NEW BLOG!!!

I've transferred everything over to: http://raisingapk.wordpress.com/ and have already started blogging pretty regularly there. My goal is to preserve memories, since my memory fails me so often.

Enjoy!

1 Out of 3

Bedrest: Nope. Although do I ever wish for a day where I was banned from lifting a finger? I'll sheepishly admit to pining for those every now and then.

Baby: No way. She's a big girl. At 19 months, there is nothing about our little girl that is baby, except for some extra "fluff" (baby fat) that makes her cheeks full and her thighs adorable.

Blessing: Absolutely. The reason I started this blog, to be honest, was to pass the time during my (what I considered to be) extremely long and boring time on bedrest. However, the reason I continue to write periodically is to record the blessings bestowed on us by having our little girl in our life.

She blesses me each time she smiles, giggles when we tickle the back of her neck, drinks her pretend tea, sings "Jesus Loves Me", prays before she eats, puts her hand out and says "hand" wanting me to hold her hand, exclaims "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" after naps or in the morning, and the list goes on and on.

I only hope that I can be a blessing in her life, as well.

So, since I've got only 1 out 3 of the descripters going for me now, perhaps a name change is in order. Perhaps a new direction is in order. I want to record the wonder of her childhood through this blog. I'll be thinking about it for now, but feel free to comment if you have any ideas!

Little Teeth

Jenaleigh's 2 top teeth have finally broken through the surface, and there are THREE more waiting to pop on out and say hello (we can see the whites under the gums). Five teethers at one time. That's cruel, isn't it? But, believe it or not, she's been pretty chill throughout the whole ordeal.

Oh, yes, she's still had fussy moments (and fussy days), but no major disrupted sleep. Hoorah!

However, today has been a meltdown day for a variety of reasons. First off, our piano tuner came to tune the piano, meaning Jenaleigh and I were cast off into her room for over an hour. She was SO not happy to be parted from her beloved living room and kitchen. Secondly, I think she's a little irritated that our house guests are gone. Little Miss LOVES being the center of attention, and after a few days of doting and playing, I think she's wondering why she has to be stuck with Mommy again. 

But, we've still had our giggles to fuel our day. Baby giggles are definitely worth it all.

Diapers and such.

What crazy deluded person would switch to cloth diapers after making it 11 blissful months with the convenience (ie. waste) of disposables?

That would be me.

We're still in "transition" (which is a word that has taken on a whole new meaning since my painful "transition" during labor), trying out new ones and figuring what works best for us.

Why? Eh, why not? Okay, seriously... I wanted to CD (cloth diaper) when she was little, but I was too intimidated. There are SO many options and SO many mixed reviews. Pockets, fitted, prefolds, hybrids, all in ones, etc etc etc... Well, I've found a group of moms that are crunchy (as mentioned before) and have been completely inspired by them. Not only will I be helping the environment (yay for that! believe me I'm not a tree hugger, but the God Almighty did give us this blessing of an earth, right?) but I will, hopefully save some major $$, which is always a plus in my book.

However, the experience hasn't been great as of yet. So far, we've leaked a lot with pocket diapers. I've tried doubling and tightening, but the only way to keep the leak from ... well, leaking ... is to change her super frequently. This is shock to me, because she could go for hooooouuuuurrrrsss in desposies without being changed. (Even though the diaper would get puffy and she obviously was wet. Now, note: It was not a habit of mine to let her run around with a snow ball in her pants, but sometimes it would happen due to traveling or just unexpected wetness!)

Also, another big shock (okay, not a *shock*, but something I'll need to get used to) is the laundry. Confession: I'm super lazy with laundry (maybe once a week if I'm feeling motivated), but I know with a pile full of urine soaked covers and inserts I can't let it go for days. However, I am waiting on some gDiapers to arrive (I'll let you know ALL about them when they get here), and they are designed so I wouldn't have to change the cover every diaper change, merely the plastic liner (if needed) and the insert. This means that I can rotate 2 covers throughout the day (unless there are any major poop blowouts, which don't happen too often now that she's on solids). Hopefully meaning I won't have to wash diapers every day.

In the meantime, I'm doubling up using prefolds (that I was using as burp clothes when she was little bitty) as inserts in the loaner pockets and changing her often... and using a few 'sposies.

Easier This Time Around?

Well, we've done it ... we both hit that number on the scale that left us terrified and we're back on the Weight Watcher's bandwagon. Our second weigh in is today and we're both expecting to see about a 5 pound weight loss. Yay! A couple of years ago, D and I joined WW and he lost 60 pounds (he's gained about 20 of it back), while I lost 40 pounds and have gained every solitary pound plus about 2 back. You may be thinking, "But wait, you had a baby! Give yourself a break!" Ha. I only gained 25 of those pounds while pregnant and I swiftly lost every # after Jenaleigh came along. (Only to eventually gain it back!)

The 2012 WW is a little different than it was in 2010 -- for example, (most) fruits and vegetables are ZERO points. Translation: We can have as many as we want! Also, we're given a higher point allotment for the day than I remember us having. Daniel even asked me if it seemed "easier this time around." A tad bit. But, I think it's easier for him because he has 43(?) points to eat, whereas I only have 34! :-)
*Been-there-done-that tip: It's *SO* much easier to lose weight when your husband is taking the journey with you. In 2007 and 2008 I tried Nutrisystem and WW without him, and while I saw some results, they were minimal. Don't have a husband who wants to lose weight? Find a friend -- but, don't suggest it to her. That could be what you might call... insulting. Wait until she starts complaining about her weight and then ask if she'd like to be your weight lose buddy!


MY WEIGHT JOURNEY -- Curious about what I've tried; what worked; what didn't? Obviously I'm not a success story when it comes to maintaining my weight; which, is our biggest goal for this weight loss round. We're going to *try* to tackle it and keep it off. I'm also bringing God into this battle with me. I've usually forgotten to ask for his help when it comes to losing weight. But, why? He's my biggest Ally!

Age 12 -- Weight: 200+ lbs. Yes, Seriously.
Age 13 -- Lost 60 lbs. Method? Starvation and Interest in Boys. Would not recommend this.
Age 15 -- Lost 10 lbs. More boy craze was my motivation, and therefore I severely limited calorie intake.
Age 18 -- Gained about 20. But, I was comfortable with where I was.
Age 19 -- Gained 45. Blame it on getting married and eating cheap junk.
Age 19 -- Lost 15. Nutrisystem. Eh. I wouldn't do it again -- it was mostly processed foods (that can't be good for us, right?) and was unrealistic to keep up with.
Age 20-21 -- Gained 15. Stress. Life. Etc.
Age 21 -- Lost 15 doing WW by myself.
Age 23 -- Gained 25.
Age 23 -- Lost 40 with the help of WW and Daniel joining my side.
Age 24 -- Gained 15. Got pregnant. Gained 25.
Age 25 -- Had baby. Lost 25. Gained 25.

Wow... Is that what we call "yo-yo" dieting, or WHAT?!?! Hopefully, the next line in this journey will read "Age 26 -- Lost 50 pounds, kept it off for good." Prayers would be appreciated!

So, Weight Watchers and weight issues aside, I've also been busy preparing for Little Bug's "One"-derland Celebration! I've made a high chair tutu, decorated a screen with pictures of her, created Wonderland direction signs, made invitations, and more! Stay tune for photos and maybe even a tutorial or two?

No Promises

I come to you during one of my few precious spare moments... (Perhaps "spare" is a bit of a misnomer... there's a ladies' Bible class and lesson waiting to be studied for, laundry patiently sitting in the dryer, Pampered Chef packets waiting to be assembled, etc, etc.)

I make no promises that I'm "back" to blogging frequently; I'll just take it one post at a time.

What's changed in the past 3 months?

Jenaleigh is crawling and cruising. Scary, no? For all those new moms who yearn for the day that their little one puts one knee in front of the other becoming a mobile critter, you may bask in the glory for an hour, but then you will probably realize terror. Mobility means the ability to get into trouble. Alot of trouble.

Nevertheless, it is a joy watching her learn more about this world through first hand exploration. 

* Been-There-Done-That Tip : When your little one is old enough to warrant cabinet locks, make sure you leave one cabinet accessible to her and fill it with baby friendly containers so she can play while you cook or clean. Jenaleigh loves playing with her colorful bowls while I wash dishes.

We're starting to eat more local, organic, fresh foods. I was blessed to be asked to join a "crunchy mom" group on Facebook (although, I consider myself about as crunchy as a bowl of mush) and through that avenue have been introduced to local farmers through which we have been buying free range eggs, butter, grass fed meat, and more. (And we're looking forward to the organic produce CSA that we've signed up for starting in May!)

*Been-There-Done-That Tip: If you're just beginning to eat organically, be sure to check out the list of the "dirty dozen". This has a list of the 12 produce items that have been shown to have the most pesticide residues. Memorize these items or stick them in an evernote file on your phone and begin purchasing the organic versions of these fruits and veggies. The top "dirtiest"? APPLES! A fav at our house that we now only buy if they're organic. 

I'm also baking bread every week -- it's my one small step to help rid our family of all the preservative laden foods we ingest.

*Been-There-Done-That Tip: If you're going to be baking bread frequently, take a day to measure out all your dry ingredients (minus the yeast) for a month's worth of bread. Separate them into individual baggies and stick them in the fridge. When it comes time to make the bread all you'll have to do is pull a bag out of the 'fridge and add your wet ingredients and yeast!

I've gained weight. Ugh. The second I stopped exclusively pumping I packed on 10 pounds. (Okay, maybe this is a tad bit exaggerated, but not much -- I've gained about 15 pounds since the end of November!)
*Been-There-Done-That Tip: When your baby weans, remember that you're not going to be burning those extra 500 or so calories like you would nursing; so adjust your diet accordingly! Don't be like me and continue piggin' out!


Jenaleigh can talk. Seriously. She says "chicken" (at random times), "hey" when you walk in the room, "bye bye" when you leave, and of course the ever favorite "DA DA"! It's beyond interesting to watch her carry on conversations with that stern look on her face. She'll look up at me to let me weigh in on the subject and when I provide her with a very serious, "You don't say?", she'll continue. So cute.

However, this cuteness does present itself as a struggle during worship services (especially while DA DA is preaching.) I do my best to "shush" her, put a gentle finger over her mouth, and yes, sometimes even stick the paci in as a silencer. I do not want her to lose her love of words, but I figure a little gentle training on appropriate situations during which one can jabber can't hurt, right?

I sell Pampered Chef! I am so so so so so diggin' my new gig as an Independent Consultant with the Pampered Chef. Seriously. The income is wonderful (helping to quickly demolish those hospital and doctors' bills); the product samples are discounted/free; the people are fun; and my schedule is flexible. I get a little "adult time" a few nights a month and earn money doing it. (Plug: www.pamperedchef.biz/marthahowell is my personal website at which you can order any time of the month.)

At first when the idea popped into my head, I squashed it. After all, aren't photography (which we only do on a very limited basis right now), piano lessons (4 kids), teaching Bible classes, keeping up with a bebe enough? But, I'm oh so glad I dove in. I'm able to get an extra sense of accomplishment through meeting and exceeding my goals that I've set through the business. Don't get me wrong, raising, training, and teaching my little one will be the ultimate accomplishment; but it's also nice to have that little extra "something".

We've moved on to the next stage as a family. I don't exactly know what that stage is; but I do know for the first 6-7 months of her life (especially the 1st month) we were in "survival mode". Trying to figure out how we all fit in together; our new schedules; new family dynamics; etc. I'm not claiming that we've got it all worked out, but it's coming a lot easier.
*Been-There-Done-That Tip: Don't worry if the first few months with a new baby seem odd. You'll experience all sorts of emotions that come with a new identity (you're a Mommy now!), the shift of your spouse's id (he's a Daddy now!), and the overall stress and joy that come with a new baby. Just keep your eyes on the hope of a more "normal" (a new "normal") future while not forgetting to cherish the current moments. Yes, I'm so glad to be able to sleep through the night in our bed. But sometimes (if I'm in an "emotional reflective" mood) I miss getting to see her in the middle of the night; getting to hold her little fingers that wrapped tightly around mine when she drifted off; and the sweet snuggles that only come in the middle of the night. 

Our (almost) 11 Month Old Big Girl Who I Love SOOOO MUCH! :-)

6 Months, 7 Months, 8 Months, Where did it go...

Dear Jenaleigh,

The time is going by so quickly I sometimes have to make myself stop and catch my breathe. The first few weeks you were in our arms went by slowly (hello, sleepless nights!), but ever since then I feel like I'm running behind an out of control truck trying to catch it by the rear bumper so it won't fly by so fast.

I love every minute of being your Mommy -- the laughter, the smiles, the "looks", even the tears. I am so beyond blessed to call you my daughter!

Let me tell you a little bit about the past 30 days or so...
12/25 -- Your first Christmas! You loved loved loved opening presents (more so than the actual gifts in some cases) and then our little family went to worship God as we do on every Lord's Day. After that, Gigi, Papa, and Cousin Richard came over for more present fun, and oh the fun you had....

12/26 -- Sad day in the Howell household, Jenaleigh, you had your first double ear infection! The next few days were no fun. When we thought you were better, we traveled to Knoxville so you could see your Mamaw, but you ended up getting sicker!

1/8 -- Your Gigi and then your Mimi came and stayed with you while Mommy & Daddy went on a little vacation to Nashville. You had tons of fun with them (Mimi even let you play with Kitty!)

1/16 - You started crawling! Since then, you have completely mastered it, and are into *everything*!

So, Jenaleigh, those are the big moments in your life lately. You've been a pretty busy baby!

At 8 Months, You LOVE:

- Your "molecules" (little block like toys that fit perfectly in your hand and your mouth)

- Your sippy cup... Bottles? Eh... Those are for babies... You want your sippy and will only tolerate a bottle!

- Yogurt. Yum. Yum. Yum. (Mixed with a little fruit, of course.)

- Trying to eat all of the cords in the house. You keep me on my toes!

- Kicking Daddy in the face... Yes, it's a fun game *for now*... !

- Mario Kart. Mommy and Daddy have begun to play it every once in awhile, and you stare at it mesmerized (therefore, we have to greatly limit the time it's on around you -- we don't want you turning into a couch potato! no no no!)

- Men. Seriously, you give your biggest grins to all the men at church, leaving the women feeling a little left out. 

- Your "Da Da". You (of course) love your Mommy; but, when you see Dada get up to preach or walk down the aisle at church, you go gaga! You kick and squeal and are so so happy!

At 8 Months, You Don't Like...

- To be left waiting for your food. When you want it, you want it! No patience whatsoever!

- Having to sit still for too long. Mommy tries to keep you occupied during church with your special church only toys, but you really want to crawl around!

- Being tired. (of course) You need your sleep, in your room, with your sound machine, in your crib. You are a "creature" of habit!

Other than that, there's not too much else you don't like. You may be demanding at times, but you're easy going and lovable. And your faces and looks? They are to die for!

I love you little baby!

Love,

Your Mommy

Happy Five Months (a couple of weeks late)

Jenaleigh,

You've been keeping your Mommy pretty busy these days! You're really growing and changing! You've finally gotten to a point where you love to play with toys, but you become frustrated so easily if you drop one, can't fit one in your mouth, or if it just isn't doing what you think it should do. *cue cute little grunts* You don't stay entertained for long, so your Mommy has to sing, dance, walk, and play with you pretty much the whole time you're awake. But, even though it's tiring, it's a blast! I love having you as my little buddy! Your smile fills my soul with overwhelming joy and I am beyond thankful to have you in my life.

YOU LIKE:
- Your Jumperoo. That is, until you realize that you can't put the froggy that dangles overhead in your mouth. Then you get mad!
- Your swaddle, paci, and rock 'n play. Yep, we're still addicted to that threesome!
- Sitting up (mostly with support). You're sitting up on your own a little now -- you have to be in the right mood with the right toy in front of you to sit for a few seconds without support. But, otherwise you're still pretty dependent on Mommy or Daddy to provide you with support while sitting. Either way, you love sitting.
- Veggies! Your Mommy hates vegetables, so she is determined to turn you into a lover of them. So far you've had carrots and sweet potatoes, and you ADORE them. Yum, yum, yum, yum!
- Horton, the elephant. You still love to put his trunk in your nose.
- The game we play before bathtime... where Mommy holds you and Daddy hides in the bathroom and then comes running towards you. This game puts a great end to the day -- no matter if it's been a stellar or a fussy day.
- When Mommy sings to you -- it immediately brings a smile to your face.
- Playing typewriter -- a game Daddy invented.
- Going for walks with Mommy in the stroller. You love to look at the trees and feel the cool breeze on your face.

YOU DON'T LIKE:
- When Mommy and Daddy eat in front of you when it's not time for you to eat. It makes you so mad!
- Dropping your butterfly toy. You love that toy and you get so frustrated when you're in the swing playing with it and then drop it.
- Belly time. Daddy is determined to get you to crawl, so that means lots of belly time. You hate it, though!
- Being bored. You must be entertained.
- When Gigi and Mommy get too excited about football; we scare you!

I wish I could bottle up all our time together so I could release it to experience all over again once you're grown. I know that can't happen and I know each and every stage of your life is going to bring its own joys. I look forward to the day when you first say "Mama" and mean it. I look forward to the day when you finally understand God's love for you. I look forward to the day when you meet the man you will spend the rest of your life with (of course, if it is God's will for you to marry). But, even though I'm excited about all of those things happening, I wish I could press pause, or at least run things in half time, because I'm having so much fun with you now. Every day with you is a gift and I'm so blessed to have you in my life, my little five month old baby.

Love,
Mommy

Guide to Infant "Stuff"

My Top 5 "Must Haves" for Survival with a Newborn

1. Swaddle Blankets with Velcro: I'll admit it. I never learned how to swaddle with just a regular ole blanket. I've always needed one of those special ones with velcro. Daniel, on the other hand, can do a pretty mean tight swaddle with a blanket. But, since he's not around for every time the Little One goes to sleep, we had to invest in some specialty swaddle blankets. My pick: the Summer Swaddle Blanket. It was the only one that was able to tightly enough hold her arms down so she wasn't breaking out of it! (By the way, we're still swaddling. AHK! I know we'll have to stop soon, when she's able to roll from back to belly!)

Little girl... still being swaddled!

2. eRGObaby and Sling: There's no way around this. I love my custom made Karma Baby pouch for quick walking trips over to the church building, or popping in and out of Walmart. I adore my ERGObaby for longer wearing time. Be sure to do research, have multiple options, and don't be afraid to wear your baby! It's not very popular where we live, so I have heard some comments like, "Isn't she smothering?" (when Jenaleigh was sleeping), but I've learned to let them roll of my back. I know my baby loves being worn, and I love wearing her! If you're preggo and think you're going to lug around your heavy stroller just for a trip to the grocery store, or worse, put your carrier on top of the cart (major tip over hazard, ladies!), then think about how much easier wearing your baby would be!

3 Month Old Jenaleigh in her ERGObaby

3. Rock 'N Play. Our child did not sleep, except when laying on us. Needless to say, Daniel and I didn't sleep either -- until the Rock 'N Play entered our lives. The incline is great for reflux babies, and the coziness of it is fabulous for high needs kiddos! She's still sleeping in hers, and I dread the (upcoming) day when we have to transition to the crib.

Critter, when she was tee-tiny in her RNP.

At 4 months, in her RNP

4. Medela Free Style: Most of you know, I'm exclusively pumping. I don't know how I could have done it without the Free Style. It's handfree and battery powered, which was especially useful when Jenaleigh was smaller and would wake up while I was pumping, and I'd have to go get her, which I could with this pump still on! Also, since it's small, it's very easy to travel with. I'd recommend this to anyone who will need a pump, even if it's just for going back to work. I love it!

5. Sound Machine: Jenaleigh can sleep through a bulldozer (I'm not exaggerating -- when we were having our yard leveled, she did fine!), but when Daniel gets ice out of the refrigerator, she wakes up! Cue an appropriately placed sound machine mimicking the gentle sound of rain falling.... then all is well.

6. (Okay I know I said top five, but I almost forgot this most important item) -- MAM pacifiers. The only kind our baby will take...(or similarly shaped -- none of those lipstick shaped ones work for our little one!)

Honorable Mentions:

• Diaper Genie (no more smelling poopies! even though for some strange reason this past Saturday a poopy diaper aroma lingered in her room... hmmm...)
• Pack 'N Play (while she didn't sleep super in it, we love using it in our living room for play time and diaper changes)
• Activity Play Mat (thanks, Deborah! Jenaleigh loves laying on this and playing with her toys)
• Bumbo (we started using this with her around 3 months because of her great head control and she LOVED it) - however, her chunky monkey legs are getting stuck in it now
• Nursing covers (my wonderful Mom made me some -- while I obviously am not using them for nursing at the moment, they're great for covering my up while pumping in the car!)
• Swing -- It took her a good long while to even tolerate being in the swing, but now it's a lifesaver for when I need to shower, do dishes, etc...

I'm sure I'm forgetting some of my favorite items, but those are the only ones I can think of right now!

Item "Fails"

I'm sure there are many babies out there that these items do work for, but not our baby....

1) Small receiving blankets -- they were useful for a little while, but now I just use them as burp clothes!

2) The Boppy -- Let me say, the Boppy is wonderful for supported sitting or lounging, but as a nursing pillow it's not so hot (for us at least). For that -- I much prefer "My Brest Friend" (most horrible name in the entire universe, I know!) for a host of reasons.

3) Footed PJs -- Let me clarify that now they are great (even though we don't put her in them to sleep, since she stays swaddled for bed), but combine our little one's fussy temperament with our inexperience at changing a baby with the complicated snaps (or so we thought at the time) and you get one frustrated mommy and daddy. Thankfully, Jenaleigh's calmed down and we've gotten better at the whole changing a wiggly baby thing, so footies are a "go".

4) Newborn Socks and Shoes -- I know Jenaleigh didn't have monster newborn feet, but those tiny little socks and shoes would never stay on her feet. 0-3 ones worked though, thankfully!

5) Luvs Diapers -- Unfortunately Miss Critter had way too many blow outs in Luvs, so we have to stick with Pampers or Huggies.

What about you? What were your favs during the first few months of your baby's life? Not-so-favs?

Bills, Bills, Bills

Remember that 3 week hospital stay that I had? And how I was whisked away in a helicopter to Louisville? You don't?

Well, I remember! It's hard to forget when the bills come piling in. Anyone want to venture a guess as to the cost of my whole stay and transport? Well, I won't reveal it all here, but in case you're curious, the helicopter transport ALONE was $45,000. Thankfully we had decent adequate private insurance (preacher's usually have to find and buy their own private insurance, which also costs.... you guessed it ... alot!) that covered about 75% of our total cost ('copter and hospital). Combine that will generous 'rents and we were left with just a fraction of what the total bill was. We are so blessed to not be under the giant mountain that we would have been without that help!

Tuesday morning, though, I woke up around 6 am thinking about the bills. I just couldn't get them out of my mind. I was making little payments here and there that seemed to not amount to much. So, I thought to myself, "Self, what would Dave do?"

Dave = Dave Ramsey. Financial guru extraordinaire, who dishes out advice your grandmother would give, except he keeps his teeth in.

Dave would pay off the bills from smallest to largest. (As outlined in baby step #2 -- the "debt snowball").

With my new found zeal for getting those bills off of my mind, I hopped on the phone and started taking care of things. I'm super happy to say that we only have three left (obviously the largest), and it's my *plan* that we can have those paid off by the beginning of 2013. It will be beyond great to have no debt again!

(For more info on Dave, visit www.daveramsey.com.)

Crafty? Who, Me?

I have never ever ever ever ever ever have considered myself a "crafty" person. But, since Pinterest has become my new obsession pastime, I have been inspired to try to live up to my name of  "Martha" (minus the whole insider trading/prison stint).

So, what to craft first? Well, since I am obsessed with hair accessories for Jenaleigh, and they add up to quite a bit of $$, what better project to start with first --- fabric flowers! had so much fun doing them that I may even open up my own hair bow/flower store on Etsy... Who knows?!

A close up of the fabric flower that I crafted with my own two hands. Seriously, I'm in awe of myself... ;-)

My beautiful model chilling with her new hair flower (Note: I only made the flower, not the white headband, one baby step at a time, my friends!):

Grump, grump?

 Happy again...

 I love chewing me some fingers!

You've Got the Wrong Mom

My Gmail notifier toned the familiar sound letting me know that I had new mail (by the way, Gmail, where have you been all my life? why did it take me so long to convert to your ways?). The email was from an online baby site that let's you know what's going on with your baby each week; I usually either just glance at these emails or immediately toss them out.

But, this week when I saw the title, I thought, "They must have sent this email to the wrong Mom. Or maybe they've got their numbers mixed up."

 The subject: "20 Weeks Old: What's Going on With Your Baby".

I continued to think to myself as I clicked open the message, "Yep, they must have goofed by sending me this "20 Weeks Old" message."  It wasn't until I opened the message that it hit me...

My baby is 20 weeks old.


When did this happen?

"They" tell you all along that it will go by so fast and to cherish every moment, but I don't think it really sunk in until just now. Hug your babies tight, for they won't be babies much longer!

On a less depressing note, the Bug and I are headed to Knoxville this week with two of my favorite people -- GiGi and Cousin Richard! No, Jenaleigh and I won't be going to the game, but we'll be cheering on the Vols with all our hearts! GO BIG ORANGE!

You drink out of WHAT?

Until I met Daniel, I thought mason jars were for canning veggies. Silly me!

He taught me that they're for drinking out of! How did I go 18 years without knowing this?

I remember the first time I walked into his parents kitchen and the regular glasses were in the dish washer. Daniel handed me a Mason Jar and I looked at him like he had a trillion eyeballs. I'm sure I even joked, "Yeah right, like I'm going to drink out of that!" And I'm sure he looked at me and said, "Yes. You are." And so I did!

In all honesty, I'm not 100% sold on the idea of drinking out of them, and now, in our own home, after we consume the green beans that came out of them, I try earnestly to return the jars to my parents to recycle during next years canning. But, alas, somehow our cabinet gets lined with those awkward jars for the purpose of consuming beverages. Sure. I kinda get it. Some of them have handles. Those are for drinking out of. The rest? I'm not so sure. Why the appeal? Explain it to me please!

If Daniel had seen this pic (found on http://ruffledblog.com/vintage-black-tie-southern-wedding/) I'm sure he would have fought for our own Mason Jar wedding. Too late now, honey!

Don't forget about the...

100.7

100.7 ... yep, that's what the thermometer displayed last night after I checked our fussy crying baby.

Yesterday morning we made the trip to the Health Department to get Jenaleigh's four month "discount shots" as I call them. (Did you know that vaccinations at our Doctor's office would be $700, but we can get them at the health departments, even without being on any governmental assistance, for 40 bucks? Yeah, we're so going to the health department for them all!) The nice nurse ushered us back into the white room lined with pictures of her baby boy. She prepped the shots, Jenaleigh watched her like a hawk, and I started to get nervous in anticipation of the first poke.

Of course, she cried.

Of course, I cried.

But, everything seemed fine during the day yesterday. She was a little more sleepy than normal. And a tad bit more fussy. But, all in all, I was feeling confident that all was fine.

But, after a quick nap in my arms at 8:45 pm, when she woke up she felt fire hot! I checked her temp, and it was 100.7. I know that's not crazy high, but combine that with her screaming and not drinking very much, my Mommy fears kicked into gear.

I called our doc, who gives out her personal cell phone number (she rocks!). She picked up immediately, told me the correct dosage of Tylonel, gave a few calm words of advice, and said to check back in with her if there was not improvement tomorrow.

Thankfully after many cuddles, Jenaleigh went to sleep and slept (a little more fitfully than usual) all through the night and is still asleep right now!

She feels much cooler to the touch and the forehead scan thermometer (which I try to only use as a gauge when she's asleep as it's not greatly accurate) read 97.9. *Whew* This Momma is relieved!

And... just for laughs... I had to leave you with this real warning label found on a thermometer:

Um, great advice!

(ETA: She just woke up and her temp rectally was in the 98's! Yay! However, she is uber fussy... pray for me today. Seriously! Taking care of a fussy baby is super difficult. Hopefully lots of cuddles will help her!)

CVS trip with Baby!

Today was my first time *really* coupon shopping at CVS since Jenaleigh was born. I slipped her into her comfy pouch/sling and we were ready for some big savings! It wasn't quite as challenging as I thought it would be with baby in tow and only made one tiny miscalculation. Here's what I scored:

- TWO boxes of Pamper's 65 ct wipes
- TWO bottles of Little Noses Saline Spray
- Pampers 96 count diapers
- TWO Softsoap Shea Butter Hand Soaps
- 8 count Excedrin
- Thermacare Lowerback Wrap
- 12 pack of Diet Caffiene Free Cokes
- TWO packs of Plastic Cups
- Pack of Dinner Napkins
- 16 ounce Diet Coke for the Road!

Total VALUE of products bought: $63.62
Total DUE (before tax): $29.45
Savings: $34.20 = 54%

Not necessarily my most savings percentage wise, but not bad for just getting back into the couponing world!
(For more tips on savings, head over to my favorite savings site ever: www.southernsavers.com!)

Day in the Life of a SAHM & 4 Month Old

I think I had been taking it for granted. But now I realize how blessed I am to be one... A stay at home mom. (SAHM). I've seen a few statuses on Facebook lately from mothers who are leaving their babies in daycare for the first time (some babies as young as 8 weeks), and I literally weep as I read how sad they were to say goodbye for 8 hours. I weep for them but I also weep just thinking about how utterly despaired I would be to know I had to leave Jenaleigh for 5 out of 7 days.

So, in honor of my new found appreciation for being a SAHM, here's my "Day in the Life of a SAHM + Her Baby". (Ever wonder what a SAHM mom really does during the day? Here's your chance to find out!)

Little Bug woke up from a morning cat nap around 10AM. Even though I may let out a tiny groan when her naps are short, my frown is quickly wiped away when I walk into her nursery and see this face grinning at me:



A big ole stretch here....
Belly time! ... And no belly time would be complete without a little pool of spit up!

No matter what position she's in, she turns directly toward the TV. We can't have that, now can we?!
So, sometimes I place a cow by her so she won't watch the TV. (Yes, I could turn it off... And I DO, but sometimes I just *need* to watch the news!)

After morning belly time and some news watchin' we have quality time. I'm determined for my little girl to know God's love and to develop a deep love for Him herself, and I think one of the best ways to teach her about Him is to sing! So, for about 20-30 minutes we sing.. Her absolute favorite song is "Good Ole Noah". She also goes gaga over "This Little Light of Mine"!
 Okay, so after we sang, the house was too quiet for me. So I went to housetohouse.com and searched for some sermons to listen to!  The one we listened to here was a SUPERB lesson on PK's (preacher's kids) by Glenn Colley.
We then chilled a few minutes and decided to bring out a bib (to protect Mommy, Baby, and the couch!)

Cute baby feet... I'm so glad we live right next to the church building so Daddy can come home for lunch. He always gets a few minutes of playing time in when he's home!
Today's lunch time, Daddy tried to help Jenaleigh sit up on her own. She really wants to! But, she's not quite there yet...

A few last hugs before Daddy goes back to work.

Mommy kisses. YUCK!
 After an afternoon nap by baby (while Mommy caught up on her Bible study and FB), it was time for me to do some dishes. (Honestly, this is my least favorite chore. So much so that you almost never find my sink without a dirty dish. I'm trying *so* hard to change this!) You may wonder why I don't do dishes during her nap? Let's just say she can sleep through a bulldozer in our yard (literally), but not dishes being clanged around. So, Jenaleigh watched from her travel swing while I labored away. She has an ultra-nice full size swing; but, she's not grown to like that one! Oh, well...

Little Miss is really working on her hand-eye coordination. I can't believe that she can see an object and grab it! Her favorite elephant is Horton (which unfortunately has a hole in his back already... Gigi, can you fix this, please?) and she's just recently started to grab Horton's trunk....
 After our afternoon play time and another quick nap, Daniel came home and we packed up to go eat Mexica.We try to have an eating out night on Mondays to combat those Mondays blues... I think she's thinking, "Are you really gonna stick me back here by myself?!" Then on to a quick trip into Walmart...
Then home for our bedtime routine (she's SO excited to eat!) Emerging from bathtime! And that's pretty much our day with a few naps and meals thrown in between. It may not seem like the most exciting in the world, but I love it!