10.02.2011

What's new

(a post I started about 5 months ago)

Today is post heavy as I have been absent from blogging for the past month. A lot of changes are going on around here these days. Our biggest news is Dave's new job in Denver. He started 2 weeks ago and loves it! This new job, however, means that we are embarking on the new adventure of selling our current house and relocating to the Denver area. People who say that moving is one of the most stressful times in your life are not kidding. Add 2 kids into that mix and you are in stress overload for sure. Hopefully we will get the house on the market by the end of this month.

The month of September marked mine and Dave's 3 year wedding anniversary and my 30th birthday. On our actual anniversary Dave brought home flowers and dinner from Whole Foods. That following weekend we got a baby sitter and went out to dinner at our favorite brewpub.

Archer is 2

So my first born is now a toddler is 2 years old. We had a very low key birthday celebration at home and I think it was the perfect day. I wrapped all of his presents in Thomas the Train paper and put them on the mantel. He was awake all of 30 seconds before he noticed them. We let him open one present and saved the rest until after cake.

Grandma R. sent him birthday balloons which he loved! He carried them around, ran through them and tangled up in them multiple times. Definitely a big hit! I ordered him a Disney'sCarscake from Coldstone Creamery. He loved the cars toys on top more than the cake. My kid would rather eat grapes than birthday cake. I suppose that is a good thing.

We got to Skype with both sets of Grandparents which is always nice. I thought I would be more sad not having a party with family and friends, but all we really need is our little family to make it a great day. I'm not saying that I never want extended family around for celebrations though.
Archer is an amazing kid. He talks all of the time, picks up on words and their meanings after only hearing at seeing them once, and I often find him in a corner looking through one of his many books. He knows what he wants and when he wants it so we have a lot of defiance showing through. As his parent, however, it is my job to teach him that he cannot always have what he wants so he sheds many tears when I say "not right now". Gummy vitamins, for example, are only allowed once/day. Whoever created those are an evil genius. They made them good enough so kids would eat them and too good so they would want them more than once. Many a temper tantrum have been thrown over wanting those vitamins.

Archie sleeps fantastically since Fletcher was born (thanks again Grandma R.!). He sleeps for almost 10 hours every night but he likes those early mornings. We haven't slept past 6 am in a very long time and our Keuring coffee maker has been working overtime.

Cars has become one of Archie's favorite movies. We watch it about 3 times a week which I suppose isn't overly excessive but still more than I would prefer. Archie knows how to open the Blu Ray player and put in the disc. He also knows which remote we need to make it play. This kid is no dummy.

Anyway, here are some pictures from Archie's birthday. I cannot believe how fast he is growing.








9.03.2011

A draft I started about 1 month ago

I have now been a mother to two boys for a little over 4 months. Before Fletcher was born I was so stressed over how I would handle feedings and naps with the both of them. Now I realize I am too busy to worry about things like time management. If you ask me what a typical day is like I probably couldn't tell you. They are both too long and too short but my kids are happy and healthy and my house isn't in complete shambles. Plus we are all sleeping okay but my definition of good sleep has drastically changed since have kids.

Some days I am able to read a few chapters of a book or catch up on a few episodes of television shows I watch. I may or may not have dinner started by the time Dave gets home from work. I get laundry done, but finding time to fold it is a little more difficult. Not a day goes by though that I do not stare at my children in wonder. Not a day goes by that I do not think what the heck am I doing? Being a stay at home is the hardest job I have ever had. Some days I wish I had a job that I had to change out of my pajamas to do. The grass is always greener....


8.07.2011

Weight post

One month ago I started calorie tracking and eating better. I did not do so well on my vacation, but quickly got back into the swing of things when we got home.

7/5/11 - 174 lbs.
8/7/11 - 166.2 lbs.

I lost almost 8 lbs. this past month. I have 11 more to go until I get back to my pre pregnancy weight and 21 more to go until I get to my goal weight.

8.03.2011

First plane and car trip with the boys

Last week we took the plunge and endeavored upon our first plane trip and first car trip with both boys. Having flown a lot with Archer we weren't terribly nervous about the trip but we were wondering how we were going to carry all of our stuff and keep Archie from running off. He does not like to be contained making shopping trips especially enjoyable (note sarcasm). Anyway, we got a GoGo Babyz Tavelmate off of Craigslist for Archie's car seat and it was a lifesaver! Archie loved riding in his car seat through the airport and we didn't have to remove it to install his car seat on the plane. I highly recommend this product if you plan on flying with a convertible car seat.

So the plane trip was fairly uneventful. We had a layover in Milwaukee and Archie got to run around and play for a few hours and slept most of the trip to NJ. Fletcher slept most of the time as well. At the end of our long day of travel was Grandma and Grandpa R.! I love when we visit our parents b/c nobody loves our kids as much as we do except them.

Our two main reasons for traveling to NJ were to spend time with family and to attend the wedding of Elizabeth and Kevin K. Kevin is a friend from U of M so we got to see a lot of our college friends and their lovely children. Seeing everyone really made me miss the camaraderie and closeness of everyone. I cannot wait until we move back east one day and are closer to friends and family.

After the wedding we headed up to Vermont for a mini vacation within a vacation. Dave and I love VT, NH and ME and Burlington is only about 6 hours from the grandparents house. We all loaded into the minivan and headed to the land of Green Mountain Coffee, Lake Champlain Chocolates, King Arthur Flour, Ben & Jerry's, maple syrup and my cousins Lori, Erik, Corie and Zak. We ate at some great restaurants recommend by Lori, went to the aquarium, Lake Champlain Chocolates, walked around town, and went out to dinner with aforementioned cousins. The only downfall of our trip was our last night there when Archie came down with his first stomach bug. Thank goodness for Grandma R. who jumped in to save the day. Dave and I would've been a panicked mess without her.

While we were in NJ we went to visit the Whippany Railway Museum and Archie had a blast! It was a hot day and then it started to rain while we were there. Archie walked out into the downpour with the wild abandonment that only a toddler can truly pull off. Luckily I had my camera ready and took dozens of pictures. Fletcher was content to sit on Grandma's lap and watch. I don't think he's ready for the rain just yet.

The day before we left I was struck with the same stomach bug that Archie had. It made for an uncomfortably long day of travel, but it was nice to get home and sleep in my own bed. All in all, we had great time on our vacation and Dave didn't get sick until after we arrived home. There is always a silver lining!





7.10.2011

Trip to the zoo

Archie was more interested than the last time we went to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, however, some things still frightened him. At the zoo, you can feed lettuce to the giraffes. Seeing them so close made him nervous. He also absolutely hated the merry-go-round. Dave had a death grip on him to keep him from jumping off the platform. Is it bad that I laughed?

Anyway lets get to the important stuff-pictures!










7.05.2011

It's that time again...the next 30 lbs.

So I started off my most recent pregnancy at 155 lbs. I gained 47 lbs. with Fletcher. Seeing the scale top 200 was a little unnerving but I am now at 174 lbs. post pregnancy. My goal weight is actually 145 lbs. which puts me in the healthy range according to the BMI . That is 30 lbs. that I am looking to lose before my next pregnancy, which will not be in the next year at least.

I am starting with the same program I did after I had Archer. I am using the iPhone app Loseit! and have it set to the lowest weight loss goal of 1/2 lb. per week since I am still breastfeeding and do not want to deprive Fletcher or myself of essential nutrients. Basically it helps me choose me healthier foods b/c I have to decide it I really want to blow my daily caloric budget on crap. Dave and I are also rejoining the YMCA since both kids are now eligible for the child watch program. We are going to try for 1-2 weekdays after work and at least 1 weekend day. Dave and Archer are also starting swimming classes next week. I want to lead by example for our kids so they will grow up healthy and strong.

Today after work we are going to bust out the double stroller and walk to the post office which is two miles round trip. We have also been better about grocery shopping so we have a lot more fresh fruits and veggies laying around. Last night I made a nice stir fry using only fresh vegetables. For us that is huge!

So here I go again.

7.04.2011

4th of July weekend

Last year over the extended weekend we took Archie up to a State Park near Denver. We decided to continue the tradition and we headed to Cheyenne Mountain State Park yesterday. The temperature was in the 90s so we tried to get there early, eat lunch and take a short hike before we melted in the sunshine and heat. Not many people were out as they were probably hiding out in their air conditioned trailers and mobile homes. The campground was full so were slightly surprised by the lack of people taking advantage of the miles of trails in the park. Oh well.

Anyway, I saw a deer about 20 feet from our picnic table and there were plenty of birds and bugs for our viewing pleasure. We didn't make it too far in our hike b/c Archer decided he wanted to be carried. We definitely want to go back when the temps get a little cooler b/c the trails are not as steep so Archie should be able to walk further. Also, I've got Fletcher in the Ergo and we were sweltering with each others body heat.

Below are some pictures from our little adventure. Happy 4th of July!





6.23.2011

Love my Ergo. Love my Moby.

When we had Archer we were first time parents. We bought a lot of stuff. Too much stuff really. I really wanted to be a baby wearer but we skimped on the carriers that we purchased. I had 4 different carriers and none of them were very comfortable. I carried Archer in my arms more often than not.

This time around I splurged and got the two carriers I really wanted in the first place. I got my Ergo on a deal a day website for 50% less than if I bought it retail. I found my Moby for about $30 shipped. I use both of them daily and my back and shoulders love me. Chasing after Archer with a baby in my arms just isn't a possibility so Fletcher is almost always in a carrier. They are also very useful for when he is cranky tired. I can get him to fall asleep in less than a minute once he is in a carrier. In fact he is asleep in the Ergo as I type.

Basically, if you are on the fence between getting the carrier you really want and a less expensive one, get the one you really want! I wish I would've had these with Archer.

6.22.2011

The past 2 months

We finally have our Internet back after over a week of dealing with Quest and being sent two different modems in the mail. I have gotten so used to typing on my little iPhone keyboard that I feel like having an entire full sized keyboard is a luxury. Anyway, so much has happened in the last 2 months. They are aren't huge life changing events but everyday with my boys is a new adventure, trial, mishap, discovery and joy. My 8 week old Fletcher started smiling this week. I forgot how in the middle of the most challenging day a little smile can bring me to tears. Granted, I still have those post partum hormones raging through me so crying is a daily occurrence but those little baby smiles are heart melting.

We had lots of visitors surrounding the birth of Baby R #2. All of my sisters were here in the 2 weeks prior to his birth. It was great to have them here help out, listen to my fears of having 2 kids, getting a little reprieve from the daily grind and for Archie to have his Aunts around. My Mom flew in the day Fletcher was born which was such a huge relief for Dave and myself. One of my biggest stressors in the month prior to Fletcher's birth was who would watch Archer while I was laboring and in the hospital. My Mom got tickets the second she found out I was in labor and was here 12 hours later. Words cannot express how much that meant to me. With Archer we had nobody visit us in the hospital b/c everyone was 1000+ miles away. It always made me a little sad especially since we are from such large families. Having my Mom here was just great!

My Dad flew in about a week and half later for a few days. Archer got to show Grandpa S. his mad alphabet skills and my Dad got a reminder as to what it was like having a 20 month old crawl into bed with you in the middle of the night. Good times were had by all! About a week after my parents left, Dave's parents came for 2 weeks. I will be eternally grateful for Grandma R. who spent the entire 2 weeks working on getting Archie to fall asleep in his crib and stay there all night. For the last year we have been bringing Archie into our bed every night around 2-3 a.m. He just couldn't put himself back to sleep and we had spent countless hours sitting his room rocking him just to have him wake up the second we set him down. Now he sleeps all night in crib and if he does wake up all we have to do is walk into his room, say "Archie lay down and go to sleep" and he does!! It's a miracle really.

A few days after they left Archer got a cold and then Fletcher developed a cough. We took him to an urgent care facility on a Saturday and the Dr. said it "was most likely a cold. We took him to our pediatrician on Monday and she sent us to the hospital for an overnight stay b/c his oxygen levels were low. The poor guy got two chest x-rays and was put on oxygen. It turned out that he had a respiratory virus called RSV. In an older child it presents itself as a cold, but babies have a harder time with it and Fletcher was on oxygen for about 10 days. He is all better now and we are hoping that between spending time in a billibed, staying overnight in the pediatric ward and being on oxygen for 10 days that he has all his illnesses out of the way for the year.

Archer is a bundle of fun these days. He is talking a lot more now and we can actually recognize many of the words he says. He is also stringing words together like "Night, night Momma" and "Alphabet please Momma". He is advocating for himself and letting us know what he wants. When his favorite shows are on you can hear him trying to sing the songs. This also means that Dave and I need to really start watching what we say and what television programs we are watching when he is around. He has been really good around his baby brother too. Sometimes he is a little rough but for the most part he softly pats Fletcher on the head, tries to give him his pacifier and points to him saying "baby".

Life as a family of four is great. I still am not brave enough to take both kids out by myself though so we spend our days at home. Weekends are now filled with getting all of our errands out of the way. We still want more kids, but are going to space them a little more apart. Having two kids 19 months apart is hard! Well Dave needs to leave for work soon so I have to relinquish my free time. Hopefully I will post more than every two months.




5.02.2011

Fletcher Elliott: A Birth Story


I woke up at 3 a.m. on Tuesday, April 26th with what I thought were gas pains. I took some gas-x and laid down but the pain wasn't going away. It took me about 30 minutes to start realizing that maybe these were contractions. I had to be induced with Archer so I never really experienced normal contractions before. Dave called L&D and I spoke with a nurse who confirmed that I was most likely having contractions and they were 2-3 minutes apart. I got off the phone, finished packing our bags and headed to the hospital. On the way there my contractions started hurting really bad especially in my lower back.

Once at the hospital they checked and I was almost 6 cm's dilated so I was admitted and I immediately asked for the epidural. The anesthesiologist arrived at 5:15 a.m. and as I sat up to get the epidural my water broke. I had gotten the epidural with my first labor so I knew what to expect this time around. It started to numb half my torso so I had to turn and let gravity help numb the other side too. I was able to move my legs this time around which I actually appreciated and it did not affect the epidurals effectiveness.

I tested positive for group B strep so they have to hook me up the antibiotics, but I am allergic to penicillin so I got a bag of a different antibiotic. Also, because my labor was quick they only were able to administer one bag so we had to stay 48 hours in the hospital instead of just 24. Anyway, back to my birth story. By about 7:40 a.m. I was fully dilated to 10 cm's but I did not start pushing until 9:05 a.m. because Fletcher's head was not as low in my birth canal as the nurse would've liked so I sat up and let gravity try to force his head lower. He was also sunny side up so the nurse had me do some practice pushes to see if he would try to turn on his own. He didn't until the very end though.

I ended up pushing for 1 hour and 45 minutes. With Archer I pushed for 2 1/2 hours so this was a slight improvement. My labor nurse was awesome! She had be try pushing in a few different positions to see what worked best for me and the baby. With my last delivery I just sort of laid there the whole time. My last 3-4 contractions were probably when I felt the most "pain". Fletcher's head was crowned and I had to wait until the next contraction to push again. Dave, my Dr. and nurse were just standing there having a normal conversation as I was laying down with a head half way out of my vagina. The pressure was intense, way more than I felt when delivering Archer. It made me love the epidural even more.

At 10:50 a.m., just 8 hours after feeling my first contraction, Fletcher Elliott was born. He was 8 lbs., 10 oz and 21 1/2" long. I had a second degree tear that needed stitches but considering he was a full 2 lbs. heavier than Archer I think that was pretty good. My recovery this time around is going so much better as well. I am just taking over the counter Motrin for my cramping and tearing pains and even then I only need to about once/day. Fletcher was born very red because he had an excess amount of red blood cells. He also spent 2 days in a billibed to treat his jaundice.

We have been home over a week now and things are going well. He breastfeeds like a champ and sleeps in between nightly feedings. Archer is starting to show some interest in him, but is still pretty ambivalent. All in all, I am very pleased with this labor and am loving being the mother to 2 boys.






4.20.2011

No baby yet

I am 37 weeks, 6 days pregnant today with an 8 lb. baby apparently. Since Archie was born at 37 weeks, 1 day this is officially the longest I have ever been pregnant. I had an ultrasound last week b/c Fletcher has been measuring big. The ultrasound tech estimated that he was about 7 lbs. 13 oz. and my Dr. agrees with her assessment. I have been having mixed feelings about wanting him to be born soon, but I think I am less nervous than I was a week ago. I still have more anxiety this time around than I did with Archie. I think having 2 kids under the age of 2 is a little daunting.

My sisters have been here helping out. Mary and Marlene left earlier in the week and Amy is here until Sunday. I was hoping Fletcher would be born while they were here but that doesn't appear to be the case. We have a neighbor lined up to watch Archie for when I do go into labor but I really wanted family here. I always see pictures of people visiting the new baby in the hospital and it makes me a little sad that we will have no visitors yet again. Maybe when we have baby #3.


Archer still continues to amaze me everyday. He is such a smart little guy and I am constantly surprised with his innate desire and ability to learn. He is still a little boy though and makes me laugh with all his quirky antics and mannerisms. Some of the faces he makes are hilarious!




4.11.2011

We have the coolest friends!!

A few weeks ago our good friend Natalie let me know to expect a package in mail from a particular Etsy shop. Funny thing was, I had been looking at that exact shop the previous day. As it turns out, she had picked out the exact gift for Archer and Fletcher that I had been looking at. She is a scary good gift giver! Anyway, they arrived in the mail the other day and they are so awesome. They are matching Big Brother/Little Brother shirts with their names on them. The quality of the material is nice and durable and I cannot wait to put them on my boys and take pictures galore!

THANK YOU NATALIE!!!!!!


4.08.2011

Not very exciting post. Sorry.


I feel like I need to post something b/c everyday I get closer to being a mother of two. I am not sure how much time I will have to keep my 3 readers posted after Fletcher arrives! We have been working on my list and I have crossed a few more items off. Today I ordered our double stroller which is going to be a beast, but I am a suburban Mom so I really won't be needing it unless we go to Target, the mall, the park down the street or the zoo. We decided on the Graco Quattro Tour Duo for the price, reviews, ability to fit our infant car seat and the amount of storage underneath. Carrying a diaper bag for two is going to be fun.

Archer had his 18 month check up the other day. He is between the 70th and 90th percentile for weight, height and head circumference. Our pediatrician said that he developing right on track. He did like being at the Dr.'s office though. This was the first time he really screamed while we there. However, we were told that between 15-18 months is when they see this behaviour the most. They are just starting to realize that they have some control over their environment so when that control is taken away they tend to respond very emotionally.

Last night we had our first real Archie vomit experience. Apparently toddlers tend to throw up a lot and we have no clue as to why he did last night. He was fine before and after and fortunately Dave was holding him while it happened. As parents though it is always nerve-racking when your LO isn't 100%. They cannot tell you what is wrong so it is a big guessing game. We ended up letting him sleep with us all night more for our peace of mind than anything. Surprisingly, it was the best night of sleep all 3 of us have had on months. Go figure.

Next week my sisters are coming to hang out and help out in my last week/s of pregnancy. I will be 37 weeks (full term!) one week from tomorrow. That is when I had Archer so I really could have a baby very soon. It is really much more stressful this time around b/c I am worried about Archer. I have never spent the night away from him. The longest I have ever been away from him was about 8 hours and he was with Dave that whole time. Hopefully Fletcher makes his appearance while my sisters and/or Mom are here so at least I will be comfortable knowing he is in good hands.

Well I am going to try and enjoy the rest of Archer's nap by playing Bejeweled on my phone. Happy Friday!

4.02.2011

I know my alphabet!

Archie has been very interested in the alphabet lately. He loves alphabet books, Super Why! on PBS, he likes us to write a letter and he tells us what it is. Today he was watching Leap Frog Amazing Alphabet on Netflix and I caught him on video reciting the alphabet along with the program.


3.29.2011

Busy times around here

As our due date approaches I find myself getting very anxious. In some respects the 2nd time around is easier, but in others it is even more daunting. I feel like I don't have the time to really prepare for Fletcher's arrival with chasing after Archie, the increased annoyances of pregnancy, the constant fatigue and desire to catch up on sleep and the worries that are constantly flowing through my head about having two boys 18 months apart.

That said, I am still me and we are knocking out my to-do list a little every day. This past weekend Dave finished the walls of Archie's new room, set up the co-sleeper, set up the pack 'n play/changing table in the front room and moved Archie's car seat behind the driver's seat. I got the Moses basket ready to go, hung up Fletcher's clothing, got the swaddlers ready, worked on birth announcements and did some more on-line shopping for baby stuff. Amazon Prime is awesome!!



Tonight we have our preadmission appointment at our hospital. Basically that means when it is go time we can skip all the paperwork and just be admitted and have a baby. We also have a babysitter for Archie so Dave & I can go out to dinner after our appt.!!! We don't get to eat kid free very often so we are pretty excited.

Archer is growing and changing so much everyday now. All the information he has been absorbing for the past 18 months is finally breaking through. He can recognize and recite most of the letters of the alphabet, count to 10, say words back to us and remember what they are, he is drawing lines with crayons instead of making dots and trying to eat them and doing dozens of other things that we think are simple amazing. He also is learning the art of the tantrum, which is not so amazing but sometimes amusing. We just ride it out and he usually gets over it in a minute or two. I know that they are going to get more impressive as time goes on though.






3.21.2011

4-7 weeks left!

When I was pregnant with Archer I basically just breezed through it all. Yes I had the occasional heartburn and my belly certainly got in the way, but I was by no means miserable or in pain. Pregnancy the 2nd time around is no walk in the park for me. I hurt in places that shouldn't hurt, I get heartburn just thinking about food, I have shooting nerve pains down my back and walking is not possible some evenings. That said, I still want to do it again so we can have a 3rd and maybe even a 4th kid down the road. The end result is worth all the discomfort.

I am now in my 33rd week of pregnancy. Archer was born at 37 weeks, 1 day. If this baby follows suit then I could have another little boy in less than 4 weeks! That is soon. Statistically more women go into labor during a full moon or during a snow storm. April 17th is the next full moon and coincidentally I am also going to be 37 weeks, 1 day pregnant on that particular day. Only time will tell!

During this past week I feel like Fletcher has dropped a bit. Does my belly look lower in the 2nd picture or is it just me?

(32 weeks, 1 day)



(33 weeks, 1 day)

I just need to survive the next 4-7 weeks. I can do it especially now that Archer is walking a whole lot more and is very independent. He likes to do things by himself and only asks for help if he needs/wants it. He likes to pick out his own books for us to read and if he is still hungry will hand us his bowl. The only real drawback is that he likes to walk when we are out running errands and that adds a lot of time to our outings. It's very hard to shop when Archie is pushing the cart at a nonstop pace. Oh well!

Pretty soon I will be posting pictures of Archer's newly painted room! Dave finished painting yesterday and we just need to put up the wallpaper border. I am so excited to start moving stuff into his new room and getting the baby stuff back into the nursery. I started unpacking the newborn clothing and it is all so tiny and cute. I cannot wait to dress Fletcher up in them! Soon enough.




3.14.2011

Look who's walking!

The Life of Madison


Madison ~ 2/22/03 - 3/02/11



It has been almost two weeks and I finally feel like I can write this blog post without being maudlin and depressing. On March 2nd we had to put down our sweet cat Madison after a year of battling kidney failure. She had just turned 8 in February, but was not destined for this world for much longer after that. Fortunately this 2nd onset of her kidney failure came on fast and she did not suffer very long.

I got Madison shortly after graduating college in April 2003. I wasn't supposed to have cats in the co-op but everyone on the 3rd floor of Mich House fell in love with her and I got to keep her until moving out about 2 months later. She was super sweet from the get go, not one of those cats that you fear will claw out your eyes in your sleep. She adapted well to change, loved people, and even tolerated dogs to a certain extent. She took Archie's abuse with aplomb and would bend over backwards just to get a pat on the head. She is sorely missed, but also we are lucky just to have had her for those 8 awesome years.

Her sister Ivy seems to be taking everything in stride. She definitely wants, and gets, more attention these days. She is adjusting better than I thought, but I think she gets lonely sometimes. We are definitely not going to be getting another kitten though. Ivy and Madison tolerated each other pretty well, but I think Ivy would destroy a kitten.

To honor Madison we got a beautiful wall tile of a cat and the vet's office also made clay plaque with her paw print. She was a loved part of this family and is missed.

3.11.2011

Name Plaques

I just finished making name plaques for Archer and his brother-to-be Fletcher. I went to Hobby Lobby and got the unfinished wood plaques and letters. After sandpapering them and painting them with acrylic paint I got to start the decoupaging! I used two different papers for each plaque and a whole lot of Mod Podge. Then I painted the letters, sealed them and attached them to the boards. I still to spray them with acrylic sealer, but this is essentially the finished product. I think they are so much fun!

2.28.2011

10 weeks to go, or less.

In a little over 2 months we will be a 2 child household. I am still feeling pretty good relatively speaking. I have the usually heartburn, difficultly getting up, putting on shoes and socks is a chore and carrying Archie upstairs makes me feel like I've run a marathon. However, I feel like I have fairly easy pregnancies compared to what I hear from other people. I am getting very excited to meet Baby F though and cannot wait to fall in love all over again when I first lay eyes on him!

(Almost 30 weeks. Ignore the fake smile.)

Archie will be 17 months old tomorrow and I cannot believe how much he has grown and changed in his short life. Every new thing he discovers and learns is such a treat as a parent to watch. Just over the last 2 days he has started walking a lot more. He will go 10 or more feet without faltering. He also chooses to walk about 1/3 of the time compared to just once or twice per day as he had been doing for a few weeks.

Another of Archie's newer developments is to point to things he wants you to see. Before he would point to things that he wanted, but now he points out things that he thinks are interesting and wants to share with you. At the airport the other day he wanted to show me how cool the luggage carousel by pointing and smiling. I love that he wants to share his world with me!


(Sleepy boy)

We spent the last week in NJ at Grandma and Grandpa R's house. It was actually quite a relaxing trip as G & G provided 2 extra sets of very helping hands. Archie did not display any sort of anxiety towards them and Dave & I were able to spend some adult time together without worrying about him crying the whole time. In fact, we were told that he didn't cry at all after we left. We got to hang out with some of Dave's friends, eat some good food, sleep in and veg out. Thank you so much Bob and Joan for giving us the gift of date night and the letting us relax while you watched Archie!


(Family picture)


(Archie with Grandma & Grandpa)

2.16.2011

Super excited...Finally got the carrier I wanted!

The advantage of having a second child is that you already have almost everything you need/want from the first child. You have a swing, pack n' play, high chair, car seat, crib, towels, bedding, clothing, bottles, changing table, cloth diapers, toys (lots and lots of toys), hats, socks, breast pump, Boppy, rocking chair, a decorated nursery and whatever else it is a that a baby needs. However, that doesn't mean there aren't things you would like to upgrade or never got in the first place.

Here are the things I have on Baby F's wish list.

This morning I was able to take one of the higher ticket items off of my wish list though! Babysteals.com is 2 deal a day website offering all different kinds of goodies for moms, babies and pregnant women. Today they had the Ergo Sport for 45% off. Ergo baby carriers are typically $105-135 and rarely go on sale. I have wanted one of these since before Archie was born but could never justify the cost. Now I have one on the way! I cannot wait to start carrying around Archie and Baby F in this carrier. Happy day for me!

2.15.2011

Valentine's Day 2011

Valentine's Day around here always means chocolates and flowers and for me and something sweet, but not entirely necessary for Dave. He never buys those sort of things for himself so I make it a point to do so at least on this Hallmark holiday. This year, Dave did the pregnancy sized chocolates and got me two different chocolate collections from Costco! I got him a 3 cup french press with Illy coffee, biscotti and a sampler of his favorite chocolates.

Since my idea of cooking these days is anything that takes less than 10 minutes, I decided to let Whole Foods make our dinner. I did, however, make chocolate chunk bread pudding! It was surprisingly easy and there was Kahlua in the recipe so I was all over that recipe. It was from Cooking Light too so not terribly over the top in calories. RECIPE.

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day! I am now off to enjoy my fully caffeinated cup of coffee for the week.


Bread Pudding before toppings.


Bread Pudding after toppings!