Jett is 3 months!

Ok, so he was like 2 weeks ago. I can't decide if I am busy or lazy. I say I don't have time for anything because I don't. Then when I do get a spare moment, I do nothing but sit still. Busy or lazy, you decide. Jett holds my heart in the palm of his hand. He is by far more difficult than Holt was in many ways, but something about his chubby face with dimples and how he just absolutely loves his mommy, makes me so happy to just see his face. Every night before bed I am so glad that it is bedtime, but when I hear him in the morning, I can't wait to see him. That lil guy just has my heart. He is laughing now and it's the cutest. It's always short lived because after 2-3 big laughs the hiccups begin. I almost feel bad making him laugh because he pays for it for 15 minutes! If mommy isn't the one catching his eye, it's his big brother. He just loves to watch him. He also loves to watch tv. I didn't provoke this, he just moves his head until he can see it. I'm getting the hang of this two kid thing and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of splitting my attention. I say this because Holt hasn't lashed out or done anything crazy to try and earn some attention back. If he wants me and I'm holding Jett, he sometimes asks me to put him down. As long as Jett is fine with that (not hungry or sleepy), so I am I.
Jett is an absolutely horrible car rider and errand runner with me. He hates the car and his carseat and hates running errands unless he is asleep. He doesn't sleep very soundly, so transferring him from the car to stroller, or anywhere for that matter without waking him up, is almost impossible, . He's even in his carrier the whole time. As soon as he gets in his carseat, the screaming begins and it usually doesn't stop. This is why I feel like I never get out of the house. It's miserable when I do! He still does not sleep much during the day. Some days he sleeps less than 2 hours combined over 3-4 naps. Others I have counted as being less than 1.5hrs ALL DAY. I've tried every location in our house with the swing being the most successful. As nice as it is that he sleeps here, I'm not about to make it a habit. I'm totally against sleep aids. He is ready for bed by 7 or 7:30 and you better not try and keep him out past his bedtime or you will pay for it. Even if I still follow the 3 hour schedule of wake, eat, play sleep...he can't be tricked. He must go to bed around that time. I feed him before I go to bed around 11 and he sleeps until sometime between 4-6, 4:30 seems about average. This feeding typically keeps him satisfied until 8 or later most days. Although I would rather have him fed around 7:30. For some reason that time really sets a good pace for the day. I'm hoping he starts to settle into a better nap cycle during the day soon. I know he needs it and Lord knows I do!

It's true, every baby is different. Holt never wanted a soothie, ever. Jett is kind of a fan. I don't force it by any means, but he is one of those baby's that needs to suck. When he starts to get tired, he roots around like he is hungry, but he isn't. He just needs to suck on his soothie for a few minutes and he is lulled off to sleepyland. I don't let him sleep with it in his mouth. I'm terrified of a pacifier habit and I plan on being in control of it! Ha. I'm going to start breaking the habit by 4 months even if that means more difficult nap and bed times temporarily.

As far as milestones, we haven't hit any major ones just yet. I don't see rolling over happening anytime soon because he absolutely cannot stand tummy time. And confession time, I only put him on his tummy once a day or so because it's so painful to watch him. He buries his face and moves his head around violently and starts to cry almost immediately. I wait for him to stop so I can see how he is improving, but he never does so I have to flip him back. He loves laying on his back and I try to work with him rolling side to side instead. I'm sure he will roll over at some point so I am not going to worry about it. He can lift himself up for a few seconds, then it's back to face burying.

Jett facts:
Size 2 diapers
Size 6 month cloths

Jett loves:
Smiling and laughing
Mommy
His playmat
Watching Holt
Sucking something while grabbing his hair
His swing
Bath time
Lights and ceiling fans
Facing the way where everything is going on

Jett does not love:
The car
His carseat
His brother's screaming
Naps
Facing the wall
Being on his tummy
Evening time

I don't have many pictures right now, I'll add them later. I just got a new computer and I do not have any on here yet. I just love this chunky monkey and I am so in love with his sweetness.

The Truth

I've been known for my honesty, especially on topics like marriage and motherhood. I don't like to sugar coat it. Most the time I am praised for it, although I am sure there are other times people can't believe I just spilled the beans and tell how it really is. At this point in our lives I think we all know that life isn't rainbows and butterflies. So here it is, this is how you picture yourself being a mom:

And when you are brave enough to admit that isn't realistic, this is how you really feel as a mom:

I had a conversation recently with some friends about how we aren't the types of moms we pictured ourselves being. Insert *round of applause* to all of us for admitting that. It's not easy. No one can tell you why it's not easy, it just isn't. But is it also magical and the most wonderful feeling in the world? Absolutely. From birth on up, every age has it's ups and downs. From "How exciting, my baby can walk!" to "Holy shit, I just watched my kid fall down the stairs!"  Yeah, that happened a couple weeks ago. We both ended up in tears. Today we both ended up in tears again. He wasn't getting his way and I reached a breaking point. I have an infant that does not sleep during the day. I am shocked shitless if he sleeps longer than 45 minutes at any given point during the day. Yesterday we managed to all take a nap, the first time this has happened in 10 weeks. I paid for it by being wide awake at 2:45 this am and stayed that way. I digress. I have an infant that does not nap, a 2 year that does not eat, and my patience is virtually non-existent. When Holt is tired, he's a mess, a disaster, a nightmare to deal with. He can't function, he can't seem to hear me correct him, and he melts down at absolutely nothing. Jett, characteristic of an infant, cries when he is tired. Holt purposely wakes Jett up when he sees him dozing off or sees him asleep anywhere. Come dinner time when I am supposed to be getting it together before Kyle gets home, I can't breathe from the stress of a 2 year old yelling at me to help cook (which any day now is going to end up in a burned hand or busted head from falling off the counter) and a screaming infant who just won't sleep! I hate dinner time. Kyle and I generally spend the entire time yelling at Holt to eat while he pushes anything and everything away saying "Holt don't like it." all the while trying to calm a crying, exhausted Jett. So that's the truth.

The truth is that you will yell more than you think you will ever yell at someone who can barely speak English. Someone that no matter how much you yell, still wants you to kiss him goodnight and scratch his back.

The truth is you will find yourself getting frustrated by a 14lb being that can do nothing but cry to express feelings. Someone that will make your day better with a single smile just because they see your face or giggle because you said something in a funny tone.

The truth is you will freak out because your kid is not eating or you think he ate too much sugar that day. Someone that deserves an M&M cookie because nothing can replace how his face lights up at the mere mention of helping mommy make cookies.

The truth is you will consider starting your own HH at 3pm...but you'll get past it and instead reward yourself with ice cream that night, but not all the time. Sometimes you do need the wine.

The truth is that the slow motion picture you have of yourself and your kid on a carousel smiling and laughing is a short lived 2 minute ride. But those 2 minutes are absolute bliss that often overshadow the meltdown in the candy store.

The truth is that you will make you kid cry. Whether it's by yelling at their older sibling and scaring the bejesus out of them or by just losing your cool and just yelling to yell. But when your kid cries, they still want you to kiss it and make it better...and you will...and you will end up feeling bad an apologizing.

The truth is you will take 20 pictures trying to get that special moment you picture and you will get mad when they don't cooperate. You tell yourself you didn't get any and will delete them all. You will have a hard time deleting any in fear you won't even get that little moment back again.

The truth is you will feel like a bad mom...more than you will feel like a good mom. Someone, anyone, will tell you the little person that is driving you up the wall is smart, and funny, and sweet all because of you.

It's hard. It's wonderful. It sucks. It's the best. It's exhausting. It's invigorating. It's sad. It's happy. It's motherhood.

Facebook is an enemy, one I cannot get away from because I still love it. It's full of pictures of flowers from amazing husbands who sent them "just because". Probably "just because" he was an asshole the night before. Or mom's that put some of their 1000+ pins on Pinterest to use and made that project you have been wanting to attempt, but you had to rush out of Hobby Lobby because of a screaming infant and forgot half the supplies. Hell no you aren't going back in that store again! Or kids that actually smile for a picture. A picture where someone behind the camera is saying "doodoo" to make that smile happen. Or mom's with a smile from ear to ear holding their kids, a mom that is secretly suffering from postpartum depression. Don't be fooled by what you see. I've been some of these things...life ain't always what it seems. But it's your life. So if you can't tell, I had a rough day. No matter how rough the day is, I always wake up a new person and a new mom who seems to forget what happened to day before. You have to. Everyday is different and everyday deserves to be cherished. These times don't last forever, and in 20 years, I'll give anything to go back to my hardest day just to have my kids be babies again.

2 Month Comparison

Jett

Holt

Jett is 2 months!

Where oh where has the past 2 months gone? I didn't enter that newborn zombie phase like I did with Holt, but for some reason the past 2 months are blurry! All I seem to remember is feeding and changing diapers and telling Holt "No!" about a million times a day. Jett has settled into this family quite nicely and he holds a special place in all of our hearts. I can't explain the love you feel for a second a child, how instantaneous it is and how you get to truly cherish every sweet smile and coo even more than the first one. Holt just loves Jett and likes to hug him and share his toys. When Jett starts to "talk", Holt says "What are you talkin' bout Jett?" So far he is very gentle with him, I have only had to tell him to be careful once or twice when he tries to pat his back too hard to burp him. Kyle just loves to cuddle with a newborn baby and could just hold him while he sleeps for hours and hours.

His 2 month stats are:
13lbs 9oz, 85%
24.5in 95%
Size 1 (barely) diapers, should be in 1-2s
3-6 month clothes, some 6 months

He is eating every 2.5-4 hours during the day depending on his nap schedule, which is still few and far between during the day. At night he goes to bed around 7:30 or 8 and I feed him once more before I go to bed. His friend Colic has decided to leave him alone, thank goodness. We are starting to get out some more, like going to the park or running a quick errand. I forget what a slave you are to this 3 hour time schedule. You basically have an hour and half or less to get something done. A typical day is like this

Sometime between 7- 9am-Morning feeding
An hour and half is his awake threshold almost to the minute so he settles into a cat nap, 20 min
Sometime between10-12-Another Feeding
Another Cat nap
1-3- Feeding
Possible a long nap after this, and by long I mean 45 min or less. Some days he will actually sleep for a couple hours in a row, but that's rare and it's typically when we are not at home. He doesn't like sleeping at home.
4-6 Feeding
Short nap in the swing while I get dinner together
Sometimes a feeding around 7, 7:30 Bed time
10-11- Last feeding
4-5am "Middle" of the night feeding

His schedule is actually all over the place and really hard to pinpoint times because they vary each day depending on when he wakes up to eat in the morning and how long his naps are. Since Colic went away, evenings are much better and he settles down to sleep by 8.

He loves:
Baths
Mommy
Watching Holt
Ceiling Fans and Lights

He dislikes:
The sun in his eyes
Waking up from a nap in public
Being hungry
Naps

We are sure enjoying our time with him. It just gets better and better. He's a growing chunk and I wouldn't have it any other way!

One Month Comparison

Here is Holt at one month and Jett at one month...I think they are going to look very different from eachother!

Jett is one month!

Ok, so he's almost 2 months. The life of a mom with two kids means late blog posts. I have this list of things I am dying to get to, this being one of them, and I CANNOT find the time. Between chasing Holt around the house as he takes off his diapers, wet, dry or poopy, full time nursing, and dealing with two Mama's boys...there aren't enough hours in the day. When there is some spare time...I rest. So here it is, my sweet baby boy is/was one month old on October 14th. His stats at the dr were:

11lbs 15oz 80%
23.5in 90%
Size 1 diapers
3 month clothes, some 3-6

His schedule is all over the place. By 4 weeks with Holt, I had settled into a routine. Jett on the other hand keeps me guessing. I'm going to try and avoid comparing the two, but it's so hard! I am trying my hardest to get him on a consistent 3 hour wake/eat/play/sleep cycle. He has other plans. Once this baby woke up from his newborn hangover, he has decided he does not want to spend his days sleeping. He has crazy long awake hours with a short 20min catnap in between hours on end of being awake. Maybe, if I am lucky, he settles into a "long" nap of an hour or more. The doctor's have me totally freaked out about getting out of the house before he gets his shots, a fear I did not have with Holt for some reason, so we stay at home...A LOT. I think it's because he grunts and groans and is already a little congested sounding, I don't want to push it.

I can't complain too much about the sleeping during the day because he sleeps great at night and he always has. He goes a good 4-5 hour stretch most nights, sometimes more and sometimes less. This amounts to just one middle of the night feeding a night, totally manageable. When he is awake, he is very happy. Until about 7pm. There is not much we can do for him as he fights his bed time for a couple of hours. He is fussy and wails at the top of his lungs. One thing is certain, Mommy has the magic touch. No one else can calm him like me, which makes my days extra long. He likes to be held tight and close and as anti-Soothie as I am, he just has to have it to suck on until he can relax. I make a point to take it out of his mouth before he actually crashes. When you are used to your Mommy duties ending by 8pm, it makes you super tired and sometimes frustrated to deal with a crying baby for a few more hours. I didn't even think this could be colic, but that's what the doctor said it was at his check up. He also said it's possible he will grow out of it by his 2 month checkup, which is just around the corner. Fingers crossed!

It's amazing how this new lil person has just come into this family and owned it like he's been here forever. I couldn't imagine life before Holt and now I can't imagine life without these two blessings. When I look at Jett I just see the sweetest cutest face ever! He's my chunky monkey with more rolls than I know what to do with. I'm kind of obsessed with this chunky lil guy and his crazy awesome hair.

Here are some of his loves:
Mommy
Bath time
Being held
His bouncer

Here are some of his not so loves:
Bed time
His brother's screaming
Naps
Being held in the "wrong" position
Being hot

Holt has settled into the big brother role very well and I am so proud of how he treats his baby brother which is with the utmost love and gentleness...for now. This sweet baby boy just has my heart! :)

Jett's Birthday

The day finally came. After what seemed like the gestational period of an elephant, Jett's Birthday was finally here. It's quite different when you know months in advance exactly when your baby will be here, if not sooner. I can't say I minded knowing at all! I felt very prepared and was so happy I had plans for Holt all along the way while we were in the hospital. So a few days before September 14th, I found out my C-Section was at 12:30pm not at 7:30am like I had thought for months and months! At first I was a tad annoyed, but then I realized I wouldn't have to rush out of the house at 5am and I could spend the morning as usual with my Holtster. I made his breakfast, we watched Mickey Mouse and Doc McStuffins, just a normal day! So before I got too emotional I gave Holt one last squeeze and didn't draw much attention to myself leaving. I was surprisingly fine and just so excited about what the next few hours had in store for us.

We arrived at the hospital around 10:30am and immediately my nurse got to work on me. Paperwork, IV's, consent forms, and blood draws (like 4 thanks to my rolling veins and us forgetting to mention we were doing Cord Blood Banking). I'm so used to blood draws it's ridiculous. Around 11:30 my Dad showed up and we just sat around talking like we were in a living room instead of Triage. My mom, still on crutches from her nasty foot surgery a month ago came hobbling in too. Nothing like seeing your Mommy's face right before a major procedure/life experience. She's always just what I need to feel calm. And Kyle is pretty good at calming me down as well. Then came the Kummer's. It was almost go time and I decided I needed to go to the bathroom one last time before the surgery. I waddled down the hall with my cap, hospital gown, and sheet to hide my exposed derriere.


We said our goodbyes and I walked, yes walked, I was surprised by this myself to the OR. As protocol calls for, Kyle had to stay outside the OR until my spinal took and all was going well. In case you don't know, should it not work, the Daddy must stay outside the OR the entire time while Mommy is put completely under for the C Section. Kyle and I let go of hands and off I went. I jumped up on the table and just started praying. They prepped my back for the spinal, which really wasn't too bad. I wished I was holding onto Kyle instead of some nurse I had never seen before, but I was just glad to know it worked. I felt Jett kick me one last time as the meds were going in as if he was saying, "Lets do this Mommy." I smiled to myself and glanced at the clock, 12:53.

Kyle came in and we just started holding hands and talking like nothing was going on over the blue curtain between my chest and abdomen. The doctor said "Ok, you're going to feel some pressure." I was fully expecting the violent pressure I felt during Holt's C Section. Next thing I knew, I heard Jett cry and she held him over the curtain for me to see. He was born at 1pm on the dot. That was it?!? I felt nothing, not a pull or a jerk, nothing and he was here! Tears of joy started to fall. Kyle is always confused at this point as to what he should be doing. As a woman, you are at your most vulnerable and need your husband to still hold your hand as they finish the procedure by putting you back together. As a mom, you say "Go be with him, take lots of pictures! I'm fine!" This time there was a giant TV screen on the bed where they were tending to Jett. I got to see him the entire time they were weighing him, measuring him, and getting him to breathe. He was so pink and perfect. At 8lbs 8oz, and 21 inches long, an APGAR of 8 and 9...this boy changed my life again. I cried tears of joy thinking about him and Holt together over the years and I was just so happy. Not going to lie, after my labor with Holt, I think I was crying more tears of relief and some tears of joy. It was so nice having the tv screen to concentrate on than what they were doing to me over the curtain. I did hear at one point I heard the doctor when she was sewing me up, "We need this to stop, we've got to stop this." Ok, attention back on the TV screen! I also talked to the nurse behind me asking her if they were almost done and was I closed up yet. I mean how grotesque is that? None of it mattered when I looked at the screen.

They finally brought Jett over to me to see, I couldn't believe his size. I knew I had a big belly, but my gosh, how did that fit in me! There is just nothing like that moment. I kissed him and told him how much I loved him. More kisses. Then they took him to the nursery and Kyle followed while I was finishing up. They told me it would be two hours before I could see Jett again. Uhhh what? Luckily when I got back to recovery, I asked the nurse and she said, "Oh no, I'll go get him now." It was more like 20 mins, thank goodness. I had to be in recovery for 2 hours before seeing family. It was nice to have that time, just me and Kyle with Jett. I decided to go ahead and nurse him for the first time. One hour after being born he latched on immediately and "ate" for 15 minutes. This part just truly amazes me.

When my recovery time was over, I was wheeled to my room, a massive and nice room with a view out the window too. It was just I-10, but how nice to see moving cars and life going on outside of my room! The family came in and Jett came in about 30 minutes later. Everyone passed him around and it was just so happy and joyful in the room. I fully expected the emotion that came with Holt's delivery, but this was just so much smoother for everyone that we could only smile and not cry.

We came home on September 17th and life continued as normal. It didn't stop like when we brought Holt home. I'm still Holt's mommy, so that doesn't stop or slow down for a minute. The first week has gone pretty smooth and I am amazed at how God can open your heart even bigger to love another lil human just as much as anyone else. God is good.

First Day of Preschool

Today marked Holt's first day of preschool. After his Meet the Teacher Day last week, I was confident that he was going to do just fine. He was having a great time playing in his classroom and didn't even seem to notice if I was in the room or not. It made me feel very relaxed about the first day of school. I wasn't sure what my emotions would be, or better yet, what my preggo hormones would have in store for me today. I really thought I would do just fine and for the most part I did. We tried to take the ole pictures by the front door pics and he wasn't really about that. We did capture most of the morning on video and I snapped pictures of him when he was least expecting it. These days he wants to see all pictures of himself and immediately changes his attitude when he sees a camera pointed on him.We walked into his school and he was happy to show of his blue "backcack" to everyone, which is really his lunchbox. He happily walked down the hallway wearing his backpack and carrying his lunchbox. He walked right into his classroom with no problems, except that he didn't want anyone to have his lunchbox. He didn't quite understand why I needed to take that from him. He kept saying "Mommy, open!" I hung up his backpack and he dashed off to the different play areas of the room. I was doing great. I would say most the kids in his class at this point were crying, he was just staring at them trying to figure it out.

I told Kyle we needed to sneak out of there so he didn't see us and try not to use the word B-Y-E. Hold didn't seem to notice that we were leaving. I blew him a kiss and out we walked. I was still doing great. Kyle whipped out the video camera one last time and turned back to Holt's classroom. I saw Holt come running to the door and put his hands on the ledge and peer over, all I could see were little hands and his fauxhawk. Kyle went to turn off the video and said, "There he goes!" That was the end of it for me! Tears just started falling and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't explain it, I couldn't do anything about it. Luckily I saw a friend and she distracted me. We signed up to get Holt's shirt and as we were doing that we saw his class walk into their music room. Holt was basically skipping down the hall and into the class room while Binky Baby Boy and Blankie Baby Girl were still wailing away for their Mommy's. It was so comforting to me to see him so happy just moments after we left him. He was happy and he didn't shed a tear. I didn't shed anymore tears after that either.

I came home and found it strangely odd I could turn on the TV and watch what I wanted to watch. What do you mean I can turn on the tv and not have to watch something animated with annoying cartoon voices? This was amazing! However I did not spend any time in front of the tv. I, in turn, caught up on emails and visited with my mom who came over to monitor the window treatment installation in Jett's room. Before I knew it, 5 hours was gone and I went to pick him up. He was in his change of clothes pants due to a spill and very happy to see Mommy and Meme there to pick him up. He did say, "Where'd Daddy go?" But still couldn't wipe the smile off his face to see me there. He did not nap and did not eat much of his lunch either. Both of these were to be expected and come at no surprise. I put him down for a nap when we got home and after fighting it for a bit, he went to sleep. And here I am writing this blog instead of putting my feet up...which is the only thing on my to do list today and the only thing that did not get checked off. I'm ready for him to wake up so I can spend some time with him now!

We're almost there Jett...

We have 10 days left...10 days until my scheduled C section at 39 weeks. I'm almost 38 weeks, but I know this boy is fully cooked in my belly. My last and final ultrasound was at 35w and 5d where he measured 38 weeks and approx 7.5lbs. My doctor told me at that appointment that he has been measuring 3 weeks ahead of schedule this entire time. He is in the 90% for weight. This is all so strange to me because Holt was also a big baby (for me) at 8lbs, yet since he has been born he has struggled to get out of the 10th percentile for weight. Why so big at birth, and so skinny thereafter? I wonder if Jett will be the same? I digress...

So basically this means it's a good thing I am having a C section because if Holt didn't come out "that" way, no way in the world Jett would be coming out "that" way. I have gained about 32lbs so far, so I should end up about where I did with Holt around 36lbs total gained. It's all my belly. I have not gotten as swollen and puffy like I did with Holt either, so luckily I'm "all baby" as I've been told. I also have not progressed as far as dilating or effacing with Jett. With Holt I started to at 37 weeks and was nearly 3cm and 80% effaced when I was induced. At this point, it does not look like Jett will be trying to come on his own. My cervix is fully closed and he is no where near dropping down. This could all change at any given time of course. I never once had a contraction or false labor pains with Holt, just Braxton Hicks, and it's the same so far with Jett. I never reached that miserable point with Holt, but I have been there for awhile this go round. I'll blame it on the heat, his size, and chasing around a very active 2 year old all day!

I am truly looking forward to having him for so many different reasons than I did with Holt. I cannot wait to enjoy him at the newborn stage. I did with Holt, don't get me wrong. Now that I know what I am doing, I am going to cherish every sweet nap he takes on my chest and every little gurgle and sound he makes before he can smile or laugh. Just really want to soak up this sweet baby! So many people told me I would question at some point during my pregnancy if I could love another baby as much as I love Holt. I have to honestly say, I have not questioned it even for a second. I am thrilled to get to love on another baby boy just as much as I was the first time. If anything, I feel guilty that I will not get the same quality time with Jett that I got with Holt. I am grateful that Holt will be in school 2 days a week so that Jett and I can have some Mommy and baby time. I also can't wait to see the interaction between Holt and Jett. I really have no idea what to expect out of Holt. He has been very sweet to "Dett" in my belly, always kissing him and pointing him out to people. Once he is here, I am just not quite sure he will know what to do with him! It's going to be such a joy to watch them turn into best buds over the years.

My emotions are getting the best of me these days and I cry very easily. I have not yet started to think about the C section because I have blocked the first one so far out of my mind. It was terrible. It should be much better this time around since I will not have to endure two types of deliveries. I had to heal from both last time. I am expecting to recover more quickly but also nervous about how I will manage taking care of Holt and Jett by myself while I am still healing. I can't drive for a couple of weeks, I can't hold Holt for quite some time after, and it will be difficult to keep Holt away from my healing abdomen because I know both of us will want to get some cuddle time in soon after!

I am ready to meet Jett. I know he is ready to meet me. If he looks up at me like Holt did when I first spoke to him, all of this will be worth it and then some.

Holt can read

I've been meaning to post this for awhile now. Holt loves reading his books.  This one, called Faster, Faster, is easy enough for him to actually memorize. It's about a Daddy giving a ride to his child and the child is imagining him as all these animals. It ends with the Daddy getting tired. You'll hear Holt say something close to "Daddy is tired" and "You're fast Daddy" towards the end. I am so happy I caught this on camera, "reading" his book word for word...sound effects and all. I've said it before and I'll say it again, my son is a genius! :) Hint: You might need to view it in full screen by double clicking the video, for some reason it is cut off on the side if you just hit play below.

Holt is 2!

 Yeah, so I'm a little late posting this, by one month to be exact. For one I was waiting for his dr's appt so I could include his stats, and for two, I am so exhausted and also trying to "nest" which doesn't come naturally to me like all the other preggos. I find it annoying, but that's another post in itself.

So on July 20th, my baby boy turned 2! This was not as emotional for me as him turning one for obvious reasons, one of them being, we didn't have to move cities in the same weekend. I did get a little teary eyed when everyone was singing him Happy Birthday and his eyes just lit up with such joy! We started the day by getting donuts with Daddy before he went to work. After that Meme came over so he could open her presents. Grandpa and Lala came in town that evening and we all went to his favorite restaurant, Lupe Tortilla's for dinner. I was skeptical of how he would react when they waiters and waitresses came to sing Happy Birthday to him, but he actually really enjoyed it. Not to mention the ice cream they brought him! He stayed up late opening presents from Grandpa and Lala and fell asleep in his glider, he was still transitioning to his new big boy bed.

On Saturday we celebrated him all day and had a Cat in the Hat birthday party for him. There were over 50 people there to celebrate Holt! He loves Cat in the Hat or Go Go Go as he calls him because of the theme song, so to see him everywhere in the decorations was quite exciting for him. I made Cat in the Hat cake toppers and we also served, Seuss Juice, Who-Burgers, Thingama-Nuggets, One Fish Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish, and Cat in the Hat Cakes.

Celebrating the Birthday Boy at his Party

I was dreading his 2 year appt because of how he reacted a few weeks prior when I took him in for a limp, a limp that so conveniently disappeared when I was trying to show the dr. That appt did not go well, he started screaming as soon as they tried to weigh him and screamed until we left. Luckily, his 2 year check up went much better. He was in a great mood, even proudly pointing out Mickey Mouse on Dr. Cohen's tie, and did not shed one tear...minus the shot. He doesn't need another shot until he is 4! The doctor asked me if he spoke at least 50 words, more like 500! This kid repeats everything and has an incredible memory. He asked if he put 2-3 words together in a sentence, sometimes it's up to 5 and he is learning to count. He knows all his colors and we can pretty much carry on a conversation. He tells me what hurts when he gets hurt and where Mommy needs to kiss it and make it better. He tells me what he wants to eat or for a snack or what kind of juice he wants. When he wakes up in the morning he calls for me, "Mommy, where are you? Open door please!" This part of having a 2 year old is great! The tantrums and the frustrations a 2 year old experiences, well those are more challenging days. He is very sweet and knows his manners. He says bless you, thank you, please or "I nicely" when I asked him to ask for something nicely. I'll take it. I'm quite impressed with his good manners and even though the cashier at HEB doesn't know what "I nicely" means when Holt asks for a sticker, I am at least proud he is attempting the proper use of his manners. A 2 year old will certainly test a Mommy's patience and I'm learning to just walk away when he can't be calmed. A few minutes later when he is calm, he is back to his sweet self, whew.

His 2 year stats are:
35.5in tall (75%)
26lbs (25%) Not surprising, the kid survives on swallowing air I'm pretty sure
Size 7 shoe
Size 5 diapers

He likes most fruits, will not eat meat, loves his milk, and prefers to snack rather than eat a real meal. We've actually rewarded him for eating pizza, that's how bad of an eater he is. I can't even call him picky because that would mean he actually tries different foods, he doesn't even try most the things I put in front of him. I know it's a phase and has a lot to do with the age, so I do my best to get him nutritious snacks at least and limit his sugar...as much as you can for a 2 year old with a sweet tooth.

He continues to be Kyle and I's greatest blessing to date and we cannot wait to see him become a big brother in a few short weeks!

"Big Boy" Bed Transition

Right before Holt turned 2, we decided to transition him to his "big boy" bed. It is really still his crib just with a conversion kit that blocks about 75% of the front. It is much lower than the crib front (which will eventually be his footboard on a full size bed) and he can climb in and out of it through the opening with ease. I was dreading this transition because he has always been such a good sleeper in the crib. He was taking 2-3 hours naps and rarely waking up at night. I couldn't help but wonder/fear that might all change when he could get in and out of his bed. I also knew that this transition needed to take place before Jett's arrival. I have heard from other mom's how difficult this transition was, how bedtime was a 2 hours struggle at night, how their kids destroyed their rooms, or woke up earlier in fear of this new found freedom. I thought I better get it over with now rather than change him later when, most likely, I will just be getting Jett to sleep through the night. Kyle and I bit the bullet and 20 minutes later his bed was transformed. He calls it his new bed. I'm not sure how long he will consider it new, but for now it is his new bed. Every morning I go in there and proudly announces "In Olt's new bed!" Then he tells me the "sun out, moon night night." I know, I know...he's a genius. :)

Showing off his "new" bed

I must say, the transition could not have gone any better. His first slumber there was at nap time. We have a video monitor so I could easily see if he was in his bed or not. When he wasn't in his bed and I didn't hear him reading to himself anymore, I sent Kyle to see where he was. He said he was on the floor. I just had to see this myself. The first picture below is how I found him. I decided to make him a pallet on the floor going forward just in case. Sometimes he used it, sometimes he didn't. One time I did not make the pallet, so he took the liberty himself and made one where he happily slept. These are some of the interesting ways I have found him since the transition. After about a week or two of finding him in strange places, he has learned to get in bed himself, even at nighttime. We haven't had to move him in about 3 weeks. Whew! The one drawback, when he drops his George on he floor and wakes up in a panic because he can't find him. I've seen George on the floor a few times on the monitor and tiptoed in there to pick him up in the middle of the night so he doesn't freak out and wake us up. I couldn't be happier with my "big boy"!

First Naptime

After fighting bedtime for a few minutes, he gave in

Jett and the Third Trimester

This week I had my glucose test at the doctor. People talk so much smack about this drink, but it's really not bad at all. It tastes like an orange Fanta that has lost it's carbonation. I've heard horror stories about people puking while trying to get it down or throwing up shortly after. Why, I don't know, it's not that bad people. The chocolate milk I get at the donut shop has more sugar than this drink. Anyways, I had no problem getting it down in the 3-5 minute time frame. Even better, I got to drink it at home before my appt so I didn't have to wait in the waiting room for an hour. My one hour time frame was up before the doctor came in so the nurse did my test. It was just a finger prick like a normal diabetes test would be because I had blood work done at my last appt. I must admit this was more nervewracking than waiting a few days because it was INSTANT. She said, "This number needs to be under 135." Well low and behold it was 133! I said, "Whew, barely!" She said, "A pass is a pass, it doesn't matter!" Thank goodness because I don't know what I would do without carbs and sugar while pregnant. More facts from the doctor, I am anemic, again. So I have to take a prescription iron pill. They told me not to bother filling the prescription because they will just always give me samples. I just love this doctor's office. I only gained 2lbs last month, and I say that with a big smile because I most certainly ate ice cream nearly every single night. That brings my total weight gain to 14lbs with this lil guy. I am at about the same weight at this point as I was with Holt, but have gained less. I still had about 7lbs to lose from Holt's pregnancy before getting pregnant with this one. Maybe I will end up gaining less overall with Jett. There is just no telling because the last trimester really packs it on me whether I am trying or not. Jett's heart rate was 152, nice and strong. The dr also measured me and made a sad face while saying, "Bless your heart, tiny you having big ole babies." So that's awesome. Any guesses onto Jett's birth stats? My mom is convinced he is going to be a 9pounder. I don't think he will be that big based on the sole reason that I am having a C section nearly a week before his due date. I do however expect him to be bigger than Holt was. He just feels bigger. I don't remember Holt's movements jarring me so much as Jett is at just 27 weeks. He will literally make such a big movement that my whole body moves and yesterday he kicked a magazine out of my hands while I was reading it. I am just now finding out that Kyle is completely weirded out to see him moving in my belly. You be the judge, I posted a short video of him moving in my belly from earlier this week. He said he doesn't mind feeling the little movements, but he is totally creeped out when he sees the body parts moving around. Haha! I said, "Why weren't you like that with Holt?" He said, "I was, but you thought it was so cool so I went along with it!" When I tell him to look at my belly, he says firmly, "NO! It's creepy and alien like." Ha! I love it and I know I only have a few short weeks before these movements start to really hurt. That's my update for now! I start going every two weeks now, already, I can't believe it!

Jett Paul Update

Just an update on what is going on with baby boy #2. I had my doctor's appt yesterday. Just a normal routine visit, minus the bloodwork I didn't know was "routine" at this visit. I was shocked at my last appointment to see I had only gained 5lbs total and even more shocked to see I had gained 6 pounds this past month alone at this appointment. Well my sweet tooth has kicked in, what did I expect? His heart rate was 153 and the doctor measured me for the first time. She said, "Just what we want." I said, "What am I measuring?" She said, "On the big side." Oh fantastic! People are telling me, "You are so cute and pregnant! When are you due?" I tell them I'm 23 weeks and I have 4 months left and they then say, "Ohhhhh...." Like they were expecting me to say I was due in 2 months or something. Only time will tell how big this baby boy gets but I sure am loving feeling him moving around in there. Kyle has felt him a few times, he doesn't seem to hold back when Kyle goes to feel him like Holt did. I'm starting to feel more strong pokes that I know are a body part of some kind, hand or a foot. Sometimes I think he does a full out forward roll in there my belly moves so much, other times it's just the subtle and sweet taps and kicks. This is by far my favorite part of pregnancy. How I can feel him in there and carry on a conversation like nothing, but I know that I am experiencing this sweet miracle from God. We have not done much in the nursery yet, but we do have the furniture. It's the same as Holt's. Someday if they want to share a room, they already have their matching beds. We will see. The theme in Jett's room is Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. All of the things a little boy loves. Kyle is a tad worried that Holt will be jealous of Jett's room, so he wants to add more of Holt's favorites to his current room. Holt loves anything plane, train, or automobile right now, so maybe if his room has some of those too, he will be happy about that. Paint colors are still up in the air but we will have a baby blue accent wall and the rest will be a neutral color. Other colors will be navy, red, and yellow. I know my mom with her decorating skills will pull this all together wonderfully! The next appointment is my glucose test. They sent the drink home with me to drink prior to my appointment so I don't have to just hang out in the waiting room for an hour. I thought that was great! I hope I pass this one like I did with Holt also. I can't imagine being on a strict diet while pregnant!

What I Love about Holt

Since he is not at any milestone month right now, I just had to write down what I am just absolutely loving about Holt right now. I'm always afraid I will forget these magic little moments that just make my day.

-He puts on my shoes for me, any shoes, grabs my hand and says "alk" and guides me around the house. Typically for no good reason except he wants to "alk" with me.
-Asks for "un peas" with his one pointer finger up when he wants one piece of candy
-Picks up any little thing that belongs in the "tash" and takes it to the trash can
-Absolutely obsessed with airplanes. Watching them in the sky, moving his arms like one, and uhhh growling like one. I didn't know they growled, but to him they do.
-All his animal sounds from the elephant with his hand up like a trunk to the owl saying hooo hooo.
-He punishes himself by saying "nooo" after he does something he shouldn't
-His dance moves, classic. From the hands up in the air to his funky chicken.
-How utterly excited he gets when we mention going outside, I'm talking squealing with happiness, jumping for joy all the way to the door excited.
-Doesn't want to be held in public, wants to "alk" at least he always reaches for my hand first and who can say no to that.
-The first 30 minutes of the day when we get his milk and cuddle on the couch watching one of his fav shows...the calm before the storm if you will.
-Listening to him trying to sing songs, typically when he is falling asleep at night. His current favs are "I'm the map" from Dora "Imma imma imma imma mat" and the Bye Bye Song from his gym class.
-How he excuses himself from a meal by saying "All done!" with his hands up in the air. Sometimes this happens as soon as I give him something he would rather not have.
-Absolutely ever tiny little mishap warrants an "Uh-oh" or "Oh noo"
-How he says the letter L by pushing his tongue out of his mouth
-How he says the word dirt
-When he brings me a book and says "ree?"
-He says BOO every time I pull his shirt over his head
-Loves saying "Weeee!" as he swings

Here are some of my fav pics from lately. He can sure make me laugh and he is really a sweet boy!


Milking his first skinned knee for all it was worth




Just something so irresistible about a sleeping baby

Jett Paul Kummer

So we've been keeping a secret from our friends and family for almost 2 weeks! At my appointment a couple weeks ago to check on the condition of my placenta previa, the ultrasound tech asked us if we wanted to know what it was. We weren't going to ask so the fact that she offered it, put us in quite a predicament. Kyle and I looked at each other and agreed we would find out if she was 100% sure of what it was. When you don't plan on finding out this news, your mind goes crazy all of a sudden. Kyle said we were waiting until Easter when we could tell everyone in person. So we did! Without much investigating, Jett showed us he was all BOY!



I had a feeling at 12 weeks, just like I did with Holt, that this was another boy. His heartrate (even though that's an old wives tale) was doing exactly what Holt's did. It started high and slowly decreased at every appointment. Even though I wouldn't have normally seen the baby at 12 weeks, once I did, I was almost certain it was a boy. He was moving all over the place...just like Holt did. As you know I did not care what it was, just prayed for a healthy baby. I am already used to saying "My boys" so now it will continue. Holt will have a best lil buddy and I cannot wait to watch them grow up together. They will be so close in age. I am also curious to see if Jett will look like Holt and Daddy or if he will take on some of my darker features. Oh I just can't wait to see him for the first time!

People want to know about the name. Jett was a name my parents chose for a boy if me or Ashley was going to be a boy. They didn't get to use it. So I am! Paul is a Kummer family name. It is Kyle's middle name (he is also the second born boy, so it kinda makes sense), his Dad's name, and his Grandpa's name. His Grandpa passed away when Holt was 3 months old. I was especially excited to find out we were having a boy so we could pass on this very special name to our little boy.

So how did we tell everyone? Holt passed out his very special Easter Eggs to Grampy, Beck, Bond, and Uncle Trent at lunch on Saturday. His very special eggs contained Hershey's Kisses that had It's a Boy! printed on the tags. He was also excited to share his special eggs with Meme, Ash, Mason (Meese), and Russell after Easter Brunch on Sunday. We shared the news in a different way for Kyle's family. It just so happened to be Kyle's dad, Paul's birthday the day after Easter. After we had Easter dinner we presented him with a pink and blue "birthday" cake. This raised some questions right away. We told them as he cut into the cake the sex of our baby would be revealed. Amy squealed with excitement saying, "This could be changing history!" while Paula kept her cool hoping to see pink icing on the inside I'm sure. Paul took his time cutting and what do you know BLUE icing was revealed. All hope of every having a Kummer girl is now gone. Haha!



Jett Paul will be welcomed into this family of boys lovingly and with open arms from his Mama in September! I love my BOYS!

Baby Kummer #2

We are expecting baby #2! I started this blog about halfway through my pregnancy with Holt so I am going to try and document this one better from the beginning. Baby Kummer is expected to arrive September 20th, but since I previously had a C Section with Holt, I am choosing to go go that route (the safe route) again with this one. Besides, it will be wonderful to show up on Baby day all showered and fresh, have a baby a couple hours later, and avoid getting pumped full of fluid for 12 hours prior to having the baby. My doctor, 2nd doctor, says I can choose any day of the week which is awesome because most doctors schedule surgeries one day a week to get them out of the way. I started off going to one doctor in the medical center, but after a bad experience with the appt seeing our baby the first time (can you say 9:15am appt with a 3 hour wait), we decided to go back to the doctor I used in High School and all of college. I truly felt at home walking into her office and she remembered me! It's a new office too. The first doctor was in a building with a parking garage, you had to pay for, and on the 18th floor. I was used to driving up to a building, parking, and being inside. All of that took 5 minutes. The first doctor was a good 20 minute chore just to get up to the office not to mention, 45 minutes from our house with NO traffic. I am so happy to be back at my doctor in Katy, who is about 8 minutes from the house.

So how did baby Kummer come about? Ok, I'm not sharing those details of course, but I will tell you Baby Kummer did not want to make us wait long. We were fortunate enough to get pregnant the first try. I had my IUD removed in November and the rest is history. I didn't tell Kyle I was planning on taking a pregnancy test, we like to surprise each other. On January 12, after he left for work, I leapt out of bed to take my test. I set it down and paced the bathroom and walked back over to it about 2 minutes later. Clear as day were 2 dark pink lines. None of those faint lines, it was very obvious. I went to Hobby Lobby that day to buy a onesie and a Big Brother iron on. When Kyle walked in that night he saw Holt wearing the onesie. His first reaction was "You're pregnant?" and he said that with utter confusion. He was so confused I had to ask, "Are you happy?" When the shock wore off he said of course he was and that night patted my belly saying, "You're pregnant babe!" A few weeks later I decided not to waste the second pregnancy test and take it for fun, why? I don't know. The line was FAINT. I panicked. How could it be so dark a few weeks before and FAINT now. I still hadn't been to the doctor, I had to wait 4 weeks. After researching I saw the color of the line has nothing to do with how far you are or anything like that. A line is a line and the dyes can be different colors.

As with Holt, we decide to wait to tell the family until we saw the baby and heard the heartbeat. I would be 9 weeks by that point. Luckily it would fall right around Valentine's Day. We saw the doctor on February 13 and told my mom and sister that night. I told them Holt wanted to give them their Valentine's early. I put him in the same big brother onesie and it took them about 10 minutes to catch on. Haha! We mailed a copy of the sonogram with Holt's Valentine to his Grandma and Grandpa in San Antonio. They received it the next day. I was able to go to lunch with my dad a few days later and tell him in person. Holt handed him a copy of the sonogram as well. Everyone is excited, it's just a different excitement than with the first one. No YouTube worthy moments here, but everyone is very happy about it.

This pregnancy has been totally opposite from Holt's pregnancy. The cravings, the feelings, everything. I have been exhausted since before I knew I was pregnant this time around. Like have to take a nap to get through the day exhausted. I started off with some digestive issues, that lets just say, kept me close to home. Then the nausea set in. With Holt I had some food aversion issues where I would start eating and just not be able to finish, even if it was something I loved. With this one that wasn't a problem as much, just certain aversions like onions, tomato sauce, and cucumbers. I got sick several times, that never happened with Holt. I dreaded brushing my teeth in fear I would throw up everywhere. I was nauseous all day, but got sick in the evening or at night. With Holt I wanted sweet sweet sweet stuff all the time. Sweet cereals and donuts, candy, ice cream, brownies, smores pop-tarts, you name it. With this one I want salty, tangy, and spicy. Me and salt and vinegar chips and fried pickles with ranch are great friends. I'm also showing and have been since about 10 weeks. I looked full on pregnant by 12 weeks and have quite the belly going for me now. It's amazing how you body just goes, "Oh yeah, I remember this."

As I was getting ready to tell the world and make it Facebook official at 12 weeks, I unexpectedly started spotting one Saturday. Nothing major, just not something you want to see while pregnant. I spoke to the nurse and she assured me it did not sound like anything to be concerned about. It stopped on Sunday and I chalked it up to a fluke, one time ordeal. It happened again Monday evening, and with Kyle out of town, we both agreed it was best I go ahead and go in for an ultrasound the next morning. The baby looked great but I was diagnosed with placenta previa. This is where the placenta covers the cervix, not where it's supposed to be. I was put on pelvic rest and told to come back for another ultrasound at my next 4 week appt. That was yesterday and again the baby looks fantastic. I am happy to say that the placenta previa cleared up entirely and is no longer a concern! They said this would likely happen at this early stage in the pregnancy. So that is why we waited so long to make our announcement official! I appreciate all the prayer warriors out there that helped me get through that time. I was never scared because I felt the love and support pouring in for me and Baby K.

We find out what we are having at the next appointment. Can I just say that if it's a little girl, she will want for nothing from her Grandma and Meme? There has not been a female Kummer born in over 60 years. Kyle's aunts had boys and Kyle and his brother started off the grandkids by having boys. Grandma Kummer (Paula) is just itching to buy some pink, or purple as I would prefer. Meme is dying to learn how to make the biggest bows possible. We on the other hand, do not care one bit what Baby K is. A boy would be great for Holt, close in age, best buddy brothers. A girl would be fun because it would be different for everyone! At this point, I just want a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy. It's going to be a long hot Summer, but we can't wait to meet Baby K in September!

One Fear of Parenting

We all have fears as a parent. In the beginning you fear they will stop breathing when they sleep. They aren't eating enough. They aren't walking when they "should" be. They aren't talking when they "should" be. Fear something will happen to them. All of these are true fears, yet utterly out of our control. My heart has been carrying a much bigger fear lately most likely because of the news. If you read my "Can I just Say" posts, you'll know I despise the news. This fear, I believe is entirely in the control of the parents and that is why it is so real.

Bullying has made it's presence known, particularly, through media outlets loud and clear over the past few years. Celebrities are standing up against bullying. Children are killing themselves because of bullies at school. There is even a new documentary out about it, see here. Bullying is nothing new. I was bullied as a kid. Even though I had plenty of friends and may even consider myself "popular", I had a bully. I was teased that my ears stuck out, I was teased for being short, whatever it may be. This is nothing new. You know what else, my parents teased me too. In a funny way that toughened me up. They taught me to have a sense of humor and to love these things about myself. They told me that my bully was jealous of me, and she probably was. I beat her at everything. I don't know how I handled the bullying like I did, it hurt. Although one time in first grade, a 5th grader (not my bully for long) was picking on me on the school bus. I busted out a random factoid I didn't think she would know. "Oh yea, well I bet you don't know the capital of Rhode Island?" And I was right, she didn't know. But I did (Providence is the answer) and made her look like less of a bully the rest of the ride home.

I bet you were bullied too in some way. But here is my fear as a parent, not that my child will get bullied, but that my child will be the bully. The kids saying horrible things to other kids like, "You should just die, you're worthless." Who are these kids? As a mother, I now find myself asking, "Do their mommies not hug them enough? Do their mommies not love them enough?" How do we hug, love, kiss, or whatever we need to do to our children to make them not be the bully. I want my kid to be the one that stands up to the bully for the other guy. How do I raise that kid? Sure, I bet I could find a million books on Amazon about it, but I don't think I need to read about it. If God has given me this special privilege of being a parent, surely I can figure this out on my own. But can I? I can pray for Holt's character and that he is a good person, but he also has to learn this behavior. I do think Kyle and I are great examples of how to be a good person, don't get me wrong. I also think it's a parent's job to thicken their kid's skin a bit. Even though I was called a mouse and told to "go eat cheese", did I really think like I looked like a mouse? No. You know why, my dad told me I would be pretty with a brown paper bag over my head, so I believed him. Is that statement what got me through those types of comments, no, but I was at least confident in who I was.

Another story in the news is that about a young man who opened fire and killed his entire family. Once upon a time, that man was a baby in his mother's arms. He probably made her laugh at nothing because that is the type of joy children bring to their mother's. She probably chased him around the house and made him laugh too. She gave him life and he shot her. His own mother. Why did he turn out that way? Again, did she not hug him enough? Did she not love him enough? Why did he do that?

As much as we think just loving our kids will be enough, it's not. There is so much more to it than that and I don't even know what it is yet. The reason for this post is because I was brought to tears watching Ellen today. She always ends her show with "Be kind to one another." It's simple, and powerful. Maybe every parent should say that to their kids everyday before school as a reminder also. I'm convinced as long as there are kids, there will be bullying. It's not going to stop. However, lets raise happy, well rounded, Jesus Loving, God Fearing children. That should at least be a step in the right direction.

My Little Bieber

I think it's safe to say I have a future boybander on my hands. I always did love boy bands. He just can't get enough of the Biebs and his song Baby. As I type this, he just started the song in the living room. What a proud Mama I am.

Can I Just Say...

That time of the week where I need to get a few things off my chest. Here goes:

Can I just say that Toddlers and Tiaras is disgusting...and entertaining? So if it's on...and I'm alone, I watch it. Mostly with a look a sheer disgust on my face with the occasional giggle. Now I was in pageants growing up. Yes I was, 2nd Runner Up Imperial Miss when I was 18 months old, so I'm basically a pro. It's disgusting because the mothers are disgusting. I'm not even mad that they exploit their little girls, I'm mad that they are living vicariously through them. Is it a rule that the mothers of pageant girls must live in trailers and be obese? That seems to be the norm. "Hey we don't have any money, let's spend thousands of dollars on pageants and if we're lucky enough, she gets top prize at the Holiday Inn Pageant and we will bring home $100!" No wonder they live in trailers. Now some of the moms are pretty and some of the girls seem to truly enjoy the pageant life, good for them. But the hideous mother, in more ways than one, that gives her already obnoxious child Go Go Juice (a concoction of mountain dew and red bull) to get her amped up before a pageant is just wrong. Maybe she should have tried the placebo effect before real caffeine Honey Boo Boo Child...

Can I just say that I am so angry at the selfish father who took his life and the lives of his two innocent sons? If you can't live without your children, then just off yourself. Problem solved, you aren't living without them because well...you aren't living, and they get to go on and live normal lives. I want to cry/turn the tv off every time this man is mentioned. It's one of the worst stories I have heard on the news in awhile. I am so sad for the family who lost their daughter and now their grandchildren.

Can I just say that Valentine's Day is not just about the females? I get so mad when men claim this to be true. Kyle and I make a true effort to make the day special for both of us. I don't expect it to be all about me. If you spend all year making your woman mad then yeah you should make one day about her, but if you don't then it's a day of love for both of you. So guess what March 14th, you are irrelevant. Google it.

Can I just say that this article rubbed me the wrong way. How immature and selfish is the coach of the other team to bring this to the officials attention? The girls basketball team was trying to earn money for Make A Wish and bring awareness to the charity and this jerk decides they are breaking a rule and should be penalized. Did they perhaps break a rule, yes, should any human being with a heart have thought about bringing it to the officials attention, absolutely not. Shame on that coach for caring more about winning a game than the cause of a charity.

Can I Just Say...

Ok, I've decided to start my own column. For all 23 of you that read this. I don't want to bombard facebook with my views and opinions so I decided to blog about it. Sometimes the news makes me angry, ok all the time the news makes me angry. It's not because it's the news, it's because of the people that live in this world. This is a great country we live in and some people are just really irritating me. So Can I Just Say is how I feel about what is going on in the media at any given time. Here goes:

Can I just say, that lady who gave birth to a 14 pound baby naturally is crazy. Yeah she is crazy for not getting the drugs, but she is more crazy for not taking care of herself during pregnancy. Lets be real, she most likely had gestational diabetes and either went to some hokey pokey midwife that didn't take the time to diagnose it or she ignored her diagnosis all together. She had a 14 lb baby because she was careless. It is making me crazy to see her on the news with this baby that is just plain lucky to be here. That is a very serious condition and I'm irate that she was so ignorant during pregnancy. Do I have any proof whatsoever that she had gestational diabetes, absolutely not. That is just merely my observation. Normal pregnancies don't produce 14lb children.

Can I just say, who cares if Paula Deen has type 2 diabetes? She is acknowledging the disease and taking care of herself. She has said that, all we have is her word. And I believe her. What I can't believe is all this backlash about how these TV chefs don't cook healthy enough. I'm sorry, are they coming to your house shoving butter and sugar down your throats on a daily basis? No, you are doing that yourselves. Just because they cook something that isn't the picture perfect recipe for your diet, doesn't mean you have to make it too. I enjoy these shows and 80% of them time I am healthy. Sometimes I want to be unhealthy. Just because it's there, doesn't mean you have to make it. Not to mention, any healthy person will know the proper substitutions for an unhealthy meal. So if Paula Deen jumped off a bridge, would you? No? Ok, then why the criticism if Paula Deen cooks with butter? Don't cook that recipe!

Can I just say, I have no idea what is going on in the political world? Mitt, Newt, what? We might elect a president with one of those names? A baseball glove and a type of amphibian? I'm just not even sure I will vote at all. I have no idea what is going on, irresponsible of me as an American Citizen perhaps, but with all the contradictions and bashing of one another, I really can't stand it. I haven't watched a single debate and I only know there is a primary in Florida today because I saw it on the 11am news...which I quickly turned off because news makes me angry. Everyone wants to criticize and no one has any answers. This makes me angry.

That is all for this first installment of Can I Just Say...there will be plenty more to follow you can count on that.

Holt is 18 months!

Oh hi, remember me? Yeah, I haven't blogged in quite sometime. Since we moved over Christmas, anything Christmas worthy was kept only in my memories. No sense in going back now, but if you must know, Christmas was fabulous. So my "baby" is now 18 months old. I've reached the age where I wonder how I will tell people his age when asked after this month is over. When the time comes will I say "A year and a half." "He'll be two in July" or the ever annoying "He's 21 months." That doesn't mean much to most people. Guess I'll just have to see what comes out of my mouth when the time comes. Holt is an expert mimic and wants to do everything by himself. The time has come when cuss words must be replaced with other words like "shucky darns" and "phooey". He mimics me when I put on lip gloss, smacks his lips, or when I call Bentley. He has picked up on his name and very cutely says, "Ben-beeee!" while looking up at the ceiling, I have no clue why. I still have a tall skinny boy on my hands. Here are his stats:

-22 lbs 12oz (12%)
-32in (72%)
-Size 4 diapers
-5.5 shoe
-18 month clothes, starting to work our way into 24month and 2T (his waist is just so tiny!)

Since his 15 month post, he has become very independent and is into exploring everything. Here is the list I kept on my iPhone, you don't really think I just remember this stuff over the past 3 months do you?

-Can differentiate hot and cold. Touches a light "Haahh." Walk into the freezer dept at the store "brrrr"
-He is learning to "sing". I ask him to sing me a song and who knows what will come out of his mouth. My fav is when he attempts the ABCs "AAAHHH EEEE CCCCC" Only I know that is what he is singing.
-Slight obsession with his bellybutton and other people's bellybuttons. Don't be surprised if he comes up to you and lifts up your shirt...we must work on his manners :)
-Likes dipping his food in ketchup or anything he feels is dip worthy (Totally gets this from Kyle)
-Pretty much an expert at using his eating utensils, almost eats better with them than with his hands now
-We will say "Mommy and Daddy love each other" and then we kiss. He gets so tickled and gives us each a big smacker on the lips too.
-M&Ms are like a drug to him. You should see his face when they are mentioned. I ask him "What do you want now?" His answer is always Mem-a-mem...even at breakfast.
-One time he said a sentence, one time, "Bye bye dada"
-He knows all his body parts, even THAT one. Calls it his "Woo woo" I say wee wee, he says woo woo. Holt found Bentley's woo woo too, poor Bentley.
-Starting to take a big interest in letters. He can recognize a few, H is his fav. Almost everything is Aaach. He points at letters everywhere wanting me to tell him what they are.
-He absolutely LOVES feeding Bentley. Even if it's piece by piece of his tiny dog food. This takes a good 10 minutes at dinner time so I can finish making his dinner or putting the finishing touches on ours.
-Holt probably says close to 20 words, hard to keep count because they aren't all used everyday. Some of them are: bubble, no no no no, baby, Santa (tanta), yuck, cheese, fish, bye bye, ball, Ash, Meme, George (juj), ice, uh-oh (more like aaaaoooooohhh), cookie (just the C sound), and vroom vroom anytime he sees a car. He tries really hard to say almost everything I ask him too though.
-He would spend all day everyday outside if I let him, he is absolutely in love with being outside.
-Has almost perfected an unassisted forward roll, he has done it several times alone just needs a slight push

That is my little guy the past three months. This is a very busy age. We have an absolute blast together. We are always laughing. And it is safe to say I am absolutely pooped by the time Kyle gets home. It's nonstop. He has a very funny personality and has no problem laughing in my face when he gets in trouble. I wish I could bottle all of his facial expressions so I could always remember his sweetness... and his orneriness.