My little Em...

My little Emily is 7 months old! (almost 8)

Isn't she a little doll?


7 month milestones:

*She loves to sit up. She doesn't want to be on her tummy, on her back, in a chair or on the floor.

*She got her first tooth!

* She scoots on her bottom and reaches and pulls and pushes herself back up into a sitting position.

* She says "ma-ma" now!

*She only wants mama, too. It is very tiring but i do love that i am her mother. i waited for this for so long!

*She just got a jumperoo from her cousin Emma and hopefully we are onto something that she will actually enjoy doing for more than 20 minutes!

Katie and Noah love her so much! I thought they were going to be so jealous and resentful but they are so very loving and good with her and always anxious to help. I am so thankful for that and really believe that Em has brought us closer together in becoming a "real" family.

Which one?

Choice #1




Choice #2

Has anyone ever used a car seat cover? Let me know which one you like.

I've Been Tagged!

Well, I thought I had performed an amazing disappearing act, but Dallas found me and tagged me. Here are 7 somewhat embarassing facts about myself for all my blog buddies out there:

1. When I shower in the morning, I actually think about if today is a day that Gary is going to be at the fire department. If so, I do not shave my legs. Don't worry - I always shave my pits.

2. I refuse to restock the toilet paper in our master bath. I'm forever left hanging (sorry for the pun!). So, before I sit I always check to see if there is toilet paper. If not, I will go to the other bathroom for as many days as it takes for my hub to break down and get t.p. off the stairway. Now he has started his own rebellion and will sometimes hide the roll! Oh, the joys of marriage!

3. I obsess about having two of everything. Two containers of formula. Two boxes of diapers. Two boxes of go-tarts (Yes, my older two eat many processed foods). I told Gary it is too expensive for all of us to go organic. I will check the kids bathroom for supplies. There has to be one that they're using and one under the sink (i.e. soap, toothpaste, seven different kinds of mouthwash, astringent pads, deodarant, hair detangler, shampoo, etc. You get the general idea!)

4. I gained an embarassingly large amount of weight during my pregnancy. It has really taken away from my happiness from being a new mom and from my marriage. I am working to get it off, but I can understand now why it is so hard and so depressing to be overweight! Please pray for me.

5. I always make supper in the morning before everybody wakes up. That way, when I get home from school, I can spend time with Emily rather than having to rush around and get dinner ready. All I have to do is put it in the oven.

6. I love the "Snapped" shows on the Oxygen network. I always dvr them so I can watch them if I have a night without the older two or sometimes watch after everybody else is in bed. Gary thinks i'm trying to get ideas for doing him in and getting away with it. I'm obsessed with these shows! Maybe it's because some days I feel like I'm going to snap!

7. Gary and I love watching HGTV. We are major House Hunters and My First Place people. We also love Designed to Sell and Hidden Potential. We think we are gathering a lot of knowledge for when we put our house on the market.

I'm supposed to pass this on and tag 7 other people. Here are the rules:
--Link to the person who tagged you.
--Post the rules in your blog entry.
--Share 7 random, or weird, facts about yourself.
--Tag 7 random people at the end of the post, linking to them.
--Leave a comment on their blog so that they know they’ve been tagged.

I tag:
Suz & the Quads
Katie Fant
Traci J.
Sara Miller
Kristen O.
Christy B.
Ashley

Pics to come later!

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!