We had planned to start potty training Brady as soon as we got back from Hawaii. That came and went and we decided we weren't really in that much of a hurry. Plus he was still in the toddler room at daycare, so there would be no potting training help going on during the days. We would randomly ask him if he wanted to go potty on the potty and the answer was usually no. We had tried sitting him on there just to get used to it, but nothing happened.
On Monday he started in the "2s" room. Their philosophy is every time we change their diaper we will ask if they want to sit on the potty. We thought great, now we have some support during the day, he'll see other kids doing it, etc. Guess what!? He went potty on the potty Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings.
Today was a whole other story. He had a bad night sleeping, he woke up earlier than normal, and wanted nothing to do with going potty. I'm hoping it was just because of the bad night/morning. I was really getting my hopes up that this whole process might be easier than anticipated. We were going in to it thinking it was going to be a rough go since he wasn't showing a ton of interest. Fingers crossed tomorrow is better!
Any tips/suggestions for potty training would be much appreciated! There's so many different theories on potty training out there. It's impossible to know which one, if any, will work for your child. God knows, none of the sleep training tricks have worked! At this point, I think we're going to take it slow and not push it. If he's not ready, forcing him to try to do it is only going to lead to frustration for everyone.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
Two
Brady turned 2 yesterday. That also means that it's been 3 years since we've lost Claire. I can't believe it. Seriously, where did the time go.
We had a great day yesterday full of family, pizza, cake, and playing with water outside. I got a little emotional yesterday after everything was all over. Brady is my world. He means everything to me. I know I blogged about my pregnancy with Claire, but I'm not sure I was able to fully put in to words how I was feeling and what I was going through at that time. Yes, I got pregnant pretty easily with Claire and Brady, and I feel so blessed for that, but we went through so much to have a take-home baby. To have him here and healthy and turning 2...it's just so much to take in. He's so stinking smart and despite the tantrums every once in a while, he makes everyday worth getting out of bed. I'd have 10 more kids if they were all like him. Minus the sleeping issues!
Right now he loves music, playing in water, trucks, the minions from Despicable Me, and the Lion King. He has a couple best friends at daycare, Tommy and Eva, who he talks about all the time. He's awesome at puzzles and will talk your ear off. His favorite phrases right now are, "What's _______ doing?" and "What's that noise?" He still isn't sleeping through the night every night, but it's slowly getting better since he's had tubes put in. (At least I'm telling myself that.)
We had a great day yesterday full of family, pizza, cake, and playing with water outside. I got a little emotional yesterday after everything was all over. Brady is my world. He means everything to me. I know I blogged about my pregnancy with Claire, but I'm not sure I was able to fully put in to words how I was feeling and what I was going through at that time. Yes, I got pregnant pretty easily with Claire and Brady, and I feel so blessed for that, but we went through so much to have a take-home baby. To have him here and healthy and turning 2...it's just so much to take in. He's so stinking smart and despite the tantrums every once in a while, he makes everyday worth getting out of bed. I'd have 10 more kids if they were all like him. Minus the sleeping issues!
Right now he loves music, playing in water, trucks, the minions from Despicable Me, and the Lion King. He has a couple best friends at daycare, Tommy and Eva, who he talks about all the time. He's awesome at puzzles and will talk your ear off. His favorite phrases right now are, "What's _______ doing?" and "What's that noise?" He still isn't sleeping through the night every night, but it's slowly getting better since he's had tubes put in. (At least I'm telling myself that.)
Here are some pictures from our day yesterday -
He loved his #2 cake.
He was pooped after everyone left, so we let him take a cat nap on the couch!
Claire got a lot of love yesterday too!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
He Knows
I have probably said this about every stage, but I am loving this stage for Brady right now. We're able to have simple conversations with him. Sometimes I just can't handle the sweetness. Completely randomly last night Brady said, "Go see Claire Bear." I died. I love that he knows her, and points her out in pictures, and likes going to visit her. She will always be a part of our family. We will talk about her and visit her frequently. All of our children will know about their big sister, Claire.
She was probably fresh on his mind because we went to see her on Memorial Day. Here is a picture of Brady saying hi to her. I still get emotional going to the cemetery. And even more so now that Brady says bye to her and blows her kisses. This might sound cheesy to some people, but I truly believe that he and Claire have a special connection (more so than just sharing a birthday), that he knows more about her than we think. She was the angel that gave him to us.
On another note, Brad and I had a wonderful time in Hawaii. It was totally worth the plane ride. It really wasn't even that bad. Brady was so spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa that he didn't even care that we were gone! I'll try to post more about our trip later. The weather is finally nice and we plan to spend as much time outside as possible.
I'll leave you with a selfie. We're getting family pictures taken this weekend so I hope he'll smile for those like he does when we're playing around at home.
She was probably fresh on his mind because we went to see her on Memorial Day. Here is a picture of Brady saying hi to her. I still get emotional going to the cemetery. And even more so now that Brady says bye to her and blows her kisses. This might sound cheesy to some people, but I truly believe that he and Claire have a special connection (more so than just sharing a birthday), that he knows more about her than we think. She was the angel that gave him to us.
On another note, Brad and I had a wonderful time in Hawaii. It was totally worth the plane ride. It really wasn't even that bad. Brady was so spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa that he didn't even care that we were gone! I'll try to post more about our trip later. The weather is finally nice and we plan to spend as much time outside as possible.
I'll leave you with a selfie. We're getting family pictures taken this weekend so I hope he'll smile for those like he does when we're playing around at home.
Friday, April 25, 2014
5 on Friday
I haven't done one of these in a while!
1. Brady got the all clear from the ENT on Wednesday! Everything is healing and looking as it should with the tubes. He doesn't have to wear ear plugs in the bath tub anymore. Yay! They're kind of a pain to keep in an almost 2 year old's ears. He's had a cold the past week or so and his ears still look great. This is such a huge relief for us, and for him too I'm sure.
2. We leave for Hawaii in 2 weeks. Holy crap. I'm excited about it, much more so than I was when I wrote a post about it a while back. I am still really anxious about leaving Brady for that long, and for the plane ride. We can SKYPE or FaceTime with Brady as much as we want and I will just have to suck it up with the flying. You bet I will be stocking up on some Dramamine.
3. I have a confession. I broke my February and March shopping ban....badly. Although this is no excuse, we finally got some good shopping around here. A new strip mall with a DSW, Banana Republic Outlet, Gap Outlet, and Charming Charlie's opened up in March. I couldn't resist. I love to shop, even with Brady in tow (at least most of the time). Our best local options for clothes prior to this were Kohls and Target, so yeah, this was really exciting for me. I've gone a little crazy. I tell Brad that it's for our trip. He kind of believes me. After going in to Charming Charlie's for the first time, I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of jewelry to pick from. It's a great store. They also have really cute, affordable boutique-like clothes. I was never big on accessories, but I've really been in to statement necklaces lately. I just bought a bunch from Forever 21, so I'll share those with you and do a review when I get them. They really do add a lot to an outfit.
4. I think I've also gone a little crazy with the clothes and accessories lately, because I know we will be trying to have another baby soon and my shopping days will be over until after the baby is born. I have enough maternity clothes from my 2 previous pregnancies that I do not need to buy more. The only thing I could think that I may need are some skinny jeans/pants. It is starting to get real that I may be pregnant again some time in the next few months. Yikes! Am I ready? Yes and no. I think Brady is ready for a sibling. He will be a great big brother. I'm also feeling better about things now that he has tubes and is sleeping better. I'm not as worried about being pregnant, sick, and up in the middle of the night every night with him anymore.
5. You know what I can't stand? The people at work who you say hi to and get no response. I just don't get it. How hard is it to say hi to someone? Or at the very least give a little smile. I work with some really wonderful people, but as in every office there's always those few people that are just plain not friendly. What can you do, I guess. I'll still say hi to them. Maybe one day they'll change their mind!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
1. Brady got the all clear from the ENT on Wednesday! Everything is healing and looking as it should with the tubes. He doesn't have to wear ear plugs in the bath tub anymore. Yay! They're kind of a pain to keep in an almost 2 year old's ears. He's had a cold the past week or so and his ears still look great. This is such a huge relief for us, and for him too I'm sure.
2. We leave for Hawaii in 2 weeks. Holy crap. I'm excited about it, much more so than I was when I wrote a post about it a while back. I am still really anxious about leaving Brady for that long, and for the plane ride. We can SKYPE or FaceTime with Brady as much as we want and I will just have to suck it up with the flying. You bet I will be stocking up on some Dramamine.
3. I have a confession. I broke my February and March shopping ban....badly. Although this is no excuse, we finally got some good shopping around here. A new strip mall with a DSW, Banana Republic Outlet, Gap Outlet, and Charming Charlie's opened up in March. I couldn't resist. I love to shop, even with Brady in tow (at least most of the time). Our best local options for clothes prior to this were Kohls and Target, so yeah, this was really exciting for me. I've gone a little crazy. I tell Brad that it's for our trip. He kind of believes me. After going in to Charming Charlie's for the first time, I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of jewelry to pick from. It's a great store. They also have really cute, affordable boutique-like clothes. I was never big on accessories, but I've really been in to statement necklaces lately. I just bought a bunch from Forever 21, so I'll share those with you and do a review when I get them. They really do add a lot to an outfit.
4. I think I've also gone a little crazy with the clothes and accessories lately, because I know we will be trying to have another baby soon and my shopping days will be over until after the baby is born. I have enough maternity clothes from my 2 previous pregnancies that I do not need to buy more. The only thing I could think that I may need are some skinny jeans/pants. It is starting to get real that I may be pregnant again some time in the next few months. Yikes! Am I ready? Yes and no. I think Brady is ready for a sibling. He will be a great big brother. I'm also feeling better about things now that he has tubes and is sleeping better. I'm not as worried about being pregnant, sick, and up in the middle of the night every night with him anymore.
5. You know what I can't stand? The people at work who you say hi to and get no response. I just don't get it. How hard is it to say hi to someone? Or at the very least give a little smile. I work with some really wonderful people, but as in every office there's always those few people that are just plain not friendly. What can you do, I guess. I'll still say hi to them. Maybe one day they'll change their mind!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Monday, April 21, 2014
Happy Easter
I hope everyone had a Happy Easter! Yesterday was beautiful around here. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. The Easter bunny brought Brady some sidewalk chalk, so that's what we were doing all morning until we had to drag him inside for lunch. I knew he would like the chalk, but holy cow he LOVED the chalk. After his nap, we went over to the in-laws for dinner and an Easter egg hunt. We had a wonderful and very busy day.
I find myself loving the holidays so much more now that we have a kid. The build up and planning to get them excited about it makes me excited also. But you know what I hate about the holidays (at least more so on the holidays). The fact that our baby girl is not here with us to celebrate and that we have to go to a cemetery to be with her. Of course we went yesterday and took her some fun spring decorations. Brady was very excited to go see Claire Bear, and always says bye to her when we leave. It melts my heart and breaks it all at the same time.
Since I haven't blogged in a while I thought I would also update on the craziness that has been our life lately. After waiting about 6 weeks to get in to the ENT, Brady finally had his appointment. Brady borderline failed the hearing test on his left ear, and had fluid in there still from a previous ear infection. After telling the ENT how many ear infections he's had in the last 6 months, coupled with his genes from Brad, there was no convincing him to put tubes in Brady's ears. Brad had surgery 2 days later and we have seen a noticeable different already. He's slept through the night 4 of the last 7 nights. This is unheard of for him. We go for our 2-week follow-up on Wednesday. Fingers crossed everything looks clear.
For a while, I was very against him getting tubes. I'm all about the natural remedies, chiropractic care, etc., but his sleeping was horrible which I was scared would affect him developmentally, it pained me knowing how much pain he was in during the depths of a double ear infection, and I was tired of him being on antibiotics ALL.THE.TIME. He was already immune to Amoxicillin.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, sometimes things are medically necessary. This was genetic for Brady. Brad had the exact same issues when he was younger and had tubes. It was inevitable. I honestly feel bad that we didn't do it sooner. This will be such a wonderful change for Brady. We're looking forward to a healthy, fun summer!
I had to share these pictures. You know you watch too much Doc McStuffins when your kid comes up to you, lifts your shirt up, and says, "Time for your check-up." Brady is very in to checking our moles right now and Brad has way more than I do, so he's usually the patient.
I find myself loving the holidays so much more now that we have a kid. The build up and planning to get them excited about it makes me excited also. But you know what I hate about the holidays (at least more so on the holidays). The fact that our baby girl is not here with us to celebrate and that we have to go to a cemetery to be with her. Of course we went yesterday and took her some fun spring decorations. Brady was very excited to go see Claire Bear, and always says bye to her when we leave. It melts my heart and breaks it all at the same time.
Since I haven't blogged in a while I thought I would also update on the craziness that has been our life lately. After waiting about 6 weeks to get in to the ENT, Brady finally had his appointment. Brady borderline failed the hearing test on his left ear, and had fluid in there still from a previous ear infection. After telling the ENT how many ear infections he's had in the last 6 months, coupled with his genes from Brad, there was no convincing him to put tubes in Brady's ears. Brad had surgery 2 days later and we have seen a noticeable different already. He's slept through the night 4 of the last 7 nights. This is unheard of for him. We go for our 2-week follow-up on Wednesday. Fingers crossed everything looks clear.
For a while, I was very against him getting tubes. I'm all about the natural remedies, chiropractic care, etc., but his sleeping was horrible which I was scared would affect him developmentally, it pained me knowing how much pain he was in during the depths of a double ear infection, and I was tired of him being on antibiotics ALL.THE.TIME. He was already immune to Amoxicillin.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, sometimes things are medically necessary. This was genetic for Brady. Brad had the exact same issues when he was younger and had tubes. It was inevitable. I honestly feel bad that we didn't do it sooner. This will be such a wonderful change for Brady. We're looking forward to a healthy, fun summer!
I had to share these pictures. You know you watch too much Doc McStuffins when your kid comes up to you, lifts your shirt up, and says, "Time for your check-up." Brady is very in to checking our moles right now and Brad has way more than I do, so he's usually the patient.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Grab some kleenex...
You guys I just had to share this video. It's a tear jerker. I see and hear some sad things from working at a non-profit that focuses on people with mental illness. Sadly, this girl's situation is not uncommon. It makes me strongly think about adoption as a possibility. Every child deserves to be loved.
Sorry you have to click on the link. I couldn't get the video to post directly on blogger. I'm sure there's a way, I just couldn't figure it out. Please watch it.
http://www.faithit.com/?s=Removed
Sorry you have to click on the link. I couldn't get the video to post directly on blogger. I'm sure there's a way, I just couldn't figure it out. Please watch it.
http://www.faithit.com/?s=Removed
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Overwhelmed
I apologize for the lack of posts lately. That is not my intention. I would love to do a post a day, but that's just not going to happen. Honestly, I've been a little overwhelmed lately. I'm struggling with juggling work and family. I thought work was starting to slow down a little bit, but turns out it's not. I've hardly even taken a lunch break the last week and a half. I don't see any signs of things slowing down any time in the near future either. Until they do, I will probably be slacking in the blogging department.
Home has been crazy lately too. March madness has taken over, especially since the Cyclones are still in it. I'm currently winning my work bracket. Woot Woot! I have had a few doctor appointments of my own, and Brady has ANOTHER ear infection. Unbelievable. We have an appointment with the ENT on April 8th. We will be pushing for tubes. Something has to be done. Brady cannot live his life with ear pain everyday. It's unhealthy.
I had a 2 hour glucose tolerance test on Friday and an appointment yesterday to review the results. After they blew my veins - I am still bruised from the blood draws - I passed the test! No high numbers! That was such a huge relief. I will continue to watch what I eat, but I believe I have narrowed down the foods that give me high blood sugar and will avoid them from here on out. I don't have to see my endocrinologist for 3 years, unless I fail the pregnancy glucose tolerance test. I'll have to find something other than Cheerios and crackers to help with the horrible nausea next time around.
GO CYCLONES!
Home has been crazy lately too. March madness has taken over, especially since the Cyclones are still in it. I'm currently winning my work bracket. Woot Woot! I have had a few doctor appointments of my own, and Brady has ANOTHER ear infection. Unbelievable. We have an appointment with the ENT on April 8th. We will be pushing for tubes. Something has to be done. Brady cannot live his life with ear pain everyday. It's unhealthy.
I had a 2 hour glucose tolerance test on Friday and an appointment yesterday to review the results. After they blew my veins - I am still bruised from the blood draws - I passed the test! No high numbers! That was such a huge relief. I will continue to watch what I eat, but I believe I have narrowed down the foods that give me high blood sugar and will avoid them from here on out. I don't have to see my endocrinologist for 3 years, unless I fail the pregnancy glucose tolerance test. I'll have to find something other than Cheerios and crackers to help with the horrible nausea next time around.
GO CYCLONES!
Friday, March 14, 2014
Friday Funny
Brady wanted to try my robe on this morning. We then preceded to go show daddy. It was pretty hilarious. And yes, he is also carrying some of my makeup!
Wanna hear something not funny? Brady has hand, foot, and mouth disease. Seriously, if it's not an ear infection it's something else. The poor kid can't catch a break. HFM is going around at daycare. There's no antibiotic for it, so we just have to let it runs it's course.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!! The weather is finally getting warmer here.
Wanna hear something not funny? Brady has hand, foot, and mouth disease. Seriously, if it's not an ear infection it's something else. The poor kid can't catch a break. HFM is going around at daycare. There's no antibiotic for it, so we just have to let it runs it's course.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!! The weather is finally getting warmer here.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Confession
I have a confession to make. I ate lunch at Hooter's today...by myself...just so I could watch the 2nd half of the Iowa State game. It's the closest place to work that I knew would have the game on. I was definitely the only girl there eating by herself. Thank God they won!
That's all! Have a good day!
That's all! Have a good day!
Monday, March 10, 2014
Another First
Brady had his first haircut on Saturday. As you can imagine after 21 months, his hair was pretty long. I am a huge fan of long hair on little boys. (Go ahead, call me a hippy.) But we were verging on a mullet guys. I decided it was time. I really just wanted him to get a trim, but as you'll see it ended up being quite a bit more than just a trim.
Brady did really well. He wouldn't sit by himself in the chair even with daddy getting a haircut next to him, so he ended up on my lap. I think that calmed him down because he sat perfectly still the rest of the time. The guy even used an electric shaver towards the end and he was fine.
My mother-in-law couldn't believe it, but I didn't save any of his hair. I know it's probably a mommy fail, but seriously what would I have done with it. Of course we have some of Claire's hair. She had a ton of beautiful dark hair. We wanted every bit of her that we could to take home with us since she didn't get to come home with us. I just didn't feel the need to keep some of Brady's hair I guess.
Here's a picture of his new haircut and blue mouth and face from the sucker he got for being so good. I think he looks even more like a little boy now. He wasn't too thrilled about taking pictures.
Brady did really well. He wouldn't sit by himself in the chair even with daddy getting a haircut next to him, so he ended up on my lap. I think that calmed him down because he sat perfectly still the rest of the time. The guy even used an electric shaver towards the end and he was fine.
My mother-in-law couldn't believe it, but I didn't save any of his hair. I know it's probably a mommy fail, but seriously what would I have done with it. Of course we have some of Claire's hair. She had a ton of beautiful dark hair. We wanted every bit of her that we could to take home with us since she didn't get to come home with us. I just didn't feel the need to keep some of Brady's hair I guess.
Here's a picture of his new haircut and blue mouth and face from the sucker he got for being so good. I think he looks even more like a little boy now. He wasn't too thrilled about taking pictures.
Friday, March 7, 2014
5 on Friday
I missed a 5 on Friday or Friday funny last week. I worked late and then we were in the midst of packing for our waterpark trip, but I'm back this week! It's nothing too exciting, just some things that have been going on with us the last couple weeks.
1. We've been working on counting with Brady lately. I by no means expect him to be able to count yet, but he seems to catch on to things pretty quickly so we thought we might as well give it a try. I know they also work with them on numbers, colors, etc. at daycare. Well, he counted to 5 last night! I got him started with 1 and he went from there. Slowly, but he still did it! I'm not sure it's a consistent thing. If I asked him today, he may not do it, but we know he can if he wants to.
2. I am addicted to Diet Pepsi. Like you don't want to be around me if I don't have my one a day. I know the aspartame probably isn't the best thing for me, but I can't drink regular pop and don't drink coffee, so this momma needs her caffeine somehow! I will not drink it during my first trimester of pregnancy so I've got to get my fix in now.
3. I confirmed the reason why I got back in to working for a non-profit yesterday. I was at a career fair at a local college. A gentleman stopped by who formerly served in the army, and is now suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He made the comment about looking for something where he could help others who have been in a similar situation as him. When he was at his worst, the only people he wanted to talk to were those who have been through the same thing and really know what it's like, so now he wants to be that person for others. I was so happy he stopped by. I do have the perfect job for him, and I hope it works out.
People say I'm too empathetic, and maybe that's true, but he was all I could think about last night. I have not been through what he has, but I knew 100% what he meant about only wanting to talk to those who have been there. After we lost Claire, I felt like the only people who could really understand how I was feeling were those who have also been through a still birth. Talking to him made the 3 hour, non-busy career fair worth it.
4. This one could have been a Friday funny. I almost wish Brad had taken a picture of how ridiculous I probably looked. I fell asleep on the chair last night with the lap top in my lap, email open, hands on the keyboard. I'm drained, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
5. Parenting is hard work. I call BS on anyone who says that their marriage is so much better after having kids. Marriage is hard work in itself, add in kids, especially one entering the "terrible twos", and things can get pretty stressful. I'm not going to go in to details because that's ours to deal with, but we have gone through a bit of a rough patch. I think we both have our frustrations. Communication is key and we need to work on that. Lack of sleep doesn't help either. We'll get through it, we always do, we love each other, and we love Brady to no end.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!
1. We've been working on counting with Brady lately. I by no means expect him to be able to count yet, but he seems to catch on to things pretty quickly so we thought we might as well give it a try. I know they also work with them on numbers, colors, etc. at daycare. Well, he counted to 5 last night! I got him started with 1 and he went from there. Slowly, but he still did it! I'm not sure it's a consistent thing. If I asked him today, he may not do it, but we know he can if he wants to.
2. I am addicted to Diet Pepsi. Like you don't want to be around me if I don't have my one a day. I know the aspartame probably isn't the best thing for me, but I can't drink regular pop and don't drink coffee, so this momma needs her caffeine somehow! I will not drink it during my first trimester of pregnancy so I've got to get my fix in now.
3. I confirmed the reason why I got back in to working for a non-profit yesterday. I was at a career fair at a local college. A gentleman stopped by who formerly served in the army, and is now suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He made the comment about looking for something where he could help others who have been in a similar situation as him. When he was at his worst, the only people he wanted to talk to were those who have been through the same thing and really know what it's like, so now he wants to be that person for others. I was so happy he stopped by. I do have the perfect job for him, and I hope it works out.
People say I'm too empathetic, and maybe that's true, but he was all I could think about last night. I have not been through what he has, but I knew 100% what he meant about only wanting to talk to those who have been there. After we lost Claire, I felt like the only people who could really understand how I was feeling were those who have also been through a still birth. Talking to him made the 3 hour, non-busy career fair worth it.
4. This one could have been a Friday funny. I almost wish Brad had taken a picture of how ridiculous I probably looked. I fell asleep on the chair last night with the lap top in my lap, email open, hands on the keyboard. I'm drained, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
5. Parenting is hard work. I call BS on anyone who says that their marriage is so much better after having kids. Marriage is hard work in itself, add in kids, especially one entering the "terrible twos", and things can get pretty stressful. I'm not going to go in to details because that's ours to deal with, but we have gone through a bit of a rough patch. I think we both have our frustrations. Communication is key and we need to work on that. Lack of sleep doesn't help either. We'll get through it, we always do, we love each other, and we love Brady to no end.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
A Chance to Breath
It's been a week since my last blog post...oops. I had no intention of that happening, but this is literally the first chance I've had. My boss was on vacation for a week and a half leaving me to cover her job on top of hiring approximately 15 new people. My life has been chaos. This is the first day in over a week I've been able to sit down and have lunch at noon and, fingers crossed, be able to relax and enjoy my lunch break without any interruptions.
Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather be busy at work, but I also love my lunch breaks. I think everyone needs a break sometime during the day to stop thinking about all things work-related.
Being a full-time working mom is hard stuff. The last week has been rough. My brain is mush. I told Brad last week that I feel like I've used up 150% of my brain. I know that sounds stupid, but I don't know how else to describe it.
We had a little getaway over the weekend and took Brady to a water park with his cousins. It was such a nice break in the insanity and Brady had so much fun. We were a little hesitant about going, because we went last year and the water was cold, we had to stay in the baby pool because Brady was just too little still, etc., but it was much better this time. He was able to go down the slides, wanted to play in the main pool area, it was just all around a much better experience. It was a much needed fun weekend for all three of us.
My boss is back to work now, most of the 15 people are hired, and I see things gradually slowing down a little bit. Hopefully I'll be back to doing at least a couple posts a week. Honestly, it helps me to write about what's going on, but I have a whole post in the works about that topic.
Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather be busy at work, but I also love my lunch breaks. I think everyone needs a break sometime during the day to stop thinking about all things work-related.
Being a full-time working mom is hard stuff. The last week has been rough. My brain is mush. I told Brad last week that I feel like I've used up 150% of my brain. I know that sounds stupid, but I don't know how else to describe it.
We had a little getaway over the weekend and took Brady to a water park with his cousins. It was such a nice break in the insanity and Brady had so much fun. We were a little hesitant about going, because we went last year and the water was cold, we had to stay in the baby pool because Brady was just too little still, etc., but it was much better this time. He was able to go down the slides, wanted to play in the main pool area, it was just all around a much better experience. It was a much needed fun weekend for all three of us.
My boss is back to work now, most of the 15 people are hired, and I see things gradually slowing down a little bit. Hopefully I'll be back to doing at least a couple posts a week. Honestly, it helps me to write about what's going on, but I have a whole post in the works about that topic.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Finally a Parenting Win
Brady had a bit of a rough week last week. Daycare was closed Monday so Grandma watched him. I love that we have that option, and Brady loves spending time with Grandma, but boy does he get spoiled. It's crazy how one day makes such a difference. When I dropped him off at daycare on Tuesday he bawled. He hasn't done that in forever. I just figured it was a bad day, no big deal. I go to pick him up and there's a sheet for me to sign saying that he had bit someone for trying to take a toy from him. Seriously?! He has bit me before out of frustration, but has never even attempted it with anyone else.
I prayed the next day would be better, but we had a repeat performance. This time I cried dropping him off. It's heartbreaking to have to leave when he's bawling, reaching for you, and calling your name. I of course started questioning whether daycare was the best thing for him, and decided I needed to quit my job. Brad quickly talked me down after I had a good cry.
When I got there to pick him up that night, he had bit someone again. Two days in a row. I was beside myself, felt like I was failing at being a parent, what was I doing wrong, etc. I was later reassured that he's not the only one whose ever bit another kid. It was probably just a phase. We talked a lot with Brady that night about using his words instead of his mouth, and that he should say, "no, no friend" if someone tries to take something from him. I know he understood what we were telling him because he's since told me "no,no mommy" a couple of times. He hasn't bit anyone since, so fingers crossed the biting phase is over.
This week has been much better. We had a huge parenting win at our house tonight. (I am in no way trying to tell anyone how to parent. It is 100% your choice.) We've struggled at times with how to discipline. We will never spank our children. I'd be telling a bold-faced lie if I said I've never yelled, but I don't believe that is the answer either.
Lately when Brady throws a fit for not getting his way, or when he does something naughty, we have him go sit on the stairs by himself for a little bit to calm down and think about what he did. We usually have to stand there and watch him so he doesn't get right back up, but tonight after spilling a puree pouch on the carpet and himself, he got upset about it, and in the midst of us cleaning it up, he had gone over to the stairs and sat down all by himself. He waited for us to come over to him, we talked about what happened, and told him he could get up. It's such a relief to know that this option is working for us and that he understands. I actually had to laugh about it. It was pretty cute.
I prayed the next day would be better, but we had a repeat performance. This time I cried dropping him off. It's heartbreaking to have to leave when he's bawling, reaching for you, and calling your name. I of course started questioning whether daycare was the best thing for him, and decided I needed to quit my job. Brad quickly talked me down after I had a good cry.
When I got there to pick him up that night, he had bit someone again. Two days in a row. I was beside myself, felt like I was failing at being a parent, what was I doing wrong, etc. I was later reassured that he's not the only one whose ever bit another kid. It was probably just a phase. We talked a lot with Brady that night about using his words instead of his mouth, and that he should say, "no, no friend" if someone tries to take something from him. I know he understood what we were telling him because he's since told me "no,no mommy" a couple of times. He hasn't bit anyone since, so fingers crossed the biting phase is over.
This week has been much better. We had a huge parenting win at our house tonight. (I am in no way trying to tell anyone how to parent. It is 100% your choice.) We've struggled at times with how to discipline. We will never spank our children. I'd be telling a bold-faced lie if I said I've never yelled, but I don't believe that is the answer either.
Lately when Brady throws a fit for not getting his way, or when he does something naughty, we have him go sit on the stairs by himself for a little bit to calm down and think about what he did. We usually have to stand there and watch him so he doesn't get right back up, but tonight after spilling a puree pouch on the carpet and himself, he got upset about it, and in the midst of us cleaning it up, he had gone over to the stairs and sat down all by himself. He waited for us to come over to him, we talked about what happened, and told him he could get up. It's such a relief to know that this option is working for us and that he understands. I actually had to laugh about it. It was pretty cute.
I also wanted to share what I wore today. I tried a new combo that I liked a lot.
Blazer: Stitch Fix , Top: Kohls, Pants: Express, Necklace: Kohls
Someone wanted to be a part of the picture!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
New Bedroom Furniture
This is going to be short. I am crazy busy at work right now. We are in the midst of hiring approximately 20 new people. Yours truly is in charge of screening resumes, scheduling interviews, background and reference checks, offer letters, among other things. I'm lucky to even have a break right now to type this.
We had an exciting weekend. Our new bedroom furniture was delivered on Saturday! Hello king-sized bed. I love it, and am so happy that the comforter we picked out matches perfectly. I don't have a picture of the dresser, but it matches the nightstands. Since I have OCD, we will be spreading out the décor on the wall above the bed, even though Brad doesn't want to. We also apparently need king-sized pillows which I didn't even realize existed.
We had an exciting weekend. Our new bedroom furniture was delivered on Saturday! Hello king-sized bed. I love it, and am so happy that the comforter we picked out matches perfectly. I don't have a picture of the dresser, but it matches the nightstands. Since I have OCD, we will be spreading out the décor on the wall above the bed, even though Brad doesn't want to. We also apparently need king-sized pillows which I didn't even realize existed.
And just for fun here is a picture of Brady from Sunday. He loves wearing Brad's hats!
Friday, February 21, 2014
Friday Funny
Brady loves this song. He calls it "The Monkey Song". We listened to it about 4 times last night, and then a half hour later while taking a bath he asked to listen to it again. He tries to do their head movements and sing along. It's hilarious. I think it's safe to say we have a Bruno Mars fan on our hands, and I'm 100% OK with that!
Since it's Friday, my boss is on vacation, and I don't feel like doing anything, here's The Monkey Song, also known as The Lazy Song.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Scared to Try Again
I'm going to really put myself out there with this post. No holds barred.
Brad and I decided, before I was even pregnant with Claire, that we would like our first 2 kids to be about 3 years apart. My brother and I are 4 years apart, and I thought that was too much. Of course, after we lost Claire, we threw that idea out the window. We knew we would try again right away. I needed to be pregnant again right away. After having Brady, I really needed to give my body a chance to get back to "normal". We were back to our original plan of waiting a couple years to start trying for a 3rd.
So here we are...quickly approaching Brady's second birthday. Brad and I have talked. We're still both on board with our plan. We're going to Hawaii in May, and I definitely don't want to be pregnant for that, so we'll probably start trying after we get back. That's in 3 months (insert "oh shit" face here).
To be 100% honest, I'm excited and terrified all at the same time. I really want another baby, and actually would love 2 more kids, but I am having some anxiety this time around. After Claire, there was no time to really think about things. We just tried right away, because that's what we needed to do. This time around I've had 2 years to think about being pregnant again. I have so much running through my head. How will Brady take it? Will I be so sick/tired in the first trimester that I won't be able to give him all of the attention he deserves? What if we have another girl? What if I carry a gene and have another baby with a heart defect? There's no way I could go through that again. What if I have GD (gestational diabetes) again and that causes a problem with the baby?
I know I absolutely want more babies, but I'm just so worried about being pregnant. I know it's normal after what we've been through. And I know I will be so stinking excited the day I see those 2 pink lines again. I have 2 great midwives that will talk me through every single worry I have. I have to keep telling myself we will have another healthy baby, maybe even 2 more healthy babies. Our angel is always watching over us.
Brad and I decided, before I was even pregnant with Claire, that we would like our first 2 kids to be about 3 years apart. My brother and I are 4 years apart, and I thought that was too much. Of course, after we lost Claire, we threw that idea out the window. We knew we would try again right away. I needed to be pregnant again right away. After having Brady, I really needed to give my body a chance to get back to "normal". We were back to our original plan of waiting a couple years to start trying for a 3rd.
So here we are...quickly approaching Brady's second birthday. Brad and I have talked. We're still both on board with our plan. We're going to Hawaii in May, and I definitely don't want to be pregnant for that, so we'll probably start trying after we get back. That's in 3 months (insert "oh shit" face here).
To be 100% honest, I'm excited and terrified all at the same time. I really want another baby, and actually would love 2 more kids, but I am having some anxiety this time around. After Claire, there was no time to really think about things. We just tried right away, because that's what we needed to do. This time around I've had 2 years to think about being pregnant again. I have so much running through my head. How will Brady take it? Will I be so sick/tired in the first trimester that I won't be able to give him all of the attention he deserves? What if we have another girl? What if I carry a gene and have another baby with a heart defect? There's no way I could go through that again. What if I have GD (gestational diabetes) again and that causes a problem with the baby?
I know I absolutely want more babies, but I'm just so worried about being pregnant. I know it's normal after what we've been through. And I know I will be so stinking excited the day I see those 2 pink lines again. I have 2 great midwives that will talk me through every single worry I have. I have to keep telling myself we will have another healthy baby, maybe even 2 more healthy babies. Our angel is always watching over us.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Friday Funny
I was thinking last night about what I was going to put in my 5 on Friday, but then something really funny happened this morning, so I decided to do a Friday Funny instead.
It's snowing...again...that could be the Friday Funny by itself, but don't worry there's more. Just like the American figure skater last night, I fell on my ass/left hip this morning in the daycare parking lot. I wish I had a video or picture to show you, because that would be even funnier. Good thing I have a little padding, and thank God I wasn't carrying Brady at the time, because holy shoot I fell hard.
But with the figure skater as my inspiration, I sat there for a minute, composed myself, got up gingerly, brushed myself off, and carried on with my morning. Of course I didn't have thousands of people cheering me on, but that's probably for the better. Spring, please feel free to come any time now. This winter shit is getting old!
This is pretty much what I looked like this morning -
It's snowing...again...that could be the Friday Funny by itself, but don't worry there's more. Just like the American figure skater last night, I fell on my ass/left hip this morning in the daycare parking lot. I wish I had a video or picture to show you, because that would be even funnier. Good thing I have a little padding, and thank God I wasn't carrying Brady at the time, because holy shoot I fell hard.
But with the figure skater as my inspiration, I sat there for a minute, composed myself, got up gingerly, brushed myself off, and carried on with my morning. Of course I didn't have thousands of people cheering me on, but that's probably for the better. Spring, please feel free to come any time now. This winter shit is getting old!
This is pretty much what I looked like this morning -
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
National Heart Month
February is National Heart Month, and this week specifically is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. I feel it is my duty to raise awareness about congenital heart defects. Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common type of birth defect, affecting close to 8 of every 1,000 births. There are so many different types of CHDs, ranging in severity.
Here is an article from the Huffington Post on Monday about CHDs. I fully agree that the pulse-ox screen should be mandatory before a baby leaves the hospital. Many heart defects aren't detected until a week or more after the baby has left the hospital. Early detection could save the lives of so many babies. A pulse-ox test takes all of 1 minute. It seems like a no-brainer to me.
Unfortunately, there are many people in my family who have been affected by heart defects. Except for Claire Bear, they are all still here with us today. My grandpa was born with a CHD. He has had multiple heart attacks, but is still kicking. He turns 80 this year! Growing up, my grandparents lived only a few blocks away. They live in Arizona now, so I don't get to see him as much. At least I have a great reason to go to warmer weather! My grandpa is the most stubborn person in the world, but I couldn't imagine my life without him.
Just last year, my mother-in-law started getting short of breath very easily. It got to the point where she couldn't get up the stairs, and finally where she couldn't even walk from her car to the house. She used to be Brady's daycare everyday. With as much as she loved watching him, we knew there was something seriously wrong when she finally told us she couldn't do it anymore. After many tests, they found she had a mitral valve leak along with a couple other issues including fluid around her lungs. They scheduled her for open heart surgery. That was an extremely scary time for our family. She just turned 60, way too young! Thank God, she made it through and is pretty much back to normal now. She's picking up Brady, no problem, which is not an easy feat considering he weighs almost 26 pounds.
My cousin, Bailey, was born with a serious heart defect. She had all the chambers of her heart, but they were working the opposite of how they should. My Aunt and Uncle had no idea that Bailey had a heart defect while my aunt was carrying her. They had no warning and fully expected to have a completely normal delivery and get to bring their baby girl home like everyone else. As soon as she was born, the doctors could tell there was something wrong. They immediately took her away. They ran some tests, discovered her defect, and started making plans for where she would have open heart surgery. Her surgery was a success, and Bailey just graduated high school this December. She is extremely active, playing every sport possible, and pretty much has no remnants of her heart defect except for the "13 inches of proof" as she calls it (her scar).
Make sure you give extra hugs to anyone you know that has a heart defect this month. Let them know how thankful you are that they are here. To anyone you've lost to a heart problem, my heart goes out to you and them. I know how hard it is.
Monday, February 10, 2014
How We Spent Our Sunday
We had an unexpectedly eventful day yesterday. And by unexpectedly eventful, I mean horrible! The day started out like a normal Sunday, Brady slept in a little, we went down and ate breakfast, got dressed, and went to the grocery store. No big deal. We get home from the store, and usually Brady loves helping to put the groceries away. Well, Brad went outside to shovel while we were unloading, and Brady freaked out, crying uncontrollably, the entire time he was outside. We literally went through a box of Kleenex.
I thought nothing of him being that upset while Brad was shoveling. He's been having some major separation issues lately. However, Brad came back in and the crying didn't stop. We tried snacks, lunch, holding him, etc. Nothing worked. We finally decided that either his teeth hurt or his ears were hurting. He is never like that unless, he's truly in pain. I think I failed to mention that he's had another cold the entire week. It never fails that colds lead to ear infections for Brady. We tried some Tylenol, rocked a little bit, and he fell asleep. Sometimes a nice long nap makes everything all better (for kids and adults!).
2 hours later, he woke up screaming crying. Still no consoling him. We finally got him to come downstairs and drink a little bit, but knew something was really wrong. We made the decision to go to Urgent Care as our normal pediatrician is not available on Sundays. The doctor was wonderful. He "magically" pulled stickers from behind Brady's ear, and let Brady hold the otoscope. (I had to look up what it was called. I didn't think it was appropriate to put, "the light up thingy that looks in your ears"). Brady didn't even flinch. The doctor drew us a picture of the ear and throat canal and explained to us what was going on. No one had done that before.
Sure enough, Brady has an ear and throat infection. This is his fifth ear infection this fall/winter. We've only been off antibiotics from his last one for 10 days. I think tubes are in his future, although I'm avoiding them like the plague. He is on 2 antibiotics this time. Fingers crossed it does the trick. The poor kid deserves to be healthy for more than 10 days at a time!
I thought nothing of him being that upset while Brad was shoveling. He's been having some major separation issues lately. However, Brad came back in and the crying didn't stop. We tried snacks, lunch, holding him, etc. Nothing worked. We finally decided that either his teeth hurt or his ears were hurting. He is never like that unless, he's truly in pain. I think I failed to mention that he's had another cold the entire week. It never fails that colds lead to ear infections for Brady. We tried some Tylenol, rocked a little bit, and he fell asleep. Sometimes a nice long nap makes everything all better (for kids and adults!).
2 hours later, he woke up screaming crying. Still no consoling him. We finally got him to come downstairs and drink a little bit, but knew something was really wrong. We made the decision to go to Urgent Care as our normal pediatrician is not available on Sundays. The doctor was wonderful. He "magically" pulled stickers from behind Brady's ear, and let Brady hold the otoscope. (I had to look up what it was called. I didn't think it was appropriate to put, "the light up thingy that looks in your ears"). Brady didn't even flinch. The doctor drew us a picture of the ear and throat canal and explained to us what was going on. No one had done that before.
Sure enough, Brady has an ear and throat infection. This is his fifth ear infection this fall/winter. We've only been off antibiotics from his last one for 10 days. I think tubes are in his future, although I'm avoiding them like the plague. He is on 2 antibiotics this time. Fingers crossed it does the trick. The poor kid deserves to be healthy for more than 10 days at a time!
Friday, February 7, 2014
5 on Friday
Happy Friday!
1. We like to have dance parties at our house. Brady especially likes them. Bruno Mars is one of our favorites. If anyone is interested in going to Chicago to see him on June 20th, let me know. Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed the half time show of the Superbowl. If it wasn't for the half time show, we probably would've stopped watching. That was the most boring Superbowl ever! For your viewing pleasure, here is Brady clapping and dancing along. Sorry it goes sideways in the middle.
2. The Luke Bryan concert was last night. It was as good as expected. He can shake it for me any time. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
3. Anxiety is a real thing, and it sucks.
4. I took a vacation day today. I've been very unproductive, but I've loved every second of being home with Brady. It's making me re-think what I said about not being able to be a stay-at-home mom. I just love his age right now. He is talking more and able to tell me what he wants, yet still loves giving hugs, blowing kisses and cuddling with mommy. As I'm typing this he's pretending to talk to his cousin, Blake, on the phone. He's starting to play some on his own, so I get a little bit of a break every once in a while. Which, let's be honest, we all need a few minutes to be an adult after playing with trucks, animal puzzles, and lego towers all day.
5. The Little Mermaid was on TV while we ate lunch today. I was way more excited about it than Brady. I love Disney movies. I was singing along to all the songs. It's amazing what you remember from your childhood. It also amazes me that the old Disney Movies (Cinderella, Dumbo, Peter Pan), Mickey Mouse, Curious George, etc. are just as popular today as they were when we were kids, or even when our parents were kids.
I hope everyone has a great weekend. Stay warm!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
What I Wore - a favorite and something new
I just wanted to share a couple outfits from this week. One is a favorite of mine and the other is something new. I found the inspiration for the new outfit from Pinterest (of course). I was going for a combo of these two:
And here is my try at it:
And here is my try at it:
Gingham Button-Up: Target, Navy Blazer: Target, Jeggings: Kohls (LC line)
This entire outfit cost me around $50 total!
Here is one of my favorite outfits at the moment. I love all of the pieces in it and wear them frequently.
Blouse: Loft, Mustard Cardigan: Target, Burgundy Pants: Loft, Necklace: Kohls (LC)
I'm so happy I picked up this blouse before it sold out! I paid full price, but with as many times as I've worn it, I would say I got my money's worth with this one. I got the mustard cardigan from Target when it was on sale for $15. I actually have this cardigan in black and grey as well. I love the boyfriend fit, and they are light weight enough to wear for most of the year here in the Midwest. I can't say enough great things about these pants. The fit is great and they go with almost everything.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Hawaii
Brad and I are going to Hawaii, Maui and Oahu, for 10 days in May. Most people would be over-the-moon excited to go to Hawaii. I am not. It's a done deal. Everything is booked, but I'm still having trouble getting on board. Brad's friend is getting married there and asked him to be in the wedding, so that's the main reason we are going. I think it's a little much to expect people to be able to afford that kind of trip, but that's just me. The money is a big factor in why I'm not loving the idea. We're talking probably close to $7,000. That's a large house project we will be putting off. But here are the real reasons I'm having issues with our vacation:
1. Brady is not going with us. If I had my way, he probably would have come. I know, it would have been very early nights with us having to be back to the hotel for his bed time every night, and some of the activities that we're planning wouldn't have happened, but man, 10 days away from him is a long time. The longest I've been away from him is 2 days. I'm going to bawl my eyes out when we leave. I'm tearing up right now just thinking about it.
Luckily, Brad's parents are willing to watch him while we're gone (and deal with his terrible sleeping). The plan is to keep him in daycare, so there's some normalcy, and to Face Time as much as possible. This trip will be a very good thing for Brad and I. We have our struggles still being semi-new parents, so this time alone will be great for our relationship. Please tell me we will have so much fun, I won't even have time to worry about Brady all day every day!
2. I am terrified about being in an airplane that long, and the whole flying over water thing. Yes, I've flown over water before, but never for that long. I am usually ok on the take off and while we're in flight, unless there's turbulence, but the landing is a whole other story. It's not even that I'm afraid the plane will crash. I just get extremely anxious and shaky and nauseous. It's to the point where we choose seats close to the back and close to the bathrooms just in case I have an episode. I've never been sick on a plane before, but I think it's the anxiety that it may happen that gets to me. You can trust I will be purchasing a large quantity of Dramamine before this trip.
3. How will I ever get my suitcase under the weight limit?! In case you don't get my sarcasm, I'm not really worried about this, although I have thought about it. I tend to over pack, probably taking double the clothes I need just because I don't know what I'll feel like wearing or what will be appropriate for the activities we're going to do. This happens because I'm a last minute packer. I just shove everything in the night before. Sticking to a list will probably be appropriate for this escapade.
All in all, I know we will have a great time. Just typing this out, has me a little more excited. If anyone has any suggestions about things that we must see or do while we're there, I would love to hear them!
1. Brady is not going with us. If I had my way, he probably would have come. I know, it would have been very early nights with us having to be back to the hotel for his bed time every night, and some of the activities that we're planning wouldn't have happened, but man, 10 days away from him is a long time. The longest I've been away from him is 2 days. I'm going to bawl my eyes out when we leave. I'm tearing up right now just thinking about it.
Luckily, Brad's parents are willing to watch him while we're gone (and deal with his terrible sleeping). The plan is to keep him in daycare, so there's some normalcy, and to Face Time as much as possible. This trip will be a very good thing for Brad and I. We have our struggles still being semi-new parents, so this time alone will be great for our relationship. Please tell me we will have so much fun, I won't even have time to worry about Brady all day every day!
2. I am terrified about being in an airplane that long, and the whole flying over water thing. Yes, I've flown over water before, but never for that long. I am usually ok on the take off and while we're in flight, unless there's turbulence, but the landing is a whole other story. It's not even that I'm afraid the plane will crash. I just get extremely anxious and shaky and nauseous. It's to the point where we choose seats close to the back and close to the bathrooms just in case I have an episode. I've never been sick on a plane before, but I think it's the anxiety that it may happen that gets to me. You can trust I will be purchasing a large quantity of Dramamine before this trip.
3. How will I ever get my suitcase under the weight limit?! In case you don't get my sarcasm, I'm not really worried about this, although I have thought about it. I tend to over pack, probably taking double the clothes I need just because I don't know what I'll feel like wearing or what will be appropriate for the activities we're going to do. This happens because I'm a last minute packer. I just shove everything in the night before. Sticking to a list will probably be appropriate for this escapade.
All in all, I know we will have a great time. Just typing this out, has me a little more excited. If anyone has any suggestions about things that we must see or do while we're there, I would love to hear them!
Friday, January 31, 2014
5 on Friday
I hope to keep up with doing either a 5 on Friday or a Friday Funny post every week. They're kind of fun to do and I enjoy reading others'.
1. Last weekend Brad's mom came over to watch Brady for a couple hours, so we could go out and shop for a new mattress and bedroom set. We've had the same Target bedroom furniture since we moved in together 9 years ago. The dresser drawers are all out of line and don't close correctly anymore. The mattress sinks down on each side where we lay and there is a huge hump in the middle. It was time! I'm so excited about what we bought. I've been wanting an upholstered headboard for a while now, and surprisingly Brad was on board. We bought a pretty traditional cherry wood dresser and two matching nightstands. And...we upgraded to a king-sized mattress! We won't even have to touch each other anymore! Seriously though, I prefer to sleep sprawled out, especially in the summer. I cannot wait!
2. Brady slept through the night 2 out of the last 5 nights. I wasn't joking when I said he is a horrible sleeper. I think he was like 5 months old the last time he slept through the night with that frequency. It's amazing what not being sick does for his sleeping. Please keep your fingers crossed that this continues. Mommy has over a year's worth of sleep to catch up on!
3. Next week we are going to see Luke Bryan...for the 4th time. I kind of love him. As much as I would love to see Nirvana or Sublime in concert, it will never happen, so Luke Bryan is the next best option. I will cry when he sings "Drink a Beer" like I do every other time I listen to that song. I contemplated buying this shirt. I'm not sure Brad is a fan though.
4. I am holding myself to a strict no spend February and March. By no spend, I mean no more buying clothes. I had some Christmas money to spend, but I did go a little crazy this month. I bought a top from Modcloth, a pair of jeans on sale from American Eagle, the 2 items I bought from Stitch Fix, and I spent my lunch hour Wednesday in the clearance section of Target. I bought this in the navy check pattern, this, this, a $10.50 navy blazer similar to the one I got from Stitch Fix, and a pair of grey ankle pants for a whopping total of $67. Most of these items I got cheaper in the store than they show online. Don't forget to download the Target Cartwheel App. There are some great deals out there. I also got this top from Target. The link on their website isn't working so here's a picture. It's hard to tell, but it's a really cute owl print.
5. I have a heavy heart today. One of my co-workers from my previous job passed away yesterday. She had breast cancer about 12 years ago, but fought it and was "cancer free" until about 3 years ago when they found that the cancer had metastasized (moved/spread) in her liver. She just couldn't quite fight this time. She was so strong and would never tell you that she was feeling horrible or in pain. She continued to work 4 days a week through chemo treatments. What breaks my heart the most about all of this is that she was only in her mid-50's. She has two young daughters, one who is a freshman in college and one who is a junior in high school. I am so sad for them. All of my prayers are with her family right now.
I also have a confession. I started typing this post yesterday, 100% thinking it was Friday. I was about half way through and realized it was only Thursday. Mommy brain at it's best! Hope everyone has a great weekend! Go Peyton Manning!
1. Last weekend Brad's mom came over to watch Brady for a couple hours, so we could go out and shop for a new mattress and bedroom set. We've had the same Target bedroom furniture since we moved in together 9 years ago. The dresser drawers are all out of line and don't close correctly anymore. The mattress sinks down on each side where we lay and there is a huge hump in the middle. It was time! I'm so excited about what we bought. I've been wanting an upholstered headboard for a while now, and surprisingly Brad was on board. We bought a pretty traditional cherry wood dresser and two matching nightstands. And...we upgraded to a king-sized mattress! We won't even have to touch each other anymore! Seriously though, I prefer to sleep sprawled out, especially in the summer. I cannot wait!
2. Brady slept through the night 2 out of the last 5 nights. I wasn't joking when I said he is a horrible sleeper. I think he was like 5 months old the last time he slept through the night with that frequency. It's amazing what not being sick does for his sleeping. Please keep your fingers crossed that this continues. Mommy has over a year's worth of sleep to catch up on!
3. Next week we are going to see Luke Bryan...for the 4th time. I kind of love him. As much as I would love to see Nirvana or Sublime in concert, it will never happen, so Luke Bryan is the next best option. I will cry when he sings "Drink a Beer" like I do every other time I listen to that song. I contemplated buying this shirt. I'm not sure Brad is a fan though.
4. I am holding myself to a strict no spend February and March. By no spend, I mean no more buying clothes. I had some Christmas money to spend, but I did go a little crazy this month. I bought a top from Modcloth, a pair of jeans on sale from American Eagle, the 2 items I bought from Stitch Fix, and I spent my lunch hour Wednesday in the clearance section of Target. I bought this in the navy check pattern, this, this, a $10.50 navy blazer similar to the one I got from Stitch Fix, and a pair of grey ankle pants for a whopping total of $67. Most of these items I got cheaper in the store than they show online. Don't forget to download the Target Cartwheel App. There are some great deals out there. I also got this top from Target. The link on their website isn't working so here's a picture. It's hard to tell, but it's a really cute owl print.
5. I have a heavy heart today. One of my co-workers from my previous job passed away yesterday. She had breast cancer about 12 years ago, but fought it and was "cancer free" until about 3 years ago when they found that the cancer had metastasized (moved/spread) in her liver. She just couldn't quite fight this time. She was so strong and would never tell you that she was feeling horrible or in pain. She continued to work 4 days a week through chemo treatments. What breaks my heart the most about all of this is that she was only in her mid-50's. She has two young daughters, one who is a freshman in college and one who is a junior in high school. I am so sad for them. All of my prayers are with her family right now.
I also have a confession. I started typing this post yesterday, 100% thinking it was Friday. I was about half way through and realized it was only Thursday. Mommy brain at it's best! Hope everyone has a great weekend! Go Peyton Manning!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
My Heart Melted
My heart melted last night. Brady loves to Face Time with Brad's parents. I think Grandma and Grandpa love it just as much. I've said it before, but we are so lucky to have them close. Brady sees them frequently and gets so excited to see them. Brad's mom watched him last Saturday for a while during the day. When she pulled up, he ran to the window and was waving and said hi approximately 100 times in a row. It makes me so happy so see him so happy. I wish he had the same relationship with my parents, but being 2 1/2 hours away, he just doesn't see them as much.
So last night they were on Face Time just chatting away. It was time for a bath so they were saying their good-byes. Brady then proceeds to say "hug," and picks up the phone and hugs it. Cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. I think I may have had tears in my eyes. This is the sort of thing that makes me want to have 10 more babies. Just kidding...sort of...
Brady is also apparently in to taking pictures now. We really need to take advantage of this phase. He got a fireman's hat for Christmas, and was playing with it the other night. Brad told him he wanted to take a picture of him with his hat on. Brady goes and stands next to Brad, looks straight in to the camera and says, "Cheese!". He was all in to it, posing, making different faces, etc. Seriously, the kid cracks me up. Watch out. He'll be doing his own selfies in no time!
Here are a couple pics for your viewing pleasure:
So last night they were on Face Time just chatting away. It was time for a bath so they were saying their good-byes. Brady then proceeds to say "hug," and picks up the phone and hugs it. Cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. I think I may have had tears in my eyes. This is the sort of thing that makes me want to have 10 more babies. Just kidding...sort of...
Brady is also apparently in to taking pictures now. We really need to take advantage of this phase. He got a fireman's hat for Christmas, and was playing with it the other night. Brad told him he wanted to take a picture of him with his hat on. Brady goes and stands next to Brad, looks straight in to the camera and says, "Cheese!". He was all in to it, posing, making different faces, etc. Seriously, the kid cracks me up. Watch out. He'll be doing his own selfies in no time!
Here are a couple pics for your viewing pleasure:
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Stitch Fix #2
Let me preface this post by saying a few things:
1. I am not a fashion blogger. I wish I was, but it's just not going to happen.
2. These pictures were taken at 9PM last night after I had worked 8 hours, came home and cooked dinner, played with a toddler, and gone through the whole bedtime process with him. There was no time for fixing my hair or makeup. Please don't judge!
3. I realize the night time lighting in our house is horrible and that our bedroom mirror is filthy. I'll try a little harder next time.
Ok, now that that is out of the way. I received Stitch Fix #2 yesterday! I actually scheduled it to come Friday of last week, but we'll blame the Polar Vortex on it being late. This one was even better than the first! I opened up the box and at first glance thought, "I'm going to want to keep the whole box." Everything was my style, although not all things I would pick out for myself in a store, which is the point of Stitch Fix.
If you're not familiar with Stitch Fix here is a quick overview:
Go to the Stitch Fix website. Create a login and fill out the Style Profile. Schedule a fix. There is a little bit of a waiting period. A personal stylist will pick out 5 items for you based on your style profile, and mail them to your home. You pay $20 as a stylist fee upfront. The $20 then goes toward what you purchase. When you receive your items, you have 3 days to try everything on and decide what you want to keep and what you want to send back. If you keep all 5 items, you get a 25% discount. If you keep nothing you do lose your $20. Send back what you don't want in the prepaid envelope. Fill out the survey online about what you kept and didn't keep and why, and you're done. It's so convenient!
I didn't take pictures of everything that I received the first time, but here are the two things that I kept. I wear the scarf probably once a week. I love it! And the blouse fits perfectly and looks good layered or on its own.
Here is what I received this time around. I forgot to take the obligatory picture of the open box, but here are the stylist cards for each item.
Liverpool Colleen High Rise Straight Leg Jean - $78
Status: Sent Back
I loved the color of these. Unfortunately, with high waist pants, I need to size up, so they were a little too tight for comfort. They were also a bit long. If these would have fit, I probably would have kept the whole box. After the 25% discount it would have been about the same to keep all five items as it would have been to keep these and the two items that I did end up keeping.
Renee C Taber Foldover 3/4 Sleeve Sweater - $58
Status: Sent Back
At first glance, this was my least favorite item. I didn't like the foldover neckline. I have broad shoulders, so I didn't think it work for me. The fabric and color are great, but after trying it on the first time I still wasn't liking it. See the picture above with it folded over like the styling card shows. It felt awkward and bunched up every time I moved my arms. I wanted to like this so I tried it on again and styled the neckline similar to a cowl neck. I looked better on me that way.
I thought I was going to buy this one, but after looking at it closer, there were a bunch of loose threads around the bottom. I'd be nervous to wash this, so it's going back.
Fun2Fun Burgdorf Diamond Printed Henley Blouse - $48
Status: Sent Back
I loved everything about this top, but the color. It just didn't work with my skin tone and hair color. I tried it with a cardigan like the styling card showed, but if I was going to keep this top I would prefer to be able to wear it on its own.
Daniel Rainn Kieraly Heart Print Short Sleeve Blouse - $68
Status: Kept
I actually requested this after reading others' reviews. It's a little more than I would usually pay for a blouse, but the heart pattern is just perfect. I had pinned the cream colored version on my Pinterest board, but I think I actually like this navy version better. I don't have a great picture of this one, because I pretty much knew I would keep it. I'm pretty sure this is now my favorite article of clothing. I can't wait for warmer weather so I can wear this one without a cardigan or blazer.
41Hawthorn Benson 3/4 Ruched Sleeve Blazer - $78
Status: Kept
I had also requested either a blazer or a vest similar to ones from my Pinterest board. I was so glad they sent me this blazer! I will get so much use out of it. The grey color is great and will go with anything. I also love the striped inside lining.
I don't get anything for writing this review, but if you are interested in trying it out, I get a $25 referral credit if you sign up using my referral link: https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3161248.
I highly recommend Stitch Fix. It's so convenient, especially for us moms whose current shopping trips consist of using the handicapped or family dressing room and spending more time trying to keep your child from crawling under the door than actually trying on clothes. The items are a little more expensive, but I've learned that you get what you pay for. We just bought a new mattress and bedroom set, and we're going to Hawaii in May, so for budget reasons I probably won't schedule another fix until April with the hopes of getting some great items to take on our trip!
1. I am not a fashion blogger. I wish I was, but it's just not going to happen.
2. These pictures were taken at 9PM last night after I had worked 8 hours, came home and cooked dinner, played with a toddler, and gone through the whole bedtime process with him. There was no time for fixing my hair or makeup. Please don't judge!
3. I realize the night time lighting in our house is horrible and that our bedroom mirror is filthy. I'll try a little harder next time.
Ok, now that that is out of the way. I received Stitch Fix #2 yesterday! I actually scheduled it to come Friday of last week, but we'll blame the Polar Vortex on it being late. This one was even better than the first! I opened up the box and at first glance thought, "I'm going to want to keep the whole box." Everything was my style, although not all things I would pick out for myself in a store, which is the point of Stitch Fix.
If you're not familiar with Stitch Fix here is a quick overview:
Go to the Stitch Fix website. Create a login and fill out the Style Profile. Schedule a fix. There is a little bit of a waiting period. A personal stylist will pick out 5 items for you based on your style profile, and mail them to your home. You pay $20 as a stylist fee upfront. The $20 then goes toward what you purchase. When you receive your items, you have 3 days to try everything on and decide what you want to keep and what you want to send back. If you keep all 5 items, you get a 25% discount. If you keep nothing you do lose your $20. Send back what you don't want in the prepaid envelope. Fill out the survey online about what you kept and didn't keep and why, and you're done. It's so convenient!
I didn't take pictures of everything that I received the first time, but here are the two things that I kept. I wear the scarf probably once a week. I love it! And the blouse fits perfectly and looks good layered or on its own.
Here is what I received this time around. I forgot to take the obligatory picture of the open box, but here are the stylist cards for each item.
Liverpool Colleen High Rise Straight Leg Jean - $78
Status: Sent Back
I loved the color of these. Unfortunately, with high waist pants, I need to size up, so they were a little too tight for comfort. They were also a bit long. If these would have fit, I probably would have kept the whole box. After the 25% discount it would have been about the same to keep all five items as it would have been to keep these and the two items that I did end up keeping.
Renee C Taber Foldover 3/4 Sleeve Sweater - $58
Status: Sent Back
At first glance, this was my least favorite item. I didn't like the foldover neckline. I have broad shoulders, so I didn't think it work for me. The fabric and color are great, but after trying it on the first time I still wasn't liking it. See the picture above with it folded over like the styling card shows. It felt awkward and bunched up every time I moved my arms. I wanted to like this so I tried it on again and styled the neckline similar to a cowl neck. I looked better on me that way.
I thought I was going to buy this one, but after looking at it closer, there were a bunch of loose threads around the bottom. I'd be nervous to wash this, so it's going back.
Fun2Fun Burgdorf Diamond Printed Henley Blouse - $48
Status: Sent Back
I loved everything about this top, but the color. It just didn't work with my skin tone and hair color. I tried it with a cardigan like the styling card showed, but if I was going to keep this top I would prefer to be able to wear it on its own.
Daniel Rainn Kieraly Heart Print Short Sleeve Blouse - $68
Status: Kept
I actually requested this after reading others' reviews. It's a little more than I would usually pay for a blouse, but the heart pattern is just perfect. I had pinned the cream colored version on my Pinterest board, but I think I actually like this navy version better. I don't have a great picture of this one, because I pretty much knew I would keep it. I'm pretty sure this is now my favorite article of clothing. I can't wait for warmer weather so I can wear this one without a cardigan or blazer.
41Hawthorn Benson 3/4 Ruched Sleeve Blazer - $78
Status: Kept
I had also requested either a blazer or a vest similar to ones from my Pinterest board. I was so glad they sent me this blazer! I will get so much use out of it. The grey color is great and will go with anything. I also love the striped inside lining.
I don't get anything for writing this review, but if you are interested in trying it out, I get a $25 referral credit if you sign up using my referral link: https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3161248.
I highly recommend Stitch Fix. It's so convenient, especially for us moms whose current shopping trips consist of using the handicapped or family dressing room and spending more time trying to keep your child from crawling under the door than actually trying on clothes. The items are a little more expensive, but I've learned that you get what you pay for. We just bought a new mattress and bedroom set, and we're going to Hawaii in May, so for budget reasons I probably won't schedule another fix until April with the hopes of getting some great items to take on our trip!
Friday, January 24, 2014
5 on Friday
Let me start by saying that we've had a rough week at our house. Tuesday night Brady woke up around 9pm crying and continued crying for a good hour. There was no consoling him. I ended up sleeping with him the entire night. Wednesday morning he was a zombie. He wouldn't eat and wasn't talking, which are both huge indicators that something's going on with him. He had a low fever, so we kept him home from daycare. He napped from 8:30am - 10:15am and still just wanted to lay on me and cuddle. Brady is not a cuddler, so I called the doctor. We got in Wednesday afternoon and sure enough he's got another ear infection. This is #4 for this fall/winter, not that I'm counting or anything. amoxicillin doesn't work for him, so he's on Augmentin. Thankfully, it works quickly and he's back to his naughty playful self again!
Now to what I had planned to post about...
I kind of took a blogging break and am now hoping to come back in full force. I thought I would do a post to help readers get to know me a little better. Here are 5 things that you may or may not know about me:
1. I love Arizona. As in I would be 100% ok with picking up and moving there today. I know I just did a post about how family is so important and it's so nice to have them close again, and maybe it's because it's 100 degrees below zero outside right now, but I really would move there no questions asked. I actually do have family there that I am very close to, so it wouldn't be like we're moving there knowing no one. To be quite honest, I haven't really made any good friends since I've moved here. It's hard to make friends at work when 75% of your coworkers are over 50. And really I don't have a lot of adult interaction when I'm not at work. Oh well, such is life.
2. I work in HR and love it. I got a degree in Sociology with minors in Psychology and Spanish with the hopes of going in to Social Work. When that didn't pan out, I ended up getting a job as an administrative assistant for a HR Assistant. Things didn't work out so well with her, so I was promoted to her job. Not so good for her, but great for me. In HR, I still get to work with and help people on a daily basis which was my main goal in a career. I now work in HR for a non-profit that helps those in the community with mental illness so I'm really in my element.
3. I have a skin disease called Schamberg's. You can read about it here if you'd like, but basically some of my red blood cells have come up to the surface of my skin and left me looking freckle-covered. Don't do Google images because it will scare you. I have a severe case, but it's still not Google Images severe. It's the worst on my upper thigh, but I do have it in other places. I am extremely self-conscious about it. You will rarely see me in shorts unless I have a tan going on. I also dread wearing a bathing suit. I've been asked more times than I can count if I had a rash. I envision people thinking, "Look at her rash. Gross. Better stay away from her because I'm sure it's contagious." Of course I know most people probably really aren't thinking that, and I should stop caring what other people think, but that's just the way it is.
4. I love being the mom of a boy. Refer to my "A Girly Girl I Am Not" post here. Obviously, all I want are healthy babies, but I wouldn't be at all sad if we only had boys. Plus, I'm terrified of having a teenage girl, and we had a girl already, Claire, and she is so special. I'm really looking forward to watching Brady play tee-ball and flag football if he chooses. And for those who say it's so much more fun to shop for girls, you're wrong. The selection might not be as great, but there are some really cute things out there for boys. Our world right now revolves around dump trucks and fire trucks and I love every minute of it.
5. I wear socks with my flats. In my defense, they are black trouser socks with my black work flats. I don't wear heels. I have bunions. Thank you Grandma! I prefer comfort over pain. In the summer I would never dream of wearing socks, but since it's 100 degrees below zero, socks are a necessity.
That's all I've got. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Keep warm. The polar vortex is an a-hole.
Now to what I had planned to post about...
I kind of took a blogging break and am now hoping to come back in full force. I thought I would do a post to help readers get to know me a little better. Here are 5 things that you may or may not know about me:
1. I love Arizona. As in I would be 100% ok with picking up and moving there today. I know I just did a post about how family is so important and it's so nice to have them close again, and maybe it's because it's 100 degrees below zero outside right now, but I really would move there no questions asked. I actually do have family there that I am very close to, so it wouldn't be like we're moving there knowing no one. To be quite honest, I haven't really made any good friends since I've moved here. It's hard to make friends at work when 75% of your coworkers are over 50. And really I don't have a lot of adult interaction when I'm not at work. Oh well, such is life.
2. I work in HR and love it. I got a degree in Sociology with minors in Psychology and Spanish with the hopes of going in to Social Work. When that didn't pan out, I ended up getting a job as an administrative assistant for a HR Assistant. Things didn't work out so well with her, so I was promoted to her job. Not so good for her, but great for me. In HR, I still get to work with and help people on a daily basis which was my main goal in a career. I now work in HR for a non-profit that helps those in the community with mental illness so I'm really in my element.
3. I have a skin disease called Schamberg's. You can read about it here if you'd like, but basically some of my red blood cells have come up to the surface of my skin and left me looking freckle-covered. Don't do Google images because it will scare you. I have a severe case, but it's still not Google Images severe. It's the worst on my upper thigh, but I do have it in other places. I am extremely self-conscious about it. You will rarely see me in shorts unless I have a tan going on. I also dread wearing a bathing suit. I've been asked more times than I can count if I had a rash. I envision people thinking, "Look at her rash. Gross. Better stay away from her because I'm sure it's contagious." Of course I know most people probably really aren't thinking that, and I should stop caring what other people think, but that's just the way it is.
4. I love being the mom of a boy. Refer to my "A Girly Girl I Am Not" post here. Obviously, all I want are healthy babies, but I wouldn't be at all sad if we only had boys. Plus, I'm terrified of having a teenage girl, and we had a girl already, Claire, and she is so special. I'm really looking forward to watching Brady play tee-ball and flag football if he chooses. And for those who say it's so much more fun to shop for girls, you're wrong. The selection might not be as great, but there are some really cute things out there for boys. Our world right now revolves around dump trucks and fire trucks and I love every minute of it.
5. I wear socks with my flats. In my defense, they are black trouser socks with my black work flats. I don't wear heels. I have bunions. Thank you Grandma! I prefer comfort over pain. In the summer I would never dream of wearing socks, but since it's 100 degrees below zero, socks are a necessity.
That's all I've got. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Keep warm. The polar vortex is an a-hole.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Family
We had a busy, but very fun, family-filled weekend. Saturday we took Brady to the Botanical Center with the hopes of overcoming his fear of sand. They had brought in a ton of sand (literally) and placed it around a palm tree for kids to play in. It wasn't quite what we thought it would be, but Brady still had fun. I think he enjoyed feeding the fish in the koi pond even more.
Let me explain Brady's fear of sand. Last summer I took Brady to the local water park. During pool checks they have a sandy area for the kids to play in. We went in to the sand area, I set Brady down, and he screamed bloody murder. Like, everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him, screaming. The sand wasn't hot. It was in the shade. I'm guessing it's because it's not a solid surface and kind of hard to walk on, but thankfully we are over that now. He had absolutely no desire to go in the sand at first on Saturday, so we set him in, started playing, and finally, he was walking around in it, no problem. We're the throw them in there and let them figure it out type of parents.
On Sunday, we met my dad and his girlfriend for lunch in Iowa City. Brady was still kicking after lunch, so we headed over to the mall to ride on the carousel. My dad took him. He was so excited to go on it, but after a couple circles he started whining and trying to get off and saying, "out". I know I shouldn't laugh, but it was hilarious. The look on his face was priceless! Here is a before picture.
After that excitement we took him over to the play area and he went to town. No joke, after about 2 minutes he had a little girl following him around. Such a lady's man. After some kicking and screaming, we said our good-byes. He was asleep the second we got on the interstate.
After his nap, we headed over to Brad's parent's house for dinner. Brad's sister and our nephew were there also. Him and Brady are about a year and a half apart, but still have so much fun together. They got to sit at the kids table to eat. It was hilarious listening to them. They were perfectly content just having their own conversation, ignoring everything else that was going on around them.
It's so wonderful having family close. After living in the Chicago suburbs, and being 2 1/2 hours from Brad's family and 5+ hours from mine, we have realized how blessed we are to now be so close to them. We think it's so important for Brady to know his grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Family is everything to us. We learned the hard way that except for a few really great friends (you know who you are), family are the ones who will always be there for you when times are hard.
Let me explain Brady's fear of sand. Last summer I took Brady to the local water park. During pool checks they have a sandy area for the kids to play in. We went in to the sand area, I set Brady down, and he screamed bloody murder. Like, everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him, screaming. The sand wasn't hot. It was in the shade. I'm guessing it's because it's not a solid surface and kind of hard to walk on, but thankfully we are over that now. He had absolutely no desire to go in the sand at first on Saturday, so we set him in, started playing, and finally, he was walking around in it, no problem. We're the throw them in there and let them figure it out type of parents.
On Sunday, we met my dad and his girlfriend for lunch in Iowa City. Brady was still kicking after lunch, so we headed over to the mall to ride on the carousel. My dad took him. He was so excited to go on it, but after a couple circles he started whining and trying to get off and saying, "out". I know I shouldn't laugh, but it was hilarious. The look on his face was priceless! Here is a before picture.
After that excitement we took him over to the play area and he went to town. No joke, after about 2 minutes he had a little girl following him around. Such a lady's man. After some kicking and screaming, we said our good-byes. He was asleep the second we got on the interstate.
After his nap, we headed over to Brad's parent's house for dinner. Brad's sister and our nephew were there also. Him and Brady are about a year and a half apart, but still have so much fun together. They got to sit at the kids table to eat. It was hilarious listening to them. They were perfectly content just having their own conversation, ignoring everything else that was going on around them.
It's so wonderful having family close. After living in the Chicago suburbs, and being 2 1/2 hours from Brad's family and 5+ hours from mine, we have realized how blessed we are to now be so close to them. We think it's so important for Brady to know his grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Family is everything to us. We learned the hard way that except for a few really great friends (you know who you are), family are the ones who will always be there for you when times are hard.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
A "Girly Girl" I Am Not
Although I do want to bring awareness about congenital heart defects and other birth defects, and let those who have experienced loss know that it's ok to still grieve and have bad days, I don't mean for this blog to always be sad or depressing. My goal is to let other baby loss moms know that there is life after loss. It is possible to get back to a sense of "normal".
Those that know me in real life, know that I am a very sarcastic person. I cuss like a sailor, love sports, especially football, and am not at all a "girly girl." I could care less about what's happening on "The Bachelor", or if my nails are painted, and I am not going to pretend that I know anything about hair, makeup, or fashion.
Fortunately, Pinterest was created. I am mildly obsessed with Pinterest. There's probably already some other new thing out there that's even better than Pinterest, but it's working just fine for me. I've learned about Stitch Fix via Pinterest (and a message board) and have become more than obsessed about searching for Stitch Fix reviews via Pinterest. People have probably stopped following me because of my massive amounts of Stitch Fix pins. I saw on my account that they are working on my next fix. It is scheduled to arrive next Friday. The wait is killing me!
I have learned that there's an eye shadow palette out there called Naked from Urban Decay, and although it's $50, it's something that every girl should own. There's even 3 different versions now, but as a green-eyed girl, I stick with #1. The next thing on my list is learning how to contour and apply foundation. Aside from dance recitals, I have never worn blush in my life. Gasp!
I've learned how to curl my hair like the Victoria's Secret models, and that no matter how many different ways I try, my hair will not curl with a straightener. I didn't even own a curling iron before. I bought this Hot Tools one on sale for $30 at Ulta and it's worked great.
You're probably laughing at me for being so un-knowledgeable, but growing up, I was taught how to braid my hair by my aunt. She moved to Arizona when I was still in elementary school, and that was the end of my hair and makeup training. I'm really enjoying all these new discoveries. It's helping me feel more feminine and grown up. I am 30 now and have a kid, so I guess it's time to be an adult. Maybe someday I'll even start painting my nails or get my first pedicure. I don't foresee me watching The Bachelor anytime in the near future though. Baby steps.
Those that know me in real life, know that I am a very sarcastic person. I cuss like a sailor, love sports, especially football, and am not at all a "girly girl." I could care less about what's happening on "The Bachelor", or if my nails are painted, and I am not going to pretend that I know anything about hair, makeup, or fashion.
Fortunately, Pinterest was created. I am mildly obsessed with Pinterest. There's probably already some other new thing out there that's even better than Pinterest, but it's working just fine for me. I've learned about Stitch Fix via Pinterest (and a message board) and have become more than obsessed about searching for Stitch Fix reviews via Pinterest. People have probably stopped following me because of my massive amounts of Stitch Fix pins. I saw on my account that they are working on my next fix. It is scheduled to arrive next Friday. The wait is killing me!
I have learned that there's an eye shadow palette out there called Naked from Urban Decay, and although it's $50, it's something that every girl should own. There's even 3 different versions now, but as a green-eyed girl, I stick with #1. The next thing on my list is learning how to contour and apply foundation. Aside from dance recitals, I have never worn blush in my life. Gasp!
I've learned how to curl my hair like the Victoria's Secret models, and that no matter how many different ways I try, my hair will not curl with a straightener. I didn't even own a curling iron before. I bought this Hot Tools one on sale for $30 at Ulta and it's worked great.
You're probably laughing at me for being so un-knowledgeable, but growing up, I was taught how to braid my hair by my aunt. She moved to Arizona when I was still in elementary school, and that was the end of my hair and makeup training. I'm really enjoying all these new discoveries. It's helping me feel more feminine and grown up. I am 30 now and have a kid, so I guess it's time to be an adult. Maybe someday I'll even start painting my nails or get my first pedicure. I don't foresee me watching The Bachelor anytime in the near future though. Baby steps.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Why?
My aunt's first born baby girl, Jennifer, was still born. Needless to say, my aunt was a huge support for me after I lost Claire. I received a very sad text from her yesterday. The text said that her friend's daughter's baby girl, Serafina Rose, has joined Claire and Jennifer in heaven. They had been trying to have a baby for years. So devastating. Why does this happen? I know SO many people who have had a serious pregnancy complication or who have lost a baby, whether it be miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm labor, etc. There are most likely others that I don't know about who have kept it private. Seriously, why does this happen? I have no explanation. I never will. It breaks my heart to know that yet another person is now experiencing the absolute heart break that we have experienced. This is something that stays with you the rest of your life.
I would give anything to go back to the time when I thought you could get pregnant any time you had sex, and that if you did get pregnant, it meant you would have a healthy, baby boy or girl 9 months later. No pregnancy complications, no birth defects, no labor, delivery, and post-delivery complications, no SIDS. I was sostupid naïve.
Please pray for Serafina's family. I know Claire and Jennifer were up there welcoming her with open arms, but that doesn't make it any easier.
I would give anything to go back to the time when I thought you could get pregnant any time you had sex, and that if you did get pregnant, it meant you would have a healthy, baby boy or girl 9 months later. No pregnancy complications, no birth defects, no labor, delivery, and post-delivery complications, no SIDS. I was so
Please pray for Serafina's family. I know Claire and Jennifer were up there welcoming her with open arms, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Monday, January 13, 2014
You Can't Always Be Supermom
Sometimes I question whether I'm cut out for being a full-time working mom. I also question whether I could be a SAHM. SAHM's are amazing in my opinion! Why can't there be a happy medium of working 2 or 3 days a week and staying home 2 or 3 days a week? I know some people have that luxury, but with the cost of daycare, even part-time daycare, it's just not an option for us.
I sometimes feel like I am slacking in the mom area, because I'm exhausted by the time I get home from work. And then I have to keep Brady occupied - Thank God for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - while I get dinner ready. I'm terrified for him to start school. How will I ever keep up with the PTA moms?! I know, I need to quit worrying, but man sometimes it's just hard. After losing Claire, I swore I wanted 3 more kids. I'm now re-evaluating that thought. I just don't think I can do it. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful to have these problems. I don't know where I would be right now if I didn't have Brady. He has brought so much joy after such a difficult time in our lives.
Prime example, I forgot to leave Brady's coat at daycare this morning. He had to borrow one in order to play outside. Really, what was I thinking?! I can't really tell you. My brain is fried, and I kind of need a nice long vacation from everything. Actually, I would take just a couple nights of uninterrupted sleep. But, that's not going to happen. I will keep trucking along doing the best that I can, and that's all I can do.
My boss told me this morning that I can't always be supermom. I need to keep telling myself this. She is so right. I love my little man with all my heart and would do anything for him. That is enough. Sadly, some kids don't even get that. I don't need to be the mom who has an immaculate house, or who cooks a gourmet, organic meal every night, or who bakes some new delicious recipe from scratch every day. That's just not going to happen. I am perfectly happy with our crazy, messy, hug-filled lives!
I sometimes feel like I am slacking in the mom area, because I'm exhausted by the time I get home from work. And then I have to keep Brady occupied - Thank God for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - while I get dinner ready. I'm terrified for him to start school. How will I ever keep up with the PTA moms?! I know, I need to quit worrying, but man sometimes it's just hard. After losing Claire, I swore I wanted 3 more kids. I'm now re-evaluating that thought. I just don't think I can do it. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful to have these problems. I don't know where I would be right now if I didn't have Brady. He has brought so much joy after such a difficult time in our lives.
Prime example, I forgot to leave Brady's coat at daycare this morning. He had to borrow one in order to play outside. Really, what was I thinking?! I can't really tell you. My brain is fried, and I kind of need a nice long vacation from everything. Actually, I would take just a couple nights of uninterrupted sleep. But, that's not going to happen. I will keep trucking along doing the best that I can, and that's all I can do.
My boss told me this morning that I can't always be supermom. I need to keep telling myself this. She is so right. I love my little man with all my heart and would do anything for him. That is enough. Sadly, some kids don't even get that. I don't need to be the mom who has an immaculate house, or who cooks a gourmet, organic meal every night, or who bakes some new delicious recipe from scratch every day. That's just not going to happen. I am perfectly happy with our crazy, messy, hug-filled lives!
Friday, January 10, 2014
A Friday Funny
Let me start by saying that Brady is a terrible sleeper...STILL! I thought for sure that once we stopped nursing and after he turned 1, he would just miraculously start sleeping through the night. I was terribly wrong. I don't know how I function most days at work. I guess I do have plenty of "mommy brain" moments. The other night I asked Brad a question and his response was, "You just asked me that 5 minutes ago, and my answer is still yes." I had no recollection of asking him that question. Oops! It's also possible that I have a little bit of selective hearing, but I'm blaming that one on mommy brain.
Anyways, because of Brady's terrible sleep habits, there are mornings when he gets up when I do at 5:30 AM. This means that he has to stay occupied until we eat breakfast at 6:45. He's too young to sit there and watch TV, so he finds other things to keep him busy. These things usually consist of opening and emptying all of my bathroom cupboards and drawers. This leads to my makeup, lotion, hair products, pads, tampons, and anything else you could think of being strewn about my bathroom floor. I've learned the hard way that you really have to pick your battles. I don't have time in the morning to fight this battle, so we have many moments like this.
This was a while ago and is pretty tame compared to the usual destruction.
I have to laugh about it. The last couple of times, he's pretended to use my eyelash curler, and then hands it to me and says, "Mommy's turn." I die. Brad is so proud that his son knows how to use an eyelash curler.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Anyways, because of Brady's terrible sleep habits, there are mornings when he gets up when I do at 5:30 AM. This means that he has to stay occupied until we eat breakfast at 6:45. He's too young to sit there and watch TV, so he finds other things to keep him busy. These things usually consist of opening and emptying all of my bathroom cupboards and drawers. This leads to my makeup, lotion, hair products, pads, tampons, and anything else you could think of being strewn about my bathroom floor. I've learned the hard way that you really have to pick your battles. I don't have time in the morning to fight this battle, so we have many moments like this.
This was a while ago and is pretty tame compared to the usual destruction.
I have to laugh about it. The last couple of times, he's pretended to use my eyelash curler, and then hands it to me and says, "Mommy's turn." I die. Brad is so proud that his son knows how to use an eyelash curler.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
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