Wordless Wednesday

We love Baby Legs!

My crazy kid

Dont even think about taking my Sophie!

Flower girls

Oh no she did'nt!

And I know this is supposed to be "wordless" but I wanted to share this little video I found on my phone that Kay made...I have no idea when she did this!

Oh What A Day

Yesterday was probably one of the most challenging days with Miss M yet....

Kay is on spring break this week, so I've got the week packed full with play dates and activities to keep us all sane. So yesterday after getting a little work done and my morning workout we headed over to one of her classmates house for a lunch play date. He is such a cute little boy and I really like his mom (always a plus when your kids get older and because I don't drop off yet).

It started off great...kids were playing outside, Miss M and I were hanging out inside while the boys mother finished preparing lunch. M was in great spirits, happy and awake and we were chatting about life and our kids.

When the lunch was all ready (she made a great spinach salad for us adults, and a pizza for the kids) we headed out to her beautifully manicured lawn to eat.

This is when it all went down hill...

As soon as I sat down to eat Miss M went from quite angel to a crying mess. So I flexed my mom muscles, fed her and ate one handed. No biggie. I knew after she ate she needed to take a nap, she was still very fussy so I shushed her, bounced her, walked her, rocked her, you name it I did it. Nothing was working. It had gotten tot a point where she would not stop screaming no matter what I did, and this went on for a good 30-45 min. And there I was being 'that mom' saying " Oh my kid never does this, she never cries like this" which is the truth, but c'mon we've all heard that before and thought yeah right lady your kids just a brat.

Since it was so early into the play date, Kay obviously did not want to leave, so I did the one last thing I knew would work...

I drove her.

That's right. I left Kay at the boys' house to drive Miss M around the neighborhood so she would go to sleep.

And she went from this:

To this:

In exactly 3 laps around the block. Ahhhhh relief!

I brought her back in the house, left her in her seat of course and proceeded on with the play date....AH but wait.....10 minutes later she woke up! Fussy again. I did manage to hold her off for another 15-20 minutes because Kay and the kids were now playing Hot Potato with water balloons and she was having so much fun. But after the screaming resumed again, we had to go. I couldn't possibly drive the boys' mom any crazier than I already had. I felt bad and apologized, thanked her for lunch and got the hell out of there. Wonder if we will ever be invited back?

I thought this was all because she needed her swing to nap (that's where she naps during the day) so I rushed home, fed her, and put her over tired self in the swing. FAIL. It wasn't the swing she needed after all because she was still fussy and whiny the rest of the afternoon. She never napped longer than 10 min. through out the whole day, and when your 12 weeks old, that's no bueno.

I still don't know what was wrong with her yesterday, but what I do know is that she must have really wore herself out because she sleep from 9:00 pm to almost 8:00 am!

Hopefully history doesn't repeat itself because today we have a picnic play date at the park and one I plan on staying at! And plus I want my sweet little angel baby back : )

Meal Planning Monday

Here is this weeks line up. Got a few new contenders on the menu too!

• Grilled Beef & Veggie Kabobs (the weather is perfect for grilling right now, so we are trying to do more of that!) with a side salad.


• Sauteed Chicken Breast with Tarragon-Mustard Pan Sauce- I am excited to try this, it looks so easy and sounds delish!


• Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce over brown rice.


• Crunchy Parmesan-Mustard Pork Chops with sauteed garlic green beans.


• Grilled Balsamic Portabello Burgers with a avocado, red onion, and tomato salad.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Lets take a trip...back to April 2006!

Easter at my grandmothers house- 4 generations here: Me. My Mom, Kay, and Noni

Kay was almost 2 and oh so cute!

Then we celebrated her 2nd Birthday

Then in May I met my BFF in Vegas for a quick overnight...Here we are at the top of the Palms

and now drunk at the Palms...

and coming back home...my expression says it all..

There's a Reason I Never Talk About Religion..

I was raised catholic, not super-go-to-church-every-Sunday catholic, but I was baptised, had my first communion, went through all my religious education classes, and was confirmed. We did go to church, although not every Sunday. We prayed before dinner on holidays, went to mid night mass on Christmas Eve (and still do), and because of my Italian heritage- your catholic and that's it! Do not pass go, do not collect 200, don't ask any questions, your catholic...

As I grew into my adult hood I still considered myself a catholic because that's the way I was raised, but not the practicing kind. I questioned myself and my religion (all religion for that matter) but still go to church on the 'important' catholic holidays (Christmas and Easter). I baptised Kay catholic, and she even went to a Christian preschool (because she had to 'learn' it from somewhere I thought). So I am almost embarrassed to admit that I think organized religions (including Catholicism) does nothing but bring up un answered questions and cause problems. I'm not sure where I stand at this point but if asked what religion am I, my answer remains the same: "I'm not religious, but was raised catholic". And to be honest the biggest reason why I am still even hanging onto that is because of my dad. My real dad died very suddenly when I was 3 years old. All of my life I was told that my father was in heaven, looking down and watching over me, that I could just close my eyes and pray to talk to him, and that one day when it was my time we would be together again. So I feel like I've had to believe there was a heaven, because that's where my dad is....

My Husband was also raised catholic. Him and his family went to Church every Sunday, he went to catholic grade school, and was even an alter boy! His family was actually more religious than mine. Even as a child (unlike me) he didn't believe, and always questioned his faith, or lack there of. This didn't happen for me until I reached adulthood. Once an adult, my DH abandoned any and all religion from his life. He is a true realist and is completely opposed to ALL religions. He thinks they are a joke and the reason for all the wars in the world. He believes in science, not that women were created from a mans rib....Does anyone actually really believe that?! You have to admit whether religious or not these stories are crazy! Anyways...

So when we met, because I could not bare to tell my family how he really felt about religion- I lied. I told them he was raised catholic but was not religious...which I guess really wasn't a lie. When we got married, my family pushed for us to be married in the church, I used my husbands prior divorce as my defense in that department (even though he wasn't married in the church the first time), so I got out of that one and we had a nice outdoor wedding...

When we go to midnight mass, he never attends. When we pray at holiday dinners he bows his head, but I look over only to discover a smirk on his face knowing he is faking it, and when I take Kay to church, we go alone.

This all brings me to the whole point of this post, which is I want to baptize Miss M. Not just because I feel like I need too, but because I feel like I should. My feelings with the kids is that I will expose them to it, but not push it on them. I want them to make their own decisions and decide for themselves what they want to believe in.

DH is fine with it (mostly because he knows I am not a super church goer and wont raise them that way), but refuses to step foot into a church. Re-fus-es! He does not want to be fake, and/or go and pretend to agree with something he is so strongly opposed to. I understand that and respect that, but how am I supposed to explain to my family why he's not at our daughters BAPTISM? How am I gonna get out of that one?! Will the Church even baptise her without him there? I asked him that very question this morning, and his response was "tell them I don't want to be a part of this, and that I went to Catholic grade school for 9 years (as if that's his get out of jail free card) and to ask them why he wasn't molested, was he not cute enough?" He's defiantly going to hell for that one...

Every week I put off my family when they ask when we are baptising Miss M, and the truth is I still need to work on who her god parents will be and make some final decisions, so that's my excuse for now. But I still will have to figure out how to tell them why he isn't there. This needs to be resolved though. Kay was baptised at 6 weeks old and I feel like I need to get this done sooner rather than later, but I still need to work on how this is all going to happen.

I'm in a religious mess here people!

Anyone been through something similar? Or have any advise?

Birth Order of Children

I just had to share this...it is HILARIOUS, but true!!

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

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Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.

3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month..

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The Layette:

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

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Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.

3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

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Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.

2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.

3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in..

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Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.

2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.

3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
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Activities:

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.

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Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

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At Home:

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children

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Swallowing Coins (a favorite):

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays

2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.

3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!

Funny Faces

I'm always posting pictures of Kay making funny faces, so the other day Miss M wanted to proved that she can be entertaining too!

Sticking her tongue out- Take that Big Sister!

Crazy Eyes!

this one is hilarious!

I'm telling you I could sit and stare for hours at this baby!

Weekend Recap

Friday night we had a nice family dinner at The Olive Garden, then we came home for a relaxing night at in. I bathed both the kids...

and then me and my DH got cozy on the couch and watched Real Time with Bill Maher. Every Friday night we watch Real Time together, we love Bill Maher and even went to see him live a few years ago! Good times!

Saturday morning I got up early, packed the kids up, and headed out to RESOLVE's annual Walk of Hope.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day out! Sunny, breezy, and 77. As soon as I got signed in Kay headed right for the kids area, where they had a petting zoo and bounce houses.

Soon after I met up with my friend Mya, who even though she didn't struggle with infertility herself came out to support the cause. She brought her little cutie Wyatt along too. We got started on the walk, an easy 1.8 mile walk around the park- which was beautiful and way bigger than I thought! On the way we came across this HUGE tree which is rare here in Arizona, so I just had to stop and take a picture!

After that we headed back over to the children's area, where I was to help out again this year. They had a table set up to color tote bags and a tattoo station, which the kids love! And before Mya left we made sure to snap a picture (even thought the lady that was taking it was the worst picture taker ever...god, the lady didn't even say "Say Cheese" before snapping the picture. I hate that! This was the best photo out of the 3 she took, and yes, we moved out the of the shade for the other one but she screwed that one up too!)

(Me and Miss M on the left, Mya and Wyatt on the right)

I met and talked to a few other couples; we shared our stories the struggles we have faced. Its always nice to go to these things and be in the company of people that have gone through what you have...its almost refreshing. While chatting with one mother of B/G twins (her little girl also had the same name as Miss M and was cute as a button) she mentioned that her mother was her surrogate. AMAZING, absolutely amazing I thought! While working with RESOLVE I have heard of couples taking many different paths to build there families, but I have never heard that. I was blown away! This woman essentially carried and gave birth to her own grandchildren at 52 years old and she carried to term! What an amazing gift to give to her daughter...and to herself really.

After the walk, me and Kay went and did a little shopping for spring/summers cloths and then we came home. I put Miss M in her bouncer...

and laid down on the floor because my tummy started bothering me.

We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out at home and playing with the kids...

and then DH cooked us dinner because I still wasn't feeling great (I shouldn't really say "cook" because he made us sandwiches, hahaha but it was nice). Then I drove down to the mailbox to see what movies had come in. I popped some popcorn, put both the girls to bed (they were both asleep by 9!) and we put in the movie, which was Micheal Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story...

and just like all the other Michael Moore documentaries, I liked it but didn't entirely agree with. This one was a little long, so I ended up falling asleep on the couch towards the end.

I planned on getting up with Miss M at some point that night because she had last eaten at 7:30pm, but I was pleasantly surprised when she slept until 6:00 then next morning! That's almost 12 hours~!

Today I made breakfast, cleaned, and continued hacking down Mt. Laundry. I ran and got a spray tan, and then we all went to Costco. Later I took Kay to get her bangs trimmed...

and we stopped at Bath and Body Works to stock up on one of my favorite scents of all time; Moonlight Path! I love how fresh it smells and they had been out of it for a while ( I guess while they were re packaging it) so I have been dying to go pick some up.

We quickly headed home because Little M isn't feeling too great, she seems to have a slight cold- but is fine, just crankier than usual. I made dinner, cleaned the house, and got everything ready for the week! Now time to relax (or try to) because I have a busy work week ahead.

Hope you all had an amazing first weekend of Spring! This is by far my favorite time of year!

What I Have Realized So Far...(or again!)

-That a case of diapers is really not THAT many diapers.

-That it really is different the second time around (a whole other post in itself- coming soon!)

-That parenting is so much easier with modern day technology (video monitors, etc.)

-That despite how little they are, babies create a TON of laundry!

-That it's either a quickie, or nothing at all. So take the quickie and shut up.

-That you should never do or say anything in front of a 5 year old anything you wouldn't want the whole world to know.

- That both my girls look great in blue ; )

- That you cant plan your day with a 2 month old, they dictate whats going to happen and when!

- That with 2 kids, you have more dates with your pediatrician than your own husband.

- That the biggest threat to a newborn is their older sibling.

- That my husband is even more amazing!

- That despite your worries, there is room in your heart to love another as much as your first.

- and that being a mom of 2 girls in just a 2 month time span can completely drain your bank account!

The Business of Blogging

I recently read this article from the NY Times titled "Honey, Don't Bother Mommy. I'm Too Busy Building My Brand" and while I don't think the title is necessarily fare to those who do capitalize from their blogs, I thought it brought up some good points.

I personally shy away from the 'bigger' blogs. I have seen many average mommy blogs transform over time into these advertising mega blogs, and personally that's when I stop reading. Its almost like they have gone "Bloggywood" (like the term going "Hollywood"- but for bloggers, something I just made up : ). I am not talking about popularity, there are still many great blogs out there that have hundreds of followers that have managed not to sell out (sorry if that comes off a little harsh). I hate going to blogs to follow someones story only to be constantly bombarded with flashing ads and constant pimping out products for money giveaways, to me that's not what blogging is about and that's when I lose interest. Obviously not everyone feels this way, as these mega blogs still have hundreds if not thousands of readers, and that's great for them.

I love blogging, reading and following others peoples blogs- because I am interested in THEM and whats going on the their lives, not whatever brand has sponsored them that week! Like the article says “I wish we could go back to where blogging was five years ago, when it was just about the writing and the connecting and none of the free stuff and the vacations and the swag bags,” and I too feel that way. I do think its different if someone starts a blog with the intention to make money, but I hate seeing blogs that I have enjoyed reading overtime go Bloggywood, because they change. The intent changes, the content changes, and I guess I don't like change in that aspect.

This is not at all meant to bash the mega bloggers, or those who sell advertising space, or bloggers that do giveaways, because I do see the other side to it. I understand why a SAHM, or a working mom would jump at the opportunity to make a little money while doing something they enjoy- I get that. And I do think that opportunities like this empower women and mothers and give them opportunities that they wouldn't normally have and I think that's great! I dont mind one little ad here or there, or a giveaway that relates to your blog in some way once in a while, I have no problems with that at all. But it's the blogs that are cluttered with ads everywhere and/or that are pushing a new product every week that is just ovewhelming! It turns me off. And at the end of the day, that's not what I enjoy reading about.

No matter how many followers I get over time, or how popular (or not) my blog becomes, it will always be about my life and my children. That's why I started this blog. Yes, it has evolved from a infertility blog, to a pregnancy blog, and now mostly a mommy blog- but my intentions with my blog are still the same. To have a place where I can go to document my life, write down my thoughts, and share my stories. Because that's what blogging means to me.

Favorite Things: Baby Edition

Consider this my 'New Mommy Must Haves' post if you will. These are a few of my favorite baby things!

Fisher Price My Little Lamb Swing

Seriously this thing is a god send! It swings side to side or forward and back and is just so cozy I wish I could crawl in there! Miss M has loved this since day one and I don't know how we could have made it without this. She is napping in it as we speak : )



Gerber Cloth Diaper Burp Cloths

These are the best for burp cloths in my opinion. Forget regular rectangular burp cloths, I find them a hassle and not shaped right. These are the way to go. They are cheap and now come in fun colors! Defiantly a staple for the formula feeding mom!


Fisher Price Soothe and Glow Seahorse

Love this! Every night Miss M is lulled to sleep by the soft music and glow from this modern day glow worm. It really lives up to the hype and is a bed time must have at our house. My only complaint is that I wish it played longer than 5 minutes, really 10 would be ideal. Still worth it my my book!


Infantino Jittery Pal- Lola The Pink Poodle

This is by far Miss M's favorite thing. I have it hanging above her changing table from the blinds for now, and no matter what time of day or what mood she is in, the moment I lay her on that changing table she smiles and her face lights up! It is the cutest thing ever. She just loves Lola! She smiles and coos at her as if Lola was talking back to her...melts my heart!


The Winkel

There is a reason why this is so popular right now! It's the perfect baby toy that's why! The rubber tubes are really flexible and there is a lot of them, making it super easy for baby's little hands to grab onto. It also makes a rattle noise when shook and is brightly colored. Who ever invented this was on point, because its a hit and for good reason!


Boppy

A Boppy is an absolute new mommy must have! Whether bottle or breast feeding you will get a ton of use out of one of these. Its also great for baby lounging and tummy time! We have defiantly gotten a lot of use out of ours, and I love that the slip cover comes right off for easy washing.

So there you have it my friends!

Happy Girl

Someone was ALL smiles this morning : ) So of course mommy had to grab her camera to capture this photo op! LOVE this little girl, and my goodness is it me or does she look grown already? WTH? I cry just thinking about her getting bigger, it really makes me sad mostly because I know this is the last time I will have a baby in the house. Before I know it she will be 4 feet tall, 42 pounds, and arguing with me about why she cant wear bright red lipstick to school like her big sister Kay this morning!

Hey Sista!

Same mom. Different dads. Same age.

It appears that they both have my nose and mouth! Do you see it?

Kay was a little fatter in the face, and they do have different shaped heads, and different eyes, but I defiantly see some similarities.

Sleep Success

Okay, we all know Miss M is a great sleeper so really the title should be Sleeping Flat Success!

Since birth Miss M has been sleeping in the newborn napper of her PNP, she loves it, its cozy and comfortable and she sleeps great. But she's out growing it and every morning her cute little feet were sticking up...it was cute, but not recommended. I was nervous to make the switch because we have such a great routine and because she is such a great sleeper. But she cant sleep in that thing forever, and I needed to make the switch so we can get her into her crib next month. (I let both babies stay in my room until 3 months).

So I got one of these thinking she might like the incline and feel secure with the positioners on each side. WRONG! That thing is a joke! Seriously don't waste your money, at least not on the inclined one. The first night she was in it she went to sleep fine, but by morning she has slid down to where her head was in between the positioners- not cool. So my friend Mya suggested rolling up a receiving blanket and putting that under her legs. So I did and that was a huge FAIL. By morning she has not only slid down the entire thing, but was on the other side of the pnp and had turned herself completely around. It was amazing really. Not sure how she pulled that one off, but needless to say that was the last time we used that.

So last night was the first night of her laying completely flat to sleep and she did GREAT! Fell asleep fine and STTN, so I guess I worried for nothing!

Workout Woes & Weight Loss Accomplishments

I love to workout, so when I hit 6 weeks pp my booty was at the gym that day! The problem I have run into is that because I cant take Miss M to the gym with me yet (she has to be 3 months), I have to try and work around her morning nap schedule and my DH 's work schedule- which hasn't been all that easy. If she is sleeping, and DH is not busy, I will rush out to the gym. Usually I will get in a quick 30-45 minute cardio workout before DH calls to summons me back home, which leaves no time to weight train. We do have a gym quality elliptical at home, but the battery burnt out and I just got the new one yesterday, so I haven't been able to use that either.

Basically I have only been able to work out 2-3 times a week up until this point, which is simply NOT enough to achieve what I want to achieve. Yes, it is better than nothing, but I really need 5-6 days a week for 1 1/2 hours to get my body back. So the countdown begins until Miss M is 3 months old and can go to the gym with mommy! Then I can really get back into shape! Until then, now that I got the battery for my elliptical, I will be clocking in 1 hour cardio sessions daily at home. I am excited for that! Cardio is the number 1 factor when trying to drop weight so at least I can do that while I wait to really get back into the gym.

Now onto the good news...I've lost 37 pounds since Miss M was born!

That's the 30 pounds I gained while I was pregnant, plus another 7 pounds! I am pretty proud of myself! :::::pat on the back Lisa::::: I'm not to my goal weight yet, and have a ways to go but my stomach has down almost completely and I can now fit into more of my pre pregnancy "fat" cloths : )

Wordless Wednesday

I know this is supposed to be "wordless"- but I got my camera back! Yippe!