The Blessed Life

The Blessed Life

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Stuck

Let me first start out by saying that this story isn't going to earn me any mother of the year awards.  BUT, it will make you laugh! 

I am not sure how to potty train Isabelle.  I mean we have tried EVERYTHING.  She cares nothing about going potty on the toilet and she can't be bribed.  Candy, stickers, ice cream, all of it has failed to produce a child who wants to go in the toilet.  Trying to tell her about all the big girls she knows that go in the potty also has not worked.  She doesn't care that Abby, Caitlin, Grandma, Aunt Buh-Buh, Lauren and her mom all go in the toilet. 

So I am just doing what I know to do.  I sit with her, in the bathroom, whenever she says she has to go and wait for as long as she will.  This has never resulted in success, but I figure if she wants to sit on the potty I am all for it. 

But you see I have another child who demands my attention.  What do you do with a one year old while you are sitting in the bathroom with your two year old for upwards of 45 minutes?  Well, today the answer was, leave the bathroom to take care of her.

That's right, I left Isabelle alone in the bathroom sitting on her potty while I tended to Molly's diaper.  This was the result.



My poor daughter put her head through her potty seat.  And got stuck.  Like VERY stuck.  I thought I was going to have to saw it off of her.  I called Jason after many attempts to pry it off and told him to come home immediately.  His daughter had a toilet seat stuck on her head.  And at first she was all cool and calm, but after she reailzed it wasn't coming off she started FREAKING out.

As I was trying over and over to un-lodge the toilet seat, I noticed this handy warning.


Really?  You mean you shouldn't let your kid get stuck in a toilet seat?  Shocking. 

Meanwhile, Molly was being awfully quiet.  Isabelle and I finally get the thing off her head, and I call Jason to tell him not to come home and all is well with the world. 

Except for Molly.  The whole time we are having a toilet seat debacle, she is quietly playing in the toilet in the bathroom, scooping up water and drinking it.  I have never been more thankful that Isabelle is not yet potty trained. 

So...like I said, not really feeling like the greatest mom on the planet, but luckily no one currently has a toilet seat around their neck and Molly is no longer drinking out of the toilet.  Ahhh, things that I never thought I'd talk about until I became a mom!

Friday, April 29, 2011

Five Things Friday-blog edition (Part 1)

I think I am going to start a habit of talking about five things on Fridays.  Like five things that the girls said that were funny, or five favorite songs, or five fav recipes from the week.  It could just be five random thoughts from the past week.  Just five things, whatever they might be. 

Today is my blog edition.  Five blogs I am reading right now that I love.  Keep in mind I read WAAAY more than that.  In fact I almost typed the number that I read, but didn't want to look weird.  I am a lover of blogs.  I look forward to my morning coffee and my blog reading and when one of my favs doesn't post, well, I am pretty sad.  I have been inspired, been moved to tears, laughed out loud, and become a better mother due to some of these following blogs.  You should check them out.  Seriously, they are awesome. 

In no particular order, five great blogs you should check out.
1.  The Anderson Crew-  Emily and her family have recently adopted a child from Ethiopia.  You should read all about it.  Her blog is one that has made me laugh and made me cry.  She is also the one I link up with for Embrace the Camera days.

2.  From the Natos.  This girl is seriously funny, seriously addictive and seriously real.  One read of her blog and you will be hooked!  I can't get enough.  Also, as a side note, I think if she and I ever met we would be besties!

3.  Pioneer Woman.  Need I say more.  I. Am. In. Love.  I have become a better wife because of this lady.  Seriously.  I am cooking more than ever and I think it is because I finally found recipes that sound good and are easy to make and don't involve frying EVERYTHING and using forty sticks of butter.  Sure, her recipes aren't always the pinnacle of health, but they aren't horrible either.  I can actually cook her recipes and people actually think they are good!  If you are looking for a way to kill an entire day, check out her site.

4.  C.C. Miller Photography.  This blog has a bit of it all.  Cooking, decorating, photography, and funny kid stories.  Yes, I am a little biased.  She is our photographer.  Yes, I went to HS with her....BUT  I reconnected with her through her blog and have been reading ever since. 

5.  The Prince House.  Another blog that keeps me laughing.  Erin is seriously funny.  I think she should write more.  I could read her blog twice a day.  As a mother of twin girls she never seems to be lacking a good story.  And she is honest.  That is so refreshing, isn't it?  She tells it like it is.  I am so lucky to actually know this girl!

So there you go!  Five great blogs to check out.  And don't blame me if you get hooked on them also.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Embrace-April 28th

 This past weekend my hubs, my sister and her fam, my friend Stephanie and I all ran in the OSU Scrub Run 5k race.  As you can imagine, pics taken right before and right after you exercise are generally not the best pics.  However, it is a family tradition and so we do it and even though we all look less than amazing, we treasure these pictures.


And as I mentioned here, my husband and I very rarely get a pic together.  Leave it to us to take one on the day we look our worst!  But I also promised to post the next picture of us together....so here it is!



Don't hate.  I know we look HOT.  And in case you think it is just the camera angle, nope...my butt is that big!  Hence the diet I am on. 

I do think that somehow my less than terrible performance during this race has perhaps motivated me to run in the Tulsa Run this fall.  We'll see!  I figure if I am going to keep running for weight loss, I might as well train to run a 15k.  I'll keep you posted!

Want to embrace the camera?  Link up here!

 



Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Easter Recap

I know that it is Wednesday and I am just getting around to this, but we have been a little busy. 

Jason's dad and step mom finally made it back to Seattle.  We had a great time with them here and since they left, Isabelle has been begging to go see Attle.  Pretty funny, and sad!  While they were here we ate lots of good food, went to the herb fest, went to an amazing Easter service at COTM and had a delicious Easter taco celebration.  Yes, you heard me.  Easter tacos.  Who wants ham anyway? 

Here are some of the only pics we got of the girls in their dresses.  If anyone has tips on how to get a one year old and a two year old in a picture that is decent, I would love to hear them!  Sedation?  KIDDING! 


Isabelle making one of her funny photo faces!



  My brother, Danny and Molly.  I didn't get any really good pics of Molly in her dress, but I do like this pic of her with her uncle.

We had a great Easter weekend.  Hope you and your family did as well!  See you tomorrow for Embrace the Camera Day!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Embrace



Molly is quite the momma's girl.  She spends a good portion of her day wanting me to pick her up and hold her.  Sadly, she can't have all of my attention so she also spends a lot of time crying to be picked up and held.  This picture is from her one year photo shoot with C.C. Miller and (I think) is perfect for our embrace the camera day!

Want to join the embrace movement?  Check out Emily's blog and link up. 



Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Advice for Moms-Part 2


If you missed Part One, you can find it here.  I feel that being a mom comes with a certain responsibility to help other women who are new to motherhood or women about to become mothers.  There is something about knowing someone else has been there, someone else made it through a phase, someone else can do it, that helps us out as people.  As I stated before however, what works for one mom doesn't neccesarily work for all moms and you may not agree with everything I say.  No biggie.  You won't hurt my feelings by disagreeing. 

Another thing about advice......I wouldn't take advice from anyone you aren't willing to trade places with.  You know that mom whose kids are TERRIBLE?  They scream, kick, fight, interrupt, hit their siblings, don't listen and are generally the boss of their parents.  Yeah, I am not taking advice from that mom about discipline.  No offense.  I just don't want what she has.  The mom whose kids don't sleep through the night until they are three?  Don't want sleep advice from her!  So look around, what mom do you think is rockin?  Ask her what she is doing!

For today, here are a few more words of wisdom from this mom.

1.  Sleep train your child. 

I wish I could say that my kids were just natrual sleepers and I didn't have to do any work, they just slept and slept, but that isn't true.  With Isabelle I followed the book Babywise pretty closely.  Just ask anyone in my family and they will tell you how rigid I was with the schedule and sleep and wake times.  I went a little overboard, but I did have a child who slept well and slept through the night.  I did have to let her cry it out, which I realize is a little controversial (more on that later), but it didn't even take a week of that before she was sleeping 10-12 hours at night uninterrupted.  To this day she sleeps from about 9 pm until 7 am and takes a three hour nap in the afternoon.

Molly was a different story.  She was a natural sleeper.  She came home from the hospital sleeping through the night.  I had to wake her up to feed her.  That all changed at about nine months, when she started waking up again.  At first I thought it was a growth spurt so I was waking up and feeding her, but after a month I realized she had developed a habit.  I did not do what I should have done and implement some sleep training right away, instead I continued to get up with her once a night, every night for three months.  At her one year check up our pediatrician gave me a wake up call.  She recommended a book, which I mentioned before, by somebody Ferber.  The concepts in the book made sense to me and I ended up relying on them heavily.  The first few nights after being weaned from nursing, she slept fine, but after that was back to waking up once a night.  The techinique of progressive waiting was just what I needed to get her to start sleeping.  In parenting there will be LOTS of hard battles to face.  Sleep training is one of them.  But it is a battle you should face and win.  A rested mom is a happy mom.  Check out a book, find something that works for you and get that kiddo sleeping.  And in my personal opinion that means the kid should be sleeping in their crib, without being rocked or nursed to sleep and sleeping through the night (not as infants, but by 5-6 months for sure!).  Also, Molly now sleeps from 8 pm until about 7 am and takes two naps each about 1 1/2 to 2 hours long every day.

2.  Stay home. 

I realize this is another somewhat touchy subject.  I will keep it brief.  Some moms cannot stay home.  Like really, really, really can't stay home.  If they stayed home, the mortgage wouldn't get paid, the electricity would get turned off,  the family would starve.  Other moms can stay home and don't because their lifestyles would have to change.  Not as much out to eat, not as much shopping for new clothes, not as much home renovating and home decorations, driving a used car, and GASP...using coupons.  These moms are missing out.  They will likely miss the first steps, first words, first everything.  The children will develop deeper bonds with the caregivers than with the parents.  They will get their kids at the times of days where they are most rushed, most tired and most ready for a break from working just in time to feed them and put them to bed.  On the weekends, yes, you get more time, but nothing compared to being with them during the week.  If you can, stay home.  Work will be there when you are done.  Money can't buy those moments you will miss.  It can't help your relationship with your children.  It won't matter near as much to them as time with you will.

3.  (and last for today) Take some time for yourself.

Yes, you should stay home, but you should also be able to take some time for yourself once and awhile to get a break.  Get a sitter and go out to eat with your husband (even if you have to pack a picnic because you don't have a lot of cash).  Go window shopping, or actual shopping..whatever!  Exercise, get a massage, take a bath, call a girlfriend and talk for an hour without being interrupted, go for a girls night out, DO something.  Being able to get away and recharge is essential.  Take some time to do something you enjoy, whatever that may be, without your kids.  They will thank you for it later!

So there it is, part two of my advice.  If you are a new mom and this advice helps you at all, I would love to know.  If you are a seasoned vetran and either agree or don't, I would love to hear from you as well with what worked or didn't work for you.  Like I said earlier, what has worked for me might not work for you....but it might!  If you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you've got.  Want different results..well, you might have to change some things up! 

Monday, April 18, 2011

This week

This week......

....I am getting ready for Jason's dad and step-mom to visit.  They will get here on Thursday so you would think I have plenty of time, right?  Not so much.  And they aren't even staying at our house.  Which makes me wonder, how is it I have so much to do?

(random pic that has nothing to do with this post)

....my family will be eating economically.  After posing the question, "How much does the average family of four spend on groceries per week?" on facebook I have realized we need to find a way to cut back.  The cost of EVERYTHING is going up (in case you missed it!) and we need to watch our spending.  Leftovers and sandwiches are in our future.  Don't judge.

(another totally random pic)

....I may be switching Molly to soy milk.  I can't tell you how frustrating her milk ordeal has been.  The girl just can't tolerate whole milk.  We have tried gradually adding it in to formula, but every time we give her straight milk, the girl has some serious issues.  So....I am pretty sure that the Dr. is going to say soy.  Not sure how I feel about this.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!

(for some reason this pic makes me think of a wild animal...like a raccoon being caught getting in the trash or something....I know, I'm weird.)

....Molly's pictures should be ready.  HOLLA!  I have been waiting with much anticipation to see them.  Our photographer, C.C. Miller is phenomenal. 

(pic from our last session where both girls cried the ENTIRE time)

.....I hope to lose two more pounds.  That's right, I am on a diet.  Perhaps putting my weight loss goals out for all the world to see will help to motivate me.  So, before June 15th, I hope to lose 15 pounds.  Totally do-able.  I would hate to look bad when I see Ray. Weight loss so far, two pounds.  Cutting out my every night ice cream ritual should help.

(scrub run 2008)

....I will be participating in OSU's 5K Scrub Run for the fourth time.  I missed last year because I was in the hospital with Molly, but I'm back this year.  Whether or not I finish quickly (which I won't) doesn't matter.  What does matter is that I am doing it with my sister, brother in law, nieces and nephew, my hubs and my friend, Stephanie and that the race benefits Lifeshare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma.   

I hope you and your family have a great week also!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Embrace-April 14th


Okay, okay...this is a pic from Molly's party.  It is the LAST ONE I promise.  It's just that on that particular day I was able to snap a few pics and I didn't want to use them all in one post!!!!

My sista is my best friend.  She is a great sister, a great mom, a great friend, a great aunt and all around great person.  I love her a ton. 

Do you want to embrace the camera?  If you want to know what it's all about or if you want to participate, visit Emily's blog and link up!


Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Say What?

Have you ever seen the episode of Friends where Phoebe is trying to teach Joey to speak french?  Each time they practice, Joey can say each syllable, but when it comes time to put it all together, it sounds totally different. 

Let me introduce Belle.




I may be a little biased, but normally Belle has pretty clear speech.  This is freakin' hilarious, right?

Happy Tuesday.  And btw, Molly is loving her new death trap car seat!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Monday Morning List

A List.  Because I want to and I can!

1.  Molly has finally started sleeping through the night again.  She was always a great sleeper, sleeping ALL THE TIME until about 10 months and then she started waking up once every night.  At her year check up my pediatrician recommended a book by somebody Ferber.  I would like to say that the book worked, but I think it was that we are done nursing.  Either way, I read the book and it seems like a very good way to help get your kid to sleep through the night.   You should check it out.  Ferber.

2.  I no longer care about Charlie Sheen.  Our government nearly came to a stop and yet I am still hearing about Charlie Sheen on the news???  Really?  I'm over it.  I am also over the royal wedding.

3.  Isabelle has started demanding to wear pj's all day long.  Some days I let her, some days I don't.  People didn't seem to notice when she was at the post office in pj's and tennis shoes.

4.  I have not made a new recipe for dinner in like three weeks.  I can't find anything that seems worth making.   If you have a recipe you think is amazing, let me know.  I need some fresh ideas! 

5.  In less than two weeks I am supposed to run a 5k!  HA.  I will be lucky to finish! 

6.   Our last day of Directv was Friday.  I thought I would be going through serious withdrawals by now, but I'm not.  Also, saving $85 a month isn't too shabby either.

7.  I love this picture.


8.  Speaking of pictures, I can hardly wait until Saturday when we will get the sneak peek from Molly's photo session last Wednesday.

9.  I am pretty excited about Easter weekend at our church.  The series leading up to our Easter service has been AWESOME.  Whose Counting on You?

10.  We finally got a new car seat for Molly.  When I was buying it the salesperson helping me did what I think the entire baby product industry is doing.....trying to sell me something based on my fear.  The car seat I picked out was an Evenflo that has very high safety ratings, rated high in a consumer mag and was rated highly by moms on the store website.  The salesman however wanted me to realize that the $370 car seat would save my child in a car crash that would kill the rest of the family, but the one I was purchasing would not.  That apparently was the difference between the $150 one and the $370 one.  In one my child would die in the other she wouldn't.  In my rationale, who would want to grow up without parents???  So I chose the $150 one.  That way if we are in a fatal car crash we will all die, including Molly.  Nice, huh?

Tootles!  Have a great Monday.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Embrace

I am so happy for Embrace the Camera day!  Why?  Because I finally have a picture I didn't have to take at the last minute! 

Last Saturday we celebrated Molly's birthday (which I am sure you are sick of hearing about).  At the party we managed to get a picture of the four of us. 


 
Check out the huge glob of pink frosting on Molly's face, and Belle totally NOT looking at the camera.  That is what happens when you try to take a pic with a one year old and a two year old!

Want to join the embrace movement?  Check it out here.  Link up if you dare!


Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Must Have Recipes

As many of you know, I have been a cooking machine lately.  Well, maybe not a machine, but better than I used to be.  Through all of the new meals we have tried, I still have some recipes that I come back to over and over in my menu planning.  I think these recipes are must-haves for every mom.  All of them are pretty easy, because let's face it, if they weren't I wouldn't be making them!  Most also don't take much time to prepare, and none of them are my personal recipes.  In no certain order, here they are, my top five must-have recipes.

 YUM.  I got this recipe from a fellow blogger and wonderful photographer, Carissa Miller.  Check out her blog here.



We eat this pretty regularly at our house.  It is deee-lish.  Usually served with my sour cream and parmesan noodles, a salad or green beans and a bread item of some sort.  Again, easy, fast and as an added bonus, my kids love it.


I won't lie, this recipe takes slightly more work, but trust me, it is totally worth it.  It makes a TON of food and is healthy and delicious.  If you have a husband who is a meat lover, he may not be crazy about this dish, but it is one of the only ways my girls will eat vegetables.



Had this for dinner tonight.  Makes enough that we will be able to have leftovers tomorrow night. Yes, we are a family that eats leftovers.  Especially when I have a MK party, which I do tomorrow night!


Okay, so this isn't so easy, and requires many, many ingredients.  It is totally worth the effort and the ingredients, I promise.  Also, it makes enough food to feed an army.  I found this on another blog and had to try it.  So glad I did.  Now we make it at least once a month.  This is one of Jason's favorite meals!

Try them out.  Let me know what you think! 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Party Recap


Yes, I realize that the last few posts have all been about Molly turning one.  In case you haven't noticed, I am not having the easiest time with her getting older!  She is my BABY.  My BABY! 

Anyway, moving on!  Saturday was her birthday party with all fam.  Each birthday that my girls have had has served to teach me what I won't do and what I will be sure to do the next time around.  For instance, next time I will be sure to put on the invitation something to the effect of, party starts at 2 pm and doors open at 1:45 pm.  I am all for family togetherness, but when you are running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done (like finishing decorating the cake) the last thing you need is people getting there an hour early!  Speaking of the cake, here is a pic.  Each letter was 1/2 a cake in either chocolate, strawberry or white cake with buttercream frosting.  The letters were made from Easter colored m&m's.



One thing I will NOT do again is let my kids skip naps because we are having people over.  Both girls have had the most challenging time getting back to their regular sleeping schedule all because of one birthday party.  Not worth it.  Next time maybe I will think a little bit harder before I decide what time to have the party!!!

Overall it was a good time.  We watched Molly open presents, ate some cake ice cream and enjoyed the beautiful weather outside.  Molly became an instant pro at opening gifts, but was unable to open them all fast enough to keep Isabelle from getting to them.  Poor Isabelle was not liking the fact that her sister was the only one getting gifts. 

Molly got a TON of cute clothes and a new baby doll (which she LOVES) as well as some savings bonds and a new car seat.  She got her first taste of cake and ice cream and I think she might have a sweet tooth like her mommy!


We had a good time and I am sure Molly did also.  I also decided that the only way to stop looking at Molly as my baby is to just have another one!!!  Whaddaya think?  

Friday, April 1, 2011

Happy Birthday Molly and Embrace

this somehow didn't get posted yesterday....oops!

Wow.  Molly is one.  I am now the mom of a one year old and a two year old.  Pretty sure that if my kids keep getting older, then so do I!

This was a year ago today.



This is today

Want to embrace the camera?  Link up here.