Christmas

Tomorrow is my son's first Christmas! I am ridiculously excited!! I am as excited as much about future Christmases as this one. I can't wait to start new traditions with my little guy that will make Christmas as wonderful for him as it was for me as a child. My parents always worked hard to make our Christmases special. I am so thankful for my kiddo and my husband this Christmas. Kieran will tear the paper off of presents, but he much prefers eating the bows. :) He'll probably spend tomorrow doing a combination of a few things--fussing, spitting, squealing, laughing, rolling, and wiggling. :)

Thanksgiving

We had a very blessed Thanksgiving this year! It was our little turkey's first Thanksgiving. Although, I can't say for sure that he enjoyed it, he didn't seem to hate it? We baked our very first turkey, and it was ah-maz-ing! It was so moist it was falling off the bone. We are using leftovers from said turkey and I made a green enchilada turkey casserole. I hope it's good! :)

I am done!

It is a bittersweet moment. I am done with my Bachelor's program. Part of me is excited, part of me has no idea what to do with myself! I have been in school for 16 years, and have never had a break of more than  couple of months. I'm looking forward to spending more time with my Stinkbug. :) Lately, he's been babbling, squeaking, and fake coughing constantly. On Friday evening, I was holding Stinkbug in front of our closet doors, which are comprised of giant mirrors. He was kicking excitedly, then realized that if he kicked the mirror, it makes a squeaking noise. He stared at his feet in the mirror and kept doing it. Now, he does it everytime he sees the mirror doors. It's adorable. And apparently "genius," according to Grandma Lisa. :)

Random fact of the day...

I am in love with vintage lace at the moment. :)

11s

It was 11:11 on 11/11/11 11 minutes ago. :)

Knitting!

As I will be graduating in 21 days, I believe it is time to find some new hobbies. Without school, I generally feel listless and tend to spend many hours over analyzing and worrying about everything. As a preemptive strike, I took up knitting! I don't like watching tv, etc., without doing something to keep my hands busy and my brain sharp. Last night I mastered casting on with a long tail and the basic knit stitch. I'm going to start working on the Purl stitch tonight! :) Trying to decide what my first project should be! I really want some chunky, chunky yarn! :D

Ah, time flies!

My stinkbug is growing up! He has officially started trying to roll over. He doesn't have the momentum to quite make it as of yet, though. If he could talk (and he's also trying that!), he would probably use the excuse that his cloth diapers make it harder for him. Poor little guy. ;) He's been busy doing so much growing and developing; I am such a proud mama. I know it's silly, but I'm pretty darn sure he is the smartest baby ever! He also figured out how to get toys in his mouth. No stuffed animal will ever be safe again! In other news, I only have 4 weeks left of class! Then, I will order my diploma! :D

Two perfect years...

Tuesday is our anniversary. We were married October 11, 2009. We will have been married for two perfect years. In that time, we have rented an apartment, then bought a house, gotten two puppies (who are now two well-behaved dogs), bought a car, and had a baby. I am so thankful that God brought my husband into my life. He saved me from the mess I was in and reminded me that I was worthy of love--both his and God's. I will forever know God loves me because He blessed me with my husband.

Even though it is still two days from our anniversary, we have already opened our presents. We are such kids and can't help ourselves. Wanna see my present? (Knows that, of course, the answer is yes!)

Maternal? What?

I'm finally to that point. You know the one...as soon as you are pregnant, every person you know tells you that "you'll love that baby more than you ever thought possible" and "you'll be perfectly content to spend hours just watching that little face." (We'll get to the "you'll never sleep, shower, have sex, etc.," later) I knew everyone claimed this, but I am so not the maternal type. I've never liked babysitting; I don't love shopping for baby clothes; my ideal day is not spent feeding and changing a little face and a little bottom respectively...you get the idea. My husband and I tried to get pregnant for quite a while, yet when I got pregnant, I had a royal freakout. My brain went a million different directions--wherewillhegotoschool, whatwillweclothehimin, whowillbabysitwhileidomyschoolwork, wherewilliwork, whatcollegewilleheattend--that is basically the chaos that ensued. Even after he was born, I stared at him in a strange sort of disconnected awe. How the heck did that little guy happen? What did I do right, or possibly wrong, to deserve him? After the hormone dump faded and I've had time to adjust to the mindboggling changes that having a baby brings, I am at that point. I love that baby more than I could have ever dreamed possible, and I could spend hours just staring at that perfect and hilarious little face. Every quirk of his eyebrows amazes me as he learns about this world and all of the strange people in it (like the one constantly staring at him...). He can bring me from tears of worry at the littlest sniffle or the fever I'm "sure" he has to smiles and giggles at his antics in mere seconds. I love that little guy and the guy who helped me make him more than anything in this world. I may not be the maternal type, but I love being maternal with this baby. I guess I've passed beyond the mom stage to the official "mommy" stage.

Another week goes by...

It's amazing how quickly time goes by when you are in school. Especially when you have a paper a week to complete. The week speeds by before the next due date. The hours slip past in a haze of cuddles, laundry, diaper changes, feedings, reading, writing, and trying to keep up some semblance of order in my house. Thank God for a helpful husband and a little boy whose smiles keep me going.

My smiley stinkbug

Kieran will officially be two months old tomorrow. He spent most of today smiling at his stuffed bird, worm, and owl. He has gotten so happy and smiley. It is amazing to watch how much he grows every day. He went to his first football game (His uncle Steven plays) today. He enjoyed watching the players run around, though, I'm sure they are just a glorified mobile to him. I hope you all are well!
                         

Peaceful evenings...

I've come to believe that there is nothing better than an evening spent cuddled with my guys on the couch. I love kissing Stinkbug's chubby cheeks and cuddling close to my husband, enjoying having him home with me. Today, I had a bridal shower and errands to run and friends with whom to meet afterwards. I love a busy day and thrive on being busy, as one must imagine to be true since I have a newborn and am going to school full-time. However, a cozy evening is every bit as wonderful. I definitely never thought I'd say that.

Dinosaur had his first swimming experience today. He always loves his bath so we were hoping he'd love the pool. However, it was a bit chillier than his bath (about 80 degrees). His daddy just plops him in the water without slowly letting him get used to it while he is asleep. He SCREAMED! After that, he settled down a bit, but we only let him stay in for another minute or so because he seemed cold. Pics to come. They are hilarious!

I was standing around talking to some people last night while holding Dinosaur, and looked down to realize that he was sucking on my shirt, right over my bra. He left a nice big wet spot. Nothing like people having to see that....Oh, the joys.

Cheese!

A couple of days ago I got my first real smile from my baby. He has been smiling after eating in his sleep for a long time, but this was his first eyes-open, looking-at-me smile. I can't believe what an adorable boy I've been blessed with; he's such a perfect kid. I love my baby dinosaur and everything about him. :)

I have found a new love...

You know how people tell you that once you have kids you never have a spare minute again? It is not entirely true. I have found time to be productive enough to find pictures of pretty/inspiring/funny/cute things and paste them on an internet pin board. Yes. That is right. You may sit in awe of my productivity level for a moment.

*moment of silence*

Okay; now that we are done with that...my new love is pinterest. Check it out! I love that I can find so many pretty "things" (online pictures) and organize them. Bliss. :)

Oh, my goodness...

Having a newborn is exhausting, both physically and mentally! I had some serious baby blues hit me right after having my baby. I sobbed on the way home from the hospital, wondering what the heck I had been thinking by getting pregnant. I love my husband so much and was immediately scared that having this baby was going to mess up our relationship and our bond. The anxiety would wear off after some sleep, but then would hit me hard all over again. Honestly, I just wanted to sit down and die. I couldn't make myself be excited about ANYTHING. Thank God, it did end, just like everyone promised. It lasted less than a week and I feel back to my normal self! I do have moments of anxiety still, but I feel like this is all doable now. I love my little man with my whole heart and love my husband even more than I did before. He is the world's best daddy and I can't even fathom how much I love this man. I hope you are all doing well! We have been on quite the adventure! My labor was very difficult and pretty long. I was rewarded with a beautiful baby boy who made it all entirely worth it. By the time we left the hospital, he was already jaundiced and we were readmitted the next afternoon. We've been dealing with trying to get his jaundice down ever since--it's been a seriously worrisome situation. I'm so glad my little man is finally on the road to recovery. Thanks for reading!
                                                                XOXO,
                                                                       One Tired Momma

Last night just the two of us...

I am officially nervous. It is most likely my last night without kids to spend with my wonderful husband. We've had a crazy road...From meeting to marriage within 10 months and then a being pregnant before we'd even known each other for two years. It's been a whirlwind, but the most wonderful whirlwind I could ever have imagined. Actually, much beyond that. I love you so much, Husby! You are my everything and I can't imagine living my life without you. Thanks for being my everything and keeping me grounded and sane. I love you more than words can express. *kisses to my baby daddy*
                                                                                Love,
                                                                                       your Worrywart

(My hubby sketched the picture for me while bored at work once... :)

Wide awake. 8-D

Is this a normal thing at nearly 38 weeks pregnant? I am NOT tired. I cannot even convince myself to be sleepy anytime it is dark. I want to nap during the day, but once it gets dark I'm alert and want to clean, etc. I've always been a night owl, but normally I can fall asleep no matter what time of day it is. Well...hopefully I won't go into labor after a sleepless night!

My own Faber "J" egg...

My wonderful husband read the post I was writing over my shoulder and created a Faberge egg for me. <3 He's so sweet........ ;)

Sunday: Something that Inspires Me

I have always been intrigued by items with history. I can't afford such items, but I love the idea of pieces that have witnessed great periods in history or even the everyday happenings of people before our time.

Fabergé eggs are some such items I find inspiring. First of all, the ornate, intricate, colorful pieces are just beautiful. Secondly, they have such a unique romantic history. I'm not gonna lie; I think I'd like one for my anniversary this year. ;) More than actually wanting to own such pieces, I'm inspired by the idea of such intricacies. I would gladly wear plain clothes every day with intricate jewelry that arouses the imagination and senses. Pieces that remind us of the beauty of our history and the moments that have built it. Take some time today and think of something that inspires you and why! I've learned a lot about myself just thinking of why such things inspire me. :) Now, go find your own Faberge egg!

Timing...

I always hear how ready people are by the end of pregnancy to get that baby's head off of their bladder and feet out of their favorite rib cage jungle gym. I can relate. Well, halfway. I am honestly getting tired of rib pain, tailbone pain, and the extra weight that must be toted around in the 115 degree heat. However, I cannot at all relate to actually wanting this baby to be born at this point. I'm 36 weeks today--woot woot for 9 months--yet I find myself in such a state of panic about the impending changes. I think I'll enjoy a few more weeks of sleeping when I want and not having to worry about my little guy as much as I will. Maybe more misery needs to set in for me to get to the point where I'll try all of the crazy induction methods...

My child is seriously hyper...

I cannot remember the last time I have had a few minutes without a baby pushing up into my ribs or headbutting me in the bladder. Pregnancy is a seriously tiring event! Anyways, today, we bought the dogs a wading pool. Gretchen loved it and kept dunking her head; Madison played in the water a bit, but mostly just ran back and forth across the backyard, trying to get Gretchen to chase her. They are so adorable. :)

Side note:
I need to get to work on my birth plan--any advice?

So Proud of myself!

I'm taking a break from the getting to know me survey because I'm in the hospital with an IV, and I don't feel like typing for that long! :) I feel super financially savvy and grown up today, though! I know this is going to sound bizarre, but I traded in some textbooks and made $262.50 on them! Amazon has a relatively new service that allows you to trade in various items, such as some electronics, books, video games, etc. In return, they give you a gift card once your items arrive and are verified to be in the condition you stated. I used my gift card to get 4 gallons of Charlie's powdered laundry soap, which I adore, a winter hat for Dinosaur, a photo printer that is my husband's father's day gift, and a bunch of photo paper! I think I scored! I guess this is reason enough to feel proud, but I am also extra proud of myself for selling the textbooks! I always get attached to my textbooks and have a super hard time letting them go. Yay me for letting them go! I got so much in return! (as is usual in our lives...we let a little something go, control, for example, and God rewards us with so much more in return.)

Me in 27 questions...

So...I've been contemplating ways to make my blog interesting. I was thinking about what things I could possibly post all day. My brain immediately went to posting some of my "likes." Oddly enough, the first thing I thought of is how much I like the smell of Scotch tape. After contemplating this and deciding that this would really not make for an interesting blog post, I moved on down the tracks in my train of thought--next idea: The oddities of pregnancy. I love Science and as a previous med school student who has dissected everything from a cat to cow eyeball, I could go into some great detail about the more, uh, delicate aspects of pregnancy. This still seemed like a bad idea in the quest to encourage readers to ever come back. So I researched some ways to let readers 'get to know me.' I'm going to pretend that since you follow me...(woot! I have 3 followers) you really want to know more about me and aren't just taking pity on me. I found this great list of 100 questions...there are 7 categories of questions so this will fill a week of blogging! Woot!

Here we go...

Personal Questions

1. How do you define honesty?
Honesty: a) straightforwardness of conduct, or b) adherence to the facts ~Merriam Webster


2. What is your biggest fear or worry?
Probably that I'll lose my husband. I can't imagine my life without him. Of course, I also worry about losing family. And...admittedly, I've had nightmares of my dogs dying, and can't imagine that either. I love my puppies. 


3. What is the main thing that makes you unique?
Probably how many people with whom I can relate...so really: my lack of uniqueness. :D In all seriousness, probably my likes and dislikes. I am extremely picky.


4. If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?
Other than the obvious--My hubby and dogs--the external hard drive, it has all of our pictures on it. 


5. What facial expression or movement do you do when you are lying?
None. I'm an impeccable liar. :D Note: I do not use this skill often. (though...I couldn't define honesty for myself.......) 


6. What is the oldest item you own?
We have a lot of old items! I have my great grandmother's college yearbooks, which I adore, or we have a lot of antiques that have been handed down from my husband's side of the family. I don't really know what is the oldest...maybe a blanket that I believe was made during the civil war...


7. If someone was to give you one gift, money is no object, what would you want to receive?
Money to pay off my student loans...and to pay for my master's degree tuition and books. :) (Not that I ask for much........just like 150k)


8. What does it mean to have courage?
*sighs* Okay...I'll try to define this one on my own. To stay strong and controlled in the face of extreme peril or awful situations that you probably think you won't make it through, or standing your ground in spite of fear of repercussions.


9. Do you like your name?
Yes, though, I wish it were not so common. This is probably why my child will have a very uncommon name. 


10. Do you have a nickname? What is it?
I have far too many to type out here. Let's just say I have about 10 from my husband alone...but the main one is Lovebug. :) He's called me that since we started dating. My dad always called me small fry. That is, until he found out I had scoliosis...then the name changed to crinkle cut fry. My family is nice like that. ;) 


11. If you could have any special magic, what would it be?
Creating money growing trees! (in my defense, I would donate a lot to charities....)


12. If you had three wishes, what would you wish?
1. For my husband to always adore me. 
2. For my son to grow up feeling loved and secure with himself.
3. For kiddo #2 to feel the same. :) 


13. What is your greatest strength?
I'm very determined and controlled. This can also be a weakness.


14. What is your worst weakness?
See above.


15. If you could predict the future, what would you do with that knowledge?
Run a psychic hotline and make bank, of course. :D Only kidding; I would probably try to do counseling to help people prepare for their futures without telling them what those futures entail. Or try to work with agencies to help prepare for disasters. I don't know...that would be a huge responsibility, and one I'd rather forgo. 


16. Is your favorite time the past, present or the future?
All of the above melded together. :)


17. Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
Happily married to my hubby and enjoying my family...with dogs. Hopefully with a career that has been successful and enjoyable.


18. Who is the one person that helped to make you who you are today?
I could never name just one...but I will. :P There are so many people who have contributed to my life, but I would say my mother has had the most influence in molding me. Next would probably be my husband who taught me to see myself through new eyes.


19. If you were punished for a crime, what type of punishment would you choose?
Overeating. (jk) Ummmm... being forced to sleep and read for days....yes, that sounds nice, I mean...*cough* terrible...*cough*


20. Describe a time you got into trouble.
Ummmm...I forgot to bring my homework into Kindergarten and had to sit in on my break. ;) 


21. What do you do when you first wake up in the morning?
Check ETR, Facebook, and the news. :)


22. What makes you a good person?
God working through me.


23. What would your obituary say?
It really depends on who pens it...I'd kinda rather not have one.


24. What is your greatest regret?
I don't regret the past. It has all brought me to where I am...blah...blah...blah... (but it's true.)


25. How would you describe standing on a beach looking at the ocean?
Calming. Maybe I should write updates when I am in more eloquent moods and am not dying to eat cookies I baked... 


26. What is your favorite outfit to wear?
Anything that makes me feel beautiful, whimsical, and like I belong in a field of grass and flowers.


27. What do you do when you are driving alone in a car? 

 Sing at the top of my lungs. :)


Questions retrieved from: http://www.adviceopedia.com/100_Questions_to_Know_Someone_Better

Saving Memories...

Thanks to some of my amazing friends, my eyes have been opened to the world of blogging! I find the ability to save memories in such a beautiful format to be intriguing and I'm excited to start getting some of my memories down on "paper." I spent the day today with my wonderful husband, enjoying a rare 'windless' day in the desert. I worked on blog formatting, while my amazing husband made homemade hand puppets out of socks for the baby. He ended up using them instead to torture the dogs, who now believe said puppets are toys to be chewed and tortured in return. Good thing they know the command, "Leave it" or baby's puppets might end up like many of the other toys dads buy "for their kids" and never actually make it into his chubby little grasp. Anyways...off to bed... :)