Here's what is happening...

These are the happenings around here this week!

• Blakely is still on the bottle strike.  It is only getting worse.  On Wednesday we had my husband's work Christmas party and she stayed with my mom.  Usually in the evenings she eats every 1 1/2 to 2 hours (saving up for her awesome night sleep!).  We were gone from 530 to 930 and she refused the bottle the whole time.  I'm pretty sure she screamed the whole time as well, although my mom didn't say that.  I felt like a HORRIBLE mother.  I am denying her the thing she wants just so we can go to a party???  Yeah, not happening again.  I gave her the boob every time she even looked at me yesterday so hopefully she won't have abandonment issues.  UGH!  I guess I'll try some different nipples/bottles....or maybe I will just let her have my boob forever...

• I finally got my Christmas tree up.  It took a lot of effort and it might not come down til July. Mostly because the twinkle lights are a meltdown saver...that and Pandora's lullaby station that I have mentioned before.

 It's not my best work but it is up and that is all that I care about.

 This is the ornament I got Lonnie this year...adorbs!

          Yes, I still need to get some presents under this tree...

• I did go to the cookie bake the other day and it was SUPER fun!  I took B with me for the first couple of hours and she slept the whole time.  I think half of the girls didn't even know she was there!  Then I ran her home and my mom watched her for a few more hours while I went back.  We made a boatload of cookies....gained a pound and counting....

I look like a regular Martha Flippin' Stewart here...don't get confused

• So you know that Blakely has been sleeping in her crib since about three weeks and I have been sleeping in the bed in her room while my husband sleeps in our room upstairs.  Well this weekend we moved our big, nice, awesome mattress into the master downstairs that is right by her room.  So for the past 5 nights Lonnie and I have been sleeping together!  Well, you know, not sleeping together, just, physically sleeping in the same bed :)  Yea!!  I think this set up is going to work well.  The only problem is that now we need to move our entire master suite that is upstairs to the one downstairs.  That does not sound fun....AT.ALL.

• I have two Christmas parties tonight.  One with the girls from work that starts at 6 and the other with my girlfriends at 730.  I am taking B to the first one because they haven't seen her since she was born and NO way am I taking her up to the hospital to see them...GERM CITY.  I figured this was the perfect opportunity.  I am excited about them, I just have a zillion things to do before then.  

• We have been trying to not watch much tv while B is awake.  The other night we were watching and I looked over and she was so staring at the TV.  It was that mesmerized, best thing that ever happened to her look, similar to what she gets when looking at the Christmas tree.   

We turned it off and she started fussing.  Ummm no...that is not allowed.  No more TV in the evenings....until she goes to bed and then, of course, we can watch our Teen Mom, Tough Love and all the other crazy crap we watch.  

• When Lonnie was leaving for work yesterday morning, at 715, he asked me when I put those ice cubes in the freezer.  Yes, we have ice trays....we are old school like that.  I thought, wow, this is a random question.  I put them in there when I put her down last night...so 1130?  He tells me they aren't frozen.  It took me all of one tenth of a second to realize what this meant....Holy hell the freezer isn't working!!!  I have a ridiculous amount of milk stored up so I bolted upstairs to check it out.  Everything was still frozen, milk included, but it was definitely not freezing temp in there.  I thought I might black out from the stress of it all.  I gave it an hour and then checked again because I thought surely our freezer didn't just stop working.  Sure enough it was much colder...I think I must not have closed the door all the way the night before.  Needless to say, I was awake after the sheer panic of that.  

• Oh and yes you read those times correctly.  I put her down at 1130 and she fell asleep about 1200 and was still not awake at 715.  I love her to pieces for that.  I actually had to wake her at 730 because I was sure my boobs were about to explode.  

• And just because they looked so yummy here is the recipe for the triple chocolate cookies.  Easy and awesome....

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup veg shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 12 oz package semi-sweet choc chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips (I used white chocolate chips..pretty!)

3 1oz squares bittersweet choc chopped

1 cup almond brickle chips (I used a whole package of Heath toffee chips)

Beat butter and shortening med speed until creamy.

Gradually add sugars, beating until fluffy.

Add vanilla, beating well.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture until blended.  

Stir in chocolate chips, choc chunks, and toffee chips.

Drop cookies by 1/4 cupfuls about 3 in apart.

Bake at 375 for 11-12 minutes (I did 10) or until lightly browned.

Let cool on pan for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks.  

Makes 3 dozen HUGE cookies

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!

Christmas Pictures and 2 months

My baby girl is two months old today!  What a sweet little pea she is.  I love thinking about that day two months ago.  I have gone back and read my Kelly Belly 39 week update, her birth story, and her birth story part 2 multiple times.  It brings me to tears even thinking about it.  It was just so special and I am so glad I have such great documentation of it.  We go for her two month check up next Monday so I will do the full post after that.  For now I will just overload you with her cuteness :)  

This is our "unofficial" picture with Santa.  Quick story.  Lonnie had to work on Saturday but I had begged him to leave for just a few minutes and meet us there so he could see her sit in Santa's lap for the first time.  The hospital was really close so I was supposed to text him when we got there and he would run over.  Well, I totally forgot.  After we (me and my mom) got her picture made we were looking around...it was at a children's boutique.  All of the sudden my mom says there is Lonnie!  He walked in and I had totally forgotten to text him!  TERRIBLE WIFE!  So we put her back in Santa's lap so he could see and we got this picture. In the "official" one she did have her eyes open.  He couldn't believe he actually wanted to put her back in his lap!  Oh fatherhood ;)

At night, before we put her in jammies, we have been letting her play around in just her diaper.  She loves this and it is just too cute.  I have gotten some great pics!

 She loves looking at the twinkle lights on the tree....

 This one is on our Christmas card

 Gotta love Pinterest...I got this idea there...much harder than it looks!

 I could have gotten some really cute ones with the present but we were near meltdown at this point.  I might try again :)

This might be my fave outfit.  The shirt says best gift ever...fitting don't ya think?

Stay tuned for more Christmas pics because I am out of control with the Christmas outfits and the picture taking ;)

Christmas Traditions

I really love Christmas!  I think I love it so much because I love tradition.  And not just Christmas tradition but any tradition in general.  


I really want to start some fun traditions with Blakely this year.  I know that she has no clue what is going on but we will have pictures!!  


I want to start her a Christmas tree for her room with a theme.  Then I can buy her an ornament each year for her tree.  I can't seem to decide on one but I guess it isn't so important this year because her first ornament is going to be a baby's first Christmas ornament.  I think I am going to get her a pink tree or a white tree with pink ribbon it.  I could just do pink and green ornaments to match her room.  I thought about doing cupcake ornaments but I think they will probably be too hard to find.  Then I thought maybe just a candy theme but keep the ornaments pink and green.  That might be too hard too?  I want other people to be able to buy her ornaments too, if they want, so I don't want it to be impossible to find them!  Any ideas??


Lonnie and I get each other an ornament each Christmas.  We started this in 2006 so we now have 10 ornaments not counting this year.  I try to get one that reflects something that we did that year.  For example, the year that we went to NYC for Christmas I got a frame ornament with our picture in Rockefeller Center.  He got me an ornament that says "First Christmas in our new home" then year we bought our house.  


Another tradition that I am going to start with her is opening a present on Christmas Eve.  This present will be Christmas pajamas and she will wear them that night.  My mom did this with me and my brother and it was so very fun!  Now my Grand usually gets us all some jammies to wear!  


When I was little one of my favorite things about Christmas was our stockings.  My mom went ALL OUT on our stockings.  They were huge and overflowing with stuff.  I always loved sticking my hand way down in it and pulling out all the goodies.  My mom is going to continue this tradition with B.   Also, Santa always got us a new game (or three!) and he still does.  After we open presents Christmas morning with my mom, we play games all afternoon.  I love this...I am such a sucker for board games, card games, any game really!  


I know when she is older we will start other traditions with her, ya know, when she can actually remember!  I just think tradition is so important.  Those are the things that I remember from when I was little and it still makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when I think about it.  I think the elf on a shelf is so cute.  I love seeing all the pictures on Facebook every morning of what their elf has been up to :)  People are so creative with it!  


Lonnie is off the week before Christmas and we are gong to do a few fun Christmas things then.  One night we are going to take her out driving around to look at all the great lights.  Of course, she will fall instantly asleep when we get in the car so that is really for me ;)  There is also a place called Garvan Gardens here and they do a HUGE Christmas lights display.  We are going to take her there one night in the stroller and walk around and see the lights.  I'm going to try to have her awake for that because I just know she will love it.  


Since, I love Christmas so much you would think that my husband does too.  Well not so much.  He is a total ScroogeGrinch!  I mean he really doesn't like it.  It drives me BONKERS....  I think having Blakely will change this for him but not this year.  Although, it was his idea to take her to see Christmas light...so maybe??


What is your favorite holiday tradition from when you were little?  Or what traditions are you going to start with your little ones?  

TVT

Thought Vomit Thursday....watch out!!!

• I just got our new personalized stockings in the mail and had a total crying breakdown.  We are a family of three...wow!  Now, what do you fill a stocking with for a two month old???

• B is wearing Christmas outfits pretty much everyday this month.  Gotta get good use out of them :)  I will post pictures later this week, ya know, because I have taken like a zillion.  

• Speaking of pictures, I just read that you aren't supposed to use the flash on your camera unless you are more than 40 inches away on your new baby.  Well that is just fantastic!  Why didn't I read the manual BEFORE I started taking her picture.  Now I am going to stress out about her eyesight for the rest of my life and blame myself.   

• I have a new friend!  Yea for me :)  Anyway, she invited me to her annual cookie bake.  How awesome does this sound?  She gets all the basics to make cookies (sugar, flour, nuts, chocolate chips, etc) and one day after they take their kids to school they go to her house and bake cookies ALL DAY LONG.  If you have a random ingredient then you bring that yourself.  She also feeds everyone breakfast and lunch and they also have a fun festive holiday drink.  You then get to take home a huge assortment of cookies!!!  There are going to be about 10 people there and she said I could bring Blakely.  All of their kids will be in school so I will be the only one bringing a baby but she said everyone would love that.  I should go, right???  I really want to because it sounds so very fun but SUPER nervous about taking B.  I mean this will be around people that I will be meeting for the first time.  And if I take some cookie recipes it isn't like I can just leave if she freaks out.  Then there is the issue of feeding the baby...not really up for whippin' out the boob in front of strangers.  Anyhow, I will let y'all know if I go.  And I will so be keeping this idea in mind for the future...so fun!

• On the issue of feeding the babe, she is totally on a bottle strike.  We started giving her about one a day (sometimes skipping a day) when she was five weeks old.  She did fine.  She never ate as well from the bottle but she would eat and not fuss at all.  Well now it is a mess trying to give her that thing!  Arching back, screaming, the whole bit.  I tried a different brand of bottle...same thing.  So now I am flipping out because, I mean, SHE HAS TO TAKE THE BOTTLE!  I love that she loves to nurse so much but I need to be able to go places....  This is why I can't take a bottle to the cookie bake...that scene would be worse than flashing everyone!

• I am really starting to enjoy nursing.  I thought I was weird for not really getting the bonding thing with nursing that everyone talks about.  But now I am getting it.  I think it is because she is more alert while doing it and smiles A LOT.

• B is 8 weeks old today :)

• OK she fell asleep on her play mat.  QUICK, mommy, finish decorating the tree!

Etsy

Hi.  My name is Kelly and I am an Etsyholic.  I can't stop browsing, buying and pinning (Pinterest for those not in the know).  

That is the first step right?  Admitting you have a problem?  

But then admitting the problem means that I want to try to change it right?  But I don't...so maybe it isn't a problem after all.  My husband will surely think it is a problem!

They have the most unbelievably cute stuff!  I have to really try hard not to buy her too much.  Mostly because of the size issue.  Her 0-3 month clothes fit great right now but I don't think they are going to last much longer.  I should just buy 3-6 month stuff but I can't quite bring myself to believe my baby could be that big!  

I bought a variation of these stockings and they should be arriving in the mail any day!

Etsy shop DesignsbySusan2

I really wanted to get this matching tree skirt....maybe next year!

Etsy shop DesignsbySusan2

I also am in the market for a mommy necklace!  There are so many to choose from I can't decide.  Here are some of my favorites...

Etsy Shop JC Jewelry Design

Etsy shop Mama Mia

Etsy shop Annie Reh

I also can't stop with the bows...I mean a girl can't have too many right???

Etsy shop Blue Sky Designs

Etsy shop rossyaccesorio

Etsy shop Chic Sweet Babytique

Etsy shop Poppy Bows

I just figured out Etsy has an app for the iPhone.  This is what I do at night when I am up feeding her.  That or get on my Pinterest app.  Sometimes I even have to remind myself to put the baby back in her crib and go to sleep.  I get lost in my browsing!

So, yeah, maybe it is a problem....

Snuggles

So this is what I have been doing on this dreary and rainy Sunday morning.

I've been getting baby snuggles all morning.  She is the sweetest little thing ever.  It certainly does not get any better than this :)

TVT

So thankful for TVT because apparently I can't blog without it :/

• I really need some motivation to decorate my Christmas tree.  My tree is usually up before Thanksgiving but not this year.  We did actually bring it upstairs and turn on the lights but that is it.  Oh and I figured out how to make the lights twinkle!  Blakely LOVES it...I put her in her bouncer in front of the tree yesterday morning and she sat there for an hour!!!!  I got so much accomplished!
• My girl doesn't sleep very good during the day.  Which I am totally not complaining about because she does pretty well at night so I will take it.  But it does make for a pretty cranky baby in the late afternoon/evening and a pretty busy momma all day long.  I can't really find a good place for her to nap because I don't want to put her in her crib for naps (long story but basically just don't want her to get confused about the night time sleep since she does pretty good with that).  She HATED the pack n play so I tried the swing, bouncer, boppy pillow, couch, floor, playmat, you get the point.  She only stays asleep for about 15-20 minutes...30 if I'm very lucky.  She does sleep well when you hold her but I can't really do that all day every day.  I tried the Moby wrap yesterday and it went ok...I might try it again today.  I decided to try the pack n play again this morning since it had been about a week since I put her in it.  She has been asleep for 25 minutes...which is why I have time to blog!  Any suggestions in this area would be oh so helpful!
• I sent out her birth announcements the other day and I have gotten lots of compliments on them.  If I knew how the heck to imbed it onto my blog I would but I have no clue....again blog stupid!
• I am back on the caffeine..DAMN IT!  I didn't drink caffeine during my IVF3 or my pregnancy (well maybe like three times).  Recently I would randomly drink a diet coke or stop at Sonic and get a small diet dr. pepper. I didn't have any yesterday and by the evening I had a supreme headache.  So bad that I drove to Walgreen's at like eight o'clock to get some....now that is addiction people.  I will be stopping this habit very soon.  Oh and I don't have much just one in the late morning to keep my eyelids open....
• My sweet girl is seven weeks old today...that is just crazy!  But this also means that my maternity leave is more than halfway over.  I really don't know what I am going to do about work...should I be a stay at home mom?  Whole other post.......
• Should I have her picture taken with Santa?  I really want to...mostly for the baby book and since it is her first Christmas but HELLO GERMS!  Not so much the random guy that holds her but all the other sicky kids that have been on there before her.  Ok I just totally talked myself out of it.  Maybe I'll get Lonnie to dress up????
• I'm considering doing cloth diapers.  I did quite a bit of research on it while I was pregnant and I really want to try once she is about 3 months old.  My only hold up is that I feel like I have no support in doing it.   My husband says ok but I don't think he thinks I will really do it.  My mom and mother in law think I am crazy!
• TMI....but I want to have sex with my husband.  Is this crazy or what?  I actually can't believe it!  My lady parts are just not quite ready for that adventure though....
• I cooked dinner last night...like seriously.  I can't even remember the last time I did that.  It was for sure before B was born and I don't think I did it in the last like month or two of pregnancy.  Bad wife..I know.  I am really going to start making an effort to do better...we must eat healthier!
• I am going to try to get back in to running in the very near future.  I downloaded the couch to 5K app last night and I am going to try to start in the next week or two.  I think my lady parts are almost ready for that :) Now my lungs are a totally different story....
• My girl is still asleep!!!  It has been 30 minutes!!!!  I have to stop blogging and do some dishes...UGH....

Happy Thursday y'all!!!!