Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Santa=Fail
Well, I knew this would be the result this year. Last year the pic was so sweet and he had no idea what was going on. This year, was quite the opposite. I tried really hard to make Santa seem sweet and jolly like he is. I was pointing at him while we waited in line. I was telling Holt to wave and blow kisses, which he happily did. The closer we got...the tighter his legs were clinging to my waist. I kept hoping he would have a change of heart, especially because Santa was waving and playing peekaboo with Holt while we waited in between kids. No such luck. Santa pried Holt from my arms and the screaming began. Holt was frozen with fear. Out of 4 pics they snapped, they were all the same. We even tried to get one with his eyes open, no such luck. I had M&Ms waving in front of him and he wouldn't even eat one of those. I thought it was hilarious but the photographer felt really bad so she went and picked him up. He was absolutely terrified...and I've got a picture to frame and cherish forever during the Holidays! I couldn't have asked for a better reaction really.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Validation
Us Moms are so hard on ourselves, we really are. If you're like me you go to bed every night wondering if you gave your child enough vegetables that day, particularly green ones, or if you should have read a couple more books, or tried harder to teach them the difference between blue and green while secretly trying to figure out if they are color blind at an early age. What, no? Just me? Didn't think so. Or maybe you should have reviewed those animal sounds one more time because gosh darnit why can't he say MOOO or OOOHHH OOOHHH AAAHH AAAHH like a monkey, after all it is his favorite animal. It's no wonder we can't find time for ourselves, our thoughts are consumed by those special special, all time consuming children God placed in our lives. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't change it for anything. Once you go through all the "I should have dones" you move onto the "what did I do's" and again, like me, you draw a huge blank. You promise tomorrow will be different and you won't waste a second after breakfast jumping onto those ABC's and colors. I have even told myself, "Maybe I should set aside an hour to 'teach' him, like he is homeschooled." What, that's crazy, isn't it?
Here's the deal, they are learning all day and you are teaching all day. I came across this article on Facebook this afternoon, yeah so what I was using my free time on Facebook. Another promise I make to myself everyday that I WILL NOT waste my time doing. I'm glad I took the time to read it because for once it summed up how I felt. I had validation as a mom. Forget that the article even says anything about stay at home moms, this goes for all moms. I've been the working mom too and I admit, I was not good at it. I was great at my job, ok as a mom, and terrible as a wife. I had to see the bigger picture and now, no matter what it takes, I will stay home with my children. Another blog entirely, and I digress. Anywho, this article has the validation I have been looking for. Every single word of it is the truth and I could not have said it better myself.
Typical scenario: I have to be somewhere at 10, I tell myself we will leave at 9:45 (is it strange I give myself 15 minutes to get anywhere, even if I clearly know it is more than 15 minutes away? It's like as long as I leave earlier than I am supposed to be there, I feel good about it.) I realize at 9:45 I have not filled up his sippy cup with 3/4 water and 1/4 apple juice. He is suddenly in a I want to be held mood. My 2 hands are down to one. Somehow I must get his snack, goldfish or cheerios, in his snack cup without him pitching a fit because I won't give it to him at that moment. I distract him by asking him questions, "Where is Bentley?" "Did you hear that bird?" "If you're happy and you know it..." Ok, the snack is ready. He sees the snack, tantrum begins, I give in and give him a couple goldfish at 9:51 in the morning. I throw my purse on, grab his monkey backpack. Where is his favorite book? We have to have it for the car ride. I find his book. I'm now carrying my 21pound child, snacks (out of view), my purse...where are his shoes? Nope not upstairs, not under the couch, oh yea, the shoes are in the car. I grab the sippy cup with my one finger left. Ugh, the dog needs to be put up. I'll put Holt down, nope he's not having it. I run upstairs with my arms full, put Bentley in his house and try not to set anything down along the way because I WILL forget it. To the car we go. Throw some of the stuff in the front seat, keep snacks out of sight, get him in the car seat. He's pitching a fit because he wants to watch the DVD player that I only allow on road trips. Hand him the book. Get in the front seat, look at the clock when I start the car...10:03. This happens every single time. I'm ALWAYS late. This was just a mere 15-20 minutes of my day. Every little thing takes much longer than anticipated.
I have thought about this a lot since I've been a mom and that is the fact that this little person is going to learn how to speak a language, mostly from me. This little person is going to learn please and thank yous and great manners, even though I can admit I may not have the best manners. I burp at the dinner table, sorry Mom. Will I get onto him for burping at the dinner table, absolutely. I guess I better change my ways...soon. The point is this, without realizing what we did on a daily basis, that little person learned something. Day in and day out, they are learning and you are teaching. I know some great mommies out there and we all talk about this frequently. You are doing a great job and your babies think you are doing a great job. We all need to give ourselves a lot more credit for what it takes to be a mom. It is the hardest job in the world. Even on days when you have a total blast at it. This blog has gone on for awhile, my apologies. Two glasses of well deserved wine will do that to a blog post.
Sleep tight, and instead questioning yourself...thank God for giving you the opportunity. Now someone remind me that I need to do that too.
Here's the deal, they are learning all day and you are teaching all day. I came across this article on Facebook this afternoon, yeah so what I was using my free time on Facebook. Another promise I make to myself everyday that I WILL NOT waste my time doing. I'm glad I took the time to read it because for once it summed up how I felt. I had validation as a mom. Forget that the article even says anything about stay at home moms, this goes for all moms. I've been the working mom too and I admit, I was not good at it. I was great at my job, ok as a mom, and terrible as a wife. I had to see the bigger picture and now, no matter what it takes, I will stay home with my children. Another blog entirely, and I digress. Anywho, this article has the validation I have been looking for. Every single word of it is the truth and I could not have said it better myself.
Typical scenario: I have to be somewhere at 10, I tell myself we will leave at 9:45 (is it strange I give myself 15 minutes to get anywhere, even if I clearly know it is more than 15 minutes away? It's like as long as I leave earlier than I am supposed to be there, I feel good about it.) I realize at 9:45 I have not filled up his sippy cup with 3/4 water and 1/4 apple juice. He is suddenly in a I want to be held mood. My 2 hands are down to one. Somehow I must get his snack, goldfish or cheerios, in his snack cup without him pitching a fit because I won't give it to him at that moment. I distract him by asking him questions, "Where is Bentley?" "Did you hear that bird?" "If you're happy and you know it..." Ok, the snack is ready. He sees the snack, tantrum begins, I give in and give him a couple goldfish at 9:51 in the morning. I throw my purse on, grab his monkey backpack. Where is his favorite book? We have to have it for the car ride. I find his book. I'm now carrying my 21pound child, snacks (out of view), my purse...where are his shoes? Nope not upstairs, not under the couch, oh yea, the shoes are in the car. I grab the sippy cup with my one finger left. Ugh, the dog needs to be put up. I'll put Holt down, nope he's not having it. I run upstairs with my arms full, put Bentley in his house and try not to set anything down along the way because I WILL forget it. To the car we go. Throw some of the stuff in the front seat, keep snacks out of sight, get him in the car seat. He's pitching a fit because he wants to watch the DVD player that I only allow on road trips. Hand him the book. Get in the front seat, look at the clock when I start the car...10:03. This happens every single time. I'm ALWAYS late. This was just a mere 15-20 minutes of my day. Every little thing takes much longer than anticipated.
I have thought about this a lot since I've been a mom and that is the fact that this little person is going to learn how to speak a language, mostly from me. This little person is going to learn please and thank yous and great manners, even though I can admit I may not have the best manners. I burp at the dinner table, sorry Mom. Will I get onto him for burping at the dinner table, absolutely. I guess I better change my ways...soon. The point is this, without realizing what we did on a daily basis, that little person learned something. Day in and day out, they are learning and you are teaching. I know some great mommies out there and we all talk about this frequently. You are doing a great job and your babies think you are doing a great job. We all need to give ourselves a lot more credit for what it takes to be a mom. It is the hardest job in the world. Even on days when you have a total blast at it. This blog has gone on for awhile, my apologies. Two glasses of well deserved wine will do that to a blog post.
Sleep tight, and instead questioning yourself...thank God for giving you the opportunity. Now someone remind me that I need to do that too.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Holt is 15 months!
Yes, yes, he is already 15 months old. I'd like to say time is going by very slowly, but I can't. It is flying by! Months feel like a week. It's just crazy how fast these little beings change. Holt is an expert tantrum thrower and I have to turn my head and smile most the time. The advice is true, it is much easier to ignore the tantrum than fuel it. Sometimes I will just try to hug it out of him much to his dismay. We had to repeat his bloodwork to check for anemia at his 15 month check-up and I am happy to say he is no longer anemic. I am to give him a vitamin and pediasure for extra nutrients since he isn't a big meat eater. We will also continue the toddler formula at nighttime. He is eating a little better these days some of his fav foods are:
-Mac N Cheese (I sneak in squash puree and feel much better about this choice)
-Peanut butter sandwiches (well peanut butter and anything really)
-Avocado, Nanas, blueberries, clementine oranges, peas and carrots
-Beans and rice, tortilla
-Any kind of cheese
-Chicken patties (AKA rice balls from Deceptively Delicious, can't get those little suckers to cook well as a ball!)
-Pancakes
-Smoothies
15 month stats
-21 lbs (5-10%)
-32" (75%)
-Size 4 diapers
-Size 5 shoes
-Mostly 12 month clothes, some 18 months fit. His little waist makes 18 months a bit big still.
He is really learning more and more everyday. It does not seem like it takes as long for something to "sink in". Here are some things you can find him doing on a daily basis:
-Carrying junk mail around
-Carrying a pen and paper and pretending to write
-Started walking full time September 16th
-Bouncing on his trampoline (only bends at the knee, can't seem to figure out how to get those feet up, it's quite adorable)
-He has learned his body parts, points at his eyes, ears, head, hair, and bellybutton, sniffs when I ask where his nose is. For some reason he is quite interested in Mommy's bellybutton and this can be embarrassing because he tries to get to it by pulling my shirt down, I have no idea why, I've never shown it to him any way other than barely lifting up the bottom of my shirt.
-Shakes his head for yes, also does the same motion for please and thank you until he can say them correctly.
-Loves holding his cup and other objects in his mouth only when I say "No hands!"
-He has to point out every flag and pumpkin he sees
-Has quite the fascination with pointing out people in pictures
-If he is fussy, just give him an empty bottle of some kind (vitamins, prescription, water bottle) with a lid. He will twist the lid on and off forever.
-Loves stirring with a spoon and a bowl
-He "reads" aloud to himself. There is a certain tone of voice for this, so it's funny that he thinks he is really reading. Loves those books! I bring them in the car to keep him content.
Some of his "words" are:
-Mama (although he won't look at me and say this)
-Dada (he will say this to Kyle though and if I say Daddy is home, "Dada!Dada!")
-This is dis, that is dat
-beebeebee is baby
-Muh for milk
-daadaa for doggy or Bentley
-baaal sometimes you can hear the L sometimes you can't when he is saying ball
-buhbuhbuhbuh and waves for Bye Bye. Any closing of any door warrants a Bye bye and a wave.
-Nana for banana
Holt still has a huge fascination with animals of any kind and points out dogs anywhere and everywhere, even in pictures. Sometimes he gets so excited and I can't figure out why until I look up and see he is pointing at the dog on the sign hanging up high in the store. He loves fish and deer as well. Really any animal gets him going.
He dropped his first nap in the past couple of months. As some of you know, this has it's advantages and disadvantages. He is up for the day around 7:30 most days, breakfast at 8, snack at 10:30, lunch at 12 or so and nap between 1 and 1:30. He is usually up by 4 for another snack and dinner at 6. It's nice because we can get out in the mornings and go do more things than we did when he was napping at 10:30. But then again, I am confined to the house from 1:30 until 4. Overall, I am ok with the one nap, probably like it better actually.
We have some difficult days, but for the most part he is very easy to get along with and it doesn't take much to get him to move onto something else if he is upset. He is my best little buddy and when I am away from him, a piece of me is missing. I want him with me everywhere, even crying the entire way through the grocery store as strangers ask, "Oh is it naptime?" Love him to pieces anyways.
-Mac N Cheese (I sneak in squash puree and feel much better about this choice)
-Peanut butter sandwiches (well peanut butter and anything really)
-Avocado, Nanas, blueberries, clementine oranges, peas and carrots
-Beans and rice, tortilla
-Any kind of cheese
-Chicken patties (AKA rice balls from Deceptively Delicious, can't get those little suckers to cook well as a ball!)
-Pancakes
-Smoothies
15 month stats
-21 lbs (5-10%)
-32" (75%)
-Size 4 diapers
-Size 5 shoes
-Mostly 12 month clothes, some 18 months fit. His little waist makes 18 months a bit big still.
He is really learning more and more everyday. It does not seem like it takes as long for something to "sink in". Here are some things you can find him doing on a daily basis:
-Carrying junk mail around
-Carrying a pen and paper and pretending to write
-Started walking full time September 16th
-Bouncing on his trampoline (only bends at the knee, can't seem to figure out how to get those feet up, it's quite adorable)
-He has learned his body parts, points at his eyes, ears, head, hair, and bellybutton, sniffs when I ask where his nose is. For some reason he is quite interested in Mommy's bellybutton and this can be embarrassing because he tries to get to it by pulling my shirt down, I have no idea why, I've never shown it to him any way other than barely lifting up the bottom of my shirt.
-Shakes his head for yes, also does the same motion for please and thank you until he can say them correctly.
-Loves holding his cup and other objects in his mouth only when I say "No hands!"
-He has to point out every flag and pumpkin he sees
-Has quite the fascination with pointing out people in pictures
-If he is fussy, just give him an empty bottle of some kind (vitamins, prescription, water bottle) with a lid. He will twist the lid on and off forever.
-Loves stirring with a spoon and a bowl
-He "reads" aloud to himself. There is a certain tone of voice for this, so it's funny that he thinks he is really reading. Loves those books! I bring them in the car to keep him content.
Some of his "words" are:
-Mama (although he won't look at me and say this)
-Dada (he will say this to Kyle though and if I say Daddy is home, "Dada!Dada!")
-This is dis, that is dat
-beebeebee is baby
-Muh for milk
-daadaa for doggy or Bentley
-baaal sometimes you can hear the L sometimes you can't when he is saying ball
-buhbuhbuhbuh and waves for Bye Bye. Any closing of any door warrants a Bye bye and a wave.
-Nana for banana
Holt still has a huge fascination with animals of any kind and points out dogs anywhere and everywhere, even in pictures. Sometimes he gets so excited and I can't figure out why until I look up and see he is pointing at the dog on the sign hanging up high in the store. He loves fish and deer as well. Really any animal gets him going.
He dropped his first nap in the past couple of months. As some of you know, this has it's advantages and disadvantages. He is up for the day around 7:30 most days, breakfast at 8, snack at 10:30, lunch at 12 or so and nap between 1 and 1:30. He is usually up by 4 for another snack and dinner at 6. It's nice because we can get out in the mornings and go do more things than we did when he was napping at 10:30. But then again, I am confined to the house from 1:30 until 4. Overall, I am ok with the one nap, probably like it better actually.
We have some difficult days, but for the most part he is very easy to get along with and it doesn't take much to get him to move onto something else if he is upset. He is my best little buddy and when I am away from him, a piece of me is missing. I want him with me everywhere, even crying the entire way through the grocery store as strangers ask, "Oh is it naptime?" Love him to pieces anyways.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I need a Hobby
Everyday I tell myself the same thing, I will do something productive today. I don't mean folding laundry, teaching Holt a new trick, or getting us out of the house. Something productive for the family, or myself, however you want to look at it. I'm inspired by so many ideas on Pinterest, I should just do them. Now that Holt is down to one nap a day, which lasts anywhere from 2-3 hours, how should I spend my time? Typically I spend some time doing pointless stuff online, and I mean pointless. Facebook, reading blogs, reading TMZ, MSN, or browsing for something I "need" to buy. Then I move onto the Social Media job I have for a couple of companies setting up Facebook articles and tweets. I have about an hour left at this point, maybe 2 depending on how long he sleeps. An entire hour to do something, anything besides sit in front of the computer. I don't watch much TV anymore and I typically do chores when Holt is awake. So how do I spend this hour? I have no idea! Before I know it Holt is awake and another day has gone by where I haven't done a darn thing that is productive.
Now I told myself when I became a stay at home mom that I would spend more time with God. I'm not entirely sure what that means, which is why I think I am not very good at it. I know He doesn't care how we do it, we should just do it. I am not good at reading anything during the day because my mind is all over the place. I cannot concentrate until right before bed, so reading anything is out of the question. How do you spend time with God? As much as God would appreciate me spending 3 hours with Him each day, I think I need more of a hobby. I should spend 30 minutes with God instead of reading all the online Gossip and what my 50 friends I barely know anymore on Facebook are doing at that given second. That I should do. So how?
Holt has recently become somewhat of a picky eater. I find myself making food that he doesn't eat day in and day out. I just purchased Deceptively Delicious and it is full of yummy recipes that I cannot wait to try. As I started reading through it I thought, "Where am I going to find time to make him this food?" Uhhh, Hello Shea, you have at least 2 hours every afternoon to make something, anything. So I think I will work on my cooking skills. I have always longed to be good at baking too. With all these recipes on Pinterest I am loving, I can surely cook for my family. I want to get really good at baking so my kids friends know me for my yummy treats. Yes, I totally copied Monica from friends, but it's true.
What about decorating? We are building a new house and I should be planning how I want everything to look in every room. Ugh, really? I am not a fan of decorating. My mom is an Interior Decorator, I'll give her a budget and let her do it. I don't even know where to look for decorating ideas because that's how much I dislike it. Kyle is actually better at decorating than me. But shouldn't I want to?
So everyday I tell myself this and another day ends and I haven't done anything. There is unfolded laundry in baskets still if you want to know the honest truth. How am I spending my time? I can't nap during the day due to the guilt I feel. I can't really do anything for myself during the day while he is napping due to the guilt. This is an entirely new blog post in itself really. So my question is, how do you spend your free time? How do you spend time with God? How are you finding time to decorate for Fall or plan the Holidays? How are you cooking your family dinner? Help me find a better use of my time, please!
Now I told myself when I became a stay at home mom that I would spend more time with God. I'm not entirely sure what that means, which is why I think I am not very good at it. I know He doesn't care how we do it, we should just do it. I am not good at reading anything during the day because my mind is all over the place. I cannot concentrate until right before bed, so reading anything is out of the question. How do you spend time with God? As much as God would appreciate me spending 3 hours with Him each day, I think I need more of a hobby. I should spend 30 minutes with God instead of reading all the online Gossip and what my 50 friends I barely know anymore on Facebook are doing at that given second. That I should do. So how?
Holt has recently become somewhat of a picky eater. I find myself making food that he doesn't eat day in and day out. I just purchased Deceptively Delicious and it is full of yummy recipes that I cannot wait to try. As I started reading through it I thought, "Where am I going to find time to make him this food?" Uhhh, Hello Shea, you have at least 2 hours every afternoon to make something, anything. So I think I will work on my cooking skills. I have always longed to be good at baking too. With all these recipes on Pinterest I am loving, I can surely cook for my family. I want to get really good at baking so my kids friends know me for my yummy treats. Yes, I totally copied Monica from friends, but it's true.
What about decorating? We are building a new house and I should be planning how I want everything to look in every room. Ugh, really? I am not a fan of decorating. My mom is an Interior Decorator, I'll give her a budget and let her do it. I don't even know where to look for decorating ideas because that's how much I dislike it. Kyle is actually better at decorating than me. But shouldn't I want to?
So everyday I tell myself this and another day ends and I haven't done anything. There is unfolded laundry in baskets still if you want to know the honest truth. How am I spending my time? I can't nap during the day due to the guilt I feel. I can't really do anything for myself during the day while he is napping due to the guilt. This is an entirely new blog post in itself really. So my question is, how do you spend your free time? How do you spend time with God? How are you finding time to decorate for Fall or plan the Holidays? How are you cooking your family dinner? Help me find a better use of my time, please!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Holt is 13 months!
I questioned whether or not I should continue these posts (hence it being 2 weeks late). We're kinda at the point where there is not a whole lot of "new" going on. I guess it will be a month to month decision, if I feel like sharing what my lil munchkin, booger, tooty tooty, boo bear is up to! I'm not sure I can classify him as a walker just yet, although he can take several steps alone, his prefered method is still crawling. I wouldn't even know what to put down as the date in his baby book for taking "first" steps. He has taken his "first" steps, but that has been going on for like 6 weeks now and he still isn't quite confident enough to just take off. But I am very proud of him and nothing in the world beats that big smile on his face when he reaches me after walking. He is just so darn proud of himself. At one point the pediatrician told us to watch for his hips when he started walking because apparently the peg leg crawl we thought was so funny, could actually be a hip issue. Luckily, it's still just a funny crawl and he doesn't appear to have any trouble with his steps.
Besides starting to walk, here are a few other things the Holtster enjoys doing these days.
-Giving Bentley his morning treat. We let Bentley out and Holt picks out his treat from the box then crawls over to give it Bentley directly into his mouth...with a giggle every time.
-Lots and lots of pointing going on! Anything and everything is just about the coolest thing he has ever seen. If only he could tell me how neato he thought it all was.
-I think he is a bit of a hoarder. He can't just have one thing around him, he must have several. He crawls to get more things for his pile and must be surrounded by stuffed animals when he sleeps.
-Will push anything to get him from point A to point B, including but not limited to the kitchen barstool (eek!) and and exercise ball
-He seems to understand almost everything I tell him, especially everyday commands. Ok, I'm bragging a little, he doesn't know everything but he really has picked up on a lot more of what I say in the past month. "Go put this book back." "Can I have it?" "Can Mommy have a bite?" are just a few...
-He loves to bring me books to read. Books are his favorite. He looks at them all by himself. He plays with them, he points at things in them, and he wants me to read to him all the time!
-He prefers that shoes are on your feet at all times. He tries to put Daddy's shoes on me if he deems it necessary that I need shoes on and the closest ones are Kyle's. He likes to try and put them on himself. If you take them off, you better believe he will bring them back to your feet within seconds.
-We have about 75% mastered the skill of putting our cup back on the tray or counter when eating. Most the time he does and it makes a sound to make sure I turn around and praise him. Others he still just feels like throwing it down on top of Bentley.
-He's learning different sports skills! Hit hits balls with his golf club, throws balls when asked, and kicks on command from both a standing and sitting position.
-Absolutely OBSESSED with balloons. He will point them out before you can even see it. Meme has been suckered into buying a $10 fish balloon because he wouldn't let it go at the grocery store.
-He is currently enjoying picking out a new hat to wear each morning from the closet and then making you wear it when he is done. I'm glad he loves hats!
I've seriously slacked in the picture department this month too. I took like 8 that were worthy of keeping. Pretty bad of me. I promise to do better this month!
Besides starting to walk, here are a few other things the Holtster enjoys doing these days.
-Giving Bentley his morning treat. We let Bentley out and Holt picks out his treat from the box then crawls over to give it Bentley directly into his mouth...with a giggle every time.
-Lots and lots of pointing going on! Anything and everything is just about the coolest thing he has ever seen. If only he could tell me how neato he thought it all was.
-I think he is a bit of a hoarder. He can't just have one thing around him, he must have several. He crawls to get more things for his pile and must be surrounded by stuffed animals when he sleeps.
-Will push anything to get him from point A to point B, including but not limited to the kitchen barstool (eek!) and and exercise ball
-He seems to understand almost everything I tell him, especially everyday commands. Ok, I'm bragging a little, he doesn't know everything but he really has picked up on a lot more of what I say in the past month. "Go put this book back." "Can I have it?" "Can Mommy have a bite?" are just a few...
-He loves to bring me books to read. Books are his favorite. He looks at them all by himself. He plays with them, he points at things in them, and he wants me to read to him all the time!
-He prefers that shoes are on your feet at all times. He tries to put Daddy's shoes on me if he deems it necessary that I need shoes on and the closest ones are Kyle's. He likes to try and put them on himself. If you take them off, you better believe he will bring them back to your feet within seconds.
-We have about 75% mastered the skill of putting our cup back on the tray or counter when eating. Most the time he does and it makes a sound to make sure I turn around and praise him. Others he still just feels like throwing it down on top of Bentley.
-He's learning different sports skills! Hit hits balls with his golf club, throws balls when asked, and kicks on command from both a standing and sitting position.
-Absolutely OBSESSED with balloons. He will point them out before you can even see it. Meme has been suckered into buying a $10 fish balloon because he wouldn't let it go at the grocery store.
-He is currently enjoying picking out a new hat to wear each morning from the closet and then making you wear it when he is done. I'm glad he loves hats!
I've seriously slacked in the picture department this month too. I took like 8 that were worthy of keeping. Pretty bad of me. I promise to do better this month!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Rooms
It still hasn't really sunk in that Kyle and I will not be coming back to DFW...ever. I still feel like this is some long vacation. Our house is sold and closed and it is no longer "ours" like it was for 4.5 years. As I was about to leave the day we moved, Kyle walked me through each room, just like he did when he was proposing. Tears were flowing as we moved through the house because each room meant something different to me. A house is not just a house, it is part of you. Here is what the rooms mean to me:
The Living Room
-This room reminds me of our life as a married couple. We literally started growing old together in this room. Many nights were spent drinking wine watching our shows together like Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, and Lost to name a few. We celebrated watching TCU victories by chest bumping or me jumping in his arms to jump around. We watched more movies than I can count in this room, 90% of which I fell asleep watching. We slept on these couches holding our newborn baby boy time and time again. We watched the ball drop on NYE together, each year wondering what the next had in store for us. Holt played on the floor and Bentley always got to sit where he wanted, even if I had to move my seat. I folded laundry here, watched Holt kick around in my belly, let Bentley sleep on my lap like a tiny dog, and fell asleep on Kyle's lap. Nothing like a living room to make you feel safe and right at home.
The Kitchen
-This is the room I was so excited about when we first moved in. I pictured myself here making Kyle dinner as newlyweds. Cooking him up all of my favorites and learning what his favorites would be. We cooked meals here together on Holidays like Valentine's Day and Easter. Since we lived in this house, Easter was always there. We would stand around sipping on wine and cooking everything the night before so we could eat earlier on Sunday. The table is where we had many many discussions. It's where Kyle decided to take the job with the company that recently promoted him and moved us here. We discussed baby names, nursery ideas, reviewed sonograms pics, gave Holt his first solids, and said our dinner prayer. We can't forget Bentley either. He always stayed close by when I was in there cooking, sometimes too close and I would trip over him. I spent the most time in the kitchen. It was my first kitchen.
The "Media" Room
-We had high hopes for this media room that never was. Kyle wanted a projector for movies. We were supposed to watch movies in here, but always found ourselves on the couch in the living room instead. It really just became the "Wii" room. As newlyweds we would stay up way too late having way too many drinks playing Wii games like we were teenagers. It's the room where our famous Corona pictures were on display. (We take a Corona picture at every vacation destination.) Kyle's prized hammerhead shark hung on the wall. It is an atrocious looking thing, and he thinks I hate it. I don't hate it. It means so much to him and he lights up like a little kid when he gets to tell the story of catching that thing. For that reason alone, I don't hate it. It was also the "office", but we had a laptop in the kitchen so we hardly used it for that either. It was a neglected room but with a lot of memories regardless. It became Holt's playroom. I put his big toys in here and this is where we would play in the afternoon when I got bored of the living room. In the new house we will have a true media room and we also have high hopes for it...we'll see how that works out.
Holt's Nursery
-Before it became Holt's nursery, it was just a sad boring guest room that we always knew would be the nursery, just didn't know who it would belong to. A girl or a boy? We never decorated it, just condensed Kyle's Bachelor Pad into one room. Then it became our son's nursery, literally the weekend we found out what we were having. Kyle wanted to buy the furniture and paint it IMMEDIATELY. He was so excited. I let him do the decorating, it's not my thing anyways. I had bigger plans for the room. I knew I would feel most like a Mommy in this room. The months of planning would turn into holding my baby in my arms. I knew I would, and I did, spend a lot of time watching my baby just sleep in this room. We would, and did, rock and rock in the glider. When he was hungry, sick, restless, or just wanting to be cuddled...it would be in this room...and it was. This was perhaps the hardest room to say goodbye too. I had the most plans and strongest attachment to this room, even before Holt was here. I loved this little nursery. It's where we listened to music when all he could do was coo and smile...not even laugh yet! I would dance around as long as I needed to just to see that smile. This room tugs at my heartstrings, because in the new house...he will be nearly 18 months old before getting in his room. His baby days are long behind him, and so will be his first nursery.
BUT, onto bigger things...they should be breaking ground on our house anyday now. Here is the new lot that will hold a new house for us to make new, more permanent memories! Onward and upwards to the future! What do your rooms mean to you? They aren't just rooms...
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Toddler Food Options
MOMS, HELP!
Holt's bloodwork at his one year appointment showed that he is mildly anemic. This was totally to be expected because I really can't get him to eat much meat. I would have a hard time eating meat if I only had 3 1/2 teeth too. He does not like the texture of lunch meat and is so over meatballs of any kind. He likes his veggies for the most part but would live on cheese, bread, mac n cheese, and bananas if I let him. He is also a fan of rice and beans. I wouldn't say he is a picky eater, just prefers some foods over others. He'll try anything for a few bites, just may not eat it all up. He also does not seem to like spaghetti sauce. I for one, am completely shocked by this. I thought for sure he would gobble up the english muffin pizza I made for him yesterday, but threw it on the floor for Bentley to gobble up instead.
I'd just like to know what kind of foods your kiddo prefers and if anyone elses kids were anemic. I'm giving him the over the counter iron supplement, awful by the way, but would like to get him in the habit of eating right too. Comment below or email me at shea.kummer@gmail.com with some thoughts! Thanks Mamas!
Holt's bloodwork at his one year appointment showed that he is mildly anemic. This was totally to be expected because I really can't get him to eat much meat. I would have a hard time eating meat if I only had 3 1/2 teeth too. He does not like the texture of lunch meat and is so over meatballs of any kind. He likes his veggies for the most part but would live on cheese, bread, mac n cheese, and bananas if I let him. He is also a fan of rice and beans. I wouldn't say he is a picky eater, just prefers some foods over others. He'll try anything for a few bites, just may not eat it all up. He also does not seem to like spaghetti sauce. I for one, am completely shocked by this. I thought for sure he would gobble up the english muffin pizza I made for him yesterday, but threw it on the floor for Bentley to gobble up instead.
I'd just like to know what kind of foods your kiddo prefers and if anyone elses kids were anemic. I'm giving him the over the counter iron supplement, awful by the way, but would like to get him in the habit of eating right too. Comment below or email me at shea.kummer@gmail.com with some thoughts! Thanks Mamas!
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