fri. Dec. 11-

Today was a good day, over all, I guess. Since I was out of the house all day yesterday, I ate WAY too much stuff that had milk in it & I dealt w/ the consequences of my actions all morning. Poor Luke was so sick and upset and cranky. It was after 11 am before he crashed & I got a shower.

He took a nice afternoon nap, while Tyler (suspended after a day & a half!!) Carolynn, and I took him grocery shopping. We went to WM and got some groceries & 4 outfits for Luke. (3 of the Carter's $8 fleece sets & 1 organic cotton jogging outfit)

I made rice & gravy for dinner. Chrissy, Mandy, Tony, Tim, Carolynn, and I all helped to decorate the Christmas tree. It's so pretty! We went with purple this year, so that I could use my pretty purple lights that Chrissy bought me a couple years back.

After dinner Amanda & I took some pictures of Luke.

Sat. Dec. 12
The highlight of this day was our participation in "A Night in Bethlehem" at church.

Sun. Dec. 13
I'm guessing we did nothing, since this is all I have from Diaperswappers:
OK so my normally happy-go-lucky never-ever-cries baby boy has started this weird thing where he cries for apparently NO reason & nothing soothes him. It lasts less than a minute & then goes away.

What's going on? Worth mentioning to his doc next week?

I am down to using only 1 or 2 bottles in a 24 hour period--always b/c of convenience though, Luke would totally nurse all the time...but I'm sometimes too tired or busy.

I am trying to get him OFF the bottle so that I can use that as the excuse for why I won't let anyone babysit. MIL is really starting to harp on me about not leaving him. I'm not ready. Why is it so hard to understand. I have PPD...I NEED to be with my baby. I cannot FATHOM leaving him.

I still sometimes just sit & marvel and cry just a little. He's 8 weeks old. I just can't get over the reality of having this little PERSON totally dependent on me to help him be the person I hope he can be.

We are broke. We aren't going to be getting gifts for anyone that I know of. I hope to try to make some crafts w/ Luke's hand/foot prints.

Week 9
Mon. Dec. 14
We had a counselling appointment for Tyler at 8 am. We were late, but they saw him anyway. I pumped in the car while the babies slept..then took them into the waiting room when I was done. After the appointment we took Tyler to his school. Chrissy had to go in with him because he was suspended on Friday. I sat in the car with the babies. After we dropped Tony off, we headed to Wal-Mart to get some groceries. We spent over $80 and didn't even get enough to get past Wednesday.
Chrissy didn't have to work so when we got home she entertained Carolynn & Luke & I took a nap. I made spaghetti sauce for dinner and we ate when Tim got home. Nothing exciting happened otherwise.

Tues. Dec. 15
Tony rode the bus to school and Chrissy and I had to get up and head over at 9 am for a parent/teacher conference with all of his core subject teachers & his principal. The meeting was basically to determine what was expected of Tony & for his teachers to meet us and learn about Tony's situation. I think it went well.
After the meeting, I drove Chrissy to work. Then I went to two different fire stations to get Luke's car seat adjusted. Then I went to Rock a Bye Baby where I nursed Luke & bought him a pair of Carter's khaki pants. Then I headed to Melanie's house for a photo shoot in his alpaca outfit. It is PERFECT and to-die-for! I love it!

We ate a picnic lunch there & I fed Luke again and then we all headed home in order to get there before Tyler. I made chili for dinner but Tim and I didn't get to eat any before we had to leave for church.
We went to the church at 8 pm for our Olan Mills church directory pictures. We planned on just getting our free 8x10 but couldn't resist that adorable smile Luke gave the photographer, so we bought the smallest package.
Afterwards, Luke needed to eat again so we went to Tom & Peggy's for a while.

Weds. Dec. 16
Today was a good day. We are officially bottle free! Yay! I got up & got housework done after my computer time. Luke and Carolynn napped well & so I got a lot done. About 11:45 Chrissy called and said that Tyler needed lunch money, so I got Carolynn & Luke bathed & headed over there to give him some money. After that we all rested for a while. Around 2, both babies were asleep & I got busy on dinner & housework.
I made soup for dinner & have just been doing my "stay-at-home-mom" thing all day/evening.

Wordless Wednesday!!

2009-12-16T09:43:00.000-05:00

Here's a sneak peek into the cuteness I get to live with!!

Merry Christmas!

Diaper Tips Tuesdays!

2009-12-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

I am once again participating in Diaper Tips Tuesday!

Week 3:

What is your favorite Cloth Wipes solution and/or recipe?

Unfortunately, my post is going to be rather LAME.

Luke is allergic to wipe solution! Cry! I had some wipe bits that I got from a WAHM on diaperswappers in a yummy flavor, and we tried them. Poor Luke got an awful diaper rash. SO, we switched back to sposie wipes (what a pain!).

When we finish w/ the sposie wipes that we have in the house, we're going to go back to our cloth wipes, with just plain old water. Luke gets a bath daily, so plain water is fine for his "clean ups".

I also use cloth wipes ("family cloth") and I do not use any solution. I keep a diaper pail (mini) in my bathroom for my wipes & for Luke's diapers when we change him in our room, so it all just goes into the diaper laundry!

First Smile on Camera

2009-12-11T11:57:00.001-05:00

Crazy Thursday!

2009-12-11T09:28:00.000-05:00

(If this post sounds odd I'm sorry, it's a C & P from my diaperswappers chat group!)

Yesterday, I was woken up @ 8:30 to find out my sis. (the one who lives w/ me) was pulled over & her license was suspended...could I please come pick her & her 2 yo up, all the way in Va Beach (40 mins away)...

ARGH. It took me 2 hours to get Luke up, dressed, and both of us ready to go out of the house...and neither of us showered!

We got to her at 11:00. She loaded her worldly possessions & kid into my truck.
We parked her van in a Food Lion parking lot.

Then we drove 35 minutes out to her work.

While at her work (a 3.5 mil $$ condo on the ocean front) I nursed Luke. Then we headed back into town.

We left there at 12:15--both babies were asleep. (Caro 2 1/2 & Luke)

We got to the Carters store around 1. I found a cute onesie (My Grandpa is the Best) and bib (I love my Grandpa) for less than $7 total! Yay!

I fed & changed Luke while we were there too.

Then we headed to Rock a Bye Baby (a consignment store). I ran into folks I knew so we were there a while. I also had to feed Luke there (don't you love feeding on demand EVERY.SINGLE.HOUR!) I bought Luke a sleep sack, a sleeper, and a fleece jogging outfit (all Carters) for $12.

After we left there (2:30!?!?!) I went to McDonald's and got Caro some lunch & then Subway to get some lunch for me & then to my friend Melanie's.

I had to drop off her broken hard-drive & you-guessed-it, feed Luke!

We ended up staying there until 5:30.

When we left there we headed to MIL's. I thought she was going to feed us dinner but she offered "sandwiches" as dinner. I can't eat their bread or cheese...and I'd had a sandwich from Subway for lunch. So, we passed.

Caro took a nap, Luke got loved on by his grandparents & I relaxed. Oh & I fed Luke.

Then about 6:45 it was time to head out to church. We stopped by Chic Fil A....and then got to church 15 minutes late.

Church was a safety seminar that was really good. I was there until 9:15. (I did feed Luke once during the program, Caro was in the nursery.)

Right when we got into the truck, Luke wanted to eat again, so we sat in the parking lot for 15 minutes while he ate.

Then we headed home. We made it less than 10 minutes down the road when I stopped b/c he was screaming bloody murder. I held him, nursed him, and got him all calmed down (almost asleep) and then put him back in his seat. He freaked again. So I held him some more.

Around 10 I gave up, loaded him up, and headed home. (Driving like a speeding bullet) He cried for a full 20 minutes. It took him 30 minutes at home to calm down. Poor guy. He HATES his car seat right now.

When I got home (10:20?) I had everyone else unload the truck while Luke & I stripped down to undies/diaper & had some skin-to-skin snuggle time.

After he was calm I got pjs on & put away all the stuff I'd brought home & then started laundry.

It was a LONG & tiring day!!

Diaper Tips Tuesdays!

2009-12-02T13:43:00.000-05:00

The Cloth Diaper Report is hosting "Diaper Tips Tuesdays"...and I thought I'd play along.

This week's task is: Share your Thanksgiving travel stories and upcoming holiday travel plans. Cloth, hybrids (i.e. Grobaby or gdiapers) or 'sposies?

Well, we didn't "travel" for Thanksgiving, but we did spend the entire day at the in-laws house.

I took with me: my breast pump, 12 preemie prefolds, 12 Katedanzer wipees (to use as doublers, 3 covers (2 preemie prowraps, one NB pull on), and about 8 sposies. We didn't need the sposies or even all 12 diapers. I also took a tote bag to put the dirty diapers in. I don't have any wet bags or pail liners & I knew a ziploc bag wouldn't be big enough to get through the day.

For Christmas, we'll be heading to Pennsylvania to see my family. I'll bring my entire stash. I'll also bring my 7th Generation Laundry detergent. My parents don't mind me doing diaper laundry at their house & we'll try to keep things as normal as possible!

That's my tip! Keep it as routine as possible!

Friend Making Monday

2009-12-02T09:03:00.000-05:00

1. Favorite website- Diaperswappers

2. Favorite color- Purple!

3. Facebook?  Nope...not into it

4. Favorite Christmas song?  meh, I don't really have one

5. Christmas tree: Real or fake?  Fake, I can't stand cleaning up after the needles & my brother is allergic

6. Hottest celebrity?  Johnny Depp

7. Favorite restaurant?  Texas Roadhouse

8. Favorite magazine? Parenting

9. Favorite thing to drink around the holidays?  hot chocolate

10. Favorite Christmas movie.  Miracle on 34th Street & Polar Express

To join in on Friend Makin' Monday hop over and visit Amber at {ae}Filkins!

Advent

2009-11-30T23:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked the official beginning of the Advent season. This is the time of the year where Christians reflect on the first coming of Jesus Christ. There are 4 weeks of Advent. In our church they are represented by Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

As a child we had an advent calendar but I didn't really know what Advent meant. I want to start a tradition with Luke so that he actually understands WHY we count down to Christmas.

Tim and I discussed that we really like the idea of 25 Days of Giving to celebrate Advent. Since Luke is a newborn and we're pretty tired/stressed with Chrissy, Carolynn, and Tony living here, we decided we won't do an activity EACH day this year, but start that tradition next year. This year we're going to do one activity each week.

We haven't decided on our activities other than to say that we will use the theme of the week as our guide. I think a newborn baby is a GREAT way to represent hope in our lives. So, our "giving" will probably include Luke's hand prints/footprints and a picture in some way.

Sunday Update

2009-11-30T22:53:00.000-05:00

Saturday turned out to be a pretty good day!

We relaxed at home during most of the morning, into the afternoon.

Around 2 we decided to go to church, so we got busy getting ready to go. We headed out around 4 and stopped by Rock a Bye Baby to get a Baby Bjorn carrier. I LOVE it! It's so easy to use & there is no "positioning" the baby just right. Luke seems to enjoy it too, at least for sleeping!!

We also got 5 onesies & a Christmas sleep & play by Carter's. (BTW-if it's made by Carters I'll love it, so don't hesitate to grab a good deal!)

Then we headed to church. It was the first "Sunday" of advent & the message was good. I enjoyed the service.

Afterwards, we headed home. Chrissy's kids were starving, so she took the initiative & cooked dinner. It turned out really yummy! I ate two whole pieces of chicken & 2 or 3 servings of mashed potatoes (made w/ soy milk & butter flavored Crisco!) After that it was cleaning house & bedtime.

Sunday we slept in. Tim cooked a big breakfast for the kids & I ate banana bread while I fed Luke & pumped. Around 1 we headed out to see Santa at Wal-Mart. You saw the picture. It was free, so we can't really complain TOO much.

After that, I relaxed at home, cleaned, and took care of Luke. Tim fixed Chrissy's closet. (The rod had fallen down due to poor installation & too many clothes being in there.)

We made chicken nuggets for dinner, cleaned, and went to bed.

Today, I slept until about 8 & spent the entire morning taking care of Luke. Around 1:30 I headed out to McDonald's and Priority Toyota to get Tim's oil changed. Luke hung out in his Bjorn while we waited over 2 hours for the truck to be done.

When we got home, we spent 30 minutes vegging (after Luke ate) and then got busy cleaning & fixing dinner. Then I ended up feeding Luke again (that 6 week growth spurt is kicking my butt!) while Tim made the salad.

After dinner, Tim went to bed (early--he's sick--again!), while Tony did dishes. Carolynn watched Dora w/ Tim & Luke slept for a while.

While Tony worked on the kitchen I worked on the rest of the house. Around 8:30 I sent him to shower, so I could feed Luke.

I've been putzing on my computer (while sterilizing bottles) since about 9:45. Luke's eaten again & is starting to fuss AGAIN from his cradle.

I need to pump, drink hot chocolate, and watch House before bed!!

First Trip to See Santa

2009-11-29T17:24:00.000-05:00

Here's our Wal-Mart freebie! They have Santa set up in the photo department from 10 am until 2 pm. They're doing it again next weekend, but I wouldn't recommend the Frederick Blvd Wal-Mart b/c this 20something doesn't look much like Santa to me!!

Sunday Update--6 Weeks Old

2009-11-28T08:41:00.000-05:00

T Nov. 24-Tim stayed home from work sick. Luke and I got a late start but we headed out to run errands & go shopping. We went to the library, post office, McDonalds (drive through), Babies R Us (where we nursed & I bought a $27 nursing top), the bank, Kohl's,and Wal-Mart. We got home after 7 pm! We also nursed in a gas station parking lot on the way home. When I got home, Tim cooked dinner & I visited w/ Amanda.

W Nov. 25-Tim worked a half day & was home early. It was GREAT! In the evening we headed out to CiCi's for pizza. We were doing a test to see if Luke is allergic/sensitive to milk. I ate four slices of pizza!

Th Nov. 26 Luke's First Thanksgiving!! We slept in and took our time getting ready to get out of the house. It was after 1:00 before we left the house. We spent the entire day in front of the t.v. Luke didn't nurse well and so he got a LOT of bottles. It sucked big time. He also didn't sleep well because Peggy or Beth kept waking him up. That was annoying. It was late, late, late when we got home. Luke was up until about 2 am.

F Nov. 27-We slept in and then spent the entire day trying to FIX Luke's eating & sleeping schedule. That was fun. (Not.) For a while there he was nursing every hour. It was after 7 before he had a bottle which made me happy...we managed to get through the day nursing.

About 6:15, we packed up & headed out to Wal-Mart. We spent a while just wandering around the store. Then we got our groceries and headed home. When we got home Tim and I worked together to cook dinner, clean the kitchen, make tea, and make popcorn. After dinner was done we "watched" It's a Wonderful Life w/ Chrissy & the kids.

I had to cut out to pump during the movie & so missed the majority of it & Tim missed a bunch because he was taking care of Luke. Oh well.

S Nov. 28-So far today (it's old 8:40 am!) we've gotten up, pumped 10 oz of milk, taken care of Luke and watched an episode of House. Fun times.

Celebrate! I have time to blog!!!

2009-11-23T17:39:00.003-05:00

We still need to BUY: (any of these would be great Christmas gifts!)
nursing stool ($25)
seat back protectors (10)
breathable bumper (29)
nursing tops & bras
Wet bag for diaper bag
Pail liner
Spray lanolin
Wool Wash

We still need to DO:
General Cleaning:
Filing & sorting through piles of papers
Halloween decorations away
Christmas decorations out
Dust t.v.
Scrub up used baby toys
Mop bathrooms
Scrub window sills
Wash car inside & out
Bathe dogs
Clean carpets
Actually organize garage

Nursery Preparation:
Paint red stripe
Paint wall letters
Clean out top of Luke’s closet
Put up quilts

Other:
Finish Thank You cards
Scrapbook w/ Mandy

We still want: (more good Christmas ideas)
breast pump
baby signs (40)
bath tub spout cover (15)
jumperoo bouncy toy (90)
Bumbo

BOUGHT/DONE:
cradle mattress
changing table cover
new trash can to use as diaper pail
2 King size pillow cases (to use as sheets in cradle)
breast friend pillow (45)
a crib mattress $36 @ Wal-Mart!!!
cradle bedding--mom bought the stuff to make the bumper
nursing pads from JoAnna (15)
Snappis--they're here!
changing table pad--yay--a late baby shower present!
crib & dresser are assembled!

Updated Calendar & "Sunday Update" for over a month's worth of time!!
Pre-Luke
T Oct. 6-Spaghetti for dinner
W Oct. 7-Sub @ Ruffner Academy
T Oct. 8-Sub @ Ruffner Academy<--I walked out @ 10:30 am, b/c the kids were SO bad!! I had 4 contractions in 30 minutes!! , Bible Study @ 7:00
F Oct. 9-Subbing @ Northside Middle, McArthur Center mall w/ Mandy, Grayson, and Spencer afterwards, started feeling sick w/ "the flu", was having contractions 10 minutes apart
S Oct. 10-Tim church in the morning, Chili cook off after church @ 5:00, Post-dinner w/ Melanie @ Texas Roadhouse

Pre-Luke
Su Oct. 11-Lunch with Melanie @ Aldo's
M Oct. 12-Home w/ Carolynn, we went grocery shopping
T Oct. 13- 2:45 37 Week Dr. Appointment<-Cancelled...b/c of "Swine Flu"
W Oct. 14- Sick in bed w/ flu
T Oct. 15- Sick in bed w/ flu
F Oct. 16- Sick in bed w/ flu
S Oct. 17-Girl Scout event<--hanging door signs in Ingleside, my contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart & lasting about 30-45 seconds..this is the real beginning of my labor!! Read the birth story here!

Luke's First Week
Su Oct. 18<--Happy Birthday Lucas Wayne
M Oct. 19-Hospital
T Oct. 20-Hospital (no visitors day--we made a lot of breastfeeding progress)
W Oct. 21-We should have been discharged this day, but Luke lost too much weight & although he gained some it wasn't enough. This is the day I was a MESS in the hospital.
T Oct 22- Discharge day! We got to leave the hospital around 9:45-10 am!!
F Oct. 23-Luke's First Doctor's Appointment 6 lbs even! (also visited Mandy, went to Target, & Fazoli's)
S Oct. 24- Went to Babie's R Us for major shopping spree

Luke's Second Week
Su Oct. 25-Tim got the offer letter from CACI, I did housework
M Oct. 26
T Oct. 27
W Oct. 28-We made the transition to "Always try the breast first" w/ our breastfeeding journey! Yay! He also fits into his newborn sleepers now, which were too big a week before. He's up to 2.25 oz. at each feeding as well!!
T Oct. 29- Luke finally fit into his newborn nanipoos (the IT diaper for newborns), had his first diaper rash, and we went to PetSmart & Babies R Us
F Oct. 30-Eastern Shore trip to visit Luke's Great Grams
S Oct. 31-Dad & Frankie drove down

Luke's Third Week
Su Nov. 1-Luke's first trip to church, Dinner @ Yukon Steak House w/ the whole family
M Nov. 2-Tim went back to work, 1:00 appt @ Rock A Bye to drop off stuff, Hung out @ Hotel w/ Mom, Dad, and Frankie
T Nov. 3- Due Date, Election Day <--first time I "left" Luke, Luke & I hung out at home, getting housework done & relaxing, Mandy cooked everyone dinner that evening
W Nov. 4-Mom & Dad left for Pennsylvania, 9:45 Dr. Appt for me--which got rescheduled into an afternoon appt. Melanie came by the house & visited for a while & then met me at the Doctor's office
Th Nov. 5-At 3:30 I called Tim to come home from work b/c Luke was fussing so badly...I couldn't handle any longer. 7:00 Bible Study @ Church
F Nov. 6-Tim took a half day to help me out....and Luke was a perfect angel. Luke nursed and we all took a nap! Then Tim went out & got pizza for dinner!
S Nov. 7-Saturday Night Service @ Church w/ Ashley & Chocolate Creme Pie

Luke's Fourth Week
Su Nov. 8-Missed church but went to CiCi's w/ the Johnson's afterwards, nursed Luke @ Toys R Us/Babies R Us in Virginia Beach
M Nov. 9-I stayed home & struggled w/ things all day.
T Nov. 10-I stayed home & napped. I decided things were getting to me so badly b/c I was tired!
W Nov. 11-Veteran's Day Tim was off!!
Th Nov. 12-Flooding kept Tim home from work!
F Nov. 13-Flooding kept Tim home from work!
S Nov. 14-Saturday night church w/ Carolynn

Luke's Fifth Week
Su Nov. 15-Skipped church, James and Missy came by to visit w/ Luke, took Luke for his first walk (around the block), dinner & scrapbooking @ Mandy's in the evening
M Nov. 16-I had another rough day w/ Luke. Peggy came over after work. She brought McDonald's. Yay! She and Beth ended up staying for dinner.
T Nov. 17-Luke & I had a great day (nursing & getting things done-wise) and went:to the bank, post office, Petsmart, Babies R Us (to nurse/pump), Old Navy (for nursing tops), Girl Scout Council (to visit MIL), to 7-11, and to Food Lion (where we pumped in the parking lot). That evening was awful though. Luke was SUPER fussy & I ended up needing Chrissy to take him from me so I could calm down/relax!
W Nov. 18-Church @ 7:00, Afterwards I developed a quick & awful case of mastitis. It was terrible! My fever was raging & I was miserable.
Th Nov. 19-Tim "worked from home" to help take care of me
F Nov. 20-Tim got off early and joined me at Luke's second doctor's appointment. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 7 oz and was 21 1/2 inches tall. The doctor said he was "perfect"! Afterwards we visited Mandy at work, dropped my car off at home, picked Carolynn up from the sitter's, went to Ming's for dinner, and visited w/ Melanie (letting her kids meet Luke for the first time)
S Nov. 21-We did a lot of nothing, lazed around in bed, took care of Luke, Tim wasn't feeling well, Tom, Peggy, and Beth came over & cleaned house & made dinner. Peggy & I took Luke & Carolynn to JoAnn's.

Luke's Sixth Week
Su Nov. 22-Housework, housework, housework, feed the baby, feed the baby, pump, pump, pump, trip to Verizon wireless to check out the Android phone Tim wants
M Nov. 23-TODAY! I got up early (after being up too late) cleaned, showered, bathed Luke, and had a visit w/ Rachel, our preacher at church. Luke's in a nice rhythm of eat (nursing about 30-45 mins), play, sleep (for about an hour), and start again!
T Nov. 24
W Nov. 25
Th Nov. 26 Luke's First Thanksgiving!!
F Nov. 27
S Nov. 28

The Simple Women's Daybook

2009-11-22T22:18:00.000-05:00

FOR TODAY...

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Outside my window...

It's cold, but was a nice sunny day.

I am thinking...
That I'd like to get my house in tip-top shape, even if I don't sleep much.

I am thankful for...

Luke and Tim.

I am wearing...

Maternity pants (my "real" jeans are dirty) & a knit tank top

I am remembering...

All of Luke's faces!

I am going...

into the living room soon!

I am reading...

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

I am hoping...

That we make the "right" choice for Tim's job.

On my mind...

Housework, sleep, Tim's job, milk

From the learning rooms...

No learning going on over here...

Noticing that...

I have more and more energy every day!

From the kitchen...

Crock pot roast w/ potatoes & carrots.

Around the house...

Carolynn is running!

One of my favorite things~

Lucky Charms w/ milk...which I can't eat.

From my picture journal...

Mastitis

2009-11-19T19:59:00.001-05:00

Ugh. I'm suffering over here. It all started last night @ church. I nursed Luke and when I was done my boob was killing me.

Fast forward a couple hours & I had a raging fever, aches & pains, and a lump the size of a golf ball!!

I'm getting an antibiotic and hopefully it clears up quickly.

I guess this is all part of giving Luke what's best. It's worth it.

Wordless Wednesday!!

2009-11-17T23:28:00.003-05:00

First Walk -Sunday Nov. 15

Looking at Mommy after nursing...

I'm linked up @

5 Minutes for Mom

Wordless Wednesday.com

Momma's Gone Over the Wall

Extraordinary Mothers

Two Of A Kind Working On A Full House

Momdot.com

Update Time!

2009-11-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

Would you like an update on us? OK...I'll give you a quick one!

Luke is a month old! Can you believe it? It's still shocking to me!!

Today, my darling child, breastfed exclusively ALL day! (He did have a 1/2 oz. from a bottle this morning & at about 1:30....but other than that, he's nursed for all of his meals!)

I'm so excited! I'm so happy! I'm so thankful for all the people who've encouraged me, supported me, helped me, and truly made this possible!

He's growing like a weed, we already have a pile of outgrown clothing! His diapers are all fitting better & we'll soon have a pile of outgrown diapers too.

Today, we left the house for the first time, by ourselves! It was great. I had a good night's sleep & Luke was feeling well, so out we went.

We went to the Post Office, McDonald's drive through, Petsmart, Old Navy, Babies R Us (our first nursing pitstop), Aunt Dolly's house (she wasn't home), the bank, Girl Scout Council (another nursing stop), 7-11, and Food Lion (where we nursed in the back seat of the car). We were gone from 12:15-5:30!!

Yay us!

He's sleeping now & I need to shower before he wants my boobs again! (I'd also like to try to pump some milk too....we'll see how that goes after all the work they've done today!)

I feel good & my c-section wound is healing nicely.

Tim is still up in the air over the CACI/CBN job situation. Please pray that ONE of the two works out by Jan. 1, 2010!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-11T18:53:00.000-05:00

Bath Time!

Kindle Contest

2009-11-09T17:05:00.003-05:00

I just entered a contest to win a Kindle! If you follow this link you can enter too! I really want an E-Reader this year for Christmas, won't you help make my dream come true?

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-04T22:25:00.000-05:00

Having a kid makes this post so much more fun!

Can you see that grin? Seriously from EAR TO EAR. She said, "This is my cousin Luke. I'm going to keep him!"

Say it with me...."Awww!"

Some pictures to tide you over

2009-11-03T04:46:00.000-05:00

Oct. 27-10 days old, first trip to McDonald's. He did NOT consume any of their food.

Newborn nanipoos started fitting this week! Yay!

Friday Oct. 30, First road trip...we drove 3 1/2 hours to the Eastern Shore to visit Great Grams & Cousins Penny & Gary. Look how big I am!

Giving Mommy my "little old man" look during my first bath @ home. (Friday Oct. 23)

On the way somewhere...in a preemie outfit that we bought on the 23rd...which now doesn't fit him!! Can you believe it?! The shirt is SO teensy tiny!

--That's all folks!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-28T20:40:00.002-04:00

I can fit into my "newborn" sleepers now!

One Proud Mama

2009-10-24T21:44:00.000-04:00

Here's a picture Melanie took of me with Lucas the night he was born. She didn't get to the hospital until after 7 so he's around 12 hours old. I had just gotten "permission" to get out of bed, clean up, and brush my hair & teeth. Oh I felt so good! I had no idea what the rest of the week would hold...