Random Pics of the Fam

Eating an apple with grandma...


Happy Easter!

I can say "da-da" now... Feb 08

Katie, Noah & Emily before school one a.m....

Daddy & Emily Jan 08...

Daddy tickling Emily Feb 08

Daddy & Em blowing bubbles April 08

I'm going to have to work on my editing skills...

I am THAT parent...

I never thought I would be THAT parent. I mean, this must be the Lord's way of getting me back for all the unsolicited advice I've passed on to my friends in my childless years. I always thought - MY child will not be carried all the time. MY child will learn how to entertain herself. MY child will learn how to calm herself. Well, I am THAT parent who is the pot that calls the kettle black. This is mine & Gary's newest way of trying to keep our daughter from crying all the time. We realized how stupid we were when we looked at this pic. Now we are on day 2 of the Hunt-Ferberizing method. Emily is in her bed screaming for someone to pick her up. So far it isn't working. Does it really take 3 weeks to form a habit? How long does it take to break a bad one?

I Am Blessed

When I read the comments yesterday to my post, I kind of felt ashamed. I never think of myself as blessed really. Isn't that terrible? The truth is sometimes i feel cursed! Even though it is a choice I made, being the stepmom is sometimes not all that I thought it was going to be. Anyway, thanks for helping me to be more positive, blog buddies!

I love these little feet! Look at the cute one in the middle...

I'm thankful, too!

What a weekend! When I picked up Emily from daycare on Friday, she was running 103 degrees of fever! I was then greeted by my neighbor in her driveway who said she had just come from the doctor and she had strep. Of course she had been over holding Emily the night before. Luckily, Emily just has a virus and her first ear infection. Of course Gary had to work at the fire station this weekend and I had all three kids with snow!!! I bet I did 30 loads of laundry with two kids in and out plus all of their neighbor friends.

My awesome mother-in-law did keep all three kids Saturday night so I could meet up with Jean and Lauren, Brooke and Sophie, and Karie and Hudson! It was so great to see everybody!

I was completely overwhelmed this weekend and was just crying Sunday morning, explaining to Gary that I just didn't think "it" (being a parent) should be this hard. He of course acted like he was an old pro. Just so you know, he kept Emily yesterday and his nerves were VERY frazzled by the time I got home yesterday. So, I was feeling pretty negative and came across Dallas's newest post. And although I'm a day late, I have a Top-10 Thankful List for Tuesday as well!

1. I am thankful for Gary. He is the most patient, most kind, most loving man I have ever known. He is so good to me and so helpful. I love him! He always tells me how beautiful I am even though I have so much baby weight to lose.
2. I am thankful for my baby girl. Through all of my heartache in the past five years, I never thought that I would be so blessed with such a beautiful part of me embodied in a baby. My baby! Of course she also has the less beautiful parts of me like a quick temper, impatience, etc. Well, and we won't even discuss that everyone says she looks just like her daddy.
3. I am thankful for Katie and Noah. Even though I sometimes feel overwhelmed by my role as a step mom, and underappreciated for all that I do, and left out because I am not the "real" parent, I love them and I am thankful for our relationship. They also love Emily, and that was so important to me that we function as much as possible as a real family.
4. I am thankful for my mother in law. She is so great and so helpful! She comes over every morning to help me get all the kids on the bus and to kiss her grandkids! She is always there when I need her.
5. I am thankful for Family Factory at our church. Katie and Noah have never been part of a church family, and this awesome program at Sycamore View has made it much more "entertaining" for them to learn about God's word.
6. I am thankful for my dad. He drove over from Arkansas for several days to help us lay tile and hardwood floors in our house. Being on his knees is so hard for him, but he was so helpful. He even let Noah help which was way more of a hassle, because Noah ended up with glue on all 5 outfits he put on that day.
7. I am thankful for my job. My principal has been very flexible with me as far as being able to leave and be off when Emily has been sick. It has been great! She was also very flexible when I was having to pump four times a day!
8. I am thankful for my friend and neighbor Laura. She is so great to help me with all of the kids! She picks them up everyday for me from school and doesn't even charge us a penny! She came over yesterday and stayed for several hours to hold Emily just so I could get things done. And yes, Emily is spoiled!
9. I am thankful for my friends. Even though we don't get together near as often as we should, I appreciate all the support they are to me. I miss living right down the street from Karie so much! She is such a support and confidante for me.
10. And I am thankful for God and for his unfailing love for me and for His plan for my life.

Have a blessed day!

I love big bows and I cannot lie...

My stepson Noah tickles me. He is such a product of his upbringing. He doesn't know "Jesus Loves Me", but the other night when I was bathing Emily he grabbed her little boobies and started singing "My goodies, my goodies...." Apparently, these are some lyrics off of a rap song. Also, his favorite song to sing to her when he comes in from playing or from school is... "I like big butts and I cannot lie..." That's really all he knows of the song.

I'm trying to teach him a few nursery rhymes that are a little more developmentally appropriate. Being that he is almost 8 years old, i guess you can say it's never too late! And it's never too early for emily. At the school I toured yesterday for a potential new job opportunity, the preschool class (3 year olds) was working on laptops and some were reading words. Let's hope the breastmilk and the early intervention pays off!

What a Cutie!

We had a pretty good weekend! Our house is a big fat mess from ripping all the carpet out and laying hardwood and tile. We got new living room furniture and so it is starting to feel more like my house now! I also got to go and see Karie and little Hudson - i miss so much living right down the street from her!

However, Emily is wearing me out. EVERY time I walk out of the room she starts screaming. When I come back in, she is all giggles and smiles. However, I cannot get ANYTHING done. Does anybody have any suggestions for what they have done about this? I'm going nuts with the neediness.

P.S. I made homemade chicken & sweet potatoes with organic chicken. Just so you know, when it comes out of the food processor it looks exactly like cat vomit. Just wanted you to have a heads up!

Here's my little doll!

Emily is 6 months old! She is 15 lbs, and 1 oz, and in the 75th percentile for her height!
* She can roll over both ways with ease now!
* She grabs everything in sight. This morning I left the room and of course, she started screaming! I thought she was just doing what she always does until I went back in and realized she had pulled the pile of clothes I had just folded off the chair onto her in her exersaucer!
* She sits up with a little bit of support. However, I think I have a gymnast on my hands because she loves to do back bends and touch her head to the floor. This will be a little tricky as we have hardwood.
* She just started saying "da-da", surprisingly on the day she turned 6 months!
* She loves to be talked to. She will just grin and "talk back", and actually gets mad if you end the conversation before she is ready.
* She loves her paci! This is so surprising, as I just knew that she would be a thumb-sucker. I had to make her take her paci when she was little.
* Her favorite food is squash!
* Favorite game: "I'm going to get her!"
* Favorite book: "The Going to Bed Book" by Sandra Boynton
* Emily has a temper. If it doesn't go exactly the way she wants it to, she will throw the biggest fit and you will think someone walked by and pinched her!
* And the absolute best thing is she goes to bed about 7 each night and sleeps until around 5:30 a.m. without waking up!!!! Babywise rocks!!!

Just wanted to remember a few things about my little dumpling!


Very excited to have uploaded my first photo and get my first comment! Dallas gets the award for being the best blog buddy. The prize is a bunch of coconuts - just kidding!