We’re starting the coffee love early.
(Just Kidding. It was empty.)
If you’re confused why you’re seeing this since I should clearly be well on the highway by now for my trip, it’s because of a beautiful thing called delayed posting. Enjoy your week, folks!
Oh boy, oh boy, it’s vacation time! Mark and I are getting 5 whole days without the kiddo tagging along, starting tomorrow.
See, my best friend is getting married this weekend and yours truly gets the honor of dressing all pretty and sharing in her big day. It’s my first time being a bridesmaid, but I figure if I can handle being the bride, I can do this ;-) I haven’t seen my dear Breanna since my own wedding over a year ago so I am beyond thrilled about this trip. We’ve been though a lot together, but more on that another day.
What else am I super thrilled about? Meeting my fellow blogger and friend, Jill from Live, Laugh, Blog (which by the way, she’s having a super cool give away so go check it out!). See, Mark and I are staying with Mark’s brother and wife along the way to Indiana, which just happens to be the same city where Jill lives! So be prepared for a post after our visit, which we’ve doomed it to be “wonderfully awkward” since we’re both shy. But, hopefully her adorable girls will entertain us, right?
9 hours seems like an awfully long ride, but I have to say I’m looking forward to it. There’s no better time to do nothing but chat with your loved one, in the peace and quiet. Or something relaxing like, oh, sleep or read. Perhaps even watch a movie or two thanks to trusty lap top.
So, I won’t be around the next few days cause I’ll be busy with friends. Which only happens like, two times a year because all my friends live else where, so I better soak this in. Enjoy your week, folks!
For once, Baby Center has gave me sound advice that didn’t freak me out for doing certain parenting things “wrong.” Like giving Savannah “Sleep Crutches” to sleep with such as blankies and pacies. Hello? I needed sleep desperately and they worked. Don’t freak me out by saying it’s unhealthy and prohibits them to learn how to self-soothe! You made me feel like I was dooming her to bad sleep for life! But, then I realized I’ve known plenty of kids who’ve had so-called “sleep crutches”, including me with a pacy until I was FOUR and we’re all fine. The thing is, I didn’t and don’t want to her “sleep crutch”, thanks Baby Center. Blankies and pacies can be taken care of down the road, email me then with your solutions.
Anyways, I digress. See, I was having this horrible problem daily with Savannah. Every time I tried to change her diaper she would have a huge fit, kick her legs, hit, etc. to the point I was a yelling Mommy having to use time outs often. She really is a great kid and we rarely have to use time outs to get her attention, so I knew something else had to be done. We couldn’t go through this every few hours!
So, lucky me, Baby Center happened to have an article in their weekly newsletter about diaper changing issues. I clicked over and read through the parenting advice and came across this gloriously easy solution: Stickers. Thankfully, I had some in my scrapbooking supplies and immediately experimented with this new idea. Lo and behold! Let’s just say we haven’t had a fight over diapers in days.
She asks for “Sticka” as soon as I lay her down, she holds out her chubby little hand, and I promptly place a monkey face on it. And then? We talk and play, and she crumbles up her “sticka” until business is done. All without a fight! It also helps after baths when she needs to get dressed.
Really a true God send, those little sticky monkey faces. The little bananas make cute ear rings for Savannah, too (that was Daddy’s doing)!
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I should say that I don’t hate Baby Center. I’ve used them for the past 5 years between my pregnancy with Kaylee, Savannah, and the growth of them I keep up with. And for the most part, they do have a lot of helpful articles, but that one irked me. Of course, I can’t find it now but I know it existed at some point because I have a whole journal entry about it and the guilt it caused briefly.
Who could it be? Go check it out and see at O Momma Reviews.
Thanks to everyone who entered! There are sure to be more giveaways in the future.
Remember my little fishy dress from when I was 2 years old? Well, I had a little surprise up my sleeve and now am able to share more about it. A few weeks ago I decide to finally get Savannah’s 1 year old pictures done (5 months after her birthday…oops!), which of course was also the prefect time to use my old dress. I haven’t said anything though because I wanted it to be a surprise to Daddy O, since it isn’t often I can find ways to surprise him. Yesterday he came home to the pictures already in the frame, ready for his desk at work. But enough talking, how about these gorgeous pictures? (Well, as good as you can get in a JC Penny studio).
Savannah at 17 months, me at 2 years. I promise she does look like me in person, at least that’s what random people in stores tell me. She does have my-mind-of-it’s-own wispy hair though, for sure. I just realized I rocked the side bang look even back then!
The problem with getting pictures done is that I end up buying way more poses and pictures than I know what to do with. I mean, we have tons of family that get them but trying to figure out who gets what? It makes me dizzy! And what do I do with my 9 poses I bought? My walls and table tops only have so much room to display their cuteness.
I keep getting a lot of searches for “One Year Old Hates Milk” that lead to this blog, so I thought I’d help out with my experience not only with Savannah, but for myself.
Basically it comes down to this: Try anything that has calcium in it.
There isn’t a mommy rule that says, “Kids MUST drink milk!” Because really? I hate it too, so why would I make my child drink it? So, make up for it in other foods and drinks.
Dairy products are the obvious choice, cheese and yogurt for example, but there are a ton of other products out there that are great sources of calcium too. My favorite is Minute Maid’s Kids OJ because it’s packed with vitamins and the same amount of Vitamin D and calcium as a glass of milk. Savannah loves it. And, we get Nature’s Own White Wheat bread that has calcium in it (2 slices equals one 8 ounce glass of milk AND has 5 grams of fiber!).
And I recently discovered Mott’s Plus Calcium Apple Sauce that not only has calcium but it’s in the perfect size for Savannah on the go! (Though she’s still quite messy with feeding her self…)
Hope that helps!
Happy July 4th :-)
Unfortunately, this Father’s Day Mark isn’t here to celebrate with Savannah. Actually, it’s more like we’re not with him. See, I decided since I didn’t have a job to keep me stuck in our town, I would take a week to spend with family. So we’re here, and Mark is there, but at least I’m with my own Dad for Father’s Day, right? And, it gives Mark a chance to celebrate with his Dad.
Still, I wanted Mark to know that we’re thinking of him and missing him. So…
Hi Daddy O! Happy Father’s Day!
You are wonderful in every role you play: Husband, hard worker and provider, ironing man, pancake maker, even a basketball player on Xbox360. We are so blessed to have you in our lives. We love and miss you!
Love,
Momma O and Savannah O
(I love watching you two together)
At this point 4 years ago today, I was situated in my hospital bed, hooked up to IV’s and pitocin, taking on a day of labor. At 9pm on the dot she was born, side ways, and I entered a whole new realm of what love could be. She looked a lot like me, especially the nose and ears, but mostly she was a 7 pound 2 ounce baby who was her own little self with bright blue eyes. I was in awe with what my body could produce, how much I already loved her, and the peace in my heart overflowed. Kaylee’s parents met her that same night, probably near midnight, and I will never ever forget the looks on their faces as they held her for the first time, with loving looks and tears in their eyes. I will also never forget when they said unselfishly, “Leah, we’ll be ok if you decide to keep her. She’s your daughter and we want you to do what you think is best” (or something like that…). And I reassured them that this is what I want for her, two loving parents who can give her the best life possible.
Not only am I blessed with a wonderful daughter that I get to watch from afar, but I’m blessed with the best parents for her. Truly our story is woven by the hands of God. Today my heart rejoices as this is the day that brought us together as one family, all around this one special little girl. I not only celebrate the blessing that she is herself, but the blessings she brought with her as she came into this world. I found God, I found her amazing parents, and I found the most wonderful friends to support me. Especially, my Breanna who I met online and drove 10 hours (or longer?) to be by my side as I went through this amazing, but hardest weekend of my life. So, happy meeting anniversary to my Bre as well!
And most of all, Happy Birthday, Kaylee. The 4 years have flown by but my love (our love) only grows stronger as the puzzle pieces are filling in for your life. May you never forget how many people love you.
Each month my desk top gets changed, thanks to cool sites like Shabby Princess. This month I made it all about Kaylee, appropriately. The colors they chose for this month soothe me, which is what I needed, and the pictures remind me of what a blessing it is to have her and her family in my life. It says it everything I’m feeling today on her 4th birthday…
The years fly by.
(I promise I’ll say more than that on the subject in my next post…)
Well here we are, 2 days before Kaylee’s 4th birthday and already the week isn’t starting well. A sore throat and congestion has consumed me out of no where. I’m tired, even though Savannah has been sleeping heavenly this past week (thank God!). I’m battling things in my mind and heart on all different issues from adoption, memories, my own heart’s desires, and dealing with my past in my new counseling sessions. And all this, on top of trying to be the best servant to God and being the best wife and mom I can be.
Actually, to be honest, I haven’t even had time to just sit and think about Kaylee (or let myself?). It’s become this weight I bear throughout the day, knowing her birthday is looming closer. Perhaps that’s something I should address soon, no? I still haven’t written in her card or book and I have a feeling that will lift the weight some for me, just to be able to express to her in writing how much I love her. And of course, seeing her smiling face on Saturday will be amazing.
Prayers would be wonderful right now as this week always becomes crazy emotionally for me. If I’m silent this week, you’ll know why. Hope your Monday is going better than mine!
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