My dear friends, Ben and Stacey, had a heart break today. A scary one at that!
Their two-and-a-half year old daughter, Gabbi, fell down the stairs and broke both bones in her forearm. Scary! I cannot imagine the fear of driving to the ER, or the horrible words that made the fear a reality. broken bones + active toddler = not good!
On top of that, today their 6-month-old daughter, Maddi, also had her well-baby visit, complete with immunizations. Never a fun day. I'm sure Tylenol will be a staple item in their house these next few days!
Please pray for quick healing for Gabbi's arm. Pray for rest and good health for Maddi. And pray that God gives Ben and Stacey patience to deal with it all! Pray that He fills their hearts with peace and serenity despite the chaos.
I'm so sorry you guys had such a rough day today!!! Love ya!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
One year ago today
A year ago today, I was terrified.
And frustrated.
And shocked.
And did I mention, terrified??
One year ago today, I found out I was pregnant. With you.
If I had known then, what I know now, my reaction would have been different. Nervous still, perhaps, but much more excited as I waited in anticipation of starring into your big, blue eyes.
Now, one year later, you are four months old.
You are still pretty small, weighing 12lb 4 oz (10%) and measuring 24.75 in (50%). You still fit into 3 month clothes and are still wearing a size 1 diaper. Some of your clothes are starting to look short or fit snug. Proof that though I refuse to admit it, you are growing.
And frustrated.
And shocked.
And did I mention, terrified??
One year ago today, I found out I was pregnant. With you.
If I had known then, what I know now, my reaction would have been different. Nervous still, perhaps, but much more excited as I waited in anticipation of starring into your big, blue eyes.
Now, one year later, you are four months old.You are still pretty small, weighing 12lb 4 oz (10%) and measuring 24.75 in (50%). You still fit into 3 month clothes and are still wearing a size 1 diaper. Some of your clothes are starting to look short or fit snug. Proof that though I refuse to admit it, you are growing.
You spend your days hanging around, flirting with me and your sister. You have the sweetest disposition I could have ever asked for. You never cease to melt my heart with your cockeyed grins and your pleasant coos. And those cheeks of yours attract my kisses like a magnet to a refrigerator.
These days you put everything into your mouth! In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say we are in the early phases of teething. Some days those gums sure look white, though nothing is popping through yet. I guess time will tell.
We were told we could start you on rice cereal. So we did. And you were not quite sure what to think.
But, eventually, you figured out the concept of a spoon, and ended up eating a whole bowl! Afterwards, Ryleigh and I had fun singing the "He's a happy booooyyy!" song....over and over, while you squealed in delight.
A year ago, I could not have imagined what my life would look like with you in it. Now, I cannot fathom a day without you in it. Your smile lights up our home and provides the joy that gets me through days of difficult transition. I love you more than I could have understood a year ago. Happy four months, Wesley Haas. And thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a gift I didn't think I could handle.
Love, Mama
Monday, January 18, 2010
He still likes me...
I woke up the other day, and my day was started as usual. You know, get the baby, feed Ryleigh breakfast, feed the baby, have some coffee, check my email, and proceed back to my room to take a shower.
When I walked into my room, I glanced at the bed and this is what I saw:
I smiled and thought to myself, he still likes me.
:)
When I walked into my room, I glanced at the bed and this is what I saw:
I smiled and thought to myself, he still likes me.
:)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The heart of the home
Most people tend to refer to the kitchen as the heart of the home. The place where family gathers, talks about their day, and generally makes sweet memories.
Not our family.
As of late, we spend more time together in the two bathrooms of our house.
Is that weird?
I'll be honest, Growing up, I did not take many baths. Well, as a child I did, but as a teenager and young adult, I rarely soaked in a tub. Actually, I remember squishing my face in disbelief a few years back when I learned that a friend of mine ALWAYS took baths, and rarely took a shower. (If you still read this, you know who you are! PS: I miss ya and we need to get together soon!) Anyway, so as of late, Jesse has been soaking in the bath tub a lot more. It helps having a jacuzzi jet tub~ man those jets feel good on your back! So, he gets home from work and if he wants to go run, he will sit in the tub and soak first, allowing the warm water and jets to help loosen him up. I typically go sit in the bathroom with him, and we talk about our days. And of course, wherever Mommy and Daddy are, so Ryleigh must be. And Wesley comes along for the ride.
Then in the evenings when it's time to get the kiddos clean and ready for bed, it takes both of us. So again, we all four end up in the bathroom together, talking, playing, laughing. Some of my favorite family times, as of late, have happened in one of our bathrooms!
I mean really~ who doesnt relax and have fun in the bath tub?
Ryleigh sure loves a good bath, complete with bubbles and toys.
Wesley would be happy all day long in the bath tub.
And Jesse...well, his love for baths has also been rekindled, and he spends more time in the bath tub than I ever imagined he would. And he looks so cute all nestled in the tub...
Come on now~ you didnt really think I would post a picture of my husband in the bath tub on the Internet did you?
Not our family.
As of late, we spend more time together in the two bathrooms of our house.
Is that weird?
I'll be honest, Growing up, I did not take many baths. Well, as a child I did, but as a teenager and young adult, I rarely soaked in a tub. Actually, I remember squishing my face in disbelief a few years back when I learned that a friend of mine ALWAYS took baths, and rarely took a shower. (If you still read this, you know who you are! PS: I miss ya and we need to get together soon!) Anyway, so as of late, Jesse has been soaking in the bath tub a lot more. It helps having a jacuzzi jet tub~ man those jets feel good on your back! So, he gets home from work and if he wants to go run, he will sit in the tub and soak first, allowing the warm water and jets to help loosen him up. I typically go sit in the bathroom with him, and we talk about our days. And of course, wherever Mommy and Daddy are, so Ryleigh must be. And Wesley comes along for the ride.
Then in the evenings when it's time to get the kiddos clean and ready for bed, it takes both of us. So again, we all four end up in the bathroom together, talking, playing, laughing. Some of my favorite family times, as of late, have happened in one of our bathrooms!
I mean really~ who doesnt relax and have fun in the bath tub?
Ryleigh sure loves a good bath, complete with bubbles and toys.
Wesley would be happy all day long in the bath tub.
And Jesse...well, his love for baths has also been rekindled, and he spends more time in the bath tub than I ever imagined he would. And he looks so cute all nestled in the tub...----------
----------
----------
Come on now~ you didnt really think I would post a picture of my husband in the bath tub on the Internet did you?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Lately
The new year is in full swing already, and I feel like life jumped on some speed train and is flying down the tracks!! Sorry. That was a horrible analogy. I have no idea what speed trains feel like. Basically I just know that I'm flying by the seat of my pants these days, holding on for dear life. And that is how I imagine it feels riding a speed train.
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We started off the new year in lazy fashion. No big parties. No celebration dinners. Not even staying up until midnight. Sad, I know. Instead, we bought a bottle of bubbly, which neither of us liked, and thus had more fun shaking it up and enticing the contents to explode all over the yard.
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To that note, we went ahead and bumped Ryleigh up to 3 days a week at MDO. It was (another) hard decision for me, because I don't want her to feel like I don't have time for her, so I'm shipping her off. But, in all honesty, when she is home and I have to work, I cannot invest the time and energy into her that I want to either. At least this way she is getting stimulated and interacting with others and learning. And when she is home with me, I try to be more available to her.
When I cannot focus directly on her, I still want her to have fun. All the fun new toys for Christmas helped. She has been letting her imagination take flight, "cooking wunch" for me, building "Daddy's gof cos" with her legos, having tea parties in her princess tent with her baby dolls, and taking apart puzzles over and over. All good things! But in case you did not know this about my sweet, little girl, she is ACTIVE. And full of energy. And she goes stir crazy real quick, just like her Mama.
So, this week, we opened one of the Christmas presents we had hidden, hoping to spread out the excitement a little bit. Check out Ryleigh's new cycle. It attaches to the tv, and they have learning games as well as good old fun racing. Ryleigh's favorite vehicle so far is the big school bus. Only she likes it to be purple instead of yellow. No, she has not mastered the games by any stretch, and more often than not, I hear the "beep-beep-beep" of her pedaling in reverse, rather than pedaling forward, but anything to run off some energy inside, is A-OK with me.
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And lastly, I can't update without mentioning my little man. Oh, how I love this boy. He reminds me daily of why I chose to be a mom. It never ceases to amaze me how much you can love someone else, and like I have admitted before, I didn't think I could ever love anyone as much as I love Jesse. Then we had Ryleigh. And I thought my heart would surely burst. How could I ever love another baby so much? I was wrong. Wesley has me wrapped around his tiny fingers in ways I didn't know I could be wrapped.
He has the sweetest disposition and rarely cries. He has been great during the nights, continuing to go down around 10pm and sleeping until about 4:30 or 5am. Even then, he wakes up with a soft grunt, not an all out wail. He is a sweetheart. Plain and simple. 
His hand eye coordination is getting better every day, and he has discovered that his favorite toys are his hands. This morning, I had not heard him wake up and it had been a long time, so I went to check on him in his room. He was wide awake, just hanging out, checking out his hands, and trying to fit his entire fist into his mouth.
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We started off the new year in lazy fashion. No big parties. No celebration dinners. Not even staying up until midnight. Sad, I know. Instead, we bought a bottle of bubbly, which neither of us liked, and thus had more fun shaking it up and enticing the contents to explode all over the yard.
Ryleigh enjoyed playing with the cheap poppers with Daddy. This face is not even close to her first expression when Jesse pulled the string and she heard the loud POP and saw streamers go flying. P.R.I.C.E.L.E.S.S. Wish I had caught it. She was delighted to have more to do afterwards and thoroughly enjoyed when Daddy let her pull the string "all by myself."
The lucky lady also got the privilege of running around the house, blowing into a large and annoying bazooka-type thing. Normally, this is the kind of behavior that would drive Mama and Daddy nuts and promptly lead to the toy being taken away and the girl given a much quieter toy...like a book that makes no noise. But, considering Ryleigh was the only one interested in celebrating the momentous occasion, we let her enthusiasm spill over to the rest of us.
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Did you hear about our "hard freeze?" I'm sure most of you did, because you probably experienced it yourself. I love cold weather. Love it. Not a fan of the cold, wet weather, but alas, we live in Texas. That is normally the only kind we get. And actually, it managed to stay cold for about a week, and it wasn't gross, rainy, or icy every day! Nothing like feeling cold with the sun still shining. I finally brought out all our sweaters and sweatshirts, washed them all, and we enjoyed wearing warm clothes, hats, and jackets.
On a similar note, (well not really, but just go with it), I got my first pair of furry boots for Christmas. Those of you who know me or have been around this blog long enough know by now that I'm not fashionable. At all. In fact, if there is a trend or something considered cool to the rest of the world, there is a good chance that:
A) I don't like it.
B) I couldn't pull it off even if I did like it.
C) I would never go spend the money necessary to attempt to pull it off right.
D) All of the above.
Normally for me, the answer is D. And if I should suddenly decide that I like a "trend," and decide to spend some money and attempt to pull it off, I'm generally about a year behind everyone else, thus no longer fitting in with the trend. Yep, folks, I'm that lame.
So, yes, I finally got on board with the whole boot thing. But I SWORE I would never own skinny jeans. Only skinny girls with tiny bird legs get away with skinny jeans. Alas, my dilemma. How are you supposed to wear boots? Over skinny jeans. So I got these cute boots, but no way to wear them. I tried putting them over my normal jeans and Jesse just kind of rolled his eyes.
During our batch of cold weather, I gave in. I went and bought a pair of skinny jeans, on sale for $19 at Old Navy. (Y'all know I don't buy jeans anywhere but Old Navy! I cant totally forego my roots.) This way, I figured if I absolutely hated them, they only cost $19, and I could give them to Salvation Army. I brought them home, put them on with a sweater and my new boots. And ya know what?
I liked it.
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We have been spending our weekends really making the most of them. Like, not getting out of our pajamas until mid-afternoon, just in time for an early dinner a little playtime, and another movie. The kids don't seem to mind. All they know is that pajama time means lots of cuddles on the couch and in Mommy and Daddy's bed.
Speaking of movies, we have rented several the past few weekends. Care to know my take?
- Angels and Demons- We liked it. I kept waiting for a twist to figure out who was really good and who was bad, and sure enough, I guessed wrong. Good movie and interesting storyline. Plus, I typically enjoy Tom Hanks' movies.
- My Sister's Keeper- Umm, total let down. If you actually read Jodi Piccoult's book, then you will hate this movie. How can you change the ending of a story?? It ruins the story! I was very frustrated with this one and sad that they chose to mess up a great storyline.
- Up- Loved it! It is made by the same group who did Finding Nemo, and I thought it was pretty obvious. Animated for kids, but humor snuck in for the adults watching along. We all loved it, and Ryleigh was sad to turn it back in. We're going to have to add this one to our collection I think.
- Paranormal Activity- Normally, I enjoy a good scary movie. Truthfully, from the trailers, I thought this would be dumb. And watching it, I did not feel scared. However, it kept me up four nights in a row, listening to every little sound, feeling my heart race, and over-analyzing every creak the house makes. Probably shouldn't have watched that one...
- Julie and Julia- I really liked the movie! I think because I saw something of myself in there...frustrated with work, a writer by nature, trying to learn cook...it was something I could totally see myself doing. If Julia's voice hadn't been so annoying throughout the movie, I would have loved it.
Gotta love lazy weekends on the couch, watching movies. :)
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Work has been bad...and good...and bad...and good. Isn't that how most people feel about their jobs?
It has become increasingly difficult managing to work full-time from home, with an active toddler and a baby. I knew it would be, but somewhere inside my super-woman pride told me I could handle it. And I have been "handling" it....
...with a small treat to myself at the end of the day. No, not every day...I do change it up from time to time. This week I made brownies instead. :)
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To that note, we went ahead and bumped Ryleigh up to 3 days a week at MDO. It was (another) hard decision for me, because I don't want her to feel like I don't have time for her, so I'm shipping her off. But, in all honesty, when she is home and I have to work, I cannot invest the time and energy into her that I want to either. At least this way she is getting stimulated and interacting with others and learning. And when she is home with me, I try to be more available to her.
When I cannot focus directly on her, I still want her to have fun. All the fun new toys for Christmas helped. She has been letting her imagination take flight, "cooking wunch" for me, building "Daddy's gof cos" with her legos, having tea parties in her princess tent with her baby dolls, and taking apart puzzles over and over. All good things! But in case you did not know this about my sweet, little girl, she is ACTIVE. And full of energy. And she goes stir crazy real quick, just like her Mama.
So, this week, we opened one of the Christmas presents we had hidden, hoping to spread out the excitement a little bit. Check out Ryleigh's new cycle. It attaches to the tv, and they have learning games as well as good old fun racing. Ryleigh's favorite vehicle so far is the big school bus. Only she likes it to be purple instead of yellow. No, she has not mastered the games by any stretch, and more often than not, I hear the "beep-beep-beep" of her pedaling in reverse, rather than pedaling forward, but anything to run off some energy inside, is A-OK with me.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -And lastly, I can't update without mentioning my little man. Oh, how I love this boy. He reminds me daily of why I chose to be a mom. It never ceases to amaze me how much you can love someone else, and like I have admitted before, I didn't think I could ever love anyone as much as I love Jesse. Then we had Ryleigh. And I thought my heart would surely burst. How could I ever love another baby so much? I was wrong. Wesley has me wrapped around his tiny fingers in ways I didn't know I could be wrapped.
He has the sweetest disposition and rarely cries. He has been great during the nights, continuing to go down around 10pm and sleeping until about 4:30 or 5am. Even then, he wakes up with a soft grunt, not an all out wail. He is a sweetheart. Plain and simple.He is a curious little guy too! Often, Wesley watches us like a hawk, following each of us around the room with his eyes. The other night, Ryleigh had brought her bouncy ball into the living room to play catch with Jesse, and Wesley was sitting in his bouncer. His feet started kicking and his arms were flailing around, while the expression on his face was eager. I'm sure his thoughts were along the lines of, "My turn! My turn!"
Often, while I'm working, I have him playing beside me, and if I have not looked at him in awhile, he will remind me he is still there, with a big 'ole "whoooo" or a squeal of delight. When I turn to look, this is the precious face looking back at me:
His hand eye coordination is getting better every day, and he has discovered that his favorite toys are his hands. This morning, I had not heard him wake up and it had been a long time, so I went to check on him in his room. He was wide awake, just hanging out, checking out his hands, and trying to fit his entire fist into his mouth.Tummy time has also improved, and Wesley continues to push himself up more every day and hold it for longer. Still not much progress in the sitting department, but all in good time. :)
Car rides have been better as well (knock on wood). Granted, I have not attempted a long drive by myself since, but going around town has been pretty good. Tomorrow I head back into Houston, so we will see if this new found car seat contentment is here to stay.
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Jesse is running in the Houston Half Marathon this weekend! He originally signed up for the full marathon, but with our hectic life lately, he just has not had the time or energy to train as he should for that event. So, he and his friends all dropped down to the half. We reserved a hotel downtown Saturday night, and plan to leave Ryleigh with my parents, so we can splurge a little and enjoy the night (almost) to ourselves. This way, I also don't have to drive him down there at 4:30 in the morning, like years past. I'm hoping he does well, and finishes strong.
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All new Grey's Anatomy tonight. All I can say is, plleeaasee have a good show! If the same storylines continue, I don't know how much longer I can commit my loyalty.
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Whew. I think that is all. There is plenty more to say, but no more time to say it. I'll be back soon!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
A very merry Christmas
Christmas was a whirlwind, full of fun and family and traveling...crazy, but merry, indeed.
We had family Christmas with the extended family at Grandma and Granddad's the weekend before Christmas. It was the first time we have had it at their house in a few years, and I must say, it felt good to be back. We had a great time seeing everyone, meeting the 5-day-old newest family member Austin, watching the little ones get excited about presents, having our first white elephant gift exchange (though Courtney and I were the only ones brave enough to steal!), laughing at the little girls running all day long, and as usual, eating way too much. Family time is always sweet, but this year, for some reason, it was extra sweet.
The week of Christmas consisted of last minute gift wrapping, Jesse's traditional last minute shopping, laundry, packing, and baking MORE goodies. I think it will be May before I decide to bake another cookie!!
Christmas Eve, Jesse and I got the kiddos to bed and then went to town putting together Ryleigh's new kitchen. My mother-in-law had found it for a great deal, and once we opened the box, we knew why! It came in a million pieces!! Haha. It was a labor of love, for sure, but once it was together and the stockings were stuffed, we both were anxious to see the excitement in Ryleigh's eyes on Christmas morning.
Ah yes~ it was sweet indeed.
And even Wesley got into his new toy, spinning the steering wheel all by himself and smiling all the way.
Jesse and I watched Ryleigh play in her kitchen, sit in her new purple Tinkerbell chair, and ask to open the Play Do, while finishing our coffee, then it was time to get to work!
We only had "Santa" and stockings at home, and then it was time to finish last minute packing and load up the truck to head to Houston. Apparently, Ryleigh was afraid that in all the commotion, she would be left behind...
Once we finally got to Mom and Dad's, it was obvious that Christmas morning was in full swing!
After breakfast, everyone assumed their spots, and we settled in for a long Christmas gift-opening marathon!
Julie was very happy to have something to open besides a candle...
(Apparently that was what she opened before we got there, while slightly anxious for our arrival. I don't know the whole story, so I probably shouldn't even go there.)
On a side note, see Brent and Susan's stockings hanging, lonely on the mantle? Sadly, they cannot travel during the holidays, so we missed them. Luckily, we video-chatted later in the evening, and at least shared a few laughs with them. (Minus the mooning by Brent...gross, brother!!)
Micah and Sarah were there, and we enjoyed hanging out with them, as usual. I know they have been married a year and a half, but sometimes, they still make me giggle with their cute-newly wedded bliss.
Ryleigh was overwhelmed with gifts galore! Once she received her new pink princess tent, the rest was history. Everything went into the tent...including Daddy!
Later, the girls worked on dinner and entertaining cute babies...
...while Dad and Micah fried a turkey!
And I must say, the turkey was so good, it made me want to go get a fryer, a turkey, and do it again the next day.
We ate dinner, played with toys, including Dad's new Wii (whose butt I kicked in bowling, I might add), and then went to town on the amazing desserts. It was a fun, fun day, and we enjoyed spending time with the Holder family.
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Saturday morning, we packed up again, and headed to Jesse's parent's house for Thanksgiving with the Shulse family. Justin and Jenn's crew stayed all weekend, and we were excited to spend some time with them, since it had been a long time since we had been able to hang out. We actually decided at some point to go to the movies in the afternoon. Papa and RaRa stayed home with sleeping Wesley, Jenn took the little boys and Ryleigh to go see the new chipmunk movie, and the rest of us went to see The Blind Side. It was fun to go to the movies (I don't remember the last time I went), and I really loved the movie! It will definitely be in my movie collection when it comes out.
That night, we had Christmas with all of them back at the Shulse house. The living room looked like a tornado had come through, with Christmas paper and presents everywhere! It was good to see Ryleigh give the presents to her cousins, and be genuinely excited to see if they liked them. Sadly, I totally forgot to take pictures while we were with them, and so have nothing to show for the fun time. We again ate too much, topping off the night with birthday cake for Jesus. :)
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Sunday morning, we cleaned up and then Jesse and I went to a cool furniture store in Tomball. (Furniture was my present from him.) They had a lot of cool pieces, and if I was a millionaire, I would certainly consider scraping everything in my house and starting over at their store. But, I'm not a millionaire, so that is not going to happen. We did find a couple pieces we might go back and purchase. We're still debating if they will fit where we want them, and serve the purpose we need.
After that, we met my family at a cool little restaurant and enjoyed lunch before heading to see the Transiberian Orchestra in concert. Though it was totally not what I imagined and it was a long show, I must say, it was pretty stinkin' amazing. It never ceases to amaze me how talented people are! You could tell that they all love what they do, and get great enjoyment out of performing and bringing enjoyment to others. As Sarah said, we definitely "got our money's worth." It was a fabulous show, and I'd recommend them to anyone.
Once the show was over, we went back to the Shulse house to pack up, pick up the kiddos, and drive back home, so Jesse could work Monday morning. A quick caffeine run made sure we could make it home, and we were off. Wesley did good in the car, only fussing a little at the end of the ride. We got home, quickly unloaded the MOUNDS of gifts, bags of clothing, and toys, dumping them in a large pile in the living room. Everyone got into their jammies and fell asleep.
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Monday was spent recovering, organizing the gifts and putting things in their new homes, and moving things to make room for all the new loot. I must say, to hear what a horrible "recession" we are in, you sure wouldn't know it looking at our living room!
Monday night, Wesley officially transitioned to his nursery. And (knock on wood), it has been GREAT so far. I have been putting him down between 9:30 and 10, and he has slept until 5am one night, 3:30 one night, and then 5:30 last night!! I'm a new woman. I think the move was good for all of us, and I'm so happy he is doing so well.
On a side note, how do you like his new quilt from Micah and Sarah we finally hung and the new rug from Gaga and Granddaddy? I know I have plain taste, but I must say, his nursery is exactly what I always envisioned for my son. I love it!
The rest of this week has been spent hanging out. Jesse had to work Monday, but he took off Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to hang out with us. We have made the run to exchange a few gifts, planned some fun new meals, and hung out on the couch watching movies.
Well, except Ryleigh and Wesley, who like to sit in their chairs instead....
Ryleigh has been playing with all her new toys non-stop, as you can tell from the mess that is her room. WOW, that girl can make a mess.
Wesley has been watching football with Daddy, and they have plotted about him going out for the team next year. ANYTHING would be better than the team that showed up in the Independence Bowl this week!
We had family Christmas with the extended family at Grandma and Granddad's the weekend before Christmas. It was the first time we have had it at their house in a few years, and I must say, it felt good to be back. We had a great time seeing everyone, meeting the 5-day-old newest family member Austin, watching the little ones get excited about presents, having our first white elephant gift exchange (though Courtney and I were the only ones brave enough to steal!), laughing at the little girls running all day long, and as usual, eating way too much. Family time is always sweet, but this year, for some reason, it was extra sweet.
The week of Christmas consisted of last minute gift wrapping, Jesse's traditional last minute shopping, laundry, packing, and baking MORE goodies. I think it will be May before I decide to bake another cookie!!
Christmas Eve, Jesse and I got the kiddos to bed and then went to town putting together Ryleigh's new kitchen. My mother-in-law had found it for a great deal, and once we opened the box, we knew why! It came in a million pieces!! Haha. It was a labor of love, for sure, but once it was together and the stockings were stuffed, we both were anxious to see the excitement in Ryleigh's eyes on Christmas morning.
Ah yes~ it was sweet indeed.
And even Wesley got into his new toy, spinning the steering wheel all by himself and smiling all the way.
Jesse and I watched Ryleigh play in her kitchen, sit in her new purple Tinkerbell chair, and ask to open the Play Do, while finishing our coffee, then it was time to get to work!
We only had "Santa" and stockings at home, and then it was time to finish last minute packing and load up the truck to head to Houston. Apparently, Ryleigh was afraid that in all the commotion, she would be left behind...
Once we finally got to Mom and Dad's, it was obvious that Christmas morning was in full swing!
After breakfast, everyone assumed their spots, and we settled in for a long Christmas gift-opening marathon!
Julie was very happy to have something to open besides a candle...
(Apparently that was what she opened before we got there, while slightly anxious for our arrival. I don't know the whole story, so I probably shouldn't even go there.)
On a side note, see Brent and Susan's stockings hanging, lonely on the mantle? Sadly, they cannot travel during the holidays, so we missed them. Luckily, we video-chatted later in the evening, and at least shared a few laughs with them. (Minus the mooning by Brent...gross, brother!!)
Micah and Sarah were there, and we enjoyed hanging out with them, as usual. I know they have been married a year and a half, but sometimes, they still make me giggle with their cute-newly wedded bliss.
Ryleigh was overwhelmed with gifts galore! Once she received her new pink princess tent, the rest was history. Everything went into the tent...including Daddy!
Later, the girls worked on dinner and entertaining cute babies...
...while Dad and Micah fried a turkey!
And I must say, the turkey was so good, it made me want to go get a fryer, a turkey, and do it again the next day.
We ate dinner, played with toys, including Dad's new Wii (whose butt I kicked in bowling, I might add), and then went to town on the amazing desserts. It was a fun, fun day, and we enjoyed spending time with the Holder family.
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Saturday morning, we packed up again, and headed to Jesse's parent's house for Thanksgiving with the Shulse family. Justin and Jenn's crew stayed all weekend, and we were excited to spend some time with them, since it had been a long time since we had been able to hang out. We actually decided at some point to go to the movies in the afternoon. Papa and RaRa stayed home with sleeping Wesley, Jenn took the little boys and Ryleigh to go see the new chipmunk movie, and the rest of us went to see The Blind Side. It was fun to go to the movies (I don't remember the last time I went), and I really loved the movie! It will definitely be in my movie collection when it comes out.
That night, we had Christmas with all of them back at the Shulse house. The living room looked like a tornado had come through, with Christmas paper and presents everywhere! It was good to see Ryleigh give the presents to her cousins, and be genuinely excited to see if they liked them. Sadly, I totally forgot to take pictures while we were with them, and so have nothing to show for the fun time. We again ate too much, topping off the night with birthday cake for Jesus. :)
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Sunday morning, we cleaned up and then Jesse and I went to a cool furniture store in Tomball. (Furniture was my present from him.) They had a lot of cool pieces, and if I was a millionaire, I would certainly consider scraping everything in my house and starting over at their store. But, I'm not a millionaire, so that is not going to happen. We did find a couple pieces we might go back and purchase. We're still debating if they will fit where we want them, and serve the purpose we need.
After that, we met my family at a cool little restaurant and enjoyed lunch before heading to see the Transiberian Orchestra in concert. Though it was totally not what I imagined and it was a long show, I must say, it was pretty stinkin' amazing. It never ceases to amaze me how talented people are! You could tell that they all love what they do, and get great enjoyment out of performing and bringing enjoyment to others. As Sarah said, we definitely "got our money's worth." It was a fabulous show, and I'd recommend them to anyone.
Once the show was over, we went back to the Shulse house to pack up, pick up the kiddos, and drive back home, so Jesse could work Monday morning. A quick caffeine run made sure we could make it home, and we were off. Wesley did good in the car, only fussing a little at the end of the ride. We got home, quickly unloaded the MOUNDS of gifts, bags of clothing, and toys, dumping them in a large pile in the living room. Everyone got into their jammies and fell asleep.
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Monday was spent recovering, organizing the gifts and putting things in their new homes, and moving things to make room for all the new loot. I must say, to hear what a horrible "recession" we are in, you sure wouldn't know it looking at our living room!
Monday night, Wesley officially transitioned to his nursery. And (knock on wood), it has been GREAT so far. I have been putting him down between 9:30 and 10, and he has slept until 5am one night, 3:30 one night, and then 5:30 last night!! I'm a new woman. I think the move was good for all of us, and I'm so happy he is doing so well.
On a side note, how do you like his new quilt from Micah and Sarah we finally hung and the new rug from Gaga and Granddaddy? I know I have plain taste, but I must say, his nursery is exactly what I always envisioned for my son. I love it!
The rest of this week has been spent hanging out. Jesse had to work Monday, but he took off Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to hang out with us. We have made the run to exchange a few gifts, planned some fun new meals, and hung out on the couch watching movies.
Well, except Ryleigh and Wesley, who like to sit in their chairs instead....
Ryleigh has been playing with all her new toys non-stop, as you can tell from the mess that is her room. WOW, that girl can make a mess.
Wesley has been watching football with Daddy, and they have plotted about him going out for the team next year. ANYTHING would be better than the team that showed up in the Independence Bowl this week!
Tonight is New Year's Eve. 2009 is finally coming to an end, and I think I'm ready to see it go. We have hats, bazookas, and champagne to ring in the New Year tonight.
I hope your holidays were equally merry, and I wish you the best for 2010!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
3 months old
Remember at 2 months when I said I was going to attempt this picture every month on the day of birthday?
One month down, and I remembered to do it! Here is Wesley, one month later, at 3 months old.
He is an absolute doll. I seriously could just eat him up! This month he has really turned into an active member of the family, smiling, cooing, and giggling. We are used to having him around now, and it kind of feels weird when he is sleeping in the other room and it is just Jesse, Ryleigh, and I again. You can bet that when he IS in the room, he makes sure that everyone knows! He will bust out talking or just give a little squeal to remind us that he is there (like we could forget...)
I know that every child is different, and I knew that he would be different than Ryleigh. But, WOW, he is different than Ryleigh. As a baby, Ryleigh never loved cuddling. She would squirm and kick and try to crawl over my shoulder if I attempted to hold her too long. Wesley, on the other hand, loves to be held. He will crawl up my chest all right, but only to nestle himself right under my chin, in the crease of my neck, where he loves to fall asleep. And though Ryleigh definitely had a Mama's girl phase, it always seemed like she naturally responded better to Jesse. Daddy always got the big smiles and coos out of her. Now it is my turn! Wesley will literally follow me around a room with his eyes, and the second I make eye contact, his face lights up. I cannot tell you how much my heart swells when either of my babies smile or laugh at me. Indescribable feeling.
Ryleigh was not a difficult baby, per se, but her little personality has always been that of a little spit fire! Always busy, bored unless she is on the move, and always sporting a little drama. Clearly, my girl. So while I often think back to her as a baby as a time of frustration and exhaustion, it really was not her fault. She was a good baby, just a hand-full of personality and an inexperienced Mama.
And while I also would not characterize Wesley as a difficult baby, he has also given me all kinds of new challenges. He has had more health issues than we ever had with Ryleigh. Who knows if it is due to being born almost 3 weeks early, Mama not being so careful during the pregnancy, or just a different little system in his tiny body. All I know is that this boy has given me a run for my money in the health department. Thankfully, his reflux has gotten better. Our latest adventure has been trying to figure out why he hates his car seat so much. This boy literally SCREAMS from the time he gets in the car seat until we take him out. Seriously. It makes traveling back and forth to Houston pretty miserable for all involved. In fact, it was so bad, that I took him to the doctor after our Houston trip last week, because I was so worried about attempting to drive to Grandma's with him last weekend. Has anyone ever heard of a baby not liking their car seat? I have always heard that it was supposed to be the ultimate soother...you know, if you cant get them to calm down, put them in the car and drive around the block a couple times. Yeah, that does not work for Wesley. Once he gets going there is no consoling him. I've tried everything I know. We are praying that he grows out of this quickly!
He weighs about 10 pounds 9 ounces now, up from 9 pounds 12 ounces last month. Growing right on track and filling out nicely.
As of Monday of next week, (once Christmas is over and we are done traveling for awhile), Wesley will officially transition to his crib at night. He does great in it during the day for naps, and since he has been sleeping so much better at night, I'm ready to move him. I'm sure I could have done it easy enough awhile ago, but let's be honest, I am lazy. I did not want to be getting up, walking across the house, several times a night. As of Monday, we'll move the chair back in there, in case he does wake up, I can go feed him, and put him right back down. I'm kind of hoping that he will sleep better in there. Last night, he was just rolling around, grunting a little, but not upset, and it bugged me so much I just got up and fed him. Was he really hungry? I don't know. But the noise was irritating me and waking up Jesse. Somehow all those little stirs and shuffles don't seem so loud over a monitor. He can squirm around as much as he wants, and unless he cries, I don't have to do anything. So far, he seems like a good self-soother, but I guess time will tell. If I'm dying of exhaustion by this time next week, we'll know why. :)
Wesley and Ryleigh seem to like each other more and more every day. I couldn't help but add another comparison shot. This one was from Wesley was about one month old...
... to three months old.
Look at those precious faces? I'm blessed indeed. And though these three months have not exactly been a walk in the park, I wouldn't trade them for anything else in the world.
One month down, and I remembered to do it! Here is Wesley, one month later, at 3 months old.
He is an absolute doll. I seriously could just eat him up! This month he has really turned into an active member of the family, smiling, cooing, and giggling. We are used to having him around now, and it kind of feels weird when he is sleeping in the other room and it is just Jesse, Ryleigh, and I again. You can bet that when he IS in the room, he makes sure that everyone knows! He will bust out talking or just give a little squeal to remind us that he is there (like we could forget...)
I know that every child is different, and I knew that he would be different than Ryleigh. But, WOW, he is different than Ryleigh. As a baby, Ryleigh never loved cuddling. She would squirm and kick and try to crawl over my shoulder if I attempted to hold her too long. Wesley, on the other hand, loves to be held. He will crawl up my chest all right, but only to nestle himself right under my chin, in the crease of my neck, where he loves to fall asleep. And though Ryleigh definitely had a Mama's girl phase, it always seemed like she naturally responded better to Jesse. Daddy always got the big smiles and coos out of her. Now it is my turn! Wesley will literally follow me around a room with his eyes, and the second I make eye contact, his face lights up. I cannot tell you how much my heart swells when either of my babies smile or laugh at me. Indescribable feeling.
Ryleigh was not a difficult baby, per se, but her little personality has always been that of a little spit fire! Always busy, bored unless she is on the move, and always sporting a little drama. Clearly, my girl. So while I often think back to her as a baby as a time of frustration and exhaustion, it really was not her fault. She was a good baby, just a hand-full of personality and an inexperienced Mama.
And while I also would not characterize Wesley as a difficult baby, he has also given me all kinds of new challenges. He has had more health issues than we ever had with Ryleigh. Who knows if it is due to being born almost 3 weeks early, Mama not being so careful during the pregnancy, or just a different little system in his tiny body. All I know is that this boy has given me a run for my money in the health department. Thankfully, his reflux has gotten better. Our latest adventure has been trying to figure out why he hates his car seat so much. This boy literally SCREAMS from the time he gets in the car seat until we take him out. Seriously. It makes traveling back and forth to Houston pretty miserable for all involved. In fact, it was so bad, that I took him to the doctor after our Houston trip last week, because I was so worried about attempting to drive to Grandma's with him last weekend. Has anyone ever heard of a baby not liking their car seat? I have always heard that it was supposed to be the ultimate soother...you know, if you cant get them to calm down, put them in the car and drive around the block a couple times. Yeah, that does not work for Wesley. Once he gets going there is no consoling him. I've tried everything I know. We are praying that he grows out of this quickly!
He weighs about 10 pounds 9 ounces now, up from 9 pounds 12 ounces last month. Growing right on track and filling out nicely.
As of Monday of next week, (once Christmas is over and we are done traveling for awhile), Wesley will officially transition to his crib at night. He does great in it during the day for naps, and since he has been sleeping so much better at night, I'm ready to move him. I'm sure I could have done it easy enough awhile ago, but let's be honest, I am lazy. I did not want to be getting up, walking across the house, several times a night. As of Monday, we'll move the chair back in there, in case he does wake up, I can go feed him, and put him right back down. I'm kind of hoping that he will sleep better in there. Last night, he was just rolling around, grunting a little, but not upset, and it bugged me so much I just got up and fed him. Was he really hungry? I don't know. But the noise was irritating me and waking up Jesse. Somehow all those little stirs and shuffles don't seem so loud over a monitor. He can squirm around as much as he wants, and unless he cries, I don't have to do anything. So far, he seems like a good self-soother, but I guess time will tell. If I'm dying of exhaustion by this time next week, we'll know why. :)
Wesley and Ryleigh seem to like each other more and more every day. I couldn't help but add another comparison shot. This one was from Wesley was about one month old...
... to three months old.
Look at those precious faces? I'm blessed indeed. And though these three months have not exactly been a walk in the park, I wouldn't trade them for anything else in the world.
i jinxed it.
LOL. Yep, my sweet boy has decided he missed cuddling with Mama during the night, and has been back up the past two nights. I really don't mind when he gets up, eats, and goes back down. But when he thinks it is play time after he eats (cooing, kicking, and jumping around), like he did last night, it can be exhausting. At least he is being cute and funny and not up crying. Who can be irritated with a happy baby? :)
Monday, December 21, 2009
I dont want to jinx it....
...BUT, Wesley is going on four nights of sleeping through the night! I'm getting him down between 10 and 11 pm and he has held out until sometime between 5:30 and 7 am!! Hooray (and THANK YOU) Mr. Wesley!
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In other news, today my gorgeous twin sisters, Susan and Sarah turn 25. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS! I love yall both so much and wish we could hang out and celebrate your birthdays together today.
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In other news, today my gorgeous twin sisters, Susan and Sarah turn 25. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS! I love yall both so much and wish we could hang out and celebrate your birthdays together today.
Friday, December 18, 2009
A season to remember
I haven't had much to say this season. Well, actually it is more like I am afraid to sit down and actually write everything that I have to say because I'm sure it will quickly turn into an ocean of craziness and thoughts/feelings I'd rather forget. Things are a little rough here, I'll be honest. I'm struggling with all the adjustments necessary for our family, and my feelings are toward the adjustment are not the most gracious.
I absolutely adore this boy's precious little grin, and I'm getting to see it more and more. Most babies require "tummy time," but not Mr.Wesley. He sleeps on his tummy (don't judge me), and is much more uncomfortable on his back. So we pulled out the baby mat and hung some toys and rattles and a big mirror, and he lays there laughing, kicking/pushing the toys, and "talking" to himself in the mirror. Such a cutie pie!
You might think this would be a rare, one-time occasion, but you'd be wrong. Wesley absolutely cannot sleep unless he is right up against the bumpers, and more often than not, he nestles himself so close that he ends up getting his arm stuck. Silly boy.
And who can resist making a baby Santa? No one I know...especially not my mom. :)
Ryleigh has just been growing and learning more and more everyday. It still amazes me that she can carry on an entire conversation with me, using complete sentences, asking and answering questions, and making complete sense. She has a much greater grasp of the holidays this year and has been eating up Christmas! Lights, snowmen, Santa, glitter, Christmas trees....they are everywhere, and Ryleigh makes sure that we see every. single. one. Haha.
All morning, Ryleigh talked excitedly about going to see Santa. However, once we got there and she saw Santa, she just froze. No cries...no smiles... no expression. Oh to know what they are thinking sometimes!!
Jesse and I also had his work Christmas party this week. Julie was finished with finals, so she said she could come watch the kids for a couple of hours while we went to bowl with the group. Sadly, Wesley was not on board with the decision and literally screamed for Juls the entire time we were gone. I felt HORRIBLE. Growth spurt maybe? I don't know what is his deal this week, but poor Julie had to hear about it. 
Our tree is up; again, nothing fancy, but at least it is there. And I do have presents, wrapped and ready for Christmas, but after Ryleigh unwrapped three gifts and decided they belonged in her room, I realized that we might not be able to leave the present under the tree this year!
And finally, our stockings. I had a frustrating experience getting Wesley's stocking done, and then the monogramming place took over a week and still did the wrong font! Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. Oh well. At least he has a stocking, right?
HOWEVER, (and yes, I wrote in all caps, because it is a big however), life is sweet and ours is definitely full of blessings. And though there are portions of this season of our lives that I'd just assume forget, there is also a lot that I want to treasure and remember.
Like the day it "snowed," and Wesley looked so cute all bundled up in his car seat. And for those of you who I have shared his hatred of the car seat, you will recognize that this is one of the few moments I have ever seen my son in his car seat not wailing his head off. Naturally, I quickly grabbed my camera. :)
I absolutely adore this boy's precious little grin, and I'm getting to see it more and more. Most babies require "tummy time," but not Mr.Wesley. He sleeps on his tummy (don't judge me), and is much more uncomfortable on his back. So we pulled out the baby mat and hung some toys and rattles and a big mirror, and he lays there laughing, kicking/pushing the toys, and "talking" to himself in the mirror. Such a cutie pie!And who can resist making a baby Santa? No one I know...especially not my mom. :)Ryleigh has just been growing and learning more and more everyday. It still amazes me that she can carry on an entire conversation with me, using complete sentences, asking and answering questions, and making complete sense. She has a much greater grasp of the holidays this year and has been eating up Christmas! Lights, snowmen, Santa, glitter, Christmas trees....they are everywhere, and Ryleigh makes sure that we see every. single. one. Haha.And, though I am biased, she is growing more and more beautiful every day. Inside and out. Yes, she is still a two-year-old who has her stubborn and frustrating moments, but her heart is sweet. Lately she will just randomly walk up to me, ask to give me cuddles, and say, "I wuv Mommy." Or, the other morning while I was in my bathroom getting dressed and ready to drive to Houston, she came in and watched me for a few minutes and then said, "You wuk pwetty Mommy!" (I think she has forgotten what it looked like to see me in clothing, with hair down and makeup on.) How did she even know to say that? Moments like these warm me to my core and remind me of why I chose to do this Mommy thing.
Jesse and I are having a hard time adjusting to our new life here and as a family of four. There are never enough hours in the day, and sadly, our family time and couple time are often neglected. So, we have been trying to take every opportunity we can to spend some time having FUN as a family. Luckily, his course has fun family events almost every single month. This month, they had "brunch with Santa," and so Ryleigh, Wesley, and I met him up there last Saturday morning.
Jesse helped Ryleigh decorate her gingerbread cookie. He applied the icing, and then she went to town on the candy. I don't think I have ever seen so many "buttons" on a gingerbread cookie in my life.
All morning, Ryleigh talked excitedly about going to see Santa. However, once we got there and she saw Santa, she just froze. No cries...no smiles... no expression. Oh to know what they are thinking sometimes!!We enjoyed brunch together until Wesley decided it was not fair that everyone else was getting fed and he was not. It was a sweet morning together, and we enjoyed the time out of the house.
Jesse and I also had his work Christmas party this week. Julie was finished with finals, so she said she could come watch the kids for a couple of hours while we went to bowl with the group. Sadly, Wesley was not on board with the decision and literally screamed for Juls the entire time we were gone. I felt HORRIBLE. Growth spurt maybe? I don't know what is his deal this week, but poor Julie had to hear about it. Jesse and I had a good time though, and actually realized how much fun we had bowling together. Haha, maybe we should join a bowling league! Just kidding. But it does make a good idea for date night sometime. We also went to Toys 'R Us and got the kiddos Christmas presents. Not as much fun as I thought it would be...Ryleigh is kind of at an in-between phase; too big/smart for the baby toys, but not big/smart enough for the kids toys. Hmmm. I guess we'll just cross our fingers and hope she likes the toys we picked out.
And lastly, you know I must share a little of our family's Christmas spirit. I must admit, the "spirit" of Christmas is missing something this year. I think when you're exhausted and don't have the time or energy to do all the little things that we often associate with the Christmas season, you peel back the layers and just do the minimal and see what is important. We have a tree, stockings, and of course, a nativity out. That's it. That is the extent of my decorating this year. I'm sending out Christmas cards (hopefully today), but they are the bear minimum. Nothing fancy or special. Just a little wish for Christmas, from our family to yours. I've done some Christmas shopping, but my creativity is lacking this year.
Now, I will say that Ryleigh and I had fun baking for the family, and Jesse and I plan to bake another big spread over the weekend for him to give out next week. Here is part of the spread (minus the sugar cookies) that Ryleigh and I worked on. Luckily, my grandma saves boxes and Christmas tins for me, so I had an entire 30-gallon bag full of fun boxes and tins to fill. Yay for sweet, thoughtful (helpful!) Grandmas!
Our tree is up; again, nothing fancy, but at least it is there. And I do have presents, wrapped and ready for Christmas, but after Ryleigh unwrapped three gifts and decided they belonged in her room, I realized that we might not be able to leave the present under the tree this year!And finally, our stockings. I had a frustrating experience getting Wesley's stocking done, and then the monogramming place took over a week and still did the wrong font! Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. Oh well. At least he has a stocking, right?
So, a lot is going on. And though there are rough moments, there are also sweet ones. And I don't want to forget. I'm sure this last week before Christmas will be hectic, but fun, and I'll be back to report it all...good and not-so-good. :)
Merry Christmas, everyone!